Friday, May 30, 2008

Well, I'm on a roll now. Here today is my friend and Chapter mate, Amy Ruttan! Hi Ho Matey, Arrghh!! *Aside: I'm practicing the pirate speak since one of Amy's TWO May releases is a fantastic pirate romance, but I have a feeling I may just have to leave that to the crew on board the Romance Writers' Revenge!

JK: I want to thank you so much for um..."offering" to be my special guest today. Try not to pull too much on that rope. You wouldn’t want to chafe your wrists.

Amy: He he he, well I do write for Ellora’s Cave. Thankfully, they teach us all about chaffing.

JK: So, let’s start with the most important question: Don’t you think my blog totally rocks? It’s just too bad nobody comes by to read it. I did mention that didn’t I? Oh, sorry. I didn’t know you actually wanted to get something useful out of this. But with that in mind, I guess you’ll want to mention your new book?

Amy: I love your blog. I visit! Aren’t I somebody? Ooh that’s pretty bad grammar, LOL. Sure, I can mention my books, since I have two releases this month. My first release this month was May 22nd at Ellora’s Cave and it’s titled Oh Yum! Love Thy Neighbour. The Oh Yum! Series is about older women and younger men. My second release this month is through Cerridwen Press and it’s titled Fox’s Bride. It’s a historical romance about a woman pirate and her aristocratic husband.

JK: Ok, enough about that. What really matters is that you promise to name your next character after me. What do you mean you don’t know my real name? I thought we were friends. Do you want me to have to keep that rope on all day? Oh wait, you’re not writing a historical are you? I don’t know if I want to be in a historical. I swear way too much for that kind of character. What is your next book about by the way? Details woman. Details.

Amy: LOL!! Ooh you really do crack a whip don’t you, and you always seem so shy and unassuming. I just finished a historical that is set in 1880 Scotland. I also just finished a book that I targeted at the Shomi Fiction line. Currently, though I’m working on a couple of stories for Ellora’s Cave and one for Harlequin.

JK: Wow, you’re pretty busy. I'm flattered that you made time for this interview, but now I feel kinda bad about the hundred emails I sent you. Um, anyway, moving right along, here’s a question I’ll bet you’ve never had before. What’s your favourite colour? Food? Place to visit?

Amy: Nope, never been asked that. Colour Pink. Food pasta and favourite place to visit, Northern Ontario. I love me some Muskokas.

JK: Are you bored yet?

Amy: Always. Just kidding I have no time to be bored.

JK: Oh, okay, I’ve got a good one. If you were magically transported through time via the awesome magic of television what character of Buffy the Vampire Slayer would you most want to be? (Um, I wouldn’t pick the Inca Mummy girl...she dies)

Amy: I don’t watch Buffy. I’ve never seen Buffy. *shaking head in shame*, but I guess I would want to be a character that snogs James Marsters aka Spike. I do know who he is via Torchwood.

JK: Yeah, Spike is hot. But geez, you’ve never watched it? Even once? And you’re my friend? Something is wrong here.

Okay, was there anything else you wanted to tell my five readers? (*whisper* This is your only chance, better make it good)

Amy: PRESSURE!!! ACK!! I don’t think I can handle it. Well, don’t give up on your dreams. I always wanted to be a writer, and I just kept working and now my dreams are coming true. Umm, watch Torchwood. And if you sign up for my newsletter you have a chance to win some pretty cool prizes. I love having contests. Ok, that was pretty pathetic, but that whip crack hurt me back a bit. (Talking in a Welsh accent). LOL!

JK: Right, like I’m gonna watch Torchwood now that I found out you never saw one Buffy episode.

Great, I guess that about covers everything anyone would ever want to know about you. So why don’t we just put that gag back in...

Thanks so much for visiting!

Amy: Mmfank froo fro mraving ree.

19 comments:

Tiffany Clare said...

I think you two might need a safe-word when you play together.

Cute interview...

