Taste of Kiwi: Blog of Author Shelley Munro

Peeping Tom, which is book two in my Middlemarch Mates series, is now shipping from Amazon and The Book Depository! And, Peeping Tom has a new cover…

Here’s the blurb:

The residents of Middlemarch have a nickname for reporter Tomasine Brooks. They call her Peeping Tom and refuse to answer her questions about the mysterious black cats spotted in the vicinity. To them she’s an outsider—the enemy—who has no place in their close-knit shifter community.

Tomasine is determined to find a safe place to settle but earning the locals’ trust seems impossible. In desperation, she decides to seduce the sexy Felix Mitchell into giving away Middlemarch’s secrets because it’s a matter of life or death…hers.

From the moment feline shifter Felix Mitchell crashes into Tomasine outside the post office he desires her with an urgency that makes him suspect they are fated mates. When they are together the connection is hot, the sex is spicy and she makes him happy, but Tomasine is close-mouthed about her past—a past that can threaten their future together.

Purchase Peeping Tom

There’s nothing I like better than reading a romance with a strong heroine. Here’s a list of some of my favorites.

1. Kate Daniels from Magic Bites (Kate Daniels, Book 1) by Ilona Andrews

2. Anna Latham from Cry Wolf (Alpha and Omega, Book 1) by Patricia Briggs

3. Mercy Thompson from Moon Called (Mercy Thompson) by Patricia Briggs

4. Mina Wentworth from The Iron Duke (A Novel of the Iron Seas)

5. Alexia Tarabotti from Soulless (The Parasol Protectorate) by Gail Carriger

6. Destiny from Dark Destiny by Christine Feehan

7. Betsy Taylor from Undead and Unwed (Queen Betsy, Book 1) by MaryJanice Davidson

8. Cat from Halfway to the Grave (Night Huntress, Book 1) by Jeaniene Frost

9. Tayla Mancuso from Pleasure Unbound (Demonica, Book 1) by Larissa Ione

10. Riley Jensen from Full Moon Rising (Riley Jensen, Guardian, Book 1) by Keri Arthur

11. Jaz Parks from Once Bitten, Twice Shy (Jaz Parks) by Jennifer Rardin

12. Eve Dallas from Naked in Death (In Death, Book 1) by JD Robb

13. Xhex from Lover Mine: A Novel of the Black Dagger Brotherhood by JR Ward

And one more, even though she’s a bit bumbling at times – Stephanie Plum from One for the Money (Stephanie Plum, No. 1) by Janet Evanovich

Source: I stole this idea and the list from the Auckland Library newsletter. The person who wrote the newsletter has great reading taste because her favorites are also mine.

Do you have a favorite kick-ass fictional heroine?

Book four in the Perfect Stranger series is out today.

Blurb:

Just one little wish, what could possibly go wrong?

Hunted by both the Kings of the Sidhe and the Dark Sidhe, Tama, Princess of the Seelie Court, has sought refuge in the human world. When an ill-timed wish by a friend reveals her location, she knows she has to leave the life she’s created.

Unfortunately for Tama, Kier and Rylan, two Dark Sidhe mercenaries, find her first. The attraction between them is explosive, but is a wish and unbridled lust enough for perfect strangers to become perfect mates?

Purchase Dark Sidhe Claimed from All Romance eBooks

Exciting news! I received an email from Whipped Cream Reviews letting me know that House of the Cat has been nominated for Best Book of 2010.
Voting opens on Mon 14 February.

I’d like to share some excellent writing articles from the Women on Writing website.

How to Trim the Fat from Your Manuscript

Recovering From Injury: Bouncing Back From a Rejection

Get Your Marketing Plan in Shape

My special guest today is fellow Carina Press author, Kathy Ivan. Her romantic suspense Desperate Choices is out today! Congrats on your release, Kathy. I’m off shopping at Carina Press…

A good friend once told me write what you love and love what you write. I firmly believe that. She said unless you love your story and what you have written, how can you expect the reader to love it? I sometimes forget that’s my job as a storyteller. It’s the reason I love to write. I want to tell people a story, with a compelling beginning, middle, and an emotionally satisfying ending that they will remember and think about after they have “put down the book.”

