Romance Author Hotspot

Today, our guest of honor is  Taryn Elliott!. It’s so nice to have you here! Hope you’re ready to party!

First Questions:

Wine or beer? (If you say club soda, we’ll have to send you to the corner…)

Both. How’s that? I get to stay? And to be specific…you know, because I’m a writer. Tanglerose wine and Wolaver’s Wildflower Wheat!

Cake or chips? Are you a sugar or salt kind of person?

  I’m definitely salty. In soooo many ways.

*squints eyes * Are you old enough to drink?

I still get carded! But yes…I’m totally old enough.

Wait! You can’t come in yet! What did you bring us?

 Blurb:  Sometimes starting over means facing your greatest fears…

Miranda Woods is adept at pretending to be someone else, someone without a past. She’s able to forget for chunks of time that she comes from a very wealthy, notorious family. She’s given up most of the party-girl vices from her old life, including sex. But that’s before Nathan Cross barges into her life.

To all appearances, Nathan Cross is a simple man—devoted to family and friends, committed to his work. But nothing is simple about Nate’s feelings for Miranda. Fascination quickly blooms to outright lust, and not just for her body. He wants all of her, even the parts she hides from the world. But Miranda’s secrets threaten to drive away the one man capable of helping her come to terms with her past, and allow a future with a love that’s all about truth.

What makes your characters so special?

 Nate puts up with a lot of Miranda’s issues. And believe me, the girl has issues, but he does it with laughter and by dragging her out of her comfort zone. He makes her see that being in a relationship is about being a couple, the give and take of two people that actually care about each other. It’s such a foreign concept to Miranda. She’s so used to holding people outside of her little sphere and Nate is all about the full body contact in every way possible.

Alright, I guess you can come in. Now off to the roast!

What would your characters say about you?

I’m a troublemaker. *BIGGRIN* I make them face all the crap they’d rather bury. But, I do give them a seriously rockin’ better half, so they don’t complain in the end. (Usually because they’re still in the afterglow of mindbending sex, but whatevs.)

How would you describe your writing style?

 Well, I never thought I’d end up on the emotional end of the spectrum, but it seems to be where I’ve landed. I liked to use lots of intense emotions, a dash of snarky laughter, and regular Joe characters that become extraordinary.

Who is your favorite author and why? Do you write what you read?

Nora Roberts. Period. The woman is my hero and the very reason I became a writer. She writes about families and small town life. She creates the most amazing settings, but never bogs the story down with too much detail. Instead, she makes you care about the character so much that you want to learn about every little corner of their lives and, at least for me, to stay in their story forever. ESPECIALLY Eve and Roark. Holy Hanna! *SWOON*

Yes, I tend to read mostly contemporary of all heat levels with a side of suspense. I tend to like a lot of romance in my suspense though. I do slide into PNR when I’m feeling in the mood. Sometimes you just want a witch, fae, or vamp in your story.

Tell us about one of your favorite characters from your books.

Man, I’m such a hussy when it comes to my guys. I fall in love with all of them as I write their stories. Royal Andreas from ASHES AND WINE has ripped my heart out and given me a lot of closure. Losing a parent is always hard, but it’s one of those life lessons we all know that we have to deal with eventually. But what happens if you have to watch them fade away little by little when they’re in the prime of their life? The grief and the helplessness can really take a toll. I know, firsthand, how it feels to lose someone to cancer, and I think a lot of people can relate. Nearly everyone I know has had cancer touch their lives in one way or another.

For Royal I added in a few extras. Like being the oldest of six siblings and taking over the family winery and falling in love at the same time. He was one of the hardest and most cathartic characters I’ve ever written. And also the one I hold near and dear.

What else are you working on right now?

I’m working on book two from the San Francisco series that UNCROSS YOUR HEART is from. *sigh* Matt Cross pretty much owns my soul at the moment. He’s my angsty musician with a side of humor. He loves to laugh, but is a little lost right now. Falling in love is going to save him and screw him up all at the same time. It’s going to totally be fun! That should be out at the end of the year.

Last question: Where can our partygoers find you and your work?

Website: http://www.tarynelliott.com

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TarynElliottAuthor

Other: http://pinterest.com/tarynelliott/

Thank you so much for coming!

Thanks so much for having me! And as a thank you to your readers I’ll give a random $10 GC to the e-bookstore of their choice as well as a copy of my novel, UNCROSS YOUR HEART.

 Just tell me who your favorite fictional character is in the comments below.

I’d love to squee with you or even find a new book to add to my TBR list. I LOVE talking books! (Even if my iPad is outta control.)