This week in The Loft: Author Jill Piscitello!

Joining me today in The Loft is author Jill Piscitello. Jill writes sweet romance and cozy mysteries. A teacher by day, she often divides her reading hours among several books at a time. A lighthearted story offering an escape from the real world can always be found on her nightstand. When not planning lessons or reading and writing, she can be found spending time with her family, traveling, and going on light hikes. Jill also loves trying out new restaurants, but will order a Chicken Caesar Salad Wrap whenever possible. A native of New England, Jill lives with her family and three well-loved cats. 

Author Jill Piscitello

S:  Good morning, Jill, and welcome to The Loft!

Is there any famous book you wish you had written?

J:  Anything by Jane Austen or Agatha Christie. I couldn’t begin to choose one specific book. Both women set the bar for writing in their chosen genres.

S:  I would have loved to have had a day to interview Christie and delve into how she mapped out her mysteries. 

Do you write in genres other than romance?

J:  Yes. I am in the final stages of editing a cozy mystery to be released in 2023.

S:  Congratulations! It's always exciting to switch gears a bit.

What do people get wrong about publishing a book?

J:  I think most people assume unknown or new authors exclusively self-publish. Finding a traditional publisher isn’t easy, but is well worth the effort of the querying process. The guidance of a talented editor is invaluable.

S:  I have worked with the same editor for all of my books. I wouldn't work with anyone else.

What attracted you to your current partner?

J:  Family values. Early into our relationship, I could see how important family was to my husband. I’d also been given the sage advice to pay attention to the way a man treats his mother. When you see that love and respect, you know you have a keeper.

S:  What’s the best advice you have ever been given?

J:  If you want to do something, take steps to make it happen. I believe there is something to be said for the power of positive thinking. But action is key--even if it means stepping out of your comfort zone.

S:  What inspired "Tinsel and Tea Cakes?"

J:  Victorian era romances are known for their swooning courtships, elegant fashion, and society or social norms. As a fan of historical fiction, I wanted to include elements from the time period while infusing the ups and downs of modern relationships. Without adding a true time travel storyline, I was able to create a Victorian story world set during the holidays.

S:  Is there anything special you would like people to know about "Tinsel and Tea Cakes?"

J:  If a busy schedule forces you to forego reading until the holidays are over, "Tinsel and Tea Cakes" is an entertaining, holiday novella perfect for the snippets of time that arise amidst shopping, gatherings, and life in general. This heartwarming story offers romance, humor, and a touch of mystery.

Here's the blurb--

Hair stylist Scarlett Kerrigan lost her job and her apartment. To alleviate a touch of self-pity, she succumbs to her stepmom’s pressure to attend a wedding in the New Hampshire White Mountains. Unfortunately, she runs into the vacation fling who promised the moon but disappeared without an explanation. Months have passed, but she is not ready to forgive and forget.

After a chaotic year, executive Wes Harley settles into his family's event venue, The Timeless Manor. His carefully structured world is shaken to its core when Scarlett arrives for the Victorian Christmas wedding weekend. The feelings he never quite erased flood to the surface.

When secrets are revealed, will a magical chateau and a sprinkle of tinsel be enough to charm Scarlett?

S:  That sounds so romantic! Where can readers purchase your book?

J:  It's available at-- 

Amazon 

Nook

Apple IBooks

S:  Jill, thank you so much for joining me in The Loft. If you'd like to learn more about Jill and her books, please visit--

Website 

Twitter  

Facebook 

Instagram 

Goodreads 

BookBub

This week in The Loft: Author Caroline Clemmons!

Joining me today in The Loft is author Caroline Clemmons. She is the author of more than 80 titles, including sweet to sensual historical westerns, contemporary and time travel romances, and the occasional cozy mystery. She writes full-time in a tiny office her family refers to as her "cave." When not writing, Caroline enjoys spending time with family, reading the books of friends and others, dining out, browsing antique malls, shopping online, dabbling with oil paints, researching genealogy, and taking the occasional nap. Caroline and her husband, who she calls, "Hero," live in North Central Texas.

Author Caroline Clemmons

S:  Good morning, Caroline. It's a pleasure to have you back in The Loft!

If you were suddenly transported back to Victorian times as a member of the aristocracy, would you be thrilled or appalled? Would you be willing to stay there permanently?

C:  I wouldn’t say thrilled, but intrigued. Having servants and lovely clothes would be nice. I could research the era firsthand. My youngest daughter and I enjoy tours of Victorian-era homes. Seeing those homes and lifestyle at their peak would be fascinating. I would not want to stay there. Women were too restricted by society’s rules. We have access to medical and dental advances. I like my life here! Plus—air-conditioning/heating, good plumbing!

S:  Yes, air conditioning and heat are important, and chamber pots gross me out! 

What do you appreciate more, brains or brawn/beauty?

