Let’s just get right to it.

Pie. Lots of pie. If you’re thinking some 3.14 crazy thoughts, you should be slapped with a five pound bag of sugar. Hard. And with the real stuff.

Gretchen Jones, heroine of Rough Ride, is a mean baking machine. And pie is her favorite thing. Pie of all kinds. Some from scratch. Some from a can. It all depends on the pie itself. And it’s a good thing she likes baking pie because everyone she’s close to loves to eat pie. Especially her two best friends, Flora and Tonya. The girls occasionally enter into the slowest pie eating contest ever and right now, Flora has the winning time.

There’s only one kind of pie Gretchen doesn’t love, but the rest she’s all over. The first one she mentions is a Peach Pie and I just happen to have a recipe for you.

Looks good, doesn’t it? I’d have to go all deep dish on that baby and yes, I am so baking that as soon as fresh peaches come in season!

Enough about the pie! Because every Monday on this tour blogging bus is a Monday Play Peek. What is a Play Peek? It’s a sneaky peek at the first chapter of book two of The Roughnecks, Rough Play. And here is the start of it with week one!

***

-Chapter One of Rough Play, Part 1-

Jacob Iverson stepped into what would one day become his brother’s kitchen.  When finished there’d no doubt be granite countertops, the biggest refrigerator money could buy and the best stove on the market. This place was being groomed for all future family events. When it came to four boys of their size, the kitchen was the most important part of the entire house.

For now, it was completely gutted. All that remained in the room was supporting frame work of the interior walls, the foundation and a few boards waiting to hold the new floor. Temporary lights were mounted in the corners. A few penciled notes were scratched on boards.

There was a new surprising addition this morning that had Jacob resting a shoulder against the doorway and taking a moment study. The most interesting part? Definitely the rounded shape of her ass.

Cupped high and tight in a snug pair of jeans. A leather tool belt strapped around her waist. Blonde hair pulled up on the top of her head and mostly falling out. Sweat soaked a dark line down her spin. There was little more than a sliver of skin showing on the low curve her back. Sweat pebbled on tanned skin like a tantalizing tattoo for a mere inch between tight jeans and purple shirt. A spot just large enough to trace with his thumb and then his mouth.

He blinked and swallowed the lump out of his throat. Damn.

She turned her head a bit, adjusted in her stance so that she rested a small notebook on her knee and wrote something. From the side he could see hair across her forehead, a short nose curved in to full lips and a tiny chin before cutting back to form a jaw line that his fingers were itching to trace. Her neck was slender. A bead of sweat traced a line down the side and slid into breasts large enough to round out and show despite her arm reaching forward blocking them as she continued writing something.

She blew hair from her eyes and sat back on her heel. “Shit.”

He grinned. Just who was this woman? And what in God’s name was she doing? “Need any help?”

She screamed and jumped. Paper and pencil flicked up in the air as she grabbed at the boards she’d been balancing on. He started across the narrow beams, swiftly moving over them with ease after years of walking pipe hundreds of feet in the air, but it was no use. She was too far away. He reached, but she tilted, falling between two boards and flopped to the damp ground in the house’s foundation with a shriek.

He crossed the last boards and found her sitting on her ass on the clay floor, hands rested behind her and staring up at him, her blue eyes narrowed. “What the hell is the matter with you?”

His breath caught. Everything was the matter with him now. But in a fascinating way. A way he hadn’t felt since arriving in Apple Trail months ago. This was energy and exciting because it was her. Finally. “Diner Chick.”

She didn’t miss a blink. “Middle Iverson Triplet.”

He’d seen her occasionally. Once a week, maybe less. Just in passing. At the diner usually around lunch or supper. When it was packed. Every once and a while, at the bar. She always tossed him a smile. Sometimes she’d blow him a kiss and a wink. When he’d first gotten to town, he’d gone a little stir crazy. Apple Trail was small. Just a few thousand were listed on the population sign on the way in. She had been his relief from the small town drawbacks.

She was fun and different. Bold at times with a laugh he could hear over a crowded room that licked over his skin. So he’d kept his distance to make, hell he didn’t know, the fun of her last longer. But now that he was up close, different story. Close enough he could smell something on her. Honey maybe? It was sweet. And her skin looked soft enough his mouth was watering for a taste. Keeping her at arm’s length for the novelty of it was over.

