Remember My Name - now on release

My novel Remember My Name is now on release. 

Check it out! 

Can't wait to read your reviews.

And don't forget to enter my giveaway. Details HERE 

Havana

xox

What price would you pay for fame?

Scriptwriter Talia knows ambition: she sees it in the mirror every day. But working with the world’s biggest divas should come with a health-warning. And when she finds herself in actress Tamara’s bad books, her own claws don’t look so sharp anymore…

Suddenly, Talia’s back to looking up at the stars – and even more determined to take her place among them. And when she lands a job with Alex Golden - legendary womanizer, LA bad-boy and Hollywood’s hottest property - it looks like she could be on her way up. So long as she steers clear of Alex’s scandalous propositions… 

But Talia hasn’t nearly seen the worst that ambition can do. Because the road to fame may glitter… but it’s no easy ride. And in a world where winner takes all, some people will stop at nothing to claim their prize.

Giveaway Klaxon

Here in London it feels very much like summer is over... but what a summer it's been for me. Over the summer Carina UK released two of my novels Black Diamond and Remember My Name.

It's been so great getting feedback, reviews and such lovely comments from readers.

To celebrate the release of both of my books and to say thank you to all my readers, I'm doing a Giveaway via my Facebook page.

I love plotting my stories the old fashioned way - with pen and paper and one of my biggest indulgences are Smythson notebooks. When it comes to notebooks Smythson really are the gold standard! So, I'll be giving away a Smythson Notebook to two lucky Facebook followers.

To be in with a chance of winning, simply head over to my Facebook page - HERE
Then make sure to LIKE my page AND also post a comment just to say hi.

I'll pick the winners on Saturday 13th September, so get entering and spread the word.

Good Luck!!

To be in with a chance of winning, you must:
1. Like my page Here and
2. Make a comment on my Facebook page...

Thanks again to all the readers who've read and supported Black Diamond and Remember My Name.

Happy Friday!!

Havana.
xox

Tuesday Teaser from His Wicked Games by Ember Casey

Happy Tuesday!

Last week I had a ball chatting with fellow author Ember Casey and over on her blog she featured a Q&A with me and hosted a brand new teaser from The Modeliser. I also ran a Q&A with Ember here where we talked writing, romance and procrastination woes and also her upcoming novel. So I'm excited to share a new teaser from Ember's novel His Wicked Games which drops on June 11th.

Do check out Ember's blog for more about the book and don't forget, she is running a giveaway right now! To be in with a chance of winning an Amazon gift card and advance review copies of both His Wicked Games and The Modeliser, be sure to enter the giveaway here.

Now for the Tuesday Teaser from His Wicked Games. Let's just say there's a pool involved.... and we might all need some cooling down after.... Enjoy!


In this teaser from His Wicked Games, Calder is giving Lily a tour of his house. Even though it's pouring outside, he decides to lead her out to the rooftop pool.

