I'm a former criminal prosecutor who loves thrilling, sexy stories about ordinary people overcoming extraordinary obstacles to find love. Like contemporary authors Linda Howard, Lori Foster, Rachel Gibson, Lori Wilde, Sandra Brown and paranormal authors J.R. Ward, Larissa Ione, Nalini Singh (and countless others on my keeper shelves), I hope to bring my readers emotional stories that make them feel and dream and wonder well-after they've finished reading them.
Chosen By Sin, Book 3 in the Para-Ops Series, releases in late December 2011. In this series, the U.S. government forms a special ops team whose members, including a werebeast, wraith, mage, and a vampire and the human female he's forbidden to love, must retrieve a stolen antidote.
I also write contemporary romantic suspense for Harlequin Romantic Suspense and HQN.
Every year, I buy an ornament for each of my children. I try to get an ornament that embodies a special event or milestone for that child’s year. I keep these ornaments in a separate box so when we trim the tree, we can spend a few minutes admiring the ornaments from years past. I love seeing how the ornaments change as my kids mature, and I look forward to being able to carry on this tradition with my grandkids someday!
HAVE YOURSELF A NAUGHTY LITTLE SANTA:
HE KNOWS IF YOU’VE BEEN BAD OR GOOD…. Picture-perfect Evergreen, California, nestled on the shores of Reindeer Lake in the snowy Sierras, is the perfect place for a no-strings holiday fling with a gorgeous Latin lover. Workaholic Kimberly Michaels didn’t come to Evergreen only to enjoy herself, though; she’s there to consummate a development deal in which her company will take over the town — whether the town wants it or not. Ricco Maza, whose sister owns the quaint B & B where Kim is staying, may be the hottest man she’s ever met (and the only one who can persuade her to relax enough for an orgasm!) but if he discovers why Kim is in town, she’ll soon be finding more coal and switches than kisses in her Christmas stocking. And as Kim’s frosty winter nights steam up with her sexy Santa, she realizes she’s going to have to make a choice. Is winning the deal truly the most important thing in life, or will this jaded cynic let Santa finally give her a little taste of Christmas magic?
I was never a star English student or a Literature buff, but I've always had a creative soul and an active imagination. Writing was a natural culmination of those two talents.
I write what I like to read: romantic suspense. I write for entertainment and escape--the same reasons I love to read. I prefer real-life language, so you'll find profanity in my work when it fits the character. I prefer open-door sex, so my love scenes are typically hot and steamy. And because my stories involve suspense, you'll often find violence, mystery and an inside look at the intricate world of forensics. Occasionally, I like to dabble in the lighter side of paranormal as well.
A triple RWA Golden Heart finalist as well as a double Daphne Du Maurier finalist, I am a lover of craft and closet-hoarder of writing craft how-to books.
In my day job, I work as a sonographer at UCSF Medical Center, a location with an intensity that makes me slightly insane...which works well with the writer in me. Not to mention all the character material I have access to--and I'm not talking about the patients (well...mostly).
I have been married twenty years to my own personal hero, a veteran firefighter, we have two beautiful daughters and are blessed to live in the heart of wine country on the gorgeous Central Coast of California.
Kati: Who is Joan during the holidays? Joan: Joan is a shifter: Wanna-be Martha Stewart to Grinch. (Imagine those tween stages *shiver*)
Every year I make plans to give out handmade gifts to our closest friends and family, to every neighbor, every casual acquaintance, every coworker. I make lists and lists. I buy the ingredients. I start baking. And inevitably, half way through, I peter out, exhausted and frustrated and turn into the Grinch. And I do it year after year after year. My husband has learned to simply shake his head and stand back.
K: What is your favorite thing about the holidays? J: When they’re over. *cringing* Don’t throw eggs. Anything but eggs. Okay, okay – I love fires…in the hearth, mostly, though a good Christmas tree fire can do a heart good.
