Thank you for this opportunity to learn more about you and your works.

1. Please start by giving us some background about yourself.
Other than my obvious partial insanity, the result of working, single parenting and writing for three publishers, I lead a fairly quiet life. I recently relocated to the Seattle area so I try to do what I can with the time I have by finding neat places to go and learning the area.

2. Why did you become a writer? Who influenced you?
It’s something that I’ve wanted to do since my older was about four or five years old-she’s now twenty. But I was a single parent then just as I am now, only I was newly divorced and simply didn’t have the bandwidth to take it on. Then the years passed as I raised my kids into successful semi-adults, became settled in my career and it just seemed like a good time to go for it. My children also encouraged me because they remembered when they were little and I used to sit quietly and work on ‘the big book’, as they used to call it.

3. As a multicultural author, did you have stumbling blocks placed in your way or was there a fresh market for your books?

There seemed to be a fresh market for my books. I never had anyone tell me that interracial or multicultural books wouldn’t sell. And I have yet to have a reader tell me they didn’t appreciate the multicultural aspect. This is a global economy and I think people are much more open to multicultural romances in books because we are more open to it in general.

Also, my personal relationships have been multicultural. My kid’s dad and I are of different races. And neither of us were ever raised to care. As a result I’ve taught my kids not to care. They have a wide range of friends from all over, and they tell them about my books without hesitation or shame.

4. What do you believe readers come to expect from your books or what do you hope they expect to find in your style or genre?

Readers expect a tight plot with hot sex. They expect that if all the sex was removed, they’d still have a damn good story to read. I believe my reader’s also expect a TJ Michaels book to have a strong heroine. A smart and capable woman who can handle her alpha without being a total bitch. A woman that glories in her femininity while handling her business.

5. Please tell us about your current releases, DOING IT THE HARD WAY and CARAMEL KISSES.

Doing it the Hard Way was just released from Pocket Books, which is a division of Simon and Schuster of New York. It’s an anthology of three authors – me, Shiloh Walker and Madeline Hayes.

My story is called Jaguar’s Rule. It’s a multicultural book about a woman named Reya who is a ranger at the Cockscomb Jaguar Sanctuary in Belize…and yes it’s a real place and it really is called Cockscomb! A man crashes his airplane in her jungle and she has to protect him from a male jaguar. Reya is a female jaguar shifter. All kinds of twists and turns keep you guessing as the plot moves along. It’s gotten great reviews and was nominated for a CAPA when it was first released.

Caramel Kisses is my first true contemporary, released just last month. It was weird writing that book! The plot jumped into my head and I had to put the story on paper, but it was strange not to have vampires or shifters or spirit guides in it. It’s not only multicultural, but it’s older woman/younger man. Strong characters and a solid plot too. And of course there’s a bad guy you love to hate, as in all of my books.

6. What was your favorite book to write?
I’d have to say it’s a toss up between ‘Jaguar’s Rule’ and ‘Carinian’s Seeker-Vampire Council of Ethics Book 1’. Carinian’s Seeker was also nominated for a CAPA when it was released. It will be going out of print soon so if you don’t have a copy, get one quick! Amazon still has them, and book sellers can also order them directly from the publisher.

7. Do you have any up coming projects that you would like to share?

I’m actually working on a few. What I need to do is buckle down and finish a project rather than hopping back and forth between novels. But they’re all so good it’s hard to choose what to finish next.

I’m writing two follow up books to Spirit of the Pryde. One of those books introduces the characters from Jaguar’s Rule, too. I’m also working on the fourth book in the Vampire Council of Ethics series, as well as my first Sci-Fi for the Ellora’s Cave Hunter’s for Hire series.

There is also a new series with some awesome writers that I’ve banded together with – and if the series doesn’t work out we could always audition as the next hot girl band for women over thirty! We’re currently working on the plot lines and such. The project will be underway in earnest after RT madness if over with.

And then there’s ‘the big book’ – first one I ever wrote. I’ve never sold it to anyone but an agent has requested it. We’ll see where that goes.

8. What is a typical writing day like for you?
I get up and head into my office. I work all day on technical issues for my customers – they are large biotech and pharma manufacturers (which is why you’ll find some weird science mixed into my books ;D). After that I write until I simply can’t stand. And if it’s a day where I don’t feel like writing I play World of WarCraft. I’m so addicted. All my son’s fault. And yes, we actually play together when we can.

9. Is there anything else that you would like your readers to know about you?
Yes, I’d like them to know that I truly, deeply and personally appreciate them reading my books. Writing is hard work and we put a lot of blood, sweat, tears and money into it. I really appreciate readers buying the books and keeping them on the shelves.

10. How may we, as readers, learn more about you and your books? (Websites, blogs, etc.)
You can always find me at www.tjmichaels.com and my blog is at www.tjmichaels.com/the-scoop

Thank you so much for taking time out to talk to us at CataNetwork.

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