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[Manga Maniac Cafe] Good morning, Kathleen, and welcome to the Manga Maniac Café! Can you please describe yourself in 140 characters or less.

[Kathleen Shaputis] A wanna-be hermit trapped in the disguise of a working full-time wife and grandmother who winnows her other spare time in writing.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you tell us a little about Her Ghost Wears Kilts?

[Kathleen Shaputis] Inspired by the movie “The Ghost and Mrs. Muir” this book is a paranormal romance where Baillie, is a 54 year-old business owner and the ghost Kai is a gorgeous 27 year old (plus three hundred or so) Highlander. Baillie inherits a castle in Scotland and Kai tries to warn her of threats on her life. But does she listen? No-o-o. Stubborn and independent, Baillie leaves Washington and finds herself in the middle of an ancient clan dispute, with her life on the line.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?

[Kathleen Shaputis] The original concept came in a 1993 writing class exercise where we had to brainstorm an idea for a genre we didn’t read. Mine was mystery. My outline or mind mapping started as more a clash between two clans, the Baillies versus the Bruces and a working title of The B & B Mystery. I kept my notes in a drawer where eventually Gillian Nation, a character from my debut romantic comedy “Changes in Attitude” demanded inclusion in this musty old story idea. He was the nudge to finally write the book. Being gay, he couldn’t be the love interest, but loves to steal a scene every chance he gets.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three words best describe Baillie?

[Kathleen Shaputis] Independent, stubborn, likeable.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If Lord Kai had a theme song, what would it be?

[Kathleen Shaputis] Hmm, though not a theme song I have to mention during one part of the story I could hear Bonnie Tyler singing “Holding Out for a Hero” in my head and goose bumps ran up and down my arms.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Name one thing Baillie is never without.

[Kathleen Shaputis] First impulse is to say she’s never without a Diet Coke. But that’s not true in the castle. I’d say she’s never without her sense of wonder, the ability to look at the world with rose-colored spectacles.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things will you never find in Baillie’s bathroom?

[Kathleen Shaputis] Those cutesy little guest soaps shaped like seashells or flowers; a variety of partly-used hair products as she’s rather brand dedicated and definitely no bathroom scale.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is Baillie’s greatest regret?

[Kathleen Shaputis] I would say she regrets not being adventurous in her younger years, traveling more, opening her world. She was content over the decades, a gentle lifestyle like riding the carousel over and over, but not necessarily happy. And now she’s discovered the thrill of stepping off the safe ride onto something more intense and she sparkles.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are your greatest creative influences?

[Kathleen Shaputis] Movies and music, absolutely. I am thoroughly addicted to movies: light-hearted romances, musicals, black and white classics and the three-tissue animal stories. I have no problem going to the movies alone if I don’t have someone tagging along. I can watch a good movie over and over again, picking out different nuances in dialogue or surroundings. My dialogue tends to flow as if I’m watching a movie of my characters. A good instrumental soundtrack of violins, large wind section and drums will also lead me down the road of words.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things do you need in order to write?

[Kathleen Shaputis] Three? Hmm, that would be something to write on, something to write with and a Diet Coke. Whether it’s a pad of paper and a pen, a pencil and the back of scratch paper in my purse, I’ll use anything if the muse strikes. And I tend to dry up if there isn’t a can, glass or paper cup of Diet Coke within reach. I’ve used AlphaSmarts to write with, a variety of notepads and notebooks and you don’t want to know the dozens of various pens I have in almost every room of the house including my purse.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What was your biggest distraction while working on Her Ghost Wears Kilts?

[Kathleen Shaputis] Besides life in general? Have you seen my world with adult children moving in and out, grandchildren everywhere, taking care of aging parents and a sibling until they passed away plus that full time job I need to help pay the bills? Actually it was more myself in the way. I finished almost a dozen other books before I let myself be serious. The storyline never moved too far from the back of my mind but I let other things, other people keep pushing it to the back of the line. I love this story, but I guess it wasn’t its time. Now that’s it’s done, the sequel is not letting much get in the way.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is the last book that you read that knocked your socks off?

[Kathleen Shaputis] That’s easy, the ebook “Wool” by Hugh Howey. That little novella thing just plunked me into his alternate reality and I couldn’t believe how quickly I was drawn in and strapped down. I’ve read the series and his easy style of writing is deceiving.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If you had to pick one book that turned you on to reading, which would it be?

