Marie Force's Blog, page 29

Fatal Wedding Day 1: Invitations

Welcome to the Fatal Wedding! I'm so excited to have Sam & Nick's reader friends helping me to plan their big day. Just a reminder on how this works... Scroll the choices and click on the link at the bottom to vote on your favorite. Results will be kept secret until the Fatal Destiny novella launches FREE TO READERS on September 5. I want to hear your thoughts, so make sure you comment to be entered into random drawings for prizes. Keep an eye on the comments area, which is where prizes will be announced. Ready? Set? Let's plan a wedding!

**UPDATE on the process: voting links will be contained in every post and will be available until Feb. 14.**

Invitation 1



Invitation 2



Invitation 3



Vote here!

Ready? Set? Let's Plan a Wedding!

Tomorrow begins two exciting weeks of wedding planning! Sam and Nick are counting on you to help them make all the decisions for their big day! To get you in the mood to plan the wedding, I thought it would be fun to post Nick's proposal. However, if you haven't yet read Fatal Justice, you might want to wait and read it there.

Here's the Wedding Planning Schedule:

Feb. 1: Invitations

Feb. 2: Bridesmaid Dresses

Feb. 3: Flowers

Feb. 4: Nick's tuxedo

Feb. 5: Sam's Dress

Feb. 6: Sam's Shoes

Feb. 7: Sam's Hair

Feb. 8: Nick's Ring

Feb. 9: Sam's Ring

Feb. 10: The Cake

Feb. 11: Groom's Cake

Feb. 12: Sam & Nick's first dance

Feb. 13: Wedding Favors

Feb. 14: Honeymoon spot

How it works:
Every morning, you'll have a new decision to make. Posts launch at 7 a.m. and voting is open until midnight that day. Voting will take place in the blog sidebar. Results will remain secret until the FREE Fatal Destiny wedding novella is released on Sept. 5. We'll have random prize offerings for those who comment on the daily choices. Prizes include gift cards, books and other surprises, leading up to our grand prize of advance copies of Fatal books for the life of the series, to be awarded on Feb. 14.

Sam and Nick thank you in advance for your help in making their wedding a day to remember! See you tomorrow!

Next Up On Book Club: See Jane Score by Rachel Gibson

THIS IS JANE

A little subdued. A little stubborn. A little tired of going out on blind dates with men who drive vans with sofas in the back, Jane Alcott is living the Single Girl existence in the big city. She is also leading a double life. By day, she's a reporter covering the raucous Seattle Chinooks hockey team—especially their notorious goalie Luc Martineau. By night, she's a writer, secretly creating the scandalous adventures of "Honey Pie"...the magazine series that has all the men talking.

SEE JANE SPAR

Luc has made his feelings about parasite reporters—and Jane—perfectly clear. But if he thinks he's going to make her life a misery, he'd better think again.

SEE JANE ATTRACT

For as long as he can remember, Luc has been single minded about his career. The last thing he needs is a smart mouthed, pain in the backside, reporter digging into his past and getting in his way. But once the little reporter shed her black and gray clothes in favor of a sexy red dress, Luc sees that there is more to Jane than originally meets the eye.
Maybe it's time to take a risk. Maybe it's time to live out fantasies. Maybe it's time to....

SEE JANE SCORE!

Come by on Thursday, Feb. 3, to talk about this fun book!

Book Club: Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake & Visit with Sarah Maclean

A lady does not smoke cheroot.

She does not ride astride.

She does not fence or attend duels.

She does not fire a pistol, and she never gambles at a gentlemen's club.

Lady Calpurnia Hartwell has always followed the rules, rules that have left her unmarried—and more than a little unsatisfied. And so she's vowed to break the rules and live the life of pleasure she's been missing. But to dance every dance, to steal a midnight kiss—to do those things, Callie will need a willing partner. Someone who knows everything about rule-breaking. Someone like Gabriel St. John, the Marquess of Ralston—charming and devastatingly handsome, his wicked reputation matched only by his sinful smile.

If she's not careful, she'll break the most important rule of all—the one that says that pleasure-seekers should never fall hopelessly, desperately in love . . .