K: Do you write more or less during the holidays? J: Heh. Well, with all that fabulous baking, less, of course.
K: Would you write a holiday themed/titled book in the future? J: Oh, wow. I so would! I already have the title in mind: Martha Got Run Over By A Reindeer(I like it! A shifter reindeer?)
K: Which of your heroes would you go on a sleigh ride with? J: Heroes smeroes. I mean, they’re smokin’ hot and all, but hell, if I’m going on a sleigh ride, I’m gathering up all my kick ass heroines, my best author friends and all their kick ass heroines, a liter of Belvedere, some cranberry juice, a fifth of Jack, a case of coke and, well, we won’t need ice with all that snow! It’s going to be one freakin’ good sleigh ride with the girls! (Sorry boys, this is bonding time.)
K: What is your favorite Christmas story, book or movie? J: Bet you can guess… *Wrong!* I actually loathe The Grinch that Stole Christmas. That green guy gave me nightmares as a kid. I like A Christmas Carol with Ebenezer Scrooge (the ghostly parts, not the sappy parts).
K: Real tree or fake tree? J: Real, for the feel of it, for the smell of it. Fake? What’s the point?
K: Specific gifts or gift cards? J: Specific. Exchanging gift cards is like exchanging money. Just keep the cash and go see a movie together instead.
K: Fruit cake or gingerbread? J: Gingerbread. Fruit cake? I thought that was an urban legend. (Apparently not. Some of your fellow authors actually like it.)
urban legend indeed!
K: Just enough decorations or “every tree lighted, blow up snowglobe, snow man in the yard” decorations? J: Every decoration you put up is a decoration you have to take down. Enough said.
K: Home for the holidays or visiting relatives? J: The sooner you get there, the sooner you can leave…therefore…visiting relatives.
K: Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? J: Both. Neither. Depends on whose company I’m in.
K: Author’s choice: J: Do I sound jaded? Have you ever spent Christmas in a tropical location? If yes, what was that like? If no, would you like to?
downbelow.co.uk
Thanks Joan for the laughs.
A VAMPIRE FOR CHRISTMAS:
All they want for Christmas is you…
It's the time of year for twinkling lights on trees and kisses under the mistletoe. Yet the passing of another year means nothing to the stunning immortals who lurk in the shadows of the new-fallen snow.
And they don't care if you've been naughty or nice.
Let four fanged lovers open your eyes to a passion you never dared to imagine. After all, there's no place like home for the holidays—and these dazzling vampires can't wait for an invitation.
Joan is giving away a copy of A VAMPIRE FOR CHRISTMAS anthology. Here's how to get your hands on a dark brooding fanged hottie:
Leave a comment for Joan answering her question along with your email addy, ninja style: yourname at gmail dot com.
Fill out the rafflecopter form below. You must answer Joan's question. All other entries are optional.
Easy peasy right? Don't forget to enter for the awesome super secret prize here.
A huge thank you to Joan for participating in the Joyathon and giving away a copy of A VAMPIRE FOR CHRISTMAS. Also, a huge thank you to Ashley March for forwarding correspondence between Joan and I.
First and foremost, I am a reader. Some of my best memories are of my mother taking me to the local library every week during the summer to check out armloads of books. I could hardly wait to get home, dive into the stories, and get lost in a whole new, wonderful world. My prized possession as a girl was an entire shelf of Nancy Drew Mysteries. I adored Nancy Drew.
My first experience with writing a book came at age 13. I developed a fascination with genealogy and, after spending time visiting older relatives to gather information, I found I had all sorts of wonderful family stories. What on earth could I do with all those [mostly false] tales? Why, I'd write a sweeping, 600+ page novel of course! A tale of life through several generations, spanning two centuries. It would be fantastic.
Armed with purpose and enthusiasm, I sat down at my big typewriter, [yes, I'm dating myself...typewriter, not keyboard], and began Page One. Hours later I had almost completed two whole pages. [double spaced, of course]. Hmmmmm... An entire day and I had barely two pages to show for it? [rather boring pages, at that].
