Welcome multi-published author, Liz Crowe!

Good morning! Today I am interviewing multi-published author, Liz Crowe who is here to talk about your career and her fabulous Realtors Series. Let's get started!

1) When and why did you decide you wanted to be a published author?

About 3 years ago.

I don’t know why really. I’m not one of those folks who carried around notebooks full of novel notes and stuff growing up. I’ve always written either as a journalist, beer blogger, in my capacity in public relations or marketing. I am a fairly late convert to the whole “erotic romance” genre as a reader as well. I only dipped into it about 4 years ago with the Mona Lisa series, then found some non-paranormal writers I really loved, which was likely the impetus for me to try it myself.

2) What is the best and worse thing you have learned from an editor/agent?

BEST: How to NOT write in passive voice.

WORST: um….huh….let’s see….nothing really. Every editor I’ve had (5 different publishers now) have taught me something new and useful for my growth as a writer.

I don’t have an agent but am pondering it as a 2013 goal for a few more mainstream projects I’m pondering.

3) Favourite author/s?

I’m a little heavy on the mainstream ones here but:

Margaret Atwood

Jonathan Franzen (he’ll get over his snobbish BS about e-publishing soon. JK Rowling did…)

Liane Moriarty

Stephen King

Jeffrey Eugenides

(erotic)

JR Ward (really the only paranormal author I continue to follow)

Shayla Black

Lee Brazil

(YA)

Patrick Ness

Suzanne Collins

John Greene

I like a little of everything really. Although (hides face) I don’t really read much “mainstream romance.” I prefer it hot, steamy and real, that is unless there are Black Dagger Bros involved.

4) What is your typical day?

I own a craft microbrewery and handle all the marketing for it, plus manage a bar staff. I spend 60% of my day planning promotions, schmoozing locals, writing press releases or “A2 Beer Wench” blog posts, dealing with various personnel and facility crises, butting heads with my brewing staff. Then 30% is devoted to remembering I have a spouse and 2 kids still at home, both of whom are busy athletes/scholars and need my varying degrees of attention and time. Then, I write.

5) Share your blurb or short excerpt from your latest release with us

THE REALTORS is a series of 3 books. Floor Time released in January, Sweat Equity Feb. 25 and the final “chapter” Closing Costs will release at the end of March.

Floor Time (The Realtors – Book 1):

Jack Gordon is Ann Arbor's most delectable bachelor. At age thirty-five, he's made millions as a top-selling Ann Arbor real estate broker and has the right connections to close a deal by any means necessary. With his rugged good looks and compelling personality, he has a virtual black book most men would kill for and he uses it often, never settling for one woman for very long.

While his D/s past remains buried, exactly where he wants it, an undercurrent of boredom and dissatisfaction runs through his life now. Disastrous experience years earlier made him swear off the whole scene, but the more Jack suppresses his natural Dom, the more his frustration grows.

Sara Thornton, just a rookie in the field, has fast-tracked herself to the top of the Ann Arbor real estate market. Her life evolves into a disciplined and focused routine, exactly what she wants. However, as her career takes off, the fulfillment she seeks remains inexplicably out of reach. The one thing she knows for sure, she will not join the Jack Gordon groupies in her company, no matter how tempting that might seem.

A chance encounter, then a difficult transaction, throw Jack and Sara together and the sparks fly high and hot and often. Forced to confront the compulsions that gain momentum with each sizzling encounter, their relationship seems to spiral out of control until Jack finally admits what he needs, and shows Sara what she's been missing.

Buy links:

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-floortime-675855-144.html

http://www.amazon.com/Floor-Time-The-Realtors-ebook/dp/B0071MH634/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1329791472&sr=8-2

Sweat Equity (The Realtors – Book 2):

Jack Gordon thought he’d finally made it. He had a wildly successful career, money in the bank and even returned to his life as Dom, putting an end to a string of unfulfilling sexual encounters. Now that he's made the ultimate commitment to Sara Thornton, he believes all is right in their world. However, a series of misunderstandings and a dose of self-fulfilling prophesy bring his perfectly crafted house of cards tumbling down around him, forcing him to confront lingering misgivings about marriage and trust. Could those be the only two things he can never achieve?

Sara struggles with her intense need for Jack and her desire for less volatility in her busy life, two goals which appear to be mutually exclusive. Although willing to put in the time and emotional effort to make their relationship work, she finds it futile and frustrating, littered with clashes thanks to near-identical personalities and temperaments. Given Sara’s history, easing back into the comfortable status quo becomes easier than fighting a war with the one person who should be her safe haven. But will the easier choice satisfy her the way only Jack can? Is her "war" one that comes from without or within?

