Interview & Giveaway with Sandy James

Book Monster Reviews & LITERAL ADDICTION are happy to welcome author

 Sandy James to our sites today.

 

Sandy lives in a quiet suburb of Indianapolis with her husband of thirty years. She is a high school social studies teacher.

Sandy and her husband own a small stable of harness racehorses and enjoy spending time at the two Indiana racetracks. Her romances often include the world of racing, Murphy's Law being the best book to introduce harness racing to new fans of the sport.


Connect with Sandy:

Website / Facebook /Twitter / Goodreads

Sandy is the creator of the contemporary romance series DAMAGED HEROES, as well as her latest contemporary release "Rules of the Game" and the paranormal romance series ALLIANCE OF THE AMAZON.  Today we are helping Sandy promote the newest addition to her ALLIANCE OF THE AMAZON series "The Impetuous Amazon" which was just released on January 14.  In case you're not yet familiar with this series, we've included the blurbs below to catch you up to par…

The Reluctant Amazon 

(Alliance of the Amazons #1)

Purchase Links:

Amazon / B&N

The last thing Rebecca Massee expects on her wedding day is to go from jilted kindergarten teacher to Amazonian Earth warrior. But when she causes an earthquake after her groom says I don’t, she discovers that not only does she possess incredible powers, she is one of four lost chosen sisters who must fight to keep humanity safe from rogue gods and demons. Luckily she has help: ruggedly handsome Scottish warrior Artair MacKay, her protector and teacher.

An immortal, Artair has trained countless warriors for more than four hundred years. He understands Rebecca’s confusion at the new world she’s been thrust into and worries she is too emotionally vulnerable, but that doesn’t stop his growing feelings for the beautiful and fearless woman.

When an evil force threatens to destroy the Amazons, Rebecca must claim her full powers--but they come at a cost. Can she sacrifice the man she loves if it means saving the world?

The Impetuous Amazon

(Alliance of the Amazons #2)

Purchase Links:

Amazon / B&N

 Megan Feurer is strong and impetuous, like the Fire element she represents. She is an Amazon, sworn to protect humanity from demons, demigods and all manner of supernatural beings who wish ill upon the world. But her fire burns hot and fast, and her unpredictable control of the element brings into question her fitness as an Amazon.

Johann Herrmann chose the life of a Sentinel—a trainer of the four Amazons—to save his sister’s life. Now bound to the patron goddess Rhiannon, he knows his duty demands a solitary existence. But when he’s assigned to evaluate the Fire Amazon, his sacrifice becomes much more difficult.

Megan’s passions ignite a flame that neither she nor Johann can control, and the goddess Freya has reason to fan those flames. A mysterious force is gaining power, and Megan and Johann must join together to fight. And once a passionate fire has started, it’s nearly impossible to stop…

More books to add to your TBR pile huh?  We know!  Ours is ever growing too!  Before you run off to download your copies or add them to your lists, check our interview with Sandy so we can learn more about the incredible author behind the books…

Book Monster Reviews/LITERAL ADDICTION:  Hi Sandy!  Welcome to Book Monster Reviews and LITERAL ADDICTION!   We’re very excited to have you with us today!

Sandy:   Thanks so much for having me! I love Book Monster/LITERAL ADDICATION, and it’s great to be here!

Book Monster Reviews/LITERAL ADDICTION:  We always like to start out by getting to know our guest authors a little bit better.

Q1):   Can you tell us 3 things about yourself that we can't find out on the internet, in your bio, etc?

Sandy:  Wow. That’s a tough one. I’m such an extrovert that anyone who follows me on Facebook and Twitter probably knows quite a bit about me already. But I’ll give it a shot…

1. Writing new words is very difficult for me. A lot of authors might feel the same way, but it seems as though most of the ones I know love sitting down and working on new projects. For me, it’s akin to opening a vein and bleeding all over the laptop. On the other hand, I love the editing process. To me, it’s like solving a puzzle. I want to get all the pieces in exactly the right place.

2. I have trouble learning to love new authors. I am such a creature of habit that I will go back and re-read my keepers—Hannah Howell, Julie Garwood, Kathleen Woodiwiss—over and over and over again instead of reaching for a new book. A bit unfair, I know—especially when I’m hoping new readers will give my books a chance. So I am trying some new authors, hoping karma will kick in.

3. I am a zombie movie junkie. Yes, people who follow me online know exactly how much I love The Walking Dead. But they don’t know I have watched Zombieland so many times I’ve memorized the dialogue. You name a zombie movie—28 Days Later, Dawn of the Dead, Land of the Dead—I love them all! They are one of the reasons I added zombies as one of the few “weapons” that can be used against my Amazons.

