Avon Impulse release date: February 9
$2.99
ISBN: 9780062413963
Once
comfortable on stage in front of thousands, Joely Crockett is now
mortified at the thought of walking—or rolling—down the aisle at
her sisters’ wedding. Scarred and wheelchair-bound, the former
beauty queen has lost more than the ability to walk—she’s lost
her fire. But when one handsome, arrogant guest accuses her of
milking her injuries and ignites her ire, Joely finally starts to
feel truly alive again, and soon it’s impossible for her to resist
her heart’s desire.
Alec
Morrissey knows a little something about loss. A famous rodeo cowboy
before he was injured in Iraq, he’s managed to create something of
a normal life, even if it’s not the one he always imagined.
Encountering stunning but damaged Joely, he sees a kindred spirit who
can learn from his mistakes.
As
these two healing souls begin to fall in love under the Wyoming
stars, they must discover if they are willing to give in to the
tragedies of life or fight for a future together.
Excerpt
“Warm
enough?” he asked. “Your back’s okay?”
“I’m
plenty warm. And my back aches. It’ll be fine in the morning.”
“What
would make it fine now?”
“Sven
the masseur?”
He
chuckled. “Your version of the cabana boy fantasy, huh? Fine, I can
do Sven.” She’d been joking; he was not. “Come on. Stretch out
on your stomach.”
She
started to turn and changed her mind. “What about you?”
“I’m
fantastic. I have a beautiful woman about to let me touch her
wherever I want to.”
“Wait,
I never said that.”
She
wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, long and deep,
taking the lead, pushing him onto his back instead of following his
directive. When he groaned and pulled her to lie on top of him, she
broke the kiss. She’d done it now, and her nerves almost got the
better of her. Instead she closed her eyes and took a brave breath.
“Your
leg has to be killing you,” she said. “I’m worried about it. I
have no idea how to ask you about it because you never say anything,
so I’m just blurting it out.”
“My
leg is okay,” he said.
“You
haven’t taken off the prosthetic in two days.”
“I
have. Didn’t you wonder what the heck took a guy so long in the
woods at night?” He took his turn kissing her, and she reveled, not
just in his kiss but in the breadth of him beneath her. And in the
swift, undeniable swell that proved what power her mouth had over
him. Thrills pooled low in her pelvis.
The
next words hung in her throat for a long time. If she said them,
she’d have to be willing to offer the same in return. Her greatest
fear rose in front of her.
“I
want to know all of you. I want you to . . . trust me.”
“I
haven’t wanted to weird you out.”
The
words were light, slightly jokey, and still she clearly heard the
underlying tension.
“That’s
just dumb, Alec. Weird? It’s not weird. It’s you.”
Did
she mean it? Of course she did. Then how could she do anything but
open herself up in return? No matter how much it scared her.
“You’ve
never made love to a one-legged guy.”
Fear
flared hot just before her grin broke loose. “Am I about to?”
He
pulled her back down against him and ran his hands over her seat,
pulling her tight and rolling his hips. “It might be too soon.”
She
rested one elbow beside his ear, brushing his hair back with the
other hand, drinking in the texture with her fingertips. “I’m
afraid to let you see, too.”
“See
what?” A light, perhaps one of hopefulness, brightened his eyes.
“I
have more scars than the one you’ve seen on my face.” She stopped
combing through his hair. The breath she took this time was shakier
than any so far. “I’d show you mine if you show me yours. Let’s
be weirded out together.” The words were silly, and her heart
skittered around her ribcage—a scared bird that had trapped itself.
He
didn’t speak. Carefully, he rolled her off of him and placed one
hand on her stomach. With gentle fingers he unsnapped her jeans and
slowly rasped down the zipper. Then he sat up, and reached for her
boots. One at a time he tugged them off.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Lizbeth Selvig lives in Minnesota with her
best friend (aka her husband), and a gray Arabian gelding. After
working as a newspaper journalist and magazine editor, and raising an
equine veterinarian daughter and a talented musician son, she won
RWA’s prestigious Golden Heart® Contest in 2010 with her
contemporary romance The Rancher and the Rock Star. In her spare
time, she loves to hike, quilt, read, horseback ride, and spend time
with her new granddaughter. She also has four-legged
grandchildren—more than twenty—including a wallaby, two alpacas,
a donkey, a pig, a sugar glider, and many dogs, cats, and horses
(pics of all appear on her website www.lizbethselvig.com). She loves
connecting with readers—contact her any time!
Hi
Lizbeth, Thanks for joining us! To get started, why don’t you give
readers an introduction into the Seven
Brides for Seven Cowboys
series, and The
Bride Wore Starlight?
1.
You have a passion for horses and horseback riding. How did that
influence the themes and settings around your books?
Pictures
of horses adorned my bedroom walls from the time I was five, when I
was a little city girl in Minneapolis. I collected all the stories
about horses I could and had my first book boyfriend crush on Alec
Ramsay in The
Black Stallion series.
I got my first horse as a graduation from college present from my
husband, and I was hooked for life, even getting my daughter her her
first pony when she was six years old so we could ride together. She
went on to become an equine veterinarian, and I still help her care
for all the horses she’s collected since that first pony! I still
have a horse of my own, so you can see I’m obsessed and have a hard
time imagining a world without horses in it!
All
my books have included horses to some extent. I’m not even stuck on
one type of horse, or riding or rider—my first series of books
revolved around English riding, dressage and eventing. My current
series “Seven Brides for Seven Cowboys” takes place on a Wyoming
ranch so I get to spend a lot of time with horses in these books. In
my stories, I’ve used horses as therapy animals, as challenges for
my characters, and as comforting best friends. I love sharing the
beauty and versatility and healing power of horses with my readers.
