VBT Tour and Giveaway - Educating Ethan

Today I'm proud to be the host on the final stop in Jennifer Lynne's blog tour for Educating Ethan.


Please make sure to leave a comment below to be entered in the contest as Jennifer will be awarding one commenter during her blog tour a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card.

Short Blurb for Educating Ethan:

Ida Deloraine intends to build herself a new life and a new career in catering, after a painful divorce. When the much younger Ethan Holt moves in across the street, an innocent flirtation quickly becomes serious when the two realise their age difference is no barrier to all-consuming passion.

But Ethan is the exact opposite of what Ida is looking for in a sexual partner. He is young and vibrant, with his life and his dreams still ahead of him, whereas hers are all in the past. Can Ethan, who is fighting his own demons in the form of a car accident, failed marriage and forced career change, convince Ida to overcome the past and live for the moment?

And just who is educating who in this cougar encounter?

My Interview with Jennifer: 

Me:  What is one question you want to ask readers or wish readers would ask you?

Jennifer:  I'd love to ask what everyone is reading right now, and what they would recommend in the romance genre. I'm always looking for a good book and I think recommendations are a great way to discover new authors.

Me:  Who is your favorite book cover model?

Jennifer:  There are so many great book cover models whose work I admire. Jimmy Thomas comes to mind, of course, but today I'm going to give due to Billy Freda, who appears as one of the heroes on my cover for ménage romance, Platinum Passion. He's just delightful to look at, and he embodies the character perfectly.

Me:  What is your favorite beverage?

Jennifer:  It's a toss up between coffee and wine. I like my coffee hot, black, strong and with two sugars. Good quality beans, too. No instant for me! I like my wine red…or white…or sparkling, or…however. As long as it is dry, not sweet, I'm happy.

Me:  What is your favorite thing about Australia?

Jennifer:  I would say the people and culture. We are a diverse bunch here, with a very multicultural flavor to our foods, celebrations, the arts, language and way of life. So it is never boring! Of course, I also love the varied landscape of our beautiful country, from the beaches to the rainforests to the breathtaking red centre. So much to see and do here, and all in an environment containing honest, laid-back, fun-loving people from all walks of life. A wonderful place to live.

Me: If you could take your dream vacation anywhere in the world, where would it be and who would you take with you?

Jennifer:  As much as I love Australia, it is nice to experience something new every once in a while. So if not tropical north Queensland or one of the Whitsunday islands, I'd say a super-expensive hideaway either in the Maldives or Bora Bora. With my partner, of course. I've always wanted to experience a true luxury escape away from the tourist crowds. But given the cost, it is probably likely to remain a dream rather than a reality!

Me:  If you had to describe yourself as a piece of clothing, what would you be?

Jennifer:  A piece of clothing? Gosh, that's a hard one! Um, something multi-colored to represent all the aspects of my personality – I'm a Leo and I live by my emotions – good and bad. Everything out there, on show. How about a brightly colored scarf?

7. Five quick things:

      Chocolate or Strawberry?

Not a real sweet tooth, so definitely strawberry over chocolate. But I'd prefer a fig!

      Beer or Wine?

Wine.

      Cake or Pie?

Pie – a savoury one like chicken or vegetable.

      Boxers, Briefs or Commando?

Depends on the circumstances, of course:) But overall I think briefs.

      Blond or Brunette?

Brunette – dark is sexy to me!

Me:  Where can we find you in person this year?

Jennifer:  I live in Melbourne, Australia, and apart from a planned honeymoon in August (destination yet to be decided, but unfortunately not the Maldives or Bora Bora!) I'll be here, plugging away at my day job, running the kids around, and hopefully continuing to write in my spare time.

Me:  Ever been to the States?

Jennifer:  No, but my sister spent several months backpacking around and has some wonderful stories and photos from her time over there, so there are certainly parts of the States I'd really love to visit.

Me:  What can we expect from you next? Can you share a snippet of what you are working on?

