4/23/2013

Get Lost in Georgie Lee's Classic Hollywood Romance






Studio Relations
Georgie Lee


Vivien Howard hasn’t forgiven Weston Holmes for almost derailing her career five years ago. Female directors in 1930s Hollywood are few and far between, and a man who coasts by on his good looks and family connections can’t possibly appreciate what it took for her to get to where she is. But when the studio head puts Weston in charge of overseeing Vivien’s ambitious Civil War film, she realizes she has a choice: make nice with her charismatic new boss or watch a replacement director destroy her dream.

Weston Holmes doesn’t know much about making movies, but he knows plenty about money. And thanks to the Depression, ticket sales are dangerously low. The studio can’t afford a flop—or bad press, which is exactly what threatens to unfold when an innocent encounter between Weston and Vivien is misconstrued by the gossip rags. The only solution? A marriage of convenience that will force the bickering duo into an unlikely alliance—and guide them to their own happy Hollywood ending.



Welcome back to Get Lost in a Story, Georgie.

A dedicated history and film buff, Georgie Lee loves combining her passion for Hollywood, history and storytelling through romantic fiction. She began writing professionally at a small TV station in San Diego before moving to Los Angeles to work in the interesting but strange world of the entertainment industry.

Her first novel, Lady’s Wager, and her contemporary novella, Rock ‘n’ Roll Reunion are both available from Ellora’s Cave Blush. Labor Relations, a contemporary romance of Hollywood, and Studio Relations, a love story set in 1935 Hollywood, are currently available from Montlake Romance. Look for her Regency novella, Hero’s Redemption from Carina Press in July 2013, and her Regency novel, Engagement of Convenience, from Harlequin Historical on October 2013.  

When not writing, Georgie enjoys reading non-fiction history and watching any movie with a costume and an accent. Please visit  www.georgie-lee.com for more information about Georgie and her novels.

Jillian: What’s the first book you remember reading?
Georgie: The first books I remember hearing were Don Quixote and Tom Sawyer. My mom used to read them to me when I was very little. The first book I remember reading is My Very Own Seasons by Chisachi Suehiro. I still have my old copy on my bookshelf.
Jillian: What’s your favorite fairy tale?
Georgie: At one time The Little Mermaid was my favorite. Then Disney released Beauty and the Beast and it blew the mermaid out of the water. I love Belle and Beast, though I do recognize that Disney has had an undue influence on my response to fairy tales.

Jillian: Where do you read and how often? 
Georgie: I usually read before bed, except when I’m on a deadline. I will also confess that I keep a book in the bathroom. Enough said.

Jillian: What sound or noise do you love?
Georgie: I love the sound of wind chimes, especially the metal tube ones. I have two outside and the tinkling sound on a breezy day is beautiful. However, during a major windstorm at 2am, not so much.

Jillian: What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in?
Georgie: I don’t write post-apocolyptic stories but I love them. The Stand and The Handmaid’s Tale are two of my top three favorite books. I’ll leave readers to guess which book fills out the top three (hint: the making of the 1939 movie based on this book inspired a number of scenes in Studio Relations).

Jillian: Do you write while listening to music? If so what kind?
Georgie: I cannot write and listen to music at the same time. I find it is too distracting. However, I will use music to brainstorm. Soundtracks from movies set in the time period I’m writing in are usually the most helpful.

Jillian: If you couldn’t be a writer anymore, what profession would you take up?
Georgie: I think I’d become royalty. I could totally rule a country. Or maybe just a small island somewhere.

Georgie has a question for commenters: Studio Relations is set in 1935 Hollywood. Gone with the Wind is my favorite classic film. What are some of your favorite classic Hollywood films?

Contact Georgie online:

Twitter: @GeorgieLeeBooks
Blog 
Purchase link: Amazon  

***Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America  addresses only. If an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) is available, the author may utilize that option for International participants. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.



4/19/2013

MINDLINK


KAT CANTRELL "took a complete new world with new possibilities and let it all blend into a mesmerizing, captivating world of danger…showing trust is the ultimate reason for love when you find right person.”  
~5 of 5 stars from Fantasy Romance Reviews

MINDLINK
Carina Press
ASIN: B00APEXMHE
EXCERPT

Determined to revitalize her imploding career, blacklisted movie star Ashley V takes on her biggest role yet: posing as one of ten scientists invited by aliens to a universal summit. But when the aliens seize, strip and implant the entire delegation to extract their knowledge, she is quickly found out and sent to a cell to await recycling.

The alien research director designated ZXQ-One devised a plan to let the humans volunteer their best and brightest in a gamble to solve his people’s energy crisis. But he fails to find anything useful and winds up imprisoned alongside the fiery human woman who refuses to give up, and who insists on calling him Sam.

After an accidental link between their implants lets them share their thoughts, they find themselves drawn to each other. Sam will have to trust in her human compassion and forgiveness for his role in her capture, and Ashley will have to trust him with her deepest secrets if they are to have any chance at survival…

THE EARTHLY KAT CANTRELL
read her first Harlequin novel in third grade and has been scribbling in notebooks since she learned to spell. What else would she write but romance? She majored in Literature, officially with the intent to teach, but somehow ended up buried in middle management at Corporate America, Inc.

Kat became a stay-at-home mom in 2009 and devoted nap time to writing. After three years and many thousands of words, her dream of publication finally came true. When she’s not writing about characters on the journey to happily ever after, she can be found at a soccer game, watching Friends or dancing with her kids to Duran Duran and Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Kat, her husband and their two boys live in North Texas. She’s a proud member of Romance Writers of America®. Kat was the 2011 Harlequin So You Think You Can Write winner and a 2012 RWA® Golden Heart® finalist for best unpublished series contemporary manuscript.

OUT OF THIS WORLD QUESTIONS
We are so lucky to have a famous actress with us today. Her newest role landed her in a heap of trouble with aliens! I couldn't resist this interview.


ANGI: Who was your favorite character you portrayed?
ASHLEY: Ashley V. No really. In Hollywood, you’re never off camera and the me sitting here right now is as much an invention as any movie character. That’s how you survive the casting jungle.

ANGI: What’s the first book you remember reading? 
ASHLEY: The first thing I remember reading is the script for the first commercial I did when I was six. Does that count? I didn’t go to school like normal kids, so it was pretty much all about the script from way back.

ANGI: What’s your favorite “love” word?
ASHLEY: Jewelry. The more sparkle, the more love. ;)

ANGI: Can you tell us about a real-life hero you’ve met?
ASHLEY: My mom. She raised me after my dad left and without her pushing me through Hollywood's closed doors, I’d be a nobody.

ANGI: What was your first thought meeting Sam?
ASHLEY: Here’s someone who can help me escape. Fantastic. And I keep forgetting he’s not human. What is with that?

ANGI: Which is your favorite movie?
ASHLEY: The one that grosses the highest. Oh, did you mean one that I wasn’t in? I watched Contact a bunch of times for research. It was pretty cool.

ANGI: Who’s your favorite villain?
ASHLEY: Voldemort. He was virtually invisible and slowly clawed his way back into existence and power, despite not even having a body. You have to admire that kind of resolve.

ANGI: What's your least favorite thing about aliens?
ASHLEY: (makes a face) That they exist. And do horrific things to humans. And lie to everybody. Oh, and they’re bossy.

ANGI: What is your biggest vice?
ASHLEY: Seriously? You know I had to go to court-ordered rehab, right? That’s code for never-met-a-vice-I-didn’t-like.

ANGI: What role do you wish you could have snagged?
ASHLEY: You’ll think it’s silly, but I’m really mad I didn’t get The Ugly Truth. Stupid Katherine Heigl. She used to be an alien on that show Roswell, you know.

ANGI’S GOTTA ASK: While creating your world for MINDLINK, what stumped you the most?
KAT'S GOTTA ANSWER: Oh, man. I hate to tell you…it’s kind of the crux of the alien’s secret. Let’s just say the alien world is a derivative of another society and it was a challenge to envision how the original society might reasonably evolve and change over time. I had to think about culture, government, politics, economics, technology, etc. It’s not an exaggeration when I say I had seventy-five pages of notes for this book before I wrote the first word.

