Kate Pearce

The day has finally arrived! Simply Wicked, Anthony Sokorvsky’s book, the fourth in the House of Pleasure series, has finally arrived on the shelves and into your Kindle.

Here’s what Romantic Times had to say about it \

Even if you’re unfamiliar with the House of Pleasure series, this story serves as an excellent introduction… Pearce writes convincingly and expertly. Add an intricate plot, vivid characters, sizzling sex and a dastardly villain for a deliciously well-crafted page-turner.
4 1/2 Stars, Michelle Wiener, RT BOOKreviews

Here’s a bit of blurb:

An Insatiable Appetite…

Anthony Sokorvsky’s only rule in life is not to have any, especially when pleasures of the flesh are involved. But his dark sexual pursuits have led him down a treacherous path that may cost him his fortune if he doesn’t end his recklessness and wed. His salvation comes in the form of Marguerite Lockwood. Just one day in Marguerite’s presence leaves Anthony lusting after her and fantasizing about all the ways he can bring her to new heights of delirious scorching ecstasy.

I’m giving away Three signed copies this week here on my blog, just comment below for a chance to win I’ll post the winner on Sunday October 4th here on Facebook and on Twitter

1. I have never climbed Mount Everest and I have no intention of ever doing so. I don’t like the cold.

2. I have never seen the following movies: Titanic, Dirty Dancing, or Spiderman.

3. I have never cooked a piece of beef, lamb or pork. I stopped eating red meat when I was about 18 and have never regretted it. If they want it, my hubby and kids have to get take out or cook it themselves.

4. I have never been to Scotland, despite living in England for more than 30 years of my life. I only went to Ireland for the first time this year.

5. I have never had a tattoo, but that might change.

6. I have never gone up in a hot air balloon-I would like to, but I have skydived.

7. I have never won a RITA from Romance Writers of America.

8. I have never dyed my hair blond-pink and black, yes, but never blond.

9. I have never ridden a camel or an elephant. I’d like to try both.

10. I have never been to an NFL game or a baseball, but I have seen MLS and watched cricket and football in the UK.

What have you never done?

People often ask which writers really inspired me tp write, and it’s a great question. There are lots of writers I love and who have provided me with hours of enjoyment, but there are a special few who made me think about how I wanted to write and what I wanted to write about. Here is one of my all time favorites…

Rosemary Sutcliff. Most of you have probably never heard of her, because she wrote mainly children’s books and that’s when I first encountered her. Her books are historical and she inspired my enduring love for the ancient history of Britain, the Bronze Age, the Romano British, the medieval knight, all these things came alive in her writing. And she wasn’t a sentimentalist. Her books are quite gritty considering they are for children, but I think even then I responded to her honesty and tremendous sense of history.

Some of my favorites include, Warrior Scarlet, Simon, The Eagle of the Ninth, Knight’s Fee and my two absolute favorites that I still reread to this day are, The Mark of the Horse lord and The Lantern Bearer’s. And if you want a fabulous take on the real King Arthur legend read her adult novel, The Sword at Sunset It is breathtaking.

And if this cover reminds you of another very well known author’s cover, let me know in the comments

Yesterday I was asked by my new publisher NAL if I had any thoughts about the potential cover for the first in the Tudor Vampire series, “The Kiss of the Rose” Even though I’ve been busy researching accurate Tudor dress and immersing myself in Tudor portraits, there was only one place I could send them for inspiration-Show Times’s “The Tudors”.

Well it inspires me Now if they could just persuade the real Jonathan Rhys-Meyers to grace the cover with his presence, I’d be in heaven…

I loved this book, and not just because I got to read it before publication, but because it has so many ingredients that I enjoy. A hot-tempered sexy chef, a sneering food critic and a sub-plot so scorching and edgy that it blew my socks off. Here’s the blurby bit

For sharp-tongued food critic Miranda Wake, the chance to spend a month in Adam Temple’s kitchen to wrie an expose is a journalistic dream come true. Surely Miranda can find a way to cut the hotshot chef down to size once she learns what really goes on in his trendy Manhattan restaurant. the trouble is, she never expected Adam to find out her most embarrassing secret: she has no idea how to cook…
Adam’s not about to have his reputation burned by a critic who doesn’t even know the difference between poaching and paring. He’ll just have to give the tempting redhead a few private lessons of his own-teaching her what it means to cook with passion…and doing more with his hands than preparing sumptuous food.

