Interview & Giveaway with author Karen Mueller Bryson

Welcome to Sugarbeat’s Books – The Home of the Romance Novel!

 

Today we are welcoming Karen Mueller Bryson to the blog. Karen is touring with Goddessfish Promotions to talk about her books, One Last Class and Twyla’s Last Trip. Karen will be giving away a $25.00 Amazon GC to one random commenter from the tour.  Make sure you leave a comment along with your email address so that you can be contacted if you win!  To get more entries, follow the tour – click HERE for the list of blogs.

So – let’s find out more about Karen and her books!

Barb – Tell us a bit about you and your writing – it seems that you have several books published!

Karen – I am the founder of Short on Time Books, fast-paced and fun novels for readers on the go! Short on Time Books currently has five titles: Hey Dorothy You’re Not in Kansas Anymore (coming-of-age romantic comedy); Where is Wonderland Anyway (road-trip romantic comedy); One Last Class (romantic comedy); Twyla’s Last Trip (romantic comedy); and Retro Geeks (young adult romantic comedy). My tween adventure series, The Incredibly Awesome Adventures of Puggie Liddell, is published by Zeta Comics and a graphic novel, based on Puggie’s adventures, is soon to be released. I am currently working on the biography of sports legend Cindy McCoy, which will also be released by Short on Time Books.

Barb – Tell us about your newest release – Twyla’s Last Trip

Karen – Twyla’s Last Trip is a story that is dear to my heart. When one of my best friends from college passed away, her husband and daughter took her ashes on a cross-country trip along the famous Rt. 66. It was a trip my friend always wanted to take but never got the chance to. Their trip inspired my story about Lucinda Starr, an uptight research psychologist, whose deadline to complete her doctoral dissertation is completely derailed by her estranged mother, Twyla Starr’s sudden death. Lucinda must take her mother’s ashes on a road trip on Route 66, in order to fulfill the requirements of her will and inherit her fortune. To make matters worse, Lucinda finds herself forced to travel across the country with her mother’s easygoing country lawyer, T.J. Yates, who drives her crazy, and his drooling bloodhound, Dakota, who Lucinda finds revolting.

Barb –  Do you normally start your writing with an outline or do you just let the characters tell the story?

Karen – Because I am also a screenwriter, my Short on Time novels are based on screenplays. I generally do a short 12-point outline for the screenplay. After I’ve written the screenplay, it acts as a “skeleton” for the novel. I like the process of working back and forth between a screenplay and novel because I think it makes both products stronger.

Barb –  What is your favorite part of writing?

Karen – I spend a lot of time thinking about a story before I put words to paper. I enjoy the process of “daydreaming” about the story and putting the elements together in my head before I actually write.

Barb –  What is your least favorite part of writing?

Karen – Authors are now responsible for developing a brand and marketing their work. I find the business aspects of sales, marketing and promotion extremely time consuming, especially when I’d rather be writing!

Barb –  Do you have someone who keeps you writing – someone that cheers you on from the sidelines?

Karen – I have quite a few writing buddies, who are extremely encouraging. We all cheer for each other and keep each other motivated.

Barb – Although I realize that many authors feel their characters are like their children, can I risk offending you and ask if you have a favorite character in Twyla’s Last Trip 🙂

Karen – In my last two romantic comedies, Twyla’s Last Trip and One Last Class, I included dogs as major characters in the stories. In Twyla’s Last Trip, T.J.’s bloodhound, Dakota, joins he and Lucinda on their trip across the country on Rt. 66. I just happen to have my own bloodhound named Dakota (I have a Savannah, too!) and I based the character on my beautiful hound dog. I believe Dakota adds some great humor to the story and she helps the main character, Lucinda, became a more caring and compassionate person over the course of the trip.

Barb –  Where can you fans find your books?

Karen – All of my books are available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and all other major retailers.

Barb –  How can your fans keep in touch?

Karen – Website

Facebook

Twitter

Blog

Short on Time Books

Barb –  Anything else you would like to add?

Karen – Thank you so much for interviewing me!

 

AUTHOR Bio:

Karen Mueller Bryson is an award-winning screenwriter, produced playwright and published novelist. She has been writing since she learned to read and fell in love with books! Karen is the creator of Short on Time Books, a series of fast-paced and fun novels for readers on the go. When she’s not at her computer creating new stories, Karen enjoys spending time with her husband and their bloodhounds.

 

Blurb: One Last Class

In the romantic comedy, One Last Class, thirty-two year old, Zak
Spencer, is a washed-up teen idol, who decides to rebuild his life by returning to college in Arizona. Trouble ensues when Zak falls in love with the young professor, Amy Campbell, who teaches the one class he needs to complete his degree.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blurb: Twyla’s Last Trip
In the romantic comedy, Twyla’s Last Trip, twenty eight-year old, Lucinda Starr is an uptight research psychologist, whose deadline to complete her doctoral dissertation is completely derailed by her estranged mother, Twyla Starr’s sudden death. Lucinda must take her mother’s ashes on a road trip on Route 66, in order to fulfill the requirements of her will and inherit her fortune. To make matters worse, Lucinda finds herself forced to travel across the country with her mother’s easygoing country lawyer, T.J. Yates, who drives her crazy, and his drooling bloodhound, Dakota, who Lucinda finds revolting.

 

Excerpt from “One Last Class”

Thirty-two year old, Zak Spencer was sound asleep in his tousled bed, naked, except for the thin white sheet that covered the lower half of his body. Zak had been aged by recent disappointments but remnants of his boyish good looks were still visible. Elvis, Zak’s two-year old basset hound, snored on the floor next him.

Mindy, a 40-something cougar, slowly rose from the bed trying not to wake Zak. She carefully removed her clothes from the floor then snuck over to a corner chair and grabbed her purse for a quick escape.

But when Mindy tripped over Elvis and he let out a yelp, she crashed to the floor.

Zak awakened and noticed Mindy was no longer next to him. He scanned the room but didn’t see her anywhere. “Mindy?” he called.

“I’m down here.”

Zak peeked over the end of the bed and saw Mindy on the floor clutching her clothes and purse.

“What are you doing down there?” he asked.

“I tripped over your dog.”

Elvis wagged his tail.

As Zak rubbed the sleep from his eyes, he said, “You’re leaving already?”

Mindy pushed herself up from the ground and tried to cover her nearly naked body.

“But it’s so early,” Zak continued.

“I’ve got a lot to do today,” Mindy lied. “I’ll call you. I promise,” she blurted as she hurried out of the bedroom.

Zak jumped out of bed and pulled the sheet as a covering as he tried to catch Mindy. But she was quick. She had already made her way through the apartment and grabbed a jacket from a hanger next to the door before Zak caught up to her. Zak was now tangled in the sheet as he tripped up to Mindy and said, “You don’t have my number.”

As Zak scrambled for something to write with, Mindy admitted, “I’m not really going to call you.”

Zak was genuinely hurt. “Why?” he managed to get out.

“This was fun and everything but I really don’t want to date a former Malibu Boy. It’s so last decade.”

“But…” Zak searched for something more to say.

“I’ve got to go,” Mindy shouted as she bolted out the door.

I’d like to thank Karen for dropping by and sharing!  Remember, leave a comment if you want to be entered into the giveaway!