Today
we have the wonderful Christina Routon with us for an interview. Please help me
welcome her.
Tell
us about your latest book, including its genre. Does it cross over to other
genres? If so, what are they?
Hillbilly Rockstar is
a contemporary romance.
Down-and-out country
singer Trace Harper parties like there's no tomorrow. When his manager dies,
the party's over. Trace discovers he's not just broke, he's $15,000 in debt.
Lisa Jenkins worked
with Trace's dead manager and offers him a project that could revive his career
- and put $100,000 in his pocket. But there's a catch - Trace must sign a
morals clause for the length of the project.
With nothing to lose,
Trace takes Lisa on as his new manager and discovers life away from the party
isn't all bad.
But Lisa
isn't exactly who he thinks she is, and when Trace's ex-wife shows up
with proof of Lisa's deceit, Trace has to decide if he can trust her with his
career - and his heart.
What
can we expect from you in the future?
I'm working on a
non-fiction project right now. After that, I'll be working on the sequel to
Hillbilly Rockstar. I'll be telling Michelle's story, his co-host from the TV
show. I'm also considering a short story featuring his ex-wife, Trixie.
How
do we find out about you and your books?
My website is the best
place, but I also spend a lot of time on Facebook.
Why
did you decide to write romance novels?
I read my first
romance novels when I was twelve. An aunt gave me about 200 Harlequin Presents
and I read them over the course of the summer. I loved the stories but wanted
to know why there weren't any American characters. All characters in the
Presents line seemed to be set in Europe or Australia. I wanted to write
romantic stories featuring the people and the life I knew best. I'm also a very
romantic person and I enjoy telling a story and following it through that first
attraction through a happily ever after.
Do you have
a set schedule for writing or do you just go with the flow?
I do have a schedule
as I work around a day job and a family. The schedule can change, but I always
know what I'm working on every day. I alternate between writing and rewriting /
editing to keep my focus strong for the project.
What
is your writing routine once you start a book?
I jump in and write in
a linear fashion. I write after work on weekdays for about two hours and about
four hours on Saturday.
Where
do you start when writing? Research, plotting, outline, or...?
I do make a loose
outline detailing what needs to be in each chapter. If I need to research
something, I will do that before I begin to write and include information in my
outline. I don't stop the writing to research, though. I make notes to myself
during the writing process to check on a fact or research something and leave a
comment about what type of information needs to be included.
What
about your family, do they know not to bother you when you are writing - or are
there constant interruptions?
They generally leave
me alone, but if they really need me they know they can interrupt. I've
protected my writing time, though, and they have learned that if it's something
they just want to share with me or let me know then it can wait until I'm
finished for the night.
What do you do to relax and recharge your batteries?
I watch TV or movies
on Hulu or Netflix with my husband or we play a game. We enjoy role playing
games or DVD / board games like Scene It. My son and I will have Doctor Who or
Star Trek:TNG marathons.
How
do you come up with ideas?
I have more ideas than
I have time to write. Sometimes I have what I call story dreams. I'll dream the
story from beginning to end, as if I'm watching it play out. Sometimes the
details don't make sense since it is a dream, but when I wake up I write down
the basic storyline. I also get ideas from song lyrics, a phrase someone says
to me, or something random pops into my head during a walk.
What are your thoughts on love scenes in romance novels? Do you find them
difficult to write?
I enjoy love scenes in
romance novels. I think there's a place for all heat levels. I don't find them
difficult to write. I enjoy showing my characters expressing their love for one
another.
What
does your husband/wife think of your writing?
My husband is very
supportive. He reads the manuscripts, brings me tea, listens while I bounce
ideas off him. He is wonderful and very supportive of my writing.
Please tell us about yourself (family, hobbies, education, etc.)
I've been married for
22 years to my childhood sweetheart. We have an 18-year-old son. We moved from
Georgia to Alabama about three years ago and haven't regretted it. We love the
area where we live. We're in the city limits, but it's a quiet, historic
neighborhood. We participate in a Christmas event each year. We're all geeky in
some way. We love our gadgets, science fiction TV and movies, and role playing
games. We have two dogs and a cat. We're pretty laid back but we have a
wonderful life.
Who, if anyone, has influenced your writing?
Nora Roberts,
definitely. I have learned so much from how she writes and tries new things.
Sue Grafton and Charlaine Harris are also inspirational to me.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
I have a specific goal
to reach within the next four years, so within five years I will have reached
that goal and most likely set another one. My husband and I are currently
working on downsizing our lifestyle and traveling, so in five years we'll be
living on the road in an RV, traveling, working, continuing to enjoy our lives.
If you weren't writing, what would you be doing?
I would be creative in
some way. It's a part of me and my family. My parents sing and play
instruments, two of my brothers play instruments, another brother is a wonderful
cook. We're all creative in some way, so I would most likely be playing an
instrument or painting. Being creative is what I'm passionate about and I can't
wait to do it full-time.
Leather
or lace? Lace
Black
or red? Black
Satin
sheets or Egyptian cotton? Egyptian Cotton
Ocean
or mountains? Ocean
City
life or country life? Country life
Hunky
heroes or average Joe? Average Joe
Party
life or quiet dinner for two? Quiet dinner for two
Dogs
or cats? cats
I
love pizza with spinach, Alfredo sauce and feta cheese.
I'm
always ready for a trip somewhere.
When
I'm alone, I watch a movie.
Dessert
~ Key
Lime Pie
City
~ Gulf
Shores, Alabama. Beautiful place to vacation and not as crowded as Panama City.
Season
~ Spring
- not too hot, not too cold.
Type
of hero ~ Strong, steady, faithful, caring.
Type
of heroine ~ Strong, willing to open herself up, speaks her mind, doesn't need a man
but chooses one.
Where
can your readers find you?
https://twitter.com/croutonwrites
http://christinaroutonwrites.blogspot.com
http://pinterest.com/croutonwrites/
http://www.facebook.com/CRoutonWrites
Where’s
your favorite place to hang out online?
Facebook
Excerpt
From Hillbilly Rockstar
Awful was not the word for the set Trace Harper
performed. Horrible, depressing, deplorable, unpleasant, ugly -- these words
were closer to the truth.
It was obvious Trace was drunk. Not tipsy, not
buzzed, but high-as-a-kite drunk. He
went through the set, forgetting words to songs he'd made famous only a few
years before. He stumbled over the stage, laughing at his mistakes. When it
came to his final ballad, the most famous of his career, he butchered the
chorus that everyone else in the bar knew so well. No one seemed to mind,
especially the women in the audience, in particular a bleached blonde in a
halter top that barely covered her large breasts. She was standing below the
stage, staring up at Trace as if he were a god to be worshipped -- and he seemed
pretty happy to accept whatever worship came his way.
Lisa watched him for a few minutes as fans
greeted him, asking for pictures and autographs. He seemed to be having the
time of his life, and either didn't realize -- or didn't care -- that his
performance sucked. He was much different than the man she'd met at the office
some years ago when he'd come in for a meeting with Charlie. She'd been new to
the agency and to Nashville. Seeing celebrities around town and at work had
fascinated her and there were a few times she'd embarrassed herself when
speaking to them. It also didn't help that she'd had a huge crush on Trace
Harper when he'd first come on the country music scene fifteen years earlier.
But that was then, and this was now, and she wasn't a wide-eyed-twenty-something-girl
with stars in her eyes anymore.
Well, may as well get this over with. She made
her way to the stage as the crowd around him thinned out, ignoring the blonde
begging Trace for a picture.
"Sure, honey." Trace flicked his black
hat back on his head and put his arm around the woman. "Hey, you." He
pointed at Lisa. "Come take our picture, sweetie pie."
"I am not your sweetie pie, Mr.
Harper." Lisa said.
"Well, tonight you are, so take our
picture."
"Here," the blonde said, her voice
high and squeaky. She handed Lisa her cell phone and cuddled closer to Trace,
squeezing him around the waist and laying her head on his shoulder. Trace held
up his beer and put his arm around the blonde's shoulders. Sighing, Lisa held
up the cell phone.
"If I take this picture, can I speak with
you for five minutes, Mr. Harper?"
"What is it with the Mr. Harper crap? Sure,
whatever, five minutes. Take the picture so I will never forget meeting the
most beautiful woman in the world."
"Oh," the blonde cooed, looking up at
him and smiling. Lisa hit the button on the phone and took the photo.
"Take another one, just in case."
"In case of what?" Lisa asked.
"Just in case."
"Last one," Lisa said, and pushed the
button just as the woman placed her palms on Trace's cheeks and pulled his
mouth to hers. The camera caught the kiss, exactly as Lisa assumed the woman
wanted.
"Thank you so much," the blonde said to Trace before taking her phone and
heading back to friends, all similarly clad in various tank tops, halter tops,
jeans and mini-skirts, at a nearby table.
