Joan Kilby is the award-winning author of sweetly sexy romance novels with a touch of humor. Joan likes to immerse herself in her characters’ world. While writing Turning The Tables, Book #2 in her Italian Connection series, she took Italian lessons to make her Italian heroine more authentic. She grows vegetables used in Italian cuisine to indulge one of her hobbies--cooking. And, no surprise--her new favorite drink is pinot grigio. When she’s not working on a book she can often be found at the gym doing yoga, walking her Jack Rascal terrier, or sipping a latte at a local café and indulging in her favorite pastime of people watching.
In the summertime, when the weather is fine...
What I love most about summer is the long, carefree days filled with light and warmth. Holidays, where I get to kick back and relax. My ideal summer day would look something like this:
- Get up early for a walk before breakfast. And I mean early - 6 a.m. when the sky is pink, the birds are chirping and the air is fresh. If, God forbid, it was raining, I would lie in bed and read for an hour or two. Hey, I’m on vacation! I like to read the kind of book I write -- sexy, romantic comedies. While I’m reading I might even eat chocolate from my stash in the bedside table. Pure luxury!
- Breakfast would be taken outside on the deck. (The sun is shining now.) I take my book with me and read while I munch on fresh strawberries and, since I’m being indulgent, a buttery croissant. In my ideal world there are no last-five-pounds that I have to lose. Oh, and a great cup of coffee.
- Morning would be spent pottering in my vegetable garden. Since this is an ideal day there would be no digging and only a little light weeding, the kind where you don’t get your fingers dirty or ruin your manicure. (Not that I go in for manicures but you know, we’re talking the ideal here). With my wicker basket over my arm I would harvest crisp lettuce and sun-ripened tomatoes for...
- Lunch, well deserved after working up a faint glow in the garden. As well as salad there would be fresh sourdough bread with creamy cheese. Sparkling mineral water to drink. I’m now mid-way through the day and the book.
- Afternoon. It’s been a busy day so I would take a break to lazily swing in the hammock with my romance novel and Lindt chocolate. I would read undisturbed for as long as I wanted, surely every reader’s fantasy. I might even have a nap. To wake me up I go for a swim in the pool with my sweetie, the most handsome of heroes. (That part is true!) After a few laps, we lay back on a broad shallow ledge in the warm water with cocktails in hand and a bowl of snacks beneath a big shade umbrella.
- Dinner would be barbecued marinated meat to go with more fresh veggies from the garden. Again, we would eat out doors. And then my guy and I would sit on the deck late into a warm evening with a glass of chilled wine and watch the sunset through the tall trees across the creek.
- After dark? Well, I’ll leave that up to your imagination. Of course I can’t go to sleep without reading a few more pages of my sexy, rom com novel. Oh, what the heck, I might as well keep going until the end.
Sigh. It’s winter here in Australia so this scenario really is a fantasy right now but I have had days in the past that come close.
I’d love to hear about your fantasy summer day. What’s one essential element that would make it perfect for you?
I’m giving away three copies of Making Over The Billionaire, Book #1 in my Italian Connection series. Turning The Tables, Book #2 is out now. Both books can be read as stand alone stories.
She'll bare everything...except the truth.Tina Borlenghi is a billionaire businesswoman, heiress to the Borlenghi fortune, and living la dolce vita. She's also a magnet for men who crave fame and celebrity. So while in New York City launching a new fashion boutique, Tina is more than intrigued when sports bar owner Luke Pederson mistakes her for a sales assistant. He's sexier than sin and only interested in her. What's the harm in a little steamy role-playing?Luke can't get enough of Tina. And yet, something feels…off. Why is she so secretive? As their role-playing encounters become more erotic, Luke’s suspicions grow. The woman rocking his world is hiding something. Something big. He’s ready to play for keeps, but finding out who Tina really is may just turn the tables on everything he thought he knew about love.
Check out the Italian Connection series:
Check out what's up for grabs.
Up For Grabs:
- 3 eBook copies of Making Over The Billionaire
To Enter:
- Please fill out the Rafflecopter form to enter giveaway.
**Don't forget to enter the grand prize giveaway!
Good Luck!
Special thanks to Joan Kilby for sponsoring this giveaway.
One essential element for my perfect summer day is to be on the beach. Any beach would do, but especially on the ocean in the topics would be best!
ReplyDeleteMarcy, you can't beat the warm tropics for swimming! Our local beach is more the 'refreshing' kind of water. :)
Deletecongrats to Joan on the new release! Oh, I wished I had a beach near by. that would be a perfect day for me too!!! thanks for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Erin! I tend to take my local beach for granted but I'd so miss it if I couldn't go down there.
DeleteThat sounds like a wonderful way to spend a summer day.
ReplyDeleteSophia, well it *is* a fantasy :) Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteI just came back from the Outer Banks, NC, so I had a whole week of perfect summer days...sun, sand, water, time to writer, my family hanging out and having fun!
ReplyDeleteTeri Anne, that sounds wonderful. Relaxing and being able to write is a great balance!
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ReplyDeleteMy perfect summer day would be on a beach, temps in the 80's, an umbrella and a good book!
ReplyDeleteSue,awesome combo. Funny how a book is so often an element of the perfect day, any time of year.
DeleteI think summer & I must admit I do think carefree too.
ReplyDeleteMary, I wonder if it's because we think back to our childhood when we literally had nothing to do in summer. Or maybe we're just more likely to be in holiday mode.
Deletegoing to the beach
ReplyDeleteEveryone loves the beach, bn100. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteHaving my family all together and grilling out.
ReplyDeleteMarcy Shuler
Marcy, love those summer barbecues with family and kids and long lazy evenings!
DeleteCharacters often find themselves in situations they aren't sure they can get themselves out of. When was the last time you found yourself in a situation that was hard to get out of and what did you do?
ReplyDeleteMai, your question is an example of such a situations since it's so far off the topic. Not that I mind, but I wondered if you posted it here accidentally when it as really intended for somewhere else. On the other hand I didn't want to ignore it in case you really wanted to know. So what I did was think about it for a few days, looked at from all angles and then decided to answer it honestly as best I could. In other words, when I'm in a tricky situation I take a step back and consider before acting rather than leap in impulsively. I hope that answers your question. Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteLoving the covers. Can't wait to find out how he reacts to her secret.
ReplyDeletemythic021@gmail.com
Thanks, Vanessa! Glad you stopped by.
ReplyDelete