Lena Diaz's Blog, page 17

If Dogs Could Talk

If dogs could talk it would take a lot of the fun out of owning one~Andy Rooney

Lena Diaz’s adorable dog Sparky

Maybe it’s just me, but I think it would be extra fun if dogs could talk!

Remember Andy Rooney and that delightful acerbic wit of his? I sure do. And I miss his brief, straight to the point rants on the television show 60 Minutes. His segments were fun, and I think a precursor of Jerry Seinfeld’s What’s up with that? routines.

So today in honor of Andy Rooney or Jerry Seinfeld or both, I have a What’s up with that? blog for you.

First the disclaimer: Just because I don’t understand it doesn’t mean it doesn’t make sense. Maybe you can explain it to me, because I feel confident that right here among us are readers who do it.

What is it? You ask. Well, this it. I scratch my head whenever I hear someone say: I really did not enjoy this book, but once I start a book I have to finish it.

Erm. I don’t get it.

Krista’s adorable dog, Rosie

I realize there are some good reasons to finish books you don’t like. For example, your mother wrote it and dedicated it to you (Shannon I’m talking to you). Your critique partner wrote it (my critique partners only write awesome books, but I’m just sayin’ in case yours doesn’t). You agreed to judge it in a contest. You are a book blogger or agreed to provide a review. Your teacher assigned it, and there’s a quiz tomorrow. I’m not talking about these situations.

I’m talking about someone who feels they must finish a book because they bought it or started it, or just because they can’t quit anything.

Now I’ve sat through a few movies I didn’t like, but that was because I was with someone else, and I didn’t want to make them miss out on something they were enjoying. But I have never finished a book I didn’t like without a good reason. The world is littered with books I’ve begun but didn’t finish, and I don’t feel one iota of guilt.

 

So here’s my question: What kind of reader are you? Are you a wall-banger like me, who tosses the book at the first sign of trouble? Or do you finish a book no matter what? If you do, please tell us why. Ten dollar Starbucks card to one lucky commenter.

Filed under: Carey Baldwin, readers Tagged: Andy Rooney, Carey Baldwin, giveaway, Krista Hall, Lena Diaz, readers

MURDER DOWN UNDER WINNER!

CONGRATULATIONS, JACQUI NELSON!

You’re the Murder Down Under winner of The Profiler ebook!

  To claim your prize contact us with your email address and preferred format within 10 days.

* * *

And don’t miss Carey Baldwin’s Andy Rooney style blog next Tuesday!

A Starbucks gift card is up for grabs! 

Happy reading!

Filed under: Krista Hall, Thursday Winner Tagged: Australia, Carey Baldwin, Chris Taylor, International Romantic Suspense, The Betrayal, The Investigator, The Predator, The Profiler

MURDER DOWN UNDER WITH AUTHOR CHRIS TAYLOR

My infatuation with all things Australia started in the early eighties with The Thorn Birds, Mad Max, and A Town Like Alice. Then came the Shark Greg Norman, Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, and Wolverine Hugh Jackman. Now I have a new name to add to my Aussie fan girl list: Australian writer Chris Taylor and her Australia-based romantic suspense series: The Munro Family.

I first met Chris last year when we were both finalists for the 2013 Golden Heart Award for Romantic Suspense. Today she  joins us (from a time zone 14 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Daylight Time aka UTC/GMT+10) to talk about her debut suspense series–4 books published and more on the way. And be sure to read to the end for details about the giveaway.

G’day and welcome to K&T, Chris!

With settings in Sydney, Canberra, and northern New South Wales, reading the Munro Family series is like taking an armchair vacation to Australia. (I recognize the Parliament House in the background of one of your covers.) Where did your inspiration for the series come from?

Chris: I’ve always loved reading series. When I discover an author I absolutely can’t get enough of, it’s a dream come true if I also find out they have written a series. I get to revisit all of those characters I’ve fallen in love with along the way and I get to the point where I almost feel part of their family! (A little weird, but true LOL!)