Even with her eyes slightly narrowed at the corners as she stared up at him was interesting. He held out a hand. “I was trying to be helpful.”

Her fingers clasped against his wrist. “You failed.”

He laughed and tugged her up. In his squat on the frame, he was eye level with her as she stood on the ground, dusting her sides off. Dirt clung to her hips and thighs. He started to brush it off, but caught himself first. “What are you doing here?”

***

Wow! *fans self* okay, maybe I’m fanning because I know where this is going and Jacob is more than worth the fanning. At times an electrical fan plus some air conditioning might be needed. The next section of this chapter will be posted next Monday for another Play Peek! Latest information will be on my blog, so drop by my website to check it all out!

As part of my blog tour, I’m giving away a book at all my stops! Instead of giving away my book every day of this blog tour (wouldn’t that get old to promote?), super-star awesome friends of mine have donated books for me! Today I have According To Plan by Madison J. Edwards!

Tell me hi, tell me what you think about peach pie or just give me a wave and you’ll be entered for this very excellent ebook. Leave your email address so I can contact you! *open internationally*

Check out Madison at her website http://www.madisonjedwards.com/ and on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Madison-J-Edwards-Author/148483455220051 and Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/madisonjedwards/ for more information.

***
Keri Ford writes Sexy Country Contemporary Romances. See her website for more information about her books and The Roughnecks Blog Tour with all the giveaway, sneak peeks and blog stops: http://bit.ly/Hb1hwS

Blurb
You do for family, no matter what. Lane Iverson knows that better than anyone. Harboring a secret about his mother’s death, Lane is counting the days until he finishes helping his brothers with some work and can head back to his hiding hole hours away. As long as he doesn’t have to face his three brothers every day, the guilt is easier to carry.
There is only one thing that can risk his plan. All of five foot tall with these deep eyes and a voice that shudders through him. The completely addicting, Gretchen Jones. She’s been watching him the entire time he’s been in town. With courage from her friends behind her, she confronts what she wants. To her surprise, that’s the easy part. Keeping her heart protected when she knows he’ll be leaving? Not so easy, but her only choice.
Amazon http://amzn.to/IQiTz8
Barnes & Nobel http://bit.ly/J9Rzth
AllRomance Ebooks http://bit.ly/JN35rh
TMP http://bit.ly/JrZkK1
Goodreads http://bit.ly/KgZbaL
Find Keri at
Website http://bit.ly/Heo4Vr
Twitter http://bit.ly/HRgGgu
Facebook http://on.fb.me/HenzL0

While I’m over the moon that I get to attend such great conferences — RT Book Lover’s Convention and RWA Chicago North’s Spring Fling — I’d be lying if I said that I was fully recovered from either.

I don’t know that anything prepares you to meet your idols. And I kinda fell apart and Fan Girl Squeed alllll over Sue Grafton when I met her. To the point where she offered me a hug (I’m convinced that she saw the crazy fire in my eyes and knew the only way to extinguish it would be to hug it out of me).  And poor Susan Elizabeth Phillips probably thinks I was an escapee from a mental facility.  I can’t help it — when I get excited I grin like a lunatic.

I also don’t know when I’ll realize that what I’ve done is a pretty big deal.  While I’m no Nora Roberts (and probably never will be), having published two books with a reputable publisher does put me in a class about a newbie.   I’ve spent a lot of time recognizing what I haven’t done that I’ve quite forgotten that I’ve accomplished something awesome.

And though I live in a bigger city, I still don’t get a lot of opportunities to surround myself with other writers.  This makes me want to eek out every  nanosecond I can…. to the detriment of sleep, food and common sense.  I’ve been known to yell “NO ONE SLEEPS AT CONFERENCES!”  to other attendees.

Combined with all of the actual workshops where I learned things that I MUST apply to my current WIPs and I’m a bit fried.  I have about a month before my next conference and I’m still not sure if I’ll be recovered, but I’m certainly going to enjoy it to the max…..and be prepared to need another month for recovery.

Sasha, who could use a nap

Attending RT was both exhilarating but also extremely exhausting.  It’s over a week later and I’m still not recovered.  I learned tons, made many new friends, and even pitched to a few editors.

