Stephanie Taylor, author of "Doubting Thomas" is with us today!

CJ: Hello, Stephanie. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to talk to us. We’re excited to have you here today!


Q: So, first of all, we want to know about your latest novel. What can you tell us about Doubting Thomas? Doubting Thomas is a sweet romance that I loved writing. No other book I’ve written has come together as easily as this one. It’s also my first book to be published!

Blurb:
For five years, Thomas has lived without a past. A motorcycle accident left him with permanent amnesia and a lot of anger. But the scars aren't all on the outside. He knows one day he'll need to figure out who he used to be, but for now, he's content in his misery and denial. If his family doesn't care to find him, the feeling is mutual.
Until the love of a tender-hearted, sassy redhead changes his mind.
Alyssa Morgan vowed to locate her missing husband. She follows every clue, every lead, every hunch, hoping to find him and the reason for his disappearance. But fate has something else in store. Alyssa is determined to get to know the aloof man who has her husband’s voice and the disfigured face of a stranger.
Torn between his past and their future, can they put their doubts aside to let love in?



Q: I think everyone would love to know what inspired this particular novel. Can you tell us about that? My mom and I were talking about all the over used soap opera stories that use amnesia as a crutch. We were talking about how we would do it better and Doubting Thomas was born.


Q: I’m dying to know more about the Main Characters of your novel. Can you give us a brief description of each?

Alyssa is a sweet yet sassy redhead who is determined to find her missing husband. She doesn’t expect to fall in love with Thomas while she’s looking for her husband!

Thomas has retrograde (permanent) amnesia and can’t remember anything from his past. He’s a bit of an alpha and is angry with his family for not finding him after all these years. He only thinks he’s content with his life, but when Alyssa comes into the picture, he realizes what he’s been missing.

Q: Okay, I’m a huge fan of quotes taken from novels. Would you tell us one of your favorites quotes from Doubting Thomas? “When you love someone, they’re always a part of you.” ~Thomas Williams from Doubting Thomas


Q: A little about you. When did you decide to write your first novel? Believe it or not, I was six. Yup. It was called The Bear Who Ate Christmas. Aaaand, it’s still in the attic. :o) I’ve written all my life and can’t remember a time when it wasn’t a driving factor in my day. My middle school friends all gathered around my desk in history class to read my latest story. I completed my first true romance novel when I was sixteen. The next came five years later. Just for the record, neither of them will EVER see the light of day.


Q: Do you have a system or particular ritual you do before/ during writing to keep the words flowing? Sometimes I listen to music, but mainly I just need to have some quiet time. I have three small children who can get pretty loud, so quiet time is hard to come by.


Q: What do you find the easiest part about writing? The hardest? The easiest part of writing is when my muse is on the loose. I absolutely love to go back to read what I’ve written during those times and say, “Wow, did I actually write that? That’s not half bad!” The hardest for me is finding time. My kids are on a strict bedtime routine and are in bed at seven every night, but I still have to manage my house, work my job as editor with Vintage Reflections Publishing and stay caught up on my TV shows.


Q: We all know writers spend a great deal of time researching. Can you tell us one of the most interesting things you’ve discovered while doing research for your writing? Because I hate research, I try not to put anything in my books that require much, HA!


Q: If you could physically visit the world in any book, which book would it be and why? I want to visit the land of Oz. Anything was possible there!


Q: What one work of fiction do you think has made the biggest impact on your life? How? Nicholas Sparks is a huge inspiration for me. I love his work, not because he’s depressing or is a best seller, but because he keeps things REAL. I often say the best “romance” writers are men because they don’t get tied up in emotions that are unrealistic. Every time I read one of his books, most notably Dear John, I can find something to relate to in my life, and it makes me want to write so someone else can feel the same way I do. Granted, my books don’t have the same feel or formula to them as his does, but I very much admire his work.

Q: Last question before we wrap this interview up. Please finish this sentence in a way that best describes you, for us. “People would be surprised to know that I have a tattoo!”

CJ: Thank you, again for visiting with us, Stephanie. I would invite all our guests to check out Doubting Thomas by Stephanie Taylor on sale August 7th at www.eternalpress.biz. Below is an excerpt from Stephanie novel, Doubting Thomas. Please read on!


Excerpt:
Curiosity got the best of her. Slowly, she raised her hand to his cheek, the need to feel him overwhelming her. He flinched at her intent and grabbed her wrist, squeezing hard. But she wasn't afraid of him. The strained look on his face told her he was scared enough for the both of them. She pushed against his hold, wanting so badly for him to trust her and let her in. After a few moments, his grasp loosened and her fingertips touched his skin.
He inhaled sharply as his eyes turned into thin slits.
“Does this hurt?” she asked him, amazed by the smoothness of the taut scars.
“Some of my nerve endings are still pretty raw,” he said quietly, his voice low and raspy.
“Is that a yes?”
“No.”
She grinned, continuing her exploration. She trailed up to his eye and around to his nose and then down to his lips, tracing the jagged line that marred his perfection. All the while, he didn't move a muscle, but kept his jaw tight and his eyes on her mouth. She knew he wanted to kiss her, that much was obvious. It was this tight control on a man who seemed to have no control over his emotions that fascinated her.
Finally, very softly, she laid her entire palm on his cheek and he closed his eyes. His arms came around her waist and hauled her roughly against him. She felt his fingertips digging into her flesh at her hips, his need echoed in the desperation of his touch. She still touched his face, looking into his eyes. His head descended, his golden hair illuminated by the porch light behind him, like an angel.
She waited. She anticipated. She needed. She suddenly didn't care if Chris was still alive. That thought alone should have made her run, but instead she lifted her lips to meet his. Just when she forgot to breathe, his lips moved past her mouth, directly to her ear.
“Thank you for dinner,” he whispered softly.
With that, he released her and strode away.