As Luck Would Have It with Guest Blogger: Cate Lord

Welcome Entangled author Cate Lord to the blog today.

She's here to chat about her new romantic comedy and here's what she had to say...




Thanks so much to The Book Boost for having me as a guest today! I’m happy to be here and can’t wait to tell you all about my new release, my fun, quirky contemporary romantic comedy Lucky Girl that will be released September 6th by Entangled Publishing.


I’m often asked where I get my ideas for my books. Honestly, inspiration is everywhere: TV shows, snippets of conversation overheard at lunch in a crowded restaurant, fashion magazine articles, even the evening news. If my muse reads or hears something particularly intriguing, she will whisper in my ear, “What if?” That’s a question writers often ask themselves. It usually unravels a flurry of creative brainstorming. At least, it does for me.


Some time ago, my muse, who was becoming bored of writing dark, angst-driven medieval romances (I’ve published six mass market paperbacks written as Catherine Kean), told me she wanted to try a new genre. Her voice sugary sweet with persuasion, she reminded me that I’d studied for a year in England. I’d endured heartbreak right before I’d flown to live with my uncle and aunt in Hertfordshire, and thus found myself a single at the start of my adventure abroad. Every weekday, I’d journeyed by train down to London to take courses. I’d traveled the streets of the huge and ancient city, made friends with handsome Brits and even dated a few. On weekends, I’d partied with a wonderful group of friends I’d met through my English cousins. I’d even met my Mr. Right, a tall, dark, charming Brit with a yummy accent, during this year (We’ve been married more than nineteen years). Surely, with so many elements of this amazing time still resonating with me, there was a story to be told?


There was.


As soon as I started thinking about ways to turn my year overseas into a book, my American heroine, Jessica Devlin, took form. Jess isn’t me. I haven’t been twenty-nine for a few birthdays now, my parents didn’t bitterly divorce when I was twelve, and I’ve never worked as the beauty editor of an Orlando-based magazine. However, elements of Jess’s character and a few of her experiences are drawn from me.


The basic premise of the book is that Jess takes a long overdue vacation to be maid-of-honor in her English cousin’s wedding. Jess is nervous about the trip, however, after recently being dumped by her fiancé while planning her own wedding, and an embarrassing episode two years ago after her beloved grandfather’s funeral. That particular evening involved an English pub, too many drinks, and a handsome Brit who held her in his arms and soothed her while she cried.


Of course, Jess believes there’s a one in a gazillion chance of her running into James Bond gorgeous Nick Mondinello again—but guess who is at the wedding? Jess firmly believes marketing exec Nick isn’t right for her, since he’s a playboy like her dad who left when she was twelve. Fate, though, keeps throwing her and Nick together in ways she never expected.


Grounding Jess’s experiences with a few of my own made her more real to me. She became a best friend through the writing of Lucky Girl, someone I grew to care about a lot. Not only does she face issues common to most young women of today—weight, workplace politics, dating, fashion disasters, family conflicts, and financial woes—but at the end of it all, she’s finally proud of who she is. And, she finds true love. How I love happily-ever-after endings.


I adore the way Lucky Girl turned out. I’m very glad my muse encouraged me to write about Jess, and I hope readers will enjoy her story, too.


A Note from the Book Boost: What a great story and how inspiring that you and your hubby prove that romance can live on (love those accents, too)! Thanks for joining us today, please tell us more about your book.


Blurb:

Jessica Devlin isn’t looking for love. Heartbroken after being dumped by her unfaithful ex-fiancé, she’s determined to have a fabulous time during her vacation in England where she’ll be maid-of-honor at her cousin’s wedding. After working overtime as beauty editor of Orlando’s O Tart magazine, avoiding dating, and putting on ten pounds, Jess is ready to toss her past like an empty lipstick tube and party like a single gal.

But when she steps into the church on her cousin’s wedding day, she sees the one man who could sabotage her plan—James-Bond-gorgeous Nick Mondinello. She’s never forgotten the London marketing exec who held her in his arms after her beloved grandfather’s funeral two years ago. Ambitious, and lusted after by women everywhere, Nick is completely wrong for guarded, Plain Jane Jess.

Could Spy Man Nick ever fall for her? Nope. Not unless Jess is one lucky girl.


Excerpt:


I started down the sweeping gravel drive. Already, my stress was fading like the last splashes of sunshine. Now, my head swirled from too much alcohol, sugary cake, and. . . Nick.

