Guest Author & A Giveaway: Marie Force

Everyone, please welcome Marie Force! When I asked her to guest here she very kindly agreed… and it worked out perfectly that she had a new book out this month! So without further ado, let’s jump right into the interview :X

1. You told me I had to ask about socks, and mentioned a puppy. Well, how do you feel about socks? Particularly toe socks, sock shoes, and … toe shoes?
LOL, Lime! We’re all about socks in our house right now—protecting them, that is. Brandy the puppy is MAD for socks. She has chewed up scores of them since we got her last March. Even though we keep her out of our bedrooms and away from the laundry room, she still finds them! With a little help from my hubby, she “gave” us all socks for Christmas. Personally, I’m a BIG fan of socks since my feet are cold year round. Absolutely on the pictures! (I asked for puppy pictures. I’m a huge dog lover!) Brandy is happy to provide her picture free of charge, but she asks that you not sell or reproduce it in any way as her image is her main source of income. (LOL—just kidding!)

2. What’s your favorite vegetable? Least favorite? (And describe the preparation too, please)
Sigh… I’m not a big fan of any of them, but if I had to choose a favorite I’d say broccoli and least favorite would be lima beans. Preparation: boil and serve. I’m not much of a cook in case you didn’t notice.

3. Can you name at least three US Supreme Court Justices without looking it up?
Of course I can! John Roberts is the chief justice, Sonya Sotomayor, Clarence Thomas, David Souter… Oh wait, you said three… Now I’m just showing off. LOL. My recent book Fatal Justice is about a murdered Supreme Court nominee, so I should be up on my Supreme Court info, right?

4. If you ever had to teach middle school, which subject would you pick to teach?
They call it ELA these days: English Language Arts, which is writing and reading. Trust me when I say you don’t want me teaching your children math. You REALLY don’t want that…

5. [For the serious people who visit…] What’s your writing process?
My writing process is very “linear.” I write the story in chronological order and edit as I go so I end up with a fairly clean first draft. Since I also work full-time and have two busy kids (15 and 12), I don’t have a lot of writing time, so I really have to make the time that I have count.

6. Who would win in a fight to the death? A Ninja or a Viking?
Yikes, I don’t have any idea! However, I wouldn’t rule out the old-school Viking. They have spears and stuff. Don’t they?

7. Which of the following “shapes” do you like most: circle, square, squiggle, triangle?
Definitely the triangle—one of my favorite things to write in romance is a good old- fashioned love triangle.

8. What author promo have you most liked doing and find has been the most effective? Do you have anything big/exciting planned?
I’ve most enjoyed the time I’ve spent on Facebook. I’ve met SO many new friends and readers, some of whom have become close friends. That has been time well spent. I have a big, fun promotion coming on my blog to plan the wedding of my Fatal characters Sam and Nick. The Fatal Destiny novella will feature their wedding, and from Feb. 1–14 I’m asking readers to vote on various choices for the wedding details, a la The Today Show. I think it’ll be fun and will help readers to visualize the wedding when they read the novella in September. My reader friends Aly Hackett and Ronlyn Howe have done all the legwork on the wedding, and they’ve come up with some beautiful choices for readers to consider. I’ve also been really enjoying the Romance & Oreos Book Club we started on my blog in November. We’ve had a lot of fun discussing some of our favorite books and chatting with some of our favorite authors, including Robyn Carr, Christy Reece, Pamela Clare, Lori Foster and others. We meet every
Thursday and newcomers are always welcome to join us.

9. What was your favorite book as a child?
I loved the Little House on the Prairie books. I read them over and over again. I also have vivid memories of reading The Thorn Birds the summer I was 14. That book made a huge impression on me. I loved it.

10. What’s your favorite type of snack and/or drink that you *must* have on hand?
Must have Diet Coke and Oreos. Must. Have.

Wasn’t Marie such a great sport, everyone? 😀 She’s busy today, so during the day she won’t be able to comment much, but hopefully in the evening Marie will stop by and answer questions and chat with us!

