Theresa Meyers' THE SWITCHED BABY SCANDAL Interview & Giveaway
A little about Theresa Meyers
Raised by a bibliophile who made the dining room into a library, Theresa has always been a lover of books and stories despite dyslexia that made it difficult for her to write and read until the fourth grade. First a writer for newspapers, then for national magazines, she started her first novel in high school, eventually enrolling in a Writer's Digest course and putting the book under the bed until she joined Romance Writers of America in 1993. In 2005 she was selected as one of eleven finalists for the American Title II contest, the American Idol of books.
She is married to the first man she ever went on a real date with (to their high school prom), who she knew was hero material when he suffered through having to let her parents drive, and her brother sit between them in the backseat of the car. They currently live in a Victorian house on a mini farm in the Pacific Northwest with their two children, two cats, an old chestnut Arabian gelding, an energetic mini-Aussie shepherd dog, a parakeet and an out-of-control herb garden.
She collects teapots, teddy bears and steampunk gadgetry, and when not writing can be found sewing, painting, canning, baking, or hiding out in a comfy chair reading a wonderful book. On occasion, you might find her scuba diving or riding her white quad with hot pink flames on the sand dunes. Her favorite television shows are Supernatural (Dean Girl), The Vampire Diaries, Once Upon a Time and Grimm (is it any wonder she writes fiction?).
Single mom Taylor Lawrence just discovered that the hospital sent her home with the wrong infant five years ago. Now the headstrong and handsome biological father wants his child back. But Emily has always been her daughter, and Taylor won’t give her up without a fight.
Widower Reece Wallace believed his life was over when a drunk driver killed his wife and daughter. So when he learns of the baby switch, he sees this child as his ultimate salvation. But he never anticipated the fiery woman on the other side of this custody battle or how she’d stir feelings in him long dormant.
As the media storm surrounding the hospitals mistake intensifies, Taylor and Reece find there’s more to sort out than custody of Emily they must work together to protect her while grappling with their growing attraction. Can they pick up the pieces of two broken families and meld them into something new?
Okay... I’m SUPER excited to have Theresa Meyers on the blog today. You know how you meet someone and you immediately KNOW that you’re going to love them? Theresa Meyers is one of those people I would completely love. She’s funny, makes me smile and we can pig out together on Italian food. So sit back and check out our conversation.
Hi, Theresa. Thank you for stopping by today. Tell me something about you that I’m not going to find out through your author bio?
I love sewing and started sewing by hand when I was six and by machine when I was eight. My mother refused to buy me formals for the school dances. Instead she’d buy any fabric and patterns I wanted as long as I sewed my own dresses. I got pretty good and taking multiple patterns and using bits and parts from them to create something that matched the vision in my head.
I soooo wish I could sew. My mother WOULDN’T let me anywhere near her sewing machine, but I’m pretty good at cutting out patterns. You write several genres: Contemporary romance, Paranormal romance, and Sci-Fi. How did you get into writing so many different genres?
The short answer is my brain is crammed full of ideas, all kinds of ideas and I’m Gemini so doing more than one thing at a time is the norm. The longer answer is that I started out writing historical romances when I was 17. It was part of a self-designed elective myself and three friends created where as long as we were producing pages we got an A. (Smile) Unfortunately for me, historical romances were on the downward spiral so nothing sold for years and years. I have always enjoyed paranormal things (X-Files, Dark Angel and Doctor Who were staples in college) so I tried my hand at writing paranormal romance and found a niche that worked for me. The two kind of merged together when I was able to write my steampunk Legend Chronicles series for Kensington (which blends, Victorian-era historical writing with the sci-fi elements of steampunk and the paranormal elements of my world which include things such as vampires, werewolves, demons, shape-shifters, ghosts and other assorted creatures.) In between all of this I had tried writing a few contemporaries that had been sitting on my harddrive and waiting for a home…and now that contemporaries are back, well, there you go. Now I get to write a little bit in everything I love!
Wow. That’s pretty impressive. Your current book is titled THE SWITCHED BABY SCANDAL. Please tell me about it.
What if you found out the child you’d raised for the last five years wasn’t yours? Worse still, what if you found out the biological parent wanted your child back? THE SWITCHED BABY SCANDAL taps into the switched-at-birth scenario but it also brings two broken single parents together and challenges them to overcome their battle for custody and instead forge something new. They are enemies turned lovers and at the same time both devoted parents to their share child Emily.
I really could not imagine something like that happening to me. THE SWITCHED BABY SCANDAL is part of a three book series. How did you come up with idea for the book and the series itself?
I’ve always enjoyed connected stories – ones where you get to meet secondary characters who then grow into being the hero or heroine of their own book. When I started writing THE SWITCHED BABY SCANDAL the hero’s best friend Gino DeMarco immediately jumped out as a character wanting his own story. I promised him one as long as he took a back seat long enough for me to finish writing the currently book. And that’s how a single story idea turned into a series. As for the idea for THE SWITCHED BABY SCANDAL, we read a lot about a man finding out the child isn’t his, but what about a woman? That was the kernel that started the story. I started investigating families that had their children switched in hospitals and it took off from there.
I have to be honest. I LOVE series. I really love it, when there’s a character who WANTS to have his voice hear and doesn’t take no for an answer. How would you describe Taylor Lawrence and Reece Wallace?
