All Things Romantic Suspense: Elaina Lee

Today Elaina Lee, author of Written in Blood, joins us. Leave her a comment and help her feel welcome!

1. Howdy! Please introduce yourself, tell us an interesting fact about you, and if you were an animal, what would it be? Hello, I'm Elaina Lee and thanks for having me here today! I love being out in nature, but hate yard work. I plan on having a garden this year, and it will be entirely in five gallon buckets (to make it easier to weed). J An animal, oh this one is always so hard! Probably a horse, because they're intelligent, powerful and respected by humans without being feared.

2. Tell us a bit about your book--something you wouldn't find in the blurb. Oh come on now, the blurb was so hard to write, I like to show it off, LOL! So this is going to be raw and dirty J. Well, my heroines life quickly begins to spiral out of control as she fears her ex-husband is stalking her and she begins to fall-in-lust with the one man she can't sleep with. Period. My hero struggles with feelings of desire for a single woman, something that hasn't happened to him in a long time. He fears what it may mean for him and how he's supposed to handle the change, which will not only affect his personal life, but his professional as well.

3. What was your inspiration for this story? So many authors have their heroine's classify the hero as villains. I read one story where the heroine went on this rant about how much of a villain (literally) the hero was. How evil, perverted and sinfully corrupted he was. He was NOT, by the way. So I wondered what it would be like to write a hero who was borderline a villain and what kind of woman would be able to handle such a man.

4. Do you consider yourself a plotter or a pantser? I used to be a plotter, but life is so busy now, I plot scene's ahead, not entire novels. So I guess I'm a converted panster J

5. When diving into a new work, how much research do you do and how do you go about doing it? Oh a lot. I have a library in my house. I have to set up a new bookmark folder just to keep track of all the online material I find to help me learn my next subject. I usually though, purchase a handful of books and break out the highlighter. What can I say, I'm old-fashioned. *grin*

6. If you could be one character from your book, who would it be and why? Hmmm, at this point I'm not sure I'd want to be any of my characters, LOL! Even the lighthearted ones in my comedies have had hard lives that I don't envy or would want any part of. I'm really good at torturing my characters, in their past and their present.

7. And if you had to be stuck in an elevator for 42 hours with one of your characters…? Oh, that would be Alek. Just so I could stare at him…. sigh.

8. What was the hardest part of writing this book? The action scene's. Action is harder to write than sex because of how fast it is. You have to get quick movements down in a way that they read fast yet convey enough to not leave the reader going, "What the heck is she/he doing?!"

9. Why romantic suspense? Do you write any other subgenres of romance? I love the angst of romantic suspense. The adrenaline rush you get from your characters as they struggle to survive. I'm so horrible, I know! Oddly, I'm writing a Southern romantic comedy right now, LOL! But believe me, I'll be ready for my alpha male hero and strong heroine after this story is done.

10. What books have most influenced your writing or your outlook on life in general? Unless they're bad, which gives me this rabid desire to write, books don't really influence my writing. I admire the authors who weave good tales and usually the best ones leave me unable to write period, I'm so in awe of their talent.

11. Quick! The Departed, Shutter Island, or Inception? I haven't seen any of those! LOL! I do love movies, but for some reason, none of those flicks have graced my TV screen. Now ask me which favorite movie by Christian Bale and I might have an answer (or three) for you *wink*.

12. Anything I didn't ask you about that you want to shout out to the world? Nope, this was an excellent interview, so a shouted THANK YOU is all I'd like to do.

Blurb:

Lyndi Crisdean is assigned one of the hardest cases in her career as a defense attorney. A serial murder case. Investigating is Alek Trevian, the lead investigator for the district attorney, and a handsome and supremely dangerous man. Lyndi finds herself in over her head when she chooses desire for Alek over common sense. If they're caught, Lyndi will lose everything she's worked for. Circumstances beyond her control pull her toward Alek, for he turns out to be the only one who can help when threats start to mount against her.

Lyndi may be the key Alek needs to bring down a murderous cult running loose in his city. When her beach house is broken into and a man begins to tail Lyndi, Alek can't help but reason Lyndi may be next on the cult's hitlist. The question is, will he discover the identity of the cult, keep her safe, and still win the case against the serial killer she's defending, all while losing a battle against the strong, untamable desire she alone ignites within him?

BUY LINKS - You can find it on Amazon, Bookstrand, All Romance and of course my publishers site, Noble Romance

Website information - www.elainalee.com and elaina-lee.blogspot.com

All Things Romantic Suspense: Veronica Lynch

Today I welcome Veronica Lynch, author of Those Who Wait. Let's get this party started!

1. Howdy! Please introduce yourself, tell us an interesting fact about you, and if you were an animal, what would it be? I am a retired OR nurse/medical malpractice investigator, former victim advocate. If I were an animal I would be a lioness because it wouldn't be much of a stretch. You try working with fast handed surgeons, misogynistic obstetricians, and less than interested police officers. See how long you last before your claws come out. Oops, got a little snarky there. Sorry. Five Hail Mary's for me.

2. Tell us a bit about your book—We are speaking of Those Who Wait, a short novella, released in September 2010 through Decadent Publishing. A hoot of a story, based on real events and real people, myself included.

3. What was your inspiration for this story? I always wanted to tell a story about a victim advocate and a cop, but I didn't want to get into the emotional baggage this type of work brings with it. I didn't want to relive all the heartache and frustration. Decadent offered me a chance to write something quick, fun and short. It worked. Plus, I got to write about the man of my dreams and turn him into the hero he deserved to be.

4. Do you consider yourself a plotter or a pantser? BTSOOM which is nurse-speak for I-don't-have-the-slightest-idea.

5. When diving into a new work, how much research do you do and how do you go about doing it? Depending on the story idea which I must must have before I begin any new project, I often will develop my characters first, then get into the research. As to how I research, it depends. Some I've done online [like school bullying]; others I've gone to the location. I've spent many memorable weekends in the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York, the setting for one of my earliest books. As an insurance investigator, I traveled the length of upstate New York so many of the locations are permanently tattooed in my brain, but that makes developing settings easy. I've made rounds with an equine vet, spent an afternoon with a police mounted patrol unit, interrogated a physician who works for Doctors Without Borders over lunch, read more books on genocide than I care to list.

6. If you could be one character from your book, who would it be and why? I would be Megan Muldoon so I could have a chance to go back and have a do-over with her job. This time out, I be more emotionally balanced, show an improved sense of humor and a greater appreciation for the law enforcement side of handling violence against women.

7. And if you had to be stuck in an elevator for 42 hours with one of your characters…? In a heartbeat I'd want to be stuck with Keenan Rossi. Can we be certain the elevator is stuck and we won't be interuppted? That's important to the fantasy. Not that he'd last that long because I'd wear him out, but one can always fantasize.

8. What was the hardest part of writing this book? The editor kept asking for more pages. I gave her what I was capable of giving but then had to stop. This story was designed to be short and quick, not some long drawn out pain-filled emotional wringer.

9. Why romantic suspense? Why not? Do you write any other sub genres of romance? I've tried several times. My fingers and brain refused to cooperate.

10. What books have most influenced your writing or your outlook on life in general? Carolina Moon and Divine Evil by Nora Roberts. Samantha Power's A Problem From Hell. The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous.

11. Quick! The Departed, if this was the cop movie set in Boston with Jack Nicholson, Martin Sheen, one of the Baldwins, Leo D, and Mark Wahlberg . . . I wept. Leo deserved an Oscar nod. You could see the emotional deterioration on his face; he did not need to speak. He broke my heart—and I really don't care for his movies. If I'm describing a different movie, I'm sorry. I don't get out much.

12. Anything I didn't ask you about that you want to shout out to the world? Yeah, thanks, Mindy. Support your local domestic violence shelter by giving your time and support, gently used clothes and household goods or toys for little ones. Our children are our most precious resource; growing up with violence warps that resource and eventually destroys it.

.

thank you so much for allowing me to be a guest at your blog. This was fun!

----

Purchase Veronica's book at www.DecadentPublishing.com
Excerpt:

“Crime Victim Services,” she murmured into the receiver. “How may I help you?”

The caller's voice was low, husky, and exquisitely male. “Do you know the difference between a barracuda and a victim advocate?”

Her heart skipped a beat. Maybe two. “Lip gloss.”

