Welcome, Beth Caudill

Welcome to From the Pages, Beth. It's so nice to have you here today. I've got lots of questions to ask, so I hope you don't mind if we just dive into the interview.

Where do you write?

Have laptop will travel. Most of the time, I’m found sitting on the sofa or lounging on the bed. However during the summer, I can be outside watching the kids and continue to work.

Can you tell us anything about what you’re working on now?

I write paranormal and fantasy stories. Usually I base my stories in an alternate reality of our own universe, with this wip (work in progress) I wanted to create a brand new world. So I’ve set my story on a planet in a far away galaxy populated by typical paranormal or fantasy creatures. No humans allowed. I wanted something I could build into a series but I have a hard time sticking with one breed of paranormal. The first story in there series stars the werewolves and will be set in the forests. I plan for the second to be about elves and located in the city. After that, we’ll see how it goes.

Sounds very interesting!

Do you need silence to write or can you write through anything?o

I have to some type of background noise. I can get lost in the story better. However, new tv shows can be an unwanted distraction when working at night.

Do you listen to music while you write?

Yes! I’ve found New Age, Classical, and Soundtrack music work the best. I don’t create playlists for individual stories. Pick a CD off the pile and away I go.

What do you love most about being an author?

The freedom to create. Science and math are good but they follow precise steps and very rigid lines. I cannot draw and music is fun to play but I don’t have the ability to create in that medium. But making up places and characters that only I can see that is fun.

Do you have a recipe you would care to share with us today?

I use this recipe all the time for holiday parties and baby showers. It’s quick and the kids can help. I put this into a glass trifle bowl but have seen it in a rectangular pan as well.

Éclair Cake

Ingredients

3 ½ cups milk
1 8oz container Cool Whip
1 Box Graham Crackers
1 ½ Containers of Chocolate Cake Icing

Mix 3 ½ cups milk with the pudding and stir as directed on package.

Add Cool Whip and stir again.

Layer as follows in a glass bowl:

Graham Crackers
½ of the Pudding Mixture
Graham Crackers
½ of the Chocolate Icing
Repeat the above layering sequence and refrigerate

Now that sounds yummy! Thanks for sharing the recipe with us. I'm definitely going to try it.

What are your hobbies?

There are so many – reading, growing roses, and cross stitch are the ones I do regularly. I have a bunch of quilting stuff but I haven’t found the time to make a quilt yet.

You’ve just won a million dollars. What would you do with it?

First create accounts/trusts for my kid’s education and pay bills. After that go to RWA National Conference which I can’t afford to do this year. Maybe look at a bigger house or give more to the charity’s we usually support.

If you had to choose another profession, what would it be?

Out of college, I took the first job I could get: Technical Support. I moved to Quality Assurance testing after a few years and then I became a Stay-At-Home-Mom. Now if I had my choice of careers, I’d be a librarian. I love books and reading and being surrounded by them day after day would be cool.

Do you believe in extraterrestrial beings?

Yes. An infinite universe and tons of worlds, I believe there has to be other places intelligent life evolved.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us today?

You can read more about my short stories at my website.I belong to a paranormal romance group blog and have my own.I’m also on Facebook and MySpace.

I’ll be giving away a copy of my first short story, Garden Magic, to a lucky commenter.

Thanks for visiting, Beth. I've enjoyed this opportunity to chat with you.

Readers, check back to see if your name is the lucky one chosen to win Garden Magic!

A bit of Beth's newest release, Informally Yours--

Informally Yours

Buy Link: http://www.thewildrosepress.com/informally-yours-p-997.html

Blurb

Everyday Melinda Jenson goes to work at Formally Yours, a high-end formal wear store, unaware the customers and owner are members of the local supernatural community. On Halloween night, Melinda's boss asks her to make a simple delivery. Unwilling to disappoint her niece and nephew, she arrives late and has an unexpected encounter with a wolf. Now she’s chasing cute, furry forest creatures, and mated to a man she barely knows. “May you live in interesting times,” just took on a whole new meaning.

Excerpt

When she regained consciousness, Melinda opened her eyes and looked around in wonderment. The world had changed. The woods emitted a dark green glow that pulsed as if it were alive. She could hear insects burrowing and small animals scurrying away. The cry of an owl sounded as close as if it were next to her, yet she could see it circling high above the trees. Unfamiliar with her new body, her movements were slow as she gained her feet—all four of them! Stunned, she fell back on her haunches and examined her paws. They were covered in a cream-colored fur, and if she concentrated, she could force claws to extend. Suddenly a nudge from another animal almost knocked her over. Looking around, she nipped at the large gray wolf next to her. It nuzzled her face as if in apology. The wolf ran off a few feet, stopped, and looked back at her. She ignored him. She wanted to sit and examine her new senses. Smell and hearing were the most affected, while sight was crisper but essentially the same. The other wolf returned growling, then nipping at her behind until she got up and followed. She gave a half-hearted growl. She would go for a run if it would get him to leave her alone.

Her limbs seemed to know what to do, carrying her faster than she could imagine. Although she had been following the gray wolf, the fresh scent of a rabbit scurrying across the trail snared her attention. Yipping to let the other wolf know she stopped, her wolf senses filtered out the smell of moss and pine forest. All that remained was a fresh rabbit trail to follow on the right. With stealth, she picked her steps with care where moments before she'd been bounding through the forest.

Eventually she came upon rocks where the rabbit sat licking its paws. Melinda crawled into position ready to pounce.

An image came into her mind of her attacking the helpless animal, sinking her teeth into tender skin, breaking bones, and eating the tasty morsel. Acting on instinct, her body lunged for the rabbit but a tiny voice in the back of her head cried "NO!" The thought of eating Thumper was too disturbing.

Melinda lost her concentration and ended up falling short of the rabbit. She crashed onto the rocks. As she watched, the rabbit dashed into the safety of its burrow. She picked herself up and worked her way to the forest floor before issuing a frustrated growl.

It would take a bit to adjust to this new body. She enjoyed running through the forest, but devouring cute little forest creatures would take a little more time.

http://www.bethcaudill.net/