Character Interviews
Interviews with a character from a book
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Stressing the Heroine: Heartbreak Homestead #suspense @SusanneBellamy #RLFblog
Stressing the Heroine from Heartbreak Homestead (Hearts of the
Outback bk 2) a rural suspense romance by Susanne Bellamy.Author Bio
Born and raised in Toowoomba, Susanne is an Australian author
of contemporary, rural, and suspense romances set in exciting and often exotic locations,
and in Australia. She adores travel with her husband, both at home and overseas,
and weaves stories around the settings and people she encounters.Her heroes have to be pretty special to live up to her real life
hero. He saved her life then married her.Susanne is a member of the RWA and was a finalist in their 2011
Emerald Award. She placed third in the 2015 Pan Macmillan short story competition
with ‘Chez Romeo’. Mentoring aspiring writers, and working as a freelance editor
keeps her off the street! She loves connecting with readers and fellow writers.
Feed her a good single malt whisky and you’re a friend for life.About the Book
Title Heartbreak Homestead (Hearts of the Outback bk 2)Genre Rural romanceBook heat level (based on movie ratings): PG13After her brother’s death, the last thing Lizzy Wilmot wants
to do is to return to her family’s property but Alex Carter, his former business
partner, needs her help to locate some missing files. Alex doesn’t trust Lizzy and
the feeling is mutual but when they find themselves back at the homestead in the
midst of a bitter custody battle for Lizzy’s baby nephew, sparks begin to fly.Who is trying to harm Lizzy?Can they both learn that trust will overcome heartbreak?Every heroine has a story. She has a background, a history, and
a past. This interview allows us to meet a heroine and get to know her better, by
focusing on how she handles being relaxed, as well as how she handles stress.The Heroine’s Relaxed Side
This heroine is at a
party. Considering her story, describe the party.Lizzy Wilmot-Carter loves barbecues and casual get-togethers
with friends. Having taken on the care of her orphaned baby nephew, she now chooses
functions that are child-friendly. There will be wine and beer and impromptu dancing,
especially if Alex Carter is near.How does the heroine feel about being this particular party,
and what body language is she displaying that gives it away?Amongst friends, Lizzy leaves aside her social mask, although
she feels a powerful need to temper the attraction she feels to her ‘husband for
six months’. Their sexual chemistry sizzles and she turns towards Alex, standing
close but gripping her wine glass to stop herself grabbing him.Is she more likely to
mingle or remain aloof?Lizzy mingles and enjoys both light-hearted banter and deep and
meaningful discussions. She has many acquaintances but just a few close friends
from work, and she prefers small parties with the latter.If she drinks, what is
her drink of choice at this party?White wine in hot weather, red in the winter.How much drink is her
usual?While Lizzy is an extrovert and a queen bee, she is also a team
leader in the SES (State Emergency Service) and has a strong sense of responsibility.
She doesn’t drink to excess in case she is called out to an emergency.The heroine figures out
where the hiding places are and then goes there. Is it to hide, to avoid someone,
or to go drag a friend back to the party?Before the death of her brother and taking on the care of her
baby nephew, Lizzy would have sussed out assignation spots. Now, she is more likely
to rescue a friend who has had too much to drink, or play hide-and-seek with friends’
young children.Is she likely to latch
onto a friend and stay with him/her and ignore others, or is she the friend that
others latch onto?Lizzy draws others to her. Pre-Alex, she would be the one others
latched onto. Now, she and Alex are drawn to one another, but Lizzy is also very
good at getting a party going.If someone picked a
fight at this party, how is the heroine going to handle it?She would throw a jug of cold water over them before using her
sharp wit and getting the party back on track. But it would be a brave or foolhardy
person to start anything when Lizzy is around!Is the heroine the
one most likely to get tossed out of the party, or the one who does the
tossing?Control is important to Lizzy, essential given her childhood,
so if anyone is going to be tossed out, Lizzy will be doing the tossing.Will she know when to
leave, or stay late and make a nuisance of herself?Lizzy will know when to leave. If she stays on, it will be to
help clear up and have a one to one chat.The Heroine’s Stressed Out Side
How does the heroine
handle it if the cops or some other authority figure pulls her aside when she
was blameless in a situation?She will calmly explain in a factual way, and maybe pull out
her SES badge to show what she was doing there.How does the heroine
react to hearing a scream?Level-headed and capable, a scream would galvanize Lizzy into
action. She belongs to that (approx) 5% of people who are able to assess and act.
