You've found the home on the net for romance writer, LaVerne Clark. Thanks for visiting! :)

I write suspense and light fantasy/paranormal set in the beautiful country of New Zealand. A land of myths and magic, Aotearoa (Maori for Long White Cloud) has always been a storytelling nation and it is my pleasure to share mine with you.

Make yourself your drink of choice, stay a while and feel free to leave comments. I love to meet new friends.



Heartpounding suspense and fantasy Downunder



Showing posts with label Serena Clarke. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Serena Clarke. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Author's Blog Tour...A New Approach


Mackenzie Crowne tagged me in this blog tour, which is a spin-off of the Writing Process blog tour.
I'm honoured she asked me to be a part of this as she is one of my very favourite authors. She writes wonderful true-to-life characters and delves deep into what makes a character tick...and what ticks them off! Expect fireworks between the hero and heroine in Mac's books - in all the very best of ways *waggles brows* If you haven't read her yet, I highly recommend that you do! My favourites so far? An arm-wrestle between A Song for Sophie and Gift of the Realm.


Wife, mother and really young grandmother, Mackenzie Crowne lives with her high school sweet heart husband, a neurotic Pomeranian, and a blind cat. She calls Phoenix home because the southwest feeds her soul. Though her friends claim she’s a princess, she disagrees. After all, one can’t raise two rambunctious boys to wonderful men without getting a little dirt under their nails. ESPN and dirtbikes are the order around her house, and life at the “Testosterone Ranch” more closely resembles one of today’s wacky reality shows than yesterday’s “Leave it to Beaver.”
A lover of the romance genre, her resolve to share her stories with others was sharpened by a bout with breast cancer. Today she is an award-winning, multi-published author and seven year survivor, living the dream.





Here are Mac’s questions for me:


If you were beginning your writing career today, what would you do differently?
Definitely get started in all aspects of social media sooner! When I first started writing, it was all about the story. Little did I know that when you become published, things change. It's no longer just you and the story anymore. If you're lucky, there might be some folks who'd like to know a little more about the person who wrote the story they've just read and chat to them about it. I know I get a special thrill when some of my favourite authors chat back to me through social media, and the idea that someone feels the same way about little old me - well, that's just magic!

What’s the one thing about you that might surprise readers?
In my early twenties, I seriously contemplated joining the police force. I HATE running any kind of long distance with a passion (anything over 1km is lo-o-o-ng to me) but I would run every day trying to do the required distance within the required time allowed. I joined two policemen during a night-shift to get a feel for what the role required and had an absolute blast racing around in the squad car, going to domestic disputes, checking out the police headquarters and even watching them input the paperwork. It sure didn't hurt that they were both tall, muscular and very good-looking boys...sigh. Is it any wonder I love to write my heroes as cops? :)

Tell us a little about your main characters in your latest book. 
Nate, a cop, sees life in black and white - and to his detriment, this includes people. His emotions and reactions to situations are coloured by tragic events in his past - and the guilt he carries for it. 
Kelly is not your average heroine. Tall and strong, she is the equal - and sometimes better - to most men. She tries hard to hide the obvious flame she holds for her partner, Nate, especially since he makes it clear hes not the romancing kind. Brought up in a close and loving family, she is the polar opposite to his dark, morose personality - and the very best thing to happen to him if only he'd let her in.


What are some of your favorites…

Color? 
Green. I love the fresh, clean feel of the colour. It makes me feel refreshed and happy. :)

Food 
My favourite all-time food would be a well selected antipasto platter. Mmmm...goes so well with wine! But really - I'm easy. Anything I don't have to cook myself is delicious!

Place 
If its not in New Zealand, I'd have to choose County Kerry, Ireland where I have family. I fell in love with that area - and they serve the best Guiness there!

If it was a place in NZ, I'd go with Wainui Falls where my family and I have recently holidayed. Gorgeous scenery, wonderful eateries, and relative solitude.

Now I am tagging three authors. (Click on their names to find out more)



First up is Kelly Matsuura, who also writes under the pen-name of Kelly Noro.
Kelly is Australian but currently lives in America with her lovely Japanese husband, whose work seems to take them all over the globe. 
Kelly's writing is gorgeous! Almost lyrical in style, she has a gift of taking you on a journey, as if you were sitting right there on her character's shoulder. And what worlds does she take you too! A range of genre's, one thing Kelly's stories have in common - you won't want to stop reading until the very last delicious word.




Next, I introduce you to Catherine Mede.
Catherine is a fellow New Zealander and has one of the most incredible imaginations I've ever come across in a person. Full of fantastic and (and sometimes fantastical) ideas, I'm thrilled to celebrate with her as she unleashes her debut novel, Cursed Love, out into the world!







And finally, meet my lovely writing buddy and author of amazing contemporary romance, Serena Clarke. Not only is Serena's work so page-turningly fantastic, but she is the most loveliest of people too and we get along like a house on fire. We finally get to meet in person next year, and I for one can't wait!


Thanks for visiting everyone :-)

Thursday, February 28, 2013

All Over the Place - Serena Clarke


I'm super excited to introduce another wonderful New Zealand author to you today and honoured to be included on her blog tour for her shiny and spanking-new debut book, All Over the Place. Please welcome Serena Clarke as she shares a glimpse of what makes her tick! 

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I’ll happily admit to being a wide-eyed optimist and (according to my biography, so it must be true) a believer in magic, possibility and second chances. A mother of boys, baker of chocolate slice, and occasional freelance writer, editor and proofreader. A lover of snappy dialogue, triumph over adversity and happy endings. Like lots of New Zealanders, a keen traveller. And, like all writers, a burner of candles at both ends!

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
That’s an interesting question! You could say a ‘writer’ is anyone who writes. It doesn’t depend on being published – as long as you’re putting pen to paper/fingers to keyboard, in a creative process, you’re a writer. One thing I’ve noticed is how supremely single-minded a lot of writers are. It definitely takes a certain strange kind of obsession! This picture has been doing the rounds lately – I think it sums it up nicely! 


Hehehe - that is does! Do you remember what inspired you to write your first book?
It was a looming birthday. I won’t say which one – a lady never reveals her age, of course. But it was a big enough roundy number that it got me thinking – when exactly was I going to to write this book?!

I love call stories. Can you tell us about yours and your reaction?
Mine is very unglamorous! Because of the time difference between NZ and the USA, by the time we get out of bed the Americans have been working away for hours. When I started submitting to the States, I’d wake up every morning and immediately grab my laptop, with crinkled pyjamas, hair on end and smudgy morning face. So that was how I looked when I opened the fateful email!

Oh! Not only do we have the same last name (although yours is more exotic with the extra 'e', but we mirror each other in the 'after submission syndrome' :) What drew you to write your chosen genre?
It chose me! I had a good idea of the plot for All Over the Place, but I didn’t know quite how it would ‘sound’ until I started writing. It turned out to be a contemporary story with a chick lit feel – the kind of book I like to read myself. It’s as much about Livi figuring her life out, as about the romance – but there is a gorgeously happy ending!


 I can't wait to get my copy - it sounds great! And I adore your cover. I bet you're thrilled with it! What’s the most challenging part of the writing process for you?
Finding time to do it at all! Usually once I’m underway, I’m okay. If things aren’t flowing, I’ve learned to skip to another scene and work on that, then go back to the tricky part. And dialogue often saves me – I let the characters talk amongst themselves, and madly take notes, then go from there!

Has anything coincidental happened in the real world while writing one of your books in terms of the characters, scenes or world you’ve created?
Yes, lots of things! It seems like a kind of synchronicity goes on in the universe. I’m constantly finding something in the newspaper, or seeing something on TV, and saying to my husband, “That’s in my book!” It just goes to show that ideas are out there for the taking.

Which one of your books is your ‘baby’ and why?
All Over the Place is my first book, so it’s my baby. But there is a sibling on the way, and I have to say I’m getting very fond of it…

What are you working on right now?
The sibling! It has the same feeling as All Over the Place – a story with adventure, friendship and true love. And a happy ending! London, California, matchmaking, bees, Iggy Pop, loss and acceptance, secrets and sandcastles. A hostage drama, flash mobs, people power in a hyper-connected world, true love, and the trials and joys of sisterhood. Hopefully it’s not far away now…

That sounds fabulous! I'm intrigued by the mention of flash mobs...What fun! Latest news?
I’m on tour! At my website you can see where I’ve been and what’s coming up to celebrate the release of All Over the Place. I’m having a great time visiting with writers and bloggers all over the world – yes, all over the place! And you should see some of the questions they’ve asked!

Where can we find you and your books?
At all these places – and I’d love to hear from you!

Find Serena here

Buy All Over the Place here


About All Over the Place
Contemporary romantic fiction with a chick lit feel – available now!

Livi Callaway has fled back to London after a reality TV disaster in New Zealand. Safely anonymous in the big city, she’s determined to stay under the radar from now on. But her attempts to build a new life are complicated by unexpected visitors from her old one, and new dangers and temptations lie in wait.

Late one night, she meets a mysteriously sexy American on the Underground – and the events that follow take her from Pooh Bear to the golden lights of Paris, via a trail of rock stars dead and alive. A family in disarray, a determined Swede, a crazed Australian and a childhood friend (who might yet be more than that) have her all over the place as she tries to discover the American’s secret – while keeping her own.

With help – and occasional hindrance – from her friends, what she eventually finds is something unexpected...sometimes, running away can lead you to exactly what you didn’t know you needed.


About Serena Clarke
Serena grew up in a family of itchy-footed readers and dreamers – not concentrating, reading the atlas and Narnia books, and planning to escape somewhere magical as soon as she could. When she was 16, she went from New Zealand to live in Sweden for a year. It was the beginning of many travels and adventures – and quite a few disasters! She didn’t know it at the time, but eventually she’d be grateful for all the downs as well as the ups. As writers say in the face of adversity: “I can use that.” She’s now living back in New Zealand, where she writes stories reflecting her determined belief in magic, possibility and second chances – and happy endings!