Candace Havens

MODEL MARINE ... Do You Need More?

MODEL MARINE
Harlequin Blaze
ISBN: 0373796501

STATS
Subject: Captain Will Hughes, U.S. Marine Corps
Current Status: On assignment in NYC— suddenly recruited to shed the uniform!
Mission: Serve as model, muse and man-toy without running afoul of the general.
Obstacle: Hannah Harrington, fashion world It girl.

Hannah narrowly escapes Fashion Week disaster by hijacking gorgeous Will for her runway show—after all, rock-hard abs are the ultimate accessory. His good deed nearly lands him in the brig, but he'll risk anything to get back into her bed….

Hannah can't figure out how this model marine got under her skin—they're complete opposites! But sexy Will not only ignites her senses, he fuels her creativity: an irresistible combination, even if it can't last. Can two steamy weeks together satisfy their lust…or will they have to extend this mission?

PORTFOLIO

"The male models are in jail." Anne Marie whispered the words so Hannah wasn't sure if she heard her correctly. They were backstage working with the stylists to make sure the hair was correct for each model, and the deafening noise from the chatter made it difficult to converse without screaming. Anne Marie, the assistant director of Hannah Harrington Designs, had to be wrong. The fashion show launched in exactly forty-seven minutes and Hannah had planned everything down to the last stitch in the handbags the models would carry. There was no way something like this could happen.

Though it was freezing backstage, a small bead of sweat dampened her brow. "Did you say they're in jail?" Hannah tried to keep the panic from rising in her voice, but there was a tiny squeak at the end. "Oh, Anne Marie— You— No—take it back. I mean it. This is some kind of horrible joke. My entire life for the last six years is about to walk down that stage, and it has to be perfect. You know that. You promised me you had the models covered," she squeaked.

Anne Marie's lips formed a straight line at Hannah's harsh tone.

"Sorry." She'd been on edge the past few weeks and had lost her temper more than once. This was no time to make Annie Marie her whipping girl.

"Don't you dare apologize, Hannah. I know I screwed up." Anne Marie's jaw jutted out and her hands were in fists. "I saw them at Jake's party last night and they were drinking. I should have sent them home then. This sucks, and I've totally failed you. I just don't know how to fix it in—" Anne Marie glanced at her watch "—forty-three minutes."

Hannah glanced around the tent, searching for any man who could fill out the jeans she'd designed. It had been a risky venture to do male and female lines in her first collection, but it had paid off. Before tonight's show she had received great buzz in the fashion world from some of the magazine editors who'd toured her collection early. Without the men, the show wouldn't work. They were her big reveal.

The only men in a sea of six-foot female models were the ones doing hair, and they were all too short, pasty and waif-thin.

Are there any real men left in Manhattan?

She closed her eyes and lifted her head in a silent prayer.

I'm going to walk out the door, and I'm going to find two of the most handsome men I've ever seen in my life who will fit perfectly into my show.

Yeah, right. Opening her eyes again she headed out.

"Where are you going?" Anne Marie cried.

"To find the men of my dreams," Hannah said determinedly. "Check and make sure the girls have their belts right-side up, and that Clara wears the pink cowboy boots. I'll be back in ten minutes."

Hannah had almost convinced herself she would find the men she needed just outside the tent, or in the crowd waiting to get in. No such luck.

The good news was there was a crowd.

The bad news was that ninety-nine percent of it was women.

Any men she saw were either way too short, or a little thick around the middle. She never cared about anyone's size, but she needed a perfect fit for the jeans. Worried she might be recognized, Hannah pulled her cowboy hat down low on her eyes, and made her way around the crowd and out onto Columbus.

Shivering against the cold, she pulled her leather jacket tighter, which did nothing for her legs, which were in tights and a miniskirt.

As usual on Friday afternoon, the area was packed with people. There were some teens in baggy jeans and shirts, but they were all either too skinny or too short to fit in the clothes.

She didn't want to think about the worst-case scenario, but she had to.

Please. I haven't come this far to fail.

Everything she had was tied up in this show. If the editors hadn't had a sneak peak she could get away with losing the final two, but that was what most of the buzz had been about.

Glancing down at her watch she grimaced. Only thirty-two minutes till go-time. Tears brimmed her eyes. She tried to blink them back, but one errant drop of water slid down her cheek. She shoved it away with the heel of her hand.

This is no time to cave. Get it together.

"Whoever he is, he isn't worth that tear," a deep, whiskey-toned voice said from beside her.

Hannah lifted her head and met a pair of the most beautiful green eyes she'd ever seen on a man. Then she stepped back—stunned—to find the perfect male specimen attached to those eyes. His blond hair was cut short, his shoulders broad, and, dressed in his blues, he was the sexiest man she'd ever seen.

She had to remind herself to breathe.

"Hello, Marine."

"Ma'am." He tipped his hat.

This couldn't be happening. She glanced down to his hips and then up to his face. He was absolutely beautiful. But there was also something about him. A presence, something that symbolized a strength that had nothing to do with the uniform he wore.

