Spotlight On... Linda Morris

Today I have fellow TWRP author Linda Morris with me at the keyboard. Welcome, Linda, can you tell us a little about yourself?

Thanks for having me. What can I say about myself? Most times, I can be found hunched over my computer, like the ink-stained wretch that I am. If I'm not writing or blogging, I'm working at my day job as a freelance technical writer/editor. And if I'm not doing those things, or even if I am doing those things, I'm usually being begged by my young son to play with him.

Tell us about FORGET ME NOT, and where we can find it.

It's a romantic suspense, with an amnesia plot. (I love those!) My heroine leaves Chicago and moves to a remote cabin to lick her wounds after some things go awry in her personal and professional life. When a handsome stranger from Chicago has a serious car wreck near her house, it raises a lot of questions. Was he looking for her? Why? Can she trust him? The questions are only exacerbated by his head injury, which causes him amnesia. The hero and heroine team up to investigate his past and find out what he was doing in the wilderness of Minnesota.

Here's the blurb:

Lara Crosby left Chicago when her career as a big-time political fundraiser went sour. Determined to put the past behind her, she envisions a peaceful new life at her cabin in northern Minnesota. Everything changes on a dark night when a mysterious stranger suffers an accident outside her cabin.
Jacob Sumner awakens in the wilderness after a car accident with no idea who he is or why he is there. Lara is beautiful and kind, but she's a world away from the gritty world where he makes his living as a private investigator . . . or is she?

Forget Me Not is available at The Wild Rose Press


Describe your writing in three words.

Can't. Do. It.


At what age did you discover writing and when were you first published? Tell us your call story.

I wrote a short story here or there as a high schooler, but I made my first attempt at writing a novel in college. I guess I technically finished it: I typed for about 250 pages and then stopped. It was a mess, however, and I was too discouraged to go back and work on it. I had neglected important factors such as including a plot, for example. I made a lot of abortive attempts at a novel in my 20s, most of which fell over and died after about 5 chapters or so. Forget-Me-Not was the first novel I ever finished that I thought, "There's something here that's worthwhile." So I worked on it, polished it up, and sent it off. It was accepted (after some revisions) by the third publisher I sent it to.



Congratulations! Have you noticed your voice has changed as you’ve gained experience? If so, how?

After being scolded for it repeatedly, I use the word "was" less! It's a sign of passive writing, and one of the words I search for during revisions. I've also been scolded for telling instead of showing. An editor gave me a tip that if two people are in a room together, the information divulged in the scene should come out in dialogue between those people, not in narration or interior monologue. Although I don't think that's 100% accurate (after all, sometimes people withhold information, lie, or repress their true thoughts or feelings), it's true more often than not. I've rewritten a lot of scenes because of this tip, for the better, I think.


That's a good tip. Where do you get your ideas?

Anywhere and everywhere. I usually start with a setting and character, and maybe a tone: funny, somber, or suspenseful. Then I plot out from there. I can be inspired by another book, movie, something I see on the news, a memory from the past: The list is almost endless.

Is there someone in your immediate family or a friend that reads your material as you write? A sounding board?

My husband is also a writer and editor and is my best critic. He helps with plot brainstorming, my biggest weakness. He also reads my manuscripts and makes suggestions after I've taken them through a couple of drafts. He was a big help on my novella, Montana Belle. I kept getting encouraging rejections/revision requests from the editor. She felt that my revisions improved the manuscript, but then she would show it to another reader or editor who had different concerns. He really helped by reading the manuscript and explaining clearly what he thought the problems were--he's very analytical that way. And lo and behold, it sold the next time around. He doesn't even complain (too much) about having to read romances. But I don't complain about reading his horror stories, so fair is fair.


True! Do you have any 'must haves' with you while you're writing?

Coffee! I write relatively early in the morning, after I put my son on the school bus. Caffeine is a necessity for the writer's mind, in my view.


What is something readers would be surprised you do?

I've always been a political junkie. I spent some time each day reading the blogs. I used to follow my favorite pundits and journalists on Twitter too, but it just got to be too time-consuming, so I stopped. Not enough hours in the day as it is. My husband is pretty apolitical, so he thinks I need to have my head examined, but I can't help it! I'm a history buff, and I think of politics as history in real time.


Where can we find you on the web?

Sure, I blog at  http://lindamorriswriter.blogspot.com/
I try to blog a couple of times a week, but again. . . not enough hours in the day.

