Nikki Duncan's Blog, page 5

Discover Missy Jane’s take on Creating Miraculous Heroes

In honor of Nikki Duncan’s new release Her Miracle Man, I thought I’d talk a bit about what it’s like creating the “miracle man”. For me the story practically writes itself. Whether it’s one of my paranormal romances, urban fantasies, or erotic contemporary romances, I just sit at the keyboard and let it flow through my fingertips. What that means as far as my characters are concerned is I have to hear their voices in my head and learn their personalities as I write the story. When it comes to my hero, I decide on his physical attributes first. Usually just knowing something about the story itself gives me an idea of what he looks like. It has happened that I’ve tried to write a brunette and he’s insisted on being a blond. To be honest, my heroines are usually a lot nicer to me.

After deciding on the physical I move on to the emotional. Is he happy with his lot in life? Is he looking for a woman to complete him? Is he angry at the world? Is everything a bog joke to him? The answers to these questions begin to fill in the void so I can decide on how he is going to interact with the heroine. Is he a total ass or just snarky? Does she like that or even get him? I’ll admit I sometimes have no clue until the dialogue is written whether they are even going to get along. I’ve never had to switch the hero in a story but don’t doubt that might eventually happen.

So, once the hero and heroine are established in the physical form, named, and aged appropriately, I get to throw a wrench in the whole works. That’s when the “miracles” happen. I decide on exactly why he’s going to be her hero. What about him calls to her on a level where all other men cease to exist? What can he do for her (or to her for the erotics) that will have her wanting him above all others? And then how is she going to hold onto him? Making the miracle man is only half the battle. To be fair, I have to be certain the heroine is deserving of him. I believe in equal opportunity.

In my Love Beyond Barriers series from Ellora’s Cave Publishing, both of my heroines are independent women who don’t necessarily need a man in their lives. But once they get to know their heroes they realize that these men are what has been missing, when they hadn’t realized anything was missing at all. Both stories currently available are erotic contemporary romances written in first person from the heroine’s point of view. The third book in the series, Too Hard to Break, will be available soon.

Two-Week Trial

Book one in the Love Beyond Barriers series.

Hi. My name is Mari. I’m of average height, average weight, average looks and I hold an average position at Hardy’s All Goods, my personal version of retail hell. To sum up, I’m nothing special. So why has Devon Campbell, the city’s Most Eligible Bachelor—and my unrequited high-school crush—suddenly crashed back into my life, claiming I’m the one who got away?

Devon can’t possibly want to keep me for the long haul, right? My screwed-up past is enough to make anyone run screaming in the opposite direction. Still, he’s determined I give him a chance…and I’d be crazy to turn down his offer of a two-week trial.

Two Dates Max

Book two in the Love Beyond Barriers series.

He loves me, he loves me not. He loves me… Okay, the truth is he doesn’t really love me right now, but I have a plan to change his mind. I see the way he looks at me with heat in his eyes. Sean Maxwell might be a confirmed bachelor, but a taste of Ms. Megan Nettle is just what he needs to soften his hard exterior. And once I get him in my bed, he won’t want to leave. There’s nothing some hot lovin’ can’t fix.

But my persistence backfires when he decides he’s too dangerous for little ol’ me. Something in his past is driving a wedge between us, and he’s determined to stay away. That’s not going to happen. This calls for some serious seduction. I’ll use those sparks between us to melt away his rule of Two Dates Max.

Thanks again Nikki for having me on your blog. And thank you, readers, for stopping by. Leave a comment telling me what you look for in your “miracle man” and you could win some swag. Please include your email in your comment. I’ll draw a winner on Sunday and post it here.

-Missy Jane

*Make reading a guilty pleasure…*

www.authormissyjane.com

www.msmissyjane.blogspot.com

Donna Alward’s curious. Do you have regrets?

Do you have regrets?

I’m a firm believer that every decision we make, every turn, wrong or right, has led us to where we are right now.

