Presented by:
Sparkle Book Tours
Interference by Dakota Madison
Audience: New Adult - Genre: Sports Romance - Formats: E-book and - Publisher: Short on Time Books - Cover by: No Sweat Graphics - Editor: Shirley Pearson - Pages: 215 pages - ASIN: B00STMCY00 - Date Published: February 9, 2015
USA TODAY Bestselling Author Dakota Madison returns with another spicy sports romance. This story set in the world of college basketball.
Neuroscience student SEDONA MILLER is perfectly imperfect. She’s slightly nerdy and slightly eccentric, but completely brilliant.
When an unfortunate accident leaves Sedona with an injured arm and she’s fired from her part-time job shelving books at the university library she has to find a new gig fast.
The only job available mid-semester is working as a tutor for the athletic academic center. And the notorious bad boy of the university’s basketball team, JESSE WALKER, is the one and only guy on the new tutor’s roster.
But when SEDONA discovers a secret that could ruin the school’s winning basketball team doing the right thing could mean destroying the only guy she’s ever loved.
When I finally hit the last room in a long row of rooms I see a guy sitting there looking bored and staring at two fast food containers in front of him on the table.
He glances up at me when I enter. The first thing I notice is his piercing green eyes. I don’t think I’ve ever seen eyes that green on a human being that weren’t Photoshopped
The second thing I notice is his messy, light brown hair. It doesn’t look like it’s been combed it in a week. It makes me wonder if it’s some new hair trend or if he just doesn’t bother to style it. Not that I have too much room to talk when it comes to hair. My curly red mop has been the bane of my existence since I was a kid. About the only thing I can ever do with it is pull it back into a pony tail.
“Sedona?”
I nod.
“Have a seat.” He points to the chair right next to him.
I remember Lewis’s warning and take a seat across the table instead. I want to be as close to the door as possible. The guy is big and muscular and much more intimidating than I imagined he’d be.
My heart is thumping in my chest because his size and rough demeanor are making me nervous.
When he pushes one of the fast food containers in my direction I cringe. I rarely eat fast food and when I do it’s from Just Veggies, an organic vegetarian place near campus.
He doesn’t hesitate to open his container and take a bite of the messy burger that’s dripping some kind of white sauce all over his pile of fries.
My stomach turns in response.
“I bought you a burger.” He points to the second container he’s pushed in my direction. “Ambrose scheduled our sessions during lunch.”
I make a point of pushing the container back over to him. “No thank you.”
He frowns. “It’s from Frankie’s. Everybody loves Frankie’s burgers.”
“Clearly not everyone.”
His brows knit like he can’t believe I refused the food he bought.
“You don’t want it?” He actually sounds hurt.
“No, I don’t.”
“Why?”
I lift my book bag from the ground and point to one of the many political cause buttons I have covering the knitted tote my mom made for me.
He barely acknowledges it. “What is that supposed to mean?”
Now I’m the one who’s frowning. “Meat is murder. It’s a slogan. It means that I don’t eat animal flesh.”
“You’re one of those vegans?” He doesn’t bother hiding the condescension in his voice.
“Technically I’m a vegetarian. I eat free range, organic dairy products.”
“Fine. I’ll eat the burger.” He glares at me as he opens the second container and takes a huge bite of the burger.
I’m appalled until I notice that he slyly pushes both containers away and doesn’t take another bite of either burger.
“I guess I should have brought an apple for the teacher.”
“Only if it’s organic. And I’m not actually a teacher. I’m a tutor.”
We both stare at each other for a long moment. Awkward does not even begin to describe our pairing. We’re like two people from different planets trying to communicate when we don’t speak each other’s languages.
I remove a slip of paper from my bag. “Mr. Ambrose gave me your schedule of classes for the semester. You’re taking Film Appreciation, The History of Jazz, Advanced Yoga and Stress Management. What’s your major?”
He shrugs. “Undeclared right now. But I’ll probably go with Sports Management.”
“So these are Gen Ed classes?”
He cocks his head and looks confused.
“General Education classes,” I clarify. “Elective classes you need to take to fulfill requirements that aren’t directly related to your major.”
“I guess so.”
I’m a little disturbed by his lackadaisical attitude, but I let it go for the moment. We’re clearly not going to be able to develop much of a rapport so maybe it’s best just to get down to business.
“We’re just handed a class schedule,” he clarifies. “Assigned classes. We don’t pick them ourselves.”
“And they assigned you the History of Jazz? That’s the class that you’re having trouble with?”
