Monday, August 15, 2011

Special Guest Erin Nicholas

This week our special guest over on our Tiki Hut Blog, is Samhain Publishing author Erin Nicholas. 

Erin has been reading romance since her mom first let her into her book cupboard when Erin was about fourteen. LaVyrle Spencer, Julie Garwood, Debbie Macomber... they took Erin's 'happily ever after' ideas from animated princesses to real people in the real world.

She's been writing romance almost as long. Many a family car trip was spent with her head bent over a spiral notebook in the back seat. She'll confess that her very first attempts at fiction were fantasy and paranormals, influenced by her father's love of the Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia, and the original Alice in Wonderland. If Harry Potter had been around, Erin's sure he would have been on the bedtime story shelf as well.

But it wasn't long until Erin started writing about true love and that's where she's been ever since.

She's so thrilled to be able to share these stories with you and hopes that they make you smile, sigh, maybe even choke up a little. Most of all, She hopes that they help you believe in magical things like first kisses, the spark of passion, and the power of true love.

Erin loves to hear from readers! Please write her at Erin@ErinNicholas.com

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The End

I’ve made no secret of the fact that the Dark Moment (the moment when all seems lost) is my least favorite part of a book to write. It takes me forever and I’m usually way too nice the first time (and the 2nd. At least.) My second least favorite part to write is the end. It’s hard because I want it to be good, to linger in the reader’s mind, to be true to the characters. But it’s bittersweet. The End means the book is done, in my books it means they’re together and starting their happily ever after. But it also means the book is done. The characters don’t need me anymore. They’ve figured it out. We say goodbye.

Especially Sara and Mac’s book, Just My Type. This is the third book in the Bradford series. There are three Bradford siblings. So I knew going in that it was the last book of the series.

Needless to say, it took me forever to write that ending. And I never was totally happy with it. I think because I didn’t want it to end. I’m like that as a reader too. I love when the couple gets together but I also hate that it’s all over with. As an author it’s almost worse. Usually I have my next project ready to go. It helps with the pain of the end of my relationship with these characters to start getting someone else together. But I still miss them.

Especially at times like this. It’s been well over a year since I typed that The End but now I get to revisit those characters with blurbs and interviews and blog posts for the print release (August 2). Sigh. I really think I need to write some more of these guys…

Until then, though, here’s how the whole thing starts (I like beginnings… not endings ). And I’d love to give an e-copy of any of the Bradford books to one lucky commenter this week!


JUST MY TYPE - Book 3 in The Bradfords Series by Erin Nicholas

Secretly wanting her—no problem. Her not-so-secretly wanting him—big trouble.

There's only one problem with the woman Jason "Mac" Gordon wants: his best friend's little sister is off limits. Way off limits, and too young and innocent for the likes of him. From past experience, he's learned to hide his not-so-nice preferences from the nice girls he seems to attract. That definitely includes the woman he's always thought of as a sister. At least until recently.

Sara Bradford always gets what she wants - which is partly Mac's fault. After all, he helped spoil her. So she has no intention of taking his no for an answer on anything - least of all his refusal to sleep with her. He thinks she's too innocent? Fine. She'll simply get un-innocent and show Mac that she wants him - the good, the bad and the nipple clamps.

When Mac's plan to drive her away works too well, he's forced to follow her to a tropical paradise, determined to make sure she doesn't find her wild side with anyone but him. Once she gets a real taste of what he likes, he's sure everything will go back to normal.

That's until he discovers a slight kink, er, flaw in his logic...

Warning: Contains hot sex at the beach, kinky online shopping - and yes, cotton-candy-flavored body powder does exist.

BUY THE BOOK   ***   BUY THE eBOOK ***   BUY IN KINDLE   ***  READ THE EXCERPT


Excerpt:

Mac settled down into his chair and pushed the chair next to him out for her. “Want me to stay over and answer the phone until Tuesday?”

She swiveled on her chair seat to look at him, gauging the motivation behind the offer. She knew he didn’t mean it like that. He’d slept on her couch before.

“Yes,” she said simply.

“I will,” he told her lifting his glass. “But you have to buy Twinkies.”

Mac’s favorite food. Normally, she would roll her eyes and joke about his propensity for junk food. But she was in a mood tonight. She leaned over and put her hand on his hard, flat stomach.

“How do you keep these so tight with all those Twinkies?” She rubbed her hand back and forth over the warm, white linen of his shirt.

Mac seemed to freeze. And stop breathing. His eyes were locked on hers and she felt a current zing between them. She’d never touched him like that. They’d held hands, even hugged before and she’d touched his arms, back, shoulder, even face once, but never his chest, or stomach, or lower.

“Sara?” His voice was definitely hoarse.

“Mac.”

“Move your hand.”

She slid it downward and Mac shot back, tipping his chair onto its back legs and throwing him off balance enough that he stumbled to his feet, knocking the chair over.

“Hell, Sara!” he swore. Straightening to his full height and glaring down at her he demanded. “What the hell was that?”

