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One of the benefits of working from home as a romance writer is that I get to stay at home. During the last big snow storm, I looked outside and giggled knowing that I didn't have to do anything about it. I laughed at the news reporter when he referenced the traffic delays caused by snowy roads. I relaxed under a blanket as I heard my neighbors scraping the ice off their windshields. I felt incredibly spoiled by the whole storm. This is a fantastic perk of my job.
Fire always burns. Three friends just have to make sure that it doesn't burn them.
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Enter the big Insatiable Reads giveaway!
One of the benefits of working from home as a romance writer is that I get to stay at home. During the last big snow storm, I looked outside and giggled knowing that I didn't have to do anything about it. I laughed at the news reporter when he referenced the traffic delays caused by snowy roads. I relaxed under a blanket as I heard my neighbors scraping the ice off their windshields. I felt incredibly spoiled by the whole storm. This is a fantastic perk of my job.
Working from home is also, unfortunately, a double edged sword. My only co-workers are an infant and my husband (who also happens to work from home). I love them both incredibly, but the office gossip just isn't as juicy as it was when I worked in the real world. I know all my co-workers' secrets. I know what they both look like naked and I know exactly who is sleeping with whom.
This is why I was so excited to meet a fellow author of the Insatiable Reads tour last week. We met at a Panera Bread restaurant after exchanging photos and talking online. I will admit, I was a little nervous. The internet is one of those amazing places where you can know someone, but not have a clue who they really are. My husband and I entered the restaurant, glancing around like we were on a blind date. She was sitting in a booth in the corner with her husband, and she didn't look like an erotic romance author. She looked normal.
It was a great lunch. I had a blast getting to talk face to face with someone in the same business and experiencing the same ups and downs. She had some hilarious stories about her writing and we all shared business tips and strategies. I just recently finished writing my first novel, Fire Always Burns, whereas she has written much more than I have. It was wonderful to see where writing can bring a person. I will admit, we did get a couple of curious looks from the other patrons, but what do you expect when you are trying to legitimately discuss the sexual habits of billionaires? It is bound to turn a few heads.
I hope to meet more authors and hopefully fans too. I love this job and all the interesting characters I get to meet, both real and imagined, because of it.
Be sure to check out my first full length novel, Fire Always Burns!
Fire always burns. Three friends just have to make sure that it doesn't burn them.
Holly managed to escape the boring mountain town where she was born by going to college. However, she found herself having too many wild nights and too many mornings of waking up in unfamiliar beds to keep her scholarship. Now that's she's back in Conifer, she has no idea what she is going to do with her life and no hope for the future.
Luke's little brother is miserable after being shuffled away from his friends and family after his parents' bitter divorce. Luke feels helpless, and he will do anything it takes to bring his little brother home where he belongs.
Andrew's father died a couple years ago in an electrical accident, leaving him to care for his distraught mother. More than anything, he wants to move on and escape this small town to follow his dreams, but his mother would be lost without someone to take care of her.
When these three friends reconnect, Holly comes up with a plan, a plan that will change all their lives for the better. She knows that to start a fire, all it takes is a spark. However, as the sparks ignite and begin to burn, she realizes that she may have stood too close to the flame, and the torch she carries for Andrew burns brighter than ever.
Will Holly manage to rekindle old loves, or will the destructive fire in their hearts consume everything they hold dear?
**Mature Content** Recommended for ages 17+ due to sexual situations and language.
Excerpt:
Andrew's brows pushed together for a moment as he watched me, then with a shake of his head, he moved behind me and wrapped his arms around me. The heat was instantaneous and not just from his arms. His cologne filled my nostrils, his body strong and warm behind me. I knew I should break away, to just deal with the cold rather than let myself feel these feelings stirring within me, but I couldn't. I wanted to be close to him, I wanted to feel him touch me.
The lights in the Lake House dimmed and slowly turned off, the dark enveloping us. I looked up to the sky, feeling his breath on my neck. The stars twinkled in the clear sky, constellations and planets dancing their eternal dance. A splash of light lit the sky, followed by another and another. Colors exploded against the stars, streaming fire from the sky. The crowed oohed and ahhed as the night sky filled with color.
I barely noticed the colors streaming from the sky, my attention on Andrew. His arms held me tight, his warmth seeping into me and making my body ache for something I knew I could never have. I let myself believe for a moment, one beautiful moment, that this could work. That we could be more than friends. That I could kiss him, touch him, have him. That I could surrender myself to him and not be afraid of the consequences.
The sky was aflame with color for a glorious instant, then only streams of sparkling smoke and twinkling stars remained. The booms still echoed through the night, a rolling thunder following the man made lightning. I turned my head slowly, feeling Andrew's breath along my cheek. His lips were so close to mine, I could almost feel them. I wanted to taste those lips, red and open just centimeters from mine. He leaned in closer.
His lips were soft against mine. I wanted to merge into him, to never leave this moment. He tasted sweet, like cocoa and sunshine. My heart thudded with happy excitement and I pressed in closer.
The lights in the Lake house turned on, flooding the deck with artificial light. The moment was broken, and Andrew dropped his hands quickly to his sides, releasing me. In the harsh light, I couldn't believe I had kissed him. I pulled my hat down low on my head, feeling my cheeks burn. I couldn't look at him, and instead put my hands on the balcony, hoping he didn't see how badly they shook.
Krista Lakes
Krista Lakes loves chocolate chip cookies and caramel anything. Someday she would love to learn how to make brownies that don't come out of a box, and cookies that actually stay soft after baking. Please visit her Amazon Author Page to find out more about her love of chocolate and writing.
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Krista Lakes currently on virtual tour with 15 other awesome romance authors as part of the Insatiable Reads Book Tour. From March 4-31st, readers will be invited to enter for a chance to win a Kindle Fire, free books, and other fun goodies. Readers will also be able to participate in author chats, get insights into writing and publishing romance, and collect story swag.
This week, Krista is touring with Anya Karin, Nadia Simonenko, and Karolyn James.
To enter giveaways and meet the other writers, follow us at:
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Great extract! Love the description of the embrace.
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