Well, I guess it’s no secret that I’m a huge science fiction & fantasy geek. The new Star Wars was a dream come true to this fan, and I absolutely adored the Lord of the Rings movies. I love animals, and tend to go a little overboard feeding the wildlife in our backyard. There was this one squirrel that would actually come up and tap at the patio door when he wanted peanuts. My husband thinks I’m a little crazy, but he loves me anyway. I briefly considered a career in archaeology, but I quickly realized that I just didn’t have the patience required to sweep away grains of sand with an itty bitty brush. My impulse control just isn’t that good.
Q ~ What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
That isn’t often, but when I do have free time, I usually spend most of it reading. There are a few tv shows I watch regularly (Big Bang Theory, Outlander, Game of Thrones, Once Upon a Time), but not all that many that can keep my interest to the end of the season.
Q ~ If you could have lunch with one person, dead, alive, or imaginary, who would it be and why?
Wow. Hmm. I’m going to fall back on my archaeology obsession and say Howard Carter, because I’d dearly love to know exactly what King Tut’s tomb really looked like when he opened it. Pictures just don’t do it justice.
Q ~ What are you currently reading?
More Than You Know, by Jennifer Gracen. Loving it!
Q ~ Are there any new Authors that have grasped your interest recently and why?
I have a lot of authors I follow religiously, but I do try to sample new names when something catches my eye or I get a good recommendation from someone. The last new-to-me author I read was Virginia Kantra, and man, was she good!
Q ~ How did you begin writing? Was there a single catalyst or a series of events?
I remember writing little stories way back when I was in elementary school, so I guess I’ve always had the writing bug. At one point some years ago I got involved in writing fan fiction, which was my first exposure to actually letting strangers read my work. After that, I knew I wanted to get more serious about my writing, so I connected with my local chapter of Romance Writers of America and I haven’t looked back since.
Q ~ What’s the best thing that’s happened since you began writing? The worst?
The best was definitely holding my first book in my hand. Nothing beats that feeling! The worst…I guess that was the first time I came this-close to selling a book to a New York publisher and then having them pass. Crushing disappointment.
Q ~ What are your biggest influences in life? Who are your biggest supporters?
My dad used to make up bedtime stories for me when I was little, which I absolutely feel is responsible for my own storytelling abilities, and while my husband might not understand exactly how my writer’s brain works, he is 100% behind me in everything I do. But my biggest supporters are my fellow writers. You need your tribe to keep you grounded when you spend most of your time alone in a room with only a computer and your imaginary friends for company.
Q ~ Why did you choose to write mystery as your primary genre?
I actually started out to write plain old contemporary romance, and somewhere along the line it turned into romantic suspense. I don’t think I’m sharp enough to write straight mystery, to tell you the truth. That stuff is *hard*!
Q ~ Do you prefer to write in a small town or big city setting? Why?
I’ve written both, and honestly, I don’t have a preference. For me, it’s more about the characters than the setting.
Q ~ Can you tell us a little bit about your latest release, What the Lady Wants, and what inspired you to write it?
What the Lady Wants, book 1 in the Boulder Bodyguards series, is a fun and sexy battle of wills between two very strong-willed, determined people. Thea is crazy in love with Doyle, but while he’s attracted, he feels that she’s too young, too rich, and too innocent for him to get involved with. Never one to take no for an answer, Thea enlists a little help from her friends to try and make him change his mind, but her plans take a sideways turn when an unknown stalker puts her life in danger. I’ve always loved strong female characters, and I wanted to write a story about a young woman who finds the courage to go after what she really wants despite the odds. And a sexy, hot former Marine. Love writing about those, too!
Q ~ What was the most difficult part of the process while writing What the Lady Wants?
The delicate balance of giving enough clues to the bad guy’s identity without making it either glaringly obvious or totally obscure.
Q ~ What characters did you find yourself especially drawn to and why?
I loved writing the scenes with Thea and her two best friends, Lillian and Amelia. The three of them have such diverse personalities, but they blend together into a wonderfully energetic and fun group where chaos and snark abound.
Q ~ Do you have anything in the works at the moment? Care to give us a hint about it?
I actually just finished the first draft of book 2 in the Boulder Bodyguards series, which should be out later this year. This one is Amelia’s story, and I had a lot of fun writing it, because if anyone deserves a happy ending, it’s Amelia.
Q ~ What advice would you give to an aspiring writer?
Write. Don’t give up. Read, a lot. Have faith in yourself and your craft no matter how many rejections you might get. Find yourself a tribe. And did I mention write? The very wise and prolific Nora Roberts once said, and I paraphrase here, it doesn’t matter if they suck, just put the words down. You can’t edit a blank page.
Nika Rhone has been fascinated with storytelling from the moment that first book was placed in her eager little hands, starting a lifelong love affair with the written word. Eventually, though, reading other people’s stories just wasn’t enough, so she started to write down her own. The magic of creating brand new worlds and the people who live in them keeps her hard at work thinking up the next set of characters she can torture before giving them their happy ending. She lives in her hometown on Long Island, New York with the two men in her life: her super-indulgent husband and their outrageously spoiled shelter dog.
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The heiress…
She’d wanted him since she was eighteen. Four years away hasn’t cooled the heat Doyle arouses in her, which means it’s time for Thea to take the former Marine by the horns and open his eyes to everything he’s missing. What will it take to prove that she’s not some untouchable porcelain doll, but a red-blooded woman determined to finally get her man?
The bodyguard…
Honor forced Doyle to consider Thea off-limits. Keeping her that way was proving much more difficult. Every time he turns around she’s there, wreaking havoc on his senses, making him think about long, sweaty nights and how good she would feel wrapped up in his arms. How long could a man be expected to ignore the woman who calls to his every secret desire?
The danger…
But Doyle has a secret that could jeopardize not only the first fragile bonds of love, but Thea’s very life. Will he be able to act before it’s too late for them both?
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That someone in her family will object to the relationship. SO would love to see where it goes.
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