Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Today's Special - - Teresa Medeiros

Interview with PJ


Aside from being one of the nicest and most genuine people I've ever met, Teresa Medeiros is also a gifted writer whose books have graced national bestseller lists such as the New York Times, USA Today and Publishers Weekly, to name a few.  She has over seven million copies of her books in print and has been published in more than seventeen languages.  Many of her books are on my keeper shelves, including her current release, THE DEVIL WEARS PLAID, which received a "TOP PICK!" rating from RT Book Reviews and 4.5 Stars from The Romance Dish. (read PJ's review here). 





Thank you for joining us today, Teresa!  Congratulations on the release of THE DEVIL WEARS PLAID. (Love that title!) Please tell us a bit about the book.

I've always adored "kidnapped bride" stories and in THE DEVIL WEARS PLAID, my Highland hero, Jamie Sinclair, bursts into the church on his big black horse right before Emmaline Marlow is about to say "I do" and literally sweeps her off her feet. He expects her to be some weak-willed English miss so he's definitely in for some fun surprises.

He certainly is!  I loved Emma's spunk!  

Like THE DEVIL WEARS PLAID, many of your books feature the Scottish Highlands. What draws you to Scotland and the Highlands in particular? Why do you think this setting, and its inhabitants, resonate with so many readers?

Visiting Scotland and the Highlands two years ago gave me a fresh appreciation for the rugged beauty of the place. I think the Highland setting completely transports the reader into another world, almost like a fantasy novel. Writing about the Scottish Highlands is also my sneaky way of combining two of my favorite time periods because you can explore the clash between the "civilized" world of the Regency and the more "medieval" aspects of the Highlands.

Those "medieval" aspects of the Highlands never fail to draw me into a story.  It's my favorite setting.  

Teresa, some authors have said they like complete quiet when writing while others prefer music or are at their most productive in the middle of Starbucks. What’s your writing routine? Does it vary from book to book or remain constant? If you used music during the creation of THE DEVIL WEARS PLAID, what songs were on the soundtrack?

I try to keep fairly regular office hours except when I'm on deadline. Then I'll work nights and weekends to play catch-up. (I was always the annoying kid who wrote their term paper the night before it was due and still got an "A".) I usually write my historicals at home because they require complete immersion in that world but I found that when I was working on my upcoming contemporary GOODNIGHT TWEETHEART, Starbucks became the perfect venue for writing.

(More on GOODNIGHT TWEETHEART a bit later.)  

And who told you I had a playlist titled DEVIL on my iPod? Some of the songs include "The Kiss" from the LAST OF THE MOHICANS soundtrack, "The Boys Are Back in Town" by Thin Lizzy, "Nine in the Afternoon" by Panic at the Disco, "If Ever I Would Leave You" from the CAMELOT soundtrack (which I played a gazillion times when writing Jamie and Emma's first love scene. Hey, it was a long scene!), "New Year's Day" by U2 and "Big Country" by Big Country. (This was the song I played when I finished the book and was weeping with joy along with my characters.)

Sorry, I protect all sources. ;-)  That's a terrific playlist and fits this story so perfectly!  I'll never be able to read that first love scene again without hearing "If Ever I Would Leave You" (one of my fav songs, by the way) in the background.

I'm always fascinated by the colors and contents of an author’s office or favorite writing space – that place where delicious heroes are born. Please tell us about your favorite writing location. 

I commandeered the formal living and dining room in our house to create the "Teresa Medeiros Complex." You can actually take a tour at Pocket After Dark: http://pocketafterdark.com/_Teresa-Medeiros-Office-Tour/blog/2562567/159176.html

What's pretty amusing is that I still spend half my time writing on my laptop at a little desk in the corner of my bedroom to get away from the distraction of the internet. I like to think of it as the "magic box where I keep my book".

Wow!  I'm officially in love with your office.  You have everything, including your very own knight in shining armor!   Thanks for sharing the link to that wonderful virtual tour. 
 
Your books are among those I turn to when I’m in need of comfort (and THE DEVIL WEARS PLAID has jumped to the top echelon of that list.)  What books do you turn to for a comfort read?

