#20Twenty with... Raven McAllan

I am delighted to welcome Raven McAllan onto my blog today, author of Miss Simpkins' School: Miranda released earlier this month by Breathless Press.

So, let's get going with a this months' round of #20Twenty...

ACT ONE – all about you…

1) Have you always been a writer or is it something you fell into?

I've always written, but I didn't think I could write and be published until a couple of years ago. As a child I won two Where Does Chocolate Come From writing competitions, but at senior school I was told my writing was too flowery and not factual enough. 

2) Do you have a particular writing style or ritual?

I just write what my characters tell me. At home, I sit in my study all day, looking out across the garden to the fields and forest. I don't go into the lounge until the evening. (Well the study is nearer the coffee pot.)

3) Is there a book or an author that has influenced you in your writing?

It was a harlequin writer, Robyn Donald who I met several years ago, in New Zealand. She told me to sit down and try. Her descriptions of New Zealand made me want to visit there, and her. 

4) Is there one piece of writing (or life?) advice that has stuck with you, or that you would like to share?

Just try. You never know until you do, what you're capable if, and as long as you do your best, you're the winner. Also write as you can, not as you think you should.

5) Can you tell us three things about yourself that we probably don’t already know?

Er probably not. I didn't start drinking full strength coffee until I was pregnant. I hate the feel of new wet wood. It gives me goose bumps. I always eat the caramels in a box of chocolates before anything else.

6) What five luxury items or gadgets would you hate to be without?

Champagne, chocolate, MacBook Air and charger (can I have a power source), comfy feather pillow and my Uggs.

ACT TWO – all about your new release…

.

Lessons learned at Miss Simpkins' School is just the education Miranda needs to learn how to seduce her reluctant Lord. Or is it?

Miranda may be a well brought up lady, but she has needs, and she is determined to go after who she wants.

Enlisting the help of Miss Simpkins and her School for Seduction, she sets out to tempt Felix. Men can be so difficult sometimes, and not see what's right under their nose.

It falls to her to show him that age is just a number. She may be young, but she knows what she wants. And she is determined to get it.

Will Felix be able to resist temptation, or will he finally see sense and claim what's been his all along.

Little does Miranda know what Felix has in store for her.

7) Congratulations on your recent release of Miss Simpkins' School: Miranda, what was your inspiration for writing Miranda's story?

Miranda kept shouting at me. She wasn't really a front runner until I realized who she was related to and why she needed her story told. Especially as her story is a reversal of what was expected in those days. She wants her older man. It's him who doesn't think a large age gap is right. Totally the opposite to most Regency marriages.

8) Did the story flow from your finger tips or did some scenes take a bit of cajoling?

It flowed. I love the Miss Simpkins' School series. They're so much fun to write.

9) How long did it take for the initial spark of the story to make it onto the page and then onto the publisher’s desk?

About a week. Seriously. I wrote three of this series' short stories in under three weeks. They just hit me, and when that happens I listen—and write.

10) Do you have a favourite paragraph or sentence from your story that you would like to tantalise us with?

It’s a couple of short paragraphs… But I think it shows how well they spar…

“You see, Felix, ladies gossip. I know so much happens that is rarely admitted to openly. And it intrigues me. I want to experience some of those things. However, I’m greedy. I want you to be my tutor. No one else. And added to that, I want to know it is only me you...attend to, shall I say? You keep telling me I’m too young for you? Really? Or are you scared? Scared you won’t be man enough for me?”

She had never known just what the words “a pregnant silence” meant before then. His eyes now widened and something unknown to her flashed in their depths.

“Oh, Miranda, I will be more than enough for you, my dear.” The velvet tones poured over her, and surrounded her with notes of heat and intention. She had never felt so taken in thrall by a voice before. Each word, each nuance, enveloped her and encouraged her body to tingle. His smile was one-hundred-percent sex. Never before had she been the recipient of that expression and it was the most juice-inducing look ever. “The thorny question is...” 

Felix paused, and one side of his mouth quirked up in what she thought of as delicious. “Are you woman enough to cope?”

11) Over to you, what can you tell us about Miss Simpkins' School: Miranda to make us rush out and buy it?

Well, if you like feisty women, hot bod men and a story with lots of hints and intimacy…Evidently I write very hot. Snigger I try to hint and tease, and let you give your imagination full reign…

12) What can we expect from you next? Is there something you are working on right now? 

Well, There's two more Miss Simpkins' stories, Jane and Molly with my editor, so I'll be doing edits for those. (Breathless Press) Plus two books out of a series of six, all finished with Totally Bound. The series is set in a Scottish castle which is a BDSM club, called Diomhair. Secrets Shared is up for pre-order in April and on general release in May, and Secrets Uncovered will be out in July. Oh and I'm writing Nina's story, (Nina's Dom) which is book three of Dommissimma after Master, And A Dom's Decision- Athol's Story. Um after that? Who knows. I write as my characters tell me to.

QUICK FIRE ROUND – it’s pop quiz time…

13) Plotter or pantser?

Pantster every time.  I did try to plot once…ARGH, what a stale, cardboard, wooden load of rubbish.

14) Digital books or print books?

I love both. Print to smell a new book. Digital for ease of, well everything. I used to take a case full of books on holiday. Now I have room for clothes.

15) Tea or coffee?

Tea first thing. Coffee all morning, tea after lunch.

16) Extrovert or introvert?

Depends on my mood.

17) Facebook or Twitter?

Facebook because it's easier to find everything on my lap top.

18) Christmas or birthday?

Christmas. Mind you my birthday is only a couple of weeks before, so December tends to be celebratory.

19) Morning person or night owl?

Morning every time. As often seen by my comments at 2 am, 5 am or whatever on FB.

