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Welcome to our New Faces column, where you can meet debut romance authors and find out about their books. This time we're visiting with Pamela Stone, whose first book is Last Resort: Marriage from Harlequin American.
Pam, welcome to TRR! Tell us about yourself. I was born and raised in Texas. I've always lived within 50 miles of the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex. I've been married all my adult life to the kid down the street who used to throw our newspaper. We have two grown sons and three adorable grandkids. I have an Accounting degree from the University of Texas at Arlington. Are you coming to romance writing from another job? I have worked in corporate America almost 23 years. I've not actually changed jobs, but my job has changed. First supporting contracts and billing for travel agents, then moved into network and desktop support for a major airline, and currently support the data and voice networks for a huge bank. Lets just say that writing keeps me sane. What led you to write romance? With working parents, I spent a few weeks each summer with my grandparents. One had a farm where I loved to take long walks in the back pasture or down the dirt road and make up stories. Some of those stories were fueled from my other grandmother's shed full of romance novels. If you complained of being bored at her house, she just sent you out to find a book. As an only child, I always had a head full of imaginary characters to keep me company. Sort of a natural progression of all three I think. Tell us about your road to publication. Well, like I said above, I've been making up stories as far back as I remember. When my boys were small, I read a lot and I'd always find that I wanted to change one thing or the other. So a friend and I decided to try our hand at writng a book. I'm sure it's best left beneath the bed, but I learned a lot from the experience. Then later when the boys both joined the army only a few weeks apart, I needed something to keep my attention. I joined RWA, my local chapter, and started learning the rules. That was around 2000. I placed in and won a few contests and with the help of my chapter and two wonderful critique partners, sold Last Resort: Marriage to Harlequin American on Friday, June 13, 2008. It hit the shelves July 2009. And a couple weeks ago, I sold my second book, tentatively titled When Hanna Falls to Harlequin American, due out in 2011. What kind of research was involved for your first book? The books is set in the Florida Keys, one of my favorite escapes when I worked for the airline. For about 15 years, we managed at least one trip a year to Florida, three or four of those to the Keys. I may have been born in Dallas, but I think I had sand between my toes just the same. I love the ocean and boats. My husband is a certified diver. It just came natural. Tell us about your debut book. Set in Marathon Key, Florida. A workaholic resort manager marries a down on his luck scuba guide in a last ditch effort to save both their businesses and realizes she'd rather lose the resort than the guy. Two separate reviewers have compared it to a contemporary Tracy and Hepburn or Bogie and Bacall. That made me smile. Who are your influences as a writer? I love Nora Roberts. I love the way she portrays men. Hmm, maybe because she raised two sons also. I grew up reading category romances out of Nanny's shed. Then discovered Kathleen Woodiwiss, Sandra Brown, and Elizabeth Lowell. I also enjoy the books by some of my RWA chapter mates like Juliet (Jillian) Burns, Lorraine Heath, and Jane Graves, just to name a few. What does your family think of having a published romance author in their midst? Now that's been entertaining. My sons both bought a copy but won't read it. My husband has promoted the book to some of his tech friends and even his Physics professor uncle. My aunts and cousins have been great. And some of my male corporate America colleagues have been amazingly supportive. But the coolest thing so far happened the afternoon I got home from National in DC. I was tired and dragging my huge suitcase when I walked out of the airport terminal. I looked down the way and spotted my husband's tiny Dr. Pepper can red, Fiat convertible. As I focused on it and headed that way, I heard my husband's voice saying, "Ms. Stone, oh Ms. Stone, will you sign my book?" He was sauntering toward me waving a copy of Last Resort: Marriage over his head. That will always make me smile. Tell us about plans for future books. Well, I am contracted for a second book due out in 2011. It is set in the Texas Hill Country and is about a recently divorced lady and a widowed father, brought together by the shenanigans of his tenacious twelve-year-old daughter and her twelve-year-old preppy son. How can readers get in touch with you? I love to get emails from readers, and I can be reached at pamstone54@yahoo.com. And I have a website if anyone wishes to keep up with the latest news. I try to keep it updated. www.pamelastone.net
Pam, thanks for joining us, and best of luck!
September 7, 2009 |
