Sunday Smooch with Cathryn Hein

Welcome to another LoveCats DownUnder Sunday Smooch!


Today we have a smooch from Heart Of The Valley by Cathryn Hein, but first ...

the winner of last week's Sunday Smooch Giveaway is -- cecilia 83!



Congratulations, cecilia!

Can you please contact Louisa George on louisageorge32 (at) gmail (dot) com
and she will send you a copy of Waking Up With His Runaway Bride.

And now for today's Sunday Smooch from Heart Of The Valley by Cathryn Hein ...

Brooke Kingston is smart, capable and strongwilled ­ some might even say stubborn ­ and lives in the beautiful Hunter Valley on her family property. More at home on horseback than in heels, her life revolves around her beloved ‘boys’ ­ showjumpers Poddy, Oddy and Sod.

Then a tragic accident leaves Brooke a mess. Newcomer Lachie Cambridge is hired to manage the farm, and Brooke finds herself out of a job and out of luck. But she won¹t go without a fight.

What she doesn’t expect is Lachie himself ­ a handsome, gentle giant with a will to match her own. But with every day that Lachie stays, Brooke’s future on the farm is more uncertain. Will she be forced to choose between her home and the man she’s falling for?

One tender touch, one exquisite kiss, and the grief Brooke had been clinging to so tightly subsided. It still throbbed in the background, but the edges were dulled. They no longer cut blades through her heart. Instead, as Lachie took the kiss deeper, her spirit swelled, ballooned by something marvellous, something rapturous and hope-filled.

Multiple times in her love-drunk hazes she’d imagined kissing him, but not once had she imagined it would be this magical. He’d started tentative, careful, just a light brush of her mouth, as though testing her sincerity, and she’d melted against him, wanting more. Sensing her need, he’d responded, cupping her face as he pressed his mouth harder against hers. Now, he kissed with a hunger that turned her inside out and drowned her in feelings of love, lust and desperate, insistent want.

And God, was it right. Perfectly, wonderfully right.

His hands slid down her neck, across her shoulders and down her bare arms, knuckles brushing her sides, each touch electric. He kissed his way across her cheek, warm, excited breath heavy in her ear as he nibbled at her lobe then left it to kiss a trail down her neck. He nuzzled the neck of her T-shirt aside to place fluttery kisses on her collarbone. Eyes closed, she arched her back, panting with pleasure as she let the glory of it swallow her.

He nuzzled his way back up to her mouth before drawing back to look at her intently. ‘Are you really sure about this?’

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed against him. ‘You’re kidding, right?’

‘No. I’m serious. I need to know.’

‘I’m positive, Lachie. Absolutely,’ she brushed her mouth against his, ‘positively,’ sucked at his lower lip, ‘positive.’

She meant it. Heart and soul meant it. She loved him, and if the tragedies of the year had taught her one thing, it was to give and show her love, not hide it, because tomorrow could see it snatched away. Every hour, every minute, every second needed to be treasured. And even if this was only one night – a display of kind-heartedness and sympathy on his part – at least she’d have it to cherish and remember.

‘If you change your —’

She pressed her finger against his mouth, shaking her head. ‘No more worry. No more talk. Just do.’

"Heart of the Valley takes place in the very romantic Hunter Valley, where the landscape is so magnificent you can't blame Lachie and Brooke for wanting to kiss! What place inspires the romantic in you? Leave a somment to be in the draw to win a signed copy of win a signed copy of Heart of the Valley." (Australian residents only)


Come back next Sunday, when the winner of today's giveaway will be announced -- and a smooch from Every Boy's Dream Dad by Sue Mackay will be posted!

Up, up and away!

In a couple of days I'll be off on my first every trip to America. I'm so deliciously excited!

Right now I'm having a bit of trouble packing my bags because I can't imagine wanting to wear summerish clothes when I'm bundled up in jumpers, and rushing to get things done I need to do before I leave, but as soon as that plane takes off, I know I'll be 100% focused on the trip. I can't wait.


