Isabel Roman's Blog, page 25
July 3, 2013
Improper Conduct #romantic #suspense
One month on the job--that was all Detective Jules Marshall had with the LAPD but already she knew two things: 1. Her move from San Francisco was the best move she’d ever made. 2. Sleeping with her sexy as hell boss would be a big mistake. That didn’t stop her from wanting him or from acknowledging the same spark of need in his eyes. And Captain Callum Archer had eyes that devoured her.
But when a trio of bank robbers picks LA as their target, her attraction to Callum takes a back seat. She’s seen this pattern before and confides in Callum her suspicions. She thought the case had gone cold until it heated in spectacular fashion; the bank robbers who blew up a car inside a building and killed at least five people have similar crimes back in San Francisco. The problem? She has no proof to go with her suspicions.Despite Callum’s objections, and the increasing temptation to give into her incredibly improper feelings for her captain, Jules plans to push ahead with an extremely unorthodox plan--date the killer.
Callum isn’t happy. Jules is the one woman he’d break all the rules for and he’s more than willing to do so to keep her in his life. When she puts herself in the crosshairs of a psychotic killer, there isn’t anything he won’t do to protect her.
But can he keep her safe and still catch the killer? Or will their improper relationship get in the way of their jobs?
Coming soon!
June 21, 2013
#BookBlast D.J. Williams and The Dissillusioned
About D.J.:With the DNA of a world traveler, Williams was born in Hong Kong, has ventured into the jungles of the Amazon, the bush of Africa, and the slums of the Far East, to share stories of those who are overcoming incredible odds. He is the co-author of Restoration Road with Mitch Kruse and has produced and directed over 140 television episodes syndicated on NBC, ABC, FOX and various cable networks worldwide. Currently, he lives in Los Angeles, California with his wife.www.djwilliamsbooks.comwww.twitter.com/djwilliams316
One randomly drawn commenter will win a $30 Amazon gift certificate.
Blurb:
A mother’s suicide threatens to destroy a family legacy. Her sons, Sam and Daniel, are forced to leave their comfortable worlds behind and search for a woman they believe can unlock the secrets that have remained hidden. They are propelled into separate journeys from Los Angeles to the heart of the Zambezi where they are forced to confront a man known as Die Duiwel, the Devil. On their adventures they will find themselves in a place where death is one breath away, where thousands of children are disappearing into the darkness, and where the woman they are searching for is on the hunt for revenge. When they stand face-to-face with the forgotten slaves of Africa they will fight to redeem what has been lost.
REVIEW SOUND BYTES
“A fast-paced mystery…you won’t put it down untilyou’ve unlocked the secrets and lies to find the truth.”Judith McCreary, Co-Executive ProducerLaw & Order: SVU, Criminal Minds, & CSI
“Riveting...an indelible picture painted with suspense.”Mitch Kruse, Author of Restoration Road
“An engrossing tale…makes you think about the world we live in and your place in it.”Tony Guerrero, Founder of F.A.C.T. Alliance: Fight Against Child Trafficking
Excerpt:
Drops of rain turned into a torrential downpour as Danny and Sam stood drenched at the edge of a deep hole and a fresh mound of dirt. The casket had already been lowered into the ground, evident by the arm of a crane hovering overhead. A groundskeeper kept his distance a few yards away, careful to allow the boys their final goodbye.A week ago they were living their own life, far removed from the darkness that had stolen their mother. One shouldered the guilt of a tarnished legacy while the other grew increasingly restless to return to his isolated world.
Danny was still reeling from his face to face with Bowman. How were they going to pay back the money? Where was the money? Why was it stolen in the first place? Should they even do anything, since neither was legally liable? He needed answers. A wave of anger flushed over Danny as he thought of all his family had lost. Thousands of sermons preached by a man who now seemed as addicted to the almighty dollar as the people who passed the offering plate. He knew his father kept secrets, but nothing had prepared him for the news Bowman planted on him.
June 18, 2013
Gail Barrett's new release Fatal Exposure
About Gail:
A former RITA® and Daphne finalist, Gail Barrett has received the Book Buyer’s Best Award, the Holt Medallion, the Booksellers Best, The National Readers’ Choice Award, and numerous other awards. She lives with her husband in Western Maryland. Readers can contact her through her website and Facebook.
Blurb:
Cold-case detective Parker McCall has spent fifteen years trying to solve his brother’s murder. Now a chance photo of the killer in the newspaper sets him hard on the woman’s trail. A former teenaged runaway, reclusive, award-winning photojournalist B.K. Elliot chronicles the harsh reality of life on the streets -- until a photo in the paper reveals her identity, blowing the lid off her secret past. With a powerful murderer now dogging her heels, and her police officer step-father determined to silence her permanently, the last person she can afford to trust is a cop. So why does sexy police detective Parker McCall tempt her to break her silence and resurrect ideals she’d lost years ago? As danger closes in, and with more than her own life at stake, Brynn must decide if the duty-bound cop will betray her...or heal her battered heart.
Gail will be awarding a $25 Amazon / BN (or other bookstore of the winner's choice) GC to one randomly drawn commenter during this tour and her other Book Blast on June 21st.
Excerpt:
“I can’t breathe.”
Parker didn’t doubt it. He probably had seventy pounds of muscle on her.
“Please.” She sounded desperate now. “I…can’t…breathe.” Unable to dredge up any sympathy, he steeled his jaw. “You going to talk to me this time?”
“Yes.”
“Somehow I’m not convinced.”
“I said I would.” Despite her predicament, temper flared into her voice.
“You’d better,” he warned. “You try running again, and I’ll hurt you for real this time.”
Too ticked off to trust her, he rolled over, positioning himself on top. Then he lumbered to his feet, every sense alert in case she tried to bolt. When she didn’t make a move to join him, he reached down and pulled her up. Still breathing heavily, he pulled out his badge and held it up.
“Put your hands behind your back and face the fence,” he ordered, taking out his handcuffs.
“What?”
“You heard me.” He wasn’t taking the chance that she’d run again.
“You have no right—”
“You ran from the police. You assaulted an officer. I don’t need another reason than that. Now turn around—unless you’d rather I haul you in.”
Her gaze flicked to his shield again. Even in the dim light trickling from a nearby row house, he could see her jaw go tight. But she turned and held out her hands.
Wary of another trick, he slapped on the handcuffs, the delicate feel of her wrist bones causing a startling burst of heat in his blood. Forget that she’s a woman, he reminded himself as she whirled around. She was a possible suspect in his brother’s death, the last one to see him alive, not a potential date.
He picked up the backpack she’d dropped and searched it, unearthing the small, semiautomatic pistol she’d hidden inside. Still keeping one eye on her, he removed the magazine. “You have a permit for this?”
Her gaze skidded away.
“Right.” Stupid question. He stuffed the gun in his jacket pocket and shouldered the bag.
Her eyes returned to his. “So what do you want?”
“Information.”
“You always tackle people you want to question?”
“You always climb out the window when someone knocks on your door?”
Her mouth pressed into a line.
Buy Links:
Amazon Paperback
Kindle
Barnes and Noble
A former RITA® and Daphne finalist, Gail Barrett has received the Book Buyer’s Best Award, the Holt Medallion, the Booksellers Best, The National Readers’ Choice Award, and numerous other awards. She lives with her husband in Western Maryland. Readers can contact her through her website and Facebook.Blurb:
Cold-case detective Parker McCall has spent fifteen years trying to solve his brother’s murder. Now a chance photo of the killer in the newspaper sets him hard on the woman’s trail. A former teenaged runaway, reclusive, award-winning photojournalist B.K. Elliot chronicles the harsh reality of life on the streets -- until a photo in the paper reveals her identity, blowing the lid off her secret past. With a powerful murderer now dogging her heels, and her police officer step-father determined to silence her permanently, the last person she can afford to trust is a cop. So why does sexy police detective Parker McCall tempt her to break her silence and resurrect ideals she’d lost years ago? As danger closes in, and with more than her own life at stake, Brynn must decide if the duty-bound cop will betray her...or heal her battered heart.
