"Today we have Emmie Dark, published with Harlequin SuperRomance  who has recently released  'Just For Today.' 

Emmie likes to write about sexy noble heros and strong if slightly damaged heroines. I have to confess I'm a fan of her work and have a preference for these archetypes myself. I also share her love of red lipstick, rose scented soap, a good cup of tea.

Hi Emmie, congratulations on the release of your third Harlequin SuperRomance, "Just For Today"


Can you tell us in your own words what your love story is about?

Just For Today is the story of Sean and Jess. Jess is a thirty-something divorcee who’s wondering if her opportunity for love has passed her by. Sean is an author who loves the limelight and makes sure he’s never anywhere long enough to grow roots. It starts off as a fling – one night for Jess to rediscover her sensual side and for Sean to sate his attraction to the gorgeous Jess. But of course it doesn’t work out that way as life throws them together over and over again!
                                                             
Jess is older than Sean, do you think this makes it harder for Jess to let herself have a relationship or is it a double edge sword?

I think in the end, the age difference is just something Jess uses to justify her fear of letting Sean close rather than an actual barrier to their relationship. Yes, Sean is immature in some ways, but some of what Jess perceives as immaturity is actually more just plain “fun” – fun that she hasn’t let herself feel in a long time.

In your letter to the reader you talked about how much research went into understanding Jess's life as a vet. You talked about moments involving tears but there were some lovely moments too. Can you tell us about one or two of those experiences?

I don’t have any pets of my own because I travel too much to take care of them. So when I was writing about Sean and Jess caring for dogs, I reached out to friends and family to ask them for stories. I heard some hilarious tales of misadventures. But I think most of the lovely moments involves dogs getting themselves into trouble and then being saved or cured by hero vets. Here’s to all those hero vets out there!

Did you learn anything from writing your book or was it sharing what you have learned?

I always learn as I’m writing – I’d like to think that with every book I write I get better and better. I hope so, anyway.

Is there a message in Jess and Sean's journey that you hope readers will grasp?

I don’t think I deliberately set out to communicate any particular message. But looking back now, I guess the theme that comes through strongly, particularly through Jess’s storyline, is that it’s important to have courage in love. Even when – especially when – you get battered and bruised by a relationship, you need to find the courage to try again.

What inspired you to write this?

A few different things went into the melting pot that became this book! I did attend a wedding a little while ago that I didn’t really enjoy and found myself sitting around watching the world, just like Jess does in the first scene of the book. (Although there was no delicious Sean-like person to spy on, unfortunately!) And I’m very involved in social media and was watching a few different celebrities and how they interact with their followers on Twitter and wanted to bring that into a book too.

Were there psychological challenges in bringing this story to life?

Probably the most difficult scene for me to write was one towards the end of the book. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but there is a scene where Jess helps out an injured dog. The scene was based on a clip someone posted to Facebook with the title of “all this puppy needed was a hug” or something like that. I watched the clip a few times to really capture the dog’s experience and it was pretty distressing. Although it, like the book, has a happy ending, so that was a relief!

Yes, we really do love a happy ending. Thanks so much Emmie for your thoughtful answers and helping us to get to know a little about Jess and Sean and your journey to bring them to life.

Just For Today… is now out in North America! Some people might not be aware, but Harlequin books are a little like magazines, in that they only stay on the shelf for one month. So make sure to head out and grab your copy in June! But don’t worry, if you miss out, you can always get a copy from Amazon or Book Depository too. Best places to find Just For Today… on the shelves are Walmart, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million and Target.

www.emmiedark.com

www.http://emmiedark.blogspot.com.au/

Andra Ashe, an erotic romance author, has been reading avidly and writing since I was a child. It was hearing her poem, about a puppy, being read out on the radio at the tender age of 11 that gave her the first boost of confidence in her writing ability. She’s been putting words and ideas on paper ever since.

The old ‘Loveswept’ books were her first taste of romance and she started  (and still continues) to learn  how to write in this genre.  As publishers upped the allowable  level of heat, her interest in the emerging phenomenon of erotic romance grew and she knew that it was the sub-genre I wanted to write. “Now the bedroom door (in romance) is now well and truly open, I’m there and taking notes!” she says. "Bottom line -  I love creating sinfully sexy situations for characters to indulge their lust, and fall in love.”

Andra is published with Jupiter Gardens Press. Her very first published story, “Diving In”, is part of their Boys of Summer Anthology. 'Miss Blaine's Misdemeanour', her second published short story, appears in the Beyond Bounds anthology and recently she has released her third novella, “The Biker and the Ballerina”“


"The Biker and the Ballerina” is about Brody, a tattooed but oh-so-hot biker, who doesn't let women on his bike, let alone into his life, but he can’t ignore a damsel in distress. Petite Cara isn't his type – though his body is telling him otherwise.

Ballerina Cara is stranded on a deserted road in the blistering heat. Brody wasn't exactly the Prince Charming rescuer she'd imagined, but she can’t be picky.

Both live their lives on the road but in very different worlds. Fate and torrential rain seem to conspire to bring them together for one erotic night – but will one be enough?

Excerpt:

“Are you ok?”

Someone was shaking her. Cara struggled out of a hot, sweaty sleep.

There was a hand on her knee. A strong, tanned hand. With the claws of some sort of black reptile inked onto each finger, the body snaking its way up the arm. She pulled away, shuffling sideways on her behind to shake of the hand.

Then she saw the boots. Black, scuffed with a metal ring and studded strap around the ankle. Worn, dusty jeans. And beyond him, on the side of the road next to her car a hulking, black and chrome motor bike.

Oh God. The sudden, hard thump of her heart spurred her to action and she stood up, backing away with her eyes on her car and wondering if she could make it there before he caught her.

Sharp pain jabbed the sole of Cara’s foot as she stood on a stone and lost her balance. A tight grip on her arm steadied her against a body that was hard and, despite being dusty and hot, smelled fresh and tantalisingly masculine.

“If you’re going to do a runner, then it’s advisable to put your shoes back on,” a deep but soft voice said somewhere above her ear. He let go of her arm.

So why wasn’t she running, hell for leather, to her car?

Because something in the tone of his voice told her she wasn’t in danger.  Cara stepped away so she could get a look at this contradiction of tattoos, leather and a voice as smooth as melted dark chocolate. But all she saw was the top of his head with its thick, dark hair.

He was on his knees?

“Lift up,” he said, tapping her foot. Too stunned to reply, Cara lifted her foot only to lose balance and grabbed his shoulder to steady herself. When on stage she could hold a perfect arabesque, but now she couldn’t lift her foot six inches off the ground. Wow, his shoulder was broad and rock solid.

“Steady there.” He circled her ankle with his hand. With the other he slid one shoe on. “Other one.” Cara obliged and she slipped both her shoes back on. “There you go, Cinderella,” and he stood up.

She knew she was short. What ballerina wasn’t? But he was a Titan. His chest, his wide, muscled chest which strained against a tight black t-shirt, was at eye level. And so was the outline of tight nipples. Cara swallowed hard and looked up.

“Brody Hall.” Full, sexy lips smiled a slightly crooked smile. A smile that urged one in response and Cara obliged.

“Cara Daniels,” she said, stepping back to make a space between them, not only so she could see him better but so she could breathe. Since when did tattooed bikers have perfect bone structure and designer stubble that didn’t look passé?

The bike, the boots, and the tat had painted an image in her mind, a clichéd image, but clichéd bikers didn’t smell delicious or smile like a heart-breaker movie star. Or make her want to run her hands under the black t-shirt, over the hard planes of his chest to find those hard nipples.

“How long have you been out here alone?” the concern in his voice sounded genuine.

She looked over to where the sun was now beginning to sink towards the horizon. “A couple of hours I think. Car’s dead.”

“Well I didn’t figure you were just taking a siesta. Are you ok? You’re probably dehydrated. Wait here.” And he was striding back to the bike. Cara stared after him at his long, muscular legs encased in the body-hugging dark denim that moved like a second skin across an arse as tight and toned as any professional dancers.

She smiled. There any resemblance to the men shed had in her life over the past ten years ended. Dark ink shaded both his arms in what looked like a Celtic design, black against tanned skin, which disappeared under the short sleeves of his t-shirt. The cotton fabric stretched tight over tanned biceps and clung damply to broad shoulders and back as he reached into a cooler strapped to the back of his bike and drew out a bottle.

Brody walked back to her, dangling the bottle between his fingers, a prince riding to her rescue. But while ballet princes were clean-cut and generally not that much taller than her, this one was rugged and dusty with height that could have been intimidating, but instead created a strange sense of protection.

“Here.” He handed her the icy bottle. “Get some of that into you and then we should get out of here. Weather’s gonna change soon and you don’t want to get caught out here in a downpour.”

http://jupitergardenspress.com/shop/the-biker-and-the-ballerina/

Andra’s current project is 'Pleasure's Mistress'.  She say's "Finally, inspiration struck and I'm away on a new story, set in Regency England."

