Interview with Author Barb Han and Giveaway

Today I would like to welcome author Barb Han to RFTC. Barbara is currently on tour for her book Seducing Avery and has stopped by to answer a few questions. Please give Barbara a warm welcome.

Barb Han lives in North Texas with her husband, has three beautiful children, a spunky Golden Retriever/Standard Poodle mix, and too many books to count.

When she’s not writing, researching, or otherwise getting lost in a story, she volunteers at her children’s school, is in the kitchen ‘creating’ dinner, or can be found on or around a basketball court.

Writing contemporary romance and romantic suspense has been a dream come true for Barb—something she’s wanted to do for as long as she can remember. She left her corporate job, at her husband’s urging, and has been happily playing with her imaginary friends ever since.

In her down time, she plays video games and loves reading with her children. She also enjoys traveling with her family. Many of the places she visits end up in her books.

Places to find Barb:

| Site | Facebook | Twitter |

First off, can you tell us a bit about you?
First and foremost, thanks so much for having me here today!

The inverted pyramid writing style I learned in Journalism 101 couldn’t hold my interest for long. I wanted to add description, characters, and points of view to my work. I knew I was in trouble when my editor at a Fortune 100 company called me down again (sigh) for having too many adjectives in my stories. I traded my business suit for yoga pants, and have been happily writing from home ever since (where I get to keep most of my descriptive words).

What else? I live in North Texas with my husband where we have three beautiful children, a spunky Golden Retriever/Standard Poodle mix, and too many books to count. When I’m not writing, researching, or otherwise getting lost in a story, I like to volunteer in my children’s school. I enjoy cooking, too. Oh, and in my down time, I can usually be found on or around a basketball court.

Did you always want to be a writer?
Ever since I can remember, I wanted to write. I had this silly notion I’d need to get a ‘real’ job when I grew up and that I’d secretly write at night and on weekends. I’d heard one too many stories about painters who became famous after their deaths, so I innocently believed that’s how it worked. My need to write overpowered my need for a high-paying job so I studied journalism in college. My emphasis was PR and my minor was marketing so I could get a paid writing job in corporate America. I didn’t care what I did, really, as long as I got to write. Many a boring, er, exciting, Marketing collateral piece was born that way. :-)

What kind of writer are you? Panster or Plotter?
Oh, good question. I’m a total hybrid. How’s that for not committing to either one? Stories come to me in many ways. Sometimes, it’s a character who sticks around in my mind. Other times, a situation pops into my thoughts and the people show up later. I let the situation or character marinate for a while before I sit down to write, which is good because this usually happens when I’m working on something else and have another idea in the pipeline waiting its turn, too. I always seem to have more ideas than writing time. Once I learn more, I nail down the conflict by asking myself what’s most important to the people in the story and why they can’t have it? I have a rough outline, mostly in mind with a few notes jotted down before I start writing. When I think I have enough to move forward (some stories dance around in the back of my mind for a few years before they take center stage), then it’s go time. I start writing and let the story take me from there. I always know how a story will end before I sit down to write it. Sometimes, I’m right.

Where do your ideas come from?
Pretty much everywhere. I’ll see a woman standing next to the flower section of the grocery who keeps stealing glances at an arrangement of roses and the questions start pinging. Why is she standing near the roses and not walking right up to them? Is it because she recently lost someone and that particular arrangement reminded her of him, and she can’t face it? Or does she long for someone to send her a beautiful bouquet? When was the last time someone sent her flowers? Does she always wear red? Was that a tear I saw escape before she could sniff it back? Or, is she acting? Then a thunderclap moment happens and I’ll ask, does she really work for a secret agency and is watching a target while looking for weapons? She could break the glass vase and be ready to strike at a moment’s notice.

This happens pretty much everywhere. Carpool. Coffee houses. You name it. Although, I’ve mostly learned to find the ‘off’ button at the grocery, or I’d come home empty handed and my family would starve.

A la Twitter style, can you describe your book (or series) in 140 characters or less.
Okay, I’ll try. Here goes: A billionaire playboy can get anything he wants…except the woman of his dreams. Can career-focused Avery keep their relationship business only?

What are some of your favorite kinds of stories to read?
I’m an eclectic reader, so I read most genres. My biggest criterion is an HEA. Having said that, I love contemporary (an obvious choice given what I write); romantic suspense; mystery; women’s fiction. I’ve been known to dive into paranormal and YA. Aren’t there a lot of great YA books out right now!

Do you have a favorite book and if so what is it?
Do you mean right now? This changes weekly. I tend to devour books. At this moment, I’d have to say my favorite is...well, I can’t decide. There are too many great stories out there! I recently finished Cindy Gerard’s Last Man Standing. What an intense read! I loved it. On the lighter side, but oh-so-sexy, I just finished Candace Havens’ Take It Like A Vamp. The first line of that story is, “It’s sad when your best friend makes your panties, melt...” By now, I think everyone’s read Jennifer Probst’s The Marriage Bargain. I love her feisty heroine, and who doesn’t love a man who can cook? My go to person for a read with sexual chemistry that fires all over the page is Abby Green. The Legend of De Marco is her new release and will be my next read.