This is why she’s a team leader with the SES.If she sees someone
being assaulted, what is the FIRST thing that crosses her mind?“Pile of sh*t” attacking someone weaker or more vulnerable.If she sees someone
being assaulted, what is the FIRST thing she does?She will call for help on her phone, which is always accessible,
as she goes to assist.This heroine attempts
to rescue someone and realizes that she is in over her head. The odds are
against her and there is no way out. She is going to get her butt handed to
her. What does she do?Lizzy will help anyway, but she will lessen the odds against
her any way she can. Even if it means playing ‘dirty’.The heroine runs into
the one person from her past she wanted to avoid. She can’t get out of the
situation and must interact with him/her in some way. What does she do?Inconvenient emotions will be hidden behind an indifferent facade
and she’ll employ her wit and sarcasm, if necessary, to show the world she can’t
be touched or hurt in any way.Someone younger than
the heroine is in charge of the situation, and they are handling it badly,
perhaps bungling things. How does the heroine deal with it?Unless it’s life-threatening, Lizzy will offer ‘suggestions’
in a way that allows the younger one to fix the situation while saving face. Afterwards,
she’ll have a quiet chat with them so they learn from their experiences. Unless
the person is a total dropkick, in which case Lizzy will flay them and put them
in their place. Suffering fools is not one of Lizzy’s methods.The heroine is in
physical pain but must bear up under it and keep going. What does she tell
herself in order to get through the situation?“Just five more minutes and I can…(whatever is needed).”
She understands mental toughness and, knowing pain is finite, she reminds herself
that she has the will and the mental strength to get through anything. After all,
nothing can be as bad as some moments in her childhood.What mentor’s words
come to mind in a bad situation?Johnno, her SES leader: “Assess danger before acting.”What lesson from her
past gets her through a stressful situation?Don’t show anyone how much they can hurt you, physically or mentally.
Hide emotion and always keep control.Buy This Book
Publisher Self published seriesAmazon: http://amzn.to/1nqc9hcAuthor Social Media
Website http://www.susannebellamy.comAmazon Author Page http://www.amazon.com/Susanne-Bellamy/e/B00AYRGVRAWebsite -
Stressing the Hero: Gazillionaire and the Virgin #eroticromance @lisabetsarai #RLFblog
Stressing the Hero from The Gazillionaire and the Virgin a BDSM erotic romance by Lisabet Sarai.Author Bio
Lisabet Sarai occasionally tackles other genres, but BDSM will always be her first love. Every one of her nine novels includes some element of power exchange, while her D/s short stories range from mildly kinky to intensely perverse.About the Book
Title The Gazillionaire and the VirginGenre Contemporary BDSM Erotic RomanceBook heat level (based on movie ratings): RWhen Silicon Valley entrepreneur Rachel Zelinsky meets reclusive genius Theo Moore, she finds him strangely compelling. Theo is both arrogant and socially awkward, but he has an aura of power that speaks to Rachel’s carefully-hidden submissive side. Disturbed and aroused, she tries to focus on her original objective—a deal to incorporate his Artificial Intelligence software into her company’s popular virtual world. Rachel’s not a woman who lets pleasure interfere with business, but for some reason, she can’t resist Theo’s geeky appeal.Theo Moore can’t be bought. His past battles with poverty make him deeply suspicious of the billionaire CEO. Still, with her voluptuous curves and brilliant mind, Rachel embodies his ultimate sexual fantasy. Too bad his knowledge about sex derives from extensive research and a stash of kinky porn rather than real-world experience.That doesn’t bother Rachel, however. In his bed—in his arms—in his bonds—she discovers the bliss of total surrender. Rachel may be Theo’s first lover, but Theo is Rachel’s first true Master—and the first man to truly touch her heart. It seems that love may harmonize their differing goals and values, until Rachel’s unwitting violation of Theo’s trust threatens to tear them apart forever.Stressing the Hero
Every hero has a story. He has a background, a history, and a past. This interview allows us to meet a hero and get to know him better, by focusing on how he handles being relaxed, as well as how he handles stress.The Hero’s Relaxed Side