[Kathleen Shaputis] I would have to say “The Boxcar Children” by Gertrude Chandler Warner. I acted out scenes in the book for months, especially eating pieces of cheddar cheese with plain bread slices. My husband found a first edition for my birthday one year. It is my treasure.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?

[Kathleen Shaputis] I have grandchildren who seem to fill up most hours. But relaxing comes with watching movies on Lifetime, Hallmark channel, TMC, AMC, and an occasional theater romp with my own box of buttered popcorn. And of course, I read before falling asleep, a delicious way to wrap up the day.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How can readers connect with you?

[Kathleen Shaputis] I enjoy getting a chance to talk with my readers. My website is www.shaputis.com (Yes, it was a good thing my husband was cute, sticking me with a Lithuanian name) or my blog at HerGhostWearsKilts.com. My Twitter handle is NwAuthor and I have a Facebook fan page.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Thank you!

Purchase link

About the book:

About the author:

Author of six published books and ghostwriter of another dozen, Kathleen Shaputis lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, Bob and two Pomeranian pups, Brugh and Bouncer.

Please welcome J Arlene Culiner to the virtual offices today! She’s here to chat about her book All About Charming Alice.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Please tell us a little about yourself.

[J. Arlene Culiner] I was born in New York, raised in Toronto, but for most of my life, I’ve been living in England, Germany, Holland, Turkey, France, Greece, Hungary and the Sahara. At the moment I’m in a very dull French village, in a 300-year-old former inn that I open to the public on Heritage Day. My wildlife garden is a reserve for butterflies and birds and, like my heroine in All About Charming Alice, I also protect spiders, snakes, any living creature. As far as character goes, I’m suppose I’m rather unconventional. I do love well-written books of any genre, rousing discussions, and having a roaring great laugh, but I’ve never owned or wanted a television and, aside from the very occasional documentary, never go to see films. And I’d far rather walk from village to village than drive there.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you tell us a little about All About Charming Alice?

[J. Arlene Culiner] All About Charming Alice, is the story of two warm, rather wary but intelligent people falling in love. Both lead interesting lives, both are passionate, idealistic, and both are somewhat older than the usual romance heroes and heroines. My heroine, Alice, because of a past she’d rather forget, has to learn how to trust again, whereas my hero Jace has to become flexible. And although the budding – and sometimes hopeless-sounding – romance is the main story, quite a few quirky, often amusing, secondary characters also make their appearance. And there’s even some fascinating but little-known history of the American far west.

Here’s the blurb:  

Alice Treemont has given up hope of meeting the right man and falling in love. Living in depopulated Blake’s Folly, a quirky community of rusting cars, old trailers, clapboard shacks and thirsty weeds, she spends her time cooking vegetarian meals, rescuing unwanted dogs and protecting the most unloved creatures on earth: snakes. What man would share those interests? Certainly not Jace Constant whose life in Chicago includes elegant women, fine dining and contemporary art.
Jace has come to Nevada to research the new book he’s writing, but he won’t be staying; as far as he’s concerned, Blake’s Folly is hell on earth. He’s disgusted by desert dust on his fine Italian shoes, dog hair on his cashmere sweaters and by desert bleakness. As for snakes, he doesn’t only despise them: they terrify him.
So how is it possible that each time Alice and Jace meet, the air sizzles? That she’s as fascinated by him as he is by her? That they know their feelings go deeper than raw desire? Still, it looks like this relationship is doomed before it starts: Jace won’t be around for long, and Alice wants to avoid the heartbreak of a short fling.

In need of some juicy romantic gossip, the other 52 residents of Blake’s Folly have decided Alice has been alone for long enough. The attraction between her and Jace is obvious to everyone, so why worry about essential differences? If you trust in love, solutions do appear. But don’t those solutions call for too many compromises, too much self-sacrifice? 

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?

[J. Arlene Culiner] Many years ago, I spent a few days in a crumbling Nevada community of shacks, old trailers, and one dilapidated old hotel/bar/restaurant. I loved the place, and the atmosphere has stayed with me throughout my rather itinerant life. I have, of course, gone back to Nevada and looked for that community but, strangely enough, I’ve never found it. Therefore, I decided to recreate it in my book, All About Charming Alice, to name it Blake’s Folly, and to populate it with all the original and strange folk you’d find in out-of-the-way places. Of course, my heroine Alice is also a rather strange character – you’d have to be if you lived in Blake’s Folly -  but she’s endearing as well.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three words best describe Alice?

