Thursday, February 2, 2012

Getting to know Sara Daniel Today


Sara, where did you get your inspiration for Mr. Forever?

I loved the idea of a marriage therapist who was so sure of his theories coming face-to-face with the woman who believed those theories destroyed her dreams of happily ever after.  It was so much fun to watch him try to convert her while she's trying to bring down his empire.

How much of your life experience ends up in your books?

Not much!  But I was able to draw on my experience in growing up in the northern United States in the winter and add some great sledding scenes.  Swishing down the hills trying to turn (or bail out!) before you hit a tree, the snow caking around your wrists and neck no matter how well you attempt to bundle up -- that's straight from experience, and it was a delight to include in my book.

What part of the writing experience is the most fun for you?  And the most difficult?

It is so much fun to make my characters come alive.  My favorite part of writing is brainstorming "what if" scenarios for my characters.  What if an uptight marriage therapist is told on live TV that he has a child from a one-night stand?  What if the heroine, who loves and cares for this child, had followed his theories and divorced because of it?  What if they are stranded together and are forced to depend on each other?

The most difficult thing for me is promoting and marketing my books.  I prefer to let my books speak for themselves, but for that to happen readers first have to be aware of their existence!

Who has impacted on your writing the most?

Romance Writers of America, specifically my local chapter (Chicago-North) has made all the difference to me.  I'd been writing romance as a hobby since I was in middle school.  Ten years ago, I made writing my career.  I joined RWA and became actively involved in my local chapter.  They guided me through the craft of writing and the publishing side.  I learned both what to do and what not to do when writing, submitting and promoting.

What can we expect from you in the future?

I just turned in A Man Worth Fighting For, part of the shared world Wiccan Haus series.  This story of a (literally and figuratively) wounded hero and the woman determined to fight for him will be released by Musa Publishing on March 23, 2012.  I have a contemporary romance that I'm currently shopping around and a couple more that I'm itching to write, so I'm looking forward to an exciting year with more books to entertain my readers.


Mr. Forever by Sara Daniel

Marriage therapist Caleb Paden has just found out he has a son from a one-night stand, making a mockery of his core belief of stable relationships--"friendship above all physical encounters." On his way to take the child for a paternity test, a snowstorm leaves him stranded with single mom Olivia Wells, who blames his advice for breaking up her marriage.  Caleb finds himself fighting the urge for the most basic of physical encounters.  Olivia would like nothing more than to destroy the career he spent a lifetime building, but her maternal instincts draw her to help Caleb bond with his child.  Soon, she finds herself falling for both of them.  Nowhere in any of his advice does Caleb have an answer for how to make a relationship work if he loses his heart to love.

Excerpt

She shoved his hand away.  "Don't give me that mellow, understanding voice.  You're not my therapist."
"I'm not trying to be.  But if there's a problem with Forever, I want to fix it."
"That's not what you want."  Maybe coming close to her wasn't the best idea.  She was livid.  "You want me to tell you something I did, so you can prove your model's perfect and I'm at fault.  Yes, my marriage failed, and I carry some responsibility.  I blame myself for reading your books and believing they held the secret to everlasting happiness."
He'd met a lot of irate people over the years.  But they were angry with their spouses, themselves, parents, and bosses.  Not him.  He was the one with the answers, the one who redirected the rage into something healthy.  "I'd like to interview you after we've both cooled down and are well rested.  We'll go through the points of Forever one by one and determine where your marriage broke down.  If any problems surface with the model, I can address them in my next book."
"I'll tell you what's wrong.  You underestimate the power of sex."  She advanced toward him.
All the physical senses he thought he'd gotten under tight rein ran wild.  Caleb backed up a step, trying to regain his control, but came up hard against the counter.  Olivia kept coming, boxing him in.  He pulled on his tie again, hoping it was knotted tightly.  He needed his tightly buttoned image to remind himself he was a professional, and his question was strictly as a therapist.  "How was the sex in your marriage?"
"Sometimes mediocre.  Usually lousy."
With the unholy gleam in her eye, he had trouble comprehending the possibility of a sexual experience with her being less than earth-shattering.  Heat radiated from her.  His body was dying for her to lean her hips into his.
"How's your sex life?"  She reached up and unknotted his tie with deft, sure fingers.
"Good enough," he lied.  Too late he realized she'd broken the wall of one-way revelation he always maintained.  Even with his lie for an answer, she'd drawn him in and was consuming him with sexual fantasies.
"Since you're judging me, I ought to get a chance to judge your statement for myself."  She yanked the tie, sliding it out from under his starched shirt collar and heating the back of his neck.
"Stop it."  He was unnerved to find his voice wasn't quite steady.  Women who wanted to be part of his life wrote letters highlighting the benefits of friendship.  "Let's focus on what went wrong in your marriage."
She worked her fingers under his collar, pushing the top button through the hole.  "How can you stand having this so tight?  You can't take a full breath."
He'd been able to breathe just fine until her knuckles rubbed over his Adam's apple.  Her fingers were smooth and competent.  Despite his resolve, he could feel his arousal pulsing with each of her movements. 

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