Hi Sweethearts! I'm here to introduce western romance author, Amber Leigh Williams! Amber is a multi-published romance author, a member of Romance Writers of America, former Secretary of the Gulf Coast Chapter of RWA, and a monthly contributor to Sweethearts of the West. Her first western romance, Blackest Heart, was the 1st Place More Than Magic Novella in 2009 and her historical romance, Forever Amore, was nominated for Best Book of 2009 by Long & Short Reviews. She is represented by D4EO Literary Agency.Amber, when did you begin writing? Has it been a lifelong dream?
I discovered my love of storytelling in the third grade. It started out with plays and short stories and progressed into fairy tales and, eventually, YA and romance novels. When I found out that I could make a living writing fiction, I strived to be published! So, yes, in a way it was always a dream :)
Just to get an idea about your home, do you live north, south, east, or west in the U.S.? What do you like best about your area?
I’ve lived in the South all my life, most of it on Gulf Coast of Alabama. I’m definitely a small town girl at heart. Being raised in this part of the country made me who I am so I love everything about my upbringing and the South!
I know you have books with The Wild Rose Press. They must be Western in nature, or you wouldn't be a member of Sweethearts of the West! Can you tell a little more about them? Do you write in any other genre?
I write contemporary western romance for The Wild Rose Press, more specifically for the Wayback, Texas series where a cowboy falls in love every eight seconds! The Ridges of Wayback, TX trilogy follows the lives and loves of the tree Ridge siblings – Stella, Casey, and Keefe. The first book in the trilogy, Blackest Heart, finaled in the 2009 More Than Magic Contest, placing 1st in the novella category. It features one of my favorite heroes, silent cowboy Judd Black! You can find out more here at The Wild Rose Press….
The second book, Bluest Heart, is about the younger of the two Ridge cowboys, Casey. In this story, the good boy falls for the so-called “bad girl” of Wayback, Josie Brusky. And the good boy has never been this sexy. Find out more here about Casey and Josie’s story here….
Bet it on my Heart, the final book in the trilogy features Keefe Ridge, the playboy of Wayback, who meets his match in touch, city-slicker Calli Morlani. Find out more about Bet it on my Heart here….
I’ve also published a romantic suspense, Denied Origin, with The Wild Rose Press. The Way Back Home is a western romance anthology in paperback featuring Blackest Heart. Black Lyon Publishing more recently published my historical romance, Forever Amore!
Are you always as happy as your photos depict? What makes your life really good?
Haha, I certainly hope so! I’ve been happily married for five years. I also live just a few miles from the sugar white beaches on Alabama’s coast line! If that isn’t enough to keep me happy, I have three goofy labs to keep me entertained!
If you had one wish, what would it be?
Goodness, that’s a tough one! I would probably wish for a house on the lake in north Alabama where I spent a good part of my childhood as well! I’d love to retire there one day with the hubby, and it’s the perfect place for inspiration :)
What is most satisfying in the writing/submitting/publishing details of a novel?
The most satisfying part of it all, I think, is when readers respond in a really positive way. Good reviews are one thing, but when I hear from happy readers, I know I’ve done my job well. There’s nothing more fulfilling than satisfying readers!
Do you have anything else that is special/different/new/exciting in your life? Recently, I updated my website to include bonus material from my western trilogy, the Ridges of Wayback, TX. It includes a sexy, short, Valentine’s Day snippet I wrote post-HEA for Bluest Heart as well as a deleted scene from Bet it on my Heart! Find it on the EXTRAS page at http://www.amberleighwilliams.com!
One more question: what is your favorite meal? Do you cook it, or go out?
My favorite meal consists of my mother’s chicken divan, though you won’t hear me put down my grandmother’s devilled eggs either, lol. Every summer holiday my family made our own lemon sherbet ice cream as well, which is divine! So divine I used it in Bet it on my Heart for one of my favorite scenes ;)
GIVEAWAY: Every reader who comments today or tomorrow to this post will be entered to win a ebook or audio book of their choice from the following titles – BLACKEST HEART, BLUEST HEART, and BET IT ON MY HEART. Find out more about each at my webpage here: http://www.amberleighwilliams.com/books. Read reviews for each, too, at http://www.amberleighwilliams.com/news-reviews. If you do comment, be sure to let me know which title you would prefer. I’ll draw the winner randomly Sunday, August 7th either here or at my personal blogs, The Cozy Page: http://amberleighwilliams.blogspot.com! Good luck :)
(CHANCES OF WINNING DEPEND ON THE NUMBER OF ENTRIES AND YOU MUST BE 18 YEARS OR OLDER.)
