CHEERLEADERS FOR ROMANCE ~ MARGIE HAGER PUTS KIMBERLY IN THE HOT SEAT ~

Margie: Hi there Miss Kim.  Now it’s your turn.  Have fun.

Please tell us a bit about yourself…

LOL HEY MARGIE!  This is a tad odd being on this side of the interview. Let’s see if I can get this to not sound like an ad for online dating…..  Hi guys, I’m Kimberly Rocha. I am a 47 year old mom of three awesome if not odd semi-adult beings .. Gabrielle 27, Jason 19 and Daniel 14. I am a photographer slash book club maven slash author assistant etc.  I live on Long Island in the house I grew up in.  I love country music, 80’s and Latin music. Hmmm can’t think of anything else you’d want to know.

When and why did you decide to start Book Obsessed Chicks?

Back when Twilight was HUGE, I happened to find a rather awesome group of ladies who had read all the books and were as nuts about them as I was.. I started having “Twilight Chick Nights” at my house where we would do trivia, eat awesome food and just have a great time. By the end of those nights, we always talked about other books we had been reading, so one night I said,  “Well how about us starting a book club”…  With the help of the most amazing Denise Scarangella and her equally wonderful sister Holly, Book Obsessed Chicks began terrorizing Long Island.  

Book Obsessed Chicks early days

What are your goals for your blog and the Book Obsessed Chicks?

Wow, that’s a big question. I used to be happy with my little circle of #BOC chicas, but the more authors I meet and come to love; I find that spreading the word to help them takes precedence for me.  That being said, I would love for Book Obsessed Chicks to be widely known for connecting readers and author all over the place.

Who are your favorite authors?

Woman.. you put me on the spot!!!  Ok my all-time favorites are Sherrilyn Kenyon, Bertrice Small ,Anne Rice, BJ Daniels,  Christine Feehan, Carolyn Brown, Lorelei James, Delores Fossen, Bronwen Evans, Samantha Kane… Oy I have like 1000 more… My NEW favorites are Christi Caldwell, Wendy LaCapra, Kerrigan Byrne, Anabelle Bryant…. Ok so if I answered this it would take up a whole page…

If you could trade places with any author, who would you choose and why?

OMG this is a freaky question….  I think I would want to trade with BJ Daniels.  She lives in scenic Montana, always looks like she’s having fun and has an awesome husband dude who cooks gourmet meals for her… I would LOVE someone to cook for me for a change… Barbara, don’t be freaked out, I promise I won’t stalk you

What new books have you been blogging about lately?

Oh this is a tough one because it’s conference season, but I will tell you about my favorites LATELY that I blogged.

1.       Kerrigan Byrne : THE HUNTER  ( dark and AWESOME)  I tell everyone about it…

2.       BJ Daniels: HARD RAIN  ( just another BRILLIANT story by this master of suspense)

3.       Christi Caldwell:  RESCUED BY A LADY’S LOVE ( dark! I love dark…  Such an awesome story with a wonderful HEA)

4.       DEE DAVIS AND JULIE KENNER’S :RISING STORM SERIES!!! Holy hotness in a written soap opera

What do you do when you’re not promoting and blogging about great books?

LOL I help promote my awesome authors. I read about a book a day. I host amazing book club nights with my fabulous team of lovelies. I am so happy to be hosting Sherrilyn Kenyon on May 3, right across the street from my home. I go to Country Concerts… ie: Chris Young*sigh* ..  I babysit the #wondertwins and I try to breathe before the next big event.

Your Top 10 in Romance….

I guess this is payback for asking everyone else… This list is definitely FLUID with a few mainstays

1.       A Dangerous Love- Bertrice Small

2.       The Vampire Lestat- Anne Rice  ( My daughter, Gabrielle is named after Lestat’s mother)

3.       Midnight Awakening- Lara Adrian (Tegan: need I say more?)

4.       The Highwayman- Kerrigan Bryne

5.       Wild Horses- BJ Daniels

6.       Born of Night- Sherrilyn Kenyon

7.       Gypsy Lord- Kat Martin

8.       A Kiss of Lies- Bronwen Evans

9.       Rescued By A Lady’s Love- Christi Caldwell

Hawk- Sons of Sangue- Partricia A Rasey

CHEERLEADERS FOR ROMANCE PRESENTS ~SHARON SLICK READS~

Hey there Slick!  Thanks so much for being here and answering my questions. I chose you for CHEERLEADERS FOR ROMANCE because you are a pulse on the romance genre and you always throw in your hat to promote what you love! 

