Tuesday 31 August 2010

Interview: Carolyn Brown + Hell, Yeah giveaway


Today I am having  author Carolyn Brown over for an interview, and thanks to Sourcebooks I have 2 copies of Hell, Yeah to give away. More about that later in this post.

Welcome to Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell, Carolyn!

It's great to be here! And thank you for that wonderful review on Hell, Yeah! And I love your comment about OCD readers! I have a few like that who have asked me to list my books by order on my web page so they won't get out of order when they are reading them.

Tell me something about yourself, so we get a better understanding about the woman behind the author.

I'm a wife, mother and grandmother. My husband is one of those rare men who realizes living with a writer is a great BIG challenge and is a sweetheart for all his support. I was born in Texas and grew up in southern Oklahoma and writing has been a dream of mine since I was big enough to realize those squiggly things on the book pages told beautiful stories. I also love reading, sitting in my fabulous back yard and listening to concerts put on by the birds, crickets and locusts, and cooking for my enormous family. Life is good in southern Oklahoma!

Your newest book is called Hell, Yeah; can you tell me what it is about?

Yes, ma'am and thank you for asking. I can talk about Hell, Yeah all day and half the night. Cathy has put down roots in the Honky Tonk and has no intentions of ever leaving. Travis is only in the little bitty down of Mingus for a few weeks at most and then his boss, Amos Lambert, who plays a part in all four books, will let him go to his dream job in Alaska. So he has wings and Cathy has roots and never the twain shall meet. Right? Her roots get shaken. His wings don't want to fly. And suddenly they are fighting against what is right in front of their eyes. Throw in a whole honky tonk full of quirky characters who can see that they are right for each other and stir well. You'll laugh, cry and get so mad you could chew up railroad ties and spit out Tinker Toys.

How come you started to write western romances?

It's been said that folks write best about what they know. I could never write a thriller because my brain doesn't work that way. But westerns have been a love of mine since Big Valley, Bonanza and High Chaparral. Oops, I think I just dated myself! In my defense, I was very young and very impressionable. Cowboys are so, so hunky and sexy. They walk tall, speak slow and listen to every word a woman has to say.

I am curious, do you love country music, and as a total newbie, who would you recommend to me?
I cut my teeth on the old artists songs ... Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, etc. Then I grew up and married a man who played the guitar and sang country music. We still have family gatherings when Husband plays the guitar and we two-step with the grandkids in the living room. Who would I recommend for you as a newbie? Wow! How much room do we have here? You might like Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Josh Turner or maybe Garth Brooks, Toby Keith (who is one of my all time favorites), Alan Jackson, Gretchen Wilson. Better yet, go to the country music radio on your computer and just listen to the songs they offer before you rush out and buy CD's. I betcha you'll be two-steppin' in no time.

Who is your favorite hero or heroine from your books? What makes them so special?

I'm not sure I can answer this one ... but usually it's whatever book and characters I'm working with at the time. I loved watching Travis and Cathy fall in love in Hell, Yeah! They were so much fun to work with even if they did get sassy at times and want things done just to their specifications. Yes, ma'am, I did change a few things when they wouldn't stop sitting on my shoulder and bugging me. But to choose an absolute favorite among the now more than fifty books I've sold, would be impossible.

Are you working on something new and exciting right now?

Oh, yes, I am. I'm working on the Spikes & Spurs series for 2011. First one should debut the series in May with two more following in the fall. I'm very excited about them. It's the stories of three women who traded their high heeled shoes for cowboy boots; their power suits for tight fittin' jeans but kept their whoop-ass independence. And the three sexy cowboys that strutted into their lives wearing ten gallon hats, boots and spurs and found out that taming a sassy woman was tougher than breaking a wild bronc.

Any advice for wannabe writers?

WRITE! You can whine or write. Whining doesn't produce much. Writing does. You'll never sell what you haven't written ... so write. Preservere and keep writing when you get rejection slips and you will get them. I have almost enough to wall paper the inside of the Pentagon. The White House was papered in them years ago. Give yourself exactly 60 seconds to whine when someone rejects your labor of love and then go write another story.

And last, if you could pick one book to take with you to a desert island, which book would it be and why.

How long am I going to be on this island? If it's just one day I'd take Laurie Brown's What Would Jane Austen Do? because I haven't read it yet and I'm dying to do so. But if I'm going to be there two or three days then I'd need a longer one so I'd reread Gone With The Wind. And if I was going to be there indefinitely I'd have to take one that I'd love to reread over and over again and I'd have to check my bookcase for my very favorite LaVyrle Spencer book.

