Cowboy Lust on tour! Interview! Giveaway!

The Menagerie welcomes M. Marie to the blog today on her tour with Goddess Fish Promotions for the erotic anthology, "Cowboy Lust"!! I can't tell you how yummy that cover is -- I sure do love me a cowboy.... mmmmmm..... :::shivers with delight:::

Okay, tearing my eyes away and moving on to business *G* -- M. Marie let us ask all kinds of prying questions and answered every one! Take a look (and don't forget to read the excerpt!), then comment here because there are some serious prizes to be had. Check it out:

One randomly drawn commenter at each stop will win one of the following:

Cowboy Bad Boys (digital) by Randi Alexander
Reader’s Choice of any backlisted ebook by Lissa Matthews
Reader’s Choice of any backlisted ebook by Charlene Teglia during her stop
Reader’s Choice of any backlisted ebook by Cari Quinn (x4)
"I'll show you my e-reader if you show me yours" T-shirt (Large size) from Kimber Vale
Reader’s Choice of any backlisted ebook by Delilah Devlin during her stops (x2)
Signed copies of Cowboy Fever by Delilah Devlin to two winners
Love in Short Order (digital), a romance by Michael Bracken writing as Rolinda Hay
Stud (digital), an erotic romance by Michael Bracken writing as Rolinda Hay
Plus one randomly drawn commenter during the tour will win a $50 Amazon GC grand prize!!

Better, if you follow the tour, and keep commenting, you have more chances to win. All of her tour stops are listed here. Now, lets see what M. Marie has to say!

Describe yourself in three words.

I’m curious; I love learning new things, meeting people and traveling. I also really enjoy taking workshops and courses around Toronto, and I read voraciously. I’m also very passionate about my hobbies, my interests, and the people in my private life, of course. ;) I’ve also been told I can be carefree and a bit immature, although I prefer to think of myself as blithe. I love my life and the people in it. They make me happy and keep me feeling very young at heart.

I think that was more than three, but that's okay. We won't tell.  *wink* 

Cast your book. Tell us who would play the main characters in a movie and why.

I would cast Daniela Sea as Kennedy. Not only does she have the right muscular, athletic build, but she also has the fearless, proud look that Kennedy should have, as well as a more vulnerable side. My top choice to play Dawson would be Matt Bomer for three reasons: his body type and personality are a fantastic match for the character; he has the perfect smile that can be both charming and teasing at the same time; and, ultimately, because I have a feeling he would unbelievable in a pair of tight, dirty jeans and a cowboy hat!

He is a serious hottie!  Good choice.  What’s your favorite love scene from a movie?

Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams’ rain-soaked kiss in the Notebook! I don’t watch very many romance movies, but that one really touched me. I could watch that film over and over again.

Wait, did you say you don't watch many romance movies?  :::shocked:::

Moving on.  What’s your wildest fantasy?

Honestly, nothing excites me more than threesome fantasies. I love the idea of two strong-willed, assertive lovers overwhelming and overpowering me at the same time, especially if there’s a bit of friction or tension between the pair before the action even starts! Be it two men, two women, or one partner of each gender, I could never say no to two confident, charming people at one time!

Mmmmmmm.... I rather agree.  

If you were to lose one of your senses, which would you rather lose and why?

I think I would have to sacrifice my sense of smell, because I can’t imagine my life without being able to read, write, listen to music, savor food, or embrace my partner. Besides, living in downtown Toronto, I have to put up with a lot more bad smells than good, so losing that sense might be an advantage for me!

What is the naughtiest thing you did as a kid?

Nothing! I was a perfect angel… although I’m sure my sister could come up with a few horror stories about me. ;)

Together, we did get into a lot of mischief, but it was all harmless, innocent stuff. I remember one summer when we were spending a month at our grandparents’ house. My Nana, who was a very classy and dignified woman, was doing the laundry indoors and asked us to help hang up some clothing on the clothesline in the backyard. Rather than hang up the towels and facecloths she had left out, however, we pulled all her panties and bras out of the wet wash pile and hung them up across the yard where all her neighbors could see them.

