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Interview with Author Christina Phillips and Giveaway


Christina Phillips is an ex-pat Brit who now lives in sunny Western Australia with her high school sweetheart and their family. She enjoys writing paranormal, historical and contemporary romance where the stories sizzle and the heroine brings her hero to his knees.

She is addicted to good coffee, expensive chocolate and bad boy heroes. She's also owned by three gorgeous cats who are convinced the universe revolves around their needs. They are not wrong.

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First off, can you tell us a bit about you?
Thanks so much for having me on Ramblings from this Chick today =) I’m a Brit, now living in sunny Western Australia with my gorgeous family and our three beautiful cats.  I’m a chocoholic, hate getting caught in the rain, and adore the remake of Battlestar Galactica. 

Did you always want to be a writer?
I’ve always loved writing, but when I was a child I never thought I’d be a writer when I grew up. It wasn’t until after I had my own children that I decided to get serious about making this my career. Luckily by then I’d left my space operas behind – not that I don’t love space operas but the ones I wrote when I was a teen ended up with everyone dying in the goriest ways imaginable =)

What kind of writer are you? Panster or Plotter?
I’m a bit of both. Ideally I’ll just have a few “spikes” or turns in the road that I know must happen along the way, but generally I have absolutely no idea how we’ll get from point A to point B. The trouble is, editors like to see a proposal in advance, so I’ve had to learn to plot things out better than my usual vague “and then things happen…” Not that it makes any difference to my characters. They still do exactly what they want, whether it’s in the outline or not!

Where do your ideas come from?
I’d love to know the answer to this question becaue the truth is I really don’t have a clue! It’s like a seed or tiny light flickers in my mind, and I have to go and investiage. Usually it’s either the hero or heroine in there lurking, and from there I find out their backstory which is how I then learn what their story in the present is.

A la Twitter style, can you describe your book (or series) in 140 characters or less.
Cooper Grayson was supposed to be protecting his best friend’s little sister from the paparazzi, not falling under her spell & into her bed.

What are some of your favorite kinds of stories to read?
It depends on my mood. I’ve gone through stages where I’d read nothing but horror (I read Stephen King’s The Stand on my honeymoon – don’t ask!!) I also love historical and paranormal romances. As long as I can fall in love with the hero, and the heroine is a woman I empathise with, then I’m happy.

Do you have a favorite book and if so what is it?
I’m going to cheat a bit here and name a series! One of my faves as a child was the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, and up until about eight years ago I used to read those books every few years. Another book I’ve read countless times is The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel. I first read that book when I was 18 and it blew me away. 

What are the scenes that are the hardest for you to write? Why?
I find the whole book hard to write =) I spend a lot of time staring  at the screen hoping the words will magically appear! (They don’t…=) ) Hardest of all are the sex scenes (no pun intended. Atually that’s a fib, it was totally intended =) ) It’s not because I don’t enjoy them. It’s getting the balance right so they’re sexy and emotional and show the vulnerabilities of both hero and heroine. 

If you could have dinner with any three authors, who would you choose and why?
  • Victoria Holt – I first started reading her books when I was about 11, and was completely enraptured by her dark gothic tales.
  • Stephen King – because he is Simply Awesome!
  • Jonathan Stroud – because I really, really want more Bartimaeus books =)

Last question, are you working on anything right now?
I have a couple of things I’m working on at the moment. One is a bad boy/good girl steamy novella with a tortured hero and unrequieted love. The other book is a billionaire novella that I’m writing with Cathleen Ross and Mel Tescho for our second boxed set together – Taken by the Billionaire, which should hopefully be out before the end of the year! 

Which book, TV or movie boyfriend/girlfriend would you want to be stranded with on a desert island, and why?



She's the one girl he should never touch...

Cooper Grayson is supposed to hole up in a mountain cabin and protect his best friend's little sister from the paparazzi for a week. That's it. But Paris O'Connell isn't a kid anymore, and it's hard to remember this is strictly business when she bats her big green eyes at him...then crashes through all his carefully placed boundaries.

Paris loves a challenge. And gorgeous Cooper Grayson is the most dangerous challenge she's faced yet. He ignores the sizzling attraction that keeps her awake at nights, and he doesn't care about her fame or her contacts, only seeing her. When they finally kiss, Cooper leaves her bare. Exposed. His for the taking. And take he does...

For one incredibly hot week, Cooper fulfils her every fantasy. But when the real world crashes in, so does reality. And reality tells them there's no way a Hollywood star and a bad boy from the wrong side of town could ever have a future together... 

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Kobo |


Check out what's up for grabs.

Up For Grabs:
  • 1 $10 Amazon Gift Card + a small Hold Me Australasia Swag Pack

To Enter:
  • Which book, TV or movie boyfriend/girlfriend would you want to be stranded with on a desert island, and why?
  • Please fill out the Rafflecopter form.

