Its not too late...

Now that I have your attention...

AHEM! Look Down..no,no,no. Not down there, down here.

NOW THAT I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION...

It's not too late to vote!

Click on http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=212

Nightwalker is nominated for The Best Paranormal Romance of 2010 by The Romance Reviews!

Got your Green on?

I wanted to write an Irish romance almost from the moment I knew I wanted to write. Below, please enjoy the beginning...

The large glass sign cast a green glow to the empty sidewalk that she stood upon. “Dublin’s” was written in beautiful script inside shamrock and punctuated by a colorful pot of gold medallion. Apprehension slithered through me as I asked myself if I should have let them know in advance that I was coming home.

Home.

The word itself chased away some of the chill remaining from the rain that still peppered the rooftops and I pulled the silk scarf I wore a little tighter. It had been far too long since I’d been home.

The flat in Manhattan had more amenities than I could use along with a panoramic view of Central Park. It was everything I’d thought I wanted.

After my third book shot to the top of the New York Times Best Seller List and dominated it for sixteen weeks; my publisher convinced me to move to America where I would have better access to publicize the fourth novel. I jumped at the chance to leave the small town in Ireland that I’d grown up in and see more of the world I’d only seen on television, and the healthy bonus my publisher dangled in front of me cemented the deal. In less than a month I had packed my favorite belongings and settled into the Manhattan apartment my publisher had rented on my behalf.
The energy of her new city had excited me almost immediately; the quiet streets of Dunhar were replaced by the noise of traffic, sirens and the constant hum of people moving about New York. People I passed no longer lifted a hand in greeting with a friendly smile, but brushed past me as if I didn’t exist. I’d known everyone in Dunhar and even the tourist’s that flocked to our town for it’s old world charm and legendary Dublin’s Irish Pub, gave a friendly greeting to all they passed.

In New York, I found complete anonymity. I no longer had to worry about the Delaney sisters spreading gossip at lightening speed each time I had slipped up. I could walk through the local shops and browse to my hearts content and not be told how much I resembled Ma. And in the afternoons, I could wrap myself up in my work before heading to the clubs with my newfound friends.

It was what I’d dreamed of.

I was wrong.

I’d quickly grown tired of buildings that blocked the view of the sun and sky, pavement that covered the silky green grass that begged me to take off my shoes as I walked upon it. It’s been eighteen months since I’d dared walk anywhere without shoes.

What good was a gourmet kitchen if you had no one to cook a decent Irish stew for? I had no use for a lavish guest bedroom when there would be no one to visit me. My father had a pub to run and while he’d given me his blessing when I left, I knew that I took part of his heart along with me. I was his only family, my mother having died too many years ago, leaving a scar on both our hearts.

My thumb found the fingernail I’d nervously chewed on during the ride over from the airport. It wasn’t my father that I was nervous about seeing. Aidan Dailey still worked side by side with Da.

Aidan who had tugged on my pony tails as a wee lass and taught me to ride a bike in the street in front my father’s pub. Aidan who had saved me from the ocean when Bradley Mahoney dared me to swim a lap during a storm and my stubborn nature would not permit me to back down. Bradley had suffered a broken nose for that stunt.
I had earned my first kiss. Aidan had plucked me from the ocean and wrapped me in his own shirt. He was so relieved that I was okay that the kiss had caught us both by surprise.

It was the first of many kisses and more delicious things to follow that we had shared. Aidan had been my first for many things. Aidan had been my only.

I closed my eyes, sucked in a breath and pulled open the door to Dublin’s. The scent of fresh baked bread, and beer mixed with the heady smell of the fire that roared in the fireplace stationed in the center of the room. Music surrounded me like a warm blanket. A mixture of traditional tunes and modern rock flowed throughout the room like a fine whiskey and I smiled to myself knowing that Aidan had finally gotten my father to agree updating the music.

Opening my eyes, I let them wander around the room taking in the familiarity of it all. George and Al sat in their usual corner of the bar, whiskey splaying out of their glasses and they motioned with their hands in probably another good-hearted disagreement. Molly Flanagan expertly carried a tray full of food and green beer through the bustling crowd toward a table full of tourist. “Why is it green?” a young woman squealed as she took her first sip of the local brew Dublin’s was famous for. The other patrons at her table ignored her as they watched the throngs of dancers sway to the tune being played by this week’s band, The Blarney Stones. I cringed when I read their name. While my Da had always strived to make his customer’s happy, he believed that Dublin’s had a responsibility to remain authentic. I shook my head knowing that Aidan had not only argued for the type of music but the name of the band. I’m sure my father had a few choice words about The Blarney Stones. Being an Irishman to the bones he had no trouble speaking his mind, whether you wanted to hear it or not. Apparently a trait I shared with him.

Da stood at the bar, towel in hand as he joined the conversation with George and Al. At the other side of the bar stood Aidan, his back to me and bending over to heft a fresh keg off the floor. My heart stuttered as the muscles of his back and arms strained against the tight shirt he wore, reminding me of just how much I missed the feel of those muscles bunching under my touch as Aidan hovered most of his weight above me, one stray dark wave of hair falling over his eyes. Heat shot down to my center igniting a flame I thought had long since been extinguished
.
Aidan turned then, brushing that same strand of dark hair out of his eyes. Those eyes widened, allowing the blue to make them shine like the midnight sky. His smile lit his face and he hopped over the bar in once graceful movement, his leather boots barely skimming the top of the bar.

“Sweet Mary!” He called as he weaved around the throng of people. A dozen heads turned toward me then and my Da rushed over, shock and pleasure fighting for space on his face. He beat Aidan to me, tears of joy glistened in his eyelashes. “My baby has finally come home.” He placed a kiss on each cheek before leaving one on my lips.