That’s the case with Desperate Choices. I loved the story as I outlined it, figuring out who each of the characters was, what motivated them to make the choices they make throughout the book. If I was in the same situation, would I make the same choices?

Back cover: When psychic Theresa Crawford’s former beau walks into her New Orleans New Age shop, she senses trouble. Big trouble. Max Lamoreaux hasn’t come to discuss their relationship—the private investigator is on a case, and he needs Theresa’s help.

As they inch closer to finding Tommy, Max and Theresa also discover that time hasn’t diminished their powerful attraction. But Theresa harbors her own dark secrets from her past. Secrets that broke them up before—and could drive them apart again, unless Theresa can learn to trust Max with everything….

Purchase Desperate Choices from Carina Press

For those of you who are readers, there is an excerpt from Desperate Choices on my website. There’s also a book trailer there for the book.

For those of you who are writers (or interested in writing), here are a few tips I’ve learned along the way.

WRITING TIPS:

1. Never give up. I know everybody says that, but it’s the truth. I decided it was time to retire Desperate Choices. After making a deal with one of my critique partners that I’d send it out one last time (to Carina Press), I gave it one final shot. That was on March 6, 2010. I got the call on May 11, 2010.

2. Get good critique partners. Have people read your manuscript who will give you honest constructive feedback. It’s easy to find people who will read your work and gush and say how wonderful it is, but that won’t get you one step closer to publication; it’ll just make you feel good for the moment. Having people who aren’t afraid of yielding the dreaded red pen and slashing and hacking at your baby may hurt, but it will ultimately make you a better writer.

3. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; be true to what you write and write what you love. If you don’t believe and love the story you’re writing, trust me, the reader will be able to tell that in a minute.

CONTEST: Win a download of Desperate Choices by Kathy Ivan! Ask Kathy a question about her book or tell us what your favorite crime/romantic suspense television show is or about a favorite romantic suspense book you’ve read this year.

BIO: Kathy can’t remember a time when books and reading weren’t a part of her daily life. She was blessed with a mother who instilled in her a love of reading at a young age. This progressed into a passion for the written word in all forms, which led to her writing. Every day new stories and new ideas roam through her head, the characters chomping at the bit for their turn to be front and center and have their stories told. That love of storytelling translates into her desire to write and share her stories with others.

Her day job is about as uncreative as it gets. She does medical transcription, spending numerous hours each day trying to decipher the mumbled, garbled, often unrecognizable words physicians are dictating in an effort to make a complete and comprehensive patient record. It’s almost as bad as trying to read their handwriting!

Born and raised in Miami, Florida, she’s lived in various places, from California to Hawaii and back to Florida before finally settling in Texas. Kathy makes her home outside Dallas, Texas. She’s a member of Romance Writers of America and Dallas Area Romance Authors (DARA).

Visit Kathy’s website

My special guest today is fellow Carina Press author, Christine Price. Here’s Christine’s official bio – Christine Price lives in Edmonton, AB, with her husband, two cats and a slightly idiotic Anatolian shepherd. Though she probably wouldn’t consider herself a “girly girl,” Christine is in love with cooking and baking, and she has recently tried her hand at cake decorating. As a public service, she’d like to warn people about the potential threat posed by twenty pounds of rolled fondant and a slightly inebriated best friend. In her free time, Christine enjoys wine, good movies and even better books. Her first work, Soul Bond, was released in April 2010.

Today, Christine is talking about her adventures in writing…

In Darkness Bound is my first novel-length publication. And I learned a lot from writing it. For example, the importance of fully developing a climax and the “Great Ah-hah Moment.” Actually, the first draft of IDB was at least 20,000 words shorter than the finished manuscript and missed a lot in the way of character development. Overall, the novel is waaaaay better for the revisions. But I also learned something that never would have struck me before now. Instead of going into the lengthy summation of the discovery, or doing an interpretive dance (which would be a little difficult without the use of a webcam and YouTube) allow me to provide a brief script:

Me: So?