Gail will be awarding a $25 Amazon / BN (or other bookstore of the winner's choice) GC to one randomly drawn commenter during this tour and her other Book Blast on June 21st.
Excerpt:
“I can’t breathe.”
Parker didn’t doubt it. He probably had seventy pounds of muscle on her.
“Please.” She sounded desperate now. “I…can’t…breathe.” Unable to dredge up any sympathy, he steeled his jaw. “You going to talk to me this time?”
“Yes.”
“Somehow I’m not convinced.”
“I said I would.” Despite her predicament, temper flared into her voice.
“You’d better,” he warned. “You try running again, and I’ll hurt you for real this time.”
Too ticked off to trust her, he rolled over, positioning himself on top. Then he lumbered to his feet, every sense alert in case she tried to bolt. When she didn’t make a move to join him, he reached down and pulled her up. Still breathing heavily, he pulled out his badge and held it up.
“Put your hands behind your back and face the fence,” he ordered, taking out his handcuffs.
“What?”
“You heard me.” He wasn’t taking the chance that she’d run again.
“You have no right—”
“You ran from the police. You assaulted an officer. I don’t need another reason than that. Now turn around—unless you’d rather I haul you in.”
Her gaze flicked to his shield again. Even in the dim light trickling from a nearby row house, he could see her jaw go tight. But she turned and held out her hands.
Wary of another trick, he slapped on the handcuffs, the delicate feel of her wrist bones causing a startling burst of heat in his blood. Forget that she’s a woman, he reminded himself as she whirled around. She was a possible suspect in his brother’s death, the last one to see him alive, not a potential date.
He picked up the backpack she’d dropped and searched it, unearthing the small, semiautomatic pistol she’d hidden inside. Still keeping one eye on her, he removed the magazine. “You have a permit for this?”
Her gaze skidded away.
“Right.” Stupid question. He stuffed the gun in his jacket pocket and shouldered the bag.
Her eyes returned to his. “So what do you want?”
“Information.”
“You always tackle people you want to question?”
“You always climb out the window when someone knocks on your door?”
Her mouth pressed into a line.
Buy Links:
Amazon Paperback
Kindle
Barnes and Noble
June 17, 2013
#Interview with @loriryanauthor and her new release Penalty Clause
1. At any given time do you work on only one story at a time and maybe plot out the next one or are there many ideas racing around your head?I always have ideas racing around in my head. Some of fully fleshed out and just bubbling over, trying to get out on paper. Others are just little snippets that don't really have a home yet.
I do tend to only write one at a time, even if there are other books building in my head. I sit down and write a draft straight through and then go over it, and over it, and over it until it's right. There are exceptions. I have two books that I've begun writing because they weren't coming out right. They're still in my head and I still want to write them, but they're on hold until I figure out how to make them work.
2. Is there a genre you haven't written in but would like to? Or wish you could write in? I actually hope to write in other genres someday. I'd like to write some erotica someday and possibly a mystery or two. Something intricate and twisty that will keep readers guessing. There are also plenty of topics or characters I'd like to tackle but just don't feel like I have the background to do them well. For example, if I wrote a mystery, I'd want several of the characters to be detectives, but I have very little experience with how police departments work and how investigations are run. There's a lot for me to learn before I tackle that.
The same holds true with some of the romance novels I'd like to write. Sometimes I have an idea for a character, but they have a job I know nothing about. If there isn't a good way for me to go learn about that job in the depth necessary to write the character well, I'm stuck until I find a solution.
3. Do you add an element of romantic suspense in your stories?Yes! In both of the Sutton Capital Series novels, there are elements of suspense. I'm working on the third book and that will have a bit of suspense as well. Actually, now that I'm sitting here thinking about it, most of the ideas in my head have those elements, too. I guess that means, I'm pretty committed to romantic suspense!
4. Say you have unlimited funds: What kind of writing office/cottage would you create for yourself?It would have to be a small stone cottage, surrounded by gardens and stone walkways. Little benches to sit on. There's a river that I can hear out the window while I work. The inside would be warm and welcoming, with a fireplace to keep me toasty warm and layer upon layer of texture and color inside. A textured sofa to curl up on with throws and pillows.
There would be a gliding rocker on a porch that I could curl up on to work when I felt like being outside. And even though there's already a river, I think I'd add a beach just a stone's throw away that I could visit when I wanted to get away. And a magic door that connected to my house so I could pop and out as needed throughout the day. I write while my son is napping or after my kids go to sleep, so the magic door is a necessity! Let's hope my unlimited funds can buy that.
5. If you could turn your novel into a TV show, which novel or series would you do? Where would it be set? Network TV (ABC, NBC, CBS), Cable (AMC, BBC, Lifetime) or Premium Cable (HBO, Showtime, Starz)?I have a few books stuck in my head waiting to get out that would make great Lifetime movies, but the Sutton Capital Series would be fun to see on the big screen, too. Mostly because I'd love to see the men of Sutton Capital come to life and the women in the books are strong and bold. They'd make great movies. It'd have to be on Premium Cable. Network TV's not ready for the Sutton men yet;)
6. Finally, tell us about your latest release!
Penalty Clause is the second in the Sutton Capital series. It tells Andrew and Jill's story as they struggle to get over their pasts. Andrew never thought he would get over the pain of losing both the love of his life and his unborn child in one heart wrenching act of betrayal. But, when the object of his teenage crush walked back into his life, he saw how crushed her cheating husband had left her. He set out to heal her and help her regain her confidence but fell in love with her before he knew what hit him. They have a lot to overcome if they want to be together, though, not the least of which is an unbalanced stalker determined to have Andrew for herself. You can find the Sutton Capital Series on Amazon.
Lori Ryan is a contemporary romance novelist living in Austin, Texas with her very understanding husband, two children, three dogs, and one cat. You can follow her on Twitter at @loriryanauthor or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/loriryanromance. She also has a Fan Group on Goodreads.com and her website at www.loriryanromance.com. She loves to hear from fans of her books!
I do tend to only write one at a time, even if there are other books building in my head. I sit down and write a draft straight through and then go over it, and over it, and over it until it's right. There are exceptions. I have two books that I've begun writing because they weren't coming out right. They're still in my head and I still want to write them, but they're on hold until I figure out how to make them work.
2. Is there a genre you haven't written in but would like to? Or wish you could write in? I actually hope to write in other genres someday. I'd like to write some erotica someday and possibly a mystery or two. Something intricate and twisty that will keep readers guessing. There are also plenty of topics or characters I'd like to tackle but just don't feel like I have the background to do them well. For example, if I wrote a mystery, I'd want several of the characters to be detectives, but I have very little experience with how police departments work and how investigations are run. There's a lot for me to learn before I tackle that.
The same holds true with some of the romance novels I'd like to write. Sometimes I have an idea for a character, but they have a job I know nothing about. If there isn't a good way for me to go learn about that job in the depth necessary to write the character well, I'm stuck until I find a solution.
3. Do you add an element of romantic suspense in your stories?Yes! In both of the Sutton Capital Series novels, there are elements of suspense. I'm working on the third book and that will have a bit of suspense as well. Actually, now that I'm sitting here thinking about it, most of the ideas in my head have those elements, too. I guess that means, I'm pretty committed to romantic suspense!
4. Say you have unlimited funds: What kind of writing office/cottage would you create for yourself?It would have to be a small stone cottage, surrounded by gardens and stone walkways. Little benches to sit on. There's a river that I can hear out the window while I work. The inside would be warm and welcoming, with a fireplace to keep me toasty warm and layer upon layer of texture and color inside. A textured sofa to curl up on with throws and pillows.
There would be a gliding rocker on a porch that I could curl up on to work when I felt like being outside. And even though there's already a river, I think I'd add a beach just a stone's throw away that I could visit when I wanted to get away. And a magic door that connected to my house so I could pop and out as needed throughout the day. I write while my son is napping or after my kids go to sleep, so the magic door is a necessity! Let's hope my unlimited funds can buy that.
5. If you could turn your novel into a TV show, which novel or series would you do? Where would it be set? Network TV (ABC, NBC, CBS), Cable (AMC, BBC, Lifetime) or Premium Cable (HBO, Showtime, Starz)?I have a few books stuck in my head waiting to get out that would make great Lifetime movies, but the Sutton Capital Series would be fun to see on the big screen, too. Mostly because I'd love to see the men of Sutton Capital come to life and the women in the books are strong and bold. They'd make great movies. It'd have to be on Premium Cable. Network TV's not ready for the Sutton men yet;)
6. Finally, tell us about your latest release!Penalty Clause is the second in the Sutton Capital series. It tells Andrew and Jill's story as they struggle to get over their pasts. Andrew never thought he would get over the pain of losing both the love of his life and his unborn child in one heart wrenching act of betrayal. But, when the object of his teenage crush walked back into his life, he saw how crushed her cheating husband had left her. He set out to heal her and help her regain her confidence but fell in love with her before he knew what hit him. They have a lot to overcome if they want to be together, though, not the least of which is an unbalanced stalker determined to have Andrew for herself. You can find the Sutton Capital Series on Amazon.
Lori Ryan is a contemporary romance novelist living in Austin, Texas with her very understanding husband, two children, three dogs, and one cat. You can follow her on Twitter at @loriryanauthor or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/loriryanromance. She also has a Fan Group on Goodreads.com and her website at www.loriryanromance.com. She loves to hear from fans of her books!
June 14, 2013
Friday Guest: @CarleyBauer210 and @LynetteWillows No Gentleman is He
Hello, Carley and Lynnette! Thanks for stopping by today.
1. At any given time do you work on only one story at a time and maybe plot out the next one or are there many ideas racing around your head?
Carley: Lynette and I have written out the stories in the Sons of Liberty series, so we're always one step ahead of the game.
Lynette: Yes, we already have the basic stories written and the new outlines. All we have to do is expand or rearrange a scene or two.
2. Is there a genre you haven't written in but would like to? Or wish you could write in?
Carley: Historical Fiction as opposed to Historical Romance. I also enjoy writing Erotica.
Lynette: Thriller, mystery, and literature. I have them in the works now.
3. Do you add an element of romantic suspense in your stories? Carley: Oh sure. I think there are times when the reader wonders which character the heroine ends up with.
Lynette: If it’s in reference to the story itself, there’s plenty with the exciting battle scenes, will someone get hurt or killed, etc.
4. Say you have unlimited funds: What kind of writing office/cottage would you create for yourself?
Carley: There are new low-rise apartments in Olde New Castle, overlooking the Delaware River. Huge private balconies. I'd love to park me and my laptop on the balcony, and watch the ships go by as I write. I suspect when the housing market has completely recovered, we'll sell and move there.
Lynette: By water, preferably a beach house somewhere. As much as I love Canada, I sure wouldn’t mind being in warmer climes in the winter.
5. If you could turn your novel into a TV show, which novel or series would you do? Where would it be set? Network TV (ABC, NBC, CBS), Cable (AMC, BBC, Lifetime) or Premium Cable (HBO, Showtime, Starz)?
Carley: The Sons of Liberty. The original colonies (now original states, from Virginia up to Boston. NBC. They have all the hits these days!
Lynette: I will go with Carley's knowledge on this, since I’m a public TV geek, like the Knowledge channel, and PBS. I don’t really watch “regular” TV much.
6. Finally, tell us about your latest release!Carley: No Gentleman Is he is our launch book in the Sons of Liberty series. Cassandra, our newly widowed heroine, finds herself in a quandary when she is left with a fledgling equine business, living in a tavern attic with quickly depleting savings. When her first mare foals, she gets help for the difficult delivery from an unlikely source: the mysterious opportunist and owner of Varina Farms, Colton Rolfe. Determined to make her superior new American Horse breed the foundation of his new breeding line, Colton offers her the scandalous position of steward at his plantation. With quickly dwindling savings and options, Cassandra accepts. The road before them is beset with mystery, danger and temptation.
Lynette: Considering the position of steward on any land holding of the era is traditionally a man’s job, we get an early glimpse of Colton’s personality and forward thinking despite his rather mercenary motives. Both Colton and the readers also learn what kind of woman he ultimately admires, and Cassandra more than meets his demanding expectations.
There will be two winners drawn at the end of the tour. Winner 1 will receive a lovely pair of colonial era earrings (U.S. only please due to shipping constraints); Winner 2 will receive a $100 Amazon GC.
AUTHOR INFORMATION:
Lynette WillowsI’m Lynette Willows. I live in rural Alberta, Canada. My debut novel, “No Gentleman Is He”, the first in the Sons of Liberty series, is co-written along with my partner in romance, Carley Bauer.
Some have mentioned“I have enormous respect for the reader. They are able to take symbols from a page that an author has invented, and turn them into images in their minds that create an enduring story. If that’s not artistry, I don’t know what is.”-Lynette WillowsCarley Bauer
Carley Bauer enjoys life on the eastern seaboard of the U.S. with her husband and their blue eyed feline, Noelle. After 30 years as a state contractor in a self employed capacity, she decided to try her hand at her first love, writing. She loves being an empty nester, free to travel with her husband. Still involved with her children and grandchildren, Carley loves big family events. Some of her other hobbies are home decor, fashion, graphic arts, and the occasional bite of the Big Apple where the excitement feeds her natural love of city life. LINKS: Email: carleybauer210@gmail.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/carley.bauer.3Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lynette-Willows-Carley-Bauer/278323855613717?ref=hlBlog: http://fromcarleyslaptop.blogspot.com/Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarleyBauer210Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/cscrawley/Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6981224.Carley_Bauer
No Gentleman Is He available for purchase at:SmashwordsErosBooksAmazon Barnes and NobleiTunesKoboTirgearr to Author Carley Bauer
www.tirpub.com/cbauerTirgearr Publishing:
http://www.tirpub.com/NGIH
June 12, 2013
@AuthorJMKelley and her new release Daddy's Girl #interview
Please welcome my guest today, J.M. Kelly and her woman's fiction release, Daddy's Girl!
1. At any given time do you work on only one story at a time and maybe plot out the next one or are there many ideas racing around your head?For the most part, I work on one story at a time, though if I get ideas for other stories, I’ll write a portion of story to hold that thought for myself for a later time. As far as ideas, something is always lurking around in the back of my mind. I let the ideas simmer until I decide if they should be filed away for future experimentation, or passed over because it’s a weak or weird concept I will never be able to expand on properly. I have enough attention span issues. I can’t successfully juggle two or more stories at one time. My brain would implode.
