WE ARE GROOT...Er, I mean Happy 10th Anniversary!

Nearly 13 years ago, I was a single, young adult that felt sure that I would always be single and alone. I was also that single person surrounded by happy and long relationships. Everybody had somebody--except me. And let me tell you...That sucks. I mean, was I doing something wrong with my life and choices? or did I just have a penchant for guys who would always either cheat on me with someone younger, thinner and prettier or just dump me quickly so they could be with the thinner, prettier girl (Which I did prefer to the cheaters). I felt sure that perhaps all the good guys were either taken or of a different persuasion.
Then one busy day at work, an acquaintance/friend called to tell me she wanted to introduce me to her friend who was visiting from Alabama. I told her no, that I was busy and I would meet him later at the bar (Maybe). But, as per usually she just did what she wanted and brought him up. I had to leave my customer (I was a hairstylist) and face a crowd of impatient people who had been waiting, to speak to her and him. Needless to say, I was not pleased and probably did not give off the best first impression. I was already sarcastic, cynical, jaded and a bit pessimistic and now I was pissy. To be fair, he was cute, had a nice smile and was charismatic buuut, unfortunately, he was with a person of irritation at the time. If you haven't guessed--this man was my future hubby.
 I got them to leave, finished my hectic day and went to the bar with my family and friends that night where I did in fact chat with him and have fun.

 At the end of the night we compared cell phones and he asked for my number and said he'd give me a call. I snorted in a most lady-like fashion and drolly replied 'Yeah. And I'll hold my breath.' But, I did exchange numbers, and he did call, nearly everyday. We had a rough go at starting a relationship (mostly because of other people) but he stayed determined and I stayed curious. A year later he proposed and a year and a half after that we had our wedding.
May 21, 2005
 I will not go into all the long details. Our wedding day was lovely. The sky was blue, white puffy clouds strolled through the sky, my family and friends pulled together to help out and to celebrate our union.

I felt beautiful, he looked handsome and I was overwhelmed with joyfulness and relief. It was a perfect day   (That happily did not put us in debt because we did much ourselves and with help. We also had over a year to plot and plan).                                        
Because of a fire later that year at my parent's house. Our video was destroyed along with the dress, which my mother had worn on her wedding day as well.
These pictures and a small few more are the only ones that we have left to memorialize that day.
(Also if you look closely in a couple of the pictures you'll see a certain awesome author sans rainbow hair) :D

For our honeymoon we stayed at a quiet hotel and watched StarWars in the theater.
The next day we went to Joe's crab shack (I LOVE CRAB) Yum!
And spent an interesting day at Cedar Point, where we were able to experience most of the seasons in one day.  Started with rainy and miserable, then scorching hot (Yes, I burned) then, cool and grey and then super frigid and misty. At that point we went home to unfreeze me. *G*

 

 

Cedar Point during the hot spell. I love me classic cars.

10 Years Later
And here we are, a decade later. Many, many things have happened in that time. We moved more times than I care to count. Had two beautiful Hobgoblins that are a mix of us both in every way. We have both gotten degrees at college and changed our careers as well. We have had blessed and happy days, we've had mundane days and we've had sad, stressful, scary days. But we have always been a team. We are partners in everything and have grown stronger because of these experiences.
We have even written and published a couple stories together, and plan to publish more.
So now you have a little glimpse into the beginning of Heather Geoffries and hopefully there will be many more opportunities to get to know us in the future.

Happy Anniversary to my hubby and better half. Life would be tedious and colorless without you. Thank you for giving me your heart and treating mine with care.

2013 A Year in Review.

At this time of year I usually get nostalgic. I think back over the years and am amazed at all that I have been through.
I follow many other author's blogs and really enjoy when they write about their lives and accomplishments over the previous year. So, I thought: I should do one of those as well. And then I though: Man. I am about to bore people but what the hell. Let's do it anyway.
Steps onto the stage*
On that note...Here goes nothin'.

The last year has had it's ups and downs. It has also had many changes.

-January- in January we all were starting out a new year full of hopes and expectations. And me and my husband were among those wondering how the year would progress. By this point we were already excited. We had been contracted by Champagne Books for our first little short story and it was due out in February. Like any new author we were riding high on the idea of being published and struggling to figure out the whole "marketing" thing. But I pushed forward and made some appearances on some awesome blogs and interviewed with whomever wanted to speak to me. At the same time I began my Junior year in college and was both eager and weary of school.

