Candy Kisses

I love to kiss, so there’s no better eye candy for me than a picture of two people engaged in this most powerful act. One of the first things I notice about a man is his smile, his lips in particular. How many of us have taken great pains to describe our hero’s lips, his smile…the way he kisses?

Kissing is so incredible, so diverse and unlimited. A kiss can convey a thousand meanings, from a simple greeting to comfort to wild passion. It can signal strength or vulnerability. A lover claiming his woman’s mouth can be as exciting as an alpha hero who softens at the slightest pressure of his lover’s lips. Who doesn’t love that? Sigh…

One of my favorite eye candy shots is this one, because this man has the most beautiful lips, and his expression is so gentle. This picture sort of inspired Graham Norton, the hero in Second Nature, at least in his human form. Handsome, but expressive, and that sexy look, like he’s thinking about smiling but isn’t quite sure if he should. Adorable!I think the way a person kisses tells much about them. The way a man pulls a woman to him or the way he holds her sends a message. Kissing is a way of communicating, and it can happen in all kinds of situations, with the unexpected ones being some of the most memorable.

I remember when my husband, before he became my husband, took the opportunity one Christmas to give me a hug and a holiday kiss. It was quick, but his full lips pressing against mine, even though we were just friends at the time, sent a nice shiver through me. I couldn’t stop thinking about it, or him. His kisses, and his smiles, to this day take my breath away. What’s your favorite kiss memory? Or maybe your favorite movie kiss?

What's in a face?

Eye Candy, huh? Well, that's a topic I can wrap my...self around. LOL

I'll be honest, I have a certain type. Then again, don't we all? I like those dark haired hotties that make you think of bad boys on motorcycles. But it's more than that. It's about the face. The expression. An ornery grin will do me in every single time. The lopsided smile that says, "I've got very naughty things planned for you".

So, with that in mind I've dug through my HUGE stack of hunk pictures and found a few that always make me sigh. And drool. And...yeah, we'll leave that last part to your imagination. LOL

This hunk gets to me, I swear. I like where he has his hand (that's so hot!). Also that look on his face. He is definitely not thinking pure thoughts.

And this cutie. He's sort of got that all around good guy look, doesn't he? Playful and sexy. What a combination!

And this rebel. Yum! Tell me you don't start thinking shapeshifter when you see this picture?

Okay, we've read books where the woman is blindfolded, but to be honest I'm not sure I've read a book where the man is blindfolded. When I saw this picture my imagination exploded. A powerful man ready to submit to his woman. Seriously? How can you not love that?! LOL

I'm in love with this hottie's eyes. And those lips! Mmm. I could stare at this guy for hours and not get bored!

And one everyone's seen probably a thousand times, but it never gets old. I can so easily hear an accent, can't you? And he looks so serious. It makes me want to work extra hard to get him to smile. *wink, wink*

I could go on, but I'm sure you all have better things to do, right? LOL

Mother's Day Tribute to an Inspirational Mom

Many people and life events have provided me inspiration, but the woman to whom I eternally thankful is also the one who has most inspired me. How timely this post about my mom as we celebrate another Mother’s Day.

When I recall some of my happiest moments, most of them feature my mother. As an only child, I was quite inquisitive and precocious, but her patience knew no boundaries. No matter how many adventures I sought, the times when my questions came at her most swiftly than the wind, her ways, intelligence and wisdom held me in awe. Why does the sun stop shining at some point in the day? Why can’t I go to Lisa’s house? How soon will we get to the beach? Whether my queries were easy or difficult, she always provided an answer. Was never too busy. Always put her child’s and husband’s needs before her own. Mom multi-tasked with the best. She knew the neatest household tips for saving time and money. Told me her secret for keeping healthy and how to find time for exercise despite an otherwise hectic life. Until she was diagnosed with cancer, my mom maintained her same weight for over fifteen years, never smoked or consumed alcohol, never took any medication, ate a balanced diet and exercised regularly. Despite her healthy and diligent ways all her married life, exposure to second-hand smoke earlier in her life took its silent toll until it was too late.

