Friday, August 3, 2012

M.L. BUCHMAN: YOU WRITE WHAT?



I'd like to welcome romance author, M.L. (Matt) Buchman, to Over Coffee. Here's your cuppa hot chocolate, no whip, Matt and a nice comfy chair to sit in while you visit us. 
Matt wrote one of my favorite books of the year, I Own The Dawn--part of The Night Stalkers Series. Those who know me realize, by now, that I love kick-ass stories served with a healthy dollop of romance. I say, I Own The Dawn is one of my favorites because I initially read this on my Kindle and then promptly ordered a print copy, along with the first in this series, The Night Is Mine, for my keeper shelf. Let me just say, there are only a few books I will read on the kindle and then order the print copy. This is one I know I'll enjoy reading a second time. You can read my 5 star review on Goodreads.
Matt talks a bit about what made him get into writing and the shock value of being a man who writes romance (and does it very well).

Hey Sia and thanks for having me for a little sit down. Don’t mind me if I have hot cocoa instead (no whip, please). I know, I’ve lived in the Pacific NW for thirty years, starting back when Starbucks was still only one store (now almost 20,000). Worse, I was a computer geek for over a decade, no coffee on those round the clock nights either. Anyway…

My journey to writing came late. Perhaps it was just how eclectic my background was/is. My day job resume just makes employers laugh. (And recruiters weep. Honestly, I think it’s a bit cruel. I often buy them a cuppa in apology.) I’ve worked in live theater (where I learned about electricity, lighting, sound, and dialog). And fast food (where I learned how to really tick off a parent who’d paid for a good college education in geophysics –possibly the only field I’ve never worked in).

I got a job as a paralegal, but discovered I was better at computers. I climbed fast and far, right into a high-end consultancy that blew up in my face. (There is a point to this, really; bear with just a moment longer.) So there I was in that classic place; lost the business, the career, the house, and I thought, “Hey, I could get on bicycle and go around the world.” (18 months and 15 countries later, that’s exactly what I’d done.)

The weird thing was, out there in the middle of nowhere (and I mean way out there), I started into writing. At first it was a little bit of a story. But it expanded and it grew. As the months rolled by beneath my wheels, I wrote my first novel and discovered something really cool. The best job on the planet must be sitting around and making s--- up! I get to read anything I want and call it research. I managed to write off a trip to Europe for one novel and I’ve interviewed a female U.S. Army helicopter chief mechanic for another. As a matter of fact, I interviewed her for this book, I Own the Dawn, and the one to follow in the winter, Wait Until Dark.

Sure, I go to my day job, but my heart isn’t there anymore. It’s out on a flight to somewhere. It’s snuggling up in the dark after hot sex and discussing unexpected truths. It’s about sitting down and discovering that the one person you truly need in your life is seated right across from you. I can’t believe I get to share my worlds and my words with readers. That is the greatest high of all. The thing that jazzes me up and keeps me up for hours after a long work day, getting to share my stories.

“You do what?!” I write romances.


  • What do you do to startle those around you? Or what do you wish you did? I’d love to hear. 


And please check out the contest page on my website: by following along my blog tour for the month of August, you will have multiple chances to win a signed copy of I Own the Dawn:  http://www.matthewlieberbuchman.com/?p=294


BUY: AMAZON, B&N
I OWN THE DAWN BY M.L. BUCHMAN – IN STORES AUGUST 2012

Name: Archibald Jeffrey Stevenson III
Rank: First Lieutenant, Dap Hawk Copilot
Mission: Strategy and execution of special ops maneuvers

Name: Kee Smith
Rank: Sergeant, Night Stalker Gunner and Sharpshooter
Mission: Whatever it takes to get the job done

You Wouldn't Think It Could Get Worse, Until It Does...

When a special mission slowly unravels, it is up to Kee and Archie to get their team out of an impossible situation with international implications. With her weaponry knowledge and his strategic thinking, plus the explosive attraction that puts them into exact synchrony, together they might just have a fighting chance. 


I apologize, I don't have an excerpt link but you can read the first chapter on Amazon preview.







M. L. Buchman has worked in fast food, theater, computers, publishing, and light manufacturing. It's amazing what you can do with a degree in geophysics. At one point he sold everything and spent 18-months riding a bicycle around the world. In 11,000 miles, he touched 15 countries and hundreds of amazing people. Since then, he has acquired a loving lady, the coolest kid on the planet, and lives in Portland, Oregon.


For more information, please visit http://www.matthewlieberbuchman.com/.
Sign in here for a chance to win a free copy. Also, be sure to check the Contest page for a chance to win a free, signed copy of I Own the Dawn.