I also have a Linda Morris, Writer, page at Facebook.


Thanks for visiting with us today, Linda! 



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Six Sentence Sunday 2/27

Welcome to Six Sentence Sunday's first anniversary party! Have you seen the list of prizes up for grabs? Wow, some awesome stuff being offered up today! I've offered to give-away an autographed copy of my 2010 Best Book nominee from LASR, Not Without Risk. All you have to do to be eligible to win is comment. Winners will be chosen by our Six Sentence Sunday host site.
To view a list of all the fabulous prizes, go here.

As promised, here's my sexy six from 
NOT WITHOUT RISK.

Justin watched her, eyes closed, breath panting, drawing out the pleasure she gave to him so freely. He’d never seen anything so erotic in his life.

“My God, you’re beautiful,” he murmured against her mouth. Clamping both hands on her hips, he pulled her harder against him even as he thrust up until he was as deep inside her as he could get. “Come for me, Paige. I want to watch you.”

Don't forget to check out all the other authors participating today. The more comments, the better your chance of winning! 

http://www.sixsunday.blogspot.com



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Twitter for Writers

A while back I followed the advice I’m sure you’ve all heard and signed up for Twitter. I was told it was a way to help to get my name out there, to build a following and connect to readers. I was told it was fun. Hmmm…


Before I continue I have to confess that I fought signing up tooth and nail. “Why?” I kept asking. No one cares about what a lowly romance author in Michigan has to say. (And if I’m being honest, there’s still a part of me that feels this way.) ::sigh::


But I signed on. Then I spent months watching other people tweet and did nothing. I was lost. I was overwhelmed. Hell, I still am. But I jumped in with both feet. I caught on a little, then a little more. Why does this stuff not come with a ‘For Dummies’ manual? Seriously.


Here are a few things I’ve learned, and am still trying to master:

Twitter isn’t just for connecting with readers. It’s also a great way to connect with other writers, agents and editors. You can connect with people who write a similar genre, keep your eye on publishing tips, and even get yourself noticed by others. How?

One word: Hashtags

Hashtags are a way of categorizing your tweets by using certain words prefixed with the pound (#) sign. Some of these hashtags are as easy to understand as #WIP (a tweet about the authors work in progress), while others may leave you stumped as to their meaning. Also, new hashtags are invented daily, so there’s really no way to keep up with all of them. However, hashtags are ‘clickable’ and doing so will bring up a list of all of the tweets that contain that hashtag, meaning you can usually discover it’s meaning fairly easily.


For now, I’ll share with you the ones I’ve noticed that may be important to you as writers. Yes, the ones I’m still trying to remember to use.

#amediting or #amrevising (posts from people who are editing/revising)
#amwriting (posts from people who are or about what people are writing)
#askagent (agent questions and answers.  Usually at a scheduled time)
#askeditor (editor questions and answers, again, usually at a scheduled time)

#author

#authors

#ebooks (when you want to target ebook audience)

#editgoal

#editing

#novels

#novelists

#pubtip (publication tips)

#publishing

#selfpublishing
#sixsunday

#storystarters (the first line of a new wip)
#vss (very short story)
#wip (work in progress)

#wordcount

#writegoal (how much people are writing or struggling with)

#writer

#writers

#writetip (writing advice)
#writingtips (writing advice)


That’s all I can remember for now. BTW, it is fun. Although I’m still not convinced anyone really gives a hoot about what I tweet. But hey, I’m a writer, I’m pretty darn good at talking to myself.  #amadork

Follow me at:  http://www.twitter.com/@SGrimmAuthor



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Question of the Day

Lately I've been spending a lot of time playing on the internet. Searching author websites and blogs, looking at how they're promoting themselves and their books. Not only have I seen a lot of great promotional ideas, but I've found a lot of new books and authors to add to my TBR list. Bonus!

One thing I did notice a lot of authors doing is offering free reads. I'm not talking shorts; unique or individual stories offered by the publisher, but a few pages offered only by the author. Specifically a free read that revisits characters from the author's published works. I've seen prequels, sequels, scenes that were deleted from the book before it went to press, and even hot little bits that appeared to be nothing but another look into the character's bedroom.

Which brings me to my question:

As readers, how do you feel about these types of 'freebies'? Love 'em? Hate 'em? Do you enjoy that peek at what is happening in the hero and heroine's life after their story ended? Or do you prefer to be left with your own imaginings about what happened after you closed the book?

I'd like to know. No judgments. No right or wrong answer. I'm simply on one of my fact finding missions. Will you share your thoughts with me?

Oh, and if you're an author, do you offer these types of free reads on your site? What type of feedback do you receive?



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Guest Blogging

I'm chatting at Judy Jarvie's Jottings today and tomorrow, answering a few questions she threw my way. I'm also giving away a PDF copy of NOT WITHOUT RISK to a random commenter.



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Tempting Adam by Jill James

TEMPTING ADAM
Jill James
The Wild Rose Press
BUY LINK


BLURB:

They both want the same thing – St. Eden Studios.

Corporate raider Yvette Giardino intends to bring St. Eden Studios to its knees. It’s a job. One her grandmother’s health depends on. That Adam St. Eden will suffer isn’t personal. Until he awakens her sympathy and stirs her body in ways she can’t explain.

Adam wants one thing and one thing only – to protect the dream his grandfather began. But when the board demands he work with stunning Yvette, a woman he’d mistakenly indulged with in a little after-hours play, his world turns upside down. Missed meetings, unhappy clients, and nights of intense pleasure – he can blame one person. Yvette.

With his corporation crumbling around him, can Adam rise above the fallout and see his sexy temptress for what she really is – a victim of manipulation and a woman who desperately needs his love?

EXCERPT:

Yvette pulled herself together with a jolt.

It’s a job. It’s a job.

She repeated the mantra in her head in an endless loop, gazing into deep, blue eyes. This close, she noticed the subtle lines near his eyes from his outdoor living. If he had grown up in Hollywood, he would have had a facelift or two by now, instead of the natural look he pulled off quite well.

Adam helped her rise, his warm hand cupping her elbow. A tingle shot from her arm, to her chest, and to regions much farther south. A sexual moan almost escaped her lips. Yvette shook her head to clear the mental images of her and him and the hotel room. It didn’t help. Memories of that night still had the power to stir her senses. They hit Yvette in a place she didn’t think existed—her emotions.

His eyes darkened to indigo, and he leaned nearer. His fresh, evergreen scent enveloped her. Her head swam, and she tilted on the heels of her shoes. She berated herself for her juvenile behavior, unable to believe the She-shark of business might have met her match. At least in the sexual arena.

Adam wrapped an arm around her shoulders, led her to the bench outside the door, and sat beside her. “I hope you’re doing okay. I would’ve found you a seat inside, but they were getting back to work. I didn’t want anything else to delay the work schedule.”

Disbelief flooded Yvette while she replayed what had just happened. She needed to get a grip on herself and this job. Adam was nice enough overall, and was great—make that fantastic—in bed.

However, he was no ruthless businessman and knew next to nothing about Hollywood. He wasn’t the first CEO she’d taken down, and he wouldn’t be the last.

It wasn’t personal.

A note from Jill:

When I started writing romances I was stuck on sweet romances - the whole 'behind closed doors' kind of love scenes. When I started seeing what was out there I knew I needed to write hotter. So Tempting Adam was an experiment of sorts to see how hot I could write. As I started writing, something magical happened. The love scenes wrote themselves. Adam and Yvette were hot from page 1, the love scenes even hotter. Hopefully you will enjoy reading Tempting Adam as much as I enjoyed writing it.

You can learn more about Jill James and her writing by visiting her website or blog. Also, catch up with her on Facebook.

Until next time,



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Six Sentence Sunday 2/20

This week's six is from my romantic suspense, 

NOT WITHOUT RISK. 

I was going to go with a sexy six but decided to save it for next week's celebration.

  Hopefully you won't be disappointed.

A little background: Justin is a detective, just back from medical leave after suffering a gunshot wound that punctured his lung. Allan, is Justin's partner on the job.

“Allan doesn’t think I’m ready to come back just yet. He thinks I need more time,” Justin admitted quietly against her hair.

“What do you think?”

His mouth opened, then closed. His body shuddered at the gentle scrape of her teeth across his shoulder. “I think if I hadn’t returned to work, I might never have met you.”

Don't miss out on more Six Sentence Sunday fun.

Find the list of all the participating authors at the

official site:

http://www.sixsunday.blogspot.com/



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Claire de Lune by Robert Appleton & Sloane Taylor

Sloane Taylor and I met many years ago at a writer’s conference in Chicago. I don’t recall much about that conference beyond sitting in the hotel bar with Sloane, sipping a drink (or two), and talking about all the books we wanted to write. And laughing. We laughed a lot. A lot.

