Friday 30 November 2012

The Waiting Game...


Good morning, lovely readers!

I have received a few emails asking me for the status on my latest submission and I am sorry to say, I still have no answer for you guys :(

My editor is still considering the full for my next novella (working title is "Teach Me to Ride") but you will be the first to know as soon as I have a 'yay or neigh' - see what I did there? The book has an equestrian theme after all, lol!

In the meantime, here's the blurb:


Local newspaper journalist, Caroline James has ambitions to work in London. She wants to be the best and youngest female investigative journalist the city has ever seen. Caroline has shut down personally and forged her career with savage single-mindedness. The problem is, no London paper will give her a chance without some big credentials to back up her hunger for success. She hasn’t the money to leave her small picturesque hometown of Fayre Mead and move away. She is stuck and her resentment is building.
Horse trainer, Michael Canton has made mistakes of his own. The son of a famous show jumper, Michael’s mother warned him off a career as a show jumper but with passion burning for horses flowing through his veins, he couldn’t stay away. The compromise was training rather than the flashy showmanship, betrayal and infidelity rife in the show jumping world. Now his father wants him to race in the 2016 Olympics…
When he meets Caroline, sparks fly emotionally, ambitiously and sexually. Someone is going to get burned…

Right, it's time I started planning my next novella...trouble is, I have absolutely NO good ideas! Help!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Love
Rachel x

Monday 26 November 2012

Welcome erotic romance writer, Lila Munro...



Hi, Lila! I'm thrilled to be inviting you back to my blog to help promote your latest release, "Assumed Calling". Absolutely LOVE your cover! Who was the artist?? Shall we get started with the questions? Looking forward to learning what you've been up to since we last spoke :)

What is your writing routine?

I’m actually a very scheduled person when it comes to my day. I used to be very willy-nilly just doing the muses bidding whenever she took the notion to talk to me. But, almost two years ago I had a doctor’s appointment that forever changed the way I do things. Diagnosed with high blood pressure and on the brink of a host of other ailments, I decided I like to breathe more than I like to stay up at all hours of the night appeasing the muse.
 I’d always been a very organized person up until that point, but my schedule was a sort of Salsa party on steroids. That day I assumed command of my destiny and put myself on a schedule. Mornings I spend an hour or so catching up on social media, writing blog posts, filling out interviews…you know admin type things we all hate. Then I have a nice healthy lunch and a break from the computer. 
Afternoons I spend writing. Now, most people probably perceive writing to be just writing, but for me it’s not. Writing entails not just putting words on paper, but research and self-editing as well. So, while I may spend four hours “writing” I may not get one word of the actual story to paper. I’m very meticulous with my stories. I’m in no way, shape, or form a fling it out and expect my editor to fix it girl. When the time clock dings at five or six, I’m off to do other things which I enjoy, sewing, reading, walking…

Which author/s inspire you to write?

I’m not sure any author right now inspires me much. I’ve watched over the past few months a decline in quality of writing coming out and it’s made me even more determined to do better in my own scribblings. So I guess in that regard many do, but I don’t put down others in public so those people will remain my little secrets.

Which is your favorite romance subgenre to read? To write?

I read a wide variety of subgenres from contemporary to inspirational to BDSM to ménage to historical. About the only subgenre I veer away from is paranormal. It’s not my thing at all. And I only write in a couple of subgenres myself so that choice is easy, BDSM/military with the occasional ménage thrown in. My characters are of all sexualities. It’s always been my belief find what works and stick to it. I don’t think me writing in a dozen subgenres and doing none of them well is beneficial for anyone.

How do you deal with criticism/rejection?
With a grain of salt. Criticism comes in many forms. That which is intended to hurt only shows the criticizer’s inability to be kind. And the one sentence reviews I see only show that person either has a communications issue or didn’t really bother reading at all and is just out to ruffle my feathers. Those I ignore. I know if I’m doing things right. My readers tell me and by the way of more than one sentence. Criticism from my editors is taken very seriously. If I’m doing something wrong and need to improve I better pay heed.

What do you expect from an editor?

Guidance and honesty. They aren’t there to boost my ego and they’re not there to ghost write me. Give me tough love over a mouthful of fluff any day.

Which is your favorite character in the book?  Why?

Honestly, picking a favorite from Assumed Calling is like trying to pick a favorite child. While this book focused on Allen and Nicki, a host of other characters have been introduced who will be gaining their own stories eventually in a spin-off series of the Identity books. Steele Image will be rolling out mid-2013 and I’m very excited to be working on it.

