Author Spotlight - Kathy Bosman

Ubuntu is a new line of romance novels from Decadent Publishing - a line of books set in Africa and featuring African characters. One of the line's launch titles, Dragonfly Moments by South African author Kathy Bosman, is in our spotlight today.

Kathy has appeared in our Spotlight before, talking about her debut novel Wedding Gown Girl, so today's interview will be a little shorter than usual.

1. Do you write every day?
I wish, I wish, and I wish. Lately, it’s been really hard as I have two more books coming out this year so I’ve worn the editing hat quite a bit. Life’s demands squeeze out my time but on some of my good days, I make up for the bad ones. Note some, not all.

2. Which blog(s) do you read regularly?
I read the Minxy blog and some author friends’ blogs as well as The Bookshelf Muse. They have some wonderful writing tips. That’s not all. I read about ten other blogs on other topics I’m interested in, so yes, my blog reader software on my phone keeps quite busy.

3. Keeping fit: Do you have an exercise regime to counterbalance all those hours sitting at a computer?
I have got a little lazy in this regard. I used to run 10 km races but nowadays prefer walking. Twice a week, I do my exercise DVDs which are a mix of dance moves, weights, and general exercise. Once a week, I go on my much-needed jog / walk where I get lots of writing inspiration. My kids rope me into playing soccer or hockey sometimes but lately, I lose everything as they get older and stronger. I was never good at sport but do really enjoy it.

4. Just for fun: a year from the end of the book, where would your couple go on holiday?
Ryan loves safari so they would probably go to Kruger National Park and go on game drives and a few walks or maybe God’s Window in Mpumalanga so Tessa can sketch the mountains and scenery. The place they stay at would have to offer top-class cuisine to match Ryan’s taste being a chef.

5. Could you be friends with any of your heroines?
I would probably find all my heroines fun to be friends with. They all have a little bit of me in them but also elements that are so different to me. I’m trying to learn the importance of making female characters who are kind yet not wimpish. It’s a hard balance to reach but it makes them likeable—to me at least. I think my favourites so far have been Kienna and Elaine. Kienna is from “Wedding Gown Girl” and Elaine is from a book I have coming out in September called “Three Tiers for Win.”

6. Have you ever written a hero you'd be happy to run off with?
I love all my heroes but I suppose Ryan from Dragonfly Moments and Win are my favourites. Win is super hot being an Olympic swimmer yet has some dark secrets which make him mysterious. Despite that, he’s a great love for his lady. Ryan has the patience of a saint and I love his rugged look. His looks are based a little on my hubby’s looks.

Blurb:

A young woman’s first love walks back into her life at the worst time possible—she is about to start a family with another man. But when her dreams begin to crumble, which one will be there to help her pick up the pieces?
Seven years earlier, at university, Tessa Calitz wrote a letter to Ryan le Roux promising her undying love. As time passed, she forgot about that letter...but not Ryan, who clung to the hope that she would wait for him.
Such is not the case when he walks back into her life. Tessa is in a serious relationship, and is busy setting up her art gallery in Johannesburg. She has plans to start a family, and the arrival of Ryan into her life throws her for a spin.
He is the worst thing that could happen to her dream of stability and starting a family...or is he?
Because when her relationship and everything she clung to starts to crumble, Ryan is right beside her to inspire her to greater things.
But her obsession for having her own child pushes Ryan away when she falls in love with an orphaned HIV-positive baby.
What can Ryan do to make Tessa realize that being with him is what her heart has longed for all along?


Dragonfly Moments is available from Amazon, Amazon UK, Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, All Romance eBooks and direct from Decadent Publishing.

You can find links to my other books at www.kathybosman.com. I also have a new book coming out at the end of the month called Cosmetic Heart.

Sinfully Summer - guest post by Aimee Duffy

Why did I choose Marbella as the location for Sinfully Summer? Well, for me there’s nothing like a good beach holiday with the girls. Sizzling myself on the beach all day, downing some cocktails late in the afternoon, and then dancing the night away is my favourite kind of vacation.

