Welcome Cheryl Douglas Blog Tour Stop/Contest

Contest information is after the interview.

Welcome to my Reading Nook, Cheryl Douglas. Please make yourself at home and let my cabana boys/girls get you a drink.

Comfortable? Wonderful. Now let’s get started.

What’s the first thing you did when you received word you’d sold a book?

That first sale is always exciting. The knowledge that someone is actually reading, and hopefully entertained by your story is unbelievable. I still appreciate every single sale like it was my first and I always celebrate the important milestones.

Tell us about your latest/upcoming release. What inspired it?

I’m currently working on the Nashville Nights spin-off series, Next Generation. This series evolved from the first book, Shameless, which was about a country music superstar who was down on his luck. I never intended for this to be a series, but the secondary characters began to take on a life of their own with voices that demanded to be heard! No question, my love of country music inspired the series and continues to be the common thread that ties the books together. 

If one of your books became a movie, which celebrity would you like to star as your characters?

I’ve been pretty impressed with Tim McGraw’s acting chops, and I think it would take an actor with country music roots to pull off the role of Trey Turner.

What genres would you like to try writing in but haven’t yet done so? Why?

I love contemporary romance. This is my home, and I’ve never felt the need to stray too far from that. If I ever did, it would probably be towards contemporary women’s fiction, but I have enough romance projects in the works to keep me busy for the next several years.

What is your normal writing day like? 

My writing goal is always the same, 7 pages a day. I usually write while I’m still under the influence of a caffeine buzz, so that’s first thing in the morning and early afternoon. I write 6-7 days a week. When I’ve met my word count goal for the day, I begin to tackle editing, marketing, social networking, and may sneak in a few minutes to chat with other writers online at the Writer’s Café.

Where do you get most of the ideas for your stories? 

I get my ideas from a variety of sources, and I do keep a writer’s journal so I can jot down an idea when inspiration strikes. Since I’ve been working on the current series for a long time, I just trust the stories will evolve as they’re supposed to since I already know the characters so well. When I’m struggling with a scene, I always take a long drive in the country. This gives my mind the opportunity to wander a bit and the idea always comes to me.

What are some of your hobbies/favorite past times to indulge in? 

I love to read, shop, travel, go boating and fishing in the summer, volunteer, knit, exercise, and when I just need to shut my mind off for a while, I may watch an hour or two of TV.

Who are some of your favorite authors, and if we were to visit your home, what books would we find on your bookshelf, end table, floor or e-reader? 

Right now, I’m loving Bella Andre, Ruth Cardello, and Marie Force. I love to read series and these three ladies have some great ones out there right now.

If you could be any character of any book or movie, who would you be?

I’m going to say Kelly Preston’s character in the movie Broken Bridges. She was a strong, independent woman who’d left home when her family shunned her for getting pregnant as a teenager. She went on to put herself through school, become a successful newscaster, and raise a teenage daughter, all without the help of the girl’s father, who’d never been a part of her life. I love strong women, and I especially love the message that one mistake can only define your life if you let it.

Do you have a favorite TV show you can't miss?

I love all of the reality shows surrounding music: American Idol, The Voice, and X-Factor. 

What is your writing process? Do you outline, fly by the seat of your pants or a combination of both?

I tried outlining in the beginning, but I quickly learned that my muse didn’t appreciate being told what to do. I realized that if I wanted her to cooperate, I had to let her call the shots. She’s a bossy little thing, but she always knows what’s best. lol

Could you tell us about any work-in-progress, current projects, what we can expect from you in the future?

I’m having a great time writing the Nashville Nights Next Generation series right now. It’s a spin-off of the original Nashville Nights series, where the characters readers fell in love with are guiding their children on their journey to finding a soul mate. My readers told me they weren’t ready to see the NN series end after eight books, and I wasn’t ready to let it go either. But after sixteen full-lengths and one special edition novella, it will be time to move on to something new. The final book in the Next Generation series will be released in May 2013. I will be releasing the first book in my new series, Texas Titans, in June 2013.

