Taste of Kiwi: Blog of Author Shelley Munro

Shelley is busy with edits, so here are some photos of places she’s visited during the last two weekends.

This is the Sky Tower, taken from the Auckland Domain.

This is the Auckland War Memorial Museum. I came across some people practicing playing their bag pipes. This shot is also taken from the Auckland Domain.

My brother-in-law has purchased a new boat, and we went to check it out. This is the view of the marina from his boat. The houses at the top of the hill are on Paratai Drive. This is the most expensive and exclusive real estate in Auckland with views over the harbor and Rangitoto Island.

Don’t forget – The Scarlet Woman tour continues at Amberkatze’s Book Blog. I’m talking about both Scarlet Woman and leopards and giving away a download from the Middlemarch Mates series.

The Scarlet Woman tour continues at Amberkatze’s Book Blog today. I’m talking about both Scarlet Woman and leopards and giving away a download from the Middlemarch Mates series.

Here’s the blurb for Scarlet Woman:

Emily Scarlet’s husband left her for his secretary and died in a car accident—all on the same day. Now, six months later, Emily has emerged from her chrysalis of painful memories. And to prove she has what it takes to attract a man, she’s determined to experience one perfect night of passion.

Feline shape shifter, Saber Mitchell has a problem with his four boisterous younger brothers. They’re out of control. It’s too late for him, but he hopes to get his brothers mated and settled, and the ball is the place to introduce them to marriageable women.

Unbridled sex is the last thing he plans on, but one glimpse of Emily Scarlet changes his mind. Sex with her is a necessity. They dance. They make love.

One thing is clear—a single night isn’t enough. Saber must have her for his mate, but Emily isn’t so easy to convince…or trust.

In Scarlet Woman news, I’ve received a wonderful review from I Do Not Want To Wait, I Want The Book Now. Here are the highlights: “I can’t recommend this book enough! Plenty of hot sex, many LOL moments, and a heroine that you can’t help but relate to. It was flat-out fun and just what I needed at that moment.”

In Cat Burglar news, I’ve received a Five Star review from Manic Readers. This review made my head swell

“Okay, I must confess that I had never read Ms. Munro’s Middlemarch Mates series, but as I finished Cat Burglar, which is the sixth book in the series, I’m kicking myself. Where have I been? This book was absolutely amazing. Ms. Munro did a fantastic job of providing the reader with just enough humor, suspense, and erotic romance to keep you begging for more.”

In Leticia’s Lovers news, I received another Recommended read review from Blackraven’s Reviews

“Bravo, Ms. Munro for providing us with another story that touches heart, soothes the soul, and renews our faith in miracles. If you’re looking for a heart-warming, at times tear jerking, sensual story that will bring a smile to your face, then Leticia’s Lovers is the book to read. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends and can’t wait for the next book in the Middlemarch Mate series. Hint! Hint!”

So, what do all these great reviews tell you? They say if you haven’t read any of the books in the Middlemarch Mates series you’re missing out! Check out the entire Middlemarch Mates series here.

We came across these mountain goats on the side of the road near Mt. Rushmore. Hubby and I were more excited about seeing them than the president’s faces. The animals ignored us as they took a drink from the water that trickled down a rock face.

To see more photographs of animals visit Camera Critters.

The theme for today is dumped. I’ve chosen the opening scene from Lovers at Last. Our heroine goes to her best friend for sympathy after the man she’s been with for some time decides to marry someone else. Justin is very happy with this development because he’s had his eye on Pearl for some time. It’s time to make his move!

Lovers at Last by Shelley Munro

A thump on Justin Collet’s door jerked his attention from the Auckland versus Canterbury rugby match playing on his television. Before he could push to his feet, he heard his front door fly open and hit the stopper. Seconds later it slammed shut. The strident tap-tap of high heels echoed in the hall and Pearl MacInray stomped into his den. Justin took a moment to admire the temper glowing on her face, the flashing pale blue eyes and golden tumble of curls before doing a scan of her curvy body. Immediately he tensed, his cock shooting to partial arousal. Damn, she was one fine woman. Pity they were merely friends. Pearl came to a halt in front of him, magnificent breasts heaving with the force of her ire.

“Andrew Dickins is a bastard,” Pearl spat out, shaking her fist in Justin’s face. Something white and thin flashed past his nose, almost hitting him in the eye.

Justin stood, moving out of range. “Wanna beer?”

