TBR welcomes Mackenzie Crowne

TBR: Welcome to TBR, Mackenzie. Will you share a little bit about yourself?
Mac: Thanks so much for letting me visit with you and your visitors today. Let’s see, about me. Well, I’m a wife, mother, and grandmother. My husband and I were blessed with two rambunctious little boys who we managed to raise into wonderful men without any disfiguring mishaps. Dirt bikes and ESPN are the order around our house, and life at the ‘Testosterone Ranch’ more closely resembles one of today’s wacky reality shows, than yesterday’s Leave It To Beaver. I’m one of eight kids, raised just north of Boston. My childhood was a free-for-all full of hordes of family and friends. I moved to Phoenix as an adult because living in the southwest feeds my soul. My love of books, specifically the romance genre, has been a lifelong affair, both as a reader and a writer. A bout with breast cancer sharpened my resolve to see my stories shared with others. As of today, I am a five-year survivor, living my dream.

TBR: Tell us about THE BILLIONAIRE’S CON and where it's available.
Mac: My latest release, The Billionaire’s Con, is a lighthearted contemporary romance set in a small New England town, available at Still Moments Publishing and Amazon

TBR: Please tantalize us with a story blurb or excerpt.
Mac: Meggy Calhoun has too much on her plate to explore the shocking revelations in her birth mother’s letter. The success of Boston’s hottest new restaurant rests squarely on her shoulders, and her fascination with her hunky new tenant promises to take up all of her free time.
Trevor Bryce Christos would do anything to protect the woman who raised him; including seducing a beautiful con artist disguised as a chef, and bent on cashing in on his family’s wealth.
Under the microscope of small town interest, Meggy’s and Trevor’s opposing agendas soon have the townsfolk choosing sides, and betting on who will be the first to surrender the field, and their heart.

Excerpt:

“What are you doing in here, Meggy?” Jill moved to stand beside the stepladder. “And why are you painting?”

Meggy frowned at the intruders, ignoring Jill for the moment. Her gaze scanned the tall stranger. She noted his expensive suit and handsome face below a thick pelt of dark, auburn hair. Though very attractive, he had that stiff, life-is-serious-business look about him.

Lawyer.

Meggy sighed at the waste and turned her frown to Jill.

“I needed something to keep my hands occupied until I can get back into the kitchen.”

Agitated as much with the delay as the mess, she flicked her hand holding the roller. A silken thread of paint danced through the air, leaving a drizzle of pale yellow across the faded denim of her favorite jeans.

Perfect. Just perfect.

“Get back into the kitchen?” Jill placed her hands on her hips. “I thought the kitchen was up and running.”

Meggy hoisted her butt off the top of the ladder and slapped a hand to the wall when she lost her balance. From the corner of her eye, she saw the lawyer take a startled step forward. With a disgusted growl, she glared at the fresh slash of paint coating her hand, and clambered down the ladder backwards before he could reach her.

“We had a leak.” She jumped the last two steps to land on the floor, jamming the roller into the pan at the foot of the ladder. “The plumber is there now, dealing with the aftermath.” Reminded of the calamity in her kitchen, she turned a glower on the silent man and quirked a brow. “And you are?”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Jill rolled her eyes at Meggy and made the introductions. “Meggy Calhoun, this is Trevor Bryce. He’s a writer who’s interested in renting the Carriage House. Mr. Bryce, Meggy is one of the owners of Palmer House. She’s also the head chef.”

Meggy watched, fascinated, as the stiff lawyer vanished behind a wicked smile, a flash of white teeth, and dimples. There was nothing stiff about the penetrating gaze that met and held hers. The deep drawl of his voice, when he said hello, reminded her of the smooth slide of the aged whiskey found in Palmer House’s well-stocked bar.

She glanced at the hand he held out, and flipped up her own paint-smeared palm. “Sorry, I’m a mess.”

Laugh lines crinkled the tanned skin at the corner of his eyes, and the soft core of femininity within her sighed in appreciation. She’d always had a soft spot for the Greek god type. Looking at Trevor Bryce, she had a sudden craving for Feta cheese and Ouzo.

TBR: What inspired you to write about the theme?
Mac: My inspiration for The Billionaire’s Con actually came from the heroine, Meggy. A sidekick character in a storyline I was working, her adoptive status came as a complete surprise. Once that cat was out of the bag, Meggy wouldn’t let it go. “My birth mother gave me up,” she whispered in my head. “Don’t you want to know why?” Yeah, I know. Voices in the head are troubling, but that’s how it works for me. Meggy pestered the heck out of me until I finally put aside the story I was working on to tell her tale.

TBR: Are you a plotter or pantser?
Mac: LOL That last answer answers this one. I’m a pantser. I try to plot, jotting down a basic outline for a story, but once the writing starts, all bets are off. As with Meggy’s adoption, the true themes of my stories reveal themselves in their own good time.

TBR: Do you have a favorite quote you’d like to share?
Mac: I actually have a quote on the welcome page of my website that states my philosophy on life perfectly. As a breast cancer survivor, I know life is short, the moments precious. I refuse to waste any of them. “Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, totally worn out and proclaiming, Wow, what a ride!” – author unknown

TBR: Tease us with one little thing about your fictional world that makes it different from others.
Mac: One of my favorite elements in The Billionaire’s Con is the collective character of the townsfolk. The gossip grapevine is alive and well in the small town of Palmerton. I had a blast letting Trevor and Meggy use their nosy neighbors to further their own agendas, then made them squirm as the entire town showed up to witness the final showdown.

TBR: What's next for you?
Mac: I always have several stories floating around in my mind, but I’m currently putting the finishing touches on a football romance I hope to see published early next year. I’m kind of a football junkie, and I’ve been having a ball throwing a female, football blogger with an attitude at the NFL’s number one tight-end, and watching the sparks fly.

TBR: Any other published works?
Mac: 2012 was a rewarding but busy year for me. I released my first title, GIFT OF THE REALM, a fantasy romance set in Ireland, in April. My second book followed shortly in June. THAT DATING THING is lighthearted contemporary romp in the midst of Wall Street greed. In October, I reached the five year milestone as a survivor and celebrated by releasing WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR NIPPLE? My non-fiction, memoir-guide to navigating the breast cancer abyss with humor and hope. 

TBR: What’s the most interesting comment you have received about your books?
Mac: I’m not sure how interesting it is, but I’ve heard a few comments that have  made me laugh. I have several friends who are fans of romance, but for those who aren’t, reading the genre for the first time has raised a few eyebrows. While my titles are by no means erotica, they are sensual. My favorite comment came from the daughter of a close friend who refers to my fantasy romance as fairy porn.

TBR: Where can readers find you on the web?
Mac: I love making new friends, so please feel free to stop by for a visit. You can find me @ mackenziecrowne.com

TBR: Is there anything you’d like to ask our readers?
Mac: As an avid reader, I know what appeals to me in a story and I’m always thrilled when I find a new author to add to my list of favorites. As a newly published author, the challenge is getting your name out there so that those readers who will enjoy your writing style can find you. So, readers, how do you go about finding that next favorite author? Are you snagged by a catchy title? An interesting blurb? Or a gorgeous cover? And where do you go to find them?

TBR: Readers, Mac will give away an e-copy of THE BILLIONAIRE‘S CON to one lucky commenter. She'll pick a winner on February 1st and announce the winner here. Be sure to leave your email address so she can contact you.

Thanks for visiting TBR, Mac. Best of luck to you.