He smiled, seemingly amused by her appraisal.

"Hmm." She tapped her finger against her chin and then grinned. "How do you feel about helping a damsel in distress?"

"It's what I do, ma'am.”

READ MORE 

THE AUTHOR
Bestselling author Candace Havens has written six novels for Berkley including, Charmed & Dangerous, Charmed & Ready, Charmed & Deadly, Like A Charm, The Demon King and I and Dragons Prefer Blondes. Her new venture is writing for the Blaze line of Harlequin. Those books include Take Me If You Dare, She Who Dares, Wins, Truth and Dare, and The Model Marine. She is also in the anthology Spirited, and the proceeds go to help literacy. Her books have received nominations for the RITA's, Holt Medallion and Write Touch Reader Awards. She is the author of the biography Joss Whedon: The Genius Behind Buffy and a contributor to several anthologies. She is also one of the nation's leading entertainment journalists and has interviewed countless celebrities including Tom Hanks, Nicolas Cage, Tom Cruise, George Clooney and many more. Her entertainment columns can be read in more than 600 newspapers across the country. Candace also runs a free online writing workshop for more than 1800 writers, and teaches comprehensive writing class. She does film reviews with the Dorsey Gang on New Country 96.3, and is the President of the Television Critics Association.

Candy is a chaptermate and a constant source of inspiration. Just before I sold it really was nice to hear her say: "Finish the book!" Please welcome, Candy.

THE AUDITION

ANGI: How often to you get lost in a story?
CANDY: Every single day. I'm either lost in someone's book or lost in the one I'm writing.

ANGI: What’s the first book you remember reading? 

CANDY: It was a book about going to kindergarten. I think it was "Carol Goes To Kindergarten." I had a black cover with a little girl and an easel. I can't remember the name, but I started reading it when I was three. Then, in second grade I discovered Nancy Drew and I've never stopped reading since.

ANGI: What’s your favorite fairy tale?
CANDY: You're going to laugh, but it is Sleeping Beauty. I'm sort of obsessed with sleep. I never seem to have time to sleep. Ever. So the idea of resting until some guy kisses me awake, is very appealing.

ANGI: What’s your favorite cartoon character?
CANDY: Tweety Bird. I think he taught me my snark.

ANGI: What turns you off like nothing else?
CANDY: Rude and mean people. I can't stand them.

ANGI: Where do you read and how often?
CANDY: I read everywhere. I usually have at least three books. I have the downstairs book, the book in the car and the bathtub book. I read on my iPad and Kindle, but I also love the feel of paper in my hand.

ANGI: Fairy Tale or Action Adventure?  
CANDY: Gosh, this is hard one. I'm all about blending genres, so I say both. Tangled is a good example of that.

ANGI: What’s your favorite movie of all time?
CANDY: Mary Poppins. I still watch it all the time. There's a reason it won the Oscar. I'm also a big of To Kill A Mockingbird with Gregory Peck and The Matrix. Those selections tell you more than you ever need to know about my personality.

ANGI: Who’s your favorite villain?
CANDY: For a long time it was J.R. Ewing, but right now I'm obsessed with Madeline Stowe's character, Victoria Grayson, on the new show "Revenge." She's beautiful and wicked.

ANGI: Be honest, when reading...do you put yourself in the heroine’s role?
CANDY: Of course, that's how we lose ourselves in a book.

ANGI: What’s something you’d like to tell your fans? 
CANDY: I adore you. Every day I write, you are the reason my fingers are on the keyboard. Your emails and letters mean the world to me and get me through the tough times. So thank you. Also, those of you who are Bronwyn and Caruthers sisters fans, you're going to be happy in 2012.

ANGI’S GOTTA ASK: Candy, you’re the recipient of the RWA PRO Mentor of the year and are so generous with your time. I just wanted to say thanks for that. But I want to know more about Captain Will Hughes. If you had one thing to share about your MODEL MARINE, what would that be?
CANDY’S GOTTA ANSWER: Let's just say if Captain Will Hughes showed up at my doorstep, I would be like "Hasta La Vista, Baby," to my poor husband. Captain Hughes is one hot dude!

THE PRIZE Candy is giving away a $25 gift certificate to Amazon.com & a book. DON'T FORGET to leave a comment. 
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.

CONNECT WITH CANDY:  tvscoop@sbcglobal.net  Twitter: @candacehavens
Website          Facebook         Blog

UP NEXT: I'm in the anthology "Spirited" with several young adult authors. And I'm in a new Blaze Christmas anthology Dec. 2012 with Lori Wilde and Kathleen O'Reilly. I don't have a title for that one yet, but stay tuned!

READERS DON’T FORGET to follow us on Facebook & Twitter (#GetLostStories) for a daily update on who’s visiting GLIAS and what they might be giving away! Join us on Friday for fellow Unsinkable Rochelle Staab and tomorrow as Jill hosts SEAL OF MY DREAMS. ~Angi


CANDY WANTS TO KNOW: Tell me what you want to see next. More Bronwyn, Kira, Caruthers sisters? More on the Stonegate Investigative Agency?

