If you're here for the Winter Wonder Man Blog Hop, The post is still here and you can still enter the giveaway. Just scroll down the page. 

This is my first time participating in Sneak Peak Sunday. I'll be sharing a short passage from my current work in progress, Light And Shadow, which is Sam Kerrigan's story. Sam and Rikki, my heroine are chaperoning a group of high school students in the woods on a nighttime photography club field trip. Things are about to heat up for them...

Sam returned the smile, brightening his eyes to a sky blue and popping those dimples again. She looked around to check for listening ears and carefully lowered her voice. “Yeah, being a girl can suck some days. But every once in a while, a gorgeous man comes along and makes me remember why I like being a woman.”

Shifting her body to block any stray glances, she reached a finger toward his cheek, caressing the dimple as she chewed her lip. Sam turned his head a little to the right and his tongue snuck out to make a wet lap on her fingertip, groaning softly as he did.

Loud laughter behind them broke the spell Rikki had fallen under when she’d touched his stubbled cheek. Smiling ruefully, she shook her head to clear the lusty fog enveloping them. Good heavens, she was going to have to work hard to hide her true feelings from him and their audience of teens.

“Weren’t you going to start a fire?” she asked, surprised by the husky quality of her voice.

“Hmm, maybe I already did.”

“Yes you did, but I was talking about a campfire.”

“There you go, being a killjoy again.”

She giggled as backed away from him. “Sorry, one of us needs to be the adult here. I’m going to go help the kids set up their equipment.”

She pivoted and walked away, knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that if she turned she’d find his eyes glued to her butt. The certainty, and the low moan she heard behind her made her put a little extra sass in the sway in her hips.

Want to read more from Sneak Peak Sunday? Visit http://sneak-peek-sunday.blogspot.com/  for a list of participating authors.

Welcome to my stop of the Winter Wonder Man Blog Hop, where I hope to answer the question what make a hero wonderful to the point your toes curl? But before we get started, I want to point out the entry form below. Be sure to click it and enter for a chance to win a signed print copy of Cooking Up Love. And be sure visit the other blogs on the hop to find out how they define romance. You can follow this link or decide where to go from here on the form below. 

I know the qualities will be as individual as every person who answers the question. So I've thought hard about what does it for me. I think it's the every day ordinary things. Not the over-the-top grand gestures like skywriting his love, or hiring choirs and symphonies to persuade someone to love or marry him. And don't get me started about flash mobs. I'm not saying those are bad things. They truly are moving and wondrous. Heavens knows I've shed happy tears when watching some of these gestures played out on You Tube. Just lovely stuff. 

But for me, the best romance happens in the simple, everyday things my hero does for his heroine. He might notice something needs repaired in the house, like oiling a squeaky door, and he takes care of it. Without being asked. Because he knows the sound is getting on her nerves. My hero would never hesitate to start a load of laundry when she get behind (he'd be a bigger hero if he also folded it, but we'll take what we can get, right?). Or running the sweeper over the carpets. He'll tell her it's because it has a motor, but she know it's because he understands just how much she hates doing it. And when he surprises her with flowers, it doesn't bother her that he's bought them at the grocery store. Because he was picking up something she forgot to grab earlier and needs for dinner. He's bought her flowers because he knows it bothers her to forget things. Another thing that curls my toes is when he does something deliberately goofy because he knows she's cross and his only goal is to make her laugh.

For me a toe-curling hero plays with the kids when she needs a nap. He's the dad who will to sit down to a tea party when he'd rather be watching the game. He's the guy who will hold a child frightened by a nightmare until the child goes back to sleep. He's the man who isn't afraid to teach other young men how important it is to treat his daughter like a lady. And, when he sends his children off to college, or walks them down the aisle, he'll be the one with tears, shimmering in his eyes. 

Yeah - that guy curls my toes. 

So tell me, what does it for you?

Holy cow! My publisher, Lyrical Press, has just announced that it had been acquired by Kensington Books, one of the foremost commercial independent publishing houses in the United States. Now that my head has quit exploding with balloons and confetti, I've had time to absorb exactly what that means to me.

First, it means that my books will benefit from the marketing and distribution prowess that comes with a company like Kensington Books. My books can land in the hands of readers I might never have reached before. Plus maybe now, my mom can find copies of my books in a brick and mortar book store.

Second, Kensington has the reach and relationships necessary to sell subsidiary rights. Those rights go beyond digital and Print On Demand editions. Think language translations, book clubs, audio books and maybe even film rights (hey - a girl can dream).

Third, my books will hit retailers sooner and be available for pre-order months before their actual release. And, if they do well, may be considered for mass paperback runs. Again, this means a lot to my mom!

Lastly, and maybe the best of all, Renee Rocco, the powerhouse behind Lyrical Press will join Kensington as Managing Director of the new imprint. She has made my journey in publishing an extra special adventure and I'm pleased to be able to continue working with her.

So hang on to your hats, kids. The ride is about to become more exhilarating.
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