"What do you think?" Calder says. "Want to go for a swim?"
I must show my shock on my face because he lets out a laugh.
“Haven’t you ever been for a swim in the rain?” he asks. “You get damp either way.”
I’m not sure if he’s being serious or not.
“I don’t have a swimsuit,” I remind him.
The corner of his mouth curls up. “Not a problem.”
Before I can utter another word, he pulls his t-shirt over his head, exposing his perfectly-chiseled chest.
My mouth falls open, but I snap it quickly shut again.
“What are you doing?” I say.
He grins. “Swimming.”
His hands move to the button of his jeans.
“Are you stripping?” I’m unable to keep the shock out of my voice.
“I’m not going to swim in my jeans,” he says matter-of-factly. His fingers pause on the zipper. “You’re welcome to join me, of course.”
“I—” My entire face is on fire. “I’m not going to take off my clothes.”
He shrugs. “Suit yourself. You’re missing out, though.” He unzips his jeans and slides them down in one movement, revealing a pair of dark boxer-briefs.
Once more I’m bombarded with memories of last night, of his naked body reclining on the bed. Of the way I touched myself at the sight of him.
My body responds in turn now. I clench my hands and unclench them again, trying to gain control of myself.
Calder hooks his thumbs in the waistband, and my heartbeat quickens. Is he going to pull those off, too?
“For someone who’s shy about skinny-dipping, you certainly have no qualms about watching,” he says.
I almost fall over.
“I—I’m not watching,” I say, quickly turning away. “You’re the one who tore off your pants without warning.” I imagine I’m the color of a ripe tomato right about now.
He chuckles. “Come, Ms. Frazer. It’s nothing you haven’t seen before.”
My blood runs cold. Oh my God. He knows about last night.
“What—what’s that supposed to mean?” I demand, still refusing to turn and look at him. “What are you implying?”
“Forgive me,” he says, his voice thick with amusement. “I didn’t mean to give offense. I was only suggesting that by this point in your life you’ve probably seen a naked man or two—unless I’m mistaken?”
“I’m not a virgin,” I say, rolling my eyes. “But that doesn’t mean I’m okay with men just stripping off their clothes in front of me.” No, but I’m all right with spying on those same men while they pleasure themselves in their bedroom.
Forget the ripe tomato—I’m probably as red as a fire truck right now.
“Well,” says Calder behind me, “if you’re not comfortable with complete nudity, then maybe we can keep our undergarments on.”
“I’m not swimming.”
“Where’s your sense of adventure?” he says. “May I remind you that you broke onto my property? That I had to wrestle you down in the mud? Certainly you can’t be afraid of taking a little dip in the rain.”
“I’m not afraid,” I say, spinning on him angrily. He’s closer than I thought—just in front of me now. There’s still a bit of amusement around the corners of his mouth, but his dark eyes bore into me. Butterflies dance in my stomach.
“If you’re not afraid,” he says, his voice breathy and low, “then why are you resisting?”
He’s so close that I can feel the heat radiating off his skin, so close that I can smell the musky scent of his soap—or is that only him? All it would take is the smallest of movements and I could brush my fingers against his bare stomach, learn if his skin is as soft and smooth and hot as I imagined last night.
“I…” I don’t know what to say. I don’t have an excuse, not really, except for the general sense that this is a bad, bad idea.
Oh, I’m in trouble.
Calder must sense my indecision, because his eyes suddenly darken. Before I can react, he grabs me around the waist, just as he did on the lawn yesterday.
“What the—” I cry as he hoists me off my feet. “What are you doing?”
He doesn’t answer. Instead he turns and starts carrying me to the pool.
“Put me down!” I cry, pissed that I fell for his trick a second time. “I swear, if you throw me—”
Suddenly I’m flying through the air, Calder’s arms still around me. We crash into the pool, and water rushes all around us.


Yep, it is hot in here! Hope you enjoyed that. And do head on over to Goodreads and add His Wicked Games to your shelf.

Havana.
xox

Author Q & A - Ember Casey - HIS WICKED GAMES

Writing can be a pretty solitary business, which is why getting to know the online writing community is so great. I've been lucky to connect with fellow debut author Ember Casey who, like me, is releasing her steamy romance HIS WICKED GAMES in June.

Ember and I have been talking everything from worst fictional boyfriends to favourite hotties in Game of Thrones and I've been salivating over the teasers she's posted on her blog, so I'm excited to have her stop by on my blog and talk about her debut novel, her writing style and what makes a good love story.

Some men play to win...

Lily would do anything to save the Frazer Center for the Arts—even take on the infamous billionaire Calder Cunningham.

The Cunninghams have long held a reputation for being eccentric—and secretive. When Lily breaks onto their estate, she only wants to find and reason with Calder. The Cunningham family was the Frazer Center’s largest benefactor for years—until Calder took over the family funds and broke the pledge contract without warning. Now the Center is on the brink of closing, and she’s desperate to save the institution her father founded.

But Calder turns out to be more than she bargained for. He’s willing to consider her pleas—but for a price. Lily must indulge his whims, play along with his games—all while confined to his mysterious mansion—or she’ll never get the funds to save the Center. She must decide: play the mouse to his cat, or lose the organization she and her father spent their blood, sweat, and tears to build.

Hey Ember, Thanks for stopping by. So tell us about His Wicked Games. How did the idea first come to you? 

I started His Wicked Games when I was agonizing over rewrites of a YA novel. In the YA, I was struggling with the romantic relationship (or lack thereof) between the two main characters. I just couldn’t make it work. His Wicked Gamesbegan as a side project, an exercise in building sexual tension, but it just took off—before long, I’d pushed the YA novel aside to dive full force into the story of Lily and Calder. I love stories where the heroine starts off with a negative opinion of the hero (you can blame Pride and Prejudice for that), and I wanted to explore the passion of a love/hate relationship.

What drew you to writing sexy, romantic fiction? And what tips do you have on writing a hot sex scene. What makes a good romantic/ sexy novel?

