Special guest blogger: CARI QUINN

If you've read any of my recent interviews, you'll know that when anyone ask me about a must-read author, Cari Quinn is high on my list. This writer creates such fabulous characters with absolutely amazing chemistry that I stand in awe... or rather sit as I'm busy devouring the story!

Cari and I share something in common besides our love for coffee: A release day! Today INSATIABLE releases from Loose Id. and Cari has graciously offered to switch blogs with me!

Without further rambling from me, here's Cari:


Friends to lovers rock my world!

Thanks so much to Lynne for having me here today! I love, love, love her writing and her Samhain release today, Creative License, is one of my favorite books. That Caleb...YUM!

Now it's confession time. I have a secret. It's not much of one, granted, since anyone who knows me knows how much I love this particular trope. But I have a favorite kind of story...take two friends, add in some sexual tension, some angst, a few stolen moments...and voila! My favorite storyline ever.

Why do I love those stories so much? The history, for one. There's something so sexy about being with a guy who knows all about you, which can eliminate a lot of the awkwardness. But then there's the potential weirdness of doing the naked limbo with a guy who's seen you in your rattiest pajamas, though for me as a writer that's a goldmine for conflict. I just love it when two characters start to see each other in a whole new light - and hopefully, start to see each other in the darkness too. ;)

Here's the tentative blurb for Insatiable, my friends to lovers story due out Tuesday 2/15 from Loose Id. The story of how I started writing this story back during, ahem, the summer between my freshman and sophomore years of high school is on my blog if you're interested.

Having all of her is the only thing that will satisfy him...

Shawn Griffin and Rachel Cooper have been best friends practically since birth, thanks to their families’ close relationship. But for the past few years, Shawn has been fantasizing about getting his best pal in his bed. When she announces she’s taking a trip to reconnect with an old lover, Shawn knows the time has come to put up or shut up. If she wants to go to New York City, fine. But he’s coming with her.

Rachel doesn’t know what to think of Shawn’s sudden interest. Determined to live life on her own terms, she refuses to fall right in line with her wealthy family’s wish that they get married and have perfect little babies. She just didn’t count on how determined her seemingly laid back -- and extremely sexy -- best friend would become after setting his sights on what he wants. Her, over and over again.

But when tragedy strikes, Rachel begins to wonder if she’ll lose not only her lover but her best friend too.


Thank you, Cari.

Here's where you can learn more about Cari and her work. Her blog is absolutely gorgeous, by the way... and honestly, I wouldn't steer you wrong, pick up any of her books and you won't be able to put it down. ; )

Website: http://www.cariquinn.com/

Book Review: Personal Research by Cari Quin

You know how there are those authors who’s new releases you mark on your calendar because you know you’ll love it? For me, Cari Quinn is one of those authors.

She didn’t disappoint me with PERSONAL RESEARCH.

This book hit all the right notes for me. Cari Quinn delivers consistent, good writing, the characters are interesting the plot is solid, but PERSONAL RESEARCH is more than the sum of its parts; it’s one of those rare books that had me so rooting for the characters that I’d read it all over again just for that, aww, moment. PERSONAL RESEARCH is the perfect blend of sexy, sweet and witty.

Elena Thomas works in an office by day and is an erotic romance writer by night—or whenever she finds a few minutes. However, due to circumstances beyond her control, she’s only writing about sex; first hand experience is a memory. It’s no wonder the sexy new IT guy catches her eye.

Nunzio McGinty notices Elena right away and when he reads the story she accidently printed, he’s even more intrigued by the quiet secretary with an obvious steamy side.

When the two work late at night, sparks fly and Elena has a new source of inspiration. But does Nunzio want her because he thinks she’s easy or is there something more simmering between them



BLURB:
 Briefs are Elena Thomas’s life, whether they’re legal at her day job or on the men in the erotic novels she writes. She’s just fine with saving her imagination for her books until temptation appears in the form of Nunzio, the smokin’-hot office IT guy. When he discovers one of her scorching books shooting out of the printer, Elena’s not sure if he wants her because she’s inventive or because he thinks she’s desperate. That doesn’t stop her from taking advantage of his “services”.


On her desk. On the copier. And, oh yeah—in her boss’s chair.

Nunzio’s shocked to learn Elena’s wall-hugging persona hides a wildcat of a woman with delicious fantasies and an enticing wit. She’s exactly what he’s been looking for in an adventurous lover—and girlfriend. He knows she enjoys their sexual research. Now he just has to convince her that sizzling sex is only the first chapter of their blazing-hot romance.

EXCERPT:
Elena swallowed hard, her fingers poised over the keys. Already her panties were damp. She’d gotten too involved with these particular characters. Sometimes the line between fiction and real life blurred. Now that Victoria and Franz were about to let their feelings explode, she felt as if she were on the verge of an explosion too. Something about the heat of their need for each other. The rawness of their emotions.


The untamed lust.

Her furtive gaze flew back to the empty doorway. All clear. Time to sex.

She typed fast, letting the words pour out of her through her fingertips. This was the part of writing she enjoyed most. Building up to the actual sex gave her a nice buzz of anticipation, but the real fun came when the characters did. The rest was just foreplay and afterglow.

Halfway through the scene, right about when Franz had backed Victoria up into a dingy coat closet with little more than his thrusting hips, Elena started to squirm. Only this time, it wasn’t just because the drip between her legs had become a miniature tidal wave. She’d made the mistake of looking up while she thought through what was happening to her characters, her gaze naturally drifting to the wall across the department from her office. Right where the printer was. Since the office only had one, it broke down way too often.

Which meant it needed service—and service meant him.

Her eyelid twitched and she gripped her temple, willing the damn thing to stop. The newest IT guy shouldn’t inspire twitching or anything else. But even from across the room, his dark gaze burned into hers. And burning—unless it was on the page—was not what she needed at the moment. She was in the middle of a scene and she wanted to finish it now, or else she’d have to wait until she got home tonight. Work was piling up in her inbox and even a lax employee like herself had conscience enough to feel guilty that she wasn’t working. Again. But if she didn’t turn in another story to her editor at the small press she wrote for before the end of the month, she wouldn’t receive royalties for another two quarters. That couldn’t happen. Her washing machine had broken just this morning, and with the panties she churned through writing erotic romance, she needed a working washer.

She also needed a new vibrator, because hers ate up batteries faster than she could buy them.

How a woman suffered for her art.

The IT guy glanced her way again—whose idea had it been to station the printer directly across the department from her doorway anyway?—and her hand slipped across the keyboard as she forced herself to meet his gaze. She couldn’t exactly call herself confident and outgoing, but she also wasn’t a complete wall-hugger. Even so, he had killer eyes and she didn’t feel equipped to return any sexual volleys he lobbed her way in her current weakened state.

A prickle of heat zinged up the back of her neck and she shivered before breaking eye contact. His eyes weren’t his only amazing feature. Rock-cut cheekbones, a firm jaw and distractingly full lips made for long, slow kisses also snagged her attention. And his hands… God, they looked so big and capable, with wide thumbs that made her throat tighten.

Thumbs like that would know how to caress a woman’s nipples. Or maybe she’d suck one of them while she straddled his lap and rubbed against his cock.

A pop-up window whizzed by on her screen, interrupting her reverie. What the hell?

Then she heard the telltale sound of the printer.

Her head jerked toward the noise so fast her neck cracked. Well, look at that. The printer was working. Score one for Tall, Dark and Sinful. Pages were spitting out so fast the tray overflowed and half of them ended up on the floor. But never fear, the object of her fantasies was bending over to collect them.

What a nice guy. And now he was reading—

That finally snapped her out of her stupor. “Wait, wait!” Elena shoved out of her chair and skidded around her desk, praying she didn’t snap a heel during her flight. Her vision hazed as she rushed toward the man in question but she still saw his lips tilt upward as he shifted through the sheaf of papers.

Dear God, he was reading her writing—her extremely provocative writing.

And he was smiling.

Book Review: EX APPEAL by Cari Quinn

Warning: Cari starts this book steamy and never backs down. Not for one scintillating moment.



When I begged for a preview of EX APPEAL by Cari Quinn, I did so because I really wanted to read it but I was also a little apprehensive. I knew before I opened my Sony that this new book had a lot to live up to. I loved FULL DISCLOSURE and EX APPEAL, while not exactly a sequel, takes place in the same world. It features Jenny, who used to date Alex from FULL DISCLOSURE, but now helps him run Hunk Du Jour and Jenny's long time boyfriend, Ty. I was really looking forward to seeing Holly and Alex again. But honestly? By page two I was 'Holly who?'

