Today in the Writer's Den - Lola Karns

Good day, people. Today in the Writer’s Den we have romance author Lola Karns!

Lola is the author of the books Lucky Traveler, Bad Traveler and Winter Fairy. That seems fitting since she moved careers and states, including Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, New Jersey, Georgia, and Virginia, before settling on Minnesota and discovered writing fit the bill. She makes her home with her husband, two children, two hairless cats and a fluffy ex-stray cat. When not writing, she enjoys baking, reading and drinking coffee.

Lola, welcome and let’s get right down to it - what is your favorite word?

LK: My kids have busted me for overuse of the word “apparently” but my favorite word is schadenfreude. If I can work it into a conversation, I will. See how I did that? Is someone doesn’t know what schadenfreude is and has to run to a dictionary to look it up, I will take a moment of delight as they suffer through their search. I’m also fond of haberdashery. 

What is your least favorite word?

LK: Stupid. It’s so often used as a way to end a conversation or dismiss someone or something. Also, I’m not fond of words I can’t spell. 

What turns you on?  

LK: A rich, throaty laugh.  

What turns you off?  

LK: The abuse of authority. 

What sound or noise do you love?  

LK: A cat’s purr.  

What sound or noise do you hate?  

LK: I don’t know why Nails on a Chalkboard generates such a primal revulsion, but it just does. 

What is your favorite curse word?  

LK: Fuck. Not only for the versatility, but the word has a satisfying mouth feel.  

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?  

LK: I’ve tried so many already. I went to a bunch of National Parks this past year and being a Park Ranger would be a pretty terrific career, because it combines things I love like nature, public history, and education.

What profession would you not like to do?  

LK: Mining. Not only are miners exposed to loads of dust and have tons of health issues, but caves terrify me. 

If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?  

LK: Here is your maintenance free portable personal espresso maker and P.S. no one in heaven has lactose issues. You suffered enough on the earthly realm. 

Fascinating. Now tell us about your newest release: Lucky Traveler? 

I wrote my 2014 Decadent release Bad Traveler as a stand-alone title, but the characters weren’t done with me. Several readers asked me about Keira Jones and Logan Collins. I tried to wrestle them into a novel, but Keira refused to participate. Logan kept pestering me. I discarded plot after plot until he tapped me on the shoulder and said “You know I’m a recovering alcoholic, right?” I understood that he needed a chance to make amends. 

Only Madame Eve and Decadent’s 1Night Stand series offered a way to bring these two characters together. I hope you will enjoy their journey.

Thank you for being here with us today. Reader, you can see more on Lucky Traveler below and you can get to know Lola better at any one of her virtual homes: Website/blog       Twitter @lolakarns     Facebook         Goodreads            Google+         Pinterest

Genre: Erotic Romance, Contemporary, Heat Level 4

 

Nearly a year after she found her boyfriend with his hand up someone else’s dress, Midwestern school teacher, Keira Jones, contacts a dating service in a faraway town for a much-needed confidence boost and night of adoration. 

Logan Collins doesn’t remember much about the night he screwed up his cousin’s wedding and his life. But with five months of sobriety under his belt and most of his amends made, he celebrates with a 1Night Stand. 

When Madame Eve sends these ex-lovers to the same Las Vegas hotel room, the two of them must discover whether good luck or bad luck guides their travels. 

Buy Lucky Traveler at Amazon  AllRomanceEbooks  iTunes  Barnes&Noble 

Excerpt: 

Logan couldn’t do this sitting down. Not after all his failed efforts to reach out to her. A sigh escaped. The coin in his pocket was bigger than that old one-dollar coin his grandma gave him and about the size of a poker chip before the machines all switched to swipe cards. He wrapped his fingers around it. Why purple, he didn’t know. The next was worse. Pink, but he wanted it anyway. The coin brought power held in his palm. He squeezed it almost as tight as his eyelids.

“I’ve been sober one hundred and thirty-one days.”

“So?” Her nonchalance annoyed him.

“I don’t drink anymore.”

She sighed. He paced. This is your chance to move her from the hopeless step nine to eight. A slip of paper in his wallet listed everyone he could think of to whom he needed to make amends. Keira’s name reigned at the top of the list. He looked at her, an angel in blue curled up on the couch. The skirt of her dress slid over her legs. A line of lace midway up her thigh caught Lucky’s attention. For the first time in almost eleven months, the big guy straightened up for a better view. The upper brain clicked in enough to restrain him from doing a fist pump, but his hand twitched anyway.

“Ahem.” She cleared her throat.

“Right.” He had a job to do. Business before pleasure as the saying goes. The apology. “Are you wearing a garter belt?”

After a glance at her legs, she tugged a fold of fabric over the delicious spot. Her squint approximated anger. With those wide, round eyes, she never looked truly pissed off. Except at the wedding and in his recurring nightmare.

“Is it the one I bought?”

“No. That one had bad memories. I threw it out.”

Would she throw him to the trash heap, too?

“Did you wear it to the wedding?”

“You asked me to.” Her voice chilled him.

The warm coin palmed in his fist reminded him of renewed opportunity.

“We can’t move forward until we move back. I made a fool of you. My weakness in the face of alcohol led me to certain inappropriate behaviors that hurt me—”

“Cut the shit. You had your hand up the wrong bridesmaid’s dress.”

Buy Lucky Traveler at Amazon  AllRomanceEbooks  iTunes  Barnes&Noble