While I'm there I'll be attending the Romance Writers of America conference in Anaheim, including the literacy signing (I'll be at table 101 if you're going - I'd love you to drop by!). I'll also be meeting some US friends in person for the first time, and having a bit of a look around.


Now I have a question or three - if you're from the US or have visited, what should I make sure I fit in while I'm there? I've heard stories of soft pretzels and cherry pie. Any other recommendations? 


If you've ever been on a long flight like this, do you have any travel tips?


If you're staying in Australia or New Zealand and you see my Bestseller Collection on the shelves, can you give it a little pat and say hello from me? It was supposed to be on the shelves already but it's not at my local ones and now I'm leaving the country. I feel like I'm deserting it! :)

Legends At LoveCats . . . Robyn Donald

 

I'm delighted to be able to spotlight one of my favourite authors on Legends At LoveCats today.

Introducing the fabulous Robyn Donald . . .

 Please tell us a little about your journey to first getting published?
I had no intention of writing novels until I found myself married, with a toddler and another on the way, having just moved from the small town I'd grown up in to Auckland, New Zealand's biggest city. I'd already found romances and was entranced by the work of the New Zealand and Australian writers for Mills & Boon. As I coped with morning sickness and loneliness, I found myself one day sitting down at the dining room table in the only spare time I had, the toddler's afternoon nap, and writing. With a pen.

How many books have you had published so far in your career?
I still have that first attempt. It's awful - banal, derivative, dull - you name the writing sin, I committed it. But I loved writing. Not that I finished that first novel - yet another sin. In fact, for ten years I wrote and wrote and wrote without every finishing a novel, until one day, when I'd returned to teaching, my husband had a heart attack and had to spend six weeks not working. He found this incredibly difficult, and so did I, as I'd been warned not to let him get stressed, so when he suggested I finish the novel I was working on I agreed - and did it, to our mutual astonishment. I had no idea what to do with this large, handwritten manuscript on lined school pads, so I asked a friend's daughter to type it for me, christened it 'Bride at Whangatapu' and sent it off to the only romance publisher I knew, Mills & Boon with a two-sentence letter requesting their consideration. To even more astonishment and much delight, it was accepted with minor revisions. Two years later I gave up teaching, and since then I've written consistently, sending off the 86th novel a couple of weeks ago.

The world of publishing is ever evolving, how have you stayed on top of trends and continued to give your readers what they want?
 Probably the biggest aid I've discovered was computers. I was a reluctant toe-dipper, encouraged by my husband and children to buy an Apple Mac when they first came out. Teaching myself to type was painfully slow. Although I'm fast I'm still inaccurate, but it certainly beats writing the first eleven books by hand! Email meant learning to control my urge to read every one as it comes in, and also opened whole new realms of friendship and information. But the most important thing for me is reading - romances, of course, but also following the many other genres and authors I love. And I never read reviews of my books...


What has been the highlight of your publishing career so far?
No excitement can beat being accepted for that first book. Fortunately I didn't know the second book was supposed to be more difficult to write, so I didn't worry about it. Sometimes, ignorance is bliss! Since then I've had too many pleasurable moments to be able to pick one occasion in particular, but being presented with a small Tiffany box by my editor to mark the publication of my 75th book was a real highlight.

Which of your books is your favourite, and why?
I have no favourite book. It's like being asked which is your favourite child. 'Bride at Whangatapu' is special because it was the first. Others remind me of glorious holidays, and I do enjoy writing about my home of Northland in New Zealand. Taking part in the Niroli series was great fun and interesting. And I enjoy using minor characters from previous books and seeing how they're getting on.

Are you a plotter or a panster?
Plotting is an arcane, mysterious process that other writers do. I've always envied writers who plot; it must be so reassuring, and once, buoyed by a charismatic speaker at a romance conference, I raced home and plotted three novels. None were written. I found the process of writing boring when I already knew what was going to happen. Reluctantly, I've accepted that I write to discover stories. The way I work is messy and slow, and involves a fair amount of rewriting and quite a few choice epithets, but it's the only way that works for me. Something I tell beginning writers is to try both ways, then settle on the one that works best for you. And never let anyone tell you that your way is inferior; if it works, stick with it. The most important thing is to finish each manuscript before starting the next.