Beta Reader: Okay, I liked x, y and z. But I don’t get what’s going on with w.

Me: Well, here’s the plot point.

Beta Reader: Huh… you should probably put that in somewhere.

Me: I did. It was on page 120.

Beta Reader: OH! … … But that’s the sex scene.

Me: Yeah.

Beta Reader: You may want to rethink that.

What my Beta Reader didn’t come right out and say was that a major plot point in a sex scene isn’t always a great idea. This was a realization I had to come to myself.

So why is it? Well…when people read romance, they want to lose themselves in the romance. The erotic passages are especially important. They establish the intimacy between the characters and heightening the sensuality in the relationship. Readers—myself included—use their imaginations during these scenes. There are also readers who prefer to read for the plot, and tend to skim the sex scenes entirely.

See where I’m going with this? No matter what the motivation for reading, I think that there’s a chance that if you include important plot points in a sex scene they’re going to be missed. This by no means goes for everyone who’s ever read a romance novel. But I’ll admit I’ve done it. In my favourite romance book of all times, I skimmed through each sex scene because I wanted to get on with the plot. When I went back and read it over (for the second, third, fourth, fifth and twentieth times) then I appreciated the sex scenes. If there’d been any important developments during those flitting pages of eroticism, however, I totally would have missed them.

I guess there’s not really a moral to my story. (Well, not to anyone other than me anyway). My novel helped me with several key points in the development of my writing. One of them just happened to be this one. As I continue writing, it’s one that will stick with me.

Maybe.

Contest: What are your thoughts? Plot in a sex scene – yes or no? Are you a skimmer? A “lose yourself in”-er? Or neither? Post an answer to Christine’s questions in the comments section and go into a draw to win a download of In Darkness Bound

Here’s the blurb for In Darkness Bound:

Data Collection by Dalhousie, Dr. Donna L.

Reclassified to staff status. Useful, malleable.
Confined in a sterile research facility and treated like a lab rat, Chris is alone and terrified. His special powers are his only escape, allowing him to psychically connect with other patients.

Alone in his cell for longer than he can remember, Vance is hungry. When newcomer Chris makes a mental connection, Vance is intrigued and soon wants more than just conversation.

Chris and Vance seek comfort with each other, and with Simon—the only staff member who’s shown them a hint of compassion. Their relationships develop during stolen moments, and they turn their thoughts to escape. But as Dr. Dalhousie’s madness spirals, more than cell walls threaten to keep them apart…

Purchase from Carina Press

You can visit Christine at her website or chat to her on twitter.

The topic for this week is food. As much as I enjoy food and cooking, I don’t have many foodie scenes. Most of them are picnic scenes. In the end I chose this scene from Lynx to the Pharaoh, a historical romance with a feline shapeshifter hero.

Lynx to the Pharaoh by Shelley Munro

“I’d love to visit the oasis,” Charlotte said, ignoring the feminine pride inside warning her she would not look her best after sleeping in her clothes. And the knowledge that she shouldn’t go anywhere with a man she didn’t know. She risked another glance at him, and the silent gleam of approval in his eyes warmed her all over. This early in the morning, she couldn’t blame the heat of the sun.

They passed the camp, and as Sethmet had said, no one stirred apart from the servants. Charlotte told herself her brother would never know. They arrived at the edge of the oasis more quickly than she would have liked. Countless questions trembled at the tip of her tongue. Curious as a cat. That’s what George used to say, always in a chiding manner. Could she help it if she liked to learn new things and gain knowledge?

Sethmet stopped by the edge of the lake, in a small private spot screened from the main path, glad Lady Charlotte had agreed to accompany him.

A gentle breeze played a musical tune as it blew through the reeds. Not far from them a heron stabbed the water with its beak and came up with a wriggling silver fish.