Maybe I wasn't cut out to be an author after all.
click to read an excerpt
In spite of my writing setback, I retained my passion for books. I simply concentrated on reading other people's books. Lots of books. All kinds of books. Until I discovered Romance. Finally, a world I could escape to where I knew I'd always find a happy ending! I devoured them, literally reading hundreds.
Years passed before the writing bug seriously bit again. I was working in downtown Denver and, as so many writers advised, every lunch hour I took my pad and pen [actually, I preferred a pencil] and headed for my favorite coffee shop to spend my 50 minutes writing.
Unfortunately, my favorite coffee shop was in a book store. Invariably, I'd end up writing nothing. There were too many fascinating people to watch, too many interesting conversations to hear and then, of course, there were all the books to distract me.
Still, I had these two characters living in my head, wanting their story told...
click to read an excerpt
Then came the summer we took our second family vacation to Scotland. On the Black Isle [which isn't black or even an isle], near the pretty little town of Rosemarkie, we parked our rented car and hiked back into a magically beautiful placed called Fairy Glen. Resting on a large rock at the edge of a waterfall and pool, lulled by the lush nature of the setting, I suddenly realized THIS was the place for Cate and Connor. For the remainder of that trip, I'd catch glimpses of them, in a castle, standing at the foot of a crumbling staircase, or riding through a highland meadow.
Once I finally sat down at my keyboard and decided the time had come to give those two life, I found, amazingly enough, they weren't the only characters running around in my head. There were a bunch of them... all clamoring for their own turn!
My GOAL, as a writer, is to give each of those noisy characters a life in their own story.
My HOPE, as a writer, is that you'll enjoy reading their stories as much as I enjoy writing them! (source)
Kati: Who is Melissa during the holidays? (author, gift giver, last minute shopper, baker)
click for an excerpt
Melissa: All of the above!!! Last year I’d managed to schedule myself for a book due at the beginning of the year and I felt like it was hanging over my head all through Christmas! This year, though I’ll be writing through Thanksgiving, I’ll have my December free for one of my most favorite holiday activities… shopping! I love to hunt bargains to find the perfect gifts for family and friends.
K: What is your favorite thing about the holidays? M: The anticipation. I love having the house all decorated -- though the actual decorating itself is NOT one of my favorites. [But I will admit that I definitely prefer it over the after- holiday clean up!!]. I love finding perfect little treasures and wrapping them up and then I can hardly wait until it’s time to give the gifts!
K: Do you write more or less during the holidays? M: Definitely less. And usually that less writing is accompanied by more guilt! ☺
K: If you’ve written a holiday themed/titled book, what is it about? If you have not, would you write a holiday themed/titled book in the future?
click for an excerpt
M: I have not yet written a holiday themed/titled book. I suspect I probably will at some point in the future but it simply hasn’t worked out that way yet.
K: Which of your heroes would you go on a sleigh ride with? (with permission from the heroine of course) M: Hmmm… I spent so much time fixing up those heroes with their perfect heroines that I’d probably not choose to go on that sleigh ride with any of them. I think I’d prefer to spend time with one of the secondary characters who keep popping up in my books so that I could learn more about them. Some of them are so intriguing to me! Dair Maxwell [A HIGHLANDER OF HER OWN, HEALING THE HIGHLANDER] comes to mind and certainly a hour or two alone with Patrick MacDowylt [A HIGHLANDER’S HOMECOMING and WARRIOR’S REDEMPTION] would be time well-spent!
K: How do your Highlanders celebrate the holidays?
click for an excerpt
M: My modern day Highlanders enjoy their holidays with their families, more than likely going out and finding the perfect tree to cut and haul home to decorate. My medieval Highlanders live in a time when Christmas celebrations were still evolving from a combination of the religious and the pagan. They would be more likely to celebrate with a Yule log than a tree.