Whether or not you have regrets might depend on if you’re happy with your life. Or maybe, even if you’re not perfectly happy, you don’t regret the bad things because of the valuable lessons you learned along the way. I tend to be in that camp. I think that I’m finally doing what I was meant to do, and as I get older I feel less and less like I need to apologize for who I am. I’m not perfect, but I’m comfortable with myself. I no longer feel like I have to please everyone, as long as I’m squared away with my own conscience.

That’s definitely something that’s come with age and maturity. Not that I’m in my dotage (I’m not) but I definitely look at life differently than I did when I was in my twenties, for example.

In INTO THE FIRE, the heroine, Ally, is fighting to become who she’s meant to be. She’s fighting against expectations from her parents and also the reverse – fighting against the fact that she thinks most people see her as a failure and actually don’t expect much from her at all.  She doesn’t have a lot of faith in herself. And no one else seems to either – except Chris Jackson, her ex. Even though she broke his heart and gave him back his ring, he has confidence in Ally. And that faith is what allows her to take a risk on her heart.

Maybe she made a mistake when she broke off their engagement, but then, maybe she needed to do that to grow into the woman they both deserved.

So yeah – I’m not a huge believer in regrets. How about you? Is there anything you’d do over?

Chat with Donna to be entered for prizes. 

Today you can win a copy of INTO THE FIRE.

Donna is also kicking in some greatness for the Saturday Giveaway – a copy of SLEIGH RIDE WITH THE RANCHER (part of a Holiday Miracles trilogy from Harlequin) and a Holiday Miracles Christmas ornament.

The heat is on…

First Responders, Book 3

The last person firefighter Chris Jackson expects to rescue from a burning animal shelter is Ally Gallant—his ex-fiancée. Even though three years have passed since she gave him back his ring, one look at her frightened face in the haze of a smoky building is all it takes for him to realize he’ll still do anything to protect her.

Ally’s put her heart and soul into the shelter, and she’s devastated when it’s destroyed. What’s more, Chris is suddenly there for her in ways she doesn’t expect—ways she’s sure she doesn’t deserve—as she makes decisions about her future. Then there’s the not-so-small matter of the blazing passion between them that refuses to be extinguished.

But when Chris is injured while on a call, Ally’s reminded of all the reasons she walked away. Now she must look deep within herself to find the courage to put fear on the back burner and step into the fire—into love.

Warning: Adorable dogs, a hot firefighter and five-alarm passion. Fire extinguisher (or cold shower) highly recommended.

All Babies are Miracles, but what are Miracle Babies?

Sunday was Veteran’s Day. It was a day that no doubt had families and Americans thinking about the many miracles our troops have made possible. It was also a day when a citizens of San Diego lace up their sneakers for the “Miracle Babies 5K Family Run and Walk for Hope” in Mission Bay Park.

Miracle Babies is a charity dedicated to helping families with newborns in the neonatal intensive care unit. The “Miracle Babies 5K Family Run and Walk for Hope” is an annual event that’s raised tens of thousands of dollars for the San Diego based charity.

San Diego, California News Station – KFMB Channel 8 – cbs8.com

Is it Ink or Her UNDER HIS SKIN?

We’re welcoming the AWESOME Sidney Bristol to the party room today. Sidney’s giving away a book, so you want to comment, but commenting also enters you into Saturday’s Giveaway and the final drawing for 2 airline tickets.

Thanks for being here, Sidney.

Thanks so much to Nikki for having me here today!

Yesterday was the print release of my first novel, Under His Skin. It kind of passed me by in a surreal, “Is this really happening?” kind of fog. Probably in part because I just had my gallbladder out. Organ removal will do funny things to you. I was able to celebrate it with a nice cup of chicken noodle soup though, so it’s all great.

