Tag Archives: Lorelie Brown

Guest Author Lorelie Brown on the Book that Took Six Years to Write

As a reader there is nothing I love more than a trilogy or series I can really invest myself in. Knowing that I’ll be able to revisit characters or settings over multibook arcs make me giddy with joy! Sometimes life grabs us by the throat and enough things go awry to the point where the author may not be able to deliver that next installment as quickly as we readers may want. We’re very grateful to author Lorelie Brown for sharing with us a piece of her journey as she completed the third book in her Wayworth Academy series, A Too Suitable Duchess, which will be delivered to e-readers everywhere on June 14th!

Book cover for A Too Suitable Duchess by Lorelie Brown

Some books are invigorating to write. Some are more of a slog. A Too Suitable Duchess, the book I have coming out on June 14th was a weird beast. I originally started it in 2013. Yup, you read that right. Six full years ago. It was a fairly normal book at first. The usual stuff to work through, plot, motivation, you know it. I wouldn’t have called it either invigorating or a slog at first.

And then my life circumstances changed in a pretty big way. Problem number one. I concentrated on writing 200 words a day, something to keep my toes in. The book started to feel like a slog. Victoria and Spencer felt like gentle pandas who I was trying to make mate. They were too nice. I like to write characters who are complicated and friendly, but these two had taken it too far. They also had this annoying tendency to talk reasonably and not hold grudges.

It made the sagging middle…well, REALLY sag.Book cover for Wayward One by Lorelie Brown Continue reading

Blogiversary + Teaser Tuesday Exclusive Excerpt: Ahead in the Heat by Lorelie Brown

Hello darlings!!! I can’t believe January is coming to a close. Meep! So, I’m glad everything has continued on as scheduled, and fingers crossed for a fabulous 2015! Along those fabulous lines, we have our good friend Lorelie Brown with us today, sharing a very tasty excerpt of her newest release Ahead in the Heat (which just came out on January 6th). Whoo! Enjoy! <3 Continue reading

Guest Author & A Giveaway: Lorelie Brown

You guys!!!! So … I’m still kinda on hiatus cuz pretty much nothing is figured out. [Although nobody has died since I went on hiatus, so that’s good? I guess holding steady is all I can ask for?] BUT!!! June is birthday month and that’s you know like a big deal. So … we’ll see how this goes and I hope to have it done and we’ll DO THIS okay?

First up – by the seat of our pants, is the wonderful  Lorelie Brown. She wanted to do an author interview. Because well, who wouldn’t? 😉

And also? Today is release day for her! Whee!! So remember to congratulate her – don’t worry – I’ll add book info 😛 but without further ado, the interview!

One LessonI know you watch Investigation Discovery so … If you were a serial killer, who would be your target? And what would be your MO? [“Calling card,” what memento would you take?] Target = old men, young men, school children, college aged women, etc.
I think I’d go be a hooker, and then I’d kill anyone who treated me badly. Totally Eileen Wuornos style. Then I’d keep their keychains, because don’t you think there’s something personal about a set of keys? They’re the thing someone can’t leave the house without, you know?

 

Your next life you come back as a dog. What breed do you come back as and why?
I’d be a shih-tzu, but only if I could belong to an owner like me. Sleeping as many hours as I want, taken to the groomers regularly and getting free run of the furniture sounds pretty good to me. Much like my regular life, as a matter of fact.

Which celebrity is your “spirit animal?” Why?
Jennifer Lawrence. She’s me! See the faces she makes? JLaw Gif

Or this moment, with the mint spilling and hiding. JLaw Spill GifShe’s completely me. You know, except for the fact that she’s young and has Oscars and it so damn gorgeous and fit. Other than that stuff, we’re completely alike.

What badass female character from TV (or books/movies) do you most want to be?
As of last night, I want to be Kacy Catanzaro. What’s that? You don’t know who she is? Why, she’s the very first woman to conquer the qualifying round of American Ninja Warrior. (If you don’t watch this show, you totally should. Incredibly in-shape people of all shapes, sizes and creeds doing physical shit that will BLOW YOUR MIND. And there’s shirtless men *every* show.) She ran up a 15 foot, inward curved wall. She is AMAZING. And only 5 foot tall. Here, just watch this.

Do you speak any other languages? What [other] language would you most like to learn and why?
I speak French only so much as two years of high school French means you know how to speak a language. Which is to say, not really at all. I would like to know how to speak it properly though. Fluently. Mostly because it can be such a pretty language, but also because I’d like to go to Paris and eat pastry and pretend I’m a native.

Riding the WaveHostile alien invasion, or zombie apocalypse? Which one do you think is more likely to happen? Which one is scarier?
Probably a hostile alien invasion is more likely, but I think a zombie apocalypse would be scarier. Mostly because I live in suburbia boredom land. There’s no way the aliens would bother with my area. They’d be in the bigger, cooler places where they can annihilate more humans at once.

Who are you choosing for your zombie apocalypse team? [real, then fictional?]
For my real team, can I pick Tom Hiddleston? So we can repopulate the world with beautiful babies? Or at least die trying? I mean, he is real after all.

Fictional, I’ll go with anyone from a Helenkay Dimon book. Her people are always so kickass and resourceful. Then I’ll pick up Selena and Jim from 28 Days Later, since they’ve been through this already and they’ll keep us safe. (But no one from the cast of 28 Weeks Later, because I’d be afraid their stupidity would leach into me.)

Favorite “gotta have it” drink? Alcoholic? Non-alcoholic?
I miss Coca-Cola so very, very, very much. I quit it almost two years ago. Then I moved to diet coke for a while, but I even quit that about nine months ago. I’m pretty much addicted to Canada Dry Ten and A&W Ten though. They’re my diet go-tos. Alcoholic wise, I’ve been drinking bourbon sours lately. Is that hideously geeky or retro cool? I don’t even know. I just like ’em. And didja know that most bartenders in NOLA are very generous with the bourbon? Just sayin’.

Ahead in the HeatWhat five other authors do you think more people need to be reading?  (You can assume you’re already on the list :P)
Carrie Lofty. Bwahahaa! Anyone who knows me, knows that’s a cheater answer since she’s my co-writer too.

Cara McKenna. I don’t understand how she’s not a best-seller. Her books are emotional and smart and angsty. Plus omg-dirty-filthy. In the best kind of way.

Charlotte Stein. Her voice is one of a kind, I love it so very hard. There is nothing on earth like a Charlotte Stein book.

Jennifer Echols. She’s my YA reading standby, plus she’s moved into full fledged adult romance. I’m behind on my reading (because there’s not enough hours in the day!) and it’s *killing* me that I haven’t read her Stargazer series yet.

Maisey Yates. She’s my favorite Presents writer. I love how she flips the standard tropes with so much loving care.

What’s the most interesting thing you’ve ever done for research? what’s the most interesting thing you’ve learned while doing research? In general, or for this book?
Hanging out of my trunk, trying to make sure my heroine’s wrists could be zip-tied to a support strut while she got fucked? My job, it is a strange and awesome one sometimes.

Um, the research I did for this novella had mostly to do with beer pong. The rules, the variations. What it took to win a game. You know, that kind of deep research stuff. 😉

An Indiscreet DebutanteWould you rather win the largest SuperMegaZillions lottery in history or be #1 on the NYT Best Seller list for 25 weeks?
NYT Best Seller list. *g* If I make it ten times, my 13 year old made me promise to take him to Japan. Little does he know that hitting the list once and staying there forevah is probably better! LOL

What’s the best admonishment your mom ever gave you, or that you’ve ever given a kid? e.g. if you make that face it’ll freeze like that. or… if you walk from the kitchen to the table w/ a fork in your mouth you’ll stab yourself through the throat and die
“Don’t put your arm out the window or it’ll go home in someone else’s car.” I mean, really. Has she LOOKED at how far apart cars actually drive? Or does she think my arms are 12 feet long?

What’s your favorite tv show?
Game of Thrones. Even when G.R.R. Martin breaks my heart.

(Maybe especially then.)

Now your favorite guilty pleasure secret shame show. I’m talking real housewives, the kardashians, bridalplasty, jersey shore, etc. *shudders*
My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding. It’s like six year olds were given a dress budget and a pack of colored pens and told to design their dream wedding dresses. The results are AWESOMELY HIDEOUS.

OWNWhat’s the most embarrassing thing to ever happen to you at school? What about at a conference?
It was the time a boy sitting behind me in an assembly reached up and touched my hair and said “Wow, you use a lot of gel. Your hair is crispy.” And my brilliant response was “I don’t use gel.” Not like I mentioned the other half-dozen kinds of mousse and hairspray I used, so he made this completely disgusted face and wiped his hands off on his jeans. Ugh.

At my first conference, I walked up to an author at the Literacy signing. I was surprised she had no line, because I’d thought she was more popular. “I love your books about [redacted],” I gushed. “You mean her,” she replied, pointing to the table next to her, which was surrounded by a line three deep on all sides. I’d gotten the right last name, and slightly different first name.

I can be such an idiot sometimes.

What do you think is the best commercial of all time?
I…don’t think I can remember one. Any. Does that make me the worst American of all time?

 

One LessonIn this steamy novella, it’ll take just one surfing lesson from a sexy billionaire to turn a beautiful, buttoned-up lawyer’s life upside down…

As a lawyer for the surf company WavePro, Bethany Harmon prides herself on being a hardworking, rational woman. She isn’t easily swayed by a charming smile and handsome face. When she’s tasked with tracking down James “Jammer” Montcrief for failing to fulfill his contractual obligations, she knows that’s exactly what she’s up against. But when the sexy playboy promises to finish the tour and teach Bethany how to surf—if she beats him in a game of beer pong—she agrees. And sinks every cup.

Now James has to pay up. Not that he minds. Little does Bethany realize, he has an ulterior motive. With delicious plans for the buttoned-up brunette, James means to give her everything she’s demanded—and much, much more…

Lorelie is offering a kindle copy of One Lesson to a lucky commenter, or any of her Samhain backlist! Whee! So now – I want to see what zany questions you can come up with to ask her! Go go go!

Half Katie Porter on Why Bare Knuckle is Great

You guys, we have Katie Porter with us! Again! We can’t get rid of her! 😉 Well, the Lorelie Brown half. But that’s ok because we like her. Right? … Right?!?! 😉 [Yeah. I am in a mood apparently.]

Bare Knuckle is Great
By Katie Porter

Katie PorterOkay, you guys, so Carrie and I set up these little formatted templates when we’re writing up a handful of blogs at once, right? Makes life easier to be organized. (I also write To-Do Lists, and color coordinate things and I used to be one of those girls who bought a new planner every year, before smartphones.) Then we each take a handful of them. (And I always get Lime’s place, because I lurve her like hotcakes.) Oh good to know – I was wondering/thought Carrie didn’t like me or something >.> Which… actually still might be true. Fuck. So Carrie sent me the template for the stop here at Lime’s, and she stuck a placeholder title on it: “Bare Knuckle is Great.”

I laughed.

Because gosh, isn’t it so silly that we’d say our own book is great? I mean, people don’t really do that, right? If I had said things like that growing up, I’d have heard it about bragging and how “people” don’t boast. Or I’d have heard something along the lines of “well, sure, that one’s great, but have you started working on the next one yet? Maybe you should think about addressing XYZ in it…?” All as a matter of being helpful, naturally. Uh-huh. So helpful to undercut someone’s pride.

I don’t think it’s even that “people” don’t boast. I think the problem is that women don’t boast. Even when we should.

Because women are great. We’re awesome. The fact that we each get up every morning and deal with the bullshit of a thousand cultures and modern society and have to look at advertising every day… Dude, lemme just say that the day I looked at the Cosmo magazine in my hands and made O.o face and decided to never buy one again? Seriously. A banner day in my life. That one act of resolve has had a tremendous influence on increasing my self-respect and self-image.

I wrote a novella that will be out next year to launch my sexy, rich surfer series. I think it’s probably one of the best things I’ve written on my own. Equally as good as the Vegas Top Guns books. But do I feel “okay” saying that in public? Not really. If I talk about it on twitter, I get all “eep, should I be saying things like this???” My shoulders get tight and I get odd tingles in my fingers.