Thanks for stopping by!
Thank you for letting me stop and catch my breath on this blog tour. It's been fun visiting here. Tell me, what do you readers think of the cover for Hell, Yeah?
CONTEST

Now to the giveaway, and I have 2 copies of Hell, Yeah to give away to you.
1. Ends September 6th.
2. Open to US and Canada.
3. Answer Carolyn's question about her cover, or ask her a question :) Or just comment.
4. If your email is not in your profile then please put it in your comment, or you can email me, Blodeuedd
For those who can play along in the contest please stop by, ask a question or comment you too :)


HELL, YEAH BY CAROLYN BROWN – IN STORES AUGUST 2010

She’s finally found a place that feels like home…
When Cathy O’Dell buys the Honky Tonk, the nights of cowboys and country tunes come together to create the home she’s always wanted. Then in walks a ruggedly handsome oil man who tempts her to trade in the happiness she’s found at the Honky Tonk for a life on the road with him…

He lives the good life…
Gorgeous and rich, Travis Henry travels the country unearthing oil wells and then moving on. Then the beautiful blue-eyed new owner of the Honky Tonk beer joint becomes his best friend and so much more. When his job is done in Texas, how is he ever going to hit the road without her?


ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Carolyn Brown, an award-winning author who has published 36 romance novels for the library market, credits her eclectic family for her humor and writing ideas. She was born in Texas but grew up in southern Oklahoma where she and her husband, Charles, a retired English teacher, now make their home in the town of Davis, Oklahoma. They have three grown children and enough grandchildren to keep them young. http://carolynlbrown.com/ 


Blodeuedd: And now for something from me since I could not help myself, I know certain readers will enjoy this, lol. Here you go ;)


36 comments:

  1. Hi Carolyn,
    It's fun to have you stop by today :) I did already comment on the cover in my review but will do so again, and I like it. Who can say no to a cowboy

    ReplyDelete
  2. Don't enter me.
    Just wanted to say Hi and the cover is really nice. I love the colors.
    I never actually read a book about cowboys but I'm highly intrigued now.
    Great interview ladies!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Good morning from southern Oklahoma! I'm glad to be visiting here today and will be checking in periodically all day to answer questions and see what y'all thought of Travis on the cover!
    Let me hear from you,
    Carolyn Brown

    ReplyDelete
  4. This sounds like such a fun read! And who wouldn't like the cover?! My question: Do real cowboys look like that or are they now having anxiety that they SHOULD look like that, LOL? :D

    Mary (Bookfan)

    meah56 AT gmail[dot] com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Fun interview! I've been looking for a cowboy romance but haven't been sure where to start!

    Love the cover - I drove through Texas last month and as I passed all the ranches I imagined all the hot cowboys that lived there :)

    (P.S. Loved What Would Jane Austen Do? It was adorable!)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi, Carolyn - Gotta love that cover - but I love the story even more! Cathy and Travis make the sparks fly! I can't wait for those Spikes & Spurs books!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Not entering, but I'll mention it Friday!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Susi: Try one, you'll like it.
    Mary: Probably a little of both! Those who do are strutting ... those who don't are practicing strutting!
    Patti: Laurie Brown does write a good book!
    Joanne: Yep, they do ...everyone out there Joanne also writes some fine cowboy stories!
    Chris: THANK YOU!
    Happy Reading
    Carolyn

    ReplyDelete
  9. Wonderful interview B.

    The cover for Hell,Yeah is eye catching. *smirk*.

    Carolyn you are a new to me author. I have not read many westerns - and no contemporary westerns at all. Hell, Yeah sounds like a fun read.

    We have our share of cowboys here in Georgia - and you are absolutely right about the strutting. LOL Must be something about the boots. :)

    Michelle
    kweenmg@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  10. Great interview ladies!

    Hi Carolyn! As for the cover.. I think it looks yummy! It's been awhile since I've read a good western romance, so I'll be adding this one to the list of musts - it sounds great! I mean really, who doesn't love sexy cowboys? :)

    For how many books you've written over the years, do you have to continuously shop around for different publishers, or is there one that's pretty solid? I'm always curious about the tips authors have on seeking publishing.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Definitely like the cover!!!

    Would love to win.

    littleone AT shaw DOT ca

    ReplyDelete
  12. Michelle: Never thought about it being the boots but you've got a good point.
    Tanya: I've sold 55 books in the past 12 years. Started with Kensington and sold six before the Precious Gems line died ... now I write for both Avalon and Sourcebooks. They manage to keep me pretty busy!
    Thanks for asking ... Carolyn

    ReplyDelete
  13. PoCoKat: Happy Reading!
    Carolyn B.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Wow, this is a great interview! I actually just learned about this author from this interview and she seems to be very interesting. I'm not entering, not from US or Canada, but I think the cover is, simply put, sexy.;)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Susi
    Never ever!? You better pick one up at once ;)

    Good question there Mary. I sure hope they do look like that, lol

    Patti
    You should have made a pit stop at one ranch to have a look ;=)

    Hi Joanne

    Thanks Chris!

    Michelle
    Now why can't I have cowboys strutting around here, so unfair :(

    Tanya
    My thoughts exactly!

    Hi Pococat. Thanks for stopping by

    Irena
    Yes sadly only those 2 countries with this one, I totally know how you feel since not even I could enter my own contest..rather freaky ;)
    But hey look at the pic as long as you want

    ReplyDelete
  16. I absolutely love the cover, it caught my eye immediately. I really like the background colours behind the model.

    cwilliams127 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  17. What a fun interview and if I win that book can I have the cowboy too???


    stacijoreads@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  18. I think that is a very sexy & fun cover and it immediately let's you know that a cowboy is about!

    jenma76 at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  19. Thank you for the comments! I'm loving them while I pop in and out. You are all great ... and Staci, darlin', you'd have to fight Cathy for that cowboy but there's lots more where he came from!
    Carolyn Brown

    ReplyDelete
  20. Great interview. Hell Yeah sounds good. I love the cover. :)

    ReplyDelete
  21. hey all!

    love covers of books and this one makes me want to read it. It tells you everything that you need to know just by looking at the cover. That's how I decide which books to read ;)

    ReplyDelete
  22. Chantel
    They sure caought the moment there

    Staci
    Hihi, of course ;)

    Scorpio
    Oh yes not doubt about that

    Hi Crystal

    Girl
    Hiya :) Lol, it is totally the ONLY way to pick, I am so guilty of it

    ReplyDelete
  23. Since I am heading to bed I am opening up comments so there is no moderation *crossing fingers for no spam*

    Have fun everyone :)

    Carolyn, I do wonder, have you ever met any guy that has been your covermodel? :)

    ReplyDelete
  24. Great interview ladies! The book does sound good.
    I like how she describes cowboys: 'They walk tall, speak slow and listen to every word a woman has to say'
    sounds good to me!

    haha, thanks for that last image of man candy :)

    http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  25. I'm about to finish up my day, also but want to thank everyone for a lovely day! You've all been great and I've had such a good visit with you!
    Here's hoping y'all love reading Hell, Yeah as much as we loved talking about it today!
    Carolyn Brown

    ReplyDelete
  26. Great interview. She really made me interested in the Honky Tonk.

    I like the cover, the colors are so rich.

    carolsnotebook at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  27. Awesome interview!! I love the cover, it goes really well with the fun title! I like the background of the dancers :)

    Thanks for the contest!!

    inthehammockblog at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  28. Don't enter me! ;)

    Spikes & Spurs, okay that sounds very cool. Got to love that!

    ReplyDelete
  29. I love the cover. Hot stuff! I've always had a weak spot for cowboys with 6-pack abs. *grins* I love the title too! "Hell, Yeah" is the perfect title for a western romance!!

    Thanks Carolyn & Blodeuedd!

    bookofsecrets(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  30. Naida,
    I thought you all would like it :)

    Carol .)

    Carrie
    Oh wait, have I missed that on the cover *goes to check*

    Nina :D

    Thanks for stopping by yesterday Carolyn!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Hi Carolyn,
    This looks like a great read and as for the cover of your new book "Hell, Yeah" all I can say is "Caliente."

    kkappleby@msn.com

    http://lilk13.blogspot.com

    Looking forward to this one!!

    ReplyDelete
  32. I agree with Susi. Love the colors. Also his lips. Almost a smirk I think.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Hello there, Carolyn.

    What are your thoughts of book trailers? Do you think they help in book sales?

    Thanks,
    Tracey D
    booklover0226 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  34. Love the cover for this book. Have liked all the covers in this series that I have seen. I'm liking that they are all named for country music songs.

    carolcobun(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  35. I love the cover. I haven't read many cowboy books yet but I definitely want to try this one. :)

    melvautour(at)hotmail(d0t)com

    ReplyDelete
  36. Contest closed!

    Winner:

    Comment 16 Chantel

    ReplyDelete

Contributors

Copyright © 2008-2020 Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell All Rights Reserved. Proudly powered by Blogger

  © Blogger template Starry by Ourblogtemplates.com 2008 Modified by Lea

Back to TOP