Wednesday, May 24, 2017

BLOG TOUR: Interview with R.J. Blain, author of Playing With Fire & Win #25 Amazon Gift Card! #blogtour #fantasy #romantic #comedy


RJ Blain suffers from a Moleskine journal obsession, a pen fixation, and a terrible tendency to pun without warning.

When she isn't playing pretend, she likes to think she's a cartographer and a sumi-e painter.

In her spare time, she daydreams about being a spy. Should that fail, her contingency plan involves tying her best of enemies to spinning wheels and quoting James Bond villains until she is satisfied.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | GOODREADS


About the Book:

Warning: This novel contains excessive humor, action, excitement, adventure, magic, romance, and bodies. Proceed with caution.

What do you get when you mix gorgons, an incubus, and the Calamity Queen? Trouble, and lots of it.

Working as the only human barista at a coffee shop catering to the magical is a tough gig on a good day. Bailey Gardener has few options. She can either keep spiking drinks with pixie dust to keep the locals happy, or spend the rest of her life cleaning up the world’s nastiest magical substances.

Unfortunately for her, Faery Fortunes is located in the heart of
Manhattan Island, not far from where Police Chief Samuel Quinn works. If she’d been smart, she never would have agreed to help the man find his wife.

Bailey found her, all right—in the absolutely worst way possible.

One divorce and several years later, Bailey is once again entangled in Chief Quinn’s personal affairs, and he has good reason to hate her. Without her, he wouldn’t be
Manhattan’s Most Wanted Bachelor, something he loathes. Without her, he’d still be married.

If only she’d said no when he asked her help, she might have had a chance with him. While her magic worked well, it came with a price: misfortune. Hers.

When Quinn’s former brother-in-law comes to her for help, he leaves her with a cell phone and seventy-five thousand reasons to put her magic to the test. However, when she discovers Quinn’s ex-wife is angling for revenge, Bailey’s tossed in the deep end along with her sexiest enemy.

Playing With Fire is available at Amazon.



Thanks for this interview, RJ.  Can we begin by having you tell us about yourself from a writer’s standpoint?

Hi! Thanks so much for having me. I’m RJ, and I write a rather eclectic mix of fantasy and science fiction. When I’m not writing about werewolves with a tendency to find lots of trouble, I’m usually trying to make myself (and others) laugh. Writing is my day job, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love the flexibility, the ability to write whatever I want, and the entire process of publishing books.

I only regret I hadn’t figured out writing was for me until later in life!

When not writing, what do you like to do for relaxation and/or fun?

When I’m not writing, I’m either reading a book, serving my feline overlord and overladies, or playing Everquest and other games with my husband.

Congratulations on your new book! Can you give us the very first page of your book so that we can get a glimpse inside?


Of course! I hope you like it. Playing with Fire is one of my favorites.

No one in their right mind would ever license me as a private investigator, but that didn't stop people from coming to me when they needed something found. Fortunately, I liked my job as the only human barista at Faery Fortunes Coffee and Book Shop. Most came for a cup of joe and left too buzzed to read a thing, but who was I to complain? People paid top dollar for their pixie dust infused latte, and they tipped me well not to judge them.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t so fond of Chief Quinn. When he walked through the door, bad things usually happened to someone—me. For him to come in five minutes after opening, long before the sun even thought about rising, he needed something, and it wasn’t a cup of coffee. Why couldn’t he want coffee? I could deal with making him a drink, and I’d double his dose of pixie dust to keep him happy.

I gave the espresso machine a defiant swipe of my cleaning cloth before stepping to the counter to deal with Manhattan’s Most Wanted Bachelor. Without my help, he’d still be married, too.

What a way to start the day.

And to think people wondered why I refused to help find anything for anyone anymore. The reason stood across the counter from me. Chief Samuel Quinn, aged thirty, hotter than sin, and my heaven and hell rolled together in one smoking tall, dark, and handsome package, hated me for good reason. It was his fault, too. He had been the one to ask me for help finding his wife. I had found her all right, right in the middle of teaching a college stud the nuances of the reverse cowgirl.

If no one asked me to find something or someone again for the rest of my life, I’d be a very happy woman.

“Chief Quinn, what a pleasant surprise,” I lied. “Can I get you something? A dark roast, cream, no sugar, light on the dust?”

Why couldn’t I have been blessed with forgetfulness? I knew my worst nightmare’s favorite drink, and I had to make it for him first thing in the morning. Of course I knew it. He came in at least three times a week to torment me. Screw it. Who was I kidding? Instead of the coffee, he could take me instead. If I had to put up with the hassle of dealing with him, why couldn’t I enjoy it, too?

Would you say it’s been a rocky road for you in regards to getting your book written and published or pretty much smooth sailing?  Can you tell us about your journey?

Yes and no. I… was not academically inclined when I was young. In fact, I was functionally illiterate until fourth grade. I had a late start, as I’d grown up thinking sports were the do-all-end-all of existence. So, when I finally did bother with reading, I discovered I loved it… and didn’t think about writing anything until much later. High school put me in the writing saddle.

Learning how to write was not an easy trip, but well worth it.


If you had to summarize your book in one sentence, what would that be?

Warning: This novel contains excessive humor, action, excitement, adventure, magic, romance, and bodies. Proceed with caution.

So… technically two sentences, but that ‘Proceed with caution’ is pretty important. I love when a novel needs a humorous warning label… which says a whole lot about the book.


What makes your book stand out from the rest?


It’s different. I know a lot of people say that, but it really is. It takes what we know, turns it on its ear, and proceeds to give it a spanking. I still shake my head over the insanity I’ve written. I really like it because it’s not quite like anything I’ve read or written before.

If your book was put in the holiday section of the store, what holiday would that be and why?

Halloween, as it’s full of tricks, treats, and surprises. It also has a lot of ‘things aren’t quite like they appear’ going on it.

Would you consider turning your book into a series or has that already been done?

Hoofin’ It, the second Magical Romantic Comedy (with a body count) novel, has already been written and in line for my editor’s tender loving care! I’ve also done a substantial amount of work on No Kitten Around, the third one, and Serial Killer Princess, the fourth one.

Book five of the set is also in the works.

What’s next for you?

Water Viper is a book that came into life because my cover artist randomly made a cover (premade style) and it resonated with me. So I bought it and wrote a really, really long novel all because of her art.

My editor currently has it, and as soon as she’s done with it, I’ll be releasing it. I’m really excited for this book. It’s the longest book I’ve ever written, and I also think it’s one of the more exciting titles I’ve worked on.

Here’s what it’s about: During Starfall, magic flooded the Earth and destroyed most technology while humans developed magical abilities. Jesse mistakenly chooses to be a woman in a male-dominated clan, ruining her hopes of becoming a hero. Weary of life as an assassin, she retires to enjoy raising horses and delivering messages. When her plans fall apart, she has one chance to set everything right. Should she fail to redeem herself, she’ll lose everything–her friends, her family, and her life.

Thanks for having me on your blog today!


R.J. Blain is giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

Terms & Conditions:
  • By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
  • One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive $25 Amazon Gift Card.
  • This giveaway ends midnight May 31.
Good luck everyone!

ENTER TO WIN!




a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

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