Author Interviews,  Contemporary

Mainstream: Celtic Destinies @kissastarling #RLFblog

Clarissa: Celtic Destinies

Kissa Starling, welcome
to Romance Lives Forever. Let’s talk about your book, Clarissa: Book One in the
Celtic Destinies Series.

Genre: Mainstream
Publisher: Red Rose
Publishing
Cover artist: Shirley
Burnett
Length: 31,676
Heat rating: Sensual
Tagline: Reuniting ghost
lovers proves to be the easy task. How will she ever find her own true destiny?
Blurb:
Clarissa has traveled
halfway around the world to Scotland
hoping to escape her sordid past and begin anew. What she finds is two unruly children,
a single father who travels, a elderly cook and a couple of ghosts who demand to
be reunited. It’s hard to figure out who plans to give her the most trouble- the
children or the ghost of a kind long since passed. Will it all be worth it in the
end and what must Clarissa do to obtain her own happiness?
Buy links:
What are your main characters’ names, ages, and
occupations?
Clarissa Randolph is
an ex-stripper turned nanny. She is in her late twenties.
William Kirkland is
in his late thirties. He is a business man and lord of his castle. He has recently
become Clarissa’s boss since she is nanny to his two children, Gregory and Sally.

Interview

Tell us about your story’s
world. What is it like in this period or place?
Scotland
is the setting and one I love oh so much. I am really into genealogy and a few years
ago I went all the way back to the 1600’s for both my family and my husband’s. His
family is from Scotland and part
of mine from Ireland.
We both love anything medieval. I can only imagine going there one day and seeing
the castles, moors and hills where our ancestors loved, laughed and played.
Which character in your
current book do you think readers will like the most? Why?
I believe it may be Daisy. She is the master’s cook/housekeeper.
She isn’t a main character in this book, but she will appear in all of the series
books. She’s eccentric and different and she may possibly have a story of her own
one day!
Why do you write?
It’s the only way I’ve found to effectively get the voices out
of my head. Ha, ha. I am partially kidding. The characters do talk to me once I
begin their stories. I had one character invade my dreams for several nights until
I understood she didn’t want her sexual business out there for the whole world to
see. She wasn’t that type of girl! I rewrote a few scenes and the result worked
perfectly. Now I’m more apt to listen when they talk.
When you’re not writing,
what would we find you doing?
I love to be outdoors. My dog loves it too so we do a lot of
walking. Usually we let my husband come along too. I go to the movies a lot, drive-ins
are my favorite. There’s nothing like tailgating and then watching them slip the
film onto those huge reels. (They let me come in and watch.) I love driving down
roads when I don’t know where they go. I find the best shortcuts that way. If my
day includes reading, writing, spending time with the hubby and cuddling with my
cat it’s a good day.
What other jobs have you
held besides writing?
I have to laugh at this question because answering what jobs
I haven’t held would be easier. Let’s see how many I can remember- cashier at a
children’s clothing store, cashier at the mall, waitress, hostess, cook, dishwasher,
worked at a truck stop, cashier at a convenient store, gas attendant, babysitter,
telemarketer for carpet, magazines and donations, housekeeper at a motel, custodian,
cafeteria worker, substitute teacher, afterschool teacher, tutor, maid, I pressed
shirts and sewed on buttons at a drycleaner, I put together plastic car parts by
the garbage bag full, assistant teacher, counselor, survey taker, house sitter,
I transported people to doctor’s appointments, I sold Mary Kay for a few years,
and I remember several lemonade stands along the way!
What are you currently
reading for fun? Anything for research?
I love research! Love it, love it. I often find myself researching
above and beyond my topic when I should have already started writing. When I wrote
PS – I Love You, I spent hours watching videos of Woodstock. Oh, the music back then…. Right now
I am into zombies and I’m reading a lot of zombie books. I collect cookbooks and
always have one on the bedside table to be read. My research library is what some
might say is extensive.
What’s the best gift you
ever received?
This one is easy, a screen for my bedroom window. I enjoy leaving
the windows open and sleeping with fresh air coming in, even in the winter. Alas
my house has no screens on the windows. My husband went to Home Depot to buy me
one and they told him they don’t make them in that size. One day I came home from
work to find one screen on my bedroom windows and a smiling husband with many cuts
on his hands. He spent the entire day making me a custom screen to fit. It melted
my heart.
If you could time travel
what era would be your first stop?
I would go into the future to 3000. I know a lot about my ancestors
and things they did in the past and while I’d love to meet them in person I’d like
to meet some of my descendants even more. What happens to my great, great grand-daughter?
Is she the first female president? What is she driving? Eating? Doing for fun? Does
she wonder about me? And most importantly, does she need my help? I love being there
for family.
I am continually working on learning to play the guitar. I have
short arms so I use a child’s size guitar to learn on. My father can play anything
with strings and I am so jealous because I love music. He is teaching me. We’ve
started over several times. I tend to quit when my fingers get sore. I’ll get there.
Banjos are so cool.
Experience the many sides of Kissa Starling

Please complete the sentence

I love pizza with everything except anchovies
(which I’ve never attempted to eat!) Onions and sausage are my favorite.
I’m always ready for a road trip.
When I’m alone, I wonder where everyone is.
You’d never be able to tell, but I was born
up north. My deep southern accent masks it.
If I had a halo it
would be sparkly with ribbons hanging down.
If I could speak Spanish fluently I’d
go live in South America for a while.
I can never stop buying books because
well, I’d die!

Previous Books

The Lifestyle Series:
Robert’s Story
Chalan’s Story
Rick’s Story
Carl’s Story
Aidan’s Story
Swing Pointe
Goldi
All I Ever Wanted
Toy Box
The Untrained Housewife
Angel’s Wish
Candy Kisses
Sweet Kisses & Lesbian Wishes
Profiling
Cracker Cowgirl
I have several short stories in print anthologies
as well.
I also have a few books out by my alter ego K.
Starling who only writes sweet romance.
Kismet
The Last Waltz
I Should Have Kissed You
Sweet Tea Maggie

Books Coming Soon

I have a short story, Pinky, coming in the Serving
Him anthology from Cleis Press in March. http://amzn.com/1573449253/
Luciano’s Story, book 6 in the Lifestyle Series,
will be released this year at Red Rose Publishing- http://redrosepublishing.com/books/product_info.php?products_id=1296
Classical Rules has been contracted by Sapphire
Publishing and is set to be released in the Uniforms Optional anthology sometime
this spring. I don’t have a link for that one yet.
I plan on submitting several more short stories
this year and I’m working on a full length novel as well. (my first!!!)
Contest
I’d love to give away a pdf copy of Clarissa
to one lucky reader.
Find Me Here
Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/kissastarling

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