The Resurrection of the Regency Romance
By Celina Summers

Thanks for having me, Raine!
When Raine asked me to write a guest entry for her blog, I was stumped for a while on what I’d write about. I stewed on it for a few days and finally fell on a topic that’s near and dear to my heart—romance novels.
Yes, I know—really original, Celina. But I do have an unusual observation to make that hopefully might make you think for a minute.
Do you remember back in the ‘good old days’ (yeah—the nineties) what the romance section at the bookstore looked like? Paranormal romance was still very new but gaining popularity quickly thanks to writers like Nora Roberts, Christine Feehan and Diana Gabaldon. Tucked in here and there were the genre romances—sweeping historicals, family epics and Regency romances were wildly popular. You can still find those historical and family epic romances easily. But what happened to the Regency romance?
The traditional Regency romance is set in a very specific period of time—the early 1800s. Jane Austen’s novels were Regency romances in their purest form; Georgette Heyer brought the Regency romance from the comedy of manners of Austen’s style to a true-blown historical novel, chock full of factual references from the historical events of the period to costumes to common slang and society—and created an entire genre in the process. The Regency heroine was quick-witted and beautiful, always engaging her man in a battle of wits and driving him nuts in a situation where sex before marriage wasn’t even the remotest possibility. Society (with a capital S) ruled; everything else was unimportant compared to the good opinion of the leaders of the ton.
But that clever incarnation of sweet romance suddenly died away. Publishers who were the cornerstones of the genre—like Zebra and Signet—stopped publishing the traditional Regency romance in favor of spicier historical romances set in the same period where the heroine was not averse to a little hanky-panky before the wedding day. Romance novels were getting more erotic. So, Zebra and Signet killed their regency lines within weeks of each other in the summer of 2005. Finding new Regency romances was almost impossible and loyal readers were devastated.
But in recent years, the demand for Regency romance has grown once more. Harlequin began to reissue Regencies—a new Georgette Heyer title was released every month. The backlists of Regency writers—familiar names like Mary Jo Putney and Loretta Chase—were kept alive by thousands of devoted Regency readers who now had few new titles to read. Although the historical novel remains extremely popular, the traditional Regency romance is making a comeback—enough of one that publishers are beginning to sit up and take notice.
I know that my introduction into reading romance novels began with traditional Regency romances: I devoured Georgette Heyer at sixteen the same way I devour chocolate now at forty three. They were the perfect books to carry along; quick, easy reads designed to transport the reader out of humdrum lives and back to a lovelier, gentler era. For working women, they were perfect—they fit in your purse, they were preferred lunch break reading and on vacation? Well, what could be better than a dashing Regency buck pursuing a madcap heroine hell-bent on getting her own way?
Nothing.
The repartee, the romantic moments—heck, even just the thought that the look in a man’s eyes could get a woman all a-flutter—and the inevitable and well-deserved happily ever after endings, which were usually in a lovely drawing room with the hero on his knees proposing or at the church with the hero staring lovingly down at his beautiful bride while the vicar recited the wedding ceremony, combined to create the perfect escapist romance novel.
Just thinking about it makes me want to recline on a chaise lounge and fan myself while sipping tea with my pinky elevated. I think I should go dig out my pearls…
So now, amidst all the paranormal romances and urban fantasies and the other amazing genre romances out there, the well-loved and once-lost traditional Regency romance is creeping back onto readers’ “must read” lists. Small publishers are putting the Regency romance back on their preferred genre lists—Aspen Mountain Press, for example, recently announced the launch of a new imprint Aurora Regency, which will publish traditional Regency romances and historical romances exclusively. Agents are seeking writers with completed Regencies and writers are digging their language guides and Society resources out of the backs of their bookcases. It’s a great time to be alive if you, like me, are ready for some more romantic adventures set in merry old England when King George was mad, the Prince of Wales was the Regent, and all Society was at its most glorious and exciting peak.
Just think about it for a moment. We, as readers and writers of romance, are getting a nostalgic return to one of our favorite genres.
What could be better in these troubled and terrible times than a good, old-fashioned, frothy Regency romance? Not a heck of a lot, and that’s a good thing.

[Celina Summers is a writer and editor. Her award winning and Golden Ros-nominated epic fantasy series, The Asphodel Cycle, is published by Aspen Mountain Press. With co-author Rob Graham, she is busily working on the Vampire Covenants Trilogy—following up the Preditors and Editors Readers Poll Best Erotica novel Breaking the Covenants with Warding the Covenants, to be released on April 30—and her paranormal erotic romance series based on Greco-Roman mythology, Mythos, which debuted with Bride of Death in February and will continue with the May 7 release of the second book, Daughter of the Sea. Celina’s website is Shoot the Muse! (http://shootthemuse.bravehost.com) and you can find her blog, Elf Killing and Other Hobbies, at www.kaantira.blogspot.com

TITLE: Setting or World Building? A Rose by any Other Name…

I’m author Kayelle Allen. First, I’d like to thank Raine for inviting me to be here, and giving me a chance to share some writing secrets with you. I’ve authored nine books, two of which will be out this summer, and two which will release the last week of March. Here is my backlist. In the Tales of the Chosen series: Wulf, Alitus, and Jawk. A Time To… (EPPIE Finalist Fantasy anthology, the Last Vhalgenn), The Last Vhalgenn in ebook, and audiobook. The Antonello Brothers series, At the Mercy of Her Pleasure, For Women Only (and in 2011, When I Breathe). The Surrender trilogy, Surrender Love, and coming soon, Surrender Trust. Surrender Will should be out next year. You can find links to all my books and read excerpts at http://kayelleallen.com/Books.html

Now, on to the question of the day. World building… All Romance novels have one thing in common beyond a love story. The author must create a believable setting. Defined as the place and time, setting is often used to describe the various genres themselves.

Contemporary means it takes place in the current day. Historical means sometime prior to now, whether the sixties, the forties, the middle ages, or the dawn of time. Regency is a specific span of years, as is a Highlander story. Futuristic is anywhere from five to ten years in the future, or perhaps even a century. It may involve time travel. Science Fiction usually means far future. Along with the time period, the setting also involves a specific place. Highlander stories generally happen in the Highlands of Scotland; Regencies are in England. Science Fiction may be on another world, or a spacecraft.

In today’s vernacular, creating the setting is called world building.

Think of the last movie you saw. Furniture in the background told you where you were and what time period you were in. Did you see horses, cars, or spaceships? Clothing was another clue. Hair, makeup, jewelry (or lack thereof), helps define a time and place. If you saw a movie where everyone wore dark, somber colors, the buildings and vehicles had been destroyed, and people carried weapons, then you were probably watching an apocalyptic or end-of-the-world flick like the Book of Eli or the Matrix. If the characters are on horseback and wear cowboy hats, you know you’re watching a western. What if they look like cowboys, but ride their horses up a ramp and into a spacecraft? Now you’re crossing genres because you’ve mixed settings and/or time periods. For the movie Avatar, the crew went to extensive lengths to create alien flora and fauna to populate the moon-world of Pandora. The richness and depth of detail of the world is what made the movie so believable. You felt as if you had been pulled inside the story and were part of it.

How much world building does it take to create a credible story without going overboard? For that matter, how far is “overboard” exactly? When do you know if you’ve crossed the line? As a writer who created a ten-thousand year history and an alien language, I have experience in this area. Read on for tips.

1. Be believable. Don’t say a cobra attacked the heroine while she was in Alaska, unless there is some reason for a cobra to be there. They are not native to that area of the world. Is she visiting an exotic zoo, or does the owner keep them as pets? If someone can check your facts and know whether you’re faking, chances are, they will.

2. Keep your facts straight. It’s easy to add details and even easier to lose sight of what they are. If you have a diverse populace with numerous types of races, whether alien or European, keep track of who does what and where. In my books, the feline-humanoid Kin can smell emotions. I have a chart of which emotion smells like what, and I refer to it every time I need to portray this ability. A writer’s bible is as necessary for an historical as it is for a futuristic. What color is your highlander’s plaid? Does a character wear three black feathers over his right ear, or the left one? Is there a significance to the side on which they are displayed? Which hand has the moon-shaped scar from a hunting accident? Yes, some of this is characterization, but world building is also involved.

3. Plot comes before setting. Never forsake the plot for the sake of the setting. Focus on the story. The characters and setting should serve to reinforce the plot. When all is said and done, the story should remain central to the book, and your world building efforts should strengthen it. If you spend all your time painting a verbal picture for the reader, but you fail to engross him/her in the story, what have you accomplished?

World building is a necessary skill for any fiction writer. It helps you develop the setting, time period, and characterization of the story. Use these skills to make the story more believable by checking the facts, ensuring they are followed, and always keeping the plot essential to the story.

Whether you refer to setting or world building as the background aspects of your story, work to make them strong and consistent. Readers will thank you for it.

Contacts

Email
kayelle@kayelleallen.com kayelle @ kayelleallen .com
Homepage
http://kayelleallen.com
Booklist
http://kayelleallen.com/Books.html
The Edge of Peril – Inside the Sempervian World
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/edgeofperil/
Romance Lives Forever – Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/romancelivesforever
Romance Lives Forever – MySpace
http://myspace.com/romancelivesforever
Romance Lives Forever – Blog
http://romancelivesforever.blogspot.com/
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http://romancerollcall.com/
Twitter
http://twitter.com/kayelleallen
Facebook
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Tell us about your favorite character from your books?

I loved writing about Katie from “Gone to the Dogs” I wrote that book in first person and loved being “in her head” all the time!
Buy link: http://www.jasminejade.com/m-310-marianne-stephens.aspx

Tell us about your current/upcoming release.

“Anything You Can Do” was released by Breathless Press on 19 Feb., http://www.breathlesspress.com. BLURB:

When her daycare facility needs financial aid in order to offer the employees at Ryan Industries the best care for their children, Allison Minetti approaches the CEO, Jeffrey Ryan. After he fails to answer her requests for a partnership, Allison dares him to spend one week at the center. Jeff accepts the challenge and ups the ante by demanding her company for the weekend if he wins.
Instant mutual attraction leads to a week of seductive teasing and brief steamy encounters. Is there a way for them both to win? Or will someone’s interference in their challenge lead to mistaken conclusions and pull them apart?

How would you describe your writing style?

I like to think I write as I would “tell” someone my story, face-to-face. Easy to read and understand, yet intriguing enough to catch a reader’s attention.

Tell us five things about you.

1. I have 7 grandsons and am VERY good at buying “BLUE”.
2. When I first taught Kindergarten, I dated two men on the USS Enterprise at the same time but during their different work/time off shifts. Obviously I could function on less sleep then and had more energy!
3. When my husband worked at the White House, we had a direct line to the WH switchboard and had to keep the kids from using that line.
4. I write nonfiction memoirs as a ghostwriter.
5. I once took archery lessons.

What is on your bookcase/E-reader right now? What are some of your favorite authors?

Too many books to mention on my Sony reader, and a few print books I still need to get to, including some non-romance books by Glenn Beck. Favorite authors? Again, lots of ebook authors, plus Carla Cassidy, and love romances by Georgette Heyer and Barbara Cartland (although I don’t write in that genre).

What do you have coming in 2010? Any sneak peeks we can look at?

I’m trying to find an agent for a nonfiction book about a woman who lived in Sarajevo during the 1992-1995 Bosnian War. In romance, I’m 3/4 of the way done with a paranormal mainstream romance, and just started another erotic romance.

Where can readers find you on the web?

http://www.mariannestephens.net

http://www.aprilash.net (erotic)

http://romancebooksrus.blogspot.com

http://sevensexyscribes.blogspot.com (every Monday)

If we talked to your muse, what would they say about you?

“Marianne likes to find humor in her writing, although some of it can be suspenseful. If she could only get past the dreaded “middle of the book” writer’s block…” Happens with every book!

If you were a superhero, what would your name be and would you wear tights and a cape? What super power would you have?

Super Organizer. No tights or cape. I like to organize everything, and drive people crazy sometimes. My super power would be to magically wave my hand and have everyone’s life/home/job be completely organized and scheduled.

You get to meet any fictional character. Who would it be and what would you do together?

Jessica Fletcher from the “Murder, She Wrote” series. Love how she solves crimes. I’d like to get some story ideas from her that haven’t been done yet!

Where can readers find you on the web?

http://www.mariannestephens.net

http://www.jasminejade.com/default.aspx?skinid=13 Cerridwen Press

http://www.breathlesspress.com

“Anything You Can Do” release date TBA

http://www.aprilash.net

http://www.jasminejade.com/default.aspx?skinid=11 Ellora’s Cave
“SEXY GAMES” http://www.jasminejade.com/p-7393-sexy-games.aspx
5 HEARTS, Diana Coyle, Night Owl Romance, REVIEWER TOP PICK

*****

Sneak Peek into “Anything You Can Do” by Marianne Stephens

Buy Link: www.breathlesspress.com

EXCERPT:

Allison thought she’d go crazy. Being stuck in an overheated elevator within kissing distance of a sexy, charming man, made her crave to purr like a kitten. The electricity charging the air between them should’ve been enough to jump-start the elevator.

As sanity warred with the fantasies marching through her brain, Allison scooted a short distance away from Jeff. She smoothed her skirt before pushing back the damp curls clinging to her forehead. Damn his kissable lips. Their closeness weakened her control and made her vulnerable.

“I wish they’d work faster.” Exhaustion and the heat, coupled with embarrassment and passion, tore at her composure.

“So. One week with you and the kids. I won’t be left alone with them, right?” A tinge of nervousness colored his question.

Allison laughed and then said in a nonchalant tone, “Absolutely not. I have to make sure they’re taken care of in case you decide to escape.”

A sly grin spread across his face. “Just checking. I wouldn’t wanna whip them into shape and encroach on your territory.”

A niggling doubt crossed her mind. When he’d accepted the challenge, she’d been positive he wouldn’t be able to handle even one day in the daycare. Could he make it through a week?

“I’ve gotta stand up and stretch. Maybe the air from the vent will reach my head quicker that way.” Jeff maneuvered his body into an upright position. “Hey, I think it’s cooler when you stand.” He offered his hand to Allison.

She grasped it, and prickles of heat raced up her arm. He gave a gentle tug and helped her up. Once standing, Allison wiggled her hand free and concentrated on yanking down her skirt. Doing something, anything, helped her forget his burning touch. “Yep, it’s cooler this way.” She fanned her face with her hand.

“Should we shake hands and seal our deal?” Jeff stretched out his hand to once again encase hers.

“Let me make sure I absolutely understand this. If you live through one week of daycare, all I have to do is accompany you around town for a weekend, no strings attached?”

He drew back his hand and placed it over his heart. “That’s the deal and all I ask.” He grinned and added in a sexy tone, “Unless you decide to change the rules.”

Allison considered the realities of their agreement. Although confident she’d win, logic wormed its way into her assessment of their dare. Even if she lost, she’d be in his company. She could sneak her requests into their conversations, so it wouldn’t be a total defeat.

“Hey down there! Grab onto something or hit the floor. I’m gonna start up the motor!”

With one huge grating sound, the elevator jolted and rocked into action, causing them to lose their balance. They stumbled as the car sped upward. Jeff landed in a sitting position.

Unsteady on her feet, Allison tripped and lost her footing. Jeff reached out, gripped her hips to stop her from falling backward, and pulled her down toward him. She landed with unladylike grace in his lap, renting inches of splits in her skirt seams as she straddled his body.

They grabbed onto each other, locked in an intimate embrace. Basic instincts took over. Her lips slid across his, and her hands wound into his curly hair. His tongue teased her into a frenzy of soul-searching kisses.

Jeff groaned and moved his head back to rest against the wall. “Wow. Very nice.”

