Lena Diaz's Blog, page 24

And the Winner is …

Thanks so much to Art Taylor for letting me interview him on Tuesday.  I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed learning more about short stories from him and how much I enjoy Art in real life, too.  So here, without further ado …

The winner of a copy of Chesapeake Crimes: This Job is Murder is Pat Marinelli!

& The winner of Carey Baldwin‘s novella, Hush is Paula Gail Benson!

Congratulations to both our winners.  And for those of you who didn’t win, both books make great Christmas and (belated) Chanukah gifts, too!  Click on the images below to get more information on both.

Coming up on Tuesday, our own Lena Diaz will be interviewing Romantic Suspense author Rachel Kall.  Rachel enjoys writing spicy and suspenseful stories tthat keep readers guessing.  They’ll be discussing her newest book, Presidential Pursuit, which  debuts next week .

Filed under: Thursday Winner, Winners Tagged: Art Taylor, Carey Baldwin, Chesapeake Crimes, Diana Belchase, Hush, This Job Is Murder, Winners

The “Art” of the Short Story

Triple Derringer winner, Art Taylor, teaches writing and literature at George Mason University.  He’s such a fan of noir, that he’s named his son, Dash.  Please join me as we sit down and discuss  how he writes his winning short stories, his students, and what makes great short fiction.

Enjoy!

http://youtu.be/-e71vcwy6Zo

Great News!

Art is giving away a copy of the latest, Chesapeake Crimes anthology:  This Job Is Murder,  with his Derringer-winning  story, When Duty Calls.  It has a host of great shorts from other award winning authors, too — like Barb Goffman, Donna Andrews, and a forward by Elaine Viets.  So leave a comment here and/or at my other website to enter.

Now, for another dazzling short — well not a short story, but novella, by our very own Carey Baldwin, tell us who your favorite short story or mystery author is.  For an extra chance to win, guess why Art’s son is named Dash.  Or be really sneaky and go to DianaBelchase.com and leave a comment there (under this same post) for another chance.  Tune in on Thursday to see who won.

Here is our second amazing prize!

HUSH

Reformed bad boy Charlie “Drex” Drexler returns to his hometown of Tangleheart, Texas hoping to make peace with his dark past and make amends to those he’s wronged. He’s also looking to reconnect with an old flame. But Anna won’t cooperate, new questions tear open old wounds and his best friend’s wife and baby disappear. Can Drex and Anna mend their broken hearts while fighting for their lives and racing to bring mother and baby home safely?

Read an excerpt here.

Filed under: Author Interview, Diana Belchase Tagged: Art Taylor, Award Winning Authors, Derringer, Diana Belchase, Malice Domestic, mystery, Short Story Writing

Thursday Winner – Undercover Twin and Working Girls!

CONGRATULATIONS TO JENNA BLUE WHO WINS A DIGITAL COPY OF:

Jenna, please click on the Contact Us tab above within the next 10 days and let us know where we can send it. I just know you’ll love the story!

CONGRATULATIONS TO JULIE OEST

Julie, you won a print copy of BODY OF EVIDENCE and an ebook by either:  Melissa F Miller, M A Comley, Cheryl Bradshaw, Toni Dwiggins, or Phoenix Sullivan! Please Contact us with your mailing address and choice of ebook.

Next Tuesday Kiss and Thrill will be hosted by Diana Belchase. We look forward to seeing you then!

Filed under: Lena Diaz, Rachel Grant, Sarah Andre, Thursday Winner Tagged: Cheryl Bradshaw, Lena Diaz, M A Comley, Melissa F Miller, Phoenix Sullivan, Rachel Grant, Thursday Winner, Toni Dwiggins, Undercover Twin, Working Girls

Why Are We Fascinated by TWINS?

I’m the first to admit when I come across identical twins I am both charmed and freaked. I stare (rudely) as I try to discover even the slightest difference between them. Don’t you wonder what it would be like to have a ‘second you’ walking around on the face of this earth?

Today we celebrate another Intrigue release by our very own Lena Diaz. In UNDERCOVER TWIN, Heather Bannon does the unthinkable. She disposes of a huge amount of cocaine that her identical twin is carting around in a knapsack in a bar! Heather doesn’t stop to think about the ramifications of who owns this much cocaine (i.e., a powerful drug lord?) or that she happens to be in the perfect relationship with DEA agent Nick Morgan. Yeah, DEA. Yikes! All Heather thinks about is saving her sister from a heap of trouble. And in doing so she’s thrust into a world of killers, kidnapping and dangerous undercover ops.

As you probably know, Lena has published 9 books in the two years we’ve hosted this blog, so I was hard-pressed to come up with another fun interview. But because UNDERCOVER TWIN explores the deeply complex dynamic between identical twin sisters the plot twists kept me glued to my seat and the characters triggered my twin-fascination. So (light bulb!) what a great blog topic!

I asked the other K&T members if they enjoyed plots that centered around twins and got a resounding YES, as well as links to novels and stories of real life phenomenon that occur with both fraternal and identical twins. All of their answers are so awesome I copied and pasted as fast as I could. (Let’s just consider this a Group Blog!)

They say ‘blood is thicker than water’ but it seems twins share something  even thicker. Our own SHARON WRAY is the mother of fraternal twin teenagers and has blogged here about them in the past. Here’s an occurrence that astonishes me, but not Sharon:

I got a call from the nurse and one of my daughter’s teachers.

Sharon Wray

 Apparently, my son had gone to the nurse because he wasn’t feeling well (he had a low-grade stomach bug which he graciously shared with the rest of us). In the meantime, in another class in another part of the school, my daughter’s teacher told me she just got up in the middle of class and left the room, leaving her books behind and not even asking the teacher’s permission. She literally just walked out of class.
 
Since this was so unusual, the teacher left her class and followed my daughter, wondering if she was sick. The teacher followed her all the way to the nurse’s office where she watched my daughter go in and tell the nurse that they needed to find her brother because he was sick. She had no idea he was already there until the nurse pulled back the privacy curtain and she saw him lying on the bed. Then she said to both the nurse and the teacher to call me because he was about to throw up. Which he did a few moments later.
 
The teacher was freaked out because my daughter was giving orders and expecting them to understand that she had a brother to take care of which meant she didn’t have to follow the rules about asking for a pass, etc.  And when the principal came in, my daughter asked her why I hadn’t been called yet and didn’t understand why she might be in trouble. The principal said she didn’t know what to say because dealing with my daughter was like dealing with a parent.
 
Anyway, I came and got my son and my daughter went back to class. Because the nurse had grown twins, she was able to explain (kind of) to the teacher and the principal that this kind of behavior is normal for twins. Everything stops for one if the other is in distress. 
 
I tried to talk to the kids about it that evening, but they both seemed genuinely confused when I said they couldn’t just break the rules because the other one was sick. Since they only need the approval of each other, they don’t seek ours. As my daughter puts it, our approval is the frosting while her twin’s approval is the cupcake.

LENA absorbed that special connection and made her characters incredibly real. She also said while writing UNDERCOVER TWIN she delved into the annual twin conventions around the country. “I got lost for hours on websites while researching the book because the pictures of twins at the conventions is mesmerizing.” (Clearly a gawker like me.)

When I asked her why she chose twins as main characters she replied: “I immersed myself in watching Ink Master marathons (about tattoos.) Around that time I needed to propose my next Harlequin Intrigue, and the idea of tattoos was stuck in my head. I became fascinated with the idea of a conservative business woman having a sister who was her complete opposite, in both how she dressed and the fact that she had tattoos all over her body. From there my mind took a natural turn to identical twins where the non-tattooed twin would have to pretend to be the tattooed twin, and how much fun that would be, and UNDERCOVER TWIN was born. It’s really more about the “duck out of water” trope than the twin trope that caught me. It was so fun to make the heroine have to act and dress in ways that were totally outside her comfort zone.”

MANDA piped up with: There’s a list of twin books on All About Romance here: http://likesbooks.com/twins.html

Sharon also posted these twin facts:

Both types of twins can have a twinspeak, a language all their own. 
 
Both types of twins can have a “psychic” connection. Mine do and it’s kind of freaky and every year I get an email from one of their teachers about a strange incident in class. They ALWAYS know when the other is sick and will also tell me if one is hungry or sad or angry, etc. 
 
According to my pediatrician (a specialist in multiple births) both a twin-speak and a psychic connection are real and  have a strong link to the type of pregnancy. The worse the pregnancy (more dangerous, preemie birth, etc), it seems the stronger both of these connections are. This is regardless of whether they are fraternal or identical.
 

In a twin relationship, the opinion of the twin is far more important than the opinion or approval of the parent. The parent is always the third wheel, almost unnecessary except for feeding and driving places.

 
Birth order and birth weight is highly important and mentioned to strangers the moment they say “Are you a twin?” My daughter is eleven minutes older, but my son was 1 pound 14 ounces bigger. This is ALWAYS mentioned to complete strangers just so no on is confused as to who is the Alpha twin.
 
Alpha twin. The ongoing battle as to who was conceived first. No idea why this matters but it seems to matter to lots of sets of twins.

Do you have a twin story to share or a favorite novel featuring twins? One commenter will win an eBook of UNDERCOVER TWIN (either Kindle or Nook version). Stop back on Thursday when we post the lucky winner’s name!

TO READ AN EXCERPT: http://lenadiaz.com/UndercoverTwin.html

ONE LAST NOTE BEFORE WE GO….HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GWEN!!!

Filed under: Author Interview, Author Spotlight, Lena Diaz, Sarah Andre Tagged: identical twins, Lena Diaz, Romantic Suspense, Undercover Twin

Working Girls… Do It For Thrills ~ 6 Author/6 Book Bundle

As a reader, my favorite kind of book is a thriller that features a strong, smart professional woman whose work opens the door to adventure, mystery, and sometimes romance, so it is with great excitement that I share with our Kiss and Thrill readers that CONCRETE EVIDENCE is part of a book bundle with just these types of books. It’s a thrill to see my title included with these great books by fabulous authors!

Available only for a limited time, you can get WORKING GIRLS which includes 6 complete novels for just $0.99!

When stakes are at their highest, these working girls draw on the tools of their trades to kick butt, take names and make a difference.

 IRREPARABLE HARM – Melissa F Miller

Someone’s using a smartphone app to bring down commercial airliners and only attorney Sasha McCandless and the federal air marshal she’s teamed with can prevent more disasters. When the madman’s killing spree takes a personal turn, Sasha will need both her legal skills and her Krav Maga training to stop him.

GUARANTEED JUSTICE – M A Comley

Retired Detective Inspector Lorne Simpkins is happy running her new animal rescue centre with her husband. But when sisters Linda and Fiona Carter come to her desperate to adopt a guard dog, Lorne takes up the mantle of Private Investigator when she learns the reason. Linda was brutally raped by a serial rapist — who’s named Fiona his next victim.

BLACK DIAMOND DEATH – Cheryl Bradshaw

On the slopes of Park City, Utah’s newest ski resort a woman is found dead. Accident — or murder? Private Investigator Sloane Monroe is on the case when a second dead body is found. Now the killer is tracking Sloane’s every move, and her life depends on uncovering the truth before he strikes again.

CONCRETE EVIDENCE – Rachel Grant

Accused of stealing artifacts from a shipwreck, underwater archaeologist Erica Kesling is determined to clear her name. An undercover job with the buyer of the missing antiquities puts her close to her goal. Until a sexy, charismatic intern with secrets of his own shows up, placing her heart — and her life — in jeopardy.

BADWATER – Toni Dwiggins

A terrorist has stolen radioactive material, leading forensic geologists Cassie Oldfield and Walter Shaws on a perilous hunt through Death Valley. The unstable atom — in the hands of an unstable man — is governed by Murphy’s Law. Whatever can go wrong, will. And when it does, field skills won’t be enough to save them.

SECTOR C – Phoenix Sullivan

A pair of seemingly unrelated outbreaks — a rise in human stroke-like cases and a rapidly spreading animal disease — lead a CDC analyst and a veterinarian to a shocking discovery at a big-game compound. But even if they can escape with the secret of Sector C, it may already be too late.

