Turning Up the Heat Blog Tour: Author Interview & Giveaway with Cara Elliott and Lilli Feisty

Describe Too Wicked To Wed in three words.
CE: Sexy, Seductive. Sophisticated.

Describe Deliciously Sinful in three words.
LF: Sexy, sensual and romantic.

When and why did you begin writing?
CE: I penning my first book at the age of five—it was a Western, with lots of crayon drawings of n horses and cowboys. Clearly I must have a thing for Men in Boots, for I then moved on to Regency historicals. Even as a child, I always loved telling stories, and though writing got put on the back burner for a while, I always had ideas percolating in my head. Now I get to write them down again!

LF: I started writing back in elementary school. Like a lot of writers, I always loved books. I read anything and everything that I could get my hands on. In college, I took Creative Writing classes, but I didn’t actually pursue writing as a career until years later. In the back of my mind, I always knew I would be a writer and one day I just decided to make it happen. Six months later I sold my first novella, and soon after that I sold my first novel to Grand Central. I’ve been writing ever since!

How much time do you take to finish a book?
CE: Each book is very different, and some require more research than others. So it really varies.

LF: It depends on so much. I have a busy life and a lot of projects and I’m a part-time single mom. So life’s circumstances often dictate how long it takes me to complete a novel. Generally, I try and write two books a year.

Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?
CE: Oh, that an impossible question! You can’t ask me to name just one. I love language, and so I really respond to writing that creates color and texture with words. It’s all about evoking emotion. Pacing, description, imagery—they are all important elements. I’m a big fan of Loretta Chase and Eloisa James for the way they incorporate humor into their stories. And for darker, deeper style I love Mary Jo Putney and Joanna Bourne.

LF: I have always been a huge fan of Jane Austen. I’m sure that’s not very surprising, she was the original romance author. I love her stories, her characters, her wit and the romantic elements in her books. Mr. Darcy is one of my favorite romance heroes of all time. When people ask me why I write romance, I often quote her: “Let other pens dwell on guilt and misery.”

What are some other jobs/careers you had before becoming an author?
CE: I have a Master’s degree in Graphic Design and have worked as an art director for a magazine.

LF: Well, let’s see. I’ve been a make-up artist, a teacher, an art broker, a fundraiser and a secretary. Not necessarily in that order.
Thank you so much for having me!

Things are cooking in the kitchen...and the bedroom.

Restaurant owner Phoebe Mayle thought she had it all under control. Sure, her new chef has a bad-boy reputation - and a chiseled body to match - but she's positive she can whip him into shape.

But from the moment Nick Avalon roars into town in his Hummer, he makes her whole world sizzle. Now Phoebe has lost control of her kitchen, and Nick has taken over her mind and her body. His insatiable appetite for pleasure leaves her breathless with carnal cravings only he can satisfy. Yet can their hunger for each other be a recipe for a love that lasts?

Outspoken and independent, Lady Alexa Bingham enjoys the heady freedom of making all her own decisions, even though the challenges of overseeing her family's country estate are daunting. But when a chance encounter with London's most notorious rake awakens a secret longing for adventure, she accepts her aunt's invitation for a Season in Town . . . only to find that breaking the rules of the ton has serious consequences.

The Earl of Killingworth uses his rakehell reputation to hide the fact that poverty has forced him to work for a living. As the owner of a gambling den and brothel, Connor has no time for glittering ballrooms or innocent young ladies. But after a reckless wager leaves him with a new business partner, he is forced to take a risky gamble . . . Will the cards fall in their favor? Alexa and Connor begin to play a dangerous game of intrigue and deception as they seek to outwit a cunning adversary who wants to put them permanently out of business. But if they are not careful, it is the flames of their own fiery attraction that may destroy them.

WANT TO WIN A COPY OF THESE BOOKS?

{November 16-30, 2011}

• Only residents of the U.S. and Canada are eligible to win
• No P.O. Boxes please
• Giveaway copies will be sent directly to winners from the publisher
• 1 copy of each book will be available depending on entries
• 3 Winners will be randomly selected using random.org and contacted via email
• Please check my Contest Policy before entering

*Thanks to Grand Central Publishing for providing the prize!