Mary E. Thompson's Blog, page 17
July 21, 2017
#FiveOnFriday with Alanna Lucas
What is your hero most embarrassed about?
He doesn’t know how to dance. But never fear, his best friend comes to his rescue 
July 18, 2017
Stocky & Sumptuous, heating up
Vicki and Hunter definitely had their moments where things got hot, and their moments where things cooled off. It was much more fun when they were getting a little hot!
Excerpt from Stocky & Sumptuous
I was fairly certain I was going to spontaneously combust. Hunter ushered me into the SUV, but his hand was on my thigh as he drove. I wasn’t going to survive the night without having him. It just wasn’t possible.
“Will your sister still be up?” he asked.
I shrugged. “Maybe not, but she’s a really light sleeper.”
“That won’t do. I want to make you scream.”
“What about your place?”
He shook his head. “My buddy’s home. I sleep on the couch so there’s no privacy.”
“Your studio?”
He turned in that direction. “I doubt it, but we’ll check. Drew said something about a sixteen hour day.”
“Shit.”
We drove past and saw lights on and people still inside the studio. That wasn’t an option. We were running out of them. Quickly.
“We just need to wait.”
“I don’t want to, Hunter. This is so bad, but what about right here?”
“Here? On the street?”
I shook my head. “I meant in your SUV. It’s big. If we park somewhere that no one is…”
I let my words trail off, feeling like a teenager sneaking around behind her parents’ back.
“You deserve more than that, Vicki.”
“I just want you. I don’t want to wait.”
“Fuck,” he breathed, making a U-turn and going back in the other direction. He didn’t say anything for a few minutes as he navigated through town. He headed to the outskirts and pulled onto a dirt road near XD. At the end of the road, he turned off the lights and opened the moonroof. “No one will come down here, except you.”
Get It Now!
Ebook on Amazon | Kobo | iBooks | B&N | Smashwords
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July 14, 2017
#FiveOnFriday with Elizabeth Harmon
Hi everyone, and thanks Mary for having me as a #FiveOnFriday guest!
I write contemporary romance with a dash of different, featuring unusual characters and settings. I write stories that I’d like to read, but that no one else is writing. My current series, Red Hot Russians, is a sports romance series set in the world of elite competitive figure skating. My fascination with Antarctica led me to use it as the setting for Heating It Up: A Red Hot Russians Novella, came out in February.
I’m hard at work on book five in the series, “Shining Through,” which releases in September.
#1-Plotter or Pantser?
I’m more of a plotter and really enjoy the process of thinking through the plot, romance and character arc beats. It helps me feel more confident as I write the first draft. While it’s still a challenge to turn that clunky first-draft into the story I’ve envisioned, plotting helps me stay on track, when I don’t know what to write next. If a scene isn’t working, an outline lets me jump around in the story and write a scene I’m more excited about.
#2-Do you feel it’s important to write what you know?
When I first wanted to write I believed that it was important. I feared my life wasn’t dramatic or interesting enough make me a good writer. It wasn’t until I started writing my first historical that I realized my journalism background and love of research meant I could write about anything I wanted. It’s less about writing what you know and more about writing what you want to know.
#3-What gets your creative juices flowing?
Music. I make playlists for all of my books and this helps me get into the rhythm of the story. I also find it easiest when I’m able to work on the project steadily, and not lose the flow of the story and characters. Coming back to a story after a few days away is a struggle.
#4-Tell me about the heroes in your book/s.
As the series title suggests, they’re all Russian and they’re hot! But they’re also really good guys who’ve faced personal challenges and still treat others with kindness and respect —no Alphaholes here! Anton, Misha and Daniil, are famous figure skaters who are charming, handsome, sexy celebrities. Vlad is a former skater turned male stripper, who has survived a trauma that’s left him drifting, and feeling unworthy of love. Alexei grew up poor and dreamed of adventure. Now that he’s carved out a life and career in Antarctica, he’s determined to keep the station he calls home from closing.
#5-Do you have a favorite trope?