So, I wanted to give my readers that same kind of experience. That said, I also wanted my books to be stand alone stories, so that it didn’t matter if you came into the series halfway or read them out of order. I think you get more out of The Munro Family Series if you read them in order because you know all of the past history etc, but you can pick up any of my books and enjoy the story. That was very important to me.

The name “Munro” was also an important choice. In my hometown, there are two very prominent families and they both share the surname “Munro”. One family is Aboriginal and the other family is white. They are not related.

In The Munro Family Series, the patriarch of the family is Aboriginal and his wife (the mother of the Munro children who feature in the series), is white. The children are mixed heritage and each one deals with this in their own way (along with solving crimes and finding love – I do write romantic suspense after all!).

Tell us how your background prepared you to write the series?

Chris: My background as a lawyer has helped enormously with the legal /crime aspects of the series. All of the Munro men (including their Aboriginal father) are in law enforcement. During my years as a criminal lawyer, I worked for both the prosecution and for the defence at various times over the course of my career and I have been inside many police stations, jails and courtrooms. I am also very fortunate to have the opportunity to regularly consult on all aspects of policing with a currently serving Australian Federal Police officer (AFP) which is a bit like the FBI in the US. It has helped enormously with my credibility and the accuracy of my “fictional facts”.

Favorite movie(s)?   

Chris: There are so many!!  I LOVE going to the movies! Eight Seconds with Luke Perry is certainly up there, along with Pretty Woman and On Golden Pond (Wow, I’m showing my age here!) More recently, I’ve added The Book Thief, The Railway Man and of course, ANYTHING starring Hugh Jackman (anyone who has read any of my books will realize I have a bit of an obsession with him. And who could blame me??) 

Certainly not me :-) A dream trip for you would be to…?

Chris: Nashville, Tennessee. I am so hoping to be able to get there after the RWA Nationals in San Antonio this month. I am totally in love with the “Nashville” TV series and I have always LOVED country music!

What writing or publishing projects are in your future?

Chris: Book Five in The Munro Family Series (The Deception) will be released this month. Book Six (The Negotiator) and Book Seven (The Ransom) are currently being edited and Book Eight (The Defendant) is in a rough draft. I’m hoping to release all eight by the end of the year. (Yes, I function on very little sleep!!)

Wow! That’s quite a list! Congratulations, Chris! Let’s end on an excerpt from THE PROFILER—Book 1 in the Munro Family series.

A psychopathic killer is stalking the women of Sydney…

Federal Agent Clayton Munro, a criminal profiler with the Australian Federal Police (AFP), has been called upon to assist in hunting down a vicious murderer who is intent upon carving up his victims while they’re still alive. Guilt-stricken over his wife’s suicide, Clayton’s forced to set aside his personal issues in order to focus on the case.

Detective Ellie Cooper is also no stranger to heartache. Pregnant and abandoned at the altar by a fiancé intent on pursuing a career with the AFP, her opinion of the elite body of officers is anything but favorable. Angered when her boss orders her to partner with the Fed, she’s determined not to cut him any slack.

But women are dying on the streets of western Sydney and the pressure is mounting to find the person responsible.

Will Clayton and Ellie be able to put aside their animosity and work together to catch a killer before it’s too late? And what about the special fascination the killer seems to have with Ellie…

 

Chris Taylor is giving away The Profiler (ebook) to one lucky commenter. For a chance to win, tell us what you love or hate about reading series.

And Chris wants K&T readers to know that THE PROFILER will be available for free through Bookbub on July 18-28th!

You can find Chris Taylor online at www.christaylorauthor.com.au. She’s also on Facebook, Twitter, and goodreads. You can find the Munro Family series on Amazon, B&N, iBooks, and Kobo.

 

Filed under: Author Interview, Krista Hall Tagged: Australia, Canberra, Chris Taylor, Golden Heart, Munro Family Series, New South Wales, Romantic Suspense, Sydney, The Betrayl, The Investigator, The Predator, The Profiler

Mission Thailand

Ever wonder where ideas for spy stories come from? Well mine often come from visits to Washington, D.C. embassies. See if you can get a few ideas of your own after reading about my latest covert exploit.

Living in Washington is wonderful.  The city is a museum, culture is everywhere, and politics often makes sleeping pill prescriptions totally unnecessary.  Sometimes I lose sight of how interesting and different our city is, but events like the one I attended on Friday night shake out complacency.

Yes, I was a guest at the Royal Thai embassy in Georgetown.  The food was sumptuous, the Ambassador and his staff gracious, and the entertainment divine.  I had such a good time, two days later my cheeks still hurt from smiling so much. Here’s a snippet of the entertainment for you to enjoy.

The cherry on the cake truly was the Thai Masked Dance Khon Troupe from Bangkok.  For over an hour they danced, fought, joked, clowned, and displayed aspects of the Thai heritage.  The men wore brilliant golden costumes, the women dripped dozens of orchids from their hair.  Each movement — practiced over decades — seemed effortless, yet I couldn’t fathom getting my fingers into the artistic backward curving gestures or moving with such precise grace.

I’d like to thank His Excellency, Ambassador Vijavat Isarabhakdi for his kind generosity during the evening.  He reminded me of my husband’s and my trip to Bangkok a few years ago — and a place and people so lovely, I cannot wait to visit there again.

 

Filed under: DC By The Book, Diana Belchase Tagged: Embassy Functions, Inspiration for writers, Royal Thai Embassy, Story Ideas, Thailand, Washington D.C.

Crimes of Passion/Inside the Actors Studio Interview Winner!

First I want to thank the CRIMES OF PASSION authors for participating in the Inside the Actors Studio quiz! If you didn’t catch the interview, you can read the post here.

Check out CRIMES OF PASSION at: Amazon | iBooks | Kobo

The winner of CONCRETE EVIDENCE in audio CD is:

QUANTUM

Quantum, to claim your prize, contact us with your mailing address within ten days!

Filed under: Rachel Grant, Thursday Winner Tagged: 6 book bundle, Audiobook, Body of Evidence, Concrete Evidence, Crimes of Passion, Denise Grover Swank, Jennifer Blake, M A Comley, Romantic Suspense, Terri Reid, Toni Anderson

Crimes of Passion – 6 Romantic Suspense Books for $0.99!

Summer is officially here and like many of our readers, I’m looking to fill up my ereader with sexy, intense, and mysterious stories for vacation reading, which is why I’m extra thrilled to tell our Kiss and Thrill audience about a new 6-book bundle available for a limited time for only $0.99!

CRIMES OF PASSION, full of heart-pounding, sexy suspense, includes books by four New York Times bestselling authors! I am so honored to have Body of Evidence included with these fantastic titles!

~ Crimes of the Heart Collection ~

CRIMES OF PASSION

Six Romantic Suspense Books

Toni Anderson – Her Sanctuary

Terri Reid – Loose Ends

M A Comley – Past Temptation

Rachel Grant – Body of Evidence

Jennifer Blake – Love and Smoke

Denise Grover Swank – Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes

To learn more about the CRIMES OF PASSION authors, I donned my James Lipton beard and put them in the Inside the Actors Studio hot seat.

What is your favorite word?

Toni: Ethereal

Terri: Pizzazz

M A: Perpendicular

Rachel: Kismet

Jennifer: Serendipity

Denise: Yes

What is your least favorite word?

Toni: Vomit

Terri: Should

M A: Scenario

Rachel: Fart

Jennifer: Skanky

Denise: No

What turns you on?

Toni: Tom Hardy’s smile

Terri: A good mystery

M A: Kindness

Rachel: Wit (six-pack abs don’t hurt either)

Jennifer: Tenderness

Denise: A confident man

What turns you off?

Toni: The list is endless.

Terri: Bad writing

M A: Conceit

Rachel: Fart jokes

Jennifer: Vulgarity

Denise: Negativity

What sound or noise do you love?

Toni: Bird song

Terri: An owl hooting nearby on a dark night

M A: A trickling stream

Rachel: My children’s laughter

Jennifer: Ocean surf

Denise: My children’s laughter

What sound or noise do you hate?

