New Release Sneaky Peek - Suspiciously Obedient by Julia Kent

From USA Today Bestselling Author Julia Kent comes the second book in her "Obedient" trilogy:

AFTER A BILLION PEOPLE WATCH YOU MAKE LOVE, WHERE DO YOU HIDE?

A fake persona with very real emotions...

As "Matt Jones," CEO playboy Michael Bournham has just stumbled into his wildest dream and worst nightmare while playing a middle-management employee role for a reality television stunt. Getting caught making love with his administrative assistant, Lydia Charles, on camera let unscrupulous Hollywood producers blackmail him before launching the video on YouTube. Fired from his job and ridiculed on social media, Mike needs to hit "reboot" on his life. Hiding Lydia away in Iceland with a made-up job, he sends his best friend Jeremy to watch over her. Meanwhile, he disguises himself once more and booked a cabin at Lydia's family's campground in Maine, to immerse himself in her world.

A best friend with deeper intentions...

After more than a decade of world travel and hedonistic fun, dot-com millionaire Jeremy wants more out of his friendship with Mike, but more than that - he wants Lydia. Struck by her beauty and essence, he follows Mike's order and obeys, courting her with a friendship that quickly becomes a deeper bond, charged by Lydia's fantasies about him - and Mike. Unable to resist, he becomes her confidante and bedmate, helping her to come to grips with her impulsive decisions and to find her way back home to Maine.

A woman torn by desire...

Lydia accepts the move to Iceland to become the Director of Communications for European Operations not realizing it's a sham position Michael Bournham created to help hide her from the firestorm of the viral sex tape. Living in a new country should be fun, but side glances and whispers from her new Icelandic employees dig at her. Ignored by her new boss at Bournham Industries, Lydia's disenchantment with her bold move is softened only by Jeremy's appearance. Wild and loose, he fills a void in her life - and soon fills her bed.

When she decides there's no place like home, the new couple embarks for her family's campground - and Jeremy's suspicious obedience will be revealed.

About the Author:

USA Today Bestselling Author Julia Kent turned to writing romance novels after learning that she could not work as a fighter pilot because her fear of flying disqualified her. Turning to her second love, she became a dog groomer, but had to abandon that job after adopting too many strays. Writing about very real, very flawed people is a natural extension of her life and, well, her. She lives on the east coast with her partner, two small children, seventeen dogs that weigh less than fifteen pounds each, and a monthly consumption of Nutella, brie and french bread that makes cardiologists cringe.

She is originally from Ohio.

She loves to hear from her readers by email at jkentauthor@gmail.com, on Twitter @jkentauthor, 

on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/julia.kent.100. 

Visit my blog at http://jkentauthor.blogspot.com

Links:

Amazon

B&N

Kobo

Smashwords

New Release Sneaky Peek - Icarus Bleeds by Annabeth Leong

Icarus, a man on the run, dreams of wings, and of taking flight like the surgically modified rich and famous of Central City. The hacker who harbors him will do anything to keep him, including paying for the dangerous operation in a back alley chop shop. Neither can imagine how much the wings will truly cost.  (M/M)

Buy Links:

Forbidden Fiction’s Story Page (includes links to all sites where the title is available): http://forbidden-fiction.com/library/story/AL1-1.000140

Excerpt - Icarus Bleeds

I will call him Icarus, because he worked so hard to erase his birth name that I will not commit the sin of returning it to him now. The things I said and did when I knew him will only make sense if you understand how beautiful he was, so I will try to force the words of mortals to describe a man who never seemed to belong to earth at all.

Icarus first came to me in the dark, in the rain, passing out of the shadows falling over the street, slipping smoothly into the shadows I made for myself. His eyes glowed from the corner where he took a seat, huddled under shelves loaded with discarded computer equipment. Even then I wondered how a shadow could be so luminous within a shadow, how black could shimmer from within black.

I wasn’t in the habit of looking at my clients. They came because they wanted to be forgotten, and they generally did not want to be seen either. I could not help myself with Icarus. He reminded me of flesh I liked to pretend I didn’t have. Eyes, lips, fingertips, inner thighs, the sides of my stomach, the soles of my feet. And, yes. Tongue. Cock. Thoughts both crude and poetic competed to distract me from the mechanical process of obscuring someone from all the files and IP addresses that affirmed that person’s existence.

