Lisa Chalmers's Blog, page 7
December 12, 2013
12 Days of Christmas: Nell Dixon
Please welcome my friend and author Nell Dixon to the blog today for the 5th day of Christmas to talk about her latest release, CHRISTMAS EVER AFTER.
Christmas Ever After is the story of Lottie and Rafe, a modern day Beauty and the Beast romance set in the wilds of Northumberland. Northumberland is located in the North of England. It’s wild and beautiful, the perfect setting for two troubled souls looking to hide away from the world.
I wanted to write a story with an unconventional hero. I think I’d read a glut of stories featuring handsome perfect men and wondered if I could take someone who wasn’t in that mould and have the heroine fall in love with him. I think Lottie did fall for rafe, I know I did and I’m hoping readers will too. Several people have already said he is their favourite hero from my stories so I hope I succeeded.
Here’s the blurb: Lady Charlotte ‘Lottie’ Bellhavan is dubbed the runaway bride after calling off her wedding on the eve of her marriage just a week before Christmas. Her best friend, Sophie has the perfect hideout for the beleaguered society belle, her childhood home, Tything Manor.
Lottie won’t be alone for Christmas at the isolated Northumbrian manor house, Sophie’s older brother, Ranulf, the reclusive Earl of Craigmore will be there too.
Rafe is aware his unconventional looks and retiring nature won’t win any beauty contests but with the magic of the Christmas season and some judicious matchmaking from the meddlesome Sophie it might just be Christmas Ever After for Lottie and Rafe…
And a small taster:
Once the door had safely closed behind him Lottie let out a long, shuddering breath. The next few weeks would be difficult. Rafe was even more taciturn than she remembered. Sometimes it was hard to believe he and Sophie were brother and sister.
Sophie had always been blonde and tiny with a natural warmth that drew people to her. Rafe, ten years older than his sister, was dark with craggy features and long, gangling limbs. He was as opposite to Sophie as it was possible to imagine, yet the ancestral portraits that lined the walls of Tything Manor proved his heredity.
The rumble of water through the ancient plumbing over head told her that Rafe was taking a shower. Buster, the dog, whimpered in his sleep and stretched his legs out further on the rug. Lottie sighed once more and wondered what she had got herself into this time.
Her mobile buzzed and chattered a little dance on the table surface. She wished she could turn the wretched thing off or throw it away but she needed to stay in contact with Sophie. Lottie risked a quick peep at the screen. Another text from Tom.
Her pulse speeded as she deleted it unread. Sophie had suggested blocking his number but Lottie knew that would let him know he was getting to her. He would only find a way around it anyway. It was better to simply delete and ignore.
© Nell Dixon 2013
http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Ever-...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-Eve...
For those who haven’t met me before my name is Nell Dixon and I’m a UK author based in the Black Country, a small region which is more or less dab bang in the middle of the UK. I write for a number of publishers in the US and the UK and have been fortunate enough to twice win the UK’s prestigious romance prize for category length fiction. You can find my website at http://www.nelldixon.com or talk to me on twitter @NellDixon or visit my facebook page http://www.facebook.com/nelldixonauthor
December 11, 2013
12 Days of Christmas: Draven St. James
What inspired this story?
Fire and Mistletoe was inspired by a desire to expand upon Grey’s Hidden Fire. The two main characters, Grey and Mica still had more of their story to tell. I really enjoyed being able to delve more deeply into not just their characters but also the others at Firehouse Six.
Any chance of a sequel or a spin-off with one of the other characters?
Actually, it is my intension to write a whole series from the Firehouse Six group of sexy men. The next one will be Simon’s story and then Taber’s. I really love writing books that have the potential to expand by having other character’s stories told. I think it helps the reader connect more fully to the characters themselves.
Do you have any writing rituals?
I write primarily at night and early in the mornings. So, my writing ritual always includes either coffee or tea. When I pause in my writing my hand naturally reaches out for my mug of steaming tasty goodness. It revives me. I prefer cloudy or stormy weather when I write.
If you get writer’s block, what do you do to snap yourself out of it?
I’m always working on multiple books. So when I get writer’s block I just switch over to a different WIP. It helps have a cast of characters to work with. One can never get bored when surrounded by so many stories in various states along the path to love.
What would readers be surprised to know about you?
Before dedicating myself to writing I performed psychological profiles for the criminal justice system. I worked with a great many sane and insane individuals. It was quite an eye opening experience. Then I went back to school and received a degree in English to go with my degree in Psychology and thought it was time to switch to a more uplifting career path.
If you could have a dinner party with six people, dead or alive, real or fictional, who would you invite and why?
There are too many to limit it to six. I’m afraid I’d just have to throw a huge party and invite all the authors and readers who make working in this field so fun and amazing.
What’s next for you?
The next big thing is my book coming out on Christmas Eve! Fire and Mistletoe is a continuation (although it can be read as a stand alone), of Grey’s Hidden Fire.
When Greyson Hayes envisions the perfect first Christmas with Mica Cruz he sees twisted sheets, a bottle of wine and a roaring fire. What he doesn’t see is a holiday spent with the uproarious Cruz family. Grey hasn’t taken part in a family Christmas since the death of his parents. Despite his misgivings, he can’t seem to form the word no when it comes to Mica.
Mica knows that Grey’s not a grinch. Hell, the man shares so much Christmas cheer during the holidays that he leaves no time to experience any for himself. Not this year. Mica plans to make a few changes, starting with a few wicked and whimsical gifts. He enlists the help of his co-workers at Firehouse Six. They band together and strive to provide Grey with the same joy he gives to everyone else–with five a.m. tree hunts, strategically placed mistletoe and Mica playing Santa’s not-so-little helper.
But while Mica is busy being nice, Grey has plenty of time to be naughty…
Excerpt:
For Mica, there was nothing better than starting the day watching Grey saunter shirtless around the kitchen, preparing him breakfast. Grey’s only clothes were a pair of sweats that hung so low on his hips Mica couldn’t help but be amazed they didn’t slide off. Hell, that was what he anticipated happening.
Such an event would truly be the beginning of a merry Christmas. Mica sat on a stool next to the island at the center of the room to continue his ogling.
“Stop objectifying me,” Grey said before looking over his shoulder and smiling.
“You like it,” Mica teased. The muscles of Grey’s back flexed each time he reached for a spice or stirred the eggs. His hair was wet from his shower and glistened with shades of gold and cinnamon in the overhead lighting.
“I may like it, but you need to eat, and then I have to work. If you’re lucky, when your double shift is over, I’ll entertain those dirty thoughts I know you’re having.”
“Oh, now that’s promising. How about we compromise for the moment? Drop your pants and bring on the food.” Mica leered comically at him. Grey’s face became an adorable shade of pink. He loved that even now Grey had his shy moments. There were so many things Grey did that made his life more complete, both at home and at work, because he was lucky enough to work and play with his lover. He’d met Grey when he’d made the best decision of his life and transferred over to Firehouse Six.
It also didn’t hurt that the man was a fantastic cook. He pivoted to stir the scrambled eggs, and Mica moved to stand behind him. With a deep inhale he breathed in the intoxicating, spicy scent that always clung to Grey, and nuzzled his face against Grey’s neck. He wrapped his arms around him, tracing his fingers along Grey’s abdomen before pulling Grey fully back against him.
“Are you sure you can’t fit me in before breakfast?” Mica whispered and nipped his ear playfully.
The vibrations from Grey’s moan resulted in an answering hardening of Mica’s cock.
“You are the worst tease,” Grey admonished.
“And you’re so damn practical.”
Grey shifted around in Mica’s arms and grinned. “That is one of the many things that you love about me.” He ran his fingers through the damp strands of Mica’s hair. “As it is, because of our shower time, I’m already going to be late.”
Mica trapped Grey against the counter and gave in to the temptation of Grey’s soft lips. Grey’s hands tightened in his hair and drew him away.
“Before you, I was always on time.”
“I exist to create fun chaos in your life.” Mica wiggled his eyebrows.
“I see evidence of the chaos,” Grey murmured with a pointed look. “Not just in my life either.”
“No, we settled this.” Mica framed Grey’s face with his hands. “You always work over the holidays. This year you’re mine.”
Grey sighed and looked to be gearing up for another long dialogue about how the guys depended on him to cover their shifts and how the holidays would be ruined if he didn’t.
Mica pressed his fingertip to Grey’s lips. “I want you with me for the holidays. My family will love you, and you’ll have fun.”
“Mica, I haven’t really enjoyed doing—”
“Babe, we discussed this, and I know it isn’t your first choice of Christmas options, but we will still be back to do all the volunteer activities. I promise.” Mica brushed his thumb over Grey’s lips before leaning in for a soft kiss. “Besides, if you’re good and do this for me, then maybe I’ll do something fun for you.”
“Is that right?”
“Of course, I don’t know how it will compare to the little surprises you have in store. I saw the bag this morning.” He pulled back to meet Grey’s twinkling amber gaze.
Grey shrugged. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he replied, his eyes wide with mock innocence. Any trace of annoyance seemed to vanish, and Mica hoped that was the last of it. Grey turned to finish scrambling the eggs that had begun to burn.
“I call bullshit. I saw what was in that bag. Looked like something from that adult store down the road,” Mica confessed. The store sold all things erotic, from videos to sex toys.
“Maybe it isn’t for you?” Grey countered.
“It had better be for me.” Mica jokingly glared at Grey.
“Have a smidgen of patience. Christmas is right around the corner.”
Mica stepped away from Grey and put his hands on his hips. Grey rotated to face him. The man was too attractive for his own good. Every time Mica saw Grey, all he could think was how lucky he was they had been brought together. Of course, all his cock could think about was how quickly they could find a flat surface.
“Fine, you win this time,” Mica said, eyes narrowed. “But I have high expectations for after my shift.”
“I’ll be surprised if you don’t just fall asleep on me.” Grey laughed.
Mica had to work a double, but not even that would keep him from slipping into bed with Grey and showing him how much he missed Grey on those long shifts. Ever since they had come out to the guys at work, they had tried to keep their interactions with each other professional. It was a little easier given they had all the time in the world to satisfy their frustrations outside of work.
“When have I ever done that?” Mica asked.
“There’s a first time for everything. Maybe I should take care of myself while you’re gone,” Grey threatened and slid his free hand down to rub his shaft through his pants, putting on a show for Mica.
“Now who’s the tease?” Mica walked off toward their bedroom to get dressed before breakfast, and briefly glanced over his shoulder. “Payback is a bitch, babe.”
“But so much fun.”
Links:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/draven.stjames
Blog: www.dravenstjames.wordpress.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/DravenStJames
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/dravenstjames
Email: Dravenstjames@gmail.com
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December 10, 2013
12 Days of Christmas with Caryn Moya Block
For our third day of the 12 Days of Christmas, please welcome Caryn Moya Block to the blog 
Christmas Lycan Style
By Caryn Moya Block
You would never guess how much research I do for my series, The Siberian Volkov Romance Series. Most would assume that since I write about “Werewolves” I could justify writing as much fantasy as I wished.
However, I want my world grounded in reality as much as possible. So when I decided to write “A Siberian Werewolf Christmas” I needed to research how Christmas is celebrated in Russia.
First of all Christmas in Russia is most widely celebrated on January 7, according to the Orthodox calendar. New Year’s Day, January 1st, precedes the Russian Christmas and is celebrated as a more important holiday. Being suppressed by the communist government for over seventy years, Christmas, like other religious festivals, did not have any special importance in Russia. Christmas was in fact replaced by the “Festival of Winter” in those times.
Ded Moroz is the Russian equivalent of our Santa Claus. The literal translation of the name would be “Old Man Frost”, although the name is often translated as “Father Frost” in light of the modern usage of “ded” to refer to a grandfather. Ded Moroz is said to bring presents to children, however, unlike the secretive Santa Claus, the gifts are often delivered “in person”, at New Year’s Eve Parties or New Year’s Day celebrations. He is normally accompanied by “Snegurochka” or “Snow Maiden” who is his granddaughter.
Also, according to legend, Baboushka, is an old woman who set out to visit Baby Jesus with some gifts, and still visits each house during Christmas leaving gifts for good children. Which one a family chooses as their tradition is unknown.
My Lycans are hidden away in Siberia and so I needed to research the regional differences. In the Sakha Republic “Chys Khan” is known as the master of cold, accompanied by the snow maiden “Khaarchana”.
Finally, there is the fact that Lycans, like the native peoples of the Sakha Republic, are Shamanic in how they view the world. So I included the pagan tradition of burning a “Yule Log” to the story.
I hope you enjoyed learning a little bit of the cultural differences that went into making “A Siberian Werewolf Christmas”. For your enjoyment, I also wrote a Lycan 12 Days of Christmas Carol. If you are familiar with my series, the lyrics will have a special meaning.
12 Days of Christmas Lycan Style
On the First day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: a mating bond attached to my heart.
On the Second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: two twin girls.
On the Third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: Three cozy dens.
On the Fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: Four Lada-Nivas.
On the Fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: Five Asena Blessings.
On the Sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: Six pack members mated.
On the Seventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: Seven young pups playing.
On the Eighth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: Eight English pack members.
On the Ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: Nine cakes of Pryaniki.
On the Tenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: Ten bowls of Kutya.
On the Eleventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: Eleven Pork Steaks.
On the Twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: Twelve Christmas Wishes.
Finally, to win a 12 days of Christmas Charm Bracelet, A paperback copy of “A Siberian Werewolf Christmas”, a wolf Christmas ornament and swag pack. Answer the following question: What is your favorite Christmas tradition and why?
A Siberian Werewolf Christmas
Margaret Brady knows she must be out of her mind to go to Siberia for Christmas. But her intuition won’t let her turn down the invitation of her best friend, Violet Volkov. When she meets the good looking Vyacheslav Putyatinov, she knows just what she wants for Christmas.
Vyacheslav “Slava” Putyatinov thinks any human woman coming to the Siberian Lycan village will be trouble. But one unmated could be a disaster. When he is put in charge of the American siren he finds trouble can lead to desire.
Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/ejxHxkowBiY
Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/siberian-werewolf-christmas/id744693804?mt=11&uo=4
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GFU6MWE
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Siberian-Werewolf-Christmas-Romance-ebook/dp/B00GFU6MWE
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-siberian-werewolf-christmas-caryn-moya-block/1117318101?ean=2940148875826&itm=1&usri=2940148875826
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/374608
About the Author:
Caryn Moya Block burst onto the paranormal romance scene with her debut e-book Alpha’s Mate in January of 2012. She was named one of the “Top 50 Indie Authors for April 2012” from E-Reader Reviews, and won the “Global E-book Awards for 2012” in contemporary romance. Caryn loves romantic movies and stories that end “Happily Ever After.” She is an avid reader and writer who currently resides in the Virginia Piedmont. Her pack consists of her husband of over thirty years, two grown sons, a beautiful daughter in law, and granddaughter, one cat, one turtle, and four Shetland Sheepdogs. She suffers from “Multiple Sheltie Syndrome”, because one is never enough. She has been intrigued with the paranormal since seeing her first ghost at three years of age. She would love to hear from you at CarynMoyaBlock@gmail.com
December 9, 2013
12 Days of Christmas: Alina Field
For our 2nd day of 12 days of Christmas, welcome Alina Field to the blog today
Christmas in Regency England
by Alina K. Field
Thank you, Lisa, for having me as your guest today.
In my Regency novella, Rosalyn’s Ring, the heroine sets off on a Christmas Eve journey to rescue a young woman. She encounters no Christmas trees dripping with ornaments, no Santa Clauses climbing down chimneys, no happy carolers singing outside villagers’ doors.
Wait, what happened to Christmas in Merry Olde Regency England?
Actually, how Christmas was celebrated in Regency England is a bit hard to pin down, but it probably was not a lavish observance. Christmas in England had probably not been extravagant for many decades, since the grand celebrations of the Tudors were crushed by Cromwell and the Puritans. In the spirit of Ebenezer Scrooge, the Puritan parliament in 1645 declared Christmas a working day. Countess Maria Hubert von Staufer reports in her A Thumb-Nail History of Christmas in England that even the making of Christmas pies could be grounds for arrest.
Still, some Christmas traditions survived the war on Christmas pies and plum pudding and would have been observed during the Regency period. Decorating with evergreen boughs, wassailing, acting out Christmas pantomimes, and singing carols, were very likely part of the holiday celebration, and much more prevalent in the country where families gathered for the Christmas season.
Traditionally, landholders returned to their estates for the holiday to open their homes and host celebrations for tenants and neighbors, a practice that dates back at least to the Elizabethan era. According to historian Mark Connelly, author of Christmas: A Social History, Elizabeth felt so strongly about the custom of Christmas hospitality that she ordered gentlemen to leave London and return to their country estates to observe the holiday. Like people all over the world, the English felt that Christmas was best celebrated at home with family, friends, and food.
My heroine Rosalyn, learns the truth of this when she unexpectedly lands in the lost home of her childhood and finds her own Christmas miracle.
Rosalyn’s Ring
By Alina K. Field
With her true inheritance lost, Rosalyn Montagu has reluctantly fallen into her elderly cousin’s tidy London life of do-gooder spinster. When a young woman from the district of Rosalyn’s childhood is put up for auction in a wife sale, Rosalyn seizes the chance to rescue her—and to recover a treasured family heirloom, her father’s signet ring, purloined by the woman’s innkeeper husband.
Intent on liberating the young wife with the money she has scraped together, Rosalyn braves a precarious Christmas Eve coach ride in the company of a mysterious nobleman. She soon finds she is not the only determined buyer attending the sale. Her rakish opponent not only succeeds in thwarting her purchase; he reveals himself as the man who took everything that should have been hers. Everything, that is, but her father’s ring, which she manages to recover before being tossed out of the inn into the snowy night.
The newly anointed Viscount Cathmore has accepted there is no way to avoid living his father’s dream of accession to a social class he disdains, but he has drawn the line at marrying a blue-blooded miss. Then he meets Rosalyn, a provoking beauty with an upper crust manner, a larcenous streak, and enough secrets to rouse even his jaded heart, including the truth of her identity—she is the woman whose home and inheritance he has usurped. But more mysteries swirl around Rosalyn’s lost inheritance, and Cathmore is just the man to help her uncover the truth.
Rosalyn’s Ring was released 7/24/13 by Soul Mate Publishing, and is available at Amazon.
Author’s Bio:
Alina K. Field earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and German literature, but she found her true passion in reading and writing romance. Though her roots are in the Midwest, after six very, very, very cold years in Chicago, she moved to Southern California and hasn’t looked back. She shares a midcentury home with her husband and a blue-eyed cat who conned his way in for dinner one day and decided the food was too good to leave. Visit her at AlinaKField.com.
December 8, 2013
12 Days of Christmas: Vijaya
A DESPERADO FOR CHRISTMAS
By Vijaya Schartz
99cts all formats, everywhere eBooks are sold.
Not just another busy night on the Arizona border.
Rookie Border Patrol Agent Kaitlin Harrington hates Christmas and all men, since her lover jilted her and she lost her unborn child on Christmas Eve. This year, as she guards the Mexican border in southern Arizona, she encounters more than she can handle. No amount of training prepared her to arrest the gorgeous desperado who challenges her. His name is Miguel, a human smuggler fascinated by the green eyes of the feisty auburn-haired beauty bent on impeding his important work. But Miguel is a man of many secrets. And on this dangerous adventure through the Arizona desert, anything can and will happen.
“…a romantic adventure from beginning to end. Brimming with twists, secret identities and danger on every page, this is a page turner that will entertain any reader. I will be interested in checking out additional titles by this author.” Joyfully Reviewed
Blasters, Swords, Romance with a Kick http://www.vijayaschartz.com
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/vijayaschartz
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/vijaya-schartz
FB: https://www.facebook.com/vijaya.schartz
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Vijayaschartz
December 4, 2013
Interview and Excerpt with Jan Meredith
Please welcome author Jan Meredith to the blog today for an interview and an excerpt of PLAYING DOCTOR.
What inspired this story? Honestly? Gabe was a secondary character (who would eventually get his own story) in the book I’m working to finish now. I stumbled upon an Editor’s Pitch contest Harlequin Mills & Boon was doing for their Medical Romance line. All they required to enter was a two paragraph back of the cover blurb. As I planned to do his story anyway, I wrote the blurb and entered it in the contest, never guessing that I would be one of the six chosen to pitch the book to the editor of the medical imprint. In the end, I was asked to submit the first three chapters, which weren’t even written. The end result was an awesome two-page feedback letter from the editor, and one of the most encouraging rejections anyone could hope for, along with an invitation to submit something else. Unfortunately, Gabe and Beth wanted their story told, so I took her advice, revised and submitted to Entangled. Heather Howland asked for the full and the rest is history.
Do you have a favorite scene or character from the book? As a nurse, my favorite scene is when they do CPR on a wedding guest. We never get to say what Gabe says to a patient, no matter how much we’d like to. J As a woman, I’d have to say their second love scene. *sighs*
Any chance of a sequel or a spin-off with one of the other characters? I’m currently working on the story for the secondary characters, Ian Montgomery and Eve Winters, titled, EDUCATING EVE, a friends to lovers story. Here’s a peek at the blurb: All Ian Montgomery, Navy SEAL, wants is to get through his brother’s wedding and enjoy the peace and quiet of home while his injuries heal. The last thing he needs is his pain in the ass childhood friend invading his space while her home is undergoing repairs for water damage. As kids, she was the annoying little sister he’d never had, constantly begging him to “show me how.” But little Eve has grown up, and rather nicely, too, and her latest request for his tutoring services are anything but childish.
Write what you know. Easy enough, but Eve Winters, bestselling author of erotic romance has a ghost writer penning those blazing love scenes. Her past relationships have been less than satisfying, leaving her wondering what all the fuss is about. How’s a girl supposed to write something she’s clueless about? What she needs is a lesson on the smexy, and there’s only one man she trusts enough to do the job.
Who would your ideal cast be if a movie was made of PLAYING DOCTOR? The muse for Dr. Gabriel North began as Dustin Clare who played the gladiator, Gannicus, in the STARZ original series, Spartacus: Gods of the Arena. As the story evolved, so did his character, and I began to see Chris Hemsworth step into the light. As for Beth, she’s always been a combination of Sandra Bullock and Mila Kunis.