Q: Please tell us about your latest/upcoming release. What inspired it and is it part of a series or a stand alone title?
Dead Hunter is the third book in the Dead series at Aspen Mountain Press. It is an eBook, but the first two novellas in the series have been combined into a print duet that will be available at Amazon in POD, in additional to the Kindle single versions.

Q: What do you consider to be the key elements of a great story?
Characters that I like, enjoy or commiserate with and a story that makes me laugh or moves me in some way.

Q: Do you have a strict writing schedule? I’m working on that. This year’s goal is to become stricter with myself in that area. How do you balance your personal and writing time? Some days, not very well. I know how I want the day to go, but I have a family that can need help with a problem, or my husband will need me to handle something for him and I have a hard time saying “no” unless I’m down to the wire on a deadline. Even then it can be difficult…grin

Q: What is your favorite way to relax after a hard day working and
writing?
Snuggling with my husband, watching a movie or reading. I love to read and if my brain isn’t numb after dinner, I love to dive into a book.

Q: What is the one era you would love to go visit and why?
A lot of them would be interesting if one didn’t have to live the day to day horrors. Roman history fascinates me, and in our country, I’ve always gobbled up history on the Revolutionary War and especially the Civil War period. Maybe it’s because I’m from the South and so much history was around.

Q: What character out of all your books is the closest to your
personality?
I don’t think any of them are really close. There is probably a little of me in each one, or at least some of the character I’d like to have.

Q: What would we find on your bookcase if we looked? That would include the floor around the bookcase, too. A little bit of everything. Stephen King, Ian Rankin, Melissa Mayhue, Linda Wisdom, Robert McCammon, Jodi Picoult, Nora Roberts…the list can go on forever! What is one of your favorite authors? Wolf Hour and Swan Song by Robert McCammon are ‘must’ rereads every few years. I love the stories.

Q: Have you ever been nervous over reader reaction when a new book come out? How much does reader response mean to you over your books? Want to try “every time” one releases? What do you hope readers get from your books after they read them? Enjoyment and a sense of fun.

Some of the books on the planning board will hopefully have the reader come away with a better sense of how the hand life deals one, helps make them the person they become, unless they take steps to change.

Q: What is your favorite movie of all time? The one where you can watch it and still get affected at the same spots each and every time?
Romancing the Stone, is right up there. Along with that, Saving Grace, Sabrina and Something’s Gotta Give.

Q: Where can readers find out what’s new and how can they contact you?
www.lizzietleaf.com has a list of books available and the links. Also, a Coming Soon Page when a book is scheduled. I’m also on Facebook, MySpace and Twitter.

Q: What is coming in 2010 for you? Anything you want to share with us?
Currently, I’m working on a new book in the Cougar Club series for Aspen Mountain Press which is scheduled to release in April. And a stand alone for Red Rose Publishing is in the works, but not sure on a release.

I’m polishing a full length novel that I’m not sure where it will go. Its the first in a new series.

Q: If the world ended, what would you be able to not live without (Computers, candy, etc)?
The only 2 things I couldn’t live without…food and water. After that, there are a number of things I’d miss, but books would be at the top of the list.

Sneak peek into DEAD Hunter, now available at Aspen Mountain Press:

They were here, no doubt about it.

They were here. The chilly tingle radiating across the back of her neck left no doubt.

Hot damn! I’m in the mood to kick some ass. Don’t mess with ArieAnne Hews when she has a bad case of PMS. This time of the month didn’t bring much in the way of bloating and cramps for Arie.

Just a seriously pissy mood.

The only person who could tolerate her when she was in one of her “moods” was her father. He’d just pat her on the head and laugh when she snarled at him. The fact he could accomplish that said something about how big he was. She stood six feet without the added inch of soul in her favorite red high-tops. Of course, he was a minister and found good in everyone, except for the creatures he’d trained Arie to destroy—vampires.

The chill on the back of her neck intensified. They’re here all right. But where?

A quick scan of the park revealed a woman sitting on the bench shaded by a huge oak tree. Obviously pregnant, the spiky-haired blonde munched on a chocolate bar.

Wonder if she has an extra she’s willing to share? Chocolate was at the top of her food list all the time, but the craving was another symptom for this time of month.

Oblivious to Arie, who was salivating as the blonde consumed the rich chocolate, the pregnant woman watched in amusement as an older female pushed a tow-headed toddler on one of the kiddy swings.

“Higher, higher,” demanded the child who squealed with delight when a stronger push met her request for greater height. “Watch me, Mommy. I can fly with the birds.”

The woman shoved the last bite of candy bar into her mouth, freeing her hand to wave. She seemed reluctant to move her other hand from the pregnancy-induced protrusion she was using as a table. “So I see. If Grammy pushes much higher, you can touch the sky.”

ArieAnne picked up the pace as she trotted along the path toward the family. They were exactly the kind of prey vampires loved to stumble on and it was up to her to protect them.

Just let you bastards try to feed on these unsuspecting victims. It’s not wise to mess with a hunter in PMS mode.

As she drew nearer, the chilly tingle over her neck reached vibration level. The blood-suckers were getting closer to their intended meal, but they’d have to go through her first.

http://www.aspenmountainpress.com/more-hot-reads/dead-hunter/prod_272.html
Dead Hunter is also available at Amazon in a Kindle version
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002XZOUBA/ref=s9_simz_gw_s0_p351_t1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-4&pf_rd_r=0S1FKCWA4G0VBWGHZMPB&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470939031&pf_rd_i=507846

What do you love about writing? Hate about it?
*** Love: Being published, having more deadlines, able to get paid doing what I love and people telling me they enjoyed my stories. Hate: The deadlines. Though I love them because it means I’m working, they can also stifle creativity and create unwanted stress.

Do you have a guilty indulgence? Something you do just for you. Want to share?
*** I like to lay out in the sun and then take long bubble baths. It helps me to relax and get grounded.

If you could spend a secluded weekend somewhere, where would you go and why?
*** A cabin in the woods either in the mountains or near a lake. To get away from the city and all the people and stress. To commune with nature in a peaceful environment.

Is there any heroine from one of your books who you would change places with?
*** I’d be Calissa Parker, a heroine in my book Postponing Eternity (released April ’09 by Devine Destinies,) so I could hang out with her cute, younger love interest Tarrin. Yum!

What authors do you enjoy reading? Who is on your bookcase/e-reader?
*** Anne Rice is my favorite. My TBR pile is a bit unwieldy at the moment but it includes Barker, Ludlum, Rice, Roberts, Galenorn…

Do you ever get up at 3 am just to write?
*** It’s happened a couple of times but I think my muse knows better now.

What’s the most interesting thing you’ve ever done?
*** I’ve done a bunch of things… hiked in the Swiss Alps, crewed for a balloon pilot, rode horseback in the jungles of Cozumel…

What is your favorite holiday?
*** Halloween/Samhain

Of all the steamy/non-steamy you’ve written, what one is your personal favorite?
*** So far my favorite for steamy is Dirty Little Trip and non-steamy is Into Eternity.

Where can readers go on the net to find more on your books and anything else?
*** For information on my available books and WIPs, please visit me at the following links:
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~cr_moss

http://themanyshades.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CRMoss

Excerpt from my favorite steamy story ~ Dirty Little Trip
Time seemed to slow and she could have sworn she was in the dream again, this time as an active participant. This time, with the man she craved in the flesh.

So you crave me, my pet?

She nodded and warmth encompassed her. Like in the dream, he reached out to her without moving and wrapped her in a soft, cushioning embrace. He continued to smile, his dark-eyed gaze penetrating her, his overwhelming virility zinging her. His steady attention peered into her soul, searched it, found the core of her wants and desires.