Marie's thoughts:
This was such a great book. I so adored Callie and could really empathize with her as she watched her much younger sister become engaged to a Duke while Callie sat firmly "on the shelf" as the family spinster. The scene in which Callie overhears her sister and future husband talking about making accommodations for Callie in their home was so heartbreaking. And I loved when Ralston's butler assumes Callie is a courtesan when she arrives at his home late at night. When she brazenly asks Ralston to kiss her and he says, "Why now? Why not wait for a man to come along ... and sweep you off your feet?" And she says, "If the man you speak of had ever planned on coming, my lord, I'm afraid he has obviously lost his way. And, at twenty-eight, I find that I am tired of waiting." When Ralston tells her that kisses shouldn't leave her satisfied, they should leave her wanting.... Well, I was left wanting a whole lot more of him!

I adored every scene in which Callie breaks another rule with Ralston by her side. Watching Ralston go from amused to intrigued to besotted was wonderful. Their banter made me laugh out loud more than once! Other things I loved:
-Juliana's interaction with her brothers and Callie
-The love scenes--whoo! Hot!
-That Gabriel called her "Empress"
-That Gabriel came around to embracing Callie's list and making her mission his even as he tried to deny what he was beginning to feel for her
-When she talks about being trapped in a gilded cage on the dusty shelf, and he later asks if she wants him to free her from her cage
-That Callie, who waited 28 years for a marriage proposal, turned down two of them in as many days
-The duel: so fabulous! "I aimed wide!"

I loved it the first time, and I loved it all over again when I re-read it for book club. Looking forward to Ten Ways to Be Adored When Romancing a Lord and Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke's Heart. Sarah is giving away an eARC of Eleven and a signed copy of Ten! My first question for Sarah is obvious: did you come up with those fabulous titles all on your own? :-) Welcome to book club, Sarah!

Find out more about Sarah's books here.

Here's a great recipe recommended by our resident gourmet chef, Ronlyn!

Ham 'N' Swiss Loaf

Ingredients:
3-1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
2 envelopes Fleischmann's® RapidRise Yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup very warm water (120° to 130°F)
1/4 cup prepared mustard
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
3 cups (about 1 pound) chopped cooked ham
1 cup (4 ounces) grated Swiss cheese
1 (4-ounce) jar diced pimientos, well drained
3/4 cup diced dill pickles
1 egg, lightly beaten

Directions:
In large bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups flour, undissolved yeast, sugar, and salt. Stir warm water, mustard, and butter into flour mixture. Stir in enough remaining flour to make soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 4 to 6 minutes. Cover; let rest on floured surface 10 minutes.

On lightly floured surface, roll dough to 15 x 10-inch rectangle. Transfer to greased baking sheet. Sprinkle ham, cheese, pimientos, and pickles lengthwise over center-third of dough. With sharp knife, make cuts from filling to dough edges at 1-inch intervals along sides of filling. Alternating sides, fold strips at an angle across filling. Cover loaf; let rise in warm, draft-free place until almost doubled in size, about 20 to 40 minutes.

Brush loaf with egg. Bake at 375oF for 35 minutes or until done. Remove from sheet to wire rack. Serve arm. Refrigerate leftovers; reheat to serve.

Sam & Nick Are Getting Married, and You Are Invited!

I'm very excited about Sam & Nick's wedding! I've been thinking about it for months, and I'm working on the Fatal Destiny novella right now, which will feature their big day. I can promise a fun story surrounding Washington's "Wedding of the Year," but I'm leaving all the details up to you! By now, you know Sam—she'd be happy with beer and peanuts at O'Leary's. (Let's get real: she'd be THRILLED to fly off to Vegas and elope) She's tolerating her second "big white wedding" because Nick, the love of her life, has never been married before, and she knows he wants a real wedding. As a result, Sam NEEDS your help deciding on the details. Are you game?

Before I go any further, I have to give HUGE THANKS to my friends Alyson Hackett and Ronlyn Howe who worked for weeks to come up with all the wonderful choices you'll have for planning Sam and Nick's wedding. We'll do it all: rings, cake, dresses, tuxedos, hair style, shoes, honeymoon spot, transportation, first song, etc.

My good friends Chris Camara and Julie Cupp, along with my cousin Steven Lopes, spent a fun night with me last fall traipsing around Washington looking for the perfect location for Sam and Nick's wedding. We chose the following two places:

St. John's Episcopal Church, known as the Church of the Presidents due to its proximity across the street from the White House and Lafayette Square. The reception will be right next door at Washington's historic Hay-Adams hotel. I picture Sam & Nick, hand-in-hand, dashing across H Street with the White House in the background as they move from the church to the reception. The two locations are the ONLY decisions I've made or will make pertaining to the wedding. The rest is all up to you, the readers! I can't wait to see what you choose!



Here's how it will work:
1. Beginning Feb. 1 through Feb. 14, we'll offer a new poll every day (on book club Thursdays, book club will post first and the wedding question of the day will post second so make sure you scroll down to view the new poll). Each post will be up by 7 a.m. EST. You'll be able to vote just once for each item, and results will remain confidential until the release of Fatal Destiny in September. Incidentally, Fatal Destiny will be a FREE download! Yay!

2. Comment each day to be entered into random drawings for a variety of gift cards, signed copies of Fatal Affair (when it's released in print in July) and other surprise giveaways over the course of the two weeks. Please note: There will not be prizes every day, but there will be frequent prizes, so make sure you're commenting regularly to be entered into drawings. GRAND PRIZE: Awarded on Valentine's Day, Feb. 14, one "very lucky" (haha) reader will become the recipient of Fatal books for the life of the series! The winner will receive new books before anyone else!

Sam and Nick are counting on you! Will you help us plan their special day? I sure hope to see you here Feb. 1-14 to help us plan the wedding!

Next Up on Book Club: Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake

I'm very excited to welcome my fellow Rhode Islander Sarah Maclean to book club this week to talk about her very fun book Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake. I loved this book, so I'm really excited to have Sarah coming by to chat about it. She'll be offering up a giveaway so make sure you stop by on Thursday, any time after 6 am EST to join in the fun!

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake
A lady does not smoke cheroot.

She does not ride astride.

She does not fence or attend duels.

She does not fire a pistol, and she never gambles at a gentlemen's club.

Lady Calpurnia Hartwell has always followed the rules, rules that have left her unmarried—and more than a little unsatisfied. And so she's vowed to break the rules and live the life of pleasure she's been missing. But to dance every dance, to steal a midnight kiss—to do those things, Callie will need a willing partner. Someone who knows everything about rule-breaking. Someone like Gabriel St. John, the Marquess of Ralston—charming and devastatingly handsome, his wicked reputation matched only by his sinful smile.

If she's not careful, she'll break the most important rule of all—the one that says that pleasure-seekers should never fall hopelessly, desperately in love . . .

Review: Everyone Loves a Hero, Fresh Fiction

Olivia Robison works at an airport kiosk and lives at home with her loving father and agoraphobic mother in order to put herself through college. Though she is working on a business degree, she is happiest when drawing portraits of strangers during her breaks. Pilot Cole Langston enters her life in dramatic fashion when he intervenes on her behalf with an unruly customer and ends up on the floor knocked-out and concussed from a fist to the face. The attraction is instantaneous and soon they are struggling with the complexities of a long distance relationship. Complicating matters is the fact that Cole, aka "Captain Incredible", is a national hero after landing a plane in a blizzard and saving the life of the pilot who had a heart attack. Can Olivia trust a man who has beautiful women slipping him their numbers at every turn? Is Cole ready to be a one-woman man?

With EVERYONE LOVES A HERO, Marie Force captures the challenges and complexities that follow when a couple falls in love at first sight. Believing that this person you barely know is someone you can trust with your love and devotion is not easy. Cole and Olivia deal with these challenges head on as they get to know each other, their family and friends, and their personal issues. Ms. Force's deft writing made the chemistry between Olivia and Cole instant and palpable.

