Today in The Loft: Author Dee S. Knight!

Joining me today in The Loft is romance author Dee S. Knight. Dee's introduction, in her own words, "A few years ago, Dee S. Knight began writing, making getting up in the morning fun. During the day, her characters killed people, fell in love, became drunk with power, or sober with responsibility. And they had sex, lots of sex. Writing was so much fun Dee decided to keep at it. That's how she spends her days. Her nights? Well, she's lucky that her dream man, childhood sweetheart, and long-time hubby are all the same guy, and nights are their secret."

Author Dee S. Knight

S:  Good morning Dee and welcome back to The Loft!  Your intro is rather titillating, so I have to ask, if you could seize the day, how would you do it?

D:  By the … uh, particular pieces of the male anatomy. If you're going to live, live full out. I've tried to do that.

S:  (Chuckles.) Short and to the point. I like that!

If you were offered one of the following gifts--a  day back in time, a glimpse into heaven, or perfect health--which would you pick and why?

B:  Well, the older I get I discount perfect health less and less. Gosh, the things we take for granted when we're young! :) But I think I'd take a day back in time. Depending on the day—a chance to prevent hurting someone, a chance to say goodbye or I love you, a chance to admit love for the first time—can be like a glimpse into heaven. So it's a twofer.

S:  What inspires your flights of fantasy?

D:  There are two songs, really. 'Til Nothing Comes Between Us," (John Michael Montgomery: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pu-StvnIBDE) and "The Song Remembers When," (Trisha Yearwood: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvuyradfFGY). Both of these send my mind flying, full of "what ifs."

S:  (Nods.) Both are lovely songs. I can see why you would find them inspiring. What do you consider your greatest achievement?

D:  Being a good friend, daughter, wife. At least, I hope I'm those things. Oh, and making people smile or laugh. If those things could be on my tombstone, I'd smile all through eternity.

S:  Complete this sentence: “……really makes me hot.”

D:  Seeing someone be cruel really makes me hot—and not in a good way. There's no excuse for cruelty.

S:  I agree with you. I tried to teach my son three things: It takes just as much energy to be nice as it does to be cruel, kindness matters, and never tolerate intolerance. I do not find cruelty amusing or justified.

Tell me abut your book, "Naval Maneuvers."

D:  Sure. Here's the blurb--

Men and women of the armed forces experience lust and love pretty much like everyone else. Except, well, there is that uniform. And the hard-to-resist attraction of “duty, honor, service” as a man might apply them to a woman’s pleasure. All things considered, romance among the military is a pretty sexy, compelling force for which you’d better be armed, whether weighing anchor and moving forward into desire, dropping anchor and staying put for passion, or setting a course for renewed love with anchor home. Explore the world of love and the military and see just how hot Naval Maneuvers can be.

S: Wow. That sounds pretty hot! You gotta love a man in uniform! Where can readers find your book?

D:  It's available at all major booksellers, including--

Amazon:  http://tiny.cc/x97jyy
Barnes & Noble:  http://tiny.cc/hd8jyy
Kobo:  http://tiny.cc/de8jyy
Smashwords:  http://tiny.cc/eg8jyy

S:  Dee, thanks so much for joining me in The Loft today. For more information about Dee, please visit-- 

Website: https://nomadauthors.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeeSKnight2018

Twitter: http://twitter.com/DeeSKnight

Blog: http://nomadauthors.com/blog

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B079BGZNDN

Coming January 11, 2019 to The Loft: Maggie Blackbird!

Congratulations to Denise Wheatley on her new release!

Blurb:

Someone is about to have the best holiday ever…

Sasha Williams is an African-American public relations powerhouse who’s come a long way from the south side of Chicago to glamorous Los Angeles. While she loves her LA life, she hasn’t forgotten her roots and always goes back home to celebrate Christmas with her tight-knit family. This year, however, Sasha’s holiday plans are nixed when she’s forced to accompany her sexy, notoriously naughty new client Drake Lancaster on the press tour for his upcoming Christmas movie.

