Welcome Melissa Keir today

Thank you Dawn for having me on your blog. I’m happy to be here and share my books with your readers.

To get us started can you tell us a little about what you are working on or have coming out?

My latest release is Chalkboard Romance. An elementary teacher has a one night stand with a man who could be “the one” so she walks away. Only she finds out that he’s the parent of one of her students. When the principal finds out, it could mean her job. Will she risk her job or walk away from love?

How would you describe yourself using only five words?

Witty, silly, caring, driven and dedicated.

Do you have any guilty pleasures?

I love gummy bears. I could eat the whole bag in one sitting if I wasn’t careful. I’m also addicted to lip stick and lip gloss. I must have a dozen different types. Not a lot of other makeup but I love my lip colors.

If we asked your muse to describe you using five words, what do you think they would say?

Frustrating…Too busy to write.

Name one thing readers would be surprised to know about you.

I bite my nails. I have tried to stop by when I’m stressed it still happens.

If someone hasn't read any of your work, what book would you recommend that they start with and why?

I would recommend Second Time’s the Charm because of the shortness of the story. It gives you a wonderful look at my writing style and frankly, I love the characters. J

Where do you find the inspirations for your stories?

I find the inspiration from dreams, snippets of my own life and things I over see or over hear. I love to take real life events and weave them into a fictional story.  For example in A Christmas Accident, the main character wakes up from a coma in the exact way my mother did.  You will believe in miracles.

If you had a reporter follow you around for the day, what would the readers get to see in your daily schedule? 

They would be bored. I wake up at 6 am to get ready to head to the classroom. I teach kindergarten during the day. So I’m helping with zippers, gloves and boots. I’m tying shoes and teaching engaging lessons to twenty students. I work on my emails during my 20 minute lunch and then come home, cook dinner before getting on the computer for the rest of the night working on books, social media and formatting.

What has been the defining moment in your career that made you think “Yes, I am now a writer!”?

Just this week, I was featured on USA Today’s Happily Ever After site. It was exciting to see my post and book on a world-wide site.

How do you like to relax after a day writing?

What is this relax you are talking about? I don’t relax.

How much of your own personality bleeds into your characters?

There is always a little piece of myself within each character, whether it’s the fact that they are great mom or a teacher. Or they are caring and hardworking.

What is the last song you've had on repeat?

Kacey Musgraves latest song- “Follow Your Arrow”. I love the message about being in charge of your destiny and life as well as never giving up.

Thank you Dawn for having me on your blog. I hope readers will check out my website (http://www.melissakeir.com) for book trailers, quizzes, blurbs and excerpts from my books as well as my blog where I have many authors stopping by and hosting giveaways. 

Chalkboard Romance

Secret Cravings Publishing

Contemporary Romance

Available at Publisher / Amazon /  BN / ARe

Lauren Walsh, a divorcee and elementary teacher, wanted to feel sexy again, after her ex tossed her aside for a younger woman. Her teaching partner and best friend encouraged her to sign up for The Playhouse--a renowned dating agency.

Mac Thomas remained trapped in a marriage to a money grubbing socialite. Forced to stay away from his young son, Mac lost the ability to trust. After the death of his wife, he returned to care for his son but his sister wants more for him. She sets him up with The Playhouse.

Passion ignites but Mac’s a parent of one of Lauren’s students. A teacher and a parent dating could cost Lauren her job and her chance at happiness. Will Mac be able to convince the school and Lauren, that love is the most important thing?

Teaser Excerpt:

Mac sat at the beautiful mahogony bar nursing his first beer. I’m more nervous than a long-tailed cat in a rocking chair factory. The last place he belonged was somewhere as opulant as this. He ran his fingers up and down the condensation on the beer glass. Even though he grew up in a family with a great deal of money, his parents taught him the benefit of working hard and doing what you love. At eighty, his dad still worked in the stables every morning, grooming his horse or was out in the pasture feeding the cattle.

Claire never understood his family. Money wasn’t important to them unless the cash could be used to befit someone else. Mac shook his head. Sure, he used his family’s money to get inside some of those war-torn countries but only so he could show the world the truth.

He’d worked hard to be impartial but his soft heart swayed him. Seeing any amount of suffering hurt, making him known as a compassionate emmisary in those challenging countries.

With Claire gone, his life had changed once again. He took a job as a reporter at the local station affilliate, reporting on the important events happening in his community so he could be at home with Todd. Realizing how much poverty and conflict existed in his own hometown left him cold. They say charity begins at home. Well, he was determined to find a way to help, while setting a good example for his son.

He took a look at the clock on the wall. Where was she? Maybe she took one look at him and ran for the hills.

Mac turned on his barstool in time to see a gorgeous brunette walk into the bar. Her steps seemed to match the beat of his pulse. Shifting in his chair, he adjusted his now tight, uncomfortable pants. Maybe it’s a good thing he was meeting a woman tonight, if she shows.

He twisted his stool around farther to get a better look at the hottie.

If only she was his date. The woman’s blue dress hugged her curvy body and he couldn’t take his gaze off those legs that seemed to go on forever.

Oh no!

One minute she remained all grace, next her poise went down the drain as her shoe broke. Mac lurched to his feet and ran over to help the stunning woman.

“Are you hurt?” He reached his hand out to help but instead of the tears he expected, Mac heard laughter coming from under the waterfall of hair which hid her face. He ached to touch the burnished bronze length. She reminds me of Dad’s favorite colt, a little skittish but feisty. I like spirited women.

Not wanting to see her sitting there on the floor, Mac scooped her up in his arms.Whoa. She was like a foal, all legs, and she fit perfectly in his arms. He could hold her all day.

“Sir, is the woman okay?” The bartender stood in front of Mac. He couldn’t tell if the guy wanted to grab her out of his arms for himself or to protect his hotel from a lawsuit.

Mac couldn’t help but growl like a dog defending his territory. “I haven’t checked yet. She appears fine. Why don’t you get her a glass of water?” Anything to get rid of him. He wanted to keep her in his arms.

Mac pulled her close to his chest. At the thought of letting her go, his heartbeat sped up. Maybe I can convince her to have a drink with me. He reluctantly set her down in a chair at one of the bar tables.

“Are you okay?” Mac brushed the hair back from her face.

The strands felt like silk between his fingers. Images of brushing this woman’s hair while they lay naked on the bed danced through his mind. Reluctantly, Mac pulled his hand from her and took a deep breath. He didn’t understand what had come over him. He didn’t have this strong of a reaction when he met Claire.

Like uncovering a present on Christmas morning, he could hardly wait to see her face. He watched as the woman lifted her head to meet his gaze. Mesmerized by the light dusting of freckles across the woman’s nose, his breath stopped. Her beautiful green eyes sparkled with merriment. Her tantalizing laughter danced across his skin making his slacks already tight very uncomfortable.

About the Author

As a writer, Melissa likes to keep current on topics of interest in the world of writing.  She’s a member of the Romance Writers of America and EPIC.  Melissa is always interested in improving her writing through classes and seminars.  She also believes in helping other authors and features authors and their books on her blog.

Melissa doesn’t believe in down time.  She’s always keeping busy.  Melissa is a wife and mother, an elementary school teacher, a book reviewer, an editor for a publishing company as well as an author. Her home blends two families and is a lot like the Brady Bunch, without Alice- a large grocery bill, tons of dirty dishes and a mound of laundry. She loves to write stories that feature “happy endings” and is often found plotting her next story.

Melissa loves hearing from readers!

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