Where do you hail from and what do you love most about your hometown?
I was born and raised in Southern Oregon. I live in the Rogue Valley, which is right on the California border. We have a little bit of everything in Oregon. Rivers and lakes, high desert and mountains. But I think I love the coast line the most. My favorite stretch of the Oregon coast is Cape Perpetua. There’s a one hundred year old light house there that’s perched on the cliffs overlooking the Pacific ocean. It’s called Heceta Head and it still operates today, although it’s all automated now. The lighthouse keeper’s house is a bed and breakfast and one of the most romantic places I’ve ever had the privilege of staying.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I definitely wanted to be a writer. I can remember picking up my mother’s Harlequins off her dresser and thinking, I want to do that!
My parents were both writers and I wanted to be just like them. Still do.
Tell us about your latest book.
I’m so excited for this one! It’s called Teaching Officer Lonesome and it’s a steamy May/December novella. It’s about a young woman from the other side of the tracks who meets a police officer who’s still mourning his wife who died a year ago. She’s very tough and sexually experienced and he’s only ever been with one woman. She wants to teach him how fulfilling lust alone can be. He wants to teach her how to open up her heart. And they both end up learning something in the end 
Do you have anything new in the works and can you tell us a bit about it?
Right now I’m working on my third full length novel. It’s a contemporary romance with a sexy police officer hero. He’s got a bad attitude though, and our heroine has her work cut out for her. It’s called Taming Johnny. Love this one-
Is there anything you find particularly challenging about writing?
For me, writing is hard when you’re not feeling particularly inspired or your muse won’t talk to you. That’s tough. Having to write through those days feels a bit like molasses in January. But that’s all part of the package. For every one of those days, you’ll have times where the words are flowing so much, your fingers can’t type fast enough to keep up. And that’s pretty great.
What advice would you give to writers just starting out?
I think my favorite piece of advice is don’t give up. It’s so easy in the beginning to get discouraged and want to quit. I have a sticky note right by my computer with a little saying on it that I look at every day. It gave me a lot of hope in the beginning, and it still does. It says “The harder you work, the luckier you get.” It gives me comfort that you have a hand in your own fate. If you work really, really hard, it WILL pay off. You just have to be patient and give it time.
Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?
I do have times when writing is hard for me. When it doesn’t come easily. I don’t call it writer’s block though. It’s a mental thing. I don’t like to give it that kind of power. When writing a scene or a chapter (or a whole book for that matter) is tough, I just keep trudging along. I learned a really important lesson with my last book, Falling In Danger. That one was a humdinger to write! It was so difficult, gave me fits every step of the way. I was convinced it was terrible and was close to scrapping it several times. But my wonderful critique partners kept cheering me on from the sidelines and I finally managed to finish. When I went back to read it over for the first time, I found that it was actually pretty good. That book is now my favorite. I learned from that experience that even though your writing may not come easily, it doesn’t mean it’s bad.
Who is your favorite author and why?
I’m a certifiable Stephen King nut. Love the guy. I think he’s a genius. I’ve read just about everything that he’s written- some of it twice. He has such a way with words. The way he creates such unforgettable characters and stories, never stops amazing me.
What books have most influenced your life?
On Writing, by Mr. King actually gave me the courage to write my first book. It influenced not only the way I write, but how often I write. I learned from that book that in order to be a writer, you have to write. To make the time nearly every day to fit it in and make it a part of your routine.
How did you deal with rejection letters?
Oh, dear. Not well. I wish I could tell you that I was one of those people with really thick skin that the rejection slips just bounced right off of. But I’m not. I do have thicker skin than when I started out, though. I can remember one contest in particular where the judge’s comments had me reduced to a bawling, hiccupping mess. Ugh.
I don’t take rejections as personally now. I know it’s just all part of the business, but they’re still not fun. It’s amazing how much wine can help, though
What tools do you feel are must-haves for writers?
I love my thesaurus! My parents got it for me a few years ago on my birthday and I use it all the time. It’s a good one- super thick, lots of words in there you’d never think to use. I also love my dictionary. Those are my favorites as far as physical writing tools. Having a good, solid knowledge of the craft is an important mental tool, as well. Never stop learning!
Where do you as an author draw the line on gory descriptions and/or erotic content?
That’s a great question! My novella, Teaching Officer Lonesome, was my first attempt at erotic romance. I told myself that I’d write as hot as I could, while still being comfortable with what I was writing. I quickly found what I was comfortable with and what I wasn’t. When certain words and phrases made me squirm, it zapped the fun out of it. I had to go back and delete a few things because I thought they sounded tacky. Everyone has their own preferences and that’s what makes the world go round. For me, I like smoking hot sex scenes, but tastefully done. I like classy erotic romance, so that’s what I tried to write.
What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever done in the name of research?
I have a book idea knocking around in my head that takes place in a very small, very hick town in Oregon. I stopped there one time with my girlfriend and we took pictures of several buildings in town, including the convenience store. I think most people thought we were off our rocker. But I now have those pictures hanging on my bulletin board next to my desk for inspiration
Don’t forget to give us links to your website etc.