“Yeah. Thanks.” Pearl dropped onto his battered leather couch, her miniskirt riding up to display a good portion of black stocking. Justin knew she wore stockings because he caught a glimpse of pale, creamy thigh before she tugged her black skirt down. Hot damn. This woman was gonna be the death of him. He wondered why Andrew Dickins was a bastard and decided he didn’t really give a damn. If the man’s behavior meant he could spend time with Pearl, Justin was all for it. His cock stirred again at the thought.

He strode into his kitchen, giving himself a swift lecture about friends only. Didn’t work. Hell, he’d given up trying to listen to commonsense. Let lust rule. The few beers he’d had after work with his mates were enough to blunt his normal restraint when it came to Pearl. Somehow he couldn’t find it in himself to give a fuck about breaking his self-imposed rule. Maybe it was time he made a move on her. There was more in life than work. Yeah. He’d done the work thing and was doing fuckin’ nicely, thank you very much. Time for another challenge. He opened his fridge and grabbed two beers, pausing to collect a glass for Pearl before returning to his den.

When he stalked up to his couch, Pearl was muttering to herself, her hand clenching and relaxing on something white. A string of pearls. His lips pursed in a silent whistle. Big bucks.

One of her lovers had dropped a pile of money on her. Considering the magnificent gift, he wondered what had bent Pearl out of shape. Last time he’d seen her this angry, it was because her lover at the time had refused to take direction. Justin snorted. Any man who couldn’t find a woman’s clit had no business making love to a stunner like Pearl. She should have told him to fuck off without a second chance.

“Here you go, babe.” Justin handed over the dew-frosted can and glass before sinking onto the couch beside her. He tipped back his head, enjoying the crisp taste of hops dancing across his tongue. Beer, woman and rugby. Hot damn. His night was lookin’ up.

“You come to watch the rugby, or do you want to shoot the breeze?” he asked finally, more to stop her fidgeting and muttering than anything else. Knowing Pearl, he was gonna hear about whatever ailed her no matter what he said.

“Andrew gave me these pearls.” Pearl shook them in his face again.

Justin ducked out of range. That was a bad thing? “I thought you liked jewelry.” Although he’d known Pearl since high school, sometimes he couldn’t fathom the way her mind worked. Women. Shit, he’d never understand them, which was probably why he’d stuck to short-term relationships. That and because he lusted after Pearl, couldn’t imagine being with anyone else for the long haul.

“I’ve been with Andrew for a year. He took me to dinner with his partners. When he told me he was giving me something special, I thought it was a diamond engagement ring.” Her breasts rose and fell, attracting his attention again. Damn, she was fine.

“And?” he prompted, suspecting there was more.

“I thought he’d ask me to marry him, but instead, he gave me this stupid pearl necklace. ‘Pearls for a special Pearl.’ That’s what he said, and then the louse told me he intended to marry Janie Gilroy.”

“Bastard,” Justin said while feeling elation inside. He didn’t like the idea of Pearl marrying anyone.

“Yeah,” Pearl muttered. “A pearl necklace. You’d think males could be more original. Men keep giving me stupid pearls and I want diamonds,” she ended on a wail.

“Sweetheart, don’t cry,” Justin said uneasily. He’d been through one of her crying jags before and didn’t want to repeat the experience. A man could only take so much before he broke.

A single tear ran down her face, melting him inside. He set his beer aside, took her glass from her and pulled her against his side. A strand of golden blonde hair tickled his nose and he tucked it behind her ear, kissing the tip of her pert nose. “You smell nice.”

“A present from Andrew,” she said with a sniff.

“Bloody Andrew,” Justin said, knowing it would make her laugh.

“Yeah, ‘bloody Andrew’,” she parroted with a watery smile.

Lovers at Last (ebook)
Lovers at Last (kindle)
Provocative Pearl (print)

To read more Snippet Saturday excerpts follow the links below:

McKenna Jeffries
Vivian Arend
TJ Michaels
Ashley Ladd
Shelley Munro
Taige Crenshaw
Lauren Dane
Mari Carr
Shelli Stevens
Lissa Matthews
Eliza Gayle

The Scarlet Woman tour hits Love Romance Passion today. I’m discussing Middlemarch and the setting for the Middlemarch Mates series. Visit Love Romance Passion and comment on my post to go into a draw to win for your choice of an ebook from the Middlemarch Mates series.

If you’re a Middlemarch Mates fan, don’t forget to take a look at the free Middlemarch family tree. It’s in PDF format plus there are some photos and background info on my website.

I’ll also take this opportunity to remind you to check out my free reads and the downloadable bookmark.

The 28 Days of Heart promotion continues today with the release of Unshuttered by Emery Sanborne & Philippa Grey-Gerou. Have you purchased your copy of Wild Child yet?

