*Giveaway & Author Interview* More Than This by Shannyn Schroeder *Goddness Tour*

 Ladies and Gents of my Lair, I would like for you to put together a warm welcome for a wonderfully, delightful author...

Ms. Shannyn Schroeder

More Than This
by Shannyn Schroeder
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BLURB:

When a lonely teacher teams up with a handsome bartender for some outrageous acts, they both get more than they bargained for…

Learning her ex-husband is going to be a father, Quinn Adams is determined to have a baby of her own—without the partnership of a man. But her sister and friends believe she needs to focus on herself first, and step out of her comfort zone by completing a list of adventures. Challenge number one is to go on five dates within two weeks. After a few disastrous attempts, Quinn’s ready to give up—until sexy bartender Ryan O’Leary offers his assistance.

Ryan has always been the dependable one in his family, often at his expense. But lately, he’s been longing for a life—and a woman—of his own. The woman he has in mind is Quinn. Though it seems all she wants is friendship, Ryan can’t ignore the explosive chemistry he feels between them. In the hopes of becoming closer, Ryan offers to help out with Quinn’s list. But when she asks him for a serious favor, he’s afraid it will jeopardize his chance to become more than friends.

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Since you are a new to me author, I am hoping to bring you to the light of others! So let’s share! Why don't you tell us a little about yourself.... Something that we cannot Google about you, lol!

Tell us a little about your book?

More Than This is the story of a woman who wants a baby more than anything. Quinn has one failed marriage behind her and is reluctant to look for another. When she brings up the idea of becoming a single mom, both her sister and friend think she’s crazy. To prove that she can handle the upheaval a baby would bring to her life, Quinn agrees to take the summer and complete a list of adventures that will take her outside her comfort zone.
Ryan is the go-to man for his large family. He’s a nurturer who feels the need to take care of those around him, so when he sees Quinn struggling to complete her list, he offers his help. He has ulterior motives, however. He figures if Quinn can get through the list and the summer without finding a decent guy, she’ll give him a chance.
Ryan and Quinn become fast friends, which is unusual for Quinn. They both attempt to ignore the chemistry they have and they fail in that mission.

How much emotion does it take from you to write?

This is tough. It depends on the scene. If a scene is really emotional for the characters, whether it’s an ugly fight or great sex, it can be difficult to write. Often I’ll cheat and just go through the motions in the first draft. Then when I go back to revise and really have to open myself up to make the scene real and that’s draining.

What is your favorite part of the book?

I think my favorite scene from the book is actually the last one I wrote. During revisions with my editor, he pointed out a scene that he felt either needed to be fleshed out or cut. For me, it’s an important scene because it’s the first time we see Quinn bake Comfort Cookies. In the early stages, I rewrote that scene a bunch of times before I even went out on submission, so it’s always given me problems. When I revised it, though, it became one of my favorites because Ryan is being a really good guy with some subtle flirtation and Quinn is so clueless.

Most of it’s up on my web site if you want to peek.

You can only pick 3 words for your main characters..what would they be? *to describe your main characters*
Quinn – practical, predictable, safe
Ryan – fun, loyal, sexy

Which was the easiest character to write and the hardest ~ and why??

Quinn was easiest by far because we have a lot in common. When I created her, I definitely wrote what I know. I made her an English teacher because that’s what I was. (Although she likes Romeo and Juliet and I can’t stand teaching it). There are differences, but our basic personalities are close enough that she was easy to tackle.

How many books are you shooting for in this series??
I’m not sure. My second book stars Indy, Quinn’s sister and Griffin, Ryan’s best friend. Then, there 4 more O’Learys that aren’t married, so anything is possible.

What are you currently working on?

Book 2, Indy’s story is in the hands of my editor and should be released in July. I’m working on revisions for Colin O’Leary’s story (Ryan’s older brother), but that’s not under contract yet. And I have something totally different started.

Do you have anything due to release soon?

Book 2 of the O’Learys should be released in July.

What's one thing that you enjoy about writing?

I love drafting a new book. I get to fall in love with characters and watch the story develop. The best feeling is getting to the end of that story and knowing you have new ideas already brewing. (Then of course, I have to revise, and that’s the part I hate.)

Since we're cover hussies....what was your first impression of your cover?

I LOVE my cover. I have two young daughters who always give me a hard time about the shirtless men on the covers of the books I read, so I was happy to show them my book had a man with a shirt. But mostly, I love great arms, and that cover model has sexy arms J

What do you prefer ebooks or paperbacks?

I do a mix of both. I never thought I would like ebooks, until I got myself a Kindle. I love the click for instant download. There are some books that I still buy in paperback, but now that Border’s is gone, I find that I’m really lazy about going to the store, so I find myself reading more ebooks. Plus, there are so many great deals on ebooks.

Is there a genre you would like to write but are a little apprehensive to try?

When I started writing, my first two manuscripts were romantic suspense. I love romantic suspense with the super alpha heroes and intriguing serial killers, but I couldn’t make it work. It wasn’t until I wrote More Than This that I discovered that my voice is contemporary romance. It works for me. I might go back and try suspense someday, but for now, I’m happy with what I’m doing.

Okay.... personal time!!!! Oh yeah, I go there... Hahah...

If you thought you were safe... Nah... Forgot it... Not a chance! We will start off slow and easy, I promise!

What is on your night stand/dresser?

I lamp, a pile of books (some mine, and some my daughter’s), my Kindle, and an empty water glass

What are you listening to you right now?

At this moment, nothing because I’m trying to focus on answering these questions without sounding like an idiot. I usually work with music on though. I prefer the local country station, but when I’m working on one of my books, I listen to the soundtrack I created for the book.

What are you reading right now?

Shannon Stacey’s latest Kowalski book, All He Ever Desired

What is your favorite season? Holiday?

