Heather Thurmeier's Blog, page 34

Another First!

Today I received my first royalty payment! Wow. That feels good.

Thursday 13

I'm over at Romance Writers Behaving Badly today for their Thursday 13! I'm chatting about all the ways you can stay warm this chilly winter season. And I might include the recipe for my favorite drink…

ROMANCE WRITERS BEHAVING BADLY

Excerpt–BUNNY HILLS AND BIKINIS

Today I have an excerpt from my newest release BUNNY HILLS AND BIKINIS. If you want more information about the book, you can check it out by CLICKING HERE!

Enjoy!

As it was, he knew he'd be thinking of this precise moment long after Amelia finally removed her body from his. He wasn't going to forget the weight of her pressing against him in all the right places any time soon—that he was sure of. He was almost certain his body would yearn for contact with hers again the instant they were out of this snow bank.

"Well, I'm glad you're enjoying this, but I really should get off of you," she said, bringing his thoughts back to the present as she wiggled on top of him again as if trying to find a way to shift her body off of his.

"True. Your boyfriend wouldn't be too happy if he saw you getting this close and personal with the workshop host, would he?" He hoped he sounded indifferent as he tried to peek down at their skis to see what the problem was. The skis were so crossed he could barely tell which were his own.

She stilled. "What boyfriend?" Her head tilted to the side.

"The one who keeps putting his arm around you every chance he gets."

"Like he's a dog marking his territory, right?" She laughed. "He's a dog alright, but he's not my dog. He likes to act like he's my boyfriend, but trust me, he's the furthest thing from it."

"Good to know I was mistaken," Nate said, relief filling him as he realized there was no reason why he couldn't be with her this weekend. She was free and he was interested. Time to find out if she had any interest in him too. "Then perhaps we should hang out here a little longer and get to know each other a little better now that I know you're not taken."

She didn't say anything for a moment and he held his breath waiting for her response. "I think I'd rather get to know you when I can feel all the parts of my body."

He grinned and raised an interested eyebrow at her. He liked where this was headed. In fact, they could head there right now while everyone else was still busy skiing. That would be fine with him.

"Wait. Crap. That's not how I meant it to sound." She blushed again.

Deep red filled the apples of her cheeks. He wished he wasn't wearing gloves at that moment so he could touch her rosy skin and feel the heat radiating from her. Or he could kiss her cheeks—and mouth and neck softly until her cheeks were flushed pink for another reason.

"I meant I'm cold. My body is going to be frostbitten very soon. That's all." Then she shook her head and groaned again. "I don't want us to die of hypothermia while we get to know each other, that's all."

She was very cute when she was flustered.

As much as he wanted to stay with her here, to see how many more times he could make her blush, to continue to feel her body on his, he knew they needed to get inside. Reluctantly, he decided it would be in both of their best interest if they got themselves out of the snow bank. The sooner the better or they would end up with a serious case of frostbite. After these last few minutes with her, that was the last thing he wanted to happen to either of their bodies. No, he had better things planned for them. Hotter things.

He reached for his ski pole, which luckily lay beside him and used it to try and pop his boot from the binding of his ski. With a quick hard shove, his boot came loose and he kicked the ski aside. He dropped his pole and took hold of her sides instead. "Okay," he started with his plan, "I've got one leg free, so I'm going to roll us over and then I'll be able to reach my other ski. Got it?"

"Is there a plan B?"

"Nope."

"Okay then. Let's get rollin' over." She grabbed onto his shoulders with her gloved hands as though to brace herself for the impact of him on top of her.

He lifted her slightly and shifted his body under hers. Parts of him rubbed against fabric, creating a very pleasant reaction to his current predicament. Unfortunately, now wasn't the time to think about things like that. In one fluid movement, he gently pushed her to the side and rolled himself on top of her, carefully keeping his body lifted so he wouldn't accidentally crush her into the snow.

Hovering over her, Nate was overcome with the immediate desire to be in this exact position with Amelia another time—one when they were hot and sweaty somewhere instead of freezing in a snow bank. The urge to kiss her, to feel her body against him—her lips hot and wet on his own—made his head spin. His arms grew weak as he lowered himself on top of her, but not because they couldn't hold his weight, simply because as his desire grew, his defenses to resist her dissolved.