K: Real tree or fake tree? M: For me it has to be a fake tree, unfortunately. Though I love the smell of a fresh-cut pine, my allergies do not!
K: Specific gifts or gift cards? M: That one perfect gift is always preferable to a gift card… unless what they want IS a gift card!!
K: Fruit cake or gingerbread? M: This is a trick question, right? You have to have BOTH!!! ☺
K: Just enough decorations or “every tree lighted, blow up snowglobe, snow man in the yard” decorations? M: When my boys were younger I was more of the every decoration possible mind-set. Now that they’re grown, I prefer ‘just enough.’ A tree, a few wall hangings and a decorated mantle make me happy these days. [It’s also much less to put away after the holidays!]
K: Home for the holidays or visiting relatives?
click for an excerpt
M: Home. For both Thanksgiving and Christmas. Part of the anticipation is looking forward to all my family arriving for big meals and present-opening!
K: What are you looking forward to in the new year? M: I’m really excited about the new spin-off of my Daughters of the Glen series, The Warriors, the first of which [WARRIOR’S REDEMPTION] is set for release on December 27, 2011. Though I don’t have the release date yet for the second [WARRIOR’S REBIRTH], I do know it will be out in 2012.
K: Author’s choice. M: I’m all about eating the foods I love most and the holidays are absolutely the best excuse to do exactly that! ☺ There are a few particular foods that evoke the holiday spirit for me with just a single taste. One of those is eggnog and another is rich, creamy chocolate fudge.
24ph.com
What about you? What’s the one food that with a single bite can immediately transport you to the holidays?
K: Thanks Melissa for stopping by! M:Thanks so much for letting me share the holidays with you and your readers, Kati. I’m looking forward to sharing my favorite Christmas-themed read [Christina Skye’s CHRISTMAS KNIGHT] with one of your readers!
CHRISTMAS KNIGHT:
Hope O'Hara desperately needs a Christmas miracle or she'll lose her beloved Glenbrae House forever. Just when she thinks all is lost, a mysterious stranger comes riding into her life. From the moment she first sees him, Hope instinctively trusts Ronan MacLeod, but she doesn't quite know what to do when her valiant--and virile--rescuer claims that he's...a medieval knight!
After spending countless hours memorizing both traditional and simplified Chinese characters, perfecting her tones, and practicing her speaking with any Chinese native she could find, Ashley successfully graduated with a degree in Mandarin Chinese. She was determined to be the next best Chinese translator in the world... Then she discovered writing romances was as much fun as reading them, and her Chinese capabilities have never been the same. When she isn't writing, Ashley stays busy trying to entertain her two young daughters, attempting to do housework, and hiking in the beautiful foothills of Colorado.
What I Am Looking Forward to Most in the Next Year
Christmas is truly my favorite time of the year. I think I even enjoy it more now that I’m an adult than I did when I was a child. It used to bother me that stores would put up Christmas decorations before Halloween, but it doesn’t annoy me anymore. Now, I’m the person in our family who starts singing Christmas songs as soon as the first cold front hits (sometime in September or October). Or at least, I try to start singing—my husband usually pulls out his “we have to wait until Thanksgiving is over” card. ;)
click for an excerpt
Just as some people think of springtime in March as a time for new beginnings, Christmas always brings me hope and joy for the next year. And so, with that in mind, I’d like to tell you what I’m most looking forward to in 2012.
