Well, Spring is supposed to bring new beginnings, and it’s sure working that way over here at my house. Plenty of baby rabbits (an orphan wild baby rabbit even lives under our porch) and baby squirrels. And lots of new books, which I kind of consider my babies. I think a lot of authors feel that way. So much care and loving concern goes into the creation of our characters and story lines. Turns out, this Spring I’m having triplets! Something brand new for me, an epic fantasy, THE THIRD SCROLL is coming out first. (Official release date is tomorrow, but Amazon brought it out a day early so it’s already up today. 99c today and tomorrow only) I just received the Kirkus Review and it’s amazing. “Marton excels at world building and character development. Readers will find it impossible not to care what happens next to Tera. Compelling and honest…memorable… etc. etc.” It feels soooo good when others tell us our baby is beautiful, doesn’t it? I’m grinning from ear to ear.

The next book is SPY HARD from Intrigue, a fast paced adventure romance set in the jungle. (If you liked LAST SPY STANDING with Mitch and Megan, you’ll love this new story.)

And then, the cowboys are coming! Keep an eye out for THE SPY WORE SPURS, a Texas set thriller, the first book in a new series I’m starting with Intrigue.

Any new beginnings for you this spring? How about beginning a new year of good luck? To celebrate 3 releases in 3 months, I’ll be giving away lots of goodies on my Facebook page. Stop by and join the fun! www.facebook.com/danamarton I’ll also raffle off a free book from my backlist here. To enter, just tell me what you’re looking forward to this spring. Wishing you all the best, Dana

You can't judge a book...

Even though we Intrigue authors get to have some input regarding our covers, for the most part, the final look is out of our hands.  They may use our suggestions.  They may not.  It's a crap shoot.

Even so, I'm curious—what attracts you in a book cover?  Is it people on the front?  A creepy image?  Color?  Movement?

One of my favorite of my book covers is FORBIDDEN TOUCH:

It's my favorite even though the hero on the cover does not REMOTELY resemble the hero inside the pages.  Maddox Heller in the book has sandy blond hair worn shaggy and long, down almost to his shoulders.  (Hey, LOST was still on and Sawyer had been going from bad boy to hot, partially redeemed boy.  I was helpless.)

The reason I love this cover is that the passion and longing between the hero and heroine is palpable in this image.  It sucks me right in and makes me want to know more about them. (Plus, a wet shirt on the hero is never a bad thing).

Another Intrigue book cover I love is BJ Daniels' PREMEDITATED MARRIAGE. 

Atmosphere galore!  The cover itself teases the reader.  Who's in the truck?  What is he/she doing at this secluded looking store in the middle of nowhere? Is something bad going to happen?  I love covers that tell part of the story.

I didn't care that much for the TWILIGHT books by Stephenie Meyer, but I did think the covers were distinctive and intriguing.



The use of simple iconographic symbols (apple, flower ribbon, chess piece) and the stark black/white/red color scheme is an interesting way to tie the books together while having each book cover distinctive enough to stand alone.

So, do you have a favorite cover? What do you look for in a cover?  Are you more a back blurb reader than a cover aficionado?

Rainy Day Pasttimes

One of my very favorite pasttimes in the entire world is writing. But sadly for the book I'm currently working on, writing isn't my only pasttime. Lately, I've been on a binge with another of my favorite things to do. Color. Yes. I love to color.  I've always colored, from the time my mother first bought me a box of Crayola crayons and convinced me not to eat them.

Of course my favorite was the huge 120 crayon box that had those magical colors like bronze gold and yellow-orange and orange-yellow. Remember those?

It didn't take long for my crayons to look like this, worn-down, broken, paper peeled off my favorite colors. There was nothing I enjoyed more on a rainy day like today than coloring.

Well, I'm older now, and as the saying goes, 'the only difference between men and boys is the cost of their toys.' I can substitute women and girls there, because I've found a new toy for coloring! They're called Prismacolor Art Markers and believe me, they are not as inexpensive as Crayola crayons used to be. These are alcohol-based markers that blend wonderfully. I can spend hours coloring, blending, shading and reblending pictures. Today, I'm making a wishlist of colors I need and if tomorrow isn't rainy, I just might go to the art store and buy them.

My latest book in my Delancey Dynasty series comes out in May, and I'm really excited. The hero is Dawson Delancey, one of my favorite of the Delancey grandkids. Since I'm sharing my favorite pasttimes with all of you today, I'll choose a winner from the commenters today. He/she will win a signed copy of Private Security, featuring Dawson Delancey, and this card made from one of my coloring projects.


