Between Moonlit Covers With Kali Willows

  Welcome to author Cassandra Dean 

Here today for a personal interview, sneak peek at her newest release and a giveaway to boot!

          Q: Welcome Cassandra! Can you tell the readers a little bit about yourself and the books you write?

A: Hi Kali! Thank you so much for having me J

I’d love to tell your readers a little bit about myself. I predominantly write historical romance, visiting such eras as Ancient Rome, Victorian England and the American Wild West! I’ve also written a couple of short contemporaries, just for something different, and have plans to write a steampunk series. So…yeah. I like to jump around a bit!

I’m from South Australia, love a cheeky Shiraz from the Coonawarra (a South Australian wine region) and enjoy cameras, of both the digital and film variety. I had about 14 at last count.

 

     

     Q: Why exactly did you decide to write in the historical romance genre?

A: Ohhh, a tough question. I don’t think it was a concrete decision. I think it was just because that’s predominantly what I read. I do love reading our romantic view of times gone by, of corsets and manners and men in a tailored coat. I guess it’s almost like a fantastical world, one that’s been idealized and is so strange and different from our own. What’s not to love? ;p

      

      Q: What other genres have you tried and what is the best fit for your muse?

A: Horror. I’ve tried horror. What a mistake *shudder*

As I’ve mentioned, I’ve written some short contemporary tales, one being a contribution to Smut in the City entitled ‘Glory Box’ and another in an upcoming Medical Romance anthology, but I don’t think I’ll ever write a full length contemporary story. And that Steampunk series…I’d love to get to that this year, so cross your fingers and toes for me, lovely readers J

      

      Q: What would you describe as your toughest challenge on the way to becoming a published author?

A: Persevering. Oh my lord, it’s so hard to get back up and submit AGAIN after your latest rejection. It’s very, very rare to be accepted on the first submission, and I’m sure if you ask any author, they have horror stories of the road to that first acceptance.

      

      Q: What has been the most exciting experience for you as an author and why?

A: Getting to hold my first print book! A book I wrote! With words!

My books are mostly ebooks, but TEACH ME is long enough to be put to print. It was a great and awesome feeling to receive the box containing my pretties in the mail, to open it, to hold them in my hands, to hug them to my bosom. Oh. So wonderful.

I hope to feel it again real soon J 

    

       Q: What do you think are the most important components to writing good romance?

 A: Emotional resonance. The reader has to experience what the characters are experience, to cry when they cry, to laugh when they laugh. If you can wrench the heart out of your reader and then follow it up with an unexpected bark of laughter, they’ll love you for it!

I like to paraphrase my writing god, Mr Joss Whedon – give your audience what they need, not what they want. I think this is especially true with a romance.

    

       Q:  Tell me about your writing process. Are you a plotter or do you outline and keep to your first vision or your story, or do you write as you go, by the seat of your pants?

A: I like to do a bit of both. I’ll have a think about the story, plot it out very broadly, and then start each scene with a brief paragraph or two about what needs to happen in that scene. The paragraphs are very free form, basically just me asking myself what needs to happen.

Of course, if I’m going off on a tangent and it’s a really interesting one, I’m not going to stop the brain from where it wants to go!

It’s a bit hodgepodge but it seems to work, and that’s the main thing J

      

      Q: Are you currently working on anything new at the moment? If so, can you tell us a little about it?

A: I’ve just finished a contemporary medical romance for an anthology. I’m also working on edits for Silk & Scandal, my upcoming release with Decadent Publishing.

Book 1 of The Silk Series, Silk & Scandal features barrister Thomas Cartwright, who is a newly elected Member of Parliament. His plans for a calm, staid life are interrupted when scandal-riddled Lady Nicola Fitzgibbons crashes back into it. Hijinks, as they say, ensue.

      

      Q: If you could travel into one of the worlds you have created in your stories, which one would it be, and why?

A: Oh man, another toughie! Um…I reckon it would be pretty cool to see Victorian London, with its mix of industry and the occult. Awesome, exciting times!

Q: Is there anything else you would like to share with your readers?

 A: Cheese naan is really delicious. Seriously, peeps, if you find a restaurant that makes a good one, hold it forever close to your bosom :D

Also, FOOL’S GOLD is available at the following e-stores:

Decadent Publishing

Amazon.com ~ Amazon.co.uk ~ All Romance eBooks ~ Smashwords ~ Barnes & Noble

But wait, there’s more: ROUGH DIAMOND, book 1 in The Diamond Series, is $1.99 on Amazon and Barnes & Noble – that’s 50% off! Be quick, though, this price is strictly for a limited time only.

