Taste of Kiwi: Blog of Author Shelley Munro

A couple of months ago we purchased a new printer. It’s one of these new-fangled ones that does everything…if you can work out the instruction book that is! Fast forward to last weekend, and hubby decided to try out the scan function. He ended up scanning quite a few photos from an overland trip we did from London to Kathmandu.

This was the first big trip we did, and despite me catching malaria, we fell in love with many of the places we visited. I used this trip as the inspiration for one of my books, Wanderlust.

Instead of just posting a selection of the photos today, I thought I’d give you small snippets from my book, Wanderlust and some matching photos. BTW – Wanderlust is part of the Value in the Vaults program at Ellora’s Cave. You’ll pick it up at the bargain price of $0.99 there or $1.49 at Amazon Kindle.

I thought back to that day in Aleppo, Syria. My eyes narrowed while I remembered. The entire group had wandered through the crowded marketplace. Donkeys laden with huge loads of vegetables or bolts of cloth plodded down the narrow streets. Both locals and tourists jostled for space, the local people trying to carry out their business while tourists dallied, gawking at everything. It was noisy. Dusty.

The scent of petrol and oil was heavy on the air. We walked on, pushing our way through with all the panache of the locals. We learned quickly and we’d already visited the bazaars in Turkey. They were no place for correct and proper British manners and queues. The bazaars and marketplaces were every man or woman for himself. You pushed without being too pushy or else the locals walked all over you. And bargaining. We’d all learned to do that as well.

Without another word, we ambled down the dusty street, heading for Pushkar Lake. Other tourists wandered the streets, checking out shops and restaurants. Some wore red string bracelets on their wrists, reminding me we’d need to do the same—donate some money and receive a bracelet passport in return. Giving in and donating money stopped further harassment. Some of the priests were very persistent.

Top left: At a Pushkar cafe
Top right: The annual Pushkar camel fair
Bottom left: The crowded streets.
Bottom right: The beautiful lake

The sun lay low on the horizon when we drove in the old city of Jaisalmer, painting all the ochre-colored buildings a soft pink. I slowed the truck and waited for a cow to amble across the road in front of us.

A chill breeze blew over the flat rooftop but the knee-high wall plus the air-conditioning unit protected me from the worst. The sky glittered with a canopy of stars. I stared up at them, idly picking out fantastical shapes until my eyelids grew too weighty to hold open. A dog barked, the mournful howl picked up and repeated by another animal. Gooseflesh rippled over my arms. Talk about creepy. I heard others come up to the roof and settle down for the night, their chatter a low, background noise.

The mosquitoes came out about ten minutes later, the whine irritating and loud. Very loud. They flew in kamikaze circles around my head. I slapped my hand around my head a few times and snatched at the source of the sound. Missed. Muttering, I sat up and pulled out my mosquito net. I hadn’t put it up because there was nothing to hang it on. But desperation called for ingenuity. I covered my head and upper body with the netting, tucking it under my sleeping bag. It didn’t halt their whine but at least it stopped them landing and taking a bite.

“Don’t forget your water bottles and hats,” I said. There was always one who forgot if I didn’t remind them.

One of the camels grunted and made a loud whistling sound.

“Oh god. I think that camel farted,” Rosa said, waving her hand in front of her face.

“That will be your camel,” I said, attempting to keep a straight face.

Everyone laughed except Rosa, who pulled a face. “I expect farting is the least of our problems,” she said. “I hope I can walk by the end of the day.”

Shelley’s notes: I have very vivid memories of the mosquitoes and the dogs in Jaisalmer.  Between the barking and the buzzing around my head, I didn’t sleep a wink. I actually caught cerebral malaria on this trip and spent time in a New Delhi hospital. It’s part of the reason I look so skinny in the photos.

We enjoyed our camel ride very much but most of us walked like ducks the next day! Talk about sore muscles.

I’m thrilled to announce Cat and Mouse, Middlemarch Mates 5 is now out in print.

