Firsts with First Time Author, Nana Malone

More from me tomorrow folks, but today I want to introduce debut author Nana Malone! Please give her a warm welcome as she shares some firsts while celebrating the release of her first novel, "Game, Set, Match".

And, as a special treat: I recently received a few copies of "Case File: Canyon Creek Wyoming" the first book in a series from one of my fave suspense authors, Paula Graves. Leave a comment today and be entered to win a copy.

Now, Nana, take it away!!!

1. First car? Best memory of it?

A hand me down Mitsubishi Mirage. The oil leaked. It shook when the wind blew. Not ideal for east coast living, especially in the snow, but I could make it to school and back for 5 days on an eight of a tank. I loved that car…until it left me stranded at King’s Dominion (a local amusement park). Damn thing died right there. Not to mention, I also wasn’t supposed to drive it that far. The parental units were none too pleased.

2. First kiss? What do you remember about it?

I was fifteen. A boy named Kevin. Lol. I remember being terrified that I wasn’t going to do it right. Leading up to the kiss, I remember getting a book on how to kiss “right” I believe it advocated practicing on your hand. Yes, I was sheltered and a very late bloomer.

3. First dance? Do you remember the song? Why?

Are we talking with a boy? In that case, I think it was with Jay O. in the eighth grade. He was so sweet to even ask me to dance as I was the second tallest girl in the class at the time and towered over him by several inches. The Song, I believe was Stairway to Heaven. And I only remember that because I was nervous and kept thinking, wow, this is an awfully long song.

4. First romance book?

I don’t remember the title, so much as the clandestine operation to be able to read it. My first ten year old foray into the romance aisle at the bookstore didn’t go well and I was not eager to repeat the experience. Curious about the bright glossy covers with half naked men on them, I picked one up. Let’s just say my mother was not amused. The tongue lashing I received was enough to make me stay away from that aisle for a good long time. So anyway, that summer I was in Ghana and my cousin gave me a Harlequin Suspense to read. She’d already read it so I could do what I wanted with it. I had to strip the cover so my mother wouldn’t know what I was reading. To be extra specially careful, I also used to hide to read it just in case and keep it under all my CDs where I knew she wouldn’t look.

5. First pet?

Snoopy. I was about four years old in Ghana and a family friend gave him to me. He was spotted just like his namesake and much like a little butterball. Alas Snoopy met an untimely demise when he got into the chicken feed. I was devastated. Still miss the little guy.

6. First heartbreak?

Real or imagined? If you’re talking imagined, then my high school best friend Tim. I was so in love and he had not one single clue that I was a girl. Turns out he knew about the crush, but had no interest. Crushed. I think I cried for days.
As for real heartbreak, my now husband and I had been dating for about two years and he broke up with me just before finals. He said he needed to find himself. I think I told him to “Find this.” It took us another couple of years to get back together, but holy devastation. I thought my heart would literally fall out of my chest.

7. First story you ever wrote?

That I don’t remember, but I do remember the first story I wrote where I thought I could be a writer. I wrote a piece for my English class about growing up in Ghana, throwing in as much visual imagery as I could find. I think it might have been overkill and used too many adverbs, but I did get an A on that paper.

8. First writing rejection?

My first pass on a novel. I still cringe when I think about it. To protect the innocent, we’ll call her “Agent A.’ She said, and I’m quoting here “Your characters lack depth. And your choice of setting in Ghana makes this an un-relatable story line.” Ouch. Still makes me hiss in pain. To be fair though, maybe the characters did lack some depth. I had a lot to learn. Still do.

9. First love?

That one’s easy. *G* His name is Erik. I met him on our first day of freshman year of college. I saw him across the room at a party and I said to myself, “That one. I want that one.” Ten years later we were married.

If you want to find out more about me and my upcoming books, you can find me here:

www.nanamalone.com
www.twitter.com/nanamalone
www.facebook.com/nanamalone

Off the court, tennis star Jason Cartwright’s playboy image is taking a public beating. On the court, he’s down forty-love. A knee injury is shutting down his game, and the paparazzi are splashing his love life on every magazine. A comeback is in order, but the makeover he needs to save his faltering career is in the hands of the woman he loved and left fifteen years ago.

While single-mom, Izzy Connors, sees people for who they really are through the lens of her camera, even without it, she knows Jason isn’t the star he appears to be. Although his charm and good looks haven’t dimmed since he broke her heart, all she sees is his wasted talent and playboy lifestyle.

Can Izzy put the past behind her and help Jason get his game, and his image, back on track? Or will the click of her camera shatter his world as well as his heart?

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