Desiree Holt Sees Red – Find Out Why and Win A Copy Of Dancing With Danger

Today Desiree Holt is guest posting to mark the launch of her new Ellora’s Cave title, Dancing with Danger. Help make her welcome by leaving a comment or two.  Desiree has been kind enough to donate a copy of her book as a prize, too.  So let’s get right down to grilling her.

(Just before this post was to go live, Desiree experienced a death in the family, and will not be responding to comments.  However, please do leave comments for her.  I’ll collect them and send them to her for her to read when she’s ready.  I’ll also leave the contest open for a week — it’ll close at midnight on October 28th, 2009, MST. — Tracy)

_____

Who are your favourite authors at Ellora’s Cave?

Okay, then. (Besides you, of course! LOL!) Joey W. Hill, Regina Carlysle, Cindy Spencer Pape, Diana Hunter, Shiloh Walker, Rhyannon Byrd.

And what is your favourite novel cover?

My Rodeo Heat cover from EC. Hands down. I keep wanting to lick the monitor screen.

What’s the best Hero Moment you’ve ever read in a book?

Shiloh Walker’s Chance of a Lifetime when the heroine comes to the baseball field, unsure if she’s really welcome, and the hero sweeps her off her feet in front of everyone.

What reading device do you use for reading ebooks on?

I use the Fictionwise ereader and I love it. Smart Cards hold about 150 books. I take it everywhere with me. (I can also read in the dark when hubby wants to sleep.)

Your favourite romantic suspense author?

It’s really a tossup, because I have so many, but leading the list are Lisa Gardner, Karen Rose, Allison Brennan and Linda Howard.

Your favourite historical romance author?

I really don’t read historicals, although history was one of my majors in college. Go figure. Oh, but maybe Joan Johnston’s romance novels of the early West.

Your favourite historical era?  (extra credit for telling us why)

Okay, if I have to pick one I’d say the early part of the 20th century ion the West. I just love those early cowboys who are soooo sexy. Joan Johnston and Linda Lael Miller do them so well.

Your favourite contemporary romance author(s)?

Lisa Kleypas, hands down. She’s only done three contemporaries ( a series) but I read them over and over again.

What are you currently reading?

I usually read more than one book at a time. So currently, re-reading Behind the Mask by Joey W. Hill, Lacey Alexander, and Elizabeth Lapthorne, Locked In by Marcia Muller, Susan Mallery’s new series and Submission Revealed by Diana Hunter.

What will you be reading next?

Something from the pile of 20 books sitting on my dresser! Probably Heart of the Wolf by Terry Spear. I love wolves and shifters.

And the critical stuff:

• Favourite colour: red
• Favourite drink: Jack Daniel’s or White Russians
• Favourite writing outfit: satin sleep shirt (makes me feel sexy!)
• Favourite foods: Chinese food and pizza. When I was still working, people asked me what I was going to do when I retired. I said “eat Chinese food and pizza and write romance novels.”  Holy Hannah, that’s exactly what I’m doing!
• Favourite music: country western  (haven’t you seen all those too hot cowboys in my books?)
• Favourite sport: football.  I’m an obsessed nut.

PS:  Desiree supplied these herself.  I like ‘em.  I’m going to add this category — a la Saturday Night Live — to all my guest post questions from now on.  Thanks, Desiree!  Besides, red is my favourite colour, too!  – Tracy.

Tell us about your book.

My latest from EC is Rodeo Heat. It’s the story of a woman who has locked herself into a safe life, never taking chances, never enjoying her emotions, and the hot rode cowboy who takes her on a journey to understand and enjoy her sexuality. It’s a cougar story but only because he’s younger than she is. The journey of discover is the main thing. I loved writing it, letting Grace Delaney unfold like the petals of a flower as Ben Lowell taught her how much she could enjoy being a woman.

And an excerpt – (PG 13 if possible)

The noise in the room was loud and distracting. Grace wanted to clap her hands over her ears, or else find a quiet place to hide but Melanie was dragging her along like a car on a towrope.

“There he is,” she trilled, waving her other hand. “Ross! Hey, sweetie, here I am.”

They finally made it through the crowded aisles to a lean, weathered man with light brown hair peeking out from the edges of his hat. Blue eyes looked at Melanie as if they wanted to devour her and thin lips turned up in a welcoming smile.

“Hey, Mel. About time you got her.”

