Interview Questions  (answered by Elle Brookes. Lesley is incommunicado in Yorkshire)

What genre(s) do you write in and why?

I enjoy writing romantic adventure and romantic suspense because that’s what I like to read. Those kinds of movies are also my favorite kind. “Romancing the Stone”, the Bourne and Bond franchise and anything with action, be it Hong Kong Martial Arts or science fiction (time travel in particular). I’m drawn particularly to18^th century England and Yorkshire. I have no explanation for this and there’s the possibility that it might be a “bleed-through” from a previous life; or future, if you don’t think of time as being specifically linear.

What inspired your latest book?

I am very much a fan of the Adam Hall Quiller books and was inspired to try writing something like them. What resulted was anything but Quillerish (to me) but there is a seed of him in the character of Adrian Steele. And there is not much romance in a Quiller novel, the focus is mainly on the Mission. His “love interest”, Moira, is more a half-remembered fantasy where he is a disappointment to her. But it is she who he thinks of when he is in a crisis and close to death.

Do you have a view in your writing space?  What does your space look like? 

I am very lucky in that I live on the top of a hill in the central mountains of Costa Rica with a vast view of the valley below. From the window to my left there is another spectacular view (on a clear day of course) of the Gulf of Nicoya and one of the many islands there. My desk is slightly messy with electronics gear spread around, as well as notebooks and calendar. The desk itself is an American “secretary” desk (read very small!) that dates from the 1920s, in a dark wood. There is just enough room for my laptop.

Tell us about your hero.  Give us one of his strengths and one of his weaknesses.

Adrian Steele is tough, a loyal friend, and very good at what he does, or must do. One of his strengths is that he can get people to trust him, often taking on the appearance of a bookish nerd. He also looks much younger than he actually is. Saber describes him at one point as looking like a “feral choirboy.”  His weakness is letting his frustration with his “handlers” make him say or do the wrong thing (in their estimation). He will often go off on his own without telling “the powers that be” what he is doing. There is a tacit agreement that as long as he delivers the goods, his transgressions will be overlooked.

Tell us about your heroine.  Give us one of her strengths and one of her weaknesses.

Sabinne (Saber) Darrieux, is from a wealthy family. Raised in Provence, France what might have been an idyllic childhood was anything but. (To say anything more about that would be spoilers for the book) When not working assignments for her family’s security corporation, she is an elite translator with a very select client list. One of her biggest clients as a translator is an immensely influential businessman named Hennessey who has more than a passing interest in her personally. She is not interested but he continues his pursuit with light hand but a focused persistence. She is loyal to her family and the global family concerns, but tends to keep her distance from her overbearing father.  She can be reckless in her actions and impulsive in her responses to people, saying things she (maybe) shouldn’t.

Do you write under a pen name?   Why or why not?

I write under a pen name to keep certain aspects of my life separate from each other. (You have your secrets, I have mine…)

What do you have planned for the future?

Right now I’m planning out a second book about Saber and Steele. We’ll see how that goes, they are, both of them, very unruly characters! I expect they’ll have some surprises for me along the way.

 Describe the genre of this particular title, and is it the only genre you write in? 

The Fabergé Entanglement is a blend of romance, suspense, a little bit heist and a little bit Spy-fi. My two other books, Lust. Mechanics. Mini Cooper. and Sex. Coffee. Time Travel. are time travel romantic adventures. Time travel has always fascinated me. (When I was much younger my father was always hinting that I might have been born in the wrong time.)

Having achieved your goal to be a published author, what is the most rewarding thing?   

I suppose the most rewarding thing is that I have the privilege of sharing my observation of a strange world through a stranger lens. To hear that someone has enjoyed my work, that it’s made them laugh, or cry, or kept them up at night reading is a wonderful thing. I am the first to admit that my stories are off-kilter, and often take a little work on the part of the reader. But my characters are difficult, unruly, and they go where they want to go (most of the time).

Blurb

Sabinne ‘Saber’ Darrieux’s father, the billionaire CEO of Frontenac Global Security has been kidnapped. His ransom is not cash in a numbered offshore account, or a briefcase of Bearer Bonds but something utterly unique, incredibly valuable, and until recently, hidden away from the world.

The kidnapper seems to know Saber very well, and knows that the next day, through her work as an elite translator she will be in the same location as the Object. She must steal the Object and deliver it to the kidnapper to ransom her father.

Adrian Steele, a British Intelligence agent has just come off of two harrowing missions. Upon returning to London for a well-earned rest, he learns that his friend and fellow agent, has been murdered in Moscow, but not before he made use of a unique Object as a mobile ‘drop site’ for the valuable intelligence he was carrying.

The drop site is traveling from Moscow to England. Steele insists on completing the mission to honor the death of his friend, Gerry Cornell.

At an ultra-chic quasi-diplomatic gathering in a mansion in Windsor, England, Saber and Steele meet and find themselves faced with a powerful, undeniable attraction. But at the moment, this compelling attraction is very inconvenient.

In reality they are at the mansion to check out the security arrangements — for their own reasons — to steal the Object, a Fabergé egg worth thirty million dollars. But who will get to the egg first?

Fabergé eggs are very famous for their unique surprises. Saber and Steele are about to be very surprised, indeed.

And when Saber clashes with Steele; more than sparks will explode!

Excerpt from The Fabergé Entanglement

He was more striking close up. The wire-framed glasses that had given him that bookish look were gone. As a matter of fact, at that precise moment there was nothing about him that was the least bit bookish. Now he looked more like a feral choirboy.

Saber lowered her eyes taken in by the seductive curve of his jaw, and his lips parted in an expression of amazement that drew her closer, hypnotically, begging to be covered with her own. She pulled herself back, reminding herself why she was there, what she must do. Leaving him to be found by the Sheikh’s security men would be a pity, but she had a job to finish.

She knew her job too, she was slick, professional. Her contribution to the family business was to test the security systems that were installed by Frontenac et Cie. She was always on-call to the “Uncles” between her translation assignments to do this testing. And she was very good at it. When caught in a tight spot, she was focused on the job at hand, holding back emotion, the fear of “capture” pushed away. Her focus was laser-like in intensity. She infiltrated the secured areas of high-security targets, grabbed the “package” then ex-filtrated as invisibly as a wisp of smoke. Reflection and reactions came after, as she wrote up her reports and advised the designers on flaws and vulnerabilities in their systems.

