Just a few of the new releases today….
Hope you find something to read.
Release Day Tuesday
Spotlight Feature of Just One More by Stephanie Beck
Two is enough, but three could be everything.
Kit and Adam Jacobs know what their marriage needs—Gavan Karik. He’s the one man they both want and the only one who can make their relationship complete.
Making Gav part of the family comes with a price. Family, infidelity and self-worth issues plague Gav, but Adam and Kit are willing to tackle those issues if Gav is willing to commit.
For every problem they conquer, another one pops up. Not only are the three adults working to meld a broken family into one, they’re also struggling with a blackmailer threatening to out the two men’s sexuality and issues with the kids being mistreated at school. With each battle all three have to decide if the vision each sees for the future can match and if the reward is worth the fight.
Content Warning: Strong language, graphic sex, and explicit incidents of laundry washing within.
Available in print and digital
Beachwalk Press / Amazon / Allromance / B&N
Excerpt
“And the sleeping arrangements?” Gav asked.
Adam knew this question had been weighing on the other man. Gav had played thirds in relationships before. Usually, the third was a plaything, in for pleasure, out for the intimacy.
“You’d be in our room. The ‘our’ would include you,” Adam told him. “I’ll steal your t-shirts to wear to bed, and we’ll share the task of warming Kit’s cold toes every night. We’ll have amazing sex when we’re all in the mood together. We’ll have nearly as amazing sex in pairs if the third is in the mood to watch or sleep. There won’t be favorites, but, because we’ve been together so long, Kit and I might slip up there on occasion. You’ll have to be patient with us, Gav.”
“And once our open relationship includes you,” Kit said, “it turns into a closed one. We don’t cheat or lie, and we tell each other if our needs change.”
Adam watched to see what Gav’s reaction to that big rule would be. It was one he supported wholeheartedly. Within the terms of their relationship, he and Kit had never once cheated. They were open, honest, and made the decisions and compromises needed to keep them happy. But his heart was hers. Always. If Gav decided to take the plunge, Adam’s heart would grow to include him, and he would never cheat on him either.
Loyalty and faithfulness in an open relationship seemed like oxymorons, but not the way he and Kit worked. They were a unit, a family. If Gav chose, he could be the piece that had been missing from the start.
Gav covered his face and rubbed much harder than Adam would have rubbed any place on his lover’s body. He didn’t like to see Gav being so rough with himself. He hated when the other man treated his body harshly. It was because no one else had cared for him. He saw himself as worth less than most and acted on that vision. If he’d quit being stubborn, Adam would try every day to prove him wrong. There would be fabric softener for Gav’s clothes and something sweet for him when he wanted a treat. It was the little things Adam knew he and Kit took for granted that would make the most difference with Gav.
“I don’t know.” Gav didn’t look past his hands at either of them as he spoke. “I’ll think about it. There’s nothing in there I don’t think I can do, I just…I need to think.”
“That’s fine, Gav,” Kit said gently. “Time is something we have, and we’d never rush you.”
“I know that.” His sigh was heavy and haggard. “I know all the good things about you guys, and Kit, it’s nothing in you that’s missing. It’s me. You have to know that. No matter what happens, it’s not you. It’s me.”
“But I love you just the way you are,” she replied. “So that means there’s something amazing in you if you’ll let it out.”
About Stephanie Beck:
Even before she understood what all the thrusting meant, Stephanie Beck loved reading romance. When the stories didn’t end the way she wanted, writing her own was the perfect solution. From ridiculous humor to erotica, Stephanie loves being transported within a story. When she’s not elbow deep in words, her husband and three children command her attention. After they are sleeping she knits or bakes cookies…or squeezes in more writing.
Stephanie loves to hear from readers. Contact her at stephaniebeckauthor@gmail.com
Interview with Chris Almeida & Cecilia Aubrey
Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Chris & Cecilia to the blog today to chat about their new and upcoming releases…..
Can you please share with us a little about yourself
Our story began almost two years ago when we began writing together as a couple in a role-play group. That veered into writing erotic short stories, two of them eventually published by a small e-press. From that, it was a quick dive into writing longer and more complex stories and plots. Currently our focus is on romantic suspense and erotic romance.
Have you always wanted to be an author?
Chris — I have been writing since I can remember. I used to write children’s adventure stories when I was younger. To be honest, I think the dream was always swirling under the surface and role-play jump started that desire. It was a call to action.