This hero is at a party. Considering his story, describe the party.Theo actually does attend a party in the book, a fund-raising event for his technology charity Code in the Hood (CIH) that’s organized by the heroine, Rachel Zelinsky. The event takes place at the Computer History Museum, a real museum in Silicon Valley. There’s an open bar, a buffet, a band playing soft rock, and lots of technology executives with cash to burn milling around.He’s anything but relaxed, though!How does the hero feel about being this particular party, and what body language is he displaying that gives it away?He’d rather be almost anywhere else. He parks himself at a table in the corner and fidgets with the CIH brochures stacked up in the center, at least until Rachel drags him out to socialize with potential donors.Is he more likely to mingle or remain aloof?He’d much rather remain aloof, but Rachel won’t let him. However, once he gets started talking about the charity which is his personal passion, his nervousness disappears.If he drinks, what is his drink of choice at this party?At this party he has his first taste of champagne. And he likes it very much!How much drink is his usual?Theo hardly ever drinks. Once he tastes the champagne, though, he wants more.The hero figures out where the hiding places are and then goes there. Is it to hide, to avoid someone, or to go drag a friend back to the party?Theo would love to hide. Crowds and strangers make him terribly anxious.Is he likely to latch onto a friend and stay with him/her and ignore others, or is he the friend that others latch onto?He hangs on to Rachel for dear life. She’s the only person he knows at the party, and the only one who can keep him from panicking.If someone picked a fight at this party, how is the hero going to handle it?If you asked Theo this question in the abstract, he’d tell you that he’d run and hide. In fact, he’d probably try to break up the fight, then possibly freak out afterward.Is the hero the one most likely to get tossed out of the party, or the one who does the tossing?He’s not likely to get tossed out. He’s generally pretty mild-mannered. It’s pretty difficult to imagine him tossing anyone else out, though physically he could manage this.Will he know when to leave, or stay late and make a nuisance of himself?He’d rather not be there at all, so he’d probably leave as soon as he could slip away.The Hero’s Stressed Out Side
How does the hero handle it if the cops or some other authority figure pulls him aside when he was blameless in a situation?He will try to reason with the cops. He might get sarcastic. If he’s not successful in convincing them to release him, he’ll probably sulk.How does the hero react to hearing a scream?His first reaction will be to try and discover who screamed, and why. If he believes someone is being hurt, he’ll temporarily forget his self-consciousnessIf he sees someone being assaulted, what is the FIRST thing that crosses his mind?He wonders what was going on, and why.If he sees someone being assaulted, what is the FIRST thing he does?In fact, he probably wades into the fray, trying to pull the assailant off the victim. Later, he won’t believe he’s done this.This hero attempts to rescue someone and realizes that he is in over his head. The odds are against him and there is no way out. He is going to get his butt handed to him. What does he do?When Theo can’t utilize his physical skills to implement the rescue, he’ll fall back on his intellectual abilities. He’ll try to figure out some way to trick his opponents, or to sneak away.The hero runs into the one person from his past he wanted to avoid. He can’t get out of the situation and must interact with him/her in some way. What does he do?He becomes very stiff and formal. He keep his words to a minimum, saying only what is absolutely necessary.Someone younger than the hero is in charge of the situation, and they are handling it badly, perhaps bungling things. How does the hero deal with it?He’s surprisingly bossy, giving instructions and perhaps getting a bit impatient if the person in charge doesn’t obey. He might resort to sarcasm or ridicule.The hero is in physical pain but must bear up under it and keep going. What does he tell himself in order to get through the situation?He thinks about the safety and comfort of his home, and how good it will feel to finally arrive there.What mentor’s words come to mind in a bad situation?“Don’t underestimate yourself. Expect to succeed.”What lesson from his past gets him through a stressful situation?He remembers how he saved Rachel from a cyber-assault. That reminds him how powerful he really is.Buy This Book
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01B76B95K/Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-gazillionaire-and-the-virgin-lisbet-sarai/1123327821?ean=2940157884932ARe https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thegazillionaireandthevirgin-1974313-354.htmlKobo https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/the-gazillionaire-and-the-virginSmashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/611337Author Social Media
Website http://www.lisabetsarai.comTwitter http://twitter.com/lisabetsaraiAmazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/author/lisabetsarai -
Meet Jack Sharpe from The Long Way Home @JessicaCale #RLFblog #Historical
Meet Jack Sharpe from The Long Way Home by JessicaCale.Author Bio
Jessica Cale is the award-winning author of the historical romance series, The Southwark Saga. Originally from Minnesota, she lived in Wales for several years where she earned a BA in History and an MFA in Creative Writing while climbing castles and photographing mines for history magazines. She kidnapped (“married”) her very own British prince (close enough) and is enjoying her happily ever after with him in North Carolina.About the Book
Title: The Long Way HomeGenre: Historical RomanceBook heat level (based on movie ratings G, PG, PG13, R): RA paranoid king, a poison plot, and hideous shoes…it’s not easy being Cinderella.
