The Black Door by Charlotte Howard - Q&A and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Charlotte will be awarding an eBook of The Black Door, a signed print copy of Seven Dirty Words with a bookmark, and a $10 Amazon gift card (£10 Amazon gift card if UK winner) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Thanks for stopping by, Charlotte. Why do you write in your genre? What draws you to it?

I suppose technically what I write is contemporary romance, but it borders on light erotica. I’ve been told that it’s too erotic to be romance, but not erotic enough to be erotica – so somewhere in between. There’s nothing like a good love story with hot sex!

What research is required?

It depends on the storyline. For One Night in Edinburgh, I had actually visited Edinburgh, so was able to use personal experience. But for Seven Dirty Words, Four Letter Words, and The Black Door, there wasn’t much research to be done! My next series is going to be set in London though, and since I’ve only visited a few times, I will be using Google maps and my London friends to help with ensuring that the setting is realistic.

Name one thing you learned from your hero/heroine.

Imogen Pearce taught me that you don’t have to be young and skinny to be sexy. She is a divorced mother of four, fast approaching 40. But she’s still a sexy woman, and that’s what The Black Door is all about – just because you’re a mum, doesn’t mean you’re any less of a woman.

Any odd or interesting writing quirks, habits or superstitions?

I can’t write unless I have a mug of tea, and it usually has to be in my big red spotty mug (although sometimes I can drink from a different one!) But when I’m editing, I have to print the entire manuscript out and sit with my Simpsons pint mug (of tea, obviously) with a packet of biscuits and a brand new red pen – which always ends up chewed and emptied.

Plotter or pantser?

Both. I tend to start with a plot, but then the characters throw it out the window and take me down a completely different road. The Black Door was originally going to be all about the club at the back of the shop, but for some reason that became more of a sub-plot!

Look to your right – what’s sitting there?

A mug of tea, balancing on the radiator because I don’t have a coffee table, TV & DVD remote, iPhone (I’d be lost without it), baby names book, and Kindle.

Anything new coming up from you? What?

I have two ideas in my head – one I’ve been trying to write for a long time, but it’s a complicated plot so I’m not sure how to set it out just yet. The other idea is the one I will be concentrating on. I think it will be a series of two or three books and is set in London. It’s another erotic romance story, with a rich, powerful Alpha male character, but an equally feisty female.

Do you have a question for our readers?

I would love to know what your readers look for in a romance novel, which storylines they don’t like, which ones they do, and what types of characters draw them in!

Thanks for hosting!!

Imogen Pearce is a single mum of four children and fast approaching 40, she works at Ryedale Incorporated where she has to battle a younger and smarter generation to get to where she wants to go. If that means taking on the account of Cherry and Sean Rubin’s adult shop, then she will. But what happens when Imogen discovers the private club that they run at the back? And what happens when she realizes she knows quite a few members?

Enjoy an excerpt:

He sat at the head end of the table dressed in his expensive Italian suit, fiddling with the golden cufflinks emblazoned with his initials. I knew this because I’d seen them flying towards my face on more than one occasion as he dismissed my work and threw it across the room. Perhaps those previous meetings were the reason I was hesitant to show him my latest proposal. Or it could have been that this was the first time that I was solely responsible for the work. There was no Alex to fall back on and let take the blame, although he was sitting right next to me. I didn’t for one second think he was there for moral support. Nobody at Ryedale Incorporated was out for anything other than what they could get.

I looked towards Cal Ryedale as he annihilated the next piece of advertising failure that was placed in front of him, the stern frown etched into his face never changing. It wasn’t unusual for newbies to burst into tears and run out of meetings like this. Beneath the table, my knees were actually knocking together. This may sound like an over-used cliché, but it’s the God’s honest truth. Physical contact was made between my quivering legs as I waited for my turn. And then it came. His furious stare shifted towards me. Dark brown eyes burned and I could feel my soul being singed a little bit more.

About the Author:

British author Charlotte Howard, was born in Oman and spent much of the first part of her life flitting between Oman, Scotland, and England. Now settled in Somerset, Charlotte lives with her husband, two children, and growing menagerie of pets.

Her career as a writer began at an early age, with a poem being featured in an anthology for the East Midlands. Since then Charlotte has written many short stories and poems, and finally wrote her first full-length piece of fiction in 2010.

During what little spare time she has, Charlotte enjoys reading and writing (of course), spending time with her family, and watching action movies whilst eating curry and drinking tea.

Charlotte is an active member of Yeovil Creative Writers.

Social Media / Website links:

www.charlottehowardauthor.co.uk
choward2614.wordpress.com
facebook.com/charlottehowardauthor
twitter.com/Shy_Tiger
Buy the book at Tirgearr Publishing, Smashwords, Amazon US, or Amazon UK.

a Rafflecopter giveaway