Every book I’ve written seems to have a Fish Out Of Water element. In the series debut, Pairing Off, I put a sunny Southern-belle pair skater in Moscow. In Turning It On, a shy, bookish heroine becomes a contestant on a cut-throat reality dating show. In Getting It Back, the fish is the hero, who ends up adrift in small-town USA after an injury puts a premature end to his skating career. In Heating It Up: A Red Hot Russians Novella, a sophisticated architect from San Francisco must forge a new life in remote and rustic Amity Bay, Antarctica.
Do you have a favorite romance trope? Post your favorite romance trope and why you love it in the comments section for a chance to win a digital copy of any book in the Red Hot Russians series.
Thanks for reading! Elizabeth
Red Hot Russian Alexei is king of the Ice…Antarctic style
Alexei Zaikov loves his life in remote Amity Bay, Antarctica, until a new luxury guesthouse threatens the community’s future. As head of Amity Bay, he’s driven to save it, but first must discover who is hiding out in the supposedly deserted lodge…and why.
Nora Bradford has lost everything; a promising career and the man she loved. Glacier Ridge Lodge, the architectural masterpiece she designed but was denied credit for, seems like the perfect place to grieve her loss, until a ruggedly handsome Russian arrives on her doorstep, determined to bring her in from the cold.
Desire sparks, leaving them hungry for more. But will the truth about Nora’s role in Amity Bay’s demise, doom their romance?
Warm hearts, cold nights, Southern Lights. Welcome to Amity Bay, Antarctica.
Don’t miss the rest of the series…
About Elizabeth
Contemporary romance author Elizabeth Harmon loves to read and write romances with a dash of different. She is the author of the Red Hot Russians sports romance series. Her debut novel Pairing Off is a 2016 RITA® Award Finalist.
Connect with Elizabeth
Website: http://www.romancewriter-girl.com
Blog: https://elizabethharmonauthor.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elizabethharmonauthor?ref=hl
Twitter: https://twitter.com/romanzwrter_grl
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23440537-elizabeth-harmon
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00RY9SY0S
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July 11, 2017
Stocky & Sumptuous, available now
Stocky & Sumptuous is out now! I know you’re as excited as I am! Vicki is a funny character, but she knows exactly what she wants. Hunter is definitely not on the list!
What is on the list is getting pregnant…
Excerpt from Stocky & Sumptuous
“So, what are your goals that I don’t fit into?”
I choked on my wine. Just sucked it right into my windpipe and hacked for a good minute before I could breathe again. Hunter rubbed my back and tried to get me to take deep breaths. When I finally felt like I wasn’t going to drown, he was close.
Very close.
He reached for his sandwich and his knee brushed mine. The rough hair on his legs sent tingles up my thigh that settled between my legs. He shifted when he sat up and brought our legs even more into contact. His heat radiated right into me.
“Are you not going to answer my question?” he asked, nudging me gently with his elbow.
“No, I… You really don’t ease into things, do you?”
He shrugged. “I figure if there’s an elephant in the room, it’s better to address it.”
I sighed. It made sense, but I was hesitant to say anything. I knew how men handled getting too serious too quickly.
“Well, I want a baby. I’ve always wanted kids, but the desire has intensified lately. That’s why I’m dating so much and why I said no to you.”
He glanced at me out of the side of his eye. “You don’t think I’d be good with kids?”
Get It Now!
Ebook on Amazon | Kobo | iBooks | B&N | Smashwords
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July 7, 2017
#FiveOnFriday with Peyton Brittany Clarke
Say hi to Jake…
Hi, I’m Jake Hargate and I’m not very comfortable talking about myself but my Master, Max Krause ordered me to do this. He said this will help me strengthen my social skills. I’m not sure how but since he wants me to do it, here I am.
First an introduction, I’m married to Max and Ally. I’m not into socializing or talking about myself hence my Master’s orders nevertheless you can find out a lot about me, too much in fact, by reading Peyton Brittany Clarke’s book- Bound To Them.
It centers on me and my relationship with my estranged family and my love for my new family i.e. my husband and wife- Max and Ally.
If you read the book you’ll find out a lot about me but there are some things that are not in there hence this article, my five secrets. The one’s I’m about to reveal isn’t too private but are informative nonetheless. So here they are…
Secret One- I am in a BDSM relationship with a man and a woman. The man, Max is my Dominant, my husband, and my hero. Why? Because he rescued me. I’ll never forget it and I’ll always love him for that but it’s not the only reason why I said: “I do.”