What do you think of the cover for The Bottom Line?

Here’s the blurb:

Spicing up her sex life sounds exciting…until the fantasy hits the fan.

When Maggie Drummond buys an erotic romance novel by mistake, she gets more than an unexpected eyeful. She gets an introduction to a world that arouses her to a fever pitch: Spanking.

Her boyfriend isn’t interested in pushing his vanilla-flavored sexual boundaries. Then there’s Connor Grey, who haunts her fantasies like a magical genie. As a source of masculine advice for her and her female friends, he’s off limits. The only safe place to explore her fetish is her anonymous blog.

The recent changes in Maggie don’t escape Connor’s notice. Now that her boyfriend has dropped her, he can finally—carefully—make his move. Given his family history, laying a hand on any woman, even in fun, is a line he’s reluctant to cross. But for Maggie? Anything the lady wants.

As Maggie gives in to the temptation to let Connor add some sin to her life, she finds herself juggling lies, half-truths, friendship and sensual delights. Her job is in jeopardy—and she’s falling in love. Exploring her fantasy is one thing, but she’s beginning to question if indulging her own pleasure is worth the cost to everyone around her. Especially Connor…

The Bottom Line goes on sale at Samhain Publishing on 20 April 2010.

The 21st Winter Olympics commences in Vancouver on 12th February. I can’t ski, and I’m terrible at skating, but I do enjoy watching the events on television. If I’ve counted correctly, there are 21 different events for spectators to watch. Here’s a list of the ones that interest me most.

Thirteen Winter Olympic Sports

1. Downhill Skiing – the object is to ski down a hill as fast as you can.

2. Slalom – the skier weaves in and out of poles, aiming for the fastest time possible without missing a turn.

3. Figure skating – this event comes in pairs, women’s and men’s figure skating. It’s dancing on ice with jumps and turns and wonderful costumes. There is a compulsory part of the event plus a free skating program.

4. Snowboarding – it’s a combination of skateboarding and skiing. There is a slalom event plus the trick event, which is done in an area called a half pipe.

5. Crosscountry skiing – as the name suggests, the skier navigates a course of up to 50km long. It’s sort of like running on skiis and is very physically demanding.

6. Speed skating – this is like running a sprint race except the competitors wear skates. They wear tight suits – very sexy.

7. Curling – it’s sort of like bowls on ice. There is a granite stone that is propelled down an ice rink. Sweepers brush the ice in front of the stone to make it go either faster or slower in the hope it will reach the target at the other end of the rink.

8. Luge – a sport for a single person or two people. The person lies on a sled and travels down the ice track feet first. The object is to go fast and not crash.

9. Bobsleigh – Either four or two men push their sled to start and then jump in, trying to get to the bottom of the course as fast as they can. You might be familiar with the movie Cool Runnings made about the Jamacian bobsleigh team.

10. Ice Hockey – it’s hockey on ice. It’s played on an oval rink with two teams of six players on the ice at the same time.

11. Ski Jumping – the competitors ski down a steep ramp, then jump as far as they can. The skier with the longest jump wins.

12. Skeleton – it’s lying in a face-first position on the sled, and traveling down the ice track at high speed. The fastest time wins.

13. Biathlon – is a combination of cross country skiing and rifle shooting. It’s a timed event with a penalty given each time a target is missed.

I have to admit that I hate speed and prefer to keep my feet on the ground. Apart from Wii Fit, I haven’t tried any of these sports.

Have you tried any of these sports? Do you enjoy watching the Winter Olympics (on TV or in person)?

After our memorable Cook Strait crossing, we didn’t have much time to have lunch. We grabbed a Subway sandwich each and ate them on the way to our first stop on the wine tour.

There were thirteen of us, and we managed to cover a lot of the world with passengers from New Zealand, Australia, England, Norway and the USA. On the South Island side of the strait it was fine and sunny, so my brother-in-law got the weather right. The Marlborough region sees a lot of sunshine—usually grabbing the highest amount each year—so it’s excellent for growing grapes.

Our first stop was at Drylands, one of the larger vineyards with ties to Australia and the USA. We started with a welcome glass of sparkling wine and gradually worked our way through the list. I like wine, so I sampled most of them—both red and white. Most enjoyable.

The second stop was at Framingham. After another eight or so samples here, and I started to feel the wine. This tour was unlike the samplings I’d done before. Obviously it pays to go on a tour rather than turn up with just hubby. The people behind the counter were most generous with their samples, and we purchased a bottle of Framingham Marlborough Classic Riesling here. For those of you who enjoy wine this is a classic New Zealand, off-dry style wine with rich fruit and a juicy acidity. It has complex varietal characters of lemon citrus, mandarin and stone fruit with a long mineral finish. It’s best served with Asian style cuisine and seafood. Sounds good, right? I intend to have some tonight with my dinner.

