Roxy Wilson's Blog, page 13
September 17, 2013
Tia Kelly – Yours – #AuthorSpotlight – #BookSpotlight
Join me in welcoming Author Tia Kelly to my blog. Tia weaves some beautiful romance stories, but her novella, Give Me You, is my favorite. The hero, Donovan Sinclair, has many of the qualities that I’m attracted to in a man, so it’s hardly surprising that he’s one of the finalists in Roxy’s Top Ten Heroes for 2013.
Tia has agreed to share a piece of herself with us. We’ll get to know about how she balances her family life with her writing, and what’s her idea of the ideal romantic getaway. And can you guess which of her books she’d like to see made into a movie?
I’m sure you can hardly wait to see what’s in store for you, so let’s get started.
I’m delighted to have you here. Let’s start by telling us, who is Tia Kelly, and why did you decide to write?
Hi Roxy! It’s always so hard to describe myself. I guess I’m just a girl that loves being lost in my imagination. It was my love for reading and storytelling as a child that probably fueled my passion to write.
Do you write full-time?
I put enough hours in each week to qualify for full time employment, but no, it’s my “other” career.
How do you balance family life with your writing?
I have to be flexible, yet firm with my schedule and life. I also have to be honest with everyone around me. If I am in the final sprint of writing, I know I will be a madwoman for a couple of weeks. I tell those close to me to stay clear and they respect that. They know that when I tune out to write, I need to escape, but it does not mean that I am putting them on the back burner. When I am not in writing mode, or even during it while taking breaks, I give everyone my all.
What’s the funniest/best/worst pick up line ever used on you? Have you ever incorporated it into any of your books?
I’ve heard a few wild ones, but none come to mind right now. I’m sure when I hear a good one in the future, it will find its way in a novel.
What is your idea of the ideal romantic getaway?
My ideal romantic getaway involves tropical climate, plenty of crystal clear water, beautiful people & culture around me, and Dwayne Johnson feeding me fresh fruit while we watch the sun set.
Tell us something interesting about you not many people know.
I love cooking just as much as I love to write. (Oh and sports, especially baseball… but I think everyone knows that already. *smile*)
Have ever written a character that was bits and pieces of you? Who was it?
Paige, the heroine in my upcoming novel, Playing for Love, has elements of me. That is probably why it was difficult to tell her story, because I was looking at pieces of me while writing about her.
Which of your books would you like to be made into a movie?
The Love Sessions
If you could date any character from any book you’ve written, who would it be? Why?
I fell in love with Donovan Sinclair the minute I started typing his story in Give Me You. There was something about him that made me smile. He has a lot of the characteristics I love in a man. I loved his friendship with Mya and how he carried himself, even when he faced obstacles later in The Love Sessions that threatened to break him. I also fell for Eric West during his appearance in The Love Sessions (he was also in Love’s Rebound), because he showed beautiful, unconditional love for his wife. Javier Fernández from Yours was just fun, sexy and the kind of alpha male I would love to hook up with if I ever let my inhibitions go.
What advice would you give to new or aspiring authors who are thinking about self publishing?
Write to make one person happy – you. If you do that, then you will be successful. And don’t ever give up, no matter what.
What’s your favorite book you’ve written?
The Love Sessions
What do you want your readers to gain from reading one of your books?
I just want to entertain readers by hopefully drawing them into a character’s life in a way that makes them care about them. For each story, what I hope they walk away with is usually different. With The Love Sessions, I just wanted to show a love that can survive the test of time even after “happily ever after” appears at the end of what we’ve read. In Playing for Love (release date in September), I want readers to learn the power of forgiveness, even if they are the person they need to forgive.
Which author(s) would you consider your greatest influence? Why?
Way too many to name! As for romance, I love how Donna Hill and Rochelle Alers weave culture into their stories. Francis Ray brought us loyal families and friends. Brenda Jackson continues to share strong legacies. Then I appreciate the sass and fun of Adrianne Byrd, along with Ann Christopher’s smart, witty romances. Farrah Rochon taps into my love of sports and romance. Most recently, newer authors Nia Forrester has influenced me with the way she brings reality into her contemporary fiction, Delaney Diamond for taking me to beautiful locales with sexy leading men, and Candace Shaw for her romance series works.
Tell us about your latest book/series.
The Wilkersons in Love is my latest series and the first book, Playing for Love, will be this month (September 2013). Kenneth is a professional baseball player that is trying to clean up his image after one scandal too many. He meets Paige, a former socialite, who has a few blemishes of her own that she has to deal with. He only plays to win, even if he finds himself up against a woman that once vowed to never lose herself to love again. Playing for Love is the first novel in a four-part romance series.
What can readers expect from you for the rest of 2013?
The second title from The Wilkersons in Love series, Taste for Love, will be released in the Winter.
Blurb:
Yours – Teresa Clarke always lived by the rules… until tonight. Javier Fernández felt like a man against the world until Teresa invited him into hers. For this love affair… one night might not be long enough.
Excerpt:
Reaching out to stroke her cheek, he asked, “Nervous?”
She shook her head slowly and looked away, and then she noticeably swallowed. “A little.”
He studied her, knowing he was not dealing with a young woman, but someone that could easily be his equal. Yet their behavior scared her. The evening before, the liquor she drank removed her inhibitions. Now sober, she was aware of what they were about to do and it obviously troubled her.
Javier reached out to rub the back of her neck, letting his fingers move up through her thick hair. “Bésame.”
“What?” she asked, her breathless response excited him.
“Kiss me.” His command was strong, yet sultry. The contours of Javier’s sharp, angular jaw softened and inviting eyes confirmed his desire.
Javier bent down to kiss her, brushing her lips tenderly to reassure her. When Teresa did not relax, he repeated the gesture once more.
“Desde que te conocí no hago nada más que pensar en ti,” he muttered along the bend of her neck while placing a trail of sensual kisses on her skin. Teresa’s body moved closer to his, grinding against his growing erection as the words flowed out of his mouth. The melodic language he spoke seduced her.
