Hello, My Sweets! Today I have author Kelly Jamieson on the blog today. I'm really excited to have her here!
When asked if I wanted to be part of Kelly's blog tour, I immediately said yes. I've seen Kelly and her books around a lot but hadn't read them yet. I know, I know...you're probably thinking, you haven't read her books yet? but I'm trying here, people! I felt like this would be the perfect opportunity to find out a little more about her before I took the plunge to read her big backlist- and it was the best thing I could have done. Interviews are my favorite part during a blog tour and I must say, I loved doing this interview with Kelly.
When I went on to her website to do some research, I came across this on her front page -
I love to write stories that evoke a range of emotions -- humour and sadness, fear and hope, love and lust; always hot, but always with a love story I hope will move people, explore relationships and the human experience, and demonstrate the power of love -- stories with "sweet heat". My writing has been described as "emotionally complex", "sweet and satisfying" and "blisteringly sexy".
and I just fell in love with it
...and her. In those few lines, it said everything I needed to know about Kelly and her writing.
Hey Kelly! Thank you somuch for taking the time out to do an interview. I am thrilled to have youhere! Please, tell me a little bit about yourself.
Thank you so much for having me! I’m a mom and wifewith basically two full time jobs — my day job and my writing job. I love,love, love writing and it has taken over a lot of the things I used to do in myspare time. I used to sew a lot, but I don’t do that at all any more other thanhemming pants, LOL. I also used to shop a lot more than I do now, so maybewriting is saving me money! I still cook, but that’s only because my familyinsists on eating meals semi-regularly.
I hear you like to cook. Ilove to cook as well and bake too actually. I’m pretty picky and stick toItalian food though. What is your favorite dish to cook?
I don’t have a favorite, but I’m famous for mypizza! I make the dough from scratch and use really good ingredients fortoppings. I like trying different things – sometimes good old pepperoni,sometimes a pizza margherita, sometimes a Mediterranean invention with roastedred peppers, artichoke hearts and feta cheese. Recently when I was in France, Itried a mussel pizza, and I think I may have to try to recreate that in mykitchen!
I love buying books. It’sbecome a small obsession for me. Friends have said I need 12-step program formy addiction. They’re wrong…they don’t know what they’re talking about! Is ittrue that you have a shoe obsession? I mean, don’t all the girls have shoeobsessions and want to buy every pair we see?
I do love shoes! I have a definite weakness for theperfect pair of stilettos, although lately I’ve bought a few pairs of platformpumps. But you’re totally right, it’s not like it’s an addiction or anything…
I would love to see apicture of your shoes….can you share one with us…or a few? Show us yourfavorites pairs. Notice I said it in plural form. J I’m assuming you have more than one favorite pair.
Here are my two most recent pairs – the orangesstilettos are from Shoe Dazzle (Danger! Danger! Stay away from that site if youhave a weakness for heels!) and the flowery ones are from Urban Plant.
OK, as much as you loveshoes, I love books. So let’s talk about your books! What project are youcurrently working on?
I am currently working on the third book in a seriesset in a fictional California beach town where the locals’ leisure timeinvolves surf, sand and sun (and sex!). The hero of this WIP is a pro surfer.Yes, he’s hot! This book is a challenge though!
Do you have a sneak peakfrom your current work in progress you can share with us?
The tentative title is “Slammed” – here’s a short,unedited, very rough sneak peek!
She blew out a breath. She’d lostpatience with this. She returned to the front desk. “Hi,” she said with asmile. “I need to know where Dylan Schell is staying.”
“I’m sorry,” the young womansaid, as expected. “I can’t give out that information.”
“You can give it to me,” Brookesaid, giving her a businesslike smile. She pushed a business card across thedesk toward the other woman. “I’m with Jackson Cole, one of Dylan’s sponsors.We need to meet with him urgently about some business matters.”
“Oh.”The woman looked at the card, then back at Brooke, taking in her attire, sodifferent from the casual clothing everyone else there wore. Also taking in herlack of makeup, lank hair and sweaty face. Clearly she wasn’t a beach bunnytrying to get with a pro surfer. “Jackson Cole. Really.”
Sheno doubt recognized the name as one of Dylan’s biggest sponsors. They were wellknown in California and getting more known in the US, maybe even this far away.After all, the ASP event had just happened there; probably everyone had beenaware of the surfers and all the media who’d been there covering the event.
“Yes.”Brooke kept her smile in face. “It’s pretty important for his career.”
“Icould put you through to his room,” the girl said.
“Itried that already.” Brooke leaned closer. “He didn’t answer and…not that I’mworried…but I hope he’s okay. Apparently he’s been pretty…um…busy lately.”
Thegirl nodded and lowered her eyes. “Er. Yes. He has.”
Christ.She knew it because she’d been with him. Brooke resisted an eye roll.
Thegirl lifted her eyes and Brooke saw the ire there. Oh damn. She was pissed atDylan. No doubt he’d blown her off for other girls.
“He’sin bungalow eighteen,” the girl said.
Yes!“Thank you so much,” Brooke said. She slid a US twenty dollar bill across thecounter. “Thank you so much.”
Shehurried back outside, retracing her steps through the grounds, past the pool,across the beach and down the wooden dock where the bungalows were. Sixteen…seventeen… eighteen. Yes.
Sheapproached the small structure. The door was closed but unlocked. She gave arap on it then stepped inside. “Hello!” she called. “Dylan? Dylan Schell?”
Shepushed her sunglasses up on top of her head. Even so, it took a moment for hereyes to adjust to the dimmer light inside the bungalow. She blinked a fewtimes, looking around. Her eyes fell on the big four poster bed, and spotted adark head there, a stark contrast against white pillows. His eyes appearedclosed. He was in bed? At this time of the afternoon?
“Yeah, baby, suck me, just likethat…” Dylan’s hoards words reached her ears but before she could turn and getthe hell out of there, his eyes flickered open and met hers. The bedcoversstarted moving and Brooke’s gaze moved over the shapes beneath the duvet. Ohdear god…
Ahead emerged from beneath the bedcovers, a woman with long blonde hair, kissingher way up Dylan’s chest, and then another woman emerged, this one with longdark hair.
Heat swept up from Brooke’s chestinto her face, scorching her cheeks.
“Hello, sweetheart,” Dylan drawled, his white smileflashing in the dim room. “Have you come to join us?”
Doyou plan your characters and storyline or does it come to you as you write?What happens if you do plan the story but you find it going in a differentdirection? Do you go in that new direction or stick to your original one?
I plan my characters but not down to every lastdetail. Sometimes I learn more about them as I write the story. (Don’t laugh!They’re like real people to me. They tell me things about themselves.) I alsoplan the turning points of my stories but I don’t really plot any more thanthat. I’ve tried it and I get bored with the story if I already know what’sgoing to happen. Sometimes even with my turning points I’m not sure what’sgoing to happen until it happens, which I know sounds weird. If I feel stuckabout something, I just keep writing and usually it just comes to me as Iwrite. I think I’m more creative when I’m actually writing, as opposed tositting there thinking about what should happen. I don’t know if that evenmakes sense! So yes, my stories sometimes go in a different direction but it’sall about being true to the characters.
I’m sure youlove to read when you get the chance to. What kind of books do you love toread? What kind of books do you stay away from and what is your favorite genre?
My favorite genre is contemporary romance. Iprefer ones that are more on the “hot” end of the heat meter, LOL, but I’llread most heat levels if it’s a good book, all the way from Kristan Higgins toMaya Banks and everything in between. I also really like romantic suspense andsome historicals, especially Laura Kinsale. I don’t read a lot of paranormalother than my critique partner Nara Malone’s sexy shifters and PG Forte’s hotvampires. As for what I stay away from: just say the words “dystopian’ or“post-apocalyptic” and I’m out.
You have a pretty bigbacklist. Who is your favorite character from your books? Which book wasthe most fun to write? Which was the hardest to write?
Hmmm. I fall in love with all my guys so it’spretty hard to pick a fav. The most fun to write was One Wicked Night. I don’tknow why - it just flowed so easily. The hardest so far was Power Shift. Ialready had my hero Gabe, who’d appeared in Power Struggle, and I had a hardtime finding the right woman for him. Also his past was painful for him andtherefore harder for me to write about.
