I'm so happy to have Jean Maxwell as my guest today. We have published through Evernight for years now, but never been able to snag her for my blog.
In addition to answering all my 'must know' questions she is going to hold a giveaway for her latest release Indecent Proposal. With out further delay let me introduce the incredibly talented Jean Maxwell.
Do
you do anything to get you into the zone to write?
Lately its been tough!
When I first started I could hardly wait to get to my laptop every night. Now I
seem to put it off! However if I start thinking about the story and my
characters earlier in the day, I have some scenarios in my head that make me
want to sit down and write them. Wine, instrumental music and candles go a long
way, too!
Which authors inspire your writing?
Ha! Several. Some by
wanting to imitate them and others by how bad they are and knowing I can do
better!
What
is your favorite book, character and why?
A Nameless Witch, by A.
Lee Martinez. The witch (who, as title suggests, has no name so I can’t say),
tells the story in first person, is extremely brave and clever, and is
completely accepting of herself and her situation. She doesn’t care what others
think of her and she keeps true friends around her.
Do
you prefer to write erotic or sweet?
If I do my job right, I
can have both. It’s not really a preference, I think it’s more of a balance.
Which
famous person, living or dead, are you drawn to?
Guitarist and songwriter
Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Where
do you see yourself in five years?
At my condo in Cabo,
writing hot stuff under the hot sun!
Finish
this sentence: I know I’ve made it when –
My friend Maryse can
walk up to me in the Ft. McMurray airport, say “are you Jean Maxwell?” and it won’t
be a joke!
What
advice would you give aspiring writers?
Like Nike, ‘just do it.’
And don’t let anyone, including yourself, say you can’t. Also, jump into
NaNoWriMo this November.
What
do you see yourself writing in the future?
I’ve always been a
sci-fi fan so could see doing something of that nature in the years to come.
If
you could have one superpower what would it be and why?
A toss-up between flying
and laser-eye death ray.
What
time of the day are you at your best to write?
When I say to myself
“get your @ss to that computer and start writing”
And
now for something completely different…
What
do you look at first with an attractive man or woman, face, body or smile?
Face
Explain
your perfect day.
Waking up to a sunny day
and a sexy text from a certain admirer; A great coffee, a walk, swim or bike
ride, shopping with no budget limit, dinner out then a movie or concert.
What
is the most decadent desert you can’t say no to?
Chocolate cheesecake.
Just about any kind of cheesecake, really.
Do
you have a favorite holiday what is it and what makes it special to you?
Definitely Christmas.
The month-long buildup, the smells, the movies and the music always make me
smile. You’d be hard pressed to find me grumpy at Christmas. It somehow makes
me feel safe, protected, and suspended in time for many magical weeks!
What
key words describe you best?
Funny. Creative.
Perfectionist.
Do you want to do a
giveaway? If so please put the information here:
What
is your prize?
A free e-copy of Indecent
Proposal
How
do they enter to win?
When
will you be announcing the winner?
Tuesday, Jan. 21
Want to know more about Jean Maxwell and her books?
TW:
@dearjeanmaxwell
Here is a little taste of Indecent Proposal.
Blurb: When a hard-working
professional girl gets overloaded with projects she tends to go a little crazy.
Add in a hot, hunky company newcomer that she must work late into the night
with and the stage is set for a workplace gone wild!!
Workaholic
PR Manager Carlin Cates is asked to drop everything to help out a new recruit
in completing a bid proposal with tight deadlines. She’s not crazy about
putting in the extra time until the newcomer, Thatcher Banks, turns out to be
the hottest Project Manager in the business!
Excerpt:
She
flipped a switch, and the overhead lamps in her office burst to life with an
audible snap. Removing her coat, she glanced at her desk. Stacked in a neat
arrangement were rolls of antacid tablets, a bottle of Pepto Bismol, packets of
Alka Seltzer, Advil gelcaps, a collection of herbal teas, and a box of
multigrain crackers. All the remedies for an upset stomach known to man in one
pile! Next to these sat a potted plant with a card tied to it with a pink
ribbon.
Carlin
fingered the little tag, an insane hope rising at what name she might see on
the signature. She’d barely read the first words, “Hoping at least one of these
will cure what ails you…” when a prickling sensation began at the base of her
neck. She pivoted, and there, like magic, stood Thatcher Banks.
He
leaned against the doorframe with his arms folded and ankles crossed, as though
he’d been there forever. An amused grin creased his handsome face.
“Good
Morning, Miss Cates. You’re up and at ‘em early. You must have slept well?”
Carlin
stared at the man. Her lips seemed to have stopped working. With great effort,
she found her voice. “Yes. I did.” His brown eyes transfixed her, glowing like
pools of sunlit honey. She could not look away.
“Well
then, you won’t have need of any of my…remedies,” he said, nodding toward the
desk, but his gaze never wavering from her.
Carlin
reminded herself to breathe, to stay focused, even as she felt imprisoned in
the warm light of his eyes.
“I…feel
fine,” she heard a voice say, knowing it was her own yet hearing it as if from
a distance. She forged a coy smile. “Thank you. For thinking of me.”
Thatcher
cocked his head to one side. “Ah, well. Such is my luck. A fair young lady to
rescue. Only I find she has rescued herself. Pity.” He unfolded his stance and
stood straight, placing his hands behind his back. “Might there be some other
assistance I can render?”
Carlin
gave herself a mental shake. What did he mean by that? She touched her
fingertips to the desktop, to stabilize the trembling in her hands. “I thought
I was here to help you, not the other way around.”
Thatcher
shrugged and took a measured, deliberate step into her office. “You’ve already
been that,” he said. “Why not help each other?” A protracted silence followed,
and though his body remained in place, Carlin felt him moving closer in a
crazy, magnetic way that had no basis in reality. Her own body felt abuzz with
electricity. “And it was my pleasure to be thinking of you,” he continued.
Her
mouth opened in response, when the card reader at the entrance beeped. She
glanced toward the sound. She could hear the swish-click of the front door
opening and the familiar stomp-stomp ritual that her boss habitually performed
upon entering the building, whether winter or summer. Raymond had arrived.
“But
I suppose duty calls,” Thatcher said, his voice lightening. “Let’s get to it.”
He smiled, a full and playful smile meant only for her, before turning away and
leaving the room. “Hello, Raymond!”
Carlin
blinked. His intent seemed unmistakable. Thatcher Banks was about to
proposition her.
“Banks!
Aren’t you the early bird,” she heard Raymond say.
“Sometimes
I’m just the worm, my friend.”
Worm?
She pictured herself as a bird, tugging a helpless worm from the ground with
her beak. Better yet…she pictured wrapping her lips around Thatcher’s cock and
giving it a tug, right here in the office. She felt certain he would have a
magnificent one. Would he let her do it? Would she actually do it if he let
her?
Hiding
a naughty grin, she moved the collection of gifts aside to begin work. She
liked to impress people with her speed and effectiveness on the job. Yet the
longer she took, the longer she could keep Thatcher Banks on hand. Did that
constitute a conflict? Didn’t matter. The proposal had to be filed by four
o’clock. Carlin fired up her laptop and launched her mail program. A long
parade of messages loaded, bearing attachments and comments.
Carlin
filtered through each and saved the pertinent files. The blanks in the RFP
filled rapidly with each new piece of information. Completion wasn’t far off,
she realized. She may not have Mr. Banks around much longer. She sighed while
sending documents to print, and as she stood to retrieve them from the printer
tray, an email notification flashed.
Miss
Cates, you’ve been working very hard. Would you care to join me in the coffee
room for a short break? Thatcher.
She
sat down and considered the words on her screen for a moment. Her hands seemed
to have a mind of their own as they flew to the keyboard.
Yes
I would. Be right there. Send.
Rational
thought evaporated, and though Carlin knew she might be stepping into a giant
cow pie of inappropriateness, she couldn’t care less. Printouts forgotten, she
made a beeline for the coffee room.
Although
public, the coffee room’s small size didn’t lend itself as a gathering place
for employees, so the chances of it being occupied were slim. As predicted, the
space appeared empty as she stepped inside. The door eased shut behind her.
“Do
you take yours with cream?”
Carlin
closed her eyes and smiled in both relief and wonderment at the familiar and
sexy voice that spoke the question. Would something crazy happen here?
Thatcher’s
arms slipped around her waist, and his body drew close to hers from behind. “I
hope I’m not being too forward,” he whispered in her ear. “But I sense we have
some strong feelings toward each other, no?”
“No.
I mean yes,” she stammered.
“Yes
what?” His hands began to glide upward.
“Yes,
I have strong feelings.” She drew in a ragged breath as his palms reached the
underside of her breasts and squeezed them.
“I
do like this shirt you have on. Very sexy. Did you wear it for my benefit?” He
nuzzled her neck beneath one ear. The hands kept moving…cupping both breasts in
earnest and squeezing harder.
“I
think I wore it…for my benefit,” Carlin said, her voice a breathy whisper. Dear
God, her tits hadn’t been touched in months. Her nipples budded hard beneath
her bra. Could he feel them from the outside? Her body shivered.
Thatcher
chuckled low in her ear. “Has it been that long, dear? We must fix that.
Someone as lovely as you shouldn’t go unattended.”
With
that, he dropped his hands and swatted her on the behind. “Coffee break’s over.
May we continue after four? I’ll let you know where.”
Carlin
whirled an about face and glared at him, incredulous. “Excuse me? What sort of
game are you playing, Mr. Banks? I’ll tell you when and where I’m going to be
at any given moment.”
Thank you for being my guest today Jean and for the awesome giveaway.
Good luck everyone.
