Capturing You
Maple
Grove
Book
1
Katana
Collins
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Date of Publication: 12/16/14
ISBN:
ASIN:
Word Count: 72,000
Cover Artist: Fiona Jayde
Book Description:
After discovering she's
infertile, Lydia Ryder has all but convinced herself that she doesn't need
children or a family to be happy. All she needs is her camera, her passport,
and a damn good manicure. And maybe, maybe a sexy male travel companion. But
when her job as a magazine photographer lands her in the small town of Maple
Grove, NH, a precocious ten year old and her single father barge into Lydia's
life, turning what she thinks she wants onto its head. In this town full of
happily ever afters, Lydia finds herself wishing for things she had sworn off
long ago...
When Cameron Tripp's wife passed
away from heart disease, he thought he'd never find love again. He certainly
never would have expected a woman like Lydia Ryder to waltz into his life and
awaken his dormant heart and libido. But despite his better judgment, Cam finds
himself drawn to the vivacious and argumentative outsider. He quickly learns
that, like him, she knows all about misplaced trust, heartbreak, and how
quickly a family can fall apart if you let it.
As impassioned arguments morph
into frenzied kisses, the two wonder if one weekend can ever be enough. Despite
lacking a maternal side, can Lydia connect with his ten year old daughter? And
when Cameron finally learns the true nature of Lydia's article, the trust he
worked so hard to build crumbles once again. With such doubts filling their
minds, is there any hope that Lydia and Cameron will be able to start a new
life together?
Prequel
available for free https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/498057
Excerpt:
Chapter Eleven
It
didn't take long before Cam was lying on the floor, face up, a half-empty
bottle of wine clutched in a hand. His ceiling fan was so dirty. He'd have to
make a mental note to dust up there next time. If he'd even remember in this
inebriated state. Do drunk people use words like inebriated? Apparently this
one did.
He
looked to his left, swiveling his head without lifting it off the floor. Callie
was lying face down on his couch. One leg dangled off the edge and knuckles
that grasped her bottle of vino scraped the floor. Her cheek was squished
making her loose lips pucker. Sensing his stare, she opened her eyes; they were
red and bloodshot. “You're so drunk,” she slurred.
“You're
an enabebler,” Cam attempted to speak. Clearly it wasn't going well. He could
tell in his own head it was wrong and his sister broke out in a fit of giggles.
“This
is fun,” she said, “Why didn't we ever do this before?”
“Because
you weren't twenty-one before,” he grunted and bringing the bottle to his lips,
took another swig. The sweetness wasn't so much of an issue after your sixth
glass. And after almost a whole bottle? You didn't even taste it anymore.
Callie
sat up on an arm, propping her body in some sort of yoga-like pose that made Cam's
back hurt just looking at it. Shit, he was getting old. “Listen, mister. I've
been twenty-one for...” she counted on a few fingers, her eyes rolling into the
back of her head as though the extra thinking hurt, “many months now. There's
no excuse!” Her elbow gave out and she fell back down onto the couch with an
oomph.
“Yeah,
well, I've got reponsibilities,” he said. “Responsilibilities,” he tried again.
“Re-spons-ib-ilities.” There. He got it, finally.
Callie
broke out into another fit of girlie giggles and rolled off the couch onto her
back next to Cam. He couldn't help but laugh too. And damn it felt good to
laugh. It was creaky; unused. But nice, nonetheless. “So seriously,” Callie's
eyes were only half open, “who's the city chick?”
Cam
groaned. Lydia. Everything came back to Lydia lately. “I need to be drunker if
we're going to talk about this,” he lifted the bottle again, the halogen lamp
reflecting off the tinted glass. It was noticeably lighter than before.
“C'mon,”
she propped herself up on an elbow. “Tell me about her.”
He
sighed. “She's...beautiful. Like a sunset on...uh, a summer's eve.”
Callie
burst out laughing again. “Okay, I think you've had enough,” she reached across
him and took the bottle from his hands. “You just compared a woman to a
feminine cleansing product.”
He
closed his eyes, picturing her face. That sleek chestnut hair; grey eyes with
little specks of gold like his granite countertops; high cheekbones and large,
plump lips. When he opened his eyes, Callie was looming over him smiling.
“You're thinking about her, aren't you?”
He
groaned. “She has a boyfriend. It's a moot point.”
“Did
she say it was a moot point?”
“She
doesn't have to. She has a boyfriend and she lied about it.”
Callie
arched an eyebrow. “Which only proves that she's into you, too.”
Cam
thought of the kiss; of her breasts pressed against his body, that silk shirt
tickling his skin. “Doesn't matter,” he mumbled. “Boyfriend. In New York. She's
leaving.”
“You
should sleep with her anyway,” Callie collapsed back onto the floor beside him
and he couldn't help but laugh at the statement.
“Okay,”
he said, “Now you're the one with the drunken drunk talk.”
“I'm
serious! Sleep with her.”
“She
has a boyfriend.”
“All
the more reason to do it. Neither of you will get attached.”
“You
want me to use her to get my feet wet again?”
“If
your feet get wet, I think you're doing it wrong.”
He
groaned. “Oh, gross. You're my baby sister...what do you know about sex?”
She
snorted a laugh. “You sure you want me answering that?”
“Oh,
god,” he covered his face with both hands. “No. You're twelve. You're
twelve and you collect My Little
Ponies.”
Grabbing
a pillow, she hit him playfully across the face. “Just think about it, bro. We
all just want you to be happy.”
Happy.
The word rolled around in his mind like a marble on a slick surface. It was too
soon to be happy. Too raw. He liked the wound—liked keeping it fresh and open.
It was his only connection left to Hannah.
Cam
pushed off the ground, room spinning as he got to his feet. With a groan, he
grabbed a plastic bag, gathering the empty bottles.
“What
are you doing?” Callie mumbled.
Cam
rubbed his eyes with a knuckle. “I can't have Maddie or mom coming home
tomorrow to find these. I'll take them out to the recycling tonight.”
Callie
gurgled something that half sounded like words before she rolled over, smashing
her face into a pillow.
The
recycling was locked in a wood shed on the edge of the property to protect
their garbage from bears. Cam shivered, his unlaced boots crunching in the snow
as he staggered to the shed. He had to pause a moment, leaning on the banister
to make the snow below him stop spinning.
At
the water's edge was a vision. A beautiful woman bundled in a coat staring out
into the night. Cam blinked. Was he just seeing things? Surely he couldn't
trust his eyes when he was this drunk.
But
then, the woman turned and he was struck by Lydia's stunning svelte body,
backlit by moonlight. She took his breath away and they both stood frigidly
staring at each other.
Tossing
the recycling into the shed, he huffed toward the frozen lake and Lydia stood
there, unmoving. His insides wrenched and he didn't bother thinking.
“Cam,”
she said as he approached. Only he didn't let her get anything else out. He
grasped her tiny waist with both hands and tugged her into him, sloping his
mouth down over hers in a kiss that stirred fire even on the coldest night.
About
the Author:
Katana Collins Katana Collins
splits her time evenly between photographing boudoir portraits and writing
steam-your-glasses romances. Between navigating life as a small business owner,
a first-time homeowner, and a newlywed, Kat is in a constant state of
"OHMYGODINEEDCOFFEENOW."
She is the author of the Soul
Stripper trilogy, Wicked Exposure, and the graphic novel, Cafe Racer,
co-written with Sean Murphy.
She and her comic book artist
husband commute back and forth as they please between Brooklyn, NY and
Portland, ME with their ever-growing family of rescue animals (up to two dogs
and a cat and still counting!). She can usually be found hunched over her
laptop in a cafe, guzzling gallons of coffee, and wearing fabulous (albeit
sometimes impractical) shoes.
Interview
Where are you from?
I spend most of my time in Brooklyn, NY, but my husband and I also own a home up in Portland, Maine. However, that's where I live. Where I'm from is a different story. =0) We moved around a bit when I was a kid and so I'm kind of from all over: Lancaster, PA, Greensboro, NC, Charlotte, NC, Savannah, GA, and Orlando, FL are all places I've called home. (You'd think that would be an easy question, right?)
I spend most of my time in Brooklyn, NY, but my husband and I also own a home up in Portland, Maine. However, that's where I live. Where I'm from is a different story. =0) We moved around a bit when I was a kid and so I'm kind of from all over: Lancaster, PA, Greensboro, NC, Charlotte, NC, Savannah, GA, and Orlando, FL are all places I've called home. (You'd think that would be an easy question, right?)
Tell us your latest news?
Omigosh. I cannot even handle how busy things have been lately and I have one particularly piece of news that I am BURSTING to tell you all....but I can't yet (I'm mean, I know!). But, of the things I can tell you...Capturing You is the first in my new Maple Grove (contemporary romance) series and there's also a free read prequel out called Meeting You, A Day with the Tripps!
Omigosh. I cannot even handle how busy things have been lately and I have one particularly piece of news that I am BURSTING to tell you all....but I can't yet (I'm mean, I know!). But, of the things I can tell you...Capturing You is the first in my new Maple Grove (contemporary romance) series and there's also a free read prequel out called Meeting You, A Day with the Tripps!
In
2015, I have a new erotic suspense series, Wicked Exposure, Wicked
Shots, and Wicked Release, coming out through Kensington (squee!).
They're suspenseful and hot and will hopefully have you on the edge of your
seats through 'til the end.
