Keep Me Safe
Slow Burn, #1
Maya Banks
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Avon
Date of Publication: October 7th 2014
Number of pages: 304
Interview:A sizzling story of a woman who risks her life and her heart to find a wealthy man’s missing sister—the first novel in a sexy new romantic suspense series from #1 New York Times bestselling author Maya Banks.
When Caleb Devereaux's younger sister is kidnapped, this scion of a powerful and wealthy family turns to an unlikely source for help: a beautiful and sensitive woman with a gift for finding answers others cannot.
While Ramie can connect to victims and locate them by feeling their pain, her ability comes with a price. Every time she uses it, it costs her a piece of herself. Helping the infuriatingly attractive and impatient Caleb successfully find his sister nearly destroys her. Even though his sexual intensity draws her like a magnet, she needs to get as far away from him as she can.
Deeply remorseful for the pain he’s caused, Caleb is determined to make things right. But just when he thinks Ramie's vanished forever, she reappears. She’s in trouble and she needs his help. Now, Caleb will risk everything to protect her—including his heart....
Today, we welcome
Thanks so much for having me! I’m thrilled for the opportunity to dish books ANY time :) I LOVE romance and I love TALKING about good books, regardless of whether they’re mine of another author’s. I just love a GOOD story.
Let's start with some writer specific questions before moving into the fun stuff. That way everyone can really get to know the person behind the writer. We will finish things off with a round of Think Fast. Ready for the interrogation to begin?
Ok! Deep breath! I’m ready!
Writing Specific
1. Is your writing style more plotter or pantser?I’ve never really liked the word “pantser” though it more accurately described my writing method or at least it’s more appropriate than being a “plotter”. Simply because if I did an elaborate outline and knew every single aspect of every page and plot component I’d no longer WANT to write it because it would bore me out of my mind.
I LIKE not knowing exactly what’s going to happen on the next page. I write like I read. I won’t know what happens next until I turn the page. It is SO exciting and so much fun for me to discover the story as it unfolds in my mind. While I do have certain components that I want to incorporate or have a basic PREMISE of the story (I don’t go in COMPLETELY blind) but I don’t OVER plot. I have a nebulous cloud hovering over me where I know SOME things but what I DON’T know is the actual “journey” and how they get from point A to B and then to C and further. THAT’S the fun part. Connecting the dots and discovering the characters and story as I write.
2. How do you deal with Writer's Block?
I actually don’t believe in “writer’s block.” I don’t have a “muse.” I AM my own muse. I don’t consider myself an “artist” waiting around for inspiration. Writing is a JOB. It’s how I support my family and send my kids to college. Most managers or bosses in regular 9-5 jobs, if you told them “sorry, I can’t do my job because I’m waiting for inspiration” then you’d likely be without a job…
I treat writing the same way. It’s a profession. I consider myself a professional and a businesswoman first and foremost. If I’m not writing, it’s for one of three reasons. 1. I’m just being lazy and unmotivated and don’t WANT to write. 2. Something is wrong with the story. Somewhere I veered of the path and have written myself into a corner. In this case, I go back and read over what I’ve written and once I figure out WHERE I went wrong, I fix it, and then am able to resume writing easily. 3. Because I’m truly ill or am dealing with health issues that prevent me from writing as much as I normally do. Unfortunately this has been a BIG issue for me this entire year and it’s been VERY difficult just to try to stay caught up or I should say to TRY to catch up because I’m still quite behind!
3. What do you like to do when you are not writing?
The number one thing I love more than anything is simply being surrounded by my husband and children, whether we’re just having a family dinner where everyone is in our huge kitchen laughing and having a good time while my husband and I are cooking and then we sit down to have a meal together or if we take a trip together (I LOVE to travel but with FAMILY. I don’t like traveling by myself lol. Which is strange because I’m a total introvert and at HOME I don’t mind being alone, but if I’m traveling, even to a signing or an event I have SOMEONE travel with me. If my assistant can’t make it, then I get my step-mom to come and when I can twist his arm hard enough, my husband will come with me hehe)
4. Is there any particular author or book that has influenced you or your writing?
I’ve said from the very beginning of my career that everything I learned about writing GOOD stories and characters, especially characters, I learned from Julie Garwood. She makes every single one of her characters count. Even if they are only on the page ONE time in the entire story, she makes them INTERESTING and three dimensional. Her secondary characters are interesting as her main characters and that’s the most valuable thing I learned from her. As a result, I make sure that ALL my characters are fleshed out, not predictable caricatures and are interesting “real” people.
