Saturday, March 6, 2010

In the Author Spotlight: Tory Richards

Cate: Please welcome Tory Richards. Tory, will you please share a short bio with us?
Tory: Sure! I live in Florida with my soul mate and three crazy cats. My full time day job pays the bills, and my part time hobby feeds my passion. I’ve been writing forever, or so it seems, but have only been a published author since 2005. My family encouraged me to submit to a publisher after reading one of my stories. That book, Cupid’s Arrow, was on the publisher’s best sellers list for two consecutive months. Talk about a confidence booster!

Cate: Tell us about The Cowboy Way, and where it's available.
Tory: Arson, murder, an escaped convict and a scorned ex-lover complicate the sizzling relationship between a rancher’s daughter, and his ranch foreman. If you like suspense, and sizzling sex than this story is for you. This torrid romance is available at: http://whiskeycreekpresstorrid.com/authors/Tory_Richards.shtml

Cate: Please tantalize us with a story blurb or excerpt.
Tory: Artist Lacey Owens comes home to her father’s ranch for a long over due visit, and a little R and R. She's not prepared for becoming the means for revenge against him by an old enemy he helped send to prison. Getting involved with her father’s ranch foreman and partner Chase Saunders isn’t in her plans either. But as unexplained incidences occur and Lacey’s life becomes threatened, fate throws her and Chase together when he makes it his mission to protect her. Her independent nature rebels against his arrogant high handed methods and tempers ignite, but it soon becomes apparent that their animosity is only a ruse to disguise the intense sexual longing stirring in their blood.

Cate: What inspired you to write about the theme?
Tory: Well…I heard cowboys were popular heroes. :)

Cate: How do you develop your plots and characters?
Tory: LOL, My characters tell me what to do. I basically write the book in rough draft and then go back and fill in the meat…several times. :)

Cate: Do you feel as if the characters live with you as you write? Do they haunt your dreams?
Tory: Not really. Although, sometimes I’ll be thinking about the next scene and the next thing I know I’m kind of in a daydream fog.

Cate: What's next for you?
Tory: I’m excited to say my first erotic short story, Talk Dirty to Me, was just picked up by a publisher. All the Right Moves is slated for re-release, in print, sometime this year with The Wild Rose Press. So 2010 is looking pretty good right now. I’m a head of my one book a year goal.

Cate: Congrats! Any other published works?
Tory: Wicked Desire and It’s All in the Jeans are offered by Whiskey Creek Press Torrid. Cupid’s Arrow and The Senator’s Daughter are offered by Whiskey Creek Press. I had three others out but they’re no longer on the market. I’m revising those and hoping to find a publisher where they’ll go into print.

Cate: Describe your writing in three words.
Tory: Sizzling, hot romance!

Cate: What’s the most challenging aspect of writing? Most rewarding?
Tory: Challenging for me is actually making time to write. I’m not very disciplined and spend far more time promoting my work and networking. Writing is a hobby for me and something I do for me. The reward is writing the end at the end of a manuscript, finding a publisher, and seeing the new book cover for the first time.

Cate: What’s the most interesting comment you have received about your books?
Tory: I’ve had a lot of readers send me personal notes saying how much they loved my writing and stories. That means a lot to me. But as far as the most interesting comment, nothing comes to mind at this time.

Cate: Who are some of your favorite authors and books? What are you reading now?
Tory: Katheleen E. Woodiwiss is my all time favorite. I just loved The Wolf and the Dove and The Flame and the Flower. I’ve also enjoyed Karen Robards, Rosemary Rogers, Barbara Cartland to name a few. I’m not reading anything right now.

Cate: Where can you be found on the web?
Tory: My website www.toryrichards.com, can link you up to any of the following: Amazon, Fictionwise, Myspace, Book Blogs, Barnes and Nobles, All Romance eBooks, Crime Space, Author Island, Author’s Den, Writers and Readers of Distinctive Fiction, Manic Readers, Coffee Time, Romance with an Attitude Blog, Book Place, and many more. I also send out a monthly newsletter so if you want to join the yahoo groups join now link is on my website and blog.

Cate: Is there anything you’d like to ask our readers?
Tory: What would they like to see in a romance that hasn’t been done yet?

Cate: Readers, Tory is giving away an ebook to a random commenter... so start commenting. She'll pick a winner a week from today and announce the winner on her blog, Romance with an Attitude.

Thanks again for being my guest, Tory!