Lena Diaz's Blog, page 19
May 8, 2014
The News: Shelley Coriell’s Apostles Series is here!
THE AUTHOR
No one was more excited than the authors at K&T when we heard The News that our Golden Heart sister Shelley Coriell was writing a romantic suspense series. The first book in the series THE BROKEN has finally arrived in the stores, and more importantly, on our bookshelves. And even better still, Shelley is spending the day at K&T to talk about The Apostles series. Before I introduce her, let’s start with The Buzz. And don’t stop reading before you find out about The Giveaway. Shelley’s Book Birthday Bash and Book Giveaway is AMAZING!
THE BUZZ
“… the suspense is top-notch, with so many twists and turns that even the most astute reader will be riveted to the stunning conclusion.” — Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
“TOP PICK, 4.5 Stars. Coriell’s latest grips the reader from the first page. A definite must-read.” — RT Book Reviews Publishers Weekly — Best Summer Books 2014
THE BOOK
THE BROKEN (Apostles Series #1)
He took her life, but left her alive.
Three years ago, reporter Kate Johnson was the first victim-and only survivor-of the Broadcast Butcher. Scarred both physically and psychologically by the brutal serial killer, Kate lives life on the run, knowing that one day, he will find her and finish what he started.
In the pursuit of justice, you sometimes have to step outside the law.
Agent Hayden Reed spends his life chasing monsters. The only way to stay sane is to detach, but the second the Broadcast Butcher case crosses his desk, Hayden knows this is the case that might just cost him his soul. To catch this vicious murderer before he strikes again, Hayden must find Kate and earn her trust. For it’s her darkest secrets that hold the key to stopping this madman once and for all . . .
THE INTERVIEW
KH: Congratulations on such stellar reviews, Shelley! How did you come up with the idea for the maverick team of elite FBI agents called the Apostles? Did you do any special research for this story?
SHELLEY: I kept writing stories about law enforcement officers who weren’t afraid to break a few rules when it came to fighting evil. Since my hunky crime fighters worked outside the box and at times outside the law, I knew they wouldn’t fit in with the Blue Suits at the FBI. That’s when Parker Lord popped into my head. A childhood friend of the president of the United Sates, he’s a legendary FBI agent who is now wheelchair bound and living as a semi-recluse along the rocky cliffs of Northern Maine. Over the past five years, Parker has hand-picked a select group of agents who, like him, are a little maverick, a lot broken, but in the end, fierce champions of justice. As for research, I went through an eight-week citizens police academy where I trained in everything from fire arms to crisis negotiations to forensics. That’s also where I learned how to throw a 250-pound man over my shoulder in hand-to-hand defensive training. Take that, bad guys!
KH: Why did you start the series with Agent Obscenely Thorough aka Special Agent Hayden Reed?
SHELLEY: Hayden is a world-renown criminal profiler who “sees everything but feels nothing.” I loved the idea of creating a romance hero who spent so much time in his head that he wasn’t in touch with his heart. Early in the book, one of the minor characters—Detective Lottie King—likens Hayden to peanut brittle, “all shiny and polished, hard as hell, too. In order to get to that stage, you got to boil the shit out of it. So I figure you’ve done some boiling in your life.” It was fascinating to see Hayden’s pains and past, and eventually his heart, revealed.
KH: You have a colorful cast of characters in THE BROKEN. Which one was the most fun to write? Which one ended up surprising you?
SHELLEY: Detective Lottie King was hands-down the most fun to write. She’s a sixty-something grandma and homicide detective with no filter. She and her four-inch stilettos have walked some rough roads, and she swears like a trucker. Lottie is raw and honest, has a giant capacity for love, and is key in softening the heart of my guarded-heart hero, Hayden. She was such a strong voice in my head that she now has her own series of short stories.
As for surprises, heroine Kate Johnson threw me for a loop. Kate had a rough childhood and stabbed twenty-five times by a serial killer. She’s broken and scarred, BUT she has a great sense of humor, which you see through her interactions with the cantankerous but lovable Smokey Joe. Then I got to thinking, Why should I be surprised? Humor and laughter are great healers.
KH: Lottie was one of my favorite characters too. I didn’t realize, however, that she was wearing Louboutins ;-) Way to go, Lottie! Where did the idea for Agent Reed’s custom painted silk ties come from?
SHELLEY: I needed an anomaly, something in marked contrast to Hayden’s exquisite custom suits, fancy Italian shoes, and Egyptian cotton shirts. And because Hayden is such a “head guy” I knew this “something” needed to come from the heart, such as art. Hand-painted silk neckties were a perfect fit.
KH: What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
SHELLEY: I’m a former restaurant reviewer, food retailing magazine editor, and avowed foodie. I love everything about food. I haunt local farmers markets, go to wine tastings, putter in my kitchen, and adore sharing good food and great wine with people I love.
KH: Tell us about your rescue weimaraner? (Then I’ll have an excuse to tell you about my puppy Rosie.) What makes her the world’s neediest dog? 
SHELLEY: We rescued Rylee four years ago from a local weimaraner shelter and were told up front that she had “issues.” She had fear-based aggression while on a leash, abandonment anxiety, and health problems. At least two adoptive families had already returned her. During a home visit, Rylee charmed us. She was sweet-natured, adored our three teen-age daughters, and knew basic commands. We had hope. We moved forward with the adoption in part because I work out of the home so Rylee wouldn’t have to be alone during the day. Long story short, we’ve been working with her for four years, but she still has issues on all fronts, especially with being alone. If she gets lonely while I’m working at my desk, she climbs into my lap…all 65 pounds of her, and when my husband and I are gone, she sneaks into bed with one of the girls. She’s clearly a dog who had a good deal of trauma in her early life, but at least now she has love.
Okay…now you, Krista, we all need Rosie details. And pictures! 
KH: How wonderful that you found each other–the magic of three. Rylee meet Rosie. She’s a 4-month-old chocolate Lab puppy with one white paw. Twenty-five pounds of pure energy! The word that best describes her is: beguiling. But I digress.. How many books do you plan to write for The Apostles Series?
SHELLEY: That is very much up to readers. I have three Apostle books under contract with Grand Central Forever. Hatch Hatcher, the team’s crisis negotiator, is featured in THE BURIED, and bombs and weapons specialist Evie Jimenez gets her time in the spotlight in THE BLIND. If the series takes off and readers want more Apostles, I have at least five more elite crime fighters who’ve popped into my world, including a missing and endangered child specialist, gem and jewelry specialist, forensic artist, forensic linguist, and a sharp-shooting assassin.
KH: I’m excited to see that smooth-talking, southern charmer Hatch Hatcher is front and center in book 2 THE BURIED. How long am I going to have to wait to get my next Apostles-fix?
SHELLEY: Six months. THE BURIED comes out on Oct. 28, 2014. But Hatch is so worth the wait. Gotta love a man who lives on a 35-foot sail boat called No Regrets. I’m equally thrilled about Evie’s story, THE BLIND (January 2015). Evie is the “kid sister” to all of my yummy Apostles, but as a bombs and weapons specialist, she holds her own and then some. I have never had a character take over a story like fiery, big-hearted Evie. The world has been warned.
THE GIVEAWAY
To celebrate the release of THE BROKEN, Shelley is giving one lucky reader TEN SIGNED books from her favorite thriller/romantic suspense authors with new releases from Lisa Gardner, Allison Brennan, C.J. Lyons, Sandra Brown, Laura Griffin, and Kiss & Thrill authors Carey Baldwin and Rachel Grant! Enter to win at Shelley’s Book Birthday Bash & Book Giveaway.
THE QUESTION
Shelley’s heroine Kate Johnson is a justice-seeking investigative reporter, but readers quickly discover she’s also an artist. She designs and sells tourmaline jewelry. Art also plays an important role in Hayden’s past (hint – it has to do with those hand-painted silk neck ties). If you could create any type of art and do it well, what art would you chose? Anything is game…fine art, performing art, technical arts!
See, I told you Shelley has an awesome giveaway! Thank you for joining us at K&T, Shelley. I know our readers will love your new series as much as we do!
Shelley Coriell is an award-winning author of romantic suspense and novels for teens. Her debut romantic thriller, THE BROKEN, was named one of the Best Romances of Summer 2014 by Publishers Weekly and a Top Pick/4.5 Stars by Romantic Times Book Reviews. An avid foodie and former restaurant reviewer, Shelley lives in Arizona with her family and the world’s neediest rescue weimaraner.
Connect with Shelley
Website
Filed under: Author Spotlight, book recommendations, Guest blog, Krista Hall Tagged: author interviews, FBI fiction, Golden Heart Finalist, Romantic Suspense, Shelley Coriell, The Apostles
May 7, 2014
Krista Hall’s Cover Reveal! Broken Places
I’m so excited to share the cover of my debut romantic suspense novel BROKEN PLACES, winner of the 2013 Golden Heart® Award!
She’s on a mission to change lives
When one of her students becomes the latest victim of a D.C. gang-slaying, sociology professor Trevy Barlow is determined to protect the other girls in her literacy class for at-risk teens—even if it means compromising her own safety.
He’s on a short clock to find a killer
FBI gang task force agent Cruz Larsen isn’t about to let Trevy endanger herself or sidetrack his investigation with her do-gooder meddling. But when a key witness refuses to talk to anyone except her, Cruz has to find a way to earn her trust so that she’ll play by his rules.
Now a sadistic predator is after them
For Cruz, keeping Trevy safe has become more than a duty—his heart is involved too. But all of his leads have flatlined. And he’s beginning to suspect that a hidden third party has rekindled the gang rivalry for reasons far beyond a D.C. turf war. Caught in the crossfire, Trevy will have to risk it all to give them a fighting chance to survive.
BROKEN PLACES will be available next week! I hope you’ll come back to K&T on Tuesday for the release day celebration!
Tomorrow Shelley Coriell visits K&T to tell us about the first book in The Apostles, her debut romantic suspense series.
In the meantime, tell us about your favorite romantic suspense covers. What covers are too compelling to resist?
Filed under: Announcements, Krista Hall Tagged: 2013 Golden Heart Winner, Cover Reveal, debut novel, Romantic Suspense
May 6, 2014
Diana Miller Braves the Actors Studio Questionnaire
Today is a special week here at Kiss and Thrill as we celebrate three fabulous romantic suspense authors with a special connection: all three are 2011 Golden Heart® finalists.
We host a lot of Golden Heart finalists here at Kiss and Thrill, but there is something really special about hosting women from the same year (and six of our K&T ladies finaled in 2011 together), because everyone who has finaled in the GH discovers that the true prize in this contest is the friendships that form with the other finalists. Diana Miller, Krista Hall, and Shelley Coriell are the best example of why—incredible authors and wonderful people I am honored and thrilled to know.
You may remember today’s guest, Diana Miller, from her visit to Kiss and Thrill with her debut novel Dangerous Affairs. I loved Dangerous Affairs and gave it five bubbly bathtubs for being a perfect sink-in-the-tub-and-enjoy read. Today I’m so thrilled to have Diana return so I can tell our readers how much I enjoyed her latest release, Fatal Trust, another wonderful 5-bathtub read.
Fatal Trust has everything I love in romantic suspense: a smart heroine, a strong hero, wonderful chemistry, and lots of surprising twists. It’s a rare book that will keep me up until two AM, and Fatal Trust was one of those. I will read anything Diana Miller writes and am eagerly awaiting her next release. (Seriously, Diana, send it to me. Now. I’m not above offering bribes.)
For this interview, Diana opted to face down my James Lipton impersonation and answer the questionnaire from Inside the Actors Studio, and she gives one of the best answers to the last question I’ve ever heard, on or off the show.
Today Diana is giving away a $25 Amazon gift card to one lucky commenter. Please check back on Friday to see if you are our winner!
What is your favorite word? “Schokolade” (pronounced “shok-oh-lah-dah”) which is one of the few words I remember from high school German. It’s fun to say—actually sounds a little sexy—and it means “chocolate”.
What is your least favorite word? Phlegm.
What turns you on? Kindness (preferably accompanied by great pecs and a tight butt).
What turns you off? Assholish behavior.
What sound or noise do you love? My daughter’s voice, although now I hear it mostly over the phone since she lives 1500 miles away and is getting married this summer, so she won’t be moving back. Trust me, they really do grow up too fast!
What sound or noise do you hate? Microphone feedback, especially from a microphone I’m using (public speaking is already painful enough without adding that).
What is your favorite curse word? At the risk of sounding like a writer, I think the perfect swear word depends on the circumstances and setting and how upset/angry/agitated I am (which is another way of saying that now that I no longer have young, impressionable kids around, I swear too much, especially when I’ve got a deadline).
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? I always wanted to be a soap opera star—you get to wear great clothes and shoes and spend your time with hot men, and you’ve got writers who make sure you never suffer the frustration of thinking of the perfect comeback five minutes AFTER the conversation ends. Unfortunately I have no acting ability, so I had to be satisfied making the heroine of my debut novel DANGEROUS AFFAIRS a soap star. As a (slightly) more realistic career option, I’ve always thought it would be fun to be a luxury hotel and resort critic. Getting paid to stay in, enjoy, and evaluate places I can’t afford (preferably ones that feature fabulous restaurants)—how great would that be? And how do you get a job like that?
What profession would you not like to do? I’m claustrophobic, so my idea of hell is working as a coal miner or at any other job that requires being underground or in tight, windowless quarters.
If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates? “I’m so happy you’re here. I want you to write my memoirs.” FINALLY I’ll write something no publisher will dare reject!
To enter the drawing to win a $25 Amazon gift card, tell us what profession other than your own would you like to attempt, and don’t forget to check back on Friday to see if you are Diana’s winner!
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When she was eight, Diana decided she wanted to be Nancy Drew. But no matter how many garbage cans she dug through, conversations she “accidentally” overheard, and attics she searched, she never found a single mysterious letter, hidden staircase, or anything else even remotely mysterious or suspenseful. She worked as a lawyer, a soda jerk,a stay-at-home mom, a hospital admitting clerk, and a conference host for events ranging from Lutheran music to the International BB Gun competition. She spent long hours volunteering in a nineteenth century mansion allegedly full of secrets and a few ghosts. Still no luck.
Diana ultimately decided the only way she was going to inject any mystery or suspense into her otherwise satisfying life was by writing about it. A five time nominee for the Romance Writers of America Golden Heart award, she’s thrilled to be releasing her Golden Heart winner Dangerous Affairs, a romantic suspense novel that shows not everyone in her home state is Minnesota Nice.
As a way to avoid avoid housework, Diana mastered gourmet cooking and once roasted an entire turkey for her daughter’s kindergarten class. She now works out while watching the Food Network as motivation. In addition to food, Diana loves music, history, old movies, and traveling with her Norwegian-born husband.
Diana lives in the Twin Cities with her family and a Wheaten terrier puppy. She’s still on the lookout for some real life mystery and suspense.
Filed under: Author Interview, Rachel Grant Tagged: 5 Bathtub Review, Dangerous Affairs, Diana Miller, Fatal Trust, Golden Heart Finalist, Inside the Actors Studio, James Lipton, Krista Hall, Shelley Coriell
May 1, 2014
THURSDAY’S WINNER
Congratulations to Calisa Rhose! You’ve won a PDF of Rolynn Anderson’s LIE CATCHERS and a mini-notebook, waterproofed, manufactured by Rite in the Rain.
Please click the Contact Us button above and let us know where to send your goodies. (Email address for the PDF and snail mail for the notebook.)
Thanks to everyone who stopped over on Tuesday to welcome Rolynn and leave a comment! We really appreciate your time and interest.
Please join us next Tuesday, May 6th, when Rachel Grant hosts Diana Miller.
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And on Wednesday, May 7th, our very own Krista Hall gives us a sneak peak at her DEBUT COVER REVEAL!
Broken Places was the 2013 Golden Heart® Winner in Romantic Suspense.
Make sure to come over and celebrate with us!
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And on Thursday, May 8th, Krista Hall welcomes
Shelley Coriell and her new release THE BROKEN.
Filed under: Thursday Winner Tagged: Lie Catchers, Rolynn Anderson, Thursday Winner
April 29, 2014
Rolynn Anderson Solves a 1932 Crime!
Today we welcome back a frequent guest: romantic suspense author ROLYNN ANDERSON. In researching her next novel, LIE CATCHERS, Rolynn set sail for Petersburg, Alaska. The small fishing town had an unsolved crime from 1932, the murder of the town’s richest, most beloved merchant: Sing Lee. She’s here to tell us a bit about the real story and how she interwove it with her latest release (which I devoured!)
STRANGERS IN STRANGE LANDS
by Rolynn Anderson
When: Early 1900’s
W here: Petersburg, Alaska, in the shadow of the LeConte Glacier
Who: Tlingit Indians, Norwegian immigrants. And one Chinese entrepreneur.
Why: The Tlingits and Norwegians made a living as fishermen. Sing Lee, the Chinese entrepreneur, made money off the fishermen.
How LIE CATCHERS (just released this month) came about:
It’s 2011 and my husband and I are cruising from Washington State to Alaska on our trawler, Intrepid (see picture below). Never had we covered that distance, much less navigated such difficult stretches of water. 
We arrived in Petersburg, Alaska, all the strangeness of a scary virgin voyage replaced by our fascination for this charming fishing village.
The town, located on the northern portion of Mitkof Island, was settled first by Tlingit and Haida tribes. Norwegians showed up in the early 1900′s. Chinese workers soon arrived to gut and package fish caught by the Norwegians.
But one Chinese man, Sing Lee, stood out among the subservient workers. In no time at all, he’d established a country store and built up a reputation as a generous citizen and shrewd businessman. And yes, he may have run a little opium sideline business. (see his picture, below)
Sing Lee
He was murdered in 1932 and to this day, the crime remains unsolved. I decided to solve the crime in LIE CATCHERS entwining it with a recent murder.
Why? Because I wanted to juxtapose how a crime was handled in 1932 next to a murder managed by authorities in 2014.
My other motivator: absolving the guilt carried by a whole town for never collaring the murderer of an important citizen.
For fun, I stirred in a budding romance between a Petersburg free-lance writer (researching the Sing Lee cold case) and a Treasury agent from Fresno sent to the Alaska town to solve the recent murder. The result is LIE CATCHERS! 
BLURB:
Two unsolved murders will tear apart an Alaska fishing town unless a writer and a government agent reveal their secret obsessions.
Treasury agent Parker Browne is working undercover in Petersburg, Alaska to investigate a money scam and a murder. His prime suspect, Liv Hanson, is a freelance writer struggling to save her family’s business. Free spirited, full of life, and with a talent for catching liars, she fascinates Parker.
Trying to prove she’s a legitimate writer who cares about Petersburg’s issues, Liv pens a series of newspaper articles about an old, unsolved murder. When her cold case ties in with Parker’s investigation, bullets start to fly.
Parker understands money trails, and Liv knows the town residents. But he gave up on love two years ago, and she trusts no one, especially with her carefully guarded secret. If they mesh their skills to find the killers, will they survive the fallout?
I’m wondering if an historical event moved you to research and write a story. Comment on this concept and one of you, chosen at random will win a PDF of LIE CATCHERS (put your e-mail addy at the end of your comment). In addition, I’ll send you a mini-notebook, waterproofed, manufactured by Rite in the Rain.
Buy Sites: Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00HJDS1LG
Wild Rose Press: http://tinyurl.com/kedp4lr
Web: http://rolynnanderson.com/
Blog: http://blog.rolynnanderson.com/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rolynn-Anderson/188767867821613
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/rolynnanderson
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005527LS2 Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4990049.Rolynn_Anderson
SUSPENSE SPIKED WITH ROMANCE
FADEOUT won a RONE award; LIE CATCHERS is a nominee for a RONE award!
Thanks for explaining the story behind the story, Rolynn! Readers, please comment for a chance to win a copy of LIE CATCHERS!
Filed under: Author Spotlight, Sarah Andre Tagged: 1932 crime, Lie Catchers, Petersburg Alaska, Rolynn Anderson, Romantic Suspense, Sing Lee 
April 24, 2014
Broken Trust Winner!
Thanks to Shannon Baker, author of Broken Trust, for visiting with us this past Tuesday. Now, without further delay, the winner of Shannon’s book is:
Carl R Scott
Thanks everyone for your comments. Don’t forget to go out and buy Shannon’s wonderful books!
Hoping for a new beginning, Nora Abbott takes a job at Loving Earth Trust in Boulder, Colorado. But the trust is rife with deceit and corruption and the body count is climbing. With the help of her mother and a Hopi kachina that technically doesn’t exist, Nora races to stop a deadly plot to decimate one of the planet’s greatest natural resources.
Tainted MountainA young ski area owner in Flagstaff, AZ is determined to use man-made snow, an energy tycoon has his own reasons for promoting it, enviros and tribes may use any means to stop it. But the spirits of the mountain just might have the last say.
UP NEXT:
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Join us on Tuesday, April 29th, when Rolynn Anderson guest blogs on a 1932 crime she ‘solved.’
As a writer, Rolynn delights in creating imperfect characters faced with extraordinary, transforming challenges. Her hope: You’ll devour her ‘makeover’ suspense novels in the wee hours of the morning, because her stories, settings and characters, capture your imagination and your heart.
Filed under: Diana Belchase, Thursday Winner, Winners Tagged: Broken Trust, Diana Belchase, Shannon Baker, Winners
April 22, 2014
Man-Made Snow is Murder
I’m pleased to have Shannon Baker here today. She’s the author of the Nora Abbott Mystery series, fast-paced murder mysteries which center around environmental issues and the Hopi Indians. From the Colorado Rockies to the Nebraska Sandhills, the peaks of Flagstaff and the deserts of Tucson, landscapes play an important role in her books. Shannon worked for The Grand Canyon Trust, a hotbed of environmentalists who, usually, don’t resort to murder.
Here’s the interview I did with Shannon at Malice Domestic:
Diana Belchase: Shannon, congratulations on being nominated for the New Mexico/Arizona Book Award for Tainted Mountain and your new book, Broken Trust! Can you tell me how you came to write them?
Shannon Baker: When I moved to Flagstaff in 2006, there was a huge controversy raging about man-made snow on the San Francisco Peaks. Those peaks are sacred to 12 tribes and feature in their creation stories. I started researching the Hopi and was fascinated by this tiny, ancient, mystical culture. They believe they hold responsibility for the balance of the whole world. After learning much about the tribe and its history, I’m not going to dispute that claim. How could I not write about it?
Diana: It’s an incredible theme for a series. Your newest book takes place in Boulder. Did you always intend it that way?
Shannon: I didn’t intend for this to be a series but when Midnight Ink offered me the option, I jumped at it. Because I love Boulder Colorado, and coincidentally moved back there, I decided to take Nora to Boulder. Broken Trust involves some weird science coupled with bizarre conspiracy theories. I researched Tesla technology, the HAARP facility in Alaska and scary information about using weather as a weapon of mass destruction. It was fun to mash all this up and bring in the Hopi spirituality. Poor Nora has to catch up on her science quickly if she’s going to save the day.
Diana: Your books are definitely character-driven, though. It’s not all science.
Shannon: I also loved bringing in the beauty and strangeness that is Boulder. I had a blast creating the characters that populate Broken Trust, as well as bringing back Nora’s mother, Abigail, and exploring their evolving relationship.
Diana: Well, here are blurbs from the two books because I know our readers will love reading them.
And one lucky commenter, who answers the question “What elements must a mystery have to get you to start reading?” will win a copy of Shannon’s book Broken Trust!
Hoping for a new beginning, Nora Abbott takes a job at Loving Earth Trust in Boulder, Colorado. But the trust is rife with deceit and corruption and the body count is climbing. With the help of her mother and a Hopi kachina that technically doesn’t exist, Nora races to stop a deadly plot to decimate one of the planet’s greatest natural resources.
A young ski area owner in Flagstaff, AZ is determined to use man-made snow, an energy tycoon has his own reasons for promoting it, enviros and tribes may use any means to stop it. But the spirits of the mountain just might have the last say.
Filed under: Author Interview, Diana Belchase Tagged: Arizona, Boulder Colorado, Broken Trust, Diana Belchase, Flagstaff, Grand Canyon Trust, Hopi Indians, Man Made Snow, Shannon Baker, weather that kills
April 17, 2014
THE BODYGUARD Winners!
Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Thank you for helping me celebrate the release of my newest book, THE BODYGUARD.
And now, the TWO winners of print copies of THE BODYGUARD are…rolynnanderson and Kim H. Please check out our “Contact Us” page to claim your prize!
Join us again on Tuesday for an exciting new post by Diana Belchase!
And if you want to see my other books, please check out http://www.LenaDiaz.com! Below are some covers for your viewing pleasure.
Filed under: Lena Diaz, Thursday Winner, Winners Tagged: Harlequin Intrigue, Lena Diaz, Romance, Romantic Suspense, Romantic Thriller, The Bodyguard
April 15, 2014
Lena Diaz presents: THE BODYGUARD
Amazon | Barnes & Noble
My newest book, THE BODYGUARD (rated 4 1/2 Stars in RT Magazine), is one of the most difficult books I’ve written so far. This book touches on a very sensitive subject, spousal abuse. I say “touches”, because other than the very first scene, there isn’t any abuse “on page”. That was a deliberate choice on my part because I didn’t want the story to be about the abuse. The story is about the aftermath and how a woman transforms from victim to victor and learns to rely on herself. She learns that she doesn’t need a man to feel whole and she can take care of herself. But once she has become the person she was always meant to be, she is then able to let love into her life and plan a future with the one man who treated her with respect all along – the bodyguard who saved her life.
I’d like to thank my fellow author, Rachel Grant, for giving me some critical information about this delicate subject. Rachel used to work a hotline for victims of abuse. The information she gave me was crucial and really helped me to understand how the heroine in the story would feel and react in various situations. Rachel also provided information on The National Domestic Violence Hotline, which I put in the dedication of the book. That dedication appears below:
This book is dedicated to abused women everywhere. It’s not your fault. It’s NEVER your fault that someone else chooses to hurt you. You deserve a life without fear. Please, don’t wait until it’s too late. For information or help, visit The National Domestic Violence Hotline at www.thehotline.org. (The website has a quick escape option in case your abuser monitors your Internet activity). Or call 1-800-799-SAFE(7233) or TTY 1-800-787-3224.
This book isn’t a treatise on domestic abuse. That’s just one element in this poignant love-story with action-packed scenes of the hero and heroine running from an unknown killer. But if someone in an abusive relationship picks up this book, I hope they read the dedication, and draw strength from the story…maybe enough strength to make that all important phone call that could possibly save their life.
Below is the back cover copy for THE BODYGUARD. (Print edition available 4/15; Ebook edition available 5/1.)
SHE HAD NO ONE TO FIGHT FOR HER—UNTIL ONE POWERFUL BODYGUARD REFUSED TO LEAVE HER SIDE
Her perfect marriage was a sham and Caroline Ashton had the physical and emotional wounds to prove it. With nothing left to lose, Caroline is ready to walk away—and hires Luke Dawson as her personal bodyguard. But before he can do more than secure her a safe house, Caroline stumbles upon the body of the man she’d fought day and night to escape. Now, as Caroline is confronted with fears beyond anything she ever imagined, Luke is the only man she can trust. Putting her life in someone else’s hands isn’t easy, but Caroline knows survival never is. Besides, Luke’s proven himself to be a worthy protector—one who’ll stop at nothing to see she never suffers again….
And here’s the excerpt from Chapter One:
The monster sat across the breakfast table from Caroline, looking deceptively handsome in a dove-gray, thousand-dollar suit that emphasized his broad shoulders and the bulging muscles in his upper arms. The tanned hand that flicked the page on his electronic tablet was elegant, strong, with perfectly groomed nails.
They should have been talons.
Talons would have warned people who didn’t know Richard Ashton III that those hands were lethal, especially when they were clasped into fists.
He skimmed through the latest stock-market figures, then looked pointedly at the untouched food on Caroline’s plate.
In spite of the worry that had kept her awake most of the night, the worry that had nausea churning in her stomach this morning, she picked up her fork and took a bite of egg the cook had prepared exactly to Richard’s specifications. She dabbed her napkin on the corners of her mouth as he’d taught her, before training her face into the carefully blank expression she’d learned was the safest.
