Monday, September 24, 2007

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kate Pearce was born into a large family of girls in England, and spent much of her childhood living very happily in a dream world. Despite being told that she really needed to 'get with the program', she graduated from the University College of Wales with an honors degree in history.

After graduation, real life did intervene and she ended up working in finance which was not the greatest career choice for a would-be writer and someone who can't add up!

A move to the USA finally allowed her to fulfill her dreams and sit down and write that novel. Along with being a voracious reader, Kate loves trail riding with her family, 'western style' in the regional parks of Northern California and walking her Cavalier King Charles spaniel, Hunter.

Kate writes in several different romance sub-genres under different names. She is a member of RWA and is published by Kensington Aphrodisia, Ellora's Cave and Virgin Black Lace/Cheek.

For more info, visit her website at www.katepearce.com


INTERVIEW:

Why did you become a writer? Was it a dream of yours since you were younger or did the desire to write happen later in your life?
I was always a voracious reader and a dreamer, so writing kind of came naturally to me. I made stuff up all the time! The ability to write 'well' took a lot longer to develop.

What do you love about being an author? Is there anything you dislike?
I love that I can make stuff up and eventually there is a big pile of paper and then a book. It's amazing! the worst bit is that people assume that I don't really work and that because I'm at home I'm always available to help out

How do you balance your personal and writing time?
It's tough. We have 4 kids between the ages of 5-18 and both of us have fairly busy lives. We make a conscious effort to schedule time together or we just miss each other all the time!

How do you write? Do your characters come to you first or the plot or the world of the story?
This is going to sound crazy but I see a character in my head, usually a tiny glimpse into a really pivotal or crucial moment in their lives and I go on from there. I focus on that character, let my subconscious work away until I see a scene, get a name, or some sense of action. Then I take that and write a book around it

What genre(s) do you write? Why do you write the stories that you write?
I write futuristic for Ellora's Cave, contemporary for Virgin 'Cheek' and historicals for Kensington Aphrodisia - all erotic romance. I write what I feel like writing-although the historicals are probably my favorites

What is the biggest misconception about being an author?
Um, that's its glamorous? I haven't noticed so far!

Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?
No, I make them up although I'm sure that some elements of people I know creep in there somewhere!

Out of all the characters that you've written, who is your favorite and why?
That's hard to answer because I love all my heroes. Up until fairly recently I would've said Gideon Harcourt from "Antonia's Bargain" because I never thought I'd write a bisexual Regency rake or fall in love with him along the way! Now I'm equally intrigued by the 2 Regency heroes of the upcoming Kensington books because being enslaved in a Turkish brothel for 6 years must have a big impact on a man's sexuality, right?

If you were writing a script for the big screen, who would you want to act in your movie?
Russell Crowe, please? Because he can be anyone :)

What would you want readers to take away from your books?
I'd like them to squirm in their seats-in a good way-and enjoy not only the sex but a good plot and believable characters

Do you have any advice for beginning writers in regards to writing a book?
Try and write every day, even if its only for 10 minutes so that you get into the habit of doing it. Don't be afraid to take risks and don't worry about what your mother, sister, aunt, significant other will think about you. Write for yourself.

Who are your favorite authors?
so many! Linda Howard, J R Ward, Suzanne Brockmann, Laurell K Hamilton, Ian McEwan, Jane Austen, Philippa Gregory-I could go on and on

What are you reading right now?
Just finished "Nicholas" by Elizabeth Amber which was great! Got a sneak peek at "The Reincarnationist" by M J Rose which was awesome and I'm just about to start a Lynn Viehl.


ABOUT THE BOOK:

BLURB:

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, unless you’re Lauren Redstone. In her case a little klutziness at a hotel bar turns into an unexpected opportunity to indulge in her most erotic fantasy-sex with a real honest-to goodness cowboy. But when Lauren wakes up the next morning, she discovers she’s indulged in more than a night of incredible passion-she’s wearing a sparkling gold wedding band.

But Lauren’s plans don’t include a life-time commitment to one man. Not when she has a nice safe life with her retro props business and a firm desire to stay far away from controlling men like her father. Love isn’t even a factor in her game plan. But her sexy cowboy isn’t ready to fold his hand just yet. Can he convince her that true love always wins in the end?


EXCERPT:

Lauren grabbed her champagne, slipped into her shoes and got unsteadily to her feet. She was starving. But this was Las Vegas. There had to be a buffet around somewhere. She was so engrossed in the loud swirling pattern of the carpet that she tripped over the outstretched toe of a black cowboy boot.

