Meet Olivia Gates!

Welcome to Holiday Bash 2010! Contestant #14:

Silhouette Desire Author

Olivia Gates

BIO:

Preliminary Questions:

Eggnog or Mimosas? Are you old enough to drink? Eggnog. And barely. <ggg>

We’re also taking pictures with Santa, did you bring a gift for him? (Maybe a new release or a pretty book cover…)

Here’s the incredible cover for TO TEMPT A SHEIKH!

Blurb:

He rescued hostage Talia Burke from his royal family’s rival tribe and swept her into his strong embrace. But Prince Harres Aal Shalaan soon discovered there was more to the brave beauty than he knew. Talia held information vital to protecting his beloved kingdom…and she had every reason not to trust him.

Marooned together at a desert oasis, Talia couldn’t resist Harres. Yet even as his sizzling seduction entranced her, his loyalty to his family and country would always make them enemies. Falling for the sheikh would be her heart’s greatest mistake…but she feared it was already too late….

Excerpt:

He unbuckled his belt, flicked the cockpit’s lights on to maximum, turned to Burke. The man had his head turned against his seat, his eyes wide with an amalgam of panic and relief. Their gazes meshed.

And there was no mistaking what happened then.

Harres hardened. Fully.

He shuddered. What was this? What was going on? Was his body going haywire from the stress?

Enough of this idiocy. Check him for injuries.

He reached for him. The man flinched at his touch, as if Harres had electrified him. He knew how he felt. The same charge had forked through him. This had crossed from idiotic to insane.

He forced in an inhalation, determined to erase those anomalous reactions, drew Burke by the shoulders into the overhead light. The man struggled.

“Stop squirming. I need to check you for injuries.”

“I’m fine.”

The husky voice skewered through him even though he could barely hear it with the din of the still-moving rotors.

And a conviction slammed into him.

He would have thought he was beginning to hallucinate from blood loss. But he’d been feeling these inexplicable things long before he’d been hit. So he was heeding his body. It had been yelling at him from the first moment, just as his every instinct had been. He always listened to them.

Right now they were telling him that, even in these nightmarish conditions—they wanted T.J. Burke.

And knowing himself, that could only mean one thing.

He stabbed his fingers into the unruly gold silk on top of T.J. Burke’s head, his body hardening more at the escaping gasp that flayed his cheek with its sweetness.

He traced the dewy lips with his thumb, as if to catch the sound and the chagrined shock at what he sensed was an equally uncontrollable response.

He smiled his satisfaction. “So, tell me, why are you pretending to be T.J. Burke, bearded investigative reporter, when a modern-day bejeweled Mata Hari would suit you far better?”

Gorgeous cover! Please enter. Drinks are served by the elves in the corner.

Are you a plotter or pantser? What is your routine

I’m a total plotter. If I don’t map out everything about the plot from the beginning, if I don’t get everything to work and mesh and make sense in outline form, I don’t start writing. I even mostly have my first and last lines right there before I start.

What advice would you give aspiring authors?

Write. Every day. Anything. Everything. For any length of time, and as much and as little as you can. Research the market and the authors you enjoy reading for. Analyze the books you loved, and especially those you still loved or loved more on repeat readings. Find out why you did. Internalize that and you will find it coming out in your own writing. Most of all persevere. This is one tough gig. And it keeps on getting tougher the longer you’re writing, and the more is expected from you. So prepare yourself for an uphill journey. But the most important thing you need to ask yourself is, is it possible for me to survive without writing? Or at least, be reasonably fulfilled without it? If it is, don’t start. If only writing fills that fathomless hole no one else can see or understand within you, then never stop writing. You’ll get there if you never give up.

How did you start your career? Who was your first publisher?

