Skylar M. Cates On Writing, Romance and her latest story Rim Shot (interview plus giveaway)

Rim Shot by Skylar M. Cates
Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist: Kanaxa
Expected publication: September 29th 2017

Available for Purchase at:  Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

 

 

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Skylar M. Cates here today on her Rim Shot tour.  Welcome, Skylar.

~ Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Interview with Skylar M. Cates ~

How much of yourself goes into the character?

A ton! There are huge pieces of myself in all my characters. Not so much the physical descriptions, although I wish I had a six pack abs and perfect skin, lol.  The internal world of the character often mirrors parts of my world.  A character might express my fears or my hopes for the future. 

And of course, writers are always eavesdropping on conversations around them, swiping small character attributes from real life family and friends, and paying attention to the greater world for material. So be wary of hanging out with writers! We are always plotting.

How do you chose your cover?

This is a pretty involved process.  Dreamspinner will assign me an artist. I’ll fill out a form about my dream cover in detail. However, there are some limits of photo stock that can contribute to this. Another possible issue?  The way I see it in my mind just can’t be translated right. Rim Shot is a great example of this. I originally asked for a hot basketball player, his face in shadow, and killer abs on display. A hoop. A ball.

The artist sent me exactly that…But when I saw it, it wasn’t Kyle. It wasn’t my character. He was too old. The body was not right…I began to think about how this is a college story and I wanted a college feeling. I had her change the font to collegiate. She sent me the picture that is now on the cover. It screamed Micah to me. I loved it! I loved his slightly vulnerable look. We tried to rescue the basketball player aspect of the original cover idea. She added the hottie player in the background.

But you know what? It was too cluttered. I ended up going with a clean, simple cover. I ended up going with Micah on the cover, not Kyle. Totally not what I planned.

Despite not getting the original cover I pictured, I ended up with one that made me extremely happy. But it can be a weird process to end with the “one.”

Did you read romances as a teen or adult?

I did. My mom had a “secret” stash of paperback romances that she kept in her closet. *Grins*

Let’s just say I often went into her closet.

Do you like HFN or HEA?

It depends on the book, but I usually write HEA. I’m a sucker for the happy.

However, I listen to my gut on it. Rim Shot has young protagonists, so while they have a total HEA, they don’t get married or adopt kids at the end. Their HEA fits their age and their moment in time.

What’s next for you as an author?

With Dreamspinner, I am scheduled for a story in their Dreamspun Desires line titled Rocking the Cowboy.  Yep, it’s a pop star and a cowboy.

I also have a self-published book coming out. It’s sweet and light. It was supposed to be a Christmas release, but evacuating for Hurricane Irma got in my way!

I’m revising it to be a Valentine’s Day release, and I’m excited to share it with my readers.

To help motivate me with the self-publication, here is a fun question:

What is your favorite part of Valentine’s Day?

Giveaway

Giveaway: one e-copy of Rim Shot to a random commenter.  Leave your email address where you can be reached if chosen.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

THANKS FOR HOSTING ME!

BLURB

Can college roommates go from friends to lovers?

Kyle: I’m confident that with hard work, my position as point guard can carry me from rural Indiana to the NBA. I also know I’m attracted to guys, but admitting it might disappoint my father, who is all I have in this world. I have big dreams, so I’ll stay in the closet. As long as my life remains scandal-free, I have a shot.

Micah: My large family can’t spare the money to help with my education, but that won’t stop me from studying medicine. I needed to get out of the house I was sharing with my ex before I went insane. Luckily, I heard about a guy looking for a roommate. Living with a straight jock won’t be easy, but it’s a chance I’m willing to take

About the Author

Skylar M. Cates loves a good romance, especially ones that are both steamy and emotionally satisfying. She is quite happy to drink coffee, curl up with a good book, and not move all day. Her best-selling novels feature strong, passionate men. Skylar loves to craft stories where realistic men are challenged with emotional situations. Skylar’s character-driven series will often feature close-knit families, animals, and loyal friendships being tested.

Skylar dreams about spending her days writing novels, walking along the beach, and listening to good live music. She also dreams of eating dessert without weight gain and robots cleaning her house. But she knows she can’t have it all… yet. Although lately the laundry room is the farthest place she has visited, Skylar still loves to chat with people from all around the globe.

Skylar can be found on Facebook, Twitter, or on her blog.

• Web page:  https://skylarmcates.wordpress.com/
• Newsletter: (check out my newsletter for freebies): http://eepurl.com/cxODzT
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/SkylarMCates
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skylar.cates