Where is Catherine today?

Blake is being interviewed over at I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read today... not to mention there is an amazing review of Wife by Wednesday for you to take a look at.

Check it out.

A small add I wanted to share with Duncan and Tara

I sat across the room from Lord Duncan and Lady Tara feeling more than a tad out of place. Sure, I'd written their story, but they were the ones who told it to me.

In the great hall of the MacCoinnich Keep I found myself fidgeting with the clothes they asked me to wear. I sat under more layers of material than I ever had before and reminded myself to buy more cotton garments once I returned home. The wool itched my skin something fierce, but I wasn't about to complain. I wanted to be invited back in the future so I could keep the fans of Binding Vows current on all that was happening in Tara and Duncan's world.

Duncan sat in a massive high back chair, while Tara sat on a smaller couch at his left. I placed the 1960's advertisement into Duncan's hand.

He lifted one eyebrow in my direction before turning to his wife. "See, lass. Even in your time husbands take a firm hand with their wives." Duncan slid the picture into Tara's hands.

"Don't get any ideas. Take a better look at the picture."

"What am I to look for?"

"Look at the dress. Did you notice the woman was wearing a dress?"

"Aye, what of it?"

"Duncan, when you met me, was I wearing a dress? Ah, wait... don't answer that. All of the women at the Faire were in dresses," she said more to herself than to him. "Remember the clothes I brought with me? The clothes I have hidden in the trunk in our room?"

Duncan leaned his massive frame further into the chair. A smile played on his lips. "Aye. I like the shorts best," he offered.

Tara rolled her eyes. "Does your mind ever leave the bedroom?"

"Why should it when we have so much to enjoy there?"

Grasping the advertisement from his fingertips, Tara waved in front of his eyes. "Well, let me warn you now, love. If you think you're going to get away with anything like this and keep all the fun in the bedroom going, you've got another thing coming. This add was printed about thirty or forty years before my birth. The woman is wearing a skirt, which you know I didn't do in my time. Husbands spanking their wives was done away with a long time ago." Tara waved her hand toward a candle sitting on the table in the room and called a flame. The tiny light flickered as she casually lit the advertisement and then left it on a silver platter to burn to ashes.

When she reached over the table to lift a glass of water to her lips, Duncan grasped onto her wrist and swiftly pulled her onto his lap. Strong warrior fingers fanned over her backside and kept her from retreating.

"Duncan, what are you doing?"

His lips found her throat and showered it with long lingering kisses.

Tara squirmed in his lap. Her hand reached into his long hair as her eyes drifted close. "Ms. Bybee is still in the room, love."

The words no sooner left Tara's mouth when Duncan lifted his hand from her bum and gave it a hearty smack.

Tara gasped and attempted to pull away. But her lips were spread into a grin that was anything but mad. "What are you doing?"

"That, my love, is for ever implying that I won't have my way with you in our chambers."

"Men don't spank their wives," she said firmly.

The two were silent for a few moments. My guess is they were talking to each other with their minds, something Druids who married the way they did do from time to time. I waited to see if they were going to reveal their thoughts to me.

Tara glanced over her shoulder to me briefly and her face lit up more shades of red than I'd ever seen. Duncan had returned to kissing her neck and the wool of my dress was really starting to heat me up.

Duncan nudged Tara off his lap and they both stood. "If you'll excuse us, Ms. Bybee. We seem to have something we need to discuss in private."

"Of course. Thank you for letting me stop by."

The two of them were walking from the room, heads together and not saying a word that I could hear. Just as Tara turned up the stairs, she whacked Duncan on his ass so hard the dogs by the doors jumped.

Lifting her skirts, Tara ran up the stairs laughing.

"Ye'll pay for that, lass."

Tara laughed harder and disappeared from my sight.

I thought of the other questions I had for the two newlyweds. I guess they'll have to wait until later.

Where am I?

I'm not sure where I am... lol! Last night was a Halloween Party with the Cub Scouts. Some of you know that I wear the God-Awful Scout Uniform as a Cub Master... so I was really busy. On top of that, my 10 year old came home with a goldfish.

What in the hell am I gonna do with a goldfish? I thought the thing would be dead by morning. Now I need to go get the thing food. *banging head on desk*

Oh well... I have something to keep my mind off the fish dilemma.

I'm over at Lia's blog today with a new excerpt of Kilt Worthy. So stop on over and take a look.
Click HERE!

