Rachel Leigh's Blog, page 20

Welcome Ellora's Cave author, Nara Malone!

Hi, Nara and welcome to my blog! I was really pleased when your post dropped into my inbox because I've done a lot of interviews lately so it was nice to see a post. Looking forward to reading what you have to say - all the best with your ongoing tour!

Journey into the Next DimensionI like to think of my writing journey as a quest. I approach it the way I would a good adventure game. I assess current skills and create a map going forward that plays to my strengths. Then I work through each obstacle to reach the next level.  There are levels of skill to acquire as an author, and there are levels of the game to complete as a storyteller. Like any good game/story, the experience has me looking inward as I go. My author quest, by its nature, forces me to examine who I am. It forces me to dig deep and stretch in order to grow in my craft.Call to adventureQuests begin with a call to break away from safe routines and try something new.As is often the case, my call to adventure was an attempt to escape. My father was dying, that slow disintegration of bones and organs that we call aging had reached a crisis level. He was on a downward spiral I knew he couldn’t come back from, but he was not going down without a fight. I was helping my sister take care of him and the emotional toll of watching his battle was beating us both into the ground. So I came up with an escape plan. We’d write those books we had always wanted to write. We’d escape into our story worlds to get a break from the stress of reality. We signed up for NanoWriMo. At the end of Nano I polished what I had and submitted it in the Passionate Reads Stroke of Midnight contest, hoping for a little feedback on how marketable my story idea was. Enter call to adventure:  I won the contest and only had a few months to finish my book. That book, The Tiger’s Tale, was requested by Raelene Gorlinsky and became my first published novel.Leveling UpOnce I had a foot in the door of the publishing world, I wanted to head in new directions with my writing, explore new ways to tell stories. From the time  I first saw a holodeck in Star Trek TV series, I’ve wanted the experience of stepping into the story world and interacting as the protagonist.  Unfortunately, publishing tends to be a rather conservative, stick-with-what-works sort of medium. And new authors aren’t the ones they pick to blaze new trails. I knew I wasn’t going to be able to convert publishing to switching from books to holodecks over night and there were still a few technological details to work out. But just because you can’t have everything you want, doesn’t mean you can’t have some of it. My next book, The Dungeon Gourmet, told the story of a kinky blogging French chef, Master Bond, who blogged inside his book and after he won his HEA in the love story, he continued to turn up in real world blogs. He’s  still whipping up sensuality and heat in the kitchen.  Last summer he led readers on a quest to rescue me after plot bunnies kidnapped me. While  Bond was entertaining readers with his Cook Naked blogs at Passionate Reads, I was working with Orchid Games on an adventure game for women, Spirit Walkers: Curse of the Cypress Witch. Spirit Walkers allows the player to step into the role of protagonist, as the heroine Maylynn, and help her save her friends and the Cypress Witch. It’s almost like a holodeck adventure. I’m getting closer. The Next LevelExperimenting is my addiction. It’s my fuel. My motivation, compelling me to keep mixing things up. I was dutifully working on the sequel to The Tiger’s Tale, when the heroine for Snatch Me, Jolie,  took over my brain. In Snatch Me a young woman turns to virtual reality to escape the grief of losing her father. She’s so caught up in the game that it becomes an addiction.  I bent rules, telling the story of her reality in third person and her in-game virtual experiences in first person to convey that the fictional world was more real to her. Snatch Me was another opportunity to bring the fictional world and the real world closer together. Could I make the fiction feel more real than the  reality? I was pretty sure my editor, Grace Bradley, would never go along with the story as written.  But she loved it  was so enthusiastic about that she visited the virtual reality model world I built of the Quarterz—the post-apocalyptic world that served as the setting for Snatch Me. You can check that world out yourself here: http://www.naramalone.com/p/naras-worlds.htmlWhen a story moves people to step out of their comfort zone and into one of my virtual worlds, I feel I’ve done my job as a storyteller.
There’s Always Another Story, and Another LevelBlind Heat, my newest novel, is the sequel to The Tiger’s Tale and the  second book in the Pantherian Passions series. I envision a long series. Because readers wanted to know more about Pantheria, the fictional world my shifters are from, I built a model of the main Island and posted it online for readers to visit. There are eight Islands in the chain, one for each Pantherian tribe, so expect Pantheria  to grow. In addition to the virtual world, I made Therianverse.com, a companion website to the series where all things related to the Pantherian worldbuilding can be shared with readers as I go along. I have a primer up about the Pantherian race, a lexicon, a blog, links to virtual worlds. My next addition will be a bestiary.You could ask, is all about gimmicks? After all, isn’t the real power of a story the art you create with words.  It is. That’s the first level. I spend most of my time getting that level right.  Still, there is a limitation to stories that I would like to overcome. When I write a story, or a game adventure, you can only arrive at the happy ending I choose, with the solutions I can see. And it has to be that way for some stories. But…I also want to create stories that give readers some room to take their own hero’s journey, discover their own lesson and happy ending. And beyond  that, I want to write at least one never ending story, one that can be revisited, be new every time it’s read.A tall order? Impossible dream? Augmented Reality, Google Glasses, an agent interested in a unique twist I came up with for the old Choose Your Own Adventure stories—are real opportunities ahead of me. New calls to adventure. I hope to use them to prove my dreams are not so far from reality. You can follow me and my quest in the following places:My personal blog: www.NaraMalone.comMy Series Blogs: www.Therianverse.com, www.Passion’s Portal.comTwitter  @nara_malonePinterest http://pinterest.com/naramalone/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AuthorNaraMalone


Blind Heatby Nara Malone
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
Allie is determined to build an ordinary life. To survive, she needs to be the sort of woman no one notices. She has a generic job, lives in a generic apartment, and thinks maybe one day she’ll find an ordinary Joe who wants an average Jane sort of woman.

Marcus is anything but an ordinary Joe. Even if humans don’t know he’s a shifter and millennial being, he’s the sort of man women notice. A night of passion spent with Marcus is a night any female, human or Pantherian, won’t forget.

But Allie does forget. She repeatedly fails to recognize him even after an intense sexual encounter. Marcus discovers the source of her problem—face blindness, a genetic disorder with no cure. And he decides to use erotic rituals to teach her to see with more than her eyes. What he doesn’t count on is Allie seeing past the man—and recognizing the beast within.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT
The greatest threats from a man were injury or death. She’d known how to read those kinds of threats in a man before she was old enough to read a book. She could see no intent to harm. No evil. He looked at her as if he’d discovered something precious. A warmth seemed to reach from his eyes into her soul, drawing her closer. She made her choice.
The red cloth shimmered with an aura of passion, dared her to press her body to it. The thought sent her blood zinging through her veins. There was something there, something irresistible. His eyes spoke promises she could feel. Her feet wouldn’t let her turn away, but took the risk. Took one step. Then the next. Her lips burned with a need to glide over his jawline, explore planes and angles with kisses and nips. Her heart hammered so loud he had to hear it even over the rain.
True to his word, he didn’t move an inch until she was right there in front of him, reaching to press her hands to the shirt, feel its heat, prove he was real. Her palms sighed with pleasure, like the fabric was a meal to be savored. His strong fingers closed around her wrist then, not painfully but with the finality of a manacle, reminding her that he’d said he wouldn’t let her go until he had what he wanted.
“Good girl,” he whispered, soothing away the little trill of fear that rose with his touch, stroking her face with the backs of his fingers. Her body sang like chimes in the wind, notes shivering down her spine.
“I won’t stop at a kiss,” he said. “But you can start with one. Make it sweet.”
She rose obediently to her toes, finding his lips, feeling them firm, parting under hers. He ordered and demanded with such a low, seductive tone. If he’d told her to go rob the jewelry store, in just the same way, it would have seemed a good idea.
He shifted, turning quickly so she was between him and the tree, cutting off any chance to change her mind and run. He held her face between his hands, and her own hands felt small and fragile against the breadth of his. He kissed his desire into her. Her mind grappled to reassert caution, but her thoughts slipped away, formless as water spilling through fingers. He didn’t stop kissing until she stopped thinking, until the rigidity in her muscles softened, until she kissed him back.
He tasted like spring rain.
His hands were warm through her soggy shirt, his fingers curved under her chilled breasts, his thumbs stroking over the tops. Thumbs and fingers came together, squeezing until she squirmed. His lips and tongue moved over her neck, tracing the line of her collarbone, a warm, sensual touch that made her whimper. He split the worn cotton with a sharp twist. The ripping sound jolted her. Her shirt split down the center, parting to offer her breasts. A wave of fear welled in her belly. of desire trickled between her thighs. She glanced down the puddled path. He pressed her tighter against the tree.
“You had your chance,” he whispered. “It’s the last I’m willing to give you for a while.”

AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Like the heroine, Allie, in Blind Heat, Nara is face blind and lived with the condition not knowing there was a medical explanation for her inability to remember faces.  It’s a rare and only recently publicized condition.  She hopes Blind Heat will help get the word out about face blindness.
Nara lives on a small farm in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains. When she's not writing, she loves to run, hike, bike, and kayak. Every story she tells incorporates her love of animals, nature, and adventure.
The interactive world Nara built for Blind Heat is here--http://therianverse.com/naras-worlds/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~PLEASE MENTION THE PRIZE THAT THE AUTHOR WILL BE GIVING AWAY: 
Nara will be awarding a digital copy of The Tiger's Tale, first in the Pantherian Passions series, and a $10 Ellora's Cave GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour, and a GC to purchase a video game targeted for female gamers written by Nara Malone with Orchid Games, Spirit Walkers: Curse of the Cypress Witch to a second randomly drawn commenter.
Encourage your readers to follow the tour and comment; the more they comment, the better their chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here:  http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2012/06/virtual-book-tour-blind-heat-by-nara.html

Welcome Ellora's Cave author, Sara Brookes!

 Hi, Sara and welcome to my site! From what I've heard from other authors, Ellora's Cave are a fantastic publisher to work with. Do you have any tips or stories you'd like to share about your experience with them? I wish you all the best with your ongoing tour. I have to say, you look SO young - huge congrats on your writing success!
Okay, on with the interview...
1)   What is your writing routine?
Since I still have a day job, a husband & teen who are both avid golfers, I’m one of those who has to be able to write anywhere at any time. I’m the one scribbling in a notebook on the sidelines. LOL So my routine is more focused on getting a book from first draft to submission. From the technical standpoint, it’s pretty boring. Sometimes just finishing is a huge milestone itself.
2)   Which author/s inspire you to write?
Every single one of them? *g* I mean that too. From the NYT Bestseller to the author just releasing their very first book.
3)   Which is your favorite romance subgenre to read? To write?
As far as reading goes, I’ll read anything. I don’t have a specific preference, as long as it’s a good story (sometimes, it doesn’t even have to be romance!). On the writing front, I tend to gravitate to contemporary romance and science-fiction/futuristic romance. Lately my work has been of the erotic variety as well, which is fun.
4)   How do you deal with criticism/rejection?
I personally take it in stride. I think you have to in this business because you’re knowingly opening yourself to criticism as soon as you hit send or a book releases. Some people like to be more vocal about it than others. The reality is not everyone is going to like or connect with you and your work. Best thing I like to do is focus the energy I could spend sulking about criticism/rejection on writing. Time better spent, IMHO.
5)   What do you expect from an editor?
I want someone who will work with me and sometimes give me a push when I need it. One of my editors is fabulous for this. She’ll tell me I’ve done a great job, but she knows I can go deeper and make a particular scene even more passionate and intense than it already is. She’s always right too—which I love!

6)   Tell me about your latest release
Chasing Sin is a ménage (m/m/f) contemporary erotic romance about three friends who chase storms. Yep, I wrote an erotic romance about storm chasers! *g* Snyder and Tripp have been together for around nine years, and they’ve been chasing storms in Tornado Alley with Kate for five of those. After a particularly dangerous chase, they decide they can’t wait to let Kate know how they really feel about her. She’s reluctant but she gives in. Oh yes, does she ever give in. *G*
7)   Tease us with a blurb or short excerpt
Every spring, Kate risks her life chasing violent storms. Tired of watching her take unnecessary chances, two of her closest friends offer a different thrill. Devoted lovers Snyder and Tripp don’t just share a passion for nature’s fury; they long to have the fearless woman between them.Though she is reluctant, she also knows the proposition is too irresistible to refuse. Her acceptance leads to an explosive night of no-holes-barred sex for the threesome. However, when morning dawns, she realizes this type of unusual relationship isn’t one she belongs in.Despite her best efforts to keep the men at arm’s length, Kate finds herself facing down the storm of the century with them at her side. When Mother Nature intrudes, the trio discovers shelter in each other’s arms. With the hurricane raging outside and passion raging inside, everything is at stake.
8)   Which is your favorite character in the book?  Why?
Sorry Snyder and Tripp – as much as I loved working with the two of you, I gotta go with Kate here. LOL Kate is one of those women who knows what she likes—a hot night with two men sharing her isn’t a new thing for her. There’s even a spot early on where readers get to see her hesitation in no way relates to a threesome:
She liked sex. She liked it dirty and raw. And she liked it enough to never make any kind of apologies about just how rough and uninhibited she liked it.Being with Snyder and Tripp together was right up her alley.
Though she finds herself attracted to both men, she knows the risk of ruining their friendship is high. Plus, she’s a firm believer chasing storms isn’t suited for a relationship, much less a triad relationship that comes with its own set of complications. As the story unfolds, readers find out that’s not her only concern though.
9)   What are you working on right now?
I have a few projects going on at the moment, most notably a follow up to one of my other m/m/f books (this one a BDSM title) Ragged Edge. Before we even finished up with edits for it last year, my editor was already asking for another book set in the same world/club. Luckily, one of the secondary characters in Ragged Edge was already talking up a storm for me to tell his story. Adam is a complicated Dom to work with because he’s all about denial. And that’s all I’m going to say about that. *g*

10)                  Your biggest piece of advice to aspiring novelists?
My one word piece of advice: READ. Okay, I have more than one word to say here, but that’s the gist of it. Most authors started out as readers. I know I personally love to get lost inside a book—leave reality behind even for just a little bit. Most of the time reading reminds ME why I love to write and tell stories.
11)                  Where can readers find you?
I’m a Twitter nut, so that’s a good place to start! I’m on Facebook too where I also have an author page. I use that to share news in general, plus the occasional special announcement. My webpage is a good place to find out information about all my books, coming soon and recent releases. There’s even a booklist that’s sorted by series order and publication order. And I love to hear from readers through email.
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Sara_BrookesFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorsarabrookesWebpage: http://www.sarabrookes.net/Email:  sara@sarabrookes.net  


Chasing SinBySara  Brookes
BLURB:  
Every spring, Kate risks her life chasing violent storms. Tired of watching her take unnecessary chances, two of her closest friends offer a different thrill. Devoted lovers Snyder and Tripp don’t just share a passion for nature’s fury; they long to have the fearless woman between them.
Though she is reluctant, she also knows the proposition is too irresistible to refuse. Her acceptance leads to an explosive night of no-holes-barred sex for the threesome. However, when morning dawns, she realizes this type of unusual relationship isn’t one she belongs in.
Despite her best efforts to keep the men at arm’s length, Kate finds herself facing down the storm of the century with them at her side. With Mother Nature intruding, the trio discovers shelter in each other’s arms. With the hurricane raging outside and passion raging inside, everything is at stake. 
EXCERPT: 
A small group of men played near the waterline, flinging a Frisbee back and forth. Their laughter drifted on the breeze and she knelt in order to snap a few images. She watched them play their game, and got so caught up, she jumped in surprise when two long shadows stretched out on the sand on either side of her.
At least out here the atmosphere wasn’t as suffocating when they came near.
She stared out at the shoreline, waiting for one of the men to speak because she didn’t know what to say.
“You know we don’t care why you left.”
Kate lowered the camera as Tripp spoke, thumbing the power switch to conserve the battery.Snyder crouched beside her, his fingers dragging through the sun-warmed sand. “Whatever happened that made you feel as if you needed to take off can be fixed. Especially if we had something to do with it.”
Tripp crouched as well, his knees just inches from her arm. “Let us fix it if that’s the case, but please just tell us what we did.”
The desperate pleas in both their voices made her heart clench. She longed to tell them and wanted to share with them her thoughts and feeling on the subject as a whole. It shouldn’t be this hard, but the reality of the future she now faced shook her to her core.
She pushed to stand, waiting as she felt them stand as well. If she didn’t get some of this out now, it would fester like an open wound, and that couldn’t be good for any of them.“It wasn’t you. Either of you.” She stared out at the Gulf, unable to stomach turning around to face them as she confessed. At least partially. The reason she left was easy. The reason she kept running was more complicated. “At least nothing intentional. You were yourselves and that’s all I ever could have asked for.”  