Cecilia — It was something that I think always hovered on the edge of my mind and when I met Chris, it completely took over becoming a reality.
Can you share with us your typical writing day. Is there anything you have to have while writing?
We don’t think there is anything typical about our days. We live 4,000 kilometers apart but the distance doesn’t deter us. I’m on EST and Cecilia is on PST. Weirdly our hours seem to match. We typically spend 14 hours a day in communication via Voice Over IP and Skype.
One of the first things we tackle daily is promotion, checking websites for updates, comments, posting news about the series, books, etc. Next, we discuss what we’ll be working on or the direction of the story line. This usually results in one of us seeing a scene and handling getting the foundation/bones of it documented. Once one of us has taken it as far as we can, we toss to the other and start at the beginning again rewriting and adding to the scene or chapter.
We continue this ping-pong until we feel we have the chapter finished. We also leap frog; while one is working on one chapter, the other will move to the next. During the evening hours, we discuss our stories with beta readers and spend a great deal of time online with friends.
Must have while writing – music and and image in our head
Most challenging or rewarding part of writing?
Challenging – Promotion. We suck at it. TRULY suck at it.
Rewarding – feedback we receive regarding the stories.
Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?
Countermeasure is our latest published novel under our own label, Éire Publishing. It is the first of a series involving Trevor Bauer and Cassandra James. In this first novel, Trevor Bauer, an NSA analyst is on the hunt for clues to his parent’s disappearance. Following a lead throws him in the path of Cassandra James, an ex CIA officer turned security assurance agent, who is on the trail of an infiltrator who stole a formula she was safeguarding. Thinking Trevor is her thief, she confronts him. Their meeting sets them on a course that neither expects.
We have also continued their story by showing little glimpses into their lives, a behind the scenes view into their lives after the end of the novel so to speak. The short stories and novellas in the Countermeasure: Bytes of Life series are erotic in nature and show the growth and interaction between the characters. The first two installments, Ecstasy by the Sea and Cuffed at Midnight are already available.
How did you come with the idea for this story?
The original story grew from a dream Chris had melding technology, intrigue and romance. It was the spark to the story we began to role-play. From that little spark, we created the characters, their backstory and past long before their story took shape. They were (and are) a living extension of us. We took the story to a role-playing environment as a test to find out if they could compete against the paranormal groups that ruled the role-playing world. Surprisingly, we found a loyal following once we began to play their story. We had readers hounding us for the next chapters. It was during the posting of the story that eventually became the foundation of To Russia with Love, that we realized we had to write the book about how they met and the events that led them to begin a life of adventure together and Countermeasure was born.
Can you share with us your current work in progress?
That would be To Russia with Love, which was completely rewritten and includes a whole subplot, due to release on July 30, 2012.
Who are some of your favorite authors?
Our favorite authors are many—Karen Marie Moning, J.R. Ward, Lara Adrian, Laurel Hamilton, J.D. Robb, Katie McKalister, Janet Evanovich, Robert Ludlum, Tom Clancy, Bernard Shaw, Yeats, Wilde. At the moment we are having fun reading stories from some new authors that we have found including: Misty Evans, Kallypso Masters, and Leigh Court.
Do you feel that any of your favorite authors have inspired your writing style?
Can we say we are not sure?! We tend to go against convention and write with our gut. Our writing style, if anything, is intended to keep you guessing, on the edge of your seat, and all hot and bothered.
What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
Chris —I’m currently reading King of Paine by Larry Kahn, The Shadow Factory by James Bamford and Along Came a Spider by James Patterson. Trying to stay away from other titles until I finish these.
Cecilia — I probably have 100 books on my to read pile. Off the top of my head Samurai Games by Cristina Feehan, The Kali Sweet Urban Fantasy series by Misty Evans, and Jeaninen Frost’s Once Burned. As for those coming up…way too many.
What is your most interesting writing quirk?
Chris – Loud music that allows me to immerse myself in a scene. I have a specific song list for the characters and couples and playlists for the type of scene (torture, murder, fights, love, etc).
Cecilia – I love to have an image in my head or words from a song to kick me through a piece of the story.
Who is the one author that you would love to meet someday and why?
Chris — Ludlum. I love his writing style and just want to pick his brain apart.
