Thank you, SSR gang, for choosing me to be author of the
month! And thank you, Angela, for nominating me! I’m so thrilled to join you
today, and I can’t wait to tell all my friends to call me Ms. June all month
long!
I thought I’d indulge myself (and hopefully you too) by chatting about my favorite
romance genres and what makes them my favorites. Let’s start with Highlanders, shall we? Is there
anything better than an enormous kilted man carrying a broadsword and
commanding you not to fash in his rolling burr? Whether the Highland hero is
modern day or from the past, I’m usually a gonner for a Scot. My favorite
Highlander writers include Karen Marie Moning, Diana Gabaldon, Sandy Blair, and
Connie Mason
Next on my list of favorite romance genres is time-travel. I absolutely adore the
dynamic of a modern-day heroine falling into the burly arms of a no-nonsense
warrior with the weight of the world (or at least the weight of his little
slice of historically-important land) on his shoulders. Whether the hero be a
Highlander, a Viking, a Brit, or a Civil-war era werewolf, I can never resist a
story in which a woman loses EVERYTHING she’s ever cared about and realizes she
has EVERYTHING she has ever truly needed in her hero. My favorite time-travel
writers also happen to be my favorite Highlander writers, because the genres
often overlap. But I would add to my favorites list Maggie Shayne, Mae Clair,
and Jan Irving.
But for the reader firmly entrenched in the present day,
there are plenty of amazing heroes to chose from in contemporary romance. From motorcycle club badasses to
billionaires, from orderlies at mental institutions to high-priced lawyers,
from frat boys to exclusive escorts, there’s a modern-day hero for everyone. My
favorite contemporary authors lean toward the erotic and include Kristen
Ashley, Ruthie Knox, Cara McKenna, Charlotte Stein, Amber Lin, Serenity Wood,
and Barbara Kellyn. I like my erotic romance to be smart. I like the sex to be
important to the story and therefore not gratuitous. That said, I like it to be
frequent and dirty and sometimes kinky. These ladies hit just the right spot
for me and usually leave me noodling over something in my own life as a result
of taking a journey with their characters.
Last but not least, paranormal
romance. Shifter, vampires, the fae, ghosts, demons, psychics, witches, and
wizards, I love them all. What draws me to this genre is the way otherness can
seem so forbidden, so unexpected, and so dark and dangerous, and THAT makes it
all the more satisfying when two people of vastly different life experience,
race, or ability find common ground in love and sex. PNR often explores themes
of trust, overcoming prejudice for love, and committing to one soul mate for
life, all things that make me swoon. Some of my favorite PNR authors are
Virginia Kantra, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Kresley Cole, Nalini Singh, Annie Nicholas,
Thea Harrison, and Candace Havens.
These four genres heavily influenced me as a writer. I
always try to learn something from what I read and can often be found hen-pecking
copious notes into my kindle. You’ll see Highlanders and time-travel in Wishing for a Highlander (Lyrical Press, January 2013). You’ll see my
paranormal twist on contemporary romance in Road
Rage, out this month with Lyrical Press. As much as I enjoy reading the
wonderful and talented authors I’ve mentioned, I truly love taking what I learn
from them and making it my own.
Check out these amazing authors if you’ve never read them
before. I guarantee you’ll find some new favorites. And while you’re browsing
for new reads, use the links below to check out my new release Road Rage and my time-travel romance, Wishing for a Highlander. Also feel free to subscribe to my blog
for a new word every Tuesday and my Free Publicity Fridays feature where I give
love to some of my favorite authors.
And finally, three words to describe myself...
1.
Outgoing
2.
Fastidious
3.
Christian
Hugs and Happy Reading!
A
single and pregnant museum worker accidentally wishes herself back in
time and is forced to marry a Highland warrior with intimacy issues.
Buy links for Wishing
for a Highlander
He has anger issues. She has amnesia. Together they have amazing chemistry.
Please see my webpage for buy links since they are HOT off the
presses TODAY!
