Leap into the Danger Zone

Posted on February 29, 2012 by Robin Bielman

Happy February 29th!

I’m really excited to have one of my favorite people on my blog today: Dee J. Adams! Dee’s second book in her Adrenaline Highs series for Carina Press, DANGER ZONE, released last week. I’m reading it now and I’m just gonna say this – Quinn is mine. (What? Dee is nudging me. Oh, okay.) Because it’s Leap Day, I’m going to share him and give away a digital copy of DANGER ZONE to one lucky commenter. Details below, because I can’t wait for you to get to know Dee better!

In her ten-year career as a stuntwoman, Ellie Morgan has experienced her share of thrills. None compares to the rush of being behind the wheel of a race car for her latest movie shoot. Certain she was born to race, Ellie’s ready to shift gears—but a secret from her past holds her back.
Quinn Reynolds is tired of being in the driver’s seat of his family’s company, Formula Racing Design. He’s ready to sell—if he can get his co-owner and brother, Mac, to agree. Quinn’s not sure what he wants to do with his future, but almost as soon as he meets Ellie, he knows he wants her to be part of it.
Though Ellie tries to resist her attraction to the charming businessman, she’s quickly in danger of losing her heart. But after narrowly escaping “accidents” both on and off the set, it becomes clear that getting involved with Quinn could be downright deadly…

Before we get to the questions, I want to thank Robin for inviting me to her beautiful blog! Isn’t it gorgeous? So Zen and absolutely relaxing. (Don’t mind me if I take a nap while you guys check out the interview. <G>) Robin might have a tough time getting me out the door. I like it here. Yes, I know…on with the questions. (Aww, thanks, Dee! You’re welcome any time!)

You’ve worked in television for many years and met some hunky actors. Can you share a favorite story with us? Maybe one with a certain George Clooney?

I have a few George stories. Some sweet, some funny. This is one of my favorites. My husband had worked with him on a pilot. (It was Bonnie Hunt’s first sitcom.) I hadn’t seen George in about 2 or 3 years at that point. (Not since he left Roseanne during the second season.) I hadn’t been able to get to the set when they were filming and I missed him, but I was at the premiere party (at the director’s house) when the front door opened and in walked George. He glanced around the room, (keep in mind this was a giant house filled with people) saw me and his eyes widened. He smiled and made a bee line straight for me. Gave me a big hug. To say that he made me a very happy woman would be an understatement. The fact that there was a room full of people hoping/expecting him to show and he came straight to me… well… it made my year. LOL. Probably my decade.

Okay, now that we’ve got George out of the way, who would you cast as Quinn Reynolds in the movie version of Danger Zone?

When I wrote Quinn, I had a very specific face (and body) in my mind, but I hadn’t seen anyone beforehand that might be Quinn. Jed Hill is a model I saw after I wrote the book. He is gorgeous. Totally Quinn. He was spot on what I had in my head. If he can act… he’s got the job! If he can’t act, then I’d have to go with my current favorite. Ryan Reynolds. (And we just have to pretend he’s a little buffer and has darker hair. <G>) (Oh, I love Ryan Reynolds!)

You get to name a new ice cream flavor inspired by Danger Zone. The name and flavor is…

Chocolate Adrenaline.

Would you rather kayak down a waterfall or be strapped to the roof of a race car hitting 3 G’s?

That one’s easy. I’m terrified of water so I’d have to be strapped to the roof of a race car and just hope Trace Bradshaw is driving. <G> (And also hope that no one is around with any oil balloons!)

There’s Fantasy Football. And Fantasy Baseball. Let’s play Fantasy Book Club. Who’s with you and what are you going to talk about?

OMG! Fantasy Book Club! I LOVE this! Ready? Suzanne Brockmann, Linda Howard, Cindy Gerard, Tara Janzen, Cherry Adair and we’re all talking about romantic suspense. <chills down my back!> Perfection. (Can I come too, please?)

You’re stranded in the middle of the desert ~ who you gonna call?

Ghostbusters! (Sorry. You had to know I was going there. LOL.) Gotta call the guy who brought me to the dance. My husband, Sean. He’d pick me up and have my favorite with him. A chai latte. Love that man. (I was hoping you’d go there. )

Today is Leap Day! So, Dee, I present you with a frog (you know, because they leap) that you may kiss and have turn into any person you want for the entire day. Who are you wishing for and how are you going to spend the day?

With the knowledge that I love my husband with all my heart and the fact that I’m going to sound like a broken record, I’m going to wish for George, but for purely selfish reasons. You see, the man has enough clout in Hollywood to make my books into movies. So, after our breakfast of really delicious donuts we’re going to map out a road to production. Does he want to write the screenplay or farm it out? (I sure as hell don’t want to!) We pick a director. (My husband. See I’m not all bad. George can be an executive producer.) We cast it and schedule production so even after my day is over (and poor George is back to his green froggy self) the movie has to be made because… because… um… okay, I guess the movie gets scrubbed, but it was a fun day, right?

Finish this sentence… Leapin’ Lizards! I can’t believe…

It isn’t butter!
I know. You were looking for something with more pizzazz. That’s all I got.

Thanks so much for being here, Dee! This is the best Leap Day ever!

To be entered to win a digital copy of DANGER ZONE, now it’s your turn. If you could kiss a frog and have him (or her) turn into anyone, who would it be? Tell me in the comments and a winner will be randomly chosen and posted next Wednesday, March 7th.

About Dee J. Adams:
I was born and raised in El Paso, Texas. After graduating high school, I moved to Los Angeles and tried to make it in show biz. I got enough acting work to pay the rent and keep the S.A.G. card. (Screen Actors Guild in case anyone is wondering.) I also worked as a Dialogue Coach in sitcoms. (That’s code for acting coach and also means I helped the actors learn their lines.) Writing came as a fluke. After a very intense dream (I apparently couldn’t stop talking about), my husband said, “Just write it down.” Prophetic words I took it to heart. Three weeks and fourteen hours a day later, I had a 450 page handwritten novel. And so it began.
I am lucky to be married to the love of my life and we have one beautiful daughter. She was and continues to be perfect so I saw no reason for others! I like kick-ass heroines and big stories. I like to read them and I like to write them. I like romance, adventure, a little mystery and happy endings. Romance is the perfect genre for me.

hugs,
Robin

Yes, I Did

Posted on February 24, 2012 by Robin Bielman

First off, I have some winners to announce! Winner of On One Condition is Cheryl. Congrats Cheryl! Winner of Table for One is Beth (P.). Congrats Beth! And the winner of the $25 B& N gift card is Cindy. Congrats Cindy! Please get in touch with me – robinbielman at gmail dot com – so I can get your prizes out to you pronto!

So, lately it seems I’ve left my brain someplace other than my head. I don’t know if it’s because I’m trying to do too much (I used to be such a good multi-tasker) or because I’m tired (that thing called sleep has been alluding me more frequently) or because I’m drinking too many cafe mochas (my new favorite beverage!).

But whatever it is, it means I’ve done some or all of the following. Can you guess which ones?

1. While out to dinner with friends, we were talking about music and DJ’s. One of the guys asked where the music comes from. I said the speakers. He cracked up. Everyone cracked up. I wanted to hide under the table.

2. In a wide expanse of beautiful green grass, I found and stepped into the biggest pile of dog sh*t imaginable. It’s talent, I tell you, to not watch where you’re walking.

3. I am so tired that when my thirteen-year-old asked if he could see his phone for a minute to text a friend (he lost his phone as a punishment) and I gave it to him (because I’m weak and tired and didn’t want to argue) and then he gave it back, I didn’t notice until the next day that he handed me back his iPod, not his iPhone. Sneaky devil.

4. I closed the back of my SUV on my car keys, breaking the remote alarm thingy.

Yes, I did.

hugs,
Robin

Crazy Hair Day, Cupcakes, & Ever After (plus a giveaway!)