If your book had a soundtrack, what kind of songs would be on it? Funny you should ask. Beth is a big Jace Everett fan, and two of his songs are mentioned in the book: Bad Things, and Damned if I Do. Now that I think about it, there are several songs in the book, as they’re at a wedding. AC/DC—You Shook Me All Night Long, The Stones—Start Me UP, Chicken Dance, Percy Sledge–When A Man Loves A Woman. And although it itsn’t mentioned in the book, Alex Clare’s, Too Close played a major part in the black moment in the book. I was struggling with how Beth would say what had to be said, and driving to work one morning, the song came on the radio, and BAM, I had what I needed for the scene. I love when that happens.
Do you have any writing rituals? It is a must that I play at least one round of Bejeweled per writing session.
What do you like best about being a writer? The freedom to create.
What is your writing process like? Now that I have struggled through my first book as a pantser who finally wrote the synopsis as an afterthought, I take what I learned from doing NaNo Smackdown with Entangled Publishing last year. I do a character profile on the main and secondary characters, first thing. The second thing: What does the character want? How do they plan to get it? What’s standing in their way? What is it going to take or what are they going to do to resolve it? Then I map out the main scenes related to those questions. The other scenes that lead them to each of the main plot points are added as the story evolves.
If you get writer’s block, what do you do to snap yourself out of it? I bring up all the photos in the muse file for the story, which trigger a new scene waiting to be written. I write in a patch-work style—working on whatever scene is upper most in my head at the time, then arrange them accordingly and layer in what needs to be added.
What does your writing space look like? At the moment, my writing space is a commandeered corner of my bedroom. I would love a private space with floor-to-ceiling book shelves along one wall, my desk with all the stuff I don’t need on it, a comfy loveseat and my flat screen. And as I write this, several other things come to mind, reminding me of Steve Martin’s character in The Jerk as he gathers up all his stuff, saying, “…and that’s all I need.” I love that movie J
What’s one thing that’s always on your desk? A couple of note books, way too many ink pens, and a glass of water.
What would readers be surprised to know about you? That Beth’s car is actually the one my husband drove when we got married, and her key ring is one I used to carry. It was actually hanging out of my pocket at Wal-Mart one day, and people kept looking in that direction strangely. I thought I had spilled something on me, so when I looked down, I was shocked (and then highly amused) to see the tag on the key ring hanging out of my pocket. It read, “My foot and your ass need to meet.” Which was why the Amish couple frowned so darkly at me, I suppose.
What was the last book to be added to your keeper shelf? STYXX, by Sherrilyn Kenyon.
Do you organize your TBR pile? No. I read whatever I’m in the mood for.
*What’s next for you? Besides EDUCATING EVE, I have another friends to lovers story, titled, TAKING CHARGE in the works, as well as an erotic romance about a hunky carpenter and his next door neighbor.
Blurb:
When a fellow RN jokingly predicts that Beth Roberts will meet a tall, ripped and totally lick-o-licious stranger who will fulfill her deepest desires, it’s supposed to be from across a crowded room, not giving CPR to a wedding guest. Given her tragic love life, Beth has no desire to become involved again, but who could have predicted the ponytailed doctor with the mischievous smile would break through her defenses?
Dr. Gabriel North blamed himself for his wife’s death. Now, after two years of battling guilt and meaningless hookups, he’s ready to move on. When he sees the sexy brunette at his friend’s wedding, his attraction is swift and strong, and he wastes no time in pressing his advantage. One night with the woman who makes him feel alive again isn’t enough, but gaining her trust is going to take more than medical school has prepared him for.
Exerpt:
“Thank you for the drink.” She picked up the glass, took a cautious sip.
“Water and lemon. I didn’t know your preference, and it seemed the safest choice.”
Beth watched as he lifted his glass to his mouth and drank deeply. She swallowed as if the cool liquid was sluicing down her own suddenly parched throat and wondered how the simple act of water sliding past his lips could appear so erotic. And the way he licked it from his lips—not a regular old dart-and-swish, mind you, but a leisurely swipe of his tongue, and she could almost feel the rasp of it along the seam of her…
Heat, dark and rich, infused her sex. She shifted in her chair and tipped her hips down in an attempt to relieve the ache building there, only to find it heightened the sensation.
“It’s not very comfortable, is it?”
Blinking, Beth watched Gabe’s mouth curl into a slight smile. When she looked up, a glint of amused hunger brightened his eyes.
He knows. He knows what he’s doing to me. How freaking embarrassing! And how incredibly hot.
She cleared her throat. “I’m sorry?” Was that her voice, all breathy and sultry?
He paused, studied her for a moment, and then said, “The chair…it’s not very comfortable.”
Relief washed over her, quickly followed by a touch of disappointment. Had she misread him? “No, no it isn’t.” To prove it, Beth shifted again and crossed her legs. She groaned inwardly when the change of position rubbed her thighs and the needy territory between them together, intensifying her little problem.
“Sometimes,” Gabe started thoughtfully, turning his glass in small half circles on the tabletop and drawing her attention there. His broad thumb streaked the condensation on the glass and then paused to slowly circle one small area. Beth scrunched down a little and squeezed her thighs together. “Sometimes, you have to find just the right…spot.”
Clench!
“Yes, well,” Beth clamped her fingers around her glass. Her toes curled inside her shoes. She shifted slightly, dragging her gaze up from the motion of his thumb on the glass. Warm, observant eyes looked back at her, full of promise and possibilities. Well. Maybe she hadn’t misread him after all. “Fortunately, I won’t be sitting on it for long.”
