Lena Diaz's Blog, page 23

Kiss and Thrill Takedown

Today it’s my very great pleasure to take down…I mean interview…Kiss and Thrill’s very own Lena Diaz. Lena is a master story-teller whose stories will rev your heart and melt it at the same time. If you haven’t tried one of her books what are you waiting for? Her latest release, TENNESSEE TAKEDOWN is one of my personal favorites. The story opens with an electrifying office shooting and then never lets up. It’s a thrill a minute coupled with a luscious love story. I adored TENNESSEE TAKEDOWN. Please don’t miss it! (Print release is Jan 21st! Ebook release is Feb 1st!) And now for the interview. Don’t forget there’ll be a giveaway for commenters. More on that later, but now here’s Lena:

Carey: What’s your favorite way to kill a character?

Lena: My favorite method is whatever works but doesn’t leave many clues for the police. Wait, CHARACTER? Sorry, Um. Okay, I admit I’m quite the fan of a good gunfight. There’s just something sexy about the hero diving to avoid a bullet and doing that mid-air maneuver where he twists around and returns fire before he even hits the ground. (shiver) I’ve also used poison, knives, even fire. And in one of the stories I’m writing right now the hero is very dark with a tortured past. His weapon of choice? His hands.

Carey: Shivering back! Let’s talk hunks- who would you want to play Dillon in Tennessee Takedown, the movie? And who for Ashley?

Order yours today.

Lena: A younger version of Jeffrey Dean Morgan would be the PERFECT Dillon. (swoon) He’s the actor who played Denny in Grey’s Anatomy. I love his physique–solid, without being a body-builder type. And he has that sexy stubble I love so much, with a voice that could melt butter and eyes that invite you to try him on for size. LOVE him. And since I’m on a Grey’s Anatomy thread here, Chyler Leigh (Lexie Grey) would be a great foil for Dillon. She’s smart, funny, and has that all-American girl-next-door appeal.

Fun Fact Alert regarding TENNESSEE TAKEDOWN: The fictional town of Destiny, Tennessee is one county over from fellow Intrigue author Paula Graves’s fictional town of Bitterwood. And the hero even mentions the Bitterwood sheriff in my book.

Carey: What’s your secret ingredient for an unputdownable book?

Lena: I wish I knew! If I did, I’d bottle it and sell it and make a blasted fortune! I do think the hero is the most important part of a love story, so I put a lot of work into making my heroes smart, funny, sexy and super-alpha. And when it comes to plotting my stories, I constantly ask myself what would most likely make sense to happen next at the end of a scene–and try to do something else. I like to be surprised when I read, so that’s what I try to give my readers.

Carey: Oh I love that twist of the scene! You’re so good at it. Do you prefer writing an action scene or a love scene…and why :-)?

Pre-order yours today.

Lena: Action, action, action! Action scenes are just plain fun because they show off some of the best qualities in an alpha male. They add tension and drama and get the heart racing. Love scenes can (and should) get the heart racing too. But, honestly, they are so incredibly difficult for me to write. I agonize over them, for many reasons. Mainly, they are an important turning point in any love story and have to occur at the right moment(s) to ratchet up the tension and change the conflict. I also don’t want to write anything “crass” that would turn off my readers. I want to treat this important part of a relationship with the dignity and respect it deserves, while drawing out every ounce of emotion that I can. It’s never easy, but when it works, it can elevate the story to an entirely new level.

Carey: I love both your love scenes and your action scenes. Guess that explains why! Can you tell us about the Deadly Game series and give us a sneak peek at Take the Key and Lock Her Up?

Lena: The Deadly Game series has that name because the titles of all the books are twisted versions of real childhood games (He Kills Me, He Kills Me Not; Simon Says Die; Ashes, Ashes, They All Fall Dead; Take the Key and Lock Her Up.) Each story focuses on bringing down a serial killer, and the heroes are all Buchanan brothers, except for Logan who is a best friend of one of the brothers.

Get your copy today.

“Take the Key” comes out this July and features Devlin, known as “Devil” to his brothers. Whereas the other Buchanan men come from law-enforcement types of backgrounds, Devlin has a dark, secret past that, well, let’s just say he avoids police every chance he gets. He’s a super tortured hero who walks a tightrope between his devil-may-care side he shows his family and the darkness that truly lurks in his soul. He’s definitely a reluctant hero, drawn into helping solve some abductions where women are imprisoned for years before ultimately being killed. This book goes back to my roots with the first book in the series in that it’s much more serious and darker than the other two books. Crossing my fingers my readers will love it as much as I do. Redeeming a seemingly unredeemable hero was a really difficult challenge but so worth it in the end.

Carey: I’m hopping with anticipation, Lena. And for good reason! Please tell us about your upcoming series with Avon.