Jenny isn't so different from you or me. She's been in a long term relationship that's getting stale and she wants to spice it up. Ty responds by becoming even more distant. She does everything she can think of to get his attention and when it doesn't work, Jenny begins to think maybe he's just not interested in her any more.

Ty is wondering what happened the woman he fell in love with. She's changed her hair color, is sporting colored contacts and acting strange. He wonders if she's just bored with their relationship. Besides, it's not his fault he's so busy, he's trying to build a future for them.

Jenny and Ty finally throw in the towel but is it really over? You'll have to read the book.

Cari has a rare ability to characterize in very few words, to draw you into the characters' world until you become a cheerleader for the happy ever after... And the sex. The sex scenes are at times tender and sexy and at other sexy with flashes of humor. Seriously, this is a book to read with your significant other. But don't take my word for it, read EX APPEAL for yourself.

Oh, and I dare you to find a sexier library scene. ; )

Learn about Cari Quinn here and check out the book here.

Interview with Cari Quinn

Today I am lucky enough to have the estimable Cari Quinn on my blog. Cari is celebrating the release of her newest erotic romance, Ex Appeal.

Here's a sneak peak at the blurb:

As the webmistress for one of the Northeast’s hottest dating sites, Hunk Du Jour, Jenny Talbot is no stranger to reading the applications of potential clients. But when the latest application that crosses her inbox belongs to Ty Randall, the guy she broke up with a mere twenty-seven days ago, she does a double take. Reading what Ty wants in bed not only gets Jenny hot, it also makes her rethink ending their relationship. All she longed for was a little more spice in the bedroom—okay, a lot more—but he let her go without an argument. Faced with the possibility that Ty may really be moving on, getting her ex back becomes more appealing than ever. But will revealing exactly what she needs allow Jenny to finally experience ultimate pleasure or will she drive away the man she loves for good?

So grab a cup of coffee, your favorite snack, sit back and learn a little more about Cari and her work.



How would you describe your writing style?

Quirky, sexy and snarky. Actually, I'd probably say “weird” rather than quirky, because I tend to insert strange things into my stories in the name of character development. But quirky sounds better, right?

Quirky sounds awesome. What inspired you to start writing?

I started reading early and always loved books. By second grade, I was writing Bible stories my teacher would hang on the wall. Being the center of attention back then was addictive, though I now shy away from it. After that, I was pretty much always writing. I remember plotting out a children's book with a friend in 4th grade. Shockingly, we didn't get beyond the plotting stage.

That’s further than many 4th graders get. How did your friends/relatives react when you told them you wanted to be a writer?

I never really made a secret of it. Truthfully, writing has been a part of me my entire life. In high school, my stories were passed around by my friends. By and large, everyone's been supportive. And most people who know me would agree I do better working for myself. I'm not too good with showing up to work early in the morning, though I do. Hopefully one day I won't have to.

What is the best piece of advice on writing you’ve ever received?

Don't quit. That really sums it all up. You could quit right before you land that first contract, so don't do it. Not if it really matters to you.

That is great advice! What kind of goals to you set for yourself when writing? Word count? Page count?

To finish the book. I'm not good with hemming myself in with “goals.” I sure try. I set them and try to meet them, but by day two I've usually wandered off to do anything but write. So my goal is always the same. Finish the book. Sometimes that takes a couple months. Sometimes a couple years. I work on a lot of projects at once, so I tend to finish a bunch in batches too.

Do you listen to music while you write?

Yes. If I had my way, I'd live to music. You know how a soundtrack accompanies the big dramatic moment in TV shows and movies? I'd love that. My first love was music, and it's the one thing I need more than writing. It fuels the stories I concoct in my head, and I've gotten in the habit of doing playlists for each book. And hoo boy, is my taste eclectic. It's not unusual for me to have 30 Seconds to Mars, Loreena McKennitt, Jo Dee Messina and TuPac Shakur on one playlist. Actually, that's pretty much my norm.

That is eclectic. Tell us about your newest release.

