Dani Collins's Blog, page 59

#SampleSunday – A Debt Paid In Passion

I was really hoping to have my WIP finished by this point and I could be all braggy and chatty. Instead I’m *this close* to The End and screaming through gritted teeth like a woman in hard labor.

So you get a drive-by #Sample Sunday and I promise to report in as soon as I’ve hit SEND on this bad boy. VERY bad boy. Porter Navarro is one kinky dude.

Whom you will meet at another time. For the moment, we’re revisiting Raoul and Sirena.

In our last excerpt, Raoul learns Sirena is pregnant. (Not exactly a spoiler. It’s the opening scene.) Here Sirena comes to.

~ * ~

Sirena became aware of something pressed to her face. Clammy sweat coated her skin and a swirl of her ever-present nausea turned mercilessly inside her.

She lifted a heavy hand to dislodge whatever was smothering her and a voice said, “You fainted, Sirena. Take it easy for a minute.”

Opening her eyes, she saw John, the highly recommended lawyer who’d been perfunctory until she’d almost vomited in his wastebasket. She’d told him the father’s identity was irrelevant, but Raoul was glaring from beyond John’s shoulder with all the relevance of an unforgiving sun on a lost soul in the desert—and appeared about as sympathetic.

She had tried hard not to look at Raoul, former boss, brief lover, unsuspecting father. He was too…everything. Tall, dark, unabashedly urbane and sophisticated. Severe.

Judgmental.

But of their own accord, her hungry eyes took in his appearance, her first opportunity in weeks. She catalogued his razor sharp charcoal suit, the solid black tie. His jaw was freshly shaved for his morning appointment, his dark hair recently cut into the sternly simple style of a career businessman.

And there were his eyes, the gray irises stormy and full of condemnation as he snared hers in an unbreakable stare.

John asked, “Is there any pain? You don’t appear to be miscarrying, but we’ve called an ambulance.”

Sirena flashed a terrified glance back to Raoul. It was a mistake. She realized immediately that he’d read it for what it was: an admission of guilt. A betrayal of truth.

Clenching her perfidious eyes closed, she willed him not to pick up on what had been revealed, but he was the most acutely intelligent person she’d ever met. He missed nothing.

If he knew she was carrying his baby, there’d be another fight. Considering what this current contest had taken out of her, she wasn’t ready for another. She wouldn’t, couldn’t, let him think he had a right to custody of her child.

“Sirena,” Raoul said in that dark chocolate voice of his.

Her skin rippled in a pleasurable shiver of recognition. Two years of hearing every intonation in that voice left her with the knowledge that her name on his lips right now was an implacable warning.

“Look at me,” he commanded.

Sirena reached blindly for John’s hand, clenching her icy fingers on his warm, dry ones. Beneath the oxygen mask, her voice was hollow and whisper thin.

“Tell him to leave me alone or I’ll take out a restraining order.”

~ * ~

Not a very long excerpt. Sorry about that, but it’s the end of the chapter. Please tune in next week and I’ll make sure you get a nice, juicy bite of the story.

Now, last week I was a pants-on-fire liar. I said the book was already available at: Mills & Boon UK. It disappeared off the UK site the next day and hasn’t been seen since. It’s not like Sirena to storm off in a huff. She’s typically very dependable. I suspect the elves in M&B’s workshop were eager to get away for their own holidays and pressed a button prematurely, only to correct their error later. I suspect it will return to Mills & Boon UK and appear on eHarlequin and Mills & Boon Aus this week.

You can also preorder here:

Amazon: US | Canada | UK | India | Germany | Brazil | Spain | Italy | Japan | Australia

And: Nook | Kobo | | ARe | BooksaMillion

Will you be in the Vancouver area mid-February? I’ll be at a signing event at the Vancouver Public Library. If you want to hear more about my writing and upcoming books, listen to my interview from Oct 17th with Bernadette Walsh at Nice Girls Reading Naughty Books.

Please remember that I always draw for a signed copy of my new release from my newsletter subscribers. You can join by scrolling all the way to the bottom of this page and putting in your email address or click here. It’s that easy!

2013 is closing out. Have a safe and happy New Year’s Eve and I’ll be back in 2014.

The post #SampleSunday – A Debt Paid In Passion appeared first on Dani Collins.

#SampleSunday – A Debt Paid In Passion

As promised, I’m starting a new round of #SampleSundays. I expect you’ll see six, taking us to the end of January and the official launch of A Debt Paid In Passion.

A Debt Paid In Passion was tagged as a Top Pick by RT Book Reviews. What a fabulous gift from Santa! Yes, I opened it early. I’m on the naughty list for the rest of the year.

I’ve been having a little trouble wrapping my brain around promoting A Debt Paid In Passion as I’m technically still promoting my December book, More Than A Convenient Marriage? This conflict inspired one of my recent blog tour posts, Alpha vs Alpha, where I pit the two heroes against one another. You can read it at As The Pages Turn on Monday, Dec 23rd.

However, A Debt Paid In Passion is available now on the Mills & Boon UK site so if you’re like me and want to try before you buy, then I’d better quit chatting and get posting the excerpt, right?

First a bit of background. You can read the blurb off the book page and get a sense of the story off the review above. When I sat down to write, I had the opening scene in the courtroom running in my head. I knew this would be a revenge trope. That scared me. Heroes with an axe to grind are tough to make likeable. They’re tough, period! So I had to look for all of Raoul’s soft spots and make sure both Sirena and the reader saw them. For Sirena’s part, I couldn’t let her be a pushover. She had a terrible crush on Raoul as her employer and is trying to get over it while falling for him again. This was not an easy book to write!

Apparently RT Book Reviews think I did okay (whew!) You can be the judge, starting with the opening here:

~ * ~

Look at me, Raoul Zesiger willed Sirena Abbott.

He had to lean back in his chair to see her past the three men between them. He should have been looking at the judge, but he couldn’t take his eyes off Sirena.

She sat very still, face forward, her profile somber. Her absurdly long, gypsy lashes had stayed down-swept as his lawyer had risen to speak. She didn’t even flick a glance his direction when her own lawyer stood to plead that jail time was counter-productive since she needed to work to pay back the stolen funds.

Raoul’s lawyers had warned him this wouldn’t result in incarceration, but Raoul had pressed hard for it. He would see this treacherously innocent-looking woman, with her mouth pouted in grave tension and her thick brunette locks pulled into a deceptively respectful knot, go to jail for betraying him. For stealing.

His stepfather had been a thief. He had never expected to be taken advantage of again, especially by his reliable PA, a woman he’d come to see as someone he could trust to be there, always, but she had dipped her fingers into his personal account.

Then she had tried to manipulate him into going easy by being easy.

He didn’t want the flash of memory to strike. His ears were waiting for the judge to state that this would progress to a sentence, but his body prickled with heat as he recalled the feel of those plump lips softening under his. Her breasts, a lush handful, had smelled of summer. Her nipples were sun-warmed berries against his tongue, succulent and sweet.

The heart-shaped backside he’d watched too often as it retreated from his office had been both taut and smooth as he had lifted her skirt and peeled lace down. Thighs like powdered sugar, an enticing musky perfume between that pulled him to hard attention as he remembered how tight—almost virginal—she’d been. But so hot and welcoming.

Because she’d known her criminal act was about to come to light.

His gut clenched in a mixture of fury and unparalleled carnal hunger. For two years he’d managed to keep his desire contained, but now that he’d had her, all he could think about was having her again. He hated her for having such power over him. He could swear under oath that he’d never hurt a woman, but he wanted to crush Sirena Abbott.

Eradicate her. Destroy her.

The clap of a gavel snapped him back to the courtroom. It was empty save for the five of them behind two tables, both facing the judge. His lawyer gave Raoul a resigned that’s-how-it-goes tilt of his head and Raoul realized with sick disgust that the decision had gone in Sirena’s favor.

At the other table, partly obscured by her lawyer, Sirena’s spine softened in relief. Her wide eyes lifted to the heavens, shining with gratitude. Her lawyer thanked the judge and set a hand under Sirena’s elbow to help her rise, leaning in to say something to her.

Raoul felt a clench of possessiveness as he watched the solicitous middle-aged lawyer hover over her. He told himself it was anger, nothing else. He loathed being a victim again. She shouldn’t get away with a repayment plan of six hundred pounds a month. That wasn’t reparation. That was a joke.

Why wouldn’t she look at him? It was the least she could do: look him in the eye and acknowledge they both knew she was getting away with a crime. But she murmured something to her lawyer and left the man packing his briefcase as she circled to the aisle.

Her sexy curves were downplayed by one of her sleek jackets and pencil skirts, but she was still alluring as hell. Her step slowed as she came to the gate into the gallery.

Look at me, Raoul silently commanded again, holding his breath as she hesitated, sensing she was about to swing her gaze to his.

Her lips drained of color and her hand trembled where she outstretched it, trying to find the gate. She stared straight ahead, eyes blinking and blinking—

“She’s fainting!” He shoved past his two lawyers and toppled chairs to reach her even as her own lawyer turned and reacted. They caught her together.

Raoul hated the man anew for touching her as they both eased her to the floor. She was dead weight. He had to catch her head as it lolled. She hadn’t been this insubstantial the last time he’d held her. She hadn’t been fragile.

Raoul barked for first aid.

Someone appeared with oxygen in blessedly short time. He let himself be pushed back a half-step, but he couldn’t take his eyes off the way Sirena’s cheeks had gone hollow, her skin gray. Everything in him, breath, blood, thought, ground to a halt as he waited for a new verdict: that she would be okay.

