Interview & Giveaway with Judy Powell

Interview and Giveaway with Author Judy Powell

 

What’s up my lovelies? I have a special treat for you today. I do, I do! I really do! Thanks to the fabulous Sizzling PR, I was able to schedule the wonderful author Judy Powell on the blog today. Ms. Powell with be chatting with us today, sharing a bit about her latest release, and offering a book to one lucky commenter. See? I told you it was a special treat! So let’s get started!

It is my pleasure to introduce to you:

**JUDY  POWELL**

Here is a little about Ms. Powell (taken from her website):

Judy Powell is a writer and marketing consultant who lives in Ontario, Canada.

Her works are diverse, featuring romance novels set in Jamaica, Chicago and New York, a historical novel focusing on Jamaican culture and history, and non-fiction essays which have appeared in anthologies.

Judy has received various awards for her writing from the USA, Canada and Jamaica.  In addition to writing her own stories and novels she works as a ghost writer, writing memoirs and novels on behalf of others.  She is also a motivational speaker who enjoys visiting organizations and schools to motivate young people to love and value learning.

Judy  is a great lover of learning which is reflected in the diversity of her studies.  She has Masters degrees in Spanish, Marketing, Literature and Creative Writing and a BA in Foreign Languages & International Business.  She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa (US honor society), Romance Writers of America, Toronto Romance Writers, and Writers and Editors Network (Canada).  

Judy’s Caribbean romance, Hot Summer, placed second in the Toronto Romance Writers
Contemporary Romance Competition which had entries from countries around the world.  Her literary novel, Coffee, Cream and Curry, was awarded the silver medal in the Jamaica Creative Writing Competition.  In stores she now has Hot Chocolat, the sequel to her first romance novel, and Some Like It Hot, her latest and most sensual romance novel.

**INTERVIEW**

Thank you Ms. Powell for being here with us today. Can you please tell us a little about your current release Hot Summer?

Here’s a summary of my contemporary romance:

A hot-tempered spitfire and a sexy, arrogant man - put them together and sparks fly!

After her first embarrassing encounter Summer Jones vows to stay away from suave record producer, Lance Munroe. But then she ends up working for the man. Her quick temper and sharp tongue keep landing her in hot water with him but no matter how hard she tries she can't deny her growing attraction for him. Then they go on a business trip to Jamaica - and her world is turned upside down.

Lance is intrigued by the feisty woman who practically tells him off the first time they meet. When they begin working together he realizes how much he enjoys the challenge of taming the little tigress. But, before he knows it, he's the one caught in the snare of passion. The tables are turned - the tigress has tamed the lion.

If you love the sizzle of a romance between two strong-willed individuals, follow Summer and Lance from Chicago to Jamaica and be swept away in the thrill of their hot summer.

What is your favorite thing about this book?

I love my main characters, Summer and Lance.  I feel like I know them, like they’re real people.  I actually fell in love with Lance long before Summer did.  If falling in love with your character is considered cheating then I’m guilty as charged. 

I noticed that a lot of your books have the word “hot” in the title. Are they part of a series, or is there another reason for the titles?

With my romance novels I’ve created what I call my ‘hot Caribbean’ series so all of them have the word ‘hot’ in the title.  There are a couple of reasons for that.  First, the stories are all set on a tropical island, whether in whole or in part.  I love a tropical setting.  Second, and particularly in the case of ‘Hot Summer’, they each feature a romance full of conflict and personality clashes which lend for a truly ‘hot’ romance.  I love romance stories with lots of sexual tension and sizzle.

Your personal motto is "Don't wait for things to happen.  Go out, make things happen, and create your own destiny." What have you done in life to make that motto happen?

I’ve always believed in shaping your own destiny, in carving out a path in life even where no path exists.  I grew up in a small rural town which had its fair share of challenges.  At my high school we had a chemistry lab but no equipment but that didn’t stop my classmates and me from finding innovative ways to conduct experiments and acing the nationwide external exams.  I loved foreign languages but only Spanish was taught as a second language at my school.  That didn’t stop me from buying books and teaching myself French and German, allowing me to stand out from a crowd of hundreds and winning a scholarship to pursue a degree in foreign languages at a college in New York.  My ‘can do’ attitude has also opened doors for me in the field of writing.  When a deal with a major publisher fell through (the company was bought out), I launched my ‘Island Spice’ romance line and now ‘Hot Summer’ enjoys a place on the top 100 chart of contemporary romance novels on Amazon.com.  ‘Hot Chocolat’ and ‘Some Like It Hot’ are also on top 100 charts on Amazon.  I never let circumstances dictate where I go in life.  If there’s no open door I climb through the window.

