Catching Up with Susie Medwell

Hi, folks! Come on in and grab a chair.

Today we have the talented Susie Medwell with us, chatting about writing across the genres, time management and more. Her newest release, the contemporary romance Text Me, Tweet Me, Need Me, just hit the e-shelves a few weeks ago. She’s contracted with three publishers and has also ventured into the ever-growing self-pub world. She also pens erotica romance as Zara Stoneley.

Susie, Text Me, Tweet Me, Need Me brings into focus the unavoidable presence of technology in today’s dating scene and relationships. What inspired you to add this modern twist to your first contemporary romance? Writing is all about what-if’s. I find social networking/dating fascinating – in theory it lets us meet people we might never have otherwise bumped into, but can we really ‘click’ with someone we meet in cyberspace? And what if that someone isn’t really a stranger? Couple that with the fact that I’m a firm believer that we find love when (and where) we least expect it and I had a story I really wanted to write.

 Your heroine is a journalist. Do you have any experience in the field? How much research did you have to do? I did some freelance work many years ago, and also have friends who work in journalism so my research could be done over a glass of wine (my favourite type)!

 Having read some of your erotic romances before, I couldn’t help but notice that although the sex scenes in this book sizzle, they are tamer than those in your other works. What are the main differences between the sex scenes in an erotic romance and those in a very steamy contemporary romance? For me, it isn’t the actual language and content of the sex scenes that differs between erotic romance and steamy contemporary romance, it is the reason the scene is included. In an erotic romance the sex is an integral part of the story – it affects how the relationship develops and the characters grow – you can’t remove the sex scenes without damaging the story. In a contemporary romance you could remove the sex scenes (or make them sweeter!) without affecting the story, as the development of the relationship and the growth of the characters aren’t dependent on them. In contemporary romance the trend today is to avoid purple prose and call a spade a spade, so the language is still ‘to the point,’ as it is in a more erotic story. In one of my erotic romances though, I might push the characters boundaries during a sex scene so that they can overcome some issue (e.g. of trust), however in ‘Text me’ the issues are resolved outside of the bedroom!

You just got started as a published author just over a year ago and you already have quite a few books out. What’s your secret for being so prolific?  I actually don’t feel as though I am prolific! I really wish I had more time to write, and could type quicker, as I have so many ideas and stories I want to tell. For a few months last year I was between jobs and the extra time made an enormous difference to my writing. I’m working part-time at the moment and finding it much more difficult, as my warming up time each day (at least an hour before I really get in to the swing of things) eats up too much of my actual writing time. I suppose the answer to your question is that I have a real desire to tell the stories that are lurking in the back of my mind, writing isn’t a chore, it’s a love and a necessity!

 À la Twitter, can you please describe your book using 140 characters or fewer? One hot text can lead to another, but can secrets from the past destroy every hope of passion in the future?

 

AUTHOR BIO

Susie has been writing stories for as long as she’s been reading them – it’s rumoured that she’s related to Elizabeth Gaskell so it could be in the genes! She submitted her first novel, a thriller, when she was twelve years old but as she hit her mi- teens her tastes shifted from action to romance. She was soon addicted to alpha heroes, and what could be better than writing about them?

She’s had an exciting and varied life, which feeds into her stories... she’s got an Honours degree in Computer Science ...a teenage son... a cat...a cottage in the English countryside...and her own sexy alpha hero! She loves sexy high heels...good food....good wine....music...coffee (lots and lots of coffee)... and sunshine, so whenever she can, heads off in search of the sun and inspiration for her stories. Susie also writes erotic romance as Zara Stoneley.

WHERE TO FIND SUSIE -

Website - http://www.susiemedwell.com

Blog – http://susiemedwell.blogspot.com

Twitter - @SusieMedwell

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/susiemedwell

Amazon author page – http://amazon.com/author/susiemedwell

 

 

BLURB

TEXT ME, TWEET ME, NEED ME
A Lyrical Press contemporary romance.

Texting and tweeting can lead to trouble when the truth gets out…

Dating your boss is bad. Finding out he’s married with a baby on the way is a whole lot worse, but losing your job when you show him the door really sucks. And when he knows all your family secrets, there’s bound to be trouble. But the job Samantha’s got lined up can put her life back on track. One last date for research purposes before she can finish her article on online dating–then she’s a man-free zone, and it’s serious journalism all the way.

Ben has only one thing on his mind: to keep the promise he made to look after Sam. All he has to do is work out how he can support a girl who distrusts men, hates charity, and definitely doesn’t want rescuing. He thinks he’s come up with the perfect solution, until he realizes it’s his heart, not his money he needs to invest.

