SONG OF THE WEEK: Joy Division “Love Will Tear Us Apart” – because I just finished Eleanor and Park and am a little beyond obsessed. More to come on that next week. But in the meantime…
A heroine who wrestles alligators for a living. Yep. Please help me welcome Blaire Edens to the blog today!
Former debutante Rachel Hansworth longs for the days when “alligator” was followed by “pumps” or “handbag.” Broke, Rachel takes the only job she can find: removing nuisance animals from Texas homes. Unfortunately, fighting the attraction to her boss proves more difficult than wrestling a gator. Army veteran Mark Winters needs help with his business, but he wants Rachel more. He must honor a promise to his dying mother and find a fiancée. A real girlfriend isn’t part of the plan-he’s been there, done that. There’s only one problem: He can’t stop kissing Rachel.
She refuses to be duped by love again, and he won’t let a few hot make-out sessions tear down the walls he’s erected. But she’s all about the big bonus she’ll receive if she helps Mark. They’ll lower their defenses enough to trust each other when a wild animal is involved, but can they pull off the fake fiancée ruse and not be bitten by love?
Hello Blaire, and welcome to the blog! Tell us a little about yourself – who you are and what you write.
I’m Blaire Edens and at the moment, I’m writing contemporary romance for Entangled. I live in the mountains of Western North Carolina. I’m of mostly Scottish descent and my mother’s family has owned and operated the same farm since 1790. My father was a fighter pilot and my mother is a doctor, so I learned plenty about Alpha Males and Sassy Females growing up. 🙂 My favorite ice cream flavor is Salted Caramel.
I think you just gave me the most awesome interview question ever. New requirement if you’re going to be on this blog — favorite ice cream flavor!
So it looks like our heroine, Rachel, wrestles alligators for a living. I’m definitely intrigued! Tell us about her.
Rachel has, up until the opening of the book, led a very charmed life. When we meet her, she’s in a crisis. The bank is about to foreclose on her home, she can’t find a job. She has to find a pathway from where she is to the woman she wants to be. In her case, it’s via viper, but animals are on the vehicle. Rachel is relatable because she has to face her fears in order to grow which can be said for most of us. The book is about overcoming our fears, whatever they may be, in order to live a more authentic and fulfilling life.
Was there any hands-on research required for this book?
Yes! Before writing this book I knew very little about the home foreclosure process. It turns out that a foreclosure is essentially a home that belongs to the bank, which once belonged to a homeowner. A friend of mine who lives in Texas is a property investor and she pointed me in the direction of real estate websites such as Auction.com where I was able to learn more about selling and buying foreclosure properties. I wanted to make sure that this element of my book was as factually accurate as possible!
Also, I didn’t wrestle any gators, but I would be willing if Mark, my hero, was the prize. Seriously, I grew up on a farm deep in the woods of Southern Appalachia so used to wild things. I did use a few personal experiences—I really did have some snakes hatch in my house once. The house was a restoration project and somehow a mama Rat Snake decided to deposit her eggs underneath the laundry room. When they hatched, I had quite a surprise.
Seeing that snakes are frequent in my nightmares, let’s move along quickly. When you aren’t writing, what could we find you doing?
I am a serious knitter. I teach knitting classes–everything from beginner scarves to Fair Isle Sweaters. I usually knit while I watch television so I know voices better than faces. I also love to be outdoors, so my son and I frequently go camping and biking. Because of my dad’s job, I grew up around fighter jets. I still love to go to air shows!
What’s the heat level in Wild About Rachel?
Wild About Rachel is sexy. There is some hanky-panky but it’s fairly tame and not very graphic. The heat is within a serious relationship. I would say if you’re okay with sweet lovemaking, it should be just fine.
Is Wild About Rachel a standalone novel, or will there be others in a series?
That’s the $64, 000 question. It was written as a standalone but since its release, I’ve had several, as in more than fifteen emails, from readers who weren’t ready to leave Texas. I am open to writing another story that features some of the characters in Wild About Rachel but it won’t be my next novel. I’m thinking another novella or holiday novella might be a nice return visit.
I’m with those fifteen+. Series are fabulous for clinging on to the characters we love!
Name three things we’d find in Mark’s bedroom.
1. Firefly’s collar
2. A stack of National Geographic Magazines.
3. Fishing rod
What’s your drink of choice when writing?
Sweet Tea in a Tervis 24 oz. cup. I’m pretty adaptable but this is a MUST. When I’m on the road, I carry tea bags and sugar and the cup. No compromise, here. When you move around like I did when my dad was flying, you learn to travel light. This is probably the only MUST I have.
Who are some of your favorite authors and what are you currently reading?
Wow. That’s a hard question. I read widely. I am a bona fide genre hopper. My sentimental favorites are Bertrice Small, Orson Scott Card and V.C. Andrews. I just finished Second Chance Ranch, by fellow Entangled author, Cindi Madsen. I haven’t met her yet, but when I do, I’m totally going FANGIRL. The next book on my Kindle is Cinder. I love Steampunk and can’t wait to relax into some YA that combines my love of fairy tales with Steampunk.
What’s your current work in progress?
The working title is Rock A Billie. It’s a single title contemporary chock full of fighter pilots, American Muscle Cars and one sassy mechanic named Billie who is determined not to fall in love with a flyboy. It will likely be out in Spring-Summer 2015.
Is there anything else you’d like us to know about Wild About Rachel?
I really hope you like it. I hope it makes you laugh. Most of all, I hope it leaves you feeling ready to take on the world just like Rachel.
Wild About Rachel is available on Amazon and through Entangled.
Blaire Edens lives in the mountains of North Carolina on a farm that’s been in her family since 1790. When she’s not plotting, she’s busy knitting, running, or listening to the Blues. Blaire loves iced tea with mint, hand-stitched quilts, and yarn stores. She refuses to eat anything that mixes chocolate and peanut butter or apple and cinnamon. She’s generally nice to her mother, tries to remember not to smack her bubble gum, and only speeds when no one’s looking.
Visit Blaire’s website, or follow her on Facebook or Twitter.