Susan Meier's Blog - Posts Tagged "susan-meier"

I'm slowly but surely crawling into the twenty-first century. It isn't because I don't like technology. I love technology!

Love it.

I'm the biggest Kindle/ereader fan on the face of the earth. I can take my entire To Be Read pile everywhere I go.

And I do go! My son lives a two-hour drive away and when we visit, we stay overnight. My husband's sister lives near Gettysburg and we LOVE to visit her. We see landmarks, learn a little history and eat at great restaurants in the Gettysburg Square. I also go to a good many writer's conferences. And let's not forget the beach.

All I have to do is take my ereader and I have the exact book I want to read for whatever mood I'm in.

I also love the author/reader interaction technology allows us. Not all reviews are good, but frequently there's something to be said for a bad review. If nothing else, we can learn from it.

So here I am. Finally. :) As much of a reader as everybody else here, I look forward to some great book discussions.

Now...to get up some reviews and join some groups.

So glad to be here!

susan meier

Matt Patterson is the "oldest" of the Larkville Legacy kids. He's grown up believing that his mother's husband was his dad...but guess what? He's not. His real father is his mom's first husband. He and his twin sister didn't even know their mom was married before. So he really only has 1 full sibling, his twin. The rest of his siblings are his half-sisters! And he's got a whole slew of Calhoun half-siblings...Texans. Ranchers.

Matt's a city boy. And also now a billionaire. In one short year, he doesn't merely get new siblings, when his ex-wife dies, he also inherits her baby. All because he agreed to become God father...a position he believed was only ceremonial.

I've created a board on Pinterest that shows Matt's life as it is now. But I'm guessing a new baby and new Texas siblings will eventually change that!

If you're curious and you love to see pix of your favorite characters and how they live...

http://pinterest.com/susanmeier1/

Enjoy!

susan meier

This Tuesday I got the call that THE TYCOON'S SECRET DAUGHTER was a finalist in the short contemporary category for the 2013 RITA.

I can't even tell you how exciting this is for me...especially since I almost didn't enter this book into the Rita contest.

So when the call came I burst into tears. I'm sure the RWA board member who called me thinks I'm insane. But this book was very special to me in that it dealt with a very difficult, very real subject: Alcoholism.

I didn't want to treat it lightly or dismiss the pain of those dealing with the alcoholism of a loved one. So I worked really hard. And it's amazing to have the book get this kind of recognition.

So I thank everyone who read and liked this book...from the bottom of my heart.

susan

I'm happy to announce that I have two titles this month. A Christmas story THE TWELVE DATES OF CHRISTMAS and a sexy story CHASING THE RUNAWAY BRIDE.

Each is wonderful in its own way. :) THE TWELVE DATES OF CHRISTMAS is a fun story about a hero who is mourning the loss of his child so he wants a date for his Christmas parties so his friends believe he's moving on. Eloise Vaughn needs help finding a permanent job, so they strike a deal.

Set against the backdrop of Christmas in New York City (is there a more lovely place at Christmas?), my hero and heroine don't just learn to count their blessings. They fall in love. But is it real, lasting permanent love? And if it is, are they ready for it?

CHASING THE RUNAWAY BRIDE is just fun. The hero and heroine are enemies. Children on opposite ends of a feud started by their parents. Hoping to end the feud, the hero's grandfather leaves his grocery store to them, with the provision that they must work at the store for a year and it must earn a profit. Otherwise, it becomes a parking lot. :)

CHASING THE RUNAWAY BRIDE is the story of two people who find themselves incredibly attracted to the person they are supposed to hate. LOL Add to that that the heroine is a runaway bride and the hero is a cowboy and you have lots of fun.

It's fun. It's fast. It's sexy.

So this month I have something for everyone! Check me out at Amazon, B&N, etc.

susan meier

He started to say, “I have a lot of work—” just as Izzy walked in the front door, and his mouth fell open. Her hair had been swept up on one side, pinned back by a pink flower. Nothing too big. Just the right size to look kind of sexy. His gaze skimmed down over a pink sparkly dress that stopped mid-thigh—and she had the legs for it. Now, not only was he dealing with the fact that she wasn’t a kid anymore, he was seeing her as a gorgeous, sexy woman. It was as if someone had waved a magic wand and she’d changed overnight.
Mary Louise stiffened. “Oh, look, it’s Izzy.”
Devon said, “Belle.”
“Excuse me?”
“She likes to be called Belle.”
Mary Louise shot him a look of confusion.
Ellie said, “She works for us now.”
Piper said, “Yeah, and that extra seat is for her.”
Mary Louise glanced at Devon. He raised his hands helplessly, though he was abundantly glad he wouldn’t have to sit by her.
Always polite, Mary Louise said, “Well, it was nice to see
you.” She took a slow breath and renewed her smile as she
glanced at his brothers and their wives, his mom and Bob. “It
was nice to see all of you.”
As she walked away, he glanced at the front of the hall and saw Isabelle again. She greeted the bride and groom, signed the guest book and walked over to their table. Her shiny pink dress shimmered as she walked. Her legs were works of art.
“Hi, everybody.”
Cade, Finn and Bob rose. It took a second for Devon to get his bearings, then he scrambled to his feet. He couldn’t believe he was so shell-shocked that he forgot his manners.
“Hey, Izzy.”
She met his gaze with a soft smile. “It’s Belle, remember?”
He swallowed. Hadn’t he just corrected Mary Louise?
Why was his mind suddenly a big, empty hole? “Right. Belle.”
“We have an extra seat,” Ellie said, pointing to the empty chair beside him. “Why don’t you join us?”
His mom said, “Yes, Izzy. Join us.”
He noticed that she didn’t correct his mom about the name, but somehow that only made her request that he call her Belle hotter. Like a pet name. Or a term of endearment you’d have for a lover.
No! What the hell was happening to his brain? Yes, he took lovers. He had affairs. But Isabelle Cooper—cute little green-thumbed tomboy Izzy—was not the kind of girl to be somebody’s lover.
She smiled that pretty smile again and all the blood in Devon’s body whooshed through him. Resisting the urge to drop his head to his hands, he reminded himself that it might take a bit of work, but he would control himself.
Isabelle said, “Thanks. I think I will join you.” She walked around the table to the empty chair beside him.
Remembering his manners, he pulled the chair out for her. Even the way she sat was pretty. Delicate. Sensual. He’d have never in a million years expected this from the girl who usually dressed like a farmer. But she was no farmer tonight.
She wasn’t even an office worker. She was just a beautiful woman.
He tugged his collar away from his throat, took a breath and sat beside her.

The Boss's Fake Fiancee releases today. Of all the books I've written, this one stands out because the hero and heroine have worked together for YEARS, yet he never noticed her and she never got the courage to make him notice her.

But put Lila in a different environment, Mitch's families' vineyard, and make her realize this might be her only chance at getting the man of her dream, and she becomes a dynamo.

Because this is her last chance.

There's something about being pressed up against a wall that either brings out the best or the worst in each of us. I spent a lot of years being afraid of being pushed up against a wall, but now I sort of find it exciting. LOL

Maybe I learned from my characters that those crunch moments and situations that seem so horrible are actually gifts to help us get to our next step in life.

Happy Reading

susan meier

Today, Small Town Love, my book from Tule releases. I'm proud of this book for many reasons, not the least of which is I wrote it immediately after Michael died. We had a tight deadline, and I was part of a four-book mini-series...to bail on this project would have meant letting a lot of people down...Including Mikie. He was a stickler for keeping commitments.

So how did I write a romance when my heart was breaking? I made it funny. I took myself away from the emotions of the moment and turned in the exact opposite direction. I wanted to cry. I forced myself to laugh.

At a certain point in the writing process, I realized this book had gone from a responsibility to a respite from grief. If you've ever experienced a loss of the magnitude of losing a child, you probably realize that finding a place of mental rest is an absolute necessity.

This silly, wonderful story became that place for me.

When I was proofing it, I realized that that's what our books are supposed to do. I'd never specifically written one to become MY sanctuary before. But I'd always written my stories with an eye toward transporting my readers to another world.

We think what we do doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. I now know it does because I lived it firsthand. For the weeks it took me to write this story, I had a lovely place to go, friends -- albeit that they were fictional -- a twelve-year-old who needed me and a romance.

No one advocates living in fictional worlds all the time. But it was oh so lovely to have this respite when I desperately needed one.

So if you write romances, don't downplay what you do and its value. If you're a reader, enjoy. Your heart, your brain and your nervous system all need the few hours of being swept away.

I'd love it if you would buy and read SMALL TOWN LOVE.

Last week, the ebook edition of FALLING FOR THE PREGNANT HEIRESS released. I didn't even do a newsletter because I hope to have a free short story to give to subscribers that links to Sabrina and Trent's story.

It's not done yet. LOL

Why? Well, I'm working on the second book of a new trilogy for Harlequin. It's a month late.

Are you noticing a pattern?

I used to be one of those annoying people who got up at five, went to the gym, and was at my desk at seven to write for five hours.

