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Annette Mardis
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An interview with Monica Sims

1/15/2015

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I sat down the other day for a chat with Monica Sims, a marine biologist and sea turtle expert at Gulf Shore Aquarium. Monica is one of the characters featured in my Gulf Shore contemporary romance series and she stars in Book 2, Shore Feels Right.

Hi, Monica. How are things at the aquarium?
Busy, as always. We just took in several more turtles in our rehabilitation center. They’re green sea turtles afflicted with the fibropapilloma virus, which causes tumors to grow on their flippers, face and other soft tissues. They’ll be scheduled for laser surgery to remove the tumors. And we admitted a couple more turtles—a loggerhead and a Kemp’s ridley—that required endoscopic surgery to remove the fish hooks they swallowed. It’s a tough time to be a sea turtle, that’s for sure.

I know you have a special affinity for sea turtles. Have you always loved them?
Yes. They’re all my babies and it hurts to see them sick or injured. I grew up in San Diego, so my family spent a lot of time on and in the water and I grew to love and respect all sea creatures. But turtles have always been my favorite. It’s been said I have a better rapport with turtles than I do to people, and I can’t argue with that. But I’m making progress on that front.

You’re very upfront about the fact that you used to be a real...well, not always nice person.
You can say it. I was a flat-out bitch at times. I’m not proud of the way I used to act, and it was a rude awakening to have my own sister, who I love dearly, call me on my bad behavior. I’ve had to eat a lot of crow and it doesn’t go down easy, let me tell you. But it’s been worth it because I’m happier now than I’ve ever been.

Would you attribute your glowing aura to a certain hunky co-owner of Nauti-Toys watercraft rentals?
Absolutely. Cosby Williams is the best man I know. He doesn’t let me take myself too seriously, and believe me, I really needed to lighten up. And I love his two nephews. I think the youngest has a bit of a crush on me. They’re both adorable. So is Cosby. I could brag on him all day.

Any chance you’ll be Aunt Monica to those boys?
Shhh. Don’t jinx me! But I’d be thrilled if that happened. All in due time, I guess.

How are those three pilot whales that you and your coworkers from Gulf Shore Aquarium helped rescue?
They’re holding their own and are still under 24-hour care in GSA’s marine animal hospital.

What’s going to happen to them? Will they be able to go back to the Gulf?
We’re not sure yet. Our chief marine mammal veterinarian, Kelsey Kramer, and Sitara Patel, the head of our rehab unit, and many others are working hard to nurse these beautiful animals back to health.

If I can get personal for a moment, Cosby was asked in an interview to name his favorite place to seduce you and he said wherever he can get you alone. He also mentioned the shower as a great place for hot and sudsy fun. Do you have a favorite spot for romance?
Oh boy, that gets me excited just thinking about it! I definitely enjoy the shower. We’ve been, shall we say, together in every room of our apartment, so I’m not picky as long as I’m with Cosby. 


With this next set of questions, I want you to say the first thing that comes to mind. Ready?
As I'll ever be.

Who's your favorite actor?
Bradley Cooper.

Favorite actress?
I have to say Charlize Theron, since people tell me I look like her, which is a huge compliment. But I think she's really talented. 

Favorite singer?
Miranda Lambert. I never expected to like country music because I thought it was still that twangy stuff my grandparents listened to. But then my friend Dani Davidson talked a group of us girls from the aquarium into going to Miranda's concert in Tampa and I was hooked.

Favorite TV show?
Well, USA Network just cancelled Covert Affairs, which I'm still ticked off about. I had such a girl crush on Piper Perabo's character, Annie Walker. But I've started watching Agent Carter and I just love Hayley Atwell. Shows with intelligent, kick-ass women lure me in every time.

Favorite food?
I make a mean Asian-marinated baked chicken. It's nothing fancy, but very tasty. You soak the meat overnight in soy sauce, ginger, garlic and a little brown sugar. Then you bake it for 40 minutes. So easy even a marine biologist can make it.

Favorite dessert or snack?
Blue Bunny's Bordeaux Cherry Chocolate ice cream. And I have to say, I love whipped cream. Especially if I can eat it off Cosby's...never mind. Whew! Is it hot in here? 

I'm fanning myself, that's for sure. Thanks so much for doing this interview, Monica. It's been fun.
I enjoyed it to. Hey, everybody, drop by Gulf Shore Aquarium anytime and say hi. I’m always eager to introduce folks to the wonderful people and animals there. And if you like hunky guys, well, you’ve come to the right place.


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Shoot for the Moon by Rochelle Paige

1/6/2015

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Eliza Reve knows that her ability to dream of future events sets her apart from others. Her gift became a curse when she wasn't able to save her mother or the alpha's son and she found herself exiled -- a lone wolf. When she joins the Black River Pack, Eliza vows never to reveal her talent to anyone. Not even the man who has walked in her dreams for years. 

Spencer Tate is her mate, but her visions have told her that he will renounce her. When he doesn't recognize her as his mate, she agrees to the no-strings-attached affair he offers because she thinks it's the most she can hope for. Although her heart breaks as she falls deeper in love with him, she wants to spend as many days with Spencer as possible before he kicks her out of his life.

When Spencer finally comes to his senses, he has his work cut out for him to convince Eliza that he wants her forever. When another she-wolf insists she's his mate instead, things get even more complicated. But Spencer isn't the alpha's second and enforcer because he isn't willing to fight for what's his, and he refuses to settle for anything less than Eliza as his marked and claimed mate.

This is book two in the Black River Pack series. Each novella will feature a different couple.



Excerpts

“I don’t know,” I whispered.

“Say yes,” he urged. “Let me have you, Eliza. Stop drinking yourself to sleep. Let me fuck you into exhaustion instead.”

I knew what lay ahead for me—my destruction at his hands—but I couldn’t resist the temptation he represented. Even though I knew this thing between us wouldn’t last and I wanted him in my life forever as my mate, I still said yes. So my affair with Spencer began with my heart broken before we’d even slept together that first time.


..............................


“You’re in my fucking bed, Eliza. You don’t need to wait until you have solid intel. You come to me the instant something’s wrong,” I argued.

“And say what?” she asked. “‘I think Grace is in trouble because I had a dream about her?' Bullshit! The second I laid that on you, you would have been out of my bed quick as a flash. You’ve had one foot out of it since the second you decided you wanted in. You made that damn clear to me when we started this.”

“If you’d ever actually shared what was going on in that head of yours before tonight, then I would have had you mated, marked, and claimed so fast your head would have fucking spun,” I bit out. “Instead of being an ass because I was so fucking pissed off you made me feel things I was only supposed to feel for my mate.”



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Goodreads
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23687344-shoot-for-the-moon

Buy links
http://amzn.to/171y6eQ
http://bit.ly/1BgynE1

More books in the Black River Pack series

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Goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23532819-crying-wolf


Buy links

http://amzn.to/1ywMUvI
http://bit.ly/1428pZP
http://bit.ly/13Nerx9




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Goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23964954-thrown-to-the-wolves

Pre-order buy link

http://amzn.to/1AnNtJu





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Author bio

I absolutely adore reading -- always have and always will. My friends growing up used to tease me when I would trail after them, trying to read and walk at the same time. If I have downtime, odds are you will find me reading or writing.

I am the mother of two wonderful sons who have inspired me to chase my dream of being an author. I want them to learn from me that you can live your dream as long as you are willing to work for it.

When I told my mom that my new year's resolution was to self-publish a book in 2013, she pretty much told me, "About time!"


Author links

http://www.facebook.com/rochellepaigeauthor
http://www.rochellepaige.com
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7328358.Rochelle_Paige



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    Annette Mardis writes the kind of contemporary romance novels she loves to read: sexy, funny, smart and filled with "ah" moments.

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