“Well damn,” Investigator Keenan Rossi muttered. “You already heard it.”

“An oldie but a goodie, pal.”

“Aren't we all. How you doin' on this gorgeous February day, gorgeous?”

Bringing the face of the handsome sheriff's detective to mind took no great effort. After several moments of imagining twinkling eyes and a dimpled grin, she said, “Not too bad. How's by you?”

“Lemme tell you, cara. If I was any better, I'd scare myself."

Reviewed: Blood Crimes by Dave Zeltserman

Title: Blood Crimes
Author: Dave Zeltserman
Genre: Crime/Paranormal horror
Purchase at: http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Crimes-Book-One-ebook/dp/B004HO5J56

The basic gist: Vampire Jim travels across the country with his human girlfriend Carol, the two of them surviving through theft and luring predators for Jim's dinner. Hot on their heels is Jim's coldhearted ex, Serena, who is in turn kept watch over by Metcalf, a sociopathic killer who conducts experiments on his own kind in the hopes of easing the inconveniences that come with vampirism. Intense chases, drug wars, and violent battles abound.

My thoughts:

Whoa.

WHOA.

Okay. Let's see if I can explain this. Take today's typical vampire fiction, shove it into Bedlam House and whip it with a cat-o'-ninetails to force it to breed with your grittiest crime thriller. That's what you'll get when you open up this book.

Blood Crimes is fast. It's visceral. It's definitely not your fourteen-year-old sister's dreamy vampire fantasy. This book grabs you by the guttiwuts, wrenches hard, and doesn't let go.

But don't get me wrong, this isn't your run-of-the-mill shock literature. Zeltserman weaves a disturbing noir with a passionate craftsman's hand over his characters. He handles point-of-view in a way so you sympathize with the vantage point--and not just when he's switching between Jim and Carol. Frighteningly enough, he managed to get me behind the motives of the sociopathic, amoral Metcalf as well. You definitely know who the villains are, but at times it can become difficult not to like them because they're so dang cool!

All in all, I give this book a 5 over 5. It'll have you speedreading through it, and, by the ending, desperately wondering what happens in the next book!

All Things Romantic Suspense: Ursula Grey

Hey y'all! Today I'm interviewing Ursula Grey, author of Second Chances. Stop by, leave a comment, and help me give her a big ol' Texas welcome! <33

MM: Howdy! Please introduce yourself, tell us an interesting fact about you, and if you were an animal, what would it be?

UG: Hi Mindy! Good to be here. I’m Ursula Grey. I write mainstream women’s fiction, romance, and erotic romance. Thus far, I’ve been published by eXcessica, and Siren-Bookstrand. I’m also a genre-crossing writer ~ I love historical fiction, science fiction, erotic romance, and literary fiction. I hope to one day publish something in each of these genres! I would consider Second Chances, the work I’d like to discuss today, a work of romantic suspense, but it’s a little bit of everything.

An interesting fact about me? Gosh, I didn’t know I was so boring! Let me see...I practice yoga, how about that? It’s good for the body and the soul. I’ve never once become bored with it. It’s very rewarding to master a posture you never thought you’d be able to get your body into!

If I were an animal, what would I be? Hmm, tough question. Although I prefer my current human form;-), I suppose maybe a dolphin. They are playful, intelligent creatures, and inhabit warmer waters...I’d definitely have to live somewhere warm!

MM: Tell us a bit about your book -- something you wouldn’t find in the blurb.

UG: Second Chances is definitely about overcoming obstacles, your past, your fears, and living up to your full potential. The three main characters are quite dear to me, especially Jeanne, who was very similar to an old friend of mine. Despite the fact that quite a few decades separated us, once we spoke, our respective ages disappeared and we became good friends. She taught me that it was never too late to live your dreams.

MM: What was your inspiration for this story?

UG:The portrayal of women in the media, specifically the elusive and unrealistic quest to be perfect; the desire to be more than your environmental circumstances allow; and falling in love with Paris and all of France! The three main female characters came to me requesting their stories be told ~ and they wanted a happy ending. I obliged!

MM: Do you consider yourself a plotter or a pantser?

