Tell us about Westmore: Broken Ties

My new book is called Westmore: Broken Ties, it’s the third volume in the series, which I describe as a literary version of a soap opera. The series focuses on three families: The Greens, The Braxtons, and The Reynolds. In all there are eighteen characters, with their own individual storylines. The first two volumes were an introductory to the characters and a set up to the potential romances and drama. In the third volume, relationships between couples and families arise and they struggle to work out their problems.

Can you tell us a little about the other books in the Westmore series? Would you advise that new readers start at the first book, or can they dive right in at Book 3?
 The first volume of Westmore
was mainly an introductory to the characters and a set-up to the potential romances and drama. Here’s a bit of background on the families.
 
The Greens: The family is headed by matriarch Charlotte whose been a widow for four years and vowed never to date again, however all that changes when a scary situation lands her in the arms of handsome detective Jim Bryant. Meanwhile, her oldest son Jack is a bartender who longs to do more with his life. Her other son Scott and daughter Alicia are musicians in a rock band, who are looking to make it into the big league, however fate has other plans. Youngest son Peter returns home from college with his girlfriend Zoey, who is ten years older than him and a major problem for Charlotte.
 
The Braxtons:The rich, upper-class family consists of brothers Andrew and Jeff, who took over their father’s publishing company after his death. Even though the family lives in the lap of luxury, they’ve had their fair share of problems. Their legacy has been clouded due to the death of their mother Alexis, and an estrangement with their sister Caroline. However, that’s just the gist of their problems. Jeff and his wife Marie have been experiencing marital issues ever since their only child left home. Meanwhile, Andrew’s controlling attitude is driving everyone he loves away, including his wife Elizabeth who is contemplating divorce. Son Wayne, who has suffered the most from Andrew’s behavior is also considering leaving when he receives a new job offer, however all that changes when he learns of his father’s betrayal.
 
The Reynolds: Successful real estate agent Stan is the head of this household. He seems to have the perfect life, yet all that changes when his son Jacob begins dating rocker chick Alicia Green, who Stan strongly disapproves of. But that isn’t the last of Stan’s problems. His divorced daughter Laura returns home along with her daughter to start a new life. Once Laura’s settled and content with her new life, her ex shows up threatening to reveal the reason behind their divorce.
 
Westmore: The Aftermath
is the second volume in the series and the story focuses on a car crash between Scott and Alicia Green, and Wayne Braxton. Alicia suffers severe injuries in the accident and is in a life or death struggle. Meanwhile, Andrew and Elizabeth team up to cover Wayne’s role in the cause of the accident, however once the secret is revealed a feud erupts between the two families.

Westmore: Broken Ties is the third volume in the series and focuses on the troubled relationships between couples and families. Zoey and Peter are experiencing problems due to their age difference and Zoey soon finds herself seeking comfort in the arms of one of Peter’s brothers.  The once tight-knit father-son relationship between Stan and Jacob is beginning to deteriorate and may lead to an estrangement. Meanwhile, the Braxtons are in for a shock when their sister Caroline comes back and her appearance stirs up old wounds between the Braxton brothers. However, things will get worse once it’s revealed that a family member knows the real cause of Alexis’ death and has been keeping it a secret for years.

What genre is the series?
I’d say its contemporary romance, drama, and chick lit.

What kind of readers will it appeal to?
Anyone who’s a soap opera lover or anyone who likes a good romance novel with lots of drama.

Which of the Westmore characters is most like you, and in what ways?
I’d say I’m like Alicia Green the most. One reason is because we’re the middle child and we both get picked on a lot by our brothers. Another reason we’re alike is because we put on this persona that we have a tough exterior, yet we also have a sensitive side and our feelings can easily be hurt.

Tell us a bit more about yourself.
I live in a small town called Ringgold, VA. I have a very supportive mother, who’s also my friend. I’m an animal lover with three dogs and two cats. Aside from writing, I have several work-at-home jobs, which are flexible and allow me the freedom to write.

How long did this book take to write?
Between writing and editing it took me about six months to finish Westmore: Broken Ties.

What was the most challenging part of the whole process?
Concentrating on writing is challenging. I’m the type of person who needs peace and quiet and the slightest distraction will take me away from the book.

Do you ever get a chance to reread your books after publication? Can you enjoy them or are you the sort of person who only sees things they wish they’d finetuned?
I publish my books with Createspace first and I order a proof before I approve everything publication. This gives me a chance to see how the book looks and I can read through it to see if anything needs to be fixed. As a reader I enjoy going through the books, but as an author I’m always on the lookout for a mistake that I missed.

Have you got a blog where readers can keep up with your work?
I recently started my own blog. Readers can come check out my books, read my posts about writing or my rants about whatever topic is bothering me.

And where can we buy your books?
My books are available on Amazon ( US
, UK
) , Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and Createspace.

What’s next?
I’m currently working on volume 4 of Westmore, which I hope to release early next year. I also have several other volumes of Westmore planned and I have a notebook filled with book ideas that are going to keep me busy for a while.