Now? I seem to be enamored with coffee and morning television. Not ALL morning television. Just George Stephanopoulos. He is so darned cute. But it's also fun to watch him fit into a more relaxed format than what he is accustomed to.

After going to RWA Nationals, Romance Writer's of America's big conference and attending several workshops on getting yourself back on track...I found myself at the gym at seven every morning last week...So there's hope for me yet.

If you're a newsletter subscriber, check your email next Monday. Hopefully that newsletter with the free story will be there.

If not, check the golf course!

Happy Reading...

susan

Oh, if you're not a subscriber but want to be here's a link

https://www.susanmeier.com/contact.ht...

When I began writing HIRED BY THE UNEXPECTED BILLIONAIRE, the editors and I thought Danny Manelli's story of being a brooding billionaire, who only recently discovered he was a dad...and ADOPTED...would steal the show.

Enter Marnie Olsen.

Some characters come to me full-blown. But rarely do they come with a story. Usually I have to make that up. But not so with Marnie.

She'd been the object of bullying in high school. That's not so unusual. But the reason for it was.

Her mom pulled her out of school, and she began using her mother's maiden name to get her life back. It worked, until she entered college and realized that someday she'd have to get a job. And in Manhattan, her tormenters would be ruling the world.

As a nanny, she found a way to earn a good living and keep all her secrets.

Until she goes to work for Danny Manelli. His life's too big, too public for her to hang around. But his son is adorable, so is his new puppy. And he's...well, he's everything.

Someday she's going to have to leave, probably disappear in the night, but just once she longs to see what it would be like to love someone and have them love her.

Marnie and Danny will make you laugh and cry.

Just the way I like a story. :)

Here's a universal link.

https://books2read.com/u/bwdQE9

Happy Reading

susan meier

I thought we'd try something different and pulled a passage from the middle of the book.

Enjoy...