Sasha’s furious, yet finds herself overcome with lust when Drake strolls into her office. She’s surprised considering she’s never dated a white man. Drake’s attraction toward her is just as intense, and the pair partake in far more than just a business meeting, right there on the spot…

Despite Sasha’s promise to keep things all business during the press tour, their sensual trysts heat up even further while out on the road. In the end, Sasha must decide whether their cultural differences, along with her secret painful past and Drake’s playboy reputation, are worth her risking her heart and career—especially without knowing whether this is the real thing or a racy fling.

Buy link:

http://www.extasybooks.com/denise-n-wheatley/978-1-4874-2116-8-a-naughty-jolly-christmas/

Just in time for Christmas!

Today in The Loft: Author Lee Collins!

Today in The Loft, I have the pleasure of interviewing eXtasy author Lee Collins. Lee writes M/M romance and has written 14 books, including the Men In Love And At War Series and the Apparition Intervention Series. I must admit until now, Lee has been a bit of an enigma to me, someone who I would encounter--briefly--on the outskirts of eXtasy Books. Perhaps the fact that he lives in Tenerife, one of the Canary Islands, has something to do with that! 

Author Lee Collins

S:   Good morning, Lee! I must admit I am a bit in awe of a writer who lives in an actual paradise. I can't imagine what it must be like to be surrounded by beaches, eternal sunshine, a volcano, and the Atlantic Ocean. That seems to be enough inspiration for a lifetime!

Let's start with the basics. What would you like people to know about you?

L:  In brief, I am fifty-two. I was born and raised in London and worked as a successful management consultant until I was 35. Then I decided to move to Tenerife (one of the Canary Islands, which are a part of Spain) to pursue a relationship. I gave up my career, sold everything I owned in London in the hope that I’d found true love. BUT, it went horribly wrong. Seventeen years later I still live here and I have found a new prince charming, so yeah, it didn’t go that horribly wrong. Now comes the really tough part for me. I lost both my parents when I was 27 to cancer, so it’s been me and my older sister supporting each other from thereon in. Thankfully, we have a very loving relationship so life goes on and my memories of my parents will never die. If you really want to know me, then read my book Sun, Sea and a Contemporary Art Gallery. It is basically my memoirs, but a literary agent recommended that I rewrite it in third person, which I did. The main character is Berkeley and he took on a life of his own. Due to popular demand, I wrote another seven books featuring Berkeley. Now I’m in a really good place.

S:  You made an incredible sacrifice for love! That took a lot of courage. I think many people fall in love when it's easy. Few are willing to make sacrifices to pursue it. 

Is that why you write romance?

L:  I write romance because I am a die-hard romantic. I have had a lot of relationships, fallen in love, had my heart broken more times than I care to mention, but for me, romance will never die. I also love to write books about how I wish a romance I’ve had should have gone. I also use it as a platform to vent my frustration. I live with my ex, but the love and bond between us is stronger than ever, so I’ve got my prince charming/knight in shining armour and I wouldn’t give him up for anybody.  I found true love, even if he is a pain in the, ahem, at times!

S:  (chuckles) They can be the love of your life, but that doesn't mean they're perfect! 

If someone wrote a song about you, what would it say?

L:  (Laughs) This is going to sound so corny, but I actually wrote some songs when I was in my 20’s and I wrote a song called ‘Making Rainbows," because I wanted to make rainbows for all my loved ones. It is featured in my first book, "Mistela." I would have to choose this one for that reason. The words mean so much to me--

Making Rainbows

There was a time

When I believed

That I’d been deceived

Because I didn’t have all of the things that I should

Then much to my surprise

I finally realised that nothing in life is free

When it comes to money and love

And when it comes to push and shove

You’re the one to make it happen

You have to make your own rainbow

If you’re looking for a pot of gold

You have to shoot cupid’s arrow

If you don’t want your heart left in the cold

So if no-one's gonna give

Then use your initiative

To get the things in life that you want

It’s a lesson to be learned

That all you want can be earned

Rather than waiting and never getting

You have to make your own rainbow

If you’re looking for a pot of gold

You have to shoot cupid’s arrow

If you don’t want your heart left in the cold

Mistela was Lee Collin's first book

S:  Wow. That's really beautiful. "You have to shoot cupid's arrow if you don't want your heart left in the cold." That's a lesson some never learn, but it is one of life's truths.

