Science Unleashed with Guest Blogger: Greta van der Rol

Win a copy of Morgan's Choice & chat with 

featured author Greta van der Rol 

today at the Book Boost!

She's here to chat about mixing science with romance and here's what she had to say...

Does the very idea of science in a romance scare your little cotton socks off?

I guess for some people it would. It’s that word ‘science’, isn’t it? Conjuring up visions of test tubes and physics and math. I'll bet fantasy doesn't worry you so much, though. Magic is easy. It just happens, right? Dude's got a magic ring/sword/comes from another dimension, or he's an angel or demon or werewolf or something. You just take it as read and move on.

Think about this. The difference between fantasy and science fiction is that in fantasy, the author doesn’t have to explain how the great warrior suddenly disappeared – he’s got a magic ring. But in science fiction, the author would explain that the ring is a crystal which excites the warrior’s aura, increasing the wavelength of light given off to a wavelength undetectable to the human eye. The warrior is therefore rendered invisible to those looking at him. (Or some such plausible rigmarole). There now. That’s wasn’t so bad, was it?

Let’s consider a piece of science fiction everyone has heard of – Star Wars. Some die-hard science fiction fans (like me) will say it includes a lot of fantasy and even more dodgy science. Which, as it happens, is true, but who cares? It has spaceships, princesses, ray guns, aliens and a whole heap of fun. And a little bit of romance.

Not much romance, I grant you. On the flame scale, it might score half a flame. Maybe a glowing coal? But a romance for all that. Remember the rather chaste kiss between Han Solo and Princess Leia in The Empire Strikes Back? On a similar vein, Star Trek's Captain Kirk appears to have had it off with any female he could get his hands on, Battlestar Galactica and Firefly both had their romances. I’ll bet I wasn’t the only one hoping they’d get it on a bit better than that. In fact, I KNOW I wasn't. Just have a look at some of the fan fiction.

Enter science fiction romance. It’s a growing sub-genre catering for folk who like their spaceships, aliens and ray guns mixed with a little bit of hanky-panky. Or maybe rather a lot of hanky-panky. It’s what I write.

I must explain here that I am at pains to make my books science fiction and not fantasy. You'll not find half alien – half human characters in my stories. Mister Spock in Star Trek I might accept, if the Vulcans are really an offshoot of humans – in other words, closely related, more closely than apes.

But I cannot imagine a truly alien race having a genetic makeup so close to ours that we could produce offspring. So my aliens are either totally alien, such as the Ptorix in my Iron Admiral series, or they are not really alien, as in my novel Morgan's Choice. I also make sure the story line is fast-paced and action-packed, so there's something to keep everybody happy. Oh, and the romance is an added extra, not the main course.

One reviewer said “Author Greta Van der Rol has a deft touch, combining a well-drawn science fiction plotline with romance and adventure, with enough of the romance to more than satisfy those that enjoy it, yet not compromising the integrity of the science fiction setting.”

There you are. Something for everybody. And if you think Morgan's Choice is something you might enjoy, find out how you can win a copy below.

A Note from the Book Boost:  Welcome back, Greta.  I like the way you've helped us define the difference in the two sub-genres.  I like my romance mixed with a little sci-fi from time to time.  But my love of sci-fi is more limited to the likes of the X-Files or Roswell.  Maybe it is an alien thing?  Thanks for joining us and please tell us more.

Blurb:

Two alien ships respond to Morgan Selwood’s distress call, but the rescue turned out to be more than she bargained for.

He will use force if necessary to remind her of her place…
Autocratic, aloof, Admiral Ravindra wants to use the strange alien female and her gifts in his battle against an unknown force threatening to annihilate his worlds. Born to rule, a man of wealth, power and privilege, he will have what he most desires.

She will use courage and independence to carve a new future…
Morgan Selwood is a Supertech, bioengineered from birth to stand against the horrors of the Cyber Wars. Her abilities and appearance are the stuff of legend, exactly what the resistance needs to throw off the yoke of millennia of oppression. Caught in the crossfire Morgan must choose sides.

Together they will face a threat beyond imagining.


Excerpt (edited for length): 

Morgan wriggled her arms behind her back. The wrist bands weren’t tight but she’d been wearing them for hours now. They’d shoved her into a bare grey room and left. No chair, no water, nothing. Even the sensors were switched off. She wondered again where Jones and Sayvu were. They’d hustled them both away somewhere else. Soon enough they would come for her. She’d paced for a while, fought down the pressing urge to use the toilet. That was just fear. They’d been so close to getting away. 

Leaning against the wall she closed her eyes and let herself slip down until she sat on the floor, knees raised, her head tilted back. Maybe this was all just a nightmare and soon she’d wake up. Wouldn’t that be good?

Her eyes opened at the swish-hiss of the opening door. Fear rose like lava from her belly. She swallowed. A tall man wearing a black officer’s uniform stepped over to where she sat, towering over her. Somebody else put down a chair in the middle of the room and left.

“Up.” 

She tried, wriggling to angle her legs so she could stand. But without the use of her hands, she simply struggled on the floor like a landed fish. With a last effort that sent her thigh muscles burning she got herself onto her knees. Panting, she rested a moment before the final surge. She hated this. She hated this. On her knees, helpless.

The officer reached down, grasped her shoulder in one hand and pulled her upright so fast her feet left the ground. He let go and she swayed, regaining her balance. The light winked on the gold sunburst on his shoulder. 

Well, well. Her heart beat steadied. Maybe she wasn’t for the firing squad just yet.
  

Want More Greta?

Visit her on the web here:  http://gretavanderrol.net/
 

Pick up a copy of her book today!  Click here.

Contest Time:

Leave a question or comment for Greta and be entered to win an e-copy of Morgan's Choice.

**Winners for Book Boost prizes are drawn the first week of the following month and posted in the Recent Winners box in the right hand side of the blog. Check back to see if you are a winner and to claim your prize! Please leave your contact information in your blog post!**

Population: Perfect with Guest Blogger: Susan Mallery

Win a Fool's Gold Book & welcome back 

bestselling author Susan Mallery 

to the Book Boost!

She's here to share her thoughts on the appeal of romance novels and here's what she had to say...


The appeal in romance is that our books offer readers a celebration of community. Romances are all about connecting. Sure the boy-meets-girl part is fun and exciting, but often what really brings a reader back again and again are the connections made within the novel.

Most romances happen in a larger context of relationships. Families and friends play an important role. We want to experience falling in love with a hunky guy, but we also want a sense of belonging. The most popular books feature a cast of usually likeable, sometimes annoying, generally realistic characters who are amazingly like people we know. Or people we get on an emotional level.

These other characters, sometimes seemingly unimportant, can be the glue that holds our books together. Our hero and heroine are revealed through their relationships with secondary characters. The gruff solitary man who unexpectedly cares for a wounded puppy wins our heart forever. The exhausted single mother staying up until midnight to frost cupcakes for her son's first grade class reminds us of ourselves. While the romance is central to the story and the reason we think we read "those kind of books" I believe the real truth is we love the sense of community a romance brings to the table. The sexy guy on the cover draws us in, but the heroine's relationship with her sarcastic best friend turns out to be just as satisfying and meaningful.

The majority of romance readers are women. Women are usually the keepers of relationships in their lives and the lives of those around them. We are the ones who maintain the friendships, remember birthdays, make sure each of our children has a moment to feel special. We can spend a weekend with our girlfriends and when we get home, still think of something we could have told them. When I travel to a writers’ conference and hang out with my writer friends for days, then return home and get a call from one of them, my husband can't believe there's anything left to say. I've tried to explain there's always more to talk about but he just shakes his head.

In our lives we want friends and family. We want connection. Romances offer that in our fiction. We can meet women we want to have lunch with and men we want to fall in love with. Romance isn't man against nature or man against himself. It's man and woman falling in love in a much bigger context. One or both of them have a family, there are friends, coworkers, pets. It's a real world populated by the funny and the strange and if done well, it's a world we want to return to again and again.

For years now, romances have been written in groups. Trilogies, sisters, brothers, a band of warriors. Sherrilyn Kenyon gives us her immortal warriors. Debbie Macomber gives us Cedar Cove. In between lie stories only limited by the imaginations of the writers who create them. It is the combination of the familiar and the unknown that draws us back.

I started writing in category romance. I wrote about 80 books for Silhouette. I wrote about sisters and cousins and brothers and even neighboring sheik kingdoms. The longer a series went on, the more readers responded. When I moved into writing single title, I continued with families. One day a very successful writer friend sat me down and said, "Write about a town. It's limitless."

From that very intelligent advice, my Fool's Gold series was born. It's a small town set in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. I started with the idea of a town suffering a man shortage, which gave me the chance to put women in non-traditional jobs. I decided to write the books in trilogies, with the idea each trilogy would stand on its own, allowing readers to join at any point. By the second Fool's Gold trilogy I'd realized the man shortage wasn't that interesting, but the non-traditional jobs were, so modifications were made.

Reader response has been terrific. They love the town. Mayor Marsha, California's longest serving mayor, is a fan favorite. I keep track of previous heroes and heroines using a data base and often feature births in subsequent books. I use social media to increase the level of connection with my readers. Readers help me name characters, pick careers and suggest new businesses for the towns. When a former heroine is due to give birth, readers usually vote on the gender of the baby and offer name suggestions. Next year three new businesses will open in Fool's Gold and each one of them is the result of something a reader said to me.

A romance can take place nearly anywhere, in any time. We have smart ass heroines who rescue themselves, timid virgins and librarians who dance on bars in our books. Every romance writer has a specific vision for what she wants to write, but what we all have in common is connection. Sisters who are drawn together because of a dying parent. Vampires fighting enemies while protecting the women they love. Handsome dukes who marry the most unlikely of spinsters, drawn to her against all odds, in part because she takes care of her younger siblings.

In romances we find the relationships that matter most to us personally. Those who adore babies in books can be endlessly entertained by the antics of newborns. If you prefer sexy, sassy heroines, there are dozens of writers to give you exactly that. The appeal of romance is how the stories speak to us so personally. They show us women who are brave, who overcome odds, who always have a snappy comeback and in the end find not just love, but also a place to belong. Romances celebrate the very best of us, and that ideal state is often illustrated in the connections our characters make with each other.

Romances are a reading escape that also touches the heart. Romances affirm what is most important to each of us—the people we love, who love us back.

A Note from the Book Boost:  You know I'm a fan of Fool's Gold and have been cheering you along for quite a while now.  But this blog really nails it.  Readers do want good people that they can root for.  There are so many disappointments in real life--it is nice to escape to a whole new town just by picking up a book.  Thanks for joining us today and congrats on all your success with the series!

Blurb:

Former underwear model turned entrepreneur Clay Stryker has loved, tragically lost and vowed that he'll never risk his heart again. After making his fortune, the youngest of the rugged Stryker brothers returns to Fool's Gold, California, to put down roots on a ranch of his own. But he's frustrated to discover that even in his hometown, people see him only for his world-famous…assets.

Firefighter Chantal (Charlie) Dixon grew up an ugly duckling beside her delicately beautiful mother, a feeling reinforced long ago by a man who left soul-deep scars. Now she has good friends, a solid job and the itch to start a family—yet she can't move toward the future while she's haunted by painful memories.

Clay finds an unexpected ally, and unexpected temptation, in tomboyish Charlie, the only person who sees beyond his dazzling good looks to the real man beneath. But when Charlie comes to him with an indecent proposal, will they be able to overcome their pasts and find a love that lasts beyond one incredible summer?

Want More Susan?

Visit her on the web here: 

http://www.susanmallery.com/

Pick up a copy of her latest book!  Click here.

Contest Time:

Enter to win a copy of YOUR CHOICE of books from the Fool's Gold series.  Sponsored by the Book Boost.  How to enter?

1) Post a comment here and let us know you've purchased a copy of of her latest book, All Summer Long; or
2) Visit Susan's website and join her Members Only area then post a comment here and let us know you did it.

**Winners for Book Boost prizes are drawn the first week of the following month and posted in the Recent Winners box in the right hand side of the blog. Check back to see if you are a winner and to claim your prize! Please leave your contact information in your blog post!**

The Long and Short of It with Guest Blogger: Zvi Zaks

 Welcome back author Zvi Zaks 

to the Book Boost!

He's here to chat about writing--the old fashioned way--and here's what he had to say...

In a recent interview on NPR's 'Wait Wait, Don't Tell Me,' (a wonderful satirical news program that people who like Jon Stewart or Steven Colbert will definitely enjoy), the renowned author John Irving mentioned that he writes all his novels by longhand.  Years ago, he used a typewriter, but getting it repaired in the age of computers grew too difficult.

Longhand.  He uses a pen and paper.  It's just a shame the interviewer didn't ask if he used a quill and inkwell.

By the way, he uses a computer for matters like searching for information, but chooses not to for his writing.

Yes, there are advantages to writing longhand.  You never have to call tech support for pen and paper, and if the power goes out, you can light a candle and continue your work.  Nevertheless, this concept blows my mind.  Evidently, he does not need to revise his stories, or, at the most, revises them only once or twice.  He knows what he is going to write, and is so skilled that he can put it on paper the first time.  (He also says he knows the last line of his books before he starts writing, though sometimes he thought it was the first line).

When word processors were still an extravagant luxury, I wrote stories on a typewriter (giving a clue to my age).  And rewrote them and rewrote them time and time again.  When computers became commonplace, I rejoiced--this was what I needed to become a successful writer (obviously not my day-job).  Now I could review my stories and make improvements without having to retype a whole page or more.  Moreover, I could move entire sections of text from one part of the story to another.  The programs even checked my spelling with (almost) no effort on my part.