"UNPLUGGING"

from Angi

Wandering around my daughter's college town, running errands at multiple stores including Walmart, I came across a puzzle. If you knew me, you'd think: Why in the world would you be looking at jigsaw puzzles...you have no time and should be writing. Well, you may be right. Thing is, I've discovered that working puzzles and playing an occasional puzzle game (like Mahjong) helps make my brain think differently. Somehow it gets me into the right writing mode for suspense.

The other major occasion I work puzzles is while camping with my husband. We work a puzzle to decompress and completely "unplug" (with the exception of some music). Our most recent puzzle was of candy. Not exceptionally hard, but hard enough. We picked it up because we were taking the grandkids to the lake during 100+ weather and knew we'd need some down time inside. We were totally amazed at how engaged the kids became and how often they wanted to work on the puzzle. Most of the time, it was what they chose to "play."

So...back to my searching for puzzles in the Waco Walmart.... LOOK WHAT I FOUND!

THIS ONE IS ALL MINE TO WORK.  >>grin<<

I probably read these books handed down by my aunts and grandmother. My favorite heroes when I was in Jurnior High were Greek tycoons.Come to think of it, I've always been attracted to a dark-haired man.

My questions for today and I hope there are lots of people to answer:
WHO is your favorite type of hero or what type of guy attracts you? or Tell me what you do when you "unplug."

I have several books to give away... several to choose from... and will choose 1 book for every 7 comments. Leave a comment to be eligible for the Random.org drawing on Wednesday.
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.

JUST IN CASE you'd like to "plug in" with me or my books:
Twitter  @AngiMorganAuthr          Email: Angi@AngiMorgan.com
Web  &  My Personal Blog: A Picture A Day
Facebook: chatting is AngiMorgan and there's a FAN PAGE: Angi Morgan

Angi Morgan is the award-winning author of Hill Country Hold-Up and .38 Caliber Cover Up, both Harlequin Intrigues and available on-line or through bookstores. You'll find helpful writing tips, character interviews and previous blog posts on her website. She loves to hear from readers...send her your favorite part of one of her books and she might just have something special for you too.

READERS DON’T FORGET to follow us on Facebook & Twitter (@GetLostInAStory #GetLostStories) for a daily update on who’s visiting GLIAS and what they might be giving away! Join us on Wednesday when I host the fabulous Candace Havens who's giving away a Kindle this month.  ~Angi

Linda Lovely

GET LOST WITH DEAR KILLER AUTHOR, LINDA LOVELY





Excerpts from a review of

DEAR KILLER
by Lowcountry Weekly Editor Margaret Evans

A Lively, Lovely Lowcountry Mystery

For my money, few things in life are more deliciously satisfying than curling up with a good mystery. … But please note: I did say a “good” mystery – emphasis on “good” – and I’m a fairly demanding critic. I require a distinctive setting, a large, colorful cast of suspects, a memorable hero/heroine I can root for, and a plot that keeps me breathlessly turning pages and guessing ‘til the end. Oh, and the writing must be impeccable.

I’m happy to inform my readers that Linda Lovely’s new mystery novel “Dear Killer” meets all my requirements, and then some! Snappy writing? Check. Dynamic heroine? Check. Vivid array of suspects? Check, check, check! Interesting setting? I’ll say. And not only is it interesting… it’s familiar. “Dear Killer” is set in the SC Lowcountry, featuring names and places you’re guaranteed to recognize. Lovely, a former resident of Fripp Island, doesn’t scrimp on the fun-to-spot details.

And she even gives us a “mature” romance to follow.

Here’s the set-up: Marley Clark, a 52 year old widow (and Sigourney Weaver look-alike) recently retired from a career in military intelligence, now works as a part-time security guard on a private SC island. While patrolling her turf one night, she finds a resident drowned and bobbing naked amid a bunch of veggies in a Jacuzzi. Asked to serve as the lead investigator’s liaison, Marley finds herself drawn to handsome Deputy Braden Mann, a dozen years her junior, and is thrilled to find him… drawn back. Together, they sort through a collection of oddball suspects and hidden motives as the bodies begin to pile up on Dear Island. As their mutual attraction grows, so does the danger.

And it’s all great fun!

AND NOW IT'S TIME TO MEET LINDA LOVELY!!

DONNELL: Big city or small town girl?

LINDA: Small town girl, definitely. Born and raised in Keokuk, Iowa, with plenty of summer fun in Spirit Lake, Iowa, where my aunt and uncle lived. I set my debut mystery, DEAR KILLER, on a fictional island in the South Carolina Lowcountry because I lived on an island outside Beaufort for a dozen years and realized a tight-knit community could function as a character in my book. People REALLY know each other, and no closet is ever completely closed on your skeletons. My sequel in the Marley Clark mystery series, NO WAKE ZONE, is set in Spirit Lake for the same reasons. Release date is second quarter of 2012.

