For those who don’t know you can you please share with us a little about yourself
Maya: I live in southeast Texas with my husband, three children and an assortment of pets. When I’m not writing (which is never!) I enjoy hunting and fishing with my family and we love to travel whenever we get the opportunity.
Can you please tell us about a little about Theirs to Keep?
Maya: The Tangled Hearts trilogy originally started out as ONE book. But I never could get it to come together in a way that made me happy. Because I was starting it too late in the storyline. And when I realized that, it all came together. I needed to go back and tell what was originally all backstory in that first and only planned book. So I went back in time to tell readers HOW Elle meets Cade and Merrick and show readers them falling in love so I could then progress with the rest of the story. So one book became a trilogy and I’m much happier with it now!
Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?
Maya: I’m currently working on the SURRENDER trilogy, book 2 and after that I’ll begin work on KGI #9. I haven’t announced a title yet (or who the story is about) but I’ll be doing that soon!
Have you always wanted to be an author?
Maya: Yep!
What is your most interesting writing quirk?
Maya: I wouldn’t call it “interesting” but I’m frighteningly linear in my work. I can’t multitask and I can NOT work on more than one story at a time. Each story gets my absolute time, energy and brain power and I have to do them in order. No jumping ahead. I take it one book at a time and do the absolute best I can before starting the process all over again with the next book.
Who is the one author that you would love to meet someday and why?
Maya: I’ve already met the one author I would have loved to meet (Julie Garwood) so I’m good!
What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?
Maya: Keep true to yourself and your vision of your story and don’t let others change it or interfere in your voice. Stick to your guns and your instincts and don’t give up.
What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
Maya: I have no idea!
Who is your Celebrity crush? And what would you do if you ever meet them?
Maya: Either the Rock or Oded Fehr. I’d just grin. lol
When Cade Winslow and Merrick Sullivan find Elle hiding in the cabinet of a gun store, they know they can’t just walk away from the fragile woman with no memory of who she is or who tried to kill her. Merrick is training for the title shot in the heavyweight division as a mixed martial artist and can’t afford distractions, but neither can he turn his back on the woman who tugs at his heartstrings.
Elle feels safe with her two protectors, and the longer she spends with them, the more she realizes that she has no desire to remember her past. Not when it could compromise her future with Cade and Merrick.
Cade has his own set of concerns when it comes to Elle, and it quickly becomes clear to the two men that for the first time in their friendship, a woman is coming between them. But what if they just kept her there? Between them. Where she belongs.
Billionaire Max Gray has one thing on his mind – Kate Bergen. Ever since their hot and passionate kiss at a fundraiser one night, his desire to own and possess her becomes all encompassing. Goaded by his attraction for her, he whisks her off to Paris to explore the scorching possibilities between them – especially the woman who set him ablaze with just a kiss.
When PR dynamo’s Laura and Eric rush to Rome to contain a scandal involving one of their high profile clients, their business trip soon turns hot and heavy when he unexpectedly shows up at her hotel room and finds her wearing nothing but a sheer black robe. Overcome by desire, he quickly sets about seducing her.
Will he finally, after months of pursuing Laura, be able to break her resistance and make her surrender?
Jenna Harper has it all, a gorgeous and loving man, a thriving career, a busy social life and fabulous adventures around the world. Life is indeed good. But all that is about to be tested when billionaire Thorne Hamilton makes a confession that leaves Jenna shocked. Will his confession tempt her to put everything on the line?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Bella Ross is a writer with many passions, two of which are writing and travelling. She wrote her first book (a novel) at eighteen a la Jackie Collins. But back then, unbeknownst to her, life was about to take her on a detour. As she set off on her new course, her dream of writing took a backseat and her entrepreneurial spirit flourished instead. But after many years of worldly pursuits, the urge to write returned and the time was right to follow her bliss.
She believes it’s never too late to follow your dreams/bliss.
Her books/stories are her first attempt at erotic romance. She loves the genre and its endless creative possibilities. She likes pairing bold and dynamic (Alpha) men with sexy and strong women – which in her opinion – make for a hot and sizzling combination. With her love of travel, it is no surprise that her stories take place in glamorous capitals or exotic locales around the world. It’s the perfect backdrop/setting for her characters to explore and indulge their lusts and passions, loves and desires.
When she’s not writing, she’s reading, or gallivanting all over seeking new inspiration, or people watching while enjoying a latte at Starbucks and jotting down ideas.
She loves to hear from readers, and looks forward to interacting through her various social media channels. You can also sign up for Bella Mail to be notified about new releases and promotional offers.
It will take a Christmas miracle to melt her heart.
Resort developer Madison Lane is about to lose the one thing she loves most in the world—her job. Dubbed “The Grinch Who Killed Christmas,” Madison spoiled a deal that would turn quaint Christmas, Colorado, into a tourist’s winter wonderland. Now the citizens want her fired but the company gives her one last chance, sending Madison to the small town to restore the holiday cheer.
For Sheriff Gage McBride, no hotshot executive from New York City is going to destroy the dreams of the people he loves. But one look at this beautiful woman and it’s his heart that may be broken. In just a few days, Madison causes more trouble than he’s had to deal with all year. He can’t decide if she’s naughty or nice, but one thing is for certain—Christmas will never be the same again…
Madison and Nell arrive at the older woman’s home as the school bus drops off Gage’s daughters, Lily and Annie.
Excerpt #8
“Say hello to Ms. Lane. She’s Auntie’s little helper.”
A sinking feeling came over Madison at Nell’s introduction, but she managed a smile for Lily, whose freckled nose wrinkled when she giggled. “She’s not little, Auntie.” She smiled up at Madison. “Hi, Ms. Lane.”
“Hi, Lily. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Annie, get a move on. It’s freezing out here,” Nell hollered at the young girl, who was being teased by the three boys who’d gotten off the bus after Lily.
“Yeah, Goth Girl, better get inside before you catch cold,” one of the boys jeered.
“Leave my sister alone?” Lily yelled.
Just as Annie went to walk away, an embarrassed flush working its way up her face, the tallest of the boys drew back his arm and drilled a snowball at her.
She went to duck, but the snowball hit the side of her face. Madison winced as a memory of the taunts and bullying she’d endured growing up walloped her at the same time. They hadn’t called her Goth Girl; she’d been the home wrecker’s daughter, the ho’s daughter, and trailer trash. Furious on the young girl’s behalf, Madison wasn’t thinking when she strode across the lawn. Scooping up two fistfuls of snow, she packed them into a hard ball then fired it at the boy who hit Annie. She missed his head. The snowball glanced off his shoulder instead. Sharing a shocked look, the boys hightailed it down the street.