What’s the one piece of advice you would give aspiring authors?
The whole reason for writing is to tell stories, and every writer is different; each writer has a method of producing that is personal. I often get stuck in the middle of the book; I find the best way for me to overcome that is to write the final scene. It's amazing what I learn. Often it has to be scrapped because the story changes and the characters find a different path to the one I'd imagined, but it works for me

What do you love most about being a romance author?
Although I've spent quite a lot of time tearing my hair over recalcitrant characters, I enjoy what I do enormously. I like working at home, I like being able to do what I like when I like, I love researching, and I treasure those (rare) moments when I reread a sentence or a phrase I've written in a tearing hurry, and realise with a jolt that it's turned out exactly the way I intended. And I like hearing from readers!

Thankyou Robyn for being with us today and generously answering our questions.

Leave a comment to go into the draw to win a fabulous hardback copy of Robyn's latest release, Stepping Out Of The Shadows .....

Something old, something New...

Noumea waterfront

Winter downunder means cold temps, runny noses and a hankering for heat. Around about July I get that Northern hemisphere need for sunshine (hey- it’s July so it must be warm- right?) so we often try to escape to warmer places. This year we decided we’d indulge ourselves with a week of rest and relaxation in New Caledonia. New Caledonia is a tiny collection of islands only a three hour flight from Auckland (I think it’s one of the closest Pacific Islands to Australia and New Zealand. Whilst it has a thriving tourist industry, it’s main income comes from nickel mining.)


We asked around- no-one knew much about it, no-one had ever been there. So, obviously, we had to go! Whilst I love to revisit familiar places (we go to the same camping spot each year)- we also adore exploring new countries and cultures. I'm one of those embarrassing mothers who talks to strangers, I love to hear peoples' stories- what makes them tick. 

John the tour guide and local ladies

I’m not sure what I was expecting- but we were very pleasantly surprised by the successful mix of european/ Kanak (indigenous)influences. After a lot of quite recent (1980s-90s) unrest things have settled down politically and there was a definite feeling of harmony. Colonised by France it has a real mix of French flair and pacific laissez-faire, all with a lovely French accent and gallic shrug.  

Award winning Tjibaou centre

I had two must-dos on my list: 1) No internet (for me) for the week so I could have total relaxation and read my too-large stash of books; and 2) I wanted to see turtles. The islands are surrounded by one of the world’s largest lagoons where, so I’d read, turtles happily laze away their days.

 at the museum

Item 1 was quickly thwarted by FREE Wi-fi in the hotel! I discovered that I have absolutely no willpower. By the end of the first day I was already uploading things to facebook!

So I decided to work on item 2. Turtles. The weather at the start of our holiday was gorgeous-a lovely thick heat that thawed our bodies and fed us great hope for a fabulous holiday.  We poured over our dive/snorkel brochures and planned our boat trip for the middle of the week.

cagou birds

By Day 3, however, the weather had closed in and we had cardigans and clouds for the rest of our stay- which put a downer on the idea of going snorkelling and seeing those lovely turtles! But the cooler weather meant lots of time to explore and learn more about this special place. 

We managed to fill our days. We took a tour out into the bush and ate a fabulous lunch of organic roasted venison with papaya salad at a restaurant owned by a woman with 24 kids!! (Some are adopted.) We met lots of friendly people, visited three museums, the amazing Tjibaou centre (designed by Renzo Piano who designed the Pompidou Centre in Paris and the new Shard in London) and great zoological gardens where we saw the cagou- the New Caledonian flightless bird. 

the turtle!

Then! We found the aquarium. Coral…yeah. Fish….check. Sharks…yeah. TURTLES! Well- turtle. I saw one. One. But it was just too gorgeous for words.

music is a common language

In the end it didn’t matter that the sun didn’t shine, we laughed and ate our way around and spent some lovely quality time with each other. Don’t be surprised if my next hero’s french, or the setting’s in New Caledonia- it certainly left an impression! [If anyone’s interested- I’m not sure I’d take the kids again- they had a great time, and would have been in heaven if they could have swam or snorkelled- but the prices for other activities/food/tours meant that we were conscious always of how expensive everything is there.]

