Today we get to visit with Zane Sanders, the hero from ROCKED BY GRACE, a contemporary romance by one of my favorite authors, M.J. Schiller. If y'all haven't read anything by her yet, you're missing out! Along with all the love, she weaves music into her stories, and it's awesome! So, let's hear more about Zane and his love story!!!!
Hi, Kara! Thanks for having me again. Today I brought along Zane from ROCKED BY GRACE, my newest rock romance release. It’s book one in the LOVE AND CHAOS SERIES, which revolves around the band Just Short of Chaos. To start off with, let me tell you a bit about the book by giving you the blurb:
When videos hit the Internet of rock star Zane Sanders and a random fan performing what he says is a spontaneous dance, no one believes it’s unrehearsed in this sizzling romance from bestselling author M.J. Schiller.
Zane Sanders, lead singer of Just Short of Chaos, surprised everyone, including himself, when he plucked a fan out of the audience at one of his concerts.
I don’t know what possessed me to do it. I’d never done anything like that before. But something about Grace drew me to her. And within minutes of pulling her on stage, I knew I’d made one of the best decisions of my life. Since our drummer Devin’s overdose, I’d felt dead inside. Perhaps for even longer than that. But Grace was fun, sexy—and as I would discover later—good and selfless. And an irresistible magic surrounded us that made me feel alive again.
That is, until I blew it. In classic Zane style. Funny thing is, when I first got Grace up on stage, I had no idea what to do with her. Now I have no idea what I’ll do without her.
Grace Prescott was living out every girl’s fantasy.
Only thing is, fantasies ended, and I realized pretty quickly that I didn’t want this one to stop. Zane had a magnetism about him that was more than mere charisma. That was evident the moment I—the girl who normally had to be dragged out onto the dance floor—practically became a pole dancer in his arms. Then it happened. The moment everyone kept referring to as “The Kiss.” But it was all part of the show, right? It didn’t matter that Zane made more than my feet move. He stirred up feelings that scared the crap out of me. The depth of his sadness called out to me even more than his unbelievable sex appeal, and that was saying something.
But it could never work between us. He may have come from a small town like me, but he was all rock star now and totally out of my league. I was a flower shop owner, not his saving Grace.
Are some actions beyond forgiveness or will he be rocked by Grace?
Now, without further ado, I give you Zane Sanders.
I don’t know what possessed me to do it. I’d never done anything like that before. But something about Grace drew me to her. And within minutes of pulling her on stage, I knew I’d made one of the best decisions of my life. Since our drummer Devin’s overdose, I’d felt dead inside. Perhaps for even longer than that. But Grace was fun, sexy—and as I would discover later—good and selfless. And an irresistible magic surrounded us that made me feel alive again.
That is, until I blew it. In classic Zane style. Funny thing is, when I first got Grace up on stage, I had no idea what to do with her. Now I have no idea what I’ll do without her.
Grace Prescott was living out every girl’s fantasy.
Only thing is, fantasies ended, and I realized pretty quickly that I didn’t want this one to stop. Zane had a magnetism about him that was more than mere charisma. That was evident the moment I—the girl who normally had to be dragged out onto the dance floor—practically became a pole dancer in his arms. Then it happened. The moment everyone kept referring to as “The Kiss.” But it was all part of the show, right? It didn’t matter that Zane made more than my feet move. He stirred up feelings that scared the crap out of me. The depth of his sadness called out to me even more than his unbelievable sex appeal, and that was saying something.
But it could never work between us. He may have come from a small town like me, but he was all rock star now and totally out of my league. I was a flower shop owner, not his saving Grace.
Are some actions beyond forgiveness or will he be rocked by Grace?
Now, without further ado, I give you Zane Sanders.
Hello, all. Technically Sanders is the stage name I use. My name is actually Zane Salvetti.
Where do you live and why?
I am originally from Stanton, Missouri, along with three of my bandmates. It’s a small rural town surrounded by rolling hills and trees. I have a place in New York, L.A., and Atlanta, but lately I’ve become fond of Jefferson City, Missouri, the state capital. That’s where Grace lives. That’s why I’m fond of it.
