Thursday, March 13, 2014

Author Interview- Kathy Otten


Happy Thursday Morning Readers, just one more day until the weekend, yea!!!! And to tide you over I've got a great interview with author Kathy Otten for you.



Morning Kathy, tell me three words that describe yourself starting 
with A, B, and C.

     Adaptable, Booklover, Crazy Cat lady


What are your three favorite things?

     Chocolate, horses, and books


 Was there any particular inspiration for your characters or story?

My characters come to me in my mind. I saw Ryder first, standing in the shadows with his head down. I asked him why, but he wouldn’t say. Then I was at the grocery store and saw a tall, good looking guy with a pretty girl and he had a birthmark on his left cheek. I thought it would be kind of sketchy having a hero with a birthmark. Scar yes, but a birthmark? Then a couple weeks later I saw the same guy and girl again. I still resisted the idea. I went to get a sub and the guy behind the counter had a birthmark on his left cheek. I caved. Once I did, Ryder began telling me his back story. Once I jotted down his goals and fears, I searched my brain for a heroine. When I found Victoria, she was hiding in the shadows also, but for a very different reason.  She was desperately looking for someone to save her, but Ryder wasn’t interested. The story layers grew from there.


When not writing, what can you be found doing?

I usually read when I get the chance and when it’s not -18 degrees and snowing, I walk my dog on the old railroad track which is now part of Rails for Trails. We see deer, turkeys, and the occasional bear. There are also both hawks and bald eagles in the area and we sometime see them flying or sitting at the very top of a tree. Walking is a good way to unwind and think about my characters or snags in what ever story I’m working on.


If you could spend the day with any celebrity, who would it be?

Kevin Costner. I’ve seen quite a few of his movies over the years and I think he’s played almost every kind of character there is from a loving dad to a serial killer. Some actors seem to play every character the same way. Yet Kevin Costner’s characters are all different. They are believable. There is an easy, laid back grace to his acting and he connects with the audience. As a writer it’s important to nail the nuance of expression, body language and voice of our characters. I like watching how good actors are able to use their body language to convey to the audience the thoughts and emotions I would normally write. Kevin Costner has also directed and produced movies too, and it would be fun to talk about how he decide which scenes to cut, something I hate to do. I saw his new movie, 3 Days to Kill, and he still looks hot in a pair of Ray Bans and a leather jacket.

Thank you so much for being here today Kathy. Readers, be sure to continue reading for a glimpse of Ryder and Victoria's story.




A Tarnished Knight

Down on his luck and ambushed. What else can go wrong?
A new historical western romance from The Wild Rose Press.

Genre: Historical Western Romance
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Heat Rating: Spicy
Page Count: 396
Word Count: 100,387
Buy Links: 




Blurb: 
 Fleeing her abusive husband, Victoria Van der Beck is captured by down-on-his-luck bounty hunter, Ryder MacKenzie. As she comes to love this man who hides his face in shadows, she wonders if he could be valiant knight for whom she's been longing. Is he the champion who would save her from the evil prince, or is MacKenzie just a paid lackey determined to return her to her husband?

Ryder MacKenzie never believed anyone could love him, for he was cursed the day he was born. He only wants to be left alone to live on his ranch in peace. But rustlers have stolen his cattle. He's been ambushed and his horse killed. Now his one chance to get his life back is to return a society princess to her husband. Maybe his luck is about to change. A least she isn't pretty.

Excerpt:

The peacefulness of Ryder MacKenzie’s home settled into her soul with every breath of air she drew,
soothing the restless need to run that had consumed her since she’d hit Nicholas with the whiskey bottle.

When she wandered back to the cabin, she expected Ryder to be in bed, but he was still in the tub,
his knees drawn up, pale and knobby, his head resting on the rim.

She grabbed Beau by the scruff of his neck and shoved him outside closing the door with a sharp bang.
Ryder jerked upright, sloshing water over the sides.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I’ll come back.”

“No.” He leaned back and closed his eyes. “I’m done. I just want to wash my hair.”

“I can do it for you.” Before the words were out of her mouth, she questioned what part of her brain they’d
come from.

Maybe it was because Ryder was safe, and this was a chance to physically connect with a man on her own
terms, without fear. Maybe she needed to satisfy the curiosity that had taunted her all week, urging her to explore the body of this man she desired.

But maybe it was simply because he was Ryder MacKenzie, and in his own determined, unassuming way, he’d touched her heart and become her hero, and there would never again be a man she so ached to know.

That was great Kathy, thank you. And what a great cover. It looks like it truly captures your vision of Ryder.

Thanks for having me on you blog. I appreciate the chance to meet your followers and to promote my new book.



8 comments:

  1. Thank you for being with us today Kathy. I really enjoyed reading how you came to be inspired for Ryder's character. I think it pretty well sums up how a writer sees the world around them when they're trying to put their stories together.

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  2. Hi Angela,
    Thanks so much for having me on your blog today. I enjoyed the interview. I've stopped by before when you've talked to other authors and it's always fun to see how other authors work through the writing process. Everyone comes at it from a different direction.

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  3. I have to confess, I got to be part of the critique group that heard this story from the beginning---it's so wonderful! We all loved it, the mix of dram, romance and humor--highly recommend!

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  4. Sounds like a great story, Kathy! I also agree with your likes.

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    1. Hi Ilona,
      I was actually just munching on chocolate chips and had to make myself put them away. And if you ever want an extra cat, let me know I have plenty.

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  5. Hi Alana,
    And all your input was taken to heart, and I especially appreciated you help cutting all those words. Best wishes for your new release, Voodo Dreams

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  6. I loved how the fates conspired to encourage you to use a the character with a mole, and how you found him lurking in the shadows. I love the twisted but brilliant way the writer's mind words.

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    1. Hi Brenda,
      I'm not sure I'd call it brilliant, but it was weird the way it happened. I was seriously reluctant to give a romance novel hero a birthmark, but it was like something bigger than me was saying this is how it's supposed to be. Once I accepted it, the whole backstory fell into place. Thanks for stopping by. :)

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