I actually never thought of becoming an author. I always enjoyed writing and loved languages, but my formal education led me to medical school and I became a doctor. My passion for singing lead me to studying music and becoming a singer. And I thought that was that. Then I got married, had a baby, and because of my daughter’s health issues, I had to stay at home with her, for a while becoming neither doctor nor singer. That while became years. If not for finding the internet and eHarlequin, I think I would have gone mad. <g>

I discovered then that Harlequin and other publishers take submissions and I started writing and sending work out. I soon learned that writing a book was indeed a very complex process, and I started to learn everything there was to learn about writing, publishing and the market. It took me two years to sell my first book. That was back in July 2003.

And my first publisher, Harlequin, has been my only one so far.

What are you working on right now?

I am working on my first full length paranormal book for HARLEQUIN NOCTURNE, the first book in THE ERADICATORS series!

What news would you like to share with your readers?

I just signed a new five-book contract with HARLEQUIN DESIRE to write my 28^th-32^nd books. I am also writing two full HARLEQUIN NOCTURNES and a BITES.

I am also involved in many other projects, which I’m finishing one after the other between contracted deadlines. A new paranormal Single Title series with Middle Eastern mythology, and a Young Adult urban fantasy series set in Egypt and steeped in Ancient Egyptian mythology.

Where can readers find you?

Twitter: http://twitter.com/OliviaGates

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/oliviagates

Website: http://www.oliviagates.com

List other books you have out:

TO TAME A SHEIKH Harlequin Desire-November 2010 (first book in Pride of Zohayd trilogy and USA TODAY Bestseller

THE SATANTOS SECRET BABY—Harlequin Desire -April 2011 (excerpted in ALL series books that month)

TO TOUCH A SHEIKH Harlequin Desire-August 2011 (last book in Pride of Zohayd)

Will you be willing to answer questions in regards to writing and publication today?

I will love to answer any and all questions about anything writing/publishing the ladies can come up with!!

Thank you so much for joining us at Romance Author Hotspot!

And thank you for having me! I love being here and meeting all the wonderful guests! Keep up the incredibly wonderful work!!

Author Holiday Gift: 3 signed books and handmade and embroidered (by Olivia) make-up bags.

Remember to enter to win! Check out the other party rooms! See Holiday Bash Prize List. Click here.

Welcome to Holiday Bash 2010! Contestant #11:

Silhouette Desire Author

Tessa Radley

BIO:

USA Today bestselling author Tessa Radley considers herself a reader at heart. Growing up in a world surrounded by Nancy Drew, My Friend Flicka, Cherry Ames, Anne of Green Gables and Bilbo Baggins, she finds it hard to believe she now fills her hours creating stories for other readers to discover.

Preliminary Questions:

Eggnog or Mimosas? Are you old enough to drink?

Young at heart…Mimosa wins out. Orange is my favorite color AND I love the bubbles.

We’re also taking pictures with Santa, did you bring a gift for him?

I’ve brought along a 2010 Christmas Gift Selection. This includes:

The Twelve Nights Of Christmas by Sarah Morgan

His Christmas Virgin by Carole Mortimer

For the Sake of the Secret Child by Yvonne Lindsay

Saved By The Sheikh by ME

AND a BONUS book The Ocean Between Us by Susan Wiggs

WOW! You brought lots of goodies! Can we see your book though? *grins*

Billionaires and Babies:

Powerful men—wrapped around

their babies’ little fingers.

Baby Deception

Widowed billionaire Nick Valentine should have known the new nanny was too good to be true. And when Candace Morrison revealed her hidden designs on his baby daughter, Nick was ready. The sexy schemer would definitely get what was coming to her, but that wouldn’t include Nick’s child.

Candace knew Nick had been deceived—but not by her. She was stunned by her boss’s fierce response to the truth—and to their undeniable chemistry. Now she’d stop at nothing to prove her shocking claims about the little Valentine heiress. But would it make them a family…or tear them apart?

Excerpt:

What—?

The door to Jennie’s nursery stood ajar. Nick pushed it open and entered.

One sweeping glance revealed that the room was empty.

