I picked up The Dom Who Loved Me when I switched over to the romance genre and instantly fell for the Taggarts and the style in which Lexi Blake writes.  Since then I have to read everything that she writes.   I have also had the pleasure of meeting her on a few of the book signings that I have attended and she is as lovely as she seems.  She gives every single person in line personal attention and makes them feel special.

1 Tell us a little bit about yourself (family, hobbies, pets, etc).

I’ve got three kids, a husband and the world’s laziest dog. Her name is Bella and she was rescued from a shelter. She’s really more like a cat. She follows me from room to room and then lies down as quickly as possible. As for hobbies, yikes. I don’t have a ton of time for them. I guess I would say watching really bad horror movies with my bestie. The family hobby is board games. My husband is crazy about them. He’s got a roomful of European style board games and even ordered a custom table for gamin.

2 How did you get into writing and why romance?

I can’t remember a time I wasn’t writing. Even in grade school I would write stories. By the time I got to high school I was writing fan fiction and then original plays. I got into romance because that’s what my mom read. We had tons of historicals and Harlequins around the house. I was surrounded by it so I gravitated that way.

3 Do you ever re-enact the sex scenes you write about?

No.

4 Name a romance book or series you would love to see as a movie/TV series.

I love Demonica by Larissa Ione. I would love to see that as a TV series, but then her head would be really big and having to live with her would be such a struggle. (I’m joking. Besides loving Demonica, I also love the author behind it!) I think it’s a rich universe and would translate well to TV. I also think something like Rough Riders by Lorelei James could do well.

5 Have you ever read a book based solely on its cover?

No. I pick books based on word of mouth or blurbs. If you’ve got a great blurb that catches my attention, I’ll pick up that book every time.

6 What is your ideal way to end a long day?

A glass of wine, a good meal and some unwinding in front of the TV. I love long form story telling and television is having a renaissance right now. So many good shows.

7 Describe your ultimate holiday.

Me and the hubby on a beach with no deadlines, nothing pressing. All we have to do is lie around and swim in the ocean and have people bring us drinks.

8 Who is your favourite book boyfriend and why?

They are too many to name! I can say though that what I tend to love in a book (dominant Alpha males) isn’t what I would want in my life which is probably why I try to write some quirkier characters. I love Barrons from the Fever series, but I would kill him in real life. I love what I like to call the alpha geek – sure of himself, a sneaky top, sexy as hell but also very funny and thoughtful. I think my love of that kind of hero came from a book called Trust Me by Jayne Ann Krentz.

9 What turns you on and what turns you off?

Intelligence and kindness. I like a man I can talk to. Witty conversation can definitely be a turn on. Turn offs – my major turn off would be closed mindedness. You can’t have a conversation with someone who’s made his mind up about everything.

10 Boxer or briefs? Or commando???

Briefs. I think they’re super sexy!

11 Who is your top five “Freebie List”? (I think this is also known as a Hall Pass.  Who could you sleep with that your partner won’t mind?)

Yeah we can joke about that but there are no men in the world I could sleep with that my husband wouldn’t mind. There are no hall passes in my marriage. I would worry for Stephen Amell or Alexander Skarsgard’s health if they miraculously found their way into my bed. Well, except maybe Margot Robbie who I adore – though I’m normally straight as an arrow. I think in that case he would merely want me to roll video….

12 You have a table booked for four in your favourite restaurant.  Who would you invite to join you?

My husband and my two best friends. I get so little time, I want to spend every moment with the people I love.

13 How can our readers connect with you? Facebook, Goodreads, Amazon, Twitter, etc.

Website l Facebook l Twitter l Amazon l Goodreads

Series:

Lawless

Thieves

Masters & Mercenaries

The Perfect Gentlemen

Masters of Menage

Lulu met Max Henry at the Readers Writers Down Under 2016 held at QT Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. Lulu has read the following by this author and is looking forward to Tormented (Fallen Aces #3) releasing this month!

• Devil You Know (Butcher Boys #1)
• Devil on your Back (Butcher Boys #2)
• Devil May Care (Butcher Boys #3)
• Devil in the Detail (Butcher Boys #4)
• Unrequited (Fallen Aces #1)
• Unbreakable (Fallen Aces #2)

1 Tell us a little bit about yourself (family, hobbies, pets, etc).

I’m a wife, and mother to two active boys. When we get occasion to, the family can be found bumping around in our four wheel-drive, or checking out a classic car or hot rod show. In my own downtime, I escape to the gym for a session with the weights. We’ve got a dog that is my writing buddy, always curled up where I am. Other than that I’m a bit of a heavy metal music lovin’, petrol head, with a soft spot for chocolate and coffee!

