Chasing Paradise Excerpt

Chasing Paradise

Available Monday, August 1st

When she stopped in front of him, her eyes locked on his and he was powerless to look away.

“Hi.” Her gaze shifted to the side as if searching for something to say. “I didn’t get a chance to introduce myself earlier, or thank you for saving me from the wall. I’m Gwen.”

She thrust out her hand to shake his, and Ethan stared at it. How would she react if he pulled her into his arms and ravaged those beautiful lips like he wanted to? Instead, he gave her a smile and shook hands.

“Actually, you did manage to thank me.” Utterly charming him in the process, too.  The blush that stole over her cheeks only endeared her to him more. “I’m Ethan. Can I buy you a drink, Gwen?”

Her gaze drifted to the open doors behind him. “I probably shouldn’t. I try not to mingle with guests.” She continued to stare into the bar before glancing back at him, her doe-like eyes hiding nothing. She wanted to stay with him and was fighting an internal battle with her conscience. It would be easy to tip the scales in his favor.

With any other woman, he’d swing his arm around her shoulders, and guide her toward the bar with a charming smile. Instead, using his intuition as his guide, he cupped her cheek with his hand. Her eyes closed as she nuzzled her face against him but flew open moments later as he drew her closer. His other hand slipped around her waist as he tilted her chin up, aligning her lips with his.

As soon as his lips brushed against hers, his wolf growled low in his chest. Something about this woman captivated him. The need to touch her, taste her, move inside her, was unbearable. Resisting the urge to crush her against him proved difficult and he struggled to keep the kiss light.

Despite his resolution, the feel of her lips parting in silent invitation proved too much for his tightly-strung control. His tongue thrust inside, exploring her mouth as his arms pulled her tighter against him. Her hands closed into fists, pulling at him as if to draw him closer. Breaking away, he gasped for air, need setting him on fire. Gwen rested her head on his shoulder, panting as well.

“What say we skip the drink and go back up to my room?” Ethan suggested, desperate to know her better.

“No.” Her quick reply was so unexpected, it took him a moment to process.

No? He thought they had been on the same page. Her hands were still fisted in his shirt, her body a comfortable weight in his arms. Everything indicated she had enjoyed the kiss as much as he had. Hell, she’d practically melted against him. What had he done wrong?

The moment he’d met this woman, everyone else had ceased to matter. He wanted her more than he’d ever wanted anything in his life. It devastated him to think she might not feel the same way. Letting her go tonight would be one of the hardest things he’d ever done. If that was what she wanted, he’d find a way to walk away. But it wouldn’t end there. Wolves were persistent when they wanted something and he wanted Gwen. Nothing would stop him from coming back until she was ready for him. He’d win her over eventually. No other outcome was acceptable.

“My room is bigger.”

It took a moment to process the meaning behind her words, but once he did, his soul leapt and he fought the impulse to howl.

Vacation Time!

That's right! I'm heading out to take a needed vacation! A woman who I've been best friends with since middle school owns a cabin up on Lake Michigan. So for the next week, I'll be lying on the beach, swimming, and who knows what else. The best part is, it looks and feels like the ocean, but no salt and no sharks! Although I am taking my laptop and fully anticipate to get in some writing and revising on my current wip, I am looking forward to the rest and relaxation. So I may be a bit scarce the next week, but I'll be back come Thursday or Friday--this trip timeframe is morphing on a daily basis, lol. And when I get back, I promise to spend more time blogging and visiting. Until then, stay cool everyone!

It's Never Too Late... - A guest post by Stephanie Haefner

One thing I stress to everyone I know is the importance of finding happiness in life. Your career, your family, your significant other....if you're not happy and enjoying yourself, then you need to make changes. Life is far too short to spend it miserable.

That saying, "Live every day like it's your last," has some truth to it. If it were really our last day on Earth, we wouldn't go to work or exercise or pay bills or clean...cause we do still need to do those things! :) But we also need to live each day to it's fullest and spend more time doing the things we love with the people we love. I used to stress over a messy house...but these days, when I have to choose between dishes and laundry or something fun with my kids, the housework definitely sits! I get to it eventually!

My newest release, Soap Dreams, is about finding happiness in places where you never thought you could again. It's never too late to reclaim an old passion or an old love.

Blurb:

It’s never too late to start over.

Robyn Miller is perfectly happy in her immaculate home, playing stay-at-home mom and
devoted wife. That is, until she's channel surfing one day and sees her high school sweetheart Derek, acting in a lead role in her favorite old soap. Watching Derek's show becomes her secret pleasure...and brings back memories best forgotten. When Derek's mother throws him a big celebration in town, Robyn tries to avoid seeing him, but ends up in his arms for a dance.

Derek has finally hit the big-time, but he hasn't found happiness. He regrets losing Robyn,
and his show's ratings are falling. He longs to get her back in his life--both personally, and as a writer on the show. Those love scenes she used to dream up were Emmy material. Knowing her marriage is a sham, can he convince her to follow her dreams and give the show--and him--a shot?

