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Small-town country girl Calisa Rhose lives in a semi-remote area of Oklahoma with her husband, five dogs and one horse. All of her three daughters and their families live within throwing distance. She’s a member of RWA and the local chapter OKRWA. She intends to nurture and continue to grow as an author with the help of her family and supporters.
Calisa, welcome to Heroines with Hearts!
Tell us about yourself.
I began writing, weaving stories as a teen and it never went away. With encouragement from family I finally wrote and began to submit. I’m published with The Wild Rose Press as of Dec 2011—three weeks ago!
Tell us about Home.
My story is one of several books created by Oklahoma authors to hi-light the awesome talent we Okies have in our little fingers (and the rest of our bodies, too) that tells of the travels through time of a cursed scrimshaw doll. HOME is about finding a place to belong when the one place my hero Sam Callahan had always thought would be there wasn’t any longer. War had changed everything for him. My heroine, Poppy Tippen becomes that place of comfort and peace for him just when he thinks all is lost. For Poppy HOME has always been where love is so when she saw the chance to have the man she’s always loved she fights for him and her own place to belong.
How does it fit into the Scrimshaw Doll series?
Poppy is a descendant of the original creator of the curse. But being a modern woman of the sixties she doesn’t hold to wives tales so she chooses to ignore the curse that only true love can break. Is it real? You’ll have to read to find out. HOME is the turning point book in the series as the final historical.
What got you interested in writing?
I don’t even know. I started out with poetry in middle school and it snowballed from there over the years.
What comes first, plot or characters?
Characters usually, but with HOME I think plot created the characters.
What have you learned from being a published author that you wish you knew before you were published?
It takes a lot of patience! And the world of authors is so supportive I was amazed at how quickly I was accepted as one of ‘them’ by all authors I met with my publisher!
(Debra: TWRP really is a very supportive, extremely talented group of authors.)
Any advice for new writers?
Get a few critique partners, join a good and supportive, critique group and then use what feels right to you. Not everything a crit partner says is gold so be careful you chip the nuggets out and save them. Most of all, don’t give up. If writing is your dream—keep after it!
What’s next for you? What have you got in the works?
I have a paranormal series I’m writing and a contemporary cowboy story is in progress. I also have a couple of projects I set aside to work on the cowboy one that I can’t wait to get back to this new year.
(Debra: Oooh. I love cowboy stories!)
Where can we find you and your books?
Get your copy of HOME at The Wild Rose Press and on Amazon.
Find Calisa at her website/blog http://calisarhose.wordpress.com
On twitter @Calisa_Rhose and Facebook @Calisa Rhose
She loves to hear from readers so drop her a line at calisa.rhose@gmail.com
HOME blurb
TAG:
What could a gypsy and a Vietnam veteran have in common?
BLURB:
Silvertown’s outcast, Poppy Tippen, has loved football hero Sam “The Force” Callahan forever. But he never seemed to know she was alive. Now he’s home from the war and she suddenly finds herself comforting him from the demons of “that damn war.” Is his attention merely an escape from the haunting nightmares? Or does she hold the interest of the only man she’s ever truly loved?
Sam Callahan’s only solace from the war nightmares wrecking his life comes in the unlikely form of a gypsy girl with stigmas of her own. He’s known Poppy his entire life, but there’s something different about her now. Something special he desperately wants to hold on to. Can he convince her she’s the only thing he needs to put the past behind him?
Wonderful to have you here, Calista. Congratulations on your first release. Home sounds very interesting. I love timetravels and the idea that "curses" can carry over generations. I think in terms of karma, but that's semantics. I'm happy you're writing midwestern settings and themes. Can you say more about how plot drove your character development?
ReplyDeleteHi Calisa,
ReplyDeleteWelcome! I'm in the middle of another book with a character named Poppy...which is interesting because it seems like such an unusual name? How did come to choose it for your heroine?
Hi Calisa,
ReplyDeleteI'm reading Home now and enjoying it very much! I wish you much success with your debut.
Nice interview ladies! I'm so looking forward to reading this story. I love the premise and all the excerpts I've read.
ReplyDeleteAnd excellent advice about critique partners Calisa...you have to learn to take what works for your story and not all of their advice will. Follow your gut :)
Happy Reading and Writing everyone!
Fun interview! Good luck with your release, Calisa...home is on mykundlenwaiting it's turn(impatiently!)
