Is that not a gorgeous cover??? (VS sighs…)

I’m very pleased to welcome Sharon Cullen as my guest today!  Her most recent book is Pleasing the Pirate. Personally, I love pirate stories so let the interview begin:

What prompted you to start writing? Oh, gosh. I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t writing. I wrote my first book when I was nine. It was about a girl and her horse and it was written in a spiral bound flip top notebook. I drew the cover art myself and stapled it on the front of the notebook. In sixth grade my teacher made us all write a book. It was hardback with illustrations we drew and everything. That was the first romance I wrote. It was about a poor family who sold their mountain land to an amusement park and all six girls (yes, six!) married very cute, rich men. LOL. So I guess you could say I’ve always been writing. My degree is in journalism but writing dry news stories wasn’t as interesting as writing about love

Which five people (real, fictional, historical) would you invite to dinner and why? Five people. This is going to be hard. Barbara Bush most definitely. The woman is the definition of class and grace. Kid Rock because he’s my favorite entertainer and he’s a very interesting fellow. Jamie Fraser from Outlander because who wouldn’t want to eat dinner with a hunky Highlander? Dr. Who. Either #10 or #11. Alien doctors? That would be an interesting dinner conversation. Captain Jack Sparrow. Because he’s a pirate and I love pirates and he’s funny. And cute.

 Which word or phrase do you most overuse in a manuscript? (VS sez: I confess to “that” being my worst word LOL) That, could, just. But I think my most overused phrase is, “he (or she) sighed” my poor characters are always sighing. I confess that I have to take most of the sighs out. (VS: OMG, I do the same thing! Actually I had a boss who said I sighed too much!)

Quickfire Questions:

Must watch  TV Show: Just one?. Once Upon a Time. Walking Dead, Raising Hope, Pawn Stars

Music  on repeat: Anything by Kid Rock. I’ve seen him five times in concert and it never gets old

Favorite Movie: The Help. The Count of Monte Christo, Breakfast Club

Cats or Dogs? Dogs! I have two.

Favorite Flower: Tulip

Tea or coffee: Neither. But if forced, tea

Sweet or spicy: Sweet.

Morning person or evening person: Evening, definitely. Don’t talk to me before noon. (VS makes note never to talk to Sharon before noon in any time zone!)

Last meal on Earth would be: Pizza! Or a Chipotle burrito

Favorite Perfume: Prada Candy

Book I Wish I’d Written: Sunshine by Catherine Anderson

What are you working on next? I am switching up genres and moving from Georgian romance to Victorian romance. My next book is about a man who suffered a head injury during the Crimean War. He and his wife have to learn to live with his injuries while trying to keep their marriage together.

What one question do you want to ask your Readers today? Do you judge a book by its cover? How important is the cover in your decision in purchasing a book.

Sharon Cullen is the author of the historical romance, The Notorious Lady Anne, Loving the Earl and Pleasing the Pirate. She’s also published in romantic suspense, paranormal romance and contemporary romance.

Her other job descriptions include chauffer, laundress, cook and mediator to her three very busy kids, her husband and two dogs. She lives in southwest Ohio with her brood although her dream is to someday retire to St. Maarten and live on the beach.

If you’d like to find out more about Sharon and her books, you can visit her website. She’s addicted to social networking so you can find her on Facebook and Twitter. Friend her! Like her! Follow her! She’d love to hang out with you and talk about her passion—books.

Where can your Readers find you online?

Amazon    Barnes & Noble    Random House

The book blurb (Pleasing the Pirate is out February 25th):

From Sharon Cullen, author of the eBook sensation Loving the Earl, comes the tale of a ruthless pirate and the Scottish lass who fills him with desire for something greater than plunder.
 
With her clan’s crops burned and their property confiscated, Mairi McFadden is desperate to free her brother from imprisonment so that he can take his rightful place as chief. Her only hope is the fierce English pirate Phin Lockwood, but the buccaneer laughs at her meager funds. His roving eyes, however, tell Mairi there’s something else he’ll take in exchange for her brother’s rescue. Though she burns with hatred for the English, she’ll do anything to save her clan.

The crown has made it clear that Phin has two choices: bring in a certain Scottish traitor or hang. And he’s not about to let a tiny, whiskey-eyed woman get in his way, even if she is pointing a gun at him. When Phin learns that Mairi’s brother is the very man he seeks, he’s more than willing to use the lass as bait. But as the moment of capture draws near, Phin is surprised by his feelings for the courageous beauty who has him considering risking his life—for someone besides himself.

Includes a special message from the editor, as well as excerpts from other Loveswept titles.

Buy Links for book:  Amazon    Barnes & Noble

Thanks for being my guest today, Sharon! Best wishes with the new book (and keep us posted on when you’re going to issue that series about the six girls, the mountaintop, the amusement park and the rich men LOL 🙂 )