Friday, July 15, 2011

Welcome Wendy Marcus

As you all know, I don't usually invite romance authors over here because I write for children. I have made an exception today for Romance author extraordinaire, Wendy Marcus. (Besides, I know some writerly Mama's that read this after their day of writing for children.) *wink*

Wendy's Harlequin Medical Romance, WHEN ONE NIGHT ISN’T ENOUGH has hit the shelves and she is here to promote it. So without further adieu, here's Wendy.



Hi Robyn!
Thank you so much for hosting me at the 20th stop of my blog tour to promote my Harlequin Medical Romance, WHEN ONE NIGHT ISN’T ENOUGH. Whenever I’m scheduled to visit a blog, I always stop by beforehand to read through recent posts and get a feel for what the blog followers expect. Usually it sparks my imagination, and I can come up with something suitable and unique.

Yet try as I might, I have been unable to come up with a correlation between picture books/middle grade novels/YA novels and medical romance. Even though I’ve met people who admit to reading their mother’s/grandmother’s Harlequin Romance Novels as early as the age of 10 (yes I said 10!), it’s not the audience I write for, and having impressionable children myself, I wouldn’t feel comfortable with anyone under the age of 18 reading my book. 

Because there’s sex in it.

Now I know sex can be found in YA books, I have read Judy Blume, after all. But I’d like to think it’s handled differently than it is in books targeted towards adults. Am I naïve? A prude? It must be the mother in me. Give me a minute to shove her in the closet.

There. Now that that’s done, I’d like to chat about the reason I’m here. My debut Harlequin Medical Romance, WHEN ONE NIGHT ISN’T ENOUGH.

Here’s what it’s about:
           Nurse Ali Forshay has found the perfect man for her. Dependable. Routine. Boring. Exactly what she wants to ensure a quiet, stable and anonymous life. Then his friend, Dr. Jared Padget, shows up and goodbye fairytale ending. The man’s a schmoozer. A womanizer. A whoo-a-woman-into-bed-using-any-means-necessary kind of man just like her father. And Ali wants nothing to do with him. But he’s so tempting. Thank goodness his temporary assignment at Madrin Memorial is over, and he’s heading out of town.
If only he hadn’t shown up at girls’ night out on the eve of his departure. If only he hadn’t taken her up on her drunken one-time offer. If only he hadn’t come back when he’d promised to stay away…
Here’s an excerpt (suitable for everyone):

