Winner of Leah Braemel's Deliberate Deceptions!

Random.org has spoken, and the winner of Leah Braemel's Deliberate Deceptions is...

ClaudiaGC!

Thanks to everyone who came out to chat with Leah. Claudia, I'll be in contact soon to send you your book. And thanks again to Leah for stopping by!

More awesome author giveaways coming soon! 

Welcome author Leah Braemel...and GIVEAWAY!

Thanks so much to my guest today, erotic romance author Leah Braemel. Leah's been here before and I always love it when she stops by. To celebrate her latest release, Deliberate Deceptions, out NOW with Samhain Publishing, I'm offering an ebook copy to a random commenter. Leah writes fabulous stories so trust me, you want to be in on this giveaway!

All you have to do to be entered is sign up to be a follower of the blog if you're not already and leave a comment. Easy peasy, right? Check out Deliberate Deceptions' gorgeous cover, blurb and excerpt and my interview with Leah then go forth and comment. Contest will run until Saturday 5/21 and the winner will be announced early next week.


1) If you had to write a blurb summing up your body of work so far, what would it be?

A blurb? How about three words. Passionate. Provocative. Decadent.

I write steamy romance while trying not to focus on tab A fitting into slot B or even about the "s/he so hot" initial meeting feelings of lust. I like delvign into the emotions as the couple--or threesomes--learn more about each other. I like watching my characters get into each other's heads and have them affect the other's emotions, get under their skin and discover the secrets even their best friends don't know--that's where I think passion kicks in.  Trust has to be there, especially if you bring in the provocative menages--whether they're for one night, like in Private Property, or for the rest of their lives like in Texas Tangle.


2) Tell us about the Hauberk Protection series and your latest Samhain release, Deliberate Deceptions. You always write very sexy books, but these are romantic suspense, as well, aren't they?

Technically Samhain does not list the Hauberk series in the romantic suspense category. True, Hauberk does feature some kick-ass bodyguards and guns, and there are stalkers and bad guys but my stories tend to focus more on the romance with the external plot happening on the periphery. I like twisting the standard tropes and playing "what if." That was how I first got the idea for Private Property--at the time all the menages I'd read were "oh this is great, happy happy joy joy fun fun fun" but I wanted to explore what might happen if one of the participants realized "whoops, this was a really bad idea. WTF was I thinking?"

In Personal Protection, the owner of Hauberk Protection, Sam Watson must accept bodyguards because he's being stalked. I left little hints from the very first page as to who the stalker is, figuring everyone would figure it out and shake their head at Sam for not seeing what was so obvious to everyone else. It was really interesting when I saw the divided reaction to the final revelation at the end from readers -- some who said "Wow, I never saw that coming", others who said "I figured it out pretty early" to a few who absolutely hated it because they wanted a "Speed" type ending or the type of ending other romantic suspenses delivered, while I gave them...well, I don't want to give away the ending to those who haven't read it and may be in the "I never saw it coming" camp.

I'm really glad Deliberate Deceptions is not being put in the romantic suspense category too because it's not about being hunted by a killer so much as the characters having to face the past and the mistakes they'd made, no matter what the reasoning was when they made their decisions.


3) What's up next for you? What are you working on now?

I'm in the obsessively-clicking-refresh on my email ever since I learned my editor is reading my latest submission -- the next in the Hauberk series, tentatively entitled Hidden Heat which picks up right on the heels of Deliberate Deceptions. While I'm trying not to freak out about whether she gives it her thumbs up or down, I'm writing a trio of novellas about a bride playing matchmaker for her bridesmaids. They're fun to write because they're much lighter than Deliberate Deceptions or Hidden Heat. Part of the fun is taking a scene from one novella and rewriting it from a different character's point of view which can change the whole mood of the scene.

I'm also preparing for a lot of trips in the coming months. I'll be at Lori Foster's Reader and Author Get Together in West Chester Ohio on June 3-5, and then I'll only have a couple weeks before I jet off to New York for the Romance Writers of America national conference. In September, I'm heading down to North Carolina to be part of a Writers' Police Academy where I'll get hands-on interactive experience in using weapons from real-life police, EMT and firemen, along with lectures on forensics, etc. I imagine the "romantic suspense" part of my stories will start ramping up after that. ;)

Blurb:

A little lying and misdirection in the name of love is never wrong. Right?

Chad Miller once had the perfect life—a beautiful baby daughter, a loving wife, a promising career with the FBI. Within a year, he’d lost everything. Making Hauberk Protection a success salvaged his career, but he’s never managed to get over the one fateful decision that spelled the end of his marriage. And the death of his child.

For eight years, grief and guilt have haunted Lauren Miller’s climb up the ranks of the Light Brigade, a secret international hostage rescue team. Now she’s the target of a vengeful ex-Brigade operative who’ll stop at nothing to take her down. Even if it means taking out everyone she cares about. Including Chad. Getting him to accept her as his bodyguard? It’ll take some fast talking—and faster hands.

Trapped in a remote safe house with Lauren is the last place Chad ever wanted to be. He may finally have the chance to get some answers about why she ran, but with his hard-won defenses crumbling, he’s having trouble remembering the questions. In the heat of their rekindled passion, Lauren struggles to keep her professional focus…and keep the secrets that could break his heart all over again.

Excerpt:

He hauled her to her feet, sliding one arm beneath her knee. He kissed her—there was nothing gentle about it. It was hard, demanding. The way she loved. His tongue thrust into her mouth, claiming every inch of her. He broke it off, moving instead to the side of her neck, finding the spot that had her sucking in her breath. She dropped her own mouth to the tender spot where his neck met his shoulder, nipping with her teeth, sucking, leaving her own mark on him, somewhere that would be hidden by his collar. Somewhere no one else would see, but she’d know it was there.

The smooth head of his cock slid between her folds. It brushed over her clit, and withdrew, teasing her until her toes curled against the floor and she couldn’t take it anymore. She slipped a hand between them and guided his cock to her entrance.

With a ferocity he’d never shown before, he thrust deep then stayed motionless until his body vibrated with the need to continue. “Do you want this?”

She tilted her hips, closing her eyes at the delicious friction of him filling her. She loved it when he let his aggressive side loose, commanding. Powerful. God, she’d missed this. Missed him. “I want you. I’ve only ever wanted you, Chad.”

His whole body stiffened, the only warning before he withdrew from her. “Bullshit. You divorced me, remember?”

With a cry, she reached out to catch him when he lifted his pants and refastened his fly. He snatched up her shirt and threw it at her. “You even changed your goddamned name back to Patrick as soon as the divorce went through.”

She straightened her shoulders. He deserved the truth. “I couldn’t stay with you—”

“You were very clear about that. You couldn’t be associated with me. What woman wants a man who is more concerned with his sister’s life than his wife’s career?”

Is that what he thought? Had she really given him that impression? No, more likely Thalia had. “That’s not why I left.”

“Maybe that wasn’t the final straw that drove you out, but it was a big part of it, wasn’t it? You never understood why I went against orders, did you?”

“I understood. I still don’t agree with your decision to send people in undercover, though I understood why you did it.” She deliberately didn’t name Sam. “But that’s not why I went to England.”

“It doesn’t matter anymore. Our marriage is over. You got what you wanted. You don’t get what you want this time.” He released her and opened the door between their rooms. He stopped on the threshold and spoke over his shoulder. “I’ll make sure you’re protected from this Harris asshole. But once he’s neutralized? I don’t want to see you again.”

Once the door closed behind him, Lauren walked up to it, pressed her forehead against the cool panel and whispered, “I’m not going let you walk away until you’ve listened to me. Until you believe I left you because I loved you. Not because I didn’t.”

Want to read more? You can here: http://leahbraemel.com/deliberate-deceptions/

Buy Links:
Samhain | Amazon Kindle  |Barnes and Noble

Links:
Leah's website: http://LeahBraemel.com
Twitter: http;//twitter.com/leahbraemel
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Leah-Braemel/95697551732
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2847878.Leah_Braemel

Winner of Leah Braemel's Texas Tangle!

Using the trusty random number generator, comment #4 was chosen. Congratulations, Valerie! I'll be sending you your PDF copy of Texas Tangle this weekend. I know you'll love it!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by to visit with Leah!

Interview with Leah Braemel...and a chance to win Texas Tangle!

Today my guest is Leah Braemel, the terrific author of Texas Tangle, which released this week from Carina Press. I've been salivating to read this one ever since I saw that delicious cover - seriously, does it get any better than that? Leah agreed to answer a few of my burning questions, and I'm also at her blog today, discussing how to keep the spark alive in your romance - Ex Appeal's Ty and Jenny definitely could've used some tips, until they figured things out for themselves. ;)

After you read Leah's interview, leave a question or comment to be in the running for a PDF copy of Texas Tangle! It's that easy. Winner will be picked by random drawing. Contest closes July 1st at 10 pm EST.

And if you need more fun...I'd love it if you stopped by Leah's blog to offer your own tips on keeping the romance in your relationship!

1)    Tell us about Texas Tangle. What inspired the story?  

Back in 2007, I’d only just decided to get serious about my writing and joined the Romance Writers of American.  My critique partners who both live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area convinced me to register for the RWA National conference that was being held in Dallas that year.  One of my critique partners breeds Arabian BLUE horses and after the conference she invited me out to her place where she took me riding and even introduced me to her dad who taught me how to shoot a variety of guns including an old fashioned Colt 45. I’m a writer, so I’m constantly playing what-if and I started toying with the idea of writing a contemporary western. Of course, that idea had to be pushed aside while I worked on a couple other ideas I had (Private Property—which is based on my other critique partner’s area, which was followed by its sequel Personal Protection.) But finally the characters of Texas Tangle decided they’d had enough of sitting in the closet fighting off the dust bunnies so I pulled it out and started working on it. Originally it was supposed to be a novella, but as I was writing Dillon’s best friend Brett walked in to help investigate Nikki’s break-in. Turned out Brett and Nikki had a history…yup, the plans for the novella quickly flew out the window.

2) Carina Press, the all e-print of Harlequin, is just launching this month. Why did you think your story would be a good fit there?

