Welcome to Sunday morning Coffee Chat time!
Today’s guest is Christine Warner!
SE: Another great Sunday, and for many of us, the fall season is converging quickly upon us! I’m excited to have a new friend on my blog today! Welcome Christine!
CW: Hi Stacy! Thank you so much for having me on your blog. I?m excited to meet your readers?so let?s do this!!!
SE: It’s great to have you. Routine first question I ask, Coffee or Tea??
CW: I used to love coffee, and I miss it. But I?ve always enjoyed tea?hot or cold. But more than either of those I admit to being a total water junkie. Ice cold, I carry around a travel mug filled to the brim everywhere I go J
?SE: I drink a lot of water too, but I don’t like it cold. So, of course you are an author, but do you work another job when you are not writing?
CW: Although writing is my passion and what I hope to do full time, at the moment I work for a large hospital about 30 miles from me. I work part time and at the beginning of the summer I transferred from Hospice to the Imaging Department. I love it there. Great people, and a fun place to be.
SE: Hospitals, where people tell you things you really don’t want to know about. Kind of like police work, lol… So what is your favorite thing to do when you aren?t writing or working?
CW: I?m a total addict to the Investigation Discovery channel. Lol Other than that I enjoy taking walks and trying out new paths, photographer (which I admit I need lots of work at?lol), and light gardening, as well as being with my family. Now that the kids are older, that?s rare occasion though.
SE: Oh!! Photography, we need to talk more about that! I love taking pictures. What is your favorite color?
CW: I love the color red. It?s vibrant and happy and just makes me feel good.
SE: And very bold and daring! Love it!? What is your favorite season?
CW: I?m a person that enjoys cooler weather. So Fall has always been my favorite season. I love the crisp air, the cool breezes at night, and the warm sunshine during the day?and you can?t beat all that color filling the trees! There?s just something exciting about Fall.
SE: So, this time of year is right up your alley! Perfect! If you could live anyplace on earth, where would it be?
CW: I always imagine living in Hawaii, that?s my dream locale. But I?ve never actually been there. So I?d have to visit it first to know for sure. Lol
SE: Hawaii is very pretty. I was there for seven weeks. It is very, very expensive though. Other than writing, what do you have a passion for?
CW: There?s something other than writing? Lol I don?t know, I?ve always written, won awards as a kid in school?it?s always been my passion and my dream. Other than that I wanted to have a family, and I have that?so all is good J I?m a happy girl.
SE: Easy to please you are! Okay, let’s get into the writing now! How long have your been writing? Was it a dream, a goal or is it just a hobby?
CW: I?ve been seriously writing for close to 6 years I think. I?ve learned a lot. That?s the fun part about writing, you can continually learn and improve and you?ll never get bored. And, it?s definitely been a lifelong dream. I?ve talked about it for years, but life got in the way with family, jobs?just life. About six years ago my sister kicked me in the butt and told me to quit daydreaming about it and go for it. So, here I am JSE:
SE: I love your sister! Go her! How many hours a day do you devote to writing?
CW: That depends on the day. If it?s a workday I am lucky if I get some promotion done, or maybe write out a synopsis or rough draft of a scene. If I can devote an entire day to it, I shoot for at least six to eight hours.
SE: Very good. Do you have a set routine or do you write when the mood strikes?
CW: I like to write in the morning, first thing when my mind is uncluttered and the world is quiet. As the day progresses, I find it harder and harder to write and concentrate.
SE: I love morning for just that reason! I get so much accomplished then. Is there some place special you like to be when you write?
CW: In the summer I enjoy writing outside on the front porch. I live in the country and it?s full of sounds of nature and very peaceful. In the winter I write in the living room, nestled into my big comfy chair with my feet up. And, yes, I do have an office, but it?s small with one little window and just isn?t a very inspirational space. Lol
SE: Have to have the inspiration! Do you listen to music or do you need a quiet place to write?
