Taste of Kiwi: Blog of Author Shelley Munro

Body of secrets…

As a member of the CIA’s elite, Black Opals, Natalya Trubachev must live a lie, working undercover as the lover of Dmitri, a Russian mob boss. His business is trafficking vulnerable Las Vegas strippers overseas for twisted sex games. Natalya’s business is to blow the ring wide open and bring down Dmitri and his American contacts. But the stakes are raised when she learns that the next target is her own sister Kate, a dancer in the famed club Fantasia. Only now does Natalya realize how personal her mission has become, and how far she’s willing to go to complete it.

Body of lies…

The manager of Fantasia is Brandon Moretti, an undercover detective who keeps a close eye on his girls, and an even closer one on his sinfully sensual hire. For Natalya, working the club could be the break she’s been waiting for. But for Moretti, Natalya is a possible link to a killer. Only he never counted on her being so lethally seductive or so dangerous to get close to. As every forbidden pleasure between them is stripped away, his own secrets threaten their security, but it’s Natalya’s that could destroy them both.

Review:

Black Opal operative Natalya Trubachev goes undercover at a Las Vegas club called Fantasia. She walks a delicate line as she juggles the needs of her crime boss Dmitri, her own safety and her growing fascination with Brandon Moretti. Brandon is actually an undercover detective, but Natalya doesn’t know this and she suspects him of being the contact she needs to neutralize.

I suspect that this is one of these books that readers will either like or dislike intensely because of the subject matter and the heroine’s occupation/past history. While deep undercover Natalya has killed and also lead innocent women into a life of drug addiction and prostitution. She feels deep remorse for the acts she has committed and this both shapes her and snaps at her heels, putting her under deep mental pressure. If she fails in this mission, more women will suffer the same fate, and this time her twin sister is the chosen victim.

While I could understand the heroine’s motivations, I didn’t like or enjoy the plot. That said, STRIPPED packs a real punch. Ms. St. Claire writes fresh, vibrant prose that the writer in me aspires to, and the sexual tension between Natalya and Brandon crackles each time they meet. I swear smoke poured from my iPad each time I opened this book! If you prefer a sweet romance then this isn’t the book for you. Stripped has numerous explicit love scenes, which showcase the hero and heroine’s growing relationship.

Characterization, check! Both main and secondary characters are rounded and real with clear motivations and conflict. One small problem I had was the familial relationship between Brandon and Sergei. While I could buy that Natalya and Kate were sisters it seemed a little too convenient that Brandon and Sergei were long-lost brothers too. I had to stretch my imagination to accept this coincidence.

While the plot didn’t do it for me, this is an interesting story where the characters are racing to beat a ticking clock. It’s full of danger and passion and characters with much at stake. The author’s voice grabbed me, and I’ll definitely be looking for more from Ms. St. Clare. Luckily for me there’s a sequel due out later in the year. Fans of romantic suspense—give this one a try.

Purchase Stripped

Tori St. Claire, the author of Stripped is visiting today. Tori grew up writing. Hobby quickly turned into passion, and when she discovered the world of romance as a teen, poems and short stories gave way to full length novels with sexy heroes and heroines waiting to be swept off their feet. She wrote her first romance novel at seventeen.

www.toristclaire.com
www.claireashgrove.com
Twitter: @claireashgrove

1. Give us an elevator pitch for your book, Stripped.

Eeegads! That’s what I have an agent for. (Laughing). So now that I’ve fallen over in shock over condensing my book into a handful of words… let’s give this a whirl: (Be careful what you ask for, you have no idea how truly bad I am at this.)

A dark, edgy, romantic thriller with a splash of 007 action, a healthy helping of twisting intrigue, and a hotbed of erotic encounters. STRIPPED takes risks, breeches accepted boundaries, and blends sin, danger, and pleasure.

Thirty-five words – short enough? Did I pass?

2. Where did the idea for your book come from, and did you originally envisage more than one book in a loosely connected series? Do you intend to write more Black Opal stories?

At the core of what it is, Stripped came from my deep love of on-the-edge characters, men and women you aren’t sure whether or not you should root for. I find it fascinating when I can fall in love with a character whose moral compass is so drastically different than mine, and yet, I want them to succeed. The other fascination I have is with characters who are portrayed as operatives. People like Diva on NCIS. Or Sayid from LOST. They are fulfilling a “good” role, but their backgrounds are dark. They’ve done things that would make us normal folks have nightmares. Blend those loves together and Natalya, my heroine in STRIPPED, took form. The rest of the story fell to simple plotting.

