Books-n-Kisses is please to welcome back Christi Barth to the blog to chat little about writing, life and her newest release A Matchless Romance .

Christi, can you please share with us a little about yourself.

I started out doing opera and musical theatre (a lot due to my love of wearing petticoats and getting to kiss hot boys on stage, of course). Then I worked as a wedding planner, and finally combined my love of romance and dramatic tendencies into writing.

Have you always wanted to be an author?

Yes. And no. I’ve been a huge bookworm and speedreader my whole life, so I’ve devoured a gajillion books. I always wanted to write, and toyed with it for years, but looked on actually getting published as the Holy Grail – utterly impossible and untouchable. I never saw it is a dream that could actually be realized. But one day it hit me that if I didn’t at least try, I’d always regret it….which was eleven books ago – all published!

What is your most interesting writing quirk?

I loathe writing the big sex scene. Dread it for weeks when it is on the horizon. So I pour a single White Russian and power through it all in one night. No matter how late it gets, I don’t stop until the earth has moved.

Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?

A Matchless Romance is the final book in the Aisle Bound series, but is completely funny and adorable as a stand alone. Tabitha Bell is the face of Chicago’s premiere matchmaking service. At least, she hopes it will be someday, once business really takes off. What she needs is more clients, so when she meets a sexy gamer in need of help, it’s the perfect opportunity.

His discomfort talking to women almost cost Drew Watson his job. He’d be happy holed up in his office, designing blockbuster video games, but his boss considers talking to investors a nonnegotiable requirement. Who better than a matchmaker to teach him how to be comfortable around the opposite sex? Trouble is, Drew wants to get more than comfortable with Tabitha, while she’s determined to keep their relationship all business.

Soon Tabitha learns that beneath the geek-chic hoodie lies six feet of sexy physique—and the more time she spends with Drew, the more she appreciates his brainy brand of charm. Will she succumb to his sweet-but-nerdy charm offensive or will it be game over before he can win her heart?

How did you come with the idea for this story?

I can’t take credit for it at all. When I did the blog tour for Planning for Love, book 1 in the series, a commenter asked if we’d get to see the wedding of that couple in any of the following books. It wasn’t planned at that point, but it struck me as a really terrific idea….which meant I had to brainstorm a fourth book to showcase it. I think fans of the series will be thrilled to see Ivy & Ben’s lavishly romantic wedding in A Matchless Romance – and there are enough funny hijinks wrapped up in that wedding to entertain brand new readers.

Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?

I just finished (as in my keyboard is still smoking!) Love on the Boardwalk, an Atlantic City based sequel to Love at High Tide. It’ll be out in October, and I’ll tease you with this thought: rebound flings are supposed to have soft landings, but one sexy cop is about to fall hard…

But first, I’m thrilled to announce that I’m launching a new trilogy set in the Finger Lakes – the Shore Secrets series. Book One, Up To Me, releases on June 23. In it, a hard-nosed businessman with contempt for small town America is forever changed by the love of a sexy hotel owner and a quirky but tight-knit community famous for its anonymous journal by the lakeshore. Next week I start writing Book Two, Up To You!

Who is the one author that you would love to meet someday and why?

Thanks to conferences, I’ve met many of the authors that I love to fan-girl. They were all gracious and lovely, from Nora Roberts to Christie Ridgway to Jessica Andersen to M.D. Waters. But growing up my favorite books were by Katherine Kurtz. I’d love the chance to tell her, face-to-face, how much I loved them.

What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?

Write. I know it sounds simple, but it isn’t. Sit down and write at least five days a week. Treat it like a career before it is one. Don’t make excuses about your muse not being friendly, or having to run a sick husband to the doctor. That stuff happens to all of us. You still have to make the time and just write.

Can you share with us something off your bucket list.

Uh, hitting the New York Times bestseller list, of course! And I’d really like it to happen sooner rather than later….

What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?

Jennifer Bernard’s next fireman novel. Laura Kaye’s next Hard Ink novel. I’m catching up on both of Nalini Singh’s series and want to inhale them like water. Darynda Jones next Grave book. Finishing off my own manuscript has put me woefully behind on reading all these awesome authors!

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I’d love to repeat that this book can absolutely be read without having touched the previous books in the series. Jump in and enjoy this funny romp through Chicago (and then go back and read the rest). And most of all, I’d love to thank everyone who has taken the time to read any of my books. I’m thrilled you choose to spend your precious free time in the crazy worlds I create.

Learn more about Christi here: Website | Blog | Pinterest | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page |Facebook

*****

A Matchless Romance

Amazon |  Barnes & Noble | Carina Press

Tabitha Bell is the face of Chicago’s premiere matchmaking service. At least, she hopes it will be someday, once business really takes off. What she needs is more clients, so when she meets a sexy gamer in need of help, it’s the perfect opportunity.

His discomfort talking to women almost cost Drew Watson his job. He’d be happy holed up in his office, designing blockbuster video games, but his boss considers talking to investors a nonnegotiable requirement. Who better than a matchmaker to teach him how to be comfortable around the opposite sex? Trouble is, Drew wants to get more than comfortable with Tabitha, while she’s determined to keep their relationship all business.

Soon Tabitha learns that beneath the geek-chic hoodie lies six feet of sexy physique—and the more time she spends with Drew, the more she appreciates his brainy brand of charm. Will she succumb to his sweet-but-nerdy charm offensive or will it be game over before he can win her heart?

41,000 words