What are you working on right now?

Right now I’m knee deep in the polishing touches on the third and final Slower Lower book, A Slower Lower Leap. It’s due out in February. I’m also completing book two in the Private Collection, Private Impropriety, which is due out in April.

Your biggest piece of advice to aspiring novelists?

Learn your craft, do your research, listen to your editors.



Assumed Calling
by Lila Munro

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

Like the beat of a primal drum whispering the rhythm of an ancient dance, the lifestyle calls…

At the seasoned age of fifty-six, Allen Bourke has resigned himself to the fact he’ll probably never find someone to top he can also love. While he’s had wives and lovers, none of them endured and he’s come to the conclusion the clock’s ticking and age is working against him. Then a very intriguing Nicki Cartwright pings on his radar at what Allen determines will be his last house party. He can’t help but notice while he and his friends are getting older, the players emerging on the scene are forever getting younger. Nicki's no exception. Determined to resist the vibes humming between them, he only agrees to service her after his old friend, Kyle Montgomery, convinces him it's entirely feasible. Then it’s brought to Allen’s attention who Nicki really is. Knowing their pasts are forever intertwined, as hard as he tries to ignore his heart, he finds himself yielding to the tides of fate.

Born to senatorial royalty, Nicki Cartwright has spent her entire life trying to shield her mother from her father’s wrath while drifting further and further into a world where panic is normal and anxiety is always on the edge of her reality. Tired of burning the candle at both ends and forever trying to live up to the picture of All-American perfection her father James Cartwright touts as his ace in the hole during election cycles, Nicki finds herself on the path of self-discovery in search of relief from the stressors continually swamping her mind. What she doesn’t expect is to find who she thought she was is truly just a shadow of the person she really is. And what scares her most is the fact Allen, the only person she thought she could trust, has been holding a secret since before she was born which could destroy her entire family.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT

“Mom’s not with James in Vermont,” Nicki blurted as if she’d been holding the information for so long it was about to eat her alive. “In fact, she’s been out of the public eye for a while now. So far my father’s handlers have been able to convince the press she’s been away visiting family or busy writing her memoirs in private while they’re on vacation. The truth is, only one of those numbers is my therapist. The rest are her doctors. At Cedar Ridge…” She trailed off, a tear rolling down her cheek to meet Allen’s right thumb as he stroked along the corner of her mouth. “She’s an inpatient. He finally ran her crazy and she’s being treated for a psychosis and chemical dependency on prescription meds and alcohol.”

“Can I have something a little stronger? Than water?”

Nicki’s seemingly innocuous question came back to mock Allen. Although there were no signs she was hooked on anything in her apartment, not all addicts failed to hide the evidence. Some were closeted so carefully nothing short of a complete breakdown outed them.

“And you? Do you share your mother’s problems?” he asked.

“I’m not a drunk and I don’t pop pills,” she snapped, anger overtaking her features and overshadowing her fear.

“I wasn’t trying to offend you, Nicki. But I need to know these things. I like you, but we can’t play if I don’t have all the cards face up and I’m too old to allow some things into my life no matter how much I like someone. So if there’s anything I need to know, now would be a good time to spill it. And. I. Mean. Everything.”


AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Lila Munro currently resides on the coast of North Carolina with her husband and their two four-legged kids. She’s a military wife with an empty nest and takes much of her inspiration for her heroes from the marines she’s lived around for the past fifteen years. Coining the term realmantica, she strives to produce quality romance in a realistic setting. Her genre of choice is contemporary romance that spans everything from the sensual to BDSM and ménage. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading everything she can get her hands on, trips to the museum and aquarium, taking field research trips, and soaking up the sun on the nearby beaches. Her works include The Executive Officer’s Wife, Bound By Trust, Destiny’s Fire, Salvation, Three for Keeps, the Force Recon series, the Slower Lower series, and the Identity series. She’s a member in good standing of RWA and Passionate Ink. Currently she’s working on sequels to several series to be released throughout 2012-2013 and has a brand new line scheduled for winter 2012-13. Ms. Munro loves to hear from her readers and can be found at:





You can also contact her via email at lilasromance@gmail.com ,

and you can find all her works at:




  
Lila will be awarding a Godiva Chocolates gift basket worth at least $35.00 to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour, and a Godiva Chocolates gift basket to a randomly drawn host. (US ONLY)
Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: 
 Comments???