Fun Stuff
1. If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?Mind reading, just because I’m nosy that way ;)
2. What was the name of the last book you read?
I re-read three of Kresley Cole’s IAD books. I honestly can’t remember the last “new to me” book I’ve read. My reading time has been very, VERY sparse this entire year :(
3. Tell us 2 positive and 2 negative character traits you possess.
I’m extremely laid back and it takes a LOT to really make me angry. I have an extremely “laissez faire” attitude which could be good OR bad depending on your viewpoint lol. I’m putting it under “positive” ;) I have an EXTREMELY soft heart and am very giving and generous. Sometimes more so than I SHOULD be, but again, I don’t think that’s really a BAD thing.
Negatives? Hmm I’m a sponge. I soak up EVERYTHING around me. I HATE conflict. Hate sadness or turmoil because I absorb it and make it my own. I can’t just shrug it off and I wish I could. But I am very affected by my surroundings. (Could be why I’m a hermit and my favorite place is home lol)
And I’m judgmental. Not in the way you think. I am VERY tolerant. I have liberal views and referring back to my laissez faire attitude, I’m like whatever makes you happy. But what I mean by judgmental is I’m a HUGE first impression person and I absolutely go with my gut. So when I meet someone, I rely heavily on that “first impression” and if I have ANY reservations whatsoever, then I don’t allow that person any closer to me.
In my DEFENSE, 99 percent of the time, I’m RIGHT. I’ve only been wrong a handful of times and I’ve been wrong in both directions. Trusting people I SHOULDN’T have and not “liking” someone who in fact turned out to be perfectly lovely person.
4. What would we find in your refrigerator right now?
Cheese. LOTS of cheese! I have at least ten different varieties. LOVE cheese.
5. If someone wrote a biography about you, what do you think the title should be?
“Clueless”
Think Fast
1. AM or PM? PM gah! I hate morning. NOT a morning person.2. Mountains or Sea? Mountains
3. Meat or Veggies? Meat!!
4. Italian or Chinese? Totally Chinese. YUM
5. Summer or Winter? WINTER! Absolutely LOVE cold weather.
Thanks for coming by and spending some time with us. Any final words of wisdom to pass along?
You’re quite welcome! And again, thank you so much for having me. I enjoyed getting to chat with you and your readers :) I hope that those of you who decide to read Keep Me Safe (and any other of my titles!) will enjoy it. *Fingers crossed*
xoxo
Maya Banks
Giveaway:
Avon is hosting a TOUR WIDE Rafflecopter Giveaway for Five Print Copies of KEEP ME SAFE.
Book Tour Info:
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Red Cheeks Reads
Kris & Vik’s Book Therapy Café
As the Pages Turn
Plain Talk Book Marketing
Author Bio:
Maya Banks is a #1 USA Today and New York Times bestselling author whose chart toppers have included erotic romance, romantic suspense, contemporary romance, Scottish historical romances. She is the author of the Breathless Trilogy, the KGI novels, the Sweet series, and the Colters Legacy novels.
She lives in the South with her husband and three children and other assorted babies, such as her two Bengal kitties and a Calico who’s been with her as long as her youngest child. She’s an avid reader of romance and loves to dish books with her fans and anyone else who’ll listen! She very much enjoys interacting with her readers on Facebook and Twitter as well as in her Yahoo! Group.
To connect with the author online:
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
Kris & Vik’s Book Therapy Café
As the Pages Turn
Plain Talk Book Marketing
Author Bio:
Maya Banks is a #1 USA Today and New York Times bestselling author whose chart toppers have included erotic romance, romantic suspense, contemporary romance, Scottish historical romances. She is the author of the Breathless Trilogy, the KGI novels, the Sweet series, and the Colters Legacy novels.
She lives in the South with her husband and three children and other assorted babies, such as her two Bengal kitties and a Calico who’s been with her as long as her youngest child. She’s an avid reader of romance and loves to dish books with her fans and anyone else who’ll listen! She very much enjoys interacting with her readers on Facebook and Twitter as well as in her Yahoo! Group.
To connect with the author online:
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
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