And even better, it’s the start of a series!! I love me a series. You can buy it at all the usual places including amazon Trust me, you won’t regret it!

I’m going to snag Louisa later in the year to come and talk food/hot chefs/ our mutual adoration of Gordon Ramsey and recipes on my blog, so think up some great questions for her!

I can’t write with music on in the background. If I try, I end up adding the lyrics into my manuscript, which isn’t very helpful, or singing along and not concentrating at all. But sometimes, while I’m writing a book and I’m out picking up kids or shopping, something will come on the ipod that I recognize as having some interesting connection with either a character from the book or a general sense of the ‘theme’ of the book. Sometimes its the actual lyrics and other times its just the way the music makes me feel-if that makes any sense at all

For example, I’m a big Madonna fan and a couple of her songs have actually influenced or summed up some of my books.

Here are the lyrics to a song from the album “Ray of Light” called “To Have and Not to Hold”

To have and not to hold
So hot, yet so cold
My heart is in your hand
And yet you never stand
Close enough for me to have my way

To love but not to keep
To laugh, not to weep
Your eyes, they go right through
And yet you never do
Anything to make me want to stay

Chorus:

Like a moth to a flame
Only I am to blame
Ba ba da ba ba ba
What can I do?
Ba ba da ba ba ba
I go straight to you
Ba ba da ba ba ba
I’ve been told
You’re to have, not to hold

To look but not to see
To kiss but never be
The object of your desire
I’m walking on a wire
And there’s no one at all
To break my fall

(chorus)

You’re to have, not to hold
You’re to have, not to hold

(chorus)

You’re to have, not to hold
You’re to have, not to hold
You’re to have, not to hold
To break my heart.

When I first heard this I immediately thought of Peter Howard from Simply Sexual because the words just epitomized how he feels about Valentin. But then, as I continued to write the series and was knee deep in Simply Sinful, I realized that the lyrics actually applied not only to Peter, but to how Valentin feels about Peter and how Sara feels about Valentin. An all-purpose song about the agonies of loving someone who doesn’t seem to want you in the same way.

Recently, I’ve been writing Simply Wicked, which comes out next month, and the book which is most closely related to it, Simply Insatiable, which comes out in May 2010. My musical inspiration this time comes from an unlikely source, The Red Hot Chili Peppers and isn’t as much directed as the lyrics, but more to the desperation inherent in the song and the situation that I felt mirrored the conflict between Anthony and himself and his conflict with Lord Minshom.

Otherside

[Chorus:]
How long how long will I slide
Separate my side I don’t
I don’t believe it’s bad
Slit my throat
It’s all I ever

I heard your voice through a photograph
I thought it up it brought up the past
Once you know you can never go back
I’ve got to take it on the otherside

Centuries are what it meant to me
A cemetery where I marry the sea
Stranger things could never change my mind
I’ve got to take it on the otherside
Take it on the otherside
Take it on
Take it on

[Chorus]

Pour my life into a paper cup
The ashtray’s full and I’m spillin’ my guts
She wants to know am I still a slut
I’ve got to take it on the otherside

Scarlet starlet and she’s in my bed
A candidate for my soul mate bled
Push the trigger and pull the thread
I’ve got to take it on the otherside
Take it on the otherside
Take it on
Take it on
[Chorus]

Turn me on take me for a hard ride
Burn me out leave me on the otherside
I yell and tell it that
It’s not my friend
I tear it down I tear it down
And then it’s born again

[Chorus]

How long I don’t believe it’s bad
Slit my throat
It’s all I ever

You’ll have to let me know if you agree with me on this one when you’ve read both the books-or at least when you read Anthony’s

So, tell me, am I the only person who relates songs to books and themes and characters?

