Guest Post!
What are your top 10 favorite books/authors?
Lori Foster, Karen Robards, Lisa Jackson, Melinda Leigh, Megan March, Linda Howard, Sidney Sheldon.
How long have you been writing?
For as long as I can remember!
What kind of research do you do before you begin writing a book?
Very little, lol. I jump in and write, then research as I go.
Do you see writing as a career?
Absolutely. There’s nothing else in the world for me except being a mom!
Do you read yourself and if so what is your favorite genre?
My favorite genre is romantic suspense (shocker). But I also love dark romance and paranormal romance. As long as there’s a love story and some heart-pounding moments, I’m in!
Do you prefer to write in silence or with noise? Why?
Silence because my head is just too loud, haha.
Do you write one book at a time or do you have several going at a time?
This might be a quirky quality, but I’m completely strict about finishing what I start. Not just with writing, but life in general. So I won’t start—or even read—another book while I’m in the process of creating.
Pen or type writer or computer?
Computer! My wrist would cramp in ten minutes if I wrote by pen, and my hand wouldn’t be able to keep up with the words.
What made you want to become an author and do you feel it was the right decision?
My love for romantic suspense made me want to become an author. I hated waiting for my favorite authors to release books, so I decided to write exactly what I love to read. I’ve always known in my heart that writing is my path in this life. I don’t doubt for a second that it’s the right decision. Even if everyone hated my books, I’d still write them! Haha.
A day in the life of the author?
My six-year-old is up with the sun every day, but thankfully she’s an independent girl and will make herself breakfast and watch TV while I sleep in a bit. I workout at 6:30 and usually have time to shower before my three-year-old wakes up at 7:30 and chaos begins.
I make a quick and nutritious breakfast, either sourdough raisin bread or plain yogurt and berries—sometimes we make smoothies or fresh juices if the kids are feeling it. I try to do homeschooling first thing in the morning. My just-turned six-year-old is a fantastic reader (surprise, surprise!) and this helps a lot because she can read her math and French lessons with little help. During this time, I occupy my three-year-old with tracing or sensory activities. Then the kids play while I do the one thing that consumes the majority of my day—clean!
We hit up the park late morning, come home for lunch, and then the kids watch a movie in the afternoon while I squeeze in a bit of work. I often use this time to edit my critique partner’s chapters or do other non-writing tasks that I don’t have the stamina for in the evenings. When the movie is done, we take our puppy Ragnar for a walk, or go for a quick bike ride. The kids then play in the backyard while I make supper. I’m a stickler for bedtime, so we get ready for bed right when they finish eating and lights are out before 7:00 p.m. Routine is especially important for us because my husband travels for work, so it’s just the kids and I for part of the month! Once the kids are down, I focus on writing.
Advice they would give new authors?
No one has “time” nowadays. All we can do is make time. I find getting enough rest, working out, and being active with the kids, actually allows me to be more productive with writing. I’ve also learned that it’s not about how much “time” we have, but what we do with that time. For example, I could have my kids with grandma all day, and I might only write 500 words. But when I’m focused, and have nothing else on my plate and don’t allow for distractions, I can do that in ten minutes. Work with what you have and don’t be afraid to remove things/people that don’t serve you.
Describe your writing style.
Freestyle? Pantser? Definitely not organized plotting and planning, but as long as I have the characters firmly in mind, it works out great.
What makes a good story?
For me, a good romantic suspense keeps me on the edge of your seat. I love books that I get sucked into and can’t put down. The romance is where it’s at! I want my characters to love each other despite their circumstances and to fight for what they want—all the while trying to stay alive, haha!
What is your writing process? For instance do you do an outline first? Do you do the chapters first?
I don’t do an outline, but I often wrap my head around the initial concept and then just start writing. Sometimes I don’t even do that and I just start the book off where the first spark of inspiration hit and see where it goes!
What is your writing Kryptonite?
My kitchen. I love to cook and am always making fresh sourdough bread, homemade applesauce and other dishes for my family. It’s easy to lose many hours a day in the kitchen.
Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?
I always strive to write something original, but I also feel like I don’t have much say in what happens. My imagination takes the book where it’s destined to go and the characters dictate that direction.
What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex?
I love writing male characters! I don’t know why, but it comes easy to me. Maybe because the male energy I write is brash and I don’t need to overthink it, haha.
How long on average does it take you to write a book?
If I’m extremely focused, I can write a full-length novel in 8-10 weeks.
Do you believe in writer’s block?
I don’t necessarily think of it as a block. But I have periods of the month where I slump and other periods where I’m highly productive. I keep meaning to see if astrology patterns have much to do with this or if it’s just the way I am, lol. But I’ve never been consistently blocked. I sense when my mind needs a break, which means I switch my focus to editing and other productive elements, and then the driving need to be creative returns.
One of the most dangerous men in the country just became her only ally.
Investigative journalist Lexi Ivanov needs one thing to crack the most important case of her career: the top-secret ledger belonging to Lionsgate Kinship—the organization that murdered her family. And it’s in the possession of Nash Holmes, the elite brotherhood’s enforcer. Fighting her attraction to the man she needs to dupe, she drugs Nash before their romp in the bedroom goes too far. And then, with the ledger in hand, she runs.
Having a woman drug and steal from him is the ultimate shame. Nash fell for the sexy seductress’s trick and now he has to pay the price. To save face and his reputation, as well as protect the brotherhood, he must stop the lying vixen before she sells their secrets to the media. Once he finds her his job is far from over. It’s expected of him to kill her, but something about Lexi strikes a weakness he didn’t know he carried. When a hit is put on her head, the game changes.
Nash quickly learns she has something much greater than what he’s after, and not just a smokin’ body—information so disturbing that he’s forced to investigate. If she’s telling the truth, everything he’s ever known has been a lie.
Author bio:
Samantha Wilde resides in Saskatchewan, Canada, with her husband and two small daughters. Teddy, the family multi-poo, completes her family. Samantha writes steamy, fast-paced, romantic suspense novels in the rare moments she has uninterrupted—even interrupted, she manages to apply words to paper. Aside from her love of writing, her other interests include cooking vegan meals, fantasizing about working out, and eating far too much chocolate.
