I want to welcome Janet
Lane-Walters. First I’d love you to introduce yourself.
As I often tell people I’ve been writing since the dark ages
it hasn’t quite been that long. I’ve been published since 1968 with a few years
off to return to nursing to help children through college. Many of my books
have some kind of medicine involved. Some are nurse/doctor romances. Others can
contain other forms of healing since I write in several subgenres including
fantasy both YA and adult, paranormal and mysteries. I live in the scenic Hudson Valley
with my husband of fifty-five years. I’ve four children. Our youngest is an
adopted bi-racial young woman. There are now seven grandchildren, three
bi-racial and three Chinese.
Tell us about your
latest release.
Seducing the Baker
– This is the sixth and final book in the series. The heroine owns a cupcake
bakery. What fun I had researching cupcakes. The hero is a man who does
investigation work for a series of magazines and is asked by one of the editors
to have the heroine sign for a feature of Cupcakes – Sweet and Spicy. The hero
and heroine knew each other when they lived in neighboring group homes. In
face, she is the only girl who turned him down.
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 author? Do you feel you write like them?
I don’t have one favorite author. I have a lot. I don’t
think I write like any of them. Andre Norton is one of my favorite fantasy
writers, but Mercedes Lackey comes a close second. In mysteries Joan Hall Hovey
is a great read. For historicals Mary Jo Putney and Jo Beverly are some I like.
Action adventure stories finds me reading James Rollins. Would really like to
write like them all, but that would be a rather mixed up book if I tried.
2.) What was your
favorite book growing up?
While growing up I was a reader and reader. I’m not sure I
could point to a favorite because I read just about everything. Had read
through the entire local library’s children’s book section by the time I was
ten and moved to other books. I even read every one of my textbooks from
beginning to end every year. I just enjoyed escaping in the pages of books.
3.) Are you a plotter
or a pantser and why did you choose that method?
I’ve decided I either neither or both. When an idea comes, I
sit down and tell myself a story. I write this out and this totally tell story
can be from five pages to many. When I was writing my YA fantasy series there
were well over a hundred pages and I knew this wasn’t one book. The characters come
alive in my head and from there I divide this into chapters and write with
changes occurring as the characters and I decide the original idea has changed.
The one thing I am for the first two to three drafts, I write by hand. I think
better with a pen in my hand and doing this gives me time to think.
4.) Do you consider
writing a career or a hobby? Why?
Writing is an obsession. Writing is something I must do.
Therefore it’s not really a hobby and since I don’t earn enough to live on
comfortably I don’t think it’s a career. Guess I’m stuck somewhere between.
5.) What are you
working on now?
I’m working on the Cancer
Capricorn Connection the fourth in Opposites
in Love Series. The heroine, a Cancer has an eight year old child. She is a
nurse and a specialist in Rehab Medicine. The hero is an orthopedic surgeon and
a Capricorn. The kicker is that he is her child’s father and when they
graduated from college he took off on his motorcycle without telling her where
he was going. She is angry and when he comes into her life again, she has to
tell her daughter who he is.
6.) What one piece of
advice would you like to pass on to an up and coming author?
Don’t give up. Persistence pays. Find a time every day to write
and it doesn’t matter how many words you put on the paper. Just keep writing
until you reach the end. Then revise, revise, revise.
7.) If you had the
ability to time travel and your first visit was to see a younger version of
yourself what would you say to that younger self?
Life is full of interesting things. Enjoy.
8.) You just got a
million dollars, whether it’s from an inheritance, the lottery, or a sweet book
deal doesn’t matter. What would be the first thing you would buy for yourself?
A plane ticket to see my kids who live at a distance.
9.) If you could
un-invent one thing in the world what would it be?
Gun powder.
10.) What is your
favorite movie/TV Show? Why?
I enjoy most crime shows. Right now Hawaii Five-O heads the
list. Like all the actors.
Excerpt from
Seducing The Baker
Chapter Two
A frown creased Grace’s forehead. Did she know this man? Something
resonated in her memories but no name bobbed to the surface. He resembled the
faceless man of her fantasies. The hair, short and styles instead of long and
shaggy. Was he someone she’d seen on TV, except she watched cooking shows, not
sports, prime time or movies?
“How did you get in here?”
“By the door.”
His crooked grin brought a name closer to the surface. Did he look like
someone she should know? “Why did Bonnie let you come into the kitchen?”
“The arrival of a flock of customers derailed her.”
Grace sucked in a breath. Who was he? He was too young and too
well-dressed to be one of the men her mother had dragged home years ago. “Do
you really think the cupcake is good?”
“I do.” He finished the last bite and crumpled the paper. With a flick of
his wrist he tossed the small wad into the trash bin across the room. “You’ve
achieved a miracle. Edible fruitcake.”
His smooth words spread over her skin like a swatch of velvet. Whoever he
was he talked about the treat like a man who knew food. Was he a rival? Had he
come to steal her recipes? He certainly hadn’t appeared to ask for a job. Not
when he wore what looked like custom-made clothes.
“What will you call this one?”
Grace stepped back. The cold marble of the worktable edge pressed against
her back. “Fruitcake.”
“Not like any I’ve ever tasted.” He grinned. “I hate holiday parties
where the hostess pushed dark dense stuff she’d ordered by mail or baked.”
Grace laughed. “I’ve eaten some of that kind. This was my sixteenth try
to make an edible one.”
He stepped closer. “Persistence pays. You’ve created a light cake with
the traditional flavors and the right amount of fruit. The touch of rum in the
frosting is perfect.” He raked his fingers messing his perfectly stylish dark
hair. “Is it legal?”
“Just a flavor essence.” Definitely
the competition. Warmth shone in his deep brown eyes. When he stepped in
her direction she grasped the pastry bag. “Who are you?”
“Don’t you remember me? I’ve never forgotten you.”
The dimple in his left cheek made her want to touch. Seduction filled his
voice. A whiff of evergreen beneath the aroma of the bakers reached her. He
oozed the kind of danger she had to time to allow in her life. The suggestive
gleam in his eyes raised a need to run. Only, she was trapped.
He placed his hand on her arm. Though the touch was light she felt as
though his fingers branded her. “Think back, Grace.”
“I’ve never seen you before.”
“Sure you have.”
“Really?”
“I sure remember you. Years a go I made a play and you turned me down.
When I said you would be sorry, you said I would be the one to regret.”
With warp speed her thoughts flew to the fence between the group homes. Was he really? He looked so different
from the boy she’d known. The features of the face in her thoughts matured and
became the man crowding her space.
“Jules Grayson, what are you doing here?”
“Representing Good Eatin’. Since you refused to sign the contract for a
future feature article I thought the personal touch might work. I didn’t
realize who you were until you turned.”
A smile broke her somber mood. “Most of my communication was with Allie
Blakefield.”
“You and I spoke twice but the moment I mentioned the magazine you hung up.
Just listen to my spiel. I’m sure I’ll do a better job of making the case than
I did years ago.”
Though knowing he didn’t plat to steal her recipes her instincts remained
on high alert. Her thoughts raced from what had been to what ifs. Not a good place to be.
“I sent the proposal back unsigned. The feature doesn’t fit with my plans
for growing the business. A year from now or maybe two I might take a chance.
I’ve seen too many in this field move to fast and fail.”
Where You Can Find Janet:
Buy addy for Seducing The Baker