On the personal front, my daughters will be turning 2 and 3, respectively. Since June of 2009, it seems that someone little has always been screaming in our house. With toddlers aged 2 and 3, I’m really looking forward to their increasing communication skills where they’re able to tell us what they want without exploring the full range and depth of their lungs’ capabilities. ;) Their mobility is improving, too, which means that we have plans to go hiking in the foothills of Colorado again—something we haven’t done since the oldest was born. Almost every day I do look at my daughters and lament how fast time has flown by, but watching them grow up and seeing how their personalities develop—and being able to establish deeper relationships with them as a parent—is so amazing. My oldest has her own toy laptop now because Mama has a laptop, and whenever I tell her about Mama’s books, she goes and gets her books to read. I can’t wait to see if one day she’ll start to write her own stories, too. =)
click for an excerpt
On the professional front, I have big plans for 2012. My third book, MY LADY RIVAL, will be coming out from NAL Penguin in May 2012. But I’m also planning on publishing several other novellas and books throughout the year. Some of these will be Victorian, but I’m also working on developing a new 1920s series which I’m really excited about. I was so fortunate to become a published author in 2010, and the realization that I’m able to expand upon that dream now by venturing into other time periods and places is truly a wonderful thing.
Those are the two big things I’m looking forward to in 2012, but I can’t end this blog post without looking back at what has made 2011 such a great year. And, without a doubt, one of the first things that comes to mind is how much I’ve enjoyed being a part of the romance community. I’ve developed relationships with readers, reviewers, book bloggers, aspiring writers, fellow authors, and other industry professionals, and my life has been very much enriched as a result. There aren’t many communities that can continue to exist, year after year, let alone grow larger over time. There aren’t many communities where the vast majority of members are as nice, generous, and warm-hearted. But we belong to that community—the romance community—and I’m so thankful to be part of it with you.
Whether you celebrate Christmas or another holiday or none at all, I wish you joy, peace, and a year full of amazing romance novels in 2012. :)
What about you, dear readers? What are you most looking forward to in the next year? What made 2011 such a great year for you, too?
Thank you Ashley! I am looking forward to MY LADY RIVAL as well as your self-pub adventures. :)
A WALLFLOWER CHRISTMAS:
The Wallflowers are four young ladies in London who banded together in their wild and wickedly wonderful searches for true love. Now happily married, they join together once again to help one of the world’s most notorious rogues realize that happiness might be right under the mistletoe.…
It’s Christmastime in London and Rafe Bowman has arrived from America for his arranged meeting with Natalie Blandford, the very proper and beautiful daughter of Lady and Lord Blandford. His chiseled good looks and imposing physique are sure to impress the lady in waiting and, if it weren’t for his shocking American ways and wild reputation, her hand would already be guaranteed. Before the courtship can begin, Rafe realizes he must learn the rules of London society. But when four former Wallflowers try their hand at matchmaking, no one knows what will happen. And winning a bride turns out to be more complicated than Rafe Bowman anticipated, especially for a man accustomed to getting anything he wants. However, Christmas works in the most unexpected ways, changing a cynic to a romantic and inspiring passion in the most timid of hearts.
Ashley is giving away a copy of A WALLFLOWER CHRISTMAS to one(1) lucky reader. Here's how to enter:
Leave a comment answering Ashley's question along with your email addy, ninja style: yourname at gmail dot com.
Fill out the rafflecopter form below. You must answer Ashley's question. All other entries are optional. I do recommend on following Ashley on Facebook. You don't want to miss the 2nd year of her EPIC March Madness Party (pfft, none of that basketball nonsense).
Easy peasy right? Don't forget to enter for the awesome super secret prize here.
A huge thank you to Ashley for participating in the Joyathon and for giving away a copy of A WALLFLOWER CHRISTMAS.
Meet Jenn: I have several constants in life that define me: Colorado, Canon, CJ, kids and curls. Born and raised in a household of other people’s children in this beautiful state —very nearly with a camera in hand— I never left. I started my own family, got used to the curls, went to college, built a CJ, and started a business, all with a camera in hand.
