Titles such as Mummy Porn really annoy me...

I think the title says it all.

I was talking to some ladies on the weekend who both tried to trawl through the latest literary sensation... of the Mummy Porn variety... Both put the books down after several pages and said to me that they couldn't understand the fuss.  They liked good strong plot lines, they enjoyed hot sex... but this just didn't do it for them.  Was this what I write?  True story.  I tried to explain to them the difference between what they were reading and what I write.  But boy, what they were hearing in the media seemed to be the high point of the discussion, because I was using terms they hadn't heard before.  It's a constant refrain for me.

I write Erotic Fiction.  Not "Mummy Porn."  To me, there is a very clear distinction... It's something I've talked about before and will continue to push because until we get this clear, we are going to face readers who pick up a book, looking for something to gratify them and end up leaving in droves because we haven't given them what we promised.

The three terms are not interchangeable.  "Mummy Porn" is not "Erotica", just the same as it is not "Erotic Romance."

I write yummy hot sex scenes in my stories... BUT ... each of those scenes are important to the storyline. They show the growth and development of the characters and their relationship.  No scene is gratuitous. I don't write the kind of scenes that are "wham bam... who's next?"

If I wrote porn, then it would be gratuitous sex.  Sex without any emotional attachment for the sake of "getting it off" by characters who have come together for that reason only.

Porn - Noun
The representation in books, magazines, photographs, films and other media of scenes of sexual behaviour that are lewd and designed to arouse sexual interest.

Even true erotica is not porn.  Erotica is allowing people to discover their own sexuality in encounters between consenting adults. This can include legal prostitutes, kinks and fetishes (bear in mind these can span over into Erotic romance) etc.,

Erotica - Noun

Literature or art intended to arouse sexual desire.

Don't get me wrong.  I'm not a prude.  I like to read sex.  I love to write sex.  But I'm one of those people who are looking for that emotional punch.

Sex for sex's sake might float some people's boat and I'm pleased the books with meatier sex scenes are getting a look in, finally.  Are becoming almost "main-streamed" but please... puuuulllleeease.... if you are going to talk about it, please categorise it accurately.

I applaud the fact that the industry is no longer shutting the door on the intimate adventures between couples, but how the hell can we ensure our readers are getting exactly what they want to read, when we can't even get the categorisations right, from inside the industry?

Yes.  I will continue to rattle this cage.  We have to, if we want to be taken seriously.

Imogene

Rites of Spring Blog Hop Winners!!

Wow... Now wasn't that fun?  I certainly hope you all met some new authors you would love to investigate further (and I hope that includes me! Lol)

As promised I had 2 give aways... So without any further carry on, here are the winners.

Drum Roll Please.

The winner of the ARC of The Plan is:

Lisa C.  

Congratulations Lisa, I'll be emailing you in the next day or so and sending through your copy in your favourite format.

****

The winner of the PDF version of Starburst is:

Catherine Lee.  

Congratulations Catherine, I'll be emailing your copy in PDF format later today.

Rites Of Spring - Imogene Nix

Welcome to the Rites of Spring Blog Hop. 

Today we are talking about firsts, not just mine... but those of one of my characters.  So where to start?  Let's pick The Plan.  It's my next release and one that features two very strong central characters.

Jonah - who just happens to be the head of the Department of Authority (yeah, the police chief essentially) and Kadie.  A small time smuggler who gets caught by Jonah.

This book represents a number of firsts, both for myself as an author and the characters.  For me, it was the first book outside my now completed Warriors of the Elector Series, my first time with a new publisher...

But I'm going to tease you a little.  This scene isn't their first meeting, but the one where he's got her right where he wants her... and realises she just might be more than he can handle.

****

Excerpt 1:

The man that arrested her, Captain Jonah Fielding, she had heard of. A straight man, everyone agreed. He didn’t associate with the old, corrupt Authorities. But at this point that’s cold comfort. How can I possibly explain that I have nothing else except my little Sugar Plum Fairy and that’s why I took the chance? Her stomach rebelled and she dry heaved right there in the cells as catcalls and laughter from other prisoners filled the air. Thank the Lights at least I am in a single cell. Her head ached brutally and she wavered slightly, waiting for Captain Fielding to send for her.

