Born and raised in Ontario, Canada, C. L. Scholey developed her passion for writing through her love of reading books as a child. Her first book was contracted in October 2009, the very same month her first grandson was born. Connie still lives in Ontario, in a rural community with her husband and daughter.

Hi Connie. Welcome to TwoLips Reviews Interviews. I'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate you on being named 2012 Torrid Books Author of the Year, joining the likes of Linda Mooney and Angela Castle, the only other authors to receive this award.

Q. Your book, New World 1: Shield, has also been named Torrid Book of the Year! In fact, you've had six number one bestsellers through early 2013, including all five of your New World series releases. Holy cow! How does it feel to be so successful?

Connie: I feel… grateful. I worked very hard but there is so much to making a story a success. First, Torrid Books took a chance on my writing, then my awesome editor helped me to polish my work. The cover artist is fantastic. And of course—the readers, many with positive thoughts and encouragement. I would also like to take the opportunity to thank you for the interview.

Q. Your New World series is science fiction and now your new Vampire Coven series is paranormal. What is it about these genres that most appeals to you?

Connie: I love the fact I can write anything, or do anything. New World is just that—a new world. Imagine a race of men who cannot lie, who can literally envelope you in safety, give you immortality and love you forever. My Vampire Coven was so much fun to write. Powerful predator vamps turned protective towards their coven humans. Without the help of both vampire and human the survival of both species would die. Though the humans and vamps are on Earth I still needed to create a utopia.

Q. How long have you been a writer? How many books do you have published? Do you “celebrate” each new book’s release?

Connie: I’ve been writing stories as long as I can remember. I became serious about what I wrote after reading Tom Sawyer at eight years of age. My first MS was sent out at age eleven, and politely rejected. I still shudder at how many spelling mistakes I must have made on that old typewriter. After my daughter was born I stopped writing for a time. I started writing again after my sister asked me (okay downright nagged me) into writing again. At the moment I have over thirty books published. As for celebrating, it’s more like crossing my fingers and toes and then stalking myself on Amazon and other sites.

Q. What’s the biggest surprise you’ve discovered about the writing process? 

Connie: Wow, there have been so many, hmm. Sadly I suppose it would have to be when I learned one of my publishers was closing their doors this June. That was a blow. It never even crossed my mind a publisher would just stop publishing. I now have fifteen stories that need homes, but I’m wondering if I should move forward or move back. I have new stories I’m working on and want to finish them.

Q. In 45 words of less, who is Constantine De Bohon and how did she come into being?

Connie: She is a charming character from an erotic historical comedy I wrote no one seems to want. My POV is everywhere. Stubborn that I am, I don’t want to change it. De Bohon is ‘borrowed’ from a distant relative around the thirteenth century—a rebel ;).

Q. Please tell us a little about your Constantine De Bohon books, which are also published by Torrid Books. How do they differ from your C.L. Scholey books?

Connie: Constantine writes fantasy. All four Viking books are time travel. Three are ménage. Unlike Sci-Fi and paranormal I found I needed to do a great deal of research, which was interesting. I really love to research and I’m hopeful I can find the time for another time travel.

Q. Did you have any other careers before devoting yourself to writing?

Connie: I have made a career out of being a mom. That title wears many hats, therefore I find it rewarding as there are never any dull moments. Before I had my first daughter at twenty I was a nanny to a number of children. When my second daughter turned ten my husband and I decided to become Foster Parents. We fostered seventeen children over the course of ten years. It’s a tough job. It’s bittersweet to see a child you’ve grown to love walk out the door. It can break your heart and yet at the same time you wish them happiness and success. The most amazing part of fostering was adopting our third daughter. We no longer foster, I’m too busy with my youngest daughter, grandchildren and of course, my writing. As well we’ve added a new puppy to our family, Aramis, aka ‘Mr. Tinkles’ is a bull mastiff.

Q. Does your family support your writing? Do they know you write erotic romance? What do you feel is the biggest misconception about authors who write erotica?

Connie: My family is my cheering section. Yes they know what I write. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying ‘never ask a writer what they’re writing unless you really want to know!’ As for misconceptions, no one has approached me personally with any outrageous comment about what I write.

