Books-n-Kisses is excited to have first time guest Susan Arden on the blog today.
Susan, can you please share with us a little about yourself.
I’m not very interesting aside from having a vivid imagination. As a child it kept me company. Now as an adult, it’s like watching a free flowing movie that I have to shut off and attend to the world around me.
Have you always wanted to be an author?
Yes. And no. I’m ADHD. To compensate I became a special ed teacher, and in the process learned how to help myself. Structure, structure, structure. But to your question, I was afraid of writing or editing really. I never thought I could write page after page. Now, it seems effortless to reach 60,000 words or 200 type-written pages.
Can you share with us your typical writing day. Is there anything you have to have while writing?
I wake up before five generally. Feed my LOUD cats, and patient dogs. My husband is still asleep so I write. I do my promos first thing when I’m fresh. Like checking in on tours, get a post up, respond to emails. Then later I’m doing something along the continuum of writing. It’s never just writing. Brainstorming, laying out scenes, the actual writing, researching, editing…some more editing. MORE EDITING.
Most challenging or rewarding part of writing?
Did I mention editing. LOL. I guess you can see I’ve quite the edit-challenged being.
Can you please tell us about your latest book?
Picture Perfect is releasing and it’s a secret baby troupe featuring Carolina (from Tempted by Trouble) cousin, Cynthia “Sam” Cainwright. Chronologically, it the story precedes Tempted. But things do always work out linearly in the world of publishing.
How did you come with the idea for this story?
In NaNoWriMo I began with the idea of two crazy cousins from Miami. They’re best friends and suffer the loss of a parent. They’re both half Cuban, half American, and very close. I’m from Miami, and went to bilingual schools. I adore the Cuban culture. Very similar in ways to the Western Romance premise of fierce loyalty and family values. The heroes are friends, college buddies.
Can you share with us your current work in progress?
There’s always something brewing. A new genre for instance. Erotica. A short series. Naughty Nights and the first book is Taken and will be available in May 2013.
Who are some of your favorite authors?
Elizabeth Hoyt, Joyce Carol Oates, Gabriel Marquez, and David Sedaris is my absolute favorite for a laugh.
Do you feel that any of your favorite authors have inspired your writing style?
Definitely. All of them. I think each time a person reads, they are changed. Sometimes remarkably, others infinitesimal. We see things from a different perspective. The joining together of words stretches the imagination. Reading is also seeing.
Open your book to a random page and tell us what’s happening.
Just opened to page 119. Here’s the summary beginning with Carolina’s question to Matt.
“Yes. What are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking I want every part of you. Every inch of you. You’ll be mine. For one night. Mine. Without reservation. Mine to do with as I wish.”
What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
Yes. I’m happy to report the second book, Beautiful Stranger from the duo Christina Lauren who wrote Beautiful Bastard.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Only that this has been absolutely delightful being here with you and thank you so much for the invitation to share my inner world. XO
GIVEAWAY DETAILS:
Susan is offering up a $10.00 Amazon Gift Card and a SWAG Pack (T-Shirt, Notebooks & Pen) to one lucky winner that follows the tour.
TEMPTED BY TROUBLE
Author: Susan Arden
Publisher: Crimson Romance
Release Date: April 1, 2013
When a woman is the magnet for the wrong man, it takes a bad boy to break old habits.
Carolina Rodriguez is a large animal veterinarian on a mission to escape South Florida and her overprotective family. Willing to do just about anything, she accepts a job in Annona, Texas over the Internet from a family connection.
At her cousin’s wedding, she runs into Matt, a handsome Texan in the church parking lot. Matthew McLemore is more than gorgeous, he’s Carolina’s new boss, and needs her help to determine why his cattle keep dying. Matt’s instantaneous attraction to Carolina sorely tempts him to push the boundaries of their work contract, but a roll in the hay may prove too volatile to handle. Until she arrives on his ranch and is too hot to resist.
Carolina refuses to admit Matt’s raw sexuality is more than overpowering or that she’s the least bit tempted by this smooth-talking bad boy. But by the time the pathology lab reports comes back, they’ve explored every inch of each other. All of a sudden, this fiery affair is more than just a fling. And when a past flame threatens to overwhelm their new found romance, Matt must find a way to stake his claim to Carolina’s heart before it’s too late.
Warning: Contains a smoking mess of scorching love scenes.
Ice may be needed for blazing imaginations.