Lena: I’m so thrilled to have sold a three book print series to Avon! The first book probably won’t be out until late 2015, and I can’t really share much about the series yet. But I will say that I sold it based on the tagline “The Bourne Identity meets The Firm.” And I can tell you that this series is a natural spin-off from Take the Key and Lock Her Up. Devlin’s past is integral to the basis for the entire series. He plays an important cameo role in the first book. And readers shouldn’t be surprised if other Buchanan men show up in these books as well!

Time for Lightning Round questions: 

Name your favorites:

Fast food restaurant - Outback! Love their green beans.

TV show - Law and Order SVU

Christmas gift you received this year - My son graduated from college! Best present ever.

Place to vacation - Gatlinburg, Tennessee. LOVE the Smoky Mountains.

Book of all time – I’ll let you choose one or your top three - Straight suspense-Coffin Dancer by Jeffrey Deaver. Romance-too many to name! Two classics I adore are Ashes in the Wind by Kathleen Woodiwiss and Mr. Perfect by Linda Howard.

Song on your ipod (go to most played and spill the actual song you’ve listened to most)  - Merry Go ‘Round by Kacey Musgraves.

Carey: Lena thanks for being such a good sport! And now I have to check out Kacey Musgraves. She’s new to me.

Lena: Thank you so much for hosting me, Carey!

Readers, for a chance to win TENNESSEE TAKEDOWN please leave a comment. Lena says: What I’d love to know from the readers is this: How dark is too dark for a romantic suspense? Do you enjoy stories where the hero is almost an anti-hero and has to be redeemed by the heroine? Examples of favorite dark heroes or stories would be awesome!  

You can find Lena on the web here: Website, Twitter, Facebook, Join her mailing list.

Filed under: Author Interview, Author Spotlight, book recommendations, Carey Baldwin, Lena Diaz Tagged: author interviews, Carey Baldwin, giveaway, Lena Diaz, Romantic Suspense, Tennessee Takedown

Book Lists and Lena Diaz’s Tennessee Takedown

Thank you for helping us build our 2014 TBR lists! We came up with some wonderful suggestions that will keep us busy all year.

These are some of titles on our list so far  (in no particular order):

Do or Die, Suzanne Brockmann  February 4, 2014

Hell for Leather, Julie Ann Walker, May 6, 2014

Dash of Peril (Love Undercover),  Lori Fo st er, March 25, 2014

When Day Breaks, Maya Banks , June 24, 2014

Elle Kennedy, Midnight Pursuits, April 1 2014

The King, JR Ward, April 1, 2014

Dark Wolf, Christine Feehan, January 7, 2014

Styxx, Sherrilyn Kenyon, September 2013

Divergent by Veronica Roth

The Fau lt in Our Stars  by John Green

Tenessee Takedown, Lena Diaz, February 1, 2014

The Bodyguard, Lena Diaz, April 15, 2014

Take the Key and Lock Her U p, Lena Diaz, July 22, 2014

Confession, Carey Baldwin ,  March 11th , 2014

Labyrinth, Carey Baldwin, Sept 16th, 2014

Why Earls Fall in Love,  Manda Collins , January 28, 2014

Why Lords Fall in Love, Manda Collins, July 28, 2014

Withholding Evidence, Rachel Grant, February 2014

Incriminating Evidence, Rachel Grant, Late 2014

Thankless in Death, J.D. Robb, September 17, 2013

The Spellman Files series by Lisa Lutz

It Happens in the Dark, Carol O’Connel l, August 2013

Lost in a  Royal Kiss, Vanessa Kell y, November 26, 2013

The Goldfinch, Donna Tartt, October 22, 2013

The Interestings, Meg Wolitzer, April 9, 2013

Life After Life, Kate Atkinson, April 2, 2013

Far Gone, Laura Griffin, April 15, 2014

Romancing the Duke, Tessa Dare, January 28, 2014

Sweet Talk Me, Kieran Kramer, March 15, 2014

And please join us next week when our very own Carey Baldwin interviews our very own Lena Diaz!

We can’t wait to hear about her upcoming release Tennessee Takedown from Harlequin!

Filed under: Author Interview, book recommendations, Carey Baldwin, Lena Diaz, Manda Collins, Rachel Grant, Sharon Wray Tagged: book recommendations, Carey Baldwin, Diana Belchase, Elle Kennedy, Gwen Hernandez, JR Ward, Julie Ann Walker, Krista Hall, Lena Diaz, Lori Foster, Manda Collins, Maya Banks, Rachel Grant, Sharon Wray, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Suzanne Brockmann, Thursday Winner and tagged Christine Feehan

New Year, New Romantic Suspense (and others) TBR Pile

It’s a new year, filled with reviews of 2013′s goal lists and resolutions to do so much more in 2014. But I am neither obsessed about where I fell short nor worried about the year ahead because I have always measured my life by my TBR pile. It could have something to do with the fact I am both a librarian and a writer. Every January I diligently review the list of books I’ve read and make a new list for the new year. But as of January 14, 2014 I only have 110 books on my list. So I’ve decided to share just some of the books that fall into the romantic suspense/thriller/mystery category with a few YA’s and a 2013 holdover included just for fun.  

So grab a latte or hot chocolate and please join me in building the list. Last year I read over 250 titles so I could use a few more suggestions!

Do or Die, Suzanne Brockmann  February 4, 2014

Book description from back cover:   Navy SEAL Ian Dunn went rogue in a big way when he turned his talents to a lawless life of jewel heists and con jobs. Or so the world has been led to believe. In reality, the former Special Ops warrior is still fighting for good, leading a small band of freelance covert operatives who take care of high-stakes business in highly unofficial ways. That makes Ian the hands-down choice when the U.S. government must breach a heavily guarded embassy and rescue a pair of children kidnapped by their own father, a sinister foreign national willing to turn his kids into casualties. Shockingly, Ian passes on the mission for reasons he will not—or cannot—reveal. But saying no is not an option. Especially not for Phoebe Kruger, Ian’s beautiful and unexpectedly brash new attorney.

Determined to see the abducted children set free, Phoebe not only gets Ian on board but insists on riding shotgun on his Mission: Impossible–style operation, whether he likes it or not. Though Phoebe has a valuable knack for getting out of tight spots, there’s no denying the intensely intimate feelings growing between Ian and Phoebe as the team gears up for combat. But these are feelings they both must fight to control as they face an array of cold-blooded adversaries, including a vindictive mob boss who’s got Ian at the top of his hit list and a wealthy psychopath who loves murder as much as he loves money. As they dodge death squads and play lethal games of deception, Ian and Phoebe will do whatever it takes to save the innocent and vanquish the guilty—or die trying.

Hell for Leather, Julie Ann Walker, May 6, 2014

Blurb from Amazon:  Only the most urgent crisis could force Delilah Fairchild to abandon her beloved biker bar and ask the surly Bryan “Mac” McMillan for help. What the ex-FBI agent has against her is a mystery…but when the bullets start to fly, Mac is her only chance for finding her uncle alive. Mac knows that beautiful women can’t be trusted, but he has to put his natural wariness of Delilah aside to help her. With the clock ticking, Mac and Delilah find themselves holding on to each other in the wildest adventure of their lives.

Dash of Peril (Love Undercover), Lori Foster, March 25, 2014

Book blurb from Amazon: To bring down a sleazy abduction ring, Lieutenant Margaret “Margo” Peterson has set herself up as bait. But recruiting Dashiel Riske as her unofficial partner is a whole other kind of danger. Dash is six feet four inches of laid-back masculine charm, a man who loves life—and women—to the limit. Until Margo is threatened, and he reveals a dark side that may just match her own…. Beneath Margo’s tough facade is a slow-burning sexiness that drives Dash crazy. The only way to finish this case is to work together side by side…skin to skin. And as their mission takes a lethal turn, he’ll have to prove he’s all the man she needs—in all the ways that matter….

When Day Breaks, Maya Banks , June 24, 2014

Book blurb from Amazon:   Eden is said to be one of the most beautiful women in the world. Her face has graced countless magazines and her body has sold millions of dollars of clothing. But her fame and beauty has earned her more than she ever imagined. Evil is stalking her, determined to extinguish the ethereal beauty forever. Swanson or “Swanny” as his teammates call him is always up for the next mission. He came back from Afghanistan wounded and scarred. Hardly the kind of man who even belongs in the same room with Eden. And yet there’s something about the quiet beauty that stirs his blood and makes him dream of the impossible. Because Beauty loving the Beast only happens in fairy tales and KGI doesn’t deal in fairy tales. Ever.

Elle Kennedy, Midnight Pursuits, April 1 2014

Book blurb from Amazon:  Soldier-for-hire Ethan Hayes is the youngest member of an elite mercenary team. While he may be affectionately nicknamed the rookie, the skills Ethan honed as a Marine make him seriously dangerous. But when a sudden distress call puts him in close quarters with a rival, he finds more than his field skills being put to the test. Juliet Mason stands out as the master thief in a covert group of assassins and spies. Her latest mission is personal—and it’s gone horribly wrong. Juliet may prefer to work alone, but when the rookie comes to her aid in snowy Eastern Europe, she can’t deny they make a good team. But even up against a powerful enemy, their most challenging task yet may be fighting the passion between them….

The King, JR Ward, April 1, 2014  (Okay. Not RS. But I don’t care. I’ve been waiting for this book for YEARS and it’s going on the list. :))

Book blurb from Amazon:  After turning his back on the throne for centuries, Wrath, son of Wrath, finally assumed his father’s mantle–with the help of his beloved mate. But the crown sets heavily on his head. As the war with the Lessening Society rages on, and the threat from the Band of Bastards truly hits home, he is forced to make choices that put everything–and everyone–at risk. Beth Randall thought she knew what she was getting into when she mated the last pure blooded vampire on the planet: An easy ride was not it. But when she decides she wants a child, she’s unprepared for Wrath’s response–or the distance it creates between them. The question is, will true love win out… or tortured legacy take over?

Dark Wolf, Christine Feehan, January 7, 2014 ( I just got this book!!! And it’s on the list and will be read by the weekend!!!)

Book blurb from Amazon:  Skyler Daratrazanoff always recognized the miracle that was Dimitri Tirunul, a man beyond any dream that had ever engaged her nights. But she was human. Vulnerable. He was Carpathian. Nearly immortal. She was nineteen. He was an ancient. Yet she held half his soul, the light to his darkness. Without her, he would not survive. Caught between the two warring species, Dimitri has spent centuries hunting the undead to keep his people free, and humans safe. He had survived honorably when others had chosen to give up their souls. But now, marked for extermination by the Lycans, Dimitri found himself alone, and fearing for his life. But salvation was coming… No Lycan would ever suspect someone like Skyler to dare mount a secret rescue operation. A teenage girl. A human of untested abilities. But she had something no one else had. She was predestined for Dimitri—as he was for her. And there was nothing stronger for Skyler than her desire to see her life-dream come true. Whatever the risk.

Styxx, Sherrilyn Kenyon, September 2013 (This is my one holdover book from last year. This book is long (848 pages) but in October and I got caught up in re-reading The Mists of Avalon, also over 800 pages. So I got behind. But this is a book I’ve waited for for a long time.)

Book blurb from Amazon: Just when you thought doomsday was over . . .  Centuries ago Acheron saved the human race by imprisoning an ancient evil bent on absolute destruction. Now that evil has been unleashed and it is out for revenge. As the twin to Acheron, Styxx hasn’t always been on his brother’s side. They’ve spent more centuries going at each other’s throats than protecting their backs. Now Styxx has a chance to prove his loyalty to his brother, but only if he’s willing to trade his life and future for Acheron’s. The Atlantean goddess of Wrath and Misery, Bethany was born to right wrongs. But it was never a task she relished. Until now. She owes Acheron a debt that she vows to repay, no matter what it takes. He will join their fellow gods in hell and nothing is going to stop her. But things are never what they seem, and Acheron is no longer the last of his line. Styxx and Acheron must put aside their past and learn to trust each other or more will suffer. Yet it’s hard to risk your own life for someone who once tried to take yours, even when it’s your own twin, and when loyalties are skewed and no one can be trusted, not even yourself, how do you find a way back from the darkness that wants to consume the entire world? One that wants to start by devouring your very soul?

Since I promised my teenage daughter we’d go see these movies, I’m adding these YAs, Divergent by Veronica Roth and The Fault in Our Stars  by John Green, to the list as well.

Now for my favorite part of my annual list! As a writer, I am blessed to have so many friends who are successful authors who also (sometimes–hint, hint) offer me advanced copies. So here is a preview of my TBR books from my K&T sisters. I cannot wait to read these!!!

Lena Diaz: Tenessee Takedown, February 1, 2014,

It can’t be a coincidence that in the past twenty-four hours, three different thugs have tried to kill or abduct Ashley Parrish. Sexy SWAT team leader Dillon Gray saved her, but now he wonders why someone would want to murder the beautiful accountant…and why he finds her so infuriatingly attractive.  Then the FBI comes after Ashley for embezzlement, and Dillon knows he must protect her from a killer and prove she’s being framed. Taking her on a hair-raising run through dangerous terrain barely fazes him. But wanting her for more than just one night scares the hell out of him.

The Bodyguard, April 15, 2014.

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, 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….

Take the Key and Lock Her Up, July 22, 2014 from Avon Impulse is the next thriller Lena’s Nursery Rhyme Series.

Carey Baldwin: CONFESSION,  March 11th , 2014.

For fans of Allison Brennan and Karen Rose comes Carey Baldwin, a daring new name in suspense, with the story of a serial killer out for blood—and the only woman who can stop his reign of terror.

They say the Santa Fe Saint comes to save your soul—by taking your life. Newly minted psychiatrist Faith Clancy gets the shock of her life when her first patient confesses to the grisly Saint murders. By law Faith’s compelled to notify the authorities, but is her patient really the Saint? Or will she contribute to more death by turning the wrong man over to the police?