“The dude who was supposed to teach the class croaked and they got this new chick who apparently doesn’t like basketball.”
There is so much wrong with his statement I don’t even know where to begin. “Might I suggest that you call your professors either professor or doctor and not chick.”
I bristle at my own use of the derogatory word, but I continue, “And what does her not liking basketball have to do with your performance in the class.”
At this he gives me a sly smile. “Let’s just say she’s not willing to play ball the way the other professors are.”
I’m not sure exactly what he means by that, but there seems to be some kind of sports reference that is lost on me.
“So you’re saying your other classes are going well and you’re just having trouble with the one class, History of Jazz?”
He leans back in his chair and eyes me for a few seconds before he nods. I don’t like when he looks at me like that. It’s like he’s examining some weird, new specimen and trying to make sense of it.
“All of my other teachers are huge basketball fans and they know I’m the in the starting lineup. I’m not sure what the jazz goddess’s problem is.”
I take in a deep breath before I say something that’s sure to get me fired. “Why don’t we start by calling her Dr. Fisher? I think that might help. And why do you think she has a problem?”
“She doesn’t like basketball. That’s not normal. Everybody loves basketball. This entire campus lives and breathes the sport.”
“I don’t love basketball. I don’t even like it. Not even a little bit.”
He actually looks stunned for a moment. Like I slapped him. Then he regains his cocky composure.
“You’re one weird chick,” he mutters almost to himself, but still loud enough that I can hear him.
“Excuse me?” I say even though I heard him. I just didn’t like having an insult hurled at me by someone I don’t even know.
“You. Are. One. Weird. Chick.” His words are slower and louder as if I didn’t hear him the first time.
“I actually heard what you said. I just didn’t like it.”
A smug smirk appears on his face that I would love to slap right off if I could.
I continue. “In case you haven’t noticed I’m not a bird I’m a human being. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t refer to me as a chick.”
He bites his bottom lip as if he’s actually giving it some thought. Then he says, “You’re one weird woman. Is that better?”
“I’m not sure why you have to bring gender into the equation at all. Why not just call me a weird person?”
That makes him laugh. “You don’t care that I think you’re weird. You just don’t want me to call you a chick?”
“I’ve been weird my whole life. I’m used to it.”
“At least you’re willing to own it.”
“So did you bring your textbook with you or are you just going to spend the next ninety minutes taunting me?”
“I kind of like taunting you.”
USA TODAY Bestselling Author Karen Mueller Bryson writes romance novels under four pen names: Dakota Madison, Savannah Young, Sierra Avalon and Ren Monterrey. She lives in a small town outside of Phoenix, AZ with her husband and their bloodhounds.
Author Interview
What would you have done differently if you were the main character of your book?
Nothing! I was a study hall monitor and tutor for basketball players when I was a graduate student. I didn’t date any of the players, but I did have concerns about some of the players who were not prepared for college-level work.
What was your inspiration behind this book?
When I read about the UNC cheating scandal it struck a chord with me. One of the jobs I had when I was in graduate school for my Master’s degree was as a study hall monitor and tutor for our university’s athletes, most of whom were basketball players. At the time I noticed a number of the students with whom I worked were underprepared for college-level work (and some even had issues with basic literacy). I was shocked to learn that now twenty-five years later, the problems with college athletes still exists. I thought it would make an excellent underlying story for a romance novel.
Why did you become a writer?
I love to make up stories and live in other worlds for a while.
Do you have a favorite author or authors?
One of my favorites is Lewis Carroll, who is most famous for Alice in Wonderland.
Do you like to write your books in a continuing series?
Readers seem to like books in a series. Whenever I write a standalone novel readers always ask if I’ll write more about the characters.
If you could date any character from any book, who would it be and why?
I would date Kian Kavanagh from my Fire on Ice hockey series. I think he’s the character I’ve written who is most like my husband.
What kinds of books do you like to read in your spare time?
I read all types of books, but I tend to enjoy romance novels the best.
As a reader and writer I think it is important to get to know your fans and make a connection with them as an author who takes the extra step to hear what their fans think and want in their continued writing is continued success and key to selling more books .Do you agree with that?
I have written books on the suggestion of fans. And I do ask fans to help me decide on certain aspects of my books.
Do you cry when writing sad scenes?
All the time!
Did you have a Cover Designer?
I use a number of different cover designers, as well as my husband, who spent years as a graphic designer.
Who is your fictional boyfriend or girlfriend crush?
