The Roses of Prose welcome guest author M.S. Spencer, author of Lost in His Arms, a contemporary, tangy, romance novel available now from Red Rose Publishing:
In an era electric with possibility and peril Chloe Gray, political writer, and Michael Keller, CIA troubleshooter, meet under curiously conventional circumstances. Despite the instantaneous sparks, they both sense there is more between them than physical attraction. Chloe's professional detachment from the dramatic world events of the 1990s—a disintegrating USSR, Middle East peace talks, and Vietnam's reemergence on the world stage—dissolves as their love affair intensifies.
Michael appears and disappears at unpredictable moments, leaving her limp and lovelorn. Is he using her or protecting her? In her quest for answers, she is yanked into the dangerous world of Michael's work—in Washington, DC, in France, and in Spain. Looking for safe harbor (for her emotions? or her body?), she submits to the advances of a dashing French diplomat. Will she embrace the luxury and comfort of Emile and his chateau or the romance of international intrigue with Michael?
We’re glad to have you with us today, M.S.! Please tell us more about Lost in His Arms. How did the idea for it develop? What inspired you to write it?
Believe it or not, the idea came almost fully developed out of a dream! I was laid up for 6 months with nothing to do and thus had the opportunity to sit (well, lie) down, finish a manuscript and submit it. The story—as stories do—took on a life of its own once I started to fill in the action, weaving in background from my own life in DC and in France.
Your heroine, Chloe, seems to be caught up in the world of political intrigue. You worked for a political office for some time. Did that experience help you develop this story?
Absolutely. I worked for a Senate committee, for a Senator (personal office) and for the Dept. of the Interior. Working for a Committee (in the Chief Counsel’s office) gave me a thorough knowledge of the legislative process. Along with my work as a speechwriter for the Senator, in policy at Interior, & working on several campaigns, I had a chance to observe sausage making…er, politics, from every angle. My background in Middle East Studies helped as well.
Can you tell us a bit about Chloe and what readers will like about her?
Chloe is much like many of the single women with high-powered jobs you find “Inside the Beltway;” i.e., between her independence and her femininity she walks a shaky tightrope. She wants to love and be loved, but she focuses on the pain sometimes more than the joy. I think many readers out there will sympathize (if not empathize) with a heroine who doesn’t always know what is the best path to her happiness. I guess that’s what heroes are for.
Lost in His Arms features two heroes, Michael and Emile. Did you know from the beginning of the story that Chloe would be caught between two men or did the story call for it in the midst of it?
In the midst of it. Michael is the hero; when it becomes clear that he cannot always be there Chloe looks for someone else to provide the stability she thinks she craves: enter Emile.
Now give us the skinny on Michael. What will romance readers like about him? Emile?
Michael is a real man. He is a strong person who knows immediately what he wants but has the
patience to wait for it. His job is a vocation: his duty to his country is paramount, even if it means he has to be apart from the one he loves. Emile is a dashing, rich, rather shallow (to me), French diplomat who has everything to offer but lacks that strength of character that radiates from Michael. Full disclosure: my editor liked Emile better!
The romance in this story plays a big factor, judging by the blurb. What does being a part of the erotic romance genre mean to you?
My genre is really contemporary, “tangy”, as in 3 flames. It is pitched to attract mature readers who know what sex is (if you will). One reason I chose to write a romance was for the pure power of it: I would control the extent and type of romance and sex in my story—no sitting through 300 pages to the last chapter for one lousy kiss. Ha. As we all know, once the story took off it was completely out of my hands.
According to your website biography, Lost in His Arms is your first romance. We love first sale stories here at TRoP. Care to share your journey to publication?
As a writer friend once told me, I suffered from “submission anxiety”. I have written all my life—poetry, short stories, a murder mystery. They sit for the most part in drawers. Thank God for e-books—clicking “submit” was a lot easier than finding envelopes and stamps! I submitted LIHA first to Mills & Boon—and received a simple rejection after 6 months. But I then submitted to Freya’s Bower & the blessed acquisitions editor liked it so much that, though she rejected it, she went through the 3 chapters with an editor’s pen and LOTS of advice. The third time—to Red Rose—was a charm.
You have another title coming soon called Lost & Found. Can you tell us what it’s about?
Set mainly in Maine :), Lost & Found will be released in Red Rose’s Autumn Rose line. Rose Culloden, a beautiful heiress from Boston, has lost (literally) her new husband. She follows his trail to Maine and Florida, primarily out of loyalty as her love slowly wanes. During her investigations she meets a Maine guide and despite herself falls in love with him, but feels she must find closure before she can open her heart to him. In an exciting (if I may say so) denouement she discovers that her husband is both evil and insane.
You have also worked as a librarian. To you, how important are libraries, especially as the book industry drives more and more into the digital age?
There will always be a need for libraries, no matter what form the books are in. Digitization will only make books more accessible to more people. I love to read and handle books (I used to price rare books), but I feel it is more important to make books available to readers than to fuss about format. I’ve asked for an e-reader for Christmas!
Thanks for sharing with us today, M.S.! Lost in His Arms sounds likes an exciting read! Would you mind sharing a short taste with our readers?
Chloe pulled his arm closer. "It is not just a cut. It's a gash. Look at all the blood you’ve dripped on my floor! Come here." She held his arm under the faucet and carefully washed the grit out of the wound. "Now just stay there. Press this paper towel against the cut. I'll go get some Neosporin and a bandage." She slipped up the stairs and through her bedroom to the bathroom. As she came out with the supplies she stopped short. He was sitting on her bed.
"I thought I would save you a trip." He spoke diffidently.
"Oh…that's…okay." Chloe willed herself not to touch his thigh as she sat down on the bed next to him (too close?). She applied the ointment and bandage, trying to keep her hands from trembling. He must have noticed anyway, because he put his larger one over hers and gently squeezed.
"Is the blood bothering you?"
She hesitated, breathless. He looked into her eyes, and before she knew it his arms went around her and she was kissing him. No, he was kissing her. She lost all sense of time and place and clung to his mouth as though she were drowning and it was a lifeboat. She felt herself falling, landing on his chest. He held her tightly, squeezing the life out of her. Or was it her soul he was drawing into his own? How could she tell him it was not his blood that was bothering her but her own, boiling up in waves of desire? He let her go reluctantly, but she held onto his buttons, tearing them off. She opened his shirt and buried her face in the soft black hairs of his chest. His hands went to her arms and gently moved her off him to the side. Slowly he undid her blouse, unhooked the bra and brushed each breast with his lips. She lay back, her eyes unfocussed, waiting for the touch, living for the scent of his hair. He looked up through his bangs and blasted her heart out with a glance of those azure eyes.
"May we?"
She did not need elaboration. She nodded mutely. He kissed her neck, her shoulders, her breasts, and down her stomach. A thousand butterflies fought to escape from her belly. He pulled down her zipper and tugged at the skirt. She still lay quietly, lost in pleasure. It all seemed to pass in slow motion. Everything felt perfect. Then he stopped. She opened her eyes. "What?"
His expression had altered. He was glaring at her, his face only inches away from hers. "What the Hell am I doing? This is nuts!" He sat up, facing away from her. She saw that she had taken his shirt off and his belt and zipper were undone. For some inexplicable reason his shoes were neatly arranged at the foot of the bed. She put a hand on his back. He stood up abruptly. A sudden flash of panic hit her. He couldn't leave. Not now. Readers, be sure to check out M.S.'s website to learn more about Lost in His Arms and Lost & Found. You can network with her on Twitter. You can purchase Lost in His Arms at Red Rose Publishing today!
To help remind Minnesotans that they can survive another few months until spring, our city hosts the Saint Paul Winter Carnival. If you’ve never experienced it, I recommend it. There are two parades - one at night, called the Torchlight Parade, which is a blast. Outdoor skating rinks, broomball tournaments, ice carving contests, and dozens of indoor events. A week’s worth of fun activities for kids, and evening adult fun, too.
So far, the goodie bag contains:
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