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.
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
Can you please share with us a little about yourself
Well, I like to say I’m a left-handed Gemini, which usually explains a lot—because both symptoms or signs of writerly-ness. Not that writing’s an affliction, though at times it might seem like one. I was born on a farm and moved to the city when I was four, then back to the country at ten, and have moved pretty much ever since. I have a sister and two brothers to whom I’m close. But I’ve lived away from them, mostly in Toronto, except for a few years in Washington D.C., New York City and a few months in Argentina in the 90s. (Buenos Aires figures prominently in S.E.C.R.E.T. Shared). And my background is Italian on my dad’s side, Romanian on my mother’s…so I’ve always felt a little like a cultural mutt. Oh, and though I love what I do, I’ll probably be a far more passionate and committed reader than I’ll ever be a writer.
Have you always wanted to be an author?
Funny, a lot of writers will probably say this: but it was never a conscious choice. I have just always written. I can’t remember a time in my life when I wasn’t writing, whether it was short stories as a kid, or in a journal, something which I’ve done compulsively for much of my life.
Who are some of your favorite writers? Who do you feel has influenced your writing?
Loorie Moore, Alice Munro, Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, Christopher Hitchens, Philip Roth, Jean Rhys, Sam Lipsyte, David Sedaris, Zane, Jonathan Tropper, Tom Perrotta, Nick Hornby, Karen Russell, Kate Atkinson, Gary Shteyngart, William Goldman, Mary Karr, Vince Gilligan…I could go on and on. The writer and book that I’ve gone back to again and again would be Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier. It’s romantic, gothically sexy, thrilling and terrifying. And I know it might not be a popular thing to say, but television has had the biggest influence on my writing, both watching and working in it. It’s helped me hone a point of view. It’s helped me to understand how you hold an audience/reader’s attention, and to deny its influence is ridiculous.
How did you get into writing in this specific genre? Have you ever thought about writing in a different genre?
You’re talking about the erotic romance genre, I imagine. To be honest, I didn’t think about the actual genre, and its rules, and whether there were any. I just set out to write the best book I knew how, providing elements of what this genre expects; love and sex. But when it came to creating the plot, characters and dialogue, the components of what constitutes a book or story, I didn’t worry about genre rules. Again, I just wrote the best way I knew how.
What are some of your writing rituals?
My strictest writing ritual is getting at it early in the morning. As the day progresses, my mind fills up with news, TV, Twitter, calls, demands on my time. If I don’t wake up at the crack of dawn and get at it, I get nothing done later in the day. Sometimes I set myself a quota (about 1500 words) but usually I’ll try to tackle a given chapter or scene and go for about five to six hours maximum. The most I’ve ever written was about 7,000 words. Those are great days. Now the days where I kill a few thousands words always feel a little funereal.
Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?
S.E.C.R.E.T. Shared, the second book in the S.E.C.R.E.T. trilogy, brings us deeper into the New Orleans-based sex organization that grants one lucky woman her fantasies. In this book, Cassie guides a woman named Dauphine Mason, through her own sexual steps, a woman who’s nursing a big heartache from a bad breakup. But it’s still Cassie’s story, and the book deals with the loss of Will, whom she realizes is the love of her life. And how she tries to win him back. Will and Cassie aren’t done with each other yet. But there will be several more obstacles to overcome before they get their happy ending.
How did you come with the idea for this story?
It’s one of those things that came to me in an instant. I know it sounds insane, but it’s true. I was talking to my editor about the Fifty Shades phenomenon, and she said that if I could come up with a concept and write it, she’d take a look at it. Cassie and S.E.C.R.E.T. literally “showed up.”
Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?
I’m working on the third book in the trilogy and the sexual stakes are higher than ever, not to mention matters of the heart for Will, Cassie. The restaurant opens, and there will be yet another S.E.C.R.E.T. candidate who must learn to let everything go, in order get everything she wants in life and love.
Open your book to a random page and tell us what’s happening.
Oh dear, that’s a tricky business when it comes to erotica…ok, let’s see…ok. Luckily I opened it pre-coital, in the middle, when Dauphine’s taking a cab to her hotel in Buenos Aires. She’s a woman who has never flown before, so her first take of the city was as thrilling for me to write as it was to experience for the first time. Music, food, dance and architecture, Buenos Aires is a feast for the senses!
What would you be if you were not an author?