About Everyone Loves a Hero:
Hero pilot Cole Langston is learning to live with—and enjoy—his newfound fame and the rabid female attention that comes with it until a lucky punch knocks some sense into him and opens his eyes to true love.
When his copilot suffers a heart attack in flight, Cole lands the jetliner in a blizzard and revives the stricken captain. Catapulted to national hero status, Cole has more women vying for his attention than he knows what to do with. They all have one thing in common: they try without success to bring this happy-go-lucky pilot down to earth. Then comes an airport altercation, a punch to the face, and the lovely Olivia—a shy, timid artist who does what no other woman has ever managed to do: steal Cole’s well-protected heart. With women coming on to him everywhere they go, Olivia struggles to believe that Cole is ready for a committed relationship. His biggest problem is getting rid of all his extra ladies before the only one he wants figures out that she’s one of many. Available in bookstores and everywhere e-books are sold.

About Fatal Justice:
Supreme Court nominee Julian Sinclair comes to Washington expecting to be confirmed to the high court. Instead, he’s found shot execution-style in a city park. Detective Lt. Sam Holland’s list of suspects is long, but does it include her significant other, Senator Nick Cappuano, one of the last to see Sinclair alive? While tracking down Sinclair’s killer, Sam is also confronted with a new lead into her father’s unsolved shooting that results in unexpected danger for her. In the meantime, Sam’s partner, Detective Freddie Cruz, returns to the “scene of the crime” when he looks up Elin Svendsen, one of the late Senator John O’Connor’s sexy ex-girlfriends. After a lifetime of virtue, will Freddie be led down the road to ruin by a temptress who
wants only one thing from him?

Marie Force is the author of Fatal Affair and Fatal Justice, Books 1 and 2 in her new Fatal Series from Harlequin’s Carina Press. Book 3, Fatal Consequences, is coming in July 2011, Fatal Destiny, the Fatal Wedding Novella, in September 2011 and Book 4, Fatal Flaw, in February 2012. “This novel is ‘The O.C. does D.C.,’ and you just can’t get enough.” (RT Book Reviews, 4.5 stars for Fatal Affair). In its July 2010 issue, RT Book Reviews named Marie a “Future Star of Romantic Suspense.” Carina recently acquired Marie’s contemporary, Georgia On My Mind, coming in 2012.

Marie is the author Everyone Loves a Hero, Line of Scrimmage and Love at First Flight. Of Line of Scrimmage, Booklist said, “With its humor and endearing characters, Force’s charming novel will appeal to a broad spectrum of readers, reaching far beyond sports fans.” Wild on Books said, “Love at First Flight by Marie Force is most definitely a keeper. It is an astounding book. I loved every single word!” Marie is also the author of True North and The Fall (also available at Smashwords).
Since 1996, Marie has been the communications director for a national organization similar to RWA. She is a member of RWA’s New England, From the Heart and Published Author Special Interest Chapters. While her husband was in the Navy, Marie lived in Spain, Maryland and Florida, and she is now settled in her home state of Rhode Island. She is the mother of Emily, 15, Jake, 12, and a feisty dog named Brandy. (Pictured above!)
Find her at her website, on her blog, where she runs the popular weekly Romance & Oreos Book Club, on Facebook, and on Twitter. Marie loves to hear from readers. Contact her at [email protected].

And now… the “good stuff” – or what I know you guys want 😉 Marie (via her publisher) has very generously offered up two copies of her newest release Everyone Loves a Hero, and Marie herself will be giving away a copy of Fatal Affair and Fatal Justice – so that’s four winners! Good luck and get to commenting! Personally I think you all should ask Marie all sorts of outlandish and fun questions 😛

0 thoughts on “Guest Author & A Giveaway: Marie Force

  1. JenB

    LOL @ the socks. My 2-year-old Chihuahua doesn’t destroy socks, but she does steal them. Whenever I’m missing a sock, I can almost always go downstairs and find it in her bed. It’s cute. 🙂

    Fun interview, ladies!

    Reply
  2. Mary G

    Hi Lime & Marie
    So nice to see you together here. Lime, I’m glad you discovered Marie as an author, she’s fab. Love all her books.

    Marie, I met Lime last year (one of the highlights LOL) at Lori’s in Cincy. She’s fabulously cute, smart, funny & I’ll stop now because I don’t want to bore her.

    Lime, Marie is going to Lori’s this year. Are you?

    BTW Marie, don’t know how I missed that your dog has a sock fetish LOL.

