Today I want to give a warm welcome to R. T. Wolfe, with her new book, Black Creek Burning. I can tell you I’ve read this book, and it’s wonderful.
R. T.: Thank you for having me, Callie. You have a beautiful blog!
Callie: It’s so nice to have you here. Tell us, if you could be a character in one of your books, who would it be, and why?
R. T. Oh, I would definitely want to be the main character, Brie Chapman. She’s smart, strong and resilient. She watched her parents die in a fire that had been actually set for her. Instead of spending her life in a cocoon of guilt, she pours herself into teaching her first grade students, acting as keynote speaker at conferences and planting new life at her landscaping job.
Callie: Yes, I agree, Brie is smart and strong. What faults do you prefer your heroes to have?
R. T.: Real ones, believable ones. Nathan Reed inherits his two young nephews after the death of his only brother. His woodworking artistry is taking off to a nationally renowned level and he’s rolling in the money. Four years and a divorce later, he realizes he is failing at parenting. Determined to keep the promise he’d made to his brother and to his nephews, he sells his woodworking studio and moves back to his hometown to be closer to the only other relatives the boys have, their grandparents. When he arrives in Northridge, New York, he finds a rundown historic farm house he feels is a perfect project for him and his nephews. As they rebuild the house, they rebuild their relationship and create memories to last a lifetime
Callie: Nathan Reed is one of my favorite heroes. On the other hand, what faults do you prefer your heroines to have?
R. T.: Black Creek Burning is the first in a trilogy. In thinking of the books in the Black Creek Trilogy, the heroines are (in this order-lol) aloof, unrefined and tainted. As a method of emotional survival, Brie Chapman’s fault is her nasty habit of keeping everyone in her life an arm’s length away. Although she has close friends and family, no one dares to enter the bubble she keeps around her…no one, that is, until Nathan Reed and his adorable nephews move in behind her and over Black Creek.
Callie: Nathan does manage to get to Brie, that’s for sure. He’s very determined, lol. What did you do immediately after receiving your first ‘call?’
R. T.: Honestly? I contacted the other publishers who had showed pending interest in my work. It was the craziest week I can remember. Seven publishers all speed reading my manuscript…I ended up with more than just the first call! In the end, I decided on Crimson Romance because of their ties with Adam’s Media and F & W Publishing but mostly because the acquisitions editor, Jennifer Lawler, seemed honestly warm and interested in my work and keeping it my work.
Callie: Yes, Jennifer does come across that way. One of the reasons I was happy to sign with Crimson myself. Now for a few fun things:
Mountain home or beach house?
Can I live in the mountain home and visit the beach house? I am an outdoors woman. I am crazy about animals. Brie Chapman and Nathan Reeds’ dogs are actually the catalyst in their first encounter. I love to work with my hands, and I enjoy hiking through the woods. However, I can spend a solid week on the beach reading my favorite authors, Nora Roberts, Janet Evanovich and James Patterson. Yup, I could certainly live in the mountains…and visit the beach house!
Jeans, t-shirt, and sneakers, or pencil skirt, silk blouse, and killer heels?
I am jeans, t-shirt, and sneakers! Hmm…these go with the mountain theme, don’t they? If you see me at a book signing, however, I do know how to put on the killer heels. J
Thanks so much for sharing all of this with us today, R. T. Now take a look at the blurb for Black Creek Burning:
Brianna Chapman learns to handle just about anything. Witnessing the murder of her parents had that effect. Knowing the unsolved arson had been meant for her is the one thing she can’t handle. Instead of dwelling, she stuffs her guilt soundly into her subconscious through diving into the teaching job she loves by day and the dirt of the landscaping business she owns by night. Her habit of remaining aloof to personal relationships is, well, working.
Will her guilt be as easy to keep buried if the killer comes back to finish the job?
In the midst of juggling a scorched yard, dead animals on her doorstep and her vandalized car, the one thing she didn’t count on was the staggering Nathan Reed. A nationally renowned woodworking artist, Nathan and his two priceless nephews move into the run-down historical house behind her and over Black Creek. They have a canny way of maneuvering around her aloof demeanor and into her heart. Will they still want to be part of her life when they discover she is haunted by past memories and hunted by present dangers?
