Point of view and perspective. There’s a difference between the two. Point of view is the manner in which the story is told by the protagonist. I generally write romance novels in first person point of view from the female and male character’s perspective, alternating chapters between the hero and the heroine. Perspective is how the character views the scene being described. The male and female perspective differs greatly in life; therefore, it should differ greatly in writing. Men tend to focus much more on what they see and less on how they feel, while women are quite the opposite. The differences between the two certainly don’t stop there. Statistically speaking, on average, women speak almost three times as much as men. Men, when describing an intimate scene will focus on what they’re touching, while a woman’s description of the same scene will be driven by emotion. Women view conversation as an opportunity, while men see it as a means of solving a problem. In short, the variances between a man’s and women’s perspective are vast. Knowing the many differences between men and women, and describing the scenes from an accurate perspective are crucial in allowing the reader to see…

I sometimes think that it would be healthier if my characters and I had slightly different ideas about what made up an ideal weekend. Now my characters are somewhat younger than I am, so maybe I’ll try winding back the clock and seeing what happens with the heroes and heroines of my first two Delta Force novels. Perhaps I should preface this: I’ve never served in Delta Force. The team that kicks ass in my latest Delta Force novel, HEART STRIKE… well, that’s their gig. Team Leader Kyle “Mister Kyle” Reeves He’s the steady hand at the very core of the team. But his idea of an ideal weekend is to curl up with his wife, preferably somewhere that no one is trying to kill them. Maybe go for a ride in the country. A sleeping bag beneath the stars by a quiet campfire is right in the sweet spot for him. My wife and I have lived most of our lives rural (often in communities well under a thousand people). The woods is something that draws us both. Almost twenty years together and I still think that a weekend curled up with my lady is one well spent. Carla…

Adult(ish) Excerpt from The Dead of Haggard Hall by Marie Treanor As I skirted the throng, which was broken into several smaller ones, like satellites around my mother, I cautiously opened myself further to their emotions. I felt my gaze tugged once more towards the open doorway to the hall. And there he was, my sceptic, looking right at me. Something jolted inside me. I had been right. Full-on, his face was dramatic. Angular, almost bony, it was dominated by black, straight brows over dark, harsh eyes that concealed layers of turbulence and profound, conflicting emotions; a hard mouth with a sensual curve. Tall, straight, and broad shouldered, his body gave the impression of being only loosely flung together. His dress was respectable and yet hung on him with such carelessness that it somehow suggested the entirely disreputable. His unblinking regard washed over me in waves. Anger; constant anger. Curiosity and annoyance. He didn’t want to be here and yet needed to know what would happen. Contempt, disbelief. And a sudden surge of lust that made me gasp and spin away from him in shock, for my own body flamed in wicked reply. It was hardly the first time I…

I have a confession to make. I’m one of those writers who dreams of having their books made into movies. Of all the stories I’ve written to date, I think The Summer Park Psychics series is the best match for the screen. Books give us a chance to stretch out inside a character’s mind and really delve into what makes them tick. If all three of these books were condensed into a movie… Wow, that would be action-packed. I’ve even toyed around with turning the series into a screenplay myself (I haven’t ruled it out yet). As such, I’ve absolutely daydreamed about who I would cast as each character. Lingering Touch is full of beautiful people. Part of Finn’s character is that he’s constantly wondering if people are more interested in him for his looks than who he is as a person. It’s something he struggles with throughout the book. The perfect actor to play this part is Bradley Cooper. I think he could capture the nuances of that issue incredibly well. For Jazz—the strongest female character I’ve ever written—Ming-Na Wen. I mean, seriously. Have you watched her? Rachel and Garrett feature strongly in Lingering Touch as well (the events…

When you pick up a book at your local bookstore or library, or download it to your electronic device, do you ever read the acknowledgment page? These are the people who helped the author create the story. They answered questions or provided background detail so that the fiction would be based in reality. Here are four of my acknowledgements for Magnolia Moonlight. They tell a story in themselves…. Special thanks to Captain T. McGehee of the Natchez Police Department. Never have I been treated so warmly while interviewing a very busy professional. My honorary officer’s badge hangs proudly over my writing desk. Thanks also to the Cleveland FBI agents who willingly share their knowledge with local mystery writers. My story involves a former police detective who now works for a PI firm. She’s forced to interact often with her former boss, a man she was once in love with. Even though I didn’t have an appointment, Captain McGehee invited me into his office and answered my police procedural questions for over an hour. I was amazed how procedures differ greatly from state to state. Thanks to the Grand Hotel of Natchez for the wonderful hospitality. What a lovely historic gem…

