Sapphire Romance Realm: Interview & Giveaway with Pamela Clare!!!

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Interview & Giveaway with Pamela Clare!!!

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Today we have with us the very talented Pamela Clare author of the I-Team (romantic suspense series) and equally breathtaking historical romances. Pamela’s latest release Naked Edge (that I was lucky enough to get to review) is releasing this Tuesday March 2nd! Be sure to go and get your copy this week trust me this is one you do NOT want to miss it's Awesome with a capital A. :)

JJ: Hi Pamela it’s so good to have you with us today!

PC:Thanks for having me, Jenn. I really appreciate it!

JJ: Now Naked Edge is the fourth book in the I-Team series, and for those not familiar yet with the series can you tell us in your own words what the I-Team is and how you came about to write this series?

PC: I-Team is short for Investigative Team. It’s a special group of elite reporters, more highly trained than most, whose job it is to dig deep into what’s happening around them and reveal wrongdoing that would otherwise remain hidden.

An investigative journalist myself, I started writing romantic suspense after having a conversation with my agent and mentioning that I’d been threatened (again) for something I was working on at the paper. She said, “You ought to write romantic suspense because you live it.” And I said, “All except for the ‘romantic’ part.”

From that conversation, I decided to take some of my experiences as a journalist and turn them into romantic suspense novels. I had never read romantic suspense before, and I really had no clue what to do. My experience both as a reader and writer had been strictly with historical romance. But writing that first suspense novel was a lot of fun, and so I keep doing it.

JJ: I also want to hasten to say that it makes a great stand alone as well so you don’t have to read the others for this one to make sense at all but I’m positive that once the read this one they will be rushing out to get the others as well! :)

PC: It’s true that each novel can stand alone. The hero and heroine of each novel has their love story contained entirely in that novel. There are repeating characters, which is fun, because I love to stay in touch with them.

JJ: Now Katherine James the female heroine in Naked Edge is half Navajo and half white. I found her and her Native American heritage fascinating by the way! How did you come up with her character and why did you pick the Navajo culture for her background?

PC: I’m so glad you enjoyed that aspect of the story, Jenn.

Kat as a character and her entire story arose from my years of covering Native issues as a reporter. I’ve traveled many times from my home in Colorado to the Navajo reservation in Arizona — about a 12-hour drive if you don’t stop — to cover things that were happening there. So few reporters cover Indian issues (and so few make any attempt at doing it well), that my coverage of Navajo issues led to requests from other Indian people to cover issues on their land. By 2001, I’d been asked by acknowledged spiritual leaders from three Indian nations — Navajo, Hopi, Lakota — to act as a bridge between the Native world and the white world. This story is one way of carrying out that charge and trying to be a bridge.

Through all this, I ended up developing friendships with different Indian people, and those friendships have changed my life. I’ve camped out in the desert under the stars, been invited to many ceremonies and have eaten my share of fry bread and mutton stew while sitting in desert sand.

I’ve tried to be very accurate and careful with the depiction of Native culture in this story. After all, if I am going to be a bridge I need to improve understanding, not muddle it. There are no stereotypes in this book, no Disney Indians.

JJ: Now the way that she meets Gabe the hero (and a very sexy hero I might add) ;) is she is out hiking and she has a terrible fall when some of the ground gives way and Kat actually falls down the side of a cliff. Now some people may already know this… others may not, but you took this part of the story from something that actually happened to you. Could you tell us about that accident? (I know people will find this amazing and doubly so that you survived to tell about it)

PC: I grew up in a climbing family. That is to say a family where rock climbing and mountain climbing were regular events. My father taught both alpine and rock climbing and helped build trails in Boulder’s foothills. He took us into the mountains with him. In fact, it’s really not much of an exaggeration to say I grew up on the trails.

I was backpacking with him in 1994 deep in Rocky Mountain National Park. We’d been hiking along the Continental Divide at 12,0000+ feet in altitude when I slipped on some ice and feel 40 feet — 20 vertical feet and 20 feet bouncing over rock. (Statistically speaking, 50 percent of those who fall 20 feet are killed.)

I was, of course, badly injured. But when you’re in remote parts of the Rockies without a cell phone, survival is up to you. Once my father had stabilized me a bit — I’d started going into shock — I had no choice but to continue climbing down the side of the mountain we were on. I tried to stand, but couldn’t. My right tibia was broken. I spent about two hours scooting down on my behind. We’re not talking a grassy hillside, mind you; we’re talking talus mixed with big volcanic boulders.

