Thursday, June 24, 2010

Take You to Another World Contest Day #4: Emily McKay


I'm sure it's becoming apparent that I've stacked this contest with my friends, but I can't help it-- they're so fabulous I have to tell you all about them! Today's guest blogger is Emily McKay, a dear friend of mine from my local RWA chapter. She's one of the absolute coolest ladies I know and a terrific writer-- and I'm not just saying that because we're in the middle of writing a YA together called The International Kissing Club (although she is a fantastic writing partner). Today, Emily is giving away a copy of her January release, Tempted into the Tycoon's Debt.
Excerpt: His Accidental Fiancee

Stepping up as the fake fiancĂ©: Connor Stone could not forget his one night with Brittney Hannon. And when they were unexpectedly reunited, he had to have the senator’s daughter once again.Yet Brittney had to avoid all scandal...forcing Connor to play the role of pretend groom.

Blurb:

Connor Stone looked up from his drink and saw the next woman he was going to take to bed.
He knew it the instant he saw her standing by the bar in Riffs, the jazz bar where he was sipping away his Thursday night. The fact that she was there with a date didn’t particularly worry him.
He had met his buddy Tim for drinks. Connor had been watching the gorgeous blonde since she’d first arrived ten minutes earlier. Based on the way the guy was acting, they were probably on a bad blind date. He kept glancing at his watch and tugging at his tie.
Though why a guy would try to ditch a woman like her, Connor couldn’t guess. Her face had an extravagant beauty that made her impossible to ignore. Her movements had a grace and sensuality to them, as if she moved in rhythm to the quartet playing standards in the corner. Through the constantly moving crowd, he could see her well enough to tell her body was made for sin. Unfortunately, all those lush curves were encased in a demure navy dress. Why would a woman with a body like that shield herself in a layer of protective armor meant to hide her most appealing attributes?

Connor was debating whether or not to wait for her date to leave before approaching her when Tim nudged him. “If you’re thinking about hitting on her, I should warn you, you’re going to strike out.”
Something about Tim’s tone irritated him. Tim was a work friend, and frankly, Connor had always thought Tim skated by on family connections rather than hard work.
“Don’t tell me you know her.”

Tim smiled smugly, then leaned closer to be heard over the music. “Brittney Hannon. Daughter of Senator Jonathon P. Hannon. Just last week, New York Personality magazine did a big interview with her. Called her ‘The Last Good Girl in America.’”
Connor eyed his target. She did have a certain puritanical quality to her. She wore her blond hair long and straight. If Marsha Brady had come to the bar directly from Sunday school, this is what she’d look like.
He’d always had a thing for Marsha Brady.

“You think good girls can’t be tempted?”
As he asked the question, Brittney looked up from her nervous date and met Connor’s gaze. The awareness between them arced across the room. He felt it like a strong kick to the gut.
“I’ll bet you a thousand dollars you can’t get her into bed by the end of the summer,” Tim said.
Brittney looked down at her drink, clearly disconcerted. Connor smiled. “I’ll have her in my bed by the end of the week.”

Tim just laughed. “You’re going to have to work fast then. From what I’ve heard, she’s a polo fan.”
“So?”
“Boy, you really don’t follow society news, do you?” Tim looked at him like he was a moron.
“I follow the financial news.”
“Well, she’ll be in Bridgehampton all summer for the polo season. While you’re in town, working.” Tim gave him a punch in the arm. “You should get your head out from under that rock and play a little.”

Easy for Tim to say. His family was old money. All Tim had to do was sit back and make sure he didn’t screw up too badly.
Connor, on the other hand, came from a blue-collar family in Pennsylvania. If he didn’t work his ass off, his clients lost millions. And if that happened, his career as a hedge-fund investor would be over. “I gotta work hard so I can play hard,” he explained.

But the truth was, he had been working too hard lately. It was time to cut loose. And Brittney Hannon was just the woman to do it with. As if on cue, her nervous date tossed down a few bills, gestured toward the door and made a run for it.
The guy was clearly an idiot—at least he hadn’t stiffed Brittney with the bill. But his loss was Connor’s gain.

This is going to be too easy.
Ugh! After that excerpt, I so don't want to wait until August to read this book. Marsha Brady, indeed. Since this excerpt is based on instant attraction, I thought I'd ask how you felt about that in real life? Do you believe in love (or lust) at first sight? I used to say no, but when I met my husband, I fell super hard. He asked me to marry him one week after we met, and though I turned him down, when he asked me five days later I threw practicality to the wind and gave him a resounding yes. We've been married fourteen years now, so I guess there's something to the old lightning bolt ...

20 comments:

  1. I definitely believe in love at first sight. However, I think marriage takes a lot of work, so after the initial spark you still have to be willing to put in the work.

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  2. Oh wow, fourteen years! That is awesome.
    I do believe in love at first sight. I found it amazing how we all hold different attitudes towards the love at first sight or lust. Now I do believe in lust in first sight... have my fair share of those sightings, lol. But love... that is when something besides the butterflies hit your tummy!
    Thanks for the chance Tracy!!!
    alliwantandmorebooks@gmail.com

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  3. I never used to believe in the lightning bolt, really, but then my cousin told me about the time she first met her husband. She said she knew instantly that he would be significant in her life. Now, as my cousin is one of the most down-to-earth people I know, I guess I have to believe in possibilities, at least!

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  4. I've always believed in love at first sight!! My Mom and Dad were proof of it. They met, and were married in 6 weeks! They would have celebrated their 57th anniversary July 5th! It didn't happen that way for me when I met my husband but he says it was love at first sight for him. He said he went home after our first date and told his Mom that she better get use to me since he was keeping me forever! I'm very lucky, he is a very sweet husband! :)

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  5. Yes, I believe in love at first sight. My husband and I had a whirlwind courtship and married 4 months after we started dating. We have been married 7 years.

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  6. There definitely IS such a thing as lust-at-first-sight. I remember that "bam" feeling when I looked at the guy in the college lounge. He was soooo...yeah...he was my first. Even though the relationship did not work at all but I will NEVER forget that look.

    My husband was my best friend in college first. We never had that "bam" because he was always there. Ironically, the slow fall is better than the "bam". But there was that "bam" or more like you opened your eyes and really SEE him. And WOW!

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  7. I DO believe in it. Didn't happen with me, mind you; I instead grew into loving and then being in love with my husband of almost 29 years. Lucky for us that our love has grown stronger and the twinkles in our eyes deeper as the years have flown by. We are blessed.

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  8. Yes, I do believe in love at first sight. It's never happened to me personally, but that doesn't mean it's not possible.

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  9. Absolutely, I believe in love/lust at first sight. This wasn't always the case. I think a nice balance of the practical and emotional will always help a person decide if it's truly lust or something more.

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  10. When it hits, it hits hard. Love, lust, lightning. Impact of a Sonic Boom! It it lasts, you're very, very lucky! If not, it's a memory you'll carry for the rest of your life. Very few, if any, will ever match that memory : )

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  11. Not sure if I believe in love at first sight. I do believe in lust at first sight. I think sometimes the attraction is so great they feel like they're in love.

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  12. Lust at first site, definitely. Love at first site I'm not so sure about. But I did marry the man that is now my husband 5 months after our first date, so maybe.

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  13. I really don't believe in love at first sight. I believe in lust, but not love. I believe you have to be with a person a great period of time to truly appreciate and love their person.

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  14. I really dont believe in love at first sight. I havent felt it so I can give an answer. I do believe in lust at first sight. I think it takes time to fall in love with a person.

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  15. Though I have never experienced love at first sight, I have experienced lust at first sight!

    I do love those love at first sight stories, though; there is some magical about them.

    Thanks,
    Tracey D

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  16. I believe in lust at first sight. I think love is something that has to grow over time.

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  17. I do believe in love at first sight. My husband has been my one and only for 41 years now. I met him when I was 13 and ran off to marry him at 15.

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  18. I knew as soon as I met my then future husband that he was the one for me; call it love at first sight but it sure does exist.

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  19. I definitely believe in lust at first site. I knew instantly that I wanted my husband when I first saw him. I've now had him for 20 years.

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  20. Anything is possible with so many people the chance of two people meeting and knowing instantly is good.

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