“Fortunately,” he agreed solemnly.
Bio:
Jan Meredith has been a romance junkie since her teens. When she isn’t penning steamy stories about strong-willed, independent women and the sexy men who love them, she works as an Infusion Therapy nurse. She lives near Mammoth Cave, KY with her husband (and former high school sweet heart) Tommy.
You can learn more about her at her web site: http://www.janmeredithauthor.com
Follow her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jan.meredith.121
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JanMeredith21
Buy Links:
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/playing-doctor-jan-meredith/1117313837?ean=9781622664078
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December 3, 2013
Interview and excerpt with Gemma Brocato
Please welcome author Gemma Brocato to the blog today with an interview and an excerpt of COOKING UP LOVE.
What inspired this story?
I wanted to created a series based on the five senses, starting with the sense of taste. I love to cook so it was a natural to create a world around someone who shared my passion. My heroine’s boss started whispering in my ear about Jemima George, and what an awesome chef she was. I just had to steal Jem away. I’m also a bit of a fanatic about recycling and saving the environment, so I factored that into the story, too.
Do you have a favorite scene or character from the book?
I loved writing the scene where Jack takes Jem along with his twin niece and nephew to a hockey game. They were so easy to write and so darned precocious. Adding Jem’s emotions and desires into the scene was fun, since she tried to hide her flirtatious behavior toward Jack from them. The half-pints stole the show for that scene.
If your heroine had a theme song what would it be?
Jem’s favorite song is Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds. In fact, it came up in one particularly tense moment.
Which character is most like you or unlike you?
Jem’s friend Resa is most like me in temperament. She’s funny and encouraging and very loyal.
Any chance of a sequel or a spin-off with one of the other characters?
Absolutely. The next book in the Five Senses Series, Hearts In Harmony will be out in May, 2014. It’s the story of Jack’s sister, Pippa. I’m two-thirds of the way through Sam Kerrigan’s story for the third book, Light and Shadow.
What do you like best about being a writer?
I get to wear my pajamas to work. And, no one can tell me my story is wrong. Because it’s my story
What is your writing process like?
I’m a pantser, so I just sit and write until I’ve finished with the words for the day. Because I know new ones will be there tomorrow. But I do outline and do a paragraph for each chapter.
If you get writer’s block, what do you do to snap yourself out of it?
I just wrote an article about writer’s block and how to bust through it. I try to vary my routine, or hit the gym. I’ve moved my laptop to another part of the house, hoping a new location will clear my brain. If I have a particularly bad case of it, I pull out a deck of Tarot cards, pick three and read the description for the card. I would never have thought that would work, but it helps every time.
What’s one thing that’s always on your desk?
A scented candle. Right now, it’s Autumn Leaves, but I’m about to switch to Chestnut and Clove, a great winter scent.
What would readers be surprised to know about you?
I start listening to Christmas music in July. Not the traditional stuff, but old Celtic melodies. I spent too many years marketing shopping malls I guess.
What was the last book to be added to your keeper shelf?
Suzanne Brockmann’s Breaking The Rules.
Do you organize your TBR pile?
Not really. The list is way too big
What’s next for you?
Hearts In Harmony will be released this spring and I have the next three in the series mapped out. Then I’m going to start on a new series based in wine country. I’m looking forward to that research.
Excerpt
His sexy baritone voice breezed up her spine and her breath stuttered as his warm hand wrapped around hers.
Oh, no. She was in trouble. Standing this close to him, he even smelled like a hot guy, fresh, outdoorsy, a hint of distinctive male. He had great hands. Narrow wrists, long, elegant fingers, calloused enough, making her imagine how they’d rasp as they trailed along her flesh. She had always been a sucker for a long-fingered man.
Time to put the brakes on those ideas. His gaze roved over her body, not hiding the fact that he was checking her out. Heat bloomed in her cheeks and she mentally shook her head to clear the fireworks going off in her imagination when she caught sight of deep dimples bracketing either side of his full, smiling lips and even white teeth. Oh good Lord, why’d he have to have dimples?
When his gaze made the journey back to hers, she looked pointedly at her hand, still clasped in his. His look was almost apologetic as he released his grip.
Bio
Gemma’s favorite desk accessories for many years were a circular wooden token, better known as a ’round tuit,’ and a fortune from a fortune cookie proclaiming her a lover of words; some day she’d write a book. All it took was a transfer to the United Kingdom, the lovely English springtime, and a huge dose of homesickness to write her first novel. Once it was completed and sent off with a kiss even the rejections, addressed to ‘Dear Author’, were gratifying.
After returning to America, she spent a number of years as a copywriter, dedicating her skills to making insurance and the agents who sell them sound sexy. Eventually, her full-time job as a writer interfered with her desire to be a writer full-time and she left the world of financial products behind to pursue an avocation as a romance author.
Her gamble paid off when she was a 2012 Finalist in the prestigious Golden Pen contest for Romantic Suspense and she received contracts for her first and second book.
Connect with Gemma on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/gemma.brocato, Twitter, @gemmabrocato or on the web at www.Gemmabrocato.com
Buy Links
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Cooking-Up-Love-Gemma-Brocato-ebook/dp/B00G36CD0K/
Kobo http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/cooking-up-love-3
Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cooking-up-love-gemma-brocato/1117213296
iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/cooking-up-love/id688219548?mt=11
November 28, 2013
Hot Autumn Nights Blog Hop
Hi everyone, welcome to my blog post for the HOT AUTUMN NIGHTS BLOG HOP. For my stop on the blog I’m giving away one ebook copy of my paranormal romance IF TOMORROW NEVER COMES.
“What’s your idea of a hot autumn night?”