Madison grimaced as the anger and memories faded. Good Lord, what had she been thinking. She was lucky she hadn’t really hit the kid, or some parent would be hauling her in for assault Once in one day was enough, thank you very much.
She ignored Nell’s startled expression and walked over to Annie. “Assholes,” the young girl snarled.
Madison saw the hurt and embarrassment in her heavily made-up eyes, the tremble of her purple-glossed lips, and gently brushed the snow from the young girl’s hair. “Guys are such jerks, aren’t they?”
Annie lifted her gaze to hers. “Yeah.”
Madison sucked in a surprised gasp. Beneath the pancake makeup, the girl was beautiful, as beautiful as the man she was a carbon copy of. With those winter green eyes, inky-black hair, and the shallow dent in her chin, there was no doubt in Madison’s mind that Gage McBride was Annie’s father.
Her stomach lurched. She’d been flirting with a married man, imagining him kissing her, fantasizing about his hands on her naked flesh. She was no better than her mother, she thought in disgust. It took a moment for her to calm herself–it wasn’t as if she’d know he was married. But he did, and that hadn’t stopped him from flirting with her, touching her. She was right. Guys were jerks, especially Gage McBride.
Meet Author Debbie Mason:
Praised as a “writer to watch” by RT Book Reviews, Debbie Mason also writes Scottish-set historical paranormals as Debbie Mazzuca. Her MacLeod series debuted in April 2010 and is said to “combine the passion of Hannah Howell’s Highand romances with the seductive fantasy of Karen Marie Moning’s bestsellers.”
One US/Canada commenter from the entire tour will win a HUGE Christmas holiday themed basked filled with tons of holiday goodies, just in time for the Christmas season!!
The more stops readers leave a comment on, the greater their chances of winning!
Lawyer Alaina Simmons never imagined that she would be defending her deceased father against accusations of terrorism when she agreed to protect his legacy, a group of documents he’d placed in an archival repository. FBI Lawyer Donovan Prentice insists that her father and the organization he worked for were terrorists and that crucial evidence is in the documents Alaina has sworn to protect. Now she is forced to combat the FBI and her compelling attraction to Donovan Prentice while unaware that she is also Donovan’s suspect.
Special Agent Donovan Prentice is working undercover posing as a lawyer in an attempt to gain access to the evidence he needs to convict a group of terrorists as well as determine if Alaina Simmons is working with them. Things become complicated as Donovan becomes more intent on getting his suspect in bed than putting her in jail.
When the bullets start to fly and the lies begin to unravel Alaina and Donovan begin to explore their intensely sexual relationship, but the couple will have to learn to trust each other both in and out of bed before the terrorists’ game of intrigue can end.
Warning: This book contains steamy sex scenes and amusing banter.
A little about Anna:
I’ m happily married with two children. I love to cook, hike, bike, and hang with my girlfriends.
I’m an avid romance reader and enjoy all types of romance novels including historical, contemporary, paranormal, and erotica.
Oh and did I mention I have my own consulting business?
I obviously had a couple of hours left in the day so I began writing romance. I wanted to bring readers hot, sexy romances that are brought to life with compelling characters. Who knew writing romance could be as fun as reading it!
Hi Jen!! Welcome back to Books-n-Kisses. We always love having you on the blog. For those who have been living under a rock or don’t know who you are can you please share with us a little about yourself
Sure, but I’m pretty average. I grew up in Southern CA, although I lived in Arizona for a few short years until my father suddenly passed away just before my 14th birthday. Life got very difficult after that, and I discovered romances—books that empowered women and gave me hope that life would get better.
It absolutely did, by the way. I met my husband at the dog pound (seriously!) We have three sons, and continue to create our own version of happily-ever-after every single day.
Have you always wanted to be an author?
I dreamed of being a writer from the time I was in high school, but it wasn’t until I was married, had our children, and my husband was going after his MBA degree that I started to think—why not try it? It took me eight years, five manuscripts, and a lot of support but I finally succeeded.
What is your most interesting writing quirk?
Probably just the sheer craziness of my process. The rest of my life is pretty organized, but my writing process is a mess. I begin with a premise and outline, but once I start writing, I hit walls, stumble around, write entire scenes and then delete them, get halfway through the book then go back to the beginning and rip it apart…yet somehow out of the mess a book eventually takes shape. I end up with major anxiety and insomnia at some point with every book. Yet I’ve never found an easier way.
Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?
I just released OBSESSION, the third and final book in The Plus One Chronicles Trilogy. The first book THE PROPOSITION leans toward being the heroine, Kat’s, story. The second one, POSSESSION shows us more of the hero, Sloane’s story. I love those two books. But OBSESSION is the sizzling and emotional culmination that I love so much because these two have earned their happy ending on a road of real pain and tough choices. They chose to love.
Writing this trilogy has been an intense and amazing experience for me. I almost always love my characters, but Kat and Sloane, and many of the secondary characters completely captivated me. They are so real to me as they struggled with real issues and tried to make the best choices. Love really can heal—it’s not perfect and it doesn’t make problems go away. But love can give us that emotional support we need to handle the curveballs that live throws us.
How did you come with the idea for this story?
I’ve had bits and pieces of the idea for years, but the catalyst for writing this story was my son’s injury. It was during his long recovery that Kat and Sloane came to me and said, “Now’s the time. Tell our story.” It sounds so dramatic, but it’s true. In some ways, my son’s bravery as he faced a difficult injury and the loss of a career he’d worked so hard for inspired me to go for it. I knew this story had to be told with brutal honesty and that takes courage (for me anyway). And I was going to have to dig deep in some painful places to do it.
Soon, I was so compelled to write these three books, I almost had no choice but to just go for it.
Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?
Right now I’m working on THE COWBOY MARINE (title may change) which is the second book in my Once A Marine Series that I write as Jennifer Apodaca for Entangled Publishing. The first book is titled THE BABY BARGAIN and came out in March 2013.
In THE COWBOY MARINE, Logan Knight is an operative for Once A Marine Security Agency. After ten years in the Marines, Logan has some PTSD and to deal with that he goes home to his spot of land on his family’s ranch. But when Logan arrives, there’s a beautiful young woman and her baby hiding out in his house.
