Tangled in Texas in 6 words. The rodeo cowboy version of Rocky. Favorite thing to munch on while you write? I try not to snack while I’m writing (which isn’t so hard when you live too far out in the boonies for emergency chocolate runs), but I nearly always have something to sip on. I’ve recently kicked my Pepsi habit and replaced it with hot tea. Sadly, they’ve stopped selling my addiction of choice—blueberry, acai, pomegranate green tea—so I have to make do with Red Rose brew from Canada, conveniently located only a mile north of my house. When I’m in the mood for a real treat, I crack open the can of Tim Horton’s French Vanilla cappuccino mix that I keep hidden from my husband in the cleaning supply cupboard. Tell us something interesting about Delon and Tori that we won’t find out in the book. Neither of them can sing a lick. They’re so bad that when they were in their respective elementary school Christmas programs they would just mouth the words—at the teachers’ requests. That’s part of the reason Delon likes ear-splitting, head-banging rock music. When he feels like howling a few lyrics to AC/DC’s Thunderstruck while…

I’ve never been much for a billionaire hero. Partly because I don’t brush shoulders with many men from the top 1% and I’ve never seen the point of fairy tales. Besides, a workshop is sexy in a way a boardroom will never be. And isn’t there something super sexy about capable hands and strong shoulders? Not to mention the skill it takes to make and fix things. I’m not interested in manicured hands laid atop the conference table, but rather scarred ones that put might have that table together. I’ve compiled my top ten books featuring blue-collar heroes. Watch out because they’re hot enough to change your mind: BEAUTY AND THE BLACKSMITH by Tessa Dare is a fabulously steamy historical that breaks the class barrier. (Lord knows I’m a fool for a blacksmith.) Strength and heat and the way they bend metal. CATCH OF THE DAY by Kristen Higgins features a grumpy lobster fisherman, which is doubly delicious for those who enjoy a strong, moody hero. In CRAZY FOR YOU by Jennifer Crusie, the hero is a mechanic who’s good with his hands—and with animals. My favorite combination. Cara McKenna has perfected the gruff, working class hero. In the very…

Lia bounced on her toes, pride in her eyes as she grabbed hold of Travis’s wrist and held on tight. “Colly, meet Travis. Travis, meet—” “The overprotective brother.” Travis chuckled and let his hand dangle over Lia’s shoulder. His palm hovered over her breast, and even I wasn’t okay with that display. A growl rumbled from Collin’s throat. “And who the hell are you?” “Collin!” Lia shoved his chest, giggling. I cringed. Family drama was not my area of expertise. “Play nice. Travis is a good friend of mine.” Ignoring Collin, Travis leaned over, whispering into Lia’s ear. Her face lit up, bright as the northern lights, and the growl rumbling from Collin grew louder. Deciding there needed to be an intervention to prevent bloodshed, I reached for Collin’s hand and tucked him to my side. He jumped at the contact, eyes flashing as he studied my face. I held my breath, praying my touch distracted him enough not to murder Mr. Mohawk Man. If there was one thing I’d learned over the past month, it was that Collin had a temper. “I think I’m going to stay behind. You two run along home. Make sure Max isn’t torturing my…

Is he shirtless? A manipulative jerk? Or even an alpha-hole? Alphas come in all shapes and sizes and I enjoy pretty much all of them. For me, a successful alpha needs to have two qualities: direction in life, and confidence. I don’t find someone sexy if they’re sleeping on Mom’s couch with no plans to move out. Now, if he’s sleeping on Mom’s couch because he has no money because he’s starting his own business…that is definitely more interesting and could be sexy for sure. His direction could change (hopefully based on the heroine’s influence *wink*) but he needs to have an idea of where he is going in life. In my debut novel, ENFORCER’S PRICE, Colt knows exactly what he wants in life – redemption. He’s screwed up, been to jail, and is trying to make everything right for his motorcycle club. What he doesn’t count on, is falling in love. Krista makes him redefine his life and his goals – just like love should, am I right? Confidence is the other quality on my very short list of requirements for an alpha hero. Maybe it’s the confidence to step out of his comfort zone in order to connect…

You can craft a novel about a second chance at love, a young/first love, a May-December love, an older man meets young virgin love, surprise/chance meeting love, and set that anywhere. Outer space…a Texas ranch…the fire or police department… a movie set…a giant corporation…backstage at a rock concert…in the thick of a motorcycle gang…in the future…or well back in the past…as long as the love story is front and center, most readers are not that particular about where it’s happening. However, as authors, we are always encouraged to make our worlds believable. And when we say “world” we mean that “setting,” be it a humble small Southern town, or in the emergency room of a bustling metropolitan hospital. I’m sure you’ve read a book or three where the setting seemed off somehow, as if the author really didn’t know enough about that world to set the story there but hopes that no one will notice. I’m one of those who notices, and tries to turn those mistakes into learning opportunities for my own books. TAPPED (book one of the Brewing Passion Series from Totally Bound Publishing) is set in a world that I am intimately familiar with—but one that some…