Faith is going to need all her wits and the help of a powerful adversary, Luke Jericho, if she’s to unravel the truth. But she doesn’t realize she’s about to become an unwitting pawn in a serial killer’s diabolical game. For once he’s finished with Faith, she’ll become his next victim

And LABYRINTH featuring FBI profiler Atticus (Spense) Spenser and Dr. Caitlin Cassidy – whom you’ll meet in CONFESSION- releases Sept 16th, 2014. 

Manda Collins: WHY EARLS FALL IN LOVE, January 28, 2014

Society often makes strange bedfellows—and even more surprising betrothals… Young widowed Georgina Mowbray is settling into her role as Lady Russell’s companion quite well—until the lady’s nephew Dominic, the Earl of Coniston, arrives in Bath for a visit. Georgie’s always found him shallow and too smooth, and trusts him as much as she trusts most men…which is to say, not at all. But Con turns out to be more intriguing than she remembers—and completely irresistible…

WHY LORDS FALL IN LOVE comes out on July 28, 2014!

Finally, but not at all the least, Rachel Grant has two releases coming this year.

WITHHOLDING EVIDENCE, a novella in the Evidence series, will be out in February…

Military historian Trina Sorensen has a difficult task before her: try to get recalcitrant former Navy SEAL Keith Hatcher to describe what happened in Somalia on a top-secret op five years ago. Recent history isn’t usually her forte, but the navy wants an historian’s perspective and has given her the security clearance to get the job done.

Keith Hatcher has no intention of telling Trina about the op. That report was filed years ago and he’d be happy to forget it, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t interested in spending time with the sexy historian, and the first time they kiss it’s explosive. Unfortunately, in a literal sense, and they are both lucky to survive the blast. To figure out what’s going on, Keith might have to tell Trina about Somalia after all. They need to work together to determine if someone from his SEAL past has caught up with him, or if Trina’s research triggered the bomb.

And Rachel’s next full-length Evidence story INCRIMINATING EVIDENCE will be out later in the year. 

So what other titles are you desperately waiting for? What other books can you recommend? I’d love to know!

Filed under: book recommendations, Carey Baldwin, Diana Belchase, Gwen Hernandez, Krista Hall, Lena Diaz, Manda Collins, Rachel Grant, Sharon Wray, Thursday Winner Tagged: Christine Feehan, Elle Kennedy, JR Ward, Julie Ann Walker, Lori Foster, Maya Banks, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Suzanne Brockmann

Winner of Tempted Into Danger

The winner of TEMPTED INTO DANGER by Melissa Cutler is

Michelle Vasquez!

 




Congratulations! Contact us by January 19th to claim your prize.

And be sure to join us next week when Sharon interviews Heather Ashby!

Filed under: Gwen Hernandez, Thursday Winner

Melissa Cutler wants to know: What’s on your bucket list?

If you love romantic suspense, but are in the mood for something shorter than the average 400-page book—and you’ve already finished all of Lena Diaz’s Intrigues—consider picking up Melissa Cutler’s latest: SECRET AGENT SECRETARY. It’s action-packed, sexy, fun, and full of twists.

Want to learn more? Melissa gives you the whole scoop below. And be sure to look for the giveaway. Take it away, Melissa…

What’s on Your Bucket List?

Melissa Cutler here, and I’m so excited to be on Kiss and Thrill today talking about SECRET AGENT SECRETARY, my latest action-adventure romance from Harlequin. In the book, the heroine, Avery, is obsessed with spy movies and books. She has a crush on James Bond, a 911 Porche Carrera that she’s named Nikita, and cats named Aston and Martin. She also has a bucket list of things she wants to do or accomplish before she kicks the bucket.

Tops on that list is assisting in the capture of a criminal mastermind. Also on the list is driving a powerful, dangerous man crazy with desire for her and to own her very own spy gadget. With a little help from jaded, brooding black ops agent Ryan Reitano, she just might get to cross some of those items off her list throughout the story…

Until two years ago, I only had one item on my personal bucket list: to become a published author. Done! Ever since I earned my first publishing contract, I’ve been debating what should go on my new bucket list. And though I have a bunch of ideas, I haven’t put them in any kind of order yet.

Traveling tops my list. Presently, I’ve been to more countries in the world than states in the United States. I can’t decide if I’d like to reverse that statistic or widen the gap. Pretty much, I’d like to go EVERYWHERE. Traveling to Australia, Japan, and Brazil would be dreams come true, but I’d also like to visit Hawaii and cruise the Mississippi.

Giveaway: Do you have a bucket list? What’s on it? Leave a comment and be entered to win either a digital or print copy of TEMPTED INTO DANGER, the first book in my ICE: Black Ops series. (SECRET AGENT SECRETARY is book 2) Unfortunately, I can only open this giveaway up to U.S. residents. Sorry about that!

