We’ve had lots of guest on Blame It On The Muse – and we love them – so it’s really fun to “introduce” one of our own – Rebecca Clark – who just released a new book.
Rebecca J. Clark has wanted to write romance novels since she read her first Harlequin Romance at age eleven. When she’s not writing, she works as a personal fitness trainer and group exercise instructor, where she teaches Pilates, fitball and yoga. She feels very lucky to have not one, but two dream jobs: writing and fitness. Other jobs she’s worked at over the years include portrait artist, marketing director, and graphic designer. She makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, two kids, a German Shepherd beast, two cats who plot to kill the dog, a rat that comes when he’s called, and a dead gecko. In her free time, Rebecca enjoys reading, watching Criminal Minds reruns on TV, and doing absolutely nothing.
I’m excited to share Rebecca’s latest story with our readers. SHAMEFUL is the prequel to SHAMELESS, which released earlier this year (to terrific reviews, I might add).
Here’s the blurb for SHAMEFUL:
Sammy Jo’s a good girl and always plays by the rules. Okay, maybe that makes her a little boring. But tonight, she’s breaking out of her shell. She’s sneaking out of her house and going to a college party with her best friends. So what if her instincts tell her she’s making a big mistake? Instincts aren’t always right, are they?
Good morning, Rebecca! I see you have your coffee and it looks like you’re headed to the gym. Thanks for stopping by the Muse this morning. We want to hear all about your writing and your new book.
Q – You write contemporary romance, both sweet and hot. Would you say Shameful is sweet, hot or both?
Rebecca – It’s really neither. Although Shameless (the full-length novel is quite hot), Shameful is set 20 years earlier, back when my heroine Samantha was young and somewhat naive.
Q – What made you decide to write Shameful from Sammy Jo’s perspective?
Rebecca – A reader asked me what Samantha was like as a younger woman, if that tragic night from the prologue changed her. That got the wheels turning in my head, and I decided to find out by writing her story.
Q – You’re a self-avowed panster. Do you ever hit the wall or find you’ve written yourself into a corner? How do you turn that around?
Rebecca – I write myself into walls several times each story. That’s better than walking into walls though, eh? 🙂 Seriously though, I’m trying to become more of a plotter because it takes me so long and so many drafts to get through a single book. It’s all about the characters though—usually the hero. If I get stuck, it’s generally because I don’t know enough about my hero. But I don’t know who my characters are until I write the book. See my problem????
Q. What are you working on right now? Can you tell us about it?
Rebecca – I am working on a hot category-length romance about a tortured MMA fighter and the sweet yoga instructor who helps him heal. And that’s all I’ll say about it (probably because I haven’t started writing it, so I don’t really know much more about it…).
Okay…enough with the business questions! How about some fun stuff. You know, just between the two of us.
Rebecca – Ha ha. Just us and the hundreds of people who read this blog, right???
Q. The opportunity to go on a surprise vacation arises. You have 90 minutes to pack and get to the airport. Where will you go and what will you pack?
Rebecca – If I only have 90 minutes to pack and this is a surprise, then I won’t be going any place that requires shorts or bathing suit attire. That kind of vacation takes several months of extra-hard gym workouts. I’d love to go to a health spa, where all your meals are made for you and are healthy. And there are countless fitness classes to take. Where I can hike every day. And where it’s nice, quiet and peaceful…the perfect place to write.
Q. Are you more likely to be spotlighted on the TV show Hoarders or Fashion Police?
Rebecca – Ha ha ha ha! If Fashion Police is all about crappy fashion, then it’s a toss up. I wear gym clothes all day, every day (I work at a gym). If I dress up as far as jeans and makeup, my kids and husband are convinced I’m going somewhere. I’m not a hoarder, but I hate to throw things away. I like to SEE all my stuff. Clutter is my friend. It drives my neat-freak hubby crazy. But that’s what wives are for, right?
Okay, your turn. Do you have a question for our readers?
Rebecca – My husband and I were just discussing this last night… When reading a book, do you ever read the last page before you get to it? Depending on the book, I definitely will. If the author is going to kill off the hero or heroine (hello, Nicholas Sparks) I want to know. Then I’ll stop reading before I waste any more time.
What about you? Do you ever read the ending first?
If you leave a comment on the blog between now and October 31 you are automatically entered into the Halloween Spooktacular Giveaway — a big tote bag of books.
Note – the contest is closed and the winner notified.