Cecilia — Such a tough question, there are so many authors I admire. I think if I had to narrow to one I would have to say Janet Evanovich so that I could pick her brain on the incorporation of humor into a story.
What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?
Read everything you can get your hands on and more importantly write a lot. Stand tall for your own style, make it even more personable, and gather a group of friends and followers behind you as a support group. Do not let strong critics influence your voice or story in a way that you don’t like or approve of in the end. Use a critique group to keep you grounded, as a guidance tool, but do not let it change what makes you and your story unique.
We have also found that there are a lot of resources available. Join an organization like the Romance Writers of America (RWA) group and a local chapter. They have a number of workshops and resources to help guide veteran and newbie writers alike. Research writer blogs, and know your genre.
Can you share with us something off your bucket list.
Our bucket list is huge and also includes every location we have mentioned in our stories. If we have to share one, that would be Ireland. Chris has a special connection there from the time spent in Dublin. I have roots tied to County Cork. One of the main reason our Countermeasure Series has Irish ties. First stop would be Sligo, a small city in the Northwest coast, at the foot of Ben Bulben. You’ll get to read about it when we publish another of Trevor and Cassandra’s adventures.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
We love what we do and are suckers for feedback, soaking it up like sponges. We take it very seriously and incorporate it into what we do even if it means rewriting a chapter. Our greatest joy is when readers come to us and tell us what they think or that they enjoyed in a certain scene.
Chris is the ultimate geek so we are everywhere! You can find us through the following links. Stop by, pull up a keyboard, and chat some time!
Order Here
Countermeasure | Cuffed at Midnight | Ecstasy by the Sea | Passion At Dawn (Release TBA) | To Russia With Love (coming soon)
Websites:
CA Duo Books – http://caduobooks.com
Countermeasureseries – http://countermeasureseries.com
GoodReads Author Pages:
http://goodreads.com/chrisalmeida
http://goodreads.com/ceciliaaubrey
Amazon Author Pages:
Spotlight Feature of Blade Song by JC Daneils
Blade Song
by: JC Daniels
PUBLICATION DATE: 08/01/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
Kit Colbana—half breed, assassin, thief, jack of all trades—has a new job: track down the missing ward of one of the local alpha shapeshifters. It should be a piece of cake.
So why is she so nervous? It probably has something to do with the insanity that happens when you deal with shifters—especially sexy ones who come bearing promises of easy jobs and easier money.
Or maybe it’s all the other missing kids that Kit discovers while working the case, or the way her gut keeps screaming she’s gotten in over her head. Or maybe it’s because if she fails—she’s dead.
If she can stay just one step ahead, she should be okay. Maybe she’ll even live long to collect her fee
Excerpt:
“Well, well, little warrior,” Jude murmured, turning to face me. “You pick unusual company these days. That’s Annette’s most favorite toy. How did you get so lucky? She doesn’t share her toys well.”
Annette. The cat-bitch’s name was Annette. It didn’t suit her. Kitty-cat Barbie was so much more fun.
I sneered at him and dropped down into one of the chairs.
“He’s not a toy I’m interested in playing with,” I muttered. Then I mentally cringed, knowing exactly how Jude would take it.
Yep. Seconds later, his hand stroked over my cheek. “I’m glad to hear it, little warrior. I’m not particularly good at sharing…and I’d hate to have to share you with that.”
I batted his hand away. “Newsflash, vamp. I’m not yours.”
“So you keep insisting.” He snagged the only other piece of furniture in the room, another chair, and swung it around, straddling it and staring at me as he rested his arms on the back. “Why are you working with cats?”
“A job. Money. Same reason I take any job.”
His gaze flickered down to my throat. “It’s a job that’s gotten you in trouble already. Is it paying well?”
“Not well enough,” I muttered.
A fist slammed against the door and I groaned as I felt the magic of the ward crackle. “Open the fucking door, Colbana.”
“He has a nasty temper,” Jude murmured.
Absently, I touched my throat. “I can handle it.” To be fair, Damon hadn’t laid a hand on me since that first day, except to push me out of the way a few times. It had been necessary more than a few times, and not just when we’d gone trolling down in Wolf Haven.
“I heard the Alpha’s nephew was missing.”
I shot Jude a dark look as the pounding at the door increased. Damon shouted, “Colbana, open the door or I’m going to wring your fucking neck again.”
Sighing, I leaned forward and buried my face in my hands.
