Gamble in Gold by Natalie Anderson Spotlight and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Natalie will be awarding sets of the first two eBooks in the series, "Seduction in Silver" and "Bargain in Bronze" to three randomly drawn commenters during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Natalie agreed to answer all our prying questions, *G*.

Why do you write in your genre? What draws you to it?

I love romance, always have. I can’t ever see myself writing stories that aren’t relationship based because our relationships (not just ‘in love’ relationships) are such a fundamental part of our lives. I love the escapism and fantasy or wish-fulfillment in romance—but I also love that the issues that our heroes and heroines face are based in a universal truth—who hasn’t ever been afraid of rejection? Or felt betrayed??? So I like the affirmation that we can get over whatever life throws at us, we can pick ourselves up and be brave and love.

Name one thing you learned from your hero.

I loved my hero’s determination in this story—I love that he wanted to be a guide runner, that he was all for helping someone else achieve their dream. That’s something I’d love to be able to do in real life.

Do you have any odd or interesting writing quirks, habits or superstitions?

I don’t have many quirks as such (I don’t think!) – though if I’m ever working in public, like at a café or library, I simply cannot be sitting in a position where anyone can see the screen. And if my children or husband are at home while I’m working, it’s the same, no one other than me can see my screen! If anyone can, I just can’t write.

Are you a plotter or pantser?

I’m a little of both. I plan at the beginning—try to ensure I have complex characters and conflict, I have some ideas re plot… but then I just go for it and write a messed up draft—it’s always in the last third or so of the dirty draft that I discover all these new and deep things about my characters and have to go back and work it all in.

Look to your right – what’s sitting there?

The dining table—covered with party invitations for my twins’ birthday parties which are next week

Anything new coming up from you? What?

I’m working on a few projects—I have a new Harlequin KISS on the shelves in October titled, WHOSE BED IS IT ANYWAY? – and at the moment there’s a free online read over at Harlequin. You can read a new chapter of THE MAN SHE COULDN’T REFUSE each weekday for free – here’s the link: http://www.harlequin.com/articlepage.html?articleId=1838&chapter=1

Also, I have a Brazen coming out with Entangled in the next few months while the next in my self-published series, BEG FOR ME should be out by the end of the year

Do you have a question for our readers?

I’d love to know how readers really feel about what I call ‘clinch covers’ on sexy books – do you like some sexy on the cover, or do you prefer the flowers/jewels/cufflinks that a lot of more erotic fiction now has on the cover? What are your thoughts?

Seven years have passed since shy Lexie Peterson had her heart trampled by her teenage crush. And Luke Marchetti walks into his flat to find Lexie in a negligee, all he can think of is having a little flirt and fling. But Lexie’s determination to keep him at a distance makes him realize she deserves more than he can offer. Is one kiss enough to entice the two to take a gamble on love?

Enjoy the excerpt:

“So how come you’re home?” Lexie briefly looked away as she finally broached the question. “Dani said you were going to be away for a month.” Her focus darted back to him. “Did you forget something?” She nervously babbled as he started to watch her far too intently. “Are you going back to Hertfordshire tonight?”

He shook his head. “Not tonight.”

Not tonight? So where did that leave her then? Because as lovely as Luke’s apartment was, there was only one bedroom. Only one bed. A huge one, yes, but only the one and there was just no going there. Not with him. Not ever.

Trouble was, this was London during the summer of the world’s biggest sporting extravaganza. While there was some accommodation in town, you had to pay kabillions for it. Lexie didn’t have kabillions.

She’d figure out something. Anything. “Oh. Okay. Well, now that you’re back to see to Mango, I’ll just get my stuff and—”

“You’re not going anywhere tonight.”

“I can’t stay here now,” she puffed, instantly breathless.

“Sure you can.” Luke suddenly smiled, his entire face lighting up. “We have to share, that’s all.”

Lexie blinked at him goldfish-style. Her mind was goldfish-blank too. Because his eyes had some wicked glint dancing in their depths. Share? Share what exactly?

“You can stay here.” He spelled it out slowly. “With me.”

USA TODAY bestseller Natalie Anderson writes fun, frisky, feels-good contemporary romance for Entangled Publishing, Harlequin Mills & Boon and independently. With over twenty-five books published and over two million sold, she's been a Romantic Times Award nominee & a finalist for the R*BY (Romantic Book of the Year).

She lives in Christchurch, New Zealand with her husband and four children.

Find out more at her website http://www.natalie-anderson.com and be sure to sign up for her newsletter.

She's also on Twitter @authornataliea and Facebook.