Interview & Giveaway with Kat Martin

Kat Martin Interview Intro:

Hello everyone!  

LITERAL ADDICTION and Book Monster Reviews are very proud to welcome best selling author Kat Martin to our sites today.   

Kat has a wonderful Bio and introduction to her books on her website, so we thought we’d borrow it for today’s Event so that you all can learn a little bit more about her before we get to the interview:

“Currently living in Missoula, Montana, Kat is the New York Times bestselling author of over fifty Historical and Contemporary Romance Suspense novels.  Before she started writing in 1985, Kat was a real estate broker.  During that time, she met her husband, Larry Jay Martin, author of more than twenty books, both westerns and mysteries.  Kat is a graduate of the University of California at Santa Barbara, where she majored in Anthropology and also studied History. 

"I've always loved books.  I was an avid reader, with any number of my own stories rolling around in my head.  Writing them down seemed a logical step."

"I love anything old," Kat says.  "I love to travel and especially like to visit the places where my books are set.  My husband and I often stay in out-of-the-way inns and houses built in times past.  It's fun and it gives a wonderful sense of a by-gone era."

 Kat began with historical romance and is currently writing romantic suspense.   She is published in twenty foreign countries.”

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"Often my Contemporary novels blossom from something I’ve read in the newspapers or seen on TV. As was the case with my new book, AGAINST THE WIND. I was cruising along the 90 Freeway crossing Montana, enjoying the crisp fall weather, the brilliant colors of the leaves, and listening to the country channel on the radio.  As I headed toward home, a Trace Atkins song came on, How do you like me now?  It’s a wonderful tune that tells a great story.  And it gave me the kernel of an idea for a story I was able to expand into a book."

"Most of the time, my story ideas seem to come out of nowhere.  One day I’m looking for a plot for a book and then suddenly, I know that I want to write about Gabriel Raines and his struggle to find the arsonist who is trying to kill him.  Then I search for the woman Gabe is going to fall in love with, no easy task for a macho man like Gabe.  Lady architect, Mattie Baker, filled the spot perfectly, and the book became AGAINST THE FIRE."

"AGAINST THE LAW, the third book in the trilogy, seemed to come fairly easily once I got started.  I loved Dev Raines, the sexiest and wildest of the Raines brothers.  Once Lark Delaney walked into his life, the plot began to roll.  The novel developed as I wrote it, which is unusual for me, and it turned out to be one of my all-time favorites."

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"RULE’S BRIDE is the final book in my Brides Trilogy, following ROYAL’S BRIDE and REESE’S BRIDE.  The three novels are stories about the handsome Dewar brother’s, sons of the Duke of Bransford.  RULE'S BRIDE hit #18 on the New York Times bestseller list in May 2010."

"I had great fun writing this series, though the weddings were not all orchids and lace as the ladies and this writer expected.  Still, true love is worth the perils the characters must endure."

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"SEASON OF STRANGERS released in June of 2008, is the final book in a series of three paranormal stories. Each story involves ordinary women who have experienced an extraordinary event. SEASON OF STRANGERS, is an eerie tale of two sisters who discover they are missing a period of time and their search to discover what happened to them during that time. THE SUMMIT, began selling in July 2007 and is the second of a the series. It's a high-action, fast-paced tale, one with a ticking clock. SCENT OF ROSES was the first book in the series and was inspired by true events and began selling in July 2006."

"I have always wanted to do this type of series as I know so many women who have themselves experienced unexplainable occurrences."

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"The deliciously passionate Heart trilogy are books all set around the London ladies’ gazette, Heart to Heart.  I chose the period because it was a time when women were beginning to be involved in activities outside the home.  They worked, they owned businesses, they were becoming more outspoken."

"The first book, Heart of Honor, is a fun whimsical early Victorian romance starring Krista Hart, publisher of a London ladies' gazette, who is not afraid to speak her mind. When she encounters a powerful, attractive Viking descendant in a sideshow, she angrily demands his release. In the second book, Heart of Fire, journalist Coralee Whitmore vows to uncover the truth about her sister's death. She suspects the notorious Earl of Tremaine was her sister's lover. Corrie soon finds the Earl is not all he seems, nor is she immune to his charms. The final book Heart of Courage, is Thor and Lindsey's story, a fun, sexy read about two people completely unsuited to each other — or so each of them think."

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“The Bride's Necklace trilogy, set in Regency England was hugely successful and was re-issued in September 2010. A compelling series of stories about an heirloom necklace believed to hold the power to bring great happiness or terrible tragedy. THE BRIDE'S NECKLACE , the first book in the trilogy, was first published in January 2005 was re-issued in September 2010. THE DEVIL'S NECKLACE, second book in The Necklace trilogy hit store shelves in August 2005 and was re-issued in October 2010. THE HANDMAIDEN'S NECKLACE, the final book in the trilogy, was originally released in January 2006 and hit the shelves again in November 2010.”

