Take You To Another World Contest Day #8 – Beth Williamson!
Jun
28
2010

Today’s guest blogger is an amazing writer and one of the loveliest, most genuine people I’ve ever met and I love her like cupcakes – BETH WILLIAMSON!

It’s all about the chemistry

My first full-length contemporary erotic romance hits the shelves July 6 from Berkley Heat. Am I nervous? Hell, yes, I’m nervous. My comfort zone was blown away for this book and that’s the reason I love it so much. You see, it’s all about the chemistry.

A writer knows when their hero and heroine don’t match up. The story is flat and difficult to write. But when the chemistry mixture is just right, then look out because the story flows like the Mississippi River.

That was the case with UNBRIDLED. My heroine Alex had been hiding from who she really was for 10 years and when she returns home (a la prodigal daughter), she runs smack into Connor Matthews. He lights her fire, so to speak. πŸ˜‰

From the moment they meet, there’s fire. The attraction instantaneous. That’s when a writer knows they’ve mixed up the right batch of romance. This is particularly important for the more sensual, or erotic, variety. And I don’t mean just physical attraction either. Half of any great sex is the anticipation, the mental foreplay between the characters until you’re just as “ready” as they are. πŸ˜‰

I always tell people if I don’t squirm in my chair when I write my stories, then I know the reader won’t squirm in theirs when they read it. Hey, that’s a good rule of thumb and it’s always worked for me.

Something else I’ve always insisted on is the emotional aspect of a story. A really good one makes me laugh, cry, get angry, rejoice and take a journey. It’s that connection between the reader and the story. Guess what I call that? Yep, you guessed it, chemistry!

Each time I crack open a book, either an e-book or a paper book, I am ready to take that journey, ready to dive into the world the author has created. If I feel like I’m stranded on the train platform watching the story chug away on the tracks, then I’m an unhappy reader.

I don’t want that to happen to any of my readers. So I put my heart, soul and blood into every word I write. It’s a piece of me that I’m putting out there for the world. I hope y’all take the time to give UNBRIDLED a read and let the chemistry fly.

Today’s Question: Speaking of chemistry, who are some of your favorite couples from books?

I’ll choose a winner tomorrow morning and post it up over at Tracy’s blog! Good Luck, everyone!

48 comments to “Take You To Another World Contest Day #8 – Beth Williamson!”

  1. Christy M
    June 28th, 2010 at 5:44 am · Link

    Zsadist and Bella from Black Dagger Brotherhood, Tegan and Elise from Midnight Breed, Ice and Sabelle from doomsday brethern…oh the list can go on and on. Chemistry is very important in the story. Your cover is most definitely smokin’ hot.



  2. Blanche
    June 28th, 2010 at 6:36 am · Link

    I’m a big Beth Williamson fan……..big congrats on the upcoming release of Unbridled….can’t wait to read it!

    One of my all time favorite couples is Mary Elizabeth Potter and Wolf Mackenzie from Mackenzie’s Mountain!



  3. CrystalGB
    June 28th, 2010 at 6:42 am · Link

    Lisa Kleypas’ Derek Craven and Sara Fielding.



  4. loto
    June 28th, 2010 at 6:59 am · Link

    Eve and Roark.



  5. Christine
    June 28th, 2010 at 7:13 am · Link

    Favorite has to be Eve & Roarke they just get each other on all levels and have a chemistry that is all consuming. But it not only physical and that’s what makes it so amazing it’s also intellectual and emotional.



  6. Cecile
    June 28th, 2010 at 7:32 am · Link

    Oh man…. Buck and Caroline from Sweet Caroline by Lissa Matthews… And my mind just went blank…. Okay I will be back with more… hopefully… LOL!
    Thanks for the chance!



  7. Virginia C
    June 28th, 2010 at 7:39 am · Link

    Cole & Alaina from “Ashes in the Wind” by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss

    Sterling and Frannie from “Surrender to the Devil” by Lorraine Heath

    Rochester and Jane from “Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Bronte

    Dev and Josie from “Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake” by Laurie Brown



  8. Lori
    June 28th, 2010 at 7:49 am · Link

    Huge congrats on Unbridled, Beth! Can’t wait to read it.

    Like so many others, I love the interaction between Eve and Roarke. Such give and take. I love how he calls her Lieutenant (like it’s an endearment) and she calls him Ace.

    Others that I love are Benedict and Bathsheba from Lord Perfect and Jessica and Dain from Lord of Scoundrels (can you tell I love banter? Loretta Chase is a master). You can see how much fun they have with each other, and the attraction sizzles through the banter.

    Another fantastic couple are Roman and Abby from Relentless (waving at Lauren). You can feel their longing for each other, and they treat each other with such respect and love. It shines through in everything they do and say.



  9. Daniela C.
    June 28th, 2010 at 7:49 am · Link

    Cat & Bones! Jeanine Frost’s Night Huntress series!
    Killer instincts, killer looks, awesome!



  10. Stacey
    June 28th, 2010 at 7:49 am · Link

    drake & aisling from the you slay me series by katie macalister & jesse & winnie from tuck everlasting



  11. Lindy
    June 28th, 2010 at 8:33 am · Link

    I was just thinking about Karen Marie Moning’s Highlander series, so I’ll say Hawk & Adrienne. πŸ™‚

    ~Lindy



  12. Sue R
    June 28th, 2010 at 8:48 am · Link

    I love Curran and Kate in Ilona Andrews’ Kate Daniels Series.



  13. Barbara Elness
    June 28th, 2010 at 9:31 am · Link

    I love Cat and Bones from Jeaniene Frost’s Night Huntress series, and Riley and Quinn from Keri Arthur’s Riley Jenson series.



  14. Leni
    June 28th, 2010 at 9:47 am · Link

    Two couples that come to mind are:
    Will and Jack from Handyman by Claire Thompson.
    Bree and Jake for Skin Deep by Marilyn Lee.



  15. Laura K
    June 28th, 2010 at 10:07 am · Link

    My favorite all time couple are Eve and Roarke from JD Robb’s series.



  16. Jennifer D.
    June 28th, 2010 at 10:09 am · Link

    Congratulations on the upcoming book. The couple that comes to mind is Sam Starrett and Alyssa Locke from Suz Brockmann’s Troubleshooters. Their story was build up over so many books and they had a lot of chemistry. A great pair.



  17. Caitlin U
    June 28th, 2010 at 10:11 am · Link

    I love Cassie and Mircea from Karen Chance and Raphael and Elena from Nalini Singh. There are so many great couple which is why I love to read about them.



  18. Ina
    June 28th, 2010 at 10:40 am · Link

    Joanne and David (Rachel Caines Weather Warden Series) is one of my favorite couple πŸ˜€



  19. Cheryl McInnis
    June 28th, 2010 at 11:09 am · Link

    Claire and Jamie from Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series….love the the two of them together!



  20. ilona
    June 28th, 2010 at 11:10 am · Link

    In romance my favourite couple are Eidolon and Tayla from Larrisa Ione’s Pleasure Unbound or Judd and Brenna from Nalini Singh’s Caressed by Ice.

    Outside romance it has to be Vanyel and Stefan from Mercedes Lackey’s Valdemar series or Afra and Damia from Anne McCaffrey’s Rowan trilogy.



  21. Nikki
    June 28th, 2010 at 11:32 am · Link

    Ash and Tory from Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark-Hunters.
    John Matthew and Xhex from J.R. Wards Black Dagger Brotherhood.
    Colt and india from Lorelei James Rough Rider.
    Lock and Gwen from Shelly Laurenston Pride Stories.
    There are so many great couple that it is really hard to choose just one.



  22. Jamie
    June 28th, 2010 at 11:52 am · Link

    Wow so hard because I have some many favorites. I will say Cat & Bones maybe and so many of Nalini’s characters are my favirotes.



  23. Crystal D
    June 28th, 2010 at 12:03 pm · Link

    I second Jamie & Claire from the Outlander series. Superman & Kat from Tara Janzen’s, Lisa Kleypas’ contemps. I could go on and on….



  24. Kris
    June 28th, 2010 at 12:08 pm · Link

    Wow, I love Beth Williamson’s books.
    Two of my fav couples are Eve and Roarke from the In Death series and Vane and Bride from Kenyon’s Dark Hunters series.



  25. Fedora
    June 28th, 2010 at 12:20 pm · Link

    Woot, Beth!!

    OK, a couple favorite couples–Sebastian & Evie from Devil in Winter; Jake & Poppy from Sarah Mayberry’s Her Secret Fling; Phillip & Eloise from To Sir Phillip with Love; Rupert & Daphne from Mr. Impossible… πŸ™‚



  26. Chelsea B.
    June 28th, 2010 at 1:12 pm · Link

    Lets see….Right now I would say my favorite couple is Jessica and Dain from Loretta Chase’s Lord of Scoundrels! Also a whole bunch of others, but my favorite couple is always the one I’m reading πŸ™‚
    UNBRIDLED sounds like a great read that I can’t wait to start!



  27. Joder
    June 28th, 2010 at 1:50 pm · Link

    There’s quite a few couples I adore. There’s one right now that has me very intrigued and that’s Qhuinn and Blaylock from Ward’s BDB. They’re smokin hot together and oh so angsty apart.



  28. Jane
    June 28th, 2010 at 2:00 pm · Link

    I like Stephanie Laurens’ Devil and Honoria and Cindy Gerard’s Gabe and Jenna.



  29. Amy Kathryn
    June 28th, 2010 at 2:43 pm · Link

    My favorite couple at the moment is Curran and Kate from Ilona Andrews Magic series.



