Posts Tagged ‘Romantic Suspense’

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Into the Dark Mind

AnneMarie_Becker | September 8th, 2011

Only Fear cover image

It’s been a long road to publication, but it’s been an interesting one.  Releasing my debut novel, ONLY FEAR, has me reflecting on how I got here.  In particular, how did I come to write about chilling villains and the people who take them down, and why do I keep doing it?

I’m an optimistic person by nature.  But I also come from a long line of worriers.  My fascination with the dark side has always danced with what some might say is a “Pollyanna” attitude.  It’s walking this line that led me to study psychology and biology side-by-side as an undergraduate, and to pursue a counseling degree after.  I wanted to know what made people tick.  In particular, how do dark thoughts overwhelm people to the degree that they choose to behave in socially unacceptable ways?

So, of course, when a show on something called The Vidocq Society came on cable, I was glued to the set.  I’d never heard of this group of 82 men and women who come together in Philadelphia once a month to discuss unsolved cases.  The idea fascinated me.  Who were these men and women who gave of their free time and special talents to help find justice for people who had probably lost hope?

Therein lay the kernel of an idea… my Society for the Study of the Aberrant Mind grew from that seed.  SSAM (for short) is a private organization that is the link between the books in my Mindhunters series.  At SSAM, I’m free to bring together any talent I choose to hunt monsters.  In ONLY FEAR, I bring an ex-Secret Service agent who has become a personal security expert for SSAM into the life of the threatened heroine, a psychiatrist.

Here is the premise of ONLY FEAR:

After a violent incident with a patient leaves scars on both her mind and body, psychiatrist Dr. Maggie Levine craves isolation. A radio talk show host seems to be the perfect profession, a job where she can help people from a distance while staying safe. When a strange caller begins stalking her on the air and murdering people to get her attention, Maggie realizes she can no longer close herself off from the outside world.

A personal security expert, former Secret Service Agent Ethan Townsend is no stranger to tracking down the most violent monsters of society and bringing them to justice. Still, it will take all of Ethan’s skills to protect his new assignment, the irresistible Maggie, from a man intent on teaching her the ultimate lesson in fear…

I continue to peek into the dark side of human life on a daily basis, especially through the SSAM team, and I think it will always fascinate me.  Is it morbid curiosity or self-preservation?  Probably a bit of both.

I’m wondering, as a reader, what career specialties would you like to see put to use on the SSAM team?

PhotobucketAnne Marie has always been fascinated by people—inside and out. She writes to reclaim her sanity.  Anne Marie’s manuscripts have won several awards, including the 2009 Golden Heart® for Best Romantic Suspense, which was won by “Only Fear.”

You can connect with Anne Marie at:

Website:           www.AnneMarieBecker.com

Facebook:       Anne Marie Becker, Author

Twitter:           @annemariebecker

Blogs:              Not Your Usual Suspects, The Ruby-Slippered Sisterhood

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Posted in Carina Press | 23 Comments »

A Man And His Books

Betsy_Horvath | September 8th, 2011

Is there anything sexier than a sexy man reading a book? I THINK NOT! And I don’t appear to be alone because there’s a whole website devoted to pictures of Hot Guys Reading Books.

FBI Special Agent Lucas Vasco, the hero of my romantic suspense novel, Hold Me, is as addicted to books as I am – and that’s saying something. His bedroom is a massive lava flow of books. Here’s Katie’s (the heroine’s) first impression when she enters the room:

Not only were there bookcases full of books, there were piles and piles and piles of books in every position, covering every surface, seemingly on every topic. She wandered farther into the room, intrigued and, in a way, enchanted. There were books on the floor, books on the dressers, books on the nightstands, and an impressive stack of volumes teetering next to the bed. It was just so completely unexpected that if the space hadn’t been so obviously occupied she would have thought she’d made a mistake.

A couple of weeks ago, Luc and I got together so I could interview him for my blog. And when two bibliophiles get together the conversation is bound to turn to books. Here’s that part of our discussion.

“So, Luc,” I flipped a few pages in my stenopad to get to the right notes, then looked up at him. “You like books.”

“Yes, Betsy. I like books.” Luc settled into his chair, fingers laced on his flat stomach. He balanced the heel of one worn running shoe on the opposite knee. I saw no evidence of socks.

I pulled my focus back to my notes. “I’ve been in your bedroom–”

His dark eyebrows flew up. “You have?”

“Um, yeah.” I fidgeted a little. “I had to go in there. I was writing.”

“Uh huh.” He looked unconvinced.

“Anyway,” I shuffled papers. “What books do you have up there?”

Luc shrugged. “All kinds. If I like something, I buy it. I just got an eReader, so now I’m really dangerous.”

“Tell me about it,” I muttered. “Okay, give me some examples.”

“Examples?”

“Well, I know you were reading The Illiad during the time period covered in Hold Me.”

“Oh, yeah.” He settled further back in his chair, a dreamy look in his beautiful dark eyes. “Katie noticed I was reading it and brought it down to me. She wasn’t wearing any–”

“Luc!”

“Sorry.” He looked at me directly and his eyes twinkled. “Yeah, I was reading The Illiad. I read all kind of things.”

“Maybe tell me what you like best.”

“It depends on the day.” He frowned. “Graphic novels. Comics. I like some of the classics, but others put me to sleep. Shakespeare’s great if you can figure out what he’s saying. I love Stephen King.”

“Ew. I don’t like to read Stephen King. He scares me.”

“Well, you don’t have to read him, hun. This is me, not you.”

“Hello! I WRITE you.”

“Good point. Anyway, I like sci-fi, mystery, and thrillers, of course.”

Now we were getting somewhere. “Which authors?”

“Oh, God. There are so many. For sci-fi, Silverberg and Heinlien. Theodore Sturgeon. For mystery, uh, Robert B. Parker. Shirley Wells. Julie Moffett makes me laugh. I like early James Patterson. J.D. Robb–”

“Wait!” I flapped my hand in front of his face. “You like J.D. Robb?”

“Sure. Great futuristic police procedurals.”

“You know that’s Nora Roberts, right?”

Luc shrugged. “I read Nora Roberts.”

I stared at him. “You’re kidding.”

“Why?” He scowled at me. “I read a lot of romance. You know what I do for a living. I see a lot of bad stuff. Romance reminds me there are good things in this world. People really do love each other. Plus, there’s sex. So, yeah. I read romance.”

“Oh.” My voice sounded a little faint even to my own ears. “Who?”

“Well, Nora Roberts, of course. Jenny Crusie. Love Nalini Singh. Maureen Miller. Adrienne Giordano. Loretta Chase is great.”

I opened my mouth, then closed it, then opened it again.

“That’s why I got an eReader,” Luc continued. “Carina Press is putting out a lot of great books in all different genres, so I thought I’d go crazy. Did you know they’re having a Romantic Suspense week this week?”

“Yeah,” I said. “We’re kind of…part of it.”

“We are?” He smiled fully and deep crevices appeared around his mouth. “Cool.”

I couldn’t go on. I don’t know if it was his smile, or his beautiful dark eyes, or the fact that Lucas Vasco, super tough FBI Special Agent liked to read romance novels. I felt myself melting into a pool of unprofessional goo at his feet.

Maybe it was just the fact that he was talking about…books. Be still my heart.

A sexy guy reading a book only makes the sexy guy sexier, in my humble opinion. What about you? What kinds of books does your idea of a sexy man read? Thrillers? Romance? Everything and anything? Come on, spill! Inquiring minds want to know.

Hold Me
Available now from Carina Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books On Board,
and anywhere fine ebooks are sold.

Katie McCabe’s life is going nowhere fast when FBI Special Agent Lucas Vasco jumps into her car at an intersection. Luc, his undercover guise blown, is on the run from the Mafia and expects to be killed at any moment. What he doesn’t plan on is finding himself attracted to the firecracker beside him. He feels compelled to protect her when her life is threatened, and insists she stay with him for her own safety.

After learning she has become the target of a psychotic hit man, Katie is whisked off to Luc’s house to hide. Once there, she’s shocked to discover that she and Luc have an unexpected connection—a connection Luc already knew existed, but withheld. Will their intense attraction reach flashpoint despite their misunderstandings and the pain of the past?

************

Betsy Horvath was raised on MGM musicals, old skool Harlequins, and Nancy Drew, so it should not have come as a shock that one day she’d be writing romance novels. The biggest surprise was that it took her so long to actually buckle down and do it.  Hold Me is her debut romantic suspense novel. You can usually find Betsy wasting time on her website,  Facebook, Google+, or Twitter.

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Posted in Authors, Carina Press | 25 Comments »

To Be, or Not To Be. . . A Virgin

Dee_Adams | September 7th, 2011

Hi everyone! Welcome to my virgin blog!
Crazy, right? It seems as though it took me almost as long to lose my blog virginity as it did to lose the real thing. TMI? Sorry. My point is this… I remember reading something a long time ago about someone not wanting to read stories about virgins because there were no virgins left in the world. C’mon… Really? Everyone has to lose it sometime and it doesn’t always have to be before the 20th year. Or 25th year for that matter. Or even later. The point is that women (and men) tend to feel pressured into losing it at one point or another.

Consider this… What if someone wanted to lose their virginity but was too afraid of exposing a secret? What if someone never imagined they’d ever lose their virginity so when the opportunity presented itself they jumped at it? (Yes, there is a pun intended there… But that doesn’t make it any less true.)