Here are R. T.’s links:
Good morning, Callie! You are my first pre-release guest author visit and I thank you for having me here today.
-R.T. Wolfe
Hi R.T., It’s great to have you. Best of luck with Black Creek Burning. I loved the book!
I wanna be the pencil skirt and heels kind of girl, but I’m not. LOL Great interview. Good luck with the book.
Thank you, Lynn. We can just write about them in our stories! lol
-R.T.
Hey Lynn,
Thanks for stopping by. R.T. has it right. Put ‘em in your stories.
Great story, fabulous characters! I have to admit that I fell in love with Nathan! Can’t wait for the next book (:
Lisa! You came to visit! You’re so sweet. And forever thanks for your kind words about Black Creek Burning. Yes, Nathan Reed is awesome.
To Fly in the Shadows coming out soon…
-R.T.
Good morning, R.T. I can vouch for Black Creek Burning. It’s a fantastic story, and R.T. is SUCH a nice person…I’ve so enjoyed getting to know her. I’m a mountain and jeans and t-shirt gal too.
Great interview, ladies.
Thank you, Alicia. Right back at you!
-R.T.
Hi Callie. Nice to meet you R.T.! I’m a jeans and mountain cabin gal too, or give me a ranch full of horses and I’m all good.
This book sounds like one I’d definitely enjoy. I’ll have to add it to my tbr.
Calisa,
Thank you for your interest! I hope you like it…fellow jeans and t-shirt friend!
-R.T.
Hi, R.T. Good to meet you! Callie was right, your cover is Very Nice! That alone draws me in. Jeans and T-Shirt…? If I had a choice I think I’d live in my sweats. LOL I’m a city gal and jeans seem to be in, but basically anything goes nowadays…
Nice interview ladies, and RT I wish you all the best with your release,
Create a great Day,
Neecy
I do like what they did with my cover, Neecy. My editor had a lot to do with it. Although she didn’t need to contractually, she truly listened to my requests for it. Thank you for stopping by!
-R.T.
Wow, great questions and a wonderful interview! So glad I was able to visit. As for me? I’m neither heels nor sneakers. I love bare feet!
Good luck with the release and the writing!
Terri,
Thank you for stopping by!
You’re so funny. I guess you must be a beach person, too, with the bare feet.
-R.T.
RT, your book sounds divine, and I love the story of so many clammoring to obtain it. Are you going to continue with Crimson, or did their eagerness sway you to wait for a NYC offer next time?
Great interview! Can’t wait for the release of Black Creek Burning and I wish R.T. all the best of success!
Thank you, Laurie. I can’t wait to see if my publisher put your review on my book jacket. My editor was very impressed with your EPIC Award. Whoop!
-R.T.
Ann,
You are very kind. Crimson has moved to shorter stories…50K words. I write more novel length books. Therefore, I’ll need to look further. I do have a bite for my second book. We’ll see. What a great question!
-R.T.
great interview and good luck with your book(s).
Thank you, Nora. You, too!
-R.T.
Good luck with your book, it sounds great!
Thank you, D’Ann.
Great questions, Callie! Can’t wait to read Black Creek Burning, RT! Love the cover, too!
Amanda,
I hope you like it. I’ve had good reviews so far. Now, I just hope all the reviewers come through and post their reviews.
-Tanya
Great interview, Callie and R.T.! And good luck with your book, R.T., it sounds fab!
Kristina,
Yes, Callie is wonderful for having me. Her Six Sentence Sundays are one of my favorites. Your kind words are appreciated. I’ll ‘see’ you soon on your blog!
-R.T.
Great interview, ladies. I love your cover, R.T. Best of luck with this!
Thanks, Ally. They did a nice job on my cover, yes.
-R.T.
Hey, R.T.! Nice interview. As you know, I’m a huge Nathan lover and “Black Creek Burning” was truly one of those books I couldn’t put down, (unless forced to by stupid responsibilities, like caring for my kids or going to my day job). Wishing you all the best with all your books!
Hi Callie and R.T,
Great interview! I loved Black Creek Burning as well. I’m a garden person, so I loved those references. R.T., your love of dogs comes through in your writing. I loved the way you gave your heroine a tortured past, but also kept her strong and and wrote a suspenseful but heart-warming story. Your characters are very real and chose the perfect details to make Black Creek come to life!