Jennifer:  I'm working on Books 2 and 3 in the the Gods of Love series (of which Platinum Passion was the first). Book 2 is called Aphrodite Calling and tells the story of Himeros, god of sexual desire, and his relationship with modern-day career woman, Gina. Book 3 is about Anteros, god of requited/unrequited love, and a couple's adventure in his sex club. It is tentatively titled, Sex Club Secrets.

Author Bio:

Jennifer Lynne is a multi-published author who writes sensual and erotic romance from her home in Melbourne, Australia. She has two novellas published with Red Sage, including Seducing Serena in Secrets Volume 28 Sensual Cravings, and Pandora's Gift. Her first sensual romance with Breathless Press, Educating Ethan, will be out in February. Jen lives in hope that readers will continue to enjoy her novella-length tales of love and lust!

Find Jennifer on the web at:

http://www.jenniferlynne.com.au/blog

http://twitter.com/#!/JenniLynnAuthor

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jennifer-Lynne-Romance-Author/297504180262670

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3228070.Jennifer_Lynne

Buy Link:  http://www.breathlesspress.com/educating-ethan

Giveaway:

Thank you Maria for having me here as a guest today. This is the last stop on my Educating Ethan book tour, but certainly not least! Anyone who leaves a comment on the interview or any of my other posts on the tour, will be entered in the draw to win a $20 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card. I'll be drawing the winner in a couple of day's time.

Winners!!!!!

Sorry I've been offline due to illness but I have some winners to announce below:

Congratulations!

Winner of the Rocky Mountain Desire Contest is :

Linda 

and the Winner of The Danger that is Damian is: 

Na

I'll be contacting both of you ladies later today.

Daughters of Dracca Blog Tour

Today, please join me in welcoming Louisa Kelley on her virtual blog tour for her Daughters of Draca series.  Louisa was kind enough to answer several questions for me about herself and her writing, please make sure to leave a comment below as Louisa will be giving a $25 Amazon Gift Card to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour.


Interview:


Me:  Who is Louisa Kelley?

Louisa:  I am a soft-hearted romance junkie. I want the happily-ever-after. I believe in the happily-ever-after, even in this age of cynicism and negativity. I want an end to war and peace on earth. As long as there’s romance involved.

Me:  What is your typical day like? Are you a full time writer?

Louisa:  I work by day as an office manager in a chiropractic and massage office. Some of my ideas for the character Cara came from that environment. There’s a scene in Cara and the Draca that I’m sure will give the massage therapists heart failure (grin). I’ve warned them all.

 

I love the cultural arts and as much as possible I try to get to art shows, theatre, music, etc. And movies of course. I’m a storyteller and I love good stories. Between work, play and writing, life is very full.

Me:  Did you plot your series out ahead or are you a pantser?

Louisa:  Mostly I’m a pantser. I get the main concept in my head and then just start writing. Generally, I’ll stop around chapter three for some general outlines and then go from there. Most of book one, Lydia and the Draca, was written in scenes out of time sequence. I’d just write the scene my muse was grooving on, and then later pieced it all together into a coherent whole.

Me:  Which writers have influenced you most- past and present? 

Louisa:  I consider the author Louisa May Alcott my eternal writing mentor. When I found her books in third grade, they changed my life forever. I must have read Little Women at least ten times. I decided right then and there that I would grow up and become a strong, independent minded woman writer, just like Louisa May Alcott. And hey, I think that happened!

Currently, there are so many writers I respect and admire. Not only for their great stories, but their sheer mastery of the craft of writing. Certainly Ann Rice, the mother of the paranormal genre would be at the top of my list, along with Emma Holly with her incredibly well written erotica.

Me:  Where do you see yourself five years from now? What goals do you have for your writing?

Louisa:  Hmmmm…I would like my day job to be writing! Current goals are to finish book three in my Daughters of Draca series, and then see what comes up after that. Will I be done with dragons? I’m not sure yet.

Me:  If you didn’t write, what would you do? Do you have any other artistic outlet?