Three strides took him past a tea party of teddy bears sitting on the floor, to the wall of windows overlooking the pool deck. There was no sign of the child or her motherly nanny—Nick couldn’t remember the woman’s name—by the pool, or on the expanse of manicured lawn rolling down to the edge of the cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

He glanced at his watch. Five o’clock. He knew from the schedule he’d memorized that it was Jennie’s dinnertime. The baby should be home. Mrs. Busby, his housekeeper, would have an answer. Downstairs, Mrs. Busby was not in the high-tech chrome-and-black kitchen. Where had all his staff gone? Impatient now, Nick rang the bell.

Long minutes later, Mrs. Busby appeared through the swing doors that led to the basement suites where the staff lived. At the sight of him, the housekeeper tugged at her dress collar. “I’m sorry, Mr. Valentine. I didn’t know you were home yet.”

Nick didn’t bother to tell her that he’d gotten an earlier connection; instead, he got to the crux of what he wanted to know. “Where is Jennie?”

“Candace took her to the park—you can reach her on her cell phone.” The housekeeper headed for the kitchen island with its bank of drawers. “I’ll get the number—”

“Wait!” Nick’s brows jerked together. The nanny’s name wasn’t Candace. He would’ve remembered that. “Who is Candace?”

Short BIO: USA Today bestselling author Tessa Radley considers herself a reader at heart. Growing up in a world surrounded by Nancy Drew, My Friend Flicka, Cherry Ames, Anne of Green Gables and Bilbo Baggins, she finds it hard to believe she now fills her hours creating stories for other readers to discover.

Please enter. Drinks are served by the elves in the corner.

Thanks! You know, talking about elves, my neighbor is threatening to send me a link to turn the family into elves (on eCard). Apparently even Hell Hound can become a dancing elf!

Let’s play a game first…

You’re at the Holiday Party, surrounded by movie stars. Given a dare, you have to tell an actor that you are a romance writer. Who is this person? How do you approach this conversation and what do you think his reaction would be? Oh by the way, he’s standing under mistletoe.

I got a giggle out of the thought of telling Jack Nicolson I’m a romance writer. Remember the movie As Good As It Gets where he plays a misogynistic romance writer? I love that movie! I think he’d make a cutting comeback…the verbal sparring would be delicious. BUT the mistletoe would scare me away! I have absolutely no desire to kiss Melvin Udall…

You’re in a Holiday writing contest. You have to plot a book in 30 minutes. You’re given a sleigh, a reindeer and a Santa hat. What do you come up with? How do you go about this?

First thought, what’s happening? And what kind of character would be caught in that situation. Sooooh. Santa hat and sleigh definitely puts a guy who’s hero material there. What’s he doing? Why the hat? He’s been playing Santa? Why? Friday night late? Yes! Stag party? Ah. Bright light goes on. Stag party. Reindeer. That works.  Hero would be bare-chested, wearing Santa suit pants and hat. Fooling around as he arrives at gig for his brother’s stag night. Heroine, of course shouldn’t be there….it’s a stag night…maybe she stowed away in the sleigh. Mmmm. Maybe she’s the bride’s best friend arrived to tell the groom the wedding is off…and Santa waylays her? Or what if it’s HIS own stag night, and his bride arrives to call wedding off. Half naked Santa abducts her in a sleigh…

OK, braincells are hotting up. Off to see if I can turn this into a short story…!

You’re good! Here’s a mimosa! That was definitely well earned! So, why do you write romance?

Because I have to believe in happy endings.

Are you a plotter or pantser? What is your routine?

I’m more of a plotter BUT my story always starts with the characters. My routine seems to change for every book. Only thing that doesn’t change is the fact that before I sit down to right I need my timer…and Youngest Son has usually stolen it! Of course, one time I was cursing son, searching for timer in his room, and finally found it in the garden. Hell Hound had chewed it up. That was a crisis. That timer is crucial to my writing process.

What advice would you give aspiring authors?

Sit down, write every day. A timer helps! Writer’s block is a more acceptable name for procrastination. Once you start working, it tends to pass…

What are you working on right now?