These books are updated versions of traditional category books and a lot of fun for me to write! I’m looking forward to seeing how Logan and Becky’s story turns out!
Who is the one author that you would love to meet someday and why?
I’ve met a lot of awesome writers, including Dean Koontz and a great many romance authors. I suppose I’d like to meet Stephen King because he scared the crap out of me when I read his books in high school, and then I read MISERY and PET SEMETARY after I was married and having my kids. Not the best choices for a young mom up at night with babies! I’ve been around Nora Roberts, but I’d love a chance to formally meet her and her alter ego, JD Robb. I could go on and on forever talking about authors!
What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?
Learn to finish the book! When we get bogged down in the middle of the book we’re writing, it’s so easy to get distracted by a new, fresh ideas. Jot down those ideas somewhere, then go back and finish that first book. I also encourage writers to join groups, maybe Romance Writers of America, or an online group. We learn so much that way, and it helps us to stay inspired and motivated.
Can you share with us something off your bucket list.
I’ve never been out of the U.S. Someday, I’ll travel somewhere fun outside the country. One of my kids just came back from Costa Rica and loved it. But my first choice (except for the LONG plane ride) would be Australia.
What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
SHADOWED by Rebecca Zanetti! I have it on my Kindle but have been too crazy-busy to read. It’s up next and I can’t wait! In fact, By the time this interview posts, I’m sure I will have devoured the book!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Yes! This series truly surprised me when it took off around the second book. That’s all due to readers and bloggers, and I want to thank you all for loving Kat and Sloane (and all the rest of the characters) as much as I do! I wrote these books on pure faith and the desperate need to tell this story, but you all made it come to life by reading and sharing. That has both thrilled and humbled at the same time. Thank you for believing in love—even when it’s not easy or perfect.
A look at the The Plus One Chronicles
A wicked proposition…
A sensual possession…
A dark obsession…
The Plus One Chronicles: Searing passion and fiery vengeance collide in three explosive books.
Rich, sexy and volatile, Sloane Michaels has a dark agenda that keeps his heart on ice. His extreme wealth gives him the control he craves and his skills as an ex UFC fighter the tools he’ll need to extract his ultimate revenge. But when the woman he never believed he’d see again crosses his path, Sloane is caught between the vengeance he needs and a sexual conquest he craves.
Kat Thayne has been in survival mode for six years, hiding behind the sweet creations for her bakery. But when a random carjacking brings her face-to-face with her darkest fears and hottest fantasy, Kat is forced out of hiding and offered a dangerously passionate proposition. One she knows she isn’t strong enough to refuse.
**Please note: Possession is book two of a three book series. Readers should start with The Proposition.**
Savagely sexy billionaire Sloane Michaels ruthlessly controls his life and everything in it. Even his sex partners are carefully negotiated plus-one arrangements, including his latest, the fiery bakery owner, Kat Thayne. But Sloane’s control is challenged when his mentor becomes seriously ill, and his need for Kat, his need to possess her at all costs, rivals only his single-minded goal of vengeance for the murder of his sister.
After surviving an attack six years ago, Kat Thayne escaped her fears in the protective world of her beloved bakery. Then Sloane Michaels storms into her life, making her feel beautiful, strong and sexy. Yet as Kat pushes her boundaries and uncovers a dangerous secret in her past, Sloane’s controlling side emerges. Worried that Sloane will possess her mind, body and soul, Kat fights to keep her hard won independence. But just as Sloane demands her complete surrender, she discovers he has a dark side that could destroy them both.
**Possession is an adult contemporary novel and is not intended for younger readers due to mature content.**
In the explosive conclusion to The Plus One Chronicles Trilogy, obscenely rich, jaggedly handsome and still obsessed with love and vengeance, Sloane Michaels must face an impossible choice: lose the woman he loves or betray his twin sister’s memory.
Watching the man she adores destroy himself for revenge, Kat Thayne knows she should run and never look back. But running isn’t her way anymore. Kat has grown into a fierce fighter, and the man who helped her get there is the very man who needs her strength now. But as the sizzling passion and hard-won love bind Kat and Sloane even tighter together, old secrets and lies explode around them. Danger threatens. And Kat soon realizes that she’s risking more than her heart to be with Sloane…she’s risking her very life.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jennifer Lyon grew up under the shadow of the Matterhorn at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. She attended Walt Disney elementary school and her very first playmate was her beloved dog, Duke, who was cast in the role of hero in all their adventures.
Clearly Jen was born to daydream. But it took her years to figure out how to turn her imagination into a career as an author. After marrying and becoming a full time mom to three sons, Jen launched her career with the award winning Samantha Shaw Mystery Series and other romantic mysteries under the name Jennifer Apodaca. Later, she took the name Jennifer Lyon, combined her love of witches, alpha males and sizzling romance into another award winning series, the Wing Slayer Hunters.
Jennifer has several new releases coming out this year. THE PROPOSITION, the first book in her new Plus One Chronicles was just released on February 24 and following later in the year will be Book Two: POSSESSION – Coming 5/28/13 and Book Three: OBSESSION – Coming 9/24/13.
Writing under Jennifer Apodaca she will be releasing the first book in her Once A Marine series, titled THE BABY BARGAIN which will be out in March 2013 from Entangled Publishing in their Indulgence line.
Jennifer is giving away the following prizes at the end of her tour:
GRAND PRIZE: $50.00 gift card to Amazon or B&N
RUNNERS UP: TWO (2) runners up each get a $25.00 gift card to Amazon or B&N
Daphne became a ghost whisperer when the Veil was lifted and the others came out of hiding. Now she’s intent on using her new ability to track down a serial killer who’s been terrorizing children in her small town. Isaac is an ancient vampire pursuing Daphne as she runs from his love and the promise of his immortal kiss. He will do anything to prove that they belong together, forever, including slaying a real monster for her.
A Taste for Moonlight
Anne gave up on finding her Prince Charming exactly one divorce, two kids, and (ahem) several pounds ago. Besides, she’s too busy building her business and being a good mom to even miss love anymore…usually…sometimes. But all that changes when she finds herself tricked into going to a werewolf strip club on her birthday. That’s when Thomas sees her for the first time and realizes that she is the mate he’s searched centuries for.
A Darker Shade of Dawn
Roschana doesn’t have many friends. Maybe it’s that whole I-eat-sex-for-breakfast thing? Too sexy? Too creepy? Whatever. She can’t help that she’s a succubus or that when most people find out about her eating habits they usually get the wrong impression and bolt, or drop trou on the spot. Eeww. But Thomas isn’t like most people. He’s a nerd who understands the stars better than he understands people. Who knew that the fastest way to a succubus’s heart was through a telescope?
A Heart of Stone and Fire
Athena is dying. There, she admitted it. So now what? In a world made topsy turvy by the lifting of the Veil, a girl ought to be able to find a cure for something as banal as cancer. And if she can’t? Well, then there’s always shopping. Gestein has guarded Athena since their paths first crossed when she was just a child. He would do anything to save her from the fate she has in store, but he’s bound to honor the vow he made not to interfere in her life. And a gargoyle always keeps his word.
A Constant Rapture
Constance is searching for a miracle; because that’s the only way she’ll be able to save her little sister and herself from the Ochi’s grasp. Xavier is working as a stage magician on the Vegas strip when Constance barges in and disrupts his carefully ordered plans: work, drink, rinse, repeat. He doesn’t see how his one shite talent could possibly help in her search until he’s already neck deep in Ochi mercenaries. By then there’s the complication of him starting to fall for his dream girl…
A little about Aimee:
I was born and raised near Las Vegas, NV and grew up dreaming of rain. I also dreamt of heroes and villains and the women that inspired the best and worst in them.
It seemed like every book I read as a teen was a classic bodice-ripper. Wimpy-virgin-heroine always making bad choices and getting herself in trouble, cue the macho hero, yadda yadda yadda. Those books are what inspired me to write my own stories, not because I loved those retro-romances, but because I constantly found myself tossing them aside and fuming. I would think of all the ways the story would have been better: if she had just picked up the sword and stabbed the bad guy when she had the chance…
I LOVE writing and I love the new direction that fiction has taken over the last decade. So many amazing, strong female leads now! And so many new writers that finally have a voice in the indie publishing community.
I was blessed with a wonderful husband who supports my passion for writing and reading and who really helped me focus my desire to publish my work. When I’m not busy enjoying my daughter and husband I’m usually developing a new story idea or sneaking in a bit of free time with my favorite authors.
I’m a bit of a hermit, they called it being “shy” when I was a kid, but I love hearing from fans. I also love ferrets, hiking, chili dark chocolate, strong coffee, nursing mamas, and rain.
Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Monica Burns to the blog today.
Monica, can you please share with us a little about yourself
Okay, when people ask me a question like that, the door is wide open, but I won’t bore you with tons of nonsense. The long and short of it is, I’m a bestselling author of sexy historical romance and paranormal romance.
A bestselling author of spicy erotic romance, Monica Burns penned her first short romance story at the age of nine when she selected the pseudonym she uses today. From the days when she hid her stories from her sisters to her first completed full-length manuscript, she always believed in her dream despite rejections and setbacks. A workaholic wife and mother, Monica believes it’s possible for the good guy to win if they work hard enough.
Have you always wanted to be an author?
Yep. I was writing romance at the age of nine, when I selected my pseudonym. Seriously. I’m a born marketer, and I picked Monica because it sounded exotic and Burns because it starts with a B and would be eyelevel to book customers. Of course, that was back when there weren’t as many books available. But it still puts me close to the front of the line. I think in my next life, I’m going to use the pseudonym, Abby Normal
Are you a plotter or a punster or combo of both? And you explain the difference?
I’m more a pantser than plotter. My plotting is basically done in a synopsis, and I write the barebones of the story. For example, my current WIP had loosely laid out plot line. I know that the hero is blackmailed into marrying the heroine. The heroine has recently found freedom in the BDSM lifestyle as a Domme. The hero is a Submissive. The two have different things going on with their inner conflicts. She’s pretty much had it with people telling her what to do all her life, so the Domme aspect is pretty self-explanatory. The hero is more complex. The hero’s father beat the hero’s mother while the hero was forced to watch as he was too young to protect his mother. Being a Submissive is in a way his penitence. So I’ve got these two characters who are forced into a marriage, they both have issues, the hero works in the seedy East End of London as a solicitor helping a barrister find evidence to defend people. There’s a bad guy who’s revealing names within the BDSM club (we all know that’s a BIG no no), and this bad guy winds up getting involved with one of the hero’s seedy enemies from the East End and something bad happens that may/may not put the heroine or the hero in danger. THAT is the extent of my plotting. The rest of it is putting words on paper as the scenes come to me. I already have three scenes in my head that I’ve yet to key in, but they’re rock solid. As a pantser, I just sit down and let the story flow out on the page. At least that’s how it’s *supposed* to work! It’s rarely that easy. In fact, I’ve only ever had one book in my career that just rolled off my fingers.
What is your most interesting writing quirk?
Hmm…I don’t really have one. I need to have my iced tea first thing in the morning when I start writing, and that’s about as quirky as I get. I don’t have any rabbit’s foot or any kind of crutch.
Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?
A Bluestocking Christmas is one of my favorite stories because it has a ghost, the hero is hot as hell, and the entire story has an intense focus on literary works. Essentially, the hero uses words to seduce the heroine, well that and other seductive powers.
How did you come with the idea for this story?
A Bluestocking Christmas is a back list book from when I was first published by an ePub. I love books (go figure LOL), and I wanted to see what I could do with a ghost and a hero who uses words to make the heroine submit to him.It’s a romantic tip of the hat to Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol.
Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?
His Mistress is my current work, which I outlined above, and I’m about half way done with it. After that book is completed, I’ll be working on another Order of the Sicari series, which started out at Berkley, but they decided not to contract more books. But there are a lot of people who’ve asked for the series, and I love the world of the Sicari, so I’m going back.
Who is the one author that you would love to meet someday and why?
Well, I can’t meet that author because she’s dead. Charlotte Bronte wrote the most amazing hero in Jane Eyre, and I would love to sit down and have a private, confidential girl chat with her about how she came up with Rochester, and whether she knew someone that she based the character on. Rochester was just so *real* to me, and it makes me think Charlotte modeled after someone, despite her brilliance as an author.
What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?
Learn the rules of writing. Actually, they’re just guidelines, but you have to learn them to hone your craft. Once you know the “rules,” toss them out the window and break the rules left and right. Finally, write for yourself first, your readers second, and NEVER ever write to a trend. Unless you’re a fast writer, you’ll miss the wave. And yes, point the finger, I’m writing my first BDSM. However, I’m writing a male Sub, that’s not an easy type of hero to find, but thanks to my pal Joey Hill, I’m feeling pretty good about making Tobias an alpha type of Sub.