FIND KAT
Twitter   @KatCantrell   Blogs
Previous GLIAS Interview

UP NEXT for KAT
THE BABY DEAL
Harlequin Desire, August 




PREGNANT BY MORNING
Harlequin Desire, January 2014




PREVIOUS RELEASES
by KAT
MARRIAGE WITH BENEFITS
Harlequin Desire, February
THE THINGS SHE SAYS
Harlequin Desire, March
Excerpt


KAT is giving away a digital copy of MINDLINK in your choice of formats to anyone who comments (International participants welcome!)
Note: COMMENTERS are encouraged to leave a contact email address to speed the prize notification process. Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America addresses only unless specifically mentioned in the post. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants. Winners of drawings are responsible for checking this site in a timely manner. If prizes are not claimed in a timely manner, the author may not have a prize available. Get Lost In A Story cannot be responsible for an author's failure to mail the listed prize. GLIAS does not automatically pass email addresses to guest authors unless the commenter publicly posts their email address.

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. Join me Wednesday when I host the fabulous Karilyn Bentley. And come back the 25th for a special couple of days of celebration of the release of Protecting Their Child. ~Angi 


KAT WANTS TO KNOW: Ashley, the heroine of MINDLINK, is kind of a mess and has a reputation for being difficult on the set. But she knows she caused her own problems and desperately wants a second chance. Do you think people can really change?

4/18/2013

Get Lost on a Mystery Tour Extraordinaire







All For Spilled Blood

by R. Ann Siracusa


Harriet Ruby, Tour Director Extraordinaire, and her fiancĆ© and favorite spy, Will Talbot, travel to Russia undercover as tour directors for the US delegation to an international youth conference. Harriet tackles her first covert assignment to investigate smuggled artwork while Will’s mission is to locate and destroy a group of terrorists recruiting young computer experts.
Their marriage plans hit a snag when Will locates a long-lost cousin with startling news about his heritage. When the artwork being smuggled has particular significance to one of the terrorist sympathizers, their missions entangle and begin to unravel, leaving Will at the mercy of terrorist kidnappers and Harriet holding the bag.

Excerpt:


     We waited without speaking.
     I crossed and uncrossed my legs a dozen times and pulled nervously at the hem of my skirt, still unsure whether I wanted to be a spy. 
     I could get killed doing that.
     While I stared out the large window overlooking the pink carpet of cherry blossoms arching over the streets of Washington, DC, the woman we waited for breezed into the office and took her place behind the desk in front of us.
     "Good morning, Ms. Ruby." Eleanor Morrison nodded formally, speaking as if the Department of Homeland Security required the use of surnames, then added, "Harriet." She turned her smile to my fiancĆ©. "Agent Talbot. Will."
     The formalities dispensed with, Eleanor settled into her leather chair, rested her elbows on the surface of the teakwood desk, and leaned forward. Her intense gray eyes studied me and then flicked to Will.
     "Thank you for coming." She spoke as though we happened to be in the neighborhood and dropped in for a visit on the spur of the moment.
     I returned her smile with a broad grin. "Our pleasure."
     Will and I liked Eleanor. Otherwise, I wouldn't have traveled all the way from Rome, and Will from Spain, to be there. Of course, Eleanor Morrison was not her real name, only the cover name we knew and used. One of the rules of spydom.
     "I wasn't sure if you would still be interested in doing work for me." She peaked and unpeaked her fingers. "I thought you two would be married by now and have other things on your minds."
     Will and I exchanged a glance. Eleanor quirked an eyebrow. She didn't miss much. Being the definitive perfectionist, her nature didn't permit her to overlook even the slightest innuendo or gesture. Her attention to detail defied reproach, particularly when it came to her official responsibilities.
     Fortunately for the US, she worked for our side.
    "We're still engaged," Will replied, his tone curious. "Does it make any difference whether we're married or not?"
     She pursed her lips. "Married might be better for this mission, but we can make it work." Her sentence ended in a shrug. She picked up a sheaf of papers and tapped them on the surface of the desk until the edges aligned perfectly, then set them in front of her.
     I shifted in my seat and clasped my hands together in my lap to keep from waving them around or picking at the arm of the chair. At best, patience and I maintained an uneasy alliance, although I'd learned a lot during the past two and a half years with Will, some of it too personal to even think about without getting hot.
     He and I shared such a profound emotional connection, almost at the molecular level, that at times it seemed we read each other's minds. But sitting there in Eleanor's office, as I searched his face and body language for his reaction to her offer, I read nothing. He was playing it close to the vest and screening me out.
     My decision. He would not intervene. 