I would do what I was doing before S.E.C.R.E.T., which was producing, writing and directing television; which is equally fun and challenging, but uses a different set of skills.
What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
Just bought Cuckoo’s Calling and Dr. Sleep…love J.K. Rowling and Stephen King both. I can’t believe they weren’t on my earlier list. Am saving both for when I’m done book three and can go on a nice long holiday somewhere hot and do nothing but read, read, read.
More info:
S.E.C.R.E.T. Shared hits the shelves in North America October 15th.
Here’s how people can reach me and find out more about the S.E.C.R.E.T. series.
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.
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 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.
Nina, Welcome to Books-n-Kisses. Can you please share with us a little about yourself
I’m actually English, but I now live on an almond farm in the mountains of southern Spain. I share the farm with my husband and a whole load of animals (four dogs, two cats, a horse, four chickens, two goats, and a three-legged Vietnamese pot-bellied pig called Piggles!) and I spend my time, reading, writing and picking the occasional almond.
Have you always wanted to be an author?
No, but I’ve always been a voracious reader and I actually started writing out of desperation when I ran out of books to read. I was working as a volunteer in Africa at the time, with no electricity, no TV, no internet, and hardly any books (this was way before ebooks!) So writing my own stories seemed like a good idea.
What is your most interesting writing quirk?
I can’t actually begin writing a story until my characters start talking to me. I’m a total plotter and one of the reasons is that plotting gives me the time to get to know my characters before I start. At some point in the process, they will start chatting in my head—that’s when I know I’m ready to go.
Can you please tell us about your latest book
The Descartes Legacy is something new for me. I write across a number of sub-genres but so far, always romance. While The Descartes Legacy has a romance at its heart, it’s essentially a high action thriller with a touch of science fiction. It’s also darker and edgier than my usual style.
It’s about a man who is essentially good, but is driven to do things that are maybe outside his ethical code…because someone has to do them. Luke Grafton has spent the last ten years hunting the shadowy organization responsible for the death of his wife and baby. Now he has discovered that they are about to embark on a terrorist attack which could kill millions and change the world forever. Luke will do anything to stop the attack. Or so he believes, until he meets Jenna.
How did you come with the idea for this story?
Actually, it was down to my husband, who sort of asked me to write a ‘good’ book for him; one without romance, vampires, werewolves or science fiction (all my favorite things). I like a challenge and decided I wanted to write a high action thriller (I’m a big 24 fan!) And I loved it. But while I succeeded on the no vampires and no werewolves rule, I failed totally on the no romance and no science fiction.
Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?
I’ve spent the day putting the finishing touches to Temporal Shift, a sci-fi/paranormal romance and book 4 in my Blood Hunter series and I’ve just sent it to my editor. Next is a contemporary romance, Taking Control, book 3 in my Babysitting a Billionaire series, which I will start writing tomorrow. It’s about a tough, female bodyguard and the man she has to protect (whether he likes it or not!)
Who is the one author that you would love to meet someday and why?
It’s more than one, but I would love to meet all of my wonderful crit partners at Passionate Critters, as I’ve spent so much time talking to them online and it would be great to meet them in person one day.
What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?
Aim to write the sort of things you love. It’s the one thing that will sustain you when the going gets hard—which it will.
Can you share with us something off your bucket list.
I want to ride up the Inca trails in Peru.
What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
I’ve had A Clash of Kings, book 2 in George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Fire and Ice series on my kindle for ages. I absolutely loved the first book, but I want time to sit down and read the whole series straight through before I start on the next. And right now, I just don’t have it.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I love making up stories, and I hope there are people out there who will love reading them just as much.
Bio
Nina Croft grew up in the north of England. After training as an accountant, she spent four years working as a volunteer in Zambia, which left her with a love of the sun and a dislike of 9-5 work. She then spent a number of years mixing travel (whenever possible) with work (whenever necessary) but has now settled down to a life of writing and picking almonds on a remote farm in the mountains of southern Spain.
Nina writes all sorts of romance often mixing in elements of the paranormal and science fiction.
Lucas Grafton has spent the last ten years hunting the Conclave, a secret organization who took everything from him: his wife, his child, his very identity. Now he has a lead—an imminent terrorist attack on London—code-named Descartes.