Book Club: Fatal Justice and a Visit with, um, Me...

Good morning and thanks for coming to our book club meeting about Fatal Justice, the second in the Fatal Series! I've been really delighted by the response to the second book. Readers seem to be connecting to Sam and Nick and their friends, colleagues and families. I'm having so much fun writing them, so thanks for coming along on their wild ride! Just like we do every week, here's a bit about the book:

She looked into the dead face of the man she'd dined with the night before

Standing over the body of a Supreme Court nominee, Lieutenant Sam Holland is hip-deep in another high-profile murder case. The fact that she was one of the last people to see Julian Sinclair alive just complicates things even more. On the plus side, her relationship with Senator Nick Cappuano is heating up—but it's also attracting a lot of unwanted media attention and blinding flash bulbs.

The pressure is on for Sam to find Sinclair's killer, but a new lead in her father's unsolved shooting puts her in unexpected danger. When long-buried secrets threaten to derail her relationship with Nick, Sam realizes that while justice can be blind, mixing romance with politics has the potential to be fatal...

Today I'll be giving away copies of Fatal Affair and Fatal Justice! To be entered into the drawing, PLEASE help me find a last name for Nick's friend Dr. Harry, who has been so popular with Fatal Justice readers that I am bumping him up to series regular status. Which means he needs a last name! (Disclaimer: I'm not promising to choose one of today's suggested names, but I will give the books away no matter what!)

Because it's terribly embarrassing to be featuring my own book, I turned the blog over to the Whip-Cracking Book Club Wenches and here is what they had to say about Fatal Justice (and, in some cases, Fatal Affair, too!):

From Anne:
As far as FATAL JUSTICE, I loved the realistic style and personal details. It's as if I'm right in the middle of each conversation. I love the funny and witty remarks that come out of your characters mouths. I love that not everyone is perfect; that everyone has worries and concerns, problems to overcome. I love the development of the romantic relationship between Nick and Sam and I can't wait for the next book in the series. I also can't wait to attend the wedding!!

One of my favorite scenes is when Sam is changing into the suit for Nick's swearing-in. She's not sure it's just right for such a solemn and serious occasion, one that will certainly be attended by high-ranking political figures. She is worried that she's exposing too much of her generous cleavage and will embarrass Nick. Her sister makes the statement that "Nick is such a flaming liberal so Sam's suit and cleavage should not be a problem." Of course, Nick steps up at the right moment and assures everyone that Sam is just perfect and he is proud she's standing next to him.

I love all the moments between Nick and Sam -- he's stolen my heart. I love how he just doesn't care who sees his displays of affection and love for Sam.

Another of my favorite parts of this series is the relationship Sam has with her father. There's just so much care, respect and admiration going both ways between father and daughter. I like how Skip interacts with Nick, as well. I'm a sucker for daddy's girls!!

From Hope:

Fatal Affair:
** I really loved when she was messing with his desk (really cracked me up)
** When she had to cuff him to the bed so he would stay out of the investigation, he said..."You owe me twenty-six minutes in handcuffs, and I fully intend to collect." (that is one of my favorite quotes)

Fatal Justice:
** Freddie's first time was HOT HOT HOT, I honestly expected him to chicken out
** The Congress for Dummies book that she was caught reading made me chuckle, then how Sam twisted the words of Filibuster did me in, my chuckle turned into the giggles (I know, soooo 8th grade lol)
** The "villain" Stahl was someone you could easily hate, and you wished the worst from him even in the first book.
** Nick asking Terry to join his team and his conditions, made me tear up

It was really hard for me to only pick a few scenes. These are some of my favorite of all time books. The story is sweet between Nick and Sam, but there is so much meat to the investigations that the WHO-DON-IT is also very entertaining. The strength and vulnerability of both lead characters is humbling and believable. I truly love this series.

From Ronlyn:
The real thread of the Fatal series is how Sam & Nick are with each other. They are each other's everything: they understand each other on a level that is enviable. They make us believe they can do anything and overcome whatever obstical is thrown in their path, yet at the same time they are so personable with one another. Her teasing him about his obsessive need for everything to be in it's place; him teasing her with his "inappropriate" displays of PDA. Those are the moments that are most endearing and the moments that make the Fatal series as a whole, not just Fatal Justice, so wonderful.

