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Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Guest Post with Author Hayson Manning and Giveaway

Please welcome back to RFTC author Hayson Manning. Hayson is celebrating the recent release of her book, Winning the Boss's Heart and has stopped by to chat. Please give Hayson a warm welcome.

Hayson Manning's debut release, Wife in Name Only with Entangled Publishing, is available now. She lives in Southern California with her lovely sloth children, infuriating but much loved shoe-dropping husband, a tubby opinionated cat (as if a cat never doesn't have an opinion). There will often be a foster dog parked on the couch waiting for their forever home. She loves to read, cry watching Antiques Roadshow and is an expert at finding new and inventive ways to avoid exercise.

Places to find Hayson:
| Site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter


big thank you to Dani and Ramblings from this Chick for having me on her fab-o blog today.


What are my favorite types of stories and why.

I had a hard time answering this. Let me sip my wine, (I’m in Sydney, it’s late and let’s say something the cat ate didn’t agree with him, so there’s a Sauvignon Blanc on my desk as I write this), and explain.

When I became a serious writer – as in I have an agent who expects me to write and not sneak off to watch the Abbot’s and the Newman’s duke it out on daytime TV, or contemplate the stalagmites that need chiseling off my oven. Yes, some days getting words on the page…well I’d rather offer myself up for sacrifice to cannibals having a lean year.

I used to always read what I write which is contemporary romance. One day I received a recommendation on Goodreads about a dystopian series. I’d never read this genre before, so I toodled off to Amazon and downloaded the first in the Beyond series by Kit Rocha. I swear I threw bread at the kids and told them where the toaster hung out. I had to finish the book. It was awesome. It also got me wondering what else I’d been missing. With my ‘buy now’ finger clicking away, I drained the bank account and downloaded some fabulous M/M romances, sci-fi, historical, biographies, paranormal. Pretty much everything. What a revelation!

I now read every day. Forty minutes is mine. The sloths (I have boys who are part sloth, part bacteria), know that unless they have severed an artery, have a bone sticking out or there is a strange man asking them to help find his lost puppy, don’t interrupt me when I’m reading. At the moment I’m devouring ‘An Abundance of Katherine’s’ by John Green. This is a recommendation from my oldest sloth. As he speaks mostly in grunt I thought we could at least have something to grunt about in common. I’m a bit of a fan of Mr. Green’s, having wept and laughed in equal measure reading ‘The Fault in our Stars.’ Next up is Wallbanger by Alice Clayton.

Now I do have a pet hate in any genre and that’s a cliffy. Tell me upfront I’ll not know what happens until book three or five. I’ve nearly broken my Kindle throwing it when I’m at the last page and there’s a huge cliffhanger. I have a policy now, I won’t buy the next book unless I will actually spontaneously combust if I don’t know what happens, but I’ll be very wary of reading that author again.

What do you read? Do you have a genre you adore? A pet peeve?



Mason Christian has twelve weeks to flip something old into something new, and then he's getting the hell out of Footsteps Bay—a tiny New Zealand coastal town. Not even his temporary secretary and personal assistant—the feisty, luscious Billie McLeod—will deter him, but there's no denying she makes him feel alive. More alive than he's felt in three years...

As for Billie, she has one dream: save enough money to finish her degree. That's why she's agreed to work for hard ass, all-business-no-pleasure Mason Christian. But can they stick to a hands-off policy that gets harder every day?

Purchase: | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes |


If you get the job, I’ll be calling you Forty-Two, as none of my assistants stay. I work long hours and expect the same.”

“Forty-Two?” she blurted out. She did some quick math. He didn’t look to be older than thirty. She’d put him at twenty-eight tops unless he was dipping his face into cell rejuvenation fluid each night. “You’ve had forty-one assistants?” A quiver of doubt covered her skin like a blanket of cobwebs. Of course, if he called them all by number, like they were nothing more than prison convicts, was it any doubt he’d gone through them so quickly?

She should get up and leave and never look back. And she might if not for the huge paycheck he was offering.

He watched her with those unblinking blue eyes. Didn’t look like the man smiled a whole lot. She resisted the urge to shift in her chair. She doubted his middle name was jocularity or could even form the word “fun” in an anagram. In fact, she’d bet her ThighMaster and Zingo knife that he’d never heard a funny joke. He shrugged. “As I said, none of my assistants stay long, so I number them. It’s easier to remember.”

“Yeah, because remembering the name Sue, Jane or Henrietta would be a hardship.”

He blinked as if he’d just noticed her for the first time and did a full scan of her. A heartbreaking smile that would get him admitted to secret societies, exclusive men’s clubs, and women’s underwear transformed his face.


Check out what's up for grabs.


Up For Grabs For Entire Tour:
  • 1 $50 Amazon Gift Card

To Enter: 
  • Please answer Hayson's question: What do you read? Do you have a genre you adore? A pet peeve?
  • Please leave your email address along with your comment to be entered. 
  • Giveaway ends October 30th.

Good Luck! 

