Romance By Catherine: Mona Ingram, Interview

Monday, February 25, 2013

Mona Ingram, Interview

Today we have author, Mona Ingram. She's here today to chat about her book, Then Came Love. She'll be on virtual book tour starting today through to March 11th. Say hello and don't forget to enter the giveaway. This is a tour wide giveaway of one Kindle Fire, and ten copies of the ebook are up grabs!

On to the interview!

Tell us about Then Came Love.
I have a lot of Aloha in my heart for this book. The setting is a fictional lake in British Columbia, near where I grew up. If I close my eyes I can smell the sweet air, and hear the loons calling each other just before dark; the most hauntingly beautiful sound on earth. The love story is between a young woman who’s afraid of her husband and an undercover RCMP officer, who is searching for a marijuana grow op. The secondary characters are fun and charming, and as usual, I’ve included a few twists and turns in the plot, just to keep things interesting.

How long did it take you to write this story?
I always think about my books for a long time before I start writing. I was lucky on this one, as there were no interruptions, and it was finished in a little under a month.

It sounds like a very emotional story. Was this difficult to write?
Yes, in a way, it was. In true romance novels we rarely touch on difficult issues, but writers like myself are finding that with the new freedoms of being an independent writer, we can create content that is more realistic.

Did you have any research that was necessary to the story?
Yes, and it was interesting. My stepdaughter is married to a man who’s an expert at alternate energy sources, and he helped with information on the power conversion that was necessary for the grow op. I also did some research and marijuana grow ops in British Columbia and was surprised to find out that it’s a real problem.

What lead you to start writing in the romance genre?
I enjoy reading romances, and writing them came naturally. I always have far more ideas than time.

What do you love about being a writer?
Everything. I always know what my books are going to be about, and how they will end, but when I sit down to write, I'm never quite sure how we're going to get there. I know I'm not the only author who laughingly confesses to being surprised where they characters take us. That's part of the fun.

What authors have influenced you the most?
In the romance genre, I like Susan Elizabeth Phillips, the early stuff by Barbara Delinsky, and I like the irreverent and comparatively raunchy stuff by Tilly Bagshawe.

What's a typical writing day for you like?
I like to get up early and work for five hours, or 2,00-2,500 words, whichever comes first. After that, I spend a couple of hours on everything else, like general paperwork, cover design, promotion, and answering e-mails.

I see on your website that you love to travel, and have taken up residence in many areas. Do you have a favorite place you’ve lived or visited?
That’s a hard one. I don’t travel for shopping, although when I was younger, a friend and I had an amazing week in Hong Kong. Nowadays, my interests are trending toward the National Gallery in London (love the Turners), and anywhere I can see new scenery. As to living, I like where I am now…the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. Think golf, water sports, light industry, vineyards, skiing. We have it all.

Can you share your next writing project?
I’m in the planning stages for a trilogy. Three friends who end up coming back to their home town. Three inter-twined, but stand-along stories. It should be fun to write.


Then Came Love
Contemporary Romance
ISBN: 978-0-9879069-0-8
ASIN: B0080SDHWC
Number of pages: 103

Stuck in an unhappy marriage, Amanda Reimer grabs the opportunity to go on a short holiday by herself. An undercover cop, Jackson Galloway is a member of the RCMP Green Team, and he’s in the interior of British Columbia to find a marijuana grow-op. Jackson gives Amanda a lift to Loon Lake Resort and is intrigued by the gentle woman. The chemistry between the two is immediate and powerful, but Amanda is determined to stick to her marriage vows...besides, she’s afraid of her husband. Jackson is just as determined...to see Amanda again when the drug bust is over.

But will the growing love between Amanda and Jackson survive the pressures of finding the grow-op?

Join Amanda and Jackson in a journey of discovery, where the ultimate destination is love.

Read a sample!




Mona Ingram was born in Ontario, Canada. Her family moved to British Columbia when she was twelve, and she can't imagine living anywhere else. In recent years she has lived in the Okanagan Valley and on Vancouver Island. In addition to reading and writing, traveling and bird watching are among Mona’s favorite pastimes.

Mona writes contemporary romance novels and takes great delight in creating unexpected twists and turns in her story lines. She frequently sets her books in areas which are familiar to her, immersing the reader in the setting. One reader recently commented that “after reading Fixing Freddie, I felt as though I’d been on a trip to Vancouver.”

Connect with Mona!
Website
Blog
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads

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7 comments:

Leslie Miner said...

This sounds really good! I have added it to my TBR list. Thank you for a chance to win a copy! lcminer at windstream dot net

Joni said...

Thank you for the contest. jpayne0093@kctcs.com

Anonymous said...

This book sounds really interesting!

Anonymous said...

This sounds like a very intriguing book - with a unique perspective! *adding it to my wish list*

Mona Ingram said...

Hi everyone. This is our of my favorite books; thanks for checking it out. Good luck to everyone in the draw!
Mona

Catherine Bybee said...

Thanks again for coming to my blog, Mona.

Mona Ingram said...

Catherine, thanks for having me.