Hi Folks,
So glad you could stop by and help me welcome the lovely and talented, W. Lynn Chantale. Lynn's story, The Designer's Bride, is part of the Valentine Delights Kiss Me Anthology from Still Moments Publishing, and she's consented to join me in my mania today. Hiya Lynn. Thanks for visiting.
Hi Mac, thanks for the opportunity to share in your mania. I hope you don’t mind, but I brought along my bartender Tyrell. Chef had to stay and get ready for another guest, but I brought plenty of goodies with me.
Goodies AND a bartender. Oh, I just knew we were going to be friends, sister. I especially don’t mind that you brought Tyrell along. In fact, I’ve always wanted my own bartender. I’m sooo jealous. *waves fingers at Tyrell.* I would normally have a cosmo, but for now, I'll stick to Bailey's for my coffee. Everyone grab a drink and get comfy.
Okay, spiked coffee in hand, curiosity freed. What was the germ of the idea behind your story, Lynn?
Well I cheated a little bit, I took characters I was already familiar with and plugged them into a Valentine themed story. The conflict I had to change a bit to suit the word count, but other than that it was a lot of fun.
I’ll bet. I always miss my characters once the typing is done, and love to go back and visit them. What is the first book you remember loving?
The first book would’ve been Shel Silverstein’s Where the Sidewalk Ends. I loved having those poems read to me as a kid.
I know what you mean. I find the pace of poetic prose so soothing. Ahem, weird little factoid. Anyhoo, where is the oddest place you’ve ever pulled out a book?
I don’t know if it’s odd, but I will read in church. I mean there’s only so many hymns I can really or want to sing.
Geez! Why didn’t I ever think of that? Those Latin masses would have been so much more entertaining. ;-) Most authors begin writing because they love to read. Is this true with you and if so, did you write your first book because you were inspired, or because you thought, hell, I can do better than this?
I love to read, so that part is true and I wrote a bunch of short stories in elementary. I’ll have to share those one day. But I do remember reading my hundredth or so romance and saying. Oh yeah, I can do better than this. That’s how Elisabeth Bach came about.
Mediocrity is a great motivator, isn’t it? And since you mentioned the heroine of The Designer’s Bride, what was it about Elisabeth Bach that made you want to tell her story?
She's this feisty, passionate woman bent on finding a happily-ever-after, despite her father meddling in her life. With her story I wanted to show that even though she had everything money could buy, she wanted the one thing it couldn't...love. And that means more to her than anything else.
Elisabeth sounds determined as well as feisty – my favorite combination in a heroine. So, was your road to publication a hair-raising, pothole ridden mountain pass, or a well-tended superhighway?
It would’ve been nice if it was a well-tended superhighway, but it was a pothole ridden soggy dirt road. Watch out for the mud. Once a very kind editor and an English teacher pointed me in the right direction, the rest they say is history.
There is nothing wrong with a little mud and a few potholes. I bet they taught you a thing or two about your style. What is one thing your readers would be surprised to learn about you?
I am not a people person. One on one is fine, maybe even a group of three, but more than that and I’m looking for the nearest exit.
While shyness isn’t in my gene pool, I’ve met many authors just like you, Lynn. Funny how many shy people end up sharing their talent through the written word. And thank God for it. In my opinion, there can never be enough good books out there, like The Designer’s Bride. Give us a little peek, will you?
Blurb:
Jordan has planned the perfect wedding, only one catch, the bride hasn't said yes.
For cosmetics heiress Elisabeth Bach, finding the right man hasn’t been easy, especially when her father is bent on arranging her love life for his own twisted purposes. When she falls for fashion designer Jordan Carlisle, she knows she’s met The One, and she’ll do anything to keep their relationship secret from her father’s schemes.
Jordan Carlisle has been waiting a long time for a chance to date Elisabeth and he’s determined to make her his wife. Will a Valentine’s Day proposal be enough to keep her or will his checkered past destroy his future?
Excerpt:
Watching him reminded her of the first time they met and her lips quirked at the memory. At least then she’d had some warning of the broken date…
Alone. Again. Elisabeth managed a halfhearted smile as she laid her phone on the pristine white linen and accepted a menu from the maitre d’. “Thank you,” she murmured.
She glanced around the quiet restaurant. Cloth-topped tables dotted the room while various couples sat shrouded in shadows, heads bent, indulging in private conversations. With a sigh, she opened her menu. She didn’t even know why she bothered anymore.
Dating was hard under the best of circumstances, but in the last year it seemed to grow more difficult. Any man who survived to the third date, canceled by the fourth. Which is why she sat in a four star restaurant alone...again. She didn’t even have the heart to stay anymore.
“Will someone be joining you this evening, Miss Bach?”
She smiled at the sandy-haired waiter hovering near her elbow. “Not tonight. I think I’ll just go home.”
A frown creased his lightly tanned features. “That’s too bad. A gentleman at another table asked if he might join you.”
“Are you playing matchmaker again, Dylan?”
He chuckled. “No ma’am. He saw you sitting alone.”
“I think I can take it from here,” a smooth, velvety voice interrupted.
Dylan nodded and backed away. Elisabeth straightened a little in her chair. Her breath stuck in her throat at the intensity of the newcomer’s stare. His long slow perusal left her body simmering.
His jet black hair was cut close, the smooth hairline tapering to neatly trimmed sideburns. Otherwise, his rugged face was clean-shaven. He smiled and her eyes were drawn to his full, sexy mouth. For a moment, she wondered how his lips would feel pressed against hers. Desire flooded her veins.
“Jordan Carlisle.” He offered his hand. The oversized watch on his wrist winked in the dim light, vying for attention with his gold cufflinks.
She accepted his hand. “Elisabeth.” She snapped her gaze to his at the crackle of electricity between them. He held her hand a second too long and flirtation gleamed in the depths of his coffee-colored eyes.
“Mind if I join you?” He waved to the vacant chair across from hers.
She shook her head and bit back a sigh when his biceps flexed against the dark silk of his suit jacket. He unbuttoned his coat and sat down.
“I hate dining alone,” he said, smiling apologetically.
“I do too. I was just about to leave.” She studied him from beneath her lashes before meeting his eyes a second time. He seemed familiar to her, yet she couldn’t quite place where she’d seen him. “Have we met before?”
He smiled, wide and easy, and her heart fluttered in anticipation.
“Not formally. I’m a friend of your brother’s. We went to college together.”
His dark good looks and devil-may-care eyes slid into place in her memory. The photo in her brother’s room, of the lacrosse team. Jordan had been the captain.
“You and Drew played lacrosse.”
He nodded. “How is Andrew? It’s been a few months since we’ve seen each other.”
“Out of town at the moment. At a conference.” She reached for her water glass and Dylan reappeared with a second menu. “I’ll have to tell Andrew we spoke.”
“I’m sure he won’t mind.” Jordan smiled again and she melted.
She shook her head. “He thinks I should get out more, but my father has a way of sabotaging my love life.” She sipped her water.
He regarded her a moment, avid interest shining in his eyes. “You are definitely worth protecting.”
Heat crept into her cheeks from his scrutiny as well as the compliment. “You’re pretty suave, aren’t you?”
He chuckled, a smooth laugh that reminded her of warm fudge. “When it suits me.”
“Like now?”
He inclined his head.
“And my father knows nothing about you?”
“Not that I’m aware of.”
She picked up a menu. “Let’s keep it that way.”
Oh, I do love me a suave, black-haired man. I'm hooked! Where can we find the Valentine Delights Kiss Me anthology, Lynn?
And where can we find you?
Blog:http://wlynnchantale-decadentdecisions.blogspot.com/
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6 comments:
Hi Mac! Thanks again for hosting me. I am having a blast!
You should definitely get your own bartender, not only is Tyrell a good listener, he has really good hands.
The only thing about mud is it ruins my shoes. Then again, shoe shopping is always nice.
LOL Lynn. Good hands are always appreciated.
You two create a wonderful interview. When you are finished with him, could you please send Tyrell over to me. I need a little eye candy.
Thanks for stopping by, Clara. I agree. Lynn's reading in church admission is hilarious, and an idea I won't forget. I'm not sure how your comment ended up in that Toy Fair post, but then, this blogger thing has a mind of its own sometimes.
Hi Clara, yes, I've perfected it over the years and if you have an ereader, it works just as well. Although my kids did put me on the Naughty list this past Christmas, but oh well.
Hey Liberty, I think I can loan him out for a bit, just a bit though.
Good hands are so needed around here. How else am i going to work the kink out of my shoulder...
Thanks for dropping, don't forget to grab a drink and some of the delicious nibbles Chef sent.
LOL Liberty. You can't have him until he finishes mixing up my bloody mary.
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