Today's Special - - Roxanne St. Claire

I'm a huge fan of Roxanne St. Claire books.  It doesn't matter if they're edge-of-the-seat romantic suspense,  coming-of-age young adult or sizzling, character-driven contemporary.  If she writes them, I'm going to read them!  Roxanne (a/k/a Rocki) recently answered a few questions for me about Barefoot in the Sand, the first book in her new contemporary Barefoot Bay series.  I can't wait to dive into this new creation! ~PJ

Hi Rocki!  Thanks so much for visiting with us today!  Congratulations on the release of your new book, Barefoot in the Sand.  Will you please tell our readers about it?

  

April 24, 2012

Thank you for inviting me!  I love this blog and am thrilled to be here.  I’ll answer all your questions and if there are any in the comments, I promise to respond.  I’m very excited about Barefoot in the Sand because it marks a huge departure for me after many, many books in the “suspense” genre.  All four books in the “Barefoot Bay” quadrilogy are contemporary romances, with characters and conflicts driving the stories of four women who must let go of the past before they can find love in the future.  Barefoot in the Sand centers on Lacey Armstrong, a single mother who loses everything when a hurricane rips through Barefoot Bay.  In the rubble, she digs for optimism and a second chance by finally following her dream and building the island’s first true resort.  Along comes a hot, sexy, younger architect who can knock down emotional walls with the same skill that he can design physical ones. Their attraction sizzles in the sun and as they overcome multiple obstacles to build something that’s definitely meant to last forever.

Sounds like my kind of story!  How will the Barefoot Bay books differ from your Guardian Angelinos and Bullet Catchers books?

Nobody dies!  No bullets fly, no villains jump out of a dark alley, and not a single heroine is in jeopardy...at least, not physically.  Emotionally, there’s heartache, healing, and hope in every book, and that’s why I’m having so much fun writing these stories.  I love the tension of a romantic suspense, and the natural “fast pace” of lovers on the run from bad guys, but I found it extremely exhilarating to write a different kind of story that is entirely focused on the character’s emotional journey.

October 30, 2012

I can see where that slower pace would be appealing after taking your romantic suspense characters on so many wild rides!  Many of your books have a pivotal scene that I'm still thinking about long after I finish the final page. (Shall I tell you how many times I've re-read the shed scene? ::grin::)  What's the one scene that you would never cut from Barefoot in the Sand?  Why?

Oh, the shed scene! It’ll be my epitaph, I fear:  She wrote the shed scene.  Well, in terms of love scenes, there is a pretty sexy one in the Gulf of Mexico at night.  Gotta have one of those, right?  But my favorite scene that I’d never cut is more heart-wrenching than heat-making.  The scene is in a hospital, when the hero has to face down his estranged father and make a choice to forgive and forget...or let the wounds fester.  That scene gets me every time I read it, even now.  The theme of forgiveness is at the heart of this book, and possibly every book in the series. 

Thanks for the heads-up.  I'll be sure to keep tissues handy!  

We all have favorite books on our keeper shelves.  What are some of the titles gracing your keeper shelf?

Of course the usuals:  GONE WITH THE WIND, JANE EYRE, NOBODY’S BABY BUT MINE.  Oh, you laugh (and you would if you read the book - it’s hysterical and wonderful!) but NOBODY’S BABY was the first romance that moved me to the point of opening up a document and writing “Chapter One.”  I simply wanted to make someone else feel as good as Susan Elizabeth Phillips made me feel when I closed that book.  On my keeper shelf, you’ll also find plenty of Kresley Cole (paranormal), Louisa Edwards (contemporary), Kristen Painter (urban fantasy), Rachel Hauck (inspirational), Leigh Duncan (category romance) and Lara Santiago (erotica).  They are all my friends, yes, but also amazing writers who inspire me.

July 10, 2012

Those of us who are fans of your work thank them for their inspiration!  

What are you working on now?

I just finished Barefoot in the Rain, the second book in the series, and am starting Barefoot in the Sun, which will be book three.  This summer, my first young adult novel, Don’t You Wish, will be released and I’m excited to say I have another YA lined up in the queue as well.  I’m very busy and happy for it!

As are we!

Time for Quick Six:

Early Bird or Night Owl?  Early, early, early.  I wrote my first book before the sun came up - two hours every morning from 5 - 7, and that trained me to be an early riser. 

Chocolate or Vanilla? Ha ha ha.  That’s so funny.  The question should be “milk or dark?”

Mountains or Beach? Well, I live in Florida, so I’m a beach girl all the way, but I find the mountains have their own majestic beauty and I wouldn’t mind owning a little place in the Rockies someday. Can’t I have both?

Sneakers or Stilettos?  Like the book says, BAREFOOT.  But, honestly, I never met a pair of shoes I couldn’t love.  Am partial to anything in pink.

Drive or Fly?  You’ve obviously never flown with me.  I’m the person digging fingernail holes into my seatmate’s palm, whispering the Lord’s Prayer, and crouching for the expected crash landing.  Yeah, let’s drive.

Champagne or Beer?  I’m going to surprise you, I bet. I love beer!  I’m really partial to Blue Moon with an orange slice late at night -- it’s my favorite guilty pleasure.

Thanks so much for answering my questions, Rocki!  Do you have a question for our readers?

Yes - it’s summer and time to take a great book to the beach.  If you could go to any beach in the world, where would it be?  

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Excerpt of Barefoot in the Sand

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