After saving the life of the glamorous Marquise de Harfleur, painfully shy barmaid Alice Henshawe is employed as the lady’s companion and whisked away to Versailles. There, she catches King Louis’ eye and quickly becomes a court favorite as the muse for Charles Perrault’s Cinderella. The palace appears to be heaven itself, but there is danger hidden beneath the façade and Alice soon finds herself thrust into a world of intrigue, murder, and Satanism at the heart of the French court.
Having left his apprenticeship to serve King Charles as a spy, Jack Sharpe is given a mission that may just kill him. In the midst of the Franco-Dutch war, he is to investigate rumors of a poison plot by posing as a courtier, but he has a mission of his own. His childhood friend Alice Henshawe is missing and he will stop at nothing to see her safe. When he finds her in the company of the very people he is meant to be investigating, Jack begins to wonder if the sweet girl he grew up with has a dark side.
When a careless lie finds them accidentally married, Alice and Jack must rely on one another to survive the intrigues of the court. As old affection gives way to new passion, suspicion lingers. Can they trust each other, or is the real danger closer than they suspect?Introducing Jack Sharpe
Welcome to Romance Lives Forever! We’re happy to have you here today.Name: Jack SharpeAge: 23Gender: MaleBirthplace: Covent Garden, LondonProfession: Officially a soldier, unofficially a spy.Ethnicity/Species (if not human): English…probably.Describe your body and build, skin tone, height and weight. Include any unique features such as dimples, freckles, or scars.I’m tallish and gawky, with blue eyes and an abundance of curling black hair. I was a carpenter’s apprentice and I have little scars everywhere, but the biggest is a bullet hole beneath my left collarbone.Who is the significant other in your life?I would never presume to name her thus, though I suppose she is significant. I’ve always had a certain affection for Alice Henshawe. We grew up together, you see, and I seem to have inadvertently married her. You won’t hear a word of protest from me, but it was something of a surprise.Please tell us a little about yourself.What’s there to tell? My mother was an actress and I grew up a pickpocket in St. Giles before Mark Virtue took me on as an apprentice. An…incident…forced me to leave England at sixteen, and I’ve been with the army on the Continent ever since.How do you dress?By preference? I’ve been wearing the same patched clothes for years, but I’d be lost without my coat. My old master’s wife made it for me, and it’s full of secret pockets. It looks like any other coat when it’s on, but it’s filled with all the things I need to survive most any situation. Since I’ve arrived at Versailles, however, I’ve had to wear rather more silks than I’m comfortable with. My friend Achille is a Marquis, and he helps me to choose what to wear to court. I prefer darker colors, but If it were up to him, I’d be in lilac moire and violet hose.If we could only hear your voice (but not see you) what characteristic would identify you?I’ll be the one saying the wrong thing. When I’m nervous, I talk too much and too quickly, and I always sound like a right fool. Alice makes me very nervous. I wanted to tell her she looked lovely the other night, and ended up making some inane observation about her shoes. I’m hopeless.On what special skills do you rely?I’m quiet, I’m fast, and I’m good in dangerous situations. I can fight, spy, sew up wounds, start fires, and, should the need arise, I’m bloody good with a hammer. I can also make coffee. You’d be surprised how often that’s all you need.Are any of your skills a source of pride or embarrassment, and if so, which ones and why?I am very good with my hands. I can rob a man blind and be off with his pocket, his rings, and the buttons of his coat before he knows I’m there. This has been useful over the years, but it’s a source of embarrassment that I ever had to learn to do such a thing. I’m also not a bad actor. I drew up backstage in the theaters around Covent Garden and it comes naturally to me.What kinds of things do you always carry (in pockets or purse)?Three knives in my coat, two more in my boots. Two pistols, a spyglass, a map, enough money to get by or bribe a guard, half a dozen lock picks, a set of loaded dice given to me by the King of France, and a miniature portrait of a girl.Do you see morality as black-and-white, or with shades of gray?I see things as very black-and-white. That sounds mad coming from a pickpocket, doesn’t it? Truth is, the laws of man and real morality do not often match, and I live my life according to a very firm set of rules. No one I’ve met treats women with the reverence I do, but it isn’t at all moral the way they’re so often abused. Some might think I take my ideas of morality too far, but I’ve seen too much of the world to not follow ideas through to their logical conclusions.If someone from your past showed up, who would you most want it to be, and why?My sister, Joanna. Our mother sold her into service to the colonies when she was ten. Most don’t survive the crossing, let alone the work on the other side. She’d be seventeen now. I want to know if she’s alive, and I want to see her safe at home again.What would you like to tell your writer?I could have done without the cantarella, thanks! I’m very grateful to you for allowing me to find Alice, but was all that really necessary? I’ve never been so humiliated in my life for such a sustained period of time. Couldn’t there have been an easier–or less traumatic–way to get Alice to finally talk to me?Buy This Book