Can you share with us something off your bucket list.
I have several things on my bucket list.
1) I want to ride the top 10 roller coasters in the world. I have nine to go.
2) I want to drive a race car of Lamborghini (preferably the Lamborghini) on a straightway at 120mph.
3) Visit Rome, Italy
4) Visit the Pyramids at Giza and the Temple of Karnak in Luxor
5) Visit England (that might happen March 2014) and Scotland.
6) I want to learn how to speak Italian and Klingon. Actually the Italian piece I’m learning now via Rosetta Stone.
7) I want to learn fencing
8) I want to learn martial arts (I doubt this will happen thanks to a bad back)
9) I intend to sky dive at 82. If I live that long going splat won’t matter. The other option is to bungee jump with a Bowie knife because I refuse to go to a nursing home.
What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
I have tons of books in my TBR pile, but I don’t have any one single book that sticks out in my mind as a must read. I don’t get to read very often, which makes it difficult to find a series I can immerse myself in. If I had to pick one, I’d say Dan Brown’s Inferno. I’ve been wanting to read it since I first heard he was writing it. The book has been out since mid-May and I’ve *yet* to even come close to getting to it. I must have about 200 books on my Kindle, Nook combined, but time is so limited.
What is one book everyone should read before they die?
Jane Eyre – It’s characterization is exquisite in my opinion
What is your favorite time of year & why?
The fall, hands down. Why? The air is crisp with a bite in the morning, while the evening still holds the softness of the day’s sun yet the cool nip that hints the temperature is about to drop. Then there’s the sound of leaves cracking beneath your feet or the sound of laughter as a kid jumps into a pile of leaves behind their dad’s back. I love how apple cider and cinnamon fills the air on a pumpkin farm, or the whiff of sweet smoke from a neighbor’s fire. Fall means back-to-school, Halloween, the quiet that follows summer, and the coming holidays. It’s just an awesome time of year. Pretty much the calm before the storm (the holidays).
Who is your Celebrity crush? And what would you do if you ever meet them?
Well, if we’re talking eye candy, then that would be Vin Diesel, Matt Bomer (who my associate film producer nephew worked with on a film recently. Le sigh) and Scott Eastwood (Clint Eastwood’s son). I imagine I’d just say hi while inside I’d be thinking, oh God, I wish I was skinnier, prettier and a hell of a lot younger.
If we’re talking just “interesting” celebrity then it would be Anthony Hopkins. He’s a brilliant actor, and there’s only been one movie of his I didn’t like. That was Magic, which was a very creepy film. Obviously he did an exceptional job in it, because I still remember it (70s film), but I didn’t enjoy it. So I supposed I’d have to ask him how/why he started and questions like that.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Thank you for the great questions. Writing a blog post is difficult for me, but answering questions is like taking an essay test. It’s much easier. LOL
Sinful words, wicked pleasures and a ghost all add up to A Bluestocking Christmas with a Dickens of a twist.
As a young man, Simon, Viscount Wycombe learned the painful truth that a tradesman’s daughter is suitable only for liaisons and nothing more. But Ivy Beecham is a far cry from his preconceived notions, and he’s determined to have her. But when she rejects him, it only increases his determination to seduce her into a world of sin and pleasure.
Ivy Beecham knows first-hand that handsome aristocrats like Simon can’t be trusted. But the intellectual scoundrel is hellbent on making her his mistress, using every means at his seductive disposal. When she refuses to give away her heart on Christmas Eve, a ghostly specter shows her in one night why her surrender can be the greatest gift of all.
A little about Monica:
A bestselling author of spicy historical and paranormal romance, Monica Burns penned her first short romance story at the age of nine when she selected the pseudonym she uses today. Her historical book awards include the 2011 RT BookReviews Reviewers Choice Award and the 2012 Gayle Wilson Heart of Excellence Award for Pleasure Me. She is also the recipient of the prestigious paranormal romance award, the 2011 PRISM Best of the Best award for Assassin’s Heart. From the days when she hid her stories from her sisters to her first completed full-length manuscript, she always believed in her dream despite rejections and setbacks. A workaholic wife and mother, Monica believes it’s possible for the good guy to win if they work hard enough.
Amidst an epidemic ravaging the world, all Megan Fletcher’s hopes for the future lie in getting to Las Vegas where newscasts reported scientists were gathering to search for a cure for the modern plague. After rescuing her from a rooftop surrounded by Zombies, Sam Woods appoints himself her escort. While he knows she is determined to get to Vegas no matter the cost, he doesn’t know her secret. And with his hatred of all things Zombie, she doesn’t dare tell him the truth. The more he kisses her, the harder it is for Megan to hide her growing feelings…and the bite-shaped scar.
But Vegas is not the haven it was promised to be, and when Megan’s immunity to the disease is discovered, she realizes her future and her heart belong to Sam, if he will trust her. An idealistic school teacher and ex-corporate mogul manage to find love despite a looming worldwide catastrophe. Can their love survive while everything around them is dying? Will they learn that when facing the end of the world, Only Love Survives?
EXCERPT:
A storm that spelled danger flashed across Sam’s face. He advanced on Megan so fast, she backed up against the side of the Suburban. Planting a hand firmly on each side of her, he pinned her with his arms as well as his gaze.
“What I want? Are you so hard headed you can’t tell what I want?” He covered her mouth with his lips and crushed her clever comeback with an assault on her senses.
Megan pushed him, but he didn’t budge. Instead, he continued to kiss her until her heart raced and cheeks flushed with need. All resistance melted and she succumbed to the warmth of his embrace. Her arms wound around his neck of their own accord pulling him closer while her tongue sought his in a passionate dance, completely ignoring what her heart wanted.
When he finally broke away leaving Megan breathless and wanting so much more, Sam put his forehead to hers and watched her mouth like a drunk watches amber liquid poured into a glass. “You,” he rasped. “I’ve wanted you since I found you hanging from that damn roof, and all our little encounter in the river did was add fuel to the fire.”
A little about Renee:
Renee Charles believes all love is legendary. Being the only female in a house full of giants (husband and two teenage boys) she tends to lean toward the strange and unusual, but inevitably the softer side shines through.
Whether life leads her to a snow covered mountain top, sun dappled forest, or the bottom of a ravine (yes, ditches happen) she always has a pen and note pad ready so wherever the next adventure takes her, she can take notes.
