Please Welcome Jean author of Fiery Pursuits

Welcome to my blog. Your books looks interesting and I love the cover.

Jean will give one commenter her choice of a book from Jean's backlist which can be found at www.JeanHartStewart.com At the end of the tour, one random commenter, as well as the host with the most comments (not counting their own or Jean's) will win their pick of Jean's books in print, plus a Fiery Pursuits t-shirt.)

FIERY PURSUIT

By

Jean Hart Stewart

Blurb

Excerpt

Stephen Mallory stood staring at his downed rivals, his face contorted with triumph. One on the floor in an ungainly sprawl of death, the other on the floor, her tantalizing breasts moving in shallow breaths. Not only had he managed to kill his most formidable academic rival, but he’d overcome and chloroformed the desirable daughter. The girl he’d lusted after for months. He’d never planned on Sophia hearing their argument, let alone come barging into the room to protect her father. She’d doubtless seen him plunge the dagger into his rival. Well, he’d planned to subdue her sooner or later, but hopefully after she was his wife.

Damn this added complication. Perhaps a forced marriage? His groin tightened at the thought of holding her down by any means necessary. It would a pleasure to conquer her any way he could.  But she was feisty and he wouldn’t want to mar her beauty. He’d probably need another man to still her while he took his delight in that gorgeous body. He leaned over, caressing the delightful curves, now totally at his pleasure. He took the cap and snood from her hair, and drew a deep breath as the most glorious blonde hair he’d ever seen spilled down around her shoulders.

Then his mind started functioning, slowing his groping hands.

Interview

Thanks, Christine, for having me as a guest. Loved your interview questions. I’ll be quite honest in answering them, even if a few do give me qualms.  Here goes:

1. Who or what inspired me to start writing.

A. To be honest, it was King Arthur! A lot of my childhood reading was anything I could get my hands on about King Arthur. His chivalrous, handsome, dare-to-do anything knights thrilled me when I first started reading. And still do. I yearned to write about heroes just like those, and of course that ideal set my standard for men for me for all time. My husband qualified and so does Lars, the handsome elf and protagonist of Fiery Pursuit. Although the story takes place in 1898, there are plenty of situations Lars has to be chivalrous. Don’t know if the knights of old were as passionate as my heroes, but I hope so.

2. How do I come up with ideas for my books?

A. Ideas are seldom a problem. Often fleshing them out is, but ideas constantly float around my mind. Since my books are often series, even though each book stands alone, it’s easy to go from one member of the family to another, which is what I do. All my series of eight books are following the following that thread. My first was about Druids, the second about Mages, and now this one is about Elves. With sexy pointed ears!

3. What do you want your readers to know about you that might not be in your bio?

A. I’m not even sure I’ve ever told anybody this. I’m hoping my books will help prove my belief that there is much good in the world that is untapped. I personally hope that each person I meet feels better, or at least smiles back at me. We can do so much unknowing harm with a frown or cross word. My heroes and heroines all must grow in character to achieve happiness.

4. As far as your writing goes, what are your future plans?

A. Fiery Pursuit is the first of what I plan to be an eight book series called Passionate Pursuits. It takes place in 1898. Stormy Pursuit is about the twin daughters, and is in my editor’s hands, so I can’t talk about that yet. I’m putting the polishing touches on Dark Pursuit, which tells the story of the eldest son. I’ve started the fourth in the series, Reluctant Pursuit.

5. Do I belong to a critique group and does it help?

A. I did for a short while when I first started writing and found it both helpful and distressing. I felt some comments had no bearing on the book itself. I now have a wonderful beta critic who tears the book apart, but always with kindness. I vary now in who to use for further criticism. My late husband was an excellent critic, another reason I miss him.

6. When did you first decide to submit your work? What encouraged you to take this big step?

A. I’d been a real estate broker for about twenty years. I liked it but did it mostly to help put the kids through college. And then one day I literally walked into my manager’s office and told him I was quitting to write. Everyone was shocked at the time but it was definitely the thing to do, and at the time so necessary to me I had no choice. Druid’s Daughter was my first published book. My editor at Ellora’s Cave liked it so well she said to send her the sequel when I wrote it. I replied I already had written it, and sent her My Darling Druid. So I had my first two books accepted in two days. Can’t begin to tell you how thrilled I was.

7. What is the best or worst advice you ever received? (regarding writing or publishers.)

A. Here’s the absolute best. One I fall back on sooner or later in every book I write. I attended a lecture by Mary Balogh, one of my all time favorites, and asked her at what to do when you hit a wall in a plot. Her answer was simple. “Make it worse.”

8. Do you outline your books or just start writing.

A. Both. Usually I have an idea that gets me fired and I’ll write about ten pages. Maybe more. But eventually I hit that wall, and know I have to go into the plot in depth. Then I do a twenty scene outline, including the dark moment the end. I also do in depth research at this point on the history of the year it’s written in. Since my series take up different members of the family each one is set in a different year. And I sketch the characters traits and faults and goals. Both are important.

9. Have you started your next project and can you tell us a little bit about that book?

Reluctant Pursuit is about the youngest child of Lars and Sophie. He’s most gifted of all the elfin children in the family, with white blonde hair floating to his shoulders, he’s more handsome than he wants to be. The girl he loves doesn’t trust his loyalty since women chase him so. They’ll have a hard time finding their way to true love. Right now they’re barely speaking, the idiots.  

10. Sharing family traditions? That’s a fun question. Yes, I have one. I never miss a Xmas eve without lighting a bayberry candle. That wasn’t hard when we lived in the east, but in California bayberry candles are rarities. One of my favorite groceries ordered me a dozen, so I’m set for a while. The trick is to light the candle on Xmas eve and let it burn to the socket. Here’s the old, old verse handed down in my family:

    ‘A bayberry candle

     Burned to the socket

     Brings health to the home

     And wealth to the pocket.

I haven’t missed in umpteen years, nor have my children. I hesitate to say that’s why I’ve always felt lucky, but I’m not going to miss burning my Xmas candle!

This was a fun interview, Christine. Again, thanks for having me.

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

Love living in California, even though I’m a transplant. Love writing and all it entails, crazy characters demanding to be let loose on the page, long hours of research, every bit of it. I raised two children and spent about twenty years in real estate before I summoned the courage to quit and do what I always wanted to do, WRITE! While he was alive my husband was my first-stop editor and biggest fan. Now that my children are accustomed to my writing sexy novels they’re equally supportive.

I’m currently finishing my 24th book, tentatively named Double Pursuit and I have four books coming out this year. My Mage series is finished and I’ve started a new series where the new hero has Elfin blood. He’s fun, as well as tall, lithe and gifted. I think I’m blessed as well as lucky. Do write me with any questions. I love to hear from readers!

LINKS:

jswriter@earthlink.net. 

Twitter,Facebook and MySpace: jswriter

Ellora’s Cave, www.ellorascave.com 

PassioninPrint, www.passioninprint.com

MuseitUp publishing at www.mustitup.com

Blogging at www.romancebooksrus.com and www.sixsexydivas.com

PRIZE INFORMATION

Every stop, one commenter will receive a pick of any of my backlist at www.jeanhartstewart.com  

Prize for one commentator and blog host with the most comments:  Pick of my books in print plus one desk of Ellora’s Cave playing cards.

Everyone, don't forget to comment.