Today we have Amanda Berry, a Silhouette Special Edition Debut Author chatting with us on the blog. For debut authors, we have to extend an extra warm welcome because the first time is always special and pretty darn exciting. Amanda also didn’t come empty handed. She’s giving away an autographed copy of L.A CINDERELLA! Welcome, Amanda, thanks for joining us today.
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Amanda, since this is your debut novel, can you tell us how many manuscripts you completed before you sold this one?
Beverley, thank you for having me on your blog. I completed a fantasy romance that will never be revised and never see the light of day. My second book was a paranormal romance which has been a finalist in multiple contests and I’m currently working on a complete rewrite. L.A. Cinderella was the third book I completed. We won’t discuss how many I started before finishing that first one. 🙂
I love first call stories. Please tell us yours.
L.A. Cinderella won first place in the Marlene contest and garnered a full request from Patience Smith. About three months after I submitted, I got the call the Friday before Labor Day. I was going to head out to a write-in given by my local RWA chapter and noticed a phone call from New York had come through on my cell phone. When I played the voice mail, it was Patience. It was incredibly hard to dial my little buttons with my shaking hands, but I managed.
Can you tell us a little about L.A. Cinderella?
Chase Booker is an A-list actor born into Hollywood royalty. When his movie production company isn’t making the money it should, his CFO hires hopelessly shy Natalie Collins. Natalie prefers to fade into the background and hide behind her numbers. When she’s forced to ask for Chase’s help in uncovering an embezzlement scheme, their attraction takes front stage. When Chase and Natalie try to fly under the radar with their affair, a disgruntled CFO, a fame seeking actress, and a world of paparazzi stand in their way.
I, like millions of other readers, cut my teeth on Harlequin romance novels. Was that the same for you?
My first romance novels were Silhouette Desires and Special Editions. I then moved on to Historical Romances, which I adore to read, but I don’t think I’d be able to write. But never say never. 🙂
When did you decide you wanted to write them?
When I picked up writing again after my son was born, I targeted Harlequin Temptation but never finished the book because I had a lot to learn. When I finally decided to really try to write as my career, I started with paranormal romance because I love them. I took a class on Writing the Selling Silhouette Desire and Natalie and Chase were born. I love having the light contemporaries to pull me out of the dark paranormals. The characters are fun to explore and develop.
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L.A. Cinderella
Author: Amanda Berry
Publisher: Harlequin/Silhouette Special Edition
Pub. Date: June 1, 2010
ISBN-13: 978-0373655342
Retail: $4.99
224 pagesCareer-driven accountant Natalie Collins wasn’t the type to wish for a Hollywood hero to rescue her. She preferred life away from celebrity glitz. Too bad the man who drove her wild was an A-list actor.
With her understated beauty and brains, Natalie was the one person Chase Booker could trust. He could see the strong, sexy woman beneath her shy exterior, and she stirred a blinding passion in him that made it easy to forget that they were from different worlds. But when she was in his arms, their worlds were dangerously close to colliding….
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What do you find appealing about Silhouette Special Edition books?
*blush* Well, originally I was targeting Silhouette Desire, but Patience thought L.A. Cinderella would be a better fit for Special Edition. After reading some of the newer books in the line, I can understand why. I love the extra space Special Editions have to really explore my characters.
Do you prefer beta or alpha heroes?
My heroes tend to be a mix of both. Alpha when a strong hand is needed, but tender enough when needed. I think realistically characters need attributes of both to really appeal to today’s readers.
What’s coming up next for you? Can you tell us anything about your second book?
I’m working frantically on the revisions, but nothing is in concrete yet. The tentative title is Casanova Exposed. My hero is a playboy who meets his match in a tabloid reporter. I had way too much fun writing Mark, the hero. He’s a player through and through, and a whole lot of man.
Beverley, thanks again for inviting me to your blog.
What kind of Hollywood story would you like to read? Which tabloid articles catch your eye? Would you ever be willing to live in the spotlight if it meant you got the man of your dreams?
After an exciting life as a CPA, Amanda Berry returned to writing when her husband swept the family off to England to live for a year. Now she’s hooked, and since returning to the states spends her writing days concocting spicy contemporary romances while her cats try in vain to pry her hands off the keyboard. Her Marlene Award–winning contemporary romance, L.A. Cinderella, debuts from Silhouette Special Edition in June 2010. One thing she requires of all her books is a happily ever after. Amanda lives in the Midwest with her husband and two children. For more information, please visit www.amanda-berry.com.
I will look for your book.
Thanks, jcp! It’s available pretty much everywhere books are sold. 🙂 That’s the great thing about Harlequin and Silhouette, the distribution.
