The One, The Only Kristan Higgins

Hi everyone!





Everyone's been busy as bees spiffing up The Lair for one of our fav authors, Kristan Higgins! Lucien has been particularly happy, going around with a silly grin on his lips and growling when Demetrius starts polishing his shield. Kristan? Anything you want to share about your last visit?


Ahem, anyhoo she's brought along a transcript from an interview I did with the hero/heroine of her latest Harlequin release MY ONE AND ONLY. Let's see if we can get a peek into the story of these two wacky kids. Take it away, Kristan!


Thanks Joan!


Just when she thought she had life and love all figured out, divorce attorney Harper James can't catch a break. Bad enough that she runs into her ex-hubby, Nick, at her sister's destination wedding, but now, by a cruel twist of fate, she's being forced to make a cross-country road trip with him. And her boyfriend back at home is not likely to be sympathetic. Harper can't help that Nick has come blazing back into her life in all of his frustratingly appealing, gorgeous architect glory. But in Nick's eyes, Harper's always been the one. If they can only get it right this time, forever might be waiting—just around the bend.


1. Do you have a tattoo?


Harper: I fail to see how that's any of your business.


Nick: Not at the moment, Joan. But I'm seriously considering a small rooster over my heart.




2. Do you have a nickname?


Nick: Harper likes to call me snooky bear during our more intimate moments.


Harper: Sure, I do. It's that, or "the accused."




3. Dogs or Cats or Komodo dragons?


Harper: Dogs. Really, just dog. Singular. Coco's rather superior to the rest of the canine world. Aren't you, sweetheart?


Nick: Is Coco a dog? I thought she was a squirrel.




4. What is your favorite food?


Nick: Let me answer that one for you, Harpy. Human hearts, right?


Harper: Nick's is clear broth and dry toast.


Nick: Only because you've given me an ulcer, dearest.


Harper: Sac up, Nick. Can I get a cheeseburger? Very rare?




5. Are you ticklish?


Harper: No comment.


Nick: Yes, she is. So am I, Joan. Just in case you'd like to give it a try.




6. What is your favorite love song ever?


Nick: "In Your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel.


Harper (snorting): Wow. So original, Nicky. Mine is "Paint it Black" by the Rolling Stones.




7. What did you last text message say?


Harper: It was from my boss, Theo. "Y R U not here?"


Nick: Mine was from Harper. It said "Me so horny. Meet me in the bathroom."


Harper: Ignore him. He forgot his Ritalin today.




8. Do you collect anything?


Nick: Ex wives.


Harper: Death threats.




9. Do you believe in ghosts?


Nick: Oh, I've been haunted for the past 12 years.


Harper: Nick! That's so romantic! Have you been drinking?




10. Who is your favorite movie star?


Harper: Who's that brawny Scot? I like him.


Nick: She's only saying that because I'm neither brawny nor a Scot.




11. What is your number one bad habit?


Harper: I'm sitting next to it.


Nick: Ditto.




12. Top 3 wishes?


Harper: I wish Nick would stop touching me. You're doing that on purpose, aren't you?


Nick: Yes. Get over it. I wish Harper would break up with that boy-toy she's dating, admit she still loves me and apologize for sticking a knife in my heart 12 years ago.


Harper: I'll stick with my first answer and wish it two more times. And my boyfriend is not a boy-toy, just for the record. He's a firefighter. Know what I'm saying, Joan? Firefighter. Big. Strong. Brave. He can carry me.


Nick: Shut it, woman.




13. Favorite Girl Scout cookie?


Harper: Ah, those little venture capitalists are always selling something, aren't they? I usually order the Thin Mints and stick them in the freezer.


Nick: Where she stores her heart. I like the Samoas, personally. But I buy a box of everything.


Harper: Of course you do. Because you're such a prince. Have the Vatican made you a saint yet?




14. Best and Worst Personality trait


Harper: Pass.


Nick: I might be a little stuck on the past. Maybe I work a little too much. And I love too deeply.


Harper: You're really going to say that? In public? People read this blog, you know.


Nick: Moving right along, Joan, My best traits would be I'm loyal, funny and great in the sack.


Harper: Well. I'll allow those last three. The 'love too deeply,' though…What are you, Bella? Edward's calling. Your blood smells so sexy.


Nick: She's stunted, Joan. Introspection was never her thing.




15. What are you scared of?


Harper: Well, I wouldn't use the word scared.


Nick: She's terrified of being alone. Which is why she's dating the human equivalent of Lassie.


Harper: And you're afraid of ending up like Larry King, a string of ex-wives behind you, an empty yet fabulous apartment in front of you.


