Men with Clever Hands

hosted by Beth

Today we have another real treat in the lair! The fabulous Sarah Mayberry is here to talk with us about her latest release for Superromance, ONE GOOD REASON *g* Here's the back cover blurb for ONE GOOD REASON:

It's time to move on

Any day now Jon Adamson will pack his bags and hit the road. After all, his intention was never to hang around Melbourne once he'd settled his late father's affairs. Yet he hasn't moved on. And it might have something to do with Gabby Wade. The not-so-big office manager with the really big attitude is making Jon's days…interesting…engaging…fun. It's impossible for him to resist her.

But he knows himself—long-term commitments and cozy family dinners aren't his style. If that's what the future holds, why is he still here? And why is he spending all his days—and nights—with Gabby? Because maybe she's the one reason strong enough to make him stay.

And here's Sarah:

First off, a big thanks to the lovely Romance Bandits for inviting me to play with them - it's lovely to be here. And now, onto the important topic of men who work with their hands for a living...

Years ago, when I still worked in-house on a soap opera, we used to joke about putting all the good looking men on the show in a pair of jeans and a tool-belt. Don’t know what it was, but a man with a tool-belt seemed to be universally accepted shorthand for phwoooar (as we say down here in Australia!).

As a writer, I have a fondness for heroes who work with their hands. If that means they have to wear a tool-belt on a regular basis, then so be it - I am prepared to make that sacrifice on behalf of my readers. When I filled out the art briefing sheet for my current release, One Good Reason, I couldn’t resist briefing a scene where my hero was wearing my favorite piece of male apparel. And guess what? I got that scene as my cover.

The hero of One Good Reason, Jon Adamson, is a builder by trade, but he’s working in his younger brother Tyler’s fine furniture business during the period covered by the book. He makes dining tables and desks and sideboards and works on new prototypes based on his brother’s designs - and he’s very good at all of the above. He’s also the strong, silent type who is battling some very private demons, and he clashes repeatedly with my heroine, Gabby, who is a small woman with a very large attitude. Once they work out that all their animosity is actually suppressed attraction, the battleground shifts - but I don’t want to give away too much.

I had a lot of fun writing their story, possibly because they were two characters who I felt I knew really well before I’d even started writing. Both Gabby and Jon appear in The Last Goodbye. When I started writing that book, I didn’t have any plans at all to write a sequel. By the time I’d finished, however, I liked Gabby so much and felt so badly for Jon that I knew I had to write these two their own happy ever after.

So, how about you - do you have a weakness for a man who is clever with his hands? Or do you prefer a sharp mouth and mind in an even sharper business suit? Or are you an equal opportunity admirer of heroes from all walks of life? I’d love to give away 2 sets of The Last Goodbye and One Good Reason to posters today, so post away!