Guest interview with Nona Raines

Hi everyone! Last month I was lucky enough to be interviewed on the fantastic Divas of Desire blog, by the wonderful Nona Raines. So now I’m returning the favour, with some tricky questions for her to answer!

I’ll start with what is becoming my standard question. When you look out the window, what can you see? (I ask this because I get very excited if people answer “snow”. Because I live in the tropics, and it’s hot, and snow seems very exotic to me! ) So, what’s outside your window?

Well, right at the moment, we're having a few unseasonably warm January days. It's been in the forties (degrees Fahrenheit) so all the snow we've had has been melting. It's muddy and yucky. My dog Iris and I have to watch our step when we go out for our walks. But I have no doubt that more snow will return soon. Winter here in upstate New York usually lasts well into March.

Iris...how gorgeous is this face?

The temperature here has been in the forties as well. Celsius, unfortunately. On the plus side, I'm going to the beach tomorrow! 

How long have you been writing, and do you remember the first story that you wrote?

I've been writing, oh God, for years and years. What I remember about my first story (in first grade) was that my teacher put it on the bulletin board and it had something to do with a gas station on the Moon. It was my first and last attempt at science fiction!

A year or two later, I wrote a story called "Old Ned" about a circus horse who was too old to do tricks anymore, so the cruel owners were going to sell him to a glue factory (I don't know where I got that gruesome idea from). But then he saved some people from a fire and became a hero! No more glue factory for Ned. Thus began my love for an HEA.

That sounds awesome! I want to read about a horse escaping his cruel fate! Your most recent release, His and Hers and Hers is a contemporary m/f/f romance. I’ve yet to write a ménage relationship. Were there any extra challenges in writing a ménage, and in giving each character a separate and unique voice?

That was a challenge, but also a lot of fun. I knew that Kyla was going to be the "in your face" and mouthy one, Cassie would be the standoffish one afraid of being hurt, and Jordan would be the calm, level-headed one. I enjoyed exploring their personalities and seeing things through their separate points of view.

I'd never written a full-length ménage romance before so it was interesting to explore why a loving couple would include a third person in their romance. Being with Cassie also exposes some of the cracks in their relationship while Cassie's experience with them forces her to face some of her deepest fears.

Another challenge was the love scenes. They're a lot easier to write when there's only one He and one She. When there's an extra one of either, you start going a little crazy with the pronouns. It can be a bit difficult to keep track of who's doing what to whom!

Lol! I write m/m -- I know all about the pronoun issues! I also love writing flawed (to the point of broken) characters, who are stronger than they might at first appear. For you, what makes a romantic hero or heroine?

I love to write about characters who are their own worst enemies. My stories don't feature criminals or law enforcement types. I don't write suspensers or thrillers so my hero and heroine aren't usually struggling against external "bad guys". My characters most often do battle with themselves. In order to win true love, they often have to overcome bad attitudes or habits that hold them back. That takes courage and honesty, which I feel are important qualities for a hero or heroine.

Courage and honesty...great answer! And here’s my most unfair question of all: of all the characters you have written, who is your favourite?

That's a hard one, indeed. Each of my characters holds a special place in my heart. But in His and Hers and Hers, Kyla is my favorite. She's the least like me. She's not afraid to shoot off her mouth and that sometimes gets her in trouble. But since I'm reserved, like Cassie, and something of a conciliator, like Jordan, I envy someone who can speak her mind and damn the consequences.

I'm the same. I love forthright people. What can readers expect from you in 2013?

Well, I've written a reunion-themed sensual romance that I'm currently subbing—we'll see how that goes. I'm currently working on a follow-up to my book Uncollared, this time featuring the character of Venetia. Her story has totally changed from what I originally envisioned! I have plans for other stories, but at the moment they're just plans, so not much to say there. At some point, I'd like to write a follow up to His and Hers and Hers, to see how Jordan, Kyla and Cassie have progressed in their relationship.

Thanks so much for having me here today, Lisa! It's been wonderful!

It sounds like a big year coming up. Thanks so much for coming along and answering my questions, Nona! 

Here is the blurb for His and Hers and Hers: 

Kyla Denster and Jordan Brougham are passionately in love. Kyla knows she's lucky to have a guy who uses all his tricks to keep her happy in and out of bed. Jordan knows he's lucky to have such a hot, adventurous girlfriend.

But neither of them knows that their best friend, Cassie DeSantis, wants them both. Cassie's painful past has taught her not to wear her heart on her sleeve.  She keeps quiet, afraid that revealing her feelings would mean losing the two people she cares for most.  Things change one night when an impulsive kiss leads to the three of them spending an incredibly hot night together.

When the couple wants more of Cassie, she leaps at the chance to be with them. But problems arise at her insistence that no one mention the L word and when Jordan and Kyla clash over how to deal with disapproving family.  Their triad relationship will only survive if they all stand together to prove that three is the perfect number—when all three are in love.

Excerpt:

     She heard Jordan’s low rumble and Ky’s giggle. Then Kyla’s voice came from the doorway. “Cassie.”

     Cassie’s mouth went dry. Kyla stood there wearing nothing but a tiny black thong and an impish grin. Her hard brown nipples pointed straight at Cassie and her generous breasts begged to be caressed and kissed. Cassie’s own nipples tightened in response.

     Kyla’s eyes flashed as though she knew exactly how turned on Cassie was. Her smile hitched a little higher. “Dessert is now being served. In the bedroom.”

     Cassie pushed back her chair and rose, her body tingling with anticipation. Kyla beckoned her with a crooked finger and Cassie followed her down the hall. When they reached the bedroom, Kyla stopped.

     “One thing. Entrance here requires special dress. Or undress, I should say.” She smiled. “Let me help.”

     Ky assisted as Cassie stepped out of her shoes, socks, and pants and peeled off her top. When she stood only in her bra and panties, Ky stepped in close. “I’ll undo your bra.” Her warm breath tickled Cassie’s neck, her bare breasts, and hard brown nipples teased Cassie’s skin as she wrapped her arms around Cass and unfastened her bra.

     “You can keep those on…” Ky traced her finger down the seam of Cassie’s pink bikini panties. “For now.”

     Cream drenched her pussy at the wicked promise in Kyla’s tease. Ky took her hand and drew her through the doorway. “Come on.”

     Jordan sat on the bed, in a pair of black briefs, already distended by his rising cock. Dark hair dusted his chest, and Cassie’s fingers itched to feel its texture, and the warm skin underneath. More than that, she wanted to caress the bulge that grew bigger the more she stared. His green eyes were bright, his expression dreamy. His smile, the smile she loved, still hitched up a little higher in one corner. “Hey, Cass. Ready for dessert?”

His and Hers and Hers is available from:

Loose Id, Amazon, All Romance ebooks and Barnes and Noble

And you can catch up with Nona on Facebook, Twitter, and her Blog.