Born with a genetic illness, Jenna Young has always known she was different. But the unexpected death of her father catapults her into a world of murder and terrorism she never expected. In order to stay alive, she must solve a twenty-five year old mystery—and her only ally a hard bitter man in search or retribution, her only clue the Descartes Highlands, an area on the near side of the moon.
Luke’s need for revenge collides with Jenna’s hunt for the past, and together they must stand against the Conclave. All the while uncovering the truth behind Jenna’s illness, a truth that will make Jenna question her very humanity.
Excerpt
“Jenna, there’s someone to see you.”
Her first thought was the police, and David’s memory flooded over her again, followed swiftly by a dull ache in her chest.
But for some reason, the stranger who stood in the doorway didn’t make her think “police.” He was tall, at least six three, with a lean body beneath black pants and a black shirt open at the throat. His face was pale, his hair short and black.
When he saw she’d noticed him, he stepped into the room and came toward her, moving with the grace of an athlete, each step controlled, giving Jenna the impression of leashed power.
Halting in front of her, he held out his hand. This close, Jenna could see his eyes were a beautiful hazel, green-brown flecked with gold. As she slid her palm against his, a frisson ran through her arm, along her nerves, settling low in her belly. She glanced at him sharply, but if he felt anything, he wasn’t giving it away. She pulled her hand free and edged back.
“How can I help you?” she asked.
He studied her, head tilted to one side. “My name is Luke Grafton. I’m David’s cousin.”
Shock locked her muscles. “I don’t understand. Have you heard—” She broke off as he nodded, his expression somber. “I’m sorry. I didn’t even know David had a cousin.”
“We were close when we were younger, but we’d lost touch over the last few years.” He glanced around the lab, his eyebrows rising as he took in the half-formed skeleton on the table beside her. “Is there somewhere we can talk?”
“Of course.” Visitors were often uncomfortable around her work, though she had the impression very little would bother this man. “We can go to my office.”
She led him out of the lab and along the corridor to her tiny cubicle, leaving the door open behind them. With this man beside her, she realized how minute the space really was. He was big, not only tall, but also broad at the shoulders, and she couldn’t help but be conscious of his closeness. Her body felt twitchy, on edge, and the strangeness of the emotions disconcerted her.
She shook off the feeling as she cleared a box of bones from one of the two chairs. Skirting the desk, she sank into her own seat and indicated the one she had cleared. He sat on the too small chair, his long legs stretched out in front of him, arms folded across his chest, studying her intently, as though he could pierce her mind. Find her secrets.
Almost squirming under the concentrated stare, she picked up a pencil from the desk, twiddled it between her finger and thumb, then put it down again and focused somewhere over his left shoulder. “I’m sorry about David. He was a good friend, but I’m not sure how I can help you.”
“David called me last night.”
Her gaze flashed to his face. “He did?”
“I hadn’t heard from him in a while—I was surprised. He told me he thought he was being followed. He was frightened.”
“Oh.” A tremor of unease skittered down her spine. She frowned as she thought about his words. “Why did he go to you and not the police?”
“I run a security firm, and he asked me to investigate something for him. I also provide protection for prominent people.”
“You mean like bodyguards?”
He nodded.
“David wanted you to provide him with a bodyguard?”
“Not exactly. He wanted me to provide you with a bodyguard.”
Authors Bio:
Nina Croft grew up in the north of England. After training as an accountant, she spent four years working as a volunteer in Zambia which left her with a love of the sun and a dislike of 9-5 work. She then spent a number of years mixing travel (whenever possible) with work (whenever necessary) but has now settled down to a life of writing and picking almonds on a remote farm in the mountains of southern Spain.
I am very excited to have Jessica Shirvington here today to discuss her new book, Endless, which is the fourth book in the Embrace Series. I finished this series in a week and I am happy to have her here today.
1. Tell me about your new release Endless
Endless is the 4th book in the series and it is one I really enjoyed writing. Violet has accepted her life as a Grigori warrior but now she must face not only a great evil, but the consequences for her past choices. Violet finds herself with the weight of the world on her shoulders as hell unleashes its worst.
To save the people she loves the most, Violet faces the ultimate sacrifice. And she is not the only one.
2. Where did you come up with the idea for the series?
It was an idea that evolved in its own way. First the names, Violet and Lincoln, then the idea of the supernatural, then angels, then biblical folklore and it went from there.
3. What kind of research did you have to do for this series?
The research was huge and was ultimately the driving force behind the storyline. I let the research take me in new directions and I loved that. I’m not sure I will ever write another series that will lend itself so well to mythology, folklore, and ancient history so well.
