I recently read Patricia D. Adams debut novel, A Secret Place of Thunder, last month. (Click here for my review on it!) It's Book one of the Patriach's Covenant Series- available where books are sold.  It was a great read, of biblical proportions, and with my own Christian upbringing I enjoyed it all the more, so I wanted to ask her some questions about what inspired her to write it, what her writing life is like and what's coming next for this up and coming fellow indie! 

Here's what she had to say! 

Me:   Hi Patty, tell me a little about yourself? When did you know you were going to be a writer?
 
Patty:  Hi, Shanna! I am a new indie author. I am 35 years old, a wife and mother of twin boys. I love to do crafty things, read, love TV shows and movies. I love all things Disney and Disney world and I also am a huge fan of the Winchester brothers. Above all I love spending time with family and friends. Oh, and ice cream is my favorite treat.

I did not always start out wanting to be a writer. When I was a child, I wanted to be a pediatrician. As I grew up, my ideas changed, I wanted to be a voice over for a new Disney princess, and then finally decided that I wanted to teach young children. I also went with my mother to college, and we both received our floral design degree. During the course of getting my degree, I found out I was pregnant. It was then that I began to rekindle my love of reading. I then realized that my true calling was writing.
 

Me:   LOL! It seems most authors don't know they are going to be authors, until boom, we've published a book ;-) What inspired you to write the Patriarch's Covenant series? 
 
Patty:  About 10 years ago, I had an idea for a novel and began to flesh it out. During the process I had a dream one night. In this dream, a new idea for my novel was born. I ended up throwing out more than 40,000 words from the original manuscript to allow for the flow of the new idea. I fought with it because I felt this was a HUGE idea and didn’t know how it would be received. My own self-doubt and the message I felt needed to be heard made me torn on the idea alone. So, I started writing it solely for myself. It wasn’t until 2018 that I began to regain my faith in myself and my novel.


Me:   What was it that restored your faith? 

Patty: It was several things. Hard to put into words, but I will try. He gave me the idea for the novel through a dream. It was one that, I just knew immediately it was from Him. As a spiritual believer, when God speaks to you, you always just know His voice. I wrote it down, but it weighed heavily. I knew it was important and it caused me to doubt myself and my abilities to handle such an enormous task. Self doubt always get to a writer. The dream I was given changed the story of my novel greatly, so I denied it. I didn't fell I could do what was necessary. Later, when a visiting pastor of my church called out to me during his sermon and told me to believe that God is in control and that through Him I could, I began to write the story. It wasn't instant faith. Many times throughout writing, I doubted my ability and even quit writing it all together, but every time I stopped, God sent that same preacher to give me yet another message to trust and believe I can. In January of 2018, it was the third and final time I needed his message. I then began to finish the novel. It is one of His stories and I'm just an author; she who holds the pen. I finished with the help of my family and a few amazing people that I cannot be more certain God placed on my journey. I published the novel in November, and everything since the dream He gave me to now, he has led. I have not done anything but follow Him and trust that I could because of Him. Since November, I have a social media following of approximately 10,000 people, not one single doubt in my mind that He directed them to me or me to them. Testimony truths are scary things, but sometimes, they are also just as important as the message delivered from the messenger. 
 

Me:  Wow, that's truly beautiful, Patty! I have such chills! :-O Now, where did the title, A Secret Place of Thunder, come from?
 
Patty:  All of my titles in some way refer to scripture.
Psalm 81:7 Thou calledst in trouble and I delivered thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder 


Me:   Girl, you just gave me chills AGAIN! That's awesome! I love it! Which character of the series is your favorite? Why?
 
Patty: Grace is certainly one of my favorites. She is a lot like me, she is reluctant to accept her path and she fights her way through destiny. She is like so many of us who doubt our own abilities. I admire her ultimate strength and think that I aspire to be like her in that way.

 
Me:  So, is Grace modeled after you? What about Eli?
 