TRATR original click for an excerpt
TRATR revamped releases today
I always had another passion; storytelling born from daydreams and nightmares. My fingers were never as quick as my mind, and no amount of practice got them there, so it was difficult and frustrating to have this inside me. When my second daughter was born her inherent traits kept me pinned— my only escape the keyboard. Spending my days in parenting chat rooms I got highly adept with one-handed typing and I can still type just about as fast with one hand as I can with two. It’s a great talent to have when engrossed in a scene and in need of a hit of caffeine. I recently finished my first novel but I quickly realized: I was born a photographer. From the realization that someone ELSE would be shooting the cover of MY book my control-freak took over. What started as an easy cover shoot ballooned into this completely new kind of media, designed specifically for digital book readers. I live and thrive off chaos and the constant flow of the creative process. I wear shorts and flip-flops year-round —much to the chagrin of my friends and family— and I am currently working on the illustrations for my second novel.
Kati: Who is Jenn during the holidays? (author, gift giver, last minute shopper, baker) Jenn: Mom frantically trying to find the best possible gifts on a severely limited budget, LOL. And yes, primarily last minute because I hate shopping crowds so I avoid them until it is too late. Which is awful. I do bake during the holidays, which I don’t really normally, though I don’t know about baking this year since I won’t eat any of it. :) (Trainer Derek would not approve)
K: What is your favorite thing about the holidays?
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J: Oh, I don't know. Christmas was always my mom's favorite holiday, and Thanksgiving was my grandmother's so it is weird now, with both of them gone. We usually eat out for Thanksgiving, and Christmas is a production of shuffling kids around to different houses. What I would like, is to have a front room big enough for a nice Christmas tree, and to have all my kids with me on Christmas morning. Someday, maybe. I do love mulling spice though, I guess that's my favorite thing right now. I always boil cider on the stove with mulling spice and the whole house smells so good! I also love the activities we do, the Christmas spirit, the stuff that has nothing to do with all the shopping.
K: If you’ve written a holiday themed/titled book, what is it about? If you have not, would you write a holiday themed/titled book in the future? J: The next serial I have planned actually starts at a Christmas wedding, because I grew up watching White Christmas and my dream wedding was always full of red velvet and white maribou. Right now the heroine is known as clementine, but that will change soon. I just don't have enough of a feel for her to name her yet. My daughters were eating clementine's at the time, so it stuck. It is probably as close to holiday as I’ll get for a book.
K: What is your favorite Christmas story, book or movie? (Mine is White Christmas) J: um...well...yeah there is that, which I already mentioned, but I think more than that is the Grinch. He is my absolute hero because he shows the capacity for change. And he is fuzzy and green with an awesome sidekick. (NOT the live action version. No NONONONO. NO.)
K: What is the most annoying Christmas song?
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J: I hate, with the fiery passion of a thousand burning suns, The Little Drummer Boy. I don’t know why, and I know it is one of the most popular but all that pah rump pah pum pumming is just obnoxious. (agreed)
K: Real tree or fake tree? J: Colorado = real trees. Plus they smell good.
K: Specific gifts or gift cards? J: Unless you have the penchant for finding something that truly speaks to the recipient I say go with the gift card. I am one of those people who hates wasted anything, and all the gifts that don’t get used because the giver didn’t really know the givee make me nuts. I guess that can be considered rude, but I believe time and effort should go into the giving. If you don’t have that much to give just grab a gift card and let them do the work. It’s just as thoughtful, in fact I would much prefer a gift card than some fruitcake, or something else awful. Really it’s more thoughtful to give a Starbucks card than some kind of foodstuff that may or may not end up in the garbage.
K: Fruit cake or gingerbread?
oh for the love of coccyx. click.
J: Oh, well there we go again, gingerbread is the clear winner here. ;) (Oh for the love of coccyx! Are you anticipating my questions? Slightly creepy...)
K: Just enough decorations or “every tree lighted, blow up snowglobe, snow man in the yard” decorations? J: I used to go all out, outdoor lights indoor lights the whole shebang. When the kids were little they got a new ornament every year, and it was a giant production. It wasn’t necessarily that they got older but that we bought a house and it is little, so the front room hardly fits us much less fancy stuff, which makes me sad. We have yard decorations now, but last year we didn’t do the big tree because there just wasn’t room for it anywhere.
