Straight from the Library: Straight Chatting from the Library: Jo McNally

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Jo McNally will be awarding one print copy of SLOW DANCING AT SUNRISE and 1 print copy of STEALING KISSES IN THE SNOW (US and Canada only) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

READ THE INTERVIEW

Thanks for stopping by The Library to talk with us about books. What is the favorite book you remember as a child?

Oh, wow - I read so many books as a child! I was horse-crazy as a kid, so I loved Black Beauty and National Velvet. I was ten when I started reading JRR Tolkein’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, and that was probably the first book that actually made me see the world in a different way. I’ve reread it many times through the years, and every time I find some new little nuance to it.

Tell us about your current book in 10 words.

Uptight widowed mom surprised by love with laid-back biker dude.

What are you reading right now?

I’m just starting Nalini Singh’s Archangel’s Prophecy. I adore her Guild Hunter series, but I held off on reading this book, released last year, because I heard it had a cliffhanger and I didn’t want to be devastated for a year (she’s that good!). So now that the new book, Archangel’s War, is out, I’ll read them both.

E-Reader or print? and why?

I do most of my reading on my Kindle. It’s convenient and easy on my eyes. I like being able to read at night. And there’s something really cool about carrying hundreds of books in my purse!

One book at a time or multiples?

I generally read one book at a time, but I’m a very fast reader. And, of course, I’m always writing one, too!

Dog-ear or bookmark? (don't worry—Librarian Judith won't hold it against you—much)

I cannot tell a lie...I dog-ear some books (sorry!), but only if I own them and intend to keep them. I do it more often in non-fiction or research books than fiction, so I can find important sections easily.

Favorite book you've read this year?

It’s so hard to pick favorites, but my most recent read—the RITA-award-winning Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan—was amazing. It’s gritty and raw and beautifully written. The story is very intense, and I was wrung-out emotionally when I finished it.

When do you do most of your reading?

I usually read in the evenings, after my work is done. My husband can’t understand how I can read when the television is on, but I’ve done it for years. If a book is really good, I get lost in it and don’t even know what’s happening around me.

Favorite place to read?

Beach reading is the best, but for everyday reading, I like taking my book out to the back porch on a quiet afternoon with a glass of wine handy.

Favorite genre?

Definitely romance, and generally contemporary romance. But I do read some historical and paranormal as well. Outside of romance, I read non-fiction, especially biographies.

Re-reader or not?

Definitely a re-reader! Revisiting my favorite authors and series is like having comfort food. Some of my favorite authors to re-read are Jill Shalvis, Christina Lauren, Mariah Stewart and Susan Mallery.

What would make you not finish a book?

If I don’t like a book, I tend to keep reading, hoping it’ll turn around and make it worth my time. If a story hasn’t made me care about the characters by the halfway point, then I may move on to another book. And, of course, if I find the story discriminatory or sexist in any way, I’m out.

READ THE BLURB

Maybe "perfect" is over-rated...

Between juggling two kids, two jobs, and a fixer-upper house, single mom Piper Montgomery is so busy she can hardly see straight. But when rugged biker Logan Taggert strolls into the B&B where she’s working, she can’t help but stare. He has bad boy written all over him. She’s promised her kids a “perfect Christmas” this year, and bad boys aren’t part of the plan. But how can she resist?

Once his grandmother is back on her feet, Logan can leave her Victorian B&B get back on the road. It’s where he belongs after all, even if his grandmother’s matchmaking book club biddies try to convince him otherwise. But there’s something about beautiful, spitfire Piper that makes him wonder if kids and commitment might be just what he needs after all.

As Christmas draws ever closer, so do Piper and Logan. Could these two opposites find all they want this Christmas is each other?

READ AN EXCERPT

Logan Taggart had been thrown out of plenty of places in his lifetime, but never by a pretty little ponytailed momma wearing a ruffled yellow apron. He managed to squelch his smile, knowing it would be a mistake to laugh.

The golden-haired munchkin clutching his fingers right now was clearly the woman’s daughter, and he probably looked like an ax murderer. He gently freed himself from the child and stepped back, raising both hands and modulating his voice carefully.

“Ma’am, I’m sorry. The little girl said she wanted me to go to the kitchen, and I was heading here anyway…”

The woman seemed flummoxed. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, her blue eyes wild as she stepped closer. She raised the mop higher with one hand, then dropped her phone on the counter with the other so she could snatch her daughter’s hand, tugging her to safety behind her. She waved the mop again, as if that would really protect her if he posed a threat. He was a foot taller and a good seventy pounds heavier than she was. The biggest danger to him was in her other hand—the cell phone she’d picked up again.

MEET THE AUTHOR