You can find information on her entire backlist HERE so you can add those desired to your TBR lists and then find them at your favorite bookseller, but we thought we’d give you the synopses of a handful of titles to peak your interests even more.  Since “Against the Sun” is Kat’s new release, we’ll tell you about that and the other books in that series…

“Against the Wind”

 RAINES OF WIND CANYON Book #1:

They were known as the "no-account Raines boys" but they've grown into successful, honorable men and everything they have, they've fought for tooth and nail. Now each of the three brothers has one last obstacle to overcome to claim what's eluding them: love.

Secrets don't stay buried long in cattle country. Sarah Allen, the beautiful girl who humiliated Jackson Raines in high school, is back in town. Not so long ago, she couldn't wait to leave Wind Canyon, Wyoming, in her dust. But, recently widowed, she has nowhere else to go and finds herself on Jackson's ranch. And despite everything, Jackson's finding himself reluctant to get rid of her.

Sarah brings her own kind of trouble, and he can't resist trouble. Enemies of her dead husband show up making threats, thinking she has something they're owed. They're not taking no for an answer, but what they will take is the one thing she has left--her daughter. Jackson's the only one who might be able to save little Holly and bring her home.

“Against the Fire”

 RAINES OF WIND CANYON Book #2:

You can't fight what you can't see. And Gabriel Raines can't be sure just who's setting the fires in his new real-estate development. When two fires hit back-to-back, he knows it's personal, but any number of competitors or ex-employees could be the arsonist.

The police suspect Angel Ramirez, a local teen who's been in trouble before. But Mattie Baker, a volunteer at the Family Abuse center, just can't believe the kid she's been working with would go back to his delinquent ways.

Determined to convince Gabe that she's right, Mattie must get close to him and find out who's putting their neighborhood in jeopardy. And just as the arsonist's flames continue to burn, they find a heat developing between them. It might just turn into a full-fledged fire...if they can survive long enough.

“Against the Law”

 RAINES OF WIND CANYON Book #3:

The most unsettled of the "no-account Raines boys," Devlin Raines has long been protecting his heart from injury. But his latest case - and client - forces him to lay everything on the line...

At thirty-two Dev is "mostly retired" from Raines Investigations, content to run operations from his sprawling Arizona home. But Dev has never been able to say no to a beautiful woman, so when Lark Delaney comes to him for help, the former U.S. Army Ranger from Wind Canyon gets back in the game.

Lark is sexy, successful and dedicated to tracking down the baby girl her sister gave up for adoption. It should be a straightforward case, but it's not long before Dev uncovers a shady adoption ring and worse—the child's parents have been murdered and the little girl has been taken.

As the case grows dangerous and Lark needs him more than ever, Dev can't ignore his growing attraction for her. He also can't trust his judgment with women or the emotions he's long-since buried. But there's a chance, if he gets this right and saves Lark's niece, that he'll end up saving himself, too.

“Against the Storm”

 RAINES OF WIND CANYON Book #4:

Redheads like Maggie O'Connell are nothing but trouble. But Trace Rawlins, a former army ranger turned private investigator, takes the case anyway. After all, he knows a thing or two about women.

Trace can sense that something is wrong—Maggie isn't telling him everything. If these menacing calls and messages are real, why won't the police help her? And if they aren't real, what is she hiding?

As Trace digs deeper to find the source of Maggie's threats, he discovers a secret that no one was meant to uncover. And the only puzzle left to be solved is whether the danger comes from an unknown stalker…or from the woman he's trying his hardest not to fall for.

“Against the Night”

 RAINES OF WIND CANYON Book #5:

S

he's got the face of an angel and the body of…well, isn't that what he'd expect from an exotic dancer? But there's something about this girl that Johnnie Riggs can't shake. The former army ranger is hot on the trail of an elusive drug lord—and suddenly very hot under the collar, as well.

Amy's got her own agenda to pursue: her sister is missing and Amy seems to be the only one who cares. She'll enlist Johnnie's help and do her best to ignore her growing attraction to finally get some answers. But when the two trails begin to converge and reveal something even more sinister than they imagined, their mutual desire is the least of their problems. 

They'll bring the truth to light…or die trying.

 “Against the Sun”

 RAINES OF WIND CANYON Book #6:

Just Released 5/29/12

Millions of lives are on the line. But for him, only one truly matters. It's not in bodyguard Jake Cantrell's job description to share his suspicions with his assignments. Beautiful executive Sage Dumont may be in charge, but Jake's not on her payroll. As a former special forces marine, Jake trusts his gut, and it's telling him there's something off about a shipment arriving at Marine Drilling International. His instinct is aroused...in more ways than one. A savvy businesswoman, Sage knows better than to take some hired gun's "hunch" as gospel. And yet she is learning not to underestimate the man her grandfather hired to protect her. Determined to prove Jake wrong, Sage does some digging of her own and turns up deadly details she was never meant to see. Drawn into a terrifying web of lies and deceit-and into feelings they can't afford to explore-what Jake and Sage uncover may be frighteningly worse than they ever imagined.

We know… too much and not nearly enough all at the same time!  We highly suggest you check out more when you have a moment (Kat’s backlist is amazing!), but for now, join us in learning some more about this phenomenal author and her incredible library of literary excellence.