Do you fear me? He took another drag of his smoke and though he tried to be a gentleman and blow the smoke away from her, it went into her face anyway.
She shook her head, breathing in the heady fumes. Her muscles, stiff and hard from all the tension during the past several months, eased, became light and pliable.
Good. I sense your needs, your longing to feel beautiful, to be a woman desired. I feel your passion, how you want to touch me, feel my hands stroking your skin. I ache for your touch as well.
A feather light contact caressed her cheek. She closed her eyes and tilted her head into it, but encountered nothing. Mary Jane opened her eyes and studied the man on the other side of her car door. His hands were at his sides.
If I asked you to take a trip with me, would you? Would you go wherever I wanted to take you?
She nodded again, already feeling transported from reality. …
Lustful need drilled through her and her knees went weak. She clutched the top of the door to steady herself. The sexual hunger terrified her and thrilled her at the same time. She stared at the throbbing pulse at the base of his throat, gazed at his full carmine colored lips, looked into his deep, dark eyes. Never in her life had she been so erotically driven in her want for a man. But before she lost herself in the throes of a sexual wonderland, there was something she needed to know. She cleared her throat. “What is your name?”

Her voice sounded far away and faint. For a moment, she wondered if she had asked it or only thought it.
“You may call me Ash,” the man’s deep, sensual voice rolled. He held out his hand.
Eagerness flooded all her senses and primal attraction took control. She slammed her car door shut, strode up to him and took his hand.

For more information, visit: http://www.home.earthlink.net/~cr_moss/id31.html

What are the most challenging and the most rewarding aspects of writing?

The most challenging part of writing is keeping up the momentum. Sometimes, I look at what I’ve written during the day, and find that I haven’t even reached a thousand words. Also, when I’m nearing the end of the story, I just have to let the word count drift. It’s no use writing superfluous words. I just have to accept that the manuscript will be shorter than anticipated.

The most rewarding part of writing is getting that cover. The book instantly comes alive. My recent cover for ‘Lessons in Love’ just came through a few days ago. The heroine and hero are just as I imagined. Jinger Heaston the cover artist has done a wonderful job.

What is your newest release (or coming soon) all about? What inspired it?

‘Lessons in Love’ is due to be released on the 16th February, from Siren-Bookstrand.

Here’s the blurb:

English beauty Eva St. John is flown to Texas to shadow rugged billionaire oilman Jack McClaine, for the magazine article she is writing.

He has a reputation as a fast living, womanising rogue, who has quite literally come from the wrong side of the tracks. A self-made man who always gets what he wants.

Still nurturing a broken heart and a secret past she left behind her long ago, Eva intends to remain professional at all times. But will she be able to resist the inevitable sexual advances of the predatory Texan Jack McClaine? And will she really want to?

As a rule Jack McClaine never mixes business with pleasure, but for the beautiful and intriguing Eva St. John he will make an exception. Who is she really, and what is she running from?

I was inspired to write ‘Lessons in Love’ when I thought of all the people in the world who just didn’t get a good start in life. Would they eventually find love? And if they’d never been loved as a child, would they even know how to love?

What are your top 3 favorite paranormal books and movies?

I am a big fan of paranormal romance and urban fantasy. My favourite books are -
The Mane Event by Shelly Laurenston
Night Play (Dark Hunter book 6) by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Dragon Actually by G. A. Aiken

My favourite movies are:
Twilight
White Noise
The Sixth Sense

What character (s) in any of your books is most like you?

Marielle, the heroine in ‘The Return’. I’m afraid one can’t help writing certain aspects of our characters. When I re-read it I can see certain aspects of myself in her character.

What is the most ridiculous thing that you have thought about doing to any of your characters but never did?

I was going to have Robert Tremayne the hero in ‘The Return’, jump off a cliff on Madeira. It’s called base jumping, and takes a lot of nerve. Of course the hero would have had a parachute. Marielle would have been left watching him descend the tallest cliff in Europe, wondering if he would make it.

Thankfully, I left that out. I found other ways to portray his bravery.

How do you keep track of your world building?

I have a storyboard approach, and write a specific number of words for each chapter. That way I know I will be near my word count goal.

What do you feel are the benefits of the new electronic readers such as Kindle 2 or Sony Digital Book Reader to the environment?

They’re very practical. They’ll hold a whole bookshelf. All that paper saved on printing, has to be environmentally friendly.

I think, the younger generation will embrace them far easier than older people. I know people who’ve received them for Christmas last year. Now they couldn’t do without them.

Now, that’s exactly how I feel about the internet. The internet has only really been around for the last ten years, yet I know I couldn’t do without it. I’m sure electronic readers will be the same.

What impact do electronic readers create on the bottom line for authors in the end? Do you feel they have a negative impact or positive, or no impact at all that you can see?

Electronic readers have had a massive impact on authors. It’s opened up a huge market that wasn’t there before. All the small epublishers have sprung up because of it. Ebooks will probably outstrip paper books soon. I know this happened recently at Amazon over the Christmas period.

Overall ebooks must have a positive effect on authors. They have to be good news.

Which authors works do you enjoy reading and do you have any other authors that you bounce ideas of?

I’ve always been impressed with Patricia Cornwell, and her Dr Kay Scarpetta novels.

At Siren-Bookstrand we have a particularly helpful group of authors. We ask each other questions all the time. There are plenty of groups on the internet too to join, where help can be sought.

Where do you see the paranormal/urban fantasy genre headed? Can you see it slowing down in the near future, or do you think that the immediate future is pretty bright for it?

I think the paranormal/urban fantasy genre is there to stay, and can only get stronger. People will always have an appetite for the ultimate fantasy I guess.

Where can readers find you on the web?

My website:

www.janbowles.com

And my Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/#/profile.php?ref=profile&id=100000172675945

Sneak Peek Excerpt of Lessons in Love:

“Just what is going on, Mr. McClaine?” Eva folded her arms across her chest, her mouth compressed with indignation, as she waited for his answer. Her gaze was drawn inexorably to his, and like a laser it burned into her. Then as a smile spread from his eyes down to the deep dimples at the side of his mouth, she felt the breath escape from her lips in a silent gasp. Why did he have to be so damned attractive? She had to fight the sudden urge to push the stray hair back that had fallen forward across his forehead.

“Mr. McClaine, are you going to answer my question?”

“Hold on now, darlin’, I thought we were on first-name terms already.” He smiled at her in amusement.

“No, we’re not.” She slumped into her chair and glared up at him. “Andrew Jameson could shadow you for a month. Why do you want me? I won’t be a pushover, you know. I’ll certainly write exactly what I think.”

He smiled easily and twisted around to meet her frosty gaze. “Now, why would I want Andrew Jameson to shadow me for a whole month? Live in my home. Share my food. Share my life. Why would I want him when I’d be much happier with you?”

Eva picked up a pen and pointed it at him. “You, Mr. McClaine, have a reputation. If you are expecting anything but a working relationship, then you are mistaken.”

“Well, that’s settled then, honey.”

She looked up watching the amusement play around his eyes. The creases channelled down to his mouth. “Don’t look so smug, Mr. McClaine. You may regret your decision to invite New Dawn magazine into your home. You may not like what I write. Be careful what you wish for, Mr. McClaine.”

“Darlin’, I’ve never regretted anything in my life.”

“I told you once before, Mr. McClaine, I’m not your honey, and I’m telling you now, I’m not your darling either.”

He laughed. “Eva, it’s just a figure of speech. It don’t mean anything.”

That afternoon a huge row developed with her boss, Simon Jessop, but he wouldn’t back down. If she pulled this off, he’d give her a raise. Even more than that, he’d give her a promotion. She wanted to know why he thought Jack McClaine specifically asked for her to do the article. His thoughts exactly mirrored her own. He had lifted his hands in the air, an expression of helplessness on his face, and said, “You’re a big girl, Eva. I’m sure you can handle yourself, and Jack McClaine.”

Well, thanks!

Eva felt like a dish served up specifically for Jack McClaine’s pleasure. What’s more, her boss had handed her over on a solid silver platter.

“Mr. McClaine, are you going to answer my question?”

“Hold on now, darlin’, I thought we were on first-name terms already.” He smiled at her in amusement.

“No, we’re not.” She slumped into her chair and glared up at him. “Andrew Jameson could shadow you for a month. Why do you want me? I won’t be a pushover, you know. I’ll certainly write exactly what I think.”