2. Is there a genre you haven't written in but would like to? Or wish you could write in? I’d love to have the patience with myself to focus on a really in-depth fantasy setting. I admire anybody with the vivid imagination to build a creative and unique world. I’m more in tune with developing interpersonal relationships between characters. I’m sure, if I forced myself to truly concentrate, I could write in the fantasy genre, but again, I fear brain implosion would be the end result. I’ll leave that genre to more masterful minds than mine.
3. Say you have unlimited funds: What kind of writing office/cottage would you create for yourself?Oh, lord, could I have fun with an open budget. I would go for the cottage idea in a heartbeat. Though I love the mountains, I’d have to choose a beach for my dream cottage, mostly because I’ll take mosquitos over spiders any day. I have a very luxurious image of the perfect décor in my brain, though luxury doesn’t mean expense, necessarily. I’m more concerned with fluffy couches than anything else. Now, since I’m rich beyond my wildest dreams in this scenario, naturally I would have a giant bathroom with rainforest showerhead and a massive Jacuzzi tub. A writer needs a place to relax, after all.
The most important factor, though, is that my cottage by the sea has doors that open up to let the sounds of the surf in. I would love to be able to sit and watch the water as I write every day. The peacefulness would be almost overwhelming, I think.
4. If you could turn your novel into a TV show, which novel or series would you do? Where would it be set? Network TV (ABC, NBC, CBS), Cable (AMC, BBC, Lifetime) or Premium Cable (HBO, Showtime, Starz)?Is it bad that I watch so little television I can’t really grasp what the difference would be between the choices offered? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not one of those people who think television is a horrible thing. I just don’t focus on it very well. Frankly, I tend to have the Weather Channel playing on a constant loop as background noise. That, or the Discovery Channel. I just forget to listen in, I guess.
As for a show in general, I’m thinking my first novel, Drew in Blue, would make a fun show. The continuing adventures of Drew Doyle, bungling his way through parenthood, love, and life. As I wrote the story, I always imagined the town having a Stars Hollow vibe, ala the fabulous Gilmore Girls. Throw in some strange Pennsylvania-style townies, and we’ve got a show, ladies and gents.
5. Finally, tell us about your latest release!Daddy’s Girl is a work of women’s fiction with strong romantic elements.
Janie McGee, the black sheep of her family, is free-spirited, uninhibited, and never one to stay in the same place for too long. Despite a lifetime of never seeing eye to eye, when Janie learns her father, Joe, is gravely ill, she surprises even herself by returning home to rural Pennsylvania to care for him.
David Harris sports a pocket protector, collects coins, and is addicted to Antiques Roadshow. Everything about the man rubs Janie the wrong way, from his nerdy wardrobe to his enviable friendship with Joe. And to make matters worse, Janie’s father thinks they’re perfect for each other, proof positive of how little Joe knows his own daughter ... or so Janie thinks.
A shared devotion to the elder McGee begins to close the gulf between Janie and David, but a burgeoning romance opens the door to unexpected consequences neither could foresee. Joe, however, remains steadfast in his resolve to show Janie that Daddy knows what’s best for his little girl after all. Can Janie finally open her heart to David while watching the first man she ever truly loved fade away?
J.M. will be awarding a gift basket of some of the author's favorite things, including a $25 gift card from Amazon and a signed copy of the Foreign Affairs anthology from Turquoise Morning Press to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.
About J.M.:
After one too many Snowmaggedon shoveling catastrophes, J.M. Kelley, a native of Pennsylvania, loaded her car with all of her belongings and moved to sunny South Carolina. A year later, she finds herself shivering when temperatures dip to fifty degrees, and battles against the slight Southern accent she seems to be developing. When not toiling away at her day job, she can be found huddled over her laptop in a quiet corner of her favorite coffee shop, slurping a caffeine-laden milkshake as she writes.
J.M. Kelley is a proud recipient of a Carrie McCray Memorial Literary Award. Drew in Blue, her debut novel, was nominated for Best Contemporary of 2010 by The Romance Reviews, and is a TRR and Night Owl Reviews Top Pick. Her second novel, Daddy's Girl, will be published in January 2013. Her short story, Siren Song, is included in the anthology Foreign Affairs, from Turquoise Morning Press, available August 8, 2012.
Visit www.jmkelleywrites.com for news and information!
AmazonBarnes and Noble
1. At any given time do you work on only one story at a time and maybe plot out the next one or are there many ideas racing around your head?For the most part, I work on one story at a time, though if I get ideas for other stories, I’ll write a portion of story to hold that thought for myself for a later time. As far as ideas, something is always lurking around in the back of my mind. I let the ideas simmer until I decide if they should be filed away for future experimentation, or passed over because it’s a weak or weird concept I will never be able to expand on properly. I have enough attention span issues. I can’t successfully juggle two or more stories at one time. My brain would implode.
2. Is there a genre you haven't written in but would like to? Or wish you could write in? I’d love to have the patience with myself to focus on a really in-depth fantasy setting. I admire anybody with the vivid imagination to build a creative and unique world. I’m more in tune with developing interpersonal relationships between characters. I’m sure, if I forced myself to truly concentrate, I could write in the fantasy genre, but again, I fear brain implosion would be the end result. I’ll leave that genre to more masterful minds than mine.
3. Say you have unlimited funds: What kind of writing office/cottage would you create for yourself?Oh, lord, could I have fun with an open budget. I would go for the cottage idea in a heartbeat. Though I love the mountains, I’d have to choose a beach for my dream cottage, mostly because I’ll take mosquitos over spiders any day. I have a very luxurious image of the perfect décor in my brain, though luxury doesn’t mean expense, necessarily. I’m more concerned with fluffy couches than anything else. Now, since I’m rich beyond my wildest dreams in this scenario, naturally I would have a giant bathroom with rainforest showerhead and a massive Jacuzzi tub. A writer needs a place to relax, after all.
The most important factor, though, is that my cottage by the sea has doors that open up to let the sounds of the surf in. I would love to be able to sit and watch the water as I write every day. The peacefulness would be almost overwhelming, I think.
4. If you could turn your novel into a TV show, which novel or series would you do? Where would it be set? Network TV (ABC, NBC, CBS), Cable (AMC, BBC, Lifetime) or Premium Cable (HBO, Showtime, Starz)?Is it bad that I watch so little television I can’t really grasp what the difference would be between the choices offered? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not one of those people who think television is a horrible thing. I just don’t focus on it very well. Frankly, I tend to have the Weather Channel playing on a constant loop as background noise. That, or the Discovery Channel. I just forget to listen in, I guess.
As for a show in general, I’m thinking my first novel, Drew in Blue, would make a fun show. The continuing adventures of Drew Doyle, bungling his way through parenthood, love, and life. As I wrote the story, I always imagined the town having a Stars Hollow vibe, ala the fabulous Gilmore Girls. Throw in some strange Pennsylvania-style townies, and we’ve got a show, ladies and gents.
5. Finally, tell us about your latest release!Daddy’s Girl is a work of women’s fiction with strong romantic elements.
Janie McGee, the black sheep of her family, is free-spirited, uninhibited, and never one to stay in the same place for too long. Despite a lifetime of never seeing eye to eye, when Janie learns her father, Joe, is gravely ill, she surprises even herself by returning home to rural Pennsylvania to care for him.
David Harris sports a pocket protector, collects coins, and is addicted to Antiques Roadshow. Everything about the man rubs Janie the wrong way, from his nerdy wardrobe to his enviable friendship with Joe. And to make matters worse, Janie’s father thinks they’re perfect for each other, proof positive of how little Joe knows his own daughter ... or so Janie thinks.A shared devotion to the elder McGee begins to close the gulf between Janie and David, but a burgeoning romance opens the door to unexpected consequences neither could foresee. Joe, however, remains steadfast in his resolve to show Janie that Daddy knows what’s best for his little girl after all. Can Janie finally open her heart to David while watching the first man she ever truly loved fade away?
J.M. will be awarding a gift basket of some of the author's favorite things, including a $25 gift card from Amazon and a signed copy of the Foreign Affairs anthology from Turquoise Morning Press to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.
About J.M.:
After one too many Snowmaggedon shoveling catastrophes, J.M. Kelley, a native of Pennsylvania, loaded her car with all of her belongings and moved to sunny South Carolina. A year later, she finds herself shivering when temperatures dip to fifty degrees, and battles against the slight Southern accent she seems to be developing. When not toiling away at her day job, she can be found huddled over her laptop in a quiet corner of her favorite coffee shop, slurping a caffeine-laden milkshake as she writes.J.M. Kelley is a proud recipient of a Carrie McCray Memorial Literary Award. Drew in Blue, her debut novel, was nominated for Best Contemporary of 2010 by The Romance Reviews, and is a TRR and Night Owl Reviews Top Pick. Her second novel, Daddy's Girl, will be published in January 2013. Her short story, Siren Song, is included in the anthology Foreign Affairs, from Turquoise Morning Press, available August 8, 2012.
Visit www.jmkelleywrites.com for news and information!
AmazonBarnes and Noble
June 7, 2013
Friday Guest: Denise Eagan and The Wild Half @DLEagan
Today my guest is Denise Eagan with her new release, The Wild Half . This is the follow-up to her previous books, The Wild One and Wicked Woman . You can find Denise at her website, her blog, on Twitter, or drop her an email!
1. At any given time do you work on only one story at a time and maybe plot out the next one or are there many ideas racing around your head?Many stories, always racing. I used to try to only work only one at a time. However, in the last couple of years I’ve started to jump around. I think this is because some of my books are now interlinking, so switching characters doesn’t jolt as much, and the time periods and settings don’t jolt either. Or it’s because my kids are older, so I’m not getting pulled every which way anymore.
2. Is there a genre you haven't written in but would like to? Or wish you could write in?
I made one attempt, over 20 years ago, to write a contemporary series romance. I thought it would be easy and I could just dash it off. Wow, was I ever wrong. No dashing, not easy. But I did love writing it. After that I tried historical and really, really liked it. The research fascinates me, and I find that it’s easier for me to sink into a different world when writing. Lately, though, I’ve had a couple of ideas for a contemporary romance, and one for one that is more of a serial killer story with a strong romantic element. I’m not sure that that one would have a happy ever after ending for the hero and heroine. We’ll see. It’s at least a couple years off, regardless. I’ve also had ideas for stories that might actually be better as--can’t believe I’m saying this!--screenplays. Because breaking into romance writing isn’t harder enough, right? Sadly, the difficulty doesn’t stop the ideas from being there, so I might have to write them no matter how daunting the challenge, and how miniscule the possibility of financial return. Sometimes characters and plot and story are all there, and you don’t have a choice but to write it. It haunts you until you get it on paper. Happily I’ve only felt a slight nagging sense of--we’ll call it duty--towards these stories, but sometimes things build until the nagging is a yelling. We’ll just have to see.
3. Do you add an element of romantic suspense in your stories? (can be skipped for this interview)
Absolutely. I could not possibly write a romance without suspense. I’m always telling my husband and friends “no dead body, no romance.” And if you’ve got a body, there’s always some kind of mystery surrounding it, and thus the suspense. I grew up reading Mary Stewart, Phyllis Whitney and Victoria Holt. To me romance novels are always linked to some kind of danger.
That said, though, the dead body in my books is sometimes in the past, and the characters have to deal with what happened before the book starts. Sometimes there’s only the threat of a dead body. And sometimes several people die during the course of the story. It depends.
4. Say you have unlimited funds: What kind of writing office/cottage would you create for yourself?
Ooooo, I’d have a cottage. On the ocean. With a balcony or patio overlooking the ocean, where I would sit every morning and drink my coffee and eat chocolate pastries while dreaming up all sorts of wonderful plots. With murders. I love the paradox of dark death against the quiet, peaceful setting of the ocean. Let me see, what else. . . A big, roll top desk, which I would probably never use because I write in a comfy chair with my laptop literally in my lap. But I want the roll top desk anyway. It’s writer ambiance. Obviously I would also have 5. If you could turn your novel into a TV show, which novel or series would you do? Where would it be set? Network TV (ABC, NBC, CBS), Cable (AMC, BBC, Lifetime) or Premium Cable (HBO, Showtime, Starz)?
Probably a premium channel, maybe Lifetime though, just because of the nature of the content. There’s a lot of explicit sex in the book, and it needs to be there. It’s very important to the character and plot development. If you take it out like you would have to on network TV, you’d lose half of what the book’s about. See the problem is that when I started this book many years ago, I didn’t know there were rules to writing romance novels. I wrote what came to me and I didn’t hold back on the plot or, by extension, the writing. There’s some pretty dark elements to this book. I won’t say more than that, because I’m afraid I’ve ruin it for new readers.
6. Finally, tell us about your latest release!So. . .okay, it’s set in Colorado 1876. It starts at a ranch, and the hero, Rick, is a cowboy, and the foreman of the ranch. That makes it a Western, and I did read a lot of Louis L’Amour to help me with the “feeling” of the West at this time. On the other hand, I read a lot of psychology too, because a lot of the plot surrounds the emotional and psychological difficulties of the heroine, Lilah. In that respect, and the fact that there are bad guys and secrets, the book is also Romantic Suspense. Basically, it’s Western Romantic Suspense. There isn’t any category for that. Did I mention that I kind of ignored the rules when writing this book?
Here’s the blurb:
Lilah Martin is a hunted woman who has roamed the West for three years, staying one step ahead of men who are trying to kill her. Fear is her only friend; staying alive is her only goal. Then she lands a job at the Bar M, a prosperous and well-protected ranch in Colorado, where she finds friendship, sanctuary and a life that is almost normal. Or so it seems until she falls prey to the wildly seductive and dangerously inquisitive Rick Winchester.
A former outlaw, Rick has spent five years searching for distraction from guilt over his wife’s death. He finally finds it in the simmering sexual attraction between Lilah and him, and the dark intrigue surrounding her. But the more he delves into her secrets, the more of a mystery she becomes, until, frightened, she flees the Bar M. Determined not to lose this woman, Rick races after her, catapulting them into a clash of wills, which can only end in the discovery of a deadly secret locked away in Lilah’s mind. A secret that could make them both rich. Or get them both killed.
And here’s an excerpt. At this point, Rick is in full pursuit of Lilah, determined to establish a hot, no-holds-barred, brief and uncomplicated affair with her. Lilah is just as determined to avoid it. Both are about to lose, Lilah to seduction, Rick to the concept of “uncomplicated.” It’s Sunday, Lilah’s escaped the ranch and she thought Rick, for a quiet picnic by herself. He, however, has followed her.
Lilah grabbed her book and dropped it in the basket. Afterwards she stood and, catching Rick’s eyes, tugged a little on the blanket, silently requesting he move. Shrugging, he stood and watched her fold the blanket. She tossed it over the basket and without a word, turned and walked to the stream.
He followed her. She stopped. “What are you doing?” she demanded.
“Joining you,” he said, smiling down at her. “As your self-appointed guardian it’s my duty to escort you back to the house. Women roaming the woods are fair game for love-starved cowboys, too.”
She scowled. “Something I imagine you have intimate knowledge of.”