Welcome R. Ann Siracusa! 
     Ann is a California girl who earned her Bachelor of Architecture degree from UC Berkeley, then went immediately to Rome, Italy. On her first day there, she met an Italian policeman at the Fountain of Love, and the rest is history. Instead of a degree from the University of Rome, she got a husband, and they've been married going on fifty years. In Rome, she worked for as an architect and planner for a land development company for several years until she and her husband moved to the US.
     Now retired, she combines her passions—world travel and writing—into novels which transport readers to exotic settings, immerse them in romance, intrigue, and foreign cultures, and make them laugh. Her most recent release, All For Spilled Blood, is the fourth book in a five book romantic suspense series, Tour Director Extraordinaire.

Jillian: What’s the first book you remember reading?
Ann: Horton the Elephant by Dr. Suess

Jillian: What’s your favorite cartoon character?
Ann: For those of you who may remember, it's Pogo.

Jillian: Be honest, when reading 1st person...do you miss the hero’s POV?
Ann: Not if the book is well written. I find that a good writer can convey what the hero is most likely thinking and feeling through action/dialogue/showing (even the subtext). First person is challenging to write, but for certain types of books and characters, it's the best way to tell the story.

Jillian: What's your favorite kind of story to get lost in?

Ann: I'm pretty eclectic in my tastes, but I'd say mysteries/intrigue/thrillers and science fiction are my favorites.

Jillian: If you couldn’t be a writer anymore, what profession would you take up?
Ann: I did it the other way around. My first profession was architecture and urban planning. When I retired, I became an author.
     I'd select the same career path if I had a chance to do it over. My only regret is that I didn't realize at a younger age that I wanted to be a writer. I would have learned the craft of novel writing and associated myself with other writers at a much earlier age, so that when I could write full time, I would be closer to publication.

Jillian: What’s the first thing you do when you finish writing a book?
Ann: I find finishing a book is rather anti-climactic. I've been over and over it already. I'm tired of it and anxious to get on to the next project (your next book is always the best). Usually, I don't have the luxury of putting the manuscript away for a few weeks before I begin fine tuning and editing.
     My advice would be to not wait to begin the next book, even though you're still polishing the one you just finished. It's very easy to get out of the habit of writing, and very hard to reestablish it.

Jillian: What do you do to unwind and relax?
Ann: You mean I'm supposed to get time to unwind and relax? Why didn't someone tell me that?  If I ever had such a miraculous moment, I'd read or quilt. I used to ride quads in the desert, but I don't do that much anymore.

Jillian: Which of your characters would you most/least like to invite to dinner, and why?
Ann: I'd most like to invite the hero and heroine from my Tour Director series, Will Talbot and Harriet Ruby. Why? I find them both intriguing and fun, and I'd love to hear more about their adventures—and I'm definitely in love with Will. (Sorry, Harriet.)

Jillian: Do you read reviews of your books? If so, do you pay any attention to them, or let them influence your writing?
Ann: I do read reviews of my books (when I find them) and look for things that will help me improve my writing. If the review is negative, I put it away for a week or two, then read it again. There is always something I can learn from it.
I never respond to reviews, positive or negative, and I wouldn't change my style or voice because of a review. It's only one person's reaction.

Ann has a question for commenters: Do you like a lot of physical description of the hero and heroine in a novel or do you prefer a few key points and then imagine what the character looks like? I'm giving away the first four e-books of the Tour Director Extraordinaire series to one lucky commenter! 

Where to find Ann online: 

Website    Facebook    Twitter    GooglePlus    Goodreads    


***Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America  addresses only. If an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) is available, the author may utilize that option for International participants. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.                              

4/17/2013

THE BOYS ARE BACK AGAIN


HIS SOUTHERN TEMPTATION
The Boys Are Back series
Entangled Indulgence
ASIN: B00C2RVPWQ

Some women are bad. Some women are a bad idea. The best ones are both…

A former Black Ops assassin, “Lucky” Landon has had more near-misses than a man should ever have. Now he’s out of that business and settling into the simple life in his small hometown. So the last thing he ever expected was to end up at gunpoint. Or that the woman holding the gun would be his best friend’s little sister and Lucky’s on-again/off-again lover.

