Bread, Butter, and Bad Kitties

I'm pleased to have award winning author, Michael Wiley, as my guest today. He wrote The Last Striptease (St. Martin’s Press), which won the coveted Private Eye Writers of America and St. Martin’s Press prize for best first private eye novel in 2006.

I make no secret of the fact I like good detective stories. As a kid I read Mickey Spillane, much to my mother's horror, I loved Mike Hammer, PI. I also loved Philip Marlowe, PI. I graduated to Robert B Parker's books and Spencer.

It's funny how certain characters draw a reader more than another. While I enjoyed Spencer as a hero, I had a crush on Hawk. Why? He was a dark hero. That edge of danger, the knowledge he had lived and seen the really bad side of life, yet he had a goodness about him. Hawk had standards, a code, which as a reader I respected. You knew if Hawk was there, you'd be safe. I like characters like that.

I haven't read Michael's books yet, but I am waiting impatiently for The Last Striptease for the same reason. Characters that are good, bad, and ugly; in other words, interesting and real.

Michael talks with us about moral ambiguity and what draws him to writing characters where the lines between good and bad are a bit hazy.

In the mid-1970s, when I was fifteen, I wasn’t sure which song was more romantic, “Everything I Own” by the bubblegum band Bread or “Walk on the Wild Side” by Lou Reed. If Bread’s soft melody and promises to give up “my life, my heart, my home” just to “have you back again” clearly set the right mood for making out with my girlfriend in my parents’ basement, I suspected that Lou Reed’s hookers and hustlers knew things about life and love that the members of Bread would never know. Even at my most uncertain teen aged moments, I was pretty sure that I didn’t want to live like Lou Reed’s characters, but the characters fascinated me. I knew that they wouldn’t be caught dead with a Bread record and if they were spending time in a basement it wasn’t in their parents’ house and they were doing more than making out.

I grew up but I didn’t grow much wiser. I live a pretty Bread-ish life. I’m happily married to a woman with whom I gladly share “my life, my heart, my home.” Our friends are varied but over the years even the biggest misfits among them either have drifted away or have settled into middle-aged complacency. Many of them are in relationships in which they also share life, heart, and home with spouses or partners. But I still like Lou Reed’s – still like the danger, the edge, and the sex that Lou Reed conjures in it – still listen to it from time to time, while my Bread records disappeared sometime around 1980.

Moral ambiguity interests me. When I write, I try to catch the ambiguity­ that I’ve experienced and that, if my readers speak truthfully, seems to be a common human characteristic. In my books, I take this ambiguity further than I live it myself. I write about men and women who know the pleasures, safe as they may be, of committed lives, hearts, and homes, but are drawn by forces inside or outside of them to danger and crime. They enjoy being home with their families but find themselves in rooms with murderers and deviant lovers. Worse, they find themselves enjoying the company. “Whoops!” they think later, as they shower off at home, “how did that happen?” And the next day it happens again.

So, in my new novel, THE BAD KITTY LOUNGE, my hero, a private detective who looks like Lech Walesa from the Solidarity days but with abs and no moustache, struggles as hard to reconnect with his ex-wife as he does to find the killer of a nun. But he messes up. Time after time. And others in the book mess up too: the nun, the detective’s ex-wife, his new partner. These characters put themselves on roads of goodness but the roads take them to various kinds of hell. But my hero eventually does catch the murderer and he does find his way to life, heart, and home (even if they don’t look like what he initially has imagined).

Moral ambiguity excuses nothing, of course. But it explains a lot. I believe that most people, even people who do very bad things, are essentially good or would like to be. That’s not to deny that some people are truly evil. I know a few of them. But purely evil characters are tiresome – less interesting in works of fiction than characters who, like the rest of us, possess both good and bad. So, the characters in my books take walks on the wild side. They get hurt. Some recover. Some die. And for reasons that I can’t fully explain, that pleases and satisfies me as both a reader and a writer.