AUTHOR INFORMATION:
Sara Brookes is an award-winning author who has always been fascinated by the strange, the unusual, the twisted and the lost (tortured heroes are her personal favorite). She is an action movie junkie, addicted to coffee and has been known to stay up until the wee hours of the morning playing RPG video games. Despite all this, she is a romantic at heart and is always a sucker for an excellent love story. Born and bred in Virginia, Sara still lives there with her husband and daughter. The entire family is owned by two cats, Galahad and Loki, who graciously allow the family to cater to their every desire.  Sara will be giving away a $50 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter. Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2012/04/vbt-chasing-sin-by-sara-brookes.html 

Welcome Loose ID author, Amber Lin!!

Welcome, Amber! So great to have you here! I am new to you and your stories so I am looking forward to this interview and getting to know you better. Loose ID is a really popular erotic romance publisher here in the UK so I'm sure my visitors will keep you company!
Okay, on with the questions...
1)   Did you set any goals for 2012?The beginning of 2012 was a big time for me! I had just gotten an agent AND contracted Giving It Up. So I was incredibly psyched… well, I still am *grins* At the time I was way too excited to formulate goal-thoughts. Even now I try not to be too specific. The creative process as well as the publishing path are wacky, so it’s good to be flexible!
2)   What is the best part of the writing process for you?It’s getting into the flow, or the zone, or finding your muse, or whatever your lingo is for that moment when everything fades away. The story is revealed to you and the words are coming out right. It’s magic.
3)   The worst part?The very opposite. Hazy motivations, wooden writing. Ugh, ugh, ugh. I’ve heard people say that publishing isn’t a business, it’s a casino. Well, writing is the same way. Sometimes your luck runs hot, sometimes cold.
4)   What is the book you wish you’d written?Laura Kinsale’s The Shadow and the Star. So incredibly complex and beautiful and nuanced and… everything good in a book. There are so many great books I would have loved to have written, but that one… I feel like my understanding barely touches the surface.
5)   Favourite author/s & book/s?I love Cara McKenna and Tiffany Reisz for erotica… so it comes as no surprise that when I needed an endorsement for my book, I asked them. They were so kind to oblige me:
"A ballsy departure from romantic conventions. At once gritty and tender, stark and hopeful."
—Cara McKenna, author of Willing Victim
"Giving It Up is an erotic, compelling story that takes us to the shadowy, lonely places but doesn't leave us there. Amber Lin shows us that romance isn't just for the rich and shiny. Love can find its way even into the dark corners of the most damaged hearts."
—Tiffany Reisz, author of The Siren
Like the way I slipped that in? Very subtle. *grins*I also love Charlotte Stein, Megan Hart. Oh, I particularly enjoyed Generational Sins by Samantha Blair. Very dark and intense!

6)   Tell us about your latest release?Giving It Up follows a woman’s journey through healing… and smoking hot sex. Here’s the blurb:
Allie prowls the club for a man who will use her hard and then ditch her. Hey, it's not rape if she wants it. Instead she finds Colin, who looks tough but treats her tenderly, despite her protests.
He tempts her, but kindness and a few mindblowing orgasms aren't enough to put her back together again. Allie has no hope for a real relationship. Two years ago her best friend betrayed her in the worst possible way – she’d be stupid to trust a man again. Besides, she has her daughter to think of, the only good thing to have come from that dark night.
But when her rapist returns, threatening her sanity and custody of her daughter, Allie turns to Colin. Under his protection and patient touch, Allie begins to heal and learns to hope. Colin’s no saint, though, and his criminal past draws danger of its own. Allie must fight to protect her child and the man she loves, hoping her newfound power will be enough to save them all.
Publisher's Note: This book contains explicit sexual situations, graphic language, and material that some readers may find objectionable: dubious consent.

7)   Tease us with a short excerpt
We stripped at the same time, both eager. I wanted to see his body, to witness what he offered me, but it was dark in the room. Then he kissed me back onto the bed, and there was no more time to wonder. The cheap bedspread was rough and cool against my skin. His hands stroked over my breasts and then played gently with my nipples.
My body responded, turning liquid, but something was wrong.
I’d had this problem before. Not everyone wanted to play rough, but I was surprised that I’d misread him. His muscles were hard, the pads of his fingers were calloused. I didn’t know how he could touch me so softly. Everything about him screamed that he could hurt me, so why didn’t he?
I wanted him to have his nasty way with me, but every sweet caress destroyed the illusion. My fantasy was to let him do whatever he wanted with me, but not this.
“Harder,” I said. “I need it harder.”
Instead his hands gentled. The one that had been holding my breast traced the curve around and under.
I groaned in frustration. “What’s wrong?”
He reached down, still breathing heavily, and pressed a finger lightly to my cunt, then stroked upward through the moisture. I gasped, rocking my hips to follow his finger.
“You like this,” he said.
Yes, I liked it. I was undeniably aroused but too aware. I needed the emptiness of being taken. “I like it better rough.”
Colin frowned. My eyes widened at the ferocity of his expression.
In one smooth motion he flipped me onto my stomach. I lost my breath from the surprise and impact. His left hand slid under my body between my legs and cupped me. His right hand fisted in my hair, pulling my head back. His erection throbbed beside my ass in promise. I wanted to beg him to fuck me, but all I could do was gasp. He didn’t need to be told, though, and ground against me, using my hair as a handle.
That small pain on my scalp was perfection, sharp and sweet. Numbness spread through me, as did relief.
The pain dimmed. My arousal did too, but that was okay. I was only vaguely aware of him continuing to work my body from behind.
I went somewhere else in my mind. I’d stay that way all night.
At least that’s what usually happened.

8)   What is your favourite attribute of the hero and heroine?For the heroine Allie, that would be how much she cares about her daughter and her friends. She struggles with hurt from her past and her own self-esteem, but her devotion to the people she loves always manages to shine through. For the hero, Colin, it would be his patience. I believe that everyone deserves an HEA, even Allie with her self-destructive behavior and Colin with his own troubled past, so it was great to see them matched up so well.
9)   What’s next?Right now I’m working on Shelly’s story, which is the sequel to Giving It Up. Shelly was Allie’s best friend… and she also happens to be a prostitute. So it’s pretty edgy stuff, but I’m having a great time writing it.
10)                  Tell me where you write?Usually I write at my desk or just on my laptop around the house. Not too interesting, although I will admit to writing in the bathroom a few times. I know, it’s weird. My son would get nightmares at night, so I’d go in there with my laptop and the lights off and type away, but I could get to him quickly if I needed to. Ironically there is a noteworthy scene in Giving It Up that occurs on a bathroom floor. I honestly can’t remember if I write it while on a bathroom floor, but that’s silly J

11)                  Where would you like your career to be in 5 years?I would definitely like to have published all the books in this series. Right now there is only Giving It Up and its sequel planned, although I’d like it to be a trilogy of novels in total, with perhaps a novella thrown in. I have more plans than that—I’m also working on a historical romance—but that would be a fantastic place to be in 5 years.



