#WriteWed Inspiration for Tommy in ONE SPECIAL NIGHT

It’s been a while since I wrote DANGER CALLS in The Calling Vampire Novel series. The hero in that story, Sebastian Reyes, is a computer specialist and definitely not the kind of big, bad ass alpha hero that you see in a lot of paranormal romances.

That was a tough call for me, but I knew that Sebastian was the perfect man to deal with the heroine in that book, Dr. Melissa Danvers. She needed a sensitive man who could understand her and be supportive. A man who wouldn’t mind being younger and dealing with a woman whose profession required a lot of time away from home.

Not to mention a lot of time being the keeper to vampire Ryder Latimer.

Sebastian was very much a beta hero when I wrote him, but morphed into a slightly more alpha hero during revisions on the book.

Jasmine “Doc” Reyes is very similar to Melissa Danvers in some respects. Driven, compassionate and not above risking her life for others. Serious, maybe too serious, at times.

I knew she needed a man who would make her smile and could help her heal. She needed someone strong and protective, but not in that big macho alpha kind of way.

Enter Tommy de Salvo with his big smile and even bigger sense of humor. Tommy is the kind of man who can take away the shadows in Jasmine’s eyes and help her feel whole again.

Tommy is the kind of hero that I wanted Sebastian to be, but just couldn’t get away with in a dark paranormal story.

In ONE SPECIAL NIGHT, a sexy tale of two strangers coming together, it was totally possible to finally explore a very different kind of hero. I hope you’ll take a chance and check out this novella.

August 13, 2014

#WriteWed One Special Night Inspiration

It’s really tough to say what inspires a book. When I wrote JUST ONE NIGHT, it was really just intended to be a standalone novella, but by the time I got to the end of the book, I wanted to see more of what happens with Jase and Nickie and I also wanted to find out more about Tommy. After all, he’s Jase’s best friend and Nickie’s brother, but beyond that, he was not only able to see that they were right for each other, he was also able to push Jase to do the right thing and finally confront those feelings.

It made me wonder about Tommy and what he was really like. Why could he see those feelings? Did he have feelings of his own for someone? Was he going to get his happily-ever-after?

Dealing with Tommy’s future also meant dealing with Jase and Nickie. What would be happening with them? Would their one night become something more serious? Would Jase’s military service impact the relationship and if so, how?

Of course, Jase’s military service inspired the heroine, “Doc” Jasmine Reyes. I liked having a military connection in the first story because I honor and respect our military men, women, and their families. I knew the second story (and also other ones since I realized just two wasn’t going to be enough to satisfy me! LOL) would also have a military hero.

“Doc” was the perfect choice! Jasmine is a real hero and I loved letting her have her one special night and who knows, maybe more than one.

I hope you liked these behind the scenes look at the inspiration for One Special Night.

June 24, 2014

#TeaserTuesday One Special Night Cover Reveal

I want to thank all of you for your support of JUST ONE NIGHT, my new novella. I really love the challenge of a short and sexy read filled with romance and I am so glad you’ve enjoyed the results of that challenge.

I’m working on the next book in the Take a Chance series, ONE SPECIAL NIGHT. This story is about Nickie’s brother and Jase’s best friend, Tommaso de Salvo, Tommy to his friends.

I’m really enjoying how this story is playing out and also, sharing a bit more about what happens with Jase and Nickie.

WARNING – There are spoilers here for JUST ONE NIGHT and there is some content for mature audiences. Also, this is a Work-in-Progress still.

Blurb

He never expected that on one special night his life would change forever . . .

It’s been nearly six months since Tommy de Salvoâ€™s fiancÃ© cheated on him and left him in the midst of wedding preparations. The last thing Tommy wants or needs is to be attracted to another woman who wonâ€™t be around for too long. A woman just like Navy Corpsman Jasmine Reyes. Sheâ€™s rough, tough, and determined to go it alone, but Tommy knows that if he passes up this opportunity, he may regret it more than the loss of his fiancÃ©…

She has ignored her needs for too long until now . . .

Jasmine â€œDocâ€ Reyes is both emotionally and physically scarred after her tour of duty. Wounded in battle, all she can think about is rebuilding her life and continuing with the career that sheâ€™s dreamed about since she was a young child. She has no time for rich sexy men whoâ€™ve never had a care in the world and wouldnâ€™t understand her determination. But Tommyâ€™s charm is seductive and she knows that she has to explore the attraction, even if itâ€™s only for this one special night…

Excerpt

Jasmine glanced around nervously, stuck in a surreal â€œWhat? Who me?â€ moment.

â€œDance? With you?â€ she asked with almost a squeak in her voice, still kind of wondering if he was being serious.

He mimicked her earlier action, looking around before that big sexy grin erupted on his features again. â€œYeah, with me. I don’t see anyone else standing here, sticking their hand out and waiting.â€

She knew then what Adam must have felt like when Eve held out the apple.

He was sinful temptation and everything a woman could want, but she worried she’d pay for it dearly if she accepted.

â€œIt’s just a dance,â€ he said and she mentally repeated the words, telling herself that she was reading way too much into the invitation and to her own attraction to this man.

She slipped her hand into his and rose slowly from her chair. With a gentle tug, he hurried them toward the dance floor, where couples of all ages were swaying to the slow music. As they eased through a gap in the bodies and onto a small patch of free space, Tommy placed a hand at her waist, but kept a respectful distance. But it was crowded and she kept on getting bumped, so she moved a little closer, not that it helped.

At another bump that had her wincing since it tweaked her injured shoulder, he exerted subtle pressure on her waist and drew her closer still, until their bodies brushed together.

Beneath the elegantly tailored tux and shirt, he was all hard muscle and hot male and her body immediately responded.

It’s just because it’s been way too long, she told herself. More than just the three months she’d spent recuperating or the months before that when responsibilities and the threat of danger had made any kind of pleasure impossible.

It’s not because he’s handsome and sexy and smells so damned good, she thought as he drew her tight after another jostle from an exuberant couple joining the festivities.

The band segued into another slow dance and they continued dancing. Her breasts tightened into hard peaks as they skimmed against the hard wall of his chest and their thighs brushed with each step of the dance. Between her thighs, a flood of heat and wet erupted as she imagined their legs tangled together as they made love.

She sucked in a shaky breath and tensed, fighting the irrational need flooding her body.

â€œEasy, Jasmine. It is just a dance,â€ he repeated in a whisper against the shell of her ear as he bent slightly and tucked his head close to hers.

And Eve had said it was just an apple she was sure, only it had turned out to be much much more.