Saturday 24 November 2012

Saturday Promo - Grace Marshall...



New Release: An Executive Decision by Grace Marshall

A hot romance novel - first in a series of three.
Overworked CEO Ellison Thorne has no time for sex, let alone romance. The only answer, at least where his retiring business partner Beverly is concerned, is a no-strings sex clause in her replacement’s contract, designed to make Ellis’ busy life easier – and hotter. But she’s joking, right?
When Dee Henning takes over Beverly’s job, sparks fly between her and Ellis, but work takes priority in driven Dee’s life too. Can one night of passion in a Paris hotel room prove Beverly’s Sex Clause is their secret to success in the boardroom and the bedroom, and what will happen if that private clause becomes public knowledge?


*****
Grace Marshall lives in South England with her husband and the growing gang of hooligan birds who frequent their feeders. When Grace isn’t busy writing something sexy and romantic, she’s busy digging in her ever-expanding veg garden or walking across the British countryside. She finds inspiration outdoors in nature, and most of her best story ideas come to her while she’s walking or gardening.
Grace is the author of the fast paced, quirky Executive Decisions Trilogy published by Xcite Romance. An Executive Decision, the first novel in the trilogy, will be available soon at all your favourite book sellers with lots more romance served hot to follow in the near future.
Grace Marshall’s alter-ego, K D Grace, writes critically acclaimed, best-selling erotic romance. Whether it’s sexy romance or romantic sex, between The Graces, there’s a story for you.

Find Grace here:

Thursday 22 November 2012

Welcome Etopia Press author, Jianne Carlo...



Malice Striker (Viking Vengeance #1)
by Jianne Carlo
Published by Etopia Press
57,000 words (eBook format)
Erotic Historical Romance
Contains Elements of Action, Adventure and Suspense
Heat Level: Sizzling

Available at:

Blurb:

Can a mere Viking save the daughter of a goddess?

When Scotland’s King Kenneth orders his death and kidnaps his sister, the Viking Brökk—the Malice Striker—plans his vengeance: he’ll steal the king’s bastard daughter from Sumbarten Abbey and use her to buy his sister’s freedom. But his schemes go awry when his liege lord commands him to wed Skatha—and when he finds five women instead of one at the Abbey, none of whom will claim the King as father.

When the Viking abducts Skatha and her women, she’s bewildered. Why did Brökk seize her? Why does he want her for his wife? She weds him willingly enough when he threatens to kill her companions, but she vows to control her own destiny and escape. For if the Viking discovers her secrets, the laws of his people will force him to cast her aside…or kill her. And even Skatha, daughter of a goddess, might not escape the Viking’s wrath.

Warning: This title contains scenes of an erotic nature (highly explicit sex scenes/course language).

Excerpt:

All at once Skatha’s shoulders slumped and the enormity of her situation brought tears to her eyes. She blinked and clenched her jaw. “My lady. How will I do this? Why does he want me for a wife? What will I do when you all leave?”
“Where is my stouthearted, fearless girl? The one who defied all and mastered a wild stallion?” Lady Gráinne squeezed Skatha’s hand. “All will be well. Focus your attentions on this day. The rest will come.”
If only ’twere possible to halt the questions popping into her head with every step. She chewed the inside of her cheeks and focused on her surroundings. “’Tis not noisy. I hear none milling about, and we have walked thirty paces.”
“The Lady Hilda left to visit a neighbor at dawn, and the maids were twiddling their thumbs, so I suggested to them that the lord might look more favorabllyfavorably on them if they used the good hands he gave them to launder the linens of the keep.”
Skatha repressed a smile. When Lady Gráinne gave a ‘suggestion,’ one obeyed without delay. Prisoner though the abbess may be, she wore her god-given authority with such confidence that none would defy her direction.
Elspeth leaned closer and whispered, “They cowered like mice and sped to the river.”
“Stop that whispering, Elspeth, and go help Dagrún up the steep part of the hill.”
“At once, my lady.”
“We approach the main entrance to the longhouse. ’Tis a double door similar to that of Sumbarten. The longhouse is made of stone. To be cert, ’tis a formidable fortress. The jarl has spared no coin building his holding," Lady Grainne spoke in a low voice.
“The holding is guarded. Four men, fully armed, are at the door, two on either side.” Skatha kept quiet as they entered the great hall, not speaking until their shuffled footsteps echoed in the chamber. “’Tis warm. More than one hearth?”
“Aye, three. Six men are in the great hall. All are older with missing teeth. They are hunkered at a bench and table close to the entrance to the kitchens.” Lady Gráinne slowed her pace, and Skatha adjusted hers.
“I have not heard a dog bark. And only the occasional cat’s meow.”
“Why ’tis the truth of it.” Muíríne caught Skatha by the forearm. “I have seen nary a one. ’Tis most peculiar. And mayhap why the rats have the run of the place. For the only cats Lady Gráinne saw last eve were moth-eaten creatures in their dotage.”
“Our words and footsteps echo. The chamber is bare?”
“Bare of rushes. There are no tapestries; instead weapons cover the walls. Axes, swords, daggers, bows and arrows, all gleaming and polished and ready to be used. Mayhap while we are here, your jarl will consent to make Bita Veðr more of a home than an armory. The floors here are stone and whitewashed. The roof is timbered, high, and arched.” Muíríne squeezed Skatha's forearm.
“It smells clean and fresh, and I can feel the sun beating upon my back. There are windows?”
Lady Gráinne answered Skatha’s question. “Aye, seven on the right wall, six on the left, and arrow slits twixt and tween. The dais is opposite the largest hearth. Elspeth and Murine will walk you up and down the chamber. They will lead you to your seat at the high table. When you are comfortable walking around and seating yourself, then they will bring you to the kitchens and to me.”
“Yes my lady.” Skatha dipped a curtsey and waited until she could no longer hear Lady Gráinne’s half boots slapping the stone. She turned to Muíríne. “Why is she angry? Who has spurred her ire?”
The silence that greeted her questions made her heart thump like a rabbit facing a pack of wolves. “What? Tell me true. And be quick. I am cert you have naught but dire news to impart.”
“’Tis said the Lady Hilda sleeps in the master’s chamber.”
Skatha frowned, tipped her head to one side. “Nay. I slept in his chamber last eve.”
“Nay. Skatha. He has a chamber adjacent to the Great Hall. ’Tis where he normally sleeps.”
She stumbled into a table and gripped the rough wood so hard a sliver pricked her thumb. Skatha collapsed onto a bench. “Tell me ’tis not true. He left me and went to…her?”
  
About the Author:
Award winning, author Jianne Carlo’s motto is simple: “Alpha Me Please”. While strong heroines, exotic locations, and cultural differences are her forte, she goes weak in the knees for warriors of any type: rebels, SEALs, Vikings, and bad-ass mercenaries.

Send her a man with an attitude and she’ll find the right woman to tame him.

Jianne’s writing career began in 2008, and since then she’s been lucky enough to have over twenty books published. Most of her books are TOP PICKs and several have been nominated for and won awards and prizes.

Nothing makes Jianne’s day more than an email from someone who’s read one of her books. So far, she’s received emails from almost every continent on the planet. Almost…

Contact Jianne at:
Goodreads - My Goodreads Page

Giveaway Info:
Prize is 1 eBook copy of “Malice Striker”. Contest is tour-wide and open internationally. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Ends Dec 8.


Rafflecopter Code:




Jianne Carlo also is holding a giveaway as part of her "Alpha Me Not" release. The link to the contest is http://www.jiannecarlo.com/Contest.aspx. Thanks bunches!

Comments??

Monday 19 November 2012

Welcome erotic romance author, Laurel Cremant...



Hi Laurel! Nice to meet you and nice to be the person to kick off your virtual book tour - wishing lots of sales and future publishing success. Let's get started with the interview...

When and why did you decide you wanted to be a published author?
I’ve always loved to write. English, English Lit and Creative Writing were my favourite courses in college. Unfortunately I was convinced that I wold never have the time or discipline to write professionally. So I let all of my characters and stories rattle around in my head for years until about two years ago when I finally took the plunge and started committing my stories to paper (and laptop). It’s been an incredibly freeing experience. My only regret is hat I didn’t do it sooner! 

What is the best and worse thing you have learned from an editor/agent?
Oh this question is easy! The best thing I ever learned from an editor is the fact that everyone needs to be edited. and I mean everyone. There is always room for improvement so when it comes to writing so if you want to give readers your best effort, you have to check your ego at the door.  

