Blazing Blackout with Samantha Hunter!

We have Harlequin Blaze Author Samantha Hunter today.

So we started off with some easy questions...

What do you love most about being a writer?

The ability to work from home, set my own daily schedule, and to be creative on a daily basis.

What do you like least about being a writer?

The unpredictability – you never know what will sell or not, what the income this year will be, how the market will change, etc. But then again, a lot of “regular” jobs have that kind of instability as well, these days.

What is your favorite recent title by another author?

A favorite recently is Lori Wilde’s The True Love Knitting Club – really loved that one, my favorite of the series, though I read a lot of books, and have a lot of them I could list J

What one specific piece of advice would you give a would-be writer trying to kick-start a career?

Don’t give up. J And keep learning – there’s always something more to learn and improve.

Describe the ultimate romantic meal.

Anything with my husband, preferably on a warm beach. J

What is your all-time favorite romantic movie?

Oh, tough one. Love, Actually ranks up there, but I also love Kate and Leopold, and so many others… Bridget Jones’s Diary, definitely. J

What is your all-time favorite romantic song or composition?

How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You by James Taylor

How do you keep the romance alive in your relationship?

We honestly never worry about that. If you love each other and make an effort to show it, which we do, romance happens on its own.

What tip would you give your readers to make their lives more romantic?

Don’t expect grand gestures but rather, sincere ones.

Where is the most romantic place you’ve ever traveled?

So far, I’d have to say Cape Cod. We’ve been to a lot of places, but I have yet to sit on any beach as lovely as the National Seashore there, and the entire Cape is built for romance J

All About her...

Have you always wanted to be a writer?

No, actually. Though I have always been a writer – I have been writing stories since I could write, for school mates, etc. But I wanted to be a scientist, actually, and still did, as an adult, which is why I went on to get my education in environmental geography. I spent the better part of my adult life as an academic, teaching writing, and then geography for a few years. I was looking for jobs in the field when I sold my first book, and we just kind of went from there. I love writing, but it was not something I always imagined doing – in fact, if you told me ten years ago that I would be making a living writing fiction, I would have laughed. J

Besides writing, what other talent would you most like to have?

I’d like to have that crazy strong athleticism like people who climb rock faces with their fingertips. J

Who is someone you admire and why?

So many people to name here. My husband, because he’s strong, kind, and so, so centered as a human being. My good friend Milene, because she managed to accomplish so much (college degrees, becoming a professor and activist, traveling internationally, etc) after becoming legally blind in her thirties. My friend Vivian who is such a dedicated teacher and friend, and so true to her faith in life. Many, many writer friends for their success and perseverance.

What quality do you most admire in a man?           

Kindness, closely followed by honesty.

What is the one thing you've always wanted to do, but never had the courage to try?

Parachuting.

To finish up, do you have any advice/handy tips/craft skills you'd like to share with unpublished authors?

Every writer and every writing career is different – comparing yourself to others will drive you crazy, but listening to others will help you learn and gain perspective, so you have to balance those two things.

Other than that, just don’t give up. J

BOOK:

MINE UNTIL MORNING is a 24 Hour: Blackout Blaze about Tessa Rose, who runs a shop in Philadelphia, and Jonas Berringer, a bodyguard who lost his eyesight while he was protecting Tessa from a threat leveled against her father, a US Senator.

Jonas is bitter about the loss of his eyesight, particularly because he believes Tessa was just toying with him to annoy her controlling father. Tessa has real emotions for Jonas, but he doesn’t want anything to do with her – or so he thinks. When her father asks him to watch out for her again – and to use their past attraction as a way to allow her to let him close – things get pretty hot. Then, as massive storms cause a city-wide blackout, they have to rely on each other to make their way across the city to help an elderly friend of Tessa’s.

I loved, loved, loved writing this book. I had wanted to write a blind hero for sometime, and then, lo and behold, as I was writing him, one brother popped up, and then another, and before I knew it, Jonas had three brothers involved in his bodyguard business, and I knew I would have to write their stories as well!

One of the brothers, Ely Berringer, has a separate story of his own in a subplot of the book, and we meet the other two, Garrett and Chance, and I hope readers will love them as much as I do. The Berringer Bodyguard series will be out over the holidays at the end of 2012 – each book also having a holiday theme.

 Thank you Samantha for being with us today. To know more about Samantha please check out her Website. Her Blog is here. And do connect with her on Facebook and Twitter for more fun! And she does have a signed book and some other goodies for a commenter today!

My Review of MINE UNTIL MORNING.

MINE UNTIL MORNING is part of the Harlequin Blaze 24 hour: Blackout miniseries.

With a strong, feisty and fiercely independent heroine, women would relate or aspire to and an alpha yet sensitive and gorgeous hero all would love it has all the masala (spicy ingredients) which would keep readers on the edge of their seats turning the pages.

Tessa Rose, though an US Senator’s daughter, wanted to lead a normal life away from the influence of her father. And she loathed any interference from her father in her life. When the Senator started getting threats, he hired Jonas Berringer, from a private an exclusive security firm to guard his daughter.

Jonas, believed through the media, that Tessa was one spoiled rich girl who liked to rub her father’s nose in her exploits and had made several questionable choices in relationships, among other things, that seemed more about thwarting her father’s control than anything else.

However, Jonas discovered that Tessa was not a girl anymore but a mature, successful business woman. And very, very desirable. Guarding Tessa became more intense than his usual assignments. She tempted him from every angle she could. Just for a weak moment when he gave in to the temptation, he lost his sight. Then he found out Tessa had betrayed him to her father, which resulted in his company being pulled of the Senator’s list.

Now blind and bitter, he meets Tessa again during the blackout and they discover endless temptations. They have to trust in each other and in their heightened senses to see them through the night until morning!

A hugely sensual and very enjoyable tale, MINE UNTIL MORNING is another not to be missed treat from the fabulous pen of Samantha Hunter! 

It’s a fast-paced and feel-good romance that sparkles with red-hot sensuality, sizzling sex scenes, mesmerizing emotion and intense passion. With strong, believable and realistic characters that leap of the pages and their deftly written story, it is sure to thrill and excite readers everywhere!