Taste of Kiwi: Blog of Author Shelley Munro

The theme for this week is Summer, so the obvious choice of book to highlight is Summer in the City of Sails. Summer is a country girl, and she’s determined to make the most of her time in the city, especially since she’s finally escaped her parents and her eagle-eye, bossy older brothers.

Summer in the City of Sails by Shelley Munro

“I want you to look after Summer.”

Summer’s bare feet froze outside the door to her Uncle Henry’s study. Her hand slid from the brass doorknob. A babysitter? Indignation stabbed her mind, robbing her of the sense of accomplishment she’d felt only seconds earlier. At age twenty-two, why did they think she needed a babysitter? Her eyes narrowed as she placed the package she carried on a wooden pedestal table then pressed closer to hear the details.

“Do I look like a babysitter?” a masculine voice snapped. “Try the yellow pages.”

Summer nodded emphatically, giving a silent cheer for the owner of the low, husky voice. Way to go, mister. But while she waited for Uncle Henry’s comeback, she fumed. She knew exactly where the idea had originated. Her family. Or more specifically her mother who thought danger lurked behind every corner in sinful Auckland City.

“Think of it as a favor,” Uncle Henry said.

“No.”

The blunt, uncompromising answer made a smile surface. She liked this man. And she agreed with him. One hundred percent. Yes, she’d been a sickly child, but she’d outgrown the bad asthma attacks. As long as she used her preventer, there was nothing wrong with her health. Summer glanced down at her bust and hips, her expression turning rueful. Thanks to her mother’s excellent cooking, her body—well, the polite word was “curvaceous”.

“Nikolai,” Uncle Henry groaned. “My sister will make my life miserable. She’ll hunt me down on my honeymoon.”

Summer suppressed a snort as she flipped the end of her French braid over her shoulder. Why did Uncle Henry think she’d come to Auckland, the city of sails? Although her mother meant well, she was overprotective, especially when it came to the baby of the family. And now she was doing the smothering thing by remote control, all the way from Eketahuna. If Summer allowed this, her bid for freedom would end before it started. It was time her family let her make her own mistakes and let her fix any stuff-ups by herself.

When her boss at the Eketahuna Library had suggested further training in big, bad Auckland City, the possibilities had made Summer breathless. Eager. At last, a chance to spread her fledgling wings. Despite her parents’ protests, Summer had grasped the opportunity with both hands.
And she wasn’t about to let anyone take the experience away from her.

“Tell someone who cares,” Nikolai said. “With my track record, I’m the last person you should ask.”

A shiver goose-stepped down Summer’s spine. That voice… His voice did things to her. She thought about easing the door open a little further to check out the body that matched the sexy rumble. Meeting men was high on her to-do list. No time like the present.

“I didn’t want to do this,” Uncle Henry muttered, “but I’m a desperate man. You owe me. That time I saved you from the broad in—”

The heartfelt Anglo-Saxon curse made Summer’s brows shoot toward her hairline. She hadn’t heard her brothers use that one before.

“All right, dammit! I’ll check on her now and then, but if I see one girly tear, I’m outta there. And our debt is square once you get back.”

“That should do it,” Uncle Henry hastily agreed. “Just check to make sure her car is there and get a visual every couple of days.”

Get a visual? Summer thought, puckering her forehead. Good grief. Nikolai was one of Uncle Henry’s military friends. He’d take his duties seriously. This was not good.

“All I want is a peaceful honeymoon.”

“All you want is to get laid,” Nikolai muttered.

Uncle Henry chuckled—a smug masculine sound that made Summer ache to deck him on Veronica’s behalf. “Yeah, that too.”

Right, that did it. If she allowed this, she’d never escape her family’s well-meaning influence. Yeah, she loved them, knew they loved her in return, but enough was enough.

Summer shoved the door open and strode through. “I’m back. Oh—” She stopped in front of her uncle’s large wooden desk. Her hand fluttered to her left breast. “I didn’t know you had a visitor.”

