Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Welcoming Desiree Holt

Today at our Tiki Hut Blog, we're welcoming award-winning and bestselling author Desiree Holt's as a stop on her blog tour to celebrate her super impressive 100th Release!!! 


Desiree has lived a life of excitement that brings the color to her writing. She was a summer fishing guide, a summer field hand where she was one of only three women working, a member of a beginning ski team that skied in competition (and no, no broken bones!). She spent several years in the music business representing every kind of artist from country singer to heavy metal rock bands. For several years she also ran her own public relations agency handling any client that interested her.

She is twice a finalist for an EPIC E-Book Award, a nominee for a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award, winner of the first 5 Heart Sweetheart of the Year Award at The Romance Studio, and is published by four different houses. Romance Junkies said of her work: "Desiree Holt is the most amazing erotica author of our time and each story is more fulfilling then the last."

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DOWNSTROKE by Desiree Holt

It's been twenty years since security specialist Charley Roper and country star Dallas Creed had their bitter parting. Now a killer has brought them together again, but neither is ready for a reunion - despite signs that their explosive chemistry hasn't waned with time. She can't forget the feel of his hands on her body. He can't forget the hot touch of her mouth. When they finally tumble into bed, the sex is just as good as they remember, hot enough to singe the sheets. But is it enough?

Thrown together during an exhausting, frenzied concert tour, with a killer nipping at their heels, Dallas and Charley find themselves on a hot, suspenseful, erotic roller coaster ride. Can he convince her to trust her heart to him one more time, to reach out for a richer, deeper, more mature love?

More importantly - can Charley keep Dallas alive long enough for either of them to enjoy a second chance?

BUY THE eBOOK *** READ THE EXCERPT *** WATCH THE VIDEO



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The making of a book by Desiree Holt

Downstroke, the story of an anguished love and it’s chance to mature, is my 100th release. And it’s appropriate that for a milestone like this the book should be one that came straight from my heart.

I didn’t begin it as I do many of my stories, with a kernel of an idea or a character who wouldn’t get out of my head. Or in the case of one book, one line of dialogue. To tell you about the birth of the book I have to explain that in a life that’s been fortunately varied and exciting I spent ten years in the music industry, as a booking agent and a manager. The music has changed and technology has altered many things in the industry. But one thing hasn’t changed at all–the excitement of a performance and the magic that an electrifying performance brings.

Driving into town one day I happened to pull an old cassette out of the console in my truck (yes, I know, cassette – LOL! That’s how long ago I was in the business!). It was the recording of a concert with a major headliner that one of my bands opened for. As I listened to the music I was transported back to that night in the open air amphitheater, the crowd stirring restlessly as it waited for the concert to begin, the notes of the band tuning up behind the curtain. The anticipation that something magic was about to happen.

Except for one story I hadn’t really drawn on those years of experience in my writing but now ideas began dancing around in my mind. I wanted people to know what it was like in the industry, to share the excitement I’d felt so many times over those years. I’d have a hero-Dallas Creed-and a heroine (ultimately named Charley) and against a backdrop of the music business and the tension of a stalking killer I’d tell their story.

When I walked into my appointment that day I came face to face with the man who would become the inspiration for Dallas Creed-lean and muscular, mid forties, blond with streaks of grey in his hair. Smoky eyes filled with wisdom and anguish. I couldn’t wait to get home and get started.

As I listened to the music again on the way back the title popped into my head-Downstroke. The word refers to the motion of the hand from the top string to the bottom on a guitar. And in my book it would also refer to the rise of my hero, his fall to the bottom and his rise again. I could feel him in my heart-a man who’d thrown away a chance at happiness for the glitter of fame and success, who’d nearly died because of it and now was back on top again but with an emotional emptiness he couldn’t fill.

And then back into his life comes Charley, the woman he’s always loved. Top notch security agent with a successful business but also a void in her life. Twenty years of bitterness lies between them when she’s hired by his brother to find the killer stalking him.

This is a romantic suspense novel and a story of an exciting industry. But most of all it’s a love story of two people in midlife who have a chance to recapture what they threw away. Writing Downstroke was my reward to myself for all the time I’d spent learning my craft, earning my stripes. However you want to define it.

I hope you will love it as much as I do.