In our minds, it was just a silly, harmless prank, but judging from Nana’s reaction when she came outside an hour later to check on us, it was the most horrifying, wicked thing two little girls could ever do to her.

We were taken off laundry duty and put in charge of washing the dog after that, which led to its own misadventures... ;)

Quickies:

Boxers or Briefs? A snug, tight-fitting pair of briefs always gets my attention!
Top or Bottom? I’m a Bottom, in every sense of the word.
Pajamas or nude? Nude! Once I’m under the blankets with someone, pjs just get in the way!
Hairy chests or smooth? When it comes to cowboys, I like a muscular, hairy chest.
Alpha or Beta? Male or female, a confident, dominant Alpha is always my top choice ;).

Now tell us a bit about the story and share an excerpt, would you?

These cowboys ride hard...

There's a reason Western romance novels never go out of fashion. The cowboy is an iconic figure embodying the dichotomy of the fiercely independent, earthy alpha male crossed with the male as a nurturer and protector. Cowboys take care of their women in every possible way. Wild and wayward women are gentled by the scent of horse and cow and the sight of sun-kissed skin, the feel of work-hardened thighs and arms, and the sound of a deep-voiced Texas drawl.

Contributors at the top of the Western romance genre, including Charlene Teglia, Randi Alexander, Cat Johnson, and editor, Delilah Devlin, have corralled strong and memorable characters ranging from ranch hands to cattle barons, to a rodeo star and a feisty female gunslinger. Traversing romantic settings from Montana, Texas, California, Mexico, and the Outback of Australia, the stories in Cowboy Lust are risky and risqué, full of studs in spurs hot enough to send you to a vacation on a dude ranch!

EXCERPT:

“Rough Stock” by M. Marie:

A sudden hush, then flurry of excited whispers heralded her approach. Flicking the brim of his hat up, Dawson glanced back across the showground as Kennedy advanced. Like all the Rawlings, she was impossible to mistake, even in a crowd. That family carried their personalities in their gait, and Kennedy’s stride spoke of confidence, fearlessness, and a fierce, indomitable pride. He grinned openly as he watched her boldly cut her way through the crowd. Her shoulders were rolled back, her chin was thrust out, and the girl’s hips swaggered like a true vaquero.

At 19, Kennedy had finally grown into the long-legged, awkward body she had been teased for all through middle-school. She was a tough, tall girl with a solid, athletic build. Like the champion stock her father bred, she was broad-shouldered and muscular. Rough-mannered and rough-spoken alike, she had a reputation for always speaking her mind. She could be quick-tempered at time, and, although she was by no means reckless, she had a fiercely stubborn, competitive side. Like her father, when she set a challenge for herself, she would push herself to her absolute limit to see that goal reached. It was a trait that had brought Jake Rawlings his early success as a young man working the circuits, and had become the driving force behind Kennedy's decision to carry on the family tradition by competing in the rodeos as well.

Her career choice wasn't unusual for their community, though. Their town always had a strong showing of participants in the women's rodeo, and a handful of local girls also competed in the professional circuit. Kennedy’s family certainly would have supported her if she had shown an interest in following a similar professional path, but she bristled at the idea. The pro competitions were too restrictive; women could only compete in a handful of events, the bulk of which were timed ones. Although Kennedy was a natural at the barrel racing and team roping, her heart wasn't in it. She lived for the rough stock events; she thrived on the risk and danger of testing herself physically against the raw power and strength of the broncos and bulls.

As a result of both her appearance and interests, Kennedy had a reputation for being wild and fearless. Even her parents held that opinion of her, but Dawson knew better. She wasn’t as thick-skinned as she let on...

M. Marie lives in the heart of downtown Toronto and is both an erotica writer and enthusiast. ;) This passionate young Canadian is also a dedicated supporter of the arts - opera, the theatre, and fine arts, in particular - as well as a vocal fan of videogames, animation, comics, and writing, of course!

As a freelance writer who has very recently began writing erotica, she is finding the experience challenging, but exciting. It has made her discover new sides to herself, and is constantly leading her to push boundaries she didn’t even realize she had.

Information on her recent and upcoming publications can be found on her blog: www.mmarie.ca