Educating Ethan by Jennifer Lynne

 

Thanks so much for visiting today - I am featuring what I think is a great new novella, one that you will want to pick up.  It seems to me to be the perfect type of read for this time of year when it is cold and you want to curl up on your couch in your pajamas with a good book!


About the Novella:

Ida Deloraine intends to build herself a new life and a new career in catering, after a painful divorce. When the much younger Ethan Holt moves in across the street, an innocent flirtation quickly becomes serious when the two realize their age difference is no barrier to all-consuming passion.

But Ethan is the exact opposite of what Ida is looking for in a sexual partner. He is young and vibrant, with his life and his dreams still ahead of him, whereas hers are all in the past. Can Ethan, who is fighting his own demons in the form of a car accident, failed marriage and forced career change, convince Ida to overcome the past and live for the moment?

And just who is educating who in this cougar encounter?

About the Author:

Jennifer Lynne is a multi-published author who writes sensual and erotic romance from her home in Melbourne, Australia. She has two novellas published with Red Sage, including Seducing Serena in Secrets Volume 28 Sensual Cravings, and Pandora's Gift. Her first sensual romance with Breathless Press, Educating Ethan, will be out in February. Jen lives in hope that readers will continue to enjoy her novella-length tales of love and lust!

Find Jennifer on the web at:
http://www.jenniferlynne.com.au/blog
http://twitter.com/#!/JenniLynnAuthor
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jennifer-Lynne-Romance-Author/297504180262670
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3228070.Jennifer_Lynne
 
Book Excerpts:


Excerpt #1:


It was hard to maintain eye contact as she spoke, with his magnificent chest bare to the world, the pinkish brown nipples puckered slightly in the air-conditioned room, and the faint sprinkling of dark hair that led downwards in an enticing line like a persistent arrow directing her wayward gaze.
And her wayward gaze complied, whether she wanted it to or not, noting the curve of those thighs and the implicit strength in the coiled muscles as he moved forward to reach for another roll. She glanced only briefly this time but still he knew. She could tell in the amused curl of his lips as they lifted and the knowing way he slanted his eyes at her. God, what was wrong with her today?

He's too young, she reminded herself. And he sure as hell won't be thinking of me that way.

He probably misses his mother's cooking.

She took a deep, steadying breath. "Careful, Ethan. They're really hot."

There. A mother would say something like that. Wouldn't she?

"But delicious." His eyes crinkled at the corners as he chewed and swallowed. He looked adorably young. She moved around to the other side of the island and gripped its edges. Now she couldn't see anything below his hips. Much safer.

"What's it called?" He spoke around the food, and for a moment, she wasn't quite sure to what he was referring. 

It's called lust, she thought. Or maybe cradle snatching? "Umm…"

"Your catering company. What's it called?"

"Oh!" Tension released from her shoulders as they ventured into a familiar topic of conversation. 

Work she could deal with. "Simply Delicious."

"How very…appropriate." The look he was sending her had her breath catching in her throat and had nothing to do with food.


Excerpt #2:


Possibility, she thought. He represents the possibility of excitement. Of passion. The transient headiness of lust about to be fulfilled. All the things that most women wanted and rarely got. All the things that she wanted and had never truly had before.

"Ethan, do you mind if I ask how old you are?" She strove for dispassionate interest, took a careful sip of her wine, then sat where he indicated— on a bench seat in a little breakfast nook. But her glass clattered hard on the windowsill when she put it down.

"No, I don't mind," he answered. "I'm twenty-five. And you're…what? Thirtyish?"


Author Interview:

1. Describe what it’s like to be an author in three words.

Necessary. Challenging. Rewarding.

2. What is your favorite genre of literature?

When reading, I love anything containing spicy romance, whether it be contemporary, paranormal, fantasy, mystery, thriller – as long as there is a hot romance thread I'm a happy reader! In terms of writing, I tend to favor erotic or sensual romance – usually in a contemporary setting and occasionally with a touch of the paranormal.

3. At what point in your life did you realize you wanted to be a writer?

I feel as if I've always written, but it probably wasn't until I was at university and someone dared me to write a romance, that I realized I did actually need to write in order to be happy. I submitted that first manuscript to Mills & Boon, and while it was rejected (of course!), they were very encouraging about my unique "voice". I continued to dabble for years, until I finally gathered the courage (after a painful divorce) to submit an erotic romance to Red Sage. That story was Seducing Serena, and Red Sage bought it for their Secrets anthology (Volume 28). Pandora's Gift followed, then my indie release, Platinum Passion (Gods of Love #1), and now Educating Ethan is out with Breathless Press. Only took 20 years, but it feels as if I'm finally doing this writing thing properly!