But all this slipped away as she felt the light touch of his hands, feeling their heat through thin black leather gloves. They slid very slowly up her thighs, coming to rest lightly and seductively around her waist. She stifled a gasp as she felt his hot fingers press into her, very much a lover’s caress.

In scant seconds Saber’s focus for the job at hand, the reason that she was there to begin with, melted away as she felt his hands tighten around her waist. Her grip on the gun weakened as a wave of heat suffused through her.

With a swiftness that took her breath away he closed the narrow gap between them. A hot flash of desire surged through her as his lips took possession of hers. Taking advantage of her surprise, he dashed the gun from her hand, sending it spinning away out of her reach. He flipped her over so she was now under him. Saber stared up at him wide-eyed, his lean, hard body on hers evoking a reaction from deep within her that was as intense as it was unexpected. Shocked, confused, she twisted her head away from his, but her eyes still kept a sidewise watch on him.

He bent in closer. Dark eyes flashed dangerously through the long shag of hair that fell over his face. Then, very, very slowly as though savoring every moment, he slid his gloved hand along her arm, around her shoulder, then up her pale exposed throat.

Steele’s hand paused, feeling her pulse flutter wildly under his fingertips, before moving up to thread through her silky raven hair. His grip tightened and he turned her head to face him.

“Mmmm… I can do it, too,” he breathed softly into her ear.

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Bios

LESLEY MERYN

Enjoyed an exotic, adventure-filled childhood, following her anthropologist father and travel writer mother to the farthest corners of the world. She later took inspiration from her Aunt Sophia Francesca and became the author of romantic adventure novels. She alternates her time between Los Angeles, and a family property located in Yorkshire England.

ELLE BROOKES

She is the author of the first two books of the Time Frame Series. Loves travel, discovering new foods to try, reading and writing. She currently lives in the central highlands of Costa Rica with Pixie the Wonder Dog and her hedgehog Quiller.

Buy links

Amazon: http://bitly.com/1DfbHEv
B & N: http://bit.ly/1fLUVYI

Website:

www.tymslyder.com

Facebook Author Page

https://www.facebook.com/tymslyder/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

Please tell my readers a little bit about your book.

PRINCESS AND THE PEA is a sequel, actually. In my first book, A PRINCE OF A GUY, the spoiled, pampered crown princess of a tiny European principality is kidnapped on the eve of her coronation, and a secretary from Brooklyn finds herself impersonating her(as you might have guessed, there is a large dose of humor in these books). Helping Casey Phillips maintain her masquerade, Prince Eric von Lieberhaven also—of course—falls in love with her.

Which was very satisfying, especially since I got to have fun not only with the idea of a commoner impersonating a princess, but the fact that she sets royal protocol on its ear. The only problem was that I left the Princess Cassandra out in the real world where she didn’t know how to survive.

Enter Paul Phillips, on the way to his sister’s wedding and celebrating his own retirement from the shadowy world of espionage. It is Paul who saves Cassandra from her captors. Unfortunately, it seems he’s brought some bad guys with him, and the two end up on the run.

I admit that from the minute Cassandra entered the first book, I wanted to give her her own book. She was such a spoiled brat that I wanted to see if I could redeem her. And bless her, I don’t make it easy. But I’ve come to love my wayward princess and the spy she saves.

Tell us about your hero. Give us one of his strengths and one of his weakesses.

Paul Phillips is tired. He has spent the last fifteen years living in the shadows. He was a good spy, but he is ready to give it up for a normal life. Paul doesn’t wear a uniform, but he is a warrior, always on the alert, adaptable, focused, prepared. He is the guy who runs in when everybody else runs out.

As for his weakness, Paul didn’t have a happy childhood. When he escaped, he left his sister behind. To his shame, he hasn’t seen her since, this child who relied on him. He is attending her wedding to try to mend their rift.

Tell us about your heroine.  Give us one of her strengths and one of her weaknesses.

Crown Princess Cassandra von Lieberhoven has been groomed since infancy to become the next ruler of the tiny, prosperous principality of Moritania in the Alps. She has been pampered her whole life, so that it is only when she is torn from the safety of the palace that she learns just who she is. Cassandra is much stronger than she’s ever thought, smarter, more clever and hungry for real life.

Her main weakness is that she has been so cossetted and pampered, that she is spoiled. Trapped in protocol that is no substitute for love, she spends a lot of time being outrageous, since that is the only way she knows to get attention. It takes a crisis to bring out the real core of steel and compassion that lies beneath all the designer labels and pretense.

Was your road to publication fraught with peril or a walk in the park?

It has definitely not been a walk in the park. From the time I decided that yes, what I wanted to do was be a published author, it took another five years to be published with Silhouette as Kathleen Korbel. During that time I realized two things. One, I tend to write ahead of the curve. The first book I tried to sell was the romance I wanted to read. It was rejected by everyone with the same admonition: “This book has a dead body and a military veteran for a hero. Who wants to read that in a romance?”

Well, I’m nothing if not adaptable. I wrote a lighter book, PLAYING THAT GAME, and that was the one I sold as Kathleen Korbel to Silhouette. And when my editor asked me for another book, I explained I had this book I’d tried to sell without luck. She asked to see it. And forty-eight hours later called me saying, “A suspense! A veteran hero!! How did you know this was just what we were looking for?” That, my second book, was A STRANGER’S SMILE (both of which will be re-released in the next year).

The second thing I realized—and continue to deal with—is that I have a unique voice. And what Jayne Anne Krentz says is that your strongest weapon as a writer is your greatest weakness, and that’s your voice. Your audience will look specifically for you. But first, you have to find an editor who not just responds to your voice, but enthusiastically. Every time I’ve changed houses, I’ve had to deal with that all over again. I have to be careful not to take the first person who wants to buy my work, especially if they say something like, “I love your work. If it were only different….” What you want instead is, “I love  your work. I think I can help you do it even better.”

Do you have a view in your writing space?  What does your space look like? 

I have two views. One out into my back yard, which backs onto a small wood, so that I see birds and trees and flowers, and my next-door-neighbors’ kids playing in their treehouse. And then I can see through my office doorway into the rest of my house. There’s not that much really to see, but I like knowing what’s coming. I tried to turn my office away from the door, and I felt like a spy with my back to a restaurant. So my desk is kind of kitty-corner, so I can see both(alright, and the TV when baseball is on).

