Withholding Evidence Winner!
I had so much fun sharing the first scene of Withholding Evidence on Wednesday! Keith has a certain charm, doesn’t he? 
The winner of a signed print copy of Withholding Evidence is:
Jean Boe!
Jean, to claim your prize, please contact us within ten days of this post and provide your mailing address.
Join us on Tuesday next week, when we will be celebrating Carey Baldwin’s new release: Confession!
For fans of Allison Brennan and Karen Rose comes Carey Baldwin, a daring new name in suspense, with the story of a serial killer out for blood—and the only woman who can stop his reign of terror.
They say the Santa Fe Saint comes to save your soul—by taking your life.
Newly minted psychiatrist Faith Clancy gets the shock of her life when her first patient confesses to the grisly Saint murders. By law Faith’s compelled to notify the authorities, but is her patient really the Saint? Or will she contribute to more death by turning the wrong man over to the police?
Faith is going to need all her wits and the help of a powerful adversary, Luke Jericho, if she’s to unravel the truth. But she doesn’t realize she’s about to become an unwitting pawn in a serial killer’s diabolical game. For once he’s finished with Faith, she’ll become his next victim.
A SPIRITED Winner!
Thanks so much to the awesome Mary Behre for celebrating her debut with us this week!
The lucky winner of a copy of Mary Behre’s debut paranormal romantic suspense novel, SPIRITED, is…Patti Straight!
Patti, please contact us here with your snail mail address (if you prefer a print copy) and email address to claim your prize.
Next up: Our own Carey Baldwin! Carey is one of the very first authors HarperCollins chose to help launch their new IMPULSE WITNESS line. And next Tuesday we are celebrating her first thriller with this line, CONFESSION. It’s an awesome story that you won’t want to miss. Join us on Tuesday to help us celebrate!
For fans of Allison Brennan and Karen Rose comes Carey Baldwin, a daring new name in suspense, with the story of a serial killer out for blood—and the only woman who can stop his reign of terror.
They say the Santa Fe Saint comes to save your soul—by taking your life.
Newly minted psychiatrist Faith Clancy gets the shock of her life when her first patient confesses to the grisly Saint murders. By law Faith’s compelled to notify the authorities, but is her patient really the Saint? Or will she contribute to more death by turning the wrong man over to the police?
Faith is going to need all her wits and the help of a powerful adversary, Luke Jericho, if she’s to unravel the truth. But she doesn’t realize she’s about to become an unwitting pawn in a serial killer’s diabolical game. For once he’s finished with Faith, she’ll become his next victim.
A Secret Worth Dying For ~ Withholding Evidence by Rachel Grant
WITHHOLDING EVIDENCE, the third book in my series of romantic thrillers that explores the intersection of archaeology, politics, and war, released late last week. I had a blast writing this short novel. I loved finding Trina’s voice and Keith’s… well, I pretty much love everything about Keith.
Like all books in this series, this story can stand alone, but the characters from the previous books are present in WE, and I really enjoyed writing the friendship between Trina, Mara, and Erica, as they all work together at Naval History and Heritage Command. Years ago my husband worked for NHHC’s underwater archaeology branch making writing about the organization especially fun.
Today I’m excited to share with our Kiss and Thrill readers the first scene of Withholding Evidence.
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Trina Sorensen stiffened her spine and rang the town house doorbell. She couldn’t hear a chime, so after a moment of hesitation, she followed up with a knock. Seconds ticked by without any sound of movement on the other side. She rang the bell again, and then repeated the knock for good measure. The front door was on the ground floor, next to the garage. Glancing upward, she checked out the windows of the two upper floors. No lights on, but at nine in the morning on a hot August day in Falls Church, that didn’t tell her anything. If the man she hoped to meet was home, he’d have to descend at least one flight of stairs, possibly two.
She was about to ring the bell again when the door whipped open, startling her. She stepped back, then remembered she needed to project poise and straightened to meet her target’s gaze.
Keith Hatcher was even more handsome in person than in his official navy photo, but she couldn’t let that fluster her. It just meant he’d been blessed with good genes, a rather superficial measure of a person, really.
She took a deep breath and held out her hand. “Mr. Hatcher, Trina Sorensen, historian with Naval History and Heritage Command. I’d like to ask you a few questions about Somalia.” She cringed as she said the last part. Too perky. Too eager. That was not how to approach a former navy SEAL when asking about a mission.
Sporting tousled dark hair that suggested he may have just gotten out of bed, and wearing low-rise jeans and nothing else, the man leaned an impressive bare bicep against the doorframe and raised a quizzical thick eyebrow. “Trina? Cute name.” He smiled. “It fits.” He reached out and touched the top of her head. “But I think you should go back to the day care center you escaped from and leave me alone.” He stepped back, and the door slammed shut.
