Romancing the Middle East with Avril Tremayne - Day 2

Talking about...talking

One of the things I enjoy most about writing is dialogue. I speak it aloud as I write it, and add in the anger/breathlessness/laughter/awkwardness/whatever as I go. Needless to say, I prefer to write dialogue when I'm alone in the house!

I classify dialogue in various ways. There are the scenes where dialogue establishes what's going on - who is who, where are they and what are they doing? There are the scenes that show how the characters relate to each other - strangers, colleagues, friends, family, enemies. The scenes that set up what the characters are like - whether they're happy, uptight, quirky, calm, icy, erratic, proud, whatever. And then there are the scenes where the plot is dialed up a notch and everything changes, for better or worse.

And because these last kind of scenes are my favourites, I'm going to share one from Now You're Mine.

Jenna has gotten lost in the desert and found herself at the palatial home of an enigmatic billionaire. When she's called back to see him the next day, she has a strange feeling that he's sexually interested in her, but it's incredibly hard for her to believe this could be so. She describes it as the difference between Turkish delight and apple pie and she is the pie - not appealing to the exotic palate of such a man. In this scene, Jenna finally is made to accept that her imagination is not playing tricks on her: the beautiful, fascinating, poetic Kalan Al Talyani really does want her...

‘You know that I want you.’

‘Yes, but it’s hard to understand, when you didn’t want me last night.’

‘Didn’t I?’

‘Well . . . what? Are you saying you did?’

‘I did.’

‘Okay, now I really don’t understand.’

‘Last night you knew nothing about me. And now you do.’

‘The . . . the interview? Is that what you mean? I know you because of that?’

Kalan smiled. ‘I think you knew me without it, but I also think you needed something more orthodox as a backup.’

‘You’re not insane, are you, by any chance?’

The smile became a grin. ‘No. Just a little bit crazy, since last night.’

‘Because of . . . of me? No! No, no, no.’

‘Why not because of you?’

‘Because I’m just me. I don’t even believe . . . I mean, why do you even want me?’

‘Because you make me smile. Because I like the stars in your eyes. I like the way you look. The way you smell, beneath the rose and oud. I like the way you speak to me – not only with your voice and your seeking words, but with the soul I feel reaching for mine. I want to touch you with my hands and my mouth. I want to show you that you are more than you think. That you can be as curious and as confident and as adventurous as you want, with no limits – not even yourself. That you can have control, and cede it, without losing anything, but gaining much.’ He took my other hand, kissed the knuckles, keeping his eyes on mine. ‘So, Jenna, the risk ‒ will you take it?’

 

‘I think . . . Oh God, I need a glass of wine. I mean if I’m going to break one law, why not break two, right?’ 

He laughed softly. ‘Another time, Jenna, but not for this. Tonight, you take me with your eyes open and your mind clear. All right?’

‘All right,’ I said, and could hardly believe I’d agreed. But the way he put it was so tempting, so . . . everything.

He released both my hands and yet I was held there, as though chained to him. ‘Your mission, Jenna, should you choose to accept it, is to cede control to me. Will you do that?’

My breathing was going haywire, and the fact that his wasn’t all that controlled either was making me impossibly, achingly aroused.

He leaned down and kissed my right cheek. A fraction of a second, no more. ‘Will you, Jenna? Your choice.’

‘Yes, I will.’ My eyes closed. I could smell him. An exquisitely complicated fragrance that was hauntingly Arabian.

‘Ahh,’ I breathed out – just because I couldn’t hold it in.

He said nothing. Simply kissed my other cheek.

‘Ohhhh.’ It whispered out of me.

I opened my eyes to find him watching me. His eyes had darkened, the pupils dilated.

‘And now, Jenna, we begin. Remember, you have ceded control to me. So you do only as I say.’

*** 

Get an e-copy at Amazon or a print copy (free shipping) at Book Depository.

I'll be back tomorrow to share a few behind-the-scenes moments about Now You're Mine. But meanwhile. please connect with me via my website, where you can sign up for my newsletter to get all my news first, and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and don't forget to enter the giveaway and leave a comment about a time that you were scared about something new coming into your life.

