Okay. So if you have read Come Away With Me or Fight With Me, you will be as excited as I am when you hear that I have Kristen Proby on my blog today!! *squeals and claps like a kid* I love, love this girl. She’s fabulous and I’m so happy that we’ve become friends. Anyway. Without further ado or fangirling…. Kristen Proby, folks!!
Hi Kristen! I’m so excited to have you here today!!! I can’t wait to ask you a bunch of invasive, nosy questions. *bounces up and down*
Ahem. *straightens clothing and gets control of self* Okay. I love, love the cover for Fight With Me. Did you know exactly what you wanted in designing that, or did you let your cover artist take the reins?
Kristen: First, thank you so much for asking me to be a guest on your website! What a thrill. I’m a total fan-girl. I loved Confessions of an Alli Cat (loved it HARD) and must say this is so exciting! J Okay, down to business. *ahem* The cover is beautiful, isn’t it? Rachel Marks is the lovely genius that came up with it. I knew that it had to look intimate, because Nate and Jules have some crazy chemistry, and I really, really wanted to include Nate’s tat. ‘Cause he’s HOT! 
The only thing that is not so much Nate is his hair. My Nate has longer hair, but the model in the photo used for the cover did not. But Rachel had to hand-draw that tat on, and for that alone, I bow to her. She did a great job!
She hand-drew that tatooo? OMG. I didn’t know that. That’s awesome!
I see that you live in Washington. What a gorgeous state! I personally love the rain, so I wouldn’t mind that part one bit. If you could live anywhere other than WA, where would it be and why?
Kristen: I’m originally from Northwest Montana, and most of my family is still there, so I’d probably say that I would like to move home to be closer to family. In my own private fantasy-land, I would love to live somewhere that the sun shines 90% of the time, the median temp is roughly 75 degrees, and there are no big bugs because I’m pretty sure all bugs are trying to kill me.
I think all bugs ARE trying to kill us. No lie. What’s a day in the life of Kristen Proby like? Do you wear your pajamas as you write? (I personally wear Yoga pants). Do you drink coffee or tea? Do you listen to music while you write? Etc.
Kristen: Typical day… so not glamorous. LOL! I get up and take my kids to school (in my pajamas) then come home and get the coffee ready. I settle in to spend a couple hours interacting with readers on social media and answering email, and also participate in a morning writing sprint with my buddies, A.L. Jackson and Molly McAdams. That gets the creative juices flowing. (I’m still in my pajamas.) I try to write a minimum of six hours a day. I usually turn Pandora on to the Maroon5 channel and just let it play in the background. Then, I head out to pick up the kids and take them to various sporting activities, etc. I’m very lucky in that my husband is a chef, and enjoys cooking at home as well, so I rarely have dinner duty. Oh, I do end up showering and dressing somewhere in there too. LOL See? So not glamorous.
I’m not glamorous either. In fact, if I manage a shower before mid-afternoon, I’m doing great. Haha. Are you a pantser like me or are you a plotter, when it comes to your books? I personally outline only one chapter at a time. I kind of have to see where my characters seem to want to go. But I have friends who outline every minute detail before they even start. How do you do it?
Kristen: Well, it depends on how the story is going. At the very beginning, I sit down knowing who the characters are, what they do, how they meet, etc. Then a couple chapters in, I start plotting out what I want to happen in the coming chapters. What the main plot points will be. I write down dialogue that comes to me. I always have scratch paper nearby because I’m forever writing down ideas. By the middle of the book, I have the second half pretty much planned out, and I know how it’s going to end. Of course, sometimes, the characters have ideas of their own, and throw me off course, but it’s usually better than my original plan anyway, so I go with it.
What gave you the idea for the With Me in Seattle series?
Kristen: I live in the Seattle area, so it seemed like a no-brainer to set a story here. I originally just planned to write Come Away With Me as a stand-alone, but then I met Jules and I knew she needed a book too. THEN, I discovered she had all those sexy brothers, and Luke has sexy siblings, and it just kind of took on a life of its own. So, now we’re up to 7 full length novels and a novella. Whew! LOL
What is your favorite part of the day?
Kristen: Any part that includes coffee or wine.
I think we might be long-lost sisters. *nods* Who is your favorite fictional man of all time—either one of your own or anyone else’s.
Kristen: That’s soooo hard! Hmm… well, I have a soft spot for Christian Gray. BUT, my all-time favorite hero is Nora Robert’s Roarke in her In Death series. God that man does things to me. And, of course, I’m always completely in love with the hero I’m currently writing about. I have to be so you all love him too!
I’ve never read the In Death series, but I know what I’ll be adding to my TBR pile now. Okay—and here are some quick fun questions:
Bath or shower? Shower
Rain or shine? Shine
Heels or flats? Heels
Chocolate or fruity? Chocolate, baby!
Toast or bagel? Bagel
THANK YOU so much for being here today. I LOVE your work and you too. (Folks, you aren’t going to find a nicer person than Kristen). I’m looking forward to meeting up with you in Vegas! (Are you bringing bail money or should I?)
NO, THANK YOU!! Seriously! This was great fun! And congratulations on your upcoming book, If You Stay. I absolutely adored it!! I can’t wait to squish the heck out of you in Vegas. I think, to be on the safe side, we should both bring that bail money. There’s no one in the world I’d rather have as my cell-mate! Ha! xo
Haha. You might be right. We should BOTH bring bail money. hehe.
Now, folks. Kristen has given me an excerpt from her latest With Me In Seattle book, Fight With Me. I so love Nate, and I know you will too! Check it out! (**Disclaimer** Fight With Me is for mature readers as it contains mature content)
“What is this?” I scoot closer to him and can’t help but run my
fingers down his arm.
“A tattoo.” A smile tickles his lips and I smile back at him.
“Does it go all the way up your arm?”
“Yes. It’s a sleeve.”
Oh my God, it’s sexy. It looks tribal, and it swirls around his
forearm, from just above his wrist, disappearing under his shirt.
“So, my conservative-looking, suit-wearing boss has a tattoo and has
his penis pierced?” I ask with a smile.
Nate laughs and takes another pull on his beer. “Yes. You didn’t
seem to mind the piercing, if memory serves correctly.”
And just like that my panties are soaked and I am on fire. No, I
didn’t mind at all.
“No, I don’t mind it.” I smirk. “I just didn’t expect it. How long
have you had this?” I run my finger down his arm again, and Nate
grabs my hand and kisses it, then links his fingers with mine and
rests them in his lap.
“Since my early twenties.”
“Were you a bad boy?” I ask, teasing him.
“Oh, I think I still am on occasion.” He’s grinning, a full out grin,
and it just takes my breath away.
“You don’t smile enough,” I murmur.
“I don’t?”
“No, you have a great smile.”
“Thank you. Want to know a secret?”
“Definitely.”
Nate’s still grinning, and he has an edgy, bad boy sparkle in his sexy
gray eyes. He props his gorgeous feet on the ottoman in front of him,
crossing them at the ankle.
“Most of my front teeth are fake.”
“What? Why?”
“Because they got knocked out.”
“Oh my God! Were you in an accident?” What the hell happened to him?
Nate laughs, and I’m completely confused.
“No, I used to fight.”
“Fight with whom?”
“With other guys who signed up for it.”
“I’m lost.” I’m frowning at him. What the hell is he talking about?
“I used to be a UFC fighter, Julianne.” He’s still smiling, delighted
with himself.
“You do MMA?” I ask. I shouldn’t be surprised, that’s exactly the
kind of body he has.
“You know Mixed Martial Arts?” He asks, his eyebrows raised almost to
his hairline.
“Nate, I have four older brothers and a father. Not only did they all
teach me how to protect myself, they made me sit and watch that crap
or play it on the xBox all the damn time. It’s much to their dismay
that I wear makeup and love pink.”