Louisa:  As mentioned above, I am a big fan of the arts. My other artistic outlet is to see, hear and enjoy the artistic expression of others. I can’t imagine not writing, it’s such an important part of my life.

Me:  The Fast 5:

A.    Coffee or tea?  Coffee

B.    Favorite Candy: dark chocolate

C.    Favorite movie: Oh that’s hard! I like too many to narrow down to one.

D.    Chris Hemsworth or Hugh Jackman?  Hugh Jackman

E.    If you had to describe yourself as a piece of clothing- what would you be?: A purple neck scarf

Me:  What do you think of self-publishing?  Tempted?  

Louisa:  I admit I’m slightly envious of the people who somehow find the time to ‘do it all’ themselves. And that’s the issue for me- how professional of a product can I turn out without all the help of editors and the support of a publisher? It’s a huge amount of work to get it right; the editing, (tons of work there!) finding covers, and the myriad million things that goes into putting a decent piece of writing out to the public. I simply don’t have the time. My editors at Loose Id rocked. Without the sharp eyes of my editors and copy editors, my books would never have turned out as well as they did. And check out the job they did on my cover art!! That said, we’ve all heard the stories about the mega bucks being made by some writers who took the plunge and now are racking it in. Tempting for sure. But not for me at this juncture.

Me:  What are you currently reading?

Louisa:  I’m reading “Timeless”- which is book five in the Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carriger. These books are absolutely wonderful- all steam punk and alternate Victorian England with vampires and werewolves and one of the best female characters I’ve read in ages. Very British and very fun.

Thank you Louisa for answering my questions.  

Daughters of Draca

by Louisa Kelly

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

BLURBS:

Lydia and the Draca, Daughters of Draca Book One:

Lydia has no idea why an entire race of shape-shifters is lusting after her. They tell her there's something special about her blood and they want it for themselves... but they don't actually want her blood. No, they want much, much more. And they want it delivered fresh, hot and as fast as possible.

Science fiction geek Lydia Neal is just recovering from her latest relationship burnout. When she wakes up in a glowing cave surrounded by enormous dragons she's pretty sure she's having a sci-fi themed nightmare. Then she meets the smoking hot Draca Eremon and suddenly things aren't quite so scary. Especially when Eremon shows her the very special kind of ecstasy a Draca male can offer her...whether on the ground or in the skies.

Something powerful is waking up inside Lydia, something triggered during her capture by these primal, gorgeous creatures. Whatever the sexy, obsessed Draca want from her, she's ready to find out... She agrees to go along with a series of fantastical and erotic "tests" and discovers she's signed on for the wildest, hottest ride of her life.

Cara and the Draca, Daughters of Draca Book Two:

Cara is haunted by recent memories of a warehouse explosion that took the life of her best friend and caught her in the blast. Desperate for a way to cover the burns scars on her shoulder, Cara heads for the mysterious tattoo shop in Portland everyone is talking about.

Aedhan, the gorgeous tattoo master, leaves her senses reeling and her knees weak. Just the touch of his talented hands brings welcome relief and a sense of release from her emotional pain. His charming, eccentric ways combined with his tangerine hair and odd accent create an intoxicating mix. To her delight, the incredible tattoo he expertly lays over her scar hides everything-- and makes her long for more of his healing touch.

Soon Cara is pulled into an erotic journey of unimagined delight, terror and transformation. Dragons? In Portland? Magical and sexy beyond belief? Yet, something isn’t quite adding up. Is Aedhan really telling her the truth about what he’s doing in that shop? But she's so crazy in lust and wonder, it's hard to care.

Dragon shape-shifter Aedhan fully intends to follow the rules of his secret mission, number one being no sex with the human women in Portland. Then Cara shows up at his shop and her sweetness and delightful freckles almost stops his heart. When he perceives the sorrow in her life, he is consumed with the need to know more. Who has hurt her? After he gets a taste of her blood on his tattoo needles and discovers the extra special something in her fluids, he decides he must see Cara again, even if it means breaking the rules. And that's when things start to go terribly wrong...or perfectly right.