 

Meanwhile, would you like to share with me some of your favorite pasttimes?

Spring in Texas

 Glimpses of spring in Texas. Enjoy.

Pictures From Our Readers

THANKS TO OUR READERS for the beautiful pictures we're sharing today.

ELLEN: The Dogwood Festival near Palestine, Texas

KAELEE's back yard
(or she's on vacation close to her back yard -lol)

one of KATHERINE's FAV pics of her twins

(feet of one "looking" below at the other set)

L LAM's favorite serenity picture.

TAMMY's picture from Big Bear.

Her family is below.

TEXAS

THE NEWEST MEMBERS OF ANGI'S FAMILY

DALLAS

 

I will be drawing for an April Intrigue to give away. So leave a comment to be eligible.
I love photographs. Thanks again for sharing today and for stopping by. We'll have to do this again.

~Angi
AngiMorgan.com
A Picture A Day

Spotlight on April Intrigues: Raven's Cove

Jenna Ryan takes readers to Raven's Cove for another spinetingling read:

The reappearance of Rogan signaled she needed protection. They'd lived together for months in a safe house, her life in this mysterious detective's hands. Dark haired and heavyhearted, Rogan had allowed his and Jasmine's fates to be intertwined, just as someone from her past sought to kill her.…

Rogan and Jasmine had ended their romance because of the danger it had brought. Now, if they hoped to stop the killer, they would have to revisit Raven's Cove, the birthplace of the ancient legend he twisted to suit his dark mission. And uncover the secrets still left between them…

Spotlight on April Intrigues: Purebred

Patricia Rosemoor's latest suspenseful McKenna Legacy tale is here in Purebred:

Horse trainer Aidan McKenna had the sight, the ability to glimpse into the future. He also had a family curse that threatened the life of any woman he loved. So when the dreams began—searing, erotic dreams starring his new partner, Cat Clarke—he resisted his fierce desire with all his strength. Because Aidan knew the dangers of ever falling in love again.

Aidan and the beautiful horse breeder had staked everything on their racing venture. But when Cat's missing stable manager turned up dead, it became clear they had more to lose than races. If he couldn't stop himself from loving her, Aidan knew he had to find a way to defeat destiny to save the woman of his dreams.

Writing in First Person

When my sister Delilah Devlin and I began writing in 2000, we challenged each other to write short stories for the Confessions magazines. In many of these stories the writer is writing a personal experience, thus presenting the story in first person. At the same time, I was writing novels in third person. The difference was that I was able to understand my character in the first person stories so much more intimately than in the third person stories. Anytime I don't feel like I know a character well enough in one of my novels, I think back to writing in first person and remember to get to know him or her so well, I could be that character.
I've written a number of Harlequin Intrigues and when I was asked to write for Harlequin Nocturne Cravings, I was a little hesitant. What will my readers who love my Intrigues think about crossing over and trying one of my Nocturne Cravings. Well, I decided to make a big leap and write the first Nocturne Craving in the first person, just so that I could get fully inside the thoughts and feelings of my female character. I made her so kick-butt and feisty that I loved her from the get-go so much that I'm currently writing her again into my December Nocturne Craving. I hope you all will love her as well. And don't worry, there is a mystery and intrigue in the story so you won't be disappointed if you take a step into the dark side of paranormal.

Hot Demon Nights
Harlequin Nocturne Cravings
May 2012

Rookie cop Katya Danske didn't ask to become a member of Manhattan's Paranormal Investigation Team—or to be partnered with a sexy-as-hell demon. Then a zombie literally drops into her lap and she's recruited to help Blaise Michaels battle an impending zombie outbreak.

Blaise is as exasperating as he is arousing, but while Katya's head tells her she should keep her distance, her body wants something else entirely. Forced to work closely together, their investigation takes them into the darkest shadows of the Manhattan underworld—and makes their attraction impossible to deny. But with the zombie threat rising, their hot nights together may be their last….

Series On My Mind...

I've been thinking a lot about connected stories lately--those series of books that share characters, storyline, setting, and so on. Seems I can't get away from those deeper, more complex stories that are so rich, they must be revealed over the course of several books. And I don't want to! While I treasure the completeness of each story, my imagination is percolating away, wondering when and where I'll see these characters again, and relishing the journey!

Last night I saw THE HUNGER GAMES movie (and thought it did a pretty good job following Suzanne Collins's book) and really enjoyed it. I hope the other two in the trilogy of Katniss and have's and have-not's, courage and loyalty, and how anyone can make a difference if s/he just determines that s/he WILL make a difference live up to the impact of the books. I think some young stars are born, too!








Personally, (when I can find the time--and it's so frustrating when I can't!) I've been reading the Iron Fey series of YA books by Julie Kagawa. I love how she mixes our real world with the world of fairies and their different strengths. It's a really clever concept, I think. On the surface, it's an appealing adventure with a bit of romance--but there's a lot more story there for deep thinkers, too. The supporting characters are intriguing, and the young heroine and heroes finding their way through life--figuring out how to get along in the real world and the magic world, facing real challenges that any young person faces as well as dealing with more fantastical problems--has really captured my imagination.

And, of course, in my writing, I'm launching a brand new series May 1st (available now on www.eHarlequin.com), called The Precinct: Task Force. These six books feature the men and women of the KCPD task force put together to help solve the case of a serial rapist that has gone unsolved for far too long. The Rose Red Rapist may be terrorizing the women of Kansas City, but these brave men and women (detectives, criminologists, uniformed officers, a police psychologist and driminal profiler and other support staff) are taking a stand to protect their city and the people they love. There's something more at work, too, than the threat of a single attacker, but I'll leave that mystery to the readers for now ;). The Precinct: Task Force features supporting characters from other books whose stories readers have asked for, such as desk sergeant Maggie Wheeler and firefighter John Murdock--or cool, calm and collected detective Spencer Montgomery and heiress Bailey Austin--Spencer's streetwise partner, Nick Fensom, is there, too. Plus, I'll introduce you to some brand new characters who live and work in Kansas City's fictional Fourth Precinct: CSI Annie Hermann, police psychologist Dr. Kate Kilpatrick, second-generation Taylor Clan member Edison "Pike" Taylor (all grown up and working as a K-9 officer), and much, much more.


So, what is your favorite connected series of books (or movies)? Or tell us what series you're anxious to dive into. Just share the titles, or go on to tell us why the stories are so special to you. I'll give away a copy of THE MARINE NEXT DOOR to one lucky poster today.

Julie Miller

TEXAS ON MY MIND

I woke up this morning to a beautiful spring day, the view from my bedroom window vibrant with dozens of shades of green. It's almost enough to make me forget the horrible draught of last year and the frightening wild fires that destroyed houses and property all over the state.

 But for now, the beautiful lake a block from my house is almost full. Boats cruise the water again. My ornamental magnolia tree has never had so many blooms. A bluebird family is nesting in my back yard. There are four babies. I put out mealworms twice a day and delight in watching the mother swoop down to snatch them for her four babies.

Though I still like to visit my native Louisiana, I must admit I love living in Texas. And once again it has inspired a new series and a remarkable Texas family. This month meet Damien Lambert, a rancher who lives by the cowboy creed and risks all to protect the woman he loves. When the going gets tough, it's great to have a Texas cowboy on your side.

New Beginnings

Spring always brings to mind new beginnings. Do you have plans to try something new this year? I started a vegetable garden. Put out the plants too early. Had a windy night that ripped the leaves off all my seedlings. I had some veggies in pots on the patio, too. A woodchuck got those. Check out the pictures of the great vegetable raid on my FB page www.facebook.com/danamarton . I caught the little sucker red-handed with my camera :-)

Thank God, things are going better in the writing department. New beginnings there, too. I'll have an epic fantasy out on May 1st, THE THIRD SCROLL. Then SPY HARD from Intrigue on June 1st, and THE SPY WORE SPURS on July 1st. I can't wait. I'll be doing a lot of giveaways to celebrate. Right now, I'm raffling off a prize package of a great book bag with 2 free books, a Paris stationery kit and some French almonds to snack on. I just posted all the details on my blog: http://danamarton.blogspot.com/ If you have a second, check it out!

Wishing you all the best with your new beginnings this spring,
Dana

Spotlight on April Intrigues: Baby Breakout

Lisa Childs continues her Outlaws series with Baby Breakout: 

Jedidiah Kleyn had been convicted because Erica Towsley hadn't come forward. So the night he escaped from prison, it was with one thing in mind—find Erica and make her clear his name. But the moment he laid eyes on the angelic beauty, his hatred was overwhelmed by the ferocity of his still-burning desire. And then he saw the child—his child.

