Guest Author Day with Gayl Taylor

Welcome to Dawn’s Reading Nook, Gayl Taylor.  Please let my cabana boys/girls get you a drink and make yourself at home. Comfortable? Great…now let’s get down to business.

So tell us about yourself. What got you interested in writing? Who are your publisher(s)?

Thanks for having me, Dawn. I've been writing for as long as I can remember, really. I always had quite an imagination, was always lost in some daydream or living out little fantasies. I would write then down and started making my own 'books'. As I got older, I got more serious about it. My debut as a published author was in May with Breathless Press.

How did you start your writing career?

I'd gone through a difficult time and used writing as a way to sort through and move past my pain and anger. At one point, I decided I needed to stop wasting time and pursue the dream I had of publishing my writing. That was when I got serious about it, started reading more, and began writing in order to achieve that goal.

Tell us about your favorite character(s) from your books.

You have no idea the riot that just broke out in my head with all the characters I'm writing about. I don't have a favorite. They all have endearing (and aggravating) qualities. I can say they each possess some quirk, quality or experience that is based in reality.

Where do you dream of traveling to and why?

I've always been a homebody so the travel bug hasn't bitten. I do have a few favorite places I'd like to revisit such as Hawaii or Cabo San Lucas. I love the beach and the ocean. I've never been to Vegas so that is on my bucket list. I also would love to see Italy, Spain, Ireland, France.

Tell us about your current/upcoming release. What inspired it?

I was two thirds of the way done with my first 'masterpiece' when Breathless Press put out a call for their Naughty Nursery Rhyme line. I was chatting with a couple of Facebook friends and we were giggling over some funny titles. How could I resist using Ride a Cock Horse as the basis for mine? The story came to me and I went with it, put my WiP aside (in hindsight I'm glad I did because I learned a lot once I experienced the editing process) and wrote it. Honestly, I expected thanks but no thanks. I was thrilled when it was accepted.

Has someone helped or mentored you in your writing career?

I have been lucky to have many people who encouraged me. My husband was my first advocate. My kids took up the cause later on. I met some supportive people online and learned a lot about storytelling from them. My crit partner and friend, Karyn Gerrard helped me through a lot of the rough patches with my writing and encouraged me to go for it.

Who are some of your favorite authors/books?

That list is a long one! I love to read historicals, fantasy, paranormal. Some of my favorites would be JR Ward, Lisa Kleypas, Stephanie Laurens. Reading their work sets the bar in my opinion for anyone who wants to tell a story that will engage readers and leave lasting memories. When a book leaves you wanting more, when the characters stay with you long after you turn the last page, that is what inspires me. 

What was your first sale as an author?

Ha! Probably one of my kids buying my book (and with my credit card, no doubt).

When in the day/night do you write? How long per day?

I was just thinking about this the other day. I never paid attention to how long I write. It seems I do it 24/7. Even at my 'day job', I'm always writing in my head, making notes. Mostly I write at night anywhere from an hour to several. Or driving. I get a lot of ideas when I'm driving.

If you could visit any time and place, where and when would it be and why?

I think I might like London in the 1800's so I can dress up, rub elbows with the ton, go to balls, be seduced by a handsome rakish Duke...yeah that would be fun.

If you could be any shape shifter, what form would you take and why?

No question I would be a cat - a panther. They are gorgeous animals, dangerous, independent.

What else would you like readers to know about you or your work?

I have a cougar, f/m/f erotic romance that was co-authored with Karyn Gerrard called The Hero Sandwich that is due to release in November of this year with Breathless Press. I also have a few other irons in the fire that I hope to see published as well. Lots of irons in the fire I guess.

Who's more fun to write: bad boys or perfect gentlemen and why?

I love the bad boys. Perfect gentlemen just aren't that interesting to me.

If you could meet any fictional character, who would it be and what would you do together?

I have a huge crush on Devil Cynster. As for what we'do...that's classified. LOL!

Out of all your books, do you have a favorite one? If not, then which one is closest to your heart?

I don't have a favorite but I have a work in progress that is close to me simply because there are pieces of me in it. So it's personal to an extent.

What character out of all your books is the closest to your personality?

Again, from a WiP. A character named Willa. She is feisty, a little flighty, and a full-on romantic.

Anything else you would like to add?

I just want to thank you again for having me! And I love hearing from people. You can find me at the following places:

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/gayl.taylor

Facebook Author Page - http://www.facebook.com/GaylTaylorAuthor

Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5626791.Gayl_Taylor

Twitter - https://twitter.com/#!/gaylschat

Ride A Cock Horse - Contemporary Erotic Romance - Breathless Press

Buy Link: http://www.breathlesspress.com/ride-cock-horse

BLURB:

Musician Hunter Blake returns to Banbury Cross to win back his true love, Kate. Will they find a way to make beautiful music again?

Not even a cock horse could bring musician Hunter Blake back to Banbury Cross, yet here he stood, ten years after leaving, to make amends for his past behavior and win back his true love, Katherine Banbury. Their relationship was in perfect harmony until Hunter's excessive drinking tore them apart. Now sober, he's focused on doing whatever it takes to prove he's worthy of her love.

Kate spent the last ten years determined to forget Hunter. With a developer intent on turning her ancestral home into tract housing, Kate had her hands full. When Hunter returns, vivid memories of their passionate history stoke the flames of desire between them. Will Kate fight the attraction or will she open her heart to love once more?

EXCERPT:

"Ah, Kate, I've missed you so much."

He pulled her against him, dipped his head until his mouth found the sensitive area behind her ear, and kissed it. His erection pressed into the small of her back as he pulled her closer. With his left hand, he unfastened the clasp at her neck while the hand that held her moved lower until it found the soft flesh of her thigh. Slowly, he began to caress her, higher and higher, as the top of her dress fell to her waist and exposed her bare breasts. She should have protested, but it felt so good, so right. No one made her feel like this and, as hard as she tried to find someone else, it had always been Hunter's touch that made her body respond.

Kate leaned back so that her head rested on his shoulder. Closing her eyes, she savored each caress as her body naturally responded to his touch. Wet heat pooled between her legs. She ached for him, wanted him to soothe her need and, just when she made up her mind to demand it, one long finger and then another parted her folds and slid inside her. She trembled with desire as his palm worked slowly against her clit while his fingers moved in and out with slow precision.

"You remember that time at Rocky's when you rode that mechanical bull? That was such a turn on; I was so hard watching you that night. Ride my hand, Kate, like you rode the bull." His voice, rough and laced with desire, rumbled against her ear.