Books-n-Kisses is pleased to have the very sweet Heather Long on the blog today to talk about her newest release Once Her Man, Always Her Man.
Heather Long lives in Texas with her family and their menagerie of animals. As a child, Heather skipped picture books and enjoyed the Harlequin romance novels by Penny Jordan and Nora Roberts that her grandmother read to her. Heather believes that laughter is as important to life as breathing and that the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus are very real. In the meanwhile, she is hard at work on her next novel.
Can you please share with us a little about yourself
My daughter teases me that I have straydar. I love animals and we just adopted two puppies from the Humane Society, rescues from a backyard puppy mill. They are sweet little terrors and they have totally disrupted the schedule in our house, but it’s a great disruption because they brought a lot of laughter and fun with them too!
Have you always wanted to be an author?
I’ve been writing since I could remember. After my daughter was born, eleven years ago, I suddenly had some hours to fill and I wrote to keep myself company as much as to get the stories out. I write, because I can’t not write. I decided in the fourth grade that I wanted to be an author when I grew up and it’s a lot of fun to be doing that now.
Who are some of your favorite writers? Who do you feel has influenced your writing?
Patricia Briggs is definitely my favorite writer. She packs so much story into every book she writes. Nalini Singh,
How did you get into writing in this specific genre? Have you ever thought about writing in a different genre?
I write in multiple genres from romantic suspense to paranormal western romance to urban fantasy, but I’ve never had the opportunity to write a military hero. I have nothing but admiration for the men and women who serve our country. When a friend suggested that I write for this line, the story that immediately came to mind was the reunion of first loves and one was a Marine. Each story then led me to the next and it was an amazing journey.
What are some of your writing rituals?
I get up early, usually between 4 and 5 every morning. I let me dogs out, make coffee, feed my cats and do any quick chores before retreating with my laptop to the garage where I am away from all distractions and I dive into writing for the next two to three hours. It’s the most perfect time of day.
Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?
OnceHer Man, Always Her Man is the story of Luke and Rebecca, the high school sweethearts broke up when Luke left to join the Marines and dumped Rebecca. He did it in part to protect her from waiting for him. For ten years, their lives continued, but neither ever got over the other until the night they are reunited by Madame Eve at a nightclub in Dallas. The story tugged my heartstrings and made me laugh all at the same time. It’s one of those reunion stories that I always enjoyed reading when I was younger.
How did you come with the idea for this story?
I wanted to tell the story of a Marine who gave ‘everything’ at eighteen to serve his country after losing his mother and his sister during 9/11. But I wanted to take it a step further to confront who these men and women are now and what challenges they face at home and abroad.
Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?
I’m working on my third Forbidden Legacy novel featuring the magical triad of Fae Helcyon, Wizard Jacob and the woman they both love Cassandra Belle.
What would you be if you were not an author?
A teacher. I think I’d be teaching history or writing or English.
What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
Currently, Michele Bardsley’s Now or Never and the rest of Melissa Schroeder’s Harmless series — I think I have just two left to be caught up.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
My Always a Marine series is very close to my heart, every single one of the Marines in these 1Night Stand’s represented the qualities of honor, duty, fidelity, courage and loyalty…I am extremely proud of them.
Want to learn more about Heather? You can find her here:
Once Her Man, Always Her Man
Order here: Amazon
Fulfilling a favor and executing a business plan, Luke Dexter arrived at Dallas’ Sybarite Club for a one-night stand. He never imagined that in the darkened club with bluesy strains of jazz playing he’d come face to face with the woman he left behind a decade earlier.
Rebecca Rainier fell in love with Luke Dexter in high school and was crushed when he dumped her to join the Marines after 9/11. Now, waiting for a date her best friend and business partner set up, she’s unprepared when Luke walks in.
Can Luke and Rebecca bridge the pain of a decade long abandonment in one cold Texas night?
Excerpt:
Luke Dexter handed his keys over to the red corseted valet driver, gaze skimming the generous globes peeking up from the open buttons of her white shirt. The Sybarite Club offered the Dallas area generous access to every pleasure. He slipped a card out of his leather wallet and displayed it to the doorman. The doorman, a tall, lanky figure dressed in topcoat and tails exuded a sense of elegance that the club’s exclusive clientele enjoyed.
The doorman examined the card, scanned it with a small device in his palm. Luke admired the cageyness of the action. The pen scanner would be out of place with the old world atmosphere encouraged by the man’s uniform. “Good evening, Mr. Dexter. Welcome to the Sybarite Club.”
Accepting his card back, he passed through the opening doublewide doors. The gothic style doors were dark cherry, aged like a fine wine and a decorated with wood cut carvings of a man and woman engaged in cunnilingus and fellatio. The joining was subtle, the each left crying out in pleasure when the door opened, only to be joined again when the doors closed.
Amused by the door carving, he smiled as he plunged into the velvet darkness of the club’s jazz infused atmosphere. Every night featured a different style of music, but Fridays were reserved for jazz. Old world, cool smooth jazz with smoky voices, haunting guitars and lonely horns played to the soul. The doors barely closed behind him when his phone buzzed inside his breast pocket.
How did the woman know these things?
Pulling it out, he thumbed it on, a new message from Madame Evangeline of the 1Night Stand exclusive online dating service populating the screen. She’s dressed in green silk and sitting at the bar. Life doesn’t always offer a second chance…
Clicking the screen off, Luke walked down the four red-carpeted steps into the lounge proper. He’d only agreed to the dating service only to support the men in his unit putting themselves out there. The last thing he’d expected was the invitation to the Sybarite Club. His gaze roamed the room the room, coming to a halt as they fastened on a pair of to die for tan legs at the bar. The sweet length of them, one crossed over the other ended in black heels with crystals glittering around dainty feet.
A green skirt skimmed her knees. While he appreciated the legs, he studied the line of her back, curious about the rest of her. His gaze slid higher to the pile of unruly auburn hair fighting to escape a pair of matching crystal hair combs.
As though sensing his appraisal, the green cloaked mystery woman turned on the bar stool and his heart tripped.
Hi Heather! I live in Texas, too. I love the 1NS and I'm a sucker for a Marine. Great excerpt and I love a reunion story. I cry every time.
Congratulations on the release.
Marika
Thank you Marika! And thanks for dropping by.
Hi Heather,
It was great seeing you last weekend at FigFest. Where can I buy all the Marines for my Nook? B&N only have 3 books for Nook.
Kimmi
Currently B&N seems to be slow about loading them, but the Marines are available at Siren-Bookstrand and on the Decadent Publishing site. The first two are out: Once Her Man, Always Her Man and Retreat Hell! She Just Got Here. The third is due out by the end of May with the fourth and fifth coming soon! It was great to see you too!
Thanks for the interview, I enjoyed reading this. One of the books I am reading at the moment is Seal of my Heart.