At the bottom of that slow was a snowfield (think something like a glacier but smaller). It was mid-July, so the snow was mushy in the afternoon sun. I couldn’t scoot across it because I just sank. So I had to crawl about the distance of a football field dragging my leg behind me. My toes caught in the snow, so each movement forward meant dragging that broken leg and pulling on the broken bone. I screamed with each step.

Like Kat, however, I got lucky. A park ranger on his day off saw us from a distance and came down to tell us we couldn’t camp where my father had pitched a tent. Then he learned what had happened. He was a paramedic, too, and he spent about five minutes checking me out. Then he called for a helicopter rescue. Hours went by before the chopper arrived, and they were tough hours for me.

In the end, I had a head injury, a broken tibia, a ruptured quadriceps, a torn Achilles tendon, broken ribs and more bruises and deep cuts than I could count.

I got very, very lucky. Given that we hadn’t seen anyone all day, the ranger’s arrival felt to both my father and me like a miracle. My father says that it counts among the few times in his life when he believes God truly intervened.

I’m in pain every day of my life from that accident, and sometimes I feel like a 80-year-old woman. But that beats being dead, doesn’t it?

Here’s the interesting thing: I’ve always felt so ashamed of myself for falling. It was stupid, stupid, stupid. But until I wrote this book, I wasn’t able to give myself credit for being tough that day. I climbed/crawled for more than two hours with all of those injuries. With my father’s and the ranger’s help, I worked my way toward only site where the chopper could land, moving just a few feet at a time over hours. I truly wanted to give up because it was unbelievably painful by then. But I didn’t give up. And I’d never given myself credit for that until I watched through Gabe’s eyes while Kat struggled to survive in a similar situation.

JJ: Wow, I've heard this story before but it never ceases to amaze me that you lived through it. You are a very very lucky woman and I have so much respect for you that you made it through all you did that is nothing short of amazing truly. Whew...

JJ: Now Gabe Rossiter is a Park Ranger for the National Park Service and he’s also a big time daredevil and extreme sports junkie isn’t he. Can you tell us more about that?

PC: Gabe is a typical Colorado guy. Like me, he grew up next to the mountains. He probably learned to ski as a kid, as most of us do. Here, skiing is part of our PE classes. We get on the bus and spend one day a week during the winter learning to ski. (Rough life, I know.) So the outdoors is in Gabe’s heart and soul.

He climbs rock and ice. He climbs mountains. He’s also an expert skier, meaning that he can handle all terrain. Here, you find guys and gals whose biggest thrill in life is “chasing pow,” i.e., following snow storms around the Rockies so they can ski fresh powder (also called “pow-pow” and many other idiotic names). These professional ski bums live in their cars and give up everything for skiing. They like “skiing trees,” a risky but thrilling attempt to get down the side of the mountain without killing yourself on a tree, and they like “hucking” or “catching air,” i.e., skiing off bumps or cliffs that leave them airborne.

Now, Gabe doesn’t live in his car, though that lifestyle certainly appeals to him. He has a very challenging day job. As a park ranger, he’s like a cop, only he does his job in the mountains. In addition to dealing with bad guys, he saves lives by bringing people down off rocks and cliffs who’ve gotten in over their heads while climbing. He also cares for wildlife and helps protect the landscape and the animals in it from stupid people.

My father and brothers are black diamond skiers. My dad even takes his Telemark skis on the downhill slopes. No thanks! My oldest brother has climbed all the 14,000-foot peaks (“fourteeners” in Colorado lingo) in the state. He and my father have also climbed Mt. Baker, Rainier and Hood. My brother has climbed Aconcagua, the highest peak in the Western Hemisphere, where he ended up pitching a tent next to a frozen corpse on the night before his summit bid. In the Andes, “Acon” is more than 22,000 feet in elevation, and more people die on it each year than on Everest. Thank goodness my brother doesn’t have the $65,000 you need to buy a permit for Everest!

So when I was writing this book I was getting to channel in some of my family’s obsession with outdoor sports. My brother helped tweak some of the lingo, as did a couple of major ski bum friends I have. (I will be interviewing them and showing crazy videos of them skiing trees and catching air on my blog soon.)