Secret Two- Ally is my wife. Not much of a secret hunh? Well, it is sort of because she’s legally married to Max but the three of us made our own vows during our wedding ceremony. It was in town in front of Max’s- I mean our friends. I have to remember that. Yes, I like them too but it’s hard getting used to the idea that I have real friends now. Back to my original point, my family back east doesn’t know that I’m married to Ally. I’m sure they’d approve of my marriage to woman quicker than they would to a man except for the fact that Ally comes from a poor family and well poverty of any sort doesn’t sit well with my parents. Except for poverty of the spirit but that’s a conversation for a different time.
Secret Three- I need to submit. I love topping Ally and she is my life. I need to top her. It’s because I’m a Dom by nature and I like being in charge. It’s who I am. But that’s not why I top her. I top her because she needs to be dominated just like me. However, my inner submissive wants to be taken care of and that’s what Max does for me. Ally understands this and doesn’t judge me for it. She doesn’t see me as less than a man for it either because she knows what it’s like to be topped by Max. The feeling is like heaven on Earth.
Secret Four- I’ve always wanted to be a cowboy. When I was growing up I wanted to play cowboys and Indians but my parents wouldn’t allow it. They said it was beneath me. In fact, there were few things that rose to the level of the Hargate name and running around with a cowboy hat and six-shooters was definitely not one of them. Even though they forbade it when I was alone and I would pretend to be a cowboy out west rustling cattle living out on the frontier. When I grew up I went into the navy but after I got out and got married – my husband gave me my second dream- the life of a cowboy.
Secret Five- I never set out to become a submissive or a switch or live in a polyamorous menage or whatever it’s called. All I know is that I fell head over heals for a girl that was already taken. And in the end, I was swept off my feet by the man who loved her. Now we all love each other and for once in my life I am happy and in love.
Excerpt
Lear went to his favorite chair and sat down. He leaned back, crossed one leg over the other, and tapped his fingers on his thigh. If Baldwin’s marriage fell apart, his own life would go to crap. Not only would he be out of a very cushy, well paying job but he’d also lose access to the best pussy he’d had in a long time and the child it produced.
It was better for everyone to keep everything moving forward as planned. And in order to do that they had to make sure the public kept believing that Baldwin and Eleanor were happy and very much in love despite the rumors. Problem was Phoebe Jones was determined to get to the bottom of this affair thing and ferret out the truth.
“Phoebe may be snooping around, but she doesn’t know anything yet.”
“Tell that to my press secretary,” Baldwin said dryly. “She’s been fielding calls from that woman every day. And we’re both tired of it.”
I bet you are. It’s probably because it’s interrupting your fuck sessions.
“Really? I thought you liked having a reporter on your ass day and night.” Lear grinned savoring the little jab. His brother was a namby-pamby, he needed to have a little dirt shoved in his face on occasion.
As Baldwin’s senior adviser, aka crisis manager, it was his job to watch Baldwin’s back at all times. When there was trouble, he handled it. Why this escaped Baldwin’s brain now irked him.
“Fuck you too, Lear.”
“Whatever.” Lear checked his watch. He hoped he’d be able to get the airport early, so they could take off ahead of schedule. He reasoned it wouldn’t matter too much if he was late since he was using Baldwin’s private jet. “Are you done losing your mind? Because I have a job to do so back off and let me do it.”
He pulled the phone away from his ear while his brother yelled and ranted. He rolled his eyes as he waited for his brother’s caterwauling to end.
“Feel better?” Lear asked.
“For now, assuming you do your damn job,” Baldwin said. “How are you going to fix this?”
“Do you really want to know, or do you want to see the result?”
“Of course I want to know,” Baldwin snapped. “That’s why I’m talking to you.”
A smart politician would have said no, preferring to keep his hands clean, but not Baldwin. He was too controlling for his own good. In forty-two years, Baldwin had not changed one bit. He was still as high-handed as ever despite the everyman persona he showed to the public. His arrogant and dictatorial manner was legendary among his staffers and the servants that kept his house in tip top shape.
Lear knew Baldwin thought of him as just another lackey to do his bidding and not a partner in his bid for the White House. If there weren’t bigger things at stake, he would have dropped Baldwin a long time ago, leaving the asshole and his lofty political ambitions far behind.
“I’m going to use Dalcourt,” Lear said.
“What about him?” Baldwin asked.
“He’ll get that reporter and anyone else she’s alerted off of your back,” Lear said. “They’ll be too busy tearing apart his life to even think about you or your…friend.”
“Dalcourt is your big solution? I knew I should have went with Smith.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Lear asked.
“It means it’s a stupid idea. He’s not going to roll over and play dead for you,” Baldwin said.
“Yes he will,” Lear said. My talent is wasted working for him.
“Why?”
“Because he will. God, man you are infuriating. Father always said you had the brain of an ox.”
“I won’t say what he said about you. Mostly because it will piss you off too much and I still need your help.”
Lear sighed. “My God you are a pain in the ass.”
“Are you just going to give that reporter Dalcourt’s name and address and hope for the best?” His tone walked the line between bitterness and incredulity.
“No. A little birdie is going to tell her that I’m leaving town and that it has something to do with this affair thing. Naturally she’ll follow me, I’ll get her to meet me and then I’ll dangle our little brother in her face. The story will be so juicy she’ll have to bite.”
“Why don’t you do that here?” Baldwin asked.
“Dalcourt doesn’t live here. He lives in some dinky town in Wyoming called Wildsage. And I’m luring her to Wyoming to make sure she does her job and latches on to him, there. I can’t risk her getting distracted by you and your antics.”
“What if she refuses to bite and decides to return here?” Baldwin asked. The uncharacteristic fear in his voice was unnerving.
“She won’t. If you knew what I know about Dalcourt, you’d be drooling over this too,” Lear said.
“Finding dirt on Dalcourt is damn near impossible. He’s too shadowy,” Baldwin said. “You have got to tell me what you have on him.”
“I can’t. I’ve already said too much. The less you know about this the better it is for you and me.”
Baldwin laughed even louder. “You think that little pipsqueak scares me?”
“I didn’t say that. It’s my job to make sure your name stays out of these things and that’s what I’m doing.”
“Okay, okay.” Baldwin fell silent. “Once he finds out you that you’ve fucked him, he’s going to be pissed.”
“He won’t find out unless you tell him,” Lear said.
“I’m not going to tell him. But he will find out nevertheless. Doing that sort of thing was his job remember?”
“Okay so what if he does,” Lear said.
“You just need to be prepared.”
“I am because I know how to get him where he hurts,” Lear said.
“What if he manages to get that reporter off his trail?”
“He’ll have no choice but to do what I say if he knows what’s best for him,” Lear said.
“You’re a killer Lear, you know that don’t you.”
“That’s why you have me on your team,” Lear replied.
“Dalcourt’s our brother, why would you even think about doing that to him?” Baldwin asked.
We all have to make sacrifices for the family and it’s time he made his. “Don’t worry about it. I have to go or else I’ll miss my flight. I’ll talk to you later.”
Lear ended the call and glanced at his luggage beside the front door. He checked his watch. He had just enough time to get to the airport, to check in and head to the bar for a drink. He needed a few drinks before he dealt with his younger brother.
–
Bound To Them[Siren Menage Amour: Erotic Consensual Cowboy BDSM Menage a Trois Romance, M/M/F, HEA]
Jake Hargate is a man with a past. Born into a rich and powerful political family in Massachusetts, they were all raised to believe one thing: protect the family’s interests at all costs. After leaving that life behind, Jake finds love and happiness married to Max Krause, a Dom, and Ally Renjel, a submissive. Being Max’s submissive gives Jake the security he needs, and topping Ally gives him the control he craves.
But when a political scandal threatens to ruin Jake’s brother, a prominent governor who hopes to move up the political ladder, Jake is drawn into a dark world of vengeance he swore he’d never enter again. Jake’s family gives him a choice: help them or risk the life he cherishes with Max and Ally.
Deciding to do whatever it takes to protect Max and Ally, Jake is drawn into a world of darkness. Will Max and Ally be able to rescue him, or will Jake be lost forever?
Note: This book contains double vaginal penetration.
