Tantalizing Tuesday

Welcome Back

Kat Martin !!!
Yes, we've brought Kat Martin back into the moonlight
to spotlight the start of her newest series,
The Raines of Wind Canyon,

Against the Wind

Before we get to Against the Wind, let's check out her interview:
MLM: Do you have any holiday memories from 2010 that you would like to share with us? (Memories can be nice and sweet, naughty, or just plain goofy!)

KAT: We had a wonderful snowy Christmas in Montana. In fact, it snowed and snowed and snowed. By the end of February I am starting to HATE snow, but in December it is sooo romantic and wonderful.

MLM: With the beginning of each New Year, many people make resolutions to change something about their lives. Do you make resolutions each year? Why or why not? In other words, what’s your philosophy behind your decision to make or not to make resolutions?

For those who do make resolutions:
MLM: We’re inquiring minds and we want to know:
a.) Do you take your resolutions seriously, or do you find you’re just going through the motions?
b.) What kind of resolutions do you make?
c.) How successful are you at achieving your resolutions? Do you ever find yourself making the same one, year after year?
d.) What resolutions, if any, you’ve made turned out to be extremely difficult or utterly impossible? What made those resolutions so challenging?

KAT:
a.) I’ve made the same resolution over and over for years. I decided not to make one this year because I always break it!
b.) I resolve that I will stop swearing when I get mad or frustrated, a bad habit I learned in college and would give anything to break.
c.) Yup and no, not very successful, in fact an utter failure.
d.) It’s a challenge because it’s been sooo many years since I started and its such a hard habit to break.

MLM: The buzz all over Tweetland and Facebook is how stressful many of us tend to find the holiday season (Thanksgiving through the New Year). This year they’ve seemed to be even more so with everything that’s been going on in the US and abroad. Stress isn’t usually conducive to writing, so we need to shed that stress, clear our minds so the words will follow. How do you plan on recharging your soul? Any relaxation tips you’d like to share?

KAT: Well, currently we have traveled from Montana to California. We’re out of the snow and spending time at the beach. That is somewhat restful. Though to tell you the truth, having three books out in a row is a major stress, plus I have more coming in the next few months, some re-issues, some new books. So I am trying to stay cool--and pretty much failing.

MLM: One of the greatest things about the Internet is that we can connect with writers of all kinds from all over the globe so we want to know:
a.) What area of the country/world are you from?
b.) What are the average temperatures of your area?
c.) What type of clothing would most residents be wearing today?
d.) What tips do you have for people to “survive” the weather where you are?

KAT:
a.) I was born in California, now live most of the year in Montana.
b.) In Ca where I was born, it was a hot, hot. In Montana, it’s very, very cold.
c.) In Ca, rain gear. In Montana, snow overalls!
d.) They can bask in the sun here in sunny CA. In MT you have to be more hearty.

MLM: Say you’re at a cabin in the mountains, and it’s not exactly warm out and you had the option of where you wanted your hot tub to be. Would you have the hot tub inside or outside the cabin? Why?

KAT: Oh, outside for sure. Hot, hot water, and snow on the ground. There is nothing better.

MLM: If you could go anywhere in the world for the holidays, where would you choose to go? Why that destination over others?

KAT: The south of France. Nice and Monte Carlo. I’ve been there and it is just the very best! The food is incredible and so is the scenery. And who doesn’t like the way it sounds when people speak French?

MLM: We’ve had our fun, now it’s time to switch the focus to your writing. Why Romantic Suspense? What was the draw for you?

KAT: After forty plus historical romances I was just simply ready for a change. I wanted to be able to expand my writing, use more variations of language, time, place, characters. It just opens up a whole new world.

MLM: If you could describe your writing with a word or phrase, what would it be? Please look beyond words hot, steamy, mysterious, paranormal etc., and delve into the core of your writing to tell us what word or phrase you want readers to take with them when they've finished reading your story.

KAT: “I couldn’t put it down.” That’s what I’d like people to say about my book. I try to keep a reader so engrossed in the story they can’t stop reading.

MLM: Earlier we discussed stress and the holidays. While stress may not always be conducive to writing, do you find that the holidays disrupt your writing schedule? If so, how? How tough is it to get yourself back in writing mode? What does it take to get you back on track?

KAT: The thing is, living in Montana, I am way out in the country. It’s a 70 mile round trip to the show. So there aren’t a lot of distractions. I bring the stress on myself, just from wanting my books to do well. Also, it’s easier not to get distracted when the holiday events are in the evening. I can write all day, feel as if I’m getting my work done and still have fun at night.

MLM: Earlier we asked you about where you’d put the hot tub. Does this show through in your writing? If so, give some examples how, please!

KAT: I love the outdoors. Against the Wind is set in Wyoming. The scenery is gorgeous. You would definitely want to be outside in your hot tub!

MLM: Who decides what the characters/creatures you write about do, you or your muse? What kind of influence do you have over your story, or is the muse always the one pouring the soap in the Jacuzzi?

KAT: I used to do a lot of plotting ahead of time, letting my left brain do the work, but over the years, my muse has pushed harder, done more of the work. I’m learning to trust myself in that regard.

MLM: Of all the stories you’ve written, which creature/character did you have the most fun creating and why?

KAT: I like writing heroes better than heroines, though I enjoy the ladies, too. But Jackson Raines of Against the Wind was one of my favorites. What a hunk. And his brother Devlin totally won my heart. I think they are just so strong, so dependable, and so very male.

MLM: If you had the opportunity to meet just one of your characters in real life, who would it be and why?

KAT: That is a scary thought! It’s one thing to meet them on paper, another to meet one of them in real life! Jackson would be easy, let a woman off the hook, you know? Not make her nervous. Gabe is strong and dependable, fairly easy to talk to. Dev is so good looking he would make me tongue- tied.

MLM: Which of your characters would you never want to meet under any circumstance and why?

KAT: Any of my villains. They are usually fairly ruthless. Particularly wouldn’t like to meet the arsonist in Against the Fire.

Interested yet?

Let's turn to the book now. Against the Wind. After the murder of her estranged husband, Andrew, Sarah Holister is forced to leave behind her life in Santa Monica, California and return to a place she thought she left long behind her - Wind Canyon, Wyoming. While his death freed her from a man she'd been afraid of, it didn't cut the ties with his business "partners". His business partners are somewhat shady, and leave her quaking in her "boots". [Sorry for the pun, couldn't resist, lol!]

She thought heading back to Wind Canyon - back home - would keep her safe, but she couldn't have been more wrong! Of all the luck, the owner of the property she rented happened to be none other than Jackson Raines!

Oh, what happened between them wasn't earth shattering, but it was bad enough. Desperate to be part of the in-crowd, Sarah humiliated him in front of a good portion of the high school when he asked her out to prom. A scene he'd likely never forget! He probably still hated her.

Not only does she have enemies from her dead husband's life to deal with, she now has demons from her past to fight too. Out of the frying pan and into the fire...

But what kind of fire? Sarah Hollister couldn't prepare herself for the fire waiting behind the eyes, and in the heart of Jackson Raines!

Want to read more?
Check out her website: www.katbooks.com