[J. Arlene Culiner] Alice is definitely determined. And a giving sort of person, one who wants to please – despite her prickly exterior and her need to protect herself. And she respects all living creatures.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If Jace had a theme song, what would it be?

[J. Arlene Culiner] I’m certainly not good at naming theme songs, however, one morning, my hero Jace tells Alice he’s going walking in the desert with her. Desperate to keep some distance between them, Alice refuses, although she knows Jace is a pretty determined guy and he’ll win in the end. And as she furiously storms back into her house, she hears Jace whistling: You’ll Never Walk Alone.  

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Name one thing Alice is never without.

[J. Arlene Culiner] A camera

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things will you never find in Jace’s bedroom?

[J Arlene] You’ll never, ever, find men’s perfume or aftershave or cologne of any kind; you’ll never find hair gel; and you’ll certainly never find Viagra.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is Alice’s greatest regret?

[J. Arlene Culiner] She regrets that she allowed herself – many years before – to be dominated by her unfaithful, ambitious and manipulative first husband. He bullied her into an acting career she’d never wanted, into a Hollywood lifestyle she hated, and forced her to spend her energy hiding his infidelities from the press. After much scandal and losing a baby, she eventually ran away, started doing what she really wanted – working as a herpetologist in the desert. But she is sorry she compromised for so long.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are your greatest creative influences?

[J. Arlene Culiner] Hearing new ideas, finding new ways of looking at things. Social criticism particularly stimulates me, but so do landscapes – especially lonely, out-of-the-way places like deserts or flat plains, or groves, or sleepy old towns with their original architecture. All these things inspire me to create, work, think.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things do you need in order to write?

[J. Arlene Culiner] 1. Solitude. I can’t be sitting next to someone I know. I need the peace of my own work space. But I can – and do – also write in train stations, on trains or in cafés. Yes, sure there are other people all around me in such places, but I don’t know them so the solitude is definitely there.

2. A need to communicate with the world: I want to share a good story, amuse people, make them weepy or get them chuckling.

3. My inner voice: it wakes me up in the early morning; it has dialogue racing through my head; it sends me bright images, sly characters and snappy tales. It’s a strange kind of electricity, that inner voice.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What was your biggest distraction while working on All About Charming Alice?

[J. Arlene Culiner] I suppose my dogs are always a terrible distraction. Dogs are forever lying around at your feet, watching your every move. You know that all they want is to be touched, talked to, taken out for a walk. You are their whole life, and you certainly have to get up from time to time, give in to their wishes – even if you’d much rather stay put and keep writing. And then there are the cats… They come strutting by, and if you ignore them, they’ll roll over the computer keyboard, bump and rub against you until you pay attention to them and give them some love.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is the last book that you read that knocked your socks off?

[J. Arlene Culiner]]  Limonov by the French writer Emmanuel Carrère. This brilliantly written book is not only the portrait of a Russian dissident, one of society’s rebels, it also presents 20th-21st century Russia, is an analysis of Russian literature and Russian authors. Limonov is even more than a book: it’s a whole journey.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If you had to pick one book that turned you on to reading, which would it be?

[J. Arlene Culiner] I  can’t think of one book only. There were several that, as a child, opened the window to life, gave it another dimension. One, Magic by the Lake, had a turtle that granted wishes, and ever after I always hoped I’d find the right lake so that adventure would come to me too. Then there was The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis in which, by simply walking into a closet, four children find themselves in an alternate world. Believe me, after devouring that, I tried out every wardrobe, closet and closed door in every single house I passed through. But perhaps it was those Trixie Belden books that taught me that there were adventures and mysteries to be found in even the most boring, domestic settings.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?

[J. Arlene Culiner] I’m an amateur musician. I play the oboe, English horn, oboe d’amore, flute, piccolo and bombarde, and I play every chance I get – with four different bands, two orchestras, two chamber music groups and a double reed group. I go on workshops, travel all over France to play with different musicians and give concerts. If that isn’t an obsession, I don’t know what is.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How can readers connect with you?

[J. Arlene Culiner] They can come visit my site and write to me there: www.j-arleneculiner.com

They can come see my blog, read the – sometimes provocative – articles I write, and tell me what they think: j-arleneculiner.over-blog.com

And they can also write to me at [email protected]

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Thank you!

Purchase link

About the book:

Dorothy Callahan is visiting the virtual offices today to chat about her book Taming the Stallion.  Check out what she has to say.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Describe yourself in 140 characters or less.