I avoided looking at his skin, a lighter shade of what is called black than my own purple-tinged pigment. Icarus’s brand of black flowed with honey, shone with sunlight, glittered with the gold that may once have belonged to Pharaoh. Long, thin fingers, delicate as a girl’s. Red-gold palms, and the beginnings of a scar, a telltale revelation of a story that started in the hands and parted the flesh of the forearm nearly to the elbow.

He saw me looking, and pulled the sleeves of his sweater down low, clutching bunches of the material in clenched fists. “Can you really make me disappear?”

I snorted. “Of course not. Not these days, not with the backups they keep and the triple cross checks they have to avoid failure conditions. Best I can do is make them forget to look for you.”

He nodded, the gesture emphasizing the length of his neck, the quality of his silence. “How much?”

“How much you got?”

He shrank back from me, receding into the forest of parts and cords. “I’m not looking for favors.”

“I don’t do favors. I do a sliding scale. You pay what you can afford to pay. What you think is fair. I trust you.”

“Why?”

I sighed. No one ever understood this when I bothered to explain. “Because I’m not one of them. I don’t want to act like one.”

He swallowed, his Adam’s apple moving gracefully up and down in that impossibly lean neck. “I was going to see what you would take.” He bit his lip and didn’t explicate, but I got an idea of what he’d had in mind by the way his hands crept toward his fly, the gesture so subtle that I wasn’t sure it had been a conscious invitation.

On any other night, with any other man, I wouldn’t have. I would have kissed that smooth, wide forehead, done my work for free, and sent him back into the street uttering the vague promise that someday, when he could, he would take care of me. With Icarus, I could not resist the offer. I had to keep him a little longer. Though I hated myself for it, the sentence passed my lips as if it made up part of my daily stock in trade. “After I finish, you’ll come upstairs with me.”

His bowed head telegraphed his acquiescence well before his soft words. “Thank you.”

When I got him to my bed, I knew I should be the one thanking him. He stripped with a benevolent dignity that shamed me. I felt as if I’d brought the Virgin Mary to my room to make a whore of her. Again, I considered releasing him, leaving my work to be my offering to his present and future beauty.

Then his undershirt peeled away from smooth, hard abs, and his boxers fell away from his hips and the thick, dark cock that hung soft between his legs. The shy and lovely young man before me, with his incandescent eyes and visible ribs, brought my own cock surging to life. I could not let him go. My desire made me cruel.

“Get on your knees and crawl to me,” I whispered, loosening my own clothing, casting it aside. Hurt flashed through his eyes, and I loved it for the confirmation that it offered. He was open to me. I could touch him. I could make him remember me forever.

About the Author

Annabeth Leong has written erotica of many flavors. She loves shoes, stockings, cooking and excellent bass lines. Icarus Bleeds joins many other dark erotica titles published by Forbidden Fiction, including The Snake and the Lyre, a story of Orpheus and the erotic underworld, and In the Death of Winter, about a dead god and the sacrifices his followers still make. She blogs at annabethleong.blogspot.com, and tweets @AnnabethLeong

Incognito by Morgan K Wyatt

Incognito by Morgan K Wyatt has just hit the ebook shelves of Amazon UK. To celebrate Morgan has asked me to give you all a peak inside the pages and also doing a giveaway for a couple of lucky followers to win Incognito. 

You might remember I interviewed Incognito's leading man, Marcus Aronson a short while ago, if you missed what he had to say you can read the interview by clicking right here.

So have a read of the excerpt Morgan sent me. Then leave a comment plus your email address on this post before July 31 and you could score yourself an ebook copy of Incognito. I know I can't wait to get the book and see what happens. 

If your like me and can't wait Incognito is available for purchase now. Simply click the link: Amazon UK  

Good luck everyone.

Excerpt - Incognito by Morgan K Wyatt

Marcus decided her expression wasn’t overly welcoming. Had he read the kiss wrong or was the problem that he shouldn’t know where she lived? Only a nosy person or someone with access to personnel records would know that. Still, her cutoff shorts were hot. What did that shirt say? He read the words aloud until she covered it with her hands. “Straight men…” Wait, what did she cover up?