Buffeted by circumstance, temptation and distraction, Jack and Sara’s tenuous relationship crumbles, sparking a continuous quest for the ever elusive: trust, love and acceptance. By the time they rebuild a foundation for renewal, fate has other plans. This leaves them both reeling, once again questioning their destiny.

Buy links:

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sweatequity-728028-149.html

http://www.amazon.com/Sweat-Equity-The-Realtors-ebook/dp/B007D8HDD4/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1330287117&sr=8-13

Closing Costs (The Realtors – Book 3):

Love conquers all? Not likely, according to Sara Thornton. She's spent eight years coming to terms with the new parameters of her life while resigning herself to the idea that “happily ever afters” are best left to fairytales. Sales manager for her successful real estate office and juggling an added element of responsibility she never thought she'd face, Sara continues to struggle with the men in her life. Love, for her, has only meant hurt, broken trust and anger; all of which she’s completely banished from her life, so she claims.

Jack Gordon has come a long way since his earlier days of obsession with Sara. As the general manager of Stewart Realty, his own level of responsibility for the well-being of others has ramped up. He’s even honed his caretaking skills, now that he has someone who loves him unconditionally.

Continuing to invest effort and rebuild their relationship, he and Sara grow close as friends. Despite this, his ultimate question remains unanswered; the one he keeps asking, no matter how many times she says no. Sara isn't prepared for the keen focus of his need--to have her back, once and for all. Her stubborn resistance nearly rips both lives apart

The epic conclusion to The Realtors series, Closing Costs brings Jack and Sara truly full circle. Proving that the heat of lust and obsession; the need for control and to be mastered in many areas of life can lead to love —surprising you when you least expect it – if you will only allow it.

RELEASING MARCH 25, 2012.

6) Who would you cast to play your hero & heroine in a movie?

Oh funny you should ask. Basically The Realtors will not be a movie but a premium cable mini series. The cast is plucked from the hottest of the hot and the casting process was cut throat thanks to the buzz around the series (some photos attached):

Jack Gordon—Jon Hamm

Sara Jane Thornton—January Jones

Craig Robinson—Alex Petttyfer

Blake Thornton—Cam Gigandet

Rob Frietag—Alex Skarsgaard

Suzanne Baxter—Amy Adams

Evan Adams—Josh Duhamel

7) Did you plan this book? Or write it as it came?

I did like I do all my books: from the seat of my pants in marathon, family-depriving bursts of creativity.

8) What surprised you the most when you became a published?

How many other people are published. Not to disparage too much but it makes it really difficult to break through really bad writing clutter. But it’s the nature of the e-pub world now. Publishers are popping up every which where needing something to publish. It gives newbie authors a shot. My only argument is in favor of all acquisitions editors keeping standards high.

9) Do you have a dedicated writing space? What does it look like?

No, not really. I can look at every one of my already published and in “editing mode” projects and tell you where each book was concocted and written. Some on my back patio in the summer on my laptop, some in my beer bar in the laptop, a few on my big computer in my home office, many just on the laptop in the car/on a plane/in front of the fire in the family room. I’m flexible.

10) What’s next for you?
I have a new book coming out with Ellora’s Cave this spring called Lust On Tap. It’s a VERY romantic (and tragic) ménage novel that I am really, really, really excited about. At the moment I’m writing something new for EC as well, which, in my typical fashion, I love more than anything I’ve ever written. I feel this way about everything I do!

My very popular Turkish Delights series with Decadent Publishing gets a long awaited prequel: The Diplomat’s Daughter in late April or thereabouts and a follow up novel that will tie up a bunch of dangling plot loose ends from the trilogy. It comes with a lot of intrigue, psychology of terrorist kidnappers and healthy dose of reunion between characters thought lost, now re-found.

And I have plans for a couple of projects including a few offshoot novels for secondary characters in The Realtors series and a WAY FUN new series based on an expansion major league soccer team in Detroit.

Finish with details of where readers can find you – website, Facebook, Twitter etc

www.lizcrowe.com

www.brewingpasssion.com

www.facebook.com/lizcroweauthor

twitter: beerwencha2

Google +: Liz Crowe

EXCERPT (from Book One: FLOOR TIME)

X-Excerpt:

She turned away from him, hoping to marshal her strength and tell him to leave. As she made her way down the office hallway she knew by heart even in the darkness, she could smell him on her and knew at that moment, without a doubt, she would fuck him, right then in that office.

