Inteview + Giveaway || Miles Apart by Rhonda L. James

Synopsis:

From the author of Across the Miles, comes the sequel to the love story of Sebastian and Brooke. Go back to the days after Brooke left for London, and find out what happened to place Sebastian in that hotel room with nothing but memories and a bottle of whiskey.

What happens to America's favorite rock star when his picture perfect life falls apart? Again…

Sebastian and Brooke had a fairy tale romance, until one choice tore them apart. Brooke's decision to move away and run Max Wolf's struggling restaurant, Lardon's, stands in the way of Sebastian's plan to propose on the night of his birthday. They have a fight and he takes off, leaving her to board a plane to London without saying goodbye. While there, she meets Reid, a handsome chef who just happens to live in the same building she now calls home. Their newfound friendship, and Reid's attraction to her, only adds to the strain on her already fragile relationship with Sebastian.

Then, one out of control night changes everything as they know it, and their relationship is put to the test. Now, do they fight for what they love? Or choose to walk away?

Will facing your demons destroy you? Or make you stronger?

Surely, a love that was meant to be can face any obstacle.

A force too strong to ignore...

A need so deep it aches...

Undying love...

A heart may be broken, but it keeps on beating. AND NEVER GIVES UP.

EXCERPT

          “Mind if I join you?” came a deep voice, sounding a little out of breath and dangerously close. I turned and gasped, immediately drawn to the sapphire blue eyes staring back at me. Butterflies instantly began fluttering around in my empty stomach. My gaze flitted over his face, and I couldn’t help but linger over the pair of perfectly shaped lips that turned up into a slight grin when I didn’t stop staring. Two small silver studs winked at me from the lower right side of his mouth. They were called viper bites. I only knew this because one of the young guys that worked kitchen prep at my restaurant had the same piercing. On him, it looked slightly weird. On this guy, it was unbelievably hot. He looked vaguely familiar, though I couldn’t quite put my finger on where I had seen him. Perhaps he was one of the many famous people that adorned this city, or maybe he just resembled one of them. Either way, he was breathtaking, and for a brief moment, I completely forgot what had led me to sit on this bench in the first place.

Interview

1. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
          I've always loved writing. I used to spend my time writing poetry when I was a teenager. I wrote mostly poems of tragic love, or longing for love. I was a pretty dramatic teen! I wrote my first romance novel at the age of 16. It's still hidden away for safe keeping. Then, when I was senior in high school I told everyone that I would be a famous author one day. I'm still holding out hope for that dream!

2. How long does it take you to write a book?
          Across the Miles and Miles Apart each took me two months of focused writing to complete. My family knows that once I get an idea I shut everything else out and stare at the computer for hours on end. They don't always like it, but they understand.

3. Where do you get ideas for your books?
          Oddly enough, my ideas come to me at the most random times. Usually when I am not in a place to write them down. The idea for Across the Miles came to me in a dream. I woke the next morning and started pounding the keyboard. I have to say that I get the best ideas when I'm in the shower. I joke and tell my husband that I need to get a waterproof recorder and keep it in there with me.

4. What do you do when you're not writing?
          Reading or cooking. I read whenever I get a chance. I love getting lost in a book.

5. What does your family think of your writing?
          The only one in my family who has actually read what I've written has been my sister, and she loves it all. She has been my biggest cheerleader.

6. What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
          I continue to be amazed at how much fun it is to write the dialogue between characters. I find myself getting lost in each character, even getting mad at them when they say the wrong things!

7. How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?
          I've written two books that I have published. It's hard to say which is my favorite. I love them both because they were such a large part of my life for weeks on end. I guess that I would say that Miles Apart is my favorite, only because I basically had to bleed to get that one on paper. I fought an inner battle and suffered from writers block for three weeks, but I pulled through, and I love the end result.

8. Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?
          Not many yet, but I would love to hear from them. I love reading reviews, even if they are negative. I believe I can only grow as a writer, and feedback from readers is crucial. I know that they probably read my books and wondered why I didn't include sex scenes. I've had comments about that in some reviews. My whole intention while writing this series was to keep it clean. That's not to say that I don't enjoy writing a steamy scene, I truly do, but I felt that it wasn't imperative to the plot of Sebastian and Brooke's story. The sequel indicates that they are sexually active, but details are not given.

9. Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?
          I learned that it's a lot harder to write a 'clean' book as opposed to one that is loaded with sex. Those are the books that I love to read. In the end, I am glad that I veered off course and stuck to my guns with this series, after all, they are known as The Not So Bad Boys of Rock!

10. How did you come up with the book title?
          Good question. I found that coming up with a title was harder than writing the content. I had been trying to come up with a way to write a romance novel that didn't include sex. I figured one easy way to avoid temptation was to have them live in separate states. I had the name for my male lead already written down and I wanted to make a play on his last name. I then went on to think about couples that make it work long distance and the phrase 'I love you across the miles' came to mind. Hence, a title was born.

11. Is there anything you would like to change in your latest book?
          No. In the end the story was told the way that the characters spoke it to me. Overall, I am very pleased.

12. Are there any story behind the cover of your book? What are they?
          For Across the Miles I didn't want to feature the couples faces. I had stressed for weeks trying to find the perfect photo for a cover. I poured over more than 800 images and every one I looked through didn't match the image in my head. Unless I got the rights to use an image of the male model that was my muse, Devin Paisley, I knew I had to find one that only feature their lower half. I was pleased with the finished product, but I still would have preferred to feature that hunk!

13. Can you describe your writing process?
          I prefer to write in the early morning hours, or late into the night. I work best when the house is empty. I like to talk out my scenes. I often joke that I would make a great screenwriter. I am bad to not write out my ideas on paper. When I do, I have little scraps of paper floating around and then seem to lose them. I do best when I keep them mentally tucked away. I'm sure that I have lost more ideas than I have kept. I always seem to have another story idea lying in the back of my brain. I am currently working on three books, two in my head and one on paper.

14. Do you have writing inspirations? Who are they?
          I have several. I would love to be able to write wit like Kylie Scott, character development and dialogue like Mia Sheridan, and romance like Corinne Michaels. If I could someday meet them I would have to give them my signature bone-crushing hug and thank them for hours of entertainment. I've read each of their books so many times I've lost track.

15. What's your favorite genre?
          Contemporary Romance, but I also love a well-written erotica!

* What's next for you?
          I have two more books in The Not So Bad Boys of Rock series. All Hand Off Dek is slated to release at the end of September 2015, and Under the Gunn is targeted for December 2015.

          I'm also working on a YA book tentatively titled Permanently. It's the story of two popular teens struggling to get through life without everyone finding out their hidden secrets. The friendship they share is based on truth, for they've discovered each other's worst nightmare, and together they offer the support and love needed to get through the day to day hell, otherwise known as high school.