“W-wh-what did you just say?”
Javier swiftly removed her blouse and ran both hands under the camisole she was left wearing. With his fingers touching the soft skin of her waist, he pulled back long enough to answer her.
Looking down into her heavy-lidded seductive eyes, he replied, “I can’t stop thinking about you. I want you, Teresa. Do you want me?”
Teresa nodded, briefly forgetting her fears. His fingertips grazing the underside of her breasts as Javier moved his hands beneath her bra reminded Teresa of why she was still nervous.
“What is it, querida?”
Teresa pulled away, moving her camisole down to cover her exposed skin. He watched her taking in the bright lights in the bathroom and the vast mirror catching every move they made.
Javier stepped forward, placing both of his long arms on either side of her entrapping her between his body and the vanity. Reassuring her, he looked into her eyes and said, “Te deseo.”
He expected Teresa to question his words, asking for another translation. Instead of telling her, Javier decided he was going to show her how much he wanted her.
Buy Links:
Backlist:
The Love Sessions series:
Love’s Rebound (a novella)
Give Me You (a novella)
Save Me From You (a novella)
The Love Sessions
o Yours (a novella)
o Wilkersons in Love series:
Playing for Love (September 2013)
Contact Information:
blog – http://www.tiawithapen.wordpress.com
website – http://www.tiawithapen.wordpress.com
Goodreads – http://www.goodreads.com/tiakelly
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/authortiakelly
Email: tiawithapen@gmail.com
Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: contemporary romance, interracial/multicultural romance
September 16, 2013
Bloggers and Authors Please Sign Up for My Cover Reveal and Release Party ~ #ASMSG
My first book release happened with very little fanfare. In fact there was none. I decided one night after joking with a friend to write Fifty Shades of Jungle Fever. After binge-writing for two months, then binge-editing for a couple of weeks, I went onto CreateSpace and self-published my first book.
Were it not for the vehicle called word-of-mouth, and the unwavering support of those who read and loved my book, I would not be about to publish the follow-up, …
Jamallah Bergman – Constant Surprises (The Wrong Numbers Series) – #AuthorInterview #BookSpotlight
Author Jamallah Bergman is a wonderful lady and a friend of mine. Therefore, it’s with great pleasure I have her here on my blog today. She’s written some wonderful stories, but my absolute favorite is If Only You Knew. She’s had a few releases this year including The Admission, The Biker Next Door, and her very latest bestseller, Renzo.
Today, Jamallah will tell us a few things about herself, as well as give a shout-out to a fellow author. Can you guess who s/he is?
So join me, folks, in welcoming this lovely lady.
Now let’s get started.
I’m delighted to have you here. Let’s start by telling us, who is Jamallah Bergman, and why did you decide to write?
Well Jamallah Bergman is a woman who has been through more than the average human being. I have to say that the main reason why I started writing was because I had a story to tell, something that came from the heart that had to be told and even though I tried and tried to no avail to get my 1st story out, it took a fellow author to help me get a step up and be able to get me to where I am right now and I am thankful for him for helping me out (want to again thank Mike Arsuaga for helping me) But I am also very silly and have a funny sense of humor, I always greet people with a hug, honestly everybody I meet, I hug them unless I know that they don’t want to be hug then I give them a handshake. But nine times out of ten I give them a hug cause that’s just how I am, everybody enjoys a hug and it’s a great experience to get a hug from someone, it makes you feel good and it brings you joy to get a hug from someone.
How do you balance family life with your writing?
Well my daughter is in high school, so while she’s in school that’s when I do my writing.
Tell us something interesting about you not many people know.
I am EXTREMELY shy. I know that sounds kind of funny for those that have met me in the flesh. But it takes me a while to get comfortable around people. And even though I do write romance, I have an even harder time with men. I think that even before I started writing Romance and especially erotica, some men think that what I write, I end up doing in real life. Well I am sorry to tell you but that is not the case with me.
Have ever written a character that was bits and pieces of you? Who was it?
I have to say that every single character that I write about has bits and pieces of me in it. Marley (from If…Only You Knew) was ALL ME because it dealt with a topic that I have ALWAYS had a problem with….letting that special someone know how much they mean to you without getting your own feelings hurt with the results. Brooke (from The Lady of Gladstone Manor) dealt with insecurities about appearance which was and still is something that I deal with today. Regina (from Special Kind of Woman) dealt with humiliation as well as shyness. I can go on but those three in particular hit a nerve with me while I was writing them. Like I said, whenever you read my books, every bit of those characters are a part of me.
Which of your books would you like to be made into a movie?
I would really love to see either If….Only You Knew or maybe The Admission to be made into a movie. Both are really great stories and I would love to see them made into a feature movie…or hell even put on Hallmark,lol.
If you could date any character from any book you’ve written, who would it be? Why?
I would have to say Roy from Constant Surprises. Something about a cowboy does something to me plus the fact that he’s a gentleman as well as a handsome cowboy is good enough for me.
What’s your favorite book or series you’ve written?
* By far I have to say that my favorite book has to be Sorry…Wrong Number. I swear to God I must have been crazy to write up something as crazy as what would happen when you get a wrong number call. Honestly when I started writing it, I kept saying WOW during the entire writing process. What happens between the two main characters, Marcie and Jonathan, is something that is completely unreal but absolutely HAWT!
Have you ever based your characters on real people?
In If…Only You Knew, my male character Richard was and is based on someone that I’ve known since childhood. He was a guy who meant the world to me as a friend. I honestly hated high school because I was often teased and bullied on a daily basis because of my weight and my shyness. But this guy, who I will only call by the initial “J”, treated me like an equal. He never made fun of me, he always made me laugh when he felt like I was down. I wanted to tell him my true feelings for him BUT I decided not to for fear of losing my friendship with him. I had always had a problem with letting men know that I cared about my true feelings for them because in the end, I was the one who got hurt and ended up losing their friendship over it. Well with “J”, I treasured our friendship up until he graduated from high school, since he was a year ahead of me. Well after years of thinking, I decided to write the story because honestly it’s a subject that plenty of people have had to deal with in their lives. As far as whether or not I ever told “J” how I felt, the answer to that is no. Even to this day he doesn’t really know that I wrote that story with him in mind. I said one of these days I would tell him when I felt the time is right.
Do you listen to music while you write? Are there any other rituals you do?
I listen to love songs from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. I have a playlist of songs on my computer and when I am either writing or editing I play it. I also must have my tea, whether it’s hot or cold, sitting right beside me when I am writing. It always seems to calm me and gets me right in the mood to write plus it helps with my sweet fix when I don’t have anything else sweet in my house.
Tell us about your latest book/series.
Well my latest book Constant Surprises which is Book 2 in the Wrong Number Series. It tells Roy story. Now for those who don’t know Roy, you must get Book 1, Sorry…Wrong Number to know all about Roy Fulton. Roy heads back home in Book 2, to live out his life on his farm in Herrington, Kansas, as well as to attend his high school reunion. This is where he meets with the woman that he had loved since childhood, Amie Brown. Amie was adopted by the Brown’s when she was a baby and being the only person of color in a predominately white town, made her life in Herrington a nightmare for most of the people shunned her because of the fact that not only was she half black but she was also half Japanese. None of the boys that she knew would go out with her because if they did, they would be ostracized by the community. But things have changed since the last time they saw each other and it makes for a great story.
What can readers expect from you for the rest of 2013?
Right now I am working on a series about the Cipriano brothers of Kellington Pennsylvania. Each brother will have their own story, which will consist of four books. The first book is called Renzo, who is the oldest brother. Book 2 will be Simone, Book 3 will be Gianni and Book 4 will be Federico. I really love how this series is going to go. The 1st book is right now in proofs so I am waiting to see when the actual date it will be out. Right now I’m working on edits for Simone and I can’t wait to tackle Gianni’s story. So it’s going pretty good.
Blurb:
Herington, Kansas has always been home for Roy Fulton since childhood and now he finally returns to stay as well as to attend his high school class reunion.
All Roy has ever wanted was to start a farm and a family with the one woman he loved. But there is only one problem with this dream…… the woman he has wanted all his life hasn’t been in it for years.
Herington was a place in Amie Brown’s past that she often wished to forget. Now a successful restaurateur in Atlanta, Amie heads home to a place where she was once scrutinized as well as subjected to ridicule by the townspeople.
All except for the one person who never judged her while growing up, the man who took her heart…..Roy Fulton. When Amie and Roy meet at long last, the sparks between the two are as hot as ever.
However, Amie soon lets Roy know that over the years, things have changed, things that she doesn’t know if he will accept or not.
Read on as Amie and Roy come to terms with the past as they make way for their future together.
Excerpt:
“I betcha can’t go higher than me!” shouted an eight-year-old Amie running over to the swing set.
Roy was right behind her, wearing a pair of Wrangler jeans, a blue shirt, and sneakers, even back when he was a kid he was adorable. “Nuh uh, I’m gonna go higher than you, Amie!” Soon they were both grabbing a swing next to each other. “Ready!”
“Set!” Amie said.
“Go!” Roy said.
They started swinging back and forth, something they did every day during recess. It was the only thing she could do to get close to him without having the teachers bugging her to stay away. Even as a little girl, adults would make assumptions about her and tried to keep her away from the other kids. But after her parents complained about the blatant racism to the principal, her teachers weren’t as open about it.
Pumping her little legs, she looked over watching Roy staring back at her. They kept their eyes on one another getting higher and higher. But something happened. Her seat started to buckle underneath her sending her sailing into the wind and landing hard in the sand. When she tried to stand up, the swing came back hitting her shoulder blade with a sickening smack, making her fall back down again with a scream.
“Amie!” he shouted. He jumped off the swing running over to where she lay on the ground. He helped her up. She was crying and spitting out mouthfuls of sand.
“My shoulder, ow…my shoulder hurts so bad, I want my mommy!” Amie cried.
“Ms. Mackenzie!”
Thankfully Amie had only suffered a big bruise on her upper back. Although it was bad enough for her to stay home from school for a couple of days. On the second day, she was at home in bed eating soup, a sandwich, and drinking some of her favorite apple juice.
“Amie, you got a visitor, sweetheart,” her father Richard said with a smile peering in from the hallway.
Soon she saw a big bouquet of flowers walking towards her with Roy holding them tightly together in his little hands. He took off his cowboy hat when he stood next to her bed looking every bit of nervousness. But when she smiled at him, the look of worry slowly melted away replaced with that sweet smile of his. “Are those for me?” she asked with a sparkle in her eyes.
“I thought I would bring them to you because it was my fault you got hurt.” He handed her the beautiful bouquet of assorted flowers. She held them close to her, taking in the sweet smell.
“It wasn’t your fault, Roy, it was my fault. I shouldn’t have tried to get up so high on that swing.”
He sat down on the side of the bed next to her. “No, it was my fault cause if I hadn’t kept telling you I would get higher than you on the swings, we wouldn’t have went and did it. I got so scared for you, Amie. Then you started crying, I got even more scared for you. When are you going to be back in school?”
“Probably at the end of the week,” said her father who was still standing at the doorway watching the two of them talking. “It was sweet of you to bring her flowers.”
He then asked, “Say, Roy, would you like something to eat?”
“No, sir, I’ve got to head on home my mom is out in the car. If it’s all right with you, Mr. Brown, can I come by on Saturday and sit with Amie?”
“Sure you can, son. I’ll come pick you up at noon,” Richard said.
Abby came into the room carrying a bottle of children’s liquid aspirin to help ease Amie’s aches. A smile came across her face when she saw the flowers. “Wow, you got flowers, wasn’t that sweet of Roy to bring you those today. Let me give you your medicine then I’ll go put these in a vase.” She poured a spoonful of the red liquid onto the teaspoon. Amie opened her mouth only to make a face while she swallowed. Taking a sip of juice, hoping the taste would go away didn’t help her much. She got up under her blanket to get comfortable.
Her mom asked, “Where do you want me to put them, sweetheart?”
“Over here on my nightstand so I can see them,” Amie said. She had never been happier in her life as she was at that moment. Soon the medicine was doing its job, and she fell asleep.
Her last thought before sleep overtook her was—she was in love with Roy Fulton.
Buy Links:
Secret Cravings Publishing
Amazon
B&N
ARe
Contact Information:
Twitter
My Interview Blog
My Personal Blog
Website
Goodreads
Facebook
My Romance Novel Center Profile
Kindlegraph
Author Bio:
Writer Jamallah Bergman was born in Jamaica Queens, New York. Although her family moved around a bit; from New York to Alabama to Georgia. Jamallah’s childhood was mostly spent in Roswell, Georgia.
At the age of twelve, Jamallah started writing scripts for her doll babies. As she got older, her inclination to write grew.
Soon after reading her first romance novel at fifteen; she became hooked on romance and deviated from writing her doll baby stories, to romantically inclined stories.
Her thirst to write eventually sent her from one out of the box experience to another. She eventually engaged her thoughts and writing into writing erotic stories.
As Jamallah’s interest as a reader grew, questions aroused her curiosity. Why were the heroines in the stories she loved so much, nothing like herself. She felt none of the women were full figured, or plump. To coin a phrase from the well-known comedienne Mo’Nique, like “Thick Madame”, a thick and curvy woman.
Often she became upset because she felt there should be stories out there about all types of women, including thick, beautiful women like herself. Why were there no stories about full figured women who got the handsome hunk? She would ask herself after reading another romance story where the beautiful main character was thin.
After researching and finding very few stories about curvy women, Jamallah thought it was time the romance readers market read more stories about full figured heroines.
She started to write stories where the full figured woman ‘ALWAYS’ got her man!
Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: contemporary romance, erotic romance, interracial romance, Secret Cravings Publishing
September 11, 2013
How to Support an Author’s New Book: 11 Ideas For You
Reblogged from Writers In The Storm Blog:
By Chuck Sambuchino
My Writer’s Digest coworker, Brian A. Klems, recently geared up for the release of his first book — a humorous guide for fathers called OH BOY, YOU’RE HAVING A GIRL: A DAD’S SURVIVAL GUIDE TO RAISING DAUGHTERS (Adams Media). On top of that, my coworker Robert Brewer (editor of Writer’s Market) recently got a publishing deal for a…
A PSA for Indie Authors
Reblogged from Michelle Stimpson.com:
Just met with a room full of mostly Christian authors who are still paying thousands of dollars to self-publish books and then have to order a thousand copies at $4 each or sell them through amazon for $15 because the "publisher" has to have their mark-up. I cannot say this enough: You DO NOT have to do that any more. What do you need to do?
This is very sound advice.
September 9, 2013
Author Interview, Book Spotlight & Giveaway – Laurel Cremant – Persuasion Skills – #BYNR – #bookspotlight – @ReadingRomance
I’m happy to have my guest, Author Laurel Cremant with me. She’s a relatively new writer, but has written stories which resonate with her readers. In fact, in my guest post entitled Roxy’s Top Ten Heroes for 2013 on Sarah Cass’s blog, Laurel’s hero, Jaxon Grey was the best schemer of all the heroes I’d read about this year. So, it should come as no surprise that Laurel will talk about her latest release, Persuasion Skills. She’ll also tell us more about herself, including three of her beauty secrets, which I fully endorse. 
What’s more, Laurel will tell us what’s her greatest learning experience as a writer.
And that’s not all. One lucky commenter will receive an Amazon Gift Card. The onus is on you, therefore, to show Laurel some love and keep those comments coming in. You might just be the Lucky Winner!
So, let’s get the ball rolling.
Laurel, I’m delighted to have you here. Can you tell us how you decided to become an author?
Every time I’m asked this question, I feel a bit cliché because my answer is always. I’ve wanted to write since the moment I learned to read and enjoy a good story. It took me years writing in secret and some gentle nudging from family for me to finally decide to take my secret hobby public, but I don’t regret a single moment of the journey.
Do you have any beauty secrets you wish to share with your fans?
Great sex, deep sleep and coconut oil. Trust me it’s the best beauty routine. Indulge in all three, or in varying combinations and you’ll always have a smooth glowing complexion.
Finish this sentence: I want to be remembered as…A great story teller. As a writer, you put a lot of yourself on the line and exposed to the public, when you decide to publish. So being remembered as a great story teller would be the ultimate accomplishment and compliment in my opinion.
Which authors inspire you the most?
The ones who take risks. I have so many favorite authors, so it would be impossible to pick or name just a few. However, all of my favorites tend to have risk taking in common. The authors who aren’t afraid to explore outside of their genre or sub-genre. Those who create characters outside of the norm or situations not always depicted in mainstream fiction.
What message(s) you wish to convey in your books?
Well speaking of risk taking…one of the reasons I love the romance genre is because every story involves taking one of life’s greatest risks—falling in love. So my fondest wish as a writer is to convey, how love and romance is worth that risk.
What is your greatest learning experience as a writer?
Edit is not a dirty word and EVERYONE needs a good one. When I first started out, I thought editing and editors would just dilute my story and I was absolutely wrong. Every story needs a good few rounds of edits, and editors don’t want to dilute or ruin your story, their goal is to make it the best it can be. As a writer, novice or pro, your number one goal is strive to produce the best story for your readers, so editing has become my best friend.
Tell us about your latest release?
