Guest Author Sherri Thomas

UPDATE: MAD ABOUT MADDIE RELEASES WITH LIQUID SILVER BOOKS ON JULY 18TH!

Today I have Author Sherri Thomas visiting my blog to talk about her debut novel Mad About Maddie. Tell us a little about your book.

Mad About Maddie is my first publication. It is being epublished with Liquid Silver Books (Liquidsilverbooks.com). I will be sure to post the release date as soon as I receive it. Mad About Maddie is a contemporary romance that takes place in Abilene Texas. Here is a blurb of the story.

Blurb:

Madison Preston wants nothing to do with the opposite sex, but finds it difficult to concentrate on her job when a certain cowboy won’t stay out of her way. Even her strong tongue-lashings do nothing more than encourage his sexual innuendoes.

Jake Dutson can’t get enough of Maddie, but he doesn’t need an entanglement with a woman who has a tongue as sharp as a razor. He has other plans and needs to concentrate on buying a home of his own.

It’s going to take a special man to help Maddie overcome her fears of intimacy and abuse. Especially when that man is a hot-blooded, sex-driven cowboy and his very being is dependent upon male-female relations. Nevertheless, Jake takes on the job, but is blown over when he discovers the only place he finds home is in Maddie’s arms.

Now he only has to convince Maddie their love is worth the ride.

Wow! I’m hooked already! It’s on my To-Be-Read List.
Where were you when you got your first book contract? Who did you tell?

I had just arrived home after picking my daughter up from school when I received my first contract. The first person I told was wonderful husband, then my mom, my sisters (I have five), and the rest of our family.

Do you have any tips for new writers?

Don’t give up. Personally it has taken me a lot of years of an on again off again affair with writing. The rejections hurt but try not to take them personally. Use the information as it is meant as constructive criticism. They do make you a stronger author in the end.

That is so true. You have to just keep plugging away and look at rejections as an opportunity to fine tune your manuscript. Where can your readers reach you?

You can find me on facebook at sherrithomasromance or on sherrithomas.blogspot.com or contact me at sherrit4@yahoo.com

Are you working on another book?

Right now I am working on a story called Lost Memories – The Matthew’s Dude Ranch.

Do you have an excerpt of Mad About Maddie that you’d like to share?

(Unedited)

Jake bent forward and rested his forearms on his legs. “Why are you afraid of me?”
“I'm not.”
“I see fear in your eyes each time I get close.”
Maddie shrugged her shoulders and bit her lip. “That's not fear. It’s exhaustion." She faked a yawn.
“Prove it. Come over here.” He patted the seat beside him. “I promise not to bite… Much.”
Not being one to back down from a dare, Maddie retraced her steps. She sank into the cushion next to him.
“Now what?” she asked in a diminutive voice.
“Relax.” His hand made its way to her shoulder. He massaged the taut muscle. “I’m not that bad, honest. I’m not going to force you to do anything you don’t want to do.” His mouth went up in a grin.
“I…” Thunder rolled and lightning lit up the room. Maddie flinched.
“Don’t care for storms either, huh.” He dropped his hand and claimed hers.
She hung her head. This day needed to end. She wanted to scream out her frustrations. "They're okay.”
“You're lying." He chuckled. His thumb caressed her hand. "Between me and mother nature, it’ll be a miracle if you come out of this without an ulcer.”
She grinned at his attempt to calm her. The sincerity in his eyes struck a cord deep within her. Her view dropped to his enticing mouth. She wet her lips.
Jake covered her mouth, taking her breath away. His arms brought her close. Heat traveled at lightning speed through her body. It had been a long time since she let herself relax and get lost in a man’s arms. Despite her protests and arguments, she wanted to be in his embrace, to feel the pressure of his lips on her own.
“Open up for me, darlin’,” he drawled.
She obeyed. The frenzy continued from outside the cabin to inside her body. His tongue met hers. Light flashed behind her lids. He maneuvered her until she lay prone on the couch.
The tension built. She blocked its path as her anxiety settled in.
Jake smoothed her hair with his hands. His mouth made love to her. In and out, his taste buds slid and twirled along hers. He worked his way from her lips to her ear, down her neck. His palm slid the length of her body, branding her skin with his print. Hot breath caressed her cheek, her hair, and settled on the base of her throat. He shifted his weight. The pressure of his hand on the inside of her thigh increased.
She gasped for air, her lungs on fire. Smothering, she clawed her way to reality. Her heart beat in an erratic staccato.
Stop. This is Jake, not Tony. Count, distract yourself.
She demanded her body to be absorbed into his skin, to forget everything else. His hand slid over her breast, up to her collarbone to the pulse on the side of her neck. Her breath came in short, quick puffs. She shoved him away.
“What the hell?” Jake let go and sat up.

What do you do to get in the mood to write?

Plug in my laptop (the battery doesn’t last anymore so portable it is not :) ) and I turn on country music videos- some days this works, others not so much.

How many books have you written? How many have been published?

I have three completed books to date. There is a sequel to Mad About Maddie called Holding On, which has recently been contracted with Liquid Silver Books as well. The two book series is called The Double M Ranch.
I do have another book, Greenhorn Heart, which is under consideration with another publisher (fingers crossed).

Best of Luck with Greenhorn Heart and I’ve just added Holding On to my TBR List too!

Do you find love scenes difficult to write?

In the beginning I thought I would have a hard time writing a love scene, but when I approached this part of my story the bedroom scene just clicked. The characters took over and created their own heat.

Do your characters talk to you?

Not when I need them to.

Who controls the storyline, you or your characters?

Mostly the characters until they decide to be closed mouthed then I have to intervene and give them different scenarios. They let me know what one works best.

Thank you for sharing Mad About Maddie with us today and please let us know when you have a release date! I’ll keep my credit card and my Kindle ready for it!