Well we made it through another year-and let me tell you folks, this one was a doozy As soon as I find my list of 22 reasons from my previous blog as to why I love this man, I’ll post it-

To celebrate the fact that Mr Kate and me have been married for twenty-three years-yes twenty-three-as of yesterday, I thought I’d share some ‘romantic’ erm information/facts about the enigma of ‘Mr Kate’ and exactly why we’ve managed to remain married and still speaking to each other.

1. Mr Kate is not his real name.(gasp) When I told him I was writing a blog I was given strict instructions not to name him because he is a high up lardy-dah business type person.

2. Mr Kate now has several fans who work with him who read my blog and think it is hilarious that a big lardy-dah business man gets called Mr Kate.

3. Mr Kate is very fit. He goes to the gym three times a week and also rides a horse. I swear there is not an inch of flab to pinch on the man.

4. The first time we kissed, I knew I was going to marry him.

5. The first time we kissed, Mr Kate knew that we were going to have a problem avoiding over-bites.

6. On one of our first dates, Mr Kate scratched the immortal words “DD 4 CH” within a heart into the brickwork by my front door with his keys-where it still remains (as far as I know)

7. Mr Kate always writes the above message in every card he gives me.

8 Mr Kate likes AC/DC and loud rock music. He also had a fine collection of black T-shirts bearing band names when I first met him-come to think of it he still does.

9. Mr Kate also has a secret liking for Shania Twain and the occasional Madonna song. I’m sorry but his pathetic excuse of accidentally taking “Ray of Light’ on his business trips didn’t wash with me. I know he knows the words and can even be coaxed into the occasional philisophical discussion about what in the world will Madonna do next?

10. Mr Kate doesn’t drink coffee much as he is totally wired. If he was growing up these days he’d be classified as having ADHD. In our day, he was simply made to stand in the corner and told that he’d never make anything of himself.

11. As a kid his first dream job was ‘bin man’

12. He supports Manchester United football team (loser)

13. His second dream job was ‘astronaut’. He’s still a total space addict. If he gets really rich I expect he’ll book himself a seat on a moon tour. (alone)

14. Mr Kate used to think it was funny to leap out at me and scare me. He doesn’t do it so much anymore because once I nearly expired with fright.

15. After our first ten years of marriage Mr Kate told me that he’d realized that when I shared something with him, it didn’t necessarily mean that I was asking him to fix it for me or tell me what to do. He had discovered empathy-a big moment in a man’s life.

16. After our first fifteen years of marriage he stopped taking my shoes upstairs and let me leave them on the bottom of the stairs. (did I mention he’s a cleaning nazi?)

17. He always tells me I look nice. Sometimes I have to stamp on his toes until he’ll tell me what he really thinks.

18. He thinks I look better without make up (he thinks I don’t wear it snort)

19. He loves me despite the fact that the first time he took me to dinner at his parents I lost a whole fried tomato up my sleeve and got trifle in my hair.

20. When our daughter was born, he got up at four a.m. every morning to feed her so that I could sleep and never missed a night.

Can you see why he’s so lovable? I’m a very lucky lady

Here is reason #23:

This week he fixed the tumble dryer, unblocked my bathroom sink and patiently played myepets.com with our daughter. What a man.

One day when I have reached the dizzy heights of best romance author IN THE WORLD, there are a few things I intend to do with my crazy superstar life. I thought you might enjoy hearing some of the wackiest ideas I’ve had so far, because hey, if you’re really really famous you get to do what you like, right?
Right?

Today I’m sharing some of the thoughts I’ve had for my back yard-which will be BIG.

1. In the backyard of my fabulous mega-mansion set on the hills of a remote lake in Italy, I want the Bellagio Fountains from Las Vegas, (or their equivalent) At 6 p.m. every night a gong will sound and all the drapes and windows leading out onto my fabulous patio and pool area will miraculously open to reveal-the fountains and the music of my choice. Fabulous, right? And totally appropriate for a romance writer.

