By Deanna Wadsworth
This past weekend I had an exciting
Saturday. My local chapter of RWA, the Maumee Valley Romance Writers had their
fourth annual Spring Book Lover’s Event at our local library here in Toledo,
Ohio.
As the MC of the event, I had a great
time introducing all of my local author friends as they did readings from their
latest books—five of which have just sold their first book within the last six
months—and moderating two Q&A Author panels.
The funny thing about public events
like this is that playing MC does not make me nervous. Even promoting our event
on local news stations didn’t make me nervous.https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=2860442088183
But there is something different when
it comes to talking about myself!
Two weeks ago I had the honor of being
the subject of an article about straight women who write gay romance on the
Toledo City Paper. http://www.toledocitypaper.com/March-Issue-1-2013/Love-lust-and-romance/
Now THAT interview made me nervous!
As did reading an excerpt from my
latest 1Night Stand book THE BEST EVER at our event this Saturday.
I don’t know why, but I can MC events
until the cows come home but when it comes to taking about myself, I get all
nervous. It’s silly, but that’s just how it is. Or maybe I’m just waaay more
modest than people probably think I am. I hate being the center of attention. I
DO like being at the center of the action,
I just get nervous when the spotlight is on me.
LOL
Weird, I know, but it is what it is.
But what’s kinda cool, is that when
it’s all done, and you get control of your shaky voice, sharing your book with
others can be pretty cool......or like the title of my next 1Night Stand
book......THE BEST EVER!
This is the excerpt I read on Saturday
from my upcoming 1Night Stand story THE BEST EVER. If you enjoyed my previous
two 1Night Stand books, BEAR IT ALL and ACCIDENTALLY BEAUTIFUL, you will love
the latest story. My writer BFF Wendy Burke, another 1Night Stand writer,
shares some of my characters with me in her 1NS books. If you enjoyed her book HASTE
YE BACK, you get to find out what happened with her hero and heroine, Bryn and
Ian, in my book THE BEST EVER.
Enjoy!
BLURB:
Nerdy, red-haired Jason Lewis has been
bullied most of his life and at 22 social situations still make him
awkward. On a trip to the World Video Game Expo in Las Vegas, Jason decides to
enlist the help of Madame Eve in his failed romantic endeavors. While at the
con, Jason runs into sexy, professional baseball pitcher Blake Huntington, the
guy he tutored in high school. Blake invites Jason to a party and after hanging
out with his high school crush, Jason begins to regret booking his 1NS
"encounter" later that night. But what Jason doesn't know, is Madame
Eve has planned the best night ever.
EXCERPT:
Greeting Jason with a smile, Abby said,
“You got everything?”
“Yup.”
“Toothpaste?Toothbrush?Extra underwear?Socks?Your
inhaler?Allergy medication?”
“Yes, Abigail.”
Ignoring the full name, his sister
arched her brows. “Condoms?”
“Jeez, Abby, just drive.” He pointed
irritably to the exit of the cul-de-sac.
“Suit yourself. But I bet there’s some
cute video game playing guy waiting to hook up with you in Vegas.”
Jason rolled his eyes, face heating up
as if somehow she knew. “Whatever. I’m going to Vegas to check out the new
games and have some fun. Not hook up.”
“Having fun and hooking up are not
necessarily two different things. All you do is play online and go to karate.”
“Not discussing this,” he announced
with a wave of his hand. “Hashtag: mind your own business.”
Jason had planned this trip to the
World Video Game Expo as a reward for completing the Ross School of Business’
grueling Masters of Accounting program at the University of Michigan in June.
Three days of events showcasing all the latest in gaming technology,
championship tournaments, a chance to get tips from the top gamers, and meet a
few of his online gaming buddies?
#guaranteedepic
Yet he could not shake the nervous
feeling in his gut.
“Bryn’s excited about Ian’s visit,”
Jason said, searching for a way to change the subject and get his mind off the
inevitable. “I had to peel her off the walls.”