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

And here is an excerpt from Cara and the Draca, Daughters of Draca Book Two: 

Cara opened her eyes to a surreal scene. A rough, cave-like interior had replaced the pale beige walls of the massage room. Reddish rock surfaces surrounded them, and to her left lay an entrance to the outside where she caught a glimpse of an azure sky and a few drifting white clouds.

In the distance, wild flying creatures with immense wings soared above rugged cliffs, dominating the sky.

Dragons.

Her breath caught in wonder. Aedhan continued to kiss her, tracing the lines of her cheek with his mouth, whispering soft, heated words in a language she didn’t recognize. He flicked his tongue into her ear, and she nearly climaxed at the sensation. He knew her favorite erotic spots as if they had done this before. More than once.

Aedhan grasped her bottom and shifted his weight to the side, neatly flipping her to her back with him propped on his arms above her.

Gritty sand pressed against her backside. She stared in speechless wonder at his face. His skin glowed with a hint of iridescent green as he met her gaze. Arousal gleamed from his eyes.

He lowered himself so the whole of his muscular body settled on top of her, heavy and warm. Gazing over his broad back, she could see images of scales rippling down the length of his spine with the same greenish glow she’d witnessed during the massage.

“Aedhan,” Cara gasped between wild kisses, “what is happening?”

Aedhan raised his face, and something shifted. He gave a startled exclamation and ducked his head but not before she saw his eyes narrow and lengthen. The skin under her hands tensed and thickened.

In seconds he changed to something…more. Soft, foreign growls issued from his throat. He started to rise off her.

“No,” she said, tightening her arms around him. “I’m not afraid.”

A sound in the distance pulled her attention to the beautiful flying creatures again. Wonderment filled her. Was she in a fantastic, waking dream?

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Romance and science fiction took hold of Louisa Kelley at age nine, when she read Little Women and the Narnia series.  She is convinced that the genre paranormal romance, which developed years later, was purely for her benefit.  After all, it’s what’s been in her heart all these years. She resides in Portland Oregon where, in a strangely perfect combination of rainy winters and urban skyline, her writing inspiration abounds.

Meet the sexy world that’s been evolving in her fevered brain…she’d love you to join her in some over the top erotic adventures with the Draca; dragon shape-shifters of a very different kind.

www.louisakelley.com

http://www.loose-id.com/

Louisa Kelley Author@ Facebook

Member of Romance Writers of America

Member of Rose City Romance Writers

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

PRIZE INFORMATION

Louisa will be giving away a $25 Amazon.com gift certificate to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour.  Please make sure to leave a comment follow her tour, the more often you comment the better your chances.  Follow her tour here.

Rocky Mountain Desire Release Day Contest

Rocky Mountain Desire (Six Pack Ranch, Book 3) 

Nothing comes easy. You’ve gotta work for it.

Matt Coleman always figured at this point in his life, he’d be settled down with a family. Since his ex split for the big city, though, no way will he give anyone else the chance to drop-kick his heart. Physical pleasure? Hell, yeah, he’ll take—and give—with gusto, but nothing more.

Hope Meridan is working long hours to hold on to her new quilt shop, going it alone since her sister/business partner ran off. Sex? Right, like she’s got the time. Not that she doesn’t have the occasional dirty fantasy about Matt. Fat chance he’d dream of knocking boots with her—the younger sister of the woman who dumped him. Nope, she’ll just have to settle for the F-word.

Friends would be far easier if there wasn’t something combustible going on between them. And when casual interest starts to grow into something more, their tenuous bond strengthens in the heat of desire. But it may not survive the hurricane-force arrival of the last person either of them ever wanted to see again…

Product Warnings: Small-town rivals, men in pursuit and family meddling—in good and bad ways. Look for a cowboy who knows how to rope, ride and rein in a hell of a lot more than eight seconds of sheer bliss. 

To help Vivian celebrate her new release, I will be giving away one (1) eBook copy of this book, winner's choice of format.  