Since I’m in the UK, it’s so much easier to travel to Spain (I hate long flights). I’ve visited most of the country, and I have to say that’s not just because it’s easier to get to. Portugal’s closer after all. Nope, me and my girlies visit for the local men. Spain literally has it all, clubs, bars, waterparks and lush eye candy. What more can a girl ask for?

So when I was brainstorming locations for Sinfully Summer, I couldn’t pass Spain up. Marbella is the playground for the rich and famous (including an Arabian princess). Top that off with a rare European micro-climate which means it’s scorchio for 300 days a year, a long list of beach bars and clubs to rival some of Europe’s most prestigious party spots and I have the perfect place for a scandalous story.

Plus, with all the tales of the Marbella-based debauchery, my notoriously wild heiress and her best friends would fit right in. Well, until stick-up-his-ass Enrique tries to tame her, that is. Yeah, good luck with that Ric…

So why not jump on a plane and go visit the party central of Spain? If you can’t make it, you can always pick up Sinfully Summer and live voraciously through my heroine.

I really didn’t get up to all the things she does, or partake in crazy dares that left me running around a hotel in my underwear. Neither did any of my friends. Plus we’d never sunbathe topless, pull a gay guy, or do anything else those three get up to. Honest.

Thanks so much for having me today!

Sinfully Summer Blurb

Sun, Sea and Scandal

Notorious heiress Alexa Green has certainly been enjoying her most recent girls-holiday in Marbella. Just as we thought, she’s been knocking back the cocktails and showing off her fabulous bikini body on the beach… but rumour has it she’s also been spotted sneaking out of Enrique Castillo’s penthouse in the early hours of this morning – in nothing but her underwear! Our question is, doesn’t this fiercely private billionaire know what he’s letting himself in for?

He’s got the millions… and she knows how to spend them! So lie back on your sun lounger and get comfortable, because this summer fling is going to be a sizzler!

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Google Play / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

Excerpt

Adrenaline roared through her veins. This was her only chance. Pushing away from the wall, she rounded the lift, desperately seeking an escape. She barely noticed the plush furnishings, soft-looking leather sofas and floor to ceiling window which showcased the most spectacular view she’d ever seen. Instead she focused on the walls surrounding the elevator.

‘Are you lost?’

The heavily accented voice froze her to the spot. She darted a glance toward the sound. Dark brows furrowed over the richest coloured eyes she’d seen. His gaze swept over the length of her body, then up, lingering on her rear for a beat too long. Her skin tingled under his scrutiny.

Turning her whole body to face him, she slapped a hand on her hip. ‘Had a good enough look?’

His lips quirked in a sexy, lopsided grin. The jitters were back and Alexa swore the temperature in the room shot up ten degrees. Her gaze dropped to his broad shoulders, covered in a thin white t-shirt, then down to a well filled chest. She could see a dark pattern beneath the t-shirt. She longed to find out what kind of tattoo he had. Usually, tats didn’t do it for her. But on that body…

‘I could ask you the same thing.’

She snapped her attention back to his face. He stepped toward her, his jaw set, his eyes dancing with humour and something darker…something that made her blood heat and her mouth water.

Alexa raised her arm, palm out. ‘Hold it there, Mr. Any closer and I’ll scream.’

He paused by the sofa. Propping his hip against the cream leather, he folded his arms across his chest, causing the muscles to bulge. The moisture drained from her mouth and flooded in her belly.

‘No one’s here to hear you.’ He cocked a brow. ‘You seem to be forgetting where you are and,’ his gaze dipped down to her breasts causing the nipples to peak against the lacy fabric ‘how underdressed.’

Alexa thought this moment would have topped the blush scale. She planted her other hand on her hip and glared at him, unwilling to show any weakness. ‘I’m just leaving.’

She turned and strode back to the lift, keeping her back straight and trying not to wiggle her hips too much. The predatory sheen in his eyes made her body more jittery than the idea of sprinting around the lower floor in her underwear. She reached out to hit the button, but a large hand circled her wrist before she made it.

