Mary J Williams Day 1

I'm giving away a $25 Amazon gift card.  (See Rafflecopter on the right hand side of the page)

First why don't you tell us a little about yourself?

Hi.  My name is Mary J. Williams and I live in Washington State.  To say that romance novels are in my blood would be putting it mildly.  I started reading them at an early age.  Too early, if I'm being honest.  I was so obsessed  that I grew my hair long so that I could look like the heroines on the covers of my favorite historical romances(only the hair matched).  Now my love is contemporary romances and I've just published my very first.  It's been years in the making but now that I've started I never plan on stopping.

Newest release?My newest, and first, release is called "If I Loved You".  It's book one of my Harper Falls series.  All the books are stand alone reads, but the characters will interact with each other in all the books.  Book one is about Rose and Jack.  They both have secrets but the attraction between them is so strong that they decide to take a chance and see where it goes.  Jack is determined to convince Rose that love is possible, not matter how deep her emotional scars.  Throw in a really cute dog and some hot sex, and I think you'll enjoy the journey of these two characters.

Do you have a favorite character in your stories? Who? and Why?

I really felt for Rose.  She had a tough childhood but was determined to make something of herself and never have to rely on a man to buy her things or support her.  It is difficult for her to open her heart, and her journey to love is not easy.

 

Give us an interesting fun fact or a few about your book or series:

Harper Falls is not like any real town, but I would love to live there.  Economically sound and full of really hot men.  They keep moving there, too.  In books 2 and 3 there will be an influx of more eye candy.  And they aren't just easy on the eyes.  I would love to meet even one man like the heroes in my books, in Harper Falls you get three.

Has there been any other authors who have inspired your work or helped you out with your stories?

My favorite author is Nora Roberts.  I can't begin to aspire to her greatness, but she is my inspiration every time I sit down to write.

 

What can readers who enjoy your book do to help make it successful?

I know every author hopes that readers will take the time to write a review, and that would be great.  I say review away.  But what I really hope is that my readers connect with the stories and have a great time for a few hours.  Maybe they will tell their friends and want to come back for more of my stories.

 

Do you have any tips for readers or advice for other writers trying to get published?

I guess the most common advice all would be writers get is just to do it.  I know it sounds simple but if you don't put words to paper you can't get anywhere.  I know from experience.  For years, I wanted to write but something always stopped me, mostly my fear of not being able to do it.  Now that I've finished my first book I can't imagine ever stopping.

 

Can you remember one of the first things you wrote? What makes it memorable?

The first thing I ever wrote, and I still have in a box somewhere, is fanfic about my teenage crush.  I loved a certain singer and had to put in words how much I worshiped him.  It was so bad and embarrassing I would hate for it to ever see the light of day.

 

Where do you gather most of the inspiration for your work

I'm not sure about inspiration.  I love a love story and I need my happy endings.  In "If I Loved You" I started with the idea of three best friends who grew up in a small town, moved away to see the world, and came home to where it all started.  I can identify with that.  I think most of us dream of something different than what we grew up with.  But often we find our way home again.  That's what happened to me and to the three women in my Harper Falls series.

 

Here's a bit of my book, "If I Loved You".  Thanks for taking the time to get to know a little about me.  I hope you enjoy my book.

PROLOGUE

IT WAS SOMETHING out of fairy tale.

Thousands of flickering lights dazzled her senses, almost as much as the tall, wickedly handsome man who so expertly danced her onto the shadowed balcony.  The music that filtered from the nearby ballroom only added to the already magical atmosphere.

Women dreamed their whole lives of a moment like this— prelude to a happily ever after ending.  Ever so briefly, she let herself drift into that fantasy as if she was one of those women.  For a moment, she let herself pretend that her childhood had been filled with the kind of whimsy that allowed those fantasies to be carried over into adulthood.

But no, she wasn’t a romantic, hopeless or otherwise.  She didn’t want a prince to sweep her into his arms and carry her away on his faithful steed.  She was more than capable of rescuing herself.  And she preferred it that way.

The stars were in the sky, not in her eyes.

“I’m glad you asked me to dance,” her partner whispered, pulling her closer.

Suddenly she was nervous.  The champagne she had downed earlier had completely worn off.  No more floating on a cloud of false courage.  If she was going to do this, she was going to have to do it on her own.

“Jack,” she said.  Damn, it was hard to sound seductive when your voice squeaked.  “Jack.” That was better, lower and slightly husky.  She’d read somewhere that guys liked husky voices.

“Rose.”

“Yes?”

“Nothing, I just thought we were saying each other’s names.”  He put his lips next to her ear.  “I like the way you say mine.”

“Jack.”  Good Lord, she had to stop repeating his name.  “I need a favor, Jack.  A big one.”  Or should she say, she hoped he had a big one.  Rose groaned to herself.  At least she hadn’t said that out loud.

“I’ll help if I can.”

“You’re the only one who can help.”  She took another deep breath.  “I need you to take me home and screw my brains out.”