Here’s the blurb:

Middlemarch Mates, Book Five

Every woman has sexual needs. Lana Sinclair, feline shapeshifter and widow, is more than ready for a fun night with a likeminded male. Hot lovin’ is compulsory because she’s determined to scratch the itch that’s driving her crazy. This time, career-girl Lana is picking a malleable male who won’t try to corral her into the housewife role.

Fellow shifter Duncan Ross is the perfect candidate. The cowboy follows the rodeo circuit and is only in Middlemarch for the bull riding. One night of mutual seduction, slick, naked bodies and pleasure, then he’ll be on his way.

Duncan is astonished when Lana propositions him, but no one could ever call him stupid. He’s always desired Lana and now that she’s ready for sex, he’s all action. It’s time to lasso the woman of his dreams with some sweet lovin’ and charm, a sexy massage and ropes spliced together with addictive pleasure. He’ll seduce her to his way of thinking—a permanent arrangement. This is one go-round Duncan is determined to win.

Purchase from Ellora’s Cave | Amazon |

Did you receive a new ereader or gadget for Christmas? Are you ready to buy some books to read? Then I have a deal for you. Check out the Celebrate the Season 50% Rebate sale at All Romance ebooks. You’ll have to move quickly because the offer is only for two days (25 & 26 Dec). Most of my books are part of the sale. Follow this link to the Shelley Munro ARe page and start filling up your new gadget. :-)

Christmas is Coming is highlighted today over at D Renee Bagby Presents First Chapters blog. The entire first chapter of my latest release is available for you to read for free.

These are two santas we made out of salt dough. We used gingerbread men cutters and hubby painted them to look like Santa.

I’m visiting Lizzie T Leaf today over at What’s Cookin’ in Lizzie’s World to celebrate Christmas and my latest release, Christmas is Coming. I’m doing a giveaway, so come and say hello!

To celebrate the release of my naughty Christmas story, CHRISTMAS IS COMING, out now at Ellora’s Cave, I thought I’d give you a list of naughty quotes this week.

Thirteen Quotes about Love, Marriage & Naughtiness

1. I’d like to meet the man who invented sex and see what he’s working on now. ~ George Carlin

2. Sex is like snow, you never know how many inches you’re going to get or how long it will last.

3. What do men and mascara have in common? They both run at the first sign of emotion.

4. Women like silent men; they think they’re listening. ~ George Carlin

5. Lead me not into temptation. I can find the way myself. ~ Rita Mae Brown

6. Teenager: God’s punishment for enjoying sex.

7. You know more about a man in one night in bed than in months of conversation. ~ Edith Piaf

8. I consider sex a misdemeanor; the more I miss, de meaner I get. ~ Mae West

9. Sexting is hot. Women prefer Facebook, but men are more partial to Twitter because you only need 140 characters, can smoke a virtual cigarette after, and then play video games.

10. Don’t have sex, man. It leads to kissing, and pretty soon you’ll have to start talking to them. ~ Steve Martin

11. There’s nothing inherently dirty about sex, but if you try real hard and use your imagination, you can overcome that. ~ Lewis Grizzard

12. They married for better or worse. He couldn’t have done better and she couldn’t have done worse.

13. You have between your legs the most sensitive instrument known to man, and all you can do is sit there and scratch it. ~ Sir Thomas Beecham to a Female Cellist

Source: The Snark Handbook (Sex Edition) Innuendo, Irony and Ill-Advised Insults on Intimacy by Lawrence Dorfman.

Christmas is Coming! Give your lover the gift of pleasure…
Read an excerpt

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along!

Just do the following:

~ Grab your current read
~ Open to a random page
~ Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
~BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
~ Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I’ve just started reading Breaking Point by Pamela Clare. It’s a romantic suspense, very gritty and real. This week I’m cheating a little with a slightly longer teaser.

Unable to do anything else to help her, Zach gave her the only advice he could. “I know it’s hard, but you need to stay focused on what’s happening now. Do whatever it takes to survive. Do you hear me, Natalie? Just survive.”

page 28, Breaking Point

Blurb:

While investigating border violence in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, Denver journalist Natalie Benoit is caught in a bloody ambush and taken captive. Alone in the hands of ruthless killers, she will need every ounce of courage she possesses to survive.

