Did you choose your genre or did it choose you?
It totally chose me.
I'd never really considered writing romance, but somehow no matter what I tried
I somehow ended up writing a romance. I finally figured out it was easier to
start that way.
Did you enjoy language arts in school? Did you have a
teacher that particularly encouraged you to write?
I always loved
English class. I had some great teachers who really encouraged me to read and
write as much as possible. My eighth grade teacher was especially supportive
and pushed me to make my reading better.
It’s five o’clock somewhere…Let’s have a drink! What
cocktail best describes you and why?
I don't usually do
cocktails. I'm much more of white wine girl. I love the crisp and clean taste
of a great sauvignon blanc.
On my desk I have a rhino that my husband gave me to remind
me I’m rhino-tough, as you have to be in the business. Is there anything you
have that you use to remind you of that?
I have a poster my
husband gave me that says "You are so f-ing awesome". I look at it a
lot and remind myself of how far I've already come.
I have two muses, Arwen and Bronwyn, they have very distinct
personalities. Can you share a bit about your muse?
I don't have one
particular muse. I tend to find inspiration for each story I write and focus on
that instead. That said, the men are usually very hunky and useful for
inspiration.
It seems we all endured English and/or World literature
coming up in high school…What was the worst book you were ever forced to read
and what about it turned you off?
Somehow I was forced
to read through 8 different versions of the Odyssey while going through school.
I can't stand the book, usually because I've read it so many times and don't
understand the appeal.
You have a million dollars that you must donate to one
charitable organization. Which one would you choose and why?
I would choose the
Nothing But Nets campaign (http://www.nothingbutnets.net/).
There are a number of mosquito-borne diseases in developing countries that are
responsible for a lot of morbidity and mortality. It is so easy to help prevent
a lot of these conditions, like malaria, but the people there don't have the
money to spend on it.
Do you have one of those pesky day jobs, or are you a
full-time writer? If you do have another career what do you do and do you enjoy
it?
I don't know if it
officially counts as a day job, but I'm a full-time PhD student. I enjoy
it…most of the time. There are certainly days where I'm ready to quit and write
full-time instead. I have to stop and remind myself that I really do love what
I'm working on and that it will pay off in the end. Of course, I also have to
remind myself to do the same with writing.
Due to the world we live in, most editors will tell a
romance writer they have the moral obligation to protect their characters from
scary life altering things, thereby being obligated to the reader. What are
your thoughts on this? Do you protect your characters and how?
I think it depends on
the characters. I think most people know that romance is fiction. Obviously my
characters are not making real choices and are playing to fantasies. Sometimes
it is hard to sneak in a condom just for the sake of protecting the characters.
Still, I think that, in general, it is important to do. I protect characters
not because I believe I'm obligated to, but because I typically write smart characters
who wouldn't normally make the decision not to use a condom. If they forget or
screw up, then they know it and will likely mention it in the story.
Romance has come a long, long way since Fabio graced the
covers regularly…it seems the hinges are off the proverbial door. How far is
too far in your mind? Are there things you simply won’t write?
I'm not sure there is
necessarily a too far in mind. There are topics that I'm not personally
interested in reading, but other people might be. That said, I think that most
publishers have good guidelines as far as what is not really commercially
acceptable (no incest, bestiality, etc.). I don't write stuff that I'm overly
uncomfortable with, mainly because I think it shows in my writing. That said, I
don't have any problem with people who do and sometimes read in areas I would
never write.
I’ve been asked, as has my husband, if we do “all that stuff
in my stories.” Do you get asked this and if so how do you handle it?
LOL. I get asked that
all the time. I normally laugh it off and simply say no, but point people
toward the fact that I write fiction. I don't barrel race, study zoology, or
have a mummy in my lab, but people never assume that part of my story is true.
I had an editor early on that showed me the way…have you had
anyone in particular that gave you a gentle **ahem** nudge in the right
direction? How did they do that and how did you react?
I could list so many
people here, but my first editor was the fabulous Clarissa Yip (who is actually
the editor for Getting Ahead). I can't imagine how hard it was for her to get
through that first manuscript, but it came back to me with red marks that you
would even believe. I took one look and closed the document. I then opened it a
few days later and started working through every single comment, page by page.
By the end, I felt completely numb and broken. I think I burst into tears when
she wrote back and told me I'd done a good job.
Wine or beer?
Wine. Preferably
white.
Satin or cotton?
Cotton.
Fries or tots?
Tots.
Cake or pie?
Both, please.
Steak or burgers?
Burgers.
Candle light or pitch dark?
For what? Probably
candle light.
Thanks so much for
having me!
Colton is exactly the kind of
distraction Amber doesn't want, but he might be exactly what she needs to get
back on track.
Recovering from a bad fall during
competition, Amber McDonald decides to spend her last week of training before
her next rodeo at a Colorado ranch, away from any and all distractions. It'd be
the perfect arrangement—if only her fear wasn't stopping her from getting back
on her horse.
Then Colt Riley steps in. He's sexy
and seems to have incredible insight into her situation, but he's everything
she's been trying to stay away from.
Colt knows exactly what Amber is
going through...because he's been there before. Forced to give up his riding
career after an accident, he sets his mind to helping her get back on track.
All that's easier said than done, especially when she discovers his hidden
past. Will his efforts be enough to help her get ahead?
Buy Links:
Publisher: http://www.breathlesspress.com/getting-ahead
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/getting-ahead-emily-cale/1109505995?ean=2940033070534
All Romance ebooks: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-gettingahead-728018-340.html
Emily Cale
spent the majority of her childhood as a visitor to the worlds of her favorite
authors. With encouragement from her English teachers, she put pen to paper and
began imagining her own stories. Preferring the fascinating lives of her
characters, she majored in creative writing. When not lost in a manuscript or a
good book, she enjoys crocheting, rock climbing, and playing board games. She
currently lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with her husband and a very
spoiled cat.
You can find
Emily online on her blog (http://www.emilycale.blogspot.com)
or on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/emilycale.
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