Amethyst Dreams by N.J. Walters

1.) How old were you when you began writing? Did your first works become published or is it still somewhere gathering dust, so to speak?

Like most teenagers, I wrote angst-ridden poetry. I didn't really start writing until I was in my early thirties. I wrote two books and put them away. I picked up writing again when I was thirty-nine and published my first book--Annabelle Lee-- with Ellora's Cave just before my fortieth birthday.Those first two books were dusted off and rewritten. They published with Samhain Publishing as Discovering Dani and The Way Home, the first two books in my Jamesville series.

2.) Are you a morning person or a night owl? When do you find you are most productive?

Definitely a morning person. I like to write right after breakfast. I leave the editing and promotion and other things until the afternoon or evening.

3.) What is your favorite genre to write?

Romance...any kind of romance. LOL I've written contemporary, paranormal, suspense, time-travel, fantasy, shapeshifter, and menage a trois. I like the fact that I can write in different areas of the romance genre. Keeps it interesting.

4.) Did you pick your genre or did your genre pick you?

I was an avid romance reader for years and years. It didn't occur to me to write anything else.

5.) Do you write full time or do you have a day job? If you do write full time, what do you find is the hardest aspect of having a career as a romance writer?

I now write full time. I had a day job when I started but I was able to leave that within a year of publishing my first book.The hardest aspect of having a writing career is that you work at home so you are always working or thinking about work. And if you're not working, you feel guilty for not working. Also, the more you publish, the less time you have for actual writing. There is editing, promotions, newsletters, website updates, blogs, etc... And they all take time. Not that I'm complaining. I love it all and wouldn't change a thing.

6.) Do you like to read? If so, what is your favorite genre to read?

What are you reading now? I love to read. I have to read every day even if it's only for a half hour. Obviously, romance is my favorite genre to read. I just finished Christine Feehan's last book in the Drake sisters saga. Loved it! I also read the new Rachel Lee Conard County book from Silhouette books. I have all her Conard County books.

7.) Name a few things that you've done in your life that have helped you create characters or plots in your fiction. Examples might be sky diving or doing martial arts, etc. If nothing comes to mind, do you do much research to help with characterization and plot building?

I've lived at both ends of the country and a couple of places in-between. That exposed me to a variety of people and towns and cities. That has definitely had an impact on my writing. When it comes to research, I do some before I start a book, especially if I have a solid idea of what the plot is. But most of the research comes during or after I finish a rough draft. I let the characters tell me what they need.

8.) Can you tell your fans a little bit about Amethyst Dreams?

Amethyst Dreams is a sequel to Amethyst Moon, but can be read as a stand alone book. I had a female character--Augustine Mitchell--who readers got to meet in Amethyst Moon. She's a strong, determined lady, plus she has no idea what happened to her friend who disappeared in the Amethyst Moon. I figured what better way for her to find out what happened then for her to actually go to the alternate world herself. Add two hunky warriors into the mix and you've got yourself a book. *g*

9.) What are you working on now?

I just handed in the final book in a trilogy that I'm writing for Ellora's Cave. Project Alpha is a dark, futuristic series that I had a blast writing. The first book in the series, EMBRACING SILENCE, is due out on August 21st. I'm very excited about this series.I'm thinking about my next project, which will probably be another book for my Tapestries series.

10.) What is your one guilty pleasure, non-writing related, of course?

Chocolate. LOL I love it. I eat too much of it. That and hot fudge sundaes. YUM!Readers can check out all my books on my website at: http://www.njwalters.commy blog:http://www.njwalters.blogspot.comor my newsletter:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakeningdesires/Thanks so much for inviting me to be a guest on your blog, Taylor

Amethyst Dreams
©2009 N.J. Walters
All Rights Reserved, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.

http://www.ellorascave.com/productpage.asp?ISBN=9781419920820
http://www.jasminejade.com/p-7369-amethyst-dreams.aspx

BLURB:

Sequel to Amethyst Moon.

Dr. Augustine Mitchell has made her career researching a lost civilization. She owes her success to her colleague and friend, Olivia Fifield, who mysteriously disappeared four years earlier, leaving her with a set of notes, a vague letter and a silver and amethyst necklace.