20) Sweet or savoury?

Again depends on my mood.

And that’s a wrap!

Thank you so much for taking part, Raven I wish you every success with your new release.

To discover even more about Raven McAllan and to keep up with her latest projects, you can visit her at:

Website     Blog     Twitter

Facebook     Facebook (page)     Facebook (Miss Simpkins

Buy it now…

.

Add to Goodreads

ISBN: 978-1-77101-253-9
Released: 7 March 2014

Breathless Press
Amazon UK / US
All Romance ebooks

Excerpt…

The bag over his head took him by surprise. Before he had time to react his arms were bound to his side, and then someone kicked his feet from under him. In his soft house shoes he was powerless to kick out and injure. He did his best to relax to cushion his fall. The last thought he had was he hoped to hell he didn’t topple down the stairs.

He didn’t. Before he hit the floor, strong arms held him horizontal, something rough—rope he surmised—was wrapped around his ankles. How he wished he had his top boots on, it would have been so much harder for him to be secured. Resigned for the moment, he assumed he was carried along the corridor. Even though he knew the house as well as his own, unsighted, and with his hearing muted, he was hard pressed to tell just where they were.

Ever the fatalist, he mentally shrugged and awaited his fate, whatever it might be. It seemed someone was having a laugh at his expense.

Kidnap? Unlikely in this house. Mistaken identity? Also unlikely. Her? He thought of the tormentor of his dreams. Surely not. She is not capable of executing such a thing.

Several minutes later he wasn’t quite so insouciant about everything. He was still being carried. They had, as far as he could tell under the circumstances, descended a long flight of stairs and ascended a shorter one, entered and also exited several rooms. Sometimes the footsteps of whoever carried him sounded heavy and hollow, at other times he heard nothing at all. Without reverberations, he assumed that sometimes they moved over carpeted floor and others bare boards. It was no help. His host’s house was old and had a mish mash of floors and coverings in no particular order. They could be going around in circles for all he knew.

His captor, he decided that was the best name applicable, halted and through the fusty material that enveloped him, Felix heard several faint door hinge squeaks and dull thuds. The dust and fibers over his face made breathing ever more difficult, and his mouth was dry. If I’m not released soon, I won’t have to worry about my knotty problems. I’ll be deceased and Soutar can deal with the lot of them.

That morbid thought didn’t sit well with him. Instead he began to get annoyed. Whatever was happening had been going on far too long, and it was no longer a joke. As his captor paused once more Felix kicked out. The curse he heard was loud enough to cut through his covering like a knife through butter, and it was good old-fashioned Anglo-Saxon. The jarring went up his leg, travelled through his body, and made his teeth rattle.

“Give over, you’ll get hurt.”

Felix wondered if he recognized the voice, and decided he didn’t care. If it was who he thought it was, he deserved the kick for his roughness. If it wasn’t, he deserved the kick anyway. He struck out again and to his delight his bound feet connected with a body. He could only hope he’d got him in the bollocks.

“I warned you.” The thump to his head was worthy of any devotee of Jackson’s Boxing salon.

Bugger, that wasn’t in the plan. It was Felix’s last thought before he saw stars and then nothing else.

#20Twenty with... Molly Ann Wishlade

I am delighted to welcome Molly Ann Wishlade, author of Trying Too Hard released last month by Carina (Harlequin UK), onto my blog for today's round of #20Twenty...

ACT ONE – all about you…

Molly Ann Wishlade has always been an avid reader and writer of stories. She regularly indulges her love of romance and passion by getting lost in the delicious worlds created by romantic novelists. When not reading, she’s busy with her current WIP, usually her next highly erotic tale about sexy and saucy heroes and their lady loves – and sometimes their gorgeous male lovers too. 

1) Have you always been a writer or is it something you fell into?

I’ve always written stories and longed to be published but I didn’t think I had what it takes. I fell into teaching instead of following a career in journalism as I’d planned. Motherhood and a very busy time followed and I tried to forget about my dream. 

In 2007, I submitted a medical romance to HM&B but it was rejected and I’m not surprised! Then I wasted time procrastinating. A few years ago, after confessing my burning desire to write to my husband, he encouraged me to try again and after a few bumps and bruises (i.e. rejections and revise and resubmits) I finally made it and Totally Bound contracted my debut novella Desire in Deadwood.

2) Do you have a particular writing style or ritual?

Whenever and wherever! ;) As I work fulltime, have two young children and a gorgeous and supportive husband, writing doesn’t get the time I would like to give it. So I seize every opportunity!

3) Is there a book or an author that has influenced you in your writing?

Growing up, I loved the passionate intensity of Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. I adore a good romance but I also read every Stephen King novel I could get my hands on. I like all genres and I admire good writers. It’s a craft and one that I hope to improve with every book I write. 

4) Is there one piece of writing (or life?) advice that has stuck with you, or that you would like to share?

Be true to yourself and your author voice. Don’t try to write what doesn’t come naturally because it will show.

5) Can you tell us three things about yourself that we probably don’t already know?

I have a bulldog and a greyhound and when we take them out, people often comment on them being an odd pair.

I make a tasty curry using my own special blend of spices.

I’m an Olympic snowboarder. (I wish! I have enjoyed the Winter Olympics enormously and I’m addicted to the snowboarding and skiing events. I can ski but not at Olympic level. YET!!!)

6) What five luxury items or gadgets would you hate to be without?

My laptop. I NEED it!!!

My husband. He is a luxury and a necessity and a gadget in a way because he drives me around. (I hate driving.) I’m kind of an emotional scatterbrain and he grounds me.

My kids. They ground me too but they’re also a luxury because they keep me smiling and give me lots of hugs.

Wine. YUM! (Not necessity but luxury. Well…kind of necessary luxury.)

