Author Speed Dating – Aliza Mann

March 15, 2017 by Dana Nussio

I love discovering new authors, so I wanted my blog to be a place where readers and my author pals could come together. Only we like to do this Speed-Dating style. Check out a new author and her work here every Wednesday, and if the spark is there, you’ll have a match.

This week’s guest: Aliza Mann

15 Questions

1. If a director made a movie about your life, which actress (living or dead) would you like to portray you, and which one would more likely be cast?

I hope it’s okay if I do two actresses – one living and one deceased. The first (living) would be Viola Davis because she is one of those freaks of nature who is so incredibly moving and powerful, she could play a loaf of bread and we’d be in tears by the end. Right? The other (deceased) is Dorothy Dandridge because she could sing and dance. I can’t do either (ha!) and it would just be nice to see someone really great enhance those skill sets for me in a movie. Obviously, my life would be a musical.

2. What are some of the things that have changed in the publishing industry since your first book was published?

There were more big publishing houses than there are now. We’ve seen a number of mergers and acquisitions across the industry that have somewhat narrowed the playing field in one aspect, since the emergence of self-publishing. There are arguments for both, traditional vs. self, along with lots of pros for hybrid publishing. I went with a small press back then, since I was scared to death of self-pubbing. I don’t think I’d do that if faced with the same decision today. So much info is available on how to, what to, and when to self-publish which is making it a more viable option, in my opinion. There were also some genre shifts. I think there will always be those types of up and downs in every genre. At the time, trends led away from the paranormal genre. Otherwise, my first book probably would have been something about shifters or vampires. I’m glad to see that paranormal is on the rise again in both popularity and sales.

3. Us Weekly or Newsweek?

Us Weekly because my guilty pleasure is gossip.

4. As a reader, do you sneak a peek at the end of the book, or do you make yourself wait for answers until the very end?

I read in order. I feel weird when I sneak ahead. I really want to walk with the characters. Gosh, I’m such a goody-goody sometimes!

5. Have you ever, even for a moment, forgotten that one of your characters was…you know…fictional?

I have a character who I’ve written a few chapters on and haven’t made it back to the project. Her voice came out so clear, I had to stop and write her. It was, oddly, such a strong story that I did find myself thinking of her as a real person a couple of times. I think there has been maybe one other. It doesn’t happen often, but I imagine it will. Something of an occupational hazard.

6. In which genres and sub-genres are you published, and which others do you plan to add to the list in the next two years?

I have contemporary and paranormal romance. I don’t think I’ll go beyond those two subgenres, unless I dabbled in Romantic Suspense. I feel that suspense is one you must do very well to carry off. Maybe that’s me romanticizing those wonderful writers of that subgenre. Maybe one day…

7. Brad Pitt or David Beckham?

Beckham! Did you see those underwear ads? I was sold.

8. If we imagine that a reader has lived on a desert island and missed the opportunity to read one of your books, which title do you recommend that she order as soon as she returns to civilization?

I would recommend FURY RISING. It’s one of my favorite stories and I believe it offers a glimpse into my psyche.

9. Do you have a green thumb or black one, and, either way, how are you gearing up for spring planting season?

It has to be black. But I have one plant that is a climbing pothos. It has grown from the top of my bookshelf to the floor. I’m so proud of it because I’ve never been able to grow a thing. It’s very temperamental however. It really hates water, I think. Whenever I over-water, the leaves look so sad for a couple of days.

10. When and how did you first decide you wanted to be an author?

This, like most things here, is going to sound crazy. I knew I wanted to write something when I was about eleven. I called up the local paper and asked if I could write a column for them. No idea what that entailed, but a very patient and kind editor told me all about submitting a portfolio and have engaging topics, and finding my audience. I will never forget how excited I was that he’d taken me seriously. That day, I knew I would write.

11. Antique Roadshow or Law & Order: SVU?

SVU. It’s the best.

12. What is your favorite song of all time, and what do you do when it comes on the radio or when you stream it?

Ed Sheeran: “Thinking Out Loud”. Whenever it comes on the radio or my playlists, I sing and sway along with it. Again, I’m the worst singer and dancer, but that song makes me feel like I can. So beautiful.

13. What do you believe is your biggest strength as a writer, and what has been your approach to tackling some of your weaknesses?

I believe I am very strong at emotional development of characters. I could use some working on plot. One of the things I’ve done is shifted, or tried to shift, from pantsing to plotting. It is very helpful to see what I need to do, what isn’t working, the areas that are lacking tension… If it’s all in my head, I’m unable to see those things as clearly. As much as I hate plotting, I had to change for the good of my writing.

14. Regarding board games, Scrabble or Left, Right, Center?

Scrabble. I mean, most writers have to go with Scrabble, right? LOL.

15. What is your biggest hope for a reader when she opens one of your books?

The primary goal for anything I write is connection. If one reader reads one of my stories and goes away from it feeling as if they connected with the story, the hero, the heroine, I’m going to be very happy.

***

Dark Hearts

By Aliza Mann

The heat burned into Mitch’s knuckles from the grill as he flipped the quarter pound beef over and lightly poked with the tip of the spatula. There was no excuse for an overdone burger in his mind. He avoided looking at Gigi. The glare in her eyes was bound to be intense and accusatory.

“I don’t know why you want to go down that road again. She’s not for you, wolf-boy.”

Mitch choked down the disdain at his best friend’s comments with a smirk. “Who says?”

“Kayla is not what you need. Leave her alone, Mitch. I mean it,” Bridget said with a huff. Picking up her tray, she turned and flipped her midnight black and white-streaked ponytail over her shoulder, then sped off to yet another table of hungry, possibly drunken college students.

On her way across the room, she dropped off the fries he’d just prepared to the curly-haired beauty at a table in the middle of the room.

Mitch may have been prepared to ignore Kayla and heed Gigi’s warning, but then it happened. She smiled . . . bit her bottom lip, then ran her hand through that wild as hell, sexier than hell hair of hers. His mind ran back over the night they’d shared a week prior. She captivated him.

Her smooth, brown skin radiated with a warm blush as she spoke some quick statement to Gigi. It could have been ‘thank you’ or ‘bring me another trough of fries’ or whatever. Regardless, she looked like an angel.

Mitch returned his attention to the grill, the scent of the burgers reaching the overcooked point that demanded he stop daydreaming about the beautiful girl who’d managed to do what an entire campus full of women had tried and failed at. Miserably.

“Where’s my chicken tenders and fries, Mitch? C’mon, keep up with me. We’re down a server tonight, so stop poking around.” Gigi’s voice echoed into the kitchen from the small serving window, which also served as Mitch’s vantage point for the whole dining area. Jesse’s was an endless source of entertainment.

“Intense, much? Here. Take your order,” Mitch barked in his playful way and placed the heated plate from the steel countertop. “And you should try to keep up with me. There are three more behind this one.”

“Remember what I said, Mitch. Besides, she already has a man in her life making things difficult. Not only that—you’re just too different. So take your break outside before the next rush. And don’t even think about bringing those bedroom eyes into the dining room. Leave my orders up.”

Another flip of her ponytail, and she was off again. Mitch didn’t need to be psychic to pick up that Kayla had been having a bad time, what with all of Gigi’s hints and their conversation the night they’d met. And she was right. The last thing he needed was a demon bringing unwanted attention. They could be messy. Mitch was mostly invisible to everyone on campus. Except for the women who went for the tall, dark and arrogant type. The façade he depended on made his life more difficult, but he needed it. His survival depended on it.

***

DARK HEARTS, a May 2016 release from Intima Press, may be purchased through these retailers: Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million.

***

About Aliza

Aliza Mann is, and always has been, infatuated with reading and writing. From childhood, one would be more likely to find her reading than most anything else. Spending her summers hidden away in her room until it was time to either eat or go to the library to get more books, she wasn’t interested in many things outside of her fav pastime. Even then, it didn’t necessarily dawn on her that writing romance would be the career of her dreams. She had an idea that writing would make her happy, but not necessarily becoming a novelist. In fact, as a child she once contacted a local newspaper to get info on becoming an advice columnist. It wasn’t until 2008, after her education in business was behind her and she was well on her way to a promising career in the health care industry, that she realized her dream of becoming a romance writer. From there, she found Romance Writers of America and a local chapter, Greater Detroit Romance Writers and through their support, education and resources, she has been able to follow her dreams. And she lives happily ever after writing paranormal and contemporary romance titles.

When she isn’t working her two full-time jobs and reading, she is spending time with her wonderful family – her daughter and son-in-law; her son, who is about to break her heart by leaving for college; and her beau at her home in Metro Detroit. She loves golf, food (not the cooking part), and fashion (with the credit card bills to prove it). You can find her on Twitter , Facebook and through her website, www.alizamannauthor.com.

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Author Speed Dating – Victoria Craven

March 8, 2017 by Dana Nussio

This week’s guest: Victoria Craven

15 Questions

1. If a director made a movie about your life, which actress (living or dead) would you like to portray you, and which one would more likely be cast?

I would like to be portrayed by Renée Zellweger. She seems to understand chaos. If Madelyn Khan were still alive, I would more likely be portrayed by her as the drama queen.

2. What are some of the things that have changed in publishing since your first book was published?

The thing that has changed the most is social media. There is more exposure than ever, and if you’re not paying attention, you’re going to miss something.

3. Us Weekly or Newsweek?

Newsweek. I like the coverage of their stories.

4. As a reader, do you sneak a peek at the end of the book, or do you make yourself wait for answers until the very end?

I never, never take a peek at the end. Reading a book from beginning to end is part of a journey I take with the author.

5. Have you ever, even for a moment, forgotten that one of your characters was…you know…fictional?

I talk about my characters as though they are real. I give them a life of their own. They are very real to me. My family thinks I’m crazy. I don’t disagree with them.

6. In which genres and sub-genres are you published, and which others do you plan to add to the list in the next two years?

Currently, I’m published in paranormal, historical romance, but in the next two years I hope to be published in suspense.

7. Brad Pitt or David Beckham?

Brad Pitt he is aging beautifully. David Beckham is young enough to make me feel like Mrs. Robinson.

The first book in my series, IMMORTAL LOVE.

9. Do you have a green thumb or black one, and, either way, how are you gearing up for spring planting season?

I have a black one. I have managed to kill everything I attempted to grow. Thank goodness I live in a condo.

10. When and how did you first decide you wanted to be an author?

I decided to be a writer when I got my first computer. There were blank pages calling to my imagination.

11. Antique Roadshow or Law & Order: SVU?

Antique Roadshow. I love the unexpected treasures people were hanging on to and had no idea what it was worth.

12. What is your favorite song of all time, and what do you do when it comes on the radio or when you stream it?

“Piano Man” by Billy Joel. Every time I hear it, I just have to sing.

13. What do you believe is your biggest strength as a writer, and what has been your approach to tackling some of your weaknesses?

My biggest strength is character development. I have to use an outline to tackle the events that get them from point A to point B.

14. Regarding board games, Scrabble or Left, Right, Center?

It has to be Left, Right, Center. I suck at Scrabble. It’s a shame to admit for a writer.

15. What is your biggest hope for a reader when she opens one of your books?

That they love the characters and their journey that brings them together.

***

Destiny’s Promise

By Victoria Craven

He carried Carina to her chambers and laid her limp body on the bed. She was growing cold. His mind reached out to listen to her heartbeat. It was slow but steady. He piled blankets on her and stirred up the embers in the hearth adding new logs.

He sat back down on the bed and rubbed her cold hands. “Come on Carina, wake up.” She was barely breathing. He shook her shoulders, “Come back to me, sweetheart.”

Kiera ran through the door. She looked at Carina on the bed. “What happened?”

“We were talking then all of a sudden she collapsed.”

“Let me see what I can do.” Kiera took Carina’s hands and closed her eyes. Soon color returned to her face and her breathing was more audible.

Eleanor and Arelia charged in. “What’s wrong,” Eleanor said.

“She collapsed.”

Arelia placed her hand on Carina’s head. “She’s coming out of it.”

Fury burned inside of him. The table began to shake. Eleanor turned to him. “You better get out of here before you hurt someone.”

“That’s exactly what I plan to do.” He ran out of the room and headed for the stairs. He took them two at a time, then out of the Great Hall and headed toward the Golden Goblet. He could feel the energy building inside him, and his fingertips tingled.

When he first walked in he didn’t see Disa, but felt her presence. He crashed through her chamber door. To his satisfaction she jumped. He heard her two henchmen running up the stairs and he sent a bolt of energy, knocking them end over end. To his satisfaction she looked worried, but soon covered it up with a smug expression.

“Why, my Lord to what do I owe the pleasure.”

“I want you to stop doing what you’re doing to Carina.”

“Like I said. No.”

She said it with such finality, his temper flared, shattering the mirror on the wall. “Don’t test me, Disa.”

“Oh, please, what are you going to do, make it rain?”

He opened his palm and summoned a lightning ball. Then he opened his other palm and summoned another. Disa had barely enough time to throw up a protection spell before the lightning splintered toward her, yet her spell wasn’t strong enough and it began to crack. She threw another one to reinforce it.

Another bolt hit her wall and it began to crack again. With one final push of energy he’d broken through and her protection spell shattered, blowing her back on the bed.

He closed his fists and walked over to her. His face merely inches from hers. “Leave now,” he said with a deadly growl, “or so help me God, I will make you suffer.” Then stormed out of the room.

***

DESTINY’S PROMISE, Book 3 in the Love Conquers All series, is a March 7, 2017, release from Tell-Tale Publishing. It may be purchased from Amazon.

***

About Victoria

Victoria Craven was born to tell stories. Throughout her childhood she was a daydreamer. Growing up, she told the most outrageous tales to her friends that got her in trouble now and then. She escaped the mundane to live in her fantasies: She was a mermaid, a princess, a spy, and an explorer trekking across the tundra in Antarctica. Even as an adult, she saved just a little part of herself to drift into her dream world.

Then one day she said to herself, “I’m going to write a book,” and that’s what she did. She had no idea what it took to be a writer, thinking all you had to do was add some words and ideas to a page and poof, a book, and every word was golden. What a rude awakening when her writer friends took her into the light and showed her just how much she had to learn. That process is still going on today!

Victoria has published the first three books in a historical paranormal series, Love Conquers All.

Currently, she resides in the Grand Rapids, Michigan, area with her wonderful husband, who spoils her rotten. And from time to time is her critique buddy. She is the mother of three beautiful daughters and grandmother to four wonderful grandchildren.

When she isn’t writing, she doting on her grandchildren, curled up on the couch with her husband, or having a sleepover with her best friends.

And she still saves just a little bit of her life for those daydreams.

Stay in contact with Victoria through her website, www.victoriacraven.com, or connect with her through Facebook and Twitter.

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Author Speed Dating: Maris Soule

March 1, 2017 by Dana Nussio

This week’s guest: Maris Soule

15 Questions

1. If a director made a movie about your life, which actress (living or dead) would you like to portray you, and which one would more likely be cast?

Actress I would like to portray me? Why, Audrey Hepburn, of course. There I am on screen: slender, beautiful, and poised. The one most like to be cast? Okay, if I’m honest…Betty White.

2. What are some of the things that have changed in publishing since your first book was published?

Ha, my answer is EVERYTHING. My first book was typed on a typewriter (which is what all of us used at that time), I had to make Xerox copies to mail to the publisher, and any communication was done either by mail or phone. Back then (in the “olden” days), publishers actually promoted you. My first book was advertised in women’s magazines, and I was sent to a readers’ party. On the negative side, romance writers were considered part of Harlequin’s “stable” of writers. The Harlequin line was important, not the writer. Some writers had to change their name to one owned by Harlequin.

3. Us Weekly or Newsweek?

I really don’t know. I don’t read either. I barely find time to read the books assigned for the two book clubs I belong to, do research for what I’m writing, or actually write. Being “retired” doesn’t leave a lot of spare time.

4. As a reader, do you sneak a peek at the end of the book, or do you make yourself wait for answers until the very end?

Oh, I try not to. Really I do. But sometimes, when it’s late at night, and I know I can’t keep my eyes open any longer, and I just have to know who done it…I peek. But when my will power is stronger, I actually do force myself to wait until the very end.

