Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Interview with Roxanne Snopek


 Please help me welcome Roxanne Snopek to the blog today for an interview! And stay tuned because soon I'll be posting my review for this awesome sounding book, Fake Fiance, Real Revenge. Due to crazy life in September, I got a bit behind on reviewing. Have no fear, because I am an avid bookaholic and will do my best to catch up!




Tell me about yourself, and your writing.

Oh, Sweet Storm Goddess, you’re gonna regret that. I tend to go on and on. And on. Watch, you’ll see!

How long have you been writing? How many published books do you have, and what genres?
Over 25 years, including my freelance stuff, which is a binder full of material so boring it could be a weapon. I’ve got a series of non-fiction books, some short stories in anthologies, one mystery novel and now, my romance series! Three River Ranch is the first, followed by His Reluctant Rancher, and now Fake Fiance, Real Revenge.

Do you write in multiple genres or just one? If just one, do you ever consider straying outside your genre?
I’m just trying to stay in one place right now! But I actually like writing dark, suspenseful stuff, too, so who knows?

Are you a plotter or do you write from the seat of your pants?
I’m something of a hybrid. I need a rough sketch, the basic turning points in the right order, that sort of thing. Then it’s just head-down, type as fast as possible, see what comes out.

What is a typical writing day like for you?
I wish there was a typical day! Depends entirely on where I’m at with deadlines. And it’s changed now that my kids are mostly grown. We homeschooled for many years, and oddly enough, that’s when my freelance business was really cooking. I’m the sort of person who goes whole-hog in whatever I’m doing, until it’s done, then I move on to something else. Repeat until everyone around me is exhausted.

Who do you love to read? Favorite authors, favorite books?
I’m an omnivorous reader – last year I read Poser, a yoga memoir by Claire Dederer and it was just amazing - but right now, I’m enjoying the first books in the In Death series by JD Robb. I read some of them years ago, out of order, so now I’m starting from the beginning. When I’m tired of the blood and suspense, I’ll switch back to Barbara O’Neal or Christie Ridgway.

What is something you'd like to accomplish in your writing career next year?
I’d like to begin another series. (I’ve got an idea tickling my brain that just won’t let go. It involves an animal shelter in San Francisco.) Don’t worry, I’ll keep writing Three River Ranch books as long as I can! But I’d like to expand my repertoire. I’d also like to write romantic suspense, too. Also women’s fiction – what comes After the Happily-Ever-After.

If you could have one paranormal ability, what would it be?
Clairprescience. I’m already a bit psychic (I can almost always tell when the microwave will beep – without watching the numbers! That’s psychic, isn’t it? ) and would like to ramp it up until I’m The Mentalist. Or Sookie Stackhouse. Although, for anyone who knows anything about astrology, I’m a Sun/Moon/Mercury/Neptune Scorpio and I think that puts me on the para side of normal, anyway.

If you could keep a mythical/ paranormal creature as a pet, what would you have?
One of those cool horses from Harry Potter. A magical unicorn, is that what they were? (Unlike the non-magical unicorns, duh.)

Tell us a little about your latest release.
Fake Fiance, Real Revenge is the story of two people with a tragic past, who find each other again, despite themselves. There’s also a large, loud, in-your-face, wanna-be-Texan secondary character that gave me the best laughs of any book so far! Comic relief in a pretty emotional (I think) story. Della Fontaine. Let me know what you think of her.

What is something that you absolutely can't live without? (Other than family members)
Blistex. It’s an addiction.

Could you ever co author a book with someone? If so, who would you choose, and what would you write?
Yikes. I have a hard enough time co-authoring a book with all the voices in my head. Though I am pretty easy to get-along with, hubby notwithstanding. So, yeah, okay, if Nora Roberts calls, I’m available. Or any of the Susans (Mallory, Elizabeth Phillips, Fox, Wiggs… to name a few.)

If you could spend a day with anyone from history, dead or alive, who would it be, and what would you do? What would you ask them?
Steve Jobs. I’d thank him for creating Mac laptops. And iPhones. All of it, really. (My desktop is a Dell with Windows 8 on it and I can’t tell you how much I hate it. It’s like someone went out of their way to confuse me. Me! What did I ever do to them??) With Mac, at least I’ve got a fighting chance.

