Tag Archive | Sweet

Guest Interview: Author Jenna Rutland

Today my guest is Jenna Rutland, a fellow member of the Maumee Valley chapter of Romance Writers of America. Jenna writes contemporary romances and her first novel, Just For the Summer, was released on March 11, 2013 by Entangled Publishing.

How long have you been writing? I’ve been a romance reader since I was a teenager and have always been a daydreamer, but the interest in writing started about 15 years ago. After every story I read, I found myself coming up with different scenarios for the characters or different endings to the stories. It made me wonder if I had the ability to write.

What author(s) have most influenced your writing? Most of the well-known authors—Nora Roberts, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Janet Evanovich—have all made me a better writer. I have studied one author in particular – Rachel Gibson. Her characters are genuine, her storytelling is flawless, and her sense of humor all add up to the perfect read for me. I have all her books and some of my favorites are pretty worn!

Do you have a favorite quote or saying? My family will tell you that I say “happy medium” more than they’d like to hear. But that phrase can be used for everything in our life. With so much to juggle between working, writing, spending time with family, etc., I think the only way we can stay sane is to avoid trying to give everything our all, which only opens you up for failure.

Every writer dreams of getting “the call.” What were you doing when yours came? Who got to hear the good news first? I wish I had a glamorous story to share. But in truth, I was sick that day and had been for several days. When the phone rang, I was actually lying in bed dosing. I checked out caller ID and saw the name of the editor who’d requested my full. I ran into my office and grabbed up the phone to learn it was “the call.” Afterwards, I sat in a daze for a minute before dancing around my office, my upset stomach forgotten. Crying with excitement, I called my husband first. Because of my wavering voice, he thought I was calling to say I was feeling worse. Instead, I got to say the words I’d dreamed to say for a long time, “I sold my book!”

What are your favorite pastimes? I love to cook. I like to read through cookbooks just for the fun of it. Enjoying a good meal with family and friends always makes me happy. Gardening gives me a great deal of pleasure but, of course, in Southeast Michigan we have only the summer months for that. I’ve recently started an herb garden that I’m thrilled about. But nothing beats sitting on the floor playing with my sweet granddaughter!

About Just For the Summer

His temptation. Her secret. Their summer.

Dani Sullivan has come to Lake Bliss to write her latest cookbook…and to see if the baby she gave up for adoption eight years ago is happy. When she’s done with her reconnaissance, she plans to return to Detroit without any doubts about past decisions. But when she sees her little boy—indeed happy despite living with his single dad—she finds she can’t keep her promise to stay away…from her son or from his flirtatious father, who has no idea of her true identity.

Recently divorced sheriff Matt Reagan is ready for a new relationship, but he doesn’t want short-term—his son needs permanence, and so does Matt’s heart. Unfortunately, it’s the smart-mouthed and sinfully sexy Ms. Sullivan who catches his eye. But when Matt learns Dani’s secrets, will hne still want her to stay? Or will her chance for love last just for the summer?

Excerpt from Just For the Summer is available on the Entangled web site.

About the Author

Jenna Rutland lives in a small Michigan community with her husband, son and senior cat. Her daughter and son-in-law have recently given Jenna the awesome title of grandmother!

While her days are spent working as a medical transcriptionist, her nights are filled writing contemporary romance—stories of love, laughter and happily ever after. Guess which occupation is more fun?

She is a member of RWA and is active in her local chapter. After several years on the MVRWA board, she now chairs the group’s annual fall brainstorming weekend as well as acts as food coordinator for several other events.

Jenna takes pleasure in spending time with her family. She also enjoys reading, gardening and loves the challenge of a new recipe.

Jenna welcomes the chance to connect with writers and readers. For more information, head to her website, and hang out with Jenna on Facebook and Twitter.

Website: http://www.jennarutland.com

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

Twitter: http://twitter.com/jennarutland

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/jennarutland

A Discourse On Damian

Jan25

As the only son of a viscount, Damian led a charmed life. Although raised primarily by servants—as was the norm among the nobility—his parents were distantly affectionate. Moreover, they were decent, upstanding people who took their responsibilities seriously. His father, the fifth Viscount Clinton, served the Tories in Parliament faithfully until his death less than three years past. He’d been in failing health since his wife’s death of a fever some five years before that. So at the age of twenty-six, Damian became the sixth Viscount Clinton and the owner of a prosperous estate and a tidy fortune besides.

What more could a young man wish for?

Other than a few distant relatives—one of them an earl to whom he stood as heir—he was alone in the world. In actuality, there were plenty of people eager to cultivate the friendship of a young viscount with substantial resources and the promise of more in the future. In London he made a life for himself full of amusing distractions, from evenings out on the town with his cronies to afternoons sparring at Gentleman Jackson’s or racing with his peers at the Four-in-Hand Club. There was no end of pleasures in London.

As one of the pre-eminent bachelors in London, he was in constant demand at all the premier ton events. The matchmaking mamas would descend on him en masse with their vacant-eyed daughters; he’d learned to keep them at arm’s length by perfecting the art of the disdainful stare through a quizzing glass. Perhaps it was rather callous of him, but more than one of his peers had been maneuvered into an unwanted marriage after being tricked into a compromising situation with one of those innocent-appearing vixens. But he wasn’t in the market for a wife. Not yet anyway. He was enjoying his freedom far too much to take on a leg-shackle.

Women, however, were another thing entirely. Bored wives, widows, Cyprians, servant wenches—they threw themselves at his feet. Generally, he limited himself to one mistress at a time; as much as he enjoyed bedsport, he had no desire to make a name for himself à la the fifth duke of Devonshire. His father would not have approved, and although he wasn’t quite ready to take up his obligations in the House of Lords or set up his nursery, he had no wish to taint the family name with scandal.

So he made his home in London, taking little interest in the family estate except to leave it in the care of a capable steward, and kept his indulgences to a minimum—a bit of gambling, drinking, and raucous nights on the town, but nothing excessive that he thought would earn his father’s disapproval. Well, perhaps there was one thing.

Damian took inordinate pride in his apparel. He was Weston’s best customer—no doubt because he was one of the few who paid his bills on time—and he liked to wear unusual colors that set him apart from the gentlemen who considered anything that wasn’t black, brown, or gray too feminine. Now Damian wasn’t one of those dandified peacocks who strutted around in clashing colors, but he did not eschew some of the lighter colors in his waistcoats and trousers. He had a slate blue jacket that brought out the color of his eyes that never failed to draw the admiration of others. The dark rose one raised a few eyebrows at first, but it wasn’t long before some of the other gentlemen began sporting the same shade of rose. Unfortunately, more than a few of them didn’t have the knack of knowing how far to go with it; the colors they chose to wear with it made him wince.

But Damian was an Original. People sought to emulate him, flatter him, earn his approval. And he learned to be discriminating in those he chose to be his companions. He himself could do nothing wrong. He had the power to make any heedless young girl an outcast, and had done so more than once. After awhile he didn’t think about it overmuch. That was life in the ton, and anyone who couldn’t handle it didn’t belong there.

But Damian’s life is about to take an unexpected turn. Will he have the courage to step forward and embrace the full measure of the gift that is about to fall into his lap? Or will he toss it aside and return to his fabulous—lonely?—life in London?

Treasuring Theresa, a sweet Regency short story, is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, AllRomance eBooks, Ellora’s Cave, Sony, Kobo and Bookstrand.

Win a $20 Amazon Gift Card

To celebrate the release of Treasuring Theresa, I am offering contests each week of January. Winners will be chosen on January 9, 16, 23, and 31. You can’t win if you don’t enter, so enter now, by clicking below or the Treasuring Theresa cover at right.

To return to the TRR Romance Blog Hop, click here.

Win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

Jan3

To Celebrate the Release of Treasuring Theresa

January 3, 2013 at Ellora’s Cave

Susana is hosting a series of contests

for the month of January!

All you have to do is answer a question about the Regency period (and/or Tweet about this contest) and your name will be entered for the next drawing!

Free Bonus Reads Available!