When I graduated high school, I seriously felt like the only virgin in my town. I know it wasn’t true, but everyone seemed to have more experience than me. And when I got to college…! Ha! I discovered – now living in the big city – that I was actually the last virgin (of my age) in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Holy smokes. I had to change that. Unfortunately, I did. Rather quickly.

All this leads to my character, Tracey Bradshaw, and the secret she’s hiding in Dangerous Race. Tracey is certain she’ll never loss her virginity because she can’t let anyone see the terrifying scar on her leg. But when the opportunity presents itself by way of a quick seduction and a dress that covers the scar, Tracey can’t wait to lose something she never thought she would. Does she regret it? You betcha. She never intends to fall in love with the man who seduces her and she knows no one else can ever take his place.

So what about you? If you had it to do over… would you lose your virginity the same way? Would you wait for the right person or a better time? (Sure, hindsight is a bitch, but maybe we can teach our kids the value of our mistakes.)

And that ends my virgin blog. I think I need a cigarette. (Just kidding. I don’t smoke. )

Dee J. Adams moved from El Paso, Texas to California to study acting. She worked in television and commercials for twenty years before discovering her first love was writing. She’s married to the love of her life and has one beautiful teenage daughter and two large mutts. You can follow her on FaceBook and Twitter.

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Posted in Authors, Books, Carina Press | 40 Comments »

Psychic Tendencies

Olivia Brynn | September 6th, 2011

Hello! I’m Alanna Coca, romance author–I also write erotic romance as Olivia Brynn. Today I’m hacking Olivia’s Carina Press blog account so I can talk to you about my new release. PREVIEW is a romantic suspense with a psychic twist.

There’s a reason why I wrote this book.

I’ve always wanted to be psychic. I wanted to see ghosts and read minds.  I used to think I wanted to see the future too. But then I realized how hard it would be to live like that. If I knew I was going to spill grape juice on my white pants, would I avoid grape juice? Or white pants? If I knew I’d have a child who would end up murdered at a young age, would I still have the child? And what about knowing when and how I’ll meet my maker?

Yeah, seeing the future just isn’t for me.

When I was younger, I had a bit of a psychic connection to my mother. She always knew when I was getting into trouble. Seriously. I’m one of seven children, and I’m the only one who didn’t get away with anything. Of course I was the most rambunctious,  so that’s probably part of it. Okay, I’m rambling.

While I can’t see dead people, what I do have–and I’m sure many of you can say the same thing–are some really whacked-out dreams, and then I’ve dreamed a few things that ended up occurring days later. For example, I once woke up in a cold sweat after dreaming about a former boss of mine falling off the roof of a building and breaking his leg. I laughed it off, but three days later, as he was roofing, sure enough…the poor guy fell two stories and broke his femur. Then I felt guilty for not warning him. I’ve dreamed about friends becoming pregnant days before they make the announcement, and back in 2009 I dreamed about my neighbor being crushed by a refrigerator that he tried to move up a flight of stairs. This time I mentioned it to him, with an embarrassed laugh. He lost some color, and told me that he had just made plans with some friends to drag an old fridge out of his basement.

My dream convinced him to hire professionals. Now I can’t say that these were premonitions, but they sure made me wonder.

So that’s what inspired this book. Ryann Phillips, the heroine in my book PREVIEW, can see the future. Little snippets of events, involving complete strangers. Usually these dreams aren’t anything to worry about, but one night Ryann dreams about a murder, and she sets off to find the victim. And the murderer.

Romantic suspense is my favorite genre. Both to read and to write. I love twisty plots, and endings that make me want to flip back to the beginning and start all over, just to see what clues I missed.

Want more info? I’ve gathered everything about PREVIEW onto a page on my site. Come on over, read an excerpt, and watch the trailer.

What about you? Have any premonitions that came true? I’d love to hear about them. I’m nosy like that. Tell me your best dream, whether it was prophetic or not, and I’ll pick one dreamer from the comments to win a copy of PREVIEW.

Thanks for stopping by!

~Alanna

Website *  Twitter *  Facebook * Google+

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Posted in Authors, Books, Contest/Giveaway | 15 Comments »

A Conversation with Peter “Monk” Jessup

Adrienne_Giordano | September 6th, 2011

For my last post on the Carina site, I did an interview with Vic Andrews and Gina Delgado, the hero and heroine from Man Law.  Knowing how competitive the men in the Private Protectors series are, I thought I should give Peter “Monk” Jessup a turn at being interviewed. So, here we go…

Adrienne:  Hi, Peter. Or should I call you Monk?  Which is it?

Peter:  It doesn’t matter. I’ll answer to either.