He walked closer until they were nose to nose. The coconut-scented suntan oil teased his nostrils. Visions of tropical nights spent under a full moon, rolling around with Teresa’s long legs wrapped around him filled his mind's eye. Speaking of legs, he glanced down to the limbs in question. Just as long and as magnificent as he imagined them that made it a double shame to cover them up. Still, he knew teen boys needed little to start erotic fantasies about their teachers. Why give them more fodder?

Her lips held onto the circle of surprise, which made him think of other ways he could shock those delectable lips. The slight hush of the pool filter, children playing in the distance, plus a tinny muffled dog barking registered in a corner of his mind. Two feminine hands held tightly under her breasts owned the majority of his attention. Whatever word she might be trying to hide with her hands did not quite cover the arrow pointing downward to an interesting zone.

“My sister-in-law’s a jokester. The shirt is a souvenir from her San Francisco trip.” She said the words breathlessly, while staring up in his eyes.

Placing his larger hands over hers, he deliberately wrapped his fingers around hers with the intention of lifting her hands off the obvious inappropriate word. What he didn’t count on was her determination to keep the word covered or their precarious perch at the edge of the pool.

“C’mon,” he cajoled when she pressed her hands even tighter to her midriff as she might be attempting CPR on herself.

She shook her head. “Nope, I’d rather be shirtless than have you read my humiliating shirt.”

Shirtless? Oh yes, he could go for that. “Sounds good to me.” His hands dove to the bottom of her shirt to help her remove it. A forceful push sent him wind-milling into the pool, clothes, shoes, sunglasses, and damn it, cell phone, and all.

She stood peering into the pool, her body quivering with suppressed laughter. He fished out his cellphone laid it on the edge of the pool. Her expression told him she couldn’t believe her eyes as he pulled out his wallet, his keys, and a waterlogged package of mints. He reached under the water, pulled off one, then another topsider and flung it onto the cement.

“What are you doing?” She stared at the growing pile.

He smiled at her very interested mien. The woman ate him up with her eyes. Good. He unbuttoned the two buttons on his polo and pulled it over his head. He wrung out his wet shirt, twirled it over his head like a stripper, and pitched in her direction, hitting her with a satisfying smack.

“Looks like someone invited me in for a swim.”

Her mouth opened and closed with no words coming out.

“Unfortunately, I forgot my suit so I have to improvise.” He slipped the belt from his khakis and let it float on top of the water like some mythical serpent. Teresa’s eyes followed as if it were Nessie. To think he took time considering what would be the right thing to wear only to end up drenched. Business casual did not serve him well.

Her eyes stayed glued to him as he reached for his waistband. “I’ll be right back,” she announced as she darted to the patio door. “Don’t go anywhere.”

Hot Seat Welcomes Lindsay Downs

Today we have Lindsay Downs in the hot seat. Welcome to my blog Lindsay I hope you enjoyed answering the questions and they didn't make you squirm too much. 

Let's see what Lindsay has to say and remember there is also an excerpt from her latest book due out with Secret Cravings Publishing on July 30th for you to enjoy following the interview.

About your writing:

How did you get started as a writer?

By reading the same book over and over again. Actually, it wasn’t the same book but different ones and they all sounded the same. That was the impetus I needed to try my hand at writing. Little did I realize exactly how hard it was and is.

Why do you write?

So I don’t go crazy with all the stories I’ve got churning around in my head. By writing I’m able to get them down on paper, well a computer actually.

Have you ever had a day you wanted to quit and never write again?

No but I have had days when I don’t want to write. When I feel like that I give in and take a day off, which is good for the body, mind and soul.

Do you feel lucky to be doing what you are doing?

More than words can say, which is unusual for an author who lives with and for words.

Tell me how you got to where you are today?

Hard work and writing every chance I get. That along with taking workshops either on-line or at conferences.

How do your family/spouses react to your work as an author? Do they know what you write?

I’ve got no idea as I haven’t talked to my family in years. Or I should say, they haven’t talked to me. They know where I live and have never made any attempt to contact me.

About you:

What are you passionate about in life?

Writing the best book I possibly can, time after time.

If you had to give a thank-you speech at the Oscars, who would you thank and what would you say?

“I’d like to thank my parents for instilling in me a great love of books. Next, my publisher for having faith in me and finally Dakota, my border collie, for putting up with me.”

What are the three most important life lessons you’ve learned that might make life easier for others?

Be true to yourself. Love others even if it’s not returned. Never give up on your dreams.

If you could trade places with any other person for a week, famous or not famous, living or dead, real or fictional. Whom would it be and why?

I’d love to spend time with Jane Austen and learn first-hand what it was like living during the regency period.

What's the worst thing you did as a kid?

One day, instead of going to school I decided not to and played hooky without even telling my parents. Let me tell you I sure got in trouble for that.

What do you do to have fun?

Watch TV, read and write.

Share a funny incident in your life.

Sorry, I can’t think of any.

Fun Stuff:

If Hollywood made a movie about your life, who would you like to see play the lead role as you?

Tommy Lee Jones or Bruce Willis.

If you were a type of food, what type of food would you be?

Non-fattening.

What is your favorite color- food- song- movie?

Color-blue. Food-salad. Song-To many to mention. Movie-Again to many to mention. However, I’m going to watch RED for the third time this month.

What's the funniest pick up line ever used on you?

Never had a girl try to pick me up.

What's the one thing you can't live without?

My daily fix of Starbucks coffee.

And finally:

You are driving along in your car on a wild, stormy night, it's raining heavily, when suddenly you pass by a bus stop, and you see three people waiting for a bus:
                       -An old lady who looks as if she is about to die.
                       -An old friend who once saved your life.
                       -The perfect partner you have been dreaming about.
You can only fit one person in your car, who would you choose to offer a ride to?

I’d pull over, grab a sheet of paper a pen then rewrite the scene so I could fit all three in the car.

Spy Catcher by Lindsay Downs

While acting as chaperone to Lady Aleece at a house party, little does lady’s maid Debbi realize how her life will change.

Not prepared to fall in love nor see a man who bears an uncanny resemblance to her, Debbi’s world begins to turn upside down.

After several attempts on her life, and a run-in with yet another look-alike, she uncovers her true heritage, as the unknown daughter of a countess. Having been raised and trained as a lady's maid, but educated alongside her employer, Debbi begins to wonder in which world she truly belongs.

Only when her new love's life is threatened does Debbie claim her rightful place and do what’s necessary to save him.

Excerpt 

After breaking her fast Debbi slipped into an old, well-worn grey gown she always wore when fishing. With her custom-made flies in their protective container she and Lady Aleece, who was dressed similarly, descended the stairs to the main floor, there to be met by Lord Gerrard and Mr. Thomas.

As she stepped onto the marble flooring Debbi couldn’t help but notice how her partner, Lord Gerrard not to mention Mr. Thomas were dressed.

Instead of the immaculately turned out gentleman of breeding she notice he was in more versatile attire. He’d chosen a dark brown bandana tied loosely around his neck. His shirt, of a fawn color, was open at the collar showing a hint of tan matching the hue of his face. With the morning already warming he’d eschewed a jacket in favor of a multi-pocketed vest. She could only guess they were for the necessary accessories required when fishing. Covering his legs a pair of heavy, dark brown britches and well-worn boots on his feet.

“Why, Lord Gerrard, if I didn’t know better you look like you’re ready for a day of fishing.”

“Why thank you and I must say your gown is interesting, to say the least,” he responded.

“Before my father took to his sick bed he had been nearly fanatical about fishing and I seem to have caught the same enthusiasm.”

“Then let us be off,” he said with a smile, offering his arm.

Once on the terrace they collected their fly rods and creels from the footman and joined Aleece and Mr. Thomas on the lawn awaiting the earl to announce the start of the contest.

Glancing around at the other guests, in search of one in particular, Debbi wondered how the others save for Susan and Jeff would survive the rigors of this activity. When she spied the man, Debbi moved in such a way that Lord Gerrard was between her and Thompson. This way she could scrutinize him without appearing obvious. After a minute of studying him she turned to Aleece.

“Yes, you’re correct. If I didn’t know better we could almost be brother and sister. Not that I’d want to be related to him in any way.”

When queried by not only Lord Gerrard but also Mr. Thomas she promised to explain at the first opportunity when they were in private.

If you'd like to know more about Lindsay then check out the following links:

Author Page at SCP

Facebook

Twitter- @ldowns2966

LinkedIn

Goodreads

A Jessica Sales Blog

Murders and Mysteries Blog

Erotic Romance and the Average Guy.

