Interview w/Marissa Dobson

Hi everyone! Over the next few days, i'm going to have a couple people as guests on my blogs.

Today's guest is Marissa Dobson, book reviewer of Sizzling Hot Books!

Marissa, is not only now, a popular book reviewer, but also an author!
Today we talk about her contribution to Turquoise Morning Press's Christmas Anthology, "Believe".

Everyone say hi to Melissa!


Welcome Marissa

First off Congrats on being a part of this great anthology, a lot of us know you as a lover of books and also as a book reviewer, can you tell us a little about yourself?
First let me say thank you for having me. I am honored to be here, this is the first interview I have done as an author, and I am pleased it was here with you.
When it comes to me there isn’t much to tell. I am no where near as interesting as the characters I write about. I am just your average twenty something housewife with a reading fetish and an active imagination. I am originally from the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area, but moved away when I met my husband.

Can you tell us about your contribution to ‘Believe’ called ‘The Twelve Seductive Days of Christmas’?
Where did you get the idea for this story?
The Twelve Seductive Days of Christmas is a sweet romantic story. Jasmine has a rocky past, she has been burned by love and family before, and now she has a daughter to worry about. She isn't looking for anything, just a quiet place that she can raise her daughter.
On the other hand Logan Clarke fell in love with the mysterious Jasmine long ago, hearing stories from her grandmother. And now that Jasmine is finally here, he knows he’s in love for sure.
Snowbound in a cottage, twelve days before Christmas, does Logan have enough time to convince Jasmine of love at first sight? And can Jasmine let go of her past, and let Logan into her heart?
As for where did I get the idea…honestly it came to me one night while I was laying in bed wondering what I could write for the Christmas anthology. I wanted to contribute something to it but couldn’t think of something that I should write and keep under the word count. I had the idea for this story and thought I could make it work.



Have you always wanted to be an author? When did you know that it what you wanted to do?
Since I was a teenager have been writing down stories, and always dreamed of being published. However after I married I didn’t have as much time to indulge myself in writing. About a year ago a friend talked me into doing National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) with her and since then I can’t stop writing. I try hard to take the weekends off with no writing but over half the time the characters bug me until I give in. Thankfully right now it is football season so I can write while my husband watches the game and not feel guilty.
What’s your writing process like? Do you write in the mornings, afternoons? Do you write with music, food by your side?
My writing process, well I hear so many writers say they work with music on. I can’t do that. I need silence. As for food by my side while I am writing, I keep a small jar with hard candy in it and when I am stuck on something and not sure how I want to proceed I have a piece and think it over. It helps. However I have to have a drink by my side in the mornings it is coffee by the gallons, and evenings it is tea or ice water. As for when I do most of the writing, I am not a morning person, so writing doesn’t start until around 10am when my brain is finally active. I try to stop writing when my husband gets home from work between 3 and 5 so we can spend some time together. I do some writings in the evenings if I am on a roll or really behind, but normally that time is saved for reading.
If you listen to music when you write, what kinds of music do you like to listen to?
Sorry no music while I am writing.
How did you fell when you were told that you got your writing contract?
Just thinking about hearing the news brings a smile to my face. I cuddle up on the couch reading when my cell phone went off letting me know I had an email. I was engrossed in my book, I was going to wait and check the email later but for some reason I couldn’t get back into the book, I was wondering what that email was. Finally I gave in and checked the email. It was telling me that it was going to be included in the Believe anthology and I started screaming. I couldn’t believe it. I was so excited
Working on anything now?
Currently I am working on a few projects, a Valentine’s Day themed short story, and a paranormal romance novel. I am also polishing another romance novel.

Giveaways…. After I reach 100 fans on my author facebook fan page I will give away a copy of Believe, link is below.


Excerpt
December 10
“I appreciate your taking the time to see me, Mrs. Pierce,” the man standing before me said. “Please have a seat.”
Sinking into the comfiest chair the old hotel lobby offered, which wasn’t saying much, I replied, “Call me Jasmine.” I hadn’t been Mrs. Pierce since the divorce. “And why do you need to see me?” Hopefully this isn’t what I think.
He put out his hand. “I’m Dave Johnson, attorney. Came all the way from Montana to find you.”
I gave his hand a weak shake. Montana? “I don’t understand.”
The lobby was nearly empty at this time of day, which I was glad of. Everyone had finished with breakfast and was on with their day. The owners’ two kids were waiting for the school bus outside.
“I’m your grandmother’s attorney, Jasmine. She had me looking for you up until she passed away in September. Your mother had changed your last name, and I had a hard time finding you.”
That was the last thing I expected. I’d half worried this had something to do with my ex, who vanished months ago. I figured he was in some kind of trouble, somewhere, and was looking for me to bail him out.
But— Grandmother?
Couldn’t be true. My mother always said we had no family left. “I’m sorry. You have the wrong person.”
He scooted to the edge of the grimy brown couch. “Jasmine, let me explain.”
I nodded, letting him know I would hear him out.
“Your mother ran off with you when you were very young. She sent pictures home to your grandmother but wouldn’t allow her to see you. They—your grandmother and your mother—had a difference of option that lead to an estrangement.” Mr. Johnson leaned down to his briefcase. “These are letters she wrote to your mother. They were all returned unopened. She believed they would explain everything—
“But that is not why I came, I came to give you the deed to her house. When she passed, she left everything to you.”

December 13
Two long days later, I arrived at my grandmother’s house in Casper, exhausted and aching from sitting in the car for so long. Driving from Richmond, Virginia to Casper, Montana with Alyssa, my eight-month-old daughter, and my sweet, but cantankerous little Cocker named Floppie, was not an ideal trip, but it was what I had to do.
What did I have to lose?
My grandmother had left me everything. And although it was in one way a relief, I was also scared to death of starting a new life, in a new place.
It was late afternoon and almost dusk, and the best I could hope for was to unload the few things for the night. We’d eaten at the last fast food stop we’d passed about two hours earlier, so I didn’t care about dinner, or anything else. I just wanted a hot shower and a good night’s sleep, and to get my baby to bed.
I sat in awe of the house, looking up from my old beat-up car, actually amazed that it made it this far. The house was a beautiful two-story log cabin with a large wrap-around deck. I remembered it, somehow, from a distant memory. Barely. Enough snow blanketed the ground to make the cabin stand out against the wood background. I couldn’t wait to look around inside, but I’d have to postpone that until I got Alyssa settled.
“Let’s get inside and turn the lights on, Alyssa, before it gets too dark.” I dug the key Mr. Johnson had given me out of my change purse.
Floppie was asleep in the back and Alyssa in her car seat. I left the pup so I could get Alyssa inside, taking the whole seat out to make my way to the porch. “Just for a minute,” I whispered to Floppie. “Let’s get the lights on and see if we have heat.”
Struggling with car seat, my purse and the diaper bag, and Alyssa, I juggled while attempting to slide the key into the lock the unforgiving lock.
The deep husky voice that came from behind startled me. “You must be Jasmine.”
“What?” My heart pounced inside my chest. I faced the voice, my senses immediately on high alert. I stared, making a complete fool of myself. “Um, yes... Who are you?”

Thanks Marissa!

Here's where you can find her!

You can find me at a few places….
Site - http://www.marissadobson.com/
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Marissa-Dobson/175831712431627
Twitter - http://twitter.com/MDobson84
My Review site - http://www.sizzlinghotbooks.net



Everyone, Make sure, you go onto Marissa's Facebook page at this link. When Marissa, gets 100 fans, Marissa will be giving away a copy of Believe to a fan. Good Luck!