Patty: Well, actually yes. I drew from my own experiences and struggles with my own path in life for Grace and actually many of the other characters. Not really knowing what is around the next corner but just having faith to step out of your comfort zone and believe that you will not fail. Faith enough to take that next step.
 
Eli and Lucas are a lot like the significant male figures in my life. They fight like my twin boys and some of their humor is even the same. They also have plenty of both of their characteristics. To me, my characters are all one big family. Eli though I drew from my husband. I know he comes off as emotional and volatile with his temper, but he is so smart and witty under that moodiness. There is so much more depth to Eli and what he has been through than what GRACE could/can see. He plays so much close to his heart. I would love to voice that later on.
 

Me:   Ah, yes, he seems to be ;-) What are you working on now?
 
Patty: Currently I am working on book 2 in the series The Realm of Duality. I am so excited for it. I also have a surprise novella and a Stand-alone new adult romance novel called Breaking Pointe. Breaking Pointe is not in the Patriarchs Covenant Series. It is a little side project I work on when the Teenage drama gets too moody and broody. An outlet for being more of an Adult if you will.
 

Me:   LOL! Nice! I look forward to checking that out ;-) Now, how many books are there going to be in the Patriarch's Covenant Series?
 
Patty: There are four novels in the series. I do plan to release two novellas, and a guide book. There is so much more to the story that is hidden between lines and pages that I feel a guide book may come in handy to explain in further detailing why I chose certain things and phrases and locations. I think it would just be one of those really cool things to have. Maybe even include parts of my notes and where all you can find each parable and scripture I drew from in the series.
 

Me:   That's so cool! :-D So, what are you planning for after the series is complete?
 
Patty: Well, I do plan to write more. I have over fifty-eight and growing ideas for other stories that should be told. I keep them in a secret location so that when its time I can see which I want to write. Some may never see the light of day but others I think will be so fun to tell. Not all of my novel ideas are series and not all are strictly Christian.

 
Me:   Fifty-eight?! Wow!! That's amazing!!! Now, as a wife and mother, how do you get any writing done?
 
Patty: It is always a struggle to wear so many hats. I love writing and creating worlds, I often get lost in the process and it makes me late. I AM NEVER ON TIME ANYMORE but as someone else says “a wizard is never late nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to.” I like to think of writers as wizards because we are creatures of magic. I also help my husband out with his business doing the paperwork. Again, sometimes it takes a little longer than planned but I am always able to provide at least some support for him so that he is not as taxed with work. We are a people of many hats I guess you could say but we juggle well. I like to write when the boys are at school since the house is quiet, and sometimes at night I will work into the late hours to make sure I have time with the family. For my husband, my boys and I, it’s certainly a struggle to do it all, but it’s something we all help each other out in and are able to be there for each other. We’re all a team.
 

Me:   LOL! I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who runs late creating worlds, haha. I love that you likened writers to wizards. I'll take that! :-D Tell us a little about the next book of the series! When is its debut?
 
Patty: Book two is going to be more in-depth look at the spiritual realm and the crisis that occurred during the end of book one. Grace is still learning how great of a burden she has to carry and what her ultimate action plan will be all while dealing with tremendous loss to her as well as the end of some of her dreams. Grace will face many hardships still, and she will be broken and rebuilt many times on her path, but she will always grow stronger. However, I have several twists and turns amongst this path that I believe you guys won’t see coming. I hope that you are all prepared for quite the ride. It’s going to be a fun one.
I do not have a release date for book two because I am a turtle writer and am currently thinly spread with the end of school activities. I always have to plan way in advance. But I will be announcing a date soon, currently it is looking like the end of summer to mid fall of 2019. If I can write a little faster, I will for sure because I think you guys will love where this story is going.
 

Me:  Squeee... I can't wait!! I love twists and turns. What drew you to the YA Christian genre?
 
Patty: I really wanted to write something that anyone of any age could enjoy and relate to. The message has such a great story line for kids and teens, but it also has a deep-seated spiritual meaning “between the pages”. It’s not hidden but, yet it is in some code for adults to decipher. It’s one of those things that naturally happened. I did not originally set out to be exclusively a Christian author. My goal was just to write the novel, but this was it’s natural fitting.
 

