Interview and Review with Sharon Sala!!!

Hello my lovelies! Today is a VERY special day. Not only am I kickstarting my interviewing and reviewing again, I'm hosting one of my all-time favorite authors, ever. It's such an honor to be able to introduce you to the fantabulous Sharon Sala!!

Sharon is an amazing writer, one of the rare few who have released a phenomenal amount of books while mantaining a consistent style. Not only that, but this New York Times Bestselling author has also ventured into the tumultuous waters of self-publishing.

I also had the astounding privilege of being able to review an advanced copy of her book, Going Once, that was released today!! It's the first in a new trilogy and I can't recommend it enough. Alas, I'm getting ahead of myself so let's get on to the interview then the review!!

Thank you so much for joining me, Sharon. May I say what an honor it is to have you on my blog? When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I don’t think I ever had a moment that hit me and said, “this is it, Sharon! You should be a writer.” It was more of a gradual thing…finding a way to share the stories that were always in my head.


That's wonderful. You have definitely found the perfect way to share those stories :) What has been the most difficult part about being a writer?

It’s probably never having enough time to write the way I’d like to, and the long drawn out process about waiting for an editor to pass judgment on a proposal or a manuscript.


Oh yes, I can only imagine how nervewracking that must be! Do you use a pen name? If so, how did you come up with your pen name?

Dinah McCall is my pen name, and it came about from a publisher I had who wanted to publish me in a different genre. The name Dinah was my younger sister, Diane’s, nickname. She died in 1985, before all of this started for me, so choosing it as my pen name was my way of taking her with me on this amazing journey. I chose McCall because at the time, there wasn’t another McCall writing romance. All about the marketing… LOL

I think that's such a beautiful way to honor your sister! Who are your favorite authors?

Without hesitation, John Hart, Robert Crais and Harlan Coben.

Those are fantastic authors :) What authors inspire you?

Authors who aren’t just ‘telling me a story’, but the ones who bring the pages to life. Kay Hooper is brilliant at this, as is Iris Johansen.

I couldn't agree more. Kay Hooper has always been another of my personal favorite authors. What type of books do you like to read?

Suspense, romantic suspense, paranormal if it’s psychic or healers, not the horror side of paranormal.

I adore those genres <3 What do you like to do in your free time?

Read, bake, paint pictures, be with my family.

Ooo, you bake? I'll have to get some tasty recipes from you! And that's fantastic that you're a painter as well. I've always wanted to paint, but sadly, I have no talent whatsoever lol. Where is your favorite place to vacation?

I haven’t been on a vacation in so long I wouldn’t even know where to start. I will say that one of my favorite areas of the country to be in, is the South.

Having lived in the South and visited many times over the years, I share your love of the area :) If you were stuck on a desert island and could have only three things, what would they be?

A machete, a flint to start fires, and a tent.

How wonderfully practical :D Remind me to call you up if I'm ever on a deserted island! Are you a plotter or a pantser with your writing?

Neither. I dream my stories…like you go to the movies. So when I wake up, the whole story is already in my head. No writing by the seat of my pants because the story was ‘given to me’ in a dream. No plotting because the story is already there.


OMG, that's truly amazing. I love that that's how you get your stories!! Why did you choose to write romantic suspense?
 
I like happy ever after, (romance) and I am an adrenaline junkie when it comes to movies, books, etc… I’d rather watch Die Hard 12, than sit through something like Bridget Jones Diary or some kind of relationship movie. My all time favorite movie ever to have seen is AVATAR. I still wish I was 9 feet tall and blue and lived on Pandora. Omg.

Wow, I seriously couldn't agree more with you about watching Die Hard 12 than sitting through a sappy movie *shudder* What has been the most fun about working on your books?

I think probably bringing to life the people that I see in my head.

What has been the hardest scene for you to write?

Love scenes are getting harder because I’ve been writing/published for over 22 years. So 85 plus books and counting and I’ve pretty much written every kind of a love scene there is to write in my genre. SOOO now when I come to those scenes in the manuscript, I kind of take a deep breath and fight my way through them.  


LOL!! I can see how that would get to be a problem! Rest assured, your love scenes have never felt stale or boring to me :) Do you have any favorite characters? If so, why?

Yes, Jonah Gray Wolf in THE HEALER, and the ancient spirit WINDWALKER, in my last Dinah McCall book, WINDWALKER… Also, Cat Dupree in my female bounty hunter trilogy, NINE LIVES, CUT THROAT, and BAD PENNY. AND… Layla Birdsong/Singing Bird from the WINDWALKER.  

*sighs wistfully* I loved Jonah <3 Do you have any favorite books or series among all the ones you’ve written?