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WIN - Celebrate Desiree’s 100th release, DOWNSTROKE, with a party at over 30 different blogs in the month of April. Each day the blog hostess for that day will pull a name from the commenters for a free download of the winner’s choice from Desiree’s backlist. A different winner every day. And be sure to register here for a refurbished Acer Netbook with external DVD drive!

21 comments:

  1. Good morning Desiree!!!!

    And again - super congrats on your incredible 100th release!

    First of all I do need to ask you - how in the heck do you keep all of your characters/stories straight?? And how many hours a day do you write?

    I know you just got home from RT - tell us all about it!

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  2. Congrats on the 100th!
    How did you get started?

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  3. Thanks to Author Island for hosting me in my celebration of my 100th title. You rock, as always.

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  4. Hi Beth,
    Thanks for stopping by. I had always wanted to write (I was an avid reader) but it wasn't until 2004 that I finally had the time to sit down and see if I could finish an entire manuscript. It took me eighteen months to make that first sale )which is really not a lot of time in this business) and then I had a bumpy couple of years before my career really took off. I've had a lot of help along the way and I'm grateful to everyone who's helped me. And especially to readers like yourself.

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  5. Wow, congratulations on your 100th! That's totally amazing. There are so many authors who don't make it this far but we readers are so glad you did. Your books are are so much fun to read. I can hardly wait to see what's awaiting us in this one.

    Thank you for writing so many wonderful books.

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  6. Congrats on # 100!
    My question is when do you sleep? 30 blogs & RT this month alone. Keep on writing and I'll keep on reading. Thanks for hours of escape.

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  7. Mary, thanks so much for the really nice compliment. That's what keeps me going!

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  8. Donna, you make me smile! And I sleep on alternate nights! LOL! But I'm still writing away. And I'm still writing away. I always love to hear from my readers, too, so if you have a question, comment or even a complaint, email me at desireeholt@desireeholt.com

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  9. Love your books Desiree :) Great Video!

    Question: What is your Favourite FAN memory?

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  10. Congrats on your 100th! Thank you for all great books that allow me to escape from day to day life.

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  11. I love your books;) I feel like a stalker this month:) I am really enjoying all the blogs that are highlighting your fab books this month! I am finding some great new authors as well:) I agree with Donna Thanks for all the hours of escape!

    Melissa
    xiaguan at att dot net

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  12. Guys, thanks so very, very much. you don't know how much this means to me. Truly.
    My favorite FAN memory? I think when I met author of political thrillers Vince Flynn (one of his books is being made into a movie). I was so awestruck I could hardly form a sensible sentence, but he spent 20 minutes talking to me.

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  13. Woman, your books are amazing and so are YOU! Congrats on 100 books. If only I could have that much ambition.

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  14. Hey I bought my copy over the weekend, then my in-laws dropped by to visit (for three days!!) Your story is burning a hole in my ereader, and I can't wait for a quiet, uninteruppted moment to start reading it.

    caity_mack at yahoo dot com

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  15. Great post. I love hearing about how a story came about.

    carolcobun(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  16. Hello, ladies. So nice of you to come by and help me celebrate. Cathy, I almost feel like you're a member of my family now! *wink*. I love it. And Beth, you;re fast becoming a favorite regular. PJ, what a nice thing to say.
    Hope you all got your copy of Downstroke! *wink*

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  17. Hi, Desiree.

    I loved the book trailer; it was wonderful.

    How much input did you have in creating it?

    Thanks,
    Tracey D
    booklover0226 at gmail dot com

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  18. Hi Tracey. It's so, so nice to "see" you again. I had total input. Selected most of the photos, although my video person rejected a couple (rightfully so) and found a couple of substitutes. I selected the music and wrote the copy. She put it all together. She's great to work with.

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  19. I love the sounds of this story, Desiree! It's amazing to me how much life you've lived and how you're weaving a few strands of it into this story for us! Congrats on 100 stories so far--woohooo!

    f dot chen at comcast dot net

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  20. Congrats again and again...i guess after 100+ you still never get tired of your fans congratulating you

    I read some of the ways you try to clear your head during a writers block (which i must with 100+ titles doesn't happen ofter) do you ever read other books for some inspiration if so who are some of your fav authors?

    seachele71@hotmail.com

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  21. This story sounds fantastic. Congratulations on your 100th book.

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