“So, you’re a badass, Miss Montgomery?”
“I am, Mr. McKenna.”
“Wanna prove it?” He’s smiling again, delighted with me, and I’m
smiling back at him. Who knew sitting and talking with Nate could be
so easy?
And who knew we’d have so much in common?
“Right now?”
“No, tomorrow. Come to the gym with me.”
“I don’t know,” I shake my head. “I might really hurt that pretty
face of yours.”
“You think my face is pretty?” He kisses my knuckles, one by one, then
leans over and kisses my cheek.
“You know your face is pretty.”
“I know your face is pretty.”
“It’s just a face,” I respond and shrug. I have always received a lot
of attention because of my face, and my body. It’s just genetics.
Nate narrows his eyes at me, his mouth forming a hard line.
“Julianne, your beautiful face is only out matched by what’s inside
you.”
What the fuck? No one, no man anyway, has ever said anything about
what’s inside me. Unless he was referring to his dick.
I gasp and feel my eyes go wide. This is why I’m drawn to him. He
completely throws me off kilter.
“Well, aren’t you the charmer?” I ask, trying desperately to lighten the mood.
Nate smiles again. “So, are you coming with me or not?”
“If you think you can take me, sure, I’ll come with you.”
“Did you bring workout clothes?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
“So…” I look around his beautiful apartment. “Did you decorate this yourself?”
Nate laughs and I feel the pull in my belly. I love his laugh. “No.”
“It suits you.”
“You think?” he raises an eyebrow and looks around at his beautiful home.
“Yeah, it’s masculine, but inviting, and comfortable. And the kitchen
is sexy as hell.”
“Sexy, suits me, does it?” He asks and kisses my knuckles again,
sending shivers down my back.
I shrug and raise an eyebrow. “You have your moments.”
“Well, speaking of my sexy kitchen,” Nate rises gracefully from the
couch and pulls me with him. “How would you like some dessert?”
“Dessert?” I echo, lamely. Watching him walk is making me crazy.
He’s so graceful; he clearly takes care of that body. I can’t wait to
see what he can do at the gym tomorrow.
“I have chocolate cheesecake.” He smiles back at me and I gasp.
“That’s my favorite.”
“I know.”
“How do you know?”
“Because at every business dinner you always order it for dessert.”
He motions for me to sit on a stool at the breakfast bar and pulls the
cheesecake out of the fridge.
He pays attention to what I order at dinner?
“So I was a bit of a foregone conclusion tonight then?” I cock my
head to the side and smile sassily at him and can’t help but enjoy
watching him squirm.
“No, nothing you do is expected, Julianne, but I was hopeful, and
prepared, just in case.” He cuts the cake and pulls two white dessert
plates out of a beautiful dark mahogany cabinet. He joins me and we
dig in.
“Oh, Sweet Jesus, that’s good.” I lick my fork and close my eyes.
Diving back in for a second bite, I notice that Nate isn’t moving.
“What’s wrong?”
“You are so sexy.” His eyes are burning with lust, and my body starts
to hum under his hot gaze.
“I love chocolate,” I murmur and take another bite. “It’s my vice. I
don’t drink much, I’m not big on junk food, but chocolate is not safe
from me. If you don’t hide that cake, I’ll have it polished off by
morning.”
“I don’t mind as long as I get to watch you eat it.”
****
Now, don’t you want to read more from Nate and Jules? Yeah, you do!! You can find Fight With Me here on Amazon. And to learn more about the fabulous and amazing Kristen Proby, visit her website.
I hope everyone has a fabulous Friday and a great weekend. And if you haven’t sent me your dream car yet, don’t forget. I’m choosing a winner on Sunday– and the winner gets a signed ARC of my upcoming book, If You Stay.
Tags: Come Away With Me, Courtney Cole, Fight With Me, Kristen Proby, With Me In Seattle
