Interview and Giveaway with Terry Spear

Hi Terry and welcome back to Under the Covers.  Congrats on your latest release!

Can you please tell us about A HIGHLAND WEREWOLF WEDDING?

The story is about a Highland wolf’s loyalty to a friend who is off to her wedding when he knows it’s a mistake, but he’s run off the road (his version) by an American she-wolf and his world is turned upside down by the woman he met eons ago. He’s makes her take him to the wedding she’s attending while in Scotland, and all bloody hell breaks loose. A clan fight ensues—he and Elaine are stuck in their wolf coats trying to reach his castle… What else can I say but that it’s adventure, romance, mystery, humor, and totally wolfish entertainment of the Highland variety. That means kilts, swords, dirks, and castles… beyond the usual.

What makes Elaine Hawthorn different from the other heroines in the series?

She’s a privateer’s niece, cousin to pirates, and an owner of Scottish castle ruins. She had a history with the hero—one that goes back 300 years, and he’s having a devil of a time recalling who she is. Men. She has been on her own and always looking ahead after dealing with an abusive mating.

How many more books can we expect in this series?

Totally up to fans. As long as I can come up with new story ideas that fans love, I’ll keep writing them. I also write other stories and I think it helps to keep the series fresh. For each book, I do a lot of soul searching to come up with something that is unique:

–          In Jaguar Fever (part of my Heart of the Jaguar Series, in stores in August), it’s the structure of their secret police force, and shifter clubs.

–          With Silence of the Wolf (February 2014), it’s the ski resort and winter fun.

–          In Jaguar Hunt (June 2014), we go to the circus.

–          In Hero of a Highland Wolf (August 2014)—I’m going to have fun with an American going to Scotland to show the wolf pack there how to run her castle properly. I hope you’re already smiling. I am.

–          In A SEAL Wolf Christmas (Oct 2013) you’ll see what happens when Bjornolf follows Hunter’s mission—is he there really to watch the team’s back, or has Anna gotten under his skin from the time when he tied her to the hotel bed in A SEAL in Wolf’s Clothing?

–          And in the next SEAL wolf adventure,  watch for the two veritable SEAL hunks to be on the auction block. And Guthrie MacNeill is going to a masquerade party with Calla…you will never believe what he decides to wear.

There’s more, but I’ll leave that for next time! See? As long as I can come up with new and really different angles, the jungle/forest is the limit.

What is one fun fact about yourself that readers wouldn’t know?

I petted a shark, which has skin like sandpaper. And I swam with sharks in very, very cold water. It didn’t matter that I had a wetsuit on. I was FREEZING.

What are three things that aspiring authors should do?

LOVE what you’re writing. You never know when it might become a long-running series. 🙂

Be knowledgeable about what you’re writing. I have never taken up scuba diving. But I’ve snorkeled, so I’ve written about that. I’ve gone caving, rappelling, swam with the sharks, and stingrays, just lots of things, so I write about them. You can research this stuff, but always remember you’ll have readers who have done this too and you want to know what you’re talking about. In Howl for a Highlander, I went on all those adventures, saw the pirates and their sword fight, drank rum punch, was made to walk the gang plank, and swam under the shade of the pirate ship. If only I had been with Duncan there. *sigh*

And three, love what you’re writing. I can’t emphasize this enough. Readers know when an author isn’t into the story and the characters. You have to love your story, your genre, and your characters and put your heart and soul into them. You have to make them as real to your readers as they are to you.

What are three things that aspiring authors should NOT do?

Write something you don’t love. I was reading about a NY Times bestselling author who wrote in a genre that she knew nothing about, wasn’t something she normally read, and readers said in reviews that she should have stuck to what she knows. The problem? It was the fad and she jumped on it. Readers know when an author doesn’t love the genre or subject matter they’re writing about. I’ve seen this with writers who are so popular as romantic suspense authors and then they jumped on the bandwagon to write about vampires. Some could do it. Others, couldn’t. Why? They aren’t into the paranormal. I read a book once where I wasn’t sure what it was—it sounded historical, it sounded like fantasy, it sounded like a panther shifter story…and yet you never knew what it was.

