An Interview with Debra St. John and a Contest!

Please welcome Debra St. John to my blog today!

Alisha: Can you tell us a little bit about your childhood? Favorite memories?

Debra: I guess my childhood was ordinary. I grew up in the Chicago suburbs (several of them) with my Mom and Dad and my younger sister. My favorite childhood memory is sitting on my mom's lap and listening to her read Dr. Seuss to me. To this day, he remains one of my favorite authors.

Alisha: Tell us about the hero and heroine in your latest release.

Debra: My next release (due out sometime in 2009) is called "Wild Wedding Weekend". The hero, Noah Grant, is an adventurer who doesn't like to sit still and has no intention of ever settling down. Of course, then along comes Abby Walker, who wants the white-picket-fence-around-the-yard-with-2.3-kids-in-the-house American dream. In a strange quirk of fate they wind up married. The chaos, romance, and excitement that results changes both of their lives forever.

Alisha: If you were granted three wishes by a genie, what would they be?

Debra: Contentment, more time to do the things I like and be with the people I love, and enough money to pay off my debt.

Alisha: If you could go anywhere tomorrow, where would you go?

Debra: Disney World. I haven't been there in forever, and it IS the happiest place on Earth! (Of course this is cheating a bit, since I have a trip planned for February, but I'm antsy!)

Alisha: If you could choose six people to spend one week on a desert island, who would it be and why?

Debra: I would choose my wonderful hubby and then five of our closest friends (no kids!), so we could hang out under the sun and stars and not have to worry about anything else for an entire week.

Alisha: That sounds WONDERFUL! What word or phrase tingles in all the right places for you?

Debra: John Deere

Alisha: LOL! If you had one day to spoil yourself, what would you do?

Debra: I'd sleep in, then hang out in my jammies for a while while I ate a lesiurely breakfast out on the back porch. I'd curl up with a good book (one that I've read a million times before but just can't get enough of). Later I would get my hair and nails done, get all dressed up, and have my hubby take me out to a nice restaurant for dinner. When we got home we'd snuggle up on the couch with a good movie.

Alisha: That would be a perfect day in my book too! What’s the most romantic thing a man has ever done for you or said to you or both?

Debra: My husband actually got down on one knee when he asked me to marry him. My engagement ring is a stone that's been in his family for generations. And he asked my dad's blessing/permission first. Very old fashioned and romantic. *sigh*

Alisha: Double sigh!!! Thanks for being my guest of honor today, Debra!

CONTEST: LEAVE A COMMENT FOR DEBRA AND YOU'LL BE ENTERED INTO A DRAWING FOR A PDF OF "THIS TIME FOR ALWAYS"!

Excerpt from THIS TIME FOR ALWAYS
Logan’s strong arm encircled her waist, preventing her from falling. Sharlie caught her breath as her body pressed against him. She raised her eyes to his.

The anger in his eyes turned to awareness. His breath hitched. The temperature in the tiny room rose.

Logan’s gaze roamed every inch of her face, finally coming to rest on her lips.

Her pulse quickened, the beat thundering in her ears. They were so close she could feel the cadence of his heart. She sucked in a gasp of air.

His gaze met hers again. “I’ve tried to stop thinking about you like this. But I can’t.”

Sharlie licked dry lips, then cursed inwardly when the action drew his attention there once more. His head lowered.

“Don’t,” she managed.

“Don’t what?” Logan’s warm breath caressed her cheek.

“Don’t kiss me.”

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t want you to.” Even to her own ears the protest sounded weak.

“Liar,” Logan taunted.

“Please,” she tried one last time, shaking her head in a vain attempt to deny the feelings coursing through her.

Logan cupped the back of her head, stilling the motion.. “I have to.” His words melted into a kiss as their lips met.

The gentle insistence of his mouth coaxed a response from her. Her lips parted, allowing the kiss to deepen. Their breath mingled.. The moist heat made her knees buckle.

“Don’t you remember?” Logan’s husky voice whispered, as his lips left hers to trail down the column of her throat. “Remember how good it was,” he murmured before his mouth captured hers once again.


Excerpt from WILD WEDDING WEEKDEND
“I really am sorry.” Abby's mind whirled. The thoughts tangled. The Noah she’d spent the last couple of days with wasn’t anything like the man she’d imagined him to be. The man even he claimed to be. Who was the real Noah?

She didn’t have time to ponder the question, because he took both her hands in his, drawing her attention back to him. “Know this. While we’re married. For this week, this trip, this asinine show, I am committed to you.” He paused and raised one hand to tuck a wisp of hair behind her ear. “Totally. Completely. Committed. To you.” With each word his voice and head lowered, until the last was a whisper against her lips.

His hand slid around to the back of her neck, then up into her hair, unfastening the clip and tossing it aside. He tangled his fingers in the strands that fell free, using enough force to keep her from pulling away as he deepened the kiss.

Abby had no thoughts of moving even the slightest bit away. She wrapped her arms around him as the tip of his tongue teased the fullness of her bottom lip. When she opened to him and he dipped inside, she almost melted from the instant flood of liquid heat that suffused her body.. The warmth spread to her limbs and made her pliant as, his mouth never leaving hers, Noah lowered them both to the bed.

Pant, pant...wonderful excerpts, Debra! Thanks for the treat! ~Alisha