Saturday, October 23, 2010

Harris Channing--To Be a Cougar or Not To Be...


Hello, my name is Harris Channing. I'm an author and I'm addicted to romance.


Today I'm happy to be guest blogging here at DIK! Thanks so much for having me.

Now, I'd like to talk a little about my latest release and to ask you all a question...

I hesitated to make YESTERDAY’S INDISCRETION into a May-December romance for the simple fact that I wasn’t sure it would sell. I mean, so many women relate romance with an eighteen year old virgin and the ‘older man’.

At the time I started to write it, however, I was in my late thirties. I was thinking, am I so old that a twenty-something wouldn’t look at me twice? I guess it’s my vanity that wouldn’t allow me to fully accept my status as middle aged soccer mom. Besides, what the hell is wrong with being a little bit older and wiser?

What turned out to be a worry actually became a joy to write. I could identify with Lindy and her insecurities. After all, I knew how she felt!

I also wanted the book to be more than simply a romance between an older woman and a younger man. I wanted it to be a suspense, so I added Steven to the mix and with Steven, I actually wrote my first “Gee, that sucked” sex scene. I had fun making him lousy in the sack. Served him right…I already knew what sort of person he was!

Even though YESTERDAY’S INDISCRETION is first and foremost a love story, it’s also a story of accepting passion and tenderness in non-traditional forms. It touches on the double standard that hey, it’s cool for a sixty year old man to have a thirty year old trophy wife but a woman ten years older than her lover is nothing but a cradle robbing whore.

Before I insert a sample chapter, I want to thank you for visiting. Please, tell me what you think about older women/younger men. Do you think women should keep to their traditional roles or is being a ‘cougar’ acceptable too?

And now for the BLURB:

Thirty-something kindergarten teacher Lindy Whittaker has decided it’s time to marry and start a family. Steven Hamilton, a successful businessman, seems to be "Mr. Right."

But when Michael "Mac" MacIntyre, her former lover, who happens to be ten years her junior, comes to town, will he ruin all of Lindy’s well-laid plans? Will she find love in stability or in passion? And will the choice she makes lead her into blissful happiness or terrifying danger?

Excerpt:

“Oh, Coach MacIntyre, you’re so funny…” Pam gushed.

Lindy rolled her eyes, wondering if it would be rude to move
across the classroom and shut her door. Really, who flirted in the
hallway of an elementary school anyway?

She could just imagine the new gym teacher ogling Pam’s huge
boobs. Most men did. They were entities unto themselves.

Still, she couldn’t blame Pam. She’d gotten a sneak peek at the
coach all the teachers were talking about while passing the gym
earlier. If his face was as good looking as his backside, well, Pam was
doing what came naturally. She flirted and probably tossed the
silicone girls in his direction.

But honestly, did Pam need to make yet another conquest right
outside Lindy’s classroom? Thank God the children had left for the
day. After all, sex education didn’t start until middle school.

“Call me Mac,” he said. The words were innocuous enough, so
why was it they rang in her ears long after the pair had gone and she
had begun the tedious chore of removing nametags from desktops and
cubbyholes?

“Mac,” she said suddenly. “Oh, my God.” She jumped from
behind the cluster of student desks and stared at her empty doorway.
No one was there. Had she imagined the familiarity of his voice? Her
mind reeled. “No, it can’t be,” she mumbled, flopping down on her
chair and staring at her desk.

“What can’t be?”

She jerked her head toward the sound of his voice. A tall,
gorgeous man leaned against the frame of her open door. A man much
younger than her thirty-five years. He grinned and set his arm over his
chest. For one long moment, the entire world seemed to stop.

“Hi, how are you?” he asked., The deep timbre of his words
seemed to reach across time, and a tingle of déjà vu whispered across
her skin.

But, was it really him? He appeared different, yet she wouldn’t
mistake him for anyone else in the world. She had to be dreaming, he
couldn’t be here. Not now.

“Have we met?” she replied, flustered, but she knew the answer.

He crossed the room and set his hands palms down on her desk.
Then came the stare so intense, so familiar, it left her breathless. The
glorious mane of chestnut hair, the beautiful blue eyes that smiled at
her from behind thick, dark lashes, oh, yes. It was him.

The flash of recognition that shot through her nearly knocked her
to the ground. Skin on skin, her body arching against his, the touch of
his fingertips, his sweet taste. Her gaze dipped to his mouth, sensual
in its fullness.

He tilted his head, and a knowing smile spread over his face. A
shiver sped through her. Her nipples hardened beneath their silky
confines, and moisture flooded from her core. Whether or not her
mind was willing to connect the dots, her body remembered him
instantly…every touch, every scent, and every inch of him.

A gasp escaped her lips. “Mac.”.

“You do remember.”

How could she forget?


Wanna read more? I HOPE SO!!! You can pick up a copy here.

You can learn more about YESTERDAY'S INDISCRETION by visiting my website

or my blog (by the way I'm hosting a contest for a free download so go here to grab your chance)

And if you wanna, e-mail me at harrischanning@yahoo.com I would love to hear from you!

Have a great weekend!
Hugs,





8 comments:

Jenre said...

Hi Harris and welcome to the island.

I think nearly all of us approaching 40 (and beyond) have had those 'no man in his 20s will look twice at me' thoughts!

I have to admit, I like May to December romance, but I've not read many where it's the older woman with a younger man. I can see the appeal of the dynamic though as it balances out the power dynamic a little if the woman is wiser and solvent and had enough time on the Earth to be comfortable in her skin.

Harris Channing said...

Thanks for the warm welcome, Jenre!

Unfortunately, Lindy isn't at all solvent! And the idea of a younger man as a mate and not a fling has her more uncomfortable in her skin then she normally is!

Katie Reus said...

Welcome to the island, Harris. I’m not really sure what ‘traditional’ is anymore and I’ve never actually equated romance with an eighteen year old virgin and older man (though I do remember reading that trope in my mom’s old Harlequins, lol). As a reader I tend to gravitate toward characters that are basically at equal points in their lives whether it be in their careers or their ages or whatever. With the exception of the paranormals I read and write (some of the heroes are hundreds of years older, lol) there’s usually not a giant age gap between the hero or heroine. That said, I definitely don’t think there’s anything wrong with May/December relationships as long as I like the characters and can relate to one or both of them. Basically all I care about when reading is that I’m rooting for the main characters and that they get their happy ending. Great excerpt!

Tracy said...

Being over 40 *crap* I have to say I've thought of the - could they really find them attractive thing when reading May-December romance. (So when the woman's older is it a December-May romance? lol). Sometimes those work for me and sometimes they don't. From what I've read of your blurb and excerpt I think this one would work! :) The very fact that you put in a sucky sex scene has me very intrigued. lol

Thanks again for visiting DIK, Harris!

Lori Brighton said...

The older I get, the more accepting I am of older women and younger men! lol. But you're right, why not? men have been dating younger women for centuries. I love the idea of your story!

Estella said...

I love May-December romances,when the woman is older.

Harris Channing said...

So, it sounds like most women really don't find fault with an older woman and a younger man. But what if it was your mother? You 50 year old mom and a 30 year old boyfriend? Does that change the dynamic?

And the young heroine and older man is, in my mind anyway, the status quo in historical romance.

Thanks for sharing your input ladies!

caseycrow said...

Exciting excerpt Harris! Glad I found you on here!
Casey Crow
www.caseycrow.com

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