I'LL STAND BY YOU
Once Upon A Time series, book 1
Harlequin
Kimani Romance
ISBN: 0373862997
Will
he be her happily ever after?
On
leave from her job as a firefighter, Eboni Wynter is on a quest to reunite with
her three long-lost sisters. She isn't looking for romance…until she meets her
off-the-charts-sexy neighbor. A major player on the Manhattan singles scene,
real estate mogul Darren Grayson arouses a deep passion in Eboni.
Darren
has never met anyone quite like Eboni. He'll do whatever it takes to win her
heart…if she'll let him. But sooner or later, Eboni's bound to discover the
truth about Darren's past, and his secret may come between them. Or will they
discover the courage to stay together and find their own perfect ending? EXCERPT
MEET THE AUTHOR
Wayne Jordan has been reading authors’ bios for years, and often dreamed of having his own Web site as a published Harlequin author. Years passed, and his dream of being published finally became a reality in 2003 when he received the call just two days before Christmas. In November 2005, his debut novel, Capture the Sunrise, was released by BET/Arabesque as part of a special 2-in-1 volume entitled Slow Motion, along with prolific author Devon Vaughn Archer. Along with his career as a published author, Wayne is a high school teacher of literature, language arts and theater arts. He’s a graduate of the University of the West Indies, and holds a B.A. in literature in linguistics and an M.A. in Applied Linguistics. Wayne lives on the beautiful tropical island of Barbados, which with its white sands and golden sunshine is the perfect setting for the romance stories he loves to create.
THE Q&A with DARREN GRAYSON
Hero from I'LL STAND BY YOU
ANGI: How often to you get lost in a story between real
estate deals?
DARREN: I love to read. While mysteries and legal thrillers are my
favorite genres, I do pick up the occasional romantic suspense. Love the work of Dee Fossen, Keren Rose, Tami
Hoag…and of course Angi Morgan.
ANGI: Oh wow, you're too kind. Now I'm all flustered.
So what does it mean to be a Kimani
Hottie?
DARREN: I feel honored. Of course, posing for the cover was a bit
daunting. Just a towel…
ANGI: (fanning herself) Umm…I noticed. What’s your
favorite “love” word?
DARREN: Passion. I’m a very passionate individual and I love
strong and ‘hard’
ANGI: Oh my goodness, we better get these questions
back to a PG13 rating. LOL
Wayne's favorite fairy
tale is Cinderella. Do you have a favorite?
DARREN: I love Snow White. I remember
wanting to be the prince that wakes her up with the kiss. Pretty awesome stuff.
ANGI: That might be very nice. What’s your favorite
cartoon character?
DARREN: Fred Flintstone. He’s the kind of cool dude I like. A bit awkward, a bit loud, a bit naive, but a
good heart.
ANGI: I loved THE FLINTSTONES when I was growing up. What
do you like most about Eboni, your heroine?
DARREN: Her determination to be independent and find her sisters. The fact that despite being adopted into a
wealthy family, she does not flaunt her wealth.
ANGI: Is there a playlist you’d recommend for reading your
story?
DARREN: Definitely Darius Rucker. Wayne
and I have that in common. We love
country music and the storytelling elements of the genre. Darius Rucker embodies all I like in that
kind of music, plus he has a great voice.
ANGI: What sound or noise do you love?
DARREN: The sound of raindrops, the sound of waves crashing
against the shore.
ANGI: I have a WAVES DVD that I play when I write--LOVE the sound of the ocean. What’s your favorite movie of all time?
DARREN: Ghost. A movie that blends the two things I enjoy
most. A good suspense with romance.
ANGI: Great movie and it's about time for me to watch that again. Who’s your favorite villain?
DARREN: ‘Simon’ Jeremy Irons in Die Hard with a Vengeance.
ANGI: Let's wrap up with one last question. What is your biggest vice and do you think Eboni
knows?
DARREN: I was about to say ‘sex’, but it would have to be ice-cream. Give me a
large bowl of ice-cream and I’m in heaven…and yes, especially after sex. ;-)
ANGI: I love ice cream… okay, Wayne's turn.
ANGI’S GOTTA ASK: It's been blizzard weather in
lots of the U.S. But why don't you share
what it's like where you live, Wayne. Be sure to send a picture so we can envy
you more.
