Christine ~ Romance Abroad by Annie Seaton

Please welcome Annie Seaton author of  Romance Abroad.

Annie will be awarding a boomerang and a $10 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.

INTERVIEW:

1. What or who inspired you to start writing? I have always loved reading and have wanted to write stories for as long as I can remember…since I was a small child.

2. How did you come up with ideas for your books? In the strangest places… watching people in the supermarket, any setting where I can watch people and imagine their lives. I also often dream a story.

3. What expertise did you bring to your writing? A love of reading, and reading across many genres. A degree in English literature.

4. What would you want your readers to know about you that might not be in your bio? I love having contact with readers and chatting to them about my books, I have readers groups on Facebook for my two series.

5. As far as your writing goes, what are your future plans? To write prolifically and get a solid back list up. When I reach twenty books, I will take a break. I am currently writing my thirteenth book in just over two years.

6. If you could be one of the characters from any of your books, who would it be and why? Brianna in Italian Affair: she is left an Italian villa and meets the most gorgeous man on the plane on the way over there from Australia. Tomas is my favorite hero. I still cry when I read the book… LOL and I wrote it!

7. When did you first decide to submit your work? Please tell us what or who encouraged you to take this big step? I began writing in March 2011 when I was on leave from my job as a high school principal. I saw a competition and wrote a steampunk novella in a week. It didn’t win but I subbed it to a few publishers and was offered three contracts in the first week! I have now retired and write full time and I love my writing life!

8. Do you outline your books or just start writing? I was the original seat of the pants panster for my first few books but my wonderful editor has beaten that out of me. Now I plan and plot…and it is a lot easier to draw it all together.

9. Do you have any hobbies and does the knowledge you’ve gained from these carry over into your characters or the plot of your books? I love the beach and the ocean, and each of my books is set by the water somewhere in the world… with the exception of Blind Lust… and it has a bathtub scene!

10. Do you have an all time favorite book? Katherine by Anya Seton…published in 1957!

11. Have you started your next project? If so, can you share a little bit about your book? I have three books underway at the moment. Book 2 in the Half Moon Bay series is about two artists who come head to head; the first book in a historical continuity series called the Emerald Quest set in New Orleans in 1794 and the prequel to my romantic suspense novel (Dangerous Desire .. already published) called Seductive Secrets.

12. Anything else you might want to add?

13. As I said above I love hearing from readers…either by email or thought Facebook. Come on over and visit!

Romance Abroad Bundle

by Annie Seaton

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BLURB:

HOLIDAY AFFAIR

Nothing more than a holiday fling…until he moved in next door!

Staid professor Lissy McIntyre believes that choosing a mate should be based on common sense, not runaway passion. And Lissy would certainly never pick a rolling stone like Nick Richards for long-term love. But a red-hot, tropical romance? Oh, yeah. He’s got a body just made for sinning and his sizzling kisses leave her senseless.

When Nick blows into town, he’s stunned to discover that his no-nonsense new neighbor and co-worker is the same sultry creature he seduced for one night of forbidden island pleasure. He’s unaccustomed to staying in one place for long, but he just can’t seem to keep his hands off the multi-faceted Lissy. Will Nick break loyal Lissy’s heart or will she be the one woman he simply can’t walk away from?

ITALIAN AFFAIR

Free-spirited sex therapist Brianna Ballantine has four days to find a fiancé so she can inherit her birth mother’s Italian villa. Commitment is not on the agenda. Writing her sex therapy book and signing legal papers are. And once all is said and done, she’ll return home to Scotland.

For finance guru Tomas Richards, relationships have been a bad investment—give him stocks and shares any day. When Tomas offers a marriage of convenience to help Brianna secure her inheritance, the sizzle between the sheets promises an affair to remember, despite family complications at every turn. But Tom must convince Brianna to stay, and make this Italian affair a lifelong commitment.

OUTBACK AFFAIR

Jessica Trent wants to be a full-time writer for Cuisine magazine, but in order to land the gig she has to snare a one-on-one with the reclusive Alessandro Ricardo, a man hell-bent on staying out of the limelight. The last thing she expects as she heads to Crocodile Springs resort in northern Australia is to end up traveling across the Outback with a rugged and far too sexy barramundi fisherman.

