First, if we were meeting at a coffee shop I’d be drinking a Latte 🙂 What would you order? I almost always order a grande soy no water chai. The no water makes it extra yummy!
Thanks so much for taking the time to answer a few questions. I’m a HUGE fan of your books. Your Christmas With the Duke’s Arms was published in October and is a collection of stories from four talented and amazing writers. What was it like to put this book together and what was the most challenging part of writing this Christmas book? I know this one was on many holiday wish lists including my own!
It was actually really fun working with Miranda, Grace, and Carolyn to put the book together. I’m so used to working in isolation that it’s a pleasure to brainstorm ideas with other authors, especially writers as clever as they are. The best part for me was that the three of them are all good in areas where I lack knowledge. Carolyn knows so much about formatting and metadata and stuff like that. Grace is really smart about back cover copy and the craft of writing. Miranda is great with the financial stuff.
The challenging part for me was the cover. It was a long, onerous process, and it was tough to get us all to agree on pretty much every aspect of the cover.
Congratulations on your novella that released earlier today – Happy Release Day! I reviewed it yesterday and it was fantastic! (link to review) Your next book in the Covent Garden Cubs Series “Earls Just Want to Have Fun” will be released on February 2nd and I’ll be posting my review of that later this month! I’m impressed, you must write with super power speed!
I don’t write particularly fast, I just don’t sleep a lot.
8 Tantalizing Tidbits
1. A Must read book and why? Enclave by Ann Aguirre. What? Shana Galen is
recommending a dystopian YA? Yep. It’s very historical in tone, and no
one does action and suspense like Aguirre. I learned a lot from reading the
Razorland series, and thoroughly enjoyed myself too!
2. What is one place that I should see if I visit your hometown?I live in Houston, and if
you come here, you should see NASA. I recently visited again after not having
gone for more than a decade, and it’s just so fascinating. If I hadn’t been with my
daughter, I could have stayed for hours.
3. What is one thing readers would be surprised to know about you? I’m a vegetarian and haven’t eaten meat in 28 years.
4. When you are traveling do you prefer to road trip it or fly it? Definitely fly. I don’t like driving or being stuck in the car. I want to get there fast.
5. If you had an all expenses paid trip anywhere in the world for research, where would you go? No brainer. London. I’d stay for six weeks and tour all of the UK. I just
love the UK, and I haven’t been in 15 years.
6. What are you afraid of? Crickets are super icky to me. I don’t like their black bodies
and legs. Surprisingly, spiders don’t bother me much. Those are minor fears,
though. My real and true fear is that something horrible will happen to my
daughter. I think most moms fear for their children’s safety.
7. Organized or Free Floating? So, so organized. I have lists of lists. Nothing makes
me smile like checking something off my to-do list.
8. Do you love to cook or go out to eat? I am the worst cook. It’s because cooking
doesn’t allow for revision. I always mess something crucial up and then I can’t go
back and fix it. I throw a lot out. I like to go out to eat.
Thanks for stopping by Shana! Thanks so much for having me!
***********NOW CLOSED ******* GIVEAWAY***********
Shana Galen is giving away an e-book (Kindle, Nook, Kobo or Google Play) of The Viscount of Vice to one person who comments today. For your chance to win let us know – If you had an all expenses paid trip anywhere in the world, where would you go?
This is one book you will want to have in your e-reader 🙂
BIO:
Shana Galen is the bestselling author of passionate Regency romps, including the RT Reviewers’ Choice The Making of a Gentleman. Kirkus says of her books, “The road to happily-ever-after is intense, conflicted, suspenseful and fun,” and RT Bookreviews calls her books “lighthearted yet poignant, humorous yet touching.” She taught English at the middle and high school level off and on for eleven years. Most of those years were spent working in Houston’s inner city. Now she writes full time. She’s happily married and has a daughter who is most definitely a romance heroine in the making. Shana loves to hear from readers, so send her an email or see what she’s up to daily on Facebook and Twitter.
I would love to go to England to see all of the historic buildings and castles.
That’s the perfect trip for any lover of history.
While I’d love to go back to Scotland, New Zealand is next on my list!
I hope you get to go to BOTH locales soon, Janie.
Put me anywhere in Europe and I’d love it. I spent two weeks in Paris in July and can’t wait to go back to France for longer. I’m looking forward to the new series. 🙂
Sharon, 2 weeks in Paris! How lovely!I was there for about 3 days, and that was not long enough.
I am going to say Italy… It seems so romantic!
It really does, plus there’s good food and wine.
I love your books and I love love your covers! They jump out and start the story before you open the book.
Thank you so much, Christina!
I’d like to go to Scotland. I’ve wanted to go there for years. Maybe one day I’ll make it there.
I hope you do. It’s just breathtaking.
I’d love to visit New Zealand.
It always looks so, so pretty in the pictures.
If I could go anywhere in the world it would be Italy!! Romantic, wonderful food and the accent is sooooo very sexy!
I can’t argue. The art and music is wonderful too.
I would go to the UK. Its my dream vacation. I’d love to explore all of the old historic sites.
I’d go with you, Andrea.
Scotland for the vast land or Japan during their cherry blossom season.
Oh, nice! I’ve seen DC’s cherry blossoms, so I can imagine how amazing Japan is.
I would love to see Scotland.
I’d love to go back, especially if it wasn’t too cold. I’m a wimp when it comes to cold weather.
I with every one. I would love to see Scotland and Ireland.
You can’t go wrong in either locale.
I would go to Greece, Italy & Paris. I love to travel! Matter of fact my cousin & I will be doing some world wide traveling together this year!