In the WORKING GIRLS book bundle, the heroines are: an attorney, two private investigators, an archaeologist, a forensic geologist, and a veterinarian. Today’s question for our readers: what is your fantasy adventure career?

One commenter will win a print copy of BODY OF EVIDENCE and an ebook by one of the other WORKING GIRLS authors – winners choice!

WORKING GIRLS

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo

Filed under: Rachel Grant Tagged: BADWATER, BLACK DIAMOND DEATH, Book Bundle, Cheryl Bradshaw, Concrete Evidence, GUARANTEED JUSTICE, IRREPARABLE HARM, M A Comley, Melissa F Miller, Phoenix Sullivan, Rachel Grant, SECTOR C, Thriller, Toni Dwiggins, Working Girls

Thanksgiving, two years, and a winner!

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Kiss & Thrill!

It’s also a special week because November 29th is our two year anniversary—we can’t believe it. We’re thankful to all of our readers and the many wonderful authors who have joined us since we put up our banner in 2011.

We hope you’ll join us by celebrating with a virtual cupcake.

Let’s also celebrate this week’s winner: rw1010 (at 2: 26pm) won a copy of Brenda Novak’s historical romantic suspense, Through The Smoke. Congratulations! Contact us within the next ten days to claim your prize.

Here’s to many more years of kisses and thrills.

Enjoy the holiday weekend!

—

Photo credit: By Kristin Ausk (Flickr: Thanksgiving cupcakes) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons

Filed under: Announcements, Thursday Winner Tagged: anniversary, Thanksgiving

BRENDA NOVAK: A Quiet Superwoman

Kiss and Thrill welcomes back one of our favorite authors: Brenda Novak! We’re all gushy fan-girls of her work here. To be perfectly honest, there was quite the squabble over who’d have this chance to interview her. (Luckily those 1990′s Tae Bo videos paid off and I arm wrestled the lot of ‘em!)

When Kiss and Thrill started 2 years ago this week (see our anniversary post on Thanksgiving Day!) Brenda was our very second guest. We were honored then, and are honored now that she takes time out of her busy life as writer, mother and organizer-extraordinaire for her annual May charity: Brenda Novak’s Auction for Diabetes Research.

Given her frequent guest appearances and her down-to-earth personality, it’s easy to think you ‘know’ a famous best-selling author. So imagine our surprise when we heard Brenda’s new release was not a romantic suspense and not her Whiskey Creek contemporary series but a historical romantic mystery! Thanks to my arm wrestling skills, I got to find out why:

A shocking betrayal…

Riches. Power. An ancient heritage of pride. The Earl of Druridge wanted only for an heir. So when he learned that his wife was carrying another man’s child, he was filled with a thirst for vengeance.

But he wasn’t the one who caused Katherine’s death. Or was he? To his horror, he remembers nothing of that dreadful night, when their last confrontation ended in scorching flame and cold blood.

A forbidden love…

Rachel McTavish, the beautiful daughter of a coal miner, knows something about the fire that took Lady Katherine’s life. In secret, the strong-willed girl strikes a bargain with the desperate earl: he must send his physician to help her dying mother or he may go to the devil—and the scaffold. He agrees, but she is still unsure that her revelation will be enough to save him when so many wish him dead.

Passionately drawn to the nobleman, despite all the doubt and mystery that shrouds him, Rachel wonders if he can really be a murderer. Or if he is the only man who will ever own her heart… (Excerpt from Through the Smoke by Brenda Novak.)

   First of all, Brenda, WELCOME BACK! Secondly…wow! You’re right in the middle of your successful contemporary Whiskey Creek series. Why did you suddenly decide to write a historical mystery?