Nick: I'm hardly Larry King, Harpy. You always exaggerate.


Harper: And you always rewrite the past and make yourself look like the wounded hero.


Nick: And you love to bolt at the first sign of crisis.


Harper: And you love to—you know what? Bite me, you overbearing idiot.


Nick: Don't tempt me, you stunted shell of a woman. (Pause.) Want to grab dinner?


Harper. Seafood okay?


Nick: Sounds great. Hey, this was fun, Joan! Thanks for having us.


Well, you two run along while we and the BB's discuss more questions for you. What about guys? What other questions would you like to ask Harper and Nick (wait a little bit for Nick I'm um, practicing my tickling :D) or for that matter, the awesome Kristan Higgins? Ready, aim, fire those questions!
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Honesty...Such A Lonely Word!

posted by Joanie T

Helloooo, Banditas! How are you? It’s so wonderful to be back here in the Lair, shooting the, er, breeze with my old chums! But, since the theme of this blog is honesty, I must admit something…I’m really only here because I’m dying to come to the thap gump party at RWA National. You hear the rumors, right? The cabana boys, the frozen drinks, Nora Roberts on karaoke singing Endless Love…who wouldn’t want to come? And last year, according to rumor, Joan Kayse won the Girls Gone Wild flashing contest. I wasn’t supposed to tell, but in the interest of full disclosure, I felt I had to. Sorry, Joan.

I jest, of course. Joan asked me to pick a theme for today’s blog that would be relevant in some way to my upcoming release, ALL I EVER WANTED (isn’t that the best cover?). I figured honesty would be a good one.

One of the things I love about this book is, of course, the hero. Ian is a man incapable of lying, even when lying might be a good idea. Ian is honest to a fault…he can’t schmooze, he doesn’t sugarcoat anything, refuses to play along with anything. So different from Callie, who feels the need to make everyone like her. Callie will do just about anything to keep on the sunny side, overlook anything, go to any lengths to paint people in the most flattering light. She just can’t dislike anyone…especially her boss, Mark­—the guy she’s loved since time immemorial. He’s got to be a good guy. He just has to be. ’Cause she wouldn’t love him otherwise, right?

Staying positive is not easy for Callie, especially when we meet her. See, a few months ago, she had a five-week relationship with Mark, and it was perfect. For her. For him, not so much. He broke up with her, saying the timing wasn’t right, and now, the morning of Callie’s 30th birthday, it seems maybe the timing is finally right. And it is. Just not for her. Mark’s in a relationship. Yep. He’s met someone else

Don’t you hate when that happens? Oh, lordy, that’s the worst romantic feeling there is, I think. Things used to be so perfect…and now, let’s be honest, things rather suck. You’re still in love. He’s moved on. You’re still thinking about him every waking moment…he’s feeling no pain.

And so Callie, who’s extremely honest when it comes to her feelings­—extremely honest and, er, open—falls apart. In line at the DMV. In front of everyone. She can’t help feeling things so acutely…it’s just how she is! Blubbering out her woes to her sister as she waits to renew her license, taking comfort from the strangers in line (well, some of the strangers), Callie suffers from what one gentleman calls “emotional diarrhea.”


Oh, the humanity! We’ve all been there. Want to hear a story? Of course you do. That’s why you’re here, right? Back when I was a youth, my boyfriend of about a year took me out to dinner. Nice restaurant. He actually called me and asked, too…the whole “Are you free on Friday night?” It was so freakish and bizarre and romantic, I should’ve sensed a tremor in the Force, if you will. But I was obtuse (am obtuse?), and so I figured a marriage proposal was coming my way.

Oh, squee! I bought a new dress, called my best friend, got a haircut. So, so exciting! Off we went to the restaurant. Boyfriend and I been a little itchy and scratchy lately, sure, but we loved each other! Mostly! So this had to be the night he’d pop the question, yes?

Um…nope. Not so much. He proceeded to tell me he thought our relationship had run its course and it was time for us to break up.

And here’s what I said. “I don’t think so, pal. No. Nope. Not gonna happen.” Because, first of all, I had bought a new dress for this occasion, and it was a killer dress, and I was not going to have it become my breakup dress, I can assure you! Secondly, I loved this guy! Right? I had to, right, because we’d been together for a year! So, in a nutshell, I basically refused to let my boyfriend to dump me. Even if he was a jerk. Oh, no. We were going to stay together, dang it, and we were going to be miserable, thank you very much!