Favourite author/s?
I have so many. I’m a huge fan of paranormal and fantasy writing so I would have to say C.L. Wilson and Karen Marie Moning have the art of world building mastered. I’m also a huge fan of the old Harlequin romances of which Penny Jordan was one of my favorites. And to round out the list, when it comes to erotic romance I love Delaney Diamond and Jaci Burton, those two ladies are amazing at writing scorching scenes and building erotic tension on page.

What is your typical day?
Like most writers I have a day job that I’m pretty much dedicated to 9 to 56. So my days usually consist of me snoozing in bed and snuggling up with my hubby until the very last possible minute before I roll out of bed. I’m not a big fan of makeup, but I am more than slightly obsessed with accessories and shoes so I do a mini-fashion show in my closet everyday before I hit the road. The real fun begins whenever I manage to find a spare minute during the day to write down ideas or flesh out scenes in my journal. Inspiration comes at the strangest times. I’ve been known to pull over to the side of a road just to get an idea down on paper. Thankfully I’m a night owl, so by the time I get home and somehow manage to convince my husband that it’s his day to cook again, I’m ready to spend a few hours typing and writing. Lather rinse repeat and that’s a typical weekday for me. Don’t get me started on the weekends though. I live in South Florida so finding the balance between writing and participating in all that this region has to offer rounds out the rest of my week.


Who would you cast to play your hero & heroine in a movie?
Oh hands down for Veronica it would be Kerry Washington and Victor would would for sure be Oded Fehr. Kerry always manages to exude an air of confidence and sexiness all at once and I think she would be a perfect Veronica. Oded is just plain hot and I have to admit I pictured him from the start when I built Victor’s character.

Did you plan this book? Or write it as it came?
It was a little bit of both. The idea for this book came from a conversation I had with a friend about what we both considered sexy in romance novels. I’ve always been a big fan of the Plain Jane/Handsome Boss model but wanted to give it a bit of a twist. Hence Negotiating Skills was born.

What surprised you the most when you became published?
The shear amount of work involved! Finally bringing my characters to life was awesome, but the amount of work involved after completing a book can be somewhat daunting sometimes. There’s the process of editing, choosing cover art and deciding on the overall look and feel of the final format of the book. Not to mention marketing and publicity. It is a lot of work, but I wouldn’t give it up for the world. I absolutely love it! 

  
Do you have a dedicated writing space? What does it look like?
I have a work space set up at home that I rarely use. I have this beautiful little room that doubles as an office space and library, but more often than not I find myself tapping away on my laptop while sitting on my couch with my feet in my hubby’s lap and my ear buds snugly in place. 

What’s next for you?
I’m in the process of getting my first paranormal contemporary romance titled How To Kill Your Immortal published. I’ve also decided to make the Negotiating Skills the first in a series of books with an office romance theme. I’m calling it my Boardroom Acts series. The next book in the series is titled, High Stakes so stay tuned. Readers can check out my website for excerpts and I’ll be posting the release dates soon. 
Where readers can find you – website, Facebook, Twitter etc
I love hearing from readers so feel free to stop by my website or to follow me via my blog, Twitter or Facebook. 
  
Twitter: @LaurelCremant



Negotiating Skills
by Laurel Cremant

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

Witnessing a private act leads to some interesting negotiations... Software programmer Veronica James is struggling to make her new business a success. Unfortunately, after finally landing a major account, she’s at risk of losing it all when she catches her new client Victor Rossi in a very compromising position. In an effort to regain the upper hand, Rossi insists on some very sexy and compromising concessions that have Veronica reconsidering her hard fast rule of not mixing business with pleasure.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT

Her body ached and she felt frozen to the core. She hated being sick. The helplessness of it always made her want to scream out in frustration. She burrowed further into the blankets and tried to fight back tears.
Mother Nature was always the great equalizer thought Veronica. No matter how capable and strong you thought you were, Nature would bitch slap you with some virus, germ or otherwise generally hellacious ailment that had even the strongest person whimpering for their momma. Veronica had definitely reached that point.

She wished she hadn’t made Victor leave. As obnoxious as he was it did suck to be sick and alone. Tears fell down her cheeks unchecked and she just hoped that sleep would envelop her again.

“Hey, you’re awake.”

The sound Victor’s gruff voice almost made her sob out in relief.

“You’re still here,” she whispered.

“Of course, I am,” he said.

“I told you it was going to take a lot to make me leave,” he said as he leaned over her and touched his hand to her brow.

“You’re still really hot.”

