Interview & Giveaway with Heather Lin

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome 1st time guest Heather Lin to the blog today. 

Heather, can you please share with us a little about yourself

I am an avid fan of romance, adventure, fantasy, and science fiction. I read and write several genres, but I’m most known for my foray into erotic short stories and contemporary romance. I’m twenty-three, just married my husband in May, and we have a house and cat together in rural Delaware. Five days a week, I nanny for an adorable eighteen month-old girl, and the rest of the time I hang out with friends and family or, of course, write! I also run a blog here: http://heatherlin88.blogspot.com/

Have you always wanted to be an author?

Yes, definitely! I’ve been writing since I could pick up a pencil. My mother read to me constantly, and the stories she chose sparked my imagination and inspired me to make up and write down my own. The very first thing I wrote was a story about my new bike when I was five. At ten, with various video games and Harry Potter going to my head, I decided I was going to write the next great fantasy novel. I didn’t, but I gave it a pretty good go. Around the age of fourteen, I delved into the world of fan fiction, and by the time I was seventeen, I was ready to write an original story of my own with the intention of having it published. That’s where The System started, actually.

Who are some of your favorite writers? Who do you feel has influenced your writing?

I’ve always adored J.K. Rowling and J.R.R. Tolkien. The fact that they could create such amazing, new worlds in their writing is fascinating and something I aspire to. But I do feel that my love of the romance genre, and Carly Phillips in particular, has influenced my writing the most. These books taught me the general arc a romance should follow, and I learned what I like and dislike in a relationship between two characters.

How did you get into writing in this specific genre?  Have you ever thought about writing in a different genre?

The mixed genre of sci-fi romance came naturally to me. When I was younger, I was obsessed with Star Wars and the Jedi Apprentice book series that supplemented it. Firefly came along and took my breath away, and although I wasn’t an avid fan, I caught the odd Star Trek episode here and there. With all of these futuristic images and ideas in my mind, I always leaned towards the sci-fi/fantasy genre in my writing. And I’m pretty sure most people who know me would agree that I was born with boys on the brain. So when I finally sat down to write my first novel, it had to have the excitement and intrigue of science fiction along with the emotion of a good romance.

As for writing in a different genre, I do have an interest in writing a young adult novel or series one day. But even then, I feel like it would still have some kind of romance involved!

What are some of your writing rituals?

I write best on the couch with my laptop. I save my work after every sentence I write because I’m paranoid I might lose something. And, as with most writers, I tend to do my best work when I have a good cup of coffee in one hand. J

Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?

I’d love to! My latest (and favorite) book is a science fiction romance novel called The System.

Blurb

Capri is an alluring young prostitute with a painful past; Brody is a ruthless mercenary for a crew of thieves from the spaceship Gypsy Lass. When he enters her brothel, the attraction between them is instant, electric, and too much for him to handle. After a robbery gone wrong, the crew takes Capri hostage, forcing her and Brody to remain in close quarters until they see fit to drop her on another planet.

But Capri’s plight and the intense feelings between her and Brody turn out to be the least of their problems. Together—whether they like it or not—they uncover a secret no one in the whole System could have expected.

Excerpt (Unedited)

Year 564 after the Migration

Brody walked along a quiet street on the outskirts of New York on Earth one. A car zoomed by every few minutes. The newest ones were held aloft over the street by opposing magnetic charges; others were navigating themselves as the drivers fixed their hair or ate their lunch; and the cheapest ones necessitated the driver to attempt to handle the controls while fixing their hair or eating their lunch. He glanced over to admire a new Ford Mustang before opening the door to a small, neatly-kept building.

On the outside, it looked like a nice, upscale bar, but the inside would have shocked any upper-class drink connoisseur. There was loud yelling and catcalling, beer splashed out of mugs, and scantily-clad girls sat around, waiting for their turn to dance on poles. Brody grinned and rubbed a hand over the stubble of his chin. This was his kind of place.

“Good evening, sir.” At the intrusion of the male voice, Brody tore his eyes away from the dancing girls. “Will you be needing service tonight?”

“Yeah, how much?” Brody replied to the short, well-dressed man.

“Depends on who you like. Sit down and have a drink.” He smiled accommodatingly. “There isn’t any hurry to decide.”

Brody gave a short nod before heading to the bar. He watched the girls for a while, took in the scenery. There were older girls who were too faded for his liking and younger girls who were too fake. He was well into his second beer before he saw one that really made him want to open his wallet.

She was coming out of one of the side rooms, tugging a heavy-set, bald-headed man by his hand. They were laughing and chatting, and by the flush of their cheeks, they had just finished something hot and heavy. The girl was a young one, barely old enough to be called a woman, with a slim figure and long chestnut curls that were scattered with braids and beads. She must have felt Brody looking at her and met his gaze for a brief moment. Brody gave her a grin and signaled to the brothel’s manager. He came over to the bar with the scheduling window already up on the screen in his hand.

“Have you come to a decision?”

“Yeah. That pretty brunette there.” He waved a hand in the girl’s direction.

“Capri. She’s a very good choice. But I’m sorry to say that was her last customer. Our girls only take five per day. They need their rest. Would you like to choose another one or make an appointment for tomorrow?”

“I think I can handle another one, Guy,” said an alluring female voice.

Capri had escorted her last customer to the exit before approaching the bar. The barkeep handed her a glass of water, and she kept her eyes locked on Brody as she took a sip, examining him, sizing him up. He was keenly aware of his unshaven face, ratty jeans, and the gun strapped securely to his hip. But he was unapologetic. He might not be one of her upper-class clients, but he had the money for her. For now, she was his, whether she liked him or not. And by the way she’d jumped to get his pay, he doubted she was fazed by his rough exterior.

“I like the looks of this one,” was all she said to Guy by way of explanation before beckoning to Brody and heading back to her room.

“That’ll be five hundred,” the man told him.

Brody took out his wallet and opened it. A pocket on one side held blank cash cards and the other side held a small scanning device with a numbered keypad. He entered his password and the amount of money and swiped a card. Then he handed it to Guy and followed Capri into seclusion.

She was sitting on the edge of a double bed, her long, smooth legs crossed, waiting for him. Dark curls fell elegantly over the satin fabric of her red dressing gown, and her hazel eyes gleamed green in the overhead lighting. She was the image of perfection, and Brody could feel desire pulsing within him. He sat next to her and fingered the smooth fabric of her outfit.

“Red’s my favorite color,” he said.

“I’m glad you like it.”

Capri smiled and reached up to touch his face. He sucked in a breath at the tender gesture.

“It’s been a while for you, hasn’t it?” she asked softly.

“Don’t get the company of women much in my career.”

“What career is that?”

“There ain’t one in particular,” he replied, trying to focus on what he was saying as her fingers traced the muscles of his chest and abdomen. “The crew I run with just does… sorta odd jobs.”

“Sounds exciting,” Capri murmured, raising her eyes to meet his. “So how about you tell me your name before we get started?”

“Shots,” he answered.

“Is that your real name?”

“That’s what the boys call me.”

“Well, as you can see, I’m not one of the boys.” She gestured to her modest, but all-too-appealing curves.

“Brody,” he answered after a moment.

“Brody,” she repeated softly, grasping the bottom of his shirt and sliding it up over his head.

The System is available for purchase here:

https://spsilverpublishing.com/product_book_info/coming-soon-c-2/products_id/924/

How did you come with the idea for this story?

I had the characters figured out before I built the world and decided on the full plot. I knew Brody would be “a grumpy hero” as one of my editors put it, and I knew Capri would need to balance him out and help endear him to readers. They would be part of a crew of thieves in space, have a turbulent romance, and live happily ever after. Or at least happily for now. Over the six years it took to complete the story, my writing skills and the plot evolved until The System became more than just a simple, futuristic romance, but a well-planned story with action, adventure, and a passionate relationship at the center.

Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?

I have two stories I’m working on at the moment, and I’m very excited about them both! One is a sequel to The System. I fell so in love with this new world and these dynamic characters that I couldn’t let them go just yet. So, with any luck, there will be more! The second is a contemporary romance inspired in part by the Robsten scandal.

What would you be if you were not an author?

I’m so happy being a nanny. I would probably just stick with that. J

What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?

I’m in the middle of A Game of Thrones right now, and I can’t wait to read the last two books in The Hunger Games trilogy. I’m also excited to read Riding the Night by Jaci Burton. If you want to keep up with my current and TBR lists, check out my Goodreads page here: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4862021.Heather_Lin

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Everyone who comments today and leaves their e-mail address will be entered to win a $5 Starbucks gift card!

*giveaway ends 8/24*

Anyone who comments is also automatically entered to win a custom-made bracelet engraved with a quote from The System.

Winner to be announced on my blog September 1^st!