Q. What makes a great book to you?

Connie: I want to feel the characters emotions; I want to see what they’re seeing. I want to think about the story I just read for days after if not months. No matter what the emotion, happiness, sad, angry, if the story has made me think and stays with me it’s a great story.

Q. Being such a prolific writer, how do you keep the sex fresh in each new story?

Connie: That is what I love so much about writing Sci-Fi and paranormal. Different ‘creatures’ make for some interesting scenarios, and positions. As well when you add new worlds you create new places. Can you imagine being fused to a man in his protective shield being loved? Or lifted into the air, suspended, with a man as your only refuge.

Q. What qualities does the “perfect” hero have? In your opinion, is there such a thing as a “perfect” hero?

Connie: I don’t think I would want perfect. So yes in a way the ‘perfect hero’ would be ‘not perfect’. A hero doesn’t need to be physical to be strong. A sensitive man doesn’t need to cry. The important qualities are respect and compromise. My husband and I have been married twenty-five years this June and there has been a lot of compromise—a lot.

Q. Which of your heroines is most like you and in what way(s)?

Connie: Each heroine I create has a little of me, depending on my mood. I would like to think the biggest attribute any of my characters posses is their courage. And perhaps my sometimes odd sense of humor and sarcasm.

Q. What do you have coming out next? Can you give us a snippet?

Connie: The first in my new series, Unearthly World: Bay’s Mercenary, will be out on June 1st of this year:

Bay went from tortured human captive to exotic alien pet in a heartbeat. Zargonnii warrior mercenaries are like nothing she has ever seen before. What do they want from her? The unearthly world Bay is taken to is fascinating, frightening and a lot different from Earth. Zargonnii males have never seen a small vulnerable female, their females are huge, aggressive, dominant and the two sexes live apart for safety reasons.

Zane finds himself saddled with a bald unusual pet Earth female. Females are anything but vulnerable in his world, this female is an oddity, and for some reason his new pet brings on his mating cycle. Zane is mortified, until he discovers this intelligent pet of his has a secret—she’s no pet at all. It takes everything in Zane’s power to control the temptation of his kinds breeding habits—until he can control it no more.

Merrylee: Game On!, Connie's latest release was released on May 1st at Torrid Books.

Q. What twists/turns do you see your writing taking you in the future?

Connie: I seem to be on a journey of discovery. I have a few secret projects I’m excited about. There’s an adventure going on in my mind and I hope to take readers to distant places. It’s always more fun when you have company.

Q. Where can your readers connect with you?

My Website: www.clscholey.com

My Torrid Books Author Page: http://whiskeycreekpresstorrid.com/authors/CL_Scholey.shtml

My Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/C.L.Scholey?ref=tn_tnmn

Twitter: https://twitter.com/clscholey

Please check out our reviews of C. L. Scholey's books here.

For years, Linda Mooney read romance novels that after a while all sounded and read the same. It was as if there was this gigantic pool of ghost writers churning out the same ideas month after month. Until the only difference she could find in the stories were the characters names and descriptions. Too many times she would begin reading a book and stop to wonder...didn't I just read this? Or, after reading the back cover blurb before buying it, wonder...haven't I already read this? I was having difficulty keeping my love of romance fiction alive. Then a very wonderful friend told me: WRITE THE KIND OF STORIES YOU WANT TO READ. And so she did.

Linda is a former Torrid Books AUTHOR OF THE YEAR, one of only 3 authors to win this award in the ten years since Torrid Books' inception.

Hi Linda. Welcome to TwoLips Reviews Interviews. I'm so pleased to have you with us for this All Torrid Books Authors Month.

Q. You're one of my all-time favorite Sci-Fi authors, but you don't just write Sci-Fi. What other genres do you write in and what draws you to these genres?

Linda: Wow! Thank you, Merrylee! I also write fantasy and urban fantasy, and paranormal. Plus I dabble in the horror genre, using the name Gail Smith. When I was growing up, I practically lived in a library. Most of the time I read non-fiction animal books, until I discovered the "Dolphin Boy" trilogy, and the works of E.A. Poe. By that time, I was immersed in sci-fi and fantasy TV shows such a "The Outer Limits" and "The Twilight Zone". (I'm really showing my age here, aren't I?) I even remember listening to the original "Star Trek" television show on a hand-held FM radio when I couldn't watch TV, because somehow the frequency the TV station broadcasted on was within range. All of this fueled my love of Sci-Fi, so it was only natural I would begin writing in that genre.