I ski greens and blues, by the way. But I have worked as a volunteer naturalist for Boulder Mountain Parks, where much of the story is set. Before I started writing seriously, I spent the weekends patrolling trails, leading hikes and helping the rangers. Some of the rangers there are my friends, and one of them sat down and went through all the gear in his truck and on his duty belt so that I could have a better grasp of his job. I scrambled their names to create the names for Gabe’s fellow rangers, which prompted much laughter among the real rangers.

OK, was that too much information?

JJ: NO not at all I find this all so facinating and I know others will too! :)

JJ:I loved how very different Kat was as compared to her other fellow colleagues both in life an as a reporter. She’s also far different from many of the modern day heroines in that she is still a virgin. Can you tell us more about that and was it harder for you as a romance writer to write about a modern woman with those kind of older fashioned values?

PC: I was actually kind of afraid to write a contemporary heroine as a virgin. I, personally, was never a virgin, and I know very, very few women who were virgins when they got married. They say, “Write what you know.” I know nothing about virginity.

But to be true to traditional Navajo values, which view sex as a means of making babies and something that is very quiet, private and which does not involve hand cuffs, vibrating devices or chairs that hang from the ceiling, I needed to include that as part of her personality. Then I had to have her world and her views seem understandable to readers so that they could believe that she really was committed to virginity — at least until she met her half-side.

JJ: I really loved the fact that she was a virgin by the way! It was very well written and I know that they are in the minority in today’s times but there are some who do abstain until they find the “one” and I think that’s awesome just wanted to say that. :)

PC: If I had my entire life to do over again, I might view virginity differently. Mine was stolen when I was a child, so I never had any sense of purity. My friends had sex when they were 14 and 15 years old. Although I’ve always supported women’s sexual liberation, I think some of what’s precious in sexual relationships has been lost. My younger self would not have understood this, partly because of what happened I suppose. In the end, having lots of partners tends to tear women down emotionally. And some day women need to shift our culture so that they get the respect they deserve.

JJ: Some of the sales from Naked Edge are going to a charity to help women and children on Navajo Reservations correct? Can you tell us a little more about that and how others can help in other ways as well? :)

PC: I’m in the process of researching charities on the reservation that help women and children. Because of my own background, I’d prefer it to be a center that helps women who are victims of rape or sexual violence. But that’s still something of a taboo topic among many Navajo. So it’s taking some time.

I want to give back to the Navajo people. It’s their culture that figures so prominently on this book, and I don’t want to exploit that. It’s true that I have a bona fide connection with them, but still I want to give back.

In terms of helping, I really suggest strongly that everyone be very, very careful before donating any money to a charity that purports to help American Indians. So many of them are rip-offs designed to prey upon people’s interest and sympathy for Native people. Investigate thoroughly before sending a check. Right now, even I can’t say which charities are genuine. That’s how confusing it is. But when I determine which one I’m donating to, I’ll let everyone know via my blog and Web site.

JJ: Now a few personal questions for you if that’s ok? If you could travel to anywhere in the world where would you like to go? :)

PC:Two things pop to my mind: Denmark, where I have so many friends and where I hope to live again one day; and the UK — England, Wales, Scotland.

JJ: When you read, who are some of your favorite authors?

PC: For historicals, I loved Kathleen Givens’ books and was heartbroken when she passed on in January. I was about to interview her for my blog. I also love Anna Campbell, who is the only Regency author I read at this point. Then there’s Julie Garwood, Catherine Anderson, Patricia Potter…

For romantic suspense, Tara Janzen, Nora Roberts, Christy Reece, Roxanne St. Claire.

Outside romance, I love Colleen McCullough. Her series set in ancient Rome is so amazing. I’m a big Dickens fan. I also love, love, love J.R.R. Tolkein. Mika Waltari’s historical novels are second to none.

JJ: What kind of music do you like to listen too?

PC: Everything but country or anything that sounds too much like country music.

The bulk of what I listen to probably falls under “rock” and “Celtic.” I love traditional Celtic music, and by traditional I mean the stuff they were singing in Scotland, Ireland and Wales back in the 15th through 18th centuries. I listen to it all the time.

For rock, I love everything from Rush to 3 Doors Down to Nickleback to Staind to stuff from my childhood — Elton John, the Beatles, Fleetwood Mac and so on.

