I personally find Katharine Ashe a kick to hang out with. She’s funny, wicked and smart, as well as an unapologetic lover of the genre. Those all count highly in my book. So I would like you to take a moment and enjoy the wit of Katharine Ashe, or as we now call her around here:

1. Did you have a nickname growing up? I went by Katie. My father and one of my sisters called me Kate, which I loved because it was special to them. Also, in second grade when I volunteered to pass out the juice for snack time, a nasty boy called me “Katie Katie the Paper Cup Lady” and it stuck, sometimes morphing to “Katie Katie the Big Fat Lady”, neither of which I loved. Now, Elizabeth, please feel free to give me a paper cut and pour lemon juice on it.

EB: I can do one better and share this photo of you, Sophia Nash, Cathy Maxwell and moi goofing off at RT after copious amounts of cupcakes and whatever was in those bottles.

2. Where is the most beautiful/romantic place you’ve ever been? Kauai in the Hawaiian islands. White sand beaches. Cerulean waves dancing with dolphins. Palm trees swooshing in the warm breeze. Tropical drink in my hand. Three days after wedding my Prince Charming.

3. Do you celebrate when you finish a book and what do you do? I drink champagne. I always drink champagne, so this isn’t really unusual, but it’s still fun! I also weep a little. I love finishing a book and I also hate it. Living through those declarations of love from my hero and heroine just sucks my heart out! (In a good heart-sucking way.) But then having to leave them… knowing I will miss them so much… that’s horrible!!!

4. If you could go on a date with any superhero, who would you choose and why? This is a Very Hard Question. But probably Spiderman. He’s brilliant, funny, and a sexy fighting menace who teases villains as he thrashes them. He pretends to be a big nerd to protect those he loves. He has a secret identity (I adore heroes with secret identities! which is why I write them), and he doesn’t always make the right choices but he always makes up for it.

5. Most embarrassing song on your iPod? Every song Rick Springfield ever recorded. Does that count?

6.  If you were going to an island for a long time, name 5 things you would bring. My husband, son, two dogs, and my laptop to write. Wait, do people and animals count as things? Because if I get to take my beloveds with me anyway, the other four things would be my e-reader all stocked with books, sunblock, chocolate, and warm socks.

Katharine Ashe is the author of four historical romances, including her just released, When a Scot Loves a Lady, the first in her new Falcon Club series. You can discover more about Katharine and her books at her website. Katharine can also be found over on The Ballroom Blog, where she and her fellow Ballroom gang spill Regency gossip about the dashing ladies and lords found in their books.