_February- Ah, February. The month our book, Nordic Prince went up for sale. I cannot even begin to explain how wonderful it was seeing my book up with all of the other real--honest-to-goodness-authors. Promo,promo,promo.
-March- Our little book kept chugging along and our muse was feeling pushy and wanted to know about Stephan Mills's sister. And so, I began working on South Sea Siren. Within a couple weeks we had her done and sent her out to our Betas and Crit. partner.
-April- We sent in Amanda's story and held our breaths. We also outlined a third story about another supporting character and came up with an idea for another 1 Night stand story. And of course. Promo--promo-promo on NP.
-May-We got contracted for South Sea Siren through Champagne Books.Now was the waiting game. Waiting to see the cover art(Which is like Christmas), waiting to run edits and waiting to run line edits before she's a go. In the mean time. We both were keeping busy doing finals for college.

(I won't go into it in too much detail but at this time I also was caring for my 2 little kiddos and my Mother-in-law who was suffering from Senile Dementia and Alzheimer disease. Needless to say, both the kids and my MIL kept me on my toes)

During the Summer(June, July) we had many things going on in our personal life: Taking the children to various fun things for the summer break and my MIL going in and out of the hospital and moving and having other personal probs that eventually convinced us that we were not enough to care for her properly. By August we had to move her into a nursing facility which flooded us with both guilt and relief that we still feel today. In-a-between I took summer classes and wrote half of my 1NS story as my husband outlined and began two other stories. We also had our cover reveal and minor edits. We were set to release our second baby in August.

-August-South Sea Siren jumps out into the fray and promos begin for her. Meanwhile, our writing became more sporadic as our muse got ornery.
-September-October- SSS did okay among her counterparts but the surprising thing is Nordic Prince--Our little story that could. He continues to be under 100 k on Amazon. Usually around 46k. Wow. I am impressed. (Pets book).
-November-December- Craziness. Pure Craziness. Finals at school. Promos Job gain-job loss. Holidays, promos. And a Writing meeting with my group MUSE(Most Underappreciated Super Egos) and now our muse has returned.

Last year, we started a few stories and published 2. This year. 2014 we planned to double that number but you know what??
I think we can do better than that. I think this is the year that we publish at least 6 stories and I think a few might even be novels.
 Cheers!

There you go folks. I am accountable. So--even with graduating in the spring and other familial issues we will up our game and make 2014 rock!

How was your 2013? What are your goals for 2014? Give a shout and share your awesomeness.

The Good, the bad and the Senile Dementia

Today, I am giving you a tour of my fabulous and exotic life. I have touched a little on my kids and my hubby, who is the other(better) half of Heather Geoffries but one thing I haven't opened up about is another rather large part of my life: My mother-in-law. She has lived with us for a few years and she is in the advanced stages of Senile dementia. Some days are kinda normal, some days lead to funny stories and some are difficult. The one overriding thing that happens when you take care of a person with Alzheimers or dementia and/or have small children is--You are exhausted.

The main thing that I have considered over the years is that unless a person has experienced this disease, it is very difficult for them to comprehend all the aspects of it. The closest I have come to seeing a good representation of it is in the movie "Folks!" with Tom Selleck. The movie is bittersweet and hilarious. Poor Tom ends up losing body parts and other things as the movie progresses. I cannot say more without taking the fun away. I'll just recommend that you see it and remember that as the horrifyingly amusing scenes happen---that is very much like my life.

Part of the reason I haven't shared before now is because of the Taboo of "picking on" people with mental illnesses and our world of "politically correct." Mind you, I don't want to pick on my pour MIL(mom-in-law) but, I come from a family that uses humor to deal with stressful situations--so, some of the stuff that has happened is pretty damn  funny.

The other reason is--Alzheimers isn't sexy. Heather Geoffries writes "Erotic Romances" therefore sharing some of my interesting days just doesn't jive with the smut writer(s) persona.

But then I thought, You know? One of the things I love about reading my favorite author's blogs is seeing the real them. Knowing that they are real people with real everyday issues. So, why not share a little of me? Why not? How about I show the world that yeah, I am happily married, yes, I have two small children that I home school, yes, I am a full time student and house wife and YES I am the full-time caretender of an elderly woman with progressive Alzheimers...and Me and my husband find time to write romantic stories that feature slightly messed up and jaded individuals who have to face their demons if they want a chance at happiness.

