Melinda Dozier : Only in Her Dreams

WELCOME to Christina McKnight! Her new novel, Only in Her Dreams, has been released this month and she took her time out of her busy schedule to be interviewed by me. Hope you enjoy!

1. What sparked your interest in becoming a romance writer?

My love of historical romance novels! Since I was young my mom hounded me to write. Most of the time we read the same romance novels and I’d guess the ending half way through…to both our surprise I was right most of the time. If I wasn’t right, my mom always said my endings were better. I think I’ve always been a romance writer, even if the stories only existed in my imagination.

2. How did you come up with your ideas for Only in Her Dreams?

Only in Her Dreams actually came to me in a dream. Ironic, I know. Several times I dreamt of a man watching me. He never approached, moved, or spoke, but stayed silently in the background. I starting thinking: Who is this guy? What does he want?

A fellow writer -and self-proclaimed dream expert- said the man may be someone I’ve come into contact with recently. My next question: What if this mystery man from my dream showed up in real life? Only In Her Dreams, The Oneiroi Book 1 took off from there.

3. You have an amazing way of organizing your writing time. Want to tell the readers about it?

Ha! By ‘amazing’ do you mean crazy? I find I work best when I’m faced with deadlines. So, I set attainable deadlines and goals for all my projects...then (this step is very important) I tell everyone about my deadlines. This helps keep me on track and focused because I loathe disappointing people. I also schedule my writing, editing, and blogging time each day.

4. Any advice for indie authors?

Ask questions! Seek out other writers and learn as much as you can from their experiences. I have a wonderful support group of writers, some indie and a few traditional. Something I’ve learned is that writers are more than happy to share what they’ve learned. And if they don’t know the answer, they will point you to another writer who does. In addition, as a writer you must be willing to help others as well. Share what you learn with other new writers.

5. What are your future plans as an author?

Oh, I have A LOT planned! Right now I’m writing the first book (out of 3) in my historical romance series.

A few months ago I read Wallflower by Catherine Gayle and she wrote a scene that involved a duel. The heroine wanted to take the place of her beta male counterpart. She was scared to lose him. Talk about true love!

I started thinking...what if a young girl of the ton was responsible for the death of a man because of a duel she egged on? The next logical question was...what if BOTH men died? Then I took it one step further...what if the men were brothers? Shunned No More, The Forsaken Lady Series (Book 1) progressed from there. I have a heroine that the reader should despise during the prologue but hopefully I can redeem her by the end of the book.

Oh, and of course I’m working on Only In Her Nightmares, The Oneiroi Book 2, but you’ll have to wait a bit longer for deets on this project.

Author Bio:

Christina McKnight is a book lover turned writer. From a young age, her mother encouraged her to tell her own stories. She’s been writing ever since.

In college, Christina took many courses to help develop and enhance her writing skills. She completed a seventy-page dissertation on the need for community policing in American society. Now, she focuses on Historical Romance, Urban Fantasy, and Paranormal Romance.

Christina lives in Northern California with her husband, daughter, two boxers, two cats, and a Beta fish named Marmaduke. If she’s not behind a computer screen or book, she’s busy leading her daughter’s Girl Scout troop. She is very active in several writing groups and a local book group.

Book Excerpt:

Chapter 8

Darius preferred to let his brothers believe his powers had indeed been stripped, gone with his banishment. That’s where his deal with the Dark One came in handy. He’d had a link to the girl for years now, bringing a dark presence to her dreams-her nightmares.

Closing his eyes he concentrated on the dark side. A thrill coursed through his body every time he traveled to this forbidden land. He would lead these people, his type of people.

His eyes opened and he stood in front of a rusted, black iron gate. It parted to allow him entrance.

He proceeded down the fog-ridden path toward the castle in the distance. It was an imposing structure covered by black tinted ivy. Everything in this place held a black tint; the streets, the building, and most of all—the people. Soon-to-be, his people.

As he approached the massive fortress, the doors glided open of their own accord. The interior was as dark and fog laden as the exterior, dim candles shown upon the rug laden floor he moved across.

“The Dark One will see you in the billiards room.”

Darius stiffened and stopped his progress, turning toward the voice behind him.

No one in sight. What the fuck?

He straightened his shoulders and continued through the foyer and down the hall leading to the billiards room. Again, doors parted and he entered.

The Dark One lounged against the far wall, cue stick in hand. He studied the freshly racked pool table. “You’re in time for a game. Grab a cue, Darius.”

“Yes, My Lord.” Darius retrieved a cue stick from the wall and turned toward the table. The Dark One leaned across it, aiming for the racked balls.

“I hear you have good news for me,” he said as his stick connected with the white ball. On impact, the colored and striped balls rolled toward the corner pockets.

Darius watched in awe. Every ball found its home in a hole, ending the game before it start. What the fuck?! he thought to himself, for the second time in less than ten minutes.

“Well?”

“Yes. My informant gave us accurate information about where the girl lives,” Darius said.

“Have you confirmed this for yourself?” The man stood straight and returned his stick to the rack on the wall. He faced Darius across the table, hands on his hips. The man was intimidating, the thing that nightmares were made of.

“Of course.” I’m not an idiot.

“Well?”

“Well…what?” Darius asked. Standing around a pool table, in such a casual setting should be relaxing, but he was on edge.

“Why isn’t Erebos mine yet?”

Good question. How to answer that without getting his ass set on fire, he wondered. “I’m working on it.”

“Work faster. I’m in need of a new home, this one’s going to shit.” The Dark One stared at Darius, no hint of a joke on his face.

“I don’t plan to drag this out longer than necessary.”

Follow Christina on Twitter! https://twitter.com/#!/CMcKnightWriter

Christina's blog: www.christina-mcknight.blogspot.com

Email: christinamcknight.author@yahoo.com

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Buy Link: Amazon

Christina McKnight, Author

Only In Her Dreams, The Oneiroi Book 1 - Available on Amazon

Book Blurb - Only In Her Dreams, The Oneiroi Book 1

When Lucessa Sarcona awakes from a recurring dream, she has no idea her life is about to be turned upside down. A stranger, familiar to her dreams, shows up in the flesh, and Lucessa knows she’s either crazy or experiencing something not of this world.

A war ensues between three demigod brothers. One, trained to rule Erebos, is violently replaced. One forced to return to his homeland and lead the dream-gods of the Oneiroi. And one is charged with the impossible task of protecting Lucessa. How is she linked to the Oneiroi? Why do two brothers seek to keep her hidden and protected? And how does another plan to use her against the two demigods who love her?

Will Lucessa’s dream man have the courage to claim her as his own or will he bow to the command of another, forsaking the one he loves?

Only in Her Dreams is a modern spin on a Greek legend--the new direction of Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance, moving from angels, demons, vampires, and witches and toward the realm of demigods.

Excerpt: Chapter One

Lucessa stared at her bed. It was time to sleep again, but it was getting harder to succumb to it. She started to think the day would never come when she could abandon herself to sleep without the feeling of being watched. He was always there--haunting her dreams. Her dreams hadn’t been her own in such a long time.

He was always there. Never talking but always watching. Intently. As if he knew her. Security, even in sleep, eluded her.

She’d lost her father and her husband. Her mother was slipping away, battling a memory loss that was progressing daily. Her dreams were the only place she could remember a family, someone who cared. But he insisted on intruding. Every happy memory and every nightmare included his presence. Why did he always show up? How could she get rid of him?

Lucessa tried for the millionth time to find a solution as she climbed under the covers. Who am I kidding? There was nothing she could do. He was a dream! A figment of her imagination. She sighed and resigned herself to another restless night.

Lucessa was a child again. The cold, pine-scented wind tangled her hair as she descended the mountain path in front of her parents. Her family’s annual summer camping trip to Yosemite National Parkwas in its third day, and that meant they’d conquered Half Dome for the third year straight. Ever since her parents deemed her old and skilled enough for the challenge, they hiked it together. As a family.

She looked back at her smiling parents as they held hands and strolled down the path after her. Her mother, Marie, looked casual in her jeans and the blue“Keep Lake Tahoe Blue” shirt that hugged her frame. Her father wore a San Francisco Giants baseball cap, a wisp of salt and pepper hair showing through. They looked like a couple out of the travel magazine that Lucessa had seen in her father’s study weeks ago.

“Dear, watch where you’re going!”

Lucessa turned back to the trail, nearly colliding with a man lounging against a tree just off the path. Dressed in a thigh-hugging pair of dark pants and a billowy tunic that had to be from at least a century ago, he pushed off the tree trunk and tipped his hat. His blue eyes sparkled with mischief in the evening twilight, letting off a faint glow. The man looked eerily recognizable.

She looked back to reassure her mother that she was okay. Lucessa scanned the woods behind her.

But they were gone. Only the familiar stranger remained.

Christina McKnight