5. Have you ever, even for a moment, forgotten that one of your characters was…you know…fictional?

They’re not real? Oh my gosh. Are you sure they’re not real?

6. In which genres and sub-genres are you published, and which others do you plan to add to the list in the next two years?

I started out writing straight romance, but I’ve always loved reading mysteries/suspense/thrillers, so some (quite a few) of my romances have a mystery or suspense included. Finally, I decided to switch to mysteries with a side story of romance. The book I have coming out this month (March 2017) is a thriller with barely a suggestion of romance. As for the next two years, I don’t know. Right now I’m working on a follow-up of my seventy-four-year-old widowed grandmother who was an assassin in her younger years and keeps getting called upon to use her skills.

7. Brad Pitt or David Beckham?

I’d take either, but at my age, Sean Connery or Harrison Ford are probably better matches. (Or maybe all four of these men?)

I think that would depend on the age of the reader. If she’s 20-50, I think she would love HEIRESS SEEKING PERFECT HUSBAND. Older than 50, I’m sure she would love A KILLER PAST.

9. Do you have a green thumb or black one, and, either way, how are you gearing up for spring planting season?

If you’re talking about house plants, I definitely have a black thumb. Outdoors, most plants manage to survive in spite of me (as long as the deer and rabbits don’t get them). I do love flowers, so I’ll be planting some in the small space we have around our condo.

10. When and how did you first decide you wanted to be an author?

I wanted to be a writer when I was twelve, but the English classes in high school and college discouraged me. I thought I never could write as well as the authors we were required to read. Then, when I was forty, trying to decide what I wanted to be when I grew up, I read a romantic suspense that was good, but not great, and I thought: I could write something like this. It took me almost four years, but I did it, and I’ve been writing ever since.

11. Antique Roadshow or Law & Order: SVU?

Again, decisions, decisions. I enjoy Antique Roadshow for the expressions on peoples’ faces when they find out how much something they’ve treated as junk is worth. I love Law & Order: SVU for the procedure and stories.

12. What is your favorite song of all time, and what do you do when it comes on the radio or when you stream it?

“Hotel California.” I don’t know why, but the moment that song comes on, I start smiling. And if I’m by myself, I start singing. (Which, considering I can’t carry a tune, is why I should be by myself.) Maybe it’s because I grew up in California. Maybe because…I really don’t know, but I love it.

13. What do you believe is your biggest strength as a writer, and what has been your approach to tackling some of your weaknesses?

Early on I was told I wrote good action scenes. My weakness is writing the love scenes. That’s probably one reason I have moved from writing romances to writing mysteries.

14. Regarding board games, Scrabble or Left, Right, Center?

I love Scrabble, but I’m a terrible speller, so I’d probably go for Left, Right, Center.

15. What is your biggest hope for a reader when she opens one of your books?

I hope the reader hates me at one a.m. when she knows she needs to put the book down and go to bed, but she just can’t stop reading.

***

Echoes of Terror

By Maris Soule

“He’s here,” Alice said, her voice barely above a whisper. “And wait ’til you see him.” She fanned herself, and grinned. “He wants to talk to the officer in charge. At the moment, that’s you.”

Katherine supposed with Gordon out of the building that was true. She also assumed this smoking hot “he” was the guy Crystal Morgan’s husband had sent.

She took a moment to straighten her uniform, then followed Alice back to the office area. Her first impression was that Crystal had been right; Vince Nanini did look like he could be a bodyguard. He certainly didn’t fit the computer geek stereotype. He had the bald head and swarthy complexion like Vin Diesel, but he was bigger than the actor. Not just in height, but in the width of his shoulders and the size of his biceps.

His white T-shirt stretched over a solid chest and flat abdomen, then disappeared beneath the waistline of a pair of tan khakis. Nikes covered his feet. He wore no jewelry, no heavy chains, rings, or earrings. Nothing custom made or terribly expensive, except, perhaps, for the watch on his right wrist. Katherine had a feeling it cost a small fortune. Definitely more than her trusty Timex.

“Mr. Nanini?” she said, holding out her hand.

He didn’t offer his.

“You’re the officer in charge?” The scowl he gave her was accompanied by a quick up-and-down look.

From behind the counter, Alice answered for her. “This is Officer Katherine Ward. Our chief is in the hospital, and Sergeant Landros is out of the office at the moment.”

“I am the officer handling this case,” Katherine added, letting her hand drop back to her side. She knew some men still held chauvinistic views about women police officers. She’d learned the best way to correct that was to take control. “May I see some identification?”

He pulled out a passport and a business card and handed her the two. “My partner and I specialize in computer security,” he said. “Tomoro Industries is one of our clients. Thomas Morgan, the president and owner of that business, is also a personal friend, which is why I’m here. It appears Mr. Morgan’s teenage daughter has run off with a guy she met through the Internet.”

“So I’ve heard.” Katherine looked at his business card—which identified him as Vincent Nanini, President of VR Protection Services—and then at his passport. Actually, his full name was Vincent Dominic Nanini, age thirty-eight, height six feet two and weight one-ninety. Those pounds were all muscle, from what she could see. His address was in Seattle, Washington.

She handed back his passport but kept the business card. “Crystal said you worked for the FBI. May I also see your badge?”

“I’m not an agent,” he said. “I did work for the bureau for a while as a consultant.”

“Are you presently with any law enforcement agency?”

“No, we—”

She waved off his explanation. “Then I’ll be asking the questions.”

***

ECHOES OF TERROR, a March 22, 2017 release from Five Star Publishing, will be available in e-book and hardcover form and may be pre-ordered from these retailers: Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Notice: Maris would like her fans to know that ECHOES OF TERROR is grittier than her P.J Benson Mysteries or even A KILLER PAST and may not appeal to all of her readers. – DN

***

About Maris

Maris Soule started her career writing romances (25 published, of which 2 were RITA finalists.) She then switched to writing mystery/suspense. So far she’s had 4 traditionally published. (3 in the P.J. Benson mystery series and 1 stand alone, A KILLER PAST). ECHOES OF TERROR, a thriller, will be her 30th book.

Originally from California, Maris graduated from U.C. Davis as an art major and received her secondary teaching credential from U.C. Berkeley. While attending U.C. Santa Barbara, Soule met and married her husband, and two years later, they moved to Climax, Michigan, where they raised two children and a slew of animals before ending up owning a boat and moving near Lake Michigan. Although Soule taught art and math for 8 years, reading and writing have always been her passion. She and her husband now divide their time between Michigan and Florida. She’s a member of RWA, MWA, Sisters-in-Crime, and Florida Writers Association.

For more information, visit her website, www.marissoule.com and her blog. Connect with her through these social media channels: Facebook profile, her Facebook author page, Twitter, Goodreads and Pinterest.

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Author Speed Dating: Nan Dixon

February 28, 2017February 22, 2017 by Dana Nussio

Author Speed Dating(1)

This week’s guest: Nan Dixon

Nan Dixon

harlequin superromance

1.Which of the Peanuts girls – Lucy, Sally, Peppermint Patty or Marcie – would be your best friend if you were added as a character on the comic strip?

Peppermint Patty—we both play sports.

2. Name a genre or sub-genre have you never written in but would like to.

Middle Grade or Historical Romance—but I would probably spend too much time on historical research and never finish the book.

3. When did you first decide you were a writer, and when was your first book published?

In 1986 I started working on a middle-grade book (never finished). In 2008, I began writing contemporary romance full time, and my first book released 2014.

4. Jeopardy or Real Housewives of Orange County?

Jeopardy! I even have it for my Wii! I might be a little competitive.

5. Do you write the synopsis before or after you write the manuscript?

I never used to write the synopsis first. Now I do, but only because it’s contractually required. (But the finished manuscript never matches the synopsis!)

6. Sam Elliot or Robert Downey, Jr.?

A young Sam Elliot.

7. Which character from one of your own books do you wish you were more like?

I think there is a little bit of me in every character, or at least I give them things that I love doing. In SOUTHERN COMFORTS — Abby is a chef. I love cooking and always want to experiment more. I guess I did that vicariously with her! (She matches her appetizers and wine for each evening’s wine tasting.)

8. “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” or “The Great Gatsby”? Book or movie version, your choice.

Neither?—Give me “Gone with the Wind”. Movie version and Clark Gable!

