Interview With Edie Hart and “One Bad Day”

Susana: What inspired you to start writing?

Edie: I have always wanted to write and as I’ve gotten older I’ve always regretted not trying. I decided that I wasn’t getting any younger and I sat down and wrote One Bad Day

Susana: How long have you been writing?

Edie: I’ve written my whole life, but have never had anything published.

Susana: What advice would you give to writers just starting out?

Edie: I’m just starting out so I don’t know if advice from me is valuable. All I can say is that you’ll never know unless you try.  😉

Susana: Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?

Edie: All the time. I get stuck on scenes or trying to get from point A to point B. Sometimes I take a break and it comes to me. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night with a solution. Most of the time I come up with solutions in the shower or doing something else that’s routine. It seems like it helps if I mull it over for awhile.

Susana: What comes first: the plot or the characters?

Edie: It depends on the story. I had plot come first in One Bad Day, but characters first in some of my upcoming stories.

Susana: Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Edie: I do a little of both. I write better if I have a little bit of direction, so I will do a rough outline and then start writing…  sometimes the story goes in a different direction than it was meant to.

Susana: Tell us something about your newest release that is NOT in the blurb.

Edie: The hero is lightly based on my husband.

Susana: Are you working on something at present that you would like to tell us about?

Edie: I have a couple of stories going right now. I’m working on Burg’s story (Book 2 in the One Day series) and another story that just wouldn’t leave me alone.

Susana: What are you reading now?

Edie: I am reading Milly Taiden’s Wolf Fever.

Susana: What author or authors have most influenced your writing?

Edie: I love Milly Taiden and Jill Shalvis. There are tons and tons of really good authors out there right now.

Susana: What is your work schedule like when writing?

Edie: Right now my schedule is hectic because my kids are home for the summer. I basically write wherever and whenever I can.  😉

Susana: What did you want to be when you grew up?

Edie: Back when I was really little I wanted to be a genie. As I got a little older, I wanted to be a librarian. I’ve always loved books and I used to play library for hours.

Susana: What is your favorite food? Least favorite? Why?

Edie:I love cupcakes. I have a love/hate relationship with them. They taste so good, but it only takes a couple and I’m gaining weight.

Susana: Describe the “perfect hero.” What about the “perfect hero” for you?

Edie: For me the perfect hero changes with my mood.  😉  When I’m mellow, he’s romantic and charismatic, when I’m “frisky”, he’s right there with me. One of the things I love about writing is that you can make each hero someone you would love to be with, yet they are all different.

Susana: What are favorite pastimes?

Edie: I love to go to my son’s traveling little league games and my daughter’s dance performances. I love curl up with a good book and a kitty by my side (I have 3) with a bowl of moose tracks frozen yogurt.  (I’m addicted to it.)

Susana: What has been your biggest adventure to date?

Edie: I would have to say having children. It’s not what you think it’s going to be and you never know what’s going to happen from one day to the next.

Susana: What is the one modern convenience you can’t do without?

Edie: I love my Nook.  : )

About One Bad Day

Tessa is having one seriously bad day. After agreeing to dress as a cheesy mascot at a convention for her boss, her clothes get stolen, she gets chased through a sinister parking garage, and her apartment gets broken into and turned upside down.

Gray, an off-duty police officer, can’t resist the sexy legs he sees in costume at a hotel convention. When he catches sight of her running for her life through a dark car lot, he’s determined to find out what her story is and ends up promising to keep Tessa safe…even if that means taking her home with him.

Available

Breathless Press • Amazon • AllRomance • BookStrand

Excerpt

Gray stepped outside of the hotel ballroom hoping the air would be cooler out there. He hated stuffy gatherings. Hell, he hated weddings. How two people could think they’d love each other forever was beyond him. Gray didn’t do love. Which was why he was stag at a co-worker’s wedding. He’d originally planned to invite Monique, but several months back she’d become demanding and talked about moving into his place with hearts and flowers in her eyes. So he’d ended it. Deep down, he’d known that she didn’t really want him. She wanted any warm body that would take care of her. She had slowly been trying to mold him into some GQ tycoon, telling him what to wear, how to act, and even going as far as telling him what he needed to do career-wise.

A loud crash on the other side of the hall caught Gray’s attention. In the open ballroom across the way he saw legs. Glorious legs in strappy high heels. The beautiful legs were tangled on the floor and attached to an ass that was just as gorgeous. After taking a closer look, Gray realized that above the amazing ass was an enormous, white light bulb-shaped head with blue googly eyes. It had blonde hair and wore a glittery purple hat. The tangled-up legs and heels were flailing around in a pile of what looked like empty light bulb boxes. Several gentlemen nearby were quick to help Legs get her feet beneath her. From their smiles and laughter he could tell that they were all quite happy to be of assistance. Gray didn’t blame them.

He watched Legs find her balance in those high heels, and with a little wiggle and tug of her skirt she went on her way.

About the Author

Edie Hart was born in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago, where she now resides with her husband, two children, dog, and three cats. After spending her childhood making up stories in her head, she finally decided to put them on paper. What came of it was her first novella, One Bad Day. Edie is a die-hard romantic and believes that everyone deserves to be loved unconditionally—both in print and real life.

Edie also admits that “Edie Hart” is a pen name and an alter ego to an otherwise boring wife and mother. Edie is 20 pounds lighter, loves to skydive, travels to foreign places, and is a total sex kitten as compared to the uninteresting other half who is none of those things.

In reality the counterpart of Edie is a lackluster 40-something-year-old, whose main goal is to keep The Big One (The Boy) from torturing The Little One (The Girl). This week he hit her in the head with a 12-pack of Juicy Juice. Last week he left ravioli handprints on the back of her white T-shirt. The week before that he told her she was adopted and she believed him.

To learn more about her, and find out what The Big One and The Little One are up to, visit her via her here:

Website • Facebook • Twitter

Michaela Rhua: Release Day for “Guardian Possession”

Thank you, Susana, for having me on your blog. I really appreciate the support!

My newest release out TODAY!!!! So excited!

It is called Guardian Possession and is book two of a series that started with Guardian Awakening. I have tried to write it in such a way that you don’t have to read book one—although I would be delighted if you did.

The third book in the series is still in the ether somewhere. I know what the story will be but have not drafted it as yet. It will focus on the brother of Royanne called Oryan—I better get a move on I suppose!

About Guardian Possession

Royanne longs to be free of everyone’s expectations. Meeting a mysterious stranger who she is drawn to confuses her. He feeds her longing to be free and ignites a fire inside of her. She is aroused by this tortured soul. When he kidnaps her and reveals his plan, she is torn between loathing him and wanting him.

Zachriel is under orders from the Dark Master—kidnap Guardian demon Royanne. Only hiding away until the coast is clear draws him closer to her, especially as she seems to see the real man in him.

Rescued at last, Royanne feels uncertain what to do. For Zachriel his past is revealed and he must face the truth. This truth cuts to his very soul and questions who he really is. Now he must come to terms with the lie that has been his life. Royanne fights her feelings for Zachriel. She begins to see him as a kindred spirit. There is only one thing to do reveal her love for him. Can she convince him her feelings are real and he is worth loving?

Excerpt

He could read strands of desire in her mind. He planted more, he planted himself. This little Guardian was proving easier to manipulate than he had first thought. But what did they know of strength? All their kind was good for was the torture of the young and weak. He was no longer young or weak. The Dark Master had ensured they took care of him, nurtured, and trained to be a warrior of worth. Zach reached out and touched her bare arm lightly. With feather-like fingers, he stroked her skin. Royanne’s gaze drifted to his fingers playing on her skin. She had not recoiled, which was good. He became bolder as he moved his hands to her shoulder. Her skin was warm and smooth. Zach maintained eye contact, knowing it would strengthen his bond with her. He caressed her cheek, and he slid his other hand lower to hold her curved hip and then her rounded ass. He massaged her ass cheek, and when no resistance was apparent, he lowered his lips to her pinky full lips, that called to him to kiss and claim. She seemed frozen to the spot. Yes, just as he liked them, under his control, helpless. He had her mind. Fire met ice. She kissed him back with equal force, which surprised him. Does this Guardian actually want me?

