I'm thrilled to welcome my friend and sister Ass Cheek Angel, LORI LEGER to the blog! I met Lori in Orlando and the 2010 RWA conference. Lori has brought two of her releases for us today.
You can find out about Lori and all her writing at her website
http://www.lorilegerauthor.com/default.html
then come on back and join us for a chat.
Thanks for being here today, Lori! :)
Hey Jennifer, thanks for
inviting me!
What is the most
difficult for you to write: Characters, conflict, emotions? I know my
characters inside and out, and I've been told I'm pretty darn good at the
emotional scenes. My downfall is definitely conflict...my natural tendency for
happily-ever-afters becomes a hindrance sometimes. That's where my critique
partners come in handy telling me something came about a little too easily.
Then I go in and add something to throw a wrench in the works. No, she can’t
leave him with a smile on his face...she has to leave him wondering if she’ll
ever speak to him again.
Do you have critique partners? Definitely. Karen Burns from West Houston RWA is
my newest partner and I think I've found my writing soul mate! My daughter in
law, Trish is my go to girl. My co-worker/friends at my other job have
seen my writing skills morph into something readers can appreciate. Though they
don't know everything about the mechanics of writing, their opinions as to
whether or not something will work have never let me down.
What music are you listening to lately? Country....always country music. I went
to a Trace Adkins concert recently and got to see that long, tall, drink of
water up close and personal. Yes, ladies...he's that good looking up
close...but...I digress. I bought an autographed CD and that's what's in my
car's player right now. My favorite song on it is "Days Like This".
So mellow. Oh yeah, I also like Adele even though she's not nearly as good to
look at.
Tell us about your real life romance. Ah...if any of you read Some Day
Somebody, there are some amazing parallels to Sam and Carrie's story. After 17
years in a bad marriage, which I walked away from with three teenagers and very
little else, I started a new career as a computer drafter. Mike was a surveyor
there, and it definitely was NOT love at first sight. I joined the car pool
and, just like in the story, he made me late for work my second day on the job.
I was not happy at all, and let him know about it. Eventually, we discovered we
had some things in common. He'd been single for nearly a year and was hating
it...just like Sam. He was so funny, and after becoming good friends first, we
starting dating. A year later, we were married and seventeen years after that,
he's still making me laugh...MOST of the time, anyway.
How likely are people you meet to end up in your next book? LOL! If they have
any idiosyncrasy that makes them stand out in a crowd...extremely likely!
If you were going to cast the hero of your book, what actor would you get to
play the part? Ed Harris for Sam, and an actor called Nick Ballard from my home
state of Louisiana for Jackson Broussard. Tall, black hair, blue eyes, he's
gorgeous. Check out my website to see the page titled Men of Louisiana to see a picture of him and I think you'll agree.
Tell us a little about your WIP. It's called Hart's Desire and it's a
prequel to the third book in my series, Brown Eyed Girl. It's about a teen aged
couple back in the seventies, who are kept apart by their parents when she gets
pregnant her senior year in high school. Her parents force her to give the
child up for adoption, even though she doesn't want to and her boyfriend has no
idea about the pregnancy. The real story begins when the couple meets again
thirty years later and the hero finds out he's a father.
Blurb for Some Day Somebody
Carrie Jeansonne is
single again, with three teenagers in tow, a new career, and searching for a
little serenity. What she finds instead is another chance for laughter, and the
kind of love she never knew existed, with her new co-worker…Sam Langley.Can the two of them
forge a path to happiness in a maze of intrigue and heartbreak before it's too
late for them? Or will the mysterious caller who's after Carrie ruin her chance
for a happily ever after?
Excerpt from Some Day Somebody
“Listen, Sam. I’m
newly divorced and I’ve got three kids to think about. If you’re just looking
for someone to take to bed—”
His hand flew up to stop her mid-sentence. “That’s not what this
is about. I’m not interested in a fling. I think you’re a brave, beautiful
lady, and I'm impressed as hell at what you’ve accomplished.” He shoved his
hands deep into his pockets and tapped the heel of his work boot on the asphalt
track. “I’ll be honest with you,” he said, his voice steady. “I never thought
I’d have the heart to try this again. But there’s something about you that
makes me want to risk it.”
“Sam, I’m not sure you know what you’re getting yourself into.”
“I know you,” he admitted. “I know your favorite food in the world
is boiled crawfish, your favorite dessert is homemade banana pudding. You
despise daylight savings time. Your favorite color is burgundy, and you look
good in it, but you look even better in forest green. I know your favorite song
is ‘Hold On’ by Wilson Phillips, but you used to cry every time you heard it
because you felt like they wrote it for you. Every Christmas you make it a
point to watch A Christmas Story, It’s a Wonderful Life, and the old version of
A Christmas Carol.” He pulled his hands from his pockets and grabbed the back
of his neck, elbows forward, as he released his breath in a long, slow hiss.
“I’m screwing this up, I know I am.”
Carrie stepped forward to place a hand on his arm. “No, you’re
not, and I’m flattered. And maybe once I’m in my new place I can think about
it, but my life is too complicated right now—too many unanswered questions to
take a step like that. I need to learn to be alone with me for awhile.”
She lifted her hands and dropped them again. “All I can do is to
ask you to be patient.” She stared up him, her pulse quickening, as the drums
re-established the rhythm in her ears. She had to dig deep for the courage to
continue, but she couldn’t stop now. “So, in the meantime, if you find someone
else, well, I’d understand if you didn’t want to wait around until I’m ready,”
she finished, her voice trailing off to a whisper.
She watched, nervous as a crawfish next to a pot of boiling water,
as Sam pulled himself up to his full height. She sucked in her breath and held
it. He’s going to say he can’t waste his time waiting on me. She heard him take
a deep breath, as though to calm himself. He couldn’t possibly be as nervous as
she was. Could he?
“You know, Carrie,” he said, finally, drawing out the four
syllables in a slow, seductive manner. “I haven’t always been a patient man—”
Carrie nearly fainted as he stretched out his long, sinewy arm to
place a light touch on the tip of her nose.
“—but something tells me you’d be worth the wait.”
The breath whooshed out of her lungs in a rush. Vibrating with
nervous tension, she put her hand up to stop him when he tried to say more.
“Don’t,” she said, shaking her head slowly. “There’s nothing you
could possibly say to top that.” Carrie backed carefully away from the man,
wishing for once, she could afford to let go of her inhibitions. His one-sided
grin caused that single dimple to reappear, making her crave to cover it with a
slow, lingering kiss. She turned away from the man who stood staring down at her
as though she were the best thing since chicken and biscuits.
Blurb for Last First
Kiss
After Giselle Granger's husband dies in a tragic
accident, she's left with their two young daughters, and struggling for the
strength to live in a world without him.
When Jackson Broussard loses his wife in the same accident, he finds himself
free of the woman whose lies and manipulations have made his marriage a living
hell. He feels bound to the past by his desire to do right by his friend's
widow and children even though Giselle makes it clear she does not want his
help.
Can the two former co-workers leave their pasts behind in order to forge a new
future together? Or will they be left with nothing more than a last first kiss
and two broken hearts?
Excerpt from Last First Kiss
Giselle closed the gap between them.
“I’m amazed at you, Jackson. Is there anything you can’t do? You sing, you
dance, you played baseball, and you design fantastic grottos. Your uncle says
you’re a natural horseman, not to mention the excellent engineering work you
do. Is there anything else I should know about?”
“I may have a few more tricks up my
sleeve. I guess you’ll have to stick around if you want to find out.”
“I’m extremely impatient. How long are
we talking about?”
He shrugged and gave her one of those
sexy as hell lopsided grins.
“How long was that?” She inched closer
as James Otto’s sultry voice piped out Last First Kiss, one of the sexiest
freaking songs she’d ever heard.
He gazed down at her, looking as though he
was damn close to losing control. “I didn’t say.”
But damn close wasn’t close enough for
Giselle. She reached out a single nailed finger to trace from above his
breastbone all the way down to the waistband of his suit. The look on his face
was well worth her rare act of bravado. “What’s wrong Jackson? You look
surprised.”
Jackson sucked in his breath and lifted
both hands, in surrender. “Hey, you’re the one in control. You’re supposed to
tell me when you’re ready.”
“Maybe I’m ready for just a little more.”
She hooked her finger into the waistband of his swimming trunks and pulled it
toward her. Before she could look down for a peek, he grabbed her hand and
pulled it away.
Jackson backed her up against the smooth
surface of the wall then grabbed her hands and laced his fingers through hers.
He raised them above her head, one on each side, effectively pinning her
against the wall. Leaning forward, he brushed his mouth against her neck just
below her left ear.
Her pulse quickened at the feel of his
warm breath on her dampened skin. Instead of kissing her neck as she expected
him to, he raised his head to speak softly in her ear.
“I have to tell you, Hon, I don’t mind a
little teasing every now and then, but I’m no masochist, and I’m sure as hell
no saint. Here lately, being around you is agony.”
“What’s the matter big boy?” she gasped,
trying to lighten the mood. “You afraid it’s going to stunt your growth?”
The look Jackson gave her revealed he
hadn’t found much humor in this particular situation.
“What is it you want from me Giselle?”
he whispered hoarsely. “I think you know how much I want you, but I need to
know how far you’re willing to take this little game of yours.”
Giselle stared into the depths of his
hooded eyes, dark with desire. “In time...all the way, but we’re not alone
here, Jackson.”
“Red’s a grown man and knows better than
to bother us. It’s dark back here.” He brushed his mouth lightly against hers.
She closed her eyes, ready to abandon
all will, ready to give him whatever he asked of her.
Some Day Somebody: Book
1 of La Fleur de Love Series
Last First Kiss: Book 2
of La Fleur de Love Series
