Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Jennifer James to the blog today

Jennifer, can you please share with us a little about yourself

I’m a secret agent living undercover in the Midwest, fighting crime in my fuzzy blue slippers while singing the theme song to Blue’s Clues and making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with the crusts cut off.

Actually, I’m the mother of two, still in college (senior year! Yay!) getting a bachelor’s degree in English with a concentration in Creative Writing, have been married to an amazing guy for the past 13 years, and only recently left my job as a dental assistant because my mother became ill. If you’d like a long explanation of why dental floss would be in my “must have” items if I was on a deserted island, I can go on and on.

Or not. *grin*

Have you always wanted to be an author?

Yes, but I don’t think I realized it for a long time. I would mention it to my husband now and then, how I wanted to be an author and he’d say “Go do it then!” but I never finished the stories I’d start on yellow legal pads. I was intimidated and scared by the process of submitting a book, heck, even finishing one. (Which I still think is the hardest part.)

Once I got down to it and realized that the ideas in my head weren’t going away and that people I knew actually liked my stuff, I got down to it and haven’t looked back.

Who are some of your favorite writers? Who do you feel has influenced your writing?

Oh boy. Jeaniene Frost, Ilona Andrews, Karen Marie Moning, Kresley Cole, Lois McMaster Bujold, Anne McCaffery, Kristen Britain, Charlaine Harris, Keri Arthur, Seanan McGuire, Laurell K. Hamilton, Cinda Williams Chima, JoAnne Kenrick, Nalini Singh, Ann Mayburn, Laura Kaye, Sandra Bunino, Tom Winship, and of course my critter gals, (you might not have heard of these ladies yet, but they’re amazing!) Ellie Heller, Eden Summers, Sarah Cass, Mary Terrani, Tonya Cannariato, Sabrina Garie, and Fiona Druce.

That’s a crazy mix of UF, PNR, Sci-Fi and Fantasy with some contemporary romance thrown in for fun. I also like horror novelists like Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and Kathryn Meyer Griffin.

How did you get into writing in this specific genre?  Have you ever thought about writing in a different genre?

I really love Urban Fantasy. It can range from dark to light, but if you asked me, that’s my favorite genre. But I also love happy endings and romance. So while LOVE KINECTION is a most definitely a contemporary piece, I actually tend to drift to things with paranormal elements.

I have story ideas for books that are more sci-fi and fantasy oriented with only sprinklings of romance in them, so eventually you’ll see more of those in the future. But I think (for me anyway) that the stories form as I go, and I don’t worry about the genre all that much. The story is what it is. I follow it wherever it leads. So I guess I got into this genre mostly by accident.

What are some of your writing rituals?

Depends on how the writing is going. When the book is going well, I plug in my head phones, turn on music, and let my fingers fly over the keyboard.

If it’s not going well, I get out a notebook and write freehand. I will even write letters to my characters to try and get into their “heads” or jog the story.

I’m learning what a terrible distraction the internet can be, so I turn off my wi-fi connection when writing so I have less temptation to surf when I’m stuck in the plot.

Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?

LOVE KINECTION is a contemporary novella with a hurt but snarky heroine and a hunky tech guy hero. They’re both geeks and silly references abound in this book. Abby and Tom have sexual tension to spare, and I never knew what kind of joke was going to come out of their mouths next.

LONG TIME COMING is also a contemporary novella but told from the man’s POV, and much higher on the heat scale. It’s an erotic romance out from Etopia Press. A hot friends to lovers story with a hero (Rob) who is alpha, but sweet and slightly awkward with the heroine Joey in way that just makes you want to see more from those two. I had a blast writing that book.

How did you come with the idea for this story?

It was actually from a submission call from Entangled Publishing. They were looking for Valentine’s Day stories. There were also calls for geek stories and military themes. All those things coalesced in my head to form LOVE KINECTION.  The book was rejected at Entangled, but ultimately sold to Decadent Publishing, and I was paired up with an amazing editor who encouraged me to geek it up.

Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?

Which one? I’m in content editing for a big fat erotic paranormal romance novel called HUNGER EMBRACED (book 1 in a series) and am finishing up book 2 HUNGER UNBOUND. The heroine in those books is funny, snarky, resourceful, and while a vampire, still rather vulnerable. She’s not totally bad ass and superhuman, which I like about her.

