Lena Diaz's Blog, page 27

Cathy Perkins’ Winners!

A huge thank you to Cathy Perkins for spending the day with us on Tuesday.

And now for her winners . . .

Congratulations to Veronica Forand for winning a copy of For Love or Money and to Sherry Gladden for winning a copy of The Professor.

Contact us within ten days to claim your book.

Please join us next next Tuesday, September 17, when our very own Rachel Grant interviews Marie Force. I can’t wait!

Have a great weekend!

Filed under: Sharon Wray, Thursday Winner, Winners

The Two (Suspenseful) Sides of Cathy Perkins

Today I want to offer a warm welcome to Cathy Perkins, an award-winning author (and Golden Heart Finalist) of compelling-yet-terrifying suspense stories and lighter mysteries with a financial twist. After I read The Professor (which was fan-tabulous and kept me up reading all night!), I knew I wanted Cathy to spend the day with us.

Cathy: Good morning Sharon! Thanks for letting me hang out with the Romantic Suspense authors at Kiss and Thrill. I released two books this summer which are shelved as romantic suspense, The Professor (Carina Press) and For Love or Money (Entangled Publishing), but (shh, confession!) mine are really mystery/suspense with a romantic element rather than romantic suspense.

Sharon: That’s okay, Cathy. We love all kinds of suspense and mystery stories! When we chatted about this post, you mentioned you write both dark and light stories. Care to explain that comment?

Cathy: Sometimes writing in a different genre (paranormal or YA rather than suspense, for example) will keep ideas fresh for an author. I find writing different kinds of suspense stories stretches me as an author (and hopefully makes me a better one).

As far as “light” and “dark” suspenses goes, just like romantic suspense has varying degrees of heat between the hero and heroine, mystery/suspense can contain degrees of darkness. All suspense novels have a villain who places the hero/heroine—or the world—in danger and shows the dark underbelly of human nature.

Tapping into the inherent conflict between right and wrong, good and evil, makes for some interesting stories. The best ones are page turners that keep you up past your bedtime. Now not all suspense novels keep you awake, afraid to turn off the lights (although a few of Patricia Cornwell’s had me wondering if that sound was a house noise or an axe-murderer breaking in—I had to back off of those!), but there’s always a sense that Something Really Bad will happen if the heroine doesn’t unravel the mystery, find the killer, defuse the ticking bomb or stop the assassin.

Sharon: I can honestly say The Professor kept me up all night worrying about axe-murderers breaking in!  Where do you think the dividing line between “light” and “dark” stories lies?

Cathy: Maybe it’s the tone of the story that makes people label a story “light” or “dark,” but the protagonist plays a role in the distinction for me. In The Professor, the main character is a state law enforcement agent who matches wits with a serial killer. Mick O’Shaughnessy must stop The Professor before he kills again. Readers tell me the scenes from the Professor’s point of view are deliciously creepy. (We are so not delving into anything that might say about me! No axe-murdering!)

At the other end of the “darkness” scale, For Love or Money, an amateur sleuth mystery, is told from Holly Price’s perspective. A CPA (Certified Pain in the Ass according to the killer, and maybe according to the detective on the case), Holly relates to elements in the victim’s personal life, giving her a different motivation to ask questions and dig into details that don’t add up (in her opinion). She ultimately solves more than one crime, and makes the villain angry enough to come after her in the process.

Sharon: Oh, so the story is light or dark, depending on the POV character? Or is it the emotional tone of the book?

Cathy:  Hmm… Good question. While I mentioned that the main character drives the investigation and influences the way that investigation is handled, the emotional depth of the characters is a good indicator of the degree of darkness. I find the emotional depth comes from the characters’ inner conflicts, which may include a relationship issue. Maybe that’s why romantic suspense is so successful—integrating the external conflict with the relationship issues, drawing the hero and heroine together to overcome obstacles. But I digress.

Many mystery/suspense authors completely avoid any relationship in their books.  Jonathan King’s debut, The Blue Edge of Midnight, is a wonderfully atmospheric (very dark) suspense, whose guilt-ridden protagonist is in as much conflict with himself as he is with local law enforcement. At the other end of the spectrum, I think it’s safe to say Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum stories don’t spend much time on introspection. (Although Stephanie does have a relationship issue or two )

A novella linked to The Professor.