Thanks for having me Kim! Glad to be here.

Please tell us a bit about yourself…

I've been happily married for almost 30 years and have a 26 year old son.  My husband and I love to travel and both enjoy photography as a hobby. I of course love to read and consequently I hardly every watch television.  I was born and raised in Texas and still live here, but would love to live someplace else someday.  I am a substitute teacher and spend a lot of time with kindergarten age children whom I adore.

When did you fall in love with the romance genre?

I've been reading romance type books for as long as I can remember.  I read a lot of young adult romance, but discovered my aunt's Harlequin romances at about age 11. Then after having my son, I got out of the habit of reading but back when the Twilight series was released and all of the 5th and 6th grade girls at school were talking about it, I had to see what was making even the non readers pick up a book and as they say the rest is history.  I began reading avidly again and haven't stopped since.

What made you decide to help spread the word about romance?

When I read books I really loved I'd leave a review on Amazon and somehow I started seeing reviews from Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews and started visiting their site a lot.  About 6-9 months after that they put up an ad that they were looking for reviewers, so nervously I applied and I was accepted and the rest they say is history.  It has been a wild ride and I have made some of my best friends ever since joining the team there.

Who are your favorite authors?

Wow that is a loaded question because I have so many but I will say my favorite kid book authors are Eric Carle, Laura Numeroff, and David Shannon.  My favorite adult authors include Colleen McCullough, Louisa May Alcott, Richard Bach, Lorelei James, Lexxie Couper, A.M. Arthur, Marie Harte, Lori Foster, Jill Shalvis and so many, many more. I could really go on forever with this, I have a lot of authors that I read regularly.

Do you have any advice for others who want to be romance cheerleaders?

Just do it, if you love an author's work the best thing you can do for them is share your love for their work. Talk about their books, review them, share favorite quotes on social media, and build the buzz. I feel it is the least I can do for the people who keep me entertained day in and day out.

What new books have you been shouting out about lately?

Some of my recent favorites include This One Moment by Stina Lidenblatt, Take Me Home Tonight by Erika Kelly and some upcoming releases that knocked my socks off La Vie In Rose by Lydia Michaels, Listen To Me by Kristen Proby and To Live Again by L.A. Witt.

What do you do when you’re not shouting out about great books?

Read, travel, garden, and spend as much time outdoors as possible!

Your Top 10 in Romance….

I'm going to cheat here because some of these are series, but they are such favorites that I can't pick just one and even picking these I feel like a Mom trying to pick her favorite kid!

The Rough Rider series by Lorelei James

The Wild Irish Series by Mari Carr

The Heart of Fame Series by Lexxie Couper

The Bradford Family & Friends series by Erin Nicholas

The Hard Ink Series by Laura Kaye

The MacCauley Brothers by Marie Harte

The Portland Storm series by Catherine Gayle

Causing Havoc by Lori Foster

The World As He Sees It by A.M. Arthur

Where There's Smoke L.A. Witt

`                                              

CHEERLEADERS FOR ROMANCE PRESENTS: REGAN WALKER

Greetings all! Please welcome author, blogger and romance advoacte, Regan Walker to Book Obsessed Chicks!

Please tell us a bit about yourself…

I am a lawyer turned writer and I love it. I write Regencies, Georgian and Medieval romances. Having long been engaged in digging for the truth and the hidden facts, I now dig for historical details to include in my historical romances (real historic figures, their words, the emotions and mood of the time period and what really happened). And I enjoy crafting love stories that end well. I live in San Diego where the weather is almost perfect and get to walk my Golden Retriever along a ridge that looks down upon the Pacific Ocean. I am very blessed.