Yet I still wasn't getting published.  Here I had the latest technology and some pretty good ideas, and John Irving was making do with pen and paper and some pretty good ideas.  Yet he was wildly successful, while no one even looked at my efforts.  What did he have that I didn't?

The answer is obvious.  He had an innate skill for writing, and I didn't.

Skills can be acquired, but it's a long and difficult process.  Criticism from fellow writers is a huge benefit, but in-person writers' circles are cumbersome.  However, the internet makes it easy.  Online critique websites gave me lots of valuable, and sometimes painful feedback, though learning which suggestions to follow and which to ignore proved tricky.  Eventually my work improved enough to sell a few short stories.

What I really wanted was to publish a book, but the pile of rejections almost had me ready to give up (I didn't want to self publish.)  The problem may have been my query letters.  Someone tipped me off to another site which gave superb tips on how to write a good query.

Now I have three published novels, two about artificial intelligence and one a unique take on the vampire legends.  The first was published when I was 68, proving that it's never too late to pursue your dream.

But I am still in awe of someone like John Irving.

A Note from the Book Boost:  I've been there Zvi and I commend you for keeping at it and pursuing your dreams (no matter your age).  It is never too late to learn and grow a new skill.  Welcome to the world of publishing and may you live long and prosper.  Please tell us more about your latest.

Blurb:

Confirmed rationalist Dr. Eli Rothenberg thought he had left fantasy and talk of childhood psychic gifts in the past.

However, a crisis of conscience sends him to Europe on a research grant, and Eli finds himself pursued by an ancient vampiric entity, the ghost of Hitler. A Hasidic Jew he'd met while traveling tells him he must embrace Jewish lore to fight this monster.

To Eli, this is a betrayal of his principles, but gradually he must accept his destiny and religious heritage.  By joining a tightly-knit traditional Jewish community and meeting with spiritual warriors--Perceptives--of all faiths, he hones his skills.

After months of training and doubt, Eli goes to the sites of the death camps in Dachau and Auschwitz where he must confront and defeat a power of pure evil.


Excerpt: 

The gas chamber and ovens were in a red brick structure that resembled a duplex residential house, but no family ever lived there. My stomach churned as I entered. Shmuel still followed me, his expression unfathomable. The strange tone I had heard earlier hovered faint and mournful within the crematorium. I looked around, but couldn’t see its source.

Inside, a sign stated that the Nazis would murder prisoners by hanging them from the building’s rafters. Below the sign loomed three ovens with pallets in front of each. A glimpse of a murdered man being cut down and placed on a pallet flashed in front of me and I stiffened. These visions are a sign I’m too stressed out, I told myself, but their vividness scared me.

To the left of the ovens, an open green door led to the gas chamber. Walking inside unnerved me. The gas chambers were designed to resemble showers and the victims had been told they would leave this gloomy room afterwards.

The thought that a similar trap waited for me made my heart race. I looked around, half expecting the door to slam shut, but the portal remained open, as did an exit at the other end of the room. I chided myself for giving into silly fears. People milled about, silent, unimpeded. I saw no traps, but the nozzles in the low ceiling for Zyklon B gas, holes that looked nothing like shower heads, were horrible enough. I couldn’t speak. My chest felt too tight for me to breathe.

Rectangular dark bricks made up the floor. Metal plates with holes, presumably drains used by the Nazis to wash the “showers” after each batch of murders, lay scattered throughout. Brown stones comprised walls with two small, barred windows close to the floor, connecting to the outside through about two feet of rock. Thick glass on both sides of the wall must have sealed the chamber, though now the windows opened to the outside.

A fourth flashback—naked men and women with crying children. The people banged on the doors while gas hissed from the nozzles. The vision lasted a full ten seconds, and left me scarcely able to stand. This one had sight and sound. What next? Would I smell poison gas? I felt Shmuel’s hand on my arm steadying me. His face showed a strange mixture of concern and anticipation.
A sign in the corner claimed the Nazis never used this gas chamber for their murders. I don’t believe it.

Want More Zvi?

Visit him on the web!  Click here.

Pick up a copy of his book today!  Click here.

Are You Buzzworthy? With Guest Blogger: Jody Lebel

Free Goodie Giveaway for all &

meet author Jody Lebel 

today at the Book Boost!

She's here to tell you how to catch the buzz and here's what she had to say...

What would happen if a few hundred authors/readers teamed up, formed an on-line book of the month club, chose the book from their very own membership, and promoted each other?   Great things.

Where did this idea come from?  From a poor experience I had when I joined a book club on Twitter.

Sounded like fun, but they started reading  three days after the book was chosen.  Not nearly enough time to get a copy.  When I complained (gently) the club told me I should have either done an e-book or gone to the library.  Not possible and not very friendly either. That got me thinking.  If I ran a book club I'd give everyone enough time to get their books.

Also, some New York best seller sold another 90 books. No big deal to him/her.  But to someone like me, it would be a very big deal. If I ran a book club I wouldn't use big time authors, I'd only use…our own member's books.  A book club that uses traditionally-pubbed, self-pubbed, Print On Demands, or e-pubs?  Unheard of.

The membership will vote each month from four books (sometimes five) that will be chosen by lottery from all who submit.  There will be the traditional romance categories, one a month, with room for other categories if there is a demand.  I'm also thinking of adding a mystery/thriller/paranormal club.

On June 17, 2011, I published a website, www.ibookbuzz.com, and started emailing authors and RWA chapters one at a time.  Nine months later, I have over 700 members from 50 states plus DC, 57 countries, 28 times zones, 37 languages and 6 continents.  And it's growing every day.

This is better than a book signing.  You get to do it at home in your jammies.   Even if your book is not chosen for the Book of the Month, if you're in the Final Four you will get lots of buzz for your book.

There are no dues, no fees, no nonsense.  iBookBuzz will not sell your  e-mail address.  iBookBuzz e-mails its members once a month to remind members to vote, to begin reading our Book of the Month choice, and to send in their books for the next category. All of our e-mails to you are sent blind copy.   Members are not required to buy anything.  No one keeps track of what you read.  Participate in the months that interest you or where you have the time.

Come and join the fun.  Imagine. YOUR book could get to be a book of the month selection.

A Note from the Book Boost:  Wow, Jody!  How have I not heard of this before today?  I'm totally going to sign up for this.  How wonderful!  Oh, and I love your quote about hot cops so much--I may have to pick up a copy of your book today as well.  I have so been there and done that--I've included the quote down below.  Please tell us more about your latest.

Blurb:

The story centers around protagonist court reporter Renee Rose who found out the hard way that hooking up with a cop is like getting a bikini wax; it starts off hot, quickly turns painful, and ends in tears.

But when her best friend receives an e-mail from her long-dead fiancé demanding money, Renee knows they need help.

