Tuesday Tea with Mariposa Cruz

Hi all! Grab a cup of tea – or whatever it is you like to drink – and join in the discussion. Mariposa Cruz is here today to talk about her new book Roar! that's come out with The Wild Rose Press. Welcome, Mariposa!

My background:
~ I’ve been scribbling stories in notebooks since childhood. In college I published my first short story and wrote articles for the school newspaper and I’ve been alternating between fact and fiction ever since.
~ In my freelance writing I’ve been fortunate to meet a variety of real-life characters including the lead for a Jimmy Buffet cover band and a baby rock diva. I love writing paranormal romance because it opens a whole realm of possibilities.

Inspiration for Roar!:
My dad warned me about bears prior to our family camping trip to Yosemite. No bears raided our camp, but they roamed through my dreams the entire trip and have resided in my imagination ever since. After I finished Howl, I knew my next shifter story would be about bears. As with many of my stories, the research for Roar! started in the Children’s section of the library. I’ve found that research aimed at kids tends to be more user-friendly (plus I see enough fine print reviewing contracts for my day job).

Blurb:
~ Focused on the bottom line, Linda Underwood answers to no one. Linda’s world is torn apart when a black bear shifter turns her weekend rendezvous into a desperate struggle for her life. As a recently-turned shifter, she is determined to beat her affliction by ignoring her beastly impulses.
~ After the accidental death of his wife, shifter Flynn Cromwell finds solace immersed in his work in a remote mountain cabin. When he discovers Linda’s ravaged body near the brink of death, he’s compelled to protect her. Can Flynn save Linda from her own stubborn nature and defend her from a vicious shifter with a taste for her blood?

Excerpt:
~ “What’s this?” Flynn snatched her right foot.
~ “Hey,” Linda protested. She tried to pull free, but he held firm. As his thumb traced the sole of her foot, a shiver of pleasure raced along her leg.
~ “You don’t seem the type to have ladybugs inked on your toes, what’s the story?”
~ “There is no story,” Linda hissed. Flynn held her foot higher.
~ “All tattoos have stories, spill it.”
~ “When I was little my mother called me Ladybug, don’t you dare tell anyone!” Linda said.
~ “I’ll take it to the grave.” Flynn raised his other hand then gently lowered her foot.
~ They ate in silence for a few minutes, which suited Linda since her previous meal ended abruptly. She was in no mood to discuss her personal life with a total stranger who paused and stretched, the sun glinted on his unruly dirty blond hair. Linda caught Flynn’s scent, dark and rich. For a moment, she longed to climb into those muscular arms, breathe him in while her mouth explored the sweet taste of his full lips.
~ Flynn’s gaze met hers. “You want me.”
~ “That’s ridiculous, I just met you.” Linda snapped her cheeks flushed. Maybe her mind snapped after the attack. No woman with an ounce of sanity would be attracted to someone so irritating.
~ “It’s animal magnetism, baby, don’t fight it.” Flynn murmured his deep voice an octave lower.

For more on Roar! visit The Wild Rose Press

For more about Mariposa Cruz visit her Blog