Special thanks to Hayson Manning & Goddess Fish Promotions for sponsoring this tour-wide giveaway.

69 comments :

  1. I absolutely romance novels. It is by far my favorite genre. My e-mail is kaylaorton1@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Stormy.
      Isn't romance and a Happy Ever After awesome! Thanks for stopping by. You're entered.

      Hayson x

      Delete
  2. My favorite genre right now is urban fantasy especially with strong female lead characters. I enjoy just about everything else including all genres of romance except historicals (but I still read a couple a year).

    acm05atjuno.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Anne,
      Thanks for stopping by. I must confess I haven't read much urban fantasy. I'll make sure I load some onto my iPad.

      Hayson

      Delete
  3. I read all kinds of books. I switch between romances and mysteries. Sumsum085@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Summer,
      Thanks for your comment. I too love a mystery. I adore Agatha Christie and always love a good romance!


      Hayson

      Delete
  4. I read almost all genres but my favorite is just plain contemporary romance. The only pet peeve I can think of is infidelity. I very rarely read anything that is centered around cheating.
    kdjohnston73@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Karen,
      I too love contemporary romance :O) Like you, I'm not a fan of the cheating spouse.

      Thanks for stopping by.

      Hayson

      Delete
  5. My favorite genre is romantic suspense. I love the hint of danger mixed in with the characters falling in love.

    My pet peeve is reading books where the characters say names over and over while talking to someone, like "Steve, pick up milk from the store," or "You have to read this, Steve." People don't generally say the name of the person their talking to in a conversation, and yet I've read books where they repeat a name every other sentence. It's REALLY annoying.

    Thank you so much for the giveaway! I'd love the chance to win, so fingers crossed. :-)

    Lindsey8907 [at] yahoo [dot] com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Lindsey!

      That's a a pet peeve of mine as well! I don't know why some authors feel the need to tell us the characters name over and over.

      You're entered in the giveaway.

      Thanks for your comment.

      Hayson

      Delete
  6. I really love most all romance genres. My pet peeve though is cheating!
    kathleenpower@comcast.net

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Kathy,

      I'm with you. I'm not a fan of cheating. I haven't read a cheating character I've remotely liked. I don't think I've finished a book with a cheater. Shudder.

      Hayson

      Delete
  7. I like to read romance, sometimes contemporary, sometimes historical, depends on my mood. I recently started reading Cozy Mysteries and love them.

    Kit3247(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Rita,

      Lovely to see you here. I haven't head a cozy mystery. I can see myself curled up on the sofa with one. There's my day gone!

      Thanks for stopping by.

      Hayson

      Delete
  8. I read a lot of genres, historicals, contemporaries, paranormal and fantasy... I love them all just as long there's a romance in them :)))))
    My pet peeves are cheating and triangles :(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Gotcha, Sienna. Thanks for stopping by. I'm not a fan of cheaters either, in real life or books.

      Hayson

      Delete
  9. I read cozy mysteries and any romance. My favorites right now are sport and contemporary romance. My pet peeve is serial/cliff hanger ebooks. I like to read a whole book at once. I don't mind novellas so I wish serial books were better labelled so I don't buy one by mistake.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Kim,
      I'm with you on the cliffy! Hate them. Nothing makes me madder. Except for the state of my kids bedrooms. :)

      Hayson x

      Delete
  10. I seem like I'm in love with New Adult and Steampunk right now but that may change at any time

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Patricia,
      I too love a good NA. Love, love, love them. All that angst. Yum.

      Thanks for stopping by.

      Hayson

      Delete
  11. I love everything romance! My fav is historical.
    Lorimeehan1@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Lori,

      I too love 'everything' romance. :)

      Hayson x

      Delete
  12. I love new adult books.
    glaukos at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for stopping by, Heather. I love a good NA as well.

      Warm wishes,
      Hayson

      Delete
  13. I enjoy women's fiction especially romance which is meaningful. Many thanks. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Traveler,
      I do love a good romance! Thanks so much for stopping by.

      Hayson x

      Delete
  14. My favorite is historicals, family sagas that captivate me. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Petite.
      You're onto something. Nothing captivates like a major family saga. Yum.
      Thanks for stopping by.

      Hayson

      Delete
  15. My favorite genre is romance. This includes historical, contemporary, new adult and paranormal. I also enjoy urban fantasy.
    janiecers@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Janice,
      I just love a great romance too no matter what the genre.

      Thanks for stopping by.

      Hayson x

      Delete
  16. Mine is romance. Basically I like new adult, comtemorary, erotic. Not a big fan of paranormal and historical. I don't really have a pet peeve in stories, but I do have a pet peeve when I pay $3 (or more ) for a 150 or less page book.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Melanie,
      Thanks for stopping by. I love all the genres you do as well. I've been caught out paying a lot for a books under 100 pages. Kills me!

