Author Interview with Kim Watters and a Giveaway

Alexis: Today we have inspirational romance author, Kim Watters who is giving away A SEASON OF LOVE to one lucky commenter. Welcome Kim!

When did you know you wanted to be a writer? 

Kim: Always? As a kid I used to make up stories in my head and even act them out a bit. I usually got pluses  (elementary school) or A’s on any creative writing assignments I turned in. The biggest clue for me though came in my teens when I read a book and didn’t like the ending or thought it should be different, I rewrote it to my satisfaction. So as an adult, I made the decision that I wanted to write a complete book—my way.

Alexis: What are you working on now?

Kim: I’m currently working on another book that takes place in Dynamite Creek, a fictitious town in Northern Arizona. The small town seems to have struck a chord with readers and I love weaving characters from previous books into other books. I have an extensive list of characters, places, and even events that happen in this town to keep things straight and always on hand to generate more ideas. Brewing Up Love takes place in a struggling coffee shop where the hero and heroine are forced to work together to make the business profitable or lose something very important to them. Sorry I can’t give away any more.

Alexis: Why did you choose this sub-genre of romance? 

Kim: I’m not sure I would say I chose it, more like it chose me. For years I kept submitting to Harlequin and receiving rejections. Almost ready to quit writing, I had a conversation with God one night. He’d given me the talent to write, so what did He want me to do with it? The next morning I received an e-mail via one of my various loops stating the Love Inspired line at Harlequin was going from 4 to 6 books a month. It didn’t get any clearer than that. I tweaked the manuscript that I’d been working on, submitted it, and three weeks later I got the e-mail asking me to call the editor. The rest, they say, is history. This is my 4^th book with Love Inspired.

Alexis: Where did you get the idea for this story?

Kim: What can I say, I love kids and pets. But in researching ideas for this book, a friend of mine told me about something that stuck in my mind. The Arizona Army National Guard has a service for personnel being deployed overseas to care for their pets when there isn’t anyone else. I thought this was a wonderful idea and that gave me the inspiration to write this novel-with a few changes of course. Of course I also wanted to set another story in Dynamite Creek because of the small town atmosphere so I got to thinking about what types of businesses there would be. I’ve also always wanted to do a Christmas story because there is something magical about that time of year, so blending them all together was really neat.

Alexis: What was the first romance you ever read?

Kim: To be honest? I can’t remember. But once I became a teenager, I raided my mom’s bookshelf and cut my teeth on books written by Victoria Holt, Phyllis Whitney, and Dorothy Eden to name a few. I loved them and couldn’t get enough. My older sister also brought home the old Harlequin Romances and I devoured those as well. From there I was hooked on romances and the happily-ever-after. Now I’m glad that I get to contribute and my own books grace the bookshelves in my library.

Alexis: Thank you so much for visiting us here on Happily Ever After Thoughts :-)

Kim: Thanks for having me Alexis.

Alexis:  Check out this great excerpt from A SEASON OF LOVE
 

Ethan momentarily lost himself in Holly’s presence. Her swept back locks exposed her long, elegant neck and straight, slightly upturned nose. But it was her vulnerability that got to him.

Despite her attempts to keep it all together, he sensed just below the surface she suffered and struggled with her son, the shop, everyday life. 

He should step away. Instead, when she turned her head toward him, he found himself staring into her deep green eyes that had seen so much pain. A pain he could identify with. He’d lost his father at a young age, and several of his friends in Afghanistan. But even that couldn’t compare to losing one’s partner, one’s soul mate. 

He had no experience with that sort of loss, yet he felt the need to comfort. Protect. He wanted to draw Holly into his arms and absorb her pain and blend it with his own.

Blurb:

The Soldier’s Gift

Just in time for Christmas, a tall, dark and handsome Scrooge visits Holly Stanwyck’s holiday shop, threatening eviction. But once landlord Ethan Pellegrino sees the single mom’s plight, the former soldier becomes her protector instead. Suddenly he’s helping her with her struggling business and bounding with her troubled son. A wounded veteran come home to heal, Ethan is no stranger to sorrow. But something about the pretty widow fills him with hope. Will Holly be able to let go of her own painful past to see her future by his side? 

Alexis: For more information about Kim Watters, visit these sites

www.kimwatters.com

www.muchcheaperthantherapy.blogspot.com
www.loveinspiredauthors.blogspot.com
www.craftieladiesofromance.blogspot.com

Alexis: Don't forget to comment to win A SEASON OF LOVE!