Cozy Guest Friday: Jennifer Jakes + Giveaway

Welcome to our last Cozy Guest Friday of the year! Today we’re rolling out the guest carpet for author Jennifer Jakes whose latest romance, Twice in the Lifetime, is now available now for just $0.99…

Be Careful What You Wish For. . .

No-nonsense stuntwoman Isabella Douglas will do anything to stop an unwanted divorce and reclaim the happy life she had, even allow her old friend to concoct a magical spell to turn back time. But when the spell goes awry, Izzy finds herself trapped aboard a 1768 Caribbean pirate ship with a captain who’s a dead ringer for her sexy as sin husband, Ian. Convinced he’s playing a cruel joke, she’s furious – until she realizes he doesn’t know her or believe they’re married.

Captain Ian Douglas does not have time to deal with an insane woman who claims to be his wife; he has to save his kidnapped sister. But as Izzy haunts his dreams and fills him with erotic memories he can’t explain, he’s forced to admit he feels more than lust.

Trapped in a vicious cycle of past mirroring present, Izzy knows they only have days to find Ian’s sister and prevent disaster from striking a second time. If she doesn’t, their marriage will be destroyed again – along with the man she loves.

Stay tuned for a sneak peak from Twice in the Lifetime. Now we go to our Cozy correspondent Tink who is currently aboard the Black Pearl with Captain Jack Sparrow and a few of her other swashbuckling friends somewhere in the Carribean. Take it away, Tink….

*A Chorus of "A Pirate's Life for Me"*

Tink: Hello, Cozies! The people of WannaLuvaPir’ate Beach decided that a hostile takeover was in order so Jack and I are now sailing the high seas. And may I just say that it’s very warm here ;)

The Black Pearl now boasts a wet bar, thanks to some canoodling with the captain from yours truly. You're welcome! Jennifer, if you were a mixed drink what would you be and why?

Jennifer: Oooh, I would  be my new favorite drink, a Pomegranate Margarita. It’s pretty sweet, a little sour, kind of fruity and really yummy. Why? Well, I’m sweet, can be sour, have been known to act fruity and my hubby thinks I’m yummy :)

Tink: If you were stranded on a desert island and could bring only one of each of the following…what would they be? Person? Song? Book?

Jennifer: Person: Gotta say Alex O’Loughlin – not only is he gorgeous, but he has a sexy Aussie accent!

Song: I can’t pick one song!!! The reason I can’t is because I listen to so many different types of music – all depending on what I’m in the mood for.

Book: Hmmmm. I’d take One Night With A Prince by Sabrina Jeffries.

Tink: What would be the name of your pet gourd?

Jennifer: Bond. James Bond.

Tink: Now for a bit about your book. If you wrote to music, what would be this book’s theme song?

Jennifer: The song I used when I was writing Twice in a Lifetime was Crazy Girl by The Eli Young Band. If you hear it and have read the book, it’s just the perfect theme.

Tink: What are the first words your hero speaks to your heroine (or vice versa)?

Jennifer: Izzy to Ian: “What in the hell are you doing?”

Tink: Would you define your hero as an alpha or a beta? Why?

Jennifer: Oh, Alpha. I always write Alphas – or as I like to call them, Balphas. Because I love really strong men, but they have to have a soft, snuggly side….even tho’ they hide it most of the time.

Tink: Does your hero prefer to wear boxers, briefs, a kilt? Or commando? ;)

Jennifer: Oooooh. Commando.

Tink: What is your heroine’s idea of the perfect date?

Jennifer:  She and the hero, Ian, snuggled on a chaise lounge on their deck, watching the stars and drinking a glass of wine.

Tink: What is your favorite thing about each character?

Jennifer: Izzy: Her stubbornness.

Ian: His loyalty and the depth of love he has for Izzy.

Tink: More seriously, what was your biggest challenge crafting this story or these characters?

Jennifer: Making the time travel – and reason for the time travel – logical. I’m big on logic.  LOL

Tink: Now for a more in-depth look at the author… I will now ask you a round of nosy and nonsensical questions developed by Bernard Peevo and used by James Lipton on Inside the Actor’s Studio…. Brace yourself… What sound or noise do you love? Hate?

Jennifer: Love a gurgling stream or lapping waves. Hate high pitched noise.

Tink: What’s your favorite curse word?  

Jennifer: Ummm. I’m afraid I drop the F*bomb.

Tink: What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?

Jennifer: Oh, well, if you’ve read my Bio, I’ve tried several that I wanted to. I have a kind-of career bucket list. But I still want to be a Room Stager (someone who stages houses or rooms before a real estate open house)

Tink: What profession would you not like to participate in?

Jennifer: Roofer or high-rise window cleaner. I’m terrified of heights/ladders.

Tink: Now for a sneak peak from Twice in a Lifetime….

Her fingers threaded in his thick hair as she traced his mouth with the tip of her tongue. “Kiss me.” 

He hesitated, then groaned and covered her lips in a breath stealing kiss. Hot, wet, silky. Her nipples hardened, ached for his touch, the tug of his fingers, the pull of his mouth.

“Touch me.” She pressed a kiss to his throat, then licked his collarbone. “I need your hands on me.”

He grunted and slid his hands down her back. Rough palms gripped her cheeks, grinding her against his erection. His gaze burned through her as he moved his thigh between her legs.

“Yes. Please.” She tilted her hips, rubbing, needing release more than air. “Oh, God, yes.” Desire roared through her, the ache building. Building. The orgasm so . . .damned. . .close.

A sharp knock sounded at the door. “Captain? The men are ready to go ashore.”

Ian pulled back and swallowed hard, his expression hungry, his heart thumping against her breast.

“Captain?”

“Yes. Yes, I’ll be right there.” His heavy lidded gaze skimmed her body. Possessive. Aroused. Regretful as he set her aside.

Her mind crawled to process what was happening while her body was doused with disappointment. “You’re still going?”

He raked through his hair, then nodded. “We need provisions before sailing for Jamaica. I’ll only be a few hours.” He stepped to the door, but turned and pinned her with a hard stare. “But when I return . . .”

“Yes?” Her heart thumped in anticipation of some explicit description of what he would do to her. Oh, but his tongue was naughty in all the right ways.

“. . . I expect an explanation.”

Izzy drooped against the door, her thoughts racing even though her legs collapsed. This was going to be the shortest second chance in history.

Tink: And the questions Jack and his merry band of buccaneers have been waiting all day to ask…. If you could choose anyone (real or fictional) to be the captain of your, er, ship…who would it be? 

Jennifer: Capt. Jack Sparrow

Tink: Excellent answer! Which savvy piece of the Caribbean would you most like to take home?   

Jennifer: You know that gorgeous island Capt. Jack is marooned on ….the one with all the rum? I don’t need to take it home, I could just move there. With Jack for company, of course. :)

Tink: Would you rather take your chances with a zombie, a mermaid, or Blackbeard?

Jennifer: Zombie

Tink: And most importantly – Captain Jack Sparrow, Will Turner, or Commodore Norrington?  

Jennifer: Ohhh, Capt. Jack all the way!

Tink: Jennifer, our captain would like me to invite you to share his quarters while you are aboard the Pearl as his guest of honor. He would also like to reserve the right to call you his "love." I'm more than a little jealous :) Now back to you, Cozies. This is Tink and Jack and all the rest in the Caribbean signing off….

After trying several careers—everything from a beautician to a dump truck driver—Jennifer finally returned to her first love, writing. Maybe it was all those Clint Eastwood movies she watched growing up, but in her opinion there is no better read than a steamy western historical.

Married to her very own hero, she lives on fifteen acres along with two beautiful daughters, three spoiled cats, three hyper dogs and one fat rabbit. During the summer she does Civil War re-enacting and has found it a great research tool, not to mention she has continued appreciation for her microwave and hot water heater. Visit Jennifer Jakes at www.jenniferjakes.com....