She jolted back a step. He did not just pat her on the head and slam the door in her face.
Except that was exactly what Senior Chief Petty Officer Keith Hatcher had done.
She was aware she looked young, but dammit, she was thirty-one freaking years old—the same age as Hatcher. She squared her shoulders and rang the bell again. Seconds ticked by. Then minutes. She pounded with the side of her fist.
Finally the door opened. “Yes?” He leaned against the doorjamb again, this time stretching out an arm to touch the hinged side of the opening. His body language conveyed amusement mixed with annoyance.
“Senior Chief, I’m Dr. Trina Sorensen”—she never referred to herself with the pretentious title of doctor, but figured his crack about day care warranted it—“and I’m researching your SEAL team’s work in Somalia five years ago for Naval History and Heritage Command and the Pentagon. You must answer my questions.”
“Dollface, it’s Sunday morning. The only thing I must do today is jack off.”
She crossed her arms. “Fine. I can wait. It’ll be what, one, maybe two minutes?”
The man tilted his head back and laughed. She saw her opportunity and ducked under his arm, entering, as she’d suspected, an enclosed staircase. The door to the left could only go to the garage. She went straight for the stairs, heading up to his home. Her heart beat rapidly at her own audacity, but she was never going to get the information she needed to do her job from the SEAL without taking risks.
“What the hell?” he sputtered, then added, “Who do you think you are, barging into my home?”
“I told you. I’m Dr. Trina Sorensen from NHHC,” she answered as she reached the landing that ended in the most spotless mudroom she’d ever seen. She crossed the room and stepped into his kitchen. She leaned against a counter as he paused in his own kitchen doorway. His mouth twitched, but his jaw was firm, making her think he couldn’t decide if he was annoyed or amused.
“I’ll wait here while you masturbate. We can start the interview when you’re done.”
Amusement won, and a corner of his mouth kicked up. He took a step toward her. “It’ll go faster if you help me.”
Her heart thumped in a slow, heavy beat. Barging into his home might’ve been a mistake. She frowned. Of course it was a mistake. “I’m good to go. Already took care of business this morning in the shower. You go ahead without me.”
He barked a sharp laugh, then shook his head. “What do you want, Dr. Sorensen?”
“As I said already, I’m here to ask you questions about Somalia.” She pulled her digital recorder from her satchel. “Do you mind if I record our conversation?”
His brown eyes narrowed. “Hell, yes, I mind. More importantly, we aren’t having a conversation. You are leaving. Now. Before I call the police.”
“Please don’t be difficult. I’m just doing my job.”
“SEAL ops are classified.” All hint of amusement left his voice, leaving only hard edges.
She sighed in frustration. Hadn’t he bothered to read any of her e-mails? “I sent you what you need to verify my security clearance in my e-mail. And my orders came directly from the Pentagon.”
“I don’t give a crap if the pope sent you on orders from the president. I’m not telling you shit about a place I’ve never been.”
He expected her to accept that and walk away? She’d never have gotten anywhere as a military historian if she allowed the men in her field to brush her off. “Oh, you’ve been to Somalia all right. You were there on a reconnaissance mission, gathering data about a rising al Qaeda leader who was taking advantage of a power vacuum created by ongoing interclan violence.”
He crossed his arms and spoke softly. “I have no clue what you’re talking about.”
The man had a solid poker face; no hint that she’d surprised him with the paltry facts she knew. So he was handsome and big and had the most gorgeous sculpted pecs and abs she’d ever seen, and he was sharp to boot. “I’m researching various SEAL actions in Somalia over the last two decades, starting with Operation Gothic Serpent and ending with yours.”
“The work I did when I was in the navy is classified. Not only do I not have to tell you about an op I was never on in a country I’ve never visited, but I could also get in serious trouble if I did tell you a damn thing about the places I have been.”
She handed him her card. “But you do have to answer me. The Pentagon wants this report. Your input is necessary.” This project was her big break. Future naval operations could depend on her findings, and the biggest of the brass were eager for this account. She was already having visions of moving out of the cubicle next to cantankerous Walt. She could have walls. And a door.
“But, you see there, dollface, that’s the problem. I’m not in the navy anymore. I don’t take orders from the Pentagon. I don’t have to follow commands from anyone, least of all a five-foot-nothing librarian who invaded my kitchen without my permission.”
She straightened her spine and threw back her shoulders, determined to reach her full height. “I’m five foot three. And I’m an historian.” Her glasses slipped, and she nudged them back to the bridge of her nose.
He chuckled, and she flushed. She’d have been better off if she hadn’t corrected him on the librarian label as she adjusted her glasses.
“Whatever, doll. Listen, you have one minute to get out of my house, or I’m going to assume you’ve decided to watch me jerk off after all.”
She couldn’t look away from the brown eyes that held hers in a tense gaze. