Today’s interview features Claire LeMay from Rebound and Shelley Longstaff from The Perfect Score (Books 1 and 2 in the Love and Balance series). Former colleagues and best friends, they talk about what it was like to share their story.
1. Are you upset your name is not in the title?
Claire: No, not really. How could I be? My picture is on the front cover! That’s so exciting!
Shelley: Yeah, that is cool. How they managed to capture our images like that is beyond me. Is that considered stalking when they snap your picture like that without you knowing?
Claire: Ha! You posed for that, remember?
Shelley: *snickers* Yeah, I’m just messing with Jean and Kellie. But you have to admit they captured your moment with Justin perfectly.
Claire: *sighs dreamily* I know… How did they do that? They caught the background perfectly of the gym, and I’ll never forget that moment with Justin.
Shelley: Jack and I had to recreate those shrewd looks on our faces. We still laugh about how he threatened to sue me my first day on the job!
2. Do you have any annoying habits your author did not share with us in your book?
Claire: I don’t have any annoying habits.
Shelley: *snorts in laughter* Uh, former roommate here!
Claire: *crosses arms over chest* What annoying habits do I have?
Shelley: You can be so serious for one.
Claire: *rolls eyes* Is that really an annoying habit? That’s more of a personality trait.
Shelley: Semantics…
Claire: Hey! I’ve loosened up a lot. I mean, I did realize I was in charge of my life and moved to be with Justin. Now he and I use the gym for more than coaching purposes AND on a regular basis I might add…
Shelley: Woo-hoo! Live on the edge woman! *laughs*
Claire: Oh shut up. I could never be like you with a different lover every other week, but now who is serious? You’ve got Jack and you two are having –
Shelley: Ssssshhhh!! Don’t spoil my story for Kellie’s readers!
3. Are you happy with the profession your author chose for you or would you rather be working at something totally different and why? Claire: I’ve always loved gymnastics and dancing, so to be able to teach both now as a profession is a dream come true.
Shelley: Always loved gymnastics with a passion, so I can’t imagine doing anything else. I can’t imagine why Kellie gave up coaching it so she could write books. But at least it gives her a chance to tell our stories!
Claire: *grabs Shelley by the arm* And have you read her other ones? *fans face* Steamy!
4. Now for a personal question. Is there enough sex in the book for you? Would you have liked more?
*Claire and Shelley share a look, then speak simultaneously* Never enough sex!! *they laugh*
5. Did you author handle your “love” scenes the way you like or was she too explicit or not explicit enough?
Claire: *blushes* Well, I lived it but reading the way she wrote it…*blush deepens* It’s a little strange that the public will know just how good it was.
Shelley: *smacks Claire in the shoulder* Oh get over yourself. I loved reading about my exploits with Jack. The only thing I’d wish she’d gotten around to writing was a shower scene for us. We never did get to that…
6. Is you’re hero/heroine a good kisser?
*both women answer with a resounding YES!*
Claire: *sighs happily* I’ve always loved Justin’s kisses, the way his lips feel on mine…the rest of the world just melts away.
Shelley: Jack wins hands down. It was our first kiss that made me want so much more from a man than I’d ever wanted before.
7. Did your author listen to you when you tried to redirect her?
Shelley: Kellie is always very good at listening. Sometimes we go off on a tangent and then she takes a look at the story and suggests we change a few things to make sure everything makes sense.
Claire: We had to re-write a couple of times to get everything just right. It took Justin and I a while to be able to tell her our story. But once we all worked together, it came out great.
8. Did your story end too soon?
Claire: Well, the story never really is over, is it? A reader can always use their imagination to take us to the next place in our lives.
Shelley: *giggles* Or a reader can always go back and read the juicy parts *wink*
Claire: *laughs* They can do that too. But we all make brief appearances throughout the series, so you know what we’re up to.
9. Who was your favorite supporting character?
Both answer together: Each other!
Claire: Aww…
Shelley: Oh… I love you.
Claire: I love you too. *they share a hug*
A little bit about Rebound
Claire LeMay is at the top of her game – she’s head of a prominent gymnastics facility with her gymnasts winning awards for her outstanding choreography. Now her biggest challenge is to coach alongside the man she’s avoided for three years after he demanded she live in his shadow instead of forging her own path.
After sinking every penny of his inheritance into his state-of-the-art gymnastics facility, Justin Black has achieved his dream. But even with hundreds of members and well-trained coaches, when Claire’s presence invades his space, he reluctantly admits she’s the one thing missing in his life. Oblivious as to why she walked out on him three years ago, he attempts to call a truce.
As their old passion tumbles out faster than a gymnast sprinting down the vault runway, they realize they are in the same impossible position as they were three years ago. Are they destined to repeat the same old routine or will they be able to choreograph a new one?
Buy it from Secret Cravings Publishing or AMAZON
A little bit about The Perfect Score
Shelley Longstaff finally has her chance to be in charge only to rue the day when she is asked to train the dreaded Anna Fortier, a gymnast who has no sense of sportsmanship and makes everyone in her vicinity miserable. When Shelley refuses, she’s threatened with a lawsuit by her father. To make things worse, Shelley has an inexplicable attraction to the arrogant rich lawyer!
Since his wife’s death five years ago, Jacques (Jack) Fortier does whatever it takes to protect what is his. Shelley’s club is his last resort to keep his daughter in the sport, but threatening to sue her isn’t exactly his smartest move. When she grudgingly agrees to give Anna a chance, he finds himself attracted to the spritely gymnastics coach – the first woman he’s had any feelings for since his wife passed away.
As Shelley and Jack leap over the line in their parent-coach relationship, Shelley worries over falling in love with a man who admittedly still loves his late wife. But when a crisis of teenage proportions threatens their relationship, will they risk everything for the chance to achieve The Perfect Score? Buy it from Secret Cravings Publishing or AMAZON
During her recovery, April resolves to carve out an exotic life of travel and adventure. But she didn’t count on a sexy fireman upsetting her plans. Gavin Dailey has dated practically every woman in the county, but when he meets April, he knows he’s finally found the one he wants. Only a stubborn man like Gavin wouldn’t let April’s resistance to his charm and his small town change his plans. Determined to win her, he pulls out all the stops until he encounters one stumbling block he didn’t count on. Only a near-tragedy resurrected from the past gives April the tenacity she needs to make the right decision for her life in April’s Kiss in the Moonlight. 