 

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Romancing the Middle East with Avril Tremayne - Day 1

Today I am thrilled to introduce my new release to Get Lost in a Story.

Now You're Mine is set in the Abu Dhabi desert and the city of Boston and is what I call a ten-blush book (ie, super sexy). It's a very special story to me because it was inspired by the most culturally enriching time in my life, when I lived and worked among the absolutely fabulous Arab Muslims in the United Arab Emirates. It’s published by Penguin Random House - the e-book is already out and the print book is out from tomorrow.

 Journalist Jenna Martin has led a very unadventurous life - until now.

Sent to the Arabian desert to review an exclusive new holiday resort, she stumbles into the path of a beautiful, exotic stranger, Kalan Al Talyani.

Over one unforgettable night, the reclusive billionaire will tempt her, test her, seduce her, and offer her an electrifying taste of a life outside her comfort zone.

When Jenna returns to America she tells herself it was just a magical one-night stand, an experience that's already starting to feel more dream than reality.

But then Kalan follows her home to Boston - and Jenna is forced to make a choice. Should she stay within the confines of her current life? Or take a risk on a life that's different from anything she's ever imagined . . .?

Get an e-copy at Amazon or a print copy (free shipping) at Book Depository.

So, about Abu Dhabi...

I'll never forget heading to Sydney Airport to board my flight to take on what ended up being my last corporate job. One of my main fears was that I would make make a never-ending string of unforgivable faux pas as I navigated my clumsy way around an unfamiliar culture.

Well, I definitely had my fair share of foot-in-mouth moments over the next three years, but my new Arab Muslim colleagues were unfailingly generous, patient, kind, and good-humoured, and never made me feel like the dolt I undoubtedly was.

The truth is, I was intensely interested in everything about my new place of residence and its people, and because of that, my new friends and colleagues were quick to unlock a piece of their world for me. My questions were answered, all kinds of experiences were offered to me, and I was accepted in ways I hadn't even dreamed of. Looking back I'd say those years were characterised by a sort of poetry (and I did, in fact, come to understand that poetry is intrinsic to life in the UAE) and I hope that some of that feeling will stay with me always. 

It was inevitable that I'd end up writing a book to celebrate that period of my life. In fact, I started tapping out the first chapter of Now You’re Mine while I was still living there. I'm glad I put it aside, though, because hindsight has made me appreciate those memories even more. 

In a way, it's a romance in more than the usual way - my own love story for a land I will never forget.

My heroine, Jenna, sees herself as a very ordinary girl from Boston, but when she gets lost in the Abu Dhabi desert and meets the beautifully exotic Kalan Al Talyani she starts to transform into a woman she doesn't recognise - a woman she is almost scared to know...

Here's a little peek at what you can expect from this super steamy, ravishingly romantic story...

Now You’re Mine is a story about two worlds colliding, about exploring who you are and what you're made of, about searching for something even when you don’t know what that something is, and about finding your place to belong.

I’ll be sharing a couple of excerpts and a few fun facts over the couple of days, and giving away a $25 Amazon gift card at the end of my little celebration. Enter any time up until midnight on Tuesday by leaving me a comment about a time you were scared about something new coming into your life.

And please connect with me via my website, where you can sign up for my newsletter to get all my news first, and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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The Chase is on with Fat Cat at Large & Janet Cantrell

Get Lost in a Story Readers, if you love recipes and love cats as well, you’re going to love Janet Cantrell’s new series.  Please welcome Janet, author of FAT CAT AT LARGE!

ABOUT FAT CAT AT LARGE . . . .

When she’s not dreaming up irresistible dessert bars for her Minneapolis treatery, Bar None, Charity “Chase” Oliver is running after her cat, Quincy—a tubby tabby with a gift for sniffing out edibles. But what happens when this cat burglar leads Chase to the scene of a real crime?