But can Sam see past the lies and learn to trust a man again? And more importantly…will Ben still want her when he learns about her past?

CONTENT WARNING: Contains hot texts, sexy showers, a girl who can pack a punch, and lasagne.

 

BUY LINKS – Amazon (UK), Amazon (US), Lyrical Press, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, ARe  

House Hunting is not For Weenies

 

I have completely neglected my blog for longer than virtually acceptable. All the issues keeping me from posting, though, will come in handy as good material for a few posts. Today I’m dissecting one of them – the wonders of house buying when you’re nearly seven months pregnant.

We wanted to be shrewd and take advantage of the cutthroat Austin real estate market and sell our house before the baby comes. In our idealized, fairytale dream where unicorns greeted us every morning and a fluorescent rainbow shone in the background of our new house, everything would be perfect.

Well, sell our house we did. And fast. We got great buyers who gave us all we asked for and more, including the opportunity to lease back for a few months while we sought said dream house. Sounds great, doesn’t it?

In the meantime, Hubby was transferred from his job, which means he’ll have to work in a different city – and which also means the houses we were looking at are all too far from his new location. Which also means goodbye sassy unicorns and rainbows, and hello snorting donkeys and dark clouds!

We have been visiting several houses in a different city, and of course we can barely agree on what we want. We’ve had plenty of awkward moments in front of our tireless Realtor, who hasn’t shied away from his mission of finding us a house…even though he’s had to witness some life-altering arguments about priorities.

I never knew house shopping could put such a strain on a marriage. I want a playroom; Hubby wants a media room. I want a bigger office; Hubby wants a three-car garage. Funny thing was, I never knew any of those things were a priority for him – that is, until we toured houses with said features. Phew.

My favorite part of the week was the look on the Realtor’s face the last time he picked us up. I had on my wristband (my wrist has been bothering me from writing), and Hubby, reeling from a very recent shave, pressed a Kleenex to his mouth. The Realtor looked at my wristband, then darted his gaze carefully at my husband, who still had blood spilling from his upper lip, and asked, “Everything okay?” J

Doing What’s Right: My Way to Edit

Do what feels right for you. It doesn’t feel right? Do it anyway, and you’ll find your own process.

That is my first editing tip. Write it down, folks. There will be a quiz later. Edits can be very controversial, and I often enjoy listening to different types of writers discuss their techniques and approaches. Some prefer to write the first draft as cleanly and neatly as possible to save them the trouble of going back to make huge changes. They’ll still go back and revise, but they’ll have less work.
To read the rest of this fabulous post, please click here http://revisionseditions.blogspot.in/2013/05/doing-whats-right-my-way-to-edit-by.html

I'm guest posting on Nas Dean's blog today! :)

Heating Up Hawaii Release Partay!

Exciting news, folks!

 

Today my sexy contemporary novella Heating Up Hawaii is out to face the world and bring summer early this year! GIVEWAY ALERT!

 

 

Drumroll, please...

 

I’ll be giving away not one, but TWO $25 Amazon gift cards to two commenters if you help me get the word out.

 

 

How can you help? Please make sure you enter a comment below when you’ve done any of the things listed above for a chance to win :)

 

ü  Copy and paste this post on your blog, and promote it on Facebook or Twitter. Or...

 

ü  Add Heating Up Hawaii to your TO-READ list on Good Reads

 

ü  Buy the book if you enjoy sexy romances.

 

ü  Leave an honest review on Amazon, Goodreads or the Breathless Press site.

 

 

ü  The contest will close on May 10th, 2013 at midnight CDT.

 

 

Good luck!!!

Let's connect:

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BUY LINKS:

 

Amazon

Breathless Press site.

Blurb: There is just one person standing between Penny Ashbrook’s dream of opening her own PR business or being stuck at her job–the formidable Luc Leoni–her first lover, and the man who lets nothing and no-one get in his way. Seeing him after so long brings all the hidden emotions after a life altering break-up to surface. Pain, denial and…lust.

Luc has made many sacrifices for his career, including Penny Ashbrook, the woman who set his aspirations back a year, but now she has returned and is more alluring than ever. After all these years, he thought a self-made billionaire as himself could master everything, but to resist the strong pull toward the one woman he can't have is an impossible task.

When this unlikely pair is reunited they will have to face the many challenges set in their way, especially an attraction that has only heightened with time and a deadline quickly approaching. Can their new bond surpass old—and new—fears? Read the excerpt