“Summer, this is Nikolai Tarei. He’s my closest neighbor.”

Summer’s gaze had already snapped to the man with the sexy voice. Physical awareness floored her, made her tongue stick to the roof of her mouth. Luckily, her brain continued to function and nothing impaired her twenty-twenty vision. Oh, boy! Tall, dark and sinfully sexy was welcome to guard her body any time.

Summer in the City of Sails is available in both print and e-formats from Ellora’s Cave and Amazon.

To read other Snippet Saturday excerpts follow the trail below:

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

Bottle Top Bay is a small community not far from where I used to live. We used to go there for a drive some weekends and take Scotty for a walk. I used it as the setting for Summer in the City of Sails or at least that’s where Summer lives with Nikolai. Her Uncle Henry lives at Bottle Top Bay too. Louie and Mac from Soldier of Fortune vist Summer and Nikolai at Bottle Top Bay.

The other day hubby and I went for a bike ride together and took some photos.

These are both shots of Bottle Top Bay, taken from the other side of the estuary. As you can see the tide is out, and when it’s out it is really way out! It’s pretty though, and out in the country, but still not far away from the amenities of town.

I’ve finally signed up for Twitter. I have no idea what I’m doing. Heck, I’m still working out FaceBook. This is my Twitter address if you’d like to follow me.

I have two questions for you today: Do you like Twitter, and if so, why or why not? Do you enjoy background information about stories i.e. family trees, photos, info about where the idea came from etc?

The campaign continues at:

Smexy Books.

I did an oops with the dates yesterday, and I’m guest blogging at Smexy Books today about Judging a Book by its Cover, and how I love my Ninja Turtle cover.

I’m doing a giveaway here, so do come along and say hello.

My tour stops today at:

I Do Not Want To Wait, I Want The Book Now.

I’m blogging about Spin Off Characters and mention both Soldier of Fortune and the book where we first meet Louie, Summer in the City of Sails.

I Don’t Want To Wait, I Want The Book Now has already reviewed Soldier of Fortune. Here’s the link.

Today Soldier of Fortune is out at Ellora’s Cave. It’s an erotic contemporary romance that’s set in both Iraq and New Zealand. Two years ago, I watched a documentary about private security companies operating in the war zone and the New Zealanders who take up contracts with them to make big money. It’s a dangerous job, yet some of the men go back for more than one contract. They’re in it for both the money and the adrenaline rush.

I’ve been wanting to write stories about some of the secondary characters in Summer in the City of Sails, and this documentary provided me with a possible plot line. I did lots of research, watched heaps of documentaries on British and American soldiers fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan in order to make my story realistic. I didn’t want to overwhelm the reader with war so hopefully I’ve managed to strike the balance between realism and romance.

In my story, there’s a female correspondent who works for CBS. One of the jobs of the private security force is to keep her and the other CBS employees safe when they go about doing their job, reporting on the progress of the war. It takes a clear head to calmly report a story while dodging bullets, and I know I couldn’t do it. Female correspondents are often able to interview local women about their experiences and get answers to quite intimate questions. Male correspondents would not have the same access, and many women refuse to talk with them.

I’m taking Soldier of Fortune out on tour. Yes, it’s true—you’ll get to hear more about me and my Ninja Turtle soldiers. Here’s a link to my blog tour schedule.

Would you like to be a reporter? Would you like to be a reporter in a war zone?

I have a new release this week, on Wednesday 18th November to be precise. I’ve just received the cover for Soldier of Fortune.

The foreground shows my hero and heroine in Fiji and there’s a soldier in the background, which also fits the story. Both my hero and heroine are soldiers. I like my new cover, affectionately dubbed “the Ninja Turtle cover” by hubby and myself because you can’t see my soldier’s face and the armor makes him look like a Ninja turtle.

