Author Override: Diane Escalera

Author Override is the place where authors take the reins and take you on a journey into their world. Some may allow you into their private writing dens. Others may take you along with them on research trips or interviews. Whatever the case may be, sit back, relax and enjoy the ride because here you’ll get an in-depth look into an author’s musings.

 

Diane Escalera 

Thank you so much for hosting me. I really appreciate this awesome opportunity!

Let’s start with a quick introduction: Born and raised in the Bronx, NY, I relocated to South Florida, a sultry paradise I instantly fell in love with. I’m married, have two children and a super cute dachshund I can’t get enough of. I write hot contemporary romance, and I’m published with Kensington Publishing and Lyrical Press.

Still Hot for You is my latest release from Lyrical Press. When I set out to write this story, I wanted to do something different. I thought it would be fun to feature a married couple. Naturally, an established relationship required a totally different approach. Nothing beats the rush of excitement when two people fall head-over-heels. So why stray away from a proven formula?

Love stories often leave us with an image of a beautiful couple riding off into the sunset. But what happens after the happily ever? Okay, the mundane day-to-day routine of a busy life is not romantic. How about a couple trying to reignite the passion they once had? Falling in love is easy. Going through the joys, trials and tribulations of a relationship and coming out still bonded in your love… now that’s sexy!

Take a peek into the marriage of Dylan and Shay LaCosta. Theirs is a hot and steamy union, with an even hotter couple. Just like in real life, relationships have problems. But when two people are meant to be, they fight with each other, and they fight for each other.

Want to get your man talking? Give him booty!

Desperate times call for desperate measures. And Shay LaCosta is pretty desperate. She's wrecked her blissful marriage of five years by demanding she and her husband Dylan have a baby. What the hell was she thinking? She knows she was wrong and she’s ready to set things right, if only Dylan will let her. Bet he can’t shun her Booty Camp offer: delicious, white-hot sex in exchange for what’s going on inside his brain.

Dylan may be macho and stubborn, but he really does miss his wife. A little of Shay's pushing gets him past their estrangement and into her web of seduction. She seems to have an erotic week mapped out to perfection, and who is he to complain? Their marriage is meant to be, so they'll fight with each other, and they'll fight for each other.

WARNING: Racy Language, Hot Sex, Seduction

READ OUR REVIEW

STILL HOT FOR YOU EXCERPT

Shay’s heart rate kicked up a notch when Dylan entered her space. She looked at her husband. Poor guy. Worry filled those pretty blue eyes that five years later, still melted her on contact. He looked beat. But gorgeous.

Propped against the doorframe, he watched her suspiciously. His gaze lingered on her snug denim cut-offs. Slowly, his focus trailed up to her white, spaghetti-strap cami that did nothing to hide her erect tan nipples.

Shay held her breath. She titled her head to the side, and her smooth dark hair cascaded in lush waves over her shoulder.

“What’s up?” Dylan asked, in a husky tone.

Most days, she had already gone to bed when he got home from work. They rarely saw each other, let alone when Shay was dressed like that. “Hungry?”

She stepped into the light so he could see every inch of her sweet curves. Her husband flinched and she knew she’d gotten to him. Good. Because this was what he’d been missing.

Dylan dropped his work stuff on the kitchen stool. He looked at her, his gaze sweeping her up and down again. “You cooked?”

“Uh-huh.” She took in his handsome face. Did he still love her? “Shocking, huh?”

He nodded. “About as shocking as…” His chin pointed at her transparent top. “What is this? The calm before the storm?” His jaw tightened. He looked like he was waiting for a bomb to drop.

“It’s just shorts and a tank,” she said, shrugging it off. Underneath, her body felt tingly and nervous. Hopefully, she wasn’t making a fool of herself. What if he rejected her? Whatever. She had to give it a shot. “I’m just about done here. Why don’t you go change while I finish up?”

He stared straight ahead. “Okay.”

She watched him stroll away, his gait strong, fit and purposeful. She didn’t want to be angry with Dylan anymore. After months of mulish behavior, she’d rationalized her situation. At twenty-nine, she had plenty of time to start a family. It’s not like Dylan didn’t want kids. He did. He just had this need to secure their future first. The man showed tenacity, but didn’t she love that about him?

While he changed, Shay spread out the meal. She used the good china and lit a line of candles down the center of the table. Dimming the overhead lamp instantly transformed the mood to soft and relaxing. Barefoot, she sauntered over to the stereo and clicked on the CD player, already loaded with atmosphere music. She chose something not too romantic, just a light, melodic tune.

Back at the table, she tinkered with the wineglasses. She straightened a fork, aligned the salad dressing.

“Whoa,” Dylan said from the hallway.

She looked over her shoulder and smiled. Dropping into a tall, cushioned chair, she kept her eyes on him as he strode her way.

Faded jeans hung low on his waist. A white athletic undershirt smothered his hard upper body. Wide arms pressed against a V-shaped torso. Bright eyes contrasted with spiky dark hair. At thirty-two, Dylan was pure hotness. “Going all out tonight?” He checked out the glamorous display.

“Yep.” Her eyes raked over the tribal armband tattoo inked into his upper left arm. God, it was sexy. God, he was sexy. Almost as sexy as the first time she’d seen him in her father’s living room. He’d come with his own dad, a carpenter who’d been hired to work around her parents’ estate. It’d been an instant, mutual, heated attraction. Tall, dark and proud, he’d made a tool belt look like a sex toy. Blue eyes and a sinister grin--she had fallen hard.

Still Hot for You is Available Now at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, and Digital Bookstores everywhere. The price has been lowered and is now $1.99!!!

Please visit DianeEscalera.com to learn more about my sexy tales. I love to interact with readers! Like my fan page on Facebook.com/DianeEscaleraOfficial. Follow me on Twitter.com/DianeEscalera.

 

Diane Escalera will be giving away a ecopy of STILL HOT FOR YOU. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ARC Review + Giveaway: Still Hot For You by Diane Escalera

Still Hot for You

by Diane Escalera

Five years into her marriage with Dylan and Shay is feeling like they are in a rut. Since their wild days as young people in love, Shay wants to rekindle that spark they used to have. Though Dylan and Shay are well off now, Shay wants a baby in her life. However, Dylan isn’t ready for one. His contracting business is just taking off and with it are Dylan’s aspirations of making this a successful business so that he and Shay can live a comfortable life without financial worries.

In a desperate attempt to end this lack of communication phase between them, Shay turns up the heat by going back to the things they loved before things got too series and complacent. Shay adds adventure and fire back into their relationship by doing simple things that shows her appreciate for Dylan again.

I found that Shay was a very likeable character. She was strong and determined, learning what the problem was in their relationship and addressing that problem directly. I liked that in addition to the heat she brought back into the relationship, they also were successful in solving the problem that made them drift apart from one another.

The good thing about the characters in this book is that they aren’t bitter, nor do they fully blame the other for the distance they both caused in their relationship. It was interesting to see how Ms. Escalera put these two strong characters together and made them work for their relationship. The fact that they are willing to hash things out between themselves makes me love this book even more!

In addition to the great building of trust and emotion is the fact that Dylan is super hot. I just adore Diane Escalera’s heroes! She has a knack for creating heroes that you can’t help but drool over. Dylan is the perfect blend of bad boy and charming gentleman, making me wish that he was real so I can snatch him for myself.
Needless to say, this short story packed a lot of heat! It was sexy and teasing, giving just the right amount of sizzle to keep readers wanting more.

STILL HOT FOR YOU is passionate and sizzling, an engaging, beautiful story of two people who got the lucky chance to fall in love twice.

*ARC provided by author

 

Interview and Giveaway with Diane Escalera!

DIANE ESCALERA

What up Maidens! Today we have contemporary romance author, Diane Escalera with us! She’ll be talking about her writing habits and preferences as well as her new book, Dangerous Desire! So please help me welcome Diane to Under the Covers! For more information about Diane, please visit her website at: www.DianeEscalera.com

UTC: First off, thanks so much for chatting with us today! We really appreciate it! You say that writing for you has become one of the greatest joys of your life. How did you first get into writing?

Thank you for having me! And thanks for the awesome 4 star review!

Unlike most authors, I didn’t know I was destined to write. In fact, I worked in banking for many years, but deep down knew that is wasn’t my dream job. At the young age of thirty-five, my sister died of an illness. I realized the same thing could happen to me. There are no guarantees. I couldn’t waste another moment doing something I didn’t love. Writing was one of my greatest joys when I was growing up. While still working at the bank, I decided to enroll in an intensive course where I learned everything I could about the craft. It didn’t take long before I left the bank to pursue a writing career.

UTC: Who is your favourite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

I have a few favorites, but if I had to pick one, it would have to be Linda Howard. Her writing seems so effortless, but as an author, I know how hard that is to do. She balances the story with equal amounts of romance, suspense, and of course hot sex! I wait impatiently for her next book.

UTC: Linda Howard is a class act. Great choice! What is the biggest challenge for you in regards to writing and how do you overcome those challenges?

I think my greatest challenge is not letting the business side of writing monopolize my day. Given today’s technology, one could easily be on the internet for hours. It’s wonderful to connect with the outside world, but at the same time, a writer needs to keep producing. It takes discipline, and I try hard to balance writing, promotions, networking and all those other glamorous things an author must do.

UTC: Do you have any interesting writing quirks?

Hmm. Not really. While I’m more of a pantser, I do need to have a few things in place before I start a new book such as a working title, my main characters, and the premise of the story. I like to have an idea where I’m going, but I’m never sure how I’m going to get there until I start writing.

UTC: Dangerous Desire takes on the issue of illegal dog fighting. This topic isn't featured in many books. How did this become the basis of your storyline? What interested you so much to write a book about it?

This question comes up a lot. Because of the unusual plot, I decided to do a separate post where I go into more detail on how the story came about. Check it out. You’ll be surprised to learn what triggered the idea.

UTC: Your characters are so relatable and fun. What characteristic do you think all strong lead characters should have?

Thanks so much! I try to create characters that everyone can relate to, people I’d want to hang out with in real life. It’s about character, integrity, compassion and heart. Oh, and a sense of humor! Nothing beats a good laugh.

UTC: Cole Santino, Cruz's brother is smokin' hawt! Can we expect to hear more about him? Perhaps in his own book? Naturally that means I’m his heroine, right? Right?

Lol. Yep! You’re the only woman for him. Yeah, Cole is hero material. I always thought about giving him his own story, and that’s why Dangerous Desire ended the way it did. A sequel is definitely calling out to me. Don’t worry. I’ll consult with you on the juicy parts!

UTC: *fans self* Oh, I can’t wait now! Meanwhile, what is on your nightstand right now? Any good books you've read that you'd like to recommend?

Don’t laugh. My mom just gave me a Christian book to read. I think she’s trying to tell me something! It’s actually a cute story, and I will read it, but still… Right now, I’m reading Lori Foster’s Trace of Fever. It’s a little more up my alley.

UTC: Tell us, what's next for Diane Escalera?

The Print edition of Dangerous Desire will be out in October. I’m also excited to announce that I just sold a novella to Lyrical Press, which comes out in March 2012. Sexy, fun and romantic, Still Hot for You takes a peek into the marriage of Dylan and Shay LaCosta. Theirs is a hot and steamy union, with an even hotter couple. Just like in real life, relationships have problems. But when two people are meant to be, they fight with each other, and they fight for each other.

Dangerous Desire is available now at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Lyrical Press, and digital bookstores everywhere.

Please visit DianeEscalera.com to learn more about my sexy tales. I love to interact with readers! “Like” my fan page on Facebook.com/DianeEscaleraOfficial. Follow me on Twitter.com/DianeEscalera.

Thanks to Diane once again for taking the time to chat with us! She has graciously offered to give away one ecopy of her book, Dangerous Desire to a lucky entrant. To enter, please:
1. Be a follower
2. Fill out the form below

Review: Dangerous Desire by Diane Escalera

Dangerous Desire

by Diane Escalera

Contemporary Romance

I really enjoyed reading this one! At first, I was a little skeptical about the whole pet detective thing. I wasn’t sure how something like this would hold my attention, but I was thrilled to admit that I loved it!

Dangerous Desire starts off when Sienna Diaz comes home after losing her job. She hopes to gain some comfort from her little Beagle Zola, but instead she finds her home broken into and her precious Zola gone! In an effort to get her little Zola back, she contacts her Cruz Santino, an ex-cop who runs Top Dawg. When the evidence shows that little Zola may have been taken to use in a dogfighting ring, things get pretty rough.

Now let’s start with all the things I loved about this book....First off,  Cruz is some hawt stuff! I adored his character and from the moment he was introduced, I realized then that I would love this book! Ms. Escalera does a fantastic job with her characters. I absolutely fell in love with all of them! Sienna is a complete sweetheart and I loved reading from her POV. Tori, Sienna’s best friend was freakin’ hilarious! She may be my favourite of all. I loved her rapier wit and upbeat personality! I almost wish she were real so I could be friends with her. Dan, Tori’s boyfriend was always a great character. I loved his dynamic with Cruz. And lastly, Cole, Cruz’s brother. Wow, what can I say? Please tell me there’s a book about him! I would love to read it!

In addition to the great characters, I also really loved the bursts of personality that Ms. Escalera added in. The humor was fantastic, making me laugh out loud at some of the things I’ve read. I can truly say I really enjoyed reading this one.

The plot progressed smoothly and efficiently and I loved the author’s overall writing style. This review is bordering on a fangirl obsession, so I’ll just say this. Dangerous Desire was a great read that got me all hot and bothered over Cruz and laughing out loud with Sienna and Tori. If you’re looking for an entertaining read, then this is it. Look no further.

 

 Purchase links: Amazon

Author Override: Diane Escalera

Author Override is the place where authors take the reins and take you on a journey into their world. Some may allow you into their private writing dens. Others may take you along with them on research trips or interviews. Whatever the case may be, sit back, relax and enjoy the ride because here you’ll get an in-depth look into an author’s musings.

Today's guest blogger is no other than Diane Escalera! Diane is the author of Dangerous Desires, a book filled with heat and heart. In this book, Diane tackles the issue of illegal dogfighting and in her post, she talks about what inspired her to write about this. Come check it out!

 

Diane Escalera 

Thank you so much, Annie, for having me. I really appreciate this awesome opportunity! Now that Dangerous Desire has been reviewed, I’d like to go behind the scenes and tell you how the story came about.

When I set out to write Dangerous Desire, I wanted to do something different, a little more edgy than my previous books. I chose to make the hero a pet detective (No. He’s nothing like Ace Ventura!) because frankly, I hadn’t seen many tough guys with this profession. A love for animals softened his hard exterior. I found it attractive, and thought my heroine would too.

I knew who my hero was. How would he utilize his special skills? While I was brainstorming ideas, pro football player Michael Vick’s dogfighting scandal made headlines. Believe it or not, it spurred the plot for Dangerous Desire!

I’m an animal lover, and I had strong feelings about dogfighting. Still, the story called out to me. I like to write about real-life issues. Bad things happen, and I try not to shy away from something just because it might be unpopular.

But I digress… After all, Dangerous Desire is a hot romance! It’s a story about a second chance at love. The road to a happy ending may have some bumps along the way. It doesn’t stop us from trying to reach our destination.

Excerpt

In full view, Cruz stripped off his sweaty black tee and Sienna nearly had a heart attack. Jesus Christ. The men at her gym would’ve despised him. Her eyes slowly drank him in. Good God. He had the sexiest bod she’d ever seen. Taut and tan, his muscles were chiseled in a way that gave his dimensions beautiful symmetry. Tori would’ve been impressed. She’d always preached about the importance of muscle balance. Some men took it to the extreme. Not Cruz. He sported a tapered waist with shredded abs, V-shaped torso, and arms that made her drool because, if she had to pick a favorite body part, arms were it.

He used the dirty shirt to dry sweat off his gorgeous frame. Her eyes followed his movements, stopping at the bulldog tattoo etched on his sculpted pec, with the word Marines below. He’d been in the service, a kickass Marine. How hot!
He busted her checking him out.
She yanked her eyes away. Jeez. Her face probably looked as red as it felt.
Holding up a fresh shirt, he shook it out a few times. The sound of fabric caught her attention. Her gaze slid that way again. Okay. Sound had nothing to do with it. She just had to look one more time. He pulled the shirt over his head. Terrific. Now he wore a white muscle shirt tailor-made for his ripped physique. The thing should’ve been outlawed.
Wearing a sly smirk, he combed his fingers through his short, spiky hair. Running down the inside of his arm below his rock-hard biceps, he had another tattoo, this one with five small Chinese symbols. What a unique spot for a tattoo, and unbelievably sexy, like everything else about him. Even his name sounded hot.
He climbed into the driver’s seat and snapped his door shut. He didn’t look at her, but then, he didn’t have to. She knew he knew what kind of effect that little display had on her. Oh yeah. He had it written all over that smug face. He might be a soaking-wet dream she didn’t mind entertaining on a nightly basis, but she didn’t have to be so obvious.
Sienna grabbed her seatbelt and tried to latch it.
“Damn,” Cruz mumbled, as he watched her struggle with the belt. He turned on the ignition and flipped the air conditioning to the highest setting.
She looked at his face instead of his sinewy arm. It took willpower, because those arms really did it for her. “Is there a trick?” The mechanism wouldn’t click into place.
“I keep forgetting to get that thing checked,” he said. “Don’t usually carry passengers except for Roman.” He looked back at his dog and grinned. Roman sat on the bench seat patiently waiting to go bye-bye.
“It doesn’t work at all?” She preferred to wear a seatbelt, and not just because of the law. South Florida had some loony drivers.
“It just takes a little maneuvering,” he replied. “Let me give it a try.” He turned all that magnificence toward her and reached across her chest.
Holy crap, he was totally in her face, his delicious body stretched across her lap. She held her breath and pressed her back into the seat, felt his weight, smelled his soap and baby shampoo. Her every cell fell under his spell. She tried to find her voice. “Any luck?” she squeaked out.
They were eye-to-eye, his mouth so close that if she puckered her lips, that would be it. His gaze traveled downward. He tilted his head like he wanted to kiss her. Uh-oh. She hadn’t made out in years. She probably sucked at it by now. A magnetic intensity pulled her to him, and she had a feeling she’d relearn pretty quickly. Her body buzzed with sexual urgency. Not once in her life had she felt this consumed, this desperate to feel a man’s lips on hers.

Dangerous Desire is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Lyrical Press, and digital bookstores everywhere. The Print Edition comes out in October.

Please visit DianeEscalera.com to learn more about my sexy tales. I love to interact with readers! “Like” my fan page on Facebook.com/DianeEscaleraOfficial. Follow me on Twitter.com/DianeEscalera.

 

Diane Escalera will be giving away a ecopy of Dangerous Desire. To win this, you must:

1. Be a follower

2. Fill out the form below

Open to everyone! Good luck!