Giving it Upby Amber Lin
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
Allie prowls the club for a man who will use her hard and then ditch her. Hey, it's not rape if she wants it. Instead she finds Colin, who looks tough but treats her tenderly, despite her protests.
He tempts her, but kindness and a few mindblowing orgasms aren't enough to put her back together again. Allie has no hope for a real relationship. Two years ago her best friend betrayed her in the worst possible way – she’d be stupid to trust a man again. Besides, she has her daughter to think of, the only good thing to have come from that dark night.
But when her rapist returns, threatening her sanity and custody of her daughter, Allie turns to Colin. Under his protection and patient touch, Allie begins to heal and learns to hope. Colin’s no saint, though, and his criminal past draws danger of its own. Allie must fight to protect her child and the man she loves, hoping her newfound power will be enough to save them all.
"A ballsy departure from romantic conventions. At once gritty and tender, stark and hopeful."
—Cara McKenna, author of Willing Victim
"Giving It Up is an erotic, compelling story that takes us to the shadowy, lonely places but doesn't leave us there. Amber Lin shows us that romance isn't just for the rich and shiny. Love can find its way even into the dark corners of the most damaged hearts."
—Tiffany Reisz, author of The Siren
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPTS
There’s a certain sultry walk a woman has when she’s bare that can’t be faked. No hose and no panties. The nakedness under my skirt was as much about keeping me aroused as it was about easy access.
I’d perfected the art of fuck-me clothes. A surprising number of men asked me out, even at a grungy club on a Saturday night. Cute little college girl, they thought, out for a good time. I saved us all time by dressing my part.
Tonight’s ensemble consisted of a tight halter and short skirt with cheap, high-heeled sandals, bouncing hair, and bloodred toenails. The scornful looks of the other women didn’t escape me, but I wasn’t so different from them. I wanted to be desired, held, touched. The groping fingers might be a cheap imitation of intimacy, its patina cracked with rust and likely to turn my skin green, but they were all I deserved.
My gaze panned to the man at the bar, the one I’d been watching all night. He nursed a beer, his profile harsh against the fluid backdrop of writhing bodies. His gray T-shirt hung loose on his abs but snug around thick arms.
His expression was unreadable, but I knew what he wanted. What else was there?
He glanced over but didn’t hit on me. I didn’t know why I kept tabs on him either. I wasn’t exactly discerning. I was trolling for sex, not a life partner. There were plenty of men here, men whose blackened pasts matched my own, who’d give it to me hard.
A woman approached him. Something dark and decidedly feminine roiled up inside me.
She was hot. If he wanted to score, he probably couldn’t do better, even with me. I tried not to stare. She walked away a minute later—rejected. I felt unaccountably smug. Which was stupid, since I didn’t have him either.
Maybe no one had a chance with this guy. I was pretty enough, in a girl-next-door kind of way. Common, though, underneath my slutty trappings—brown hair and brown eyes were standard issue around here.
“Hey, beautiful.”
I glanced up to see a cute guy wearing a sharp dress shirt checking me out. Probably an investment banker or something upstanding like that. Grinning and hopeful. Had I ever been that young? No, I was probably younger. At twenty-two I felt ancient. The world had already crumbled around me and been rebuilt, brick by brick.
“Sorry, pal,” I said. “Keep moving.”
“Aww, not even one dance?”
His puppy-dog eyes cajoled a smile from me. How nice it might feel to be one of the girls with nothing to worry about except whether this guy would call tomorrow morning. But I was too broken for his easy smile. I’d only end up hurting him.
“I am sorry,” I said, wistfulness seeping into my voice. “You’ll thank me later.”
Regret panged in my chest as the crowd sucked him back in, but I’d done the right thing. Even if he were only interested in a one-night hookup, my sex was too toxic for the likes of him.
I turned back to the guy at the bar. He caught my eye, looking—if possible—surlier. Cold and mean. Perfect. I wouldn’t taint him, and he could give me what I craved.


AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Amber Lin loves to read angsty romance with plenty of sex, so it was no surprise that her debut book turned out to be erotic romance set against a dark urban landscape. She writes with one rule in mind: it has to get worse before it can get better. She lives with her husband, son and passel of puppy dogs in the great state of Texas.
Website: http://authoramberlin.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/authoramberlin
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5827158.Amber_Lin
Book Video link:  http://youtu.be/5NQ7NTuzFFI
   One randomly drawn winner from each blog will receive a Giving It Up Swag Pack, which includes romance trading cards, a signed cover flat, a signature soap bar for showers together handcrafted by AnaBanana Creations and a $10 Amazon gift card.  One randomly drawn commenter on the tour will win an erotic romance prize pack, including paperback copies of Bared to You by Sylvia Day, Simply Carnal by Kate Pearce, Lessons in Letting Go by Cara McKenna (print combo of Willing Victim and Curio), Comfort Object by Annabel Joseph, a collection of signed Giving It Up swag AND a $50 Amazon Gift Card (BN.com or All Romance may be substituted)
Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here:  http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2012/05/virtual-book-tour-giving-it-up-by-amber.html

Welcome fellow Wild Rose Press author, Nona Raines!!

Yay, Nona, we did it!! After all me being unable to open files and asking you to resend things, you are finally live, lol! I REALLY hope you enjoy your time with me and my readers and they give you lots of lovely questions and comments - most of all, buy your book. LOVING the body on the front... *sigh*
Over to you!
1)    When and why did you decide you wanted to be a published author?
I'd written for years, but could never seem to finish anything. I'd continually go back and polish what I'd done, but could never actually get to "The End". Hey, if I never finished, I could never submit a manuscript. Way to avoid rejection, right? But time was marching on, and I knew deep in my heart I wanted more than anything to be a published author.  I had to make up my mind that it would come first with me, that I would "woman up" and finish a book. Of course, I had no control over whether it would be accepted by a publisher. But I'd leapt a huge hurdle just in completing it. For me, it was a bit like deciding to lose weight—I had to decide I wanted it badly enough to make it a priority, even if other things went on the back burner.
2)    What is the best and worse thing you have learned from an editor/agent?
Actually, it was the same editor who gave me the best/worst news. The worst was "Sorry, but this isn't for us." (At least she didn't say "You suck!") But she went on to explain the shortcomings in the book, chiefly that the romance didn't focus enough on the connection between the two main characters.  Duh! What was I thinking? I revamped the book according to her observations and submitted it elsewhere.  The story "Uncollared" was accepted by Loose Id Publishing and will be released in August.
3)    Favourite author/s?
I used to read a lot of historical romances, and though I've mostly drifted away from that genre, I really love Mary Balogh's books and will always pick up one of her novels.  Now that I'm writing erotic romance,  that's what I mostly tend to read. I love Cari Quinn, Lauren Dane, Lorelei James, Joey W. Hill, Leah Brooke, Danica St. Como…the list goes on and on.  4)    What is your typical day?
Currently I'm taking care of my elderly mother, so my schedule revolves around hers. On mornings she goes to her senior day program, I get up early and get her ready for the bus, then walk the dog, feed the cats and try to spend as much time writing as possible. Other days I sleep a bit later and try to work some writing into the day around caretaking chores. I keep telling myself I have to establish a stricter schedule.
5)    Share your blurb or short excerpt from your latest release with us
My newest release is an erotic romance titled "Her Perfect Man". Here's the blurb:
Kim Hansen has terrible luck with men. When her sexy downstairs neighbor shows a more-than-neighborly interest in her, she's suspicious. She's been burned too many times, by too many guys. Steamy sex is one thing, but Charlie Keller is smart, hot and successful—so what does he want with her besides a few nights of pleasure?
Though Kim does her best to shut him down, Charlie's not put off by her attitude. He doesn't scare easy. Kim thinks she's clever, using sex to maintain an emotional distance and to keep him off guard. But Charlie sees through her tough exterior to the tender heart beneath.
But Kim needs to be won over. Sure, their bedroom action is awesome, but given her past mistakes, she's convinced Charlie is too good to be true. Just too perfect. But if Charlie has his way, he'll prove that he's the perfect man for her.
I had a lot of fun writing this emotional and sexy story. Let me share an excerpt with you here:

He spoke just as she slipped her key in the lock. "Kim. What's this really about?"She stopped dead. "What do you mean?""Does this have anything to do with your ex-boyfriend?"She could pretend not to know what Charlie meant, but what for? Seeing Adam tonight with his girl had knocked her for a loop. The way he looked at her. She wanted to be the focus of someone's attention, too. If only for one night.Before she could answer, Charlie spoke. "Because I don't like the idea of being anyone's second best."Her forehead creased in confusion. "What?""I want you to know you're here with me. Not that you're pretending I'm him.""You're nothim." She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him to show just how much she wanted him. He responded, but when she drew back, she saw the hesitancy in his eyes."I don't usually do things this way," he told her. "Assbackward."Kim knew Charlie was right. They were rushing things. She was rushing them. There was always a part of her that knew better. Every time she dived headfirst into deep water without checking for crocodiles, part of Kim would shake her head and think big mistake. But the other part, the part that needed to feel good, needed someone's arms around her, always won out. Even if she knew it wasn't real, wasn't love. For a little while, she'd feel less alone."Really?" She made her voice airy as she at last unlocked the door. "You mean you don't usually sleep with a woman on the first date? You're lucky I'm so easy, then.""Don't." His hand grasped her elbow and when she looked at him he was glowering. "Don't call yourself that.""Whatever. Look, if you don't want to be here—"****She was doing it again. Little Miss Hot and Cold. Drawing him close with one hand while her other pushed him away. How could someone with such a smart mouth and "I don't give a shit" attitude be so insecure?"Listen up." Charlie's voice was firm. "I do want to be here." There were a lot of things he wanted to say, but he used humor to defuse the situation. "Give me a break, all right?" He hitched his mouth into a lopsided grin. "I'm not used to being treated like a sex object."Kim grinned back, her stiff shoulders relaxing. "Well, you are." She opened the door and slipped her fingers behind his belt, pulling him inside. "Make the most of it."