DONNELL: Favorite room in your house and why?
LINDA: Kitchen. Sunny and it smells SO good. The open design lets me see the back of hubbie’s bobbing head as he argues with TV sportscasters. I love to cook and experiment. Since my husband has a thing for homemade cookies, he cleans up and loads the dishwasher. Perfect division of labor. Holiday time, I make chocolate-covered cherries, toffee, fudge, etc., a childhood tradition started with mom and my sister.

DONNELL: Character driven or plot driven author?
LINDA: Character-driven. Sort of. I start with a clear idea of my heroine and hero and of time and place. Yet before I write a single sentence, I have a good idea of my plot “themes.” That doesn’t mean I outline or even know how the book will end. As I write, my characters often lead me down unexpected paths. However, those meanderings tend to be branches off the central themes identified at the outset. For instance, one strong theme for NO WAKE ZONE has to do with the bonds of family and friendship—some loving and wonderfully fulfilling, others toxic and deadly.
DONNELL: Do you read reviews of your books? If so, do you pay any attention to them, or let them influence your writing?
LINDA: LOL. Wish I had more formal reviews to read! Lots of folks tell an author they love a book and will post a review on Amazon, Barnes and Noble or Goodreads. Most get busy and forget. I’ve been thrilled by kind reviews from strangers. It’s wonderful when someone “gets” you. But a bad review wouldn’t devastate me. I’ve made my living as a writer (newsletters, brochures, feature articles, speeches, etc.) and clients have strong opinions (that sometimes change midstream). Visit any book club, some folks will love a book and others hate it. That has more to do with the reader than the book. It’s not personal. I should add that my tough (I love ’em) critique partners have helped thicken my skin. The critiques BEFORE a book is published are the most valuable.
DONNELL: You’re on a life raft surrounded by sharks. Who do you want with you?
LINDA: Maybe Jacques Cousteau in his heyday or a special ops Seal from one of Cindy Gerard’s romantic suspense thrillers. Preferably my companion would just happen to have a harpoon and a flare gun.
DONNELL: What’s in your refrigerator right now?
LINDA: Leftovers. Split pea soup, meatloaf, lasagna, chicken parmesan. All packaged in meal-size freezer containers. I tend to cook BIG kettles/pans of food and freeze leftovers so I can pull them out when I’m pushed for time. Why cook a small turkey when you can roast a 20-pounder for about the same amount of energy and have lots of yummy leftovers?
DONNELL: What is something that not a lot of people know about you but you WISH more people COULD know?
LINDA: That I write terrific novels? That my gray hair isn’t a good barometer of how old I feel? Guess I have no good answer. I have no secret talent yearning to break free.

DONNELL: Dog or cat person?
LINDA: Neither. Would love to have a cat, but I’m allergic. Cats are great. Independent, sassy, picky. They decide for themselves when and who to cuddle with.

DONNELL: What dreams have been realized as a result of your writing?
LINDA: I love what I do. Writing is fun, therapeutic. I have no expectations of achieving great wealth as an author though I’d like to break even on my writing conference/membership spending over the years. I’m just thrilled when someone tells me they enjoyed my book. Oh, and making the finals in both RWA’s Golden Heart and the Daphne for two different books in 2010 provided an amazing initiation into the world of the RWA National Conference.

DONNELL: What’s the most surprising thing you learned while writing/researching a book?
LINDA: That Tammy and Brenda, my brainy and charming nieces (both have doctorates), know so many intriguing and sneaky ways to murder people.

DONNELL: What turns you off; what turns you on?
LINDA: Turn offs—bullies and hypocrites. Turn ons—my husband, good friends, chocolate, reading great books that make me laugh and give me goose bumps but by the last page reassure me life is worth living and love triumphs no matter how rocky the ride.
DONNELL: If you could meet anyone in the world, past and present, who would it be and why?
LINDA: My great grandmother, Julia Carr. Family tales about her are so amazing and contradictory. I’d love to hear her version. I know she was schooled in a Convent and married multiple times. First husband (my great grandfather) died young. Second divorced her after her father’s death—John Carr had put the family’s fortune in the husband’s name. Third husband was reputed to be a gangster who died in a knife fight. Julia’s portrait hangs on my office wall. Mom always swore I was a throwback (in looks, anyway) to Julia.

AND NOW IT’S LINDA’S TURN TO ASK QUESTIONS FOR READERS & FANS.

Marley Clark, the heroine in my mystery series, is 52 years old. She’s physically fit, mentally agile and sexually active. Though it never occurred to me that “older” protagonists shouldn’t have romantic escapades, some publishing pundits say heroines should be in their 20s and 30s. What say you? Would you read books featuring over-50 heroines?

Linda will be giving away a copy of Dear Killer to one lucky commenter. To learn even more about the fabulous Linda Lovely check out http://lindalovely.com/index.html

READERS DON’T FORGET to follow us on Facebook & Twitter (#GetLostStories) for a daily update on who’s visiting GLIAS and what they might be giving away!

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.

Addison Fox

Warm up with Addison Fox's Baby, It's Cold Outside

Addison Fox can’t remember a time when words weren’t part of her life. An avid reader, she can be found with a book in her hand nearly every time she has a free moment.