Later on, around 1998, I got hooked on the show "Beauty and the Beast", with Vincent and Catherine. My writing took off, and I had over a hundred short stories published in fanzines. It wasn't until later that I began writing for other fandoms, until eventually I branched off into writing my own stories.

Q. I reviewed your best-selling Thunder Trilogy from Torrid Books. Book one, Lord of Thunder, is still one of my all-time top 5 favorite books. It's a 2011 EPIC Ebook Award Winner and a Torrid Books Readers' Choice #1 Bestseller as well. Where did you get the idea, not only for this book, but for the entire series?

Linda: Thank you! Frankly, I have no idea where I got the idea for my angel book. I do know that it was originally meant to be a stand-alone, until a friend convinced me to write book two, expanding upon Annie's life in Rion's world. (She also demanded to know if the baby had wings.) When I went back to re-read the duo, I realized the series needed an ending to "fulfill Rion's prophecy" from book 1, and thus it became a closed trilogy.

Q. Likewise, I love your Runner's Moon series. With thirty-one aliens landing on earth and dispersing among our populace (unidentifiable because of their shape-shifting abilities), can I talk you into writing more of these books, beyond the four already published?

Linda: I hope by 2014 to have Yarrolam/Liam's story published.

Q. I'm curious, who is your favorite character from the Runner's Moon series and why?

Linda: Hands down, it's Tiron. She has withstood so much, and suffered unbelievable degradation, to the point where I was dying to give her an HEA. (She's the Ruinos version of Hannah.) Initially, I was looking at putting out just Jeb's and Simon's stories, but her plight and heartache touched me so deeply, I was compelled to write her story after Jeb's.

Q. If you gave one of your characters from any one of your books an opportunity to speak for themselves, what would he or she say?

Linda: Hands down, it would be Atty D'Jacques, my Battle Lord Lady. She would tell you to stay strong, persevere, and do not be afraid to face whatever the future may bring, because eventually you will be rewarded. No matter how terrible things may get, there will be moments when it will all be worth the sacrifice.

Q. Which is your real name? Linda Mooney or Gail Smith? Or are they both pen names?

Linda: Linda Mooney is my real name. Gail is my middle name, and Smith is my maiden name. I deliberately separated the two genres with two names. That way, when readers see Linda, they know they're getting a romance. With Gail, they'll get horror.

Q. Which were you into reading and writing first, romance or horror? What prompted you to write horror? And why publish these books with publishing houses other than Torrid Books or their mainstream Whiskey Creek Press imprint?

Linda: I wrote romance first, but I actually read more horror. I love horror movies, so it was natural that I try my hand at the genre. I initially took my first horror stories to another publisher because they had put out a submission call for the genre. Since then, Whiskey Creek Press has published an erotic horror story of mine called The Tub.

Q. Do you look to your own phobias to find horror subject matter? Are your stories perhaps the products of nightmares, childhood experiences, fantasies?

Linda: A bit of all of that. And sometimes I challenge myself. I give myself a "what if" scenario, just to see where it takes me. But for horror, I often take something I've seen in real life, and twist it. We humans get so complacent, that when something very ordinary takes an evil turn, it shakes us to the core.

Q. What is it that draws people to horror novels? Why do they like to be scared by what they read?

Linda: Because their imagination takes over and makes the story much more gut-wrenching. When it's on TV, the horror is visually spelled out for them. But a book leads you into the darkest realms of your mind where the boogeyman awaits, and it leaves you there to sweat out the suspense.

Q. You have quite a back catalog of novels, novellas and short stories published with Torrid Books, but lately you've chosen to go the independent publishing route. What made you make this choice?

Linda: Some of the books I first self-published were older titles. When I began researching publishers back in '06, I made the mistake (and I'm admitting it in public) of going with Publish America for two of my books. Since then, I've gotten my rights back, so now I'm expanding on them. Only because of their past history did I initially go the self-pubbed route. Later books I pubbed because they don't fit WCP's parameters for their Torrid Books line.