When did you fall in love with the romance genre?

With 900 reviews on Amazon and my own Historical Romance Review blog, you might be surprised to learn it was recent, in 2009. I was in between jobs and had a lot of time on my hands when I stumbled across some wonderful stories by authors Kathleen Givens, Kathleen Woodiwiss and Penelope Williams. I was hooked. I began to write historical romance in 2011 when my best friend told me I should. She was right.

What made you decide to help spread the word about romance?

When I first began to read historical romances, I went on a search for the good ones and could not find any reviewer who had read a lot and listed the ones she rated the highest. So was born my blog, Historical Romance Review, in 2010. Even after I became an author, I have kept it up as a labor of love. I want to help other readers find the good ones. I have 13 “best lists” by subgenre which I update each year and this September I will have a new Georgian & Regency best list. I also feature articles from my research and have my favorite authors on as guests. No book appears on my blog unless I have given it at least 4 stars.

Who are your favorite authors?

I have a list on my blog that numbers near 100 but the short list would include some names from the past and some for only one book. You can see my Top 20 romances here: http://reganromancereview.blogspot.com/2015/12/the-top-20-historical-romances.html. I like the authors who write the deep ones that are well-researched and include real history and deep emotions. The light ones are not as interesting to me. And if I see another book with “duke “  or “seduced” in the title, I think I will despair. I suppose it’s the publishers doing it, but really.

Do you have any advice for others who want to be romance cheerleaders?

First I recommend you learn to write worthy reviews. (I actually taught a class on this for my local writers’ chapter of RWA). It really helps an author when you can give just a bit of the story (with no spoilers) and be specific about what you like in their books. And then, of course, if you are active on social media, you have a platform for spreading the word. I am ever so grateful for my readers who love my work enough to recommend it to others and to praise it in their reviews.

What new books have you been shouting out about lately?

The word “new” has taken on a different meaning with so many of the classic authors bringing their backlists to ebooks with new covers. Are they “new”? They look new but they might have been published in the 80s. And I love classics so I’m happy about this. There are several authors I love who fall into that camp, including Virginia Henley (my unofficial mentor), Shirl Henke, Kimberly Cates, Jennifer Blake and Penelope Williamson. Brit Darby is the new writing team of Patricia McAllister and Fela Dawson Scott and I loved their Emerald Prince. I liked Odin’s Shadow, the first book in Erin Riley’s Viking trilogy. For Westerns, in addition to Shirl Henke, it would be Ellen O’Connell and Kaki Warner (any of theirs, actually). And my friend Amanda Hughes writes unusual stories I love, especially her first, Beyond the Cliffs of Kerry and her next, Pride of the King.

What do you do when you’re not shouting out about great books?

Writing. And researching. While I do hundreds of hours of research for each of my romances, even as I begin to write, I have to be willing to dive down a rabbit trail if something requires it. For example, my latest novel, Rebel Warrior, set in 11^th century Scotland, took me on a detour when I set the first scene in the Vale of Leven. My heroine is looking at what today is called Loch Lomond, but I began to wonder, “What was it called then?” So, I contacted the folks who are the keepers of all things having to do with the Vale of Leven and they told me “Loch Lomond.” Instinctively, I knew they were wrong. In digging, I found several historic references to that loch and it was once called Loch Leven. But since there was also a Loch Leven in Fife and that loch was going to be in my story, I settled for Loch Lomond for the one in the opening scene. At least I know it’s “real” name at the time of my story.

Are you a conference attendee? Which ones?

Yes, but not every year. This year I’m going to a slew of them. I like Romantic Times best since the readers are there, which brings lots of excitement with it. Then I would say the new InD’Scribe Conference held in the fall in Southern California is a good one since it features Indie authors, which I joined with my 7^th novel. I have been to the Emerald City conference once and enjoyed it. I’ll go to any conference where there are readers who want to meet the authors.

What does your family think about your love of romance?

My son thanked me when he saw my covers. He wanted to be sure the couples were wearing clothes. Ha!

Where can readers and authors find you?

My website: http://www.reganwalkerauthor.com/

My blog: http://reganromancereview.blogspot.com/

And I am very active on Facebook every day: https://www.facebook.com/regan.walker.104

Your Top 10 in Romances….

You have the link to my Top 20 list. Here are the current Top 10 (they do change somewhat as I discover new ones whether classics or those written yesterday):

Bride of the MacHugh by Jan Cox Speas

The Silver Devil by Teresa Denys

Lady of the Glen by Jennifer Roberson

The Windflower by Laura London (aka Sharon & Tom Curtis)

The Dragon and the Jewel by Virginia Henley

Heartstorm by Elizabeth Stuart

Shanna by Kathleen Woodiwiss

Once in a Blue Moon by Penelope Williamson

On a Highland Shore by Kathleen Givens

Black Falcon’s Lady (first released as Nightwylde) by Kimberly Cates

CHEERLEADERS FOR ROMANCE PRESENTS: BLOGGER, DEANA POTTER

Hi all! Welcome to another spotlight on my Cheerleaders For Romance. Today we have blogger, Deana Potter, who is a very special lady to me and to the Book Obsessed Chicks. Deana is a supermom of gorgeous son, Quinn, who is autistic. Deana is an advocate for Autism research and I applaud her for that. She is also the leader of the Book Obsessed Chicks Maryland Crew. Please welcome Deana Potter

Please tell us a bit about yourself…

Hello, I’m Deana Potter and I'm the owner of Coffee~Books~Life blog, proud member of the Book Obsessed Chick book club and head the Maryland chapter of the Book Obsessed Chicks. I'm also a mom, baker, a music lover, pool player and book junkie.

When did you fall in love with the romance genre?

I fell in love with the Romance of Vampires in my early teens with Anne Rice’s Interview with a Vampire.  That is where my love of paranormal started.  Fast forward many years later, my son was finally sleeping through the night and I had time on my hands.  I did an Amazon search one night for Vampire books. Sherrilyn Kenyon’s name popped up many times in that search. In the following 4 weeks I read 14 Dark-Hunter book. In turn discovering many authors and books that now make up my world. I owe my love, passion and obsession of reading romance to Ms. Kenyon.

What made you decide to help spread the word about romance?

I really just want to share my love of books and my thoughts on them.  Word of mouth is the number one way of finding new authors and books, you may never have before. Talking books is a favorite activity. So it's really just sharing the passion of this vast world of romance and being able to communicate with like minded people.

Who are your favorite authors?

Sherrilyn Kenyon, Yasmine Galenorn, Melissa Schroeder, Laramie Briscoe, Patricia Rasey, Laura Kaye

Do you have any advice for others who want to be romance cheerleaders?

Talk to people, ask questions and have fun.  Romance readers are a huge family and it shows as soon as you get to know them.

What new books have you been shouting out about lately?

Patricia Rasey’s Rogue is amazing. Vampire Bikers, need I say more. Melissa Schroeder is kickin it with her new Romantic Suspense Hostile Desire. Laramie Briscoe’s Sketch will leave you wanting some serious ink! Meghan March will leave your ears burning with her dirty talking Alphas.

What do you do when you’re not shouting out about great books?

 

Shooting pool, running the kiddos around, listening to music and trying to live life to the fullest.

Your Top 10 in Romance….

Acheron and Styxx by Sherrilyn Kenyon

River Marked by Patricia Briggs

A Little Harmless Fantasy by Melissa Schroeder

Sketch by Laramie Briscoe

Storm by Carian Cole

Gypsy by Patricia Rasey

Lick by Kylie Scott

The Witching Hour by Anne Rice( I know it's not a romance per say, however in my mind it's got enough romantic elements and in a way it is a romance story)

Night Veil by Yasmine Galenorn

Half to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Where can we find you?

Blog www.coffeebookslifeblog.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/coffeebookslife
Twitter: @coffeebookslife

CHEERLEADERS FOR ROMANCE PRESENTS : PJ AUSDENMORE

Hi PJ! Thanks so much for joining the Book Obsessed Chicks for our CHEERLEADERS FOR ROMANCE SPOTLIGHT. I picked you because you are everything romance! Your enthusiasm is infectious and I love watching you promote what you love!

Thank you so much, Kim. I’m honored to be chosen.

Please tell us a bit about yourself…

I’m a retired banker, widowed, and currently living in North Carolina with my 80-pound lap dog. I run the Romance Dish blog, an upbeat, positive site where we review books, interview authors, have a lot of fun giveaways, and share our love of romance.

When did you fall in love with the romance genre?

I was 13 when I grew bored with the children’s department at my public library. I snuck into the “adult” section one day, discovered Victoria Holt, and never looked back.

What made you decide to help spread the word about romance?

I’ve always been an advocate for romance but didn’t do anything formally until nine years ago when I was asked to review books for a now-defunct website. When that website closed in 2009, three friends and I decided to create The Romance Dish. My friends have all gone on to other endeavors but I’m still happily running the blog. The hope, joy, intelligence, and happy endings found in romance novels bring me reading pleasure and have helped me through some of the most difficult times of my life. My hope is that by spreading the word about the books I’ve enjoyed, I might bring the joy of reading romance into someone else’s life.

Who are your favorite authors?

It’s a long list and I know I’m sure to forget someone so I’ll apologize for that in advance. Some of my favorites are: Julie Anne Long, Mary Jo Putney, Anne Gracie, Robyn Carr, Anna Campbell, Eloisa James, Patience Griffin, Vanessa Kelly, Jill Shalvis, Joanna Bourne, Christina Dodd, Jennifer McQuiston, Sarah MacLean, Elizabeth Michels, Lisa Kleypas, Rose Lerner, Julia Quinn, Sabrina Jeffries, Monica McCarty, Katharine Ashe, Debbie Mason, Tessa Dare, Roxanne St. Claire, Manda Collins, Valerie Bowman, Kaki Warner, Terri Osburn, Virginia Kantra, Eva Leigh, Carey Baldwin, Elizabeth Hoyt, Cathy Maxwell, Miranda Neville, Kristan Higgins, Kate Meader, Emily March, RaeAnne Thayne, Jesse Hayworth, Karen Hawkins, Julie James, and Paula Quinn. To name a few.

Do you have any advice for others who want to be romance cheerleaders?

Do it! With all the social media platforms available to us today, there really is no reason for anyone to not be a cheerleader for the romances they love. My advice would be, if you enjoy a book, post about it on Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, Goodreads, Pinterest…wherever you hang out online and feel comfortable posting. It doesn’t have to be a lengthy post discussing the pros and cons of the story. Sometimes, “Wow! This book is awesome. It kept me reading until 2 AM!” is all you need. Photos are important in social media so it’s a good idea to include one with your Facebook of Pinterest post. And don’t give away spoilers (important to those of us who may not have yet read the book).

What new books have you been shouting out about lately?

Oh, some good ones! There’s The Study of Seduction, a historical romance by Sabrina Jeffries that I think is one of the best she’s ever written. The Infamous Heir by Elizabeth Michels is a terrific historical romance redemption story that takes her writing to a new level. Barefoot with a Bad Boy by Roxanne St. Claire, a contemporary, second-chance love story that I’ve waited years to read, exceeded my every expectation. Barefoot with a Bad Boy is the third book in St. Claire’s Barefoot Bay Undercover trilogy. I strongly recommend reading the three books in order. The Untamed Earl, a May 3^rd historical by Valerie Bowman that continues her Playful Brides series has my heart singing with joy. And The Saints of the Lost and Found by T.M. Causey isn’t a romance but has romantic elements and a hopeful ending. It’s a stunning contemporary suspense novel with paranormal elements that grabbed me from the first page and refused to let go. It was almost 3 AM before I turned the final page.

I’m also very excited about some debut books coming out in the next few months. There’s Hold Your Breath, an April 5th romantic suspense by Katie Ruggle; How the Duke Was Won, an April 26th historical romance by Lenora Bell, and Hot in Hellcat Canyon, Julie Anne Long’s May 31^st contemporary romance debut.