Blurb:
Louisa Bellamy runs a 'finishing school' for young men where she teaches them how to pleasure women.  New protege, Jonathan, thinks he knows it all and will be a challenge, but not as much of a challenge as his guardian, Nash, who bears a striking resemblance to her dead husband - the man who taught her all she knows about love and pleasure.

http://www.andraashe.com/

In the real world Georgiana Louis is happily married to her own hero, the mother of two beautiful little girls and a chiropractor. However, she has always loved to read which to her is escapism in its safest form. She wanted nothing more than to pick up one of Eloisa James' books, or relax with Julia Quinn. 
One day though, she realized she had an idea, a series of friends that each 
had their own story to tell. She jotted down a few ideas, sat at her computer 
and  The Spares was born! (As in the heir and a spare.)
She hasn’t looked back since.

She has three books published with Red Rose Publishing. “Nanny Wanted” and “Second Chances” but it’s her, recently released, third book “The Reluctant Duke” that is the first of her Spares series.

About The Reluctant Duke.

Colin Lyre, recently inherited 10th Duke of Lincoln, has been told his whole life that he is superfluous to his family.

When he must deal with the responsibility and stress that comes with his new title, he flounders rather badly. He is determined do his ‘duty’’ and marry an ‘appropriate Duchess.’ 

Life throws Colin’s plans wayward when he rescues the beautiful Annabelle from a ball. She makes him realize how much better his life could be, but he doesn’t know if he truly deserves such happiness.

Annabelle wants nothing to do with the responsibility of marrying a title. She simply wants to make a suitable match with a gentleman who can support her family.

Colin is Annabelle’s perfect prince until she realizes what life as his life would be like. However, making the rational decision to stay away from one another is much harder than either of them expects.

An Excerpt from “The Reluctant Duke”

Colin Lyre, the new tenth Duke of Lincoln could not believe he was attending a ton ball after he had sworn to himself that he would not attend another until he intended on marrying. If it was not for the ball in question being the birthday of Victoria Dunford—the little sister he had never had, he most definitely would not be here. Victoria was the younger sister of his best friend John. They’d grown up together and he had always loved Victoria for treating him like she treated her own brother—with unwaning, unconditional hatred one day and love the next. Colin had only an older brother for company and had often wished for the sisters that his friends had complained about. Victoria was his substitute little sister.

She had used every trick she possessed, including fake tears, pleading and even threats to get Colin to her 21st birthday, and he of course had succumbed. It would take a force of nature to stop Victoria when she had her mind set on something.

“Excuse me,” Colin politely bowed to the gentlemen he had been standing with and made his way across the room to Victoria. The crowd parted in front of him like Moses and the Red Sea, and Colin could not stop the sigh that escaped him. He missed being the second son, relatively unimportant and unnoticed by the haut ton. He’d give absolutely anything to have Gerald back. He knew how to behave, he knew how to be the esteemed holder of the title of Duke. He was raised for it, bred for it even. How he would have laughed to see Colin with the title. A wry smile crept onto Colin’s face as he thought about his older brother, and he drew up next to the now unoccupied Victoria.

“My lady,” Colin leaned closer than was proper and spoke directly into her ear.

“Colin,” Victoria spun around to face him and greeted him with a smile that was both warm and genuine. She would never be one to call him by his brother’s title.

“May I request a dance with the hostess?” Colin grinned at his surrogate sister, an action he knew caused the dimple in his right cheek to become pronounced.

“Of course,” Victoria smiled and took his arm for a waltz. Swinging Victoria into the perfect waltz position that included at least six inches between their bodies and no hands below the waist, he looked down at her laughing blue eyes and scowled at her.

“Having fun, are you?” He didn’t even attempt a polite start to the conversation.

“Of course I am, it’s my birthday party. How are you enjoying my night Colin? There are so many unmarried young ladies in this room that I expected you to have left screaming by now.” Victoria said, with her characteristic bluntness and a cheeky grin.

“You mean to torture me then?” Colin knew the question was rhetorical.

Victoria smiled slowly, appearing to be thinking about her answer.

“I have been hoping you may find a wife, yes. You need to spend more time consorting with ladies rather than the women I hear you and my brother are more accustomed to being with.”

“That is not any of your business scamp,” Colin hissed at Victoria through his teeth.

“Which part? The part where I said you should get married to a lady?” She emphasized the word lady with a cheeky smile. “Or the part where I mentioned the women of ill repute that you visit weekly?”

Colin gasped. Ladies of Victoria’s birth were not meant to even know about loose women, let alone talk to a gentleman about them. Was this really the same girl who had put worms under his pillow, and cried on his lap when she scrapped her knees running down a path?