In October I got to hold a physical copy of it, which was also super amazing and something on my bucket list. Well, the thing on my bucket list was to actually kiss a physical copy of the book, and I got to while at Ellora’s Cave Romanticon in October. At least then I got to have cake and hold the book. For me, it was a big day. Not just as an author, but also just being able to cross something off my list that matters.

I’m a big believer in goals. It has always helped me to look at something, decide I want it and create a plan of attack. As a writer, I’m guilty of working some of that same mentality into my characters. Pandora, the heroine in Under His Skin, is no different. I knew when I sat down to write a book that embraced tattoo culture that the characters had to be some tough cookies who knew how to take what they want.

The introduction to Pandora in the first chapter was one of my favorite openers to write. After all, what’s more tattoo than a tattoo convention? More importantly, the heroine is setting out to do something for herself, something that she’s wanted to do for a long time. Just like any other big convention, there are contest opportunities, and that’s no different at a tattoo convention!

The tattoo industry is a hard nut to crack, especially for women. The recent popularity thanks to brands like Ed Hardy haven’t worn down on the culture that much. There’s still plenty of men who still tattoo the way they have been because that’s how it’s been done for decades, and many who see no place for women as artists with equal rights.

So what better way to start the book off?

I’m going to give away one copy of Under His Skin to a lucky commentor. Winner’s choice if they would like a digital or print version. Print versions will be shipped within USA only.

About Sidney Bristol

It can never be said that Sidney Bristol has had a ‘normal’ life.  She is a recovering roller derby queen, former missionary, and tattoo addict. She grew up in a motor-home on the US highways (with an occasional jaunt into Canada and Mexico), traveling the rodeo circuit with her parents. Sidney has lived abroad in both Russia and Thailand, working with children and teenagers. She now lives in Texas where she splits her time between a job she loves, writing, reading and belly dancing.

Website | Twitter | Facebook Page | Facebook Profile | Goodreads

Under His Skin, So Inked #1

Ellora’s Cave | Barnes and Noble | Amazon

A woman who doesn’t believe she deserves love…

Toe-curling kisses and enough sex to fill a weekend were all Pandora wanted from a fling with her teenage crush. She’s never forgotten how he played the knight in shining armor to her damsel in distress. She’s ready to say thank you in several naughty ways, so long as she can walk away when it’s over with her heart intact.

A man moving on from tragedy…

Brian has no intention of allowing the feisty tattoo artist to leave him after one taste. He hasn’t had enough of her inked curves. The packaging might have changed, but Pandy is the woman he hasn’t been able to excise from his memory. He’s ready to put together a new life, one that includes her. But he’s not the only one vying for her attention. Someone else wants her, dead or alive.

An Agent With A View

You know how sometimes you meet someone and you instantly click with them? Maybe you become best friends in a blink. Maybe you discover that you work perfectly together. Maybe you only discover a few things in common but it’s enough to know that you genuinely like that person.

That’s how it was for me when I met Literary Agent Sara Megibow. I’d never spent time with her before acting as her driver at a conference, and she’s not my agent, but I discovered quickly that Sara and I see a lot of things the same way from the writing world we both live in to personal things.

My respect for her is part of the reason I invited Sara to join the Her Miracle Man party. The other reason I invited her is because I thought you might like to see how an agent, even one who doesn’t represent an author, can influence a story.

Now, here’s Sara!

So, Sara, I bet people are expecting the typical agent interview. What do you say we give them something a little different?

WOO HOOOO – bring it on! *high fives* *shakes booty*

It’s funny, I thought of you when I was getting dressed this morning. See, I was putting on this really bright shirt and I flashed back to the day I picked you up at the airport. “How will I spot you?” “I have brown hair and I’m wearing a black skirt and a shirt that I’m pretty sure air traffic control can see.” How was I supposed to know there’d be another woman matching that description at the same gate when you came out?

I wonder though, we hear that you agents and editors are often shy and uncomfortable at conferences. What’s it like approaching some random person in an airport asking if they’re you’re ride? Is it embarrassing? Are you really shy?