He'd thought that proving his innocence was all that mattered. But whoever had framed him was now targeting Erica and his little girl. And as the woman he'd blamed and the child he'd never known laid claim to his heart, Jed would risk anything to protect them. Because now there was nothing more important than his family…not his freedom, not even his life.

Spotlight on April Intrigues: Midwife Cover

Cassie Miles delivers another riveting read in Midwife Cover:

FBI agent Brady Masters thought his mission to infiltrate the Lost Lamb Ranch and take down a human trafficking scheme was about to end, but it was only just beginning.… Now he needed the help of Petra Jamison, a gorgeous free spirit who had dropped out of the FBI to become a midwife. Going undercover with her as a married couple, Brady soon discovered he liked being her partner—in more ways than one. When they learned their identities had been compromised, Brady was ordered to end this assignment and walk away from his "wife." Obeying a command was part of the job. But denying his feelings made by-the-book Brady question his future.

Partners in Love

I cut my teeth on the grand old partner romance TV shows of the 80s. You know the ones I'm talking about—Remington Steele, Scarecrow and Mrs. King and Moonlighting. Those shows that first elicited the question, "When are they ever going to get together?"

Then came the 90s, The X-Files and the quintessential partner lovers, Fox Mulder and Dana Scully. Dozens of knockoffs later, we have a fresh batch of new partner romances, including as Bones and Booth. Castle and Beckett. DiNozzo and Ziva. Michael and Fiona. And probably a dozen more on shows I don't watch.

Sexual tension between partners is an old, time-honored tradition, and why not? Partners in love rock!

When I was plotting my new series, Cooper Security, I knew I wanted to do at least one story about work partners who struggle past their fears and the conflicts keeping them apart to find love with each other. I enjoy starting a story where the characters already have a strong basis as friends. It's like having shorthand to the romance, in some ways. But the friendship also complicates the choice of taking the step into intimacy in a way that two strangers meeting and becoming involved doesn't. What if taking the relationship into the romantic/sexual realm destroys the camaraderie and connection that make the partners so good together? What if it changes the whole dynamic of the relationship, not only with each other but also with the people around them?

I also like undercover stories. The stakes go exponentially higher when a character must pretend to be something he's not, especially if having his cover blown put his life at grave risk. Toss in a faked death, an insular clan of redneck drug runners and a couple of ruthless mercenaries and you have my April book, Secret Hideout, featuring former FBI agent Isabel Cooper and the man she thought she'd lost but could never forget. How about a blurb?

They came after former FBI agent Isabel Cooper in her hotel room. Drugged and fighting for her life, she ran right into the arms of a dead man. But Ben Scanlon was very much alive, and now her life was in his hands, too.

His face was rougher and his hair longer than when they'd last met, but he still carried himself like a born Texan. Undercover with the same redneck mafia that was after her, Scanlon thought he could save Isabel without revisiting their past together. But when every step led to a trap, and every touch they shared had a consequence, he wasn't going to waste a second chance—or another bullet.

So, how about you? Do you love partner romances? Do you have a favorite fictional partner couple? Is there a couple on TV or in a book series you've read that you'd love to see finally release some of that sexual tension building like a wildfire between them? Tell us all about it!

A PICTURE...A THOUSAND WORDS

You may know that I said goodbye to my constant companion last week. Well, Tim & I took off to a no cell zone. Yes, deliberately headed to a state park that we knew had no coverage.

We had visitors. The campgrounds were "close" (Texas close, less than an hour) from where our youngest attends college, so she brought her puppy. Moose was a stray, they aren't certain how old she is, but she's less than two...still a puppy. She loved being outside and in a field of blue bonnets she was almost as careful as us to not step on them. Very funny.

The blue bonnets this year are fantastic. And the Indian Paintbrush are few and far between at the Top of the Hill Country. 

 The evidence of last year's drought is everywhere. Parts or entire trees completely gone.

Our view from our camper. Definitely worth the trip.

I use pictures to write all the time. Inspiration from the scenes around me? Got a favorite picture you'd like to share? Send me one and I'll post in two weeks. Those sending a picture to Angi@AngiMorgan.com will be entered into a drawing for an Intrigue.

Waiting to see what you share,

~Angi

AngiMorgan.com

I'll be sharing lots more pictures from our trip on A Picture A Day.