Rick chuckled. “Why, I reckon I’ve been love-starved once or twice. How else would I know that—”
“I need protection,” Lilah finished. “You don’t think I believe all this balderdash do you?”
Grinning, he shook his head. “Nah. You’re too smart for that.”
“Then why say it?”
“To make you angry. You know Lilah, there are only three times I’ve seen the ice in your eyes melt. When you smile, which is just about never. And when you’re angry. Then they flash emerald green and the corners tip up, ever so slightly. Beautiful.”
Quite suddenly it was difficult to breathe. “And the third time?”
He lifted an eyebrow. “Third time?”
“You said there were three times. What is the third occasion?”
His eyes twinkled, and he gave her a mischievous grin. “Oh, darlin’, I think you know already,” he drawled, lowering his voice so that it hummed along her nerves.When he touched her. A shudder shook her body as his eyes grew even hotter and his grin widened to a sinfully seductive smile, promising pleasures beyond her comprehension. She tore her gaze away. She must leave—run.
“Stay, Lilah,” Rick coaxed wickedly. “You know you don’t want to spend a pretty day like this locked in your room.”
Her heart jumped.
She’d return to her room, wait half an hour—
“I’ll be watching the house, you know, in case you should leave.” He paused and leaned toward her. “And I can be very, very patient.” He made the word sound passionate, desirable. “Of course,” he continued, straightening, “you couldwhistle for that demon horse of yours. You’d be long gone before I could mount up and follow you.”
“I could.” And never learn about patience.
The shadow of victory darkened his eyes. “But you won’t, because that would be cowardly. After all, what is there to fear?”
Where to buy:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
#GF_VAMPIRE Irina Argo's Vampire Elite
About Irina:
Irina Argo is a combined pen name for two authors, Irina Kardos and Jo-An Torres.
Irina
Irina’s world is dark. She works as a clinical psychologist in a Juvenile Correctional Facility dealing with the extremes of human behavior on a regular basis and takes care of her paralyzed husband who suffered a stroke several years ago. To bring light into her life she writes. Writing has always been her passion. She is originally from Russia where she was employed as a TV journalist.
Jo-An
Jo-An is a Leo, a lioness who has emerged to follow her dream, to someday write a book of her own. She owned a costume shop for 15 years and was able to satisfy and excel in her creative nature. She is an over-achiever and believes that anything is possible if you believe in yourself and ignore the nay-sayers. Her philosophy is based on Shakespeare "It is not in the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves." She currently resides in California with her 5 cats and 1 husband.
One randomly chosen commenter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card. RafflecopterTWITTER HASHTAG FOR TOUR --- #GF_VAMPIRE
Blurb:
Can the ultimate choice be made if saving your race means destroying the one you love?
At the beginning of the twenty-first century of our era a millennia long war between two immortal races was coming to an end. The Vampire Elite, the strongest among vampires, forced the race of immortal beings, the Amiti to become their blood suppliers, called bloodstock, locking them in their underground cells and treating them like livestock. The surviving free Amiti make a final attempt to strike back. The Queen of Amiti is proclaimed a traitor and is executed. Her death signifies the rise of a new Queen, her young daughter Arianna who becomes the last hope of her dying race. Arianna totally embraces her mission and is ready to fight for her people to the last drop of her blood but encounters an unexpected challenge—the vampire King Tor. They both are captured into a trap of love where they had to make an ultimate choice; to kill the loved one or to let their races die.
Vampire Elite is the epic story of a bitter conflict between two peoples, and the effect of that conflict on everyone living in its grip. The characters are driven to love and betrayal, vengeance and sacrifice in a world without easy black-and-white answers.
Based on an ancient Egyptian legend, packed with action and intrigue, Vampire Elite will pull you into the entrancing world of immortals and open new portals into their hidden universe.
Excerpt:
As the auctioneer spoke, two Sekhmi in eveningwear—a male carrying an elegant dagger and a female a silver tray covered with glass vials—approached the Amiti girl. “She’s barely eighteen, ladies and gentlemen. That’s a good three years younger than the youngest bloodstock you’ll usually come across. Look at her; she’s stunning, simply stunning, and as you can see, we’ve kept her well conditioned, in excellent health.”The auctioneer paused as the male Hunter grasped the Amiti’s hand and held it above the tray. The girl showed no resistance, her only display of anxiety the butterfly fluttering of her thick eyelashes. He raised his other hand, and the dagger flashed in the light as with a swift motion he slit the Amiti’s palm. The dark, intoxicating scent of fresh blood filled the room as it poured into the vials.
Simone’s gums began to itch and burn, and she covered her mouth with her hand so no one would see her fangs punching down. It was considered terribly rude to expose one’s fangs in public, even among other vampires. But she needn’t have worried; everyone’s attention was riveted to the stage and the blood flowing from the girl’s wound. The room vibrated with bloodlust and sexual arousal. The female Sekhmi approached Simone’s table, offering the Royal Pride the first of the blood samples. Knowing that all eyes were on her, Simone forced herself not to hesitate and took a small sip—and was immediately flooded with euphoria.
“For this magnificent specimen, we open the bidding at ten million U.S. dollars,” announced the auctioneer.
Irina Argo is a combined pen name for two authors, Irina Kardos and Jo-An Torres.
Irina
Irina’s world is dark. She works as a clinical psychologist in a Juvenile Correctional Facility dealing with the extremes of human behavior on a regular basis and takes care of her paralyzed husband who suffered a stroke several years ago. To bring light into her life she writes. Writing has always been her passion. She is originally from Russia where she was employed as a TV journalist. Jo-An
Jo-An is a Leo, a lioness who has emerged to follow her dream, to someday write a book of her own. She owned a costume shop for 15 years and was able to satisfy and excel in her creative nature. She is an over-achiever and believes that anything is possible if you believe in yourself and ignore the nay-sayers. Her philosophy is based on Shakespeare "It is not in the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves." She currently resides in California with her 5 cats and 1 husband.
One randomly chosen commenter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card. RafflecopterTWITTER HASHTAG FOR TOUR --- #GF_VAMPIRE
Blurb:
Can the ultimate choice be made if saving your race means destroying the one you love?
At the beginning of the twenty-first century of our era a millennia long war between two immortal races was coming to an end. The Vampire Elite, the strongest among vampires, forced the race of immortal beings, the Amiti to become their blood suppliers, called bloodstock, locking them in their underground cells and treating them like livestock. The surviving free Amiti make a final attempt to strike back. The Queen of Amiti is proclaimed a traitor and is executed. Her death signifies the rise of a new Queen, her young daughter Arianna who becomes the last hope of her dying race. Arianna totally embraces her mission and is ready to fight for her people to the last drop of her blood but encounters an unexpected challenge—the vampire King Tor. They both are captured into a trap of love where they had to make an ultimate choice; to kill the loved one or to let their races die.Vampire Elite is the epic story of a bitter conflict between two peoples, and the effect of that conflict on everyone living in its grip. The characters are driven to love and betrayal, vengeance and sacrifice in a world without easy black-and-white answers.
Based on an ancient Egyptian legend, packed with action and intrigue, Vampire Elite will pull you into the entrancing world of immortals and open new portals into their hidden universe.
Excerpt:
As the auctioneer spoke, two Sekhmi in eveningwear—a male carrying an elegant dagger and a female a silver tray covered with glass vials—approached the Amiti girl. “She’s barely eighteen, ladies and gentlemen. That’s a good three years younger than the youngest bloodstock you’ll usually come across. Look at her; she’s stunning, simply stunning, and as you can see, we’ve kept her well conditioned, in excellent health.”The auctioneer paused as the male Hunter grasped the Amiti’s hand and held it above the tray. The girl showed no resistance, her only display of anxiety the butterfly fluttering of her thick eyelashes. He raised his other hand, and the dagger flashed in the light as with a swift motion he slit the Amiti’s palm. The dark, intoxicating scent of fresh blood filled the room as it poured into the vials.
