Posts Tagged ‘Romantic Suspense’

« Older Entries

REACH FOR THE LIGHT

Cynthia Justlin | May 15th, 2012

Edge Of Light

“Life is a storm, my young friend. You will bask in the sunlight one moment, be shattered on the rocks the next. What makes you a man is what you do when that storm comes.”
–Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo

We’ve all gone through storms in our life, some have been fleeting, nothing more than a bit of wind and rain, others have pelted us from all sides, bringing the cold darkness and volatile lightning with it.

Oliver Shaw, the hero from EDGE OF LIGHT, came to me in a flash of dark and gritty prologue unlike anything I had ever written. He was so broken. He’d long since lost the will to fight for his life. He no longer believed in anything outside his small cell. And as he turned to the fermented fruit in one corner and began to paint the walls with a mural of home, I knew, with an almost obsessive certainty, that I had to write his story and find a reason for him to go on.

I’m not a dark and tormented person. I wear my rose-colored glasses, having inherited my dad’s “tomorrow will take care of itself” philosophy. But this book poured out of me from some undefinable place. It wasn’t until I was diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer in the summer of 2010, that I realized I’d been writing this book while completely unaware my body was turning on me.

My cancer had grown into a prison, every bit as solid and impenetrable as Oliver’s. And just like Oliver, I had to learn to reach for the light. I finished EDGE OF LIGHT while recuperating from my colon resection surgery, uncertain of what the future held for me. What followed was six months of chemotherapy and then preparation for a major secondary surgery.

During that time, I clung to my faith. I became best friends with hope. I discovered the difference between surviving day-to-day and living for each day. Now, over one year (and counting!) post chemo, I am cancer free.

It is such an honor and excitement to be here to share EDGE OF LIGHT with all of you. Oliver’s journey is intense and difficult to read at times, but it is my wish that amidst the pulse-pounding action, the chilling villains, and the emotional love story, you will find a greater appreciation for the storms in your own life.

As Alexandre Dumas writes in The Count of Monte Cristo, the book Oliver uses as his journal, “All human wisdom is contained in these two words–’Wait and Hope’.”

Please visit my website to enter my EDGE OF LIGHT giveaway. Win Oliver’s journal, Cambodian money pendants, copies of EDGE OF LIGHT and more!

And now I’d like to open up the blog. Feel free to post any questions you may have about my story or share one of your own. What has made you reach for the light?

————————————-

EDGE OF LIGHT

Taken prisoner by a ruthless group of anarchists deep in the Cambodian jungle, anthropologist Jocelyn Hewitt is isolated in a dark prison cell. Without chance of rescue. Or hope. Until the man in the next cell reaches out to let her know she’s not as alone as she thinks.

CIA agent Oliver Shaw has been held prisoner for over two years. Forced to witness the brutal torture and slow murder of his entire team, his spirit is not just broken, it’s crushed. He no longer believes in hope. Until he hears Jocelyn through the wall, and suddenly feels like a glimpse of light is trying to reach in…

Jocelyn’s heart aches for the tortured man whose presence and voice give her the courage to risk their escape. But first she’ll have to remind Oliver who he once was, what he once loved, and bring him back to life. Only then will they have a chance for freedom—and the kind of love neither ever thought possible.

Buy EDGE OF LIGHT from Carina Press, Amazon, B&N. EDGE OF LIGHT is also available as an audiobook from Avdible!

C Justlin

Cynthia is a former Romance Writers of America Golden Heart® Finalist in Romantic Suspense. She started out writing contemporary romance, but when all her plots began to turn dastardly, she decided to stop fighting the urge to throw explosions, dead bodies, and evil villains into her books.

With her B.S. in the chemical sciences and her love of the periodic table (yes, she’s a geek and proud of it!) she finally found the perfect potent mix of love and danger to put into her stories.

Cynthia lives in Arizona with her real life hero husband and their two sons. Visit her website, connect with her on Twitter, find her on Facebook.