Toni: Bird song at 5 AM

Terri: Arguing

M A: Animals in pain

Rachel: Leaf blowers

Jennifer: NASCAR racing

Denise: Loud squeaks

What is your favorite curse word?

Toni: Fuck

Terri: Crap – just ask Mary O’Reilly

M A: Shit

Rachel: Fuck

Jennifer: Hell

Denise: Frickety-frack (I have little kids. Enough said.)

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

Toni: FBI agent :)

Terri: Billionaire – that’s a profession, right?

M A: Vet

Rachel: Covert operative

Jennifer: Artist

Denise: I love being an author. I wouldn’t want to be anything else.

What profession would you not like to do?

Toni: Garbage man – looks like the hardest job in the world in this city.

Terri: Proctologist – ’nuff said.

M A: Slaughterman

Rachel: Any job that involves putrid odors on a daily basis.

Jennifer: Nursing

Denise: Sanitation worker

If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?

Toni: “They’re all waiting for you.” :)

Terri: “Welcome home.”

M A: “Welcome, I’ve had my eye on you for a while. Thanks for going the extra mile to support all the needy animals on Earth.”

Rachel: “I’ve decided to make an exception in your case.”

Jennifer: “Come on in, honey, glad to see you could make it!”

Denise: “You made the world a better place.”

I love both the similarities and differences in our answers! What do you think? Do you have a favorite word? To celebrate the release of CRIMES OF PASSION I’m giving away a copy of CONCRETE EVIDENCE in audiobook (CD format) to one randomly selected commenter.

BODY OF EVIDENCE (Evidence Series) – Rachel Grant

In North Korea retrieving the remains of GIs, archaeologist Mara Garrett is arrested and sentenced to death for spying. Curt Dominick, an ambitious, infuriatingly sexy US attorney mounts a rescue misson that morphs into an explosive chase across the Pacific. Desire clashes with loyalty when the conspiracy they uncover threatens not only their lives but national security.

HER SANCTUARY – Toni Anderson

Running for her life, ex-FBI agent Elizabeth Ward escapes to the solitude of Montana with a new identity. Nat Sullivan, struggling to keep his ranch from bankruptcy, doesn’t need a beautiful stranger complicating his life. But Elizabeth isn’t what she seems. And when a murderer and rapist track her down, they all discover the power of revenge — and redemption.

TWENTY-EIGHT AND A HALF WISHES (Rose Gardner Mystery – Book 1) – Denise Grover Swank

Rose Gardner’s had visions before, but never of herself dead. When her overbearing momma winds up murdered instead, she’s the prime suspect. Rose makes a bucketlist of 28 wishes, targeting neighbor Joe, with secrets of his own, for #15: Do more with a man. Then her house is broken into, someone else she knows is murdered, and suddenly, dying a virgin in jail isn’t her biggest worry.

LOOSE ENDS (A Mary O’Reilly Paranormal Mystery – Book 1) – Terri Reid

Combining her cop experience with a talent to communicate with ghosts, PI Mary O’Reilly’s big challenge is convincing the handsome police chief she’s not nuts. But when the ghost of a woman drowned in a Senator’s swimming pool 24 years ago points to a connection with the cold cases of five missing girls, Mary becomes a target of a serial killer out to tie up all his loose ends.

LOVE AND SMOKE (Contemporary Collection) – Jennifer Blake

Riva Staulet triumphed over past betrayal to reinvent herself as a woman of wealth and power. Noel has always been a Southern gentleman of rock-solid principle, stalward in his sense of justice. When a ruthless politician from her past resurfaces, Riva must risk utter ruin to prove him a murderer. And as death and disaster loom, Noel must choose to stand with her or against her.

PAST TEMPTATION (Temptation Series) – M A Comley

Until now, Nicole’s main focus in life has been running her successful business while raising her daughter, Sammy Jo, single-handedly. Now, Nicole’s ex-boyfriend, Josh, has turned up determined to rekindle the relationship he ran out on. But before they get the chance to pick up where they left off, Nicole’s personal life is put in mortal danger.

Check out CRIMES OF PASSION at: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

And don’t forget to comment for a chance to win CONCRETE EVIDENCE in audio CD!

