Meet my Next Guest - Victoria Pinder!

I want to welcome Victoria Pinder!

First I’d love you to introduce yourself.

I’m Victoria. I live in Miami right now, but who knows where I’ll be next year in the continental United States. I’m from Boston, and my fiancé might have us both moving at some point this year.

So my wedding is June 14^th. I have a few contracts with publishers. Chaperoning Paris comes out June 11^th, 2014, and Favorite Coffee, Favorite Crush comes out June 12^th, 2014. The honeymoon will be calming and I can’t wait.

Tell us about your latest release

Favorite Coffee, Favorite Crush is a sweet, fun story about Penny coming home from college and getting a job. She finds her high school friends. Jay was her high school crush and he needs a stable woman as a date. Lots of manipulations from meddling parents, but in the end it’s a story of falling in love with her high school crush.

Chaperoning Paris is different. Gigi is working at a high school, and avoiding Sean. She left her high school boyfriend and ran away from home after her mother forced her to have an abortion. Now an adult, she has to stay in town for a year, and for six months avoided Sean. Sean has survived cancer, a divorce, and he’s out for payback with the high school principal. Gigi gets in the cross fire, and Sean can’t ignore her.

Now I have a few questions for you – I have found readers do like to know fun things about us writers.

1.) Who is your favorite villain – it can be from a book (even one of yours), movie or TV show. And why?

Of all time? Darth Vadar. Original series. I grew up on Star Wars. But the evil guy with the cat fighting Mr. Gadget and the Misfits who were the villain of Jem and the Holograms all come to mind. But Darth gets the top. He chose power. He walked away from love. I find that fascinating.

2.) Who is your favorite character out of your books? Why?

I don’t have a favorite child. My mother never picked a favorite child, and I created all my characters. There are times when I want to slap them and times when I want to hug them. Penny is so determined and optimistic, but she should be telling her friend the truth a lot sooner.

3.) What do genre do you write? What made you pick that one?

Romance. I started with science fiction romance because it was something I wanted to read, but couldn’t find the books. I do have fantasy romance too. But I also write and love contemporaries. They are fun to write.

4.)What are you working on now?

My wedding brain has taken over my writing ability. Post honeymoon, I’m going to finish my rancher story that I’ve always wanted to write. And I have an outline and beginning of a goth type too. Goal is to have these two done before RWA Nationals. After my honeymoon, I have more time.

5.) What got you to start writing?

I always wrote to myself but I feel they are horrible stories. One day I was having dinner with a rabbi and I’m not Jewish, but he looked at my hands and asked me if I was a writer. I said no, but then I scratched my head. I had always written. And people do make money. You can call that the light dawning question. (My middle school yearbook predicted I’d be a writer, but I ignored all the previous signs.)

6.) Where do you get your ideas from?

Life. Things that happen on a show. Playing the ‘what if’ game. This question is like asking ‘how do you think or imagine?’ My question is how can you not?

7.) What would people who read your work be surprised to find out about you?

That despite writing romance, for a long time I was cynical about my own chances at finding love. I totally believed I missed the boat and screwed up in my past. While I was not about to jump off a bridge or anything, I just believed it was up to me to take care of myself. I’m so happy I was that wrong.

8.) Do you have any special talents?

Singing off key. I like to be a bit of a rebel rouser and I definitely like to laugh and joke. Some of my writing friends have said ‘how is it that you’re a writer? You aren’t the type.’ I tell them that’s just determination. And I am determined to do anything I set my mind too… is that a talent?

9.) What was the one piece of advice you received when you were an aspiring author that has stuck with you? Why?

Writing is subjective. Just because one agent/editor doesn’t like your work, it’s not personal. Just find the people you gel with and take heart.

10.) If you could talk to any famous figure (present, past or fictional) who would it be and what would you talk about?

Last time I answered this question for another blog, I think my answer was Jesus. So I’m steering away from the religious this time and going with Abraham Lincoln. We’d talk about plays and why he shouldn’t go. We’d also talk about the 13^th, 14^th, and 15^th amendments, the media of his day, and his war strategy.

