Straight Chatting from the Library: Maria K. Alexander

Maria K. Alexander has stopped by The Library to talk with us about books--my favorite topic! She is on her virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions and is awarding a $25 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn commenter at the conclusion of the tour.

READ THE INTERVIEW

Welcome, Maria. What is the favorite book you remember as a child?

There’s a book called The Wednesday Witch by Ruth Chew that I used to read a lot as a child. It’s about a witch who loses her flying vacuum cleaner and a cat who can talk. I still have it and actually gave it to my daughter to read many years ago and was happy when she enjoyed it as much. I was also a big Judy Blume fan. I read all the Ramona books and as I got older read Blubber, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, and many more. Then there was Wifey, which I borrowed from a friend and read secretly when I was older (sorry, Mom).

Tell us about your current book in 10 words.

Release the past and open the heart to love.

What are you reading right now?

I’m reading a historical romance called Compromising Willa by Diana Quincy who is a fellow blogger with me on The Violet Femmes Writers blog.

E-Reader or print? And why?

I read both formats, but prefer e-reader for a couple reasons. I don’t have the space for all the books that I read a year. I also find that I read faster when it’s digital. I like the backlight, which helps me read in the various places in my house where the light is horrible. And as I get older, my eyesight is getting worse and I like being able to make the font larger. :-)

Dog-ear or bookmark?

Always a bookmark. I have a heart bookmark that attaches to the page like a paperclip. I can’t remember where I got it from but I love it. It pains me to fold down the page of a book. Some may think it’s odd, but I even remove the paper book jacket from a hardback book because I don’t want to tear the cover.

When do you do most of your reading?

Most of my pleasure reading is done at night but because I have an iPad and iPhone, I also read if I’m at the doctor’s office, or even between innings at my daughter’s softball game. With technology, I always have a book with me.

Favorite place to read.

On the loveseat in my living room.

Favorite genre?

I read a variety of genres but primarily read contemporary romance but also enjoy historical, romantic suspense, and a little paranormal. I also read some Young Adult thanks to my teenage daughter who insists on giving me books like Divergent to read. I love them but it always seems to be a race for me to finish reading it in time to see the movie.

How do you keep your books organized?

I’m limited with space so I don’t have the best layout. I try to keep books I’ve read separate from book that I haven’t. Recently, I took all the books in my to-be-read pile and organized them alphabetically by author to make it easier to find something. I had so many that one shelf is contemporary romance and the front of the next shelf is historical. In a perfect world, I’d have shelves like a library and would be able to see all of my books. My dream library is one like the Beast had in Beauty and the Beast.

READ THE BLURB

When her marriage ended in tragedy, Kate DiFrancesco rebuilt her life, but has never gotten over the pain of what she lost. Seeking the help of an ex-lover ignites feelings she’s promised never to have again. She’ll need to untangle herself from dangers in her past in order to break the hard shell around her heart.

Edward Weston has a lot to prove, both to his stuffy upper-crust British family, and to himself. Working alongside Kate, a woman he had a casual relationship with, stirs unexpected feelings. Helping her family makes him realize what he's missing. For the first time, he wants more than a one-night stand.

When Kate is threatened, Edward must overcome feeling unworthy to protect the woman he loves and fight for the family he never thought he’d have.

MEET THE AUTHOR

A romantic at heart, Maria K. Alexander spent hours as a young girl getting lost in and wishing to be one of the heroines in the stories she read. Books gave her the ability to go to another world where she loved meeting new characters, learning about their problems, and watching them fall in love.

Maria blogs about her writing journey with The Violet Femmes at http://thevioletfemmes.com. When not writing, Maria loves to read, bake, downhill ski, visit the beach, and watch romantic comedies. Maria lives in New Jersey with her husband and children, and writes in her “spare” time between juggling a full-time job and her kids’ busy schedules.

You can keep in touch with Maria at:

Website: http://mariakalexander.com

The Violet Femmes Blog: http://thevioletfemmes.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MKAlexander1

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Maria-K-Alexander-Author/201236689917319

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/mariakalexander

You can buy Untangle My Heart at:

Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00GVKRLOG  

Barnes & Noble:  http://bit.ly/1or9aAY 

The Wild Rose Press: http://bit.ly/1gWifgp 

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1cU0Ub8 

iBooks: http://bit.ly/1gMBszO