When One Night Isn't Enough and Wendy S Marcus with Mega Giveaways!

Wendy, thanks for agreeing to do this interview. It's great to have you here!

Hi Nas! I am absolutely thrilled to be here to promote my debut Harlequin Medical Romance When One Night Isn’t Enough currently available at theMills & Boon.  And coming to the U.S. and Aus/NZ in July 2011.

Most of you don’t know, but way back, I was Nas’s first official blog follower! I am in awe of how far she’s come and how much her blog has grown since my first visit. Wow!

Thank you, Wendy!

I started off by asking her....
On Writing and Reading…

So, when did you start to write and how long did it take you to be published?

I started writing in 2007 and I received ‘The Call’ in 2010.

I bet all that juggling of jobs, relationships and commitments gives you plenty of fodder for your books. What sparks your creativity?

Of all things, I’d have to say music is what sparks my creativity.

What do you love most about being a writer?

I love social networking, interacting with other writers and readers. (And working in my pajamas is cool, too!)

What do you like least about being a writer?

Revisions.

Where were you five years before?

Working in my consulting business during the day and reading romance novels at night.

Where do you envision yourself five years from now?

Hopefully still writing romance but maybe for the single title market. At some point I would love to have a book I can purchase from the shelf of my local store.

Do you have a favorite locale or setting for your novels? What is it and why is it your favorite?

Both my books are set in upstate New York. Because I love New York and I’m familiar with it. That doesn’t mean I won’t try out some different locales in the future.

Which of the books you have written is your favorite?

Having only written two books I’d have to say I love them both equally. Really. I love the characters and the storylines. I’m equally proud of both of them. 

What one specific piece of advice would you give a would-be writer trying to kick-start a career?

Sit down and write. Stop thinking about it and talking about it. DO IT. Then put your work out there. Look for opportunities to get one on one time with editors/agents like during online pitches (like those run by Harlequin), or purchasing critiques from Brenda Novak Auction (going on now), or appointments at conferences. Do whatever you can to avoid the slush pile.  

On Romance...
Describe the ultimate romantic meal.

Cooked by my husband. (He makes a restaurant quality stuffed shrimp dish.)  And I know it’s cliché but a darkened candlelit room with soft music playing in the background – maybe some James Taylor – and a glass of chilled Pinot Grigio always does it for me. (Yup. Cheap and easy!)

What is your all-time favorite romantic movie?

The Notebook.

What is your all-time favorite romantic song or composition?

Mama’s Song by Carrie Underwood – mostly for the chorus. He is good. So good. And he treats your little girl like a real man should. He is good. So good. He makes promises he keeps. No he’s never gonna leave. Check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpFW4Yhy08k

What is the most romantic gesture or gift you have received?

I love James Taylor and last year my husband surprised me with tickets to his concert. We had a blast! Well at least I did…my husband’s not much of James Taylor fan but he likes to see me happy.

What tip would you give your readers to make their lives more romantic?

Make time for your relationship. Keep a date night. Don’t let the dog sleep in your bed. I’ll give you a pass on children since mine slept with me, on and off. But only until kindergarten. They’re old enough to ride the bus, they’re old enough to sleep in their own bed.

Where is the most romantic place you’ve ever traveled?

For my sweet sixteen my parents sent me on a trip to Europe. I found Venice at night to be wonderfully romantic. But truthfully, I find any vacation spot on the water romantic.

All About her...

Have you always wanted to be a writer?

No. I started playing around with writing when a good friend of mine spent some time in prison. You see, when I married my husband I became part of a group of friends who had been tight since high school, the husbands and the wives. There were no secrets between them. This one friend of my husband’s always tried to dig up dirt from my past. So during his incarceration I sent him long, entertaining and detailed letters – which he said were the favorites among his fellow inmates – to keep him occupied. Come to think of it…I hope he got rid of them before he came home! Anyway, I had fun writing those letters and, after reading a few books where I’d thought I could do better, I set down to draft my first romance.  

Besides writing, what other talent would you most like to have?

I would love to be able to belt out a song, in public, without embarrassing myself or sending my children running from the room – like they do when I start to dance.

What quality do you most admire in a man?

Dependability.

What is the one thing you've always wanted to do, but never had the courage to try?

Pick up a handsome stranger in a bar and go home with him. (Obviously this goes back to before I was married.) The thought excites – I mean used to excite – me. Unfortunately…or maybe fortunately I’m too cautious and distrusting to ever do it. But I have no problem writing about it!!!

 If you weren’t a writer, what would you be?

I’m a nurse by trade. I have a master’s degree in health care administration. When my children were younger I started a health care consulting business so I could work from home and make my own hours. But my goal was always to return to work as a power player in the industry once my children graduated high school. My youngest is in eighth grade. If an opportunity presented itself, I’m not sure what I’d do.   

What quote or personal saying do you live by?

Do unto others as you’d have others do unto you.

To finish up, do you have any advice/handy tips/craft skills you'd like to share with unpublished authors?

1)      Get out there and mingle with your fellow writers. Attend conferences and meetings. Speak up on loops. Visit blogs. Make friends. 

2)      Learn the guidelines for the publisher/agent you’re submitting to and follow them.

3)      Read in the genre you want to write. Know what’s out there and what’s selling.

4)      Write. Every day. No matter what. (Do as I say, not as I do because I am a notorious procrastinator.)

5)      A good book is written in revision. Just meeting the word count for submission is not enough.

6)      Find a good critique partner, someone honest who won’t feed you undeserved praise. Because trust me, an agent/editor will have no trouble telling you exactly what’s wrong with your manuscript. Wouldn’t you rather have the opportunity to fix it before it gets that far?

7)      Don’t let fear of rejection keep you from following your dreams.

8)      Don’t let actual rejection deter you from your goal of publication.

9)      Practice your craft. Take classes. Learn and grow as a writer.

10)  Never give up. The agent/editor who is the perfect match for your manuscript is out there. It’s your job to find him/her. Good luck!

NOW TELL US ABOUT WHEN ONE NIGHT ISN’T ENOUGH….

Nurse Ali Forshay has found the perfect man for her. Dependable. Routine. Boring. Exactly what she wants to ensure the quiet, stable and anonymous life she’s dreamed of since childhood. Then his friend, Dr. Jared Padget, shows up and goodbye fairytale ending. The man’s a schmoozer. A womanizer. A whoo-a-woman-into-bed-using-any-means-necessary kind of man just like her father. And Ali wants nothing to do with him. But he’s so tempting. Thank goodness his temporary assignment at Madrin Memorial is over, and he’s heading out of town.

If only he hadn’t shown up at girls’ night out on the eve of his departure. If only he hadn’t taken her up on her drunken one-time offer. If only he hadn’t come back when he’d promised to stay away…

Check out an excerpt here. 

While you’re there check out my Home Page for information on two CONTESTS I’m running. You could win one of four Amazon gift cards.

And, if you’re interested in winning a free copy of my 2in1 UK release, which includes a full novel by Janice Lynn, click on the link above to read the excerpt and send me an e-mail with the answer to this question:

What is Dr. Jared Padget’s pet name for nurse Ali Forshay? My e-mail can be found on my Contact page. Be sure to put Nas’s Blog in the subject line.

Visit me on Facebook: Wendy S Marcus

Visit me on Twitter: @WendySMarcus 

Visit me on Goodreads: Wendy S Marcus

Now, for a couple of questions to get some conversation started. Have you ever read a Harlequin Medical Romance? If so, what did you think? If no, why not? And are you willing to make mine your first? What is your idea of the perfect medical hero/heroine?