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Books, Carina Press | 16 Comments »

What Level of Risk Will You Accept?

Natalie_Damschroder | April 18th, 2012

I always struggle to find blog topics, but as I was getting ready to face this blank page, I thought about my title (Acceptable Risks) and from there it was pretty easy. Risks. Acceptability. Duh. :)

We all take risks every day of our lives. We run across a busy street, hoping we’ve timed it correctly and the driver of the car bearing down on us isn’t adjusting his radio. We sniff the week-old ham salad, shrug, and make a sandwich. We step into the shower, or answer the phone, or buy something on the Internet. Most of us find those acceptable, right?

How about some bigger ones? Telling someone you care about them is a pretty big risk. I remember, back in college, it was near the end of a summer internship at a nature center. I’d been sharing a house with a couple of brothers and two other women. We were sitting around a fire outside, and I said something like, “I believe in telling people how you feel about them.” Dave got this panicked look on his face, until I laughed and said, “Not like that!” I knew I’d probably never see him again and wanted him to know how much I’d enjoyed working with him.

But telling someone you care about them as more than a friend is a much bigger risk, especially if you’re not leaving forever.

My biggest risk recently was two weeks ago, when I had LASIK surgery. I’d considered it for years. I went to my first seminar in 1999. Number Two was only a few months old. I still had pregnancy and breastfeeding vision fluctuations, so I wasn’t eligible for the surgery at that time. Convenient! I was a little freaked by the blade slicing the cornea flap, and the brush constantly renewing the moisture on the eyeball (they don’t do that anymore).

So when my mother died in 2003 and left me a small life insurance payout, I decided it was better to buy a laptop and pay some bills than to get my eyeballs sliced. I mean, I make my living with my eyes! The risks, even back then, were so minimal. But I couldn’t overcome my fear.

I’m not sure why I decided, a few months ago, that the risks were acceptable. I told my husband we should get LASIK so we could stop paying for contacts, glasses, and exams. He said “You first.” So I went for it! I went through six weeks of glasses hell (I wore rigid gas permeable contacts, which mold the cornea more than soft ones do, and I had to be out of them for that long). I went through hours and hours of tests and measurements. And last Thursday, I did it! (I put full details on my blog here if anyone is curious.)

The payoff has been tremendous. I’m writing this four days after my procedure and my eyesight is fantastic. I ceremoniously chucked my contacts and donated my glasses to the Lion’s Club. I bought new sunglasses, and have an intimate relationship with artificial tears. :) And I am so. freaking. happy.

What about you? What kind of physical or emotional risks have you taken lately? Were they worth it? What level of risk would you find unacceptable? (I have swag! Leave your e-mail in the comments or e-mail me at natalie AT nataliedamschroder DOT com and I’ll mail you a little something! [While supplies last.])

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Buy Now

When security expert Jason Templeton’s team is ambushed while protecting a weapons manufacturer vital to U.S. interests, he risks his life to save the man’s daughter…and loses. Unbeknownst to Jason, his mentor had been funding experimental medical procedures after losing his young wife. Using the untested drugs, Jason is brought back to life, stronger and faster than before, but also vulnerable in new ways. He’s determined to find the traitor in their midst, who is after the miracle drug.

That means protecting the brilliant scientist Lark Madrassa. Their attraction and compatibility are undeniable, but Jason tries to deny his growing feelings for her, thinking he is too damaged. When Lark’s father is kidnapped they have to rely on each other in a dangerous plot to uncover the double agent. Before, Jason always accepted the risks—but what about when the life of the woman he loves is on the line?

4 stars from RT Book Reviews!

“Non-stop action, pulse-elevating romance and a fast pace keep this book flowing smoothly. Damschroder definitely knows how to write one sexy, saucy, exhilarating tale.”—Diane Morasco

You can learn more about Natalie and her books at her website, eHarlequin, Goodreads, Twitter, and Facebook. She blogs with four other obsessed passionate Supernatural fans at Supernatural Sisters, with a number of fantastic romance authors at Everybody Needs a Little Romance, and just to hear herself talk at Indulge Yourself.

Text Copyright © 2012 by Natalie J. Damschroder. Cover Art Copyright © 2012 by Harlequin Enterprises Limited. Permission to reproduce text granted by Harlequin Books S.A. Cover art used by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises Limited. All rights reserved. ® and ™ are trademarks owned by Harlequin Enterprises Limited or its affiliated companies, used under license.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Authors | 6 Comments »

I Will Die For You – The Romantic Suspense Bodyguard

Carol_Stephenson | March 28th, 2012

Photobucket

If you’re a diehard romantic suspense reader, you probably nodded in agreement when ‘bodyguard’ appeared on a list compiled by neuroscientists of the most popular heroes in Harlequin romances.

Who wouldn’t want a sexy hunk providing 24/7 protection? A fearless, resourceful man willing to give his life to protect yours? When we read a bodyguard romance, we know the hero will get the job done even in the most dangerous situation. Here is a man who can overcome any obstacle even those set by the heroine.

Add into the mix enforced intimacy, which is tailor-made for sexual tension. After all, the idea of being looked after is seductive in itself as a fantasy. The Alpha male bodyguard offers the heady brew of testosterone and tenderness.

Then there’s the blasting to smithereens of the bodyguard code ‘thou shalt not get involved with a client’. What a delicious right/wrong dilemma confronts the protector for he knows if he’s looking at the heroine, then he’s not looking at others. That cool, calm yet watchful demeanor can go right out the door for the right woman. Of course, that woman continues to get into trouble heightening the push/pull for the hero.

In my latest Carina Press release, HER DARK PROTECTOR, set in south Florida, the justice system is on its last legs as corruption has permeated its highest ranks. Only Gail Malloy, a state attorney with a death wish, is determined to bring down a notorious drug lord once and for all and becomes a target herself. Fortunately for her, a stranger is keeping watch, determined to keep her alive.

Haunted by tragedy, business tycoon Jason Hawke joined a secret organization dedicated to maintaining law and order. With his chance at revenge finally at hand, he’ll do anything to keep to keep Gail alive to put the crime boss away. Even if it means keeping her with him day and night.

I’d love to hear what draws you as a reader to bodyguard stories! Carol

READ EXCERPT

BUY HERE!

~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~

Award winning author Carol Stephenson lives in southeast Florida with her beloved Shih Tzu. She’s an attorney by day and author by night. She’s best known for her emotionally drawn, hard-driving romances. In her free time she indulges in travel, photography and competing on a trivia team.

You can follow Carol here:

WEBSITE; FACEBOOK; TWITTER;
NOT YOUR USUAL SUSPECTS

Tags: ,
Posted in Carina Press, Excerpt | 5 Comments »

How Ready Are You?

Dee_Adams | February 22nd, 2012

The last time I was here, I called it my virgin blog. I can safely say that not only did I lose my blog virginity with a bang, but I jumped right back in the blog sack pretty quickly. Getting my feet wet with a series of blogs has helped me come out of my shell. Oh, wait, I was never in a shell. LOL. So what can I talk about today since I bared my soul a handful of months ago with the release of Dangerous Race?

How about change? How many of you deal well with change? I’m pretty good at it, but that’s probably because I’ve worked in show business for so long. Change is inevitable in life, but in Hollywood it’s not only inevitable, it’s constant. Change can be really hard, but it does prepare you for the ever important facet of life that is always present… We have no control. Sure, we decide the little things in life, like I’ll take a turkey and cheese sub for lunch, but when it comes to the big decisions, the life changing ones, sometimes those decisions are simply out of our hands. And what happens when our life changes drastically? We have to cope, right? For some people, coping is easier than for others because some people simply are not good with change. Can you guess the most important part of change? (I’ll give you a hint.) Letting go. You have to let go of the past to enjoy your future. Gee… is there a couch anywhere around here? And can someone pass me a box of tissue?