It was his father all over again. The lack of response, the wild panic rising in him as he fought against helplessness and brutal reality. Was she breathing? She couldn’t be dead.

Open your eyes, Sirena.

Distantly he heard the attendant asking after pre-existing conditions and Raoul racked his brain. She wasn’t diabetic; had never taken medication that he’d seen. He reached for the phone he’d turned off while court was in session, intent on accessing her personnel file when he heard her lawyer answer in a low murmur.

“She’s pregnant.”

The words burst like shattered glass in his ears.

~ * ~

Like what you see?

This book is already available at: Mills & Boon UK and will be available at eHarlequin and Mills & Boon Aus soon.

You can also preorder here:

Amazon: US | Canada | UK | India | Germany | Brazil | Spain | Italy | Japan | Australia

And: Nook | Kobo | | ARe | BooksaMillion

Will you be in the Vancouver area mid-February? I’ll be at a signing event at the Vancouver Public Library. If you want to hear more about my writing and upcoming books, listen to my interview from Oct 17th with Bernadette Walsh at Nice Girls Reading Naughty Books. And please remember that I always draw for a signed copy of my new release from my newsletter subscribers. You can join by scrolling all the way to the bottom of this page and putting in your email address or click here. It’s that easy!

I’m posting this one early. The next one will come out on the 29th. If you’re celebrating this week, take care and enjoy.

The post #SampleSunday – A Debt Paid In Passion appeared first on Dani Collins.

Excuses Excuses

I know I owe a #SampleSunday. My big hangup is that even though I’ve purchased and installed Photoshop, I haven’t learned how to use this new version. I don’t have the graphic for the Presents & Modern cover mashed together.

Yes, I am totally serious that that is the big stumbling block I’m facing right at this second. I hate doing things second rate. Which you wouldn’t surmise from this chatty excuse for a blog post, but this is where I’m at.

Actually, here is where I’m really at: p.85 of 107 existing words on the book contracted to be in Dec 31st. Right now my total word count is 28335 out of the 50000+ that I need. Things are going well (not for H/h, but seriously, they’re not supposed to, right?) But for me, I’m making nice progress and I don’t want to stop to fiddle with Photoshop.

You should see this disaster I call an office, too. Not that it outwardly looks so bad. I’ve made pretty stacks of things, but those stacks kind of make me tear up, they’re each so loaded with stuff.

But as any writer will tell you, when the deadline looms, and the muse is with you, the only thing that matters is getting words on the page. (In this case, the screen.)

So I’m making that my priority right now. I’ve even neglected the banking. Shh, don’t tell MrC. I’m reasonably sure we’re in the black in the checking account, but *shrug*. This book needs writing!

I did manage to figure out how to use the Events tab that was installed weeks ago by my long-suffering website peeps. Thanks Seed! I’m really happy with the way it looks and will be even happier to see you if you’re able to make it to Vancouver in February. I’ll be promoting A Debt Paid In Passion which, you guessed it, is the book I should be promoting here, with an excerpt, but seriously, More Than A Convenient Marriage is still on the shelves. It seems like cheating on one alpha hero with another to start offering up Raoul while Gideon is still available.

Forgive me, too, for unplugging this week. I don’t have any blog tour stops so I’m taking advantage, dropping off Facebook and Twitter, sticking butt to chair, fingertips to keys, and plain ol’ writing.

Oh, and picking up my daughter and getting some necessary shopping done. I seriously hope Santa is real because at this point the pretend one is failing badly.

Have a great week. So long as I make good progress this week, I’ll be back in full form next Sunday. If I don’t, well, brace for more excuses.

Oh, in typical form, I’ll bury the headline and mention that Hustled To The Altar is on sale until the new year. $3.99 for the ebook. It goes up to $5.99 in January, so if you get an eReader for Christmas, be sure to grab Hustled sooner than later.

The post Excuses Excuses appeared first on Dani Collins.

Thursday Thirteen – Reviews So Far

A common exercise I was often encouraged to undertake along my journey to publication was to define ‘my’ reader. The idea is to hone in on your ideal audience, eg. A married woman in her thirties or forties, likely with grade school children, enjoys armchair travel… You’re supposed to picture this ideal person reading and loving your book.

It’s a way to visualize your eventual success, but a side benefit of that exercise was to reinforce for me that not everyone is ‘my’ reader. This was extremely helpful when coping with rejections and has served me in good stead as reviews rolled in.