Since that conference, Sloane has published 14 hot, erotic romances. For her latest, she hooked up with Robert Appleton to take us out of this world. Claire de Lune is a fantastic book (all of her books are wonderful, and if she isn’t already, I highly recommend you add Sloane to your ‘must read’ list). Seriously, check it out.
 

CLAIRE DE LUNE
Robert Appleton & Sloane Taylor
ISBN-13: 978-1-61124-011-5 (Electronic)
ISBN-13: 978-1-61124-995-8 (Paperback)
Amber Quill Press – Amber Heat

Genres: Science Fiction / Futuristic / Action / Adventure / Mystery / Detective / Voyeurism
Heat Level: HOT
Length: Novel (70k words)

Buy The E-book
Buy The Paperback

You are invited to the galaxy’s most prestigious beauty pageant. Swimwear optional.
Romance and danger...fully provided...

Cocky young detectives Gerry Rappeneau and Sebastian Thorpe-Campbell arrive at the premier lunar resort expecting a week of eye candy and long massages. With a half-billion-credit purse up for grabs, this year’s pageant is the focus of a hundred worlds. And beauty isn’t the only thing in the eye of the beholder.

One contestant, Evelyn Lyons, is attacked and her assailant killed. Surely a simple case of a stalker gone mad, as nothing bad ever happens at the Selene contest. So the brochure says.

The closer Gerry gets to Evelyn, the more he is convinced she’s hiding something. His meticulous character sparks with her wild, sassy nature, and they embark on a torrid affair. Their forbidden romance isn’t the only thing set to ignite in Pont de Reves.

Sebastian’s infatuation with demure Claire Villiers, another contestant, threatens to put all four of them in harm’s way.

A deadly trail of corporate conspiracy, monstrous assassins and hot bikini wax is more than anyone bargained for in this incendiary erotic mystery. Get ready for some serious heat on the dark side of the moon.


EXCERPT:

Gerry raised his hand, then dropped it back to his side. Nervous as a teenager on his first date, he scrubbed his sweaty palms down his pant legs. A few deep breaths proved another fruitless attempt to calm himself. He stood straighter, ignoring the giggles from farther up the corridor, and cleared his throat. A few ahems later, he managed to find the balls to knock on Evelyn’s door.

His pulse quickened at the click of a switch inside the room. A trace of exotic perfume. The jingle of a purse chain. All familiar, but never old: the details preceding a first date.

A double beep signaled the door unlocking. Evelyn flung it open.

“Hey, thanks for being on time.”

Her greeting wasn’t the most romantic he’d experienced, but, Christ alive, her dress more than made up for it. A deep purple Aeon evening number, off-shoulder, the kind all the hottest policewomen wore to the annual ICLA social on Io.

He’d…um…encountered it before on a few occasions, but never on such mouth-watering curves. When she turned to lock the door, her pert ass and shapely hips, accentuated by a waist-hugging belt, roused his dick to Mach 9.

She wheeled around and flashed him a hungry glance. Her red lipstick, dark eyeliner, and blonde hair tied back, exposing her swan-like neck, conspired to steal his breath.

“You look lovely,” he whispered, ashamed it was the best he could manage without panting like a Labrador in heat.

“Thank you. Love that shirt.” She spun too quickly and almost clashed heads with him, before dropping her keycard into her purse and wrapping the chain around her wrist. She offered him her free arm and added, “Shall we?”

The touch of her soft white skin on his bare arm ghosted him for a moment as they walked to the elevator. He noticed her lip quiver—the girl inside the goddess—and it settled him into his old confident self. Charming, some might say. At the very least, a smoother groove from which to guide the evening.

“Where are we going?” she asked. “Not too far, I hope. We’re supposed to adhere to a strict curfew.”

“Farther than you’ve ever dreamed.”

“Goody. Rules are for wimps anyway. And you are my official bodyguard.” She squeezed his arm to her supple body, her soft breast pressing into him. “Is it expensive? Not that you should spend the Earth on me or anything, but—”

“It’s obscenely expensive. You’ve no idea.”

“Really? And a secret, I take it.”

“And a secret.”

At the elevator, he held the door open and gestured for her to go first. He then followed and pressed the button for the tenth floor. They were alone in the small space, which seemed to shrink as they climbed higher. He watched her reflection in the mirrored wall while inhaling the full body of her delicate honey scent. Delicious. He swallowed hard, mustering all his strength not to wrap her in his arms and kiss her senseless.