I’m waiting for my editor’s comments on my next book Reclaiming His Pregnant Widow. The story has been a challenge…and I love challenges.

What news would you like to share with your readers?

I’m looking forward to a great 2011. The past 18 months have been very tough. But I’m really excited to have a new year lying in front of me like a ribbon of road unfurling into the future.

Where can readers find you?

Twitter – not yet!

Facebook: Tessa Radley

Website: www.tessaradley.com

Others: http://community.eharlequin.com/blogs/tessa-radley – I recently did an short interview welcoming new Desire author Cat Schield there. Check it out…I can’t wait to read Cat’s first book.

List other books you have out:

Mistletoe Under the Mistletoe is out in the UK right now—and it’s still available as an ebook. Easiest place to find other books is over at my website http://www.tessaradley.com/books.php

Will you be willing to answer questions in regards to writing and publication today?

I’m finding the digital explosion very exciting. I think the best thing about Christmas this year is the amount of requests for eReaders from Santa. (And yay to Romance Author Hotspot for giving away a kindle!) I love reading…and I think it’s wonderful that eReaders may bring more people to my favorite pastime.

Thank you so much for joining us at Romance Author Hotspot! You’re fabulous!

Thank you so much for inviting me. Wishing everyone a wonderful festive season. May Santa be kept busy. And may 2011 be filled with joy and great reads!

Tessa

Author’s Holiday Gift:

The Twelve Nights Of Christmas by Sarah Morgan

His Christmas Virgin by Carole Mortimer

For the Sake of the Secret Child by Yvonne Lindsay

Saved By The Sheikh by ME

AND a BONUS book The Ocean Between Us by Susan Wiggs

Remember to enter to win! Check out the other party rooms! See Holiday Bash Prize List! Click here.

Today, our guest of honor is Olivia Gates. It’s so nice to have you here, and I’m sure you’re ready for a good time! Let the party begin!

First Questions:

Wine or beer? Uh…too early for either <g> Can I have a ginger latté?

Ginger Latte? That’s not a party drink! LOL. Cake or chips? Are you a sugar or salt person? Both!

Are you old enough to drink? Barely. LOL.

Ut Oh. We might have some problems getting you pass the bouncer.  Maybe if you show us some goodies, we could sneak you in?

To Tame A Sheikh

Blurb:

He would possess her!

He’d noticed her across a crowded room, and in that instant Sheikh Shaheen Aal Shalaan wanted her. With just a few words, Shaheen had his mystery woman in his bed, where she awakened passions he’d long denied.

Then the sheikh discovered his lover’s true identity. She was Johara, his childhood friend, now fully blossomed into a vision he could not do without. But his lineage demanded he take a wife of the throne’s choosing. Anything else would have catastrophic results. Yet how could he turn away from the woman who carried his baby?

Goodness, that cover is so drool-worthy! It sounds like a hot read. But then you know I’d buy any book written by you. * wink *

All right, I guess you can come in. Now off to the roast….

Why did you want to become an author?

I actually never thought of becoming an author. I always enjoyed writing and loved languages, showed an aptitude for both from childhood, but becoming an author was never one of my life plans or ambitions. My formal education led me to medical school and I became a doctor. My passion for singing lead me to studying music and becoming a singer. And I thought that was that, that I would continue my life in one or both those demanding careers. Then I got married, had a baby, and because of my daughter’s health issues, I had to stay at home with her, for a while becoming neither doctor nor singer. That while became years. If not for finding the internet and eHarlequin, I think I would have gone mad. <g>

I discovered then that Harlequin and other publishers take submissions and I started writing and sending work out. I soon learned that writing a book was indeed a very complex process, and I started to learn everything there was to learn about writing, publishing and the market. It took me two years to sell my first book. That was back in July 2003. I’ve now just signed a five-book contract for my 28-32 books!

That is such a great story. You know you’re a big inspiration, right? What do you like doing besides writing and reading? Is it dangerous?