I
also had my first graphic novel, Cafe Racer, come out in 2014. I wrote
it with my husband (NY Times best selling comic writer and artist, Sean
Murphy). That has been QUITE the ride. It's such a different industry and yet,
there's so much crossover in our worlds that it made too much sense not to
collaborate on a graphic novel with romantic elements. It's the story of a
1960s half-Japanese, half-British teen rocker and how she copes with life by
racing her mother's WWII motorcycle.
When and why did you begin writing?
Writing always came naturally to me. When I was about seven, I put out a weekly newspaper in my family...stupid stuff. Like reporting on our first ever CD player (Wow. I know, right?) and interviewing my mom about what our dinner menu was that week.
Writing always came naturally to me. When I was about seven, I put out a weekly newspaper in my family...stupid stuff. Like reporting on our first ever CD player (Wow. I know, right?) and interviewing my mom about what our dinner menu was that week.
I
always wanted to write a book, but never had the tenacity at a young age to sit
down and finish a whole one. It wasn't until my senior year of undergrad that I
took a creative writing class on a whim with the amazing professor Heather Dune
MacAdam. With her help, I realized that's what I truly wanted to do with my
life. Then, in 2011, I joined my first critique group....and wow, the
motivation that one gets when you have other writers counting on you to turn in
pages is incredible. I highly recommend it for any writer starting out. It was
through my critique group that I finished my first ever novel (Soul Stripper).
And I also found three of my closest friends.
When did you first consider yourself a
writer?
For me, personally...it was when I sold Soul Stripper. I've had a lot of careers in a very short time and I was hesitant to define myself as a writer because of that—I was a professional actor as a child. Then in college, I took time off to work for Disney designing (with a team!) their digital photo system in the parks. When I graduated, I moved to NYC and started working in television production, climbing my way up the ladder to an assistant producer position. Then, I started my own boutique photography business and finally got my novel published. I like to think that I was always a writer, all through these different stages, but I didn't define myself as one until I finished my first novel and sold it.
For me, personally...it was when I sold Soul Stripper. I've had a lot of careers in a very short time and I was hesitant to define myself as a writer because of that—I was a professional actor as a child. Then in college, I took time off to work for Disney designing (with a team!) their digital photo system in the parks. When I graduated, I moved to NYC and started working in television production, climbing my way up the ladder to an assistant producer position. Then, I started my own boutique photography business and finally got my novel published. I like to think that I was always a writer, all through these different stages, but I didn't define myself as one until I finished my first novel and sold it.
What inspired you to write your first
book?
My mom. It sounds cheesy, I know, but she penned her first novel and self-published it (and since has two more out through Secret Cravings). I was so in awe that she had buckled down and actually done the thing we'd been talking about for so long, that it gave me the push I needed to really take my own dreams seriously.
My mom. It sounds cheesy, I know, but she penned her first novel and self-published it (and since has two more out through Secret Cravings). I was so in awe that she had buckled down and actually done the thing we'd been talking about for so long, that it gave me the push I needed to really take my own dreams seriously.
Do you have a specific writing style?
I'm a plotter. I like to have most of my novel outlined before I even begin writing. However, many times (especially for the suspenseful murder mysteries), I treat my outlines sort of like the movie Clue. I'll have several potential endings that could work and as I get closer to finishing, I choose the one that makes the most sense or that offers the biggest twist.
I'm a plotter. I like to have most of my novel outlined before I even begin writing. However, many times (especially for the suspenseful murder mysteries), I treat my outlines sort of like the movie Clue. I'll have several potential endings that could work and as I get closer to finishing, I choose the one that makes the most sense or that offers the biggest twist.
How did you come up with the title?
Capturing You is a play on photography; since my heroine is a photographer, she's “capturing” him not only in imagery, but also in love. Initially, I was just using it as a title place holder, but it grew on me as time went by.
Capturing You is a play on photography; since my heroine is a photographer, she's “capturing” him not only in imagery, but also in love. Initially, I was just using it as a title place holder, but it grew on me as time went by.
Is there a message in your novel that
you want readers to grasp?
This is a story that is so near to my heart as I've been working on it for years. Much like Lydia, I probably can't have children. Having a heroine go through something like this without it being a super dramatized “issue” was really important to me. She is, of course, sad about this loss, but she learns that this inability to bear children doesn't have to define who she is.
This is a story that is so near to my heart as I've been working on it for years. Much like Lydia, I probably can't have children. Having a heroine go through something like this without it being a super dramatized “issue” was really important to me. She is, of course, sad about this loss, but she learns that this inability to bear children doesn't have to define who she is.
How much of the book is realistic?
I would say it's very realistic. It's contemporary romance, so unlike my Soul Stripper series, it takes place in the real world and deals with very relatable “real” issues.
