C.J. West: Addicted to Love

C.J. West has returned to the blog just in time for Christmas. C. J. and I are sitting here, enjoying Southern pecan pie and coffee.

C.J., I'm delighted to have you visit the blog again. Have a piece of  cutie, umm, I mean pecan pie with your coffee and tell us about your latest release, Addicted To Love.

Wow! Thanks for the refreshments and the interview, Susan. Addicted To Love is a novel about being passionately in love. The whole town of Highland Falls is overcome with love - monogamous love. It is the ideal setting to settle down until a bizarre series of murders begins. Women begin attacking their men with such brutality the whole town is in shock. Wes Holliday is in town on vacation but finds himself torn between an intense love affair and duty to a town that desperately needs him.  

In the book I explore sex and passion as something that each of us wants and desires and how far we would go to keep passion alive in our everyday lives.

I'm hooked!

Is it available in print, ebook, and Kindle formats?       

Signed print copies are available from my website. Electronic formats are available from Amazon, BN, and Smashwords.

Were any of your books more challenging to write than the others, C.J?

My early books were much more challenging. I find myself distracted by promotion and other activities now, but I write more strategically (for impact on the reader) and I draft my prose much more quickly. My first drafts are now as good as the third or fourth draft of my early books.  

 That's good to hear, C.J. How do you develop characters?

One of the compliments I often get on my writing is that even my minor characters are vibrant. When a new character steps onto the page, I go out and browse for a photo of someone I think looks like the character. As I develop the personality and background of my new friend, I ascribe attitudes and emotions to the picture as I work and after some time I feel like I know the character personally. 

I follow the same procedure and it seems to work well for me. Can you tell us about current or future projects?

I’m working on a 5 book series that’s unique for me. Each book is a self-contained story, but the series also reads like a single book. There is a mystery that runs through the series and becomes clearer as the books progress. I’m excited for a series structured this way and I really like writing the characters. The first book will be available in 2012.

I am also working on a live murder mystery show that will take place in December. I enjoy acting in and directing these shows. They are a lot of fun for me and they are a great way to get the word out about my work.

Where can folks learn more about your books and events?

Folks can find me at any of the following places:

http://www.facebook.com/cjwestfans

http://www.22wb.com

http://cjwestkills.wordpress.com

http://twitter.com/cjwest

Have a wonderful Christmas, C.J., with lots of book sales! I am looking forward to reading Addicted to Love on my Kindle after the holidays.

Thanks, Susan. I hope you enjoy it, and Merry Christmas!