He placed his basket down and helped Charlotte sit on a flat rock. Her lack of primping and fussing gained his approval, not that she needed to preen. Sethmet opened his woven basket. He had to stop the urgent need to touch, to run his hands across her silky cheek. A bark of laughter escaped at the thought. No doubt the lady would slap his face at the presumption.

“Is something funny?”

“Not a thing,” Sethmet said. “Would you care for flat bread and cheese?” He spread a blue woven cloth on the ground beside them and set out the food. The instinct to serve and nurture Lady Charlotte, or Charlotte as he thought of her, came as a surprise. Most women ran after him, but being with Charlotte felt right. He didn’t feel pressure or hunted for matrimony. He wanted to protect her, even if she came from the English camp and was possibly an enemy.

Charlotte was no longer committed to a man.

Satisfaction swelled within Sethmet along with an urge to kiss her. Hell, he wanted to do more than that. He wanted to claim her as mate. The thought gave him pause because he knew nothing of her. Yet he didn’t worry overly. Swift courtships were normal in his family, and their decisive nature when taking a partner was one of the gifts that came with feline powers. Everyone in his family married for love. They might argue at times, but he had no hesitation about following his heart.

He glanced up from laying out the food and saw Charlotte studied him avidly. For an instant, open desire shimmered in her blue eyes before her lashes lowered to screen the emotion.

Sethmet acted on instinct, going with his gut. He leaned toward her and took possession of her lips in a slow kiss of exploration. When she didn’t object, he deepened the contact, sliding his tongue across her soft, pink lips and urging her to open her mouth so he could taste. She was so soft, tasted so sweet, and he wanted more.

Purchase from Ellora’s Cave or Amazon Kindle

To read more Snippet Saturday excerpts follow the links below:

Mari Carr
Shelley Munro
Vivian Arend
Taige Crenshaw
McKenna Jeffries
Lauren Dane
Jody Wallace
TJ Michaels

The theme for this week is author’s favorite scene. This was a very difficult assignment for me because I have lots of favorites. In the end I chose a scene from Make That Man Mine. The heroine, Emma, has had a crush on Jack for a long time, and she’s decided it’s time to make a move. A work assignment brings opportunity, but she hasn’t exactly thought everything through. Neither has Jack. They’re both stumbling in the dark, and that’s very dangerous!

Make That Man Mine by Shelley Munro

An hour later, the hostess led them from the resort reception area to their room. She pushed the door open and stood back to let them enter.

“There’s only one bed,” Emma blurted.

The hostess stared at her in bemusement, making Emma realize she’d stumbled at the first hurdle. Of course, they’d be expected to share a bed. This was a week for couples and sex. After all, her mind dwelt on sex.

“He snores dreadfully,” she muttered to the hostess, taking petty revenge for the hurt he’d inflicted on her earlier. Just a job. No romantic ideas, she mocked silently as she detoured around the bags the porter had deposited in the middle of the floor. She didn’t have any romantic ideas. All she wanted was sex. “I suppose I can always pull out the earplugs as a last resort.”

“I do not—”

Emma stepped up close to Jack and gave into the temptation to run her fingers through his hair. The dark locks slithered through her fingers like a piece of fine silk. The strands felt as soft as they looked. “Of course you do, but that’s part of your charm. Too many good points and I’d get bored. I mean you’re good at sex. Very good. Great stamina. What more could I ask of a lover?”

Jack made a choking sound deep in his throat as she trailed a hand across his broad chest. Her fingers tingled while her pulse leapt at her daring.

“Can I help you with anything before I leave?” the hostess asked, amusement coloring her voice. “Remember, the welcome party starts promptly at midday. We would like you to make an appearance for a short time so we can outline the activities for the week. After that, you’re free for the rest of the afternoon to partake in all the facilities we have here at the resort. We want you to be rested for our gala dinner tonight.”

“Thanks,” Emma murmured, carrying on with her exploration while she had Jack captive and within touching distance. “We have everything we need.”

The door swung shut with a soft click.

“That’s enough,” Jack growled. “She’s gone now.”

Emma drew a sharp breath, gathering up her courage. “You need to kiss me.”

“What?”

