Please help me welcome author Rosemary Kubli…
Please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from? Where do you live now? Family? Pets?
I was born and raised in northeast Ohio in the industrial city of Youngstown. After receiving my degree in Communication Arts, I was hired by a major retail chain to conduct new hire training. One day, at an inter-departmental meeting, I met this handsome guy with gorgeous blue eyes who, eighteen months later, became my husband. A few years into our marriage, a job transfer sent us to southern California where both our sons were born. Seven years later, that same job sent us back to northeast Ohio where we’ve lived ever since. Our older son and his family now live in Wisconsin, and our younger son and his fiance live in the Los Angeles area. Thank goodness for the luxury of keeping in touch through video calls and for the convenience of long-distance traveling! Until a few years ago we always had a cat or two wandering around the house, but we are currently a pet-free household.
Where did you get the idea for Gullible?
The idea for Gullible came to me as I was walking home from a neighbor’s house one summer evening a few years ago. Although my original idea was much different from the novel I ended up writing, the two main characters remained the same. I wanted the story to be about a female con artist and the target of her latest scheme, a wealthy man who collects valuable antiques. As I was researching the types of antiques the male character would have in his collection, I came across a YouTube video about the Singing Bird Pistols and knew immediately that I wanted these extremely rare treasures to be the focal point of my story. The ideas started snowballing after that, and before I knew it, Gullible was born.
Why did you choose this genre (is it something you’ve written in before)?
Suspense, crime novels, and mysteries are my favorite genres to read and, as it turns out, they are also my favorite genres to write. I’ve tried my hand at writing other types of stories, such as women’s fiction, but I didn’t have the same interest and enthusiasm for those projects. That’s not to say that, if I come up with a great idea for a story, I won’t write something in a different genre in the future. For now, though, I’ll stick with romantic suspense.
What do you want readers to come away with after they read Gullible?
I want readers to have found Gullible to be one of those books they couldn’t stop reading but, at the same time, didn’t want the story to end. Those are the novels that occupy a permanent space on your bookshelf.
Would you rather have a bad review or no review?
Let’s be realistic—not everyone is going to fall in love with Gullible, and I’m okay with that. We are all entitled to speak our minds and I firmly believe that everyone’s opinion counts. However, for those who didn’t find Gullible to be an enjoyable read, I would appreciate receiving an insightful critique telling me why they didn’t like the story. My experience so far has been that poor ratings are accompanied with a snarky comment, or no comment is given at all. Perhaps these unsatisfied readers don’t realize that their honest feedback might serve to help me become a better writer.
What genre have you never written that you’d like to write?
I like to laugh and to make people laugh, so one of these days I would love to try writing a romantic comedy or a tongue-in-cheek women’s fiction novel.
If you could be a character in any of your books, who would you be?
I would be Louise, the retired kindergarten teacher who cares for the widower Patrick’s four-year-old son Oliver. What a perfect job she has! She’s great with children, so caring for Oliver is more a pleasure than a chore, and she has full rein to manage the household for Patrick in the absence of his deceased wife. She’s performing a job she loves, she’s treated like a member of the family, and for her dedication she receives generous compensation. That’s what I call a win-win situation.
If you could spend time with a character from your book, whom would it be? And what would you do during that day? (PG-13 please 🙂)
I don’t need to think twice about this answer! I’d love to spend a day in the kitchen with Carmella Ricci, Siena’s grandmother. Carmella would give me lessons on how to make her favorite Italian dishes—and maybe teach me a few Italian phrases at the same time. I’d also pump her for details on what Siena was like as a child.
Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?
All my characters are unique, but they all have snippets of personalities and traits I’ve borrowed from family and friends. What better way to make my fictional characters jump off the page than to model them after people whom I’ve known for years?
What character in your book are you least likely to get along with?
Definitely Veronica! Her constant need for attention, her backstabbing, her habit of making everything about her, and the way she manipulates Jonathan would drive me crazy after only five minutes. She’s that character you love to hate.
Who is the most famous person you have ever met?
When we lived in Southern California I brushed elbows with a few TV personalities, but the most famous person I ever met is Bill Clinton—although it was more of a shake of his hand in greeting than truly “meeting” him. While campaigning for Hillary in 2016, Bill and his entourage made a stop near the bank I was working for at the time in Downtown Youngstown. I was at the front of the crowd when he stepped off the campaign bus and he made a beeline straight for me. (I always joke that he picked the best-looking woman in the crowd!) Now, regardless of your political leanings, he is a former president and deserves our respect. I should have been poised and gracious and said, “It’s an honor to meet you, Mr. President.” Instead, nervous at being caught off guard, I blurted out, “Nice to meet ya, Bill!” I will never live down the embarrassment! And why didn’t I think to get a selfie with him?
Even the most cunning femme fatale has her weakness.