The thing that goes along with this is not force yourself to do what doesn’t feel right—just because it’s popular. I’ve heard for years that erotica sells, but I don’t write that hot because it’s not me.

And finally, don’t give up. If the stories are part of you, if you can’t not (I know, a double negative, but hey, it works here) write, then write. And don’t give up.

What are some of your must haves…

a)      On your writing desk?

Green tea and the Character Naming Guide.

b)      On your reading device or bookshelf?

I have a couple hundred books on my shelves. Love books. I bought a whole bunch of time travels, but haven’t had any time to read them.

c)       On your bedside table?

Nook. Also no time to read on that right now. Have three books to write still by the end of the year. Deadlines, deadlines, deadlines.

What was the last…

a)      Book you read?

For two contests, so can’t say. I loved them. LOL I know it doesn’t help, but I did read twelve books for the two contests.

b)      Last song you’ve listened to?

Hotel California. I love it the paranormal element of it.

c)       Time you cried happy tears?

Daughter’s wedding.

What is the best way to…

a)      Start a book?

From the beginning.

Get over writer’s block?

Take a break, read a book, brainstorm, watch a movie, garden, make teddy bears.

c)       Handle a bad review?

Cries. Nah, try not to read them.

What is the next…

a)      Show you’ll be watching?

Supernatural!!! Can’t get anything in the boondocks on TV, so my son sent me Supernatural season 5, 6, and 7 for Mother’s Day and my birthday. And I love Castle also. I can’t wait to watch them, but have to as I need to finish up Jaguar Hunt and get started on the next Highland wolf story. I’m totally goal-oriented. No reading, no TV watching while I’m trying to finish up a book or start a new one.

b)      The next scene you’ll be writing?

I’m working on Jaguar Hunt, so I’m still trying to come up with the last love scene (I always have to give these a lot of thought to make them different), and the big black moment…I wrote the very end already. So it’s nearly done.

c)       Book you’re eagerly anticipating?

I’ll be going to RomCon in June and hope to pick up some new for me authors’ books!  And then I have to go out and buy all the rest of their books, but won’t have time to read them either. LOL I still have a ton of books from Anaheim last year that I haven’t had a chance to read. I will eventually. Too many deadlines right now. But that means you get to read more of those hunky wolves and jaguar shifters!

Thanks for answering our nosy questions!!!

Thanks so much for having me here at Under the Covers…speaking of which, hmm, David is waiting for me. I mean, for Tammy…yes!!! 😉

A HIGHLAND WEREWOLF WEDDING
BY TERRY SPEAR
IN STORES MAY 2013

On The Run…

After werewolves Elaine Hawthorn and Cearnach MacNeill almost have a head-on collision on a foggy Highland road, they’re pretty well stuck with each other. It’ll be hours before anyone can get there to pull his car out of the ditch and they both have better places to be.

And Nowhere to Hide From Each Other…

The sexy little American brings out all of Cearnach’s big bag protective instincts. If she thought she was in trouble before, Elaine has no idea what kind of complications a hot Scot can cause…

 

Delightful, steamy, and devilishly funny, join the hundreds of thousands of readers who already discovered that USA Today bestseller Terry Spear delivers a sizzle worth howling about.

Praise for A Highland Werewolf Wedding:

“The two protagonists are well matched in intelligence, and their snappy dialogue will have readers chuckling from the first chapter on.” —Booklist

“The hills of Scotland make a dramatic backdrop for this novel, and the characters are pleasing and well written.” —RT Book Reviews

“A Highland Werewolf Wedding is another shining example of exactly why Terry Spear is the Queen of the shifter romance.”—Night Owl Reviews, 5 Stars, Reviewer Top Pick

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

USA Today bestselling author Terry Spear has written over two dozen paranormal romance novels and medieval Highland historical romances. She has received incredible praise for her romances, including Heart of the Wolf named a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year. A retired officer of the U.S. Army Reserves, Terry also creates award-winning teddy bears that have found homes all over the world. She lives in Crawford, Texas, where she is working on her next paranormal romances! For more information, please visit www.TerrySpear.com.

Enter to win a copy of A Howl for a Highlander
(the book preceding A Highland Werewolf Wedding in Terry’s series).
US and Canada only.