A hand touched my knee. Cool as death. I knocked it aside.
Too bad I couldn’t brush aside the whisper in my mind.
“She does not tolerate failure, Kit. Why did you take this job?”
I shoved up out of the chair.
The hell would I answer him.
Jude continued to watch me while Damon banged away on the door. Each time he did, the magic sparked. He’d break the ward soon. It would cost me money to put it back up if he broke it. “I can’t let him break my wards. I need the safe room.”
“Look at me.”
I shouldn’t.
But I did.
The green of his gaze started to glow.
“If you fail her, it’s likely she will try to have you killed. You already know this.”
With a short nod, I acknowledged that. What was the point in denying it?
“I can help you. Not many can stand against the cat Alpha. But I can.”
Rolling my eyes, I stared at him. Why in the hell would he?
I knew I amused him, but my amusement factor shouldn’t get me that far in life.
He came out of the seat. “Would you like a way out, Kit? It will not cost you much.”
“Uh-huh.” I wasn’t about to become another one of his servants.
A faint smile canted Jude’s lips upward. “I have enough of those. Just…” He brushed his fingertips along my bruised neck. “One taste. For now. Another when you require my assistance…should it come to that.”
I tensed. No.
“Why not? It’s just a taste, Kit. And it will not harm you, nor bind you…and if it comes to it, it could be the very thing to save to you.”
Why in the world would he be willing to fuck with the Alpha Cat just for a taste of my blood?
A smile pulled his lips back from his teeth and the glow in his eyes started to go red.
“Fucking with her is reason enough…”
Read more…
Shiloh Walker/J.C. Daniels
Kelly’s Review of Wicked Nights by Gena Showalter
Wicked Nights
AUTHOR: Gena Showalter
PUBLICATION DATE: 06/26/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Leader of the most powerful army in the heavens, Zacharel has been deemed nearly too dangerous, too ruthless–and if he isn’t careful, he’ll lose his wings. But this warrior with a heart of ice will not be deterred from his missions at any cost…until a vulnerable human tempts him with a carnal pleasure he’s never known before.
Accused of a crime she did not commit, Annabelle Miller has spent four years in an institution for the criminally insane. Demons track her every move, and their king will stop at nothing to have her. Zacharel is her only hope for survival, but is the brutal angel with a touch as hot as hell her salvation–or her ultimate damnation?
REVIEW:
Wicked Nights is Gena Showalter’s first book in her Angels of the Dark Series. Which is a spin off of the Lords of the Underworld series. If you have been living under a rock you really need to read the Lords series, they are very very good. We get glimpses of the Angels in the Lords of the Underworld series so I am very excited that they are getting their own series. Okay, back to focus on the Angels.
In Wicked Nights we meet Zacharel who is the reluctant leader of a band of very bad angels. A group of angels on the verge of losing their wings and becoming Fallen Angels. Zacharel has never been one to follow the rules, he has always done his own thing no matter the consequences. But all that he is and everything he has ever been is about to be challenged and put to the ultimate test. A test that he can’t afford to lose.
The last 4 years of Annabelle’s live has been nothing but pain and misery. After the murder of her parents, Annabelle is locked away for the crime. But Annabelle knows the truth about who killed her parents. She knows this because she saw the monster do it. But no one believes her. No one knows that each day more demons come for her. While Annabelle is use to demon’s coming after her she is unprepared for an Angel to show up in her room.
Oh how I loved this books… Gena does an amazing job of keeping my interest from page one to the very last page. Nowhere in between was I ever board. I love the cast of characters in this book. All total bad boy, bad ass angels that I am very excited to learn more about. If you are a fan of the LoTU series, there are a few surprise visits that will make you chuckle. If you have not read the LoTU series never fear, you do not have to read before the Angels of the Dark series. Although I would highly recommend the Lords of the Underworld series. If you want to read more about the LoTU check them out here .
REVIEWED BY:Kelly
Kelly’s Review of Night Walker by Lisa Kessler
Night Walker
Night Series #1
AUTHOR: Lisa Kessler
PUBLICATION DATE: 08/02/11
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
He gave up his soul for a second chance to love her…
Two and a half centuries ago, Calisto Terana lost everything when a zealous priest murdered the woman he loved. Now, desperate for another chance to love her, he wants redemption for the mistake that cost her life.