Net Flix – since we discovered this, it’s been amazing. I love House of Cards and Louis Theroux’s weird weekends. 

ACT TWO – all about your new release…

What’s the French word for lust…?

Hired as an intern at a coveted talent agency, blonde bubbly Catrin Owens knew she could be brilliant at the job. The code of conduct is crystal clear – business is business, pleasure is pleasure…and the two should never, ever meet! No problem for Catrin - she’s hardworking, and determined to excel. Until, that is, she meets the 6 ft-something wall of lean muscle that is her boss’ top client…

Scarred, and brimming with forbidden sex appeal, the French rugby star Henri Chevallier crashes through the walls of Catrin’s neatly-ordered life – and throws her polished professionalism aside like a scrap of sheer French lingerie!

The sex is fierce, exhilarating…life-changing – and almost all the more exciting as she knows she’s risking the career she dreamed of. Catrin knows she should step away. The problem? Henri is a temptation she can’t seem to resist…

7) Congratulations on your recent release of Trying Too Hard, what was your inspiration for writing Catrin and Henri’s story?

I wanted to write a romance featuring a rugby player set in Wales. The story idea came to me and I sketched an outline then when I started writing, it just flowed.

8) Did the story flow from your finger tips or did some scenes take a bit of cajoling?

This one pretty much flowed. It’s a novella about an intense and passionate affair between a Welsh celebrity agent and her firm’s handsome client, a French rugby player. 

9) How long did it take for the initial spark of the story to make it onto the page and then onto the publisher’s desk?

Taking into account the day job and my busy life, a couple of months.

10) Do you have a favourite paragraph or sentence from your story that you would like to tantalise us with?

The voice was like silk against Catrin’s skin and a flicker of lust darted like a hot tongue between her legs. 

;)

11) Over to you, what can you tell us about Trying Too Hard, to make us rush out and buy it?

If you like your romance hot, fast, emotional and with a dash of humour, this is the read for you!

12) What can we expect from you next? Is there something you are working on right now? 

I have a mini-series of three Western novellas (currently in edits with Carina UK) centred around three young women living in Deadwood in 1890 as well as a release due in March with Totally Bound called Harlot at the Homestead. It’s the first in a series of historical Westerns called The Duggans of Montana.

QUICK FIRE ROUND – it’s pop quiz time…

13) Plotter or pantser?

Plotter. 

14) Digital books or print books?

Both! I love my Kindle because it can hold so many books and I can download them immediately. But I also love a print book – the feel, the smell, the cover! Yummy! 

15) Tea or coffee?

Earl Grey

16) Extrovert or introvert?

Introvert. I hate being the centre of attention.

17) Facebook or Twitter?

Both have their good points.

18) Christmas or birthday? 

Christmas

19) Morning person or night owl?

Morning person if I have a day of writing planned.

20) Sweet or savoury?

Savoury.

And that’s a wrap!

Thank you so much for taking part, Molly, I wish you every success with your new release.

To discover even more about Molly Ann Wishlade and to keep up with her latest projects, you can visit her at:

Blog     Twitter     Facebook     Goodreads     Pinterest 

You can also catch up with Molly on the Total-E-Bound Blogspot on the twelfth of every month.

Buy it now…

Add to Goodreads

ISBN: 9781472090478
Released: 29 January 2014

Carina UK
Amazon UK / US / CA
All Romance
NOOK UK / US (B&N)
Kobo
iTunes

Excerpt…

“There you are!”

The voice was like silk against Catrin’s skin and a flicker of lust darted like a hot tongue between her legs. The poky, clinical office kitchen suddenly seemed too warm, its aroma of burnt toast overpowering. The air conditioning hummed in vain as Catrin’s body was flooded with heat.

The new arrival took hold of her shoulders in large, powerful hands and pushed her towards the counter so that her stomach pressed against the hard melamine edge. Her heart picked up its pace. The fine hairs on the back of her neck pricked up.

“Catrin,” he whispered into her right ear, causing a blonde tendril of hair that had freed itself from her chignon to flutter.

“Yes?” she whispered, her nipples tightening in anticipation.

“I missed you this morning.” He nibbled her earlobe. She shivered as he ran his fingers slowly down her sides.

“Henri.” She leaned into his warmth, felt the strength of his stomach muscles against her back, his heat searing through her thin blouse. “I had to get back to my apartment. You know...feed the cat.”

“What cat?” he said, trickling slow kisses down her neck then sliding his hands under her arms to cup her breasts.

She sighed as his exquisite touch fired her passion and her breathing quickened. She slid around in his arms then pressed a trembling hand upon his broad chest.

“Please, Henri…”

“What is it, chérie?” He tipped her chin upwards with a fingertip and his cologne washed over her. She savoured the fresh green woody tones. At their edge she could make out something else, something even more delicious: his musky masculine scent. It made her want to open his shirt and press her face against his belly to breathe him in.

“I can’t keep going like this,” she smiled, trying to regain her composure but desire pulsed through her core like a lusty demon possession.

“Like what, Catrin?”

He reached out and stroked the back of his free hand over her black satin skirt and she groaned, moving towards him even though a voice at the back of her mind reprimanded her. He laughed softly at her body’s betrayal and turned his hand around, pressing it against the apex of her thighs and cupping the ready flesh beneath.

She slumped against the counter, her eyes half-closed. Her legs turned to jelly as he lifted her skirt to her thighs.

Here I go again!

Her common sense drifted away like cobwebs on the wind and her body revealed her true emotions with every breath she took.

“Oh, t’es la plus belle femme du monde!” he gasped.

“Sorry?”

“Pardon, chérie!” he laughed. “I said that you are the most beautiful woman in the world.”