Adrienne:  Okay, Peter, when I interviewed Vic, he tried to take over, so I’m going to set some ground rules. I’m in charge, okay? No hijacking my interview.

Peter:  That’s fine. Unless you screw up. If you screw up, I’m hijacking.

Adrienne:  Because you’re my alpha-male on steroids?.

Izzy (heroine):  His brother calls him the Emperor of Fix-it Land.

Peter (huffing):  I can’t stand that. I like to fix things. So what?

Adrienne:  Izzy, in A Just Deception he basically gets into everyone’s business. Do you like that about him?

Izzy:  I like that when he sees something wrong, he’ll do whatever necessary to make it right. Peter is the guy who stands up when everyone else sits down. He’s incredibly patient. When he loves you, he loves everything about you, including the ugly parts. In my experience, that’s not easy to find.

Peter:  Well, hot damn.

Adrienne (laughing):  I think she likes you.

Peter:  Lucky me. I’m still amazed by it. I mean, look at her. She’s the whole package. Gorgeous, smart, independent. Sure, she’s a little nutty sometimes—

Izzy (snorting):  That’s no joke.

Peter:  And she’s kind. She teases me about being the Emperor of Fix-it Land, but she’s no slouch in that department. She’ll take anyone or anything on. In A Just Deception, she’s asked to take on an assignment that could cause emotional carnage. She does it anyway and I admire that.

Izzy (grinning):  You’re too good to me, Peter.

Peter:  Just trying to stay out of trouble here. Plus, I’d like to get shagged in the near future. Very near.

Adrienne:  I love that word. Shagged.

Peter:  It’s aces. It gets the point across without offending anyone.

Adrienne:  Can we talk about the do-rag?

Peter:  What’s to talk about?

Adrienne:  You have the most amazing hair, but you cover it with do-rags.

Izzy:  It’s the curls. His hair has that little bit of curl that makes it unruly. I about died the first time I saw him hiding it with the do-rag. I thought he was crazy.

Peter(laughing):  The first time you saw me, I thought I was crazy. So did my boss.

Izzy:  He’s the sanest person I know. Aside from the do-rag.  Although, I’ve adjusted and I don’t know that I’d like it if he didn’t wear it anymore. It’s him. Then again, put him in a French cuffed shirt and he’s devastating.

Peter:  I think I’m getting shagged in the very near future.

Adrienne:  Enough about the shagging. You still haven’t talked about the do-rag.

Peter (shrugging):  Ten years ago, I saw one with an American flag on it and bought it. I started wearing it, I liked it and now I wear one all the time.

Izzy:  His mother hates them. She calls them napkins.

Peter:  That’s true. Maybe I’m being a tad rebellious by wearing it around her. She says I dress like I got my clothes out of a dumpster.

Izzy: Not you!

Peter: Ha, ha.

Adrienne:  Okay, guys. Anything else you want to share with readers?

Peter:  Uh, we’re a little twisted? Izzy more than me.

Adrienne:  Oh, he did not just say that!

Izzy (laughing):  Actually, it’s true. Like I said before, I’m nuts. He knows I’m nuts and he likes me anyway. We can both be ourselves around each other and we don’t judge. It’s the raw us.  There’s comfort in it.

Peter:  That’s a good way to put it. She challenges me on the things I don’t want to be challenged on.

Adrienne:  How do you feel about that?

Peter:  Mostly, I hate it. I get it though. Sometimes I need an attitude adjustment and she gives it to me.

Izzy:  Same here. We argue and then we’re done.

Adrienne:  Speaking of being done, thanks for hanging out with me guys. This was fun.

Peter:  Sure. I’ll tell Vic I did a better job than he did.

Izzy:  He’ll love that.

Peter:  Exactly.

Readers, thank you for hanging out with us today. I have an extremely important question for you. Do you think Peter should ditch the do-rag and make his mother happy?

Tell me what you think and I will enter your name in a drawing for either a copy of A Just Deception, a bullet keychain or a set of bullet earrings. 

 

Adrienne Giordano writes romantic suspense and women’s fiction.  She is a Jersey girl at heart, but now lives in the Midwest with her work-a-holic husband, sports obsessed son and Buddy the Wheaten Terrorist (Terrier). She is a co-founder of Romance University blog. A Just Deception, book two in the Private Protectors series is available from Carina Press. Risking Trust, book three in the series will be available on November 7, 2011. For more information please visit www.AdrienneGiordano.com.  Adrienne can be found on Twitter and Facebook

A Just Deception available at:

Carina Press

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

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Posted in Carina Press | 37 Comments »

Reunited Lovers

Katie_Reus | August 16th, 2011

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I’ve always loved the reunited lovers theme in romance, regardless of subgenre. The romance always starts off with tension because there had to be a reason these two lovers couldn’t make it the first time. Sometimes it’s something as simple as they were too young to know what they wanted in life. Or, the families of the couple tore them apart. Maybe time and distance proved to be too much. Secrets, lies or insecurities managed to cut through their relationship. One of the characters thought they were protecting the other by walking away … Whatever the reason, the couple once loved each other, or cared deeply for each other, and now they’re finally getting their second chance!