“Kadie Frost? Captain Fielding wants to see you.” The clank of the cell door told her someone was coming; she struggled to her feet, lifting tired, sore eyes.

A young man, little more than a boy really, with a freshly pressed uniform marched in, unfastened her from the restraint loop, and pulled her out the door and into an anonymous corridor.

Hoots and hollers met her ears as she allowed herself to be paraded down the long walkway. As if cattle in a moon-cow yard, she thought, closing her eyes as the Authority man pulled her toward a heavy, metal door at the end of the corridor. He stopped there and she opened her eyes, reading the sign on the door.

Interrogation Room One. What a great name, she thought snidely. Really inventive.

The door opened slowly and she was quickly thrust inside. The door snapped shut behind her as she looked around the bare room. A table and two chairs sat, scarred and ugly, in the middle of the floor. The metal was cold and glittering in the cool air as the air circulators pushed currents around the frigid room. She made her way over and sat down, waiting for the captain to enter. Her head drooped to the table and she let it rest, seeking the refreshing cool on her overly hot skin.

Her hands stung and her eyes burned. She felt sorry for herself as she thought about the mess she had gotten into, and she turned her stinging hands to check the damage. They were bright red and radiated heat. The deep scratches were swollen and weepy; sticky drops of goop coated the raw skin. Never a good sign, she already knew that.

“Kadie Frost?”

She started. Obviously, the woolly, heavy feeling in her head had overtaken her and she had dropped off to sleep as she waited. Her skin burned against in the coolness of the room.

“That’s me.” Her head hurt viciously, but now she realized her throat burned too.

“Captain Fielding is my name. I believe you and I can discuss BXM parts?” He lifted an eyebrow and she noted the captain had the most amazing blue eyes she had ever seen, teamed with long, black hair fastened at the back of his neck, high cheeks, and impossibly chiseled features. He had full, pink lips that would make a woman cry when they moved over hers. Huh? Where did that thought come from?

She blinked, dazed by the thought, and considered her plan of attack. “What? Oh, the BXM parts.” She swallowed and felt the razor blades she was sure were in her neck slashing from the inside which then proceeded to burn. “They aren’t mine. They never were.”

****

For the characters though, the firsts were so much bigger.  The first kiss, the first touch.  The first time either was able to say "I love you." The first meeting.

For Kadie there was her "first home" even.  The Sugar Plum Fairy, was the first place she could call her own.  The first time she was in charge of her destiny.

Yeah... but it's really not fair to keep you waiting so this next excerpt is something special

****

Excerpt 2:

Jonah grabbed some tissues from the box. He knew they were also a luxury and she would be wary, but he handed them over anyway, watching as she wiped away the residue of her tears.
“I don’t usually lose it like that.” She hiccupped slightly as she said the words in a husky, just-finished-crying voice.
“I didn’t think you did. Look, let’s start again, shall we? Hi. My name is Jonah. Pleased to meet you.” He gravely held out his hand, and a shy smile edged to the side of her lips as she took it. She still seemed wary, but accepted his hand. Jonah noted the calluses on her hands, as if she’d labored hard in her past.
“Hi, Jonah. I’m Kadie.”
He smiled. First step accomplished. “Let’s go see about grabbing you some clothes from your ship.” He watched as she turned beet red.

****

IMPORTANT PLEASE READ ME!

Okay, for some of you, this will be the first time you've heard of me.  If you are interested in my other titles, visit either Amazon or Barnes and Noble or my website for more information.

So I'm going to give away 2 prizes. (Yay!) 


The first one is simple.  Comment on one of the excerpts...  The best comment either what you liked, what you hope will happen etc) will win a copy of The Plan (an ARC! Woo Hoo!) It is in ebook format so you can read it on any device!

(Want to know more? Click on the photo link to visit the Beachwalk Press site!)

