Welcome Guest Author Maria Hammarblad

STEPH: Maria, it's great to have you here today. What's the plot for your latest book, "Kidnapped?"

MARIA: It all starts with a case of mistaken identity. Patricia Risden is driving home late at night, someone appears in the middle of the road, and she loses control of the car. It turns out the man causing the accident is from another world. He's the leader of a rebellion against an all powerful - and conveniently evil - government. He is chased by authorities, of course, and the pursuer assumes Tricia was there to meet him. When she regains consciousness, she's in a spaceship with Earth disappearing in the distance. From that point in time she needs to stay alive, figure out how everything works, and somehow find her way home.

STEPH: Where did you find the inspiration for the main story?

MARIA: That is a very good question. I started writing on this so long ago I'm not sure anymore.

STEPH: How do the hero and heroine meet?

MARIA: He is interrogating her. She's terrified of him, and he thinks she's pretty useless. It was a lot of fun to write!

STEPH: How does the cover reflect the story?

MARIA: I love the cover. I think it reflects the story pretty well too; there are portions where Patricia uses holographic maps. I like how you see the Earth in the distance too, as if coming or leaving. The girl on the cover doesn't really look like I imagine her, but that's okay.

STEPH: What genre is Kidnapped, and why do you like to write that genre?

MARIA: It is a science fiction romance. I've always been fascinated with space, I mean, there could be anything out there. When I was a little girl I would tell my mom how my real family would come down from the stars and bring me home at any moment. If we were out driving I expected a spaceship to land on the road, and I was disappointed every time it didn't happen. I wanted to go home. Poor mom didn't like that very much... I was a weird kid!

STEPH: How long have you been writing?

MARIA: I've always been writing. I wanted to make books before I could read or write. Being able to entertain people with my words is a life-long dream come true.

STEPH: Are you a plotter or a panster?

MARIA: A little of both. I usually have a pretty good idea of the beginning, the end, and what's supposed to happen in between. Once I start writing unexpected things happen. The characters take on lives of their own, and then you never know where the thing will end up. Sometimes they don't like each other, even though they're supposed to. Sometimes a bad guy turns out to be good, and a good guy bad...

STEPH: Do you prefer to read ebooks or print books?

MARIA: I want to have print books, but I read mostly ebooks. It's convenient to be able to have a book in the phone and read whenever you get bored. I also use the text to speech function in the Kindle a lot. Any time I'm out driving, I plug the Kindle into the car stereo and let it read to me. I used to think its voice was a bit snarky, but now I've gotten used to it.

STEPH: Who is your favorite author?

MARIA: There are so many great authors it's hard to pick just one. I love Margaret Atwood. I like many indie and small press authors, like Christy Elkins, Chris J. Randolph, and Linda Ann Rentschler. Amongst the mainstream writers I like Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Robert Ludlum... The list could go on and on. :-)

STEPH: Fun question: What's your favorite children's book?

MARIA: Ronia the Robbers Daughter by Astrid Lindgren. I haven't thought of this for decades, but when I was a little girl back in Sweden, many days would start with Astrid Lindgren reading her children's books on the radio. She had a wonderful voice. Even if the adventures were scary, her voice made you feel cuddled and safe.


Review snippets:

"Intrigue and oddities populate this entertaining sci-fi romance. Instead of getting mired in elaborate details of UFO technology, Hammarblad opts to focus on the human drama — to great effect. And with an occasional love scene thrown in to spice things up, readers will definitely find this novel to be an absolute gem." -- Amy Lignor, RT Book Reviews

"The romance is touching, but it's the emotional upheaval that moves this story to the next level. I highly recommend this exciting sci-fi adventure. One of the best I've ever read." -- Susan P, The Romance Studio

Buy Link:

http://amzn.com/B00825645A

On the Web:

Website: http://www.hammarblad.com
Blog: http://www.scifiromance.info
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariahammarblad
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/mariahammarblad