Who doesn’t love a good love story? I think the key to a great romance novel is tension.  Sexual tension, of course, but also just the good old-fashioned conflict you get between two characters with fire and passion to spare.  I personally believe that the hottest sex scenes are a culmination (and explosion!) of the emotional, physical, and situational tension between two characters. They might signal an awakening, a shift of power, or something else, but they should change the dynamic of the relationship in some way or another, even if it’s only the subtlest of emotional shifts.

What books/ authors inspire you?  What/ Who are you reading at the moment? 

I read a bunch of genres—romance, of course, but I also love YA, historical fiction, and fantasy (I’m currently obsessed with the Song of Ice and Fire series). I’ve also been reading a lot of NA recently—I’m currently in the middle of Arranged by Sara Wolf, which I’m really loving—and I’m excited to see where this relatively new genre is heading.

How long have you been writing?

I’ve been writing most of my life (cliché, I know…)  I still have copies of the stories they made us write in elementary school.  The oldest is from first grade—it’s called “The Candy Princess,” and it’s about a princess who lives in a world of candy. (Genius, right?) I started writing with the intent to publish a few years ago, but the first couple of novels I wrote were honestly pretty bad (and will never, ever see the light of day). I feel like some of us have to spit out a couple of crappy “starter” novels before we figure out who we are as a writer (or maybe that’s just me, haha).

Tell us about your writing process? 

If I’m being honest, it goes something like this: write a little, putz around on Twitter, write a little more, watch some videos on YouTube, write a little more, check email/Facebook/Reddit… You get where this is going.  As far as my long-term process is concerned, I’m a major re-writer. It usually takes me half a draft to figure out the core of the story I’m trying to write, and then I have to go back to the beginning and rework everything again. I usually put my work through several drafts before I let anyone else see it.

So what's next? Are you already working on Book 2? Will it be a sequel or a new story? 

Though His Wicked Games could stand alone, I wanted to continue Lily and Calder’s story. The next installment will be a novella, and it should be released at the end of June (so readers won’t have to wait long!). I’ll be releasing more details about it in the coming month. J

Where can readers connect with you?

They can check out my blog: http://embercasey.blogspot.com.
I’m also on Twitter www.twitter.com/embercasey
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/EmberCasey

When is His Wicked Games released? 

It will be released on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords on June 11, 2013. In the meantime you can find it on Goodreads - His Wicked Games


Thanks for stopping by Ember.

I hope you guys enjoyed reading this Q & A with Ember. Don't forget to add His Wicked Games to your shelf on Goodreads.

Also right now, Ember is running a giveaway over on her Blog so for a chance to win an Amazon giftcard and also e-ARCs of both His Wicked Games and my debut The Modeliser, head on over to Ember's Blog and get entering.

Next week I'll be hosting a new teaser from His Wicked Games, so do check back.

Happy Weekend!

Havana.
xox

Bad Boys, Inspiration & a Giveaway.

Creating Alex Golden, the legendary bad boy of The Modeliser was a lot of fun and whilst I put a lot of thought and imagination into creating a gorgeous hero - a British actor who has managed to take Hollywood and the ladies by storm. It's safe to say that along the way I found time to peruse the internet for some inspiration. Or do I mean Sinspiration? 

Check out a few of the images that inspired me (there are a whole lot more!) And yes I love my job and I'm totally Team Eric, most of the time...

Leading Man

Modeliser

Off Duty and reading some scripts

There's just something about Bad Boys in film, TV, fiction, music and even in real life that holds women in their thrall, even when we should know better! In fiction, we've seen a massive rise of bad boys with a side of angst, vulnerability and a few spare Billions. And, From James Dean and Marlon Brando, Hollywood bad boys of yesteryear to today's crop of dangerous-to-know leading men the trend is still alive and well. On TV we have Don Draper in Mad Men, The King Slayer in Game of Thrones and who isn't partial to a bit of Chuck Bass in Gossip Girl? 

In The Modeliser, I drew inspiration from Hollywood bad boys both historical and contemporary in creating Alex Golden's character, so for my first giveaway I'm asking who is your favourite Hollywood Bad Boy? 

I'll be giving away 2 Advance Review Copies (PDF) of The Modeliser on May 4th and I'll pick the winners at random.

To enter this giveaway simply head on over to my Facebook Page, Like my page AND write on my wall to tell me who your favourite Hollywood Bad Boy is. 

Or you can comment below this post or you can Tweet me your answer and Hash Tag your answer #TheModeliserGiveaway. 

I'll pick two winners at random on May 4th so get entering!  

Look forward to your entries!

Havana.

xox.

Also don't forget when I hit 100 likes on my Facebook Page, I'll be giving away another advance review copy of The Modeliser