20 Questions with...Linda Morris + Giveaway

The countdown to Valentine's continues today with Day 3 of The Cozy Page's 20 Questions Valentine's Event and western romance author, Linda Morris!

Linda has been making up stories for years. She's excited to finally get the opportunity to get paid for it. When not writing romance, she can be found at her day job as a freelance editor/writer of technical books. Her loves include Jane Austen, Mexican food, jazz, and old movies. She lives in central Indiana with her husband and young son. Her debut novel, Montana Belle, is now available from The Wild Rose Press:

Sent to Boston for a proper education after her mother's death, Augusta Springer loves her cultured life there, helping the headmistress and planning a teaching career. But when her brother dies unexpectedly, she is summoned home by her headstrong father and ordered to marry the only man for whom she has ever cared— Joshua Bradley.

Joshua has planned for years to win Augusta's heart. Building a life to share with her has been his ultimate goal, but she has learned to despise ranch life and all that goes with it. Can he persuade this independent woman to stay and share the dreams he has for both of them?

Our Cozy correspondent, Tink, sat down with our guest earlier this week for 20 Questions with Linda Morris! Take it away, Tink....

Tink: Are you the first one on the dance floor or not so much?
Linda: Dance floor? What is this thing you call a "dance floor"? I'm afraid I don't understand this strange terminology.

Tink: Do you prefer to spend the night at the theatre or at a bike show?
Linda: Unless you're referring to the kind of bike without a motor, I'll go with the theater.

Tink: Do you give relationship advice or think it’s a bad idea?
Linda: I give relationship advice when I'm asked for it, but it's still a bad idea sometimes.

Tink: Describe the ideal hero – rough and tumble highlander, titled gentleman of the ton, modern-day bad boy, or supernatural anti-hero?
Linda: Is "all of the above" an option? I don't like to choose.

Tink: Would you rather tell someone you love them or show it?
Linda: Both, but I think showing it is more meaningful.

Tink: Travel to the past or into the future?
Linda: Past. It would give me a chance to find out some things about history I've always wanted to know.

Tink: Bubble bath or hot shower?
Linda: Bubble bath!

Tink: Flats or high heels?
Linda: Flats.

Tink: Flowers or chocolate?
Linda: Chocolate, especially if it's Lindt.

Tink: G-rated or unrated?
Linda: Both have their place in life. If it weren't for the unrated moments, we wouldn't have kids and need G-rated ones!

Tink: Alpha or beta?
Linda: Alpha in books, beta in real life.

Tink: Would you make the first move or wait it out?
Linda: I've been married for 12 years, so it's been a long time since I've made any moves. My memories of single life and anecdotes from my single friends, however, tell me that making a first move is not usually that successful for a woman. It's not fair, and I wish it wasn't so, but I reluctantly think it's true.

Tink: Favorite love song?
Linda: "In Your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel

Tink: For Valentine’s would you rather go out or stay in?
Linda: Out. Nothing more romantic than eating a delicious meal alone with no kids present and then not having to do the dishes.

Tink: Karaoke: yes or no?
Linda: Hell, no!

Tink: Describe your most romantic moment.
Linda: I would go with one of the every day gestures more than a grand romantic moment. When I was expecting my son, I developed gestational diabetes and had to follow a strict diet. Any carbs for breakfast in particular caused my blood sugar to skyrocket, so my husband got up every day for six weeks and made me bacon and eggs for breakfast. He's a keeper.

Tink: Boxers, briefs…or kilts?
Linda: Boxers, always.

Tink: What is your idea of a dream date?
Linda: I think I described it above with the "go out or stay in" question!

Tink: Valentine’s Day watch: sappy love story, romantic comedy or forgo all of the above and go with the action flick?
Linda: I'll always go with a love story, sappy, dramatic, funny, or whatever!

Tink: And, most importantly – do you like your man clean shaven or with a five o’clock shadow?
Linda: I enjoy my husband's occasional experiments with facial hair, but mostly, I like the clean shaven look. It's easier on my skin, too.

Thank you, Linda, for answering Tink's instrusive questions! Readers, if you'd like to know more about Linda, Montana Belle, and her upcoming titles, visit her website!

And now for an excerpt from Montana Belle....


“I drink I might be ever so slightly...thunk,” Augusta confided, laboring to pronounce every word correctly, and then giggled when she realized her mistake. She struggled to regain a serious mien. Miss Levon denounced giggling as unladylike.

Joshua reached to pull her wineglass away from her. “You’ve had enough,” he said, his gaze warm. “We have a long ride back in the dark, so you’d better keep your head. Of course, you’re welcome to spend the night here, if you like.” He made the outrageous offer calmly, as if it were quite unexceptionable.

Augusta, well aware of the impropriety of his offer, fixed him with a stare. “I am an adult, and not totally inex-, inexper-...I have drunk spirits before,” she corrected herself finally, with careful enunciation. She reached to pull her glass back, and her hand brushed against his on the stem. His palm, warm and roughened, sent a thrill of awareness up her arm—for a businessman, he still spent a good deal of time outdoors. His hand bore the marks of sun, wind, and leather.

“A regular tippler, are you?” he asked with a smile, his eyes lingering for a moment on the daring décolletage of her gown, and she felt a surge of warmth through her body that had nothing to do with alcohol. She tried to pull the glass toward her, but somehow found her hand caught in his.

“Miss Levon believes that young girls should experience all of the social graces,” she said faintly, awed by the gleam of his dark eyes. He wanted her. She could not doubt it. Shockingly, she wanted him very much in return.



***GIVEAWAY DETAILS: Good news, readers! Linda has generously offered a giveaway for today! By commenting to this post before midnight EST, Sunday; February 6th, you will have a chance to win a copy of Montana Belle! (Chances of winning depend on the number of entries. You must be 18 years or older to enter. One winner will be chosen by the True Random Number Generator at Random.org and announced the morning after contest closing. Please check back in to see if you have won.)