Please leave a comment below with your email address to enter.  Winner to be chosen using Random.org.  Contest open from Tuesday, March 13 to Midnight Wednesday, March 14, 2012.  Winner to be announced on Thursday, March 15, 2012

For an extra entry, Tweet the contest and leave your link below as a separate entry.

Good Luck Everyone!

And The Winner is.......

And the Winner of the copy of either Book 1 or Book 2 from the 

Six Pack Ranch series is.........

Joanne (ebalinski)

Congratulations Joan!

Sneak Peaks Into Rocky Mountain Desire

A couple of years ago, back when I first started this blog, one of my early guests was Vivian Arend.  At the time she had just begun the Six Pack Ranch series.  I'm pleased to have her guest posting for me again today.

SNEAK PEEKS INTO DESIRE



A bit of fun for you. ROCKY MOUNTIAN DESIRE is out in a few days, and it’s full of cowboys, family, good times and troubles. I’ve got a couple snippets for you to meet the hero and heroine. Enjoy!



MATT’s point of view:



     Matt dropped his handfuls by the front door then pivoted to fetch    his shoes from the downstairs entrance that all the Coleman males still used out of habit. Only as soon as he turned, he smacked right into Hope, and once again, ended up catching hold to prevent her from falling. 

     The soft material of her T-shirt under his fingers felt way better than it should. And the thoughts that raced through his mind were of dragging his hands off her arms and around her waist to tuck her tight against him to see if she was as good a fit as he remembered from their brief tangle outside the door— 

     A tiny gasp escaped her. That only brought his attention toward her mouth, shiny from some type of lip-gloss. She smelt so damn good, and if the noise from the living room hadn’t reminded him where they were—standing in the front hall one corner away from the sight of the most vocal gossip line in the area—he’d have been tempted to further his mistake from the summer to discover what flavour she wore.



Heheh. How about Hope’s POV? 

     She tapped on the bathroom door. “Knock, knock. Is it safe to enter, your majesty?”

     “My kingdom consists of six feet of water, two feet deep. One knock will suffice.”

     Hope laughed and opened the door, her amusement dying away as she took him in. Candlelight glowed over Matt’s naked skin—he’d taken off his wet T-shirt, and all those ridges she’d felt under her before were now out in public. It wasn’t clear right off if he’d also removed the boxers. She wasn’t sure she could handle knowing.

     Sweet mercy, what evil thing had she done to be tormented like this?


     Okay, those are short teases, I know, but it’s tough to pick snippets without giving away secrets. You’ll just have to dive into the book and find out the rest!

~~**~~ 

If you’d like to try a taste of the Six Pack Ranch, I have an ebook copy of winner’s choice—either book 1 in the series, Rocky Mountain Heat, or book 2, Rocky Mountain Haven. Leave a comment for your chance to win:

~~**~~ 

Rocky Mountain Desire

Six Pack Ranch, Book 3 

Nothing comes easy. You’ve gotta work for it. 

Matt Coleman always figured at this point in his life, he’d be settled down with a family. Since his ex split for the big city, though, no way will he give anyone else the chance to drop-kick his heart. Physical pleasure? Hell, yeah, he’ll take—and give—with gusto, but nothing more.

Hope Meridan is working long hours to hold on to her new quilt shop, going it alone since her sister/business partner ran off. Sex? Right, like she’s got the time. Not that she doesn’t have the occasional dirty fantasy about Matt. Fat chance he’d dream of knocking boots with her—the younger sister of the woman who dumped him. Nope, she’ll just have to settle for the F-word.

Friends would be far easier if there wasn’t something combustible going on between them. And when casual interest starts to grow into something more, their tenuous bond strengthens in the heat of desire. But it may not survive the hurricane-force arrival of the last person either of them ever wanted to see again…

Warning: Small-town rivals, men in pursuit and family meddling—in good and bad ways. Look for a cowboy who knows how to rope, ride and rein in a hell of a lot more than eight seconds of sheer bliss.