The weekend passed quickly. Talking about their feelings seemed to work for Marnie. She was light, happy. Rex made it to Monday despite his sore gums. But at breakfast, Danny felt odd. All day Sunday, he’d reminded himself that his happiness around Marnie was relief. But at a certain point he had to admit that wasn’t true. He liked her and he’d basically warned her off.
He should have kissed her Saturday night.
If she’d quit, he could have asked her for a date.
If she hadn’t quit, they’d have figured something out.
But he’d taken the high road. And now look where he was. Watching the woman who filled his heart with joy play mother to his child. He might have only known her a few weeks, but they fit.
And he’d blown it.
It didn’t help that he spent Monday in court and returned home exhausted and grumpy. Rex spilled his juice. Wiggles peed on the floor. Marnie handled it all like the pro she was.
She retired to her room after putting Rex to bed. Danny walked to the family room, a large room in the back with a big screen TV and enough toys and games to entertain fifty people.
He tuned the television to a baseball game, racked the balls on the pool table and grabbed a cue stick from the holder.
He shot two games, groaning at the ineptitude of his favorite baseball team and trying to unwind.
“Hey.”
His gaze shot up when Marnie entered the room. “I’m sorry if I was too loud. I forgot I’m on your side of the penthouse.”
She meandered a bit closer. “It’s okay. I couldn’t hear you, but…” She bit her lower lip, a habit he’d observed she indulged when she was nervous. “Well, at dinner I noticed you were stressed.”
He straightened, searched for his next shot, then leaned over to take it. “That’s a natural result of spending a day in court. You have two sides who both believe they’re right.” He slid the stick between his fingers and smacked the cue ball into three other balls with a resounding crack. “I handle mostly estates so the only times I enter a courtroom are when relatives are fighting over money.”
He hit the cue ball again. The red ball flew into a pocket. He drew a satisfied breath. “Fighting families are the worst.”
“I’ll bet.” She plopped down on the sofa, tucking one leg under her butt and laying one arm along the back pillows. It was sweet that she wanted to talk him out of his stress, but she had no idea that the more he saw her, the more he wanted her, and right now she was playing with fire.
“But, honestly, I don’t have much family. My mom was an orphan. My dad single-minded. We didn’t host relatives for Thanksgiving. Our guests were his clients.”
He longed to talk about his day, hear about her life. But wasn’t that part of the problem? The connection they were making lured him in to want more.
He took another shot. “That sounds lovely.”
“It wasn’t.” She paused a beat. “What about you?”
He looked up. Her eyes were warm, her gaze friendly. If he didn’t answer, she’d know something was wrong.
“Before I met Leni and Charlotte, I didn’t have any brothers and sisters. My parents were never chosen by another birth mother. I did have oodles of cousins though.”
She came to attention. “Really? What’s that like?”
A memory of a week at the lake popped into his head, and—amazingly—he laughed. “Chaotic. There was only one girl cousin and we terrorized her.”
“You didn’t!”
“Hey, we were boys in the woods. If we found a snake, it wasn’t our fault that we wanted to show it off.”
She laughed.
Finished with his game, he should have gone to his room. Instead, with his muscles loosening and the stress of the day slipping away, he motioned to the table. Just like always, being with her did something to him. Something he liked. Something he needed.
“Do you play?”
She looked at her fingernails. “A bit.”
“Don’t tell me you’re a ringer.”
She pushed off the sofa. “No. But I have my days.”
She chose a stick and he let her break. She ended up with the striped balls and had four put away before he got his first turn.
Focused, he worked to get three in the pockets. Then she bent across the table to shoot and her yoga pants outlined her butt.
He took a quick breath and blew it out slowly.
She only sank one ball before she lost her turn. As he studied the table, she said, “What else happens in court?”
She had a good idea keeping the conversation neutral, but it didn’t work when she used that breathless voice.
“Lawyers try to trip up witnesses from the opposing side.” He took a shot, missed and wasn’t the slightest surprised.
She leaned across the table again. He looked at the ceiling. “Your job is essentially tripping people up?”
“No. My job is looking for loopholes, mistakes in thinking, and law, precedents, that support my position.”
“You’re a trickster.”
“No!” He thought of his dad and fought the urge to ball his hands into fists. “I’m the one who uncovers tricksters.”
“Much more interesting.”
The breathless voice was back. Most of the balls were in the pocket. Both would shoot for the eight. He suddenly wished he could stand back and just watch her. Her movements were easy, fluid. Her proficiency at the game a total turn-on.
She tried for the eight, missed. He ambled to her side of the table as she walked to his. They met at a corner that she’d taken too sharply and suddenly they were in front of each other, almost brushing, both breathing funny.
They’d had the talk about how they weren’t going to pursue anything romantic, but after a day in court with his nerves strung tight, his defenses worn down… He couldn’t for the life of him remember why he’d agreed to that—
No. He couldn’t remember why he’d suggested that.
Familiar feelings rumbled through him. Primal. Quiet. Resurrecting an instinct so deep it merged body and soul.
He was suddenly the man he’d been before he’d met his dad and discovered he had a child. For thirty seconds, he was just a guy with needs. A hunger for the pretty girl in front of him.
“I thought we weren’t going to do this.”
His voice came out rough as he said, “I can’t for the life of me remember why.”
“Neither one of us wants to be a cliché.”
“If that’s our only reason, it’s not a good one.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
MARNIE’S HEART POUNDED, making her chest tight enough she worried it would burst. They were so close she swore she could hear his heart beating. Everything had been good over the weekend, then he’d come home tired and out of sorts and something inside her had yearned to make him feel better.
She whispered, “You’re sure it’s not a good one?”
His head began to lower. “Very.”
When their lips met, a symphony of longing sang through her blood. Almost powerful enough to drown out her fears, it filled her heart, wove through her soul. Their connection was strong, but their attraction was stronger. She didn’t know how to fight it. Even when she reminded herself that he lived in a different world, part of her scoffed that he was a simple billionaire. Not one of the guys who attracted attention. And any private time she got with him would be worth it.
He deepened the kiss, his tongue delving into the recesses of her mouth. The longing intensified, whooshing through her, stealing her breath. Thoughts of where this was going, what they were doing should have terrified her. Instead, they stoked the flames of the fire.
He pulled away unexpectedly. She blinked up at him. Something wild and wonderful shivered between them. For a breath, she considered springing to her tiptoes and getting them back to kissing…but something serious had settled in his eyes.
“I think we both know where this was going and we both need to think about it some more.”
Drowsy, confused, she stepped back. After a second for his words to sink in, to remind her of consequences and ramifications, she said, “Yeah.”
He ran his hand through his hair. “I’m going to my room now.”
“Me too.”
As if he couldn’t take his eyes off her, he started backing toward the door. “See you in the morning.”
She nodded.
He left, and she stared at the door, her arousal subsiding, her needs mixing and mingling then breaking apart when she added her past and everything didn’t exactly mesh. Not only was he sexy and amazing, but he was a good person. Genuinely good. And she should be thankful he’d been levelheaded.
Even thoughts of his control sent warmth cascading through her. He could have taken advantage of her. She’d had that happen too many times to count, when the hole in her life left by her missing father had caused her to go looking for love all the wrong ways. His respect for her filled her eyes with tears and her soul with yearning.
For something she couldn’t have. Because she’d made a mistake. And that mistake followed her.