During a moment of quiet reflection I started to wonder about why the biggest market for erotic romance is the female population. I know why my girlfriends and I read romance and have been in discussions online where women reflect similar reasons for loving to read raunchy love stories, but that wasn't what I became curious about. 

My mind went to the male species. Now, I don't profess to understand men completely, they remain an oddity to me on many levels but one thing in particularly fascinates me. Why DON'T men read romance? I realize some do, but assume they are in the minority. I spent quite a few years living in an area where most of the discussions I had were with male friends of my hubby and it became clear they really had no idea what women liked or needed in a relationship. Female friends often bemoan the fact that their significant others really have no idea what constitute romance when it comes to their relationship. A cheeky wink and a 'how about it' statement does not see the males in those relationships getting hot sex. Usually because it's the only affectionate or interested form of communication they've shown their partner all day. I understand life gets in the way of romance sometimes but come on, surely men understand female arousal isn't a tap you can turn on and off at a moments notice. 

We want to be treated well, have someone hold a conversation with us, give us affection not just an erection. Engage in sensual foreplay to get us in the mood. Not just slap our ass on the way to bed, after an exhausting day, and say how about it, baby? I don't know many women who would say yes to that sort of approach in a bar or club and just because a couple reaches relationship or marriage status that doesn't change. So why don't men get that? I don't know the answer but I do know it seems logical that if women are more interested in curling up in bed with a good fictional character rather than their hubby, then surely men realize the answers, or some of them, are in the books we read. 

Yes, romance heroes are larger than life but the way they treat their women isn't, or shouldn't be. They show respect, care and affection towards those they love. They want to know what turns the woman they're interested on, get to know their partners likes and dislikes, they know how to tease and play with their lovers bodies to make sure they ready, willing and even begging for it by the time they get to the main event. Romance heroes ensure their women cum and usually not just once. The fact that romance heroes are tall, gorgeous and well hung, has nothing to do with how they treat women it's all about being interested in knowing what makes the women they love tick. 

So it seems logical to me that if our male counterparts read a few romances, took note of how the heroes related to women, then we might all be a lot happier with each other and most definitely more sexually satisfied. They may even enjoy the plot that accompanies the hot sex scenes. Reading what women like becomes an avenue of opening the lines of communication, discussions about what your partner finds sexy in a story may lead to experimentation. In one BDSM romance group I'm a member of, women interested in trying out aspects of the lifestyle, quite often mention using the books they read as a way of opening discussion with their other halves about trying new things. This poses the question of why is it that the women need to suggest it. Why aren't our fellas asking to read what has us so interested?

As I said, I don't understand the male mind and could ponder all sorts of answers to the question. Lack of interest, not thinking they need to learn anything, viewing the books as soppy love stories, worried about what their mates might think. The list goes on. It still doesn't change the fact that if you want to know what a woman finds attractive in a man and what turns her on, then a romance is a great resource to use. 

Before I finish I have to include a disclaimer. Even though so far I've spoken in general terms I don't mean to coat all men with the same brush. In my 47 years I've know a lot of men. No I'm not saying how many...lol. A lot of them actually enjoyed seeing a woman get her rocks off, it gave them great pleasure and they knew exactly how to make that happen in all sorts of sensual and erotic ways. I count myself lucky that I've had a lot of great partners when it came to sex, but some women aren't that lucky. 

So I'm issuing a challenge to men. Pick up an erotic romance novel, read one of the books your partner owns if you don't want to buy one but take note on what's inside the cover, and not just the sex scenes...lol. It could improve your partners and your sex life, better yet it may make the woman you love a lot happier, and that's definitely gotta be a good thing. 

So what do think, fellas? I'm sure your partners would be happy to share their books with you...or would we, ladies?  

Men reading erotic romance...are you up for it? 

New Release Sneaky Peek - Desire in Tartan by Suz deMello

Dugald Kilburn was sure that he’d never find love. And why should he? ‘Tis rare for vampires and their mates to reproduce successfully and Dugald kens that. He’s certain his lust caused his first wife’s death in childbed.

Innocent Alice Derwent presents Dugald with a dilemma. She’s different than any woman he’s known, different and altogether alluring. And while the lady is innocent, her feelings are anything but. Will he bed and wed the lady, risking her life? Or remain celibate, sparing her?

But when threatened with death, Alice decides she doesn’t want to die without knowing Dugald’s love. Can he resist her charms?