A Siren Erotic Romance
Buy Links-
Siren Bookstrand- http://www.bookstrand.com/book/bound-to-them
Amazon- https://www.amazon.com/Bound-Siren-Publishing-Menage-Amour-ebook/dp/B071Z8VZFC/
Bio-
Peyton lives in Michigan where she dreams of summers that aren’t so humid. She and her husband have been married for over a decade years and he often lends a helping hand or opinion or two when she’s writing a steamy scene.
She loves to travel and hopes to make it to a romance writers convention sometime soon to meet her idols in the genre without getting too much “stalkage” in.
When she is not on the net, she is reading about the life of her latest “book boyfriend” or creating one in her own works. If you’d like to to contact her. Drop her an e-mail. She loves hearing from her fans and admirers.
My Blog: Hot, Sexy and Shared- Erotic Romances by Peyton Brittany Clarke- http://peytonbrittanyclarkewrites.blogspot.com
Social Media
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/peytonbclarke
Twitter: https://twitter.com/peytonBclarke
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/peytonbrittanyc/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7162281.Peyton_Brittany_Clarke
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July 4, 2017
Stocky & Sumptuous, first kiss
First, Happy July 4th for those of you in the US! We’re celebrating today with a parade and some fireworks. Hubby is off and we’re all dressed up in our red, white, and blue. I hope you enjoy the day!
For everyone else, well, happy Tuesday! I have a new sneak peek for you today…
I love first kisses, you know that. The best first kisses are the ones that are a little unexpected. The ones that you don’t see coming, but when you realize what’s happening, you can’t resist the pull.
Vicki is dead set against getting involved with Hunter. She knows, without a doubt, that he’s the opposite of what she wants. But there’s something about him that she just can’t resist!
Excerpt from Stocky & Sumptuous
Those dark blue eyes swept back to mine again and pinned me in place. He didn’t need the arms caging me in to hold me there. He leaned in closer, enough that I could feel his breath on my face before he spoke.
“I’m going to kiss you, Vicki.”
He paused just long enough to let me argue, but I couldn’t. No words could squeeze past the air struggling to fill my lungs. Then his lips touched mine, and nothing else mattered.
The file I held fell to the floor with a splat. I wish I could say I resisted him. That I fought. That I didn’t fold like an overcooked noodle. But none of it would be true. From that first brush of his lips, I was in trouble. Serious trouble.
His lips pressed to mine, holding me in place where he wanted me. His chest rose, brushing against my peaked nipples. I moaned softly, and he took complete advantage of it. His tongue traced the edge of my upper lip, dipping inside just enough to glide over my sensitive gums. He sucked my lip into his mouth and I couldn’t have resisted if I wanted to.
But, damn him, I didn’t want to.
He kissed me like he had no idea kissing another person could be so good. Like I was his first and last and only. His tongue slid over mine as his hands moved closer together until they landed on my hips. He pressed his body to mine, giving me a feel for exactly what was going through his head.
I’ll give you a clue… not much because all his blood was much, much lower.
He lifted my hips just enough to deposit me on the edge of my desk, then pressed between my thighs. I should have pushed him away, but it had been far too long since a man made me feel the way he did. In that moment, he wasn’t a workaholic. He wasn’t the wrong guy for me. He wasn’t someone I barely knew. He was just Hunter, and holy shit was he just what I wanted.
Preorder Now!
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June 30, 2017
#FiveOnFriday with Kayelle Allen
Let’s get started with a few questions…
How much importance do you place on world-building?
It’s vital no matter what you write. World-building is nothing more than setting and culture and every story needs those. I write science fiction so I created an entire galaxy for my story universe. I’m a science fiction reader as well as writer and love reading about new worlds. All my scifi books are set inside this larger universe, some on this side of the galaxy, some on that. But from Earth to Sempervia, it’s all laid out and I know details about every world and empire.
Do you use any favorite software when you write, other than word processing?
I use WordWeb every single day, several times a day: It’s a thesaurus and dictionary with links to Wikipedia, Wiktionary, and WordWeb Online built right in. When I’m stuck for a better word, I write the first word that comes to mind, and then type the hotkey to open WordWeb. You can set your own, btw. It pops up with a list of possible words, and tabs that show me several other options, including a list of words in the dictionary that fall before and after it. It’s free and I highly recommend it. You can download it here http://wordwebonline.com/
Do you listen to music while you write or prefer quiet?