From Mary G:
I loved Fatal Justice. It was my first experience reading a series with the same hero and heroine. You kept your great writing style AND kept it fresh. I loved watching Nick & Sam's relationship evolve and grow - still hot & romantic. Loved the secondary characters too - I adored Freddy, Gonzo & Harry. It was sexy hot, terrific suspenseful plot & you added some humor too. What more do we need?

From Aly (Favorite scenes/lines):

Nick knew he should comfort Sam but couldn't seem to move his arms. All at once, fear became anger. "I can't." He shook her off.

"What?" she asked, startled.

"I can't be here. I'm sorry." Spinning around, he started back down the long corridor to the elevator.

She followed him. "Where're you going?"

He walked faster, needing to get out of there. Immediately. "I don't know. Home. I can't do this, Sam. I thought I could, but I can't."

"What can't you do?" She grabbed his arm, forcing him to look at her. "What're you saying?"

"I thought it was you." His heart breaking, he studied her one-in-a-million face. "I thought you'd been shot."

"But I wasn't, Nick." She rested her hands on his chest, beseeching him with her eyes. "I'm right here. I'm fine."

"This time."

"You're upset about Julian. Let's talk about this later. When I get home."

He shook his head. "I can't spend my whole life waiting for it to be you. I'm sorry, Sam."


AND

He reached for her, brought her in close to him, and kissed her forehead. "I don't know. The only thing I know for sure is that I love you. I found out today just how much."

AND

Sam looked closer and saw that Elin had driven him. "Still seeing the phone-shutter-offer, huh?"

AND

"He was a hell of a guy that Leviticus, wasn't he Detective Cruz?" Sam said.

"In our time, he'd be considered a bigot," Freddie said with a pointed look at Diandra.

"I'm not a bigot, Detective. My beliefs are grounded in scripture."

"Your friend, Leviticus also recommends stoning for married couples who engage in intercourse during the woman's period," Freddie said. "I sure hope you've never done that."

"It's not the same thing," Diandra snapped. "A woman's period is a natural event."

"How do you reconcile the unnatural 'abomination' with the commandment to love thy neighbor?" Freddie asked. "And Jesus himself said, 'If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.'"

Diandra glared at him.

From Kara:
Ok, so seriously. There is too much GOOD stuff in this book. I just reread my highlights. It was like rereading the book. LOL You know I love Sam. So some of my favorite lines are about her. Take these for instance:

Nick - "The twists and turns of your mind are a constant source of fascination to me."

Nick - "God, you're such a pain in the ass."
Sam - "Thank you."
Nick - ..."You're the only woman I know who would take that as a compliment."

Sam ' "Christ. All these entanglements. When did I get so entangled?"

Sam - "I wouldn't want you to think I'm easy."
'Hooting with laughter, he said, "No worries there, babe."

Then of course, there's the whole messing with his desk thing.

LOVE her. Truly one of my all time favorite heroines ever. But, then I think you've heard that before. (Oh, and Nick's not half bad himself.)

From Crystal:
What I love the absolute most about Sam is her total devotion to her father. Being a daddy's girl myself I think she is the ideal daughter. Her love for her father is amazing. I really like how you have made her into a genuine woman. She is self-conscious and uncertain about all the normal women things. Yet she is strong, self assured, and very independent.

What I love about Nick... His single mindedness when it comes to his one and only woman. He loves Sam with such passion and devotion. I like that he didn't have the best childhood, but he has overcome it all. He is truly a good guy in POLITICS! lol

So far my favorite line in Fatal Justice is... After Sam tells Nick about something upsetting from her past... Nick says "And I love you even more than I did earlier, if that is possible." That is true love!


Thanks y'all. You know how badly I wanted to write a series featuring the same H/H in every book. I wasn't sure how it would be received by readers. Reading your thoughts and favorite things makes me smile from ear to ear. Looking forward to today's meeting!