Taylor Elliott is Trouble, and she likes it that way. And seeing Lucky again? Well, he’s been her dirty little secret for the past few years and everyone knows that secrets in a small town are almost impossible to keep. But Taylor has bigger problems on her plate. Like the local mob boss who wants her dead.

And right now the only thing standing between Trouble and disaster is a hottie named Lucky…

A LITTLE OF THE STORY

She was tall, her length stretched out under most of his six foot three inch frame even with their legs tangled together. And he could feel every inch of her long, silky-skinned limbs as they extended out of the sexiest, tiniest pair of boy shorts ever sold without a warning label. Those shorts, coupled with the tiny tank top, left absolutely everything to fuel his imagination.

Damn, she smelled good too. From where his face rested in the crook between her face and her shoulder he was enveloped in the combination of coconut and a sharp, exotic floral scent. Their exertion had caused the unique combination to intensify, and he couldn’t resist taking one last deep breath and dragging it in. It reminded him of the beach, long summer days, and suntan oil.
“Are we going to lie here all night?” Her voice was breathy, but she maintained a healthy edge of “kiss my ass” in the delivery.

“Nope. Only until the sheriff arrives and he confiscates the gun you tried to kill me with.”

“I didn’t try to kill you.”

“Sugar, if you point a gun at me you better be prepared to—” Lucky lifted his head to get a good look at his would-be-assassin, and the shock of her identity hit him between the eyes, swirled around for a bit and melted his brain. The hair was different, shorter and colored in broad stripes of blonde and darkest brown, but he’d know those eyes anywhere—hazel with all the colors of autumn on the mountain—just like her brother Teague. Just like all the Elliotts.

“Taylor?”

“Lucky?”

“What the hell are you doing here?” Shock, instant remorse at the way he’d tackled her, and the crazy need to touch her threaded together in his mind in a confusing jumble of conflicting desires. The only clear thought was that Taylor was here—in the flesh— after two long years. He didn’t even mind his hands shaking as he released her arms from over her head, trailing his fingers down one smooth cheek, and finally stopping to cup her jaw in a light grip that forced her to maintain eye contact. Not that he needed to—her gaze never wavered from his. The warmth of welcome and the edge of heat in her expression made his fingertips tingle where they stroked her skin. “The last time I saw you in Elliott, you were stealing my car.”

ROBIN COVINGTON

Robin Covington, who NYT Best Selling authors, Robyn Carr and Carly Phillips, said was their new “auto-buy author”, writes sizzling hot contemporary and paranormal romance.
 
A Night of Southern Comfort, her best-selling debut novel earned 4.5 stars and was touted by RT Book Reviews as bringing a “fresh, modern feel to the genre while still sticking to the things that get our adrenaline pumping — sex and danger”. When she’s not exploring the theme of fooling around and falling in love, she’s collecting tasty man candy, indulging in a little comic book geek love, and stalking Joe Mangianello.

Robin is a member of the Romance Writers of America, the Washington Romance Writers, a faculty member at Romance University, a member of the Waterworld Mermaids, and a contributor to the Happy Ever After blog at USA Today. Robin lives in Maryland with her hilarious husband, brilliant children, and ginormous puppy.

THE SOUTHERN BOYS

We've got all the "boys" from Robin's Southern Series getting lost with us today.
ROBIN:  Oh Angi – I don’t know what you were thinking inviting all these guys here. I cannot guarantee that they will behave . . . . fair warning!

ANGI: How often to you get lost in a story?
JACKSON: I’m not much of a reader but I do love to sit with my Dad and listen to him tell stories about when he was a cop. I can lose hours with him . . .

ANGI: What’s the first book you remember reading? 
BECK: Oh man, I did not grow up in a house full of readers but I remember getting a copy of “Treasure Island” when I was kid from a social worker. That’s probably my earliest book I remember reading.  I think I still want to be a pirate searching for gold – that would be so cool.