Ex Appeal, my novella out today from The Wild Rose Press's Scarlet Roses, is about Ty and Jenny, two people who are still very much in love with each other despite breaking up a month before the story opens. Neither of them are happy about the breakup. Actually, both are miserable. Jenny's tired of their lackluster sex life, but Ty didn't seem willing to change that. But when Ty posts his profile on Hunk Du Jour, the dating site where Jenny works as the websmistress, all bets are off. Both decide to lay what they need on the line. The only question is if there's some way to make those needs mesh...but they definitely have some fun while they're finding out.

You know I love this book! Do you have anything in the works?

Oh yeah. At one point recently, I had 10 WIPs, and I'm pretty sure that number hasn't gone down. Right now, my four main stories are all erotic stories, two shorter novellas and two longer stories that may end up being novels the way they're going. One of them is Giving It Up, the third and final Hunk Du Jour story about Haley, Holly from Full Disclosure's younger sister. She's tons of fun to write. And I'm also gearing up for my first release from Ellora's Cave, Personal Research. Hope to have a release date for that one soon.

If you could have lunch with one writer, who would it be?

Hmm, tough one. It's a choice between la Nora and Jeaniene Frost, my two favorite authors. I think I'm going to go with Jeaniene, because I'm a total fangirl of hers. Plus she seems like an awesome person.

Oh I’d have to join you in the Jeaniene Frost fan club. What is your favorite thing to eat?

My favorite thing is Mexican food. Quesadillas, nachos, fajitas – love 'em all. Chili's is my go-to place when I need a pick-me-up.

You know, I've never been to Chilis. What is your favorite season?

Fall, by far. I love September and October in NY. The changing leaves, the scents, the pumpkins, the anticipation in the air. And that Halloween (my favorite holiday) is smack dab in the middle of it only makes it that much better!

Who is your favorite actor?

Jack Nicholson. Love him.
He's as quirky as they come, which works for me!


Who is your favorite band or singer?

Fleetwood Mac. Lots of others I love too, but they've been my favorite since high school, along with The Eagles. But Fleetwood Mac has several things The Eagles do not. Namely, Lindsey Buckingham on guitar and Stevie Nicks' amazing vocals. Lindsey also looks pretty damn good in leather pants, which I say after thoroughly checking him out on the cover of Say You Will just this morning.

LOL. I’ve loved Fleetwood Mac since I was a little girl. I still have them in my favorites file... In fact, I think I’ll listen to them now. What is your favorite song?

Don't Fear The Reaper. Remember that thing about my writing being weird? Well, shockingly, I'm a bit different too.

By Blue Oyster Cult? Love that song. When I was a little girl I wanted to write the story about what happens in the song.



Anime and BOC... ; ) The sound quality was better on this video.

What is a movie you could watch over and over?

Halloween, the original. I'm a huge fan of 70s horror flicks and this has been my favorite movie since I was young. Yep, I snuck out of bed to watch horror movies in the middle of the night. And though I often had nightmares, I never had one after watching movies. Guess the horror in my head's all self-created.

What is your favorite non-alcoholic drink?


Coffee. Hot, cold, bring it on! It's my fuel for all those early mornings at work and late nights at the computer.

Yay for coffee! What is your favorite alcoholic drink?

Margaritas. They're a new obsession with me, but I like them without the salt.

Makes sense as they're yummy with Mexican food. Have them put sugar on the rim... yum.

Okay, time for something more personal, have you ever had a one-night stand?

Ha, I wish. Unfortunately I'm about the polar opposite from most of my characters. I can overthink going out for pizza, so no-strings sex violates my stringent overthink clause. But I have fun writing about many-night stands in my books!

What is the craziest or most unusual place you’ve had sex?

I'd have to say in a bedroom where my boyfriend's best friend and mom were sleeping in beds across the room. And not far across the room. We're talking a couple feet. We were staying at a friend's, and sleeping arrangements were tight. But hey, gotta do what you gotta do!

Thank you so much, Cari. Where can we find you?

In my head, most of the time. Oh, you mean where on the web? Well, I'm on Twitter and Facebook (under the shockingly original name of Cari Quinn) and I have my own blog I also share a blog with my fabulous CP, Taryn Elliot, Word Wenches. And if you're not sick of me yet, we're starting a group blog with a bunch of talented romance authors called Romancing The Muses, which will be launching soon. Not only that, I'm doing a website. A very basic website. Finally! Call me anything, but don't call me early.