So-what do you like to do? Stick to holidaying in the familiar or trying places a little off the beaten track?

Sunday Smooch with Louisa George

Welcome to another LoveCats DownUnder Sunday Smooch!


Today we have a smooch from Waking Up With His Runaway Bride by Louisa George, but first ...

the winner of last week's Sunday Smooch Giveaway is -- Clare Scott!

Congratulations, Clare! Can you please contact Robyn at

robyn (dot) grady (dot) author @ gmail dot com   ... and she'll send you a copy of Strictly Temporary.

And now for today's Sunday Smooch from Waking Up With His Runaway Bride by Louisa George...



Back cover blurb... 

Mim McCarthy needs to focus on saving her clinic - not her insufferable yet outrageously sexy ex Dr Connor Wiseman. He might have grown into those cheekbones, but she knows he won't have forgiven his runaway fiancee so easily! Yet it's impossible to deny the sparks between them - their fights used to be legendary, but their making up might be even more momentous...







[Set up...Connor is in town to assess Mim's business- her future is in his hands - yep, the same guy she ran out on three years ago. Now she's lost a bet to him too. Her penalty? A one hour salsa lesson...]


Common sense told her to walk away. 
That being so close to him was spectacularly foolish. Any dealings with Connor needed to be based on work, not on a silly wager and definitely not a dance lesson where she’d have his hot skin under her fingertips.

He’d made her cross, although she realized now that was just a jumble of emotions all caught up in being with him. A smokescreen for desire. She tried to cling on to the anger, to formulate a resistance to him based on that.

She put her hand on the hard wall of his chest to push away from him. Felt the raging thunder of his heart. The full force of his heat burnt her fingers but she couldn’t draw them away. Not now. This was too real. Too raw.


Blatant need zipped between them. Pressure throbbed through her body to fever pitch. She reached up to touch his mouth. Couldn’t stop. No matter what. She had to run her fingers over those lips.
He grabbed her wrist and his gaze fixed on her. Held her captive.


‘I want to kiss you, Mim.’ It was more groan than words, a deep low sound that tugged at her abdomen and sent rivers of desire skittering through her.


She drew in a breath to fight against the heat swelling through her. ‘No.’


‘Why not?’


She couldn’t think of a rational reason. Her brain was filled with him, his closeness. 
Kissing him was inevitable. Had been since he walked back into her life. Whatever would happen after that she didn’t know. Right now she didn’t care. She just wanted to touch him, feel him, taste him again. ‘Do you have a procedure manual for that?’ 


‘Thought I’d go with you on this. Gut feeling.’ 


‘Tut tut,’ she breathed. ‘Breaking rules again.’


His mouth grazed hers, slowly at first, tracing a line across her bottom lip. His hand cupped her neck as he pulled her to him, pressing his hard body against her.


Resistance was futile. No man had ever had this effect on her. It was all or nothing with Connor, no middle ground. And she wanted it all. 
Right now.


Nothing mattered now except tasting him again. She opened her mouth to his, felt a surge of pleasure ripple through her as his tongue licked against hers.


Yes, this was foolish. It was deliciously losing control. For the first time in too many years, she felt so alive, in his arms. 


Desire made her bolder. She pulled him closer, ran her hands down his back, ripped the T-shirt from his jeans. Pressed her breasts against his chest, grazed her nipples against the thick cotton. Shafts of need arced through her as he kissed a trail from her mouth to her neck.


Lilting salsa music filtered through from the lounge, cementing her focus. The dance lesson. The bet. 


She dragged her neck away from his delicious nibbles. ‘I am still cross. You are so not off the hook...’

Waking Up With His Runaway Bride is available now in UK, and from August 1st in Australia/NZ.  To be in the draw to win a signed copy, leave a comment below:


Have you ever won or lost a bet that changed your life?


Come back next Sunday, when the winner of today's giveaway will be announced -- and a smooch from Heart Of The Valley by Cathryn Hein will be posted!