I’ve also got a contemporary western started called LUCKY SEVENS, a novella I decided to lengthen out to a full novel called COVERT CRAVING (also a paranormal romance), and a trilogy of werewolf books plotted, waiting in the wings.

What would you be if you were not an author?

Oh, I’d still be dental assisting/wifeing/mothering/studenting. And I guess if I wasn’t authoring I’d be knitting and sewing in my spare time. I like to do those things anyway. I’m a creative sort, so anything I can create with my hands appeals to me.

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

ONCE BURNED by Jeaniene Frost. (Gah! But I’m saving it for my victory dance after edits on HUNGER EMBRACED are finished. Love Vlad!)

HOUNDED by Kevin Hearne.

UNHOLY GHOSTS by Stacia Kane.

MAGIC BURNS by Ilona Andrews.

BLACKVEIL by Kristen Britain.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Thanks so much for having me on today. I love to hear from readers, bloogers, and other authors, so don’t be shy! Come stalk my website or FaceBook or Twitter.

LINKS:

Website: http://www.authorjenniferjames.com/

FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jennifer-James/212335188856799?ref=hl

GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/644267.Jennifer_James

Twitter: @JenniferJames34

Love, romance, hearts, flowers ,cupid…. Rubbish.

Abby Fine still hasn’t gotten over the pain of a year-old betrayal and plans to spend this Valentine’s Day drowning her sorrows with a ménage of men named Ben, Jerry, and Riesling.

Her plans are diverted when she drops and breaks her new iPhone and gives in to a momentary hormone surge, agreeing to let office hottie and tech god Tom Walker squirm his way into her condo to fix it.

Tom shows up with his Xbox, spicy Chinese food, and a habit of stealing kisses every time she lets her guard down.

Can a weekend of laughter, videogames, and movies change Abby’s opinion of stupid Cupid?

Excerpt:

His hands crossed the gap between our bodies and rested on my hips.  Backing away would be the smart thing to do. But hope filled my belly he’d kiss me again. The stupid part of my brain had taken control again, and I didn’t fight it. I wanted a real kiss. “So if you are in fact the geekier geek, what do I get as a forfeit?” he asked.

The shadow of stubble covered his chin and his upper lip, ran up to the short sideburns he wore. His ears begged to be nibbled on. What would that stubble feel like brushed against my skin? Dangerous thoughts, especially since my hands had somehow ended up on his waist and my fingers clenched his shirt. I looked at his arms, still surprised by the size of muscles when they flexed. If the biceps were any indicator of the body hidden under the cloth, it broke the mold of a stereotypical geek’s.

“Forfeit?”

“Yeah. You know, like a prize.”

“I think you already got a forfeit. You got to see me naked.” And all I’ve gotten is a few stolen kisses.

“That was an accident.” He grew hard against my belly. It pleased me to wonder what direction his thoughts had gone. I wondered if ice cream intoxication existed. “How about sex in my truck?”

“No. Car sex isn’t really comfortable. And who said anything about sex?”

“A man can hope. Besides, I know you’ve thought about it.”

“Have not.”

“Have, too.”

“Shut up and kiss me.”

He shook his head. “I promised to behave. You kiss me.”

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Charles Johnson to the blog today.

Charles, please tell us about your current release.

For the millions of singles around the world who have struggled to find the right one or to maintain a lasting relationship, my book, “How to Find the Right One & Make it Last,” provides a tutorial on the lost art of dating.  “How to Find the Right One and Make it Last: Bring Love and Romance Back to Dating” offers practical advice for both men and women about how to initiate interaction as well as how to respond in various dating situations.

In addition to the book, I created a website,  http://www.AskCharlesJohnson.com, where my readers can have easy access to relationship advice and personal coaching at any time.

I have been officially and unofficially helping clients and colleagues find personal success. Over the years, I have developed a proven set of principles and concepts that have helped singles looking for love not only find their ideal life partner, but also to keep the relationship fresh and thriving.

Over the years, I have watched my colleagues work incredibly hard to achieve professional success, but often struggle to find that same level of success in their personal lives. By applying the same discipline from their professional development to fine-tuning their dating skills, these colleagues transformed their lives and found the personal fulfillment that had previously been so elusive.