Eric and Trish from Bare Knuckle are super sexy and awesome. No really, they are. They’ve got issues, for sure, but one of the things I loved so hard about Trish when we were writing this book is how bright and shiny she is. She’s had some hard knocks and things haven’t turned out the way she’s hoped, but she really is…happy with herself. Lots of the time, at least. Reading and writing her? It was like putting on a brain-costume and getting to tromp around in that frame of mind.

And it was good for me. Not a fix it, of course.

I know not everyone has any interest at all in writing books. That’s totally fine, because if everyone did, I’d soon be out of a job. (Not really. My fellow writers are some of the biggest book consumers I’ve met.)

But maybe we should all take a turn now and then putting a little pretend attitude on. We’re super cool. In our own ways, and in our own bodies and in our own styles. Every woman I meet at conferences and soccer games and school events (you see how little I get out) has had something that they ought to be proud of. And I think we need to brag ourselves up a little. Stuart Smalley was a joke because he was overboard, but hey! People do like you!

I promise.

Yeah. I think everyone should brag up themselves. Because we can. And because the world kinda sucks sometimes, so if we’re not going to boast about ourselves, who will, right?

We’d like to give away a copy of Bare Knuckle in any digital format. Just tell me the coolest thing about you. Brag a little. Boast. I wanna hear what’s cool about you.

***

For more about Katie Porter, the co-writing team of Carrie Lofty and Lorelie Brown, visit their website at KatiePorterBooks.com!

Thanks again to Lime for featuring Katie Porter and Bare Knuckle!

I’m really curious too – boast it up! Say nice things about yourself, others, other commenters (do you guys know each other?) It’s “You Are AWESOME day!” Go forth! 

Oh and you know, cuz I guess you want to know about the book…  😛

Bare KnuckleVegas Top Guns, Book 5

After a near-fatal plane crash, fighter pilot Captain Eric “Kisser” Donaghue is a changed man. By day he labors to regain his confidence in the cockpit. By night he moonlights as an off-Strip boxer, fighting for prize money to pay for his younger brother’s third stint in rehab.

In the ring, no one cares he once had a face that launched a thousand one-night stands—and neither does Eric. He’s only there to win. Yet he can’t take his eyes off the new ring girl, a glitz-meets-pageant-queen vision of blonde perfection.

Down on her luck but not quite out, Vegas showgirl Trish Monroe lives for the spotlight. The scarred, steely-eyed loner who stares at her from his corner of the ring gives Trish an extra reason to strut her stuff.

Curiosity and the temptation of a no-strings good time bring them together. The discovery of their secret fetishes—she likes to show off, he likes to watch—turns mere sexual chemistry into a fiery exploration of matched passions. They’re a natural fit. Trust in love, however, is harder to earn than trust in bed, especially when this beauty and beast hide even from themselves.

Warning: This book contains a Sin City-style Beauty and the Beast love story, lots of naughty pics and vids, adrenaline-pumped base jumping, and a set of very important note cards. Oh, and as always, an incredibly hot fighter pilot.

Lorelie Brown Chats about Wayward One

Hallo! Today we have one of my favorite people, Lorelie Brown visiting with us today! Whee! She’s a regular here now, and I’m glad to have her. So everyone chat her up, okay? 😀

Hello Little Lime-ettes! I’m so happy to be here. I always make sure I hit up Lime’s joint when I’ve got a new book out, and plenty of times in between. I just lurve her so.

I’m fully caffeinated, can you tell?

I’m also currently writing the third book in my current Victorian series. (These two facts are related.) Wayward One comes out today. YAY! (Well, on Tuesday.) I have a new solo book out. It’s been more than a year! My naughty co-written Katie Porter books have kept me too busy.

Anyway. Wayward One is about Seraphina Miller, an orphaned charity case at an expensive boarding school. Except she discovers her bills aren’t being paid by some noble charity, but rather an underworld crime boss, Fletcher Thomas.

Oops.

Except when I was writing Wayward One and setting everything up, I didn’t want her to be completely alone in the world. She was an orphan, sure, because there were more orphans running around Victorian times than, say, there are today. But that didn’t mean she had to be alone, did it? I kinda hate that. It’s not enough that the heroine has no family—she has no friends, either!

All I keep thinking is if your heroine’s so fab, why hasn’t she made a friend in the break room at her job, huh? Or if she’s a historical heroine really so awesome that the hero’s penis is acting like a divining rod, she could meet someone at the myriad balls and musicales and functions good little debutantes are taken to. So many opportunities for meeting fellow females!

