Giveaway & Interview with New York Times Bestselling Author Brenda Novak

Series: Book One, Dept.6 Hired Guns Series

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Publisher: Mira

Format: Mass Market Paperback

Release Date: July 27, 2010

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Paradise? In name only…

Nate Ferrentino and Rachel Jessop are operatives for Department 6, a private security company, and they’re going undercover to expose a new and dangerous cult.

This group has taken up residence in the Arizona desert, in a ghost town called Paradise. Members worship at the feet—and in the bed--of its charismatic leader, Ethan Wycliff. On his orders, they tried to stone a woman to death. And they’re implicated in the disappearance of a teenage girl.

To expose the Church of the Covenant, with its arcane rituals and debauched practices, Nate and Rachel must pretend to be married. That’s the only way they can get in—but being Nate’s “wife” is the last thing Rachel wants. She and Nate have a one-night history that’s just an embarrassment to her now. But they don’t have a choice. Wycliff has to be

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OVER THE EDGE BOOK REVIEWS

QUESTIONS WITH

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING

AUTHOR

BRENDA NOVAK

It fascinates me, the different paths writers take to publication. Will you tell us about your journey as a writer? When you started were there any big milestones? What was your first book?

I never dreamed I’d be a writer! I caught my daycare provider drugging my children (I have five now, had only three then) with cough syrup to get them to sleep so she could watch soap operas all day. :-/ After that I quit my job as a loan officer and decided I had to do something at home. I wasn’t sure what that something would be, but I was reading a good book at the time and thought, “Maybe I could write a novel!” The idea was born—but success didn’t come immediately. It took me five years to do the research (it was a historical entitled OF NOBLE BIRTH) and teach myself the craft. I was lucky enough to sell that first book, however. HarperCollins picked it up in 1998 and it was released in November 1999.

Unfortunately, my editor was fired when Harper merged with Avon (this was before my book even came out) so I might’ve been a one-book wonder if not for Paula Eykelhof. Paula is my current editor. I met her at a small, regional conference and was so impressed that I wanted to write for her. She was in charge of Harlequin’s Superromance line at that point, so I began to create some proposals I thought she might like. Fortunately, she did like them and the rest is “history,” as they say. We’ve now done nearly 40 books together—and have branched out beyond the straight romances in Supers to do the bigger single title suspense books.

2. What is a typical work day for you?

Simply put, I work all day. LOL The only thing I stop for is my family. When they’re again busy or at some function, I head back to the computer. I think it’s surprising how much time the “business” side of writing takes. I wasn’t prepared for that. Fortunately, I love sales and marketing because it plays a huge role in my life.

3. For some writers research is a pain they’re forced to endure, and for others it’s their favorite part. What about you?

I love the research. I’ve learned so many interesting things. And it’s often tidbits I find while research that gets my imagination churning with a new books idea. In BODY HEAT, I had to research the whole illegal border crossing issue, and it was so different from what I’d imagined. I found it all fascinating.

4. Are you a creature of habit, needing a routine to write? Or are adaptable to write when and wherever the mood strikes?

I’m generally a creature of habit, but I’ve learned to be more adaptable. My deadlines are so tight these days that I can’t afford to be finicky! LOL

5. Do you have any advice for new writers—maybe things that you’ve learned through trial and error?

Just one word: Believe. No two paths are alike. People are different. Publishing is evolving and changing. But if you believe in yourself and what you do you’ll find a way to make it relevant and achieve success.

6. Other than writing, what do you love to do?

Other than spend time with family and friends, I love to travel, eat out, see movies, read. I also love to work on my annual online auction for diabetes research. In the six years I’ve been running it, we’ve raised over $1 million. Now I can’t wait to reach $2 million!

7. Please tell us more about you first installment in your DEPARTMENT 6 Trilogy, “WHITE HEAT”.

In WHITE HEAT, Nate Ferrentino and Rachel Jessop, two members of Department 6, are hired to infiltrate a dangerous cult that has recently settled in the former ghost town of Paradise, Arizona. Members of this cult worship at the feet—and in the bed--of its charismatic leader, Ethan Wycliff. But with one woman claiming to have been stoned, and another missing, Wycliff might be more of a devil than the prophet he claims to be….

8. What was your inspiration for DEPARTMENT 6 Trilogy? Why only three books? Will there be a spin-off series from DPT. 6?

I’m not sure what my inspiration was. I was just thinking one night how interesting it would be if there was something like Blackwater that operated inside the US. I could easily imagine the hot men who would work for such an operation and how these hot men could specialize in undercover operations to help the DEA and other policing entities and off my imagination went. LOL

There are only three books because there are so many fans who don’t like to wait a whole year for more books in a series. I figured I’d give them a break this year and end it after 1, 2, 3!

9. In the series of DEPARTMENT 6 Trilogy did you have a favorite character? Did you find that there was one character over the other that was more intriguing to write than the others?

I particularly liked Roderick Guererro, the hero from BODY HEAT. He has a very interesting background and it has created a hard on the outside but soft on the inside type of guy—always my favorite.

10. What’s up next for you and when can we look forward to seeing it out in our bookstores?

I’ll have three books out next summer, too—INSIDE, IN SECONDS & IN CLOSE. They’ll be released end of June, end of August and end of October.

As always Brenda it is a delight to have you drop by and chat with me and my readers here at Over the Edge Book Reviews. :)

Thank you!! Also, I wanted to tell you about a fun partnership that mixes romance and beauty--WHITE HEAT LIP GLOSS

Three Custom Color Specialists has created a lip gloss just for me—and the name of the shade? WHITE HEAT! Lip gloss is the one beauty essential I can't live without, so you can imagine how pleased I am to have found a company that can customize shades. A sheer and sexy hot pink lip gloss with silver-white and opalescent shimmer, WHITE HEAT is perfect for revving up your favorite lip shade with sparkle and shine. Available in Three Custom Color Specialists’ swing-out lip gloss pot. Apply with your finger or favorite lip brush. ($21.50) You can purchase it at http://www.threecustom.com/

*Giveaway*

Two randomly selected commenters will win a copy of "White Heat", book one in New York Times Bestselling author Brenda Novak's new Dept. 6 Hired Gun series by MIRA . To enter here are a few simple rules.

* +2 Leave a comment for Brenda Novak including email.
* +2 Spread the Word! ( this means go out into cyber world and post it on any network sites that your are a member of, or on your blog or website. +2 Then come back and leave a link so I can verify the post.)
* Become a follower of Over The Edge! (+3 Already a follower--You ROCK! +2 Become a follower.)

The giveaway is open to all and will be running until August 1, 2010. I'll be picking and contacting the winner directly on August 2, 2010. Please make sure to include your email with your comment. Happy Reading!