Meet Me Monday's with Nona Raines

Please welcome my next guest, Nona Raines. Read her work. She is fabulous!!!

His Kind of Woman info for Meet Me Monday:

Blurb:

When Roy Girard went looking for Victor Varrano, he never expected a woman to answer the door. He soon discovers that Victor is now Venetia. Roy's startled, but even more surprised by his attraction to her. As they spend time together, he doesn't want to let her go. But she's sure to dump him when she learns his secret.

Venetia's falling hard and fast for Roy. But when she learns that his brother was the bully who tormented her in high school, she's shattered. She can't wrap her head around the fact that the man who made such amazing love to her could so completely betray her trust.

Excerpt:

Venetia studied the slip of paper in her hand. Roy Girard? She didn’t know him. He wasn’t the type of man a woman would forget. A big man, but not fat. He didn’t look like a gym rat but someone who kept in shape with physical labor. His blond hair was a bit shaggy—it needed a good trim. And a mustache. She didn’t much care for facial hair on men, but on him it looked good. Damn good.

He liked her looks too. There’d been nothing creepy in the way his gaze had drifted over her. She’d felt admired. There’d been a spark between them.

She shook her head to clear it. Hold on, you have no clue about this guy. Now is not the time to be thinking with your panties. Focus, girl, focus.

He wasn’t someone from the past. God knew there wasn’t much she could forget about her youth, though she’d tried to wipe it from her memory. But try as she might, she couldn’t forget the time when she was known as Victor.

But she’d never really been Victor. She’d known that, or at least had known that she was somehow different, since she was a child. And as she grew and that difference made itself clear to others, her life had become a nightmare.

At home, there was no way to explain it. Her parents wouldn’t, couldn’t, understand because she had no words to tell them: Mom, Dad, I know I look like a boy, but I’m really a girl.

She tried for years to pretend. Tried to be the son her parents wanted. Tried to fit in at school, so no one would guess her secret. Never muscular enough to be a jock, she’d managed to join a few clubs and garner some good friends. But she’d still ended up being a target. She’d been taunted and bullied mercilessly, called every dirty name in the book, shoved into lockers, punched and kicked in the locker room, beaten up with regularity off school property. Her friends had been as helpless against the mean kids as she was. And when adults had intervened, the bullies just got sneakier.

And the saddest thing was the feeling that somehow she’d deserved it. That the creeps had in some way figured out that she was a boy who wanted to be a girl. The cruelty and beatings were punishment that she had coming, for being a freak.

She remembered every one of the bullies. Their names were burned into her brain. Sam Ennis. Gabe D’Annunzio. Travis Lemcke. She hated their guts. People might say forgive and forget, but Venetia just couldn’t do it. They’d made her life hell and had driven her to the brink of suicide.

She shook her head. That was the past. She knew who she was, and those boys couldn’t hurt her anymore. But this Roy Girard. Who was he? And what did he want with her?

His Kind of Woman, available exclusively at Loose Id:

http://www.loose-id.com/his-kind-of-woman.html

**A note from me. I had the pleasure of reading and reviewing this book from Nona and even though it was something different for me, I absolutely loved it!! Check out my review at Twinsie Talk**

1.      How has your journey in publishing been? Anything you would or wouldn’t do again? 

I think I’ve been very lucky. I’ve been treated very well by my publishers and have no complaints on that regard. Any mistakes have been my own. If I were to do it again, I’d be a lot more prepared before my work was published. There’s so much more to it than writing a story.

2.      What are you working on right now? Can you tell us about it?

I’m excited by the romance I’m currently working on. It’s my first story featuring a character who’s a bit more mature, a single mother. She decides to let down her hair when she has a chance encounter with a younger man. I don’t have a title as of yet, but as soon as I do, you’ll know!

3.      What/Who inspired you to start writing?

I’ve always enjoyed writing and reading. My parents encouraged me by having books around the house and taking us kids to the library. Both my parents were great readers, and my dad, who grew up in a very poor household, told me how he used to love going to the library and immersing himself in the books there. I followed his lead and loved losing myself in stories. Eventually I wanted to try writing some of my own.

4.      How long have you been writing?

I’ve been writing since I was in grade school, but when I realized as an adult I wanted to try to get published, I had a terrible time finishing anything. I just couldn’t get the hang of plotting. I tried for years to get it right. Finally I realized that time was marching on and somewhat desperately decided that come hell or high water I would finish a book!

5.      What advice would you give a new writer just starting out? 

As I mentioned in answering the first question, try to do as much preparation as you can before your book is published. Make connections with authors and readers, and try to learn as much about promotion as you can. And of course, try to write the best book you possibly can.

6.      Are you a pantser or a plotter? 

A little of both. I plot out the main events in the book, but some of the best moments arrive to me unexpectedly J.

7.      Who is your favorite author? 

There are too many to name, but I hope no one will mind if I mention two of the grande dames: Kathleen Woodiwiss and Roberta Gellis. They’re the ones to blame for my obsession with romance.

8. When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I wish I could say I always considered myself one, but I guess I needed extrinsic recognition—when my first romance was officially published.

9.      What is the hardest part about writing for you?

Being disciplined enough to sit down and do it regularly!

10. Do you do research for your books or does it all come from your head?

There’s research involved, for example when it comes to character’s careers and other matters. In my most recent story, His Kind of Woman, I did do quite a bit of research on transgender issues.

11. What is your favorite colour?

It depends on my mood.

12. What is your favorite food?

Any kind of pasta.

13. What is your favorite smell?

The smell of hot cocoa.

14. Do you have any strange habits? 

Do you think making up songs and singing them to my dog and cats is strange? I don’t! 

Thanks so much for having me here today, Jo-Anna! To thank everyone who’s stopped by, I’d like to offer a $10 gift certificate to Amazon or Barnes & Noble (winner’s choice) to one random commenter. Please just leave a comment and share your strange habit with us! Please include your email address so I can contact you in case you are chosen.  This offer is only good for today—I will select a winner randomly tomorrow and contact him/her within a day or two.

Nona Raines
Hot Contemporary Romance
Edgy ~ Emotional ~ Erotic
www.nonaraines.com

http://www.facebook.com/NonaRaines.author

https://twitter.com/nonaraines

http://divasofdesire.blogspot.com/