Lena Diaz's Blog, page 25

Patricia Rosemoor Thrills us with Animal Instincts!

Please welcome
Patricia Rosemoor.
Author of Animal Instincts.

Kiss and Thrill is delighted to welcome back author Patricia Rosemoor to celebrate her latest release, a paranormal romantic suspense – ANIMAL INSTINCTS – described below:

Luc Lazare doesn’t need more complications in his life.  And Skye Cross, the intriguing woman able to communicate with animals, is the last thing he wants.  Too bad his body disagrees. But he’s trying to save his shapeshifting family from being forced into the battle arena, and that means protecting the shifters responsible for stealing Skye’s brother’s soul. Even as she demands his help, he’ll have to resist the pull of temptation.

Skye’s most recent animal rescue assignment involves saving canines involved in primal battles.  Her investigation leads her to Luc, a man whose powers unsettle but intrigue her. Luc lures her into a dark encounter, and realizes that the animals engaging in these battles aren’t dogs at all, they’re wild predators. Skye finds herself caught in a dangerous world she never knew existed while relying on a man she couldn’t possibly trust.

In a world where everything–and nothing–is as it seems, can Luc and Skye find a way to overcome the odds that are destined to keep them apart?

Lena:  LOVE the cover. Yum! Patricia, you write romantic suspense and paranormal. Do you prefer one over the other? Plan to continue writing both? Which one was your first love?

Patricia:  I like both romantic suspense and paranormal romantic suspense, and I plan to continue writing both. I started with romantic suspense, because that’s all Harlequin Intrigue would publish for the first few years. I was the first Intrigue author to be allowed to add a paranormal element when I wrote Haunted. Then, a few years later, I got to write the initial three books in The McKenna Legacy, the first paranormal series at Intrigue. In coming to Entangled, I sold with a straight romantic suspense, but my latest, ANIMAL INSTINCTS, is all paranormal.

Lena:  As you mentioned, you’re published with Harlequin Intrigue and Entangled. But you are also self-published. Do you have any lessons-learned while trying to write with a traditional publisher, a smaller press publisher, and Independent? Or challenges writing  all three that you’d like to share?

Patricia:  I’ve actually had 95 books published. Only SKIN was originally indie-published. The other indie titles are backlist, both Intrigues and others. I’m a computer person, so I enjoyed learning to turn files into digital books and uploading them. And then I got bored having to do it. I still love creating covers, the most fun thing in the indie process. When I wrote SKIN, I needed to find editors, both developmental and copyediting. I can’t stress enough how important editing is. The thing I hadn’t thought about was the sheer volume of promotion that an indie author needs to do. No support. Everything is up to the author. That’s the part I like the least. I want to write in a fiction world, not about myself. I know a lot of indie authors have no desire to write for a publisher. Truthfully, I prefer it, as long as I get to write what I want.

Lena: Tell us about your newest release? What inspired you to write it?

Patricia: ANIMAL INSTINCTS came from my volunteering at PawsChicago, a very successful animal adoption center. The Humane Society of Illinois held meetings there about anti-dog fighting legislation. Most people probably don’t think much about it, but hearing the stories, seeing the footage of the real thing–of children learning to make their dogs fight–broke my heart. I wanted to use dog fighting to spread awareness, but I quickly realized that books with dog fighting wouldn’t sell, so I made the fights shifter fights–shapeshifters fighting in their animal form. Then the fights took on a whole new, more interesting aspect.

Skye Cross, an animal advocate, goes to a fight with Animal Control, expecting that after the fight is broken up, she will see that the dogs are properly cared for. What she gets instead is to be thrown into a world she doesn’t know and doesn’t understand. And outside the arena, she meets a man she can’t possibly trust. Luc Lazare is half-human, half-Kindred. He’s a shifter (panther) caught between the two worlds of his parents. When Skye’s cop brother who was investigating murders linked to the fights is shot to death the next night, Skye is determined to find his killer, and Luc Lazare is the only man who can help her.

Lena: That sounds like a seriously intense story. Awesome. Would you like to share a call story with your readers? Either the “call” when you first sold (or got an agent) or perhaps were a finalist/winner in a contest?

Patricia: For me, both happened one after the other. I won the Golden Heart for best YA Romance from Romance Writers of America.  In those days editors were judges, and the Silhouette editor wrote to me personally and asked if I could expand the book. I did, sent it in and waited. I wasn’t able to go to the conference where the awards were announced and presented. Afterward, I learned I won the GH and that the editor was saying I was her author. But no call. No call the next week either. Finally, a full two weeks after the conference, she called and asked if she had made me an offer. I said no. She said she hoped I would take it because she’d already put the book into production.

Lena: Oh my gosh! Now that is an incredible (and a bit crazy) call-story. Amazing. Oh, and congrats on the GH win! And the 95 stories too. What an outstanding accomplishment! How do you research all those stories? Do you have some fun or interesting research tidbits or experiences (such as trips) to share?

Patricia: I don’t do vacations anymore. Now I do research trips. Once my late husband and I flew to Paris to see the catacombs, underground tunnels holding the bones of innumerable dead, which was an important part of an Intrigue. On a more cheerful vein, I’ve swum with dolphins, howled with wolves, ridden mustangs…all in the name of research. I went to India a couple of years ago with another author and her husband. I developed a novel using the India research. It’s on submission now.

Lena: Very cool! When you’re back home relaxing after these exotic trips, do you have any favorite television shows? Crime dramas? Paranormals?

Patricia: I watch quite a few crime dramas. The Closer was one of my all time favorites. The other being Castle, of course. Romantic suspense and great fun. The characters in both are wonderful, the touch of humor balancing the grimness of a murder investigation.

I try every paranormal show that comes on, but most don’t make the grade. Buffy the Vampire Slayer is my all time favorite. I saw every episode of the show at least twice. Currently the ones I really like are Teen Wolf and Grimm. And Sleepy Hollow has possibilities.

Lena:   LOVE Castle and Buffy. Right with you on those! Now for a quick question/answer drill…

* Cats or Dogs? Cats (love dogs, too)

* Beaches or Mountains? Water! Not necessarily the beach, just the view.

* Favorite food? Ethnic Eastern European, which I grew up on.

* Favorite TV show? Dancing with the Stars…wish I could…

* Chicken or Steak? Rib-eye, bone in, medium rare, please

You can pre-order ANIMAL INSTINCTS or CRIMSON DUET (HOLIDAY IN CRIMSON and NIGHTMARE IN CRIMSON packaged together for $3.79), both going on sale November 25. And this is the launch week of DANGEROUS ATTRACTION, ROMANTIC SUSPENSE BOXED SET, ten romantic suspense titles by ten bestselling authors (including Patricia’s The McKenna Legacy: SEE ME IN YOUR DREAMS), for only 99 cents through November 16.

You can find Patricia Rosemoor…

Website:   http://PatriciaRosemoor.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/PatriciaRosemoorAuthor

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/PRosemoor 

Lena:  Thanks again Patricia! You’ve been a wonderful guest.

And now a question for our readers…Patricia would like to know–Which do you prefer: romantic suspense or paranormal romantic suspense? And why?

One lucky commenter wins an ebook copy of  ANIMAL INSTINCTS (via Amazon.com gift certificate) from Patricia Rosemoor. Don’t forget to stop by Thursday to find out if you are a winner!

Filed under: Author Interview, Lena Diaz Tagged: Animal Instincts, Harlequin Intrigue, Lena Diaz, Patricia Rosemoor, Romantic Suspense, Romantic Thriller

Walker and Neggers Winners!

Special thanks to our amazing guest bloggers this week. Carla Neggers 

And Julie Ann Walker!

The winner of the first four books in the Black Knights series is: Jolene A The winner of the ten dollar Amazon Gift card is Jeanne Dotterweich Please contact us here with your email and snail mail address to claim your prize. 

♥

This week’s featured K and T author is Gwen Hernandez, author of Scrivener for Dummies.

Looking to write the great American novel? You’ll need Scrivener and this book!

Here’s what one Amazon reviewer had to say: “This book is a wonderful aid in understanding and navigating the software, and in making good use of its many features. The author is clearly very familiar with the Scrivener program and she writes about it with the confidence and authority of an expert.”

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect book to accompany the software, October 26, 2013

By John M. (New York)

You can read the full review here.

Purchase on Amazon here.

 

Filed under: Carey Baldwin, Gwen Hernandez, Rachel Grant, Winners Tagged: Carey Baldwin, Carla Neggers, Gwen Hernandez, Julie Ann Walker, Rachel Grant, Winners

Julie Ann Walker Celebrates Romantic Suspense!

Today I am thrilled to welcome Julie Ann Walker back to Kiss and Thrill! The eagerly anticipated 5th book in Julie’s Black Knights, Inc. series released Tuesday, and I’m pretty sure her wonderful fans have already devoured it and are deluging her with requests for the next book. Fortunately for all of us at Kiss and Thrill, Julie has compiled a list of favorite authors to tide us over until book 6!

If you haven’t read Julie’s series yet, but don’t want to start with book 5, here is your chance to get caught up – she’s is giving away print copies of books 1-4 to one lucky commenter!

And now, I’m delighted to hand the blog over to the fabulous and talented Julie Ann Walker!

Let’s Celebrate Romantic Suspense!

AKA: The Authors Who Inspired Me to Write in the Genre

I’ve been wanting to do a shout-out to my fellow romantic suspense authors for quite some time now.  And what better place to do that than here on Kiss and Thrill, the blog dedicated to, run by, and specializing in the RS genre.  (Hi, ladies!  *waves*  Thanks for having me back!)  Because, truly, those of us who write romantic suspense first started out reading romantic suspense.  We fell in love with the action, the mystery, the mayhem, the thrill and chills and, of course, the sexy times.  *wink*  And while I adore the work of all the ladies here on the Kiss and Thrill site – seriously, if you haven’t picked up their books, you’re truly missing out – I wanted to dedicate this particular blog to some of the authors who pioneered the way for us, those wonderful writers who’ve been plugging away in the genre for years, sometimes decades.  I thought I’d do that by listing my top five favorite romantic suspense authors – in no particular order – adding why I love their writing and how they inspired my own.

So, without further ado…

1.)  Sandra Brown

Sandra has been writing romantic suspense since before romantic suspense was even considered a sub-genre.  (Not to give away her age or anything.  It’s obvious she started writing as a fetus.  *winces*  Hi, Sandra!)  But, the thing that always intrigues me about Sandra’s books are her intensely flawed heroes.  I adore them.  They’re unique.  They’re angst-y.  And above all else, they’re real.

2.)  Elizabeth Lowell

Can you say delicious prose, boys and girls?  Because Elizabeth does it like no other.  Rich descriptions, tasty metaphors, scrumptious word choices.  I fall in love with her sentence structures.  Plus, Elizabeth’s books are always a like mini college classes in 400 pages or less.  Her research is phenomenal.  And to read one of her books is to get a crash course in everything from the emerald trade to the collection of old tintypes.  So. Much. Fun!

3.)  Linda Howard

Talk about a pioneer.  Linda’s  first single title was published in 1982!  Her books are always filled to the brim with adventure, intrigue, daring heroes, dauntless heroines, and intensely despicable villains. I like to say Linda writes romantic suspense in its purest, most distilled form. Her books epitomize the genre. I suppose that’s why she’s so long-lasting, eh?  Go, Linda!

4.)  Suzanne Brockmann

Oh, be still my heart.  Suzanne Brockmann’s Troubleshooter series is the entire reason I started reading the genre.  And the thing that most inspires me about Suzanne is that she’s a rule-breaker.  She writes from multiple points of view – something not done until recently.  One of her heroes is gay – something still frowned upon in some circles.  Her books usually have two love stories – something that editors will tell you is a no-no.  The list of ways she’s pushed the envelope goes on and on.  But my point is, not only does she break the rules, but she does it beautifully, eloquently, masterfully.

5.)  Lora Leigh

Oh, Lora, Lora, Lora!  *fans self*  Does she know how to write one smokin’ hot book, or what?  If you’re a Shades of Grey fan, but like some hard-core action between your titillating sex scenes, then Lora is the gal for you!  She takes romantic suspense to the next level on the heat scale.  Her characters’ chemistry practically sets the pages on fire.  Be sure to set the screen level brightness on your eReader to dim, or else the words might just burn out your retinas.  LOL!

So, thanks ladies, for not only giving me great books to read, but also for giving me the inspiration to pen my own works!  You all rock!

And with that, I’m outa here!  A resounding huzzah to the gals at Kiss and Thrill for having me back.  It’s always such a treat!

One lovely commenter will win print copies of the first four books in my Black Knights Inc. series!  Just answer the following question:  Who is your all-time favorite romantic suspense writer and what is it that you love about their books?

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Julie Ann Walker dives back into action with the red-hot romantic suspense Black Knights Inc. series!  They claim they’re bad-boy bikers who own custom motorcycle shop, but these special-ops guys–a mix of Navy SEALs, Army Rangers, Marines, FBI and more–handle the jobs too tough for the government to tackle.

TICK…TICK…

“Wild” Bill Reichert knows a thing or two about explosives. The ex-Navy SEAL can practically rig a bomb blindfolded. But there’s no way to diffuse the inevitable fireworks the day Eve Edens walks back into his life, asking for help…

BOOM!