What is my office like? Well, actually, I have a writing nook and another small room for business. I have to separate the two or I get nothing done in either. My writing nook, in which I spend most time is a small back bedroom with two windows, an old couch, a sound system(absolutely vital for me), and a desk with my computer. The only vestiges of an office that remain are my research for whatever book I’m working on, and a few pertinent general research books. The majority of that library is actually in my old office(which one of these days when I get around to it will be turned into a media room). The other important things about my office is that first I have a lot of art on the walls, and that those walls are painted a lurid lime green. I obviously like sensory input to create. As for the lime, I also have trouble with winter. I don’t get depressed, I flat out fall asleep. The green is not only a vital color to me, since it makes me remember that spring happens,  but it keeps me awake on the dimmest days in February.

What is your favorite dessert/food?

The shorter list is what isn’t my favorite food. If there is one food I cannot resist, however, is—believe it or not—Irish brown soda bread. I feel a whimper coming on just thinking about a big butter-covered slab of bread rough enough to scrape the roof of your mouth. In fact, I rented a house in Ireland for a couple of weeks once and lived solely on brown bread, smoked salmon, butter and apples. Here’s the secret to picking soda bread. The really good stuff smells like dirty socks. Oh, my mouth is watering….

What is most difficult for you to write?  Characters, conflict or emotions?  Why?

What a great question. If you’d added plot, it would have been easy. I HATE plotting. I have no left brain, which means my linear logic skills are wanting. I’m rather notorious for having outlines that say things like ‘Somehow they find out who the bad guys are.” But of the three you mention, I have to say emotions. Characters come to me fairly easily(even though often they don’t completely explain themselves until about ¾ of the way through the book). And from character comes conflict. And if you have enough conflict, you have the fuel for a book.

The Princess & The Pea by Eileen Dreyer

Excerpt

Her Highness the Crown Princess Cassandra Catherine Anna Marie von Lieberhaven turned away and closed her eyes. Oh, God, she thought, waves of relief and terror still washing through her with equal force. What am I going to do?

No more than three months earlier, she had been standing in St. Cyril’s Cathedral in Braz waiting to be married. Waiting to be crowned Queen of Moritania. The entire country had been there, cheering and waving and singing. The cathedral had shimmered in the afternoon sunlight and glittered with the trappings of ritual and wealth. It would have all been hers—if she’d only married Rudolph and assumed her duties by once again doing what everyone expected of her. Well, no one else had to face living with that pimply-faced mannequin or spending the rest of their days counting curtsies.

By now, Eric would be king. A more popular monarch than she, Cassandra knew in her heart. A more fitting one.

Now she would have to go back to face him…to face her grandmother. Fresh tears welled in her hazel eyes at the thought, but Cassandra squeezed them back. A princess did not show weakness. She did not allow herself the frailties which most humans assumed as their right. Cassandra tried her best to overcome the momentary lapse by concentrating on her rescuer instead.

For a moment, she toyed with the idea of taking a sidelong glance at him. More than just curiosity drew Cassandra. There was something about him that made her feel at once safe and unsure. He would catch her watching, though. He seemed to anticipate her with deadly accuracy.

Her first sight of him had terrified her. She’d thought he’d been one of the terrorists. He’d moved like a jungle cat, a black panther against the harsh illumination of the headlights. He was lean and quick, with thick, sable-brown hair. Long, she realized now as it began to dry, almost to his shoulders, and wild. It looked almost like a mane, giving him a slightly dangerous look. He hadn’t shaved in a day or two, and his eyes were tired.

His eyes. They were so soft, so sweetly blue like a lake in early spring. Cassandra had seen terrible wariness in them at first, then laughter and compassion. Those eyes seethed with life, with energy.

He wasn’t a handsome man. His angles and slightly off-plumb features made him look as if he’d taken his share of knocks—as if the wariness in those eyes had been well earned. All the same, Cassandra reacted to him more intensely than to any of the dandified, educated men she’d known all her life. Just sitting next to Paul in the confines of the small car set her skin humming.

A panther, Cassandra thought once again, finally succumbing to the urge to take just one look. What an appropriate image. What a dangerous one. He wore a black turtleneck and jeans, slung low over lean hips. Cassandra didn’t know whether to feel comfortable with him or at peril. She had only an instinct that this man wouldn’t put her in an even greater danger than the one she’d escaped. And truth be told, Cassandra and her instincts had not really been all that reliable.

One thing was sure. Even though there was no looking forward either, for now she was warm and dry and away from the nightmare she’d stumbled into. And more than anything, right now, she wanted to know about the man who’d rescued her.

Blurb

Moritanian Crown Princess Cassandra leads a fairy-tale existence. Some consider her the most spoiled woman in Europe. Then she is kidnapped.

Retired spy Paul Phillips is a self-made man more at home with flying bullets and fast cars than champagne and caviar. Then he finds Crown Princess Cassandra.

Now speeding through Europe, the pair are ducking enemies and each other. But as sparks fly, they wonder if they might be driving toward a fairy tale ending.

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Bio

New York Times bestselling, RWA Hall of Fame author Eileen Dreyer has published 31 romance novels in most genres, 8 medical­ forensic suspenses, and 10 short stories.

2015 sees Eileen enjoying critical acclaim for her foray into historical romance, the Drake’s Rakes series, which Eileen labels as Regency Romantic Adventure that follows a group of Regency aristocrats who are willing to sacrifice everything to keep their country safe. She is also working on her first non­fiction book, TRAVELS WITH DAVE, about a journey she’s been taking with a friend’s ashes.

A retired trauma nurse, Eileen lives in her native St. Louis with her husband, children, and a large and noisy Irish family, of which she is the reluctant matriarch. She has animals but refuses to subject them to the limelight.

Website: eileendreyer.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EileenDreyer

Twitter: @eileendreyer

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What is your favorite part of writing?

Actually I have two favorites of writing. The first is the dreaming up the story. This happens most often when I’m lying in bed during those moments of drifting off to sleep or waking up, and while I’m doing normal everyday things like driving or washing dishes. The second favorite part is when the story starts coming together as I write and the words just pour out like I’m a demon possessed.?

What is your next project and when will it be released?

My next project is the third in my Spirited Heart Series which is Grace’s story. I don’t have a title yet, but the bones of the story are in my head. Most likely I’ll release in September 2016, although I would love it if I could manage to release earlier, but I’m not holding my breath.

What is your typical day like?

Ha! Well my typical day involves a lot of different jobs because I don’t have just one. After I walk the dog and feed the cats then I homeschool my thirteen-year-old daughter and her friend while my sixteen-year-old daughter attends community college. Sometimes I can slip in some writing or editing while the girls are working. In the afternoon I write or edit while my daughters go to the barn to ride their horses. They are competitive eventers. Two afternoons a week I’ll go with them and ride too. Of course the evening is filled with all the things I didn’t have time to do during the day.