So I gave Sera friends. Of course I did. I like my own friends, I want my heroine to have some too.

There’s Sera, the prim and buttoned up one who’s trying to keep a lid on her own possibly less than honorable origins. Then there’s Miss Charlotte Vale, who’s wild and fun and completely outrageous. Last is Lady Victoria, the daughter of a duke who’s already engaged to another duke and who is completely level headed and sane. The one of the trio who keeps both Sera and Lottie from flying off the handle.

Remind me never to come up with a level-headed heroine again. Sounds so nice in theory. In execution…this is one of the most difficult books I’ve ever written. I’m kinda tempted to shoot her in the foot, just to create some drama.

Maybe that’s not such a bad idea…

Sorry. Got distracted. Three friends. They’re thicker than thieves and all those sorts of clichés. In the first draft of Wayward One, I had this awesome scene where they sat around drinking wine and being besty friends and generally being super cool. Kind of like those most spectacular sorts of evenings where you’re just so very happy because everyone is clever and funny and you’re just chillin’.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t exactly make for the most compelling drama. I had to cut it. And I thought about offering it as an excerpt, but after I made that cut, there were some motivations that needed fine tuning and I don’t think the pages would make much sense out of context.

But rest assured, they’re awesome! Or were. As the case may be.

(By the way, you should thank me. I just came thisclose to inserting YouTube code for “Friendship” from Anything goes. Except I couldn’t find the 1956 version uploaded and that Sutton chick with the two Tonys has an annoying voice. OMG annoying. I don’t like her version of Reno. *sad panda face*)

TL;DR = heroines with friends, good. Heroines completely alone in an island of misery, bad. (Ok, not bad. Just overdone.)

To win a copy of Wayward One, hook me up with some recommendations of books you love where the heroine isn’t alone in the world! A family, good friends, a job occupied by real human coworkers? Bring it on!

My website  (Lime will probably tell me it sucks, were I to ever ask her for an honest opinion. This is me, not asking.), my twitter, my book, for the buying (hopefully).

You see why I like her, yes? 😉 So please answer her question(s) because inquiring minds want to know!

Guest: Katie Porter “Notices Stuff”

… She’s probably going to hit me for that subject/topic. So it’s a good thing I live far away from her. 😀 It’s been that kind of day, friends. That kind of day. As you see we’ve got Katie Porter visiting with us again! \o/ Specifically, the Lorelie Brown half. Just in case you were wondering.

Have you ever noticed…   
By Katie Porter

That the people in romance novels just aren’t quite like regular people? I don’t mean being billionaires, though that’s cool. And I don’t mean the fact that they never stumble bleary-eyed into the bathroom and take care of business in the morning. Nor do I mean the fact that they’re all stuntmen and film producers (obligatory shill: Came Upon a Midnight Clear. Out this week. Just sayin’.) or investigative journalists and black ops soldier.

No, I mean the fact that they never seem to have the same concerns as the rest of us.

Just before I sat down to write this post, I checked my carb ratios for the day. (They’re way jacked up. Nutrients? We don’t need no stink’ nutrients.) And that was after I spent the afternoon running around to the post office and the bank and buying a new vacuum. (It has a self-retracting cord! Do you hear me?? A SELF RETRACTING CORD.) (Maybe I need ADD meds.) All the stupid little things that make up a day and a life. The things we have to get done to make sure our worlds don’t fall apart.

And yeah, I totally get why we don’t follow Mary Sue Heroine around for an afternoon of post office and pharmacy and bank-runs. It’d be boring as hell. But why don’t they ever say at dinner with the hero, “You know, the spaghetti carbonara looks so good, I think I’ll blow my carb levels for some.” I’m not even asking that they walk the straight and narrow, because we all know I love a naughty hero or heroine, but just acknowledge that they have the same concerns as us? Maybe?

I’m totally guilty of writing the same thing though. Nate and Kyle of Came Upon a Midnight Clear are two gay guys in prime physical condition. (Of course. You oughtta see who they’re modeled on. Nom.) So you know they’d be eating carefully, occasionally having protein shakes and hitting the gym five times a week.