Filed under: Rachel Grant Tagged: 6 book bundle, Body of Evidence, Crimes of Passion, Crimes of the Heart Collection, Denise Grover Swank, Her Sanctuary, Inside the Actors Studio, Jennifer Blake, Loose Ends, Love and Smoke, M A Comley, Past Temptation, Rachel Grant, Romantic Suspense, Steel Magnolia Press, Teri Reid, Toni Anderson, Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes

Winner! We Have a Winner Here!

Thanks so much for sharing your favorite reads with me on Tuesday’s Appreciation Post! Hope you try one of the great suggestions–maybe even Karin Slaughter’s amazing  COP TOWN!

Now, without further ado, the winner of an ARC of my upcoming book WHY LORDS LOSE THEIR HEARTS is Patti Straight!!! Congratulations, Patti! Email me using the CONTACT US link above with your snail mail address and ill get it out to you ASAP!

 

 

Come back next Tuesday when the always excellent RACHEL GRANT shares some REALLY EXCITING NEWS!!! What can it be??? Like the Go Gos, my lips are sealed!!

 

 

 

Filed under: Uncategorized

Karin Slaughter’s COP TOWN–An Appreciation

COP TOWN–A fantastic read!

Here at Kiss and Thrill, we don’t do reviews per se. What we do are better called, to my mind, appreciations.

These are the books that strike a chord, that make us wish we’d written them ourselves, that leave us turning the last page with a happy sigh. Karin Slaughter’s latest, COP TOWN, is certainly worthy of all the appreciation I can muster.

Better known for her Grant County and Will Trent series, COP TOWN is a bit of a departure for Slaughter, in that it’s a stand alone novel set in 1975 Atlanta.

When I read her 2012 book, CRIMINAL, which jumped back and forth between the early 1970s and the present, I was sad to see her close that 70s storyline, not because I didn’t want more Will Trent, but because I was equally as drawn to the women breaking barriers as cops in the Atlanta PD forty years ago.

CRIMINAL–70s + Will Trent=Awesome!

Fortunately for me, Karin Slaughter was also eager to revisit the turbulent70s and thank goodness she was. Because COP TOWN is easily the best mystery/thriller I’ve read this year. Following two female patrol cops–one a rookie and the other the sister and niece of cops–COP TOWN explores not only crime and punishment in the era, but also gives a very authentic portrait of life in post-war, post integration, post women’s movement Atlanta. And it’s not a pretty picture.

Kate Murphy, the rookie, is the widow of a Vietnam soldier, who, tired of spending her days weeping, decides to make a change, and that means joining the Atlanta PD. And, as luck would have it, she ends up partnered with Maggie Lawson, whose Uncle Terry and brother Jimmy are both cops too, making Maggie less than thrilled to show newbie Kate the ropes.

What follows is a fast paced, exhilarating, and–yes–sexy tale that kept me turning the pages well into the night. But what will stick with me is the characterization.

I especially appreciated the nuanced portrait of Kate, which was careful not to portray her as a saintly widow, and didn’t hold back when describing the ups and downs of her marriage. One of the things I appreciate most about Slaughter is that she shows love in all it’s messy, complicated, sometimes cruel facets. I also loved watching Kate develop from a scared baby cop into a seasoned veteran in the space of a week. Because her trial was by fire, and darned if she didn’t come through it alive and kicking.

Whether you’re looking for a police procedural with a complex and edge of your seat mystery, or a character driven story about two very strong female characters coming into their own, you can’t go wrong with COP TOWN. The PR materials say it’s a stand alone, but I’ve got my fingers crossed that Karin Slaughter will make this one an ongoing series. There’s a bit of a romance thread in this one and it’s one of the things that didn’t get tied up. But I’ve got my fingers crossed so here’s hoping!

Why not? She granted my wish the last time, right?

What have you read lately that knocked your socks off? I’ll give one lucky commenter an ARC (electronic or print, your choice) of my upcoming WHY LORDS LOSE THEIR HEARTS which Romantic Times just called, “chilling and sweet”!

