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Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Guest Post with Author Rebecca Lee Smith and Giveaway


Today I would like to welcome to the blog author Rebecca Lee Smith. Rebecca is currently on tour celebrating the release of her book A Dance To Die For and has stopped by to chat. Before I give the floor to Rebecca let us get to know her a bit better.

Rebecca lives with her husband in the beautiful, misty mountains of East Tennessee, where the people are charming, soulful, and just a little bit crazy. She’s been everything from a tax collector to a stay-at-home-mom to a house painter to a professional actress and director. Her two grown sons live nearby, still have the power to make her laugh until she cries, and will always be the best things she’s given back to the world. It took her a lot of years to realize that writing was her true passion. When she’s not churning out sensual romantic mysteries with snappy dialogue and happy endings, she loves to travel the world, go to the Outer Banks for her ocean fix, watch old movies, hang out at the local pub, and make her day complete by correctly answering the Final Jeopardy! Question.
Places to find Rebecca:
| Site |


What qualities make the perfect hero?

Sometimes, I think the imperfect qualities are the ones that make a hero perfect. For me, the guy who never misses the mark, who is every possible thing the heroine has always longed for, who is so sure of himself, he never falters, is the guy I’m suspicious of. Even Indiana Jones was terrified of snakes, and that made him so much more real and dear to me. (Looking like Harrison Ford didn’t hurt either, but that’s another blog.) When the stakes are raised, and the heroine needs someone to come through for her, I want a hero who may not admit having the foibles that make him real, but he forces himself to overcome them for the heroine’s sake. It doesn’t matter if he’s successful; what matters is he tries. He risks body and soul for her, even when failure is inevitable. He makes the leap of faith that shows us she is worth everything to him, whether he knows it yet or not.

When a hero is perfect for a heroine, he “gets” her in a way no one else ever has. She doesn’t have to explain her jokes, or the look in her eyes, or the obscure references she tosses over her shoulder as she leaves a room. I love that first moment when he actually sees her for the person she is, and realizes she is not only his intellectual equal, but a woman he will think about every day for the rest of his life. The perfect hero is forever changed by the heroine, by knowing her, by loving her. And somewhere along the way, he recognizes the passion he feels and realizes she is the woman he wants and needs more than anything in the world.

Which makes him the perfect hero.

Because in real life—and I think most women will agree—there is nothing sexier or more captivating than to have someone want you. More than anything in the world.


Annabel Maitland believes in destiny and following her heart—Trent Sheffield realizes his destiny is to believe in her.

Annabel destroyed her Broadway dancing career trying to save her friend Quinn's life. Convinced Quinn’s death was no accident, Annabel follows a clue to a North Carolina mountain inn and discovers that everyone who knew Quinn—the real Quinn—wanted her out of their lives, including the sexy innkeeper whose laid-back charm and megawatt grin take Annabel's breath away. The physical attraction between them is undeniable, the cerebral attraction irresistible. But trusting her heart means ignoring evidence that plants him firmly on the list of suspects.

Determined to keep his family’s financially strapped inn afloat, the last person Trent needs working for him is a stubborn, impossibly long-legged dancer whose sharp wit and silver eyes keep him scrambling to stay on his toes. He's falling hard, and he wants to trust her, but Annabel's connection to his ex-fiancĂ©e makes him question her motives at every turn. When a string of mysterious accidents threaten Annabel’s life, they must unearth Quinn's killer before it's too late. But what if Annabel was the target all along?

Places to Purchase:


The rain that had held off all afternoon began to fall in torrential sheets. Wind slammed against the side of the building, pounded the shutters Gil had promised to secure, rattled the loose glass in the windowpanes until it shook.

Forks of lightning streaked across the sky, followed by a deafening crash of thunder. Trent jumped to his feet the same moment Annabel catapulted off the windowsill. And by some miraculous glitch in the universe, he caught her in his arms.

She landed against him with a soft thud, and as the seconds ticked by, her head instinctively nestled into the crook of his neck. He could feel her shoulders tremble, which for some reason, filled him with an astonishing urge to protect her. Her hands clutched the muscles in his upper arms, and her head rested beneath his chin. Her short, loose curls tickled his nose. Her hair smelled like Charleston in the spring—jasmine and honeysuckle and sunshine.

He stood, holding her like an idiot, stone still, afraid that if he moved a centimeter in either direction, she would take it as a cue to extricate herself. And he didn't want her to leave.
“Sorry about that,” she said. “Not so brave in a storm, I guess.”

“No problem,” he said, suddenly unable to control the sound of his own voice. “I'm just as jumpy as you are.” His baritone had dropped to a growl. Like an old dog with a bone.

His biceps contracted, heating up beneath her touch, and he wondered if the imprint of her delicate hands would stay branded, long after she had released them.

Want to win some goodies from Rebecca? Check out what's up for grabs for one lucky commenter.

Up for grabs:
  • 1 lucky commenter from the ENTIRE tour will win a swag package along with a $20 Amazon gift card.

To Enter:
  • Please leave a meaningful comment for Rebecca. 
  • Please leave your email address along with your comment to be entered. 
  • Giveaway ends June 8th.

Good Luck =)

35 comments :

  1. I like your 'perfect hero'. It's about how he treats his heroine & makes her feel.

    A great excerpt thank you.

    marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

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  2. I love the sound of your perfect hero. Too bad there aren't more men like that.

    I can only answer the final Jeopardy question about 25% of the time. I keep trying though.