The Gentry brothers, Alex, Court, and Nate, are undercover FBI agents. They own a biker bar, Aces & Eights, as a cover for covert operations. The first book in the Aces & Eights series, Jack of Hearts, is Alex and Madison’s story. Unfortunately for Alex, Madison is the cousin of the man he’s investigating, making her strictly off-limits. That’s easier said than done, though. Hello, Alex. Thanks for joining us today. Alex, looking wary: You’re not going to ask me a bunch of personal questions, are you? I’m an undercover FBI agent, and there’s stuff I can’t talk about. I think we’re more interested in your love life than any investigations you have going on. Alex: Figures. First Question. How would you describe yourself? Alex, shooting the interviewer an eye roll: You’re looking at me. You describe me. If I give a physical description, will you add to it, you know, tell us what makes you who you are? (Alex nods.) Okay, you’re tall, have black eyes that seem fathomless, black hair that I’d kind of like to touch just to see if it’s as soft as it looks, and I’m guessing you have some American Indian blood in you….

All my mystery novels have featured amateur detectives. The main reason for this is that I have always enjoyed mysteries with amateur sleuths, ever since I discovered Nancy Drew at the age of ten. I like the idea of an ordinary person stumbling into mysteries and then solving them. Critics often denigrate these books because they are deemed unrealistic. After all, how many ordinary people regularly encounter dead bodies? The answer is, ordinary people don’t, unless they are spectacularly unlucky or they are undertakers. They would soon come under suspicion from the police. Thus I will quickly confess that, in this regard, my amateur detective novels aren’t realistic. They aren’t meant to be, in that regard. They’re meant to entertain, and I hope that’s what they do. Readers have enjoyed books with amateur gumshoes for over a century now. Ever heard of Miss Jane Marple, for example? I happen to think that readers enjoy amateur sleuths because they are reading about people like themselves who don’t walk the mean streets of the city every day. I always enjoyed Nancy Drew and the other teen detectives because I could safely go adventuring in their shoes – though I certainly wouldn’t relish…

A friend of mine once had a date show up with a pillowcase. It contained his snake. No kidding. If that had been me, the relationship would have ended on the spot. Now, if he had shown up with his dog, that would have been a different matter entirely. There’s a matchmaking event going on in my new book, MISSION IMPAWSIBLE. The town of Wagtail caters to people and their fur friends, so they are encouraged to bring their pets with them. The cats and dogs will help break the ice and might even make some matches. Animals remove the pressure of coming up with something clever to say to a stranger. Even the shyest person is usually happy to talk about Fido, especially if Fido is present and wagging that tail. Think this is silly? Kloof, an app that connects people through their dogs, did a survey. Now before you peek at their survey results, guess which breeds are most likely to attract women to the guy holding the leash. German Shepherds or Poodles? Chihuahuas or French Bulldogs? Bernese Mountain Dogs or Labrador Retrievers? Shih Tzus or Golden Retrievers? Siberian Huskies or Pomeranians? Ready for the answers? In order…

There are endless choices to make when building a fantasy world. Landscape. Plants. Animals. Weather patterns. Clothes. Government. Religion. Sexuality. The shape of all these things are in the hands of the author, for the author is the god of the world they build. When I built Shiara and the city of Sagen sy Itagami, I wanted a world that would be extremely harsh in many ways—you do not want to be stuck on Shiara in the middle of the summer, for example. In a lot of ways, though, Shiara and Itagami are safer and more equal than the culture we’re used to. There are three sexes here—men, women, and ebets—and the only gender role that exists in the clan is procreation. From leadership to service, all roles are equally split between the sexes because I built a society where only magical power and skill with a weapon determine your rank. Writing this book allowed me to erase both the gender binary and the unequal distribution of between the sexes. It allowed me to change or erase a lot of other things, too. In Itagami, “normal” has an entirely different set of definitions and expectations than what we’re used to….

As frost immobilizes the ground and chill winds blow, I think of cold castles and harsh rulers—which brings to mind the medieval period, and one of my favorite historical characters. In an era where women were chattels disposed of by fathers and husbands, to use wits and beauty and sheer drive to carve out a place of power and prominence is truly amazing, and Alienor (Eleanor) of Aquitaine did just that. Heiress to the wealthiest duchy in France, wife of two kings, mother of two more, loved, betrayed, and imprisoned by Henry for treason, her life would be considered romantic hyperbole—if it weren’t true. Beginning with the most recent novel, one full of “intimate” detail, we have BELOVED ENEMY: THE PASSIONS OF ELEANOR OF ACQUITAINE (QUEENS OF LOVE AND WAR BOOK 2) by Ellen Jones. Beginning the tale in 1130, with an eight-year-old Alienor dealing with the death of her mother and brother, it moves forward to June 1137, when her father dies, leaving her Duchess of Aquitaine and Countess of Poitou. Swept into an unhappy marriage with King Louis VII of France, eventually an annulment is procured, allowing her to wed her lover and love of her life, Henry…