Time Travel Anyone?

by Robyn Grady

One of my favourite kinds of story involves time travel. A dear friend, Christina Phillips, introduced me to A Time Traveller’s Wife in 2004 and while I love Rachel McAdams and that movie, my God, the book was a thousand times better. That last few pages are designed (I'm sure) to go around and around in your head. Such a happy bittersweet ending :sniff:

I adored Ashton Kutcher in The Butterfly Effect. Each time his character goes back in time to make things better, he becomes more heroic but the complications grow too. What a job to keep track of the logistics of those stories!

Lately, I’ve been watching Dr. Who. Wasn’t a fan of the 70s version. That guy – and his scarf - didn’t appeal to me at all. Even as a girl, I viewed the production aspects as unsophisticated. (Apologies to any original Dr. Who fans out there!) However, these latest episodes are, IMHO, incredibly well done. Sharp dialogue, most of the time terrific costumes, and the plots for each episode are gripping, ranging from futuristic scenarios to alien invasions to ghosts stories from times gone by.

One of my faves is when Dr. Who and Rose travel back to Victorian England where they visit a spooky country manor with the “I am not amused” queen herself. There’s a huge diamond involved in the mystery, but best of all, there’s a werewolf! At the end of that episode, the Queen states that she intends to form an enterprise that will investigate paranormal and other strange happenings. The Torchwood Institute! So now there’s another series I need to buy J 

Do you have a favourite time travel book/movie? Maybe you’re a fan of the new – or the old - Dr. Who? Or do you prefer your stories firmly rooted in reality?

The Ultimate Romance Reading List

by Michelle Douglas

I have a degree in English Literature. I also have a Master of Philosophy (English). I’ve studied Renaissance Drama, Romance and Realism in the 18th and 19th Centuries, the Romantic Poets, Modernism and Colonial Fiction. I’ve read Homer, Shakespeare, Tolstoy, Dickens, Proust, Joyce and Hemingway. Occasionally even the odd female has made the reading lists and I’d study them too – Austen, the Brontes, Emily Dickinson, George Eliot, and Virginia Woolfe.

But it recently occurred to me that although I have been an avid reader of romance novels since I was a teenager, there are some serious holes in my romance reading education. For example, I have never read anything by Laura Kinsale or Loretta Chase (or Jayne Ann Krentz or Linda Howard or Stephanie Laurens or…oh, there are so many!). And it’s started me thinking…

If I were ever going to teach an academic course on “Reading The Romance” what novels would I chose as my set texts? What romance novels do I think best capture the spirit of romance? Which novels do I think display all the best that the romance genre has to offer? This is what I’ve come up with so far:

1. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (though any of her novels would suit)

2. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

I’d choose these because they became the pattern for so many romances that followed. Plus I love them.

3. Flowers From the Storm by Laura Kinsale

4. Mr Impossible by Loretta Chase

5. Cross Stitch by Diana Gabaldon

I’ve not read any of these, but I desperately want to. They do seem to be seen as ideal examples of The Romance by a lot of readers (and academics) too.

6. Something (anything!) by Jennifer Crusie – Bet Me, perhaps, or Welcome to Temptation?

I’ve read the first—loved it!—but I’ve yet to read the second. A Jenny Crusie novel is such fun.

7. The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer (or, frankly, anything by Heyer)

Oh how I love her regency romances – they’re real comfort food for the soul. Her characterisations are impeccable.

8. Something (again anything!) by Susan Elizabeth Phillips – Ain’t She Sweet or Match Me If You Can.

In my opinion, Susan Elizabeth Phillips is the mistress of romantic comedy. The two novels I’ve named are the only ones of hers I’ve read so far, but I seriously want to glom her backlist.

I’d like to have 10 books for my reading list, but I’m not sure what else I should add. I expect The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen Woodiwiss should make the list, but I’ve tried to read it and just can’t get into it. E.M. Hull’s The Sheik isn’t there, and I’d definitely be interested in reading that. Oops, and there’s no Nora there yet.

So…what do you think I should slot in for my final two places? Are there books you’d remove from my list? Hmm…and should I make this a list of 12?