    Reply
    1. Limecello Post author

      No no, Mary – do go one 😉 When I finally have money, remind me to slip you a check in the mail 😛
      I first read Line of Scrimmage because I loved the kindle price, and hello- FOOTBALL ROMANCE! <3 Then I was lucky enough to judge Love at First Flight in the Lories. (I’m allowed to admit that now… right?!)

      Mary – meeting YOU was one of MY highlights!!! As for Lori’s this year- you’re killing me! Are you going to be there? 🙁 As of now I have no plans of going. Last year it was spur of the moment so who knows but… :

      Reply
      1. Mary G

        I would love to go again. Got to meet Marie for sure.
        Shiloh is going I see. Some of the Beth’s girls that I hung out with are going as well as some I’ve “met” through Marie’s blog so there’s lots on incentive for me. I’m just not 100 % sure yet.

        Reply
  3. Kim in Hawaii

    Aloha, Maria! I must have Diet Coke, too! Did you drink it in Spain? Did you notice a difference between the imported DC from the commissary vs the Coke Lite off base? I prefered the imported DC).

    I’d love to hear about Spain sometime!

    Looking forward to Everybody Loves a Hero.

    Reply
  4. StacieDM

    Oh my goodness Marie I wish all my puppy focused on was socks! My cavalier, Geisha, has destroyed custom wood window blinds, sliding glass door blinds and loves to tear book jackets. Its a good thing she’s so cute! LOL
    Everyone Loves A Hero and Line Of Scrimmage sound like fun reads. I love books with humor. The Fatal books sound exciting too. Suspense is one of my favorite genres.

    Reply
  5. Marie Force

    Hi everyone,
    Thanks for the warm welcome! Brandy loves her socks but it’s not her only fetish. She also loves paper. Yesterday she shredded $8! We were ready to shoot her! My husband taped it back together, lucky for her!

    Kim,
    I did drink Diet Coke in Spain. It was a LITTLE different but not so different that I couldn’t drink it. We also had access to the American version through the base exchange. Happy to answer any questions about Spain. We had three wonderful years there, capped off by the birth of our daughter.

    Kacie, haven’t tried toe socks, but my daughter loves them. Brandy shreds the socks so we have to get them back from her!

    Thanks for all the interest and excitement about my books! Looking forward to chatting today between meetings at work!

    Reply
  6. Amy

    Just wanted to give a quick “hi” to Marie – I’ve been having so much fun planning “the wedding”. (Thank you Aly & Ronlyn)

    The first book of yours I read was Line of Scrimmage (absolutely loved it) – could not put it down!

    I will admit I am more of a paper/print book reader than an ereader. I love to snuggle in bed or in the bath and I fear for the life of an ereader! So, my question is, Marie do you prefer paper or e reading?

    Thanks!

    Reply
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  8. Marie Force

    Hi Amy,
    Thanks so much for helping to plan the wedding. It was SOOO much fun! So glad you enjoyed Line of Scrimmage!

    I am a very recent convert to e-reading and I will never go back to paper. I absolutely LOVE it, and I find I read more now that I made the leap than I did before. You can still snuggle into bed with an e-reader. Think of it as snuggling with the “story” not the delivery mechanism, if that makes sense! I’m reading paper books for a contest I’m judging right now and I can’t wait to get back to my e-reader. BTW, I tried the Kindle but it didn’t like the wireless in my house for some reason, so my daughter downloaded the Kindle app onto my iTouch iPod and now I am HOOKED!

    Reply
  9. Brandy W

    We Brandys, human and dog, just love socks. Can’t help it I guess. You will rarely find me without socks and I can destroy them in no time at all from wearing them so much.

    I heard your name bandied about a lot Marie as an author I need to read. I’ve heard nothing but good things. Now to decide where to start.

    And I’ll take Lime’s suggestion and ask a question.
    How do you eat your pizza? Knife and fork? Pick it up and go at it straight on? Fold and devour?

    Reply
  10. Marie Force

    Brandy,
    I love “people” named Brandy! 🙂 My Brandy is a person. I say it is so and thus it is!

    I’m so glad you’ve heard great things about my books. That makes me smile! If you tell me what you’re in the mood for, I can offer up a suggestion or two. 🙂

    I am a pick-it-up-and-eat-it-straight-on kind of pizza girl–when I eat it. Not a HUGE pizza eater. Once in a great while.

    Reply
    1. Brandy W

      I decided to pick Everyone Loves a Hero. It really was hard to pick but that one called me the most. I still have money on my BN gift card too so I can pick up more. 🙂

      Reply
  11. Jackie P

    I was so glad when I listened to the recommeds that were saying that Marie Force had written some excellent books that I should try her. I loved them. Then she came out with this new one “Everyone Loves A Hero” and well who knew pilots could be so sexy! I could go on and on about the Fatal series and Everyone Loves A Hero all day long. So glad Marie you took up writing. You’ve added tons of fun in my otherwise might have been boring need to getaways. Oh, and love the Brandy. 🙂

    Reply
  12. Johanna Jochum

    Wow, I have been following you everywhere! I think your books are awesome and enjoy your bookclub. I hope I have Everyone Loves a Hero read in time to talk about it! Oreos and Little house on the Praire books two of my favorite things! Thanks for sharing with us!

    Reply
  13. angel

    Hi Marie,
    I have read the first two of your books and look forward to this one. What I find amazing is that you have time to write with 2 young children to raise. I only have one and all I do is a daily blog. Many days, I don’t seem to have time to even do something as simple as that! Major kudos to you.

    Oh and IMHO, you can’t do better then a read of The Thorn Birds. 🙂

    Good luck.
    angel

    Reply
  14. Marie Force

    Thanks so much, Jackie! That is sweet of you to say. So glad you’re enjoying my books!

    Johanna, you can’t go wrong with Oreos or Little House on the Prairie! LOL!

    Hi Angel, my kids aren’t so young anymore, which makes something easier but I do a lot of running to sports practices and games and theater events and social obligations. I joke that I am nothing more than an ATM and a taxi these days! LOL on The Thorn Birds, I sooooooo loved that book!

    Reply
  15. Danielle Gorman

    I can’t wait to read these books. I was introduced to you through the planning of Nick and Sam’s wedding and now I definitely want to read their books along with your others. They looks so good.

    [email protected]

    Reply
  16. Marie Force

    Danielle,
    It’s been so great to get to know you these last few weeks planning the wedding! So happy to have you along for the ride! Come back for book club on Thursdays! We have soooo much fun and everyone is welcome to join in and to suggest favorite books/authors for upcoming meetings! 🙂

    Thanks for checking out my books!
    xo
    Marie

    Reply
  17. Angie T

    Marie,
    If that is your dachshund, I will have to try your books!! I have three of my own! 🙂 Try one of those rope chewie things…that is what broke mine of the sock fetish!

    Everyone Loves a Hero sounds really good. And I do love me some sports romances!

    Ok, for Lime, I must think of some outlandish questions….hmmmm.
    Boxers or briefs?
    Edward or Jacob?
    M&Ms-plain or peanut?
    Favorite TV show(s)?
    Am I the only person in the world who has never seen American Idol? 😉

    Reply
  18. Marie Force

    Angie T, good questions:

    Definitely boxers.

    Not a Twilight fan (I know, there are a few of us, but I tend to avoid any mention of vampires–ugh–not my thing!)

    Peanut M&Ms

    Favorite TV Show: Friday Night Lights–can’t WAIT for the final (sniff sniff) season. Best show EVER!

    Yes, you are the only person in the world who has never watched American Idol. LOL

    Reply
  19. Monica VanBeekum

    I’m a student, reader and friend of Marie’s and I am dying to read this book! I love the writer’s community on Face Book. Everyone is so encouraging and supportive.

    Yay! Another cool blog to add to my reading list! And really interesting questions for Marie too!

    I also think that Marie should write a book about Brandy and all her escapades!

    Reply
  20. Marie Force

    We sure have fun on Facebook, don’t we, Monica? 🙂 LOL on Brandy’s book. I’ve been thinking she might need her own FB profile…. She has a lot she wishes to say.

    Hope you can get ahold of ELaH soon!

    Reply
  21. ClaudiGC

    Apparently, we are the only ones who a have a cat with a collecting disorder! 🙂 She collects everything from tiny paper scraps to socks and underwear. I have found the weirdest things in her basket.
    Everybody loves a hero sounds great! Good luck with your next books!

    Reply
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