trueromance

BORN TO DIE

When my editor at Kensington Publishing came up with the idea for a new series, I thought he was nuts. His idea was a series about a team of two female cops. I immediately thought of Cagney And Lacey of 1980’s television fame.

Really?

That’s where we were going?

Now you have to understand that John Scognamiglio and I work closely together. We take turns coming up with and sometimes discarding new ideas. Most of my ideas come from something I’ve seen or read about or heard, a germ of a story that I develop into a novel. Honestly I don’t know where John gets his ideas.

So when John suggested the two female cop thing, I wasn’t completely on board. Then out of the blue, his germ of an idea blossomed. In my mind’s eye I saw the first cop–a struggling, twice-married single mother of teenagers, and not necessarily A students at that. No, those kids didn’t appreciate her. She had red hair to match her temperament. I’d name her Regan–-yeah, Regan Pescoli, once married to Luke “Lucky” Pescoli. Yeah! She’d have a daughter and a son by different fathers, neither of which were supportive. Hot-tempered, willing to bend the rules every which way, Regan would be teamed with a emotionally distant, never-been-married woman who was smart as a whip and played everything by the rules. Selena Alvarez began to form in my mind and she came to me with a dark, deeply-imbedded secret.

And they weren’t city cops. Oh. No. These women were detectives with a county sheriff’s department. Far away from New Orleans where my Bentz/Montoya series is set, I came up with the town of Grizzly Falls, Montana set right in the heart of the Bitterroot Mountains.

I’d deal with craggy mountains and a small town perched on an icy river rather than the sultry, big-city feel of New Orleans.
I saw the town and peppered it with the characters that came into my mind. A sexy, guilt-riddled sheriff, a loner who is convinced he was once abducted by aliens and a women who talks to ghosts are a few of the citizens.

Recently I wrote BORN TO DIE, the third book and it’s available in August 2011. Detectives Pescoli and Alvarez are on the scene again and this time they discover the victims have an eerie resemblance to each other. No one is more aware of this disturbing fact than Dr. Kacey Lambert, who, herself, bears an uncanny likeness to the victims.

From a B level actress in Hollywood, to a teacher in the local elementary school, the victims are near mirror-images to Kacey. It only makes matters worse when she learns that the sexy rancher she’s confided in has been involved with several of the dead women.

And it scares her to death.

All in good old Grizzly Falls, Montana around Christmas time! Fa-la-la-la-la, La-la-Ti-Dah!

Question: What really has had you so frightened you could feel your heart skip a beat?

Setting: Mirabelle Island, Lake Superior off Wisconsin’s north shore
Subgenre: Romantic suspense
Hero: Jonas Abel
Heroine: Missy Charms

One sentence summary: What would you do if the love of your life, your husband, a man who’s supposed to be dead and gone, shows up on your doorstep, bleeding from a gunshot wound?

Scene you like most and would never cut: Jonas and Missy have always had a very hot, physical relationship. Even when their marriage was falling apart, it was the one thing that always worked. So when Jonas, in anger, goes to Missy’s bedroom one night and sees her naked silhouette, bam! It’s not a nice, happy, successful love scene, but it’s so critical to the story.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: Missy would never eat meat. She’s a vegetarian.

Tell us one quirky thing about your hero? Jonas’s mother died when he was six and so he traveled the world with his military father. As a result, Jonas can speak German, Spanish and several Arabic dialects.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: She owns a small gift shop that specializes in earth friendly gifts on Mirabelle, a small tourist island, the wedding destination of the Upper Midwest. She also makes a lot of the jewelry she sells in her shop.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: Jonas is an FBI agent who’s been deep undercover for several years. He takes his job a little too seriously, which is a part of his journey in this book.

What you think readers will like best about this book: I think they’ll like the entire book, but if the ending doesn’t make readers both cry and laugh, then I haven’t done my job!

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: I’ve received a couple of reader letters asking when I’m going to write about Garrett Taylor’s three brothers. He’s the Mirabelle Island chief of police and the hero in my 2nd Mirabelle story, Next Comes Love. I’ve written about his youngest brother in The Pursuit of Jesse, just out this July. But Christian and Drew are still percolating.

What’s next:
The Pursuit of Jesse, Her Sure Thing, and Redemption at Mirabelle, the 5th, 6th and 7th Mirabelle stand alone books, come out back to back this July, August and September. I’m currently working on a Navy SEALS novella with a large group of authors, to be part of SEAL of My Dreams, due to be released on 11/11/11. And I’ve got a proposal in with Harlequin for 2 more Mirabelle stories, so I’ll be keeping busy!

About Me:
What’s my favorite movie of all time? Romancing the Stone and The Princess Bride generally run neck and neck for first place, but Pride and Prejudice (Kiera Knightly version) and Phantom of the Opera run close seconds.

What’s my favorite kind of story to get lost in? Since I would never dream of writing a historical romance, they’re the easiest stories for me to sink into.

What’s the first book I remember reading? Oh, that’s a tough one. Probably a Nancy Drew mystery. Although it wasn’t long after that I graduated to Harlequins!

What’s my favorite fairy tale? I’ve always loved the story of The Ugly Duckling. I had three sisters who were 8, 10 and 12 years older than me, so I think I identified with that baby swan!

What’s my favorite cartoon character? Oh, oh. Haven’t watched cartoons since my kids were little and I’m not sure South Park qualifies. I really liked watching the Rugrats with my kids when they were little and Angelica Pickles was probably my favorite character. From when I was a kid, though, and I’m dating myself here, I drooled over Johnny Quest!

What’s something I’d like to tell your readers? I love you guys. I wouldn’t be able to do this without every single one of you!

What would my occupation be if I were no longer a writer? I have an undergrad degree in accounting, so I’d very likely jump back into business.

What do I do to unwind and relax? Watch moves, walk the dogs, read, garden.

Tea or Coffee? And how do I take it? I love coffee with cream, but all that caffeine isn’t good for me. I drink tea. Black is my favorite, but I like green, too.

What does love mean to me? Love, to me, means accepting a person in his/her entirety. We all have flaws, but they’re part of what makes us, us.

Which era would I least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Most? I’m not crazy about wearing dresses, so I’d dislike just about any pre-1960 era from a fashion standpoint. I’m actually pretty happy with today’s fashions. So eclectic just about anything goes!

What name have I been dying to use as a lead character, but haven’t found the right fit yet? Oh, I love this question! Names are so important to me. For a long time I wanted to use the name Jamis, but the perfect hero, a horror writer, showed up for that one in THEN COMES BABY. Now I’d love to find a character to match the name Dixon. Haven’t quite figured out who he is yet.

Dog person or cat person? Both. I have two dogs and two cats. There are times when only my dogs’ devotion will do. And other times when a cat’s purr in my ear is just the ticket!

Question –
As I mentioned earlier, I have proposals in for books 8 and 9 in my Mirabelle Island series, that will hopefully come out in 2012, so I’m very curious about this. Do you ever get tired of reading a series written by the same author? What makes you stop reading a series?

Readers’ Crown Award Winner, Short Contemporary Romance

Setting: Whedon, PA
Subgenre: Contemporary Romance
Hero: Liam Franklin
Heroine: Anna Chapel

One sentence summary: “A Special Kind of Different.”

A Special Kind of Different—that was my working title for A One-of-a-Kind Family. The book was certainly a different kind of romance for me. The story is Anna and Liam’s romance, but neither the story, nor their romance would have worked without Liam’s special needs brother, Colm, who became a major character in the story.

I love working with secondary characters, and many of my older ones have their own following…they get their own letters from readers. Pearly Gates and Nana Vancy are two reader favorites, but Colm’s catching up. He’s truly all heart…and his heart and courage are what brings my hero and heroine together, and ultimately keeps them together.

What’s next?
A One-of-a-Kind Family is the second book in my Whedon, PA series for SuperRomance. The first book, Unexpected Gifts, was a Readers’ Crown finalist last year, the third book was last year’s Homecoming Day. The final book, A Father’s Name, is my next release this September. I love working on a series of stories that allows me to bring past characters back so readers can catch up on what’s going on with them. The heroine of A Father’s Name, Tucker, has appeared in all the books in the series and a number of readers had asked for her story. I’m thrilled to be able to bring it to them!

About Me:

What’s my favorite fairy tale? When I was little, we walked to school and went home for lunch. On rainy days, I walked across the street from the school and had lunch with Annabelle (I named a character after her in my Everything But…series). Annabelle was one of my grandmother’s best friends, and after we ate, she’d let me pick two books to read before going back to school. I always, always chose Snow White and Rose Red as one of them. I think what appealed to me most about the story was that Snow White and Rose Red were sisters. I have brothers. Lots and lots of brothers. I always dreamed of having a sister. I think that longing is why I write a little of a fictional sister into each of my heroines.

What’s my favorite cartoon character? One of my early Duets was How to Catch a Groom. The hero, a scientist, named his cat Schrodinger which gave me untold glee! Now, for you non-science geeks, Schrodinger was a physicist who had a theory known as Schrodinger’s Cat. I thought that the fact my hero named his cat Schrodinger showed he had a geeky sense of humor! I was beyond thrilled when the book was turned into Manga in Japan. I had to order a copy because they didn’t send me one. It involved going to the Japanese Amazon site, translating it, and paying a huge shipping fee, but more than forty dollars later, I finally got a copy and the first thing I looked for was Schrodinger…and he was there!

So, my long answer to a short question–my favorite cartoon character is and was Schrodinger!

What would my occupation be if I were no longer a writer? A year ago, I started basketweaving. Like writing, it’s a very creative process. If a weaver gets good enough, a basket can be art. I’m a novice, so my baskets are sort of the fingerpainting of basket-art. But if I ever gave up writing, I’d seriously consider making baskets fulltime.

Tea or Coffee? My Facebook and Twitter friends know I’m a coffee addict, but I’m also a fan of tea! I tend to kick-start my day with coffee, and switch to tea in the afternoon and frequently tweet my glee over both. I also tweet a lot of glee over Mondays. They’re my favorite day of the week, which seems to boggle a lot of friends, but seriously, after a weekend of chaos when no one in my family has to leave for school or work, Mondays are blessedly quiet and peaceful. As I sit with my steaming cup of coffee in the utter silence…well, what’s not to love?

What does love mean to me? Rather than answer about me, I’d rather answer for Anna, the heroine in A One-of-a-Kind Family. When she first visits Liam and Colm’s home, she notices the front porch.

“…Anna was promptly struck by a serious a case of porch-envy.

Some people dreamed about picket fences, or tons of acreage, or living in the right, fashionable neighborhood.

Anna dreamed about porches.

Porches like this one.

…Of course, it was a bit barren looking. Only two old folding lawn-chairs sat on it, and the paint had long since started fading and peeling. But with a little elbow grease…

Someday.

Someday she’d move out of her apartment and buy her own house with a huge front porch. Then she’d paint it some merry color–maybe green–and furnish it with big white wicker furniture that had overstuffed cushions. In the mornings she’d go out on it, have a cup of coffee and read her paper before going into work. Then in the evenings, she’d come home and after dinner, she’d sit on her porch and watch the day turn to dusk and maybe smile at neighbors who walked by.”

I wrote that description early in the book and it wasn’t something that I really thought a lot about. Towards the end of the book, Anna’s porch-envy became a pivotal part of resolving her problems with the hero. For me (and Anna) defining love was easy…Love is a front porch.

Dog person or cat person? Dog…well, dogs. I have two, Ethel Merman and Ella Fitzgerald, plus I frequently babysit my daughter’s two dogs, Booger Monster (seriously, that child’s mind works in mysterious ways) and Cosmo. So, I’m a dog person in a big way. I walk all four, and they keep me company as I work.

Congratulations to Brenda Novak for winning the ‘Long Romantic Suspense’ Readers’ Crown Award with White Heat!

And now for INSIDE, her brand new romantic suspense novel that published on June, 28th.

ON LOCATION….
What would happen if a man who’d been wrongfully imprisoned for fourteen years was finally exonerated but knew the prison gang he’d joined in order to survive would kill his sister and her kids if he didn’t continue to support them and their illegal activities? How would he ever really “get out?” And what would happen if, in exchange for his sister’s protection, this man was willing to go back inside a different prison—over the express disagreement of the female Assistant Deputy Warden whose job it would be to protect him—to expose a new gang?

Whatever came next would involve plenty of danger. That would be a given. The potential for such high-stakes conflict against this gritty backdrop is what got me excited to write INSIDE. But I knew, in order to pull off the story the way I wanted, I’d have to make the setting more believable than ever—and that meant I had to go “inside” myself.

I didn’t have any contacts at Pelican Bay, where the story is set, but I drove the four hundred miles (mostly on narrow, windy roads) from my home in Sacramento to “California’s Siberia.” I explored the area, only twenty miles south of the Oregon border, as well as Crescent City, the closest town, which has an economy that’s almost completely dependent on the prison. Then I did a lot of research on gangs and learned such interesting terms as “blood in, blood out,” which means you have to draw blood (possibly even kill a man) to get in and they’ll spill your blood if you ever try to get out; “in the hat,” which means you’re marked to be beaten (this usually happens to pedophiles and others in for sex crimes); “bitch” or “punk,” which is what some of the stronger men make of the weaker men they force to gratify their sexual impulses.

Determined to get firsthand experience on how a prison is run to enhance my research, I contacted a friend in corrections who could give me a tour of Soledad in the Central Valley. Investigative Officer David Doglietto, or Dog as he’s called, took the better part of a Saturday to show me through.

From the outside, Soledad is as stark and imposing as a prison is meant to be. It actually looks more daunting than Pelican Bay. Except for three surrounding fences, the middle of which is electrified, Pelican Bay resembles an industrial park, and yet it’s the most notorious prison in California. With its own fire department, water treatment facility, boiler plants, electrical generators, full medical department with hundreds of medical personnel, and an educational department with teachers and even a school superintendent, it’s almost a town in and of itself–and that was the same with Soledad, which sits in the middle of acres and acres of farmland, it’s only neighbor another prison. At Soledad, security was strict, but not like it would be at Pelican Bay. And once I got inside, there seemed to be a surprisingly casual atmosphere. Maybe it was the mural-covered hallway, but it felt more like a high school to me—until we reached the cells.

Knowing Soledad housed Level 3 offenders, some of whom had committed serious crimes (as evidenced by the pictures we saw of gang stabbings and the homemade implements used to create such injuries, made from such innocuous substances as ballpoint pens, plastic spoons, Styrofoam cups, combs and even Ziploc bags that were melted down and sharpened), I didn’t want to be left alone with any of the inmates. The pictures of the stabbings (or being “shanked” as they call it in prison) were gruesome. But those inmates we encountered as we moved from R&R (Receiving and Release), the dining hall, the various cellblocks, P.I. (prison industries) and the yard typically nodded a polite hello. Some even muttered a greeting before striding past us with much more of a sense of purpose than I had expected.

In the yard, they were playing basketball. I found it interesting that they had sporting equipment and learned that they typically behaved themselves quite well during sporting events. No one wanted to risk losing such an enjoyable pastime.

Despite all the things I’ve seen on TV, or perhaps because of them, I didn’t realize just how difficult it would be to spend years upon years in such a place. Some programs paint prison as too hard, others as too soft. The degree of difficulty became clear to me, however, when Dog asked two inmates to come out of their cell and allow me to go in. I’d been in empty cells before, at Alcatraz and other places, but never one where inmates were currently living. It was a completely different experience. With two small TVs playing (each occupant had one rigged above his bunk), personal items stacked wherever they’d fit, laundry strung across the entrance (apparently they don’t like to send their clothes to be laundered because they’re afraid they won’t get the same ones back; they also barter for these items), and my husband behind me, there was so little space I could hardly turn around.

I have to admit, I felt a moment of panic when Dog surprised me by closing the door—and I knew I wouldn’t have to stay.

–
Brenda Novak
brendanovak.com

Hi again!

First of all thanks to everyone who voted for RISK NO SECRETS and naming it co-winner of the Reader’s Crown for best Romantic Suspense. Here’s a link http://www.cindygerard.com/excerpt_may2010.html where you can read an excerpt from RISK NO SECRETS to get a feel for the book. Sophie and Wyatt’s story (book 5 in the Black Ops Inc series) was a very special story for me to write. Star crossed lovers, action, adventure … all the things that made this book a joy to write.

Second, congratulations to Brenda Novak, too! Can’t think of anyone I’d rather share the title with. This is a real thrill for me also, because it’s a repeat. Yup. Last year, WHSIPER NO LIES also won the Reader’s Crown for best Romantic Suspense. Makes me very, very happy and proud.

And finally, since I just blogged here at Border’s True Romance a couple of weeks ago and talked about my upcoming release, WITH NO REMORSE, (check it out the July 6th post) I thought I’d break away from the norm and offer up a topic near and dear to MY heart and I’m thinking the hearts of many of you reading this post. So here it is:

CHOCOLATE – IN THE NAME OF SCIENCE!
Now this is a study I could really get into. I recently read that one hundred and fifty women in London will be eating chocolate every day for a year, as part of a research study into the health benefits of cocoa.

Okay – first things first. Where was I when they were asking for volunteers? If there’s anything I can relate to, it’s chocolate.
This study is being held at the University of East Anglia and the purpose is to determine whether compounds in chocolate can cut the risk of heart disease specifically in women with type 2 diabetes.

Since I am a woman and since heart disease is a huge issue with women, I’m liking the idea that FINALLY doctors are incorporating not only innovative studies but studies most women can really get into. I mean, who can’t get into chocolate? And in the name of science? It’s win win all the way.

The kicker: Doctors have cautioned that the general population, and especially diabetics should not start eating large quantities of chocolate unsupervised, as it also contains lots of sugar and fat, which worsen diabetes and promote weight gain.

Chocolate promotes weight gain? Hmm. Who’d a thunk it?

Back to the study. Cocoa, the main ingredient of chocolate, is a rich source of compounds called flavonoids, which have been shown to decrease risk factors for heart disease. Generally the process of making chocolate from cocoa destroys the majority of these compounds, however, a Belgian chocolatier has developed a specially formulated chocolate bar for the study with extra flavonoids and added soy, which is also a rich source of the chemicals.

The study is hoping to show that adding flavonoids to the diet of the 150 subjects, provide additional protection from heart disease and give women the opportunity to take more control over reducing their risk of heart disease in the future and possibly improve the level of protection against heart disease over and above that provided by conventional drugs.

We all knew that chocolate was good for us, right? It elevates moods, makes the mouth happy and looks so pretty in those gold foil boxes with pretty ribbons. I’ll be anxious to see the results of this study. In the meantime, I’ve already initiated my ‘chocolate kiss a day’ plan and I’m happy to report, I’m feeling better all ready.

Seriously, my mother suffered from heart disease for many years. I suspect all of us know someone special who has had type two diabetes or other heart related medical conditions. I’m trying very hard to take care of my heart – and no, not just with chocolate although chocolate does make my little heart sing. I’m attempting to exercise more, eat less saturated fats – you know the drill.

So my question is, what about you? Young, old, or in between, we all face the potential of dealing with some level of heart disease. What are you doing to protect your heart? And if you aren’t doing anything, don’t you think it’s time you start?

And while we’re asking questions? Is the anything … anything at all that is going to keep you from rushing right out tomorrow and buying your copy of WITH NO REMORSE? Gosh, I hope not

Readers’ Crown Award Winner, Best First Romance

Setting: On tour with the rock band Sinners
Subgenre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Hero: Brian Sinclair
Heroine: Myrna Evans

One sentence summary: The lead guitarist of Sinners, Brian Sinclair, never expected to find his muse and the love of his life in college professor, Myrna Evans, but one weekend of passion fuels his desire to make her his forever.

Scene you like most and would never cut: The scene where Brian first discovers his muse while making love to Myrna. He writes a guitar solo on her skin. So sensual.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: Myrna would never say, “I wish I had a man to take care of me.”

Tell us one quirky thing about your hero? He really, really, REALLY wants to get married (I know that’s not quirky in most instances, but he’s a ROCK STAR. That’s quirky for a rock star.)

Heroine: She drives her grandparents’ car. A fully restored 57 Thunderbird, pink convertible.

What is your heroine’s occupation: Human Sexuality professor, currently studying the behavior of band groupies

What is your hero’s occupation: Lead guitarist of the rock band Sinners

What you think readers will like best about this book: The camaraderie between the band members and the inventive sex scenes

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: Dare Mills, lead guitarist of the band Exodus End and Trey’s older brother (Trey is the rhythm guitarist of Sinners and Brian’s best friend)

What’s next: The next book in the series, Rock Hard, is about the lead singer and has already been released. Each member of the band will have his own book.

Question – Who is your favorite star (musician or otherwise)? How do you think you’d respond if you met them?

About Me:

What’s my favorite movie of all time? Aliens – I love tough-as-nails heroines, Michael Bien and James Cameron – it has all three

What’s my favorite kind of story to get lost in? A book with interesting, 3-dimensional characters

What’s the first book I remember reading? Pokey Little Puppy (I was 3)

What’s my favorite fairy tale? Are there any fairy tales where the woman isn’t saved by a man? Girl power! I do like Beauty and the Beast.

What’s my favorite cartoon character? Wile E Coyote (I identify with him a little too much, unfortunately)

What’s something I’d like to tell my readers? You rock!

What would my occupation be if I were no longer a writer? I’d keep teaching college science classes, not that I ever stopped

What do I do to unwind and relax? Rock concerts and roller coasters. Those are relaxing, right?

Tea or Coffee? And how do I take it? Hot tea with sugar and milk

What does love mean to me? Compromise and making someone else’s happiness a priority.

Which era would I least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Most? I’d hate to live in any era where a woman was expected to wear corsets, petticoats and huge dresses. Hot and uncomfortable. The era of yoga pants and T-shirts is best. That would probably be now. I’m not into fashion at all. Comfort is much more important to me. I do like jeans and my leather jacket, too.

