Q&A with #Steampunk Author Cindy Spencer Pape (& W*n a Boo)

Today, I’m pleased to welcome author Cindy Spencer Pape to Preternatura to talk about MOONLIGHT and MECHANICALS, the fourth book in her Gaslight Chronicles steampunk series from Carina Press. Cindy has written more than forty popular books and novellas in paranormal, historical, and erotic romance. A resident of southern Michigan, with her own “happily-ever-after” guy, she has been a banker, a teacher, a politician—but mostly an environmental educator. You can learn more about Cindy from her website, and can find her on Twitter and Facebook.

ABOUT MOONLIGHT AND MECHANICALS:  London, 1859…Engineer Winifred "Wink" Hadrian has been in love with Inspector Liam McCullough for years, but is beginning to lose hope when he swears to be a lifelong bachelor. Faced with a proposal from a Knight of the Round Table and one of her closest friends, Wink reluctantly agrees to consider him instead….Because of his dark werewolf past, Liam tries to keep his distance, but can't say no when Wink asks him to help find her friend's missing son. They soon discover that London's poorest are disappearing at an alarming rate, after encounters with mysterious "mechanical" men. Even more alarming is the connection the missing people may have with a conspiracy against the Queen….Fighting against time—and their escalating feelings for each other—Wink and Liam must work together to find the missing people and save the monarchy before it's too late...

Now, let’s hear from Cindy—welcome!

Give us the “elevator pitch” for your book.

Steam engineer Wink Hadrian has to choose between the werewolf detective she loves and the magickal Knight who loves her—oh, and save England while she’s at it.

Describe your favorite scene from the new book--and why is it your favorite?

My favorite is really a series of scenes that just make me laugh when all taken together. In the course of one day, each of Wink’s three younger brothers corners poor Liam and demands to know his intentions toward their sister.

What was the hardest scene to write?

The big battle scene at the end. There were a ton of people (and robots) to coordinate and keep track of.

What’s on your nightstand or top of your TBR pile?

There’s a Jane Feather historical, a Shannon McKenna romantic suspense and a Gena Showalter paranormal. I like to mix things up. 

 

Favorite book when you were a child.

The Trixie Belden mysteries.

Book you've faked reading (Moby Dick is leading the votes on this question!): 

Portrait of a Lady by Henry James, in 11^th grade.

Book you're an evangelist for: 

Any of Elizabeth Peters’ early stuff, or the Roselynde Chronicles by Roberta Gellis.

Book you've bought for the cover:

I don’t know that I’ve ever really done that. I’m much more a word person than a picture person.

Book that changed your life:

Dara Joy’s Knight of a Trillion Stars. This was my first introduction into futuristic romance and it opened up a whole new world for me, finally not making me choose between SF and romance.

Favorite line from a book:

“I had to kill him. He ruined a perfectly nice dinner.” Robert Heinlein, The Cat Who Walks Through Walls. (This is paraphrased by my memory, I’m sure.)

Most horrifying moment while reading a book:

I bought some romances from a popular science fiction publisher that had just started publishing paranormal romance. The first few were fine, but the third or fourth had a “HEA” that involved the hero dying and the heroine living out her life, marrying someone else, and then being reunited after her death some sixty years later with the hero in the afterlife. THAT was a wall-banger and I stopped buying from that publisher.

Favorite book about books or writing:

I really don’t have any, other than a good dictionary and reference collection. I tend to learn more from listening to other authors, editors, etc. speak than reading books about writing books.

Thanks, Cindy!

There is no giveaway associated with this blog tour but, luckily for you, I have a book hoard I’m always trying to pare down. So leave a comment and win a mystery book from your genre of choice!

Up to five entries possible: +1 for comment (have you read any steampunk and, if so did you like it?), +1 for blog follow, +1 for Twitter follow, +1 for a Tweet or RT about the contest, +1 for a Facebook follow. Contests end at midnight CDT U.S. on Saturday, and winners are announced on Sunday’s blog.