My book provides step-by-step guidance starting with how an individual can make small changes in their personal style and appearance or to their daily routine to improve the odds of finding their ideal partner. I walk readers through the first call, planning the perfect date, and what to say and do on the date.  Everything first starts with a clear idea of what each individual is looking for – as well as what they’re not – to provide a guide along the way.

The principles don’t stop once a match has been made.  The book provides advice for nurturing relationships for the long run.  By walking readers through the seven phases of relationships, I explain how and why they change over time and how to keep them growing strong.

I draw on personal experience, primary research, and the stories of more than 500 singles I’ve connected and 118 who I’ve helped marry and continue to help. I’ve have peppered their stories throughout the book to highlight the principles in action.

Also included is a chapter to help unravel the mystery of Internet dating sites. I outline practical guidance on how to get the most out of the Internet dating site as well as what to be weary of when using the various sites.

Can you tell us about the journey that led you to write your book?

As a corporate senior executive I had the responsibility of taking new young talent and developing them into executives. For 15 years, I groomed hundreds of men and women in the boardroom and thought them the principals that would help them achieve all their professional and financial goals. I was honored and enjoyed mentoring them and watched their careers grow. But, I discovered, as my successful executives matured they would turn to me for guidance in their personal lives. Most of them who were in their early 30’s had achieved all their financial goals but lacked a personal life and wanted someone special with whom they could share their life. Many of them had been so focused on building their professional skills that they lacked the social and personal skills required to connect with someone special. That was the beginning of my unofficial matchmaking business. Over the years, I mentored my up and coming executives and helped them first determine what to look for in a partner and then helped them execute a plan of action. I would run social scenarios and conduct role-play to help them become more confident in social environments. I’ve worked with over 500 people and been able to connect and help marry 118 couples. And, to this day I continue to help the couples to keep their relationship alive and fresh.

When I left the corporate world five years ago, many of the people I mentored and their friends still called for guidance. I decided to write a book that would help everyone in similar situations to give them a starting point to change their personal life and give them a road-map to “How to Find the Right One & Make it Last.”

Can you tell us about the story behind your book cover?

I wanted to have the book cover to convey an emotion in people. We wanted the book cover to convey passion and we chose the burnt orange as the color for the cover of the book because it’s the color of fire.

What book on the market does yours compare to? How is your book different?

I cannot think of a book that is anything like the book I’ve written. In my years of mentoring and matchmaking I found that there was nothing in the market that gave single people practical tools and a step-by-step guide in how to find the right person and make their relationships last. I found that many professional adults needed to learn the skills and gain the confidence that would improve their dating prospects and I don’t believe there is anything in the market to help them. That’s part of the reason I decided to write the book. Finding the right person that will be a life partner is a process and no author has ever written about that process.

What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

I am a retired Air Force and senior vice president from the corporate world. My writing style and quirk is my ability to write in a very conversational and relatable manner.

Open your book to a random page and tell us what’s happening?

I’m on page 32 where I describe how one can meet quality people by taking a dance class. People always wonder where they can meet new people who can be potential partners. I always tell my clients to change their routine. One way to do that is to take a dance class in your local community college or dance studio.

Do you plan any subsequent books?

I am currently working on a workbook that will be an extension of “How to Find the Right One & Make it Last!”

I am also working on a teen book based on a similar topic.

Tell us what you’re reading at the moment and what you think of it?

I am re-reading “You Can Heal Your Life,” by Louise Hay. The book gives people great insight into how they can change their life and make it the life they always imagined. It helped me re-invent my life and myself after leaving corporate America. Using the principles in Hay’s book, I have been able to take my experience from my military and corporate life and show people how to be successful in their personal lives and relationships.

Charles Johnson’s Bio:

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Celeste Hall to the blog today

Celeste, can you please share with us a little about yourself

I’ve always been an adventurer and a daydreamer. I would make up elaborate games with treasure maps and story plots (Indiana Jones style) for my siblings to play as a child. Later I gained mobility with horses and cars, which let me vanish into the wilderness for weeks at a time.

I may have grown up, but I held onto that daydreaming little girl inside. I still love a good adventure, traveling all over the world to meet new people and explore places I’ve read about in books.