K: Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? J: I like Christmas Eve because it is more peaceful and quiet, in general. Christmas is chaotic and there’s a lot of driving around to family and then switching kids with other parents and it has really sapped the actual day for me. I enjoy the festivities leading up. And by festivities I mean doing things, ice skating and drinking hot cocoa, riding the horse drawn carriages on the 16th street mall, all the lighting ceremonies etc... NOT the shopping. I rather hate how much shopping has changed the face of Christmas.
goldenvisitorsbureau.com
K: What are you looking forward to in the new year? (any new projects?)
click for the story behind this pic
J: Oh yes. YES YES YES. Perry. Need I say more? Oh there’s Twitchy too. For those of you who haven’t read my book THE RAKE AND THE RECLUSE the new improved version is out today, it is a serial novel, and the final, never before released, parts are coming out in February. That is Perry’s story. Twitchy (that’s just a nickname) is another book that will be out this year. I’m really excited about this one because the heroine is SO VERY different. (I'm totally Team Perry but won't turn this into a Twilight-like rivalry.)
K: Author’s choice. J:What is YOUR favorite part of the holidays? What do you do to get into the Christmas spirit?
Thanks Jenn for participating in the Joyathon! I'm sure there's drool on everyone's keyboards after your interview. Isn't there always? lol. I think they quit reading after G's abs. *shakes head*
A WALLFLOWER CHRISTMAS:
The Wallflowers are four young ladies in London who banded together in their wild and wickedly wonderful searches for true love. Now happily married, they join together once again to help one of the world’s most notorious rogues realize that happiness might be right under the mistletoe.…
It’s Christmastime in London and Rafe Bowman has arrived from America for his arranged meeting with Natalie Blandford, the very proper and beautiful daughter of Lady and Lord Blandford. His chiseled good looks and imposing physique are sure to impress the lady in waiting and, if it weren’t for his shocking American ways and wild reputation, her hand would already be guaranteed. Before the courtship can begin, Rafe realizes he must learn the rules of London society. But when four former Wallflowers try their hand at matchmaking, no one knows what will happen. And winning a bride turns out to be more complicated than Rafe Bowman anticipated, especially for a man accustomed to getting anything he wants. However, Christmas works in the most unexpected ways, changing a cynic to a romantic and inspiring passion in the most timid of hearts.
Now that you've wiped the drool from your keyboard, Jenn is giving away a copy (e-book for international or paperback for US) of A WALLFLOWER CHRISTMAS to one(1) lucky reader. Here's how to enter:
Leave a comment answering Jenn's question along with your email addy, ninja style: yourname at gmail dot com.
Fill out the rafflecopter form below. You must answer Jenn's question. All other entries are optional. I recommend on following Jenn via Twitter. She tweets some sexy shots during studio time.
Easy peasy right? Don't forget to enter for the awesome super secret prize here.
A huge thank you to Jenn for participating in the Joyathon, giving away a copy of A WALLFLOWER CHRISTMAS and for the official Joyathon banner/header for the blog and for supplying my need for man candy.
PENNY WATSON is a native Pittsburgher whose love of romance started at the age of twelve when she discovered Gone With The Wind in the middle school library. This resulted in numerous attempts at a first novel about a young lady with windswept hair who lived in a treehouse.
A biologist by training, Penny has worked at various times as a dolphin trainer, science teacher, florist, and turfgrass researcher (don't ask). Through it all she was a compulsive reader and collector of romance novels. After taking time off to raise her two spirited children, she decided to rekindle her passion for storytelling with the support of a wonderful writer's group, The Quirky Ladies. Now she gets to incorporate her wide array of interests, including gardening, cooking and travel into her light paranormal stories. Penny lives outside of Boston with one fly-fishing crazed husband, two lively Filipino kids, and a wiener dog.