The jig is up for Chase’s adorable plus-size cat, Quincy. His new vet says “diet”—that means no more cherry cheesecake bars. From now on he gets low-calorie kibble only. But one taste of the stuff is all it takes to drive him in search of better things. Quincy’s escape is the last thing Chase needs after the nasty run-in she has with underhanded business rival Gabe Naughtly.

Chase tracks Quincy down in a neighbor’s kitchen, where he’s devouring a meatloaf, unaware of the much more serious crime he’s stumbled upon.

Gabe’s corpse is lying on the kitchen floor, and when Chase is discovered at the murder scene, she becomes suspect number one. Now, with a little help from her friends—both human and feline—she’ll have to catch the real killer or wind up behind bars that aren’t so sweet.

Includes recipes for people and cats!

How can we resist THAT blurb.  Now, let's learn about Janet Cantrell

DONNELL:  Hi, Janet:  You’re no doubt a cat lover.  When I read your blurb, I had visions of a fat, That Darn Cat.  Do you remember that movie?  Tell us what inspired Fat Cats at Large.

JANET: My own Agamemnon, a rescued feral cat, all black, is my inspiration for Quincy and his antics. That little guy was as smart as could be. He would hook one claw over the lip of a glass, preferably a full one. Then he’s slowly tip it. Just before it went over, he would dash out of the way. He never got a drop on himself, but he soaked many couches, chairs, and rugs. He also put on some heft in his old age and had to go on insulin the last year or so. The world is a duller place without him.

DONNELL:  Love your protagonist’s nickname, a perfect name for an amateur sleuth.  I take it Fat Cat at Large is a cozy mystery?  And with names like Gabe Naughtly, I take it humor is involved?

JANET:  Absolutely! I love naming characters and like to put something about them into their names. I’ve made a habit of jotting down interesting ones when I see or hear them. Sometimes, changing one letter makes the name perfect.

DONNELL:  Obviously Chase is partial to cats, but is there a potential love interest for Chase in Fat Cat at Large?

JANET:  By the end of the book, she’s interested in a couple of men. In the very first chapter, she’s smitten by the vet Quincy is seeing. Sort of. The other guy, a handsome homicide detective with dark blue eyes, comes in later.

DONNELL:  I love books that provide recipes.  Are you a great cook, and are you saying you’ll provide recipes for cats as well?

 JANET: I’m not a good cook at all! But I do love baking. I’ve had a lot of fun bringing in different versions of dessert bar recipes to my church choir for them to sample. They’re very willing to tell me which recipe is best. It’s taken a bit of research, though, to provide the healthy cat treat recipes. Cats have dietary requirements—lots of things they should and should not have.

 DONNELL:  The book is set in Minneapolis.  What’s a Texas girl like you placing a book like this in Minneapolis?

JANET: I was a Texas girl for quite a few years, due to Hubby’s employment, but we’ve now relocated to Tennessee. Like Johnny Cash, I’ve been everywhere. We lived in Minnetonka, near Minneapolis, for three and a half years. I love that part of the country and it’s a joy to be writing about it.

DONNELL:  Obviously mystery authors have to research.  What’s the most interesting/unusual thing you’ve discovered doing research?

JANET: So far, in this series, it’s been the history of butter sculpture, which I researched for Fat Cat Spreads Out, the second book, due out in June of 2015. Did you know that butter sculpture is an ancient Tibetan art form?

DONNELL:  If you’re not writing or cooking, where will we find you?

JANET: Sometimes playing, listening to, or writing music. Doing some hiking. Playing with and entertaining grandkids. Even sometimes working in the yard.

DONNELL:  You also write under another name.  Tell us about your alter-ego, Kaye George.  How are the two of you different, and why two names?

JANET: Kaye George has written lots of stuff over the years. Janet Cantrell is a pen name for this series only. Fat Cat is the only true cozy series I’ve attempted. Kaye George had three other series and some short stories to her credit.

DONNELL:  If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would it be and why?

JANET: I’ll have to switch to being Kaye George for this because I would love to time travel back about forty thousand years or so and meet a real live Neanderthal. I could check on what I got right and what I didn’t in the Neanderthal People of the Wind series.

