Nancy Lee Badger Presents Angela Quarles

Angela has published a book I have waited for, for some time. She had mentioned it on various writer loops, and I could not help but fall in love with the title, Must Love Breeches. Take it away, Angela!

I know a common question writers are asked is: Where do you get your ideas? So I thought I’d share how my time travel romance Must Love Breeches came into being.

The original germ for this story was wondering who would be cool to meet if I went back in time. I’d originally conceived going back to Jane Austen’s era, but that idea has been well-trodden. But I knew I’d like to go back to around that time, so I kept noodling around for historical figures in that era that the heroine might meet. When I came across Ada Lovelace, I had my answer. Born Augusta Ada Byron, she was the only legitimate daughter of the famous poet and bad boy Lord Byron and his wife, Annabella Milbanke. What a tumultuous and intriguing marriage that was! I had a hard time reining in Lady Byron in this story, as my interpretation of her personality is not favorable, and she was just oh-so annoying to me. I had many more scenes with her, as she lent herself easily to being an antagonist, but this novel isn’t supposed to be a rant about her and they were cut.

At first I toyed with the idea of having the heroine be a love interest for Charles Babbage, and that the heroine would then be the reason (inspiration) for him completing the Analytical Engine. But I was fleshing out this story in October for NaNoWriMo, and I knew that in order for him to be the hero, much more research into his life and personality would have to happen than I had time for before the competition started, so he was dropped as the hero (poor Charles). I’m glad I made that decision! Babbage does appear in one scene though, so there’s that. Ada, however, remained as a main secondary character and I had a lot of fun researching her and her accomplishments.

The title took me until the third draft or so, however. It started out as A Heart for Every Fate, which was a line from a poem by Lord Byron, but it didn’t fit the story’s tone. Then it became To Our Future, but that suffered from the same problem. I work in a bookstore and was making up puns off of titles in the store, and Must Love Dogs had me think of Must Love Breeches and I knew I had my title.

I have asked Angela to share 3 things readers might not know about her:

1)  I once tried learning Irish Gaelic! Whoah, was that a challenge! And that’s coming from someone who’d once learned Finnish, which is often touted as one of the more difficult languages. But yeah, Irish Gaelic was definitely much more difficult and I gave up after a bi

2)  In my twenties I directed a small local history museum outside of Atlanta.

3)  Patrick Henry, of “Give Me Liberty, Or Give Me Death” fame, is my 5^th-great uncle (I’m descended from his sister)

BOOK BLURB

She's finally met the man of her dreams. There's only one problem: he lives in a different century.

"A fresh, charming new voice" – New York Times bestselling author Tessa Dare

HOW FAR WOULD YOU TRAVEL FOR LOVE?

A mysterious artifact zaps Isabelle Rochon to pre-Victorian England, but before she understands the card case’s significance a thief steals it. Now she must find the artifact, navigate the pitfalls of a stiffly polite London, keep her time-traveling origins a secret, and resist her growing attraction to Lord Montagu, the Vicious Viscount so hot, he curls her toes.

To Lord Montagu nothing makes more sense than keeping his distance from the strange but lovely Colonial. However, when his scheme for revenge reaches a stalemate, he convinces Isabelle to masquerade as his fiancée. What he did not bargain on is being drawn to her intellectually as well as physically.

Lord Montagu’s now constant presence overthrows her equilibrium and her common sense. Isabelle thought all she wanted was to return home, but as passion flares between them, she must decide when her true home—as well as her heart—lies.

Excerpt from Must Love Breeches

A reenactment ball was the perfect setting for romance. Or not.

Isabelle Rochon fidgeted in her oddly-shaped-but-oh-so-accurate ball gown, surrounded by women who’d sacrificed historical authenticity for sex appeal. Red carpet ball gowns in the nineteenth century, really? Once again she was like the dorky kid participating in dress-up day at school when everyone else had magically decided it was lame.

“Gah. I feel like a green robot with strange battle armor.” Isabelle pointed to her dark green dress, the shoulders flaring out almost to a point, exaggerating their width. “What were the fashionistas in 1834 thinking?”

“I have no bloody idea.” Jocelyn squeezed the poof of fabric at her shoulder. “These huge-ass sleeves are ridiculous.”

“Ah, screw it, we’re having fun, right? I’m not going to self-sabotage the ball. Not after all the time I spent obsessing over my costume.”

“And obsessing over the etiquette rules.”

“That too.” Besides, how fun was it to learn Jocelyn shared her obsession with guys in period clothes and bodice-ripper romances?

Isabelle eyed a guy strolling past in tight-fitting, buff-colored pantaloons. She pitched her voice to be heard over the string quartet. “Hmm. How about the clothes on that daring derriere?”

Jocelyn sucked on her olive and plopped the empty stir stick into her martini. “Oh, yes. Definitely a breech-ripper.”

Isabelle choked on her Bellini, the champagne fizz tickling her throat and nose. This was the first opportunity they’d had to socialize outside work, so she treated this moment delicately, afraid to puncture the mood. No need to point out he sported pantaloons, not breeches.

She should ease up on the drink, though. She didn’t want to get plastered at the Thirty-fourth Annual Prancing Through History Reenactment Ball. Especially since her new colleagues would be around. And her boss. She needed to impress him.

How can my readers buy your book?  

Amazon (universal)    Kobo     ARe   

iTunes    Google Play   Nook   

What’s next for you?

Now that I've embraced being an indie, I plan to indie publish my steampunk romance, Steam Me Up, Rawley, set in Mobile in 1890, in January/February of 2015. After that, it will be Book 2 in the Must Love series, which will be Must Love Chainmail, another time travel, this time set during Madog's rebellion in 1294 Wales. 

More about the author

Angela Quarles is a geek girl romance writer whose works includes Must Love Breeches, a time travel romance, and Beer & Groping in Las Vegas, a geek romantic comedy in novelette form. She has a B.A. in Anthropology and International Studies with a minor in German from Emory University, and a Masters in Heritage Preservation from Georgia State University. She currently resides in a historic house in the beautiful and quirky town of Mobile, AL.

You can find more information about

 Angela Quarles and her book, 

Must Love Breeches 

at:

Website  

blog    

Twitter 

Facebook 

Goodreads 

Pinterest 

Nancy Lee Badger Interviews Author Lauren Smith

Lauren Smith stopped by to share interesting facts about her and her book, Blood Moon on the Rise. This paranormal romance was released on May 29^th 2013.

Please tell my readers a little bit about your book.
Blood Moon on the Rise is really a teaser. It’s the first story set in an eventual series set in Present day Detroit. The world is plagued with dangerous supernatural creatures that threaten humans. The Brotherhood of the Blood Moon is a secret organization with the sole purpose of protecting human kind. The Hunters with the aid of their assigned Trackers (those who possess the ability to wield magic) work together to eliminate threats. In Blood Moon on the Rise Tamara, a hunter, and Nicholas, her tracker, have been working together since they were fifteen years old. Now as adults, they face life-threatening dangers which is only made harder by the depth of their feelings for each other. Love between hunters and trackers is forbidden because it puts too much stress on the couple when they are in the heat of battle. But sometimes love is too hard to resist…and it is for Tamara and Nicholas.

When did you start writing toward publication?
I started writing towards publication in my second year of law school about four years ago. That was about the time I met a lady at a local library when I participated in a NANOWRIMO event. She and I became close friends and writing buddies and she was the one who suggested I learn to write romance and that was when I really started pursuing publication.

Do you have any rejection stories to share?
The strength of a writer is only half the time about the quality of the words on the pages. The other part is how the writer handles the trials and tribulations. I found out that numbers play a big part and sheer dumb luck. I’m not a lucky writer. Not at all. I had to learn to play the numbers game. I was rejected 87 times that’s my magic number during my 4 year hunt for an agent. This 4 year period spans from when I finished my first (and completely a mess) first manuscript, to the very first book I got contracted. There were 6 books written between the first every completed book and the first one that got contracted. I queried on 3 different manuscripts and it wasn’t until I figured out to try writing regencies, that I started getting agent interest. I then went on to have 3 agents at one time offer representation. It was very exciting. But as a writer, I’ve learned trouble is never far behind. Due to the hurricane in NY and other situations, the agent I picked retired from the business. I was then on to agent hunting again and found a lovely new agent through a fellow author friend of mine. That was perhaps more luck than I’ve ever been blessed with. She helped me negotiate the first contract I got and is now submitting a new book to editors (fingers crossed).