The second prize is a little more involved...  Tell me about your first something.  Now remember... Keep it clean!  This blog is rated at 13+ (Snickers!) and you could win a copy of Starburst (again ebook in PDF format).  The final Warriors of the Elector book.  Make it witty, make it fun!

(Want to know more? Click on the image to go visit the Secret Cravings site)

All prizes will be drawn on Sunday 24th (after 5pm Queensland Time!)

1. To enter, simply follow the instructions above between 12.01am 20th March 2013 and 11.59pm Saturday 23rd March 2013.

2. Please leave your email address somewhere in the body of the comment.

3. While following my blog is not essential, it would surely be appreciated!

4. Please follow the link below and go visit other Rites of Spring Author Blogs!

Click here to find the rest of the participants in the Rites of Spring blog hop!

5. Finally there are 2 grand prizes!  Visit as many blogs as you can, and click on the rafflecopter tag in each to enter.

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When Ella Jade Comes To Visit!

Welcome to Ella Jade!

I’m celebrating the one year anniversary of the release of my contemporary romance Crossfire of Love. In honor of that milestone my fabulous publisher Beachwalk Press has lowered the price of the book to $1.99. That’s 60% off! You can purchase the novel wherever you buy your eBooks including Amazon, B&N and Are for the entire month of March. 

Can an arranged marriage lead to love?
 
Recent college graduate Gabriella has finally married the man of her dreams, the older, charismatic attorney Lorenzo Martinez. She's had a crush on him for as long as she can remember and always imagined they'd one day find their happily ever after. Unfortunately, they enter into a union arranged by their fathers.

Lorenzo is charming, protective, and loyal to his crime lord father Carlo. When Carlo asks Lorenzo to marry Gabriella he jumps at the opportunity. He's been drawn to her for many years and knows by marrying her he's helping to protect her father.

Gabby is resentful and won't be Lorenzo's charity case. But sparks fly and the couple soon gives into their desire, realizing they were meant to be together.

What happens when Carlo's enemies threaten their future? Will someone get caught in the crossfire?

Content Warning: graphic sex, some violence

Available Here: Beachwalk Press Amazon

Excerpt

Lorenzo walked up the porch steps, turning to stare at her. "Are you coming, Gabriella?" No one but Lorenzo and his father called her by her full name. She liked when Lorenzo said it. He'd always made it sound so formal and sexy.
These were the first words he had spoken to her since they left the courthouse. They were married in the chambers of the prestigious Judge John Cartwright. He'd been a family friend of the Martinezes for many years. He was their go-to man whenever they needed something done fast and legally. Well, legal in her new father-in-law's eyes anyway.
She hurried up the steps and followed Lorenzo inside their new home. It was built within a matter of months after she'd agreed to marry him. Carlo wanted them to have their privacy, but he also wanted to keep them close. He didn't trust she'd hold up her end of the bargain, and keeping her on the property was the best way to ensure she wouldn't run.
It was silly, really. How could she run from a family like this? They had ties all over the world. There wasn't any place she could escape to that they wouldn't know about. She was a woman of her word. She said she would marry Lorenzo and she did. She'd find a way to cope. She always had.
Lorenzo pulled his jacket off, poured himself a scotch, and then loosened his tie. "Would you like a drink?"
"No, thank you," she said.
Most brides would be dancing the night away and drinking champagne by this point in their wedding night. She didn't think that was part of Lorenzo's plan.
"I didn't think you'd go through with it." He sipped the amber colored liquid as he looked her over.
"I said I would."
"I know, but when push actually came to shove, I thought you'd run."
"You don't know me that well," she said. "I don't run."
"Good." He smirked as he put the glass to his lips.
Gabby couldn't take her eyes away from those lips. She'd never had the pleasure of having them on her own. Judge Cartwright hadn't asked him to kiss his bride. She hated herself for thinking about him that way.
"You could've stopped this. Why didn't you?" she asked.
As they stood in front of the judge, she kept hoping he'd put an end to the charade and stop the wedding. It didn't make sense to her why he had agreed to marry her. She didn't have a choice. Her father's gambling debts made sure of that. But she didn't understand why he'd allowed things to get as far as they had.
"I was just as trapped as you were." He downed the rest of his scotch.
She didn't believe that. She knew he respected his dad, but she didn't get why he wouldn't have put his foot down and said no to such a life-altering decision.
"You could've told your father no from the beginning. Why would you agree to marry someone if you didn't have to?"
"Look." He shook his head. "It's done now. We're going to have to make the best of it."
"Make the best of it?" She plopped down on the leather sofa. "I'm twenty-two years old. I just graduated from college, and you want me to make the best of it?"
"I know this isn't what you might have wanted, but it is what it is. You agreed, and now it's done. You can't go back on it now. My father won't forgive that."