Here’s the blurb:

Joanna “Mac” McGregor loves her father, and she’ll do anything to keep him safe after Alzheimer’s starts to steal his mind. That takes money, and Mac uses her only skills—those of soldiering—when she takes up a security contract in Iraq. She doesn’t have time for men, her last vacation fling in Fiji relegated as one perfect moment to hold close during the grim reality of war.

Soldier Louie Lithgow is tired of fighting, the constant danger, and has decided this is his last contract. He wants to retire, sink his savings into a place on the beach, and find the sexy Joanna, his holiday lover.

Mac’s arrival in Iraq causes consternation. They’ve both been economical with the truth, but the attraction sizzling between them flares hot and bright. They embark on a clandestine affair—professional and confident during their high-danger day, passionate with the release of emotional stress during their torrid nights. One thing is clear—they have different goals and the future is both murky and dangerous. If they survive their contracts.

Note: Readers first met Louie in Summer in the City of Sails.

What do you think of my cover?

When we visited Zanzibar, one of the things I remember was the spice tour. Up until that stage my main acquaintance with spices was the ones purchased at the supermarket. It was a bit of an eye-opener learning where some of the spices came from.

Thirteen Types of Spices

1. All Spice – the dried berries of an evergreen tree that’s native to the West Indies. It’s used in baking and the whole berries can be used in stews or casseroles.

2. Cardamom – these pods can be used whole or ground and is used to flavor spiced vegetable dishes and pilafs. It’s used in Indian ice cream and the Middle Eastern Halva.

3. Cloves – are dried flower buds. They’re delicious with stewed apple /apple pie.

4. Cinnamon – made from dried bark. It’s mainly used in cakes and biscuits. Cinnamon toast is yummy.

5. Ginger – the root of a flowering plant that’s native to China. The root is used fresh and grated or it can be dried to a powder. I use the fresh ginger in savory dishes and the powder in sweet dishes.

6. Nutmeg – dried kernel of an apricot-like fruit. It’s often used in sweet dishes, but it goes great with vegetables and rice.

7. Tamarind – the dried fruit of the tamarind tree. It’s used in curries and Indian dishes. I love tamarind sauce with samosa.

8. Vanilla – snake-like pods of a climbing orchid. They’re very expensive to purchase. Vanilla goes great with fruit dishes, custards and milk desserts.

9. Turmeric – it’s also a root or rhizome like ginger and it’s a bright gold color. It’s used in Indian cooking and the British add it to their piccalilli (piquant pickle).

10. Poppy seeds – widely used in Indian and Jewish cooking. It’s often sprinkled on top of bread. Don’t ever drop these because they take ages to clean up!!

11. Peppercorns – They come in different colors but black are the most common. I have a pepper grinder and use it liberally on savory dishes.

12. Cumin seeds – come from a plant related to the parsley family. The seeds are best roasted before use. It’s used in curries and savory vegetable dishes.

13. Soldier of Fortune—it’s a spicy contemporary tale written by Shelley Munro and it’s coming out next week on Nov 18 at Ellora’s Cave. Read the blurb and an excerpt here. You might have met the hero Louie in Summer in the City of Sails.

What is your cooking favorite spice?

The topic for today’s Snippet Saturday is Prologues. I thought I’d written quite a few prologues but, when I went looking, there weren’t many at all. I know a lot of readers and publishers don’t like them. I don’t mind a prologue as long as it serves a purpose and gives the reader information that isn’t readily available elsewhere.

My prologue is taken from Summer in the City of Sails, and we learn about the villain and what he wants.

Summer in the City of Sails by Shelley Munro

“I’m not telling him. You tell him.”

“It was your fault. You left the book in the taxi,” Marty snarled back at Ross. His hands curled to fists, and it looked as though he was ready to straighten the kink in his brother’s nose.