Like many of my favorite mystery/suspense authors, I always include a relationship element in my stories. I say “include” because the relationship (the romance) isn’t the primary focus of my books as it is in a romantic suspense. The emotional conflicts—romantic or other personal ones—flavor and complicate life for the main characters. They sharpen external conflicts when the internal conflicts force the main character to change and grow.

Now that I think about it, maybe the “light” or “dark” aspect is how deeply the story delves into the villain’s mindset, either directly through POV or indirectly through the investigation. Both draw the reader deep into a life or death situation.

Sharon: I think both of your answers are right. The light/dark issue is played out through the villain’s POV as well as the internal conflicts of the hero and/or heroine. But the villain POV scenes are usually what add the extra terror! What prompted you to change from dark suspense to lighter mysteries?

Cathy: I can only write so many dark stories and research really awful things people do to each other before I need to take a break. One of John Douglass’ (top FBI profiler) books gave me nightmares. Clearly, it was time to lighten up!

I also find darker stories like The Professor revolve around the actual investigation and the law enforcement officer, which means understanding how the detectives approach a case. Readers, including some from law enforcement, complemented me for “getting it right.” (I have wonderful resources; thanks y’all!)

The lighter stories allow more latitude. With For Love or Money, Holly can do her thing while JC’s over there doing whatever it is cops do. In her role as friend, confidant, or professionally as an accountant, Holly has access to people and information that would be more difficult for a police officer to obtain. She definitely does things no police officer could get away with.

Sharon: Do you decide ahead of time what type of book you want to write? Or is the type (light or dark) dependent on the characters who show up in your head?

Cathy: I’m drawn to darker stories, wanting to know the “why” behind a villain’s motivation as well as enjoying matching wits between my protagonist and villain as the investigation unfolds. It’s a choice for me to write something light when I need the emotional break.

I recently finished another dark story which my agent has on submission. I’m supposed to be working on Book 2 for Holly and JC (a sequel to For Love or Money that’s under contract) but this really dark story showed up and the characters will not leave me alone. . .

Sharon: I can’t wait to hear more!  And now for one of my favorite part of the interviews–the blurbs.

FOR LOVE OR MONEY

When Holly Price trips over a friend’s dead body while hiking, her life takes a nosedive into a world of intrigue and danger. The verdict is murder—and Holly is the prime suspect. Of course, the fact that the infinitely sexy—and very pissed off—cop threatening to arrest her is JC Dimitrak, who just happens to be Holly’s jilted ex-fiancé, doesn’t help matters.

To protect her future, her business…and her heart…the intrepid forensic accountant must use all her considerable investigative skills to follow the money through an intricate web of shadow companies, while staying one step ahead of her ex-fiancé. She better solve the case before the real killer decides CPA stands for Certified Pain in the Ass…and the next dead body found beside the river is Holly’s.

THE PROFESSOR

The Professor presses his palm against her flank, feeling the liquid warmth of her blood, hotter than her skin. Hot, like the life force that he has claimed… The power over life and death is the ultimate thrill.

Someone is murdering women on South Carolina’s college campuses: three women, three different schools. The Governor’s order to State Law Enforcement Agent Mick O’Shaughnessy is simple: make it stop. More political maneuvering diverts Mick to nearby Douglass College. There, instead of another dead body, he finds Meg Connelly, grad student and faculty advisor for the latest victim.

Determined to finish her master’s degree, Meg doesn’t need anybody’s help – including her estranged family – to succeed. There’s something irresistible about Mick, but the last time she let someone get close to her, she lost everything except her self-respect.

As the investigation heats up, so does their relationship. But Mick’s interest in Meg doesn’t just endanger her heart–it puts her in the sights of the killer.

Once he gets her alone, he can take all the time he needs…

So, K&T readers, do you prefer light or dark stories? And if you have a preference, we’d love to know what your favorites are!

And for two lucky commenters, Cathy is giving away one copy of The Professor and one copy of For Love or Money.

Cathy Perkins is a member of Sisters in Crime, Romance Writers of America and International Thriller Writers. She writes predominantly financial-based mysteries but enjoys exploring the relationship aspect of her characters’ lives. Her suspense writing lurks behind a financial day-job, where she learned firsthand the camouflage, hide in plain sight, skills employed by her villains.