I love to curl up with THE WINDFLOWER by Tom and Sharon Curtis, my all-time favorite historical, or one of Judith McNaught's classics like SOMETHING WONDERFUL or ONCE AND ALWAYS. If I'm in real need of a literary cuddle, I'll re-read THE SECRET GARDEN and/or A LITTLE PRINCESS by Frances Hodgson Burnett or maybe HARRIET THE SPY by Louise Fitzhugh. Harriet is probably the reason I'm a writer today because I started keeping notebooks just like her after I first read that book as a kid!

Those are some of my favorite books.  I love that you started keeping notebooks after reading HARRIET THE SPY.  I wonder how many other young people she inspired to do the same?
 



Now, for some fun, "non-book" questions from me and the rest of the Dishies. I’ll go first. You’re a well-known Star Trek fan. Let’s say you’ve been given the opportunity to journey to the stars aboard the Starship Enterprise. Who’s at the helm and which fictional characters would you take along for the ride?



Hmmm…I think I'd definitely want "Captain Doom" from my book THIEF OF HEARTS to captain the ship. A pirate ship can't be that different from a starship, right? And I still can't resist a man in uniform! And forget fictional characters. I want you, Andrea, Buffie and Gannon manning the bridge!

Well, I certainly can't argue with "Captain Doom" and, speaking for myself, I'd be more than happy to go along for the ride! 





We were recently in Orlando for the RWA National Conference. Buffie wants to know if you could choose one Disney animated character to be for a day, who would it be and why?

Oh, definitely Belle from BEAUTY AND THE BEAST! I want to be held captive in a grand castle by a gruff but sexy beast with a great library and invisible servants to meet my every need!

Now that's a getaway I think we could all get behind!  

Since you write historical romances, Gannon is wondering if you time traveled to the past, what modern convenience would you miss the most?

I'm torn between TiVo and my Farouk Chi flat iron which I use to straighten my hair every day. If I ever hope to catch the eye of a historical hero, I think I'd better find a way to take along the flat iron.

I'm always fascinated by the answers people give to that question.  I hope I'm never in a situation where I have to choose just one!


I know you'll have fun with this one.  Andrea would like to know who would win the battle for your heart…Russell Crowe as the Gladiator or William Shatner as Captain Kirk? 

Andrea knows me too well, doesn't she? I have such a weakness for authority figures that I'd probably have to go with William Shatner as Captain Kirk. YOUNG Captain Kirk. YOUNG, VIRILE, TRIM Captain Kirk. Seriously, he was such a beautiful man in his heyday and Captain Kirk was so smart and had such a wicked twinkle in his eye.














But Russell as Captain Jack Aubrey in MASTER AND COMMANDER might give him a run for his money (and my heart!) 











Okay, back to me. You’ve gained a reputation as a social media maven with your presence on Facebook and Twitter. In fact, social media is a focal point of your next book, a contemporary titled GOODNIGHT TWEETHEART (another terrific title!) that will be released in January, 2011. Will you share a bit about that book with us?

I've always loved Sleepless in Seattle, You've Got Mail and Same Time, Next Year—stories where two strangers brought together by chance stumble across a love with the potential to last a lifetime. After I signed up for Twitter last year and discovered the joy of connecting with my readers in such an intimate and immediate way, I was even more intrigued by the idea. Before long, Abby and Mark started "tweeting" in my head and insisting that I give them voices on the page. They meet, they tweet, they fall in love, then Abby discovers Mark is hiding a secret that will either be the making or the undoing of them.

Sounds like another great story, Teresa.  I'll be looking forward to it's release in January!





For more information about Teresa, visit her website at http://www.teresamedeiros.com/, chat with her on twitter at http://twitter.com/TeresaMedeiros and "like" her facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/TeresaMedeirosFanPage.

Teresa, thank you so much for visiting with us today and for your patience in answering all of our questions. Now it’s time to turn the tables. What question would you like to ask?

If you were heading out on a long voyage on a starship, who would YOU choose for your captain? (And yes…Gerard Butler, Hugh Jackman and yourself are all options! ;))

Teresa will be giving away an autographed copy of THE DEVIL WEARS PLAID to one lucky commenter, selected by random.org!











~PJ

59 comments:

  1. If I were heading out on a long voyage on a starship I'd choose Nathan Fillion. As Captain of Serenity, he was couragous, loyal, funny and totally sexy. And as Nathan he's a funny, caring, environmentally conscious, and sexy man. I think he'd be the perfect man to hang out with on a long voyage.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Congrats on the new release, Teresa. I would choose Andy Whitfield who stars as Spartacus in the television series on cable. He seems like he knows how to get things done.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Congrats on the new release..... i would definitely choose channing tatum

    ReplyDelete
  4. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hmmm, I would like Captain Jack, I can just imagine what he would do with a starship. I would even let him call it the Black Pearl.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oooh, Nathan Fillion. Good choice, Barbara! I think he's adorable!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Nice choice, Jane! Can we change uniforms aboard the starship? I can't see any reason why he'd need to wear a shirt. Can you? ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  8. George Clooney is always a good choice, Peggy!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks for stopping by, Amazing Rose! Channing Tatum is a little young for me but certainly lovely to look at! :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Nice choice, Kirsten! I'm sure Alexander wouldn't mind taking care of you. Kind of makes getting sick worthwhile, doesn't it? *g*

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh my, Dianna. I can't even begin to imagine what chaos Captain Jack could wreak aboard a starship! Sure would be fun though, wouldn't it? *g*

    ReplyDelete
  12. ***shhhh, I'm sneaking in here while at work. Hope the boss doesn't catch me! ***

    Hey there, Teresa!! I am really looking forward to carving out some quiet time so I can devour THE DEVIL WEARS PLAID. I always enjoy your sweeping Highland stories and from what I hear this one is fabulous!!!

    ReplyDelete
  13. *whispers* Don't worry, Buffie! We won't tell!

    ReplyDelete
  14. On a voyage in outer space I would choose swashbuckler Han Solo! Loved Harrison Ford in his Star Wars role!!

    The Devil Wears Plaid sounds wonderful!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Congrats on the new release! So, you're a trecky, huh? You'd have no idea with the beautiful historical stories you write.

    Looking forward to this read, Scotland has a special place in my heart :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. It would have to be Richard Dean Anderson. After all, he has all that Stargate experience, McGiver talents, he's still cute & likes Zaxby's chicken! ;-) Thanks for letting us peek into your head & giving us an opportunity to win one of your books!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Great interview with a great author! I can't wait to read Goodnight Tweetheart!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Congratulations on your new book Teresa and I'll be looking for your contemporary next year. I would pick Sean Connery because he just comes across as authoritative and in charge.

    ReplyDelete
  19. I'm going to go practical and say Captain Sully, the real-life pilot/hero who managed to land a plane safely on the Hudson in NYC! If he can manage a plane, he can man a starship. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  20. You book sounds wonderful and I completely adore the cover.

    I love the contemporary twitter love story. That is a wonderful idea and as a twitter addict I can only approve.

    Ohhhh I would take Jack O'Neill from Stargate or Daniel Jackson from Stargate or Ronan (Jason Momoa) from Stargate Atlantis. Can you see the pattern? LOL

    ReplyDelete
  21. Doesn't PJ come up with awesome interview questions? Thanks so much for welcoming me today, guys! You know the Romance Dish ladies are among my all-time favorites :)

    ReplyDelete
  22. If I was heading on a long voyage it would probably be John Travolta, he's attractive and could hold a good conversation.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Good morning, Teresa! Loved the interview with you and PJ. Fun questions and answers. I love THE WINDFLOWER and some of Judith McNaught's older books---perfect comfort reads.

    I can't wait to read THE DEVIL WEARS PLAID. Love the Highlands and especially a hunky Highlander on horseback who sweeps the heroine off her feet. Bring it on!

    Give me my Hugh any day, anytime, any and every which way! *vbg*

    ReplyDelete
  24. **Also sneaking in at work**

    I think I'd have to pick Jean Luc Picard...after James T. Kirk, lol.

    Congrats on the new book, Teresa, can't wait to read it!!!!

    Lil

    ReplyDelete
  25. Teresa, you recently went to a Stargate convention in Chicago. I've never been to one of those. What's it like? Did you have any fangirl moments?