I have another local 2-day conference this week and then I can finally take a breather next week.  I’m looking forward to the conference but I cannot wait for this time next week….hopefully I’ll get back on schedule.

Sasha, who is phoning it in

However, I like talent shows, and I’ve fallen in love with The Voice. I can admit I was initially watching just for Mr. ManCandy himself, Adam Levine, but I like the idea of finding a gem. Someone who obviously has talent but for whatever reason (money, distance, unconventional looks) hasn’t made the splash to be a star. I’m also a sucker for human interest stories and get heavily invested in the contestants.

The only draw back for me is the Dragon Lady judge, Christina Aguilera. While I wholeheartedly believe Xtina is extremely talented, I don’t like the bitch snipes she makes at the other judges and contestants. I’m guessing her spanx are so tight that courtesy has been squeezed out of her. As for the other judges (Cee-Lo Green and Blake Shelton), I appreciate their warmth, humor and expertise.

The show even airs on Monday nights (and ok, Tuesdays as well) as if it somehow knows that you’ll need a pick up after the first day back to the Evil Day Job.

Sasha, who can’t wait for the live battles tonight

Meet my latest obsession:

My friend showed me this picture and it took over my brain.  I fell asleep last night thinking about it and woke up with it as my first thought. Clearly I’m going to write something based on this but I haven’t decided what. Until then, I’m just going to keep staring at it. For inspiration. Yeah. That.

Sasha, who could stare at this picture allllll day

As much as I love reading and writing romance, I hate, hate HATE chick flicks. I usually hope that the heroine ends up in a ditch with the hero riding off into the sunset with someone much less annoying.

There are, however, a few exceptions. Love Actually would probably be my #1 chick flick movie and would rank in my top five favorite movies of all time. Though it’s a Christmas movie, I could watch it over and over again any time of year.  I think what makes this for me is it the film is a mixture of things.

It interweaves the lives of several characters in England over the weeks leading up to Christmas. Lookit all this talent:

There are lots of comedic moments (Bill Nighy as a has been trying to make a comeback is worth it alone), and several moments that will just melt your heart (wait until you get to the airport scene). It has eye candy as well (hello, Liam Neeson! How YOU doin?) and taught me the appeal of Colin Firth.

Watch it. You’ll laugh, you’ll cheer, you’ll kick Monday blah’s right in the junk.

Sasha, who wishes she were watching right now

Today will mark over a week of record high temps, and while most people are celebrating, at this point I’d relish snow. Like snowmageddon levels of snow. Anything to stop the incessant need to sniffle and the sneeze that I’m convinced is killing my brain cells.

Sasha, whose nose is red and soon to peel

I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t often get enough sleep. I’m a light sleeper on a good day and barely manage four hours on a bad one.

However, my body often extractions revenge by knocking me on my ass when I’ve had too many four hour days. I managed a good eight and half hours last night — though I did wake every couple of hours — and I feel fantastic!

If this I Can Take on the World and Win! feeling is inherent in sleep, I’m going to have to invest in more of it.

Sasha, who feels rested and invincible

Winter this year has been a bit of a joke. It’s March in Chicago and we’re supposed to hit 77 degrees. My brain has no way to process that. I more hours at night — when I’m most productive — and hardly any social obligations to distract me from making words.

Now I, the person who avoids the outdoors because that’s where the Civil War happened, keep having thoughts like “It’s much too nice to stay inside!” and it’s freaking me out. Not to mention it’s bad for my word count.

All of this to say that my current WIP is a struggle. I know what I want to say (kind of) but the words are coming like pulling teeth.  I’m not giving up or anything (I believe in you Micah and Lorelei!) but I’m tempted.

These are the days that try writers’ souls or something like that.

Sasha, who needs more hours in a day or less sunlight

There have been people who Flash Mob the dance sequence from Thriller, or the video made the rounds at Christmas for the troupe that Flash Mobbed the Hallelujah chorus.

Ever since I learned what a flash mob was, I’ve wanted to be a part of one. It seemed unlikely given that I tend to have friends who are more socially shy than I am and I don’t belong to any groups that would have FM credentials.

But. If all goes according to plan, then by this time tomorrow I will have participated in my first flash mob.  This is either going to be extremely cool or horribly lame, but either way, I can’t wait!

If you’d like to see some popular Flash Mobs, click here.

Sasha, who hopes it’s cool!