In the case of DEADLY OBSESSION Lilly and Braden were high school sweethearts but were torn apart because of secrets. Both went their separate ways and both ended up in law enforcement. After years in the military, Braden is now the sheriff of the fictional town of Hudson Bay and Lilly is an NSA agent suffering from PTSD.

Circumstances force them together and even though a decade has passed since they’ve seen each other, the attraction and tension between them is hotter than it was before. With a homicidal maniac taunting them at every turn, they’re fighting for their lives and a second chance at love.

What are some of your favorite reunited lovers’ stories? Feel free to share titles. Or if not that theme, what are some of your favorite themes in romance and why? One commenter will be selected to win a digital copy of Deadly Obsession. The winner will be announced in the comments section of this blog post on Friday, August 19 2011 with instructions how to contact me.

(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. By participating in the contest, participants agree to be bound by the decision of the contest sponsor.)

Deadly Obsession now available:

The chilling words of a killer: This is just the beginning…

Ten years ago, Lilly Carmichael left town without an explanation, breaking Braden Donnelly’s heart. The death of her aunt has brought Lilly home–and face to face with memories she thought were long buried. Still getting over a traumatic incident from her work as an NSA agent, Lilly initially dismisses the face at her window as a figment of stress-induced paranoia.

Now the sheriff of Hudson Bay, Braden has spent the last year hunting a sadistic murderer. But his investigation is turned upside down when new evidence indicates that Lilly is the killer’s next target. Determined to protect the woman he’s never stopped loving, Braden must race against the clock to trap a dangerous psychopath—before it’s too late…

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. Deadly Obsession is my most recent release from Carina Press. I also write for Harlequin Nocturne (Destined Mate, October 2011), and in early 2012 the first book in my paranormal series will release from NAL/Signet Eclipse. To learn more about me please visit my website, my blog, facebook or find me on twitter @katiereus.

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Posted in Carina Press, Contest/Giveaway | 18 Comments »

Writing in Paradise

Rebecca York | August 3rd, 2011

DARK MAGIC Cover

It’s a hot afternoon, but I’m outside on the screened porch, enjoying the world around me.  Cone flowers and tall phlox sway in a gentle breeze.  A dove is eating the birdseed I put out a while ago.  Cat birds have come to splash in the birdbath.  The koi in the pond glide in and out of the cascading waterfall.  Two of my cats are sleeping nearby.

This is the perfect place to write.  If I’m trying to think of a word or a sentence or struggling to figure out a plot point, I can look up and enjoy the garden for a few minutes.

I think most writers have other creative outlets as well.  One of mine is gardening.  I love putting in plants and flowers and watching them grow.  I love moving rocks around the pond until I get their placement just right.  Weeding the flower beds isn’t as much fun, but it’s part of the job.

I edited a lot of my August Carina novella, DARK MAGIC, while sitting here in my little Eden.  That story took me away to another world entirely–one I’d made up for my own pleasure.  I started with the idea of a kingdom under siege and a virgin princess who thinks she can save her father’s people by sacrificing herself to the dragon who saved them long ago.  She doesn’t know her plans aren’t going to work out the way she expected.  A dark, mysterious, sexy stranger has taken the dragon’s place, and he wants to awaken Princess Devon’s sensuality rather than ravage her while she’s tied to a stake.

I had a lot of fun with this story–with Devon’s sexual awakening and also with her courage in choosing a heroic way to save her people–rather than the shameful fate her father had planned for her.

This isn’t contemporary romantic suspense, which is what I usually write.  Instead, I get to explore a fantasy realm where women are only pawns in the games that men play.  Of course Devon’s not willing to stick to her assigned role, which is what made her fun to write.

You can read an excerpt of DARK MAGIC here .

What kind of heroines do you like best?  Or do you care, as long as she’s the right match for the hero?

On August 8, I will give away an autographed copy of my classic Harlequin Intrigue, NOWHERE MAN, to a randomly selected reader who comments on my above heroine questions.

A USA Today Best-Selling Author, Rebecca York is a 2011 recipient of the Romance Writers of America Centennial Award.  Her career has focused on romantic suspense, often with paranormal elements.

Her 16 Berkley books and novellas include her nine-book werewolf “Moon” series.  KILLING MOON was a launch book for the Berkley Sensation imprint. She has written over 50 books for Harlequin Intrigue, many in her popular 43 Light Street series.

She has written for Carina Press, Harlequin, Berkley, Dell, Tor, Kensington, Tudor, Scholastic, and Pageant Books.

Her many awards include two Rita finalist books. She has two Career Achievement awards from Romantic Times:  for Series Romantic Suspense and for Series Romantic Mystery. And her Peregrine Connection series won a Lifetime Achievement Award for Romantic Suspense Series.

Many of her novels have been nominated for or won RT Reviewers Choice awards.  In addition, she has won a Prism Award, several New Jersey Romance Writers Golden Leaf awards and numerous other chapter awards.

Web site:  www.RebeccaYork.com

Twitter:    @rebeccayork43

Facebook: www.facebook.com/RuthGlick

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Posted in Authors, Behind the Scenes, Books, Carina Press, Contest/Giveaway, Cover Art, Excerpt, Writing/Submissions Advice | 7 Comments »

A Novel Soundtrack

Shannon Curtis | July 26th, 2011

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I have really enjoyed the process with developing Viper’s Kiss. It all started with a dare from my husband . He was travelling to Seattle and Las Vegas for conferences, and if I could find dirt cheap airfares, I could come, too. Ha! Should have seen his face when I showed him the tickets. Should have seen his face when I got upgraded and he didn’t!

But while DH was busy with conferences, I was exploring Seattle surrounds with two fabulous guides – Shelli Stevens and Judy Wiebe. Imagine my surprise to discover these wonderful ladies could also write great stories! (Shelli’s book, Negligee Behaviour, can also be found at Carina Press: http://tiny.cc/q35s5). I spent some time at Odegaard Library at University of the Washington, and the characters of Viper’s Kiss were born.

I’ve since been asked – where do I get my ideas? To which I usually make a pyramid with my fingers and laugh with a Machiavellian sneer (that’s not as easy as it sounds, by the way!) A lot of the times, the scenes play out in my head like a movie, then I have to race and write it down. But I do find that music can feed my muse. I’ll think about the tone of the scene that I want to achieve, and then I’ll set the scene around me to help me to write it – and this usually involves music. Nice, romantic Mozart for a dinner date, or some rock guitar with a heavy bass for an action scene. I will spend hours scanning iTunes for just the right piece, and add it to my playlist. Unfortunately the playlists don’t play during edits. They require a little more concentration – for those times when you’ve written something like: “Maybe he would kill her – or worse…” only to have your editor ask very politely whether possibly death could be the worst.

Anyhoo, I’ve discovered that music can help my writing, and I thought I would share with you the playlist for Viper’s Kiss:

1) Theme from Mission Impossible

2) Don’t Cha, by Pussycat Dolls

3) Does Your Mother Know, by Abba

4) Mistaken Identity, by Delta Goodrem

5) A Little Less Conversation, by Elvis vs JXL

6) Vertigo, by U2

7) Buttons, by Pussycat Dolls

8) Cream, by Prince

9) Master Assassin, by Jesper Kyd

10) I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead, by Bon Jovi

11) (You’re  the) Devil in Disguise (Elvis Presley)

12) Run To You, Bryan Adams

13) Flight over Venice 2, by Jesper Kyd

14) I’m Gonna Getcha Good, by Shania Twain

15) Theme from MacGyver, originally created by Randy Edelman, performed by Charles Fernandez

16) Beverly Hills Cop (Axel F.), by Starlight Orchestra

I’m giving away a copy of Viper’s Kiss: Tell me – what are your favourite songs to ‘do’ something to? Whether it’s doing the vacuuming to getting your mojo on, what is on YOUR playlist? I’ll randomly select from the posts and announce the winner on 5th August through the comments!

Viper’s Kiss by Shannon Curtis
Librarian Maggie Kincaid yearns for excitement—but being accused of espionage is not what she had in mind. Wanted by the police, the FBI and the criminal element, Maggie goes on the run—and runs straight into sexy Luke Fletcher. Unfortunately, when Luke pulls out the handcuffs, it’s not because he has something kinky in mind…

Security expert Luke is intent on seeing the murderous spy known only as Viper brought to justice. The un-spy-like behavior of his fugitive makes him suspect he’s apprehended the wrong woman. Just as they give in to lust, new evidence convinces Luke that Maggie’s not as innocent as she claims to be.

Devastated by Luke’s inability to trust her, Maggie runs again. She’s determined to clear her name, and if that means tracking down a notorious spy even Interpol can’t, then that’s just what she’ll do…

Shannon Curtis has worked as a switchboard operator, dangerous goods handler, logistics centre supervisor and real estate administration manager, and now writes copy and content by day, romantic suspense by night…

Follow me on Twitter: @2BShannonCurtis

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Visit my website: www.shannoncurtis.com

Visit my blog: http://shannoncurtis.wordpress.com/

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Posted in Authors, Books, Carina Press, Contest/Giveaway | 19 Comments »

A Conversation with Vic Andrews

Adrienne_Giordano | July 5th, 2011

Vic Andrews here. I’m the hero in a romantic suspense book called MAN LAW. Personally, I think Adrienne was smoking crack when she decided to make me the hero of a romance novel. I mean, God help you women because what I know about dealing with the female persuasion would fit into a .22 caliber bullet casing.