The doors pinged open and he led her across a beige carpet and into an elegant tunnel. Pastel murals of strange, exotic landscapes, encompassing all colors, morphed and blended into one another in a rolling three-sixty display that dizzied as much as it dazzled. Evelyn appeared fascinated as she brushed her hand in front of the imagery, wanting to touch those wild alien locales.

Gerry grinned to himself. So far, so good. If she liked this swirling intro, she’d flip for the full service.

LINKS:
Robert Appleton www.robertappleton.co.uk

Sloane Taylor www.sloanetaylor.com

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Happy Hump Day

Because last week's hottie was so popular, 
here's another for your viewing pleasure.

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Guest Blogging

I'm guest blogging at Desiree Holt Tells All today and talking about my road to publication.

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Bossy Nanny, Too Hot To Handle Single Dad

Today's blog is by "a writer from Fife who can't stop the romantic fiction addiction", author Judy Jarvie. Enjoy! And make sure you check out her WEBSITE for more information on Judy and her books.

Thanks again to Sarah for letting me pop by.


I’m delighted to announce the release of Nanny Behaving Badly today with newly launching Embrace Books. This is an exciting new digital romance publishing launch as well as a chance to snaffle some great new romantic reads!

Nanny Behaving Badly is the story of rebel-streak nanny Maddie Adams and sexy single dad Lyle Sutherland.

It’s set in the gloriously festive winter wonderland at the heart of the city of Edinburgh during the Christmas period. It's a time I love! Here’s a taster:


WANTED: Nanny Behaving Badly

Waitress Maddie Adams hits black ice when she shocks her new boss, hot coffee king Lyle Sutherland, then agrees to be his son's SOS nanny.

It seems like the perfect solution to his childcare dilemma. But strong, silent-type Lyle is soon left reeling by his son's sassy new nanny.


Is off-limits attraction a 'naughty step' penalty? Can Maddie resist bad behaviour with the boss?


The hook of the nanny story with a rebel heroine twist – that’s how I like to think of Nanny Behaving Badly.

I’ve long loved nanny stories. I love the fact that a nanny gets right into the heart of the home and the hero and heroine are forced together at close proximity right from the off (getting to know each other and sometimes, bouncing off each other too). But in Nanny Behaving Badly I wanted there to be a few twists.

Firstly Maddie and Lyle work together – albeit with difficult consequences – in Lyle’s coffee shop. The nanny suggestion comes later in the story when Lyle needs urgent childcare help and Maddie realises she’s not as good a barista as she’d like to be.

The other twist is that while Lyle is the strong, silent, sexy type Maddie is a ‘loose cannon nanny’. She’s a rebel. She has blue hair streaks and wears short skirts. I like to mix things up a little and I wanted to make things hard for ‘rule led, protocol obsessed’ Lyle. I wanted her to bring him out of his rule-led shell.

The result. A hot off-limits affair between a strict boss and his naughty nanny. It was great fun to write!

You can find out more about my writing and my recent releases at www.judyjarvie.com.

Thanks for letting me tell you all about it.

Judy

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Six Sentence Sunday 2/13

It's that time again, Six Sentence Sunday. YEA! First off, I want to thank everyone who checked out my snippet last week. Your wonderful comments really made my day.


Here's a bit more from my romantic suspense, Not Without Risk.

Her mouth moved eagerly on his, exploring, discovering his taste. She couldn’t breathe. The heady, male scent of him surrounded her, made her head spin. Fire burned inside her belly. She felt the pull of desire, the heat simmering between them.
Felt herself go wet.

Don't miss out on more Six Sentence Sunday fun.

Find the list of all the participating authors at the

official site:

http://www.sixsunday.blogspot.com/

Mark your calendars!

Six Sentence Sunday will be celebrating its first anniversary on February 27, 2011. What can you expect? More fantastic snippets along with some exciting giveaways.

What could be better than #sixsunday and prizes?

You don't want to miss it!



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Spotlight On... Emma Lai

Today I have author Emma Lai with me at the keyboard. Welcome, Emma, can you tell us a little about yourself?

I’ve been married to my wonderful husband for six years this month and am a stay at home mother with a beautiful 16 month old boy, who loves to learn and hates to sleep. I have degrees in engineering and international relations and use both in my writings. I have three short stories published, two submitted and numerous works in progress.