Aidan pulled me from Da and spun me to face him. He lifted me off my feet and swirled me around as I looked down into his smiling eyes. He slid me back down toward the floor and the friction between our bodies fueled that passionate fire even further. Before I could let out the breath I’d been holding, Aidan stole it straight from my lips in a mind numbing kiss. “Don’t look so surprised Lassie. Can’t a man kiss his own wife?” Aidan grinned.

I shook my head slowly, swallowing the growing lump in my throat. “We’re not married, Aidan. Not anymore.”

He arched one eyebrow in challenge. “And did your fancy high-priced lawyer send you the final papers?”

My jaw dropped as I racked my brain for the answer. I sent the paperwork back to my attorney’s office. I never expected a reply from them. “I-I signed the papers.” I stammered.

“I didn’t.” And with that Aidan turned on his heel and walked back behind the bar.

I hope you enjoyed this. I'll keep you posted on the completion of this book and others on this blog and my webpage, www.RhondaLPrint.com

Just in case you've just stumbled upon the bloghop or lost your way on the tour, you can hop back on HERE for a chance to win a Free Kindle 3!

Happy St. Paddy's Day!

Anyone want a drink? How 'bout a toast to the Irish!

Tucson Festival of Books!

I'm so excited! Today I'll be at the Tucson Festival of Books at the University of Arizona Campus from 11:45-1:15 in Tent 1. I have giveaways and am offering a chance to win a free copy of Nightwalker!

The Professor's Assistant - Bren Christopher

Congratulations on your book! Why don’t you tell us a little about it?

Thanks, Rhonda. The Professor’s Assistant was just published by Liquid Silver Books. It’s a male/male romance with a lot of science fiction elements, but takes place in alternate universe Victorian London. It was a lot of fun to research and write in that era. But even though there are a lot of science fiction and adventure elements, it is still primarily a romance. I confess it’s written just the way I like to read my romances – with lots of hot sex to go along with the romance!

Did you find the love scenes difficult to write?

Not at all. I know that some writers are concerned they will become too mechanical because they have written so many love scenes. But I’m still a fairly new author, so I don’t see that as an issue; not yet anyway. The love scenes are all about the emotion, not the mechanics. If the characters are well developed and have distinct personalities, then that should help to make their love scenes unique. Who knows, though – I may change my tune after writing another dozen or so of those scenes.

What draws you to write erotic romance?

I’ve always read mysteries and science fiction. I tried to read some romances, but was never a big fan until I discovered erotic romance. I didn’t want to stop at the bedroom door. Sex is a very important part of any intimate relationship and I always felt as if I were missing part of the story.

Are you working on another book?

I’ve just submitted a male/male contemporary romantic suspense, so I’m waiting with fingers crossed to hear back about that one. In the meantime, I’ve started two different books. One is a contemporary romance and the other is a romance in a futuristic science fiction setting. I have to sit down and decide which one to work on. I know some writers who work on several projects at once, but I find I really need to be able to concentrate on one. That doesn’t mean I’m not constantly jotting down ideas for other stories all the time. If I don’t write an idea down when I think of it, then it’s just gone out of my head – a very frustrating feeling. But I can really only focus on writing one novel at a time.

Do you have any tips for new writers?

Just don’t give up. That first rejection letter can be very discouraging, especially when it’s one of those form rejection letters with no explanation for the rejection. If you get a rejection, the odds are you submitted that piece a couple of months ago and it took that long for the publisher to review your work and give you the rejection. So what did you do during the time you were waiting to hear back? Hopefully writing some more, reading books on writing, maybe taking some workshops. Take what you’ve learned, do some editing, and send the manuscript off to a different publisher. You may be surprised at the result.

Where can your readers reach you?

I would love to chat with folks on my blog at brenchristopher.com, or drop by my Facebook page.

Do you have an excerpt you’d like to share?

Here is a little more detail, along with a link to the full Chapter One excerpt. I hope you enjoy it!

The Professor’s Assistant

Lured by rumors of a momentous invention, Agent Julian Blake steps into the New York Gate and emerges outside London.
It is the same year, 1885, but an earth parallel to his own. The two timelines are almost identical, but the slight variation is enough to threaten his mission as it includes an attitude toward same-sex attraction that is less than accepting.
He never expected that difference to pose a problem. Julian has an important mission to complete; a mission with far-reaching consequences not only across the alternate earths, but into their pasts. For the momentous invention is a working time machine.
And the inventor’s assistant is a beautiful, auburn-haired young man named Daniel who causes Julian to disregard the Department rules he has lived by for so long.
But there are others interested in the professor’s new invention, and when tragedy strikes, the professor’s lovely assistant might just be the only person left with the knowledge to recreate the device.
Now Daniel is a target, and Julian is in a race to protect him and retrieve the knowledge of the time machine from those who would misuse it.

Note: Explicit male/male sex. Read Chapter One

Votes Please!

I feel so honored!

Nightwalker has been nominated by TRR reviewers for Best in Paranormal Romance for 2010 at The Romance Reviews!

If you have a chance, stop by and vote!

http://www.theromancereviews.com/bookvote.php

Tucson Festival of Books!

I am very excited to be part of the Tucson Festval of Books this year. The festival is located at The University of Arizona and both parking and admission is free! I will be at the East Tent on Saturday March 12th from
11:45am - 1:15pm.

More info is available at www.tucsonfestivalofbooks.org
Hope to see you there!

Chandler Regional Hospital

A great big Thank You to the doctors, nurses and staff at Chandler Regional Hospital for the excellent care I received during my unexpected stay there. Especially Steph and John, two of the nurses who took exceptional care of me!