Dare Martin had heard enough. He strode into his Auckland office and shut the door behind him. The soft thud of wood sliding home muted the chatter from the early dinner crowd out in his restaurant and acted like a bomb explosion on his cousins. They whirled to face him, their familiar features bearing expressions ranging from uneasiness and trepidation to outright fear. He stepped away to stop himself from grabbing their dumb-ass heads and banging them together.

“I hope you’re fooling around.” Dare’s low growl displayed irritation, but the sound was mild considering the touchy subject. He dropped into the high-tech leather chair that sat behind the rimu-veneer desk and leaned back to observe them closely. They’d better be kidding, or he’d give them old-fashioned cement boots and drop them in the blue waters of the Hauraki Gulf. The book held an important place in his plans to take over the Ngataki family business. Hell, important be damned. It was bloody essential. “Where’s the book?” His normally lazy drawl flattened to crisp and no-nonsense.

Marty backed up and edged to the door, his chubby face paling to reveal a mug full of freckles. “Ross left it in the cab. We realized we’d lost…ah…left it and grabbed another cab to follow. When we caught up with the driver, he said there was no package on the backseat of his cab.”

“Yeah, it wasn’t there,” Ross said.

Marty glared at his brother then continued. “When we followed the cab, we saw him drop off at the library on Wellesley Street. A woman got out with a loada packages. I think she thought our package belonged to her and took it with her.”

Pissed, yielded swiftly to fury, but apart from lifting his hands to grip the edge of the desk, Dare kept his expression impassive. “I want that book.”

“We couldn’t find her in the library, but turns out the bird works there. We saw her leave and followed her home to Bottle Top Bay, boss,” Marty said.

“Yeah, we know where she lives. Young bird, she is. Nice tits.” Ross’ brows waggled up and down, and he smirked the dopey grin that never failed to prod Dare’s temper.
“If you know where she lives then get the friggin’ book back!” Dare roared, letting rip with his frustration. Goddamned bloody relatives. “I don’t give a rat’s arse how you do it. Just get it back.”

“Sure, boss.” Marty’s beefy hand reached for the wooden doorknob. “The house is isolated—just the one next door. Breaking in won’t be a problem.” He spoke so quickly his words ran together into one, a sure sign he sensed how close they were to bodily harm.

“Yeah, no problem, boss,” Ross said, his bearded chin bobbing up and down in agreement.

Dare sucked in a deep breath. A Goddamned bloody farce, that’s what this was. No wonder he’d found a gray hair this morning. After another calming breath, he flipped a red hardbound book open and reached for his engraved silver pen to add a notation to the margin. A soft shuffle of shoes made his head jerk up. “You still here?”

“Need a car,” Ross muttered.

“Steal one.” Dare seethed as he delivered the obvious answer. The blow his cousin had copped during that brawl last year had left him two sandwiches short of a picnic. “And don’t get caught because I won’t bail you out.”

Dare gripped his silver pen tightly and concentrated on his bookwork. Lumbering footsteps followed by a click as the door shut indicated his cousins had left. Dare tossed the pen down in disgust and leaned back. His chair slid smoothly into a reclining position.

He had a dream, a vision of power and how the future would pan out.

Nothing was going to get in the way of his dream.

Ellora’s Cave purchase link

To read other Saturday Snippets follow the links below:

Sylvia Day
Shelley Munro
Jaci Burton
Michelle Pillow
Juliana Stone
Moira Rogers
Sasha White
TJ Michaels
Lacey Savage
Jody Wallace
Eliza Gayle
Kelly Maher
Taige Crenshaw
Beth Williamson
Beth Kery
Mandy Roth
Viv Arend
Lauren Dane

It’s Snippet Saturday again, and this week’s theme is First Kiss. My excerpt is from one of my earlier Ellora’s Cave books, a contemporary called Summer in the City of Sails. Don’t forget to check out this week’s other snippets by following the links below.

SUMMER IN THE CITY OF SAILS by Shelley Munro

“Let go of me.” The brute. How dare he manhandle her? How dare he interfere in her private life? Her love life was none of his business.