Q. I consider your writing more sensual than erotic. Where do you draw the line between these two heat settings and do you do it automatically as you write or do you set the limits before writing a sex scene?

Linda: I think of sensual erotic as descriptive without the use of "certain words". Sensual erotic is also more emotionally driven, in my opinion. It may take a while for my hero and heroine to finally "hook up", but when they do, it's passion filled with romance. Writing those scenes comes naturally because I "create" them to fit the uniqueness of my characters. For instance, if my hero is a shapeshifter, I incorporate that ability into the lovemaking.

Q. Where were you born and where do you now call home? Has either of these locales influenced the settings of any of your books?

Linda: I was born in Houston, Texas. I've lived in Corpus Christi, Amarillo, and for two short years, in Nashville, TN. I now live in Victoria, TX. Honestly, I've used my Texas roots for only a couple of stories. But I go on self-vacations to other locales, like Maine, Massachusetts, and Vermont, as well as Montana and Colorado. It's my trips to those places that I use in my stories.

Q. What sage advice would you give your younger self in regards to getting your first book published?

Linda: Don't give up. It sounds hokey, but it's true. If you're feeling down and discouraged, keep churning out WHAT YOU LOVE TO DO. And to be honest, I wouldn't trade all my dealings in the past with bad publishers, etc. I'd do it all over again, because those experiences taught me so much about the writing and publishing business.

Q. Whose books do you feel are similar to your own? What makes them alike? Or isn't there anyone else quite like you?

Linda: I read very little romance. Look at my Kindle. It has lots of horror, and a couple of steampunks, but otherwise, it's devoid of romances. Back in the 80s, I used to read a lot of that genre, especially Woodiwiss. I gobbled up Taylor's Moondust and Madness. Because of that book, I realized there might be a market for sci-fi romances. But I have no idea if anyone writes in a similar vein as my books.

Q. Please give us the blurb for your latest novel, The Final Pleasure.

Linda: He fully expected to die, until he met a woman who gave him every reason to live.

Those condemned to death are sent to Doora IV, one of four prison moons in the Doora system. Webb Grace realizes that he has less than a month to roam the moon's tunnels before he's taken above and ejected into the airlessness of space. However, before he's released, he is allowed to spend his last night in pure carnal exploration with a Lady Lay.

Myka Tolbert is a Lady Lay. She is one of the few women on the maximum security prison moon who treats the condemned to their Final Pleasure, a last sexual fling, before they’re executed. In return, her sentence is shortened by one week. She hopes she lives long enough to earn her freedom.

A chance meeting between her and Webb gives the con more than a reason to live, but also the belief that he can escape Doora IV and his execution. But first, he has to figure out how, and then he has to find a way to bring along the woman who has managed to touch his heart.

They never foresaw all hell breaking loose before he could act.

Warning! Contains expired food, exploding moons, land squatters, dirty dealings, fraudulent contracts, transparent walls, revenge, cold showers, a death board, pink jumpsuits, and life measured in ten minutes intervals.

Q. What is unique about the book's setting and how did it enhance the story?

Linda: I have them on a prison moon. Or rather, inside it. Inside dark, narrow tunnels and caverns dug out of the rock by the convicts, I was hoping to prey upon some claustrophobic issues, as well as the threat of airless space. This place is for short-timers only. It's not comfortable. It's not a glorified hotel. Even the food is way past expiration and barely edible. The people who go there are not pampered. They're there to face the consequences of their actions.

Q. If you could change ONE thing about The Final Pleasure, what would it be? Why?

Linda: Actually, I had written the scene where Webb revenges his brother's family's deaths, but chose not to include it. Now I wish I had. You got a real sense of how much he loved his brother. I also played around with how much Myka's brother reminded Webb of his own sibling.

Q. Who is your favorite character from The Final Pleasure and why?

Linda: Definitely Webb. My books tend to either be told from a man's POV, or a woman's. This is Webb's story. He's bad ass, but in a heroic way. Ex-military, brilliant, strong, loving, loyal, and dedicated. And willing to face the death penalty for what he'd done, even though he felt he was justified.