How has your experience with self-publishing been?

I’ve had an excellent experience self-publishing. Being in control of which stories I write and when, which editors and designers I work with, and meeting all the fabulous readers, bloggers and fellow authors is so liberating and fulfilling for me.  And for what little amount of promo I do, I’ve been very pleased with how well my stories have been received.

Where do you get the ideas for your stories?

My stories come to me as “what if” scenarios. What if a young white girl spent ten years living among the Lakota Indians then returned to the white man’s world? That question is the basis for my first book in my Spirited Hearts Series, Ella’s Choice. What if a woman returns to her hometown only to find the man who’d stole her innocence has returned as well? That is the premise for my second book, Lena’s Courage. Once I begin answering these questions, they lead to other questions and so on until a story develops.

What advice do you have for other authors wanting to self-publish?

Besides reading and writing and writing and reading, be open to feedback. Do not skimp on content and copy editors, cover designers, or proofreaders. Create a book that is as polished and presentable as a trade published book.

Do you have critique partners?

Yes, I do, and I value their input immensely. I bounce ideas off of them when plotting my story and developing my characters. They read my work and give me valuable feedback. They help me work out kinks and battle creative blocks. However they don’t take the place of my content and copy editors. Those people are like the final trial and they put the polish on my stories.

What is your favorite dessert/food?

My favorite food is Mexican. And I love wine. There is nothing better at the end of the day than a glass of Merlot or Cabernet.

What genres are you drawn to as a reader?

I love historical romance especially when it gives the flavor of the time period in which it is set. I’m most disappointed when I read a book labeled as historical romance, which reads as if it is set in the present.

Do you prefer to read in the same genres you write in or do you avoid reading that genre? Why?

I love historical romance because I love history, but I’m hard to satisfy in that genre because I write in it. So, I’ve guess I’ve spoiled it for myself. LOL! But I enjoy reading other romance genres, too—YA, contemporary, western. I read other genres too like mystery, thriller, biography, historical, true-life etc., just about anything if the story captures my attention.

Has your muse always known what genre you would write and be published in?

Always romance but not specifically which genre of romance. For me, it’s about the story. So if the story resonates in present day, I’ll write in present day and vice versa.

EXCERPT

At a rather large step up, Jonah shrugged off her hold and shifted the bag in his arms so he could gauge the height of the step.

She resisted the urge to help him as he planted a foot on the rise then swayed as he scaled it. When she returned her attention to the walk ahead of them, she froze. She couldn’t believe her eyes. No, it can’t be. Ilse had written that he’d moved away months ago, to San Francisco.

Frank Pierce stood, only yards away, talking to another man.

She clutched Jonah to her skirts.

“Mama, you’re squashing me.”

The monster from that awful night turned and walked in their direction.

Terror at what he might do if he saw her again, if he saw Jonah, stole her breath. She pushed her son toward a door and grappled with its knob. Ignoring his questions, she thrust him inside, then followed and slammed the door closed behind her.

Jonah stumbled then fell in a heap at her feet.

A man sitting behind a desk looked up. “Can I help you, ma’am?”

Lena remained plastered against the door as she stared at the well-dressed businessman with a questioning look upon his face. No doubt he was wondering why they’d burst into his office.

Jonah scrambled to his feet, leaving the carpetbag where it laid, his eyes shining. “Are we here, Mama? Is this the Bäckerei?” When she didn’t answer, Jonah turned to the man who now stood. “Are you my Onkel Erik?”

A strange look crossed the man’s face as he glanced at Jonah then moved from behind the desk toward them. He appeared to be no more than thirty, with dark blond hair similar to Erik’s, but he was taller and trimmer, while the line of his clean-shaven jaw was stronger and leaner than her brother’s.

“Mama?” Jonah asked.

The man’s warm hazel eyes shifted back to hers.

“No, this is not Onkel Erik.” Lena didn’t know how she managed the words, given how she was still gasping for breath over the shock of seeing Frank Pierce. She peeled herself from the door and moved to the adjacent window and her heart hammered in her chest. Hand trembling, she pushed aside the curtain and peered out. She didn’t see any sign of Frank. But he was here. He was not supposed to be here in Cheyenne. But he was. What am I to do now? The thought of him finding out about Jonah and Jonah finding out about him… Suddenly, she felt lightheaded and her vision tunneled.

BIO

Ruby Merritt writes historical western romance. Her passion for imagining life and love on the High Plains has its roots in reading and rereading Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House books as a child.

Although Ruby doesn’t call the High Plains her home, she resides in an equally beautiful and rustic locale, The Gateway to the Texas Hill Country.

When Ruby’s not reading or writing, she can be found riding her horse or homeschooling her children who are avid horsewomen and readers as well.

Hey all!  Don’t forget to enter the rafflecopter giveaway at the bottom of the page!  I’m so excited to be here at Cynthia Woolf’s celebrating the release of Wicked Edge!  The hero in Wicked Edge is Daire Dunne, who’s a tough witch enforcer on a Harley…and is totally grumpy.  The heroine is a bit of a surprise.  She’s a wild card who drugs Daire, steals from him, and then likes to rob banks.  Of course, they’re the perfect match!  They just don’t know it right away.

The interview questions were TONS of fun!  Thanks so much, Cynthia!

Tell us about your current series.

This series is basically the Dark Protectors on bikes.  The Realm Enforcers are deadly male witches who go undercover at a Seattle Motorcycle Club in order to hunt down the manufacturer and distributors of a drug that harms both witches and humans.  On the way, they fall in love with some pretty interesting women ranging from a tough cop to a slightly crazy bank robber to a wild musician with a few tricks up her sleeves.  Many of the Dark Protector characters make appearances throughout this series.

Do you have a view in your writing space:

I have an amazing view, and right now I’m looking out at a dark storm with pelting rain over the lake.  The Pacific Northwest is a beautiful place to live, and we’re surrounded by mountains, rivers, and lakes.  We live about half-way up a mountain, so I can see the mountains all the way to Canada.  Sometimes late at night, I can hear train whistles from way up north echo over the mountains.  Here’s a recent picture of the view from my office at our home when it was not raining (no filters or edits on the picture): 

Do you write under a pen name? Why or why not?

