While I was growing up, my mother kept a stack of books hidden in her closet. She told me I couldn't read them. So, naturally, whenever she left me alone for any length of time, I took them out and flipped through them. Those books raised quite a few questions in my prepubescent brain. Namely: 1) Why were there so many pirates? 2) Where did all the throbbing come from? 3) What was a manhood ? 4) And why did the hero and heroine seem overcome by images of waves and fireworks every few pages, especially after an episode of mysterious throbbing in the hero's manhood? Thirty or so years later, I have a few answers. 1) Because my mom apparently fancied pirates at that time. Now she hoards romances involving cowboys and babies. If a book cover features a shirtless man in a Stetson cradling an infant, her ovaries basically explode and her credit card emerges. I have a similar reaction to romances involving spinsters, governesses, and librarians. 2) His manhood. Also, her womanhood. 3) It's his hard length, sometimes compared in terms of rigidity to iron. I prefer to use other names for it in my own writing. However, I am not picky when it comes to descriptions of iron-hard lengths. 4) Because explaining how an orgasm feels can prove difficult. Or maybe the couples all had sex on New Year's Eve at Cancun. During those thirty years, I accomplished a few things. I graduated from Wake Forest University and earned my M.A. in American History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I worked at a variety of jobs that required me to bury my bawdiness and potty mouth under a demure exterior: costumed interpreter at Colonial Williamsburg, high school teacher, and librarian. But I always, always read romances. Funny, filthy, sweet-it didn't matter. I loved them all. Now I'm writing my own romances with the encouragement of my husband and daughter. I have my own stack of books in my closet that I'd rather my daughter not read, at least not for a few years. I can swear whenever I want, except around said daughter. And I get to spend all day writing about love and iron-hard lengths. So thank you, Mom, for perving so hard on pirates during my childhood. I owe you. If you want to find out more about me or my books, you can sign up for my newsletter (https: //go.oliviadade.com/Newsletter); come find me on Twitter (twitter.com/OliviaWrites), Facebook (facebook.com/OliviaDade), and my website (oliviadade.com); or e-mail me at olivia [at] oliviadade.com. I'm always happy to hear from my readers!
Olivia Dade's warm and witty voice makes this book an absolute joy to read. Her wry humour is threaded into shrewd observations about human nature, workplace dynamics, second chances, and the inner strength to overcome fear and take back control. From a politely antagonistic first encounter, two people who hide their past hurts behind social armour find unconditional acceptance and love with each other, and the courage to be their true selves. The heroine is sympathetic and strong, her dry, sardonic tone covering a warm and vulnerable heart; the hero is an absolute darling, self-deprecating, caring and sexy, his deep respect for the heroine and women in general shining in every word and smallest action. Teach Me is a happiness-inducing, funny, clever, and empathetic book, and I'm very much looking forward to whatever Dade writes next. --Lucy Parker With richly drawn characters you'll love to root for, Olivia Dade's books are a gem of the genre--full of humor, heart, and heat. --Kate Clayborn