He smiled easily and twisted around to meet her frosty gaze. “Now, why would I want Andrew Jameson to shadow me for a whole month? Live in my home. Share my food. Share my life. Why would I want him when I’d be much happier with you?”

Eva picked up a pen and pointed it at him. “You, Mr. McClaine, have a reputation. If you are expecting anything but a working relationship, then you are mistaken.”

“Well, that’s settled then, honey.”

She looked up watching the amusement play around his eyes. The creases channelled down to his mouth. “Don’t look so smug, Mr. McClaine. You may regret your decision to invite New Dawn magazine into your home. You may not like what I write. Be careful what you wish for, Mr. McClaine.”

“Darlin’, I’ve never regretted anything in my life.”

“I told you once before, Mr. McClaine, I’m not your honey, and I’m telling you now, I’m not your darling either.”

He laughed. “Eva, it’s just a figure of speech. It don’t mean anything.”

That afternoon a huge row developed with her boss, Simon Jessop, but he wouldn’t back down. If she pulled this off, he’d give her a raise. Even more than that, he’d give her a promotion. She wanted to know why he thought Jack McClaine specifically asked for her to do the article. His thoughts exactly mirrored her own. He had lifted his hands in the air, an expression of helplessness on his face, and said, “You’re a big girl, Eva. I’m sure you can handle yourself, and Jack McClaine.”

Well, thanks!

Eva felt like a dish served up specifically for Jack McClaine’s pleasure. What’s more, her boss had handed her over on a solid silver platter.

You can find out more about ‘Lessons in Love’ at my website
www.janbowles.com Due for release on 2/16/10.

Q: Please tell us about your latest/upcoming release. What inspired it and is it part of a series or a stand alone title?

 It’s a stand-alone title and oddly enough, I got the inspiration for it from The Food Network’s and Bravo’s various food competitions. One night on Iron Chef there was a chef who was so hot I couldn’t stop staring at him. He was Latino with those smoldering dark good looks. I started thinking what it would be like if he was the judge and a wealthy restaurateur, the kind of man who is so rich he can have anything. And what if he was drawn to a  young woman in the competition. And what if she lost the $100,000 prize on his vote? What then? The plot just snowballed from there.

Q: What do you consider to be the key elements of a great story?

 Emotional connection with the characters. You can have the greatest plot on earth but if the reader doesn’t care what happens to your characters, you’ve failed.

1. A fast pace. Books that have endless description or back story tax and irritate readers.
2. A satisfying conclusion. It doesn’t have to be happy, but it does have to make sense and it must be a logical outcome to what’s happened before.

 Q: Do you have a strict writing schedule? How do you balance your personal and writing time?

-+s, I do have a strict writing schedule. I write or research my novels 7 days a week. I write a few hours before work and a few hours after. I’m able to balance personal and writing time by being very well organized. Unlike many women writers, I don’t have children, so I don’t have that added responsibility. I admire any mother who can balance work with children.

Q: What is your favorite way to relax after a hard day working and
writing?

I like to watch cable – a program that engages my mind or emotions. A good film is always great. The other day I saw “No Country for Old Men” for the first time. Wow. I was riveted. Although it’s not a relaxing movie by any stretch, it definitely satisfied me.

Q: What is the one era you would love to go visit and why?

 Late 1400 Spain. Early on in my career I pubbed a book with Kensington, an historical romance that took place in that time period. I’ve been tinkering with another historical for awhile in that same time period. The research for the book made me fall in love with the Spanish people and culture.

Q: What character out of all your books is the closest to your
personality?

Probably Eden in my current book Deep, Dark, Delicious. She’s had it hard but she’s never stopped trying. And although those close to her have hurt her emotionally and she’s afraid of love, she still longs for it

Q: What would we find on your bookcase if we looked? What is one of your favorite authors?

Every type of book imaginable. When I was a kid, my parents used to tease me that I’d read anything – even a cereal box – and be happy. I love all genres. One of my favorite authors is Hilma Wolitzer. She wrote “Hearts”. It’s mainstream. I only bought it because I couldn’t find anything new from the usual authors I liked. To my surprise, “Hearts” captivated me from the first page. It was funny, sweet, sad. A tremendous read.

 Q: Have you ever been nervous over reader reaction when a new book come out? How much does reader response mean to you over your books? What do you hope readers get from your books after they read them?

 Always. I want readers to enjoy my work; however, I know I can’t please everyone.

I look forward to having readers tell me what they thought were the strong points and weak points of my work. It makes me a better writer.

I hope readers are moved as I was when I wrote the book. The biggest compliment I can get is if someone says – you made me laugh, you made me cry. That means everything to me.

Q:  What is your favorite movie of all time? The one where you can watch it and still get affected at the same spots each and every time?

 As weird as it sounds, I like the old musicals like Oklahoma and Carousal. It’s probably because I had trained to be a dancer and lots of the recitals had show tunes. So, my favorite movie (at least for movie musicals, because I have favorites for other genres) is Gigi. The music was so beautiful, the costumes were lush and the lead guy – Louis Jourdan – Wow, Wow, Wow – he was so gorgeous he didn’t look real. At the end, when Gigi captures his heart and he asks her to marry him, I broke down and cried. Happens every time I see that movie on AMC.

Q: Where can readers find out what’s new and how can they contact you?

 They can go to my website: www.tinadonahue or my blog http://www.tinadonahue.com/blog/ I post daily, all sorts of news and stuff. My email addy is tina@tinadonahue.com

 Q: What is coming in 2010 for you? Anything you want to share with us?

 Well, I have this newest release Deep, Dark, Delicious and I’m just finishing up a new novel for my editor at Ellora’s Cave – another erotic romance, what I like to call “heat with heart” – where the emotional aspect is as important as the sexual electricity between the characters.

 Q: If the world ended, what would you be able to not live without (Computers, candy, etc)?

 The net – if I wouldn’t do my research quickly like I do it now, I’d go nuts. J

 Sneak peek into Deep, Dark & Deliscious:

When he sensed he’d frustrated her enough, he turned his head. Eden leaned against the railing, one hand stroking her throat, the other running down her fly as she took in his ass.

He straightened, depriving her of the view.

Eyes on his, she murmured, “Ready to roll?”

“I can’t wait.”

On the landing, she turned to the left and padded over the hardwood floor into the first open doorway. Lavender fabric softener scented the chamber. Though larger than he expected, nearly the size of her living room, it owned as much charm. A high-backed rocking chair had an extra blanket hung over its arm to provide warmth and comfort to a weary traveler. Two large windows with rounded tops allowed ample light to stream in from outside. Diaphanous white curtains rippled over the immaculate panes, stirred by the breeze of the white wicker ceiling fan. Carved wool area rugs in pale blue and white lay on either side of the queen-sized cherry wood bed. A four-poster clothed in a puffy blue comforter with a canopy of a gauzy material not unlike mosquito netting, which fueled no end of dark fantasies. Rafe pictured Eden’s wrists and ankles tied to the posts with the fabric, her eyes recording his approach, her voice begging for his touch, saying the words he most wanted to hear…she welcomed whatever he proposed. Her trust in him, her urgency to have him was complete.

Turning his head, he caught her reflection in the oval mirror above the bulky dresser. Fingers to her lips, she studied him, her expression unreadable.

He’d soon change that. “Which drawers are mine?”

Her attention went to the dresser and returned to him. “They all are, along with the closet.” She inclined her head to the left, the dark blue and silver beads hanging over a narrow doorway.

He put his bags on the floor and crossed the room for a better look. The glass globes created a representation of a chubby man in the moon who smiled broadly and winked as stars circled him. “Another design by Trish?”

“She’s got a lot of time on her hands. Her husband’s gone quite a bit. He’s an attorney.”

“He should quit law and get into marketing her work.” He turned. “Where are your things?”

The change of subject and his direct tone caught her by surprise. Expectation and a trace of caution flickered across her face. “In the guest house where I’m staying at night.”

“You’re staying in here with me. We’ll bring your things back here later.”

She hooked her thumbs into her shorts’ front pockets, an insubordinate stance.

“Do you want to argue about it?” he asked.

“Would it change your mind?”

“No.”

She studied him, deepening submission to his resolve shimmering in her eyes. “Then I guess I don’t want to argue. I’ll do what you want.”

“Good.” He stepped closer, his attention fully on her, his tone deceptively mild. “Take off your clothes.”

 Buy HERE

Hello beautiful people. I’m The?Girl. Yeah, I know – cryptic name. When you know that my job is asking questions and when you figure out that I stop at nothing to get my answers… Well, let’s just say I try my best to give an entertaining piece and interview when I tackle one.

Today my victi— uh, guest is Jane Smithers, the heroine from Storms in a Shot Glass. She’s sitting right next to me, her long black hair loose and free, her face tense and guarded. So here we go – trying to know this young woman a little better.

The?Girl: So, Jane, tell me a little about you.

Jane: I’m twenty-nine, British born and bred, and I’m the personal assistant of a bank CEO.

She evades the very thing I want her to touch upon.

The?Girl: And you’re single?

Jane: Yes.

The?Girl: But? I hear a but coming here.

Jane (shrugs): There’s nothing more to say.

The?Girl: Are you sure?

One thing I know is that no one is ever without a story to tell. What’s Jane’s story?

I get a big hint at the answer when Jane suddenly pales and looks over my shoulder. I turn to see what has caught her attention in such a drastic manner, and whoa mama!

There’s a hunk of a man coming towards us. From the determined long steps to the tensed jaw, everything in this Greek-God-like fellow screams purpose.

Hmm, totally my sort of man. My gaze darts back to Jane, and I notice how the tip of her tongue comes out to moisten her lips.

I tell ya – there’s a story there. And I’ll do my best to get it.

He stops next to our sofas on the veranda, his dark, intense gaze boring into Jane.

“Reporters,” he says softly. “You’re speaking to bloody reporters.”

The?Girl: Dah-ling, I’m not a reporter.

He trains his midnight gaze on me, and man, would I want to see those eyes in the bedroom. The man all but oozes sensuality and the promise that he knew how to give a woman a good time.

As I keep watching him, it dawns on me who he is. I nearly fall out of my seat – for there before me, stands Michael Rinaldi, one of the richest men and most eligible bachelors in the whole of England.

And he and Jane seem to know each other… What’s their story?

The?Girl: Will you join us, Mr. Rinaldi?

Jane: No!

Michael (narrowed gaze): Why not?

He now seems completely oblivious to me. Watching the battle of wills between the two, as well as feeling the thick, sensual and sultry tension that seems to tie them up, I cannot help but think there’s more than meets the eye where this couple is concerned.

The?Girl: You know each other?

Silence greets my question, Jane looking at him, he staring right back, their eyes apparently speaking a language of their own that I couldn’t decipher. Damn!

The?Girl: People…?

He turns towards me, and I am taken aback by the seriousness and intensity on his features. A glance at Jane shows she could be on the verge of fainting.

Michael: Jane is expecting my baby.

Leaving me still reeling with the shock – these two knew each other that well? – he tugs on Jane’s hand and pulls her out of the sofa. Then with his arm around her waist, he all but propels her out of the shaded terrace and away from me.

I blink.

One of the biggest catches in London is going to have a baby with a woman no one suspected he even knew.

Damn – what was the story behind all this?

To find out, come check out Storms in a Shot Glass, a novel by Nolwynn Ardennes and released by Eirelander Publishing on January 8, 2010.

Buy Link: http://www.eirelander-publishing.com/stormsinashotglass.htm

Blurb:

A little bump is about to cause a lot of ripples…

Personal Assistant Jane Smithers needs a baby as much as she needs the immature boss, bitchy mother and lunatic Russian models who cohabit peacelessly around her. What she also doesn’t need is a man who pops out of nowhere, intent on taking over her accidental pregnancy. 

Cold logic and hard facts rule the world of millionaire corporate lawyer Michael Rinaldi. Until he meets Jane, and the insignificant-looking woman plunges him head first into the churning waters of tempestuous emotion and hot-blooded impulse.

Unlikely feelings crop up at the same time relentless gossip escalates. Both realize their respective world has irredeemably changed. The question is – will they be able to live with this reality?

 Excerpt:

Jane looked up from the papers strewn in front of her when she heard the ‘ding’ of the lift. Who could it be? Umberto had no meetings scheduled before two o’clock. She glanced at her watch and saw it was nearly noon. At the same time, the growl of her stomach reminded her it was lunchtime. She had yet to eat anything since the smoothie she’d had for breakfast.

The metal doors slid open and a man stepped into the room as soon as the opening was wide enough for him to pass through. Her pen slipped from her grasp as she contemplated him.

He was dressed in an expertly tailored dark grey suit, the slacks hinting at long legs while the coat hugged his massive chest. He had broad shoulders and was tall, around six-three she’d bet.

Her gaze travelled to his face and she sucked in a breath. He was very handsome, his skin a light golden tone and hair dark as the mahogany wood in the room. His wide jaw was clamped shut, reducing his mouth to a thin slash.

He was also very angry; she could almost sense the heated vibes radiating off him, and this impression was confirmed when she saw his eyes. Deep set and dark, the fire in them was emphasized by the way his thick eyebrows met due to his frown.

He wasn’t someone to cross; this she knew as her mouth opened and she exhaled a small puff of air.

In a few strides, he crossed the room and came to stand before her desk. Jane had to crane her neck to gaze at his face. The walls seemed to close in on her as she took in the powerful shape of him, reducing her world to an airtight bubble where only she and this man existed.

“May I help you?” she croaked, running the tip of her tongue over her dry lips.

He watched her for long seconds. His eyes darted to the nameplate on her desk before he trained the full force of his midnight gaze on her face again.

“You sure will, Jane.”

His voice was low and the husky sound strummed in her whole body.

“He’s in?”

Jane snapped out of the fog. “I beg your pardon?”

He clamped his mouth, a nerve twitching in his cheek and offsetting his square jaw even more.

“You and I will have a little talk. Later, though,” he added as he turned towards the door to her boss’s office.

“Sir, wait.”

She should have saved her breath, for he was already stepping into the office. Jane shot out of her chair and made it to the threshold just as the sickening grind of a punch resounded.

“You stay away from her,” she heard the stranger say.

Oh no. What she’d dreaded had happened. Umberto had gotten embroiled with the wrong woman and now the jealous husband or boyfriend was here to bust his arse. Reluctant competence flowed through her when she realized she would have to bail her boss out of this predicament.

“What’s going on here?” she asked as she purposefully strode into the room.

“Stay out of this,” the stranger said.

Jane stopped in her tracks, startled by the sight before her. Umberto stood, his palm cradling his nose and mouth. He’d probably received a fist in his face. She shook her head before glancing at the other man in front of him. Both of them turned towards her at the same time.

The staggering realization hit her at that moment. The two males were of the same height, with the same build. Even their faces looked alike, from the wide jaw to the dark, deep-set eyes.

It was like seeing a before and after picture, with some twenty years between the images.

Jane’s mouth dropped open. “Michael.” The name rolled off her tongue and escaped her lips, a soft moan losing itself in the thick silence surrounding them.

This was the first time she was seeing Umberto’s son face-to-face. What woman in London hadn’t heard of him? The very eligible, very handsome, very rich and very powerful corporate lawyer. He had seemed to be the embodiment of a ruthless legal shark on the pictures and pages of the British tabloids, but the reality was even more breathtaking.

She had also heard about him through his father, so much that she seemed to know the man already. Many a time, Umberto let slip some information about his estranged son. The yearning and the pain in his tone when he said Michael’s name hurt her heart every time.

Michael watched her now with eyebrows drawn together. Her gaze left his breathtaking features for Umberto’s. The older man cursed and removed his hand from his face. Blood covered his mouth and palm, and more of the thick, ruby liquid seeped from his nose when he released the pressure on his wound.