6)    Who would you cast to play your hero & heroine in a movie?
I can picture Ryan Gosling (I know, the man of the hour) as Charlie.  Not the super-buff Ryan from "Crazy Stupid Love" or the drugged-out   character from "Half-Nelson", but somewhere in between.  I'm not sure who'd be a good Kim—someone attractive, but in an offbeat way.  I'd have to think on that some.
      Did you plan this book? Or write it as it came?
I tend to semi-plot. I have major scenes and turning points plotted on a grid and try to figure out how to mesh them.  I don't work from a large outline or synopsis. But some events popped up in the story that definitely surprised me!
           What surprised you the most when you became a published?
Before you're published, you see publication as a huge pinnacle you have to reach. If you can just reach that peak, you've got it made. When you get there, as thrilling as it is, you realize there's so much more to accomplish. You have to promote, attract readers, continue to improve your craft.  I was so focused on getting published that I was pretty naïve about the rest of it.
9      Do you have a dedicated writing space? What does it look like?
My "office" is my bedroom. I have a lovely four-poster bed with a crocheted canopy. I just recline with my laptop on my stomach and write. Now if only I could clean up the piles of papers scattered around and the dust bunnies under the bed!
What’s next for you?
As I mentioned, my book "Uncollared" will be published by Loose Id in August. It's my first foray into a romance with BDSM elements. I'm very excited about it. I also have a short story contracted by The Wild Rose Press in the Scarlet Line which is an F/F erotic romance, my first same sex love story. It's called "Irresistible Impulse" and features Tania and Latisha, a couple who appeared as supporting characters in my first two romances.  I'm really spreading my wings!
Thanks so much for sharing your blog with me today, Rachel!
To purchase Her Perfect Man: http://www.nonaraines.com/whatsnew.html
 To learn more about Nona and her books, please visit www.nonaraines.com and http://www.facebook.com/NonaRaines.author
 Great interview, Nona - you sound one busy lady!! Okay, over to you guys...
Comments??

I have a release date!!!

Good morning, lovely people!

I thought I would take over the Saturday Promo spot myself this week, lol! I am happy to announce my new erotic romance novella, "Hot Summer Sands" has been given a release date of August 17th 2012. Yay! So happy and surprised that it will be available to download next month! :)

So here's the blurb...Mark your diaries!


Chef Michelle Hutton flees her controlling mother in the UK for the sun and freedom of Greece, longing for a new beginning and maybe just a bit of Zante’s local heat. Sexy, pro-bono lawyer Sam Clarke might just be the one to teach her to let go. He's sexy, capable, and totally in control. And too damn hard to resist.
Sam Clarke and his best friend had once been the baddest boys to hit the local party scene— sex, booze, and more sex—until his friend is killed. Sam turned his back on the blatant sexuality of the island years ago, but can’t resist Michelle’s desire to bask in the sun and explore the need that grows between them.
What do you think?
Rachel x

Welcome Berkley Heat writer, Roni Loren!

Welcome, Roni! I am so happy to be part of your tour - I don't think we've spoken before so I am looking forward to finding out more about you and your writing. It must be fantastic writing for such a renowned publisher as Berkley! Let's get started...
1)   What is your writing routine?
My kidlet goes to preschool for four hours a day, so I try to get most of my writing done during that time. I load up a big glass of iced tea, go in my office, turn on Pandora, and get to blogging. Then when I’ve got the blog out there, I start on my work in progress. My goal lately is to get in a minimum of 2k words a day.
2)   Which author/s inspire you to write?I read A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L’Engle when I was in fifth grade. That book made me want to be a writer. As for more recent inspiration, I would say that it’s too many to name. I’ve met so many wonderful writers since I started writing that I’m inspired daily by what I see out there (online and in person). Writers encouraging each other, people accomplishing their goals, new ideas getting born. It’s great to be amongst all that creativity daily.
3)   Which is your favorite romance subgenre to read? To write?I tend to gravitate toward contemporary both for reading and writing. And I like my books on the sexy side (shocking, I know), though they don’t always have to be erotic. I’m also a big fan of YA--mostly contemporary as well, though I do have a few paranormal series I like.
4)   How do you deal with criticism/rejection?Rejection is part of the deal in this career, so that has gotten easier to handle over the last few years. But criticism can still burn a bit; I’m human. My agent, editor, or critique partners can tear my work to shreds if needed and I’m fine with it. That kind of constructive criticism makes me a better writer, so I welcome it. But being put up for public opinion once a book is out can be a little harder to let roll of me. I’m a person who wants to please everyone and wants to be liked, so I’m still a work in progress on the growing thick, elephant skin thing. :)
5)   What do you expect from an editor?An unvarnished opinion on what will make my book better and an excitement for the work.
6)   Tell me about your latest release
The back cover says it better than I can. But I will say that Jace was my absolute favorite hero to write so far. : )After running away from home and the boy who broke her heart, Evan Kennedy has kick-started the perfect new life with her celebrity fiancé. So what if said fiancé prefers guys? She knew the deal. And with her ticket to The Ranch, an exclusive resort where any fantasy can be satisfied, she knows she can find someone to fulfill her less-than-traditional desires on the side.She just never expected that man to be Jace Austin, her old heart-breaker—all grown up, hard-bodied, and holding out a collar. She knows it’s probably a world-class bad idea—especially since Jace has brought along his buddy Andre, who’s every bit as irresistible. But if they can stick to the no-strings rules, so can she.Too bad Jace has never been so good with rules. Evan is convinced “forever” is a word used only in greeting cards, but Jace and Andre have one last fantasy of hers left to fulfill. It’s time to go big or go home. And neither man has ever been a fan of going home. 7)   Tease us with a blurb or short excerpt
This is from the prologue when Jace and Evan were still teens:
“Can I come in?” she asked, her voice swallowed by another rumble outside.Hell no! He sat up on his elbows, making sure he had enough blankets over him to cover what was beneath the sheets. “You okay?”She stepped fully into the room and clicked off the flashlight. “Do you have any matches or a lighter. I  . . . I know it’s a stupid, but the dark still freaks me out and I want to light a few candles.”He frowned. “No, sorry, I don’t. I could go look downstairs. There may be some in the kitchen.”“No, don’t get up.” She took another step toward him, the flashing from the windows lighting her in strobe effect, each blink giving his eyes something new to torture himself with. Bare legs. Short gym shorts. Damp hair. A tank top so thin he could see the shadow of dusky pink nipples beneath it.But where he lost it was when his eyes locked with hers. The longing he felt in his own chest reflected in her pale blue stare. He tried to clear the knot that lodged in his throat. “It’s fine. I don’t mind.”“I don’t want to go back to my room, Jace,” she said, something very different from fear lacing her words.His tongue grew thick in his mouth. “Well, you can’t stay in here.”Another step closer, now within arm’s reach of him. “Why not? No one will be home until tomorrow.”He groaned and raked a hand through his now sweat-dampened hair. “Because . . . Jesus, you know why.”“Because you think I’m pretty.” The corner of her mouth lifted despite the obvious nervous edge tracking through her tone.“Don’t do this,” he said, not sure if the words were directed at her or himself.“Come on, I want to know.”“Yes, because I think you’re pretty.” He looked toward the windows, breathed. “Because I damn near lose my mind every time I’m near you lately.”Her breath escaped in a sharp little puff, and the thunder rolled between them, electrifying the air.He hardened his tone, hoping she’d run for the door. “Go back to your room. We’re playing a dangerous game and doing the right thing has never been my strong suit.”
8)   Which is your favorite character in the book?  Why?
I know you’re not supposed to have favorite heroes when you’re writing. It’s kind of like picking a favorite kid. But I heart Jace. I loved writing him as a secondary character in CRASH INTO YOU, so I was beyond excited to write his story. He’s a  sarcastic bad boy who is always the life of the party but is covering up a ton of angst. I can’t resist that wounded thing. It gets me every time.