Born and raised in South Carolina, the setting for HONOR CODE (a novella linked to The Professor) and THE PROFESSOR, she lives in Washington, the setting of FOR LOVE OR MONEY, with her husband, children, several dogs, and the resident deer herd.

Cathy can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Entangled Publishing, her website, and Goodreads.

Thank you for spending the day with us, Cathy. We wish you all the success in the world!

Filed under: Author Interview, Sharon Wray Tagged: Carina Press, Cathy Perkins, Entangled Publishing, For Love or Money, Mysteries, Suspense Stories, The Professor

Crash and Burn winner

Happy Friday! The winner of CRASH AND BURN by Allison Brennan and Laura Griffin is…

donnas1.

Congratulations!

Contact us within ten days to claim your book.

Please join us next week when Sharon Wray interviews award-winning author Cathy Perkins about her latest release, For Love or Money, a mystery with a financial twist.

Have a thrilling weekend!

Filed under: Winners

Winner of a Nursery Rhyme book…

Thank you all so much for stopping by on Tuesday to help me celebrate that my next nursery rhyme book will be released on September 10th. I’m so excited about Ashes, Ashes, They All Fall Dead!

And now (drum roll please) the winners of ebook copies of the first nursery rhyme book–He Kills Me, He Kills Me Not–are…

Carmen -and- Amy Valentini!

(If you already have a copy of He Kills Me, He Kills Me Not, just visit my author website http://www.LenaDiaz.com and let me know which of my books you don’t have and I’ll be happy to substitute! )

Congratulations! Please follow instructions on the “Contact Us” page to claim your prize.

Please join us tomorrow when Gwen Hernandez will announce the winner of a copy of Crash and Burn, by Allison Brennan and Laura Griffin.

Filed under: Lena Diaz, Thursday Winner, Winners Tagged: Ashes, He Kills Me, He Kills Me Not, Kiss and Thrill, Lena Diaz, Simon Says Die, They All Fall Dead, Winner

This book won’t Crash and Burn

At K&T, we’re big (really, really big) fans of Allison Brennan and Laura Griffin. So what’s better than a book by either of them? How about one by both of them together?

Allison and Laura have co-authored a new book called Crash and Burn. Part anthology, part collaborative work, Crash and Burn combines two stories starring former cops Scarlet Moreno and Krista Hart who are now partners in a private investigations firm.

Allison Brennan’s Crash has Scarlet Moreno hot on the trail of a killer, while trying to avoid a hunky police detective who wants her off the case. Burn, written by Laura Griffin, follows Krista Hart as she hunts down a missing defense witness and fends off a playboy PI competing for the same fee.

Danger, intrigue, and a few hot kisses ensue.

If you like mysteries with intelligent, kick-ass female leads, you’ll love this book. I know I did! I tracked down Laura and Allison to learn more about the genesis of Crash and Burn.

Laura Griffin

Gwen: How did the idea to collaborate on a book come about?

Laura: Allison and I had been talking for years about how fun it would be to write a book together. When we came up with the concept of Moreno & Hart Investigations, the ideas really started flowing back and forth. I knew we’d found our characters.

Gwen: The two of you are good friends. Did your friendship survive the book? Seriously, though, was working together on the book tricky? What was your process?

Allison: Amazingly, the process was painless. Laura and I knew we wanted to write about two female PIs who bonded over something in their past. We picked Orange County as the setting because it’s a place that has a lot of natural potential for stories, it’s familiar, and we both know the area. We each created our own character—Laura developed Krista, and I developed Scarlet. We each wrote our own novellas and incorporated each other’s character, then read everything and edited where our characters came in so that it was consistent. Then we hired an editor to go through both stories looking for any inconsistencies we missed, in addition to standard editing issues.

Gwen: Crash and Burn has some light romantic elements, but it’s a bit different from your usual thriller/romantic suspense titles. Was there a specific spark that drew you toward mystery?

Laura: From the beginning we wanted this to be a series, so I don’t think we were in a hurry to resolve each heroine’s love story right away. Both Scarlet and Krista have a romantic interest, but it is something that will develop over time.

Allison: I love mysteries where there’s a love interest, but the love story isn’t the focal point of the book. In a true romantic suspense, like Laura and I generally write, we spend more time with the hero and heroine working together. As a writer, I like to stretch and write new and different things, while sticking with my core suspense foundation.

Allison Brennan

Gwen: Allison, your character Scarlet Moreno reminded me of a modern day Kinsey Millhone (from Sue Grafton’s alphabet series): loner, former cop turned PI, not looking for commitment with a man, can’t walk away from a mystery. Was Moreno inspired by any other authors you read or shows you watch?

Allison: What a great question that makes me think! I watch a lot of television and read a lot of books, and can’t really point to one character who inspired Scarlet. When Laura and I were first talking about this series, we thought of a female Elvis Cole and Joe Pike from Robert Crais’s fantastic series. But Scarlet and Krista are definitely different from the guys ☺ … I think with any lead character, there are elements that get pulled from the author’s current reading and viewing habits. I watch a lot of crime drama, from Justified to Longmire to Person of Interest. Outside of Castle and Rizzoli & Isles and Bones, there aren’t a lot of really strong female leading roles. I hope there will be more in the future!

Gwen: Me too! Tell us about Moreno and Hart. What makes them tick, and why do they work well together?

Laura: These two women are both strong and independent, but after the harrowing incident at the beginning of the book they are bonded together by loyalty. They are determined to make their business work, to uncover the truth in their investigations, and to tackle the obstacles in their path. Despite their different personalities, their loyalty runs deep and no matter what happens, they have each other’s backs.

Gwen: You definitely left me wanting more of this duo. When can we expect to see more from Moreno and Hart?

Allison and Laura: We’re thrilled you enjoyed the book! We hope to write another Moreno and Hart mystery (or two or three!)—whenever we can fit it into our schedule. Hopefully sooner rather than later!

Thanks so much for being with us today, ladies!

Laura and Allison are giving away an e-book of Crash and Burn to one lucky commenter. Tell us about one of your favorite strong female characters for a chance to win.

More about Crash and Burn:

Trial by Fire …

Three years ago LAPD Detective Scarlet Moreno and rookie cop Krista Hart were nearly killed during a botched sting operation. Now, they’re best friends and partners in the Orange County private investigation firm of Moreno & Hart. But their routine assignments are anything but safe …

Crash …

Scarlet Moreno has her hands full with a cheating spouse case when the bartender at her favorite pub becomes a murder suspect. Worse, the detective in charge of the investigation threatens to arrest Scarlet for obstruction—even when she tries to give him valuable information. Scarlet risks her PI license and her life to find out the truth, absolve her friend, and track down a killer—with or without the help of the arrogant, mysterious Detective Alex Bishop.

And Burn …

Krista Hart is burned out on catching deadbeat dads and philandering husbands when a big-time criminal defense attorney hires her for a choice assignment: find the sole witness to murder the day before the trial. The case could be a boon for Moreno & Hart, but the witness is in hiding, someone is following Krista, and her own client is withholding information. The last person she wants help from is sexy investigator R.J. Flynn, but he claims he’s willing to share intel—for a price. If she can solve this case, it’ll elevate Moreno & Hart above being divorce voyeurs, but first she has to survive, with her life and heart intact.

Filed under: Author Interview, Gwen Hernandez Tagged: Allison Brennan, Crash and Burn, Laura Griffin, Moreno and Hart

Ashes, Ashes, They All Fall Dead

What do the following have in common?

A killer plucks the thorns off a rose one by one while he chants “he kills me”, “he kills me not” in a twisted game to decide whether his victims will live or die
A woman believes her stalker may be her husband, but he’s supposed to be dead
A serial arsonist with ties to an FBI agent’s forgotten tragic, past taunts her with letters bearing the names of his victims and the words “Ashes, ashes, they all fall dead”

If you guessed they’re from the books in my Nursery Rhyme Series, you’re correct!

The newest installment–Ashes, Ashes, They All Fall Dead–is available for pre-order now and will be released on September 10th.

Here’s the cover copy for “Ashes”:

What she doesn’t remember . . .

One by one the letters arrive at the FBI office in Savannah, Georgia. Inside, each bears a name–a victim of a twisted crime–and the sing-song phrase . . . Ashes, ashes, they all fall dead. Special Agent Tessa James becomes obsessed with finding the killer whose victims are crying out to her for justice.

Will kill her . . .

When sexy, brilliant consultant, Matt Buchanan, is paired with Tessa to discover who’s sending the “Ashes” letters, he discovers a serial arsonist is leaving nothing but murder in his wake. Inexplicably, the clues point to Tessa herself, forcing her to realize if she can’t remember the forgotten years of her past, the name on the next letter will be hers.

What has made writing this series so much fun is that it didn’t start as a series but evolved into one based on reader response to the characters.

The first book–He Kills Me, He Kills Me Not–features Police Chief Logan Richards helping the lone victim of a serial killer when the killer comes back to finish his deadly game with her. I wanted a good side-kick character for Logan, so I created Pierce Buchanan, an FBI agent who made a career out of going after serial killers. Readers adored Pierce and asked me to write his story.

So that’s what I did.

Pierce became the hero of Simon Says Die.  Pierce is from a family of five brothers (some blood-related, some not) and a father who puts family above everything else. I got so much mail asking for more books featuring the rest of the Buchanan family that a light bulb finally went on and I realized I had stumbled into a series.

Ashes, Ashes, They All Fall Dead is the newest book in this series. I absolutely adore Matt Buchanan. And there is so much emotion in this book that I actually cried while writing some of the scenes. That’s my first time ever as an author crying while I wrote, so I figure that’s a good sign.

What’s next? The fourth installment of the Nursery Rhyme Series will come out in 2014 and is tentatively titled Take the Key and Lock Her Up. It features Devlin Buchanan, know as Devil by his brothers. It turns out that Devlin has far more secrets than anyone in his family realizes, and a dark, tortured past that will shock you.

So, what started as a stand-alone serial killer novel became a series following the Buchanan men’s lives and watching them fall in love. I hope you’ll pick up one or more books in the series and that you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them. While they do show the progression of the lives of the recurring characters, they can all be completely enjoyed as stand alone novels and can easily be read out of order as well.

Right now, Ashes, Ashes, They All Fall Dead is price reduced during the pre-order phase to $1.99, but the price will go up in a few days, so don’t wait!

Today I’m giving away two copies of He Kills Me, He Kills Me Not, the first novel in this series. Just leave a comment letting me know what types of tropes you enjoy the most in romantic suspense. Are serial killers your thing? If not, what are your favorite types of stories?

Ashes, Ashes, They All Fall Dead

Amazon | B&N

Simon Says Die

Amazon | B&N

He Kills Me, He Kills Me Not

Amazon | B&N

Filed under: Author Spotlight, Lena Diaz Tagged: Ashes, Avon Impulse, He Kills Me, He Kills Me Not, Lena Diaz, Nursery Rhyme Series, Romantic Suspense, Romantic Thriller, Simon Says Die, They All Fall Dead

Boyer: Bloopers, Bombshells, & Harlan Coben

Getting a video right is hard.  Thinking up questions, focusing the camera, setting the lights  – trying to put someone else at ease when you are darn nervous yourself.  I’m usually pretty decent at dealing with these things — (although there was that time that Alma Katsu had to start the interview over twice when someone walked into the room , or when I ran out of film in the middle of an interview for Marcia Talley.  Sigh.)

But, what you never expect is to forget a fact — especially an author’s name – especially when that author is your very dear friend!  To be fair, I’d only done twenty interviews in a row that day (hey, either you grab authors at conferences or it’s hard to pin them down — and boy is my voice hoarse in the clip) — but seriously, how on earth do you forget your friend’s name?

So here in all it’s glory, at Susan’s insistence, is our Blooper outtake reel.  Have fun!

What Susan doesn’t know, is that Harlan Coben knows all about it.  This is a little souvenir that is coming to her by mail today!

And here is footage from Susan’s Agatha acceptance speech (yes that is me shrieking next to her):

::::Drum roll::::

Now, the winner of Susan Boyer’s book:  Lowcountry Boil is:  Deborah D ! Please contact us within ten days to qualify for your prize.

Here’s a blurb from Lowcountry Bombshell, so hot off the presses, it sizzles!

Private Investigator Liz Talbot thinks she’s seen another ghost when she meets Calista McQueen. She’s the spitting image of Marilyn Monroe. Born precisely fifty years after the ill-fated star, Calista’s life has eerily mirrored the late starlet’s—and she fears the looming anniversary of Marilyn’s death will also be hers.

Before Liz can open a case file, Calista’s life coach is executed. Suspicious characters swarm around Calista like mosquitoes on a sultry lowcountry evening: her certifiable mother, a fake aunt, her control-freak psychoanalyst, a private yoga instructor, her peculiar housekeeper, and an obsessed ex-husband. Liz digs in to find a motive for murder, but she’s besieged with distractions. Her ex has marriage and babies on his mind. Her too-sexy partner engages in a campaign of repeat seduction. Mamma needs help with Daddy’s devotion to bad habits. And a gang of wild hogs is running loose on Stella Maris.

With the heat index approaching triple digits, Liz races to uncover a diabolical murder plot in time to save not only Calista’s life, but also her own.

♥ ♥ ♥

Join us next Tuesday when Manda gets the scoop on our own Lena Diaz’s latest book.

And on Wednesday we have a bonus visit from Allison Brennan and Laura Griffin. Gwen pins them down to talk about their collaboration, Crash and Burn.

Filed under: Author Interview, book recommendations, Diana Belchase, Thursday Winner, Winners Tagged: Agatha Award, Bloopers, Diana Belchase, Harlan Coben, humor, Lowcountry Boil, Marilyn Monroe, Prize Winner, Susan Boyer, USA Today bestselling author

Bombshell Susan Boyer

Susan Boyer sat down with me in a fun interview to celebrate her upcoming book, Lowcountry Bombshell. She explains what Lowcountry is, gives us her favorite “Boil” recipe and shares a ton of laughs. Please note, Susan actually WON the Agatha after filming. (I introduced her as an Agatha finalist in the tape). Not only that, but this USA Today bestselling author (and my friend, yay!!) has also been nominated for the Daphne and the MacCavity awards, too!

I’m so proud I could burst.

On Thursday, please stop by for more about the book, a blooper reel, Susan’s Agatha speech, and a special message from HARLAN COBEN to Susan. Oh, and even better, you’ll find out who won a copy of the first book in the series: Lowcountry Boil, which will be given away to anyone leaving a comment here (or at DianaBelchase.com).  (Note there is only one prize for both blogs, but you can leave a comment in both places for an extra chance to win.)

In the meantime, here is Susan’s Top Ten List of things that make her feel like a bomshell.

Enjoy!

10. Finding the perfect shade of lipstick

9. Movie star sunglasses

8. Getting a bit blonder at the hands of my fabulous stylist, who is Italian and calls me beautiful with an awesome accent

7. Mani/pedis at my favorite salon, where they pour me a glass of champagne when I walk in (they do that for everyone, but still)

6. Slipping on a new dress in the dressing room and discovering it compliments my curves

5. Mango margaritas with the girls

4. Driving up to Starbucks and they already know my order (even if it’s because I’m that crazy woman who drives through in her pajamas with bed hair and sometimes talks to herself)

3. Singing karaoke in heels so high they only get worn for singing (well, and maybe one other thing)

2. Getting dolled up to go out with Sugar

1. The way Sugar looks at me when I get dolled up (even though we’ve been married for a way long time and my curves have fluffed out quite a bit over the years)

So to win a copy of Susan’s Lowcountry Boil, please leave a comment and let us know what makes YOU feel like a bombshell!

XO

Filed under: Author Interview, Diana Belchase Tagged: Agatha Winner, author interview, Boil Recipes, Bombshell, Diana Belchase, Lowcountry, Lowcountry Boil, Lowcountry Bombshell, Susan Boyer, USA Today Bestselling Authors

And We Have a Winner!!!

Congratulations to Julie Oest! Julie, you’re the winner of Wicked Firsts, an anthology featuring works from Katie Reus, Cynthia Eden, Elisabeth Naughton, Alexandra Ivy and Joan Swan!

And be sure to come back next week when the incomparable Diana Belchase interviews the lovely and talented Susan Boyer, the Agatha Award Winning author of the Liz Talbot mystery series.

Filed under: Thursday Winner, Uncategorized

Kicking It with Katie Reus

Katie Reus

I first became friends with Katie Reus on the ride up to Atlanta for the Moonlight and Magnolia’s Conference in 2010. I had just sold to St. Martin’s and Katie confided to me on that trip that she was hopeful about interest a publisher had shown in her wolf-shifter paranormal series. 

Now, it’s three years later: we’re both published,  and she’s burning up the charts not only with her traditionally published paranormal romances (which she sold to that interested publisher), but her self-pubbed romantic suspense has landed her on the bestseller lists. And  in a little over a month, her first traditionally published romantic suspense novel will come out. As you may have guessed by now, this is one hard-working lady!

And now, without further ado, let me welcome my friend, Katie Reus! 

Thanks so much for having me here today, Manda!

Thanks so much for being here! I’m so excited to celebrate your new releases with you! So, let’s begin at the beginning. Why romantic suspense? What drew you to it?

I discovered romantic suspense in college, years before I realized that writing was for me. The genre is such a fun escape with an HEA. Doesn’t get better than that.

No, it doesn’t. Is there any one romantic suspense book in particular that made you think, “I want to write like this”? What was it about that book, do you think?

All the Queen’s Men by Linda Howard, hands down. It was the book that introduced me to romantic suspense so even though I didn’t have a clue I wanted to be a writer when I read it the first time, that book stuck with me over the years because of the main couple. The heroine is strong and capable and the hero is so alpha delicious and his one weakness is the heroine. The characterization of their relationship is hot and complicated because in the first scene she’s with the hero listening to him order her husband to ‘finish the job’ which will entail him blowing himself up. (They’re on a mission working for the CIA at the time). Of course the h/h don’t meet up again until 5 years later and then the fun really begins. The depth of the characters is amazing.

OMG! I love me some Linda Howard. Definitely a great place to get inspired! Who are some of your other favorites?

[Aside from]  Linda Howard (her older RS titles), Kaylea Cross, and Cynthia Eden.

So, let’s get into your own writing, now. Your self-published Red Stone Security series has been wickedly successful. What is it about these books that keeps readers coming back for more? 

This has been such a fun series to write and you’re right, the reception by readers has blown me away. While these books are romantic suspense, they’re really character driven. The suspense is definitely second to the romance. The heroes are alpha, dominating, super sexy, and put their females first above everything else, which is incredibly hot. And all my heroines are really strong characters with no TSTL moments. I tend not to read reviews too much, but the ones I’ve seen and the ones my readers email me about all say similar things about loving my strong female leads paired with my alpha heroes so I know that’s a big part of the appeal.

*Beta-writing Manda starts taking notes* Alpha, check. Strong heroines, check. *Looks up* So, how will your Deadly Ops series differ from Red Stone? 

My Deadly Ops series is really high-octane suspense. While it’s character driven to an extent, there’s a balance between the suspense and romance in each book. One could not exist without the other in this series. These books are also a lot more complicated plot-wise. Headline acquired the UK/AUS rights and my editor there made a comment how filmic the first book is and I realized that she was right. It’s like a big action move but with lots of romance and of course an HEA

Do you see the Deadly Ops moving beyond a trilogy at this point, or is that something you’ll decide later? 

I would love to continue the series, but at this point that’s something I will decide much later.

Let’s get serious now. *Manda lowers her glasses and gives Katie the eye-brow lift that inspires fear in all interview subjects.* I heard a rumor that your husband shares some background traits with Jack, the hero of Targeted, your first Deadly Ops book.

Katie, are you just transcribing your life onto the page? 

Lol, those pesky rumors! In this case, it’s partially true. My husband was a sniper in the Marine Corps years ago (longer than I’ll admit) so when developing Jack’s character I got to grill him with a billion little questions for realism that I’m pretty sure drove him crazy. But when he read the prologue of the ARC he was like, ‘hey! I told you this’ over and over at different sections. It was pretty cool to see his reaction.

Okay, that’s pretty darn cool that you have an in-house expert to answer your every question. *Manda makes a note to find a time-travel dating service so she can acquire a Regency-era husband.*

Moving on!  You also write paranormal romance for NAL. Do you have any difficulty switching gears between your RS-writer-self and your Paranormal-writer-self?

Not really. Switching between the genres is something I look forward to. I love mixing it up. However, switching between my different paranormal worlds (I have a few novellas with Nocturne) is more difficult because there are different rules and I have to stay true to them in each ‘world’.

That makes sense. So, keeping with your paranormals for a moment, you write wolf-shifters. Are wolves your favorite shifters, or are there more that you’d like to write? Badger-shifters perhaps? (Sorry, that’s my college mascot. I had to ask!)

Snort, sorry, no badger shifters in the future! I absolutely love wolf shifters (or lupine shifters as they’re called in my Moon Shifter series) and I’ve also penned some stories that include jaguar shifters. I also have an idea for another type of shifter that in 2014 I’ll hopefully get a chance to write. And no, I’m not telling what

You are a cruel woman, Katie Reus. Cruel, indeed. I guess I’ll just move to the next question, then.

You were already traditionally published when you decided to embark upon your self-publishing journey. What was it about self-publishing that drew you in? Are you planning to continue self-publishing?

There were so many factors, but control and reaching readers faster were two huge deciding factors. I’m a fast writer and there’s no way NY could keep up with my output so the explosion of self-publishing came along at the right time for me. About two and a half years ago I dipped my toes in the water with a novella that was supposed to be an experiment (Killer Secrets) in self-publishing. At the time I was too busy with contractual stuff to even think about doing more than that, but it was a good experience and got me semi-prepared for when I would jump into the deep end of self-publishing a year later.

A few months after that I pitched a proposal to my agent meant for a certain Harlequin line and while she liked it she said (in so many words) that the heroine was too ‘alpha’ for the line. And she was right. I was weeks away from having my first baby and had other contractual obligations that were pressing on me so I shelved it even though I was almost completely done with the story and totally in love with the characters. Normally I’m pretty amenable to suggested changes but there was no way I was changing my heroine’s personality. So almost exactly a year later I decided to take the plunge full on into self-publishing with that story (No One to Trust, book 1 in my Red Stone series) and by the end of 2012 I had self-published four stories in the series and my readers were clamoring for more. Then in April of 2013 I hit the USA Today bestsellers list for the first time with the 6th story in the series. For me, self-publishing has been the best move for my career because it’s let me reach more readers and now I have a better understanding of exactly what my fan base wants. Seriously, I can’t write fast enough for my readers!

That is so freaking cool! I love hearing about authors (like our own Rachel Grant) jumping into the deep end and having it pay off! 

So, By my count (and I’m no math major) you’ve got two traditionally published series’ going and you’re continuing to put out a ton of self-published stories. What is the secret to your incredible output? And will you give me some of whatever you’re taking?

I’m just a total maniac. I have a bit of a type A personality and once my readers started wanting more-more-more, it only pushed my internal drive even harder. I’ve got a two year old and a husband with a crazy work shift so I have to carve out time to write but when I do, I go completely offline and just focus. This might sound crazy, but I’ve got a ‘to do’ list from now until December and I know exactly what I’ll be working on every week and what word count I need to hit every day to make my goals. I’m just very goal oriented. And post-it notes really help my focus, lol.

That said, I also have a lot of help. I’ve got a really supportive family who helps out with my son when I’m on deadlines. Without them I would be lost. Not to mention I’ve got an amazing critique partner, great beta readers, editors and proof readers. All of that helps in turning out books fast because I need multiple sets of eyes before I’m comfortable putting anything out there.

I’m just so incredibly proud of you, my friend! Thank you so much for stopping by K&T today to let me pick your brain. (In a totally not-creepy way, of course.) Anything else you’d like to add?

Thanks so much for having me here today!

I’d love to give away a copy of Wicked Firsts, the anthology that I just co-published with five other amazing authors! Just tell me; what’s your favorite thing about romance books and be entered.

Hear that, folks? What is your favorite thing about romance books? One lucky commenter will win a copy of Wicked Firsts!

A little about Katie: USA Today bestselling author Katie has been reading romance since a young age—ever since she discovered her mom’s hidden stash. Luckily the addiction stayed with her into adulthood. She now spends her days writing dark paranormal romance and sexy romantic suspense. To learn more about her please visit her website, blog, facebook or find her on twitter @katiereus.

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