ANGI: What’s your favorite “love” word?
TEAGUE: I don’t really believe in all that stuff. People throw it around so much these days –they love their current meal to a television show. So, I guess that’s my long-winded way of saying next question!

ANGI: Can you tell us about a real-life hero you’ve met?
LUCKY: I served in the United States Marine Corps and I met heroes every day. If you have a few days, I’ll tell you about every single one of them.

ANGI: What’s your favorite fairy tale?
LUCKY:  Let’s see . . . Snow White, Sleeping Beauty . . .  any story that lets me kiss the girl.
TEAGUE:  We promised to keep this PG-13.
LUCKY: What did I say?

ANGI: What’s your favorite cartoon character?
JACKSON: Lucky.  He’s a life-size cartoon character.
LUCKY: Bite me.

ANGI: What sound or noise do you love?
BECK: The sound the wind makes rushing past my ears when when I’m sky-diving or base-jumping.
TEAGUE:  I figured you’d make some comment about the sound of a woman in your bed . . .
BECK: I’m trying to keep this PG-13 man.

ANGI: Fairy Tale or Action Adventure?
BECK: Oh, action adventure.
JACK: He’s an adrenaline junkie.
BECK:  I’m an adventure enthusiast.
TEAGUE:  You’re crazy. Why would you jump out a perfectly good airplane?
BECK: It’s better than sex.
TEAGUE: I’ll take your word for it. On the ground.

ANGI: What’s your favorite movie of all time?
TEAGUE: Bullitt by Steve McQueen. That guy was a badass.
JACK: I wanted the car.
BECK: I wanted the woman.
TEAGUE, LUCKY, & JACK:  We know!

ANGI: Who’s your favorite villain?
JACKSON: The Joker. Heath Ledger’s version was genius.
LUCKY:  Hell, yes.  That dude was scary as shit – and I’ve seen scary.

ANGI: What is your biggest vice?
LUCKY: Keeping secrets. After my years with the Marines, lying comes too easily to me sometimes.

ANGI: How is it working with hot guys and sexy women all day?
ROBIN: I assume you are not asking me about the evil day job!! Working with these guys is a blast.  They keep me on my toes but I enjoy putting them through the wringer when it comes to love.

ANGI’S GOTTA ASK: What else is on that bucket list of yours?
ROBIN'S GOTTA ANSWER: A tattoo.  I have it designed (a heart made up with the intertwining names of my hubby and kids). I just have to convince the Main Man not to roll his eyes every time he looks at it – he’s not a fan of tattoos.



.FIND ROBIN
Email     Website    Facebook    Twitter  @RobinCovington   Goodreads   Blog  GLIAS interview

UP NEXT FOR ROBIN:
In June I have my first release with the Brazen Imprint at Entangled Publishing. It is a super sexy book called Playing the Part with a action movie-star hero and a romance novelist heroine.  I loved writing about them against the backdrop of the glamour of Hollywood.  (cover to be released by EP soon! – It’s hawt!)

PLAYING THE PART
2013 Entangled Publishing
SOUTHERN HEAT & SOUTHERN NIGHTS
books 3 & 4 of
THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN series



ROBIN'S PREVIOUS RELEASES
A NIGHT OF SOUTHERN COMFORT
Indulgence Entangled Publishing
SECRET SANTA BABY
Entangled Publishing



ROBIN is giving away a copy of HIS SOUTHERN TEMPTATION for a blog commenter. International giveaway.

Note: Offer void where prohibited. Open to INTERNATIONAL PARTICIPANTS. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants. Winners of drawings are responsible for checking this site in a timely manner. If prizes are not claimed in a timely manner, the author may not have a prize available. Get Lost In A Story cannot be responsible for an author's failure to mail the listed prize. GLIAS does not automatically pass email addresses to guest authors unless the commenter publicly posts their email address.

DON’T FORGET FOLLOW us on Twitter #GetLostStories or LIKE us on Facebook to keep up with all our guest authors and their prizes. Come back tomorrow to see Jillian's interview with Ann Siracusa. And join me next Wednesday with Karilyn Bentley returns to 'Get Lost.'  ~Angi 


A QUESTION FROM ROBIN...

Angi asked the Boys and now I’m curious – what is your favorite movie of all time?