4. What would you consider to be the best book you have ever read?

This question is too hard! There are so many books I've loved over the years, and the ones I value most highly do change at times depending on my mood. It could be anything from The Horsemasters (a childhood favorite) to The Great Gatsby or The Catcher in the Rye. The one I've read most over the years is The Lord of the Rings (before the movies, too!). There are too many great books to list here!

5. Describe the process of getting a book self-published.

Self-publishing is both easier and more difficult than being traditionally published. By that, I mean you are your own boss, so you get to make all the decisions about content, edits, cover, price, where you distribute, where and how you market, which is wonderful, but at the same time, it all falls on your own shoulders and that can be quite a heavy burden. It is nice to be part of a publisher's "family", though with all the support out there for indie authors these days, you can be part of an indie "family", too. Join indie or self-publishing chat groups on Yahoo and surf the net to find blogs that offer advice and support for indie writers. In terms of process, once the book is written, get it professionally edited, get a professional book cover designed, develop an author website/blog, join social media, open accounts with whoever you intend to publish through (e.g. Amazon, Smashwords). You may need to purchase ISBN's, though it is not essential for either Amazon or Smashwords ebooks. Research categories and key words so you can place your book in the right category. Develop a business/marketing plan, which includes price and promotion ideas/opportunities. I keep a spreadsheet for my marketing these days! And once you've published that first one, write the next!

6. What message, thoughts, or ideas do you want readers to take away from your novella?

Educating Ethan is not just about an older woman seducing a younger man. I wanted to twist the classic "cougar" idea and create a situation where the age difference is merely a part of the overall picture, and where both Ida and Ethan have the possibility to learn and grow as individuals through the power of love – regardless of their age. I hope that by the end of the story, the age difference becomes almost irrelevant for readers, and that the message they take with them is that when love finds you, you should grasp it with both hands and live for the present, and the possibility that the future offers, not dwell in the past.

7. Any sneak peeks at what is upcoming from you?

I'm currently working on Book #2 in my Gods of Love series that began with Platinum Passion (December indie release). Aphrodite Calling is the story of Himeros, the ancient Greek god of sexual desire, and his interaction with a modern day career woman in contemporary Melbourne. I'm also developing Gods of Love #3, tentatively titled Sex Club Secrets, about Anteros, god of requited/unrequited love. He's a handful of a character, let me tell you. Finally, I'm writing an erotic fairy tale based loosely on the story of the princess and the pea. A woman with super-sensitive skin is ideal fodder for an erotic romance writer! So there's plenty to keep me busy this year.

8. What is it that you like to do when you’re not reading/writing?

When I'm not reading or writing, I'm usually found either at my day job in medical admin, or ferrying my teenage children around to their various school, part time work and social activities. I love red wine, coffee, and drives up into the hills near our home to visit some of the art galleries, craft shops and cafes. I'm also addicted to lifestyle and reality TV, including Escape to the Country, Survivor and Amazing Race, and when Trueblood is on I'm addicted to that, too!

9. How do you react to a bad review of your book?

Obviously I hate the idea that someone might read my book and dislike it enough to post a bad review, but at the end of the day I understand that we don't all like the same things. Mostly I try to just get on with my writing.

10. Are the names of the characters in your novels important?  How and why?

Yes, they are important. I think very carefully about naming my "babies", so to speak! I try to reflect the personality and style of my hero and heroine in their names. And the name I choose for them also needs to sound good and fit with the overall theme and flow of the story. For example, Ida in Educating Ethan is an older woman, and I wanted her name to suggest a slightly more traditional flavor. In my contemporary paranormal romance, Pandora's Gift, the hero, Flint, is described as having "a hardness to him, both physically and metaphorically, that spoke of stone." Hence his name.

11. Why do you write for adults instead of children?

The type of stories I like to write are geared for an adult audience. Quite simply, I like my romance hot! Super-hot at times, such as my ménage erotic romance, Platinum Passion, released in December last year. So my audience would be those aged 18 and above.

12. Who would play you in a film of your life?

Me? I don't think anyone would want to see a film about me! My characters and stories – yes. But me? I'm just an ordinary suburban working mum who happened to get lucky and have some of her stories accepted for publication. I'd much rather stay behind the scenes and write the film, rather than star in it!

13. What are the most important attributes to remaining sane as a writer?

Maintaining priorities, and time management. If I don't write, I'm not happy, and I find with a family and work it is very easy to put my writing time to the bottom of the priority list. So I try and build writing time into my schedule on a regular basis. Not always possible, but I do try! The other issue to remember is that it is so easy to get caught up in all the emails and social media which can be a huge time drain at times. If you want to write, you really need to set a particular time each day to deal with emails, facebook and twitter, so that it doesn't impact on the time you've set aside to actually write. As I said - priorities, and time management! The keys to sanity!