Like what you read? 

Buy it here: http://www.ellorascave.com/desire-in-tartan.html

Excerpt: Desire in Tartan 

(Book Two of the Highland Vampires series from Ellora’s Cave)

Glasgow, Autumn 1759

Dugald left most of his company of men back at the inn with strict instructions to stay out of trouble, but he had no illusions. The men would drink as much as they could hold before finding the loosest bits of muslin available. If they were still able to perform, perform they would, as long and as hard as possible. He hoped that he’d be able to rescue the less experienced of the lot out of whatever scrapes they fell into. The youngest, Malcolm, came with Dugald as his companion. He wouldna leave Malcolm in the care of the rest.

The mop fair was a mad scene. ’Twas combined with a street fair and a farmer’s market, so the entire population of Glasgow had seemingly crowded itself into the square with a market cross in the center. Food stalls, redolent with the spicy aromas of roasting fowls and sausages were fronted by cooks and ’prentices bawling out the prices of their wares. Nearby, penned livestock emitted a less appealing miasma of straw and shite, with the autumn wind swirling the scents along with dry leaves.

Turning to Malcolm, Dugald raised his brows. Without speaking, the two Kilburns started to walk along the disordered rows of booths. Once they’d passed the food stalls, the fair became even more riotous, with knots of maids and men looking for hire, screeching their qualifications. Each brandished a tool of his or her trade, cooks with rolling pins or wooden spoons, coachmen with their whips. Country girls in their Sunday dresses crowded in a knot, peering anxiously at well-dressed passers-by whom Dugald guessed were the stewards of the grand houses. Every once in a while one would stop and question a rosy-cheeked lass, occasionally leaving the fair with a new maid or tweeny in tow.

He stopped, arrested by a sweet fragrance that rose from the reek of unwashed bodies like clean mist drifting on the surface of a loch. He hadn’t detected it before. Mayhap it had been cloaked by the pungent roasting sausages and the other scents at the food stalls—herbs and the like.

He lifted his face into the air and sniffed. Yes, ‘twas there, elusive but definite.

Malcolm did the same. “I smell it too.”

“That’s our lassie,” Dugald said.

The stripling looked mystified. “A sweet smell means a governess?”

“Milady gave me questions to ask.” Dugald patted his sporran. “If she passes, she’s the one. But this is how we’ll be finding her.”

At the end of the row of coachmen, stable hands, maids and cooks fluttered a gaggle of…what? Somberly robed figures resembling a flock of giant crows or, mayhap, vultures. Exuding the stinks of mothballs and body odor, they all appeared to be flapping about one small, drab figure, a female who couldna contrast more with her oafish companions.

Dugald’s first impression of the woman was of narrowness, so at odds with her tempting scent that all he could do was stand and gape at her like a looby. Dressed in unrelieved black, she had slender shoulders and a tiny waist. Slight hips. When she turned, he could see she possessed but a small bosom. He raised his gaze and didn’t bother to stifle a gasp at the sight of her pure and perfect profile. Intelligence sparkled in her hazel eyes, completely belying the rest of her dull demeanor.

Her face… He could stare at that face forever without a single moment of boredom.  Pale, though not as white as a Kilburn’s, for a smattering of freckles spattered the bridge of her straight little nose and sprinkled her high cheekbones. She had well-cut lips with a definite Cupid’s bow, the one distinct curve on her serious face. A semi-circular half-moon dip.

He wanted to slide his tongue into that dip before kissing her with every mite of passion he possessed.

*****

 

About the Author: 

Best-selling, award-winning author Suz deMello, a.k.a Sue Swift, has written over sixteen romance novels in several subgenres, including erotica, comedy, historical, paranormal, mystery and suspense, plus a number of short stories and non-fiction articles on writing. A freelance editor, she’s worked for Total-E-Bound, Liquid Silver Books and Ai Press, where she is currently Managing Editor. She also takes private clients.

Her books have been favorably reviewed in Publishers Weekly, Kirkus and Booklist, won a contest or two, attained the finals of the RITA and hit several bestseller lists.

A former trial attorney, her passion is world travel. She’s left the US over a dozen times, including lengthy stints working overseas. She’s now writing a vampire tale and planning her next trip.