“Yeah, we’re going to Detroit this
weekend. Ian wants to visit a friend who runs a sports bar.”
“Oh, I’m sorry I’m gonna miss that.
That’s Ian’s gay friend Martin, from Scotland.” Jason had heard every detail
about Ian from Bryn. Some of which he didn’t need to hear, and Ian might be
mortified Jason knew.
Abby shrugged. “I don’t know if he’s
gay or not. It’s just some bar.”
#lovemysister
Not a judgmental bone in her body, Abby
saw no differences in people, gay or straight, black or white. People were people.
Work was work. Food fed the body. She was by far the most logical person he’d
ever met. Always a great source of honest advice and the one person he could
rely on no matter what, Abby was his rock. When he’d told her he was gay, she’d
asked, “Oh, how did you figure that out?”
He had retorted in a sarcastic teenager
way, “How’d you figure out you were straight?”
She’d thought about it for a
moment—filing it away like a research factoid for later—then said, “Hmmm, good
question.”
And that had been that.
He’d
always sought her advice, and never did he need it as much as today. But he had
to be coy about it. He took a deep breath, asking the
leading question he’d prepared, “Do you know how they met?”
Abby screwed up her face in confusion.
“Who?The gay guy and Bryn’s boyfriend?”
#payattention
He tried not to get annoyed. “No. Bryn
and Ian.”
Brows raised, she shook her head. “No
idea.”
“Through a service called 1Night Stand.
Bryn wanted some casual sex so she booked an encounter—that’s what the place
calls it—at a castle. Ian was her date.”
“I didn’t know.”
“Kinda crazy, right? Like hiring a
hooker,” he prompted.
Abby tipped her head to the side—her
“Analyzing Look” Jason called it. “No, it’s not like a hooker. Unless Ian is a
male prostitute. He isn’t is he?”
“No.”
“Then it’s more like two consenting
adults wanting to cut through all the bullshit and games. Sounds very
efficient.”
Jason resisted an eye roll. Such an
Abby answer. “You don’t think it’s crazy?”
“Not at all. Why? Do you?”
“No,” he said quickly. “Like you said,
it’s just cutting out all the bullshit and games.”
Games that didn’t involve a controller
or hi-def graphics were not Jason’s thing. Even Dating for Dummies had not helped his endeavors. So he’d brought in
the big guns. The professionals.
He slanted a glance at his older
sister, keeping his voice level. “Would you ever hire a service for sex?”
“Sure,” Abby mused. “Why not?Might be
interesting.”
Her calm reply went through him like
he’d taken a big puff on his inhaler. The tension in his chest eased.
Abby glanced at him out of the corner
of her eye. The “Mom Look” this time. “Why are you asking?”
“Oh, no reason,” he answered a little
too quickly…other than I booked my own
encounter via Madame Eve and her 1Night Stand agency.
#OMGwhatwasithinking?
Bestselling erotica author Deanna
Wadsworth leads a pretty vanilla life in Ohio with her hubby of 16 years and
her demanding little dogs. Deanna sold her first book,
an erotic retelling of Red Riding Hood,
in 2010 and it quickly reached #15 on Amazon bestseller lists in erotic and
fantasy categories. Since
then she has published 13 erotic novellas and has already contracted two
manuscripts in 2013. A wildly active imagination and a love of romance in all
stages and incarnations inspire to write Romance with Spice and Love without
Boundaries.
Facebook
Page: https://www.facebook.com/deannawadsworthauthor
Well done on the speaking! I'd be terrified. I hate to hear myself speak - I won't even record our telephone answer message!
ReplyDeleteLol, thanks Barbara. I actually like public speaking...its just weird when the spotlite is on me!
ReplyDeleteThe Best Ever sounds like a fun story. I know all about the enjoying the action and a bit of attention, but despising being the center of attention deal. I'm not a fan of all eyes on me either. Glad you had fun though.
ReplyDeleteThat's my girl, Whore 'du Media! :)
ReplyDelete