      9) What are you working on right now?
I’m waiting for edits on book 3, FALL INTO YOU, revising a novella that comes out after that, and outlining book 4 so that I can get to writing it. All are part of this series. Busy, busy, busy. : )
10)  Your biggest piece of advice to aspiring novelists?
Don’t write the to trend, write the stories that inspire you and keep you up at night. I happened to write a BDSM romance because that was the story that wouldn’t leave me alone. And now it’s “trendy.” If I had written to the trend back when I was writing that first book (3 years ago), I probably would’ve never gotten a book deal.
11)  Where can readers find you?
Everywhere. *internet junkie* But here are the places I hang out the most:Website/blog: www.roniloren.com/blogTwitter: www.twitter.com/roniloren



Melt Into You by Roni Loren
~~~~~~~~~~~~~BLURB:
Her first love has returned, and he's brought a friend...After running away from home and the boy who broke her heart, Evan Kennedy has kick-started the perfect new life with her celebrity fiancé. So what if said fiancé prefers guys? She knew the deal. And with her ticket to The Ranch, an exclusive resort where any fantasy can be satisfied, she knows she can find someone to fulfill her less-than-traditional desires on the side.She just never expected that man to be Jace Austin, her old heart-breaker—all grown up, hard-bodied, and holding out a collar. She knows it’s probably a world-class bad idea—especially since Jace has brought along his buddy Andre, who’s every bit as irresistible. But if they can stick to the no-strings rules, so can she.Too bad Jace has never been so good with rules. Evan is convinced “forever” is a word used only in greeting cards, but Jace and Andre have one last fantasy of hers left to fulfill. It’s time to go big or go home. And neither man has ever been a fan of going home.~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT
“Thanks.” She took her shirt and towel from him, pulled the first over her head, then got to her feet and knotted the beach towel around her hips. She tilted her head up to smile at him. “So, Mr. Humble Hero, you have a name?”
He stuck out his hand. “It’s Jace.”
Her body froze, the world seeming to tip off balance for a moment. Had she heard right? She stared at him for a moment, taking in every nuance of his face, the earlier whispers of déjà vu now becoming shouts.
Was it really him? His hair was longer, his body harder and more mature, the green in his eyes more wary, but the resemblance was there. It’d been years—twelve actually. The nineteen-year-old boy she’d known had become a man. “Jace Austin?”
***
Oh, shit. The recognition that flashed in the woman’s blue eyes had Jace dropping his hand. This chick knew him? He frantically flipped through his mental Rolodex, starting with the girls-I’ve-slept-with file.
When they’d locked gazes earlier, he’d felt a nudge of familiarity but had dismissed it. Surely, he’d remember this dark-haired beauty, especially if he had gotten the privilege of touching that lush little body. But something about her was poking at the recesses of his mind.
He rubbed the back of his neck and offered an apologetic smile. “Uh, yeah. Jace Austin. I’m sorry, have we met?”
She flinched a bit—the move subtle, but not lost on him. Damn, well now he felt like a jackass. Had they slept together?
She recovered quickly, the corner of her mouth tilting up. “Don’t worry. I’m sure I look a little different than I did at sixteen. Especially without that god-awful bottle red hair and eyebrow piercing.”
Sixteen? Red hair? The flashing list of names in his head suddenly flipped back over a decade and landed on one he hadn’t thought about in years. One he’d purposely tried to block out. No, couldn’t be. “Evangeline?”
She shrugged and looked out at the water, the wind whipping her hair around and disguising her expression. “It’s Evan now. I stopped using my full name a long time ago.”
“Wow, I don’t even know what to say,” he said, shaking his head. “You look great. I’m so glad to see that you’re . . .” Okay. Alive. “Here.”
She turned back toward him and smiled, though it didn’t light her face the way the earlier smiles had. “It’s good to see you, too. But, if you don’t mind, before we go down memory lane, how ’bout that vinegar?”
“Oh, right,” he said, his mind still whirling. “Follow me.”
And she needn’t worry. The last thing he was going to do was initiate any reminiscing. No, some things were better left buried. And how he’d destroyed the girl he’d sworn to look out for was A-number-one on that list.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Roni wrote her first romance novel at age fifteen when she discovered writing about boys was way easier than actually talking to them. Since then, her flirting skills haven’t improved, but she likes to think her storytelling ability has. Though she’ll forever be a New Orleans girl at heart, she now lives in Dallas with her husband and son. If she’s not working on her latest sexy story, you can find her reading, watching reality television, or indulging in her unhealthy addiction to rockstars, er, rock concerts. Yeah, that's it. She is the author of The Loving on the Edge series from Berkley Heat.
Website: www.roniloren.comTwitter: www.twitter.com/ronilorenFacebook: www.facebook.com/ronilorenGoodreads: www.goodreads.com/roniloren
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Roni will award an eBook copy of "Still Into You" to one randomly drawn commenter at every stop and a Book Grab Bag - Autographed copy of CRASH INTO YOU along with these books: Raziel by Kristina Douglas, Blood Stains by Sharon Sala, The Summer Garden by Paullina Simons, and Deadly Valentine by Justine Davis and Cindy Dees to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour (US/Canada only). The host with the most comments (US/Canada only) will win an Erotic Book Grab Bag - containing Explosive by Beth Kery, Tease Me by Tracy Wolff, Strip Search by Shayla Black, and Forbidden Heat by Opal Carew.
The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here:  http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2012/05/virtual-book-tour-melt-into-you-by-roni.html

Welcome fellow Wild Rose Press author, Mia Downing!

 Welcome to my site, Mia - I think this is your visit with me so it's great to have you here. I'm really looking forward to learning more about you and your books. Shall we get started??
Thank you for having me, Rachel! I’m so excited to be here.
1)   When and why did you decide you wanted to be a published author?
I wanted to be published in fourth grade when I wrote the sequel to Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH because I didn’t like how it ended. I don’t know what happened to that, but it was the beginning. I started writing romance in college during a creative writing class. It wasn’t anything nearly as hot as what I write now, which is good, because my college professor didn’t need to die of a heart attack.
2)   What is the best and worse thing you have learned from an editor/agent?
One rejection I got from an editor was a phone call from Harlequin in NYC. I learned, in that phone call, that she didn’t want what I had, but thought I had enough talent to write for Intrigue, because she asked me to write something for her. Unfortunately, I didn’t have what it took at that time in my writing career. I had toddlers and I honestly didn’t have the skill. It would take more books to learn what I needed. It was a very bittersweet moment.
3)   What is your typical day?
In the winter, get up at 5:30, pack lunches, then either write on the laptop or go back to bed, then get the next wave of victims off to school. The day doesn’t involve housework if I can help it. Usually I give in and herd the dust elephants because it’d be hard to write if they condemn your house. It’s also hard to write if you’re hungry or your family is hungry, so I do shop for food and then cook it. I have a real job I have to go to now and then, so I trudge off and then come back and write very naughty words until the kids come home. Unfortunately, they both can read, and I don’t want to give them a sexual education. I’m already a bad enough mother.

 4)   Did you plan this book? Or write it as it came?
I write as the story comes. It usually starts with a snippet I see in my head. In Exceeding Boundaries, I saw her planning to seduce her boss under forgotten mistletoe. Then I start wondering why, who, what. I wrote the beginning and the ending because I saw it clearly, and then pieced the middle together. All of my books seem to work that way.
Spy Games: Trained for Seduction was never supposed to be a book. It was something I thought up in my head to keep me entertained because my husband was snoring, I couldn’t sleep and I was too lazy/cold to move to the couch. So I had all of the elements in place, the story planned through, but Chase wasn’t the hero, and it just wasn’t working out for poor Jake. And one night, I thought, why couldn’t he be? And then it got very sexy, and that, was that. It took me a month to write 62,000 words, then added another 30,000 in two weeks after completing the second book (Spy Games: Lethal Limits.)
 5)   What surprised you the most when you became a published?
I’m surprised that people actually like what I write, and someone would be silly enough to buy it (which means I’m implying my super sweet and sexy editor Diana Carlile is an idiot, when she’s incredibly talented and savvy, but I do question her purchasing power when she sends me a contract.)
I’m surprised that I don’t have a heart attack when I get a review.
I’m surprised my friends and family haven’t heaved me over the castle wall. Yet. I feel the revolt coming, though.
 6)   Do you have a dedicated writing space? What does it look like?
I use the family computer but my screen name is locked up tighter than a chastity belt to keep away prying eyes. The computer covered in dust. I sit next to the blaring TV (with just as much dust) and wear headphones blaring louder with whatever music the characters need. I have a rubber band gun ready to take aim at those looking to ambush me. So don’t try it. I’m a deadly shot, and it’s got six rounds loaded. Ask the kids.