Spotlight on April Intrigues: Secret Hideout

It's time for another exciting Cooper Security adventure from Paula Graves with Secret Hideout:

They came after former FBI agent Isabel Cooper in her hotel room. Drugged and fighting for her life, she ran right into the arms of a dead man. But Ben Scanlon was very much alive, and now her life was in his hands, too.

His face was rougher and his hair longer than when they'd last met, but he still carried himself like a born Texan. Undercover with the same redneck mafia that was after her, Scanlon thought he could save Isabel without revisiting their past together. But when every step led to a trap, and every touch they shared had a consequence, he wasn't going to waste a second chance—or another bullet.

Spotlight on April Intrigues: Son of a Gun

Joanna Wayne's new series Big D Dads kicks off with Son of a Gun: 

Amid a freak snowstorm, Texas rancher Damien Lambert made the unlikeliest find on his Bent Pine Ranch—a bloodied woman and her infant daughter in hiding. Though her story was transparent as ice, the heat he saw in her eyes made him offer her refuge.

After a ruthless kidnapping and a harrowing escape, Emma Duran needed a hero…and the baby needed a home. She'd found both in Damien—the perfect man with a cowboy's swagger and a lover's touch—until he learned about the incredible danger they faced. After that, Emma knew it would take all the cowboy Damien had to keep her and the child alive.

My Big Year

I'm motivated. I'm feeling the urge to accomplish more, to become something more.

A very good friend and I went to an interesting program at a local college last month. We watched the movie, THE BIG YEAR, starring Jack Black, Steve Martin and Owen Wilson--and then we attended a presentation by the man, champion birder Greg Miller (no relation), the book was based on. We also attended a program on Raptor Rescue and met a brown-tailed hawk that had broken its wing and was being nursed back to health by the organization.

The basic premise of the movie and book and real story it was based on is the quest of 3 different men who love birding (laymen like me call it bird-watching, but the pros call it birding ;)) to have what is known as the "Big Year", where a birder sort of puts his/her life on hold and travels the country/continent to spot as many different species of birds as possible. It's a contest that involves a lot of miles, a lot of money and a lot of dedication. But to a birder, it's the ultimate indulgence and achievement--to be the person who (on record) sees the most birds in a single year. And the best part of the story, of course, being a romance writer--were the relationships that changed and develop over the course of each man's Big Year--finding love, find fame and respect, finally finding an understanding with a father, finding out that family is a priority in life, etc. iow, it's not just the challenge of being #1, it's a journey of self-discovery. It was fascinating, it was funny--and it motivated Linda and me to try a "Big Year of our own.

So, while we're not birders trying to spot as many birds as possible (although I do find myself more aware of birds than ever before), we have been motivated to challenge each other to our own big year--to cheer each other on, to celebrate small victories along the way, and to commiserate disappointments and pick the other up to keep moving forward. Both of us have decided to improve our health this year--and for us the main thing we need to do more of is exercise. So she has pledged to ride her bike 1000 miles this year, and I am going to walk 300 miles. Of course, surpassing those goals is a bonus. But we've set weekly goals, monthly goals. We've rewarded ourselves with practical things like a new sports bra and bike helmet, and with less practical things--a girls night out with strawberry lemonades and a splurge of dessert.

Just as important as the change in activity levels and health, I think, is the mental adjustments Linda and I are going through. We're feeling more positive about our lives, our work and our health. I'm sure it's partly due to the exercise, but I'm thinking a lot of it has to do with the camaraderie. We've been friends since our children were in preschool (her daughter and my son are graduating college in a year!). But we've been busy raising families, writing books, taking care of ill parents, dealing with life. Now, we're making a concerted effort to have contact much more often. That social interaction is invaluable to a solitary writer's life, believe me.

So that's my Big Year. Just this week I was offered a contract to write 4 new Precinct books for Intrigue. I'm presenting a workshop at a national conference with my good buddies BJ Daniels and Delores Fossen. My son is planning his last semester of classes and internship. I'm starting to lose weight. I'm balancing the demands in my life much better than I once did. I'm in a very positive place right now. It's my "Big Year" and I intend to make the most of it!

So what movies/books/people/stories in the news have inspired you to do something?

Share what motivates you. I'll give away a signed copy of my May 1st release, THE MARINE NEXT DOOR, to one lucky commenter.

