That April in Santa Monica
by Melody DeBlois
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GENRE: Contemporary Romance
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BLURB:
Madison
receives acclaim for running a talent agency for people with disabilities, but
she doesn't know how to take care of herself. When her altruism becomes
life-threatening—a matter of either develop healthy habits or die—she joins a
reality TV show that pairs her with hot, raven-haired Brandon. He is witty,
sexy, and her teacher. That makes him off limits.
After a successful run on a soap opera, Brandon stepped away from empty fame and now focuses on his work as TV's most noted health teacher. He has one fast rule—never fall for a student. But when he meets Madison, their chemistry is combustible. There's no hiding their conflict or their attraction, especially when it's all caught on film.
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EXCERPT
“Don’t you feel the sun’s energy balancing and healing you?”
What Madison felt was Brandon’s body heat radiating through
her, tightening her muscles, skimming up her spine. That kind of warmth should
come with a warning— exposure might cause side effects. Maybe she could have
blamed it on chemistry or like attracting like— called it a lethal injection.
She was dying for want of him.
She managed to say, “I see a halo around the sun.”
“Feel it vibrate?” he asked, turning to look at her.
Somehow, she didn’t think watching the sky had anything to
do with it. The heat had gathered at the sweet place between her legs— another
side effect of her being close to him. If this didn’t end up in a kiss, she
didn’t think she’d be able to bear it.
Drawing in a long shaky breath, she said, “I do feel the
vibration.” Oh, did she!
“Being out in the middle of nature, with the birds and the
sea creatures, it does something to a person, don’t you think?”
“Amen to Mother Earth,” she said dreamily.
“There’s harmony in the sounds.” His breath seemed to have
caught in his throat.
“Yes, a more beautiful melody could not exist.”
“Do you feel your eyes blur? It’s the sun cleansing you.”
Cleansing? Try heating up as if some crazy so-and-so had
switched on the gas.
She moaned, “My eyes have become pools of marvel.” No, that
wasn’t right. They were pools of longing, no mistaking
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
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INTERVIEW
GIVEAWAY
Who do you admire most?
There are so many people I’ve admired through the years that
it’s impossible to narrow it down to a single person. The first and foremost is
Mother Theresa, but I also admire Audrey Hepburn for her charitable work with
UNICEF, and I admire Michelle Obama for all she did as the First Lady. The
element that connects these women is their determination to improve the lot of
the poor. I’ve always held that in high regard.
Who do you consider the most influential writer? And what book
of theirs is your favorite?
Louisa May Alcott influenced me greatly when I was growing up.
She was prolific and versatile. I’d not realized how much she had accomplished
for the advancement of women writers until I was older. She lived independently
and avoided the conventions of the day. Her book Little Women influenced
my own writing. I liked the themes of growing to maturity, dealing with
adversity, and developing good morals.
Although I’m writing in the Romance genre, I try to incorporate these
same themes in my work.
What was the title of your first book written—published or
non-published?
My first book was called Waiting for the Magic. It was
a children’s fantasy that had no real plot because I didn’t know back then
about such things as plotting. I
sat at the dining room table and strung together a conglomeration of stories
without any introspection or point of view. I hadn’t as yet picked up a
how-to-write book or taken a writing class. I hadn’t been introduced to a
critique group. I had no writing pals. I just had this dream of being read. I
sent the manuscript, wrapped in Christmas paper, to Bantam. In turn, they graciously
wrote a personal rejection. “May you keep the joy we find in your writing.”
Well, I believe I’ve kept the joy. If not, I wouldn’t be rolling out of bed
each morning just as eager to write and to be read.
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Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing your terrific book. I sure enjoyed reading about it and appreciate you taking the time to share it with us.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteThank you for hosting me today here at Locks, Hooks, and Books. I am happy to see you posted the tour on your website. A great way for others to follow the book tour or to catch up on a blog they might have missed.
ReplyDeleteSo interesting to hear from the author! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Melissa!
DeleteGreat cover - thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteSounds like a good book.
ReplyDeleteWhat surprised you about this story?
ReplyDeleteI was surprised that the more I wrote about the change in Madison, the more I found myself changing. My habits became much healthier. Thank you for asking:)
DeleteThanks for the great interview and the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Glenda.
DeleteThank you for sharing an excerpt, this sounds great
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteGood evening, Melody! My question for you tonight is, which type of character do you enjoy the most in a story? The hero, the villain or someone who is a little bit of both?
ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting me yesterday.
ReplyDeleteThank you for having me on your blog site.
ReplyDelete