Did I envision more than one book? Yes and no. I always write with an option for “what could I do with this.” But where it began, and where it ended – with the Black Opals – are two different things. Natalya was just a covert agent, in the initial design. It wasn’t until I signed the contract with Berkley that the Black Opals popped up and her specialization took shape. And that just was one of those things that hit me out of the blue, I put into an editing pass, and it stuck with my editor as well.

More Black Opal stories – you betcha! In fact, the second in the series, LIE TO ME, is slated to come out in July of 2012.

3. Some of the action in Stripped takes place in the famed club Fantasia. Describe the club and tell us some of the sights, sounds and scents we might experience if we were to step into the club.

Mm. Fantasia. You’d find opulence – crystal chandeliers, red velvet, dark supple leather, and polished brass. Your nose is teased with the scent of cigars, expensive colognes, and money. It’s a show house, a little more burlesque than come in, take off your clothes, and prance around the stage. The dancers are the elite of the elite, their acts even more so. And it is truly an act, not a dance, though dance is obviously part of the routine. Each act tells a story of seduction. Each seduction plays to the fantasies of the wealthy clientele.

4. How do you go about developing your characters? Do you normally start with a character or the plot?

I plot heavily, but where I begin varies book to book. Sometimes a character jumps out at me and the plot has to be crafted around him/her. Sometimes the plot is there and I just need the players. But whichever the case, nine times out of ten the character presents intact. Personality, appearance, what he/she’s hiding, his/her goal – it comes as a package deal in my head. Which also means sometimes I have to set the character aside and wait for his or her story to strike.

5. Is there any part of the writing process that you find particularly challenging and why?

I despise synopsis writing. I think that’s somewhat of a given with a lot of authors, but I truly detest the process. I hate condensing, I hate picking out “the important stuff”, and sticking it all into a boring, monotonous read. And I can’t stand revealing plot secrets when I’m crafting intricacies like are what involved with STRIPPED and the Black Opal series. I simply don’t want to spoil the reaction, not even for my editor.

6. Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

My favorite author is Steve Berry. I love the level of complicity that he puts into his writing. Just when you think you understand – eh, not so much. There’s always a surprise, always a twist, and the way he merges historical fact with fiction makes me weak at the knees.

Now Tori has a question for you – What do you expect from an erotic romantic suspense?

CONTEST: Everyone who comments on this post will go into a draw to win a $25 Amazon GC. To increase your chances of winning follow Tori St. Claire’s blog tour!

Body of secrets…

As a member of the CIA’s elite, Black Opals, Natalya Trubachev must live a lie, working undercover as the lover of Dmitri, a Russian mob boss. His business is trafficking vulnerable Las Vegas strippers overseas for twisted sex games. Natalya’s business is to blow the ring wide open and bring down Dmitri and his American contacts. But the stakes are raised when she learns that the next target is her own sister Kate, a dancer in the famed club Fantasia. Only now does Natalya realize how personal her mission has become, and how far she’s willing to go to complete it.

Body of lies…

The manager of Fantasia is Brandon Moretti, an undercover detective who keeps a close eye on his girls, and an even closer one on his sinfully sensual hire. For Natalya, working the club could be the break she’s been waiting for. But for Moretti, Natalya is a possible link to a killer. Only he never counted on her being so lethally seductive or so dangerous to get close to. As every forbidden pleasure between them is stripped away, his own secrets threaten their security, but it’s Natalya’s that could destroy them both.

Purchase Stripped

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.

I’d like to welcome author Meg Mims to my blog today. Meg is an award-winning author and artist who writes historical, western and mystery/suspense. Her first book, Double Crossing, is currently available from Astraea Press, Amazon and Barnes & Noble as an ebook and will soon be in print. Meg is also a staff writer for RE/MAX Platinum in Michigan and for Lake Effect Living, a West Coast of Michigan tourist on-line magazine. She earned an M.A. from Seton Hill University’s Writing Popular Fiction program in January of 2010. Today Meg is talking about romance and romantic suspense. Over to Meg!

How much romance does a Romantic Suspense have to include? Some are quite tame, some have hot sex scenes, and some include only a hint or promise of romance. Are readers pretty tolerant in this genre?

Romantic Suspense was once considered a “crossover” – blending traditional romance with the intrigue of mystery or crime, or even plain adventure. Juggling more than one plotline is necessary, along with striking some kind of balance. If the romance is stronger, then it must end “HEA” or Happily Ever After. If the suspense is stronger, then the outcome can be iffy—as long as justice is served in the end in some fashion.

In Double Crossing, heroine Lily Granville is focused on tracking her father’s killer. Like in many romantic suspense plots, she meets a man who can help her—and sexual attraction plays a part in the relationship that grows from necessity to friendship and total trust. The focus stays on the twists and turns of why Lily’s father was murdered, and how to avoid being the next victim. Being classified as “clean” fiction, the characters maintain a fairly “hands-off” level of romance and the ending reflects that. However, the promise is there for more adventure.

There are plenty of top-notch authors in romantic suspense. Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series blends romance, adventure, suspense, mystery—and sometimes a violent murderer. While Stephanie tracks down her bond skip, she has run the gamut from killers to a donut thief. There’s Ranger danger, hot sex at times with cop Joe Morelli, and adventures with Lulu the ex-whore or her Grandma Mazur at the local funeral parlor. Bizarre at times, irreverent, thrilling and funny, yet satisfying to a large readership, Stephanie always collects her bounty hunter fee.

Tess Gerritson’s thriller-suspense books incorporate romance also, but with more depth when she explores politics, business and intrigue style plots, with betrayals and gripping tension. You can find whatever you like in the romantic suspense genre, from inspirational to erotic, from historical to contemporary, from fantasy to science fiction, even ghosts or paranormal elements.

Oddly enough, if you do a search on Amazon for “romantic suspense,” you won’t find a single male author listed with a book. Perhaps “they” classify this genre as geared to and written by women only. A shame, because this genre can get down and dirty with the most complex plots and deep emotional characters.

The key is to keep the reader on their toes, to twist and turn the plot threads and produce a page-turning success.

Question from Shelley: How much romance do you prefer in your romantic suspense reads? Lots or just a dash to spice things up?

Blurb: A murder arranged as a suicide … a missing deed … and a bereft daughter whose sheltered world is shattered.

August, 1869: Lily Granville is stunned by her father’s murder. Only one other person knows about a valuable California gold mine deed — both are now missing. Lily heads west on the newly opened transcontinental railroad, determined to track the killer. She soon realizes she is no longer the hunter but the prey.

As things progress from bad to worse, Lily is uncertain who to trust—the China-bound missionary who wants to marry her, or the wandering Texan who offers to protect her … for a price. Will Lily survive the journey and unexpected betrayal?

Read an excerpt

Purchase Double Crossing from Astraea Press, Amazon or Barnes & Noble

To learn more about Meg and her books visit her website Meg Mims

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!

My teaser this week is from a romantic suspense called Running Scared by Cheryl Norman.

Shoving cell phone and pistol into her fanny pack, she grabbed her car keys and headed for her garage. An hour at the shooting range was just what she needed.

page 74, Running Scared

When newly divorced Ashley Adams thinks her ex-husband is trying to kill her, she’s not Running Scared. Months of therapy and determination have strengthened her resolve to stop being a victim, while months of dedicated training have prepared her to run her first marathon.

Homicide detective Rick Edwards is coping with the deaths of his wife and daughter the only way he knows how—by focusing on work. He hopes to solve the murder that Ashley has witnessed during a training run, but first he must win her trust. And keep her alive.

He soon realizes that Ashley isn’t a damsel in distress whom he must rescue. In fact, she may be the one woman who can save him. He finds danger—and also love?—when least expected.

Purchase Running Scared

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?

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!

My teaser this week is from No Place to Run (A KGI Novel) by Maya Banks.

“She raised the pistol, and just before she fired, she saw the surprised shock in her father’s eyes. He fell heavily, blood spreading on the polished wood floors.”

Page 18, No Place to Run

Blurb:

Sam Kelly was her first love.

The last person Sam Kelly expected to pull wounded from the lake was Sophie Lundgren. Once they shared a brief, intense affair while Sam was undercover and then she vanished. She’s spent the last months on the run, knowing that any mistake would cost her life and that of her unborn child—Sam’s child. Now she’s resurfaced with a warning for Sam: this time, he’s the one in danger.