Hi Amanda,
Lori Brighton told me she read it and loved it, so I’ll be picking it up on my next book shopping trip. 😉 Thanks for the interview. I love doing debut authors.
Your book sounds wonderful, all the best for your debut release! Oh wow, I don’t know if I good live in the spotlight, but for some hunk of man, I think I could give it a go!
And I loved your call story, as an aspiring writer, they are always good to hear about~
Hey Amanda, your book sounds great and I would love to read it. I’m, not so secretly and, madly in love with a Hollywood actor myself. So should the impossible be made possible and he asks me out on a date I’d definitely be ok with the spotlight. As long as we got plenty of time out of it aswell. 🙂 Am not looking forward to having my private life’s details be known by everyone, but Gerry sure would make it worth it I believe.
I love Cinderella stories and yours sounds fantastic! And as Karyn said, we writers love hearing call stories too!
I don’t know if this is really a tabloid story, but I love the stories about those A-list actors who fall from grace but make bigger and better comebacks once they’ve learned humility. 🙂
Hi Amanda,
You are a new-to-me author so I’ll be checking out your work soon. BTW, in your picture, you remind me of Sigourney Weaver.
Congrats on your debut, Amanda! It sounds like a great read.
Enjoyed reading the comments. I am always looking for different authors to read. I have added Amanda’s name to my TBR list.
I am a very prviate person so no, the spotlight is never something I would seek. Not really interested in reading Hollywood stories-that whole scene seems so fake to me.
Hi Amanda! I just wanted to say how much I really enjoyed your book and your idea for your second book sounds fabulous! I’d totally read that!
Congrats on your debut Amanda. I have to admit i’m a sucker for tabloid articles. Can’t help my inane curiosity of the rich and famous. My favorite articles to read those involve the celebs i particularly like and intrigue ones. Such as was the death an accident or on purpose. Things to get you thinking and talking about stuff. I’d be definitely willing to go in the spotlight if i could get my dream guy. No questions ask. I’d just learn to always look my best and speaks thoughtfully. ^^
Congratulations on your debut! 🙂 I’m sort of a sucker for tabloids, so I avoid them when I can; otherwise I would just stand there and try to absorb all the juicy gossip…especially all the relationship/cat fight/backstabbing ones. *____*
I don’t know if I could live in the spotlight. It’d have to be a really fantastic guy. 😉
Congrats on your debut. How exciting!! Sounds like a great story.
Congrats on your debut! A heroine who’s an accountant? I’m there! 🙂
I don’t read tabloids aside from looking at the headlines when I’m in line at the supermarket. I feel sorry for the celebs because they’re in the spotlight all the time. I don’t think I could put up with it even for the man of my dreams, if not for myself, then for any children we may have. Of course, no tabloid reporter is as bad in this country as the ones in the UK so that’s something at least.
I’m not that into tabloid reports or Hollywood stories, but I have to say anything with Angelina and Brad and their kids touches me. I think it’s so great that they have a large and loving family despite the glare of the spotlight. I don’t think I’d be comfortable in the spotlight, but if it meant the man of my dreams, I guess I’d try to make it work.
L.A. Cinderella sounds like a great story and I’d love to read it.
Nice interview:)
I don’t think I could handle the lose of privacy I would have to endure if I were to be involved with a celebrity….no matter how handsome and great he was. I feel sorry for the celebs in the rag magazines….they are always under a looking glass and even their toes get criticized for not being perfect!!!!
(I already have this book so don’t enter me in this contest.)
Hi Amanda!
I’m so happy to see you here at the Season! I just got your book “LA CINDERELLA” and I’m really looking forward to reading it! I love Harlequin and Silhouette books and yours especially stood out, I love books about actors and musicians! 🙂
Good luck with the book and I hope you write many more! 🙂
Amanda, rereading my post it sounds like I’m saying there are musicians also in your book, which I know there aren’t. I just meant it’s fun having celebrity-type heroes or heroine’s – like actors, or also singers, etc. in books sometimes, for a fun change of pace.
Congratulations on the publications of L. A. CINDERELLA. It sounds like a good Special Edition read. Best of luck with its release and with your future books.
Congratulations, Amanda. I haven’t read a Special Edition in a while. Yours sounds very good.
I love discovering new authors especially debuts. Good luck with L.A. Cinderella! Even if I don’t win, I’m going to go pick this one up.
Congratulations on your debut. I enjoy reading Silhouettes and Harlequins and especially enjoy Hollywood settings. I use to read more of them than I do now, so I’ll have to check for your book.
Thank you everyone for stopping by and all the kind words. My favorite thing about my actor hero is that when he’s with the heroine, there is no acting. The special smiles are all hers. If I had a man like Chase, I would totally risk everything to be with him, if I were single 🙂