What are you currently working on?

I have numerous works in progress, but the projects I’m most focused on are a couple of contemporary erotica and a young adult sci-fi/fantasy.

Tell us about the book you’d like to promote today. Where can we find it?

TWICE IS NOT ENOUGH is the story of Lady Minerva Peters, who after several disastrous engagements is an expert at suppressing her own needs. Only in the darkness of night does she give in to her wanton desires with a fantasy lover.

In the middle of a crowded ballroom, she learns her father is not yet ready to let her fade into spinsterhood. Humiliated, she ducks into a dark alcove only to find out she's not alone. Her hiding spot is occupied by a captivating stranger. Before she can escape, the two become voyeurs to another couple’s sexual rendezvous. The atmosphere heats up and so does her body, especially with the tempting offers whispered in her ear.

Will Minerva deny her needs once again or will she embrace the anonymity of their seclusion and finally explore her basic impulses and the startling attraction to the compelling mystery man?

TWICE IS NOT ENOUGH  is now available from The Wild Rose Press.

Who would you cast to play your hero and heroine in a movie?

A young Julia Roberts and Orlando Bloom.


Great choice! Have you ever made big changes in your story because someone – your critique partner, a friend or family member – really didn’t like it? If so, are you glad you did?

I was required to entirely rewrite a scene in HIS HOPE, HER SALVATION  in order to get it published. At the time, I was a little irked, but I really loved the finished product. So, in the end it was for the better. However, I saved the original scene for possible use in a future story. It’s so different from the finished version, no one would recognize it as even belonging in the story. And, of course, the characters would be different.


What is the most interesting comment you’ve ever received on one of your books?

Vicky at Sizzling Hot Book Reviews “really liked that the start [of TWICE IS NOT ENOUGH] IS based on reality.” The review explains it’s the characters and situation that are based on reality. The setting is Regency England. So, I guess I found it interesting because it means the story is timeless. At least, that’s how I’m interpreting it. LOL.


What is the best thing you have learned from an editor/agent?

How to write to an audience. It’s wonderful to have story ideas and create characters, but sometimes those ideas and characters have to be molded to fit the expectations of an audience. If a character does something out-of-character, the audience is jarred from the story. So, the action either has to be set up better, removed or rewritten.


Do you have a favorite character or one that you identify most with?

I identify with different characters at different times. It really depends on what’s going on in my life at the moment. Right now, I don’t have a favorite.


What books are currently on your nightstand?

I’m in between books at the moment. Most of the reading I do now involves either Baby’s First Library ABCs or Ten Little Ladybugs.


LOL Where can we find you on the web?

http://www.emmalaiwrites.com

http://emmalaiwrites.blogspot.com

http://emmalaivisitsthespicierside.com


Is there anything you’d like to ask your readers?

What’s your favorite part of a story?


Thanks for visiting with Off the Keyboard today, Emma. Best wishes for many, many sales. :)



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Happy Hump Day

Don't you just love a man
who isn't afraid to get a little dirty?

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The cowboy is such a romantic soul

Today's blog is by erotic romance author Desiree Holt, who's 100th book releases in April. Incredible, right? Enjoy! Oh, and don't forget to check out her WEBSITE for a list of all of her other great books.

Every culture needs legends and heroes; the Cowboy is one of America's best. We see honor, leadership, integrity, hard work, strength and freedom in the cowboy. We envy the simplicity of his long day's labor and the wide-open spaces he roams. Little boys want to grow up to be him, and many little girls want to grow up and marry him. He contains the last vestiges of wildness allowed in the new millennium, and as much as our country changes, he remains the same. America needs the Cowboy both to remind us of how far we have come and to bring us back to the simplicity of the values he represents.

From Zane Grey to Linda Lael Miller, authors have painted the cowboy as sexy, romantic, virile, the ultimate alpha male. He ropes horses, fights bad guys, wears jeans that hug him like a second skin and sweeps women off their feet. He dances the Texas Two-Step and the waltz with equal ease, sips aged bourbon or ice cold beer with equal aplomb and can shoot a target dead center from a thousand feet. I mean, what’s not to love?

I live in one of the greatest places of the world, the Texas Hill Country, where I am surrounded by ranches. On a frosty morning I can see the quintessential cowboy mounted on his horse, buttoned into his sheepskin-lined jacket, his Stetson pulled low over his forehead to shield his eyes from the rising son, thighs clenched against the flanks of his mount as he urges him forward after a recalcitrant calf or a wandering cow. He is the idol of dreams, the star of fantasies, as he rides with a smooth gait across the acres of pasture rolling off toward the horizon.


And then, of course, at the end of the day, with the dust of the land showered from his body, he makes mad, passionate, exquisite love to the woman of his heart. Or in some case, the many women of his heart!

And this is why I make the cowboy the central figure in so many of my stories.

Jessie Wade is a tough as nails sheriff until bull rider Kyle Mitchell ends up in her jail. With his bone-melting good looks and seductive voice, he knocks Jessie's defenses down one by one and awakens the sensuous woman she's hidden beneath her uniform. But Jessie can't afford to be soft. Or allow herself to fall for a cowboy who's never in one town longer than it takes to ride a bull. Kyle never backs down from a challenge, but after a passionate night with Jessie, he realizes there's a hell of a woman behind the handcuffs and badge. Can Kyle convince Jessie he can take her for more than an eight-second ride?

Excerpt:

Kyle Mitchell wanted to pry his eyes open but someone was pounding a drum inside his head so hard he was afraid to see daylight. Not only that, but whatever he was lying on was harder than a concrete floor and killing his back. He needed aspirin and coffee in large supply. He tried to raise his hands to press them against his aching temples but something jerked his right hand and prevented him from lifting it.Now he opened his eyes.

And wished he hadn’t.

Unfortunately this wasn’t the first jail cell he’d been in, but he was pretty sure it was the worst. And he was pretty sure it hadn’t been modernized in the last fifty years. One wall consisted of the usual arrangement of bars with a portion of it hinged for a door. The sleeping arrangement, rather than a crummy cot that would have been a vast improvement, was a flat piece of wood with a mattress on it so thin he was sure he’d be able to see through it. And it was the kind that pulled down from the wall on chains.

And speaking of chain, he yanked at his right hand again and discovered he was handcuffed to one length of chain.

Damn! What the hell had happened? What had he gotten himself into now?

Squinting against the brightness of the light from the ceiling lights he looked down the length of his body.

Boots. Check.

Jeans. Check.

He clapped his left hand over his waist in a sudden panic.

Champion belt buckle! Okay! Check.

Shirt. Check.

He rubbed a hand over his square jaw, feeling the stubble of yesterday’s beard growth. Testing everywhere on his face he discovered his nose was tender but not broken, but the rest of his face felt as if a bull had stomped on it.

Wait. Was that what had happened? The last thing he remembered was lasting the full eight seconds on Sodbuster before landing in the dirt of the rodeo arena. Everything else was a blur.

“Well. It looks like you’re finally awake.”

The voice was pure music, soft, with a faint drawl. Squinting through the bars he thought for a minute his heart was going to stop beating. In the hallway looking in at him was about five-foot-four of the most breathtaking woman he’d ever seen. Dark blonde curls tumbled down to her shoulders, framing a lightly tanned face with emerald green eyes peeking out from thick, thick lashes. The stiff fabric of the uniform shirt she wore couldn’t conceal the lush ripeness of her breasts any more than the pants hid her mouthwatering curves.

But what really shook him up was the star gleaming from its place of prominence on her shirt, right over one of those nicely rounded breasts.

Holy hell! This was the sheriff?

He looked at her and something inside turned over. He had an urgent need to see this woman naked in his bed, but not the way he did with the usual women he rolled in the sheets with. Not an eight-second ride and done. No, even in his pitiful condition he could imagine making slow, soul-searing love to her. Everything from his balls to his brain went on instant alert.

Check out Desiree's new release,

Eight Second Ride.

Available now at The Wild Rose Press.

Desiree Holt has lived a life of excitement that brings the color to her writing. She was a summer fishing guide, a summer field hand where she was one of only three women working, a member of a beginning ski team that skied in competition (and no, no broken bones!). She spent several years in the music business representing every kind of artist from country singer to heavy metal rock bands. For several years she also ran her own public relations agency handling any client that interested her. She is twice a finalist for an EPIC E-Book Award, a nominee for a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award, winner of the first 5 Heart Sweetheart of the Year Award at The Romance Studio as well as a CAPA Award, winner of two Holt Medallion Awards of Merit, and is published by four different houses. Romance Junkies said of her work: “Desiree Holt is the most amazing erotica author of our time and each story is more fulfilling then the last.”

You can find her at:
www.desireeholt.com and www.desireeholttellsall.com

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