But if I have to pick one film that made an impact, then it would have to be Gladiator; or more specifically General Maximus Decimus Meridius – a.k.a Russell Crowe in Gladiator.  I’ve watched this film about 10 times now and I’m still bowled over by his gorgeousness! 

Confession time: Maximus made me pregnant! Okay, so it was my husband, with a cold, doing the whole 'commander of the armies of the north' speech, but we called our youngest Maximus until he came out. Anyway, I digress. Please continue, Caroline. ;-)

...He is the typical alpha male Roman hero IMHO.  And it was Russell Crowe’s magnificent performance in that film that inspired my hero Marsallas in my debut book “The Roman”.  When I was writing Marsallas’s story I had a picture of Russell Crowe taped to the side of my monitor.  A quick glance every now and again was all I needed to get back into Marsallas’s skin and write his story.  A tortured hero – lovely!

Hear, hear! So tell them about your story, Caroline. I findus I am in the moodus. ;-)

And there was me thinking Buffy was going to be a light option! I stand corrected, Jill. I'll have to have another watch; haven't seen her over here since the 90s. Thank you. Do you write characters as powerful as Buffy yourself? Tell us about your writing and what you've been getting up to.

I'm a writer for The Huffington Post, and The High Tea Cast. Before writing my first novel, I earned a Master's Degree in Psychology and taught at the college level for nearly 3 years. Previously self published under the name Chase, What Happens To Men When They Move To Manhattan? is my debut novel, and the first in the New Adult series.

Psychology, huh? No wonder you can break Buffy down and analyse her so well. Shall we take a little look at your lovely new book?

Sure.

Life in the city gives 23 year old Amalia Hastings a ride she is not expecting. As she tries to find her way on the little island that never sleeps, she discovers she has a harder time navigating through life then she does the streets of Greenwich Village! She thought she had everything she wanted - a new apartment in Manhattan, a first-rate education at NYU, a group of trusted friends and Nicholas, a boyfriend who she once believed was her soul-mate. But somehow, it isn't enough.

Stumbling through her relationships, Amalia encounters Michael. An attractive classmate who quickly moves from being one of her close friends, to an inconsistent friend-with-benefits. After all, the only thing consistent about New York is its beauty. Amalia is essentially torn between two men, and Michael is torn between two women. Her best friend Cassandra is being strung along by her "boyfriend", Bryce, and even her friend Olivia is having a secret relationship!

After getting terribly lost searching for love in all the wrong places, Amalia finds herself asking - what happens to men when they move to Manhattan?!

I think we need answers! Thanks for coming over to enlighten us about Buffy, Jill. You can find Jill's fabulous new novel in all good online retailers now, available for download now...

Amazon.com-  http://www.amazon.com/What-Happens-When-They-Manhattan/dp/0008104999/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407765428&sr=8-1&keywords=Jill+Knapp

Amazon.co.uk-  http://www.amazon.co.uk/What-Happens-When-They-Manhattan-ebook/dp/B00KKC43BA/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1407765558&sr=1-1&keywords=jill+knapp


Barnes and Noble- http://www.nook.com/gb/ebooks/what-happens-to-men-when-they-move-to-manhattan-by-jill-knapp/9780007594672

...And you can contact her here:

GoodReads- https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7263734.Jill_Knapp

Twitter- @JL_Knapp

FB- https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jill-Knapp/1488935691330000?ref=hl

So tell us about your latest book, Hannah, Secrets in the Shadows, a  must-read for fans of Kate Morton.

In 1920s Blackpool, eleven year old Rose wanders away from her parents and has a unique gift bestowed upon her. This gift will leave a haunting legacy, seeping down through the generations…
   Decades later, Louisa has a vision of her mother walking into the sea. This isn’t the first time it happens and it won’t be the last, but what she sees isn’t always what she wants. The rest of her life is spent trying to change the future that haunts her.
   In present day Blackpool, Grace is going to be married someday. She knows this because she’s seen it; a vision of a white dress, daisies embroidered on the sleeves, the groom by her side, vowing to love her forever. Except the man in her premonition doesn’t belong to her - he belongs to her twin sister, Elsie.
   Haunted by what they know and what they are afraid to find out, all three women must make a choice: in the face of certain destiny should you chase the outcome that’s “meant to be”, or throw away fate and choose your own future?