“Oh,” she smiled, “Thank you.” She loved it when Henri spoke his own language but wished that she could understand him better. A GCSE in French hadn’t equipped her for communicating with a French lover.

She relaxed and closed her eyes again as he ran his hands over her thighs.

“And this is what I love about you!”

Her eyes shot open.

Love?

He pushed her skirt right up to her hips then fingered the tops of her hold-ups and she realised what he meant. This Frenchman loved a woman’s body with all the trimmings, which was lucky as she liked pretty underwear. It was just more fun to have someone to appreciate it.

Mere moments ago she’d been spooning two sugars into her coffee cup, desperately in need of a caffeine fix after yet another long night of French loving with the handsome rugby player.

She was exhausted. Exhilarated. Still horny.

It was hard to believe that it was only two nights ago, on a rather cold, drizzly July evening that she’d accompanied her boss – the renowned celebrity agent Liam H. Clarkson – to an annual dinner. It had been the sixth anniversary of the establishment of Clarkson and Gwillam Celebrity Agency. It now had five branches across Europe, with the possibility of further growth, so spirits were at an all-time high.

And it had been there, deep in the cavernous candlelit corridors and ante-chambers of Cardiff Castle, polished, manicured and poured into her best lbd, that Catrin had met Henri.

And since then, her feet hadn’t touched the ground!

#20Twenty with... Jane O'Reilly

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and that your 2014 got off to a good start. I'm now back from my short 'Allie' blogging break but hope you kept in touch via my Aurelia blog.

Continuing with my regular #20Twenty guest slot - twenty questions on the twentieth of each month - I am delighted to welcome Jane O’Reilly, author of The Holiday Survival Guide, onto my blog today to kick off 2014 in style.

ACT ONE – all about you…

Jane O’Reilly started writing as an antidote to kids' TV when her youngest child was a baby. Her first novel was set in her old school and involved a ghost and lots of death. It’s unpublished, which is probably for the best. Then she discovered contemporary romance, and that, as they say, was that. She lives near London with her husband and two children.

1) Have you always been a writer or is it something you fell into?

I had played around with the idea as a teenager, but then I’d played around with a lot of ideas at that age. It was then forgotten for quite a long time, as I did all the usual things – went to university, did some jobs I was totally unsuited to, got married, had children. When my youngest was 10 months old, I got up one day and decided that I was going to write a book. I’d given up work when I had my first baby, and my life had been a constant cycle of no sleep and CBeebies, and I needed something that would challenge me, intellectually, and that wouldn’t cost any money or need childcare. I had read somewhere that Janet Evanovich had written her first book when she’d been at home with toddlers, and that was what really sparked the idea in my head. I wrote a terrible ghost story set in my old school and randomly decided to make it 75 thousand words long, just to see if I had the stamina to finish a manuscript. I did. It was awful. I wrote another, and then another. Once I’d started, I didn’t want to stop. 

2) Do you have a particular writing style or ritual?

My children are both in full time school now, so I write in school hours. I write 3 thousand words a day, 5 days a week. I try not to write at the weekend. During school holidays, I write 1 thousand words a day and try to write every day. My ritual is really simple – do the school run, sit down, turn on laptop, write.

3) Is there a book or an author that has influenced you in your writing? Or perhaps one piece of advice that has stuck with you that you’d like to share? 

I’d say that Vogler’s book The Writer’s Journey has definitely influenced me. I’m fascinated by story structure and how a story is so much more than a series of consecutive events. It is a bit of a tome, I admit, but well worth reading.

4) Can you tell us three things about yourself that we probably don’t already know? 

I’ve got 4 tattoos, I’m an obsessive knitter, and I went to school with Anita Rani from the One Show.

5) What five luxury items or gadgets would you hate to be without?

Can I count my husband as a luxury item? I’m really bad with gadgets, because I am too impatient to learn how to use anything properly. I would say a Radley bag, my knit pro knitting needles, Courvoisier and my collection of Karen Millen dresses, of which I have far too many (plus the husband, as mentioned above).

6) With Christmas already behind us, we turn our attention ahead to the year ahead. Did you join in with the madness of choosing New Year’s resolutions for 2014?

I actually didn’t this year. Usually I make a resolution to try and keep my house tidy, then I realise that I have no idea how to do that, so it pretty much crashes and burns by mid January. 

ACT TWO – all about your new release…

Witty, clever, and sharp. It's going to be the holiday from hell...and that's just how Erica wants it.

When tabloid journalist Erica Parker is forced to take a holiday, she's determined to make it the most miserable holiday she possibly can, but not even her impressive imaginative powers could have come up with sharing a tent with survival expert Nathan Wilde.

Nathan was a married man with a successful TV show before Erica got to work on his life. Now the hottest man she’s ever met is single, furious, and he’s got her alone in the wilderness for three long days…

7) Congratulations on your recent release of The Holiday Survival Guide; what was your inspiration for writing Erica and Nathan’s story? 

I had wanted to write a story with a Bear Gryll’s type hero for quite some time – the sort of man who is completely at home in surroundings that would turn the rest of us into nervous wrecks, who is physically fit, intelligent, and prone to stripping off at every give opportunity. I’m rambling. I’ll stop now. 

8) Did the story flow from your finger tips or did some scenes take a bit of cajoling? 

As the story is fairly short – just under 30K – it flowed pretty well. I had a clear idea of my heroine, and where she wanted to end up. 

9) How long did it take for the initial spark of the story to make it onto the page and then onto the publisher’s desk? 