“I don’t feel hot,” she said, “I feel like someone dumped a pile of ice on top of me.”

“Well to sound completely cliché, I know how to warm you up,” he said waggling his eyebrows at her and twisting his mouth into a comical leer.

“You’re a pervert,” she said with a small tired smile stretching her lips.

“You can’t blame a man for trying,” he said returning her smile.

“Like I said, pervert.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Laurel is a romance author, who like most writers loves to read. Her first love (pun intended) has always been romance. From the sappy YA romance novel to the more risqué erotica novels, Laurel is a sucker for a good love story.

Laurel writes paranormal and contemporary romance and is a self proclaimed, out of the closet nerd. She admits that she can't seem to avoid adding a bit of "nerdology" or "geek-dom" to all of her books. Living in Miami, she also admits that she can't seem to avoid giving her heroines gorgeous shoes, "In Miami, we worship everything strappy, open toed and just plain hot!"

BUY LINKS
           
Amazon           
           
All Romance           
           
Barnes & Noble           
           
Kobo           
           
Lulu           
           
Smashwords           

 Laurel will be awarding either one $10 Amazon Gift Card, one 4GB USB drive or an "I Heart Dr. Who" mug to three randomly drawn commenters. (US ONLY)

Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: 

Comments??

Friday 16 November 2012

How I try to keep the fire alive for my readers...


My husband and I have been married 14 years (and 19 years together). People often comment on our relationship because we’re still very close, still laugh a lot and still hold hands in public BUT nothing’s perfect, right?

We have our fair share of problems too – fair share of differences that I swear will NEVER be resolved no matter how long we are together. So what keeps the fire alive? To my mind, if we agreed on everything, wanted to live in each other’s pockets and only had one opinion on everything concerned with our children, our relationship would be far from authentic. I am always determined to live authentically. It’s SO important to me!

This thing is, am I the only romance author who uses our differences to spark some energy into a scene between my hero and heroine? Is it only me who vents some of my frustration over a recent disagreement by having my hero and heroine face some of the issues hubby and I might be dealing with? I think not. Come on, own up…who of you authors out there does it too? ;)


The thing is, what is it that keeps us devoted romance authors coming back for more? It has to be the realism of our stories that matter most to our readers. Keeping it real between the hero and heroine as well as the secondary characters is paramount. The question is, how do we achieve that?

For me, the answer lies in the basic planning that I do at the very start of each book. Admittedly, as I write more and more stories, my planning is become less and less as I evolve into more of a ‘pantser’, BUT I genuinely believe I am gaining a sense of what works and what doesn’t.

So how do I plan my stories? Simple. I get the idea, whether that be a character voicing a problem, or a setting I know is perfect or even an issue I take umbrage with. Once I have that simmering away nicely in my mind, I sit down and force out character sketches for my hero and heroine. This always brings up their goals, motivations and conflicts. Always. If you really BECOME your characters as you answer your character sketch questions, it will work. Promise!

Next, I write a two to three page synopsis. Of course, this changes as I write the story itself – TIP: If you want to try my method, alter your synopsis as you write your story and then you’ll have a fully functional synopsis ready to submit to a publisher by the time you write The End.

Writing is fun – enjoy it! Live with your characters, breathe your characters, think about your characters and they’ll tell you want they want to say, do and most importantly, who they HAVE to love! J

What do you think? Do you work in an entirely different way? I’d love to hear from you!

Rachel x


Tuesday 13 November 2012

Welcome Liquid Silver author, Elizabeth Finn!!





Thank you so much for letting me be a part of your ongoing tour today, Elizabeth! I am looking forward to learning more about you and your work - let's get started with the interview!

1)   What is your writing routine?
·      I don’t have a set routine – I’m definitely not that organized. I tend to cram writing in wherever and whenever I can. I work full time in Human Resources, I’m a parent of a toddler, I’m a half-time college student going in to my senior year of business management, and I’m just plain busy! I stay up far too late writing on many nights, and I’ve been known to pull out my laptop in an airport restaurant on a long layover just to crank some words out.

2)   Which author/s inspire you to write?
·      I fell in love with Johanna Lindsey years ago, and I have to say this was my introduction into the romance genre. Her books are where I fell in love with reading romance.

3)   Which is your favorite romance subgenre to read? To write?
·      I love any and all to read, but currently I’m writing contemporary. I like the real life authenticity of it. I have to admit though… I’m a sucker for paranormal, and I’m actually finishing up a paranormal romance of my own that I hope to contract soon.