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Long-Home-Southwark-Saga-Book-ebook/dp/B01CBY47COBarnes and Noble http://goo.gl/uPKJFuARe https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thelongwayhome-1981157-153.htmlKobo https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/the-long-way-home-62iBooks https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-long-way-home/id1086308046?mt=11Author Social Media
Website http://www.authorjessicacale.comTwitter https://twitter.com/JessicaCalePinterest http://www.pinterest.com/rainbowcarnageAmazon Author Page http://www.amazon.com/Jessica-Cale/e/B00PVDV9EWYou May Also Like
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Stressing the Hero Hometown Heartache #romance @mjschiller #RLFblog
Our guest author today is giving away an eCopy of Blackout to one random commentor. Please leave your comment below for your chance to win.Every hero has a story. He has a background, a history, and a past. This interview allows us to meet a hero and get to know him better, by focusing on how he handles being relaxed, as well as how he handles stress.Author Bio
M.J. Schiller is a lunch lady/romance-romantic suspense writer. She enjoys writing novels whose characters include rock stars, desert princes, teachers, futuristic Knights, construction workers, cops, and a wide variety of others. In her mind everybody has a romance. She is the mother of a twenty-year-old and three eighteen-year-olds. That’s right, triplets! So having recently taught four children to drive, she likes to escape from life on occasion by pretending to be a rock star at karaoke. However…you won’t be seeing her name on any record labels soon.About the Book
Title Hometown HeartacheGenre Contemporary Romantic SuspenseBook heat level (based on movie ratings):
PG13Nash is trying to
make a name for himself in the art world…But when he meets a realtor to buy a gallery, he is stunned
to find Chloe sitting at the table with the man. He has never stopped thinking
about her since she disappeared from his life without a trace. Is it too late
to win back her love?Chloe has finally
found a way to leave her past behind her…But her heart leaps out of her chest when she sees Nash. How
can he be here? Now…after all this time? On the surface, she pulls herself back
together. But underneath she feels she is about to shatter. After remaking
herself, how can she deal with being faced with Nash and the life she knew
before?If this chance
meeting doesn’t rip Chloe and Nash apart, he will.Little do they know, someone has been lurking in the
shadows, manipulating them all along. If he has his way, the two will never be
reunited. Even if he has to take one of them out to ensure it.Stressing The Hero
Every hero has a story. He has a background, a history, and a
past. This interview allows us to meet a hero and get to know him better, by
focusing on how he handles being relaxed, as well as how he handles stress.The Hero’s Relaxed Side
This hero is at a
party. Considering his story, describe the party.Nash would enjoy a big party, but would prefer just hanging
with his family and a few friends.How does the hero
feel about being this particular party, and what body language is he displaying
that gives it away?When he’s with his family, he’s relaxed. He would be sitting
on the couch, one arm resting on the top, with his back in the corner, totally
engaged in the conversation he is having, turned toward the speaker, one leg up
on the couch a little. He is an artist and so his conversation would be thoughtful,
cerebral, intelligent. But Nash was also an athlete in high school so he is
strong and physically fit and could talk sports. He would avoid politics unless
it was a subject he was particularly passionate about. He was popular in high
school, but not Mr. Popularity. He is a stand up guy, someone you could count
on in a crisis.Is he more likely to mingle
or remain aloof?With family he’d mingle. At a bigger party he would mingle
some, but would limit it to a handful of people.If he drinks, what is
his drink of choice at this party?Beer, craft or otherwise. Prefers a basic beer.How much drink is his
usual?Depends on the night and how long he is out. On average,
three or four.The hero figures out where
the hiding places are and then goes there. Is it to hide, to avoid someone, or
to go drag a friend back to the party?He wouldn’t hide or avoid someone, at least not for long. If
someone went missing, though, he’d know where to find them because he’d
understand that desire. He may bring them back to the party or stay and talk
with them there.Is he likely to latch
onto a friend and stay with him/her and ignore others, or is he the friend that
others latch onto?If he gets involved in a conversation with someone, he
doesn’t feel the need to leave it in order to talk to everyone. He’d rather
miss out on saying hi to someone than miss out on a good conversation, although
he’d regret not getting to talk to everyone a little.If someone picked a fight