He settled the dispute by yanking her even closer so she felt every muscle in his body, all the way down. Some of the muscles appeared to grow. She froze and mortified color heated her cheeks. She would not look down. She would not look down.

Summer looked down. His cock bulged in his jeans, showing she wasn’t the only one with a sexual appetite. A gasp escaped, and the fiery heat in her face escalated.

Nikolai chuckled—a smug masculine sound. “Yeah. Now, if I let you go, are you going to behave yourself?”

Summer gave a clipped nod, and Nikolai loosened his hold. She promptly balled her hand into a fist and plowed it into his stomach. The air exploded from his lungs with a satisfying hiss.

“That’s for being nosy,” she snapped.

An instant later, she was plastered against his body again. His lips moved and she realized he was speaking. Summer tried to hold onto her righteous anger, tried to concentrate, but she had trouble ripping her gaze from his beautiful lips. Go figure, she thought hazily. Who’d have thought she’d find his lips so interesting, especially since they mostly growled at her.

“Are you listening to me?”

Her head wobbled with the force of his shake. “It’s a little difficult when I can’t breathe. I’m starting to feel light-headed.” It was his proximity causing that all right! His cock dug into her belly. Gave a girl all sorts of interesting ideas. She traced his lips with her gaze. Would they feel soft? Hard? Or somewhere in between? Did she dare kiss him? All in the name of research, of course!

Summer stretched up on tiptoe even as she formulated the thought and pressed her lips to his. He froze, and she laughed inside, delighting in his reaction.

Flummoxed.

She’d managed to surprise the big, bad SAS man.
Her arms crept up behind his head, her fingers running through the long, silky strands of his hair. He groaned, drew her closer and took over the kiss. Which was a good thing since she’d reached the upper limits of her experience.

Summer pressed closer and felt the steady thud-thud of his heart. His hands smoothed their way from her upper arms to cup her face. Summer realized she was no longer held captive, that she remained plastered against his body of her own volition.

His tongue flicked across the seam of her lips, traced her bottom lip and then her top. Corny though it was, Summer saw fireworks explode behind her closed eyes. Bright flashes of orange and blue, electric yellow and fiery red burst inside her mind.

“Open your mouth,” he murmured, his voice low and husky.

Oh, yeah, Summer thought. That’s what Miranda magazine had recommended. She surrendered to the suggestion and tasted the vanilla spice of her favorite coffee along with the heady taste of Nikolai. His tongue delved into her mouth, thrusting and parrying then retreating.

Summer trembled. Lordy. Miranda knew what they were talking about. This was absolutely the best part…so far. She tried to recall the next step, but it was too difficult to concentrate. Going with the flow seemed much easier.

Nikolai froze when Summer gave a soft moan, and he came to earth with a bump. Hell, he had his tongue down her throat. How the hell had that happened? He eased back on the kiss, but wasn’t able to stop himself having another quick taste of her top lip. Man, she tasted good. She felt good too—soft in all the right places. No bony hips on this girl. Just lots of luscious curves…

He dived in for one last kiss before he eased away with real regret. His gaze went to her lips. They were red and glistened from his kisses. For a moment, he was tempted to let go of all good sense and kiss her again, then guilt let rip with a swift kick to his conscience. Get a visual, Henry had said. So what did he do? He went one better and copped a feel.

Lauren Dane
Cynthia Eden
Vivi Anna
SJ Day
Moira Rogers
Mandy Roth
Anya Bast
Viv Arend
Beth Williamson
Juliana Stone
Victoria Janssen
Shelley Munro
Elisabeth Naughton
Michelle Pillow
Jaci Burton
Taige Crenshaw
McKenna Jeffries
Sasha White
Shelli Stevens
Maggie Robinson
Maura Anderson
Jody Wallace
Eliza Gayle
Kelly Maher