[Dorothy Callahan] I’m an avid animal lover who has always dreamed of being a published author. I’m also a chocoholic who refuses any 12 step program.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you tell us a little about Taming the Stallion?

[Dorothy Callahan] Raylie really just wants to get a great promotion; she’s done with men and dating. Her baggage is tragic and too hard to deal with, so she represses it, focusing instead on her career. She takes a horse case despite dealing with her past, because she really thinks she can make one more headline arrest.

Ashton is the top horse trainer/breeder around, so the fact this Peace Officer wants to arrest him is ludicrous. He just wants to know who’s poisoning his horses, and the ones he’s losing point to someone being aware of his secretive past.

Neither one really wants anything to do with the other, but they just can’t fight their attraction, despite the risks to their professional careers. Who’s going to solve this case?

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?

[Dorothy Callahan] Working in a busy humane society gave me lots of ideas for stories, and, being an animal lover with a defined sense of justice, I knew my heroine would have to embrace those qualities as well. Plus, in all my years working at the humane society, no one ever stumbled on anyone as great a catch as Ashton! All I needed was a situation that put both of them at their personal worst, then stepped back to watch what would happen.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three words best describe Raylie?

[Dorothy Callahan] Driven, empathic, unwavering. She is definitely NOT a closet romantic. Nope. (Ignore her artwork. She does.)

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If Ashton had a theme song, what would it be?

[Dorothy Callahan] "Unanswered Prayers" by Garth Brooks.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Name one thing Raylie is never without.

[Dorothy Callahan] Her sidearm.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things will you never find in Ashton’s bedroom?

[Dorothy Callahan] Neutral colors, art work, potpourri.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is Ashton’s greatest regret?

[Dorothy Callahan] Dropping out of college, despite how his life prospered.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are your greatest creative influences?

[Dorothy Callahan] Movies, so I can "veg" and let the juices flow, chocolate, because, well, it’s chocolate, and my husband, who is the best sounding board in the entire world.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things do you need in order to write?

[Dorothy Callahan] A pen to chew on, a cat on my lap, and silence.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is the last book that you read that knocked your socks off?

[Dorothy Callahan] Ooh, it’s a tie between "Darkfire Kiss," by Deborah Cooke, and "Homer’s Odyssey" by Gwen Cooper.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If you had to pick one book that turned you on to reading, which would it be?

[Dorothy Callahan] A book I read as a child about a young boy whose father (a forest ranger) rescued a mountain lion cub, and as she grew into adulthood, the boy risked his life to return her to the wild. I can’t recall the name of it, but I read it about 8 times in elementary school. (I think the librarian hid it from me after a while….) After that, in middle school, it was Piers Anthony and Robert Asprin.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?

[Dorothy Callahan] What do you mean? 
I love to watch movies, read, renovate our house, and shop for antiques. I’m also a Facebook junkie. I love to repost!

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How can readers connect with you?

[Dorothy Callahan] Online at Dorothy Callahan Author on Facebook, or dorothycallahan.com to visit me.  In person, just talk about movies, your pets, or antiques!

Thank you so much for inviting me to your blog! I appreciate the opportunity to be here.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Thank you!

You can purchase Taming the Stallion from your favorite bookseller or by clicking the link below. 

About the book:

About the Author:

Dorothy Callahan lives in upstate New York with her wonderful husband, a pride of demanding cats, and two loyal dogs, all rescued from shelters (not the husband). When she is not writing, she enjoys shopping for antiques and renovating their pre-Civil War house.

JM Stewart recently dropped by the virtual offices to discuss her new release Her Knight in Black Leather.  Please give her a warm welcome.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Describe yourself in 140 characters or less.

[J.M. Stewart] Writer of contemporary romance, reader, wife, mother, spiritualist, lover of puppies.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you tell us a little about Her Knight in Black Leather?

[J.M. Stewart] The story is set in a small (fictional) town on the Oregon Coast. Cat Edwards has spent her life playing the wallflower in an effort to escape the repressive weight of her mother’s tarnished name. Dragged to the local pub by her best friend in an effort to get over a broken heart, she longs to be someone else for the night, but gets in over her head. She’s “rescued” by dark mysterious stranger wearing a black leather jacket and mischievous grin that proves exactly what she needs.