But seriously, there is a reason I bring all this up. In Danger Zone, my heroine, Ellie, has to face immediate change and it scares her to death. She has no idea how to face her future. I couldn’t imagine that kind of fear so I’m glad I’ve worked in a business that’s prepared me for change.

Let me tell you, change is an acquired taste and not everyone is used to it, but everyone should learn to face it. What about you? Are you good with change or does it get the better of you?

(FYI – You can also find Dee J. over at Suzanne Brockmann’s countdown for her next release, Born to Darkness, due out March 20! Check out Suz’s FaceBook and website for the interview.)

Follow Dee J. on FaceBook and Twitter @deejadams. Visit her website at DeeJAdams.com.

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Carina Press | 20 Comments »

Perspectives on Predators

Cathy_Perkins | January 24th, 2012

We bought land in the mountains last spring, a Shangri-La escape from hectic day jobs. The critters outnumber the people, so when we kick back on the porch with a glass of wine, we watch the wild kingdom. Wood ducks, geese and the occasional heron hang out in the spring-fed pond. Owls haunt the trees at the edge of the woods. There’s even a bald eagle – how cool is that? They’re huge and have the haughty, I rule supreme around here attitude.

But I love the hawks. They ride the wind currents on wide wings until – boom – plummeting into the hay field after one of those irritating voles that dig huge holes and eat flower bulbs.

Spring rolled into summer and we spent long days clearing the property. The Canadian geese resented our work around the pond, departing with loud complaints. The wood ducks were more discrete, quietly fading into the rushes. Then ducks do what ducks do – we do write romance at Carina Press – and soon lines of yellow and brown fluffiness appeared behind the adults.

Gradually though, the lines got shorter and piles of poofed feathers appeared in the meadow. Yep, it appears hawks like baby ducks as much as they do voles.

Did your attitude towards the hawks just change?

Is the hawk a ‘bad guy’ or is it just doing what hawks are programmed to do in order to survive?

I had a lot of time to think about predators while cutting the hay field. I shared that story here. For many authors, the villain is a predator, either physically hurting someone or exploiting a situation for their own benefit. The best antagonists, in my opinion, have a reason for what they do, even if it only makes sense to them.

In the animal world, hawks eat to survive and they keep the world from being overrun with ducks. While a hawk is clearly a predator, is predator status inherently a bad thing? Or does it depend upon your perspective? Does it depend on the predator’s motivation?

What do you think makes the most intriguing villains?

When I write, I create a world, populate it with characters – good and not so good – and invite the reader along for the ride. An important element in making that journey rewarding is figuring out what motivates the characters. In THE PROFESSOR, the villain may have been warped by his childhood, but he chose to cross the line and prey on college women.

Meet the villain in THE PROFESSOR (read the excerpt here) – what’s your perspective on him?

I’d love to have you visit my website or Blame It On The Muse where I hang out with terrific writer friends. Connect with me on Facebook or Twitter.

Photos used by permission. Credits: hawk photograph Eagle Brother ; duck photograph NJ Birds

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Authors, Books, Carina Press, Cover Art | 4 Comments »

His Secret Past

Katie_Reus | January 3rd, 2012

Photobucket

This month I’m celebrating my third romantic suspense release from Carina! It’s also my first release of the year so I’m even more excited! I read and enjoy pretty much all sub-genres of romance, but suspense will always be one of my favorites. Probably because it’s the reason I fell so in love with romance in the first place. Throwing characters into a dire situation full of suspense and danger automatically heightens the tension in a story. Whether it involves a serial killer, stalkers, rogue CIA agents (like in His Secret Past!), mafia henchmen, just give me risk and excitement and I’m happy.

I like a good balance of romance and suspense, but in my reading it often doesn’t matter if one area is heavier than the other. With some authors I find that I really dig the action-packed non-stop adventures from chapter to chapter, while with others the characterization is so amazing that I don’t mind if the suspense aspect is slightly slower paced. Of course, in real life I probably wouldn’t want to deal with what most of the characters I read about have to live through, but romantic suspense is such a fun escape.