[Be sure to check back Thursday to see if you won! ~ Gwen]

Book Blurb:

Tops on Avery Meadows’s bucket list is assisting in the capture of an international criminal mastermind…from the safety of her desk as an ICE Agency secretary. She’s obsessed with everything secret agent-y, but being the daughter of grassroots pacifist leaders has left her with a mountain of guilt about it. But when, on New Year’s Eve, fate catapults her into the arms of sexy, soft-spoken Ryan Reitano—an undercover ICE agent with dangerous secrets he’s desperate to hide—Avery’s dream of saving the world takes on a whole new twist…

SECRET AGENT SECRETARY is Now Available Everywhere:

Amazon   B&N   Walmart   iTunes   Kobo   Harlequin

Read Chapter One on Melissa’s website.

Here’s a scene from SECRET AGENT SECRETARY:

Who knew where Avery would be by the time he returned? She should be enrolling in the ICE academy, or the FBI. Even if she stayed in San Diego, the odds of a woman like her staying single for long were not in his favor. If the male gender had any kind of clue, they’d be lining up for miles hoping to catch her eye. The realization added a new level of frustration to his already despairing heart. He’d never ask her to wait for him; he’d never hold her back like that.

But, damn it all, he wanted to. He wanted to be her shepherd through this dangerous world she dreamed of being a part of. He wanted to be everything she needed to embrace how strong and capable she truly was. He wanted to help her fly.

She flattened against the car and smoothed her palm over his cheek. In her eyes, he read tenderness, desire. Need that mirrored his own. He stepped into her, pinning her against the car with his hips. Her smiling lips parted on a hungry sigh.

“You’re going to kiss me,” she whispered so softly that if his gaze weren’t already transfixed on her lips, he might’ve thought he’d imagined it.

He brushed his hand along her jaw, past her ear and into her hair. He brought their faces together, breathing into each other, noses rubbing. “Yeah, I am.”

A tilt of her head and her lips skimmed his lower lip with a touch so feathery light a ripple of electricity washed over his skin. A growl of pleasure rose up from his throat like he was some sort of damn animal, but he couldn’t temper the intensity of his hunger for her. To take her and make her his.

Her eyes cracked open and met his gaze. And it was the strangest thing because it was like she was looking inside him, at the real Ryan that he only showed to maybe a handful of people the world over. He hadn’t even meant to show that side of himself to her, but she’d stripped his defenses handily, effortlessly, by stripping off her own defenses and inviting him into her world, to bear witness to the glories of her spirit.

He felt like he could hang in that moment with her forever, hip to hip, nose to nose, getting high off the knowledge that they were going to put their mouths on each other and it was going to be fireworks.

With Avery, everything was fireworks.

*  *  *

My thanks to Kiss and Thrill Blog for hosting me today. I love hearing from readers and am really easy to find at www.melissacutler.net, on Facebook (www.facebook.com/MelissaCutlerBooks ), and Twitter (@m_cutler). And you can always email me at melissa@melissacutler.net or sign up for my newsletter (http://www.melissacutler.net/newsletter/ ) to find out about my latest books and upcoming events.

Bio: Melissa Cutler knows she has the best job in the world, dividing her time between her dual passions for writing sexy contemporary romances and edge-of-your-seat romantic suspense for Harlequin, Penguin, and Kensington Books. She was struck at an early age by an unrelenting travel bug and is probably planning her next vacation as you read this. When she’s not globetrotting, she’s enjoying Southern California’s flip-flop wearing weather and wrangling two rambunctious kids.

Filed under: Guest blog, Gwen Hernandez Tagged: Melissa Cutler, Romantic Suspense, Secret Agent Secretary

Hunted Winner!

Happy New Year from all of us at Kiss and Thrill!

I want to thank Elizabeth Heiter for joining us on the 31st – a great end to a great year!

The winner of HUNTED is…

…Jan Jackson!!

Jan, to claim your prize, please contact us within 10 days and let us know your preferred ebook format.

Please join us next week at Kiss and Thrill when Gwen hosts Melissa Cutler.

Filed under: Rachel Grant, Thursday Winner Tagged: Elizabeth Heiter, Hunted

Rachel Puts Debut Author Elizabeth Heiter in the Crosshairs

I’m so excited today to introduce my friend Elizabeth Heiter to our Kiss and Thrill readers. Elizabeth and I met in 2008 when we were both finalists in Romance Writers of America®’s Golden Heart® contest. She was an early reader of CONCRETE EVIDENCE and I in turn was extremely lucky and got to read HUNTED, which debuts today.

I absolutely loved HUNTED and Elizabeth’s heroine, FBI profiler Evelyn Baine. This book is intense, scary, and fascinating. If you are looking for a book that will keep you up late and take your breath away with the best fight scenes I’ve ever read, this book is for you!

Regular readers of this blog may have noticed I don’t give books star ratings, because I find stars just don’t capture exactly how I feel about a book. So, as is my wont, I needed to come up with a new rating for HUNTED. Only one symbol fully captures the intensity of this book.

