What Every Woman Wants Under Her Christmas Tree. Catherine Bybee's Highlanders! Chance to win big!

Welcome to my What Every Woman Wants Under Her Christmas Tree blog event. For those of you visiting for the first time, this event runs through December 25th and hosts a variety of talented authors and a beyond spectacular jewelry artisan.

This week it’s my pleasure to introduce talented paranormal romance author Catherine Bybee. Funny thing, I was browsing Amazon and Catherine’s novels popped up in my search. Wow! How had a missed her? So I instantly bought a few of her books. Had to! She covers everything in a novel that’s right up my alley. Fantasy, time-travel, sexy Highlanders. And it gets even more interesting. Why? We write for the same publisher, The Wild Rose Press! I know what you’re thinking. Sky, were you having a blond moment? Nope. Just a… “this is too good to be true” moment! Long story short, even though I had only started one of her stories I just knew Catherine had to be part of my Christmas blog event. I really wanted to give you all a wonderful experience and well…I knew Catherine would only be a boon.

While I only have Catherine for a few days, she was gracious enough to offer a giveaway. What’s up for grabs? An Ecopy of Binding Vows! How do you enter to win? Easy enough. Answer the following question in a comment. In Binding Vows, what was Tara wearing when she stormed away from the keep? (Hint: Click HERE to locate the answer)

Okay, time to have some fun and get to know Catherine a wee bit better.

SKY: Thanks so much for visiting. It’s a pleasure to have you!

CATHERINE: Thanks for having me.

SKY: Before we dive into your books I’d like to first dive into the holidays. What’s your favorite part of Christmas?

CATHERINE: Family. Without getting together with my family and enjoying (and annoying) my family the entire season would be lost on me. We tend to make it a 2-3 day event.

SKY:  I couldn't agree more. Family is where it's at. I'm curious, if you could ask for one thing to be delivered under your Christmas tree this year, what would it be?

CATHERINE: In my fantasy world, I’d ask for everyone to be in good health. But life doesn’t work that way… so for the kid in me who I’m going to say a big fat contract with a check behind it. A big check. LOL

SKY:  Gotta agree with that as well! Now, if you could give readers one of YOUR heroes under their Christmas tree…which one would it be? Why?

CATHERINE: I think it would have to be Fin MacCoinnich, who is the brother of the hero in Binding Vows. His debut isn’t until January in Redeeming Vow. As for why? Well, Fin is everything a strapping Highlander should be with enough sass and spunk to make all the women smile. He isn’t the brooding type and for Christmas, we need a sparkling smile that delivers.

SKY: If you could pick one heroine from your stories who would willingly pass out gifts Christmas morn, who would she be? Why?

CATHERINE: Myra MacCoinnich, the heroine from Silent Vows. She’s kind, soft spoken and has this awesome gift of being able to move things with her mind. She wouldn’t even have to get out of the big chair to hand out presents.

SKY: Which one of your heroes and/or heroines in your stories would take one look at a Christmas tree and say, “no thank you.” If so, share. Why? It’s okay, we like the bad guys/gals too!

CATHERINE: Todd Blakely, my cynical hero from Silent Vows has an aversion to Christmas. As for why… I hate giving away spoilers so you’ll have to read the book to find out.

SKY: Back to the warm and fuzzy’s. Share with us the scene (found within any of your stories) that was─ to this day─your favorite to write. Why?

CATHERINE: Here is the excerpt fro Redeeming Vows (Release is this Jan 2011 from The Wild Rose Press)

Her next two punches came fast, unexpected, one catching him hard on the jaw. And it hurt. His brow rose. The muscles straining on her arms held surprising strength.

Fin sent his foot out to trip her.

She avoided it and waved him toward her. "Come on, Fin. Stop playing." He turned his back to her, heard her approach, and swept her off her feet...Within ten minutes, they were both panting. Liz's punch wavered. Fin caught her fist and pulled it behind her back and her firmly up against his chest. Her breasts heaved, and her breathing strained. The soft curves of her body pressed to his. Liz reached up to the arm he used to hold her and called her Druid powers. Fin felt his skin burn under her touch...

"Not fair, lass."

"Ever hear the term, all's fair in love and war?"

Aye, well, what were they?

When she came at him again he ducked, taking her down to the floor and grabbed her hands and stretched them above her head where she couldn't apply any fire or heat because her fingertips weren't touching him. Her eyes met his, his body heavy on top of hers, keeping her from moving. But this closeness, this contact was torture.

Elizabeth's gaze traveled to his lips dancing dangerously close to hers. He smelled the sweet scent of her breath, knew without a doubt she desired his taste as much as he did hers. He knew that taste, had it once before, briefly. Wanted it even more now.

"You're quite a workout," she breathed the words to him, lifted her lips a tad closer.

"As are you."

They lay there, staring at each other, neither willing to make the first move. Stubborn.

As for why this is my favorite – well, the tension and desire between these two characters has been building for two books. You get a slight glimpse of Lizzy and Fin at the end of Binding Vows and it isn’t until the third book that these two come together. Keeping tension building for books on end is a bunch of fun and boy, when they come together… it’s fireworks.

