Thank you for having me on your blog today, Sidney. Hooked Up at the Wedding is a collection of short stories by myself, Emma Lai and Sandra Sookoo.
I’ve never written anything below 30,000 words so to write 2 short stories around 3,000 words was a challenge for me. But first let me tell you how this all started. Around the beginning of March 2012, Emma Lai contacted me asking me if I’d like to participate with her and another author in writing two short works of 3,000 words for an anthology called Hooked Up at the Wedding.
I know Emma and Sandra from writers loops and on-line. We’ve all read each other’s work. Emma knew this year was going to be a challenge for me because I was leaving the day job at the end of April and I would start preparing to move two states away this summer. I also knew this, but told her sure I’d do the anthology. I had a deadline of May 1st there shouldn’t be an issue.
I will say, I’m a very bad procrastinator. I waited until the first week of April to even brainstorm the ideas. I quickly wrote the first story sent it to my critique group, then wrote the second one. As my critique group sent the first one back, I sent them the second one and then began edits on the first story.
I managed to make the deadline and survive. What I really enjoyed was being able to take two characters, put them in a situation and see what happens. In this case the theme was Hooked Up at the Wedding. It wasn’t about the bride and groom, but those either attending the wedding, catering the wedding, best man, maid of honor, friends or complete strangers who were just attending the same wedding.
Because I write erotic romance, for me, I wanted these stories to have that erotic flavor but with the happily ever after at the end.
In my first short – Unexpected Gift, my characters did not know each other before the wedding. There was a connection, my heroine wants one night no strings attached and so does the hero. But of course things don’t go that way.
Here’s the blub for Unexpected Gift:
Most men can’t handle Sabrina Orin’s job as a doctor since the hours can be 24/7, but she still has needs. What better way to satisfy them than to hook up with a hot guest at a wedding?
Ryan Caine never expected to find a woman at the wedding he’d want to hook up with, and when Sabrina agrees to go to his room with him, he finds he doesn’t want to let her go, but she’s gone when he wakes in the morning. What’s a man to do?
The second short – Unexpected Surprise, I went with two characters who knew each other but due to a circumstance had avoided each other until they were best man and brides maid.
Here’s the blurb for Unexpected Surprise:
Eric Montgomery has had the hots for his best friend’s fiancee’s maid of honor for months. When he finds her in his hotel room and his bed, he thinks the gods are granting him a gift.
Close proximity to the sexy best man has left Marina Landers desperate for release, and when Eric appears in her hotel bedroom, she seizes the opportunity to find out if the rumors about his domineering ways are true.
They have a wild night of kinky sex, both thinking when morning arrives, they’ll go their separate ways, but things don’t go quite as planned.
I had a blast writing these two short stories. Coming up next is Hooked Up The Game Plan: The secret fantasy, hooking up with someone, no strings attached, then walking away. While at a sporting event or even on the way to or from one, has a hot body on the field or a fellow fan caught your eye and triggered the “what if” question? In an adrenaline-filled situation, where it’s all about showing some enthusiasm, four authors present four short stories about just that.
Watch the book trailer for Hooked Up at the Wedding at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdGuhe3JloQ&feature=youtu.be
You can find Hooked Up at the Wedding at:
All About Romance: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-hookedupatthewedding-804558-144.html
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/167258?ref=sybaritepress
Bio: A voracious reader since her teenage years, Marie can’t remember a time when she didn’t have a TBR pile that was the size of a bookcase. Marie first tried her hand at writing when she was sixteen, and since then the writing bug had bitten her good.
In 1994, Marie joined RWA and a few years later realized she’d found where she wanted to be and became serious about being published. Now, Marie is published with The Wild Rose Press in their Scarlet Rose line and with Sybarite Seductions.
You can find Marie at:
Website: www.mairetuhart.com
Twitter: @marietuhart
Facebook: www.facebook.com/marietuhart
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/MarieTuhart
It was a blast working on this project with you Marie. I loved both of your stories and can’t wait to see what you come up with for The Game Plan. 🙂
Emma Lai recently posted..Welcome to the Writings of Emma Lai
Hi Emma, it was a blast working with you. Working on The Game Plan now.
HI Sidney, Hi Marie!
I have Hooked Up At The Wedding already waiting for me on my Kindle. 🙂 I enjoy reading the premise of a no-strings attached fling that leads to something more.
Cool book trailer! Thanks for the link.
Hi Isabel,
Thanks for buying Hooked Up at the Wedding. The book trailer is great, thanks to Sandra for doing it.
Hi Sidney and Marie,
Loved the Hooked stories and am very intrigued by the no strings idea. Can’t wait! Thanks for the background on how these stories and your career evolved. Very fun to read.
Nicci