Me:    Nice! Now, who are your favorite authors/books?
 
Patty: I have many favorite authors and books; many people influenced my writing. I have always had a passion for children’s literature, some of my favorites are Alice In Wonderland and  Little Women. I also have a great appreciation for more current contemporary authors such as Jennifer Armentrout and Colleen Hoover. And then there are my fellow indie authors, who inspire me EVERY DAY.
 

Me:   I think I may know who those are ;-) So, what do you love about writing?
 
Patty: To me writing is magic. I love crafting the imagination. I love making childhood free of restraining ideas, I love that writing can do that. I also love to create. Characters and the worlds they live in are among my top favorite things to craft.
 
 
Me:  What are you looking forward to in 2019?
 
Patty:  Finishing book two of course! I always have a goal to meet my best friend and our families in Disney world.
 
Me:  That's awesome! I hope you enjoy Disney World! I can’t wait to see what's in store for book 2! Thank you for taking the time to sit with me and discuss your work. It’s been spiritual, literally! 

You can find Patricia D. Adam's, A Secret Place of Thunder, anywhere where books are sold! Below is a link to her website and the Amazon link. Get this YA Christian novel now! It's a beautiful journey and now knowing Patty personally, it holds such a significant meaning. 

Patricia, is a wife and mother of twin boys, loves all of the crafty things, devours books like they are life, loves TV watching, Movie watching, and Spending time with family and friends. She also loves Ice cream, starburst, the color Purple, Disney world, Is a RavenClaw, and a Big fan of the Winchester brothers. She spends most of her time sporting T-shirts, pjs and Messy buns under blankets with her dogs while creating worlds at the computer like a true introvert. Patricia Adams is the author of the Patriarchs Covenant Saga, A Young Adult four book series. A Secret Place of Thunder is her debut novel. ​

I want to introduce you to Caleb Wright, a friend of mine on Twitter and fellow indie author of The Odyssey of the Dragolitha series. As a lover of dragons - after all, my high school mascot was a dragon ;-) - when I saw Caleb's covers, I was intrigued to say the least. I actually won his first two books of the series in a giveaway on Twitter. I received two beautiful autographed copies in the mail and just recently finished them. (See my reviews.) After reading his fantasy novels, I decided to ask him some questions about his books, writing life and what he’s up to next!
 
Here’s what he had to say:
 
Me: Hi Caleb, tell me a little about yourself? When did you know you were going to be a writer?
 
Caleb: I have actually wrote poetry since I was younger, I’d say early teens. As far as novel writing I only started in 2018, and discovered the passion accidentally.
 
Me: Ha, ha! Isn’t that how it always goes? What inspired you to write the Dragolitha series?
 
Caleb: Once I decided to write, I thought of my favorite game from my childhood, Legend of the Dragoon, a PlayStation 1 game. A lot of elements of that game along with movies such as Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, and Narnia gave influence as well.
 
Me: That’s great! Some great movies I must say too ;-) Which character of the series is your favorite? Why?
 
Caleb: My favorite is Incindia. I won’t spoil anything, but through her journey of the series she has the most dynamic character arcs and evolutions. In my mind she is the embodiment of Fire, fury, and a powerful woman.
 
Me: I tend to agree. She definitely has a fiery personality to go with her name ;-) Did anyone in real life inspire your characters?
 
Caleb: Raelynni, a character in book two is directly made for my sister and is a spin on the character Sailor moon an older anime TV series.
 
Me: I can see that! I definitely see the Sailor Moon side of her ;-) So, what are you working on now?
 
Caleb: Editing book four and five of the series, and writing a horror fantasy that actually ties in with the series. I had made a decision to cameo characters into other stories so that way backstories and side arcs could live on in their own fashions and all be part of the same universe.
 
Me: That’s awesome! Those side and backstories tend to sneak up on us, now don’t they? LOL! Now, how many books are there going to be in the series?
 