WAYNE'S GOTTA ANSWER: There are days of
wonderful sunshine, and an ocean breeze which never fails to caress heated
bodies; there are also days of gentle rains and days of heavy rains, but both
part of the cycle which is necessary for the sugar cane plants to grown.
FIND WAYNE
UP NEXT FOR WAYNE
TOUCH MY HEART
Once Upon A Time series, book
Harlequin
Kimani Romance
December 2013
WAYNE'S GIVING AWAY two copies of I'LL STAND BY YOU print or digital via Amazon.com (North America only). Don't forget to leave your email address.
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DON’T FORGET to FOLLOW us on Twitter #GetLostStories or LIKE us on Facebook to keep up with all our guest authors and their prizes. I'm back Wednesday with Angie Fox and her latest release. And come in tomorrow for a special two-fer and giveaway: St. Patrick's Pals with Donnell and Angi
WAYNE WANTS TO KNOW: where's your favorite setting for a love scene?
It's just after six here on the island. Already, I can see the sun peeping from the horizon, just beyond a old lighthouse in the distance. I live on the east coast of the island, about 30 mins from out capital city Bridgetown (and work), but it's absolutely beautiful on this side of the island.
ReplyDeleteI'll be here for most of the day (Work in the morning), but I'll drop by whenever I can from at work, but the evening will be all you. Feel free to ask me any questions about my work and writing in general. It's always a pleasure to assist readers and aspiring authors.
Hi Wayne! I don't really have a favorite setting for a love scene. I like to keep it loose wit my characters but I recently wrote a sex scene in a 1968 Shelby GT-Cobra which was amazingly fun!
ReplyDeleteRobin: Thanks for dropping by and the continued support. You have been awesome. Yeah, I'm like you. Keeping it loose is definitely fine with me. I usually let my hero and heroine determine when it happened and it can happen in the most unusual, but exciting, places.
ReplyDeleteI AM envious after seeing those pics of Barbados. Looks like a postcard. And it's great to learn about your books!
ReplyDeleteClover:
DeleteThanks for dropping by. I love your name. Barbados! Yes, I get the envious all the time; especially at conferences. People do seem to love my island accent. While everything is not perfect, the island is beautiful. Perfect romantic inspiration! Can you believe I hardly make time to go to the beach? I went once last year.
Hi Wayne,
ReplyDeleteNice to see you here. You are a busy man! My favorite setting is either on the floor or against a wall. I like an urgent encounter. Oh wait, did you mean Barbados?
yenastone at aol dot com
Hi Tammy:
DeleteYes, I do seem to get around. On HQN, I'm hosty, but here I get to the Wayne Jordan, the author. I'm partial to a wall too...and in the bathroom...against the wall. Definitely, not county setting...I was definitely being a bit grittier. LOL
Hi Wayne,
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun interview with Darren and what a great way to make a new fan (me!). It's a real treat to hear from a male romance writer--and get your perspective on love, romance and sex. Can't wait to get to know you better through your books.
I don't have a favorite setting for a love scene. In my books I try really hard to come up with a slightly unusual place for the romance and make it believable and sensual. From a darkroom to a clearing in the woods beside a roaring campfire, to a horse paddock to a lake--I just like my scenes to be unexpected yet loving and meaningful. And, yes, Barbados would work perfectly!! Thanks for visiting us here today. Good luck with your books!
Hi Lizbeth:
DeleteAfter Taurean in my first book, Darren is definitely a favorite. He is a fun kind of guy. I hope you give my book a chance. I know some readers are still a bit cautious about men writing traditional romance, but I think I do a pretty good job. I'LL STAND BY YOU is a perfect place to start since it's the first book in a new series.
For me...I just follow my hero/heroine's lead and they tell me where they want to do it. ;-)
And I love your phrase..."unexpected yet loving and meaningful". That says it all.
Hmmm, favorite place for a love scene...I think when they lose control and go up against a wall. Inside or out doesn't matter :-)
ReplyDeletesynithiaw @ gmail . com
Enjoyed the interview... Wayne Jordan is one of the few male authors i'll one click just because of his previous works that I have...