Well, looking out the window right now it’s hard to believe it’s still autumn with the gray skies, the snow and the chill in the air. But a perfect hot autumn night would be a lot less snow and cold, maybe some leaves still on the trees and a sky full of stars sitting outside near a fire with a warm blanket and a good book. It also wouldn’t hurt to have a hot guy around for company and to go get a hot drink when needed
So, what’s your idea of a hot autumn night or a must read on these cold autumn evenings?
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November 11, 2013
Interview and Excerpt with CR Moss
Please welcome author CR Moss to the blog today.
I’m here today talking about one of my ‘Sunset’ stories – ‘Sunset Heat.’ The four books in my ‘Sunset’ series are a part of the 1Night Stand line at Decadent Publishing.
What inspired this story?
‘Sunset Heat’ is the fourth book in my ‘Sunset’ series and is closely tied into the third story, ‘Sunset Temptations.’ Inspiration for my hot little series occurred a couple of years ago when I went to a convention on the strip and met the ladies of Decadent Publishing. While a group of us were sitting around and talking, information about 1NS came up. Having already started on a book I planned to target to a different publisher, I re-purposed it for the 1NS line and expanded on the story’s background to make a series. Listed in order of release, Sunset Desires, Sunset Seduction, Sunset Temptations and Sunset Heat follow four female relatives who are all set up through the matchmaking service.
What do you like best about being a writer?
I can be my own boss and set my own hours. If I want to work during the day I can. If I want to work late at night into the wee hours of the morning I can. & I can work in my jammies and not have to worry about a bad hair day!
What is your writing process like?
First thing I normally do is check email, then I’ll check Facebook. Next I’ll get to my writing projects. When I’m working on a story, I’ll reread and do editing on the parts I haven’t edited yet to catch myself up. I’ll make the font a color other than black to keep track of what I’ve already gone through. Then I’ll write the new material. If I’m starting a new project, I do an information dump and outline as much of the story that’s in my head first thing. Then I work off the outline, fleshing out all the ideas and stuff as per above. But then, when I’m really focused on a project, I tend to just plough through it and focus only on getting it done…staying up late writing, getting up early and getting back to the story, eating when I think I can get away from my ‘desk’ without ruining the flow… I say ‘desk’ because sometimes if it’s nice outside, I’ll grab my notebook and pen and either sit on my patio, or go to the pool, and write. The house and social life suffers, but I’m a slave to my art.
What was the last book to be added to your keeper shelf?
‘Unbreak Me’ by Lexi Ryan (it’s a wonderful story IMO.)
What would readers be surprised to know about you?
I crewed for a balloon pilot once upon a time.
Do you organize your TBR pile?
Nope. The print books occupy about four different places in my home and I have a whole bunch of ebooks saved between my computer, Kindle and iPad.
*What’s next for you
With my writing partner, we’re currently working on our next Double D Ranch Tales book. Readers can stay tuned to my blog or the Double D blog (http://doubledranchtales.blogspot.com/) for info on that. On my own, I have a few stories in the works ranging from erotic fairy tales to spooky horror.
Now for info on Sunset Heat and where to find me…
~ Blurb for Sunset Heat – a 1NightStand story from Decadent Publishing & book 4 in the ‘Sunset’ series ~
(Book Content: Contemporary, Erotic, Chick Lit, Romance)
Can one night transform a woman’s life?
* Seana Tramonto feels doomed when it comes to relationships. When she’s set up through the 1Night Stand service, she’s apprehensive at best. Her concern turns to ire when her match turns out to be a man who broke her heart years ago. Old wounds are slow to heal no matter how sexy the man asking for forgiveness.
* Zachary Russo, a Las Vegas policeman, is talked into doing a 1NS date. When he learns it’s with his high school tutor and friend, the girl he stood up before the Homecoming dance, he’s determined to make it up to her. But seeing her again opens his eyes to the sexy woman she’s become. Can he prove he’s grown up or will circumstance beyond his control kill their second chance?
~ Excerpt ~
“I had it bad for you.”
“So, what’s your wish now?”
If she leaned toward him, turned just enough, maybe he’d kiss her. Did she have the nerve? What would he think of her advance?
“Seana?”
She closed her eyes, relishing the silky way he spoke her name. “Hmm?”
“Your wish. You’re going to enter the drawing the charity is having, right?”
“I can’t say or it won’t come true,” she murmured. Just move your face toward his. Do it! Though her inner diva cheered her on, she couldn’t.
“A superstition for shooting stars and birthday candles.”
“So? I don’t want to take chances.” Yes you do, her inner cheerleader chided.
He brushed his cheek against hers. Warm breath caressed her ear. Restless throbs of desire pulsed in her veins. Sexual excitement curled in her womb. It’d been quite some time since feeling those particular sensations. Who’d I do it with last? Oh, the guy in the off-Broadway showing of West Side Story. Antonio something or other. She’d almost told him she loved him, but his ex-girlfriend came back into the picture, which snipped her out of it.
Could Zach be her one? Even after all this time and despite their difficulties? Back when she’d helped him in high school, she’d wanted him and would have given him her all. She didn’t feel any different now. Turning her face toward his finally, she prepared for the first of what she hoped would be many kisses. None came. He wasn’t as close as she thought. Seana stared into his eyes, becoming lost in their depths.
“Seana?”
“Yes?” She breathed in his spicy, clean scent, wanting to nibble on the muscle stretching from his neck into the top of his white dress shirt.
“Tell me more about the tutoring room.”
“Why? Interested in playing out my fantasy?”
Zach rubbed her knee. His touch seared her skin under her black sequined dress. “But we’re not in a school. There are no classrooms to use.”
