TBR welcomes Christine Warner

TBR: Welcome to TBR, Christine Warner. Will you share a little bit about yourself?
Christine: I live in Michigan with my husband and kids and a hairy troop of furry pets. I work part time at a hospital but my true loves are writing, cooking, reading and spending time with my family (in no particular order)…oh, and I always enjoy a good laugh. I’ve been writing for about 4 years seriously and have two books released with The Wild Rose Press and one coming out in 2013 with Entangled Publishing.

TBR: Tell us about Two-Timing the Boss.
Christine: Two-Timing the boss is a sexy, office romance. Here’s the blurb:

Farah Smith is on a mission: secure the funds for her twin sister’s surgery.  She’ll do whatever it takes to succeed.  Even if that means putting her values aside to work for a man she finds morally bankrupt.  But when the real Farah meets her new boss, she wonders if she’ll be able to resist his sexy advances long enough to help her sister.

From the blonde wig, to the stilettos strapped around her ankles, Farah’s a clone of Keller Donovan’s harem of past assistants.  She can’t believe she’s let herself be talked into the disguise, let alone working for the man planning to demolish the hospital her sister so desperately needs, but the salary he offers is the only way she’ll be able to afford her sister’s surgery.  The moment Farah meets Keller she realizes her most daunting task isn’t typing, spreadsheets or organizing travel arrangements, but fighting the growing attraction toward a man whose ruthlessness is legendary in the boardroom as well as the bedroom.

Determined not to end up in a disastrous marriage like his divorced parents, Keller believes all relationships should have a shelf life of sixth months or less.  But when he meets Farah, all bets are off.  He not only wants her to continue as his personal assistant, but his own private bed warmer.  Unfortunately, his offer of an affair doesn’t sit well with her fairytale dreams or the strangled hold gripping his heart.

You can find Two-Timing the Boss in both print and ebook here:

The Wild Rose Press: 

print  http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=191&products_id=4965

ebook http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=175_133&products_id=4951

Amazon:

Print  http://www.amazon.com/Two-Timing-Boss-Christine-Warner/dp/161217342X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1355499404&sr=8-1&keywords=two+timing+the+boss

ebook http://www.amazon.com/Two-Timing-the-Boss-ebook/dp/B0091IC5BO/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1355499404&sr=8-1

and Barnes & Noble ebook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/two-timing-the-boss-christine-warner/1112706948?ean=2940015180510

TBR: Please tantalize us with a story blurb or excerpt.
Christine: Thank you, I’d love to share one of my favorite excerpts from Two-Timing the Boss…ENJOY!

Excerpt:

These damn shoes would be the death of her.  She could read the headlines now:  Penniless P.A. Falls to her Death while on Job Interview.

Almost to her destination, with no more mishaps, her confidence surfaced.  Okay, maybe mastering this heel thing wouldn’t be such a big deal.  Her steps became light, almost bouncy.  Although she sensed Keller Donovan behind her, she didn’t let it deter her feeling of success.  She stepped onto the large black and red area rug, less than ten feet from her target.  The leather chairs.

“Oh!”  Farah’s spiky heel caught on the edge of the expensive rug.  Her legs shook and she shot her arms out from her sides, circling them like a bird about to take flight.  She fought to regain balance inside the ridiculous stilts strapped to her feet.  A brawl to the death.  Over when she looked down to see the rug coming up to kiss her face.  She threw out her hands, sucked in a breath and closed her eyes, scrunching her face as she prepared for impact.

But nothing happened.  There were stars all right, and a blazing jolt of electricity shot from her toes, up her legs, through her body and exited with the small gasp which escaped her lips.  Somehow Keller Donovan had grabbed her around the waist before she met the floor. 

Heat burned her cheeks.  He may have saved her body from bruises, but her ego, and whatever confidence she’d walked in with had shattered.

“Let’s not have an accident before your health benefits kick in.”  His breath tickled her ear from behind.  Chills hugged her backbone.

His touch released an unsettling flutter in her abdomen.  She sucked in her stomach from the pressure of his strong arms wrapped around her middle, afraid to breathe. 

TBR: How do you develop your characters?
Christine: I actually fill out a chart with their characteristics, looks, personality traits…and that’s just to get me started. As I write their personalities are revealed more and I generally go back and fill that into my chart. It’s interesting as you write and have your characters interact with other characters all the aspects about them that are revealed.  

TBR: Did any music inspire your book? Do you have a playlist?
Christine: I wish I could listen to music when I write, but I am one of those writers who like to have total quiet. My 2 dogs and cats are usually huddled around me somewhere and their soft snores are about the only music I can have that doesn’t distract me. I envy those writers who can have music in the background.

TBR: What's next for you?
Christine: I’m working on a couple of other contemporary romances and I’m eagerly awaiting the story releasing in 2013 with Entangled Publishing because it’s near and dear to my heart. It’s titled Bachelor’s Special and will in the Indulgence line up. WOOT WOOT!  

