Good morning. It’s Meet and Greet Monday! 

With us today is Romance Author, Beth Caudill.

Welcome, Beth!

Thanks Kacey, I appreciate you hosting me today.

Name one quirk you have.
When I don’t know what to say, I twirl a lock of my hair.  I do this most often when I’m sitting at the computer trying to ‘find’ my next words.

What is the most devilish thing you’ve ever done?
Freshman year of college, I joined some girlfriends in dressing up as Ladies of the Night for Halloween.  I wore a black, short leather skirt, halter top and high heels.  Not my usual attire as I prefer shirts with sleeves and skirts below my knees.  Sadly there were no guys brave enough to take us on but we had a great girls night out.

What is your favorite junk food?
I love ice cream.  Nothing like that cool, creamy goodness.  But I also love Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.  So maybe ice cream with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.

What do you like to do for fun and relax?
Reading is my #1 favorite activity.  Discovering new worlds and follow beloved characters on adventures is soothing. I usually read 3 – 5 books a week–some new and some re-reads of old favorites. I also enjoy playing Angry Birds Space and the Halloween versions of Angry Birds Seasons.

What are you a collector of?
I used to collect Boyd Bears figurines.  I stopped because I ran out of space and with two boys, nothing is safe sitting out.  Now I collect hobbies – growing roses, quilting, cross stitch, and chain maille jewelry.

Tell us about your “big break” in the publishing world. Was there any one person believe in your work first (besides yourself of course)? What did you do to celebrate your first contract?
My break was unexpected.  I’d entered a contest which specified every entry would get editor feedback.  I was totally floored to have my entry selected to appear in an anthology from The Wild Rose Press.  (The winning entry was my short story Garden Magic.)  To celebrate, my husband and I took the kids to a sit-down restaurant for dinner.
One of my college girlfriends read a lot of my early work.  Between our schedules I’ve not sent her any stories recently but we still talk books and writing when we get together.

Who do you think is hotter – Wolverine or Iron Man?
Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine is definitely hotter.  But Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man portrays a certain something that I have no problem watching Iron Man movies all day long.

What is your favorite TV Show right now?
Many of my truly favorite shows have been cancelled but I’ll go with NCIS as my favorite show.  There is something timeless about Mark Harmon.

 I totally agree, Mark Harmon is timeless!!

What is your favorite section in the current book you’re writing?
This is from Assassin’s Soul, my upcoming fantasy with romantic elements novella.
Three months was her safety zone. She shouldn’t have gone without taking a life for so long but she wanted to take a break, pretend for a moment she was normal. There hadn’t been cause for concern. Until now.
Already her clothes hung limply on her emaciated frame and control over her power deteriorated. Soon she’d turn into the walking nightmare—a soul-stealing maniac consumed with the need to suck Ellemarlene’s population dry.
Rhune would kill her before she fell that far. But it had always been her greatest fear—enjoying the rush of soul energy so much she wouldn’t ever stop.

Did you always want to be an author?
No. I wanted to be an astronaut. I wanted to go into Space.  However, life doesn’t always give us what we want.  When I became a stay-at-home mom I needed a type of sanity break.  I’ve always made up stories but I never tried writing them.  I used my kids nap time to start writing my stories.  Now I visit new worlds without leaving Earth.

A Note from Beth:
One of the first elements a writer decides on is the story setting. The characters need a place to live, eat and breathe. Earth is a straightforward choice because we all share the same point of reference. Any mention of a particular place, food or bureaucratic red tape easily draws forth an image for the reader.
But sometimes an author wants to build a new sandbox. Inspired by the planetary development of Anne McCaffrey’s Pern, I created a planet, Arilase, where legendary and mythological creatures evolved their own cultures. No humans allowed.
The first book in the series, Healer’s Fate, introduces us to the werewolves. They make the extensive forests of Arilase their home. Because the moon and moonlight are important to the wolves, I chose to have three moons orbit Arilase providing plenty of light for nighttime excursions.
The biggest obstacle for my wolves was having them travel between packs in a timely manner. Being a Star Trek and Stargate SG-1 fan, I developed an eco-friendly transport ring involving the blending of Elvish and Witch magic. Anyone can use them to travel within the ring system.
Being able to create your own planet is both freeing and terrifying. You don’t have to do things the way we do on Earth but every minor detail can be important. The most important thing to remember is you only need what’s important to the immediate story.  You can develop other aspects of the planet in later stories.

 

Healer’s Fate Blurb:
Corliss Rumdone hides behind her status as Healer to avoid the normal wolf pack hierarchical challenges. A forced mating changes the course of her life. Instead of Raymond, the beta wolf selected for her, she mates with Liam—her best friend and heir to the Alpha pair.
Liam whisks them away to a shifter retreat so they can allow the mating bond to settle in private. But interference from those seeking power and two terminal children arouse past hurts and challenge their new relationship. Even their home is not the haven it should be as Liam must watch Corliss fight for the right to stay his mate. For one healer, death becomes a weapon to balance life.

 

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