When it came to my writing and reading habits, mom always encouraged me. When other children were reading novels for their age group, she fortunately introduced me to literary classics and more advanced reading material. And eventually to romance fiction, including the Gothics. Our weekly trips to the library were much anticipated. Many times we’d stop at my grandmother’s for a delightful lunch afterward, or we’d take a trip somewhere special for our dining. How we’d giggle over our ice cream cones. She’d tell me bedtime stories every night until I reached the age of ten. Mom would listen intently as I told her of the skit I’d soon perform for neighbors, friends and other family members. Not once did she laugh at my youthful exuberance or innocent ways. We’d collaborate on plots for those performances, and she’d applaud my efforts the loudest of any in the audience. The days when we spent time in the family kitchen provided enough fond memories to last ten lifetimes. Mom was so cool. She made preparing anything look easy and taught me how to cook meals for any occasion.

During her battle with terminal cancer, that is the time she most inspired me. Her pain and suffering were set aside, and she offered this advice about my embarking on a writing career—“Never surrender your dreams or give up on your goals. Life is tough but you have to do everything possible to keep living. You never know what you can accomplish until you try. If you fail, try again and try harder.” I immediately jotted down her advice on a desk notepad and have kept those words close and precious. Until her final breath, she didn’t surrender. She fought a good fight and never complained despite the fact the cancer spread to her bones. Kept reading romance novels until the rigorous combination of radiation and chemotherapy affected her eyesight. Did what she most enjoyed doing until cancer advanced and interrupted the program.

When I’ve a difficult day, I always take time, step back from the problem, and recall her cancer struggle. If she could endure such pain from her cancer, and debilitating effects from her therapy, why in the world should I mope or complain about my situation? A situation for which there was at least one solution and eventual respite?

I recently went through a tremendously rough period in my life. The roughest since her passing. But each day before I’ve closed my eyes to sleep, I’ve remembered her sage advice. And how she promised to be my Valentine if I’d be hers. That we laid my best friend, mom and mentor supreme to rest a few days later on, as you’ve probably guessed, Valentine’s Day. On this Mother’s Day in 2009, she is with me in spirit. In a short while, I’ve more plotting to do on a new romance novel project. While others are grilling and picnicking on this holiday, Mom and I will be in the den. Her unseen presence and inspiration will spur me to keep on working toward my publishing goals and living my romance-writing dreams. We’ll also take some time to celebrate the release of my latest erotica romance novel with Ellora’s Cave, TO HELLE AND BACK AGAIN.



Click here for more information and an excerpt

Click here for a steamy excerpt

Wishing you all many happy reading moments,

Shawna Moore
TO HELLE AND BACK AGAIN -- EC Exotika
TORMENTED -- Ellora's Cave
ROUGHRIDER -- EC Exotika
HELLE IN HEELS -- EC Exotika
Shawna's Myspace
Helle's Myspace

The Conqueror by Kris Kennedy

I'm pleased we are featuring Kris Kennedy and her first book, The Conqueror, here today!

Wife, mom, psychotherapist, and romance writer, Kris Kennedy is ecstatic her debut book, THE CONQUEROR, is out now from Kensington! She firmly believes every woman deserves a good book to help 'take her away.’ She also believes that, if she ignores dirt, it will eventually go away. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, preschooler son, and their dog, with another stray kitty to come soon.

Welcome and congratulations, Kris! We're thrilled you're at FR today! Please tell us about your new book. (Gorgeous cover, by the way!)