~~**~~

First Chapter: Excerpt

Buy links:

Rocky Mountain Heat: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Samhain | Kobo
Rocky Mountain Haven: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Samhain | Kobo

Rocky Mountain Desire: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

~~**~~

Vivian Arend: Website | Blog | Twitter

Contest open until Noon Central Time on Sunday, March 11, 2012

Open to both US and International 

Book Beginnings and Friday 56- Accidentally Catty

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Katy at A Few More Pages. To play along, please do the following:

1. Share the first line (or two) of the book you are currently reading on your blog or in the comments.

2. Make sure to share the name of the book and the author so we know what you're reading.
3. Feel free to share your first impressions with us based on the first line.
4. Link your post at A Few More Pages ( or if you don't have a blog, leave it in the comments below)

This week my Book Beginnings is from Accidentally Catty by Dakota Cassidy

"Uh, Dr. Woods?"

"Ingrid"

"You do see that don't you? I mean that's not just

the buttery nipple shots I had after dinner talking,

right?  Because, like, oh my effin' God". 

My thoughts: 

Clearly Ingrid is seeing something she doesn't think she should be seeing...lol

 

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda at Freda's Voice To play along:


1. Grab the book closest to you, any book will do.
2. Turn to page 56.
3. Choose the fifth (5th) sentence or a few more (just don't spoil it too much).
4. Post it on your blog, or if you don't have a blog, post it in the comments below.
5. Link your post to Freda's Voice. 

My Friday 56 is also from Accidentally Catty: 

"Nada.  I'm concerned he's passed back out from shock."  

"This has been some wild ride, huh?"

"For who", she flashed her paw at him with a grimace.

So what's your Friday meme post?

  

 

Waiting on Wednesday - Screwdriver by Mari Carr

"Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine which highlights upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is Screwdriver (Cocktales, Book Two)by Mari Carr. 

Cocktales, Book Two


When Jordan Lance isn’t pouring over spreadsheets for Books and Brew, she’s fantasizing about the store’s landlord. Too bad she’s squarely in Gabriel’s “just friends” column. Jordan’s prepared to pine forever—until she meets Casey. The handyman is hot, handsome, charming…and Gabriel’s best friend. Suddenly her wicked fantasies are porntastic times two.


Casey has suspected his friend’s interest in Jordan. If he can push them together, he might get Gabriel off the bimbo train he’s been riding. The plan? Jealousy. And it’s working. It’s not long before Gabriel’s deeper feelings for Jordan emerge. Problem is…so do Casey’s. What happens when two friends want the same woman? Red-hot ménage, baby.


Two gorgeous men playing every inch of her body? Um, yes please! Jordan doesn’t know if threesomes are considered acceptable, but she’s sure of one thing—being this bad feels far too good.
 

What's your "waiting on" pick this week?

Want to participate? Grab the logo, post your own WoW entry on your blog, and leave your link below!  Or if you don't have a blog, leave your WoW entry in the comments.

Love on Landing Blog Tour & Guest Post

Today I want to welcome my guest, author Heather Thurmeier, who was kind enough to do a guest post for my stop in her Love On Landing Virtual log Tour.  Heather will be giving a $25 Amazon Gift Card to one randomly drawn commenter on her tour.  The more often you comment, the greater your chances at winning.  Her tour dates can be found here.

The Glamorous Life of a Writer/Mother/Wife by Heather Thurmeier 

Most of the time when people ask me what I do for a living, I get a big smile when I tell them I’m a writer. A romance writer no less. People—at least the ones I’ve met so far—seem to think that writing a novel is a really glamorous affair. Tell them that you’re also a full-time stay at home mom, have your kids involved in extra-curricular activities, as well as a husband and a dog—well, they’re bound to think you lead some crazy life of writing love scenes while the kids are at school.

Ha!

Honestly, I’m guilty of the same offense. Here’s what I used to imagine a writer’s life was like…before I became one.

