Paula Altenburg | I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends

My apologies to the Beatles. But those boys were right.

Over the years, you acquire a variety of them. I have friends from my childhood,
from university, and friends my husband and I made as a couple. When my kids
were small, my immediate group of friends tended to be other mothers. My two
closest friends are still my sisters. (Not that I don’t love my brother. But
there are some things he simply Does Not Want to Hear About.)

These groups aren’t mutually exclusive. There’s a fair bit of overlap. In fact,
one of my sisters is also a writer.

And of course, my husband ranks up there as one of my very best friends. We’ve
known each other since we were sixteen and eighteen. He and I, however, have
vastly different interests. When it comes to my writing, which makes up a
significant part of my life these days, his eyes tend to glaze over. Don’t get
me wrong. He’s supportive. But it’s the same reason he doesn’t care to watch
World Cup soccer with me. He claims my enthusiasm “isn’t sincere.”

So when you find friends who not only share your interests, but also your sense
of humor and enthusiasm, you’ve hit the jackpot.

Speaking of jackpots…

I certainly hit one with a particular group of writer friends when we were
attending a conference in Las Vegas last year. Of that group, Robin Bielman,
Roxanne Snopek and I had already met online because we were writing for
Entangled Bliss, but you can never be too sure about these things until you meet
in person. It’s a little like on-line dating. We knew we all shared a similar
sense of humor (the Facebook parties were a blast!), so we already had that much
in common. We’d also read each other’s books. Theirs are fabulous, by the way.
Be sure and check them out if you haven’t done so already.

Fortunately, not everything that happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. (Except for
that one Minor Incident at New York, New York, where Robin and I chose to be
responsible—unlike Roxanne, who will do anything on a dare. Not to worry, she’ll
be off the “no-fly” list in another six months.)

Here we have the police photo. Robin Bielman’s on the left, Roxanne Snopek is on the right. I’m posting bail. Robin seems incredibly happy about being frisked: I have to say a great big thank you to them both for being sounding boards with my current Red-Hot Bliss release from Entangled, HER SECRET, HIS SURPRISE. Roxanne, a fellow Canadian, read it twice, and explained the meaning of “sexual tension” to me. WHO KNEW? Robin tactfully suggested I change the title. She thought “Blood Lust, Blood Money” might not sound romantic enough.

Here’s a snippet for inquiring minds:

Cass sniffed. “You were okay. A little submissive, perhaps.” Logan froze for a fraction of a second. Then he straightened. A gleam entered his eyes as he looked straight into hers. A slow-burning, predatory smile tugged at the corners of his mouth and he took two steps toward her, shrinking the already small gap of space between them. She took a half step back and bumped into the counter. And she remembered exactly, in vivid detail, why she’d been so attracted to him. He might not be bursting with ambition, but when it came to testosterone he’d been handed more than his share. His breath brushed along her throat as he tipped his head closer. Pressing the palms of her hands against the cupboards behind her, bracing herself for his kiss, she shivered to the soles of her feet. The kiss never came. “As I recall,” he said, his lips hovering scant inches from hers, “last time was lady’s choice. If you’d like a do-over, pick your safe word.”

I hope you’ll give Cass and Logan's "second chance" story a try. It was a lot of fun to write. It was even more fun to share it with my friends.

Comment below for your chance to win a copy of Paula's first Entangled Bliss book, DESIRE BY DESIGN, and buy your copy of HER SECRET, HIS SURPRISE today!

Comments

28 comments posted.

Re: Paula Altenburg | I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends

You are so right about close friends. My husband has
Parkinson's and I realize who are close friends are. Mostly
the ones we have had for years. They come over and just sit
with him and give me a few moments of quiet time. Also, if I
didn't have books to read I don't know what I would do. I
can't thank all the authors so much for their "time".
(Judy Anderson 11:16am July 30, 2014)

Congrats again on this awesome book, Paula! And thank YOU for being a great
friend!! ((hugs)) Oh, and for posting bail. ;)
(Robin Bielman 11:18am July 30, 2014)

Congrats on this wonderful book. And I agree, close friends are great to have.
(Sarah Bauman 12:50pm July 30, 2014)

Woo!! Can't wait to read!
(Michelle Brown 1:28pm July 30, 2014)

Close friends are often farther away than we'd like but still
close when we need them.
(Mary Hay 1:55pm July 30, 2014)