See, like my heroine­—who is more like me than any heroine yet, I think—I really thought that if I did everything right, I’d get the results I wanted. I had yet to learn that we can’t force people to act the way we think they should. Sadly, we don’t get to control other people (such a shame!). My boyfriend and I stayed together for a few more awkward months before I finally let him pull the plug. It took a while to really and truly be honest about that one—things just weren’t going to work.

It’s hard to be honest sometimes, don’t you think? Whether it’s with ourselves or with others…admitting that maybe someone isn’t the best friend or coworker, maybe. Admitting that we have to do better on some front. That maybe it’s not someone else’s fault…it’s ours. Ouch! I hate that, don’t you?

So tell me…when was it tough for you to tell the truth? Were you ever in a situation like Callie, unable to stop being honest…and blurting out way too much information to the masses? I’ll pick a commenter and send her an advance copy of All I Ever Wanted.

And as always, thanks so much to the lovely Joan for inviting me to be here. It’s always such a pleasure!

Kristan
http://www.blogger.com/
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Kristan Higgins-Too Good to Be True

The Banditas are thrilled to welcome Kristan Higgins back to the Lair!

How are you doing Kristan?

Oh, I'm fine, Joan! Very happy to be back with the Banditas!

I am such a fan of your books. Tell us, what spurred you to write such wonderful, witty stories?

I take it we're saving the hardball questions for later...Glad you like them...and thanks for calling them wonderful and witty. I think the reason I chose to write my particular style of rom-com was, in a nutshell, that's what I liked to read. There's something really wonderful about reading a book with a big, memorable love story and thinking that's the kind of thing that could happen to you. Sure, it's fun to picture us being a billionaire or an Oscar winner or shagging...er, dating an NFL superstar...I like to read that type too, for a nice bit of escapism. But I felt that us normal gals deserved a big love story, too.

Many of us do write what we love which is sometimes the harder road to take. What are your thoughts on writing to the market?

Welp, let's see...I don't know. Just after I sold my first book, a first-person romantic comedy, I learned that first person was a cardinal sin and romantic comedy was dead. My beloved publisher has offered me contracts for a total of six ro-cos (all in first person, mind you), so I don't really know what to say about the market. We writer folk have to keep in mind that what's in the bookstores now was bought two or more years ago. I think writers have to write what they're good at, what speaks to them, what they can best convey. And what they love, because if you don't love your story, it's gonna show.

Ok, I’m going to step off the beaten writer’s path for your next question. Some of the Banditas {looks quizzically around the Lair} are crazy for “Dancing with the Stars”. Which dance are you most like?

Passe doble, baby! Remember that movie, Strictly Ballroom? Gawd, I loved that flick! Also, the one with Antonio Banderas...well, anything with Antonio Banderas. The truth is, I don't watch Dancin' with the Stars regularly, but Joan emailed me the other night, saying she was rooting for Gilles, and I clicked on it. Gilles just happened to be dancing, and I froze, quivering with lust. Am now considering having his name tattooed somewhere on my person.


LOL. I liked Antonio Banderas as “Puss…in boots” 

So aside from “I Heart Gilles”, what type of tattoo would you get, if….yanno….you wanted one. Would you get one of Buttercup? 


I've thought about getting an NY tattoo in honor of my beloved Yankees...or maybe just "2" for dear Derek Jeter, bless his brawny heart. But the truth is, having something permanently stained into my skin...I don't think I can do it. Say I got a butterfly...what would that poor bug look like in 40 years, all wrinkly and stretched out? So I'll have to pass. Sorry, Derek.

My favorite Shrek moment...some gorgeous creature says to Puss, "Are you Shrek?" and he looks up from licking himself and says, "I could be." I just about fell out of my chair on that one.

Hmmmm….Derek Jeter. Not to shabby on the hero image side.

To steer this back to the writing life, what things besides cheering on the Yankees and watching animated movies helps to stir the creative juices?

I like to visit the settings of my books. Taking walks helps me a lot, as does driving in the car. But the truth is that writing books is hard! Most of my work is churned out in front of the computer. There's no muse floating down with a cappuccino and whispering advice. Unfortunately. This is the toughest job I've ever had. And the best!

Our guests get many questions so how about we turn the tables. What would you, Kristan Higgins like to ask the Banditas and BB’s?

My question for you lovely Banditas is...What makes a great story for you? Do you like the unexpected or boundary-pushing books, or are you more satisfied with the perfect delivery of a "classic" type of story? Is is the characters or the set-up? What are some books that just struck you as damn near perfect?

Kristan will be selecting one lucky commenter to win an autographed copy of her latest HQN title "Too Good to be True"




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