Alexa squeaked and darted back a step. He was so close, and his chest was right in her face. She could see the dark outline of the tattoo beneath the thin cotton. The outline of a burning sun, she thought, or something that looked like a sun. Her hands itched to lift the material and see for herself.

‘I’m up here.’

She snapped her gaze back up to his smirking face and took another step back. His lips kicked up at the corners and his eyes darkened. She swallowed against the urge to step closer, to feel his hard body pressed against hers. But she realised she was in little more than her bra and knickers in a stranger’s home. Unease skittered down her spine.

Alexa squared her shoulders, trying to quash the fear turning her heated blood into cold sludge. ‘I’m leaving now.’

‘After you explain what you’re doing in my home in your undergarments.’

 ‘Undergarments?’ Alexa pressed her lips together to keep a giggle at bay. ‘Seriously?’

About the Author

All my life I’ve been dreaming up stories. My mum said when I was little I used to make all the My Little Pony figurines talk to each other, and even fall in love. Later, it was Barbie and Ken. In my teens, I played matchmaker with my friends at school.

When I wasn’t creating imaginary scenarios, I had my nose stuck in books, reading across genres and there was one thing I loved more than the escapism—the fact a story can touch me so deeply, like I was experiencing everything along with my characters. I knew from early on this was something I wanted to do for others.

Fast forward a few years, and the dream almost got lost in real life, but I still couldn’t shake it completely. Now I write sizzling romance with the hope of making my readers’ hearts race like they are falling in love for the first time.

You can find me here:

Website & Blog / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads / Pinterest / Google +

Author Spotlight - Alexia Adams

Happy 4th July to all our blog supporters in the US!

We have Vancouver-based author Alexia Adams in the Minxy Spotlight today. Alexia was one of my Nano team mates last year, so I have her to thank for Waking up in Vegas! (And Alexia's Nano novel will be releasing through Entangled Indulgence early next year.)

1. Tell our readers a little bit about yourself.
I’m a trophy wife (also known as a stay-at-home-mom) with four “delightful” children. Before I married and settled down, I was an avid traveller and backpacked around the world twice. I’ve lived in Canada, New Zealand, Australia, England, and France and spent three months in Panama and two months in Russia. I used to speak English, French, Spanish, some Russian and a little bit of Icelandic but my linguistic abilities have disappeared as I don’t use them anymore. I started writing three years ago and finally believe I’ve found my niche in life.

2. What number book is this? First? 100th? 200th?(Nora only!)
Singapore Fling is my debut novel. But I’m pleased to announce that I’ve just signed a two book deal with Entangled Publishing so I won’t be a one-book wonder.

3. Everyone who writes knows it's not easy - what methods do you use to keep at it on days when it would be so much easier to go shoe shopping?
This will probably get me drummed out of the sisterhood, but I hate shopping, although I do have a weakness for ridiculous shoes. On tough writing days I read over what I’ve already written and tweak that until my characters speak to me again. I also try to be content with just 250 words or so on those days—anything to get me past the rough spot and on to an easier scene. I most often hit these problems when editing, I know a scene needs something but can’t figure it out.

4. What is your top promo tip for other authors?
I’m going to answer this question as a reader, because I’m not sure my promotion has been particularly effective. I am more likely to buy a book from an author that is personable on social media. I ignore authors that only tweet about their book, their reviews and buy links. But I’ll auto buy books by authors that engage others in conversations and with whom I feel some personal connection. Sure, let me know your book is available, just don’t hit me over the head with it every hour.

5. How does writing fit into your day? Or does your day fit in around your writing?
I fit my day around writing. I have the luxury of not having to work outside the house, so as long as the children are mostly clean, somewhat dressed and adequately fed, then the majority of my work is done. I try to write for an hour, then do housework for an hour, which seems to refresh my creative juices. I’ve had many an epiphany cleaning the bathroom, must be the chemical fumes. Then once the children are all in bed, I concentrate on writing for two hours. Now that I’m published, I feel less guilty about the time I spend writing—it’s a paying gig which will help me support my family (or my ridiculous shoe fetish).