Q. Do you have anymore releases scheduled for 2013? Can you give us a short snippet from each?

Linda: My next release, Knight of Darkness, is scheduled for June 30th:

Sorrow Knight knew that at any time the U'Nar would attack Earth, but he needed a few more days to come out of chrystasis before he could fight the deadly enemy. With his soul sword, Rall, he and the handful of other Surge Knights would gather wherever the enemy landed, and drive them off this world. A world with so many wonderful sights and surprises. A world that contained a woman named Rachel, who had captured his heart and his imagination, but who was forbidden to him by his laws.

Rachel Grohl often wondered about the skinny, dishwater-blond young man living in the apartment across the breezeway from her. His shyness, as well as his clean but well-worn clothes, tugged at her heart. They'd barely spoken a dozen words to each other since he moved in a few weeks ago, but she had to thank him for helping her the other day. Maybe asking him over to dinner would work.

One dinner, one touch, and one kiss, that would lead to one night of love that couldn't avert the ultimate doomsday.

***

On October 30th, I'll be releasing book 5 of my best selling Battle Lord series, This Battle Lord's Quest. The blurb for it is this:

The last time Yulen spoke to her, Atty said she was heading east. With the latest onslaught of Bloods gone, so was the game, until there was little left to hunt to feed the growing population of Alta Novis. Since very few hunters went east, the Battle Lady figured it would yield good results. She planned to be gone two days at the most, three tops, and promised to return with good news.

That was seven days ago, and she was never gone that long...unless something had happened.

Worried, the Battle Lord, along with MaGrath and five others, went to search for her. They prayed they would find her alive. Either way, they were determined not to return to the compound without her.

What they discovered would change their world forever.

***

And finally, I have Vall's Will releasing on December 30th:

They found him chained in the depths of an enemy ship. Although he was half-starved, beaten, and abused in more ways than anyone could ever imagine, the man still exhibited a strength of character that impressed his deliverers, including Captain Willis Tate.

It wasn't the first time a strange man had caught her eye. But something about this one, whom his captors called Vall, also tugged at her heart. It was too bad she wouldn't have the chance to explore the exciting new feelings he brought to her when she was around him. Her orders were to deliver him to the nearest Regency base, where it would be determined what species he belonged to, and then be indoctrinated into his new life of freedom. And Will would go back to her ship.

At least, that was the plan, until a ship of unknown origin suddenly appeared from out of nowhere and demanded Vall in exchange for her life and the lives of millions more. It wasn't until she finally discovered Vall's true identity that Will realized how special he was to keeping balance in the Universe.

And how special she had become to him.

Q. Where can your readers connect with you?

Q. Which famous person, living or dead, would you like to meet and why?

Linda: Red Skelton. He could always make me laugh or cry. And I once knew a man who worked for him. He'd tell me such wonderful stories about the comic genius.

Q. What's the most beautiful thing you've ever seen?

Linda: I see it everyday. The total trust and love in my students' eyes. I teach Kindergarten, and each child is a miracle of hope for our future.

Q. What are your biggest pet peeves?

Linda: People who expect everything to be given to them, without working for it or earning it. People who feel they are above following the rules.

Q. What makes you laugh? Cry?

Linda: Whenever I see a military man returning home to his family after months of deployment, or siblings reuniting after being apart for years, I cry huge tears. I also cry when I listen to beautiful orchestral music.

True laughter? The earnest-ness in my students' faces as they try to put their feelings and observations into words, and end up inventing a whole new language. I've even put some of those new terms up on my Kindergarten blog: Kindermooney.blogspot.com.

Q. Finish this sentence:

Linda: If I could change one thing about myself it would be…being less critical of myself. To have more belief in what I do, and in what I can accomplish, and not take the hatefulness from others to heart.

Please check out our reviews of Linda Mooney's books here.

Tory Richards is a fifty-something author who discovered her passion for writing at the ripe old age of thirteen. Before she received her first manual typewriter, she would jot stories down on notebook paper. Later, after receiving that desired typewriter, she spent hours in her bedroom, where her parents thought she was doing homework. Writing turned out to be a kind of therapy for her. A few years ago she decided to get serious and hasn't looked back! Writing is something she does during quiet evenings and weekends. Tory's happy to make enough "mad money" from it to keep her cats fed, travel a little, and spoil her grandchildren.

In her personal life, she'll travel any place a cruise ship will take her (no more flying for Tory after being in the air on 9/11). She collects antiques and art, and loves chocolate. She's addicted to good coffee as well, along with sweet ice tea.

Hi Tory. Welcome to TwoLips Reviews Interviews. We're glad to have you with us for this special ALL TORRID BOOKS AUTHORS MONTH.

Q. You're published with several ebook publishing houses, including six books with Torrid Books, the erotica imprint of Whiskey Creek Press. What was it that prompted you to submit that first manuscript to Torrid Books?

Tory: I was already established with Whiskey Creek Press with two mainstream romances so I felt it only made sense. One of them, Cupid’s Arrow, was on their best sellers list for two consecutive months. It’s All in the Jeans was my first erotic romance with them.

Q. Please tell us something about It’s All in the Jeans and its lead characters.

Tory: All in the Jeans takes place in a retirement community. Logan is a fire-fighter who was injured on the job. He’s recuperating while staying with his grandfather. Libby is on a mission to keep her grandmother out of an assisted living facility. In order to live with her in the age restricted park she’s forced to wear the disguise of a much older woman. Libby and Logan meet when she’s not in disguise. He’s actually forced to rescue her from a tree she’s climbed to save her grandmother’s cat.

Q. What’s your writing process. How did It’s All in the Jeans get from idea to something submission worthy?

Tory: My writing process is basically...I write when I want to. I’m not very disciplined, and writing is a hobby. I get most of it done nights and weekends in my recliner.

The idea for my first torrid book came from actual events and experiences I happened to be living at the time. I married a much older man and we moved to a retirement community. I was underage but able to get in because he was over their required age limit. Most of the events in It’s All in the Jeans with regard to bingo night, morning coffee at the club house, riding around the park in a golf cart for security reasons, and most of the storm scene actually occurred. Being so much younger than most of the residents, by twenty years and more, didn’t matter when my husband wanted to involve us in community activities. I more or less did it for him. I thought the premise of two young people meeting in a retirement park, and partaking in some of the elderly activities with their grandparents would make a fun story, but it’s also an erotic romance.

Q. When did the fact that your writing sold become “real” to you? Was it before or after you began writing for Torrid Books?

Tory: My very first contract came from Whiskey Creek Press, so I was very excited seeing that contract in my email. But it wasn’t until I received my first book order, and was actually holding a copy of Cupid’s Arrow in my hand did it become real for me. Seeing my real name, Debbie Wallace, on the cover put a smile on my face, and truly made me feel accomplished.

Q. How did you feel on the release day for the first book you ever published?

Tory: Beyond excited. On top of the world. My dreams had come true and I was finally a published author.

Q. What draws you to writing erotica vs. mainstream? Please tell us about your mainstream titles and how they differ from your more erotic works.

Tory: I only have two mainstream titles out, both with Whiskey Creek Press. Cupid’s Arrow and The Senator’s Daughter came out in my early days. As I explored my new world of epublishing and ebooks, joined countless author groups and networking sites, I began to see a pattern, and my writing evolved to erotica. The difference between my mainstream and erotic romances is what you’ll find in most erotic romances. Graphic language and explicit sex scenes between the characters. Obviously there’s more freedom to explore other avenues in erotic romance. At the time I began writing under a pen name because I still worked for Disney.

Q. Have you done any self-publishing? If so, please tell us about those books. How well did they sell in comparison to books you've released through a publishing house?

Tory: I only recently began self-publishing, and have three short erotic romances out. Up n Flames, A Perfect Fit, and Surrender to Desire. I tried publishing at Amazon Kindle first and it just wasn’t working for me. Since I’ve switched to Smashwords I’ve seen a big difference. Here are the blurbs for each book:

Up in Flames – Rachel Masters has had a crush on her sexy boss for three years. As far as she knows the millionaire architect is oblivious to her, walking past her desk every morning with barely a nod in her direction. But when the power goes out and they're trapped in an elevator, the truth comes out in one steamy episode designed to take Rachel's mind off being claustrophobic.

James White doesn't have a crush on his receptionist. He wants her, it's as simple as that. He senses there's a real beauty hidden beneath the granny glasses and professional suits. And he plans to find out how hot she is as soon as the chance presents itself.