Ummmm…shy? ME?? No way. I’m a gregarious, boisterous loud mouth. Most of my friends and family wonder constantly how I ended up in such an introverted job. Conferences are like crack to me – I get to have the microphone and talk, talk, talk.

I remember meeting you, Nikki, and our whole weekend together. You’re awesome! So friendly and fun and smart and talented! Thanks for inviting me to celebrate today with you on your blog – this is fun!

I’ll admit, I was a little surprised when one of your ice breaker questions was about what I write. I mean, I’d have thought you would want to wait a little longer before opening yourself up like that to a crazy writer. What surprised me more though was your response to the story I told you about. I’ve never watched someone get that excited about an idea of mine before. And then to have you offer to hook me up with a paramedic/firefighter to discuss a new possible angle… I know you don’t, can’t, do that for everyone you meet. What made you do it for me? Or, for HER MIRACLE MAN?

Some agents are great editors (sadly, I’m not one of them). Some agents are pit bulls about negotiating contracts (I hire lawyers for that, cuz it’s a big and important part of my job and I want someone to have my back). My specialty is that I think like a marketing expert. I’m great at networking and connecting people with opportunities. I love to email my clients with tidbits about the world of publishing, and I’ve closed more than one deal because I send out notes to my clients like this, “X editor just called asking for Y book. Anyone have anything like that in their harddrive?”

So, when you told me about HER MIRACLE MAN, it seemed natural to connect you with my good friend who is a firefighter. Your story is full of heart and that was evident in the way you talked to me about the book. The hook is unique and I felt myself holding my breath and maybe even tearing up a little as you described the story. So, the connection we made is more a testament to you inspiring me and me not being able to stop thinking about how awesome the book is, then, putting some puzzle pieces together from a marketing/ networking/ promotion side. Of course, I’m glad I helped – that’s awesome! And, I’m also glad that the feedback from a real firefighter helped you tell HER MIRACLE MAN with more detail so that readers will be touched by the story the same way I was.

I know I thanked you for putting me in contact with that paramedic/firefighter, who I could totally listen to talk for days because his voice is captivating. Did I tell you how much his information and advice impacted HER MIRACLE MAN? Because of you, I was able to get first hand information on a topic that is so tremendously important. You helped me breathe a new life into an aspect of the story I would never have considered.

I wonder though, how did you get to talking about pediatric life saving practices with a paramedic/firefighter? Is this something you normally chat about at backyard BBQs with friends? Or were you doing research of some kind? Or do you just have that kind of a mind where you want to hear about challenges and the ins and outs of different careers?

Great question Nikki! You are right, my friend with the sexy voice is a firefighter and paramedic. We live in Colorado where wildfires are one of the most dangerous natural disasters around. My mother-in-law and father-in-law watched a wildfire creep within 100 yards of their house three years ago and it was the firefighters who protected their house at great risk to themselves. So, whenever I have that yummy outdoor BBQ with friends we end up talking firefighting and Colorado and fire danger. Of course, we also talk books as my friends are all avid readers. Sexy-voice-firefighter is a science fiction fan, although I have it on good authority that HER MIRACLE MAN is on his must-buy list.

One fun tidbit – when I was pregnant, I had no fewer than 10 friends and family members with extensive child delivery experience. We joked that I could go in to labor and have someone there to help me no matter what. So, yes – we tend to talk about this stuff. Paramedics and medicine, firefighting and wildfires and books…lots of books.

Now, I know how cool and totally awesome you are, but for those here who need a little extra convincing, let’s find something about you they relate to. After all, if they’re writers, they want to know what to slip into the envelope with their query letters. In HER MIRACLE MAN I touch on some of the heroine’s favorite things. Tell us what some of yours are.

Favorite music? Ok, you started off with an easy one. YES, I am biased here, but my favorite music is my husband’s band, Face. They are an all-vocal rock band and my hubby is the beatboxer.