Was that panic she saw in his dark eyes? “We’re meant to be a couple,” she explained, starting to enjoy herself. “We’ll have to kiss at some stage to make sure we look the part. I think we should practice. We don’t want to give ourselves away.” Her heart thundered loudly and blood heated every inch of skin on her body. She was hyperaware of his strength and masculinity.

Jack glanced at her mouth and immediately her lips tingled as though he’d touched them. His chest rose as he sucked in an audible breath. Yep, she’d definitely put the fear of God into him. His mouth worked, but no words came out, then before she could take another breath, he grabbed her. Their lips smashed together and parted just as quickly. Jack jerked away from her, and they stared at each other, both breathing hard.

“That was not a kiss,” Emma said breaking the pregnant silence. Frustration washed through her, leaving her feeling totally cheated. The mission she’d set for herself was going to be trickier than she’d first envisaged.

Jack scowled. Emma supposed he meant to frighten her like he scared everyone else he came into contact with. It wouldn’t work. She was on to him. “Come here. I want to show you how we should kiss in public.”

When he didn’t move, she closed the distance between them. She placed her hands on his shoulders. They were tense. Like touching blocks of cold rock except for the dragon tattoo. For some reason that was hot. “You’re very cold.”

“Get it over with.” Jack’s eyes flashed with enough temper that she knew not to push him any longer.

She stood on tiptoes and gingerly pressed her lips against his. He didn’t move but he didn’t cooperate either. Time to move this experiment along. Emma opened her mouth and brushed her tongue across the seam of his mouth. A groan rumbled deep in his chest. Oh, yeah! Score one for the home team. Working on pure instinct, Emma moved her lips persuasively against his. She nibbled his bottom lip, then soothed the nips she’d inflicted on him with a swathe of her tongue. Jack’s arms came around her without warning, tugging her off-balance so his muscular chest flattened her breasts. He tipped her head back and moved his lips over hers with an expertise that made her toes curl. She gasped taking in his masculine taste, a hint of mint and the tang of the sea. He tasted so good—better than she’d ever imagined. Then his tongue slid inside her mouth, and she was addicted. Her breasts peaked against her bra as their tongues slid together in a sensuous dance. Jack pressed her closer and to her delight, she found he was interested. A hard-on. With a subtle twitch of her hips, Emma pressed against his sizeable erection. Her eyes fluttered shut to savor both the sensation and her triumph. Emma Montrose had turned on big, bad Jack Sullivan.

Jack pulled away as abruptly as he’d grabbed her. They stared at each other for a long drawn-out moment. Emma’s tongue snaked out to lick her lips and his dark eyes followed the movement. Game, set and match, bad boy.

Purchase from Ellora’s Cave or Amazon Kindle

To read more Snippet Saturday excerpts, follow the trail below:

Mari Carr
TJ Michaels
HelenKay Dimon
Eliza Gayle
Shelley Munro
Lauren Dane
Jody Wallace
Vivian Arend
Shelli Stevens

The theme for this week is music. Despite my love for music, I don’t have many mentions of music in my books. I do have a release called Seeking Kokopelli, coming out on 29 June from Samhain Publishing, that features a band of musicians. Seeking Kokopelli is a m/m romance and there are a few naughty words in the excerpt. You are warned…

SEEKING KOKOPELLI by Shelley Munro

The plaintive notes of a sax throbbed through the gloomy pub. Nate McKenzie watched Adam James’s strong fingers as he played, enthralled by both the performance and the man—a sexy, dark-haired figure illuminated in a golden spotlight. Adam caressed the music from his instrument, his eyes closed while he focused on playing the song.

Despite the other men and women in the crowded room, Nate felt as if Adam played for him. Only for him. Blood pounded through his veins, his cock drawing tight beneath the unforgiving denim of the faded jeans he wore. It was the same every time Adam played his saxophone or sang in that smoky voice of his. Intense arousal surged through Nate’s mind along with confusion.

How could one man make him feel this way?

So lost. So incredibly aroused.

So damn needy.

