Introducing reader, writer and published author, Stace. R. Cole....

It's a real pleasure for me to host my first Author interview here on my blog page and even more of a pleasure that is it with one of my dear friends, Stace Cole! My lovely CP Faith Thomas and I have put together some questions for Stace to tackle, in hope that our readers can get to know her a bit better. So let the interrogation begin....I'm kidding, I'm kidding. We'll be gentle, promise! 

Lets start with a little introduction to the wonderful Stace...

***

Biography

S. R. Cole has always been a huge lover of romantic fiction. She loves nothing more than curling up with a good book and falling in love with a sexy hero. The biggest heroes in her life though, don’t come from romance novels. They’re neither sexy cowboys or gun wielding bodyguards. They are however, two amazing men from America, called Ben & Jerry!

A mum with three lovely but oh-so-cheeky daughters, Cole spends her days playing hide and seek, baking cookies and scrapbooking with her girls.

By night, she curls up under the duvet, with her laptop and a glass of something naughty and competes with herself to beat the previous day’s word count as she creates her own perfect heroes.

***

    

So Stace, firstly how are you feeling about your new debut release? (Congratulations by the way!) Pretty exciting time for you huh?

Thanks Sam! I’m very excited to be here with you today.
It is pretty exciting yes, but also terribly nerve-wracking! Of course writers improve the longer they write and the more they write, but as this is my first published book, I want to make a good impression. I’m completely in love with my hero, Bill and I want others to fall for him too.

Take us back, what initially got you into writing and your passion for books?
My brother passed away when I was ten and I wrote a poem about him in school. It was then that I realized how good it felt to get what I was thinking and feeling on paper. I have been a book worm all my adult life, so writing what I love to read as been a natural progression.

"Wild Bill Williams didn't plan on becoming a father, but when Doctor Carrie Carlton turned up on his doorstep pregnant and in danger, Bill knew he couldn't turn her away. In a desperate bid to save the life of his unborn child, rancher and bodyguard Bill did the only thing he could do, propose!"

What inspired you to write The Bodyguard’s Secret Baby?

I love bodyguards. I love protective men and I love cowboys. I’m also a huge lover of secret baby stories and medical romance, so I wanted to write something that combined everything I love in one book.

Are any of your characters based on real people, or are they completely from imagination?

They are all from my imagination, although all of my heroes have a little of my friend Maurice in them. He is my own personal hero and so I can’t help but think of him when I write. Later this year, I’ll be writing two fire-fighter stories, there will be a lot of him in them.

What genre of story do you enjoy writing? Romance obviously, any others tucked up your sleeve…?

I do have something else up my sleeve right now that I am hoping to start work on in the next few weeks, but I’m keeping it under my hat for now. 

Who is your favorite writer? And what is your favorite book?

Oh gosh, there are just too many to choose from. I love Shirley Jump, Melissa McClone, Donna Alward, Maya Angelou and of course, E. L. James. I’m totally hooked on the fifty Shades series right now.

What is your writing schedule like? Do you have a method? Are you a pantser or a plotter?

I’m a pantser, all the way. Plotting really doesn’t work for me as I am too fickle. I never know which direction I’m going to take so I try not to plan too much.

Where do you find/take inspiration from?

Honestly? I really don’t know. An idea just pops in my head and if I like it, I go with it. So I guess you could say I’m inspired by my gut!

If there was just one thing you could say to your readers, what 
would it be?
THANK YOU! You're my reason for writing and sharing my work with you is a huge honour.

Other than writing (obviously!) What other things do you like to do in your free time? 
I love to read, but that’s pretty much a given. I also love to bake, scrapbook, listen to music. I also love to shop and of course, eat chocolate.

Some quick, fun questions...

Starter (appetiser for my American friend! Faith!) or dessert?

Both – I’m greedy!

Summer or Winter?

Winter. I hate the heat.

Favorite colour?

Oooh, that’s a tough one! I love purple, but I’m also a huge lover of red, gold and brown too. I really can’t choose my fave out of those. - Purple's my favourite too! 

Place you were born?

London

Star sign?

Gemini

Favourite food?

Indian and of course Ben & Jerry’s!

Favourite biscuit? 
Chocolate Hob Knobs.

Name one thing you are scared of.

Spiders! Urgh!

If you were stranded on a desert island (don’t worry help is on its way!) Who would you like to be stranded with for a day or two?

Ha, this question made me laugh!
I really should say my boyfriend, but I’m going to say George Clooney. Or maybe Jensen Ackles or David Boreanaz. Hmm, can I choose all of them? - I knew you were going to say Clooney!! 

Where in the world would you most like to visit right at this moment in time?

The US! I want to visit every state before I die. So far I’ve only managed California, so I have a lot of work to do and a lot of books to sell to achieve my goal!

Lastly, what is next for S. R. Cole…
At this moment in time? Popping to the shop to buy some Coke! I’m a caffeine addict and I’m all out! Beyond that, my plans are not quite so well thought out. I live for the moment so I don’t really think ahead. I do know that there’s lots more writing to come, including a collaboration that will be completely different to my usual writing style. And of course, I’m working on my second cowboy-bodyguard story, featuring Bill’s brother, Danny. Both books will be being launched together in paperback later this year.

....And what advice would you give to any aspiring authors out there?

Just follow your heart. There are so many tips and courses on the practical side of writing out there, but they are all completely useless if you don’t believe in yourself first. Find your voice and stay true to it. And don't be ashamed or afraid to live or dream.

Contact details for S. R. Cole:

You can reach me via Facebook
www.facebook.com/writerstace

On Twitter

@writerstace

And via my blog

www.stacemcsweeney.blogspot.co.uk

And where can we purchase your book? 
The Bodyguard's Secret Baby

Before I go, I’d just like to say a huge thank you to you for having me here today and for helping me celebrate my book launch. x - You are absoloutly welcome! Would love for you to stop by more often for a virtual cuppa and a biscuit (I may go all out and treat you to Hob knobs). All the best with The Bodyguard's Secret Baby and the rest of your book launch, I'm sure it will do ridiculously well. 

Right now, I have a date with Bodyguard Bill!  

'Til next time!

Sam and Faith :-) 

x

                     

Converse ..... worthy of a blog!

We have a wedding to go to in August. It's my cousin's and he is really in converse trainers and stuff like that., so I knew he'd love my twin boys to attend wearing something funky. When I saw the Converse range did a toddler sized pair of Dr Seuss Thing 1 and Thing 2 style trainers, I knew there and then the boys HAD TO HAVE THEM!!!

This was when the mission to buy commenced.

Step 1 - I looked on the converse.com site and tried to see if I could purchase from USA (as UK did not  stock these items). No luck. So...

Step 2 - I called USA Converse head office (desperate measures I know!) and asked if there was ANY way (in my nicest voice) if they could ship to England, pretty pretty please. But no...

Step 3 - I asked my favourite all American buddy, Faith Thomas to help a gal out! Which she oh so did! With a few clicks of a button (and a shake of a lamb's tail, hypothetically) Faith had ordered them and they were soon winging their way to her humble abode to be labelled up and forwarded to your's truly.

This morning the postman knocked and there they were, all the way from across the globe! I unwrapped them like an excited kid at christmas and straight away got the boys to try them on. They are just the cutest things! I LoVe LoVe LoVe them! Thought I'd share a little pic or two with you all :-)

Til' next time!

Sam
x

My take on Fifty Shades!

*** SPOILER ALERT ***

Whilst food shopping in Asda the other week (couldn't be any further from the scandalous, opulent and lust infused life of Ana and Grey), there I was picking out the nicest looking satsumas and bananas (wink wink) when I saw one of their promotion stands full to the brim with copies of Fifty Shades of Grey, Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed. Funnily enough, a couple of days before, I'd seen E.L.James talking on Lorraine (it was on in the background whilst I was doing the boys breakfast!) and wondered what all the fuss was about. I couldn't resist trying out this so called "Mummy Porn" so I popped a copy of the first instalment into my trolley and off I marched back down the fruit and veg aisle, blissfully unaware of what tantalising treats that laid between the pages! 

So, for anyone who has been living with under a rock, in a cave on a far away deserted island, the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy originated from E.L.James's fan fiction based on the Twilight Saga. It's basically about a young graduate student named Anastasia Steele who trundles off to interview one of the most renowned business tycoons in the USA AKA Mr Grey (CEO, the BDSM lover, red room of pain owner, man of orgasmic talents and not forgetting the master of the universe!) Having stumbled into Grey's office, purchasing a few cable ties, handcuffs and a flogger along the way, swiftly followed by a cheeky Charlie Tango helicopter ride later, Ana and Christian are good to go! 