I also love Bruce Cockburn. He’s a Canadian folk-rock singer/songwriter whose depth and humanity blows me away even after a couple of decades of being a rabid fan. I’ve interviewed him several times and met him in person many times. Last time I saw him, he signed my son’s guitar and told me he had a copy of Extreme Exposure on the bus. I almost died.

Music is an absolutely essential part of my writing. I use it to manipulate my emotions. My characters often end up with their own playlists. And they have their own musical tastes. I listened to a lot of gangsta rap while writing Julian’s scenes in Hard Evidence, for example.

JJ: What is your idea of the perfect romantic night?

PC: Hmmm…. A sunset hike. Dinner at a wonderful restaurant. Ice cream on the Pearl Street Mall. And then crazy sex all night long. :-)

JJ: Now if you don’t mind for just a couple of questions I would like to talk to Kat James if I could here Pamela. :)

Kat Yá'át'ééh (hello) it’s so good to have you join us.

KJ: Yá'át'ééh. So you know some Navajo.

JJ: I looked up a few words just for this interview! :) Kat what inspired you to become a reporter?

KJ: I wanted to be a voice for those among my people who have no voice. As a Native woman, I thought I could make a difference for Indian people by working in media. The media do so much to shape our opinions about the world, but rarely do you see anything about the concerns of Indian people on the news or in newspapers. It’s almost as if we’re invisible. I wanted to change that however much I could.

JJ: How do you like working with the other members of the I-Team?

KJ: I like it a lot. They’re the best reporters I’ve ever worked with, and they’re good people. They have good hearts.

JJ: What was your first thought when you saw Gabe for the second time I’ll say second because it was a little too traumatic for you the first time you saw him lol.

KJ: The second time I saw him I felt so disappointed that the man who’d saved my life could be a part of desecrating a sacred ceremony. I didn’t know at first that he’d been sent there and ordered to do something he didn’t want to do. I also didn’t realize how lucky the other women and I were to have him there. He stopped us from getting hurt — I’m certain of that.

JJ: If you hadn’t been a reporter what path do you think you would have chosen for a career?

KJ: I thought for a while about being a teacher, and that’s still something I might do one day. Children need to believe in themselves. They need adults who can guide them and be role models for them.

JJ: Kat if you could travel to anywhere in the world where would you like to go?

KJ: I’ve always wanted to see Aztec and Inca ruins, so I’d have to say Mexico and Central and South America.

JJ: Do you think you will always be a reporter?

KJ: I’ve always wanted a big family with lots of children. Being a reporter doesn’t leave much time for other things. I don’t expect to be in journalism much longer, at least not full time.

JJ: If you had just one sentence to describe Gabe what would it be?

KJ: Gabe has the courage and strength of a warrior with the heart of a little boy.

JJ: I know you are a busy lady and I want to say many thanks for coming to be with us today Kat! Ahéhee Hágoónee'

KJ: Ahéhee’! You’re welcome. Walk in beauty. Hágoónee'.

JJ: Now back to you for a couple of more questions Pamela... What would be the best way for readers contact you? Do you have a website? Email address? MySpace site? Blog? Message Board? Group?

PC: I am very easy to reach. I have an email: pamelaclare@earthlink.net. I also have a Web site at www.pamelaclare.com, where readers can sign a guestbook to send me messages. My blog is at pamelaclare.blogspot.com, and everyone is welcome. I don’t have a message board, but I am on Facebook and I do have a Yahoo group, both of which you can link to through my Web site.

JJ: And my standard question that I have to ask everyone lol. Do you ever use real life actors or actresses as how you see your characters when you write in your head? I know I personally see them as the main characters a lot in the books I read when I’m reading them so I was just wondering if authors do that as well when they are writing them?

PC: Rarely do I write with the image of an actor in my head. Most of the time my imagination comes up with its own image. I did have Adrian Paul in mind when I wrote Surrender and Untamed. Also, he was the man in my head when I wrote Hard Evidence. I read somewhere that a reader wondered if I had written Julian’s character with Adrian Paul in mind, and, in fact, I did. Funny that it came through. He is ridiculously HAWT! I guess I had an actress in mind for Amalie in Untamed. Sophie Marceau. She’s so incredibly beautiful.

JJ: Many thanks to you Pamela for your time in being with us and for sharing your amazing stories with us! I hope you will come back and visit us again sometime. :)

PC: Thank you, Jenn. Chatting with you is always a pleasure.