Interview with the Romance Bandits

More from the Fatal Justice blog tour. I so enjoyed this interview with my dear friend, Romance Bandit Loucinda McGary.


We're thrilled to have you here to celebrate the release of your latest, Fatal Justice, the second book in your romantic suspense Fatal Series for Carina Press. Please tell us what your two lead characters Sam and Nick are up to in this latest story.

Hi there Aunty and all the Banditas! I'm so happy to back for another visit. Thanks for having me! Sam and Nick return for another adventure in Fatal Justice. They're newly in love and working out the boundaries of their relationship in the context of two high-pressure jobs: she's a D.C. homicide detective and he's a U.S. senator. In this book, Sam investigates the murder of a Supreme Court nominee with the added caveat that she and Nick were two of the last people to see the victim before he was killed. Also in Fatal Justice, Sam pursues a new lead into her father's unsolved shooting that leads to danger for her. I'm really excited to get book 2 out to readers!

What particular challenges have you faced in writing a series with the same couple as the main characters (other than editors/publishers telling you readers didn't want the same couple)?

While writing Fatal Justice, I was enduring the roller coaster ride of Fatal Affair being on submission. I was disappointed that romance editors weren't interested in a series featuring the same couple in every book. Boo! Thankfully, the ladies at Carina Press love the idea, and readers are telling me they do, too! I had a feeling they might… The primary challenge as the series continues is keeping Sam and Nick's relationship conflicted enough that it stays interesting but no so conflicted that it's unrealistic. I found that to be a particular challenge in the third book, Fatal Consequences, which I finished in November. I've decided that readers don't want to see them "fighting for their survival" in every book, so they will grapple with a lot of the stuff everyone deals with but in the context of their high-profile Washington lives.

What were some of the rewards?

I love slipping back into the Fatal world. It's like putting on a comfortable pair of slippers. I'm working now on Fatal Destiny, the novella that will feature Sam and Nick's wedding, and it gets easier with every book to submerge myself in the new story. I know the characters very well at this point. I said to someone recently that the scenes featuring Sam and Nick almost write themselves because I know exactly what each of them would say in most situations. I'm also really enjoying the secondary characters, including Sam's partner, Detective Freddie Cruz, Detective Tommy "Gonzo" Gonzales, Sam's father Skip Holland, the O'Connors and the rest of the cast. I gave Freddie, Gonzo and Detective Jeannie McBride major subplots in Fatal Consequences and expect to further develop their characters in future books. Freddie is also prominently featured in Fatal Justice. He's a trip to write!

Since you also write contemporary romance as well as romantic suspense, do you use a different process? How do you handle the differences between these sub-genres?

I wish I could say my process is different for the suspense books, but I tend to fall back on the same chaotic seat-of-the-pants madness that has fueled all my books. ☺ I sold Fatal Consequences and book 4, Fatal Flaw, on proposal, which required synopses. While writing FC, I never once referred back to the synopsis , so it was the same process all over again even though I had done some initial plotting. I really hate knowing what's going to happen ahead of time. I often have no idea "who done it" until Sam figures it out. I like it that way. It keeps me engaged in the book and the mystery. However, one of these days my head is probably going to explode from keeping all this stuff locked up in my brain! That's why I recently hired one of my Beta readers to index books 2 and 3 for me. I did the first book, Fatal Affair, myself and it took an entire weekend. Since I'm staring down a Feb. 28 deadline, I'm very grateful to my friend Aly for taking over the indexing job for me. As I write the fourth story, I'm finding it harder and harder to keep track of all the details, so it will be great to have a series "bible" to refer back to while working on future books. In reference to the differences between contemporary and suspense, they don't require different techniques mostly because the Fatal books are also contemporaries. However, it does take a significant amount of brain cells and bone marrow to keep the suspense portion of the Fatal books moving along at a good clip and to end up with a reasonable conclusion to the murder mystery.

Where can readers find the Fatal books?