How do we get in the mood for smut when we have so many mood killers(kids screaming, MIL wandering, APA sucking the creativity from our souls?) And the answer is...

I do not have a clue. My husband and I ensure that we make time for romance and intimacy and we make time to put that down into word count. Also, there is some great advise I read in Em Petrova's How to write sex when you don't feel sexy. You should definitely check it out if you are struggling against the soul draining things in life.

I know my intro is long so I will save some of the stories and anecdotes for another day. Just know that there will be more to come. So hold onto your hats folks cuz the ride is just beginning.

ANOTHER AWESOME REVIEW-- HAPPY DANCING

 Hello all.

 

I checked my email tonight and was pleasantly surprised to find that my book had been reviewed.

I am excited that Nordic Prince was reviewed at Long and Short Reviews. It was a nice review that made me smile.

Here are a couple tidbits:

"Nordic Prince is a short, erotic male/male romance. The story flows nicely, the characters are quickly established and the sex scene is hot."

For the entire review click here

Cheers! I'm off to celebrate. ;)

Heather

 

SIZZLING SUMMER BLOG HOP!

Hello folks.

I am excited to say that I am part of a fantastic Blog Hop, the "Sizzling Summer Blog Hop"will be up from July 4th until July 7th. First I will show you the prizes and then I will share a steamy excerpt from my upcoming erotic romance, due out in August.Here are some of the spectacular Grand prizes you can win:

You could win......

Grand Prize #1

An iPAD MINI

(US ONLY)

(Alternate prize for international winner)

OR

Grand Prize #2

$50 Amazon/B&N Gift Card

+ Several Surprise Digital Books

OR

Fabulous Swag Pack #1

+ $10 Amazon/B&N GC

+ Several surprise digital books

(US ONLY for Swag)

OR

Fabulous Swag Pack #2

+ $10 Amazon/B&N GC

+ Several surprise digital books

(US ONLY for Swag)

Follow all Hop announcements via

www.theromancetroupe.com

and on Twitter hashtag

#SizzlingHop

  Wow! Those are pretty cool. And all you have to do is leave a comment with your email address and click on a name to hop to other blogs. Each entry enters you in for the grand prize.

For my part.

I love a romance story and I like when there is erotic in it because it adds a certain element of realism to the romance.  Romance for me has never been about Disney fairy tales. For me, it has to be hot, sweaty, fun, kinky and maybe a little dirty. Life is not fluffy kittens and rainbows. For me to enjoy it, it has to feel real and so, I try to put that into my stories.

Yes, they do have great sex, but the characters always have an issue they have to work through. They just get to have sex which seems to be part of the therapy.

 Due out in early August through Champagne Books: Aphrodite Island series. The sequel to M/M erotic romance "Nordic Prince"

"South Sea Siren" is an F/F/m erotic romance about Dr. Amanda Mills, who is a tough, sensual and sassy woman who thinks she is in control and knows how to play the game. Unfortunately, when it comes to love, she is out of her depth and terrified of the unknown.

Here is an excerpt:

 Kyrna turned and pushed Amanda against the wall shoving
her knee between Amanda’s thighs. Before Amanda could say a
word, Kyrna’s mouth descended onto hers, capturing her in a brutal
and exciting kiss.
Amanda’s head swam as Kyrna expertly nibbled and sucked
at her bottom lip and trapped her hands above her head. Kyrna tasted
of berries, smelled freshly clean. Amanda moaned and melted
against her. Just as she sank into the fiery bliss running rampant
through her body, Kyrna released her and stepped back.
Kyrna’s breasts threatened to spill out of her dress as she
struggled to catch her heaving breath. Desire burned in her eyes.
Amanda was glad she was against the wall or she would
have slid into a puddle.
“Come on. We need some privacy.” This time Kyrna turned
and stalked down the hall expecting Amanda to follow. Only a weakwilled
person would follow her like a puppy. Amanda watched the
sway of Kyrna’s hips as she walked. And only a fool would refuse to
follow. With a silly grin on her face, Amanda pushed away from the
wall to catch up to Kyrna as she disappeared into the nearby room.

  Now for my prize: I am giving away a copy of Nordic Prince. 

In order to enter my giveaway, follow my blog, then tell me about a favorite romance story (any kind; erotic, light, sweet, BDSM, historical, etc..)and what it is about that story that hooked you.