As for what kind of research – it was an all and everything kind of thing. I love research and it can be simple as following a thread on the internet, going to the library, or talking with historians, teachers, doctors, theologians, and my next door neighbor. Though I will admit, in the very beginning there was one story of Lilith by Ben Sira and an account of the Great Flood in the Book of Enoch that very much led the way.
4. Have you always wanted to write YA or have there been other genres that you have been interested in?
Definitely YA was the obvious choice for me. In fact, I never even stopped to think about it, I just started writing knowing it was YA. That said, I do have a picture book on the way and whilst I will continue to predominantly write YA, I am also toying with the idea of an adult trilogy at the moment.
5. What are you working on now?
Right now I’m working on the edits for the final book of the series, EMPOWER and on the American edits for my first stand alone – ONE PAST MIDNIGHT which will be out in the US in June 2014. On top of that I have a duology on the way and I am just about to start working on the early edits for the first book.
6. Which authors have inspired you?
C.S. Lewis…And every other author out there! Every book I read whether good or average gives me something or teaches me something about the kind of author I want to be.
About the Author:
Jessica Shirvington lives in Sydney with her husband of ten years, FOXTEL presenter and former Olympic sprinter Matt Shirvington, and their two daughters. She has previously founded and run a coffee distribution company, Stella Imports, in London, and been involved in managing the restaurants Fuel Bistro, Tow Bar and MG Garage in Sydney.
She is currently a full-time mum, author and co-director in the company MPS Investments Pty Ltd.
On Writing …
One day, instead of picking up a new book, I started to write. The first name that came to mind was Violet. From there the rest naturally followed. I can honestly say, once Violet was discovered – she really did write the rest of the book!
Writing this book has drawn on my life experience – in my travels around the world and the different people I have met. It draws on love and loss and the overall confusion that comes with growing up. It also looks to many of my friends and their experiences.
I have always loved ancient history – tales and stories of the best kind.
Angels are real. They aren’t always kind. Violet Eden is certain of all this because she is Grigori – part angel, part human. She has felt the influence of both light and dark.
When Hell unleashes its worst, Violet must embrace every facet of her angel self to save the people she cares about and the world as she knows it. But death is not the worst thing that Violet will face. For her, the endless question ‘Can love conquer all?’ will finally be answered.
Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Heidi Cullinan to the blog today. Heidi can you please share with us a little about yourself
I’m an author of gay romance, I’m an Iowan, a wife and a mother, and I’m very tall. I’ve battled chronic pain and mysterious health ailments over the years, a journey which has led me to many interesting things, at this moment including being a gluten-free vegan eating a stupid amount of kale. I tweet too much and post pictures of my cats and what I’m eating on social media. I can’t remember the names of the characters I create (sometimes losing/changing them within the same book), so you can imagine what I do with real people.
Have you always wanted to be an author?
I think yes, probably before I even understood what that was. Mostly I have always told and played with stories. I scripted Barbies and Weebles until I realized I was holding plastic, and then I started writing things down. I wrote my first novel at twelve and published it in the school anthology. It was a romance, and it was also half of the anthology.
What is your most interesting writing quirk?
I auto-write with my characters. I have no idea if this is creative insanity or a parceling-out of my consciousness or if I’m actually communicating with a character void. All I know is I talk, they answer, and I sort things out. They answer with stuff I didn’t know a lot. LIke in the drafting of Family Man I asked Vinnie what his favorite music was and he said Coltrane. Somehow I had it in my head this was an alternative singer, but I ended up with John Coltrane, the jazz singer, and Vinnie all but hummed. So who knows how it works. I honestly don’t care so long as it continues.
Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?
My current release is Love Lessons, a new adult gay romance set in a fictional university. It’s standard virgin reforms rake…except there’s a lot of role reversal once we get going, and it doesn’t stay that simple very long. Here’s the official teaser blub: When Kelly arrives at Hope University, he realizes finding his Prince Charming isn’t easy. Worst of all, he’s landed the charming, handsome, gay campus Casanova as a roommate, whose bed might as well be equipped with a revolving door. Walter thinks everyone is better off having as much fun as possible…except his shy, sad little roommate is seriously screwing up his worldview. As Walter sets out to lure Kelly out of his shell, he discovers love is a crash course. To make the grade, he’ll have to overcome his own private fear that love was never meant to last.