What do you do when you’re not shouting out about great books?

I’m an enthusiastic traveler and photographer. I love getting creative in the kitchen and especially making handcrafted chocolates. I’m a life-long football fan and a dedicated soccer and dance cheerleader for the young people in my life. My dog and I do a lot of exploring on our long walks along my city’s greenway. And, of course, I’m always reading new books to shout about!

Are you a conference attendee? Which ones?

I’ve attended the RWA national conference and Georgia Romance Writers’ Moonlight and Magnolias conference for the past several years. Most of my 2016 schedule is still up in the air but I am registered to attend the inaugural Historical Romance Retreat in Spokane, Washington in September. I love the opportunity to meet and mingle with authors and other readers at conferences and I always come home having learned something new. 

What does your family think about your love of romance?

Since I’ve had my nose in a romance book for most of my life, I’d guess they’ve pretty much grown used to it.

Your Top 10 in Romance….

My top 10 favorite romances are very fluid. Some titles remain constant but others come and go depending on when I’m asked. So, with that being said, here are my top 10 favorite romances…today.  

Saving Grace by Julie Garwood

Sweet Madness by Heather Snow

A Week to Be Wicked by Tessa Dare

Three Weeks With Lady X by Eloisa James

To Scotland With Love by Patience Griffin 

The Legend of Lyon Redmond by Julie Anne Long

Open Country by Kaki Warner

Barefoot With a Bad Boy by Roxanne St. Claire

The Autumn Bride by Anne Gracie

Virgin River by Robyn Carr   

Joann's Review of ~ Dangerous Kisses (Guild of Hybrids, #1) by Alice Lake ~

This was a delightful read. Lavinia Halls was a member of a secret society. The society had been formed for many years to right injustices done to women. The members all female each with a special talent take on assignments to help other women. These ladies are not typical of society woman the are a feisty group and ready to get justice.

Lavinia receives an assignment that seems suspicious but does believe her client. Her assignment is to ruin Eric Yorke, Viscount Mathieson. Lady Clara gives Lavinia this task to ruin his reputation under the guise that he was unfaithful to her.

As Lavinia's assignment progresses she realizes how attracted she is to him and finds him far from the rogue Lady Clara portrayed. The situations between Eric and Lavinia are at times so laughable. The banter and electrifying romance which emerges is so well crafted by this author.

I very much enjoyed the style and wit Ms Lake presented in her characters and I will certainly read more of her novels.

A Book Obsessed Chicks Review a Team Selection

~JOANN MAGGIO~

Amy's Review of~Forbidden Nights with the Viscount (Hadley's Hellions #1) by Julia Justiss~

Forbidden Nights with the Viscount is the 1st book in Julia Justiss’ new Hadley’s Hellions series. This was my first book by this author and I can promise you I’ll be reading the rest of this series.

Giles Hadley, the future Earl of Lyndlington, wants nothing to do with his father or his future earldom. He is content to devote himself to Parliament and his passion for his “radical” political views that were developed with his Oxford friends, the Hellions. 

Lady Margaret Roberts, daughter of the conservative Tory Lord Witlow, is rumored to be romantically involved with Giles’ half- brother, George. Curious, Giles seeks out the lady in question at a political rally. From the moment they meet, there is an attraction but neither claims to be interested in more than a fling. Maggie’s husband died several years before and she doesn’t want to experience another heartache. Giles is bitter about the end of his own parents’ marriage and refuses to see himself in the same situation. But in the course of their early morning trysts, they both realize an affair may not be enough. 

Ms. Justiss knows her history and knows her romance! I learned so much about this period of history and loved how the characters were intertwined with the Reform Act. The illicit affair pulls you in immediately and continues to do so as it blossoms into romance with an added element of mystery. I can’t wait to read about the other “hellions” in future books of this series.

I am grateful for the opportunity to be introduced to this amazing author.

 A Book Obsessed Chicks Review Team Selection

~AMY COMPTON~