Posted on February 17, 2012 by Robin Bielman

I’m a list maker. They help keep me organized and more importantly, remind me of things. Sometimes, though, it’s fun to make lists of favorite things. So being that it’s Valentine’s week, today’s post is my Love list.

I love… MacGyver (mine, not the Richard Dean Anderson version), my two boys, french fries, writing, strawberries, sunshine, Harry Dresden, the beach, accents, mini Labradoodles, movies, clocks, hydrangea, dirty jokes, ice blended coffee drinks, running, Red Vines, falling stars, my friends, Daniel Craig, bridges, travel, seashells, pumpkin muffins, full moons, Mtn. Dew, Alfred Hitchcock films, stephanotis, Remy Chandler, crazy hair day, TV, candles, aquariums, Sweet Pea body lotion, tennis shoes, my family, mountains, pencils, baseball games, jeweled bookmarks, Kaskade, quinoa, laughter, white chocolate raspberry cheesecake, being a Brat, warm temps, Halloween, chapstick, cupcakes and…

reading.

I also love to give presents. I’m much better at giving than receiving.

This week two new books from the Flirts/Ever After line at Entangled Publishing released, and I’m super excited to share them with you! Entangled offers lots of great reading choices in single title, category, YA, and novellas. The Flirt and Ever After imprints are novellas ~ shorter romantic reads that take a little less time to get you to the happy ending.

Because it’s Valentine’s week and because I think these authors rock, and because I love cupcakes, reading and gift-giving, I’m having a giveaway! Before I tell you what it is, though, let’s take a peek at these two new books…

First up is ON ONE CONDITION by Diane Alberts.

OCD kindergarten teacher Johanna hates Valentine’s Day. She hates romance, hates commercialism, and definitely hates her school’s annual charity date auction. She never expects her pre-auction night of drinking to land a sexy Brit in her bed. Or for that Brit to show up at the auction, bid thousands just to talk to her again, and get down on one knee in front of everyone and ask her to marry him.

Viscount Damon Hayes has never met anyone like Johanna. She’s neurotic, fascinating, and fun. She also doesn’t care about his title and doesn’t want his money, which makes Johanna perfect to fulfill a surprise clause in his father’s will: marry within three months and remain married for a year, or lose his fortune. A relationship is out of the question, but when passions ignite and the two fall in love, their marriage of convenience becomes anything but.

Next we have TABLE FOR ONE by Ros Clarke.

When food critic Claudia Thomas gets dumped on Valentine’s Day, she finds herself occupying a table for one at London’s hottest new restaurant. If her job wasn’t on the line, she’d skip the whole affair, but her editor’s waiting for a review—and with luck, an interview with sexy chef Ward Nicholls.

Ward, intrigued by the single woman in a restaurant full of couples, sets out to tease her palate. Claudia has never tasted anything so luscious as the special meal Ward prepares for her, but when the seduction moves from the restaurant to his bedroom, Claudia discovers the only thing more tempting than his food is the chef himself.

Their connection is instantaneous, sizzling, and spicy—until Claudia comes clean about her job, reopening a wound Ward had thought long-healed. Could one accidental lie of omission end a delicious relationship before it even has a chance to start?

*double sigh*

Now on to the giveaway… Leave me a comment telling me what kind of cupcake you love best and you’re entered to win one of three great prizes. I’ll randomly pick three (3!) winners and announce their names next Friday, February 24th. What am I giving away? One ebook copy of each book (winners can choose what’s best for them – Amazon or B& N) and one $25 Barnes and Noble gift card.

I’ve got both these books on my Nook and can’t wait to read them! Maybe with my favorite cupcake ~ dulce le leche.

hugs,
Robin

L-O-V-E

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Robin Bielman

On this Monday before Valentine’s Day, I’m reflecting on love, or more precisely, the great loves of my life.
My first Valentine’s Day spent with MacGyver was when I was seventeen. We’d been dating almost a year and he gave me a ring. It was gold with a pearl and two small hearts with tiny diamonds inside each one. Our teenage love was intense, magical. He made me feel like the most special girl in the world that day. And five years later he put a ring on my finger that made me his forever.