Good Luck!

Special thanks to Christina Phillips for sponsoring this giveaway.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

42 comments :

Natalie said...

I would love to be stranded with Mark Walberg....that does not need an explanation! :)

Kirsten said...

Richard Armitage, because I love his smile & wouldn't mind seeing it on a desert island :)

Marcy Meyer said...

I would pick Archer Hale from Archer's Voice.

Unknown said...

I would pick Taylor Kinney

JenM said...

Easy on the eyes is a bonus, but most important to me would be someone like McGyver who could solve all of our problems and make our lives easier on the island using stuff that we found there.

Brandi Swendt said...

Gideon Cross. Because I'm sure the island alone would be spectacular if Gideon took us there

Brandi Swendt said...

Gideon Cross. Because I'm sure the island alone would be spectacular if Gideon took us there

Sue G. said...

Gerard Butler because he is funny and is great to look at!

nurmawati djuhawan said...

i feel safe stranded in an island with dean winchester from supernatural tv series because he braves and super hot !! thx u :)

Rita Wray said...

I would pick Josh Holloway from the TV show LOST.

Carey said...

How about Channing Tatum??? Or Justin Timberlake. I'd like either. I could probably name many more.

dstoutholcomb said...

Rhett Butler--he'd know how to survive!

erin said...

Chris Pratt!!! Thanks for sharing :)

Cheryl Hastings said...

Matthew Gray Gubler because he's smart, cute and funny :)

Anonymous said...

I'd love to be stranded with Jamie Fraser. He knows how to rough it outdoors and he looks good in a kilt. LOL

Marcy Shuler

Mary Preston said...

Ragnar Lothbrok from the TV show VIKINGS. I'd say he would be handy to have around.

Linda Henderson said...

I'd pick Roarke from J D Robb's In Death series. He's so rich he could buy the island.

Christina Phillips said...

Hi Natalie! Mark Walberg definitely doesn't need an explanation! :-)

Christina Phillips said...

Hi Kirsten! I wouldn't mind seeing any part of Richard Armitage on a desert island! :D

Christina Phillips said...

Hi Marcy, I just checked out Archer's Voice and it looks amazing! Another one to add to the tbr pile :-)

Christina Phillips said...

Hi Melissa! I think Taylor Kinney's biceps would get a good workout on a desert island :-)

Christina Phillips said...

Hi Jem, having a handy man sounds a good idea to me!

Christina Phillips said...

Hi Brandi, anything would be spectacular if Gideon took us there!! :-)

Christina Phillips said...

Hi Sue, Gerard Butler would be great, plus - super sexy accent! :-)

Christina Phillips said...

Hi nurmawati! I'd feel super safe with Dean Winchester around! :-)

Christina Phillips said...

Hi Rita, I loved Josh Holloway in LOST! He should know his way around a desert island :-)

Christina Phillips said...

Hi Carey! LOL, too hard to choose - have both :D

Christina Phillips said...

Hi dstoutholcomb! I bet he could and we could make him give a damn, too, lol! :-)

Christina Phillips said...

Hi erin, Chris Pratt would be huge fun on a desert island! Maybe he could bring dancing baby Groot :D

Christina Phillips said...

Hi Cheryl! Smart, cute and funny is the perfect combination!! :-)

Christina Phillips said...

Hi Marcy! I bet he looks pretty good out of his kilt too!! :-)

Christina Phillips said...

Hi Mary! Oh yes, I love Ragnor Lothbok, well I love Vikings so no surprises there! He'd be very handy on a desert island!! :-)

Christina Phillips said...

Hi Linda! LOL that's very true, in which case we could request the island had all the mod cons :-)

Unknown said...

Acheron from Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunter series, because he is hot and a God. He could conjure whatever we wanted or needed. And I would love to stare into his silver swirling eyes.

Christina Phillips said...

Hi Corey! Good thinking about Acheron being able to conjure up whatever we needed :-)

Rebecca James said...

Joe Manganiello! Because he's big and strong, and he could protect me from any danger I might face on the island. It's got absolutely nothing to do with what he looks like! ;)

Christina Phillips said...

Hi Rebecca! LOL I believe you :-) Although he is very easy to look at as well!!!

Ada said...

I'd go with Ben McDaniel from Jill Shalvis' Once In A Lifetime. I just love big, tough men who are inner teddy bears!

Christina Phillips said...

Hi Ada! Oh I love those type of heroes too!! :-)

Anita H. said...

Oliver Queen from Arrow. He's hot and he can save a city!

Anita H. said...

And he's already survived one island!! lol

Christina Phillips said...

LOL Anita! That's very true :-)

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