Her paranormal romance series, The Sons of the Zodiac, launched in 2010 and recounts the adventures (and path to true love!) for an immortal band of warriors, granted the powers of their astrological signs.


Her contemporary series launches in November 2011 with BABY IT’S COLD OUTSIDE, the first in the Alaskan Nights series. Set in the fictional town of Indigo, Alaska, a couple of city girls are about to learn that the wide open spaces of Alaska just may hold everything they’re looking for. 
Addison lives in New York City.

BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE excerpt:

Sloan had never felt blindsided by a kiss before. Excited, yes, even thrilled.

But gobsmacked?

Absolutely not.

The reaction of shock, adrenaline and pure, unadulterated feminine pleasure rocketed through her system as the firm press of his lips quickly gave way to the heated assault of his tongue.

The cold that had seeped into her bones from the moment she‘d fled outside was rapidly replaced with a liquid heat that spread through her like a wild blaze and she knew—with absolute certainty—how the denizens of Alaska stayed warm.

                           

My thanks to the GLIAS team for having me back to the blog - I’m so excited to spend the day with everyone!

I thought about writing a blog post but the gals’ questions were so much more fun!  Without any further ado….

CAT:  What is your favorite summer memory as a kid?

ADDISON:  We had this wonderful dairy near where I grew up and we’d go there at least one night a week for ice cream after dinner. I can still smell the ice cream parlor – this wonderful sugary-milk smell that was just so subtle and lovely and we’d all get our cones and sit out on their picnic benches.

They made the most wonderful peanut-butter vanilla ice cream and it’s the only flavor I ever ordered. 

A few years ago I was back in my hometown and went for the vanilla peanut-butter….it was like going back in time!

CAT:  Do you have a large or small family?

ADDISON:  I come from a very large family.  On my mother’s side we’re about 100 at our annual family reunion. My maternal grandfather was one of 9 children and my maternal grandmother was one of five so I’ve got a lot of cousins. My dad’s family isn’t quite as large as my mom’s, but what we lack in size we make for in sheer fun and rowdiness when we’re together!

CAT:  Do you write while listening to music? If so, what kind?

ADDISON:  I love this question because I *wished* I loved listening to music when I write and the reality is that I prefer silence. It was one of the strangest revelations. Whenever I envisioned myself writing, I always thought I’d have all this lovely music playing in the background….and the reality couldn’t be farther from the truth. I hate having the noise!!

CAT:  Which of your characters would you most/least like to invite to dinner?

ADDISON:  I have a soft spot for all my characters (even the meanies!), but I would love to have dinner with Sloan, Grier and Avery, the gals from my newest book. I had so much fun writing their friendship scenes that I’d just love to sit down and have some wine with them and talk about hot Alaska bachelors!

CAT:  What would you say is your most interesting quirk?

ADDISON:  I don’t know that this is necessarily all that interesting but it has come as a rather large surprise to me. I’m incredibly absent-minded. The crazy part of it is that I never even realized this about myself until relatively recently.

I was having a conversation with my mother and I mentioned how absent-minded I’d been about something and she leaned over and grabbed my hand…..”Sweetie….you’ve always been absent-minded. At six, you couldn’t remember to bring your milk thermos home from school and at thirty-six you can’t remember something if it’s not on a list.”

She was so incredibly sweet about it that I wasn’t upset in the least….but I do wish she would have told me sooner!! J

CAT:  Tea of coffee and how do you take it?

ADDISON:  I picked this one because it’s such a complicated answer…..

I love both and drink coffee in the morning and switch to tea in the afternoon.

If it’s a foo-foo coffee (aka Starbucks) I get a latte but if it’s just standard coffee maker coffee, I drink it black.  I drink my tea with one sugar, no milk if it’s black tea and no sugar if it’s fruity.  I always feel like Sally from When Harry Met Sally when it comes to my hot beverage preferences!!!

CAT:  Which era would you least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Most?

ADDISON:  While the gowns were beautiful, I wouldn’t have made a very good Regency heroine. All those skirts and corsets and layers….I get hot just thinking about it! 

As for the era I’d most have liked to live in...I would have loved to be a flapper.

CAT’S GOTTA ASK:

If you were a t-shirt, what color would you be and why?

ADDISON’S GOTTA ANSWER:  I’d love to be a lovely pale green.  Green’s my favorite color and I always think that color looks so nice on!

ADDISON’S GOTTA ASK FOR FANS:

One of the things I had a lot of fun with while writing BABY IT’S COLD OUTSIDE is playing with expectations.  My heroine is a New Yorker and she ends up in the middle of Alaska for some unexpected reasons.

One of the things I think is fun about life is when something works out completely opposite – and better! – than you expect.

Have you ever had an experience where you went in with one set of expectations and ended up having a very different experience?

My thanks again to the GLIAS gals for having me!!!!

Happy Writing & Reading!

Addison

www.addisonfox.com

www.facebook.com/addisonfoxauthor

www.twitter.com/addisonfox

Addison is giving away a copy of BABY IT’S COLD OUTSIDE to a lucky commenter.