Chatting with Lia Slater

Welcome Lia Slater.

Thanks for having me, Catherine!

Tell us about your new book out now:

Fatal Exposure is an erotic romantic suspense available in eBook and paperback from www.wilderroses.com.

Blurb:

Deception brings them together. Exposure can tear them apart.Taking off her clothes every night for the patrons of Hothouse Gentleman’s Club was never part of Ava Lureau's life plan, but the sleazy strip joint was the last place her powerful ex-boyfriend would think to look for her. A life on the run kept Ava safe…but lonely. So when a ruggedly sexy stranger shows up and a lap dance becomes more than another dollar in her G-string, she takes a chance.

Kade Gavin’s job is simple—capture his target and deliver her to the man who hired him. Nothing but a paycheck matters in Kade's bleak existence…until the enticing stripper with soft curves and a puzzling persona climbs into his bed--and under his skin.

Oh, yum. this sounds like my kind of book. Tell me, how do you respond when someone says... "Oh, you write THAT kind of book?"

Hmm… I can’t remember if anyone’s actually said those exact words to me. But I’ve gotten confused stares. I’ve gotten corny jokes. One person accused me of writing porn. These are always the people who know nothing about the romance genre. The people who do read and appreciate a good, hot story (with a plot!) are very accepting and happy for me.

Sometimes when a romance reader starts to write, they forget to pick up a book and read it. How many books do you read a month?

I read anywhere from 2-10 books a month, depending on my schedule that month. It’s important to keep reading and enjoying the genre. I love reading and I miss it when I can’t find the time.

Do you have anything new in the works?

Yes! I just received a contract from Ellora’s Cave for my erotic paranormal romance, WereSlave. I like to think of it as an erotic fairy tale with werewolves, humans, witches and vampires. It’s set in an imaginary far away land called Paqualette. I could go on and on about this story and the second book in the series that I’m writing right now titled Were Seduction…but I’ll spare you until it actually comes out. LOL

I guess that means I need to get you back here so we can hear mour about your Were's. LOL

Where can we find you?

Lots of places!
www.liaslater.com
www.liaslater.blogspot.com
www.myspace.com/liaslater
www.twitter.com/liaslater

Where can we find your books?

Fatal Exposure is available now from www.wilderroses.com
Buy link: http://www.thewildrosepress.com/wilderroses/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=728

Thanks for stopping by Lia. Now boys and girls, be sure and leave a comment or question because Lia is going to be giving away a pdf copy of her book to one lucky participant. So NO LURKING! LOL

Interview with Eliza March

Today I'm interviewing fellow Scarlet Author and friend, Eliza March. So sit back, wet your lips, and sink your eyes into this yummy new erotic book.

BLURB :

Ailsa Jackson is finished dating executives. She’s looking for hot sexual fantasies—“all muscle, stamina and no commitment.” When assigned to interview an American CEO, Colin Fitzgerald, who recently inherited lands and a title in Scotland, she tosses her inhibitions aside to research all the old myths about brawny Highlanders and answer the old burning question—what is under a Scotsman’s kilt?

Exclusive Excerpt for Catherine’s BLOG:

“So ye don’t mind a man in a skirt, hey?”

The expression on his face turned predatory as he moved into her personal space. She felt like Little Red Riding Hood had come upon the very big, very bad Wolf, and she so wanted him to eat her. As far as she was concerned, he could have her all he wanted. The silence between them was charged with sexual tension.

“You look...ah, great.” Ailsa’s gaze took him in again. She’d have to settle for great. Any other term would just be insufficient. Yet great almost seemed an inadequate description under the circumstances.

Vocalizing her true feelings—terrific, yummy, fantastic—might be a tip off about her fascination with him and his kilt. She decided to hold it there. Anything other than great would be over the top. No sense scaring the hell out of the first man she encountered in Scotland.

She certainly couldn’t ask the question she longed to ask or lift his kilt and satisfy her curiosity.

He frowned and tilted his chin to one side, puzzled by her perusal.

She tried to explain. “Don’t get me wrong. I was surprised to see the native dress. You know...the kilt and all. Sorry, I’m babbling. I didn’t know kilts were daily attire.”

“Do ye have something against kilts, then?”

“Oh, no! Absolutely nothing. I actually have a certain proclivity for men in kilts.”
The only thing she wanted against his kilt was her body. From the rising action going on under the sporran, she imagined he’d meet her sexual requirements, and then some. How well would he fill her? Her inner muscles clenched at the mental image.

His eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared. “Do you, now?” Colin suppressed the smile on his lips, but it crept into his eyes.

She played with fire, boldly flirting with him, “Yes, I do.” She lifted her chin defiantly and let her smile say try me.

His eyebrows twitched as he shifted, brushing his body against hers. Ailsa didn’t back up. Instead, she stood her ground against the car and looked straight up at him, batted her lashes, and ran her tongue across her lower lip, daring him.

He looked surprised, maybe even pleased with the challenge. She risked the question. “Is it true what they say about men in kilts?”

“I don’t know. What would they be saying?”

“Y-you, w-wear nothing beneath them?” The thought of sliding her hand up the back of his kilt, running her hands up his thick muscled thighs and caressing his firm rounded ass made her breathless, had her stuttering.

Colin stepped closer, putting both hands on the car roof, surrounding her. His gaze focused on her mouth. “Why don’t you find out for yourself, lass.” He leaned in, invading her space, and lowered his mouth, tasting her lips the way he’d wanted to for so, so long. He pressed his body against hers, wanting to bury himself between her thighs, but his damn sporran prevented him from feeling her mound when he tried to push his cock between her legs.

“You Highland men are big ones, aren’t you?” Her hands cupped his hips closer to his waist than his ass and kept him splayed against her. He smiled. The double entendre didn’t get past him.

“Move yer hands a bit lower and slide them under my plaid. Ye’ll be finding out the truth of the rumors fer yerself.” He wished she’d try. She’d find out just how little the men wore and exactly how big they got. The mystery could be solved and his immediate need satisfied, if only slightly, for the moment.

Okay... someone pass the ice cold water. Or maybe that should be wine! Verra, verra, hot, Eliza!

So tell me, how do you respond when someone says...

"Oh, you write THAT kind of book?"

Usually, I’m the one warning them off what I write. You’d be surprised how many people want to look open minded when you approach it like that. So, in my experience, I’ve found reverse psychology does work extremely well on those types. “Oh, I don’t think you’d be interested in the kind of books I write. I write romantic erotica (paranormal, fantasy, and contemporary) and they’re really quite graphic -- I must warn you.”
I get several different responses, but since I’ve taken the wind from their sails, sticking their noses in the air isn’t one of them.

Ohhh great idea. I'll have to try that.
What are your goals as a writer?

My immediate goal is to finish revising my current book and move on to my next series, a paranormal epic that has been in the works for five years. I have two books finished and the third one started. I have an outline for six at the moments, but who knows where our characters lead us. There could be more.
My long term goal is to keep writing about characters my readers love and the adventures they get caught up in. As long as my characters keep showing up on the paper, I’ll keep telling their tales.

How many books do you read a month?

I probably read close to thirty a month, some for pleasure, some for work and some for research.
Do you have anything new in the works?
I have another erotic novella due out next month and another, which should be finished five minutes after this interview is over. LOL

Wow, do I feel like a slacker. Thirty books is a lot! Good for you.

Where can we find you?

Visit my website http://ElizaMarch.com or for more up-to-date rants stop by my blog at http://elizamarch.blogspot.com

Oh, and I’m on Facebook, but I’m warning you I don’t Twitter... Sorry, I’m too easily distracted.
Where can we find your books?

I write for The Wild Rose Press and Siren-Bookstrand
HOT HIGHLAND FLING is with The Wild Rose Press and my other two books, WITCH OF AIR AND FIRE and THE LION, THE LEOPARD, AND THE WOLF are available from Siren-Bookstrand.
FYI - I’m working on lengthening my books and shortening my titles.

I love the titles and can't wait to get my hands on a copy. Best of luck with your latest release, Eliza!

August play dates...

I have kids, so when I talk about getting together with friends I think of play dates.

I have some wonderful interviews and fun scheduled this week. First, on Thursday the 20th right here on my blog I'm going to be interviewing my editor from Red Rose Publishing, Lea Schizas. Lea is not only a big cheese at RRP she is also a very talented and mulitpublished author. So be sure and stop by and pick her brain while I have her undivided attention.

Since the 20th is my release date for Soul Mate, my female werewolf novella from Red Rose Publishing I'll be yakking with Kim Smith on her blogspot.

http://writingspace.blogspot.com/

Kim is a multipublished author with RRP and has her very own blog-talk radio show.