Ah! I know this is cheesy to say, but I’m so excited about this book! I had so much fun bringing the characters of Pepper and Jax to life. Even at inception they were both so snarky and sweet I knew it would be a blast writing their story. Pepper and Jax are both best friends and business partners. However, one night they both let their defenses down and share a night of passion together. Afterwards, Pepper wants nothing more than to get their friendship back to the status quo, but Jax has other plans. He concocts a plan to lure Pepper to a secluded cabin and convince her that their friendship was meant to be so much more. I love writing smart, bold characters, and I have to admit that Jax is an interesting blend of schemer and romancer. I really hope readers enjoy his interesting brand of persuasion.
So you’ve finished this story. What can readers expect from you next? When?
I’m currently polishing up my next two stories. One is titled Acquisition Skills the next in my Boardroom Acts series. It’s contemporary romance and involves a software game developer as my heroine and an uptight financier as my hero. The other book is titled Cupcakes at Midnight and is the first in a paranormal romance series due out at the end of the year. I’m really excited about both because they’ve both caused me to stretch my writing skills and grow in different ways. Cupcakes will actually be my first full length novel so I’m really looking forward to its release.
Blurb:
In the aftermath of a major health scare, Pepper Holts makes the relief-inspired decision to seize the day. Unfortunately, most of her “seizing” involves a bit of merlot and her best friend’s pants! After a shared night of passion she realizes that her feelings for Jax are a lot more complicated than she ever thought.
Jax has finally realized that his allergy to marriage has nothing to do with the institution itself, and everything to do with the women in his bed—or more specifically, the one woman not in his bed. Her reaction to their one night together has him scrambling to regroup. So he does what he knows best—he disappears, and he thinks. The plan?—convince Pepper into staying with him at a secluded cabin for one week. One week of pretending to be a happily married couple to show her how great they could be together.
Excerpt:
If looks could kill. He chuckled softly.
He swung the axe one last time and planted the blade firmly in the chopping block before walking leisurely to the top of the drive and waiting.
It wasn’t hard to keep the smile on his face as his gaze caught hers and held. He could practically feel the waves of rage rolling off of her as she pulled the car to an abrupt stop only inches from where he stood.
He merely winked at her and gave a cheerful wave. God, he loved hunting rabbits.
She stared at him for a searing moment before climbing out of the tall vehicle and dragging out a medium-sized piece of luggage. She snapped up its telescoping handle and marched the few steps it took to stand in front of him.
He let his gaze wander over her frame, taking in the rapid rise and fall of her chest, the tight grip she had on the luggage handle, and the clenching and unclenching of her free hand. Yet the only thing that caused his smile to dim was the hurt mingled with the outrage on her lovely face.
He let his gaze drift back to her clenching fist for a moment before looking at her face again. Staring into her eyes, he let loose a loud sigh as he widened his stance and shoved his hands into his coat pockets.This is going to hurt.
“Go ahead. Do it. You know you want to.”
He let the taunt hang in the air, waiting for her to speak, react, do anything.
She stared at him for a few seconds before her eyes swelled with unshed tears.
The sight caused a small ache in his chest. Nothing ever hurt as much as seeing Pepper cry.
The thought barely registered in his mind before she pulled back her clenched fist and slammed it squarely on his jaw.
His head jerked to the side with a snap.
“Fuck!”
He let loose a few more choice expletives. Trust Pepper to have a killer right hook.
The stars in his eyes cleared just in time for him to watch her turn and stomp toward the porch steps and up to the front door of the cabin.
“Feel better now?” he called out to her retreating back.
Her answering response was a decisively unladylike hand gesture over her shoulder before she entered the cabin and slammed the door behind her.
He rubbed his jaw for a few seconds before turning and walking to the car door. Peering inside, he glimpsed the keys still dangling from the ignition.
Reaching inside, he pocketed the keys before popping the hood of the SUV open.
“Well, let the games begin,” he muttered to himself as he walked to the front of the car and reached under the hood.
He barely winced in pain as a smile spread across his face while he reached into the belly of the car and yanked out a bundle of wires.
BUY LINKS:
Amazon (US): http://www.amazon.com/Persuasion-Skills-Boardroom-Acts-ebook/dp/B00DSHXQWG
Amazon(UK): http://www.amazon.co.uk/Persuasion-Skills-Boardroom-Acts-ebook/dp/B00DSHXQWG
All Romance: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-persuasionskills-1228259-147.html
Bookstrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/persuasion-skills-mf
Evernight: http://www.evernightpublishing.com/persuasion-skills-by-laurel-cremant/
Backlist:
Negotiating Skills (August 2012)
Contact Information:
Twitter – @LaurelCremant (www.twitter.com/LaurelCremant)
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/LaurelCremantAuthor
Goodreads – http://www.goodreads.com/laurelcremant
Blog – http://www.laurelcremant.blogspot.com
Website – http://www.LaurelCremant.com
ABOUT LAUREL CREMANT
Laurel is a romance author, who like most writers loves to read. Her first love (pun intended) has always been romance. From the sappy YA romance novel to the more risqué erotica novels, Laurel is a sucker for a good love story.
Laurel writes paranormal and contemporary romance and is a self proclaimed, out of the closet nerd. She admits that she can’t seem to avoid adding a bit of “nerdology” or “geek-dom” to all of her books. Living in Miami, she also admits that she can’t seem to avoid giving her heroines gorgeous shoes, “In Miami, we worship everything strappy, open toed and just plain hot!”
Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: BDSM romance, contemporary romance, interracial romance
Author Interview, Book Spotlight & Amazon Gift Card – Laurel Cremant – Persuasion Skills – #BYNR – @IndieAuthorNews
I’m happy to have my guest, Author Laurel Cremant with me. She’s a relatively new writer, but has written stories which resonate with her readers. In fact, in my guest post entitled Roxy’s Top Ten Heroes for 2013 on Sarah Cass’s blog, Laurel’s hero, Jaxon Grey was the best schemer of all the heroes I’d read about this year. So, it should come as no surprise that Laurel will talk about her latest release, Persuasion Skills. She’ll also tell us more about herself, including three of her beauty secrets, which I fully endorse. What’s more, Laurel will tell us what’s her greatest learning experience as a writer.