Kati: Who is Penny during the holidays? (author, gift giver, last minute shopper, baker)
Penny: The holidays are all about fun…..gingerbread house competitions, listening to Celine Dion music and trimming the tree, watching the movie “Elf” and drinking hot cocoa. And of course….shopping for the kids. I love searching for the perfect gift for everyone.(Including me…hee hee!)
K: What is your favorite thing about the holidays? P: Christmas morning! There is nothing like the excitement of the kids coming downstairs after “Santa” has visited, and watching their reaction. I love that!
K: Do you write more or less during the holidays? P: I take a break from writing. I am usually promoting my Christmas Series (The Klaus Brothers Series), so that takes a lot of time.
K: If you’ve written a holiday themed/titled book, what is it about? If you have not, would you write a holiday themed/titled book in the future? P: The Klaus Brothers Series is about the five sexy sons of Santa Claus. All the brothers pitch in to help with Klaus Enterprises….Nicholas is a master pastry chef who specializes in Christmas cookies and sweets. Sven is the toy designer and wood-worker. Gregor is the financial guru. Wolfie is in charge of Charitable Donations. And Oskar, the youngest, is Director of Elfin Resources. It’s a family affair.(I am loving this series.)
K: Which of your heroes would you go on a sleigh ride with? (with permission from the heroine of course)
P: Wolfgang Klaus. He is a buff giant of a man with a big beard. He’s also very kind-hearted. Yum! (He doesn't happen to be lumberjack-y, does he?)
K: Regifting: Tacky or is there a sneaky way to do it? P: Goodwill? (lol)
K: Real tree or fake tree? P: Fake! No dropping needles, no allergies, no fire hazard. It looks real and it lasts forever. Merry Christmas! :^)
K: Specific gifts or gift cards? P: I pack the stockings with gift cards and little presents. But I also try to pick out special gifts for everyone. That’s part of the magic of Christmas.
K: Fruit cake or gingerbread? P: Gingerbread! We make gingerbread houses, gingerbread cookies, gingerbread muffins. Can’t get enough of that stuff.
K: Just enough decorations or “every tree lighted, blow up snowglobe, snow man in the yard” decorations?
P: We have lots of decorations, including vintage stuff from my Nana. Everyone has a mini tree in his/her room, too, with miniature ornaments.
K: Home for the holidays or visiting relatives? P: I like to spend Christmas morning at my own house. Everyone is welcome!
K: What are you looking forward to in the new year? P: Spending time with family and friends, adventures in travel, discovering new characters in my stories.
K: Author’s choice. P:What’s your favorite Christmas movie? We have a huge collection at our house, including old favorites like The Grinch and Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, and some new favorites, like Elf and Olive The Other Reindeer.
Happy Holidays To All! Love, Penny Thanks Penny!
SWEET MAGIK:
Oskar Klaus' job is killing him. Not even his favorite hobbies (extreme snowboarding and browsing old bookstores) are enough to snap him out of his funk. It's not easy living in the shadow of four successful older brothers and a father named Santa. Little does he know that a kiss on New Year's Eve is about to turn his life upside-down.
Kiana Grant's Manhattan life is a world away from her childhood in Oahu. She traded sunsets and surfing for a respectable career in library science, but Oskar Klaus is a temptation that's hard to resist. Before she knows it, she's in the midst of an outrageous adventure in the North Pole, dealing with mischievous elves, wicked demons, and a devastating attraction to Santa's youngest son. There's just one problem...a bitter elf hell-bent on revenge threatens the future of everyone in the North Pole, even Santa himself...
Penny is giving away a copy of SWEET MAGIK (#2 in the Klaus Brothers series) to one(1) lucky reader. Here's how to enter and get your own green haired snowboarding hottie:
Leave a comment answering Penny's question along with your email addy, ninja style: yourname at gmail dot com.
Fill out the rafflecopter form below. You must answer Penny's question. All other entries are optional.
Easy peasy right? Don't forget to enter for the awesome super secret prize here.
A huge thank you to Penny for participating in the Joyathon and for giving away a copy of SWEET MAGIK.