Now he’s her last chance.

Sam has too many questions to let her slip away again—like why she disappeared in the first place. This time he vows not to be seduced. But one look in her eyes, and the passion burns again, and Sam knows he’ll do anything to keep her and his child safe. However, Sophie’s dark past is more dangerous than he imagines, and the only way for either to survive it is to outrun it.

Purchase No Place to Run (A KGI Novel)

My special guest today is Toni Anderson, a marine biologist turned writer. After my recent cruise, I’m fascinated with the sea, and I begged Toni to tell us a little about marine biology as well as her recent release, A Sea of Suspicion.

Thanks for having me on your blog, Shelley. Shelley wanted to hear a little about my previous life as a Marine Biologist and how it connects to my writing, so here we go…

I was born and raised in the old-fashioned, land-locked, rural English county called Shropshire. Every summer my family would take off in their old Ford Anglia (6 of us in all) and we’d go camping at Black Rock Sands, Porthmadog, North Wales. My dad helped us to trawl through the rock-pools at the base of the cliffs and spawned (pun intended) a lifelong love of the ocean and its elusive inhabitants. Career choice seemed like a no-brainer when I spotted ‘MARINE BIOLOGY’ in the UCCA handbook. I headed off to the University of Liverpool who had a field station on the Isle of Man (now sadly closed :-( ) where me and my Honours class spent our final year. It sounds kind of idyllic? A whole year on an island studying marine life with like-minded people? It sounds romantic and idealistic.

It wasn’t.

The Isle of Man is smack-bang in the middle of the Irish Sea and is one of the windiest places on Earth. I spent most of the time in fleece, Gortex and welly boots, my hair frizzed within an inch of a 1970’s afro. It wasn’t romantic. It was cold, wet and claustrophobic. Thirty students living in one another’s pockets for nine months made it an oddly lonely experience as we all worked hard to get our degree. My then boyfriend couldn’t label his limpets for his Honour’s Project so I foolishly said I’d do it for him (having small nimble fingers), which meant endless 5:00 a.m. starts to catch the low tide (I am so not a morning person). My own Honor’s Project died over Christmas which cut the experiment a little shorter than anticipated.

It should have put me off science for life, but I guess I’m contrary because I was completely hooked on that type of smelly, slimy, destined-for-failure research. I headed off to the University of St Andrews, Scotland, and began one of the most fun and emotionally rewarding periods of my life. I spent 4 fantastic years in the Gatty Marine Laboratory, working my proverbial backside off, partying when time and money allowed, before graduating with a Ph.D. at the age of 25.

Marine Biology requires a practical disposition where you aren’t afraid of blood, guts, stinky smells (usually seaweed) or big men in woolly jumpers. Things wriggle, jump and escape (even when dead). Stuff gets spilled. Illegal aliens come into the lab using false credentials and spread seriously nasty chemicals around like talcum powder. Personalities clash and explode, people use one another, cheat, bitch, moan, despair, comfort, love. People come from all over the world to collide in a melting pot of human drama. It’s awesome!

I loved research. LOVED it :-) . I went on to the Institute of Aquaculture, Stirling, where I had the best boss ever, and then onto Canada. It allowed me to meet the most wonderful people while chasing fish around the world. But when I had kids I realized I couldn’t do it anymore. I couldn’t put everything I needed to put into research and have enough left over for babies. Science isn’t a nine-to-five sort of career. So I pursued another dream of mine, to write, and I knew I had to set a romantic murder mystery in the Gatty Marine Lab.

That story, SEA OF SUSPICION, was just published by Carina Press :-D

Blurb

Marine biologist Susie Cooper traded her life in America for a dream job on the rugged Scottish coast. Now all she lacks is the right man to start a family with. After their first meeting, she knows sexy Detective Inspector Nick Archer isn’t what she’s looking for. He’s the type of guy whose idea of commitment is staying the whole night.

Nick has returned to St. Andrews for one reason only—to fulfill his vow to find his wife’s killer. Relentless in his twelve-year quest for justice, he has no problem using Susie to get close to his primary suspect: her boss. But the passion between them smolders, and as it ignites, Nick finds himself torn between his past and his present—with Susie.