Amy, how did you come up with the idea of a femme pirate with an aristo hubby?

Amy Ruttan said...

I think Cut Throat Island kind of inspired her.

Well, the female pirate aspect. And I always loved books about arrange marriages. I just reversed the roles a bit, made the man unawares that his wife was a pirate.

It just flowed from there.

Amy Ruttan said...

Oh yes Tiffany. We do have a safe word. She just won't tell me what it is.

Really, you should see her at our meetings. She's so quiet!!! LOL!

Tiffany Clare said...

Pfft... she is not that quiet! LOL mind you I haven't been to a meeting in a wee while.

J.K. Coi said...

Tiff, don't make me tie you up too.

Tiffany Clare said...

I'm good with knots...

M. said...

Hi JK and Amy -
so the two of you together mean - immortal pirates?

Amy - I'm looking forward to reading Fox's Bride. The only other published nanovel I've read was 'Time off for Good Behaviour', which I loved, so the precedent is great!

Wylie Kinson said...

Bwahahaha - you two crack me up!

Amy - how difficult, in terms of research, is it to switch from 1700's pirates to 1800's Scotland!? Your library card must be well used ;)

Unknown said...

Shh. Amy, don't tell anybody, but I've never seen Buffy either. My kids watched it though so I have second-hand knowledge. Great interview! Good luck with all your projects---do you have a different voice for the different publishers?

Amy Ruttan said...

LOL, Tiffany maybe I don't here her so much standing in the back by the door. LOL! But when we drove together in that snowstorm she was as quiet as a mouse!! LOL!!

Amy Ruttan said...

Ooh M you're making me nervous.

Wylie, not too hard. I love history so much I eat up things about different time periods.

NOW, when I was in the midst of writing my 1800 fiction and had to switch to do edits in 1700 that was a little tricky. My head hurt after that night.

Amy Ruttan said...

Thank goodness Maggie. I thought everyone would think I was crazy. Not watching Buffy.

I don't know if the voice changes, it's the degree of heat. LOL!

If I'm aiming something for Harlequin or Cerridwen Press I definitely turn down the heat to the sex scenes. Whereas for Ellora's Cave I have to crank it again and get a bit more descriptive.

The basic plot and voice can be the same, as well as sexual tension, it's just how you go about wording it.

WOW Maggie thanks for getting the old brain unfogged this morning! LOL!!

J.K. Coi said...

Pesky day job's been super busy today, LOL, but I too am very excited about Fox's Bride. I'm intrigued about the idea of a woman pirate, especially after reading your great review!

Amy Ruttan said...

Thanks JK!! :)

Wylie Kinson said...

I'm raising my hand as a member of the never-watched-Buffy-club!
Not because I didn't want to, but we never got that channel in Bermuda back then.... and when we finally did, it was well into it's nth season.
Someday I'll have to catch up with it.

J.K. Coi said...

Wylie, Maggie, Amy. You guys scare me. Buffy is the best. An icon of womanhood who kicks ass and takes names without being too butch and without breaking a nail. LOL :)

I'll bring Seasons 1,2,3 to the next meeting and you can fight over them. Joking-I don't part with those.

Seriously though, the writing in that show is good. Very smart and very funny with good acting and a youthful, fresh storyline that's not too skanky and just a little teenage angst ridden. Get the DVD's and watch the reruns.

Shelley Munro said...

LOL - a safe word. I like it. Is this the time to admit that I've never watched Buffy either? Now if you'd said Firefly I could answer yes.

Amy, are there any time periods you'd like to set stories in that haven't tried yet?

Amy Ruttan said...

Hmmm I think I would like to really try medievil or ancient history.

I've tried to write medievil. I turned it into a fantasy.

Also maybe the Elizabethan era. That would be cool. :)

Unknown said...

I enjoyed the interview, thanks.

(If you need Torchwood, Lemme know. I can bring a couple of disks to the next TRW meeting.)

Joss is boss! ;-)

~ Gina / Stormy