Adrienne: What are you doing?  This is my interview. You need to wait until I ask a question.

Vic: You were slow on the uptake. I jumped in.

Adrienne:  You can’t just take over the interview.

Vic: Who says?

Adrienne (sighing): Never mind.  Tell everyone about your Man Laws. And no swearing. This is live.

Vic: No swearing? That’s a bleeping challenge.

Adrienne: No swearing.  I just bleeped you.

Vic (laughing): I can’t promise anything. You know better.

Adrienne: Believe me. I know. Now, the Man Laws? Please?

Vic: I don’t know why women make such a big deal about Man Laws. Don’t we all have some personal code we live by? The Man Laws are my personal code. They’re basically the only rules I follow.

Adrienne: Hang on, fella. As I recall, in the book you break a lot of your Man Laws.

Vic: That wasn’t my fault.

Adrienne: Really? The one about never messing with your best friend’s sister?  That wasn’t your fault?

Vic: First of all, Gina helped with that. There’s gotta be a sister to help break that law. And what a sister she is. Who could blame me? Second, I didn’t break that sucker, I bleeping obliterated it.  Hey now, you censored me again?

Adrienne: I did. I told you no swearing.  Anyway, I’ll give you that Gina helped break that law.

Vic: Damn straight. She takes fifty percent of the blame. Gina likes me.  Must be something with the name because your editor likes me too.

Adrienne: Gina Bernal? How do you know she likes you?

Vic: I read your revision letter.

Adrienne: You read my emails?

Vic: Sure.

Adrienne : You can’t do that. It’s personal. Boundaries!

Vic: Please. What do I care about boundaries? Besides, I was looking for something and found the letter. Your editor says she can’t get enough of me.  I’m telling ya, it’s the name Gina.  All women named Gina, come find me, I must have something you ladies need.

Adrienne: O-kay then, I’m going to move beyond the fact that you invaded my privacy, but what the heck were you looking for in my emails? By the way, Gina Bernal didn’t say she couldn’t get enough of you, she said she couldn’t get enough of your voice.  Right now, I’ve had about enough of your voice.

Vic: Blah, blah. Kill me now. I was trying to find out why you shortened that scene with my aunt. I liked that scene.

Adrienne:  That was my editor’s suggestion. I guess she had enough of you that time.

Vic: So harsh, darlin’. Oh, hey, here’s my girl now. We started without you.

Gina (heroine): I see I got here just in time because he’s starting with the darlin’ nonsense. Adrienne, I cannot believe you are letting him do this. You know he’s going to say something that will infuriate someone.

Adrienne: Hi, Gina. You’re too late, he already infuriated me by reading my emails.

Gina (snorting): He’s lovable, but he’s an idiot.

Vic: I also found your other revision letters.  I notice your editor didn’t say anything about not getting enough of the other mopes in this series. I can’t wait to tell them that.  Especially Monk, the self-proclaimed alpha dog. Those boys got nothing on me.

Adrienne (gasping): You obtained those emails by invading my privacy.

Vic: What’s your point? It’s not like I hacked into your computer, although, you know I can make that happen if I have to.

Adrienne: No hacking. Just stop reading my mail.

Vic: But information is king. Plus, I didn’t get caught, which is another Man Law. Never get caught.

Adrienne: You broke that one in the book, too.

Vic (grunting): Again, it wasn’t my fault. I did everything I was supposed to and someone sold my bleep out.

Gina: You just swore. She bleeped you.

Vic: Eh, whatever. I hate that bleeping censorship.

Adrienne: You need to control that potty mouth of yours.

Gina: Good luck with that.

Adrienne: Gina, what’s your favorite Man Law.

Gina : I don’t have a favorite.  I think they’re all dumb. Especially the one about a man not using another man’s grill.

Vic: It’s true. If it’s my grill, I’m in charge. Just like the radio when I’m driving.

Gina (laughing): He’s such an idiot.

Adrienne: Does he ever let you drive?

Gina: You’re kidding, right?

Adrienne: Sorry. Silly question.

Vic: Damn straight.

Adrienne: Gina, what do you want people to know about Vic?

Gina: Oh, I could have fun with this one.

Vic (laughing): Easy now.

Gina: Aside from the goofy Man Laws, I think he’s funny. And, have you seen the picture of him on the book’s cover? Whew! On the serious side, he’s extremely loyal and will do whatever necessary to protect his loved ones. Mess with someone he cares about and he will take you down.