I will be using random.org to choose the winner(s) on July 8th. 
You can find me @ http://heathergeoffries.webs.com/ 
I'm also on Facebook, Twitter & Goggle+  
Good Luck and Happy Hopping!
Heather

COVER ART Reveal!!! A First peek at South Sea Siren!

Alrighty folks,

Here's the news. Don't worry I won't get too emotional...*coughs* *sniffs*










I.Have. cover art--squee!!!

Did you know that cover art is like opening a Christmas present? You work on putting your story on paper. You picture the characters. You turn in your baby and it's contracted. Yay...then you...
You sweat, cry, and worry. You bite your nails to the quick. Will they see the characters the way you picture them. Will they like them.? Will the cover artist make your story come to life with one simple picture on a cover.

Because face it. People DO in fact judge a book by it's cover. I will admit that there are quite a few books that I have read because the cover was fantastic.

So, you wonder...and then one day you open your E-mail and---

Woot!

You have cover art and it is so beautiful. You almost get misty eyed as you gaze at your cover art as a mother gazes at a newborn baby. And you know that when others see your new addition--they will see the beauty too.

And that is what today is all about. I am revealing my new cover art for "South Sea Siren" Take a peek.

And as a teaser--here is a little blurb. to wet your palette.
BLURB:

         Amanda Mills knows how to have a good time and when she goes to Aphrodite Island she plans to embrace her naughty side but when her current squeeze turns out to be a creep she winds up alone on her romantic getaway. Then she sees Kyrna walk out of the ocean like Venus and is blown away. All of her charm and charisma fly out the door when flirting with the lithe redhead. As they delve into a steamy romance, Amanda realizes that she is in way over her head. Now she must decide whether to take a chance at love and trust or keep playing the game.

I hope you like it. Let me know what you all think!

Heather

 

My voice is Similar to someone else's, apparently

Hello folks! While I have been a busy person, I have not taken the time to write in my blog. Because of the time lapse, I thought it might be fun to do a fun blog. So today I played with a "Who do you write like?" app.
Just to see if I could trip up the system, I entered two of my stories into their system. One that is already published and one that is coming out in August. My thoughts being that sometimes our writing varies depending on the situation or even how a person feels when they write.
Also, because both my husband and I write together--perhaps one or the other would influence the results differently as well. Nope. We write like Margaret Atwood. Which is cool. I have not read much of Ms. Atwoods work but I am familiar with it. Anyway, This is a fun little do-dad to play with and who knows? Maybe in a year from now I can trip up the system. *snicker*


Have you gone to see who you write like?

I write like
Margaret Atwood

I Write Like by Mémoires, journal software. Analyze your writing!

NORDIC PRINCE is a Featured review at Champagne Books blog.

Hi all!

I received a wonderful review for Nordic Prince,  my m/m erotic romance from Rita Bay.

She was one of the lucky winners of my baby during a chat last month and after reading it she decided to post her review on the Champagne Books Group blog.

I am so glad she enjoyed the story.
Here are a couple snippets from the review:

"Nordic Prince is a sensitive “awakening” story about Dr. Steven Mills who accompanies his sister Amanda on a cruise of the Nordic Prince."

" Nordic Prince is a great short read, especially for readers who have never read gay romance."


Wow. I am so thrilled. I can't stop grinning. Thank you for a wonderful review Rita!

To see the full review click Here
~So what are some elements you look for in a romance story? Do you, like me, enjoy watching a character putting his/her foot in their mouth and then watching them try to fix their error?

Please pop over and take a look so I can Happy dance with you. *starts dancing* *grins*
Have a wonderful day!

Heather Geoffries

WIN A FREE COPY OF NORDIC PRINCE: 3 COPIES TO WIN

Hello all!

I've been wanting to give away some freebie copies of my short M/M erotic romance as a thank you to everyone who has shown support.

But I wanted to play a little game.
So I will ask 3 questions for a chance at 3 free copies of Nordic Prince. You can answer on here or on my FB and Twitter. I will let this run until tomorrow night. If I get quite a few takers I will use Random.org to choose the winners. If I get only a few then you will be the lucky winners.
(You don't need to answer all 3 questions to be in the contest)
Remember, I will need your email if you want your free copy.


Also, most of the answers can be found on my website: http://heathergeoffries.webs.com/

Question # 1. What body of water do I live near?
Question # 2. Where does Erik work aboard the Nordic Prince?
Question #3. What is the name of the sequel to Nordic Prince? And who is it about?