His lips inched closer to hers. His pulse raced through his body, awakening areas that had been sleeping too long. Her chin tilted up toward him and her lips parted slightly. Her tongue flickered beneath the opening like a secret waiting to be discovered. Her eyes never left his, but they grew heavier with every agonizing second that passed.

He could kiss her—right here, right now. His body begged him to. His mouth opened as he subconsciously mirrored her lips and he lowered himself further until he was a breath away from her beckoning lips.

Yes, he would kiss her and then he could die a happy man.

Six Sentence Sunday 11/6

I've had a nice long break, but I'm finally back to play Six Sentence Sunday! Oh how I've missed it!! As always, be sure to check out all the other awesome authors participating this week at SixSunday.com

This week my snippet comes from my new book, BUNNY HILLS AND BIKINIS. This is Nate and Amelia's initial meeting. It could have gone smoother…

"I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to call you those names. I've had an awful day. I swear I never would have yelled at you if I'd known how hot you were…I, oh crap. I mean—" Her voice trailed off while her cheeks burned hot with embarrassment.

Trick or Treat–New Cover!

Happy Halloween! I hope your day is filled with many treats and few tricks… On this Halloween day, I have a special treat to share—the cover for my new book!! Woot!! Without further ado, here's the cover for BUNNY HILLS AND BIKINIS releasing soon!

Sample Sunday 2–Love and Lattes

Here's a new excerpt from LOVE AND LATTES A Meadow Ridge Romance.

If you enjoy this excerpt of LOVE AND LATTES and would like more information about the book, please check out the links below.

AMAZON

NOOK

SILVER PUBLISHING

"Listen, about the other night." He started, but wasn't sure where to go from there. "I really had a good time with you."

She grinned and laughed, blushing a deep red. "I could tell."

He laughed too. "No, that's not what I meant—well, I guess I mean that, too—but I actually just meant I liked talking to you, dancing, everything. It—it was nice."

"I had a good time too, in all meanings."

"I really wish we could go out again sometime. I had already been planning where I'd take you once I finally got a hold of you."

"Oh yeah? Where?"

"There's this little Spanish place called Luna that serves the best tapas." He shrugged. "Doesn't matter now, I guess."

The smile slid off both of their faces as the weight of his last statement hung in the air between them. "Too bad. I like tapas."

He nodded, his disappointment almost breaking through his boss exterior. "Something else we have in common."

"I'm sorry." Julia spoke quietly and wrapped her arms around the book she still held, pulling it protectively against her chest. "It's just, I really need this job. I wish I didn't, but I do."

Chase shook his head. He didn't want her to feel pressured into quitting just because he wanted to go on a real date with her. "No, of course you do. I shouldn't have said anything. I didn't mean anything by it. Just thinking out loud I guess." He wouldn't make that mistake again. "I'll let you get back to work. Let me know if you need anything." He turned and left without glancing back. He needed to get on with life without Julia. Their situation wasn't going to change, and the sooner he accepted reality, the better off they'd both be. He wouldn't pressure her again. They were stuck working together and that's all there was to it.

Chase wove his way through the rows of books and ducked into the self-help room on his way to new releases. He kicked a book lying in the middle of the aisle and bent to pick it up before flipping the book cover side up in his hands. Banging in the Backroom: Tales of Workplace Romance Gone wrong. Oh, hell. Even the merchandise was on his case.

Time to move on to the next girl, like always.

Reviews Have Started!

LOVE AND LATTES has been out for about 7 weeks now and it's just starting to get reviewed by actual review sites!! The first one I've seen is from Coffee Time Romance. SQUEE!!! I'm so excited. Here's what the review had to say…

"Both Chase and Julia warmed my heart from their first meeting to the end of the book. They were both characters that were easily likeable, and I immediately wanted them to be together, even as they worked through finding a solution to their situation. Their intimate scenes are sweet and sensual and fit their personalities perfectly. I was pleased by the addition of Julia's friend Tali. I hope we get to read her story soon. Love and Lattes is a sweet story and a great way to spend an afternoon."

Did I SQUEE yet?

SQUEE!!!!!!