HUNTED gets five crosshairs:

So now it is my great pleasure to welcome Elizabeth to Kiss and Thrill!

RG: What published author (any genre) turns you into a total fangirl?  Is there a particular book or is this based on their entire body of work?

EH: I’m going to have to say Suzanne Brockmann.  I was perusing the romantic suspense section at the bookstore one day many years back and came across Over the Edge.  Well, as soon as I finished it, I went out and bought everything else I could find by her (I even found used copies of all her TDD books, which weren’t in reprint at the time), and I’ve read everything since then.  In 2010, I entered a haiku contest she was running and I won!  I got the chance to sit down and talk to her at a conference as part of my prize, and it was a fantastic experience.  Not only is she an amazing writer and a very nice person, I love how she uses her success to bring awareness to issues that matter to her.

RG: I think several of our Kiss and Thrill contributors are turning green with envy right now. I Have you ever written fan fiction, and if so, what work was it based on?  If you haven’t, what would you be tempted to write fan fiction about?

EH: Yes!  The very first manuscript I ever finished was written with critique partner Robbie Terman (whom I’ve known since second grade).  In early high school, we wrote a Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys novel – all in pen, in a big notebook.  During our senior year of high school, we went back and took that basic plotline we’d created and completely rewrote it into our own story, separate from the Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys world.  That manuscript got us “Gifted and Talented” credit in high school and showed me that I could finish a book.  There’s still a special place in my heart for Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys!

RG: I love that story! Robbie is the best–you are so lucky you grew up together! And it’s funny – another 2008 GH finalist, Diana Miller, also named Nancy Drew in her fan fiction answer (you can read that post here). Next question, Facebook or Twitter?

EH: Both, and neither.  I was a latecomer to social media, and I still find some aspects of it really bizarre (like when I’m at a restaurant and at the table next to me, everyone has their phones out and are tweeting instead of talking to each other!).  In other ways, it’s quite fun.  I like Facebook because there’s no limit on words (and as a novelist who likes to write 100,000 word books, that’s handy!) and I enjoy Twitter because it’s quick and I really enjoy the randomness of it.

RG: What is the strangest weapon you’ve used to kill off a character, either on or off-scene?

EH: Hmmmm…my villains actually tend to use pretty straightforward methods for murder, most of the time.  It’s the body disposal where they get weird – for example, in more than one manuscript, I have used alligators (either to destroy evidence or as a way for a villain to try to kill off my heroine).  I’ve been intrigued by this idea ever since I went kayaking in the marshes in Georgia and had to sign a piece of paper that essentially read “this company is not liable if, while kayaking, an alligator eats you.”  I think only a suspense writer would be amused by that, but I still took that kayak trip (and I’m alive to talk about it!).

RG: I have been tubing and canoeing down rivers in Florida and I can confirm having alligator sightings every time. Never a dull moment on the river. Okay, now for the best part, tell us about your debut release.

EH: My debut psychological suspense, HUNTED, is about an FBI profiler who learns just how deadly it can be to get inside the head of a killer.

In HUNTED, FBI profiler Evelyn Baine gets what looks like a typical serial killer case to profile.  Except when she arrives at the crime scene, the behavioral evidence seems contradictory.  But it does tell her the killer has struck before, and unless they stop him, he’ll strike again.  As she digs deeper into the case, the serial killer she’s tracking begins to track her too.  This time, it may be Evelyn’s turn to disappear…

New York Times bestselling author Suzanne Brockmann said, “This is a really excellent thriller – fast-paced and exciting, with a memorable cast of characters. Well done!”

RG: Okay, now I think my fellow K&T contributors are exploding with envy over the Brockmann quote! Thank you so much for sharing your debut release day with us, Elizabeth! With 2013 ending with your debut release, I know 2014 is going to be an exciting year for you.

Today Elizabeth is giving away a copy of HUNTED in ebook to one lucky commenter. To enter the drawing, tell us one thing you are looking forward to in 2014.

HUNTED

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes

Filed under: Author Interview, Rachel Grant Tagged: Elizabeth Heiter, Hunted, Nancy Drew, Rachel Grant, Robbie Terman, Suzanne Brockmann

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas
from all of us at
Kiss And Thrill

Detail from First Lady’s Christmas Tree 2012

In the meantime,
eat, drink and be merry –
and
read lots of suspense.
Love,
from all the
Kiss and Thrill girls:
Krista, Carey, Lena, Rachel, Gwen, Sharon, Sarah, Manda, and Diana

White House Christmas Tree 2012 (Yes, I know it’s last year, but I didn’t get invited this year. LOL)

Remember to join us on Tuesday, December 31st for a very special New Year’s Eve interview with author Elizabeth Heiter on her debut release day!
Filed under: DC By The Book, Diana Belchase Tagged: Diana Belchase, Kiss and Thrill, Merry Christmas

Winner of PRESIDENTIAL PURSUIT…

 Thank you all for stopping by and “meeting” author Rachel Kall this week. A random name was drawn from the commenters on her post. Rachel is going to gift that person a free ebook copy of PRESIDENTIAL PURSUIT!