Her own romance began in an insane asylum. Luckily, both she and her husband only worked there. But it makes sense her romance novels have strange beginnings that lead to passionate endings. Romance with a dark twist.
In the face of zombies, werewolves, and big foot she always seems to find a happily ever after to leave you with a sigh at the end.
Today I have Pamela Rose here answering questions she’s received as a writer and to present her new book, Sherlock’s Home, which is a delightful mystery. Loved the characters in this one and I’m hoping to read more from this author.
Q&A with Pamela Rose
1. Are there occupational hazards to being a writer?
Hazards? Do you mean other than voluntarily delving every day into the macabre subject of murder? (Laughter Here) Well, other than that life-affirming activity the only hazard I personally struggle with is the amount of sedentary activity I engage in on a daily basis. It’s a truism that a writer’s life is a solitary endeavor. Speaking for myself, I need large blocks of quiet time in which to focus and concentrate on the creative process. Because of that, I spend a fair amount of time staring at a computer screen. Sometimes I’m so deeply involved that time melts away and I have to make a conscious effort to get up from the desk regularly and move around. (Albert Einstein got it right, “time is relative.”) I’m only halfway joking when I say that one of these days I’m going to rise from my chair only to find that both appendages have numbed out and as a result I do a half-gainer into the floor. Worst case scenario-like a scene from an old horror flick-someone will find my crumpled, desiccated husk of a body, a stack of first drafts scattered around me like discarded mummy wrappings.
2. Is there a snobbery directed at mystery cozy writers as opposed to other writers in the mystery genre?
Regarding the question of writing “snobbery,” I do believe that there is some misconception that mystery cozies are somehow less involved, less demonstrative of the writing craft. But I don’t think that kind of thinking is universal, and certainly not in the mind of the readers. I believe that the research time and writing effort necessary to create a well thought out novel, whatever genre it might be, is pretty much up to the individual writer. If you’re a careless writer it’s going to come out in your writing regardless of genre. Perhaps the misconception comes from the fact that mystery cozies inject a bit of humor into their writing, so because it’s less serious it might be perceived as having less demands put upon it. But, as any hardworking comedy writer can tell you, writing humor is an art all by itself and not every writer can successfully pull it off.
3. Is writing important? In other words, how does what you do matter?
Oh my goodness…is writing important? Oh, I don’t know. Is Oxygen important? First of all, I suspect that writing developed in the first place because humans were reaching out to other humans and lacked the proper vehicle to do so, sign language having its obvious limitations. Writing is our connection to each other. It’s a way to huddle under our umbrella of humanity and say “this is what I see, this is what I think, this is what I feel.” And in turn, have the recipient respond to that connection…or not, but in either case the attempt was made because those commonalities are important to the human experience. As both a reader and a writer I know that there’s a lot of crap out there, (yes, crap-it’s a technical term) and yet, the ability to sift through it and say “yes, that’s me,” or “no, I’m not like that” requires a medium to bring it under the spotlight and sort it out. Fiction or non-fiction, it doesn’t matter, because that’s the exchange that’s taking place. Vital? Yes…I should think so. To use the words of another writer, Caroline Gordon, “a well-composed book is a magic carpet on which we are wafted to a world that we cannot enter in any other way.” I would humbly add that any written words could fall under that directive whether it’s Tolstoy’s War and Peace or an owner’s manual for the lawnmower.
4. Do you have writing advice for a new writer?
I have no writing advice of my own today, but I will share this: Stephen King says “Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.” That’s what writing is-work. Glorious work at times, but no laborer ever toiled any more earnestly than a writer working hard at his or her craft. And speaking of ‘earnest,’ Ernest Hemingway put it this way: “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.”
About the Author:
Many moons ago on an Indiana farmstead My Weekly Reader became Pamela’s first true love, miraculously discovered at the behest of her somewhat humorless third-grade teacher, notorious among her students for being a bit of a pickle-puss. About the same time Pamela realized her ability to cleverly manipulate prose when she read aloud in class her very first book report on a small, much beloved book appropriately named Twig. She was startled to learn subsequently that nearly all of her classmates signed up to read the tiny tome as a result. It was Pamela’s first brush with true power and it was intoxicating. Love affairs with The Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden soon followed. Before very long, a grand obsession with all things related to Sherlock Holmes ensued. Ever fickle, Pamela moved on to a brief fling with Ellery Queen. Her short attention span regarding other equally engaging mystery writers soon became obvious to those who were paying attention. However, it should be said that Pamela wistfully returns from time to time to revisit these former loves and renew her passion.
Little did Pamela realize that a true career path had been decided upon. It would be years before this avenue would manifest after Pamela successfully dabbled in careers in advertising, television retailing and radio; eventually teaching in subjects related to all areas at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana.
Pamela Rose currently lives in the mountains of North Carolina with her tuxedo cat Jake who amuses himself by impersonating a multi-syllabic, tirelessly fetch-playing dog. Also being of a benevolent mind, Jake graciously allows Pamela to serve as his personal valet in exchange for long periods of quiet in which to write.
Life imitating art? That’s Finn Sherlock’s first bizarre thought when she stumbles across a dead body within the Civil War era hiding place inside Sherlock’s Home Mystery Bookstore. Thinking that it’s her gnome-like Uncle Oz costumed to play the part of a fortunetelling druid for ‘All Hallows’ Eve,’ she is relieved when she learns that the hooded figure is not her favorite uncle, but the town’s favorite outcast, Odds Bodkins.
Unfortunately, murder suspects abound due to the fact that the mystery bookstore and its adjoining 221b Bakery were the first stop on the Leapers Point’ Halloween circuit and any number of people were on the scene for the annual ‘Fright Night’ tour. More than that, Odds Bodkins was almost universally detested; far too many would agree that the assisted demise of the loathsome little witch was more treat than trick…possibly even a community service.
With a little help from Uncle Oz and her identical twin sister, Echo, Finn sets out to discover who amongst the congenial southern townsfolk had the audacity and plain bad manners to murder the contentious crone right under the Sherlock family noses. Was it the fire and brimstone preacher Willie Ping? ‘Blooming Idiots’ talented but slightly mental florist? Or what about fluffy nonagenarian Eula May Binks…can anybody really be that sugary sweet? But, when the local Sheriff, Wavy Davey, learns that it was Uncle Oz’s Halloween prop – a bona fide hangman’s noose – that was the murder weapon, there’s more heating up inside the 221b Bakery than just the ovens.
Join the heart of Dixie’s new sleuth Finn Sherlock as she resolutely follows in the footsteps of her namesake to create more than a little mayhem and detect a folksy murderer. Sherlock’s Home Mystery Bookstore…where the game is always afoot.
MyReview: 4 Stars – I loved this book from the very beginning because I instantly connected to Finn Sherlock and her sister, Echo. They are the proud owners of a bakery/bookstore with their loveable uncle Oz. On Halloween night, during the festivities, they have a run-in with the local outcast, Odds Bodkins, who is known around town as being a negative, bitter old woman. The next day, they find her body hidden in a secret compartment in their fireplace and everyone becomes a suspect.
I think the best part of this book is its characters. I liked that Finn and Echo are twins, which I don’t see much of in books. They brought a lot of humor to the book and I enjoyed reading this light-hearted mystery. The mystery was very interesting and I had a hard time figuring out who was the murderer. I really enjoyed Sherlock’s Home and I can’t wait to read more about these characters in the future.
Books-n-Kisses is happy to welcome first time guest Angela Smith to the blog today.
Angela, can you please share with us a little about yourself
I’m a writer, but my full time job is as a paralegal and office manager for a District Attorney’s Office, where I have been for over fifteen years. I’ve been married going on twenty years to the love of my life and the inspiration for all my romance novels (even though I wanted to write romance even before I met him). Most people who know me say I live a double life, because of my writing and my career and how different they both are (and how they perceive me when I’m at work.)
Have you always wanted to be an author?
I was about nine years old when I discovered I wanted to be a writer, although I’m pretty sure I knew at birth. My mom read so much to me that I could recite books before I was able to read, and then she gave me romance novels with words I could barely pronounce, must less tell you the meaning. And yet I didn’t end up damaged. I always thought I’d like to write but didn’t give it a try until I spent a week with my aunt, who wrote poetry. She helped my sister and me pass the time with writing and told us it was okay if we just wanted to rewrite a movie that we loved and write it how we would want it to go. Right about that time, I was diagnosed with diabetes, and writing helped me get through those first few years. Writing was just something I knew I had to.
What is your most interesting writing quirk?
I don’t really have a writing quirk. I can write anywhere, anytime, with or without any habits I might have devised.
Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?
I would love to! Basically, a woman inherits a stash of stolen jewels, is accused of heisting those stolen jewels, and falls for the sexy FBI agent investigating her.
How did you come with the idea for this story?
I can’t say I came up with the idea. I think this story found me, and I had no choice but to write it.
Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?
Yes, I’m working on the third and final story in this series where a recovering alcoholic-turned triathlete hires a former investigator-turned bartender to help track a missing child.
Who is the one author that you would love to meet someday and why?
I’d say Sandra Brown, because I love how she structures her novels, how she releases one a year, and how she balances the elements of thrill, intrigue, romance, and mystery. However, I’ve listened to her talk about her style and I’ve had the honor of meeting her a few years ago at a conference. Though we didn’t talk for long, she still helped me to see she’s an everyday person who succeeds at making writing a part of her life.
What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?
Learn all you can but above all, sit down and start writing. Go with what is in your heart and learn to stop listening to advice.
Can you share with us something off your bucket list.
My bucket list is pretty simple. My craving for adventure is pretty simple, and I know I can find joy in everyday life and I’ve already accomplished a lot. To be a bestselling author would make me pretty happy.
What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
I just started a book (Sandra Brown’s latest) that I was waiting all year to read and I’m sure there’s a million more I will find between now and the next month to put on my to be read pile.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I want to thank you for hosting me, thank the readers for reading my interview and tell them I hope you’ll read Burn on the Western Slope, leave a review, and look for Chayton and Naomi’s story out soon!
Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. If you could please make sure to include links to your Website, Facebook page, Twitter account or Goodread’s page I will make sure to include them in the post. If you have any other questions please feel free to contact me.
Reagan McKinney is on a mission to discover more about a deceased uncle who mysteriously left her a sizable inheritance, a condo in the mountains, and a stash of stolen jewels. With both her graphic design career and her love life in shambles, the opportunity to begin a new life couldn’t have come at a better time. When she becomes involved with the sexy FBI agent next door, she finds her struggle is not only to keep her heart intact, but her life. Grief stricken after an undercover investigation ends in the death of his partner, FBI Agent Garret Chambers goes home to find solace in the arms of his mountain retreat. That is, until his boss assigns him to investigate the spirited brunette staying in the condo next door. He is assigned to investigate Reagan’s involvement with a large jewel fencing organization, but his investigation becomes compromised when his attraction to her heats up. Will his discovery destroy everything he has come to love, including Reagan?
Excerpt:
“I’m not sure I’m ready for that,” Reagan said, running her tongue over her lips as she rested her glass on the counter. “Skiing, that is,” she quickly added. He would never know she’d been thinking of kissing him, but she had to force herself to look away from his mouth. Nudging Naomi, she stood. “It’s time for me to go. I need to settle in. I haven’t even unpacked yet.” And she had no intention of doing so now, but it was a good excuse to leave. She wiped her hands on her jeans before extending her hand to his, praying hers weren’t clammy. “It was great to meet you.”
Garret grasped her proffered hand and nested his other on top, engulfing her hand. She burned. Everywhere. “Meet me on the slopes tomorrow?”
Reagan bit her lip and glanced at the floor. “Tomorrow? I don’t know. I might need a little more time to get used to this place.”
“We’ll start with sledding. You can’t not like sledding.”
She didn’t know, seeing as how she’d never done it, but cozying up to him at a hundred miles an hour would probably be amazing.
“I’m safe,” Garret said as he dropped his hand.
“You’re what?” she asked, meeting his eyes. Maybe he was a good guy in most people’s standards, but he made her heart beat too fast to be anything but dangerous.
“I’m harmless. Several people in town will vouch for me.”
Angela Smith is a writer and paralegal who lives in Central Texas with her husband, a handful of animals, and a gathering of books. Learn more at www.loveisamystery.com
Solving the mystery of love with romance novels WebsiteFacebook Twitter @angelaswriter
Books-n-Kisses is please to welcome Erin McCarthy back to that blog. Erin for those who missed you the first time can you please share with us a little about yourself
I’m just your average neurotic writer, with a four story one hundred year old house and two (almost) grown kids. And a cat. And a dog. And lots of books. J
A little more about Erin:
Erin McCarthy is the USA Today bestselling author of more than 48 novels and novellas in the paranormal, contemporary romance, and young adult genres. The author is a RITA award finalist and an American Library Association winner of the Reluctant Young Reader award. She lives in Ohio. Visit Erin online:
Since the first grade. But in an effort to be practical I pursued my other love- the law. Fortunately, I stopped myself before I got too far into the whole thing because I think being a lawyer would have made me very cynical very fast, and that’s just not me. I’m optimistic maybe to a fault.