Simone’s gums began to itch and burn, and she covered her mouth with her hand so no one would see her fangs punching down. It was considered terribly rude to expose one’s fangs in public, even among other vampires. But she needn’t have worried; everyone’s attention was riveted to the stage and the blood flowing from the girl’s wound. The room vibrated with bloodlust and sexual arousal. The female Sekhmi approached Simone’s table, offering the Royal Pride the first of the blood samples. Knowing that all eyes were on her, Simone forced herself not to hesitate and took a small sip—and was immediately flooded with euphoria. “For this magnificent specimen, we open the bidding at ten million U.S. dollars,” announced the auctioneer.
June 5, 2013
@KristineMason and her new release Shadow of Danger #bookblast
About the Author:
I didn’t pick up my first romance novel until I was in my late twenties. Immediately hooked, I read a bazillion books before deciding to write one of my own. After the birth of my first son I needed something to keep my mind from turning to mush, and Sesame Street wasn’t cutting it. While that first book will never see the light of day, something good had come from writing it. I realized my passion, and had found a career that I love.When I’m not writing contemporary romances and dark, romantic suspense novels (or reading them!) I’m chasing after my four kids and two neurotic dogs
Website
Kristine will be awarding four (4) print copies of Pick Me (US only) and three (3) $10 Amazon GCs to randomly drawn commenters during the tour. Blurb:
Four women have been found dead in the outskirts of a small Wisconsin town. The only witness, clairvoyant Celeste Risinski, observes these brutal murders through violent nightmares and hellish visions. The local sheriff, who believes in Celeste’s abilities and wants to rid their peaceful community of a killer, enlists the help on an old friend, Ian Scott, owner of a private criminal investigation agency, CORE. Because of Ian’s dark history with Celeste’s family, a history she knows nothing about, he sends his top criminalist, former FBI agent John Kain to investigate.
John doesn’t believe in Celeste’s mystic hocus-pocus, or in her visions of the murders. But just when he’s certain they’ve solved the crimes, with the use of science and evidence, more dead bodies are discovered. Could this somehow be the work of the same killer or were they dealing with a copycat? To catch a vicious murderer, the skeptical criminalist reluctantly turns to the sensual psychic for help. Yet with each step closer to finding the killer, John finds himself one step closer to losing his heart.
Excerpt:
John Kain knelt, resting his forearm on his thigh as he studied one of the four victims. Bruises marred her flesh, her inner thighs, her face and chest, while her mouth gaped open as if she’d died screaming. The thin line of purple running around her neck was telling. She’d been strangled. Beaten, raped, then strangled. Just like the other three.
Roy, the sheriff who’d reminded him of Paul Bunyan, minus the ax and blue ox, came up beside him. “What are you thinking?”
John stood, then scanned the area, the dense woods, the highway where the deputies had set up a road block. The smooth asphalt was littered with police cruisers, several CSU vans, and maybe a half-dozen deputies. “I can’t be sure, but I spoke with...Mitchell?”“Yeah.” The sheriff nodded. “He’s the lead with Eau Claire’s CSU team.”
“Mitchell tentatively confirmed your suspicions, but will know more during the autopsies.”
“Shit.”
“My exact thought. You’re in a heap of it.” And he’d just plowed through his own pile in Chicago, the stench still lingering, still fresh.
When he’d joined CORE, he’d known he would see just as much as he had when he’d been with the FBI, but Ian had promised downtime in between cases, something he’d never had with the Bureau. Something he needed now. What he’d witnessed while working with the Chicago PD and FBI Field Office would haunt him for a lifetime. And as pissed as he was about having a mini vacation dangled in front of him, then quickly pulled away with one simple phone call, he still had a job to do.
Books available on Amazon, B & N, iBooks
June 3, 2013
#Guest: Cathy Mansell and her new release Shadow Across the Liffey
About the Author:
Member of Leicester Writers’ Club, Just Write workshop, Life President of Lutterworth Writers’ Group, Member NAWG, Member Romantic Novelist Association and past president of Riverside Speakers club.
Cathy is an experienced writer of romantic fiction. Her early work was competition short stories and articles published in national magazines. She was Editor in Chief of the Leicestershire Anthology, ‘Taking Off’, a book promoted and supported by Arts Council UK.
In recent times, Cathy has turned to writing full-length novels that are set in Ireland/England. Her debut book Shadow Across the Liffey was published on 7thFebruary 2013 by Tirgearr Publishing. She was a recent contestant on the TV show Food Glorious Food to be broadcast on 27th February 2013
cathy.ashbymagna@zen.co.ukwww.cathymansell.comwww.facebook.com/cathy.mansell4twitter.@cathymansell3www.linkedin.com/pub/cathy-mansell/46/B50/550
Welcome, Cathy, and thanks for taking the time to answer my quesitons!1. At any given time do you work on only one story at a time and maybe plot out the next one or are there many ideas racing around your head?
No. I’m not that clever. I have to work on one story at a time. Sometimes, whenI am three quarters way through the book an idea for another one will come. I let it bubble until I have finished what I’m doing.
2. Is there a genre you haven't written in but would like to? Or wish you could write in?
Sure, I would love to be able to write a science fiction story. I’m fascinated by stories that are set in imaginary worlds. I often wonder how an author researches for this kind of genre. I would also love to write a book in the first person, and make it believable.
3. Say you have unlimited funds: What kind of writing office/cottage would you create for yourself? Great question: I’d buy a cottage somewhere in the West of Ireland and have one of the rooms converted into a study overlooking fields, a stream and mountains. This would definitely inspire me. Oh, but it’s only a dream. A holiday somewhere like that would be lovely.
4. If you could turn your novel into a TV show, which novel or series would you do? Where would it be set? Network TV (ABC, NBC, CBS), Cable (AMC, BBC, Lifetime) or Premium Cable (HBO, Showtime, Starz)?
Shadow Across the Liffey would lend itself nicely to a TV drama/film. Set in 1960s Ireland where the story is set with the likes of Julia Roberts and Colin Firth as the main characters. and Irish actors to play the minor parts. It would be such fun. BBC have done great drams recently. We need more. Who wouldn’t love to see their novel turned into a movie.
6. Finally, tell us about your latest release!
I’m very excited about my latest release, Her Father’s Daughter, out with Tirgearr Publishing on June 6th. This is a mystery suspense. A gripping story of one woman’s search for the truth.
BLURB HER FATHER’S DAUGHTER
Set in the 1950s Ireland, twenty-year-old Sarah Nolan leaves her home in Dublin after
a series of arguments. She has taken a job in Cork city with the Gazette, a move her parents’strongly oppose. With her limited budget, she is forced to take unsavoury lodgings where the property owner can’t be trusted. Soon after she settles in, Sarah befriends sixteen-year-old Lucy, who has been left abandoned and pregnant.
Dan Madden is a charming and flirtatious journalist who wins Sarah’s heart. He promises to end his relationship with Ruth, but can Sarah trust him to keep his word?
It is when her editor asks to see her birth certificate that she discovers some long-hidden secrets. Her parents’ behaviour continues to baffle her and her problems with Dan and Lucy multiply.
Will Dan stand by Sarah in her time of need? Will Sarah be able to help Lucy keep her baby? Or, will the secrets destroy Sarah and everything she dreams of for her future. Cathy will award a $10 Amazon gift card to one random commenter at the end of the tour and two $5 Amazon gift cards to random commenters Shadow Across the Liffey:
Blurb:
A gripping story of how family secrets can wreak havoc on the present.