My next release is in November, a Christmas romance called Let It Snow. It started because I was seriously in the mood for a snowed-in story (LOVE those) but couldn’t find one I wanted to read. It’s also a little golidlocks and the three bears, but mostly it’s a snuggly snowed-in story with a grumpy bear and a hairdresser who knows how to tame him. The lightning blurb: Frankie’s malfunctioning GPS sent him to Logan, and a blizzard ensures he won’t be leaving anytime soon. Being rescued by three sexy lumberjacks is a nice fantasy, but the biggest of the bears seems cranky…and ready to gobble Frankie right up. Once a high-powered lawyer, Marcus has no interest in a sassy city twink who might as well have stepped directly out of his past. Yet as the snow falls, the deeper they fall in love. Though all they want for Christmas is each other, the gift of forever may be too much to ask.
How did you come with the idea for this story?
I wanted to write about college romance because I’d been reading it and it made me feel good. I had this idea Love Lessons would be 50-60k, sugar-sweet and simple and take me a few months to write. It took me six, I routed about thirty demons from my college years, and at one point I had a three foot-stack of philosophy books on my reading stand and twice as many on my kindle. So the sweet and simple thing didn’t work out quite so well. The other irony is I intended it to be a series initially, but it became a stand alone…and now it’s a series again.
Kelly and Walter started out as a rake/ingenue dichotomy, a pretty standard trope. It didn’t take long for them to do the character equivalent of, “No, listen to me,” and they ended up tangling themselves, switching roles, and in general making a mess. As soon as I took my expectations and rigid schedule out of the way, though, everything lined right up.
Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?
I’m writing a second book in the Love Lessons series, Fever Pitch. Walter and Kelly are secondary characters, but mostly this book will be the story of Aaron and Giles, whom I’m confident every fan of Love Lessons will be happy with. Next I’m due to write a second book in the Minnesota Christmas series, which will feature recurring characters from Let It Snow. I’m pretty sure Arthur will hook up with the librarian.
Who is the one author that you would love to meet someday and why?
I’d like to shake Terry Pratchett’s hand. I don’t think I could manage coherent conversation. But I’d like to tell him thank you in person. Then I’d go off quietly and sob until I couldn’t breathe.
What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?
I forget who said it first, but I stand by the adage, “If you can stop writing, you should.” If it’s about money, there are a million easier, more reliable ways to get it. If it’s about fame or attention, ditto. If you imagine yourself not writing and you feel happiness and relief, stop writing immediately. If thinking of writing makes you angry or exhausted, if it’s a drain on your system, at least take a break and let ceasing be an option. Everything else? Everything from loving the challenge to gritty determination to climb this mountain to a sense of soul-sucking darkness if you stop? Come on in. The water’s abysmal, but you don’t have much choice so you might as well.
Can you share with us something off your bucket list.
I’d like to get back to Prague, to rent an apartment and stay there for the summer. Write, cook, soak up the city. There’s nowhere else like it in the world.
What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
I seriously require more Vlad from Jeaniene Frost. As soon as possible.
Kelly Davidson has waited what seems like forever to graduate high school and get out of his small-minded, small town. But when he arrives at Hope University, he quickly realizes finding his Prince Charming isn’t so easy. Everyone here is already out. In fact, Kelly could be the only virgin on campus.
Worst of all, he’s landed the charming, handsome, gay campus Casanova as a roommate, whose bed might as well be equipped with a revolving door.
Walter Lucas doesn’t believe in storybook love. Everyone is better off having as much fun as possible with as many people as possible…except his shy, sad little sack of a roommate is seriously screwing up his world view.
As Walter sets out to lure Kelly out of his shell, staying just friends is harder than he anticipated. He discovers love is a crash course in determination. To make the grade, he’ll have to finally show up for class…and overcome his own private fear that love was never meant to last.
Warning: This story contains lingering glances, milder than usual sexual content for this author, and a steamy dance-floor kiss. Story has no dairy or egg content, but may contain almonds.