at this party, how is the hero going to handle it?He would try to negotiate the situation, but if he needed
to, he’d be fine with throwing someone out if they were making trouble.Is the hero the one most
likely to get tossed out of the party, or the one who does the tossing?He’d be the tosser, not the tossee.Will he know when to leave,
or stay late and make a nuisance of himself?He will know when to leave, but will stay late and help
clean up.The Hero’s Stressed Out Side
How does the hero handle
it if the cops or some other authority figure pulls him aside when he was
blameless in a situation?He’s pretty calm about it, believes that it will all work
out, that the cops will be reasonable and listen to him.How does the hero react
to hearing a scream?Nash would go to find out who was in trouble and try to help
them. He’d take along his brothers if he thought he needed to.If he sees someone being
assaulted, what is the FIRST thing that crosses his mind?I need to step in and help this person.If he sees someone
being assaulted, what is the FIRST thing he does?He steps in to defend them.This hero attempts to
rescue someone and realizes that he is in over his head. The odds are against him
and there is no way out. He is going to get his butt handed to him. What does he
do?Takes it like a man.The hero runs into
the one person from his past he wanted to avoid. He can’t get out of the
situation and must interact with him/her in some way. What does he do?His jaw would be tight and conversation would be clipped.Someone younger than
the hero is in charge of the situation, and they are handling it badly, perhaps
bungling things. How does the hero deal with it?He would let them try to handle the situation themselves,
but if they gave a sign of needing help he’s be there to do his best to handle
it.The hero is in
physical pain but must bear up under it and keep going. What does he tell
himself in order to get through the situation?I’ve just got to hang on and get through this.What mentor’s words
come to mind in a bad situation?He’d probably think of something his mom told him. He looks
up to her a lot. It probably would be along the lines of “walk a mile in
someone’s shoes.” He would try to see things from their viewpoint.What lesson from his
past gets him through a stressful situation?His time without Chloe was the worst period in his life. He
would tell himself if he could get through that, he could get through anything.Buy This Book
Publisher Kissmet PublishingBarnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hometown-heartache-mj-schiller/1123353865?ean=2940158052897Kobo https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/hometown-heartacheiBooks https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1081022176Author Social Media
Twitter https://twitter.com/mjschillerPinterest http://www.pinterest.com/mjschiller/Amazon Author Page http://www.amazon.com/M.J.-Schiller/e/B009JOQFQQ/Tumblr http://mjschilz.tumblr.com/Instagram http://instagram.com/mjschiller -
Stressing the Hero: Outside The Lines #contemporary @BethRhodes99 #RLFblog
Stressing the Hero from Outside The Lines a contemporary romance by Beth Rhodes.Author Bio
Beth Rhodes is a wife, mother, friend, and lover. She lives with her Army husband and their six children at the base of the mountains in Colorado. She loves the cold, coffee, camping, and sunshine.Her stories are full of life, family, and love. You can find her reading just about any genre of romance, but her favorites are fast-paced suspense, where life is on the line and love is the only saving grace. She wants a book that makes her heart pound and her pulse race.Beth is a member of Romance Writers of America, Pikes Peak Writers, Colorado Romance Writers, and International Thriller Writers. She is signed with Entangled Publishing and Boroughs Publishing Group.About the Book
Title: Outside The LinesGenre: Contemporary RomanceBook heat level (based on movie ratings): PG13For the first time in her life, good-girl Maria Rodriguez throws aside caution for an all-consuming desire. She wants freedom from rules and her family looking over her shoulder. She wants the love she’s only ever dreamed of. But then that love walks away. Jaded bachelor David March doesn’t believe in love. His fling with the pretty Hispanic woman from California is as close to feeling as he wants to get. Now, he’s back home, burying himself in work and trying to forget.Shortly after he leaves, Maria finds out she’s pregnant. Her first leap into freedom results in a life-changing consequence. She knows she has to find him. But what she finds is not what she expects. David is not the down-to-earth man he portrayed. And the love she remembers has been replaced by cold calculation and contracts. He lied to her once. Can she trust that a marriage agreement will bring back the love they once shared?Go to a place where stoic German meets colorful, vibrant, sexy Hispanic in this contemporary romance set in a small town outside Burlington, Vermont… in the heart of winter, love can happen!Stressing The Hero
Every hero has a story. He has a background, a history, and a past. This interview allows us to meet a hero and get to know him better, by focusing on how he handles being relaxed, as well as how he handles stress.The Hero’s Relaxed Side
