Lesley Ann McDaniel – Character Interview – Part 1 of 2

Shannon here: Contemporary romance author, Lesley Ann McDaniel shares insight into her characters’ romance from her latest release, Big Sky Bachelor, book 2 in her series. Comment on any post dated Oct 14 – 16 to get in the drawing. Deadline: Oct 26th, 11:59 pm central time. Here’s Lesley:

Janessa Greene (inspiration pictured at right), my main character from “Big Sky Bachelor”, has agreed to answer a few questions about love and romance. Keep in mind that she did this interview before meeting Micah. Meeting that handsome cowboy shook up her plans and her perspective. Wait till you meet him yourself, and you’ll understand why.

• Are you open to your own romance?

Someday, but not yet! I have so many things I want to do first, and a romance would only be a distraction. I’m going to go to culinary school and become a chef. I can’t wait to get away from the small town where I grew up. Not that I don’t love the people here…

• What’s the number one quality you’d require in a mate?

Well, he has to be a man of faith, that’s for sure. Without that, there’s really no basis for a relationship, as far as I’m concerned. And you can’t fake it, either. Real faith in God shines like a beacon in the darkness. That’s what my daddy always used to say.

•  Where is the best place you can think of to find a mate?

In the city! I want someone who thrives on the excitement of city life. I grew up in Thornton Springs, Montana…ever heard of it? Most people haven’t. You can practically count the population of this place on the fingers of one hand. I’m exaggerating, but seriously, everyone here knows everyone else, and I can’t wait to get out of here and see what the world has to offer. When the time is right for romance, well, I’m sure there will be plenty of interesting candidates to choose from.

• Where is the worst place you can think of to find a mate?

Well, I think you know the answer to that. Sure, there are some real nice guys in Thornton Springs, but none of them are really all that interesting. Not in a romantic kind of way. I’m sure if I wanted to stay here and be a ranch wife, like my best friend Andra, I’d be fine settling for one of the cowboys around here. There are some nice looking ones, and they know how to treat women with respect and all….  Plus lots of them go to church regularly, so that’s a good thing. I mean…for Andra. Not for me. No way would I let myself fall for someone who wants to live here for the rest of his life.

• If you could order a carbon copy of an actor or actress with the perfect character traits and beliefs for your mate, who would it be?

You know Aaron Eckhart in that movie “No Reservations”? He played a chef opposite Catherine Zeta Jones. That would be my dream guy. Not that I think I should marry another chef necessarily. I mean, professional competitiveness isn’t as romantic as it is in the movies. Plus he wasn’t a Christian, but still…that would be a starting point anyway.

• What would be the best gift a potential mate could buy for you?

Anything for my kitchen. There’s no end to the great gadgets and tools a chef can use to create culinary art. Anyone who gives me a kitchen gadget is bound to be the lucky recipient of the results when I test it out.

About Lesley: LESLEY ANN MCDANIEL is a lifelong lover of words, and theatre. While earning a degree in acting, she fell in love with theatrical costuming, and pursued that as a career while nurturing her passion for writing on the side. Through God’s guidance, she has shifted her focus to honing her skills as a writer of Women’s and Young Adult fiction. She is a member of the Northwest Christian Writers Association and of a wonderful critique group. A native Montanan and a Big Sky girl at heart, Lesley now resides in the Seattle area.

About the book – Big Sky Bachelor:

Janessa Greene is leaving Thornton Springs.

All she’s ever wanted is to attend cooking school in Seattle. But when a big-shot rodeo rider comes to work on her family’s Montana ranch, Janessa’s determined not to let the cowboy distract her from her goal—no matter how charming he is.

Micah was a rodeo star, but he’s been trampled by one bull too many. While he’s deciding his next move, he gets sidetracked by a pretty cowgirl who’s headed out of town. Can Micah convince her to take a chance on a cowboy ready to put down roots?

Come back Oct 16th for Lesley’s recipe for romance!