14 Questions for Stacey Joy Netzel!

Good morning!

Continuing my two day author event with Stacey Joy Netzel, I figured I should let you all get to know the brain behind the brilliance of "Lost in Italy." 


So, first, here's her official, back of the book, bio:

Stacey fell in love with books at a young age, so for her the graduation to writing them was natural. An avid reader and fan of movies with a happily ever after, she is thrilled to call herself a full-time writer after 20 years as a travel agent. She writes romantic suspense, contemporary romance, and the occasional paranormal short story just for fun.

She lives in her native Wisconsin with her husband and three children, a couple horses and some barn cats. In her limited free time she enjoys gardening, canning, and visiting her parents in Northeastern Wisconsin (Up North) at the family cabin on the lake.

 

And now, what you all know I do when I interview authors:

 

14 Questions for Stacey Joy Netzel!

1) Tell us a little about yourself...(feel free to offer up any or no biograpical info)

Thanks so much for having me on the blog, Sarah! I’m happy to be visiting with you and your readers. I used to be a corporate travel agent; now I make up stories for a living. Sure the first was more practical, but the second is SO much more fun.

2) What book, movie, or character inspired you to write?

Romance. Books, movies, or characters in romantic movies inspired me to write. I’ve been coming up with stories since my early high school years.

3) Best/worst movie based on a book :

In general, I’ve heard people say time and again, “Oh, you’ve got to read the book—it’s so much better than the movie.” But you know, once I’ve seen the movie, I have no desire to read the book because I already know the story (for the most part). There are just TOO many stories out there for me to read the book AND see the movie. That said, now I have to admit I have a copy of the Hunger Games DVD sitting by my TV for the past month. I LOVED the first book, and one of these days I’ll actually watch the movie, too. It may be a first—I honestly can’t remember.

4) Do you write with a soundtrack for whatever you're working on, or do you write in complete silence? No soundtrack. Sometimes I have the TV playing in the background, but silence is better.

5) When do you find time to write? What's your schedule like?

Now that I’m home as a full-time writer, I get words on the page when the kids are in school. I love those hours of silence. LOL

6) For "Lost in Italy" did anyone in particular inspire your main characters? (And why is this book so AWESOME?)

Aw, thanks! I love hearing words like AWESOME in connection with my books, and yet at the same time it makes me very…self-conscious and shy. I want to hear it, but I feel funny talking about it and accepting the praise. So contradictory—something my dad will tell you I’ve been all my life. LOL My inspiration for Trent was Joe Flannigan who starred in Stargate Atlantis. I had a pic of him on my desktop and every morning when I’d turn on my computer, I’d see the pic and say, “Hello, Joe.” I know, my main character is Trent, but somehow it worked. (again with the contradictions) The book really is a romance reader’s fantasy—being rescued by the sexy, larger-than-life movie star hero and capturing his heart in the process. (okay, so maybe I’m specifically talking about this romance reader’s fantasy.)

7) I've spent some serious time on this blog talking about the future of publishing and e-publishing. What are your thoughts?

You don’t have enough room on your blog for this question. Um, I mean the answer. I contract a cover artist and editor to help bring out the best in my work, and suffice it to say I’m very happy indie publishing right now. As for the rest of it, I have no crystal ball, not even any guesses…I just go with the flow and try to keep my head above water. Sorry I can’t offer more.

8) Favorite scene you've ever written? 

Currently unpublished. I’d love to share, but still plan to use it someday. Let’s just say it has a frazzled heroine inept at childcare, and a jackass, arrogant hero who reveals a soft side and magic touch with babies. It’s stuck with me for over 8yrs and melts my heart every time I read it. The jackass arrogant hero is part of why it’s still currently unpublished.

9) What are you reading right now?

Some Enchanted Waltz by Lily Silver, Savage Cinderella by PJ Sharon, A Night of Southern Comfort by Robin Covington, and then there’s WAY too many more on my TBR list.

10) Starbucks or Caribou coffee? 

Lipton black tea with honey and sweetener. I’m trying to cut down on sugar with little success.

11) How many degrees are you removed from Kevin Bacon? (Or any celebrity?)

 I was about to say more than 6 degrees, but then I remembered that my brother is friends with someone who used to be on a hit Prime Time show. You’ll have to take my word for it though, because he doesn’t brag about it and neither will I.

12) If ______________showed up on my doorstep and asked me to run away with him, I would.

Ten years ago I’d have filled in that blank line with any number of names. Nowadays, older and oh-so-much-wiser (ha ha), I realize that name only represents the image I see on a screen, or the character someone’s written in a book. Movies and books are entertainment for a reason—they’re fantasy, not reality. There are more than a few little things I’d love to change about my husband, but in the end, he is the man I chose, and I’d choose him all over again.

13) What would you like readers to take away from "Lost in Italy"? (Besides the fact that it is most awesome!)

