6/25/2016
Q&A with Kristina Knight
1. What was the inspiration for your novel Protecting the Quarterback?
Football, all the way! I’m a football girl, and I wanted to dive deeper into the sport, the injuries, and the men and women who make the sport so much fun to watch.
2. When did you take up writing?
I’ve been writing off and on for most of my life, but I began working toward publication about ten years ago; my first book was published in 2012.
3. How important is setting/place in your writing?
Very important! I’ve had readers tell me that the setting of my books is like another character. I love setting, so hear that is always a boost!
4. Do you have a favourite character (s) in your current novel?
Jonas and Brooks were equally favorites – because each of them is so strong. They can definitely survive on their own, but their willingness to change, to bend to become part of a couple made them so special to me.
5. What’s the best piece of writing advice you were ever given?
To keep trying, and to find the right beginning point!
6. Do you have a schedule for writing?
Yes and no. When my daughter is in school, the schedule is easier because I write while she’s at school and my husband is at work. Summertime is totally different, and I try to keep a schedule, but having an 8-year-old in the house can throw a wrench into the best of schedules.
7. Are you a plotter or someone who tends to wing it?
A bit of both – I create a rough outline that gives me direction, but most of the plot points are a mystery to me.
8. Can you name three of four of your current favourite books?
Part-time Cowboy by Maisey Yates, The Collector by Nora Roberts, Every Time We Say Goodbye by Liz Flaherty and On Writing by Stephen King (I know that one isn’t technically ‘current’ but it’s a good one!).
9. Can you tell me a little bit about what you are working on now?
I just turned in the first book in a brand new series (set in small town Missouri and with another football-ish theme!), and I’m nearly finished with the third of my Billionaire Cowboy books. Busy, busy!
10. What advice would you give to a fledgling writer to assist them on their journey?
Don’t every quit. Rejections happen to all of us and continuing to push forward in the face of those rejections is what takes all of us from unpublished to published.
Book Blurb:
This is more than just a game…to her
Sports broadcaster Brooks Smith has always been more involved with the game than the players. But after she shares the spotlight at an awards ceremony with tabloid sensation Jonas Nash, one night of letting her guard down around the infamous quarterback spirals into many heated days and nights together when she gets assigned to the story of the year…
The hottest player in professional football is hiding a secret that could end his career for good. Now Brooks is caught on the sidelines between the job she loves and the man she is falling in love with.
Excerpt:
“I’m assigned to the Kentuckians, not to one player.” Brooks sat up straighter in her chair. Hard gaze or not, these two were not going to derail her assignment. With the veritable all-access pass she had with the team, she could create real buzz. Maybe land a spot at the network sports desk or maybe even in the booth during games. “I can’t report on the other players if I’m all the way in—” she looked from man to man.
“Hyde Park,” Jonas said, reluctantly. The neighborhood was a ten-minute drive from the training camp facility. Not so far away she couldn’t report on what was going on, but something was off about this request.
“And several team staffers will be on hand, talking to the boys about nutrition and proper training as well as the sport fundamentals,” Earl added. “Think of it as a team training camp, but with an emphasis on kids, not professional athletes.”
With the right angle, this could be something the network would be interested in. There were several initiatives the league was involved in to get kids more active, and this camp sounded like a way to bridge league and team programs. But it could just as easily be covered by the local affiliate. They didn’t need her, and she did need an interview with Jonas. “Why me?”
Earl studied her for a long moment, which was odd because Jonas seemed to be making a point of not looking at her. Not even a sideways glance. His chocolate-brown eyes were focused on the corner wall seam as if something magical might appear at any moment. Weird. He’d had no problem giving her a hard time in the locker room yesterday. He might not like her reporter side, but he liked other parts of her. After yesterday’s locker room incident, Brooks knew where she stood on the personal like-o-meter of Jonas Nash.
The thought sent a shiver of excitement up her spine.
She wouldn’t do anything with the knowledge; she’d stopped dating jocks in high school. But it was still nice to be noticed by a man like Jonas.
“The interview.”
Brooks’s breath caught in her throat. “I get the interview when you get the coverage for the charity camp.”
“It’s not a charity, these kids deserve better than pot-holed streets disguised as basketball courts or football fields.” Finally, Jonas joined the conversation, although he still wasn’t looking directly at her. Instead, those deep, deep eyes were fixed on something just above Brooks’s head.
“Again, not my assignment. I’m the beat reporter assigned to report on your team, not your charity work.”
Jonas clenched his jaw. “You can report on the charity work or you can deal with a locker room full of men who won’t give you the time of day through early February,” he said. “Assuming we’re playing for the championship.”
“You can’t shut me out.”
“Oh, you can walk that fine ass into the lockers any time. Finding someone who will talk to you, that’s a whole other subject.”
Buy Links:
Amazon:http://www.amazon.com/Protecting-Quarterback-Kristina-Knight-ebook/dp/B01767FSZQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1451499304&sr=1-1&keywords=protecting+the+quarterback
BN: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/protecting-the-quarterback-kristina-knight/1122856806?ean=9780373609598
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/protecting-the-quarterback/id1052693233?mt=11
KOBO: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/protecting-the-quarterback
Harlequin: http://www.harlequin.com/storeitem.html?iid=64371
Author Bio:
Once upon a time, Kristina Knight spent her days running from car crash to fire to meetings with local police–no, she wasn’t a troublemaker, she was a journalist. Her career took her all over the United States, writing about everything from a serial killer’s capture to the National Finals Rodeo. Along the way, she found her very own Knight in Shining Cowboy Boots and an abiding love for romance novels. And just like the characters from her favorite books, she’s living her own happily ever after.
Kristina writes sassy contemporary romance novels; her books have appeared on Kindle Best Seller Lists. She loves hearing from readers, so drop her a line!
Author Links:
Website: http://www.kristinaknightauthor.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kristinaknightromanceauthor
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/authorkristina
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/authorkristina/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5827833.Kristina_Knight
Comment
Isabella Louise Anderson
6/24/2016 07:51:11 pm
Thanks for hosting!