Float nurse Allison Forshay glanced at the clock on the institutional white wall of the staff lounge in the Emergency Room, wishing she could accelerate time with the snap of her fingers. Then the eight hours and six minutes that remained of Dr. Jared Padget’s last shift would vanish in seconds.
            Along with him.  
            Hallelujah!      
            The chorus of sopranos belting out a private concert in her head came to an abrupt halt when the door opened and chatter from the busy outside hallway overpowered her glee.
            Ali cringed, keeping her eyes on the patient chart open on the round table in front of her, struggling to maintain focus on her documentation for little Molly Dawkins, her first patient of the night. The three-year-old, blond-haired, blue-eyed terror had tried to bite the triage nurse and kicked at Ali when she’d attempted to expose the girl’s infected big toe. Then Dr. Padget had  arrived, complimented the pink polish on Molly’s tiny toenails, the delicate gold bracelets on her ankle and wrist, and the princess tattoo on her hand. In less than three minutes he’d charmed that little girl right out of her sandal, confirming Ali’s suspicion. Women of all ages were susceptible to the man’s charisma. 
            If there was a vaccine to protect against it, Ali would have opted for a double dose.
            The subtle change in the air gave him away, some type of electrostatic attraction that caused the tiny hairs on her arms to rise and lean in his direction, her heart rate to accelerate, and her breath to hitch whenever he found her alone.
            His blue scrub-covered legs and red rubber clogs entered her peripheral vision. He pulled out the chair beside her and sat down, brushing his arm against hers. No doubt on purpose, the rat. 
            “You’ve been avoiding me,” Dr. Jared Padget said.
            “You’re hardly worth the effort it would take to avoid you.” Although, in truth, she was. 
            “I’m leaving on Monday.”
            Yes! Finally! His arrival three months ago had thrown her life into a state of flux. Now, his temporary assignment over, his departure meant she could finally settle back into a normal routine free from his constant badgering at work and ‘coincidental’ encounters on her days off. With a flippant wave of her hand she said, “Here. Gone. Alive. Dead. Makes no difference to me.”
            “Come on, Ali Kitten.” He snatched her pen. “You know you’re going to miss me.”
            “About as much as I’d miss a painful hemorrhoid,” she said, glaring at him from the corners of her eyes. “And you know I don’t like when you call me that.” 
            “Yeah,” he said with a playful twinkle in his peridot-green eyes and that sexy smile, complete with bilateral dimples that tormented her in her sleep. He leaned back in his chair and clasped his long fingers, and her pen, behind his head. “That’s what makes it so much fun.”
Ali grabbed at her pen, making sure to mess up his neatly styled dark hair. He raised his hand over his head and back out of reach, his expression daring her to come closer.
            She didn’t.
            He chucked the pen onto the table.   
            “I hear a bunch of you are going out Sunday night to celebrate my departure,” he said, making no mention of the fact he hadn’t been invited.
            She shrugged, tamping down the other, less joyful reason for the night out. “It’s as good as any other excuse for the girls to get together. And it’s easier and less fuss than burning you in effigy.”
            He moved forward, rested his elbows on the table and leaned in close. “Was that supposed to hurt my feelings, Kitten?” His voice, soft and deep, vibrated through her.
            Four hours into a busy twelve-hour night shift, and he had the nerve to still smell fresh from the shower. A picture of him naked, water sluicing down his tall, firm body, slick with suds, forced its way into her mind. It took immense self-control not to pound her fists against her head to get rid of it.
            “What’s going on in that pretty little head I wonder?” he teased, staring at her face as if trying to see behind what she hoped was a disinterested expression. 
            Heaven help her if he could. For months she’d fought this attraction. First she couldn’t act on it. Now she wouldn’t.
            Distance was the only thing that worked so she gathered her charts and stood. 
            Jared rose to stand directly in front of her, so close she noticed a tiny freckle on the skin exposed by the V-neck of his scrub top, a miniscule droplet of chocolate she wanted to lick clean. He smelled so good, his scent an intoxicant that impaired rational thought.    
            She stared straight ahead, at his clavicle, wouldn’t meet his eyes for fear the way he affected her would show. “Please move.” 
            “I think you don’t want me to move, you like me right here.”
            “Now you can read minds?” She took a step back. Distance. What she wanted was distance between them. Preferably a continent, but the opposite side of New York State, the site of his next temporary assignment, would have to do.   
            “Yes, I can.” He tilted his face in front of hers. “And you are thinking some very naughty thoughts, Nurse Forshay.”
            “Only if you consider me beating you with the bell of my stethoscope naughty. Now get out of my way.” She pushed his arm. “I’ve got to get back to work, and so do you.”
            He turned serious for a change. “Are you ever going to forgive me?”
            “To forgive you I would have to care about you.” She looked up and locked eyes with him. “And I don’t. Not one bit.”

If you’d like to read more, WHEN ONE NIGHT ISN’T ENOUGH is available for purchase here: 
Harlequin:

To learn more about me please visit my website: http://WendySMarcus.com
So did you ever sneak a female relative’s Harlequin Romances when you were a child? What did you make of them? Granted, they’ve changed quite a bit over the years. Any questions you have about Harlequin Medical Romance in particular, I’m happy to do my best to answer. One lucky commenter will win a copy of the 2in1 UK edition of my book which includes a full novel by Janice Lynn!

Thank you for being here, Wendy. You are a lovely lady. I wish you good luck with this fascinating book and exciting career you have going here. 

Okay Wendy! I admit it! I read my older relatives Harlequin Romances when I was  young. (Not my granny's. She didn't have them in her house.) My secret is out. How about you? :-) Comment people for your chance to win.