  This is a book that I started WAY back when I began writing, before I even knew I would write contemporary romance. My first book, published by HarperCollins, was a historical called OF NOBLE BIRTH. It came out in November of 1999. I expected to follow up with the historical I have since self-published–HONOR BOUND–and this one–THROUGH THE SMOKE–which I sold to Montlake. But that didn’t work out. My editor at the time indicated that we would go to contract when she returned from vacation, but because Harper was merging with Avon and didn’t need as many romance editors as they would ultimately have, she returned to a pink slip. That meant that I was cut from the list (at this point my first book wasn’t even out yet).
   Fortunately, I had already sold my first contemporary to Harlequin only five months previous to this, so all wasn’t lost. I simply segued into writing for Superromance (one of Harlequin’s category lines) instead. Harlequin has kept me so busy through the years that I haven’t had the chance to go back to the historicals, but when I got the rights to OF NOBLE BIRTH reverted, I decided to self-publish it (since that craze was just getting started), and to follow up with the historical I had that was almost finished (HONOR BOUND), as well as this one (THROUGH THE SMOKE), which was only in proposal form. So I actually planned on writing historicals in the beginning, detoured into other genres and am now returning.

   So you began with historicals, are famous for romantic suspense, and now the contemporary Whiskey Creek series. Which genre is hardest for you to write?

    They each have their challenges, but…the historicals might be the hardest because they are historical romantic suspense, so you have to create a credible puzzle while writing a great romance. So you’re doing double duty while throwing on the added stipulation that you have to remain true to a certain historical era. That means you have to do more research than you would with the typical contemporary novel. They are a lot of work, but I really enjoy a great period piece–hence my desire to try and create one.

   (I can hear Manda Collins, our historical romantic suspense author cheering!) Does your fan base follow you to different genres as far as you can tell?

   I think there is some crossover. I’ve had a lot of reviews for THROUGH THE SMOKE from readers who comment that they don’t typically read the genre but tried it because I had written it. As far as numbers go, however, it’s hard to compare because my two publishers are so different. Since Harlequin has a big print presence, and Montlake has virtually none (but has a huge digital presence), we can’t compare by sales. Even in the digital arena, we don’t know how much to attribute to certain publicity and promotion efforts and how much to attribute to my existing fan base.

   What can we look forward to in 2014-2015 from you?

    I’ll have two more Whiskey Creek novels out–COME HOME TO ME (March 25, 2014) and THE HEART OF CHRISTMAS (November 2014).
I will also have another historical–A MATTER OF GRAVE CONCERN–that will be out October 2014.

   Who are some of your favorite historical authors (doesn’t have to be contemporary.)

    My favorite historical authors are Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, Charles Dickens, Margaret Mitchell, Kathleen Winsor, Colleen McCullough, Philippa Gregory and Brenda Rickman iVantrease.

 Let’s switch gears and talk about your Diabetes charity. Sum up how much you’ve raised, in how many years and what your goal is for 2014.

 I can’t believe it, but so far we have raised over $2 million. When I first set out to raise funds for diabetes research, I used to daydream of someday breaking $1 million. I’m so grateful that, through the generosity of my donors and shoppers, I’ve been able to double that amount.
   Next year will be our big 10 year anniversary, and we are hoping to do it up bigger and better than ever before. As usual, it will start May 1st, and you can get to it at http://www.brendanovak.com It would be smart to register now, for those who aren’t already registered so that we can send out various alerts as the time draws closer. Also, we are already starting to gather some great items.

   Is it my imagination or were the 2013 donated items bigger and more elaborate than in years past? (I used to think the majority of items were writer-related and this year it wasn’t so at all! Huge celebrity giveaways.) Is this a word-of-mouth phenomenon or are you expanding your promoting?

   This is a grassroots effort. I haven’t paid for expensive advertising. What advertising I do is donated (thanks to the generosity of Publisher’s Weekly, RT Book Review Magazine, Woman’s World, Writer’s Digest and many, many online places). I think it’s the power of social networking that has helped us grow each year, and the efforts of all the authors, businesses, artists and advocates who contribute.

  Are you accepting donated items already for May, 2014? How can our readers get in touch with someone in your organization if they would like to do that?

   You bet! We are taking things all year. It requires a great deal of time to build such a big event with a skeleton crew. We have four people on “staff,” but three of us are volunteers. We have only one part-time employee (for the sake of continuity from year to year) because I want to keep the overhead as low as possible.

