From Thea: I connected with author Lauren Dane through the magic of Twitter, and I’m so glad I did! Lauren is not only extremely talented, but she’s sensible and strong minded. I was delighted when she agreed to come visit on my blog this week! And she’s very kindly offered to have a book giveaway. Be sure to pay attention to contest details at the end of the post. Take it away, Lauren!
New York Times bestselling author Lauren Dane delivers a second serving of sexy in her new Delicious novel, in which taste and temptation make up a sweet recipe…
Mary Whaley has her hands full running a successful catering company and overseeing her supper club. She has everything she ever wanted—or so she thought. When she meets ridiculously hot and very dirty rock star Damien Hurley at her friend’s engagement party, the attraction she feels is overpowering—and she isn’t about to deny herself.
Damien is used to a hard and fast life. He and two of his brothers started a band when they were fresh out of high school—then they hit the big time and stayed there. He’s also a legendary madman on the stage and in the bedroom. But when he meets Mary, something clicks, and the bad boy starts thinking he may have finally found something good.
What begins as a series of fleeting trysts soon gets much more complicated. Damien can’t figure out why Mary doesn’t want more from him. And before long, it’s Damien who wants more from Mary. But it turns out Mary is no stranger to celebrity news, and he’s got a very big job ahead of him: proving that he’s worth more than a one-night stand…
LUSH, the third in my Delicious series, is a sort of twist on a theme.
Damien Hurley, the hero, is a rock and roll drummer. He’s a big star, a celebrity and hotter than hot. Mary Whaley, the heroine is a woman who has her own catering business and her own life.
So instead of chasing him and wanting more than a few nights here and there, she’s totally fine with that status quo because she’s got things to do. She’s got her own life, her own community. She enjoys her time with Damien, but she doesn’t yearn for it. Doesn’t need it.
It’s Damien, the rock star who wants more. Damien who does the chasing of the heroine, wanting a commitment. Damien who can’t figure out why she’s okay with how things are.
It was a lot of fun to do that! Fun to turn the woman chasing the man, the “normal” person chasing the rockstar. It’s the little things that keep this job so much fun, the twists on themes I love so much.
So I hope you all enjoy reading Lush, and Damien’s wooing of Mary as much as I enjoyed writing it!
Lauren
www.laurendane.com
From Thea: Thanks, Lauren. And now for the **Contest**
In LUSH, Mary meets Damien who is a big star, a celebrity. Which big stars or celebrities have you met? And if you’ve never met a celeb, who would you like to meet?
Simply leave a comment below and you’re entered to win a copy of your choice of one of Lauren’s three Delicious series books. CHERISHED, TART or her latest release LUSH.
We’ll draw the winner on April 12th at 12 noon MDT (2pm EDT) and announce them on the blog. The winner must contact us at info@theaharrison.com by 5pm MDT (7pm EDT) Monday, April 18th to claim their prize.
**If the winner is unable to claim their prize by the time and date and time listed above, it will be allocated to someone else**
Good Luck!
Several years ago I got to meet Paula Deen and even got to go to her house! It was wonderful. I think that’s why I loved Lush so much. I could relate to Mary and all her cooking! 😎
Lauren – You are a new author to me. (Thank you Thea!) Thanks for the contest!
Ok… now to answer the question… I met Peter of Peter, Paul and Mary once. I also met Peter Noone of Herman’s Hermits. AND Elvis! I was with a group of square dancers who were eating at a pizza parlor after a dance… Elvis came in and offered to pay all our bills if we’d leave so he could have the place for himself and his entourage. He was very nice… :-)))
I haven’t met any celebrities yet but I would love to meet Sean Connery.
I don’t think I’ve ever met a celebrity! There are a few athletes I wouldn’t mind meeting, but in general I think we move in different circles, lol.
I haven’t met any celebrities as yet but would love to meet Shemar Moore!
I was actually on my way to watch Bill Clinton give a speech when I spotted a friendly dog calmly walking beside an older gentleman. I bent down to pet the down, looked up to give my compliments, and realized that I was face-to-face with John Lithgow. I ended up walking with them for a few minutes, just chatting. He was a complete dear, and so was his pup.
I used to live in Washington, DC, so I’ve met a lot of politicians, though I’m not sure if they count as famous. For example, Patty Murray, the Senator from Washington state, gave me tips on taking care of myself when I was buying cold medicine at a drug store, but you can’t really name drop Patty Murray, can you? ; )
I’ve used to see Sarah Jessica Parker at the park by my house (she lived around the corner). I said hello once to Michael Douglas. I stood in a taxi line in front of Joy Behar. But alas I have never met any celebrity.