Sample Sunday–LOVE AND LATTES

You can find LOVE AND LATTES here:

At Amazon

At Nook

Here's a new sample from LOVE AND LATTES. I hope you enjoy!

***

Of course he's my boss. That's just my kind of luck.

Julia knew her cheeks must be bright red, but there was nothing she could do to calm the embarrassment burning inside her.

I slept with my boss. She shook her head, trying to comprehend how in the world this could have happened. Of all the places she could have gotten a job, of all the guys she could have fallen into bed with on one spontaneous night, she had picked this store and this man.

Oh my freaking god. The world is a cruel place.

"Your store?" She barely managed to ask the question.

"Yep. Chase Bloom. That's me." He pointed at the Bloom's Books sign of the door. "So you're the new girl, huh?"

"Looks that way." She smiled weakly at him, following his gaze to the sign hanging over the door. She didn't want to look him in the eyes again, what they'd done together still fresh in her mind, probably in his too. Instead, she glanced down the street. A woman was walking out of an expensive jewelry store next door, admiring a diamond ring large enough Julia could see it from a distance.

She lowered her voice and spoke again. "Having slept with the boss probably isn't a good thing, huh?"

"It's not the best scenario, no." He shrugged and she noticed lines of worry across his forehead. "Our night at the club happened before we knew we worked together, so we can't be held accountable for our previous actions."

"But?" There had to be a problem in his mind. He wouldn't have those creases in his forehead if everything were wonderful between them like it had been a few minutes ago.

He sighed. "But we probably shouldn't be together if you're going to work here. I probably shouldn't have just kissed my new employee. Crap." His shoulders drooped with his words.

Her heart sank into her stomach like a lead weight. Crap indeed.

So much for her big romance. Now he was just her boss and she would have to treat him that way. Starting now.

She glanced at his shirt and the giant coffee stain adorning the front. The color instantly drained out of Julia's face. "I can't believe I just spilled coffee all over you." She reached into her handbag and pulled out a package of tissues. She fumbled with the little plastic pull-tab and ripped it open in haste. Tissues fluttered to the ground around her feet.

Julia snatched the tissues up in a messy handful. She tried to shake the image of Chase standing before her—naked in her bedroom—hot and sweaty and so irresistible, as she dabbed the tissues against the stain. Taut abs beneath his wet shirt made desire flare to life inside her again.

She paused as the muscles under her fingers constricted slightly as he exhaled. She closed her eyes as she continued to dab at his shirt with the tissues, as if powered by someone else. She patted further up the stain, feeling the broad, defined chest that had occupied her dreams for the last few nights. She stopped above the heart beating fast under her palm. Her breathing stuttered as her gaze flickered up to meet Chase's again. He smiled at her as he had at the club, seductive and hungry. She suddenly wondered if she was groping him instead of helping him, but she still couldn't force herself to remove her hand from his chest.

She forced herself to speak. "Sorry about your shirt."

His lips pulled up at the corners. "It's okay. It's only a shirt."

"Your abs—stomach—um, you're not burnt or anything, are you?"

"No, I'm fine."

"I'll pay for the dry cleaning."

His hair fluttered slightly in the breeze as he shook his head. "Not necessary. I'm sure it'll come clean and if it doesn't, it's only a T-shirt."

A really well-fitting T-shirt… Stop. He's your boss.

"Okay, if you're sure. Sorry again," she said, finally pulling her hand back from his chest where it had been lingering far longer than was appropriate. She already missed the feel of his pecs against her fingertips. She was positive she could live her whole life and never tire of feeling his body.

She took a step toward the door. He was her boss, not a guy she should fantasize about. "I—I should go."

Reaching past her, he pulled open the door. "Have a good first day. I hope you like working here."

"Thanks." What else could she say?

She disappeared inside the door with a last glance over her shoulder, leaving the incredibly hunky Chase out on the front steps alone. She suddenly wished she'd been coming into the store for a coffee on her way to work somewhere else. Anywhere else would be fine. Universe, you suck.

Cover Progress…Sort of.

Hubster is working on the cover for my upcoming release. *SQUEE!!* Here's our most recent conversation about how it's going.

DH: "I'm making her boobs really big."

