Meet Best Selling Author, Leanne Banks

I bet you already know Leanne Banks

Leanne is a national #1 best-selling author of romance novels. She is the winner of the Romantic Times Career Achievement Awards in Series Sensuality and Love and Laughter. She is also the winner of the Florida Writers Beacon Award, the Golden Quill Award, the Georgia Romance Writers' MAGGIE Award and Booksellers' Best Award. Her books have been recognized by the Award of Excellence Contest, the Romance Writers of America Rita Contest, and the National Readers' Choice Awards. (Took that from Leanne’s website.)

The first book I read of Leanne’s was Hot Stuff which she co-authored with Janet Evanovich. I loved it so much, I searched for any Leanne books I could find. I haven’t found them all so I still have lots of good times in store.

I love firsts, so tell me about the moment when you found you’d made your first sale.

I was in a low place.  I’d entered several writing contests and the feedback hadn’t been encouraging.  I’d also sent my book to three publishers and they’d all rejected me.  I remember I was upstairs taking a break and my husband came to cheer me up.  The phone rang and it was Kate Duffy with Meteor Books.  She not only wanted to buy my book, she wanted to offer me a 2-book contract.  It felt like an out-of-body experience.  My family used the advance from that book to take a trip to Disney World.  Lots of great memories.

Awesome. I'm so glad you went to Disney World on the advance. I would do exactly the same thing.

If it isn’t too nosy, how about the first time you kissed your true love?  The anticipation was killer.  All my senses were heightened.  At the time I may not have known he was my true love, but it soon became very clear. 

HaHa!

Other than your own, who are your favorite (heroes/heroines/writers) in your genre?  Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Linda Howard … I also enjoy authors with a strong sense of ordinary characters in extraordinary circumstances in their writing such as Curtiss Ann Matlock and Cheryl Reavis.

Susan Elizabeth Phillips is my top go to writer followed closly by a herd of others. I will have to check out Linda, Curtis and Cheryl.

What is the most exciting moment, so far, in your writing career?  I’m blessed to have had several exciting moments.  The first was receiving that first call from Kate Duffy.  Others include making important lists such as The USA Today bestsellers and The New York Times bestsellers… receiving various book offers, having a book party at a fashion show during New York Fashion Week, receiving calls that I was a finalist for the RITA award, presenting at the RITA awards and always – FINISHING the current book!

Oh yes. Finishing the book . . . 

What is your favorite pastime?   Visiting the beach.

We’ve all got them. What’s your favorite way to avoid writing?  Reading the news, googling and facebook.

Got a recipe you want to share?  I have many recipes.  How about Chocolate Fudge Cake? 
-1 9" pie pastry (do not pre-bake)

-1/2 cup butter melted

- 3 Tablespoons unsweetened Cocoa powder

- 1 cup white sugar

-  2 eggs beaten lightly

-  1 tsp. vanilla

-  1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Mix melted butter and cocoa.  Beat sugar into mixture for two minutes.  Add eggs and vanilla and mix.  Add 1/4 cup all-purpose flour.  Mix well.  Pour into pie crust.  Bake at 300 degrees for 45 minutes.  Top with ice cream or whipped cream.

That sounds devilishly delightful.

Any advice for new writers just starting out?  Show up and write.  Be persistent.  Persistence will win over just about anything.

Tell us about your latest release.  My latest release, A ROYAL CHRISTMAS PROPOSAL, features a single mother princess with a special needs child.  She has been assigned a bodyguard that she doesn’t want, but he is so good with her son that he begins to win her over.  I explored some of the extra things that parents of special needs children must do to help their children.  I found my heroine very inspiring. J    

What’s your current WIP?   I’m currently working hard on THE PRINCESS AND THE SINGLE DAD due out this summer.

And finally, where can we find you?

http://www.leannebanks.com/

For the most up-to-date news and giveaways, friend me on facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/leanne.banks  

Thank you so much for being here, Leanne. I have a paperback copy of A Royal Christmas Proposal to give away. Please enter below to win. I am leaving town tomorrow, but I've put the book in a manila envelope with five Christmas stamps and it's in my suitcase ready to mail to the lucky winner.. Happy Reading.

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