Genre: Contemporary m/m romance

Buy links: http://www.mlrbooks.com/ShowBook.php?book=CC_TMBLT

Publisher: MLR

Cover artist: Deana C. Jamroz

Length: 84 pages, 28,000 words

Heat rating: Mild

Tagline: Winning isn’t everything…except when everything rides
on being first.

Blurb: Ben Edwards is the rising star of British Paralympic swimming,
with a medal at London 2012 firmly in his sights. Love isn’t going to be allowed
to get in the way — until he meets Nick, who proves to be a big distraction from
training. With his times sliding, and a family illness, to worry him, it looks like
Ben’s Olympic dreams are in tatters. Until Nick comes up with the most outrageous
incentive for winning.

What are your main characters’ names, ages, and occupations?

Ben Edwards is 21, has
just graduated with a degree in Psychology from Cardiff University,
and is a professional paralympic swimmer, on the elite funding programme.

Nick Prior is 22, in
his last year studying languages at Warwick
university.

Tell us about yourself.
What are you like?

Ben: A bit shy (no, honestly) and a bit lacking in self confidence
at times. You might think that’s a load of rubbish, if you’ve seen me tearing up
the pool and punching the air like mad when I win. But if you’ve watched my post
race interviews and seen how tongue tied I get maybe you’d believe it.

People tell me I’m good looking, but if I look at myself in the
mirror first thing of a morning or when I’ve just finished a hard training session,
I’m not so sure. My physique’s good though, even my dodgy left hand side.

What do you think is your
strongest point?

Ben: Determination. I’ve always believed in having dreams and
trying to make them come true. Right from when I heard that London was getting the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics,
I wanted to take part.

Do you have a weakness?
(If so, what do you think it is? What does your lover think it is? What does your
enemy think it is?)

Ben: I suppose most people would say my cerebral palsy was a
weakness, but I wasn’t brought up to think of it as that. Nick would agree—it just
makes me different, in the way he’s different because he can’t spell to save his
life. I’d say my Achilles’ heel is being too easily distracted, like Nick distracted
me in the run up to the Paralympics. My coach would have the same opinion. (Don’t
you make out I’m implying my coach is my enemy!)

What drives you to do
the things you do? What makes you want to be the “good guy?”

Ben: Because what’s the alternative? I guess my mum and dad brought
me up to think about other people and to always try to do the next right thing.
Maybe I’m naive but I can’t imagine doing anything different.

What’s your favorite guilty
pleasure?

Ben: Biscuits, especially custard creams or chocolate Hob Nobs.

If you didn’t know how
old you were how old would you be?

Ben: I don’t think I understand the question. Does it mean what
age would I ideally be? Forever 21 I suppose.

A biography has been written
about you. What do you think the title would be in six words or less?

Ben: Touching First. (Because I always want to be first to touch
the wall in my races.)

If money were not an object,
where would you most like to live?

Ben: Maybe one of the great big houses at Sandbanks, near Bournemouth, where we used to go on holidays when I was a
little boy. Or a really posh flat at Cardiff
Bay, so I could get my swimming
training in. Either would do, so long as Nick could get over easily enough to visit
me.

What song would best describe
your life?

Ben: It would be too much of a cliché to go with “I am What I
am”, although you can’t imagine what a buzz I got when they used that in the Paralympic
opening ceremony. “Ain’t no Mountain High Enough”, maybe, because I like overcoming
challenges. Had plenty of practice!

If you were a tool, what
would people use you to do?

Ben: Um, clean their cars because I’m great in the water?

Picture yourself as a
store. Considering your personality and lifestyle, what type of products would be
sold there?

Ben: I’d be one of those stores that sell all sorts of fun things.
Like Hawkin’s Bazaar used to. Sports stuff, games, puzzles, jokey things. That’s
me to a t.

As a child, what was your
favorite thing about school?

Ben: Playtime, of course. I was clever enough that lessons weren’t
that hard work, but once the bell went and we could let off some steam – playing
football or just haring around the playground – I was happy as a pig in dirt.

Tell us an embarrassing
story that has to do with a pet. If you have no pets, a story about a significant
other will do. ^_^

Ben: This is really
embarrassing. When I was little I tried to shave our dog, because I thought his
hair was too long. Luckily dad caught me and put a stop to things. The dog was such
a daft thing he just let me!

If you came with a warning
label, what would it say?

Ben: “Dangerous when wet”?

I love pizza with ham and pineapple.

I’m always ready for watching sport. Live or TV, bring it on!

When I’m alone, I play games on my laptop. I’ve always been a
bit of a games nerd.

You’d never be able to tell, but I got straight A grades at A
level.

If I had a halo it would be stuck
on, so I didn’t lose it.

If I could fly, I’d give up swimming.
Maybe.

I can never be a boxer because my left side has a habit of going
weak on me.

Charlie’s a member of the Romantic
Novelists’ Association, Mystery People and International Thriller Writers Inc, with
titles published by Carina, MLR, Noble Romance and Cheyenne. Charlie’s Cambridge Fellows Series,
set in Edwardian England, was instrumental in her being named Author of the Year
2009 by the review site Speak Its Name.

Website: www.charliecochrane.co.uk

Facebook: CharlieCochrane

Twitter: CharlieCochrane

Blog: Writingthe Beauty of his Eyes

Other sites: Goodreads