I wrote the story in January 2013, in response to a submission call that Carina Press were running. They were looking for Winter Holiday stories. The turnaround was pretty tight, as I recall, so it was probably about 3 weeks work in total. I sent it to Angela James, who replied to let me know that she really liked it, but it didn’t fit the anthology theme (as ‘winter holiday’ doesn’t quite have the same meaning in the U.S. that it does here in the UK). She was keen to work on it but suggested that as I was already published by another Harlequin imprint, Escape, that I might want to sell it to them, so I did. 

10) Do you have a favourite paragraph or sentence from your story that you would like to tantalise us with? 

My favourite line is the whole book?

‘Oh my god,’ she yelled. ‘A Yeti!’

11) Over to you; what can you tell us about The Holiday Survival Guide, to make us rush out and buy it? 

It is a fun, quirky contemporary romance novella built around one of my favourite tropes – enemies to lovers. Plus they get naked in the snow. What more could you want? 

12) What can we expect from you next? Is there something you are working on right now? 

I have an erotic romance trilogy coming in March – three very naughty stories featuring three very different couples. The first one, Indecent Exposure, is about a shy photographer with a sideline in boudoir photography who finds herself taking nude shots of a man she really shouldn’t.

QUICK FIRE ROUND – it’s pop quiz time…

13) Plotter or pantser?

I was a panster until I learned how to plot. Now I’m a plotter with a capital P.

14) Digital books or print books?

That’s a tricky one. Print is safer for bathtime reading, but digital means you can’t cheat and read the end first. Plus it makes it easy to ignore how big your TBR pile is. So I’d say digital.

15) Tea or coffee?

Coffee. Diet coke on a really bad day.

16) Extrovert or introvert?

Introvert. Why anyone would want to talk to other people is beyond me *hides in cave*

17) Facebook or Twitter?

Twitter. Definitely twitter.

18) Christmas or birthday?

Christmas. My son is a Christmas baby, and you can’t get much better than that.

19) Morning person or night owl?

Morning. There is coffee and toast in the morning.

20) Sweet or savoury?

I don’t understand the second option.

And that’s a wrap!

Thank you so much for taking part, Jane, I wish you every success with your new release.

To discover even more about Jane O’Reilly, and to keep up with her latest projects and shenanigans, you can visit her at:

Website   Facebook   Twitter

Buy it now…

ISBN: 9780857991126
Release Date: January 2014

Escape

Amazon UK / US
Barnes & Noble (NOOK)
Kobo
iBookstore

#20Twenty with... Dianna Hardy

For this month's 20Twenty spot, I am delighted to welcome Dianna Hardy onto my blog today, author of The Witching Pen series, and the bestselling Eye Of The Storm series.

Thank you, Allie! I'm delighted to be here for the first time ever, and your blog looks swish by the way with that very fun, sexy header – yum! :D

ACT ONE – all about you…

Dianna combines a titillating mix of paranormal romance and urban fantasy into her writing to bring you stories that are action-packed, fast-paced and not short of heat, with the focus on both character development and the plot. She writes both full-length novels and short fiction. All further info can be found at diannahardy.com

1) Have you always been a writer or is it something you fell into?

At my core, I have always been a writer. From as young as I can remember I was writing stories, writing in my diary, writing poetry and writing songs. Life gets in the way, so it wasn't constant throughout the years, but I have always written.

2) Do you have a particular writing style or ritual?

Er … furiously type out the words and hope for the best!

3) Is there a book or an author that has influenced you in your writing?

I love the way J R Ward writes, and also Larissa Ione. I supposed they influenced my desire to write in a more “raw” way (particularly seen in my Eye Of The Storm series), although my writing style is definitely my own.

4) Is there one piece of writing (or life?) advice that has stuck with you, or that you would like to share?

About fifteen years ago I learnt and assimilated that I, and only I, am responsible for my life. I choose. That changed my way of thinking completely, and opened a valuable door for me that has led me to abundance and a wonderful sense of peace.

I also love almost everything Neil Gaiman says – he makes a lot of sense to me.

5) Can you tell us three things about yourself that we probably don’t already know?

Now, that would be telling … you don't know for a reason :)

6) What five luxury items or gadgets would you hate to be without?

Hot showers, coffee, my laptop, the internet and I guess that means electricity, too.

ACT TWO – all about your new release…

The Earth is in a state of shock after the apocalypse. The veil between dimensions is no more. Demons and fallen angels walk among humans, and everyone is trying to find their place in the new world - Morgan le Fey's world.

But the fairy queen finds herself cemented within humanity and struggling with human emotions, and her right-hand-man, Lucifer, has secrets which are causing fissions among every race.

Meanwhile, Karl and Elena struggle with their powers, Katarra delivers an important message, and two men will stop at nothing to protect their unborn child - the Messiah of the New Age - and the woman they love. 

Far to the east, the fallen Archangel Michael is fighting for the one he holds above all others.

The last Dragon is about to rise and seal everyone's future, which depends solely on its survival ... or its extinction.

NOTES: The Witching Pen series is comprised of a paranormal romance trilogy (books 1-3) and an urban fantasy novel, The Last Dragon. It is HIGHLY recommended that you read the trilogy first, so that you are not lost with this story. Contains explicit scenes of sex and some violence. Written in British English. (Full novel-length at approx. 90,000 words.)

7) Congratulations on your recent release of The Last Dragon, what was your inspiration for writing this story?

Well, this is the final instalment of a four-part series, which is made up The Witching Pen trilogy (books 1-3, paranormal romance) and The Last Dragon, which is book 4 and an urban fantasy. My inspiration for writing the series is made up of an awful lot of things, but I suppose I wanted to write something that brought both light and dark together, and had a theme of “unity” running through it. It's sort of hard to explain – so many parts of me when into making the series.

8) Did the story flow from your finger tips or did some scenes take a bit of cajoling?