Author Bio:
 
Ella Jade has been writing for as long as she can remember. As a child, she often had a notebook and pen with her, and now as an adult, the laptop is never far. The plots and dialogue have always played out in her head, but she never knew what to do with them. That all changed when she discovered the eBook industry. She started penning novels at a rapid pace and now she can't be stopped.

Ella resides in New Jersey with her husband and two young boys. When she's not chasing after her kids, she's busy writing, attending PTO meetings, kickboxing, and scrapbooking. She hopes you'll get lost in her words.

Where to chat with Ella:  

 

Website/Blog Facebook  Twitter

Thanks for joining us today Ella!  Okay, so for those who have visited today, there is a joint giveaway.  

Giveaway

Please enter the rafflecopter for your chance to win a $10 Amazon Gift Card during the month of March. Like my FB page for details about the swag I’m giving away to celebrate the sale!

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News!

Yeah I seem to be missing in action a lot at the moment.  So what have I been up to?

Lots, I tell you.  Lots!

Where to start?  Okay ARRA - what a blast!  Honestly, it was so much fun.  I got to meet up with other Authors I chat to a lot.

Khloe Wren, Imogene Nix and Georgiana Louis - all trying to outgrin each other.  Lovely ladies I am so proud to call my friends.  Yes, we did misbehave just a little bit.

Hazel Gower, Angela Castle and Kate Belle shared a table, so you can imagine the hilarity that went with the main evening.  Kate did mention something about the wine...

And of course, the lovely Jan Graham was there too!  Hi Jan!

Did someone say group Author photo?  Haha Yes there was over 60 of us again attending.  So getting a group photo was like herding sheep.  They did, however, get there in the end!

I attended the author book signing (yes I was signing) and giving away Imogene Nix sleep masks, bookmarks and even mentos!  The New Author panel - most people laughed... *phew* and scored a few books to bring home and read.  (Well just one... five... okay twenty eight... including those I won and those I bought!) oh and the Keynote Address by Anne Gracie!  Oh my!!! Wish I could get hold of the video she ran.  Oestrogen ran like a river while that was on.

On a purely personal note, my oldest daughter was inducted as her schools Student Committee Secretary.  I know she'll do a good job.  Doesn't she look pleased with herself?

 Ah and my latest news.  I made my dozen!  Contracts that is :)  Today I received word that my near futuristic romance, Hesparia's Tears has been picked up by Total-E-Bound.  (The home of Blame The Wine, The Blood Bride and so on...)

I don't have any further information yet.  But here's the blurb:

What will happen when the past catches up?

Galan is from Hesparia, where the females are dying out.

Jessa has a past, one she hasn’t earned but cannot escape from.

What will happen when opportunity knocks?

Galan travels to earth, hoping to plead the case for Hesparia. He doesn’t expect Jessa or The Quickening.

Can he make the case for women to migrate to Hesparia? Can they trust one another with their hearts. And can Jessa really escape her past?

 Hesparia’s Tears.

I've also still got one title out on submission - Loving Memories (A romantic suspense)... and one getting closer to submission - A Soldier... My Soldier.  It needs some tweaks and work... but it should be ready soon.  It will be my first "real contemporary" with no paranormal elements or suspense or sci fi... lol, I'm sure you get the idea.

Yes, for all I've been quiet, I have been busy!

Okay, time to sign off for now!  Have fun, be good and if you can't, well... enjoy yourself!