If you’d like a chance to win a digital copy of His Secret Past, just tell me what you like about romantic suspense.

Official blurb for His Secret Past:

Six years ago, Alexis Baptiste’s world was turned upside down when Hunter Cassidy disappeared without a trace, leaving her alone and pregnant. She’s finally moving on with her life when he resurfaces, just in time to rescue her from a would-be assassin. Forced to join him on the run to protect herself and her young son, Alexis is now in even more danger: danger of falling for Hunter all over again.

Betrayed by rogue CIA agents after infiltrating an infamous drug cartel, former DEA agent Hunter Cassidy has spent years trying to clear his name. He’s not proud of the things he’s done, and knows he doesn’t deserve a future with Alexis, or the son he never knew he had, but he’s determined to protect them from the men who ruined his life. Convincing Alexis to trust him—and denying his feelings for her—is going to be the hardest mission he’s ever faced.

His Secret Past is now available from Carina, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other major online retailers. To read the prologue and part of the first chapter, please click here.

Thanks so much for stopping by today! One random commenter will win a digital copy of His Secret Past. I’ll announce the winner in the comments section tomorrow on January 4, after noon Central time. (Contest open to all readers, 18 years or older, who are legally allowed to participate in such a contest as allowed by their local laws.)

A little about me: I’ve been reading romance since I discovered my mom’s hidden stash at a young age and the addiction stayed with me into adulthood. I write dark paranormal romance and sexy romantic suspense. I write for Carina Press, Harlequin Nocturne, and NAL/Signet Eclipse. To learn more about me please visit my website, my blog, facebook or find me on twitter @katiereus.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Books, Carina Press, Contest/Giveaway | 25 Comments »

EDGE OF SURVIVAL: Story of my life

Toni_Anderson | November 22nd, 2011

I grew up with a massive travel bug but was too poor to actually go anywhere. So instead, when I was a little girl (at home in rural Shropshire), I spent a lot of time hanging out in the Australian bush with Elyne Mitchell’s silver brumbies. Then as a young teen I borrowed my grandmother’s Mills & Boons and got to visit most of continental Europe and a lot of million dollar villas. When I was older I hung out in the alternate dimensions of Tolkien and David Eddings and Stephen Donaldson.

In my twenties I finally got to visit, in person, some of the places I was desperate to go.

I moved to North America in 1995 (for the first time–it’s complicated) and discovered Romantic Suspense. I spent a lot of time screaming around, dodging bullets and getting to know some really hot heroes :) . Little did I know that this would change my life.

After I started writing, I realized my hunger for travel came in pretty useful. My experiences fed my muse. They gave me really cool locations to set my stories and useful insight into different countries and cultures. In 1996 I got the chance to spend the summer in Northern Labrador (top right, North America–I didn’t know either) tagging fish, living on an icebreaker and being chauffeured around by helicopter pilots.

It was so incredible I HAD to use it in a story :) And that story is EDGE OF SURVIVAL and it released yesterday.

I still have a travel bug. I still love to visit new places, but now I get to call it research :)

Where’s the most exciting place you’ve ever been? Are you a wanderer or a homebody?

Blurb
Contains a foreword by Brenda Novak
Edge of Survival

Dr. Cameran Young knew her assignment wouldn’t be easy. As lead biologist on the Environment Impact Assessment team, her findings would determine the future of a large mining project in the northern Canadian bush. She expected rough conditions and hostile miners—but she didn’t expect to find a dead body her first day on the job.

Former SAS Sergeant Daniel Fox forged a career as a helicopter pilot, working as far from the rest of the human race as possible. The thrill of flying makes his civilian life bearable, and he lives by his mantra: don’t get involved. But when he’s charged with transporting the biologist to her research vessel, he can’t help but get involved in the murder investigation—and with Cameran, who awakens emotions he’s desperate to suppress.