Favorite series might be my Rebel Ridge trilogy, NEXT OF KIN, DON’T CRY FOR ME, and TIL DEATH. Favorite books… THE HEALER, THE WARRIOR, WINDWALKER… and my first women’s fiction that I self-pubbed, A FIELD OF POPPIES, and my first fiction I wrote for Belle Books, THE BOARDING HOUSE.

I'm not going to lie, Rebel Ridge is right up there among my favorite series of all time. Then again, now that I've read Going Once, that may tie it lol. Tell us more about Rebel Ridge. Do you plan to write more books in this series?

No, that series is finished with the release of Til Death.

Aww, well there's always re-reading for me! Lovelies, definitely check out my review of 'Til Death! In book two of the Rebel Ridge series, Don’t Cry For Me, your characters deal with PTSD. As someone with a best friend in the Air Force, I love that you shed light on this condition so many of our returning soldiers face. Did you find it difficult to write about it?

Yes, it was difficult for me to write because I have a family member who suffers from this. He served two tours in Iraq, the last in Fallujah where he was wounded and sent home. It has destroyed who he was, and he struggles daily to find a way to live in this world.


It's so tragic that so many of our soldiers suffer after defending our country. It's important for people to understand that this is a devastating condition that affects so many lives. You have also self-published. How is this process different from working with your publisher?

One great big plus is there is no lag time between finishing it and getting it up for sale. I have enjoyed it immensely, have two out now, A FIELD OF POPPIES and WINDWALKER, and am at the present writing a third called A THOUSAND LIES. Poppies and Lies are written under my Sala name and are women’s fiction. Windwalker is a paranormal romance written under my pen name, Dinah McCall.

I definitely love the freedom of choosing my own timeline with self-publishing :) Do you have any advice for other authors?

If you’re passionate about wanting to be a writer, join a writer’s group. It’s the single best thing you can do for yourself, being in the company of other people on the same journey as you are on.

That is fantastic advice <3 What's next for you?

Always another book.

You have no idea how happy that makes me :D Anything else you want your readers to know?

That I appreciate them SO much, and they can reach me on Facebook.  I can also be reached at my website, www.sharonsala.net.  


Thank you so much for taking the time to visit my blog, Sharon!! It has truly been a pleasure having you here.

Now my lovelies, stick around for my review of Going Once and be sure to snag your copy today!!

About the book:

Publisher: Harlequin MIRA
Publication Date: September 24, 2013

My source for the book: Gift from author

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Description:

From New York Times bestselling author Sharon Sala comes a story of reignited passion set amidst a town reeling from disaster and the long shadow of a killer…  

As raging floodwaters engulf her Louisiana hometown Nola Landry is stranded on high ground, the unwitting witness to the brutal murder of three fellow survivors. Finally rescued in the aftermath of the storm, no one is willing to believe a story as horrific as hers—until three FBI agents arrive on the scene…one of whom Nola knows very well.

Tate Benton has been tracking the so-called Stormchaser serial killer for months, never expecting the trail might lead him home, or to the woman he cannot forget. Home is now a ravaged town full of memories—of love, of disappointment, of past mistakes. The investigation brings Nola back into his life. Long-buried feelings resurface, and the former lovers try to pick up the pieces in the wake of the disaster.  

Amid the relief effort the killer lingers, determined to silence Nola forever. In the Stormchaser's twisted mind the pain is far from over…and hers is just beginning.

WHAT I LIKED:

Sharon Sala is one of my all-time favorite authors for a reason. I can always count on her books to draw me in from the beginning and keep me enthralled for the entire book. She writes with a beautiful blend of romance and suspense that few authors can match in my opinion. This book was no exception. I loved the premise of the Storm Chaser and I can honestly say that as soon as I was finished with this book, I immediately started re-reading it...twice...in one weekend.

Tate and Nola have a history, but Sharon doesn't belabor the history. Yes, she makes it known that they each have scars from their past, but Nola doesn't hold a grudge. However, she doesn't forgive him straight away, either.

This is the first book in the Forces of Nature trilogy and it introduces an antagonist that will be present in all three books. He was an interesting villain and definitely something different. I look forward to seeing how Sharon continues to develop this character. This book also introduces the the heroes of the other books and I cannot WAIT to read more about these men. Sharon's characters are so rich and detailed, I instantly fall in love with them.


WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:

My biggest complaint is that I have to wait for the next two books. I know that I'll be stalking the bookstores waiting for them to be released :D

OVERALL VERDICT: 5/5 Blue Duckies!

 

If you're in the mood for beautifully crafted romantic suspense with compelling characters and an intriguing plot, look no further than Sharon Sala!