11.) What song would you say describes your life?

Dark Horse by Katie Perry right now…

12.) If you could come back as any animal – what would it be?

If we follow the Buddist thinking this means that I did something super bad in this life and am coming back as a lower life form. I think cats had jealousy issues and dogs had loyalty issues in their pasts which is why they are now our household animals, but I’m stretching my brain in trying to remember what I learned about reincarnation. It might all be wrong what I’m saying as I’m pulling this from memory without google checking. But this is how my brain remembers, and I’ve never wanted to return with more to fix. So I’d like to come back as a human being if I have to come back

Wow you are a busy woman! I couldn't help but notice that I'm loading this on your wedding day! I hope it is a wonderful day for you!

Excerpt:

“Home, sweet, err...coffee.”

Getting out of her car, Penelope brushed her worn jeans to get out a small wrinkle. Not that it mattered. She smelled the coffee drawing her to the door. The delicious aroma of freshly brewed java that could wake her up waited inside. Gainesville had coffee shops, but nothing that held her heart like this place. In high school, this place was her Mecca. Her stomach grumbled for the familiar drink.

The coffee shop looked almost the same as it had years ago, except for the aluminum tables and wooden chairs with red cushions. She remembered the plaid chairs and brown tables, but the place still calmed her, like she was coming home.

She stepped up to the counter. “I’ll have a cinnamon dulce non-fat latte, please.”

Leaving Gainesville after college had always been the plan. Just never back to Miami, but she’d changed. She could live here now.

She checked her lip gloss while she waited for the latte at the counter.

When she accepted the promotion from part-time to full-time position, she knew she would have to face her mother and the catch of the month, Lars, her mother’s plastic surgeon. What that woman would do for a free tummy tuck.

The job she’d accepted had offered to triple her salary provided she moved to the Coral Gables office. Somehow, she’d avoid her mother until necessary. What was the man’s name with money this week? Penny ignored that last call, knowing the man with the largest wallet always took precedence over whatever Penelope needed. Getting the non-fat milk, she watched the barista finish her latte. She’d succeed here, now. She had to.

She’d call Sandra, Eva, John, and Michael later. Wyatt, her half-brother, was stationed overseas, so she’d wait for his weekly call. These people were her real family.

The man handed her the latte. The first sip gave her the strength to do this. The tightness of the ride dissipated while she tasted her liquid savior. Sighing, she tasted heaven, the wake-up to her day.

“Penelope.”

Though the unmistakable voice was deeper, she knew who it was without even turning. Her high school crush, who never noticed her beyond her brain, with a deeper tone. Pulling at her pink tank top, she wished she wore better clothes. “John Jay.”

His steely blue eyes and sandy blond hair were the same color, but his build had grown more muscular. The leanness of his youth gave way to broad shoulders and hard, muscular arms. He had a straight, faded scar on his left cheek that was new--probably a bar fight. Rich boy wore his fancy perfectly fitted polo and jeans, and was definitely hotter with age. His million-dollar smile and devastating dimples sparked a warm flush that sped through her all the way to the tips of her toes.

“I’m going by Jay these days. It’s less formal.” He winked at her, turning off his tablet, pointing her to his table.

“It’s a good name, but I still prefer Dimples,” she teased. “It’s what I called you on online whenever I needed you.”

His rich, deep laugh sent that familiar spark through her.

Damn. Rich boy knew his effect on women, including her. He could manipulate her when she went quiet, but she learned a lot of in college. She’d not let him weaken her.

“When did you get back to town?”

“I’ve been in town for, like, five minutes. I stopped in for morning coffee. How have you been?”

“Good. Busy these days. You?”

She pushed back her hair, twisting her wrist, telling herself she was not the nerdy girl with a one-sided attraction any longer.

“I have a lot going on.”

“Flirty, Warm Eyes. How come you never came home after college? The past few months you’ve been out of touch.”

“Warm Eyes” sounded new. She refused to dwell. “You noticed? I’m surprised.”

“I noticed.”

She almost lost her balance looking at those dimples.