Tell us about your average day. Does “real-life” help your stories out at all?

I spend an average of two hours a day on writing but most of my day is spent on my sales consulting business.  Because my work involves travel I enjoy a window into diverse societies, from Europe to Latin America, to the Caribbean and North America.  This ‘real-life’ experience of various cultures definitely plays a part in my stories.  My novels have been set in Chicago, New York and Jamaica, and I’m working on two new novels, one set in Canada and the other set partly in Venezuela. 

How do you keep in contact with your readers?

I connect with my readers through Facebook and Twitter.  I also receive a lot of mail from fans who visit my website.  I love hearing from my readers.  Many of them provide feedback on my novels and even offer ideas for new stories.

Twitter

Website

Any special quirks or habits when writing?

Because I’m so busy working full-time and raising a nine-year old I hardly have time to sit still to write so I record my story on my laptop then email each segment to a friend who types it for me.  Most writers type directly onto their laptops while others write longhand.  Recording is what works for me.

What are you reading now? Any favorites you tend to go back to?

Right now I’m reading ‘The Tipping Point’ by Malcolm Gladwell but my first love is romance, with my  favorite being ‘The Wolf and the Dove’, a historical romance novel by Kathleen Woodiwiss.  I’ve got three copies on my keeper shelf and every couple of years I go back and read the story all over again.

Any advice you’d like to share for aspiring writers?

Write your book all the way through and then go back and edit.  I’ve found that editing along the way slows the process down tremendously.  If you’re not careful you never finish the book, you’re so caught up in editing.  When it’s time to write don’t worry about the story being perfect.  Just get it down on paper while the story is fresh in your mind.  Then you can go back in and edit all you want. 

Tell us one thing that readers wouldn’t know about you.

I love to study.   I enjoy learning new things.  I’ve got a Bachelor’s degree and 4 Master’s degrees and am now looking for another program to enroll in.  If someone would pay me to study I would take them up on the offer in a heartbeat.

If you could travel back in time, where would you go and who would you meet?  Actually, I would love to go forward in time about 100 years to see what life will be like then.  With the explosion of technology life has changed so much since my childhood – ipods, ipads, smartphones, cars that can park themselves, laser technology in surgery, use of DNA in solving crime, stem cell research, etc. – that I’m very curious about where we’ll be in the next century.  What will books be like then?

Do you have any other hobbies or interests besides writing?

I love reading.  I joined the library when I was five and the first book I checked out was ‘Ramona the Pest’.  I’ve been devouring books ever since.  I read at least 150 books per year (combination of e-books, traditional books and audio books).

Salty or Sweet?  

I love salty stuff.

Alcoholic or Non-alcoholic? 

Non-alcoholic – a half a glass of wine would make me tipsy so none for me, thank you.

What is your favorite drink? 

Fruit punch, the rich and fruity kind.

What is your favorite holiday? 

I love New Year’s Day – a new beginning.

Favorite place you have ever visited? 

Paris.  Love the history, the art and the museums.

Long hair or short hair on a guy? 

Short hair – my guy should not have hair longer than mine.

Favorite midnight snack? 

Yoghurt – a light filler for the tummy.

Almond Joy or Mounds? 

Neither one.  I’m definitely a Snickers kind of girl.

Flowers or chocolate? 

Chocolate.  I love flowers but I wish they didn’t have to wither and die.  At least chocolate makes my taste buds happy.

Fabulous! Thanks so much for sharing with us to Ms. Powell. For those of you who want to know more about Hot Summer, keep reading for an excerpt. And after that, simply fill out the Rafflecopter form and comment to enter if Hot Summer sounds like a book you would enjoy because Ms. Powell is giving away one book to one lucky commenter!

**LATEST  RELEASE**

**HOT  SUMMER**

**EXCERPT**

(adult content)

As he spoke he leaned back into the couch and peered up at her through half-closed eyes. She turned away from his gaze and quickly opened the bottles and poured bubbling liquid into both glasses.