Jane knew she wouldn’t be able to stand the sight of blood again after the episode at the doctor’s practice earlier. At the gory sight, everything inside her plummeted, leaving her head light and spinning. Her stomach churned and a wave of cold washed over her. Belatedly, she realized her legs were crumbling under her, but she was powerless to do anything to break her fall.

A pair of strong arms grabbed her, clenching her upper body while she was pulled reflexively to the solid, warm expanse of a broad chest. Her head landed in the crook of an elbow and she felt the steady beat of a heart against her shoulder.

Jane let go of her hold on the soft fabric of his jacket when he deposited her on a plush settee in the office. With her lids tightly shut, she concentrated on letting the spinning feeling ebb away. When the world finally stabilized, she opened her eyes. Her gaze landed on the concerned expression of the man who knelt by her side.

Worry transformed Michael’s face. She couldn’t explain how exactly, but right then he was a million of miles from the angry man who had walked into her office a few minutes ago. There was almost something soft on his chiseled features now.

“Jane? You okay?” His voice was low and concerned.

She blinked and nodded.

“What was that about? Are you sick?”

Again, in his midst, the world seemed to reduce itself to the two of them. Jane blamed the weird feeling on her erratic hormones, and this made her remember her condition. “It’s nothing. I’m not sick. I’m pregnant.”

He blinked, as if coming out of a spell too, before nodding. “We need to talk, you and I. Not here, though.” His voice was gentler now, and Jane could only nod her assent.

“Can you get up?”

She braced her hands on the armrests and pushed herself off the seat. Her head felt light again, but she managed to keep her balance.

Lifting her eyes, she noticed her boss. Concern grabbed her and she went to him. The sight of all the blood on him made her queasy but the sick feeling was obliterated by her distress at seeing him like this. “Oh my God. Umberto? Are you all right?”

He sat on the edge of his desk, his bloody hand back to cradling his nose.

“Let me see that,” she said upon taking a deep breath. As much as she was repulsed by the gore, she had to be sure he was fine. Her hand went to the tissue box on the sideboard and she pulled a handful out, using them to dab at the blood.

“Does it hurt a lot?”

“Bloody hurts,” he groused and tried to move his face away from her when she attempted to wipe his upper lip.

Jane brushed his evasive tactics aside. “Try to smile.”

His eyes grew wide. “You mad?”

“Just smile, will you? If you manage to do so, it means the nose cartilage isn’t broken.”

“He’s fine,” Michael’s voice growled behind her.

“Yeah, like hell,” she muttered as she turned in his direction. “You’ve caused enough trouble already, so stay out of this now.”

Both men remained silent. Satisfied to have won a few minutes of calm, for she knew a storm was brewing, Jane went into the adjoining bathroom and came back with a wet hand towel. Michael was gone and she shrugged, going back to Umberto to clean his wound.

“Jane,” he said. “You know Michael?”

“No.”

“Did I hear that right? You’re pregnant?”

She sighed. “Yes.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Jane paused and looked at him straight. “It’s complicated. I just found out, and I’ll tell you about it later, okay?”

Umberto didn’t press for more information. Relieved, Jane returned to her careful ministrations.

When all the blood was gone, she was satisfied to see only dark red swelling on his nose. Making an ice pack with cubes from the mini bar and another towel, she left Umberto with the cold compress on his face and went back to her desk to grab a couple Paracetamols for him.

Jane nearly did a double take when she saw Michael casually seated in one of the plush couches of the waiting room. What was he still doing here? He didn’t bother to glance her way, his dark head not lifting, enthralled as he seemed to be with his PDA.

After giving Umberto the tablets and closing the door softly behind her, she returned to her desk.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Michael get up and stroll her way. He stopped at the edge of the table, but she didn’t look up at him.

“I suppose in your condition you have to eat lunch. Let’s go out.”

She raised her eyes up his tall frame. “Thanks, but no thanks.” This guy was nothing but a bully. Look what he had done to poor Umberto. Granted, she’d known it was a very bad idea for her boss to get entangled with his ex-wife again, but did that mean his son had to come in and punch him in the face? That sort of behavior was fit for the primary school playground. Not lunch time in The City.

“Jane.” His voice carried a slight growl again. “You and I have to talk.”

“I doubt that.” She had nothing to discuss with the likes of him.

His gaze narrowed. “Don’t push me.”

She returned an equally narrowed gaze at him. “What is it you want? Haven’t you proved your point by punching your father back there?”

“That was between me and him.” He pressed open palms on the desk in front of her before he leaned forward until his face was inches away from hers. “Now it’s between me and you.”

Jane parted her lips, but no words came out of her mouth. All her thoughts were scrambled by the close proximity of her body with this hunk’s magnetic persona. Michael Rinaldi had his father’s Mediterranean charisma in spades too, and he didn’t even need to smile for it to weave its spell on those physically close to him.

“Lunch,” he said.

Jane frowned. This sounded too easy. “What’s the catch?”

He didn’t reply but gave her a slow, lazy grin.

“Please,” he said softly, his warm breath caressing her face.

She blinked, but couldn’t break the spell. And that’s how she found herself a few minutes later in the underground car park of the bank, stepping into a sleek, black Mercedes sports car.

When Michael slid in the driver’s seat next to her, her gaze landed on his hard profile. The sight of him and the overall impression of the car made her think of the dark, dangerous, and Gothic world of underground superheroes. Michael reminded her of a hardened character in a graphic novel, and his car resembled a modern version of the vehicle such an urban hero would use to zip through the darkened streets of the town.

In the comic books however, she recalled, the superhero or the masked lawman spelled bad news for any woman who crossed his path – the women always lost their heart and more to the impassive heroes hell bent on doing their duty.

What was she going to lose?

Thank You so much Raine, for having me for your guest today. Good morning everyone. I’m delighted to be here.

Did you always want to become a writer?

Yes. Since I was fifteen, when I discovered the magic of writing my own story.

What is the most and the least interesting fact about writing?

Editing. I’d rather be writing. (Laughs)

How did you celebrate your first release?

Mainly by laughing and calling everyone I knew. What was it like to see your book in a bookstore/internet? Oh, it’s was simply wonderful. I still pinch myself to make certain it’s real. Do you have a special ritual for celebrating a book release? Not really, just a sigh of relief that one more book is finished and I can start the next.

Do you prefer stand-alone books or series?

Series. I write series and prefer to read them.

If you could change places with one character from your books, who would it be and why?

Nyra from Witch’s Touch, still to be released. I’d love to meet her hero, Dym. Dym is a special character. He’s Death and his life is very complicated. A paradox I know.

If you could go back to any time period, which one would it be and why?

Pre-Civil War. Those days just seem so glorious when men were such gentlemen, plus who can resist those gowns the ladies wore?

You got to meet a mythical creature/person, who would you choose to meet and why?

Zeus. King of the Gods. All that power at his fingertips. Yeah. Zeus.

Where can readers find you on the web?

http://www.tabithashay.com

What is coming in 2010 that you want to tease the readers on?

Gosh, there’s so much. A new publisher, Moongypsy Press. A new agent who’s working for a book deal for me with Mira. And of course, for now, the continuation of my Winslow witches of Salem series. Book Six, Witch’s Touch should be released later in 2010.

Sneak Peek into Witch’s Fire, coming February 2010:

EXCERPT FROM WITCH’S FIRE by Tabitha Shay. Scheduled for release mid-Feb. from Moongypsy Press.
Slowly, he slid his arms around her hips and squeezed her buttocks. “Well, hel-lo.”

Kirrah widened her eyes. Oh, crap, that’s all she needed, a concussed Romeo with a sexy voice hot enough to curl her toes and set her thighs on fire, a voice that both compelled and could easily lead a woman astray.

The man looked at her as if he’d never seen her before and had just discovered his favorite eye-candy. “Aren’t you just a sweet little beauty?” he purred, sounding for all the world like a hungry cat whose appetite had just been satisfied. A big, dopey, contented cat.