She blinked at him, trying for innocence. “You said…”

“I didn’t mean that!” he snapped.

“Well, why not? I certainly wouldn’t mind doing it.”

He gaped at her and she almost laughed. She’d never seen Mac flabbergasted like this.

“You wouldn’t mind doing what exactly?”

Maybe he thought—or hoped—she was talking about something else. She had to make this clear.

“Putting my hand on your…”

“Okay,” he interrupted, throwing up his hands. “Enough. You’re obviously drunk.”

Instead of looking up and arguing his statement, Sara’s eyes found the object of conversation almost right in front of her. And he looked interested in what she was proposing.

Mac had an erection. Right there. Front and center. Unmistakable.

“You sure you’re not interested?” She looked directly at the tent in his pants.

He quickly righted the chair, sat and dropped his napkin in his lap. “Knock it off.”

“What? You’re telling me you’ve never thought of it? Ever?”

“Of having your hand down my pants at your brother’s wedding? No, I can honestly say I haven’t.” He wouldn’t look at her.

“So when have you thought about having my hand down your pants?”

He opened his mouth, shut it again, shifted in his chair, frowned. “Stop it.”

She scooted her chair closer. “Mac, honestly. Have you ever thought of us together?”

“Sure. We’re together all the time at Sam’s, at the Center and the hospital.” He still wasn’t making eye contact.

Sara touched his knee and he nearly jumped out of his chair again. She smiled. She was no dummy. She had a Master’s degree in psychology and was a licensed Social Worker in Nebraska. She studied people. She’d watched the two people she knew best—her sister Jessica and her brother Sam— fall in love with their spouses. She’d seen the effect that intense attraction had on people and how they acted until they admitted the attraction and did something about it.

“I’m talking about naked, you and me.”

“Of course not,” he answered quickly. Too quickly. He was scowling again. “You’re a kid, like a sister to me.”

He was lying. He had to be lying. Before she could think it out any further and potentially chicken out, Sara slid from her chair to Mac’s lap, cupped the back of his head in both hands and kissed him with all she had.

11 comments:

  1. Happy Monday Erin! Thanks for being our guest this week and HUGE congrats on the print release of JUST MY TYPE!!!

    Loved your post and I have to say I totally agree with you about "The End" I hate to say goodbye to wonderful characters that I've rooted for through an entire book.

    Tell us what your working on now that The Bradfords Series is over.

    Enjoy your week here at the Tiki Hut!

    Readers - head over to AuthorIsland.com and check out the contest and great prize she has up for grabs!

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  2. Thanks for letting me stop by! Since the Bradford series "ended" I've had another book out, Anything You Want, from Samhain and I have another release, Hotblooded, coming in November. And currently I'm working on... another Bradford book! :) There are two friends who show up in every Bradford book-- Dooley and Kevin-- and several readers felt they need stories too! I agree!

    Glad to be here and can't wait to chat with everyone!
    Erin

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  3. Apparently I've been hiding under the rock again because you are a new to me author, BUT - not for long. Just My Type sounds like a good, fun read, so I need to check out the first two in the series.

    How has being a published author affected your life? Has it afforded you opportunities you might not have had?

    Thanks!
    Karen C
    kacbooks(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  4. Congrats on the release. I have been wanting to read these books, must figure out a way to not have to sleep so I can read more, lol.
    manning_j2004 at yahoo dot com

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  5. Congrats on the release! sounds like a great read! def going on my TBR list!

    debr97 at yahoo dot com

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  6. Hi, Karen, glad you climbed out from under that rock. LOL Hope you do check the books out! And what a great question! Being published has definitely given me some things I didn't have before-- mostly I've met some *amazing* people. I'm part of an author group called the Nine Naughty Novelists (www.naughtynine.com) and the other 8 women have truly become very dear friends! I've also met so many great, fun people-- from Samhain, other authors and readers!! And yes, I've been able to get my kids and hubby some fun things I wouldn't have otherwise! :)

    June, when you figure out how to get by on less sleep with you PLEASE share the secret with me? lol

    Deborah, thanks for stopping by! Hope you'll check out the books and let me know what you think!
    Erin

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  7. Wow, this book sounds so hot! Thanks for sharing a bit today! I'm adding to my wish list now!


    evjochum[AT]aol[DOT]com

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  9. MY FAVORITE SCENE! I can picture Mac jumping up out of that chair like I was seeing it with my own eyes!

    You already know you are my absolute favorite, but I had to drop in and say hello!

    <3 ya!

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  10. Johanna, thanks! Hope you enjoy Mac and Sara! :)
    Kim, *smooch* Always love to see you! :)
    Erin

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  11. I've also just discovered your work & have to wait for my book budget to reload before I get the first one. After reading several excerpts, I think I want to start with No Matter What, but I'm also very intrigued by the Bradfords.

    I particularly like the line in your author intro that says your husband only wants to read the sex scenes in your books. Has anything he ever whispered to you, ended up in a book?

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