I actually write under my real name.  When I was first starting out, somebody said that if your neighbor doesn’t know that you’re writing books, then you’re not marketing well enough.  That made sense to me.  However, and this is just the truth, I never really thought it’d be an issue.  The books have been more successful than I ever dreamed, and I didn’t imagine that I’d be in a position where anybody would know my name.  LOL.

Tell us about your hero. Give us one of his strengths and one of his weaknesses.

Daire Dunne is the hero, and he’s an Enforcer for the Witches of the Coven Nine.  I think one of his strengths is that he has the ability to see people for who they really are, and he has the compassion to see what or who they need to be.  He’s also a deadly soldier and is probably the grumpiest of the Coven Enforcers.  His weakness would be pure stubbornness with a bit of arrogance thrown in.

Tell us about your heroine. Give us one of her strengths and one of her weaknesses.

Cee Cee is a little crazy and a lot determined.  She’s been hit hard in life, more than once, and yet she’s a strategic genius at plotting and planning.  Her family is everything to her, as is her mission.  As a weakness, she’s so determined to succeed on her own that she forgets it’s okay to have help.  Drugging Daire Dunne and stealing from him gets her in more hot water than she’d ever imagined.

Do you have any words for aspiring authors?

Sure.  Don’t ever give up, and right now, spend time working on craft.  Worry about marketing and promotion later.  Right now, character arcs, setting, motivations and conflict need to take up the bulk of your time when you’re not writing.  Most of the time, write, write, write.

What is your favorite part of writing?

I love this question.  The first page, the very blank first page, is my favorite part of writing.  Nothing is there yet, I’m not backed into corners, and I can just sit and write that first meeting between the hero and the heroine.  My editor and I joked the other day that it’s too bad we can’t just publish a book full of first chapters.  I just love first chapters.

What is your next project, and when will it be released?

I’m working on a new series called Scorpius Syndrome.  The first book is MERCURY STRIKING, and it releases in January.  The series is post-apocalyptic, gritty, and very sexy.  The hero is Jax Mercury, who’s a former L.A. gang member turned soldier, who has taken over LA to protect his small group of survivors from a bacterial infection.  The heroine is Lynne Harmony, the former head of the CDC’s Infectious Disease Department.  Oh, and she has a blue heart now.

BIO:  

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Rebecca Zanetti is the author of over twenty-five dark paranormals, romantic suspense, and contemporary romances, including the Dark Protectors, Realm Enforcers, Sin Brothers, and Scorpius Syndrome series.  She lives in the wilds of the Pacific Northwest with her own Alpha hero, two kids, a couple of dogs, a crazy cat…and a huge extended family.  She believes strongly in luck, karma, and working her butt off…and she thinks one of the best things about being an author, unlike the lawyer she used to be, is that she can let the crazy out.

Find Rebecca at:  www.rebeccazanetti.com

Author Website: http://rebeccazanetti.com/

Author Twitter: http://twitter.com/RebeccaZanetti

Author Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RebeccaZanetti.Author.FanPage

Newsletter: http://rebeccazanetti.com/extras-2/subscribe-to-my-newsletter/

WICKED EDGE:

Release date:  November 10, 2015

Link to Website buy page: http://rebeccazanetti.com/bookshelf/wicked-edge/

Zanetti gives paranormal a sexy MC twist!”—New York Times bestselling author Joanna Wylde

“Zanetti delivers decadently delicious romance in the second Realm Enforcers paranormal motorcycle club romance  … The wild action rarely stops, sweeping readers along in the main plot while allowing a rich and satisfying romance to build between the leads.”- Publishers Weekly STARRED REVIEW

“Zanetti’s Realm Enforcers series is hot with a capital “H”! The characters are real and feel like people whom readers would run across – or hope to – in everyday life. This is a great read to add to your collection.”- RT Book Reviews, 4.5 Stars Top Pick
Amazon Editor’s Pick for November!

*****

If you love the Dark Protectors, these wicked hot Realm Enforcers are for you!

Daire Dunne is more than ready to take a quick break from his duties as a Coven Nine Enforcer. When he spots a sexy blonde across a Titan’s of Fire party, it’s not long before she’s on the back of his Harley on the fast track to his apartment. Unfortunately, one overheated kiss in, the woman drugs Daire and steals valuable files that can’t fall into enemy hands. The second he comes to, the hunt is on…

Now that Cee Cee has the information to take down an enemy that destroyed her family, she can implement her perfect plan for revenge. Nothing will stop her, not even a shockingly sexy enforcer barging into her life. Not even the spectacular, fire-branding sex engulfing them. But if Daire ever figures out who her family really is, all bets are off…

*****

 MERCURY STRIKING

January 26, 2016 print and eBook release

Page for buy links: http://rebeccazanetti.com/bookshelf/the-scorpius-syndrome-series/mercury-striking/

With nothing but rumors to lead her, Lynn Harmony has trekked across a nightmare landscape to find one man—a mysterious, damaged legend who protects the weak and leads the strong. He’s more than muscle and firepower—and in post-plague L.A., he’s her only hope. As the one woman who could cure the disease, Lynn is the single most volatile—and vulnerable—creature in this new and ruthless world. But face to face with Jax Mercury…

Danger has never looked quite so delicious…

“Thrilling post-apocalyptic romance at its dark, sizzling best!” —Lara Adrian

“Nothing is easy or black or white in Zanetti’s grim new reality, but hope is key, and I hope she writes faster!” —New York Times bestselling author Larissa Ione

Wicked Edge Ebook Giveaway

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Tell us about your current series.

The Intrepid Women series is a collection of stand-alone novels with interwoven themes and characters from Meyers Security (a family run security firm), and ETCETERA (a clandestine agency made up of people with various extra-sensory skills).

What is your favorite part of writing?

Getting to know my characters and learning the story as it magically slips from my fingertips to the keyboard and onto the page… and spending all day in sweat pants.

What is your least favorite part of writing?

Marketing. It’s unnatural for me to run around yelling: I’m awesome, my books are awesome, and you should go and buy them. I’d rather just write the next book, and the next, and…

Give us an elevator pitch for your book.

Jake’s investigating the disappearance of a famous racehorse and he’s convinced that Tara is the key, which she is, but she’s been lying so long it feels like the truth. For her, the easy way out involves staying hidden at the cottage with Charlie—her one-eyed cat—but life for Tara is never easy… and she’s having trouble saying no to the sexy PI.

Tell us about your hero.  Give us one of his strengths and one of his weaknesses.

Jake is incredibly kind, and hates giving up control.

Tell us about your heroine.  Give us one of her strengths and one of her weaknesses.

