Today I would like to welcome author Kaily Hart to Book Junkie. She is here to celebrate her latest release, POINT BLANK from Ellora's Cave! Please give Kaily a warm welcome and enjoy the interview............
Kaily Hart, a seemingly straight-laced mother of four left corporate America and a high-powered, lucrative career to be a stay at home mom. Ha! That lasted about four weeks, during which time she realized she had a deeply repressed dream - to write. And romance at that! By day, Kaily plays conservative wife and soccer mom, but at night crafts hot and steamy tales of romance and love with gorgeous heroes who wouldn’t dream of leaving the toilet set up. Ever. She’s smart and sassy, at least in her own mind, and is trying her best to bring the alpha male solidly back to contemporary romance, one hot story at a time. Three years ago she never would have thought she’d be doing this, but now that she is? Well, you couldn’t pay her enough to do anything else.
2. Can you tell us a little about your newest release POINT BLANK that isn't in the blurb?
It’s about secret yearnings and ‘what ifs’. I think everyone has things in their past that they often think about, that they often wonder if they’d done something different what would have happened, what they’d do if they had a second chance. That’s the core of POINT BLANK. These characters both have an opportunity to make different conscious decisions. It’s fun to write about scenarios that skirt the edge of the possible.
3. What was your inspiration behind the creation of POINT BLANK ?
I’ve always wanted to write a long-ago, secret crush book. I mean, who hasn’t had one of those? I was supposed to be finishing another book when this (then unnamed) hero (of the future book, POINT BLANK) started talking to me. I did what I always do when this happens. I jotted down the details and got back on with the book at hand. Except this time, he wouldn’t quiet down. He was persistent, unrelenting and Rex ended up getting his story written way earlier than I’d intended to write it. Squeaky wheel and all that. Sound crazy? Such is the life of a writer J!
4. What was your favorite scene to write in POINT BLANK ?
One of the scenes in any book I like to write is often the time the hero and heroine really get together for the first time. It’s such a great opportunity for character development and for furthering their relationship. It could go smoothly. Or not so much! In POINT BLANK, the heroine hasn’t exactly had great sex in the past. Let’s just say she’s got some hang-ups. The hero quickly addresses and then negates them and it was a really fun scene to write!
5. What accent is sure to make you swoon?
I may be in the minority here, but particular accents don’t really do it for me. Perhaps it’s because I live in a country where I’m the one with the accent J?? I think it all depends on the source.
6. What was the most challenging thing you’ve done in the name of research that might have been out of your comfort zone?
Mmmm. The majority of my research is really done on the internet. I cringe to think what I would have done years ago without access to that huge amount of data. And the ability to stay anonymous. Mostly. Whenever I do a search on some weird, ‘out there’ topic I always wonder if I come up on some screen somewhere as a ‘warning’ LOL. Can you imagine? “Seriously, I’m an author! It’s research!” You’d back me up, right?
7. Please share with us something that readers would be surprised to learn about you.
One of the things for me that still hasn’t lost its novelty factor is that I have identical twins. They’re just so fascinating to me. I have my own little research project at home. Some things in terms of how close they are I expected, but others? They’re a constant source of entertainment. I’m determined to write a twin story one day with some unique spin to it.
Oh and I get emotional every time a reader reaches out to me if they liked one of my stories. Every. Single. Time. That will never get old.
8. How can the readers stay in touch with you online?
Gosh, I’m pretty much all over. I’m constantly on Facebook and Twitter and blog regularly on my own blog as well as a group blog. I’d love it if anyone wanted to reach out to me (but don’t make me cry, ‘K?). My social networking real estate is:
Blog - http://kailyhart.blogspot.com/
Group Blog - http://passionatereads.com/
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/kaily.hart
Twitter - http://twitter.com/kailyhart
9. Favorites List… fill in the blank
1. Favorite City – I’ve been fortunate in that I’ve traveled quite a bit and lived in some of the most exciting cities in the world. To pick a favorite would be like trying to choose which child I liked best LOL. One city I do love and lived in on two separate occasions, is San Diego. It has so much to offer and I love to go back and visit whenever I get the chance!
2. Favorite Romance book of all time (your go to book you can read over and over again) –
It’s incredibly difficult to just list one, but the one that came to mind first was Dance with the Devil by Sherrilyn Kenyon. I just love me a tortured hero, especially one who has lost all hope of redemption in everyone’s eyes, except the heroine. This is one of the few books I have re-read more than once.