    ReplyDelete
  26. Wonderful interview, PJ and Teresa!

    Teresa, I really enjoy your books and they are keepers for me.

    I seem to give this answer a lot, but I would choose a young Tom Selleck or David James Elliot to pilot my starship!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Just announced: THE DEVIL WEARS PLAID is #10 on the Barnes & Noble paperback bestseller list.

    Congratulations, Teresa!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Good choice, Laurie! Harrison Ford in any role is good with me! :)

    ReplyDelete
  29. Hi Jo-Anne! Thanks for stopping by!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Good choice, RW1010! Even with gray hair, Richard Dean Anderson is still a cutie!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Captain, O my Captain...I want Clive Owen front and center sending me to the stars.

    Oh, Karyn, he's an excellent choice!

    ReplyDelete
  32. Captain Jack Sparrow, of course. Though I wouldn't say no to Commodore Norrington, esp if he's wearing his wig and uniform.

    I *LOVED* this book--the love scene was so sweet and tender, but also hilarious. I was cracking up. It's one of my favorite TM scenes ever.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Teresa and Julia London have just announced a new contest with an brand new Kindle as the prize! Visit Teresa's facebook page (link is in the interview blog) for details!

    ReplyDelete
  34. I would have to choose Patrick Dempsey as captain of a ship rather than starship. He is just too gorgeous!! Can you imagine his hair long and blowing in the breeze!? *sigh* I can't wait to read "The Devil Wears Plaid"

    ReplyDelete
  35. Congrats on your new book Teresa! I haven't read it yet since its very very hard to find her in Malaysia especially with my constant exams and my mom threatening to throw out my books if I continue reading. But you definitely got me excited!!! I definitely will try to sneak out and find that book!! Can't wait for your next book to come out!!

    ReplyDelete
  36. Hi Teresa,

    Congratulations on the release of your latest 'The Devil Wears Plaid'. Sounds like a really fun book (as most of yours are!) and I can't wait to get my hands on a copy!

    I have always wondered if authors are closet schizophrenics what with all those characters inside their heads battling each other to get out! That's not an insult...really it isn't..LOL! So tell me...when you are stuck on a scene, do you ever walk around the room talking out loud, taking each character's part to work out the problems? In other words, does verbalization help you write a scene?

    And to answer your question, if I really have to choose, I think I'd opt for George Clooney. He's looking hot in his latest movie!

    ReplyDelete
  37. I love the interview, PJ and Teresa! I also loved The Devil Wears Plaid. I always pick up a TM book expecting to have my funny bone tickled and my heart touched, and I'm never disappointed.

    I've been looking forward to Goodnight Tweetheart since Teresa first tweeted about it. Amazon has the release date as December 28, so it may be my last book of 2010 or my first of 2011. I can't wait!

    ReplyDelete
  38. I don't want to be too picky here, so ANY of the following gentlemen would do nicely as the captain of my starship. Maybe I could set up an "audition" for each of them!;)

    Hugh Jackman, Harrison Ford, Kevin Costner, Viggo Mortensen, Nathan Fillion, Patrick Dempsey, and George Clooney

    BTW, Teresa, I am so hooked on the storyline for this book! I can't wait to read it!

    ReplyDelete
  39. Susi, Did you catch the pics I posted yesterday on Facebook of me posing with Joe Flanigan and David Hewlett from STARGATE:ATLANTIS? Michael Shanks was at the convention too :)

    Just scroll down to find it.

    http://www.facebook.com/teresamedeirosfanpage

    ReplyDelete
  40. Hugh Jackman, Harrison Ford, Kevin Costner, Viggo Mortensen, Nathan Fillion, Patrick Dempsey, and George Clooney.

    Hey, Cheryl, that's one for each day of the week!! *g*

    ReplyDelete
  41. PJ, I can had some major Fangirl Moments at the Stargate convention. Was so nervous when I was doing the above mentioned photo op! Wanted to squeeeeeeeeeee!!!

    ReplyDelete
  42. Karen H, What I do is walk around the neighborhood with a tape recorder talking to myself. And when I come back, all of those snippets of dialogue are spoken in a flawless English accent. Which is kind of scary! :)

    ReplyDelete
  43. Ms. Hellion, thank you so much! I had IF EVER I WOULD LEAVE YOU from the Camelot soundtrack on continuous play on my Bose while I was writing that love scene :)

    ReplyDelete
  44. Gannon, I hadn't realized that I picked a guy for each day of the week, but that works for me!!!

    ReplyDelete
  45. Teresa!!!! We are SO glad to have you visit with us today! It was so good to see you again in Orlando. I have THE DEVIL WEARS PLAID in my TBR pile and I can't wait to read it. And I have to say that I am really looking forward to GOODNIGHT TWEETHEART...especially since the heroine's name is Abby and that's my daughter's name! :)

    I'm with Laurie -- Han Solo, baby! And picking Harrison Ford means I get Indiana Jones, too. Yummy! ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  46. Teresa...It must be my age (older than dirt) but I missed that whole Star Trek thing. *shrug*

    I'd like a long voyage with Cole Hauser. I first lusted after him in a short-lived TV series named K-Ville...he played the part of a detective in New Orleans post Katrina. I've never been a groupie of any kind but he just works for me on so many levels:)

    ReplyDelete
  47. Congrats on the new release, Teresa. I would pick George Clooney. I think he could definitely keep me entertained for a long time!
    csdsksds[at]gmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  48. the possibilities boggle the mind into overload -- how about a crew full of the above suggestions, then it won't matter who's in charge at any given time. The captain's chair would always be easy on the eyes and nerves plus others about for fun at the same time :)

    Congrats on the new release

    ReplyDelete
  49. It would have to be David Tennant.
    If the Doctor can maneuver a Tardis I am sure he could drive a starship.

    ReplyDelete
  50. Congrats on your new release! I would take Ewan McGregor. ^^ Then make him do Obi-Wan Kenobi impressions. ^^

    Melissa

    ReplyDelete
  51. There was a time when I would have said Johnny Depp without hesitation, but that was before I discovered Richard Armitage (North and South, Robin Hood), Toby Stephens (Jane Eyre), and Matthew MacFadyen (Pride and Prejudice). So Johnny has a little bit of competition!
    Margay

    ReplyDelete
  52. Hi! Congrats on the kudos for "The Devil Wears Plaid"! I can't wait to read it myself as I love all your books.

    Hm, I think I'd go with a young Captain Kirk. He was cute in a not very chiseled way. As captain, he should not be spending all his time working out in the holodeck or wherever the gym is.

    cories119[at]yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  53. Teresa, I can't wait to read your latest! And your upcoming contemporary sounds wonderful, too! :)

    ReplyDelete
  54. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  55. I have a few captains I would like to sail off with Russel Crowe at the top of the list Gerard Butler his voice melts me....
    Yes Barbara Nathan is everything you said & more. congratulations Teresa I cant wait to get my hand's on the book TDWP
    Have a good one.

    ReplyDelete
  56. The Devil wears Plaid sounds like a great story!

    ReplyDelete
  57. Teresa, I love your "Teresa Medeiros Complex." What an inspiring place to write your books!

    I would have to say I would bring Pierce Brosnan and Gabriel Byrne with me on my "starship" journey.

    Good luck with your new book. It looks fabulous!

    ReplyDelete
  58. Enjoyed the tour of your writing area. I don't have a suit of armor, but I do have a life sized Hans Solo from the theater display when Star Wars first cam out. It is rather disconcerting to walk into the room and have him standing there.
    Your "comfort books" are interesting. I have not read THE WINDFLOWER. I'll have to look for it.
    I was such a Star Trek fan when it came out. Didn't miss an episode. If I had a starship voyage ahead of me, I think I would want the original crew of the Enterprise. I was a Spock fan and loved the rest of the crew. One of my all time favorites was the Trible episode and the 5th movie THE VOYAGE HOME.
    I have your books on my keeper shelf and several more in my TBR mountain. Highland stories are my favorite, so THE DEVIL WEARS PLAID is a definite. I can't wait to read it. Keep writing tose wonderful stories with wonderful characters.

    ReplyDelete