Interior designer Taylor is a headstrong single mom who adores her daughter. She’s had some bad luck with controlling men in her life, including a not very present dad and she wants something different for her own daughter. Reece Wallace is a widowed family law attorney dealing with survivor’s guilt after the death of his wife and daughter in a drunk driving accident. He’s completely unprepared for the bombshell that his biological daughter is still alive and by his attraction to Taylor.
They sound great. What’s your favorite part of a romance novel to read or write? (The beginning, the first meeting, first kiss, getting to know each other, first love scene, big fight, HEA or something else?)
I’d have to say I’m a sucker for the HEA. There are so few happily ever afters in real life that I think every one I can write makes things a bit more positive in the world.
I’m a sucker for HEAs too. Are your books character driven or are you able to sit down and write, without the characters telling you they want something to be a certain way? If THE SWITCHED BABY SCANDAL was character driven, which character gave you the hardest time and why?
For me it’s a little of both. I do plot outlines, but along the actual writing of the story the characters will sometimes take me on detours because they have specific things they need to deal with that I didn’t realize until I’m in the middle of the scene. I think the most difficult character to write in the whole story was Taylor. She’s trying so hard not to lean on anyone because she’s come to equate her independence with protecting herself and her daughter. As a character she had the most to overcome and grow.
~Theresa’s Tidbits~
Are you a morning person or night owl?
Morning person! I can jump out of bed, brush my teeth, shove my hair in a ponytail and be ready to go.
Oh. You’re that person....That’s okay, I still like you. So do you prefer coffee or tea?
Tea definitely. In fact I’m kind of a tea nut. I’ve got an entire cupboard of various loose teas in my kitchen.
I love that!!!! My husband calls me a teaholic. So what’s your favorite food?
Wait, you expect me to pick one?!?! I’m Italian for pity’s sake. That’s like asking me to pick a favorite out of my kids.
You’re right...I’m sorry. Now I want some Italian food. Darn it...Do you have a favorite tv show?
Ooo. Ummm. That’s a toss up between Supernatural and The Vampire Diaries. I’m addicted to them both.
Okay. Now for one of my favorite questions...Love at first sight or second chances?
No fair. I believe in both. Because can’t you fall in love at first sight only to need a second chance?
You know, I NEVER thought of that before. That really makes sense. Okay, Pacific Northwest lady, summer or winter?
Summer!!!!
I could talk to you FOREVER! Thanks so much for taking the time to chat with me. I’m looking forward to reading THE SWITCHED BABY SCANDAL.
Thanks so much for having me here! I hope you really enjoy the story.
THE SWITCHED BABY SCANDAL can be purchased from Amazon
and other online eBook retailers
Theresa will be hosting a tour wide giveaway and one lucky reader will win a Scandalous Bliss Bath Experience, featuring a set of four bath bombs and bubble bars from LUSH, chocolates and candles to make their reading bliss complete! Giveaway ends at 11:59pm on 7/7.
Raised by a bibliophile who made the dining room into a library, Theresa has always been a lover of books and stories despite dyslexia that made it difficult for her to write and read until the fourth grade. First a writer for newspapers, then for national magazines, she started her first novel in high school, eventually enrolling in a Writer's Digest course and putting the book under the bed until she joined Romance Writers of America in 1993. In 2005 she was selected as one of eleven finalists for the American Title II contest, the American Idol of books.
She is married to the first man she ever went on a real date with (to their high school prom), who she knew was hero material when he suffered through having to let her parents drive, and her brother sit between them in the backseat of the car. They currently live in a Victorian house on a mini farm in the Pacific Northwest with their two children, two cats, an old chestnut Arabian gelding, an energetic mini-Aussie shepherd dog, a parakeet and an out-of-control herb garden.She collects teapots, teddy bears and steampunk gadgetry, and when not writing can be found sewing, painting, canning, baking, or hiding out in a comfy chair reading a wonderful book. On occasion, you might find her scuba diving or riding her white quad with hot pink flames on the sand dunes. Her favorite television shows are Supernatural (Dean Girl), The Vampire Diaries, Once Upon a Time and Grimm (is it any wonder she writes fiction?).Single mom Taylor Lawrence just discovered that the hospital sent her home with the wrong infant five years ago. Now the headstrong and handsome biological father wants his child back. But Emily has always been her daughter, and Taylor won’t give her up without a fight.
Widower Reece Wallace believed his life was over when a drunk driver killed his wife and daughter. So when he learns of the baby switch, he sees this child as his ultimate salvation. But he never anticipated the fiery woman on the other side of this custody battle or how she’d stir feelings in him long dormant.As the media storm surrounding the hospitals mistake intensifies, Taylor and Reece find there’s more to sort out than custody of Emily they must work together to protect her while grappling with their growing attraction. Can they pick up the pieces of two broken families and meld them into something new?
I am so looking forward to reading this book. I can't wait to find out what happens.
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a good story :)
ReplyDeleteI KNOW!!!! I can't wait to read it.
DeleteYour book looks like an interesting read. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by and checking out the book.
DeleteIt's on my reading list.
Sounds like an amazing read. I think that due to the custody battle it'll be a real page turner.
ReplyDeleteMichelle Tucker
Hey Michelle,
DeleteThank you for stopping by and checking out the book and interview. I think the book sounds really interesting and emotional.