Betrayed by another operative, Deputy U.S. Marshal Zach McBride has endured a week of torture and interrogation at the hands of a bloodthirsty Mexican drug cartel. Ready to give his life if he must, he remains unbroken—until he hears the cries of an American woman.

Although Natalie is only a voice in the darkness of their shared prison, her plight brings renewed strength to Zach’s battered body. With her help, he overpowers their captors, and they flee through the desert toward the border, the attraction between them flaring hotter than the Sonoran sun.

But past loss and tragedy leave both of them reluctant to follow their hearts, even when the passion between them reaches its breaking point. Faced with feelings neither expected, they fight to stay ahead of the danger that hunts them as forces more powerful than they can imagine conspire to destroy them both…

Purchase Breaking Point

What are you reading this week? Share a teaser from your current read in the comment section or leave me a link to your teaser.

I’m visiting Joanna Chamber’s blog, Isn’t It Romantic? today and talking about my new release, Christmas is Coming plus the scents and sounds of Christmas. Here’s a link to Isn’t It Romantic? Come on over and say hello.

My Christmas story, Christmas is Coming is now out at Ellora’s Cave.

Here’s the blurb:

Christmas is coming. Give your lover the gift of pleasure…

Gaby Montgomery works for Fancy Free as a condom designer. Recently she’s been designing sex toys and testing her inventions with fellow designer Marc, but they’ve parted ways. The timing couldn’t be worse because she’s stuck without a willing test subject for her sexy products.

Gaby’s roommates Liam Richardson and Fletch Darcy both want a serious relationship with her, and now that she’s free, it’s time to make a move. But how do they decide which one will date her? Fletch finally suggests they share. Liam is skeptical but agrees the scheme might work, which allows Fletch to move on to step two of his romance plan. Fletch doesn’t just want Gaby, he wants Liam as well.

The loving is hot, their days full of fun product testing, exquisite pleasure and laughter. Everything is perfect until the outside world intrudes, putting their budding relationship under stress. This time their love and friendship might not stand the pressure.

Publisher’s Note: Want to have more fun with the characters in this book? Then pick up Fancy Free!

Purchase from Ellora’s Cave

Shelley’s Shoutout Corner

Don’t forget that Maria Zannini’s Do It Yourself Christmas continues until 22 Dec.

Author Beth Revis is doing an Epic Giveaway at her blog.

Cari Quinn has a new release called Unwrapped at Loose-Id. Unwrapped is a contemporary menage. If you like spicy hot reads, this one sounds like a good one.

One of the places I’ve always wanted to see is the Great Wall of China. I enjoyed our visit very much, but it was different to what I expected. The first part we climbed was very steep with steps that challenged my long legs. It was also very busy with red-faced, puffing tourists. The farther we climbed the quieter the wall became. Hubby and I walked up as far as we could, ending at Watch Tower 13. Climbing down was much easier and the beer we purchased at the bottom tasted very nice indeed!

Do you enjoy walking for pleasure? Is there a particular walk you’d like to complete one day?

There’s a walk in New Zealand called the Milford Track. It’s in the South Island and I hear it’s very beautiful. One day, I hope to do this 53.5 km walk, which goes through the Fiordland National Park.
I’d also like to cycle the Otago Central Rail trail, which ends at the small country town of Middlemarch where I’ve set my Middlemarch Mates series.

What about you?

I’m doing another Goodreads giveaway. This time I’m giving away a print copy of my recent Ellora’s Cave release Sex Idol. Here’s the link to the Goodreads giveaway. Contest closes Dec18.

With summer almost here in New Zealand hubby decided it was time to get Bella’s swimming pool out for those warmer days when she needs a swim to cool down. She had a ball tonight chasing the bubbles while he was filling it with the hose. I was cooking dinner and turned around to find puppy Bella sitting on the mat outside the kitchen, water dripping off her onto the carpet. Cue one screechy cook! I shouted and waggled my finger. Hubby has also put new sand in Bella’s sandpit so that should keep her busy and out of mischief for a few days.