ReplyDeleteIf I had to choose a perfect scene to make it'd have to be during a thunderstorm or a snowstorm...
caiidynsmommie(at)gmail(dot)com
Chynarey;
DeleteThanks for the kind words. I'm always pleased when readers take a chance on a male author and hopefully enjoy his contribution to the genre. I love romance and have always...so writing in the genre came as natural as the rising sun each morning. I don't think there is anything that is more rewarding that getting positive feedback for readers.
Thunderstorm? Snowstorm? I am in totally agreement!
Oh my gosh, what a great interview. Wayne, welcome to Get Lost in a Story and good job. What a coincidence we read many of the same authors, and I read Angi Morgan too. Funny, that didn't fluster me though Your books sound sensational and so does your background to write them. So drop the towel and get back to the keyboard. -- Er that came out wrong, didn't it? Best wishes on your books!
ReplyDeleteDonnell:
DeleteYou have me here cracking up or should I say LMAO! Ironically, I just came home from work and am at the keyboard in, but since this is a public forum, I must be proper and not drop anything!
Love the cover of THE PAST CAME HUNTING. Romantic suspense? I'm intrigued.
LOL. Yes, that public forum problem Glad you're at the keyboard! Thanks, The Past Came Hunting is Romantic Suspense and so is my new release, Deadly Recall. Can't wait to read your work! Thanks again for joining us!
DeleteWelcome back to GLIAS, Wayne. *I have to agree with everyone above. Especially with Chynarey about thunderstorms...
ReplyDeleteI think I'm going to have to come to Barbados for a book signing, Wayne. Your pictures and descriptions are beautiful.
~Angi
Angi:
DeleteThanks for having me here. Authors love promotional opportunities! However, I also see it as a great chance to meet fans...and new readers. I remembered when I was just a readers and had the opportunity to meet authors on the HQ Community how thrilled I was. I get that same thrill when I meet readers.
I am not too picky. As long as the couple has chemistry... it doesn't matter to me. That being said, my favorite kisses in movies were the Spiderman kiss and the kiss in Notebook... Both happened during the rain... Now I wouldn't do it in real life... I hate getting wet! But watching it was great!
ReplyDeleteMay:
DeleteI still get chill from the upside down Spiderman kiss. Wish I were he?
I know how some people feel about water, but the worse for me is on the beach. People think it's so romantic, but there is no excitement in having going every where. :-)
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWonderful interview! Darren is a hot mess. Wayne - You did not have to rub it in about the wonderful weather. :). I have visited your beautiful country several times so while it may not be my fav place for a love scene - I would like to see one that involves Harrison's Cave.
ReplyDeleteBeverly:
DeleteYeah, Darren is one of my favorite heroes. Ok, I can't help talking about the great warm weather we are having.
I've never thought of using Harrison's Cave, since I'll really have to see how to get it done. I'd have to have the hero or heroine working there to make it work since it's only open to tourists on tours.
wj
Welcome to GLIAS, Wayne :) Since I write historical, I'm partial to follies and grottos at country manors, preferably by a serene lake.
ReplyDeleteI'm totally with you on the beach...blech...sand. Everywhere.
Heather:
ReplyDeleteYeah, Barbados is a beautiful island, but the beach is definitely not the best place for lovemaking unless you have a large, large blanket and you are sure there are no crabs around. Sorry to spoil readers fantasy.
wj
I'm about to put my new amazon card to work right now lol, I can't wait to read Eboni and Darren story. Wayne you so making a sistah want to move to a beautiful island now!
ReplyDeleteQuay
Quay: I hope you enjoy I'LL STAND BY YOU. I've been getting some great feedback...
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, my island is beautiful...
Ironically, I'LL STAND BY YOU is one of the few books, I haven't set in Barbados. However, Dominic Wolfe, my hero in TOUCH MY HEART, December 2013 is an island boy who finds success as an actor/model, but after an accident returns home to the island. Enters feisty nurse Aaliyah...
wj
Drum Roll...
ReplyDeleteAnd the winners of copies of I'LL STAND BY YOU are Clover and May. Congrats! Please email me at authorwj @ caribsurf.com. Of course, delete the spaces. Let me know if you want the digital copy or the print copy from Amazon.com. If print, I'll gift via your email address, if print, just include your snail mail address in the email.
It was great being here. I just love the uniqueness of this site. Angi, thanks for having Darren and me...