Mary E. Thompson @authormet #ContemporaryRomance #RomCom #AuthorInterview

Welcome Mary E. Thompson, author of Never a Bridesmaid, Always a Bride: a Raise a Glass Romance.

RW:       Tell us about yourself, your family, where you live…

MET:     I’m married with two young kids. My husband is absolutely amazing, and my kids are a lot of fun. We live a little south of Buffalo, NY, near where I grew up. Buffalo is a small city so it has a small town feel. I love being in Buffalo, and I look forward to the snow every year!

RW:       How does reader feedback matter to you?

MET:     I love hearing from readers! I have a Fan Club that I ask for feedback all the time. They’ve helped me plot out parts of novels. We’ve talked about what kind of heroes they want to read—names, situations, everything. It helps me frame stories, and they have a part in it, too. It’s a lot of fun!

RW:       Why did you decide to write?

MET:     I took a long time to figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up. I have a degree in chemical engineering and did not enjoy working as an engineer. I was trying to figure out what else I wanted to do and was just starting to get back into reading. I wondered if I could write a book and tried. I haven’t looked back since!

RW:       Bubble baths or steamy showers? Ocean or mountains? Puppies or kittens? Chocolate or caramel?

MET:     Bubble baths, oceans, kittens, and always chocolate!

RW:       What song would best describe your life?

MET:     A Little More Love by Lee Brice and Jarrod Niemann is the song that has been resonating with me lately. I think it describes me pretty well. It talks about sacrificing the right things and enjoying life instead of working so hard you can’t enjoy anything. We forget sometimes to have fun because we are working for the next great thing. This song reminds us to be happy with less money so you have more of a life. I like that!

RW:       If you were stranded on a tropical island, who would it be with? You can choose any living, deceased, or mythical figure.

MET:     My husband. He and I get along really well and my weaknesses are his strengths, and vice versa. We might not make it off that island, but we’d be content together until we found a way home!

RW:       What does your husband think of your writing?

MET:     He’s insanely supportive! He knew how miserable I was in my old job and wanted to see me happy. He knows how much I love writing and wants me to keep doing it. He’s also always willing to give me inspiration if I’m ever stuck!

RW:       If you came with a warning label, what would it say?

MET:     WARNING: Contains swear words to insult you, useless knowledge to confuse you, and a little too much wine, just to make things interesting.

RW:       If I were a first-time reader of your books, which one would you recommend I start with and why?

MET:     I would recommend you start with Chubby & Charming. It’s the first book in my Big & Beautiful series and it’s available free on all platforms. It will give you a very good idea of the type of characters I write and what my books are like to make sure you enjoy them before you start investing!

RW:       What do you hope readers take with them after reading your work?

MET:     Hope. I’ve had a lot of readers tell me my books give them hope. I write spicy romance, but I write about real people with real problems. People I can relate to; people most of us can relate to. My characters are your friends, and watching your friends fall in love should give you hope.

Releasing Tomorrow, March 7, 2017:

Never A Bridesmaid, Always A Bride!

Alyssa Morgan thought she’d never set foot on her family’s vineyard again. Fifteen years was a long time to be away, but not nearly long enough when she had nothing to show for her time. Unless you’d count three failed marriages, two parents she barely spoke to, one disastrous attempt at a college degree, and zero friends to count on.

Jake Monroe thought about leaving Amavita Estates many times after Alyssa left him. Over the years, her family became his family. They accepted him. Loved him. Healed him. Her family was the family he never had, and without her around to remind him otherwise, he could pretend he was one of them.

Until she walked back into his world looking nothing like the girl he used to know.

Alyssa knows she needs to stay away from Jake. Jake wants nothing to do with her. But the chemistry that drew them together fifteen years ago is stronger than they are.

Especially when Jake glimpses the vulnerability she’s trying to hide. His old protective instincts kick in. He wants to soothe her old hurts, and maybe her new ones, too. But Jake doesn’t know if he can move beyond their past to be friends, let alone what he thought they would become. And Alyssa doesn’t know if she can lean on him again when there’s still another woman in his life.

Excerpt from Never A Bridesmaid, Always A Bride

Alyssa couldn’t believe Jake was kissing her. Kissing her like he still loved her. Like he wanted her.

She hadn’t been kissed like that in fifteen years. She clung to him, never wanting to let him go.

Her tongue slid over his, pooling heat low in her belly. She wanted him to carry her right out of there and all the way back to his place. She wanted him to lay her down in his bed and let her kiss him all night.

But he pulled back.

