I’m so happy to have Erin McCarthy at Smexy today! I recently enjoyed Hot Finish by her and now she has a new book out with Bianca D’Arc and Jennifer Lyon, The Beast Within. Take it away Erin!
Happy Birthday to me! Today is my birthday, which means 365 days until I turn 40. It’s a milestone age that gets most of us thinking in some way and I figure if I get the thinking done now, I can just party next year. ;-) I’m not afraid of aging, though I could do without the encroaching crow’s feet… for me, turning 40 is more an assessment of what I’d like to do and haven’t gotten around to yet. One of the coolest parts of writing fiction is that I get to do research and have my characters do things I haven’t done. Some I have, and I’ll leave you to ponder which ones. Lol. But in this next year I’d like to complete the following bucket list of some of their activities:
– Shoot a gun. Not at human beings like my FBI agents did, but at a target in a very controlled environment.
– Take pole dancing lessons. It’s good exercise, and while I don’t want to do it for public viewing like Cara did in "Bit The Jackpot", it sounds very liberating.
– Go to Vegas. Okay, I’ve already been to Vegas, but I think I should be able to go back again since I haven’t seen the white tigers yet.
– Drive a race car. I almost did this last year, but the timing didn’t work out. This year I’m on it… the speed must make you feel very powerful.
– Try every flavor at the cupcake shop. If I space it out, like one a week, this shouldn’t affect my ‘bottom’ line. And if it does, who cares.
– Visit at least one of the sites on the US Top Ten Haunted Places list. The Myrtles or the Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast are my top choices.
– Learn French. This is dicey. I have no ear for languages, but if I can say a simple sentence with a decent accent, I will be happy. If I can whisper something sexy in my lover’s ear while we’re in Paris I’ll be super tremendously happy. But that may be more birthday wish than bucket list! Same goes for dating a vampire or werewolf…
So what’s on your bucket list? And what do you think I should do for my 40th birthday, both as a personal celebration and online with my readers?
Thanks for sharing my birthday with me!
Happy Birthday Erin!!!! Even though it is Erin’s birthday, she is sharing presents with us today! She is offering up one copy of Hot Finish and The Beast Within.
To enter, leave a comment answering Erin’s question above. ALSO, please state which book you would prefer to win (there will be two winners.)
Open to US/Canada through Wednesday, September 15th.
Happy Birthday Erin! One item on my Bucket List is to visit Hawaii. I would love to go and hope I can make that dream come true.
As far as a personal celebration you could treat yourself to something you would love or spend the day with your loved ones. You could celebrate online with your readers asking them what was their favorite birthday memory or what was their favorite gift they had received in the past.
I would love to win Hot Finish.
A top thing on my Bucket List is to go to Vegas and waste tons of money, eat good, have fun, and maybe even get married there.
I think for your birthday you should have a night out with girlfriends and act silly, flirt, and have fun and for your readers, who obviously love reading, just offer us another book, lol.
If I won, I'd like to have Hot Finish! abailey_crace@yahoo.com
Happy Birthday!! I would love to visit Spain, Italy and Australia before I kick the bucket. :)
As a personal celebration, you should have a party with your favorite people and indulge in all of your favorite foods. Spoil yourself :) And then celebrating with your onliners- I'm with Bellz. Have an online party where everyone (and you) share your favorite birthday memories!!
I would love to win The Beast Within. Thank you <3
Jules
rexreadingrobot at gmail dot com
Just dropping by to wish you a very happy birthday :) Love your list, btw.
Happy birthday Erin!! I just turned 34 and actually haven't given it much thought what I absolutely want to do before I turn 40. Oh…ppfff, it actually very easy now that I think of it LOL I want to have attended the RT convestion of the RWA before I'm 40. Since I live in the Netherlands this is quite a financiel endeavor but it will be like going to my kind of Walhalla *grin*
Celebrate you age in all the ways that is important Erin, with loved one's, family and friends!
Good morning, everyone! The sun is shining here and it's a beautiful day. :)
It seems like travel is always high on everyone's bucket list. I would love to see the pyramids of Giza before I kick, but I don't see that happening this year. Truthfully I want to see the whole world. I don't ask for much. lol.
What author would you love to meet? I went fan girl on Nora Roberts. ;)
Hi Erin and happy birthday :)
I love your list :) I honestly don't know what I would out on my list…
as for meeting authors..oh my goodness..I have so many to meet – you, Stacia Kane, Nalini Singh…Kare Marie Moning…I could go on and on :)
Happy Birthday. On my bucket list would be a trip to the Smithsonian, I've always wanted to go there. As a personal celebration, I would do something special with family and friends. As for online, just spend some time with us. I would love to win The Beast Within.
seriousreader at live dot com
Happy Birthday, Erin – hope you have a fantastic day!
My Bucket List is looooong ;) I want to do so much. In fact a few years ago I wrote my list, which comprises of about 20 things 20 things – some I've managed to tick of my list but there's still quite a few to go!
I suppose my top two that I would like to do asap would be to walk the Walk of China and go up in a Hot Air Balloon.
I love your "visit at least one of the Top Ten Haunted Places" – I may add that idea to my list (but for UK, where I live).
**I'm from UK so don't enter me into comp, just wanted to participate as fun question!** :)
Happy Birthday!!!! I want to go to a shooting range too! And I've never been to Vegas so I'd like to go there as well. I turn 34 this year, and at the top of my bucket list is to compete in a Half Iron Man before I am 40.
For your 40th, I think you should SKY DIVE! What a better way to tell yourself and the world that you are a true BADASS :P
I would like to meet Kresley Cole because her books are not only hot, but she is hilarious!
I have wanted to read Hot Finish FOREVER so please enter me for that one! :D
~Happy Birthday Erin~
Turning 40 was hard for me but I took a weekend getaway with my closest friends and had the best celebration! Ends up 40 is what they say, just a number!
Loved your bucket list. Especially the cupcake goal! Lol
One thing on my bucket list is a trip overseas. Would like to see London, Switzerland, Rome etc. before I go.
Great interview and I would love to win Hot Finish!
Happy birthday, Erin!
Most definitely you should do the race car thing!
On my bucket list: to live in a loft with someone I love, travel to Australia and learn to swim (REALLY afraid of that one).
I'd like to read The Beast Within. Thank you.
jenma76 at hotmail dot com
Happy birthday! I think you should do the cupcake thing but then again that may just be what I'd like to do :-) I'm not at the 40 mark (or even 30) but I do have a bucket list. One thing I crossed off my list last year was skydiving. Scariest thing I've ever done or probably will ever do but it was amazing. Nothing compares to it.
I'd like a chance at winning The Beast Within.
Stephanie G
sgradel(at)gmail(dot)com
Paranormal Haven
Happy Dappy Birthday Erin!
This is such a fun post! I LOVE the cupcake idea. And as for learning french, I speak Canadian french (not as sexy as France french let me tell ya…), but I've always wanted to learn how to speak Italian! For me that is an incredibly sexy language. Well, of course, it all depends on who is speaking it…like if it were Elec or Ty? Yeah, that would do nicely :)
Happy Birthday, Erin!! Hmm.. my bucket list..well, it seems to take on new things as I change with age, but I definitely want to learn how to play the guitar, visit the ancient Myan Empire ruins in Belize, visit Rome and the Scandinavian countries, and here at home, I want to visit Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon!
I think you should celebrate your birthday by doing something meaningful to you in terms of a milestone. You sound adventurous, so you should do something really exciting, then at each decade after that, do something else really big! It will keep you looking forward to those milestone moments!
I really want both books, but I think I want to be entered to win The Beast Within!
Thanks for the opportunity, and Happy Birthday!
Tanya
amongthemuses @ gmail.com
Best Wishes, and Happy birthday Erin!
I am a huge fan of yours, and have read almost every book. Still trying to get the ones I haven't read. lol. I know this sounds like a cliche, but I've always wanted to try sky diving as a thing to do for my bucket list. It always looks like so much fun.
Anyway, I would love to win your book, The Beast Within. Once, again, happy birthday, and thanks!
~Felicia.
fchien16@gmail.com
Happy Birthday Erin. Bucket lists are fun even if I don't really have one. The two things that crossed my mind are bungee jump and ride a horse along the beach as the sun rises.
For your personal celebration cupcakes and pedicure or massage.
Online celebration birthday bash with giveaways and readers picking their favorite line or lines from your books.
If I won I'd love to have Hot Finish.
No need to enter me just stopping by.
Whats on my Bucket List:
Be my own boss
Travel to Africa
Travel to Greece
Learn how to sculpt
Go to 1 Romance Blogger convention
Happy Birthday Erin.
I would love to go to Australia and Ireland some day.
Happy Birthday Erin!!
I have been blessed in that I have accomplished much of what I have wanted to do with my life. Travel, risk sports,meeting peeps, ect…
What I have left is visiting Russia, learning to scuba dive, learning to surf, and learning Japanese.
Happy birthday Erin! Hope you're enjoying it so far :)
If I were you, I would have a big party for all my family and friends! I've never had that, so that's how I would spend my birthday :)
I would love to win your book The Beast Within!
Once again happy birthday. I hope you will have your best one yet, no matter how you choose to spend it!
– Julie
Happy Birthday Erin,
This is fun … my bucket list item would be to cross international dateline such as going to New Zealand. Cupcake tasting sounds good but it probably should be followed with pole dancing.
d53a @ aol.com
p.s. were you aware that you are the spotlight author of the month in Shelfari Readers of Romance group
http://www.shelfari.com/groups/11209/discussions/260920/~~Spotlight-Author-for-September~~-Erin-McCarthy-
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ERIN!
I don't have a bucket list. I just turned 48 but have always done whatever I wanted when I wanted. I have desire to jump out of a plane or do anything crazy. If I had to say something it would be to see Alaska.
If I were you I'd just have a party with only people that really "mean" something to you in attendance.
Oh, you all are inspiring me! I don't know if I could do the sky diving thing but maybe I should try it… my dad was a paratrooper in the army. That would do him proud.
I've never sat on a horse before, so maybe I should get over that fear… and learn a sexy salsa with a gorgeous Argentinian. :-D
Dawn, I didn't know… thanks for the link!
Happy Birthday Erin
What I want to do is go to Australia for a vacation.I've always wanted to go and someday I will :)
For your 40th birthday I think you should have a blowout of a party with your girl friends. make a list of all the bars/strip clubs you're always wanted to go to in your area and take the girls out,going from one bar to the next in a limo.If you wake up in the morning not remembering much you had the time of your life ;)
please enter me for The Beast Within
elaing8(at)netscape(dot)net
My bucket list? I want to travel, especially to Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Move to Oregon, I'm so tired of being hot, first in So. California and now Florida.
Happy Birthday Erin! I think you should do something that's on your bucket list, if at all possible, for your birthday. And for your readers? I think what you're doing here at Smexy Books is great, sharing your books with your readers.
Barbed1951(at)aol(dot)com
I'd love to have a copy of The Beast Within.
Happy Birthday Erin!
I really do not have a bucket list! I am happy with most things in my life and grateful for what I have done and do each day! Not sure if this is good or bad but I am content!
I do hope your day is very special and surround with the people you treasure most.
Mine is the visit Australia. And if I get extra daring to go parasailing.
If I were you I would take a day just to myself to relax and unwind, then a nice dinner with family and friends.
I would love to be included for The Beast Within.
Thanks!
bacchus76 at myself dot com
Happy birthday! I enjoyed reading your bucket list, especially the entries on cupcakes and the haunted sites. How about a trip to Indy 500? That should fit well with your racing personality. As for me, I'd like more traveling on my bucket list..France and Germany would be at the top.
Let's see…for your 40th birthday celebration, how about standing atop the Eiffel Tower, whispering French to a special someone, and celebrating with champagne and cupcakes?
If I win, I'd like Hot Finish. Thanks so much.
Happy birthday, Erin!
On my bucket list is a trip to Scotland, definitely! :-)
I would love to be entered for Hot Finish.
Happy Birthday Erin! Love the list, particularly the learn to pole dance. I tried it once – lots of fun!
If I space it out, like one a week, this shouldn’t affect my ‘bottom’ line.
LOL!
Mandi – please don't include me in the draw :)
Happy Birthday, Erin. Visiting Egypt and taking a Mediterranean cruise is on my bucket list.
Please enter me for a copy of "Hot Finish." Thanks.
janie1215 AT excite DOT com
I want to travel and travel some more. You should relax on your 40th, don't worry about us, we will be here the next day *winks*.
I would love: The Beast Within
robin [at] intensewhisper [dot] com
Happy Birthday Erin!
There's so much I could list on my bucket list but one of the top things is to travel to all the countries I have ever wanted to visit, such as Japan and Scotland.
For your birthday I would recommend having a fun celebration dinner with friends and family.
I would love to win The Beast Within.
lilazncutie1215[at]yahoo[dot]com
Oh, I am definitely on board with LSU Readers suggestion! Whispering French atop the Eiffel Tower with cupcakes and Champagne? I think my birthday is planned. ;-)
Though I have to have an online celebration too, no doubt about it!
So many of us want to travel… it must be all the excitement and world building of the books we read, we want to see the world. :-)
I have done some things on my bucket list. I got to ride a horse that ran in the kentucky derby. I got to ride in a dogsled pulled by dogs that were in the idatrod. I got to meet the president.
I would suggest something different. I would think of one thing that you always wanted to to, when you were young, and do that. You would be surprised at how happy it can make you to do it.
debbie
twoofakind12@yahoo.com
Hi Erin, I just turned 40 this year and although I was very upset about it beforehand, it's okay; I think I'm embracing it :)
Everything on my bucket list involves traveling – visiting the wonders of the world. If traveling is what you want to do, go for it!!!
Would love to win The Beast Within, thanks!
My bucket list would definitely involve places that I've always wanted to go including the over 2,000 miles of the Appalachian Trail.
For your 4oth birthday you should pamper yourself and do the things that you love to do.
For your readers, I have no idea LOL.. Whatever you think is best.
Ooops forgot to leave my e-mail address.
justpeachy36@yahoo.com
Happy Birthday Erin! I know that the big thing that was on my bucket list was going skydiving, and I did that for my birthday a few years ago. It was incredible!
Hope you do something amazing and fun, or just enjoy hanging low; whatever it is you decide to do!
I would love to get The Beast Within.
minnchica(dot)bookpusher(at)gmail.com