Please make welcome another sister Rose from my publisher, The Wild Rose Press, Claire Marti! I love sharing new authors, and we're celebrating Claire's new release, Second Chance in Laguna!

The Tavern is serving peach bellinis, fruit, and cheese tarts. Grab a chair, get comfy, and let's meet Claire...

MM: Welcome to the Tavern, Claire. So happy you could join us today! Congratulations on your new release. Describe a typical writing day. Are you a morning, afternoon, or night-owl writer?

CM: It varies by the day because my yoga teaching schedule varies. I’m usually most productive in the mid-morning after I work out or in the late afternoon/early evening.

MM: I enjoy yoga immensely, Claire. Can you tell us about your current work-in-progress?

CM: I’m working on the third book in my Finding Forever in Laguna series. It stars tall, dark, and gorgeous Christian Wolfe and petite, brilliant, golden Kelly Prescott. Christian is a veteran with PTSD who now owns the local wine bar in Laguna. Kelly is Sophie Barnes’ (heroine from Second Chance in Laguna) best friend. She’s an attorney running from her father’s morally ambiguous law firm to a new role as General Counsel in a wounded warrior-type foundation.

MM: Fantastic news! What inspires you when you’re writing?

CM: It depends on the day! Music, nature, books, movies, memories, processing the past. I love discovering where my characters want to take me.

MM: Ahh...music is my muse, Claire. What’s your favorite item on your writing desk?

CM: My recently acquired pink 1950’s Royal Typewriter. I don’t use it to write, but gazing at it inspires me to create.

MM: Oh, my! I wish we had a photo. Now just for fun. Do you prefer...

Champagne or Beer? Champagne all the way.

Southern drawl or Scottish burr? Scottish burr. Preferably accompanied by strong legs and a kilt.

Kilt or Leather pants? If he’s got the burr, I want him in a kilt. If he’s a sexy lead singer of a rock band, he can wear the leather pants. Although, who knows what could happen if I swapped it out?

Print book or e-reader? I prefer print. If I’m traveling, however, I load up my iPad Kindle. I read quickly and can’t carry all the print books.

Wishing you all the best with Second Chance in Laguna, Claire! Please come back to visit anytime!

Blurb from SECOND CHANCE IN LAGUNA ~

When Sophie Barnes’s fiancé jilts her at the altar, her carefully planned life implodes. Considering her ex’s betrayal to be a rude wake-up call, she leaves everything she knows in San Diego and flees to Laguna Beach. She vows to transform her life by avoiding men for a year and by fulfilling her dream of writing a wildly successful novel.

Sophie’s new landlord, Nicholas Morgan, is a gorgeous, successful architect with a player reputation. He makes it tough for Sophie to remember that she’s sworn to be single. Nick’s avoided the intimacy of a long-term relationship--until Sophie’s independence, courage, and beauty touch his guarded heart. Both Sophie and Nick are terrified of being hurt again, but can they resist the pull of true love?

Excerpt from SECOND CHANCE IN LAGUNA ~

Nick arrived right on time, looking gorgeous in faded jeans and a plain white t-shirt. How did he always manage to start the butterflies fluttering in her stomach? Just by standing there with the setting sun framing him? She was in trouble.

“Hi beautiful, ready to go?” He clasped her face in his hands and planted a soft kiss on her lips.

Returning his kiss, Sophie wound her arms around his neck and deepened it. She couldn’t resist. His strong arms wrapped around her waist, hugging her close to his broad chest.

“Mmmm, feel free to greet me like that every time I come over,” he said, lips curved up into a sweet smile.

Heat washed her cheeks and she returned his smile. “Let’s go. Prepare to be blown away by the movie snack of the century.”

Determined to keep things light and enjoy the movie before “the talk,” Sophie thrust down the lick of panic bubbling in her gut. She’d accomplished next to nothing all afternoon, instead wrestling with whether she needed to tell him about Doug.

The angel on her shoulder whispered to tell him because if they were going to have any kind of relationship, even a friends-with-benefits one, honesty and trust were vital.

The devil urged her to zip it. They’d only known each other a few weeks. What if he lived up to his “Player of Laguna” reputation and expected only a fun fling? Even though he seemed deeper than that. What if she scared him off with a premature talk?

Buy Links ~ AMAZON THE WILD ROSE PRESS B&N KOBO IBOOKS

More about the author

Claire Marti started writing stories as soon as she was old enough to pick up pencil and paper. After graduating from the University of Virginia with a BA in English Literature, Claire was sidetracked by other careers, including practicing law, selling software for legal publishers, and managing a non-profit animal rescue for a Hollywood actress. Finally, Claire followed her heart and now focuses on two of her true passions: writing romance and teaching yoga. She teaches at studios, online for the international website YogaDownload.com and also has a Yoga for Cancer Recovery DVD. She's the author of Come Ride with Me Along the Big C, a memoir on how yoga helped her cope with breast cancer. Her debut novel, Second Chance in Laguna, won best unpublished contemporary romance in the Heart of the Molly and third place in the Maggie. She’s hard at work on the second and third novels in the Finding Forever in Laguna series. Claire is a member of the Romance Writers of America and the San Diego Romance Writers.

Website: www.clairemarti.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/clairepmarti

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ClaireMartiAuthor/