This hero is at a party. Considering his story, describe the party.Once again, the old biddies of Lynnbrooke have fru-frued up the old town hall for the yearly charity ball. Equal parts twine and white netting-like shit hung from every beam. There were old mason jars on every table with stones and green baby’s breath flowers. And he only knew that because Mrs. Kraus had spent the last two days putting them together in his typically unused dining room. For the town, he reminded himself…for the business.How does the hero feel about being this particular party, and what body language is he displaying that gives it away?David is obligated, yet he does love his town and he would do anything for his grandfather.Is he more likely to mingle or remain aloof?A little of both!If he drinks, what is his drink of choice at this party?Scotch, MadRiverHow much drink is his usual?Just one, unless he’s alone.The hero figures out where the hiding places are and then goes there. Is it to hide, to avoid someone, or to go drag a friend back to the party?He goes to hide but he drags Maria with him so he can enjoy a moment of quiet with her.Is he likely to latch onto a friend and stay with him/her and ignore others, or is he the friend that others latch onto?He doesn’t latch onto friends, nor do people latch onto him. He’s been the rich kid and unapproachable his whole life…until Maria.If someone picked a fight at this party, how is the hero going to handle it?David looks out for the underdogs and for friends.Is the hero the one most likely to get tossed out of the party, or the one who does the tossing?He does the tossing.Will he know when to leave, or stay late and make a nuisance of himself?He’ll stay to help Mrs. Kraus clean up.The Hero’s Stressed Out Side
How does the hero handle it if the cops or some other authority figure pulls him aside when he was blameless in a situation?He’ll keep his cool on the outside, but he burns hot on the inside over injustice.How does the hero react to hearing a scream?David wouldn’t just jump in unless it was pretty obvious someone needed help.If he sees someone being assaulted, what is the FIRST thing that crosses his mind?To stop it.If he sees someone being assaulted, what is the FIRST thing he does?He steps in to break things up.This hero attempts to rescue someone and realizes that he is in over his head. The odds are against him and there is no way out. He is going to get his butt handed to him. What does he do?If it’s a fight, he just keeps fighting. If it’s…say, wrestling a black bear or surviving a dip into the frigid water of the Winooski River to pull someone out, he’ll do what he has to.The hero runs into the one person from his past he wanted to avoid. He can’t get out of the situation and must interact with him/her in some way. What does he do?He clams up. He avoided his mother for a long time, and even as his story starts, he’s standoffish, if not a wee bit rude.Someone younger than the hero is in charge of the situation, and they are handling it badly, perhaps bungling things. How does the hero deal with it?He takes the direction handed to him and then does what he wants to do. He can be a bit harsh that way, especially in the business world.What mentor’s words come to mind in a bad situation?His grandfather had a huge impact on his life, and though David faltered through most of his twenties, he always remembers how his grandfather taught him that fighting wasn’t always the best answer.What lesson from his past gets him through a stressful situation?Learning that he can survive anything.Buy This Book
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Outside-Lines-Love-Beyond-Reason-ebook/dp/B017OF2LBE/Author Social Media
Website http://www.authorbethrhodes.comBlog http://www.authorbethrhodes.com/blogFacebook http://www.facebook.com/beth.writesPinterest http://www.pinterest.com/bethwritesAmazon Author Page http://www.amazon.com/Beth-Rhodes/e/B0089WYQ0G/You May Also Like
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Interview with Henry Webb from Becoming His Master @MQBarber #RLFBlog #EroticRomance
This feature includes a book cover, blurb, buy links, short questionnaire, and social media contacts for the author.About the Book
Title Becoming His Master (Neighborly Affection #4)Genre LGBT erotic romanceAuthor Name M.Q. BarberBook heat level (based on movie ratings): RBlurb (up to 300 words)From rescue to romance…Teach a wounded submissive the value of his service. The task ought to be an easy one for an experienced dominant like Henry Webb.But novice Jay Kress challenges his teacher like no other. Still bearing the bruises of an encounter outside the bounds of safe consensual play, Jay is desperate to submit to the man who saved him—and shamed by his desires.Henry recognizes the dangers of a relationship built on hero worship. He’ll teach Jay how to stay safe, that’s all. He won’t take advantage of the younger man’s trust. He won’t share his fantasies about his dark-haired, athletic student. He’ll never claim this submissive for his own…Becoming His Master is a Neighborly Affection series prequel that tells the origin of Henry and Jay’s relationship in their pre-Alice days.Buy This Book