2.
What is it about your two main characters, Alec and Joely, that have
made them so strong after going through such traumatic experiences?
I
think what’s amazing about Alec and Joely is that neither of them
has any idea when their story starts just where their real strengths
lie. Joely was a beauty queen several times, and even though she
isn’t vain she has always believed that what she has to offer the
world revolves around her physical looks. What she discovers after
her physical body is broken and scarred is that she doesn’t need to
trade on outer beauty—her talents of kindness, understanding, and
the ability to love despite peoples’ flaws are her truest
assets—and they (along with Alec’s help) are what make her strong
in the end.
Alec
completely believes what makes him strong is the ability to bury
things that remind him of pain and could make him bitter. He has a
major physical disability, but he ignores it and gets on with
life—and he even has the sunny disposition to go along with it. But
what he doesn’t know is that burying his past and his anger really
is a weakness. When he learns (with Joely’s help) to embrace what
he sees as weaknesses and truly face his fears—he grows into the
truly strong and resilient man he wants to be.
3.
How long have you been writing and who influenced you?
I
started making up stories and telling them to myself at night in bed
as far back as when I was four and five years old. Later, when other
kids were reading themselves to sleep, I started writing down these
stories. I guess it was what would now be called fan fiction—I had
lots of fun affairs and adventures with my favorite pop stars from
Paul McCartney to Bobby Sherman! Eventually I started writing “real”
short stories and then novels. In the 80s and 90s I fell in love with
the romances of LaVyrle Spencer. To this day she’s my ideal when it
comes to telling a love story and I don’t try to copy her, but I do
try to live up to her example.
4. Do you
have a favorite romance? Tell us!
I
mentioned LaVyrle Spencer, and whenever I’m asked this question I
have to go back to her. Sadly, most younger romance readers today
don’t know her work, but she was known for her beautiful lyrical
writing and her warm, identifiable characters. My favorite romance is
a book by her called “Hummingbird.” It’s an American historical
about a “spinster” who takes in a wounded train robber. Their
love affair was so tender, and LaVyrle wrote such a memorable
first-attempt at sex scene that I’ll never forget it. Suffice it to
say the first try at lovemaking was awkward at best—but so
realistic. Naturally, she made up for it later—and it was totally
worth the wait!
5. Where is
your favorite place to write?
I
mostly write in my office at home. Lest you think that sounds hoity
toity, however, it’s also my sewing room and storage for my
granddaughter’s “grandma’s house toys,” so it’s very far
from tidy and it’s not all that private. Still, it’s my clutter
and filled with things I love, and during the day it’s very quiet.
I have two windows so I can always see outside—perfect for
daydreaming-ah, brainstorming!
6. What’s
on your bucket list for this year?
I’m
already planning to attend Romance Writers of America’s annual
meeting in San Diego as well as the Romantic Times Reader Convention
in Las Vegas. My “bucket list” addition is that I want my hubby
to come meet me at both of them since I’ve never been to either
city. I’d like to see Cirque du Soleil’s “Beatles Love”
performance in Vegas, and I want to visit the zoo in San Diego
because I love zoos. I’d also love to go back to Alaska and visit
my dear friends—those I made when I lived in Anchorage from
2006-2009!
7. One of
your books, Rescued by
a Stranger was a *RWA
RITA® Award Finalist. What was that like for you?
Oh
my goodness, I look back on that and I still can’t believe it
happened! I was so flattered and honored because it’s a peer award,
and to have made the cut with some of my absolute idols (Nora
Roberts, Jill Shalvis) was a dream come true. I swear it’s also
true that it was an honor just to be a finalist. I mean, with all the
stellar fellow finalists—it didn’t matter in the least that I
didn’t win. It was extremely special to be wined and dined and
treated like a queen for a week at the convention—a very meaningful
sure wouldn’t mind bringing home one of those gorgeous, golden RITA
ladies!
8. Can you
tell us anything about your upcoming works?
I’m
super excited about the last four books of the “Seven Brides for
Seven Cowboys” series. The next three books will belong to the
triplets, Grace, Kelly, and Raquel who were named for their father’s
favorite two movie stars! Grace
comes next and she meets the small-time poker player who thinks he
has a generation’s-old claim to Paradise Ranch (and a very
precocious five-year-old daughter). Kelly
falls in love with a secondary character from “The Bride Wore Red
Boots” – one of the veterans suffering from PTSD who has become a
hotshot firefighter. It may or may not be the best choice for either
of them. Raquel
falls for a doctor who is a total science geek to her active tomboy
personality. It’s hard to see how sparks can fly when one’s never
seen Star Wars and the other won’t go out if it means missing Dr.
Who. The last book of the series will introduce a surprise character:
Cami Colarusso—a cousin to the Crockett sisters whom nobody knew
existed. To end the series we need a little fun: how about dinosaurs
on the ranch?!
In
addition to the Brides books, I’m working on a proposal for a
completely new book in a slightly different genre—women’s
fiction. More on that to come! And I have a cross-over story coming
out in May as part of a Kindle Worlds series set in Sapphire
Falls—the world created by bestselling author Erin Nicholas. One of
the characters from the Brides series is going to make his way to
Sapphire Falls. I’m so excited, so watch for that, too!
Sara Richardson grew up chasing adventure in Colorado's rugged mountains. She's