TBR: Any other published works?
Christine: I have another story published with The Wild Rose Press titled SOME LIKE IT IN HANDCUFFS…it’s a fun, sexy, light-hearted romantic suspense with humor.  

TBR: What’s the most challenging aspect of writing? Most rewarding?
Christine: Lately the most challenging aspect of writing is finding the time, but I’m going to blame that on the busy holiday season. The most rewarding is finishing a story and reading it over and falling in love with the characters again. I also love to hear what people think of my writing…good or bad. Of course good is always best…lol, but I hope that by hearing the bad I can learn and improve.

TBR: What’s the most interesting comment you have received about your books?
Christine: I had a review from Romancing the Book for Two-Timing the Boss and here’s a little tidbit of what she had to say:

Two-Timing the Boss has intriguing characters, a fascinating plot and exceptional character chemistry that when combined and executed flawlessly delivers fans of the genre what is undoubtedly one of the best contemporary romance novels of 2012 so far.

I took that as a HUGE compliment!

TBR: Where can readers find you on the web?
Christine: My blog/website:  http://christine-warner.com/

Twitter @ChristinesWords: https://twitter.com/#!/ChristinesWords

My Facebook page…stop by and give it a LIKE to keep up on what’s happening: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Christine-Warner/143430882396013

Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5763713.Christine_Warner

I love to hear from readers and other authors

TBR: Is there anything you’d like to ask our readers?
Christine: Do you think office romance is taboo, or something in this day and age that can easily be pursued?

 

TBR: Thanks for visiting TBR, Christine! All the best to you.

TBR welcomes Christine Warner

TBR: Welcome to TBR, Christine Warner. Will you share a little bit about yourself?
Christine: Thank you so much for having me here!  I live in Michigan with my husband, 3 children, 2 dogs and 2 cats.  A couple of my favorite things to do are laughing until my sides hurt, cooking, traveling, reading (though I don’t get to indulge as often as I used to) and of course writing.

I started writing seriously about 3 years ago at the prodding of my sister and haven’t looked back since!

But of course, like most other authors I started writing way back in elementary school.  I won a few essay contents and was hooked.  I even won a short story contest in middle school and my book “How Frogs First Turned Green” was printed, bound, illustrated and shelved in the school library.  I still have my copy J  I think that’s when the writing bug truly bit me.  

TBR: Tell us about Some Like it in Handcuffs and where it's available.
Christine: I like to describe Some Like it in Handcuffs as a light-hearted romantic suspense with humorous elements. 

Here’s a blurb:

Sunny Kennedy, the only female in a family of blue blood male detectives, is determined to prove testosterone isn’t the only qualification required to solve a cold case. Handcuffed while undercover then taken to the precinct by an attractive detective, her domineering family demands she work with Detective Judson Blackwolf, or she’s off the case.

Judson Blackwolf thinks women in law enforcement should work behind the scenes. The prospect of working with his Captain’s sexy daughter doesn’t thrill him. He only agrees in hopes of solving the murder of his one time mentor’s daughter. Once the case is over, he’s moving to Montana to heal his wounds from the loss of his last partner.

But when their investigation takes a dangerous turn, Sunny and Jud soon realize their feelings for each other cannot be denied.

TBR: Please tantalize us with a story blurb or excerpt.
Christine: I’d love to!

“This isn’t how I wanted it between us.”  Judson grabbed the neckline of her sweater, dragging her body to meet his with a solid thump.  Sunny licked her lips in answer to the question in his eyes.  He lowered his head to move his mouth over hers. 

Sunny closed her eyes, a small whimper escaping her lips.  She didn’t want it like this either, but that wasn’t possible.  Unable to resist her attraction she accepted it wasn’t an affair, or a long distance romance she craved, but for him to love her back.  It was all or nothing for her.  Her heart sank.  She accepted this as their goodbye kiss.

With no thought to what was happening upstairs, Sunny rose up on her toes demanding more.  Her lips pulsated against Judson’s.  When his hand trembled against her cheek in a soft caress she lost touch with reality. 

“Judson.” Sunny’s weakened body drifted farther into Judson’s as his fingers glided down her arms, pulling them to her sides where their fingers intertwined.  He forced them behind her before his tongue thrust into her mouth. 

Their bodies molded together, she heard her own heartbeat and his as well when he curved his fingers around her rear and squeezed. 

That’s when the click of the handcuffs against her wrist connected her to the handle of the locked cupboard. 

“What the hell…Judson?”  She looked up at him, her knees shook, her body still inflamed with fever. 

“Like I was saying, you wait here and I’ll go upstairs to check it out.  Backup’s already been called, so you’re safe until your brothers arrive.”  Judson winked before walking toward the steps to the third level.  Once he reached them he turned toward her and smiled.  “Gotcha,” he whispered with his notorious grin.

