Ex Libris

Hi everybody! I am so happy to be back at one of my favorite hangouts to celebrate the release of the second book in my Take a Risk series, . Stella, thank you so much for having me here today!

So, once upon a time there was this young girl who didn’t read very much. Instead, she was busy playing tennis and doing her homework and watching TV and movies. Then college life and work life and family life took precedence over any type of reading life. She loved reading to her two boys and always found herself gravitating to bookstores, but she’d spend most of her time in the children’s section rather than the grown-up book aisles.

Then something happened. Her freelance writing job led to her buying her first romance novel. Being a girl who only read mysteries when the reading bug struck, she was immediately hooked and wondered why the heck she hadn’t read this genre sooner. Holy moly had she missed out! She went from a girl who read an occasional Tony Hillerman or Sujata Massey novel to a girl who wanted to read romance ALL the time. She realized that what she loved most about any story, whether it was the pages of a book, on television, or in the movies, was the romance between two characters. She loved the sexual tension, the banter and most especially when the hero and heroine surrendered to that first kiss.

That girl was me. ;-)

So in all my books, I try to make that first kiss something special and unique. In , McCall and Lucy’s first kiss takes place atop a giant five-hundred-year-old fir tree over two hundred and fifty feet high. They’re spending the night there in a hammock. Here’s a peek…

McCall twisted so they were face-to-face. “I have an idea.” His hand found the curve of Lucy’s waist before moving to her ass and bringing their hips closer.

Heat burned a path across her cheeks. “You do?”

His fingers ran through her hair and settled on the back of her head. She shivered with desire so great her body tingled with sensations no other time or place matched. Her body’s surrender confirmed what her mind had been telling her. She wanted McCall.

“I’m going to kiss you.”

“Nice of you to warn me.” She looked at his mouth. Since the first time she’d laid eyes on him she’d thought about it touching hers.

“I’m all about fair play.” His eyes darkened and Lucy wasn’t fool enough to believe he meant that about his site, too.

But whatever this game was between them, Lucy did want to play. She wanted to feel again.

McCall’s nose touched hers and he let his warm breath tickle the corners of her mouth. He teased her mercilessly by hovering just out of reach. Anticipation welled up inside her so much that she thought she’d burst if he didn’t kiss her in the next second.

“McCall,” she moaned, pressing against him, seeking more.

“Is that a yes?” There was a low growl in his tone, attitude in the smile that played at his impossibly frustrating lips.

“Yes, McCall.” She gave him the words he’d promised she’d say one day.

So what about you? What’s one thing you love about romance novels? This reader/writer would love to know!