Megan Johns Invites: Ann Montclair

A Warm Welcome to Ann

Bio: "I grew up sneak-reading all my mom's steamy romance novels. She kept them high on a shelf in her closet and warned, "You better not read those..." Of course, I read them. And now I write them! I strive to take readers on a fun, emotionally charged, and highly sensual ride to happily ever after. Available now: THE BILLIONAIRE'S BAUBLE (Soul Mate Publishing 2011), ONE WET SUMMER (Musa Publishing 2012), and GOOD THINGS COME IN TALL PACKAGES (Musa Publishing 2012). Next up: LADY IN DEED, my debut novel in historical romance set in Tudor England (Musa Publishing Winter 2012).

I am a member of the Romance Writers of America (RWA) and a community college English professor. I live in the Finger Lakes region of New York with my sexy hero and our teenage son. Our grown daughter lives in Los Angeles, California--my hometown."

Here's the blurb for Ann's latest release: Good Things Come In Tall Packages
Dr. Joe Connors and socialite lawyer Lucy Alcott come from two different worlds, two very different cultures. But will those differences keep them apart when their attraction is too strong to be denied?

When socialite Savannah attorney Lucy Alcott entered the Hyatt looking for fun, martinis, and hot sex, the last thing she expected to find was Dr. Joe Connors. Joe is Lucy's opposite in every way: he’s dark, she’s pale; he’s tall and reserved, she's tiny and vivacious; he wears his compassion and deep spirituality on his sleeve, she wears designer bags and clothes. That night at the Hyatt Lucy found herself not in the arms of a casual encounter but reaching out to a man who challenged the walls she had built around her heart—and when he gave her his number, Lucy knew Joe deserved a woman as warm and tender as he was. So she threw his number away. When an unexpected meeting six months later brings them together again, will Joe overcome Lucy’s fear of losing her heart, or are their two very different worlds destined to keep them apart forever?

Before treating us to an excerpt, Ann Reveals:

In a couple of sentences, describe the hero’s character. What do you like best/least about him?

I adore Joe Connors. He’s family oriented, successful, dedicated to healing, a huge eater—at 6’6” and 250 pounds he can afford to be-- and athletic. He’s a doctor, living in Atlanta, Georgia, and even though he’s spectacular looking, he’s really a regular guy who loves watching football, eating pizza, and hanging with his friends and family. Because his mother and father are deceased, he’s super close to his single sister and her daughter—they’re his responsibility in many ways. He’s never been in love, but he figures no one can have everything. Until he meets everything. Lucy Alcott.

And the heroine? How do you relate to her?

I think she’s very relatable. Any woman who has put her career and self-worth first, who has developed her self-confidence without a man, can understand Lucy Alcott. Lucy has brains and sass, but she refuses to be traditional. She figures why hassle love and loss when life can be high-end shopping and one night stands? Her transformation and growth throughout the novel is inspiring, and watching Joe find Lucy’s heart will fill yours.

Who controls the story – you or your characters?

My characters run the show. I believe they become real, aybe in some alternate universe, and it is my honor and pleasure to tell their stories.

What do you hope your readers come away with after reading your books?

I want readers to believe that true love is possible, that happily ever after is attainable, and that each one of us deserves passion—untamed and unbound.

What do you think are the main ingredients for a successful book?

Complex characters engaged in interesting lives with plenty of believable conflict and non-contrived resolution. Heat, steam, and fire are essential in romance. Something between the characters has to spark on the page in order to light up a reader’s imagination.

What do you most enjoy about writing romance?

I am in love with love, and that’s where romance lives. I have a girlfriend who says that after she reads my sex scenes, she bookmarks them in her Kindle and rereads them for inspiration. Now that makes me happy! And I bet it makes her partner happy, too. How fantastic is that? To think my words might inspire expressions of love—well, it’s the reason I write romance.

How do you like to spend your free time?

I spend most of my free time with my family. We enjoy outdoor activities like hiking and cycling. We also go to the movies once a week, attend concerts, and eat out. My husband is a big man (like Joe Connors) and I enjoy cooking for him.

What is your culinary speciality?

For a while it was French cuisine, but all that butter weighed me down about twenty extra pounds! Now I only cook French once or twice a month. I specialize in Spanish food, my heritage: rice, beans, and brightly colored veggies cooked with fish, beef, or chicken. I also make Sicilian dishes as my husband was raised in a huge Italian family. Pasta is a passion.

BUY

Now for A Taste of Ann

The man wanted her.

Lucy felt the passion rolling off of Joe like tidal waves, and she was more than ready to let him knock her off her feet.

“Shall we go upstairs, Joe? I could use a quiet moment with you before we say goodbye again. Every time we’ve been together it’s been in a crowd with music pulsing in the background and drinks in our hands. Let’s be real. Let’s go upstairs and spend some alone time. I won’t bite. Unless you want me to.”

His big smile lit up the room like Georgia sunshine. He stood and proffered his hand, looming above her like an awesome Egyptian statue. Lucy was dwarfed by almost everyone, but Joe was enormous by anyone’s standards. When she’d first met him, despite the fact he was at a medical convention, she’d assumed he played for the NFL. The fact that he possessed brains and brawn made him ideal for bed sport. It hadn’t worked out that night, but tonight…Lucy could hardly wait.

“Should we say goodbye to Ben and Maura?” Lucy cocked her head to scan the crowded room. She spotted them in the center of the ballroom floor, Jessie sandwiched between her parents, standing on her dad’s feet as the happy newlyweds shared a family dance.

“Let’s not bother them. Come on, sweetness.” Joe effortlessly pulled Lucy to her sore feet and put his strong arm around her waist. She hobbled a bit. “Shall I carry you, my Southern Belle?”