This year I’ve been in a bit of a writing funk. It’s true that my jaunts overseas didn’t help much, interupting my flow. This week it finally feels as if I’m back in my groove. I’m working on something new and added 2100 words today.

I have a release date for Christmas is Coming. Look for my new contemporary on 9 December from Ellora’s Cave.

Last week on the Marketing for Romance Writers Yahoo list we had a special guest telling us about author signatures and critiquing the signatures of a few brave volunteers. I volunteered my signature. This is the one I’ve been using recently:

Are you up to PAR?
Provocative, Adventurous Romance
http://www.shelleymunro.com

The teacher liked my signature but suggested I change it around a little and reverse the order.

Shelley Munro…Provocative, Adventurous Romance
http://www.shelleymunro.com
Are you up to PAR?

Some writers include details of their recent releases, their blog, Twitter and Facebook links in their signatures. My personal preference is to keep things brief. There’s nothing worse than scrolling through heaps of signature when I’m trying to read my email. I’d be interested to hear how you do your email signatures and what your preferences are – long or short?

One good suggestion was to use WiseStamp to do email signatures. I thought this looked promising, and I intend to explore it more this weekend. It’s on my to-do list!

How is your writing going? What is your preference for email signatures? Do you change your email signatures on a regular basis?

Christmas. It’s almost here, whether we want it to arrive or not. Already advertising on the TV, radio and in shops is assaulting my eyes and ears. I don’t care what anyone says. November is too early for Christmas carols about snow and dashing places. Bah humbug! I’m not feeling the Christmas spirit in the slightest.

On the home front, hubby and I are talking holidays. Yes, I know we’ve just returned from jaunts to China and Australia, but if we’ve got to buckle down and work we need something to look forward to—an incentive. After much discussion and Internet research, we came across a cruise that we rather liked the sound of. It starts in Barcelona and goes around the Mediterranean visiting stops such as Rome, Venice, Mykonos, Istanbul, Casablanca and the Azores before finishing at Fort Lauderdale. Hubby and I took about two seconds to think before we both said, “Sign me up!” So, we’re booked, and we only have to wait about 11 months.

While hubby was at the travel agents, she showed him the specials that had arrived that day. Suddenly we were taking a short break at the beginning of December. This time we’re staying at home in New Zealand, but we’re flying to Wellington and catching a cruise ship back up to Auckland. It’s amazing how quickly one can get organized given the motivation.

On the writing front, I’m waiting for my first glimpse of the cover for Cat Burglar in Training. Cat Burglar is the revised version of The Shadow and is due out at Carina Press on Feb 20 2012.

I completed a super secret writing project and turned that in last week. My story will be out in February, and I’ll give you more details as soon as I’m given the go ahead.

This week, I’ve completed edits for my Ellora’s Cave release, Christmas is Coming. It will be out in December (exact date to be confirmed). This story takes place in the same small town where my Talking Dog series and Fancy Free take place. I bet you didn’t know the country town of Sloan was such a hot-bed of activity. If you’d like to get a head start and in the mood for Christmas is Coming you might like to check out the aforementioned books.

In the next few weeks I’ll be taking part in a couple of blog hops. Watch for details because there are some good prizes up for grabs. I’ll be giving away books—both e-format and print. I don’t know about you, but I can never have enough books on my to-read pile.

While I think about it, author Alice Audrey hosts Win a Book at her blog. It’s a chance to win a book, perhaps by a new-to-you author. If you’re an author hosting a book giveaway complete the form on Alice’s Win a Book page, and she’ll add your giveaway details.

And finally, if you’d like to win a copy of Peeping Tom, book two of my Middlemarch Mates series, today is the last day of my Goodreads give away. Don’t delay or you’ll miss out on the chance to enter.

I’ll leave you with a question: If you had 24 hours alone how would you spend it?

My answer: Right at this moment, I’d spend a good portion of that time sleeping. Life has been a bit of a whirlwind for the last few weeks. I’d also go for a long walk with Bella, catch up on some reading for pleasure and get stuck into some writing. It’s so good to work on something new for a change. There would also be a nice meal and a glass of wine in those hours somewhere. Probably a cup of coffee or two as well. What about you?