I used to believe that the magic happened in a stunningly decorated office with lots of books and an amazing view—like something you might see on a TV show or a movie. I imagined the writer sitting at this pretty desk and just clicking away while words flowed onto her page like water from a switched on faucet. Her hair pulled up into some super cute, messy-yet-styled clip, while wearing the skinny jeans that make her ass look fantastic and knee-high boots that her book’s heroine is probably also wearing while she kicks some fictitious ass. She’s probably sipping tea and nibbling on a tiny sandwich with the crusts cut off like she’s at a royal tea party instead of bringing worlds to life in her mind. Inspirational music that compliments her scene playing softly in the background…

Nope. So. Not. True. Man, was I an idiot! A writer’s life isn’t glamorous or even remotely resembling that image I had in my head.

That’s just how we trick you! LOL. I only just put on those super skinny jeans and cute new boots approximately two minutes before I ran out of the house. Hell, I only just remembered to brush my teeth!

Sure it’s a glamorous life if you think my black sweat pants, zip-up hoodie and fuzzy Uggs are sexy.

Here’s a hint… They’re not. ;)

You can even ask my husband. He’ll tell you the truth. He’s seen me when I’m on a deadline. It isn’t pretty, that’s for sure!

So here’s the truth about a writer’s life.

A writer’s real desk is wherever her laptop is. Maybe that’s at an actual desk—most likely that desk is heaped with papers covered in red ink, colored sticky notes about changes and character traits clinging to every bare surface and old coffee cups. Or maybe it’s at the kitchen table on the little corner where she’s managed to push the coloring, homework, and art supplies to the side. Hell, she’s probably chipped an old fruit loop off the table from where it had dried on like a miniature art project. Or maybe she sits with her laptop on the couch next to a snoring dog—I really wish Jones would shut it! He’s throwing off my mojo!!—Sometimes, her desk is in the front seat of the SUV in the parking lot while she squeezes in a few more words before it’s pick up time from school or sports and the utter chaos ensues. She’s probably fully loaded on caffeine and gummy bears since we don’t actually eat while we’re writing. Food while on deadline consists of whatever I can pour into my mouth and chew without actually having to use a plate or utensils. I’m not wonder woman. I can’t type and cut food into bit sized pieces!

Chances are the writer is not wearing that earlier described super cute outfit and hairstyle, although I can almost guarantee her heroine is! Nope. The writer is in her comfiest pants, her hair is in a ponytail or a not-at-all-cute-or-sexy heap on top of her head, since tucking hair behind ears takes fingers off of keyboards. The soft music playing in the background is actually the sounds of fuzzy cartoon animals singing and kids fighting over a balloon that will pop at some point, resulting in tandem crying fits. And each and every word she writes will be the equivalent of pulling out her own teeth—complete with tears and cursing.

And let’s not forget about those sweat pants, Ugg slippers and zip-up hoodie that probably has a couple of used tissue stuffed in the pockets from wiping kid’s noses. Not to mention the fuzzy blanket on my lap and the heating pad behind my back. You think I’m kidding, but I’m not. I could get my husband to take a picture, but I won’t because no one wants to see that! LOL.

This is how a writer’s life really is. Especially if that writer is like me—trying desperately to find the balance between writer, mother and wife, while still maintaining some semblance of sanity. I’ll find that balance one day, right?

Right?!

Glamorous, isn’t it. J

Heather Thurmeier

~Heart, humor and a happily ever after

http://heatherthurmeier.com/

LOVE ON LANDING (A Meadow Ridge Romance) Blurb:

When Tali tries to recover from a recent break-up with a trip to Paris for some retail therapy, she discovers shopping isn’t the only way to cure her broken heart. On route, she meets new pilot, Gavin. Tali and Gavin have instant chemistry and friction as their personalities clash at 30,000 feet.

One night in bed isn’t enough to quell the fireworks between Tali and Gavin and when tempers erupt, Tali’s ex-boyfriend is there to pick up the pieces. Too bad she’s finally realized what she really wants in life…and it isn’t her ex or the life her father has planned back home.

Now all Tali wants is the man who loved her enough to tell her what she didn’t want to hear, but can she win his heart back again on the trip home and find Love on Landing?