4)   How do you deal with criticism/rejection?
·      It can be hard. It’s hard for anyone. First and foremost, I walk away to begin with. The initial emotional reaction you might have shouldn’t dictate your reaction to the criticizer. I walk away for as long as I need to, and then analyze the criticism, and give it whatever level of attention it deserves. If it holds no merit, I dismiss it, if does hold merit, I’ll consider it. Coping with and dealing with criticism isn’t ever going to be easy, and I’m an arguer by nature, so I really do have to stifle my urge to fire back.

5)   What do you expect from an editor?
·      A lot! They’re the eyes that you don’t have because you’ve gotten too close to your own manuscript. I will never catch all of the little errors or inconsistencies in my writing, and the more I read it and edit it, the more my eyes learn to pass right over some basic mistakes. I’m almost always hearing the sentence in my head before I even read it when it comes to my own work, so to me, and editor is the fresh set of eyes that you need to catch all of the things you can’t! It’s a big responsibility!


6)   Which is your favorite character in the book?  Why?
·      I love Logan. I love his intelligence and drive. He is good from the word go in my opinion. His life is on a path that can’t be easily diverged from, but he fights tooth and nail for Rowan throughout the book even knowing he can’t keep her.  He’s stern and stoic at times, and he’s not without his flaws, but he’s incredibly caring and protective of his girl.

7) What are you working on right now?
·      I’m finishing up on edits for my December release, Restoring Jordan, and I’m really excited for this release. I’m also just finishing writing a paranormal erotic romance that I hope to have contracted soon!

8) Your biggest piece of advice to aspiring novelists?
·      Just try it. It seems daunting when you’re first starting out, and the idea of writing an entire book can be intimidating, but you get to that point where you look back and your book is 90,000 words long, and you know you’ve made it!

9) Where can readers find you? Elizabethfinnfiction.com or email at elizabethfinn77@gmail.com – I love to hear from people!

Brother’s Keeper
by Elizabeth Finn

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BLURB:

Rowan is a high school senior. Logan is her best friend’s much older brother. With one ill-fated phone call, Rowan’s darkest secret is discovered, and she finds herself at Logan’s mercy, begging for his silence. Can he keep his distance while protecting her from the secret threatening to destroy her?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT

I beg my brain to concentrate on my book but can’t seem to keep my eyes where they should be. I keep looking up and watching Rowan. She’s pulling off her clothes, and I almost choke until I realize she has her dance clothes on underneath. She is sitting spread eagle on the floor, her back to me, lacing her toe shoes up her ankles. I can’t take my gaze away from her. She looks up to the wall of mirrors in front of her and catches me watching her from behind. She smiles shyly, and I smile back. I sit with my book open on my lap for the entire hour but don’t manage to make it past the first page.

I watch her as she stretches. I watch her as she goes through positions. She is beautiful—her lines so elegant. She may look small and unobtrusive at any other time, but when she’s in her element, she radiates and takes over the room. Her face is confident and calm, seductive but not intentionally so. The way she moves is so effortless, and her body is so amazingly balanced as she easily forces her body into positions that would make the average person groan in pain. I almost burst out laughing as I remember the acrobatics she attempted just shortly ago outside on the sidewalk.

Watching her body move is mesmerizing and does nothing for my vow to control my desire for her. Gay as Anthony most definitely is, I’m unrealistically jealous of the way he is allowed to touch her, pushing her legs into exactly the position he wants, turning and spreading her hips at his leisure, even sliding his hand around her firm buttocks to catch the back of her thigh and lift her leg at just the right angle. I catch myself holding my breath on more than one occasion, and by the time her hour is up, I’m her number one fan. I love ballet. She strolls over to me and sits down. She looks down before I even notice and sees just how far I’ve not made it in my book. I’m still on page one.

She smiles shyly before commenting. “Must be a boring book.” She has no idea…

“In comparison to other things, yeah, you could say that. Are you ready?”

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Elizabeth Finn is an Iowa native, where she lives with her husband and son. By day, Elizabeth is a Human Resources Specialist, but by night, she checks her professionalism at the door and immerses herself in the world of writing contemporary erotic romance. Look for more to come from Elizabeth Finn.

Visit Elizabeth at ElizabethFinn.WordPress.com, Facebook.com/ElizabethFinnFiction or email to ElizabethFinn77@gmail.com. She would love to hear from you!


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