I have them eating gyros and fish and chips and kidney pie. (Maybe it was mincemeat pie? That scene was courtesy of Carrie Lofty and she’s married to a British guy, so she totally made it something authentic.) It’s all about the fantasy, I suppose.

Maybe that’s not such a bad thing.

Or maybe I’ll easter egg my next book: “No, I think I’ll get the salad. But I need more lean protein today, so I’ll add tuna.”

I better not write a historical next, or that one will be hard to explain.

What the critics are saying: Came Upon a Midnight Clear has been described as “masterful,” (Publisher’s Weekly), “a complex gift,” (Library Journal), and “the perfect piece of erotica: nuanced, complex, dirty, loving, and intimate (RT BookReviews). Not only did the folks at RT make Came Upon a Midnight Clear a 4½ Star Top Pick, they’ve selected it as a Reviewers’ Choice nominee for Best Erotic Romance Ebook of 2012—the first gay romance to receive that honor!

***

For more about Katie Porter, the co-writing team of Carrie Lofty and Lorelie Brown:

Don’t forget about our “Amazing Race to a Kindle” contest, which is going on now. Review Double Down on Amazon for your chance to win a gift certificate or even a Kindle Fire!

In January, Lead and Follow will launch the five-part “Club Devant” series of erotic romances set in a glitzy New York City burlesque club. RT BookReviews gave Lead and Follow 4 Stars and raved, “Fans of erotica will be left breathless as they cha-cha straight into a cold shower.”

Where to find us:
http://KatiePorterBooks.com
Twitter: @MsKatiePorter
Or individually: @carrielofty and @LorelieBrown

We’d like to give away a copy of Came Upon a Midnight Clear in any digital format. Just answer the question: What’s the one thing you never want to see in a romance novel?

Thanks again to Lime for featuring Katie Porter and Came Upon a Midnight Clear!

Oooo great question. What is something you never want to see?

Guest: Katie Porter (The Lorelie Brown Half)

Today, we have half of writing duo Katie Porter with us! Liz reviewed their first book here, and loved it. Katie Porter is made up of Lorelie Brown, and Carrie Lofty. Fun right? Without further ado, Katie Porter/Lorelie Brown!

Up until now in my career, I’ve only had one release a year. There’s obvious downsides to that, but the upside? A nice, long break between having to do blog posts.

I won’t get that luxury this summer.

With Carrie Lofty, I’ve co-written three books that all come out this summer. The “Vegas Top Guns” series about kinky fighter pilots let loose in Las Vegas starts with Double Down, which came out on July 31st. Next is Inside Bet on August 28th and the last of the trio (though not even the last Katie Porter romance of the year) is Hold ‘Em on September 25th. That’s a lot of blog visits!

But you know what? I’m actually thrilled to be starting with a blog post for little, green Limecello. This isn’t the first stop on our blog tour, but it’s the first I’m sitting down to write. I like it that way. Because I like Lime.

And I like her because, first and foremost, she’s a reader. Occasionally cranky, often snarky, and well-versed in foodie stuffs I can’t even come close to appreciating, her most infectious character is her love of books. It’s not just loving books, it’s loving anything and getting to spread around plenty of enthusiasm. The world needs more enthusiasm.

Cassandra Whitman, heroine of Double Down, is a heroine treading water when the book starts. She knows what she’d like in life, but she’s gotten a little distracted. She needs some enthusiasm. (Hah! See what I did there? That’s called a transition. A clunky, awful awkward transition. I promise: I write better fiction.)

Cass gets plenty of infusions of enthusiasm from Major Ryan Haverty. (Heh. Infusions. *dirty snicker*) He’s a fighter pilot for goodness’s sake, and more than that, he thinks being bold looks good on our Cass. He thinks lots of things look good on her, including a French maid costume. But then, that’s Ryan. He can’t help it, much to his chagrin.

They run around Las Vegas having a grand old time and kicking off the “Vegas Top Guns” series in a fabulous fashion. (Ha! Fashion! Such as…the fashions Ryan likes to see Cass wear.) But more than the gorgeously kinky roleplaying, there’s gambling and champagne and a family barbeque. Wait. That last doesn’t sound fancy or fabulous. But I swear Cass and Ryan have a blast. It only makes sense. After all, Carrie and I had a wicked fun time writing these books.

Our only hope is that readers love them as much as we have, and that they spread the enthusiasm. Widely. Like Lime does.

Bio: Katie Porter is the co-writing team of Lorelie Brown and Carrie Lofty, who have been friends and critique partners for six years.

Both are multi-published in several romance genres. Carrie has an MA in history, while Lorelie is a US Army veteran. Generally a high-strung masochist, Carrie loves running and weight training, but she has no fear of gross things like dissecting formaldehyde sharks. Her two girls are not appreciative. Lorelie, a laid-back sadist, would rather grin maniacally when Carrie works out. Her three boys love how she screams like a little girl around spiders.

To learn more about the authors who make up Katie, visit the website, or follow them on Twitter at @carrielofty @LorelieBrown

What Lorelie doesn’t tell you is I’m a major sucker too. Flattery gets you everywhere [with me]. Accordingly, I’m giving away an e-copy of Double Down to someone who comments. I don’t know if Lorelie and/or Carrie are giving anything away [as well?] – but hey. You get the chance to win something!

So tell me – what are you enthusiastic about in general? And which books are your favorite that you think everyone should read? What do you think of books set in Vegas, and military heroes? 

ETA: Did you see the comments? Katie Porter is giving away a copy of Double Down as well – which I now have the urget to call DD … so whee! Tell your friends! Tell your neighbors! 😉

Teaser Tuesday: Catch Me by Lorelie Brown

Yup! It’s a totally new teaser for all of you – an exclusive excerpt!

Catch Me by Lorelie Brown

Maggie Bullock’s father needed expensive medical care and if that meant stealing from their friendly swindling banker, so be it. Once her father was on the path to recovery she would face the consequences. The whole thing was surprisingly easy until she’s kidnapped by bounty hunter Dean Collier.
Collier is tired of tracking down worthless scum. He’s afraid he’ll lose his last scrap of humanity and become a stone-cold killer, just like the men he brings to justice. He jumps at the chance to become sheriff of Fresh Springs, Arizona. The one condition—capture Maggie.
He figured it’d be easy. Until beautiful, loyal Maggie breaks through defenses he’d thought cemented. His feelings for her run the range from fury to confusion to love, but if he doesn’t bring her in someone else will. Can there be a future between a sheriff and a fugitive?

He kept his breathing slow and deep, and didn’t move a muscle beyond slitting his eyes open. Years of keeping one eye on his back while hunting vicious criminals had honed his peripheral vision. He stretched it to his full capabilities now, expecting to see a sleeping Maggie putting lie to his paranoia.
Instead, he found her awake and watching him with the wide, frightened eyes of a jackrabbit. She had one hand free and was picking away at the length of rope that connected her to his gun belt.
He snatched her by the forearm. “Haven’t we been through this?”
She squeaked. Panic flashed over her face. Her toe connected with his hipbone, awfully close to his nearest and dearest. He grunted and flinched. Leave it to Maggie to take advantage— she yanked free at the same time she planted another kick in his ribs.
“Goddamn it,” he roared.
She scrambled away on her knees, but got tangled in the blankets as she tried to push to her feet. He rolled over, seized hold of her hips and pulled her flat with an oomph.
That didn’t stop her though. She did her damnedest to claw out his eyes.
He snatched her wrists and pressed them together. He jerked her arms up over her head, and over the curve of the saddle, the better to put them out of her use.
Her tight body stretched beneath him, ripe for the plucking. The last time he’d been in such an intimate position with a woman, face to face and so near he could smell her sweet breath wash over his mouth, it had been Annie. But he’d never been tempted to fuck Annie into submission like he was this little hellcat. His marriage had been about love and respect, not this angry, snarling lust that reared its head at the most inopportune moments.
Exhaustion trod over him like a weary horse. The fool woman kept fighting him, losing and coming back for more anyway. He remembered the way she’d stilled in the hotel room when she’d feared he was about to touch her bosom. It had been so many years since anyone had called Dean a gentleman; he wasn’t afraid of fighting dirty.
His mouth slanted over hers and he took. Took her lips, took her tongue, took her aggression. She tasted like fury, sweet and sharp at the same time, and—way down underneath—innocence. He poured in every bit of frustration he’d felt with her for tempting him by simply being. Her body went limp. Not with the welcoming comfort he was used to. Instead, she was limp with fear. Her lips trembled as he pushed and stroked, and the quick flash of his dying conscience made him ease up. He couldn’t resist one more teasing nip of her plump bottom lip.
But he’d learned Maggie wasn’t the type of woman to let a hint of weakness go by.
She kissed him back.