Loyalty is both a strength, and a weakness for Tara.

What genres are you drawn to as a reader?

Romantic Mystery/Suspense. My favorite author of all time is JD Robb. I also love Christine Feehan’s Drake Sister series, Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series, Cherry Adair, and Brene Brown.

Do you write under a pen name?   Why or why not?

When I started to publish, I was still working in Emergency Services and we were forbidden to have an online presence. We had to be untraceable through online searches, so I had to take a pen name. Kathryn Jane was my sister’s choice.

What did you want to be when you were a child?  Did you always know you wanted to be a writer?

I always wanted to be a vet, but instead immersed myself in the horseracing industry, moving through the ranks until I was a trainer. I’ve also done time in the corporate world and that of emergency services.

But throughout it all, the writer in me played until one day, when realizing I was about to turn 50 without anything tangible to show for what I called, ‘the first half of my life,’ I decided to write a book.

I got it done before the milestone birthday, and just kept on writing.

LIES is that first book. Well, the basic story of the first book, but drastically rewritten of course!

Excerpt:

LIES

Chapter 1

May, 2012. Johnsonville International Airport. Aboard Flight XLB317.

 “Not just no, but—”

“Language!”

Tara nearly decked the snippy flight attendant when he grabbed her by the arm. She would not be manhandled or pushed around.

“Your seat assignment has already been changed,” he said in a grating sing-song lets-everybody-be-happy voice that set her teeth on edge.

“And,” he went on, there’s absolutely nothing you or I can do about it, so, if you’d just remove that,” he waved his fingers at her overalls, “smelly stuff, and take your seat.”

Tara stared him down and spat a single word. “Negative.”

His eyebrows shot up for an instant before he managed to school his expression.

He’d started on her the minute she’d stepped from the cargo section into the galley of the passenger area. She was responsible for two horses riding in the back section of the plane—in a travel crate the size of a three-horse trailer—and took her job very seriously.

“I booked and paid for the aisle, which is standard practice for livestock escorts on a combo flight.” The front half of the plane was for passengers, the rear half for cargo.

“You will be in the same row at the back here, and you do have the option of either the window or middle seat. The airline’s security department has bumped you and there’s nothing either of us can do about it because the security rep needs—”

“I don’t really care what he needs. I’m responsible for several thousand pounds of equine capable of taking this plane down if they panic and I can’t get to them. I must have easy access to the cargo deck, and that does not include climbing over some suit with an attitude. I suggest you move one of the other passengers.” Shouldn’t this idiot have some kind of problem solving skills?

Tara turned her back on the annoying man while she plucked the toque off her head and fought her way out of pale gray overalls, then crouched to stuff them in her duffle. The outfit was a requirement, an attempt to minimize allergens coming into the cabin.

“Problem?”

The voice behind her was a couple of octaves deeper than the one she’d been arguing with, and her hand stilled for a split second.

“Yes.” Glancing sideways, she was surprised to see shiny western boots and barely-broke-in denim. Not exactly executive attire. Drugstore cowboy?

Rising, she took in the rest of the man’s outfit. Brown tweed jacket over a crisp white shirt. Or was he a real cowboy all dressed up? Maybe, maybe not, but she recognized sincerity in eyes the same dark blue as his jeans. A wash of awareness slid down her spine, but she shrugged it off.

http://amzn.com/B014CHM8ZQ

http://kathrynjane.com

http://www.amazon.com/Kathryn-Jane/e/B00A58PHKA/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1444683353&sr=8-1

How did you get started writing?

Years ago, I worked both a full-time and part-time job while going to school at night to obtain my MBA.  I was rather busy at the time, and when I completed the MBA program I suddenly found I had a lot of excess time on my hands.  A friend of mine handed me a Janet Evanovich book and said, “Here, read this.”  I quickly declined the book because the last thing I wanted to do was read anything since I’d just spent years reading text books.  I had never read for pleasure before.  My friend insisted I read the book.  I did, and I was hooked.  Throughout the next year, I read every book written by Evanovich at the time, even those under her pen name, and then I read some more books.  I think I read somewhere in the neighborhood of 53 books during that first ‘reading’ year.  One night I dreamt up a character named Nick Spinelli, a quirky detective, and I thought to myself that Evanovich could have a field day writing about this guy.  Then I thought, heck with Evanovich, I’ll do it myself.  That said, I penned three novellas in the Nick Spinelli romance mystery series and published them via Melange Books, LLC.  I am currently working on the fourth.

What is your favorite part of writing?

My favorite part of writing is the first draft.  Not only does that part go fairly quickly, it also relaxes me by providing an escape from reality.

What is your next project and when will it be released?

I’ve been working on the first book in the Jacobs brother series.  I’ll soon send it off to my editor and hope to release it in the spring of 2016.  The story is about a twenty-two year old man who inherits his five younger brothers when their parents are killed in a car accident.  To add to his stress he’s also responsible for managing the family dairy farm.  He hires the neighbor as a live-in nanny/housekeeper­.  I’m sure you can see where I’m going hereJ

What is your typical day like?

During the weekdays I’m generally writing, editing, or promoting my books by 5:30 a.m.  I write until about 7:00 a.m. at which time I get ready for the day-job.  Sometimes I write in the evening as well.  On the weekends, I usually start the day with a couple hours of writing, then I move on to cleaning or spending time with the hubby, cats, and friends.

Do you have a view in your writing space?  What does your space look like? 

I have a tiny home office.  There is one window with a view of trees.  The room contains my desk, some book shelves, a filing cabinet, and an ironing board.  Not too exciting.

Tell us about your hero.  Give us one of his strengths and one of his weaknesses.

Joe is extremely sensitive but afraid of loving again since the death of his wife.

Tell us about your heroine.  Give us one of her strengths and one of her weaknesses.

Elizabeth starts out pretty insensitive until Joe unleashes her sensitive side, then she bursts with love and kindness.

What genres are you drawn to as a reader?

I really like romantic suspense but have recently ventured into contemporary and historical.

Do you or have you belonged to a writing organization?  Which one?  Have the helped you with your writing?  How?

I belong to the Romance Writers of America and the Wisconsin Romance Writers.  Both have been enormously helpful to me in learning the craft of writing.  It was at a WI Romance Writer’s meeting that I found my first critique partner who helped me immensely with the first Nick Spinelli romance mystery novella.  Without her, I’m sure I’d still be fumbling through the tenth draft of that novella with no hope of a publisher picking it up.