Pamela also wanted to give one lucky commenter an autographed copy of Naked Edge! So post your comments and Questions here for Pamela and you could have this hot new book in your hands! :)

Labels: Contest, Giveaway, Interview, New Books, Pamela Clare

55 comments:

Martha Lawson said...: Great interview!! Looks like I might be the first commentor!! I absolutely love your books, Pamela. I can't wait to read this one. Good luck with it.; February 28, 2010 7:12 PM
Pamela Clare said...: Hi, Martha — Thanks so much! And, yes, you are the early bird, aren't you? Thanks for the good wishes. I'm am very excited for the book's release.; February 28, 2010 7:23 PM
Anonymous said...: Really nice interview. I'm a big fan of your books, because you bring so much of yourself into your writing. Always a Pamela Clare fan. xina; February 28, 2010 7:25 PM
aliaslaceygreen said...: Hey Pamela, that was a lot of fun reading...and I STILL am astonished (and GLAD) that you survived!!! And glad to know ahead of time that Kat will survive, lol!!!
Happy birthday tomorrow!!!
trish; February 28, 2010 7:43 PM
aliaslaceygreen said...: Hey Pamela, that was a lot of fun reading...and I STILL am astonished (and GLAD) that you survived!!! And glad to know ahead of time that Kat will survive, lol!!!
Happy birthday tomorrow!!!
trish; February 28, 2010 7:43 PM
Kara C said...: Hey Pamela,
I LOVE the I team series, but then you alreay know that. :) Your characters are amazing, and stayed with me a long time after I finished each book. Gabe and Kat certainly sound like they will as well.
Are there other books in the works for this series besides the one we are all so anticipating Tuesday? I wonder what kind of man it would take to 'tame' Holly. Not that a 'tame' Holly would be as much fun. :); February 28, 2010 7:44 PM
aliaslaceygreen said...: Hey Pamela, that was a lot of fun reading...and I STILL am astonished (and GLAD) that you survived!!! And glad to know ahead of time that Kat will survive, lol!!!
Happy birthday tomorrow!!!
trish; February 28, 2010 7:44 PM
Debbie_D said...: Pamela!! Just stopping in to say hi. Can't wait to read Naked Edge too!; February 28, 2010 7:49 PM
Cecile said...: What a great interview ladies!!! I love learning things about the authors we read!
Please count me in!; February 28, 2010 7:55 PM
Pamela Clare said...: Hi, Xina — It's been ages! Good to see you. I'm glad you enjoyed the interview. I hope you like the book. And thanks! You're such a sweetheart! :-); February 28, 2010 8:08 PM
Pamela Clare said...: Hi, Trish — Yes, Kat survives. It would be a really short book if she didn't. And Gabe would never know what he missed — an entire lifetime of love and kids and happiness. Wow, it makes me sad to think about that. And thanks! It's good I survived, too. I had two boys who needed me.

Thanks so much for the birthday wishes! It's strange to have a birthday that is neither today nor tomorrow but somewhere in between...; February 28, 2010 8:10 PM
Spav said...: Great interview. I've never read any of your books, but thet look interesting.; February 28, 2010 8:16 PM
Kristie (J) said...: I'm so excited that this one is out IN TWO DAY!!!
How did you find it - putting so much of 'yourself' into the book? I don't think a writer could write a book without some of herself coming through, but it sounds like you really put a lot more than usual in this one.; February 28, 2010 8:23 PM
Pamela Clare said...: Hi, Kara — Fancy seeing you here! :-)

I'm so glad you feel that way about the characters. They feel like real people to me. In fact, the books feel like something they do, not something I do.

Yes there will be more books. I'm working right now on the proposal for Natalie's story. After that perhaps Joaquin's story.