I would say it's very realistic. It's contemporary romance, so unlike my Soul Stripper series, it takes place in the real world and deals with very relatable “real” issues.
Are experiences based on someone you
know, or events in your own life?
I guess I sort of answered that above. =) While I probably can't have kids, like Lydia, and I am also a photographer....she and I are still very different. When I found out, I never built walls to convince myself I didn't want kids. I love children and I have lots of nieces and nephews who can attest to how comfortable I am around them! I'm also not resigned to my circumstances and believe that happiness comes in a lot of forms. I'm already a mommy....to my two rescue dogs and kitty and when/if the time comes, my husband and I will likely foster/adopt a child.
I guess I sort of answered that above. =) While I probably can't have kids, like Lydia, and I am also a photographer....she and I are still very different. When I found out, I never built walls to convince myself I didn't want kids. I love children and I have lots of nieces and nephews who can attest to how comfortable I am around them! I'm also not resigned to my circumstances and believe that happiness comes in a lot of forms. I'm already a mommy....to my two rescue dogs and kitty and when/if the time comes, my husband and I will likely foster/adopt a child.
The
little girl in Capturing You is also loosely based on my best friend's
daughter, Maddie. A lot of things that Maddie says in the book were things my
friend's daughter has said to me over the years that were just too good to
ignore!
What books have most influenced your
life most?
Oh, man. My life? Life would be Everything is Illuminated, History of Love, Great Gatsby, Catcher in the Rye, Confederacy of Dunces, Love Walked In, and They Cage the Animals at Night. These books just burrowed under my skin and have always stuck with me since first reading them.
Oh, man. My life? Life would be Everything is Illuminated, History of Love, Great Gatsby, Catcher in the Rye, Confederacy of Dunces, Love Walked In, and They Cage the Animals at Night. These books just burrowed under my skin and have always stuck with me since first reading them.
But
there's also a ton of books and authors that influence my writing...Laurell K.
Hamilton's Anita Blake series, Cynthia Eden, Sylvia Day, Mary Janice Davidson,
Alice Clayton, Cora Carmack, and Jill Shalvis to name just a few!
If you had to choose, which writer would
you consider a mentor?
Ack! I have to choose just one? Man..I think Alice Clayton or maybe Jill Shalvis. They're both so talented and have such great, approachable personalities as well. Oh wait...maybe Susan Elizabeth Phillips...ACK, I forgot to add her above! I don't know! There are just so many amazing and talented authors to choose from.
Ack! I have to choose just one? Man..I think Alice Clayton or maybe Jill Shalvis. They're both so talented and have such great, approachable personalities as well. Oh wait...maybe Susan Elizabeth Phillips...ACK, I forgot to add her above! I don't know! There are just so many amazing and talented authors to choose from.
What book are you reading now?
I just started Love, In English!
I just started Love, In English!
Are there any new authors that have
grasped your interest?
Well, they're new to me, but I don't think they're new necessarily. Noelle August (Boomerang), Mia Asher (Arsen), and Georgia Cates (Beauty from Pain).
And though these next authors DEFINITELY are not new, I only recently discovered the awesomeness that is Laura Kaye, Lora Leigh, and Julie Kenner.
Well, they're new to me, but I don't think they're new necessarily. Noelle August (Boomerang), Mia Asher (Arsen), and Georgia Cates (Beauty from Pain).
And though these next authors DEFINITELY are not new, I only recently discovered the awesomeness that is Laura Kaye, Lora Leigh, and Julie Kenner.
What are your current projects?
I'm currently finishing up book 2 (Wicked Release) in my erotic suspense, Wicked Exposure series. I also just finished my first NA book (which I am sooooo in love with! I can't wait to get it into the hands of readers). And I'm working on book 2 of this Maple Grove series (Steve's story)!
I'm currently finishing up book 2 (Wicked Release) in my erotic suspense, Wicked Exposure series. I also just finished my first NA book (which I am sooooo in love with! I can't wait to get it into the hands of readers). And I'm working on book 2 of this Maple Grove series (Steve's story)!
What would you like my readers to know?
I love connecting with readers so much. And honest feedback is so valuable to us so that we learn how to give you all an even better reading experience every time. Thank you so much for reading and supporting and reviewing and blogging! You all are the motivation behind every word! =0)
I love connecting with readers so much. And honest feedback is so valuable to us so that we learn how to give you all an even better reading experience every time. Thank you so much for reading and supporting and reviewing and blogging! You all are the motivation behind every word! =0)
Visit her on the web at www.katanacollins.com , on Twitter @katanacollins,
or find her on Facebook www.facebook.com/KatanaCollins
Tour giveaway
3 paperback bundles of the Soul
Stripper Series open to US Shipping
2 digital bundles
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