Expected publication: October 1st 2013 by Samhain
A little about Heidi:
Heidi Cullinan has always loved a good love story, provided it has a happy ending. She enjoys writing across many genres but loves above all to write happy, romantic endings for LGBT characters because there just aren’t enough of those stories out there. When Heidi isn’t writing, she enjoys cooking, reading, knitting, listening to music, and watching television with her husband and ten-year-old daughter. Heidi also volunteers frequently for her state’s LGBT rights group, One Iowa, and is proud to be from the first midwestern state to legalize same-sex marriage. Find out more about Heidi, including her social networks, at www.heidicullinan.com.
Welcome to the blog Pamela, can you please share with us a little about yourself
I am a native Southern Californian and a third-generation Chinese American, who grew up in a family of teachers. For a time, I considered a career in academia as well. I studied English literature and history, specializing in the Romantic and Victorian periods, and eventually earned a doctorate. I worked for several years in reference and academic publishing, before turning to fiction writing full time.
Have you always wanted to be an author?
Pretty much. I was an avid reader from the time I was a small child, which led inevitably to making up my own stories and entertaining myself with them during the boring classes, on long car trips, and on the walk to and from school. I think I was in third or fourth grade when I sensed I’d begun something that was going to be a permanent part of my life!
What is your most interesting writing quirk?
I don’t think of myself as being particularly quirky as a writer, although I’ve been known to stay up really late or get up really early when inspiration happens to strike. The most recent example of that was a couple of months ago, when I suddenly woke up knowing how a song my characters were writing together just had to go. It was still dark outside, everyone else in the house was still asleep, but I got up, grabbed pen and paper, and wrote it all down within five minutes. Fired it off by email to my writing partner, as this was a collaborative effort, and then–being too wired to sleep–fixed myself an early breakfast, and went about in a satisfied haze for the next few hours!
Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?
A Song at Twilight is a second chance at love story, set in late Victorian England. The heroine, Sophie Tresilian, is a musical sensation, a rising star of the opera and concert stage. The hero, Robin Pendarvis, is the man she fell in love when she was only seventeen, and whom she’s never been able to forget. Four years before the story begins, they seemed headed for a happy ending, only to have their hopes for the future dashed by the revelation of a huge secret from his past. Sophie has tried to put that disappointment behind her and focus on her career. And then one night, Robin walks back into her life . . .
How did you come with the idea for this story?
Robin and Sophie were supporting characters in my first novel, Waltz with a Stranger. Their relationship was depicted in its earliest stages, and at the end of the book, they were kind of at a crossroads. Initially, I assumed that, in due time, they’d overcome whatever obstacles were and fall into each other’s arms. Then I asked myself, what if it wasn’t that simple? What if something happened to derail that, and sent them both off in different directions? And Sophie’s different direction ended up being a musical career, which was a fascinating path to explore. Professional singers like Jennie Lind and Nellie Melba were making their mark in the 19th century, redefining what it was to be an entertainer, and making the profession as a whole more respectable.
Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?
I’m working on several projects right now, and waiting to hear which will get the “green light” first. One is a novella about Thomas Sheridan and Amy Newbold, supporting characters in both of my novels, who are now getting a story of their own. He’s an artist–sophisticated, suave, and a bit of a reformed rake. She’s a forthright, pragmatic American heiress who’s not afraid to go after what she wants. Engaged when the story begins, they become embroiled in a dangerous adventure when they travel to Newport, Rhode Island, for the summer season. Then there’s the story of Sophie’s brother, Harry, who falls hard for a woman of mystery, and another novel featuring all-new characters: a dysfunctional ducal family in Yorkshire who come together–contentiously–for Christmas.
Who is the one author that you would love to meet someday and why?
I had the chance to meet several authors I admire at the most recent RWA conference in Atlanta, chief among them Mary Jo Putney, whose work I’ve enjoyed since I was in graduate school. She graciously provided a lovely blurb for A Song at Twilight. Other authors I’d enjoy meeting include Lois McMaster Bujold, who rides rocking good space opera with a one-of-a-kind hero in Miles Vorkosigan, and Elizabeth Peters, whose Amelia Peabody mysteries effortlessly blend intrigue, romance, and an irresistible period “voice.”
What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?
Find what you love to write about. Do it regularly. Give yourself the time to develop, grow, and mature as a writer. Never give up.
Can you share with us something off your bucket list?
I would love to visit Italy, especially Venice! The idea of a city with canals instead of sidewalks fascinates me no end. There’s actually a set of canals at Venice Beach in Southern California. I’ve walked along them, stood on bridges above them, dreamed about what it might be like to live in a house beside them. I can only imagine how powerful a spell the original Venetian canals must evoke on travelers.