Carina press is the digital-first line of Harlequin. Harlequin. I have to admit I was worried that submitting a story about a polyamorous romance to them, again, this was Harlequin and I’d never seen them actually publish a ménage. But Angela James repeatedly posted on the Carina blog and on Twitter that yes, they were looking for erotic romance including ménages. Since I got the offer, the people at Carina have been great to work with—the editing has been detailed and thorough, and I’m really pleased with how Texas Tangle has come out.

3) Texas Tangle is a menage story (yum!) You've written menages before. Why does that particular setup appeal to you as a writer?

I think ménages with two men pleasuring one woman is a fantasy that many women have. And it’s so much fun to write. With Private Property, I took the concept that the boyfriend who suggested it got cold feet part way through which caused some wonderful internal conflict for him.  With Texas Tangle, the conflict is that the two guys are expecting the woman to choose between them. So I guess it’s the conflict they can create that appeals to me.

4) If I was going to try one story of Leah Braemel's, which would you suggest? I know La Nora's answer would be whichever is on sale now but sometimes an author's "baby" is their first release. Which is it for you?

OMG, I asked this of some of my guest bloggers last year and they said it was like asking to choose which of their children they preferred. Now I know what how they feel.  I love Private Property, but I will always have a special place in my heart for Personal Protection and its hero Sam. And now Texas Tangle is right up there—I love Dillon because you just can’t get him down, he sees the positive side in everything, while Brett is the dark and tortured hero I also love. I know, I know, you’re saying “so which one?”  I think I have to borrow La Nora’s response on this one – Texas Tangle.

5) Any advice for someone trying to break into the writing business?

Wow, I could write several pages of advice on this one.  I think the best advice I can give is also the simplest. Write.  I’ve met a lot of people who tell me they’re writers and they’d love to get published, but when I talk to them about their projects, they usually tell me they’ve never actually finished a manuscript.  If your goal is to be published, unless you’re writing non-fiction, you have to have something finished—and polished—to hand to an editor or an agent. They can’t publish a half-finished book. So finish it. Even if you write 250 words a day, a couple paragraphs, by the end of a year, you’ll have written over 90,000 words. So put your butt in the chair and your hands on the keyboard and finish that story.

6) What are you working on now?

I’ve got a couple projects I’m working on, but mainly I’m trying to finish up the next in the Hauberk series for Samhain.  This one is Chad’s story and it’s been kicking my behind. It’s a reunited love story, about a couple who have let life drive them apart and have to find their way back together again. I’m finally done the first draft and am editing it, so I’m hopeful for it.  Of course, it still depends upon my editor liking it.

If you want to know more about Leah, you follow her on Twitter, or join her Facebook fanpage.  You can read more excerpts of Texas Tangle, and her other erotic romances, Private Property and Personal Protection, on her website or on her blog.

Now for the really good stuff...

Texas Tangle Excerpt:

They worked in a companionable silence, though she’d never been so aware of having another person in the barn with her. When she reached for a bag of grain, Dillon took it from her as if it were no heavier than a bag of sugar. “I got it.”

His stomach muscles taut, he carried it to the spot between Bashir’s and Witness’s stall doors before dropping it. He bent over to rip it open, his jeans pulling tight over his ass. Paying so much attention to the delectable sight instead of where she was walking, Nikki stumbled over an empty bucket she’d left on the ground.

“Whoa, watch out there.” Dillon grabbed her, his arm whipping around her waist.

She landed against him with an oomph, aware of how his thigh muscle pressed against hers, his arms banded around her waist, his muscular chest mashed into her breasts. She could have blamed the heat flooding her on the sultry August evening, but she had no explanation for the electricity arcing between them.

His breath whispered out of him, a soft caress over her cheek. The brim of his cowboy hat brushed the top of her head as he closed the distance between them, skimming his lips over hers.

Holy crap, he was kissing her. In real life, not in one of her fantasies.

She tilted her head, her hands clutching his arms half afraid he might disappear if she let go. While beneath her hand, his heart pounded in a steady beat, her own pulse spiked as fast as a hummingbird’s.

The tip of his tongue brushed the seam of her mouth; she parted her lips, allowing him entrance. He didn't plunder, but he didn't let her escape either. A hint of burnt coffee and spicy male teased her taste buds. Her breath hitched when he shifted positions, pressing the hard length of his erection into the cradle of her hips. Savoring the taste of him, her mind swirled into fantasies of getting naked with him, his hot flesh sliding over her, into her.

One of his hands slid under her tee and splayed over the small of her back. A shiver zigzagged along her spine, following the path of his calloused fingers and palm as they rasped her skin. She made a tiny whimper as she ground against him, urging him on. Taking the sound as encouragement, he deepened the kiss, took more from her. Demanded more. She gave everything he asked of her, but took equally from him. Her body pulsed with need by the time he finally ended the kiss, the stiff stubble of his beard abrading her cheek as he withdrew.

Interested in your very own copy of Texas Tangle? Just leave a comment and you're in the running! Thanks so much for being here today, Leah. Congratulations on your latest release!