Best-selling author Mary Connealy, Day Two

Welcome back to Mary—Nealy or Connealy…depending on which book series you’re reading!  Mary got her start with Barbour Publishing the same time I did – with the mystery book club. She is a Carol Award winner, and a Rita, IRCA and Christy finalist. She is the author of The Kincaid Brides Series including her latest release, bestseller Out of Control. In Too Deep releases in February and Over the Edge is coming Summer 2012. Mary, we’re eagerly awaiting that introduction to the characters from Out of Control.

Rafe and Julie, my hero and heroine. They are so bossy because their lives have just forced them to be in charge from childhood. And now they meet and the clash and they’re terribly attracted.

Julia Gilliland has always been interested in the natural world around her. She particularly enjoys her outings to the cavern near her father’s homestead, where she explores for fossils and formations and plans to write a book about her discoveries. The cave seems plenty safe—until the day a mysterious intruder steals the rope she uses to climb her way out.

Rafe Kincaid has spent years keeping his family’s cattle ranch going, all without help from his two younger brothers, who fled the ranch—and Rafe’s controlling ways—as soon as they were able. He’s haunted by one terrible day at the cave on a far-flung corner of the Kincaid property, a day that changed his life forever. Ready to put the past behind him, he plans to visit the cave one final time. He sure doesn’t expect to find a young woman trapped in one of the tunnels and she’s so frightened from being trapped for so long she won’t calm down. Kissing her does the trick even if it does get him slapped.

Which do you like best and why: virtual blog tours or in-person book signings?

Oh, virtual definitely. I’m much better when I’m typing then when I’m talking. And anyone who’s heard me talk with confirm that.

What do you read for your own entertainment?

I’m a big romance novel nut and I love romantic comedy and suspense. If they’re falling in love and sassing each other while they’re running for their lives, then I’m happy.

What do you tell other writers who come to you for encouragement?

Write. Keep writing. Yes take classes. Yes go to conferences and belong to professional organizations. Enter contests and join a critique group, all of that helps, but in the end, you’ve got to put words down on paper. You’ve got to apply what you’ve learned. Write and keep writing. There’s no other way to learn the craft.

Do you have a favorite marketing tip to share?

I’m involved in two blogs that are very successful. http://www.seekerville.net/ and http://petticoatsandpistols.com These are groups blogs when takes the weight off my shoulder. We share the work. And they make a great community. I think running your own blog would be a lot of work and take a tremendous amount of creative energy, but a group blog is fun.

Can you give us a sneak peek at your next novel in the series?

In Too Deep is Ethan’s story. Brother #2, the shallow charmer who doesn’t want to feel anything deeply. Ethan teaming up with Audra is pretty predictable, but I had a lot of fun having them learn to get along. Ethan Kincaid agrees to a marriage of convenience with the same casual disregard he gives every decision. Audra Gilliland, young mother of two, accepts his proposal because she wants to stop being a burden to her newly married stepdaughter.

And suddenly both of them are in far deeper than they'd planned.

Ethan doesn't expect Audra to affect him so profoundly, and when she begins to, he's terrified of the pain he's felt before when someone he loved was seriously injured on his watch. He's determined that his new wife will do as he says so he can keep her safe from the dangers that lurk on their ranch.

Audra has been cared for all her life by one man or another--and they've done a poor job of it. Now she's planning to stand up for herself. And her new husband had better agree or get out of her way!

What will it take to transform two wayward hearts fearful of getting in too deep into two trusting hearts ready to risk falling deeply in love?

Thank you so much for your insight and your time, Mary. Don’t forget to leave a comment or question for Mary by early Friday morning to enter the drawing for a copy of her book, and thank you for visiting. Next week we feature a Christmas boook! Join us to see which one.