Swept Away in Your Wildest Dreams

[click the question to see answer] First up the easy question - what is your current release? SWEPT AWAY, which is the first full-length novel in the new Avon Red line. The book is about Kat Spencer, who is luxuriating on a private island, trying to mentally prepare for her wedding, when a bad boy from her past literally washes up on the beach! Worse yet, the last time Kat saw Brock, 10 years ago, she tried to seduce him and failed. Turns out he's now an FBI agent who leapt off a passing yacht when his cover was blown, and when the two end up stranded on the island together, he decides that THIS time HE wants to seduce HER. Which is a problem - her being engaged and all, but still TOTALLY attracted to him ; ) There's lots of humor and also some serious stuff and danger and suspense, so I hope the book has a little something for everyone. To learn more, readers can visit my website, where I have an excerpt and reviews! What do you think Avon Red has to offer readers that is different from the other erotic romance prints? Great question. You know, from what I hear, I think Red is offering a lot of variety, not only in terms of story-type, but also in terms of sensuality level. For instance, I would describe SWEPT AWAY as a “super-sexy romance,” but I know the line also features books that are much more graphic, as well, and probably more accurately described as erotica. Speaking of erotic romance, how do you define the difference between 'erotic romance' and 'erotica'. To me, erotic romance can be very, very hot, but by and large, the book is a romance at heart, the book FOCUSES on the romance. Erotica focuses more of the sex or the sexual journey of the character(s). I believe erotica can be romantic, and that romance can be erotic, but that the difference is this: What moves the story more – the romance or the sexuality? Do people know you write erotic romance? If your friends and family do know, how has their reaction been? I’ve been writing the same kinds of books since I was first published in 1998. They might be a little hotter now, but they’ve always been very sexy. So yes, everyone in my life knows and has for a long time. Most people are generally supportive. You always get the few who like to snicker and call them “dirty books” or “trash” and then smile, as if I enjoy having my life’s work denigrated that way ; ) – but such is life. And I should add that, usually, the snickerers are not actual friends – they’re usually “acquaintances.” My real friends are *extremely* supportive of what I do. As a writer do you have any 'do not cross' lines or do you go where ever the story takes you? Have you looked back on something you wrote and been surprised you came up with it. Wanna share what it was *g*. I’ve never thought about this, so I guess I don’t have any lines ; ) On the one hand, I write super sexy romance, but it’s also “traditional” in terms of the romance, so my books are not the place to look if you want, say, bondage or a ménage a trios. On the other, close friends have commented that the books HAVE somehow gotten sexier over time. One friend in particular commented that my oral sex scenes have expanded a lot since those early books ; ) and when I thought about it, I decided she’s right. There are certain aspects of sex that I guess I used to be more careful with, or write about with more … vagueness ; ) But given the current popularity of erotic books, I guess I figured out somewhere along the way that I could give more details and pretty much just “put it out there” without worrying ; ) What is up next? We are book whores, give us names dates and summaries! After SWEPT AWAY will be TEMPT ME TONIGHT, also from Avon Red, next June. Set in small town, Indiana, it’s the story of two high school sweethearts who had a tragic breakup because she wasn’t ready to have sex back then. Now, 15 years later, they’re thrust back together and she’s MORE than ready to have sex with him, FINALLY – so she seduces him, because she can’t resist him but wants to be the one to call the shots, and wants to keep it just sex, nothing emotional. Problem is, once she has sex with him, she realizes she’s still wild about him, and they still have a lot of old – and new – conflicts to work through. So this book is WAY hot with lots of sex ; ) but at its core, it’s also about trust and forgiveness and how the things that happen to us when we’re young can really mold and shape our world views. Now it is your turn! Have a question for Toni? Go for it!

GETTING SWEPT AWAY by Toni Blake

People ask authors all the time – where you do get your ideas? I usually say I don’t know. Bad answer, right? But it’s the truth. However, after years of giving this bad answer – and you can always tell it really disappoints people – I think I’ve finally started to figure it out. I think I get my ideas – or at least some of them – from traveling. And maybe I’ve sort of, kind of known that for a while, but I guess I’m afraid it sounds a little … shallow. Like I should have an answer that sounds deeper or more profound. Because some of my books are, indeed, pretty deep and serious. But the fact is, when I travel, I generally come home with ideas for stories I could place in that new setting. I know very well that I came up with THE RED DIARY because I’ve visited the area of Florida where the book is set on many, many occasions. And I know I hit upon the idea for IN YOUR WILDEST DREAMS in 2001 at the Harlequin Party at RWA National in New Orleans, which took place in a FABULOUS restaurant which become the restaurant aka brothel ; ) in the story. So where did I come with the idea for SWEPT AWAY? This time, I can’t say it’s from any one place I’ve visited. In fact, I know I’ve had this idea in my head for quite a long time and am just now getting around to writing it. But, in general, I think the inspiration was just: the beach. I LOVE the beach. I want to LIVE at the beach. I feel like I’ve come home whenever I go to the beach. And heck, doesn’t a story about two people stranded on a deserted island just scream SEXY ROMANCE? For me, it does – and I think that’s one reason I loved writing this book so much. Every part of it just felt “right” and the words just flowed from my fingertips. So I hope readers will check out SWEPT AWAY, and that maybe it will inspire THEM in some way. Maybe you’ll want to take your boyfriend or husband to the beach when your done. Or maybe you’ll want to set sail for a private island where you can indulge your private fantasies, just like Brock and Kat do in the book. Swept Away Summary and Excerpt Five days before her wedding to a man she admires but doesn’t love, Katrina Spencer escapes to a private island. There, she can let the sun warm her body as she contemplates a future without the passion she craves. Then she lazily opens her eyes, only to see Brock Denton… muscular, half-naked, the one who got away – the one who makes her body tingle with arousal. How Brock arrived is a mystery, but it’s clear he’s in danger. Kat faces danger, too, in the arms of a man who is determined to free her from her every inhibition with his hands, his mouth, and more! Kat has five steamy days and five sultry nights to make up her mind – return home to a man she doesn’t love, or satisfy her wildest passions with Brock and let her herself be… swept away. EXCERPT