Across the Beer Bar with Dawn Montgomery

welcome to my beer bar Dawn.
Thanks for having me, Liz! 
what can I pour for you to start?
I'm a Belgian beer fan, so surprise me. :) Okay *SURPRISE!* No Belgians.  ick.here, try my Wolverine Amber Lager. You will love it.

Dragons....hmmm...okay I'll bite. Why dragons?
It's more of the princess and dragon fairy tales. In all of them, the princess waits to be saved by a dashing prince. I remember asking my grandmother once why the princess didn't bash the dragon on the head and leave or convince the dragon that they'd be better as allies? My grandma laughed and we made up new endings for the stories. We joked about that for years. In January, I had an abrupt life change that picked me up from Alaska and moved me to Texas. I was a full-time writer now, and was used to working long hours at my previous job. There were new worries involved, and lots of pressure. So, I wrote the dragons as a joke to myself. I decided to finally write the books where the princess gets the dragon and the man. I submitted it expecting a sound rejection. My editor, however, surprised me with an email the very next day (she said she had intended to scan through it, but couldn't stop reading). She loved it. Wow, that was long winded. *takes a refreshing drink* Great beer!


Yah, don't say it too loud. My brewer has a big enough ego as it is.And this is part of a series?
Yes it is. The kingdom of Werthing Ton Fallorian (WTF for short) is split into five regions. The Prince of Dragons had to seal away his people, casting them in stone for 500 years in order to stop their extinction. So when they wake up, they're definitely hungry...in more ways than one. The series is called WTF Dragon  http://www.changelingpress.com/catalog.php?upt=book&ufilter=series&sid=369.


You have certainly gotten around, lived all over and done lots of things.  How did you end up in Alaska?
*laughs* It doesn't feel like it. I'm dangerous when I get bored. It's almost always guaranteed that whatever I decide to do is spur of the moment and physically demanding. How did I end up in Alaska? The military. I am a (recently) retired Air Force veteran. I finished my career in Alaska, a state I love! My injuries, however, forced me to move back to Texas in January. I still visit Alaska every summer. The beer, the salmon, and the incredible beauty. There's nothing like Alaska. Did I mention the beer?

whoops! empty glass. what can I pour next for you?
I'm a Shiner Bock fan, so if you have that, great! If not, whatever you suggest. I love trying new beers.

Wolverine Dark Lager. Better than Shiner...Tell us about your journey to publication...long? rough? easy?

I met up with some amazing people in a Harlequin romance forum, which no longer exists. We started writing in an effort to submit to HQ's fantasy line, Luna. *rubs back of neck* That didn't work out so well. Through one of the ladies, I was invited to an exclusive writing workshop hosted by Angela Knight and Morgan Hawke. I've been through some pretty rough and ready classes, but Morgan was thorough and demanding. I was sweating right beside NYT bestselling authors without ever being published. Every one of us left the course a better writer. It took me some time to work up the nerve to submit something, but when I did, it was accepted to a small publisher. The road since then has been paved with acceptances, rejections, milestones, and insanity. But every day it's worth it. I love writing.

What is your absolute favorite subgenre to write and why?

Anything Speculative Fiction. Paranormal, Sci Fi, Urban Fantasy, Steampunk... I have so much fun building worlds and then tearing them apart. Hmm. *takes a long draw* I wonder if that's normal.

What's in your WIP pile? Your TBR pile?

Tongue-in-cheek dragon stories and some sexy sci fi are on the work in progress list. My TBR pile is HUGE. Kim Knox's Synthetic Dreams  http://www.amazon.com/Synthetic-Dreams-ebook/dp/B006IIX96U/ref=lp_B003NJV7ZW_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1335191519&sr=1-8 is next. 
I just bought Lexxie Couper's Love's Rhythm  http://www.amazon.com/Loves-Rhythm-ebook/dp/B007C6YYSO/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1335191795&sr=1-1. 
Your Turkish series (awww....sucking up to the Beer Wench is always fine plan) is definitely on my list. I spent almost two years stationed there, so it will be nice to read romances set in country.http://www.decadentpublishing.com/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=liz+crowe&osCsid=knbivfjbltui3pkrdb0jgnqht7&button=search
 I just finished Laurann Dohner's Tiger http://www.amazon.com/Tiger-Species-Book-Seven-ebook/dp/B007HNPO0O/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335192177&sr=1-1 *fans self* Hawt! 
And I can't wait for Dakota Cassidy's newest in June. Accidentally Dead, Again.  http://www.amazon.com/Accidentally-Dead-Again-Accidental-Series/dp/0425247511/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1335191995&sr=1-1-catcorr  I was so excited to see it available for preorder, and snatched it up immediately! She cracks me up. The list doesn't stop. So many great stories out there to read. 
Where can folks find out more about you?
Information on my up and coming books, works in progress, or general news can be found athttp://www.dawnmontgomery.com If you're interested in following my writing journey, I have a writing blog called The Write Way, My Way at http://www.dawnmontgomerywrites.wordpress.com I'm on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/dawn.montgomery.author and Twitterhttp://www.twitter.com/Dawn_Montgomery
My books are available at all online retailers. I'm published with Liquid Silver Books, Changeling Press, and Ellora's Cave if you're publisher site specific. 
Nightcap time! what's your poison? 
Hard alcohol keeps me up all night. I love a couple of glasses of Moscato to wind me down. Since we're at a beer bar, however, I'll take something with a sweet edge to it. Do you have something like that? 
*Raises eyes to the heavens and takes a deep breath*  NOI only sell what I make and I thank the Good Lord every night I don't make Moscato.  Here....bourbon barrel aged Imperial Dark. You'll love it.Liz, thanks for the beers and the chat. I love a great bar. 
Available April 27th: No Dragon, No Problem, WTF Dragon Book 1 http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1816
One bound man. One desperate princess. A curse. And dragons? WTF may never be the same.
WTF Dragon: In the fairytale kingdom of Werthing Ton Fallorian (or WTF for short), fairytale folk have gone insane. With the imps of lust and wickedness on a rampage, no one is safe. Five Princesses, Five Dragons. A coincidence? I don't think so.
The Motive: Princess Tasminia deSoto has had it with her stepmother's horrid matchmaking. Tricking the princess into a surprise wedding with the narcissistic Baron Winterwood from a neighboring kingdom (of the same name) is the final straw. If only there was a dragon to be sacrificed to!
The Idea: Desperation forces her to enlist the aid of the notorious Dash Ryan, illusionist and con artist for hire. Surely the wildly entertaining (and sexy) rogue can come up with something believable. And if a princess can find a little sexual education on the side... well... that's just a plus.
The Twist: Dash Ryan has a few secrets of his own. Secrets he's more than willing to exploit for just a taste of the princess's sexual awakening. But will one taste be enough?On the back list: OK FOLKS...LEAVE DAWN (OR LIZ) A COMMENT AND YOU COULD WIN A COPY FROM HER BACK LIST! And feel free to suck up to the Beer Wench....