On the Right Track to Romance

On the Right Track available HERE

By Barbara Elsborg

When I start writing a story I rarely think about what time of year I should set it. It’s only when I get to the point that my characters are outside that I think--oh dear--do they need coats? But it’s not a coincidence that of my four Decadent stories, only one of them is set in the summer. I lean toward snow and winter because somehow I find it more romantic. Maybe it’s the excuse to cuddle up because it’s cold.

When my couple in On the Right Track set off in their cars to go a New Year’s Eve party, little do they know that they’ll collide on a snowy road and seal their fate. Nick and Holly seemed perfect winter names for them and the story more or less wrote itself. Well, I did help a bit.

In reality, the slightest flutter of snow and I’d rather eat my own eyeballs than take the car out. The UK regularly grinds to a halt at the thinnest of coverings. I’ve skidded when I drove the kids to school after they missed the bus. Skidded on a motorway when I changed lanes and skidded down a hill where I was lucky nothing was coming the other way. So now I only go out on foot in snow, which must be a relief to other motorists.

No snow yet in the UK, but this is what happened last year--view from my house! Invasion of the mini snowmen.

If you’d like a chance to win a copy of my winter INS, On the Right Track, or my summer INS, Just What She Wants, please leave a comment below telling me whether you’re a summer or winter person or someplace in between.

Just What She Wants available HERE

With a name like hers, Indiana Jones knows she ought to be adventurous and daring, but when she’s tricked into taking a vacation on her own and discovers she’s staying at a swinging resort, she wants to spend the week in her room. But the place is run by two of the most tempting men she’s ever seen. She could have just what she wants and no one would ever know.

Marc finds it hard to see his partner Kyle in physical and mental anguish, but if the guy won’t talk about it, what can he do? Finding a third might be the answer, and he has just the woman in mind, unless she runs off before he can make her smile.

Crippled and depressed, Kyle can’t even kiss his partner and wonders why the guy puts up with him. If only he could let the past go and move on. Maybe, just maybe, an intriguing guest will show him the way. 

What Women Really Want

By Barbara Elsborg

Does any woman really want a one-night stand? Isn’t that moment when a man and woman meet and an emotional connection made – on the woman’s part at least – backed up by her hope that THIS COULD BE THE ONE?

Maybe not always. Research suggests that some women accept the one night stand proposition because they’re flattered by the attention, pleased that a guy finds them attractive enough to bed.  In the interests of getting laid, a man will massively lower his standards. Charming! It’s almost – any willing woman will do. That’s not so flattering.

In a survey, 80% of men felt positive after a INS, but only 54% of women. But interestingly, the negative feelings weren’t because the women wanted the guys to declare they were the one, but more because there was no acknowledgment made that the women had made a sacrifice of their own to go through with it. The notion being they weren’t like this usually.

Many of the INS stories I’ve read, this is the point that’s often made. It HAS to be made if there’s going to be any future for the couple. What man wants a woman who’s had more INSs than she can count? Which leads me to Decadent’s series. Fabulous set ups of every sort, in exotic and ordinary places, two people, sometimes three and not always human,  who’ve mostly never set eyes on each other before, who find happiness through one arranged date. So in a way – they’re not INSs at all. They’re the first date and the rest of their lives will follow.

Because that’s what women want along with the sex – affection and commitment. And that’s what readers want too—to believe that love will prevail. I’d feel really cheated if at the end of reading a lovely story, the two parted and said – well that was great but goodbye.

I’ve written two INS stories. On the Right Track ­  in which Nick and Hollie collide on a snowy road, and Just What She Wants  in which Indiana goes on holiday to the States and meets two guys who want her to stay forever. I’d like to offer a commentator an ecopy of either book.

 www.barbaraelsborg.com

www.barbaraelsborg.blogspot.com

The Joy of Music

Buy Just What She Wants HERE

By Barbara Elsborg

Or not if you’re listening to me play the violin or the piano. My mother longed for me to show some talent on the piano. I had lessons for years and I honestly don’t think I improved at all. I refused to do exams because I already had to do those in speech and drama – yes, she was one of those sorts of mothers. Eventually I pleaded too much school work and she let me stop.

What did I do once I got married? Bought a piano. My mother thought she was vindicated and used to sit and listen to me play every time she came to stay until she remembered a pressing engagement with the TV in the other room.  But my kids loved the piano – ah – until I made them have lessons. Like mother like daughter. This time the music teacher begged me to let her stop teaching my son. Son was talented but he did everything off by heart. He hated the piano and he hated the teacher. Daughter plodded on. She took up the violin and being that sort of mother, I took it up too. Daughter ended up playing in the county orchestra. I retired horrorstruck once I realized there was more than one position. Those who play will know what I mean.

But listening to others play or sing, yes, that brings me joy. I can’t write while I listen. I get too distracted but I run and listen and that’s just perfect. The music gives me ideas for stories, for titles and makes me happy.

So what makes you happy?

One lucky commentator wins an ecopy of one of my 1NS stories – your choice – Just What She Wants or On The Right Track.

www.barbaraelsborg.com

www.barbaraelsborg.blogspot.com 

Just What She Wants

Buy Just What She Wants HERE!

By Barbara Elsborg

Holiday stories always give me that warm feeling inside. Maybe it’s because Christmas in particular is a time when we expect to be happy or at least make others happy. My first 1NS story brought two people together on New Year’s Eve through a car crash. In my second story – Just What She Wants - Indie is trying her best to escape Christmas but discovers it’s so not easy to escape happiness.

The story was inspired by the magnificent Christmas tree in Orlando International airport. Think it’s a little too large to fit in my house, even if I took the roof off.

The blurb:

With a name like hers, Indiana Jones knows she ought to be adventurous and daring but when she’s tricked into taking a vacation on her own, and discovers she’s staying at a swinging resort, she wants to spend the week in her room. But the place is run by two of the most tempting men she’s ever seen. She could have just what she wants and no one would ever know.

Marc finds it hard to see his partner Kyle in physical and mental anguish but if the guy won’t talk about it, what can he do? Finding a third might be the answer and he has just the woman in mind, unless she runs off before he can make her smile.

Crippled and depressed, Kyle can’t even kiss his partner and wonders why the guy puts up with him. If only he could let the past go and move on. Maybe, just maybe, an intriguing guest will show him the way.

Any favourite or not so favourite names? My daughter has just called her baby, Jackson Indiana Davies. Guess what films she and her husband liked!

Please leave a comment telling me a name you like and why and one lucky person will win a copy of Just What She Wants.

www.barbaraelsborg.com

www.barbaraelsborg.blogspot.com 

Lies, More Lies and Statistics

Buy On the Right Track HERE

By Barbara Elsborg

Brits are thought of as fairly straitlaced, stiff upper lip and all that. Until the arrival of 50 Shades which has shown us to be as obsessed with eroticism as the rest of the world, marital aids were confined to cups of tea and hot water bottles, but research has shown Brits lead the world in our interest in spanking. Whether that dates back to the outdated view of seeing corporal punishment as a way to build character, I don’t know, but I’m intrigued. (Not enough to try, husband, unless you want to volunteer?)

Apparently Brits also score highly in online searches for CFNM. (I’m not one of the searchers. I had no idea what that was.) It’s Clothed Female Naked Man sites where submissive men are ordered to strip by pretty women who then make fun of their tackle. How appealing does that sound? (Not to me, says husband) Women in New Zealand are top of the list for sexual partners in a lifetime at 20.4. I do wonder what the point 4 looks like. Austrian men are the most promiscuous with 29.3 partners over a lifetime. That’s a lot!

Sex in Thailand lasts the shortest at 10 minutes. (Must tell husband, he’ll feel so much better )

Longest in Brazil at 30 minutes. (Are you listening, husband?)

Biggest breasts in Australia. (No, we’re not emigrating, dear heart)

41% of French people have participated in an orgy. (France sounds appealing!! Sshh – don’t tell him I said that)

Worst lovers – worst at the top

Germany (too smelly)
England (too lazy)
Sweden (too quick)
Holland (too dominating)
America (too rough)

World's Best Lovers
Spain
Brazil
Italy
France
Ireland

Which goes to prove nothing at all! How many people do they ask when they do these surveys? How many lie? Though clearly those in Thailand haven’t learned how to lie!

