Welcome, Romance Lovers! Joining me today is Romance author Mary Ann Chulick!

   Available now at Cerridwen Press

Welcome Romance Lovers!

Romance author Mary Ann Chulick has joined me today. Mary Ann writes for Cerridewen Press, mainline romance from Ellora's Cave, and one of her books, Game Time, was nominated for the coveted “Eppie Award” for excellence in ePublished novels! Congratulations, Mary Ann!

Tell us a little about yourself, please.

I’ve been writing since age 14. My first serious novel was science fiction with a hot romance—my mother was rather shocked when she found a few pages! I’ve always been a voracious reader so I’ve enjoyed trying different genres in my own writing.

In my day job, I’m a legal indexer, which means I prepare indexes for large, multi-volume state statute codes. It’s fascinating work because I get to see how the law changes year by year.

My day job has been useful to my writing. I work with attorneys who are able to help when I have legal questions. I wouldn’t have been able to write a murder mystery without the aid of one of my co-workers, a former assistant prosecutor, who was able to answer my questions about crime scenes and arrests.

Congratulations on your success as an author. How many books do you have in print now?

I have a science-fiction story in an anthology called “Sum3” and a cozy mystery with a veterinarian hero, “All Creatures Great and…Dead.” 

Then I have two science-fiction romances, “Game Time” and its sequel, “Missed Match.”   In these books, people come from the future to interact with our century, but they’re playing reality games that are watched by a 25th century audience. “Game Time” finaled in the 2009 Eppie awards, which are given for the best e-books of the year. All of my novels are available in print and e-book, except for “Missed Match” which is e-book only.

How about giving us a blurb on Game Time?

Blurb:

Game Time

by Mary Ann Chulick

Cerridwen Press

Ana arrives from the future to play in a reality game show watched by the twenty-fifth-century audience. To win her game, she must induce preppy assistant principal Carson Wheeler to propose marriage to her. The Game designers add a fiendish complication to the game by giving Ana amnesia as soon as she enters the twenty-first century.

Carson doesn't trust women. After his first wife died, leaving him with two young children, he remarried too quickly. His second wife ran away, taking Carson's toddler daughter with her. Now Carson spends all his spare time and money trying to find his kidnapped child. He's determined to raise his son by himself and never get involved with a woman again—not even with beautiful, buxom artist Ana Valdez.

As Ana learns to cope with today's culture, she struggles with romantic and sexual longings she has never experienced before. When she regains her memory, she must choose between her twenty-fifth-century extended family and her passionate love for Carson. But both Ana and Carson remain unaware of the Game designers' ultimate and secret purpose.

Reader Advisory: This book contains explicit sexual scenes.

Sounds great!  Where can we buy this book?

Cerridwen Press

What do you love about your editor (or publisher)?

I write for Cerridwen Press, which is the mainstream imprint of Ellora’s Cave. I appreciate my publisher because it’s willing to take a chance on novels which are a little outside the established niches. For instance, “Game Time” is not your typical science-fiction novel with spaceships, new planets, or aliens—it’s more like a contemporary romance with a heroine who just happens to be from the future.

I can’t say enough good things the staff at Ellora’s Cave. The company puts out a tremendous number of publications every year, but everyone takes the time to be friendly and helpful. I really enjoy working with my editor, who always makes excellent suggestions.

What does your writing schedule look like? Are you a morning writer? A night owl?

If it were up to me, I’d write from eleven pm to three am. Unfortunately that schedule would make it hard to get up for work! I try to write for an hour or two in the evenings and for longer periods on the weekends.

Do you have a writer’s cave?

I write in a beautiful four-season room that I had built onto the back of my old house. There are huge windows on three sides, so I can look out at the sky and trees. My two dogs keep me company as I work. My biggest regret is that my husband, who died in 2005, never got to see the new room.

What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

Do everything you can to improve your craft. Although I wrote off and on for years, I took it up seriously again around the year 2000. The biggest things that helped me were:

1.) joining Romance Writers of America, a wonderful way to acquire industry knowledge,
2.) critiquing with some excellent writers, and
3.) taking many classes and workshops. No matter how good you are to begin with, you can only improve by learning more.

What is your next project?

I’m working on two stories for Ellora’s Cave, which I hope will interest my editor. After that I am thinking of writing a historical romance set during the Italian Renaissance, a time period which has always fascinated me.

Do you have any writing rituals?

I’ve worked hard to make my writing more visual. One of the ways I do that is to collect pictures that look like my characters. Sometimes I’ll draw them. I have several pictures on my website, linked to the Sample Chapters section.

Today, writers need not only write great books, but be great promoters of their books, too. What kinds of things do you do?

I have a website, www.maryannchulick.com. I also blog at www.deadlinehellions.blogspot.com

I’ll be at Romantic Times Convention in Orlando this year, where I’ll be signing “Game Time.”

Where can we buy your books, Mary Ann?

Jasmine-Jade

Thanks so much for joining us today, Mary Ann. I hope you don't mind me showing the readers some of your covers.

 Coming Up Next...An interview with Helen Woodall, editor for Ellora's Cave, Cerridwen Press, and The Lotus Circle. See you tomorrow!
 

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