DONNELL:  Janet, now it’s your turn.  Time to ask the readers a question.  And here you can list whether or not you’ll do a giveaway.  (note not every author does.) Yes to the giveaway.

 JANET WANTS TO KNOW:  I write several different types of stories and books and love to read fiction as well as true crime and biography. How many different kinds of books do you read? Fiction only, or non-fiction, too?

Thanks for being our guest today, Janet.  Interested in learning more about Janet/Kaye?  Check out these links.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fat-cat-at-large-janet-cantrell/1118663280?ean=9780425267424

http://www.amazon.com/Fat-Cat-At-Large-Mystery/dp/0425267423/

Kaye George/Janet Cantrell~~

National bestselling author of the FAT CAT series~~ Agatha Nominee & Silver Falchion Finalist~~ http://kayegeorge.com/ Want my newsletter? Email me and I'll put you on the list.

Get Lost with Diane Vallere and Suede to Rest

 Get Lost in a Story readers, Suede to Rest?  How's that for a title.  Please welcome the talented and fabulously put together Diane Vallere to Get Lost in a Story.

Unraveling family secrets can be murder in Suede to Rest...

With her career as a dress designer in shreds, Polyester Monroe is looking forward to a fresh start. But as it all unfolds, the pattern to a new beginning looks a lot like murder.

When Poly Monroe was little, she loved playing in her family’s textile store. But after a fatal family tragedy, Land of A Thousand Fabrics was boarded up and Poly never expected to see the inside again. Now, as inheritor of the long-shuttered shop, she’s ready to restore the family business. However her two new kittens, Pins and Needles, aren’t the ones causing a snag in her plans...

Not everyone wants Poly back in San Ladrón, especially a powerful local developer pressuring her to sell—and leave town fast. But even when the threats turn deadly, she’s not ready to bolt. Because Poly is beginning to suspect that the murder behind the shop is tied to a mystery in her family’s unsettled past that she’s determined to solve before her own life is left hanging by a thread.

DONNELL:  Welcome to Get Lost in a Story, Diane, first of all, I am probably the world’s best fan of puns. I see puns all over your blurbs and writing, Suede to Rest, Pins and Needles.  These are adorable.  Do you just think this way, or is this hard to come up with?

DIANE: I am lucky. This is how I think! I’m sure it comes from my family. My dad is a big punster, and rarely a day went by when he wasn’t tossing out a zinger to my sister and me.  I have been known to come up with title puns and then decide to write a book because I liked the tile so much!

DONNELL:  How would you classify your writing?  Cozy, humorous? Do you ever incorporate dark?

DIANE: My writing style has a lot of humor to it, mostly because I do naturally see the humor in everyday life. In mysteries, it’s important to keep that humor in check at the appropriate times, though, because there’s still a murder and that has to be respected. SUEDE TO REST is the most cozy that I’ve written, and it was meant specifically for the Berkley Prime Crime imprint. This allowed me to dive into and create a wonderful little town and name lots of shops (where you’ll find even more puns!). I often say that I know there’s a dark story in me, but  I need to mature a bit before I can really expose it. For now, I love knowing that I can entertain and bring a smile to a reader’s life.

DONNELL:  For those of you just meeting Diane, she is a walking fashion statement.  She always looks so put together.  So, fess up.  What do you wear when you’re at home during an average day of writing?  (I would love it if we could put a picture of you in one of your beautiful outfits here.)

DIANE: Today’s “beautiful outfit”:  T-shirt from a Palm Springs Midcentury Modern vacation rental business and yoga pants! (Never fear, I would never leave the house like this.) I do like to go to the public library to write, which serves the dual purpose of getting me away from the never-ending pile of laundry and gives me a reason to put on real clothes.

DONNELL:  You’ve written a couple of series now for different publishers.  Tell us about them.

DIANE: I write the Style & Error series, featuring former fashion buyer Samantha Kidd, who has given up her successful and glamorous life in order to move back into the house where she grew up. Each book puts Samantha in a different fashion-related job in her new small town.