Nate clenched his fingers around a bottle of beer and forced himself to take a sip. The warm taste of hops made him pull a face. Rosa. Thoughts of his wife should fill his mind, bring the sting of arousal to his cock and pull his body taut with desire, not his employer Adam James.

Sweet Jesus, Rosa hadn’t been gone for that long. It was far too soon to try to fill the empty gap her death had left. His lips pressed tight. Both men and women might have interested him before he’d met his wife, but one look at her dark hair, flashing brown eyes, her curvy body, and he’d been smitten. He hadn’t looked at another man since meeting Rosa.

Until Adam.

A pair of red lace panties sailed through the air and struck Adam’s thigh before plopping to the stage. Adam continued playing smoothly as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened, filling the pub with his sultry, seductive music.

A woman screamed, “I love you, Adam.”

The crowd roared. A few hooted with laughter. A second woman hollered an obscene suggestion of what she’d like to do if she cornered him alone.

Another pair of panties hit the stage. Nate turned away in disgust, telling himself it wasn’t jealousy. He tipped back his head, swallowed the dregs of his beer and ordered another. His last one for the night, because he needed to make sure Adam and the other three members of Stampede made it back to their motel rooms safely. He and Keith helped the band when they were on the road with security and anything else they required. Sometimes the women refused to let the band leave or, worse, tried to sneak into their vehicle or rooms.

Nate didn’t expect problems tonight. This crowd appeared well behaved. They’d get the band back to the motel. What the guys did after they reached the motel was up to them. Nate’s responsibilities for the night usually ended there.

Nate shot a quick look at Adam, took in the way the damp T-shirt clung to his chest and gulped. He saw a cold shower in his near future. And if that didn’t work, he’d go for a run and take another icy shower when he returned. He would not think about Adam. He would not jerk off while thinking about the man again.

And no more spending time with Adam. If he followed these rules, maybe he’d manage to stuff the man into the “friends box” instead of letting him drift into bloody uncharted territory. He was still faithful to Rosa, dammit. It was way too soon to replace the memories he clutched close to his heart. And Adam—Adam had more women than he could possibly want. Why would Adam show interest in him?

The last haunting note of the sax drifted away, and the rest of the band joined in with the melody. Adam started to sing. His gaze drifted across the rapt audience and, although Nate knew Adam wouldn’t be able to make him out in the gloom, the man seemed to stop looking when he glanced in his direction. Nate’s breath caught in his throat. He stared at Adam’s face, the intense eyes, the high cheekbones, the dark golden complexion. And that mouth…

A groan built deep in his throat. The man had him tied in knots and didn’t even know it. Despite his growing fame, Adam was a private man. He handled his fans and the reporters with aplomb, hiding behind easy charm. They thought they knew him, but Nate looked deeper than most.

Adam James had secrets.

Nate didn’t know what they were, didn’t want to. A man deserved some privacy.

The song slid to an end, and the crowd burst into applause and cheers. Somewhere a woman hollered about her underwear, making Nate wince at her crudeness.

“Thanks,” Adam said in a husky voice. “We’re about to play our last song for the night. It’s a new one for us. It’s called ‘Alone’.”

The band started playing, with Adam singing the poignant lyrics about a man being alone, looking for love, a mate. The words tore at Nate’s gut, ripping him open and laying his heart bare. He noticed a woman sitting not far from him with tears pouring unchecked down her cheeks.

Rosa. Damn, he missed her so much. She’d filled the empty loneliness inside him. It was almost one full year since she’d passed, and he missed her every single day, despite the weird yearning that struck him whenever he spent time near Adam.

Adam held the last note of the song, and the music trailed away. There was a long pause of pulsing silence before the cheering started. Nate couldn’t help his pleased grin. Stampede had a new hit on their hands.

Pre-order your copy from Amazon Kindle

To read other excerpts in the Snippet Saturday trail follow the links below:

Mari Carr
TJ Michaels
Ashley Ladd
HelenKay Dimon
Eliza Gayle
Shelley Munro
Lauren Dane
Jody Wallace

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?