6. Do you write every day?
Yes. At the moment I’m addicted so if I don’t write or do something writing related, I get jittery.

7. Any craft books you recommend?Debra Dixon’s Goal, Motivation and Conflict was the most helpful to me to get my head around this vital component to any story. And I found Stephen King’s On Writing to be very motivational. I’ve got most of the other recommended books but haven’t finished them all.

8. What was the most fun part of writing this book?
The research. I sent my couple to a lot of exotic locations and got to check out places I’d go if money was no object. My husband used my laptop once and asked why ads were popping up for hotels in Manila and resorts in Indonesia. I think he thought I might be running away.

9. Could you be friends with any of your heroines?
I could be friends with all of my heroines. Although most are alpha women with money of their own, they’re all down to earth and consider personal relationships more important than money or looks.

10. Have you ever written a hero you'd be happy to run off with?
I love all my heroes, but not as much as the one I married. He loves and supports me and still thinks I’m sexy despite the ravages that time, four children and cancer have wreaked on my body.

Blurb:

Lalita Evans has always instinctively sensed that she is not the biological child of John and Julia Evans. So she has done everything she can to be the perfect daughter, the perfect future CEO of the family business. Her focus only slipped once in the past five years, when she met Jeremy Lakewood. Now her father has appointed Jeremy as Director of Marketing, and the one man who can melt her mind with a single kiss is to accompany her on a tour of the Asian offices. 

Jeremy Lakewood is not afraid of a challenge. Rising from an impoverished childhood to the upper echelons of the corporate world has allowed him to live up to his vow to support his widowed mother and disabled sister. The one crater in his road to success is Lalita Evans, the one that got away and the only woman who has ever turned his blood to molten lava. She’s not only the woman he can’t forget, but also his boss’s daughter. Sent to Asia with her on business, her father’s warning echoes in his ears—seduce Lalita and his career is over. 

Eight countries in three weeks, a quest to find a birth mother, and a mutual attraction as intense as it is inconvenient, leaves both Lalita and Jeremy questioning what they really want in life—love or their careers?

Singapore Fling is available from Amazon, Amazon UK, iTunes, Barnes & Noble and Kobo.

You can connect with Alexia on her website (where she has loads of pictures and stories from her extensive travels), Facebook, Twitter and on Pinterest.

Leave a comment on this post and you can stand a chance to win a copy of Singapore Fling.

Confessions of a Chalet Girl - My Inspiration

Choosing the location for my debut novel was easy, I've spent a lot of time in the French and Swiss Alps and fell totally in love...with the scenery :-) But seriously, you couldn't pick a better setting for a romance - there's snow, hot tubs, roaring log fires, fit ski-hunks...need I say more?

The scenery is beautiful and dramatic and I always feel inspired to write when I'm in the Alps. I'm actually sitting in a chalet in Switzerland right now, writing my second chalet girl story!

My Pinterest Story Board is probably the best way to soak up the feel of the story and has pictures of my hero inspiration as well as the notorious Wonderbar that inspired the rather unusual story opening - http://pinterest.com/lorrainecwilson/confessions-of-a-chalet-girl/

If you'd like to hear news of the next chalet girl novella please visit my author page on Facebook (and remember to 'like' me ;-) or my website. I hope you'll be as captivated by my 'winter playground' as I am!

'Set in the exclusive Swiss ski resort of Verbier, the winter playground of the rich and famous, Confessions of a Chalet Girl is a fun and flirty contemporary romance novella' “This was such an amazingly intriguing novella. I found myself wanting to know what would happen next and how long before they would come clean with one another. It was sexy and fun. All the things I look for in a good read." Confessions of a Book Whore, Goodreads review. “All in all a fun and cute romance with some steamy scenes. Definitely a read lovers of the genre will enjoy.” Goodreads review Amazon UK link http://amzn.to/106lMp1Amazon.com link http://amzn.to/193V7cUNetGalley link https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/show/id/32446

Author Spotlight - Kamy Chetty

Today the Minxes are pleased to welcome contemporary romance, with medical drama, author Kamy Chetty.