C:  Brains are definitely more important, with shared interests—especially long term. Hero and I share a lot of common interests, even though we each have separate ones. Hero is an attractive man, and he’s the most intelligent man I’ve ever met. I am not inferring that all brawny men are stupid, but insisting that brains are more important.

S:  Having had a few otherworldly encounters with male models, I know that the looks and smarts combination can be hard to find!

What was your worst date ever?

C:  There was this handsome, somewhat brawny, guy named Archie who was two years ahead of me in school. I first noticed him when I was in the seventh grade. I thought he looked terrific, but I never had a chance to talk to him. When I started high school, he was a senior and the same thing was true. When I was a freshman in college, he asked me out. I was so excited that this guy I’d admired for all those years had asked me to a movie. Oh, that date was so awful, even though the movie took up most of the time. I learned that in college, he was only one year ahead of me because he had failed so many classes. He wasn’t even embarrassed about it. He thought he was smart and had weird theories he shared. This was near Thanksgiving. That’s probably why the only theory I remember is he told me the reason he got a headache from holiday family dinners was because he ate too much and that made stomach gas. He believed that since gas rises, the gas in a person’s body rises until it gets inside the skull. Gas can’t get through the thick skull and the gas pressing against the skull is what causes a headache. Need I tell you I only dated him once?

S:  That is so funny! What attracted you to your current partner?

C:  It was love at first sight for me. I was sitting by his sister at her thirteenth birthday party, so I could hand her gifts to unwrap. I knew she had a brother who was her twin, but didn’t know she had a brother three years older. Hero came home and appeared in the doorway with his camera to take photos of her party. The minute I saw him is frozen in my mind. I remember what I was wearing, what his sister was wearing, what his mother was wearing as she stared from me to Hero and back. Of course, I remember what Hero wore, and that I thought he was the most suave, sophisticated, and attractive guy I’d ever seen. I have to admit that now I have family photos of him from that time, and he looked like a cute geek, which he was. I was six weeks shy of 13, so it was a long time before he asked me on a date.

S:  Good thing the date with Archie didn't pan out!

What would you like people to know about you?

C:  That whether they like my work or not, what I publish is the best I could write at that time. I try very hard to bring readers uplifting entertainment. My hope is that for the time they’re reading something I’ve written, they forget about their problems, relax, and let the book take them to another place.

S:  What inspired "Jesse And The Mail Order Bride?"

C:  For several years, I’ve written in multi-author projects where someone else came up with the theme and parameters of the series, and each author wrote a stand-alone story for the series. They were such fun to write and cross-promote. Due to having COVID, I had to drop out of a couple, and that was embarrassing. At Hero’s urging, I decided I’d be better off with my own series on my schedule. One of the places I enjoy visiting is the Texas Hill Country, especially near Bandera, which claims to be the cowboy capital. I love writing historical westerns set between 1870 and 1885. Something else I enjoy writing is mail order bride stories. What compelled the heroine to become a bride to a stranger? What prompted the hero to request a mail order bride or did someone else request the bride for him? How do strangers find their happy-ever-after? I’ve read biographies and autobiographies of actual mail order brides of that time period. Some did have happy marriages, some had narrow escapes, and some were miserable. I prefer to concentrate on the happy ones. I came up with the Texas Hill Country Mail Order Brides, which is a long series name. Then I came up with seven bachelors, their occupations, and their matches. When readers requested a book about Quinn, the brother of book one’s bachelor, Gentry McRae, I added him. The book I’m talking about today is "Jesse And The Mail Order Bride," Book 2. This series takes place in the fictional Harrigan Springs in Harrigan County, which is squeezed in between real Bandera and Medina. Like all of my recent books, this is a sweet story with no cursing and sex is behind closed doors.

S:  Is there anything special you’d like people to know about "Jesse And The Mail Order Bride?"

C:  Jesse Cameron is the sheriff and is respected for his firm-but-fair policies. He’s tall and lanky at 24, and he’s from Scotland. In the two years he’s been sheriff, crimes are down and Harrigan Springs is an even nicer place to live than when he arrived. You know that to have a little conflict, a sheriff needs his opposite. Rosalin Arnold is not a bad person, but has been forced by trickery and threats to become a pickpocket. Having gained strength and self-confidence, she has been plotting to escape the clutches of the evil man who heads the pickpockets—and much more.

Here's the blurb--

Sheriff Jesse Cameron is dedicated to uphold the law of his adopted country. After leaving Scotland, he came to Texas, and learned he liked the place and the people—at least, most of them. He keeps Harrigan County free of troublemakers with his “strict but fair” policy. Now that he has a steady job and has bought a house, he figures it’s time to find a wife and start a family. He and his best friend write to the same matchmaker, hoping their brides will be sisters or friends. Jesse hopes his wife will provide a peaceful home and welcome him each evening with a good meal and a warm smile.

Growing up in an orphanage left Rosalin Arnold too naïve to avoid being trapped in the clutches of an evil man who has her picking pockets. Those who’ve tried to escape him always fail, and are severely punished—or killed. Rosalin has been plotting to get away, and seizes her chance to escape. She takes her best friend with her, and also a boy of eight. All she and her friends want is a home where they can live honestly without constant fear. She prays she has successfully evaded the man who has tentacles everywhere.

What will happen when her lawman husband learns the truth about her criminal past? Have she and her friends escaped successfully?

S:  Gotta love a romance with a good looking sheriff who has a Scottish burr or brogue! Where can readers buy "Jesse And The Mail Order Bride?"

C:  It's available at Amazon in e-book, print, and free at Kindle Unlimited. Here's the link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BD64JC1D?ref.

S:  Caroline, thanks so much for joining me today. If you'd like to learn more about Caroline and her books, please visit--

Website:  https://www.carolineclemmons.com

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/CarolinClemmons (no E in Caroline)

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

Facebook Readers Group--Caroline’s Cuties: https://www.facebook.com/groups/277082053015947/

Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/Caroline-Clemmons/e/B001K8CXZ6/

BookBub:  https://www.bookbub.com/authors/caroline-clemmons

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/458092.Caroline_Clemmons

Newsletter:  https://carolineclemmons.us5.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=0a24664c906875718d975ad7b&id=7c2e488a51 Subscribe for a free historical novella about a humorous, disastrous wedding, "Happy is the Bride."

This week in The Loft: Author Luann Lewis!

Joining me today in The Loft is fellow eXtasy author Luann Lewis. Luann writes thrillers and spicy, time travel romance. A big fan of Cold War spy thrillers and film noir, the main characters in Luann's books are similar to those found in old black and white television shows. Her Twisting Time series spans from the 1960s into the 2200s and illustrates how love holds similar trials and joys through every culture and era. Now semi-retired, Luann works part-time as a paralegal. With her husband of 38 years, she shares three children and three grandchildren.

Author Luann Lewis

S:  Good morning and welcome to The Loft, Luann!

How has romance changed in your lifetime? 

L:  Romance novels back when I was young were much more chaste, at least the ones that came my way. As I progressed into young adulthood, they got a little spicier, then later many of them veered into erotica. I like a little spice with my romance. After all, people DO have sex when they’re in love, but I enjoy romance novels for the fantasy. Sex in real life can be inconvenient and messy. That part can be written away in novels. I think it’s great that we look at the romance genre with broader minds now, but it could be damaging if young women go into a marriage or serious relationship thinking that their sex lives are going to be the way most romance novels are written.

S:  I often say romance novels are probably responsible for more than a few divorces. The expectations set by fiction are often not met in real life and that leaves women disillusioned about their own love lives.

Is true romance--the wooing, courtship, passion, seduction, the little gestures of affection, etc.--dead? Why or why not?

L:  I’ve been with my husband for over 40 years and married to him for over 38. The wooing, courtship, passion, seduction and little gestures of affection are still very alive between us and between many of the happily together couples we know. What is romance without that? I guess without it, it’s just porn, isn’t it?

S:  What do people get wrong about publishing a book?

L:  People think that once you’ve published a book, you get big royalties and lots of readers. They don’t realize that you get buried among all the other books out there. That’s discouraging after the time and effort you’ve put into actually writing it. On the other hand, for many writers, including myself, the true joy is in the writing–-escaping into this little world you created, having someone else come there with you just makes it all the better.

S:  That's so true. I write because I enjoy it. I would be in big trouble if I relied on it as a source of income!

What would you like to people know about you?

L:  That I am a Christian, yet do include spice in my romance novels. At first, I felt a little guilty about that, but I don’t see why Christian women shouldn’t enjoy the fantasy of two people in love having a sex life. I don’t understand why a Christian woman can’t read something that might inspire her to pour a glass of wine and turn down the lights when her significant other returns home. I have a certain set of ethics I adhere to in my books but they include sexually romantic scenes.

S:  What inspires your stories?

L:  My romance novels and novellas have mostly been inspired by a cold war spy from an old show called, "Danger Man."  In the U.S., he was known as "Secret Agent." This same actor also played a similar spy role in a movie called, "Ice Station Zebra." He has been my muse. I found his characters fascinating. These characters never had any romances, though. The actor, Patrick McGoohan, refused to kiss any woman besides his wife even as part of his onscreen job. This left the imagination open for what could have been. I ended up taking that character and twisting him into my own.

S:  I didn't recognize the name, so I had to look him up. He does look like a spy! He has those dark, mysterious eyes!

What inspired "Facing Fate?"

