Interview with Romantic Suspense Author Kathleen Mix

I am interviewing romantic suspense Author Kathleen Mix today. Secret Stranger is perfect for that beach read, now with summer almost upon us. Enjoy the interview and do leave Kathleen comments.

Where to buy my book:
Secret Stranger is available for download at my publisher’s Web site (http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=605)
and all major online sites. The Wild Rose Press product page(above) includes a link to buy from Amazon in print or Kindle® versions.
The print version of Secret Stranger, ISBN #1-60154-137-6, is available at Barnes & Noble, Borders, and most other places books are sold.

Bio:
Kathleen Mix began writing while living aboard a sailboat and roaming among the islands of the Caribbean, Bahamas, and South America. Her non-fiction sailing and travel articles have appeared in several regional and national magazines. One is included in the collection, The Best of SAIL: Commonsense Cruising published by Sheridan House.
A few years ago, while anchored in the Virgin Islands, she started her first novel. The entire manuscript of A Trade Wind Season was written aboard her sailboat. The book was published in 2002 by Avalon Books.
Kathleen’s latest book is Secret Stranger, a romantic suspense set on a remote island in the Bahamas. Her next book, Deadly Paradise, is set in the Bremuda Triangle and will be released in late 2008. Kathleen earned an engineering degree from the University of Connecticut and is a former Coast Guard licensed charter captain. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and the Virginia Writers Club, and President of Virginia Romance Writers.

1.)Please tell us about your latest book.
Secret Stranger is a romantic suspense set on an isolated Bahamian island.
The heroine, Kelly Salinger, has moved to tiny Half Moon Cay hoping to find a sanctuary where she can heal the scars of a violent past. When she finds an injured man unconscious on her beach, she takes him into her home to recover.
Clay McCarthy awakens with amnesia and is desperate to discover his identity. But every clue to his past indicates he's been pursuing a life of crime.
Kelly and Clay are as different as silk and stone. The only thing they have in common is that they are trapped on a small island with a gang of dangerous international jewel thieves. Opposites do attract, but Kelly and Clay must find a way to overcome their differences and work together if they’re to stay alive.

2.)What can we expect from you in the future?
My next romantic suspense, Deadly Paradise, will be released as an ebook later this year by The Wild Rose Press. It will be available in print early 2008.
Deadly Paradise is about a desperate mother’s search for an airplane missing in the Bermuda Triangle and the brash charter pilot who agrees to help her, not knowing he’s putting his life in danger.

3.)How do we find out about you and your books?
You can find information about me and my books on my website, Kathleen Mix , or at my publisher’s website, Wild Rose Press .

4.)How may readers contact you?
My email is myth_writer@hotmail.com

5.)How would you describe the genre in which you do most of your writing?
Romantic Suspense. The Wild Rose Press classifies the romantic storyline as spicy.

6.)What motivated you to start writing this book?
Secret Stranger resulted from a scary experience while cruising in the Bahamas.
One afternoon while anchored near a deserted out-island in an area known for modern-day pirates, I began imagining the dark side of paradise and saw how vulnerable someone living on a remote island could be. Worry plucked at my nerves and marred a blazing tropical sunset
The next day, I wrote Kelly Salinger onto fictitious Half Moon Cay and let her believe isolation equated to safety. Then I added some devious guests who would force her to confront her worst fears in order to survive.

7.)What kind of research do you do?
I do some fact checking online, but I prefer to go to the library and bring home stacks of books about everything from guns, to private investigating techniques, to lock picking. True crime stories are wonderful sources. I read, read, read, anything and everything.

8.)Do you have a set schedule for writing or do you just go with the flow?
At a minimum, I write every morning from 9 to noon. I outline extensively before I begin a book, so I usually know what I want to write before I begin any scene. Of course, my outline isn’t cast in stone. I often modify it if the actual writing sparks a better idea.

9.)Where do your ideas come from?
A variety of places. A person, a snippet of conversation, and an item on the news have all sparked stories. Reading is a great catalyst for my imagination.

10.)Who, if anyone, has influenced your writing?
No one in particular. I read mystery, sci-fi, romance, non-fiction, you name it. I hope I’ve taken a little knowledge and inspiration from the great writers in every genre.

11.)How long have you been writing – have you always wanted to be a writer?
I always wanted to be a writer, but didn’t begin writing until I quit my job and moved aboard a sailboat. I began writing non-fiction articles for sailing and travel magazines as a way to support my wanderlust. When I became bored telling the truth, I turned to writing fiction.

12.)What is the most rewarding thing about being a writer?
Nothing beats the thrill of holding your published book in your hand!

13.)Among your own books, have you a favorite book? Favorite hero or heroine?
Every book I write is my favorite book while I’m writing it. And every hero and heroine is my favorite for that time, too. I get deeply involved in each story, and I live my characters’ pain and fears. When the book is finished, I’m sorry to see them go.

14.)Please tell us about yourself (family, hobbies, education, etc.)
I’m an avid sailor and former Coast Guard licensed captain. My husband and I lived aboard a sailboat for over twelve years. During that time, we traveled the entire Eastern seaboard and followed the chain of Caribbean islands all the way to mainland South America. We backpacked through Venezuela before returning to the U.S. by way of Curacao and Bonaire. Our visits to the Bahamas and Virgin Islands inspired my latest books.
My education is in science and math. I have a B.S. in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of Connecticut.

15.)Any words of encouragement for unpublished writers?
Never give up. Persistence is the key to getting published.

16.)Tell us about your website, MySpace, Blog, any urls so the readers can find out more about you.
My website is http://kathleenmix.com/. There’s a little bit of everything there. By all means, please stop by to read excerpts from my books, browse some of my non-fiction sailing and travel articles, and see pictures of my sailboat.

17.)Now for something fun.
Chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate

Erotic or inspirational? Erotic

Favorite color? Green

All time favorite actor? Sean Connery

Actress? Julia Roberts

All time favorite book? Gone With the Wind

Favorite TV show? Jeopardy

Favorite movie? Star Wars

What makes you laugh out loud? Old I Love Lucy TV shows

If you could go anywhere in the universe where would that be? St. John’s, U.S. Virgin Islands

A secret fetish? SorryI never reveal my secrets. I like to keep people in suspense. :D