Blurb:

Elizabeth Shaw’s professional life is going according to plan until she meets the handsome widower and his two young children next door. Having shelved her personal life to land her dream job, she disregards her romantic feelings for him. But the forces of nature have other ideas for her.

Joe Antonetti has made his children his main focus since the death of his wife. But his beautiful neighbor becomes an irresistible distraction and has him wondering if he can change her priorities.

Surrendering to their attraction for each other causes another player to step in with his own plan for Elizabeth. One that could not only end the budding romance but her life as well.

Tag Line:  There’s more to some women than meets the eye….and it takes the right kind of man to unleash her secrets.

Pre-Order Links (Sales go live on November 3rd):

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Plan-Interrupted-Valerie-J-Clarizio-ebook/dp/B015WEN7L2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1444176158&sr=8-1&keywords=valerie+clarizio

iTunes:  https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1044123608

Kobo:  https://store.kobobooks.com/en-ca/ebook/plan-interrupted

Barnes & Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/plan-interrupted-valerie-j-clarizio/1122714090;jsessionid=3D6A876E55691250042DDE8D87865BE3.prodny_store01-2?ean=2940152759938

Bio:

Valerie Clarizio lives in romantic Door County Wisconsin with her husband and two extremely spoiled cats. She loves to read, write, and spend time at her cabin in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

She’s lived her life surrounded by men, three brothers, a husband, and a male Siamese cat who required his own instruction manual. Keeping up with all the men in her life has turned her into an outdoors enthusiast, of which her favorite activity is hiking in national parks. While out on the trails, she has plenty of time to conjure up irresistible characters and unique storylines for her next romantic suspense or sweet contemporary romance novel.

Ms. Clarizio’s Contact Links:

Website:  https://valclarizio.wordpress.com/about/

Twitter:  @VClarizio  https://twitter.com/VClarizio

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Valerie.Clarizio

Google+:  https://plus.google.com/u/0/100928949465109415957/posts

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6573130.Valerie_J_Clarizio

Newsletter Signup:  http://eepurl.com/bn6QoD

Excerpt #1

Elizabeth leaned back against her closed door for support. She recalled how perplexed Joe looked a moment ago, and she couldn’t help but wonder what was going through his mind. She thought maybe he wanted to kiss her, and on one hand she longed for him to do so, but on the other hand he wasn’t part of ‘The Plan,’ the very plan that didn’t allow for men right now.

She raised her fingers to her lips. They felt hot. What would it have been like to kiss his mouth rather than his cheek? No need to speculate; it would be heavenly. Her heartbeat went into overdrive, causing her limbs to go numb. What were supposed to be deep calming breaths were useless.

What in the world is happening to me? Pull yourself together Elizabeth. Stay the course!

But no matter how hard she tried to will Joe out of her mind, visions of him kept passing through. Thoughts of him warmed her heart, yet made her head ache.

Stick to the plan. Stay the course. Stick to the plan. Stay the course.

Thinking the words were of no use, and she knew saying them aloud wouldn’t help either. Her head couldn’t control her heart.

Tell us about your current series.

The St. John Sibling Series is about four brothers and one sister who’ve been raised by loving parents in the unorthodox world of expats in Eastern Europe where their parents were American Embassy support staff. They go off into adulthood well-adapted and well-equipped to handle life, effectively making them the perfect mates for the conflicted people they fall in love with.

Taming Tess, a modern day Taming of the Shrew story, book 1 in the series, is full of verbal jousting between building contractor and ready for a family of his own Roman St. John and career focused Architect Tess Armstrong. Finding Home, Book 2, hints of the Wizard of Oz in that Sam Ryan, who’s been sent to dig up dirt on widow Dixie St. John so her father-in-law can take custody of her son, personifies the Tin Man who thought he lacked a heart but had one all along…as Dixie will teach him. Craving a Hero, book 3, brings together Michigan Game Warden Kelly Jackson who believes there are no heroes for her and Sexiest Action Movie star Dane St. John for whom everything has always come easy…until Kelly, fearing rejection, hides the fact she’s given birth to his daughter. It takes nearly losing his child and Kelly for Dane to fully understand what’s most precious to him.

Yet to come, Seeking Bliss, a departure from the straight contemporary romance of the first three books in the series as it adds in the kidnapping of writer Bliss O’Hara’s brother and former Navy SEAL Jake St. John’s finding his way back into civilization. Forever Knight follows baby brother Renn St. John into the world of dinner theater on the grand scale of a Medieval Joust. The carefree stunt rider is pitted against his boss’ daughter Gabriel de la Santo, an Olympic-level equestrian.

What is your favorite part of writing?

I love brainstorming with other authors. Something magical happens when all that creative energy gets together. We feed off each other’s energy. It becomes a feeding frenzy of ideas.

Where do you get the ideas for your stories?

Strangely, I seem to get my best stories from a setting. A favorite restaurant of mine that had been converted from a farmhouse inspired Finding Home. The spectacular fire of a local Victorian mansion which was being renovated sparked my idea for Taming Tess. I seem to get a feeling from the place or something that happened to/in the place that makes me ask how would this work as a backdrop for a romantic relationship story. What is its story? What kind of characters would live/work in this place? How does this building/setting affect my characters?

Was your road to publication fraught with peril or a walk in the park?

Definitely peril. When I was writing paranormal, none of the big publishers were buying them.  By the time I started writing lighter romance, the market wanted paranormal. Twice I was on the brink of a contract with major publishers. In one case, the editor pushing my work was fired and, in the other, the line I was under consideration for closed.

I even had a great relationship with one editor as she was rising through the ranks. Her company didn’t publish paranormal which is what I was writing when we first me, but she hung onto my manuscript, insisting “someday.” When “someday” came (five years later), the paranormal they wanted wasn’t the kind of paranormal I wrote.

When I jumped on the ebook bandwagon, hoping it was the next trend, my first publishing experience was wonderful because of the amazing company I’d signed with. They were enormously author friendly and I learned a lot about the business with them. Unfortunately, they eventually sold out to a larger epublisher and my sales dried up. I sold the book of my heart to one of the top epublishers only to have them change their bookstore to a cumbersome buying process that made it almost impossible for new readers to find my book. In fact, I think the only sales from that company were the print copies I hand sold.

My first publication with a small but major publisher was part of an anthology which never earned beyond the advance. The next major publisher to sign me put my book out in hardcover, but distributed to a limited audience and then they closed the line.

I’m currently trying out being an INDIE author. I like the control I have over the process. I have a fabulous cover artist, which I’m responsible for paying. And a good editor costs a lot. I’m thinking of exploring some small publishers.