Michael Brant has come home to settle his debts. His first night in town, he’s captured by a damsel in distress with bright green eyes he can’t resist. Cat’s temptation is made all the more alluring when he realizes she has no idea who he is. He can’t resist spending a single night in her arms. With her, he’s only a man, disconnected from his family’s name and the past that haunts him here.

They find freedom in each other, but the next morning, the town erupts with news of Michael’s return. Pictures of them keep ending up in the paper, Cat’s safety is threatened. Michael is desperate to keep history from repeating itself, and offers her his family’s name in order to keep her safe. But the lie spirals out of control as they find themselves caught up in the charade.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?

[J.M. Stewart] For me, I always say I don’t create my characters. They come to me and they tell me their stories. I just take dictation. I call myself a secretary. That’s about how this story came about. I actually started this story over seven years ago, and the original began as the sequel to my first novel, The Playboy’s Baby. What happens for me is that I sit down and I started to ponder the brother’s book, whose name was Logan. Cat shyly introduced herself.

As I wrote, the story grew beyond the limits of the first book, so I separated the two. I started by changing the hero’s name. It just popped into my head one day, and Michael stepped out and introduced himself. The minute I changed his name, Michael finally came to life for me.

Plot wise, all I knew when I started the book was that they would share a single night. I had help with the plot. Somewhere between critique partners and my agent and a revise and resubmit, the story finally ended up where it is.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three words best describe Cat?

[J.M. Stewart] wallflower. bookworm. strong.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If Michael had a theme song, what would it be?

[J.M. Stewart] Bad to the Bone… No, seriously. This was a tough question. Usually I get one or two songs that represent the story or a character, but I’ve never found one for Michael. Doing a search, though, I found the lyrics to “Unbreakable Heart” by Three Day’s Grace fit for him. Also, “Somewhere I Belong” by Linkin’ Park.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Name one thing Cat is never without.

[J.M. Stewart] Her keys.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things will you never find in Michael’s bedroom?

[J.M. Stewart] Another hard question. Michael’s a simple guy. It’s a bit easier to say what’s in his room, but for the sake of the question… Anything pink or frilly. Extra pillows—as in throw pillows. A desk and/or other furniture outside of a dresser.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is Cat’s greatest regret?

[J.M. Stewart] Letting her fear (of becoming her mother) rule her life.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are your greatest creative influences?

[J.M. Stewart] Life. And books.  Everything I read, every person I pass or interact with, is all inspiration for me. Inspiration can come from anywhere. Sometimes it’s a song or something I read in passing.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things do you need in order to write?

[J.M. Stewart] Oh gosh, I can only think of two that I absolutely need: Coffee and a quiet house. Everything else is negotiable. lol

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is the last book that you read that knocked your socks off?

[J.M. Stewart] Those Violet Eyes by Vonnie Davis. Her hero, Win Fairchild, is a war veteran, and she had me in tears by the end of the first chapter. He really touched me. I’ve read some great books since, but this one really got to me.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If you had to pick one book that turned you on to reading, which would it be?

[J.M. Stewart] I couldn’t recall one particular book, but it was those Romana Quinby books. I found one in the school library in I think it was sixth grade and I’ve been hooked since.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?

[J.M. Stewart] Read. Play games. I’m a sucker for those mind numbing computer games, like Diner Dash. Cause that’s what they do—they numb the mind, so I can shut down for a while.

Also watch TV, and movies. For the same reason.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How can readers connect with you?

[J.M. Stewart] Website: http://authorjmstewart.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/JMStewartWriter

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-JM-Stewart/129990420383155

Blog: http://jm-stewart.blogspot.com/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3159044.J_M_Stewart

Amazon Author Page—http://www.amazon.com/JM-Stewart/e/B004SJPT6O/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/authorjmstewart/

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Thank you!

Her Knight in Black Leather is out NOW.  You can order it from your favorite bookseller or by clicking the link below.

About the book:

Title: Her Knight in Black Leather

Subtitle: n/a

Author: J.M. Stewart

Editor: Jennifer Lawler

Sensuality Level: Sensual

Author Bio: J.M. writes what she likes to call sweet and spicy contemporary romance. She’s a stay-at-home mom who lives in Seattle Washington, with her husband, two boys, and their two very spoiled puppies. She’s been devouring romances for as long as she can remember. Writing them has become her passion. Find out more about her at http://authorjmstewart.com/

And follow her on:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/JMStewartWriter

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-JM-Stewart/129990420383155

Blog: http://jm-stewart.blogspot.com/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3159044.J_M_Stewart