I can deal with quiet and sometimes it’s necessary so I can focus, but I also listen to music. Each book has its own playlist. When I wrote one book, I listened to Audioslave, Three Days Grace, Ozzy Osborne, and Nine Inch Nails. For another, it was Linkin Park, Matthew Duffy, and the Verve, Nightwish, Evanescence, Linkin Park, Usher, Depeche Mode and an old Dave Clark 5 song called “Because.” Currently, I’m listening to music on Amazon Prime and have a playlist that’s nine and a half hours long. I’ve never gotten all the way through it but I start at different places. Songs are by Audiomachine, Really Slow Motion, Epic North, Thomas Bergersen, and even one by Katy Perry (Rise).
What do you enjoy most about writing?
I love telling the story and getting reactions. My critique group is vital to my inspiration process. I don’t think I could write without having feedback. It’s the give and take that gets me fired up to continue. My family is also wonderful about giving me ideas and letting me bounce ideas off them. I also love working with my oldest son to do art for my website. He is a graphic designer by trade and his work is just amazing. The youngest is always game for science and math questions. He’s genius at this stuff.
You and your husband are both veterans. How did you meet?
We were both on active duty in the Navy and met in orientation on the new base where we were assigned. He knew I was “the one’ right away and asked me out the minute we met. It took me a little while to believe he was serious. Once I realized he was, I never let go. In December, we’ll celebrate our 44th wedding anniversary. I like to think at this point, we’re both tenured. *grin*
At the Mercy of Her Pleasure – Antonello Brothers 1Sweet Science Fiction Romance with a Kick
A fast-paced sci fi romance with an adorable, fun-loving hero who’s half-human and half-cat. She’s a by-the-book army captain.
Hired to steal back a prototype taken by the imperial armada, Senth Antonello retrieves it, but his brother is kidnapped to force Senth to surrender the device.
Now he has to rescue his brother, outsmart the armada and keep the item out of imperial hands. All doable, except for one small problem. He must do it in the company of NarrAy Jorlan, a genetically altered woman whose pheromones could enhance the mission or crumble it into dust with a single siren kiss.
He’s a thief. She’s a soldier. Do opposites attract? Oh, mercy!
Available free on Kindle Unlimited
Amazon https://amzn.to/1f7FQ2h
Autographed copy (shipping included) https://bit.ly/bro-mercy-kl
The sequel for this book is For Women Only.
Kayelle Allen is an artist and a best-selling American author. Her unstoppable heroes and heroines include contemporary every day folk, role-playing immortal gamers, futuristic covert agents, and warriors who purr. Her graphic designs grace multiple book covers, banners, and websites. Her motto is Romance Lives Forever.
Meet her on her site at https://kayelleallen.com
Twitter https://twitter.com/kayelleallen
Facebook https://facebook.com/kayelleallen.author
Join her Romance Lives Forever Reader Group and download four free books right away. You’ll hear about new books and get access to member-only content. You can unsubscribe at any time.
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June 27, 2017
Stocky & Sumptuous, coming soon
Guess what? Stocky & Sumptuous will be out in only two weeks! Ahh! I’m so excited for this one. I’m excited for all of them, but I absolutely love weddings, and this one has a lot of wedding stuff in it! Of course, there’s a lot of other fun stuff in there, too. Like resisting a guy Vicki knows is all wrong for her.
Excerpt from Stocky & Sumptuous
Tuesday after lunch, I was sitting at my desk, and Hunter walked in. He headed straight for me, his eyes locked on mine from the second he stepped inside.
“I told you I’m not giving up. I’m taking you out this weekend. I’m not the man you think I am.”
I shook my head. “It wouldn’t matter. I have plans this weekend.”
He smirked. “Plans I can work with. You didn’t say no.”
He turned and walked away, leaving me speechless. I wanted to chase him down and say no, but when he paused at the hallway and grinned at me, I knew it was only a matter of time before I gave in to him.