When one of her boss’s students is murdered, Nick’s investigation draws Susie into a web of madness and betrayal. They will have to learn to trust each other if they’re going to catch a killer…and come out of this alive.

Read an excerpt of Sea of Suspicion here

Available from Carina Press and all other ebook stockists.

Thanks so much for having me, Shelley—any questions welcome :-) . By the way, SEA OF SUSPICION has its own Facebook page and I’ll be running another contest there in the next week or so. For travel adventures check out my blog…

CONTEST: Either ask Toni a question about her book, writing or marine biology or tell us about your favorite beach destination and you’ll go into a draw to win a download of Sea of Suspicion. We’ll draw the winner tomorrow.

The theme for this week is dating or rather is this a date? I’ve picked an excerpt from Playing to Win, a romantic suspense. Kate, the heroine, is going to stay with the hero Lane Gerrard for safety reasons. After their initial misunderstand, she’s come to like him far more than she should….

Playing to Win by Shelley Munro

When Lane arrived to pick her up, three reporters still loitered in front of her house. Kate stepped away from the window with a sigh. At least he’d followed her orders and arrived via the rear entrance.

“We’ll have to sneak out the back way.”

“Yes.” Gleeful devilry laced Lane’s smile. To Kate’s bemusement, he seemed to enjoy the idea of a stealthy retreat. What was it about a hint of danger that turned a normal, sensible man into a swaggering daredevil? Personally, she could do without the excitement. She hadn’t lied to Lane when she said she enjoyed her boring, predictable life.

Lane grabbed her overnight bag, and they left via the back door. Kate locked it and peeked around the corner of a large leafy bush with orange flowers.

“All clear.” She swallowed the lump of unease in her throat. Nerves. That was all. Nothing to do with the fact she’d be alone with Lane.

Kate crept from tree to tree, half expecting a reporter to tap her on the shoulder at any moment. But all went according to plan and five minutes later, she slumped against the car while Lane laughed at her.

With much production, he unlocked the car and opened the door for her. “Here we are, my lady. I expected I’d need to slay reporters for you, but here we are safe and sound, nary a dragon in sight.”

Kate rolled her eyes and slid into the car. Only when she was inside did she realize this wasn’t his usual car. It was a classic E-type Jag, painted a dark forest green with soft buttery-colored upholstery.

“You expect to go unnoticed in this?” she demanded when he climbed in the driver’s seat. “Where’s your Falcon?”

Lane laughed, his profile softened in amusement. “This is my grandfather’s car. He’s not well at the moment, and I promised him I’d take it out for a run. Relax. No one will see us,” he declared, and he accelerated smoothly away from the curb. “The reporters expect to see me in my Falcon.”

Lane lived in an Epsom apartment, only a short drive from Kate’s house in Newmarket. But it might as well have been half a world away. The complex shouted of wealth and Kate was hard-pressed not to stare at the obvious luxury.

Set within seven acres of native trees and landscaped gardens, the buildings blended perfectly with the lush backdrop, looking as though they had always been there. Walking tracks meandered through mature trees, beckoning exploration. After driving through the security gate, they passed a tennis court. An energetic foursome lobbed tennis balls back and forth in a doubles game under lights. Other tenants watched lazily from the spa and heated swimming pool.

“What a lovely setting,” Kate said. A tinge of envy raced through her when she viewed the gardens. They were lush and tropical, judicial use of native plants giving the whole complex a uniquely New Zealand atmosphere. Jamie would love it here.

“Safe as well,” Lane added, almost as if he could read her thoughts. “I was lucky to get this apartment. My agent heard it was for sale when I’d decided to return home from England. She viewed the apartment for me, and I bought it on her recommendation. I’ve never regretted the purchase.”

Lane left the car parked in a visitor’s parking space right near the front door. They climbed two steps, went through double wooden doors decorated with ornate brass handles and panels of glass into a marble foyer. Kate gaped, trying hard to hide her awe and ignore the comparisons between this luxury and her more modest home. The place looked like a hotel. Her shoes clicked on the marble floor as they stepped over to a lift. The silence reminded her of a hotel too. Lane used a swipe card to operate the lift. The doors swished closed and they whisked up to Lane’s apartment before Kate could blink. She patted her middle region and wondered if she had time to retrieve her stomach, but as soon as the doors sprang open directly into Lane’s apartment, she forgot her discomfort. Designer décor snagged her attention before Lane led her down a carpeted passage and stopped at the first door on the right.