You can donate through (www.brendanovak.com), or the charity’s website (www.brendanovakforthecure.org) or email Anna directly at tinkabela776@gmail.com.

   When I go on your Auction site, your son is all grown up and looking healthy and happy! How have your family and your son adapted to his diabetes over the years? Do you see improvements in medical treatments since he was first diagnosed?

    I’m not sure I would say we have “adapted.” Like everyone else who has a family member with this terrible disease, we have had no choice but to get along as best we can. I am grateful for all the tools we have that help us to do that–the insulin, the needles, the insulin pump, the testing strips and meters. Improvements are being made–in that these tools are getting better and better at what they are supposed to do. My son will be getting a pump that comes with a continuous glucose monitor, for instance, and that should help control his sugars (because we will get many more readings per day instead of the six we get now by pricking his fingers).
  There is also hope in the cure-based research that has been going on. The DRI, which gets the money I raise, is trying to perfect their new Biohub (it should go into human trials soon). This might turn out to be the answer we have all been working/praying for.

   What advice do you have for people newly diagnosed and in a state of fear and confusion?

   It’s natural to go through a period of mourning. I think I tried to bounce back too soon and couldn’t seem to figure out what was wrong with me (when that wasn’t so easy). The regimen takes a great deal of getting used to, there’s a huge amount of worry (that never goes away) and there’s also a lot of frustration involved (because no matter how hard you try, you’re not going to be able to control human blood sugar all the time with the tools currently available).
   I would say to hang in there, seek out a support group so that you can share information and ask questions and make sure you have a good doctor. (Of course I would also say to get involved in the auction and help me fight back. There is great strength in numbers.)

   Thank you so much for being with us today, Brenda and I wish you and our readers a Happy Thanksgiving!

QUESTION OF THE DAY: What are you thankful for? One commenter will win a copy of “Through the Smoke.”

The lucky winner will be announced on Thursday on our Thanksgiving/2nd Anniversary post!

P.S. Brenda just notified me that her novel WHEN SNOW FALLS just went on sale for $1.99 from now until Sunday! Click on the title to buy this and click on the cover of THROUGH THE SMOKE to buy her historical mystery.

 

Filed under: Author Interview, Sarah Andre Tagged: 2014 Brenda Novak Diabetes Auction, Brenda Novak, historical romantic suspense, Through the Smoke

Gravity Loses but Karna Small Bodman Wins!

Gravity is the latest in a string of spectacular films by two of my favorite actors, George Clooney and Sandra Bullock.  The cinematography is incredible and well worth seeing in 3-D.  My husband enjoyed it so much, that after seeing it by himself, he dragged me to the movies to see it with him a second time.  He knew how much I love everything to do with space travel — enough for the International Space Station to feature prominently in my third book.

Even she’s had enough!

So, before you start hurling things at me, why did I hate the film so much?

Well, without trying to reveal the entire plot (SPOILER ALERT)

the film is about a female physician/astronaut (Bullock) who, for some reason I couldn’t figure out, was installing a part on an orbiting telescope.  Things go terribly wrong and Bullock and Clooney end up in trouble in space.  The problem is that NASA-trained astronaut, Bullock, completely panics.  Male astronaut, Clooney, must get her to calm down and help her figure things out.  Of course, he is also much stronger, more adept, and unremittingly cheerful.

I am so tired of this kind of thing.  I have seen big brave men cower in dental offices and teeny women take on drug pushers on their kid’s playground.  Why then must females always be depicted as inept?  Why must women panic and be “saved” by the big hunky guy on the screen?  If this character is a physician, she would be the one to calm down those around her.  Her training would help her to improvise and seek alternatives.  She certainly wouldn’t need her non-medical partner to tell her that she is losing oxygen in her suit because she’s breathing too fast!

Yet, NY publishers love this kind of woman in peril plot line, too.  So many of my writer friends are being turned down because their suspense novels have women who save the day and/or have too much plot for a romance.  Don’t you love that one?  If we love romance, we must not like to mix that with complicated plots or our wee little heads might explode!

My observations impressed my husband enough for him to change his views about the film and to encourage me to write this post.  So, please tell me — would you like to see complicated plots in romantic suspense novels?  If a woman is the alpha hero (notice I didn’t say heroine on purpose) can her love interest still be sexy?

We’ve lost some pretty incredible female astronauts in recent years.  I like to think that during the tragedies that cost them their lives, they were every bit as brave, as collected, and as resourceful as their male colleagues.

My hat goes off to everyone who works in and toward the goal of space.  To me, you are all heroes.

Now for a real win — the lovely and wonderful Karna Small Bodman has decided to give away, not one as planned, but three copies of her ebook, The Agent!  The lucky three winners:  Kimberly MacCarron, Carmen Pacheco, and Kerryn Reid, will get a taste of the wonderful writing and clever plots that make Karna one of my favorite authors.  Please remember to contact us within ten days with your snail and email information or you may forfeit your prize.  For those of you who didn’t win, more information on Karna’s books is available on her website:  KarnaSmallBodman.com.  

Please join us this Tues, Nov 26th as our own Sarah Andre interviews the amazing and fabulous Brenda Novak.  We’re especially glad to have Brenda back because she’s been such a friend to our blog —  and with our 2 year anniversary coming up at the end of this month, it’s quite the happy occasion for us to host an author who’s so generously helped us in our  beginning days here.  I know you won’t want to miss it!

Filed under: Diana Belchase, Winners Tagged: astronauts, Gravity review, Karna Small Bodman, movie review, NASA, political thrillers, Space, Winners, women portrayed in film and books, women vs men

Why Karna Small Bodman Scares Me

Okay, I admit it, Karna Small Bodman intimidates the heck out of me.

She’s had more high profile jobs than anyone ranking under Secretary of State.  And to be honest, there are a few Sec’s that she’s run rings around.  This is a woman who knows first hand how the White House and National Security really works.  She’s been thrust into emergency situations and the assassination attempt against a President.  She’s met with Cold War leaders, popes, and prime ministers and anchored TV news.

You’d probably be intimidated, too.

Aboard Air Force One with President Reagan



With Gorbachev

So, if my voice starts out a little shaky on this interview, please forgive me.  Just trying to remember this lovely woman’s bio, and the alphabet soup of Federal agencies she’s served with takes the talent of someone more experienced than I.

Karna has taken all that real world knowledge and used it in her thrillers.  It’s so accurate, her book, Castle Bravo, had me shaking in my boots.  Funny thing is, this amazing woman, who writes such scary, fact-based fiction is one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet.  She’s  smart, articulate, and kind.

So, forgive me as I trip over my words and her accomplishments and join me as I interview Karna Small Bodman.  This is one interview, you won’t want to miss.

LEAVE A COMMENT and WIN a digital copy of Karna’s newest short, The Agent!  Leave a comment at DianaBelchase.com, too, and get entered to win TWICE!

Filed under: Author Interview, DC By The Book, Diana Belchase Tagged: author interviews, Best Selling Suspense, DC Fiction, Diana Belchase, EMPs, James Brady, Karna Small Bodman, political thriller, Reagan Assassination Attempt, Terrorism, Washington

Congratulations to the winner of ANIMAL INSTINCTS!

The Kiss-and-Thrill ladies would like to thank author Patricia Rosemoor for being with us this week. Her paranormal romantic thriller, ANIMAL INSTINCTS, is on sale now!

Now . . . drum roll please . . . the commenter who has won a copy of ANIMAL INSTINCTS is . . . MAUREEN!  Congratulations!

To redeem your free book – please email your snail mail address to contact@kissandthrill.com (or go to contact page for details). Remember, we must hear from you within 10 days. And you must provide a US or Canadian address to qualify or another winner will be chosen.

Thank you all so much for commenting! We hope you will bookmark KissAndThrill and visit often or better yet, subscribe!

What’s next on the Kiss and Thrill blog?

Tuesday, November 19th, Diana chats with KARNA SMALL BODMAN!

Filed under: Lena Diaz, Thursday Winner, Winners