Hi Amy I’m glad you could join us. I hope I don’t make this too long for you but I do have a habit of asking loads of questions.

Thanks for having me! I appreciate it!

Who are your favorite characters?

Well, I’m partial to Josh for obvious reasons. He’s sexy, smart, and sweet and has incredible patience for Nic. I also love her. She’s neurotic and a bit nutty but sarcastic and has a good sense of herself. I also like Kim a lot. She tells it like it is and is a true leader amongst her friends.

Who are your favorite authors?

I tend to a read a lot of action mysteries. JD Robb, Iris Johansen, Patricia Cornwell (earlier stuff, not the latest), Stephen King. Old school classics I like are Faulkner and Fitzgerald.

What books did you grow-up reading?

I was a voracious reader as a kid and the big books then were The Babysitter’s Club, A Wrinkle in Time, Clan of the Cave Bear & Sweet Valley High. And of course the books assigned in school. Gone with the Wind is one of my all time favorites and I read that for the first time in 8th grade I think.

Are you a cat person? Dog person? Or animal person?

Animal person. I love all animals but lived in an apt until recently so I’ve only had cats out of fairness to a dog. One day I’ll get one, if my two cats will allow me.

Who got you interested in writing?

I think I was just born that way. English was always a class that I enjoyed the most and I’ve always had an active imagination, so it was fun to take what I come up with in my head and put it down on paper.

You’ve written fan-fiction can you tell us a little about that? Can you share any with us? What got you started? Who did you write about?

Absolutely. I’ve been writing fanfic for about 3 ½ years at this point. All Twilight, all Bella and Edward, who captured my imagination and I didn’t want to let them go when I was done with the Twilight books. Friends introduced me to fic and before I knew it I was writing my own. I’m Nolebucgrl on fanfiction.net and my stories are still up and I’ll be expanding one when I get a little more free time. I write romance/humor most of the time, which is what Code Red is as well.

What are you currently working on?

My second novel, called The Hot Corner. Not sure how much I can share but it’s nearly done, another romance, some humor, some drama, lots of heat, I think. It’s got a sports aspect to it as well which is fun for me as I’m a rabid sports fan.

Are you going to see more of Nic and Josh or maybe Jen & Ryan?

If there’s a call for them, sure. I’ve had a reviewer suggest they’d like to see some of the rest of the gang again. I didn’t have plans for a sequel but if my characters appeal enough to readers, I’d be happy to explore them more.

You consider yourself a crazy football fan why?

Because I watch football from morning til night during the season. I just watched the Combine. I watch the draft. I play fantasy football. I just love the sport and mourn when it’s not on. I’m not as bad a fan as I used to be (throwing things at the TV) but I still yell a lot. Hehe

Did you base Nic’s love of baseball off of your love of football?

Sort of! I’m a baseball fan as well so I gave her that trait and even my team.

Do you watch Supernatural too?

Yes. Not as religiously as Nic does, though. I’ve actually not enjoyed seasons 6-8 very much and I’m much less into it than I used to be.

Are you that obsessed about any TV show?

No. I do have a lot of them that I love, but nothing I’ll schedule my life around. I am a homebody though!

How’d you come up with Code Red?

I actually just woke up one day with Nic’s voice in my head. I jotted down her story and stuck it away for a long time, planning to do it as a fic but the timing never worked and it fit an original better anyway.

Do you have girlfriends like Jen, Kim, Mandy and Ashley?

The girls are a combination of people I know. I didn’t parrot anybody perfectly, but I did take traits and come up with similarities. I wish I had as tight a group as they do! I envy them!

What’s your favorite movie?

Too many to name! Some of my faves are the aforementioned Gone With the Wind, Grease, The Hangover, Pitch Perfect is on repeat on my TV right now, The Breakfast Club & Heathers.

Do you have siblings?

Yes, I have a younger brother, Mike. He’s 4 years younger and we’re very close.

What do you love about thunderstorms?

My father actually has a degree in meteorology and whenever there was a storm, where normal people were getting inside, he had us in the garage peering out at it, watching the lightning, feeling the thunder, hearing the rain pelt down. I’ve just always enjoyed storms and living in FL, you better!

Are Lily and Logan anything like Hunt and Win?

Haha no! Well, Logan likes his food, like Win does, but neither of them are like Hunt. Lily is a sweetheart who likes to kiss me and have secret snuggles after I go to bed (she doesn’t want to be held, I gave that trait to Hunt) and Logan is pretty friendly. Both are shy around new people though.

How’d you come up with Huntington Peabody the third, and Winchester?

Their names? Winchester is from Supernatural. I figured Nic would want to name one of her cats after her obsession. Huntington Peabody the Third was just the snottiest name that I could think of for a cat! As to their personalities, I loved the idea of one cat who was a tubby love and the other who was vengeful but loved his mom and nobody else. Cats are finicky and they will punish you when they’re mad. Writing a cat like that was fun.

The email to Jen about BOB – what triggered that? Could Nic have made the list longer? (I loved the email and everything that happens with the email)

Nic was bored at work and Jen was joking about her needing a man so she felt the need to defend BOB’s ability to stand in as a boyfiend. I’m glad you loved the email! It was fun! I’m sure Nic would have had more if not for the untimely interruption.

What’s next for you?

I have about 7 or so chapters left of The Hot Corner to write, then I’ll reread it and play with it a bit before submitting it to my publisher. Then I need to write some more outtakes for my fic and expand one of my stories there, Fill Me with Your Poison.

Do you have any advice for writers like yourself just starting out?

Just start. Never in a million years would I think that I would have my own novel coming out four years after I started writing creatively again. Letting my mind free, letting the characters come out to play, has been such a pure joy to me. Writing should be fun. Let your imagination go and have a good time!

Being a military brat you’ve travelled a lot, where is your favorite place?

Favorite place I ever lived with Southern California. The weather, the beaches, the amusement parks…awesome place. Favorite place I’ve visited was Hawaii. I have a thing for the ocean and love living near the water.

Where do you like to write?

Planted on my couch with the recliner up, the TV on and a bottle of water next to me.

Nic seems to like take-out a lot is that true for you too or do you cook?

I eat more than my fair share of take out. I can cook, I just don’t often feel like it after a full day of work and cooking for yourself isn’t nearly that much fun! But I can cook, simple stuff.

Have you ever needed a Code Red?

Not lately! Sadly! I have definitely gone through periods where I shut myself off the way Nicole did. I did need some saving in high school and college. Code Red would have been a good thing to implement!