Too bad help comes in the form of Detective Anthony Graciano, an annoying bossy cop who somehow still manages to haul Renee's libido out of dry dock.

Police work is more than a career for Anthony, it's an obsession. Specializing in cases involving female victims, he has no time for a personal life until he meets Renee, a delicious mystery he yearns to solve.

When Renee’s disastrous marriage ended some years ago, her mother consoled her with the knowledge that when one door closes the next door could open to a plate of warm cookies. Could this detective be Renee’s warm cookie?

Excerpt: 

"Detective Graciano. From yesterday?” He held out his hand, but quickly took it back when Renee ignored it. 

She crossed her arms and faced him squarely. “I remember you, Detective. I’m not simple minded.”

“Well, you’re acting like it.”

“I beg your pardon?” she said through clenched teeth.

“I see this kind of thing all the time. That man is a con, and he's taking advantage of you.”

“You don't know that,” Renee said, dismissing his advice--and him--by turning her back. She struggled to appear cool and in control. Despite being ticked off at his remark about her mental status, the nearness of him made her pulse race, and something was definitely going on with her knees. She handed Eddy the docket sheet and closed her purse with a sharp snap. “Why aren’t you out working on Liz’s case?" she flung over her shoulder. "Stay out of my business.”

“Seeing people get fleeced is my business, Ms. Rose,” he said. “I can't stop you from doing this, but if you don't really know Pretty Boy over there, you shouldn't get involved."

Renee barely controlled a shiver when he said her name. What? Are we in high school now? She struggled to bring herself under control, then turned and confronted the detective dead on. “I didn't ask for a lecture. I have a father for that. I'll run my own life.” He started to open his mouth, but she held up her hand. “Again, let me remind you it's none of your business.” She kept her voice unfriendly but low, aware that they were a source of amusement to the people around them. “Why don't you concentrate on pulling yourself together?” She waggled her fingers at his crumpled shirt and hideous tie. “And leave me alone.”

Want More Jody?

Visit her on the web here:  http://jodylebel.com/ 

Pick up a copy of her book today!  Click here.

 
Contest Time:

"Dating a cop is like a bikini wax. It starts off hot turns painful & you end up crying." Renee Rose, Playing Dead


Who wants a Free Goodie Giveaway? Jody is giving away a Free Tibetan Silver handcuff charm to those who e-mail her with their snail mail address here:  books4arainyday@aol.com

Enjoy!

Cracking the Block with Guest Blogger: Kaylin McFarren

Welcome back author Kaylin McFarren 

today to the Book Boost!

She's here to discuss her methods to conquering writer's block and here's what she had to say...

About a month ago, I found myself rewriting the same chapter over and over again – actually editing my editing. I was stuck, going nowhere, wedged into the corner of a mindless cube with no exit door in sight. Out of curiosity, I investigated and discovered that some pretty well known authors have suffered from this same affliction: George Gissing, Samuel Coleridge, Joseph Mitchell, even F. Scott Fitzgerald. When I calculated that it took thirty years for Harold Brodkey to publish The Runaway Soul, I realized that I needed to find a solution, and fast.

Now these suggestions may not be your answer, but after undergoing self-induced therapy for one week, I managed to lose my block before I completely cracked.

1) Rage. If you’re deleting chapters or filling trash baskets, screaming and stomping won’t get you anywhere – although it helps to clear the cobwebs and release pent up frustrations. Just don’t make this a habit or you might find yourself residing in a padded cell.

2) Inspiration. The spark of genius might be flittering about just beyond your reach. Go for walks, see a movie, read books. Sit in the park with your eyes closed, listening to the world around you. But should you chose to do this, don’t ignore the flashers, pickpockets, and hookers milling around or the police officers who might ask you to move along.

3) Escape. If you can’t find something to inspire you, calm your frustrations with a distraction – whether it be lunch with friends, a weekend getaway or an around the world trip. But wherever you end up, don’t forget to bring home something other than leftovers and laundry to help rekindle your thoughts.

4) Re-engage. Reread what you’ve already written, the notes you compiled, the outline you struggled to complete. Become reacquainted with your characters and rescue them from a fate worse than avoidance.

5) Purpose. Remember what drove you to write this story in the first place. However, if you were purely financially motivated, hopefully you have someone very patient in your life that’s helping to pay the bills.

A Note from the Book Boost:  Kaylin, so great to have you back at the Book Boost at long last!  I've missed seeing you around since your last big release.  I love these tips particularly #2 (pickpockets & hookers?  wow! LOL)  Glad your broke through the block.  Please tell us more about your latest!

Blurb:

Believing herself responsible for her father’s fatal diving accident, Rachel Lyons has withdrawn from the world and assumed a safe position at a foundation office.

When called upon by a museum director to assist her former love interest with the recovery of a cursed relic from a sunken Chinese merchant ship, she has no intention of cooperating – until her brother is kidnapped by a drug-dealing gangster.

In order to save him and gain control over her own life, Rachel must not only overcome her greatest fears, but also relive the circumstances that lead to her father’s death.

Want More Kaylin?

 

Visit her on the web here:  www.KaylinMcFarren.com

Watch the dynamic trailer now!  Click here.

Pick up a copy of her book today!  Click here.

Burning Love with Guest Blogger: Kerri Williams

Win a copy of Taking Back His Widow &

Nudging Cupid plus chat with author 

Kerri Williams today at the Boost!

She's here to discuss fiery passion or is it passion by the fire?  And here's what she had to say...

So it’s July and over here in Australia its actually winter and I can tell you all now that when it’s cold and you’re wearing your flannelette pajamas and a red runny nose, it does NOT evoke any such passion. I would say that’s why in our first winter here my husband bought a fire place.

It’s a balmy 34 degrees Celsius, I’m wearing a singlet and boxers because with four children sexy underwear is out, my legs are shaved and I’m thinking I should send my kids to the movies because of my wonderful fireplace. Grin.

This brings me to the topic of heated passion by a fire in our novels; I have to say I did use this in Taking Back His Widow. It was the epic moment where all was lost to their desperate need to be together and why not, I say.  They had been through hell and back for goodness sakes and by this brilliant, magical fire in tiny cabin in the brunt of a huge storm, Dean forgives Livinia for her betrayal while she accepts he is not the boy he once was but now a very strong and loving man who she never stopped loving.

Yep, I’m sending my kids to the movies!

A Note from the Book Boost:  Today, we are Kerri-squared at the Book Boost!  Welcome to my friend, Kerri Williams from the other side of the globe.  So great to have you here.  Love the sound of this new book and I'm all for date night with hubby!  Please tell us more about your latest.

Blurb:

When Livinia Jacobs grudgingly ran from the love of her life with his child in her womb into the arms of another man, she never thought she’d see Dean Stone again.

Eleven years later, she finds herself widowed in a picturesque little coastal town of Queensland and her past has come back to haunt her.