 

At the end of the day, I have learned that the most valuable thing a writer possesses is the ability to get back on the horse after being thrown (since I’m from Oklahoma this metaphor is accurate). You get tossed like a beanbag, you hit the ground and it hurts like the very devil. You have to get the wind back in your lungs, scrub the dirt and possibly blood from your hands and clothes and march right back over to that horse, grab the reins and swing back up. Those first few minutes after you get back up, you remember the fear of being thrown, the pain still seems to lance through every bone in your body, but eventually your confidence comes back. That’s what it takes to be a writer. And believe it or not, the more times you get thrown, the less scared you become of the fall and the easier it is to get back on. There will still be days when the fall hurts more than it should, maybe the contract you wanted or the agent you wanted doesn’t happen, just keep at it. Statistically, if you have a good book, and you keep submitting, there’s an agent or an editor out there who will take a chance on it. Or, in the alternative, have the courage to self-pub and find the readers who will see the value of your writing. Either way, bravery is a must for all writers who are serious about their careers.

What is your writing routine like?  

I know we as writers are supposed to have routines. I actually don’t, not anything concrete. I’m a lawyer by day. So I tend to write in the spare moments when I’m not working. I probably do about 4-5 hours a night of editing/revisions or writing and if I’m lucky, on my lunch break. I essentially make the most of five minutes here or there to get my notebook out and write. It’s quite funny the places I’ve managed to write (on a train, waiting for dry cleaning, at a restaurant waiting for breakfast- this is a weekly habit). I found the trick is to never let the story get that far from your mind so that the second you have time to put pen to paper, even if it’s just ten minutes, you can hammer out a couple hundred words and feel like you’ve accomplished something. The key I think for any writer is finding the discipline to make it work, no matter what your schedule or how you of a period each day you sit down to do it as long as you make the magic happen!
 

Are you a member of any writing organizations and, if so, have they helped?

I’m a member of my local OKRWA, Passionate Ink, The Beau Monde, FFP, and Celtic Hearts (all RWA organizations). They have all be incredible in helping me succeed in my goals. But I do have to give a special shout out to Passionate Ink where I currently serve as the Vice President., we offer members monthly pitch sessions via the internet with REAL EDITORS! You get to pitch 300 words to the volunteer editor that month. I got my first contract through one of these very pitch sessions so I owe Passionate Ink so much!

Please share three fun facts about you that most people don’t know.

1)  I’m currently learning to speak conversational Russian.

2)  I lived in China for a month and got to be one of the first Americans since Bill Clinton in the 1990s when he visited, to take a tour of the Panda Preserve in Chengdu and I sat down on a bench next to a baby panda and fed it fruit and got to pet it! The fur was surprisingly springy, like an English sheep dog only a little more bristly.

3)  My mother named me after Princess Diana (my middle name is Diana), and my love of England and English set stories apparently stems from my namesake.
 

What’s next for you?

I’m currently in revisions on my first Regency romance called Wicked Designs which is hopefully going to come out from Samhain Publishing in January. It’s the first book in The League of Rogues Series where a band of titled rogues get caught playing a game of cat and mouse with a feisty little debutante who doesn’t want to be used as a pawn in their game of revenge against her uncle who embezzled from one of the rogues (A duke named Godric who happens to be the hero). I already have books 2 and 3 written and am merely waiting to get them submitted and hopefully published soon!
 

Blood Moon on the Rise BOOK BLURB

Tamara wants nothing more than to protect the world from deadly paranormal creatures. Well, maybe she wants a little more than that. But the man she craves—Nicholas Rubin—is strictly off limits.

For years, Nicholas has been her loyal partner, helping to defeat murderous werewolves and take down unruly vampires.  Nicholas has always given Tamara his protection, friendship, and support. The only thing he hasn’t given her is his love. A relationship between Tamara and Nicholas is forbidden by ancient law, and the consequences could be deadly.

But when a powerful Sorceress threatens both their lives, Tamara has a choice to make: Give into her feelings for Nicholas, and risk her life. Or take a chance on Nicholas, and receive his love—at a price. 

EXCERPT

“Tamara!” A low, anxious shout drew her head up.

Relief flooded her when she caught sight of the man emerging from the shadows by the bar’s back door.

“Where the hell were you, Nicholas? We said we’d meet at the bar at seven,” Tamara snapped.

Her partner, Nicholas Rubin, rushed over and knelt at her side. His face sported a small cut across his high cheekbone, and his clothes were spotted with blood.

“Oh, God, are you okay?” She reached for his cheek, and he flinched, jerking away at her attempt to touch him.

“I got waylaid. Apparently, our furry friend had some goons with him who tried to stop me from following. They knew what we came here for. By the time I got inside, you were already gone. You couldn’t have waited? Damnit Tamara…” His eyes assessed her injuries, his brow furrowing as he concentrated on her. “Come on, let’s get you home and patch you up.” Nicholas held out a hand. Tamara winced when he pulled her to her feet.