2 How did you get into writing and why romance?

I’ve written in some form since I was in primary school; poems, short stories, or real-life pieces that helped me deal in some tough times. But back then there was no such thing as self-publishing, so I shelved the idea of being a writer as a pipe dream and went into office work, started a family, etc. Shortly after my first born came along, I read a copy of Fifty Shades that was loaned to me by a friend and that sparked my curiosity. I learnt about the relatively new world of indie publishing and the rest is history. I always thought I’d write thrillers, but I think I mixed my love of suspense in with romance because of the idea that no matter how broken or scarred you are, there’s somebody out there who’s your perfect match, even if they themselves aren’t perfect.

3 Do you ever re-enact the sex scenes you write about?

*blushes* Uh *looks to see who’s listening* Let’s just say a few of them would be awkward to re-enact setting wise since I’m not married to a biker or a hitman 😉

4 Name a romance book or series you would love to see as a movie/TV Series.

Either Madeline Sheehan’s Undeniable series, or Tillie Cole’s Hades Hangmen would make for good TV viewing.

5 Have you ever read a book based solely on its cover?

Totally. I’m an unashamed cover whore.

6 What is your ideal way to end a long day?

Wine, settled kids, hubby by my side, and either a good book or my favourite TV show.

7 Describe your ultimate holiday.

Touring Canada, or USA, or both. I’ve never been over that side of the world, and it’s definitely on my bucket list.

8 Who is your favourite book boyfriend and why?

Ooo, that’s hard. I love the damaged ones. Names that come to mind off the bat are: Ripper from Madeline Sheehan’s Unbeautifully, Flame from Tillie Cole’s Soul’s Unfractured, and Kick from Carmen Jenner’s book of the same name. BUT, the guy who’s stolen my heart completely is my own Sawyer from Devil May Care and the upcoming Tormented. That psychopathic, broken biker just hooked me from the minute he first appeared at the end of my fingertips and I just love him to pieces, no matter what he does.

9 What turns you on and what turns you off?

On: A wild side, strength (physical and emotional), tattoos, uniforms!, humour, and selflessness.

Off: Arrogance, bullying, selfishness, and that God-awful skinny short-walk sock-flat shoe combo some guys have going on.

10 Boxers or briefs?  Or commando???

Boxers 😛

11 Who is on your top five “Freebie List”? (do you remember Ross from Friends with his laminated list of 5 women he would love to sleep with??)

I’m laughing so hard at this! Um, Travis Fimmel *sigh*, Johnny Depp (even after the whole dog smuggling fiasco), Stephen James, Billy Huxley, and a new model that Amo Jones introduced me to, Kaz Vanderwaard (seriously, look him up).

12 You have a table booked for four in your favourite restaurant.  Who would you invite to join you?

Dead or alive? I’ll go with alive. Stephen King, Tom Hanks, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. (Assuming the fourth seats for me!) I’d pick their brains for hours.

13 How can our readers connect with you?  Facebook, Goodreads, Amazon, Twitter, etc.

Facebook www.facebook.com/maxhenryauthor

Instagram www.instagram.com/maxhenryauthor or @maxhenryauthor

Goodreads www.goodreads.com/author/show/7555353.Max_Henry

Amazon www.amazon.com/author/maxhenry

Pinterest www.pinterest.com/maxhenry9003

I first became a fan of Rebecca Zanetti when I went to RT Booklovers Convention in 2015.  I attended an event where we each received two tickets and had to choose between a room full of authors.  I saw this extremely long line and knew that I had to get in it.  It just happened to be Rebecca Zanetti’s line and I have been a fan ever since.  I always look forward to a release day of one of her books no matter which series it is.

1 Tell us a little bit about yourself (family, hobbies, pets, etc).

I live half way up a mountain with my hubby, two kids, two dogs, and a crazy cat.  We’re only a couple of miles from town, but it’s nice and peaceful with a lovely view of a lake and tons of mountains.  For fun, it seems like we attend kids’ sporting events continually these days – LOL!

2 How did you get into writing and why romance?

I always wanted to write, and when we got snowed in in 2009, I finally had a chance to give it a shot.  I love reading romances, so it was a natural genre to try first.

3 Do you ever re-enact the sex scenes you write about?

LOL!  What do you mean, re-enact?

4 Name a romance book or series you would love to see as a movie/TV series.

What a fun question!  The Death series by J.D. Robb would be a lot of fun to watch.  Who would they cast as Rourke?  I’m just not sure.

5 Have you ever read a book based solely on its cover?

Probably.  I can’t remember one, but I’m sure I have.  Covers just draw you in.