Check ‘em out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnSxGY...

Favorite food? Wine. Or steak. Or wine and steak.

Favorite dessert? Anything from a locally owned, home made, romantic bakery. Pastries, brownies, cakes, pies – whatever, as long as I get to buy it from one of those wonderful home baked kind of stores.

Favorite way to spend an evening? Reading (geez, I’m so predictable) or going to hear husband’s band perform at a club. Or hanging out with friends and playing Dungeons and Dragons (true). Or, building couch forts with my son.

Favorite thing to do with friends? Hike, ski, kayak, drink wine, eat, talk…the list goes on.

(By the way, blog visitors who write, you do know that you really shouldn’t try to bribe Sara with chocolate, right? I mean, she may like the stuff, but not when it’s smeared all over your query letter. LOL)

Sara, thank you for being with us today. And guests, what questions do you have for Sara? Chat! If only because doing so enters you in the draw for prizes. Though, Sara’s fun to talk to even if you aren’t a writer looking to win points for a submission.

Thanks Nikki! So nice to *meet* all of you and happy writing! Come check me out on twitter at @SaraMegibow and check out my sales, submission info and clients here:

http://publishersmarketplace.com/members/SaraMegibow/

Nelson Literary Agency is online here (with a hot new website design coming soon):

www.nelsonagency.com

Cheers,

Sara

Like Shifters? Maybe you’d enjoy finding the RIGHT WOLF, RIGHT TIME

Thanks for having me, Nikki.

I’m a huge fan of romance. That should be fairly obvious, since I write it and read it, and have since I was twelve years old a few, um, years ago. But I’m also drawn to things that we can’t explain. The paranormal is fun, mostly because it’s a mystery.

I write about what I’d like to see, were I to be the heroine in the story. Hot guy? Check. Strong woman? Double check. A small town full of characters who interact with each other on a daily basis and just happen to be shapeshifters? That’s Cougar Falls in a nutshell.

A small town near Glacier National Park in Montana, Cougar Falls offers what I wished most towns had. A sense of belonging, magic, and affection for each other. A place filled with practical jokers, the occasional grump, and old men who sit around taunting each other while they play checkers on the front porch of the general store. Mayberry taken down a few notches, because I’m just not that sweet. I like my characters to be believable: annoying, happy, sad, angry, sexy, ugly, funny. Real—well, as real as shapeshifters can be.

What family doesn’t have that black sheep, the one son who can’t figure out what he wants to be in life or can’t keep his you-know-what in his pants? Or the daughter who can’t wait to grow up and leave everything behind—then finds out home is really where the heart is? How about that annoying aunt or uncle who feels the need to tell embarrassing stories about you at Sunday dinner in front of your new boyfriend or girlfriend? Or the hometown that feels both suffocating and gratifying, because you know it so well?

I grew up around Philadelphia, but I always felt safer and more at home when my mother would take me to Edinboro, PA to visit relatives. She’d grown up there, and they had the best diner, one that made pies from scratch. Yep, my first and favorite slice of strawberry rhubarb pie. I remember it to this day.

In Edinboro, you could park on the main street right in front of the stores. They had a barber shop pole that twirled, and that terrific diner with pie. People were friendly. In Philly they gave you the finger; in Edinboro they waved hello and goodbye. It seemed like Mom knew everyone. She was one of the few who left, while most of her high school classmates had since married and stuck around town. It felt homey, and I love that feeling.

What memories of small towns do you have? Did you grow up someplace special that when you remember it, still gives you that feeling that you truly fit in? Innocence and acceptance are quite a pair.