In 60’s Ireland life is hard for widow, Oona Quinn, grief-stricken by the tragic deaths of her husband and five-year-old daughter. Struggling to survive, she meets charismatic Jack Walsh at the Shipping Office.
Vinnie Kelly, her son's biological father, just out of jail, sets out to destroy Oona and all she holds dear. Haunted by her past, she has to fight for her future and the safety of her son, Sean. But Vinnie has revenge on his mind . ..
Excerpt:
Oona and her sister laughed as they blew up coloured balloons for Jacqueline’s fifth birthday party, placing them prettily around the room.
‘This is hard work.’ Sighing, Oona hooked her long dark hair behind her ears. ‘I wish I’d asked Eamon to do all this and gone to fetch the birthday cake myself.’
‘Oh, yes. Can you see our men making fairy cakes and arranging a table as pretty as this one?’ Connie was perched at the top of the stepladder, tying pink balloons around the lampshade above the party table.
‘Give over!’ Oona handed her another balloon. ‘Eamon wouldn’t have a clue how to bake a cake.’
Oona Quinn was twenty-six, two years younger than her sister, and as dark as Connie was fair. A petite five feet two inches, with dark brown eyes and small slender hands, she worked part-time in a shipping office. Her husband had wanted her to be a stay-at-home mum, but she had won him round by telling him that it gave her a sense of importance to be contributing to the family income.
‘Have you tried Mam’s new teacake recipe yet?’ Connie asked.
‘Is it good?’
‘Well, Dessie loves it. You soak the fruit overnight in cold tea. I’ll bring you some over next time I bake one.’
‘All this talk of food’s making me hungry.’ Oona clutched her stomach. ‘Let’s have a cup of tea and then we can finish blowing up the rest of the balloons.’
Buy links: www.tirgearrpublishing.comwww.amazon.co.ukwww.amazon.comwww.amazon.com/tirgearrpublishing
Member of Leicester Writers’ Club, Just Write workshop, Life President of Lutterworth Writers’ Group, Member NAWG, Member Romantic Novelist Association and past president of Riverside Speakers club.Cathy is an experienced writer of romantic fiction. Her early work was competition short stories and articles published in national magazines. She was Editor in Chief of the Leicestershire Anthology, ‘Taking Off’, a book promoted and supported by Arts Council UK.
In recent times, Cathy has turned to writing full-length novels that are set in Ireland/England. Her debut book Shadow Across the Liffey was published on 7thFebruary 2013 by Tirgearr Publishing. She was a recent contestant on the TV show Food Glorious Food to be broadcast on 27th February 2013
cathy.ashbymagna@zen.co.ukwww.cathymansell.comwww.facebook.com/cathy.mansell4twitter.@cathymansell3www.linkedin.com/pub/cathy-mansell/46/B50/550
Welcome, Cathy, and thanks for taking the time to answer my quesitons!1. At any given time do you work on only one story at a time and maybe plot out the next one or are there many ideas racing around your head?
No. I’m not that clever. I have to work on one story at a time. Sometimes, whenI am three quarters way through the book an idea for another one will come. I let it bubble until I have finished what I’m doing.
2. Is there a genre you haven't written in but would like to? Or wish you could write in?
Sure, I would love to be able to write a science fiction story. I’m fascinated by stories that are set in imaginary worlds. I often wonder how an author researches for this kind of genre. I would also love to write a book in the first person, and make it believable.
3. Say you have unlimited funds: What kind of writing office/cottage would you create for yourself? Great question: I’d buy a cottage somewhere in the West of Ireland and have one of the rooms converted into a study overlooking fields, a stream and mountains. This would definitely inspire me. Oh, but it’s only a dream. A holiday somewhere like that would be lovely.
4. If you could turn your novel into a TV show, which novel or series would you do? Where would it be set? Network TV (ABC, NBC, CBS), Cable (AMC, BBC, Lifetime) or Premium Cable (HBO, Showtime, Starz)?
Shadow Across the Liffey would lend itself nicely to a TV drama/film. Set in 1960s Ireland where the story is set with the likes of Julia Roberts and Colin Firth as the main characters. and Irish actors to play the minor parts. It would be such fun. BBC have done great drams recently. We need more. Who wouldn’t love to see their novel turned into a movie.
6. Finally, tell us about your latest release!
I’m very excited about my latest release, Her Father’s Daughter, out with Tirgearr Publishing on June 6th. This is a mystery suspense. A gripping story of one woman’s search for the truth.
BLURB HER FATHER’S DAUGHTER
Set in the 1950s Ireland, twenty-year-old Sarah Nolan leaves her home in Dublin after
a series of arguments. She has taken a job in Cork city with the Gazette, a move her parents’strongly oppose. With her limited budget, she is forced to take unsavoury lodgings where the property owner can’t be trusted. Soon after she settles in, Sarah befriends sixteen-year-old Lucy, who has been left abandoned and pregnant.Dan Madden is a charming and flirtatious journalist who wins Sarah’s heart. He promises to end his relationship with Ruth, but can Sarah trust him to keep his word?
It is when her editor asks to see her birth certificate that she discovers some long-hidden secrets. Her parents’ behaviour continues to baffle her and her problems with Dan and Lucy multiply.
Will Dan stand by Sarah in her time of need? Will Sarah be able to help Lucy keep her baby? Or, will the secrets destroy Sarah and everything she dreams of for her future. Cathy will award a $10 Amazon gift card to one random commenter at the end of the tour and two $5 Amazon gift cards to random commenters Shadow Across the Liffey:
Blurb:
A gripping story of how family secrets can wreak havoc on the present.
In 60’s Ireland life is hard for widow, Oona Quinn, grief-stricken by the tragic deaths of her husband and five-year-old daughter. Struggling to survive, she meets charismatic Jack Walsh at the Shipping Office.
Vinnie Kelly, her son's biological father, just out of jail, sets out to destroy Oona and all she holds dear. Haunted by her past, she has to fight for her future and the safety of her son, Sean. But Vinnie has revenge on his mind . ..
Excerpt:
Oona and her sister laughed as they blew up coloured balloons for Jacqueline’s fifth birthday party, placing them prettily around the room.
‘This is hard work.’ Sighing, Oona hooked her long dark hair behind her ears. ‘I wish I’d asked Eamon to do all this and gone to fetch the birthday cake myself.’‘Oh, yes. Can you see our men making fairy cakes and arranging a table as pretty as this one?’ Connie was perched at the top of the stepladder, tying pink balloons around the lampshade above the party table.
‘Give over!’ Oona handed her another balloon. ‘Eamon wouldn’t have a clue how to bake a cake.’
Oona Quinn was twenty-six, two years younger than her sister, and as dark as Connie was fair. A petite five feet two inches, with dark brown eyes and small slender hands, she worked part-time in a shipping office. Her husband had wanted her to be a stay-at-home mum, but she had won him round by telling him that it gave her a sense of importance to be contributing to the family income.
‘Have you tried Mam’s new teacake recipe yet?’ Connie asked.
‘Is it good?’
‘Well, Dessie loves it. You soak the fruit overnight in cold tea. I’ll bring you some over next time I bake one.’
‘All this talk of food’s making me hungry.’ Oona clutched her stomach. ‘Let’s have a cup of tea and then we can finish blowing up the rest of the balloons.’
Buy links: www.tirgearrpublishing.comwww.amazon.co.ukwww.amazon.comwww.amazon.com/tirgearrpublishing