What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
I’m eagerly anticipating Laura Lee Guhrke’s When the Marquess Met His Match, and Sherry Thomas’s The Luckiest Lady in London. Both authors write in the late Victorian/Edwardian period, as I do, and it’s such a fascinating time! I’m also looking forward to Elizabeth Chadwick’s trilogy about Eleanor of Aquitaine. And on the contemporary end of things, I’m impatiently waiting for Deborah Grabien’s Comfortably Numb, the latest in her rock ‘n’ roll mysteries featuring guitarist JP Kinkaid.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Just the following quote attributed to Emily Dickinson: “There is no frigate like a book to take you far away.” I hope readers will like where A Song at Twilight takes them. And thank you for hosting me today on Books-N-Kisses!
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. Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
A second chance at love is the sweetest song of all…
A Woman with a Future
Aspiring singer Sophie Tresilian had the world at her feet—fame, fortune, and true love—until the man of her dreams broke her heart. Four years later, Sophie is the toast of Europe, desired and pursued by countless men. And then Robin Pendarvis walks back into her life . . .
A Man with a Past
Four years ago, Robin hoped to make Sophie his bride, but secrets from his past forced him to let her go. Seeing her again revives all the old pain—and all the old passion. Unable to deny the love that still burns between them, they risk everything to be together once more. But will the things that tore them apart in the past endanger their future as well?
Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome back Tara Sue Me to the blog.
Tara for those who missed you the first time around, can you please share with us a little about yourself
I’m the average mom next door. I’m married with two children, two dogs, and a cat. I like dark chocolate and drink too much caffeine. I’m quiet until you get to know me or cut me off on the interstate.
Have you always wanted to be an author?
Yes. Writing is something I’ve always enjoyed and wanted to do. Though I read a lot of genres, my writing always has a romance.
What is your most interesting writing quirk?
I have to have Pepsi One and Sweettarts handy. And the Sweettarts have to be eaten in a certain order: green first (because whoever decided to change green from lime to green apple should be fired), blue, red, purple, then orange (the best).
Can you please tell us about The Submissive Trilogy and THE TRAINING?
The trilogy follows Nathaniel and Abby as they work their way from a sex only agreement to something more. In THE TRAINING, we see them attempting to mesh their BDSM needs and lifestyle with their everyday lives.
How did you come with the idea for this story?
I knew I wanted to try writing an erotic romance, but I didn’t know what it should be about. Then one night, I saw this scene in my mind. It was a woman standing in a man’s office. She was excited and nervous about being there, but he was ignoring her. There was so much happening in that room, yet he was just typing and she was only standing. I had to know more, so I got my laptop out and starting writing.
Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?
I have a new series starting in March 2014. It’s also BDSM, but each book reads as a standalone. The couples I’m writing are so much fun and there’s a lot of diversity between them. It’s a blast writing.
Who is the one author that you would love to meet someday and why?
It’s an impossibility, but I’d really like to have a conversation with Margaret Mitchell about why she ended GONE WITH THE WIND the way she did. Would love to know, in her mind, if Rhett and Scarlett ever got back together.
What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?
Read, read, read and write, write, write. Everyday. Even if it’s just a little. Even if it sucks. Especially if it sucks.
Can you share with us something off your bucket list.
I’d love to travel to Alaska.
What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
I’m (not so) patiently waiting for WRITEN IN MY OWN HEART’S BLOOD by Diana Gabaldon. I discovered the series when OUTLANDER first came out and I’ve been hooked ever since.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Thanks for having me today! I love nothing more than to talk about books and writing.
Millionaire CEO Nathaniel West has always played by his own strict set of rules, ones he expects everyone to follow—especially the women he’s dominated in his bedroom. But his newest lover is breaking down all his boundaries and rewriting his rule book.
Abby King never imagined that she would capture the heart of Nathaniel West, one of New York City’s most eligible bachelors—and its most desirable dominant. What began as a weekend arrangement of pleasure has become a passionate romance with a man who knows every inch of her body and her soul – yet remains an enigmatic lover. Though he is tender and caring, his painful past remains a wall between them.
Abby knows the only way to truly earn his trust is to submit to him fully and let go of all of her lingering inhibitions. Because to lead Nathaniel on a path to greater intimacy, she must first let him deeper into her world than anyone has ever gone before…
Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Julia London to the blog for the first time.