I'll be with the Fuzzy Slipper ladies on Friday the 21st.

http://pinkfuzzyslipperwriters.blogspot.com/

and Helen on the 24th... OMG.... I haven't finished up that interview! Damn, I knew I had homework this weekend. lol... be right on it, Helen.

http://helensheroes.blogspot.com/

And for all of you who took the time to help me reach the top ten bestselling list at TWRP for Kilt Worthy... Thank you! Your support and comments mean the world to me.

Where I am today...

Virtually, I'm at Helen's Hero's today talking about Logan. So please stop by... Click Here...

Literally I'm taking the day off and headed to the beach with the kids. Whoo hoo!!!

I do hope you are all enjoying your summer and staying away from that swine flu!

*Big Kisses*

In celebration of Kilt Worthy

In celebration of my debut release this Friday, I'll be on multiple blogs. Here is the line up.

Friday August 7th *RELEASE DAY*

Shelley Munro Blog

And

Christina Phillips Blog

On August 10th I'll be visiting Helen Hardt's Blog.

On August 14th I'll be yakking with Rachel Moniz.

So please stop by so I don't feel like a dork without friends. lol

Feel free to stop by here on my blog on the 7th as well. I have my scarlet editor, Lori LeBonde, in my hot seat.

I've asked her all kinds of questions that I'm sure you'd be interested in reading the answers to. Lori is all kinds of fun! She even suggested that I pop in my kilted Scotch boys to entertain you.

So...

For you Lori...

Guest Interview with Shelley Munro

Today I have a special guest, Shelley Munro. Author or so many books in my own personal library that I just had to have her over to celebrate her newest release.

Thanks for stopping by today, Shelley. Oh, and for all who comment, Shelley will be giving away a free copy of her release. So tell your friends and yack, yack, yack...

Tell us about your new book out now:

Thanks for inviting me to visit today, Catherine. Make That Man Mine is my new release, and it’s out at Ellora’s Cave on 15 June. Funnily enough it’s a story featuring one of my favorite type of heroes—a shifter. Jack Sullivan is a taniwha. Most of you probably haven’t heard of a taniwha before, but it’s a creature from Maori mythology, a kind of a serpent/dragon. In some tales, a taniwha is a terrible wife-stealing creature who eats people and breaks canoes. In other tales, a taniwha is a benevolent creature who brings good luck to a tribe. Legend says that a taniwha lives at every bend in a river. They also live in lakes and by the seaside.

My taniwha Jack Sullivan works for George Taniwha & Sons, a private investigator. Secretary Emma Montrose has lusted after Jack from afar for a long time, and she’s finally decided it’s time to make him aware of her interest. Jack is one alpha man who is about to meet his match!

Here’s the blurb:

On her 25th birthday Emma Montrose decides it’s time to show bad boy investigator, Jack Sullivan she’s more than an efficient secretary. She’s a woman with needs, and she wants him.
Jack is a taniwha, a shifter, who requires women to satiate the sexual demands of the serpent within. Nothing more. Then work forces the reluctant Jack and ecstatic Emma undercover as a couple. Thrown together, pretence and reality blur generating hot sex laced with risk…

And here’s a short except from the start of the book where his boss informs Jack he’s going to have a new partner for his upcoming case.

“Okay,” he conceded. “I guess a partner might help. Who’s available? Hone? Billy?”
George made a choking sound, merriment dancing across his lined face as he stuck his feet up on his desk.

“What’s so goddamn amusing?” Jack ground out. Another chortle exploded from George.

Jack bounded upright and paced the length of the room, trying to work off the agitation that thrummed through his body. He paused to stare out the window, his mind taking in the yachts that zigzagged across blue waters of Auckland Harbor. Jack turned away from the window and stalked across the room to drop into the chair opposite George. He kept his expression neutral despite the amusement that still simmered across his boss’s face. “You’d better let me in on the joke.”

“You can partner up with Hone or Billy, if you want,” George said. “But you might want to consider the special circumstances.”
“What circumstances?” Jack bit out. Man, he had a hot date with Melissa tonight. Good, hot, sweaty, no-strings sex. He didn’t have time for this crap. “Either Hone or Billy. I’m not fussy.”

“Reuben J. Mahoney runs a couples-only resort. I’m assigning you a female partner.”

“A female— No.”

“I guess you can take Hone. Or Billy,” George mused. “Of course, you’d have to share a room. And a bed.” He shook his grizzled head. “Two taniwha in the same room. Add in a blue moon and things might get a mite ugly.”