“Huh, some tracker you are,” she muttered.

She fingered the crystal on the leather band around her wrist, the one he’d made for her. Even though it had a purpose for her job, she wore it the way a woman would a piece of jewelry from her boyfriend. Here was the man she wanted, the chocolate haired, cinnamon-brown eyed god she craved. He was her closest friend, her partner, and completely off-limits. The ache to touch him, to reassure herself he was okay, was ever present.

Every single minute she was with him, she covered her feelings for him with sarcasm or offhanded remarks. Anything to keep distance between them. But not tonight. She had to feel him, comfort him, even if he wasn’t hurt.

Nicholas’s eyes twinkled mischievously as she reached up to stroke his face. He didn’t pull away, and her heart jumped wildly in her chest. Her hand lingered against his warm skin for a moment longer than it should have. A tiny thrill rushed through her body when he didn’t step away to avoid her.

“You’re the hunter. It’s my job to lead you to the beasts. You have to kill them, remember?” He flashed a wise-ass grin and retrieved her purse and jacket from the ground.

He helped her slide it over her arms, his hands tightening on her shoulders ever so slightly before he let go. The heat of his touch sent her pulse skittering. She had to diffuse the sudden throbbing of desire for Nicholas. It was a battle she fought every hour of every day. Each time she pushed away that hunger for him, it made it harder to work with him. She couldn’t fight off werewolves when she was busy thinking about jumping Nicholas’s bones.

“You are so buying me a beer later,” Tamara snapped, her bravado masking her trembling hands and the lancing pain in her leg.

“Sure. Oh, you might want to fix your jeans…they’re uh…open.” Even in the moonlight, the ruddy stain of a flush on his cheeks was unmistakable. For a brief instant, Tamara thought she saw anger flicker in his eyes.

“Damn.” She fixed her pants and looked determinedly away.

Did he get jealous thinking of her being with other men, of her luring vamps and weres using her body as the carrot on the stick? Or did he not think about her at all? She thought of him every time; with every kiss, every touch, she envisioned him doing those things to her. What would he think if he knew it was him she fantasized about? About the tender yet heated way they’d come together, and how they’d lie still and quiet, hearts beating in time as they slept afterwards.

“Better call it in,” she reminded him, teeth gritted, her head tilted toward the alley and the dead werewolf.

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lauren Smith is an attorney by day, author by night, who pens adventurous and edgy romance stories by the light of her smart phone flashlight app. She’s a native Oklahoman who lives with her three pets: a feisty chinchilla, sophisticated cat and dapper little schnauzer. She's won multiple awards in several romance subgenres including being an Amazon.com Breakthrough Novel Award Quarter-Finalist and a Semi-Finalist for the Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Award. Her first regency novel Wicked Designs will be released early 2014.  

Connect with Lauren Smith at:

Facebook     BLOG     Twitter      

Goodreads     Amazon Author Page

Check out my book trailer HERE     

 

How can my readers buy your book? 

Amazon     NOOK

 

 

 

Nancy Lee Badger Interviews Reese Ryan

Reese Ryan stopped by for an indepth interview. Her book, Making the First Move is a contemporary romance and was released July 22, 2013.

Don't forget to scroll down and sign-up for a chance to win GREAT PRIZES during her BLOG TOUR.

Please tell my readers a little bit about your book.

Making the First Move is about two people who struggle with painful pasts in a way that threatens their prospects for a happy future. Melanie Gordon obsesses over her career as a way to hide from the pain of her father’s death and a devastating break-up. Raine Mason is a selfless, committed philanthropist who has a mysterious past that left him with physical and emotional wounds.  Their relationship and the obstacles it encounters provide them both with an opportunity to reassess their lives and shed learned identities that are holding them back.



Reese Ryan

Describe the genre of this particular title, and is it the only genre you write in?
For me, contemporary romance encompasses many things. The typical love-in-the-here-and-now stories we expect, but also new adult, romantic suspense, and romantic women’s fiction. This title and my December release are both contemporary romances, but both stories are very much about the heroine’s journey—as much as they are about the romance that is central to it. However, future stories in the works include a new adult trilogy and a romantic thriller.

What inspired you to write your first book?
A fellow copywriter told me about National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). It sounded insane, but I was also intrigued. I started my first fiction novel since high school while participating in the event the following year. Making the First Move was a NaNo project I started in maybe the first or second year I participated. A few years later I went back and finished it.