Available Now at Amazon
BOOK TRAILER
TEMPTED BY TROUBLE Excerpt
“Evermore Ranch,” she read aloud.
“I hope this won’t upset your plans?”
“Would it matter? I signed a service contract that included a non-disclosure agreement. Even if I had a problem, I couldn’t tell a soul and I’ve promised you two weeks of my time.”
He chuckled softly. “Yes, two weeks to do my bidding.”
She almost choked at the thought of doing his bidding. “What the heck have I gotten myself into with you, Mr. McLemore? Exactly what type of office do you run?”
His expression changed. Sharpened. “Strictly business. Look, Dr. Rodriguez, we’ve gotten off on the wrong foot.”
“Wrong foot … the whole body is a problem, sir,” she hissed.
He smiled broadly, reassuring her. “Let’s discuss this later. This isn’t the correct time or place. Don’t you have to help the bride or something?”
“Yes. As a matter of fact, I do. I don’t know what you think you’ve contracted, but I’ll only supply you with vet services. As long as you understand that fact, there’s nothing more to discuss.”
“Well, there is. In the service agreement, there’s a provision that we need to discuss before you’re allowed access to the ranch barn and stable sites. So, either we can do it later or when you arrive in Texas. But until you and I have a little sit-down and get a few things ironed out, there won’t be any work for you to do directly. I’ve got a ranch to run, and I don’t have time to play games. I’ve already spent enough time finding a vet.” His eyes glittered and dropped to her mouth. “If you think I’m about to waste more time because you’ve got second thoughts, Dr. Rodriguez, the next communication you’ll have from Evermore Ranch will be from my attorneys. Had I known who you were before, believe me, I wouldn’t have … I’d never let the situation get away from me.”
Oh, this was rich. “Away from you. I’d say it got out of control. But that’s on your side of the table. Fine. I’ll honor my service contract. You’re right about one thing. The only thing of interest to me is treating your cattle. Once the job is done, I’ll be only too happy to leave you in peace and we can go our separate ways.”
Up close, his eyes shone sherry-colored. A muscle flexed along his jaw. His masculine scent of leather, smoke, and wood filled her head. The hard set of his mouth didn’t resemble the man from before. He’d done just as he’d promised, shutting one door, and leaving in place a man who didn’t look as if he enjoyed playing games. No this version of Matt McLemore had a locking gaze and if looks could kill, she was a goner.
“I’m glad we understand one another then, Dr. Rodriguez. I expect to meet with you tomorrow at your convenience. Our relationship will be strictly business, if that’s what got you in such a dither.”
ABOUT SUSAN:
Susan Arden is a third generation Floridian. She left the field of education in 2008 pursing her dream of writing romance fiction. Currently, she writes hot love stories within the romance genres of contemporary erotic, western, and fantasy/paranormal. Susan also writes under the name of Susan D. Taylor.
Susan currently lives in TN along with husband, two cattle dogs, two crazy cats, a gecko and a corn snake. A mother, RYT200 Yoga Alliance (registered yoga teacher), and avid gardener. You can find her on the mat when she’s not writing her next hot romance novel.
CATCH SUSAN HERE:
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TEMPTED BY TROUBLE
Blog Tour Schedule
4/29 – Reading Between The Wines
http://readingbetweenthewinesbookclub.blogspot.com/
5/01 – Riverina Romantics
http://riverinaromantics.blogspot.com/
5/02 – My Reading Obsession
http://4myreadingobsession.blogspot.com
5/04 – Urban Girl Reader
http://www.urbangirlreader.com/
5/05 – The Reading Café
5/06 – Book Monster Reviews
http://www.bookmonsterreviews.com/
5/07 – Book Lovin’ Mamas
http://booklovinmamas.blogspot.com
5/09 – Ramblings From This Chick
http://ramblingsfromthischick.blogspot.com/
5/10 – Books-n-Kisses
5/11 – Romance Junkies
http://www.romancejunkies.com/rjblog/
5/12 – Manga Maniac Café
http://www.mangamaniaccafe.com/
5/12 – Romancing The Book
Kelly, Thank you for the interview and letting me hang with you and your readers today. I really appreciate you sharing my little bad boy, Tempted by Trouble.
Thanks for the mini interview and information on Tempted by Trouble. It looks good. I really liked the book trailer and thought the music for it was an interesting choice – I liked the song quite a bit. Congratulations to Susan on the release, I’ll have to add her books to my list.