And to tempt you further, here is the excerpt for Ex Appeal by Cari Quinn:


Excerpt:
Ty inhaled deeply. His head swam at the scent that filled his nostrils, an aroma that was all Jenny. His fingers clenched on the doorframe above his head as he took in the sight of her lying nude on the bed. God, she was beautiful. Her golden skin glowed under the track lighting, and her wet pink lips pursed as she concentrated on what she was doing. The pain that had seized him moments ago when he'd walked in the unlocked door and heard her moans coming from the bedroom faded away in a flood of lust.

He couldn’t stop the sound that escaped him. Part groan, part growl, all need. Her gaze swung toward the door, her pupils widening until her hazel irises all but disappeared. He met her eyes briefly, electrically, before he deliberately shifted his attention back between her thighs.

Abruptly, her movements stilled.

They stared at each other in silent challenge. Her flushed face reddened even more, the color inching all the way up to her hairline. She’d always been a blusher, but he hadn’t seen that reaction from her in too many years to count. It had been a long time since he’d flustered her, and he liked it.

For a moment, neither of them moved. Hello, awkward. But in spite of the strained circumstance of their reunion, he only wanted one thing.

For her to finish.

“Don’t stop,” he murmured.


Learn more about Cari on her website. Want more of Ex Appeal? It's right here. You won't be disappointed.

Book Review: FULL DISCLOSURE by Cari Quinn

I’m pretty sure if you looked up scintillating in the dictionary, you’d see a picture of Full Disclosure. If not, you probably should.

Cari Quinn creates a drool-worthy leading man in Alex, the owner of Hunk Du Jour, an infinitely likable heroine in Holly, and a romance you can’t help but root for. Did I mention the searing eroticism? This story is seriously steamy enough to leave you panting.

Holly Burrows is a thirty-something lawyer with a failed marriage under her belt, and who is tired of battery-operated love. She opts to place an ad in Hunk Du Jour, a website for women seeking ‘adult’ encounters.

I don’t want to give away the any of the storyline so I won’t go further, let’s just say there are enough twists and turns to make this one enjoyable ride.

While keeping the sexual tension on high, Cari manages to bring her characters to life. Holly is relatable. She doesn’t have a perfect body or even temperament, which I loved, but you will genuinely like her. Alex Stryker is more than every woman’s dream date, although he is that too, he’s a complex character. And I can assure you, he’ll steal your heart by the end of the book.

I have it on good authority that this isn't the last we'll hear of Hunk Du Jour and I can't wait. : )

Here is a blurb and excerpt from FULL DISCLOSURE.


Thirty-eight-year-old divorcee Holly Burrows has had enough of battery-operated love. Prompted by an ad left at her law office, she investigates Hunk Du Jour, a website designed to foster ‘adult connections’. After weeks of sexy emails and phone calls with surf hunk Kent, she's ready to test their chemistry in person. But first she has to get through lunch with her colleague Alex, a man with a brain as agile as his body. When their consultation ends with a bang, she barely remembers the man she'd lined up for dessert. Now she thinks she's juggling two hot young guys. How can she choose between her two gorgeous cubs – and why do they remind her of each other?


Excerpt:

His hair brushed his collar, messily kempt in its own wayward style. She doubted he’d seen a barber in quite a while. She also doubted Alex was the type of man who’d wince if she yanked his hair too hard during sex.

That sealed it for her, and placed the cherry red lipstick kiss on the envelope. After her sexually anemic ex-husband, she deserved a young stud. And hell, she’d make sure the young stud got a lil’ something out of the deal, too.

“It is.”

After the waitress took Alex’s card, she rose, sure she seemed more confident than she felt. Her poker face had held her in good stead before, and it would now, too.

She’d simply act as if she were a sexy, voracious older woman who expected her every sexual demand to be met, and he’d never guess differently. He’d never guess her toes were curled in her sedate pumps, or that the back of her neck had already dampened, despite the air conditioning.

He’d never guess, and she would never tell.

She slid her hand down the strap of her bag. Coquettishly, she hoped. “Your place or mine?”

Alex stared up at her. There could be no debating the hue of his eyes now, a pure, rich green. Her heart skipped, much to her chagrin, but she couldn’t help it.

Had a man ever looked at her in quite that way before? As if he’d assessed every inch of her, and she’d come up a winner in every category?

What a heady feeling. And scary as hell.

He signed the credit card slip when it was presented to him and thanked the waitress. Then he stood beside her, drawing her gaze up to his sculpted jaw and the sexy cleft in his chin. He was taller than her five-ten by a good four inches. Maybe five.

Another huge plus. There weren’t a lot of guys who made her feel small—okay, smaller—but Alex did.

Of course, she’d taken note of his height in the office. Not the only thing she’d noticed. He also filled out a pair of well-cut trousers quite nicely. But she’d pretended not to notice, just as she pretended now to be unmoved by the heat of his hand as he touched her arm. Just that single contact, his fingers on her wrist, tightened her nipples to painful nubs.

Come to Mama.

“Let’s go to your place. I want to see where you live.” His gaze skipped over her face and continued down over her discreetly displayed cleavage in a way that was more proprietary than proper. “Where you sleep.”

When his fingers crept under the sleeve of her jacket and brushed her thrumming pulse, she gave him a flirty smile. She so could do this. In fact, if she didn’t take full advantage of this experience, she’d kick herself for the rest of her days.

“Where I won’t be sleeping tonight,” she said softly.

FULL DISCLOSURE is available at The Wilder Rose Press and you can find out more about Cari Quinn at her blog.

Interview with Cari Quinn

Every once in a while, you meet someone online and just click. It was that way with Cari. Not only is she talented, she's kind, funny and one hellava writer.

Cari's first Scarlet, FULL DISCLOSURE, released last Friday.

Here's a blurb: Thirty-eight-year-old divorcee Holly Burrows has had enough of battery-operated love. Prompted by an ad left at her law office, she investigates Hunk Du Jour, a website designed to foster ‘adult connections’. After weeks of sexy emails and phone calls with surf hunk Kent, she's ready to test their chemistry in person. But first she has to get through lunch with her colleague Alex, a man with a brain as agile as his body. When their consultation ends with a bang, she barely remembers the man she'd lined up for dessert. Now she thinks she's juggling two hot young guys. How can she choose between her two gorgeous cubs – and why do they remind her of each other?




Without further ado, here's Cari.


~Every writer dreams of the day his or her book is published. Can you tell us a little about your publishing journey?

It was a long and winding road that started on a dark and stormy night…

LOL, couldn’t resist. Like many writers, I started writing as soon as I could hold a pencil, but writing isn’t my first love. Or my biggest. Growing up, my dream was to be a singer. Music is the one thing I find even more powerful than the written word…stories set to a melody, c’mon, THAT’S nirvana! But eventually I realized a singing career wasn’t in the stars for me, so I focused on my other passion: writing. I finished my first book in 2007, and that book is currently being retooled for the thirty thousandth time. ;) Full Disclosure is actually the fourth project I finished.

~Ah, another thing we have in common. I wanted to be a singer too… only I can’t carry a tune in a bucket. That kind of puts a damper on things. I for one am glad you focused on your writing.

What would be your one piece of advice for anyone interested in getting a book published?

Write. Don’t stop writing. Even when the muse scampers off to a tropical island without leaving a forwarding address. Even when you think the story’s not working or wonder if anyone will care what you have to say. Only through the repetition of writing will you ever get a chance at seeing your dream come true. Once you finish one story, start the next. Don’t let one book be the sum total of your life’s output, unless you think you may have the next Gone With The Wind on your hands.

Believe me, I know of what I speak when I say this…I worked on the same book from 1991-2007. Not continuously, of course, and the story changed a dozen times. But at its core, it was the same book. And I’m revising it yet again, though at least this time it’s only one segment of my arsenal of WIPs.

~Good advice. How did you family/friends react to your decision to become a writer?

Most of them have known I wrote as long as they’ve known me. I never really kept it a secret, and ever since I started passing around my stories to friends in high school, writing has been a constant in my life. My mom always encouraged me, especially after discussing my writing career with a woman who was known as a bit of a psychic. Once that woman said that I was destined to “make it,” my mother refused to listen to my doubts. Wish I’d been that easily convinced. ;) And my best friend has been around since my high school days, so she’s been reading my work for close to twenty years now.

~Support like that is priceless. How did you start writing erotic romance?