L:  It’s my favorite in the Twisting Time series. In "Facing Fate," my male protagonist is brought into a utopian future. Back in the 1960s, he was considered a brilliant man. A British operative, quick on his feet, he was desired by the ladies and envied by the men. He was full of confidence. Now, he’s 200 years ahead. The world is not the dangerous place it was in his time, back when his fists were at the ready and his knowledge was contemporary. Plus, he’s missing his whiskey and cigarettes. There are a lot of adjustments to make in order to be with the woman he loves.

S:  Is there anything special you would like people to know about "Facing Fate?"

L:  Although it’s not necessary to have read the entire Twisting Time series first, the initial book lays the groundwork for the second book and you get deep insight into the personalities of the male and female protagonists along with the origin of their love story. Plus, Twisting Time is a love story of its own. One of my friends gave a copy to her elderly eye doctor, who later called her and confided that it had “aroused him.” That wasn’t the first time I heard that from a man. I was surprised that it turned out to be a romance men could enjoy as well as women.

Here's the blurb--

Finding where you belong is profound. Facing where you belong can be unfathomable.

When David Morse stepped two hundred years into the future to be with the woman he loved, Miri Ableton, he entered utopia. So why didn’t it feel like utopia? It wasn’t just the pain of going without whiskey and cigarettes. He had to get used to being a new father, adjust to being a novelty to those around him, and contend with a future mother-in-law who considered him an intruder.

When David’s nightmares begin, it quickly becomes obvious the past is trying to reach out to him. Miri’s friend, Melinda, agrees to help by stepping back through time to face David’s double—a dangerous man who had left David scarred and nearly killed him. Melinda’s fate, at this mystery man’s hands, could change the world.

S:  Wow, that sounds very intense. Where can readers buy your book?

L:  It's available at--

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Facing-Fate-Luann-Lewis/dp/1487435029

Publisher:   https://www.extasybooks.com/Facing-Fate

S:  Luann, thanks so much for joining me today! If you'd like to learn more about Luann and her books, please visit--

Website:  https://frommindtopen.weebly.com/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/LLewisAuthor

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100084055993937

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21978176.Luann_Lewis

This week in The Loft: Canadian author V. J. Allison!

Joining me today in The Loft is fellow Extasy author V. J. Allison. V. J. writes contemporary, erotic, and paranormal/horror romance. A self-proclaimed geeky rocker chick, V. J. is a warrior and advocate for various chronic illnesses, including Occipital Neuralgia, Trigeminal Neuralgia, Diabetes, Migraines, and Glossopharyngeal Neuralgia. She is also an advocate for the prevention of animal cruelty and is a voice for Autism Awareness. Born and raised in southern Nova Scotia, Canada, V. J. runs her own graphics design company, Veridian Rose Designs, and is a stay-at-home mother to a son on the autism spectrum. She is also married to the love of her life, and mama to a rescued Maine Coon cat named Marnie. 

Author V. J. Allison

S:  Good morning, V. J. Thanks for joining me today! 

What do you appreciate more--Brains or brawn/beauty?

V:  I appreciate brains because I like to be able to have an intelligent conversation with someone. The smarter they are, the better they are in my opinion.

S:  So true. A handsome man loses his appeal when he has nothing intelligent to share!

What was your worst date ever?

V:  I was 16 years old and a guy I knew from work wanted to take me to the movies. I went, but he was boring and honestly by the end of the night, I felt extremely uncomfortable with him. He kept trying to look down my top. He wasn’t a great guy to begin with, and I wound up avoiding him after that, which wasn’t easy. Thankfully, they let him go after a while and it was peaceful for me after that. He was awkward and he was in his 20s. A lot of people thought it was weird he was interested in a kid my age at the time.

S:  Ah, the teenage years. The awkward dates were just the beginning.

What attracted you to your current partner?

V:  The love of astronomy. The night we met, a bunch of us went to the beach, and I tried picking out some of the constellations I knew. The only other girl there – a friend of mine – was too interested in watching two guys fight over her, so I went off alone, but this one guy noticed I was watching the stars. We got talking, and he pointed out a few things. The next thing I knew, we were dating. That was 31 years ago. We’re now married for 21 years, have an 18-year-old-son, and just finished paying off the mortgage on our little house. Life is good with him!

S:  That's such a sweet story and very romantic!

What do people get wrong about publishing a book?

V:  They think that once it’s out, that’s it. It will sell on its own. Wrong! You have to promote, promote, promote it in order to sell even a couple of copies. Competition is fierce, and it isn’t easy to make the bestseller list. So many people think they’re going to hit it with their first book and get frustrated when their sales are nil or not good. They also think that people will just see it on Amazon or another site and buy it. Or that it doesn’t need an editor or beta readers. They also refuse to take criticism, thinking their work is perfect without any polishing or anything else. I’ve also heard people say that editors who have a lot of experience don’t know what they’re talking about in regards to the person’s work. I say listen to editors, get people to read it and listen to people, instead of thinking your book is perfect as is. I have six books under my belt at this time and I still think like I’m a newbie!

