It is my pleasure to host a guest on my blog today, fellow Gypsy Shadow Publishing author C.A. Szarek. Gypsy Shadow published her fantasy romance novel, Sword's Call, Book One in the King's Riders series. I have known her ever since she joined the GSP family and I have noticed she is one of the most prolific writers around! Please welcome her on my blog and check out her books.
Interview with author C.A. Szarek
How long have you been a writer?
I have always been a writer. Poetry when I was very young, and then short stories, that started morphing into novels when I was about 14. It’s just a part of me. I couldn’t imagine not writing.
What was your biggest obstacle in getting your book published and how did you overcome it?
Probably dealing with the rejections. I got so many “No’s” way before I got a “yes.” I just persevered. I knew I wanted to be published, so I had to keep trying, keep submitting. It’s a matter of getting the book in front of the right editor, right publisher. I found that with GSP.
How did you end up getting your newest book published?
Well, my newest title is a romantic suspense entitled Collision Force (Crossing Forces Book One) It is published by Total-E-Bound Publishing. My friend, Maggie Nash is with them and told me to submit. I was lucky enough to be accepted.
How did you get the idea for your book?
I have always been into fantasy. Always. It is and always will be my first love as an author. So I always have a story of a world I made up floating around in my head. Sword’s Call actually came to me in a dream. I dreamt of the heroine, Cera and her white wolf. The rest sort of fell into place.
What is the most important lesson you have learned as an author?
That you never stop learning and growing. The more you write, the better you get.
What genres do you write in? If more than one, how do you balance them?
I write a little of everything: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romantic Suspense, Contemporary, and the occasional YA.
I’ve always been into fantasy. Grew up reading the greats, Anne McCaffrey is my fave, and the genre will always be close to my heart.
That being said, I always wanted to be a cop and have been in to “Police stuff.” I never did becoming a police officer, but I have a Law Enforcement background, and I actually work in a court.
I adore paranormal because it’s a mix of both, sorta. *grin*
And YA, well, I work with kids, and sometimes a good story they can read will pop into my head.
Maybe someday day I will be published in all the genres I write.
What are some of your other books we might want to check out?
Collision Force (Crossing Forces Book One) is a romantic suspense story about a kicksass female cop and a hot FBI agent. They’re a lot of fun, because they don’t like each other much when they meet. Here’s the book’s blurb:
Bad boy, married to his job FBI agent Cole Lucas always gets his man. So when the unthinkable happens and one gets away, Cole grits his teeth and hunts human trafficker Carlo Maldonado all the way to Antioch, Texas, where he collides with Detective Andi MacLaren.
Cole doesn’t do small towns and doesn’t get involved with women he works with, but Andi tempts him in ways he doesn’t want to acknowledge.
Two murders, her partner shot and leading the investigation on her own, the last thing Andi needs is a cocky FBI agent who sees her as no more than a tagalong.
Widow and single mother Andi is used to being on her own. When Cole gets stuck without a place to stay, crashing on her couch puts them in dangerous territory.
Attraction and passion bring Andi to a place she’d left behind when her husband died. Her three-year-old son quickly wiggles his way into Cole’s heart, and he starts contemplating things—family, love—that he’d never planned for himself.
Can being forced to work together make them stronger or will their differences jeopardise their case and their hearts?
What else do you do besides write books?
I am a busy girl. I work two jobs, as the Juvenile Case Manager for two municipal courts, and I also work at a Shelter for teens. I also love to read and scrapbook when I’m not writing.
It’s common knowledge that writers are also readers. What kind of books do you like to read?
Truthfully, anything that peaks my interest. I read a lot of romance, all subgenres. YA, it doesn’t matter who it’s intended for. If it looks good, I’ll read it.
Do you read books in the same genre you are currently writing in? Why or why not?
Absolutely I love to read the genres I write. It’s nice to see how others do it, but I also just LOVE the genres I love. I do read and love genres I don’t write as well, I am a big big big fan of Scottish Highlander Historical Romances and I couldn’t write one to save my life.
What can we expect to see from you next?
Well, I have a few upcoming releases I am excited about!
Love’s Call (King’s Riders Book Two) will be out in the fall of 2013 and Chance Collision (Crossing Forces Book Two) will release Jan 31, 2014!
I also have a FREE short story called Cole in Her Stocking that is about the couple from Collision Force. It will be in the November Total-E-Bound Newsletter as well as a free download on their site. I am reallllllly excited about it, because I just adore Andi and Cole.
Love’s Call:
Senior King’s Rider Ansley Fraser has been in love with Leargan Tegran for turns, but he’s never noticed her. When she sets out for Greenwald to deliver a message to the duke, she has no idea its contents contain an order that will change her life. Instead, she is focused on visiting dear friends.
Leargan, captain of the Greenwald personal guard, is an honorable knight, so when the king commands him to wed Ansley, he intends to follow orders, even as he knows nothing of the girl.
Ansley ignores her instinct to question Leargan’s sudden interest in her. She wants to fall into his arms—and his bed—even as Ali, her wolf bondmate, growls her reticence.
Her extended visit allows Leargan time to win her affection, but when he falls for Ansley, it takes him by surprise. Will she be willing to give herself to him if she learns their marriage has been commanded by the king? What will it take to convince her he’s not simply following orders?
Chance Collision:
Vowing to protect her had nothing to do with feelings.
Detective Pete Crane catches a new shooting case and considers it business-as-usual. But when the lead witness is the Chief of Police’s fiery assistant, he never anticipated she’d challenge him—personally and professionally. Especially while under his protection.
Little do they know, the shooting she and her grandmother witnessed was anything but random.
Thrown together, their attraction sizzles, even though she’s squarely in the no-fly zone. She makes him break every rule in his little black book.
Nikki Harper has been attracted to Pete since they met two years ago. Witnessing a brutal shooting throws her into a stigma that’s always been her greatest fear: a victim. She has no choice but to accept his protective custody and let him help save her and her beloved grandmother.
Can Pete protect his witness and solve the case, while fighting the intense heat with Nikki?
What is your advice to a writer trying to get a book published?
Never. Ever. Give up. If you want it, go for it. Fight for it.
For generations, the Ryhans, ruling family of the Province of Greenwald have been keepers of a sword rumored to possess enough magic to defeat kings. Lord Varthan, a former archduke and betrayer of the king, covets the sword and invades Greenwald.
Lady Ceralda Ryhan, daughter of the murdered duke, gains the sword and flees, trusting only her white wolf, Trikser—magically bonded to her. Cera needs nothing more to aid in her fight.
Jorrin Aldern, half elfin and half human, left his home in the mountains of Aramour to find his human father who disappeared twenty turns before, but finds Cera with Varthan and his shades on her tail instead. His dual heritage and empathic magic will tempt Cera in ways she never thought she’d desire. But can he convince her trust and love can pave the path to redemption or will the epic battle end in tragedy and evil conquer them all?
Grab your copy of Sword's Call here.
ABOUT C.A. SZAREK: C.A. is originally from Ohio, but got to Texas as soon as she could. She is married and has a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice. She works with kids when she’s not writing. She’s always wanted to be a writer and is overjoyed to share her stories with the world.
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Labels: authors, books, fantasy, guest blogging, Gypsy Shadow Publishing, interview, romance