I’ve been trolling my reviews since the release of More Than A Convenient Marriage? and this once again demonstrated to me that not every reader will enjoy every book they read or even every book by the same author. I’ve cut and pasted a few stand-out remarks below, not all of them flattering, so you can see what I mean. A lot of them are from my July book, Proof Of Their Sin, which has had the most exposure.

i couldn’t take it so i skip to the end. don’t get this book because you will be come mad like me at the main guy who is a jackass the whole book. – Proof Of Their Sin [Paolo seemed to get a lot of love him to death or hate him to death reactions.]
…for a first time novel, the grammar and vocabulary were awesome as well as the conversations. – Proof Of Their Sin [My mother-in-law doesn't own a computer so I didn't pay her to post this review (I don't pay anyone) but she gave me a similar compliment on this book. Wordsmiths, this one's for you.]
Loved this fantastic characters with real emotions. A must read, I couldn’t put it down, much to my family’s distress.. – No Longer Forbidden [This would be one of 'my' readers. Every author dreams of their book landing in the hands of someone who is transfixed to the point of neglecting their children. It's sick, but it's really awesome at the same time.]
Pick up this romantic comedy and be on the look out for it in the theaters. I would almost bet it will get picked up. – Hustled To The Altar [I've had a couple of real butt kicks on this book, along with some really stellar praise. I chose to include this quote as I want to reinforce to the Universe that this would be a really cool thing if it happened with this book. (Any of them, really, let's be honest.)]
I think this is the best Dani Collins book I’ve read, which is saying something! – More Than A Convenient Marriage [What I like most about this review is that it tells me this reader has read more than one of my books. Makes me tearful, I'm so awed and delighted.]
I have read Mills and Boon romances for 20+ years and I think this is one of the best so far. – More Than A Convenient Marriage [Okay, now I'm just bragging, but seriously, how nice is that?]
However, Dani Collins sure can write. She has a flow and a power that she doesn’t hesitate to employ. When she reaches the purple prose, she doesn’t hesitate at the brink but hurls herself over the edge with an abandon rarely seen these days. – Proof Of Their Sin, [I just love the image of myself hurling with abandon into the purple prose. It's probably like a ball pit of rose petals in a psychedelic range of hues...]
Usually takes me a bit to get into fantasy romances set in made-up worlds, but there’s some excellent storytelling in this one. – The Healer [I was so thrilled to see this review. Poor Athadia and Vaun have not had much attention, despite making the finals in the Epic eBook Awards.]
I’ve passed by this book for months when I looking for a good romance. I’m so glad I bought it, and gave it a chance. – Proof Of Their Sin [A testament to the powers of a cover, blurb, and central premise. Sometimes readers just have a meh reaction, or feel like they're being told to eat their cultural vegetables. I totally get that.]
BAHAHA, I’ll be honest the last few paragraphs bumped this up to a 3 star for me. – Proof Of Their Sin [The epilogue on this one has received some very nice praise. I remember finishing the manuscript and wondering if my editor would let me keep it , or tell me to cut it because it was too cute. They never said a word.]
“Top Pick! Brava to Collins’ commanding Presents debut, a prime example of the series with a bold, descriptive narrative that will keep pages turning.” – Proof Of Their Sin (RT Book Reviews) [Shameless bragging again, but they've chosen it as a Best First Book in Series. I can't NOT mention something that cool.]
I was waiting for this novel since I saw the summary by chance on goodreads, and it was worth waiting. – Proof Of Their Sin [Thank you Goodreads!]
After an excellent debut novel (No Longer Forbidden?) but a disappointing follow-up (Proof Of Their Sin) Ms Collins is back on form with her third book. – More Than A Convenient Marriage [See what I'm saying about readers responding differently even to books by the same author? Note that this is the same book that her meh reaction was to the same book that the professional reviewers loved.]

In closing, I should mention that I have actually identified ‘my’ reader. She contacted me off my website and introduced herself after reading Proof Of Their Sin. She sent away special for No Longer Forbidden, which was only available in the UK at the time. Her name is Dottie and she continues to send me lovely emails telling me how much she likes my writing. Here is what I received from her last:

I received my February presents and I had to start with your book…Loved the story and I feel that no matter what you write that story will be wonderful. You have another winner here Congratulations.

I sure hope you are working on another book? Added this one to my keeper shelf your truly gifted.

She’s referring to A Debt Paid In Passion, which I will shamelessly point out is available for pre-order here:

Amazon: US | Canada | UK | India | Germany | Brazil | Spain | Italy | Japan

And here: Nook | Kobo | | ARe | BooksaMillion

And very soon it will be available here: eHarlequin | Mills & Boon Aus | Mills & Boon UK

As a reader, what are your thoughts on reviews? Do they affect your decision to purchase? Which authors do you respond to most strongly?

The post Thursday Thirteen – Reviews So Far appeared first on Dani Collins.

Sunday Ramblings

We’re not always told when a book has been translated, so I was THRILLED to discover that More Than A Convenient Marriage is already in Portugese and available on Amazon Brazil under the title WEDDINGS AND PASSION. Here’s the cover:

Google translates the blurb thusly:

WEDDING MORE THAN CONVENIENT

Began with a contract.

