Touchdown with Michel Prince: All Around Fun-tastic Author

I’m so happy to welcome a good friend and prolific, super-fun   She has several series out in multiple genres. Whatever you like to read—Michel likely has something for you! Today she’s here to talk about  “THIRD AND LONG: Book Three of the Love by the Yard Series” published by JK Publishing.  Help me welcome Michel Prince!
author to GLIAS today. Michel Prince is not just a wonderful romance storyteller, she’s an all around whirlwind, a photographer with a beautiful online cover photo portfolio (check out her amazing website Royal Touch photography), and a unique and enthusiastic promoter of her own work and that of her friends.

A LITTLE ABOUT MICHEL

Michel Prince graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in history and political science. She writes new adult and adult paranormal romance as well as contemporary romance.

With characters yelling at her, "It's my turn damn it!!!" she tries to explain to them that, alas, she can only type a hundred and twenty words a minute and they will have wait their turn.  She knows eventually they find their way out of her head and to her fingertips, and she looks forward to sharing them with you.  

When Michel can suppress the voices in her head she can be found cheering for her son at a variety of sports.  She would like to thank her family for always being in her corner and especially her husband for supporting her every dream and never letting her give up.

Michel has been awarded Elite Status with Rebel Ink Press in 2013, the service award for her local RWA chapter Midwest Fiction Writers in 2013 and 2014, won Sweetest Romance at IRAE 2015, and is a PAN member of RWA.  She lives in the Twin Cities with her husband, son, and dog, Bolt. 

ABOUT “THIRD AND LONG”

In book three of Love by the Yard: Ten years ago, Xavier Jackson had been poised to complete a lifelong journey. When he wasn’t picked up after the seventh round of the draft, he wondered if his dreams of playing professional football were finally over. Instead, with a chance as a free agent, he made good on his dream, but the lure of off-field activities led the tight end to make the worst decision of his life.

Chelsea Monroe was engaged to Xavier, the best football player their little college had ever seen. She’d become part of his family, and was tasked with keeping his baby sister, Leeda, safe when he had to go away. But a disastrous visit during training put an end to everything, leaving Chelsea shattered and unwilling to give herself to anyone ever again.

Though a decade of focus on her career made her a sought-after litigator, it kept her from making any personal connections. When Chelsea decides to take a trip to Jamaica before a fresh start in Chicago, instead of being a break, it turns into a second chance.

Leeda Jackson has plans for her brother Xavier and the woman that should have been her sister.

EXCERPT

Lee-Lee demanded they move on from bad boyfriends and past talk. It was time to look forward. And forward was the karaoke bar at the resort. With a drink held high in her hand, Lee-Lee wiggled her way into the bar as music played and a decent singer was attempting to not massacre Hit Me With Your Best Shot. Chelsea followed with her own drink and found them a table. Lee-Lee was at the DJ booth reviewing songs.

“You know you’re going to have to come up with me for moral support,” Lee-Lee explained as she sat down next to Chelsea.

Waving her hand while sipping on her latest Caribbean concoction, she choked out, “Not a chance in hell.”

“I’m just funning,” she said with a slap. “Xavier asked me to put his name in.”

“He’s here?”

Lee-Lee turned, and he walked through the door to the club. She motioned for him to come to their table. He did look good in a pair of beige linen pants and buttoned down white shirt. It was open with the sleeves rolled up and he wore a tank top that clung to his body. Damn his body was as fit as it had been in college. It made her mouth water to see the outline of the cuts in his abs. His chest was broad and she assumed still slick and hairless.

“Perfect timing, you’re next,” Lee-Lee said.

“Wow, that quick.” He reached for Chelsea’s drink, gulped it down, then stole his sister’s. Shaking off the probable brain freeze from the iced drink he called out, “Whoo. Let’s do this.”

“I thought he only sang in private,” Chelsea said as she waved over a waiter for refills making sure to add water to their drink order.

“Or when motivated.”

“What motivated him to embarrass himself? Two rum laced drinks stolen from us?”

“You’ll just have to wait and see, won’t you?”

Xavier stepped up on stage and his eyes were a bit hooded as he stared at Chelsea. When I was Your Man began to play. A lump formed in her throat as he started to sing about foolish choices made by an immature man. The regret he had when he closed eyes and dreamed about her. How he could never fix the mistakes of his youth and he wished her well.  

Acid burned from her heart. She couldn’t move as he sang with his eyes locked on hers. The stares started with Lee-Lee, soon the whole room might as well have two spotlights. Xavier hopped off the stage no longer needing the words. Heat flushed her cheeks, but she couldn’t turn away. He had her caught in his pained gaze. A worker passed him a small bouquet of flowers and as he sang about missing his chance to apologize he passed them to her.

Tears filled her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. He took her hand and helped her. Spinning her around and then he pulled her flush to his body as he sang about her love of dancing. She laid her face on his shoulder as she held him tight.

“Baby,” he whispered in her ear. “My biggest failure was not being the man you deserved. It’s only a few days together, but let me try to fix what I did. I never stopped loving you. Not for one day.”

The DJ came to retrieve the microphone from Xavier. Walking her out to an empty lobby, Xavier held her close. Behind them cheers from the crowd had her burying herself deeper in his chest.

“That wasn’t fair,” she said when she could feel they were no longer the center of attention. “Did you even have to work?”