They're available at Carina Press under the Romantic Suspense tab, and everywhere e-books are sold. I've been asked a lot about where Nook users can find Fatal Justice if it's not yet available on barnesandnoble.com, where it will be eventually. Nook users can download the ePub format from Carina.

What's next for you?

I have a print book out on Feb. 1, Everyone Loves a Hero. Also in February, I'll be running a promotion to give readers the opportunity to plan Sam and Nick's wedding. Watch my website at www.mariesullivanforce.com for details about how you can participate and win some great prizes. Fatal Affair will be released in print by Harlequin in July via the eHarlequin website. Also in July is Fatal book 3, Fatal Consequences. The free wedding novella, Fatal Destiny, is out in September as part of Harlequin's romantic suspense week. Book 4, Fatal Flaw, will be out in February of 2012. I also recently posted two of my unsold contemporaries, True North and The Fall, to Amazon and have been blown away by the response from readers. That's been very exciting!

2011 promises to be a very busy year for you! Did you make any resolutions? Or do you have plans or wishes you hope to see fulfilled?

I never make resolutions and tend to avoid writing goals. I don't like to set myself up for failure. However, I do hope to exercise more in 2011 and I have set just one goal for my writing career: to finally sell the book of my heart, Treading Water. We'll see if either of those things happens! Let's put it this way—the slim chance of a book sale is probably far more likely than the exercise! LOL!

How Much of "Me" Is in My Characters?

More from the Fatal Justice blog tour....

I am asked this question often: how much of yourself do you put in your characters? Some characters are more like me than others. Sam Holland, the heroine in my Fatal Series, shares a few things with me, but for the most part she is totally different. In the similarities column is her relationship with her father. She is devoted to her dad the same way I'm devoted to mine. We're both involved with our siblings, nieces and nephews. We're both workaholics who have serious diet soda addictions.

That's about where the similarities end. Sam can kick some serious ass. My 12-year-old can take me in a wrestling match. To be honest, I think he was nine the first time he beat me… Suffice to say, I'm a big ole wimp compared to Sam. She has been cursed with major infertility issues. I was lucky to have two healthy babies, albeit by C-section, but whatever. They arrived and thrived. Sam may never get to experience that joyous experience.

Sam is not afraid of much. I'm afraid of everything. I am the easiest person to scare, and my family loves to take full advantage of my jump-out-of-my-skin reflex. Sam would just roll her eyes and go on with her day. Here's a little bit of Sam in action:

Moving slowly, her gun leading the way, Sam crept toward the back door. Another clatter rang through the alley, announcing the presence of a cat, a raccoon or a foolish perp returning to the scene of a crime. Sam hoped and prayed it was the latter. The door swung open.

"Freeze!" Sam caught a brief glimpse of Reese's startled face before he turned and bolted. "Freeze, police!" She took off after him, down the back steps and through a fetid alley stacked three feet deep on both sides with trash. Normally, she might've taken a shot at him, but he was no good to her dead. He had information she desperately needed. Hoping Freddie would cut Reese off at the other end of the alley, Sam chased after him, her thighs burning from the exertion, her lungs tight from the cold air pumping in and out.

Reese looked back, saw she was gaining on him and fired an erratic shot over his shoulder. The bullet whizzed past Sam's right ear, fueling her rage and her desire to catch him. That might've worked on my dad, you son of a bitch, but it's going to take more than a cheap shot to take me down. Running on adrenaline, she jumped over the bag of trash he threw in her path, came down on a patch of black ice and went flying.

Her chin took the full brunt of the fall. Sam howled with pain and tried to get her unarmed hand down to break the second half of the fall. Elbows and knees connected with hard pavement. She looked up in time to see Reece round the corner at the end of the alley. Freddie was nowhere in sight.

For a long moment, Sam lay there assessing her injuries and trying to catch her breath. The cold air made breathing painful, but that pain was nothing compared to the burn in her chin, knees and elbows. Forcing herself to move, she got up and called for backup to start a canvas of the neighborhood. Clearly, Reese hadn't gone far after butchering his family.

I'd cower behind a pile of trash before I'd venture into a dark alley to chase a guy with a gun. What about you? Are you more like me or Sam?