Spring Into Romance with Eden Bradley

I’ll admit it—I’m a die-hard romantic. I write erotic romance, but the romance is always the focal point of the story—for me, and in any good erotic romance. To me, love is the most important thing. It’s a driving force behind human existence second only to the drive to survive.

I guess being a die-hard romantic is a pretty good personality trait for a romance author. I never tire of coming up with new scenarios, new characters, discovering why they should be together, why they can’t be, and how they’ll overcome it all to fall in love and find their happily ever after. *girlish sigh*

I remember being a little girl and watching one of my favorite television shows, a Japanese anime cartoon called Kimba the White Lion. Kimba was my first star crush…never mind that he was an animated character. And a lion. In my defense, I was five years old. But I’m getting off track. My favorite episode was when he found a girlfriend named Kitty and they fell in love! I remember being a little older and reading classic stories like The Secret Garden. I always hoped Mary and Dickon would fall in love and get married and have beautiful chubby babies to play in the garden, and was sorely disappointed when those young fantasies never came true. I was over the moon when the March girls from Little Women all found love (except for poor, tragic Beth, but a little tragedy always makes a story more exciting). That final scene where Professor Bhaer comes looking for Jo and proposes to her in the rain made me cry happy tears. It still does.

This is why I write romance. To make my readers feel those same emotions. To make myself feel them while I’m writing. There are few enough places to express ourselves in this busy world, too few moments to get lost in, too few opportunities to let our emotions soar. Writing and reading romance has always allowed me to do this, and I do both shamelessly.

I also rather shamelessly write very erotic romances. If the steamier side of romance is your cup of tea, then perhaps you’ll enjoy some of my work. My upcoming releases this year include FALLEN ANGEL (written as Eden Bradley), to be released by HQN in June, and TEMPTATION'S EDGE (written as Eve Berlin) available from Berkley Heat in August. I’ll also be putting out some e-books: I’m working on a rewrite of my novella BREAKING SKYE right now, and the first book in my steampunk/cyberpunk Kyoto City Steam series, THE DREAMBOX GIRL, will also be out this year.

CONTEST! Comment here to win a prize package of two of my contemporary erotic romance e-books: WINTER SOLSTICE  and TEMPT ME TWICE! A winner will be chosen at the end of the day.

     

You can visit my websites for more information about my books—or about me: www.EdenBradley.com or www.EveBerlin.com (because one pen name is never enough, apparently!) or my fabulous group blog, www.Smutketeers.com where I blog with fellow authors R.G. Alexander, Crystal Jordan and Karen Erickson.

Eden/Eve 

Sell Your Imagination

by Dee J. Adams



First, I want to thank Maggie for inviting me to play at her blog. I’m so looking forward to her upcoming release, Can’t Buy Me Love! I love the cover! Sexy!

Speaking of love, who doesn’t love spring? The flowers are blooming, the cold is fading and the weather is warmer, promising all sorts of new possibilities. Sometimes we never know until the moment is upon us that new possibilities can change our future.

Take myself for instance. I had never planned to become a writer. Never even thought about it. But an old friend of mine has been writing for television for about twenty years and I remember my husband saying how her paycheck stemmed from what was in her head…her imagination. How many people actually use their imagination, write something down and sell it? It’s a wild concept when you think about it. I never much thought about it applying to me until the day (weeks) I wrote down a really vivid dream I had. That dream turned into a 450 page manuscript and my first book. It changed my way of thinking, not only about myself, but about my capabilities. I wrote a book.

I refer to that time as my midlife crisis. I was rethinking my desire to be an actor and wondering what I wanted to do to make myself happy the rest of my life, or for at least the next chapter of my life. I discovered that thing was writing. I loved it. Once I pegged myself as a writer, no one could stop me. I worked on one book during down time at my day job and I’d go home in the evening and work on a different book. I ended up with three books in the first year I started writing. Of course, they sucked, but I still wrote them. LOL. And I was learning, which was the most important part of the whole process. I’ve been writing for about twelve years and finally able to do that thing my husband talked about so long ago. I can make a paycheck with my imagination. Obviously, it wasn’t easy and it didn’t happen quickly, but the things we want in life don’t often come when we want them. They come when the universe says it’s ready.

Today is the two-week birthday of the second book in my Adrenaline Highs Series. Danger Zone is still in its infancy and I’m still on cloud nine with its release. This book is near and dear to my heart on so many levels. Both my hero and heroine must face new beginnings and deal with change. My hero, Quinn, wants change in the worst way and my heroine, Ellie, is terrified of it. A curious combination for sure.

So this spring, what are you looking forward to? Is there change in your future this season or is there a different season that brings change for you on a regular basis? Or is there NO change for you on a regular basis and is that something you’re happy with or wish you could…change?



In her ten-year career as a stuntwoman, Ellie Morgan has experienced her share of thrills. None compares to the rush of being behind the wheel of a race car for her latest movie shoot. Certain she was born to race, Ellie’s ready to shift gears—but a secret from her past holds her back.

Find Danger Zone at Carina Press Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Bio
I was born and raised in El Paso, Texas. After graduating high school, I moved to Los Angeles and tried to make it in show biz. I got enough acting work to pay the rent and keep the S.A.G. card. (Screen Actors Guild in case anyone is wondering.) I also worked as a Dialogue Coach in sitcoms. (That's code for acting coach and also means I helped the actors learn their lines.)
Writing came as a fluke. After a very intense dream (I apparently couldn’t stop talking about), my husband said, “Just write it down.” Prophetic words I took it to heart. Three weeks and fourteen hours a day later, I had a 450 page handwritten novel.
And so it began.
I am lucky to be married to the love of my life and we have one beautiful daughter. She was and continues to be perfect so I saw no reason for others!
I like kick-ass heroines and big stories. I like to read them and I like to write them. I like romance, adventure, a little mystery and happy endings. Romance is the perfect genre for me.
You can find Dee J. Adams on Twitter, Facebook, and her Website

Spring Into Romance with Wendy S. Marcus

Even though it’s still cold outside here in New York, and I’m sitting at my desk with a blanket in my lap as I write this, I am thrilled to be here springing into romance with all of you! Let’s set the stage, shall we? Imagine purple crocuses and the scent of rain dampened soil accompanied by the sound of chirping birds. Warm sunshine, a light, comfortable breeze, and me, sitting in the glider on my screened-in-porch with my dog, Buddy, beside me while I read on my Kindle.

There’s something about the beauty of spring, the transition from dormancy to vitality that lends itself to thoughts of romance, new love and endless possibilities. But as a full time author of romance novels, I need to find inspiration all year long. People constantly ask me, ‘Where do you get your ideas?’ To which I respond, ‘All over.’

For my third Harlequin Medical Romance, The Nurse’s Not-So-Secret Scandal (Please don’t judge me by the title. It’s a great book!), releasing in the U.S. in April/May, I found inspiration from reality television. More specifically, from the TLC show Hoarding: Buried Alive.

I remember watching episode after episode (no, I cannot explain my fascination with the show) and thinking about the emotional strain hoarding places on relationships. Husband and wife. Parent and child. Siblings. That is one potent external conflict! But if you dig deeper, there’s the potential for plenty of internal conflict, as well. We romance authors thrive on internal conflict! Guilt. Responsibility. Anger. Frustration. Disappointment. Disgust.

I know what you’re thinking. There is nothing romantic about hoarding. But I found a way to make it work. And for your information, the living conditions inside the home my heroine, Roxie, shares with her mother, is not the only secret she’s hiding!



Here’s the back of the book blurb:

The shocking secrets of nurse Roxie Morano!

Between family nightmares and a series of lousy men, nurse Roxie Morano’s life is a disaster zone. But enigmatic (and gorgeous!) new colleague Ryan ‘Fig’ Figelstein is ignoring her hazard warnings – instead, he’s signalling his attraction! Now Roxie’s bulletproof heart is at risk for the very first time…but dare she dream Fig will stick around when he discovers all her secrets?

You can read an excerpt HERE.

To learn more about me or my other books please visit my website: Wendy S. Marcus.

You can pre-order The Nurse’s Not-So-Secret Scandal for your Kindle HERE.

Paperback edition coming to Harlequin.com in April. And e-book editions coming soon for Nook and Sony e-readers. Harlequin medical romances are not sold in stores in the U.S.

Congratulations to our blog hostess with the mostess, Maggie Marr, (love that name) on her March release of Can’t Buy Me Love. I will make sure my Kindle is charged and ready to download it on March 28th.

Thank you to everyone for stopping by to visit me today. To get the conversation started I’ll ask a question: Do you watch reality television? If so, what’s your favorite show? Or I’m happy to answer any questions you may have about me, my books, or the medical romance line of Harlequin. One lucky commenter will win a copy of the 2in1 paperback UK edition of The Nurse’s Not-So-Secret Scandal, which includes a complete novel by fellow medical romance author Emily Forbes.

Find me on: Facebook Twitter Goodreads



Wendy S. Marcus lives in the beautiful Hudson Valley region of New York with her husband, two of their three children, and a much loved Bichon Frise named Buddy. A nurse by trade, Wendy has her master’s degree in health care administration. After years of working in the medical profession, Wendy has taken a radical turn to writing hot contemporary romance with strong heroes, feisty heroines, and lots of laughs. When she’s not writing, she enjoys spending time with her family and blogging/e-mailing/tweeting with her online friends. To learn more about Wendy visit her website, Wendy S. Marcus.com.

First Day of Spring Into Romance

On the first day of Spring Into Romance I am honored to have fellow member of the Girlfriends Book Club and amazing author Carolyn Jewel post about why she loves romance!


Ah, Romance Novels, How Do I Love Thee!
By Carolyn Jewel




There are a lot of reasons to love the Romance genre, from some damn fine writing to stories that will make you laugh, cry or wish you hadn't turned out the lights just yet. A Romance can be set any time, any place and it can include any other genre as an over-arching container for the Romance. Mystery Romance? You bet! Steampunk Romance? Yes! Time-travel? Of course. Paranormal, Inspirational, Fantasy, Space Opera, historical, futuristic, horror, sweet, erotic . . . I really could keep going.

What makes a story a Romance? Characters who, by the end of the book, have fallen in love and are committed to a life together; a "happy ever after" ending. That simple element can drive some powerful stories. Think, for a moment, about the things that mean the most in your life. Love is one of them. You know it is. We all want love in our lives. It makes our hearts pound and our palms sweat and when we have it, when we're right there head-over-heels in love, we are happy.

We want to love and be beloved. There are times in our lives when the courtship might not even have begun yet or when that happy ending is in doubt and we fear we'll lose or never gain the person we love. It's a shaky, horrible, awful feeling. A Romance shows us how the characters in a story overcome that shaky start. When we realize we love and are in turn beloved? There's the lift of spirit you feel when the person you love walks into the room . . . and smiles at you. You'll find that sublime moment in a Romance.

In the pages of a romance, the author will make you feel the emotions that lead up to falling in love; the doubt, the skepticism, the fear you'll be hurt, the recognition that you've met someone who completes you, who admires you and thinks your jokes are funny. A romance will remind you how precious it is when you can confide in someone else, and how it feels when someone else places that same trust in you. The author will show you how that happens in the world she's written, and with the characters she's put on the pages.

A Romance might also explore the ways in which humans develop and express love through physical intimacy. Some might close the door at the bedroom while others keep that door wide open. For stories where the door is open, you'll find the sexual intimacy has meaning and power.

The very best authors know that falling in love is worth the risk, and they write stories where you just can't wait to find out how those characters make their relationship work. It won't be easy, but then, as we all know, the course of true love never did run smooth.

That's why I love to read romance.



Thank you, Carolyn! Please leave a comment about why you love romance. Everyone commenting will be entered into a drawing to win a copy of Not Wicked Enough, Carolyn's latest novel.

Carolyn Jewel was born on a moonless night. That darkness was seared into her soul and she became an award winning author of historical and paranormal romance. She has a very dusty car and a Master’s degree in English that proves useful at the oddest times. An avid fan of fine chocolate, finer heroines, Bollywood films, and heroism in all forms, she has three cats and a dog. Also a son. One of the cats is his.

Follow Carolyn on twitter and facebook.

Spring Into Romance Begins...

Tomorrow! March 1.

Amazing authors, free books, and great prizes--it is all here for the month of March.

Stop by each day to find a new blog with a fantastic author--some of them are even giving away their books! What more could you want?

So. Very. Excited.

And if all the fantastic authors and their books weren't enough--well there is this--



Can't Buy Me Love publishes on March 28! Did I mention...

So. Very. Excited.

Please--spread the word--this month we are going to Spring Into Romance every single day!