      Warm wishes,
      Hayson

      Delete
  17. oh gosh, all kinda. My absolutely favorite is Romance (all kinds, historical and contemporary especially), Urban/Paranormal and Cozy mysteries. I find myself reaching for those more and more!

    lilypondreads at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Lily,
      I must curl up with one of these cozy mysteries!

      Thanks for stopping by, Lily.

      Hayson x

      Delete
  18. I read only romance, especially erotic romance. There are some romantic suspense series that I love too. My main pet peeves in storylines are cheating on the good guy or going back & forth between two guys/girls and secret babies. I know that the baby thing comes up a lot, but it always gives me a sick feeling.

    clintmar (at) grm (dot) net

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Marcy,
      I must confess that I'm not a fan of the secret baby. I too love a good erotic romance.

      Thanks for stopping by.

      Hayson x

      Delete
  19. I really love most all romance genres. My pet peeve though is cheating!

    parisfan_ca@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Laurie,
      I'm not a fan of a cheater either. Shudder.

      Thanks for your comment and for stopping by.

      Hayson x

      Delete
  20. I don't like the cliffhangers & I won't read a book knowing I won't get the HEA in that book. My favorites are historical & contemporary romance.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Thanks for stopping by, Sharlene. I'm not a fan of the cliffy either. They literally kill me if I didn't know about the ending going in.

    Hayson x

    ReplyDelete
  22. Paranormal is my favorite genre. My pet peeve is not having a HEA. AFischer48@mail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Theresa,
      I'm with you on not having a HEA. I love a happy ending.

      Hayson

      Delete
  23. I like romances! Paranormal, Contemporary, Historical. I love them all!
    Thanks for the giveaway!
    mestith at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for stopping by, Meghan. Sounds like you're a prolific reader! Yay.

      Hayson x

      Delete
  24. I like lots of genres but my absolute favorite is historical romance.

    ReplyDelete
  25. I left off my pet peeve. Hate, Hate, HATE cliffhangers. Especially when you have no clue you are reading a book in a series. Warn me Please!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Glenda,
      I'm with you. I hate cliffhangers. Kill me every time,
      Thanks so much for stopping by.

      Hayson

      Delete
  26. I love anything romance. Just give me my happy ending. OMG...I LOVED LOVED LOVED Wallbanger by Alice Clayton. Just finished it last week. You will laugh out loud!

    Thanks for the giveaway!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. oops.......

      suegaluska (at) yahoo (dot) com

      Delete
    2. Sue. I adored Wallbanger. I couldn't put it down. What a fabulous book. Yes, I did laugh out loud.

      Hayson

      Delete
  27. My fave is historical romance however I enjoy other genres as well. I do have to have a HEA though. I also don't like whiny heroines.
    Thanks :D
    Lori

    lorih824 at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Howdi. I too hate a whiny heroine. They just kill me. Thanks so much for stopping by.

      Hayson x

      Delete
  28. I read across all genres, but Historical Fiction would be my first choice.


    marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

    ReplyDelete
  29. I think my favorite genre is Contemporary Romance, with a little dash of Alpha ! : )
    A pet peeve of mine in a Novel is a too needy Heroine. Sometimes it can be alright. Just need to take small doses I suppose.

    Thank you for the excerpt and giveaway !

    stamper_sierra [at] yahoo [dot] com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Sierra,
      I love an Alpha! A hot, broody Alphie gets me every time.

      Warm wishes,
      Hayson

      Delete
  30. I read all different genre as long as there is romance with an HEA. A favorite is historical romance set in medieveal or colonial america time frame (but there aren't as many of those as other time periods). A pet peeve is inconsistencies in what may be small details, but they can stop my reading flow and cause me to go back and check out what was said earlier in the story.

    sallans d at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Di,
      I have to read a HEA as well. I've never read a book set in colonial America. I'll have to check one out.

      Thanks for stopping by,
      Hayson

      Delete
  31. I read Paranormal, Historical, Steampunk, Urban and Contemporary Romance. My favorite genre was paranormal, and i had buy a lot books with paranormal genre. It's was because my eyes was caught with the cover paranormal books, so without i realize, my paranormal books was had a palce bigger than any other genre books.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Doesn't a cover make all the difference, Filia?
      Thanks for stopping by.

      Hayson

      Delete
  32. I read a lot of genres, but my favorite is Romance :) My pet peeve though? When the man is a jerk and the woman just takes it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Whoopsie, my email is amzpar(at)gmail(dot)com

      Delete
    2. Hi, Arely,
      Got you!
      Thanks for commenting.
      Hayson

      Delete
  33. I usually read paranormal books. but I have recently gotten into read different genres now. I dont like when book is split up and sold an a ebook in to or more sections

    ReplyDelete
  34. Hi Felicia,
    That's a pet peeve of mine as well. I feel cheated!

    Hayson x

    ReplyDelete
  35. I love paranormal romances.
    Thanks for the chance to win!
    natasha_donohoo_8 at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  36. Thanks for stopping by, Natasha. I love a great paranormal as well.

    Happy reading.

    Hayson x

    ReplyDelete