Who are some of your favorite writers? Who do you feel has influenced your writing?
Unfortunately, I don’t seem to have the time to read much genre fiction these days. I have been reading mostly non-fiction. I always go back to the classics though and probably Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters would qualify as all time favorite authors. I would have to say with romance, Lori Foster taught me how to strip the story down to the basics and go for the guts of the romance. She is fabulous at that.
How did you get into writing in this specific genre? Have you ever thought about writing in a different genre?
I started writing romance because that’s what I was reading. I started reading romance because when I had little babies, I could easily get into the stories and read for just a few minutes at a time if that’s all I had. Romance novels also kept me awake at 3am when I nursing. Having little ones I loved the hope and joy of romance novels. I couldn’t deal with traumatic stories with sad endings.
What are some of your writing rituals?
I don’t think I have any rituals, exactly. I do always write with music playing and either coffee or Diet Coke nearby so I guess that is a habit. I can write anywhere and I do. I’ve written in half the rooms in my house, the coffee shop, airplanes, etc. I do have a weird habit of writing single spaced. I’m not sure why. And I have on occasion, been called manic, because my knee bouncing a lot when I write. We’re back to that neurotic writer thing. 😉
Can you please tell us about SWEET?
SWEET is the second book in the series and it features, Jessica, who was maybe not the most likable character in TRUE. I think being inside her head in SWEET and seeing all her fears and vulnerabilities will give readers a different view of her. She and Riley, Tyler Mann’s brother, are both sarcastic, stubborn, and hide their true emotions. But when they fall for each other, it’s based on an amazing friendship.
Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?
I am currently writing the eighth book in my Fast Track contemporary romance series.
What would you be if you were not an author?
I would probably be an interior designer or a real estate agent. I love houses and decorating.
Jessica Sweet thought going away to college would finally make her free of her parents’ constant judgments and insistence she play chastity club role model for their church events, but if anything, the freedom has made her realize she can’t go home and be a hypocrite anymore. Tired of dodging their questions, she stays at school over the summer and lands in an unexpected crash pad: Riley Mann’s house.
Sarcastic, cocky, and full of opinions, Riley is also sexy personified with tattoos and biceps earned from working as a roofer all day. Not the right guy for her even if Jessica was looking for a relationship, which she is definitely not. But Jessica knows that Riley hides the burden of having to raise his younger brothers behind that grin and as she helps him get his house in order for a custody hearing, they begin to fall hard for each other, and she is forced to question what she’s hiding herself.
Jessica has never had a problem getting naked with a guy, but when it comes to showing Riley how she truly feels inside, her fear of rejection may just ruin the best thing—the best guy—to ever happen to her.
GIVEAWAY TIME!!!!
Penguin has give me one e-copy of Sweet to giveaway.
I’ve always found it fascinating when authors share the journey a book took to get to where it is when I read it, so I thought it’d be fun to share with you a lot of the ways Wicked Thing changed from beginning to end.
I got the idea for Wicked Thing while sitting in my auditing class one morning (I majored in accounting). I wrote long hand and wrote out the whole story, from their first time together (wink-wink) to the point their love story is resolved. When I was writing like a madwoman in class, I gave the characters names that felt were right for then at the time without much thought. Dallas was originally called Luke, and Carmyn was originally called Krista. Denton’s storyline didn’t come up until later, so Denton was always his name.
I originally called the book Don’t Speak after a line that is said in a crucial scene by one of the characters and then repeated by the other one later on in the story at another crucial moment. I called the book Don’t Speak for probably about 9 months. The DropBox folder on my computer where I have all the Wicked Thing files is still labeled as Don’t Speak. I ended up retitling the book when I found the song Wicked Game by Phillip Phillips. This song became the theme song for this book. It was the one song that I listened to that fit the tone and story with what I had going for the book perfectly. I couldn’t call the book Wicked Game because there are already so many books by that name. Plus, my favorite line in the song is, “What a wicked thing to do, to make me dream of you.” I knew from the beginning that it would be the guy who would recognize his feelings first and that the girl would be the one afraid to admit or allow herself to feel anything for him. So this song was perfect.
Another thing that changed multiple times was the cover image. I was set on a cover that I absolutely loved. But then a well-known author used that image on her book as it’s a stock image and anyone can purchase the rights for it, so I changed it. I finally found another imaged that I loved, but then another author published a book with the image as the cover and it actually became a bestseller, so it was back to the beginning. After that, I had a really hard time finding an image I liked enough as these original 2 to make it my cover. I went through numerous versions until I finally found the image of the cover as it is now and looooved it. I just didn’t know how to make it pop. That was when my designer, Emily Tippits, did her magic to make it how it is today.
Carmyn Rafferty witnessed the aftermath of her mother’s affair. She learned at a young age not to trust anyone. Especially not your spouse. So she’s planned. She’s planned every detail of her life: who her husband will be, what their careers will be, what their lives will be like. All to avoid the pain of infidelity.
Dallas Brown lives a life all his own. He doesn’t do relationships, he doesn’t care what anyone thinks of him, and he doesn’t live up to anyone’s expectations but his own.
When Carmyn’s fiancé cheats on her, it sends her into a whirlwind of one-night stands with the most infamous player on campus. She can’t seem to stay away from this tough guy and his dangerous motorcycle. Everything about him is the complete opposite of who she’d planned to fall in love with: tattoos, dark stubble along his jawline, and hair that brushes his shoulders.
As Dallas and Carmyn begin to fall deeper and deeper into each other, they learn that love can truly be a wicked, wicked thing.
Angeline is a Scorpio living in the Rocky Mountains with her husband and dogs. She loves all things paranormal, believes ghosts are real, werewolves aren’t, and vampires? Definitely real! At least in the Vampire Born world they are. She is currently at work on her first New Adult Romance, Wicked Thing, which releases September 2013.
One lucky winner will receive a WICKED THING charm bracelet with 6 charms. They will also receive a Dirty Dancing blu-ray and some candy. This contest is international.
For those who don’t know you can you please share with us a little about yourself 
