My review:
Wife by Wednesday – grabs you from the title and pulls you into a wonderful tale of an arranged marriage…well more of a business contract. Blake needs a wife to fulfil the terms of his father’s will and gain his inheritance. Sam agrees but neither of them expect keeping the contract to be as hard as it is.
In this story, Ms. Bybee has brought to life two engaging characters, a conniving villain and a series of obstacles which leave you turning the pages with eager anticipation to find out what happens next. The first non-historical one I have read, it’s no less engaging than her time travel books. If you love those, then this one is not to be missed.
How did you come up with your premise? Is there a story behind your book? How did the story evolve?
How did I come up with the book? Hmmm, I think of Wife by Wednesday as a modern day Cinderella. I love entitled rich men who think they have the world on their string to realize that without a good woman, they don't have squat. I think this story evolved from my love of historical romance and wanting to set one of those themes in a modern day romance.
For those who are not familiar with this story, would you please give us the blurb?
Blake Harrison:
Rich, titled, and charming… And in need of a wife by Wednesday so he turns to Sam Elliot who isn’t the business man he expected. Instead, Blake is faced with Samantha Elliot, engaging and spunky with a voice men call 900 numbers to hear.
Samantha Elliot:
Owner of Alliance, her matchmaking firm, and not on the marital menu... That is until Blake offers her ten million dollars for a one-year contract. All she needs to do is keep her attraction to her husband to herself and avoid his bed. But Blake’s toe-curling kisses and charm prove too difficult to combat. Now she needs to protect her heart so she can walk away when their mercenary life together is over.
How did you decide on the setting?
Easy… I live in Southern California, land of the paparazzi and Hollywood romance drama… this story breathes that theme.
When will it be released?
October 5th 2011
Where were you born?
On Earth… In a hospital where my mother had to put out her cigarette to push. Yeah, that actually happened once upon a time.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I've not really wanted to live in another country, but I wouldn't mind visiting every place at least once.
What hidden talent do you possess outside of writing... something you do for fun, but are good at?
I'm a die-hard crafter. I have a room dedicated to collection of crap that I make stuff out of. Scrapbooking, quilting, painting… I even knit.
What music groups/artists blast from your CD player while you write?
None, I can't listen to music I know the words to and write… it's distracting to me.
What are you most passionate about, other than writing?
My kids!
What got you interested in writing?
I've always been a huge reader, so writing was a given. As soon as I had the time to dedicate to the craft, I did.
What advice would you give a new writer just starting out?
Never give up. If you love to write chances are you won't be able to stop once you start. So don't give up. Like anything, it takes time to learn your voice and develop your own style.
Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?
Whenever I get stuck between scenes it usually means I've gone off track somewhere and I've written myself into a corner I have no way out of. I will go back and re-read what I've written until if figure out where my characters started acting out of character. I'm not afraid to cut big chunks of my work if it isn't working.
What, in your opinion, are the most important elements of good writing?
Believable characters in unbelievable settings.
How do you develop your plots and characters?
Both - I usually will think of a main character or two and an opening scene, then the story moves from there.
Are you working on anything at the present you’d like to share with us?
I'm working on a couple of contemporaries and a forth book to my time travel series. I've had such a wonderful following for the MacCoinnich's that I can't leave the characters alone. I'm finishing up Simon's story now and hope to have it published next year.
How do you come up with the titles to your books?
My original title for Wife by Wednesday was Ten Million Dollar Bride… but I wanted something snappier so I asked my facebook and blog friends for ideas. Out of the ideas suggested, I came up with Wife by Wednesday. I also plan of writing follow up books with similar titles such as, Married by Monday (2012) and so on…
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
The day I wrote THE END on my first manuscript.
Describe your writing space.
Cluttered!
What was the hardest part of writing your book?
Writing is easy, it’s the other stuff that's hard.
What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Mom, Wife… Chauffer…
What did you want to be when you grew up?
I moved to So. California to be an actress. *shocking I know*
What do you do in your spare time? (Assuming you have any ;-) )
I write.
What genre would you like to explore that you haven’t tried to write in yet? Will you? What would you never see yourself writing?
I'm writing everything I really want to write at this time. Nothing is off the market for me to write… thought I probably won't write M/M Romance, I'll leave that to talented writers like Angel Martinez (plug, plug,) She's my critique partner and does an amazing job with her work. If I wrote m/m romance, it would be disastrous.
Do you really, really want a dog?
Have one, his name is Capone - As in Al Capone. Sweetest dog ever!
Do you hate how you look in pictures?
It's the only mug I will ever have, why hate?
Do you have any strange handwriting habits, like capitalizing all your “r”s or dotting your “I”s with heart (or anything like that)?
Yeah, my spelling sucks. Spell check is my best friend.
What is your strangest habit?
Not sure.
You can erase any horrible experience from your past. What will it be?
Oh, loaded question. And I've had some nasty ones… but even the ones that hurt the most moulded me into the person I am. So I wouldn't change much of anything.
What were you doing at midnight last night?
Attempting to sleep.
What’s a saying you use a lot?
Life is like a box of chocolates… No… not really. How about, life is short so live it!
Have you ever eaten a crayon?
Probably.
What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever eaten?
Cat food when I was a kid. My mom told me I was growing a tail. Looked for the damn thing for two years. BTW, we didn't own a cat at the time. A sample box came in the mail.
What is your favourite animal?
I love ALL animals… well, I'm not fond of rattlesnakes. We get 5 or 6 of them a year where I live.
What do you want to know about the future?
Nothing.
Have you ever cried during a movie?
I hope so or all the moves must suck.
Do you sleep with the light on?
Only when I read Dean Koontz's Whispers.
What is your favourite pizza?
Everything without pineapple or lil' fish.
Are you a morning person or a night person?
Mornings are for Roosters… and I've given away all of mine.
If you could go anywhere to tomorrow, where would you go?
A different time.
If you could see anyone tomorrow (dead or alive), who would it be?
My sister, Andrea.
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