How about an excerpt:

Tali Radcliff leaned her head back against the headrest and gazed out the window. Raindrops splattered onto the double-paned glass blurring her view of the runway. Not that she could look past her sad, pathetic reflection anyway.

The reflection staring back at her turned the raindrops to tears on her cheeks and she instinctively wiped them away, only to find her cheeks sensitive and slightly swollen. She sighed and closed her eyes, desperately trying to block out the urge to start crying again. Instead, she focused on the white noise of the engines revving as the jet picked up speed for takeoff.

Her body pushed harder into the back of the soft, cream-colored leather seat, her stomach falling as the wheels of the aircraft left the solid tarmac below. The jet crept higher and higher, increasing the distance between Tali and the life she would temporarily leave behind—the heartache she tried so hard to forget.

If only it were as easy as a little distance.

“Don’t do it,” she whispered. “You left your tears in your bedroom, where they belong.” A beauty queen never cries unless she’s got a shiny new tiara on her head and a bouquet of fragrant flowers in her arms.

It was a good rule of thumb to remember, one she’d learned long ago and tried to stick to at all cost. Of course, sometimes she had to give in and cry, but not often. Tali wasn’t a crier, she was far too feisty to give into silly tears.

Loved the line about the "beauty queen and the tiara" didn't you?  Sounds like she's had something very sad and disappointing happen recently in her life.

Let's take a sneak peak at a little more:

“Gavin, can I get your help in here for a minute?”

She heard a loud groan and the chair in the waiting room squeaked as he stood. Her door clicked open and Gavin peeked his head inside the tiny room. His tired eyes instantly lit up at the sight of her reflection in the mirror. Exactly the kind of reaction she hoped an outfit like this would stir in someone. Especially someone as hot as Gavin.

“Can you lace up the back for me? It’s a bit tricky to reach.”

“Um—sure,” he said quietly, taking the edges of the material from her hands. His gaze shifted to her back and she was suddenly aware of the lack of clothing between her skin and his fingers.

Apparently he was aware of her naked flesh too.

His large fingers fumbled with the laces almost letting them slip. She quickly held the top tight against her stomach so it wouldn’t fall to the ground. Not that a situation like that would be completely unwelcome with a guy like Gavin, but she’d prefer not to have it happen in a changing room if possible. Her hotel room? Well, that was different.

Why was she so attracted to him?

‘Cause he’s hot. And fights back. And hot.

Getting just a little sexy isn't it?  How about a final excerpt:  

“No, I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what the hell just happened.” She put her hand on his arm, stopping him when he tried to walk down the street. His biceps bulged under her fingers and she couldn’t help but squeeze him a little tighter.

Gavin turned to face her. He bent down until his face was level with hers, his mouth hovering so close to hers that she could stick out her tongue and lick him. God she wanted to lick him.

But she wouldn’t. That wouldn’t exactly be appropriate behavior for two friends while walking down the streets of Paris.

“I said it’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

Lick him.

She licked her own lips instead, urging her internal voice to shut the hell up. “It is something. You’re lying to me.”

“You’re right, there is something wrong.” He stared at her for a long moment, his mouth so close to touching hers, she could practically taste him already. “You promised me dinner of my choice and I’m starving. Let’s go eat.”

She tried to mutter a response, but her tongue didn’t seem to work anymore for anything other than kissing him. How could he think about eating right now? All she could think about was the heat of his body melting into her, warming her right to her core.

“I’ll take your answer as a yes. This way.” He took her hand in his free one and guided her down the street.

Um...Yeah...Gavin is definitely kissable...lol....

Heather Thurmeier Bio

Heather Thurmeier was born and raised in the Canadian prairies, but now she lives in upstate New York with her own personal romance Hero (aka her husband) and their two little princesses. When she's not busy taking care of the kids and an adventurous puppy named Indy, Heather's hard at work on her next romance novel. She loves to hear from readers. Heart, humor, and a happily ever after.

Website: http://heatherthurmeier.com/

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