Q2)  What are some of your hobbies, or things that you enjoy when you’re not writing or taking care of other author business?

Sandy:  Reading would be number one. Since I have lupus, I often suffer from fatigue, which makes many physical hobbies next to impossible. But since I love to read, and I can do that with minimal exertion, it is my passion.

I also am becoming horribly addicted to social media. I find myself spending (wasting?) far too much time on Facebook, Twitter, and now Pinterest. I love connecting with people, and all three allow me to get to know people and to share things I enjoy as well as my books. (BTW, you can find me on all three sites as sandyjamesbooks. Come waste a little time with me!)

Q3)  Do you have any interesting writing quirks, or things that you must have with you to begin the writing process?

Sandy:  I can’t write in quiet! I need the television on in the background, or I need to listen to my iPod. Dead quiet makes it next to impossible to hear the voices in my head. Again, that probably makes me different than many other writers, but…different is good. Right?

Q4)  What are the best parts of writing for you?  What are the hardest parts?

Sandy: The absolute best is reading something I wrote and hadn’t touched in a long time. Sometimes I’ll read a few pages and think… Damn, I actually wrote that! And it’s good!

The hardest, making myself spill out new words. When I’m in a zone, I can write very quickly. But I have to force myself to make that magic happen. Thankfully, it does. I’ve lost track of the number of books I’ve written. <g>

Q5)  What is the most surprising thing you have learned while writing your books?

Sandy:  That I am very in touch not only with my own emotions but with those of other people. Several people who have reviewed my book have made a point of discussing how I tap real emotions. I find that the ultimate compliment! Perhaps I can portray those emotions so well because I’ve studied psychology for so long. I find human behavior utterly fascinating, and whatever I learn about people’s emotional reactions, I tuck that away, thinking I might be able to use it in the future.

Q6)  For readers who have not yet read the ALLIANCE OF THE AMAZON series, can you please give us a brief synopsis of the series?

Sandy:  A long time ago, four goddesses were angered with the way other deities toyed with humans, using them like pawns in some divine game. So they banded together to endow four women in each generation with powers of the elements—earth, fire, air, and water. These women stand against rogue gods and goddesses, demigods, demons, any enemy of humanity. The Alliance of the Amazons books are the stories of each women as she finds herself and finds love, yet they also involve all four of the “sisters” and their bond.

Q7)  Can you give us any juicy tidbits of what we can expect in the newest book "The Impetuous Amazon"?

Sandy:  There is a MAJOR surprise as to Megan’s family. No spoilers, but let’s just say she was a planned baby.

Q8)  How many books do you have planned for the ALLIANCE OF THE AMAZON series?  Whose book will be up next and when can we expect it?

Sandy: This is a four-book series. One for each Amazon. The third book, The Brazen Amazon, belongs to Gina—the Air Amazon. It will be out in May. The last book is The Volatile Amazon and debuts in September. Sarita, the Water Amazon, finds herself in the hands of the enemy—and the enemy is a BIG surprise!

Q9)   Do you have any other projects in the works that you can share with us?

Sandy: I recently signed a contract with Grand Central Publishing for a two-book contemporary romance series that I hope becomes another four-book series when all is said and done. My Damaged Heroes fans will enjoy that because the books are very reminiscent of those stories.

I also recently signed with new agents—Joanna MacKenzie and Danielle Egan-Miller of Browne & Miller Literary Associates. They have two series out on submission—one a sci-fi romance we’re pitching as “Beauty & the Beat meets Falling Skies” and another urban fantasy series. I’m also developing a sequel series to my Alliance of the Amazons. In Gina’s book, new characters called the “Sons of Gaia” are introduced. Those handsome men deserve a series of their own, don’t they?

Q10)  Is there anything specific you would like to say to your readers or information you'd like to share while we have you here today?

Sandy: I want them to know just how much I appreciate their support! There are sooooo many authors out there and so many choices of books to read. To know that they chose to read my stories means more to me than they could ever know! I wish I could give all of them a hug and a personal “Thank You”! 

Book Monster Reviews/LITERAL ADDICTION:  Thank you again Sandy for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with us.  We would love to have you back again in May to help you promote the release of "The Brazen Amazon".

Sandy:  If you’d like to win a copy of The Impetuous Amazon, all you have to do is leave a comment below & answer this question:

Who is Megan’s patron goddess? (*Hint - read the blurb for THE IMPETUOUS AMAZON) and fill out the Rafflecopter form below.  

a Rafflecopter giveaway