A Perfect Fit – Marissa Lambert is furious with her agent for hiring a security agency to protect her. The last thing she needs is some Texas cowboy following her around, and telling her what to do. Just because two plus-sized models have turned up dead in a month doesn’t mean she’s at risk. And besides, she can take care of herself. 

Beau Evans owns and operates Evans Security, and he’s the unlucky one who gets to babysit the beautiful Marissa. The moment he watches her strut her stuff down the runway, in a revealing corset that hugs her generous assets, he gets an itch that doesn’t go away. Their first encounter ends with an angry exchange and a battle of strong wills, but once they succumb to the lust in their blood there’s no turning back.

Surrender to Desire – Callie thought her man troubles were over when she accepts work at the Evans ranch. Until Blade Evans rescues her out of a tree and she winds up in his arms, and his bed. Against her will she starts to fall for the handsome cowboy. Then begins to wonder, as his new housekeeper, is she just a convenient outlet for his sexual urges? Or does he feel the same way about her?

Q. Please tell us what releases we can look forward to in the remainder of 2013 and please provide a tagline for each.

Tory: The Mating Ritual, Burning Hunger, and Bishop’s Angel (may get a new title) are due out this year. I’m actually done with The Mating Ritual and Bishop’s Angel, and I have a few chapters done on Burning Hunger.

The Mating Ritual – Cormac, the descendant of a legendary creature, finds a woman in the forest and decides to keep her for his own. (this will be my first paranormal, erotic romance)

Burning Hunger – The final book in a trilogy of the hunky Evans brothers, those Texas triplets! A Perfect Fit and Surrender to Desire are books one and two, all are stand alone romances.

Bishop’s Angel – Passion burns hot and out of control for a Navy SEAL seeking salvation in the arms of a pretty kindergarten teacher.

Q. Do any of your books reveal something about your world view or have a valuable message to convey? If so, what is that message/world view?

Tory: Not really. My books are strictly for adult entertainment

Q. Scenario: Your latest book is going to be made into a movie.  Who should play the lead roles and why?

Tory: I think Blake Shelton would make a wonderful Blade Evans because he’s a big, handsome guy, and he’s country. I can see him playing a rancher. His leading lady, Callie, could be played by a curvy Jessica Simpson.

Q. What do you think keeps a well-written book from selling? Does it have anything to do with the cover art, the back cover blurb or perhaps inadequate marketing?

Tory: All of those could apply, it depends. Lack of promotion, wrong audience, maybe even the title. The cover art definitely, it’s the first thing you see. It has to be intriguing enough for a reader to pick up the book. Then hopefully you snag them with the cover blurb.

Now I'm going to put you on the “hot seat” and shoot you some rapid fire questions. I need quick answers back:

Q. Where do you write?

Tory: In my chair in my woman-cave.

Q. Is there anything special you need to have with you when you sit down to write?

Tory: My glasses.

Q. Laptop or desktop?

Tory: Laptop.

Q. What's your favorite romance plot device?

Tory: When I pick up a story to read it’s usually the kind with a military, mercenary, or law enforcement type hero. I like that they have authority and power, and they make the heroine feel cherished and safe. And there’s usually some kind of adventure they’re involved in.

Q. What's your least favorite?

Tory: Weak and wimpy heroines who always need rescuing.

Q. What trait in a man do you find most sexy?

Tory: His willingness to protect his woman at all costs. Of course, he has to be sexy, not necessarily handsome, but sexy in some way. I like heroes with imperfections. And he has to be the alpha.

Q. The least sexy?

Tory: Any kind of bad habit. Drugs, drinking, body noises…

Q. Where can your readers connect with you?

My website: http://www.toryrichards.com

My Torrid Books Author Page: http://whiskeycreekpresstorrid.com/authors/Tory_Richards.shtml

http://whiskeycreekpresstorrid.com/authors/Tory_Richards.shtml

My blog: http://www.toryrichards.com

My facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/tory.richards.7?ref=tn_tnmn

My Goodreads author page: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5762733-tory-richards

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ToryRichards

My Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Tory-Richards/e/B002DBFNUQ/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

My Smashwords Author Page: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/toryrichards