Monday 17 November 2014

Gemma Brocado: Exposed to Passion



Today I am featuring a wonderful novel by my good friend and fellow writer Gemma Brocado. It is a wonderful read and I highly recommend it. Later in the post, she shares an embarrasing moment we can all relate to. Check it out. One lucky commenter will win a secret prize from me.

Exposed To Passion (Five Senses Series Book #3)
Gemma Brocato      
Genre: Contemporary romance
Publisher: Kensington Books/Lyrical Press, Inc
Date of Publication: October 20, 2014
eISBN-13: 978-1-61650-616-2
eISBN-10: 1-61650-616-4
ASIN:
Number of pages: 329
Word Count: approx. 85,000
Cover Artist: Renee Rocco
Available in Digital and Print Formats

Book Description:
They walked through the shadows individually. Will they emerge into the light together?
Leading a vagabond life as a curator for a traveling photography exhibit translates to a lot of bad days for Rikki Salerno. But her trouble doubles when a careless high school student shoves her into a marsh. Being rescued by teacher Sam Kerrigan should have made things better, but Rikki’s inability to confess her true identity casts a shadow over their budding affair.
When Sam refuses an overly aggressive parent’s marriage proposal, she’s determined to ruin him. Not only does she doctor photos to make it look like Sam’s behaved inappropriately in front of students, she hacks the foundation website to reveal Rikki’s true identity. Faster than the blink of a shutter, Rikki’s focus changes from pursuing her full-color future to the black and white necessity of clearing Sam’s name.

Excerpt:
Sam’s attention wandered yet again off the homework papers he was supposed to be correcting. The universal law of gravitation wasn’t nearly as riveting as the memory of Rikki Salerno wearing a purple jacket and tight running shorts in the early morning sunlight. He’d resisted the urge to wrap her in his arms when he’d run up on her in the park that morning. A fiery halo had lit her hair, glints of red winking in her messy ponytail. The sight of her when she turned back toward town and ran ahead of him! He’d have been happy to follow her for all twenty-six miles of a marathon. But, his need to talk to her overruled his desire to watch her spectacular behind, so he’d quickened his pace to catch her.
Rikki had tensed when he’d started ranting about Marguerite Sims. Without knowing how, he’d made her angry again. He didn’t understand it, but she seemed defensive when he’d made disparaging remarks about her boss. He was going to have to watch his comments about the pampered princess when he was around Rikki.
And, if wishes did come true, there would be a whole lot of around Rikki time. Her image in his mind’s eye—exotic, interesting, and intriguing, all wrapped up in one sexy package…. He fidgeted in his hard teacher’s chair, suddenly uncomfortable with the tightness of his khakis. Thank God, there weren’t any students in the room. That’d be a hell of a thing to explain to a bunch of horny teens.
Buy Links

Rafflecopter Giveaway for one US Winner Only.
One Digital Copy of Exposed To Passion, One Leather Brighton London Flat Pouch, Assorted Picture Frames, $25 Amazon Gift Card, $15 Starbucks Gift Card. For one US Winner only. Prize package valued at $185.00
Runs 10/20/2014 - 11/20/2104
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Gemma Tells All: Her embarrassing moment

Thank you for inviting me to be here on your blog today. I’m excited to share a little about myself, and my new release, Exposed To Passion. In the story, something very embarrassing happens to my heroine, Rikki Salerno when she meets the hero, Sam Kerrigan. This particular something was not based on a one of my real life experiences, but I started thinking I’d gone out of my way to put my character into several awkward situations. Turn about is fair play, right? I’m going to share an embarrassing story about myself today.

I used to have a part-time job as a night manager at a health club. At the end of each evening, I’d jog through the club, taking one last turn around all 100,000 square feet to make sure the club was ship-shape for the next business day. As I sped around, I’d stop to pick up towels and water bottles patrons left behind, re-rack weights that hadn’t made it back where they belonged and double check I’d locked all exterior doors. This usually happened between 10 and 10:15 pm, after all members had exited the building.

One night, as I completed my circuit, I passed the housekeeping manager on my way to pick up towels left by the racquetball area. Now, in case you’ve never seen a racquetball court, it’s a large, rectangular concrete enclosure with floor to ceiling windows. One of the plexi-glass panels has an access door members step through to play their matches. I spied a towel on the floor of one of the courts and turned sharply to walk onto the court to pick it up.

Except I misjudged which panel had the door. Let me tell you - I bounce when I hit a wall at full speed ahead. The sound of my forehead smacking the window wasn’t pleasant. I stumbled backward (thankfully still upright) and clutched my hand to my head, trying to comprehend what had happened. I was too stunned to move. It was the first time all evening I’d stood completely still.

Remember the housekeeping manager I’d just passed? Yep, he witnessed the whole thing. It was worse than if someone had caught me tripping up the steps (I’ve done that too.) After he checked to make sure I was okay, he started laughing at me. I did not laugh with him then, or again the next day when he pointed out the bruise on my forehead to the club owner. I’d like to say he embellished the story, but he didn’t. Everyone referred to me as Grace after that.


So that’s my embarrassing story. Think you can top it? Feel free to share. Please.


About the Author:
Gemma's favorite desk accessories for many years were a circular wooden token, better known as a 'round tuit,' and a slip of paper from a fortune cookie proclaiming her a lover of words; some day she'd write a book. All it took was a transfer to the United Kingdom, the lovely English springtime, and a huge dose of homesickness to write her first novel. Once it was completed and sent off with a kiss, even the rejections addressed to 'Dear Author' were gratifying.
After returning to America, she spent a number of years as a copywriter, dedicating her skills to making insurance and the agents who sell them sound sexy. Eventually, her full-time job as a writer interfered with her desire to be a writer full-time and she left the world of financial products behind to pursue an avocation as a romance author.
Social Media Links:

Also By Gemma Brocato:
Cooking Up Love
Hearts In Harmony

Thanks for stopping by everyone.
Hugs
Katie

Saturday 15 November 2014

Hotness


I've been doing some research for my new book. Trying to find some attractive hot men who resemble the hero I have envisioned.





Okay, So I might have gotten distracted. A bit.

















And Gibbs? Oh man. So kind, so caring and so smokin hot!
How lickable is this guy?

 Enjoy the rest of your day.

Hugs
Katie

Saturday 1 November 2014

Celebrate!

Hey Peeps.

Just have to tell you that I have fabulous news. I have just entered into an agreement with Dawn Dowdle of Blue Ridge Literary Agency. She is going to find a home for the first book in my upcoming contermporary romance series.

I'm gonna be famous.

I hope.

Now the bad news. Dawn has sent me an email with a million attachments. Each and every one of them contains homework. I have lists to create, a timeline to do, author information to fill in. I might be strapped to my chair for a week. It is my cunning plan to get after it today.


But first ... a belated Thanksgiving dinner with the kiddies. Only mine won't look like this, because I am not much of a cook. It will taste fine, it just won't be decorative.

And then ... NaNoWriMo. Yup. I'm going to try and write a novel in a month. Book three of my current series. Oh wait, I still have a couple thousand words left on book two. Holy hamburgers ... I had best get my butt in gear.

Hugs
Katie