They had been building towards it for too long. Her brain knew to keep quiet; it would not be heard over her body’s clamor. Her baser need for him took over, and when he put a hand on her shirt and firmly tugged her back to him, she let him, shutting her eyes and praying she wasn’t making a huge mistake.

She started to turn but he grabbed her from behind.

“Don’t turn around,” he whispered. “Let me show you what happens next. Just leave it all to me.”

She relented and leaned back into his body. His lips claimed her neck. His hands rubbed both nipples at once. She bent her knees and moaned, raised her arms and put them behind her, around his head. He managed at some point to lose his expensive cufflinks and roll up his sleeves exposing tanned, strong forearms. He released each breast from their cup; caressed, rubbed, and pinched the aching, hard nubs of sensitive flesh. His lips and teeth remained on her damp skin.

She began to move, rubbing against the heat of his erection pressed against her back. He groaned, and increased attention to her nipples, continued to use his lips to caress the back of her neck. A small fire burned wherever he touched her. She imagined she could come against the seam of her jeans, the pressure of his straining zipper against her, both of his hands on her nipples and his mouth in her ear and on her neck.

“Mmm… I have been dreaming of doing this to you for weeks.” The words caused every nerve in her body to tingle. She closed her eyes.

He turned her around to face him, his hands on her upper arms. Before she could whimper about her poor lonely nipples he crushed his mouth on hers, pushing her up against the wall. Her left leg lifted and encircled his waist as her engorged clit begged for contact.

Oh my God, I am dry humping this grown man in my office.

He reached down and slowly unzipped her shorts, never removing his lips from the skin of her neck. He was muttering, something about “You smell exactly like I thought you would,” but she couldn’t be certain as her brain started fogging up like the inside of a car window, obscuring all rational thought.

Jack reached a hand down, brushed the outside of her panties. She moaned and leaned her head back against the wall. Sweat dripped slowly between her breasts as her breath caught in her throat. She sensed him grin against her skin as he leaned down to find the moisture and lap at it, his fingers lightly teasing her clit.

“Somebody is really happy to see me.” His voice had an edge to it she loved.

Sara realized that she was moving her hips, thrusting toward him as though drawn by a magnet. She started to reach down, needing to feel his flesh, but he grabbed her hands, lifted them up over her head, pinned her wrists against the wall.

“No, baby, let me. Just lean back and relax. I’m in charge.”

Everything in her struggled against him, tried to resist, but the firm grasp he kept on her wrists was one of the most erotic sensations she’d ever experienced. She bit her lip as Jack slid her shorts down. He reached inside her panties, forming two of his fingers and thumb into a delicious double stimulator. Slowly, he moved against her swollen nub and slipped into her pussy as his lips traveled from her mouth, to her neck.

He manipulated her and maintained his control, seemingly without much effort, still holding her wrists captive over her head. She started lifting off, becoming as light as air, reaching the edge of extreme pleasure, while part of her tried to maintain her control. The man she’d been dreaming about for months was there, touching her, holding her captive against her office wall, and his lips, dear God... Eyes closed, head and arms up against the wall, she finally gave in to the pure, shuddering pleasure of it. Ignoring how much further she’d be willing to go with him; her usual reservations abandoned in his arms.

LINKS:

www.brewingpassion.com

www.facebook.com/lizcroweauthor

www.twitter.com/beerwencha2

Bio:

hree kids, two standard poodles, a real estate license, ownership and marketing responsibility for a craft microbrewery and a few publishing successes later, Liz continues to write, blog, sell, market, event plan and attempt to stay up with laundry and housekeeping (the latter with limited success).

Five publishing houses are home now, Ellora’s Cave, Decadent Publishing, Tri-Destiny Publishing, Breathless Press and Rebel Ink Press. There are several Works in Progress headed out soon. And, of course, more laundry to fold.

Prize information: One random commenter at each stop will win either one of five $10 Amazon gift cards, one of three winner's choice of a book from Liz's backlist, or one of two $20 Zinterman's gift certificates. Zingerman's is an Ann Arbor institution, world famous for its gourmet deli items, breads and desserts all of which can be ordered and shipped ANYWHERE in the world. www.Zingermans.com.

Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2012/01/virtual-book-tour-realtors-series-by.html. 


Great to have you here, Liz and to share in your continuing success - good luck with your tour!