SKY:  Delicious excerpt. Thanks for sharing! Now I’m going to make you really think. You must have written a scene in one of your stories you weren’t sure about but you wrote it anyway. AND, you were so glad you did. What was it?

CATHERINE: I really didn’t doubt any scene… but I did doubt a whole story. Kilt Worthy is a first person erotic short story that I wasn’t sure I had the talent to write. Because it is erotic, I’ll avoid adding an excerpt here. Let’s just say that in writing Kilt Worthy, I grew as a writer and my steamy scenes have grown because of this experience.

SKY: I say we leave off with some sizzle. What do you think? After all, that’s essentially what every girl wants under her Christmas tree (winks). SO, let’s talk hot, hot, hot. Share with us the story─the very scene─that will make every reader at this blog walk away….steamin’ ready, searching out your tale!

CATHERINE: - Because I love Fin and Lizzy so much I’ll share pent up scene that takes place half way through Silent Vows – Fin and Lizzy are arguing over Fin’s desire to take Simon, Lizzy’s son, to the village.

Without taking her eyes away from his, she said to Simon, “Can you give us a few minutes, sport. Fin and I need to talk.”

Once he left, she bit out, “You’re full of shit, you know that?”

“If that’s what you choose to believe.”

“It isn’t what I choose. It’s crap! All of it. I won’t have my son living life thinking women are the weaker sex just because we don’t have that thing dangling between our legs.”

“Is that so?” He made his advance slowly, one step at a time until the heat of his body met hers.

Liz held her ground, refusing to be intimidated.

“It isn’t our sex that makes us stronger, Elizabeth, it is us. The sooner you see that the better off for everyone.”

Her eyes twitched, a slightly nervous tick she had when she was unbalanced and damn if Fin didn’t take notice of it. He cast her a cocky grin, evidence he knew he was getting under her skin.

Drawing her shoulders back, she took a deep breath. “I could have you on the floor in seconds, MacCoinnich, so don’t tempt me.”

“In your dreams, lass,” he challenged, his frame nearly touching hers.

Without thought, Liz brought her knee up. But she didn’t have the edge of surprise, and Fin dodged her blow with ease.

Her anger went to her hands, reaching for him in another aggressive move. He pinned her flailing hands in his grip leaving her useless and incapable of moving. His body pressed up against hers preventing her from doing anything.

Anger for anger. Stare for stare. Their breath mixed as they glared at each other.

His triumphant stance wavered. Her breath hitched when his grin slowly faded. They stood too close. Little fluttering waves of pent up desire blossomed and took root. She needed to back off before either of them did something they would regret.

But she was too late.

“God’s teeth,” he murmured right as his mouth reached for hers.

Bittersweet was his taste. Spice and honey mixed with vinegar. He probed her mouth, she gasped in surprise. He took advantage and slipped his tongue inside.

Where the hell had this seduction come from? Why couldn’t she tear herself away? Even now her body betrayed her mind when she melted into him.

Fin let loose her hands. Once unbound, she thrust them through the panel of his shirt, needing to feel the smooth texture of his skin under her fingertips. Her fingers fanned up and clutched his shirt.

A bomb wouldn’t have broken them apart, seconds passed, minutes, both of them engulfed in a passion which had simmered just below the surface for months.

When a small voice, sounding shocked and concerned, penetrated the silence, they separated. “So are we going or what?” Simon’s pre-teen attitude came across loud and clear.

Liz swiveled away to stare at Simon. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Fin watching her every move. She needed to catch her breath.

Simon stood with his hands on his hips. “Well?”

“Get your coat.” Fin told him.

Simon didn’t waste any time before he ran off to the house.

“But...”

“No buts. You win,” Fin said, then went over to the tack room and grabbed a saddle for another horse. “You’re riding with me,” he told her.

SKY: Nice. Another top-notch excerpt! However, there’s nothing quite like a sweet ending at this time of year. If you could leave ONE of your tales under your reader’s Christmas tree because it’s your personal favorite, what is it and why are you leaving it? If it’s the same story as your steamin’ hot story, I’m sure we all agree, that’s okay too!

CATHERINE: I’d leave Binding Vows. It is the book of my heart, and it started the trilogy that I love so much.

SKY: Thanks so much for joining me this holiday season!

CATHERINE: Thank you again for having me, Sky.

Learn more about Catherine at her Website.

Enjoy chatting, blogging, sharing? Do so with Catherine at her blog.

Join Catherine at Goodreads, Facebook and Twitter.

Find Catherine at Amazon. Click HERE.

I'd have to say Catherine Bybee's books should certainly be beneath every woman's Christmas tree this year! Don’t forget to answer the following question in a comment for your chance to win an Ecopy of Binding Vows. What was Tara wearing when she stormed away from the keep? Click here to locate the answer. Contest closes Monday, December 6th 12 AM EST. Please check back during the week to see if you won. Contest winners are listed on the right hand side of this blog.

ALSO, I'm picking a second winner from every post now through Christmas day. The second winner (to be announced on the 25th) will be receiving a little something extra under her tree this year. My treat. So it's win, win at A Writer's Mind this holiday season!

Thanks again for joining us this weekend. Be sure to swing back in Monday morn as I welcome author Michele Hart to my Christmas blog event.

Happy Holidays
~Sky