"Now, what would you like to talk about,
sweetie pie?" Trace ambled over to her, waving off a few people that were
asking for autographs. "Hold on, folks. I promised this lady five
minutes."
With groans and sighs the crowd dispersed, but
didn't go very far. Lisa did not understand how people still wanted photos and
autographs after his terrible performance, but there they stood, waiting for
him to finish talking.
"Mr. Harper, I work for Cahill-Waters
Talent Agency. I've been trying to get in touch with you."
"Yeah, Charlie's company. Yeah, sorry, I've
had some issues with my cell phone recently. Wait." Trace flicked his hat
back on his head again and came closer, his brown eyes focusing on her face,
then down her body.
"Do I pass?" She crossed her arms over
her chest, tapping her booted foot on the wooden floor.
"I know you from somewhere." He
scanned her again and Lisa felt as if she were being inspected from her blonde
hair framing her face, down her skinny blue v-neck t-shirt and flared leg jeans
to the cowboy boots peeking from the hem. "You were at Charlie's funeral.
The blonde in the black dress and boots, with the redhead."
"That's right, I was there." It
unnerved her to think of Trace seeing her at the funeral, seeing her now, and
even remembering what she'd been wearing that day.
He leaned in closer and she had to uncross her
arms to keep him from bumping them. He bent just a little and whispered in her
ear.
"I loved that dress on you. I enjoy curves
on a woman, and you got 'em in just the right places." He reached down,
placing his hands on her hips.
She pushed him away. "Mr. Harper, I am here
as a professional. I need to speak to you regarding your representation with
Cahill-Waters."
He laughed, taking a step back. "Okay, not
interested. I get it. What about my representation? You guys are just going to
keep doing whatever you're doing, right?"
Before she could answer, the crowd wanting his
autograph had grown and were pushing closer them. A sea of bodies, primarily
female, separated them and Lisa was forced to step back to the wall to keep
from being crushed.
"Hey, sweetie pie, I'll call you," she
thought she heard Trace call out over the noise, then he was gone, trapped in a
frenzy of female fans.
Lisa headed back to their table and found Tanya
snuggled in the lap of the dark haired man she'd danced with earlier.
"Well, I tried."
"You didn't get to talk to him? Oh, this is
Doug, by the way." Tanya smiled down at the man and ran a finger over his
cheek.
"Hi, Doug. Lisa. I did, but I wasn't able
to tell him everything. He hit on me."
"Really?" Tanya looked up at Lisa in
surprise.
"Yes, really. Now, can we go? I want to get
home and get some sleep." Lisa grabbed her purse and jacket from her chair
and slung them over her arm.
"Okay. Bye, Doug." Tanya kissed the
man then slid off his lap, taking her purse from the back of the chair as she
stood. "I had fun. You got my number?"
"I sure do," Doug said, and winked at
the cute redhead. "I'll be calling you later."
"You better." Tanya waved at him
before following Lisa out of the bar.
"Looks like you found a friend." Lisa
unlocked her sedan and they climbed in, buckling their seat belts.
"Yeah, I did. Too bad you didn't get to
speak to Trace. Well, except to get hit on."
"Yeah, too bad." Lisa started the car,
but didn't back up right away. She remembered the sound of his voice near her
ear, the tickle of his five o'clock shadow on her cheek as he leaned close to
her, his warm breath on her neck, the feel of his hands on her hips, and
shivered.
"What's wrong?" Tanya asked, noticing
her shake.
"Nothing," Lisa said. "Trace is a
jerk, that's all. I'm not going to keep trying to call him. I'm going to send
the letter to his agent. I have better things to do."
She put the car in reverse and backed out of the
lot, heading for home, determined to put Trace Harper out of her mind once and
for all.
Buy
Links:
Amazon -
http://bit.ly/HBRSKIN
Barnes and Noble -
http://bit.ly/HBRSNook
Smashwords -
http://bit.ly/HBRSSMASH
Kobo -
http://bit.ly/HBRSKobo
Christina Routon is
originally from Manchester, Georgia, and currently lives in Alabama with her
family. She works from home as a general transcriptionist, which allows her
time to write fiction and non-fiction as well as work on her general
transcription website. A self-professed geek, she enjoys tabletop role-playing
games, watching Doctor Who (David Tennant is her favorite, but Matt Smith is
growing on her), and watching anything written or produced by Stephen Moffat or
Joss Whedon.