A very nice first kiss scene, wouldn’t you say? This book was published by Carina Press on July 18, 2011. What’d you think? Have you read it yet? Do you love first kiss scenes? Which has been most memorable to you?

Guest Author & A Giveaway: Lorelie Brown

Today, we have Lorelie Brown visiting with us! (You know, just in case you couldn’t read, or some how missed the blog title…) Also I’m allowed to joke around with Lorelie and her post because she’s not all “I SO SRS. I IZ AUTHOR! RAWR!” And… obviously that’s a big part of why I like her so much. Also because I think she’s absolutely fabulous and really nice, and she even talks to me! Well, she lets me talk at her and talks back too! It’s exciting stuff, I tell you. (Erm, wow. My affections seem to be easily won, no?) Anyway, you might have heard more and more buzz about Ms. Brown – and she’s got a new book coming out soon – July 18! Yay!

Without further ado… Ms. Srs Author herself 😉

I listen to a lot of music. Who doesn’t, right? Like many other authors, I use music to feul my writing. And only sometimes to drown out the out-of-control children who somehow live in my house. Ok. Often to drown them out. ALL THE STINKING TIME. *ahem*

Music. Lots and lots of music. And I’ve been gathering new stuff because there’s a new book brewing in my head, somewhere in that strange wasteland I call a mind. I’ve been gathering new music like a magpie. Not to mention, So You Think You Can Dance has started and I always pick up a new song or two with each episode. (I’m easy like that.)

Some of my musical choices, I’m sort of proud in. Like the songs I chose are a measure of my taste and respectability.

Lately, I’ve discovered the Eels. Indie rock cred! They’re raw and edgy and yet quirky at the same time. Am I a few years behind in “discovering” them? Sure, but then I never claimed to be a hipster.

I’m into The Kills lately too, especially “Cheap and Cheerful.” Has to be my favorite song of theirs lately. “I want you to be crazy coz you’re boring baby when you’re straight.” There’s something flat out *mean* about the lyrics and it’s only meaner for the up-tempo glossiness. I love it. (Wait, what does that say about me?)

I’ve even been listening to some Jay-Z lately, especially his new one, “On to the Next One.” Hardcore stuff and I love the combo of his lyrics layered over an almost industrial house sound. So see, I have taste. I can think analytically about music and I know I’m not all awfulness.

But then. Oh, then.

Sometimes I falter.

Like yesterday. The song I downloaded yesterday. I’m thirty one years old! A mother of three and a wife. I’m simply not a teenybopper.

But I downloaded Britney Spears’ newest song.

I’m blushing even as I admit this. It’s so cheesy! But I wiggle-dance whenever it plays.

So tell me: what’s your favorite “WHY do I like it?!?” song? Tell me and we’ll all poke fun at each other and one lucky person will get either an epub copy of my newest Carina Press book, Catch Me. (It’s an historical western. I write historicals and listen to Britney Spears. I am so broken sometimes.) Or if you don’t have an epub compatible device, I’ll give my random winner a $5 from All Romance eBooks. And we’ll all be happy. While bad music plays.

BIO: After semi-nomadic lifestyle throughout California, Lorelie Brown spent the last few years of high school in Orange County before joining the US Army. While in the service, Lorelie met and fell in love with her husband. Once she became a mother, she left soldiering behind and for a while worked for the government as a civilian.

Lorelie now resides in the Southwest—until it’s time again to load up the family for the next adventure. She and her husband have three active sons who are definitely momma’s boys. To add to the insanity, the family dog is even male. Writing romance helps her escape a house full of testosterone.

Ooo I like this game! (Well, Lorelie’s question. I’m going to have to think about it to narrow my answer down…) I’ve got nothing else. Other than, you know – isn’t that a great cover?! 😀