Whee!

I smiled into the breeze tugging at my gown. How totally dumb to get giddy over a few conversations, and him touching my arm—but those moments were mine. All mine.
No one could steal, distort, or shatter them.

Most of all Sex Crazed.

I’d savor those memories for days, like a mint I’d pull out time and again and twirl around on my tongue to revive the zingy flavor, but would never dream of crunching.

While I walked, stones skittered under my sandals. The trees whispered in the breeze. Were those big ol’ cranky oaks talking about me?

Boy oh boy, I must be really drunkie-wunkie. I knew trees didn’t talk or get cranky. Honestly I did.

My toe hit a half-buried stone. Ow! I stumbled, struggled to regain my footing, and stepped hard on the hem of my dress. The seams under my breasts and arms pulled taut, followed by a faint ripping noise.

“Crap.” Righting myself, I squinted down at my gown. I couldn’t see past my humongo-bingo-bongo breasts. Was the silk torn? Were my womanly attributes going to burst out?
As discreetly as possible, I slid my hand up to feel along my underarm and bodice seams. Yes! I was still intact.

Bending down at an awkward angle, I brushed a gray smudge off the silk. It took several swipes to get rid of the smudge, but I managed.

On the last smack, I heard laughter. Swaying slightly, I straightened, blinked, then focused on the cars parked in rows on the lawn.

Tilly and Andrew’s white limo gleamed nearby.

Two ushers stood beside it, their backs to me. Both held metal cans.

Hmm. What were they doing?

I walked closer and heard a soft whhoooshht.

“Don’t forget to slather the door handles,” Nick said, his voice coming from the other side of the car.

“Nick, are you sure we have enough shaving cream?”

“Shaving cream?” I blurted.

Nick straightened and stared at me over the roof of the limo for two long heartbeats. My pulse jumped from a smug-chicky thud-thud to a crazy bam-bam.

“Jess, Jess, Jess.” His tone held a warning note.

Resisting a delicious shiver, I sidled closer. “Nick, Nick, Nick.”

“What are you doing out here? I thought you’d be enjoying another G & T.”

So, he’d been keeping tabs on me, huh? Watching how this Chicky Dee held her drink as part of his panty-interrogation plan? “I thought I’d go for a twilight stroll. Keep out of trouble—unlike you bad boys with your shaving cream.”

“One of Andrew’s friends owns the limo rental company. He won’t mind.” Nick’s gaze slid to the other ushers then back to me. “You’re not going to tell on us, are you?”

“And if I am?” I echoed his teasing tone.

“Tsk-tsk. Wrong answer, Jess.” He stepped from behind the limo, a can of shaving cream in his hand. “I’ll have to find a way to keep you quiet.”

How exciting. Would he lather me all over with shaving cream? Force me to join them? This could be very, very fun. “Keep me quiet?” I said. “How?”

He fingered the can’s trigger. White foam hissed out into his palm before he arched an eyebrow.

“That doesn’t scare me.”

His brow arched higher. More foam spurted out until it filled his hand. Enough to toss like a mucky snowball.

“Want this in your hair?” he said, his voice husky and low.

Barely resisting a shudder, I shrugged. “It will comb out.”

He grinned. “On your face?”

“It’ll wash off.”

Eyes narrowing, he moved closer. His gaze slipped to the neckline of my gown then locked on my breasts. “On your. . . dress?”

Chills skittered over my skin. Hoo-eeee!

Watching him, I slowly circled around the tail end of the limo. They’d splattered shaving cream on the boot. Someone had scribbled ‘Just Married’ in clumsy letters.

I giggled. “Wow. You guys would get an A in kindergarten printing.”

Nick scooted closer. “You’re not going to tell, right?”

Wicked excitement burned inside me. I felt alive, exhilarated, and very, very naughty. “Why the hell not?”

“Jess—”

A vision of the boy chasing the girl in the reception hall darted though my mind. “C’mon, Nick.

You’ve no reason to get your panties in a knot, right?”

Laughing, he shook his head. “Promise you won’t tell.”

“No, I can’t promise.”

“Well, then. . .” He lunged toward me.

I shrieked, spun around, and bolted across the lawn.

Want More Cate?

Visit her website here: http://www.catelord.com/


Pick up a copy of her book Sept. 6th! Click here.