In Cougar Falls, Millie, an 80-plus year young raptor, runs the ice cream parlor. Ben, a large grizzly, helps at the butcher shop. Ty, a silver fox (the furry kind, the not older kind) is the town sheriff, and his quick-witted friend Gerald manages the town’s law firm. Cats run a ranch where a wolf, two bears, and foxes have taken residence, and the thuggish gray wolves are under new management while their alpha tries to knock some sense into thick canine skulls. The raptors, not to be left behind, continue to fight amongst themselves while their leader and his three younger brothers try to get their feathered clans’ heads out of the clouds to be a more cohesive unit.

The thought of a small town—with all the charm and accompanying foibles—belonging to shapeshifters who just want to live in peace makes me want to pull up stakes and move out there right now. Except I’m human, so I’d never be able to find them. Only those with supposed Ac-taw (shapeshifter) blood can see the town that’s not on any map. But maybe I could write myself in there, because heck, I created the place, right?

Here’s a blurb from Right Wolf, Right Time, which will be given away to a commenter today, where the latest Cougar Falls resident falls prey to cupid’s arrow. Monty Grayclaw, a gray wolf living at the cat pride, finds his match in a shy wolf he knows belongs to him. He just has to convince her to take a chance on a scarred up wolf who’s better at getting himself in trouble than he is romancing the girls. That’s if his pridemates quit with the jokes, the Hunters after him steer clear, and he can convince Sophie he wants to be more than “just friends.”

Here’s the official blurb from Right Wolf, Right Time, and thanks again to Nikki for letting me stop by.

 

When good girls go bad, they go wolf.

A Cougar Falls story

Shapeshifter Monty GrayClaw has lived a wild life. A youth spent in Cougar Falls hadn’t prepared him for the outside world, or for Hunters—humans who capture and slaughter Ac-taw. They nearly killed him before he escaped years of torture. Now living safely in Cougar Falls once more, he’s trying to put the past behind him and look toward the future.

That future includes Sophie Tanner, a shy woman new to both her Ac-taw heritage and the town. Sophie is a sweet, lovely young wolf who calls to everything inside him. When an enemy from Monty’s past tracks him down, it will take the gentle woman with a will of iron to save the day. But when their shared history comes to haunt them both, can Monty save his mate, or will she leave him and Cougar Falls behind forever?

Product Warnings

A patient wolf and a shy virgin, date nights gone awry, kinky adult films and bad guys with a bite… When the good girl goes bad, stand back and watch the fur fly.

Available for preorder at Amazon,  Barnes & Noble, and Samhain

Thanks!

Marie Harte

website | blog | facebook

follow me on twitter @MHarte_Author

Another Winner Announced

Darcy “Pomma” is this week’s winner of the Saturday giveaway. Darcy wins an ARC of HER MIRACLE MAN, a $15 gift card (winner’s choice between Amazon, Samhain, or Barnes and Noble), and a HER MIRACLE MAN amethyst ring made by Anara Bella.

Congratulations and thanks for chatting.

There’s plenty more fun and prizes to come so come back tomorrow!

Vivi Andrews is in the Party Room Talking Family Legends and Traditions – Come Chat!

We’re welcoming Vivi Andrews to the party today! Vivi has agreed to kick in an ARC of FINDER’S KEEPER for tomorrow’s Saturday giveaway. I’ll be giving away another ARC of HER MIRACLE MAN and a $15 gift card is up for grabs. You have to comment on any of this week’s posts to be entered, so why not start with Vivi’s? With no more waiting, here’s Vivi!

 

Thank you for having me here to visit today, Nikki!

We’re coming into the holiday season and at Casa Andrews that means big, noisy family gatherings.  I come from one of those large, loud, never-get-a-word-in-edgewise families.  When we get together it’s chaos – and I love every second of it (though it can be a little overwhelming to the uninitiated).