Bad Kitty Lounge

Greg Samuelson, an unassuming bookkeeper, has hired Joe Kozmarski to dig up dirt on his wife and her lover Eric Stone. But now Samuelson has taken matters into his own hands. It looks like he's torched Stone’s Mercedes, killed his boss, and then shot himself, all in the space of an hour.

The police think they know how to put together this ugly puzzle. But as Kozmarski discovers, nothing’s ever simple. Eric Stone wants to hire Kozmarski to clear Samuelson. Samuelson’s dead boss, known as the Virginity Nun, has a saintly reputation but a red-hot past. And a gang led by an aging 1960s radical shows up in Kozmarski’s office with a backpack full of payoff money, warning him to turn a blind eye to murder.

At the same time, Kozmarski is working things out with his ex-wife, Corrine, his new partner, Lucinda Juarez, and his live-in nephew, Jason. If the bad guys don't do Kozmarski in, his family might.

Excerpt

• What kind of characters do you find satisfying as a reader or a writer? Good? Bad? Somewhere in between? Why?

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Michael Wiley is the author of The Bad Kitty Lounge (St. Martin’s Press, March 2010) as well as The Last Striptease (St. Martin’s Press), which won the Private Eye Writers of America and St. Martin’s Press prize for best first private eye novel in 2006 and was nominated for a Shamus award in 2008. He is writing a third novel in the series, which features Chicago Detective Joe Kozmarski, as well as a stand alone mystery, which is set in the wetlands of northern Florida.

• Michael grew up in Chicago and has lived and worked in the neighborhoods and on the streets where he sets his Kozmarski mysteries. He now teaches literature at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. As part of this other life, he has published books on Romantic Geography (Macmillan-St. Martin’s Press) and Romantic Migrations (Palgrave Macmillan). No one shot at him when he was writing either of them.

Book Winners

FEBRUARY WINNERS!

We had five authors giving away books in February.

I don't have all your email addresses. Please either leave your email addresses in the comment section or contact me at siamckye@gmail.com with your physical address.

All addresses are kept strictly confidential.

The winners are as follows:

JUDI FENNELL:

LuAnn

Tetiwe

TERRY SPEAR:

Elli Rossi

Anna Shah Hogue

AMANDA FORESTER:

Tomi
Mason Canyon

DONNA GRANT:

Chellyreads

Sue A

DONNA MACMEANS:

Vivian Archer

Congratulations!

Be sure to contact me so we can get your books to you.

Getting There

Debut author, Joanne Kennedy, is my guest Over Coffee today. Joanne writes romantic suspense with a little bit of humor stirred in to keep it interesting. She lives in Cowboy country so it's no surprise her debut is about those tough and sexy American icons, the cowboy.

Joanne's talks about the need to love what you do. Reaching your goals when you love the work is a joy. When you love your work, climbing the steps isn't a hardship. Each level brings new goals to achieve and even when you *get there* you still have steps to climb.

The road to publication is a long road, paved with rejections and frustration—but I made it. I’m finally “there” – but now that I’ve reached my goal, I’m surprised to find that, in the words of Gertrude Stein, “there is no ‘there’ there.”
When you first start writing, you think to yourself, “If I could just finish this…”

You finish it. Then you hope to win a contest. Then you begin the long process of submission, aiming for goals like getting requests for partial manuscripts, then fulls, then getting offers of representation from agents.

When I signed with my agent, I really thought I was “there.” And I was close—closer than a lot of writers get with their first agent, because I was lucky enough to strike gold the first time out and sign with a really good agent who’s also a fine human being (actually, I think she’s a goddess). But even with her knowledge and contacts, it took over a year, many revisions, and finally a second manuscript, to make a sale.

And now that Cowboy Trouble has hit the stores, there are still goals ahead of goals and more goals. I hope the book sells well. I hope it gets good reviews. And if it does get good reviews, I’ll be worrying about the next book—will it live up to the first?

I can always find something to worry about.

But in some ways, that’s a good thing. No matter how well the book does, I’ll always be reaching for the next milestone. Bestseller lists. Awards. Making a living if I’m lucky, and then a better living.

The striving never ends—and that’s good. Life loses its flavor when you have nothing to aspire to.

But that realization showed me that the ultimate reward writing offers doesn’t lie in any of these achievements. The real reward is in the writing itself—the good days when the words flow freely, the triumphs when I solve a particularly gnarly plot problem, the weird, almost mystical joy of creating a world and characters who inhabit it and make it real, and even the satisfaction of knuckling down and getting the job done on a difficult day.

If you don’t take joy in the simple act of doing what you love, forget the other goals. Because if you think achieving any of them is going to complete your life, you’re wrong.

Whether your talent lies in writing, painting, teaching children, or running a business, you’re lucky if you’ve found what you were meant to do. Doing what you love is a privilege and a joy.

In the all-consuming quest for success, it’s easy to forget the biggest blessing of all: you have a talent that only you can offer. You have a place in the world.

So for all you aspiring writers out there, and everyone else who is always aiming for some elusive goal, take heart. When you sit down at your desk or your piano or your word processor, take a deep breath, and light into the day’s work, you’re already “there.”

What do you love to do? What are your goals, and how would achieving them change your life?

COWBOY TROUBLE

Fleeing her latest love life disaster, big city journalist Libby Brown's transition to rural living isn't going exactly as planned. Her childhood dream has always been to own a chicken farm—but without the constant help of her charming, sexy, cowboy neighbor; she'd never have made it through her first Wyoming season.

Handsome rancher Luke Rawlins is impressed by this sassy, independent city girl. But he yearns to do more than help Libby out with her ranch…he's ready for love, and he wants to go the distance. When the two get embroiled in their tiny town's one and only crime story, Libby discovers that their sizzling hot attraction is going to complicate her life in every way possible…

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Joanne Kennedy has worked in bookstores all her life in positions ranging from bookseller to buyer. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, and won first place in the Colorado Gold Writing Contest and second place in the Heart of the Rockies contest in 2007. Joanne lives and writes in Cheyenne, Wyoming. For more information please visit http://joannekennedybooks.com/.

Pit Bull Approach to Writer’s Block

USA Today Best Seller, Catherine Mann, is my guest today. She’s a frequent speaker at RWA conferences. Writes emotional packed tales around some hot military heroes for Harlequin and Berkley Sensation. You may have read her Dark Ops stories with Berkley.

I’ve often wondered how authors handle deadlines around writing several books a year in more than one series. How do they keep it fresh? How do they handle the normal writing blocks when on deadlines?


Cathy shares how she handles it.

People often ask how I combat writer’s block when penning four to five books a year. My answer? I step away from the computer and search out new ways to clear the cobwebs. Although I never could have foreseen that this week’s cobweb clearing journey would lead me to Doga Class with a pit bull.

Yes, you read that right. Doga. Pronounced Dough-Guh. In essence, it’s yoga with a dog, or in my case, doga with a pit-bull.

I’ve never participated in yoga or mediation before. But I’m an active supporter of my local Humane Society, including fostering motherless puppies. When I heard that my local shelter was starting a monthly doga class, I was smack dab in the middle of a huge plot snarl and doga seemed like a great way to nab some cobweb clearing time. (Photo to the right Cathy with foster pups)

I had read up a little on doga and knew going in that the purpose for shelter dogs is to help them become more adoptable by:

1)Relaxing tension/aggression in a dog stressed from being penned up.

2) Relaxing nervous/timid dogs who need confidence.

Doga incorporates chanting, massage, acupressure, as well as reflexology with the paws. (Probably more than you cared to know - pardon my digression!)

Arriving at the shelter, I asked them to pair me with a dog that needed help rather than me just picking a doggie partner. Ask and ye shall receive.

Meet Tayler:

Now, I’ve fostered bulldog puppies before and have a deep affection for the breed. They’re sweet dogs by nature, and are sadly often misused by their owners. (Don’t EVEN get me started on the evils of dog fighting.) Yet knowing all of this, I was still nervous about finding my center and oneness in a lotus position with a huge animal I didn’t know, an animal clearly unhappy about being penned up.

Boy, was I ever in for a surprise. After only a little heart-to-hound Mudra and some Downward Facing Dog, Tayler was a regular pussy cat, resting her chin on her paws, rolling on her back, covering my hands and face with doggy kisses. She was totally mellow - and also apparently majorly into aroma therapy!



By the end of the doga session, my writer’s block had cleared. Thanks to Tayler, I realized I simply needed to look at the plot problem from a different angle and enjoy the unexpected path.

So this week when folks ask me how I combat writer’s block, I just smile and say, “I took the pit bull approach.”


For a chance to win an autographed book by Catherine Mann, simply post a comment. Three winners will be chosen, winner’s choice of HOTSHOT (Berkley Sensation) or BOSSMAN’S BABY SCANDAL (Silhouette Desire.)

• CURRENT RELEASE:

MORE THAN WORDS: STORIES OF HOPE, an anthology by three bestselling authors: Catherine Mann, Diana Palmer and Kasey Michaels, Harlequin, March 2010.

• Catherine Mann, Touched by Love
• Read an Excerpt

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USA Today bestseller Catherine Mann writes action-packed military suspense for Berkley Sensation and emotional, steamy romances for Silhouette Desire. With over two million books in print in twenty countries, she has also celebrated wins in both the RTIA and Bookseller’s Best contests. A former theater school director and university teacher, she holds a Master’s degree in theater from UNC-Greensboro and a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from the College of Charleston. Catherine currently resides on a sunny Florida beach with her military flyboy husband and their four children. FMI check out her website at: http://catherinemann.com

First Impressions

It's my pleasure to welcome my guest, Donna MacMeans. I had the opportunity to not only meet this wonderful historical writer this past September, but I attended a workshop she handled. She made me laugh and giggle more than once. Her workshops are very informative, well there was her fascination with numbers… :-) but other than that, I learned a lot.

Her topic today is timely, because it deals with how to make an impression with our writing, especially if we’re not published.

Let’s face it. We’re all victims of first impressions. When you first meet a stranger, you’ve already made certain assumptions about that person based on their attire, their stance, their hair, their smile. Love at first sight basically means instantaneous attraction (and let me just say, I’m a believer in love at first sight. Thirty–eight years later and I still believe.)

I contend that we do the same thing with books. Maybe we first fall in love with the cover, sometimes it’s the back cover blurb (I no longer trust those blurbs – fodder for another blog), but often it’s the first line. As an author, I have no control over the cover, very limited influence over the blurb, but the first line – yeah, that’s all me.

The first line can lead to love at first read. For an unpublished author, that first line might be the difference between getting a manuscript read by an industry professional, or not. It sets the tone, and expectations, for the rest of the book. A good first line can hook a reader and, if the book holds true to the promise of the first line, a fan.

Here’s a great one: “There are eight thousand nerve endings in the clitoris and this son-of-a-bitch couldn’t find any of them.” Don’t you love it! That’s from TAN LINES by J. J. Salem. You already have expectations for that book, right?

So I’ve been looking at first lines and here’s what I’ve found. You can often tell the gendre of a book by its first line. Big whoop, you might say. You can tell the gendre by the cover. A hunky chest and a wolf most likely means a shape-shifter paranormal, not an historical. However, if you’re unpublished, you don’t have the benefit of a cover.

But if you have a first line like these, the reader/editor/agent knows immediately this is a paranormal.

“Every night, death came slowly, painfully, and every morning Maddox awoke in bed, knowing he’d have to die again later.” Gena Showalter, THE DARKEST NIGHT

“My name is Kate Connor, and I used to be a Demon Hunter.” Julie Kenner, CARPE DEMON

How about mystery/suspense? I’ve noticed that when I ask readers for their favorite first lines, the mystery/suspense ones often foreshadow a dead body will soon make an appearance. Try these:

“Death was not taking a holiday. New York may have been decked out in its glitter and glamour, madly festooned in December 2059, but Santa Claus was dead. And a couple of his elves weren’t looking so good.” J.D. Robb, MEMORY IN DEATH

“My teacher always told me that in order to save a patient you’d have to kill him first. Not the most child-friendly way of explaining his theory of book restoration to his eight-year-old apprentice, but it worked. I grew up determined to save them all.” Kate Carlisle, HOMICIDE IN HARDCOVER (This debut went to straight to the New York Times extended list.)

Here’s a couple of favorite first lines from historicals. Notice the lyrical structure and a quick reference to something from a period. Clues that say “this is an historical”.

“Dangling a man upside down by the ankles outside a London ballroom was not how Maxwell Brooke had anticipated spending his first Thursday night as the Duke of Lyle.” Christine Wells, THE DANGEROUS DUKE

“Ice hung from windowsills with a glitter that rivaled glass, and new snow turned sooty streets to rivers of milk. Looking at the city from the bell tower of Saint Germain, the Duke of Fletcher could see candles flaring in store windows, and though he couldn’t smell roasting goose, holly leaves and gleaming berries over doors signaled that all of Paris had turned its mind toward a delicious banquet of gingerbread and spice, of rich wine and sugared cakes.” Eloisa James AN AFFAIR BEFORE CHRISTMAS

And I couldn’t help including one of my own. This from my latest:

“With all the malice she could muster, Francesca Winthrop whacked the wooden croquet ball beneath her foot, sending her mother’s ball careening across the manicured lawn, over the edge of the Newport cliffs, and possibly into the blue gray waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Pity, it wasn’t her mother’s head.” Donna MacMeans, THE SEDUCTION OF A DUKE.

Now it’s your turn. What are your favorite first lines? Help me add to my list. One comment will receive a copy of THE SEDUCTION OF A DUKE.

Back Cover:

William Chambers, Duke of Bedford, ascended to the title upon his father's death, but he also inherited his father's extensive debts. Desperate to avoid scandal and ruin, he is willing to go to any lengths—including marrying, sight unseen, a reclusive American heiress known as Frosty Franny.

Not pleased to be trapped in an arranged marriage, Francesca Winthrop conspires to turn lemons into lemonade with the assistance of a courtesan's journal.

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By day, a mild-mannered accountant, I transform at night to an impassioned author of romantic historical novels, paranormals, and suspense. I live outside of Columbus, Ohio with my wonderful husband of many, many years, two adult children, and my canine shadow - a mixed breed mutt named Oreo. When I'm not knee deep in tax returns as a self-employed CPA, or typing away on another manuscript, I'm active in several writing organizations. Every now and then, I break out my paints or pastels for a different creative venue, but of the two, I find writing not quite as messy. I love to cook (but hate to clean up). I have a bit of a reputation with my desserts. They always incorporate chocolate and alcohol in some intoxicating fashion.

In addition to Romance Writers of America, I'm a member and officer (you guessed it - Treasurer) of Central Ohio Fiction Writers. I also belong to The Golden Network, a chapter of Golden Heart Finalists, and Scriptscene, a chapter for scriptwriters. Hey - you never know when Hollywood will come knocking.

Donna's Website

DARK SWORDS AND DRUIDS

My guest today is Donna Grant. Award winning author of more than twenty novels spanning multiple genres of romance – Scottish Medieval, historical, dark fantasy, time travel, paranormal and erotic.

Donna has a series called Dark Sword that I’m dying to read. The premise of the series:

A sensual historical dark fantasy series published by St. Martin's Press. In a remote Scottish castle three immortal brothers hide from the world as they battle the primeval god inside them. But another battle rages, this one for the world and an evil that will stop at nothing to have it.

I read the excerpt of Dangerous Highlander and I can tell you, I like Lucan MacLeod. This book is not only on my To Be Read List, but already ordered. I’ll let you know what I think at another time.

Donna gives us some background on the series:

I get asked a lot why I chose Druids for my new Dark Sword series. I find the legend of the Druids fascinating. There are so many conflicting accounts. Some records show the Druids to be spiritual leaders who helped heal the sick and gave counsel to kings and other leaders.

The Romans would have us believe they were the basest of humans who routinely sacrificed humans and animals in order to appease their pagan gods.

So who’s right? I don’t think we’ll ever know. We all know that whoever writes history controls history, so I think it’s safe to say Rome may have exaggerated a bit. Or maybe not. ;)

It was the knowledge that the Druids could have been a mixture of any number of things that led me into more research into them. I find their culture fascinating, especially how it continues to this day.

In DANGEROUS HIGHLANDER, there are two different sects of Druids. I have the mies, or the good Druids who keep to their pure magic. They are one with nature. They heal, share their wisdom, and protect the innocent.

Then there are the droughs. The droughs are Druids who, upon their eighteenth year, undergo a ceremony where they give their blood and soul to evil thereby forfeiting all the good inside them. The evil takes over, and in doing so gives them a more powerful magic – black magic.

So how can the mies combat the droughs if the droughs have more powerful magic? That is a good question, and one I visit with every book of this series I write.

• I’ll be giving away a signed copy of either MUTUAL DESIRE to a commenter. Happy Reading!

• Back Cover Blurb:

A DANGEROUS MAN…

He is magnificently strong — and dangerously seductive. One of the fiercest of his clan, Lucan MacLeod is a legend among warriors, inspiring fear in man and woman alike. For three hundred years, he has locked himself away from the world, hiding the vengeful god imprisoned in his soul. But then, a young lass caught in a raging storm awakens his deepest impulses…and darkest desires.

A DANGEROUS PASSION…

Cara doesn’t believe the rumors about MacLeod castle—until the majestic Highland warrior appears like a fiery vision in the storm, pulling her into his powerful arms, and into his world of magic and Druids. An epic war between good and evil is brewing. And Lucan must battle his all-consuming attraction for Cara—or surrender to the flames of a reckless, impossible love that threatens to destroy them both…

Excerpt

You can find Donna on Facebook or explore her available books and upcoming books on her Website.

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Donna Grant is the award winning author of more than twenty novels spanning multiple genres of romance – Scottish Medieval, historical, dark fantasy, time travel, paranormal and erotic.

Donna was born and raised in Texas, but loves to travel. Her adventures have taken her throughout the United States as well as to Jamaica and Mexico. Growing up on the Texas/Louisiana border, Donna's Cajun side of the family taught her the “spicy” side of life while her Texas roots gave her two-steppin' and bareback riding.

Donna’s love of the romance genre and the constant stories running through her head prompted her to sit down and write her first book. Once that book was completed, there was no turning back.

Donna sold her first book in November 2005 while displaced from Hurricane Rita, a storm that destroyed portions of the Texas Gulf Coast. Since then, Donna has sold novels and novellas to both electronic and print publishers. Her books include several complete series such as The Druid’s Glen, The Shields, The Royal Chronicles and the Sisters of Magic.

Despite the deadlines and her voracious reading, Donna still manages to keep up with her two young children, three cats and one long haired Chihuahua. She's blessed with a proud, supportive husband who's learned to cook far more than frozen chicken nuggets.

Fighting For The Dream

Debut Romance author, Jules Bennett, is my guest today. I had the opportunity to meet Jules this past September, at a writer’s conference in Columbus, Ohio. I’d say she’s perky, but she’d probably throw something at me.

Actually, she’s smart as a whip, savvy about the writing business, a hell of an emcee, has a smile that melts you and a good sense of humor. Jules is also one that could grace the cover of a romance novel.