28 comments:

  1. Hi Robyn!
    Thank you so much for having me! No, sadly I did not take an interest in romance novels until after my children were born! I don't ever remember seeing my mother reading them. But a few years ago I cleaned out her bedroom and voila! There they were. I still have them in the basement!

    And I just have to share, I found out yesterday that When One Night Isn't Enough received a 4 star, web exclusive review from RT Book Reviews. 4 stars means the reviewer found my book to be a compelling page-turner. I'm thrilled!

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  2. Wendy, congrads! What great news. I see your smile in your comment. :-) Smiling with you!

    Keep those books, Wendy.

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  3. I never would have imagined the words Medical and Romance would go together.

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  4. Hi Robyn!
    Thanks!

    Hi Matthew!
    Romance can happen anywhere. In medical romance the medical element happens in the background and is not typically the focus of the story. Like any romance, the hero and heroine take center stage.

    Thanks for stopping by!

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  5. Hi Robyn and Wendy... I nicked my elder sister's Romance Novels when she was in college. I must have been barely 13 years old. But, its been quite a few years now since I have read them.

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  6. Hi Rachna!
    I bet they've changed in the few years since you've read them. But, in the romance genre, there really is something for everyone.

    Thanks for stopping by!

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  7. LOL.. I used to try to read from when I was 13, but I was too darn shy to read beyond the first few pages... until..ummm.. when I turned 17. But those were years I was more interested in sci-fiction and mysteries.. Esp Dr.Who and Agatha Christies.. And my real foray into romances began when I was 23 ;) and still going strong..

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  8. Hey there, Wendy!

    You sure get around the blogs! (Whoops! Thought I should clarify that!) I hope you're enjoying your blog tour like I am enjoying "stalking" you along the trail, LOL!

    With respect to your questions, be careful what you wish for!

    I was around 13 years of age when the MAN across the street used to read romance books out on his front porch. Because I was an avid reader and spent most of my time at the library in the adult department, he said it was okay for me to read one. It was probably by someone like Violet Winspear, Essie Summers, or Anne Mather, but I was hooked.

    Actually, the REAL hook to this story is that I learned after the neighbour and both my parents died that this man was my (and my brother's) biological father! Everything fit into place from that point on: he taught me how to drive, he pushed me to face my fear of heights by climbing his ladder onto the porch roof numerous times, he bought me my first halter top, he took (my brother and) me to work with him (but didn't take our elder siblings), and the list goes on. My son stands and walks just like him. My brother knew years before I did that we had a different father (even though my "Dad" lived with my Mom all those years), and he has been accepted into bio dad's family. I would be as well, but I prefer to think of them as good friends of the family, like I believed up till I turned 39. Pretty strange story, eh???

    Yes, romance books HAVE changed over the years - both the content and the covers. Wow, what a difference! But I still read over 250 books every year (since 1972) and have only flung two books across the room during all that time because I hated the endings! (I believe in HEA endings. To me, it is like the glass is half full, as it is better to encourage the positives in life - like love - than to dwell on the negatives.)

    And thank YOU, Robyn, for providing Wendy with a forum to let a lot more people know about her new book - and for me to know where to find YOU from now on too!!!

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  9. Interesting tour, Wendy...and CONGRATS! I love medical fiction...glad to hear about medical romance. Hope to win a book and/or gift card!

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  10. Hi Ju!
    I honestly don't think the content of romance novels is suitable for children under the age of, at minimum, sixteen. That's just my opinion.

    Thanks for stopping by!

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  11. Hi Laney4!
    I really appreciate you (and Ju) visiting me on my blog tour! As nice as it is to meet new people, it's nice to see some friendly names, too!

    Prior to when I received "the call", I was a voracious reader of romance. (And there were only a handful of times I couldn't finish a book.)

    I'm a nurse. I've seen death and dying. When I was 21 I lost my mom to cancer, after she'd suffered with it for years. I've worked as a home health care nurse in the slums. I volunteer at a local soup kitchen. I know in the real world happily ever after is not guarenteed - but I want it to be in my entertainment. Which is why I read romance!

