Author Interview – Barbara Chioffi

BARBARA CHIOFFI
LYCAN LOVE
Paranormal Romance

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everyone, please put your hands together for, Barbara Chioffi, the Author of “Lycan Love.” Okay, Barbara, let’s visit for a bit.

Just a little about you to start, Lycan.What is your perception of your personality.
I’m quiet until you get to know me. I’m very positive, always finding humor in most situations.
When tested, I was an introvert, intuitive and feeling. Calm in nature, I like to be helpful, but doresent being used, and most of the time, will quickly cut that person out of my proximity.

Sounds like a really nice person to get to know. What do you like to read?
I prefer anything that provides an escape from reality…especially paranormal romance. I just wish there were
more hours in the day. I have more books on my kindle than I will ever read, but I can’t resist them. I read quickly,
and as many books as I can, and treausre those that stay with me long after I’ve finished reading.

It agree with you there. What kind music do you prefer?
I enjoy all genres. I guess it depends on my mood. Some days, it’s hard rock and blues, other days, Celtic.
Actually, anything goes, but my favorite is classical…mostly opera. Having sung opera for many years, it is
the only genre that can literally make my heart soar.

Music is great to have going in the background when writing. How long have you been writing? 
I’ve been writing since grade school but have shared very little, mostly writing in journal form or short family stories
and poems. During my teaching career, I was chosen out of 50 finalists in my area for the Northern Virginia Writing
Project Summer Institute. Using writing in my music classes for years, I provided lesson plans using music to inspire
writing in other academic areas.

That’s a long time to be writing. How do you keep yourself motivated to write?
Some days it is difficult, so I step away and do cross stitch or coloring while listening to music. This seems to ground
me so that I can return to writing fairly quickly. Ideas are always in my head for stories, more than I will ever put to
paper. I have to be careful, because I tend to suddenly begin talking to myself, carrying on conversations that
pop into my head from the different characters that are in my imagination. Luckily, my space is the dining room table
and my husband is around the corner in the living room. 🙂

It doesn’t pay to force the writing. If you could meet a favorite character  or author who would it be and why?
Jericho Barrons from Karen Marie Moning’s Fever series. I think her writing has influenced my choice of genre.
How could you not love Jericho Barrons? He is an alpha, mysterious, sexy, dominate, and a shifter.

It’s always  great to know what other authors like in other writing. What is the hardest review or criticism you’ve had about your writing and how did you deal with it?
I submitted my first story for review. When it was published, I was disappointed in the 3 rating, but the more
I read what the reviewer had to say, the more I understood what she meant, and she was right. Since then,
I’ve worked on improving that area of my writing and think I’m making progress. That review was actually
the most helpful of the ones I have received.

The best way to get better at writing is to listen to constructive criticism. Which one of your publications will you be sharing in the interview?
Lycan Love, my second story.

Romances are even better when they are paranormal romances. Why did you choose this one?
I’ve fallen in love with shifters and since I love wolves, this was easy to write. I think this is my favorite because I
had the chance to build a male character that I would consider perfect…an alpha, strong and protective, highly
principled, loyal and honest.

There are some interesting shifters out there, but I always come back to wolves. Name one actor/actress you would love to get naughty with?
Joe Manganiello. I think there are about 30 pictures in his folder and I add more every week. 🙂

Good choice. Do you like dogs or cats?
I love all animals, but especially cats. We have nine that we rescued in our neighborhood, plus two of the original
colony that remain feral. They sleep on our deck and I feed them every day, providing a crate for cold winter
nights with plenty of blankets.

Feral cats don’t take up with people easily. What’s your bad quality?
Not finishing things I start. Being ADHD, that has always been a struggle.

What makes you angry? Are you short-tempered? How do you overcome your anger?
I am extremely even-tempered. It takes a mountain to make me angry but when I lose my temper, it is difficult to control. When that happens, which isn’t often, I madly clean everything in sight.

That’s a great way to deal with anger. What kind of kid were you, naughty or nice?
Mostly naughty. I ran away three times and hid, watching while the police looked for me,
played in the woods chasing rabbits, and cut the whiskers off my mom’s cat.

Oh, my. At least you own it. If given a choice, which animal would you want to be? Why?
A wolf, definitely. I’ve dreamed of them since I was 4 or 5. At first, they were frightening, but grew less as the
years passed. The final dream, when I was in my 20’s, was opening the door to see a wolf dressed in a suit with
candy and flowers.

And there you go folks, an interview with the ever clever Barbara Chioffi. Give it up for today’s author, everyone! Thanks for stopping in, Barbara. It’s been great having you. Please do visit again and don’t make us wait too long!

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BIO
I’m 73, married for 35 years with one son, 9 cats, and a noisy bird. Born in North Carolina, we moved to Alabama when I was in the tenth grade, to my father’s home town. After high school, I attended Huntingdon College in Montgomery and received a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education, with a minor in voice. I taught in a country school nearby for two years, moving to Virginia in 1968 where I still reside. I was in dinner theater for years, enjoying roles in Mame, South Pacific, The Sound of Music, and others. Due to health issues, I retired from teaching in 2001.

BLURB
Julia Monroe has been wandering all her life…from one foster home to another, then one job to another. She meets a wealthy man, Robert Flannery, who becomes her employer. His son, Justin, is attracted to Julia, but has a secret she needs to know. One evening, he reveals himself to her; first as his wolf persona, then in his human form. As their relationship develops, Julia learns more about the secrets the Flannerys hold…ones that will lead to love, friendship, and danger. Due to sexual content, recommended for 18 and older.

EXCERPT

One evening, Robert stepped out for a few hours, going to a neighbor’s for a much needed break. Lucian was in the house in case Lily needed assistance. When he returned, the House was silent and a feeling of dread that he could not explain came over him. He looked into the parlor where Lucian usually sat reading… nothing. Climbing the stairs, he called to his brother but there was no answer. Entering the bedroom where Lily slept he stopped, dread entering his heart. The bed was empty, the fireplace had grown cold, and the window was open. Robert ran to the room where the twins slept, just across the hall. Both cribs were empty and the blankets were gone. He called loudly for his brother and Lucian came staggering out of his room, holding his head.
“What’s wrong, Robert? What happened?”
“Where is Lily? Look at me Lucian, what is wrong with you?”
“I don’t… wait, she gave me a glass of wine after dinner and that’s the last thing I remember.”
Both brothers looked at each other and at the same time, ran down the stairs calling Lily’s name.
Looking in every room, they found nothing. Running to the stable, they found that her horse was
missing. Robert was frantic. “Where are the children?”
Suddenly there was a cry, an infant cry, coming from one of the stalls. Both rushed in to find one
baby, wrapped in blankets, lying on the floor. Picking up his son, Robert looked closely, recognizing
Justin immediately. There was a small mark underneath his left ear, shaped like a heart. Otherwise,
it was difficult to tell the twins apart. Robert held his son close, warming him. The stable was cold
and he knew that his natural heat would quickly give his son comfort.

LINKS
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FACEBOOK

I want to thank everyone for visiting today. Again, a round of applause for our author today. Please hang around to visit and comment below.

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