TRR's Sizzling Summer Blog Hop and Collette Cameron

The Romance Review's Blog Hop. The Road To Comfort

"Holy shit." A narrow band of destruction was carved through the field of corn by the side of the road and the car was nowhere in sight. He jumped out of the truck and began to comb the ground, looking for tire tracks. Maybe it had already been towed away. Juliette was momentarily forgotten. 

She vaulted out of the truck cab and joined him beside the road. "What happened? Where's my car? Are you sure we're on the right road? The right place?" Her questions shot out of her in machine gun fashion. 

"Yeah, we're at the right place. It seems a small twister touched down after we left last night. Funny, I didn't hear any sirens when the storm came through. Must have been just a bitty one. But, see how the corn is mowed down?" He waved his hand in the general direction of the field. "It tore through the field and then jumped up here onto the highway and roared down the road." 

Juliette's face lost all its color. "You mean, my car just..." she whirled her hand through the air.

"Yep. And if you'd stayed here while I went for my truck, you'd be Dorothy." He imitated her whirl in the air. 

And barely caught her before she hit the ground in a dead faint. 

Today begins The Romance Review's Sizzling Summer blog hop, and I can think of no better way to begin than to have as my special guest the busy Collette Cameron!

Her latest book, The Earl's Enticement, has just been released by Soul Mate Publishing. She's taken the time to answer my probing questions, so here we go. 

What is your current project about? 

The Earl’s Enticement is the last book in my Castle Bride series, and is about an unconventional Scotswoman, Adaira Ferguson who locks Roark, the Earl of Clarendon in the dungeon of her brother’s keep. Believing him the blackguard who attempted to abduct her sister-in-law and spied for the enemy during the Napoleonic War, Adair is quite proud of herself. Until she discovers the man she has locked in the dungeon is who he says he is, and not his brother, the real spy. 

What's next for your readers?

I’ve started a new series, The Highlander Heather Romancing a Scot Series and have the first book, Triumph and Treasure done. I’m about one quarter of the way done with the second book, Virtue and Valor.  

Why do you write in the genre you do?

I adore historicals of all kinds, but especially Regencies and Scottish/Highlanders. It seemed only natural to gravitate to writing the genres I love reading the most. 

Have you ever written a character based on someone you know?

Chuckling here. Not a main character on anyone I know though I have given several of them middle names or characteristics of people I know. But I did create a minor character based on a specific person. 

Do you have an idea for "the"book of your career? Have you already written it or is it still an idea bouncing around in your head?

I have so many book ideas bouncing around in my head. I don’t know that any one is “the” book of my career. I do have an idea for a book that I’ve just barely started that is very unique, but I’m not writing it in the hopes it will be a bestseller. I don’t actually write any of my books with that thought in mind.

Where do you rank in the family hierarchy? First child? Only child? Baby? Somewhere in between?

I’m the second oldest and the oldest girl which meant I had a lot of responsibilities growing up. 

What haven't you done as a writer that you'd like to attempt?

I have ideas for a couple genres other than historical I’d like to try, and I  think a writer’s retreat would be fun to attend. I keep hoping someone will put one together in a castle somewhere! 

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Are you a dog or cat person? 

I have both dogs (2 labs and 5 dachshunds) and four cats, but I’m really more of a dog person. 

Would you rather vacation at the beach or the mountains?

Oh, the beach! I grew up along the Oregon Coast, though the weather there isn’t as warm as I like. Give me a nice tropical beach and I’d be very happy. 

The Earl’s Enticement Cover Blurb:

She won’t be tamed. 

A fiery, unconventional Scot, Adaira Ferguson wears breeches, swears, and has no more desire to marry than she does to follow society’s dictates of appropriate behavior. She trusts no man with the secret she desperately protects.

He can’t forget.

Haunted by his past, Roark, the Earl of Clarendon, rigidly adheres to propriety, holding himself and those around him to the highest standards, no matter the cost. Betrayed once, he’s guarded and leery of all women.

Mistaking Roark for a known spy, Adaira imprisons him. Infuriated, he vows vengeance. Realizing her error, she’s appalled and releases him, but he’s not satisfied with his freedom. Roark is determined to transform Adaira from an ill-mannered hoyden to a lady of refinement. 

He succeeds only to discover, he preferred the free-spirited Scottish lass who first captured his heart.

Collette Cameron Bio:

Award winning, Amazon best-selling, and multi-published historical romance author, Collette Cameron, has a BS in Liberal Studies and a Master's in Teaching.  A Pacific Northwest Native, Collette’s been married for thirty years, has three amazing adult children, and five dachshunds. Collette loves a good joke, inspirational quotes, flowers, the beach, trivia, birds, shabby chic, and Cadbury Chocolate. You'll always find dogs, birds, quirky—sometimes naughty—humor, and a dash of inspiration in her novels. Her motto for life? You can’t have too much chocolate, too many hugs, or too many flowers. She’s thinking about adding shoes to that list. 

Connect with Collette:

Website    Blue Rose Romance Blog   Twitter   Facebook

You can connect with Collette on Goodreads, LinkedIn, and Google+  too. Go to her website for the links, her email address, and mailing address.

 http://amzn.com/B00KLO64

Excerpt:

Smiling, a heart-wrenchingly sad smile, she said flatly, “I’m quite used to being the source of gossip and disapproval. One really does become immune after a while.”

Shoulders sagging, she dropped her gaze to her hands, and fidgeted with a ribbon on her gown. 

Like hell one did. 

People erected barriers and defenses and lived a lonely life of isolation. Or behaved outrageously, keeping the company of those even more scandalous than themselves. Or they became bitter and unfeeling, afraid to hope for anything better than the harsh hand they’d been dealt. He couldn’t let that happen to his free-spirited Adaira.

Stifling an oath, Roark straightened his shoulders. The infernal pounding in his head and throbbing in his nether regions affected both his patience and his ability to focus. 

“You’d prefer censure and ostracism?” 

Adaira tilted her chin, meeting his eyes. “I prefer them over being compelled to marry a man who doesn’t want me. You have made it very clear you disapprove of everything about me. I’m not foolish enough to mistake your lust for anything more than what it is, pure animalistic drive.” 

She gave him a cynical smile and shrugged again. “You forget, my lord, I have a stallion that becomes crazed with the need to copulate. He doesn’t give a rat’s whisker about the mare he’s mating. She’s a means to an end. Humans are little better in my observation, at least the males of the species.”

By God, she’d compared him to her rutting stallion. Roark almost touched his jaw to make sure it wasn’t sagging open.