Available

www.breathlesspress.com and other eBook stores

About the Author

Michaela Rhua always dreamed of writing but this never happened until she met the lovely group of ladies known as UCW. Their passion for writing and encouragement inspired her to see if she could do it too. Now she is multi published and loves writing!

She has teenage children and a husband, who also keep her busy. However, it is whilst travelling into work that she has time to create her characters and imagine other places in which they exist as her world skims by the window. Conversations overheard often lead to the birth of new ideas that she scribbles down in her trusty notebook.

Michaela usually hangs about here:

Website: http://michaelarhuaauthor.weebly.com/

Blog: http://www.michaelarhuaauthor.blogspot.co.uk/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MichaelaRhua

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/michaelarhua/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MichaelaRhua

The Protea Boys by Téa Cooper

Today my guest is Téa Cooper, one of my History Lovers Facebook group members, which was originally formed by several of us who were teammates in Savvy Authors NANO Smackdown with Entangled Editors last fall. We’re all history lovers, of course, and we write historical romance, although with quite diverse settings. 

Welcome to Susana’s Parlour, Téa! And explain the significance of the title, please! Boys named Protea? I recall having the same question about your first book, Tree Change.

What’s in a title?

I’ve come to the conclusion that I come up with odd titles for my books. Most people associate proteas with South Africa—not surprisingly since the South African National cricket team is called the Proteas! Interestingly proteas are actually the same family (genus) as Waratah—the name of the Australian Rugby team and the floral emblem of New South Wales! And no, The Protea Boys is not about a sporting team—though you would be forgiven for thinking it might be.

The protea, and the quintessential Australian plant, the waratah both belong to the Proteaceae family. They all shared common ancestors back in Gondwana when Australia and South Africa were joined as part of the super continent in the south, some 200 million years ago.

The King Protea is the specific protea that features in my romance The Protea Boys. It has the largest flower head in the genus. Its scientific name for all you gardeners out there is Protea cynaroides

I once owned a protea farm. I didn’t mean to buy a flower farm. It was one of those things that came about by accident but once I had seen the beautiful flowers there was no way I could plough them in. I became  a protea farmer by default and that was where the story was born long before I had ever had a romance published, but I have to add the rest is pure fiction. Unfortunately the delectable Tom Morgan didn’t come into my life and sweep me off my feet.

I guess my protea farm was my first Tree Change! But that’s another story and there’s a blog about that on my website called Tree Change explained.

Where do the titles for your books come from?

Images Wikipedia Commons

About The Protea Boys

Georgie can run but she can’t hide from the man who stalks her dreams and throws her ordered life into a tailspin.

Emotional entanglement is not on George Martin’s to do list. She has turned her back on her sophisticated Sydney lifestyle, determined to renovate her parents old flower farm and her shattered ego. However the challenges prove more than she bargained for until a madcap scheme comes to fruition and The Protea Boys are born. The team of efficient, well-tapered six-packs solve her farming problems, but their leader presents a different kind of challenge—their first spark of attraction ignites a passion she cannot ignore.

Tom Morgan likes his women “pretty and entertaining,” not “efficient and driven,” but the threat of being co-opted as a wine waiter or worse, chef in his brother’s restaurant encourages him to take up what he sees as the highly amusing challenge of managing The Protea Boys. It is the perfect distraction while he waits for a new assignment—or so he thinks until he realizes he has found the one woman he cannot run away from.

Digital Edition: $4.99 | ISBN:  | Length: 49,000 words

Ebook Page Count: 1 | Publication Date: May 3, 2013 | PDF – MOBI – EPUB

|Heat rating 2 (Monogamous couples. Infrequent loves scenes with no graphic language.)

Breathless Press

Excerpt

Copyright 2013, Téa Cooper

All rights reserved, Breathless Press.

A nonchalant silhouette leaning against the side of the black four-wheel drive came into view. Tall and lean, with an Akubra pulled down shadowing his eyes and arms folded across his chest. As Georgie slammed to a halt, he pushed his hat back and winked at her.