“Ross, this is my friend, Grace Delaney.” She tugged Grace closer to her side. “This is her first rodeo. Give her a big old smack, why don’t you.”

Grace took a step back. She wanted to give Melanie a smack of a different kind. “That’s okay. I think a handshake will do. Nice to meet you, Ross.”

“Oh, sweetie, come on.” Melanie pulled on her again. “Unbend a little.” She winked. “Ross is a great kisser.”

“Maybe the lady’s not into kissing strangers.”

The voice was warm and deep, with a gravelly sound as if it wasn’t used much. Grace turned and stared at the man next to her, nearly bumping into him and trying not to gape. The clean male scent of him made her dizzy.

Tall and lean, the black work shirt he wore matched the onyx of his eyes which were bracketed by tiny lines. The faded jeans molded to his lean hips and muscular thighs. The black Stetson on his head was almost the same color as his raven-dark hair that hung below the collar of his shirt.

Ohmigod, she thought. It’s my cowboy. Was it the pin again, playing tricks with her mind? With a few brush strokes he could be a dead ringer for the cowboy in the poster. Or in her book. The last scene she’d read came flooding back to her. Heat rushed straight to her core, dampening her panties with moisture and making all her nerve synapses fire at once. Was her sudden addiction to erotic romances turning her into a slut? Remembering the daydream she’d lapsed into in the corridor, she dropped her eyes, hoping he didn’t notice the heat creeping up her face. My god, even Joe Delaney hadn’t affected her that way.

The cowboy nodded at the man seated at the end of the bench, deliberately ignoring Melanie. “How are you, Ross?”

“Doing a damn sight better than I was a few minutes ago, now that this ray of sunshine is shining in my life again.” He smacked Melanie on the butt, then pulled her onto his lap. “Mel, you know Ben Lowell, don’t you?”

Grace watched Melanie’s face close up.

“We’ve met.” She turned back to Ross, who was nuzzling her neck. “Careful, sugar. We’re in a public place.” She clamped her hand on her hat to hold it in place as Ross continued to nibble at her.

Grace saw the cold, hard look Ben Lowell gave Melanie and wondered what that was all about. Meanwhile her friend was playing kissy-face with Ross and she herself was getting weak-kneed over a man she’d just met. She’d known this was a bad idea to begin with and wanted out of there now.

“Listen.” She hoped she didn’t sound as desperate as she felt. “Why don’t I wander around the vendor booths some more while you and Ross get reacquainted? Just give me my ticket and I’ll meet you in the arena.”

A warm hand closed over her elbow sending tingles of sensation rippling along her flesh. “Why don’t I buy you a cup of coffee while Melanie and Ross do their thing?”

“Oh, that sounds terrific, if you’re sure you don’t mind.” Melanie’s enthusiasm was hard to miss. It wasn’t just a chance for Grace to meet someone. Melanie wanted to play games with Ross and set herself up for later. She dug into her purse and extracted a piece of pasteboard from her wallet, holding it out to Grace. “Here’s your ticket. We’ll catch up in the arena.”

Ben palmed the ticket before she could grab it. “Great idea.

“But—” Grace had a feeling things were spinning out of her control.

“And Ben?” Melanie gave him a hard look. “You be real nice to my friend. You hear me? I know you’ve got manners hidden in there somewhere.”

Grace chewed her bottom lip trying to think of a way out of this that wouldn’t be too awkward, even while her secret inner self was yelling, Go with him, stupid.

“That’s okay.” She would have backed away if the aisle between the tables wasn’t so jammed. “Just give me the ticket. I can keep myself busy.”

But Ben Lowell was already steering her away and suddenly she found herself moving along with him as if were the most natural thing in the world. They found a picnic table in a far corner of the room that was surprisingly nearly empty and he settled her on the bench.

“I know I said coffee,” he told her, “but the stuff they serve here isn’t much good except as a varnish remover. How about a cold drink? Or a beer?”

Grace wet her lips nervously. “A cold drink would be fine. Anything. I’m not choosy.”

She watched him walk up to one of the food counters with a loose, swivel-hipped walk she’d seen on cowboys on television and in the movies. Unconsciously she rubbed the pin which seemed to heat her skin right through her shirt, wondering if the woman had been right and it was directing the course of her life. Melanie had hit the nail on the head about one thing. That course definitely needed changing.

————

Thanks to Desiree for her time today.  She’ll hover and answer your questions, so fire away!

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