Now get out there and be inspired!
Julie Miller

Unique Settings

Since I just got back from a fabulous vacation, I tried to think of a tie-in to my upcoming release and my most recent travel experience and came up with settings. Now, you might ask what does my a research trip (aka vacation) to the Virgin Islands have to do with my upcoming book THUNDER HORSE HERITAGE when the book is set in North Dakota? Okay, it looks like a stretch, but I get ideas for stories from the places I visit. I lived in North Dakota for one and a half years and had the opportunity to visit the Badlands that Theodore Roosevelt fell in love with. North Dakota became the setting for my THUNDER HORSE series.

Now that I've been to the Virgin Islands...I need to come up with the story for the setting. I mean really, what more idyllic place is there? Sun, sand, sailing, snorkeling and beauty abounds. What if an unsuspecting vacationer runs into a little problem? Maybe a body found in the depths while diving...or a woman in jeopardy showing up at his cottage on the beach...or an attack on his sailboat by a jet boat or helicopter...The ideas abound! And the setting showcases the ideas, drawing the reader into the story and giving them a taste of the location.
So, whether it's the Badlands of North Dakota or the sun and sea of the Virgin Islands, stories arise!

 

Thunder Horse Heritage
Harlequin Intrigue
June 2012

They once exchanged their wedding vows. Now he vows to keep her alive.

She'd been his wife for barely a day and now FBI agent Tuck Thunder Hrose was responsible for identifying her body. So he was more than shocked when Julia Anderson turned up very much alive-and on the run. Julia confessed to witnessing a murder and now needs Tuck to help her stay alive...and protect the baby he hadn't known she'd had.

Julia and Tuck's marriage might not have lasted, but there was not time for recriminations with a killer on their trail. As Tuck struggles to put their painful past behind them he can't help but find himself overwhelmed by his love for his little daughter...and his still-burning passion for Julia. Unable to trust anyone but each other, they know working together is the only way to safeguard their child. Could their one-day marriage turn into a life-long adventure?

Copyright 2012 by Harlequin Enterprises Limited
® and ™ are trademarks of the publisher

PRIZE ALERT!!!! Leave a comment for a chance to win the first book in the Thunder Horse Series HOSTAGE TO THUNDER HORSE

COWBOYS AND BABIES

What is it about cowboys and babies that always touches the heart? I gave that a lot of thought when planning the Big D Dads series.  There's just something about a tiny infant in the arms of rugged, virile man that absolutely makes me swoon.  So when Damien Lambert finds an injured woman stranded in a snowstorm on a snowy night, he immediately comes to her rescue. And that's the beginning of an intensely suspenseful story where Damien has to put aside his own concerns to keep the woman and the child safe. So meet the Lamberts, especially Damien, as he finds himself while losing his heart to a woman on the run and the tiny infant she cradles in her arms. 

JUST SEX

From PUREBRED:

He broke the kiss, whispered in her ear. “Are we really doing this?”

“It’s just sex.”

The right response. Just sex.

No emotional involvement.

No betrayal of a memory.

No taunting a curse.

The curse was well and done anyway, Aidan reminded himself, had been fulfilled with Pegeen’s death.

Just sex, he thought, as they pulled down each others jeans in unison.

#

Why would I write a sex scene rather than a love scene in an Intrigue? you ask.

Because it was necessary to this story.

Cat Clarke doesn’t want a relationship. She’s just come out of a divorce after a short-lived marriage. Her ex used her, married her to get his hands on her horse-breeding business, and when she caught him in an affair and divorced him, he took half of everything. Now she’s scrambling to keep her business from going under.

Aidan McKenna is under the McKenna curse:

Ye might have found happiness with another woman, but yer progeny will pay for this betrayal of me. I call on my faerie blood and my powers as a witch to give yers only sorrow in love, for should they act on their feelings, they will put their loved ones in mortal danger.

Aidan was in love with a jockey and sensed she shouldn’t ride one day, but she did so anyway and died. Even though he thinks he’s fulfilled the curse, he has to keep reminding himself of that. Of course he fears it will happen again if he lets himself fall in love with Cat.

So, both the hero and heroine have reasons not to want to love, not to want a relationship. But they’re human. And they’re attracted to each other. And nature takes its course. Of course they give in to their feelings, but not before they give into their libidos.

Opinions, please:

Do you think heroes and heroines should always be in love before having a physical relationship?

Or can you think of ideas for stories in which it is logical that sex comes before love?