2. When the fountains aren’t going during the daytime, I figure I’ll need something else to entertain my guests, so every hour there will be a show from some synchronized swimmers, and maybe, depending on quite how crazy I feel, a few dolphins or Shamu thrown in. Maybe even Michael Phelps…

3. I love Gnomes, I have no idea why. I believe I’ll blame my next door neighbors in London who had some that I loved when I was a kid. I also understand that many people hate garden gnomes and throw them out when they purchase a property-horrors! I propose to set up a Gnome sanctuary in my vast estates, where people can leave their unwanted gnomes and be sure that they will be safe with someone who loves them, that they will receive regular upkeep, a fresh coat of paint and security for ever more…

4. Now this one is for when I finally go off my rocker and yes, I know it’s not pc or okay, etc etc and I’d never really do it, but, ever since I was a kid, and I totally blame PG Tips Tea for this one, I’ve wanted a chimpanzee, a little girl one in a frock so we can wear matching outfits and go out together hand in hand.

I also suspect that this is the one that will finally make Mr Kate Pearce have me committed to the loony bin…

So, dear readers, what would you all do if you could have the craziest lifestyle ever?

Out today from one of my favorite people in the universe: Melissa Francis!
Here’s the blurb

AJ Ashe isn’t your typical seventeen-year-old vampire—as if there is such a thing! She’s stuck in the middle of a huge fight between her two BFFs. Her ex-boyfriend—whom she’s still totally in love with, by the way—is now her stepbrother. A former classmate—who, um, she may or may not have turned into a vampire—is stalking her. And now, apparently, the fate of humankind lies in her little undead hands. What ever happened to the good old days, when all a vampire girl had to worry about was the occasional zit and hiding her taste for blood?

And don’t forget to go visit her Bite Me! site

A mixed bag of good and bad news as I recently found out that Virgin Black Lace will not be publishing any books in 2010 after 16 years of publishing quality erotica and erotic romance. I’ll always remember Adam Neville my editor from Virgin very fondly as he was the first person to trust me to write a print book for him: “Where have all the Cowboys gone?” He steered me through the process and taught me a lot. He also bought 2 more books from me and some short stories-all fantastic experiences. His good news is that despite being laid off by Virgin he recently signed a 2 book deal to write horror for a major publisher. Go Adam!

I’ve just returned from the RWA conference in Washington and I’m ashamed to say I didn’t do any sightseeing. The heat and humidity just defeated me and I did something weird to my funky broken toe which made me even less inclined to go walkabout and made me give up 3 pairs of the gorgeous shoes I’d brought with me in favor of ones that didn’t kill my feet.
Here’s a picture of some of the folks from the Romance Diva’s board taken by Angela James of Samhain publishing.

From left to right: bottom row first Mel Francis, me, Karen Erickson, Loribelle. Top row from left to right: Christina Cross, Vivienne and Shelli Stevens

And finally a lovely surprise to come home to-the anthology cover for Some Like it Rough, which is due out in March 2010 from Kensington Aphrodisia. I only turned my part of it in 3 weeks ago and hey there’s a cover already! I think it’s lovely and very suitable for my novella, which is also the title of the anthology.

I’ve been on vacation with my family-and I survived!! Mr Kate Pearce drove about a 1000 miles, round trip with 2 teenage sons, a 7 year old daughter, my mother and me. And we all returned still speaking to each other!

We stopped off in San Diego for three days, took in Sea World and the Midway battleship, before heading out to Las Vegas, where my mother from the UK had never been and always wanted to go. When we arrived, it was about 105 degrees and I think she was a bit dubious, but after a day she got a bit more used to it. She won $38 on the slot machines from a 25c bet, saw the Hoover Dam in 114 degree heat and ate like a queen. She also fell in love with the fountains as Bellagio, so dragged us all out regularly to see them LOL.

I managed to find a whole Tadashi dress shop in the Forum shops of Caesar Palace, and ended up buying another dress…bad but so worth it!

But I’m glad to be home and I’m ready to get on with the next book entitled “Simply VI” All I know at the moment is that it is about Lisette Delornay-Ross, Helene and Philip’s daughter. It’s due in October so I’d better get a move on!

Anyone else been on vacation or going?