Wednesday Promo- Lauri Robinson

Hi Paty,

Thanks so much for inviting me over today!

Bio:

Lauri Robinson lives in rural Minnesota where she and her husband spend every spare moment with their three grown sons and four (soon to be five) grandchildren. She works part time, volunteers for several organizations, and is a diehard Elvis and NASCAR fan. Her favorite getaway location is the woods of northern Minnesota on the land homesteaded by her great-grandfather. Stop by and say hi to Lauri at www.laurirobinson.blogspot.com

Has there been any challenges with writing a series about brothers?
Oh, yes, it’s called remembering. LOL. With the Quinter Bride Series I had to create a spread sheet to remember key points, but especially for each of the family member’s ages and then their children’s as the series continued. Also, in the first story the younger brothers weren’t all that likeable. Turning them into heroes meant really allowing the reader to see them through the eyes of the heroine. After reading the first book, one of my critique partners said turning Skeeter into a hero take a miracle. Last week a review of his story, Badland Bride, The Quinter Brides Book Two, said, “Skeeter Quinter is a love, a hero to dream about.” The other difficult part was making sure the hero remained the hero throughout the story, even when their ‘older’ brother made an experience. That all said, writing this series was a lot of fun, and I found myself putting off ending the last book because I didn’t want to say good-bye to this clan of brothers.


Which brother is your favorite and why?
I can’t say I have a favorite because while writing their stories, each brother appealed to me, but Kid will also be the ‘big’ brother. He was the one each of the brother’s looked to as a father figure, and he never failed to come through with thoughtful advice for each of the younger brothers. He was also the one who fell in love the hardest. There were times I wanted him to be real so I could shake some sense into him. Skeeter reminded me so much of one of my brothers, that I loved him from the beginning. Hog and Snake were true gentlemen and I loved how caring and sincere they were. And Bug, well he’s the baby. Who doesn’t love the baby brother?


Do you prefer writing short stories or novels? Why?
I love them both. Novels allow me to dig deep and get to know the characters, really analyze their personalities, while the short stories are fun because they get right to the clash of characters and wrap everything up quickly. I find when I’m working on a novel, that it’s refreshing to pound out a quick, short story. It recharges my creativity and makes me want to get back to work on the longer book.

Thanks again for inviting me over today! In honor of your invitation, and since Boot Hill Bride, The Quinter Brides Book Three will be released on Friday at The Wild Rose Press, one person who comments on your blog will receive free download/e-book of Boot Hill Bride.

Blurb:

Howard (Hog) Quinter is hell bent on getting The Majestic, the finest hotel and restaurant west of the Mississippi, open by May 1st. The last thing he needs is interference from his family, but that’s exactly what he gets when Ma Quinter strikes one brisk morning. Sound asleep, Howard rolls over to discover a lovely young woman lying beside him, however, standing at the foot of the bed are his mother, the girl's father, and a blubbering preacher reading wedding nuptials.

Randilynn Fulton runs from a forced marriage to her aunt in Dodge City, only to discover Aunt Corrine is one of Danny J’s brothel girls. If she stays, Randi may become one as well, which would damage her father's chance at running for the Governor’s seat. But it gets worse when she finds herself in the middle of what she ran from—a shotgun wedding, and she’s the bride.

Excerpt:

Howard nodded. “That’s good.” With the toe of his boot he nudged a log deeper into the flames and watched bright yellow sparks rise up and disappear above the swirls of smoke. The boys didn’t speak, nor did he. What could he say? They’d heard Ma proclaim he was afraid to sleep with his wife, how on earth was a man supposed to respond to that? It wasn’t that he was afraid. It was…He swallowed the log in his throat. Damn, he’d never be able to sleep lying next to her. Even sitting here, stinging from the cold of the night, his fingers tingled, wanting to touch her silky skin, caress the curve of her back and examine those perfect dimples—

“Holy shit!” Snake exclaimed under his breath.

Howard snapped his head up. Both of his brothers stared over his shoulders, their mouths agape and their eyes as round as biscuits.

“What?” he asked, twisting his neck to follow the trail of their gazes. His jaw went lax, the bottom of his chin all but slapped against his chest. The sight he stared at knocked the air out of him harder than being thrown off a wild bucking-bronc.
Inside the canvas, the flickering light of the lantern made his tent glow brighter than the moon. The white, heavy tarp had become pale yellow, and a dark silhouette moved about inside the gently billowing sides. It was a moment before his eyes, locked on the shadow, registered what he saw and sent the impulse to his brain.

Randi was undressing, and the light projected each movement against the canvas screen more clearly than the finest painter could create. Her graceful, womanly profile moved with perfection as she drew her gown over her head. The contours of her breasts, flat stomach, the inward arch of her lower back, and her long, slender legs became clearly visible to onlookers.

“Shit!” Howard leaped to his feet. Almost as an after thought, he grabbed the hat off his head and swiped it at both of his brothers, knocking theirs askew. “Turn around!” he demanded before storming off toward his tent.

Jogging across the grass, he shouted, “Randi! Randi! Dowse the light!”

The silhouette inside stalled.

“Dowse the light!” he repeated.