LITERAL ADDICTION/Book Monster Reviews:  Hi Kat!  We’re honored to have you here today. Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with us a bit.  We always start by getting to know our guest authors just a little bit better… 

Q1): What are 3 things about yourself, no matter how random, that we couldn’t find out easily on the internet?

Kat:  I’m a hermit.  I live 25 miles out of town and only get in a couple of times a week to go to the gym.  I love road trips.  I love to see what is just out there waiting to be stumbled upon.  I’m a workaholic.  I love my work, maybe a little too much. 

Q2):  If you were told the world was going to end tomorrow, what would you do in your last 24 hrs?

Kat:  Snuggle up with my husband in front of the fireplace and look out the windows at the mountains. 

Q3):  What are 2 things that always make you smile, and 2 things that never fail to piss you off?

Kat:  The mountains make me smile, especially in the spring when there is still snow on the peaks.  Getting a good spot on the bestseller list.  People who don’t do their jobs.  Computers.  

Q4):  What are some of the things that you enjoy doing when you’re not writing or taking care of other author business? 

Kat:  Sightseeing, traveling.  I love Europe.  I love expensive hotels and gourmet restaurants.  I love just being out in the mountains. 

Q5):  Are there any specific titles and/or authors that you feel have directly influenced you to become the writer you are today?

Kat: Lots of writers, lots of books.  Authors like Frank Yearby and Anya Seton, Kathleen Woodiweis.  Wilbur Smith.  Books like Forever Amber and the Eagle in the Sky.  Dozens, no hundreds of others.

Q6):  What are the best and worst parts about writing for you?

Kat:  the challenge, creating something people enjoy.  Meeting great people in your travels.  The solitude is the worst part.  I miss the fun city lunches.

Q7):  Since “Against the Sun” was just released, we’ll focus a bit on the RAINES OF WIND CANYON series.  What was the inspiration behind the creation of the series?

Kat: I wish I could tell you.  Most of my ideas just sort of start, then I develop them into novels.  I wanted to write three brothers, so that was already part of the idea.  Jackson’s brothers turned out to be great heroes and then in the last book, Against the Law, Dev Raines had these three hunky friends and they just had to have stories and so on it went and seems to still be going.

Q8):  What were some of the challenges (research, literary, psychological, logistical, etc) in bringing the RAINES OF WIND CANYON series to life?

Kat: Every book is a challenge.  The plot, the characters.  The research.  You have to be able to get into another person’s mind and become that person, know how he or she thinks and feels.  Once you have the story idea, you have to research the parts you know nothing about.  In Against the Fire, it was arson and fires.  I researched the subject heavily.

Q9):  Do you have a particular favorite book or series in your backlist thus far, maybe one that had special meaning for you when it was written, etc?  Why?

Kat: I loved writing the ghost stories.  The Silent Rose and Scent of Roses.  They came years apart but I like writing books with paranormal elements, not vampires or werewolves, but books about regular people who have unusual things happen to them.  I feel a real affinity to those sorts of experiences.

Q10):  What’s going on with your other series (upcoming releases, re-releases, etc) that readers and fans can look forward to?

Kat: I’m having a lot of re-issues and I love it.  Hot Rain was a small release years ago.  It just went out with a new cover and since it was one of my favorites, I was thrilled to see it was selling like crazy.  Just out this month is a re-issue of Midnight Sun, a fish out of water story set in the wild and wooly Yukon.  End of May is Against the Sun, the 6^th book in the Against Series.  It’s bodyguard big Jake Cantrell and Sage Dumont.  I’m really hoping readers will enjoy it. 

Q11):  Do you have anything new in the works that you can share with us?

Kat: Just finishing Against the Odds, the first of three new Against books that will be out next year.  Readers will meet the heroes in Against the Night and Against the Sun.

Q12):  If you could spend the day with any of your characters, with whom would you want to spend it, and what would you like to do?

Kat:  OMG!  I’d be happy to spend the day with any of my hunky Against guys.  I love Jake Cantrell.  Spending the day with him would be yummy.  I’m going to let you guess what we would do!

Q13):  What has been the biggest surprise of your career thus far?

Kat:  How well the Against books have been received.  I was hoping, but I had no idea readers would want to see more of them.

Q14):  Is there a question you thought it would be great to be asked in an interview but have never been asked?  How would you answer that question?

Kat:  I think I’ve been asked every question in the book.  There are some I didn’t answer!

Q15):  Would you like to say anything special to your readers while we have you here today?

Kat:  I’d love to thank you all for being so supportive over the years.  You  make all the hard work worthwhile.  Hope you continue to enjoy my books. Very warm wishes, kat

LITERAL ADDICTION/Book Monster Reviews:  Kat, thank you so much for being with us!  It’s been a pleasure, and we really hope that we’ve introduced some new readers to your amazing work.  We’d love to have you back for the next big release if you’d be interested!

Kat: You bet!  And being a workaholic, that shouldn’t be too far away.  Love to get together in January next year for Against the Odds!

If you want to keep up with Kat online, you can find her at her Website, on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Kat is graciously offering up  a copy of 

Against the Sun to a winner from Book Monster Reviews and another winner over at the LITERAL ADDICTION Website..  

a Rafflecopter giveaway