AND THERE’S EVEN MORE – A GIVEAWAY*! 

Comment below, let me know your thoughts on Westerns, and you’ll go in the running to win a signed  FOOL’S GOLD postcard and FOOL’S GOLD magnet. Make sure to leave your email address so I can contact you should you win. Good luck!

Thank you for joining us at Between Moonlit Covers Cassandra!

Thank you for having me!

Cassandra Dean

Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads ~ Tumblr ~ Pintrest ~ Amazon.com

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* The small print: Comment before midnight on  31 January 2013 (Australian Central Daylight Time) to be entered to win one (1) signed FOOL’S GOLD postcard and one (1) FOOL’S GOLD magnet. Winner will be selected via random.org, with winner’s name posted in the comments of this blog post within three days of the close of the giveaway. Cassandra will also contact the winner by e-mail; the winner will be required to reply with their postal address so Cassandra can send the prize to them.

Only one entry per ISP address. Entrants must be over 18 years of age. By entering, you agree Cassandra can use your name when announcing the winner if you should win. If potential prize winner forfeits or does not claim the prize, prize will be re-awarded, in Sponsor’s sole discretion. All prizes will be awarded. International entries are welcome. No purchase necessary to enter. Odds of winning depend on number of entries received. Void where prohibited by law.

Blurb:


Christmas Eve, the Diamond Saloon is empty of its people, and Pearl la Monte has a hankering to retire early. A pounding at the Diamond’s door rids her of such a fool notion. Her irritation rises when she sees the prissy, polite-like Garrett standing outside.



Ethan Garrett has a powerful need to gain succor. When the saloon’s voluptuous redheaded singer scowls at him from the threshold of the Diamond, he doesn't stop to think on how his ire at her has disappeared. Or how he just wants to spend some time in her company.



When a blizzard storms in, trapping them, will they spend their time arguing or find their irritation for each other disguises something more?



Excerpt:

Turning on her heel, Pearl marched off toward the stairs.
A weird kind of panic jolted through Ethan, one he’d never felt before in all his days. It was…he didn’t…. She couldn’t leave him. “Where are you going?”
She whirled to face him, her irritation plain. “I was seeking my bed before your arrival, and now I’m seeking it again. Help yourself to whiskey this one time. I got better things to do.”
Shoving to his feet, he strode to her. “Don’t just walk away when we’re discussing things.”
“We ain’t discussing nothing. You’ll be down here, waiting out the blizzard. I’ll be in my bed, doing what I was gonna before you arrived. That’s the end of it.”
Taking a step, she made to leave him. Again.
He grabbed her arm. “Don’t leave me.”
“Don’t tell me what to do.” Glaring at him, she stood before the bar, her magnificent hair slipping from its pins, her breasts rising and falling.
Abruptly, his mouth went dry. Clearing his throat some, he said, “You’re supposed to offer succor to those in need.”
“We’re closed, remember?” Paint-less lips pressed tight together, she glared up at him.
They were so close he could see the faint marks of freckles on her skin.
Pearl La Monte had freckles.
A kind of haze came over him, tightening his skin and bringing with it something all-fired powerful and completely unstoppable. All the years he’d known her crashed through him, all the times she’d flirted with him and meant something else, all the times he’d seen her perform on stage and wished he could have held such fire.
Grabbing her upper arms, he hauled her against him and, ignoring her shocked gasp, he covered her mouth with his.



So, Who is Cassandra Dean?

Bio:

Cassandra grew up daydreaming, inventing fantastical worlds and marvelous adventures. Once she learned to read (First phrase – To the Beach. True story), she was never without a book, reading of other people’s fantastical worlds and marvelous adventures.
Fairy tales, Famous Fives, fantasies and fancies; horror stories, gumshoe detectives, science fiction; Cassandra read it all. Then she discovered Romance and a true passion was born.
So, once upon a time, after making a slight detour into the world of finance, Cassandra tried her hand at writing. After a brief foray into horror, she couldn’t discount her true passion. She started to write Romance and fell head over heels.
The love affair exists to this very day.
Cassandra lives in Adelaide, South Australia.