I just returned from the Romance Novel Convention in Vegas and one of the highlights of being there was getting to meet one of my favorite authors, Catherine Bybee.
In May, I was also a lucky winner of an advanced copy of Fiancé by Friday. I loved it and this series just gets better and better with every book. I left the following review on Goodreads:
Fiancé by Friday is Gwen’s story, the privileged but sheltered daughter of an English duke. Gwen has always aspired to leave her blood blue relatives and start living her own life. She moves into her sister in law’s former residence in the states and starts running her ‘bride for hire’ business. Now if only she could get her favorite bodyguard to show some interest in her.
Former military man, Neil has always enjoyed keeping his client Gwen in eye’s sight but that is all it could ever be. When security problems at Gwen’s home start to point to something more serious, Neil is forced to take matters into his own hands. He also has to come to grips with his past and his feelings for Gwen.
Fleeing the state in a car with the man she’s always fantasized about, seems like a dream come true for Gwen. Unfortunately as time passes, she and her family start to wonder if the threat is real or just in Neil’s head.
I could not put this book down. It has suspense, adventure, humor, and a great love story. My favorite one of this series so far!!
Before meeting Catherine I did an email interview with Catherine and here are her answers.
Thanks for having me on your blog today, Ginger. I’m very excited to be here.
I love this series. Where did the idea for the story and this type of bride business come from?
OMGeee. I love this series, too. LOL – Let’s see, the idea of a bride business. Well, I’ve read plenty of historical romance novels in my life and it seemed there was always a book out there where a man needed to find a bride for one reason or another. I wanted to put a modern day twist on that plot, mix it with a very temporary timeline… A bride for a year kind of story… and make it work.
I know you have written books with different genres, is there a genre out there that you want to write but haven’t yet?
Not really. I have a few books in my hard drive that I haven’t gotten out yet and can honestly say I’ve written in just about every genre I’d like to…in romance anyway. Although there is nothing burning right now for me to write, I wouldn’t mind writing straight romantic suspense. Which might come in the next year or so. So many books to write, so little time.
I like to pick a sound track for the books I work on. Do you have to be in a certain zone to write in or have any rituals you do for each book? Music, certain drink, slippers, a special room, etc.?
I listen to my Pandora station, which is a lot of contemporary rock mixed with some of the classics. I write all the time, day and night, so my drink of choice depends on the time of day… Coffee, water…wine. And I have a dedicated office. Thought I do a lot of brainstorming when I’m plugged into my iPhone and jogging in the mornings.
What does your family think of your books?
At first, my kids, both teenage boys, were completely uninterested. Now that I make a little more money, they want me to ‘keep writing’. Still, they don’t go around telling their friends that I write romance novels. My dad reads everything I write, while my husband doesn’t read any of it. My cousins are hooked, and none of them used to read romance. So I feel I’ve done a good job of stretching their imaginations with fiction.
I’ve noticed some of the heroines in you books are pretty handy with guns and I know you are too. How did you get into target practice? Do you have any other hobbies or talents that people might be surprised at?
I am the mother of sons… and we do enjoy going to the range. When I need to know something technical about a weapon, I ask my 17 year old. When I need to know about super-cars…you know, Ferrari’s, Lamborghinis, Aston Martin’s, I ask my 14 year old. As for hidden talents… I don’t think any are really hidden. I sing in the shower and used to want to be a Hollywood Starlet.
I just wrote a cougar book and I like to ask people this question. If you could go on a date with a younger man, who would it be?
I’d have to look up the ages of some of the Hollywood ‘boys’ to determine if they are younger than me. Younger men don’t interest me all that much. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind looking, but I’d feel like a fool on a date with any of them.
Thanks for visiting with us Catherine!!!
Catherine has a great contest going on to celebrate the release of Fiancé by Friday. Just click on the link below to enter and find out more.
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/8a85449/
CATHERINE BYBEE
BIO:
New York Times & USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bybee was raised in Washington State, but after graduating high school, she moved to Southern California in hopes of becoming a movie star. After growing bored with waiting tables, she returned to school and became a registered nurse, spending most of her career in urban emergency rooms. She now writes full-time and has penned novels Wife by Wednesday, Married by Monday, and Not Quite Dating. Bybee lives with her husband and two teenage sons in Southern California.
CONTACT LINKS:
catherinebybee@yahoo.com
catherinebybee.blogspot.com
twitter.com/catherinebybee
