War-N-Wit, Inc.: An interview with Gail Roughton
Today I’ve got an interview with Gail Roughton, author of the War-N-Wit, Inc. series. But first, here’s a bit about her books
About Witch Resurrected
Ariel Anson thinks she has her life in order. She’s young, smart, and beautiful, even if she doesn’t believe the beautiful part. She’s a paralegal with a great career and a fiancé who’s a CPA. You just can’t get any steadier than that. Then she meets private investigator, bounty hunter, process server Chad Garrett.
What does War-N-Wit, Inc. stand for anyway?
Warlock and Witch? For real? Oh, yes! For real.
Her life as she knows it is over! Instead of organizing corporate documents and pleadings, she’s chasing bail jumpers and taking down serial killers. And investigating secret societies. Like Resurrection.
Not everyone can join, just the elite few who remember their past lives. Only the Seer knows if those memories are truth or fabrication. There’s just one problem. The new Seer is missing in action. War-N-Wit’s new assignment is a blast from the past! But whose past?
Available at Amazon.
About Mean Streets (War-N-Wit, Inc. Book 2)
Daytona Bike Week. Biker’s paradise. The perfect place for Chad and Ariel Garrett to take a few days off and relax with Chad’s buddy Spike and Ariel’s little sister Stacy.
But nothing ever goes as planned with that magical duo. Trouble just stalks them like a black cat. A missing agent riding with an outlaw biker gang, a call from Chad’s past, and War-N-Wit, Inc.’s riding again, with romance blooming in the midst of danger. From Daytona, the crew heads back to Vegas and another family wedding. Spike and Stacy are ready to say “I do!” In the Tunnel of Love Drive-Thru at the Little White Wedding Chapel in Vegas, of course. It’s become a family tradition.
But what’s supposed to happen in Vegas just refuses to stay in Vegas. And you’re not going to believe this side-trip!
Available at Amazon.
An Interview With Gail Roughton
How long have you been writing paranormal romance, and what inspired you to get into this genre?
I can’t say as anything inspired me to write in this genre and I don’t, in fact, set out to write in any one genre or another. I just tell whatever story’s occurred to me and frequently have several genres mixed into one book. It just happens that every story I tell seems to have a paranormal thread running through it. As for how long—well, I started actually writing in 1987, 88, along there. And yes, that very first book was paranormal romantic suspense.
What gave you the idea for this series?
A friend of mine’s mother sent me a message. “Tell Gail to write something funny on purpose, ‘cause she’s so funny sometimes without trying to be.” So I did. And that’s how the War-N-Wit series was born.
Who are some of your favorite paranormal romance writers or other literary inspirations?
I admire many writers of all genres, but the three who’ve probably had the most influence on my own writing would have to be Harper Lee, Stephen King and Robert Parker. Harper Lee only wrote one book, To Kill a Mockingbird, but she had a dry and ironic voice that was frequently legalese (I’ve been in a law office for 40 years, so I recognize legalese when I see it and speak it fluently myself. It’s hard to describe, but it’s a matter-of-fact recounting of the factual situation that, when done properly, I find absolutely hysterical—because I’m sort of strange). Stephen King is just an absolute master of story-telling. He doesn’t follow rules except his own, he never lets anything get in his way when he’s telling a story. And Robert Parker was an absolute master of narrative. His characters spoke volumes in one word sentences, especially Hawk of the Spenser series. So I guess you’d have to say I’m a real hodgepodge of writers and genres.
Describe your typical writing routine. Where do you usually write?
How many words/pages per day? Do you keep set hours? What does your workspace look like?
My workspace looks a lot like a kitchen table with a laptop on it. Mostly because my workspace is my laptop on top of the kitchen table. My husband actually set up a little desk/work space area for me in our bedroom but it’s too quiet. I like the kitchen ‘cause I can multi-task in the middle of everything while I’m cooking. Or not cooking, depends on the day. Mostly I only write on the weekends, and predominately on Sundays, although I sometimes do write on Saturday afternoons, too, and occasionally in the mornings before I get ready for work. And NO, there’s no way I could write to a quota of words/pages per day or to any set hours. I keep set hours at work in a law office. I’m not about to do that in my writing. Writing for me’s not a job, it’s a pleasure, and I don’t want it to turn into a job.
Do you have any favorite foods or beverages that help keep your
creativity flowing?
I could single-handedly keep the coffee industry in business. Other than that, no.
Do you have any writing superstitions or rituals when starting (or ending) a new book?
You mean like twirling in a circle counter-clockwise three times under a full moon? Or typing the first word on the stroke of midnight? Nope, not a one.
What do you think makes for a great paranormal romance?
The same thing that makes for any great book. A great book makes the reader feel he’s actually visited another place and met real people, that in fact, he’s been a part of the story, and he’s sorry to cut his trip short and come home.
Which witch (good, evil or both) in literature is your favorite and why?
Sally and Gillian Owens of Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman. I love the characters and I love that being magical and having power not only doesn’t solve all their problems, it sometimes creates their problems. But not any problems being human and part of a loving family can’t solve.
What else have you written, and where can people learn more about you and your work?
Well, of course there’re two books in the War-N-Wit, Inc. series, War-N-Wit, Inc. – Witch Resurrected and War-N-Wit, Inc. – Mean Streets. The Color of Seven is my Southern Gothic horror novel , it’s considerably darker than the Wars. One friend of mine termed Vanished as a “Calgon, take me awaaaaay….” read, and I treasure that compliment. It’s a paranormal romantic fantasy, sort of, with a through the Bermuda Triangle plot. Country Justice I privately call my redneck espionage drug-runnin’ novel, and it’s very near and dear to my heart because I’m very much a southern small-town girl and this is very much a southern small-town crime thriller/action-adventure. Sorry, but there’s that “I mix up genres within books a lot” thing again. I’m currently working on the second in the Country Justice series titled Black Turkey Walk. I also co-authored the first book in a projected series with fellow writer Jude Pittman, Sisters of Prophency – Ursula, which is a contemporary romantic suspense with time-travel elements (and there I go again crossing those genres, huh?). They’re all available on Amazon and most of them are available in print at local bookstores via Ingram and Baker & Taylor.
About the Author
Gail Roughton is a native of small town Georgia whose Deep South heritage features prominently in much of her work. She’s worked in a law office for close to forty years, during which time she’s raised three children and quite a few attorneys. She’s kept herself more or less sane by writing novels and tossing the completed manuscripts into her closet.
A cross-genre writer, she’s produced books ranging from humor to romance to thriller to horror and is never quite sure herself what to expect when she sits down at the keyboard. Now multi-published by Books We Love, Ltd., her credits include the War-N-Wit, Inc. series, The Color of Seven, Vanished, and Country Justice. Currently, she’s working on Black Turkey Walk, the second in the Country Justice series, as well as the Sisters of Prophecy series, co-written with Jude Pittman.
Another War-N-Wit plot always seems to be brewing on the back burner, too, whether she’s actually trying to brew one or not, and usually boils quicker when she’s trying not to brew one at all.
Connect with Gail online at Facebook, Twitter, BooksWeLove, her Amazon author page, or at her blog, gailroughton.blogspot.com.
Giveaway
Gail is giving away 5 print copies of Witch Resurrected. To enter, use the Rafflecopter below, and don’t forget to follow the rest of the tour for more chances to win!