As for Holly, my editor isn't keen on giving her a story, though I may be able to change that around. Holly needs a man who's every bit as perceptive as Kat was toward Gabe and who can see inside her to the real woman she is, not the glamorous playgirl she pretends to be. She needs someone who can build her up. I do have ideas about that...; February 28, 2010 8:24 PM
Pamela Clare said...: Hi, Debbie — Nice to see you again! You're such a sweetheart!; February 28, 2010 8:24 PM
Pamela Clare said...: Hi, Cecile — I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to blogging with you, soon!; February 28, 2010 8:26 PM
Pamela Clare said...: Hi, Spav — I'm glad you found the interview interesting. I hope one day you'll give the books a chance. Do you read primarily romantic suspense? Most libraries have been good about keeping the I-Team series on shelves -- that's a no-risk way to try them. :-); February 28, 2010 8:27 PM
Pamela Clare said...: Kristie, dear! I feel like I've fallen so out of touch with you! Yes, only two days, and I can't wait. I hope we can catch up sometime. That would be terrific. I hope things are going well for you.; February 28, 2010 8:28 PM
elaing8 said...: Great interview.Pamela you are a new authior to me.I always like learning thinga bout authors.I like the cover for Naked Edge.; February 28, 2010 8:41 PM
Pamela Clare said...: Hi, Elaing8 — Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed the interview. Personally, I love the cover, too. That color is so perfect. And the art isn't bad either? Nice muscles. Slurp!; February 28, 2010 8:47 PM
Kara C said...: Pamela,
That's why I'd love to read Holly's story! It would have to be just the right guy - and you are fantastic at writing those heroes! Tell your editor I said pretty please. :) Either way, I'll definitely join Natalie and any others on their adventures as well.
Have a great birthday/ new book release week.; February 28, 2010 9:09 PM
Blanche said...: Hi Pamela and Jenn!!
Fantastic interview!!! I've been so excited about this book since Jenn first shared the trailer with us a week or so ago!! I...must...get...my...hands...on...this...book!!!
It is at the top of my TBB list!!:); February 28, 2010 9:20 PM
Pamela Clare said...: Hi, Kara — Aha! So you totally get her then. That's really wonderful. Can you imagine the sparks in the bedroom if she were with the right guy? I think she'd completely rediscover sex. It would be something completely new to her. I'll definitely pass your vote along to my editor. I think you'll see in NAKED EDGE that I'm moving Holly toward being her own heroine.; February 28, 2010 9:30 PM
Jenn said...: Hi Pamela! Great interview! I am SO excited for this release! And the next historical too (Connor's, right?), though I know I'm getting a bit ahead of things there. Love your writing, lady, keep it up!!! Jenn; February 28, 2010 9:30 PM
Pamela Clare said...: Hi, Blanche — I'm so glad you liked the trailer. Didn't Jenn do a fantastic job of it? She is amazing. She really understood what it needed to be and pulled it together beautifully.

I've been doing a "countdown" on my blog to torture people while I still can about the sexiness of the hero and the mysteries of the story. :-)

I'm so glad you're looking forward to it.; February 28, 2010 9:31 PM
Pamela Clare said...: Hi, Jenn — Thanks! I'm going to write Natalie's story, then Connor's (I hope). I hope to write both this year for two books next year. Keep your fingers crossed! :-); February 28, 2010 9:40 PM
jeanette8042 said...: Awesome interview and I loved the book trailer!; February 28, 2010 11:45 PM
Pamela Clare said...: Thanks, Jeanette! I love it, too. I'm so impressed at what Jenn was able to do. As I understand it, this was her first official book trailer. :-); February 28, 2010 11:51 PM
mariska said...: Hi Pamela,

you are a very lucky girl. and glad you didn't give up at that time.

story based on true story, i mean even not all of the whole story, will be very 'life' {i'm sure you know what i meant :)}

- what's your favorite scene(s) on this book ?

i love paranormal suspense. hope i can get the chance to read your works soon !

uniquas at ymail dot com; March 1, 2010 2:10 AM
Leontine said...: Talk about the Holy Grail of interviews, Pamela, Jenn, you ladies outdid yourselves!!! I didn't know some of the profits of this book would go to help women and children on Navajo Reservations. This is incredible of you to do Pamela.; March 1, 2010 4:35 AM
Pamela Clare said...: Hi, Mariska — I have lots of favorite scenes, actually, but one scene that I really enjoyed writing and which still makes me laugh is the scene where Gabe has too much to drink and 'drunk dials' Kat on his cell phone. She goes to the bar to bring him home, and what follows always makes me laugh. It's a very humbling experience for Gabe, but for some reason I love it.; March 1, 2010 7:13 AM
Pamela Clare said...: Good morning, Leontine! I'm headed your way today and am very excited about that. :-)

Yes, I'm donating some of the proceeds of the book to help women and kids on the reservation. It seems like the right thing to do, given that I'm writing about their culture.; March 1, 2010 7:15 AM
Virginia C said...: Hi, Pamela! Thank for an amazing interview! It was a "book" in itself! Wonderful...as befits a great storyteller : ); March 1, 2010 7:54 AM
Pamela Clare said...: Hi, Virginia — You're welcome. And, yes, when I sent my answers to Jenn I wondered if I had gone on too long. LOL!; March 1, 2010 8:03 AM
Rileah said...: Happened to catch Adrian Paul's name in the conversation and most certainly will be looking out for your books. Besides being HAWT, he is a really awesome man. A long time fan of his, I run a huge website for his fans (lots of those HAWT pictures if you ever need inspiration. http://www.adriansangels.com
He's been raising funds for Haiti with his PEACE charity, and he's an incredible man in person. Thanks for sharing some of that. Peace...; March 1, 2010 9:50 AM
Pamela Clare said...: Hi, Rileah — There are so many reasons to admire Adrian Paul, the least of which is his compassion and support of others. He's always impressed me as being beautiful both inside and out. I'll stop by your Web site when I get a chance and check it out! Thanks!; March 1, 2010 10:21 AM
Eva S said...: Hi Pamela,
thanks for the wonderful interview! I love your heroes and I'm looking forward to this new book!
Haven't met anybody outside Finland reading Mika Waltari...; March 1, 2010 1:02 PM
Pamela Clare said...: Hi, Eva — Are you Finnish? I encountered Mika's novels in Denmark, if that explains anything. I love love love him! I read SINUHE THE EGYPTIAN (in Danish, actually) and felt that I could have gone to ancient Egypt and fit right in.

And you're so welcome! I hope you enjoy the story. :-); March 1, 2010 1:20 PM
joder said...: Hi Pamela, great interview! I had never heard the story about your accident, but you're tougher than you think. To have survived that is impressive. I too had a traumatic accident as a child where I was pinned under a tractor for a few hours that left me a quadraplegic. And like you, even with chronic pain, I'm grateful to be alive.

I've only read your historicals before, but very excited about the sound of your new series. The covers are eye-catching and really add to me wanting to win a copy.

joderjo402 AT gmail DOT com; March 1, 2010 3:15 PM
Pamela Clare said...: Hi, Joder — I'm so sorry to hear about your accident That must have been terrifying and incredibly painful! I hope that you're able to get the pain relief you need. And thanks for your kind words.

I'm glad you've enjoyed the historicals. I'll be working on one of those again soon. Hopefully, the I-Team series can tide you over in the meantime.; March 1, 2010 3:58 PM
I Heart Book Gossip said...: Great post!

My question is what do you like to listen to when writing?

cindyc725 at gmail dot com; March 1, 2010 4:54 PM
Jane said...: Hi Pamela,
I can't wait to read "Naked Edge." Congrats on the release.; March 1, 2010 5:11 PM
Pamela Clare said...: Hi, Cindy — Thanks!

I make play lists for each book I write, gathering songs into that play list that put me in the right emotional place for the characters and the story. So each book is different. When I wrote HARD EVIDENCE, for example, I listened to a lot of hip hop and gangsta rap, which put me in the mood for the streets of Aurora. When I write historicals, I listen to music that's from that time period or earlier, whether it be folk music or classical. For NAKED EDGE, I listened to some of my favorite Native music, plus the soundtrack to the film THUNDERHEART.

I make separate playlists for other parts of the book, such as the love scenes or the ending of the story when things are at their worst.

Music is so incredibly vital to my writing.

Here are some bands that have had a big place in my I-Team playlists: Nickelback, 3 Doors Down, Staind, Hoobastank, U2, Metallica, Nine Inch Nails (specifically "Closer"), and Incubus.

Nickelback's "Saving Me" is really Julian's song in so many ways. "Where Do I Hide?" is a very Marc Hunter song. For Gabe, I listened to so much 3 Doors Down, my favorite band du jour. "It's Been Awhile" is hands down his song.; March 1, 2010 5:32 PM
Kara C said...: LOVE to know what songs writers match with their characters. A couple of other authors I read share that info as well. It just adds to the understanding of the characters (as well as lengthens my iPod playlists)! :); March 1, 2010 5:39 PM
Pamela Clare said...: Kara, then you'll have to listen to Staind's "It's Been Awhile." It SO gave me the feel of Gabe's internal emotional landscape. For Kat, I would say the theme song from "How the West Was Lost." (Makes me weepy.)

I keep meaning to get my playlists updated on my website with some kind of cool sampler program, but I just haven't gotten to it yet.; March 1, 2010 5:46 PM
JennJ said...: Hi Pamela and Ladies!!!!! YAY you all chat it up I'm loving this. And Pamela thanks so much again for being here it was a true honor getting to interview you! You are an amazing lady. :) And big congrats on Naked Edges's release tomorrow!!!!! WOOHOOOO

Everyone keep those questions and comments coming!!!! And don't forget you can get it tomorrow!!!!! ;)

BIG HUGS; March 1, 2010 6:43 PM
Mary G said...: Hi Pamela
Although I know you'd had a bad fall, I didn't know till today what you went through. It brought tears to my eyes. You are a heroine in my eyes.; March 1, 2010 8:12 PM
Pamela Clare said...: Thank you, Jenn, for hosting this today and for all the time you put in to the the interview and such. I really appreciate it.

Hard to believe that tomorrow is the day! Finally!

Mary G — Aw, you're so sweet! I think you made me tear up. I really appreciate your kind words.

:-); March 1, 2010 8:34 PM
Pamela Clare said...: Thank you, everyone, for coming over to chat with me today. And thanks, Jenn, for having us here.

I'll keep checking back tonight for stragglers and the occasional vampire romance reader who's just getting out of the coffin... Then tomorrow, I'll pick a winner for the copy of NAKED EDGE.

Anyone who wants a NAKED EDGE bookmark, feel free to send an SASE to me at PO Box 1582, Longmont, CO 80502, and I'll get it in the mail right away.

Have a good night! When we all wake up tomorrow, NAKED EDGE will be out!

I can't wait. :-); March 1, 2010 9:54 PM
librarypat said...: What a wonderful interview. I had heard of your hiking /climbing fall before, but not in such detail. Had to laugh at your description of PE in school plus the "everyone skis" comment. Our girls were learning when we lived there, Dad already knew how. Our son was born in Colorado Springs. It must be something that imprints on children at birth. He is an outdoorsman, climber, hiker, kayaker, you name it. We were/are an outdoor family, but he just pushes it further. Too bad we now live in Tennessee. He really belongs back out in Colorado. It just isn't the same here. He is the exception rather than fitting in.
The book sounds great. It will be like going home in a way. We LOVED Colorado and hated to leave.
Just as it is like going home when I read your historical ranger series set in upstate NY.
Good luck with the release of this book.; March 1, 2010 10:39 PM
Pamela Clare said...: Hi, LibraryPat — Yours sounds like a typical Colorado family. So sorry you had to move away! Although Tennessee is beautiful — the Appalachians are lovely — I can see how your husband would miss Colorado. The outdoor recreation here is unsurpassed because it's warm enough to go year-round in most places.

Thanks so much for your good wishes! Tomorrow will be an exciting day. I'm so happy to finally be able to share this story with readers.; March 1, 2010 11:19 PM
Pamela Clare said...: Hi, everyone! Thanks for joining me here yesterday!

And now it's time to pick two winners:

I used a computerized randomizer and picked two names.

XINA and JODER — you each win a signed copy of NAKED EDGE. Please email me your addresses (pamelaclare@earthlink.net), and I'll get the books in the mail.

For those of you who posted yesterday but didn't win, e-mail me your addresses and I'll send you a NAKED EDGE bookmark.

Or hop on over to Borders True Romance, where I'm blogging today, for another chance to win.

I'll be holding contests on my blog, as well.

Thanks again! And Jenn, dear, thank you SO much for hosting this fun event!

Hugs to all,
Pamela; March 2, 2010 10:53 AM
Marissa said...: Great interview Jen, I enjoy it. I have all of Clare's book, now I need to find time to read, read, read!; March 2, 2010 2:59 PM
hotcha12 said...: OH MAN KERR, I'D KILL TO READ ONE OF YOUR BOOKS! LOL

LINDA B; March 5, 2010 6:36 PM
hotcha12 said...: HI PAM! WOULD KILL MY DH T READ YOURS TOO! LOL

LINDA B
lindarb49@hotmail.com; March 5, 2010 6:40 PM

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