Interview with Author M. Leighton and Giveaway

Today I would like to welcome author M. Leighton to RFTC. M. Leighton is celebrating the print release of her book The Wild Ones and has stopped by to answer a few questions. Please give M. Leighton a warm welcome.

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, M. Leighton, is a native of Ohio. She relocated to the warmer climates of the South, where she can be near the water all summer and miss the snow all winter. Possessed of an overactive imagination from early in her childhood, Michelle finally found an acceptable outlet for her fantastical visions: literary fiction. Having written over a dozen novels, these days Michelle enjoys letting her mind wander to more romantic settings with sexy Southern guys, much like the one she married and the ones you'll find in her latest books. When her thoughts aren't roaming in that direction, she'll be riding horses, swimming in ponds and experiencing life on a ranch, all without leaving the cozy comfort of her office.

Places to find M Leighton:

| Site | Facebook | Twitter |

First off, can you tell us a bit about you?
Well, I grew up kind of all over, but I now consider myself a Southern girl. I’m very happily married to my own personal leading man and we have a dog that outsmarts me on a regular basis. I’ve held a laughable amount an d variety of jobs, none of which fit me just right until I found writing. I hope to spend the rest of my chocolate-eating, coffee-drinking life doing exactly what I love—crafting love stories.

Did you always want to be a writer?
I’m not one of those people who can say I’ve written for most of my life or that I’ve always had the burning desire to write. I’m not one of those people who has dreamed of being published since I was in high school or has kept journals and written short stories since a young age. It wasn’t until much later in life (like 2 years ago, LOL) that I learned of my love for writing. I’ve always loved to read. Mostly romances, of course. But I never once considered writing a book of my own. Not until June of 2009, that is. I will forever remember that month with fondness and unimaginable gratitude. After a lifetime of searching endlessly for my niche, of searching for that job that I love so much it doesn’t feel like work at all, I can honestly say that I finally found it. And boy, does it feel good!

What kind of writer are you? Panster or Plotter?
Total pantser! I tried plotting one time. It was in the course of writing my second (as yet unpublished book). I wrote an outline of where I wanted the story to go. By chapter three, the manuscript was completely unrecognizable. LOL I decided never to waste my time doing that again.

Where do your ideas come from?
While they might be inspired by a beautiful melody or a phrase that I hear somewhere, that’s the closest they ever come to originating somewhere in real life. But for one character in my third book (who bears an uncanny resemblance to my grandmother), no characters, storylines or events have any ties to real life. They come straight out of my crazy, mixed up brain.

A la Twitter style, can you describe your book (or series) in 140 characters or less.
(The Wild Ones) Sexy cowboy Trick meets classy Cami, the daughter of a champion horse-breeder. Trick realizes too late that Cami is the forbidden fruit that could ruin his plans.

What are some of your favorite kinds of stories to read?
For various reasons, I don’t read widely in the genre in which I write. I read mostly historical romances and murder-mystery thrillers with the occasional contemporary or paranormal romance mixed in. From Johanna Lindsey and Stephanie Laurens to JR Ward and Lara Adrian, and from James Patterson and Lee Child to Patricia Cornwell and Charlaine Harris, I have a fairly eclectic palate.

Do you have a favorite book and if so what is it?
I do. It’s one I read when I was pretty young. A romance that stuck with me like few others have. I’m not sure why, other than it was a great book. Wolf and the Dove by Kathleen Woodiwiss. There’s something about that story that makes me swoon every single time I read it.

What are the scenes that are the hardest for you to write?
The “in-between” scenes. I love the drama and the action and the steam. It’s how to get from one to the other that I have to spend more time pondering.

If you could have dinner with any three authors, who would you choose and why?
Edgar Allen Poe, because he wrote the most gripping material I’ve ever read. Kathleen Woodiwiss, because I’d have a fangirl moment. Stephanie Meyer because she inadvertently started my career. I’d simply like to thank her.

Last question, are you working on anything right now?
I just started an adult contemporary romance about two people who are both twisted and emotionally scarred, but in ways that directly oppose one another. It’s a story about finding a way to compromise for the ones you love, even when you feel it might break you in the process.

QUESTION: Who’s your favorite leading man and why?

Passion as hot as midnight in the South and love as wild as the horses they tame.

The darling daughter of a champion Thoroughbred breeder, Camille “Cami” Hines has a pedigree that rivals some of her father’s best horses. Other than feeling a little suffocated at times, Cami thought she was happy with her boyfriend, her life and her future—until she met Patrick Henley.

“Trick” blurs the lines between what Cami wants and what is expected of her—and he just happens to be so sexy she can’t keep her hands off him. While they both know that Trick would lose his much needed job on the ranch if anyone finds out, they can’t resist the lure of their scorchingly hot encounters.

But when Trick stumbles upon a note from his father, it triggers a series of revelations that could ruin what he and Cami have worked so hard to overcome. It turns out there’s more to Trick’s presence at the ranch than either of them knew, and secrets with the power to tear them apart…

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository |

Check out what's up for grabs.

Up For Grabs:

• 1 lucky winner will win a copy of The Wild Ones

To Enter: 

• Please answer this question: Who’s your favorite leading man and why?
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