9. What has been your proudest moment as an author?

When a reader came up and asked me to sign her T-shirt at the RWA literacy signing, because she loved my debut. I cried.

10. How important is social media to you in your writing career?

Very! It keeps me connected to my readers and writing peeps. And I can stay current on my agent Laura Bradford’s life, through her funny tweets!

11. What kind of snacker are you? Potato chips and ice cream or kale chips and edamame?

I try to snack healthy, but I love gummy worms and orange slices.

12. What are the hardest and easiest part for you as you write a book?

The hardest part for me to write is making sure each character has an emotional arc that changes during the story. The easiest, the black moment.

13. Adele or The Rolling Stones?

Adele! I want to be able to hear the words.

14. What is the best piece of advice you can offer to a new writer, particularly one you wish someone gave to you when you were getting started?

I really needed a beginning craft class when I first started to toy around with writing. I wrote 5 manuscripts before I knew what I was doing. Go to a basic writing class.

15. If you could travel anywhere in the world, free of charge, where would you be booking your next vacation?

England. My English mother met my father during WWII and came to the US to marry him after the war. They corresponded for 3 years during the war and while my father finished college.

***

NanBook

The Other Twin

By Nan Dixon

It was nice having the craziness of feeding two kids and a man at her table. This is what life would have been like if Brad hadn’t died. Cheryl touched her stomach. Maybe they would have had another child.

She watched Nathan cut Isabella’s chicken. There wasn’t a second child in her future, but she could help Nathan with his daughter. Eventually, Nathan and Issy would move on, both physically and emotionally. But she could help for now.

“I cut the potatoes,” Josh told Isabella.

Issy forked a potato and smiled at him. A pixie with dandelion fluff for hair and her father’s heart-breaking brown eyes.

Cheryl brushed the hair out of Isabella’s eyes. “Is it good?”

The little girl nodded.

“I love it.” Nathan grinned.

Josh shot him a glare. And the bubble broke. They weren’t a family. She was just helping out a semi-clueless father with a damaged daughter.

As dinner wound down, Isabella set her milk too close to the table’s edge and the plastic glass dropped to the floor.

“Issy.” Nathan’s voice was sharper than normal, but he didn’t yell.

The little girl cringed anyway. Her shoulders curled up to hid her face. A whimper erupted as she bent in two.

“It’s okay. It’s just spilled milk.” Cheryl hurried to the other side of the table. “Josh, can you please grab paper towels? We’ll have this cleaned up in no time.”

Isabella was frozen. Cheryl stroked her back and she jerked. “Nathan, I think she’s done.”

Nathan took the hint and picked up his daughter. She wrapped her limbs around him like a vine.

“It’s okay.” Josh handed a wad of towels to Cheryl. “Sometimes I spill, too. Mom never slaps me.”

“Slaps?” Nathan said. “Issy?”

The girl tucked her head deeper into Nathan’s shoulder, shaking her head.

Josh covered his mouth.

“Josh?” Cheryl wiped the floor, trying to keep everything nonchalant. “Has Isabella talked to you?”

“I can’t tell.” Josh looked at Issy. “I promised.”

***

THE OTHER TWIN, part of the Fitzgerald House miniseries, is a January 2017 release from Harlequin Superromance, and may be purchased from these retailers: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Google, Harlequin, iBooks and Kobo.

***

About Nan

Nan Dixon spent her formative years as an actress, singer, dancer and competitive golfer. But the need to eat had her studying accounting in college. Unfortunately, being a successful financial executive didn’t feed her passion to perform. When the pharmaceutical company she worked for was purchased, Nan got the chance of a lifetime—the opportunity to pursue a writing career. She’s a five-time Golden Heart^® finalist and award-winning author, lives in the Midwest and is active in her local RWA chapter and on the board of a dance company. She has five children, three sons-in-law, two granddaughters, a brand new grandson and one neurotic cat.

Stay in contact with Nan through her website, www.nandixon.com, or through these social-media channels: Facebook, Goodreads, Pinterest and Twitter.

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Author Speed Dating – Pamela Hearon

February 28, 2017February 15, 2017 by Dana Nussio

Author Speed Dating(1)

This week’s guest: Pamela Hearon

Pamela Hearon

WOMEN'S FICTION-1

15 Questions

1. Which of the Peanuts girls – Lucy, Sally, Peppermint Patty or Marcie – would be your best friend if you were added as a character on the comic strip?

Peppermint Patty. I was such a tomboy as a kid, growing up in a neighborhood of six boys and me. I could outrun them all … until I got older and smarter.

2. Name a genre or sub-genre you have never written in but would like to.

Oooo, suspense. I had a suspense element in one of my books, and loved writing it. My editor made me tone down the bad guy, though, because he gave her the creeps!

3. When did you first decide you were a writer, and when was your first book published?

My dad always talked about a story I wrote in the 5th grade, so I was writing way back in the last century, but my first book didn’t get published until 2009.

4. Jeopardy or Real Housewives of Orange County?

Jeopardy. I’m the only person on the planet who has never watched one of those Real Housewives shows.

5. Do you write the synopsis before or after you write the manuscript?

After. When I try to write it before, it never matches what I actually write.

6. Sam Elliot or Robert Downey, Jr.?

Mr. Downy, please (and can he wear his Ironman suit?).

7. Describe a character from one of your books who is most like or most radically different from your significant other.

Kale Barlow from HIS KIND OF PERFECTION—a little overweight, a whole lot funny, and sexy as hell <3.

8. “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” or “The Great Gatsby”? Book or movie version, your choice.

Gatsby—the movie version with Robert Redford in the starring role.

9. What has been your proudest moment as an author?

I was a RITA Finalist in 2013—wonderful validation from my peers!

10. How important is social media to you in your writing career?

Honestly? I’m much better at just having fun on FB, Twitter, and Instagram than I am at promoting my books.

11. What kind of snacker are you? Potato chips and ice cream or kale chips and edamame?

Tortilla chips and ice cream—but not together. I really love Sweet and Spicy Cajun Trail Mix, too. Oh, and coconut chocolate chip cookies. And nuts—any kind (except cashews). But I can’t stand pretzels—blech!

12. What are the hardest and easiest part for you as you write a book?

Easiest—dialogue. I hear the characters talking in my head, and I just write what I hear. Hardest—ignoring the other voice in my head that says the story is crap.

13. Adele or The Rolling Stones?

Eric Church (color me Country).

14. What is the best piece of advice you can offer to a new writer, particularly one you wish someone gave to you when you were getting started?

Write for the love of writing, and count your success by how you feel about what you’ve written.

15. If you could travel anywhere in the world, free of charge, where would you be booking your next vacation?

Australia. G’day, mate! ☺

***

Pam book

Gaining Visibility

By Pamela Hearon

Julia eyed the steep incline, noting the weight of her carry-on and her duffel. Both pieces of luggage had wheels . . . and in a few days, she’d be conquering the Cinque Terre.

Determined, she took on the hill, schlepping her bags behind her.

Dragging the extra forty pounds up what felt like eighty degrees of cobblestone incline for two hundred yards left her questioning her fitness and her sanity, however. She stopped at intervals, filling her lungs with huge gulps of air that apparently held no oxygen as she felt little to no recoup in her body. The bags threatened to pull her arms from their sockets, and her fingers gripped the handles with terror, knowing that any slip backward meant having to retrace her excruciatingly painful progress.

By the time she reached the turnoff onto the hotel’s walkway, the twenty-two hours of travel since leaving Paducah hit her like a Mack truck. The warm fuzzies she’d started up the hill with had been abandoned along the way, replaced by hot pricklies that caused her blouse to stick to her chest and back and underarms, making the areas alternate from itch to burn.

She stomped along a walkway built on yet another incline, albeit gradual, up to the sign that indicated the office. In front of the door, two men blocked the path, discussing something that apparently had to do with the swimming pool. From their wild gesticulations and heated tones, one of them had released piranhas into the water.

If you stop, you drop, Julia reminded herself. But it was the sight in front of her more than her mantra that inched her closer.

Adonis— or whatever the Roman mythology equivalent was— had come to life. Stripped to the waist, his torso was an ocean of waves and ripples that made her mouth so dry she longed for a taste. Long legs defined with muscles bulging from the shorts he wore pivoted him gracefully toward the pool and back to the other man whom he towered over.