S:  What would you like to people know about you?

V:  Having a book published in my lifetime has been my dream since I was nine years old, and my grade four teacher, Mrs. Hache, told me I had a knack for spinning a tale. I didn’t know I wanted to write romance books until I was 11 years old and read my first Harlequin Romance, but after that, it seemed the brass ring was getting that publishing contract. I got it, thanks to Extasy Books, in 2016, and I haven’t looked back since.

S:  What inspired "Honestly?"

V:  "Honestly" was inspired partially by my oldest niece, Katy. Like the main character, Dana Campbell, Katy is pansexual and has had significant others of a wide variety on the gender spectrum. Once I knew Dana’s sexuality, I knew I had to have a special, out of the mainstream love interest for her, and the character of Avery was conceived. He’s bisexual, but he was also assigned female at birth, so he’s a trans man. He has gone through a lot, and like Dana, unsure about being open about his past and his true self. He’s partially inspired by a trans relative of mine, someone I’ve known since they were a child and only started transitioning to their true self about a decade or so ago. Like Avery, they’re more comfortable in their own skin, but unlike Avery, they have a loving and accepting family who stick up for them and love them for who they are. I also wanted to set a story on the Bay of Fundy, which has the highest tides in the world, and it seemed like the perfect backdrop for this amazing and special couple.

S:  Is there anything special you would like people to know about "Honestly?"

V:  "Honestly" features a lot of issues that LGBTAQ2S+ people face on a daily basis. They face fear of coming out of the closet to people, even those they love. They face hatred and bigotry from a lot of others, and worry that they will be hurt or killed just for being themselves. In the story, we know that Dana only shared her true sexuality with a few, trusted people--two of her cousins and their spouses--and only a few people know the truth of Avery’s genetics and his journey to becoming the man he was meant to be.

Here's the blurb--

Love knows no boundaries.

Needing an escape from her grandfather’s outdated and patriarchal views on a woman’s proper place, Dana Campbell flees to her cousin’s cottage on the Nova Scotian coast for some uninterrupted reflection. A trust fund and a prominent name isn’t her idea of happiness, especially if it’s tied to her grandfather’s archaic ideals of marriage. After a failed engagement to a gold-digging fraud, Dana just wants a quiet place where she can evaluate her life and wonder whether she can ever be open about her closeted pansexuality.

A trans man who has faced hatred, Avery D’Eon is happy being inconspicuous. A bad divorce and a family who shuns him make him wary of being in any kind of a romantic relationship. Despite making life altering choices about his body, as well as finding his tribe in the form of his employee, he still battles a sense of emptiness. His world is tossed off kilter by a vivacious and sultry woman sauntering into his store. One look into her beautiful brown eyes, and Avery sees the missing link in his life—someone to love and cherish.

Despite denying their attraction, Avery and Dana find what they need in a hurricane of desire.

But a tragedy close to home forces Dana to make a life-shattering choice—her wealthy family, or the man she adores.

S:  Wow. Those are some really hard choices. Where can readers buy your book?

V:  It's available at--

Extasy Books:  www.extasybooks.com/Honestly

Other retailers:  https://books2read.com/u/bP70gl

S:  V. J., I really enjoyed chatting with you today! If you'd like to learn more about V. J., please visit--

Facebook Profile:  https://www.facebook.com/V.J.Allison1974

Facebook Fan Page:  https://www.facebook.com/AuthorVJAllison/

V.J.’s VIP Lounge (Facebook Group--Promos, webcam chats, takeover bashes and more!):  https://www.facebook.com/groups/vjsvips/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/VJAllison1974

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/vjallison1974/

BookBub:  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/v-j-allison

Extasy Books:  https://www.extasybooks.com/v-j-allison

Decadent Publishing:  https://decadentpublishing.com/author/v-j-allison/

Amazon US:  https://www.amazon.com/VJ-Allison/e/B089RP93GC/

Books2Read:  https://books2read.com/ap/8Z2M9o/VJ-Allison

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16624096.V_J_Allison

Veridian Rose Designs (Facebook Group):  https://www.facebook.com/groups/veridianrosedesigns/

This week in The Loft: Author Lil DeVille!

Joining me today in The Loft is author Lil DeVille. Lil puts the naughty in Naughty Netherworld Press. With her cheeky sense of humor, big imagination, and quirky characters, she spins one-of-a-kind tales that never to skimp on love and lust. Lil writes erotica in the fantasy, science fiction, and paranormal or supernatural sub-genres. Lil is a disabled former nurse who no longer works outside the home. When she isn’t cooking up hot stories, she enjoys baking, reading, crafts, and playing mobile games. Lil lives in a remote rural town in the Colorado-Wyoming-Nebraska triad with her adult son and three cats. 

