1.  Tell us a little about yourself.

I am a military wife with two kids on our last assignment with the man. I have a twitter addiction that sometimes causes interruptions in my work. Over the last seven years, I have had almost 50 books published under two different names in a variety of genres, the most well known being the Harmless series.

2. Did you dream of writing when you were a little girl or did you dream of other thing like being a ballerina (or world domination, like me)?

Ohh, good one. World domination was one dream and writing another

3. Do you prefer Alpha males or do you like the Betas you can push around?

Personally? Depends on what you are talking about. In real life…I like to run everything. But, that changes in the bedroom lol.

4. What is the first book (doesn’t have to be romance) that you can remember making an impact on you and why did it make such an impact?

To Kill a Mockingbird. I had to read it for a 7^th grade report. I think it was just the timing of it. I lived a sheltered life as a military brat, and I didn’t know a lot of the ugliness in the world. Remember, I lived in a community where it was completely acceptable for interracial marriages in the 70’s: the military. So, I didn’t see a lot of that. It was a world that completely existed within the US but not in my realm at the time.

5. What is your writing process?

I will be honest, it changes with each book. Some books I edit as I write, just having to go over one time before sending off to the editor.  Others I just write like crazy and finish in record time, then spend days editing it because it is such a mess. I have learned to just let the book take over and it is much easier than trying to force it.

6. How do you approach revising?

As I said before, each book is a little different. I tend to go over a book several times before sending it in, including reading the entire book out loud.

7. What authors inspire you?

This is hard because it is a long list. First romance I picked up was a Linda Howard, but then I found so many others. Julia Quinn, Nora Roberts, Jenny Crusie, Liz Carlyle, Lora Leigh, Joey Hill…that crazy eclectic list could go on and on for ever.

8. What are your top 5 comfort reads?

In no particular order:

• Carnal Innocence – Nora Roberts
• Ice Queen – Joey Hill
• Mirror of my Soul – Joey Hill
• Romancing Mr Bridgerton – Julia Quinn
• Ransom – Julie Garwood

[Note from MamaKitty: I LOVED Carnal Innocence and Ransom!!]

9. What is your goal as a writer?

To keep writing stories people love.

10. What do you love most about writing?

Readers. Romance readers are the best. And, well, I am a control freak so I get to create an entire world of my own and tell people what to do.

11. What do you hate most about writing?

Life gets in the way. There are times I have to spend weekends on edits or nights writing blogs. It does infiltrate your personal life at times.

12. What are you reading right now?

Always a Marine (series) by Heather Long – LOVING IT

13. Describe your latest book in 140 characters or less.

Navy Seal Dom who is about to fall.

14. What is your current work in progress?

Desire by Blood-should be out in July. It is my first book in a Victorian vampire series.

15. Out of everything that you’ve written, what has been your favorite?

Oh, hard, but A Little Harmless Obsession and Possession: A Little Harmless Military Romance are tied.

16. Have you published anything that you wish you could go back and re-write?

I am sure there are, but I don’t believe in regrets or looking back. Of course, I will be editing a lot of my older releases when I gain the rights to them and rereleasing, so I guess I will get that chance lol.

17. Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

Yes, if you are going to AAD NOLA, be sure to stop by my Cursed n Blood Affair and my open bar with Kris Cook for lots of goodies and fun!

 [Note from MamaKitty: I’ll be there!!!]

 Want to win a book from Melissa’s backlist? Enter on the Rafflecopter below!

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THIS OR THAT

 1. Peanut butter or jelly?

PB

2. Chips or cookies?

Chips

3. Bacon or sausage?

Bacon

4. Print or eBook?

ebook

5. Pen or pencil?

pen

6. Print or cursive?

cursive

7. Notebook or computer?

computer

8. Kleenex or handkerchief?

Kleenex

9. Zombies or vampires?

Vamps

10. Angel or Spike?

Angel

 Born to an Air Force family at an Army hospital Melissa has always been a little bit screwy. She was further warped by her years of watching Monty Python and her strange family. Her love of romance novels developed after accidentally picking up a Linda Howard book. After becoming hooked, she read close to 300 novels in one year, deciding that romance was her true calling instead of the literary short stories and suspenses she had been writing. After many attempts, she realized that romantic comedy, or at least romance with a comedic edge, was where she was destined to be. Influences in her writing come from Nora Roberts, Jenny Cruise, Susan Andersen, Amanda Quick, Jayne Anne Krentz, Julia Quinn, Christina Dodd, and Lori Foster. Since her first release in 2004, Melissa has had close to 20 short stories, novellas and novels released with seven different publishers in a variety of genres and time periods. Those releases included, The Hired Hand, a 2005 Eppie Finalist for Contemporary Romance and Tempting Prudence, a 2005 CAPA finalist for short erotic romance. Her contemporary, A Little Harmless Sex became an international best seller in June of 2005.

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Mama Kitty

I am a filthy-mouthed 29-year-old full time mommy/wife/student, bookaholic, Twitter addict, & self-described tomboy-princess. I am never without at least one book (I usually have two... sometimes more), and I will be happy to tell you ALL about whichever book(s) I happen to be reading at the moment. :)

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