Blurb:
Siena Ricci is shrewd, seductive, and an expert in the art of deception. Masking her identity behind the guise of Marie Lacroix, a specialist in antiques and objets d’art, she swindles her employer’s wealthy clients out of their valuable possessions. She hasn’t yet met the man she can’t manipulate, but then the con she’s playing on Jonathan Woodward has only just begun.
Jonathan proves to be an easy mark, but he’s also enticingly irresistible. As their relationship heats up, her plot to steal his multi-million-dollar antique treasures begins to unravel. Noticing a subtle change in Jonathan’s demeanor, Marie questions whether she’s still in control of the con or if she’s blindly become the gullible victim of her own scheme.
Excerpt:
Marie entered the crowded restaurant at half past six. She spotted Gus sitting at the isolated table against the back wall, their usual spot.
“Welcome to Maestro. Do you have a reservation?” The young hostess was new and didn’t recognize Marie as a frequent patron of the establishment.
“Actually, I’m meeting someone,” Marie explained as she brushed past the girl. More than a few heads turned when Marie entered the dining area, and the chatter dropped a decibel or two as she wound her way across the room. Her lips curled into a sly grin. Nice to know she hadn’t yet lost her touch.
Gus stood as Marie approached the table. “Hey, doll,” he said, his endearment accompanied by a light kiss on her cheek.
“Sorry I’m late,” she said. “The auction ran longer than expected.”
“Not a problem.” Gus spoke with an accent that had been cultivated in the Bronx and a voice that was damaged by too many cigarettes. “I ordered you an Old Fashioned.” He slid the whiskey glass in her direction.
“Thanks. Why am I not surprised to find a drink waiting for me?” Marie smiled affectionately at Gus as she swirled the liquor around the ice cube to blend the flavors.
“I enjoy spoiling you. Always have.”
They clinked their glasses together. “Salute!”
A confirmed bachelor in his late fifties, Gus’s light brown hair was thinning and graying at the temples, but he could still win over the ladies with his rugged good looks and smooth mannerisms. He and Marie’s father, Dominic Ricci, grew up in the same neighborhood and were often mistaken for brothers. When Marie and her sister were born, Gus was the only person Dominic considered to fulfill the role of godfather to his daughters. Marie adored Gus and, in Dominic’s absence, relied on him for counsel and guidance. Their inherent bond had also proved to be a good foundation for their mutual business dealings.
The waiter set a plate of piping hot calamari with a side of marinara sauce on their table.
“Thanks, Manny.” Gus winked at the waiter, a gesture Marie recognized as his customary way of conveying his gratitude.
“That was quick,” Marie commented.
“I told Manny to serve the appetizer as soon as you arrived.” Gus placed a few calamari on Marie’s plate before serving himself.
Marie dipped a piece into the marinara. “I’m starving,” she said, taking her first bite. “I skipped lunch today. Too busy.”
“My guess is you probably skipped breakfast, too.” Gus swallowed his food before continuing. “You can’t survive on coffee alone, doll. You’re thin enough as it is.”
“You know my motto. A woman can never be too thin, too beautiful, nor too wealthy.”
“Well, you’ve got the first two covered,” Gus declared as he took a sip of his scotch. “And, I may have a plan to help you with the third.”
Buy link(s):
Amazon: www.amazon.com/Gullible-Rosemary-Kubli/dp/150924851X
Barnes and Noble: www.barnesandnoble.com/w/gullible-rosemary-kubli/1143179526
Google Books: www.google.com/books/edition/Gullible/wb24zwEACAAJ?hl=en
Books-A-Million: www.booksamillion.com/search?filter=&id=8786302200244&query=ROSEMARY%20KUBLI
Target:
www.target.com/p/gullible-by-rosemary-kubli-paperback/-/A-89141304#lnk=sametab
Walmart:
www.walmart.com/ip/Gullible-Paperback9781509248513/2433615314?from=%2Fsearch
About the Author:
Rosemary Kubli writes the type of books she loves to read – intrigue and suspense mixed with a pinch of romance and a clever plot twist or two. Her professional experiences run the gamut from Human Resources and training to accounting and banking, with publishing being her most recent endeavor. Aside from the seven years she lived in southern California, she has always called the northeast corner of Ohio her home. Discover more about Rosemary by visiting her website – www.rosemarykubli.com.
Social Media Links:
Facebook Rosemary Kubli – Author | Facebook
Instagram www.instagram.com/koobswrites/
Author Alicia Dean 
Hi, Alicia & Rosemary,
Lovely interview. I enjoyed getting to know a little about you. Such an intriguing excerpt. I love Romantic Suspense! I hope you have tons of sales.
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Your novel sounds intriguing. Singing Bird Pistols are something I’d never heard of before now. I had to look them up, straight away. They are an original and brilliant motivational device for your characters. All the best.
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