“It’s good to see you, Danica.” His voice sounded as though sand was lodged in his throat. The gritty sound raised the hair on her forearms, and her nipples grew harder. “Good to be back?” she ventured. Resting his elbows on his knees once more, he dropped his head into his hands. When he scrubbed his jaw, a rasping noise sent her into a bigger spin than the F4 that had wiped out their town. Finally, he raised his head. “I can’t answer that yet. But it’s good to be stateside.” There it was—that burning in his eyes again. It took the dark brown to a whole new level of intensity. She unfolded her legs and reached across the short distance to rest a hand on his arm again. He let her touch him, offering a millisecond of comfort. The hair under her fingers was wiry and his skin warm. This was Brodie, not some stranger. They’d climbed trees together and fallen out of them too. He’d carried her, with a badly sprained ankle, to the house on his back. She’d cried so much she’d snotted on him, and he hadn’t come near her for a week. They were practically…

The whole theme behind my Destination: Desire series is falling in love while traveling far from home. In some of the books, that meant a work trip, a vacation, and even foreign exchange. Most of the places mentioned in this series, I’ve been to myself, which meant I got to experience all the wonderful (and sometimes strange) sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of these exotic locales. Probably the most fun thing I do while I’m away from home is try new foods and restaurants, so I wanted to share with you some of the most entertaining dishes I’ve tasted while trotting around the globe. If you ever go to these places, you have to try these! Aussie Pizza. I tried this dish in Sydney, Australia. At first, it looks like an all-meat pizza, with pepperoni, Canadian bacon, and prosciutto. But then you look a bit closer, and you see that there’s a scrambled egg cooked in with the cheese. Finally, you bite into it, and you realize there’s tangy BBQ sauce mixed into the marinara. It sounds funky, but it tastes fabulous. Navette. This little gem was delight from Marseille, France. It’s shaped like a little boat (navette), and it…

I’ve been asked a fair number of times why I jumped from my typical fare of hardcore police officers on elite squadrons and hot sexy beach dwellers to… cowboys. I often blink confusedly when asked this question. Why did I want to write about gritty, tough-as-nails, cowboys that know what they want and are not afraid to get dirty? That seems obvious to me, but I certainly do not mind elaborating. So, here are my top five reasons for writing the Camden Ranch erotic romance series in no particular order- Cowboy boots and Wrangler butt – they do something to a girl. Something very good. I love the hardworking grit of cowboys. They aren’t afraid to do whatever is necessary to get the job done. They’re up before the sun and don’t mind any extra work in the bed that night. The juxtaposition between their rope-roughened hands and the might of their muscles as compared to the gentleness they so easily tap into when, say, they’re cradling the loves of their lives in their arms. I adore their natural honesty. The Camden cowboys will tell you precisely what they’re thinking and they won’t hold back. They see no reason to…

I’m heading out to our family beach house for a week of fun in the sun and toes in the sand. Life has been crazy stressful over the past few months and I’m really looking forward to getting away. Working from home has a number of benefits but one of the downsides is that you never really turn off your job. I’m constantly plugged in and it’s beginning to grate on me. In fact, at my physical earlier this summer, my doctor told me that I need a vacation. He literally wrote it on his prescription pad and handed it to me with direct orders to take some time off. I am ready to follow his orders! Part of my vacation will include some much needed reading for pure enjoyment. Not for research or to keep up with trends. Nope. Nope. Nope. Part of my escape this week will involve slipping inside some well written worlds. Here are the the 5 books that are going in my beach bag. THE RIDGE by Michael Koryta: This looks like a scary suspenseful read with a hint of romance thrown into the mix. I’ve never read one his books before but the blurb…

Top five things Griff loves the most besides Amy (in no order): Evenings by the fire in the fall. He’s just beginning to get sleepy for his semi-hibernation, and he loves just sitting in the cabin in the warm glow of a fire, preferably with Amy at his side. Griff loves Italian food, especially takeout from the Italian restaurant in Oakwood. Amy isn’t the best cook, but she’s learning and can make spaghetti now without all the noodles clumped together in a sticky mess. His Jeep. Not only is it his mode of transportation when he isn’t running as a bear, but he can take off the roof panels and feel the forest air around him. It’s almost as freeing as being a bear. Griff drinks a lot of it and he doesn’t care what brand as long as it isn’t Hazelnut or some weird flavor. He likes it hot with honey and sometimes a touch of cream. His clan. He loves his surrogate father, Elijah, and his clan-mates. Derek is as close as a brother to him. Derek even loves Powell, who can be pretty annoying at times. WAKING THE BEAR by Kerry Adrienne Shifter Wars #1 Sexy shifter…