Complete this sentence for me. Writing is... 

L:  First and foremost a crazy experience, and one you have to be absolutely determined to pursue and succeed in! I sent my first book to about 40 publishers and literary agents and got turned down by all of them. I had balls and guts at the time and I refused to accept their judgment and decision so I kept on trying. Then I struck gold with eXtasy Books who specialize in the type of genre that I write in (MM romance). Fourteen books later it is now a question of when the fingers connect with the mind. I plan things—plots, stories, etcetera, in my head, but when the fingers take over something else comes out. (Chuckles) I can’t complain though. I think my subconscious takes over and I am always happy when it does. I go into a "zone’ when I’m writing and I have to be in that zone or I write a load of… Being a writer is not easy, but I love it, and I don’t have to do it for financial reasons. I do it for the love of being given the opportunity to be creative and express my inner being and thoughts. I get so much joy and satisfaction from it, and I hope you all will when you read my books.

S:  (Smiles) I also go into "the zone" when writing. And I can stay there for hours or days. The importance of that mental state to my writing is something non-writers have difficulty understanding.

Where do you do your best thinking?

L:  I have lived in Tenerife for 17 years, so there are a plethora of places where I do my best thinking--the beach, the mountains, the forest, and the list goes on. That said, I bring it all together in our kitchen. That’s when the ideas all come together. I have a desk and computer upstairs in my study, and I need to get used to writing there, but for some reason I feel more comfortable writing in our kitchen. From there I can see the outside world and people passing by. I thrive on that--life! From my study I have a beautiful view of Mount Teide, trees, but no people! What would life be without seeing people? Writing is a very solitary career so I need to see and have people in my life.

S:  Complete this sentence for me. When one of my books is released, I...

L:  (Laughs)  I’m a gay man who has no children, but when one of my books is released to the world I feel as if I have given birth--and some of them have taken more than nine months to give birth to. There is a lot of excitement before the moment, but when reality sets in there is a lot of worry and apprehension that my baby will, or will not be, accepted and appreciated. Then I get over that and just rely on the reviews to tell me if I’ve written as well as I could have done. If I know that I’ve written it as good as it could have been, then I’m happy.

S:  Is there one person who inspires you?

L:  Barbra Streisand! Pronounced "strei" and "sand." (Laughs.) Me and my friends adore this woman and I was fortunate enough to see her live in concert in London. If there is a woman who can inspire flights of fantasy, it is Barbra. Love her!

S:  What would you consider to be your biggest achievement?

L:  After growing up in the east end of London, being mocked and called a barrow-boy throughout my career by people who were born with a silver spoon in their mouths, it has to be graduating from the Guildhall University in London. I passed with honours and it stood me in very well throughout my successful career as a senior management consultant. My mother passed away six weeks before I sat my final exam so it was a very hard time for me, but I was more determined than ever to make her proud and do it! My motto is, never give up on your dreams!

S:  What do you crave?

L:  Easy one this! I live in Tenerife, one of the Canary Islands, and we don’t have kebab houses, Indian takeaways, decent quality prepared/packed foods. I have to cook everything from scratch and I can’t get most of the ingredients that I used to use when I lived in London. A day trip to Marks & Spencer would be a dream for me!

S:  You are offered one of the following gifts--a day back in time, a glimpse into heaven, or perfect health. Which would you pick and why?

L:  Okay, this is an interesting one! After the health scares I had last year, I would want perfect health. If you had asked me that question a year ago, it would have been a glimpse of heaven. Thank goodness I can now change my selection!

S:  Lee, thanks so much for this peek into your world!

Lee's books--written under L.J. Collins--are available at all major booksellers. His books include: 

For more information on Lee and his books, visit--

Website:  www.ljcollinsauthor.com
Facebook: https:/www.facebook.com/lee.collins.5439

Next week in The Loft: Author Dee S. Knight! 

Congrats to Constance Bretes on her new release!

Blurb:

Can the joy of Christmas heal the pain of the past?