7)    What’s next for you?
I’ve finished the last two books of the Spy Games series and the second is in edits. I’ve just submitted a male/male story to my editor, my first in the genre and I’m very excited about it. The heroes learn they’re now business partners, owning a tropical island resort together. One hero wants to sell, the other needs to convince him that paradise is his calling.
I love to hear from my readers! I can be found at miadowning007@hotmail.com, 
http://www.miadowning.blogspot.co.uk/http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5754711.Mia_Downing
I cannot believe you wrote this book so quickly! How did you manage that? Your fingers must've been on fire, lol!! It's great to have you here, Mia - wishing you loads of future success and sales :)
Comments??

Saturday Promo - M M Bordeaux...

Blurb:
Amanda Sloane’s passion has been solely focused on becoming a well-respected, NYC art appraiser. With that appetite sated, she can no longer ignore her body’s carnal desires.

Tasked with authenticating an uncataloged Randell painting that could be worth millions, she meets a trio of Texas ranch hands who take her on an erotic ride imagined only in her deepest fantasy. Between ranch owners, Jake and Justin Morgan, and their ranch foreman, Luke, the cowboys ignite in Amanda a raging fire of uninhibited sexuality.

For years, the Morgan brothers have fought off their greedy cousin's attempts to take their ranch, including poison and sabotage. Now, Jake is counting on the elegant and sophisticated art appraiser to authenticate his grandaddy's painting to stave off foreclosure on the family ranch. Awakening the big city vixen’s sexual hunger has his body ablaze with need and his heart yearning for love.

Can Amanda give up the intoxicating pleasure of her sexual awakening? Or is Jake's love unconditional enough to encourage her to continue her erotic odyssey?

Excerpt:



“Does that turn you on Miss Sloane? Watching Julie make love to two men at once?”

She jerked around to find Jake standing not more than two feet away. Barefoot and shirtless, he stood wearing only a pair of jeans. The starlight gave his body a luminous glow, defining his ripped pecs and abs.

“Oh God,” she whispered, staring up at him in shock, unable to move.

“Does it turn you on?” He repeated, obviously aware of her arousal.

A loud moan from the bedroom caused Amanda to blink. He glanced past her shoulder and smiled. “It’s amazing how much pleasure two men can give a woman.” He reached out and put one hand on the back of her neck, pulling her close.

She raised her hands, pressing her palms against the smooth muscles of his chest, trying to push away. Slowly, deliberately, he leaned down and kissed her, his hand behind her neck keeping her lips turned up toward his. With his free hand, he held the small of her back, pulling her closer. Then his hand slid up to caress her breasts, his fingers pinching and twisting her nipples, sending currents of electricity straight to her pussy. For a long moment, he continued the kiss, his tongue probing deep, searching. His kiss ignited a desperate need and she kissed him back, her limp arms finding life, lifting to encircle his shoulders and grasping urgently at his neck.
Buy Link:
http://www.wilderroses.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=156&products_id=877

Welcome Ellora's Cave author, Jean Hart Stewart!

So nice to meet you, Jean! I don't think we've spoken before. I love the sound of your new series...8 books, that's quite a feat. I haven't known a publisher take on a series that long before so I am really, really impressed and happy for you! Let's get on with the questions...


 1)       What is your writing routine?
A. I get the idea at once, usually, and sometimes write down the first chapter in a rush. Then I stop, gives the characters some description and depth, write a very sketchy outline, and do the research on the time period. Then I can write the book. I actually do e-mail in the morning, write in the afternoon and evening. Shopping gets stuck in whenever I can.
2)       Which author/s inspire you to write?
A. Mary Balogh, Marian Zimmer Bradley, Jane Austen, and a host of modern authors. These are from when I first started. Now there are too many to list.
3)       Which is your favorite romance subgenre to read? To write?
A. Can’t really answer this question. I like so many, and have just started to write erotica so am reading a lot of that. I’ll even read the print on the cereal box. I really read every spare moment.
4)       How do you deal with criticism/rejection?
A. Not well, I’m afraid. How dare somebody not like my book? Luckily, I’ve only received one really negative review, and managed to cool off enough to thank her for the valuable criticism. Didn’t really mean it, but at least felt like a good sport.
5)       What do you expect from an editor?
      A. Tough criticism but fair. If we sometimes disagree, a willingness to talk it out with me. I’ve been blessed by truly excellent editors. Ellora’s Cave goes through two rounds of back and forth edits, plus the final edits. This last one is short since everything’s been decided by then.

6) Tell me about your latest release.
A. Love to! Fiery Pursuit is the first in a planned series of eight books about sexy, honorable devastatingly handsome elves with pointed ears.In Fiery, Lars rescues Sophie from a harem in Constantinople and brings her to his home in England. One if his family’s attributes is they fall in love at once and forever, and Sophie doesn’t believe she’s worthy. Besides, Sophie is pursued by the ruthless murderer of her father, but she’s determined to kill him first.Lars and Sophie have really hard paths to follow to happiness.
7. Tease us with a blurb or short excerpt.
 A. Glad to. This is not from the erotica sections, so anyone can enjoy it. 
“Lars had seldom felt so wordless. He’d lived his years in pleasure and with pain. More pleasure than pain certainly, as his elfin abilities gave him immeasurable advantage in most situations. But always with honor. And now, to be offered the one thing he wanted the most, masked in a reasoning he could not quite dismiss.As he hesitated he looked at her. He noticed the distress in Sophie’s eyes as tears filled them, but she didn’t waver. She looked lost as a child in a dark forest, and well she might. Her life as she knew it had been ripped away. She’d suffered for weeks at the hands of uncaring brutes.She needed the cherishing he’d longed to give her. And the life-long protection he’d commit to at the same time. He’d not tell her yet of his sudden and complete certainty they were each other’s destiny. But he realized it to the depths of his soul, and he’d go to her with that conviction.He moved quickly, wrapping her in his arms. He’d give her what she wanted, and gladly, and he’d not tell her yet that in doing so he was committing himself for whatever length of life remained to him. He’d pleasure her—oh, how he’d pleasure her–even though she wouldn’t know he was giving her his total love and his soul. Elves loved only once, and deeply. He’d almost decided he’d never find the one girl for him.”
8) Which is your favorite character in the book?  Why?
A. You mean I have to pick between my babies? I really can’t. Lars is so incredibly sexy and honorable, but Sophie faces the world with such bravery. Nope, I refuse to pick.
9) What are you working on right now?
 A. Fiery Pursuit is the first book in a planned eight book series called Passionate Pursuits.  Lars is eventually the grandfather of the clan. Stormy Pursuit, the second book, is now being edited. Dark Pursuit, the third, is finished and my beta editors are giving me last criticisms. It will go off to my editor in a few days. I’m about 60 pages into Reluctant Pursuit, the fourth book.

10) Your biggest piece of advice to aspiring novelists?
A. This one is easy to answer.  Advice I got from Mary Balogh years ago at a lecture. I asked her what to do when you hit the saggy middle of the book and had no idea where to go with the plot. She said, “Make it worse.”  Best advice I ever had.
11) Where can readers find you?
A. I’ve just revamped my website and would love to have you visit. www.jeanhartstewart.com  I’m at Facebook, Twitter, My Space and blog regularly at www.romancebooksrus.blogspot.com  and www.Sweetn’SexyDivas.com  I love to hear from readers, so do write me with any questions you might have.


FIERY PURSUITByJean Hart Stewart

Blurb:

When Lars uses his Elfin power to rescue Sophie from a slave market in Constantinople he knows instantly she is meant to be his mate. But the murderer of Sophie’s father still pursues her, and Lars must all his strength to try to save her. And convince Sophie he is what she wants.

The villain who sold her into slavery reappears and Lars needs all his Elfin strength. When his power mysteriously weakens, can Lars get it back? And will it be enough to save them both?

Excerpt

Lars had seldom felt so wordless. He’d lived his years in pleasure and with pain. More pleasure than pain certainly, as his elfin abilities gave him immeasurable advantage in most situations. But always with honor. And now, to be offered the one thing he wanted the most, masked in a reasoning he could not quite dismiss.
As he hesitated he looked at her. He noticed the distress in Sophie’s eyes as tears filled them, but she didn’t waver. She looked lost as a child in a dark forest, and well she might. Her life as she knew it had been ripped away. She’d suffered for weeks at the hands of uncaring brutes.
She needed the cherishing he’d longed to give her. And the life-long protection he’d commit to at the same time. He’d not tell her yet of his sudden and complete certainty they were each other’s destiny. But he realized it to the depths of his soul, and he’d go to her with that conviction.
He moved quickly, wrapping her in his arms. He’d give her what she wanted, and gladly, and he’d not tell her yet that in doing so he was committing himself for whatever length of life remained to him. He’d pleasure her—oh, how he’d pleasure her–even though she wouldn’t know he was giving her his total love and his soul.