I also write the Mad for Mod Mystery series, featuring a midcentury modern interior decorator who has modeled her life after a Doris Day movie, while continuing to be a modern, independent business owner herself.

DONNELL:  If you’re not writing, where will we find you?

DIANE:  I like to see old movies in the theaters, which fortunately is something very doable in Hollywood. I also like to attend fashion and costume-related lectures and events, and I’m a definite fan of all things midcentury. And because of this series, I’ve been spending more time at fabric stores planning new sewing projects.

DONNELL:  What is the most interesting or unusual thing you’ve discovered doing research?

DIANE:  I don’t know that I can come down to just one! I am a huge fan of Forensic Files (sometimes called Mystery Detectives), and often I’ll pick up a little piece of knowledge from that to use in a book. I picked up lots of fascinating information when researching arson for my next Style & Error book (SOME LIKE IT HAUTE), and learned all about the early citrus trade in San Dimas, California, when researching the third book in the Material Witness series. (San Dimas is the template for my fictional town, San Ladrón.)

DONNELL:  What is something you want readers to know about you, but no one has ever asked?

DIANE:  This question has completely stumped me! How about: Q: Can you list all of the state capitals? A: Yes.

DONNELL:  Favorite TV Show?

DIANE:  I adored Alias and can watch those episodes over and over.  I recently discovered Veronica Mars and I binge-watched the entire series over a few days! I canceled my cable TV subscription last year and the only two things I miss are Project Runway and Dancing With The Stars.

 DONNELL:  Who inspires you?

DIANE:  Isaac Mizrahi, who has experienced major ups and downs in his career, but continues to be relevant. Watching UNZIPPED can get me through any creative block. Woody Allen, who has made a movie a year since 1977, despite personal highs and lows and the opinions of critics. Meg Cabot, who is exactly 13 days younger than I am but who has published 80 books. (SUEDE TO REST is my 7^th). 

Diane, thanks for being our guest today!  Now it’s your turn.  Time to ask the readers a question: 

DIANE'S QUESTIONS FOR READERS:  Okay, readers! In SUEDE TO REST, Poly inherits a boarded up fabric store. A lucrative offer to buy the place is on the table. What would you do? Stick around and consider changing up your life to reopen the place, or take the money and run?

A copy of SUEDE TO REST goes to one lucky commenter!

Links and contact information

www.dianevallere.com

t: @dianevallere

f: facebook.com/dianevallereauthor

p:  pinterest.com/dianevallere

Buy Links at: http://www.penguin.com/book/suede-to-rest-by-diane-vallere/9780425270578

Get Lost with Author Helene Young Australia's Most Popular Author of the Year

Get Lost in a Story readers, a little history to today’s guest (June 14^th, 2013), I judged Helene Young’s novel, Burning Lies in RWA’s prestigious RITA®   I was so disappointed when the book didn’t final (after all, she’s been voted by Romance Writers of Australia as the most popular author of the year, and I for one can see why.)

But Helene didn’t give up with her mission to become recognized, not only in Australia but in the United States.  So imagine my delight when I saw that she was a 2013 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense finalist.  I knew she’d found a home because Romantic Suspense is what she writes.


About:  Burning Lies - July 2012 – Penguin Australia

Kaitlyn Scott is searching for the truth about her husband’s death, even if that means revisiting the most painful day of her life. But what she uncovers is a criminal willing to stop at nothing to keep his secret.

Ryan O’Donnell, an enigmatic undercover cop, is investigating arson attacks when he is drawn into Kaitlyn’s world. He tries to fight his attraction for her, hoping the case might put his own demons to rest, but it only threatens to push him over the edge.

With Kaitlyn and Ryan on a collision course, the arsonist seizes the chance to settle some old scores. As the Atherton Tableland burns, the three of them are caught in a fiery dance of danger and desire, and not everyone will come out alive.

Set in Australia’s tropical far north, this is an explosive story of peril and passion by the author voted by the Romance Writers of Australia as the most popular novelist of the year



And now, let's get to know Author Helene Young:
 

 
DONNELL:  Helene, welcome.  In Burning Lies, your protagonist Kaitlyn Scott is a fearless young woman.  She has to be.  She holds a special occupation.  Will you talk about that, please.