If you would like to hear more about what's going on with my books join my blog, friend me on FB  or follow me on Twitter.

I can't wait to hear from you and Good Luck!!!

Heather Geoffries 

Nordic Prince is now available!

Great news today!
My M/M erotic romance is out. I am so thrilled. Here are some links to get yours for only $0.99
Blurb:
  When Doctor Steven Mills is dragged onto The Nordic Prince for fun in the sun by his sister, Amanda, he is certain he will be miserable. Until he meets Erik.Erik is fun, exciting and just what the doctor ordered. Some drinks and dancing with him are more enticing to Steven than any date he’s gone on with women. Before long, the two escape the busy dance floor for the quiet—and private—spa where Eric works on Steven’s body with very skilled hands. Steven is overcome with an onslaught of new emotions and sensations and has the best sexual experience of his life. Now Steven must wrestle with new feelings and desires and make a decision that could change his life forever.



I hope you all enjoy it. :D

Heather

Nordic Prince - All Romance Ebooks 

Nordic Prince- Amazon.com

Nordic Prince-Kobo

Nordic Prince-Carnal Passions imprint

 http://www.bookstrand.com/nordic-prince

The Next Big Thing!~Nordic Prince

I got tagged in the Next Big Thing blog hop by Virginia Nelson!  So this is my Next Big Thing blog, featuring my February release with Champagne Books.

1) What is the working title of your novel? 

Nordic Prince

2) Where did the idea for the novel come from?

 I was lucky enough to Beta for a friend of mine. She wrote some really steamy F/F erotic shorts but somehow her characters are always relateable and likeable. And I thought it might be interesting and fun to see if I could get a good story out with two very yummy men. Then I let my imagination run wild.

3) What genre does your novel fall under?

 Contemporary erotic romance

4) Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Originally, I pictured Matt Damon for the main protagonist and Alexander Skarsgard for the love interest, Erik.

5) What is the one sentence synopsis of your novel?

More than he never knew he needed; more than he could ever hope, but does he dare claim the prize of the Nordic Prince.

6) Will your novel be self-published or represented by an agency?

 Nordic Prince will be out in February 2013 through Champagne Books: Carnal Passions Imprints.

7) How long did it take to write the first draft of your manuscript?  

Just over a week. I started it while a lot of things in were happening in the “real world”.

8) What other novels would you compare this book to within your genre?

I haven’t really compared myself to anyone because when I look at all the other great stories written by fantastic authors I am amazed to be part of them.

9) Who or what inspired you to write this novel?

My friend Virginia Nelson had faith in my ability to write and pushed me to submit my story to Champagne Books. She is made from Awesomesauce.

10) What else about your novel might pique the reader’s interest?

There are two hot men on a pleasure cruise. They define the word ‘fun’ in so many naughty ways.

Blurb:

When Doctor Steven Mills is dragged onto The Nordic Prince for fun in the sun by his sister, Amanda, he is certain he will be miserable. Until he meets Erik.

Erik is fun, exciting and just what the doctor ordered. Some drinks and dancing with him are more enticing to Steven than any date he’s gone on with women. Before long, the two escape the busy dance floor for the quiet—and private—spa where Eric works on Steven’s body with very skilled hands. Steven is overcome with an onslaught of new emotions and sensations and has the best sexual experience of his life.

Now Steven must wrestle with new feelings and desires and make a decision that could change his life forever.

Tag:

Gemma K. Murray

Krystal Brooks

Saranna DeWylde

Excerpt:

Steven looked on with curiosity.  “What are you…?”

With two long strides Erik was by his side, his lips closed over Steve’s, momentarily silencing any further words. 

Erik probed Steve’s lips with his warm tongue.  Lust kindled earlier exploded into an inferno of complete hunger, which threatened to consume his impulse to resist. 

Lightly touching Steve’s face, Erik gazed at him.  “I have wanted to do that all night.”

Steve’s will reasserted itself once more. He backed away a step.  Feeling very confused, he tried to articulate the war that raged within his heart.  “I can’t.  You’re …It isn’t…” 

Like a sensual panther, Erik stalked toward Steve’s retreating form, backing him against a wall.  Growling with an animalistic lust, “I want you.”  Erik’s mouth descended on Steve’s neck, licking and nipping, causing a pure desire, which had him moaning once again. 

Surrendering, Steve’s hands wrapped around Erik pulling him closer of their own accord