    Your finding out about your biological dad sounds like a firm basis for a story!

    Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

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  12. Hi Jacki S!
    I'm so happy you like medical fiction. I hope you'll give medical romance a try!

    Good luck in the contest for a free copy of my book! Thanks for stopping by!

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  13. Hi again!
    I like the way you referred to reading books as entertainment. Yes, it is! Yet so many people are ashamed to admit they read romances! I think love is beautiful, and it pleases me to read these stories.
    I agree with needing a minimum age for romances that are written today. Way back when I started reading them, books didn't include sex scenes. They included romantic scenes, where they kissed and held hands. Pretty tame compared to today's "standards"!

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  14. Hi Laney4!
    Romance novels have changed quite a bit over the years. But there still are plenty of sweet ones. I've read that the boom in e-readers has been fueled by romance readers. Now, with an e-reader, no one can tell what you're reading by looking at the cover!

    Thanks for stopping back!

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  15. Hi Wendy, Hello Robyn,

    I've been reading romance novels from my late teens and haven't grown out of it yet! Lol! People do grow out of their teen habits, don't they?

    Thanks Robyn, for hosting Wendy, and all the best Wendy! You made many friends and fans along the way!

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  16. Hi Nas!
    I didn't start reading romance until my late thirties. But then I read so much I made up for lost time!

    Thanks for stopping by and for all the help you've given me on my blog tour!

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  17. Hi Robyn!
    Thank you so much for having me at your blog today. Unfortunately, I won't be around to stop back after this comment. I'm under deadline (Aug. 1st) and will be offline all weekend.

    Before I go, I'd like to announce the winner of my free book give away......

    Laney4!

    Congratulations, Laney4! Please visit my website. http://WendySMarcus.com. On my Contact page you'll find my e-mail. Please e-mail me your mailing address and I'll mail your book out next week!

    Thank you for stopping by to visit me, everyone!

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  18. Whoo hoo! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
    Just sent my email off.
    Have a great weekend!

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  19. HI Wendy! I read my first romance at 13 and...my father got it for me! He brought home a box of books - I read like crazy - filled with some romance novels and my mother freaked but as soon as I read the first few pages I knew i was hooked. I've been hooked for life, and knew I'd write them someday!

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  20. I read a lot of Harlequin Romances when I was a teen. My mother took them out of the library, so they were always around. I think I borrowed them from the library too.

    I think this romance sounds interesting. It has a more interesting plot than many of the ones I used to read.

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  21. Thanks Robyn, for the intro to Wendy. I think writers of all genres can learn great stuff from each other.

    Happy weekend!
    Karen :)

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  22. Cute cover and interesting description.

    I used to read so many Harlequin romances when I was a teen. They were addictive.

    Thanks for introducing me to Wendy.

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  23. Hi, Robyn. Thanks for having Wendy and sharing it. I too used to read Harlequin romances when I was a teen. Loved them.

    I’m dropping by to wish you a great weekend.

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  24. Great interview. I love book excerpts. Most every book holds a particular "something", "something" some one of us wishes to read.

    Romance novels provide an easy view of love that others can understand. Possibly they have no love, or lost love, and reading love stories keep their hopes high.

    Thank you Robyn, thank you Wendy.

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  25. I like it when genres mix it up. I'm not a romance reader, but that might be because I've never tried it. I'm not a fantasy reader either, but when a friend started writing it, I found there were some good stories in that genre. I think we benefit from breaking away from the same kind of reading and trying something new.

    Thanks for the introduction to Wendy's book.

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  26. This sounds like a fun read. I started reading some of my mom's romances when I was about thirteen, but I started with her older ones. They were A LOT tamer than the ones coming out nowadays.

    :-)

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  27. Thanks Robyn and Wendy for a great post! I have been playing around with the idea of reading romance novels again. I loved them when I was a young girl way back when. Wishing Wendy the best of luck :) I'm interested to check out your book.

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