Lil DeVille's Calling Card

S:  Good morning, Lil. Thanks for joining me in The Loft again.

If you were suddenly transported back to Victorian England as a member of the aristocracy, would you be thrilled or appalled? Would you be willing to stay there permanently?

L:  I would hate it and I would be looking to hitch a ride with The Doctor in any of his or her incarnations back to the present. I love reading Regency romance, but I would hate dwelling in that era. While women have not yet achieved the degree of respect that we have damn well earned, at least we are no longer considered the property of our fathers, brothers, or husbands.

S:  Personally, I would love to see you in Victorian England. I think you would be marvelously disruptive.  That would be quite fun to watch.

What is the best/worst thing that has ever happened to you as a writer?

L:  Realizing that writing erotica wasn’t as easy as those “make big bank by writing erotica” articles make it sound. That was both the best and worst thing that ever happened to me as a writer. My first attempts were kind of cringe-worthy, although they have some redeeming aspects. I pulled them from publication and may someday overhaul and re-release them.

S:  If you had to do it all over again, would you still choose to write books?

L:  Most days, I’d say yes. I just wish it paid better!

S:  I tell my friends that writing romance keeps me in Cheetos.

What famous book do you wish you had written? Why?

L:  I’m not sure I would want to write anyone’s stories other than my own, but the work of Anais Nin is so exquisite. I wish I could paint pictures with words the way she did.

S:  What’s the best advice you have ever given?

L:  If it makes you miserable, it’s the wrong choice. Even if everyone else is telling you it’s the right path.

S:  I wish more people would realize that. Life is too short to be miserable.

What’s the best advice you have ever been given?

L:  Same as the best advice I’ve ever given. I stole that bit of advice from a wonderful great-aunt who performed on Vaudeville back in the day!

S:  What inspired "The Shape of Heat: Awakening?"

L:  I write non-erotic fiction under a different pen name and enjoy submitting my work to anthologies. I did a search for publishers seeking erotic stories for anthologies and found the website for Cobblestone Press. Their Naughty November anthology expressed a special interest in stories with a MFM menage. I initially started writing a story about a female warrior trainee in a post-apocalyptic society, but kept getting stuck with where I wanted to go next. I brought my story and characters back down to Earth and "The Shape of Heat" was born. I ended up going with a FMF menage rather than MFM. The story also contains an explicit MM scene.

S:  Is there anything special you would like people to know about "The Shape of Heat: Awakening?"

L:  When I submitted the story to Cobblestone Press, I got a lovely reply—from a Mailer Daemon. I learned from a fellow author that Cobblestone Press is no longer active. Initially, I was frustrated to have wasted a month pouring my heart and soul into a manuscript that no one was going to use. Then I said to myself, “Lil, you numpty, you are an indie author! Format it and publish it yourself!”

Here's the blurb:

When you’re surrounded by lust, an awakening is inevitable.

Candi knew hot things happened behind closed doors at the Pearl Beach Resort. After all, the place was owned by bisexual billionaire playboy Boris van Donk, who had a reputation for taking on all comers.

Candi's family of origin was strictly religious, and she has never given or received more than a chaste kiss in her 21 years. Between bad-boy Boris and her geeky, fun-loving, porn-writing housemates, an awakening of her desires is inevitable.

S:  That certainly sounds like an entertaining romp! Where can readers buy your book?

L:  It is available on from Amazon at https://amzn.to/3eNpil8.

S:  Lil, thanks so much for joining me today. If you'd like to learn more about Lil DeVille, please visit--

Website:  https://bit.ly/NaughtyNetherworldPress

Reader's Roost: https://bit.ly/ReadersRoost

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/ReadersRoost

Amazon Author Page:  https://bit.ly/LilDevilleAmazonAuthor

Triberr:  https://bit.ly/TheNaughtyTribe

Newsletter:  https://bit.ly/NaughtyNetherworldNews2

This week in The Loft: Author A. N. Verebes

Joining me today in The Loft is Australian author Anita (A. N.) Verebes. Anita writes sweet and steamy contemporary romance. As a civil marriage celebrant, Anita makes a living telling other people’s love stories and celebrating real romance. She lives directly between Queensland’s sunny Gold and Sunshine coasts in Australia, Anita spends her days exploring the Great South East with her husband and their two rambunctious sons. When at home, she’s also a slave to two cats and one very spoiled Great Dane.

Author A. N. Verebes

S:  Welcome, Anita! Thanks for joining me today.

Do you write in genres other than romance?

A:  No, but I do have another pen name I use in a different subgenre of romance. That one is focused on MM kink fiction.

S:  What inspires your stories?

A:  I’m inspired by a mix of mundane, random real-life experiences, and daydreams or almost silly little hypothetical fantasies. With my debut novel, it was more the latter. I created a main male character who was an amalgamation of my celebrity crushes and from there an entire cast of characters and their backstories just bloomed.