She’s haunted by dreams of her own death…
After catching her fiance with another woman, Kate Bradley returns to San Diego to clear her head. The last thing she needs is romance, but after meeting Calisto she’s drawn to him in ways she doesn’t understand.
They’ve waited in the shadows for centuries…
Calisto has no doubt Kate is the reincarnation of his lost love, but the Fraternidad Del Fuego Santo has a new watcher with dark ambitions of his own. As old enemies re-emerge and a new threat arises, the betrayal that enslaved Calisto to the night might destroy the only woman he’s ever loved again.
REVIEW:
The connection that Calisto & Kate have spans the test of time. Fate has finally brought them back together only to try to drive them apart. But this time will be different. This time Calisto will not let his enemy’s have her even if that means sending her away. Oh but Fate can’t be messed with. What fate wants is what fate gets.
Night Walker is the first book in Lisa Kessler’s new Night Series. This was a good first book. I will say for me it started a little slow. I didn’t really feel a connection to the characters until about chapter 15. Oh, there were parts that tugged at my heartstrings, but for the most part it took me awhile to get connected. After I finally got that connection I grow to love these characters. And was rooting for their happy ending. Did they get it? I can’t say… 🙂 You have to read the book.
I did enjoy this book. I am looking forward to where Lisa is going to be taking us next.
3 1/2 Hearts
REVIEWED BY: Kelly
Kimberly’s Review of Guarding Jess by Shannon Curtis
Guarding Jess
AUTHOR: Shannon Curtis
PUBLICATION DATE: 05/14/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Jessica Pennington’s work as an etiquette coach requires her to be polite and proper at all times, especially now that she has a book coming out. The only thing that rattles her reserve is the increasingly violent emails and texts from her persistent stalker. With the book launch in jeopardy, she reluctantly hires a bodyguard.
Noah Samuels hates stuck-up, prim people like Jessica. He’s more the blunt, straightforward type. But to advance up the ranks at McCormack Security, he has to take the high-profile assignment. After a near miss on his first day on the job, Noah realizes that the stalker isn’t just hype cooked up to sell books-the threat is real.
As the stalker escalates from letters to letter bombs, Noah sees a vulnerable side of Jessica that rouses more than just his protective instincts. But can she let down her guard long enough to trust Noah before it’s too late?
REVIEW:
When you first begin this book you have a feeling it is the same old same old story of the strong but silent type man protecting the “proper” woman. She has to be proper and polite and he just wants to “ruffle her hair to see her messed up a little” and honestly it is but it is a fun read. Noah is the type of guy who does not say much but when he does you want to cry for him or laugh at him. And Jessica is just a woman who wants to please everyone but never seems to be happy with herself.
While there was not a lot different in this book from practically every other book about a bodyguard guarding a celebrity I enjoyed the read a lot. The characters are enjoyable. I love how Noah puts his foot in his mouth more often than not and with Jessica you want to yell at her to loosen up and go for it with Noah. The book is very well written and was a great suspenseful story. I will say while I had the who figured out I certainly did not have the why figured out and the ending had some interesting twist. I found this book very enjoyable to read.
- 4 Hearts
REVIEWED BY: Kimberly
Kelly’s Review of Dangerous Secrets by Lisa Renee Jones
Dangerous Secrets
book #2 in the Tall, Dark & Deadly Series
AUTHOR: Lisa Renee Jones
PUBLICATION DATE: 04/06/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Being a divorce attorney for the rich and famous isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Julie Harrison has learned that love doesn’t last, and she’s sworn never to make the same mistakes as her mother, or her clients. She uses the games men play to keep them at a distance. The only man who managed to break down her walls was Luke Walker, a Navy SEAL who loved her and left her, and changed her forever.
When Luke arrives back in New York, running Walker Security with his brothers and having left his Navy SEAL days behind, he sets his sights on Julie, the woman he’s always wanted and couldn’t have. Except, she runs from him every time he gets close.
But now, one of Julie’s clients, a powerful judge, gets involved with a dangerous cartel, and his soon-to-be-ex wife ends up dead. Julie’s next on the list, and she finds herself on the run from those who believe she knows too much, and counting on Luke to keep her alive. In the deepest, darkest moments of the night, passion will bring them together while danger threatens to tear them apart. Can Julie and Luke trust each other and find their happy ending before they find … the end?
REVIEW:
Luke and Julie have a history that neither can forget. But when Luke & Julie meet up again the sparks fly. But Julie is not sure if she can lose herself in Luke again. It hurt to much the first time she lost him, she doesn’t know if she would survive a second time. But when Julie’s life is in danger, Luke to keep her safe and prove to her that he is not going anywhere.
This was a great second installment in Lisa’s Tall, Dark & Deadly series. I just love it when big tough as nails guys get all soft and mushy about the woman they love. But at the same time Luke is deadly as hell. And now one messes with his woman. This was a good story that had me wondering just who really was the bad guy. There were many to choose from.
I am really enjoying this series and am looking forward to Blake’s book
- 4 Hearts
REVIEWED BY: Kelly
SINSational Saturday Series Forgotten Goddess Series by Stephanie Julian
What a Goddess Wants
Forgotten Goddesses #1
by Stephanie Julian
“In his arms, her magic powers are on the rise…”
Tessa, Etruscan Goddess of the Dawn, is desperately fighting off a malicious god, but her powers are weakening. She needs a hero and fast, because only sexual energy can give her strength. So she seeks out Caligo, whose sexual prowess is legendary…
“And she’s the only one who can bring him into the light…”
Caligo is a fabled Cimmerian warrior determined to stay away from spoiled goddesses who trample hearts after they’ve had their fun. But there’s something irresistibly hot and inviting about Tessa, and he knows he’s her only chance to escape the encroaching darkness..
How to Worship a Goddess
Forgotten Goddesses #2
by Stephanie Julian
Lucy is the Etruscan goddess of the moon, hunted by a powerful demon. One misstep and he will trap and consume her in his bid to escape the underworld. Lucy has stayed one step ahead of him, but she didn’t count on falling for minor league hockey player John Stevenson. John’s not one of her worshippers, but he is determined to win over the gorgeous woman who watches him at every game and won’t give her up without a fight-even if it means releasing the beast he holds inside.
Goddess in the Middle
Forgotten Goddesses #3
by Stephanie Julian
TOGETHER. THEY CREATE THE MOST POWERFUL MAGIC OF ALL …
Romulus and Remus are sexy werewolf cousins with an unbreakable bond. When they meet beautiful goddess Amity and save her from an encroaching demon, they discover that the three of them together are way more powerful than any of them could ever have imagined. And they’re going to need that power to overcome the forces that are determined to steal Amity’s magic and destroy the two men. As different as night and day, and each an amazing man in his own right, Rom and Remy make all of Amity’s deepest fantasies come true .
Interview with Stephanie Grace
Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome first time guest Stephanie J Grace to the blog. 
Can you please share with us a little about yourself
My name is Stephanie J Grace. I write inspirational and sweet romance. I’m a mother of three beautiful children. I enjoy knitting and yarn crafts and I adore finding love in all aspects of life.
Have you always wanted to be an author?
Nope. For years I thought I wanted to go into politics. I’m glad I didn’t do that! Writing has been a joy for me and I love my job.
Can you share with us your typical writing day. Is there anything you have to have while writing?
Well, first thing I get my kiddos breakfast and check my emails while they eat. Next is getting them dressed and to school. I try to get some writing done in the morning if possible, but usually end up doing promotional type things if I can sit and work. I usually hit writing hard around nap time. I don’t need anything special to write, just my laptop. If I held to rituals or anything but complete flexibility, I’d never get anything written.
Most challenging or rewarding part of writing?
The most rewarding part of writing is when I go through when it’s complete and find a few lines that make my heart jump. I love when my readers enjoy my work, but there’s joy in finding passages that make me melt.
Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?
My latest book is Felines and Flowers. It’s an inspirational springtime story about Warren and Wendy—two youth pastors busy in their lives. At one point, Warren was Wendy’s youth pastor and helped inspire her to keep youth ministry in her life. When she returns home after college, she takes a job as youth coordinator at her church and finds herself seeing Warren often. There are no sparks, no wild moment, but there’s something growing between them that makes them spend more and more time together. Warren has issues with their age difference and his doubt leads him to choices that hurt Wendy. They have a chance for love, but might need a little extra help to find it.
How did you come with the idea for this story?
I originally wrote Felines and Flowers for a springtime story call. I fell in love with the pastors, who remind me of people in my life, past and present. I included many things I love in this story, which makes it very special to me.
Can you share with us your current work in progress?
At the moment I’m working on a change of life sort of story about an older woman looking back at her decades old marriage through new eyes thanks to a change in faith. Love comes at all ages and times and sometimes its old love getting a breath of fresh air that’s truly inspiring.
Who are some of your favorite authors?
On the inspirational side of life I adore CS Lewis. He’s my go-to when I’m craving some serious thinking.
Do you feel that any of your favorite authors have inspired your writing style?
I think some have definitely made me rethink the standards of telling a story. I enjoy paranormal stories and from them I’ve learned the unexpected can be a great thing and that humanity, for wanting a shot of excitement, also wants to see the humanness in situations.
What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
I can’t wait to tear into my Harry Potter books for the summer. I try to reread the entire series every few years. I’m also going to pick up the Hunger Games series and the Black Dagger Brotherhood books. Ah, why is the list so long and summer so short??
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Thanks so much for having me! I love visiting and meeting readers and other authors.
Find Stephanie online at www.stephaniebeck.net and feel free to contact her at stephaniebeckauthor@gmail.com
During high school, Warren was just Wendy’s youth pastor. All grown up and shepherding over her own flock of church kids, Wendy Miller turns to her old friend for help. Not that Warren is that old. In fact, the two have a lot more in common than Wendy would have ever thought.
After the death of his wife, Warren was sure he was finished with relationships. Wendy changes that forgone conclusion with her bright spirit and zest for life. Lining up their desires when they’re at very different points in their lives proves a challenge that might take a little divine intervention, or at least help from friends.
Guest Blogger: Susan Mallery
New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery was asked to speak this summer at the American Library Association national conference in Anaheim, California, on a panel called “Isn’t It Romantic?” Mallery’s latest book, SUMMER NIGHTS (Fool’s Gold book 8) is dedicated to librarians who have done so much to introduce readers to her books. This is the speech she prepared.
The appeal in romance is that our books offer readers a celebration of community. Romances are all about connecting. Sure the boy-meets-girl part is fun and exciting, but often what really brings a reader back again and again are the connections made within the novel.
Most romances happen in a larger context of relationships. Families and friends play an important role. We want to experience falling in love with a hunky guy, but we also want a sense of belonging. The most popular books feature a cast of usually likeable, sometimes annoying, generally realistic characters who are amazingly like people we know. Or people we get on an emotional level.
These other characters, sometimes seemingly unimportant, can be the glue that holds our books together. Our hero and heroine are revealed through their relationships with secondary characters. The gruff solitary man who unexpectedly cares for a wounded puppy wins our heart forever. The exhausted single mother staying up until midnight to frost cupcakes for her son’s first grade class reminds us of ourselves. While the romance is central to the story and the reason we think we read “those kind of books” I believe the real truth is we love the sense of community a romance brings to the table. The sexy guy on the cover draws us in, but the heroine’s relationship with her sarcastic best friend turns out to be just as satisfying and meaningful.
The majority of romance readers are women. Women are usually the keepers of relationships in their lives and the lives of those around them.
We are the ones who maintain the friendships, remember birthdays, make sure each of our children has a moment to feel special. We can spend a weekend with our girlfriends and when we get home, still think of something we could have told them. When I travel to a writers’ conference and hang out with my writer friends for days, then return home and get a call from one of them, my husband can’t believe there’s anything left to say. I’ve tried to explain there’s always more to talk about but he just shakes his head.
In our lives we want friends and family. We want connection. Romances offer that in our fiction. We can meet women we want to have lunch with and men we want to fall in love with. Romance isn’t man against nature or man against himself. It’s man and woman falling in love in a much bigger context. One or both of them have a family, there are friends, coworkers, pets. It’s a real world populated by the funny and the strange and if done well, it’s a world we want to return to again and again.
For years now, romances have been written in groups. Trilogies, sisters, brothers, a band of warriors. Sherrilyn Kenyon gives us her immortal warriors. Debbie Macomber gives us Cedar Cove. In between lie stories only limited by the imaginations of the writers who create them. It is the combination of the familiar and the unknown that draws us back.
I started writing in category romance. I wrote about 80 books for Silhouette. I wrote about sisters and cousins and brothers and even neighboring sheik kingdoms. The longer a series went on, the more readers responded. When I moved into writing single title, I continued with families. One day a very successful writer friend sat me down and said, “Write about a town. It’s limitless.”
From that very intelligent advice, my Fool’s Gold series was born. www.foolsgoldca.com It’s a small town set in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. I started with the idea of a town suffering a man shortage, which gave me the chance to put women in non-traditional jobs. I decided to write the books in trilogies, with the idea each trilogy would stand on its own, allowing readers to join at any point. By the second Fool’s Gold trilogy I’d realized the man shortage wasn’t that interesting, but the non-traditional jobs were, so modifications were made.
Reader response has been terrific. They love the town. Mayor Marsha, California’s longest serving mayor, is a fan favorite. I keep track of previous heroes and heroines using a data base and often feature births in subsequent books. I use social media to increase the level of connection with my readers. We have the usual interactions, but there is another level on my Facebook page(www.facebook.com/susanmallery). Readers help me name characters, pick careers and suggest new businesses for the towns. When a former heroine is due to give birth, readers usually vote on the gender of the baby and offer name suggestions. Next year three new businesses will open in Fool’s Gold and each one of them is the result of something a reader said to me.
A romance can take place nearly anywhere, in any time. We have smart ass heroines who rescue themselves, timid virgins and librarians who dance on bars in our books. Every romance writer has a specific vision for what she wants to write, but what we all have in common is connection. Sisters who are drawn together because of a dying parent. Vampires fighting enemies while protecting the women they love. Handsome dukes who marry the most unlikely of spinsters, drawn to her against all odds, in part because she takes care of her younger siblings.
In romances we find the relationships that matter most to us personally. Those who adore babies in books can be endless entertained by the antics of newborns. If you prefer sexy, sassy heroines, there are dozens of writers to give you exactly that. The appeal of romance is how the stories speak to us so personally. They show us women who are brave, who overcome odds, who always have a snappy comeback and in the end find not just love, but also a place to belong. Romances celebrate the very best of us, and that ideal state is often illustrated in the connections our characters make with each other.
Romances are a reading escape that also touches the heart. Romances affirm what is most important to each of us—the people we love, who love us back.
Guest blogger: Rosanne Bittner
Hello to Books-n-Kisses from author Rosanne Bittner! I am so happy that you asked about my books! I have been writing for 30 years and have had 57 books published, all involving historical America! This month (July 2012)I am celebrating the reissue by Sourcebooks of my novel THUNDER ON THE PLAINS for their Casablanca line. THUNDER is a captivating love story with a “to die for” hero and a heroine of amazing courage and determination, all set against the true history of the building of America’s first trans-continental railroad. Be sure to come to my virtual 4th of July party at http://rosannebittnerbookparty.blogspot.com/and enter a contest to win a free copy of THUNDER ON THE PLAINS as well as the grand prize of a Kindle Touch!
One of your questions was – have I always wanted to write? I certainly have, although it took me until I was 34 years old to believe I could really write an entire novel. In the 4th grade I wrote my first little love story – Mr.and Mrs. Quack – about two ducks! I also wrote poetry – tons and tons of it. Sometimes I think I should put all of it together in a little book of poems. Maybe I’ll try that. I was the editor of our high school newsletter – editor of a house organ where I was once employed – and I took a correspondence course in creative writing over 40 years ago.
I have always been captivated by America’s history and read stories about nothing but pioneers and Indians. When I read a book called A LANTERN IN HER HAND by Bess Streeter Aldrich – and then the wonderful saga THE PROUD BREED by Celeste de Blasis, I realized I had to try my hand at writing a novel. After 9 tries, I finally sold my first book, SWEET PRAIRIE PASSION, which became the first book of what turned out to be a 7-book series (SAVAGE DESTINY) which after 30 years is still selling!
I try to write every day, and in the beginning when I was still working full time I often stayed at the computer (back then it was a typewriter!) until 2:00 a.m. and then get up by 5:00 a.m. to get my family off to work and school and myself to work. I got little sleep but managed to make it through the many other challenges that came along – all because I loved what I was doing and I love telling “true” American history through my fictitious stories, full of romance and adventure.
Next spring book #58, a brand new book by Rosanne Bittner, will be published by Sourcebooks – PARADISE VALLEY. I hope you will watch for it. Just keep watching www.sourcebooks.comas well as my own web site www.rosannebittner.com for details! And be sure to check out my blog at www.rosannebittner.blogspot.com. Thank you so much and enjoy your summer!