Ex lawyer Alex Richards protects his privacy and his heart in equal measure. So when a Yankee bombshell in need of a ride turns up and threatens both, he decides to teach her a lesson. As they make their way through the wild country together, the attraction between them ignites. Alex must choose between his heart or letting go of his past … and will Jessica understand why he lied once she finds out who he really is?

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EXCERPT:

Holiday Affair First Excerpt

 “The professor is a hunk. Tell me all…you called him by his first name. Have you been out with him, or do you just know him from work?”

“Nuh, juss from work,” slurred Lissy. “He’s a nightmare to work with, very full of himself…not very nice at all.”

“What about Tom? Are you still seeing him?”

“Huh—” said Lissy “—thought he was different, but they are tarred with the same hairbrush.” Jenny burst out laughing.

“Oh, you are so funny with a few drinks under your belt. You mean brush, not hairbrush!” Lissy tried to be serious for a minute, and had to hang on tightly to the basin to keep her balance. She squinted into the mirror and saw that her curls were out of control

“Woo…a bit giddy,” she said. “And I’m hungry.” Jenny pulled a chair over and sat her down in front of the mirror.

“Okay, let’s fix you up.” She stood behind Lissy and tried to tame her curls down with her hand. “Speaking of hairbrushes, did you bring yours, hon?” Lissy fumbled in her bag and tipped it out onto the bench. The contents of the bag rolled around and fell over the edge, just as the two glamorous women who were with Tom and Nick entered the restroom. She dived to the floor to catch lipstick, brushes, keys, and coins as they hit the floor. “Oh, hello,” she said giggling.

“Your legs match the rest of you.” The two women laughed and moved into the cubicles. “Come on,” Jenny said. “Our meals will be there soon.” She helped Lissy pick up the contents of her bag, straighten her hair and lipstick, and they headed back into the restaurant after visiting the cubicle.

“Oh, no you don’t,” said Jenny as Lissy spotted the two empty chairs at the Richards’s table and dragged Jenny over. She plonked herself down next to Tom, who looked as though he wanted to sink through the floor. Nick sat back and folded his arms, looking at them with interest.

“Hi, boys. I would like you to meet my very best friend Jenny. It’s her birthday and she would love a birthday kiss.” A little hiccough escaped her red painted lips and she giggled. “Hap…happy birthday, Jenny. Nice to meet you,” said Tom. He could not take his eyes off Lissy. She smirked; he had never seen her in anything but tailored suits and French-rolled hair. Nick continued to sit and look without saying anything. Lissy caught his eye. She leaned over and said, “Nicky dear, why do you look like the cat that got the cream?”

He shrugged his shoulders.

“Thank you, Tom, but it’s actually Clare’s birthday,” Jenny said. “Come on, Melissa, our meals will be there. See you later.” She grabbed Lissy and pulled her to her feet as Lissy laughed.

“Come on, we’ll leave this pair to their floozies.”

Italian Affair:

“How would you feel about coming with me and translating for me at the lawyer’s tomorrow morning? You do speak the language like a native.” A shaft of red sunlight hit the wall behind him and she jumped up and grabbed his hand. “Come on. The sun’s setting over the Tyrrhenian Sea. We can’t miss that.”

He gathered up the cups and leftover food, put them back into the plastic bag she’d left on the seat, and then followed her out to the deck. The breeze was cool and they stood close together as the sun dropped low in the sky. One by one, the other passengers gave in to the cold breeze and headed back into the warmth of the saloon.

Brianna shivered and rubbed her arms. “I didn’t think to pack a coat. Summer in the Mediterranean, I thought it would be warmer.”

“It’s always cooler out on the water.” Tom removed his jacket and placed it around her shoulders. Her skin absorbed the lingering warmth. His fingers brushed her throat as he pulled it around her and she shivered again. But not from the cold, she thought.

“Happy to stay out here till sunset? It’s not far off now,” he said. He stood behind her and put his arms loosely around her, grasping the rail in front of them. She appreciated the warmth of his body blocking the chilly breeze blowing across the deck. They watched as the bloodred rays of the setting sun tinged the clouds with shades of color ranging from the palest pink to silver. The last sliver of the orb dropped behind the water to the west, and the wind dropped almost immediately.

