SPOTLIGHT & GIVEAWAY: Innocent Til Proven Otherwise by Amy Andrews

Today it is my pleasure to host one of my Favourite Harlequin M & B authors AMY ANDREWS!

Amy thanks for blogging with HarlequinJunkie and answering a few Q's!

UK Cover

Sara: If you had to sum up “Innocent Til Proven Otherwise" in 100 words or less, what would you say?

Amy: Sexy. Sassy. Funny. A story of two good people wounded by love who find each other and finally get the HEA they both deserve. I’d also say it’s a little on the naughty side as both Max and Ali try to resist stepping over the lawyer/client line.

Sara:What sparked the idea for your novel “Innocent Til Proven Otherwise”?

Amy: The opening scene from ITPO has been with me for a long time. It was actually in another book which my ed asked me to cut. It broke my heart but I never deleted it because I was hoping one day I'd get to use it. And I did! I’ve also wanted to do a medico-legal book for the medical line for a while so the foundations of ITPO have been with me for quite a few years.

Sara: How did you come up with the title and the characters for this book?

Amy: The title is not mine - we rarely get to keep our own titles – mine was Barely Legal which I still love but understand it has slightly icky implications (although not if you read the story) The characters came from that first scene I just mentioned so it was just a matter of developing them from there and giving them the medical malpractice background. 

Sara: What were the challenges you faced in bringing this book to life?

Amy: Actually this book was hugely challenging for me. This is my first book for the RIVA/Presents lines and I was terrified it was going to suck really badly. Because of the medical content I was worried that I was going to be seen as the medical writer that was writing for RIVA/Presents rather than just a straight RIVA/Presents author. I was afraid my voice would be too “medical” and that played havoc with my confidence. I second guessed myself a lot. It was a huge learning curve for me – bigger than I expected after 24 books that’s for sure!

Sara: Tell us a few things about yourself.  


Amy: I'm 42. I'm Australian. I’m a mother. I’m a part time PICU nurse. I’ve been married for 22 years to the man I met when I was 16. 

Sara: What inspired you to write your first book? Do you have a “Call” story to share? 

Amy: I was never one of those writers that always knew they were destined to write. I loved reading and English was my fav subject at school but honestly being a writer never crossed my mind. Then I was living in the UK after I was first married and was temporarily unemployed and it was freezing cold and I was looking for something to do that allowed me to stay in bed on my electric blanket and I thought, I know, I’ll write that book that’s been in my head for a while. It was then that I realised that all those vivid images and stories in my head were actually plots!

Sara: How do you conceive your plot ideas? DO YOU PLAN OR WING IT?

Amy: I do a bit of both. Some light plotting and character development then I just write. But I do spend a lot of time mulling a book in my head before it gets written so I probably know a fair bit about it subliminally, probably even more than I realise, when I actually sit down to write it.

Amy Andrews

Sara: What are your hopes and dreams for the future with respect to your writing?

Amy: To be able to pay off my mortgage and earn a good living. I'd love to write a film script or something for television. I’d love to win a RITA!

Sara: If I were to visit you at home, what would I find you doing on a beautiful sunny day in Australia?

Amy: Writing probably! I have a beautiful mountain view from my office window

Sara: Which heroine from your books is most like you?

Amy: Honestly? They’re all basically me but better looking!  J Probably the character that has been most like me is Frances from Sister Pact the contemporary women’s fiction novel I wrote with my sister and is out now at Amazon (under Ali Ahearn and Ros Baxter if anyone is interested )

   Sara:  Are there any other books to be released in 2012? Can you share a little of your current work with us?

Amy:  2012 is an incredibly busy year for me release wise :)

Out now is Sister Pact as mentioned above. I wish everyone in the world would grab a copy of it because it’s funny and poignant and just a great escapist read.

In August I have two releases. A medical called How To Mend A Broken Heart which is a gut wrenching story about a couple who’ve been estranged through the shattering loss of a child.

And I’m also very excited to announce that I’ve just sold a category romance to Entangled Publishing and Taming The Tycoon is also out in August. When Nathaniel an uptight tycoon meets Addie, a crystal wearing hippy, sparks fly!

In October my 2^nd RIVA/Presents is out. I’m really excited about this book. It’s tentatively titled The Devil and the Deep but I call it my pirate book. I feel like I really got over my “what if I’m a failure” juju with this book and loved this story where the heroine is a hugely successful historical romance novelist and the hero searches for treasure in sunken ships.

I’ve also just completed my third RIVA/Presents about a war photographer and an artist who embark on a road trip through outback Australia. I guess it’ll be out early next year and I can tell you I’m definitely hitting my straps with this line now! :)

On a Lighter note....

If you were stranded on an island…

Amy: I’d be dead for sure. I have zero survival skills!

Your favourite quotes?

Amy: “It takes a whole village to raise a good child” is probably my favourite ever because it’s just so wise although “Yes we can” has been pretty damn inspiring!

Which question are you most sick of answering in interviews?

Amy: How much money do you make!!! Yes, people DO ask!

If you won $20 million in the lottery, what would you do with the money?

Amy: Keep half for me then give the rest away to family/friends.

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Here's a Teaser:

`How far to your place?' she asked
Max gaze dropped to her still unbuttoned blouse `fifteen minutes'
Ali looked him square in the eye. `How fast if I don't do this up?'
He feasted his eyes on the white lacy bra cups. `Ten'
She nodded. `I'll let you do whatever you want with them if you can get us there faster'
Max made it home in eight minutes flat.

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