When I write, I always strive to take my readers along on a voyage of one kind or another. Delving into fantasy, mystery, romance and suspense with the same passions I employ in my own life.

Have you always wanted to be an author?

I’ve always loved books and writing. As a child I wrote longhand, filling up dozens of notebooks and dairies with my stories, poems and exploits. I never really planned on publishing any of them, but life has a funny way of nudging us into roles we might not otherwise have taken.

Who are some of your favorite writers? Who do you feel has influenced your writing?

I have a very eclectic taste in books, but my favorites will always be the stories that either scare me or seduce me. I love Dean Koontz, Stephen King, Nora Roberts, Suzanne Brockmann and so many other fabulous writers. It’s hard to say which have influenced me the most. I suspect my writing style matured from a wide diversity of books I’ve read throughout my life as well as the experiences I’ve had.

How did you get into writing in this specific genre?  Have you ever thought about writing in a different genre?

I primarily write romance novels, but I’ve completed dozens of other stories throughout the years. A couple have made it onto library shelves, but the majority will probably gather dust in the closet until I find the time to go back through them and give each a proper editing session.

What are some of your writing rituals?

I don’t have any rituals per se, other than keeping a full pot of coffee handy. I also utilize a variety of different construction techniques, depending on the type of story I’m writing and how inspired I might be at the time. Some days I just sit down and the words flow out onto the page as fast as I can type, while other days I have to write out storyboards for motivation and an outline to follow.

Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?

Last month I published Blood Seductions: Gavin, which is the first book in a spinoff series from my popular Dream Seduction line. The stories follow a group of Incubus and Vampires, which are normally enemies, as they are gathering together to fight against an evil unlike anything they’ve ever seen before.

This month I’m releasing Secret Admirer, a fun contemporary romance about a girl that receives an array of very frightening letters and acquires the protection of a very sexy bodyguard.

I also plan to publish the next book in the Dream Seduction line this summer, as well as a couple more contemporary romances, so stay tuned!

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

I gain my inspiration from a variety of sources, most of which stem from my own life experiences and wild imagination. I’ll have a dream (or a nightmare) and it will stick with me until I get it down on paper. Other times it will be an event, or person I’ve met, someone who just begs to have their personality captured and shared with the world.

Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?

I’ve recently started completing stories for a variety of anthologies, largely suspense or romance collections, but they won’t be coming out until early next year. Never fear, my wonderful followers will have plenty to read in the meantime. I currently have three completed novels I plan to release this year, and another three that are in progress.

Keep an eye on my webpage for excerpts and information on Secret Admirer, which will be coming out this month. Dream Seductions: All the Queen’s Men, which will be published in July. And Passionate Creatures, which I plan to release in August.

What would you be if you were not an author?

As a round cheeked and dimpled little girl I used to pray every day for a horse and a cow. I really wanted to be a cowgirl when I grew up. I dreamed of wide open places and endless skies.

I suppose I still yearn for those things. Someday I hope to have a big ranch out in some wonderfully remote and beautiful location. But I’m sure I’d still find myself driven to write. That’s simply who I am, and what I’ve always loved.

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

I’m currently halfway through E.L. James’ Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy. As soon as I’ve finished these, I plan to read Deadlocked, by Charlaine Harris. I get a huge kick out of reading her books and then watching the True Blood series to make fun of their adaptations. I do the same thing with the Game of Thrones series so I’ve been forbidden from watching either show with my friends. =)

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I just want to add a quick thank you to all of my friends and followers alike. You’ve all made such a huge impact on my life. I would never have made it this far without such a wonderful support group!

For those that are new to my writing, I’d love to talk to you about what you’d like to see more or less of in my stories. I hope you’ll all feel free to drop by and share your opinions or suggestions!

You can almost always find me on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Celeste-Hall/163107347079149

I’m a huge Facebook junkie, so messages left there will usually be answered that same day. =)

 Other places I can (less frequently) be found include:

My website, http://www.celestehall.com

Blog, http://celestehall.blogspot.com

Twitter, http://twitter.com/ACelesteHall

Goodreads, http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4915911.Celeste_Hall

or YouTube, http://www.youtube.com/user/authorcelestehall

I look forward to speaking with you again!