Hey Amber. Waking madly at you. Great interview the gulf coast chapter loves you. Jilian.
ReplyDeleteWaving. Geez. Auto correct is my enemy.
ReplyDeleteLoved the interview blog. I love anything western and native american. Thank you for letting me read this.
ReplyDeleteNice to learn more about you, Amber.
ReplyDeleteJillian, *waving madly back* (and one of the days I'm going to put on a cape and fight autocorrect by night)!
ReplyDeleteSharon, I love anything western and Native American as well! In fact, my bedroom is decorated with Native American dream catchers. I even have a peace pipe! *squee*
ReplyDeleteThank you, Carolyn! Hope you have a nice day :)
ReplyDeleteHey Amber! Busy, busy girl! Good luck with Sweethearts!
ReplyDeleteHi Jerri! Thanks for visiting :)
ReplyDeleteAmber,
ReplyDeleteGreat interview. I love contemporary Westerns, so I will definitely be picking these books up ASAP
Booklister, thank you! I hope you enjoy to trilogy : )
ReplyDeleteHey Amber,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed getting to know more about you in this interview. Your books sound great, and now you know I'm going to have to get them, especially the one with the hero named CASEY in it, since that's my son's name! LOL My daughter used to always ask if I would name one of my heroines after her, which I did in FIRE EYES, but I've never named a hero after my son yet. Can't wait to lay my hands on your books and get reading--just have to find a way to add about 24 more hours to each day to read all the fantastic books out there.
Awesome interview, and I really am glad to know you better!
Cheryl
Waving Amber. How much fun to get to know you. You live in a beautiful part of the country. Even though I am a Northern California girl, I love visiting the south. So many warm people and one of my addictions is gazing at the moss hanging from the gorgeous trees. :)
ReplyDeleteGood luck on selling lots of books. Your stories sound like good reads.
Cheryl - that's really neat about your son! I love the name Casey for a guy - and the Casey from BLUEST HEART is one of my favorite heroes! Hope you enjoy the books; let me know if you do!
ReplyDeletePaisley - I love Spanish moss! I love how lazy it looks when the breeze catches it :)
ReplyDeleteI also happen to be a small town girl at heart even if technically I live in a mid-size town. That's probably why I really enjoy romances set in small towns. Even better is if includes a cowboy :)
ReplyDeleteYou have good points there, so I always check your blog, it seems that you are an expert in this field. keep up the good work, My friend recommends your site.
ReplyDeleteMy blog:
rachat emprunt www.rachatdecredit.net
Hi Amber, I have all your books (and love them!) so don't enter me in the contest. Just wanted to say 'hi!' I love how you paint such vivid pictures of your beloved Alabama. I'll make it down there some day!
ReplyDeleteNa, some of my favorite books take place in small towns for that reason. Thanks for stopping by!
ReplyDeleteRachat, thank you! Hope you have a good day!
ReplyDeleteLaura, thank you so much for supporting my work! It really means a lot to me! And I can't wait for you to come down :)
ReplyDeleteHi Amber!
ReplyDeleteI am late getting here to say hello!
It was great to learn more about a fellow Sweetheart and their journey to publication and to get to know you just a bit better.
The stories sound great--I'm a huge fan of the Wayback series--I haven't had nearly as much time for reading lately as I'd like so I haven't read all the stories in the series yet. But I plan to!
Nic
And the winner chosen by the True Random Number Generator at Random.org is...Sharon Sullivan-Craver, commenter #3!
ReplyDeleteCongrats, Sharon! Send a confirmation email to amber(at)amberleighwilliams(dot)com to receive your prize.
Thank you to everyone who commented to yesterday's post!