And that’s not all. One lucky commenter will receive an Amazon Gift Card. The onus is on you, therefore, to show Laurel some love and keep those comments coming in. You might just be the Lucky Winner!
So, let’s get the ball rolling.
Laurel, I’m delighted to have you here. Can you tell us how you decided to become an author?
Every time I’m asked this question, I feel a bit cliché because my answer is always. I’ve wanted to write since the moment I learned to read and enjoy a good story. It took me years writing in secret and some gentle nudging from family for me to finally decide to take my secret hobby public, but I don’t regret a single moment of the journey.
Do you have any beauty secrets you wish to share with your fans?
Great sex, deep sleep and coconut oil. Trust me it’s the best beauty routine. Indulge in all three, or in varying combinations and you’ll always have a smooth glowing complexion.
Finish this sentence: I want to be remembered as…A great story teller. As a writer, you put a lot of yourself on the line and exposed to the public, when you decide to publish. So being remembered as a great story teller would be the ultimate accomplishment and compliment in my opinion.
Which authors inspire you the most?
The ones who take risks. I have so many favorite authors, so it would be impossible to pick or name just a few. However, all of my favorites tend to have risk taking in common. The authors who aren’t afraid to explore outside of their genre or sub-genre. Those who create characters outside of the norm or situations not always depicted in mainstream fiction.
What message(s) you wish to convey in your books?
Well speaking of risk taking…one of the reasons I love the romance genre is because every story involves taking one of life’s greatest risks—falling in love. So my fondest wish as a writer is to convey, how love and romance is worth that risk.
What is your greatest learning experience as a writer?
Edit is not a dirty word and EVERYONE needs a good one. When I first started out, I thought editing and editors would just dilute my story and I was absolutely wrong. Every story needs a good few rounds of edits, and editors don’t want to dilute or ruin your story, their goal is to make it the best it can be. As a writer, novice or pro, your number one goal is strive to produce the best story for your readers, so editing has become my best friend.
Tell us about your latest release?
Ah! I know this is cheesy to say, but I’m so excited about this book! I had so much fun bringing the characters of Pepper and Jax to life. Even at inception they were both so snarky and sweet I knew it would be a blast writing their story. Pepper and Jax are both best friends and business partners. However, one night they both let their defenses down and share a night of passion together. Afterwards, Pepper wants nothing more than to get their friendship back to the status quo, but Jax has other plans. He concocts a plan to lure Pepper to a secluded cabin and convince her that their friendship was meant to be so much more. I love writing smart, bold characters, and I have to admit that Jax is an interesting blend of schemer and romancer. I really hope readers enjoy his interesting brand of persuasion.
So you’ve finished this story. What can readers expect from you next? When?
I’m currently polishing up my next two stories. One is titled Acquisition Skills the next in my Boardroom Acts series. It’s contemporary romance and involves a software game developer as my heroine and an uptight financier as my hero. The other book is titled Cupcakes at Midnight and is the first in a paranormal romance series due out at the end of the year. I’m really excited about both because they’ve both caused me to stretch my writing skills and grow in different ways. Cupcakes will actually be my first full length novel so I’m really looking forward to its release.
Blurb:
In the aftermath of a major health scare, Pepper Holts makes the relief-inspired decision to seize the day. Unfortunately, most of her “seizing” involves a bit of merlot and her best friend’s pants! After a shared night of passion she realizes that her feelings for Jax are a lot more complicated than she ever thought.
Jax has finally realized that his allergy to marriage has nothing to do with the institution itself, and everything to do with the women in his bed—or more specifically, the one woman not in his bed. Her reaction to their one night together has him scrambling to regroup. So he does what he knows best—he disappears, and he thinks. The plan?—convince Pepper into staying with him at a secluded cabin for one week. One week of pretending to be a happily married couple to show her how great they could be together.
Excerpt:
If looks could kill. He chuckled softly.
He swung the axe one last time and planted the blade firmly in the chopping block before walking leisurely to the top of the drive and waiting.
It wasn’t hard to keep the smile on his face as his gaze caught hers and held. He could practically feel the waves of rage rolling off of her as she pulled the car to an abrupt stop only inches from where he stood.
He merely winked at her and gave a cheerful wave. God, he loved hunting rabbits.
She stared at him for a searing moment before climbing out of the tall vehicle and dragging out a medium-sized piece of luggage. She snapped up its telescoping handle and marched the few steps it took to stand in front of him.
He let his gaze wander over her frame, taking in the rapid rise and fall of her chest, the tight grip she had on the luggage handle, and the clenching and unclenching of her free hand. Yet the only thing that caused his smile to dim was the hurt mingled with the outrage on her lovely face.
He let his gaze drift back to her clenching fist for a moment before looking at her face again. Staring into her eyes, he let loose a loud sigh as he widened his stance and shoved his hands into his coat pockets.This is going to hurt.
“Go ahead. Do it. You know you want to.”
He let the taunt hang in the air, waiting for her to speak, react, do anything.
She stared at him for a few seconds before her eyes swelled with unshed tears.
The sight caused a small ache in his chest. Nothing ever hurt as much as seeing Pepper cry.
The thought barely registered in his mind before she pulled back her clenched fist and slammed it squarely on his jaw.
His head jerked to the side with a snap.
“Fuck!”
He let loose a few more choice expletives. Trust Pepper to have a killer right hook.
The stars in his eyes cleared just in time for him to watch her turn and stomp toward the porch steps and up to the front door of the cabin.
“Feel better now?” he called out to her retreating back.
Her answering response was a decisively unladylike hand gesture over her shoulder before she entered the cabin and slammed the door behind her.
He rubbed his jaw for a few seconds before turning and walking to the car door. Peering inside, he glimpsed the keys still dangling from the ignition.
Reaching inside, he pocketed the keys before popping the hood of the SUV open.
“Well, let the games begin,” he muttered to himself as he walked to the front of the car and reached under the hood.
He barely winced in pain as a smile spread across his face while he reached into the belly of the car and yanked out a bundle of wires.