My first foray into steamy writing was an attempt to write for Harlequin Blaze, as I thought a 60K story would be a manageable size for me to cut my teeth on. So far, I have one of those about to go on submission again, another in progress, and my NaNoWriMo project, which has been brewing for about a year and a half. But Blaze steamy isn’t true erotic romance, and I don’t know if I would have tried it if not for my CP, Helen Hardt. Through reading her work, I became more acquainted with the genre and decided to see if I could give it a shot. She always praised my sex scenes, so I figured, why not? I started Full Disclosure and put it aside for awhile, but it stayed at the back of my mind. I love challenges, and I really wanted to see if I could write a scorching, no-holds-barred book.

~And you did! What inspired Full Disclosure?

I’ve always found the subject of internet dating fascinating. I’ve made several friends online that I’ve then met in person, and I also met a guy online eons ago. Some of the dynamics have changed, but what hasn’t is the deep connection that can be forged online. Something about the seeming anonymity allows people to feel free to express their truest self..and in Holly and Kent’s case, their deepest sexual desires. The story blossomed from my original conception of it, but the dating site behind the story, Hunk Du Jour, proved such an interesting backdrop to me that I just completed the followup story to Full Disclosure. This one is about Jenny, the webmistress of the site. Recently, I started plotting a third book set in the same world.

~It sounds like you’re going to be busy and we’ll have a lot of reading to do. Are you anything like your heroine?

I wish, LOL. Holly’s fiercely independent, so I guess in that sense we’re alike. She’s also very stubborn, and anyone that knows me knows I tend to be a little intractable when it comes to certain things. We’re also both big sports fans, though her sport of choice is hockey and mine is basketball. But as far as the hugely successful law career and her chutzpah in going after what she wants, even if what she wants is a very hot, much younger man…well, that’s not me. Not yet. But I’ll never say never. ;)

~I love reading about women with chutzpah. Okay, now for a slightly different question. If your hero and heroine went out, where would they go and what would they do?

Are they actually going out? As in leaving the bedroom? LOL Because as anyone who has read Full Disclosure can attest, Holly and Alex tend to like to stick close to the bed. Or the truck. Oops, I meant close to home. ;)

But if they were actually on a date…they’d probably go out for a low-key dinner at their favorite pizza place before heading out to a Sabres hockey game. Refer to the previous paragraph for their idea of a nightcap…

~LOL Sounds fun… the hockey game and the nightcap. Do you have anything new in the works?

Where should I start? I have 5 current WIPs, 2 completed stories that need to be edited ASAP to go on submission, and at least 2 other sequels waiting in the wings. That’s not even including all the other ideas in my “someday” file! As my awesome CP, Tara Leigh Coons, always says, I’ll never have to worry about running out of projects!

~That’s quite a list. It’s nice to know there will be lots more Cari Quinn novels to come. Do you listen to music while writing? If so, what kind?

I can’t think without music, which kind of relates to question #1, And not just music, blisteringly LOUD music. Somehow it becomes white noise for me to get into the zone with my characters. Sometimes I’ll realize exactly how loud the music in my headphones is and marvel that I haven’t gone deaf yet, but it’s a bad habit I can’t seem to shake.

What kind? You name it and I’ll listen to it. My current playlist for my NaNoWriMo Blaze, Heat Lightning, contains everything from Jo Dee Messina to the Pussycat Dolls to Marilyn Manson to Loreena McKennitt. I honestly don’t have a preferred genre, though the tone of the songs I like to listen to seems to shift from book to book.

~That is quite a variety…. And you know what they say about variety? What is the most exciting part of being a published writer?

Knowing I could do it, at least once. LOL Almost immediately my thoughts turned to making sure I avoided the sophomore slump with my next book, but those couple minutes of pure excitement were awesome.

~That moment you first see your book for sale is electric. And then you go back to work. What is the least exciting?

Worrying that people will think my book sucks. Sucking has its place in erotic fiction, just not in a book review. ;)


~LOL I almost spit out my coffee. So true and I think all writers share that fear.
Where can we find your books?

Full Disclosure just released this past Friday at The Wild Rose Press Wilder Roses: )

Other book news can be found on my blog:

Thanks for the interview, Lynne…this was a ton of fun!

It was fun for me too, Cari! Thank you.