Caleb: Five books is all the Dragolitha series is, but the universal overlay of all the books is unimaginable to an amounted number just yet.
 
Me: Ahhh, got it! Very cool! So, what are you planning for after the series is complete?
 
Caleb: Already working on the horror series, a video game to go along with the books and a co-authored paranormal romance thriller. I tend to keep busy lol.
 
Me: I hear ya there ;-) I enjoy horror. And I’ve seen snippets of your video games, very neat, Caleb! Now, as a busy father, how do you get any writing done?
 
Caleb: 30 minutes of writing before going to work while daughter is asleep. 1 hour during lunch break and 3 hours of writing when daughter lays down for bed after spending time with the wife.
 
Me: Tell us a little about your next book! When is its debut?
 
Caleb: Book four; The Odyssey of the Dragolitha Faced with Destiny, is currently planned for mid-April to 1st of May.
 
Me: I must ask, what drew you to the fantasy genre?
 
Caleb: I want to be able to bend the realities of current ideals and take research and imagination and mash them together expanding the mind of the reader.

Me: What inspired the Asian theme in your books?

Caleb: When I looked up the names that meant dragon, Asian names came up. Plus my wife is a fan of K-Pop, so I wanted to dive into that sub class of thinking. 

Me: Love it! Great take on it! So, who are your favorite authors/books?
 
Caleb:  J.K. Rowling, Tolkien, and of Mice and Men
 
Me: J.K Rowling tends to be a favorite among us ;-) What do you love about writing?
 
Caleb:  I can constantly build and create until there is nothing left in my soul and heart. I pour out emotion, feeling, tension, and experience into what I write.
 
Me: Love it! I think all us writers tend to pour our hearts and souls into what we do, which makes us not only work hard for it but makes it our true passion. Ok, final question Caleb. What are you looking forward to in 2019?
 
Caleb: I’m looking forward to launching my video game to pair along with the first book and to publish the last of my series along with maybe one standalone book as well. If I’m really lucky maybe two stand-alone. But we will see the success of the video game. If that does well I’ll be creating the sequel to it immediately.

You can find Caleb Wright's books on Amazon now.
(Click on the books below to be taken to their Amazon pages.) 

His next book in the series, Book 4, The Odyssey of The Dragolitha: Faced with Destiny, is set to release mid April/early May. 

Caleb Wright grew up in NY. He wrote poetry in school, served in the Air Force and was blessed with a daughter whom he dedicated his books to (I just love that!). His female characters were written to empower his little girl. Not only does he write books, he also builds video games too, ones that are designed after his book series! How cool is that?!

​Visit his website for more details. 

4 Stars for this out of this world dragon fantasy adventure series from Caleb Wright

Book 1- The Odyssey of The Dragolitha

This was a short and action-filled fantasy story that read like an anime cartoon from what I know of anime. It tells the tale of a hunting party of five, Incindia, Khu, Tatsuo, Ju-Long and Kaida who retire to the town of Vagaria for the night only to be struck in the epicenter of a destructive storm brought about by the wicked, Xirow. After Xirow brings down an enchanted meteor, this party of five is unknowingly thrust into a universal battle of forces beyond their wildest dreams and become the Dragolitha. What follows is a journey of training, battles with mythical creatures, friendship, betrayal and love.

I enjoyed this story but wish it had more character building and story development. It bounced around a little bit but was entertaining. I'm interested to see what happens in the next book.

Book 2- The Odyssey of The Dragolitha: Essence Within

I enjoyed this follow up story of the Dragolitha as they lose Incindia and their journey to bring her back into their fold begins. They soon discover that she has risen and are eager to seek her out. Traveling across both space and time, they encounter even more obstacles, many creatures- including a demon shape-shifting goat- among other mythical beasts, and the wrath of Incidia herself and find love along the way. Xirow still plots to overtake the world as well as Ramathule and new characters emerge including the birth of a new half dragon. There was more character development in this book as we learn more about each of their stories and the action-filled battle scenes and journey were engaging.

If you enjoy fantasy, dragons, Asian culture, action and anime, this book is right up your alley.

*I won these books as part of a giveaway on Twitter and chose to review them*

C. R. Pugh is the author of Hunted in the Valley and Secrets of the Valley, two great young adult novels that are packed with action, intrigue and even some romance. She's a runner, GIF queen on Twitter, wife and mother. 

I recently "sat down with her" after reading book 2 of her Valley series, Secrets of the Valley, and asked her some questions about it, her writing and what this busy former teacher is up to next! 

Here's what she told me:


Me:   Hi CR, tell me a little about yourself? When did you know you were going to be a writer?

CR: I actually didn’t grow up wanting to be a writer. Books have always been a part of my life and I have a vivid imagination. During my childhood, I had terrible nightmares. My mom taught me to make up happy endings for my nightmares so they wouldn’t be scary anymore. That has always stayed with me. Even now, when I have detailed dreams, I can’t help but think about them until they blossom into interesting stories. Seven years ago, I finally took up the challenge to actually write one of those stories down.


Me:   What inspired you to write the Valley Series?  

CR: It was one of my strange dreams that inspired Hunted in the Valley. I’d been thinking about that dream, turning it into story, for a couple of years when a teacher-friend of mine told me I simply had to write it. I thought she was crazy. “I'm not a writer! I can’t write books!” My friend was writing a book at the time as well and I felt that small voice saying, “Huh, maybe you can write it.” I knew I would never know if I didn’t try, so I sat down one day and said, “I’m doing this.”


Me:   Nice! Well, I’m glad you did :-) Which character of the series is your favorite? Why?

CR: When I started writing Hunted in the Valley, my favorite character was Ravyn. I love strong female characters, especially fighters. It’s my favorite kind of story to read. Right now, moving into book 3, I think I am loving Pierce more and more. In Hunted, there a lot of mystery surrounding his character. I’ve enjoyed bringing his personality to light and show his true colors. Thorne’s sisters were a lot of fun to write as well. They are audacious and funny. You will enjoy getting to know them!


Me:   Oooh, I can’t wait to get to know more about Pierce! How intriguing! Did anyone in real life inspire your character, Ravyn? Thorne?

CR: No one in real life inspired my characters. I will admit, however, that it was Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer that was in the dream I had about this story. That’s where Thorne’s blonde hair came from.
Some of Ravyn’s traits come from me. I was always terrified of the dark and had bad dreams.
I mainly took a few of my favorite qualities from characters I enjoyed watching or reading and created two people that might mesh well together.  


Me:   Spike! Ah, love it!!  What are you working on now?

CR: I am in the middle of writing book three of the Old Sequoia Valley series now. I’m hoping to be finished by the end of March. The title has not been decided on.and my editor will not get it until September but I’m excited about how the story is going to unfold!


Me:   I’m super excited for book 3… Now, how many books are there going to be in the Valley Series?

CR: To be honest, it’s hard to say. When I first started writing Hunted, I meant for it to be a stand alone. I was a brand new writer and didn’t know what I was doing! My story just kept going, so I finished book one and started book two. I would like to say that this series will finish in three books to be a well-rounded trilogy, but I am open to four if the story takes me in that direction. Whatever I do, I won’t be rushing an ending. Readers deserve to have a fantastic finale for Ravyn and Thorne!


Me:   Haha! Yes we do ;-) I’m all for more books myself :-) So, what are you planning for after the series is complete?

CR: After I finished Hunted in the Valley seven years ago, I didn’t know where the story was going, so I set it down and wrote two other books. One of them was a historical fantasy set in the Pre-Revolution American Colonies. I have a wonderful cast for this story. Think Pirates of the Caribbean meets the Patriot. The story is much lighter and funnier than the Old Sequoia Valley series. I’m excited to get back to that story.


Me:   OMG! That sounds fantastic! I can’t wait to read it! Now, as a wife and mother, how do you get any writing done?

CR: I am lucky to be able to stay at home while my daughter goes to school all day. I spend much of that time writing and editing. Summertime is much more difficult while she is home all day. The early morning hours are my friend during those months.


