Book Tour: Hot Knight in Paradise by Sofia Harper Interview & Giveaway

BLURB:

Stranded in paradise with no way to get home, Leah Smith needs a miracle, and fast.

Instead, she gets Marshall Jackson, surely the sexiest man alive. Too bad he's got an emotional wall around himself--and her only hope of getting off the island ... Marshall has a strict no damsels in distress policy, but there's something about Leah that makes him want to break his own rules. He agrees to let her work in his bar until she earns enough to get home. But the more time they spend together, the harder it is to deny the scorching attraction between them. Soon hot island nights provide balm to their wounded souls, but will these two flawed exiles make peace with the past in time to claim the future they deserve together--or will paradise be lost? 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT:

“I find it hard to believe a man like you would consider bartending his calling.” She gave him a dubious look. “And I’m feeling like a margarita. Got some limes?”

“Of course.” He opened the compartment where he kept the salt. Using some of the tequila, he lined the lip of the glass.

“How’d you know I wanted salt?”

“If you want lime, you want salt.” He took his time making the drink. “You’d be amazed how listening can change the world.”

He cut the lime in quarters, placing one on the rim, the rest in another cup. “Now I didn’t say you didn’t get something out of what you do. I said it’s probably not your calling.”

“Semantics.”

The weight of his past darkened his tone and he leaned against the bar for support. “You can save someone’s life by what you say.”

She sipped her drink and then sucked on the lemon. Her breath whooshed out. “You make a damn good margarita.”

“Thanks.” He nursed his bourbon as he tried to beat back the memories, but then her hand was on his face, bringing him back to the now.

“Hey, where’d you go? We’re debating.”

“Political analyst,” he said.

“I’m not that cynical about mankind,” she said.

Her tongue flicked out, licking at the salt from the corner of her mouth. His mind blanked. When his brain came back online he could only wonder if the tartness of lime would complement her taste. She must have noticed the expression, because her gaze went to his mouth.

Her tongue lashed out again. “It doesn’t make me uncomfortable when you look at my mouth with an I-want-tobite-you expression,” she said quietly. “Though I want to say my eyes are up here, but—”

She bit her lip, and his gaze followed the action. He wished she’d look away, make a joke…anything to break the moment, but his heart rammed against his ribcage.

“I’m insane,” she murmured.

Marshall frowned, finally tearing his gaze from her mouth. Leah pushed their drinks aside and leaned over the bar, and then her mouth was on his, and he couldn’t think. His lips parted automatically, and she was there, supping on the taste of him. Leah’s tongue explored urgently, as if they’d been kissing for eons, and he matched her rhythm.

“Wait,” Marshall said, pulling back, which was probably the dumbest thing he’d ever done in his life.

He knew if she had enough time to consider what the hell they were doing, she’d end it and run. He took advantage of her moment of confusion and untied the scarf holding back the soft curls.

“There,” he sighed.

This time, he claimed her mouth. The kiss lost its urgency, and still the taste of her seared his tongue. He had the time to nip and lick, noting the softness of her lips and how the lime only made her taste better. He couldn’t be anywhere but in that moment. He tightened the hold in her hair, forcing Leah still and allowing him to deepen the kiss. He made illicit promises with his teeth and tongue until she moaned in his mouth, and it took everything in him not to have her there on the counter.

With the little room he allowed, she pulled back. “Wait.”

He loosened the hold on her hair. Leah climbed the counter, knocking over the stool in the process. Once settled in front of him, she fisted her hands on his shirt and yanked him forward. Forgetting honor, he pressed against her, felt the heat between her thighs along his erection. Keeping a hand in the curly strands, he exposed her neck. He sucked softly at first and then hard on the flesh between her neck and collarbone. Her legs tightened around his waist, binding him to the heat. Trailing kisses up to her ear, he bit the lobe. She gasped.

“Do you want me to stop?” he whispered.

“Yes,” she moaned.

INTERVIEW:

-      Where did you get the idea for the novel?
After seeing a conversation on AAR about rape culture and watching Life, Leah showed up in my head with a dark past and a broken heart. I had to write her story. It wasn't until I randomly researched what happens when you lose your ID and passport while in a foreign country did a story full come together for me.

-      Your title. Who came up with it? Did you ever change your title?
The original title of a HOT KNIGHT IN PARADISE was ROMANCING THE HAMMOCK. Yes, totally tongue-in-cheek and a homage to Romancing the Stone. I made a joke in the first chapter about the heroine making a hammock from the clothes on her back. And then there's some steamy things happening in a hammock later in the book. Hence, a tongue-in-cheek title was born.

-      Why did you pick this genre? What do you like about it?
I love contemporaries because usually at the heart of them all you have two characters who have to overcome what internal conflict in order to have an HEA. I find those kinds of stories interesting. Some are over-the-top, but for the most part you're getting almost a current history on what it takes to fall in love. I find that fascinating.

-      Since becoming a writer, what’s the most exciting thing to ever happen to you?

I met Nora Roberts. Lol It's one thing to read someone's books and another to meet them, especially when you are a huge fan of their work. I remember going to the RWA conference in Dallas. The current president had just met La Nora for the first time. Despite the fact I was a newbie, and she had some years behind her, we both were acting like fangirls.

-      What book are you currently reading or what was the last book you read?
I'm currently reading Phyllis Bourne's TASTE OF TEMPTATION. She was jilted and now she's determined to make him eat his heart out. I'm in love and I haven't even finished the first chapter yet.

-      What is your writing process?
I usually get a line of dialogue first. And because it's sarcastic and sort of info-dumpy, I must find out about the character. At that point I find out all I can about who would end up in that situation, why. I start to write the story because it's all shiny and new. I hit a wall and must find out more about the hero and heroine. At some point I bang my head against the keyboard and make sacrifices to the writerly gods i.e. whine and lose my pride just so I can get to the end of the story. At some point I get to the end and can't remember why I wanted to whine in the first pace.

-      At a book signing, do you just sign your name or do you write a note? How do you come up with stuff to say?
I've never done a book signing before. I'd likely sign my name and say, “You read. You're awesome.”

-      What is something people would be surprised to know about you?
I once had a fish hook in my cheek. The short story is while at the park, family day, a boy had a fishing pole. He hooked a girl instead.

-      How do you react to a bad review?
Every reader brings their own baggage to the story. My story didn't carry or show the kind of baggage that sparked with them. So my reaction is usually a bit of a disappointment. I want my book to connect to a reader. It's a missed opportunity, but hey, there's some book I don't get. Books happen.

-      How did you celebrate the sale of your first book?
I received the “call” on around my birthday. I partied hard. Or, I was already partying hard. So, the details are kind of fuzzy.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

In 2004, Sofia Harper began her writing career as a romantic suspense author. A bit problematic because she couldn't write anything mystery-like to save her life or even her characters. On a whim, she penned a contemporary where there was no dead body or explosions to save her from the dreadful middle slumps of a book. It was only the characters and what they had to deal with. She hasn't looked back since. She continues to write contemporary romances, mainly under a different pen, filled with sassy heroines and unlikely heroes. These stories are filled with one-liners, but heartfelt and sexy.

Outside of writing, Harper works as a mail clerk for the federal government, has a paralegal certificate (that she has more use for as a dust pan) and is a mother of two rambunctious children. She lives in California where the wine is good and, despite popular belief, is not always sunny. Harper plans to spend the rest of her days writing, raising her children and drinking good wine. Occasionally she'll brush her hair and get dressed, but that's optional.

Website: http://sofiaharper.com

Blog: sofiaharper.blogspot.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sofiaharp

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/sofiaharper.author

Goodreads Page: www.goodreads.com/author/show/7154484.Sofia_Harper

GIVEAWAY:

Sofia will award a $25 Amazon GC to two randomly drawn commenters during the tour.  

Encourage your readers to follow the tour and comment; the more they comment, the better their chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: 

http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2013/08/virtual-nbtm-tour-hot-knight-in.html