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  3. Thanks for having me today! What a great website. I just reread my blog on what qualities make the perfect hero, and it gave me a few insights into the book I'm working on now. I need to make the hero a little more "perfect" for the heroine. Because if I don't, who will?

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  4. Hey, marybelle,
    I agree. It's all about how the hero makes the heroine feel. I think most readers want the hero to treat the heroine with respect, even if it's grudgingly at first. Before the end of the book, the reader has to know that she is just as special to him as he is to her.

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  5. Hi, MomJane,
    I know what you mean about answering the Final Jeopardy Question. LOL. I sure don't get it right every day, but I like to try. The absolute best (and this doesn't happen often) is when I get it right, and all three contestants miss it.

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  6. You are a new author for me but I liked the interview and the excerpt.. Will put this on my purchase list. To me a perfect hero cares about the heroine and tries to fulfill all her needs (cause he is the most important thing in his life) and keep her safe!

    fingershankins@yahoo.com

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  7. I agree about flaws and quirks adding to the perfection of the right guy.

    vitajex(at)aol(dot)com

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  8. Thanks, Lynne. I agree with your idea of the perfect hero. I hate books where the hero seems to care more about himself than the heroine through most of the book, then changes at the very end. I want to see him care about her from the beginning, even if he doesn't realize how much he cares.

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  9. Thanks for the great review and interview. Look forward to reading this book. Gale
    pgan427@yahoo.com

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  10. I love your reference about Indiana Jones being afraid of snakes. To me, that made his character so much more believable! Mr. Ford's looks definitely made him "Indy" Jones. A hero without a fear or flaw is a robot and a bit boring.
    I can picture this scene from the excerpt very easily. Like watching a cat jump from the window...swift and graceful with wide eyes! Very well written!
    Phoenix
    PhoenixCarvelli at gmail dot com

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    1. Thanks Phoenix,
      What a great name! I agree that a hero without flaws is boring. I also require my heroes (on paper and in life) to have a sense of humor. IMO, if the hero and heroine can't make each other laugh, they don't have a chance of making it.

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  11. Yes, I agree. Imperfections in a hero are great (and much more believable!). All that matters is that the hero and heroine are perfect for each other.

    Kelli
    krolvaag@gmail.com

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  12. Rebecca, your description of a perfect match between H/h gave me goose bumps...I believe reading your new novel will make me feel the same way.
    minadecaro@hotmail.com

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  13. My gosh! That is quite a description of the perfect hero! I am a happily married woman (and have been for 20+ years) but I don't know that my hero-hubby fits that mold! That's a lot of weight of expectation on a man's broad shoulders...
    catherinelee100 at gmail dot com

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    Replies
    1. I think that's why romance novels exist. Not many guys in real life can live up to the kind of perfection we expect from a romantic hero in a book. I've known a couple of men who have come pretty darned close, though. My son is one of those men. He has his flaws, but he is strong and romantic and caring with his wife. So, of course, I take ALL the credit. LOL

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  14. Your perfect hero sounds wonderful...where are they?
    Yvette
    yratpatrol@aol.com

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    Replies
    1. I wish I knew. Although, my husband would probably risk life and limb for me. And he "gets" me. And he does make me laugh. Especially after a few margaritas. LOL

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  15. For me a perfect hero is a man who can protect and makes her needs as a priority in his life. He not only adores her but also corrects her whenever she gets wrong. Well,a typical of alpha male for me is a perfect hero.

    Julianaekin@yahoo.com

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  16. My Hubby is my perfect hero. He gets me in ways no one (not even my mom) does. He rocks my world and I would be loss without him.

    Thanks for the giveaway,
    Dani
    ellepaulette@gmail.com

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  17. I enjoyed the excerpt and post. The book sounds very intriguing.

    bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  18. Thank you for the sharing this sounds like a great book always looking for new Authors and books to read!
    Latisha D
    tishajean@ charter.net

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  19. Wow What A Book And Excerpt I Cant Wait To Read It. I Put It On My Wish List. butterfli262002@yahoo.com

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  20. Great excerpt! I can't wait to read more of it!

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  21. thanks for the review, looking forward to read this book ^^

    sunshine_pinkystar(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  22. I love your ideal perfect hero and the excerpt. I'm definitely going to read A Dance to Die For :)

    amethystfaerie(at)msn(dot)com

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  23. Love your idea of a perfect hero, i'll take one thats protective, funny and handsome as can be :)

    amy2read89(at)gmail(dot)com

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  24. Love your idea of a perfect hero, i'll take one thats protective, funny and handsome as can be :)

    amy2read89(at)gmail(dot)com

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  25. I agree that a hero has to have some flaws or imperfections, or we can't relate to him!

    robindpdx (at) yahoo (dot) com

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  26. Hi,
    Another great post and new author to me!! Thanks for sharing. This book sounds so good--I will be adding to my TBR pile and I will definitely be checking out more from this author. I love being introduced to new authors and books!! Thanks again and have a great week!! mariann297@gmail.com

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  27. I am so excited to read A Dance to Die For! Your writing is exactly what I love about reading!
    evan32_08@yahoo.com

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  28. Thanks for hosting / coming. I just love to get to know an author I have not read yet. Nothing is more exhilarating than adding a new author to my to be read list... well, except reading that 1st new book!

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  29. OOPS! forgot email - lavendersbluegreen(at)yahoo(dot)com

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