“What are you doing here?” she snapped.

Shit, not a very polite way to greet someone.

It was a trick. Hillary had played a huge trick on her.

“Good morning, Georgina.” His laconic drawl made the hairs on her arms prickle, and his gaze ran up and down the length of her body; she stopped herself from rubbing her arms just in time. At least six feet four inches of pure muscle and screaming masculinity. The mere sight of him made her hackles rise. This was not one of her ridiculous dreams. She groped around, trying to find something to say, but he offered no help, just kept looking her up and down, waiting patiently.

“I didn’t know it was you,” she managed to splutter.

“You didn’t know what was me?” he said, green eyes sparkling at her. She wanted to slap the ridiculous, audacious grin off his face. He was enjoying every moment of her discomfort.

“Hillary didn’t say it was you.” She ground the words out between her gritted teeth.

“Hillary didn’t exactly say it was you either—but I guessed.”

The whole conversation, if you could call it that, got more idiotic by the moment.

Take control. I have to take control.

Blood pounded somewhere inside her head. “So you’re here to work, not just making a social call?” She narrowed her eyes, unable to be civil.

“I’m under the impression I’m starting work today. Hillary said you were expecting me, and I should turn up at seven o’clock this morning.” He stared pointedly at his watch, accentuating his deliciously muscled forearm. ” It’s five to, by my reckoning.”

“I didn’t know it was you.” Georgie’s brain had stuck, like an old, scratched CD, the phrase stuttered in her head, and she couldn’t stop it falling out of her mouth. “I didn’t know it was you. Hillary said your name was Morgan.”

“It is. Morgan, Tom Morgan.” He enunciated the words as though she had a limited command of English.

In an attempt to restrain the recurring urge to hit him, Georgie clenched her fists.

“Remember? I introduced myself after our little adventure with the wombat last week.”

Remember.

How could she forget? She involuntarily moved her finger to her lips, unsure for a moment if her memory of his kiss was real or not, but the glimmer in his eye assured her it was, and she pulled her hand from her face and stuffed it into her pocket.

“Then we spoke on the phone.”

“Yes. I remember. It’s just I didn’t know it was you Hillary had interviewed.”

You’re burbling, talking nonsense.

Hillary had said his name was Morgan, and she hadn’t put two and two together. She dreamed—not dreamed, no, he didn’t need to know about her dreams—of him as Tom.

Tom of the predatory green eyes with tawny flecks.

Mr. Leopard Eyes who was watching her with a deal more than a glint of amusement. She sucked in a deep breath and exhaled, enjoying the exasperated puffing sound escaping her lips. Her flesh shivered despite the warmth in her face.

“I can go if you like. It’s not a problem. I was looking forward to the job. Thought it would be a challenge working for two lovely ladies.”

That‘s it. That‘s done it. The patronizing sexist.

She clenched her teeth to prevent the words escaping. Sometime in the not-too-distant future she would explain to this man that she was running the business and she employed him—not the other way around. She’d played this game before, and she had no intention of falling into the trap again.

About the Author

Téa writes contemporary and historical romantic fiction featuring strong-minded women and sexy Australian men. Love and life Down Under isn’t always easy. Her heroes and heroines have to fight long and hard for what they believe in before they reach their happy ever after.

The Protea Boys is Téa’s second Australian contemporary romance and her third Passionfruit & Poetry will be published in mid 2013. She is currently working on a series of nineteenth century historical romances set in Sydney and the Hunter Valley. The first two, Lily’s Leap and Matilda’s Freedom, will be released in May and July 2013.

To keep up with all of Téa’s news visit her website www.teacooperauthor.com where you will find links to her blog and social media pages.

Check out her first post about her contemporary novel Tree Change.

Guest Author: Téa Cooper

Set on the NSW Central Coast and in Sydney, Téa Cooper’s debut romantic novel is now available as an e-book from Amazon, Kobo, All Romance, Bol.com and Bookstrand.

