Special Guest Author Tuesday

This week we have not one, but two Guest Authors posts. Please welcome today’s author — Amber Doulton

Romance books come in all shapes and sizes. No—I don’t mean that the book is huge like a toaster oven or in the shape of a triangle. I mean the characters. Not every hero or heroine is lean, trim and attractive. Some are short and overweight, tall and lanky, or the character could have a great body but sharp eyebrows and a large, pudgy nose diminishes his/her beauty—yet books featuring these types of characters are hard to find in the mainstream media.

I shouldn’t have to read taboo, fetish or BBW books just to find more well-rounded characters, pun intended. Mainstream books that attract wide audiences should better represent the average person in the real world, not help push the fantasy or dream of physical perfection.

The most accessible books on the market portray heroines with long flowing hair that cascades like silk and a trim body with either ample or petite cleavage. Even if she’s tall, she’s always shorter than her love interest. The classic hero is broad, tall with a massive chest and head full of thick hair.

What about women with a short bob, a shaved head or hair in the shape of a mohawk? What about men with thinning hair and a little more cushion for the pushin’?

Over the past few years, I’ve read only two mainstream books that portrayed tall, curvaceous women, along with their self-esteem issues due their height and size. (Night Play by Sherrilyn Kenyon and The Outlaw Viking by Sandra Hill.) Their men were gorgeous in the classic hero sense, by the way.

Not everyone can strut their stuff like rock stars or supermodels because, let’s face it, the only way to have a perfect body is to diet and hit the gym several times a week. Our fast-paced, processed-food, modern society allows little time for physical activity outside of work, family and general life.

Books that showcase real people grab my attention and keep me thinking about the characters long after I read it. Still, despite what the characters look like, romance is romance. Books capture our imagination and thrust us into a world of wonder. So, whether you prefer skinny lovers or curvy ones, just sit back and enjoy the ride!

Buylinks: Amazon. Kobo. Books to Go Now.

Publisher: Books to Go Now

Release Date: March 26th, 2013

Genre: Historical Romance

ASIN: B00C2DWLWI

Length: 15k

Sexual Rating: Sweet

Blurb:

A Christmas Eve snowstorm barreled through the English countryside and wreaked havoc on the residents of Lorican Manor. Susanna Lorican and her fiancé, Viscount Camden Beckinworth, had planned the perfect wedding but with the dress and several guests delayed, the reverend injured, and after a confrontation with Susanna’s repulsive brother-in-law, reaching the altar seemed impossible. Despite one setback after another, Susanna and Camden vowed to marry, their love too great to deny any longer.

Excerpt:

“I’m glad you chose winter—Christmas time.” Camden gripped the loose braid of her chestnut hair. “Even though the timing isn’t great, considering everything that has happened, it’s perfect for us.” He gently grasped her chin and forced her face up. He brushed his lips across her eyebrows. “I want to get married on the day that everything changed for me. On the day I finally found the one woman I could love and cherish all my life. No one is more important to me than you.” He suckled her pink lower lip between his teeth. A soft moan escaped her throat.

He pulled back and stared deep into her eyes. “You are so kind, love. I wish you realized that. Enjoy today, no matter what, but if something else horrible happens and prohibits our union, God forbid, we will marry as soon as possible.” He clenched his jaw against the idea of waiting.

Susanna nodded. Emotional but intelligent, she understood logic and common sense when she heard it. Sometimes, it just had to be pounded into her.

Camden stroked a stray hair behind her ear and lowered his mouth to hers. Air filled her lungs seconds before his mouth clasped hers. His talented lips tasted and teased hers. A moan gurgled in the back of her throat.

“Camden,” she gasped his name like a plea once he finally pulled back for air. “The door is wide open and we are without a chaperone.” She blinked several times to clear her clouded vision. She licked her lips and nodded to the entryway. “Anyone could see.”

He smirked roguishly. “Let them. We are betrothed. Two people in love, who are about to wed, are expected to kiss.”

“Kiss, yes,” she whispered. “You, my lord, make love with your lips.” Susanna suddenly flamed scarlet. Her eyes widened like saucers and the temperature in the room skyrocketed.

Camden laughed as his embarrassed fiancée fumed. An arrogant grin spread across his face. “Do I? You have never admitted that before.”

She scowled, her cheeks so hot she could barely stand it. “Well, there are some things you shouldn’t be privy to.”

His smirk lengthened. “Really? I am honored that my bride appreciates the way I kiss. If she didn’t, what kind of man would that make me?”

Amber Daulton lives in the beautiful foothills of North Carolina with her wonderful husband and their five crazy kitties. Writing takes up most of her time, aside from her day job in the retail industry. As a fan of contemporary, paranormal and historical novels alike, she can’t get enough of feisty heroines and alpha heroes. Her mind is a wonderland of romance and adventure, laughter and awesome ways of kicking a guy when he’s down. Writing is her passion and she probably wouldn’t be too sane without it. After all, what’s a girl to do when there are people jabbering away in her head and it’s hard to shut them up? Write! Nothing else works.