Interview and Giveaway: The Hell on Wheels Blog Tour With Z.A. Maxfield

So good to be back here at the Novel Approach on this stop of my Hell On Wheels Blog Tour. For those following along, my Blog Tour giveaway plan is as follows:

1.) Comment here for the chance to win an ebook. My assistant William will randomly pick a winner for each blog I visit, and that person will win an ebook of their choice from my backlist.

2.) For the Hell On Wheels Tour Rafflecopter giveaway, I will be awarding one lucky reader with a $25.00 gift certificate for Amazon. The giveaway will conclude at midnight on December 8, 2014, at which time we’ll choose a winner.

3.) There are many ways to enter, and some can be done more than once. Give yourself lots of chances to win by following along on the blog tour and commenting.

Now for the interview part!

TNA: Hi, ZAM, thanks so much for stopping by on the Hell on Wheels blog tour. It’s great to have you back at The Novel Approach.

ZAM: Thanks for having me! Lovey to be back!

TNA: How did you become involved in the Bluewater Bay series? Did participating in a series based in a fictional city where the stories and characters somewhat intertwine appeal to you at all in a St. Nachos sort of way?

ZAM: Usually these sorts of things start in a bar at a conference somewhere…I guess it must have been on L.A. Witt’s mind to start a new series in Atlanta when we were there for GRL. They sent me a note and asked if I wanted to participate, and I thought it sounded like fun. Especially the fandom aspect of the story.

TNA: Is this book your one and only contribution to the series, or are you planning to write more stories set in this world? For instance, are there any minor characters you introduced in Hell on Wheels you could see getting their own novels/novellas?

ZAM: I could be persuaded to write more. They have a long line up of absolutely terrific authors, and it might be a while before I have the time, but I adored writing Hell On Wheels and would like to write more.

TNA: Of all the romance tropes out there, what are some of your favorite and least favorite to write, and why?

ZAM: I love to write Bi-For-You. There’s something about taking someone who is seasoned sexually and putting them off balance that I just love. I rather like writing a coming-of-age, coming-to-sexual-awakening novel about a person who has the language and the maturity to comprehend it. Taking a middle aged man or woman and exploring their barriers and their new feelings.

I used to say I’d never write werewolves, but I’ve learned never to say never.

TNA: I know this is such an unfair question to ask, but I’m going to ask it anyway. Of all the characters you’ve created, which are closest to your heart, and why? Feel free to name a few.

ZAM: I think Yamane from Drawn Together is closest to my heart. He was such a great character, a combination of man and woman, prude and seducer of innocents. He was fussy, and prickly, but had a great heart. He understood Rory’s innate goodness before even Rory did, and valued it.

I also love Nash from Hell On Wheels. There’s a Philip Phillips song, Gone, Gone, Gone that ran through my head while I was writing HoW, and it has the line “Like a drum, baby, don’t stop beating.” And I worked that into the story. Nash gives everything he has and just throws the consequences to fate. I loved that about him.

TNA: If someone had never read one of your books before, which of your books would you recommend they start with? What, in your opinion, makes it a good introduction to your work?

ZAM: It’s funny you ask. I used to recommend Crossing Borders, but that one is between publishers right now. For ZAMness? I think you can’t go wrong with My Cowboy Heart or Hell On Wheels. MCH is very sweet and sentimental, and Hell On Wheels has my quirky characters and humor. My editor said it’s classic ZAM…

TNA: What are you working on now? Do you have any other upcoming releases and WIPs you’d like to tell us about?

ZAM: Right now I’m working on the fourth Cowboy book in the My Heart series. This one is called My Cowboy Love Story. It’s the story of young friends who make a desperate bargain and then live to regret it.

TNA: Thanks again for dropping by, ZAM. Would you like to share where we can find you on the internet?

ZAM: I’m always available at my website.  From there you can read my blog, track me down on facebook, sign up for my newsletter, or contact me directly.

ZAM’s Bio: Z.A. Maxfield started writing in 2007 on a dare from her children and never looked back. Pathologically disorganized, and perennially optimistic, she writes as much as she can, reads as much as she dares, and enjoys her time with family and friends. Three things reverberate throughout all her stories: Unconditional love, redemption, and the belief that miracles happen when we least expect them.

If anyone asks her how a wife and mother of four can find time for a writing career, she’ll answer, “It’s amazing what you can accomplish if you give up housework.”

Readers can visit ZAM at her website, Facebook, Twitter, or Tumblr.

Blurb: Nash is the reliable one in the Holly family, the guy everyone counts on to keep things going. His genius twin brother is off at university, so Nash runs the family’s auto repair business and cares for his partially-paralyzed little sister while his crackpot father invents. His life seems mapped out for the foreseeable future, however much that might chafe.

So when Wolf’s Landing actor Spencer Kepler-Constantine lands in his life, Nash is ready for a diversion. Spencer is in the middle of a very painful, very public divorce and isn’t ready for a relationship—not that Nash wants one. But they both need a friend, especially one with benefits.

As they grow closer, Nash starts to see his family in a whole new light. Do they really need him so badly? Or does he simply need to be needed? Then Spencer’s ex reappears with a grand romantic gesture, and Nash has to figure out what he wants—and how to get it—before Spencer’s gone for good.

Buy Links: Riptide | Amazon | ARe