  30. Anna Shah Hoque
    June 28th, 2010 at 3:00 pm · Link

    Oooh that’s a great question…tough but great. :mrgreen:

    Some of my fave duos (how bout menages or more πŸ˜› )

    *Grey & Sirus from Grey’s Awakening
    *Webb & Roanna from Shades of Twilight by Linda Howard
    *Lacey, Mason, Tyler from Night is Darkest by Jayne Rylon
    *Megan & Braden from Megan’s Mark by Lora Leigh
    *Tory & Cade from Carolina Moon by Nora Roberts
    *Amanda, Knox, Jace & Cody from Kansas Heat by Jenny Penn



  31. Casey
    June 28th, 2010 at 3:02 pm · Link

    Cat and Bones from Jeanniene Frost’s Night Huntress series. LOVE them!



  32. Lillie A
    June 28th, 2010 at 3:27 pm · Link

    Wow, so many to choose from! I’m going to go with Blair and Wyatt from To Die For by Linda Howard. They are total opposites but together they are fantastic!



  33. Estella
    June 28th, 2010 at 3:30 pm · Link

    Eve and Roark from JD Robbs In Death Series.



  34. Mary
    June 28th, 2010 at 3:48 pm · Link

    Cat and Bones from Jeanine Frost’s series.
    Gregori and Savannah from Christine Feehan’s Dark series.

    Also Mikhail and Raven from the same series.



  35. Tracey D
    June 28th, 2010 at 3:50 pm · Link

    I love Jonty and Orlando from Charlie Cochrane’s Lessons in Love series.



  36. Rach
    June 28th, 2010 at 3:59 pm · Link

    The book sounds great, Beth. I have added it to my pre-order list. Congrats on taking a step outside your comfort zone.
    My favorite couple is hard, because it depends on the genre. But my top pick is Elle and Dan from Megan HartÒ€ℒs book Dirty. The realness in the characters and the hard times they go through just to be together be whole if apart was amazing. The buildup and chemistry was off the charts.



  37. Diane Sadler
    June 28th, 2010 at 4:12 pm · Link

    there are many but one taht pops into my mind is Eve Dallas and Roarke, such an unusual couple from the In Death series by J D Robb.



  38. Marlene Breakfield
    June 28th, 2010 at 6:01 pm · Link

    My all-time favorite couple is Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy.



  39. Scorpio M.
    June 28th, 2010 at 6:04 pm · Link

    Jane & Chase from Victoria Dahl’s, LEAD ME ON…loved them both! πŸ˜€



  40. Sharon M
    June 28th, 2010 at 7:31 pm · Link

    My current favorites are Jamie and Claire from the Outlander series as well as Elena and Raphael from Nalini Singh’s Guild books.



  41. JenM
    June 28th, 2010 at 7:31 pm · Link

    There are just so many to choose from but I guess I’d pick Eve & Roarke, Kate & Curran, Cat & Bones, and both of Patricia Brigg’s couples, Adam & Mercy and Charles & Anna.



  42. Linda Henderson
    June 28th, 2010 at 7:38 pm · Link

    My favorite couple are Eve and Roarke from J.D.Robb’s In Death series. They have such wonderful chemistry together. I really enjoy reading about them.

    seriousreader at live dot com



  43. Gabrielle J.
    June 28th, 2010 at 10:14 pm · Link

    I agree with you Lindy, I loved Hawk and Adrienne’s story.

    My Favorite couple though so far is Fearghus and Annwyl from the Dragon Kin novel Dragon Actually.



  44. tina
    June 28th, 2010 at 10:25 pm · Link

    wow soooo many! mercy and adam/stefan, kate and curran, and dash and elizabeth from Elizabeth’s Wolf by Lora Leigh



  45. Amy
    June 28th, 2010 at 11:03 pm · Link

    Elle and Dan from “Dirty” by Megan Hart



  46. Stella (Ex Libris)
    June 29th, 2010 at 3:49 am · Link

    The one that immeadietly comes to mind is Kate Daniels and Curran in Ilona Andrews Kate Daniels series! They are sizzling and their banter is laugh out loud funny!

    Thank you!

    stella.exlibris (at) gmail (dot) com



  47. Lindsey Ekland
    June 29th, 2010 at 4:11 am · Link

    I enjoyed Alexia Tarabotti and Lord Akeldama in Changeless. Another favorite is Brody and Elise in Laid Bare. I am certain there are more but I am at work so no books to reference.



  48. Beth Williamson
    July 3rd, 2010 at 3:00 pm · Link

    Y’all have given me a huge list of books to either read or re-read! LOL! Thank you for coming by to read my post!
    Thanks to Lauren for posting my blog and my apologies for being so damn late to comment.
    Love you like cupcakes too, LD! *smooches* You are the best!