HELENE: Donnell, thanks for inviting me to visit your blog. It’s lovely to be here!

Kaitlyn Scott is a Mission Commander on board a Border Watch aircraft patrolling Australia’s vast coastline. Her job is to co-ordinate the search missions for illegal immigrants, drug smugglers, terrorists and anything else that threatens Australia’s security. In Burning Lies she and her crew have the task of tracking an arsonist, which means flying the aircraft in horrendous conditions as fires engulf North Queensland.

DONNELL:  How alike would you say you and Kaitlyn are, and then in what ways are you different?

HELENE: I’m nowhere as near courageous as Kaitlyn. She’s endured heartbreaking tragedy, but has rebuilt her life with her son and mother and does everything in her power to protect them from the past. I think we probably share the same reserve and sense of duty, but as an author I often think my characters have the traits I wish I could claim for my own!

DONNELL:  How long have you been writing and describe what’s the best thing that’s happened to you since you’ve been published.  Then also what’s the most difficult?

HELENE:  I’ve been writing with intent for fourteen years now. The best thing that happened to me was being a finalist the Golden Heart RWA competition in 2008. I made some wonderful friends in America and the prestige of the competition helped to secure me a publishing contract in Australia.

The most difficult time was definitely changing publishers after my second book was released. I’m very happy in my new home with Penguin, but making the move was hard…

DONNELL:  When you’re not writing, what would you say is your favorite pastime?

HELENE: Sailing! And I love my day job flying aircraft for Qantaslink!

DONNELL:  Here’s something new we may learn.  We generally ask authors:  What’s in your refrigerator right now?

HELENE: Since we live aboard a catamaran our fridge is very small. The most note-worthy item is probably the bottle of Veuve Cliqout champagne which is being chilled for my birthday in 6 days time! Otherwise there’s some very yummy home made salsa and a packet of Tim Tam biscuits – an Australian tradition for dunking in coffee – do you ‘dunk’ biscuits in America?

DONNELL:  What would you recommend us Americas coming to visit Australia should see?

HELENE: A definite first stop would be the Great Barrier Reef, which stretches the length of the Queensland Coast – it’s amazing! Then you’d need to fly for three hours to the red centre and visit Uluru (Ayres Rock). It’s a truly spiritual rock with a special presence. I’d suggest a visit to Sydney and the Opera House, followed by a quick flight south to Melbourne for lunch in Flinders Lane and then finish off in the Margaret River, over on the west coast, touring our wonderful wineries. (I’m exhausted just thinking about that itinerary as Australia is quite a large country!)

DONNELL:     Are you more comfortable in high heels, sneakers or ….?

HELENE:  Boots! I wear boots for flying, boots for hiking and boots for fun! (But I don’t mind a  gorgeous pair of high heels on occasion.)

DONNELL:  What is a favorite tradition your family holds?

HELENE: Our family celebrates birthdays at home and that means you get to choose the menu for your special day. I always request roast lamb followed by pavlova and strawberries – a good Aussie tradition  ;)

DONNELL:  If you could meet anyone, past or present who would it be?

HELENE:  I’d love to meet Freda Thompson, the first Australian woman to fly solo from England to Australia. She doesn’t have any of the recognition she deserves for such an amazing aviation feat. And if she’s too busy then Amelia Earhart will be fine!

HELENE, NOW IT’S YOUR TURN.  TIME TO ASK THE READERS A QUESTION.  Donnell, it’s been lovely to chat with you today.

I’d love to know where your readers would go for a holiday if they could choose anywhere in the world – money no object as we’ve all just won the lottery :) - a girl’s allowed to dream, right? One lucky commentor will win a copy of Burning Lies as an e-book.

Thanks for joining us, Helene!  It's been a pleasure! 



Links and contact information

http://www.heleneyoung.com/www.heleneyoung.com

https://www.facebook.com/HeleneYoungAustralianAuthor

Note: 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.