Jules is also a mother of toddlers and has still managed to have not one, but three stories released this year. I have a lot of respect for working mothers. While I worked around my baby, he’s 15. However, I’ve been keeping my two month old grandniece, her two year old sister, and it has given me a whole new appreciation for authors who write in between naps, play time, and every day chores as a mom and a wife. Hard working women who work at home and also write.

How did she make the dream a reality?

How did I get where I am today? So glad you asked :-)

I was relentless and didn't take no for an answer!

I went to every conference my wallet would allow; I absorbed everything published authors and industry professionals threw my way. Granted, not all of it pertained to me, but some did. And, while some information wasn't what I needed to hear at that particular time in my journey to publication, I logged it away for later.

For those who have never written and submitted a story, may not quite understand the roller coaster ride the publishing world takes writers on. Every author, published or not, has up and down days. There are days when the characters don't cooperate, times when you feel as if you're going to pull your hair out if you don't get your beloved baby into some editor/agent's powerful hands.

Trust me...we've all been there.


With each manuscript I sent out, I'd swear that if it didn't get signed, I'd quit. Yeah...right. Let's face it, this is a dream and a passion. Even if I never published, I would still write because all these people are bumping around in my head demanding to get out into the world.


Not only is your own determination a factor that will carry you to publication's door, support from family and friends is of the utmost importance.

I have to say; I certainly don't think I'd be where I am without the love of my wonderful husband and God. The two most important men in my life have helped me carry my dreams to reality's door and give a hearty knock.

My Silhouette Desire debut, Seducing the Enemy's Daughter, will be out March 16, though can be ordered now through the eHarlequin website. I absolutely love this book. It is set in Kauai, Hawaii and is centered around misunderstandings, sabotage, seduction, and of course, romance.

• What's a favorite scene in your book and why?

My favorite scene is where the heroine has had enough of her meddling father and brother and decides to take a stand no matter what the consequences may be. This is a pivotal scene because up until then the heroine has been afraid to step out on her own.

• What's next for you and when?

The follow up to this book will feature the hero's brother. For Business...Or Marriage? will be available on April 13. I will also have a short story in an anthology with Lori Foster and several other authors in June and I will end the year in October with another Silhouette Desire.

• Busy schedule. So will we be seeing you at RT Conference in April or RWA Nationals?

Unfortunately, I will only be able to attend RT for a day or two, but I will be at the Romance Writers of America National Conference in Nashville, TN in July.

• Well, that will give me a chance to get an autographed copy of your books and I will be looking for you at Nationals.


• Any other news you want to share?

I am currently running a contest through Author Island at http://www.authorisland.com/ where I am giving away an awesome prize to help launch my debut. You can also check out my website http://www.julesbennett.com/ for updates and to sign up for my newsletter and Yahoo! group.

• Back Cover:

SEDUCING THE ENEMY'S DAUGHTER

Brady Stone had just learned the new manager of the property he wanted was a woman… and quite desirable. Charming Samantha Donovan into giving away corporate secrets would be even sweeter considering she was the enemy’s daughter.

The business magnate had been planning his revenge for years. Now the only thing standing between Brady and victory was a beautiful, innocent pawn. His head told him to forget about any possible future with Samantha. But his heart knew that in destroying the Donovan empire he would be ruining his last chance at happiness.

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Wife to her high school sweetheart, mother to two little girls, former salon owner—oh, and author—Jules Bennett isn't afraid to tackle the blessings of life head-on. Once she sets a goal in her sights, get out of her way or come along for the ride…just ask her husband.

Jules lives in the Midwest where she loves spending time with her family and making memories. Jules's love extends beyond her family and books. She's an avid shoe, hat and purse connoisseur. She feels that her font of knowledge when it comes to accessories is essential when setting a scene.

Jules participates in the Silhouette Desire Author Blog and holds launch contests through her Web site when she has a new release. Please visit her Web site, where you can sign up for her newsletter to keep up to date on everything in Jules's life.