I don’t know if I’d call my practicing surgery or singing dangerous. I assure you I do everything in my power so they’re not so. To others. <gg>

Seriously though, I expend all my need for danger and adventure in my characters’ exploits. In real life, I’m a very safe person. One has too many people depending on them to be so.

What was your first sale as an author? Anything special about it?

My first sale was like a dream. I had submitted my third completed book, had gotten a revision request, and had just turned in my revised manuscript before I flew to England to attend my first ever writing conference. The editor I was working with, the wonderful Kate Paice, was attending. She was participating in a panel that first day, and she gestured hi to me as she entered. After the session was over, she walked up to me and asked me to walk out with her. You can imagine what was streaking through my mind as I followed her to a deserted corridor. She stopped, turned to me and calmly said they wanted to buy my book.

She went on saying they already decided on a title and a pub date, but inside my mind a warzone had erupted. Then a shriek of delight, disbelief and relief exploded out of me and I pinned her to the wall in a rabid hug. I bet she’s still wondering why she risked being alone with me when she told me. <gg>

So, yeah, it was pretty special. I think I got the first ever face-to-face call.

Oh, how cute! LOL. I’m sure she remembers your ‘rabid hug.’ * giggle * Do you have a favorite of your own books and why?

I like to think all my books share the same quality, but for different reasons, some books come out more intense, more cohesive, more memorable than others. In each series I’ve written for, I do have favorite books. In Desire, the line I write for now, I have THE DESERT LORD’S BABY, since it was what sold me to that line, and it also got me so much attention and won me RT’s Reviewer’s Choice Award for Best Desire in 2008. I also am very partial to THE DESERT KING and THE ILLEGITIMATE KING since thOSE love story turned out to be unremittingly intense between very complex and tormented characters. BILLIONAIRE M.D was memorable to me for being my first surgeon for Desire AND my first amnesia story AND my first USA Today Bestseller!!

Last but not least, my current release TO TAME A SHEIKH is also very special to me. It has a totally different relationship dynamic from all the books I’ve written, such abiding and fathomless love between the hero and heroine. AND it won me another nomination from RT’s Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Desire in 2010!

Congratulations! I seriously can’t wait to read it. What is the hardest part of writing your books?

Oh, there are many hard parts, or a succession of those. The trick is to love the process so much you actually look forward to the tough stages. The first hard part comes in coming up with a great premise. Then to lay it out in such a way your editors will agree that it is. THEN comes the execution. My hardest part in actually writing the book comes in the beginning. Once I really get to know the character and they’re “talking”, things speed up and they snatch the controls from my hands and speed up ahead. The ONLY part of the writing process I am not learning to love though is the waiting for response. From my editor, from the readers. This has got to be the toughest part of it all.

LOL. I guess waiting is inevitable for any writer. Good to know that you suffer along with us too. What do you think makes a good story?

When I start writing a book, I always ask myself one question. Would I want to read that story? If the answer is yes, I know I’ve hit on a good premise.

So…a good story needs interesting characters, sizzling chemistry, believable and sustainable conflict, great, character-driven dialogue, a snappy pace,  unexpected twists and a satisfying resolution. I strive to hit all those criteria in each book.

Good to know. I’m sure everyone is hanging off every one of your words. Do you like more Alpha or Beta heroes?

Alpha all the way. BUT my alphas tend to have nurturing qualities. They can cook and can use their hands for more than driving a woman to distraction or in mortal combat or in a high-tech capacity or to sign multi-billion dollar contracts.  They’re no jerks and can admit when they’ve been wrong AND perform epic grovels.

I love ALL your heroes! Are you a pantser or plotter?

I’m a total plotter. If I don’t map out everything about the plot from the beginning, if I don’t get everything to work and mesh and make sense in outline form, I don’t start writing. I even mostly have my first and last lines right there before I start.

Interesting. Do you have any suggestions for beginning writers?