The scenario she’d envisioned as a young adult awaited her next move. If there’s ever a time to be bold and spontaneous, it’s now. Quit stalling and take the leap. Feeling naughty and way too frisky to miss the opportunity, she drew circles on his leg with her fingertip. “We can improvise by going up to your room or mine and pretending we’re in a classroom.”
Seconds clicked by. Zach didn’t say a word. Wasn’t he interested? Her palms became clammy. I can’t be rejected again.
Buy Links ~
Decadent Publishing – http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=801&osCsid=1h3g0nat1rs7mtvnq11gnptno2
Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Sunset-1Night-Stand-Series-ebook/dp/B00DROPKF6
All Romance eBooks – https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sunsetheat-1228203-177.html
Bookstrand – http://www.bookstrand.com/sunset-heat-0
Barnes & Noble – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sunset-heat-cr-moss/1115920480?ean=2940016541402
Bio ~
An eccentric and eclectic writer, C.R. Moss pens stories for the mainstream and erotic romance markets, giving readers ‘Worlds of Possibilities.’
Find C.R. Moss here ~
Website: http://crmoss.com/
Blog: http://crmoss.blogspot.com/
Blog: http://doubledranchtales.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CRMoss
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CRMoss.author
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/crmoss/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/CRMoss
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November 8, 2013
Interview with Romy Gemmell
Please welcome author Romy Gemmell to the blog today with an interview and blurb of Midwinter Masquerade. Thanks for taking a break from NaNo to join us, Romy
Many thanks for inviting me to your lovely blog, Lisa!
What inspired this story?
I love autumn and winter and have lived in Scotland all my life. Although I write in different genres and types of writing, I still have a great fondness for the Regency period. Since I also like some intrigue with the romance and history, I was keen to set a story around the winter solstice in my own country. It also takes the characters out of the usual setting of London and places them mainly in the heart of the Scottish countryside, although it begins in Edinburgh in 1816.
Do you have a favorite scene or character from the book?
One of my favourite scenes is the masquerade ball, as I can’t think of anything more romantic in the middle of winter! But it also brings to the stage another character who is important to my heroine, Lenora, and the choices she must make. Then there is the unmasking of the real villain of the piece and revealing of family secrets. I also like the scene where the hero’s niece, Annabelle, gets into her first scrape when climbing a tree.
Any chance of a sequel or a spin-off with one of the other characters?
My editor is very keen to read a sequel starring one of the male characters from this novel and I think he’d make an excellent hero in a completely different book, with the right kind of heroine for him!
What do you like best about being a writer?
I love the freedom to play with characters, and setting them in the best situation for their stories. Now that I’ve given up a day job, I appreciate the time and space to develop my writing and try new genres. It’s great being able to write either at home or in a café occasionally and to attend a local writing group which meets during the day. But having a supportive husband is a huge advantage in not having to constantly worry about earning a higher wage.
If you get writer’s block, what do you do to snap yourself out of it?
I’ve never had real writer’s block because I tend to work on more than one project at a time! So if I’m getting stuck or bored with the current novel, for instance, I write a short story or article until I’m desperate to get back to the novel. Seems to work for me and perhaps the variety keeps the writing fresher. However, I sometimes think I should concentrate on one project at a time to give it my full attention.
What’s one thing that’s always on your desk?
Not on the actual desk, but near it – I need to have a stereo or CD Player as I love background music while I’m working. I try to match the type of music loosely to the period of the story or theme. For instance, I have a favourite Celtic music CD which I play whenever I’m writing a Scottish set story, and I choose classical music for my historical stories. I’ve even found some music can make me think of other ideas!
What’s next for you?
I’m currently doing NaNoWriMo – with a change of genre, to a Victorian crime novel. At the same time, I’m finishing redrafting the second novella in my Aphrodite and Adonis series before submitting it to my publisher, and I want to finish the next MG novel. And there’s always another short story or article waiting completion or redrafting!
Midwinter Masquerade Blurb
In Edinburgh, December 1816, young widow Lady Lenora Fitzallan accepts an invitation to the country estate of Edward Montgomery, the man she once thought to marry twenty years previously. Until he left without explanation. Accompanied by her godmother, Lady Pettigrew, Lenora forms a friendship with Edward’s young niece and ward, Annabelle, who has a propensity for getting into scrapes and falling in love with the wrong man.
In the days leading up to the Masquerade Ball on the Winter Solstice, another guest arrives. Mr. Henderson has a particular reason for meeting Annabelle, who distrusts him on sight. Meanwhile, Lenora struggles with her rekindled feelings for Edward, while thinking of Robert Masters, the sophisticated man who hopes to marry her when he returns from abroad. As past secrets begin to unfold, Annabelle is rescued from harm, and a dashing, costumed stranger arrives at the Ball.
Once the past is revealed and the real villain unmasked, Lenora must decide where and with whom her future now lies.
Author Bio
Rosemary Gemmell’s short stories and articles are published in UK magazines, in anthologies, in the US, and online and she has won several short story prizes. She lives in the beautiful west coast of Scotland and is now a published novelist for adults (as Romy) and Middle Grade/tweens (as Ros) with three different e-publishers. Her BA (hons) in literature and history and MA in Humanities are put to good use in reading and research for all types of writing. Midwinter Masquerade is her new Regency novel set in Scotland from Tirgearr Publishing.
Buy Links
Kindle Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Midwinter-Masquerade-Romy-Gemmell-ebook/dp/B00G4DNG7G
All e-formats: http://www.tirgearrpublishing.com/authors/Gemmell_Romy/midwinter-masquerade.htm
Exquisite Quills Free Anthology includes Romy’s short story, Highland Hogmanay
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/374815