My earbuds went back in while he was meeting with Drew. I had no idea what Drew was working on, which kind of bothered me. I really wanted to know what the project was. I didn’t know why. Drew and Xander worked on a lot of projects that I wasn’t intimately involved with. I would keep track of how things were going and make sure they were on schedule and budget, but the details were frequently left to them.
The fact that Hunter’s project bothered me, bothered me.
I went to get a cup of coffee and was filing papers, the most boring part of my job, when Hunter came back into the front.
“So, when are you free? You can’t have plans for the entire weekend.”
He crossed his arms and leaned against the side of my desk. Stacks of paper were scattered everywhere. He shifted his weight and one of the stacks fluttered to the floor.
“Shit. Sorry about that,” he said, crouching to pick up the papers. I bent at the same time, our knees brushing and eyes colliding. He held my gaze and handed me the papers he collected. We both stood and he stepped closer.
My phone rang and startled me away from him. I answered it and made notes about the call, hoping Hunter would be gone when I turned back around.
No such luck.
I carried the file to the cabinet behind me and slid it into place. When I went back to my desk, I could stop the sudden desire for Hunter to lay me out on the messy desk and show me just how wrong I was about him.
His eyes followed me, back and forth, until half the paper was gone. I grabbed a new stack and he stepped in front of me. Hunter pressed me against the edge of my desk, towering over me. His gaze flickered to the surface, almost as though he was thinking the same thing I was.
Wipe it clean.
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June 25, 2017
Q&A Sunday: More Questions
Thanks!
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June 23, 2017
#FiveOnFriday with Valerie Ullmer
Unexpected (A Unexpected Novel Book One)
Valerie Ullmer
Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance
Five on Friday
How long does it usually take you to write a book? It truly depends on the book. A longer novel, of 50,000 or more words, about three months. A novella, from outline to completed story is about a month. For Unexpected, I was working on another book that just didn’t come together and I had to scrap the project at the end of March. So between outlining, which I started in the beginning of April, and writing, I finished the book on May 11th, the 42,000 word book took me about six weeks.
How did you come up with the idea for your book? I’ve come to read several M/M or gay contemporary romances in the past couple of months and I loved the fact that on paper, two people of the same sex could fall in love, but still have the same insecurities, the same conflicts that heterosexual couples do. But gay romance stories do have an intensity that some romance novels miss and I was intrigued. That is how Unexpected came about.
What do you think makes a good story? Characters. I have read books with no plot, but the characters are so intriguing that I never want the story to end. I love well-developed characters who aren’t contrary because it fills the pages. I need characters that are flawed, but who are willing to change and try anything because they feel it might be the best thing for them.
Do you use images to develop your character’s looks? I actually do. For this book, I used images of Alex Pettyfer, the actor, for Caleb and Teen Wolf (the TV series) star Tyler Hoechlin as Ronan. It helps me picture my characters as I write.
What do you love best about your current book? Everything. I love how Caleb and Ronan take a chance on a relationship even though neither of them had ever dated another man and they act based on their feelings, instead of overthinking each moment that presents itself. I love how they realize how compatible they are and learn to lean on one another as outside forces try to tear them apart.
BUY LINKS
BLURB
A chance meeting will change their lives forever…
From the moment he entered the dark taproom, Caleb Hunt found himself drawn to the handsome man who sat alone at the end of the bar, away from the crowd. His interest in the dark-haired, muscled adonis took him by surprise, not remembering when he’d felt such hunger from a simple glimpse. Unable to stay away, he quickly found an open seat next to him and slid into it. When Ronan turned his ice-blue eyes to Caleb and introduced himself, his warm hand sent shivers of desire through his body and he was enthralled.
Ronan Scott’s boring Friday night had taken a turn for the better when Caleb took the seat next to him. Over the next few hours, he found Caleb easy to talk to and at the same time, he found that he couldn’t tear his gaze away from the beautiful man. Caleb captured his attention in a way that no other had for as long as he could remember. Taking a chance, he leaned forward and captured Caleb’s lips with his. And with the simple kiss, Ronan understood that Caleb would become an essential part of his life.
As Ronan and Caleb explore their new relationship and integrate their lives together, they realize that not everything will be so seamless…
EXCERPT
That’s when he spotted him and everything stopped.