Laura Hemmingway cut herself off from men and her family when the man she loved married her sister. She moved across the country and was doing just fine until she received a devastating call to return to New York. She had to face the death of her sister, her sister’s little girl, Maria, and Maria’s father, Stefan—the man she had once loved. She figured she would pay her respects and leave as soon as possible. She never anticipated on the beautiful little girl stealing her heart. And she never expected that seeing Stefan again after twelve years would stir up old feelings.

Stefan’s life was complete. He had a successful career as an attorney, a beautiful wife, and an adorable six-year-old daughter. Although him and his wife had been married in name only for the past several years, he cared for her deeply. Then her unexpected death brought him face-to-face with his former lover, and the guilt he’d carried for years.

Stefan is still in love with Laura and wants to give her everything she deserves. He and Maria are racing against time to convince Laura to stay with them in New York.

Can a little girl’s love, and the true magic of Christmas, help Stefan convince Laura to stay and give their relationship another chance?

Content Warning: contains some sexual content

Genre(s): Contemporary Romance/Holiday Romance

Excerpt:

"He smiled as he thought about the look on her face when he’d stroked her. Maybe she was more interested in him than she either believed or cared to be.

Then he thought of something. “One more thing, Laura,” he called out to her, and she stopped at the door and turned around.

“On the nineteenth, the law firm is hosting the annual Christmas party. It’s quite grand and lasts all evening long.”

“You want me to be sure to be available to babysit Maria,” Laura said.

“No. I want you to plan to come with me.”

“What?”

“Remember that beautiful, green, velvet dress we saw at Macy’s? I want you to get that dress, and the accessories to go with it, and attend the party with me.”

“Stefan, really. You know I don’t go to those types of events, and I don’t wear those kinds of clothes. I’m not comfortable with either of those things.”

“You need to get comfortable.” He smiled.

“This is not a part of a job for the nanny and teacher. It’s out of the range of the job description. You need to get Ginger to go with you. I’m not going.” She gave him a defiant look.

“Laura, I want to take you to this event. I’m not taking no for an answer. I will arrange for Rhonda to take you shopping to help you get what you need. You will charge all the purchases to a credit card I will give you that’s for your use only. This is the first of many social parties you will be attending.”

He watched her as she clenched her hands into fists and released them.

“Who do you think you will get to care for Maria on these…occasions?”

“Usually Lillian is available.”

“Stefan, it’s my job to care for Maria, not be your date to your parties. I don’t like being told what I will or won’t do. I don’t like social parties, and I don’t like wearing expensive clothes. It’s not me, and you’re not going to change me.”

“I don’t want to change you. I want you to attend an event by my side. It won’t hurt you to have some beautiful clothing to show your feminine side. I want the world to see the beauty I see. Be glad I want to show you off. Some men might decide they don’t want others to see what they see.”

“Flattery doesn’t work with me. You can tell me what to do as far as Maria is concerned, but my personal life is off limits to you.”

“That’s good to know. At least I know you won’t get carried away and escape my grasp by someone making flattering remarks to you. Your personal life interests me.”

“Stefan, you just don’t get it. I am not going to this party,” she said, enunciating each word slowly and carefully. “Besides, your mother would be horrified to see me walk in with you.” Her face hardened as she stared at him.

“Look at it this way—you’d be doing me a big favor.”

“How?” She raised an eyebrow.

“I’m not interested in the other women that come to this social party looking for an eligible bachelor. With you on my arm, it would send a clear message to all the others that I’m taken.”

“God, you’re impossible. Ginger is more than capable of providing you that kind of service.”

“I don’t want Ginger. You have the grace, quiet beauty, and finesse I want in a date, and I will not take no for an answer. After Maria’s recital, you and Rhonda will set a shopping date. And one more thing. When you get your hair done, I’d like you to wear it down.” He smiled at her.

“This is not going to happen.” She put her hands on her hips and glared at him.

“It will. I’ll just have Maria work on you.” He eyed her.

“What?”

Stefan grinned. “You heard me. You’d never turn down anything from Maria.”

“Grrrr.” She growled and stomped up the stairs.

He laced his hands and put them behind his head. Oh yeah, it’ll be a night she’ll never forget."

