Charmaine Ross & 'Take Me As I Am' @CharmaineRossAu @GoddessFish #ContemporaryRomance

Today we have author Charmaine Ross visiting. Welcome!

What would you like to tell readers about yourself?

* My first foray into romance was as a fourteen year old where I fell hopelessly and eternally in love with my hero as only a teenager can. Instead of watching movies and staying up late, I would go to bed at eight thirty and continue my very romantic, very safe, love affair. Since then, I have fallen in love with many heroes, some less safe than what my teenage brain could possibly imagine. After earning a Fine Art’s Degree, a Diploma of Secondary Education and a Diploma of Marketing, I worked as a Graphic Designer in various advertising agencies as well as in-house marketing roles and am currently involved with digital marketing and everything web in my current position. But I always return to writing. Although I have travelled, I always return to my home town of Melbourne and live with my husband, two children and two cats in the ferny-greens of the Dandenongs. If I'm not working on my latest romance and falling in love with yet another hero, you’ll find me reading, watching and basically indulging in my addiction to any story on any media type I can get my fingers on.
* Check out my web site to download and read two fun, flirty novellas - the best news is they're free - plus free chapter downloads from all of my books, as well as updates on my latest news @ www.charmaineross.com

Today Charmaine Ross will be talking about the best and worst pieces of writing advice.
* There have been many pieces of advice over my time as an author. Some pieces of advice irritate me, like, you know James Patterson..? Well he’s written seven million books, why don’t you write like him. You could learn something from him.
* Urghh. He doesn’t even write Romance!
* But of course I don’t say that. I smile politely and nod and change the subject. Those comments are from people who don’t have a great repertoire of authors.
* The best pieces of advice I can ever get is to read a book that is really popular and judge for myself what I like or not, and if I can apply it into my own writing if I see it as positive. I read from a range of genres, erotic, mystery, thriller, paranormal, sci-fi, fantasy, dark and light. I think everyone has something to offer me and I realise that each of my books is really a work in progress. I hope my next book will be better in some way and that my writing improves.
* I also like to read debut authors and well as big names, indie and from big publishers. Everyone has their unique voice and thoughts of what makes a good story.
* I think my books have become more complex in nature. The characters are deeper, they are trying to reach higher levels of personal growth and deeper romantic relationships that are harder to define, and also finding that level of relationship that will sustain a lifetime, even if it means ripping their heart out and they bleed all over the page - my own psychology class.
* In Take Me As I Am, I wanted to turn the tables on the rich man / ordinary gal plot and so made my heroine a billionaire’s daughter, having been groomed for luxury and educated in the best schools money could buy, and my hero a sexy, hard-working, yet salt-of-the-earth man. My favourite scene is when my hero strips off his shirt in the summer sun, my heroine can’t ignore the sizzle in her blood or the voice in her head that tells her that what her body wants is a bad idea. A very bad idea.
* Add in some sexy spice, some differences of opinion, undeniable physical attraction and you have ‘Take Me As I Am’.
* Thank you so much for having me here and I hope you’ve enjoyed reading a bit about me. As a thank you to your readers I’m offering two free fun and flirty novellas on my web site when you subscribe to my very sporadic email. I also have free sample chapters on my web site. It’s worth a look@ www.charmaineross.com A look into...

~ Blurb ~ * Forget the whole billionaire tycoon thing: Kate Moore is a billionaire’s daughter, and she knows first-hand that they’re not all romance novel worthy. Her father is brilliant, inflexible, and brutal – and nothing she’s ever done has been good enough for him. Her one chance to take over the massive Moore’s Hotel Corporation is restoring the run-down Burnham Beeches in beautiful Sassafras to its former glory. To that end, she hires David Wright, a talented landscaper with an unparalleled eye for beauty and an unparalleled talent for distracting her from her goal.
* David really needs this job. He needs the contract, the Moore’s name on his portfolio, and the money to pay for his ailing father’s health. Everything he’s worked for is now within his grasp, and he’s going to reach for it with both hands. What he doesn’t need is the diversion, or the temptation, presented by his new boss.
* Neither David nor Kate are free to follow their own desires, but they’re powerless to fight their growing attraction. But they come from very different places; perceptions will have to crash, misconceptions will have to collapse, and they will have to face their own personal challenges before they find their space to meet in the middle. ~ Excerpt ~ * His hand lifted to her hair, his fingertips brushed where some of the ends curled. It slipped around a finger and he watched the burnished strands in the light. There was gold and honey and shining browns, gleaming like silk.
* She moved her head, just a little, but it was enough for his fingertips to graze her jaw. Silken skin slid beneath his touch. He traced the line of her jaw then his hand cupped her nape, her hair falling gloriously over his forearm.
* He waited her for to move away, but her eyes found his and caressed him with a look he couldn’t deny. He bent his head, lips brushing hers. Her mouth yielded and he pressed more firmly against them, taking her lips between his, moulding his mouth to hers.
* Slowly, so slowly, her hand settled on his shoulder, a touch so light he barely knew it was there. But he did and the hot coals inside his gut flickered into a flame. He opened his mouth, brushed her lips with the tip of his tongue, tracing the line of her lower lip.
* She sank into him, her hand crawling behind his neck as her other hand found his upper arm. He wound his free hand behind her waist, anchoring her against him. Her soft breasts pushed against his chest, her heat infusing through their clothing.
* Her mouth opened, tongue caressed tongue, before he plunged into the hot, honeyed centre of her mouth. She met him move for move, tilting her head to deepen the kiss, their mouths, lips, tongues igniting their own private dance.
* His brain was clouding with need, insanely intense, as though he were climbing to a peak only she would quench. His senses were attuned to hers, his skin sensitive to her touch, the tangible weight of her body against his.
* Then that little niggling voice broke through the misty realms of his mind. The fog cleared, an inner voice nagging him for … something. Some reason he couldn’t quite connect with. There was nothing he wanted more than this woman in his hands to feel, explore, taste. Then the voice became louder, irritating the sensuous web that caressed him.
* A reason.
* The voice harassed him, badgering away the misty recesses in his brain. Reason. Boss. She was … is … his boss. What, in hell, was he doing! Find Charmaine Ross & Buy Links here... eMail | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter | Website Thank you for joining us here today, Charmaine Ross! It was a pleasure getting to know you and your story.

ANNOUNCEMENT! Charmaine Ross will be awarding a copy of the e-book Take Me As I Am (international) to three randomly drawn winners via rafflecopter during the tour! So be sure to leave a comment AND use the Rafflecopter below. Also, visit the other tour stops for a greater chance of winning!

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