Author Interview, Excerpt & Giveaway - The Venus Cure by A.K. Leigh

 

The Venus Cure

by A.K. Leigh 

GENRE: Romantic Suspense

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

BLURB: 

Torrance Monroe couldn’t be happier. She has landed her dream job as a botanical scientist for the Parks and Wildlife Service in Wilmington, North Carolina. Her specialty will be the conservation, study, and propagation of the native plants that have fascinated her since her earliest memories: the Venus Fly Trap.

Dominique Black isn’t happy. As a Wildlife Officer, he has been working at the grass roots level to save the endangered traps from poachers looking to make a quick buck. It is grueling work, with the majority of offenders going unpunished. How could a scientist with zero experience in the field help him when even the law was failing?

The two are at immediate odds even though they share the same underlying passion for the plants…and each other.

However, after a well-known poacher harvests traps from one of the local swamp lands, Tori and Dom must set aside their differences in order to catch the criminal and keep the remaining plants from being harmed. 

In the process, Tori learns to rely on the mysterious Venus Fly Trap folk lore she remembers from her childhood. Dom learns to release control and have faith in another person.

The Venus Cure is a fast-paced, erotic, and lightly mystical romantic suspense novella that centers around the serious issue of Venus Fly Trap poaching. The author chose the title based on five possible meanings. See how many you are able to discover!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

EXCERPT: 

Dom said, “Can I ask you something personal?” 

She faced him, “Sure.” 

“Are you and Frank, you know?” 

She saw discomfort cloud his features. The thought of her and Frank being an item bothered him. He liked her. Tingles of pleasure shot up her spine at the knowledge. She liked him liking her. There was no denying it now. This wasn’t a misguided attraction. This was real, and he felt it too. 

Somehow she was able to shake her head, “There is nothing going on between us.” She almost left it there, but an impulse made her add, “And there never will be. Never.” 

She emphasized the last word. He had to know where she stood now, right?

His eyes stayed locked with hers. She could feel the tingles warming her, pulling her toward him like a magnet. Her body shifted by itself; her lips softened with the expectation of his lips against hers. The look on his face told her he wanted to kiss her. She wanted him to.

So why wasn’t he? 

… This time he couldn’t talk himself out of it. His body seemed to take control. The next thing Dom knew, he was leaning toward Tori’s red-stained lips. He lowered his mouth to hers. It was a quick, soft peck. Nothing he hadn’t done with other women, but when he thought about pulling away, something happened. Something he had not experienced before.
 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Talking with author A.K. Leigh

 

 

What is your writing environment? 

I mostly write in my bedroom, so it’s not very exciting or original!

Who is your perfect hero/heroine and why? 

I know this is cliché to say, but I love Lizzie Bennet. She knows what she deserves and she won’t settle for anything less than love and happiness in a marriage partner, despite the pressures of society (and her mother!).

 

My second favourite heroine is Jane Eyre. She doesn’t compromise her morals for a man and has firm boundaries in place. She never lets Mr. Rochester bully her, though arguably, he tries many times.

What authors have caught your interest lately and why?

An author called Juliana Stone. She has written a contemporary romance series revolved around identical triplets (the Barker triplets). This interests me because my next romantic suspense novella series will be based on identical triplets. I am also an identical triplet in real life J

What type of book have you always wanted to write?

Oh, great question! Something with layers of meaning. I have tried to do this with The Venus Cure. I hope to keep building on this with my subsequent books.

Top 3 things on your bucket list? 

Another great question! 

1.  Kiss under the Eiffel tower

2.  Have a NYT best-selling novel (yeah another cliché, but what can you do? J)

3.  Overcome my fears

 

How did you get the idea for this particular novel?

From a podcast my brother sent me. It took me by surprise because I was not planning on a story when I started listening to the podcast, but by the end of it I had the main story arc.

 

What is your favorite scene in your new release?

Ooh, there’s a couple. I love the way Tori and Dom (the heroine and hero) meet. She is a bit feisty and doesn’t put up with his nonsense behavior (much like Lizzie and Jane now that I think about it!). Another favorite scene is when the baddy is finally caught and held accountable for his crime. Also, I love when Dom and Tori make up after the “black moment”.

 

What are you working on now and when can we expect it to be available?

I have just finished Crave Her Touch, the second book in my “Smithfield” romantic suspense series. I am hoping it will be released around August this year. As I mentioned before, I am also working on a romantic suspense novella series based on identical triplets. The first book, Triple Threat, should be available toward the end of this year.

What do you like to do when you are not writing?

I like to spend time with my kids, because my writing takes time away from them sometimes. Also, reading, walking/hiking, learning new things, hanging out with friends, watching movies, listening to music. Heaps of other things too (procrastinating on Facebook for instance J)

What is one interesting fact about you that readers don’t know?

Most readers know by now that I am an identical triplet, so I can’t say that, haha! I am multi-lingual, though not fluent in any of the languages I speak. Does that count? J 

 

P.S. Thanks for having me J

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

AUTHOR Bio and Links: 

A.K. Leigh is an international selling romantic suspense author, huge Michael Jackson fan, martial arts movie buff, astrologer, and identical triplet. She has a Graduate degree in Counselling, which she uses to help her develop rounded characters in her stories. When she’s not reading, writing, dreaming, or star-gazing, she spends her time with her three beautiful children. Though her books are set in North Carolina, USA (because she loves the state!), she lives in QLD, Australia. 

You can keep up to date with her releases, events and news by liking her on Facebook www.facebook.com/AuthorAKLeigh, or following her on Twitter https://twitter.com/AKLeighAuthor, Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13496077.A_K_Leigh, and Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/AKLeigh . Her website is www.fallinlovewithleigh.com.  

The Venus Cure will be $0.99 during this tour.

 

AMAZON

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

GIVEAWAY: 

A.K. Leigh will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC and three ebook copies of The Venus Cure (open to all countries) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway