TBR: Welcome to TBR, Cassandra. Will you share a little bit about yourself?
Cassandra Dean: Thank you so much for having me on TBR!
Cassandra Dean: Thank you so much for having me on TBR!
Hi everyone, I’m Cassandra Dean, and I write romance of the historical variety, with books ranging from Ancient Rome to Early Victorian Times to the Wild, Wild West! I’m also extremely interested in Steampunk, Fantasy and about a hundred million other genres – I blame my short attention span. Also, Game of Thrones, cos that show fricking rocks and I REALLY want to write something just as awesome ;)
I’m Australian, love making cakes and have about a billion film cameras – it’s a sickness, but at least one I admit to.
TBR: Tell us about ROUGH DIAMOND and FOOL’S GOLD and where they're available.
CD: Ohhh, the Diamond Series! So cool!
CD: Ohhh, the Diamond Series! So cool!
I never thought I’d write a western, and now I’ve written two! The Diamond Series is part of Decadent Publishing’s Western Escape and revolves around the Diamond Saloon in Freewill, Wyoming, the fictional town featured in all Western Escape stories. Set in the late 1870s, I get to play with saloon girls and coal miners and hopefully gunslingers, if book 3 works out how I want it to :D
ROUGH DIAMOND - http://amzn.to/S1D8Js
ROUGH DIAMOND - http://amzn.to/S1D8Js
FOOL'S GOLD - http://amzn.to/ZB6k2s
TBR: Please tantalize us with a story blurb or excerpt.
CD: Certainly!
ROUGH DIAMOND
The Diamond Series Book 1
Owner of the Diamond Saloon and Theater, Alice Reynolds is astounded when a fancy Englishman offers to buy her saloon. She won’t be selling her saloon to anyone, let alone a man with a pretty, empty-headed grin…but then, she reckons that grin just might be a lie, and a man of intelligence and cunning resides beneath.
Rupert Llewellyn has another purpose for offering to buy the pretty widow’s saloon—the coal buried deep in land she owns. However, he never banked on her knowing eyes making him weak at the knees, or how his deception would burn upon his soul.
Each determined to outwit the other, they tantalize and tease until passion explodes. But can their desire bridge the lies told and trust broken?
FOOL’S GOLD
The Diamond Series Book 2
Christmas in Freewill
Christmas Eve, the Diamond Saloon is empty of its people, and Pearl la Monte has a hankering to retire early. A pounding at the Diamond’s door rids her of such a fool notion. Her irritation rises when she sees the prissy, polite-like Garrett standing outside.
Ethan Garrett has a powerful need to gain succor. When the saloon’s voluptuous redheaded singer scowls at him from the threshold of the Diamond, he doesn’t stop to think on how his ire at her has disappeared. Or how he just wants to spend some time in her company.
When a blizzard storms in, trapping them, will they spend their time arguing or find their irritation for each other disguises something more?
CD: In the case of the Diamond Series, it was actually my editor on a previous book. She suggested that I might like to write for Decadent Publishing’s Western Escape line, stories set in the fictional town of Freewill, Wyoming and featuring Western-like tales. I had a bit of a think, and come up with Alice and Rupert’s tale, ROUGH DIAMOND.
Once their story was done, I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to Alice’s friend, Pearl, and that annoying man Garrett than meets the eye, so I set about to discover what it was. The result, FOOL’S GOLD.
To round out the series, I’m thinking up ideas for EMERALD SEA, the third and more than likely final story in the series. I’m pretty sure there will be a gunslinger and he’ll probably look a lot like Nathan Fillion, a la Firefly... ;)
TBR: Do you have a favorite quote you’d like to share?
CD: I have a few, actually!
CD: I have a few, actually!
Leaf on the wind – From my favourite source of inspiration, Joss Whedon. I’m not sure if I use it as intended, but I’m a bit of a control freak and I use this saying to remind myself I can’t control life and I should just go with the flow, or be a leaf on the wind.
We’re not saving lives – uttered often at The Day Job to remind myself what we’re doing is not so important that it can’t wait five minutes.
Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much – the late, great Oscar Wilde. Enough said.
TBR: While creating your books, what was one of the most surprising things you learned?
CD: That it gets easier. Funny how when you practice something and do it everyday, you get better and quicker and more efficient at it. I found I spent a great deal less time editing the the most recent book I wrote as opposed to the first.
CD: That it gets easier. Funny how when you practice something and do it everyday, you get better and quicker and more efficient at it. I found I spent a great deal less time editing the the most recent book I wrote as opposed to the first.
Of course, remembering this doesn’t help the next time you’re staring at a blank page and wondering how on earth you’re going to end up with something resembling a story... :)
TBR: What's next for you?
CD: Next up is a complete change of tack. SILK & SCANDAL was released on May 8 as part of the brand new imprint from Decadent Publishing, Decadent TEASE. It’s the tale of circumspect lawyers and scandalous ladies and begins a brand new series for me, The Silk Series, about law-loving people and the people who love them.
CD: Next up is a complete change of tack. SILK & SCANDAL was released on May 8 as part of the brand new imprint from Decadent Publishing, Decadent TEASE. It’s the tale of circumspect lawyers and scandalous ladies and begins a brand new series for me, The Silk Series, about law-loving people and the people who love them.
I also have a contribution to THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF ER ROMANCE, releasing in September of this year. ‘WOUNDED HEART’ is a Medical Romantic Suspense Action type thing short story (hows that for genre mashing??!).
Finally, I have plans to write the third in the Diamond Series, as mentioned, and continue with the Silk Series, as well as many other bits and pieces.
TBR: Any other published works?
TBR: What’s the most challenging aspect of writing? Most rewarding?
CD: Man, this is going to sound facetious, but the writing itself! It’s so hard to get those words down on a page, to wrestle the picture in my mind into words and sentences. However, when it finally gets on the page and you see it all pretty and book-like, it’s the bestest feeling ever.
CD: Man, this is going to sound facetious, but the writing itself! It’s so hard to get those words down on a page, to wrestle the picture in my mind into words and sentences. However, when it finally gets on the page and you see it all pretty and book-like, it’s the bestest feeling ever.
TBR: Where can readers find you on the web?
CD: Here!
CD: Here!
Website ~ Cassandra and Lucy ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads ~ Tumblr ~ Pintrest ~ Amazon.com
Thanks so much for having me on TBR!
TBR: Thanks for visiting TBR, Cassandra. Congrats on another release, and all the best to you. Readers, be sure to enter Cassandra's giveaway below!a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thanks so much for having me on TBR! :D
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