Max Elliot. He’s made guest appearances in my Savannah Young Wilde Riders series as well as Another Mazzy Monday. He will have his own paranormal romantic comedy series in a few months (written by Savannah Young and Dakota Madison). His character is inspired by the actor Ryan Hansen, who played Dick Casablancas in Veronica Mars and Play It Again, Dick.
If you were able to dine and have a one on one with your favorite writer/author who would it be?
Most of my favorite authors are dead!
Do just re-read your favorite books?
I don’t re-read many books. Beautiful Disaster was one exception. I read it four times.
Do you ever get in a reading slump like your readers do?
No.
What is the funniest book you ever read?
The Disaster Artist by Greg Sestero. It’s about the making of The Room.
Nothing! I was a study hall monitor and tutor for basketball players when I was a graduate student. I didn’t date any of the players, but I did have concerns about some of the players who were not prepared for college-level work.
What was your inspiration behind this book?
When I read about the UNC cheating scandal it struck a chord with me. One of the jobs I had when I was in graduate school for my Master’s degree was as a study hall monitor and tutor for our university’s athletes, most of whom were basketball players. At the time I noticed a number of the students with whom I worked were underprepared for college-level work (and some even had issues with basic literacy). I was shocked to learn that now twenty-five years later, the problems with college athletes still exists. I thought it would make an excellent underlying story for a romance novel.
Why did you become a writer?
I love to make up stories and live in other worlds for a while.
Do you have a favorite author or authors?
One of my favorites is Lewis Carroll, who is most famous for Alice in Wonderland.
Do you like to write your books in a continuing series?
Readers seem to like books in a series. Whenever I write a standalone novel readers always ask if I’ll write more about the characters.
If you could date any character from any book, who would it be and why?
I would date Kian Kavanagh from my Fire on Ice hockey series. I think he’s the character I’ve written who is most like my husband.
What kinds of books do you like to read in your spare time?
I read all types of books, but I tend to enjoy romance novels the best.
As a reader and writer I think it is important to get to know your fans and make a connection with them as an author who takes the extra step to hear what their fans think and want in their continued writing is continued success and key to selling more books .Do you agree with that?
I have written books on the suggestion of fans. And I do ask fans to help me decide on certain aspects of my books.
Do you cry when writing sad scenes?
All the time!
Did you have a Cover Designer?
I use a number of different cover designers, as well as my husband, who spent years as a graphic designer.
Who is your fictional boyfriend or girlfriend crush?
Max Elliot. He’s made guest appearances in my Savannah Young Wilde Riders series as well as Another Mazzy Monday. He will have his own paranormal romantic comedy series in a few months (written by Savannah Young and Dakota Madison). His character is inspired by the actor Ryan Hansen, who played Dick Casablancas in Veronica Mars and Play It Again, Dick.
If you were able to dine and have a one on one with your favorite writer/author who would it be?
Most of my favorite authors are dead!
Do just re-read your favorite books?
I don’t re-read many books. Beautiful Disaster was one exception. I read it four times.
Do you ever get in a reading slump like your readers do?
No.
What is the funniest book you ever read?
The Disaster Artist by Greg Sestero. It’s about the making of The Room.
Tour Schedule – One Week Blog Tour for INTERFERENCE by Dakota Madison from February 23 – March 3, 2015.
February 23
3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! - Promo
Angels with Attitude Book Reviews – Promo, Book Soundtrack & Author Interview
Portals to New Worlds - Promo, Book Soundtrack & Top Ten
February 24
Cajun Book Lover - Promo
The Avid Reader – Promo, Book Soundtrack & Author Interview
February 25
Rustys Reading - Promo
Booky Ramblings of a Neurotic Mom – Promo & Top Ten
Imagine a World - Promo & Review
February 26
Fictional Rendezvous Book Blog - Promo
The Idle Musings of a Writer's Mind – Promo & Author Interview
February 27
Archaeolibrarian - I dig good books! - Promo
Room With Books - Promo & Book Soundtrack
Indy Book Fairy - Promo
A Little Bit of R&R - Promo & Book Soundtrack
March 2
Book Freak –Promo & Review
Books, Authors, Blogs - Promo
What Shall We Blog About Today? – Promo & Book Soundtrack
March 3
The Phantom Paragrapher –Promo & Review
Deal Sharing Aunt - Promo
Eclipse Reviews - Promo, Book Soundtrack & Top Ten
2 comments:
Thank you so much for hosting me on your website!
"Dakota"
Your welcome !
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