According to Plan

Pimpin' Reads would like to welcome Madison J. Edwards to the blog.  The author of According to Plan.
Madison is giving away an E-Copy.  Please leave a comment and email addy.  

What do you do when things don’t go According to Plan? For starters, you trick, deceive, and lie to the very person who ruined your best laid plans.

Welcome to the world of Shelby Stewart, P.I., who’s been hired to find Harrison Grant. To complicate matters further, her ex-partner, ex-lover, ex-everything Tank shows up looking for Harrison as well, albeit for a very different reason. Harry is the prime suspect in the grisly murder of a call girl, Lulu, in L.A

That wouldn’t be so bad, but Tank plans on staying at Shelby’s house, and makes it obvious he’s quite willing to help her heat the sheets, again. Shelby knows that sex with Tank is dangerous, fast, and sometimes a little dirty. Now is not the time to become side-tracked. Besides, this job could launch her company into a whole new stratosphere, so it’s imperative she remain focused.

Frustration becomes Shelby’s newest partner as she makes plans to out maneuver Tank in their parallel quest. Tank, on the other hand, is always one step ahead of the game—and is not what, or who, Shelby thought.

  So Madison.  Can you tell us a little about your writing?

I’ve been asked many times—When did you start writing, and did you always want to write? The short answer is Yes… and No.

Before I started writing in January 2009 I’d always thought of things I’d like to write, but never did. This will sound convoluted but until I started, I wasn’t ready. And I wasn’t ready, until I started. Say what? This twisted thinking is very much like one of my favorite sayings – Wherever I go, there I am.

When I sat down to write my first book, which naturally would sail into the top 100 list *indelicate snort* I had no clue about the craft of writing—and writing is a craft— let alone the business end of publishing. I wrote exactly as I spoke. What a mess.

Six months after putting fingers to keyboard, Shelby’s Legacy was complete and I started shopping around to see who I would allow to publish my Pulitzer Prize winning discourse. In blissful ignorance I decided the Wild Rose Press would be honored to receive my book.

With great confidence, off went the first three chapters and a synopsis. For two weeks I waited, feverishly checking e-mails every day. My heart soared when an editor requested a full submission. I was on my way. Then, the bubble burst—REJECTION.

However, this editor must have seen a glimmer of something in my writing because she sent two lengthy e-mails, explaining what I needed to do to improve my skills, and provided a link for an on-line critique group (which I’m still a member of).

The second phase of my writing career began. I signed up for creative writing at the University of Western Ontario, attended every workshop within easy driving distance, and became a member of Romance Writers of America and the closest local chapter, Toronto Romance Writers.

There’s something to be said about letting your mind relax and allow the subconscious to come to the fore. Many ‘aha’ moments occurred as I drove home from one workshop after another. I soon realized how gentle the editor had been with the first draft of my manuscript. It really was awful. The manuscript evolved with me, and in January 2011 I sold to Turquoise Morning Press.

According to Plan is my debut novel. Formerly titled Shelby’s Legacy, which came complete with a handsome Scottish Laird trapped in a mirror before evolving into another working title, called Shelby’s Dilemma. The Laird had been dropped, and a cowboy introduced to compete with the hero for Shelby’s heart. Finally, I cut all the fat and concentrated on the love story between Tank and Shelby. This was when it became the book of my heart and the title appropriately changed to According to Plan.

Blurb:

What do you do when things do go According to Plan? For starters you trick, deceive and lie to the very person who ruined your best laid plans.

Welcome to the world of Shelby Stewart, P.I., who’s been hired to find Harrison Grant. To complicate matters further, Tank— the ex-partner, ex-lover, ex-everything— shows up looking for Harrison as well, albeit for a very different reason. Harry is the prime suspect in the grisly murder of a call girl in L.A.

That wouldn’t be so bad, but Tank plans on staying at Shelby’s house, and makes it obvious he’s willing to help her heat the sheets again. Shelby knows that sex with Tank is dangerous, fast and sometimes a little dirty. Now is not the time to become side-tracked. Besides, this job could launch her company into a whole new stratosphere, so it’s imperative she remain focused.

Frustration becomes Shelby’s newest partner as she makes plans to out maneuver Tank in their parallel quest. Tank, on the other hand, is always one step ahead of the game – and isn’t what or whom Shelby thought.

Shelby doesn’t want to be hurt by Tank again. A year ago he walked out on her for another woman. Tank loves Shelby so much he’s allowed her to hate him. This was the only way to keep her alive and safe. But the danger has passed, and now Tank can start tearing down the walls Shelby’s erected. But first he’ll start with a kiss.

Excerpt from According to Plan.

I felt his hand on my shoulder as he turned me to face him. I thought he’d step out and leave, but instead he cupped my face, held my gaze and smiled. A lazy, melting smile. The one that had me fall in love with him the first time. He slipped a finger under my chin and caressed my cheek with his thumb.

His head lowered and he took possession of my mouth, consuming me. My capitulation was complete. When I finally opened my eyes, he was gone and I stood in the shower alone, cold water pummelling me. The drop in temperature cooled my ardour. I had to be realistic. How long would he stay this time? A week? A day? He might be here for only a few hours. Could my heart take him leaving me again? The cold answer was, no. Shivering, I turned off the water and exited the shower. Tank had waited and handed me a towel.

There were so many mixed signals coming from Tank, I didn’t know where I stood. All his actions said he desired me, and sometimes he was so tender I thought he loved me, but he couldn’t, or he wouldn’t have had an affair with another woman. The thought of Tank making love with someone else, making them feel special like he did me, hit me in the solar plexus, and for a moment I couldn’t breathe. This had to end, and it was up to me.

“We’ve got to stop doing this.” I said, following him into the master bedroom and towel dried my hair.

He walked over to my king-sized bed and lay down, making it look like a doll’s toy. Stretching out, he linked his hands behind his head and watched me with hooded eyes, his long legs crossed at the ankles. I went over to my dresser where I pulled out a thong and matching bra and wiggled into them. Tank murmured appreciatively.

I closed the dresser drawer and faced him again. “I haven’t seen you in over six months. You can’t hop in the shower with me and pick up where we left off.”

“If I remember correctly—and it’s been four months—we left off on your kitchen table with some honey and candy sparkles.”

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According to Plan - Official Site

Book Trailer

About the Author:  

The Prairie dust is in my blood, but no longer on my shoes.

Madison grew up around ranchers and farmers and always assumed she’d become a farmer’s wife, raise the requisite four boys, and make sure there was always enough pie at community social functions. Imagine her surprise when she found herself married to an Air Force pilot, moving around the country every two years on the government’s ticket and her family of four boys was decreased by two.

With hubby deployed all over the world, Madison quickly became father and mother and soon discovered, with two active, thriving, can find trouble anywhere boys, that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Ask her sons. Don’t mess with the Mama.

Her sons are grown with families of their own and Madison finally pursued her dream, which was to put fingers to keyboard and write a book. On January 25, 2011 that dream was realized with the sale of According to Plan.

Madison resides in London, Ontario with her husband and two very spoiled Scottish Fold cats. She is a member of the Romance Writers of Ontario, Toronto Romance Writers and Passionate Ink.