His breathing hitched in his chest and his heart thudded once, hard, and even the music seemed to fade as his gaze landed on a dark-haired man who sat by himself at the bar. As Caleb’s eyes slid down the man’s body of their own accord, he noted the fitted black tee that emphasized the muscles of his arms, back, and shoulders, before his gaze dropped lower to his legs encased in denim.
When he lifted a beer to his mouth and swallowed, Caleb felt his own throat tighten. A shiver of desire passed over him. Never had he felt this way about a man or woman in his life.
Before he could analyze his actions or talk himself out of his stupid plan, he walked toward the man. Part of him wanted to see if the man was as stunning as he believed from across the bar or if he’d been alone for so long that his mind had conjured the perfect man.
Before Caleb could reach the stool next to him, a beautiful blonde glided up to him, running her hand down his chest. Her smile flirty and sensual. Although Caleb had never been propositioned in any way close to resembling what he witnessed, he knew that she offered the man a brazen invitation to get to know her better.
Disappointment flooded Caleb’s chest.
In the next moment, however, she frowned and backed away from him as quickly as she arrived, leaving an empty chair.
Not questioning his good luck, Caleb hurried over and shed his coat, dropping it over the back. He flagged down the bartender and indicated the beer he wanted.
He sensed the man’s eyes on him, but for the moment, he wasn’t brave enough to turn and catch his gaze. Not when his breath had stuck in his throat, and he didn’t know if he could speak without sounding choked.
As soon as the bartender handed him his mug, the man turned his body toward him and leaned over to speak, close to his ear.
“Are you here alone?”
Caleb had to bite the inside of his lip in order not to moan out loud at the sexy, deep voice. Remembering the question, he shook his head and pointed toward Dylan and Garrett across the room. Dylan, of course, had a woman on his lap and was tracing a finger down her neck, before he leaned toward her and his mouth followed the same trail.
Garrett was looking down at his phone. The shy woman he’d been talking to had disappeared, much to Caleb’s disappointment, and another was trying, unsuccessfully, to get his attention. She looked drunk and very loud by the way he flinched every time she spoke.
“Dylan, the one on the right with a woman on his lap, is the biggest flirt in the world. He’s never serious about any woman he takes home. Garrett is his best friend, the complete opposite of Dylan, but he’s loyal.”
The man laughed and Caleb couldn’t help the lift of his lips at the sound. It was deep, rich, and addictive. But when the man turned his ice-blue eyes on him, something unidentifiable swelled in his chest. He could sense that he should speak, to keep this gorgeous man talking for as long as possible. “Are you here alone?”
Smart, Caleb. Just parrot the same question back.
The man smiled before he nodded over to his group of friends. Some were flirting, but others were enjoying the company of their friends on a Friday night.
“The ginger is Hawk; he’s a divorce lawyer who is handling Ryan’s divorce. That’s why they’re hunched over their beers. Ryan’s wife apparently hadn’t been faithful during their entire four-year marriage, and he found out when he came home early from a business trip. Jack is the one who is flirting with the group of women; he’s like Dylan in that way, never serious. He’s a CEO of a tech company and he could have any woman with his looks and the power he exudes, but he’s never been in a serious relationship. Sam is my second-in-command, the one who looks faintly sick, because Adam is a forensic scientist who loves talking about his work.”
Caleb found himself smiling at the group of friends. When he glanced at the man, who had turned back to Caleb after pointing out his friends, he snagged Caleb’s gaze. “So, do you have a girlfriend at home?”
“No. I can’t remember the last time I had a date, much less a successful one. You?”
Caleb breathed a sigh of relief when he shook his head.
“I’m Ronan Scott.” He held his hand out.
Shit, even the man’s name is sexy.
He had to clear his throat before he reached out and grasped Ronan’s large, warm hand in his. “Caleb Hunt.”
Something inside Caleb warmed in increments until fireworks exploded behind his skin, all from a simple touch.
ABOUT AUTHOR
Valerie writes paranormal and contemporary romances with strong alpha males and brilliant, beautiful heroines. She lives in Denver, Colorado with her wonderfully supportive husband and their funny and wise black lab. She’s addicted to coffee, crime shows, and reading and writing character driven romances.
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