Today I am so pleased to welcome Ashlyn Kane to Joyfully Jay. Ashlyn has come to talk to us about her latest release, Hard Feelings (reviewed here). She has also brought along a really great giveaway! Please join me in giving Ashlyn a big welcome!
Hi, Jay, and thanks so much for agreeing to host me even though I’m totally green at this guest blogging thing. And there’s a reason for that. While a lot of authors consider writing their second (or, even luckier, first) career, for me, writing is still a hobby. I only write because it’s fun. And until now, I haven’t been able to convince myself that blogging can be fun too. I’m hoping this experience can help change that.
Anyway, like I said, writing is fun—and I’ve never had more fun than I had writing Hard Feelings with Morgan James. There are two main reasons for that.
- Writing outside my safe zone. Anyone who’s read more than two of my books can probably guess that friends-to-lovers is my jam. I could write it a hundred different ways and never tire of it. But when Morgan said to me, “Hate sex!” and rambled for ten minutes about Rylan and Miller, two guys who hate each other but can’t stop screwing, I was hooked.
- Bringing a friend (or, in my case, being brought). I hope I’m not offending anyone’s sensibilities when I say writers are vain creatures. We like to have our egos stroked. Usually we have to wait until the end of the book for people to appreciate our best lines. But with Hard Feelings, every thousand words or so, when Morgan and I switched off writing, it was Omg! That line is amazing and Ooh, you’re mean. I like it and Dude, check out your typo. The instant feedback made it very easy to write two or three thousand words a day.
Hard Feelings was a first for me in a lot of ways. It was the first time I got to focus on writing sex without feelings. My first time writing a point-of-view character (Rylan) who is such an introvert. My first time writing a book where the main characters have sex in the prologue!
And I really hope it’s as fun to read as it was to write.
Blurb
Rylan Williams hates conferences: too many people, not enough routine, and way too much interaction with strangers. When he gets stuck in a broken elevator with Miller Jones, the kid who fell asleep in his lecture, he figures things can’t get worse. Then Rylan realizes he’s the same guy he just spent an hour perving over from afar.
Rylan wants to await rescue in silence, but Miller insists on conversation, or at least banter. But just because they don’t get along doesn’t mean they don’t have chemistry, and Rylan breaks all his rules about intimacy for a one-time-only conference hookup. He’ll probably never see Miller again anyway. So of course, two months later Miller shows up at Rylan’s office, having just been hired to work on a new computer program—with Rylan.
And Rylan thought being stuck in an elevator with him was bad.
Soon Rylan and Miller learn that they get along best when they take out their frustrations in the bedroom. Their arrangement goes against everything Rylan believes in, but the rules are simple: Don’t stay overnight. Don’t tell anyone. And don’t fall in love.
Bio
Ashlyn Kane is a Canadian expat currently enjoying work-at-home life in Germany. She has reached the age of “twentysomething,” which she will be for at least the next fifteen years.
She has a bad habit of staying up too late, a husband who likes to go to bed early, and a baby brother called Miracle Whip. She is allergic to cleaning, unless you mean cleaning up manuscripts, in which case she gets a little obsessive. Feel free to drop her a line—she’s probably in front of her computer right now, since she’s attached to it at the eyeballs.
You can find Ashlyn on Twitter or Facebook.
Giveaway
Ashlyn has brought along a signed copy of Hard Feelings, along with a $20 Amazon gift card, to give away to one lucky reader. Just leave a comment at the end of the post to enter. The contest ends on Sunday, October 12th at 11:59 pm EST.
- By entering the giveaway, you’re confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
- Winners will be selected by random number. No purchase necessary to win. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning.
- If you win, you must respond to my email within 48 hours or another winner may be chosen. Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from Joyfully Jay.
- Winners may be announced on the blog following the contest. By entering the contest you are agreeing to allow your name to be posted and promoted as the contest winner by Joyfully Jay.
- Prizes will be distributed following the giveaway either by Joyfully Jay or the person/organization donating the prize.
- By entering you are agreeing to hold Joyfully Jay harmless if the prize or giveaway in some way negatively impacts the winner.
- Readers may only enter once for each contest. Duplicate entries for the same giveaway will be ignored. In the event of technical problems with the blog during the contest, every effort will be made to extend the contest deadline to allow for additional entries.
- Void where prohibited by law.
Wow loved the excerpt. Thanks for the give away. And I happy you enjoy writing because I sure enjoyed reading this tease of this book.
This was really a fun read. Thanks for the giveaway!
This looks like a great book to read. Please include me. Thanks.
This looks like a book for me!
This sounds like a fun ride! I’m glad you stepped out of your comfort zone. 🙂
Friends-to-lovers is *my* jam too, but if the hate sex is hot enough to convert you, then, well…
The book sounds really good please count me in for the Giveaway …………….thank you
ShirleyAnn(at)speakman40(dot)freeserve(dot)co(dot)uk
This sounds like a fun book to read. Glad you enjoy writing as much as I enjoy reading! Thanks for the giveaway.
This sounds fantastic. while I do love friends-to-lovers, enemies-to-lovers is my favorite. Their is always so much yummy sexual tension. Can’t wait to read it. Thanks for the giveaway.
I LOVE enemies to lovers! Did you see our Favorite Enemies to lovers stories list (under Favorites/favorite book lists). One of my favorite tropes!
Writing outside of your comfort zone certainly sounds like it could be fun and challenging. So that must have been a nice if not a bit frustrating or nerve wracking. The book sounds like great read. Thank you for the giveaway.
Great post & giveaway!
I remember reading the review and thinking it sounded good. Glad to see it mentioned again so that I can put it on a list this time.
Thank you for the great post and giveaway! Your book looks perfect for me.
Great! Rules are made to be broken.
This sounds great! Thanks for the giveaway!
I love the synopsis! Thanks for the post and contest.
Thank you for the chance!!!
Sounds like a interesting book that I would love to read! Thanks for the chance at the great giveaway!
The book sounds great. I love stories where casual hookups turn into love. Thanks for the giveaway 😉
This book sounds terrific. Count me in, please
The blurb really touched me. Please, count me in. Thank you <3
Thank you for this post and giveaway.
I really enjoyed the interview, the blurb and I’m loving the giveaway. Thank you and please, count me in.
OMG! Soooooooooooo loved this post. TY for the giveaway.
I like the premise of this one.