Livinia was completely aware of her lack of control in Dean’s presence. Heck; that was half the attraction in the first place, but her secret kept her feet firmly on the ground and her heart guarded from the once youthful dream of a future with him.

Dean forgot the most important thing of all about Livinia, she was his addiction. Ten minutes with her and he was craving her touch again, wanting to hold her, to feel her soft naked skin against his, to kiss those supple, pink lips.  Hell, he wanted her period.

But can he forgive her and prove to her he’s no longer the scared boy he once was, but now the man she needed him to be- a man she could trust with her heart- no matter the sacrifice.
 
Excerpt (edited for length): 

His body did things to her when she was nineteen that she thought were unheard of, but right now, eleven years later, he was doing amazing things to her that should be outlawed. Every part of her was on fire with need for the man in front of her, not the boy she once fell in love with.

His hot tongue slid up her neck to her ear where he sucked on her lobe, sending a heart-shuddering tingle throughout her body. She could feel and hear his heated breath in her ear.

Just when she thought she couldn’t take anymore, she raked her hands through his hair and pulled him up to her mouth, where she licked the inside of his upper lip before taking his mouth with hers.

Want More Kerri?

  

Visit her on the web here: 

http://www.kerri-williams.com/

Follow her blog here:
http://kerriwilliams-writerofromance.blogspot.com.au/ 

Pick up a copy of her book today!  Click here. 

Contest Time:

Enter to win a copy of both Taking Back His Widow and Nudging Cupid by following or subscribing to Kerri's blog (click here) and then posting a comment here to let her know that you did.

**Author will select winner from valid entries.  Be sure to leave your contact information for her.**

Keeping Your Cool with Guest Blogger: Becky Lower

Meet romance author Becky Lower 

today at the Book Boost!

She's here to discuss how to write romance when it's hot outside and here's what she had to say...

Most of the United States has been locked in a heat wave for several weeks now. Much of the western US is battling forest fires. How can anyone stay cool when the air outside is 100 degrees? Especially if one’s chosen profession is writing romance novels, complete with hot, steamy sex?

I pondered this question while I was writing the other day on my current work-in-progress. It should be a simple matter, in an air-conditioned home, and wearing next to nothing, to stay cool, even when writing those torrid sex scenes. Right?

Never could I be more wrong. I was having trouble keeping my focus, since I was hot, inside and out. So, in order to keep my writing on track, I’ve come up with my list of "Dos and Don’ts" for writing scorching sex scenes when it’s hot, hot, hot outside.

1. Quit looking at photos of hot Native American men that a friend keeps sending me. (The hero in my first book, The Reluctant Debutante, is of Ojibwa heritage.)

2. Wear as little as possible. This works most of the time, since I live alone. But I often wonder what the backyard neighbor thinks when I let my little dog out into the yard. 

3. Save the explicit sex scenes until the evening, when the temperature is a bit cooler. Write around them, and insert a placeholder in my manuscript to remind myself to get back to it later. Then, when you’re all fired up, head to bed. Yeah, right. 

4. When the muse is upon you, and all else fails, a cold shower works, too.

I hope these tips help you maintain your writing output even in the dregs of summer.

A Note from the Book Boost:  Hey, I know all about the heat down here in the sunny south.  And I enjoyed your suggestions on how to stay cool while writing those hot pages.  Thanks for stopping by.  Please tell us more about your book.

Blurb:

In 1855 New York, Ginger Fitzpatrick has absolutely no interest in taking part in the newest rage in America—the Cotillion Ball. 

Instead, Ginger would rather be rallying for women’s rights; at least until she meets her brother’s best friend from St. Louis, a dark mysterious man named Joseph Lafontaine, who ignites her passion and makes her question if love and marriage is such a ridiculous notion after all. 

What she and the rest of New York’s high society don’t realize is that Joseph is half Ojibwa Indian, and therefore, totally unsuitable for marriage to a fine, cultured young lady.

 

Want More Becky?

Visit her on the web here:  www.beckylowerauthor.com 

Pick up a copy of her book today!  Click here.

A Prescription for Multi-Tasking with Guest Blogger: Shannan Albright

Win a copy of Passion's Flight & chat 

with paranormal author Shannan Albright 

today at the Book Boost!

She's here to share her tips on how to multi-task without loosing your mind and here's what she had to say...

With all the advances in technology you would think life would be easier, one would have more free time. Well you couldn’t be more wrong. With the age of computers and word processors also came something called social media. There was a time when an author had a whole promotion and marketing department backing them up. Now, not so much.

So you want to write a book and do it for a living? Be prepared to put in some serious hours then. Not only with the writing of your novel but with the promotion of both your work and you. Selling yourself is essential to success in this field, which means using all the tools at your disposal. Blogs, websites, and other media platforms are a must to keep you in touch with your readers. I personally love it, but it can be a bit daunting trying to find time to write the next project when you are working to keep your name in the average readers mind.

There are a lot of authors out there like me who are juggling a full time writing career along with a full time day job, then add in a family and sometimes it’s hard to not lose your mind. I call this multi-tasking to the ultimate degree. I’m here to tell you it can be done, sure you may not be able to crank out those wonderful stories as fast as you would like, but they will still get out. I set up a time grid which I try to follow as closely as possible. I keep it loose with small weekly goals to be made by every Sunday evening.

I start my week on Monday’s with the following goals in mind: To write 20,000 words in a week, Finish with dinner and dishes by seven-thirty every night. Do the housework on the weekends and light upkeep only on the weekdays. Work promos on my breaks at work and for the first two hours when I get home.

I always try to over shoot my words written with any spare time I may have so I can fit in a date night with my hubby every week. I am lucky in that my hubby is very supportive of me and what I do. Any success I receive is a direct result of his unwavering support and I know how lucky I am.

My goal is to be able to drop the day job and work as a full time author and I feel this can be done as long as you keep at it, grow a thick hide and be prepared for the ego to take some hits. This is a rough business to get into, but it also rewarding and one I truly love.

A Note from the Book Boost:  Shannan, I like your weekly plan.  Particularly the parts about "light upkeep" on the house work!  We all know that women with clean houses don't have finished books.  And I love it when family members are supportive of what we do.  Thanks for taking time out to chat with us and know that I'm so proud of all you've achieved in the last couple of years.  I'm cheering for you always.  Tell us more. 

Blurb:

With ferals attacking the human populace in greater numbers than ever before, Tegan Murin has his hands full these days.

When he is ordered to find and destroy a deadly artifact known as Oman’s Seal, deal with his estranged step-father and find a missing archeologist. He’s a bit irritable. Add into the mix a recurring dream of one sexy seductress leading him to his death… well, you get one very pissed off were-panther.

Kyra Navarone is an archeologist who is more than what she seems. Escaping from the ferals who captured her, she ends up running into the brooding, irritating man who makes her blood run hot just with one look. Her life depends on the betrayal of this compelling man, but how can she live with herself afterward?

