In truth, my childhood love heroes are my parents. I saw my father openly shower affection on my mother all through my growing up years. I remember always wishing to find the kind of love they still share. This is the first time I’ve successfully traced the source of my unflinching love for romance genre. As a teenager, my past time was locking myself in my bedroom, lying on my unmade bed and travelling into the diverse world of make believe, artfully crafted by Mills & Boon authors.
I enjoy ‘travelling’ abroad with the characters. I love the conflicts and ways the heroine and hero waffle through it all and end up happy. I cry, laugh and picture myself in their shoes. I must have read several hundreds. And so, my love for all things romance took root and deepened. I have a natural flair and profound passion for writing. It was only a matter of time for my deep-seated love for romance, my fertile imagination, and my love for writing to coincide. I’ve always dreamed of being stranded on an Island with my gorgeous and unbelievably affectionate husband, churning out romance novels.
And my dream started to emerge as God intends, when I told a colleague in August 2008 that I’d love to get published. She stuck a reporter’s notebook in my hand and told me to write as I commute. I’m inspired to write as ideas and dialogue swirl around my head and the characters take hold of my heart.
In 2010, I created Flirty & Feisty Romance Novels. And I have five titles: LOITERING SHADOWS, STORMY DEFENSE, BEYOND the LADY & THE GARDENER’s ICE MAIDEN. The latest, SPARKLING DAWN was released this July. Writing and self-publishing as a whole has been an incredible experience.
~*~
SPARKLING DAWN (EXCERPTS)
At once, Chloe felt the tiny, sleepy hair on her neck rising majestically as the tall, suavely dressed, irresistible, broad shouldered man stood up to make way for an award winner shuffling his way to the podium. He placed a pink, cashmere shawl on the shoulders of the petite woman seated beside him. The elfin brunette was preening herself like a courting rooster. Who could blame her? She was accompanying the best-looking man of the night.
‘It will be nice if you could at least pay me a tenth of the attention you’re dishing out to that total stranger seated at the front row.’ Michael snarled at his partner for the night.
Chloe was shaken out of her riveting reverie.
Her attempt at subtlety has fallen flat! ‘Michael, I’m sorry. I need to use the bathroom. I don’t feel well.’ Her stomach felt like it was falling apart anyway. A stinging storm has just kicked up in her near perfect life. And so, sitting still for this ceremony she’d wanted to avoid for months was proving challenging. Not waiting for his response, she got up hurriedly on unsteady legs. Grasping her purse, she made a beeline to the nearest powder room. Her exit was hasty, drawing several curious glances she was oblivious to.
As she shut the door behind her, her pulse rate skyrocketed, forcing her to clutch the hand wash for life support. Resting her head on the 3D, plain wall mirror, she counted up to thirty five to calm down. Taking in a large gulp of re-circulated air, she placed her black, sequined bag on the marble vanity top.
Warren Marcus Alexander…was here in London? How could he sit down there looking so cool, while she was a quivering wreck?
****
‘Chloe!’ Warren’s explosive chant of her name made her feet tremble. For the umpteenth time in her life, she wished things could be normal between them. She wished she could tell him…
‘Come and join me.’
Her feet found their way to the extravagantly furnished bedroom. The Chateau Grand Louis bedroom collections were obviously original pieces. The slow melody filling the scented candle lit room provided the perfect setting for seduction. Her anxious feet grew deep roots by the door.
‘Come and dance with me.’ His invitation was irresistible. But she needed to remember that dancing with the enemy couldn’t feature in her still-to-be-fine-tuned revenge plan.
‘No, thank you. I thought you wanted us to talk, not lure me into your bed.’ The instant she uttered the words, the music stopped. Was the music Claridges remote controlled? His green eyes took on an unsettled glint, narrowing perceptibly. ‘Why are you being so antagonistic and cynical, Chloe?’
Keeping her distance, she walked into the room. ‘Perhaps, if you stick to a known plan, rather than deviating into an amorous agenda, I might be more amenable.’ Her statement was accompanied by a dramatic shrug of one bare shoulder.
His nostrils flared at the hint of her creamy, smooth cleavage. Boiling, red, body fluid rushed to his lower body, specifically into the part of him captured in his fly. ‘Come and sit down, and we’ll talk.’
For some reason, he couldn’t fathom, she didn’t trust him a single blink. Considering they had literarily grown up together and never had quibbles, he wondered where her wariness of him came from. Or was she this catty with every man? ‘Would your boyfriend frown at you talking with me in my bedroom?’
~*~
REVIEWS:
THE GARDENER’s ICE MAIDEN:
http://www.bloglovin.com/m/2682959/244418335/fb
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/68220
BEYOND the LADY:
http://myquietword.blogspot.com/2011/03/mqw-book review_14.html#links
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/66847
http://freebookreviews.blogspot.com/2011/07/beyond-lady.html
AWARDS: THE GARDENER’s ICE MAIDEN: National Novel Writing Month(NaNoWrimo) 2010 Winning title.
~*~
Where to Purchase Author’s E-Books
Smashwords
STORMY DEFENSE
BEYOND the LADY
THE GARDENER's ICE MAIDEN
LOITERING SHADOWS
SPARKLING DAWN
Amazon.co.uk
LOITERING SHADOWS
STORMY DEFENSE
BEYOND the LADY
THE GARDENER’s ICE MAIDEN
Amazon.com
LOITERING SHADOWS
STORMY DEFENSE
BEYOND the LADY
THE GARDENER’s ICE MAIDEN
SPARKLING DAWN
PAPERBACK
Amazon.com
CreateSpace
LOITERING SHADOWS
STORMY DEFENSE
BEYOND the LADY
THE GARDENER’s ICE MAIDEN
SPARKLING DAWN
Author Website
Amazon Author Page
8 comments:
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to talk about what I care deeply about - romance! It's my hope and desire that everyone finds that one soul mate and they live happily ever after. Don't be fooled, it's hardwork. Lol!
Romance and love are what make the world go around. Congrats on your book Stella.
Thank you very much Myne. You're right. Everyone experiences romance at one point or the other!
-It was only a matter of time for my deep-seated love for romance, my fertile imagination, and my love for writing to coincide.
Love that!
Very nice post, Stella. It's always nice to hear true-life love stories, like that of your parents. Let it continue to inspire you.
E
Congratulations on your book. It was nice to read how you got into the world of romance writing. My parents too are my heroes when it comes to the display of romance and I'm glad to see that we both share that experience.
Thank you Empire76. Will keep your advice close to my heart. And thank you for dropping by.
Thank you a good deal LD for that insight. It's really inspiring to have parents as heroes. And I appreciate your stopping over.
Flirty & Feisty Romance contest on One World Singles Magazine Blog ends! Huge congratulations to our two winners – Lara Daniels (LD) and Empi Baryeh (Empire76).
They have won Flirty & Feisty Romance 3rd title: BEYOND the LADY EBooks. Thank you to Lara and Empi for sharing their views here. And to Myne Whitman who also stopped by and left a heart warming comment.
Enjoy our suspense filled and emotionally packed novel. http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/66847
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