Welcome Guest Author Candace Shaw

Welcome to my Reading Nook, Candace Shaw. Please make yourself at home and let my cabana boys/girls get you a drink.

Comfortable? Wonderful. Now let’s get started.

Tell us about your latest release or upcoming release. What inspired it?

My second book, The Game of Seduction was released on August 28^th.  It’s the second book in the Arrington Family series. It’s about Dr. Bria Arrington, an allergist who works for her family’s medical practice. Much to her father’s dismay, she prefers to incorporate naturopathic medicine with traditional for her patients. She wants to practice freely, but her father is against it, therefore Bria is contemplating accepting a position in Atlanta at a medical practice that will allow her to do both. On top of all that, she’s falling for her best friend the handsome, arrogant, mocha-covered playboy, Rasheed Vincent. An ex professional basketball player, he is a self-proclaimed bachelor after his fiancée left him when he opted to retire after a knee injury. This book definitely has some hot scenes and more of a sexy tone unlike Cooking up Love, which was more of a fun and flirty tone, in my opinion. You can check out an excerpt below.

My inspiration from this book came from my critique partners. While reading/critiquing Cooking up Love, they fell in love with the hero’s friend, Rasheed, and suggested I write a book about him. So I introduced Rasheed to Bria and wrote a very hot book.

If you could throw a party with any five people (living or dead) who would you pick and why?

My parents, husband, favorite cousin and my best friend because they are my biggest support system. They believe in me and my goals and dreams.

What are at least five things you have on your bucket list and have you done any of them?

1.  Go to Hawaii (no)

2.  Be a published author (yes)

3.  Meet Beyonce (no, but I’ve seen her in concert)

4.  Buy a vacation home (no, but working toward it)

5.  Road trip across the United States with my husband (no)

Do you work on one project at a time? Or do you multi-task?

I multi-task. For example, as I answer the questions for this interview, I’m doing another interview, checking work-related emails and talking on the phone. However, for big projects such as my last round of edits before sending a book to the editor, I tune everything else out.

What song would best describe your life?

“I Was Here” by Beyonce.

Do you listen to music when writing? Do you feel like some stories write themselves a soundtrack with specific music? If so, what book and what kind of music influenced it?

I do listen to music when writing but only in the beginning stages of writing not deep editing and rewriting. I need absolute quiet. The Game of Seduction should definitely have soundtrack. Romantic RB songs and jazz influenced this book such as John Coltrane and Duke Ellington’s “Little Brown Book” and Usher’s “There Goes My Baby.”

Are any of your characters just like you or have personality quirks/traits of you or someone you know?

My husband says that all of my heroine’s have a piece of my personality, so perhaps so.  With my latest release, the heroine, Dr. Bria Arrington, is a traditional medicine doctor who also incorporates alternative medicine such as acupuncture. I also incorporate alternative ways to relieve pain or stress and had acupuncture treatments for a few years, and it really does help. My heroine in an upcoming book in summer 2013, is a fun and outgoing party girl. I used to be like that in my early twenties before I met my husband. I’m still fun and outgoing, but I retired the party girl! My heroine in my next book in the Arrington Family Series, is a first grade teacher, which I was for ten years. She’s patient, compassionate, organized and loves to teach like I did.

Who are some of your other favorite authors and genres to read?

Some of my favorite authors are Maureen Smith, LA Banks, Louisa May Alcott, and Beverly Jenkins, Nicholas Sparks.  I read contemporary romance, paranormal, historical, women’s fiction and chick lit.

When you looked in the mirror this morning, what was the first thing you thought?

My hairdresser did a great job with my hair. She was able to hide the one gray hair that I have.

Anything else you want to mention?

Make sure to check out Cooking up Love and The Game of Seduction of the Arrington Family series.

Blurb:

Dr. Bria Arrington has had her heart broken by one bad boy playboy and doesn’t want to travel down that road again. However, she finds herself attracted to her best friend, self-proclaimed bachelor, Rasheed Vincent. After a passionate kiss leaves them desiring more, seducing each other is the only cure.

A retired basketball player, Rasheed is a player on and off the court. When a woman gets too close, he bounces to the next one. But the condition he’s in makes him want a permanent dose of Bria’s love, and he’s ready for the shot. She knows falling in love with Rasheed is a prescription for trouble, yet she’s willing to risk it. But can she trust him with her heart?

Excerpt

Rasheed leaned against the wall in the VIP section sipping on rum and Coke and trying hard not to stare at Bria. Her short black dress was hugging her lethal curves, and he wanted to take it off and wrap her cocoa legs around his waist while she called out his name repeatedly. He tried to pretend to flirt with the groupies passing by, but they weren’t doing anything for him. Bria had awakened a passion and lust in him that he couldn’t ever remember feeling before. Her long hair fell over her right shoulder in a sexy manner, and he imagined running his hands through it or holding onto to it as he gave it to her from behind. The night before, he couldn’t sleep. The thought that she actually needed and wanted her flames of desire extinguished, prevented him from resting peacefully and filled his mind. Images of her naked mocha-kissed body next to him invaded his brain all night, and the erection that prevailed only went away after a cold shower.

Rasheed downed the rest of his drink, sat the glass on the table, and walked over to her as she held a conversation with Raven.

“Excuse me, ladies. Bree, do you wanna go dance?”

“Sure.” Bria excused herself from Raven and walked onto the dance floor.

The DJ was playing an upbeat party mix that included Lady Ga Ga, Jay-Z, Beyonce, and Rihanna. Rasheed danced behind Bria, grinding on her to the fast beat. He was surprised she hadn’t resisted, especially when he pulled her by the hips close to him and a hard-on started to manifest, but she continued dancing, swishing her butt on him in an erotic manner as if they were naked and joined together. When Rihanna’s “Rude Boy” came on, she turned around to face him and sung the entire song as she continued her seductive dance on him.

He bent down and whispered in her ear.

“You keep doing that, you’ll find out how rude this boy is. Because trust me, baby, I’m more than big enough, but the question is, can you take it?” He gave her a slow grind so she could feel exactly how hard he was.

She looked up at him from beneath her lashes with a sexy, confident expression on her face.

“I can handle all of you.” She caressed the back of his neck, and he knew it was time to go before he pulled up her dress on the dance floor.

“Let’s get out of here,” he groaned as his erection hardened more by her confident words.

Once in the limo, Bria straddled his lap and her dress rose around her hips to reveal a pair of black lace panties. His lips sought out hers, and he kissed her slow, nibbling on her bottom lip.

“I’ve been aching to kiss you again, Bree,” he said. He pulled her tongue further into his mouth, savoring the sweetness of it and feeling himself completely losing his mind. “You have the sexiest lips that I can’t get enough of.”

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