My first Valentine’s Day as a mom was hard. Painful. Not at all what I had envisioned. I was in the hospital with a blood clot. My baby was 3 1/2 weeks old. MacGyver was a wreck. Sick with worry about me. The love he poured into our baby, though, the love he gave me every minute of those awful days, made me feel better than any medication could. Now two kids later, I’ve got three guys who shower me with affection on February 14th. (Okay, so maybe I have to ~~beg~~ ask for it from the teenagers, but hey, I’ll take what I can get.)

You know those heart shaped boxes of chocolate that symbolize Valentine’s Day? I’ve always wanted one. A BIG one. The biggest one they make. But while that giant container of a million calories has never made it to my doorstep – I can’t tell MacGyver I want that, he’s supposed to read my mind – I have received many of my favorite foods on V-Day. Chocolate covered strawberries. Fruit tarts. Cupcakes. Candlelit dinners featuring salmon, cashew chicken, filet mignon (not all at once). Mud pie. Crepes. Yes, one way to get to my heart is through my stomach. Send cookies and I’ll find you a spot.

More recently a new love has entered my life: writing. (Actually, I’ve loved to write for a long time but it took me a while to figure out I wanted to pursue publication.) And with the love and support from all of the above (hey, sugar and comfort foods can get you through any rejection letter) I’m thinking tomorrow will be a pretty sweet day.

I hope yours is too!

hugs,
Robin

Hero Wars

Posted on February 2, 2012 by Robin Bielman

Hello!

My publisher, Entangled Publishing, is sparking interest in the heroes from their books with a fun and engaging Twitter fest called Hero Wars. By following the #HeroWars hashtag you can play along and meet all the delicious heroes burning up the pages of Entangled’s recent and upcoming releases.

And being a total newbie isn’t stopping me from joining in on the banter and camaraderie. After all, my hero Dean Malloy rocks! Here’s his stats:

Name: Dean Malloy
Build: Lean and muscular
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 190
Strengths: Loyal, protective, courageous, approachable
Weaknesses: Stubborn, foolhardy, plays by his own rules
Leading Lady: Samantha (Sam) Bennett, the girl he’s never gotten over
Favorites: Travel and adventure sports (River raft and hike a volcano in the same day? Hell, yeah.)
Occupation: Hotshot Environmentalist

If you’d like to join in the fun ~ and I hope you will! ~ be on the Twitter lookout in the coming weeks and months as Entangled Heroes go neck and neck with quotes and teases and peeks into what makes them tick. You can check out the Entangled blog for stats on other heroes as they’re revealed each week.

Since I haven’t finished editing WORTH THE RISK yet, I thought I’d start things off with a Q&A with Dean (#TeamDean). And that’s where I’d love your help… Have a question for my hero? Fire away (and keep it short) and I’ll post it and the answer on Twitter. Leave your Twitter name with your question in the comments and I’ll be sure to add the @ to recognize you. Not on Twitter? That’s okay. I’ll answer questions here too! Can’t think of a question? I’d love any support you can give when you see #TeamDean. (Did I mention I feel like the total underdog with all these amazing Entangled Authors? Just sayin’.)

Oh, you’d like a quick rundown on Dean? Okay!

His caramel colored hair is streaked with lighter shades because he spends much of his time outdoors. It hangs a little long, more surfer sheik than Indiana Jones. Square jaw, slightly crooked nose, piercing aquamarine eyes that never waver from a conversation. Five years ago he spent an amazing summer with Sam exploring national parks from Yosemite to the Badlands. He broke her heart when they parted ways. Now they’re face to face again, vying for the same job. But very quickly they discover that love is always…worth the risk.

Thanks so much for your support and playing along!

hugs,
Robin