It sounds fascinating. Secrets in the Shadows is available now, so why not grab yourself a copy and decide for yourself what was meant to be.

www.harperimpulseromance.com/books/secrets-in-the-shadows

How do I love thee? Let me count the muscles. Today I’m going to show you just how the right incentive can help you learn. Back in medical school, I fancied my anatomy demonstrator and it was the only subject I achieved Honours in, so I know a little something about this. Of course, it was my favourite subject even before then, but it certainly helped. ;-) So why not come along with me on an imaginary journey and see what we can achieve.

Find yourself a partner - some hint of perfection from the corners of your mind – now imagine. Let him stand before you and follow my lead and prepare yourself to learn some anatomy.

Whether to start at the bottom and work leisurely up, or start at the top and slide sweetly down, it matters little. Hmmm. The top I think; let us start with the hair.
   Our romantic hero must have hair you can run your fingers through. It might be long and unkempt, offering a glimpse of that wicked, bad boy side, the wayward spirit that you know you adore, or cropped smooth and short in velvety temptation. The choice is yours.
    Now, tracing a fingertip down the length of his beautiful face. Starting at his forehead, move carefully down his chiselled nose. His nostrils flare as he breathes you in, tantalised by your touch. But don't be distracted just yet. On to his lips, those lips that promise the art of arousal, orbicularis oris: soft, pliant and warm to the touch. They have the ability to dazzle you with mischief, or sear your tender flesh with their dance. He bites playfully on your finger, revealing his perfect white teeth and teasing you with a touch of his hot, wet tongue.

You look up into his eyes…oh, those beautiful eyes. Those eyes could so easily break your heart. They draw you in, grabbing you by the guts and whispering to your soul, ‘Give yourself to me and I will show you paradise.’

Picture yourself like Baby in Dirty Dancing: slowly teasing; your fingers roaming around his body. Move down to his shoulders, broad and strong. Stroke your hands across them. They are muscle and brawn. Those arms could sweep you up into his grasp as easily as a newborn kitten, but he must not. He has to stand there and wait for you.

The great power houses at the top of his arms are his deltoids, smooth and warm beneath your touch. Moving down his arms on either side we come to the biceps, firm and bold. They're the ones that flex as he pulls your head towards his for that decadent kiss you know he can deliver. You shudder to feel the muscles swell beneath your fingers, but eager to learn more, you pull away and move on. Your fingers slip around the back of his arms to his triceps. Can you feel them? They are smaller than their counterparts at the front, but just as taught and firm to the touch. 

     Moving further down, to his forearms, silky smooth ropes of sinew lead your fingers down to his warm, strong hands. His fingers can claim both dexterity and tenderness, capable of balling into a fist at a moment’s notice, to fight for your honour. They long to explore you, but he mustn't yet. You are still learning. Leave them there and walk slowly around to his back.
     Let him take off his shirt and watch as his muscles move, his skin flexing around them. Mmm. In the centre, the large diamond shaped swathe between his shoulder blades is trapezius and then latissimus dorsi hug around his ribs on either side (just where you would slip your hands, around to press yourself up against his back.) His gorgeous buttocks, beyond the seductive little dimples, are named gluteus maximi and what a firm handful they are too. Like kneeding fresh dough. But you’re not finished yet. Try to remain focussed.

I said focussed! Slipping round to the front again, your eyes are drawn to his chest, where pectoralis major and minor wrestle for position. Let your fingers trail from his clavicles – the collar bones on either side - down over his pectoral muscles, briefly pausing to kiss them on the way if you choose. If you can still breathe now, move on, down further still to his rectus sheath (that's his stomach!). Here his rectus abdominis muscles, form into bands causing ripples in your stomach as well as in his. And now to those muscles you are all dreaming about… sliding in from either side, are his external obliques, leading your eyes down to where I must not follow, because this man is for you.
    Of course our hero is equipped to please, as you will discover for yourself as you explore what is hidden beneath the last vestiges of clothing left on him. I see your pupils are already dilating in anticipation.
     Only long, lean legs remain now, the quadriceps at the front and hamstrings at the back, giving him the height to tower over you. And as he leans down for that kiss, and you give in to temptation and whatever else he would have you do, I say only this: Beware. Our hero’s heart is a vulnerable thing. It may be damaged, or burned. He might fly into a temper, or storm off on a whim. He may hide for a while, only needing to be found, but one thing is for certain, your body may be yours, but before he is through with you, your heart will belong to him.

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