Tell us about Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing.

It’s a sequel to the first manuscript I ever wrote entitled Lyrics. That manuscript was never published, but I wrote the continuing story of Dee and Michael Reese, an interracial couple. The Reeses have been married for two years. Dee owns her own interior decorating business and Michael is the owner of the hottest new supper club in the Hamptons. They are financially comfortable, are active in their church, and are enjoying life with their toddler son.  All is going well until the unthinkable happens in their marriage and they must decide if what they have built together is worth saving.

What genre is it?

I like to call it edgy Christian fiction.

What kind of readers will it appeal to?

This book will appeal to those who enjoy realistic faith-based fiction.  These are the readers who recognize that being a Christian doesn’t mean you are perfect, but you are striving for perfection. They also recognize the battle believers find themselves in when faced with all kinds of temptations.

Complete this sentence for us: If you like___________, you’ll love Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing.

Redemption by Karen Kingsbury or What Kind of Fool by Rhonda McKnight.

Writing a book is never easy, but other than that, what has been the toughest part – editing or marketing?

Marketing, hands down!  With all of the social networking sites out there, it’s possible to start promoting and find yourself lost in cyberspace for hours. I love interacting with readers, but I despise the necessary “buy my book” promotion I have to do.

At one point, I found myself overwhelmed by this aspect of the writing process and had to create a daily time schedule so the marketing didn’t take over my day.

You’ve got another book coming out in a few weeks. Can you tell us what to expect?

My December 1^st release is a mainstream contemporary romance entitled, Ain’t Too Proud to Beg. The story features Vaughn Breland, one of the secondary characters in my third novel, Hollywood Swinging. The idea for the story came from readers that had contacted me saying they loved Vaughn’s character. He is a gorgeous, fast living, wisecracking actor who has sworn to remain eternally single. Mr. Breland is never at a loss for female companionship and his love life is so extreme, even his best friend wonders if he’s a sex addict.

When starting this story, I knew I would have to knock Vaughn down a few pegs in order for him to begin seeing women as more than conquests, but I didn’t want this to be a Hollywood story. With that in mind, I decided to have the sexy Mr. Breland demolish his $250,000 Lamborghini on the way to a meeting at the Telluride, Colorado vacation home of a movie industry bigwig. When the story opens, Vaughn has lost his beloved car, his latest movie role, the use of his legs and possibly his fabulous good looks. He is depressed and mad at the world then he meets Trenyce, his new physical therapist. It’s a story of how true love can change a person.

Do you write according to a strict schedule or does good writing have to wait on inspiration?

I agree with Queen Nora (Roberts) who said, “If you need to believe in the muse, let’s say, fine and dandy. Whatever works for you. But don’t tell me you can’t work today because the muse has left you. Go track down that fickle slut, drag her back, chain her to your keyboard, and GET TO WORK.” And “I don’t believe in waiting for inspiration. It’s my job to sit down and figure out what to write. I think if you wait for ‘the muse’ you may wait a very long time.”

I write six days a week, and that time includes research and outlining.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I am a former secretary/administrative assistant who started writing in 2001 and retired myself in 2002 after I got laid off from my job. My husband and I have been married for thirty-six years. We have two married daughters and five grandchildren.

Since I was a child, I’ve been a voracious reader. My favorite genres are romance and women’s fiction. My favorite authors are Beverly Jenkins, Eric Jerome Dickey, J.R. Ward, Suzanne Brockmann, and Lisa Kleyas.

Other than reading and writing my favorite pastimes are fine dining, movies and music.

Have you got a blog where readers can keep up with your work? And do you use social media?

Website:  http://www.chicki663.webs.com
Blog: http://sisterscribbler.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/@Chicki663
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/chicki.brown
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/chicki663/

You feature some of your favourite authors on your blog – isn’t that promoting…the competition?

Reciprocation is the fuel that makes the indie literary community work. Most of the authors I’ve connected with are incredibly giving, and my experiences within the indie world have been nothing but positive. I love exposing readers to new authors, and the Author Spotlight on my blog has been a way to do that. There are enough readers out there for all of us.

Other than Ain’t Too Proud to Beg, is there anything else we should look out for?

Yes. I am releasing a novella, entitled You Make Me Feel Brand New in the spring. It’s a story about a May/December romance involving an older woman and a younger man.

My next full-length novel, tentatively scheduled for release in the fall of 2013, will be the first in a series about a family with seven sons. Each brother will have his own book. That should keep me busy for at least three years!

Where can we buy Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing?

From Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo.