Osiyo~

Wow. Just wow! I have scrimshaw doll authors coming out of the newly polished wood work around The Ranch. Today I am please to introduce the author of the seventh book contracted by The Wild Rose Press for the doll series, my friend and fellow OKRWA member, the awesome Tamrie Foxtail! 🙂 I critiqued this one and I can tell you, personally, it is a GREAT story. I love this one, The Bone Bride. I love them all, of course. But this one just sounds creepy, doesn’t it? But the real creepy thing is, it released ON Halloween! And it’s got its own secret too. Ah, no, no. You’ll have to read it to learn that one! LOL  

Remember Anna from last week? These two ladies are best friends! Work together and everything. How cool, right? I thought it might be fun to get to know Tamrie a bit, too, so I asked her a few questions…and afterward we’ll move on to the good stuff about the book. 😉

Let’s get to it then!

#1 Which comes first for you—plot or characters?

My characters and plot tend to make their appearance together. I’ll suddenly imagine a scene or situation, complete with characters, and spend the next few months trying to figure out who they are and what’s going on with them. Right now I’m trying to figure out what the story is behind a burned out church with bats in the bell tower.

#2 What did you enjoy most about writing your latest work?

I just finished writing a story called The Scrimshaw Rose. The main character is on the kidney transplant list. My husband is a kidney recipient so writing this story took me back to a time when we didn’t know if he would live or die. Although there are a lot of dark memories from that time there are also some incredible ones. In a situation like that, you learn to reevaluate everything you thought was important. Writing The Scrimshaw Rose reminded me of how easily our lives can change-for better or worse.

I’ll bet it does. I hope your husband it well these days. This story sounds like a wonderful addition to the Scrimshaw series!

 #3 What emotional reaction are you going for when your readers read your work?

I’m well aware that one of the reasons we like to read is the chance to live vicariously through the characters. Keeping that in mind, I want my readers to look over their shoulder, half-expecting to see the villain standing behind them. I want them to bite their nails wondering if a certain character is going to make it out alive. Most of all, I want them to fall in love with my characters.

I know you accomplished that last one with The Bone Bride! And you have a very believable villain in it too. J

#4 Do your characters reveal themselves before or during your draft and how?

  My characters reveal themselves to me in bits and pieces. I don’t start writing until I think I have a grip on the main character and their story. Despite that, I tend to get about halfway through a story before my characters decide they don’t like the rest of my outline and start changing things on me.

#5 Can you talk about what you are working on now?

Right now I’m working on a seven part series that involves a set of crystals which are both heavenly and demonic. The storyline involves a battle between good and evil, with each story hosting a different paranormal creature.

            I’m currently working on the rough draft of what was meant to be the third book. I was about a fourth of the way through it when I realized it was actually the first story in the series. See what I mean about my characters changing things on me.

Ooh, that series sounds chilling and interesting, Tamrie! I know exactly what you mean about those characters! LOL I can’t wait to see how those stories turn out. 🙂

Okay, it’s time for a little fun. 🙂

# 1 Boxers or briefs on your man and why?

I love a man in boxers. I like the ones that reach mid-thigh. I think it’s because they’re loose. Makes you wonder what’s underneath.

HAHA Great answer! 😆

#2 Dog, cat, or neither?

I’m more of a cat person. I have a beautiful cat named L’Heary. She has Siamese markings, bobcat ears, and a short tail. She’s the sweetest little thing, very loving. There’s just one problem. She only has one brain cell. It just pings around in her pretty little head.

Aw, the poor thing. Good thing she has you to love her. 🙂

Blurb:

Daira Gleeson lost her heart and her virginity to Rory Trent when they were in high school. Twenty years later—reeling from her mother’s suicide and the death of her cheating fiancé—Daira is alone except for her younger sister. She finds herself in possession of a cursed scrimshaw doll; a doll someone is willing to kill to possess.

Rory has returned to Oklahoma after twenty years in the Marine Corps, ready to pick up where they left off.

Her love for Rory is still there, growing stronger by the day. Can she trust him with her heart this time? If he leaves her again, will he pay with his life?

Unable to sell, destroy or get rid of the doll without triggering the curse, Daira must find a way to break the curse in time to save Rory and her sister, and reclaim the love she thought she’d lost. 

Excerpt:

Daira jumped when her front door opened. Rory stood there for a moment, then stepped inside and closed the door behind him.

“You should keep your door locked.”

“You’re supposed to wait for someone to open it.” Her words lacked the scorn she had intended.

He crossed the room, then took her shoulders in his hands and kneaded them gently. “You sounded frightened on the phone.”

“I’m fine. I told you, it was just a mouse.”

He looked at Lemon, sitting on the arm of the couch, washing a white paw. The corner of Rory’s mouth twitched. “The cat mustn’t be doing its job.”

He studied her with those sexy brown eyes. Tiny flecks of gold and green encircled the pupil. His fingers flexed, settling on her shoulders more firmly.

Why couldn’t she look away?

He leaned closer. She pressed her hands against his chest and turned her head to the side. His kiss landed on her cheek. His lips moved to her ear, taking a little nip. She drew in a deep breath as her nipples responded.

“High school was a long time ago,” he said, amusement threaded through his voice. “When are you going to give me another chance?”

She turned to look at him. His nose was an inch from hers. She struggled to keep her eyes from crossing. “You think I don’t want you to kiss me because you dumped me twenty years ago?”

“You mean there’s another reason?”

“Yes! You’re little more than a stranger, now. I don’t go around kissing strange men.”

His smile deepened. He leaned closer, the tip of his tongue tracing the shell of her ear. She shivered.

“I’m not a stranger, sweetheart.” His hands slid down her arms and moved to her waist. “I’m the man who took your virginity in the backseat of my car.”

* * * *

Bio

I lived on both the Pacific West Coast and the Gulf Coast before following my husband to Oklahoma. I attended Florida State University when I lived in Tallahassee. I’ve been blessed with a mother who taught me to love reading and a husband who’s a real life romance hero.  I find it difficult to sleep if there are not books close enough to touch.

Links

https://twitter.com/foxtail_tamrie

http://www.facebook.com/tamrie.foxtail

Alrighty then. Whew! What a book, yeah? And don’t you love the cover? TWRP has the most talented artists! Ok, so who’s gonna get your copy to learn the big secret of this creepy whale bone doll? I have my copy. 😛

Dodadagohvi~

PS.  The tenth book was contracted this week! For more information about the series and the full list of Scrimshaw Doll books, check the doll website http://talesofthescrimshawdoll.wordpress.com/  Join in the conversations as our doll talks about her life through the ages.