“Here you go,” she said with a smile and handed him the drink. She sat on the edge of the sofa beside him but as far away as was polite. She put the glass to her lips and sipped the sharp cold liquid, feeling the bubbles bursting in her mouth.

She felt his eyes on her and gulped more liquid, then opened her eyes wide as it flooded her throat. Her eyes burned and she struggled to swallow but it was no use. Before she could cover her mouth she coughed violently, spraying her lap and the coffee table with soda.

Summer clapped her hands over her mouth, but too late. The damage was already done.  Her eyes grew huge with distress and she looked across at Lance, hot with embarrassment.

“Are you alright?” He’d quickly rested his glass on the table and was leaning towards her, a large white handkerchief in his hand. She took it gratefully, still coughing. Then the spasms gradually subsided and she was able to look at him again. Her eyes were brimming with tears.

“Are you crying?” He looked incredulous, almost out of his depth, as he raised his hand and wiped away a tear with his thumb.

Summer dabbed at her eyes, sniffed, then looked up at him again, her lips curling into a grin.  “Of course not, silly. I’m not crying. It’s the coughing that made my eyes fill up with tears.” Somehow, seeing him look so nonplussed had made her more at ease with him.

“Silly, huh?” He smiled back at her.  “You’re the one who gulped down a carbonated drink too fast and ended up losing the whole lot all over yourself. So, who’s silly?”

While he was speaking Lance had rested his arm at the back of the couch right behind her head and had begun to gently stroke her nape with his thumb. Summer swallowed hard but couldn’t get the lump out of her throat.

          “I guess…I am,” she said, her voice breathless.

“Yes,” he whispered as he leaned forward to press his warm lips against the side of her neck, “you are.”

Summer’s breath came in shallow gasps as she sat still, not feeling she could move even if she wanted to. She was like a bird frozen in the mesmerizing stare of a snake, knowing it was about to be eaten alive but not able to make a move to save its own life.

She moaned and closed her eyes as his lips stroked the sensitive skin then moved to the base of her throat where he licked softly and gently. She didn’t realize that she was still clutching the handkerchief tightly in her hand until she felt his strong fingers pry hers open to pull it away so that he could seduce her palm with his thumb.

“Relax, baby.” He moved his lips up her neck and to her ear.  “You’re so tense. Just relax.”

As he spoke he pushed her back gently into the plush pillows and began to nibble her ear lobe. He gave a lick just behind her ear and shock waves ran down her spine.

“Oh, God,” she breathed, “what are you doing to me?”

“What someone should have done to you a long time ago, Summer Jones,” he whispered.  “Teach you what it means to be a woman.”

He dipped his head and slid his lips back down her neck, over her collar bone and down to that oh, so sensitive place between the curves of her breasts. Here he paused and she held her breath, eyes shut tight, wondering if he was going to stop now. She prayed he wouldn’t.

She was not disappointed. An involuntary gasp escaped her lips as he slipped a warm tongue down her cleavage, sliding it between the orbs and teasing her soft flesh until her body screamed and she felt she would die from the sweet sensation. She grabbed the back of his head and pressed him into her, wanting more of the pleasure, more of the sweetness…

Alrighty lovelies … you know what to do. Fill out the form and one commenter will be chosen at random to win Hot Summer. Same rules as always, but here you go – just in case …

**DA  RULEZ**

One commenter will be drawn at random to receive a digital copy of HOT SUMMER, by Judy Powell. Must be 18 or older to enter. Contest open internationally as long as you have a valid e-mail address. Reader’s Edyn and participating author are NOT responsible for lost or damaged items. Anyone may be disqualified at any time so be sure to follow directions to avoid disqualification. No substitutions allowed. Contest ends April 11^th at midnight MST. That means you will have through the 10^th to enter. When the clock strikes midnight on the 11^th, the contest will be over. Winner will be contacted by e-mail. Winner will have 48 hours to respond, or a new winner will be chosen. Odds of wining depend on the number of entries received. Be forewarned! *serious face* Those who enter and do not follow the tasks properly will have their entries removed. *peers closer* Don’t say I didn’t warn you. I. Will. Check. Them. Not trying to be a pain. Sorry.  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Until next time …

HAPPY READING!!!