I have to admit, these questions always make me feel like a loser because I don’t have any deep hidden meaning in the book that I hope the reader ‘gets’ when they reach the end. In fact, I’ve had reviews written where they thought about the meaning of the book more than I did and I wrote it! Oh, boy, that really makes you want to read my books now, doesn’t it? Well, I’m just being honest.

I’ll tell you what you will take away, or what reviewers have said they take away: A heartwarming feeling of family and sense of community from the small town romance series, thrills and excitement in the romantic suspense, and in all of them, hope that no matter how bad life gets, second chances and happily ever afters are possible. As long as I’ve entertained you, and you close the book with a satisfied smile, I feel I’ve done my job.

 

14) What's next for you?

I’m re-rereleasing my 2010 Write Touch Readers’ Award Mistletoe Rules anthology in three separate books and branding them under my new Romancing Wisconsin series. First up is Mistletoe Mischief, and it’s available now for a special price of $0.99 at Amazon, BN, Apple. Upcoming books in the series will move past the holiday timeframe, introducing new heroines and heroes while visiting old favorites from Pulaski and the fictional town of Redemption in the Welcome to Redemption series written with Donna Marie Rogers.

I also have a paranormal ghost story in the TALES FROM THE MIST Anthology, which releases Oct. 17^th. My story is Beneath Still Waters, and I’m currently writing the follow-up HEA for those characters in Rising Above (Still Waters Part Two). And soon after all that, I’ll be starting Run To Rome, the sequel to Lost In Italy.

 

Thank you so much, Stacey for the interview and your great answers!  Now...all of you...go forth and WRITE...and read "Lost in Italy!"

Book Review: Lost in Italy by Stacey Joy Netzel

The best laid plans...

Halli Sanders spent two years planning the trip of a lifetime to Italy. Her itinerary did not include being stranded by her siblings, kidnapped by a sexy American movie star, dodging bullets, or fleeing criminals in a car chase around Lake Como. And that's just in the first three hours.

...often go awry.

Trent Tomlin put his movie career on hold to investigate his brother's murder-ruled-suicide at his Italian villa. He's closing in on the suspects when an American tourist unwittingly films the murder of the retired cop helping him. The killers will stop at nothing to get the evidence--including holding Halli's family as collateral.

Life's a little different unscripted.

Thrust into the role of real-life hero, Trent finds himself falling for the Plain Jane whose beauty blossoms with every challenge they face. But how can he keep the evidence from the murderers to get justice for his brother and friend without betraying Halli and her family?
Good morning all!

If you've been following along, you know I don't review too many books on this blog.  It's not that I don't read, I read all the time.  For the most part, I read books that I enjoy very, very much, but I don't feel need a review from little old me to help them move along in life.  I mean, I could say, "I've just finished the first two 'Hunger Games' books and I feel they are every bit as good, and possibly better, than the first five 'Harry Potter' books.  Discuss."  But neither of those authors needs my opinion, nor does the reading public at large care.

No, I save my reviews for books I think are really, really special, and might not get the notice they deserve.

So, when I do review a book, you should all sit up and take notice. 

Today I'm reviewing a book that caught me off guard with just how excellent it is.   Stacey Joy Netzel caught my eye a few years ago with her first book, Chasin' Mason, a book that will go down in history as having the most hilarious scene ever involving condoms.

I should have seen how brilliant she was going to be.

"Lost in Italy" is a fact paced roller coaster ride of suspense from the first page.  Halli Sanders is bickering with her siblings during a vacation in Italy.  And that's where the peaceful part of the book ends, on page two.  Halli is the kind of heroine I love; an unassuming, quiet, Midwestern girl who just wants to live a simple life and have a nice vacation.  Trent Tomlin is my favorite kind of hero: hot...hot...hot.  Oh, and a reluctant hero who isn't what he seems and is just out to right a wrong.  (Tall, dark, and wounded anyone?)

With the awesome power only an author can wield over her characters, Stacey throws little Halli into an almost unbelievable whirlwind of action and intrigue, all with Trent, and unlikely, and fairly unwilling, partner.

Almost unbelievable...and yet we as readers are caught in the plot web and we don't want to be free. Netzel takes us into situations we don't expect to find logical...and she makes us believe.  And stand up. And cheer.  And bite our  fingernails.  The suspense starts on page two and never lets up.  But it's not all white knuckles: Netzel infuses scenes here and there with the same unexpected, subtle bits of humor that made her one of my favorites at the start.  And oh yes, there is a dash of sweet, sweaty romance.

"Lost in Italy" is the winner of the 2012 Writer's Touch Reader Award, which means those who have already read this book agree:  This is one outstanding read.

"Lost in Italy" is available in print and digitally in all the usual online places.  Want to know more about Stacey Joy Netzel?  Click Here!