Imogene

A Close Encounter With... Janet Elizabeth Henderson

Welcome to the Close Encounter stage, Janet!

Please tell us a little about yourself and your writing journey.

My latest novel is called The Davina Code. In the book, ex-cop Jack Miller inherits a house. He also inherits a tenant. It's safe to say that he isn't pleased about either. He's convinced Davina is doing something illegal in his house. The only problem is - he's not sure if he wants to put her in jail, or take her to bed. Probably both! Davina, meanwhile is up to no good. Just not the same 'no good' that Jack suspects. She's filming a movie in his house, without his permission and using 'borrowed' equipment to do it. It's a race to see what will happen first - movie, jail or bed!

This book was a lot of fun to write. I love it when characters are flummoxed by each other, but can't run from the attraction they feel. There's this tug of war between them and you're never quite sure who will win. And as an added bonus, while I was writing The Davina Code, I learned a few things too. I thought I'd share my new found knowledge with you. 

Five things I learned while writing The Davina Code:

1. Don't tempt fate with your plot! In the Davina Code, the hero Jack gets his hands on a chainsaw for the first time. He has no idea what he's doing and doesn’t check where the tree will land when it falls. Needless to say, he trashes something important and causes chaos. I wrote this scene a whole year before my husband bought a new chainsaw. You know where this is going right? So far he's destroyed, two fences, part of the neighbour's shed, one chicken coop and taken out the bridge over the stream. All because, like Jack, it doesn't occur to him to figure out where the tree might land first!

2. I'm hopelessly out of date! Davina is an actress. A terrible one, sure, but she still wants to be famous. I modelled her on all of the golden era actresses that I love - Rita Hayworth, Lauren Bacall etc. Only to discover that no one watches that stuff any more! Some of my readers have no idea who I'm talking about. Trust me, I get the mail to prove it. So, either I have to rent Twilight (and I'd rather stick a fork in my eye!) or I have to stop talking about films from the 1940's.

3. Don't try to multitask while writing. While writing The Davina Code, I tried to squeeze some writing time in during one of the school holidays . My hope was that my two little girls would leave me alone long enough to think. Nope. They came into my office asking if they could use something to make art. Without looking, I waved them away saying yes, thinking - anything for a minute's peace! A while later I went to the toilet. There wasn't one sheet of toilet paper in the whole house. That was what they'd wanted to use to make art. A large paper mache cat, to be exact. This would have been funny, if it wasn't for the fact my car was in the garage and we live an hour's walk from the nearest shop. I had to improvise. I'm not telling you how!

4. Spell check is a waste of time! You need real people to read through your final manuscript before you publish it. At least three of them, preferably more, because mistakes squeeze through. I published The Davina Code with an excerpt at the back of it for another of my books - Laura's Big Break. Only the excerpt was entitled, Laura's Big Beak and the hero didn't wear a t-shirt - nope, I'd missed out a crucial letter in that word… Not ideal! This is the second time Laura's had a big beak. I sent out a press release with that mistake too. You'd think I'd be looking for it by now!

5. Make them laugh, make them cry! I'm known for the humour in my work. And I love making people laugh. Heck, I love making myself laugh! But I figured out while writing The Davina Code that the best laughs, the real belly-roll-on-the-floor-gasping-for-breath-laughs, come after the tears. You need dark moments, intense moments for the reader so that the humour will be a relief - otherwise it can all get a bit sickening. Like too much cake! 

Here is a taste of what happens when Jack meets Davina for the first time:

This was insane. And yet, she was doing it. This was exactly the kind of situation that made Davina’s parents despair. She didn’t know why crazy things kept happening to her. They just did. And trying to lead an ordinary, quiet life only seemed to make things worse. She shook her head a little. Now wasn’t the time to wonder why she wasn’t normal. Right now she had to concentrate on the fact that she had her hand in the pocket of jeans belonging to a strange man. Jeans he was still wearing.

“Goodness, these are tight,” she muttered, as she tried to get a grip on his phone without actually touching him.

He grunted.