Julia, can you please share with us a little about yourself
First, let me thank you for inviting me! I live in Austin, Texas. When I’m not writing, I like to get out of my cave and run or ride my bike or get Zen with yoga. I recently returned from a bike ride across Ireland and now I can’t wait to plan my next bike vacation. My running partner is my dog, Moose, a big yellow lab who never met a piece of garbage he wouldn’t eat.
Have you always wanted to be an author?
I’ve always written, but I never thought I’d be a writer—I was a public administrator. But one day I picked up an older Iris Johansen book at a garage sale and became hooked on the romance genre. I started dreaming up stories of my own. Thank goodness I didn’t know how difficult it was supposed to be to get published otherwise I probably wouldn’t have submitted my first manuscript, which I was lucky enough to sell. I haven’t looked back since.
What is your most interesting writing quirk?
Some people think it is interesting that I work on two books at once. I don’t find it hard to do at all. Usually one is historical and one is contemporary, and they are generally in different stages of production. But I guess in all those years of public administration work, and having to juggle more than one complex project at a time, helped train my brain to be able to turn off one story and turn on another when necessary.
Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?
THE BRIDESMAID features Joe and Kate, two strangers forced to travel together in order to get from New York to Seattle during a super storm. Kate is traveling for her best friend’s wedding and Joe is rushing to attend a make-or-break meeting in order to secure a dream job. It’s my version of a romance set against the story of Trains, Planes and Automobiles.
How did you come with the idea for this story?
I travel a lot. This idea was born when I was stranded for 8 hours in Chicago’s O’Hare airport one stormy afternoon. Talk about agony! Travel delays bring out the worst in people (myself included).
Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?
Currently I’m finishing up the second book in my Pine River Trilogy, RETURN TO HOMECOMING RANCH, which follows HOMECOMING RANCH and is slated for publication next summer (and then again by THE LAST HOMECOMING in late 2014). This series is about three sisters who didn’t know each other existed until they inherited a rundown ranch from their deadbeat father. They have to make the ranch work against their private issues and those that come when you are thrust into an instant family.
I also just completed edits on my new historical, THE TROUBLE WITH HONOR, the first in a new series about four privileged sisters who try and direct the course of their fate in unconventional ways J. It will be out in late February of next year, and will be followed by THE FALL OF GRACE next autumn.
I’m also writing another novella for Sourcebooks, tentatively titled ONE MAD NIGHT. Rival ad execs, Chelsea and Ian are stranded in their office overnight (thanks to the same storm that forced Joe and Kate together in THE BRIDESMAID).
Who is the one author that you would love to meet someday and why?
I would love to meet the Irish author, Marian Keyes, because I find her so interesting. She has publicly battled debilitating depression, and I admire her for that. And she is a very funny writer. I would also love, love, love to meet George R. R. Martin. This man fascinates me because as a writer he never ever pulls a punch. I find myself thinking about what the reader wants in a book, but I think he could care less (which, if you’ve read or seen the series, you know what I am talking about). His writing is very powerful because of it and I would love to talk to him about it. It would be a huge fan girl moment.
What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?
It’s like anything you want to do well—you have to learn it and practice it, day in and day out. You learn by writing one novel after the next. You practice it by writing something every day.
Can you share with us something off your bucket list?
I have this fantasy of living in different parts of the world long enough to understand the culture and people. I would start in Scotland or Ireland and probably never leave!
What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
Lianne Moriarity’s The Husband’s Secret is the book I am saving for myself when I meet my deadline.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I hope everyone enjoys my latest novella, THE BRIDESMAID, and if so they might pick up one of my other titles. I love hearing from my readers and they can let me know what they think of my books either on Facebook: www.facebook.com/JuliaLondon, Twitter: www.twitter.com/JuliaFLondon or my website and blog: http://www.julialondon.com
Kate Preston just moved to New York, but she has to get back to Seattle in time for her best friend’s wedding. Joe Firretti is moving to Seattle, and has to get there in time or risk losing his new job. But fate’s got a sense of humor.
Kate goes from rubbing elbows on a plane with a gorgeous but irritating strange (doggone armrest hog) to sharing one travel disaster after another with him on four wheels. Joe thought he had his future figured out, but sometimes fates has to knock you over the head pretty hard before you see what opportunity is standing in front of you…in a really god-awful poufy bridesmaid dress
