Blog Tour: Dying for Love by Angel Nicholas

Death is preferable to what awaits in her forgotten past.

Coffee is the only thing standing between Grace Debry and a straight-jacket since she gave up swearing in honor of her foster mom. A rash of break-ins make her wonder if caffeine is enough. Especially when the notes left behind make it personal. Her brand-spanking new life is more nightmare than dream-come-true.

All Matthew Duncan has wanted since hiring Grace is to have her in his passenger seat, his arms, and his bed. As they grow closer, the feisty brunette proves to be a handful—one Matt is happy to hold. He’s determined to give her the happily ever after she stopped believing in years ago. Unfortunately for Grace, it will take more than Matt’s considerable resolve to keep her safe.
Three’s a crowd—not that he cares. Every move she makes, every breath she takes … he’s watching. Waiting to reclaim what he lost.
Angel Nicholas pens another wildly passionate romantic suspense with Dying for Love.

I threw out the idea of a Q&A session to my Stiletto Angels Street Team on Facebook, and they loved it! Huge shout-out to my fabulous Angels! Love you guys!

Here is the result.

What inspired you to write? I have been a writer for as long as I can remember. I have a high school writing journal filled with the dark, angsty poetry and short stories of the average late eighties teenage girl. No, you cannot see it!

I had plans to pursue writing as a career. My dream was to be a freelance photo-journalist, but life took another direction. Marriage and building a family took a precedent for some years, until a persistent dream forced my butt into a chair and my fingers to the keyboard. I seem to have grown roots since then.

From where do you get your smoking hot guy ideas? My brain is a dark and fevered place.

How do you get into writer mode? A more apt question might be, “How do you get out of writer mode?” My brain is always working, always finding new ideas and twists. Every conversation that I take part in or overhear, every moment of my life is story fodder. Sometimes, I pity my friends and family. More often, I’m smiling sweetly while I mentally “bwahahahahahaha.”Dr. Evil’s got nothing on me.
You feel sorry for them now, don’t you?

Why is your dialogue so funny and snappy? What a marvelous compliment! I suppose it’s my dry sense of humor and snarkiness coming out to play. I can’t help myself!

Do you see yourself in your heroines? I don’t know that I see myself in them so much as I unintentionally (usually) infuse them with some aspect of my personality. I have, like, five hundred of them, so I doubt I’ll run out of steam anytime soon. <EWG>

If you could be any kind of food what would you be and why? I am really hungry right now. Um… I’m really torn between chocolate and wine. (Hush. Wine is totally a food.) People gain so much pleasure from them, and savor them. Imagine the expression on someone’s face as they bite into a really decadent piece of chocolate, or melts into the couch and takes their first sip of wine after a long day. I would love to be that.

What qualities do you think makes a man a hero? I’m not sure if you’re asking about a hero in a romance novel, or a hero in general. In a romance novel, I prefer a hero who’s incredibly complex. He has scars, life has bobbled him about, there’s an edge of cynicism to him, but he has a heart of gold. The heroine is undoubtedly his split apart—the other half of his soul, and as such, she sees him in a light that no one else does or perhaps even can. She brings him to his knees even as she raises him higher as a man, and he does the same for her.

In much the same way of a romance hero, to be a hero in general is a matter of heart and soul. He’s willing to learn, to be humble, to confess his mistakes and right a wrong. He sees the world with all of its failings and wants to make it a better place, in whatever way his particular skill-set enables him. Perhaps he’s a tailor, making beautiful clothes with exquisite fit at modest prices that make people feel more self-confident simply to slip them on. A hero isn’t just a buff fireman, a police officer, or a soldier risking his life every day for freedom. There are also everyday heroes who enrich our lives and brighten our days, both male and female. Hard-working teachers, exhausted nurses, midnight plumbers, the mailman, cashier, hair dresser, barista, and a thousand more.

Do you write 1 chapter at a time until finished or do you have the idea for the book and then just start typing or something in between? I don’t focus on writing chapters or even specific scenes when I sit down to write. I simply write until the words stop or life calls me away.

Are you a pantser or plotter? What’s the difference? I’m a total pantser. If I had to plot out a book beforehand, I’m positive I would abandon the entire idea! As for the difference, a pantser will sit down with an idea and start working on that idea. A plotter will plan it all out before their fingers even hit the keyboard—the over-arcing plot, each chapter, etc.

Do you have a story you've written that is just for you, that you will never publish? I have stories that may not ever see the light of day, but that’s more because I don’t feel they’re good enough than because I wrote them just for me. I think nearly every writer has a craving to be read, and there’s a little part of me that’s pained those stories will never be in someone else’s hands.

What do you do when or if you get writer’s block? What is this “writer’s block” you speak of? In all seriousness, when life gets too hard or simply overwhelming, my creativity dries up like a wet sponge left out in the summer sunshine. Ideas continue to ferment, but sitting down at the keyboard to do anything with them feels like an impossibility. Sometimes, I have to be a woman and a mother before I’m a writer. Once things settle down, I’m back to work.

Are there any other genres that you want to dabble in? All of them! There’s something marvelous about every genre, don’t you think? Sadly, that doesn’t mean I can write them. I have about thirty thousand words written on a fantasy/sci-fi story that will likely never be finished, and certainly never see the light of day.

What is your favorite color? A deep, rich, decadent red!

Do you have any writing rituals? I know one man who picks a piece of music and listens to it while he's writing a new book. I don’t! Now I feel like I need a ritual. Any ideas are welcome in the comments, as well as any rituals that you find necessary for your work, whether it’s writing, drafting, sewing, graphics, or a stay-at-home mom!

How fun was this?!! Thank you so much for hosting me on your blog to celebrate the release of Dying for Love! I’m immensely proud of this book, in part because it celebrates the beautiful diversity of a city near and dear to my heart—Boise, Idaho. I hope you will read and enjoy Grace and Matt’s journey.