BUY LINKS:
Amazon (US): http://www.amazon.com/Persuasion-Skills-Boardroom-Acts-ebook/dp/B00DSHXQWG
Amazon(UK): http://www.amazon.co.uk/Persuasion-Skills-Boardroom-Acts-ebook/dp/B00DSHXQWG
All Romance: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-persuasionskills-1228259-147.html
Bookstrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/persuasion-skills-mf
Evernight: http://www.evernightpublishing.com/persuasion-skills-by-laurel-cremant/
Backlist:
Negotiating Skills (August 2012)
Contact Information:
Twitter – @LaurelCremant (www.twitter.com/LaurelCremant)
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/LaurelCremantAuthor
Goodreads – http://www.goodreads.com/laurelcremant
Blog – http://www.laurelcremant.blogspot.com
Website – http://www.LaurelCremant.com
ABOUT LAUREL CREMANT
Laurel is a romance author, who like most writers loves to read. Her first love (pun intended) has always been romance. From the sappy YA romance novel to the more risqué erotica novels, Laurel is a sucker for a good love story.
Laurel writes paranormal and contemporary romance and is a self proclaimed, out of the closet nerd. She admits that she can’t seem to avoid adding a bit of “nerdology” or “geek-dom” to all of her books. Living in Miami, she also admits that she can’t seem to avoid giving her heroines gorgeous shoes, “In Miami, we worship everything strappy, open toed and just plain hot!”
Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: BDSM romance, contemporary romance, interracial romance
11 Tips How to Create Web Content Without Writing
Reblogged from Savvy Writers & e-Books online:
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I get this questions so often from new writers, book marketing clients or those who start a new blog or website for the first time: "What shall I write on my blog?" It surprises me always to hear this from authors, that have written 200 or 300-page manuscripts ...
Creating Content Without Writing A Word?
Is that possible? Well, a couple of words, headlines or introductions should be always there, along with links to other websites, photographers or resources.
There are some wonderful ideas right here.
September 7, 2013
Author & Book Spotlight – Isobelle Cate – Love In Her Dreams
Please, join me in welcoming fellow SCP author, Isobelle Cate, to my blog. Isobelle will tell us about a few of her favorite things as well as some of the challenges she has encountered as a writer. She’ll also share some juicy details about her debut novella, Love In Her Dreams, which was released a few weeks ago.
So, let’s get started.
Isobelle, I’m delighted to have you here. Can you tell us how you decided to become an author?
I’ve always loved to write since I was a teenager (eons ago!), but it always got placed in the back burner. Decades later, I’ve been given the opportunity to finally fulfill a lifelong dream.
In ten words or less, tell us how you would describe yourself.
Petite, wacky sense of humor, friendly, helpful
How are you able to balance your family life with your writing?
Oh gosh! This is a tough one because I work full time as well. I’m very blessed to have a wonderful family who supports me and my writing. That said, quality time is spent having meals together or going to the movies.
What challenges have you encountered/overcome as a writer so far?
Rejections. Boy have I had a lot! Erotic romance isn’t the only genre I’ve written in. It’s hard to do, but I made a conscious effort to take all rejections I receive in stride. Getting a rejection letter, I think, is part of the learning curve. After the initial disappointment, I tend to go back to the manuscript and see how it can be improved before I send it off again. I also keep telling myself that many authors have to go through this baptism of fire. Rejection toughens you and if you’re really dedicated to your craft then you will overcome whatever is thrown at you.
Do you have any rituals when writing?
Ahh…I set up my laptop in my writing cave, open the curtain to let the sun stream through, put on music – really depends on what I’m writing, and the most important of all coffee, coffee, coffee and loads of coffee.
Here’s an opportunity to tell us in a few words your favorite:
Author: Roxy, I have to list more of the authors is that’s okay? Cheeky, I know! But….pretty please? *batting eyelashes with woebegone eyes* (I’m laying it thick, aren’t I? )I love the work of lots of authors: Tina Folsom, Donna Grant, Holly J Gill, Sable Hunter, Gray Dixon, and Natasza Waters
Band/singer: Lady Antebellum
Movie/TV Show: Sherlock and Downton Abbey
Color: Amber and Blue
Season: Autumn
City: Manchester
Celebration/festival: Hogmany (Scottish New Year)
Drink: Single Malt Scotch Whiskey
Food: Anchovies pizza with garlic butter (I know, I’m weird in this aspect!
Quote: Love mercy, act justly, and walk humbly with your God
Sport: Swimming
Would you like to share some juicy details about your latest release?
Love in Her Dreams is a different kind of love story. Why don’t I let the book speak for itself with this excerpt?
“We’re not in your room,” she said with a puzzled frown.
He chuckled as he looked around. A sexy low rumble in his chest.
“No, we’re not. We’re in yours,” he said, settling between her legs.Tamsyn gasped as his hot rod nudged the top of her thigh then her belly, causing her channel to start weeping. “Am I not heavy?”
“No, you’re not,” she said, pupils dilated with her hunger. “I like it when you’re on top of me. It makes me feel—”
“Makes youfeel what?”
Tamsyn moaned and sighed as he nuzzled her neck, his stubble grazing her sensitive skin, exciting her more.
“Like I’m yours.”
He stopped then lifted his head.
Tamsyn would never tire of looking at him. His eyes made her melt every time he looked at her crinkled with laugh lines in a chiseled face. His eyes were the deepest blue she had ever seen, so blue they almost looked black. A firm and sensual mouth that wreaked havoc on her body lifted in a lopsided grin. Taut skin skimmed the elegant ridge of his cheekbones.
“You are mine.” His deep, sexy voice vibrated through her. Tamsyn’s breath hitched when more moisture pooled between her thighs and her pleasure nub throbbed in anticipation. She liked the way he said she was his.