Elves loved only once, and deeply. He’d almost decided he’d never find the one girl for him.


Author Information


Love living in California, even though I’m a transplant. Love writing and all it entails, crazy characters demanding to be let loose on the page, long hours of research, every bit of it. I raised two children and spent about twenty years in real estate before I summoned the courage to quit and do what I always wanted to do  
At every stop, Jean will give one commenter her choice of a book from her backlist which can be found at www.JeanHartStewart.comAt the end of the tour, one random commenter, as well as the host with the most comments (not counting their own or Jean's) will win their pick of Jean's books in print, plus a Fiery Pursuits t-shirt.)


Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2012/05/vbt-fiery-pursuits-by-jean-hart-stewart.html. 

Welcome, author & publisher, Christine Leov Lealand!

Welcome to my site, Christine! I love your author pic - where are you? Looks fascinating to this Brit currently hiding in her conservatory away from the non-stop rain we've had in the UK this early summer. Shall we get started with the interview? Okay, here goes...
Who is your favourite author and why?            I realise you have asked me who is my favourite author but I havedozens of favourite authors in a lot of different generas: – sci-fi &fantasy authors like Frank Herbert, Tolkien, Douglas Adams and C.S.Lewis whom I admire for the depths of their milieu, I also love the'Many Coloured Land 'series by Julian May for the same reason and alsobecause she deftly takes many characters, develops each individuallyand creates a universe in which they are utterly believable.            I also like non-fiction like last year's 'The 4% Universe' by RichardPaneck an admirable book which successfully describes physical andcosmological information which we would otherwise miss out on. Thefindings of this book have a lot of potential for those of us whowrite science fiction, as well as metaphysics. I'm sure Robert Persigwould be interested in this information. His book 'Lila' is a veryinteresting discussion about what it means to be human and themetaphysics of the best in life.            I love Hunter S Thompson whose work does not fit any categoryparticularly but who had an unparalleled vision of life and an abilityto communicate with unique humans which anyone who is a writer woulddo well to study. I love John T Nichols' book 'The Milagro BeanfieldWar'  which is quite simply full of the most marvellouscharacterisation and is one of the funniest books I have ever read.David Gregory Roberts 'semi autobiographical book 'Shantaram' is alsoa book with studying and thoroughly enjoying because of itsdescriptions, characterisations, unique dialogue and combination ofspiritual and human development. It is not often we get to live in themind of a person who has committed crimes and been through experienceswhich, fortunately, most of us will never need to go through.I could go on and on with amazing books I have read.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
            When I was five years old and sat at my little desk as my mothertaught me how to write with a pencil on a blank sheet of paper Irealised that I could have this excitement for the rest of my life bywriting books. I went on to virtually teach myself to read, and by theage of eight was hand sewing and covering with fabric tiny books fullof quotations of CS Lewis.
 I was also at that age beginning to read the adult Encyclopaedia Britannica, studying classical mythology and writing synopses of CS Lewis' Narnia novels. I began poetry and haiku around aged 11/12 and began my first novel, a work of around 10,000words, in the summer holiday when I was 16 years old. I have a degreein history and I also love oral history so for me writing is a battlebetween the focus I want to give to fact as well as the attention Iwish to give to fiction.

Describe my writing space.
            Essentially I can and do write wherever I happen to be. I amfortunate to have a life full of travel, so when I am not at mybeautiful Edwardian house surrounded by big trees, I might be in acar, writing on my laptop; or sitting on a hilltop or on a beachsomewhere with a notebook and a pen or pencil. I use Dragon NaturallySpeaking so that transcribing my handwritten notes is now easy, as isadding to and amending them. I am considering attempting to use myiPhone to write a novel. A challenge, I think! But certainly doable!
What am I reading now?
            The 'Seventh Scroll 'by Wilbur Smith,  part two in his series set inancient Egypt which are fascinating adventure romances and I have beenstudying his style, which of course is very successful; to see how wecan improve the novel AJ Burton and I are working on: Atlantia SoulMates I :-The Secret Empire
How many books have I written? Which is my favourite?            I have five finished novels: three erotic romance novels which weretrade published. (Available as e-books from smashwords.com - linkshere http://christineleovlealand-author.blogspot.co.nz/) I haveresearched three biographies and had one published:-' Barry Brickell -A Head of Steam'. (Available from me) I have also hundreds of Wordfiles of unfinished novels. Also some unfinished non-fiction workincluding my autobiography. I have substantial writing for about eightmore books. Some history, one is a fantasy novel, and some are generalfiction and chick lit. I have also self published two volumes ofpoetry. XKISS is available directly from me and self published a craftbook. I aim to republish this book very soon.I like all of my books, I put my heart and soul into each one, so itis impossible to say that one is more me then another.
What comes first, plot or characters?
            I am not so great on plotting, I am the kind of writer who sees thescene happening in front of me and I describe it. I also have thevisual, mental, spatial ability to see scenes in my mind in threedimensions and to be able to view a scene from any angle, rather as amovie director might see a fight scene from the vantage point of amoving gantry, for example. To me writing gets boring if I plan toomuch. Better writing happens if I work as if I were driving at night,allowing what happens next to be illuminated as I write. That means itis as exciting for me to write as it is for the reader to read.Neither of us knows what is going to happen next! Of course plottingand other concerns like continuity and building character areimplemented in all the rewrites I do.
Do I ever suffer from writer's block?
            I suffer more from writer's procrastination! It's often much easierto do the dishes, or mow the lawn or weed the garden; than it is toopen a file and continue editing and rewriting. It would be nice ifall one needed to do in writing a book was to finish the first draft.However, I don't believe that anyone should publish a first draftunedited. The best advice is to write your draft, put it aside for afew months, work on something else in the meantime; and then go backto it. You'll be amazed at how many flaws, faults, mistakes andcontinuity problems are suddenly visible after you've left the bookfor a while. I find reading the entire book aloud reveals moremistakes than any other test procedure!

What do I like to do when I'm not writing?
            I am usually very busy as I run a small engineering company as wellas my own publishing company. I love to travel, meet new people, I amalways interested in learning new information about health and healingand hearing people's stories. I enjoy belly dancing and aim to do somesnowboarding this winter. I have a large garden and I grow some of myown food. I love hunting for fossils and studying geology andpalaeontology. I also hang out on Twitter which I really enjoy.Connect with me there I am @loveleov.
Tell us about your latest book.
            Atlantia Soul Mates I: The Secret Empire will be my next publishednovel which I have written with my friend and cowriter AJ Burton. Itis set in a steam punk Atlantis and is an adventure romance. KlausMeinbach rescues Helena of Delphi, a Greek priestess of Apollo. ByAtlantean law he must kill her, however he believes she is descendedfrom a shipwrecked Atlantean sailor and also, of course, he cannotkill her because she is the first woman he's ever been romantically orsexually interested in. So yes, Klaus is in a bit of a bind! Graduallythey grow to love and trust each other and work to try to win thelegal battle for Helena's life in the Atlantean courts.Our Atlantean miliu has been really exciting to write – we haveinvented some new technological gadgets and reinvented some old onesfor the people of Atlantis. The Secret Empire began as one book of87,000 words which we wrote in eight weeks last year. However it hasproliferated into two books with two sequels to follow; The  AtlantiaSoul Mates series will even include Nikolai Tesla - he features inbook four! Check out this blog(http://longshippublications.blogspot.co.nz/) for sample chapters andpublication news about The Secret Empire.
What's next for me?
            Working with AJ on the rest of the Atlantia Soul Mates series. Plus Ihave several pet projects of my own writing to finish and finishrewriting. I have dozens of stories I wish to publish; I really wantto publish 'BI' a novel about being a bisexual woman, and 'Doors' afantasy novel set in prehistoric New Zealand. Orson Scott Card definesthe genera of fantasy as " having leaves " while science fiction "hasrivets". So while I privately think of this novel as science fiction,its real genera is fantasy. H - a,ha! there are lots of trees andnothing is riveted - yet!The reality is that I have enough great ideas for books to keep mewriting and publishing for another 50 years!
Great interview, Christine - thanks for being here. You sound like a very busy and committed writer, i wish you all the luck for future success. Okay, Christine is waiting to hear from you! Questions? Comments?