Me:   Got ya! Glad you can get that needed writing time in. Tell us a little about the next book of the series! When is its debut?

CR: In book three, Ravyn and Thorne have been reunited, but General Wolfe still remains hidden inside the compound. They must find a way to eliminate him without killing a lot of innocent people. Max, a Warrior from the hunt in book one, is stepping forward and giving us his point of view from inside of Peton now that Thorne and a small contingent of Warriors have gone back to the Valley. You will continue to see Thorne’s sisters, and I’m excited to introduce some new and interesting characters to the story. The scientist inside the compound - his name is Audrick - will be making his debut in book three as well. It was important to me to tell his side of the story, knowing what was happening inside the compound.
Right now, I am hoping that book three will be ready to launch by the middle of November, just in time for Christmas!


Me:    Oohh, all good stuff!! I’m so excited!! CR- I gotta ask! What drew you to the YA genre?

CR: Harry Potter. My sister pushed those books in my hand and told me I had to read them. My love of young adult books grew from there. It helped that I worked at the middle school level most of my teaching career. We had an amazing librarian - I called her my book-dealer! She and I could talk books for hours and she always had recommendations for me. Thank you, Heather!
Another reason I write YA is because I want to write books that appeal to boys. There were a few boys in my classes that truly loved reading, but others could never find anything they enjoyed. Hunger Games and Harry Potter seemed to be the only ones they would pick up. I challenged myself to write books that would appeal to both males and females alike.


Me:    That’s awesome!!! I love YA books myself, well books in general really, LOL but the Hunger Games was such a great series! Speaking of the Hunger Games and Harry Potter! Who are your favorite authors/books?

CR: The Razorland Trilogy by Ann Aguirre, the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas, Legend trilogy by Marie Lu, Hunger Games by Sarah Collins, and the Finishing School for Spies series by Gail Carriger have been my biggest influences and favorite reads.


Me:    I plan to get into the Throne of Glass series myself, so many great books out there to read!! What do you love about writing?

CR: I love that my imagination finally has an outlet. I’ve had all these stories inside my head all these years and I never believed anything would come of them. Even if all of my stories don’t make it to publication, it’s thrilling to see my characters coming to life.

​
Me:    Agreed!! I love letting them take control and see what happens, it’s such a good feeling. Final question- What are you looking forward to in 2019?

CR: The first thing I’m looking forward to is finishing book three of the Old Sequoia Valley series and giving my characters an amazing ending to their journey.
I’m also excited to begin a new story. My goal is to write one new book before the year’s end. I have a couple of ideas for stand-alone novels. One is a high fantasy and the other is a historical fiction.


Me:  Wow, I can’t wait to see what new and wonderful stories you generate, CR. Thank you for taking the time to sit with me and discuss your work. It’s been a true pleasure!
​

You can find C.R. Pugh’s Hunted in the Valley and Secrets of the Valley both available now on Amazon (Kindle, Kindle Unlimited and in paperback)

C.R. Pugh grew up outside of Atlanta, Georgia where she graduated high school. After graduating college she moved to Texas and began her teaching career. Ms. Pugh never imagined becoming a writer and, in fact, hated most of her literature classes growing up! ​
It was the growing popularity of Harry Potter and, later on, Hunger Games that drew Ms. Pugh back into the world of fiction. Living in the North Dallas area, Pugh began working at a middle school with a fabulous library (and a wonderful librarian **my book-dealer**).  Pugh was well-supplied with books that she just devoured. ​
It was there at that particular middle school, while teaching full time, that she began tinkering with the idea of writing her own work of fiction. Pugh's debut novel, Hunted in the Valley was published August 2018. The sequel came out February 2019. Book 3 (title TBD) is on track to be released November 2019.​
C.R. Pugh is now a full time stay at home mom and writer. She loves being involved at her daughter's elementary school. Other hobbies include reading (of course),running long distance, binge-watching NCIS, and making Friends jokes about anything and everything!

Nicole Rodrigues is the author of the Double Play Series, Pinky Promise and Always in Your Corner. She's also a busy wife and mother of three. 

I recently "sat down with her" after reading her latest novel, Going, Going, Goner and asked her some questions about her latest book and upcoming new release. 

Here's what she had to say: 

Me:   Hi Nicole, tell me a little about yourself? When did you know you were going to be a writer?
 
Nicole: Hi Shanna!! So I loved to write in high school and in college. I would plot out different stories and didn’t really do anywhere with them because I was a little self conscious about them. My freshman year in college I took an English class and my professor asked me why I was a Math major instead of an English one! I started writing more and more throughout college, taking a lot of different fiction classes but put it on the back burner to become a High School English teacher. Moving down to Tennessee, I became a stay at home mom and my husband pushed me to publish now that I had so much more time to focus on it and it was the best thing I’ve ever done!! (Aside from marrying him and having our three kiddos of course ;) )
 
Me:   Haha, exactly! So, what inspired you to write the Double Play Series?
 
Nicole: I love sports, I’m a huge sports fan and baseball has always been my favorite. I had the idea for such a long time and it actually was a slightly different version I started to write out. I sometimes verbally plot out loud to my husband and he told me to see what would happen if I changed it to the version it became and I think it made it so much better!! I don’t want to give too much away but let’s say I originally had only one curveball but then changed it to two ;)
 
Me:   Wow! And what a great idea it was! Love it! (You'll have to read Curveball to know what she's talking about, wink wink) Which character of the series is your favorite? Why?
 
Nicole: Right now I’m halfway done with the last book and it’s so hard to choose!! Charlotte and Gabriel will always have a special place in my heart because they were my first. They each have their own amazing quality. My most loving and resilient would have to be Savannah, my sassiest Lacey. My fiercest and most good hearted would be Charlotte and lastly but certainly not least my absolute warrior would be Normani! The men, forget it!! Gabriel is my alpha a-hole with an amazingly loving heart! Jackson is just the absolute perfect doting book boyfriend. Damon is definitely my sexy, dirty man. Devin is the broken, hot headed, secret ball of mush! And lastly Nico, the persistent Hulk that brings the Queen of sass to her knees!
 
 
Me:   Such great characters, Nic! Did anyone in real life inspire your character, Jackson? Savannah?
 
Nicole: I think bits and pieces of each character I take from real life, but for the most part their interactions and their characters are just thoughts I’ve had in my head.
 
Me:   Well, you did a great job. They are amazing. What are you working on now?
 
Nicole: I am currently finishing editing Book 4, Devin’s book, Changeup and also halfway done with the last book in the series, Lacey’s, Walk-Off.
 
Me:   Ooh! Can't wait!! How many books are there going to be in the Double Play Series?
 
Nicole: There are going to be five books!
 
Me:   What are you planning for after this series is complete?
 
Nicole: I said I wouldn’t write another series so soon after this one but I actually have another series literally all plotted out already! I swear I just get an idea in my head and it just develops into this crazy idea that will now follow a new family. I can say that I am super excited about this one because each book is super different. I am breaking away from the sports romance for a little while and it will follow a man and his three younger sisters. Each book, a different sibling! I am soooooooo excited about it and probably will go right into writing after I’m done with book 5 in Double Play!
 
Me:   Haha! I love when those random ideas pop up! It sounds great! Now, as a wife and mother of three children, how do you get any writing done? LOL!
 
Nicole: Haha good question! I write during down time, really early in the morning when everyone is still sleeping and late into the night when everyone goes to bed! I also write when my kids are in school which makes it easier. I usually barricade a little section off so the baby can crawl around and I sit with my laptop! Anyway I can! LOL
 
Me:   Hey, you gotta do what you gotta do, right? So, tell us a little about Ballers with Benefits, the next book of the series! When is its debut!
 