A friend of mine, a woman in her fifties, read the blurb for Soap Dreams and told me it's too late for her. And that made me so sad. Fifty is young these days. Is she really satisfied to live the next 30 or 40 years unhappy?? I don't think she should...and I encouraged her to find happiness. And I hope all you do too! :)

Stephanie Haefner is a wife, mother of two, and novelist from Buffalo, NY. Her debut, A Bitch Named Karma, is available from Lyrical Press, along with her latest releases Paradise Cove and Soap Dreams. Her shorter works have published in Nickel City Nights: Erotic Writing in Western New York, Flash Me Magazine, Chicken Soup for the Soul, and Voices from the Herd. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and the Buffalo Writers Meetup Group. When not writing, she enjoys dance, scrapbooking, and Disney World. Visit her at www.stephaniehaefnerthewriter.com.

Thank you Sondrae for having me today! Every commenter will be entered to win my Grand Prize at the end of my blog tour...a signed copy of A Bitch Named Karma (US only, sorry!) and digital copies of both Paradise Cove and Soap Dreams!

Thank you so much for being here, Stephanie. Having read and loved your other books, I can tell everyone that this is a prize not to be missed, so be sure and leave Stephanie a comment and check out her other books!  To purchase Soap Dreams, you can go to Lyrical Press, Amazon, and digital bookstores everywhere.

Giveaway Winner

Thank you to everyone who stopped by and participated in the L.K. Below Never a Princess, Always a Frog giveaway. Random.org chose number 2, so the winner is...

Robin

I will be contacting you via email to gift you your kindle copy. Thanks again to everyone who stopped by and thank you to L.K. for joining us!

Be sure to come back tomorrow when Stephanie Haefner will be joining us to talk about her newest release Soap Dreams!

Interview with L.K. Below

Today, I have an awesome author visiting my blog. Please join me in welcoming romance and YA author, L.K. Below.

Tell us a little about your latest release, Never a Princess, Always a Frog?
Never a Princess, Always a Frog is the beginning of a new series. Each book -- a hot contemporary romance -- will revolve around a fairy tale which parallels the story. In Never a Princess, Always a Frog ("The Princess and the Frog"), Colleen visits a rowdy Halloween party wearing nothing but green paint. Will she be able to find herself a prince? The second book, Beauty in His Bed, will feature Colleen's plus sized cousin.

Do you have a favorite book that you've written or one you recommend a new reader start with?
Each of my books hold a special place in my heart. Setting aside my newest release, I particularly love Stone Cold Kiss. The Hero, Seamus, will get any woman's heart pumping. Sexy silver-tongued Irishman? Yes, please!

What is your favorite thing about being a writer?
There are many ups to be had in writing. Talking to someone who enjoyed my book, reading a great review, or getting a hefty check (hey, that never goes amiss :) ). But the absolute best part is writing. I craft my worlds and stories because I love what I do. There's nothing quite like the feeling of completing something or immersing in a new world. It's the best feeling in the world.

What do you want readers to take away from your books?
If they can forget their lives for a while, wear the characters' skins, then I've done my job. If they come away from my books feeling uplifted and optimistic, I've done my job. I want my books to do what every other great romance book will do -- transport the reader.

What do you do when you're not writing?
There's a time when I'm not writing? Ha! Every now and again, my boyfriend forces me to relax. In that case, I watch a movie, or paint, or draw, or if I'm lucky I'll research somthing interesting. Although the last is still technically writing...


Who are your favorite authors?
I love the classics. The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux, The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand, Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell, and just about anything by Lord Byron.

Moving into more modern times, some of my favorites include: Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, Terry Pratchett, R.A. Salvatore, Mercedes Lackey, Tamora Pierce, Julia Quinn, and Kresley Cole.

What are you currently reading?
Right now I'm reading Captive Bride by Bonnie Dee. If you ever get the chance to read it, do. It's an interracial historical set in 1870 San Francisco. I'm always looking for historicals set in unusual times or places. And this one delivers!

What can we look forward to from you in the future?
This October, I'm excited to launch a new trilogy. This urban fantasy trilogy features a secret organization, a mad murderer, a gothic heroine, and a vampire or two. Stalking Shade, the first installment, comes out from Lyrical Press, Inc. on October 3rd. The second book, Out of the Shadows, is slated for an April 2012 release, and I'm currently working on the third and last, This Blackened Night. I love Lori, the main character, and I'm very excited to see what others think of her and the persistent faux-vampire determined to win her heart.

Any parting thoughts?
Please join me on my website, www.lbelow.net, or on my blog, http://lbelow.blogspot.com, where I blog daily.

Thank you to Sondrae for having me!!

Thank you for joining us, L.K. 


Now for the contest. I will be giving away a kindle version of L.K. Below's latest release Never a Princess, Always a Frog to a random commenter between now and Thursday at 3pm EST. To enter, simply leave a comment or question and be sure to leave your email address (alternatively you can email it to me at sondraebennett@gmail.com if you prefer not to leave it on a comment). Winner will be announced on the blog as well as contacted via email.

Guest Post

I'm over at Romancing the Book, and we're giving away an e-copy of Arctic Winds. Stop on by and say hi for your chance to win.

http://www.romancing-the-book.com/2011/07/blogoversary-day-2-sondrae-bennett.html