What are the scenes that are the hardest for you to write?
The hardest scenes for me to write are the ones which stretch me in some new way. These are often born out of feedback from my agent or editor.

If you could have dinner with any three authors, who would you choose and why?
First and foremost, I’d choose Stephen J. Cannell. I had an opportunity to meet him when he was alive and missed it. It’s my one big regret. He has inspired me in so many ways with this work ethic, his dedication to telling a story in the best possible way, and his personal courage. I’d be honored to share a meal with him.

He only wrote one book and it was non-fiction, but the second person would be Bruce Lee. He was my first crush (I was five when he died) and most likely the reason I dated my Asian husband (shhh...don’t tell him that!). Seriously, Bruce was brilliant and focused, and, let’s face it, he could nunchuck the heck out of injustice. He was the ultimate alpha male. Plus, with all his Hollywood connections, I bet he could tell some interesting stories.

I would definitely try to balance out all the testosterone at the table with my last dinner guest. Last, but in no way least, would be Sandra Brown. I have a total Fan Girl crush on her (in a non-stalker way). I love her writing voice. And when it comes to sparing with words, I bet she could hold her own even against Mr. Lee. Plus, wouldn’t it be cool to see how these three very different people related to each other?

Last question, are you working on anything right now?
Why yes, thanks for asking. I just turned in another billionaire story. This one is much darker than my first, and the hero and heroine have a past they have to overcome to find their happy ending. Daegen is dark, sexy, and damaged. (I love a wounded hero who can only be saved by the love of a special woman.) Rae has her own issues. Her problems run deep. She’ll find out if she can she go back to the one man she can’t forget and find love in second chances.

Here’s an exclusive excerpt:

He couldn’t stop himself from wondering if her breath still caught when he stroked behind her knee? Or when his tongue rolled behind her ear and he breathed on her lobe? Did her body vibrate when his fingers grazed the inside of her silky thigh?

Seeing her again brought out a dormant thirst no woman since her could quench. Her reason for showing up didn’t matter. He had every intention to get her back in his bed where she belonged.

Only this time, they’d part on his terms.

Lifting her wrist ever so slowly, he held her gaze while brushing a kiss on the tender place where her arm joined her palm.

She held secrets. He intended to find out what. “Your room is over there. Don’t get too comfortable.”

A breath came out in a huff. Her pink lips pouted. “No threat there.”

Threat? Interesting word choice.

Threat could be measured. Threat weighed a hundred-twenty-five-pounds and stood five-foot-seven-inches.

Threat had a name. Rae Stevens.

Avery McAdams believes in order to truly be herself she needs to keep her head down, her guard up and her focus on her career. Until she’s hired by sexy, charismatic Ryker Li to pull off the event of the century, and he shows up personally to convince her to handle his next party. When she meets him face-to-face, she realizes a piece of her wants him to see her as attractive, which goes against everything she’s convinced herself she believes.

Rich, powerful Ryker has made an art form of getting what he wants, when he wants it, and then moving on. But something about Avery makes him want to stick around.

When he finds everything he never dreamed to look for in a woman, can the billionaire playboy commit to the biggest deal of all? Or will a lifetime of mistrust and suspicion turn them forever into rivals?

Purchase: | Amazon |

"When you despise something, you'd be surprised at what you're willing to do to avoid it." She picked up the blanket, noticing how the air in the room had gone thin. Avery couldn't swallow. Her throat dried up and her stomach quivered. Being near this man made her pulse thump at the base of her throat. Because when his gaze landed hard on hers, it spoke pure sex.

Thick, sooty lashes framed the most intoxicating shade of exotic brown eyes. His high cheekbones framed hard planes on his face, anchoring perfectly full, perfectly formed lips.

Looking at those lips almost made her forget he thought himself too important to attend the charity event he lent his name to. She quirked an eyebrow at him, curious as to why he really stood here in her office? After all, he'd been too busy or too good to show last night. Then again, why would a man like him waste an evening on orphans when he could have any supermodel he wanted at his side, and in his bed?

Coffee. She needed caffeine. She gripped the Styrofoam cup and took a sip.

His thick lips curled. "What is it now?"

Check out whats up for grabs.

Up For Grabs:

• 1 lucky winner from the ENTIRE tour a $10 Gift Card (Amazon/B&N)

To Enter:

• Leave a meaningful comment or question for Barb.
• Please leave your email address along with your comment to be entered. 
• Giveaway ends February 8th

Good Luck =)