Author Interview – Nerika Parke
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Author Nerika Parke is visiting me today to chat up her new release, Paving Paradise. The first book in her Nothing Less Than Paradise series, it’s a story about how two people struggle to find their future together.
I’ll let her tell you all about it.
1. Hi Nerika, and welcome to my blog. You must be really excited since your book just came out a few weeks ago. Is this your first baby, or have you gone through this rodeo before?
Thank you, I’m glad to be here! I am excited! I published a short story in March, Defenceless, so this is my second go round, but I still feel new to the whole process. Writing, however, I’ve been doing ever since I can remember!
2. How did you go about selecting your cover art? Does the beach play a significant role in this story?
I tried to find an image that gave me the same feeling as the book does, and as soon as I saw it, something about this photo said to me, Jenny and Doug, even though there is only one scene that takes place on the beach. Although it is the final scene and so it's significant in itself.
3. Tell me a bit more about Doug. What does he do and, more importantly, what does he look like (please don’t spare any details)?
Doug is a photographer, very creative and sees beauty in everything. When Jenny first meets him he’s doing portrait and wedding photography. He asks her if he can take her picture and says, “Whenever I see something beautiful, I have to get a photo,” then he gets shy about saying it. She’s pretty much hooked by then! Appearance-wise, he is tall (6’3”), very nicely sculpted body (of course!) with an ass that Jenny thoroughly enjoys watching walk away! Sparkling blue eyes, jaw length dark, almost black, hair which is described as always looking like he’s just got out of bed, and the most beautiful smile that Jenny has ever seen. Drop dead gorgeous and sexy, but doesn’t think he is. I have to admit here that I do personally have a type, and Doug is it!
4. So from the moment they meet, Jenny and Doug have an immediate chemistry. Would you mind giving us a glimpse into how this happens?
This is the moment they first meet, when they feel that first spark, the instant attraction.
He had the most incredible clear, blue eyes which caught hers in their gaze and refused to let go. He pulled his right glove off and held his hand out to her, smiling. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Jenny.” His voice was smooth and gentle, the kind of voice she could listen to for hours, if she had the opportunity. She hoped she would have.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you too,” she said, pulling off her own glove and taking his hand. She didn’t think she’d ever meant those words more. She swore she felt a tingle as their skin made contact.
He stared into her face, still holding onto her hand. “You have the most beautiful brown eyes,” he said, “would you mind if I took a photo of you?” His eyes suddenly widened and he let go of her rapidly. “I’m so sorry,” he said, looking down and smiling shyly, “I don’t usually say that to people I’ve just met.”
Despite the cold, Jenny melted.
5. As a newbie author myself, I always love hearing about other people’s journeys. When did you decide to be a romance author? What was your path to publication like?
As I’ve already mentioned, I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember, but never romance. When I decided to try indie publishing, I did some research and read that romance was popular, so I decided to try it, thinking it would be the easy option. How wrong I was! Romance is probably the hardest genre to write, and the most emotionally involving. As soon as I started writing I found myself digging deep into my own dreams and desires. I suppose that’s why my stories are so intensely romantic, I write straight from my heart, and I hope that I can inspire those feelings in other people.
Once I’d got the hang of formatting and creating a cover, the actual publication was relatively pain-free, although I’m still learning in many areas. The most important thing is to be able to write the stories I want to, which I absolutely love doing. The second most important thing is the online thesaurus, which by now probably thinks I’m a pervert!
Since book release month is jam packed for any author, I’ll let Nerika run off. For more about the book and author, just scroll down. As always, comments are much appreciated.
Paving Paradise
From the moment they meet, Jenny and Doug know they are perfect for each other and, as their romance blossoms, they couldn’t be happier together. But Doug has a past he won’t talk about and Jenny finds herself unable to let her guard down fully to a man she adores, yet knows almost nothing about.
As their relationship suffers, Jenny’s despair at being shut out from his past life leads her to risk losing Doug forever. Will they be able to overcome the deep emotional wounds and fear threatening to tear them apart, or will they lose the closest thing to paradise either of them has ever known?
An intensely romantic, emotional and heartrending story of two people’s struggle to find their future together.
Buy Links (Paving Paradise): Amazon US | Amazon UK
Buy Links (Defenceless): Amazon US | Amazon UK
About Nerika Parke
When UK born and raised Nerika decided to turn her writing hobby into something more serious, it came as a bit of a surprise to her that she seemed to be a natural romance writer, because her favourite TV shows usually involve zombies and spaceships (although not necessarily together).
Having learned to embrace her soft, gooey side, she now spends all the time she can writing intensely romantic stories about ordinary people, helping them to fall in love, overcome trials and tribulations, and find their happy endings.
She has yet to find her own Mr Happily-Ever-After, but until she does she is content to fall madly in love with each of her leading men who, in spite of any faults they may have, are universally wonderful. And extremely hot.