Nicole: So Ballers With Benefits releases March 22nd. It is Bella’s book, (Charlotte & Gabriel’s daughter) and it picks up three years after book 2 finishes. Her one night stand with Damon Johnson (who we meet briefly in book 2) turns into an addiction and they try to navigate their relationship without falling for one another. We all know how that goes ;). The whole gang is back and we also get introduced to Normani (Devin’s love interest in book 4) and we see the start of Lacey and Nico’s relationship (Book 5)!
 
Me:   Squee, I can't wait!! So exciting!! What drew you to the romance genre?
 
Nicole: Honestly, I loved reading happily ever after books, romance has always been my go to genre, my go to movie choice, my go to everything. I LOVE love and I love writing about people getting their happily ever after!
 
Me:    Nice! Everyone deserves a happily ever after! Who are your favorite authors/books?
 
Nicole: I have sooooo many but I guess Emily Goodwin, Tia Louise, Penelope Ward, Vi Keeland, Lauren Landish, Adriana Locke, Lauren Layne, Helen Hardt...so many more! There are so many amazing authors out there!
 
Me:    I know, SO many. It's hard to list them all! What do you love about writing?
 
Nicole: I love the end product, obviously! LOL I love when people read my books and message me how much they loved it, and how much they loved a certain scene, how something made them cry (yes I like making people cry ;) ) I also love just the writing part. I like kind of black out as I write so it’s fun to go back and read what I wrote afterwards. Sometimes I read it over and I’m like, “Wait, I wrote this?!” LOL
 
Me:    I know! It's like you get lost in your own world then when you read back through. You gotta give yourself a pat on the back for how awesome it came out :-) So, what are you looking forward to in 2019?
 
Nicole: I’m looking forward to everyone reading the entire Double Play Series because I know a lot of people are waiting until book 5 is out! I also am super excited to start writing my next series. I am NOT looking forward to saying goodbye to my Gavinwood’s and Turners though. I will cry like a baby when it’s over! LOL

​The lovely Nicole Rodrigues was born in Queens, NY and later grew up in Long Island, NY. She went to Adelphi University and majored in English Education with a Creative Writing minor. She taught High School English throughout Long Island and Brooklyn, NY until relocating to the suburbs of Nashville, Tennessee where she currently resides with her husband, two daughters and son. She is the author of the Double Play Series, Pinky Promise and Always in Your Corner. You can visit her website and purchase her books below. Follow her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. 

5 stellar stars out of the ball park for Going, Going, Goner
 
My friend and fellow author, Nicole Rodrigues has hit another one out of the park…
 
Ladies, meet your next book boyfriend- the irresistible,
Jackson Turner.

Be ready to swoon!
 
After an impromptu drunken bathroom quickie with this gorgeous stud, Savannah Gavinwood is damned and determined not to let another man get the best of her. She’s the victim of a devastating divorce and she and Jackson have known each other a long time…and have always had a thing for one another, but after her brother’s wedding she’s anxious to let him back into her office… let alone her pants, but this smooth-talking slugger aims to prove to the woman he’s always wanted that he’s out for more than just a one-night stand, despite how things went that night.  
 
Jackson Turner is no stranger to abandonment himself. He’s a single father who has always put his daughter first and never one to let his desires outweigh doing what’s right. Though, he can’t get seem to get Savannah out of his mind or off his heart and he starts to break down her walls one by one.  
 
But Savannah has some secrets she’s not eager to share so easily. She’s strong and sassy and not planning to be blindsided again, like she was by her jerk of an ex-husband but Jax makes it so easy to love him. Jackson is completely swoon-worthy and dotes on his ‘Savvy’ princess. He’s amazing, thoughtful and absolutely adorable.
 
Will these two be able to overcome their baggage and embrace their futures? I can say with certainty that you, the reader, are gonna be the ‘goner’ in this funny, steamy, lovable romance novel.
 
I LOVED this book. I loved Jackson, I loved Savannah, and I loved that we caught up with Gabe and Charlotte, Bella and Devin and got to meet some new adorable characters.
 
Be prepared to laugh, cry, oh, and did I say swoon ;-)?
 
As much as I enjoyed Curveball, this book in the Double Play series was even better and I am super excited to hear Bella’s story in the next book.