A Good Dose Of Pleasure
by Zuri Day
 

 
One sexy Morgan man may have finally met his match in a talented and beautiful young widow. But will their ambitions come between them?

When artist Anise Cartier leaves Nebraska for L.A., she's finally ready to put the past and its losses behind her. And she soon finds a welcoming committee in the form of one very handsome doctor, Gregory Morgan. Their attraction is instant. So is their animosity.  Gregory is in a fierce competition for a multimillion-dollar medical research grant. The grant will make a new research center possible. . .once the beloved artist community where Anise plans to set up shop is demolished. Soon, it's a battle between art and science—one that neither Anise nor Gregory intend to lose. Can their red hot love survive this heated war of wills?


CHAPTER 3

Almost six weeks to the day from when she received her acceptance letter from The Creative Space, Anise landed at Los Angeles International Airport. Her aunt, Aretha, met her curbside, just outside baggage claim. "Hello, Shirley," she said, giving her niece a heartfelt hug.

Anise hugged her back, and after they'd placed her luggage in the trunk and settled into the car, she said, "Aunt Ree, please call me Anise." At her aunt's questioning look, she continued. "Mommy named me after my grandmother, and while I loved her dearly, I always hated that name. Shirley never fit me. I've done a lot of soul searching since my mother's death. Her passing taught me how short life is and caused me to think a lot about how I want to live the rest of it ... on my terms. It's time to mark a brand new chapter, to live my life a whole different way. That began with changing my name. It has legally been changed to Anise, Anise Cartier."

"Cartier?" Aretha asked with raised brow. "Like the watch?"

"You could say that," Anise replied with a laugh. "But when the idea came to me to change my first name, it's not what I had in mind. Carter sounded too plain to go with Anise so I just spiced it up a bit."

"No pun intended, huh?"

"Ha! That's right, auntie. No pun intended."

"Hmm." Aretha looked at Anise with an unreadable expression. After turning from Sepulveda Boulevard and merging into the parking lot otherwise known as the 405 Freeway, she shrugged and gave her niece's leg an affectionate pat. "I think Shirley is a pretty name. Changing it sounds extreme to me. But I'm happy that you're taking control of your destiny, baby, so make no mistake, I'll support you every step of the way." There was a sparkle in Aretha's eye as she continued.

"Welcome to Los Angeles, Anise Cartier." She pronounced the last name with a haughty accent and elaborate sweep of her arm, causing them both to break into laughter. Anise's heartbeat increased as she took in the sights whizzing past her. I'm in frickin' Los Angeles, California, baby! Just as she thought this, a warm breeze swept across her face and settled around her shoulders. This had happened several times in the past few weeks. Mommy. Anise batted away tears at the knowledge that her mother was indeed with her, and seemed to approve of this journey to a new life.

(  Continues...  )

 Copyright © 2013 by Zuri Day.   All rights reserved. Book excerpt reprinted by permission of the author.  This excerpt is used for promotional purposes only. Do not reproduce, copy or use without the publisher's written permission. Copyright infringement is a serious offense. Share a link to this page or the author's website if you really like this promotional excerpt.


About the Author
Zuri Day is the bestselling author of more than a dozen novels. An EMMA and African-American Literary Awards winner, two of her novels were also finalists in the Romantic Times Best Multicultural Romance category. Along with titillating the sensual senses, Zuri loves to stimulate provocative thought on timely, relevant topics that will benefit her community of readers. She believes in true love, half-full glasses and dreams coming true. Along with writing, hearing from readers is one of her favorite things to have happen, so she’d love to hear from you! Connect via her website, ZuriDay.com or on Facebook @ haveazuriday.
 

NEW RELEASE:  A Good Dose of Pleasure  by Zuri Day
Purchase your copy today:  http://amzn.com/B00D4AKBGQ

More Books by Zuri:   http://www.amazon.com/Zuri-Day/e/B00355AXQ8

Intimate Conversation with Zuri Day

 

Recently Ella Curry, president of EDC Creations, had the opportunity to sit down and chat with award winning author Zuri Day.  She resides in Los Angeles with her family and when she isn't writing loves to travel the world, cook vegetarian food, work out, watch sports, attend concerts and theatre and enjoy the simple things in life.

