Author Interview and Contest Give Away: Allison Merritt
Welcome to Major Love~~~Major Romance, Allison Merritt.
Congratulations on your new release, The Treasure Hunter’s Lady! And thank you so much for the GiveAway!
Can you tell us about the story and how you came up with the idea?
The Treasure Hunter’s Lady is set in 1884 between Boston and what was then Dakota Territory.
Romy Farrington seems to have the perfect life—a world-famous archaeologist father, a pretty dowry and an upcoming marriage to a wealthy businessman. But to Romy, her new life among the elitists is like a punishment.
For years, she traveled the world at her father’s side, exploring new lands and uncovering ancient secrets. It was everything she ever wanted, until a near-fatal encounter with hostile natives forced her and her father into a life of retirement in Boston and an undesired advance into proper society.
Everything changes again when she’s saved from an accident by a brash Texan in a back alley. Abel Courte may act like a care-free cowboy, but he’s harboring a secret—he’s searching for the Diamond of Uktena, a legendary jewel that can cure any disease known to man. He needs information Romy’s father has in order to get to the jewel. When he traces the origin of the Diamond to Dakota Territory, he sets off to claim the treasure, only to find the archaeologist’s fiery redheaded daughter stuck to him like a bug in sap.
In a race against time, Romy and Abel must learn to trust each other as they undertake a cross-country journey that will expose them to lands uncharted by white men, a deadly battle against the fearsome creature in possession of the Diamond and a fight to return to civilization where they might make the greatest discovery of all—love.
The Treasure Hunter’s Lady has kind of a crazy story behind it. A few years ago after a long break, I decided to start writing again and I was researching a historical romance set in Australia. I fell in love with everything I learned about that country (unfortunately, I’ve never been) and around the same time I was re-watched The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. I thought, wow, I would love to write a story with crazy paranormal elements and cool technology set in Australia. So the first draft, which is way shorter than the finished MS is set in Australia. When I started pitching and trying to get an agent, they all seemed repulsed by the idea of setting it out of the country and I ended up writing a version set in America.
Well, I would have loved the story set in Australia, but since I’m from Texas, I don’t mind a hot hometown boy either. I have this downloaded on my Nook and am reading it right now.
Looking back over all of the intimate moments you’ve created between characters, which scene would you most like to experience for yourself? What makes it so alluring?
There’s a scene in the middle of the book where Romy and Abel seek shelter in a cave to get out of a rain storm. Romy has just fallen down an embankment and banged her legs up pretty good, but Abel volunteers to run some liniment on them. First they have to get out of those wet clothes. I’m all about leg rubs, especially naked ones that lead to steamy scenes. I could do without the cave though. Fortunately there were no bats in this particular cave, but still….
That sounds adventurous and romantic.
If a reader is unfamiliar with your work, which of your books would you suggest he or she read first? Why?
The Treasure Hunter’s Lady is my debut novel, but I have a couple of short stories up on Amazon and B&N as well. One’s really short, like you’d find in the Woman’s World magazine and it’s free, one’s a short novella that’s contemporary and the other is a western with a little bit of a love story.
Which genres do you write in and why?
I once read a numerology report that said I’m a jack-of-all-trades. That’s so true. My heart belongs to historical romances, but I like to break loose from time to time. I’m labeling The Treasure Hunter’s Lady as a steampunk romance, which has a historical base, but brings in some wacky technology and has paranormal elements. I also really want to write a contemporary romance, I just need to figure out the characters and plot—I’m thinking cowboys. I have a couple of contemp short stories that were a lot of fun to write.
Cowboys are good. I love the voice of a good cowboy.
What are you currently working on?
Right now I’m working on the follow-up novel to The Treasure Hunter’s Lady. It’s called The Sky Pirate’s Wife and features the airship captain from THL as the hero. I’m about three quarters done with the first draft. I’ve also got a historical paranormal novella going on.
What gets you into the mood to write?
Go ahead and laugh, but hearing theme songs from movies like The Eye of the Tiger (from Rocky)or The Climb (from Hannah Montana the Movie—which I haven’t seen, but I really loved the song), get me jazzed. Also, instrumental soundtracks. I think, these fantastic characters made this journey from point A to point B. I’m the hero of my own story.
I am laughing at this question not at your last answer. Because you always make me hungry with your Facebook posts. LOL Favorite snack or drink while you write?
Anything easy to grab. I can’t handle a fork or a spoon while I’m typing, but I can spare a few seconds to cram a handful of Cheerios into my mouth. Anything that comes out of a box ready to eat is my friend.
Any words of advice to aspiring authors?
Don’t be afraid to learn. If there’s something you want to do or try in writing, ask around, find out about it on the Internet, join groups and just get in there and get your hands dirty. I did pretty much everything on The Treasure Hunter’s Lady by myself. The cover, the formatting, the file conversions, marketing, but thank heavens I had help with editing. It was all because I wasn’t too timid to get in there and learn it. It’s kind of freeing to learn something new and it keeps your mind sharp.
Good Advice and so true.
What are you currently reading?
Ooo, I got an e-reader for Christmas, so my book reading world has really opened up. I just finished Zombies Don’t Cry: A Living Dead Love Story by Rusty Fischer. I have a couple of other contemporary romances lined up to get into, but I’m not sure which one to pick yet.
And finally, is there anything you would like to share?
Just big thank yous for everyone who helped me along the way. I’d be sitting drowning in a puddle of tears without my writer friends and my family. You guys are the best.
Ally – it was a pleasure to have you here. You’re welcome anytime.
The Treasure Hunter’s Lady is avaiable at
Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/The-Treasure-Hunters-Lady-ebook/dp/B0076ZE4W2/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_4
Smashwords – https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/130781
Allison can be found at the following links:
http://havenovelwilledit.blogspot.com
http://facebook.com/allisonmwrites
Happy Valentine’s Day Massage and Giveaway!
Every year for Valentine’s Day my husband asks, “What do you want?” I think it’s because he wants me to say, “Nothing.”
Ha Ha Ha! Every year I ask for a massage. As a mother of three under the age of eight, I need to relax and a massage not only soothes tense muscles, but it gets me away from my stressful environment for a while. You know the one where you can’t take a shower or use the bathroom without someone interrupting you.
So as your treat today I’m giving you a short steamy massage story and offering a chance to win a five dollar gift card from All Romance EBooks.
For your chance to win – Just “like” my Facebook page and follow my blog, then leave a comment with your email to follow-up and tell me what you like for Valentine’s Day.
Moore Massage by Casea Major
Story One from Moore is Better Series
If you have more stress you need Moore massage!
WARNING: This story contains explicit sex and language some may find offensive.
Sorry you missed Cary! Check back soon for Moore!
Hope you are sufficiently relaxed. Visit our other wonderful blog spots HERE at Just Romance Me.
And if you liked the FREE story. Consider purchasing my hilarious erotic Time Travel from Decadent Publishing — One Knight in Brooklyn
Contest Giveaway with Skye Warren: When Coincidences Collide
Glad to have you, Skye.
Thanks so much to Casea for having me here!
Sometimes I find it so crazy that a small coincidence, just a trick of fate, can lead to something meaningful. When I was eleven years old, I was flipping through those coupon books with my mom and found an introductory summer program for martial arts. I knew absolutely nothing about karate or any of that, but I was bored and my mom agreed.
I loved it! It challenged me physically and mentally (though I didn’t think of that way then, I just thought it was fun ). From there I went on to train for the next seven years, earning my black belt along the way. I also trained and worked as an instructor in the school, something which gave me confidence and life experience. My instructor, my school, the community of other students – all of it shaped my middle school and high school years.
It was just a small thing, finding a coupon on a rainy day, but what an impact it’s had on my life!
A similar chance encounter was the inspiration for my martial arts romance, Below the Belt. A lot of my story ideas start out as a what-if question. What if a guy were to have sex with a random girl. Neither of them care about each other. Neither of them are interested in pursuing a relationship (yet). What would it take to turn that into a romance?
From there, the rest of the story fell into place. Because it turns out that guy is a martial artist, gunning for gold in a national championship so that he can win sponsorship money to start his own school. And that woman? She’s got a martial art past of her own, one she’s trying to leave behind. Neither of them want to want each other, but sparks will fly.
In this scene, the hero and heroine are engaged in said anonymous hook-up. It’s not supposed to mean anything, or matter. It’s only sex.
“Who are you, really?” she whispered.
“I’m no one,” he murmured, his face buried in her silky soft hair. “No one special.” It was the truth. He’d grown up too poor and too stupid to be anyone. No matter how hard he fought, he was just another loser from Podunk, Nowhere.
“Oh yeah?” she challenged softly. “A two time national medalist and forerunner for the male heavyweight competition is nobody?”
Abe lifted his head.
“Yeah, I recognized you,” she said.
She didn’t understand. It wouldn’t be enough. Not any of it, not ever. His throat tight, he gave a short shake of his head.
“Oh, Abe,” she said. God, what was that look in her eyes? He wanted to look away from it, but he couldn’t. “You’re someone special. I see it.”
The line wouldn’t come—the one that would make this whole conversation a joke, instead of the truth. He always laughed it off, or fought it off, no matter what came.
Not this time.
She’d come out of nowhere and blindsided him, but he couldn’t figure it out just then. Not with his lust driving him insane. It was like the tunnel vision in the middle of a fight, when he couldn’t hear or even see, but just moved on pure instinct.
“Lie down,” he ordered. “I need to get inside you.” What the hell was wrong with him? He needed to keep it together. His legendary control, his focus, was all shot to hell.
Thankfully, she did lie down on the ballroom carpet, and even better, spread her legs in acceptance. If she hadn’t, he would have been liable to do something stupid—like beg.
He pulled his wallet out of his pants, ripping through it until he found the condom. Tossing the wallet to the floor, he undid his pants and rolled the condom on. He thought he heard something—voices maybe. It didn’t really matter. They wouldn’t come in here.
He just had to fuck her. Everything would be okay if he was in her, feeling her heat, riding her to completion.
They can already feel the attraction, the pull of something deeper, but they aren’t necessarily acknowledging it. There’s no conscious thought that this might be someone they could fall in love with or know better. And even as he knows there’s something different about, that only makes him want to have sex with her more, not step back. Because, when we’re in that turning point, all we can do is hold on to what we know…until all hell breaks loose.
If you’d like to read one, Below the Belt is available at the major online retailers. Plus, one commenter will win a copy of Below the Belt! Just drop in and share one time when a coincidence led to something greater for you – maybe how you met your husband or fell into a great job. Or if you can’t think of anything (because sometimes it’s hard to be put on the spot!) just say hi.
Thanks!
Skye Warren
Below the Belt
http://www.skyewarren.com/books/below-the-belt
Black belt Abe Montgomery is focused on winning gold. But at nationals, Abe meets Paris, a beautiful, mysterious woman. Paris Rivera has sworn off men and martial arts. Her black belt cost her more than years of dedication and sweat. The fight of Abe’s life looms ahead, with his dreams of owning a school and his future with Paris hanging in the balance. He may dominate on the mats, but he’s fallen hard for her. When the time comes for them to part, he may not be able to let her go.
BELOW THE BELT is a 30,000 word novella of erotic romance featuring explicit sex and graphic language. Not for those under 18 years of age or those uncomfortable with the subject matter.
Buy It Now: Amazon | B & N | All Romance | Bookstrand | Smashwords | Kobo | Goodreads
