Talk About My Favorite Authors: Tara S. Nichols (My Guest Blogger Again)

Today is a special day because I have a special Guest Blogger, and you probably remember her because she guest blogged before, her name is Tara S. Nichols and she has a new release today that she will be talking about today. Tara was nice enough to stop by the blog and talk about her second novel Secrets of Summer. I'm happy that she had enough time to stop by again and tells us about how Secrets of Summer came to be written and what it is about. You can visit her blog and her MySpace.

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Sometimes being a writer has its perks! Okay, most of the time being a writer is just plain perky. One of my favourite perks is the research. That may sound strange but considering what I write, research isn’t a bad thing. I’m not getting at the sex scenes either. My latest release, Secrets of Summer, published this past April through Cobblestone-press, is located on a gorgeous lake shore among an eclectic group of cottages. My family used to rent one of those cottages and it was just that which inspired me to write a summer crush romance based on what I would have liked to have happened to me. Naturally, to get the feel for the setting, I had to go down there in person.

Imagine the fine white sands burning the souls of your feet as you tip toe your way to your towel. Smell the sunscreen, bug spray and salty snacks of your fellow beach goers and ogle the buff scantily clad bodies as they parade around, dipping in and out of the water.

Wood smoke mingled with charring meats waft from your neighbour’s grill and the familiar semi damp decay of summer homes and cotton sheets greet you as you kick off your flip flops at the screen door.

Cottage living is easy and often relaxing but it can also be a great place to meet new people and to party. Temporary relationships, sometimes long lasting friendships, are common and perhaps, the deepest.

That is how it is for Pyper and Liam, two residents of Victoria Beach’s community. Living right next door to one another all their lives for half of the year, they were aware of each other, they just never were properly introduced. They travelled in different circles and even though both were curious about the other, it wasn’t until it was nearly too late that they finally really met.

Here’s an excerpt of Secrets of Summer:

Secrets of Summer by Tara S. Nichols

“I thought I wasn’t your type. I wanted you to want me, but you were always too busy with other girls.”

He looked away thoughtfully. “Yes, that’s true,” he admitted. “I was a busy boy.”
She couldn’t help but smile at his honesty.

“I’ve got to say, I am glad I never really got the chance to be with you though.”
Her skin went cold at his hurtful words. Here it was, she thought, feeling as though a door had slammed shut in her face.

Liam’s eyes widened. “Don’t get me wrong.” He reached out to touch her shoulder, as if trying to reassure her. “What I mean is, all those other girls were just fun. I had sex anywhere and everywhere I could, but it didn’t mean anything. I barely remember one girl from the next.”

She rolled her eyes. “I know. I also saw Lana Tucker’s head bobbing up and down on your prick, as you so elegantly called it, behind the movie house. You weren’t as discreet as you thought you were. If I didn’t see you myself, I certainly would have heard about it from the gossip flying about.”

“Yeah, and that is exactly what I was getting at. You were never a part of my tarnished past.”

He wasn’t making sense, and her suspicious nature didn’t help. She wanted to protect herself, pull away, but he held her fingers tight.

“You aren’t the only one with insecurities. When I saw you standing outside that first night, all those buried feelings resurfaced. You looked just the same; pure, innocent, delicate. And I just wanted to see you in your uniform again. Then when I was inside your house, saw the love and felt the safety that always surrounded you, I felt ashamed. I didn’t expect to feel this anxious, but I have a shady reputation, especially around here. Everything was so public, as you already know, but I’ve changed. Now I fear you’ll think I’m just a fling, or worse yet, cheap. I feared you would think I was too experienced, too dirty, and perhaps even too perverse.”

Her heart softened, and she smiled at his confession. Yes, she had wondered if he had changed. Yes, she had been tempted to just experience him, have a little fun if he offered, but now, seeing the distress in his eyes, she ached to reassure him, to tell him how much she wanted him. Besides, he had the wrong impression of her as well. She didn’t want to always be thought of as the innocent one. She wanted to explore a little. She wanted to have fun.

“I like you, Liam. I always have. We don’t really know each other, but I’d sure like to. There’s a wild side to me, too.”

The crease across his brow eased, and his fingers loosened their grip.

For a moment, she feared it might get awkward between them, the fire they had ignited seemed to be smoldering and threatening to snuff out.

Tipping her chin down, she looked up at him coyly through her lashes. “You know, I used to sleep on the top bunk, listening to you rutting in the bushes, and I would pretend it was me.”

His gaze darted to the window, then back to her. His eyebrows arched up quizzically, and she knew she’d recaptured the moment. Now she was the one initiating, the one with the dirty mind. She ran the tip of her tongue over her upper lip, feeling a surge of adrenalin at the idea of acting so seductive, so naughty.

“I had this urge,” she started with a sly look to the window, “to press my ass against the pane in hopes that you would see and maybe…” She trailed off, catching her bottom lip on her teeth. She could see his chest rising and falling faster as she spoke.

“Maybe I’d come over, open the window just a crack, enough to slid just one finger in?” he finished for her, his voice a low rumble as he picked up on her coy little game.

He moved another step closer, his eyes burning bright with lust once again. “That window isn’t too high, either. You could have stood on your tip toes, and your mouth might have just reached my poor, tortured pussy.” Describing her womanhood in such a way sent a wave of electricity to her groin. “I sure could have used a good tongue lashing. Especially after all of that filth I was reading.”

His hands reached along her arms, capturing them by her sides. “Why don’t you show me which bunk was yours?” His eyes narrowed, betraying his wicked intentions.

Her heart fluttered with anticipation. He took her hand and led her to the soft mattress on the bottom bunk. He sat down and pulled her to stand in front of him. His gaze roved all over the length of her, taking her all in with obvious delight.

“Man, do I ever wish you were wearing a skirt right now.” His voice sounded thick with lust.

“I do have one,” she suggested.

“No. Don’t change a thing. I want to take this opportunity right now.” He slid his fingers up under her sweater, and she gasped at the contact of his skin against hers. His fingers slid higher, bringing the bottom of the sweater up to expose her waist. She felt his warm breath against her abdomen, followed by the heat of his tongue inside her navel as he teased, tickled, and made small circles around the tiny dint, sending shivers of pleasure along her throat.

Here’s a little of my updated news. I signed a contract for Gamble's Game with BookStrands and that book is scheduled to come out January 2009. It’s a contemporary erotic romance.