Buy links:

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Ballet-Constance-Bretes-ebook/dp/B07KN7FMVN/

Publisher:  http://beachwalkpress.com/the-christmas-ballet/

Today in The Loft: Romance author Stacy Juba!

Joining me today in The Loft is author Stacy Juba. A former journalist, Stacy writes a wide variety of romantic tales with characters that range from theme park princesses to hockey players. She is the author of the Storybook Valley Series and is the founder of the Glass Slipper Sisters, a group of authors who write fairy tale-themed romance. 

Author Stacy Juba

SK:  Good morning, Stacy!  Thanks for joining me today in The Loft. 

Tell me, where do you do your best thinking?

SJ:  Sitting in the brown memory foam recliner chair in my living room.

SK: (chuckles) I have two recliners, but they're always occupied. I never seem to be able to outrun the teenagers around here. At least they're reading when they curl up in those chairs. Kind of prevents me from tipping them onto the floor!

Why do you write romance? 

SJ:  I like to write about happy endings.There is so much negativity in the world that I want to provide an escape for readers, and creating these worlds also gives me an escape.

SK:  Do you write only romance or do you have an alternative occupation?

SJ:  I’m a freelance developmental editor, helping writers with their manuscripts.

SK:  (nods)  Not surprising. As a former journalist, I also lend my skills to editing. It seems like a natural fit when you have experience on both sides of the page.

If a genie granted you one wish, what would it be?

SJ:  Lifelong health and happiness for my family.

SK:  Do you have a favorite day of the year?

SJ:  (nods)  Christmas. It brings so much excitement to my kids, and I look forward to giving out gifts.

SK:  Christmas is pretty magic when kids are around. Their excitement is enthralling and sometimes, overwhelming.

Tell me about "Fooling Around With Cinderella," which is book one in your Storybook Valley Series.

SJ:  Sure. Here's the blurb--

Ever wondered what those cheerful theme park princesses are really thinking? When twenty-five-year-old Jaine proposes a new marketing role to the local amusement park, the general manager Dylan charms her into filling Cinderella’s glass slippers for the summer. Her reign transforms Jaine’s ordinary life into chaos that would bewilder a fairy godmother. Secretly dating her bad boy boss, running wedding errands for her ungrateful sisters, and defending herself from the park’s resident villain means Jaine needs lots more than a comfy pair of shoes to restore order in her kingdom…

SK:  (smiles) Ah, a new twist on an old fairy tale! I can't wait to find out how it turns out! It's hard not to root for Cinderella.

Where can readers buy your book?

SJ:  It's available at all major booksellers, including--

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Fooling-Around-Cinderella-Storybook-Valley-ebook/dp/B0173T2MMO/ref

Barnes & Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fooling-around-with-cinderella-stacy-juba/1122680940?ean=294015234976

Kobo:  https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/fooling-around-with-cinderella

iBookstore:  https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/is1042194826

SK:  Stacy, thanks so much for joining me today in The Loft! Readers can learn more about Stacy at--

Website:  http://stacyjuba.com/blog/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stacy-Juba/100155471301

Glass Slipper Sisters Facebook Group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/482493158588214

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/stacyjuba

Next week in The Loft:  Lee Collins!

Today in The Loft: Romance author Mia Frances!

Joining me for coffee this morning in The Loft is Mia Francis. Writing under several pen names, Mia's works span a broad range of genres, from science fiction to erotic romance and romantic suspense. She is also the author of numerous children's books and a contributor to the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" books. Mia lives in New York with her husband, Frank.

Author Mia Frances

S:  Good morning, Mia. Thanks so much for joining me today!

Tell me, where do you do your best thinking?

M:  Lying in bed in the middle of the night. I'm a hopeless insomniac so I spend the time awake plotting my books, scene by scene, and figuring out the descriptions and dialogue I want to use. I go over and over it in my head, making adjustments and refining everything so that the next day I can write it all down and incorporate it into the story.

S:  You're not alone in doing your best thinking at night. It seems many authors can't turn their minds off when they're supposed to be sleeping. However, I'm amazed that you can remember anything in the morning. I get up and dictate my thoughts right away because I know I will forget by morning!

What should people know about you?