Rich, powerful and married to a beautiful woman, the Greek tycoon

Gideon Vozaras has everything. The problem is that this perfect life is but a facade … Adara wants a fresh start, and asks for a divorce, but he is not at all willing to sign the papers. If there is something that Gideon learned in the past was playing dirty to preserve what is yours!

It’s a riot, isn’t it? Here’s the extra fun note: It’s paired with a book by Maya Blake and if you read last week’s blog, you’ll know she is one of my new favourite people, along with the equally awesome Victoria Parker, both of whom were recent collaborators with me.

I’ve been teasing about this continuity and will continue to tease. Gag order. Sorry.

I also promised last week to reveal more about the book I’m due to turn in end of this month/year and shall make good on that promise (as well as I can). I attended the online pow-wow with Harlequin Series Digital First and learned that the manuscript I turned in a while back is essentially waiting for this December book before they release together. (ahem) They are… wait for it, because anticipation that approaches torture is apropos for this genre… erotic romances. VERY sexy. I’ll talk more about how these books came to be once they’re scheduled.

In other news, my blog tour for More Than A Convenient Marriage continues this week. Look for me here:

Dec 9/13 – Heroes & Heartbreakers, Ode To The Convenient Marriage
Dec 9/13 – Romance University, Blog Tour Tips
Dec 10/13 – Romance Reviews Today, Author Interview
Dec 11/13 – eHarlequin Blog, Bucket List Moment
Dec 12/13 – The Other Side Of The Story, Being Okay With What We Can’t Control

Also watch for the eHarlequin Open House on Dec 10th. I’ll be working, but will pop in the morning of and definitely in the evening. Lots of authors will be offering giveaways, including me, so do come by.

After this week, I have a little break from the blog tour, then I start promoting my February title, A Debt Paid In Passion. I’m working on a book signing in Kelowna and have a date mid Feb to be at the Vancouver Public Library. Must put it in my Events page, but I’m still learning how to use that system.

Now I’ve just invited my parents for lunch and haven’t written word one on the WIP. Must get my act together. Oh, but first I’m going to schedule a #ThursdayThirteen post. I haven’t done one in a while, so come back for that if time allows.

Have a great week.

 

 

 

 

The post Sunday Ramblings appeared first on Dani Collins.

Official Launch – More Than A Convenient Marriage?

My blog tour continues! Visit these sites to learn more about me, my process, and More Than A Convenient Marriage?:

Dec 1/13 – LoveRomancePassion, Gideon’s Deep Dark Secret
Dec 2/13 – BookNKisses, Writing Within Genre
Dec 2/13 – Riverina Romantics, How It Feels To Be A Harlequin Author
Dec 3/13 – Addicted to Romance, How My Addiction To Romance Started
Dec 3/13 – Romance Junkies, Author Interview
Dec 9/13 – Heroes & Heartbreakers, Ode To The Convenient Marriage
Dec 9/13 – Romance University, Blog Tour Tips
Dec 10/13 – Romance Reviews Today, Author Interview
Dec 11/13 – eHarlequin Blog, Bucket List Moment
Dec 12/13 – The Other Side Of The Story, Being Okay With What We Can’t Control

Also watch for the eHarlequin Open House on Dec 10th. I’ll be working, but will pop in before I leave and definitely in the evening. Lots of authors will be offering giveaways, including me, so do mark it on your calendar.

If you’ve missed some of the previous dates on my tour, they’re here:

Oct 19/13 – Nice Girls Reading Naughty Books, Blogtalk Radio interview with Bernadette Walsh
Nov 15/13 – Eclectic Writer, How She Does It author interview with Janet Walters
Nov 20/13 – Potpourri Parlour, author interview with Chelle Cordero
Nov 19/13 – Savvy Author, article on Writing Around A Day Job
Nov 21/13 – Harlequin Junkies, author interview with excerpt and giveaway
Nov 22/13 – MangaManiac Cafe, author interview and giveaway (closes Nov 24th)
Nov 23/13 – Just Contemporary Romance, Location, Location, Location and giveaway (closes Nov 24th)

It seems a bit funny to make a splash about the official launch day of More Than A Convenient Marriage? when it’s been out for over a month. The Mills & Boon site has already moved on to offering their January titles and Amazon has been shipping it since the 19th of November. Bernadette Walsh of Nice Girls Reading Naughty Books saw it at Penn Station a good two weeks ago and I had another friend stop me in town the other day to say she had bought it while shopping across the line a few days ago.

I’m not even having a personal party with Champagne to celebrate. My son is at a surprise birthday party for his girlfriend so I have to be sober to drive when he needs picking up. My husband was called in for overtime tomorrow so he’ll be going to bed early to be up at 4am. At the moment he is no fun at all. We spent the day starting the junker and getting it off our lawn before the snow plows it in for the winter. In his words, “It’s using this last chance to tick me off.” (He didn’t say, ‘tick’.)

Such is the glamour of a modern writer’s book launch. Ironically, I bought a pair of champagne glasses today. MrC wants nice tequila glasses for Christmas and the online community agrees that you want a glass with a narrow rim to hold in the scent. Champagne glasses are ideal. Don’t worry. He never reads my blog. He STILL hasn’t accepted my Friend Request on Facebook.

I did watch Shag while I made supper, but I actually have too many deadlines to really goof off and enjoy myself. I just received revisions for a book I haven’t talked about yet. It’s a continuity with lovely fellow Presents authors Maya Blake and Victoria Parker. More on that as things develop, but I’ll tease you by saying it’s a very fun concept. It will be out in August.

I also have a book due by the end of the year. I promise, after Dec 3rd, I’ll tell you more about this pair of books. Right now I don’t have concrete details like when it will be published, title, cover… It’s all very new, which is exciting, but it means we all have to be patient. I’m not happy about the wait, either.

I just this second remembered that I need to send out my newsletter–at least it’s mostly written. I do need to choose a winner, however. (Done. Just hit random.org. Congratulations j.kitzmiller from VA.)

Okay, it’s nine p.m. and I still have to finalize my newsletter and do my stretches. Sheesh, I’m ready for bed! Would it look bad if I barged into a party of sixteen year olds and pulled my son out at nine because I’m tired? I’m sure he’d understand.

 

The post Official Launch – More Than A Convenient Marriage? appeared first on Dani Collins.

Playing Catch Up

This is what I’ve been doing rather than writing your #SampleSunday posts. Yes, you have a right to shake your head and tsk tsk me.

But no, I’m working. See my books? I was signing at a recent Champagne & Chocolate event held by our local art gallery. Quite a crush and loads of fun.

Besides, I think I was entitled to celebrate a little. That week I had learned that Proof Of Their Sin is a Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice nominee.

When I’m not swanning at high brow events, I’ve been writing guest posts for my blog tour for More Than A Convenient Marriage. I almost wish this was a #SampleSunday post. Tracking where I’ve been and where I’m going is a lot of work. This blog would be way easier to prepare if I only had to cut and paste a chunk of my manuscript into it.

However, a lot of my posts offer a bit more insight into my life, my process and the backstory of the characters and other inspirations, so you might be interested in chasing me around the internet. If so, here are the dates and links posted so far:

Oct 19/13 – Nice Girls Reading Naughty Books, Blogtalk Radio interview with Bernadette Walsh
Nov 15/13 – Eclectic Writer, How She Does It author interview with Janet Walters
Nov 20/13 – Potpourri Parlour, author interview with Chelle Cordero
Nov 19/13 – Savvy Author, article on Writing Around A Day Job
 Nov 21/13 – Harlequin Junkies, author interview with excerpt and giveaway
Nov 22/13 – MangaManiac Cafe, author interview and giveaway (closes Nov 24th)
Nov 23/13 – Just Contemporary Romance, Location, Location, Location and giveaway (closes Nov 24th)

I have a little break for the rest of this week to work on the book due end of December. Next weekend I’ll round up the December blog dates which will include an Open House chat at eHarlequin on December 10th. I have written seven of the ten posts due by December 12th. You see how there is no rest for those wicked enough to enjoy chocolate and champagne?

The final guest posts of the year will likely be devoted to A Debt Paid In Passion, my February book. You can start watching for excerpts from that one by late December. Meanwhile, if you haven’t read all the excerpts from More Than A Convenient Marriage, they’re here:

Gideon thinks Adara is cheating
Adara thinks Gideon is cheating
Adara thinks about divorce
Gideon thinks about Adara
Adara says they don’t talk
Gideon thinks he prefers it that way
Adara thinks there’s no hope

Please do visit my guest blog posts. I often giveaway a copy to those who comment. Or you can always sign up for my newsletter at the bottom of the page here. I also draw for a signed copy from among my subscribers. The newsletter only comes out when I have a new book so you won’t get spammed every week from me. Unless, of course, I learn to write very very fast.

Have a great week.

 

 

 

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#SampleSunday – More Than A Convenient Marriage?

This will be the last excerpt from More Than A Convenient Marriage? I have about a dozen blog tour posts to write over the next few weeks, all behind the scenes stuff about the book. I’ll post the links here so you can check them out.

This week I’m scheduled to visit:

Nov 21 – Harlequin Junkies
Nov 22 – MangaManiac
Nov 23/24 – JustContemporaryRomance

By mid-December you can start looking for #SampleSundays for A Debt Paid In Passion, my February Presents/Modern.

Meanwhile, let’s recap where we are with More Than A Convenient Marriage?:

Gideon thinks Adara is cheating
Adara thinks Gideon is cheating
Adara thinks about divorce
Gideon thinks about Adara
Adara says they don’t talk
Gideon thinks he prefers it that way

Let’s see what Adara thinks:

~ * ~

Another slicing glance repeated the obvious. We don’t talk.