His brows lowered. “You’re getting too thin, Caroline. That displeases me.”
She stilled, her fingers curling against her thigh.
“I…I…I’m sorry, Richard.”
Calm down. He hates it when you stutter.
She fought back the fear that so often jumbled her words. “I’ll eat everything on my plate. I promise.” She took another bite of egg.
Tiny lines of disapproval tightened around his eyes.
Her stomach clenched. What had she done? She raced through a mental checklist. Her hair was neat and curled to drape over one shoulder in the style he preferred. She’d painstakingly applied the makeup he’d selected for her, natural looking but polished. She held her napkin in her left hand in her lap, her fork in her right, no elbows on the table. What had she missed?
“Don’t look so alarmed,” he chided her. He cocked his head, his eyes narrowing. “Or have you done something that requires further instruction?”
“No, no, no, I’ve been good. I don’t…n-need another l-lesson.”
Stop it, calm down.
“Don’t stutter, Caroline. It’s unbecoming of an Ashton to stutter. Tell me, why aren’t you eating enough?”
Her hands went clammy with sweat and shook so badly she almost dropped her fork. Desperation had her scooping another forkful of eggs into her mouth. As she chewed, she smiled across the table at him, trying to placate him.
He shook his head. “You’re being rude. I asked you a question, and now your mouth is full. You’re making me wait for an answer.”
Stupid, stupid, stupid. She should have answered him first and then taken a bite. She swallowed hard, forcing the lump of eggs down her tight throat without taking the time to chew.
“I’m so sorry,” she rushed to assure him. “I didn’t mean to be rude. I w-wanted you to be proud that I was obeying, that I was eating.” She wiped her moist hands on her pants.
“I’m still waiting for an answer.”
She blinked. What was the question? What was it? She couldn’t remember. He’d said something about her being too thin, and then he’d said—
“I asked why you aren’t eating enough.” His voice was clipped, harsh.
“I’m s-sorry. I guess I’m just…tired. Not hungry.”
One of his elegant brows arched. “And why, exactly, are you tired?”
She grasped for an excuse, anything but the truth—that she’d lain awake most of the night, going over her plans, trying to build her courage.
“I…I don’t know. Perhaps I worked too hard in the garden yesterday. I am a bit sore.”
The slight reddening of his face had the blood draining from hers, leaving her cold and full of dread. He would take her comment about being sore as an accusation against him, a complaint. Because, as he frequently reminded her, it was always her fault when he was forced to teach her a lesson, her fault he had to punish her.
“You’ve worked in the garden plenty of times without being sore.” His voice lashed out at her like a whip. “I’m more inclined to believe you’re complaining that you forced me to teach you a lesson yesterday.”
She dropped her gaze, her pulse slamming in her ears. A whimper bubbled up inside her, but she couldn’t let it escape. Crying was undignified. Ashtons did not cry.
“Look at me when I’m speaking to you,” he demanded.
“Please,” she whispered, trying to appeal to the man he used to be, the man that must surely still be there, somewhere, hidden deep inside, the man she’d loved once, so very long ago. “Please, Richard. It was a…poor choice of words. I’m sorry.”
He plopped his napkin on the table and stood. “Yes, it certainly was, a very poor choice.” He stalked to her chair.
She shrank back, and hated herself for it.
GIVEAWAY! To celebrate the release of THE BODYGUARD, I’m giving away TWO print copies. Leave a comment for a chance to win and then check back on Thursday. Note: If Non-USA address, book will be mailed directly from The Book Depository (unsigned).
Filed under: Lena Diaz Tagged: Harlequin Intrigue, Lena Diaz, Romance, Romantic Suspense, Romantic Thriller, The Bodyguard
April 10, 2014
Starbucks Gift Card Winner!
Congratulations to Mona Kekstadt! You’re the winner of a $15 Starbucks gift card from Laura Griffin.
Please email Laura with your mailing address and she will send your prize: laura@lauragriffin.com.
Be sure to join us next week to talk sexy bodyguards with Lena Diaz and celebrate her new release, THE BODYGUARD. Enjoy your weekend!
Filed under: Thursday Winner