I absolutely LOVE eroticromance books. I know most people think erotic romance is all about the sex,but it’s not. Don’t get me wrong, it’s hot as hell but there is something elseabout it that I can’t quite explain…it’s slightly dark, alluring yet gratifyingand there is a great story to be told. How did you get into writing eroticromance? Is it what you started writing when you first became an author?
I love erotic books too! I started writing straightcontemporary romances, although I always kept the bedroom door open, as theysay, since that’s what I like to read. But my first published book was a ménagestory, which actually surprised me! There were moments when I was writing itwhere I was thinking, OMG what are people going to think of me when they readthis? And then it got published! And people did read it! And then I wroteanother ménage book and another one, and people really liked them and I gotover being embarrassed. I loveerotic romance because sex makes people so vulnerable, it’s when people revealthings about themselves they otherwise wouldn’t.
What is romance to you?Define romance through your eyes.
I am such a romantic! I’m just a sucker for any kindof love story. I know the traditional definition is two people falling in love,but I’ve written books where three people fall in love. The key thing for me isa happy ending. Although I sometimes read outside the romance genre, I’m reallynot interested in any kind of love story that doesn’t end happily. That’s whatlifts me up and convinces me of the power of love to overcome all obstacles andmake the world a better place.
What’ssomething readers wouldn’t know about you?
See below re: piercings.
What do you want yourreaders to take away from your books?
I think I sort of said it in that second lastquestion. I love to write stories that evoke a range ofemotions -- humor and sadness, fear and hope, love and lust; always hot, butalways with a love story I hope will move people, explore relationships and thehuman experience, and demonstrate the power of love.
Where can wefind out more about you and your work?
Lightening speed round!
Vanilla, Chocolate or Strawberry? Vanilla(surprise!)
Pumps, Sandals or Sneakers? Pumps!
Beeror Fruity Girly Drink? Hmmm. Can’tdecide.
Boxers, Briefs or Commando? Can I sayboxer-briefs?
Book or ereader? Ereader
Vampire, Demon or Shifter? Vampire
Soft and Sensual or Up Against theWall? Yes please!
Beach or Snow? Beach
Jeans or Pearls? Can I wear both?
Tattoos or Piercings? No tattoos, just a bellybutton piercing.
BIO:
I'm a married mother of two who lives a very ordinary life outside of myimagination. When I'm not writing I'm usually reading. I also like to cook andthat means I like to read cookbooks and cooking magazines. In the summer Ienjoy spending time gardening and in the winter I like to read gardeningmagazines and seed catalogues. I love lying on the beach or on my deck with aglass of wine and a good book. I also love to travel. As you can see, prettymuch all my activities involve reading somehow! Although I don't have as muchtime for it any more, I also love to shop, especially for clothes and shoes.Some think I'm obsessed with shoes but that is not true (although my husbandwould point out that there is no room left in our closet).
I love to hear from readers, so Tweet me on Twitter, leave me a comment onGoodreads or Amazon or my blog , or email me at info (at) kellyjamieson.com.
Kelly Jamieson
Sweet Deal – available June 12,2012
Blurb:
Therelationship is pretend. The chemistry…isn’t.
After her last job ended with a broken heart and a humiliating exit from thecompany, Shelby Leighton’s project management career is back on track with anew job and a high-profile project. The problem: her new boss is a little toofriendly, and the staff is talking. Can you say, “déjà vu?” The solution:casually mention a fictional new boyfriend.
Jake Magill doesn’t do relationships. It’s casual or nothing, but the hotblonde he’s been eyeing at the coffee shop sure is something. Especially when sheconfesses her problem, and he finds himself offering to act as her date.
Sounds simple. Stroll around the party with Shelby’s sexy curves clinging tohis arm? He’s all over it. Until he meets her boss—the man who once stole andmarried the one woman Jake thought he loved.
Now Jake’s the one with a reason to pretend. If only to save his own pride…andShelby from the predatory gaze of the man who could ruin her, and any chance offinding out if their fake connection is the real thing.
Product Warnings
Contains one desperate lady in need, and a pretendboyfriend who shows impressive dedication to nailing all—and then some—elementsof his role. Oh my!
Thank you so much for being here withus today, Kelly. I really appreciate it and I know your readers do too.