“Yes, I did. I have over twenty reports to type up on players. And if you wouldn’t have eaten with my sister I might not have gotten any done. She spent the hour going over details for this.”

“Your sister is nothing if not a planner.”

“Leeda is a conniving schemer and you need to fix your privacy settings on social media.”

“What?”

“Can we not talk about her? Please. What she did came from a place of caring. She knows I’m in pain.” He took her hands in his and brought them to his lips. “Chelsea, I meant what I said. I fucked up royally. I don’t know how your life’s been since we split but, baby, I’m not where I wanted to be and that’s a hundred percent because you weren’t with me.” He stroked her cheek and shivers went down her spine.  “I don’t deserve a second chance, but I’ll drop to my knees right here to beg for one.”

“The last time you kneeled in front of me you promised me your heart forever.”

“It’s still yours. Nothing has changed.”

“I have,” she choked out the words. No matter how hard she wanted to forgive, she couldn’t forget the hurt. “I don’t trust anyone. I was on campus for years standing up for you when everyone told me you would leave the second you were drafted. Not my Xavier. My man loves me. Forever and always. Xavier, I won’t survive if you decide I’m not enough again.”

“Chels,” he said, pulling her into his arms. His body warm and firm yet so familiar as she melted against him. “Give me Jamaica to prove I’ve changed.”

Every part of her was screaming to let him in. She’d been his, even if he no longer wanted her. At night, she still dreamed of him. Time hadn’t made her love for him diminish.

“Changed or settled,” she challenged. “Being in love with you is as simple as breathing for me. I can hold my breath as long as I want, but my body will force me
to exhale.”

PURCHASE ”THIRD AND LONG”

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Q&A WITH MICHEL

LIZ: What was your favorite book as a child?

MICHEL: The Changeling by Zilpha Keatley Snyder

LIZ: How did you come up with the idea for this book? 

MICHEL: Although this is the third book in the Love by the Yard Series I started it about four years ago when my husband and I were coming home from vacation in Jamaica. The idea of running into a past love at a resort spun through my mind. Initially it was going to be a stand alone book, but as I worked on it the idea of a team took over and this one had to be the third.

LIZ: What do you enjoy doing when you’re not writing?

MICHEL: I love going to plays and musicals. I’m usually at a sporting event, whether my son’s games or my beloved Minnesota Vikings. I also can’t pass up a board or card game.

LIZ: If you described your book in three words, which would you choose?

MICHEL: Forgiveness, love and laughs.

LIZ: If you could have dinner with any three book characters, who would you choose and why?

MICHEL: Charley Davidson, From the Grave Series. She may bring down hell fire, but I’d be laughing with her all night. Rhage from the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, because once again I’d be laughing and, well, one wants a nice view. Finally Laura Ingalls. That would be from childhood. For some reason I always wanted to show her all the cool things in this century.

LIZ: You’ve been granted one superpower for one week. Which power would you choose, and what would you do with it?

MICHEL: I’m not sure if it’s a superpower, or drug induced, but Limitless has the person’s mind expand so they need little to no sleep and they can learn and understand everything. Also he wrote a grammatically- and plot-perfect book in one day. It’s all in his head, but he couldn’t get it out until then. So with seven days I would get quite a few books done, my house would be clean and I might even learn Spanish or something. And note the grammatically correct part.

LIZ: Time for a mini blitz!

a)Favorite color? Lavender.

Song? Currently, Thinking Out Loud or Honey I’m Good.

Movie? This is impossible. I’m a movie freak and would need genre breakdown, classic verses contemporary… Do you have three hours?

b) Summer or winter? Winter

c) Morning or night? Night

d) Rain or shine? Shine

e) Sweet or salty? Salty

LIZ: Do you have any favorite authors? How did they influence your writing?

MICHEL: I have a ton, my favorites include Judy Blume, J.R. Ward, Sherryln Kenyon and Sydney Sheldon. I’m not sure if they influenced or inspired.

   

LIZ: What’s on your bucket list for this year?

MICHEL: I really need to get my sci-fi book done and submitted to agents and publishers.

LIZ HAS GOTTA ASK: What’s the most personal thing you’ve ever put in one of your books?

MICHEL: Oh man, bad thing to ask a romance writer. The obvious answer would be sex positions or some other such physical aspect, but honestly that’s superficial. In my (mixed ethnicity) relationship I experienced many names being hurled at me, especially early on with my now husband. There were many hurtful things to me, because even though I knew racism existed, having it hurled at me cut deep. Made me lose hope in humanity for a time. I worked that out in my writing a bit, but also put in the good. The sweet nicknames, the way my son was as a toddler and such. Although I say Ellie and Oscar aren’t my husband and me, and they aren’t, they have had similar life experiences. If you read the Chrysalis series, especially, you’ll see it sprinkled in the four books.

DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION YOU’D LIKE TO ASK YOUR FANS?

How far do you give a book (i.e., how long do you keep reading) before you know you’ll love it or dump it?

Michel has a signed paperback copy of her book SILLY GIRL-- an earlier basketball hero story--for one lucky commenter today!

CONTACT MICHEL

Website:   www.MichelPrincebooks.com

Facebook:   www.facebook.com/michelprincebooks

Twitter:  www.twitter.com/michelprince1

PREVIOUS RELEASES: 

Check out books 1 & 2
in Michel's  "Love By the Yard" series!