Wow! How fun.
I want to go to Scotland and Ireland first, and then Iceland. I’ve read so many books that take place in the first two ‘spots’, and I’ve heard that Iceland is beautiful.
Ooh, Iceland! That’s different, Sandy.
I would love to go to actors land and see where my heritage started! I would love to see where my blood comes from and be able to step where my ancestors stepped! I’m a history nerd!! Ha ha
Scotland idiot autocorrect
I was wondering where actors land was–Hollywood. But Scotland is way better. I hope you get to go!
Nikki – Scotland sounds wonderful!!!
Would love to go to Italy!
Oh, me too. Such great food and art! And the wine! Don’t forget the wine!
I would love to go back to Germany. Still have family there.
I’ve never been there, but it’s on my list!
Right this minute, I would take off for Scotland. I would love to see the castles.
Yes, the castles and maybe Jamie Fraser…
Hi, Shana! I would like to return to Denmark to see the land of my grandfather’s birth. I would be more interested in seeing the historical places now, I think, as well as speaking with cousins. I loved it before when I was there. It looks a lot like eastern Iowa where I live. OR, maybe New Zealand. That country has always fascinated me since reading Essie Summers’ Harlequins. 🙂
My family is from the Netherlands, and your choice makes me think that it would be interesting to go there.
In SW Iowa, school has been cancelled for tomorrow because of extreme cold. So my all expense paid trip would be a resort somewhere south and tropical. With a beach, beach chair, umbrella, cocktails, and several books!
Riley, we haven’t cancelled school for windchills in eastern Iowa for 10 years, but rumor has it we will do so tomorrow with it being -40 wc. Iowa City has already cancelled!
-40 wind chills? Wow! Stay inside and stay warm.
Wow, Riley! How cold is it? I’m in Houston, and it’s not that cold but no cocktails with umbrellas at the moment. I see the Bahamas in your future.
I’ve always wanted to go to Scotland and Greece. Kilted men and castles vs. Greek food and history. Can’t I do both? LOL
bmndshuler(at)hotmail(dot)com
I don’t see why not? Go for it!
Marcy – sure, why not 🙂 sounds perfect!
I would definitely go to Paris, France….I have wanted to go there since I was a little girl. Stateside would be Las Vegas. Other trip to Europe would be Italy.
I would not go to Vegas. My husband always wants to go there. I’d tag along with you anywhere else on your list, though!
Shana, Vegas was a lot of fun – the shows, the people, the hotels – it was one big party!
girlfromwva – I LOVED Paris. Hoping to go back again – it was magical! So rich in history and the food was out of this world!
I have been planning my honey moon (recently engaged) to Greece because that is one of my top places to visit. Three other top places would be: England, Ireland (family ancestry there), and Italy. Each country is so beautiful.
Gabrielle, congrats! I bet Greece will be a beautiful honeymoon.
Gabrielle – congrats! Each one of your destinations would be perfect 🙂
What a difficult choice. I have wanted to visit both Alaska and Australia so I guess it would depend on the time of year to determine North or South.
That is a tough choice. If it was whale-watching season, Alaska!
I, like Shana, would spend my time in the UK. I am such an ancestry and history buff that I would spend some time in Ireland, as well as, Scotland and England. It would be my first trip outside of Canada and the US! Thanks for this chance!
I hope you get to go one day, Melanie.
I would go to Scotland because I love Scotland.
Who doesn’t? And speaking of Scotland, when will Outlander be on again?
I don’t know exactly when it comes back on but I can’t wait cause I sure am missing me some Jaimie….love Outlander…
I would love to go to England and or Ireland
I would love to go back. They are both wonderful!
You know, if it was really an All Expense Paid trip, I’d head over to Laos with my husband. He doesn’t really say it, but I know he would love to go back to his native country for a visit and maybe get reacquainted with relatives who are still living there. We know the house he used to live in has been transformed into an hotel (my niece’s ex-boyfriend went to visit Laos a few years ago and took lots of pictures of my husband’s old house). So, I’d go there with him and maybe our children so they could see part of their heritage.
I think that’s a fabulous idea. I know that would mean a lot to your husband. I hope you can go some day.
I would go to England and Ireland. Would love to visit all the historical sites and see all the castles.
I would go with you. There’s much more I’d like to see there.
I would go to the United Kingdom!
Perfect choice. I’ve been twice and want to go back.
New Zealand – in a heartbeat! Just thinking of all the different landscapes and all the wool makes me happy 🙂
Oh, yes! I bet New Zealand is beautiful and exotic.
Shana, Thank you for stopping by! Loved The Spy Beneath the Mistletoe & looking forward to reading more of your books.
Thank you so much! That whole anthology was fun to write.
Guess it would help to tell you where I’d love to go. Ireland, Scotland & Australia are all on my bucket list along with visiting all 50 states (only 8 more to go). 🙂
I would like to visit Scotland.
Suzanne I would LOVE to got to Scotland – it’s on my list of places to visit soon!
I would love to go back. It’s so beautiful.
Thanks for having me today, Rae. I’ll be checking in all day long to respond to comments.
Shana thanks for stopping by 🙂 That sounds great! It’s a perfect day to enjoy a warm drink and a fabulous book!
Yep. Time for another cup of coffee!
If I had an all expense paid trip to anywhere in the world, I would go back to Ireland. I have been there twice and I loved it. Actually, if it could be a one way ticket, I would be a very happy person.
Catherine – that sounds like a fabulous trip!
Catherine, I haven’t been to Ireland, but I flew over it once when I went to Scotland. It was so incredibly green. I would love to go there too.