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Becoming-His-Master-Neighborly-Affection-ebook/dp/B00ONTR8AYBarnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/becoming-his-master-mq-barber/1120611649Kobo https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/becoming-his-masteriTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/becoming-his-master/id936584977?mt=11&uo=4Google Play https://play.google.com/store/books/details/M_Q_Barber_Becoming_His_Master?id=KRZjBgAAQBAJAuthor Social Media
Website http://www.mqbarber.comTwitter https://twitter.com/mqbarberFacebook https://www.facebook.com/mqbarberGoodreads https://www.goodreads.com/MQBarberAmazon Author Page http://www.amazon.com/author/mqbarberInterview with Henry Webb
What is it that you want, but cannot have? Authors call this the conflict of the story.What I most desire is an impossibility—to have met Jay, my sweet-natured submissive, before an odious predator led him down a path toward harm. Failing that, I want to see him whole and happy. As a submissive and as a man, he’s a delight. He’s quick to learn and eager to please. He has a ready smile, a fit body, and an incomparably beautiful soul. But he needs a mentor, not a lover. I’m pledged to help him find himself. I cannot do that if I self-servingly bend his desires toward me.What’s your internal limitation? Meaning, what is it about you that makes it so you cannot do what it is you need to do during this story?I’m told, by well-meaning friends, that my self-denial at times borders on masochism. I suspect there’s a bit more to it than that, but it’s true that I hold myself to an ethical standard that many others do not. Flawed I may be, but I would rather take care in imposing my will on others rather than later discover I’ve caused an unforgiveable result.What inner doubt causes you the most difficulty?That I am not, and cannot be, a mind reader. Most dominants I know — the good ones, at any rate — want to provide the best experience for their submissive partners, whether for a single night or a lifetime. Alongside the granting of authority and power comes the expectation of omniscience. I strive to know my submissives, to gauge their moods and their desires, to recognize when they long for more and when they have had enough but fear saying so would disappoint me. But I am not a god. Like any man, I make mistakes. The consequences of an error can be harsh, both emotionally and physically.What’s your external complication? In the story world your author created, explain what it is you fear most.I fear that Jay, in his vulnerability, will return to the man who hurt him. The urge to belong is a powerful one — and a dangerous one. I am attempting to encourage his independence, but he is beautifully submissive. He yearns to be owned. If I cannot teach him to prioritize his own safety, he will return to a poisonous relationship rather than remain alone.Are you happy with the way your story ended? Why or why not?I am delighted. Jay has surpassed all of my expectations. I could not have imagined this joy in my life. But having found it, I am loathe to allow even a minute to slip away.About You: Questions for the writer.
You have the length of a tweet (140 characters) to describe yourself as a writer. Let’s see what you can do.From a flurry of ideas channeled through a ballpoint pen, sweetly erotic literature emerges.Why did you choose to write about this character?Henry spoke to me. When a character is so insistent about telling his story, it’s impossible to push him aside. He’s a bit unusual for a fictional dominant, and I found his style intriguing.Was there anything you discovered about this character that was a surprise to you?Becoming His Master was my first chance to write a novel-length piece from Henry’s perspective. “Surprise” might not be the right word, but he astonished me with how deep his caretaking streak runs and how thoughtful he is about the plans he makes for his submissives. Being a good dominant is a lot of work!When you wrote about this character, what made you the most happy? What made you the most sad?Henry makes me happiest when he’s happiest, which is almost always when he’s guiding someone else toward a better place in their life. He’s very good at seeing problems and working out the necessary steps to surmount them — for others. He’s not as good at turning that perception on himself, and I think he makes me saddest when he denies himself the things he wants.What do you want to write next?It’s always such a tough decision! I jot down ideas when they come to me, so by the time I finish one book, I tend to have a pile of ideas for other books waiting. Recently, I’ve been debating whether to follow the same characters for a little bit longer, start following some friends of theirs, or move to a different set of people entirely — ones who’ve been waiting a while for their turn in the spotlight.What other character from this book do you want to write about? Care to tell us why?Oh, there are half a dozen other characters whose stories I’d like to tell. But the ones most likely to get their own books someday are Henry’s best friend Will and his friends Victor and Emma, the couple who mentored him in dominance and submission. They all have lives I’d like to explore further.Are any sequels planned for this book?In a way, all of the Neighborly Affection series books are sequels to Becoming His Master. It’s the first novel chronologically, because it shows us Henry and Jay as their love story began.