Adrienne: Vic, do you agree with Gina’s assessment?

Vic: All but the part about Man Laws being goofy.

Adrienne: Vic, what do you want people to know about Gina?

Vic: Well, she hates when I call her darlin’. Something about me forgetting her name. As if I’d do that.  At least not if I didn’t want my nuts handed to me. Really, she’s unforgettable in every way. She’s got a great bleep. Stop censoring me!

Adrienne: Too bad. I warned you.

Vic: Anyway, the really important thing is she’s an amazing mother. She’s tough, but understanding and she is always willing to give people another try.

Adrienne: Gina, would you agree?

Gina: I guess. I absolutely think it’s important for the people I love to know I might be upset with them, but I’ll always love them and try to see their side.

Adrienne: You guys are the best. Thank you for letting me interview you.

Gina: Sure. And Vic only got bleeped a few times. Excellent progress for him.

Vic: No bleeping kidding. And readers, remember what I said, any Gina’s out there, come find me. I’ll put a smile on your face. If you’re name isn’t Gina, well, I could probably still put a smile on your face.

Gina (laughing): You are such an idiot!

Adrienne: That’s it. He’s done.

Vic: One more thing—

Adrienne: No. You’re done.

Vic: Wait, this is serious. I want to know if anyone out there has their own set of Man Laws.

Adrienne: Oh, well, that’s okay then.

Readers, please share your own Man (or Woman) Laws. Vic would love to know!  And for added fun, if you leave a comment I will enter your name in a drawing for either a copy of Man Law, a bullet keychain or a set of bullet earrings.

Adrienne’s Bio: Adrienne Giordano writes romantic suspense and women’s fiction.  She is a Jersey girl at heart, but now lives in the Midwest with her work-a-holic husband, sports obsessed son and Buddy the Wheaton Terrorist (Terrier). She is a co-founder of Romance University blog. Adrienne’s debut romantic suspense, Man Law, will be released by Carina Press on July 4, 2011. Her second book, A Just Deception, will be available from Carina Press on September 5, 2011. For more information please visit http://www.adriennegiordano.com/.  Adrienne can be found on Twitter and Facebook.

Man Law available at:

Carina Press

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

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Posted in Authors, Books, Carina Press, Contest/Giveaway | 59 Comments »

What scares YOU?

JB_Lynn | June 15th, 2011

I’m so excited to have THE FIRST VICTIM released by Carina Press that, for the moment, it feels as though the world is filled with sunshine, puppies and pistachio muffins, but I know that as soon as this sense of euphoria fades a bit, I’ll be reminded that the world can be a dark and scary place.

I’m not talking “psychopathic serial killer on the loose!” scary like in my book, but the everyday things that frighten me. It could be something as small as a spider (I HATE spiders!). It might be the chill that skitters down my spine during my run, when suddenly the familiar trail through the woods, which usually feels like an escape, suddenly feels isolated, and I feel vulnerable. Or maybe I was terrified of writing this blog post, lol.

Maybe for you, fear waves its slimy tendrils when you have to make an important presentation, engage in a conflict-riddled situation, ride in an elevator, or attempt something you’ve never done before. Or maybe you’re terrified of your neighbor’s dog.

Fear, in a myriad of forms, slips into our everyday lives.

I think that’s why I love reading romantic suspense so much. While real life’s challenges often leave me feeling uncertain, I love having the confidence that when I reach the end of a romantic suspense novel, good will have prevailed over evil, and love will have conquered all. The hero and heroine will overcome the fears that were keeping them alone/apart.

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Fifteen years ago, Emily Wright barely escaped from a serial killer dubbed the Baby Doll Strangler. She wants nothing to do with the small town where she was abducted, but when her father is hospitalized she reluctantly returns home to care for her teenage sister.

When her sister’s friend is killed and left in front of Emily’s house, Emily begins to relive the nightmare she endured long ago. Soon she realizes that her sister, too, is in danger from the killer—and the only person who can help is the man Emily left behind: Deputy Bailey O’Neil. Together, Emily and Bailey must discover the killer’s identity before he claims his next victim…

CONTEST! To celebrate the release of THE FIRST VICTIM, I’m giving away a download of the book. Leave a comment telling me what scares YOU. I’ll draw a name by 11pm EST and post the winner’s name in the comments!

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JB Lynn writes with a parrot at her shoulder, a dog at her feet (unless it’s thundering, then the dog is in her lap…hey, even dogs have fears) and a cup of coffee within arm’s reach.

To learn more about JB and her books, check out the blog Killer Chicks,  follow her on Twitter, “like” her  FaceBook page, or explore her website.

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Posted in Carina Press | 21 Comments »

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