Diane Kelly

Diane Kelly is Filing for Readers

DEATH, TAXES, AND A FRENCH MANICURE
A Tara Holloway Novel
St. Martin’s Press
ISBN: 0312551266

Tara Holloway has got your number. A special agent on the IRS’s payroll, she’s dead-set on making sure that money crimes don’t pay…

Tax cheats, beware: The Treasury Department’s Criminal Investigations Division has a new special agent on its payroll. A recovering tomboy with a head for numbers, Tara’s fast becoming the Annie Oakley of the IRS—kicking ass, taking social security numbers, and keeping the world safe for honest taxpayers. Or else.

Tara’s latest mission finds her in hot pursuit of ice-cream vendor Joseph “Joe Cool” Cullen. Along with frozen treats he’s selling narcotics—and failing to report his ill-gotten gains on his tax returns. Over Tara’s dead body. Then there’s Michael Gryder, who appears to be operating a Ponzi scheme…with banker Stan Shelton…whose lake house is being landscaped by Brett Ellington…who happens to be dating Tara. If following that money trail isn’t tough enough, now Tara must face a new conundrum: Should she invest her trust in Brett—or put him behind bars? New love always comes at a cost but justice? Priceless.

FILE EARLY  If you'd like a sneak peek at Diane's Debut !!

THE AUDIT
A CPA and tax attorney, Diane spent several years at an international accounting firm where she had the pleasure of working with a partner later convicted of tax shelter fraud. She also served a stint as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Texas under an AG who pled guilty to criminal charges related to the tobacco company lawsuits. Given this work history, Diane decided self-employment might be a good idea. She also realized her experiences with white-collar crime were excellent fodder for a novel. Her fingers hit the keyboard and thus began her "Death and Taxes" mystery series.

Diane won the prestigious Romance Writers of America Golden Heart® Award in 2009 and has earned over two dozen RWA chapter awards.

THE INTERVIEW
ANGI: How often to you get lost in a story?
DIANE: As often as possible!

ANGI: What’s the first book you remember reading?
DIANE: LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE. I grew up in the Midwest and loved Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books. When I was young, we went on family vacations to visit some of her homes. My sisters and I loved it but my brother would complain about being dragged to another one of “that darn pioneer girl’s houses.”

ANGI: What’s your favorite fairy tale?
DIANE: I never liked fairy tales much, to be honest. So many of them involve a female waiting to be saved by a male. While I like a strong male character, I want my heroines to be smart and resourceful and feisty, too. They need to play an active role in their own rescue and to be equal to the male.

ANGI: What’s your favorite cartoon character?
DIANE: I always related to the little bird in the Foghorn Leghorn cartoons who claimed to be a chicken hawk. I was the youngest of four children and thus sometimes treated dismissively when I was young. But like the little bird, I was determined that I was, indeed, a chicken hawk and my voice would be heard!

ANGI: What turns you off like nothing else?
DIANE: Men who spit in public. Ew!

ANGI: Where do you read and how often?
DIANE: I always have a book with me and take advantage of snippets of time to read while waiting in the school parking lot, going on a road trip, standing in lines at the bank or post office. I read a few pages in bed every night when winding down at the end of the day. I also read sometimes in the bathtub when I can find a spare moment to relax.

ANGI: What sound or noise do you love?
DIANE: I’ve always liked the sound of a train whistle in the distance. It makes me feel like I’m connected to other parts of the world and my mind wanders, wondering where the train came from and where it’s going and what interesting things might be happening in those places.

ANGI: Fairy Tale or Action Adventure?
DIANE: Definitely action adventure! The female characters play a much more active role in action adventure movies than in fairy tales.

ANGI: Be honest, when reading...do you put yourself in the heroine’s role?
DIANE: Yes! I love to live vicariously through characters, especially when they are doing exciting, dangerous, courageous things I’d never be brave enough to try myself. It’s all the fun and thrills with none of the risks!

ANGI: Is writing or story-telling easier for you?
DIANE: Definitely writing. I like to play with words and try to say things in clever, funny ways. An agent once told me that it was clear I had a love of language. I was very flattered by that. My kids often groan at my puns, though. Nothing like living with two teenagers to keep a person humble.

ANGI: What’s something you’d like to tell your fans?
DIANE: That I write for them, with the hope that I can bring laughter to their day. Life can be tough. We all need a good laugh now and then!

ANGI’S GOTTA ASK: I have adored the title of your debut release since first seeing it on the contest circuit. I’m so glad you got to keep your title. And I laughed out loud when reading the title of your second: DEATH, TAXES & A SKINNY NO-WHIP LATTE. Care to share anything about that No-Whip Latte? And what might be next for Tara Holloway?
DIANE’S GOTTA ANSWER: Tara becomes addicted to lattes when running late-night undercover surveillance. Unfortunately, while the extra-whip, extra-drizzle caramel lattes may help her stay awake in the wee hours of the night, they aren’t doing her waistline any good. She’s forced to switch to skinny, no-whip lattes lest her butt become as big as the case she’s working on. In book #3, DEATH, TAXES, AND EXTRA-HOLD HAIRSPRAY, Tara’s after a preacher who’s pulling the wool over the eyes of his sheep. He may not worship a golden calf, but he’s using the church as his own cash cow, using the funds from the collection plates to finance a lavish lifestyle.