Me: "Um, she's wearing a ski jacket. How can you see how big her boobs are?"

DH: "Pfffttt, Heather. Come on now. Don't be silly."

Did I mention he's a boob man?

So yeah, my cover is coming along nicely—with a really busty heroine I guess.

Ask an Author: Rebecca Zanetti-Giveaway!

I'm so excited to welcome Rebecca Zanetti to my blog today! She's here to answer a few questions AND she's offering a GIVEAWAY!!! There's more info about that at the bottom of this post. So let's get to it!

Where did the idea for the Dark Protectors series come from? Did you always have it planned as a series or did that happen after you wrote book one?

I always hoped the Dark Protectors would be a series that would at the very least feature the five brothers.   The idea came from a simple scene I wrote for Fated, where the hero squired (or kidnapped, depending on your point of view) the heroine and her daughter to safety.  They end up on a private jet, looking at each other across the aisle, and the little girl asks the hero if he's going to protect them.  He says yes, and the entire series evolved from that answer.

Of course, he turned out to be a vampire, the mother turned out to be a vampire mate, and the bad guys more dangerous than anyone had anticipated.

Sounds awesome!! And five brothers you say? Yum!! Five stories! What's your favorite thing about writing paranormal romance?

I love creating worlds.  It's all made up and there are very few rules…for that first book.  After the first book, the rules are drawn and you have to stick to them.

Plus, I love the larger than life heroes.  Why not?  Also, I think you can get away with a bit more when dealing with paranormal creatures.  The Kayrs brothers are definitely alpha males, maybe a bit too much, but since they're vampires, it's sexy instead of irritating.  At least, I think so.  J

Sounds sexy to me! Are you firmly planted in the paranormal romance genre or do you have plans to write in another genre as well in the future?

I'll always be writing paranormal romances, but I do have a romantic suspense series that will go out on proposal early next year.  It's about some uber-soldiers linked genetically.   I also have a smart 'chick lit' series in the work.  I think we're calling that genre 'upbeat women's fiction' now, but really, it's chick lit with a brain.  The genre will make a comeback at some point, and I think this series will be ready when it does.

Chick lit with a brain you say? Now that's a genre I want to read and write!! And last, the most important question of them all… If you found a magic genie lamp, what would your three wishes be?

Great question! Well…as a lawyer…I'd first ask for a hundred more wishes. Then I'd fix the world. Now, if another lawyer drafted the rules regarding the genie lamp, I"m assuming there's a three wish limit. Darn Lawyers. I"d probably do the right thing and end world hunger, somehow end war, and figure out a way to protect the planet from that asteroid I know is coming at us. Though what I'd want to wish for is a magical metabolism so I could eat anything and not gain weight. J

Thank you so much for being here today! Good luck with that magical metabolism. If you find any, send it my way too okay?!

 

Bio:Rebecca Zanetti has worked as an art curator, Senate aide, lawyer, college professor and a hearing examiner – only to culminate it all in stories about vampires and science. She is a member of RWA and several of its chapters and has won awards for her works throughout the industry.Her debut book, FATED, was released by Kensington Publishing on February 22, 2011. FATED is the first book in a series about the Dark Protectors — vampires who aren't afraid of the sun or a good Cabernet. Book two will be called CLAIMED and book three is called HUNTED.Claimed blurb:  While geneticist Emma Paulsen appreciates vampire king Dage Kayrs rescuing her from the creepy Kurjan leader who wanted to mate with her, she wouldn't have needed rescuing had the vampires not gone to war. And while she's willing to spend one night fulfilling her fantasies with Dage, no way does she plan to stick around. Whether the king happened to brand her flesh or not.

That is until her pregnant sister, Cara, contracts a Kurjan virus that will not only destroy the baby but strip Cara's chromosomal pairs until she's possibly less than human. A virus that can only be defeated by science and magic combined. And the only way to save her sister is to suspend her disbelief and trust in Dage's power and passion…

To purchase her books, check out this LINK!!

You can find excerpts from FATED as well as CLAIMED on Rebecca's website: http://rebeccazanetti.com/

 

 

Rebecca has graciously offered a SIGNED COPY OF FATED to one commenter and a SIGNED ARC COPY OF CLAIMED to another commenter!!