It's a great book, readers - and I'm not just saying this
because Paula has photos locked in a safe somewhere. ;)
(Roxanne Snopek 2:06pm July 30, 2014)

Close friends, I have the best!! I have been married 23 years, past the goo-goo eye stuff but it is comfortable and I know he will be there for me.
(Deana Connelly 2:47pm July 30, 2014)

Congrats on your new release! I
totally agree with you on close
friends. Having that type of
support system with friends is
the best!
(Christina Linton 4:58pm July 30, 2014)

Friends are great to have, unfortunely my best friend died,
and I really miss her.
(Jeri Dickinson 6:28pm July 30, 2014)

Great title
(Susan Jang 6:42pm July 30, 2014)

What wonderful, fun friends!
(Sue Galuska 8:10pm July 30, 2014)

Your friends sound great ... you are lucky to have those who
share your "agony and ecstasy" so to speak as well as have a
lot of fun with. Good luck on your new release.
(Annetta Sweetko 9:53pm July 30, 2014)

Your friends seem to change over time. I have talked some that I have not seen or talked to for years. We picked right up where we left off. Your book sounds very good.
(Cynthia Cook 10:27pm July 30, 2014)

My best friend shares baseball and book with me. My other friend share
reading with me and another shares my love of jewelry. Sometimes we
all share holidays.
(Pat Freely 11:54pm July 30, 2014)

I have a few close friends and a few friends. My mom is
still my best friend and has stuck with me thru some really
weird things. But I would not change much if I had to do it
all over again. My close friend moved back to her parents to
finish school and has been trying to get back here since she
graduated but when she comes into town we PARTY 2 nights and
just let our hair down. We have a DD so we are safe and can
have our fun.
(Tina Ullrich 1:07am July 31, 2014)

You are a new author to me. I'm looking forward to reading what you have written.
(Patricia Solla 1:37am July 31, 2014)

Oooh! I want! Thanks for the giveaway!
(Linda Townsend 7:34am July 31, 2014)

Your picture looks like great fun, and it's such a joy to
have such wonderful friends - be it family or not!! I,
myself, have a Girlfriend who is closer to me than my own
Sisters, and I cherish her more than the world!! I also
have a dear male Friend who is like a Brother to me, and a
great confidante. I have other Friends as well, but these
two in particular have been near and dear to my heart for
years. I cherish my other Friends as well, and wouldn't
trade them for the world. Some of them have been my Friend
since Grade School, and some a little later than that, but
we've been through a lot together. I enjoyed reading your
posting today, and am sure I will enjoy reading your book,
as well as the books of your Friends. You sound like you
would be a fun person to be around, and the photo proves
it!! Congratulations on your book!!!
(Peggy Roberson 9:29am July 31, 2014)

This sounds like my type of book. Thank you for the sweep.
(Anna Speed 12:55pm July 31, 2014)

My wife took a second chance at love when we got together!
(Richard Proctor 4:36pm July 31, 2014)

So glad I took a second chance at love! My husband is
wonderful1
(Maria Proctor 4:48pm July 31, 2014)

Sometimes the closest of friends can feel that you need a
call without you saying anything. It's like telepathy or
intuition is at work. A BFF ears are golden, because you
can sound things out and they may look at you funny, but
they give a good listen to whatever's on your mind. At
first I read Entangled Bliss as Entangled Mess and had to go
back and check. Looks like a lively read.
(Alyson Widen 5:30pm July 31, 2014)

Looks great! I can't wait to read it.
(Amy Kincade 6:15pm July 31, 2014)

Her Secret, His Surprise sounds very exciting! Sigh, alpha males :-)
(Gloria Shaw 10:22pm July 31, 2014)

Life is like a layer cake and friends are like the frosting that make it extra special. As for your snippet...Wow! This inquiring mind wants to read the "do-over" Oh, yeah!
(Debbie Kelly 10:51pm July 31, 2014)

Okay, now I have to read Her Secret, His Surprise!
(Lisa Carr 10:55pm July 31, 2014)

Congrats on the release of Her Secret, His Surprise. I love the excerpt.
(Kai Wong 12:02pm August 2, 2014)

You are right if the Beatles only knew that a phrase in a song would have so much meaning for all of us.
(John Zeiger 3:51pm August 2, 2014)

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