Interview with Karen Erickson – Entangled In Romance

Karen is here to tell it to us straight…

How do you celebrate when you finish writing a book?

I don’t really ever celebrate. I do try and give myself a break, at least a week off or something. Though if my schedule is really full (like it currently is), then I give myself a day or two then get right back at it.

Wow. Typing that made me realize I need to celebrate more often!

Do you usually begin a book with a character or a plot?

It varies! Usually though, it’s the characters that come first and the plot grows from that.

What was the inspiration for your book?

Well, who wouldn’t want to write about sexy, hunky football players, right? *winks* I can’t quite remember how it came about. I signed on with the Bliss imprint and then Entangled announced the Brazen line. I knew that was right up my alley and somehow, football players came into my mind. Next thing I know, I’m writing a proposal.

Here’s the funny thing—there are at least three-four versions of those first three chapters on my computer. One set of three chapters that I scrapped completely, as in, they are completely different characters with different names, motives, the works. I rarely do that sort of thing so I’m not sure what happened there…

How difficult is if for you to come up with a title for your books?

Sometimes, the titles come to me so easily. Originally, I called Game for Marriage – Game for It. But that’s what we’re calling the series instead so that worked out, huh?

I know some authors who can’t write the book unless it has a title. Thankfully I don’t have that problem. For instance, I have a book started that’s called Willow + Nick. And if you’ve read Game For Marriage, then there’s a hint for who’s coming next!

Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

Finish the book. That’s the best piece of advice I can give any writer just starting out. I started and stopped a bazillion little projects for years. Once I finally sat down and wrote something from start to finish (and it was crap, don’t get me wrong, LOL), I realized, ‘Hey, I can do this’. Huge motivator.

What jobs have you had on your way to becoming a writer?

I was an intern at my local newspaper for two years—that was interesting. Many years in retail management (oh, the stories I could tell), and many more years as an assistant to the owner of a RV dealership. Now that’s where the stories were—I could write a memoir about working there, but no one would believe any of it happened so…yeah. J

I met my husband of eleven years at that RV dealership by the way. Office romance for the win!

Are you a pantster or a plotter?

A pantster forced to be somewhat of a plotter when I sell on proposal. If I plot too much, it takes all of the fun out of it for me. I’d rather just run with it and let the characters tell me what to do next. Sounds sort of crazy but hey, that’s the method to my madness.

Do you prefer print books or eBooks?

eBooks almost exclusively now. I do love a print book but I have a Kindle, and there’s something so wonderful—and dangerous—about hitting that buy now button and having the book appear instantly. No storage issues. I LOVE my Kindle!

What’s in the works for you?

My second Bliss title (Cameron’s Homecoming) will be out later this spring. I can’t wait. I fell madly in love with the hero while writing it and I hope readers love him too! I also hope to have more Game For It books out later this year as well.

About Game for Marriage

He’s going in deep to make her his…

Struggling artist Sheridan Harper never imagined she’d spend a sizzling night with Jared Quinn, the smoking-hot star quarterback of her local professional football team, the San Jose Hawks. And she’s even more shocked when Jared’s publicist offers her a proposition: a fake marriage to keep Jared out of the gossip mags. Being that close to Jared would be too tempting, so to protect her heart, she insists on secretly including a clause forbidding sex between them.

Jared just wants to keep his starting QB job and keep it in San Jose. His reputation as a ladies’ man has landed him in the headlines one too many times, but there’s something about his kind, passionate new wife that tempts him beyond reason. Any sort of intimacy between them is completely forbidden, but as their bodies fall in deep, will their hearts follow suit?

Title: Game for Marriage (Game for It, #1)
Author: Karen Erickson
Genre: Category – Contemporary
Length: 225
Release Date: January 2013
ISBN: 978-1-62266-797-0
Imprint: Brazen