What name have I been dying to use as a lead character, but haven’t found the right fit yet? Sergio/Serge

Dog person or cat person? Both. I’m mostly a cat person, but I’m very attached to my own dog.

Harlequin will randomly select 3 commenters to winners a set of the six books! Valid only in USA.

Watch how the covers have changed over the years and get an exclusive sneak peek at how a Harlequin® Blaze™ cover is made, and all the fun behind the scenes at the photo shoot!

Extra Innings by Debbi Rawlins
One sentence summary: The book is an Encounters, a trio of novellas revolving around three minor league baseball players hoping to be called up to the Majors and the three women who challenge them more than the game.
Tell us one quirky thing about your heroine? Naturally I like all three women, and choosing one I like the best feels too close to naming a favorite child. That said, Tori tickled me. The woman has no concept of censorship. Bless her, she says all the things I wish I could.
What is your heroes occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing? One hero is an enigmatic short stop, another is a bad boy pitcher who’s already pitched in the Majors, and the third a heartthrob first baseman.
What you think readers will like best about this book? The stories are fun and fast paced, with the heroines achieving what few of us mere mortals can.

If you had the chance to go out with a celebrity, be it a sports figure, movie star, singer, anyone, who would it be, and what about him or his profession do you find attractive? This is just between you and me. of course

About Me:
1. What’s your favorite movie of all time? Hard to choose just one, but I’ll pretty much see anything Bruce Willis does, and I’ve watched Pretty Woman and Pride and Prejudice an obscene number of times.
2. What’s your favorite cartoon character? I had a ridiculous crush on Johnny Quest.
3. What would your occupation be if you were no longer a writer? Anything to do with animals
4. What do you do to unwind and relax? I love to read, grow flowers, not to be confused with weeding, play with my dogs and annoy my cats.
5. Which era would you least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Most? Any time before women wore pants would have been a deal breaker for me. If I ever wear a dress again it’ll because someone held me down and sprayed it on.

Hotshot by Jo Leigh
One sentence summary: He shattered her heart once, can she dare to let him get close enough to do it again?
What is your heroines occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: Sara is an Air Force Captain
What is your heroes occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: Luke is an Air Force Pilot
What you think readers will like best about this book: The passion and the redemption.

Have you ever reconnected with a guy from your past? Was it disappointing or did it change your life?

About Me:
1. What’s your favorite movie of all time? Too many to name, but some are Raiders of the Lost Arc, Love, Actually, Sin City, Broadcast News
2. What’s your favorite cartoon character? Rocky & Bullwinkle
3. What do you do to unwind and relax? Hang out with my pets.
4. Which era would you least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Most? Least: Upper Palaeolithic. So few really great handbags. Most: 1930s-40s. Of course, I’d want to be as tall and gorgeous as Kate Hepburn while I’m there.
5. Dog person or cat person? Both. We have four dogs and five cats, all rescues!

Too Hot to Touch by Julie Leto
Scene you like most and would never cut: I love the final scene where the hero has to use skills he disapproves of in order to get the heroine back. She’s brought him to his knees. That’s always fun.
Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: My heroine would never be caught saying, “Well, officer, you see, I lied about who I was and I’m actually a fence dealing in stolen goods.” It’s all true, but she’d never say it.
Tell us one quirky thing about your hero? My hero is not quirky. He frowns at quirky. Unless it’s the heroine, in which case he embraces it. Heroine: I think the fact that she lives a double life is fairly quirky.
What is your heroines occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: She’s a fence, meaning she moves stolen goods for her adopted brother, who is a thief. But she’s also an art expert.
What is your heroes occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: Alex would never be unemployed! His family owns an auction house in Madrid and he runs it.
What you think readers will like best about this book: I think the readers will love the subtle references to a certain legend regarding a mask-wearing bandit who made the ladies swoon all over colonial California. And they’ll love Alejandro, because he’s the quintessential tall, dark and handsome hero.

Readers always seem to love spin-offs and sequels. How many is too many?

About Me:
1. What’s your favorite movie of all time? Star Wars, or what George Lucas wants us to call now “A New Hope.” This story ignited my imagination in ways that directly led to me becoming a writer.
2. What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in? The kind that is well-written and emotionally compelling. It can be anything, but it’s the writing that grabs me and takes me away.
3. What’s the first book you remember reading? Misty of Chincoteague, about the wild horses. I distinctly remember that book.
4. What’s your favorite fairy tale? The better question is what is NOT my favorite fairy tale. I adore fairy tales.
5. What do you do to unwind and relax? Ha! I wish I could say I escape to my vacation home in the south of France, but honestly, I usually try to find a Criminal Minds or NCIS marathon to watch on television. I do love to travel, though.

Cowboys Like Us by Vicki Lewis Thompson
One sentence summary: When an injury ends Logan’s pro baseball career, he heads to the Last Chance Ranch and discovers that Caro Davis makes him forget all his troubles!.
Scene you like most and would never cut: When Logan’s thrown from his horse into a patch of wildflowers and ends up with them in his hair.
Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: “My glass is half empty.”
Tell us one quirky thing about your hero? Logan can juggle cocktail shakers.
What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: She’s a bartender.
What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: He was a pro baseball player and now has to figure out what to do with his life.
What you think readers will like best about this book: COWBOYS LIKE US is about resilience — finding new dreams when old dreams die.

About Me:
1. What’s your favorite movie of all time? Anything starring Colin Firth.
2. What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in? A swashbuckling adventure in which I picture Colin Firth as the hero.
3. What’s the first book you remember reading? THE SECRET GARDEN, which I now picture starring a young Colin Firth.because guess what? The boy in that book is named Colin.
4. What’s your favorite fairy tale? Beauty and the Beast, which I’d love to see enacted by Colin Firth.
5. What’s something you’d like to tell your readers? I love you all almost as much as I love Colin Firth

The Braddock Boys: Travis by Kimberly Raye
One sentence summary: A sexually frustrated wedding planner meets the ultimate Texas bad boy (oh, and he’s also a vampire).
Scene you like most and would never cut: They’re like my babies. I love them all!
Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: “I can’t do that”. Holly is the ultimate wedding planner and she wants to make dreams come true for her brides.
What is your heroes occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: He’s a working cowboy who trains horses. Very good at what he does because of his vamp senses. Can communicate telepathically with the animals and understand their primal instinct.
What’s next: I’m currently working on the last book in the Braddock Brothers series—this book features Colton and will finally give the brothers closure on the tragedy that destroyed their family. Oh, and I’ve just discovered Twitter. I’m becoming a major Twitter whore.

What’s your favorite hero type? Cowboys? CEOs? Cops? Vampires? Which type of man really floats your boat?

About Me:
1. What’s your favorite movie of all time? The Terminator. The romance was skimpy, but those few moments were smokin’ hot!
2. What’s something you’d like to tell your readers? It’s so comforting to know that I’m not the only hopeless romantic out there.
3. What would your occupation be if you were no longer a writer? A baker. I love to bake goodies in my spare time. (Cupcake Wars here I come!)
4. Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it? Neither. I’m a diet coke fanatic and yes, Brenda, it is possible to consume an entire six pack in less than three hours.
5. Which era would you least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Regency. Too many rules. Most? The Wild West. No rules!

Undeniable Pleasures by Tori Carrington
One sentence summary: In UNDENIABLE PLEASURES, the third and final book in the Pleasure Seekers miniseries, bad boy Jason Savage from RECKLESS PLEASURES is all over over a special case involving a difficult federal witness…along with sexy club owner Jordan Cosby, who has ‘pleasure’ written all over her…
Scene you like most and would never cut: Oh, that’s a tough one! Each scene is so tightly connected to the next if you were to cut one, the entire story might unravel. But I know that’s not what you mean. Hmm…in this case, I’d have to say one of my personal favorites is when Jason and Jordan indulge in a hot and heavy hallway make-out session at his grandmother’s house and she catches them. Instead of scolding them, however, she merely asks they not get anything on the rug…and points out there is a perfectly good bedroom nearby. Few things are more satisfying than when a character – secondary or otherwise – surprises you….
Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: “No.” Well, at least not to a perfectly good proposition from a perfectly yummy proposition maker. Too suggestive? Well, then, let’s go with “Single With a Cat.” Of course, this is before she’s put in protective custody and ends up spending more time in her apartment in two weeks than she has in the past two years and one of her friends gives her a black, long-haired female named Cleo to keep her company. Then again, by book’s close, it appears she’s not going to be single for very much longer, either….
Tell us one quirky thing about your hero and heroine: She loves breakfast cereals…the sweeter and more kid-like the better. He loves to cook…the more complicated and gourmet the better. A match made in Food Network Heaven…
What is your heroes occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: An inactive Marine, he’s one of the original six partners of Lazarus Security, which usually handles more important cases than Jordan’s… But as luck would have it, this particular one turns out to be one of his most important to date….
What you think readers will like best about this book: The interplay – sexual and otherwise - between these two strong-willed, independent characters. She’s the ultimate bad girl to his irresistible bad boy. They’re lucky to make it out alive, much less in love. Also the fact that it’s intimately tied into stories that have come before.
What’s next: RED-HOT SANTA, Harlequin Blaze Uniformly HOT! available December 2011. While UNDENIABLE PLEASURES is the final book in the Pleasure Seekers Miniseries, I’m thrilled to report Lazarus Security stories will continue, beginning with RED-HOT SANTA, which features Jason Savage’s younger brother Jackson and Jackson’s longtime best friend Maxine McGuire…who decides she wants to take “friends with benefits” to a whole new hotter level….

When did you first discover the hotness that is Blaze? Have you been with the line since the beginning? Or are you just now picking up the awesome titles?

About Me:
Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it? Tony and I are both coffee fiends. Rare is the time you’ll find us without a cup at our elbows. I do tea every now and again, usually green. In the summer, I’m also a huge fan of frappes, a favorite of our comedic mystery gal pal Sofie Metropolis, who drinks ‘em all year long. For info on all of our titles, visit us at toricarrington.net. For fun and easy Greek recipes, go to sofiemetro.com.

Setting: Washington, D.C., Virginia, Maryland
Subgenre: Romantic Thriller
Hero: Mark Ryan, sexy FBI agent
Heroine: Jessica Ford, ambitious young lawyer, reluctant witness, Mark’s still ticked-off ex-girlfriend

One sentence summary: While someone gets busy trying to kill her, Jess inherits a dead woman’s job – and the dead woman.

Scene you like most and would never cut: A very sexy bathroom scene between Jess and Mark; also, I absolutely love the ending. And – okay, you said one, and I’m already over.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: I give up.

Tell us one quirky thing about your hero? Heroine: Mark isn’t a fan of deep water; Jess is blind as a bat without her contacts/glasses.

What is your heroines occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: Jess is a member of a hot-shot criminal defense team

What is your heroes occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: Mark is an FBI Special Agent currently charged with keeping Jess alive

What you think readers will like best about this book: The chemistry between Mark and Jess; Clementine the cat; two runaway teenage girls; Jess’s sisters; and, oh, yeah, the non-stop, hold-your-breath suspense.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: So many characters, so little time! But probably the daughter from Vanished.

What’s next: Sleepwalker, a romantic thriller starring a hot female cop and the even hotter male thief she’s trying to capture. What is it they say about the best laid plans…? Out in December, 2011.

How much romance do you like in your thrillers? Should the romance be the focus, should it be fifty-fifty with the suspense, or should the suspense be the focus of the book? It’s always a difficult decision for me, and I’d be interested to know what you think.

Several Justice-themed gift baskets will be given away. Please see my website: www.karenrobards.com, or visit me on facebook for details

About Me:

1. What’s your favorite movie of all time? Impossible to answer. There are so many!

2. What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in? I love romance, romantic suspense, and thrillers.

3. What’s the first book you remember reading? A Wrinkle in Time, probably second or third grade. I loved it, and still do.

4. What’s your favorite fairy tale? Beauty and the Beast, the Disney version. I’m a sucker for bookworms.

5. What’s your favorite cartoon character? Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (hey, I have boys; also, I like their theme song)

6. What’s something you’d like to tell your readers? I love books. I love to read them, I love to write them, I love to browse bookstores and just look at them on the shelves. If I was hungry and had a few dollars and was given a choice between buying food or a book, I’d go with the book every time.

7. What would your occupation be if you were no longer a writer? I can’t imagine no longer being a writer. I’ve been writing all my life.

8. What do you do to unwind and relax? Read.

9. Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it? Tea. Iced.

10. What does love mean to you? My three sons and my husband. And my parents. And my sister and brothers and their families. And my friends. And – okay, I’ll stop now.

11. Which era would you least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Most? Least: Elizabethan England – those neck ruffs look uncomfortable, and somebody obviously had to iron and starch them. With my luck, it would be me. Most: Ancient Greece. What’s not to love about a toga?

12. What name have you been dying to use as a lead character, but haven’t found the right fit yet? Persephone. It’ll happen.

13. Dog person or cat person? Both. I have two dogs, a German Shepherd and a beagle, and three cats, all of which sit around me as I write. I also have a twenty-five year old parrot who sings gospel, and a thirty-year-old (does that mean he’s immortal?) pony.

Setting: Washington, DC/Dallas, TX/New York, NY
Subgenre: Multicultural romance
Heroes: Gabe Jackson in The Awakening, Sebastian Stone in A Matter of Trust, Chase Braxton in Sweet Temptation, Vincent Maxwell in Southern Comfort, Tanner Rafferty in The Blind Date.
Heroines: Jessica Ames in The Awakening, Hope Lassiter in A Matter of Trust, Julia Ferrington in Sweet Temptation, Charlotte Duval in Southern Comfort, Ayanna Hardcastle in The Blind Date.

One sentence summary:
Five wonderful stories of falling in love when you least expect to.

Scene you like most and would never cut:
Since there are five stories in TWICE THE TEMPTATION, I’ll select one from the first story, The Awakening. The awareness when Gabe and Jessica first meet is sweet and charming. Despite Gabe picking her up at the airport for his brother, you root for Jessica to find a man who sees and values her the way she is, and just know Gabe is that man.

Thing your heroines would never be caught dead doing/saying: None of them would ever be rude to anyone.

Tell us one quirky thing about your hero? Heroine: Tanner Rafferty in The Blind Date can’t stand a cluttered desk. Ayanna Hardcastle in The Blind Date likes to get to work before everyone else.

What is your heroines occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: Jessica in The Awakening is the only woman in the five stories who is unemployed. Her dream, despite her wealthy parents saying as the future wife of an executive she doesn’t have to work, is to obtain her Masters in counseling and work with children. Hope in A Matter of Trust is a cosmetologist, but wants to get back to acting in the theater. Julia in Sweet Temptation owns an upscale candy shop and is looking for a second location. Charlotte in Southern Comfort is a political fundraiser and can’t see herself doing anything else. Ayanna in The Blind Date is the accountant for her cousin’s restaurant, and the only heroine who is a bit uncertain about the direction of her life.

What is your heroes occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: Gabe from The Awakening once swam with the sharks as an investment broker, but now is living his dream painting portraits and enjoying life more. Sebastian in A Matter of Trust is a successful Broadway director who is having trouble casting the female lead in his next play. Chase in Sweet Temptation is a commissioned officer with the elite Texas Ranger looking to move up to captain and be in charge of his own unit. Vincent in Southern Comfort is vice-president of finances and is re-engineering a large petroleum company’s financial structure. Tanner Rafferty in The Blind Date is a hotel developer and chief operating officer of ten Rafferty Hotels from Florida to D.C.

What you think readers will like best about this book: I think readers will really like the range of stories from sweet to hot, but the emotions of the hero and heroine as they come to grips with falling in love and what that means to their already mapped out life, is what will draw readers into the stories and keep them reading and rooting for them to find their happily-ever-after.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: An easy question. I get email on a daily basic asking about Rio’s story. We met Rio in ONLY YOU. the last book in the Graysons of New Mexico series, and then later in three of the four subsequent Grayson Friends series - THE WAY YOU LOVE ME, ONE NIGHT WITH YOU, and IT HAD TO BE YOU. It seemed each encounter with Rio fueled the reader’s interest and appetite for more. It’s very gratifying when a character touches a reader in that special way, and I’m very thankful that he did.

What’s next: Being released on the same day as TWICE THE TEMPTATION is UNDENIABLE, about a man seeking revenge on the only woman he will ever love. TROUBLE DON’T LAST ALWAYS, mainstream fiction, is scheduled for reissue in mass market November 01, 2011. Coming in 2012 will be three romances - ASEDUCTIVE KISS, WITH A KISS, A DANGEROUS KISS, and two mainstream books, WHEN MORNING COMES and working title of SEASONS for the second mainstream - making it 5 new books next year.

ABOUT ME

1. What’s my favorite movie of all time? Mission Impossible 2

2. What’s my favorite kind of story to get lost in? Although the first romance I read was a historical, I love contemporary romance novels. I enjoy reading about strong characters dealing with today’s problems while falling in love - which always enriches the story.

3. What’s the first book I remember reading? The first book I remember reading was Grimm’s Fairytales. While some of the endings I wasn’t pleased with, I enjoyed the magical quality that anything is possible/can happen. The endless possibilities in those stories is one of the reasons I wanted to become a writer.

4. What’s my favorite fairy tale? Beauty and the Beast.

5. What’s my favorite cartoon character? Rocky, the flying squirrel.

6. What’s something I’d like to tell your readers? I’d like to tell my readers that I really appreciate them and their unfaltering support. Because of them I have written 45 books with 5 scheduled for 2012.

7. What would my occupation be if you were no longer a writer? I’d be a Master Gardener, but I truly hope I can continue writing for a very long time.

8. What do I do to unwind and relax? I love shopping and sharing new experiences with my daughter, who is my assistant.

9. Tea or Coffee? And how do I take it? Definitely tea. I like it sweet, iced with lots of fresh lemons.

10. What does love mean to me? Love to me means unconditional acceptance, trust and loyalty.

11. Which era would I least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Most? Victorian era because of all the layers of clothes, restrictions, and having to keep them clean. I’d most like living in the present time period.

12. What name have I been dying to use as a lead character, but haven’t found the right fit yet? There isn’t a name that I can think of. After so many books, names become harder, at least for me, to think of to fit the character.

13. Dog person or cat person? Dog.

Setting: Peru and Sierra Leone
Subgenre: Romantic Suspense
Hero: Luke (Doc Holiday) Colter
Heroine: Val (Valentina) Chamberlin

One sentence summary: His plans for a quiet vacation in the Peruvian Andes turns deadly when a Black Ops., Inc. operative rescues a stunning stranger from a mysterious train robbery and discovers she’s the target of a vengeful manhunt.

Scene you like most and would never cut: First scene, Chapter 9 – Luke and Val are tucked into a cave in the Andes, hiding out from the kill team that is after her. The team has already passed them by, so they’re just waiting it out a little longer as some extra insurance before they head out to continue dodging their pursuers. It’s the first kiss scene, involves her very bad case of claustrophobia, Luke’s total reluctance to admit it was more than a kiss, and a potato. Yes, a potato :o)

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: She’d never be caught dead playing the diva, even though with her beauty, fame, and influence she could walk all over people.

Tell us one quirky thing about your heroine: She’s claustrophobic, a problem she’s fought to overcome since she was the victim of an abduction for ransom when she was a little girl.

What is your heroine’s occupation? Valentina is an international supermodel and philanthropist

What is your hero’s occupation? Luke is a former Navy SEAL, and a current team medic for Black Ops., Inc. a covert paramilitary unit based out of Buenos Aires

What you think readers will like best about this book: Hopefully the action and adventure and a really dynamite love story. Doc has this great sense of humor which lends a wonderful sense of playfulness to the mood of the story and helps see him and Val through some really tough spots.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: I’ve had the most requests for Nate Black (CO and founder of BOI) and Juliana Flores’ story.

What’s next: I’m currently writing LAST MAN STANDING, Joe Green’s book and I’m having such a great time writing this emotional and action-packed story, which takes place in Sierra Leone and the U.S.

What draws you, the reader, to the Romantic Suspense genre and what are you NOT finding there that you would love to read about? I’ll be giving away 2 copies of RISK NO SECRETS, Book 5 in the BOI series to 2 commenters.

About Me:

1. What’s your favorite movie of all time? - THE BRIDESMAIDS. It totally rocks! Best chick flick ever!
2. What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in? Romantic suspense, what else?
3. What’s the first book you remember reading? Black Beauty
4. What’s your favorite fairy tale? Snow White
5. What’s your favorite cartoon character? Tweety Bird
6. What’s something you’d like to tell your readers? I’d like to tell them that I so treasure the support and enthusiasm I feel from them with every new release. Every writer worries that the next book won’t be the best book and that they will somehow let their readers down – which is the last thing we want to do. So when I hear from my readers after each release and they tell me that they now have a new favorite, it’s like manna from heaven! So thanks! And thanks again.
7. What would your occupation be if you were no longer a writer? My ‘fantasy’ career? A singer. Probably country.
8. What do you do to unwind and relax? READ! Typical busman’s holiday. I also love to have fun with my girlfriends, family, travel, fish (yes, I said fish), and I have some favorite TV shows, with Justified, The Good Wife, NCIS, The Closer, Burn Notice and Rescue Me topping the list.
9. Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it? Tea. On ice. No sugar.
10. What does love mean to you? My husband and my children. There is nothing more fulfilling.
11. Which era would you least like to have lived in, fashion-wise, and why? Most? Oh, the Regency era would be my least favorite. All those wigs and corsets – need I say more? As for most favorite? I think the Roman’s had it right. Soft, flowing dresses, sandals and updos :o)
12. What name have you been dying to use as a lead character, but haven’t found the right fit yet? The truth? I don’t have that special name just waiting for a character. When my characters come to me, they have names. Don’t ask me how or why. I just know that this guy is a Luke or a Gabe or this woman is a Jillian or a Jenna. They arrive with perfect fits :o)
13. Dog person or cat person? We have both. Please don’t make me chose :o)