Cozies, you can purchase Twice in a Lifetime now from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, and Are….

Jennifer was kind enough to offer a giveaway for today’s guests. By commenting to today’s post and answering the following question before midnight EST tomorrow, you will be entered to win an ebook edition of Twice in a Lifetime:

 

What is your favorite part or line from the Pirates of the Carribean?

I think Jack likes this giveaway already! The winner will be announced here at Cozy on Sunday. Please be sure to check back to see if you have won. (Chances of winning depend on the number of entries; you must be 18 years or older to enter.)

Cozy Guest Friday: Georgie Lee

Welcome to this week’s edition of Cozy Guest Friday! Today’s victim…*ahem* special guest is Georgie Lee, author of A Little Legal Luck available now from The Wild Rose Press....

 On St. Patrick’s Day, the last thing paralegal Lisa Brennan needs is another lawyer in her life, but when handsome attorney Daniel Wilson shows he’s a sweetheart in an industry of sharks, she’s intrigued. Daniel is impressed by the pretty paralegal and her desire to succeed despite a bad job, but with the pressure of running his own firm, does he have time for a relationship? Thrown together in the jury pool, Lisa must overcome her prejudices about attorneys to trust Daniel and get lucky in love.

Stay tuned for a sneak peek into A Little Legal Luck! We go now to our Cozy correspondent Tink, live from her favorite tropical island of PutSomeRumin’it along with a few of her swashbuckling friends. Take it away, Tink….

*luau music*

Tink: Hello, Cozies! It’s a sunny day here on WanaLuvaPir’ate Beach. *rings bell* Jack will get you something to drink from the tiki bar…. Jack?

Tink: Oh, never mind. The rum’s probably gone anyway. Speaking of cocktails… Georgie, if you were a mixed drink what would you be and why?

Georgie: A pina colada, I’m a little bit serious, a little bit fruity and all in a curvy glass.

Tink: Excellent answer! We’ll have Jack bring us a round of those when he’s done playing tag with his friends. We’ll pass the time playing a round of Desert Island. Ready?.... If you were stuck on a desert island and could bring only one of the following…what would they be? Person? Song? Book?

Georgie: I suppose a survival guide would be the most practical thing but I think I would bring my husband.

Tink: Most importantly….what would you name your pet gourd? :)

Georgie: Gordy.

Tink: Now for a bit about your book. While we’re playing with the island jukebox, I might as well ask…if you wrote to music, what would be this book’s theme song?

Georgie: Irish Eyes Are Smiling. A Little Legal Luck takes place on St. Patrick’s Day and Irish imagery plays a big part in the story.

Tink: What are the first words your hero speaks to your heroine?

Georgie: “We aren’t going to get pinched today, are we?” These are Daniel’s first words to Lisa.

Tink: Would you define your hero as an alpha or a beta? Why?

Georgie: Alpha. He’s an attorney who put himself through law school and now runs his own firm. He takes chances and goes after what he wants.

Tink: Does your hero prefer to wear boxers, briefs, a kilt? Or does he go commando?

Georgie: Boxer-briefs. He likes the support but doesn’t want to be too snug.

Tink: What is your heroine’s idea of the perfect date?

Georgie: An evening at an Irish pub with a pint of Guinness and some greasy pub food.

Tink: What is your favorite thing about each character?

Georgie: I love Lisa’s determination and the way she keeps trying despite a number of setbacks. I love Daniel’s sweet side. He’s a lawyer but he isn’t the stereotypical sleezeball.

Tink: More seriously, what was your biggest challenge crafting this story or these characters?

Georgie: The biggest challenge was weaving in the Irish elements without being corny or disrupting the story. I wanted St. Patrick’s Day to play a part in the story but I didn’t want to hit people over the head with the Blarney Stone.

Tink: Now for a more in-depth look at the author… *puts on her smart glasses* I will now ask you a round of nosy and nonsensical questions developed by Bernard Peevo and used by James Lipton on Inside the Actor’s Studio…. Brace yourself J What’s your favorite word? Least favorite?