UG: Definitely a pantser, which I sometimes pay for later during the editing process. I’ve tried to outline, but invariably, I end up going off in a direction I hadn’t planned, ie., I go where my characters lead me. In general, most of my work starts with a scene, and the story builds from there.

MM:When diving into a new work, how much research do you do and how do you go about doing it?

UG:I write the story and when I’m not directly involved in doing that, I refer to my research library or the internet to fill in the gaps. There’s definitely more research involved when I’m writing an historical work. Accuracy is very important to me, but I also enjoy the research. It’s intriguing. It usually leads to another story that’s waiting to be told. I’m very interested in ancient civilizations, mythology and folklore, along with France and England during the Middle Ages. I’ve amassed some knowledge of these periods, but refer to reference sources for in-depth information.

MM: If you could be one character from your book, who would it be and why?

UG:I’d have to choose Delia, the teen in Second Chances. Although she’s had some hard knocks, she’s beautiful and talented, living in France, and has her entire life before her! That was easy!

MM: And if you had to be stuck in an elevator for 42 hours with one of your characters...?

UG: Another easy one! I’d choose the handsome and mysterious artist, Karl. He’s good looking, intelligent, and talented. We’d discuss much art during that period...

MM: What was the hardest part of writing this book?

UG:Editing. I think it behooves any writer to set your book aside for a month or two after completion and look at it later with fresh eyes. You’ll wonder how you missed such glaringly obvious errors!

MM:Why romantic suspense? Do you write any other subgenres of romance?

UG:I think there’s a little suspense in every story. It’s what keeps us turning the pages. I also write erotic romance. A Day in April 1944, published by eXcessica, takes place during WWII. It features a day and night in the life of a French woman working for the Resistance ~ and what happens when she shelters an American pilot for the night. It received recommended read status at Dark Diva, Fallen Angel, and the Literary Nymphs review sites. I’m also published in a recently released anthology by eXcessica entitled, Divine Matches. If you enjoy reading about mythological beings, check it out. My story, Heph’s Revenge, features Hephaestus and what happens when he discovers his wife Aphrodite may have a thing for Apollo. It has a humorous edge and was fun to write. I’m also waiting to hear on a submittal, (an erotic romance that takes place in the Old West), and am working on a few other projects. Along with the publishers sites, all my work is available on Amazon.

MM: What books have most influenced your writing or your outlook on life in general?

UG:I’m an avid fiction reader with many favorite authors including: Rose Tremain, Joyce Carol Oates, Margaret Atwood...I could go on! Visit my website for more recommendations.

As far as nonfiction, I have to say that Clarissa Pinkola Estes book, Women Who Run With the Wolves, had a great impact on me. I loved the short story in the book entitled, The Wolf’s Eyelash. After reading it, I “went out in the woods” and never looked back;-). If you haven’t already, definitely read it.

MM:Quick! The Departed, Shutter Island, or Inception?

UG:Call me crazy, but I haven’t seen any of them! (I assumed they were movies and looked them up to confirm that, yes indeed, they were.) Not much of a movie buff...however, one of my favorites is a French (of course) film entitled, Ridicule.

MM: Anything I didn’t ask you about that you want to shout out to the world?

UG:All great questions Mindy. Just want to say, Read Me Please! and let me hear from you! Thanks for having me. Also, looking forward to your visit:-). Readers, do stop by my blog to say hello! ~ Ursula

Blurb for Second Chances:

Chance encounters bring together three women from very different walks of life and with little in common except for the desire to obtain a second chance at life and perhaps even love.

A mysterious birthday gift, a husband's devastating deception, and a secret past during World War II send the women on an unforgettable journey to France that will change their lives forever. Will Delia, the young runaway, find the father she never knew, a father who knows nothing of her existence? Will one impulsive night change Gwen, a soon-to-be-divorcee's, life forever? Can Jeanne, a French war bride, face her past and rekindle a romance with a lost love? When Delia disappears, the answers to these questions must wait.

"Are second chances really possible? Can dreams come true? I'm here to tell you the answer is yes if you're willing to take a chance and take that first step. The inspiration for Second Chances was born of the knowledge that anything is possible, if you're open to the possibilities. Go ahead, it's your turn. Take that first step today." ~ Ursula ~

Buy link: http://www.bookstrand.com/second-chances