Thanks so much for having me here, ladies!
THE CONQUEROR. England, 1152: After seventeen years of civil war, things are about to change. A reluctant hero, a desperate heroine, and a love that can unite a kingdom, or bring it crashing to the ground. “I’m wildly excited about The Conqueror, the medieval I've been waiting for. Old-school in ambiance and intrigue, but fresh in h/hn relationship. Sultry passion and breathtaking adventure – a true romance!” ~ Michelle Buonfiglio, Romance B(u)y the Book

What a fantastic review! Why did you choose the specific time period and location for your story?

It just happened. LOL. When I first started writing this book, I was SO far from being published, and just following my inclinations and spirit. And I am totally into the medieval era anyhow. Everything I was writing was medieval, so it was just what I did!

I love medievals. There's just something about that time period. What element of story creation is your favorite?

I really like revisions. I know, it’s sick. :-)

Yes, it is! LOL (Just kidding.)

I simply adore the craft of writing, and am hoping to get better and better. Some of the things I especially love. . . Let’s see . . . I love generally making things worse for the hero & heroine. :-) I love those moments when I’m writing, and I realize I’m taking the easy way out, and stop. I realize I’m making things in the scene turn out the way a normal person would hope things would turn out. The way things USUALLY turn out: okay. But in our stories, of course, that’s not half as exciting for the reader, :-), so I love that moment of insight, & the subsequent question: “Well, what would be worse than this?”, then doing it.

That's a very good lesson for us all! (Making mental note to get rougher with my hero and heroine.) What else do you enjoy?

I also LOVE writing dialogue. When things are flowing, that is so much fun! Oh, and arguments. I love writing arguments, especially when they tap into sensual energy. And revelation scenes. And...and.... LOL

Oh yes! I love those arguments where the sensual tension bubbles. Please tell us about your favorite character in the book.

Well, I suspect that’s the hero, Griffyn Sauvage, because he’s so very honorable. And torn. I like torn things. Heroes, that is. :-) He’s alpha, and reluctant, and confident, and committed to his one single goal. And he’s achingly honorable, but being corrupted, and it’s eating him up.
But I also like Guinevere, the heroine, because she’s got so much passion and is so determined, even when she’s headed the exact wrong direction. :-)

These sound like characters I could easily fall in love with. I love a torn, honorable, alpha guy too. What element of this story was the hardest for you?

I’d have to say that’s two-fold. One is definitely the ‘treasure’ element of the sub-plot. It created great inner conflict for the hero, but I admit to being uncertain if it would work. The other really difficult thing about this manuscript was the fact that it evolved over the course of several years--with breaks in between, of course! :-) But as I evolved as a writer, my stories had to as well. The rewrites required for this were pretty insanely extensive, and time-consuming.

Wow, I can only imagine. What’s next for you?

I'm doing my own personal final revisions on WANTING FINIAN right now. That's the manuscript that won the 2008 Golden Heart for Best Historical. It'll be out next Spring, although I have no idea what its title will be. I somehow doubt my editor is going to keep mine. LOL There's an excerpt on my website.

And I am working on another book which could follow THE CONQUEROR, but still work as a stand-alone book. It's another medieval, with a wronged & angry heroine, a very, very dangerous hero, and both of them with something precious to protect. My working title is simply: The Jamie Story.

Sounds wonderful! I love the way you describe the characters. Do you have any advice for unpublished authors?

Persistence. If you have that ‘pull’ to write, if you get excited by examining POV shifts or torturing your characters, if you feel it deep inside, then be persistent. Research is starting to bear out what we already know in our guts: successful people are the ones who are persistent. You have to be smart about it, of course: i.e. Get Better! :-) Pay attention, learn the craft. But in the end, if you keep showing up, the bus will come by.
:-)

Excellent, insightful advice! Thanks for being with us today, Kris! It's been fun!

Here's a link to an exciting excerpt of The Conqueror.

Kris loves hearing from readers, so please visit her website at www.kriskennedy.net, or write her at kris@kriskennedy.net.

Inspiration from Adversity

Mother’s Day is fast approaching, which coincides with Inspiration Week at Fierce Romance. What a nice coincidence since my mom inspired me. I’m the youngest of four, and my mom gave birth to me when she was almost 40 – fairly common today, but not so much 40-odd years ago. But the fact that my mom was an “older mom” is not what made her inspirational. A few years after I was born, my mom was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Since this disease primarily affects older people (in their 70’s and 80’s), my mom’s diagnosis was “early onset” Parkinson’s disease. The actor, Michael J. Fox, has the same diagnosis.

Parkinson’s disease is a neurological disease, which affects motor skills and even speech, and it’s progressive. So getting the diagnosis at 42 is a lot different than at 72. The disease is characterized by trembling hands and a shuffling gait. At times, my mom’s hands would shake so much, she couldn’t feed herself. Her ability to walk and keep her balance deteriorated so severely that when she did leave the house, she had to use a wheelchair. She took medication, but it didn’t work very well and there is no cure for the disease. That was my number one wish as a child – not a new bike, or a new dress for the prom – but that someone, somewhere would find a cure for Parkinson’s disease and give me a mom. I'm still waiting.

My mom was an inspiration to me, not because she ran marathons or went to the moon or became president, but because she showed incredible grace and dignity while this disease stripped away her ability to live a “normal” life. My dad was an inspiration to me too because at 42, he was left with an invalid wife and four kids ranging in ages from 2 – 10. He hung in there and gave it his best shot, and at age 60, he took an early retirement so he could stay home and take care of my mom. Ironically, my dad passed away before my mom. She followed him two years later. She didn’t die from Parkinson’s disease, because that disease in and of itself is not fatal, but she did die of pneumonia after catching a simple cold.

So every Mother’s Day I think about my mom, and my crises and issues of the moment seem petty and insignificant. I try to teach my kids, who never met their grandmother, to appreciate their good health as well and sometimes wonderful opportunities to do so arise. A few years ago, my husband participated in the Silver Strand half marathon, which runs between Coronado and Imperial Beach in San Diego. The race benefits the Challenged Athletes Foundation, and there are many athletes in the race who are in wheelchairs, are amputees or burn victims. My boys were wide-eyed watching the amputee runners with their special running prosthetics. It was so inspirational to see those runners crossing the finish line (in some cases well ahead of the able-bodied runners) and such a good lesson for my boys.

I’m going to leave you with the most inspirational commercial I’ve ever seen. At the very end of the commercial, you’ll see Oscar Pistorius, a South African man who’s a double amputee…and an athlete. I’ve got soul but I’m not a soldier...

And Happy Mother’s Day to all you moms out there who are daily inspirations for your kids.

Inspired to Change History

A young woman sits alone by the side of the road. She’s very nervous, frightened, actually. Tomorrow is her wedding day. But that’s not why she’s scared. She's scared because she's waiting for a stranger to assault her.

Like all writers, I read a lot. I come across these little factoids that surprise me or intrigue me or, in this case, sadden me. And that’s where the inspiration for my stories comes from. Like most romance readers, I like my happy ending. So I took this sad fact and started the ‘what if’ game. So that I could twist this upsetting practice and give it a happy ending.

That’s how my story The Star Necklace was born.

The fact I read was about an ancient culture (somewhere around Greece). Their practice was this: On the night before her wedding, every woman would have to sit at a certain point on the road. The first man who chanced upon her (a stranger, according to the article) got to take her virginity. And then, he’d make a “donation” to the local temple, presumably in thanks for this good fortune.

My first thought on reading this terrible practice was for the poor women. What did they think about this custom? History will never tell. (It’s not told by the victims, is it?)

My second thought was, what an innovative money-making scheme! (Let’s not call it forced prostitution.) Anyway, I immediately started writing a story which turned into The Star Necklace, which has been sold (not published yet). Oddly enough, it’s a futuristic, not an historical. Though I made sure my heroine was not a helpless victim, and she does get her happy ending (luckily, a fabulous hero chances upon her), it still bothered me that she had to do the side of the road thing.

So I started a second story, a contemporary called Scarlet and the Sheriff, currently available at eRedSage. Scarlet is no one’s victim and I designed her to be able to enjoy and even flaunt her sexuality on her own terms. She served as a counterpoint to the helpless women I envisioned when I thought of that ancient custom (which, by the way, I don't think was widespread). I did find Scarlet easier to write since it didn’t hinge on such a troublesome practice.

These are two very different stories, but both started with the germ of one idea. I find that I get most of my inspiration from the constant reading I do.

I will raise a glass to my mother on Mother’s Day for raising me to understand injustice, and to look beyond the surface of things to figure out why something might be wrong, even if it seems okay because it’s our custom.

Of all the things your mother taught you, what resonates still?

Characters Who Inspire You.

Something or someone has inspired me to write each story I have jotted down. For the first novel I wrote (which will never see the light of day) a soap opera I watched inspired that story. Weird, I know, but it did. Years of being a cat lover inspired The Feline Fugitive. My favorite romance inspired A Love Rewritten and so on.

Last week, I talked about my love for MMA, which inspired the hero of my novel that is making the rounds. This week I would like to talk about the heroine of that same story.

Who inspired the creation of Caitlyn?

Well…Me.

I knew sooner or later I would have to write a Caitlyn. I just wasn’t sure when it would be. Then the idea for Extreme Love hit me and I knew Caitlyn would be the perfect heroine for my hard-bodied hero.

Why?

Like me, Caitlyn has spent her entire life struggling to lose weight and finally she succeeds in losing eighty pounds. The next thing she knows, life as she knew it, is no longer the same. The clothes are different, the MEN are different, the way she views herself is different. In certain ways, she feels she is still an overweight woman trapped in a smaller body. And that is where the true struggle begins.

Everyone is different in their reaction, but for me, losing weight has been one of most life-altering changes of my life. Yes, this is above getting married and having twins. Those things changed my life as well, but nowhere have I asked myself, “Who am I?” When I’ve always believed I knew exactly who I was. Then I won a lifetime battle of the bulge and suddenly I’m not exactly the same person anymore. Yes, I was still the fun-loving, loud-laughing person inside. But I would stand in front of a mirror and think who in the heck in this person staring back at me.

That was when I realized that losing the weight was only half the battle and I still had a long way to go. I wasn’t a person who was once small, gained weight and lost it. I was a person who had never been below a size 18 (well maybe when I was 10, LOL). I spent my childhood and my early 20’s overweight. Always shopped in the plus-size clothes (I actually bought clothes even bigger to hide in and Hide is exactly what I did.) I was embarrassed to go to the gym, worried about what people would whisper behind my back. All of these things changed.


Eighty pounds later, I’m accepting the new me, both body and mind. Writing Cailtyn helped me with that. I got to therapeutically release my own feelings and went on my on personal battle. I cried with her as she grew because I was faced with the same obstacles. And through helping her with hers, I was able to help myself.

So in all truth, Caitlyn and I inspired each other. I was inspired to write my after-weight-loss journey and she inspired me to learn to accept myself for the new person I am now as she accepted herself.

Don’t get me wrong, I still HATE bathing suits, I’m equally not as thrilled with the smaller clothes that cover less of my skin. But this weekend, I bought one of those dreaded suits and sucked it up and wore it. And for the first time, I find myself willing to buy those sleeveless shirts. I also accept the fact that men actually do notice me now, much to my husbands chagrin. LOL. Though he is happy for me and thrilled with the new confidence in which I carry myself.

I never believed losing weight could alter my life so much. But it has. I love the person I have become. I still slip up, you can’t live a certain way for a majority of your life and not, but I have learned how to jump back up, brush myself off and get right back to it. I couldn’t do that before.

So thank you Caitlyn. The one character I have written that has inspired MY life more than any other.

Esme

www.esmereldabishop.com