Alyssa wanted to dive back in. To lose herself in Jake all over again. He rested his forehead against hers, a move that made her heart squeeze painfully. He used to do that all the time. She loved looking at him up close. She’d memorized him fifteen years ago, but Jake was different. More lines stretched out from his eyes. The hazel she’d always loved sparked with green and gold. His breath fanned over her face as he lowered his lashes to his cheeks, hiding himself from her.

She didn’t know what he was thinking. She told herself he wanted her since he was the one who started the kiss, but something that seemed painfully close to regret was rolling off him.

He straightened, disconnecting himself from her all at once instead of slowly. She nearly whimpered at the loss of his warmth against her, but she didn’t. If Alyssa Morgan was anything, it was strong.

She looked up into his eyes and knew he was only seconds away from bolting for the door. What she didn’t know was if he would say anything before he ran away from her.

About Mary E Thompson

Mary E. Thompson grew up loving to read, like a good little girl. Many nights she would fall asleep with the flashlight still turned on as she hid under the covers trying to finish the last few pages of a book. As an adult, the light from her e-reader means she doesn’t need a flashlight, but she still stays up way too late to finish a book.

When Mary’s not reading, she’s playing with her two kids or living out her own real-life romance novel with her hubby. She has a weakness for chocolate, especially when it’s paired with peanut butter, and has been known to have a bad day just because there’s no chocolate in the house. Unless there’s wine. Then everything is okay.

Mary grew up in Buffalo, New York and swears she’s the only local to never ski or snowboard. Soccer was always her sport, with a couple adventures white-water rafting and skydiving to keep things interesting. Mary moved to South Carolina for college but missed Buffalo every day. Yeah, she thinks she’s crazy, too. She somehow convinced her South Carolina born and bred hubby to return to Buffalo to raise their kids and live out their lives. He’s still not sure what he was thinking.

Contact Mary:

Website:  http://maryethompson.com

Facebook:  https://facebook.com/authormaryethompson

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/authormet

Pinterest:  http://pinterest.com/metdaisy7

Goodreads:  http://goodreads.com/maryethompson

Amazon Author Page:  http://amazon.com/author/maryethompson

And don’t forget to sign up for her newsletter:  http://maryethompson.com/fiction-free/

Buy Links:

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MQVF79A

Kobo:  https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/never-a-bridesmaid-always-a-bride

BN:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/never-a-bridesmaid-always-a-bride-mary-e-thompson/1125323279?ean=2940153908359

iBooks:  https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/never-a-bridesmaid-always-a-bride/id1185929114?mt=11

Smashwords:  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/689227

Welcome Sarah of Pushing Water by @margaretmendel2 #historical #Vietnam #FrenchColonial

I’d like to welcome Sarah, from the novel Pushing Water by Margaret Mendel.

RW:       What’s your story/back story? Why would someone come up with a story

               about you?

S:         I am Sarah, the protagonist in the novel, Pushing Water. I work as an archivist for the French Colonial Government in Vietnam during the late 1930s. My job is to file and catalogue documents that the French are gathering from across this Asian country. France is in the process of what they call “Civilizing Vietnam.” They are setting up a library of all Vietnamese written material which is one of the ways they plan to bring this country into the modern age. There is a lot of disquiet in the World and Vietnam has its share of trouble. My aim is to tell the story of this place and time from an outsider’s vantage point.

RW:        Can you tell me about your hero?

S:          Though it has been quite a few years since the end of WWI, I am unable to get over the loss of my fiancé who died in that war. In an attempt to relieve myself of this sorrow, while working as a librarian in the USA, I applied for an archivist potion in Paris, France. Eventually I end up taking this job in Vietnam, the farthest place I could find, all the while attempting to rid myself of sad memories from my past.

RW:       What problems do you have to face and overcome in your life?

S:        I was successful at making a life for myself in Vietnam. Then I discovered the body of a murdered coworker. For years I tried to remain unattached to people, attempting to stay aloof and emotionally removed. But I am devastated by the murder, and I’m trying to find out who did the terrible deed. The deeper I dig into the crime the more entangled I become in the lives of others, and the more hopelessly I find myself dealing with not only the present day troubles, but the past is bubbling up as well.

RW:       During what time period does your story take place?

A:         The novel takes place in Vietnam during a volatile time just prior to WWII. Japan has been at war with China for several years. There is much mystery and intrigue in the World, the Spanish Civil war has just ended. A large portion of the Vietnamese youth are attempting to rid their country of the French Rule. Hitler is causing much trouble in Europe and though the USA has remained neutral, it is only a matter of time before the World will be embroiled in another devastating war.

RW:        How are you coping with the conflict in your life?

S:         I cope quietly. I drink more than I probably should, but the booze calms my nerves and lets me sleep through the night. Things were going fine for me until I found the murdered coworker. Then it seemed that my life got turned upside down.