Fuck. Jack sent a hard glare at his boss. Trapped as neat as an eel in a net. Jack shuffled through the range of possibilities and came up blank. “Who is she?” he gritted out.

“A new operative.”

Great. Just bloody great. Not only was he being forced to take a female partner, he was getting a raw beginner. Jack didn’t trust himself to speak so he firmed his mouth, folded his arms across his chest and scowled his displeasure.

“I’m teaming you with Emma Montrose.”

“Your secretary?” Jack heard disbelief in his voice but thought he managed to keep his panic to himself. What the hell did a secretary know about investigating a case? What about the danger? To both of them. They would have to share a room for God’s sake. Jack refused to let his mind dwell on Emma’s sexy legs…or the rest of her body.

“Emma’s capable of assisting you on this case.”

“Assign me another case.” Spending time alone with Emma was enough to give a man ideas. Jack wasn’t interested in anything but sex. No relationships for him. Been there. Done that. Chucked away the T-shirt.

How do you respond when someone says.... "Oh, you write THAT kind of book?"

Um…I usually think up a great response about four hours later! Actually I’m fairly open about the type of book I write. I don’t fit the profile of a person who writes THAT kind of book, not the one that most people have in their heads at any rate, and they usually stare at me in stunned shock when I tell them I write erotic romance.

I did hear about one woman who went around telling everyone that I wrote porn. One of my writer friends knew her and told the woman that she also wrote romance. The woman then insulted my friend and sneered about Mills & Boon stories. Sometimes you just can’t win and it’s best to just laugh off the comments. I mean I make money writing THAT kind of book. I’m happy, and that’s all that counts.

What are your goals as a writer?

I want to keep learning and trying new things, challenging myself to improve my writing. I want to keep enjoying the process and definitely don’t want to get to the stage of burnout where the writing is forced and becomes a chore. Like most writers, I’d like to sell more books and gain a larger audience, but my main goal is to continue enjoying what I do without the stress of too many deadlines.

How many books do you read a month?

It depends on my writing schedule. If I’m busy with writing, my reading suffers, although I always read before I go to sleep at night. That said I usually read ten – twenty books a month. I read a lot because I think it’s one of the best ways of research for a writer and also for keeping up with the market.

Do you have anything new in the works?

Always! I have more books in my Middlemarch Mates series underway. Ambar’s story (a new character introduced in CatNap) and the twins’ story, which readers have been demanding for ages. I also have a paranormal/sci-fi book I’ve just subbed to my editor, a historical underway and the glimmer of a contemporary series in my head, ready to pour out. I always have more ideas than time. A good way to be, I think!

Where can we find you?

I have a website with details of my available titles, upcoming ones plus excerpts, story background info and also some free reads. http://www.shelleymunro.com/ You can also find my blog there. I blog most days about totally random things—some pertaining to writing and others not—and you’re very welcome to come over and chat. http://www.shelleymunro.com/blog
I can also be found over at the Coffee Time forum http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/board/forumdisplay.php?f=508 and at MySpace. http://www.myspace.com/shelleymunro

Where can we find your books?

I write for Ellora’s Cave and for Samhain Publishing. Several of my books are available in print and are available from the usual online sources such as Amazon.
http://www.jasminejade.com/m-127-shelley-munro.aspx
http://samhainpublishing.com/authors/shelley-munro

If you have any questions about writing or my books, please feel free to ask. I’d also like to give away a download of Make That Man Mine to one commenter. I’ll get Catherine to choose the winner for me tomorrow. Thanks for visiting!

Shelley
http://www.shelleymunro.com/

Thanks for coming, Shelley. I can't wait to sink my teeth, or eyes, into this one.

News...

Are you one of those shy people who don't announce your special day when it comes every year? What day you ask?

Ahhh... your birthday? Well, surprise, surprise... not me. I used to do that until I worked with a ER Doctor once who told every fireman and medic who came in the back door that it was her special day... By the end of that shift, Dr. Sam had 4 dozen roses, a free lunch and if I'm not mistaken, a invite for a dinner date. lol

It pays to shout!

My birthday is this Friday May 1st and to celebrate I'm have a very special guest blogger. Jenna Petersen AKA Jess Michaels here to talk about her very exciting and full year of releases.

So be sure and come on over Friday and celebrate my 29th... again...