With ferals, An Atlantean Tracker and Lucien closing in on them, they are running out of time, Tegan and Kyra must learn to trust each other in order survive. More hangs in the balance than their lives. Their actions could very well spell the end of everything for not just their world, but the world hidden beneath the waves as well.


Excerpt (edited for length & content):

The vampire hissed, baring his impressively large fangs, his fingernails lengthening to razor sharp points. Tegan laughed with dark intent. His claws punched out of his hands with the sound of tearing flesh. The dagger sharp points, catching the light from the crescent moon shining above the filthy alley.. Forming a fist, he fought off the rank odor of rotten garbage and urine trying for a permanent home in his nostrils.

“Mine are bigger than yours,” he said with a menacing smile, wiggling his claws “Game on.”

The vampire’s eyes glowed red. Snarling his contempt, the beast leapt, its sharp nails aiming for Tegan’s exposed jugular. Tegan twisted to the side at the last moment and raked his claws up the vampire’s unprotected stomach. Crap, the vamp even screamed like a girl.

The vampire wrenched free of Tegan’s claws. Its nails tore through the leather of his bomber jacket, past the soft cotton tee shirt and gouged deep into the muscle and tendons.

Pain exploded through his shoulder, clear to the bone, traveling like wildfire down his arm, followed by the unpleasant prickling sensation like a thousand fire ants were eating his limb off. Gods damned vamps, he thought disgustedly. What was it with these feral vampires and poisons anyway? The venom pulsed though his system like toxic sludge, warning him there would be very little time before it rendered him immobile.

Want More Shannan?

Visit her on the web here:

http://www.shannanalbright.com/

 Follow her on Twitter here:

https://twitter.com/nae0309

Pick up a copy of her book today!  Click here.

Contest Time:

Leave a question or comment for Shannan and be entered to win a copy of Passion's Flight.

**Winners for Book Boost prizes are drawn the first week of the following month and posted in the Recent Winners box in the right hand side of the blog. Check back to see if you are a winner and to claim your prize! Please leave your contact information in your blog post!**

Hot Cops Here & There with Guest Blogger: Lynne King

Welcome romantic suspense author

 Lynne King to the Book Boost!

She's here to discus American cops versus British bobbies when it comes to television drama and here's what she had to say...

Are American crime shows grittier and sexier than the British equivalent? Yes, definitely, is my opinion. I’ve always been a great follower of imported American crime series and remember my excitement when, The Hill Street Blues and Miami Vice in the 80’s were first aired. NYPD Blue followed in the 90’s and now CSI, Law and Order and countless other great American crime stories.   All of them had and have strong memorable characters, female and male roles that are both tough and sexy. I remember David Caruso in NYPD Blue and now twenty years on he still has that edge with or without shades in CSI Miami.

Showing at the same time and running for twenty-five years was The Bill, a police drama/soap set around a fictional police station in East London. Tame compared to the gritty NYPD. As for British detectives, none leave a lasting impression with their charismatic appearances. Touch of Frost, played by David Jason and Inspector Morse, played by the late John Thaw, were great characters but not exactly sexy heroic figures. Inspector Lynley, acted by the good looking Nathaniel Parker comes across a bit too posh whilst Inspector Lewis is the opposite.

There is plenty of Agatha Christie’s Poirot (the Belgium detective with the funny moustache), being shown almost on a weekly basis or Miss Marple, the grey haired spinster with great powers of detection.  Midsummer Murders with Inspector Barnaby (most episodes feature a murder in a quaint village setting with eccentric suspects by the bucket load), used to be played by the likeable actor John Nettles who back in the eighties was fighting crime on the "crimeless" Island of Jersey. He doesn’t exactly get your pulse going though he is a favorite of the more mature of us, my mum being one such fan.

We do have a few ball busting female detectives who can juggle children, husbands and solve crimes without suffering so much as a grazed knee themselves or who can swear, drink and make their male colleagues cower. Now I like strong female roles and in CSI, Law and Order, etc... They work alongside tough male roles, they don’t emasculate them, not like some of our English counterparts.

This is why, though the idea of my romantic suspense novel came about by a crime committed in London many years ago involving a safety deposit vault robbery, I actually set the story in New York with the female lead English and the hero cop, American of course.

As an English writer who loves stories involving tough sexy heroes that are usually working for the good guys,  I’ve yet to read a novel or seen a film depicting an English detective or private eye that is appealing not just for his crime solving. Please if you know of one, let me know.

One saving grace for English heroes is that we do have James Bond and things are improving a little with the British version of Law and Order, but it won’t keep me from tuning in to those tough talking American cops and maverick PI’s.

A Note from the Book Boost:  Lynne you did a great job with your post.  I, too, love all things in law enforcement drama.  And I think the British hold their own when it comes to television--you have some great stuff over there!  Your book sounds amazing and thank you for joining us from across the pond.  Come back again soon, won't you?

       
Blurb:

What if you transfer work and home to another Country after you have been betrayed by someone you thought loved you?

What if you then get targeted by a smooth talking handsome Irishman who then turns out to be a cold blooded killer?

This is what happens to Liz whilst living and working on a temporary visa in Manhattan. Blackmail and assisting a bank heist is the beginning, witnessing a murder and her life under threat comes next. Who does she run to and who can she trust?

Is Jack, a Detective with the NYPD, such a man or will her unwillingness to trust anyone, even a man who has stolen her heart, cause him to doubt her innocence and turn him against her.


Excerpt:  

Jack returned to the main room and glanced at Liz. She was still fixated to the spot, her eyes staring down at her purse. Going over to the body, he saw the gunshot wound to the chest—straight through the heart at close range.

“Did you hear a struggle or a warning before they shot him?” He asked over his shoulder while he bent down and started checking O’Riley’s pockets. He was careful not to leave his own prints over the murder scene. There was no gun lying around and the guy must have had one. The killers would have picked it up, he guessed.

“Can’t you get me out of here? I told you they’re coming back,” she finally answered, her voice a whisper.

Jack straightened up and faced her. An innocent dragged into blackmail, robbery, and murder or a brilliant deceitful gangster’s tart looking for an escape plan and a dupe to help her carry it out. It was decision time. He went over to her and gently lifted her chin with his fingers so her gaze met his.

"You’ve got a lot of explaining to do, sweetheart, like what’s your involvement in all this. I need some answers fast because at the moment it doesn’t look too good for you.”

Her pupils were widening as the alarm built up, making him aware his words were obviously sinking in. It was callous of him, but he was only being truthful, there was no soft option. “I radio this in and the cops and Feds are going to be swarming in and seeing what I’m trying not to think. That you helped your boyfriend with the bank raid, he double crossed his buddies, got taken out, and now you are trying to act the victim here to save your own neck.”

“No,” she cried out and started shaking her head uncontrollably.

Want More Lynne?

Visit her on the web here:   

http://www.lynnekingauthor.co.uk 

Pick up a copy of her book today!  Click here.