I tried NaNoWriMo last year for the 1^st time! Loved it! How did you get into romance writing?
It was only within the last two years that I really came to realize, and embrace, the fact that I’m a romance writer. I was an avid YA reader in middle school and high school. Several years later, when I started reading fiction again, it was during the height of Chick Lit’s popularity—a genre I still love. So I hadn’t read very many pure romance novels and I considered myself a Chick Lit and then a women’s fiction writer. When Carina Press acquired this novel as a contemporary romance I started to really examine all of my stories. They deal with the heroine’s journey and family drama—yet a romance is always central to the story. It was one of those moments when you finally figure out what everyone else already knows.

Ha! Took me until my fifties to figure writing was my passion. Life got in the way. Who first introduced you to the love of reading?

My parents. I thank them for that in the acknowledgements of every book I’ve written.

My parents are my loudest cheerleaders! I met you at a meeting of our local chapter of Romance Writers of America. Has your membership helped?

One of the best things I did as a writer was to join RWA—even when I thought I was strictly a women’s fiction writer. Membership in my local Heart of Carolina chapter and two online chapters has brought me a wealth of knowledge and encouragement. Also, being a member of other local writing groups has introduced me to some outstanding local writers and to my current critique group.

Will you share some encouraging words for authors still struggling for that first contract?

I had three completed manuscripts when Carina Press acquired Making the First Move. I’d sent queries to a few agents on two of the manuscripts—including this one.  Then I stumbled across a pitching session to another digital-first publisher. They requested the full manuscript. That opened my eyes to this medium. So I submitted to several others. Out of the five publishers I submitted to I received two contract offers and one request for a revise and resubmit. So while it has become more challenging to get published traditionally, the rapidly changing industry offers so many opportunities for new writers. So keep writing. Keep improving your craft. Learn as much as you can about available options and choose the one that’s right for you.

Share three fun facts about you that most people don’t know.

1) I just might be the oldest blanket baby in the history of blanket babies.

2) As a kid I hated playing outside because I didn’t like that outdoors smell my great aunt in Mississippi refers to as “fresh.”

3)I conquered my fear of heights to climb Dunn’s River Falls in Jamaica. Now I’m trying to work my way up to ziplining in the Costa Rican rainforest.
What’s next for you?

Jamie Charles—the best friend character in Making the First Move—gets her own story, tentatively titled Love Me Not. It will be released in December. I’m currently planning my first novella—a contemporary romance based on Leslie Morales, another character in Making the First Move and a new adult trilogy.

BOOK BLURB
  Melanie Gordon has spent the past five years obsessing over her career to dull the pain of a devastating breakup and the loss of her father. Her effort pays off when she receives the promotion that could be her big break. Only it means returning to her hometown to face her past while leaving behind the man who could be her future.

Selfless (and insanely sexy) philanthropist, Raine Mason, is committed to his cause. But his passion for rescuing high-risk young males from the road to disaster is fueled by his own dark and tragic past. 

When Raine is ready to take his casual friendship with Melanie to sizzling new heights, her one-way ticket to Cleveland is already booked. But a steamy night of passion leaves them both wanting more, even if Melanie is afraid to admit it. She reluctantly agrees to a long-distance relationship with no promises and no commitments.

Melanie may finally be ready to give Raine her heart…but then she discovers startling news that causes her to question everything she knows about him. Worse, he’s harboring a dark secret from his past that threatens to shatter any hope of a future for them unless he can convince her that their love is worth the risk.

EXCERPT LINK  HERE

A little bit about the author

Reese Ryan writes sexy, contemporary fiction filled with colorful characters and sinfully-sweet romance. She secretly enjoys torturing her heroines with family and career drama, reformed bad boys, revealed secrets, and the occasional identity crisis, but always rewards them with a happily ever after. 

Born and raised in the Midwest, she now resides in Central North Carolina with her husband and young adult son who tolerate her propensity to sing and dance badly. A self-proclaimed Bohemian Southern Belle, she treads the line carefully between being a Northerner and a damned Yankee–despite her insistence on calling soda pop. Reese gauges her progress by the number of “bless your lil’ hearts” she gets each week. She is currently down to two.

Visit Reese online at ReeseRyan.com.

Follow her on Twitter @ReeseRyanWrites.

Her blog    The Reese Ryan Diaries

Amazon Author Page

Connect on Goodreads

Connect with her on Facebook.

How can my readers buy your book?  

AMAZON       BARNES AND NOBLE      ITUNES   

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway