To celebrate Monica La Porta's The Fifth Moon’s Wolf release, she's invited our fellow partners in crime in the Bad Boy Alpha project to answer her 8 questions. I'm re-posting these fun answers, but you can see the original post HERE.
Today is C.E. Black’s turn. Her Shifted Under Construction is a sizzling read that was recommended on the USA Today HEA blog.
Bedroom eyes and rock hard abs make for yummy eye candy, but Harper Mattox knows a bad boy when she sees him. She’s been there, done that, and refuses to buy the T-shirt. The scar was enough of a souvenir.
When Harper agrees to be the temporary secretary at H&V Construction as a favor to her best friends’ husband, Adam Hughes, she thought her days would be spent behind the desk, organizing until her heart was content. She had no idea she’d have to put up with the walking sex-on-a-stick Christian Viera. AKA, her other boss. No matter how many times she turns him down, he just oozes more charm in her direction, weakening her knees, as well as her resolve. And it’s only her first day!
A threat on Harper’s life has Chris ready and willing to protect her, showing off an animalistic side she never knew existed. She’s known violence in her past and has no room for it in her life now. Is the fiery passion between them enough to stick it out? Can she accept him? Fur, claws, fangs, and all?
And now, let’s meet C.E.:
When you were a kid you wanted to be…?
C.E.: As a kid, and even a young adult, I had a hard time settling on one career goal. I do remember, however, wanting to be a teacher when I was in high school. Even took Teacher Cadets, which was a class to prepare students who wanted to go into the education field. But it wasn’t for me. At the time, I loved math and really wanted to teach algebra. Really hard to teach to a group of kids that are so close in age to yourself. So, I decided I’d go into accounting instead, and somehow ended up doing neither and became a stay at home mom.
Strangely, I now can’t remember a lick of Algebra, and what I once dreaded, reading and writing, have become something more than important to me. I only wish it had been so twenty years ago. I could have been doing this forever. Funny thing, when I was ten, I did write a short story for a writing competition, but I just didn’t have faith in myself, so I gave it up. If I only knew then…
The first book you read was…?
C.E.: I haven’t a clue. I must have been too young to remember. My memory is crap anyway.
You discovered you were quite good at writing when…?
C.E.: I still don’t know if I’m good at writing. Some people say so, others don’t. I enjoy writing, and I enjoy hearing from readers who have taken pleasure in reading one of my stories. But I wouldn’t say I’m necessarily good at it, though I keep trying to be better.
As a reader, your favorite genre is…?
C.E.: Romance.
Why do you like bad boys…?
C.E.: My hubby had once been considered a bad boy. Though he was never ‘bad’ around me. In fact, I remember hanging out with him and some of his friends when were dating, he seemed so subdued, though I’d heard all kinds of wild stories. Come to find out, he wanted to change. For me. Blew my mind! When does that happen? The bad boy reforming for the good girl? Which I was. I was the classic, good girl. But I just couldn’t help falling for the quiet, blue eyed, tattooed bad boy. I guess they still appeal to me even after being married to one for over fifteen years.
You write…?
C.E.: I write whatever wild story comes to mind. Right now, I’ve been sticking to paranormal and fantasy romance. But I’m hoping to venture into other sub genres soon.
The praise about your writing you like the most is…?
C.E.: Hands down, the best praise I have ever received has been when readers speak of the emotion they felt while reading my book. Whether they curse, laugh, cry, or swoon for the characters and their plights, it all makes me smile and want to write another book. This quote from a reviewer really stayed with me. “You don’t just read her words, you feel them.” What better praise is there than that?
What’s next…?
C.E.: Oh, my plate is so full! I have a ton of books sitting, waiting for me to either get started on them or finish. Though coming next, I’ll have a story in a multi-authored boxed set titled, A Wicked Halloween.
Each story will be set during Halloween, in Salem, Mass. My book, Behind The Mask, features cunning witches and sexy vampires. It has mystery, and it has romance, of course. But what it’s really about is a woman who hides behind a mask of insecurity, refusing to see who and what she really is. While she searches for what she thinks is her salvation, she ends up finding out her truest desire isn’t exactly what she thought it would be.
This boxed set, along with my book, Behind The Mask, will be released in October.
I’m also working on Book 4 of my Alpha Division Series. I can’t tell you much about that one, but I can say that this book will feature Leo, and maybe one other division member. And that’s all you’re getting. My lips are sealed. For now.
Other than that, I have so many books in the works, I only need more time to write them.
Find more about C.E. Black and her work at www.ceblack.org
About Monica La Porta
My name is Monica La Porta. I was born in Rome, 41 years ago, and I have been living in the green Pacific Northwest for the last ten. I am married (my husband is strongly encouraging me to write how lucky I am, and how great he is), I have two kids (they are not encouraging me, strongly or otherwise, to do anything since they are teenagers, and therefore I am a constant source of embarrassment for them), I also have two beagles (they are currently barking in the backyard. I am not sure if it means something else other than the fact that the rabbits are back). When I am not busy with the aforementioned group of bypeds and quadrupeds, I like to write, read, paint, sculpt, walk, and cook.
monicalaporta.com