Dates to Remember with Guest Blogger: Tom Olbert

Welcome Eternal Press author 

Tom Olbert to the Book Boost!

He's here to chat about how dates in July tie in to his current novel and here's what he had to say...

Thank you, Kerri, for allowing me to guest post on the Book Boost.  Desert Flower is my second novella published through Eternal Press and I’m happy to say I’ve had the privilege of learning from some very talented authors during my association with Eternal Press.

And here we are in July, the hottest month of the year.  Perhaps not the month that springs to mind when promoting a story about vampires.  Vampires, after all, are cold.  Cold as the grave.  Hence, they make one think of the colder months of the year, when the ground is hard and covered with frost, and all is dead or dying.  Then again…vampires are all about heat and passion, too. That’s what makes them so deliciously paradoxical.

Fitting then, that Desert Flower is set in Afghanistan, which, as any desert land, is searing hot in daylight when the vampire sleeps, and icy cold at night, when the vampire prowls.  A land rich in heat and passion to be sure.  But, also, tragically, with an ancient history steeped in blood and cold death.

What dates stand out in July for me?

July 21st, 1969:  The first human footfall on the surface of the moon.  The moon has always held a special place, both in the heart of the romantic, and in the heart of the devotee of supernatural horror.  Desert Flower deals with both, so the moon is a constant presence throughout, offering both comfort and menace to the protagonists.

She stood at the cave entrance, her eyes blazing up at the moon.  It hung there mocking her in its vain beauty and despicable divine light.

Batal stared off into the night, his eyes fixed on the cold, beautiful light of the moon.  God’s fearsome beauty, cold as death, chaste and untouchable, it reminded him of the Jihad.  But the soft mantle of heavenly luminance surrounding it reminded him of her.

July 1901:  Fingerprints are first used for identification.  A milestone in the annals of criminal investigation and mystery.  Desert Flower deals with that, too, as vampire hunters stalk their undead prey, trying to discern her trail of dead bodies in a land where death and violence are commonplace, where the vampire blends into a landscape of carnage and unnatural death.

Finally, July is the month of heat and anger.  From the fires of war and hate to the blazing desert heat to the sultry nights of war-torn Africa where the story concludes, Desert Flower is a tragic tale of lost innocence, in which those whose dreams were crushed in the flower of their youth are left to rage at heaven, and at the cruelties of men.  Cruelties inflicted upon child brides who pray for liberation from their merciless captors.  Prayers that seem as futile as those of the damned and the undead.

Desert Flower is a story of revenge that erupts like fire and summer heat, hot blood like fiery copper on the tongue, giving birth to love, then in turn to tragedy and then to love again.  An endless cycle, like the phases of the moon.

A Note from the Book Boost:  How interesting that your story ties in with so many significant events in the month of July.  Glad you could join us this month to chat about your story and I, too, have enjoyed my time at Eternal Press.  Please tell us more about your book. 

Blurb:

A young girl's innocence is ripped from her when she is turned against her will into a vampire. Hunted and alone, Fleurette longs for escape from her hellish existence of eternal night,blood-letting and carnage.

In war-torn Afghanistan, another young girl, Ruhee has been cast into another kind of dark bondage as a child bride. Raped, tormented and suffering, she longs for escape. These two lost souls find a strange but pure form of sisterly love together as they survive side-by-side in a world gone mad. Ruhee must grow up amid war and turmoil.

As if American predator drones and the deadly raids of the Taliban were not bad enough, she must keep her "sister"'s dark secret, while merciless vampire hunters lurk in the shadows.

When Ruhee comes of age and finds an unlikely but pure love with a brave but deeply troubled, young Taliban soldier named Batal, Ruhee finds herself trapped between light and darkness. Her heart is torn in two, and she must make an impossible choice between love and immortality, as her young life teeters on the brink of hell.

Excerpt:

Fleurette started, her head snapping up from the throat of the mountain bandit she’d just killed, his blood still warm as it dripped from her lips. She sensed something riding on the cold desert wind. A lonely spirit, reaching out in pain and longing. Not like a roaming ghost, but alive. And, close. An innocence that touched her heart, pure as a flower growing alone in the desert. The moonlight washed silver across the sand and the rocks. The shadow of the lonely soul in pain reached out, beckoning from the village nearby. Inviting her. She spread herself upon the night wind and followed…

Want More Tom?

Visit him on the web here:  http://tomolbert.blogspot.com

Pick up a copy of his book today!  Click here.

Yoga Fever with Guest Blogger: Rebecca J. Clark

Win a private personal trainer consultation 

& meet author Rebecca J. Clark

today at the Book Boost!

She's here to chat about sweating it out yoga-style and here's what she had to say...

July is typically the hottest month of the year (and in the Pacific NW where I live, sometimes it’s the only hot month. Sigh.). So I thought it would be fitting to talk about one of my passions, yoga. And more specifically, hot yoga.

What is hot yoga? Well, it’s probably exactly what you’re thinking—it’s doing yoga in a heated room, which makes you very, um, hot. :) There are several reasons for the heated room, depending on whom you ask. Some say the heat increases an individual's flexibility in the poses, which makes sense. Any time you warm up a muscle or joint it’ll be more flexible. Some say it’s to replicate the heat and humidity from southern India, where many forms of yoga originated. Others say it’s because the heat combined with the yoga poses will really make you sweat out the toxins in our bodies. Personally, I like all those explanations.

I’ve taken two hot yoga classes. And those will probably be my last. But Becky, you say, I thought you just said above that hot yoga was your passion? No, no, my friend. I said YOGA was my passion. Hot yoga is just too...hot. The classes I took were based on the teachings of Bikram Choudhury. He teaches 26 poses in a 105-degree room. For 90 minutes. Talk about a sweat fest. I sweat a lot anyway, but in hot yoga class, I was literally a waterfall. I completely drenched the two towels I brought. My hands and feet slipped and slid all over my slippery, sweaty mat. And don’t get me started on how hot it was. I don’t mind feeling warm. But I hate feeling hot, as in over-heated, like I’m in a 90-minute hot flash from hell. Even with my three bottles of water, I felt light-headed throughout the class. Almost nauseous.

Yeah. Fun times.

Those caveats aside, my warm muscles were able to go into poses I can’t normally go into, which was pretty cool, and good for the ego (even though you’re supposed to check your ego at the door with yoga). And after class, when it was all over, I felt fabulous. I mean “walking on air” fabulous. I have friends who swear by hot yoga. They love the feeling afterward so much, they’re willing to deal with the hell of the class. (I haven’t talked to anyone who actually enjoys the actual class, although I’m sure there are a lot of people who do.)