Sweet little beauty? She blinked. Oh, yeah, the man was definitely off his meds. Obviously he was no stranger to seduction 101, either, if the way he massaged her butt was anything to go by.

And damn, did he have to have such dreamy bedroom eyes? Tiny gold specks sparkled like angel dust in the warm amber depths. Thick gold tipped lashes completed the allure of his heavy lidded gaze. He had the kind of gold-flecked irises that attracted a woman and sucked her right in.He might as well wear a sign around his neck that read: Come and get it, sinful indulgence right here!

And boy was she ready to go get it.

Her brows knitted together in a deep scowl. What was wrong with her? All of a sudden her hormones were out of control? She wondered if her face was as red as it felt. Since she had red hair, her complexion was the fair one typical of redhead’s. She blushed as easily as she sunburned.

His gaze wondered from her hair to her lips. Oh, my. Those tiger-colored eyes fixed on her mouth. He licked his lips as though he’d just discovered a delicious snack he contemplated nibbling on.

Startled, Kirrah gasped as he suddenly tugged her closer.

Her hands splayed across his wide chest. “Uh-Mr. Wa-Wa, I think you might be getting a tad bit carried away here. Unhand me.”

“No.” One hand slid up her back and his fingers curled around her nape holding her in place. “I don’t think I should do that at all. You’re belong to me,” he whispered, and took her mouth.

That was the only word for it. Took. He ravaged her mouth with a slow steamy gut-wrenching kiss. Warm and wet. Hot and melting. Yum. He might be half-dead, but he had a mouth to die for and he knew how to use it.

Tell us about your favorite character from your books?
It changes depending on what I’m working on. Right now it’s Maxie from my upcoming release, Maxie Briscoe: Werewolf. She’s sarcastic with attitude to spare and has two hot werewolves at her beck and call.

Tell us about your current/upcoming release.
Currently available is my paperback collection called Encore Performances. It contains my two erotic novellas Dream On and Love Haight. Dream On is about Nina, a just-turned-forty accounting manager and Alex Torres, a hot young cop, trying to make a relationship work in spite of obstacles from family, friends and career. Love Haight is about Lily, a nurse just returned from Vietnam, whose dealing with some harsh demons, and Joe, a guitarist, whose band is the brink of huge success.

My upcoming release is Maxie Briscoe:Werewolf. This is my first novel and I couldn’t be more excited. Maxie is a werewolf all on her own, except for her mom and best friend, but they’re human. It’s a struggle to blend, to always be on guard while at the same time finding ways to let her Beast out. She’s resigned to this existence until murder comes calling and brings two sexy male werewolves with it.

How would you describe your writing style?
I’m very fond of the pantser style of plotting. I get an idea and just start writing au natural, making notes and changes as I go. It drives me nuts sometimes, but I just can’t seem to work in a nice logical manner.

Tell us five things about you.
Hmmm…I love, love, love Aeromsmith, am a huge movie buff…Oh, I love to go bowling, I love a sport where you can drink a beer while you play. I make jewelry, bracelets and necklaces, and I collect crystals and rocks.

What is on your bookcase/E-reader right now? What are some of your favorite authors?
I just finished J.D. Robb’s and Laurell K. Hamilton’s latest. They are two of my fave authors along with Lisa Kleypas, T.A. Chase, M.L. Rhodes and Liz Williams.

What do you have coming in 2010? Any sneak peeks we can look at?
Here’s a sneak peek at Maxie Briscoe: Werewolf. It’s unedited so please forgive any errors.
They materialize from the darkness, ancient hunters intent on their prey. Me. My breath hitches, the animal inside rippling beneath my skin. I’m nervous, but I refuse to let them see. This bitch rolls belly up for no one. I stride out onto my front porch, prepared to defend my territory. Dressed in loungewear, I am hardly the picture of a strong alpha female, but you go with what you got. I look them both dead on.
I fold my arms over my breasts. “What do you want?” I growl, my voice a low rumble.
“We’ve come for you, Little One.” His voice like muffled thunder, the taller of the two moves forward onto my lawn. Twisted steel with sex appeal about sums him up. His dark hair is pulled back in a tail, tee shirt molded to his cut frame. My nostrils flare, catching his scent, fresh like a mountain spring at first thaw.
All my female parts quiver in anticipation, I want to coil myself around him like a python on a kapok tree, hugging every hard inch of flesh…I shove the urge down ruthlessly. It’s dangerous. Ulterior motives are written all over them and I just know one of them is to dominate me.
“It took us a long time to find you, Maxie.”
The whisky baritone draws my attention and I watch the other one emerge, lean and graceful, his muscles liquid precision. There was definitely hotness woven into the male half of the werewolf genetic code. His scent is warm and dark, like night in a jungle. My nipples bead with excitement as he lopes toward me, brushing past the larger wolf. He stops at the base of my stairs, conqueror etched in every line of his body. This was definitely the alpha of the pair.

Where can readers find you on the web?
http://myspace.com/melbwrites

If we talked to your muse, what would they say about you?
She would laugh and say that I love to do things the hard way.

You get to meet any fictional character. Who would it be and what would you do together?
I would love to meet Lillian Bowman from Lisa Kleypas’ Wallflowers series. I’d pull her out of her century and show her this one. She’s so forward thinking and independent, I’d have a lot of fun showing her all the things that women have accomplished and are continuing to achieve.

The holidays are here- What is your favorite thing to do during the holidays?
I live in Chicago, so my favorite thing to do is to go look at the giant Christmas tree in Daly Plaza and walk around the German Christmas market eating fresh toasted sugar cinnamon pecans and cashews.

Sneak Peek into Dream On:
This is an excerpt from Dream On, one of the stories in my current release, Encore Performances from Amber Quill Press Amber Heat

http://amberquillpress.com/AmberHeat/EncorePerformances.html

Nina was drowning. There was no other way to describe this rush of taste, scent and heat. Like the song said, she wanted to stay right here, just like this. She’d never imagined for one second that she would be in the arms of a hot young stud, making out with him. Or that she would consider inviting him back to her place. Sensible, forty-year-old accounting managers didn’t do these things.

Why not? The little devil voice danced inside her head.

She moaned as Alex’s tongue swept inside her mouth, twining with hers, exploring, savoring her like a gourmet treat. Her heart knocked against her chest in a primal jungle beat. His hands squeezed her rear tighter, pressing her belly against his erection.

He groaned and tore his mouth from hers, gulping in air like a winded runner. He touched his forehead to hers. “We have to stop. We can’t… Not here.”

Nina wanted to scream. “I know,” she whispered instead.

They stood there, arms around each other, cheeks pressed together trying to control their racing hearts.

Nina wanted this to continue. Between cowardice and desire, she felt her nerves stretch to their limit. Situations like this just didn’t come along.

So go for it. There was that blasted little voice again.

She decided to take a chance. “I don’t want this to end.”

“Neither do I.” Alex caressed the skin of her lower back just above her jeans. “But I did drive my friends.”

Nina worked out the logistics in her head as she played with the hair at the nape of his neck. “Athena drove, and I really have to go home with her. Give me your cell phone.”

He slipped it off his belt clip and handed it to her.

She was freaking crazy. Blaming it on the beer wouldn’t help because she’d only had the one.
Before she lost her nerve, she flipped open the phone and keyed in her name and number.

“You want me to call you tomorrow?”

“No.” Nina pressed “save” and handed over the phone. “Tonight. After you take your friends home.”

Alex stroked a thumb across her cheekbone. “Are you sure?”

“Very.”

He lifted her against him, and kissed her hard and quick. “I want to leave right now.”

Nina couldn’t have agreed more and moved in for another kiss. It went from zero to sixty in three-point-five seconds. She put her hands on his chest and pushed herself away. “You are dangerous.”

Alex bent at the waist, hands on his knees. “Shit! No more touching.”

Her body screaming at the loss of contact, Nina agreed. As she sank down beside Merrilee, she reflected that it was going to be a very long concert.