“Would all their colors from the sunset take, from something of material sublime, rather than shadow our own soul’s day- time in the dark void of night,” Tom murmured.

“John Keats? You are full of surprises, Mr. Bursar.” Brianna looked back at him and the wind caught her loose strands of hair and blew it into his face. “Sorry.” She turned around, reached up, and removed the hair stuck to his cheek, and was surprised by an intent look on his face before he dipped his head and caught her lips with the soft warmth of his. It caught her by surprise, and she stood stiff in his arms, not sure how to respond. By the time she’d come to terms with it, he’d pulled back.

“You looked sad, Bri,” he said with a smile. “And I couldn’t resist trying to cheer you up. And, yes, I’ll help you out. I’ll come along to the lawyer and translate. Now, come back inside where it’s warmer and you can tell me more about this visit to the lawyer’s office and what you need me to find out.” Tom held out his arm and waited for her to take it. “Oh, and perhaps while we’re talking, maybe you can tell me if this has anything to do with your crazy proposal on the plane.”

Brianna took his arm and looked up into serious blue eyes. She had a feeling she’d been set up. Sucked in by poetry and a kiss. 

Outback Affair:

“There’s some string in the glove compartment. You’ll be cooler with your hair tied up.” He reached over, dropped the door opened, and passed her a ball of blue twine.

“You’ve got a whole grocery store in there.”

“It’s the boy scout in me. Be prepared, I always say.” He snapped the door shut and turned his gaze back to the road. “I use it to tie the crab traps together when I’m traveling.”

Jess tried to break off a length of string with her fingers, but it was too strong.

Alex stretched back in the seat and dug in the pocket of his jeans with his left hand. “I’ve got a knife in here, but I can’t reach it.” He gripped the steering wheel and stretched further back. “See if you can get it.

Heat ran up Jess’s neck. The last thing she wanted to do was poke about in his jeans pocket. She glanced over at him, and discomfort filled her as a small smile played about his lips. If that was how he wanted to get his thrills, no way was she going to play along. She sat up straight in the seat.

“It’s okay. I’ll wait till we stop.” Opening the glove compartment, she shoved the ball of twine back in, and a small box fell to the floor. She picked it up, pushed it back in, and slammed the compartment shut. The heat from her neck ran up to her face, and she was sure her skin was flaming red. She glanced over, but his attention was on the road. A frisson of nerves jittered in her stomach as he turned and looked at her. Talk about Mr. Be Prepared Boy Scout. How many fishermen carried a box of condoms in their fishing trucks? Her expression must have been easy to read.

“Like I said, Jess. Be prepared. You never know your luck in the big city or so they say.”

“Well, you’re in the outback now, and you’re out of luck.” She stared out the window as he roared with laughter.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Annie Seaton lives with her husband, and ‘Bob’ the dog and two white cats in a house next to the beach on the east coast of Australia. She sits in her writing chair, gazing at the ocean and writing stories.  Their two children are grown and married and she loves spending time gardening, walking on the beach and spoiling her two grandchildren. She has always been fascinated by all things romantic and has found her niche in life writing romance novels, ranging through contemporary, historical, suspense and paranormal…but all with romance of course.

Her love of reading and history began at an early age and she was a child who always carried a book (or two) no matter what she was doing. Several of her favourite books were confiscated from beneath her desk by teachers who had no understanding of her capacity to read while she was doing her schoolwork!

Her working life has seen her through several major career changes and Annie has now retired from the world of full time work and has fulfilled her lifelong dream of becoming a published author.

Annie’s debut full length novel, Holiday Affair, a contemporary romance set in the South Pacific was released as part of Entangled Publishing’s Indulgence line in March 2012 and has been a best seller on both Amazon, and Barnes and Noble. The sequel Italian Affair was released in June 2013, and will be followed shortly by Outback Affair. Annie has more books being released in 2013 and 2014 with Entangled Publishing in the Bliss, Entangled Ignite and Covet imprints.

Annie loves to hear from readers at: annieseaton26@gmail.com

http://www.annieseatonromance.com/

http://annieseaton.blogspot.com.au/

https://www.facebook.com/AnnieSeatonAuthor

https://www.facebook.com/annieseaton26

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Annie-Seatons-Affair-Series/365004260285896?ref=hl

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