Welcome Amber Polo, Author

Amber Polo, Author

Readers, please help me welcome Amber Polo today. A love of books drew Amber into a career as a librarian. A greater love turned her into a writer. Yoga teaching led her to the spiritual world. And the mystical side of Sedona, Arizona became the paranormal setting for her first novel, ROMANCING REBECCA. After living in seven states, she happily calls a small town in Arizona home.



Caroline: Amber, please tell us a little about yourself.

Amber: I spent most of my life as a librarian. (I think I helped in my grade school library.) Does that say it all? I worked in many types of libraries in a lot of states. Now I use all those places as settings in my stories. I like to say being a librarian (and an English major) held me back from writing my own fiction because I didn’t think I could compete with all those books already published. So I wrote bibliographies and computer manuals.


Caroline: Who are your favorite authors and favorite genres?


Amber: I like any author whose books grabs me. I read a lot of fantasy and mainstream fiction but romance that makes me laugh and I enjoy a scientific or anthropological plot. I love a good twist that holds me to the page.

Caroline: How many books do you read a month and what are you reading now?

Amber: I read/listen to about 2 audiobooks a week and maybe one in print. In audio I just finished THE PARTICULAR SADNESS OF LEMON CAKE by Amee Bender and THE JUNGLE by Upton Sinclair (Never read it in any of my Midwestern schools.) In print I’m into LINGER by Maggie Stiefvater and GRAB by Elise Blackwell (a great comic novel about writers and publishing).


Caroline: When you’re not writing, what’s your favorite way to relax and recharge?

Amber: I walk and as a yoga teacher, love to yoga. I live on an airpark in Arizona (the setting for my FLYING FREE) so watching the mountains and clouds works magic. I also work at transplanting cactus without mortal injuries.


Caroline: Mmm, seeing mountains is soothing. Would you like to share any guilty pleasures that feed your muse?

Amber: I bet I’m not the only author to answer chocolate. Really good chocolate! And don’t get me started about fruitcake. I even wrote a magic fruitcake in CHRISTMAS ON WHEREVER ISLAND so I could bake lots (as samples).

Caroline: I live fairly near the Collin Street Bakery, famous for their fruitcakes. You'd love their bakery. Describe yourself in three words.

Amber: Content, Smart, Flexible.

Caroline: How long have you been writing?


Amber: I fell into the fiction addiction about ten years ago.


Caroline: Where do you prefer to write?


Amber: I built the perfect office with a computer, quiet space, and a yoga mat. Plus I couldn’t write without my little Alphasmart.

Caroline: I love my office, too. Are you a plotter or a panzer?

Amber: Mostly a panzer trying to be a better plotter. Usually my scenes sort of flow from my brain to my fingers to my Alphasmart. It’s part of the magic, then comes the editing.

Caroline: Oh, yes, editing and editing and editing. Do you use real events or persons in your stories?

Amber: FLYING FREE “borrows” characteristics of some of my airpark neighbors. (Just promise not to tell them!)

Caroline: Your secret is safe. LOL Do you do your research before you begin a new project, or as you go along?


Amber: Both. I love research but it, too, can get addictive.


Caroline: Tell us about your writing schedule.

Amber: I try to set flexible goals. I work hard but take breaks in between projects unless I have deadlines.

Caroline: Do you write full time or do you have a day job.


Amber: Writing is now my job, plus I use my writing and computer skills to help with publicity and organization for non-profits in town. I also write press releases for my small town library (since I speak their language).

Caroline: How nice of you to share your talent! What do you hope your writing brings to readers?


Amber: Most important I like to make readers smile. Then I hope they painlessly learn something about a new place or a new way of looking at life.

Caroline: What advice would you give to pre-published authors?


Amber: Keep writing because you love it. Keep learning more about the craft. Don’t tie yourself to one genre. And never stop reading.


Caroline: Good advice. Tell us about your latest release.

Amber: I wrote FLYING FREE (Treble Heart Books) because I realized I lived in a very unusual neighborhood where most of my senior citizen neighbors flew airplanes out of hangers attached to their homes.


http://www.trebleheartbooks.com,%20contemporary/RomanceContemporary
Print and ebook


Caroline: Sounds interesting. Can you give us a blurb?

Amber: Here it is:


Can a meat eating Texas advertising woman find love with a vegetarian Buddhist and get her pilot's license despite interference from her wacky Arizona airpark neighbors?

Lia Bedford thinks she’s going to get her pilot’s license, sell her father’s Arizona airpark house, go back to helping beef producers sell meat, and probably find a guy just like the cheating husband who bankrupted her.

Seth Hartman thinks he’s come to Arizona to build a spiritual center, escape the community and wife that betrayed him, and create a new beginning much like the contemplative, vegetarian life he left.


While Lia tries to hide and Seth tries to fit in, their attraction, with a little help from their wacky senior citizen neighbors, pulls them together. All they have to do is conquer the fear of flying and their fear of love.

Caroline: That sounds like a fun book to read. I can’t wait to dig into it! Do you have other works out?


Amber: Yes, CHRISTMAS ON WHEREVER ISLAND (The Wild Rose Press) It's a paranormal contemporary with a sensual rating and is 67 pages long.

Link: http://www.thewildrosepress.com/christmas-on-wherever-island-p-1049.html?zenid=e6b6a05a6c40f90b6a65710a88807877

Caroline: I love Christmas books. Please give us a blurb for that one.

Amber: Of course, happy to.


A Magic Santa brings Caribbean Christmas Joy! Marti Bell is facing the prospect of a very unmerry Christmas. Reluctantly, leaving her married lover she travels toward ice, snow, and judgmental family until a magic Santa sends her to a surprise destination in the warm waters of the Caribbean.

Wherever Island would be a winter paradise except the only place to stay is the beachside cottage of romantic globetrotting photographer Cliff Holmes. Cliff wants to unwind and treat Marti to a little romantic Caribbean Christmas fun but she’s determined to stay in the warm ocean and out of hot water.

Caroline: Remind readers where they can find your books.


Amber: From my publishers The Wild Rose Press (for my paranormals – CHRISTMAS ON WHEREVER ISLAND and ROMANCING REBECCA) and Treble Heart (FLYING FREE), as well as Fictionwise, and Amazon.


Caroline: Each of your books sounds intriguing. Looks as if my TBR stack just grew. Where can readers learn more about you?

Amber: My website http://www.amberpolo.com/index.html
and WordShaping Blog http://amberpolo.blogspot.com/


Thank you so much for sharing with us today, Amber. While readers are at The Wild Rose Press, please remember to download the FREE Christmas recipe book there. And if you’re still looking for Christmas gifts for readers on your list, try Amber’s books at the above links and mine at http://www.thewildrosepress.com/caroline-clemmons-m-638.html