Hi Karen, and thank you for taking the time to talk to the Love Romances and More readers and me! I’ve been hoping for an opportunity to “meet” and talk to you since I read Jewels of the Quill’s TREASURES FROM THE HEART anthology.  I just fell in love with the characters in each of the stories. That was, for me, a true showcase of talent that introduced me to authors who quickly became auto-buys for me. Each is unique and tells a story for all time…and that especially includes you! 

So, now that I have laid claim to some of your time, I have some questions I’d love the chance to hear the answers to and share with our readers. I know you have a new series—the Incognito Series—that is drawing tremendous rave reviews. And the Jewels have a new anthology—TALES FROM THE TREASURE TROVE, Volume II (with your futuristic romance, “The Amethyst Star”)—as well. So let’s find out about Karen Wiesner! 

On your website, it says you have published 32 books in 8 years….that’s four a year, including being the founder of Jewels of the Quill—one book every 3 months! How do you structure your time to accomplish so much?

The secret to my success is contained in my Writer’s Digest Books bestseller, FIRST DRAFT IN 30 DAYS.  Find out more at www.firstdraftin30days.com. I’m now a year ahead of my releases, so it gives me a lot of breathing room. 

What inspired the concept for the Incognito Series?  

I was a huge fan of the action/adventure series, La Femme Nikita, on Fox.  I love the concept of a covert government agency (mine is called the Network), one that requires an operative’s identity in order to maintain anonymity.  I also love the fact that these stories never have truly happy endings.  Love is forbidden in the Network, and therefore operatives are risking their very lives by falling in love—whether with someone within the Network or someone without.  As you can imagine, this makes for some pretty intense tension as my characters “love in the shadows.” 

Book 1, NO ORDINARY LOVE, is the heart wrenching story of Kira and Vincent. Book 2 is UNTIL DEATH DO US PART (great title by the way). Did you move from NO ORDINARY LOVE right into this one, or did you give yourself a little break?  

I wrote Books 1 and 2 back to back, then followed with the full outlines of Books 3 and 4.  Then the series was in limbo for literally 2 or 3 years while I tried to find a home for it.  When I finally sold the series to Whiskey Creek Press, it was a bit of a shock when I went back to write Book 3.  I’d changed as a person, my writing had changed, and my career had altered so radically.  Books 1 and 2 are really very much romantic action/adventure.  Books 3-5, so far, are romantic suspense, but I think the level of excitement is maintained despite the slight change in the genre.  Books 2 and 3, though both stand alone, are a continuation of a situation presented in Book 2 and completed in Book 3, so don’t miss either of them! ☺ 

Are you working on anything right now, and can you tell us a teaser about these projects?  

To focus on only my Whiskey Creek Press upcoming releases: 

I’ve completed Books 3 and 4 of the Incognito Series and the first draft of Book 5.  I plan to outline Book 6 by the end of the year.  Here’s what you can expect in the 2007 releases: 

BOUNTY ON THE REBEL’S HEART, Book 3 of the Incognito Series (coming February 2007)  Rebel Porter is a man on the edge.  His wife was killed to silence evidence he and his partner uncovered on a dangerously corrupt man of power.  Reb is on the run, yet the men after him always seem to find him.  When Reb’s supposed long-time friend, investigative journalist (undercover Network Operative Natalie Francis) Adrienna Kelly, joins his plight, they uncover a conspiracy that could upset the wrong people, bring a mountain of corruption down on them, and silence both of them for good.  Reb is as afraid to lose someone else to the bounty on his head as to lose his heart to another woman.  When Adrienna realizes she’s fallen for the man she’d been protecting, she considers the impossible—escaping the Network. 

DEAD DROP, Book 4 of the Incognito Series (coming July 2007)  Roan Emory, double agent for the Network, was recruited at the age of 20 against him will.  Parris “Perry” L’Engle, the only woman Roan ever loved, was told he was dead.  Now, 25 years later, he’s a man on the edge with the face of a fallen angel and the heart of a machine.  Alone, Perry conceived the child he never knew she was carrying.  When their son is approached by a covert agency—the same one Perry knows approached Roan just before he disappeared, Perry knows the man she loves isn’t dead.  As an FBI agent, Perry is determined to find Roan—the only man who can save their son from the same fate that destroyed both of their lives.     

UNDER THE SPELL, Book 5 of the Incognito Series (coming October 2007)  Alex Lynch has spent a lifetime working hard toward the goal of owning his own ranch.  His dream has finally come true when Gina Calhoun—a girl he’d loved all his life, despite her penchant for looking for trouble and his penchant for bailing her out—drops back into his life, seemingly out of nowhere. Network Communications and Systems Analyst Justine Fielding, the former Gina Calhoun, is all grown up, more beautiful than ever...and even more restless.  Little does Alex know that the woman he’s falling under the spell of all over again is there on a mission to uncover and stop the dangerous men who killed her father.  This time, Gina is the only one who can bail him out of the trouble about to come down on him.   

I have quite a few Jewels of the Quill anthology stories and collections coming out in the next couple years, too.  Here’s an overview: 

DAME AMETHYST TREASURES collection by Karen Wiesner (Dame Amethyst), including “The Amethyst Angel,” “A Home for Christmas,” “The Amethyst Star” and a bonus, never-before-published romantic paranormal novella called “Creatures of the Night” (coming July 2007 from Whiskey Creek Press).   

TALES FROM THE TREASURE TROVE, Volume III (March 2007) will include my romantic thriller “Revenge in Amethyst,” Adventures in Amethyst Series, Book 2.  The first book in the series was “A Rose for Romeo” published in TREASURES OF THE HEART, A Jewels of the Quill Valentine’s Day Anthology, available now. 

The ADVENTURES IN AMETHYST SERIES COLLECTION, including “A Rose for Romeo” (Story 1), “Revenge in Amethyst” (Story 2) plus two bonus stories never before published “Reckless Rose” (Story 3) and “Christmas in Amethyst” (Story 4) will be released September 2007 from WCP.   

“Papa,” Book 1 in my new romantic horror series, Woodcutter’s Grim Series—Classic Tales of Horror Retold, will be published in SHADOWS IN THE HEART, the first Jewels of the Quill Halloween anthology (coming September 2007). 

“Blood of Amethyst,” Woodcutter’s Grim Series, Book 2, will be released in TALES FROM THE TREASURE TROVE, Volume IV (March 2008).   

The WOODCUTTER’S GRIM SERIES COLLECTION, including “Papa” (Book 1), “Blood of Amethyst” (Book 2), plus a bonus story never before published “The Amethyst Tower” (The Final Chapter) will come out in September 2008.   

Finally, CHRISTMAS WISHES, the 2^nd Jewels of the Quill Christmas anthology will be released September 2008 with the first, “Perfect Cadence,” in another brand new contemporary romance series I’m doing (Kaleidoscope Series). 

You can read excerpts of Incognito Series:  Books 1-3 along with a sneak peek of Book 4, and find details about all these releases on my website:  http://www.karenwiesner.com (click Fiction).