ReplyDeleteHi Anna! It's great meeting you. If the curse and time travels for it entice you, be sure to check out the original beginning, book one in the series- A Pirate's Proposal by Diane Layne releases very soon. Jan. 18th I think. What I meant by plot creating the characters is that usually I know my characters inside out by the time I begin writing. Sure some things may change as the story unfolds, but the characters, their personalities and such, are firm.With HOME I had trouble getting a handle on the hero but as the story developed so did he. In turn some aspects of Poppy changed as she developed into the woman Sam needed. But it was the plot, the war and its after-affects, that impacted and therefore created my damaged hero as I realized what all he'd gone through. I knew his past, I knew he suffered from the war, but I had no idea how deep that pain went until I got into the story.
ReplyDeleteThanks for inviting me here!
Hi Debra! I love what ya'll have done with your blog. Sexy fun!
ReplyDeleteSo cool you have a Poppy, too! My Poppy told me her name. I don't know where it came from except that I knew I wanted a name from the fifties (since she was born then) but that would reflect her gypsy mother and her heritage. Her mother's name is Henna. So I knew the gypsy had to be prominent in it. Unique, different. Then while scrolling through names her name came to me out of left field. It wasn't in the names I'd been searching so I looked the name up and decided it worked for the cause. It's so HER.
I'm chewing nails! I know you told me already that you're reading it, Gale, but I'm still having trouble realizing people are reading MY BOOK!!! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteWas it like that for you?
Hugs sista! I know you'll let me know when you read it but I'm anxious! You always give great advice in critiques btw.
ReplyDeleteThanks Kristi! You know, I have SOOO many impatient books on my kindlenwaiting. It's awesome to join those great books and be somewhere besides on my hard drive! lol
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry ANA. I just realized I added an extra 'n' to your name. Not a good way to kick off the day. ;)
ReplyDeleteSo nice to have you here today. I love the sound of your book and can't wait to read it! Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteHi Calisa,
ReplyDeleteCongrats on such a great story! I love your suggestion about critique groups/partners. I agree, and think they are essential. Best wishes for continued success with your writing. :)
Thank you Jennifer! It's great to be here today. I hope you get my book and love it!
ReplyDeleteHi Joya *waves* I couldn't write a word without my cps and I'm so fortunate to have two wonderful groups. They all bring something different to a ms. I just don't like to share one ms with both groups because then you have a case of too many eyes, too many edits and a story can really suffer. I alternate or separate genres for them. Each group is able to crit the genre I feel they offer the most for me in.
ReplyDeleteThanks for coming by!
Calisa,
ReplyDeleteInteresting background on your heroine's name. Those are the things as a reader we usually don't find out, but intrigue us as authors. :)
My post did sound like I had a Poppy, what I mean was the book I'm reading has a Poppy...ooops.
Good advice, Calisa. I'm so, so happy that HOME is out and I wish you the utmost success. The Scrimshaw Doll Series has been more fun than I dreamed it would be.
ReplyDeleteI've read HOMEm by the way, and it's a wonderful story! Everyone should check it out.
I read and enjoyed it! Need to go write a review. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteLove Okies - they're in my bloodline. Love the name Poppy. Good luck with the book.
ReplyDeleteHeheh Debra, that is what I thought. But still it's such a cutesy name that I don't think many characters can carry.
ReplyDeleteThe series wouldn't exist without you Alicia! Thanks for thinking it up (well, not the doll but a series from OK) and for loving it and for dropping by!!! I'll miss seeing you next Saturday. :(
ReplyDeleteThank you Clancy!
ReplyDeleteIt's in my blood, too Brenda. Thanks for stopping in!
ReplyDeleteSorry to be late to the party - had a busy day! But congrats on your recent release, Calisa, and good luck with it. It sounds facinating, espceially with the curse from the past.
ReplyDeleteI also find it fascinating how a story plot can shape your characters and allow you to learn more about them - to me it's part of the fun of writing.
Absolutely Paula. When that happens I try to pay full attention and make notes of bits that come to me that I might be able to use later even. I don't know of any other stories I've written that the story built a character, so this was a new experience for me.
ReplyDeleteThanks for coming by!
I can't wait to read Home. Best of luck with your sales.
ReplyDeleteHey Calisa, Here I am again. Loved Home, and I wish you much success with it.
ReplyDeleteHi Calisa,
ReplyDeleteI'm off to a basketball tournament, so I wanted to thank you again for joining us today! It's been such a pleasure hosting you.
Good luck with "Home" and with all of your future projects. I wish you oodles and oodles of sales!
Best,
Debra
Thanks Ally!
ReplyDeleteHi Callie! *waves* I'm so happy you found me here!
ReplyDeleteThank you for having me here today Debra, Jennifer and Ana! It's been a wonderful day with you and your friends.
ReplyDeleteLove following you around and finding all these new places to "hang out." Late jumping in but wanted to let you know HOME is next on my list and I'm looking forward to reading it!
ReplyDelete