“This is your room.” He flicked on the light and stepped aside to allow her to enter.

A teal-and-cream-colored duvet covered the bed. The color combination repeated in the drapes and scatter cushions. Kate slowly released her breath. Lane had promised they’d have separate rooms but the reality was a relief—and a letdown. Go figure. She surreptitiously checked the door and noted the sturdy lock. Her gaze darted back to Lane when she heard his loud, put-upon sigh.

“Kate, Kate.” He shook his head in mock sadness.

“What?” Lane could tease all he wanted, but her bad experience with Steve made her slow to trust. Actions spoke far more loudly than all the words in the dictionary.

“Contrary to your beliefs, I don’t have to force myself on anyone.” Humor lit his gray eyes.

The smirk made her cheeks flame. Kate averted her gaze to stare at a small oil painting of a golden retriever. With his public persona and good looks, women probably threw themselves at him all the time. The heat in her cheeks worked down her neck as ego took a tumble. He’d never look at a single mother like her. Kate wondered about the woman in his life. He’d never mentioned a girlfriend. A soft sound jerked her gaze back to him. His grin spread from one side of his face to the other. “Big head,” she muttered, a snap in her voice.

Still smirking, Lane checked his watch. “I’ll have to go. I have training in half an hour then a meeting with my agent and a prospective sponsor later on. I’m afraid you’re on your own for the evening, but there’s loads of food in the kitchen. Help yourself to whatever you want. I’ll be back late so I won’t see you until the morning. What time is your first appointment tomorrow?”

“Ah, eleven.”

“Okay. Sleep well.” With that, he backed from the bedroom and shut the door with a firm click, leaving her to survey the neutral paintwork. Kate grimaced at the pique she felt. After all her worrying, he’d left her to her own devices. Lane couldn’t wait to leave. That really put her in place.

Purchase Playing to Win from Cerridwen Press or Amazon Kindle.

To read more Snippet Saturday excerpts follow the trail below:

Mari Carr
HelenKay Dimon
Shelley Munro
Vivian Arend
Taige Crenshaw
McKenna Jeffries
Ashley Ladd
Jody Wallace
TJ Michaels
Emma Petersen

I love going on holiday, but one of the things I always miss while I’m away is my own bed. There is nothing worse than an uncomfortable bed.

During my travels, I’ve slept in some interesting places:

1. Koa Cabins where the beds had rock-hard bases and no pillows. I didn’t sleep well until we went to K-Mart and purchased a small pillow each. Note – I do love Koa cabins though, despite their rock-hard beds!

2. In Egypt, one of the places we stayed had mouse dirt on the pillows. We changed rooms and the second room had the same problem. In the end, we gave up and made the best of it. I slept with one eye open all night, on the look out for rodents.

3. In Africa – we pitched our tents after dark, and they were on a slight hill. We slept on thin sleep mats and mine was on top of a rock. I ended up sliding down the hill, just trying to avoid that rock! Actually, this has happened in lots of places. Murphy’s Law applies here – if there’s a rock you will pitch your tent on it.

4. In Pakistan – the “hotel” where we stayed was owned by a very strange man with only one eye. At one stage, he was brandishing a gun after drinking a little too much alcohol. Several of us shared a room that night and we barricaded the door. We were pleased to leave the next morning!

5. In India – all the hotels were booked out because of a festival. Several of us had to sleep on the hotel roof with our sleep mats and sleeping bags. The mosquitoes had a real party that night and the dogs started barking in the small hours of the morning. They serenaded us for HOURS! The roof was very hard and uncomfortable. You might recognize this since my characters in Wanderlust experienced the same thing.

6. In Africa, we had to pitch our tents on the road because both sides of the road were thick jungle. It was wet and rainy, hot and humid and uncomfortable. We also had to get up really early before the trucks started coming through.

The ideal situation: We have a slat bed (I think you call them sleigh beds in the US). I like at least two pillows so I can prop myself up and read, but always sleep with one fairly flat pillow. I like crisp cotton sheets, hate flannelette sheets and electric blankets and king-size beds are good. My hubby is like a furnace, which is good in the middle of winter when I have cold feet, but not so much fun when it’s summer and really hot!

What is your preference when it comes to beds, linens, mattresses and pillows?