6 What is your ideal way to end a long day?

With a glass of wine on the deck with my husband.

7 Describe your ultimate holiday.

Home with all of the family – immediate and extended.  We have a huge family, and it’s always tons of fun to get together.

8 Who is your favourite book boyfriend and why?

Ian Taggart from Lexi Blake’s Masters and Mercenaries series.  I like him because he’s so cranky and tough and sweet all at once.

9 What turns you on and what turns you off?

My husband turns me on, and people chewing ice loudly turns me off.

10 Boxer or briefs? Or commando???

I like boxer briefs.

11 Who is your top five “Freebie List”? (I think this is also known as a Hall Pass.  Who could you sleep with that your partner won’t mind?)

My hubby would never go for a hall pass.  But if he did, I’d go:  Jason Momoa, Justin Ackles, Hugh Jackman, Sam Heughan, and Wes Chatham.

12 You have a table booked for four in your favourite restaurant.  Who would you invite to join you?

Liz Berry, Lexi Blake, Christopher Rice, and Jillian Stein.

13 How can our readers connect with you? Facebook, Goodreads, Amazon, Twitter, etc.

Website l Blog l Twitter l Facebook l Goodreads l Newsletter

Realm Enforcers

Review

The Scorpius Syndrome Series

Review

Review

Rising Storm

Blood Brothers

Sin Brothers

The Maverick Montana Series

The Dark Protectors

I first found Betty Shreffler when I was lucky enough to pick up her book Embrace the Dawning to review.  I loved this book from the very beginning.   Since then, I read book 2 in the series which is Cruel temptation and can’t wait for the third book to come out in early November.

1 Tell us a little bit about yourself (family, hobbies, pets, etc).

I’m a little mix of country, nerdy, sassy, sweet and a whole lot of sense of humor. I’m a fan of photography, reading, drinking wine, watching movies, hiking, traveling, muscle cars, and all things romantic. I live in Tennessee with my hubby and five fur babies; two adorable rescue pups and three kitties. If I’m not writing or doing book events, then you can find me behind the lens of a camera, in the woods or sipping wine behind a deliciously steamy book.

2 How did you get into writing and why romance?

I first started writing when I was 12, doing short stories and poems as an emotional and creative outlet. My childhood and teenage years had some rough patches and writing was a way for me to deal with the emotional struggles. I realized I had real talent when I took writing classes in High School and the teacher said, “You’re good at this. You need to stick with it.” So I did. I continued to study creative writing through the rest of High School and into College. My writing transitioned from short stories and poetry to novels a few years ago. Once I realized I had enough skills, confidence and knowledge to complete a novel I went after it with determination, then the characters took over from there.

I’m an avid reader of romance myself. I grew up reading Anne Rice, Nora Roberts, and Catherine Coulter. I have no doubt they influenced my love of romance novels as well as my writing of it. When my characters come to me, they always seem to have a romantic story to be told; right alongside their action packed and suspenseful journeys. The romantic side of my stories are my favorite. It gives me, the writer, and the reader, a more intimate connection with the characters. And of course, the romantic scenes, in my opinion, are some of the best parts of a book.

3 Do you ever re-enact the sex scenes you write about?

Haha!! I literally giggled when I read this question. I haven’t re-enacted a sex scene I wrote, but I sure have pounced on my husband a time or two after writing a racy sex scene. He likes those writing days the most.

4 Name a romance book or series you would love to see as a movie/TV series.

It’s totally selfish to say, but I would love to see my Covenant Series as a movie/TV series, because it would be amazing to see my characters come to life on screen. Imagine how fun it would be to be a part of the casting. To see actors bring your characters to life and bring out the emotion you felt when writing. That would be a dream.

Now to be unselfish, I read the Selection Series by Kiera Cass. Being a fan of the bachelor/lette shows, I think this series would make for an entertaining, drama filled, and romantic TV series.

I’ve also recently added the Black Dagger Brotherhood novels to my TBR on my Kindle. I haven’t read these books yet, but based on the tidbits I’ve received from my book review group it sounds like this book series could make for a good TV series. I’ll have to read on before I make any conclusions.

5 Have you ever read a book based solely on its cover?

Pretty regularly, I will read the back of books based on finding the cover attractive. But I have never purchased a book without having read the back blurb. The cover draws me in, but I need to know what the book is about and if it’s something I’d find interesting.

6 What is your ideal way to end a long day?

Wine, book, bubble bath. Add in a massage from my hubby and my day is complete. 🙂

7 Describe your ultimate holiday.

Ultimate holiday…this sounds nice. I’m going to have to paint the whole picture for you. I’d like to be in a place with large windows that overlook mountains on one side and the ocean on the other. I’d like to spend the day getting massaged and pampered. I’d like samples of master chef quality food to trickle in throughout the day. Then in the evening, I’d like to have a big buffet dinner with my loved ones with feel good music and a lit fireplace in the background, all the while fluffy white snowflakes fall outside the window. After dinner there’d be games. Lots of games that keep the family laughing long into the night.

8 Who is your favourite book boyfriend and why?

I get a new favorite book boyfriend every time I pick up a new romance book I enjoy. Too many good ones to only select one.

9 What turns you on and what turns you off?

This is an open ended question here. 😉 Do you want books or real life? I guess I better answer both, although they are pretty much the same. I like alpha men. Dirty, sexy dialogue. A dirty sense of humor. A man who is possessive and protective. A man that is caring and supportive. And I love cowboys! All of them. Love their farm raised muscles, their sexy hats, boots and tight jeans. Oooowee! Tattoos and large biceps; definitely a turn on. And I’m an ass woman. Thankfully my hubby has an incredible hiney. In books I need chemistry! I want it steaming off the pages. I like book boyfriends who are so hot you’re clenching your thighs as you turn the page, eager for more.

Turn offs: whitie tighties. Absolutely hate them. Only sexy underwear models can pull them off. Bad breath is a turn off. And a man with small hands. It probably sounds terrible, but I get turned off by small man hands.

10 Boxer or briefs? Or commando???

Any of the above. But to find out a man isn’t wearing anything under his jeans or cargo pants is a pretty big turn on.

11 Who is your top five “Freebie List”? (I think this is also known as a Hall Pass.  Who could you sleep with that your partner won’t mind?)

Oh this is fun! 🙂

1. Ryan Reynolds; his abs and sense of humor drive me wild.

2. Chris Hemsworth; I’m a sucker for that accent, messy mop of hair, blue eyes and amazing body.

3. Mark Wahlburg; I’ve pretty much had a crush on him since I was 15.

4. Ian Somerhalder; his face is beautiful and his eyes are smoldering. Although a friend met him and she said he’s a little guy. I do like guys packed full of muscles.

5. Josh Hartnett; haven’t seen him act in anything for a while, but I love the way he talks. He has a sexy, smoky voice that is a huge turn on.

12 You have a table booked for four in your favourite restaurant.  Who would you invite to join you?

Can I get a hall pass for dinner? I was just thinking of all those celebrity hotties. I’d like to have dinner with 1, 2 and 5.

13 How can our readers connect with you? Facebook, Goodreads, Amazon, Twitter, etc.

All of the above! I love to connect with my readers! Definitely come hang out with me on one of the following:

facebook l website l twitter l instagram

My private readers group; All Things Romance, where you get inside scoop into my crazy fun mind as well as excerpts, cover reveals and release dates before other folks do.

facebook l goodreads

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I first discovered Audrey Carlan back in March 2015 when I picked up JANUARY, the first book in the Calendar Girl series.  Since then, I have read the entire series and enjoyed following all the highs and the lows of Mia’s journey.  I was very happy to meet her at RT16 in Las Vegas this year and just had to get a photo with her.

Please welcome our Author Of The Month, Audrey Carlan.

1     Tell us a little bit about yourself (family, hobbies, pets, etc).

I’m a full-time writer and mother of two very rambunctious boys. My husband and I have been together for nineteen years, married for thirteen of them. We have a brother and sister pair of cats named Max and Molly. We adopted them from the local animal shelter. All three of my guys are obsessed with those cats. You’d swear they hung the moon! As far as my own hobbies, I read a lot, love yoga, drinking wine with my soul sisters, taking painting classes and just hanging out with friends BBQ’ing.

2     How did you get into writing and why romance?

I’ve always had a knack for writing. You know how people say you’re either good at English or your good at Math? I’m like Barbie…math’s hard! <grin> Prior to writing full-time, I worked in charity and non-profits. I was always the one doing the marketing, letter writing, appeals, press releases, etc.

Why Romance? I’m in love with love. It’s really as simple as that. I think the world could use far more love in it and if writing a sexy book with a beautiful love story can reach even one person, then I’ve done something worthwhile in my opinion.

3     Do you ever re-enact the sex scenes you write about?

Honestly, if I do, it isn’t intentional. My husband would tell you otherwise but he’s a jokester and has no shame.

4     Name a romance book or series you would love to see as a movie/TV Series.

Hands down, Crossfire Series by Sylvia Day. I’d actually turn cable TV back on just to watch that the very second it’s available.

5     Have you ever read a book based solely on its cover?

Absolutely! Hasn’t everybody. Most recently it was HETCH by River Savage but I also really like River’s work so it wasn’t a hard sell. That cover is wicked hot though!

6     What is your ideal way to end a long day?

My standard is lying in bed, alone, reading. LOL Seriously, that’s what I do almost every single night. I have this awesome Temprupedic bed that has the raised head and raised foot feature, and after running around all day with the kids, and/or sitting in my office chair for hours on end writing, nothing beats lying in that bed with my Kindle and taking a load off!

7     Describe your ultimate holiday.

A beach house with my guys, my soul sisters and their kids, and nothing but sand, wine, grilled foods, and chillaxing on the horizon. No priorities, no responsibilities, no obligations, no deadlines…yep. That’s Heaven to me.

8     Who is your favourite book boyfriend and why?

As many men that I have fallen in love with from so many talented authors, Gideon Cross from Sylvia Day’s Crossfire series owns my heart. He’s my favorite alpha-billionaire-tragic guy that I want to screw as much as fix.

9     What turns you on and what turns you off?

I think a man that’s confident and intelligent is a huge turn on. Humor definitely holds value in my world because laughter makes the day brighter. Body-wise, tall, light eyes, dark hair…think David Gandy. He’s my ultimate, aside from my husband of course!

10     Boxers or briefs?  Or commando???

I’m going to be difficult and say boxer briefs. Dead sexy.

11     Who is on your top five “Freebie List”?  Who could you sleep with that your partner won’t mind?

Fun question! I’m so boring though. Can they all be David Gandy? Since I don’t spend much time thinking about this, aside from Gandy that is, I’ll add the guys I have thought were wicked hot over the years and the era in which I thought they were hot. I don’t watch much TV so I have no idea who’s out there, and I go to the movies all of once, maybe twice a year, if I’m lucky. See…boring! I’d have rather picked five fictional men!

1. David Gandy – Any DAY!
2. Luke Wilson – Still hot
3. Pierce Brosnan – James Bond Era
4. David Duchovny – X-Files Era
5. Brad Pitt – Mr. & Mrs. Smith Era

12     You have a table booked for four in your favourite restaurant.  Who would you invite to join you?

Well, since I have three soul-sisters, it’s likely it would be the four of us at a restaurant hamming it up, being a live and in living color version of Sex in the City only more like Moms in the Valley. <snort>

13     How can our readers connect with you?  

I’m everywhere! Come visit!

Personal Assistant Email

Facebook | Website | Twitter | Instagram | Amazon | Goodreads | Pinterest

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We welcome our Author of the Month – S Kline

1 Tell us a little bit about yourself (family, hobbies, pets, etc).

2 How did you get into writing and why romance?

3 Do you ever re-enact the sex scenes you write about?

4 Name a romance book or series you would love to see as a movie/TV Series.

5 Have you ever read a book based solely on its cover?

6 What is your ideal way to end a long day?

7 Describe your ultimate holiday.

8 Who is your favourite book boyfriend and why?

9 What turns you on and what turns you off? (In men)

 

10 Boxers or briefs? Or commando??? (On men)

11 Who is on your top five “Freebie List”? (I think this is also known as a Hall Pass. Who could you sleep with that your partner won’t mind?)

12 You have a table booked for four in your favourite restaurant. Who would you invite to join you?

13 How can our readers connect with you? Facebook, Goodreads, Amazon, Twitter, etc.

I first discovered Sawyer Bennett back in January 2015 when I picked up ALEX, the first book in the Cold Fury Hockey series, and it was love at first book.  Since then, I’ve read over a dozen of her stories and when I see a new book with her name on it, it goes right to the top of my To-Be-Read-Next list.  I’ve been fortunate to have met her twice; the first time was at RT15 in Dallas, where I made a fool of myself after spending seven laps scouring the room for her.  When I finally found her, I screamed (yes, screamed) her name and thanked the Lord above for finally finding her.  How did she handle this crazy person?  She screamed back and hugged me, a total stranger.  It was a very laugh-out-loud moment.  Without further delay, please welcome our Author Of The Month, Sawyer Bennett.

1     Tell us a little bit about yourself (family, hobbies, pets, etc).

Hmmmm… let’s see. I’m 47 years old and the mother of the cutest little 2 year old ever. Her name is Parker and she’s a mini-me. I have two other babies and that would be my dogs, Atticus (Bernese Mountain Dog) and Scout (Golden Retriever). I live in North Carolina (born and raised) and is it bad to say that my writing is a hobby to the extent I get so much joy out of it. It definitely doesn’t feel like a job even though that’s exactly what it is.