I’m thinking of moving to France though – oh unless they’re lying too. Darn it.

Copy of my e-book On The Right Track for a commentator who can suggest why Spain comes at the top of that list. Is it purely down to Antonio Banderas?

Will you? Won’t you?

By Barbara Elsborg

Hands up – have you ever had a one-night stand? Not me. Not even been tempted but…I’ve been in a situation when one was offered and I turned it down. (Actually make that two situations but I never told you-know-who about that one so mum’s the word). I was in Paris with my boyfriend. We were tired and on our way home after a holiday in Spain. He’d gone to the bathroom in a café to shave (just stepped off an all-night train) and I was drinking a coffee in the sunshine. 

This gorgeous French guy, dark hair, suit, came up and said in French, I think I have an appointment with you.

No, says I. You have the wrong woman. Must be someone else.

But he was very insistent. He sat down and said no, it was me he wanted.

The penny dropped—well, I had been on a long journey—and I said, My boyfriend’s in the bathroom.

So? he asked in his charming Gallic voice. He lived close by. He wanted me to leave with him.

Boyfriend reappeared and the French man smiled and walked off. I was feeling quite flattered and made the mistake of saying that to boyfriend who went into a HUGE sulk and we spent the rest of the journey home not speaking.

His version – he couldn’t believe I’d been flattered because a guy thought I was a prostitute.

My version – I was tired, hair was messy, I was wearing creased clothes, not feeling my best and a good-looking guy wanted me. Course I was flattered.

So – how would my life have been different if I’d gone with the Frenchman and not come home with my English boyfriend? The latter is now my husband and every now and again, he brings out this story and you know, it still annoys him.

Snigger.

So—have you ever had a one-night stand? Would you consider one?

Leave a comment and one person will win a copy of my ebook – On The Right Track – a INS story or any other INS book of your choice.

On the Right Track

On the Right Track, my first 1NS story, was inspired by my near disaster in snow. First thing you need to know is that England does not cope well with snow. It always seems to take us by surprise and the moment it begins to settle, chaos erupts. I was working sixty miles away from where I lived and I could see the snow falling thicker and thicker outside. Eventually, my boss realized we’d all get stranded and told us to leave. My home was on the other side of the Pennines – a spine of hills that runs down part of the middle of the country.

I managed to get to the motorway which was a miracle in itself but to find a major road was already snow covered with not a plough in sight was disturbing. I followed the tracks of other vehicles and we all slowly made our way across the rolling moorland. My hands were gripping the wheel so tight they were clear.

I skidded. My car suddenly fishtailed and despite the fact that I knew what to do, in those few moments my brain went blank. Luckily I didn’t hit anyone or anything and found myself back in the tracks again, sobbing, and eventually I made it home where I started sobbing again. A journey of 80 minutes took four hours. Husband was also stuck and his normal journey of 50 minutes took nine hours. Told you we don’t do well in snow!

In my story, Hollie isn’t so lucky.  Or maybe she is?

ON THE RIGHT TRACK

Always driving through life along the straight and narrow, Hollie wants a break from staying within the lines. She hopes a hookup at 1Night Stand with a tall fair-haired guy who’s organized and sensible, likes small-breasted brunettes, and can deal with any crisis life throws at him, will jar her from the mundane path she’s been on.

Except what seemed like the perfect plan when she set off, turns into the worst idea ever as the snow falls thickly. Slipping and sliding, her arms numb from clenching the wheel, she becomes frantic to avoid what’s looming in front of her.

Dark-haired Nick is on his way to a party with hopes of connecting with a busty blonde—assuming he’s even on the right road and can dig himself out of a heap of snow before he freezes solid. Too bad he never plans ahead, no coat and no shovel in the car, and soon he won’t even see a road at all, let alone any vehicle barrelling down it.

When two hearts get lost in a snowstorm of what they think they want, can Madame Eve's magic put them back on the right track?

One commentator will win a copy of my 1NS story – available on the 23rd December.

Happy Holidays!

www.barbaraelsborg.com

www.barbaraelsborg.blogspot.com