Eve doesn’t know what to do when the Chicago police won’t believe someone is out to hurt her. The only place to turn is Black Knights Inc—after all, no one is better at protection than the covert special-ops team. Yet there’s also no one better at getting her all turned on than Billy Reichert. She has a feeling this is one blast from the past that could backfire big time…

PRAISE FOR BORN WILD:

“One heck of a riveting plotline… Born Wild is definitely not to be missed!” —RT Book Reviews, 4 ½ Stars

“A wild roller coaster ride of a story… Nonstop action.” —Fresh Fiction

“Drama, danger and sexual tension… Romantic suspense at its best.” —Night Owl Reviews, 5/5 Stars, Reviewer Top Pick

Julie Ann Walker is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Black Knights Inc. romantic suspense series. She is prone to spouting movie quotes and song lyrics, and prefers impromptu travel over the scheduled kind. You can find her on her bicycle along the lake shore in Chicago or blasting away at her keyboard, trying to wrangle her capricious imagination into submission. For more information, please visit www.julieannwalker.com or follow her on Facebook, www.facebook.com/jawalkerauthor, and Twitter, @JAWalkerAuthor

To Purchase Born Wild:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books-a-Million | Discover a New Love | iBooks | Indigo/Chapters | IndieBound | Sourcebooks

Filed under: Guest blog, keepers, Rachel Grant Tagged: Black Knights Inc., book recommendations, Born Wild, Elizabeth Lowell, Favorite Authors, Julie Ann Walker, Linda Howard, Lora Leigh, Romantic Suspense, Sandra Brown, Suzanne Brockmann

Carla Neggers: The Joys of Research

Today I’m delighted to introduce a guest post from one of my favorite authors, New York Times and USA Today bestseller, Carla Neggers. At the end of the post, look for a chance to win a ten dollar Amazon gift certificate from Kiss and Thrill. And now without further ado, here’s Carla’s wonderful guest post. Enjoy!

♥

Writing my Sharpe & Donovan series featuring FBI agents Emma Sharpe and Colin Donovan has allowed me to indulge my interests in art, whiskey, Ireland, the Maine coast, “my” city of Boston, sheep farming, ancient history — and food. Even FBI agents have to eat, right?

In Declan’s Cross, the third book in the series, Emma and Colin are taking a break in Ireland when Julianne Maroney, the ex-flame of Colin’s brother Andy, arrives on the south Irish coast to help set up a marine science field station. Julianne is, after all, a marine biologist. Only problem: the village Julianne has chosen is also the site of a celebrated unsolved art theft, the first of a serial art thief who for the past decade has eluded Emma, an art crimes expert, and her grandfather, art detective Wendell Sharpe. Emma and Colin are on high alert. Of all the quaint Irish villages, why did Julianne pick tiny Declan’s Cross? It can’t be a coincidence.

I love Ireland and have visited many times. My idea of “hands on” research! In fact, as I type this note, I’m tucked in a cottage on the southwest Irish coast working onHarbor Island, my next Sharpe & Donovan novel. In the name of research, I’ve sampled not only a wide variety of Irish whiskey but also many different versions of Irish rhubarb crumble. So good! I haven’t had a rhubarb crumble I don’t like. I’ve tried making it at home and, after some trial-and-error, devised my own recipe. I thought I’d share that with you.

Rhubarb Crumble

You will need:

About 4 cups of rhubarb cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 to 2 cups sugar
1 cup flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/8 tsp salt
12 to 14 T. butter


Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a glass or ceramic baking dish and add the cut-up rhubarb. 

Sprinkle to taste with 1 to 1 1/2 cups sugar (as much as 2 cups if you have a sweet tooth!). 

Combine remaining sugar, flour, oats and salt. (You can use just flour or any combination of oats and flours to make about 2 cups). 

Cut in butter until you have a coarse meal (you’ll still have small pieces of butter). 

Sprinkle over the rhubarb-sugar mixture and bake for about an hour or until the rhubarb is fully cooked and the “crumble” is brown. 

Serve warm or at room temperature, plain or with whipped cream.

FYI, I prefer my rhubarb crumble with unsweetened whipped cream with a touch of pure vanilla extract. I might have to have some tonight! (I also walk a lot in Ireland!)

Enjoy, and thanks for your time. For more information on Declan’s Cross and all my other books, please drop by my website — www.carlaneggers.com — and be sure to sign up for my newsletter. Last month I included the recipe for an easy apple-spice cake. All things in moderation, but rhubarb crumble and apple-spice cake are tough to resist. Fortunately, they freeze well.

Happy reading!
♥

 

You can also follow Carla on Facebook and Twitter

Thanks to Carla for her lovely post. We hope you’re having a wonderful time in Ireland with your ‘research’ !

Readers, since we’re on the subject of food, please tell us if you have a favorite comfort food- mine’s cherry pie, because my mom used to make it for me from scratch, and I remember the special fun of learning to bake with her. One lucky commenter will win a ten dollar gift certificate to Amazon. 

Filed under: Carey Baldwin, Guest blog Tagged: Carey Baldwin, Carla Neggers, Declans Cross, giveaway, recipe

Happy Halloween and Grave Danger Winner!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

To celebrate Halloween we thought we’d share pictures showing how some of us here at Kiss and Thrill dress up our homes for trick-or-treaters.

The first two photos show Sarah Andre’s romance-themed decorations.

Next up is Sharon Wray’s graveyard for the undead.

The witch will greet visitors at my house.

My husband just finished making the coffin, which is on the other side of the front door. Inside are eyes that will light up, make noise, and shake the box when you make a noise.

This week’s featured Kiss and Thrill title is Manda Collins’ WHY DUKES SAY I DO.

“I’ve been a Manda Collins fan since I first read her work, but I think Why Dukes Say I Do is the best thing she’s written yet.”

Read the full review here.

The winner of a print copy of GRAVE DANGER and a Walker-Ames House magnet is…

Sasha Bell!

To claim your prizes please use the contact us page within 10 days and be sure to include your US mailing address.

We have a great week coming up at Kiss and Thrill. On Tuesday Carey interviews Carla Neggers and on Thursday Julie Ann Walker returns for a guest blog!

jack-o’-lanterns carved by C. and J. Grant

Filed under: about us, Halloween, Rachel Grant, Thursday Winner Tagged: Coffin, Grave Danger, Graveyard, Halloween decorations, Haunted House, Walker-Ames House

The Walker-Ames Haunted House – Rachel’s Inspiration for Grave Danger

I recently attended a ghost tour of the historic logging town Port Gamble, Washington. The town was the inspiration for the setting of my book, Grave Danger, and I was particularly excited that as part of the tour, we were able to enter the Walker-Ames house, which was my model for the Montgomery Mansion. This was my second tour of the house, but the first late at night, with a group of people hoping to run into a ghost or two. Sadly (or thankfully, depending on your point of view) we didn’t meet any specters, but I was able to take some pictures of the interior of the gorgeous old house.

The house was pitch-dark during the tour (since we were looking for ghosts) so I couldn’t actually see what I was taking a picture of–had no idea how bright the wallpaper was, and objects will be off-center in some shots. The daylight shots of the exterior were taken at another time.

In the book Libby stands on the porch and looks over the town, imagining how Lyle felt when living there. Later, Mark has a conversation with Jason on the porch.

Upon entry into the house, there is an enclosed vestibule and then an interior door into the front hall. This second photo is the interior door, taken during the ghost tour.

Next is the entry hall, with center hearth. The stairway shot following is to the right of the hearth. In Grave Danger, this is the first room Libby enters and is disappointed to take in the cold, empty room, which could be warm and inviting, given the stained-glass windows above the stairs and rich woodwork of the staircase.

The curved windows are in the round room to the left of the entryway, and the next photo is of the hearth in that room. This is the room where Libby interviews the elder Montgomery family members.

The house is utterly gorgeous and it would be wonderful to see it fixed up in all its glory, except then people would live there and I wouldn’t get to go on ghost tours and take pictures, and be inspired.

So, tell me, have you ever been on a ghost tour? Or is there a particular tour you’d like to go on? I’m giving away a print copy of Grave Danger and a magnet with a picture of the Walker-Ames house to one commenter.

Filed under: Halloween, Rachel Grant Tagged: Ghost Tour, Grave Danger, Haunted House, Historic Logging Town, Port Gamble, Victorian Mansion, Walker-Ames House

Heather Ashby’s Thursday Winner!

Thank you, Heather, for spending the day with us!

And now…the winner of an ebook copy of Forgive & Forget is Carmen Pacheco! Please refer to the contact page on this website for information on how to claim your prize.

Coming up on Tuesday, Rachel blogs about the Walker-Ames House in Port Gamble, Washington. Purported to be haunted, the house was also Rachel’s inspiration for the Montgomery Mansion in her book, Grave Danger. We hope to see you all there!