Julia drew close enough to appreciate the sunlight glistening on the perspiration that poured from the black curly hair onto the wide, sculpted shoulders and chest. Despite the angry undertones, his deep voice had a smoothness that glided across his tongue like caramel gelato.

This was the man, rather than Howard, who should’ve been hooking up with Miss Italy. At thirtyish, he was the perfect age— the perfect everything— and Julia released the breath she’d been holding with a sigh.

“Um . . . excuse me. I need to get through here.”

Adonis swung toward her, pinning her with a sullen gaze from eyes as dark and rich as mahogany. “Mi dispiace, signora. I did not see you.”

Julia drew another sigh and shrugged. “That doesn’t surprise me.”

***

GAINING VISIBILITY, a September 2016 release from Kensington Books, may be purchased through these retailers: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million and Kobo.

***

About Pamela

Pamela Hearon grew up in Paducah, Kentucky, a small city that infuses its inhabitants with Southern values, Southern hospitality, and a very distinct Southern accent. There she found the inspiration for her quirky characters, the perfect backdrop for the stories she wanted to tell, and the beginnings of her narrative voice. Pamela was a 2013 RITA® Finalist and Maggie Finalist for her first Harlequin Superromance, OUT OF THE DEPTHS (August 2012). Six more Superromances followed, including THE SUMMER PLACE (National Readers’ Choice Award Finalist), and HIS KIND OF PERFECTION (2015 Maggie Finalist). She made her debut in women’s fiction in 2016 with GAINING VISIBILITY (Kensington Books Sept 2016).

Connect with Pamela through her website, www.pamelahearon.com, or through Facebook or Twitter.

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Author Speed Dating – Elizabeth Bevarly

February 28, 2017February 8, 2017 by Dana Nussio

Author Speed Dating(1)

This week’s guest: Elizabeth Bevarly

Elizabeth Bevarly Pub Photo

CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

15 Questions

1. Which of the Peanuts girls – Lucy, Sally, Peppermint Patty or Marcie – would be your best friend if you were added as a character on the comic strip?

Peppermint Patty for sure. She and I share identical fashion sense. I’d wear sandals all year if it didn’t mean losing my toes to frostbite.

2. Name a genre or sub-genre you have never written in but would like to.

Mystery. It’s my second favorite genre to read, and I actually have a good idea for one. Unfortunately, I’m afraid it would be the only good mystery idea I ever get.

3. When did you first decide you were a writer, and when was your first book published?

When I was twelve years old. I wrote my first story about a bunch of teenagers exploring a haunted house. I couldn’t finish it quickly enough for my two best friends, Marianne and Cheryl, to read it. And I sold my first book in 1988, when I was 27. It appeared in October 1989.

4. Jeopardy or Real Housewives of Orange County?

Jeopardy. Even if I’m terrible at every category except anything literary and “Potent Potables”.

5. Do you write the synopsis before or after you write the manuscript?

Before. But only because I have to to get paid.

6. Sam Elliot or Robert Downey, Jr.?

What, I can only choose one of them? That is so harsh.

7. Describe a character from one of your books who is most like or most radically different from your significant other.

Ramsey Sage from The Thing About Men is totally my husband David. Not so much the tattooed DEA agent part. (Though David was law enforcement in the Caribbean for the U.S. Coast Guard for a while.) But the epilogue Ramsey, who’s created an incredibly cozy, loving home for his family.

8. “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” or “The Great Gatsby”? Book or movie version, your choice.

Speaking as a woman with an honors degree in English, I naturally have to choose the book over the movie. And it would be, hands down, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. That’s also the English major talking.

9. What has been your proudest moment as an author?

Appearing on the New York Times bestseller list between Stephen King and Dean Koontz.

10. How important is social media to you in your writing career?

It’s probably super important. Unfortunately, I’m super bad at social media.

11. What kind of snacker are you? Potato chips and ice cream or kale chips and edamame?

Somewhere in between. I try to avoid really unhealthy food, but I also don’t rob myself of things I love. Favorite snack, though, is probably just a big spoon of chunky peanut butter and a glass of milk.

12. What are the hardest and easiest part for you as you write a book?

The beginning is definitely the easiest. I love setting things up and getting to know the characters. The ending is definitely the hardest. I get so tired of those people after a while. Jeez, can they not work out their own problems? Do I have to do everything?

13. Adele or The Rolling Stones?

I’m actually not a huge fan of either. I don’t dislike them. They’re just kind of meh with me. I’m way more likely to be listening to alternative or world music.

14. What is the best piece of advice you can offer to a new writer, particularly one you wish someone gave to you when you were getting started?

Just write for you. You’re the only one you know you can please, and you have the most invested in your work. And don’t let other people have control over you or your work. Stay happy.

15. If you could travel anywhere in the world, free of charge, where would you be booking your next vacation?

Scotland. Waaaaaaaay up north. Where I could take a ferry to the Orkneys.

***

Renny Cover

The Pregnancy Affair

By Elizabeth Bevarly

“I don’t remember my father very well,” Tate said, studying the photo Renny had given him. “I assume the boy he’s holding in the picture is me.”

“Yes.”

“Which only means my father was an acquaintance of Joseph Anthony Bacco, AKA the Iron Don.”

“He was more than an acquaintance,” she assured him. “Your father was Joseph Anthony Bacco Junior.”

Tate snapped his head up to look at her. “That’s impossible. My father’s name was James Carson. He worked in a hardware store in Terre Haute, Indiana. It burned down when I was four. He was killed in the fire.”

Renny sifted through the documents she’d brought with her until she located what she was looking for. “James Carson was the name your father was given by the federal marshals before they placed him and your mother and you in the Witness Security Program when you were two. Your family entered WITSEC after your father testified at a murder trial, against one of Joseph Bacco’s capos, then helped the feds put away a half-dozen others in the organization. Your mother became Natalie Carson, and you became Tate Carson. You all received new Social Security numbers and birth dates. The feds moved the three of you from Passaic, New Jersey to Terre Haute, and your parents were given new jobs, your father at the hardware store and your mother at a local insurance company.”

Renny handed him copies of documents to support those assertions. She’d received them and the other information via snail mail a few days ago, from a high school friend whose computer hacking skills were legendary. They were records she was reasonably certain she wasn’t supposed to have—she’d know better than to ask where they came from. The only reason her friend had helped her out in the first place was because Renny A) promised to never divulge her source and B) pulled in a favor she’d been owed by said friend since a sleepover thirteen years ago, a favor that might or might not have something to do with a certain boy in homeroom named Kyle.

Tate voraciously read every word of the pages she handed him. When he looked up again, his gray eyes were stormy. “Are you trying to tell me…?”

It would probably be best to just spill the news as cleanly as possible and follow up with details in the inevitable Q&A to follow.

“You’re Joey the Knife’s grandson and legal heir,” she told him. “Your grandfather left his entire estate to you, as you’re the oldest son of his oldest son, and that’s what generations of Bacco tradition dictates. What’s more, it was Joey’s dying wish that you assume his position as head of the family and take over all of his businesses after his death.

“In short, Mr. Hawthorne,” Renny concluded, “Joseph Anthony Bacco Senior has crowned you the new Iron Don.”

***

The Pregnancy Affair, a February 2017 release from Harlequin Desire, may be purchased from these retailers: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Harlequin, iTunes and Kobo.

***

About Elizabeth

Elizabeth Bevarly is the award-winning, New York Times best-selling author of more than seventy books and, with her screenwriting partner Lorena Peter, a half-dozen scripts. Although she has called home in exotic places like San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Haddonfield, New Jersey, she’s now happily settled back in her native Kentucky with her husband and son. When she’s not writing, she’s binge-watching British TV shows on Netflix, spending too much time on Reddit, or making soup out of whatever she finds in the freezer. Her spirit animal is a rabid badger. (Long story.) Visit her at www.elizabethbevarly.com for news about current and upcoming projects, for book, music, and film recommendations, recipes, and for lots of other cool stuff. Also connect with Elizabeth on Facebook.

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Author Speed Dating – Shelly Bell

February 28, 2017February 1, 2017 by Dana Nussio

Author Speed Dating(1)

This week’s guest: Shelly Bell

EROTIC ROMANCE

15 Questions

1. Which of the Peanuts girls – Lucy, Sally, Peppermint Patty or Marcie – would be your best friend if you were added as a character on the comic strip?

Growing up, I was definitely the Marci to the Peppermint Patty. But now that I’m older, I’d want Sally as my best friend. She’s optimistic, sweet, and a romantic.

2. Name a genre or sub-genre have you never written in but would like to.

I’d been planning on writing a straight suspense novel, but it has two romances running through it, so now, I’m not sure what it’s going to be. All I know is I’ve never written anything like it before.

3. When did you first decide you were a writer, and when was your first book published?

My first book was published in 2012, but I’m not sure I’ve accepted that I’m a writer yet. No matter how many books I write, I still feel like a fraud.

4. Jeopardy or Real Housewives of Orange County?

I haven’t watched Jeopardy in years, but I’ve never even seen any of the Real Housewives. These days, I don’t get a lot of time to watch television.

5. Do you write the synopsis before or after you write the manuscript?

I always write a full chapter by chapter synopsis before I write a manuscript. Then it changes as I write. But I need a road map, especially for my erotic-suspense novels.

6. Sam Elliot or Robert Downey, Jr.?

I do love Sam Elliott, but I’ve got a huge crush on Tony Stark. Who doesn’t love a billionaire techie superhero?

7. Describe a character from one of your books who is most like or most radically different from your significant other.

Um…I’d have to say all of the heroes from my Benediction series. My husband is a beta all the way.

8. “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” or “The Great Gatsby”? Book or movie version, your choice.

The Great Gatsby, both book and movie (the original). Robert Redford as Gatsby? Sigh. I still have a crush on Redford today because of that movie and “The Way We Were”.

9. What has been your proudest moment as an author?

Finding out that I had two offers for my upcoming Forbidden Lovers series and having to choose between them. It was also one of the most difficult decisions I’ve made as an author.

10. How important is social media to you in your writing career?

I wouldn’t have a career without it. Not that I’m great about posting. But it’s been a great way to connect with readers.

11. What kind of snacker are you? Potato chips and ice cream or kale chips and edamame?

I’m an iced coffee with almond milk and popcorn kind of snacker. Kale and edamame does not belong in the snack category.

12. What are the hardest and easiest part for you as you write a book?

The hardest? The words. The easiest? Writing “The End.” Every part of it is difficult. But worth it.

13. Adele or The Rolling Stones?

The Rolling Stones. Hands down. I find myself singing “Jumping Jack Flash” and “Honkey Tonk Woman” at random times. Love them.

14. What is the best piece of advice you can offer to a new writer, particularly one you wish someone gave to you when you were getting started?

Don’t be in a rush to publish. Know both the market and craft before you query or hit publish.

15. If you could travel anywhere in the world, free of charge, where would you be booking your next vacation?

I would go to England, Ireland, and Scotland. My friend lives in England, and ever since reading Nora Roberts’ Irish Born Trilogy, I’ve wanted to visit Ireland. Now I just need several thousand dollars and time.

***

red handed high res

Red Handed

By Shelly Bell

It had been years since she’d heard that voice, and despite it belonging to her dangerous adversary, her body reacted exactly the same. As if he’d placed his hands on her skin and caressed her naked flesh, not sparing an inch.

Adrian motioned with a wave of his arm for her to enter first. Somehow, she managed to put one foot in front of the other until she stood inside Cole DeMarco’s lair. Its chocolate walls, the walnut furniture, and the flickering flames coming from the fireplace gave the first impression of a homey, comfortable room similar to her father’s before the FBI had raided it and cleaned it bare.

Her gaze fell on the man who’d haunted her in dreams and tormented her in nightmares. He didn’t get up to greet her. Didn’t welcome her with a smile.

From behind his desk, he sat tall in his chair, his muscular, tattooed arms folded in front of him. His brown eyes narrowed, and he scowled at her.

Her swallow caught in her throat. What could she possibly have done to anger him? She’d only just arrived. Besides, she never elicited a strong reaction out of anyone. She usually faded into the shadows.

His simple black T-shirt stretched tight over a broad chest, each inhalation giving her a glimpse of the muscles underneath. He’d shaved his head clean and grown a short goatee, hiding the dimple in his chin she’d adored from afar as a teenager. He looked even better than she’d remembered and every bit as dangerous.

***

RED HANDED, a Benediction Novel from Avon Red Impulse, may be purchased from these retailers: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million and iBooks.

***

About Shelly

A sucker for a happy ending, Shelly Bell writes sensual romance often with a bit of kink and action-filled erotic thrillers with high-emotional stakes for her alpha heroes and kick-ass heroines. She began writing upon the insistence of her husband, who dragged her to the store and bought her a laptop. When she’s not working her day job, taking care of her family or writing, you’ll find her reading the latest smutty romance.

Connect with Shelly through her website www.ShellyBellBooks.com, email or these social media channels: her Amazon Author Page, Facebook Author Page and Twitter.

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Author Speed Dating – Kristina Knight

February 28, 2017January 25, 2017 by Dana Nussio

Author Speed Dating(1)

This week’s guest: Kristina Knight

Kristi

HARLEQUIN SUPERROMANCE

15 Questions

1. If you were to make an appearance at Comic-Con, which Superhero costume would you be rocking?

Wonder Woman, naturally. (I could really use some super-cool bracelets, and that jet plane would mean no more long lines at the airport!)

2. At which time of day are you more productive as a writer, mornings or nights, and is caffeine a friend or foe?

As long as I have caffeine (ice-cold Coca-Cola, please), I can make any time of day work.

3. George Clooney or Bradley Cooper?

Although a little piece of my heart will always belong to Mr. Clooney, a bigger piece of my heart belongs to Bradley. Cooper all the way!

4. What is your biggest dream as an author?

I would love to someday hit one of the big lists, but, honestly, as long as people enjoy my books, I’m a happy camper!

5. Name a movie you’ve watched countless times but one you’ll still tune in to whenever it’s on cable.

“The Princess Bride.” I can quote it line-for-line, and I get sucked into it every time.

6. How many books have you published and in how many genres and sub-genres?

Thirteen, not counting various bundles of my series or boxed sets that I’ve put a book into. All are contemporary romance, but they run the gamut from cowboys to rockers, a billionaire or three…

7. Love It or List It or Modern Family?

Modern Family – love the banter and all the relationship dynamics. So much fun!

8. What is your favorite way to celebrate after you receive a new book contract or get a great review?

RadioMan and I always go to lunch, and then I pick a new bead for my book-charm-bracelet.

9. What is your best advice for new writers?

Just keep writing. There are experts who swear by this advertising or that blog tour, but the truth is that the next book is the best marketing you can have. So keep writing.

10. Extra-large French fries or a perfect square of dark chocolate?

Tough one! I’m going to go with French fries…mostly because I’m starving right now and that sounds like a good dinner option.

11. Which of your books gave you the most trouble, and what helped you make it to “the end”?

The book I just finished (the first book in my Slippery Rock series, which will be out later this year), took a couple of incarnations, and multiple character revisions…but in the end, I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out.

12. Do you have a music playlist for writing? If so, list some of your go-to artists.

I do! I make new playlists for every book/series. Right now I’ve got a lot of Dierks Bentley and Maren Morris in both of my playlists.

13. Virginia Woolf or Maya Angelou?

Maya. Her poetry is so lyrical, and I can hear her voice in my head as I read.

14. What do you do when you’re in the middle of a book and a new idea pops into your head?

I write it down, stick it in a folder, and get back to the book I’m working on.

15. Were there other authors who helped you along the way on your writer’s journey, and how did they make a difference for you?

My WordWrangler pals, and my local RWA chapter girls are all priceless for a variety of reasons – camaraderie, brainstorming help, butt-in-chair-ing, cheerleading, and picking up the pieces…I love them all.

***

Kristina book

Protecting the Quarterback

By Kristina Knight

“Jonas.” Her quiet voice snapped him back to the parking lot. “Why don’t you not take me home?”

His stomach muscles tightened as the words slipped from her lips in that slow drawl.

“Are you sure?”

She nodded, and he knew he wouldn’t take her home, not just yet.

When he was behind the wheel, Brooks took his hand in hers and turned her face to watch the buildings passing by. The sun was beginning to set when he pulled into the parking lot of the condo where he’d spent the first few years of his contract with the team. Several other players lived there during the season, but the place was mostly a ghost town now. He parked in his designated spot and then somehow they were inside the glass-and-chrome decorated living room.

Memorabilia lined the walls and a low, white couch sat behind a glass-topped coffee table. He cringed. It was too perfect. Too planned out.

Too much like the other times he’d brought a woman here. Maybe he should have taken her to a hotel. There was still time, he could—

“Wow,” she said, drawing her index finger over the smooth surface of a table lined with photographs of him during games or at press conferences. God, he’d been such a schmuck with the decorating of this place. “This is not what I expected.”

“My interior designer has very specific tastes,” he said lamely. Definitely, definitely should have taken her anywhere but this condo.

She presented herself as the girl next door, but there was a little bit of siren in her now, which made his heartbeat kick up a notch. Brooks made her way around the room and he couldn’t take his eyes off her as she moved. Slowly and sinuously. Taking in everything around her. This was a different Brooks than the woman he thought he’d known over the past week. That woman was businesslike most of the time. The moments she let her guard down, like when she talked to the kids without that microphone in tow, though, she was irresistible. Impossible not to watch or wonder about. It was one of those moments that made him ask her out for dinner. That dinner had led them here.

Jonas met her at the kitchen counter, put his hands on her hips and turned her to face him.

“It was a date,” he said and bent his head so he could taste her lips. She was sweet, as he’d imagined so many times over the past few days. She wound her arms around his neck and slanted her mouth, giving him better access to the sweetness that was Brooks. He squeezed his hands around her waist and she shivered. “It was always a date,” he said again and began walking her down the hallway to the bedroom.

***

Protecting the Quarterback, a May 2016 release from Harlequin Superromance, may be purchased from these retailers: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Harlequin, iBooks and KOBO.

***

About Kristina

Once upon a time, Kristina Knight spent her days running from car crash to fire to meetings with local police–no, she wasn’t a troublemaker, she was a journalist. Her career took her all over the United States, writing about everything from a serial killer’s capture to the National Finals Rodeo. Along the way, she found her very own Knight in Shining Cowboy Boots and an abiding love for romance novels. And just like the characters from her favorite books, she’s living her own happily ever after.

Kristina writes sassy contemporary romance novels; her books have appeared on Kindle Best Seller Lists. Stay in touch with Kristina through her website, www.kristinaknightauthor.com, or through these social media channels: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Goodreads and Google+.

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Author Speed Dating – MK Schiller

February 28, 2017January 18, 2017 by Dana Nussio

Author Speed Dating(1)

This week’s guest: MK Schiller

MK pic

15 Questions

1. If you were to make an appearance at Comic-Con, which Superhero costume would you be rocking?

It would be Wonder Woman. The girl is armed with a truth lasso and killer cuff bracelets. Bonus, she has a jet.

2. At which time of day are you more productive as a writer, mornings or nights, and is caffeine a friend or foe?

I think it really depends on what’s going on. I wish the moments I’m creative are scheduled. I’d say nights win though. Caffeine is a great pal, but red wine is a close friend.

3. George Clooney or Bradley Cooper?

Definitely, Bradley Cooper circa “Limitless” and “Silver Linings Playbook”. He always plays characters that make me laugh and feel.

4. What is your biggest dream as an author?

Well, if we’re dreaming big, I would love to see one of my books on the big screen.

5. Name a movie you’ve watched countless times but one you’ll still tune in to whenever it’s on cable.

“Forest Gump”.

6. How many books have you published and in how many genres and sub-genres?

It’s hard to believe, but 9 books with one on the way. They are all contemporary romances, but range with sub-genres of romantic suspense, new adult, and multicultural romance.

7. Love It or List It or Modern Family?

I’d have to go with Modern Family as it’s one of my family’s favorite shows.

8. What is your favorite way to celebrate after you receive a new book contract or get a great review?

Going out to dinner with my family and announcing it at our monthly Greater Detroit Romance Writers of America meeting.

9. What is your best advice for new writers?

Be encouraged by all praise and heed the criticism to help you become a better writer. But…do not let either define you.

10. Extra-large French fries or a perfect square of dark chocolate?

Chocolate every time, all of the time. Now, if we could make deep fried chocolate French fries, that would be something.

11. Which of your books gave you the most trouble, and what helped you make it to “the end”?

I struggled with the conflict and black moment in Where the Lotus Flowers Grow. It was almost too dark, especially for me. But in the end, I kept it because the whole theme of the book is that love can bloom in any dark corner. Just like the Lotus Flower.

12. Do you have a music playlist for writing? If so, list some of your go-to artists.

Absolutely. In fact, every book has a playlist and artists that helped me get through it. I love Indie artists like Hugo to classics like James Taylor. My playlist is super eclectic and frenzied just like my characters.

13.Virginia Woolf or Maya Angelou?

I’ve read both and enjoyed them, but I’d have to go with Maya Angelou. I read I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings in high school and it really resonated with me. After all, the beautiful heroine used literature to make her stronger in the face of severe trauma.

14. What do you do when you’re in the middle of a book and a new idea pops into your head?

I turn my head and mutter, “squirrel.” It depends if I’m under contract, but I might start writing the new book if the idea makes my fingers twitch enough.

15. Were there other authors who helped you along the way on your writer’s journey, and how did they make a difference for you?

There are too many to name. I was inspired by amazing authors I had read, but also by those who I had met through my local writing group from our knowledgeable speakers to our members. These brave and lovely authors helped pave my writing journey.

***

MK Cover

Where the Lotus Flowers Grow

By MK Schiller

Steam from the bathroom swathed him as he stepped out, a towel looped low around his hips. His naked chest, revealed muscles chiseled to perfection. I’d seen him when he arrived, but I wasn’t paying attention. And now my attention would not go anywhere else. His damp hair, the color a mix of sun with flecks of sand, lay unruly against his head. His expression conveyed annoyance. I pivoted, my bum backing into the bureau. He narrowed his eyes. Green eyes? Brown? They were both.

They were neither.

“I’m waiting for an answer.”

My fingers clutched the book, digging into the hardback cover, holding it against my chest as if it could shield me from his voice, deep and husky. I shrank back farther, praying the floor would quake open and swallow me up.

His eyes shifted to my hands. He blinked, staring at the book. As much as my eyes were absorbing, my mouth refused to work. What could I possibly say to him? There were no excuses. I’d trespassed and, as a result, I’d be sacked.

“I’ve frightened you,” he said, his voice a shade softer. He held up his hand. “Wait.”

He picked up a few articles of clothing from the open suitcase on the bed, then looked back at me. “Stay.” He closed the bathroom door behind him, disappearing into the diminishing poufs of steam.

I should run. But my feet were stuck to the floor, even though my legs were shaking. For once, I was grateful the sari would hide that.

When he came out a few minutes later, he wore soft, faded jeans and a green rugby shirt. He stood a few feet away, but I could smell fresh soap and sweet mint radiating from his body.

He slapped his chest three times. “My name is Liam Montgomery.”

I continued to stare, dumbfounded. Was he introducing himself to me as if we lived on the same plane? I had found comfort in being a maid because the attention paid to me was on par with my paycheck. That was my preference. My choice. Perhaps a penance in a way. But now…I had all his attention and no idea what to do with it. He sighed, shaking his head with disappointment. “Lotus Girl, why would you pick up a book you can’t read?”

Lotus girl? Was he talking to me?

“Let’s try this again. Mera Nam, Liam Montgomery,” he said in poorly pronounced Hindi.

“You don’t speak Hindi either?” When I didn’t respond, he picked up his phone and pressed a few buttons. “So many languages in this country. Rest assured, I’ll find yours.”

As if rest were a possibility.

“Ah, here we are.” He repeated the introduction in Punjabi, Gujarthi, Marthati, Tamil, Bangali, and even Sanskrit. Each time, he looked at me with a hopeful expression. With my continued silence, he grew more disappointed. Somehow, his desperation to talk with me made the tension dissipate just as the steam had. Finally, he threw his phone on the bed.