His guts turned to water. No, they didn’t and because of that he’d let her down. If there was one thing his wife had never asked of Gideon, but that he’d regarded as his sacred duty, it was his responsibility to protect her. Adara was average height and kept herself toned and in good shape, but she was undeniably female. Her bones were smaller, her muscles not as thick as a man’s. She was preordained by nature to be vulnerable to a male’s greater strength. Given what had happened to his own mother, he’d lay down his life for any woman, especially one who depended on him.

“At any time since I’ve known you,” he forced himself to ask, “Did he—”

“No,” she answered bluntly, but her tone was tired. “I learned, Gideon.”

It wasn’t any sort of comfort.

How had he not seen this? He’d always assumed she was reserved because she was raised by strict parents. She was ambitious and focused on material gain because most immigrant families to America were. He was.

And compliant? Well, it was just her nature.

But no, it was because she had been abused.

He couldn’t help staring at her, reeling in disbelief. Not disbelieving she had been mistreated, but that he hadn’t known. What else did he not know about her, he wondered uneasily.

Adara forced herself to eat as though nothing was wrong, even though Gideon’s x-ray stare made her so nervous she felt like her bones were developing radiation blisters. Why had she told him? And why did it upset her that he knew what she’d taken such pains to hide from the entire world? She had nothing to be ashamed of. Her father’s abuse wasn’t her fault.

Sharing her past made her squirm all the same. It was such a dark secret. So close to the heart. Shameful because she had never taken action against her father, trying instead to do everything in her power to keep what remained of her family in tact. And she’d been so young.

Her eyebrows were trying to pull into a worried frown. She habitually noted the tension and concentrated on relaxing her facial muscles, hiding her turmoil. Taking a subtle breath, she begged the constriction in her throat to ease.

“He went by his father’s name,” she told Gideon, taking up the subject of her brother as the less volatile one and using it to distract his intense focus from her. “I found his blogs at one point, but since he had never tried to contact us I didn’t know if he’d want to hear from me. I couldn’t reach out anyway,” she dismissed with a shrug. “Not while my father was alive.” She had feared, quite genuinely, that he would kill her. “But as soon as Papa died, I started thinking about coming here.”

“But never told me.”

She flinched, always sensitive to censure.

Her reaction earned a short sigh.

~ * ~

The brother that Adara is looking for, Nic, is the hero in No Longer Forbidden?, the second title in December’s 2in1. I just sent in my line edits for the third book in this series, An Heir To Bind Them, which is scheduled for June 2014 and I’m working on the proposal for Adara’s youngest brother, Demitri. (He’s a rake!)

This book is already available at: eHarlequin | Mills & Boon Aus | Mills & Boon UK and will be available on Amazon this week. Order here:

Amazon: US | Canada | UK | India | Germany | Brazil | Spain | Italy | Japan

You can also get it on: Nook | Kobo | | ARe | BooksaMillion

If you want to hear more about my writing and upcoming books, listen to my interview from Oct 17th with Bernadette Walsh at Nice Girls Reading Naughty Books.

 

The post #SampleSunday – More Than A Convenient Marriage? appeared first on Dani Collins.

#SampleSunday – More Than A Convenient Marriage

I very nearly forgot to set up my post. I’ve had a wonderfully productive day and was about to knock off for the night and realized I was forgetting something. First I wanted to remind my Goodreads friends to enter my giveaway.

Goodreads Book Giveaway


More than a Convenient Marriage?
by Dani Collins

Giveaway ends November 15, 2013.

See the giveaway details

at Goodreads.

Enter to win

If you’re not a Goodreads member, you can sign up for my newsletter at the bottom of the page. I drawn from my subscriber list for a signed copy. I’ll also be starting my blog tour shortly and will be giving away at least one copy on a lot of those. Oh, and there’s an all day chat on the Harlequin forum… Lots of opportunities to win a book.

Or you could just buy one, lol!

Let’s recap where we are with the excerpts from More Than A Convenient Marriage?:

Gideon thinks Adara is cheating
Adara thinks Gideon is cheating
Adara thinks about divorce
Gideon thinks about Adara
Adara says they don’t talk (Gideon thinks he prefers it that way)

~ * ~

Their server arrived with their meals. Gideon asked for Adara’s wine to be changed out. With much bowing and apologies, a fresh glass was produced. Adara tried it and stated it was fine.

As the server walked away, Adara set down her glass with another grimace.

“Still no good?” Gideon tried it. It was fine, perhaps not as dry as she usually liked, but he asked, “Try again?”

“No. I feel foolish that you sent back the first one.”

That was so like her to not want to make a fuss, but he considered calling back the waiter all the same. Stating that they didn’t talk was an acknowledgment of an elephant. It was the first knock on a door he didn’t want opened.