What is your profession and do you enjoy it?
I’m the lead singer of Just Short Of Chaos and it’s way more fun than a job should be. I would be creating music wherever I was, even if it was back in my stepfather’s garage in Stanton, driving my little sisters crazy. This way I make money to support myself, and we all stay sane. It’s a win/win.
How would others describe you? Are they accurate?
Most people would describe me as outgoing, but I’m really more the guy who likes to lurk in the background. But it’s kind of hard to lurk with a dozen spotlights focused on you, so I’ve had to adapt.
When you met Grace, was it love at first sight?
Hmm. Good question. It was something at first sight. Not love exactly, but not lust, either. Just this singular attraction. It was like…in that auditorium full of thousands of fans, ours were the only two hearts beating in synch, or something. It was the oddest thing.
Was it love at first sight for her?
Oh, wow. You’d have to ask her! No, I guess I can answer that, because we’ve talked about it. She said she’d always found me attractive but wasn’t like one of those obsessed fans or anything. But, when I pulled her on stage, it was just magic. I don’t know any other way to describe it. Any time that we’re together, actually, we’re better. She brings out love and tenderness in me. I bring out her crazy side. We all have to contribute somehow and this is what I bring to the table, I guess.
What do you like most about her?
Oh, man. …I just can’t narrow it down to one thing, but I’ll try to be as succinct as possible. I like her heart. I like the way she is with her little brother, Jamie. I like the way she is with her customers. I like the way she is still like sunlight even though she’s been through some pretty dark, shitty things. I like the way she is with me. Fun, sexy. She still says things that surprise me and make me bust out laughing. And she still does things that turn me on like no other woman before her. But most of all I like that she is real with me. So many people try to be who they think you want them to be, especially when you’re a celebrity of sorts. I can’t stand that fakeness.
What does she like most about you?
Wow! You really do ask the tough questions. You’re a regular Larry King. Uhh…I think she would say…that even though I can be an idiot and complete jerk at times, my intentions are usually good, and I don’t have a problem apologizing. I’m well-practiced at it.
If you could travel anywhere where would you go?
Another toughie, as I’ve been just about everywhere. But I’d like to explore a lot of those places more, because we don’t always have a lot of time for that. I’d like to take Grace to Tuscany. And Rome. And Greece. I think she’d like Greece.
What’s one thing you learned from your personal love story?
And Dublin. I’d like to take Grace to the pubs in Dublin. Sorry. I just thought of that. What did I learn from our love story…? I guess it’s that communication is important. Vital, really. If you’re feeling something, even if you’re afraid the other person doesn’t feel the same way, or you think they may judge you for feeling that way, you still need to share those feelings with people. It’ll save you a lot of heartache in the long run. Don’t play games. Be yourself, however screwed up that may be.
Thanks for having me. It’s been enjoyable.
You're quite welcome! I can tell you love Grace a lot! And what a way to meet her! And what you have learned is absolutely spot on. You have to talk to the person you love, even if you're afraid. And, yes, you have to take her Dublin! Ireland is on my bucket list!
Excerpt: Rocked By Grace
There was a difference between having a life and living a life, and I really wanted to discover what that difference was. I had a life. Most would say it was a good life. But for me it seemed like all I was doing was chasing the second hand on a clock. I would move forward through the day, but at the close I had nothing to show for it other than the passage of time. At the ripe old age of twenty-six, I was tired beyond belief and walking through my days and nights like a zombie.
But the people who had been filling the stadium for the last hour and a half were not here to see the walking dead. They were doctors, lawyers, garbage men, seamstresses…. They came from small towns and cities, ghettos like those I grew up in, and plush estates like the ones I lived in now. I had come to know the people behind those gilded doors had their own kinds of problems. But all of these people occupying seats in the heart of this building or swaying drunkenly on the floor, they worked, sweated, and stressed to earn the money to buy the tickets to this concert and listen to my music. I wouldn’t let them down.
After all, I was one of them once. I even sold my ten-speed to purchase tickets to see my idol, Colton Remkus, who was one of our openers tonight. Because of that, I vowed to sing the hits I’d sung a bajillion times before like I recently released them and they were still fresh. As Colt did for me. Though I didn’t feel like I had the heart for it, I would bring the vitality of the damned Energizer Bunny if it killed me.
There was a difference between having a life and living a life, and I really wanted to discover what that difference was. I had a life. Most would say it was a good life. But for me it seemed like all I was doing was chasing the second hand on a clock. I would move forward through the day, but at the close I had nothing to show for it other than the passage of time. At the ripe old age of twenty-six, I was tired beyond belief and walking through my days and nights like a zombie.
But the people who had been filling the stadium for the last hour and a half were not here to see the walking dead. They were doctors, lawyers, garbage men, seamstresses…. They came from small towns and cities, ghettos like those I grew up in, and plush estates like the ones I lived in now. I had come to know the people behind those gilded doors had their own kinds of problems. But all of these people occupying seats in the heart of this building or swaying drunkenly on the floor, they worked, sweated, and stressed to earn the money to buy the tickets to this concert and listen to my music. I wouldn’t let them down.
After all, I was one of them once. I even sold my ten-speed to purchase tickets to see my idol, Colton Remkus, who was one of our openers tonight. Because of that, I vowed to sing the hits I’d sung a bajillion times before like I recently released them and they were still fresh. As Colt did for me. Though I didn’t feel like I had the heart for it, I would bring the vitality of the damned Energizer Bunny if it killed me.
To read more of Zane and Grace’s story you can purchase the book at the following retailers:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Kobo
iTunes
GIVEAWAY!!!
Thanks for having us, Kara! Now, for a chance to win a copy of any of the books in my ROCKING ROMANCE COLLECTION, comment below in response to one or all of the following questions. We’ll pick two winners.
In ROCKED BY GRACE, Grace’s little brother Jamie has a thing for pancakes and also loves ice cream sandwiches. What are your favorite breakfast foods? What is your favorite dessert?
Or—what have you missed the most during these COVID times?
Thanks for having us, Kara! Now, for a chance to win a copy of any of the books in my ROCKING ROMANCE COLLECTION, comment below in response to one or all of the following questions. We’ll pick two winners.
In ROCKED BY GRACE, Grace’s little brother Jamie has a thing for pancakes and also loves ice cream sandwiches. What are your favorite breakfast foods? What is your favorite dessert?
Or—what have you missed the most during these COVID times?
Bio: M.J. Schiller
M.J. Schiller is a lunch lady/romance-romantic suspense writer. She enjoys writing novels whose characters include rock stars, desert princes, teachers, futuristic Knights, construction workers, cops, and a wide variety of others. In her mind everybody has a romance. She is the mother of a twenty-two-year-old and three twenty-year-olds. That's right, triplets! So having recently taught four children to drive, she likes to escape from life on occasion by pretending to be a rock star at karaoke. However…you won’t be seeing her name on any record labels soon.
Website: www.mjschillerauthor.blogspot.com
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/m-j-schiller
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/MJ-Schiller-Romance-Author/286382241460365?ref=hl
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/mjschiller/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mjschiller
Tumblr: http://mjschilz.tumblr.com/
Instagram: http://instagram.com/mjschiller
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6479377.M_J_Schiller
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/M.J.-Schiller/e/B009JOQFQQ/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
M.J. Schiller is a lunch lady/romance-romantic suspense writer. She enjoys writing novels whose characters include rock stars, desert princes, teachers, futuristic Knights, construction workers, cops, and a wide variety of others. In her mind everybody has a romance. She is the mother of a twenty-two-year-old and three twenty-year-olds. That's right, triplets! So having recently taught four children to drive, she likes to escape from life on occasion by pretending to be a rock star at karaoke. However…you won’t be seeing her name on any record labels soon.
Website: www.mjschillerauthor.blogspot.com
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/m-j-schiller
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/MJ-Schiller-Romance-Author/286382241460365?ref=hl
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/mjschiller/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mjschiller
Tumblr: http://mjschilz.tumblr.com/
Instagram: http://instagram.com/mjschiller
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6479377.M_J_Schiller
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/M.J.-Schiller/e/B009JOQFQQ/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
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