Guest Post with Author Diana Quincy and Giveaway

Today I would like to welcome Diana Quincy to RFTC. Diana is currently on tour for her book Seducing Charlotte and has stopped by to chat. Please give Diana a warm welcome.

Diana Quincy is an award-winning former television journalist who decided she’d rather make up stories where a happy ending is always guaranteed.

Growing up as a foreign service brat, Diana visited many countries and is now settled in Virginia with her husband and two sons. When not bent over her laptop or trying to keep up with laundry, she enjoys reading, spending time with her family and dreams of traveling much more than her current schedule (and budget) allows.

Places to find Diana:

| Site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | 

How I Became a Writer

I’m not one of those people who has always known she wants to be an author. Sure, I knew pretty early on that I could write OK, but the idea of coming up my own plots was daunting.

In fact, my husband figured it out before I did. Whenever we’d watch a movie or television show together, I’d often point out ways I thought the storyline should have unfolded. He’d roll his eyes and say, “You have all of these ideas, why don’t you write your own stories?” I would laugh and return my attention to whatever we were doing, never once taking him seriously.

Then I discovered my love of romance. While picking up summer library books for my two boys, I noticed a historical romance by Shirlee Busbee on the end cap and browsed through it while waiting in line to check out our books.

That’s all it took to hook me.

I spent that summer reading every historical romance I could get my hands on. A few months later, I was motivated to try writing my own story. I became a little obsessive about it. I pretty much gave up television and most other leisurely pursuits. When the boys played outside, I’d take my laptop with me so I could write while keeping an eye on them.

Those efforts resulted in my first manuscript, Compromising Willa. But what to do with it? A friend who lives in New York knew someone with a relative who worked at Harlequin. Her advice? Start entering contests affiliated with the Romance Writers of America. So I did.

I entered the national RWA contest as well as several local chapter contests. I started finaling in contests and even won a few. My second manuscript, Seducing Charlotte, was a runner up in Writing With the Stars, a competition sponsored by RT Book Reviews and Kensington Publishing. Although I didn’t win, I did land an agent. And eventually a book deal.

The only person who wasn’t surprised by any of these developments was my husband. Whenever I hit a major milestone—winning a contest, landing an agent or finally selling a book—he would nod absentmindedly like it was no big deal, as though this was exactly how he’d expected things to turn out all along.

And, although it took me a while to figure out that I wanted to pen my own stories, I now can’t image not writing.

I guess you could say I’m a late bloomer.

A grand passion. A ruinous secret. An impossible choice.

The wildly handsome Marquess of Camryn is an industrialist who stands for everything social reformer Charlotte Livingston detests.

She’s mortified by her intense attraction to the aristocratic factory owner who thinks nothing of replacing workers with machines, depriving them of honest work.

Stirred by Charlotte’s tart tongue and refreshingly direct manner, Camryn launches a relentless campaign of seduction to win the spinster’s heart, but she is loyal to another man.

As a violent Luddite rebellion rages across England, unrelenting desire flares between the passionate adversaries.

Camryn vows to destroy the rebel movement, unaware Charlotte harbors a secret — a shocking connection to the machine wreckers that could shatter them both.

Purchase: | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo |

He marveled at the way the sun illuminated the clear blue in her eyes. “I won’t bother to dissemble, Miss Livingston.” Taking hold of her hand, he pulled Charlotte around the massive tree trunk, out of the sight of the rest of the guests. “I hope to steal another kiss. Actually, I have thought of little else since our last one. Will you allow it?”

She flushed, her gaze floating beyond him. “Really, Camryn, if you ask for permission, it hardly qualifies as stealing a kiss.”

Blood raced to his vitals when it registered she’d just told him to take what he wanted. Shaking his head, he wondered what is was about this woman that made him desperate to touch her again. It had been an agonizing week since he'd last felt her lips beneath his. Now, finally offered the opportunity, he greedily grasped it.

Cupping Charlotte’s cheeks, he marveled at their satiny softness before lowering his face to hers, kissing one side of her succulent mouth and then the other. Then he intensified his actions, pressing down on her lips, bidding her to open them to him as she had once before. When she did, he kissed her as deeply as he had ever kissed a woman.

He licked and plunged his tongue deeper, greedy to taste more, losing himself in her subtle floral scent. She tasted of lemonade, a woman’s softness, and unlimited possibility. Her untutored tongue ventured to taste him as well, provoking a delighted sound of surprise from him. The wondering hum that sounded from the back of her throat made his body quicken in a rush of heat.

Awareness gradually filtered back to him, reminding Cam of their surroundings. He pulled away with great reluctance, his blood at a boil, and forced himself to take a step back lest he pull Charlotte to the grass and make love to her right there with other guests nearby.

She stood frozen in place with her eyes still closed, red circles burned into the high arches of her cheeks. After a moment, as if in a daze, her lids fluttered open. He easily recognized the hazy arousal in those unfocused blue depths for they mirrored his own.

They stood facing one another for a moment, bodies apart, but gazes interlocked. She blinked. “When I said you had a clever tongue, I really had no idea.”

Check out what's up for grabs.

Up For Grabs For Entire Tour:

• 2 lucky winners will win a $25 Gift Card (Amazon or Barnes & Noble)

To Enter: 

• Please leave a meaningful comment/question for Diana.
• Please fill out the Rafflecopter form.

Good Luck! 

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