I love summer. Even though I hate swimsuits, I love going to the beach and hanging out with my kids. Christmas is my favorite holiday because I enjoy watching my kids be surprised by presents.

And what has been your best b-day present ever??

I don’t really celebrate my birthday with gifts and stuff, so this question was really hard. When I turned 20, my husband bought me a diamond ring. At the time, we weren’t even dating; we were just friends. It’s a very simple, small solitaire, but for him it was the promise that someday we’d be more than friends.

Hard and Quick Time! Don't think... Just answer! Okay, before we go this route, I will get us a refill on our drinks... I will be right back...

You know you do... Quickie time... Think fast....
 
Are you a quickie kind girl?
Nope – I like to take my time

Dark or Milk Chocolate?
Milk

Whipped or Melted?
Melted

Straight up or with a twist - sex?
Straight up – I’m pretty boring

Junk or Health Food?
Always junk

Leather or Lace?
Neither – leather is stiff and lace is itchy. I’m all about the cotton

Soft or Hard... Bed, where was your mind?
Soft

Control or Be Controlled?
Be controlled

Vampire or Werewolf?
Vampire – I don’t like hairy guys

Twitter and/or Facebook?
Twitter (I’m not on Facebook at all)

Pinterest or not?
Yes, Pinterest (It’s a fun place to collect ideas)

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Excerpt:

She tugged her hand away and crossed her arms. Her eyes darted, as if keeping contact was a battle. Her voice lowered a fraction. “You don’t know how hard it is to find a normal date.”

“What makes you think that?” He pushed his palm against the wall next to her head and caught the soft, powdery scent of her perfume. Did it make him an ass that while she talked about dating other men, his thoughts focused on kissing her again?

She shifted and tucked her hair behind her ear. When she looked up again, her face had returned to the usual polite, impassive front. “Come on. I’m in here often enough to see you with all kinds of women. I’m not judging you, but you can’t compare picking the flavor of the week to dating.”

He didn’t address her comments. She was right—he liked women who required nothing from him but a good time. It wasn’t a concept she’d understand. She’d definitely require more. He hadn’t attempted anything more serious since Cassie. “So what’s your plan? Cast a wide net and see what you catch?”

She shrugged. “Indy said it’s all about numbers. I spent a bunch of money to join the stupid dating site. They guarantee I’ll meet someone special. It’s in my best interest to keep trying. Besides, I try to weed out the worst of the bunch.”

His burst of laughter made her jump, so he placed a hand on her shoulder. “Sweetheart, if you think you’re weeding out the bad ones, your radar is broken.”

Her lips pulled back, but it wasn’t quite a smile. “I was born without radar.”

Excerpt Three:

“What’s up? Haven’t seen you in a while.”

“It’s only been a week.”

“I’ve gotten used to you stopping by more often.”

“I’ve been working. The end of the year is a busy time.” This was the third time she’d seen him since the kiss, and he’d said nothing.

“What’s this?” He tapped her calendar.

I guess we’re still ignoring the kiss. “I’m trying to choose the best day to play hooky.”

Ryan’s laughter rose above the noise of the milling crowd. “You need more help than I thought. Sweetheart, a hooky day isn’t something you plan. You just do it. You don’t think about work. The day is supposed to be fun.”

Quinn groaned and thumped her head on the table. “I can’t do that.”

“Didn’t you ever cut class?”

Quinn raised her head. “No. Perfect attendance all four years. Eight if you count college.”

His crinkly-eyed smile returned. “Oddly, I’m not surprised by that fact. If you’re not comfortable with it, why are you doing it?”

“Remember the list Indy and Kate created for me last week?” You know, the night you kissed me senseless one minute and moved on to a bimbo the next?

He nodded and she continued, “The first item on the list is to play hooky.”

“Playing hooky should not be stressful. Everyone does it. Lighten up. Pick a day and have fun. Your students will survive without you. Most of them have played hooky and can appreciate it.”

She slammed her calendar shut. “Okay. Monday it is, then.”

He shook his head again. “Not quite spur of the moment.”

“Hey, I’m a work in progress.”

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Shannyn Schroeder is a former English teacher, who now works as a part-time editor while raising her three kids.

Even though she wrote from high school through college (mostly poetry), she’d never considered a career as an author. Writing fell by the wayside as she focused her energy on creating lesson plans and new and fabulous ways to torment her teen students. One group in particular dubbed her “The Torture Master,” a title she carried into motherhood.

After the birth of baby number two, Shannyn resigned from teaching and fell in love with reading romance novels. She read so many books so quickly that her husband teased, “If you’re going to read so many damn books, why don’t you just write one?”

So she did.

That first book is safely buried on her hard drive, but the process set Shannyn on the path to professional author. She came to reading romance later than many, but lives for the happy ending because real life can be depressing. She writes contemporary romance because she enjoys the adventure of new love.

In her spare time, she loves to bake cookies and watches far too much TV, especially cop shows. She is recovering from her Diet Coke addiction, fears putting her foot in her mouth on social media, and has a renewed appreciation for the bad girls of the world.

Web site: http://www.ShannynSchroeder.com

Twitter: @SSchroeder_

***Giveaway Time***

 SHANNYN SCHROEDER WILL BE GIVING AWAY: 

Shannyn will be awarding a 15" x 12" Pampered Chef flat baking stone (similar to the one her heroine uses) to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour (US only).  She'll be awarding a Keeper Kase (to keep your autographed book cover flats in) with an autographed cover flat from "More Than This" to one commenter at every stop (US only).

Fill out the form and Good Luck!

Rafflecopter giveaway

I encourage you to follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: 

 

http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2012/10/virtual-book-tour-more-than-this-by.html

And remember... Always keep it Dirty, Smutty & Hussy!