Our next stop was Nautilus Estate where Mr. Munro and I purchased a carton of wine. Nautilus is shipping it home for us. Our quiet bus was growing progressively noisier, and there was much more chatter and laughter by this stage. I was pacing myself, skipping the odd tasting, and I made inroads on their oil/bread samples.

Our final stop was Hunter’s. Hunters is an older vineyard and one of the first in New Zealand to take their wines overseas and scoop gold medals at the wine shows. Mr. Hunter died tragically early in a car accident (age 38) and his wife took over the running of the vineyard. Her name is Jane Hunter and she has received many wine awards, including the inaugural award for women winemakers, world wide. She also has an OBE.

I loved the Hunter wines. In fact there was only one I disliked. Yep, I admit it—I was decidedly tiddly when I left, but I wasn’t alone. We drove to our last stop, the Makana Chocolate Boutique, with the music blaring really loud Beetles and Queen classic hits.

So, I leave you with a tip—if you intend to hit a wine trail, it’s a good idea to have a hearty meal first. Your head will thank you for it!

Have you been wine tasting before? Do you like wine, and if so, which one is your favorite?

The Scarlet Woman tour continues. I’m at Literary Escapism talking about why I like paranormal romance. As usual, there is a giveaway so come over and say hello.

And a reminder of what Scarlet Woman is about:

Emily Scarlet’s husband left her for his secretary and died in a car accident—all on the same day. Now, six months later, Emily has emerged from her chrysalis of painful memories. And to prove she has what it takes to attract a man, she’s determined to experience one perfect night of passion.

Feline shape shifter, Saber Mitchell has a problem with his four boisterous younger brothers. They’re out of control. It’s too late for him, but he hopes to get his brothers mated and settled, and the ball is the place to introduce them to marriageable women.

Unbridled sex is the last thing he plans on, but one glimpse of Emily Scarlet changes his mind. Sex with her is a necessity. They dance. They make love.

One thing is clear—a single night isn’t enough. Saber must have her for his mate, but Emily isn’t so easy to convince…or trust.

It’s time for my guest column at The Raven Happy Hour blog. Today, I’m exploring wormholes—what are they and do they really exist?

Tea For Two is up for the 5 Heart Sweetheart Award for 2009 at The Romance Studio. Vote here for my book or one of the other worthy titles nominated for the award.

Wild Child is out today! Do your bit for charity and purchase a copy of Wild Child or one of the other books in the 28 Days of Heart series. All proceeds go to the American Heart Association.

And speaking of health, I’m on a diet. I decided it was time to take action after I noticed my clothes were much tighter. It was all that Christmas food that did me in! I’ve been dieting for a week, and it hasn’t been too bad so far. Do you have any diet tips for me?

I’m going out on tour again!

This time it’s with one of my earlier titles, and the very first book in my famous Middlemarch Mates series….Scarlet Woman.

The tour starts at Book Junkie where I’m talking about the big cats that inspired my series—the black leopard.

As usual, I’m doing a giveaway, and this time, the winner can choose any one of the ebooks from my Middlemarch series. Come along and join in the party!

And meantime, here’s the blurb for Scarlet Woman:

Emily Scarlet’s husband left her for his secretary and died in a car accident—all on the same day. Now, six months later, Emily has emerged from her chrysalis of painful memories. And to prove she has what it takes to attract a man, she’s determined to experience one perfect night of passion.

Feline shape shifter, Saber Mitchell has a problem with his four boisterous younger brothers. They’re out of control. It’s too late for him, but he hopes to get his brothers mated and settled, and the ball is the place to introduce them to marriageable women.

Unbridled sex is the last thing he plans on, but one glimpse of Emily Scarlet changes his mind. Sex with her is a necessity. They dance. They make love.

One thing is clear—a single night isn’t enough. Saber must have her for his mate, but Emily isn’t so easy to convince…or trust.

Welcome to the New Release Monday. This month, in addition to our typical excerpt week, we’re showcasing new releases by several fabulous EM writers. Excerpt Monday site! or click on the banner to the left.

Wild Child by Shelley Munro

Wild Child is available for sale on 2 Feb at All Romance eBooks. I’m really excited about the release of Wild Child because it’s part of the 28 Days of Heart promotion, and all the proceeds from the sale of this book go to the American Heart Association.