So, a few days later I started reading book number one and if I'm honest, found the first chapter a bit slow and did wonder what all the media hype was in-aid of. To begin with I didn't really like reading in the first person POV, but as I carried on I came around the style and actually quite love it now (I also enjoyed the way E.L.James wove Ana's subconscious inner goddess into her thoughts every now and then! And of-course loved the way she'd look over her half moon specs at Ana in disgust, tapping her foot and tutting away in shame!) Anyway, I carried on and so pleased I did, because that right there people is the moment I fell in-love with the book (s)! Hook, line and sinker comes to mind :-)I found myself reading at every single opportunity; when the kids were napping I had book in hand, stirring the dinner I had book in the other hand! I even took it to work with me and made sure I took my lunch break just so I could have "my" time with Mr Grey (I'm a geek, I know!)

A lot of review sites have slated E.L.James for her apparently poor writing style? Personally I don't think it's poor. But, even if I did think that, so what! They are written well enough for people to go and purchase thousands of copies, so she must have done something right! Stop hating! Remember people, this is just a book. A piece of fantasy. Fiction. It's not real. Just because you buy and happen to like FSOG does not mean you have become a BDSM lover! Yes, it is a cheesy read and very far fetched, but hey, isnt that what love stories and reading are all about? Taking you to another place, making you believe in the unbelievable?

I won't go into details of the plot as I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't read it yet (why not?) I appreciate it isn't everybody's cup of tea, but personally I adored each and every book. Once you get past the graphic sex preferences in book one, two and three are far tamer and explore why Grey is the way he is. You can sit and watch as their relationship becomes more real and gentle. 

I fell over and over and over in-love with Christian Grey, for all of his lovely qualities and his faults (though we would have to have words about the whips and a certain type of plug!! Yuck!) I love his dominant and powerful side, full of assertiveness and control. Yet shards of vulnerability shine through as the books progress and open him up to the reader, making him more likeable and understandable. I liked Anastasia too, she's sweet and innocent, yet the only one who is strong enough to tame the wild beast (so to speak). Fair enough, she does get a little annoying at times with all of her "Oh my" 's and "His trousers hung "that" way" comments but come on, leave the girl alone! She's infatuated with the guy who has popped her cherry, single handedly flown her about in a private jet and 'copter, given her multiple orgasms (he can't be based on a real guy?) and is building her a new home with a meadow for a garden. Surely you would also be "Oh my!" 

Predominantly it's a love story, full of passion, love and lust (and of-course some Kinky F*ckery). As it says on the covers, it will obsess you!

I've just finished the third book and all I can say is LOVE LOVE LOVE it. Simple as that! I enjoyed the cheesiness of it, the whole whirlwind relationship and the escapism it lends to the reader. I feel like FSOG trilogy will be one of those worldwide hype phenomenon's, which enters practically every home, like Twilight and Potter. We are now experiencing the Grey Generation people! I hope the film stays true to the book as much as possible and of-course has a fitty play the infamous Mr Grey! My two proposals are Alex Pettyfer and Alexander Skarsgard...deeeeelish! 

 


So, enough of my ramblings. Try it for yourself and see :-) 

Til next time. 

Laters, Baby.



Signed, The Official Mrs Christian Grey :-p 

Fav quote from FSOG: "I don't make love, I fuck...hard."

http://www.eljamesauthor.com/ 

London, Baby!

The Hubby and I went to London yesterday and we were actually blessed with nice weather up until when we were leaving to come home! Cue the rain, rain, rain! (English summer, English summer, where art thou?)

So, off we went to the Royal Gallery to see the Leonardo Da Vinci Anatomist Exhibit! We'd left the twins at home with a baby-sitting Nan (thanks Mum!) so we were free from routines and tantrums! We felt like two rebellious teenagers hitting the town (even though we were only off to an art gallery and home by five! Wild!)

I'd bought the tickets for my Husband's birthday as he'd said he'd really love to go. I do like Art, but I was a bit sceptical about liking this exhibit for some reason, looking at a load of old drawings of body parts...hmm.

Anyway, after a stroll through the Royal Gardens, in we went and all I can say is, if you have the opportunity, GO! It really was breathtakingly wonderful. Unique. Eerie. Stunning. Weird. Beautiful. I can't really describe it. It was as if you kind of step back into the 1500's and you are there with him, looking over his shoulder at his works. You can imagine him drawing away by candle light, with old fashioned inks and materials. The ambience, the music, the settings, all added to this unique sensation I felt. Da Vinci's intricacy and attention to detail was simply outstanding and mesmerising. He was certainly well ahead of his times.

I've posted a couple of my favourite images below to share with you all

  

Now, If I can use the same effort and detail Da Vinci put into his drawings and studies, into my writing, I will be laughing! :-)

'Til next time! :-)

Sam x