Some Like it in Handcuffs is available in print and digital format at:

http://thewildrosepress.com/

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/

http://www.amazon.com/

TBR: What inspired you to write about the theme?
Christine: I actually came up with the story—now this might sound odd—by coming up with the title first.  The title popped into my head and then Sunny’s character was born, along with her family dynamics, a mouth-watering hero—Judson—and everything else right down to the setting and plot. 

I love watching and reading true crime and most of what I wrote was based on that, but I had to add a bit of humor in there too.  J

TBR: Are you a plotter or pantser?
Christine: I refer to myself and having one foot in and one foot out.  Part of me plots, but I don’t go to in depth.  Basically I write up a rough outline of the story which features a timeline and basic plot chart, then I do a character sketch.  From this outline I write my story and it also helps me write my synopsis at the end.  As I’m writing I follow that rough outline, but of course things might change in the storyline so I’ll adjust it as I go.  If I’m having a difficult time with a story, I like to have that rough outline along with smaller outlines per chapter to keep me on track.

That way I feel like I’m still being spontaneous but organized.  lol

TBR: Did any music inspire your book? Do you have a playlist?
Christine: I wish I could listen to music as I write, but I can’t.  Peace and quiet keep me focused.  About the only noise is my two dogs snoring at my feet or the cats purring beside me :)

TBR: Which of your characters would you most/least like to invite to dinner, and why?
Christine: Definitely Sunny.  I love her humor and sass and her ability to make fun of herself.  I think we’d have some great conversations and she’d be a lot of fun.

TBR: What's next for you?
Christine: I have several new projects in the works.  I’m in the process of finishing up 2 manuscripts that I hope to submit shortly. 

I also have a second book coming out this year with The Wild Rose Press titled Two-Timing the Boss and another book titled Blind Date Billionaire coming out with Entangled Publishing, The Indulgence Line.  I don’t have a release date yet for either, but feel free to visit my blog or follow me on facebook and twitter to stay tuned J

 
TBR: What’s the most interesting comment you have received about your books?
Christine: Most people who’ve read Some Like it in Handcuffs have told me they loved the humor and really connected with Sunny and Judson’s story.  How they met and how their relationship grew.  I’ve also been told readers enjoyed the interaction between Sunny and her brothers, which is good to hear since I’m working on writing the stories for each of her four brothers.

TBR: Who are some of your favorite authors and books? What are you reading now?
Christine: I wish I could pick just one author.  There are so many out there it’d be hard to choose.  I love reading romance and mainly read contemporary, but vowed this year to expand my horizons.  So, I’m learning about even more fabulous authors. 

I stated above I enjoy true crime and I love author Ann Rule.  Since this is a smaller genre, it’s a bit easier for me to choose a favorite author there. J 

Unfortunately I don’t get to read as much as I used to.  L  Since I’m currently working on finishing up 2 books of my own, I don’t have a book that I’m reading.  I prefer not to read when I’m writing.  But as soon I finish, I’m taking a break and am going to indulge with one of the many books filling my Nook, or in the pile beside my bed…lol.  

TBR: Where can readers find you on the web?
Christine: You can find me at:

My blog/website:  http://christine-warner.com/

Twitter under ChristinesWords: https://twitter.com/#!/ChristinesWords

My Facebook page…stop by and give it a LIKE to keep up on what I have coming up: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Christine-Warner/143430882396013

I love to hear from readers and other authors J 

 
TBR: Is there anything you’d like to ask our readers?
Christine: What’s your favorite type of hero and why?

TBR: Thanks for visiting TBR, Christine. All the best to you!

This week on TBR

Wow, it's the last week of March already. I'm thrilled that TBR has grown so rapidly in just three months! Thanks to the wonderful authors who helped it grow, and to all the followers. You guys rock!

Three very cool authors are visiting this week:

Monday, March 26  - Christine Warner

Wednesday, March 28  - Katherine Grey

Friday, March 30  - Charmaine Gordon

 

The last week in March means it's the last week to visit the March Featured Author - the fantastic Kitty Keswick! Don't miss out! Kitty's latest is part of a very cool anthology, Spirited, and Leap Books is contributing the proceeds to 826 National, an organization that does free afterschool tutoring and teaches kids to write. By purchasing this book, you'll enable kids to put their creativity to good use.

A second "wow" for this weekend's SciFi Blurb Fest. 34 authors posted amazing blurbs, and more than 120 visitors came to check 'em out. A huge success. I hope we can get as many authors for the Mystery Blurb Fest on April 14.

I'm adding a shameless plug for my dark paranormal erotic romance, Dancing With the Devil. See the cover up there on the top left? The ebook will be free on Amazon from Wednesday through Saturday. I hope you'll download a copy! And help spread the word.

 

Thanks, as always, for your support!

Cate