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Bio:
In 2004,
Sofia Harper began her writing career as a romantic suspense author. A bit
problematic because she couldn't write anything mystery-like to save her life
or even her characters. On a whim, she penned a contemporary where there was no
dead body or explosions to save her from the dreadful middle slumps of a book.
It was only the characters and what they had to deal with. She hasn't looked
back since. She continues to write contemporary romances, mainly under a
different pen, filled with sassy heroines and unlikely heroes. These stories
are filled with one-liners, but heartfelt and sexy.
Outside of
writing, Harper works as a mail clerk for the federal government, has a
paralegal certificate (that she has more use for as a dust pan) and is a mother
of two rambunctious children. She lives in California where the wine is good
and, despite popular belief, is not always sunny. Harper plans to spend the
rest of her days writing, raising her children and drinking good wine.
Occasionally she'll brush her hair and get dressed, but that's optional.
Welcome,
Sofia. Please tell us about your current release, Hot Knight in Paradise.
Leah Smith is stranded and dependent
on Marshall Jackson. Not a problem except he owns a dive in the Caribbean, is
the grumpiest Good Samaritan ever and hot to boot. Did I mention she was robbed
of everything? No. Well, she was. So, she's going to live and work with him
until she has enough money to go back home.
Hijinks and romance ensue.
What
inspired you to write this book?
There were many things and they sort
of all bleed together. What folks probably haven't heard is that I had a long
break from writing with the intent to publish. So I decided to write something
out of my comfort zone and which I'd failed at previously—Harlequin-like novel.
I had a spreadsheet and everything. There was a marriage of convenience idea (I
so love those), a friends-to-lovers, but then I got blind-sided with the TV
show Life and a discussion on AAR about rape culture. Now how that led me to
stranding someone on an island. I don't know. My mind makes connections I don't
fully understand, but I trust them because they haven't steered me wrong.
Excerpt from Hot Knight in Paradise:
“I find it
hard to believe a man like you would consider bartending his calling.” She gave
him a dubious look. “And I’m feeling like a margarita. Got some limes?”
“Of course.” He
opened the compartment where he kept the salt. Using some of the tequila, he
lined the lip of the glass.
“How’d you
know I wanted salt?”
“If you want
lime, you want salt.” He took his time making the drink. “You’d be amazed how
listening can change the world.”
He cut the
lime in quarters, placing one on the rim, the rest in another cup. “Now I
didn’t say you didn’t get something out of what you do. I said it’s probably
not your calling.”
“Semantics.”
The weight of
his past darkened his tone and he leaned against the bar for support. “You can
save someone’s life by what you say.”
She sipped
her drink and then sucked on the lime. Her breath whooshed out. “You make a
damn good margarita.”
“Thanks.” He nursed
his bourbon as he tried to beat back the memories, but then her hand was on his
face, bringing him back to the now.
“Hey, where’d
you go? We’re debating.”
“Political
analyst,” he said.
“I’m not that
cynical about mankind,” she said.
Her tongue flicked
out, licking at the salt from the corner of her mouth. His mind blanked. When
his brain came back online he could only wonder if the tartness of lime would
complement her taste. She must have noticed the expression, because her gaze
went to his mouth.
Her tongue
lashed out again. “It doesn’t make me uncomfortable when you look at my mouth
with an I-want-to-bite-you expression,” she said quietly. “Though I want to say
my eyes are up here, but—”
She bit her
lip, and his gaze followed the action. He wished she’d look away, make a
joke…anything to break the moment, but his heart rammed against his ribcage.
“I’m insane,”
she murmured.
Marshall
frowned, finally tearing his gaze from her mouth. Leah pushed their drinks
aside and leaned over the bar, and then her mouth was on his, and he couldn’t
think. His lips parted automatically, and she was there, supping on the taste
of him. Leah’s tongue explored urgently, as if they’d been kissing for eons,
and he matched her rhythm.
“Wait,”
Marshall said, pulling back, which was probably the dumbest thing he’d ever
done in his life.
He knew if
she had enough time to consider what the hell they were doing, she’d end it and
run. He took advantage of her moment of confusion and untied the scarf holding
back the soft curls.
“There,” he
sighed.
This time, he
claimed her mouth. The kiss lost its urgency, and still the taste of her seared
his tongue. He had the time to nip and lick, noting the softness of her lips
and how the lime only made her taste better. He couldn’t be anywhere but in
that moment. He tightened the hold in her hair, forcing Leah still and allowing
him to deepen the kiss. He made illicit promises with his teeth and tongue
until she moaned in his mouth, and it took everything in him not to have her there
on the counter.
With the
little room he allowed, she pulled back. “Wait.”
He loosened
the hold on her hair. Leah climbed the counter, knocking over the stool in the
process. Once settled in front of him, she fisted her hands on his shirt and
yanked him forward. Forgetting honor, he pressed against her, felt the heat
between her thighs along his erection. Keeping a hand in the curly strands, he
exposed her neck. He sucked softly at first and then hard on the flesh between
her neck and collarbone. Her legs tightened around his waist, binding him to
the heat. Trailing kisses up to her ear, he bit the lobe. She gasped.
“Do you want
me to stop?” he whispered.
“Yes,” she
moaned.
What
exciting story are you working on next?
I usually have a gazillion projects
going on at one time. Mainly stories that need some sort of revisions. Since I
can only work on one first draft at a time, I'm currently working on a con man
book. Two reformed cons. Leverage style-heist. I stopped before sexy scene.
Needless to say, I'm having so much fun writing it.
When
did you first consider yourself a writer?
When I received my first rejection
letter. Not even going to lie, I kind of cheered. Mind you, this first one had
personal comments, which are rare to get for a newbie. I'd written for a little
over a year by then. My poor CP had kicked me every which way about everything.
I say poor CP because that first book was craptastic. But it wasn't until then
that I felt legitimate.
Do
you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do
other than write and how do you find time to write?
I work part-time as a mail clerk,
which is so exciting, right? My writing schedule is weird to say the least.
When I'm on a writing binge I'm up late at night. When the writing is much more
placid and normal, I get my words done during the day while my kids are at
school. But even when I was busy working full-time, full-time student and
single mom, I stole my writing time. I made it a priority for at least an hour.
If you don't make it important to you, no one else will.
What
would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
It's definitely the night owl aspect.
I really can sit down for a full eight hours during the day and maybe get a
page or three down. Once night time hits I can do ten easily. My mother tells
me I've always been this way. Nine or ten o'clock at night I'd get a second
wind. (Or maybe my first.)
As
a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a doctor. It involves
being good at science and math. I figured it was best for my future and
imagined patients that I pursue other avenues.
Anything
additional you want to share with the readers?
I'm itching for good books. I finished
all the books that interested me. They were all contemporaries. I'm in need of
a good historical romance fix. Recommendations?
Ways to connect:
Thanks, Sofia. Readers, don't forget to comment for a chance to win a gift card! And to give Sofia some historical romance reading recommendations.