1. Tell our readers a little bit about yourself.

Firstly, thank you for having me here. I am a hopeless romantic who was born with Cupid’s smile(I’d like to think). I have always written about love and hope. I am a mother and wife and when I am not chasing deadlines and promoting books then I am a nurse.

2. What number book is this? First? 100th? 200th? (Nora only!)

This is my third published book. My first one was out in January this year and the second was out last month, so I have been busy.

3. Everyone who writes knows it's not easy - what methods do you use to keep at it on days when it would be so much easier to go shoe shopping?

I am the world’s biggest procrastinator and will find anything else to do instead of writing or editing but what I find works is the reward system. I tell myself that if I write a set amount of words then I get to watch my favourite movie or episode of True Blood.

4. What is your top promo tip for other authors?

Not to do it yourself unless you know what you’re doing. The best thing I could do was get a professional on board. I don’t have to worry about anything but writing and she does all the hard yards for me. Promotion is very important and I see that in the sales, you have to keep at it and you have to know what to do and how to do it. I always thought all I had to do was learn my craft and become published, well there’s an entire new learning curve once you get that contract.

5. How does writing fit into your day? Or does your day fit in around your writing?

I wish I had the job that allowed me to write full time but I am not JKR, not yet :) So I work for five hours and when I get home I try and spend a few hours working on my writing.

6.  Any craft books you recommend?

As a writer you also have to spend time researching and reading so it gets to be very busy. This an old one but it is still a good one. Dwight Swain - Techniques of the Selling writer. If there is one message this book taught me it is the motivation reaction units. I always read my work and make sure I write in the order it happens, it makes such a difference to the experience the reader gets.

7.  Have you ever written a hero you'd be happy to run off with?

I would definitely run off with Nick in Breathe Again and it has nothing to do with the perfect abs or the uniform, okay, maybe it does. A little. But can you blame me? The man is sex on two legs, wouldn’t you want to run away with a man with that much power.

8.  Keeping fit: Do you have an exercise regime to counterbalance all those hours sitting at a computer?

Well my exercise of choice is the treadmill while watching an episode of True Blood, this is my reward and it gives me at least fifty minutes of exercise.

9.  Do you have any tips, tricks or sacrificial rituals you do when you hit a story roadblock?

When I hit a road block then I have to clear my mind. I light my candles and play my music, I do some deep breathing and I make notes with a pencil and paper. By then something clicks and I get a spark of an idea. If it gets really bad, then I have to step away from the situation and take a time out and watch a movie or take a shower and usually when I get back, I might have an idea or two.

10.  Is there a book you haven't written yet that you're dying to? What genre?

At the moment I write contemporary romance and lots of medical drama but I would love to write something with paranormal elements in it. I love vampires, witches and psychics so anything that can bring that out would be a great book for me.

Breath Again

After a tour at war and countless shifts in the hospital emergency room, Nick knows that no matter how hard he tries to change things, people are the same. So when his estranged wife Skylar reveals that she stopped taking birth control and is pregnant, he shouldn’t be shocked.

Betrayal burns and panic sets in as memories of his shattered home life remind him that he can’t play happy families. Skylar knows one thing—she’s head over nurse’s shoes in love with the stubborn and unemotional Nick. She loves him enough to believe in the man he is, even though he can’t see it for himself and hides behind a mask. As he calls their child “hers” and tries to live apart from her, Skylar’s heart breaks, but she refuses to give up hope that he’ll do the right thing.

When disaster strikes, Skylar realizes Nick might never change, so she risks everything and sets him free, hoping he’ll come back, for her and their baby. Is heat, passion and a vow enough to seal this marriage and make them a family?

Reader Alert!

Their passion and devotion will make you root for them, and their sexual tension will set you ablaze.

Red Sage Amazon US Amazon UK B&N