Please Welcome Elke Feuer

I'm so excited to welcome fellow Angel Elke Feuer to the blog today.  One of the original Angels who met at RWA10, she is often the first one to congratulate or promote, and I, for one, couldn't appreciate knowing her more.

She agreed to answer a few questions and let us know about her current project.

Tell us a little about your writing routine...

I write at least two hours every day during the week and two-four hours on the weekends. I get to work early in the morning, so I write in the evening after my son goes to bed. On the weekends it’s at my favorite coffee shop.

Mmmm...coffee.  Add a little chocolate, and you got a perfect writing environment.  What inspires you?

I’d have to say fellow writers. Their enthusiasm, support and encouragement of each other and of course their success. They’re real people and if they can have success then maybe I can too.

With a story like your current project, there's no doubt you can have success.  Let's take a look at the blurb...

             

For the Love of Jazz

To launch her restoration architecture company, Josie Fagan must convince Patrick Pullman she’s the only one who can restore his unique 1940s bungalow. She gets more than she bargains for when a condition of the contract is that she stays at the house with him, and what Patrick Pullman wants, Patrick Pullman gets…

She feels an immediate connection not only to Patrick and his house, but to the previous tenants, Patrick’s uncle and his lover, Lola, who disappeared fifty years ago. Is the attraction between Patrick and Josie real, are Lola and William still acting out their unfinished lives or is the house just haunted?

Patrick Pullman doesn’t believe in ghosts or that his house is haunted, but when he starts having visions of Lola; maybe Josie isn’t crazy after all. Will they find out the truth before she disappears too?

Oooh, this sounds like such a great story, but I digress.

Where in the world would you want to visit (all in the name of research, of course) and why?

At the top of my list is Chicago where my current story is based. But I’d love to visit Petra, Florence, Peru and China. You can’t help but think stories are there waiting to be discovered and told.

Do your characters reveal themselves before or during your draft and how?

Sometimes they reveal themselves before the story starts through a dream or a glimpse of someone in the store or coffee shop. Other times they don’t reveal themselves until the story begins to unfold and at that point I have to interrogate them. J

Isn't that the truth?  What works one time, doesn't always work the next. 

What was your first writing piece and where is it now?

It was the story of a woman whose ship is captured by a Pirate and they fall in love despite their differences in background. I was twelve at the time and wrote it on the typewriter my parents gave me for my birthday. Unfortunately it disappeared when I was editing it at school.

Can you share an excerpt from your current work?

Excerpt

“I want you stay at the house during the renovations and not take on any other jobs until mine is done.”  

“What?” He couldn’t be serious. She searched his face. He was. “Why do I need to stay at the house?”

“I need this project finished in ten months and that will mean having you close to discuss design and restoration changes. Living at the house is the best option and also eliminates the risk of theft.” He leaned back in his chair. “Room and board is free. You don’t want to waste money your business needs, do you?”

Damn, he knew about her finances and was going to play hard ball. She had no intention of letting him use it against her or backing down. She was the best candidate and they both knew it. If she wasn’t he would have hired another company. “I want a flattering personal reference,” she countered.

A cocky grin curved his lips. “Then I want guarantees.”

She held his gaze.

“You’ll get your reference if you meet my ten month deadline, if I’m satisfied with the quality of the work, and if the job comes within budget.” He moved his chair back into the upright position.

“That will not include changes you make to my original estimate or if you select inferior products,” she added quickly. 

His smile broadened and his boyish dimple winked at her. 

Was he enjoying this?

Damn him, he was! 

She didn’t like it one bit. He was taking away the control she wanted, needed to have. The excitement she felt when he agreed to hire her vanished. The masculine atmosphere that had floated in the air like cheap cologne when she arrived squeezed around her to uncomfortable. 

“Do we have a deal?” His confident tone implied he knew the answer.

Thanks Cherie for being a wonderful host and supporter.  

Aaah, my pleasure, sweetie.  Thanks for being my guest today.

For more information on Elke Feuer visit her at:

http://elkefeuer.wordpress.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Elke-Feuer/185367964831994