M:  That I write in several different genres using various pen names. In addition to writing steamy romantic suspense and erotic romance novels, I also write science fiction, dark fantasy/horror, mainstream fiction, and children's picture and chapter books.

S:  That's pretty amazing! Complete this sentence, "When one of my books is released, I..."

M:  I open a bottle of champagne and my husband and I celebrate, then I proceed to have a near nervous breakdown questioning every word I wrote in it and worrying whether or not readers will like it. It's equal parts jubilation and terror.

S: (smiles) You're certainly not alone in that. What's your favorite day of the year and why?

M:  Easter Sunday. It's the day that friends and family gather in my house to celebrate  the holiday. We usually have 17 to 23 people at the dinner table that day. I make baked ham, roast leg of lamb, and a lasagna. I make stuffing to bring to my nephew's house for Thanksgiving every year and I bring Calibrese style zeppolini (an anchovy wrapped in dough and deep-fried) and scallops wrapped in bacon as my contribution to Christmas Eve dinner at my brother's house, but Easter is my holiday. I love the baskets, the pastel colors, and the promise of the coming spring.

S:  You write such a broad range of romance. Do you believe you only fall in love once?

M:  No. You can fall in love more than once. I'm proof of it. I thought when I met my ex-husband he was the love of my life. Four years later, we divorced. I thought I'd never love anyone like that again. I was disillusioned with the whole idea of love, romance, and happily ever afters. I went back to college to finish my degree and one night while I was out celebrating the end of the summer semester with a classmate, I tripped over a man. He caught me as I was falling. I thought he tripped me on purpose. He insists it was crowded and I was just clumsy. Long story short...we got married less than a year later and four decades later, we're still together.

S:  That's such a sweet story. In essence, you fell for him before you even met him! 

Tell me about your book, "Little Girl Lost."

M:  Sure, here's the blurb--

Wyoming sheriff Zac McHenry is fit to be tied. A new "working girl" just showed up at a local truck stop, ruining his stakeout. There's been an influx of transients passing through his county lately. Bringing an epidemic of drugs, crime, and vice with them. The last thing he wants is another hooker setting up shop in town. He's determined to send her packing. He's 6' 4" and she's a little bit of a thing...how hard could it be? Turns out getting rid of her isn't as easy as he thought. When he barges into her motel room, she thinks he's an attacker and wallops him with her purse. She's arrested for assaulting an officer and hauled off to jail.

Zac soon realizes things aren't what they seem. Ali Bellabonafortuna is no hooker. She's a youth librarian from upstate New York. Much to Zac's chagrin, Ali is well connected. She knows several state and federal judges who intercede on her behalf. He's forced to let her go. Thinking she'll leave as soon as she's released, he checks her out of her motel room, but Ali's not going anywhere. She's staking out the truck stop too, looking for the man who picked up a 13-year-old runaway named Peeky. The girl participated in a program for at-risk teens at Ali's library. She disappeared from the truck stop and hasn't been heard from since. Ali's not leaving until she finds her. There's a rodeo in town and her room's been rented out. In fact, there are no rooms to be found anywhere in the area for four days. Ali's temporarily homeless and it's Zac's fault! There's only one thing to do--she'll just have to move in with him until another room opens up. Zac thinks his house guest is a foulmouthed, ill-behaved hellion. Ali thinks he's an interfering, arrogant bully. But when they work together to investigate a case of kidnapping, human trafficking, and murder...sparks begin to fly. Is this any way to start a romance?

S:  Wow, that sounds complicated! Where can readers buy your book?

M:  It's available from all major booksellers, including-- 

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Little-Girl-Lost-Mia-Frances-ebook/dp/B07CZPLV62/ref
ITunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/little-girl-lost/id1394539694?mt=11
Barnes and Noble:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/little-girl-lost-mia-frances/1128858328?ean=2940162075936
Kobo:  https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/little-girl-lost-56

S:  Mia, thanks so much for joining me today. Readers can learn more about Mia at--

Website:  https://www.maryviglianteszydlowski.com/
Facebook:  https.facebook.com/miafrancesauthor/
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/maszyd
Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/maryvigliante

Next week in The Loft: Author Stacy Juba!