An old friend who I hadn’t seen in at least five years showed up, and my part-time lover, Albee, came on the scene, bringing with him complications and secrets. I do the best I can, though like most characters in a novel, having no real control over what happens to them, I have no idea how the future will test my coping skills.

RW:        What song would best describe your life?

S:         Probably any song that Bessie Smith sang would describe my life. The Blues tell it like it is and there are more stories in one of Bessie’s songs than most people realize. Some time it feels like that woman knew me.

RW:        What is your secret guilty pleasure?

S:          What gives me the most pleasure is sipping a glass of wine in my garden on a star filled night. My guilty pleasure is trying to forget.

RW:       Are you in control of your author or does she control you?

S:          It feels like most of the time I am in control of my life. Then when I think about all the issues that are thrown at me in this novel, I wonder, who am I kidding? It’s like life—you think things are going along just fine, then wham, you get hit with a devastating problem, like the death of a friend, or a coworker. I am solidly in this novel, and though I had no idea what I signed up for, in the end it was a truly powerful ride. One I am glad to have been a part of.

RW:        Satin sheets or Egyptian cotton?

S:          I know many people prefer satin sheets because they feel luxurious and the slippery smoothness gives the sheets a sense of sensuality. But to me they feel slimy, almost greasy. I prefer a soft washed cotton. I like the earthiness of the tightly woven texture. Besides I don’t know what the woman who does my laundry would think about scrubbing satin sheets in her wash tub.

RW:        I’m always ready for (fill in the blank).

S:          I never turn down a visit to the local American friendly bar. Albee, my sometime lover, introduced me to the bartender. The place attempts to replicated the back-home feeling for the scraggly bunch of Americans who stumble in looking for an honest shot of booze or a tall glass of homemade beer. Lately this place has attracted a group of International reporters and mercenaries looking to get into the mix with the trouble that’s brewing in this part of the World.

RW:       Those are all the questions I have for you, Sarah. Thanks so much for talking to me me today.

Margaret Mendel’s Bio:

Margaret Mendel lives in NYC. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from Sarah Lawrence. Many of her short stories have appeared in literary journals and anthologies. Her debut novel, Fish Kicker was published in 2014. She has worked in the mental health field for more than twenty years, but now devotes her time to writing. She is an avid blogger and photographer. Not only does she drag a laptop wherever she goes, but she also takes a Nikon camera with her as well. Many of her photographs have appeared in websites, in online literary journals, e-magazines, and some have become book covers.

PUSHING WATER

The Plot:

VIETNAM, 1939. Sarah, an expat, working as an archivist for the French Colonial Government in Hanoi, is devastated when she finds a Vietnamese co-worker murdered.

Determined to find the killer. Sarah suspects she knows what prompted the murder when she discovers a secret document in a packet of poetry the co-worker had borrowed from the archives.

The papers include a secret colonial communication outlining a direct order that will bring about devastating hardship for the Vietnamese people.

Sarah’s life is further complicated by the arrival of an old friend, Julia, who brings with her remembrances of a past Sarah would rather forget. Then Albee, Sarah’s part time lover comes on the scene. He claims to be an archaeologist working on a dig in China, though Sarah suspects he is a full time communist revolutionary.

Sarah attempts to deal with her problematic personal life, wishing for her solitude to return, when a friend of Sarah’s is arrested and executed for revolutionary activities. Heartsick Sarah decides to return to the States. Though there is one more hurdle to overcome. The world is in a chaotic mess and within one devastating day nothing will ever be the same again.

Excerpt:

Yesterday after picking up Julia at the airstrip, instead of heading straight back to my place we stopped for drinks at a bar where I hung out from time to time. Between swallows of wine, I made feeble attempts to explain what had happened. Telling the full story was unnerving and painful. My mind stumbled over the unreal situation. The right words would not come. How could something that horrible be explained? So, most of the afternoon was spent with my nose buried in a glass of rice wine, while I listened half-heartedly to Julia’s stories about her adventures as a correspondent in the Civil War in Spain.

Since finding Thien Nguyen’s body, my attention flicked in and out. Most of what Julia said didn’t register. The image of this young, dead, co-worker lying prostrate between two rows of bookshelves, a garrotte twisted tightly around his neck, felt imprinted on my brain. The memory of this scene could have just as well been branded on my retinas because it is quite likely that it would be with me forever.

Contacts:

Author Website & Blog:  http://www.pushingtime.com/

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/margaret.mendel

Twitter:  @margaretmendel2

Buy Links:

Publisher:  MuseItUp Publising, Inc.

Amazon:  Amazon

BN:  B&N

Others:  iBooks | Kobo | Scribd | Inktera | 24 Symbols