“I don’t usually do this sort of thing,” she told him.

For a brief minute she wasn’t sure what she was explaining exactly - the fact she’d knocked him out and tied him up, or the fact she was rooting around in his trousers.

“I mean, I don’t usually hit people. Hardly ever. And not without provocation.”

Her fingers touched leather. She angled herself further over the gorilla’s body to get a grip on the wallet. Seriously. Who wore their jeans this tight?

“I hope I didn’t do any permanent damage. I just wanted you to stop breaking into my house.” She looked down at him. “You understand, right?”

His dark eyes stared up at her.

“Sweetheart, you have your cleavage in my face and your hand down my trousers. There is nothing about this I understand.”

Davina jerked back from him, pulling out the wallet. His face was as red as hers felt. The air between them seemed warmer and she was aware of every tiny movement he made.

“Got it,” she said triumphantly, and to her disgust, rather breathlessly.

“Look at the ID,” he said through gritted teeth.

She flicked the wallet open. There he was, strained and serious, glaring at her from his driver’s licence.

“This is a terrible picture,” she told him.

“Yeah, I was worried sick about what you’d think of my photo ID.”

“Jack Miller, thirty six, that’s all it tells me.”

She flicked through the rest of the wallet. Four credit cards, one library card, which surprised her as he didn’t look the type that read, and one video card. Twenty pounds and change, and a condom that expired in the 90’s.

“This is out of date,” she told him before she could stop herself.

“I don’t intend to use it. It’s my lucky condom.”

“How can it be lucky if you can’t get lucky with it?”

Honestly, the man was an idiot. She thought she heard him gnashing his teeth.

“How is this supposed to help me?” She waved the wallet in front of him. “There is nothing in here that says you own this house.”

His sharp jaw clenched as his head turned slowly on a neck that was thicker than her thigh.

“Get the phone. I want you to call Brighton Police and ask for a friend of mine, Andy Harper. He’ll tell you the truth.”

“You have a friend in the police?” Her voice went into high-pitched Betty Boop territory, which she knew wasn’t attractive.

His eyes narrowed.

“I was police. Eighteen years. Drug division. Brighton.”

Davina gulped as everything within her ran around in a panic. She flicked her eyes towards the house. He’d almost gotten in. She flicked her eyes back to him. She’d hit a policeman?

“It isn’t so entertaining now is it?” he asked drolly.

You can find more information on my books at my website:

Website - http://www.janetelizabethhenderson.com

 Psst... This one is going into my TBR pile!

Thanks for joining us today Janet!  We hope to see a lot more of your work.

Imogene

A Close Encounter With... Susan Child

Hi Susan... Thanks for joining me today.  I see you have brought Zack and Alice along for an interview... I'll just sit back and sip my Sex on the Beach while you do your thing (winks at everyone.)

Image Courtesy of nuttakit - FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I’m waiting in the same café that Zack and Alice catch up every week. I notice a couple walking down the concrete sidewalk. His muscular arm wraps around her shoulders as her slender hand peeks around his side. Her short brown hair blows in her face in the breeze, as she looks away from him, she lifts her hand up to pull her hair back, and she turns to face him again, the whole time he stares at her. He leans down and whispers something in her ear and she laughs. Her musical sound echoes in the noisy street. I smile. I look away, to give them some privacy and turn to watch the ocean roll along the shore. The salty air picks up and as I close my eyes, I let it bathe me in the sunny heat of the day. As I open them, the couple stands in front of the table, smiling at me, holding hands. I stand up, shake their hands, “Zack? Alice? It’s lovely to meet you,” then wait for them to sit down before I sit. I take out my notebook and pen, and they continue to stare at each other. It’s a beautiful sight to see.

S: Can you tell me a little about yourselves?
Zack: What do you want to know?
S: Do you have nicknames for each other?
Zack: *smiling* just baby.
Alice: *laughing* just recently I started calling him dumpling as that’s his favourite food.

S: *grinning* do either of you have a birthmark? And where is it?