 

About Téa Cooper:

Téa Cooper is an Australian contemporary and historical romance author.

Originally from England Téa came to Australia via India and a few other places in between. She has lived in Sydney, on the NSW Central Coast and now lives in the time-warp village of Wollombi near Cessnock.

To find out more about Téa, or to check out what projects she’s working on right now, you can visit her website http://www.teacooperauthor.com

Biography:

Lurking in the back of Téa’s brain somewhere was the knowledge that one day she would write a novel. It probably started with a rather risqué story in the back of an exercise book at boarding school featuring the long suffering school gardener – not really the stuff romantic heroes were made of but it was before she knew any better.

Life and few heroes of her own showed her the error of her ways and with a baby under one arm, a husband and a half built house she entered a Mills and Boon competition. To her absolute earth shattering amazement she won second place – the prize was a bottle of perfume! Next time she determined she would do better.

But it was still the stuff of fantasy and her family, a herd of alpacas, a protea farm and teaching intervened until one day she decided it was time to do or die. No more procrastination. The characters and plots that had lived in her head for so long were clamoring to escape.

In August 2011 she got serious and joined Romance Writers Australia, entered the Harlequin Mills & Boon New Voices competition and to her horror discovered she hadn’t been – discovered that is. Not even a bottle of perfume this time. But in reality she had won. Procrastination was conquered and determination set in. It was time to get serious.

Tree Change is her first contemporary romance novel and is available now. Her second, a historical novel Lily’s Leap – set in Wollombi, the time-warp village she now calls home – was accepted by Lyrical Press and will be published in mid 2013. She has recently completed her second Australian historical novel Matilda’s Madness – inspired by some of the fascinating characters haunting the local museum.

When Téa is not haunting the Wollombi museum she can be found on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads or you can email her at teacooperauthor@gmail.com. 

Tree Change Synopsis:

Despite her success in the Sydney art world Cassia yearns for the idyllic life she once lead with Jake in their shack over looking the Pacific Ocean. Seeking closure she falls, like a recovering addict, straight back into his arms, and out again equally quickly.  Not only has he his taken up with his brother’s wife but it seems they have a child.

Truth is Jake is living a lie, sworn to secrecy and hamstrung by a promise. Cassia’s fey, artistic character and magical body possess his imagination and his heart. Can he convince her to trust him long enough to save the crumbling remains of their relationship?

Tree Change Short Excerpt:

She dismissed his words with a wave of her hand, but her eyes betrayed her. He knew her too well. The burn of hurt behind their velvety depths had nothing to do with the here and now, but everything to do with the past. His fault? Lyle’s fault? No one’s fault? Just circumstance.

“I need answers, and I need them now. I can’t go on like this. Either we are together or we are not. You have to make a choice: Madeleine or me. I can’t be a convenience you can pick up and put down as the mood takes you.”

“My feelings for you, Cass, are a million things but convenience isn’t one of them.” He shook his head in sorrowful disbelief. How could she not recognize the bond they had?

“Madeleine?” Her raised eyebrows challenged him.

“Right now I can’t explain what happened with Madeleine, but her safety is paramount.”

Her body shuddered as if she was trying to lift a great weight. What was he doing to her? Madeleine, Madeleine, always Madeleine. “I can’t do this again, Jake. I need to go home.” Jake slipped her cardigan over her frail shoulders and then stepped back to allow her to lead the way past the bar and up the narrow stairs to street level.

He unlocked the car door and held it open. Her skirt caught on the ribbons of her espadrille. As he leaned down to untangle them, she flinched. Closing her door with exaggerated care he walked around to the driver’s door and let himself in. He clicked his seat belt into its clasp before he twisted the key in the ignition. The engine sprang to life, and he pulled out into the darkened street.

“You have to trust me, Cass. I know it is difficult, but you just have to trust me and wait. Everything will be sorted out soon.”

Her sigh filled the car. “Jake, I can’t. How can I? I’ve tried and look where we’ve ended up. Me in Sydney, and you living with your brother’s girlfriend.”

“Wife,” he corrected, regretting the word the moment it left his lips.