S:  When a story comes easily, crafting it is such a joy.

What do you appreciate more--Brains or brawn/beauty?

A:  I find brains and personality are what make a person beautiful. Similarly, someone who is considered absolutely gorgeous can immediately seem hideous if they’re willfully ignorant or arrogant or cruel. But when we’re talking about romance novels, my preference is a nice balance of both brains and beauty. It’s ultimately escapism and fantasy for me, so I’ll have my cake and eat it, too.

S:  Why not? You hold the pen.

Do you remember your first kiss? What was memorable about it?

A:  Oh. Ugh. Yes. It was actually at my fifteenth birthday party during a game of spin-the-bottle. I had self-esteem issues and was definitely a bit of a wallflower in comparison to the other girls. The kiss itself was clumsy and awkward, and I felt sorry for the poor boy for having to kiss me, the chunky, nerdy girl, in front of witnesses. But he was sweet about it, and we’re still friends now, more than 20 years later.

S:  What a cute story. What attracted you to your current partner?

A:  He’s just as socially awkward as I am. He understands my quirks and is quite supportive. When we met, he was open and honest about his baggage, and I appreciated that. We have as much in common as we do in contrast, and I enjoy the balance.

S:  What inspired "You Can’t Hurry Love?"

A:  It’s the second book in my debut series, and I wanted to show that Charlie--who didn’t really show himself in the best light in the first book--was actually redeemable and loveable, and that Sara had surprising depth and also deserved a happy ending.

S:  Is there anything special you would like people to know about "You Can’t Hurry Love?"

A:  This was the first book I’ve written where I let the characters take over. I had a plot sketched out, but Sara and Charlie had other plans, and writing their story surprised me because they took me to places I hadn’t anticipated. I adored both these characters when I first created them, but they became like family to me over the course of writing their novel, and I loved being able to share a little sliver of my part of the world in it as well.

Here's the blurb--

Sometimes love is worth the wait.

Sara Carlisle and Charlie Rhodes are complete opposites. Oil and water. Chalk and cheese.

Before Sara even meets Charlie, she hates him. He's insulted her best friend -a woman Sara considers family- and that is unforgivable. In person he proves to be just as obnoxious and insufferable as she'd anticipated. And, as far as she's concerned, the fact that he's tall and muscular with an accent to die for is not enough to redeem him. Charlie Rhodes is an arrogant A--hole (with a capital A!) and that's all there is to it!

For his part, Charlie thinks Sara is a conceited pain in the arse. A prissy princess to the nth degree. It becomes his prerogative to get under her skin for the sheer pleasure of riling her up. He feels genuine enjoyment in the face of her frustration, and he makes no secret of it. Besides, she gives as good as she gets!

Fundamentally opposed in every way, it's obvious to those around them that they're not going to get along.

But unfortunately, thanks to their respective families, they are stuck in each other's lives for the foreseeable future. Being civil is as good as it is going to get...or is it?

When their relationship turns from reluctant acquaintances to red hot lovers, they find it's good.

Really good.

What could possibly go wrong?

In a slow-burn romance that follows hot on the heels of "Handle With Care," Sara and Charlie discover that you really can't rush romance.

S:  Sounds like an entertaining story! Where can readers buy your book?

A:  It's available at--

Amazon (US):  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09S35VNTL

Universal Link:  https://books2read.com/YouCantHurryLove

S:  Anita, thanks so much for joining me today. If you'd like to learn more about Anita and her books, please visit--

Website:  https://anverebesauthor.wordpress.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ANVerebes
TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@anverebes_author
Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/author/anverebes

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21688142.A_N_Verebes
BookBub:  https://www.bookbub.com/authors/a-n-verebes
Newsletter:  https://anverebesauthor.wordpress.com/newsletter_signup/

This week in The Loft: Author Sadira Stone!

Joining me today in The Loft is contemporary romance author Sadira Stone. Sadira spins steamy tales set in small businesses in the Pacific Northwest—a quirky bookstore, a neighborhood bar, a vintage boutique. When she emerges from her writing cave in Las Vegas, Nevada, Sadira can be found in dance class, strumming her ukulele, exploring the Western U.S. with her charming husband, cooking up a storm, and gobbling up all the romance books. 

Author Sadira Stone

S:  Welcome to The Loft, Sadira. It's always a pleasure to meet up for a chat!

Do you remember your first kiss? What was memorable about it?

SS:  He was so good-looking, a dreamy, dark-eyed, 9th-grade basketball star. I couldn’t believe he wanted to go with me, as we called it back then. Turns out he was a total cad, but that first kiss was hot!

S:  First kisses can be magic memories or moments filled with regrets. My first real kiss was "stolen" in front of everyone, my boyfriend included. It was a nice kiss, but from the wrong guy!

