• authors,  Books,  guests,  Uncategorized

    The Thirty Year Old Virgin… Guest Post fm author Synithia Williams

    Today on ye old blog we have something a little different, a guest post. Now normally I do an author interview but when I read (I will say with my own bit of skepticism followed by pure enjoyment) fellow Crimsonista, Synithia William’s Worth The Wait I had to ask her here to tell us about her reasoning behind writing an older virgin heroine.  Take it away Synithia….

     

    The Thirty Year Old Virgin

     

    The thirty year old virgin. Some scoff and say that’s unrealistic. How could someone possibly hold onto their virginity throughout their twenties? Romance readers may feel it’s an antiquated idea that is overplayed in contemporary novels. Yes you may be right, but if there’s one thing I do know it’s never say never. And to say that nowhere in this world is there a woman approaching thirty who’s never had sex would be (in my opinion) a lie.

    I have friends who managed to hold on to their virginity through college. And only gave it up, for lack of a better phrase, when impending engagements approached. I admire these friends for doing this. It takes a lot of confidence in oneself to ignore the peer pressure, and relationship pressure, and stay true to your beliefs. One friend in particular, I could see still holding onto her virginity if she hadn’t gotten engaged and later married her husband. She’s the same age as me.

    That’s why I believe someone like the heroine in my book, Worth the Wait, can, and probably does, exist. Tasha Smith was raised by strict parents who instilled in their daughters the importance of waiting for marriage. As she got older and saw friends in high school and college hurt, pregnant, or with a sexually transmitted disease, it was easy to keep to her decision to wait for marriage. But after college things got a bit dicey. Men weren’t thrilled by the idea that the only way to have sex with her meant they had to put a ring on it. Therefore, her love life became one break up after another.

    That’s where my dose of 21st century realism comes in if you still doubt the whole almost 30 virgin idea. I can’t see how dating could be easy for someone holding out sex until marriage. That’s a lot of pressure on a new relationship. So, stuck between a rock and a hard place, Tasha resolves to lose her virginity by asking playboy entrepreneur, Jared Patterson, to be her first.

    And from there the excitement ensues. I love drama, and put these two through their fair share. There are consequences to rash decisions, and the consequences almost tears families apart.

    I hope you can understand why I went with an almost 30 virgin for this book. Give it a try. Let me know if I made it work. But for now, tell me your thoughts. Do you think a virgin would have a hard time dating in 2013?

    Worth the Wait Blurb

    After Tasha Smith is dumped yet again because of her virginity, decides it’s time to stop saving herself for marriage and start dating like women in the twenty-first century. She sets out to find a man rumored to be good enough in bed to relieve her of the nuisance, but discreet enough to keep her request a secret. Jared Patterson seems like the perfect candidate. Yet after one searing kiss, she wonders if she’ll escape the night unscathed.

    Jared’s job as a successful fitness instructor and entrepreneur has helped him keep a string of meaningless relationships from the east to the west coast. After learning the hard way that women can’t be trusted, he has no qualms going from one sex only relationship to the next. Although Tasha is one of the few types of women he avoids—a good girl—the man in him can’t turn down her tempting offer.

    What starts out as a onetime thing quickly turns into an affair neither want to stop. But when an unexpected situation drastically alters their relationship, it leaves them both asking if it was Worth the Wait.

    Buy Links:

    Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Worth-Wait-Crimson-Romance-ebook/dp/B00AKERZ9K/ref=la_B008QGXWCI_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1355277298&sr=1-3

    All Romance Ebooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-worththewait-1030587-237.html

    Crimson Romance: http://www.crimsonromance.com/upcoming-releases-romance-ebook/worth-the-wait/

     

    Biography:

    Synithia Williams has loved romance novels since reading her first one at the age of 13. It was only natural that she would begin penning her own romances soon after. It wasn’t until 2010 that she began to actively pursue her publishing dreams. Her first novel, You Can’t Plan Love was published in August 2012 by Crimson Romance. When she isn’t writing, this Green Queen, as dubbed by the State Newspaper, works to improve air and water quality, while balancing the needs of her husband and two sons. You can learn more about Synithia, and her novel, by visiting her website, www.synithiawilliams.com, where she blogs about writing, life and relationships.

    Twitter: http://www.synithiawilliams.com/@SynithiaW

    Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/synithiarwilliams

     

     

    Thanks so much for being here Synithia. I really enjoyed Worth The Wait and can’t wait for your next release.

     

    All the best,

    KMJ

  • authors,  book launch,  Books,  guests,  jack

    Guest Blogger Alert: Author Amanda McCabe Muses on Mayfair

    What’s Jack up to? Jack is happy to today because there is a guest blogger (with a nice giveaway) on ye’ old blog. Yay!  And how can Jack not be thrilled? Look at the company Amanda McCabe keeps. Here she is with her pug Victoria and checkout sweet Abigail in her Halloween costume.

     

     

     

    Yep, Jack in not alone in having an, um… interesting owner. Now here’s Amanda!

     

    Hi everyone!  I’m so excited to be back at Kwana’s blog today, and excited to be talking about my “Muses of Mayfair” trilogy from Harlequin Historicals.  These books, To Catch a Rogue, To Deceive a Duke, and To Kiss a Count (plus the prequel, a Harlequin Historical Undone short story, where a real Greek Muse comes to wreak havoc on Regency London!) are out in April, May, and June.  They’re very special to me since I got to re-visit two childhood dreams—to have sisters and to become an archaeologist!  Neither came true alas, but that’s what writing is for…

                I became fascinated by archaeology when I was kid and found a beautiful  book my parents owned about famous archaeological sites around the world.  There were gorgeous photos and detailed articles about the sites’ discovery and exploration.  I spent hours poring over this book!  But then I tore up the newly-planted grass in our backyard to search for Viking treasure (with assistance from our German shepherd, who was very enthusiastic about this kind of research!).  My dad was not happy, and my fledgling career as the new Howard Carter was nipped in the bud.  But I never lost my love of history and a good tale of adventure and discovery, and I was able to use this with the Muses.

                The Chase sisters are a product of the Regency-era love of the classical world and infatuation with its artwork.  Their father, Sir Walter Chase, is a famous scholar and antiquarian who named his daughters after the Muses.  Now the 3 eldest—Calliope, Clio, and Thalia—follow in his footsteps as scholars in their own rights.  They form the Ladies Artistic Society to further their studies—but their bookish lives are overturned by the unexpected arrival of 3 sexy, dangerous heroes!

                I had so much fun creating 3 very different heroines and finding the perfect men for them, as well as exploring their sisterly connections.  I also loved putting them 3 different settings and plotting the mysteries surrounding ancient objects.  Calliope and Cameron in To Catch a Rogue are in glittering London and Gothic Yorkshire, chasing after a statue of the goddess Artemis (based on one I saw in the Louvre!).  When I wrote To Deceive a Dukeit was the middle of winter and I wanted some warm sun, so Clio and the Duke of Averton get sent to Sicily to protect a precious hoard of temple altar silver (based on the famous “Morgantina silver” in the Met).  I loved finding out what was really going on between these two!  And Thalia and Marco in To Kiss a Countgo to Bath, also chasing after the silver and the villainess who has stolen it—or has she?  The genteel Bath façade of tea and assemblies conceals danger and skullduggery galore!  (Plus I do have a weakness for Italian men like Marco…)

                So I had a fabulous time re-visiting my childhood passions and playing “Regency Indiana Jones” with the Chase Muses!  What did you love as a child?  And what are some of your favorite archaeological sites or art objects?  I’ll give away a complete trilogy to one commenter…

    “Great conversations, an engaging plot with lots of complications, and realistic, charming characters make To Catch a Rogue and Amanda McCabe a winner” –Cataromance

     

    “Amanda McCabe has crafted a spell-binding, sensuous read grounded in Greek mythology.  Filled with muses, romance, intrigue, and mystery, this thrill-of-the-hunt Regency historical evokes visions of Aphrodite and Apollo amongst the ton setting.  Like any great read, I was sad for it to end!” –The Season

    Amanda can be found at her website at: http://ammandamccabe.com/

    or on her blog at: http://amandamccabe.blogspot.com/

    Thanks so much for being here Amanda! It was a pleasure having you guest post today.

    Now, comment away people. Winner will be announced on Wednesday’s post.

    Best,

    Kwana