CW: I wish I could listen to music, but I prefer quiet J
SE: Try playing classical music – it helps inspire creativity. Okay, now, let’s talk about your book!? What is the name of it and is it part of a series or a stand alone novel?
CW: I?m really excited about Secret Love. This is my first novella and it was a fun challenge to pack a lot into a short story, but I think I managed it. I had originally started this as a stand alone, but decided it would be fun to make it into a series. I have 2 more books planned. The second in the series is titled A Basket Full of Love and the third in the series is No Other Love. If any more ideas for other short stories that are related pop into my head, I might just add to the series.
SE: Sounds great! Where did the idea come from?
CW: I love the 50s and thought it?d be fun to set a story in that era. So I did.
SE: lol… What is it about?
CW: here is the blurb for it:
Saranac, Michigan 1955
Lizzie Tarleton has always done things her own way?including the time at the tender age of thirteen when she confessed to her brother?s best friend she loved him. But now she?s a new teacher at the local high school, and independent enough to know that you can?t force love. She?ll find love when the time is right?even though her parents are adamant the time is now. The only downfall to her idyllic life is the fact that her childhood crush?who broke her heart?is now her boss. If only she could stop daydreaming about him.
Wayne Whitmore grew up on the wrong side of the tracks and worked hard to get where he?s at in life. Even though he enjoys being principal at the small town high school, he dreams of coaching baseball. When his best friend asks him to watch over his little sister at her new job at Wayne?s school, he agrees. What he doesn?t count on is how she?s grown from the pig tailed kid who told him she loved him, to the woman who breaks his concentration with her beauty and smile. Unable to get over his fascination, and afraid he?ll ruin his friend?s trust, Wayne applies for his dream job?one that will take him far away.
One night while decorating the school gymnasium for an upcoming sock hop, Lizzie and Wayne find themselves alone. They share a kiss and Lizzie realizes her childhood crush for Wayne has never died. Wayne decides he doesn?t want to let Lizzie get away.
Can they come to terms with their secret love and then overcome the other secrets they are hiding in order to get what they each want? Or is their timing for love still off?
SE: That sounds so good! What about what’s coming up next?
CW: I have a ton of projects in the works besides the 2 other novellas planned. I have a couple of contemporary novels in various stages of being written. As for other books, I have 3 others published besides Secret Love. The first book I ever wrote is titled Some Like it in Handcuffs and is a suspense with humor, my second book is titled Two-Timing the Boss and is about an office romance, twins, and a little deception, and my third book is Bachelor?s Special and involves a chef, a millionaire, a mansion and a kitchen full of ?romance and attraction J
Oh I didn’t know about those last two! I need to go look for those! Thank you so much for coming to visit today!!!
CW: Thanks again for having me Stacy! I had a great time. I hope you and your readers enjoy my blurb and excerpt for Secret Love J
Christine was nice enough to include a small blurb from her book: Check it out!
EXCERPT:
She blinked away the heat of tears forming at the back of her eyes. Their conversation had grown too serious. She needed to lighten things up a bit. ?Remember when we used to play ?What if???
He laughed. ?What if Lizzie wore a dress??
?Either she was going to church, or her mom was having a ladies? social.? Lizzie giggled. ?Ricky hated that game.?
?He?d get so mad when you?d start it.? He made the final cut on a small snowflake and added it to the pile before him.
?What if Wayne couldn?t throw his famous curve ball??
?The school trophy case would be one trophy short. What if Lizzie wasn?t teaching here??
She pouted. ?She?d be sad. I have no idea what I?d be doing if I hadn?t found a job here. What does Lizzie have to do to show Wayne she thanks him?? She winked, enjoying their fun.
He cleared his throat. ?What if Wayne said Lizzie owed him a kiss??
Her belly trembled. What if?
?What if he stole one?? His voice lowered and he leaned in.
?Why don?t you find out?? she whispered.
To Find out more about Christine Warner:
Website: http://christine-warner.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorchristinewarner
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChristinesWords
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5763713.Christine_Warner
To Purchase books by Christine Warner:
?Amazon
All books are available on Nook!