What are some of your other hobbies outside of writing?
I love to futz around in my garden. And I like to cook (but not everyday, why why WHY do people insist on wanting food EVERY DAY!!) and do yoga. It’s not pretty but it keeps things from seizing up. Oh, and I’m a painter, too! Check them out: www.pinterest.com/RoxanneSnopek

What is something you've always wanted to do, but haven't done yet. Why not?
Learn to scuba dive. So far, snorkeling has done the trick for me, but maybe, one day… when I lose my fear of drowning…

If you were on the staff to have a book adapted to movie, what would you pick?
Hello, any of mine! Except that would be a totally squirm-worthy experience, I’m guessing.

What is a talent you wish you had, but don't?
Social skills of any kind. I give awkward a bad name.
Favorite color?
Cherry red.
Weather: Hot or cold?
HOT!

Favorite place to read?
In bed.

Favorite meal
Anything Mexican.



Favorite non-alcoholic drink.
Blackberry juice with Perrier. Anything with Perrier, actually. And a slice of lemon.

If you could travel anywhere and do anything, no limits or money holding you back, where would you go?
Anywhere where I could help baby sea turtles get to the sea. Have you ever seen this? Amazing!
http://blog.oceanconservancy.org/2013/05/01/volunteers-help-protect-baby-sea-turtles-from-ocean-trash/

Thank you so much for having me here, Storm Goddess! If anyone wants to know more about me (yes, I’m sorry, there is more) please stop in and say hi at:
Twitter @RoxanneSnopek
And, as mentioned earlier, www.pinterest.com/RoxanneSnopek

And don’t forget to enter the contest – grand prize is an iPad Mini! (Thank you again, Steve Jobs!)




Fake Fiance, Real Revenge
Roxanne Snopek

Blurb:  

Real-estate tycoon Mitchell Granger has a problem. In order to secure a lucrative deal with an eccentric client, he told the teeny white lie that he was engaged…and now he needs to prove it. Even worse? The only name that came to mind was Sabrina Becker, the girl he was never good enough for growing up, and who still lives near his family ranch.
Sabrina doesn’t mind posing as Mitch’s fake fiancée—no, she doesn’t mind at all. One, she’ll make him pay with new construction for her business. And two, Sabrina’s got a plan to exact revenge on her first love, the boy who left her and Three River Ranch behind. She’ll pretend so well, he’ll fall in love with her…and then he’ll get a taste of what true heartbreak feels like.
But as Mitch sheds his corporate skin and picks up his dusty jeans and cowboy hat, will both his and Sabrina’s grand plans get derailed by love?

Author bio
Roxanne Snopek is the author of ten books, more than 150 articles, and has had short fiction published in several anthologies. She is currently serving as Vice-President of the Romance Writers of America Greater Vancouver Chapter. She and her family live in the Pacific Northwest, where she’s at work on more love stories for Entangled Publishing.
 Roxanne Snopek has been writing professionally for more than two decades and is the author of eight books, more than 150 articles, and has had short fiction published in several anthologies. Her non-fiction has appeared in a wide variety of publications, from The Vancouver Sun and Reader’s Digest to newsletters for Duke, Cornell and Tufts Universities. She's done corporate copywriting on topics ranging from pet food for Iams/Eukanuba, to employee profiles for VersaCold to air-conditioner maintenance for Home Depot.
In 2006, her first novel Targets of Affection was published by Cormorant Books, under the name RGWillems. When her editor asked for more, she happily wrote the second and third in the series, certain she was on her way to fame and fortune. Then the economy fell apart, her editor stopped taking her calls and Roxanne realized it wasn't going to be that easy.
After some wallowing and navel-gazing, she found Romance Writers of America, one of the largest professional writers' organizations in the world, and began to seriously study the craft of fiction writing. Roxanne is currently Vice-President of the Greater Vancouver Chapter of the Romance Writers of America. They voted her in, so they can’t complain.
In her spare time, Roxanne is also the human resource manager for a veterinary hospital. She and her family live in the Pacific Northwest, where she’s always at work on the next book.
On a personal note:
Take a look my blog*, in which I open up a tiny window into the uncharted landscape that is My Brain, while dancing between the boundaries of Too Much Information and Oops, Now I Need a Pen Name. Mostly it's just Real Life, family, art, writing, yoga and why some mornings, you just shouldn't talk.
*or don't. Really, it's up to you.

Buy Links
Fake Fiance, Real Revenge: AmazonB&NiBookstore
His Reluctant Rancher: Amazon

Three River Ranch: Amazon


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