Filed under: Sharon Wray, Thursday Winner, Uncategorized Tagged: Fisher House, Forgive & Forget, Heather Ashby, Henery Press

Heather Ashby: Stories of Love and Suspense on the High Seas

I’d like to extend a warm welcome to Heather Ashby, a 2012 Golden Heart finalist and author of the Love in the Fleet series published by Henery Press (which is quickly becoming one of my favorite publishers!). Today Heather is talking about her debut novel Forgive & Forget, where star-crossed Navy lovers battle an al-Qaeda operative in order to find a paradise of their own. And because Heather is as generous as she is talented, half of her author royalties are donated to the Fisher House to benefit the military families they serve.

Thank you for inviting me to Kiss & Thrill, Sharon, and thanks for letting me share about life aboard the USS Blanchard. Full speed ahead!

SW: Then let’s start with some awesome reviews!

“Bold and steamy with a suspense taken from today’s headlines and a love that breaks all rules.”

 ~ Cathy Maxwell, NY Times bestselling author of Devil’s Heart

“A thrilling novel…takes the reader into adventure on the high seas that involves suspense, danger, and intrigue, as well as forbidden love. This is a FEEL GOOD read that rings true in every regard. It is especially exciting to know this the first in a series. I’ll be eager to read the rest!”

 ~ Susan Brandenburg, St. Augustine Record

“A fantastic debut! Heather Ashby kept me entertained all the way through with engaging characters and a story that had me right there living it.”

 ~ Kim Law, author of RITA-nominated Sugar Springs

SW: These are amazing reviews, Heather. You must be so excited. Can you give us a description of Forgive & Forget?

HA: Because her mother had always boasted, “I have something better than a son—a daughter with balls,” Navy journalist, Hallie McCabe, isn’t afraid to use them to protect the man she loves—and the five-thousand crewmembers aboard their aircraft carrier. Her chutzpah enables Hallie to find paradise with Lieutenant Philip Johnston on shore without him discovering she’s an enlisted sailor stationed aboard his ship—at least, for awhile. Her most challenging test however, occurs when Hallie faces an al-Qaeda operative intent on destroying the USS Blanchard so he too can find Paradise.

SW: How long did it take to write, and how many manuscripts did you finish, before you got published?

HA: It took me three months to write Forgive & Forget, and then two years to revise and rewrite it when I discovered I had no idea what I was doing. Head-hopping? What’s that? Scenes are parts of chapters? People have visceral reactions before they verbalize surprise or passion? Characters have arcs? Although I’d kept journals all my life and had two completed memoirs, F&F was my first stab at fiction.

SW: Which comes first: the characters or the story?

HA: The first two books in the Love in the Fleet series were character first, while the final two are story first.

SW: What drew you to the forbidden work affair type of story?

HA: Um, they say your first novel is essentially autobiographical. Although we never worked together, I did meet my husband in the Navy. He was an officer. I wasn’t.

SW: Although I’d love to know more, I won’t pry. How does their affair complicate the scary suspense/terrorist plot?

HA: I don’t believe it does. No one is aware of the threat until it is upon them (except for the mole aboard the ship and the reader.) Once it is upon them, both hero and heroine fleetingly think of the other in possible danger, but then resort to the code: “Ship, Shipmate, Self.” All thoughts of self or friends or lovers are tucked away as they do what they are trained to do to save the ship, then those shipmates they can save, and lastly concern for self or self-interests.

SW: I know the villain you started with changed dramatically throughout your revisions, becoming much scarier and ratcheting up the suspense and danger. Can you tell us how your villain developed and why you had to change him?

HA: I lived in the Middle East and wanted to use my knowledge of setting and culture to describe my plotting terrorists. (Which actually disturbed me, since all we met in the Middle East were peaceful, family-oriented people.) I have an awesome editor who saw that the scenes with these men plotting in some undisclosed Middle Eastern locale came across as stereo-typical. She urged me to delete most of them and have all the information about the plot be shown through my traitor’s point of view as he goes about his business on board the USS Blanchard. Now that got scary. The idea that “one of their own” was the catalyst for the attack. And what really scared me was, once I got into the bad guy’s head, I discovered he was one of the crazies on the news who seems to be functioning in society, all the while he has lost his grip on reality. *shivers.*

Photo courtesy of Heather Ashby

SW: Can you describe the challenges of writing realistic terror plots that could show up on the nightly news?

HA: Because I wrote my villain as a disgruntled sailor instead of a religious fanatic, it downplayed a convoluted terrorist plot that might show up on the news. He works in tandem with al-Qaeda, but most of the focus is on why he wants personal revenge. One of my military advisors recommended that I make my villain an Islamic extremist because “it remains a very real threat and would read authentically.” I think readers are tired of that and – as sad as it sounds – a unique villain who has gone over the edge is more likely to grab the readers’ attention, because that  is what is in the news these days. (*Note to Navy: If you see anything that my villain does that really could harm our sailors or our ships, please take care of it so it doesn’t ever happen. Thank you.)