2     How did you get into writing and why romance?

I got into writing on a lark. I’ve read romance for as long as I can remember and always thought to myself “I think I could write a romance”. My husband dared me, and so I did. As to why “romance”? Ummm… I have no clue as I’m not a very romantic person, but I do think I have a good handle on what women want in a man, and that’s what I try to convey.

3     Do you ever re-enact the sex scenes you write about?

Quite possibly!!!

4     Name a romance book or series you would love to see as a movie/TV Series. 

This may seem weird but I’d love to see Dean Koontz’ Tick Tock made into a movie. It’s my favorite book by him.

5     Have you ever read a book based solely on its cover?

I can’t say that I have.

6     What is your ideal way to end a long day?

I like to end my day in my bed either reading for a bit or watching some mindless TV.

7     Describe your ultimate holiday. 

Days upon days spent out in Wyoming, either driving around looking at wildlife or fly fishing down the Snake River. I may have done that a time or two and it’s my go to holiday.

8     Who is your favourite book boyfriend and why?

Is it poor form to pick one of mine? If not, then it would be Tenn Jennings. When I finished
Shaken, Not Stirred, I realized he was my ideal of perfection in a man. But my second choice would be absolutely any man written by Kristen Ashley.

9     What turns you on and what turns you off?

Lack of confidence turns me off in a man.

10     Boxers or briefs?  Or commando???

Briefs!

11     Who is on your top five “Freebie List”?  Who could you sleep with that your partner won’t mind?

Well, I do think my husband would mind but let’s pretend he won’t, and not in any particular order:

Chris Hemsworth
Chris Pratt
Idris Elba
Liam Hemsworth (at the same time as Chris Hemsworth would be a bonus)
Rob Zombie (yes, I know that’s weird but I have the hots for him)

12     You have a table booked for four in your favourite restaurant.  Who would you invite to join you?

President Obama, Rob Zombie, Elizabeth Warren

13     How can our readers connect with you?  

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon | Website | Newsletter

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We welcome our Author of the Month for June – Lan LLP

See Lulu’s review of Lan’s stories …

Beginning with Forever      Finding our Forever     Ending with Forever  Clean Slate

1.Tell us a little bit about yourself (family, hobbies, pets, etc).

I was born in Vietnam but grew up in the Midwest and never made it to the east coast to chase my dream of becoming the next Donna Karan. I ended marrying the first guy I gave my heart away to at the age of sixteen, so yes, I believe in love at first sight and instalove. We have two adorable little girls who keep us very busy with their endless supply of energy and activities. Do I have a hobby? I don’t think I’ve ever met a hobby I didn’t love. I can do just about anything from cooking, baking to scrapbooking, crocheting, knitting, sewing, painting, floral arranging, gardening, hair styling, and make-overs. That’s just naming a few things. LOL! By profession, I’m a radiation therapist. I treat cancer patients of all ages. It’s both a tough and rewarding job. What I’ve gained from my eighteen years of experience is: embrace every day like it’s your last day. You never know what tomorrow will bring. Don’t waste it on nonsense.

2. How did you get into writing and why romance?

I’ve always had a vivid imagination and a love for anything romantic. After reading Fifty Shades (who didn’t, right?), my friends challenged me to write my own billionaire romance book. Because I devoured books about handsome, rich men who sweep women off their feet and make them feel like they’re the center of their universe like candy, I accepted their challenge. Who would’ve thought my scribble of ideas would become an Amazon bestselling trilogy.

3. Do you ever re-enact the sex scenes you write about?

It’s imperative to do proper research, so you’re knowledgeable of the topic you write about;) I’m a visual and hands-on kind of author.

4. Name a romance book or series you would love to see as a movie/TV Series.

Where do I begin? I have so many favorites I couldn’t choose just one.

5. Have you ever read a book based solely on its cover?

No, I also have to read the blurb to decide. Why miss out on a fabulous book based on a cover?

6. What is your ideal way to end a long day?

I’d change into my comfiest t-shirt and yoga pants, make a hot cup of vanilla-caramel tea, play Enya softly in the background, grab my tablet, and relax on my reading sofa with a cozy chenille blanket.

7. Describe your ultimate holiday.

It would have to be Bora Bora in one of those glass bottom bungalows with my hunky husband. My second choice would be a quaint villa in Tuscany, where I’m surrounded by nothing but beautiful landscapes and authentic Italian food.

8. Who is your favorite book boyfriend and why?

Can I claim Gideon, with Christian Grey’s hairdo, from the Crossfire series? His alpha hotness was off the charts.

9. What turns you on and what turns you off? (In men).

On: A man who can make me laugh, first and foremost. A considerate man is equally hot, especially if he leaves sexy notes or texts on my phone or surprises me with dinner.
Off: An egotistical man who knows he’s good-looking or an insecure/timid man.

10. Boxers or briefs?  Or commando??? (On men)

It would depend on who’s wearing each item. The young David Gandy or Henry Cavil would look off-the-chart hot in any of those choices.

11. Who is on your top five “Freebie List”? (Who could you sleep with that your partner won’t mind?)

Five? My husband said I could choose only one, but if you ladies won’t rat me out, I’ll whisper: David Gandy, Henry Cavil, Theo James, Rodrigo Guirao Diaz, and Tom Welling.

12. You have a table booked for four in your favorite restaurant. Who would you invite to join you?

My best friends of course. We always have a great time when we’re together.

13. How can our readers connect with you?  Facebook, Goodreads, Amazon, Twitter, etc.

Amazon: www.Amazon.com/author/lanllp
Facebook: www.facebook.com/forevercarsonlillian
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LanLLP
Instagram: @LanLLP
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7782226.Lan_LLP
Wattpad: www.wattpad.com/user/LanLLP
Blog: http://forevertruecarsonlillian.blogspot.com
Email: authorlanllp@gmail.com

1     Tell us a little bit about yourself (family, hobbies, pets, etc).

The simplest questions can be the hardest. How to not sound boring? Basically as a newbie author I feel like I’m chained to my computer. Promo, writing, editing, rinse, repeat. But, I try my hardest to get out, so I don’t go crazy, or petrify. I’m married, I have one kid and a dog and a cat and it would seem our neighbor’s abandoned their cat, so we have another cat, but I have not acknowledged him as ours yet, even though I feed him and now he has his own outside pillow. I have a small obsession with prepping for the apocalypse, you can kind of tell from the books. This obsession usually leads to strange projects, like building my own generator and strange weapons purchases – the last one was a crossbow. Other hobbies usually involve DIY projects and art things, but I’m not very impressed with my craft talent. I’m still working on it though.

2     How did you get into writing and why romance?

The long story is that I’ve always been “into” writing. I wrote my first full length novel in high school. I’m not counting the hastily penned teen drama that I penned in a composition notebook in 4th grade, that would just be me showing off.  I had high hopes of writing the next great American novel in college and had a few short stories published in literary magazines that no one has heard of. I had to make money though, so I entered corporate hell and learned that I could make good money, but the writing continued. By 2004 I had two novels written, one of which was a Romance, and the other was a middle grade. I was querying agents, for the Middle Grade, I think I had sent it to two or three at that point. Then Katrina hit. I lost my finished books and a WIP that I was excited about. This was before dropbox and clouds and happy places. It took me ten years to recover from that blow. But, granted I did started blogging as an alternative to writing. And I do think it honed my talent and trained me to write everyday. And when you ask why Romance, I have to respond with, what else? I love romance, but I think it needs to be shaken up a bit. I love the people that read romance, I love the writers that write romance. Why would I write anything else? I don’t want anything without a Happily Ever After.

3     Do you ever re-enact the sex scenes you write about?

Ha. My cheeks are flaming at the moment. Maybe the writing is based off the sex scenes I’ve already “enacted?” Write what you know and all that. * So that threesome with Alexis, Blake and Zach…*

4     Name a romance book or series you would love to see as a movie/TV Series.

I’m still waiting for Karen Marie Moning’s FEVER series to be made into a tv series. If they can do Sookie, they can do Mac.

5     Have you ever read a book based solely on its cover?

Yes! I just grabbed Chaos Theory because the guy on the cover looks like Merle Dixon. 😀

6     What is your ideal way to end a long day?

A glass of wine and a book!

7     Describe your ultimate holiday.

I have a bit of a esoteric history fetish and I’ve been dying to go to Europe. My ultimate holiday would crisscrossing the continent and poking around things I’ve read about in history books.

8     Who is your favourite book boyfriend and why?

I am standing strong with Bones and Barrons. They are the ultimate in paranormal alpha males. The men that don’t exist in real life, but you hope that maybe they might. Maybe in some shadowy corner some lucky girl happened to have a moment with a man like that. *swoon*

9     What turns you on and what turns you off?

Demeaning possessiveness. Being a little possesive is okay, but when a man treats a woman with a heavy-hand because he feels like he is more capable than her, well that pisses me off.

10     Boxers or briefs?  Or commando???

Boxer briefs.