So when I sat down to write my heroine Mia’s big Italian family in my upcoming release FINDER’S KEEPER, it wasn’t much of a stretch to come up with swarms of aunts, uncles and cousins cooking together, laughing together, and sharing the bonds of blood and tradition – and one very specific superstition.  You see, my Mia may be a scientist, but her relatives are firm believers in magic and fairy tales.  They have a watch – acquired from a mysterious gypsy and passed down through the generations – that locates the bearer’s true love.  Unfortunately Mia, who’s never put much stock in magic, is the one to lose the true-love watch – and that’s when the cannoli really hits the fan.  Luckily a studly local psychic can track it down for her…

I love hearing about family legends and superstitions.  On the radio a few weeks back, I heard a story about a family who predicted the gender of unborn babies by whether they received a pair of pants or a little dress in the mail.

In my family, if you’re losing at cards or a board game, we blame it on the Pinochle Gods and spin the kitchen table ninety degrees – and the luck turns with the table every time.  Trust me on this.  It’s magic.

Does your family (whether one you were born into or one you collected yourself) have any unusual traditions or superstitions?  Or maybe a tradition that makes the holidays feel like home to you, like my grandmother’s “Christmas Salad” – which has no vegetable content whatsoever, seeing as it is actually cinnamon flavored jell-o with whipped cream on top?  Tell me about one of your traditions or legends and one commenter will win an ARC of Finder’s Keeper – releasing this coming Tuesday in ebook!

 

FINDER’S KEEPER (Karmic Consultants Book 6)

BLURB:  Love isn’t a science. It’s pure chemistry.

True love? For neuroscientist Dr. Mia Corregianni, it’s just an unproven hypothesis. But when she loses the heirloom watch her family believes is enchanted with a potent love spell, she fights superstition with superstition by hiring a psychic finder to track it down.

Chase Hunter is a human compass, homing in on whatever the seeker wants most—that is, when he isn’t surfing or actively avoiding anything resembling a real human attachment. Such has been his life since an accident took his family.

Unfortunately, Mia’s case isn’t a simple insta-Find. The catch? To disguise his real mission from her romance-crazy family, he has to pretend to be her boyfriend. He could deal with that if her complicated emotions weren’t blocking his abilities—or if her innermost desires weren’t walloping him upside the head every time he opens himself to his gift.

As the case wears on, their fake romance begins to feel all too real. Scary stuff for a man who’s reluctant to let himself live again. And a woman who doesn’t believe in magic…or love.

Warning: This book contains meddling grandmothers, magic watches, and a surfer with a body so hot it can teach any scientist the true meaning of chemistry.

Pre-order Links:

Amazon | B&N | Samhain

Did you know there were Seasons of Romance?

Seasons of Romance by Casea Major and Give Away

First I want to thank Nikki for allowing me to visit today. And thank you guys for stopping by to read my post. Leave a comment for a chance to win.

There is something to love in every season. And as the weather changes, so does our need for new settings in the stories we love to read.

The sweet breath of spring gives new life to the world of romance. Depending on where you live, the weather is mild and animals come out of hibernation to seek the sun. It’s all new love with baby bunnies and daffodils. Nature lends a hand to show how fun being together can be.

Living in Texas, we get a lot of sun and one-hundred degree days. Summer romances and sex on the beach make for exciting reading. (and lovin’ if you’re lucky) Sultry heroes wiping the sweat from his brow and voluptuous heroines in skimpy swimsuits sunning by crystal water are all fantastic images of romance in the season.

But when the weather turns colder and the leaves change and fall, what is more romantic than a stroll in the woods or sitting in front of a lazy fire. Drinking apple cider snuggled next to the one who keeps you warm.

The hero and heroine in my latest release, The Driver’s Seat, find themselves snowed in during an ice storm, and they discover simple ways to keep warm…and occupied in the wintery blast. **wicked chuckle**

I love romance set in the winter. Snow on the ground and the warmth of the holidays lend themselves to closeness with friends and family. It’s one time of the year I don’t want to be alone—although with three kids and a husband it’s hard to be alone. But what better time and place to find love than on a wintery night.

So what about you, what’s your favorite season for romance and why?

Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of my latest release – The Driver’s Seat – and to be entered in the drawing for Saturday’s Giveaway.

Here’s more about The Driver’s Seat.

 

Blurb:

Seattle Attorney, Belenda “Len” McCreevy has had one hellacious week, but when her battery dies during an ice storm in backwoods Wyoming, it only gets worse. The resort-bound Len is rescued by Jack, local mechanic with a Matthew McConaughey smile and a truck load of dominate appeal that has her hormones raging. It soon becomes clear he’s looking to service more than just her car, but while the man might be good with his hands, Len’s determined to maintain control and be on her way.

 

Against his better judgment, Jack agrees to let the stubborn woman drive off in the middle of the winter squall with the understanding that if he has to pull her out of a ditch, he’ll also spank her ass.

 

When Len careens off the road, more than just her car crashes at rock bottom. She swallows her pride and calls the only man who can help.

 

Stuck in the storm, the two find they have more in common than lust. But will Jack’s secret destroy their growing love and take him out of the driver’s seat?

Excerpt

“Thank you, Pete. I appreciate your help.”

He dangled her keys. She grabbed them and walked to the door as fast as she could without appearing to run.

His sexy drawl seduced her ears just before she opened the door. “But darlin’, if I do have to dig you out of a ditch, I promise I will toss you over my knee, pull your panties down, and tap that ass until you can’t sit.”

She spun around to glare at him. Anger burned in her chest along with a host of other, more erotic, emotions she wasn’t about to confront. Using the one weapon that always produced success, she flashed her best sexy smile. “I’m not wearing panties.”

A bold-faced lie that worked like a charm. His eyes rolled back in his head and closed as he tried to control the desire that flashed over his rugged features. He took a deep breath, and she noticed the seams on the crotch of his pants looked a little strained.

She smiled in satisfaction. Worked every time.

But then he was on her, pinning her against the glass door with his massive body. The entry bell jangled with the force. She couldn’t catch her breath. His hands roamed her sides, touching and grazing. She couldn’t move and didn’t want to. The heat of him lit her on fire, and every place their bodies met ignited a flame.

He buried his nose in her hair and blew a moist breath in her ear. “Won’t that make it easy then?”

The lazy drawl sliced through her like a sharp knife into tender flesh. Goosebumps rose over her arms and the skin on the back of her neck tightened. Her nipples hardened and pressed into his chest. His presence crowded and demanded more space, making her shrink, but the door held her in check. He flattened her upper body against the glass as he fit her lower body snugly to him.

Her head dropped back and banged the door as his iron-hard erection bored into her hip. She still couldn’t get enough breath, and the sound of her panting shocked her.

She should’ve been scared or, at the very least, alarmed, but all she could feel was the pulsing between her legs. And his obvious regard against her hip.

He slipped his hands around to her back and cupped her ass, holding her firmly. His lips feathered down her neck then traveled to her mouth. He placed the softest, sweetest, lingering kiss on her lips. Her knees turned to goo. If he hadn’t been holding her up with his body weight, she would’ve slithered to the floor. Hot didn’t do him justice. Molten worked better. His mouth was soft, but insistent. Hard but gentle. A contradiction she could spend a lifetime analyzing. But right now she just needed to enjoy.

He pulled away and said in a husky voice that concentrated the firestorm between her legs, “Sure I can’t convince you to stay?”

It’s a Dam Miracle

The recent election has had everyone talking about politics and the economy and how things need to change. I decided, as a result, to do a pictoral blog today that showed a huge miracle that came during a time of Depression.

The workers would send a friend in their place if they were sick because not showing for work meant losing the job. Even at the measly pay they earned, every day’s work mattered. And we think our lives are hard.

The vision, sweat and blood that went into this saved lives and changed the landscape of our country.

This says it best of all.

Tell me something good that you’ve seen come from something bad. Remember, comments enter you into Saturday Giveaway drawing!