I’m not willing to deal with the hell of class, but I wanted to replicate the feelings I have afterward. So here’s what I’ve been doing. Now, let me stop here and mention that I’m a personal fitness trainer and gym yoga teacher (as opposed to a “traditional” yoga teacher who’s been through about 200 hours of intense instruction and training. No offense to gym yoga teachers as I am one, but there is a difference.) So, I know good posture and form, and am comfortable doing yoga on my own. Anyway, I have a few yoga DVDs that I love. I’ll pop them in and head into our bonus room that gets direct sunlight most of the day and is like an oven (well, about 80 degrees or so). So the room is warm but not TOO warm. I keep lots of towels nearby, and a gallon of water ready. I enjoy practicing yoga this way. My muscles are warm enough to allow my body to get comfortably into the poses, and I feel fabulous when I’m done.

If you’ve never tried yoga, I’d recommend taking some gentle yoga classes first, then work your way into harder classes, then finally try at least one or two hot yoga classes. You might absolutely love it or you might hate it. I wouldn’t recommend practicing yoga on your own until you’ve taken a few classes from a qualified instructor, so you can learn proper form.

A Note from the Book Boost:  Great post, Rebecca!  Okay, so I have an aerobics instructor certification from way back when and I've practiced Yoga for years (not so much since recently but I need to get back into it).  But I've not tried the hot yoga and I don't see it happening--unless I step out into my backyard on any given day.  I live in the deep, deep south.  The Heart of Dixie, to be exact. And we have almost ALL hot days throughout the year.  That 90 minutes in hot yoga is probably the equivalent of my garage on a normal day!  Thanks for joining us and please tell us more about your latest book.

Blurb:

Once upon a time, he promised her the moon. It's time to deliver.

Louisa D’Angelo used to believe in happily ever after—until the tragic death of her son and the demise of her marriage. Now, five years later, with her life back in order, she has a great career and a wonderful man in her life. So what if the passion and excitement isn't there? In her book, passion and excitement only lead to heartbreak. Then, her ex-husband shows up and upsets her tidy little world.

Gabe D’Angelo never believed in happily ever after—until he met Louisa who taught him how to love and be loved. But their happiness was short-lived. Guilt and grief forced Gabe to walk away. Now, though he's pulled his life together and should be happy, he realizes something’s missing. After seeing her from afar at a family wedding, he knows what it is. It’s Louisa.

The problem is convincing her she's still in love with him.


Excerpt: 

From his hard wooden seat in the back row, Gabe saw her the moment she began her slow walk between the pews. His chest tightened. She looked beautiful—better than the day he’d left. Her dark curly hair was piled high and fashionably jumbled with loose tendrils spilling onto her face and bare shoulders. The lights from the stained glass windows shimmered in the sable curls, a kaleidoscope of colors to halo her face. 

Louisa wasn’t beautiful in the conventional sense. Her face was too small and pale, overpowered by her wild tresses, and he’d be willing to bet she still hadn’t given in to her mother’s urgings to get her teeth straightened. But Gabe liked those minor imperfections. Always had. To him, she was perfect. For a moment as he watched her, all their old problems, old arguments, seemed so trivial. So avoidable. Oh, who was he kidding? He still loved her. He knew that just as clearly as the day they’d met ten years ago. Which meant it had been five years since he’d walked out of her life.  

Five years.  

Had it really been that long? Yes, of course it had because he’d been counting them, one lonely year after another.

Want More Rebecca?

Rebecca J. Clark has been a personal fitness trainer and group exercise instructor for more than 10 years. When she’s not kicking her clients’ and students’ booties, she’s working on her next romance novel. 

Visit her on the web here: http://rebeccajclark.com

Follow her on Twitter here:
https://twitter.com/rebeccajclark 

Pick up a copy of her book today!  Click here.

Contest Time:

Leave a question or comment for Rebecca and be entered to win a private consultation via email for personal training and/or nutrition.


**Winners for Book Boost prizes are drawn the first week of the following month and posted in the Recent Winners box in the right hand side of the blog. Check back to see if you are a winner and to claim your prize! Please leave your contact information in your blog post!**

A Sexy Summer with Guest Blogger: Mark Casigh

Welcome author Mark Casigh 
to the Book Boost today!

He's here to talk about July and all the heat it entails and here's what he had to say...

I decided to pick this particular talking point, because being a writer of what some might say, are rather erotic stories, HEAT, is a big deal to me.  Heat and Intensity, that raw power of passion, that tiny coal that burns to a bright white hot intensity.  An intensity that has to be released somewhere, somehow, before somebody just spontaneously combusts!

Summer always conjures up images of beautiful bikini clad, female bodies, bronzed, baking in the sun, sweating heavily while being wet & well oiled.  Why Female bodies?  Because I am an unrepentant, hardcore, fan of the female form!  All those wonderful curves plus the perfect level of softness…  all that bronzed, oiled, sweaty skin…

Yes, suffice to say, July is HOT.

What makes me, feel sexy?  I don’t know that I really think of myself that way.  Although I’ve been told that I am.  I’m certainly not a bad looking man and I’ve stayed in shape.  But what makes me feel sexy is the person I’m with.  If she is feeling happy and randy, that will instantly light my fire.  If she is enjoying herself and feeling, even just a little bit romantic, I will pick up on that instantly.

Then naturally, I am going to try to push those feeling to the next step, then the next and the next.  All at their own pace, of course.  There’s no sense in rushing things.  But if she is also feeling adventurous, like she might like to find a nice, relatively secluded piece of beach…   well, I better be game for that too.

I think that a man who is confident and sure of himself exudes a lot of sex appeal.  It’s too bad I really didn’t understand just how much when I was a younger man.  Being a former Paratrooper, I’ve always had what has been called a certain “swagger.”  It’s not a conscious attitude, it’s a frame of mind.

Besides a man with confidence, I believe that a great many women are not used to being treated with any real respect.  It would seem to me that this would make for a winning combination.  But having been married now for almost 20 years, my days of playing the field are long over.

But basically, men need a hunt, and the ‘game,’ should be crafty, smart, witty, and most of all, tough!  Hard to catch!  A real challenge!  So girls, don’t give in so easy.  Keep him on the line, string him a long.  Make him earn the privilege of your company.

Guys, be strong, be confident.  Make bold moves and gestures.  Be a gentleman!  Get her door, hold her chair out, stand when she leaves the table and returns.  Get that kiss good night.  But talk to her and treat her with respect.  Who knows, you may be the first.  Think of that potential reward.

A Note from the Book Boost:   What a fun post, Mark.  We always love to hear from the male perspective around here.  Particularly since most of us are female and romance writers.  Thanks for joining us and please tell us about your latest!

Blurb:

A divorcee approaching middle age undergoes an awakening, after a lifetime of sexual slumber and mediocrity.  She now realizes what she’s been missing and is now aware that she never has to settle, for anything less

Find out what she finds out!  Learn what she learns, as she undergoes her metamorphosis, into a seductress.

Want More Mark?

Visit him on the web here:  www.MostEroticBooks.com

Pick up a copy of his book today!  Click here.