Georgie: Cloy is my least favorite word. When I took the GRE (the most pointless test in the universe, I might add), this word kept coming up in the study guide, and for some reason, I could never remember the definition. My favorite word is clearance. I hate paying full price for anything.

Tink: What’s your favorite curse word?

Georgie: A lady never cusses, dammit.

Tink: What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?

Georgie: I once considered becoming a pharmacist but alas, math and science are not my strong points.

Tink: What profession would you not like to participate in?

Georgie: Corporate motivational speaking. I just cannot shovel that much manure all while pretending to believe it.

Tink: There, that wasn’t so bad, was it? Now, just in time for the luau, let’s share a sneak peak from A Little Legal Luck with the Cozies back home….

“I’m hoping St. Patrick smiles on me today and I get picked for a trial.” Lisa laughed, finding the stranger’s upbeat mood infectious. “I’d kiss a lot of blarney stone to get out of work for a few days.”



He leaned forward, dropping his voice. “Then we must be the only two people here eager to do our patriotic duty.”


Glancing around the room at the bored women watching the morning show on the large overhead TVs and the college students absorbed in their i whatevers, she had the distinct feeling they were in the minority. “You want to serve?”


“I’m a lawyer, I know how important jurors are to the system.”


Her body tensed and the muscles in the back of her neck tightened.


Not all lawyers are like Lou, she reminded herself, taking a deep breath and forcing herself to relax.


Thankfully, he didn’t seem to notice her unconscious reaction as he held out his hand, and smiled, revealing perfect white teeth. “Daniel Wilson.” She grasped his hand, her skin tingling as his long fingers curled around hers.

Tink: And the final questions Jack has been dying to ask all day…. If you could choose anyone in the world to be the captain of your…er…ship…who would it be? J

Georgie: My husband, of course. Followed a close second by Mr. Darcy.

Tink: Which savvy piece of the Caribbean would you most like to take home – the Black Pearl, the Dead Man’s Chest, or the Fountain of Youth?

Georgie: I’ll take the Fountain of Youth please. Oil of Olay isn’t working like it used to.

Tink: Would you rather take your chances with a zombie, a mermaid, or Blackbeard?

Georgie: A mermaid. Like Jaws, if you stay out of the water, you aren’t in danger.

Tink: And most importantly…Captain Jack Sparrow or Will Turner? ;)

Georgie: This will surprise you, but my answer is none of the above. Captain Norrington is the man for me. The uniform, the accent, the height all combined with a calm commanding presence in the face of trouble. Yummy.

Tink: Ah, Norrington. Not to be forgotten! Especially when he comes back all disheveled-like in POTC: Dead Man's Chest.

Tink: C'mon, who doesn't want to hug that? And now we hula! From PutSomeRumin’it…this is Tink, Georgie, and Jack signing off….

A dedicated history and film buff, Georgie Lee loves combining her passion for Hollywood, history and storytelling through romantic fiction. She began writing professionally at a small TV station in San Diego before moving to Los Angeles to work in the interesting but strange world of the entertainment industry. When not writing, she enjoys reading non-fiction history and watching any movie with a costume and an accent. Visit  www.georgie-lee.com to learn more about Georgie and her books! She can also be found on Facebook and Twitter....

Readers, Jack still seems to be drumming up some votes for himself. If you had to choose between our naughty pirate, Will Turner, or Norrington, who would it be?

Coming Up...

The holiday season started out great on Monday! My husband and I got to dress up for our first costume party. As promised, I went west for inspiration....

Hope everyone had a great Halloween! And speaking of the west, this Friday I have my monthly blogging date with Sweethearts of the West! I also have an exclusive interview with Bet it on my Heart heroine, Calli Morlani, Friday at author AJ Nuest's blog Tattered Pages. Don't miss it!

Friday is also the first Cozy Guest Friday here at The Cozy Page with romance author Georgie Lee, our Cozy correspondent Tink and this guy.... :)

Hope you check back in Friday for a barrel full of Cozy fun!