I have met several celebrities. I got to meet the band OneRepublic. I also got to meet country singers Montgomery Gentry, Lost Trailers, Jane Dear Girls, and Shania Twain. I also got to meet amazing writer Charlaine Harris at a book signing. I also meet Stephen Pearcy from the 80’s band RATT.
I would really love to meet Laurell K Hamilton, Lauren Dane, Jeanine Frost, and JR Ward. I would also love to meet Channing Tatum and Joe Manganiello.
The biggest celebrities I’ve ever met are authors at a few local signings. I had a blast meeting them and talking books. It’s so wonderful meeting the ladies behind my favorite books. I think I’d like to meet Karen Ranney or Jennifer Ashley. I adore their books and I haven’t met them yet. Then of course you Thea, or Lauren Dane would be awesome too!
I met Dick van Dyke. And David Robinson from the San Antonio Spurs NBA team.
I have never met a celebrity and I the only type of celebrity I would want to met would be authors of the books I love.
I’ve met Derren Brown and Jackie Charlton and would love to meet Lady Gaga, the woman fascinates me ;o)
Most of what I consider celebrities are either authors or sports figures. I met Christian Laettner in 1992 (#32 Duke Blue Devils) the year he made the shot heard round the world. I cried……
I’ve never really met a famous person. The closest I ever got as Hugh, the base guitarist for Bon Jovi 6 years ago. Rode an elevator with him.
Met Mario Lopez
I met Robin Williams once. He wasn’t even trying but he was funny anyway.
Hmm Ive met a few celebrities(I consider them such) no one major. Just people that do anime voices and authors. A few years ago I met Sherrilyn Kenyon when she came up to the Washington/Oregon area. It was great and a total blast. I won a little WereHunter charm which has since disappeared but she started me on wanting to talk to the authors of the books I love more. Took me a while to get on that but now I enjoy talking to the authors of the novels I read. And consider them in many ways good friends. Authors are my celebrities.
I met Alex Kava, which of course is her pen name. She was lovely. I’ve always wanted to meet Snuffalupgus and Big Bird from Sesame Street. I don’t know if they qualify as celebrities, but their totally awesome in my book.
Good gosh, I don’t know that I would want to! I’d make a fool of myself, I’m sure. I’m smooth that way 😉
I met Bruce Boxleitner and Mira Furlan and Sherrilyn Kenyon… I want to meet Chuck Norris and all of my fave authors and the cast of NCIS…
Met mr t
love to meet George clooney whoo
I have never met a celebrity. I would like to meet Alan Jackson.
I’ve met Oprah at a J. Alexander’s restaurant in Nashville. I have also met Clint from “What Not To Wear” at a department store, also in Nashville. I ran into Kobe Bryant while the Lakers practiced in my college gym. Last but not least, I talked to Morgan Freeman on the phone. He was attending a Christmas Party in MS.
Didn’t meet, but crossed paths with Warren Beatty on the street in Spain- mistook him for a member of the local American community. I thought I’d met him and said hi. He didn’t respond, just smiled and kept walking. I guess lots of people think they know celebs. Months later I saw him in a movie shot near where I bumped into him and it clicked.
First thing that pops into my mind…a friend of mine was a limo driver, and she needed to pick up one of Eddie Money’s guitarists…don’t remember why she asked me to go. He was running late, so we actually were invited into the house. We talked, he asked me out. I think he was interested because I didn’t see him as a celebrity; I don’t get excited by that sort of thing. Seems they are just people, even if they do an interesting job.
I think I was way more nervous to meet the Ambasador, when I swore into the Peace Corps, than to meet a rock star.
Gave directions to Chris Eubanks years ago and met Jimmy Carr(British comic)
I have not met any celebrities. There are lots of people I’d love to meet in theory but the truth of it is that my anxiety is so bad I’m not sure I could really deal with it. I’m bad enough when trying to talk with non-celebrity people I don’t know.
But if we’re living in a fantasy world anyway, there are lots of people I’d love to meet. I think maybe I’d pick Timothy Olyphant from Justified first off 🙂
I used to have to arrange author readings for my library and part of the gig was to take the authors for dinner before the readings. Gail Bowen, William Deverell and Michael Morpurgo were the most entertaining!
I once met Jimmy Connors the tennis player and Harry Chapin in real life. But honestly, the best experience I had was when I was at RT last year and met the authors I love to read in person. I was such a fan girl! Thea and Lauren your books are on my auto buy list. Love your stories! Thanks for the contest.