Hi Everyone!

Our Summer Blog tour has started. I am so pleased to have
Christine London

as my guest this week. She writes books that will grab your attention immediately and have page turning to the very last page. I've asked her to share some of her thoughts on writing. So, sit back and enjoy reading Christine's thoughts on a variety of topics.



Win a Prize!
After you've learned more about writer Christine London by reading her thoughts on her writing and the excerpt from her novel, 'Shadows Steal the Light', just go to the comments section below and answer the question at the end of this blog. You'll to be entered to win this weeks prize of an ARC (Advance Review Copy) of Lisa Jackson's Aug 1, 2012 release of "You Don't Want to Know", as well as be entered to win the end of Blog super $50 Amazon gift certificate prize to be awarded July 29th.  And, be sure to visit the suggested blog under the question to check out another one of our Blog Tour authors.
Christine, what is your most currently released work?

An Australia/California/French -set tale titled When We Were Amazing through MuseItUp Publishing of Canada.

Tell us a little about When We Were Amazing.

When We Were Amazing deals with some matters close to my heart. Travel is one of my loves and as such wanderlust has led me to Melbourne's Mornington Peninsula wine region. May December romance has also been a fascination of mine as our society changes and becomes more accepting of age differences in relationships. Older man-younger woman has, of course, been done and done, but what might the dynamic be if a mature thirty something woman fell for a man just out of university? Now we're talking.

What inspired you to write in your genre? Is this the genre you started writing in or have you morphed to this one?

A 2004 film. Actually, the actor in the lead role. His passionate portrayal and mesmerizing eyes sent a fission of familiarity through me. Did I know him? Was this instant soul connection, past life stuff or kismet? Never having been a fan girl or a Hollywood-ista, I was at sixes and sevens as to where to begin finding out about him. A turn to the internet led me to discover a world I knew little about--the fan based web of sites filling the ethers about each celeb. Then it hit me. What would an unlikely fan living half a world away from the object of her fascination do if the film star receiving her poignant letter of appreciation responded in kind—an instant connection formed? What if she were happily married, he suffering the lonely isolation of fame? Could these two disparate lives still mesh when tragedy stuck? My first novel, Soul In His Eyes, was born. From there I researched genre. Ah--a romance. Joining Romance Writer's Of America's local Los Angeles Chapter was my learning ground. Possibly the best mentoring writer's association in existence, this wonderful group of seasoned and aspiring authors provided a rich atmosphere for networking, honing craft and learning the biz.Fifteen months from first keystroke I was offered a contract

Do you have a favorite character you have written?

Erik Bartholomew- the hero of that first novel, Soul In His Eyes. Don't they always say you never forget your first? He represents all the good people in the entertainment field, caught in the glare of fame who crave the ability to have a normal life and love, in spite of the intense scrutiny.

Who was the toughest character for you to “get right"?

Colin Dunlow from Shadows Steal the Light. As a recovering alcoholic and dedicated lead singer of the top rock band of the century, his struggle to make that final break from the bottle, his AA sponsor's dictate to avoid all romantic entanglements through a year of sobriety AND the more than inconvenient fact someone wants him dead—all roil into a pressure cooker of emotion few men could handle. The fact that he meets the woman of his dreams who happens to hate rock and roll just might be the weight to tip the scales. But in what direction? My late brother spent years in the rock music industry. There is a definite underbelly to this world, a truly strong man can navigate. How would I make such a character gritty yet lovable and loving? Determined, passionate, yet under the weight of mistress alcohol's ever present allure?

Excerpt from Shadows Steal the Light:

   Colin ran out in front. He turned to check on his AA sponsor, Robert.

    “Are you goin’to do some press ups, Colin?” Robert called to him as Colin plopped down for a rest on the grass of the heath.

   “Give me a minute.” Colin protested.

   Robert lowered himself to the grass. He was a barrel-chested man of fifty and had a challenge keeping up with a fit thirty two year old. “You’re not goin’ to let this old man show you up, are you?” Robert jested, straining to catch his breath.

   The two men sat on the grass, enjoying the sun and the openness of the heath. Wiping the beads of sweat from his brow with the back of his hand, Robert inquired, “So, what has all this done to your love life, man?”

   Colin gave him a double take. “You’ve got to be jokin’.” He shook his head. “I’m not certain what I’ve missed more, the liquor or the sex. At least that’s one thing that won’t be sending me back to hospital. There are  some truly fine women on the road at nearly every show, just waitin’ their

chance.”

   “You need to forget about it, man.” Robert pressed assertive fingers on Colin’s forearm. “You’re not ready. None of us are when we’re newly out, what with our emotions so raw and at the surface.”

   “What am I supposed to do then, tie a bloody bow in it?”

   Retracting his hand, and interlacing his fingers about his drawn  knees, he chuckled, “You’re a lucky man indeed if you can do that.” His expression darkened. “I’m sorry to say, I’m deadly serious, man. There’s nothing that drives us back to the liquor faster than getting involved with the first pretty face that comes along and having the emotional rug pulled out from under us.”

   Colin’s jaw tightened. “How long?”

   “A year.”

   “Bloody f**k, man! Now you really are jokin’,” he spouted.

   Robert furrowed his brow, fully illuminating his resolute intention.

   “Sh*t…you are serious,” Colin lamented.

   “Deadly.”

Buy Link for Shadows Steal The Light

Christine's Web Site: www.christinelondon.com

Facebook fun: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Christine-London/71009389201

Tweet with Me : https://twitter.com/#!/ChristineLondon

Christine London

Author of 100 Romance's Best of the Year - When We Were Amazing

Sample or Purchase When We Were Amazing http://amzn.to/J3iU11

Christine on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Christine-London/71009389201

Christine At Amazon Author Central https://www.amazon.com/author/christinelondon

                                                        Website: www.christinelondon.com

Question: Who was it in the rock music industry that gave Christine insight into the hazards or the business?  Drop us a comment with your answer to be in the running for Lisa Jackson's book.

Your next stop on the tour is: Author Regan Taylor http://regantaylorsworld.blogspot.com