Who has been the most delightful character to write about? The most challenging to write about?

I don’t know that I’d call him delightful, but Trey Turner was my favorite character to write about, perhaps because his story was the one that started it all. He was also one of the most challenging characters to write. He was wrestling with a lot of demons and he’d made a lot of mistakes in the past. It wasn’t easy to write his character so the reader would want to root for him, but based on reader feedback, he’s become a fan favorite.

What do you do to unwind and relax?  

I slip into a bubble bath with my eBook reader. I know it’s not the best idea, but I can’t resist the lure of a good book when it’s time to wind down.

What is the last line of your last WIP you worked on that you wrote?

“I think Brianna’s definitely the great equalizer for me, Josh.”

CONTEST INFORMATION:

Cheryl will be awarding: two(2) - $20 Amazon Gift Cards to randomly drawn commenters during the tour, and one(1) - $20 Gift Card to a randomly drawn host. Also, Cheryl will be awarding ten(10) trading card/cover flat packs to randomly drawn commenters during the tour (US/Canada), ten (10)digital books from the Nashville Nights series (winner's choice) to randomly drawn commenters during the tour and two(2) Swarovski crystal necklaces to randomly drawn commenters during the tour (US/Canada).

I encourage you to follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: 

http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2012/10/virtual-book-tour-shameless-by-cheryl.html

Teaser for Shameless

Book One, Nashville Nights 

Contemporary Romance 

Douglas Publishing 

Buy Links

Amazon Buy Link for Shameless:

http://www.amazon.com/Shameless-Nashville-Nights-Book-ebook/dp/B007IO7C6Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348953276&sr=8-1&keywords=Cheryl+Douglas

Barnes and Noble Buy Link for Shameless:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shameless-cheryl-douglas/1109801559?ean=2940033098941

All Romance Ebooks Buy Link for Shameless:

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-shameless-749624-149.html

Trey Turner may be topping the country music charts, but his life has been going downhill since his wife left him five years ago. He's desperate to make amends for the mistakes he's made and convince Sierra their love deserves a second chance.

Sierra Brooks is happy for the first time since her divorce. She has a career she loves, and a man who loves her. Unfortunately, the man she intends to marry isn't the only one professing his love for her. He may be able to offer her safety and security, but will she decide to risk everything for another chance with the man who broke her heart?

Teaser Excerpt:

Prologue

Five Years Earlier

The sexy little waitress stretched to offer her neck as Trey Turner prepared to do another body shot at the urging of his inebriated friends. He licked the salt off her neck as he felt a small hand grip his shoulder.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

He turned to see his wife, Sierra, staring up at him, disgust darkening her bright blue eyes. He heard a few of his friends mutter curses as the crowd broke up and went back to drinking and dancing.

“Baby, I was just havin’ a little fun.” His words slurred and he wondered how many body shots he’d had before Sierra intervened. 

The waitress slid her hand down his chest, hooking a finger through his belt loop. “That was fun. How ‘bout we pick up where we left off later?”

Sierra turned away, not waiting for his answer as she began weaving her way through the crowd.

“Sierra, baby, wait,” he called, trying to push his way through the throngs of people before she reached the door. He grabbed her wrist just as she was about to cross the threshold. “Wait. Please, don’t go.”

“It’s over, I’m done with this shit,” she said, trying to shake loose of his grip.

He had more than a foot and a hundred pounds on her. She wasn’t going anywhere until he decided he was ready to let her go, which wouldn’t happen in this lifetime. “What’s that supposed to mean? Where the hell do you think you’re going?” 

“Home to pack.”

He felt the room begin to spin out of control. “What did you say?”

“I’m leaving you. Our marriage is over.”

His grip on her wrist tightened. “No, you can’t leave me.”

She pressed a hand to his chest. “It’s been over for a long time. I’m just making it official.”