He bent down again to lick and nip her bottom lip before running his tongue over and inside her mouth making her shiver with delight. Her right leg automatically lifted to caress his left hip. God! She ached for him to be inside her so much that her hips slowly lifted against his, telling him what she wanted. His rod was hard marble encased in skin so soft. Her hands splayed across the expanse of his chest, moving over his ribcage to run her palms up and down his muscled back. Her palms’ nerve endings delighted at the feel of the taut skin that seemed to heat up wherever she touched.
Tamsyn heard him hiss when one of her hands slowly followed the shape of his torso and down towards his strong butt. They locked eyes as she kneaded one taut cheek.
“What you do to me,” he ground out as he licked her earlobe, the sensitive spot at the back of her ear and tracing her ear with his tongue. Tamsyn sighed, eyes closed as she savored every erotic tingle that zinged up and down her body before adding to the pool between her legs. His hips bucked against hers slowly, sensually, making her know that his thick rod was as eager and impatiently looking forward to claiming her.
Tamsyn smiled as her hand and fingers made butterfly-like touches up toward his back.
“What do I do to you?” Tamsyn teased. She made small nips on his neck and pecs. Her tongue came out as she made a hot beeline to his nipple.
Instead of answering he swooped down to catch her mouth in a ravaging kiss. Their tongues mated, searing each other with their hunger, their teeth nibbled without restraint as though they hadn’t touched each other for a very long time when it had only been the night before he had made love to her in her dreams.
He forged a trail of hot kisses and licks to her shoulder. He nipped the strap of her tank top with his teeth while he removed the other strap with his hand. Soon her breasts were exposed to his dark gaze. Her eyes were half-lidded with anticipation.
He didn’t disappoint.
She took a sharp intake of breath, her head dipping back into the pillow when he cupped both breasts, kneading them and twirled his thumbs around the peaks but not the nubs. Tamsyn held his shoulders in her grip before she raised her head and took his mouth in another searing kiss. But he wrenched his mouth from hers and licked one nipple before suckling and swirling his tongue over and around it. Tamsyn moaned, her entire body burning with desire. He then took the other nipple and gave it the same loving attention.
He rolled the tank top down her body and unhooked her undies when he got to them. Cold air slammed into her heated flesh when his hands left to throw her clothes aside, but erotic warmth soon permeated her skin when he returned to cover her body with his own.
Tamsyn’s breath hitched so many times at the erogenous pleasure he gave her that she just had to do the same to him. When he rose above her after indulging her breasts, her hands lowered towards his shaft. He groaned as Tamsyn closed her eyes when her hands touched his hot, hard cock. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever held in all her life. She pushed him down on the bed and straddled him, eliciting a smile from him. He held her hips as he inserted a thigh in between her legs and raised it to meet her wet channel. Tamsyn moaned as a wave of pleasure gripped her.
“Rub against me,” he commanded her as he gripped her hips, making her gyrate against his muscled thigh. Tamsyn threw her head back as she gave in to the sensations his thigh was doing to her clit while she continued to move her hands up and down his thick shaft. But she wanted him in her mouth. She straightened to look at him before she slid down his leg to plant kisses and licks on his abdomen that twitched everywhere her mouth went. Then she was face to face with his cock. He hissed when she licked the underside then groaned when she took him into her mouth.
And here’s the blurb:
Alec and Tamsyn know they are meant to be together though they have never met. And yet their passion for each other consumes them when they dream.
Alec knows that Tamsyn is the woman for him, but finding her at the moment is an impossibility. Or is it?
After resigning from her job, Tamsyn takes a break in Scotland when she feels the presence of the man who haunts her dreams. He is tangibly near and in Edinburgh. The sex they have in her sleeping moments becomes more real. But how can she find him in the streets of Edinburgh when the only thing she remembers is his touch, his scent, his passion?
So you’ve finished this story. What can readers expect from you next? When?
I have another Contemporary Romance which I’m self-editing at the moment before I send it off to a publisher. I’ve also finished writing the manuscripts for two Paranormal Romance novels which a part of a series of about five to seven books. The manuscript of the first book is with the publisher and we’re hoping to get it out by September. Pretty excited about it!
Oh and I have a really short, short story for a magazine which is coming out in December. I’ll keep you posted.
Isobelle, I thoroughly enjoyed having you as my guest.
Thank you so much for having me guest in your blog, Roxy! It’s been a pleasure.
Buy Links:
Contact Information:
Twitter
blog
Facebook
Goodreads
Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: contemporary romance, erotic romance, Secret Cravings Publishing
September 6, 2013
#MySexySaturday – The Right Kind of Love (Loving A Morrison Series) -
Wow! It’s week 15 of My Sexy Saturday Blog Hop. And I have the pleasure of introducing you to my very new series, Loving A Morrison. The first story, the Right Kind of Love, is scheduled to be released in October (continue to watch this space for more details 
).
Yes, and there are many sexy elements in this story. Here are 7 paragraphs just for you (the sentences have not been edited, so please pardon me for any errors you may find). Can you tell me what is sexy about them?
My Sexy Excerpt:
“But you were wrong.”
Sloane looked at him in confusion. “Wrong about what?”
“You are far more beautiful than the ocean.”
Sloane chuckled. “You and your sweet talk.”
“Just stating the facts, babe.” Blake held her gaze with his own. “And speaking of sweet, I think I detected some of your dessert still stuck on your–”
“Oh gosh.” Sloane raised her fingers to the corner of her lips. They formed a silent O. Her eyes widened. Her hands trembled as she opened her clutch purse and delved into it, pushing aside her smartphone, driver’s license and credit card. “Darn it. Where’s the tissue when I need it?”
“Allow me.” Blake was tempted to dip his head and sample the sweet temptation for himself. To taste it straight from the source, her succulent lips. But instead, he slid his finger along her lips, then lifted it up to his mouth and tasted the chocolate icing. Ah, it was good.
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Click here to check out this week’s Sexy Saturday authors who are pleased to share 7 words, 7 sentences or 7 paragraphs – snippets from their latest works……
Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: contemporary romance, interracial romance, Loving A Morrison Series, sensual romance