Funny thing about the title of my debut novel. Originally it was “Filing Status: Single.” Not nearly so catchy, huh? Once I changed it the manuscript really took off in contests. I’m a firm believer in a catchy title!

DIANE WILL draw from those leaving comments for THREE (3) copies of DEATH, TAXES, AND A FRENCH MANICURE.
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.

THE CPA’S QUESTION FOR TODAY: Who’s more important to you in a book – the heroine or the hero?

READERS CAN FIND DIANE on her Website on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/dianekellybooks or Twitter.
Send an email to: diane@dianekelly.com. Watch for Diane on Killer Fiction.

READERS DON’T FORGET to follow us on Facebook & Twitter (#GetLostStories) for a daily update on who’s visiting GLIAS and what they might be giving away! Join us on tomorrow when Cat hosts Addison Fox and back on Friday when Donnell hosts Linda Lovely. ~Angi

Katy Madison

Get Lost Again with Historical Romance Author Katy …

She had never known passion like this…

Caroline Broadhurst is about to take a lover—at her husband’s command. For fifteen years, Caroline has done everything her much older husband has desired—except provide an heir. Now he has given her an ultimatum: seduce a suitable gentleman, and bear a son. Caroline would never think of bowing to such a shameful order, but then she meets Jack Applegate.

Jack has longed for the beautiful, untouchable Caroline for years, but the chasm between them was too wide to ever dream of crossing. Now, fate and passion have thrown them together, but the potential scandal threatens to smother their love. And when a violent secret comes to light, only a terrible sacrifice will prevent the flame of their affection from being snuffed out forever…

Excerpt:

 Wanting to escape, she returned to the chair by the fireplace and sat down gingerly.  “Are you certain you’re strong enough?  You are not completely healed.”

He twisted to reposition the pillows behind him, exposing one pale flank.  Fighting an inexplicable need to stare at him, Caroline clenched her eyes shut, uncertain why she wanted to look upon his form.   

“Then you should do the work,” he said.

Her eyes popped open.  “Excuse me?” 

She didn’t know how she could do the work.  That was the man’s role.  Her mind reeled through possibilities and rejected them all.  A tremor passed down her spine and knotted her neck. 

He slid down on the bed to his elbows.  The coverlet reached his waist, allowing her to draw a breath.  His look turned questing.  Jack seemed to be waiting, as if he’d thought she’d know how to manage to provide the motion.

Caroline found her nail in her teeth, a habit her governess had cured two decades ago.  She deliberately dropped her hand.  “I’m not certain I know how.”

“You should mount me, sweetheart.”  His mouth flattened.  “It will give you control of how much we do touch.”

She thought about protesting his term of endearment, but she supposed it was just something to call her rather than ma’am or Mrs. Broadhurst.  “Are you certain that would work?”

Never had she considered that she could be on top.  And the idea of being in control of their encounter made her shake.  She had never been more than a passive participant. 

Yet, this with Jack was sounding all very clinical, like a doctor’s examination, but that was how she wanted it.  Wasn’t it?

His mouth worked as if he were restraining a laugh.  “Yes, it will work.”

She almost wanted to hit him.  “I mean to get me with...child?”

“That’s what I meant.”  Jack held out his hand and beckoned her.  “Are you ready?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be. ” Her voice sounded too shrill in the room. 

“Ah, I’ve been ready since I saw you at the top of the stairs.  You’re very tempting to look upon.”

He seemed comfortable with his words in the night.  The low rasp of his voice curled around and touched a part of her that wanted more than this business arrangement.  On shaking legs she stood and stepped closer to the bed.  She no longer trusted her voice to sound normal. 

Jack’s dark eyes watched her as he sat, bunching the muscles in his stomach, showing their form as they moved under his tight skin.  He pushed the covers down to his thighs and...

Today, I’m thrilled to welcome back historical romance author, Katy Madison, to the blog.  Katy writes fabulous stories filled with dangerous love and desperate passions.  Light romance they are not, but if you’re looking for emotion filled stories with strong characters, suspense and sensuality, you should definitely pick up one of Katy’s!

So let’s get right to the interview!

 

Heather:  How often to you get lost in a story?  

Katy: As often as possible.  I always read before I go to sleep.  I love/hate those times when a story so grabs me I stay up all night to finish it.  And of course every day, I’m working on one of my own stories. 

Heather:  What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in?

Katy: Historical romance is my favorite read, but I read other types of romance and outside the genre.  One of my favorite things to read and reread is The Foundation Trilogy by Isaac Asimov.  Right now I’m reading a book on Mayan prophecies, and I just finished one about nuclear weapons and the potential for nuclear war, so not all my reading is for escapism, but a lot of it is.    