“We’re not having this conversation out here in front of a hundred people,” he said, pulling her through the horde of friends he’d invited to his private party. He opened the door to the small dressing room usually occupied by the nightly entertainment that performed at Jimmy’s bar. “We’ll have some privacy in here.”

She was finally able to shake free of his tight grip. “I’ve already said everything I have to say to you.”

He gripped her waist. “Don’t do this, Sierra.” He bent to kiss her neck. “I love you, baby. God, I love you so much. I can’t live without you.” He backed her toward the couch as he lowered himself down on top of her.

“You’ve been living without me for the past year, Trey. You’ve spent your days on a tour bus and your nights in a stadium or bar.” Her voice broke. “We lost our baby girl and you don’t seem to care.”

“Don’t say that,” he whispered furiously. “Don’t ever say that I didn’t care about Callie. I loved her, Sierra. It damn near killed me when we lost her.”

She glared at him. “Really? Is that why you boarded that goddamn tour bus a week after her funeral?”

“I’m a musician; it’s what I do.” He knew the excuse was weak. Sierra was right. He’d been trying to run away from his grief and sadness instead of staying at home where he belonged, supporting his wife.

She shook her head, looking defeated. “It’s what you do—it’s who you are. Trey Turner, country music’s award-winning, platinum-selling mega-star. What about my husband? Callie’s father? Where is he?”

He closed his eyes, feeling disgusted with himself for letting her down again. “Baby, I’m sorry. Look, I know I’ve made mistakes, but let me make it up to you, okay?” His hand eased up her shirt to cup her breast.

Her head rolled back and she closed her eyes. “No, we can’t do this. It won’t fix the problem.” Making love to her may not solve all of their problems, but it would buy him some time to figure out a way to convince her to give him and their marriage another chance. “Just relax,” he whispered, licking her neck.

“Hmm, that feels so good.” She wrapped her denim-clad leg around his. “But then you had lots of practice with your girlfriend right before I got here, didn’t you?”

He cursed himself for indulging in the adolescent drinking game and giving his wife reason to question his fidelity yet again. “Sweetheart,” he whispered, flipping the button on her jeans. “You’re the only one I want; you know that.”

She squeezed her eyes shut as she shook her head. “No, I don’t.”

He hated that he had given her reason to doubt herself, to doubt them. “Let me prove it to you, then.”

His tongue traced the soft fullness of her lips until she finally parted for him. He groaned, taking her mouth with a savage intensity. His mind raced; fear warring with panic as he realized this may be the last time they made love, the last time he had the right to touch her.

About the Author and link:

Cheryl began her professional career as a nutritionist, but her love of books started at an early age. She studied writing for many years before she decided to pursue her passion as a full-time career. After receiving constructive criticism from several well-known authors, Cheryl finally had the confidence to write her first romance novel.

The first book in the Nashville Nights series, Shameless, was a book that had been dwelling in Cheryl’s subconscious for years. For her, the surprise came when the manuscript began taking on a life of it’s own. Characters came to life, secondary characters became more prominent, outlines were forgotten, and a single title evolved into an eight book series, and another eight book spin-off series entitled Nashville Nights, Next Generation.

One word would aptly describe Cheryl: workaholic. She lives and breathes her writing, when she’s sleeping, watching TV, driving, reading… it’s always in the periphery of her mind. Her imagination rarely takes a holiday, even when she escapes to a sandy beach with her husband and son, she’s planning, plotting, outlining, and daydreaming.

Cheryl feels blessed to be able to get up every day and do something she loves. The thousands of fans who have embraced the Nashville Nights have made that possible. She writes for the readers who ask for more, she writes to satisfy the muse residing inside of her, but most of all, she writes because she couldn’t imagine doing anything else with her life. It took her thirty-seven years to decide what she wanted to be when she grew up, but now that she knows, she’s convinced she’s found her purpose.

Website:

http://www.cheryldouglasbooks.com

Facebook:

http://www.cheryldouglasbooks.com