Congratulations ST Bende! You are the lucky winner! Please click on the Contact Us button and let us know your email address and your preference (Nook or Kindle copy).

Join us on Tuesday, December 31st for a very special interview. Rachel Grant welcomes author Elizabeth Heiter on her debut release day!
Filed under: Lena Diaz, Rachel Grant, Thursday Winner Tagged: Elizabeth Heiter, Lena Diaz, presidential pursuit, Rachel Grant, Rachel Kall, Romantic Suspense, Thursday Winner

Love and Scandal – Rachel Kall

It’s my pleasure to welcome my friend and fellow suspense author, Rachel Kall, back to Kiss and Thrill. Rachel writes political thrillers, including her brand new series she calls “Love and Scandal.” What a perfect name for a series involving politics and romance!

So, what are people saying about her new series? Take a look…

“Rachel Kall writes gritty, fast-paced, realistic romantic suspense that carries a punch to the gut and a twist to the heart. Don’t miss a word!” —Roxanne St. Claire, New York Times bestselling author

Excuse me while I shove the little green monster off my shoulder. What an awesome endorsement!

Rachel just released PRESIDENTIAL PURSUIT, a prequel novella to the first book in this series. (But you can read either one first.) Helen Riley, the heroine, has overcome some serious issues in her past to rise to the level of frontrunner in the presidential election. Below is the cover and a description of the story.

Dynamic and determined, Helen Riley has devoted her life to public service. Now she’s on the verge of doing something no other woman has ever done: Become the President of the United States of America. But her enemies will stop at nothing to end her Presidential hopes.

Smart, loyal, and sexy Sean Mackay has never pushed to be more than Governor Riley’s best friend and strongest supporter. However, when her life is threatened Sean steps up to protect the woman he loves beyond all reason.

As the campaign heats up, sparks begin to fly between Helen and Sean. Will she make history and admit her love for Sean, or will her pursuit of the White House end in tragedy?

Rachel’s gorgeous kitty, Willow, certainly appears to approve of PRESIDENTIAL PURSUIT! 

Love intrigue, suspense, and scandal? Then the Love and Scandal Series is for you. Set in the nation’s capital, these stories are full of drama, feature sexy heroes, political intrigue, and edge of your seat suspense.

The first full-length novel in this series was released just a few days ago and is called RACE TO KILL.

When fiercely independent Vivian Reese is thrust onto the national stage during a heated presidential campaign, she doesn’t expect to become a media darling. She also doesn’t expect to start to fall for her sexy new bodyguard, Marcus Locke. But when threats start surfacing against the sitting President’s campaign and all evidence points to Vivian, she doesn’t know who to trust. 

Delta Force Operator turned FBI agent Marcus Locke is supposed to be investigating campaign finance crimes. He’s not supposed to be checking out the sexy, eloquent campaign spokeswoman Vivian Reese, who’s one of his prime suspects! But when they are caught in the middle of a presidential race that is quickly turning deadly, he is forced to put both his heart and his job in the line of fire.

Tempers flare and passions ignite as the campaign gets dangerous, but when bullets start to fly will either of them survive?

Not to be left out, Rachel’s cute lab, Chloe, wants to let you know that she highly approves of RACE TO Kill! 

Now, for a quick lightning round of questions…

Q. Favorite TV shows?

A. I Love The Good Wife, Castle, Bones and New Girl.

Q. Favorite food

A. I love cheese. Which also means I love pizza.

Q. Pepsi or Coke?

A. Neither! I’ve given up soft drinks. But I love coffee.

Q. Cat or dog person?

A. I’m a HUGE animal lover. I have 2 dogs and 3 cats.

Q. Beach or mountain?

A. Beach

Q. Dream vacation?

A. Grand Cayman.

***

One lucky commenter will win a free e-copy (Nook or Kindle, winner’s choice) of PRESIDENTIAL PURSUIT.  Check back on Thursday to see if you’re a winner!

Rachel’s question for commenters: “I love writing strong and intelligent heroines, so writing the story of the first woman president was exciting. What are the characteristics that you like most in romantic suspense heroines? What things turn you off?”

Amazon
Barnes & Noble

***

Author links

www.rachelkall.com

Twitter: @rachelkall

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorRachelKall

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/rachelkall

Filed under: Author Interview, Author Spotlight, Lena Diaz Tagged: Lena Diaz, love and scandal, political thriller, presidential pursuit, race to kill, Rachel Kall, Romantic Suspense