Zuri Day is the bestselling author of more than a dozen novels. An EMMA and African-American Literary Awards winner, two of her novels were also finalists in the Romantic Times Best Multicultural Romance category. Along with titillating the sensual senses, Zuri loves to stimulate provocative thought on timely, relevant topics that will benefit her community of readers.  She believes in true love, half-full glasses and dreams coming true. Along with writing, hearing from readers is one of her favorite things to have happen, so she’d love to hear from you!  Connect via her website, ZuriDay.com or on Facebook at haveazuriday.


BPM:  How did you get started writing romance?
I'd just turned in a contemporary fiction novel when my editor, Selena James, asked if I could write romance. I said “Sure!”   I'd grown up reading romance and thought writing one would be a breeze. Boy, did I have a lot to learn: about the formula, the dos and don'ts, the various types of romance. Thanks to my editor's patience and my agent's wisdom, Lies Lovers Tell was born. That first romance will always hold a special place in my heart.

Many people have given up on love, much less romance. I'm hoping that somehow in the love-filled pages of my romance novels, they can ignite the desire to believe again. Anything is possible, when we believe...


BPM:  Tell us about your latest book, A Good Dose of Pleasure, from the Morgan Men series.
A Good Dose of Pleasure, when artist Anise Cartier leaves Nebraska for L.A., she's finally ready to put the past and its losses behind her. She’s even taken a new name to match her new future. And she soon finds a welcoming committee in the form of one very handsome doctor, Gregory  Morgan. Their attraction is instant. So is their animosity.

Anise's goal is to start an art gallery, while Gregory is in a fierce competition for a multimillion-dollar medical research grant  . His opponent for the coveted funding is not Gregory’s only problem. The beloved artist community where Anise plans to set up shop is the same location slated to be demolished to make way for the new research center.

Soon, it’s a battle between art and science—one that neither Anise nor Gregory intend to lose. Their passion is intense, but can this heated war of wills lead to a lifetime of red hot love? 


BPM:  What inspired the Morgan Brothers series?
I knew I wanted my next set of romance novels to involve a family.  I love the idea of readers being able to delve into the hero or heroine's inner circle and extended family, so much so that they actually become a part of the reader's lives. A series allows that to happen.


BPM:  Your books have seriously strong characters through out. How difficult is it to contain your secondary characters so your hero and heroine continue to take center stage?
Sometimes that's a challenge, especially when they have strong or colorful personalities. I try to make sure that whatever they're doing is not only adding layers to the story, but also helping to advance the main story line and leading the reader back to the hero and heroine's conflict and ultimate resolution.


BPM:  What do you want readers to take away from reading your books?
As with all of my novels, I want readers to be entertained and inspired. I want them to feel they've gotten a peek into someone's life and maybe learned a lesson or two from what the characters have learned or endured. More than anything, I want them to fall in love with my work, and since Zuri means "beautiful" in Swahili, I want them to always have a Zuri Day!


BPM:  What makes your books stand out and would entice a reader pick it up?
My books are filled with love, sex, mystery, intrigue. There's drama, comedy and never a dull moment! My novels are realistic enough for the reader to relate yet edgy enough to provide the perfect literary escape.

BPM:  How do you balance writing full time, romance, marketing, and real-life stress?
One of the tenets of my brand is dealing with real-life situations within the context of romance. I think readers appreciate when there are everyday problems for the main characters to contend with, maybe even ones that the readers are dealing with as well. The fact that there can be laughter throughout leading to a happy ending gives hope to us all.


BPM:  Does reader feedback affect your writing choices at all?
Their opinions definitely matter; if readers ask questions about characters they liked, I'll often place them in another novel to keep readers updated. A great example of that is how the couple in Body by Night makes an appearance in Love in Play. Readers loved it.


Visit her website:   www.ZuriDay.com
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