Find her books at http://www.suzdemello.com

For editing services, email her at suzswift@yahoo.com

Befriend her on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sueswift, and visit her group at http://www.facebook.com/HotWriters

She tweets her reading picks @ReadThis4fun

Her current blog is http://www.fearlessfastpacedfiction.com

Author Hot Seat Welcomes Roxy Wilson

Today's Hot Seat features Author Roxy Wilson. Roxy's latest book, He's So Into You released in May this year and is part of her Healing Hearts Series with Secret Cravings Publishing. 

Let's see how Roxy goes today with the tricky questions in the Hot Seat. 

About your writing

How did you get started as a writer?

When I was in sixth grade a classmate and I collaborated and wrote a mystery, similar to Famous Five and Secret Seven.  He did the illustrations since he drew so well, and I wrote the story.  I also wrote lots of inspirational poems in my teens and twenties. 

Why do you write? 

Because I have stories to tell and I don’t mind if people are willing to read them.

Have you ever had a day you wanted to quit and never write again?

No, I haven’t.  But I must admit there are days when I have writer’s block.  I don’t get too worried about it though because it’s just for a season and it will eventually pass.

Do you feel lucky to be doing what you are doing?

Yes, I do.  I have no regrets about choosing this path.

Tell me how you got to where you are today?

Well, I already told you about how my schoolmate and I collaborated to write a mystery and my forays into writing poetry.  I’m an English/literature teacher, and one component of the Caribbean region’s English B (literature) examination is poetry.  I don’t like to say this, but over the years I noticed most of my students found it difficult to understand, appreciate and respond critically to poetry.  For those reasons, I decided to assist them by writing a poetry study guide and five years ago, it was published by Macmillan Education under my legal name.  The second edition was released in 2011.  It was only last July, however, I decided to write romance stories.  How did that happen?  One of my Facebook friends posted an article.  I read it, I was inspired by it, and I decided to write an interracial romance story.  Within two months I was finished and the rest is history. It’s in the R&R stage right now.  He’s So Into You is my second story.

How do your family/spouse react to your work as an author? Do they know what you write? 

My husband, parents, siblings and BFF know what I write.  My husband is my number one fan.  My kids don’t know what I write, but they’re aware I write stories they’re too young to understand.  In their own way they support me, though.  For instance, when they get home from school they ask me how many words I got to write that day, or if they could help me choose the name of my characters.  They’re such darlings.

About you:

What are you passionate about in life?

My family.  Maintaining strong familial bonds is important to me.  I’m also passionate about improving the lives of less fortunate people who happen to be within my sphere of influence.

If you had to give a thank-you speech at the Oscars, who would you thank and what would you say?

My husband would be the first person I’d thank.  He has seen me through my insecurities, my medical crises, my failures.  He’s supported me through my pursuit of my undergraduate and graduate degrees. He’s a wonderfully supportive husband and father.  I’d thank my kids, as well, because they've brightened up my life and helped to shape me into the type of mother I am.  And of course, I’d thank my parents. They were the ones who showed me how beautiful life could be when touched by love because they’re living examples of what a loving couple should look like.  They also ensured I had everything I needed when I was growing up.

What are the three most important life lessons you've learned that might make life easier for others?

First, do whatever I can to help the less fortunate or the differently able people around me.  Second, nothing is wrong with giving someone a second chance. Third, preserving the environment and making other positive changes in the world start with me.

If you could trade places with any other person for a week, famous or not famous, living or dead, real or fictional. Whom would it be and why?

Dr. Oz.  He seems to have unlocked the secrets of living a longer, fuller, healthier life.

What's the worst thing you did as a kid?

I did so many naughty things as a kid, it’s difficult for me to decide which one is worst.

What do you do to have fun?

I read a lot and I love reviewing the books I enjoyed reading. I've recently become a reviewer at Romance Novels In Color (RNIC) and Smile Somebody Loves You blog (SSLY).  I also like cooking, particularly West Indian cuisine.  And I enjoy listening to all kinds of music, ranging from gospel, to R&B, reggae, calypso, soca, parang, pop and rock.

Share a funny incident in your life.

Hmmmmm…  My date (who became my husband) and I were walking along the streets of the capital city of my native country.  One minute we were talking and laughing and the next I was on my butt. Now you know, Jan, when you've just started dating you want to make a good impression.  Falling down in the middle of the capital city is definitely not one of the ways to do that. I was extremely embarrassed; I didn't even give him a chance to help me up.  I got up as quickly as I could, without falling flat on my face this time, and dashed across the street.  I didn't  even look back when he called out my name.  He found me about four hours later, because at that time there were no cellphones to contact each other.  Heck, years later I was still a bit embarrassed.  But you know what?  He was concerned about me.  It’s one of the reasons why I’m so in love with him more than twenty years later.  And when we tell our three kids about it, they laugh like crazy.  So, yeah, I guess the incident was funny.

Fun Stuff

If Hollywood made a movie about your life, who would you like to see play the lead role as you?

Samuel L. Jackson dressed up in drag.  LOL

If you were a type of food, what type of food would you be?

West Indian, preferably curried.

What is your favorite color- food- song- movie?

Any shade of green --- any savory West Indian dish --- Lovely Day by Bill Withers --- Face/Off

What's the funniest pick up line ever used on you?

I can’t even remember.

What's the one thing you can't live without?

My laptop.

And finally:

You are driving along in your car on a wild, stormy night, it's raining heavily, when suddenly you pass by a bus stop, and you see three people waiting for a bus: 

                       -An old lady who looks as if she is about to die. 

                       -An old friend who once saved your life. 

                       -The perfect partner you have been dreaming about. 

You can only fit one person in your car, who would you choose to offer a ride to?

None of them. In that way, they can’t say I chose one over the other.  LOL.

Blurb: He's So into You

Being badly injured in a plane crash and feeling responsible for losing his fiancé keep Jordan Cooper from getting involved with another woman, but his best friend Caleb talks him into going on a blind date. He’s surprised that in a short time his feelings for Raina Abbott runs deep. Jordan wants more than just one night with her, but he has to convince her first.

Leaving an abusive ex and ending an unhealthy relationship with food still aren’t enough to help Raina Abbott overcome her feelings of insecurity, but her best friend Jayce convinces her that going on a blind date is the first step to boosting her self-confidence and feeling good about herself again. Jordan Cooper shows her that she’s beautiful, both inside and out, but can a date and one night of passion assure her that he’s really into her?

Excerpt - He's so into You by Roxy Wilson

“May I ask you a question, Raina?

“Sure.”

“I just wondered why you’re here with me.”

“Because you invited me to your room, remember?”

It was obvious she evaded his question. It was the first time Jordan noticed Raina wasn’t altogether comfortable. So why in the world is she here?

“You know what I mean. Why are you on this date?

“Why shouldn’t I?”

“You’re beautiful, charming and intelligent. I would think you’d have men lining up just to be with you.”

Raina laughed without humor. “The trouble is, the guys I know either don’t want to be romantically involved with a full figured woman or just pretend they do.”

“You’re telling me you’ve never been seriously involved with anyone? Never been in love?”

“What’s love anyway?” she asked mockingly, and then shrugged her shoulders. “Maybe it’s just the irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired.”

“You think quoting Robert Frost is a satisfactory answer?” Jordan shook his head. “Be honest with me.”

Raina stopped swaying to the music and looked at him seriously. “Okay, you want to hear the truth? The truth is, I met a man who threw kindness my way, flowers, late night phone calls, the works. Within three months I moved in with him, much to the angst of my family. It didn’t dawn on me that he never took me anywhere, never invited his family or friends to our apartment, until I had invested so much time and effort in the relationship, I felt I shouldn’t leave him. He treated me like crap, insulted me, nothing I said or did met his approval. I became a chicken-shit, afraid of him, afraid of my freaking shadow, for god’s sake. I felt like such an idiot, because I didn’t even realize what I had become. Everyone noticed but me.”

To purchase He's so Into You please click on the following buy links: Amazon    ARe    Secret Cravings Publishing    Bookstrand

About the Author 

Roxy Wilson is a self-professed junkie whose excessive consumption of traditional and electronic books is legendary.

As a graduate with a degree in Education, she writes blogs which help readers to think critically about and appreciate poetry. In July, 2012, however, she decided to delve into the world of writing romance stories.

When she is not reading or writing, she spends her time cooking, listening to music and visiting the various islands of the Caribbean.

You can follow Roxy on the following social media sites:

Facebook

Twitter

Roxy's Website/blog 

Goodreads