SW: Can you describe Hallie and Philip? What internal and external conflicts keep them apart, how are they different, how do they complement each other?

HA: Hallie is a lady, but a gutsy lady. Don’t push her, because she knows how to take care of herself and how to get what she needs in life. Philip is the ultimate gentleman— something Hallie would love to have in her life. A nice guy, a stable guy, and a trustworthy guy—unlike her father. Philip is Mr. Integrity. However, she fails to tell him she is an enlisted sailor in the Navy because if she does, he will walk away, because of his integrity. He’s an officer and it would be breaking the rules to date her. She never lies, except by omission. She believes she is protecting him because, according to the regulations, he can only get in trouble if he knows she is enlisted. Before the ship deploys, a sailboat plays an integral part in the story. When Hallie tells Philip he is like an anchor for her, giving her stability, he replies that she is his sails, taking him to places he’d never dreamed of going before he’d met her. Places like…paradise.

Photo courtesy of Sharon Wray

SW: What does Hallie want more than anything? What does Philip want more than anything?

HA: Remember when I said I didn’t know what I was doing when I wrote this book? It may be clear here. Besides a general need to do their part in the war on terror, they’re looking for The One. Philip wants a loving woman in his life who plays by the rules and appreciates his nice guy/gentlemanly/integrity-filled attributes. Hallie wants a loving man in her life who she can count on. However, once the suspense unfolds, more than anything, they want to save the ship, their shipmates, and each other.

SW: Your book feels so real, the descriptions of the aircraft carrier, the people who work on it, the sounds, the overall feel of living on board a ship. But as a Navy veteran, did you have to take any creative license with the military aspects of the story?

HA: I took little creative license with the military aspects. My original goal was to write books to entertain our women in the fleet, so authenticity was paramount to me. But I also wanted civilian readers to enjoy the story and see what life is like for our sailors when they deploy. So I stayed away from using too many military acronyms, but did not “dummy it down” so my active duty readers would roll their eyes. The best compliment I’ve received is from a retired Navy Chief who served on aircraft carriers. She said, “I went into the book looking for flaws, but I couldn’t find any. (*Heather pumps fist*) I have awesome military advisors to thank for their final edits.

It’s been great chatting with you, Sharon. Thanks again for the invite. I’d like to give a book away to those who comment and/or answer the prompt below. I will send the winner a choice of Forgive & Forget or an ARC for the sequel, Forget Me Not. (It’s about the hot aviator sidekick from Book 1 J)

Now I’m curious how other suspense writers and readers feel about bad guy plots that could conceivably end up on the news. *shivers again*

 Heather Ashby is a Navy veteran whose mother was one of the original WAVES in World War II. After leaving the service, Heather taught school and raised a family while accompanying her Navy husband around the United States, Japan, and the Middle East. In gratitude for her son’s safe return from Afghanistan and Iraq, she now writes military romance novels, donating half her royalties to Fisher House Foundation – Helping Military Families. She lived in Atlantic Beach Florida with her retired Naval Engineer husband. Forgive & Forget is the first novel in her four-part Love in the Fleet series.

Heather loves hearing from readers and can be found on Email, Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads. 

 

Filed under: Author Interview, book recommendations, Sharon Wray Tagged: Fisher House, Forgive & Forget, Heather Ashby, Henery Press

Travel wish list and next week’s guest

On Tuesday, I mentioned some of the places I’ve been. Here are a few places I’d like to read about and then visit (or vice versa).

Chicago: Home to the V.I. Warshawski mysteries by Sarah Paretsky that I used to devour. Current home to Julie Ann Walker’s awesome Black Knights Inc. series. I’ve driven and flown through Chicago, but never really stopped for the full tour.

Credit: Autho giorces. Chicago Grattacieli via Wikimedia Commons

Alaska: I recently read Nerd Gone Wild By Vicki Lewis Thompson, but really, I just want to go to Alaska.

Credit: By U.S. Navy photo by Journalist 1st Class Andrea J. Leahy ([1] from [2]) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Australia and NZ: I don’t care if any books have ever been set in these countries—though I know plenty have—they’ve been on my list forever. Gorgeous scenery, interesting history and architecture, fabulous accents, and rugby players. Need I say more?

The Great Barrier Reef. By NASA, by MISR (originally uploaded to en by User:Seth Ilys) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Peru: Several of fabulous romantic suspense author Cindy Gerard’s books are set here. And I’ve wanted to visit Macchu Picchu since I was ten.

By Martin St-Amant (S23678) (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons

I could go on all day, but I won’t. Feel free to share your own wish list. And even more importantly…

Please join us next Thursday when we welcome Navy veteran Heather Ashby, author of the best-selling debut novel Forgive & Forget about star-crossed Navy lovers protecting those they love from an al-Qaeda operative.

Sounds great, doesn’t it? Have a great weekend!

Filed under: Gwen Hernandez Tagged: travel

Will travel for books

Bookstore in Bath, UK

Reading a book is, for me, like taking a mini-vacation. Even when life is good, who couldn’t use a little escape from days filled with writing deadlines, appointments, carpool, kids’ homework, grocery shopping, and cleaning (assuming I were inclined to clean)?

What I like even better is to combine reading with travel. I don’t just mean reading on the beach—though, don’t get me wrong, I’m fully on board for that any time—I mean reading about places you’ve been and visiting places you’ve read about.

It’s fun when an author sets a book in a town or region you’ve lived in or visited, and you can clearly “see” every location the characters move through. One of the many reasons I love to travel is for that extra layer of familiarity with a book or movie’s setting that makes you feel like an insider. And nothing beats visiting a place you’ve read about dozens of times and finally seeing it with your own eyes.

There’s a reason why people flock to Harry Potter-themed tours of London and DaVinci Code tours of Paris and London. We love to connect with the books we read, and setting helps us do that.

The Thames

Now that I’ve been to New York City, I can picture the financial district, Central Park, and Brooklyn and understand where they all are in relation to each other.

Broadway & Wall Sts

I’ve lived in the Washington, D.C. suburbs twice now, which is a great place for fans of thrillers to live or visit. Just about everything Vince Flynn or David Baldacci has ever written is centered in and around D.C., not to mention our very own Rachel Grant’s book Concrete Evidence.

The Capitol

Sue Grafton’s alphabet mysteries became even more enjoyable after I lived on California’s central coast. Once I’d spent some time in Santa Barbara, I understood how her fictional town of Santa Theresa could be so small (by my suburban girl standards anyway) and yet have so many wealthy residents and so much crime. And I loved it when Q Is For Quarry took lead character Kinsey Millhone to Lompoc, and up my way to Santa Maria.

It’s rare to read a romantic suspense with Navy SEALs without getting some San Diego highlights. I lived there for two years in college and have visited several times since. I can picture most of its beaches, imagine walking by the famous Hotel Del Coronado, and—thanks to my Navy dad and Air Force husband, even remember strolling on the sands of Naval Air Station North Island.

I did not, unfortunately, encounter any Navy SEALs. Sadly, I didn’t even know they existed when I lived there.

Hotel Del Coronado
Photo by Ctorbann (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons

I’m a firm believer that it’s not a great year unless I’ve used my passport, so I get a special thrill out of reading books with foreign settings that I’ve visited. And this summer was especially fun because I’m such an avid reader of Regency historical romances set in England.

Not only was it my second visit to London, but this time we did a whole UK tour. Ever wondered what Gretna Green—where lovers often eloped in the early 19th century—looks like?

Gretna Green blacksmith’s shop

Countryside near Gretna Green

Or the fashionable Mayfair district where all good families seem to reside during “the Season”?

Mayfair

Just after returning home from our trip in August, I read The Arrangement by Mary Balogh. In the very beginning, the hero “hides out” from his family for several weeks in the Lake District, specifically Lake Windemere. Hey, I was just there! Maybe you can imagine my excitement.

Lake Windemere

When Regency ladies take leave from their country estates to visit the milliner in York, or dowager aunts head off to Bath to “take the waters”, I can picture the narrow streets where they shopped and the yellow stone of the quaint city along the Avon.

The Shambles in York

The River Avon in Bath

And speaking of the UK, fans of Alexander McCall Smith’s Isabel Dalhousie series should take a trip to Edinburgh. I couldn’t have imagined what a fabulous mixture of ancient and modern, urban and wilderness this seaside town would be.

Old Town Edinburgh

Reading books about places I haven’t been opens new worlds to me. Reading about places I have been enriches the experience and the memories, taking me down new streets and giving me a deeper understanding of the city or landscape.

I’d love to hear your own experiences of favorite trips that enriched your reading, or books that made you feel like an insider.

Filed under: Gwen Hernandez Tagged: reading, setting, travel