Books-n-Kisses is excited to welcome back our pal Laura Moore to the blog to chat about her newest book Once Tasted.  

BnK: Can you please share with us a little about yourself?

LM: I write contemporary romances that are on the sexy side. My stories feature rugged, outdoorsy heroes who clean up well when the occasion demands. My heroines are strong and passionate about what and whom they love. Lots of four-legged creatures of various shapes and sizes make their way into my books because I’m a serious animal lover. My new release, Once Tasted, has all of the above. When I’m not sitting in front of the computer and writing, I like to be active. I love to ride, swim, garden, and then relax at the end of the day by cooking a really nice meal for my family.

BnK: Have you always wanted to be an author?

LM: Nope. My first dream was to be a professional rider. Then I wanted to be a racecar driver. After that I got interested in photography and art. Basically I managed to avoid writing fiction until I was in graduate school for art education. One evening a story came to me that I simply had to try and put into words. After that, I was pretty much hooked. I think I resisted writing because I have a lot of writers in my family and know how unglamorous an activity it is. Luckily it has its rewards, too.

BnK: Are you a plotter or a pantster or combo of both? Can you explain the difference?

LM: I’d say I do a bit of both plotting and flying by the seat of my pants.

I find writing a synopsis helps me get some idea of my characters’ backstory, where the story will go, and what the different conflicts will be. But I’m definitely not the type of plotter who then makes charts or spreadsheets (both of which give me the hives) or breaks the story down chapter by chapter. Once I get the synopsis finished, I pretty much let my imagination loose. Sometimes the writing proceeds at a crawl, sometimes it flies. My method is hardly the most efficient way of writing (which is important in this business) but some of the scenes I’ve most enjoyed writing have been unplanned.

BnK: What is your most interesting writing quirk?

LM: Darn, I wish I could tell you something really fun, like that I dictate my stories while reclining on a chaise longue in my peignoir while eating chocolate truffles and sipping champagne. The only quirk I can think of while I’m writing is that I like to be near my dog. His presence kind of centers me. Oh, and I also like to listen to rock-n-roll when I’m working. I think it’s a holdover from my barn days when the radio would be playing continuously as we fed, groomed, and tacked horses or mucked out their stalls.

BnK: Can you please tell us about your latest book?

LM: Once Tasted is the second book in my Silver Creek series. My hero is a smooth-talking, laidback cowboy, named Reid Knowles. Reid and his bright blue eyes can dazzle just about any woman…except for Mia Bodell, whose youthful infatuation for her handsome neighbor was shattered years ago. For his part, Reid would just as soon steer clear of Mia and her pointed disdain. Unfortunately, he’s made a promise to Mia’s uncle to help manage the winery that he and Mia own. All too soon the sparks begin to fly between Mia and Reid as their long-denied attraction becomes impossible to ignore.

BnK: How did you come up with the idea for this story?

LM: I came up with the premise of writing a series about a family that owns a large working guest ranch in California because some friends of mine own a hotel and I’m fascinated by all the different jobs running a hotel demands. I decided to make the setting a working ranch because I love a chance to write about horsemen and women, whether they ride English or Western. And okay, I’m kind of a perpetual student. I love to learn new things. I realized that if I wrote about a heroine who owns a winery, I’d get to learn all about grape growing and winemaking, and that the research would involve a lot of Pinot Noir tasting. A win-win situation!

BnK: Can you share with us your current work in progress?

LM: I’m writing the third book in the series. It’s called Once Touched and is about Quinn Knowles, Reid’s younger sister, who’s an animal lover and rescuer. My hero is Ethan Saunders, a photojournalist who’s come to Silver Creek ranch to recover from an injury he sustained in Afghanistan. Quinn soon discovers Ethan’s wounds go much deeper than he lets on and her instinct to try and heal him overcomes her need to protect her heart.

BnK: Who is the one author that you would love to meet someday and why?

LM: Can this be when I die and go to writer’s heaven? Shakespeare. Just to be able to thank the man who used the English language so beautifully and bawdily.

BnK: What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?

LM: Write constantly and read voraciously.

Bnk: Can you share with us something off your bucket list?

LM: Scuba diving off the Great Barrier Reef.

Bnk: What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?

LM: Kristan Higgins’s Waiting on You, Molly O’Keefe’s Never Been Kissed Eloisa James’s Three Weeks with Lady X and about twenty others.

BnK: What is one book everyone should read before they die?

LM: Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White. I re-read it recently. I actually think the world would be a lot better place if we possessed the wisdom of Charlotte and the kindness of Wilbur.

BnK: What is your favorite time of year & why?

LM: Spring. I love the bursts of color, the perfume in the air, the promise of rebirth.

Bnk: Who is your Celebrity crush?

LM: I’m a huge George Clooney fan from way, way back. I’m actually kind of relieved he’s gotten engaged. Perhaps now I can move on and stop having these fantasies of being locked in a car trunk with him and that gravelly voice of his whispering in my ear…

Bnk: And what would you do if you ever met him?

LM: Embarrass myself–of that I have no doubt!

Bnk: Is there anything else you would like to add?

LM: Just my thanks to you, Kelly, for having me at Books-n-Kisses today! This was such fun. I’d also like to give away two copies of Once Tasted. The winners will be chosen at random by Books-n-Kisses.

To enter to win, just leave a comment below.

The question I leave you with is: What’s on your TBR pile? I love to hear about what others are reading and find new authors to enjoy…and I hope that Once Tasted makes it onto your lists!

Happy Reading!

~Laura

Learn more about Laura here: Website| Facebook | Twitter

*****

Once Tasted

Silver Creek #2

Amazon link | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound 

Three siblings, an extraordinary family, a lasting heritage—in the irresistible Silver Creek Ranch trilogy, they’ll fight for the land and the people they love.

Everything has come easily to Reid Knowles, the middle son of a California ranching family. But his charmed life is suddenly complicated when his good friend and neighbor asks him to help run the winery next door. His neighbor’s niece, Mia Bodell, is in charge—and she has made it clear that she’d rather be roped to a steer than to Reid Knowles. Never one to back down from a challenge, Reid vows to win her trust.

Her life marked by loss, Mia knows that nothing comes easily—love included. In high school, her heart was crushed by Reid, and even though years have passed, the hurt lingers. Mia is achingly aware that the teen heartthrob has matured into a devastatingly handsome playboy, and the budding winemaker refuses to let down her guard. But one taste of unbridled passion changes things. From Reid’s first intoxicating kiss to his unexpectedly tender seduction, Mia is swept into a passionate affair that could tear her heart to pieces . . . or give her everything she has ever wanted.

Check out my review of Once Tasted HERE

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