At the same time, he wanted to know more about this supposed brother of hers. Sharing was a two-way street though and hypocrite that he was, he’d prefer backstory flow only one way. He glanced at the offending wine, ready to seize it as an excuse to keep things inconsequential between them.

And yet, as Adara picked up her fork and hovered it over her rice, she gave him an impression of being utterly without hope. Forlorn. The hairs rose all over his body as he picked up signals of sadness that he’d never caught an inkling of before.

“Do you want to talk about him?” he asked carefully.

She lifted her shoulder. “I’ve never been allowed to before so I don’t suppose one more day of silence matters.” It was her conciliatory tone, the one that put everything right and allowed them to move past the slightest hiccup in their marriage.

What marriage? She wanted a divorce, he reminded himself.

Instinct warned him this was dangerous ground, but he also sensed he’d never have another chance to understand if he didn’t seize this one. “Who wouldn’t let you talk about him?” he asked gruffly.

A swift glance gave him the answer. Her father, of course. He’d been a hard man of strong opinions and ancient views. His daughter could run a household, but her husband would control the hotels. Her share of the family fortune wasn’t hers to squander as her brothers might, but left in a trust doled out by tightly worded language, the bulk of the money to be held for her children. The male ones.

Gideon frowned, refusing to let himself be sidetracked by the painful subject of heirs.

“I assume this brother was the product of an affair? Something your father didn’t want to be reminded of?”

“He was my mother’s indiscretion.” Adara frowned at her plate, her voice very soft, her expression disturbingly young and bewildered. “He lived with us until he left for school.” She lifted anxious eyes, words pouring out of her in a rush like she’d held onto them for decades. “My aunt explained years later that my father didn’t know at first that Nico wasn’t his. When he found out, he had him sent to boarding school. It was awful. That’s all they’d tell me, that he’d gone to school. I knew I was starting the next year and I was terrified I’d be forgotten the same way.”

A stitch pulled in his chest. His childhood predisposed him to hate the thought of any child frightened by anything. He felt her confusion and fear at losing her brother mixed with the terror of not knowing what would happen to her own self. It made him nauseous.

Her expression eased into something poignant. “But then we saw him at my Aunt’s in Katarini over the summer. He was fine. He told me about his school and I couldn’t wait to go myself, to be away from the angry man my father had turned into, make new friends…” Her gaze faded to somewhere in the distance. “But I was sent to day school in New York and we only saw Nico a few more times after that. One day I asked if we would see him and my father—”

Gideon wouldn’t have known what she failed to say aloud if he hadn’t been watching her so intently, reading her lips because he could barely hear her. Her tongue touched the corner of her mouth where a hairline scar was sometimes visible between her morning shower and her daily application of makeup. She’d told him it had come from a childhood mishap.

A wrecking ball hit him in the middle of his chest. “He hit you?”

Her silence and embarrassed bite of her lip spoke volumes.

His torso felt like it split open and his teeth clenched so hard he thought they’d crack. His scalp prickled and his blood turned to battery acid.

“I didn’t ask again,” she said in her quick, sweep it under the rug way. “I didn’t let the boys say his name. I let it go. I learned to let a lot of things go.”

Like equal rights. Like bad decisions with the hotel chain that were only now being repaired after her father was dead. Like the fact that her brothers were still boys because they’d been raised by a child: her.

Gideon had seen the dysfunction, the alcoholic mother and the overbearing father, the youngest son who earned his father’s criticism, and the older children who hadn’t but received plenty of it anyway. Adara had always managed the volatile dynamics with equanimity so Gideon hadn’t tried to stir up change. If he had suspected physical abuse was the underbelly of it all…

His fist clenched. “You should have told me,” he said.

Another slicing glance repeated the obvious. We don’t talk.

~ * ~

If you haven’t read the first in this series, and you live in North America, you’re in luck! The brother that Adara is talking about above, Nic, is the hero in No Longer Forbidden?, the second title in this 2in1. I just sent in my line edits for the third book in this series, An Heir To Bind Them, which is scheduled for June 2014 and I’m working on the proposal for Adara’s youngest brother, Demitri. (He’s a rake!)

This book is already available at: eHarlequin | Mills & Boon Aus | Mills & Boon UK and will be available on Amazon in another week or so. Order here:

Amazon: US | Canada | UK | India | Germany | Brazil | Spain | Italy | Japan

You can also get it on: Nook | Kobo | | ARe | BooksaMillion

If you want to hear more about my writing and upcoming books, listen to my interview from Oct 17th with Bernadette Walsh at Nice Girls Reading Naughty Books.

The post #SampleSunday – More Than A Convenient Marriage appeared first on Dani Collins.

CLAAS Book signing

6:30 Nov 16th Christina Lake Living Arts Center, Champagne & Chocolate Event.

The post CLAAS Book signing appeared first on Dani Collins.