Enough, I’m depressing myself revisiting all this. But it does make one point clear for anyone who wants to make a career out of writing. You need to persevere and you better love writing because sometimes that’s the only payout.

Do you have a view in your writing space?

What does your space look like?  My little office off my bedroom looks out over a wooded field where deer and bunnies and squirrels and turkeys play…when my dogs don’t chase them off.

Has your muse always known what genre you would write and be published in?

My muse is schizophrenic. My early books were dark with gothic-like paranormal themes. I’ve written erotica (under another name). I’ve even published an American colonial historical. Currently, I’m writing the St. John Sibling series that has a lot of humor in it. But even within the series I’m having trouble keeping to a straight contemporary theme. I put out a spin-off friends series from the St. John Siblings series earlier this summer with a mystery in it and the 4^th book in the Sibling Series is a mystery adventure which I refer to as Romancing the Stone meets Remington Steel. For those of you not old enough to remember that movie and series, the movie put a romance novelist in a South American jungle searching for her kidnapped sister and the series involved Pierce Brosnan (if you don’t know who he is, Google him) impersonating the series’ heroine’s fictitious boss. Both were fun.

What do you have planned for the future?

I’m dying to get to the FRIENDS spinoff series. I already did Saving Andi, a spinoff friend of Kelly, my forest ranger heroine in Craving a Hero who falls in love with Sexiest Action Movie Hero Dane St. John. But I’m itching to get to Brody, Roman St. John’s best friend from Taming Tess. Brody is such a tease and so sexy in spite of the fact he’s in a wheelchair. He has enlisted Roman the contractor and Tess the architect to help him renovate a lodge on a ski hill he wants to turn into a camp for handicapped kids. I’ve been interviewing heroines for him. She has to be able to see behind that sense of humor he uses as a shield. I’m also looking forward to researching the sex lives of paraplegics.

What did you want to be when you were a child?

At one point, when I was very young, I wanted to be a nun. But not being Catholic made that a problem. So, I just kept pretending I was a boy so I could do adventurous things like ride the rails. That last really tells us something about the mindset of a culture can limit a child’s thinking.  Did you always know you wanted to be a writer? I didn’t always “know” I wanted to be an author. I just wrote a book when I was twelve because I loved the Black Stallion series but I wanted a horse series with a girl lead in it. When I was a high school freshman and had to fill out some school form, one of the questions was “what is your secret ambition?” I had never given secret ambitions a thought yet, without hesitation, I wrote “writer.” I guess I always subconsciously knew what I wanted to do.

Do you have any rejection stories to share?

I once got a rejection from a magazine I didn’t even know I’d submitted an article to. Then there was the phone call from an agent who gushed over my writing, telling me how I’d nailed my heroine. But, because of the subject matter, she couldn’t handle the book. I recently got a rejection on a full manuscript, the editor saying she really liked my writing and the story, but it didn’t fit her line. The odd part of this rejection was I had never sent a full manuscript to her, just a partial.

EXCERPT

I chose to focus on Book 2 of the St. John Series, FINDING HOME, the sweetest story of the series. Finding Home Link

Finding Home was a finalist in AMAZON’S BREAKTHROUGH NOVEL AWARD and WRITE TOUCH READERS’ contests, & placed second as READERS’ CHOICE in BTS eMag RED CARPET REVIEW contest.

Dixie’s eyes cut to the garage door where his helmet and duffel lay. Damn, why hadn’t he just set the kid aside, shooed the dog off, and hopped onto his bike? Now he’d have to run the gauntlet of excuses why he couldn’t stay, none of which would be the truth…unless he confessed that he’d come here under Uncle Stuart’s orders…not to mention he was far too attracted to his cousin’s widow to be decent.

“I hope you were going to say good-bye before you left,” she said, her purr a tad sad.

“Sure. Of course.” He stared at the red toes of Dixie’s footwear—boots this time, which was about as close to looking her in the eye as he could manage. Maybe if she didn’t see into his eyes, she wouldn’t see the lie in him.

But the seconds stretched and he knew he hadn’t fooled Dixie Rae one iota. He shoved his hands into his pockets and confessed.

“I was sneaking off.”

“Poor Sam.”

He blinked at Dixie—gaped at her. Hardly the response he’d expected.

“You don’t need to sneak off from us, Sam.” She brushed at the dust on his sleeve. “You can come and go here as you please.” She turned his hand over, her fingers light on his wrist, her thumb soft against the grass stain on the heel of his hand.

If she kept touching him like that, his pleasure would all be in the staying. Was that her plan, entice him with provocative caresses?

One corner of her lips tugged further upward as though she knew her secret was out. “Just making sure I’m not sending you off with any of my gravel imbedded in your hand. Blame the mother in me.”

“The mother, huh?”

Her crooked smile stretched further still. “That’s what mothers do.”

“Not mine,” he answered without thinking.

The flirtatious curl of Dixie’s lips slipped and the message in her eyes couldn’t have been clearer if she’d said it aloud, poor Sam.

He should be disturbed by her pity. He should be so shamed by it that he couldn’t face her—that he’d all the more need to leave. But he couldn’t turn away, couldn’t stop exploring the sympathy in Dixie’s eyes. Suddenly he wasn’t so sure he wanted to leave the world of a woman who knew what it was like to be cast out by the Carringtons.

“You said the restaurant was closed Mondays,” he said. “So you won’t need a chef tomorrow.”

“I’ll have all day to talk Carl into coming back.”

He had no doubt she could talk any man into anything.

“Besides, I’ve already imposed on you enough,” she added.

“We already had this discussion,” he said, prolonging a conversation better ended. “I’m family, remember? Besides, it was fun.”

“Good.” Her lips curled into their seductive smile and her hand in his warm—comfortably so, invitingly so.

Ask me to stay.

“We’ll miss you, Sam.”

BIO

Award-Winning author Barbara Raffin has lived on the Michigan-Wisconsin border all her life. Blessed with a vivid imagination, she creates stories and adventures where she can explore her love of words and the human psyche. Whether a romantic romp or gothic-flavored suspense, her books have one common denominator: characters who are wounded, passionate, and searching for love.

Barbara will be appearing at the Southeast Wisconsin Festival of Books at the University of Wisconsin-Waukesha November 7^th on a Q&A panel about the romance genre.

Visit her at her website: www.BarbaraRaffin.com

Or her blog: Barb’s Blog

Find her books at Barbara Raffin Books