11     Who is on your top five “Freebie List”?  Who could you sleep with that your partner won’t mind?

My husband wouldn’t give me a hall pass lol. But, I might try and request on if I run into Ryan Reynolds, Nathan Owens, Chris Evans, Jared Leto, and Lenny Kravitz – really random. *Variety is the spice of life*

12     You have a table booked for four in your favourite restaurant.
Who would you invite to join you?

Gotta bring the husband and then, can they be dead? I’m going to assume I can resurrect someone, so it’s going to have to be Prince. He needs to come back. And then I would love to have a convo with Joss Whedon, so he can come along too.

13     How can our readers connect with you?  

Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | Twitter

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Author Interview

1          Tell us a little bit about yourself (family, hobbies, pets, etc).

I live in Vancouver with my partner and our baby girl. These days I do the mommy thing 24/7, hang with Mr. Diamond, read, write and drink copious amounts of chai tea (non-caffeinated, since I’m breastfeeding). I’m working on the first book for my next series, about the members of a sexy rock band, so not much time for anything else outside writing, mommyhood and listening to sexy rock music!

2          How did you get into writing and why romance?

In the sixth grade a teacher gave me a poetry writing assignment. It was the first time I realized writing wasn’t just in books, it was something I could do. I was hooked! I’ve always been a sucker for a good love story, so writing romance was pretty much inevitable. And for me, the sexier the love story, the better.

3          Do you ever re-enact the sex scenes you write about?

No. Once they’re on the page, they belong to the characters. That’s not to say a scene isn’t occasionally inspired by life experience…

4          Name a romance book or series you would love to see as a movie/TV Series.

That’s a great question, and tough to answer. If someone were ever to make a movie out of the erotic classic Story of O and do it justice that would be something, though I don’t know that it could be done. They aren’t strictly romance (though they have love stories in them), but I think Maggie Stiefvater’s YA books The Scorpio Races or The Raven Boys series would make great movies. The book I would absolutely love to see brought to the screen is The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.

5          Have you ever read a book based solely on its cover?

Hmm. I really don’t think so. The cover, the title and concept implied on the cover, and/or the author’s name will likely get me to read the blurb. If the blurb loses me, I won’t read it. So it’s the cover that hooks me in, but the blurb that convinces me to read the book.

6          What is your ideal way to end a long day?

I’m an introvert, so I really need time to chill. Depending on the day, I’ll end it by doing some writing and/or reading, having a bath, and spending some quality time with my partner. We’ll drink some wine, we’ll talk, and maybe watch an episode of Game of Thrones or Downton Abbey or The Walking Dead. This is our time for pillow talk, connection, and recharge.

7          Describe your ultimate holiday.

That would depend on my mood. Sometimes it’s dancing until dawn, sometimes it’s swimming in the ocean. If I was with my BFF, it would be shopping in Paris and eating bread and cheese all day. I’d also love to do some working vacations where I do research for the books I’m writing while I travel. That’s the plan for when baby girl is a little older.

8          Who is your favourite book boyfriend and why?

Jamie Fraser from the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. He’s got it all, pretty much every admirable quality one could want in a man, but the fierce loyalty really gets me. And the kilts don’t hurt either.

9          What turns you on and what turns you off?

Turn ons: good wine, good ice cream, good chocolate, attention to detail.

Turn offs: dishonesty, disloyalty, lack of integrity, sloppiness.

10        Boxers or briefs?  Or commando???

Boxer briefs. Commando is always welcome.

11        Who is on your top five “Freebie List”? (do you remember Ross from Friends with his laminated list of 5 women he would love to sleep with??)

I do remember that episode. Loved that show. However, there is no one I would “Freebie List” over my partner. Right now he’s in the kitchen with our baby girl making us something delicious and singing along to a jazzy cover version of The Cardigans’ “Lovefool.” What more could I want?

12        You have a table booked for four in your favourite restaurant.  Who would you invite to join you?

In reality, my partner, our daughter, and my best friend, who lives in another city, so I don’t get to see her nearly often enough. If this is fantasy, I’d say Tyrion Lannister (from Game of Thrones) would make an excellent dining companion. If this is a time-travel fantasy I’d have to say my twenty-year-old self. I’d tell her to keep writing and finish a book a hell of a lot sooner. Writing is what I’ve always been most passionate about, but it took me a long time to really believe I could be an author and take the steps to make my dream a reality.

13        How can our readers connect with you?  Facebook, Goodreads, Amazon, Twitter, etc.

Website: http://www.jainediamond.com/

Newsletter: http://www.jainediamond.com/p/newsletter.html

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JaineDiamondXO

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JaineDiamond/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14661282.Jaine_Diamond

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Jaine-Diamond/e/B017SFLY4U

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/JaineDiamond/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jainediamond/