Write. Every day. Anything. Everything. For any length of time, and as much and as little as you can. Research the market and the authors you enjoy reading for. Analyze the books you loved, and especially those you still loved or loved more on repeat readings. Find out why you did. Internalize that and you will find it coming out in your own writing. Most of all persevere. This is one tough gig. And it keeps on getting tougher the longer you’re writing, and the more is expected from you. So prepare yourself for an uphill journey. But the most important thing you need to ask yourself is, is it possible for me to survive without writing? Or at least, be reasonably fulfilled without it? If it is, don’t start. If only writing fills that fathomless hole no one else can see or understand within you, then never stop writing. You’ll get there if you never give up.

Great advice! What else are you working on right now?

I am now working on four projects. Two contracted and two on spec. The contracted works are: 1) The final chapter in my PRIDE OF ZOHAYD sheikh trilogy for Desire, TO TOUCH A SHEIKH. It comes out in August 2011. 2) The first full-length book in THE ERADICATORS series for Harlequin Nocturne. My first installment in this universe is already out in novella format, MORTAL ENEMY, IMMORTAL LOVER.

The two other projects are Single Titles. One the first book in a paranormal romance series filled with Middle Eastern mythology, the other the first book in a Young Adult series set in Egypt and drawing extensively on Ancient Egyptian mythology.

Here’s what my publication schedule looks like:

Silhouette Desire

To Tame A Sheikh—Book One PRIDE OF ZOHAYD trilogy—Nov 2010 (RT’s Reviewers’ Choice Award Nominee for Best Desire 2010)

To Tempt A Sheikh—Book Two PRIDE OF ZOHAYD trilogy—Feb 2011

The Sarantos Secret Baby—Billionaires & Babies series—Apr 2011

To Touch A Sheikh—Book Three PRIDE OF ZOHAYD trilogu—Aug 2011

Harlequin Nocturne

The Eradicators Series—Coming in 2012

You are one busy woman! And I love the whole Egyptian mythology idea. I guess I’ll have to read some YA’s now. * wink* Before I let you run wild around this joint with your ginger latte, let’s talk a little more about your new release. What makes your character and story so special?

This story (besides it earning me a nomination for Best Desire in 2010! YAY) is very special to me because I’ve been dreaming of it for a very long time. I’ve been wanting to write this trilogy ever since I was writing my first sheikh trilogy for Desire, THRONE OF JUDAR. This trilogy takes place in the neighboring allied kingdom of Zohayd, and the heroes are the half-brothers of Aliyah, the heroine of the final chapter in JUDAR’s trilogy, THE DESERT KING.

But I had to write five books in between to get here, so I was very anxious to start this book. Then when I did, the characters came alive, and defied my plans for them. My original plot was filled with conflict and doubt. But even though it was reasonable to doubt each other with all the evidence, the characters laughed at my logic. THEY knew each other, would never doubt one another, and I should butt out.

The result was the most intense, romantic, devoted love stories I’ve ever written. So far, I’ve gotten amazing reviews for it, and I’m thankful for and thrilled with each word of praise for those two exceptional lovers. I hope everyone else who reads their story will think the same.

I know I’ll love them!  Where can our partygoers find you and your work?

You can find me on my website, on Facebook, on Twitter, on eHarlequin! And I’m always delighted to hear from readers directly via email, so feel free to contact me.

As for my work, it’s all over the place. For samples of my work, go to my website http://www.oliviagates.com there you’ll find links to my online free read on eharlequin, excerpts and places that sell my books. For any more information, please contact me and I’ll be delighted to provide you with more.

Thank you so much for coming! You are such an inspiration for me! I won’t gush too much or people are going to think I’m showing favoritism. *wink*

Thank YOU for having me. I loved your questions and I hope you and everyone else will enjoy my answers, and come on over to join the party and bring on the comments.

And of course, Olivia has a big surprise for everyone! Comment! Pick her brilliant mind! Ask all your questions! Psst. *Whispers* She’s giving out SIGNED copies of her books and embroidered make-up bags loved by Ms. Olivia Gates! Get this party rolling!