Alice: I got one on my upper thigh which Zack likes to…. Um…
Zack: Baby!
Alice: What? *looks innocent but smiles sweetly*

S: What about you, Zack? Any birthmarks?
Zack: None.

I jot down what they say, but I can see Zack not liking what I’m writing, his frown is evidence of that.

S: Who are your friends and family? Who are you close to?
Alice: That’s easy! *she holds her and Zack’s entwined hands up in the air* Zack’s my family, the night before last Zack proposed! Want to see the ring?

Before I can answer, she shows me her left hand with a red ruby encased on a gold band.

S: That’s gorgeous!
Alice: I know! Want to help me with my wedding? Let’s discuss this next week?
S: Sure! (what else was I going to say?)

I turn to Zack.
S: Where do you call home?
Zack: *he looks at Alice and she looks back* anywhere she is.
S: *smiles* what are your biggest fears?
Zack: That she wouldn’t say yes to being with me or accepting my proposal.
Alice: That it was my imagination he felt the same way as I did for him.

I want to dig a little bit deeper, find out other things about them.

S: Would you keep a secret from each other? Even if it means protecting the other?
Alice: I would never lie to Zack, I can’t keep a secret!
Zack: I tell her everything.

S: What’s in your refrigerator right now?
Alice: Ahh… Let me think. The usual stuff, milk, juice, fruit, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, strawberry sauce, eggs etc. You know? The usual.
Zack: I don’t do shopping.
S: *laughing* Ok! What’s on your nightstand?
Zack: What the hell is that? *he pulls a face*
Alice: *giggling* a lamp, two books, picture of us and a candle.

As I’m staring at Alice and Zack, I take note of what they are wearing as they decide to get up and get a coffee. 

Zack is wearing a light blue shirt with beige shorts and thongs. Very relaxed. Alice wore a cute little red sundress with flats.   

 
A few minutes later, they come back, empty handed, smiling at me.

Zack: They will bring it out. I ordered you one too.
Me: Thank you!
Alice: Just letting you know we have to leave shortly. We have a barbeque to go to.
Me: Not a problem, thank you for answering a few questions!
Zack: It’s all good.
Me: Last question then, if you could change one thing about the other, what would it be?

Just then the waitress brings out three cups of coffee in a takeaway cup.
We each take a gulp of it.

Alice: One thing to change about Zack? Mmm let me see… maybe he can walk around the house shirtless more? *grins*
Zack: That’s easy, her last name.
Alice: Dumpling, that’s going to change anyway!

She leans over and kisses him on the mouth.

Alice: We have to go now, maybe we can finish this off, say next week?
S: I look forward to it.

I stand up when Zack and Alice get up, they walk around the table and kiss me on the cheek with a small hug. 

Thanks for stopping in Susan, Alice and Zack.  It was fun!  Let's do it again sometime.

More Than Friends 
 
They were the best of friends… unfortunately. 

When her sleazy ex cheated on her, Alice turned to her best friend Zack for support. Her head tells her never to love again, but in the arms of Zack, her heart has other ideas.
And so does Zack.

How can he tell her how much he wants her, when one night of passion could destroy the friendship of a lifetime?

Available Here:  Amazon

Bio

When Susan was in high school, she never really liked to read, but when she was a child she did. Go figure. It wasn't until after she graduated that she caught the reading bug. Susan had to go to a book store to sell off her text books and a particular book caught her eye. This book stood out from the other second-hand books because it had a pink cover. It was only a couple of dollars, so she thought, “Why not?” But she couldn't quite bring herself to read her bargain book. It had a pink cover!

Then, after it tormented her for three weeks, she finally picked it up and... Could not put it down. Susan finished it in two days!

After Google-ing the author and found that she’d written a heap of books for Harlequin Mills & Boon as well as Single Titles. So of course Susan had to buy all her other books! And when she realised that there were other Mills & Boon authors out there, she just had to search out their books, too. And she loved them!

Susan got a ton of inspiration from those books. But the most important thing she realized was that she wanted to write those books, too. She wanted to be a Paranormal author. Because let's face it, who doesn't like things that go bump in the night?

Where to chat with Susan: 

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