Heather:  What’s the first book you remember reading?

Katy: I actually was reading before I started kindergarten.  So I don’t really remember not reading.  (Two older sisters who liked to play school with me when I was little.  I only have hazy memories of this because they were both into their teens when I turned seven and they mostly just considered me a pest at that point, but there are pictures.)  I do remember sitting on my father’s lap as he read “The Little Engine That Could” every time he’d read me a story.  It was his favorite story and he had to read me that one before he’d read me another, which I think might be responsible for my belief that if I work hard enough at anything, I can achieve it, even when it seems impossible. 

My first romance I remember reading was in third grade and I couldn’t tell you the name, but it was a Gothic set in Colonial America and there was a maid servant who “borrowed” her mistress’s white dress and sort of tricked the hero into choosing her at a masked ball where a man was expected to marry a woman he caught in this one particular dance.  Actually as I remember it, they were both after someone else.  If anyone remembers that book, I’d love to know the title and author.

I also read MASH in third grade—so not a book for an eight or nine year old.  (I snuck it out of my mother’s hidden stash of books) I was endlessly fascinated by the apparent importance of the MASH unit ordering tens of thousands of condoms a month and being the only unit with women—like forty some women.  I didn’t know what a condom was, but I looked it up in the dictionary.  Still not sure I quite understood then.  But I get it now.  (They were using the condoms to patch soldiers temporarily until they could get to Tokyo, not boinking the poor nurses ten times a day.) That might be where I developed a fascination with medical stuff and injuries, because I like to use that stuff in my books.  The book MASH is actually far grittier than the television show M*A*S*H ever was. 

Heather:  What’s your favorite “love” word? 

Katy: Cherish.  Because that says it all, doesn’t it?

Heather:  What’s your favorite fairy tale?

Katy: Cinderella, because ALL ABOUT SEDUCTION is a Cinderfella story.  But I do like that poor working class person getting swept up into a better life through love kind of theme. Actually shattering class barriers is a theme I like a lot. 

Heather:  What sound or noise do you love?

Katy: I love the sound of waves in the ocean. There is no sound more soothing.  Probably because I’m a water sign, I have a real affinity for water. 

Heather:  Who’s your favorite villain?

Katy: That’s a tough one, because I really like villains who are a little heroic like maybe Hannibal Lector, Mr. Brooks or right now I’m hooked into Dexter. I’m sensing a theme here. Okay, maybe I have a fascination for serial killers who want to do good things.  Fictional serial killers anyway.  Real serial killers are generally just sick animals.  Although I have to say if you ever get a chance to watch the interviews of the mob hitman, The IceMan, he was kind of droll and had a code of honor.

Heather:  What do you do to unwind and relax?

Katy: Mostly just veg out in front of the television or read a good book.  Although if I can get away, I like to go somewhere where there is water, either a lake or ocean.  Or sometimes just a walk around my neighborhood is a good way to relax. 

HEATHER’S GOTTA ASK – KATY’S GOTTA ANSWER  J

Heather:  What is the most fascinating thing you learned while researching or writing this particular book? 

Katy: Warning: My answer is not for the squeamish.  I did a lot of research into injuries and how they would have been treated in the time period of my book.  Medical practices and knowledge were increasing quite rapidly during the Victorian period, thank goodness. They were just beginning to understand infections and how to prevent them, how to use anesthesia and actually do surgeries that took a little time. But I now know how to perform an amputation, exactly how to peel back the skin, tie off the blood vessels, and where to cut the bone in the best place for the patient to be able to walk with a prosthetic limb. The surgeons weren’t all about speed, although speed was important.  Not that I got to use that knowledge in the book.  J

Actually a couple of surgeons on the continent had performed limb-saving surgery similar to Jack’s using silver wire and drilled holes in the pieces of bones.  I could go on and on, but that’s probably enough to make some people sick.  I did make my country doctor up on all the latest medical info, of course.

I also learned that a lot of what Caroline is trying to achieve with the children at the mill was actually already law by that time, although haphazardly enforced and mostly with fines.  L

GOT A QUESTION YOU’D LIKE TO ASK YOUR FANS?

Katy: In ALL ABOUT SEDUCTION I take a very realistic look at factory work, workers’ lives, as well as the suppressed rage of a woman who has been sold into a loveless marriage.  To some I have strayed too far into the dark side or away from their expectations of what a romance is.  To others I’ve enthralled them with the realistic look at life in the Victorian age.  So which kind of reader are you?  Do you prefer historical romances on the light side, or do you enjoy darkness in the story, as long as there is a Happily Ever After?  And why? 

WILL YOU HAVE A DRAWING FROM THOSE LEAVING COMMENTS?

Katy: Yes! I’ll be giving away a copy of ALL ABOUT SEDUCTION to a commenter.  

If you missed Katy’s first visit to GLIAS, check it out HERE.

Thanks so much for being with us today, Katy!  Where can your fans learn more about you on the web?

Website: www.katymadison.com

**Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North American 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.