L B SHIRE AND THE DEVIL WEARS LACE

Please help me welcome a new friend, L. B. Shire, to the blog. Let’s get on with her interview
.

L.B. Shire and equine friend

Caroline: Where did you grow up?

LB: I grew up in a small town in the Pacific Northwest. I was definitely a crazy horse lover/bookworm type. Lucky for me, my husband isn't scared off by the hay in my hair, or horsey things strung about the house. I have one son who I adore. The rest of my family currently includes: three horses, a Kiger mustang, a Belgium/quarter horse cross, and a bs paint, two elderly blue heelers, 12 chickens, one cat, and one goat who thinks he's a two year old.

Caroline: Who are your favorite authors and favorite genres?

LB: I've read almost every genre, but my favorite has always been Western Historical Romance. My favorite author's list goes on and on, but my top three recent would be: Sara Donati, Lauri Robinson, and Linda Lael Miller.

Caroline: Lauri and I are on a team blog, Sweethearts of the West. What’s your favorite way to relax and recharge?

LB: Reading of course, I love to escape into a good book! My hobbies are spending time with family, we love bbq's, riding my horses, reading and of course, writing!

Caroline: Do you have a favorite quote that sums up how you feel about life?

LB: I've been known to have pessimistic qualities, ☺ he he, so I try and live by the quote, "onward and upward!"

Caroline: How long have you been writing?

LB: Honestly, since the moment I learned how to hold a pencil. When I was young, I wrote adventurous horse stories, now I've added cowboys and their love interests into the mix!

Caroline: Where do you prefer to write? Do you need quiet, music, solitude? PC or laptop?

LB: I write on the couch with my laptop next to my husband, who is usually playing a computer game while the family watches TV! When I'm by myself, I like to write with an old western on the television. John Wayne and Clint Eastwood being my favorites.

Caroline: Love Clint Eastwood movies. Are you a plotter or a panzer?

LB: I have a pad of sticky notes I write down scenes as they come to mind. Then I try to write the story as quickly as possible with little to no editing.(yikes!) Then...I go back and edit, cut and rewrite. I'm trying to teach myself to be more organized and plot things out.

Caroline: Do you use real events or persons in your stories or as an inspiration for stories?

LB: I haven't yet, I have taken some experiences. My family and I spent days at a time, camping and trekking in the mountains on horseback when I was growing up. This is where my imagination really came into play. I vividly remember my heart racing while I galloped my horse down a deer trail, I was pretending to be a damsel in distress with outlaws on my tail.

Caroline: Do you set daily writing goals?

LB: I write every day, it keeps me sane. My word count varies, but average I'd say is 500 words.

Caroline: I know what you mean about sanity. We have to let those voices out into a book, don't we? What do you hope your writing brings to readers?

LB: Escapism, adventure and entertainment

Caroline: Same reason I read. What long-term plans do you have for your career?

LB: I'd like to expand my genre's in the future. I'm hoping to give YA a whirl, then maybe a contemporary western romance or two. My ultimate story for the future would incorporate my love for horses, horse mythology, and romance. That one's still churning around in my head.

Caroline: Would you like to tell us what you’re working on now?

LB: Well...I have one more Western Historical Romance I need to polish up this year for submission. Then, as I mentioned earlier, I would like to give YA a try, so I've also started a paranormal YA. I'll see where it takes me.

Caroline: YA is a very popular genre now. What advice would you give to unpublished authors?

LB:  I know I sound like a broken record, but write, write, write! It's the only way to learn the craft.

Caroline: A fun fact readers wouldn’t know about you.

LB: I like to listen to alternative rock, Nirvana and Stone Temple Pilots to name a few.

Caroline: Something about you that would surprise or shock readers.

LB: I'm a country girl, but I don't drive a pickup truck. Instead, I have my trusty old Honda accord.  Can't haul hay, but I haul lots of feed in it!

Caroline: Tell us something you learned researching your book that surprised/interested you.

LB: I researched women who could use a gun, Annie Oakley, along with  Cattle Annie and Little Britches to name a few, I found quite interesting. I like my heroines to know their way with a gun.

Caroline: Great cover! Can you give readers a blurb about your book?

LB: Here’s a blurb:

Sara McAllister wants two things in this life: revenge and a new start for the future.

Sara wants revenge. The thought of avenging her family has kept her sane these past years. Now she is so close to reaching her final goal. Joseph Murry, the man who murdered her family, will pay—with his life. She needs only to win the horse race this corrupt politician is sponsoring, finish him, take her winnings, and head west to begin a new life. But someone she never expected to see again has crossed her path, possibly changing the course of her future forever.

Slade hadn't expected to find Sara in Devils Cove—and inside a seedy little saloon, to boot. But here she is, standing before him, stunning as ever. She tells him she is going to win this race and take care of business. Slade recalls her tortured past: a man had murdered her family and left her for dead. He thought he was here to win a race, but instead finds he must protect Sara. For even though they had decided long ago to go their separate ways, the only way she will survive is if he remains by her side.


Caroline: How about an excerpt:

LB: Here’s an excerpt:

"Sara, haven't seen you for a spell," Slade called out to her. He set his bottle of whiskey on the table before him. Her face remained impassive as their eyes met. Life was about to get interesting. Having Sara in Devils Cove was a distraction he hadn't anticipated.

He watched, captivated, while she removed her dusty hat. Her long blonde hair fell in a cascade of waves around her shoulders; this sight alone sent a shot of desire pulsing through his system. My God, it's been a long time. His fingers ached to touch the silky mass.

"Damn." He groaned under his breath. Sara in the same room had set his mind into a jumble. Her luminous green eyes never wavered from his. His focus fell to her mouth, mesmerized while the tip of her tongue swept over her upper lip. Would she remember their time spent together? He could vividly recall every last detail. The woman had bewitched him long ago.

Where can readers find your books?


http://www.breathlesspress.com/devil-wears-lace 
http://www.amazon.com/Devil-Wears-Lace-ebook/dp/B007AYAZC2/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_t_1  
http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-devilwearslace-728024-340.html  

How can readers learn more about you?

You can find me at my blog, www.LBShire.com and www.goodreads.com/LBShire. Feel free to leave me a comment! I'd love to hear what you think!

Is there anything else you’d like readers to know about you?

I believe hard work keeps one honest! I've put more hours of hard work than I can count into writing with the hopes to entertain. If you read my book, I hope you'll finish satisfied. Keep Reading and Happy Trails!