He shook his head in resignation, offering me a self-deprecating smile.

“That’s all I got. I suppose we shall never speak.” He stared at the book again. I held it out to him with both hands. He stepped closer, his bare feet oddly beautiful. Later, I would wonder why I didn’t just lay the book back on the bureau. His hands, large with long fingers, gripped the other edge and stilled the wobbling tome. I tilted my chin, forcing myself to look at his face. I knew I’d regret the moment if I chose to…squint.

He nodded toward the book, but kept us at a distance. “It’s a shame, really. This is my favorite Dickens’s novel. It’s almost an autobiography.”

He tugged on it. I wouldn’t let go.

He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “Why the hell I’m still talking to you when you can’t bloody-well respond, I have no idea.” He gestured to the door. “Either it’s heatstroke, or I’m going mad.”

“You’re wrong.”

He swallowed, his eyes widening. “I’m not going mad?”

“It’s not an autobiography. Dickens said his most autobiographical book was David Copperfield. Not Nicholas Nickleby.” I thought I’d said it in my head, but the way his jaw dropped made it clear I’d articulated the statement.

Liam smiled again, his expression a mixture of curiosity and suspicion.

“She speaks. And what interesting things she has to say.”

***

Where the Lotus Flowers Grow, a September 2016 release from Lyrical Shine, an imprint from Kensington Publishing, may be purchased from these retailers: Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million.

***

About MK

MK Schiller was born a hopeless romantic in a hopelessly pragmatic world. She has a full-time life and two busy teenagers, but in the dark of night, she sits by the warm glow of her computer monitor and attempts to conjure up passionate heartwarming stories with plenty of humor. She hopes you enjoy her stories and always find The Happily Ever After in every endeavor.

Stay in touch with MK through her website, www.mkschillerauthor.com, her Facebook author page and Facebook profile, her Amazon Author Page, Twitter and Goodreads.

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Author Speed Dating – Melinda Leigh

February 28, 2017January 11, 2017 by Dana Nussio

Author Speed Dating(1)

This week’s guest: Melinda Leigh

Author Melinda Leigh

ROMANTIC SUSPENSE

15 Questions

1. If you were to make an appearance at Comic-Con, which Superhero costume would you be rocking?

Wonder Woman!

2. At which time of day are you more productive as a writer, mornings or nights, and is caffeine a friend or foe?

Morning and coffee is my BFF.

3. George Clooney or Bradley Cooper?

Matt Damon.

4. What is your biggest dream as an author?

I’m already blessed with achieving more than I ever imagined. I support my family doing something I love. It doesn’t get any better than that.

5. Name a movie you’ve watched countless times but one you’ll still tune in to whenever it’s on cable.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

6. How many books have you published and in how many genres and sub-genres?

12 novels, 4 novellas, and 1 short story, all romantic suspense titles.

7. Love It or List It or Modern Family?

Modern Family.

8. What is your favorite way to celebrate after you receive a new book contract or get a great review?

I don’t celebrate either of those things. They’re just business. BUT when I finish a book, I usually take a couple of days off from writing and clean my office. It gets a little chaotic in there during the final few weeks. I like to start each new project with a clean desk.

9. What is your best advice for new writers?

Keep improving your craft. I see too many new authors rush into self-publishing before their book is ready. I rewrote She Can Run four times before I got an agent, and it went through another solid revision before she sold it.

10. Extra-large French fries or a perfect square of dark chocolate?

Chocolate, but I can’t stop at one square.

11. Which of your books gave you the most trouble, and what helped you make it to “the end”?

Frankly, they’re all difficult. Contracts, deadlines, and self-discipline get me to the end. There are no other options. Writing is my job. The bills need to be paid, and I have two kids in college. I don’t make money on unfinished manuscripts.

12. Do you have a music playlist for writing? If so, list some of your go-to artists.

I often use music to help me get in the right mood for a scene. I listen to everything from The Black Keys and Coldplay and to John Legend and Bruno Mars. It all depends on the emotion/tone I’m trying to set.

13. Virginia Woolf or Maya Angelou?

Maya Angelou.

14. What do you do when you’re in the middle of a book and a new idea pops into your head?

That would depend if the idea pertains to the current book or a different one. If it’s for the current work-in-process, I stop to evaluate it. Can’t pass up on a better plot twist! If the idea is for a new book, I write it down in detail and get back to work. I keep notes in my phone for just this reason.

15. Were there other authors who helped you along the way on your writer’s journey, and how did they make a difference for you?

Writing is a solitary vocation. Authors need peeps. I have so many I can’t possibly list them all, but two besties I turn to for motivation and support on an almost daily basis are Kendra Elliot and Rayna Vause.

***

MidnightObsession-21526-CV-FT-c2r3

Midnight Obsession

By Melinda Leigh

There wasn’t anyone around to hear her scream.

Her knees wobbled as she climbed out of the van. The cold punched through her coat and shook her to the marrow.

He handed her a flask. “Drink.”

Taking it, she tilted it to her lips and sipped. Whiskey burned a fiery path through the center of her body but didn’t manage to warm her.

“I have a script for you to read.”

Great. He wanted to role-play in the middle of an Arctic front. What was up with him? Her creep meter kept waving back and forth between He’s OK and He’s going to kill me.

“Can’t I read this inside the van?” She shivered, her teeth clacking like castanets.

“No. It has to be here. But I promise it won’t take long. Afterward, I’ll make sure you get home.”

She took the sheet of paper. The wind kicked up, fluttering the corners of the page. Cold tears blurred her vision. The man shined a flashlight on the page.

“Read it,” he demanded in a voice that sparked a hot prick of renewed fear in the pit of her belly.

This was wrong. All wrong. Without lifting her head, she surveyed the area again, but the piles of dirt all around the site blocked the view. There was no one around. She was on her own.

Her gaze dropped to the page. The three short, strange sentences sealed her fate.

This was it then. The end, and she’d meet it alone and cold. Made perfect sense. That was how she’d spent most of her life.

Her voice trembled. “I see my master in paradise. He calls to me. Take me to him.”

His next moves were smooth and sure. He stepped around her. One hand grabbed her hair and pulled her head back, exposing her throat. Her scalp stung. A flash of metal shone in the corner of her eye. She knew what it was and what was about to happen.

Her instincts told her to run, but resignation and terror held her feet in place, like hands gripping her ankles. Panic raced through her veins, her heart beating so fast and hard it felt as if it would crack through her ribs, burst from her body, and fly away. Tears slid down her cheeks.

The slice was mercifully quick. She barely felt the cut of the blade or the gush of her blood onto the white snow at her feet. The liquid flooded her body with warmth.

But with every beat of her pulse, her heart squeezed more life from her body. Every beat of her heart brought her closer to death. Weaker. More distant. Distress slid away as her body drained.

She fell to her knees. Dropping to the ground behind her, he grasped her shoulders. He pulled her back to his chest, supporting her against his body. His hand stroked her hair away from her face, his touch loving.

Reverent.

As her vision dimmed, she sagged sideways. He cradled her in his arms. Leaning over her, he pressed his forehead to her temple and whispered, “You are home.”

***

MIDNIGHT OBSESSION, a January 2017 release from Montlake Romance, may be purchased from these retailers: Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million.

***

About Melinda

Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melinda Leigh is a fully recovered banker. A life-long lover of books, she started writing as a way to preserve her sanity while raising her kids. Over the next few years, she learned a few things about writing a book. The process was much more fun than analyzing financial statements, and she decided to turn her hobby into a career. Melinda’s debut novel, SHE CAN RUN, was nominated for Best First Novel by the International Thriller Writers. She is a RITA® Award Finalist and has earned three Daphne du Maurier Award nominations, two Silver Falchion Awards, and two Golden Leaf Awards. Melinda’s eighteen romantic suspense titles have sold 2.5 million copies.

Melinda holds a 2nd degree belt in Kenpo Karate. She’s dabbled in Arnis stick fighting, studied Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and taught women’s self-defense. She lives in a messy house in the suburbs with her husband, two kids, a couple of shelter dogs and two rescue cats who clearly run the show. With such a pleasant life, she has no explanation for the sometimes dark and disturbing nature of her imagination. Find out more about Melinda by visiting melindaleigh.com, and stay in touch through Facebook and Twitter.

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