In the harsh and rugged wilderness, Daniel and Cameran must battle their intense and growing attraction while keeping ahead of a killer who will stop at nothing to silence her…

My heroine has diabetes and I’m donating 15% of my royalties from Edge of Survival to diabetes research.

Toni’ Bio

Toni Anderson is a former Marine Biologist turned Romantic Suspense writer who now lives in the Canadian prairies with her husband and two children.  Her stories are set in the stunning locations where she’s been lucky enough to live and work—the blustery east coast of Scotland, the remote isolated mining communities of Northern Labrador, the rugged landscapes of the U.S. and Australia.

Check out her website for a list of current titles, her blog and Facebook Author Page for writing news and her personal Facebook page and Twitter for constant nonsensical chatter. She is also part of two wonderful group blogs—Not Your Usual Suspects and Just Romantic Suspense. Come introduce yourself.

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Books, Cover Art | 14 Comments »

Learning to Trust – and to love.

Lynne_Connolly | November 22nd, 2011

Learning To<img src=

In Learning to Trust, I tell the story of Jonathan and Lina, two damaged survivors who find love and strength in each other.

It started as a story for Harlequin Presents, but part way through, I needed something to bring them back together again. So I put in a firebomb. It just worked so well. So I went back and researched the background.

My heroine works in a café in Naples. She’s an ex addict, ex New York party girl of Italian origins, bringing her life back on track. Jon finds her in his search for his brother, Byron, and he knows she’s been seen with him.

So how could I connect drug addicts and bombs and Naples with a prominent New York family?

Easy. It turned out to be so easy, it was as if it was predestined. I couldn’t ignore this and turn it back to be a Presents, it would have been criminal to force all that wonderful source material back in the box.

The more I researched, the scarier the story got, and the more I loved it. Not scary in the horror sense, scary in the bombs and guns sense. Apparently, Naples is as gang-ridden as it always was. I avoided using the word “mafia,” because it’s not like “The Godfather” any more. It’s all business and money, and a lot of corruption. The government of Italy struggles to control the culture, but the gangs themselves are carefully organized, connected with others all over the world and enormously rich.

Naples itself has no-go areas, but Lina doesn’t work in one of these. She works in the kind of area where the working man and woman go, rather than the tourists. But even these areas have to pay protection money. And if they don’t—boom!

One of the things I learned was about knock-off goods. In most big cities you see people with makeshift stalls selling fake t-shirts, bags, sneakers and so on. They come from the East. But so do drugs. The main producer of heroin these days is Afghanistan, and the people who buy it will combine it with the fake goods for illegal importation to Europe and America. The old contacts in the States still receive the goods, and some of them have big legitimate businesses. Early in “Learning to Trust,” someone asks Jon where he gets his expensive sneakers from, and are they real. None of Lina’s friends know she is from wealth, and she doesn’t want them to, so he makes up a story on the spot, claiming he imports knock-offs to the States. A throwaway remark that leads to terrible repercussions later in the story.  Jon’s family owns sports and leisure goods stores. See what I mean about things working out?

This story melded so beautifully, I hardly had to write it. It happened in front of my eyes.Naples, Italy

I start writing by imagining the story, start to finish. I write the bare bones, the synopsis, then I go through it in more detail—in my head. I went back to the beginning and completely rewrote this one. It just came alive, the more I went into the research about this business.

Then another surprise. Someone I planned as a foil later in the story took on a life of his own. He wasn’t supposed to be a sympathetic character, but the more I saw his point of view, the more sympathetic he became.

More still. When I was doing research on how the authorities cope with the problems in Naples, I came across a covert section of British Intelligence I’d never heard of before. They’re the people who go to trouble spots and do things that aren’t quite legal, or they do illegal things in pursuit of a larger goal. The whole question of who you trust when there is nobody to trust fascinated me. And I’d love to write more.

So if you do your bit, I’ll do mine!

Lynne Connolly, http://lynneconnolly.com

Find me on Twitter as lynneconnolly

Learning To Trust from Carina Press

Lynne Connolly, http://lynneconnolly.com

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Authors, Books, Carina Press | 5 Comments »

The idea came from where?

Adrienne_Giordano | November 9th, 2011

The other day my editor asked me how I came up with the idea for the men of the Private Protectors series. Considering the men who work at Taylor Security are the heroes in the books, one would think I had a slam-dunk answer to this question.

Nope.

The series didn’t start with the men.  Roxann Thorgesson, the heroine in the newly released Risking Trust, was the first character I created for this series.

Here’s a little factoid about me: I have a love for the newspaper industry. Back in my newspaper days, I’d get a thrill when I walked into the pressroom and saw that monster press in action. So, when I decided to dedicate myself to writing a book, I immediately went to a topic I knew about. Plus, I’d just finished reading Katharine Graham’s autobiography on running the Washington Post. Mrs. Graham’s book inspired me to write a story about a woman suddenly responsible for running a large newspaper.

Enter Roxann Thorgesson, who, in the course of one day, becomes a grieving daughter and takes the reins of her family’s 250 million dollar company. To make her life just a tad more complicated, I threw Michael Taylor, CEO of Taylor Security, at her.

Michael, the love of Roxann’s life and a man she never fully recovered from, walked out on her twelve years earlier. Now he’s come to her for help, and Roxann needs to decide if the man standing in front of her, the man she dreamed of a life with, the man she wanted children with, can be trusted.

Did I mention he’s suspected of murdering his estranged wife?

Try as she might, Roxann can’t resist the pull of Michael’s story and agrees to help him uncover the true killer. When their partnership leads them to a city hall conspiracy, Roxann is forced to put her trust into a man who had once nearly destroyed her.

And that’s where the Private Protectors series began. All I wanted was to write a story about a strong woman who takes on a newspaper while battling her emotional demons. I didn’t know the secondary male characters would start yapping at me and begging for their own books. I figure they were lonely.  Or maybe they wanted to feed their adrenaline addictions. Or have sex. With this bunch, that could very well be.

Then again, I like to think they were just ready to fall in love.

Readers, I will be giving away one copy of Risking Trust. Please leave a comment to be entered in the drawing and check back in the morning for the announcement of the winner.

Risking Trust available:

Carina Press

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Adrienne Giordano writes romantic suspense and women’s fiction.  She is a Jersey girl at heart, but now lives in the Midwest with her workaholic husband, sports obsessed son and Buddy the Wheaten Terrorist (Terrier). She is a co-founder of Romance University blog. For more information on Adrienne’s books please visit www.AdrienneGiordano.com. Adrienne can also be found on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/AdrienneGiordanoAuthor and Twitter at http://twitter.com/AdriennGiordano.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Authors, Carina Press, Contest/Giveaway | 17 Comments »

Wedding Fever

Marie Force | September 9th, 2011

By: Marie Force

I haven’t been to a wedding in years. All my friends are more likely to be celebrating their 20th anniversaries these days than getting hitched. We’re at the kids-in-high-school stage. In fact, I’m on the whirlwind college tour circuit this fall with my daughter, who’s a junior. While I attended my share of weddings and wore my share of bridesmaid dresses, weddings seem to be a thing of my past. So imagine my surprise when I found myself planning one for my Fatal Series characters Sam and Nick.

To say I was a little out of my element was putting it mildly. I quickly realized that to give Sam and Nick the day they deserved, I was going to need a LOT of help. Around this same time, I had the big idea to let the Fatal Series readers plan the wedding, like they do (or used to do?) on the Today show. That idea put me even further out of my element, and I was short on time to give this event the attention it deserved.

Enter the A Team of Aly Hackett and Ronlyn Howe, readers who have become dear friends over the last year. They became wedding planners overnight. To be fair, their weddings were a lot more recent than mine, but I learned that these two ladies have style to spare. Sam, Nick and I are eternally grateful for all the gorgeous choices they came up with for the big day.