I was born with a heart murmur and spent several days during my childhood and teen years undergoing day-long tests and doctor visits at an Auckland hospital. I’m one of the lucky ones, because my murmur has never stopped me doing anything I’ve wanted to do–I’ve lived a happy and relatively healthy life.

I hope you’ll support this worthy cause, and buy my book, or one or more of the other 28 books that will be on sale at All Romance eBooks this month.

Here’s the blurb for Wild Child:

Seize the day…

Zoë Underwood loved Matt Cantrell from the moment her mother married his father. She definitely thinks of him as more than a big brother and even though he moved away from home the moment their parents got married, her feelings for him have grown stronger, bigger. More. No one presses her buttons like the tall, dark and gorgeous Matt. If only he can get over the eight-year age difference.

Now, Zoë is determined to snare her man. She wants one thing—Matt’s love. It’s time for her to make a move, stir things up a little and take a chance on love.

And a short, spicy excerpt (because this is a very hot book):

Total darkness shrouded the room, the whisper of breathing the only audible noise. Matt smiled. After stripping his trousers and boxer shorts off and placing them beside the bed, he tugged back the covers and crawled into bed. Marisa lay on her side, facing away from him. He slid closer, smoothing his hand across her shoulder. Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to her bare back. She smelled of flowers—carnations to be exact. Nice. Different from Marisa’s usual spicy perfume. He liked this one much better.

When he nuzzled behind her ear, she stirred with a sleepy sigh. Smiling, he pressed a kiss to the smooth skin and stroked his hand down her arm and across her hip. She murmured again, starting to rouse. Good, ‘cause he was definitely beginning to stir, his cock pressing insistently against her curvy backside. Time to rev up this interlude. He slipped a finger into the valley between her butt cheeks and traced a path to her pussy. Her warm flesh parted. She sighed and spread her legs a fraction, just enough for him to graze his finger across her clitoris. She moved again, pressing her luscious ass against his swollen cock.

Marisa had put on a bit of weight. He liked it. With soft, gentle strokes, he massaged her clit until the tiny bud swelled. Marisa stirred again and froze. Then, she let out a shriek loud enough to wake the dead in the local cemetery and leapt from the bed.

“Keep away from me.” The note of fear told him she wasn’t playing games.

“I’ll get the light.”

“No! Just go, and I won’t tell anyone.”

He froze in the act of reaching for the light, his gut churning with acute apprehension. He knew that voice. Suddenly, all the new things he’d noticed about Marisa made sense.

With a sick, sinking sensation in his stomach, he fumbled with the bedside lamp. Soft light
bathed his room. He swore, low with feeling. “What are you doing here, Zoë?”

Instead of answering, she stared at him with big, brown eyes. When her gaze dropped, he cursed again and reached for his trousers, rapidly stepping into them and forcing the zipper over his erection.

“Put on some clothes.” There was a distinct snap in his voice. Self-loathing sat heavily in the bottom of his gut. His mother and John would die of shock if they found out. They weren’t going to find out. He sure as hell wasn’t going to confess to his monumental cock-up.

“I’ll make coffee.” He strode from the room but couldn’t resist a last look at her. She caught him in the act, and he jerked as if touched with a hot poker. Matt swore. Her curvy image was seared on his retinas for life.

Instead of making coffee, Matt padded across the terracotta tiles and headed straight for his liquor cupboard in the ultra-modern kitchen. He opened the door and pulled out the first bottle that came to hand. Whiskey. Unscrewing the cap, he drank straight from the bottle. The peaty flavor cut across his taste buds. He closed his eyes and swallowed. Mistake. Zoë’s sexy shape flashed in front of his eyes. He’d—Matt shuddered, still able to feel the warm, clinging flesh of her pussy.

“Do you grope every woman you find in your bed?”

“It’s my bed,” he snapped, his eyes flicking open. She wore his robe belted around her trim waist. Shit, he wasn’t the one in the wrong here. He was the innocent victim in this…debacle. “You were naked.”

“Because the airline lost my luggage.” She folded her arms across her chest. His eyes followed the move, noting that in the years since he’d last studied her closely, she’d filled out in a spectacular fashion. His cock jerked, reminding Matt he required satisfaction. But that wasn’t going to happen. Not with this woman at any rate.

Purchase Your Copy of Wild Child from All Romance eBooks

There will be a new release out for every day of February. The release for 1 Feb is Exchange of Hearts by GA Hauser

Links to other New Releases
Note: I have not personally screened these releases. Please heed the ratings and be aware that the links may contain material that is not typical of my site.