She collided with a large, warm object. Before she hit the floor, a strong arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her close. Lauren stared into the amused face of a man she’d never seen before. Thanks to her, he wore the rest of his beer on his shirt.

“Are you okay, ma’am?”

Lauren simply gaped at him. He wore a brown cowboy hat and a checked denim shirt. His slow drawling speech made her feel warm and soft like taffy. She focused on his eyes which were the same blue-grey color as his jeans.

“I’m not a ma’am.”

He grinned, “Well, lucky old me.”

A drop of beer rolled off his chin onto his chest. Lauren caught it on her fingertip just before it disappeared below the first button on his shirt. His skin was rough and warm to the touch.

“I’ve made you all wet.”

His smile widened. “There are a few things I’d like to say to that. But I reckon most of them would get my face slapped.” He settled her deeper into his lap as a waitress squeezed past the booth.

Lauren suppressed an uncharacteristic urge to giggle. Either he had a gun in his pocket or he was reacting as fiercely to her as she was to him. She felt breathless, as if all the chatter and clanging slot machines around them had ceased to exist.

“Can I buy you another beer?”

“Only if you tell me your name.”

She was almost disappointed when he moved her off his lap. “I’m Lauren Redstone.” She held out her hand and realized she still held the empty champagne glass. He carefully removed it.

“Grayson Turner. And, just in case you’re interested, I’m not married either.” He kept hold of her hand and rubbed his calloused thumb along the edge of her palm.

Lauren managed to stop staring long enough to signal a waitress. When the drinks arrived, Grayson grimaced as he pressed a wad of napkins against the front of his beer soaked shirt.

“Let me help, it was my fault, after all.” Lauren patted a folded napkin against his stomach, noting the flex of hard muscle beneath the shirt and the subtle hitch in his breathing as he reacted to her touch.

A deep feeling of warmth settled low in Lauren’s stomach. She’d heard of love at first sight, was this lust at first sight? She wanted to rip off his shirt, pull down his jeans and discover whether he really was as well endowed as the bulge in his groin indicated. What was that song her best friend Ella loved so much? Something about forget the horse, ride the cowboy? Suddenly, it made perfect sense.

She gulped down some more champagne. Was the illicit excitement of Vegas getting to her? She’d never reacted so strongly to a man before and it wasn’t just alcohol singing through her veins. It was pure unadulterated lust. She wanted to lean forward and touch his full lower lip with the tip of her tongue just to see how he tasted.


REVIEWS:

5 Hearts:
"What an amazingly rich and engrossing story! I was hooked from the very
beginning and absolutely did not stop reading until the very end. I loved how Lauren’s emotions and attitude were so easily understood by Grayson, and his feelings were so strong and reliable. This is one cowboy you don’t want to miss! I hope to read more by this very talented author in the future."
-- Lisa Freeman, The Romance Studio

5 Stars:
"Fashion designer Lauren Redstone has been trying to break away from her abusive father for years. Celebrating a big business deal in Las Vegas, Lauren meets cowboy Grayson Turner, gets drunk and goes to bed with him. Still reeling with excitement and liquor, Lauren and Grayson get married. Six months later,Lauren boards a plane bound to her husband's ranch in Oregon. Dismayed at what she had done, Lauren assumed that Grayson would be equally happy to divorce. To her astonishment and dismay, she discovers that he wants to remain married. The arrangement they made was to spend two weekends together; the first at his ranch in Oregon, the next at her condo in San Francisco. He has the right to do what ever he pleases to convince her to stay married; she to convince him to divorce. Who will win this battle of strong wills?

I was just enthralled with the characters and the plot of this novel! Lauren has been brought up by a father who dominates everyone around him, including Lauren's mother. It takes time for Grayson to realize how important Lauren's father is in her life. He knows that he can handle Mr. Redstone because his father is also a bully, who has been married a number of times and has a multitude of children. Grayson loves Lauren and knows that she loves him as well. He wants the two of them to have the happy home life together that neither knew as children. He also wants to continue the hot, hot HOT sex that they had! So did I! Oh my, I would have loved to have been there-and I'm NOT a voyeur! Ms. Pearce knows her characters and allows them to tell their story. Where Have All The Cowboys Gone? is an incredible story about families and how they deal with each other.... Brava, Ms. Pearce, please write another!"
-- Marcy, JERR Reviewer


Where Have All the Cowboys Gone? by Kate Pearce
ISBN-10: 0352341009
Publisher: Virgin 'Cheek'
Release Date: May 29, 2007
$10.36 from Amazon.com


Purchase Where Have All the Cowboys Gone? by Kate Pearce HERE!!!