Thank you so much for having me! You can find me at:
Twitter: @KaylieNewell
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kaylienewell
My blog: http://www.kaylienewell.com
Teaching Officer Lonesome
By Kaylie Newell
A sexy cop with a broken heart is about to be taught a lesson.
Hope Marlow is a twenty-two-year-old seasoned vet when it comes to steamy one-night stands. Hope has had a hard life. From the wrong side of the tracks and abandoned by her mother, she finds herself trying to raise her little sister on a salary that barely pays the bills each month. She’s tough, jaded, but when she’s pulled over one sweltering summer afternoon for not using her turn signal, she meets her match in a sexually inexperienced cop twice her age.
The day Jack Malone stopped Hope is one he can’t forget. It’s more than the way she looked in the miniskirt and hot pink tank top, it’s her confidence that keeps coming back to haunt him. But Jack is still reeling from his wife’s death a year ago, and Hope represents things he thinks he can’t have with a woman—passion and a new beginning. Plus, there’s the fact that she’s practically half his age.
Hope sees things differently. The age difference doesn’t bother her, but while Jack craves an emotional connection, Hope has no interest in that. She’s an expert at pushing her emotions aside, and she knows that if Jack would let her, she could teach him how fulfilling lust alone can be. With that in mind, she sets out to seduce the sexy cop.
It’s only during their first night of passion that they both discover how much they’ve been missing.
Content Warning: contains sensual sex and some explicit language
About The Author
For Kaylie Newell, storytelling is in the blood. Growing up the daughter of two gifted writers, she knew
eventually she’d want to follow in their footsteps. While she’s written short stories her whole life, it wasn’t until after her kids were born that she decided to shoot for the moon and write her first romance novel. She hasn’t looked back since!
Kaylie lives in Southern Oregon with her husband, two little girls, an elderly Chihuahua mix, and two indifferent cats.
She would love to hear from you! You can find her at:
Website: http://www.kaylienewell.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KaylieNewell
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KaylieNewell
Excerpt
Before her knees could touch the linoleum, Jack grabbed her and pulled her up again. “I don’t even know you, Hope. And you don’t know me. Don’t you think there’s something off here?”
“No.”
He grunted.
“Well, I don’t,” she said. “You’re a guy. Guys like sex. They understand it. They relate to it. It’s how you operate. Lucky for you, I happen to speak guy.”
The beginnings of a smile touched his lips. “I don’t operate like that. I don’t just sleep with random women. I need more than this.”
More than this. Hope considered herself pretty tough. She was young, but she’d seen a lot. Her father’s abuse, her mother’s abandonment, extreme poverty. She’d seen her fair share. But despite that, hearing those words coming from this man, hurt. A lot. She wasn’t good enough.
She dropped her hands and stepped back. “I see.”
He must have recognized the look on her face, because he immediately reached out again. She pulled away and sat heavily on the couch.
“That’s not what I meant.”
She bit the inside of her cheek, unable to look at him. “I know what you meant. And that’s okay. It really is.”
Liar. It’s not okay. It’s never going to be okay. The steel wall around her heart magically gained another layer as she made a bitter mental note. It’s official. Sexy, older soccer dads who look fantastic in their work uniforms, and who also happen to be handy around the house, are off your list, missy.
Jack bent down and took her hands. When she tried to pull them back, he tightened his grip. “Will you listen to me for a second?”
She stared at the floor as if it were the most interesting thing in the world. When he touched his fingers to her chin, they were warm and calloused, rough and sexy. He raised her head gently until she had no choice but to look him in the face.
“That’s not what I meant,” he said, his voice low. “You’re a beautiful young woman. Any man would be lucky to have you.”
She clamped her teeth together. I will not cry, I will not cry, I will not cry.
“I didn’t mean I need more than this.” Emphasizing the last word, his eyes fell, lingering for a moment on her breasts. “I meant I need more in the form of a relationship.”
“A relationship?” She searched his face for any sign he was joking, but found none. He really was too good to be true. “Seriously?”
“Why’s that so hard to believe?”
“I’ve just never met a guy who actually wanted a relationship before sex.” She smiled a little, but he remained serious.
“I don’t think sex should be a casual thing. I think you should love someone first. Or at least have feelings for them.”
Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, she wondered if she could convince him otherwise. She happened to know sex could be mind-blowing even if you weren’t head over heels in love.
“Can I ask you something?” she said.
He sat back on his heels. “Shoot.”
“How many women have you been with?”
His face colored, even through the thick, dark stubble which prickled his neck and jaw. “That’s none of your business, Hope.”
“I think it’s relevant to the conversation we’re having.”
“I’m not discussing this with you.”
“Maybe you should.”
He was quiet for a minute, and so was she. They stared at each other for a long moment before he spoke again.
“I’m flattered. I really am. But I’m too old for you.”
“You think you’re too old for me. I feel differently.”
He smiled in a way that said he was done talking about it. “I’m too old for you. But I’d like to be friends. Do you think we can manage that?”
Sure. Whatever.
Sticking his hand out to shake, he was suddenly Officer Malone again. The aloof and businesslike cop who had stopped her last week for the blinker thingy.
“Sure,” she said, feeling like a little girl with a hopeless crush. “Friends.”
