Sunday, May 11, 2008
Guest Blogger: PAULA ROE
 My guest this week is fellow Downunder Desirabelle, Paula Roe, here to chat about her books, her writing, her website designing and her awesome self. Make her feel welcome, feel free to ask questions, I know she will be checking back to say "G'day" during the week. Hi, Paula and welcome to Bronz Blog. Let's start with a quick overview: who is Paula Roe?Paula: Ahhh, me LOL. Former secretary/office manager/computer trainer/aerobics instructor. Now full-time single mom/writer/website designer/tutor. I tend to end up with lots of "/" Must be my Gemini trait (or the fact that I get bored very easily...)Yep, I suspect the Gemini has something to do with it (not that *cough* I would understand.) So, were you always targetting Desire? Tell us about your road to publication?P: The first thing I ever wrote (way back when I was 16) was a terrible cliche of my favorite 80s historical romances. Then when I started writing for publication (a strangely optimistic pursuit for a glass-half-empty gal), I targeted Temptation. Surprise! My raw story didn't fit the guidelines, but that didn't deter me. I found Romance Writers of Australia, pored over the articles, entered a squillion contests (Bron: she's not kidding folks, check out her website for verification!) and read, read, read. Then, of course, life intervened, I had a few years travelling, then working to pay off those travels, then a marriage, a baby, a divorce. When my son was about three, I really got back into my writing again, determined to make a go of it now I was a full time mom. So after three rejections (targeting Presents, Special Edition, Intimate Moments) and 86 contest entries (and some wins), I got The Call on 6th September 2006.
That "call" was for the book published a year later as Forgotten Marriage, and it really is a cracker. Many, many people agree, as evidenced by: Borders/Waldenbooks bestseller, RT Reviewers' Choice finalist, CoRW Award of Excellence finalist... What was the most exciting part of your debut? P: :::blush:::: Thank you! Actually, this is the most exciting part - having people say they loved the story. I never get tired of it. Oh, and getting the covers. I'm like a kid in a toy shop when those covers arrive (I actually thought about copying them a thousand times, chucking them on my bed then rolling around, but the ink would get into places that's hard to scrub off...) And there's also the rush of seeing your book on an actual shelf. You just want to run around the store yelling, "That's my book! That's my book!" But with all these wonderful little bits of icing on the cake, no-one can get as excited as your writing buddies when you share your good news. They know exactly what it feels like.
Yes, we do. *g* The timing of your first sale could not have been better, in that you arrived in time to join the Diamonds Down Under continuity. How did that come about? What did you enjoy most about being part of the project?
P: Well, I was blithely going about my normal day, when Yvonne Lindsay emails to ask if I want to join this author-led continuity they had going. Seeing as it involved writers I already knew personally (except Jan, whom I'm now delighted to say is a wonderfully warm, hilarious person as well as a great writer!) I jumped at the chance. The offer actually came at a significant time, too, because it meant I'd have to write on demand, and to a set deadline. No more playing around, fiddling with words... I was actually getting paid for this! I also wondered if I could write quicker than one book every... hmmm... about 5 years or so. To my relief, I not only wrote that book in six months but the readers seem to love it, which is really where the proof lies.
That book is Boardrooms & A Billionaire Heir out right now in America. What will readers love about this story?
 P: Well, I can tell you what I loved about it. First and foremost, it's the characters, always the characters. One reviewer said I write 'complex characters' which is one massive compliment for me. And I really enjoyed Jake's huge conflict he carries around, the gorgeous love story that evolves between him and Holly, and of course, the dialog. I loooove writing dialog! I think readers will also get a thrill from the reappearance of the previous books' characters in the series. As a reader, I always love reading about that - it's like getting a phone call from an old friend you haven't seen in a while.Yes! That's exactly how I feel about linked books, too. Well said, Paula. Back to Boardrooms & A Billionaire Heir... It's set in your hometown of Sydney, right?P: Yep. I love Sydney - although didn't love it so much when I had to commute five days a week ;-) It's much better wandering around like a tourist, discovering all the places that you only breeze by on a workday. I was such a city girl LOL! Now, the city has changed so much since the Olympics, with new improved roads and shopping areas, plus a cool monorail system to take you around. I also love the water, especially near Darling Harbour, so I gave Jake an apartment in the new Sydney Wharf complex they're building just a stone's throw away. Holly got an apartment in the nicer area of Surrey Hills, and Blackstones' head office has the honor of actually being where the real-life Sydney Hilton is.
I know you had a ball coming up with those location details and I got to the use the Blackstones' office in my book as well which was cool beans. I have a feeling that this love you have of design might be a factor, both in your writing research and in your other part-time pursuit of website design (Paula does brilliant websites, folks. Check out her own site as well as Diamonds Down Under.) How did you get started in website design and is that something you will continue now your deadlines are coming fast and furious?
 P: It's the frustrated interior designer in me ;-) I loved art at school and loved the visual impact of color and shapes, but wasn't that great an artist. And with web design, I don't have to actually draw stuff, rather just shuffle things around until I like it (and my client likes it!). As to continuing it... I love the distraction of web design, it's like a mental break from writing. But I have to work it around my writing deadlines because I tend to say yes to lots of things without stopping to 'protect the work' (as Jenny Crusie advises). :-) I just redesigned Trish Morey's site and added a blog, plus am working on a Down Under Desirabelles blog in between deadlines...About those deadlines... What new stories do you have in the works?
P: Heaps - I'm a Gemini! At this moment, I'm on a 30 June deadline for my next Desire, a lovers reunited/MOC (tentatively titled The Bad Boy Billionaire), plus a possible second book involving the hero's half-brother. Then I'll be getting stuck into an exciting Aussie Desire project which is the works for 2009 (but that one's top secret for now!) As if that's not enough, I'm toying with an erotic fantasy novella, and have planned out a Desire trilogy about three Gold Coast billionaires. Oh, and I still have those Temptations and Special Editions waiting their turn to shine... not to mention a couple of websites to design...I'm tired just *thinking* about all that work, so I might just take a short nap (I may be a Gemini but I am so NOT the energiser bunny variety.) Meantime, a few short and snappy questions for Paula....Desire is... all about the romance - keep it short, fast and tight!
I can't write without... procrastinating first.On my desk you will always find... a weird black hole that attracts every scrap of paper I need to file but never do.
The perfect man is... an urban myth ;-) My favourite books are... ones that keep me reading waaaay past my bedtime.
I'm looking forward to... the day I can waltz into a real estate office and pay cash for my dream place.
To be in the draw to win a surprise collection of books (I'm hoping this will be one of the book packs I'm bidding on in the Brenda Novak auction), tell us about your favourite books. What do they have in common? How does a book earn a spot on your keeper shelf ? (NB: Comments will remain open until prize draw on May 31.) Labels: Diamonds Down Under, giveaway, Guest blogger, Paula Roe
posted by Bronwyn Jameson @ 7:10 PM  
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