What attracted you to your current partner?

SS:  Ours was a late-in-life romance. We both taught at the same overseas high school in the Germany in the Department of Defense Schools system and were both recently divorced. I was attracted to his dark eyes--I’m sensing a theme here--and playful sense of humor. Turns out he’s a great kisser too, and not at all a cad! We’ve been together for 12 years, married for eight.

S:  What inspires your stories?

SS:  So far, all my stories are set in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, where I lived until our recent move to Las Vegas. Such a beautiful area, and I don’t yet know Vegas well enough to set any stories here. I especially enjoy unlikely pairings, perhaps inspired by happy couples I’ve met who meshed perfectly despite their differences. Of course, a good romance series needs to be tied together by a common setting, family, etc. I love the found/chosen family elements that develop in small businesses—a neighborhood bar, in the case of Bangers Tavern. My previous series, Book Nirvana, centered around a quirky indie bookshop, and my next series is set in a kitschy, quirky Washington State beach town. So I guess I start with a setting, then a chosen family, then launch from there.

S:  Sounds like an interesting process. I'm more of a "shoot-from-the-hip" writer, I rarely know what's going to flow from my fingers.

What’s the best advice you have ever been given?

SS:  A wise old Southern lady once told me, “Honey, ever’body’s got something to teach you, even if it’s how not to be.”

S:  I love that! What do you want inscribed on your tombstone? How do you want to be remembered?

SS:  “She had a blast.”

S:  What inspired "Sweet Slow Sizzle?"

SS:  Jojo and Lana’s love story sort of emerged under its own steam as the series progressed. All I knew about them in Bangers Tavern, Book One, "Christmas Rekindled," was that bouncer Jojo was huge, a jokester, shaved his head, and had a crush on server Lana, who was raising her two teen brothers after losing their parents in a tragic car wreck. Lana proved a loyal friend to Charlie and Rosie, her fellow servers at Bangers Tavern, and heroines of Books One and Two. In each book, the Jojo-Lana subplot grew, so by the time I reached Book Four, Jojo couldn’t wait one more minute to declare his love. Unfortunately, his timing wasn’t the greatest—but what’s a romance story without some big, honkin’ obstacles to love.

S:  Is there anything special you would like people to know about "Sweet Slow Sizzle?"

SS:  I’m a stickler for research. For this story, I had to learn about Washington State custody law, since Lana is raising her minor brothers, plus Hawaiian family celebrations--thanks to my Hawaiian friend Val Stiglicz--and becoming a personal trainer. I also required information about the history of Tacoma’s Stadium High School, setting for the romcom classic "10 Things I Hate about You."  Of course, Bangers Tavern stories always contain delicious food and cocktails, so I got to research yummy recipes. Writing this series has really expanded my mixology skills!

Here's the blurb...

Loving him means risking the only family she has left.

Bangers Tavern’s hunky bouncer Jojo Williams has been flirting with server Lana Lopez for three years, but she dismisses him as a trifling joker. Determined to penetrate her prickly defenses, he plunges into the hot mess that keeps her from dating. If he screws this up, his heart and hers won’t be the only ones broken.

Orphaned by a car wreck at twenty-two, Lana must keep her teen brothers on track and together in the home they grew up in. One more slip-up, and her interfering tías will separate the boys. The last thing Lana needs is a big goof like Jojo meddling with her fragile family.

But when the teens’ shenanigans land them in trouble, Jojo may be the only person who can save them from the wrath of the tías. Lana’s growing attraction to the gentle giant makes it harder and harder to shut him out, but loving him is a gamble that could cost her everything.

Come back to Bangers Tavern for a slow burn, sizzling hot, friends to lovers workplace romance full of laughs, steam, and the glorious chaos of 21st century family—the ones we’re born into--and the ones we gather to our hearts.

S:  Sounds like a steamy friends to lovers romance. Those are always a hot read!

Where can readers buy your book?

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

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B3W8R99S

Barnes & Noble:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w?ean=2940185575178

Kobo:  https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/sweet-slow-sizzle

Apple:  https://books.apple.com/us/book/sweet-slow-sizzle-bangers-tavern-romance-4/id6443405062

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61752357-sweet-slow-sizzle

Bookbub:  https://www.bookbub.com/books/sweet-slow-sizzle-bangers-tavern-romance-4-by-sadira-stone

Universal Book Link:  https://books2read.com/SweetSlowSizzle

S:  Sadira, thanks so much for joining me today! If you'd like to learn more about Sadira and her books, please visit--

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

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/SadiraStone

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/sadirastone/

TikTok:  https://tiktok.com/@saidrastone

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18568049.Sadira_Stone

BookBub:  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/sadira-stone

Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/Sadira-Stone/e/B07KWK5FBX

Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/sadira0641/

Author newsletter:  https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/q7x4c6