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: appreciation, Cop Town, Criminal, Karin Slaughter, Manda Collins, WHY LORDS LOSE THEIR HEARTS

2014 Summer Reading List for Teens and Tweens

First I want to thank everyone who suggested books for the list. We have an amazing selection of books and authors! My kids will officially be on summer break around noon today and ready to fill their ereaders or hit the library. To that end, I’ve taken all the recommendations and compiled them into one Word document you can download by clicking: K&T 2014 MG & YA Reading List. To make it easy to download samples, embedded in the document are links to each book’s page at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iBooks. Or you can print the list and bring it with you to the library.

And now for our winner  who gets to choose one of the books my kids recommended:

The winner is…
Sunny!

Sunny, to claim your book please contact me with your preferred format (print or ebook) and your selection from Tuesday’s blog within 10 days.

Join us next week at Kiss and Thrill, when we will be adding to our adult summer reading list with two reviews by Manda Collins.

Filed under: Rachel Grant, Thursday Winner Tagged: Middle Grade books, summer reading list, Young Adult books

2014 Middle Grade/Young Adult Summer Reading List

It’s the time of year when I turn to my friend young adult author Amanda Brice and beg her for middle grade and young adult mystery titles that will keep my 11-year-old son and 14-year-old daughter entertained for the coming months and share those recommendations with our readers. This year, sadly, Amanda is offline due to a sick toddler, so my daughter and son are filling in with their book recommendations. All of us at Kiss and Thrill hope Amanda’s little guy gets better quickly!

As we do each year, I’m asking our readers to chime in with their book recommendations in the comments. Summer is long and my kids are voracious readers, I need books! One lucky commenter will win a print or ebook copy of one of the books recommended by my kids - winner’s choice. On Thursday I’ll post a downloadable list of all the books recommended here and in the blog comments.

Before we get started on our list, here is a mom tip from me: if your son or daughter has an ereader of their own, use the links on this page to send a sample directly to their device. No need to remember titles or guess what they’ll like because they can try them all for free!

Here are my daughter’s book recommendations, in no particular order. (If you check out this list every year, you will see some titles repeated from previous years. These are books she really, really loves.)

1816 Candles

by Amanda Brice

The Selection

by Kiera Cass

City of Bones

by Cassandra Clare

Wreckless

by Bria Quinlan

 

 

The Other Side of the Island

by Allegra Goodman

Enclave

by Ann Aguirre

Defiance

by C.J. Redwine

Goodbye Rebel Blue

by Shelley Coriell

 

 

Bloom

by A.P. Kensey

Maid of Secrets

by Jennifer McGowan

First Light

by Rebecca Stead

Cold Magic

by Kate Elliot

 

 

For Darkness Shows the Stars

by Diana Peterfreund

Alanna:The First Adventure (Song of the Lioness)

by Tamora Pierce

Heist Society

by Ally Carter

Eleanor & Park

by Rainbow Rowell

 

 

The Immortal Rules

by Julie Kagawa

Cinder

by Marissa Meyer

Dangerous

by Shannon Hale

I Am Malala

by Malala Yousafzai

 

 

Here are my son’s book recommendations, in no particular order.

The Hunger Games

by Suzanne Collins

The Ruins of Gorlan (Ranger’s Apprentice Book 1)

by John A. Flanagan

Ender’s Game

by Orson Scott Card

Stormbreaker (Alex Rider)

by Anthony Horowitz

 

 

School of Fear

by Gitty Daneshvari

The Lightning Thief

by Rick Riordan

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

by Jeff Kinney

Battle Heroes: Voices from Afghanistan

by Allan Zullo

 

 

When My Name was Keoko

by Linda Sue Park

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

by J.K. Rowling

Holes

by Louis Sachar

The Hobbit

by J.R.R. Tolkien

 

 

Okay readers, my kids have shared some of their favorites, now it’s your turn! Please post your book recommendations for middle school and high school aged readers. One commenter will win a copy of one of the books my kids recommended, winner’s choice! Check back on Thursday to see if you are our winner.

Filed under: book recommendations, Rachel Grant Tagged: Middle Grade books, summer reading list, Young Adult books