Most of the story flowed. Of course, there are always scenes that are harder to write. The hardest character in the series to write was probably Gwain – he was hard to pin down, particularly in book three, The Demon Bride. And all of The Last Dragon was difficult to write, not least because of the direction that some of the characters went in, but it was necessary to tell the story.

9) How long did it take for the initial spark of the story to make it onto the page and then onto the publisher’s desk?

The series as a whole, I began writing on 6th May, 2011 with book one, The Witching Pen, and the series finished with the publication of The Last Dragon on 4th October, 2013. Two years and five months. It's been quite a journey :)

10) Do you have a favourite paragraph or sentence from your story that you would like to tantalise us with?

From The Last Dragon:

“One thing I’ve learnt about humans: you can’t judge their strength by the size of their actions, but by the devotion of an act, no matter how small.”

11) Over to you, what can you tell us about The Witching Pen series and The Last Dragon, to make us rush out and buy it?

In a nutshell: Witches, angels, demons, Heaven and Hell all come together in a dizzying story of friendship, love and forgiveness. Oh, and book one is FREE :)

12) What can we expect from you next? Is there something you are working on right now?

I'm working on Heart Of The Wolf, book three of the Eye Of The Storm series – all about lusty British werewolves :D

QUICK FIRE ROUND – it’s pop quiz time…

13) Plotter or pantser?

Both. I plot the pivotal moments, and then leave it chance as to how I'll get there.

14) Secret Seven or Famous Five? (please tell me you know them!?)

Famous Five! No contest. I wanted to be George, and we named out family pet (a Springer Spaniel) Timmy at my absolute insistence.

15) Digital books or print books?

I still like print best – there's nothing quite like physically holding a book you love, with the cover and everything.

16) Tea or coffee?

Coffee

17) Cats or dogs?

Cats

18) Extrovert or introvert?

Introvert

19) Save or spend?

Save

20) Facebook or Twitter?

Oooo, that's a hard one. I think Facebook wins, but not by much.

And that’s a wrap!

Thank you so much for taking part, Dianna, I wish you every success with your new release.

Thank you! This was fun!

To discover even more about Dianna Hardy, and to keep up with her latest projects, you can visit her at:

Website   Google+   Facebook   Twitter

Buy it now…

.

Add to Goodreads

The Witching Pen (book one of The Witching Pen series) FREE at most places - http://www.diannahardy.com/the-witching-pen.html

See also:

Releasing The Wolf (book one of the Eye Of The Storm series) - http://www.diannahardy.com/releasing-the-wolf.html

#20Twenty with... Jennifer Duffey

I am taking a moment out from my Aurelia tour shenanigans to host my regular 20Twenty feature, so pull up and chair and make yourself comfortable. Today, I am delighted to welcome Jennifer onto my blog today, author of Love and Lies, which was released September 3rd.

Let's get straight down to business ;-)

ACT ONE – all about you…

Born and raised in Texas, Jennifer is a transplant to Missouri long enough ago she should probably consider that her hometown. But she will forever be a Texan. She loves to write any story that will make a reader smile, laugh, and maybe even cry (although you won’t ever hear her admit that she cries). Whether the next story she writes is contemporary, urban fantasy, LGBT, or whatever other crazy idea she comes up with, there will always be love and romance in the midst of trials and turmoil.

When she’s not writing you can find her on Twitter, with her family, or buried in a book trying to escape reality for just a minute.

1) Have you always been a writer or is it something you fell into?

I’ve always been a writer, but had a break between oh about twelve years old until thirty years old. At thirty I kind of fell into it, so I guess a combination of both. 

2) Do you have a particular writing style or ritual?

Does complete randomness count as a ritual? Nah. Didn’t think so. I write when I have time and when I can get in the right frame of mind. 

3) Is there a book or an author that has influenced you in your writing?

There are authors that I admire, but I don’t know that any of them have influenced my writing. Through their books I’ve seen what works and used that in my own writing to some extent. 

4) Is there one piece of writing (or life?) advice that has stuck with you, or that you would like to share?

Have patience and take your time. It is the hardest thing to do as a writer, but it’s the best way to be successful. No matter what route you take when it comes to publishing, there is plenty of waiting time. So yeah, be patient. 

5) Can you tell us three things about yourself that we probably don’t already know?

I love pickles, Nascar, and always sit on the right side of an airplane. 

6) What five luxury items or gadgets would you hate to be without?

There are really only two…my kindle and cell phone. I’m pretty low-maintenance when it comes to gadgets and the like. 

ACT TWO – all about your new release…

Nineteen-year-old Carissa Stein has spent her life under the shadow of bodyguards and parents who never really cared about her, but leaving New York to attend art school near New Orleans is her way out.

She’s thrilled to be free and ready to explore love, drawing, and life without a constant watchdog. When Eric Byrne, new guy extraordinaire, shows up on the first day of classes everything starts to change. There’s something more than his stunning eyes and gorgeous body that pulls her in. Carissa would rather be single than deal with the complications of a relationship, especially with a determined guy like Eric. But he fights passed her walls and makes it hard to stay away. Carissa wants to be with Eric – but she wants her freedom too and Eric isn’t willing to let her go.

When Eric reciprocates and lets his own guard down Carissa finally learns the truth about why he chose to attend Beaux-Artiste University. She should have known better than to ignore her gut instinct. Turns out Eric’s got more of a connection to her than she realized. If Eric can’t convince her to give him another chance then his lies may just cause love to slip through their fingers.

7) Congratulations on your recent release of Love and Lies, what was your inspiration for writing Carissa’s story? 

This story actually started as 4 points of view, one for each of her friends. The further into that dreadful first draft, the more her story came to the forefront. She yelled the loudest, so after a few starts and stops, revises and rewrites, Carissa ended up telling her story. 

8) Did the story flow from your finger tips or did some scenes take a bit of cajoling? 

Let’s just say it flowed from my fingertips a few times. Haha. Love and Lies has been a true test of determination. 

9) How long did it take for the initial spark of the story to make it onto the page and then onto the publisher’s desk? 

It took me about six months to get the initial spark of the story on the page. It’s taken me three years to get it out to everyone. 

10) Do you have a favourite paragraph or sentence from your story that you would like to tantalise us with?

This is a line from Eric during one of his and Carissa’s first romantic encounters

“Oh, yes you are. Tonight is all about you, princess.”

11) Over to you, what can you tell us about Love and Lies, to make us rush out and buy it?

I’ve been told this story is similar to the movie First Daughter starring Katie Holmes. There’s laughter, a little suspense, secrets, and sexy. I like to think these characters are laid back for the most part, not a lot angst going on at Beaux-Artiste University. J

12) What can we expect from you next? Is there something you are working on right now? 

Right now I’m working on a short story for an upcoming anthology. After that I will start on the next book in this series—for now it’s the Love and Lies series—which will feature Logan and Mari. I’m really excited to write Logan’s story. He’s a musician who wants to follow his dreams, but every time he gets the chance something else stops him in his tracks. 

QUICK FIRE ROUND – it’s pop quiz time…

13) Plotter or pantser?

Plantser. Can’t plot like some people, but need a little guidance. 

14) Secret Seven or Famous Five? (please tell me you know them!?)

Ummm I had to Google them. So I know about them now. And I still don’t have an answer. Sorry L

15) Digital books or print books?

Both! Love to switch it up. 

16) Tea or coffee?

COFFEE 

17) Cats or dogs?

Cats please

18) Extrovert or introvert?

Introvert

19) Save or spend?

Save so I can later spend. 

20) Facebook or Twitter?

Twitter 

And that’s a wrap!

Thank you so much for taking part, Jennifer, I wish you every success with your new release.

To discover even more about Jennifer Duffey, and to keep up with her latest projects, you can visit her at:

Facebook     Twitter     Pinterest     Website

Buy it now…

Add to Goodreads

Amazon

Amazon UK

Barnes and Noble

All Romance Ebooks

Excerpt…

I'd just opened the bag of chips when he reached around me to take it. I smacked his hand. “Oh, no you don't. These are mine.” 

“Crazy, little girl. Those are mine. You got them out of my kitchen.” 

“Oh, I didn't tell you already? What's yours is mine, and what's mine is mine. So, these...” I shoved some Cheetos in my mouth. “Are mine,” I said around a mouth full of chips and wiggled my cheesy fingers in his face before licking them one by one, slowly savoring the flavor. 

“This means war.” 

With one hand, Eric grabbed the hand I clutched the bag with, while his other went to my waist, brushing against a slice of exposed skin. I squirmed and coughed, choking on the chips still in my mouth. He pulled back long enough for me to swallow and catch my breath. When he moved off the couch, he took the bag with him. 

When I no longer had him for support, I fell to the side. Eric stood next to the couch stuffing a handful of Cheetos in his mouth. He shoved so many in, his cheeks puffed out like a squirrel hoarding nuts. 

With my elbow on the arm of the couch and my head propped in my hand, I watched Eric stand in front of me with a mouthful of Cheetos, one hand on his hip, the other out toward me, palm up. He crooked a finger in my direction and motioned me over. I lay back on the couch looking at the ceiling. 

“Come and get it,” he teased. 

I had no intention of jumping up after him. If I got up and ran, he won. I wanted to win. “No, I'll wait.” 

Eric looked defeated. His shoulders slumped, his head hung low. I grinned at him. Like a snake, I slid off the couch and eased onto the table in front it before jumping toward him. He was faster than I expected, because he caught me in midair. I wrapped my legs around his waist and pulled the bag from between us. He held me up, his arms around my waist, hands cupping my butt. 

#20Twenty with... Kierney Scott

I am delighted to welcome Kierney Scott onto my blog today, author of Twice in a Lifetime, soon to be released from Carina UK.

Don't let the cheeky smile fool you, this fabulous lady has a wicked sense of humour so I couldn't wait to get her in the twenty questions hotseat.

ACT ONE – all about you…

Kierney Scott

Originally from California, Kierney Scott moved to Scotland to enrol in the Ph D programme in Educational Research at the University of Edinburgh.

Four days after she arrived, she met her husband, who persuaded her it would be more fun to get married than write a thesis. After the birth of her daughter she decided it was time to go back to school, but soon discovered all she wanted to write was romance novels. She admitted her literary proclivities to her husband, who promptly bought her a laptop and told her to start writing her book.

When she is not writing, you will probably find her at a spinning class or baking (read eating) cupcakes. Her butter cream icing is legendary, if only in her mind. If you want her recipe, or just want to chat, you can contact her at KierneyScott@gmail.com or follow her on twitter @Kierney_S

1) Have you always been a writer or is it something you fell into?

I think it was inevitable I became a romance writer. My mother has always been completely addicted to romance novels, so much so that she would read them to us as bed time stories so she did not have to put her book down. She always left out the sex scenes but when I was eleven or so I started reading them for myself. Totally inappropriate, I know, but it explains so much…

2) Do you have a particular writing style or ritual?

Every book I write has a theme song(s) I listen to on a loop. For Twice in a Lifetime, I listened mostly to Pink’s Give Me a Reason and Lucky by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat. For the dark moment I listed to Stay by Rihanna. For the sex scenes I listened to S&M by Rihanna. It is impossible to feel uptight when you listen to that song!

3) Is there a book or an author that has influenced you in your writing?

I have read A LOT of old school romance so it stands to reason some of it has permeated my subconscious. Sometimes you can see it in my heroes. At the start of a book, before the heroine shows them the light, they can cross the line from alpha to jackass. Luckily I have an editor who calls me on it.

4) Is there one piece of writing (or life?) advice that has stuck with you, or that you would like to share?

My writing advice is to avoid info dumps. I like to feel drop kicked into a scene. Readers are smart, they can figure out what is going on, so wait until they care about your characters before you give them their back story.

My advice for life is: be kind, be positive, and always seek out the joy in life.

5) Can you tell us three things about yourself that we probably don’t already know?

I have the world’s smallest tattoo: a forget-me-not flower on my second toe. My sisters have matching ones.

I am freakishly strong as a result of my enormous quadriceps. I can leg press 900 lbs. My husband likes to refer to my legs as my Chris Hoys.

I am teetotal but people often assume I am drunk because I am always the first to hit the dance floor and my dancing is not great...

6) What five luxury items or gadgets would you hate to be without?

My electric toothbrush, my kindle, my laptop, my ipod, and my vitamix. I love that blender. I feed my daughter spinach smoothies and call them ice cream.

ACT TWO – all about your new release…

A second chance at redemption...

A lifetime ago, Sarah and Liam were childhood sweethearts in a dingy Edinburgh block, dreaming of making it in the big wide world. But reality called. Sarah stayed to make a difference in her community, while Liam forged a career in international finance and never looked back.

Ten years on, a friend in crisis brings Sarah and Liam together in Dubai. There’s no trace of the boy she once loved – the man Liam has become is hard, mercenary, infuriating… and arousing. In an opulent desert city far away from everything she knows, can Sarah take the heat?

7) Congratulations on your recent release of Twice in a Lifetime, what was your inspiration for writing Sarah and Liam’s story?

The jobs from my pre writing life were the inspiration for this book. I taught emotionally and behaviourally disturbed children. In theory the school was for children from all over Edinburgh, but there was a disproportionate number from certain areas, like the council estate that was home to Liam and Sarah. I often thought about what it would look like if one of my pupils really succeeded in life. I wondered what scars they would carry from their start in life.

I also worked in harm reduction doing near enough the same job as my heroine Sarah: giving condoms and clean needles to sex workers.

8) Did the story flow from your finger tips or did some scenes take a bit of cajoling?

This was by far the easiest thing I have ever written. I am not sure why but I am very grateful for how smoothly the writing process was.

9) I see Twice in a Lifetime is your debut, how long did it take for the initial spark of the story to make it onto the page and then onto the publisher’s desk?

It took me less than two months to write.

10) Do you have a favourite paragraph or sentence from your story that you would like to tantalise us with?

She shrugged her shoulders. “You hide behind your penis. It is not a bad thing, it is just your crazy. You flirt with me to deflect your feelings. You aren’t good at dealing with emotion so you fall back on what you are good at.”

“No Dr. Campbell, I flirt with you for the reason men flirt with women-I fancy you.”

She shook her head. “Nope, it has nothing to with fancying. You do it when I bring up something you don’t want to talk about, anything related to the past.”

He turned and looked at her directly in the eyes. “I do it because I want to screw you in every position ever tried, and some they haven’t thought up yet. Simple as that, Sarah. I want to fuck you.”

*Confession time* This is my favourite bit of dialogue because I was certain my editor was going to cut it. I automatically love anything I think is going to get the chop.

11) Over to you, what can you tell us about Twice in a Lifetime, to make us rush out and buy it?

Twice in a Lifetime is a fast sexy read set in Dubai . What is not to like?!

12) What can we expect from you next? Is there something you are working on right now?

I am almost done with my second book. The working title is My Gay Husband. I have no idea what my publisher will call it in the end. I love the surprise.

QUICK FIRE ROUND – it’s pop quiz time…

13) Plotter or pantser?

Plotters for the win! I write a very detailed outline, chapter by chapter. The book may change as I write and flesh out the characters. If this happens I go back and change the outline because nothing goes in the book unless it is in the outline.

14) Secret Seven or Famous Five?(please tell me you know them!?)

I was raised in California so I did not discover Enid Blyton until I moved to Scotland. I prefer Robert Munsch and Shel Silverstein. They are gods of children’s literature. Trust me I was a teacher, I know kid’s books ;-)

15) Digital books or print books?

Digital all the way. I love the instant gratification. I am not great with impulse control.

16) Tea or coffee?

Can I be awkward and say toffee nut Signature hot chocolate from Starbucks? I am addicted. I am never away from that shop. They even have a copy of my cover on their community notice board because I am that friendly with the baristas. One of them is called Liam and I tease him and say I named my hero after him.

17) Cats or dogs?

My husband is very allergic so we are pet free. But growing up I had enough pets to last a lifetime: cats, dogs, chickens, fish, rabbits, hamsters and goats. I think the goats were my favourite. They were thick as mince and ate everything in sight. I could get on board with that.

18) Extrovert or introvert?

Total extrovert. If I know you more than five minutes, we are friends and I will invite you to my house for dinner. I love being around people. You know the missionaries that come knocking? I have them over for dinner. We all look past the fact I write naughty books and am unconvertible (is that even a word?!)

19) Save or spend?

Save

20) Facebook or Twitter?

Facebook but everyone else seems to love Twitter.

And that’s a wrap!

Thank you so much for taking part, Kierney, I wish you every success with your new release.

To discover even more about Kierney Scott, and to keep up with her latest projects and shenanigans, you can connect with her at:

Facebook    Twitter    Blog     Email

Buy it now...

Add to Goodreads

ISBN: 978-1-4720-1819-9
Release date: 29th August 2013
Can't wait? Pre-order your copy now!

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