Decisions and dreams plague her waking and sleeping hours. At a crossroads in her life, Augustine sets off on an archeological dig. The discovery of a secret room sets off a chain of events that land her in the world of T’ar Tal and in the arms of two sexy men—Rorik and Kirce.

Augustine is shocked when the men from her dreams are suddenly real. There is no denying the sexual chemistry that sparks between her and her two lovers, but there are seemingly insurmountable problems as well. Their destinies are entwined, but only Augustine can decide their fate.

EXCERPT:

Augustine wasn’t an overly sexual woman, yet that wasn’t the case around this stranger. He brought out parts of her that she’d kept buried most of her life. She was Augustine Mitchell—sensible, levelheaded and able to hold her own, physically and intellectually, with all the other men on a dig. She didn’t recognize this Augustine, the feminine, sensual one.

Squaring her shoulders she stared him down, ignoring the fact that he looked even larger with his arms folded across his massive chest. His biceps were huge. Still, she’d never backed down from anyone in her life and she wasn’t about to start with some man from her dreams. “Why shouldn’t I be here? This is my dream.”

She sensed his frustration even though he didn’t move, didn’t make any little betraying gesture. The man was incredibly self-contained.

“It is not safe for you to be around me.”

She watched, fascinated as his fingers opened and closed into fists. She didn’t fear he’d hurt her. On the contrary, she had the feeling that this man was always in control, maybe too much so. “Why isn’t it safe?” Augustine almost didn’t recognize the purring, flirty tones of her voice.

She took a step toward him. He didn’t move, not even when she placed her palm in the center of his chest and felt the fast, heavy thud of his heart. He wasn’t as unaffected as he wanted her to believe. Something nudged her belly and she automatically shifted closer. There was no mistaking the rather impressive erection prodding at her stomach. Even though there were several layers of clothing between them, his shaft felt hot.

“I don’t want this,” he grated out from between clenched teeth. His eyes darkened as he lowered his head.

“Then leave.” She smoothed her fingers over his collarbone before testing the thick muscles of his shoulders. “It’s just a dream.”

He shook his head, causing his long hair to brush against the side of her face. “It’s more than a dream, Augustine. And it may already be too late.”

Before she could ask him what he meant by that, he captured her mouth with his. She’d been both right and wrong about his lips. They were firm, but they were soft too. His tongue slipped along the seam of her lips seeking entrance, and she gave it willingly, eagerly. He surged inside, running his tongue over the edge of her teeth before exploring the cavern of her mouth.

Rorik seemed to suck all the breath from her body as he laid siege to her mouth. She wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging to him. Somewhere along the way, he’d palmed her ass, tilting her hips inward so her mound was pressed directly against his swollen cock.

Augustine groaned and tried to suck in a breath, but it was impossible. The night, the sky, the moon, the oasis, all disappeared. Nothing existed but Rorik. Time disappeared as the kiss went on and on. She would have stayed there forever, but he finally broke away. Gasping for breath, she stared up at him. His eyes were totally black, his face even harder than before.

If she’d met him in a dark alley, she’d have been scared to death of him. But here in her dreams, she felt safe. Plus, somewhere deep inside her, she knew he’d never hurt her. Not physically. She didn’t question her instincts. They’d saved her life more than once over the years and she trusted them implicitly.

“You should go before it’s too late.” His fingers tightened around her bottom as he uttered the warning.

She leaned closer, brushing soft kisses across his jaw. “I think it’s already too late.” She didn’t want to leave. Not now.

“It’s not too late for me, is it?”

She whirled around at the sound of another male voice. Rorik wrapped his forearm around her stomach, keeping her close. The newcomer was tall, not as tall as Rorik, but he was still larger than her. His hair was a little longer than Rorik’s, but it was a dark brown instead of black. He wasn’t quite as broad as Rorik, but was certainly an impressive specimen of manhood. If she hadn’t met Rorik first, she would definitely have been attracted to him. Was attracted to him.

“So it has begun.” Rorik’s whispered words sent a shiver down her spine and not a good one. He didn’t sound happy about this.