Good morning. It’s Meet and Greet Monday! 

With us today is Romance Author, CR Moss.

 Welcome, CR!

 

Tell us a bit about yourself. Where do you live, do you have a significant other, any young Moss’ running around?
~ Hi! Thanks for having me here today. 🙂 My name is Chris, and I write under the names C.R. Moss for erotic and mainstream romance and Casey Moss for mainstream dark fiction (horror, suspense, urban fantasy). My professional bio for C.R.: “An eccentric and eclectic writer, C.R. Moss pens stories for the mainstream and erotic romance markets, giving readers Worlds of Possibilities when it comes to love.” The tagline on my website and social media says ‘Love & Lust in the Wild West’. And how does that line fit in? Well, for one, I live in NV. Two, my stories take place, either in part or in full, in and around the Las Vegas area. In fact, even my website sports “a look of home.” The background picture was taken in an area just a few miles west of Las Vegas and happens to be the inspiration for the setting of the Double D Ranch Tales saga. So, what do I write? Basically, I pen stories from the light and sweet to the dark and deadly with varying degrees of sexual heat.

Tell us about your “big break” in the publishing world. Was there any one person believe in your work first (besides yourself of course)? What did you do to celebrate your first contract?
~ I studied under the mentorship of Terri Valentine (author of ‘Sands of Time,’ a Zebra Historical Romance) and honed my novel writing skills. She believed in me along with my wonderful husband. Right after my first story was published, I did a spa day down on the strip.

Did you always want to be an author?
~ Yes, I knew I wanted to write at a young age, as early as I learned to read, cooking up stories to entertain myself in the rural area I’d lived in. With no other kids around to play with, I had to entertain myself somehow. Then I started studying the craft of writing in my early teens. It started with working on the school newspaper in middle school to creative writing classes and Teens Art Festivals in high school. I received my BA in Communications, Information and Library Studies from Rutgers College with a strong concentration in English Lit/Writing and Interpersonal Communications/PR. After that is when Terri became my mentor.

What is your favorite genre to write?
Truthfully, my favorite genre to write in is horror. When it comes to erotic romance, it tends to favor dark paranormal or contemporary chick lit depending upon the story. Yeah, two ends of the spectrum, but it’s a nice balance.

Preference – Sam or Dean Winchester?  If you haven’t seen Supernatural (and why not! It’s MY Fave show LOL), then would you prefer Iron Man or Wolverine?
~ Since I haven’t seen Supernatural, I’ll take Iron Man, thank you (as long as it’s Robert Downey Jr. 😉 ) 

If we were to come over to your house for dinner, what dish would you make us?
~ I’d make my Mexican spread for you…shredded chicken, shredded beef, fajita fixings, tortilla soup, guacamole, salsa, coffee brownies… and let’s not forget margaritas!

What is your favorite TV Show?
~ At the time of answering this question, American Horror Story – Coven.

Where have you traveled that you’d love to return? What made it so special the first time?
~ Geez… so many places… I’m usually torn between returning to Germany and Italy or going back to Grand Cayman (or anywhere in the Caribbean). Europe was special because of a study abroad. The Caribbean because the first time I went down there was with my hubby.

If you were given an all-expense paid, five day/night trip to anywhere, where would you go?
~ The south pacific & island hopping there.

What is the most played song on your iPod/MP3 Player?
~ I change up what I listen to a lot so I don’t have one.

What song are you most sick of hearing right now?
~ Any song I’m tired of hearing I just skip over or change the channel so I don’t have one of these either. 

What is your one pet peeve about the writing business?
~ I’d rather not say…

What do you find most challenging about writing?
~ Sometimes it just challenging to get my butt into the chair and write and not let the other hundred things distract me.

What is your favorite section in the current book you’re writing?
~ This is from the next Double D Ranch Tale book:
Her tolerance had reached its limit, snapping the thin thread holding her anger in check. She wasn’t going to take anyone’s crap anymore, especially that of a Dougan man. She concentrated on Damon’s face, clenched her hand into a fist, hauled back and shot her arm forward. Damon’s reaction time was nil. Her knuckles connected with his nose and upper lip, making a satisfying crack and knocking him off the stool and onto the floor.
Holding the center of his face, he curled up. “Ow! My God, Cassie. You hit me.”
She paid no mind to his sniveling, nor the stares and comments of the other people around her, and set her gaze on Miss Boobs. Popping the joints of both her hands, she grinned. “Now it’s your turn.”

 

Why Roses?

I’ve been asked why I use a rose in my Sunset books for when the 1NS dates first meet. Well, to answer that question, here’s a list of reasons…
Well, for one… For ages, roses and their colors have been steeped in tradition and meaning. Take for example a red rose. Most people associate that color with beauty, love and passion. A white rose represents innocence and purity which is probably why it’s a popular color for weddings. The roses used in the Sunset books are sunset colored. Imagine fiery colors – yellow (friendship, joy, gladness and freedom, the promise of a new beginning); red; orange (Passionate desire, pure enthusiasm and fascination – This site: http://www.loveletterbox.com/meaning_of_roses.htm says it’s “An excellent choice for a new relationship that you wish to pursue further.”); white; pink (Grace and Gentility, the rose of sweet thoughts).

Secondly… Did you know that even the number of roses you give or receive means something? For instance, 15 roses means “I am truly sorry, please forgive me,” and 24 roses means “Can’t stop thinking about you, 24 hours every day.” (The above link has a table to refer to for more quantities.) In my 1NightStand stories, each character only has one rose which signifies ‘Love at the first sight; you are the one.’

Reason three… Having a rose in possession when meeting someone you’ve never seen before is classic.

A fourth reason… My characters use the sunset colored rose as a family symbol. To learn why, you’ll have to read my books. 😉

And, a fifth reason… It’s my nod to an old group of friends that I met via an online support site for people who quit smoking. They all liked to garden and grow roses. To celebrate our milestones in our quest to stay smoke-free, we’d find roses or other flowers that suited that particular day or emotion for us and then share what we found. (I’ve been smoke-free for over ten years now. Quit cold turkey.)

My favorite rose? The Osiria Rose. It’s deep red from the inside, and from outside, it’s silver- white in color, giving the flower a two tone color scheme. If you do an online search for that rose, you can find images of it. It’s like the tips of a white rose were dipped in blood, then dried to achieve the rich darkness of the red. Quite lovely.

 

Info on Sunset Heat and where to find C.R. Moss…

~ Blurb for Sunset Heat – a 1NightStand story from Decadent Publishing & book 4 in the ‘Sunset’ series ~

(Book Content: Contemporary, Erotic, Chick Lit, Romance)
Can one night transform a woman’s life?
* Seana Tramonto feels doomed when it comes to relationships. When she’s set up through the 1Night Stand service, she’s apprehensive at best. Her concern turns to ire when her match turns out to be a man who broke her heart years ago. Old wounds are slow to heal no matter how sexy the man asking for forgiveness.
* Zachary Russo, a Las Vegas policeman, is talked into doing a 1NS date. When he learns it’s with his high school tutor and friend, the girl he stood up before the Homecoming dance, he’s determined to make it up to her. But seeing her again opens his eyes to the sexy woman she’s become. Can he prove he’s grown up or will circumstance beyond his control kill their second chance?

~ Excerpt ~

* “I had it bad for you.”
* “So, what’s your wish now?”
* If she leaned toward him, turned just enough, maybe he’d kiss her. Did she have the nerve? What would he think of her advance?
* “Seana?”
* She closed her eyes, relishing the silky way he spoke her name. “Hmm?”
* “Your wish. You’re going to enter the drawing the charity is having, right?”
* “I can’t say or it won’t come true,” she murmured. Just move your face toward his. Do it! Though her inner diva cheered her on, she couldn’t.
* “A superstition for shooting stars and birthday candles.”
* “So? I don’t want to take chances.” Yes you do, her inner cheerleader chided.
* He brushed his cheek against hers. Warm breath caressed her ear. Restless throbs of desire pulsed in her veins. Sexual excitement curled in her womb. It’d been quite some time since feeling those particular sensations. Who’d I do it with last? Oh, the guy in the off-Broadway showing of West Side Story. Antonio something or other. She’d almost told him she loved him, but his ex-girlfriend came back into the picture, which snipped her out of it.
* Could Zach be her one? Even after all this time and despite their difficulties? Back when she’d helped him in high school, she’d wanted him and would have given him her all. She didn’t feel any different now. Turning her face toward his finally, she prepared for the first of what she hoped would be many kisses. None came. He wasn’t as close as she thought. Seana stared into his eyes, becoming lost in their depths.
* “Seana?”
* “Yes?” She breathed in his spicy, clean scent, wanting to nibble on the muscle stretching from his neck into the top of his white dress shirt.
* “Tell me more about the tutoring room.”
* “Why? Interested in playing out my fantasy?”
* Zach rubbed her knee. His touch seared her skin under her black sequined dress. “But we’re not in a school. There are no classrooms to use.”
* The scenario she’d envisioned as a young adult awaited her next move. If there’s ever a time to be bold and spontaneous, it’s now. Quit stalling and take the leap. Feeling naughty and way too frisky to miss the opportunity, she drew circles on his leg with her fingertip. “We can improvise by going up to your room or mine and pretending we’re in a classroom.”
* Seconds clicked by. Zach didn’t say a word. Wasn’t he interested? Her palms became clammy. I can’t be rejected again.

Buy Links ~
Decadent Publishing 
Amazon 

Bio ~
An eccentric and eclectic writer, C.R. Moss pens stories for the mainstream and erotic romance markets, giving readers ‘Worlds of Possibilities.’

Find C.R. Moss here ~
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