The wedding planning fun began on my blog on February 1 and ran for 14 straight days, culminating on Valentine’s Day. Readers voted on everything from Sam’s dress, hair and shoes, to Nick’s suit, the cake, rings, flowers, invitation, first dance, wedding favors and honeymoon destinations.

Once all the votes were tallied I had two weeks to write the wedding the readers had planned and turn in the Fatal Destiny novella by my February 28 deadline. Thanks to the wedding planners, I was able to easily visualize the wedding as I wrote it, and I hope readers will have the same experience as they read the story.

Beginning on August 22 and leading up to the release of the novella this past Monday, we did the Big Reveal, showing readers what choices won the voting. If you’d like to picture the wedding as you read, visit my blog and scroll down to the September 5 entry where the entire wedding is featured in one post.

So many readers and friends turned out to help plan the wedding. On Sam and Nick’s behalf, I thank you all for making what could’ve been a daunting task so fun and exciting. I hope you all enjoy Fatal Destiny!

Watch for Sam and Nick’s next adventure, Fatal Flaw, coming February 6, 2012.

Here’s an excerpt from Fatal Destiny, which is FREE at Carina Press and wherever e-books are sold.

Sam stood outside their place, taking a moment to appreciate the ramp Nick had had installed as a surprise for her so they could have her dad over. When she’d first seen the wreckage of their front stairs, she’d mistakenly thought her newly freed ex-husband had planted another bomb. The sight had given her a few rough moments before Nick arrived and set her straight. That he’d opened their home to her paralyzed father meant the world to her. There was no denying that her fiancé was one of a kind.

Anxious to see him, Sam hustled up the ramp and used her key in the door. Inside she was greeted by the smell of something mouthwatering and candlelight flickering in the dining room. He emerged from the kitchen wiping his hands on a towel with his BlackBerry tucked into his shoulder.

“You’re sure you’re okay with staying with Sam’s sister Angela and her family Saturday night?” He paused to listen. “Right, Jack’s parents. You met them at the dinner at Sam’s dad’s house. They’ll drive you home on Sunday.” Nick laughed and winked at Sam. “I’ll be there at noon on Friday. See you then, buddy. Okay. Bye.”

“How’s Scotty?” Sam asked.

“All kinds of excited about me signing him out of school on Friday.” Nick had met the twelve-year-old at a state home for children in Richmond, and the two had formed a fast friendship based initially on their shared love of the Boston Red Sox. The boy had spent a recent weekend with Sam and Nick, and hadn’t seemed to mind following Nick around on the campaign trail. Sam suspected there was nowhere the boy wouldn’t go if it meant he got to spend more time with Nick, something she could certainly understand.

“Did you remember to order his tux?” she asked.

“All taken care of.”

“Of course it is. Do you ever screw anything up? Forget something? Ever act like a normal person who occasionally drops one of the seventy-five thousand balls he has in the air at one time?”

Smiling, he said, “Once in a while.”

“Will you let me know the next time it happens? I’d really like to savor the moment.”

“You got it.” He planted a kiss on her forehead and took her coat, hanging it as he always did in the front closet. Sam would’ve tossed it over the sofa. Why hang it up when she’d just need it again in the morning?

“How was the fitting?” he asked.

“It was great, and the best part? It was the last one.”

He chuckled. “How’s it looking?”

Sam made a face and shrugged. “Eh. You know. A dress is a dress.”

“Are you trying to lower my expectations?”

“I’d really hate for you to be disappointed.”

With his fingers on her chin he tilted her face to meet his intense gaze. “You could wear a burlap sack, and I wouldn’t be disappointed—as long as you’re in it, and as long as I get to take it off you afterward.” He punctuated the statement with a sweet kiss.

Whenever he looked at her in that particular way, she positively melted. “Now you tell me! You couldn’t have saved me all those damned fittings by telling me that six weeks ago!”

That smile of his… Whoa, so potent.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Authors, Books | 8 Comments »

« Older Entries