3. Favorite type of hero –
Okay, that’s easy. I’m firmly on the side of the alpha hero. One who is very much a ‘guy’, who is tough, perhaps a little rough around the edges, but who has an inner core of integrity and an unwavering devotion to the woman who finally breaks through the brash exterior. Sigh… That’s the kind of hero I live to write.
4. Favorite Quote –
I love to see new quotes all the time, especially current ones, and probably really couldn’t pick a favorite. One that resonated recently was one about success and writing – “Each journey is our own, and we're all the better for it. Rather than wishing for lightning to strike quickly, it's better to enjoy seeing it flash in the distance and know that our time will come." – Nathan Bransford. I literally get a shiver each time I read that.
Writing is about trying to find that balance between what you like and what will entertain and move someone else, the reader. I guess if I could ask it would be simply ‘what do you like about my stories’?
ENDEARMENTS IN ROMANCE
When I’m building characters for my books I always think about their interactions first and foremost. Once names have been established, this thought process inevitably comes around to what the hero & heroine call each other. I take into account the personalities I’ve built for these characters, their backgrounds and history, the nature of their relationship and the stage it’s at. I want to make it as realistic as possible, but it has to be consistent, believable, something the reader will relate to. Will there be shortened names, nicknames, pet names, endearments? Perhaps there’s something one of them calls the other that’s not very complimentary? In a book I just finished writing, the heroine calls the hero ‘Mr. Hot Bod’ and it’s not meant to be a compliment. At first anyway J, but it fits the more ‘in your face’ character of the heroine. In my book, PAY UP, the hero has a shortened name for the heroine that only he uses. They’re friends and it’s developed over time so it works. It’s really it’s own form of endearment. I’ve also written books where there’s nothing and that fit the characters and the story as well.
This planning aspect can be a lot of fun. As with most things in writing, there’s often an element of reality from the writer’s life and I use a lot of what I see, hear and experience as inspiration. It usually never translates literally, but often there’s a seed of realism from somewhere there. So when coming up with endearments? Well, I eavesdrop a lot LOL! A LOT. Of course, there’s a great deal I hear that I would NEVER use in a book. You won’t ever find a hero of mine using ‘snookems’ for instance. ‘Love muffin’ either. I think a lot about reader reaction in picking these types of things and how it reflects on the character, so I thought I’d throw it out there today and ask YOU. I’m always looking for new ideas!
So…what names have you been called? What endearment is your favorite, something you’ve heard or even something you’ve read in a book?
About Kaily:
Kaily Hart, a seemingly straight-laced mother of four left corporate America and a high-powered, lucrative career to be a stay at home mom. Ha! That lasted about four weeks, during which time she realized she had a deeply repressed dream —to write. And romance at that! By day, Kaily plays conservative wife and soccer mom, but at night crafts hot and steamy tales of romance and love with gorgeous heroes who wouldn’t dream of leaving the toilet set up. Ever. She’s smart and sassy, at least in her own mind, and is trying her best to bring the alpha male solidly back to contemporary romance, one hot story at a time. Two years ago she never would have thought she’d be doing this, but now that she is? Well, you couldn’t pay her enough to do anything else. Kaily’s books, PICTURE THIS, PAY UP, PLAY ME & POINT BLANK (yes, she has a thing for book titles that start with ‘P’), are all currently available from Ellora’s Cave and other ebook outlets.
If anyone would want to contact me (which I would love by the way) or just keep up with what I’m doing, you can find me all over:
Web – www.kailyhart.com
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/kaily.hart
Twitter - http://twitter.com/kailyhart
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3 comments:
Thanks so much for having me here today! It was a really fun interview.
August 31, 2011 9:28 AMHey Kaily :)
August 31, 2011 3:51 PMThought I'd drop in to say a hi !!!
And my nephews are identical too :) But somehow as time progresses, there're slight differences popping up in each of them :) They are 9 yr old now... and I can kind of differentiate them using their smiles and their build.
How do you distinguish between the twins?
Hey, Ju! To me, my twins look completely different. Whatever they're doing their personalities shine, which are completely opposing. Although if I see a photograph of them with blank expressions, it's really hard to tell. One cool thing about them is that they're mirror twins. It's a different way that the eggs splits resulting in a 'reflection' rather than an exact copy. One is right handed, the other left. Their hair parts on opposite sides, they have different likes/dislikes. Very fascinating stuff!
August 31, 2011 4:53 PMPost a Comment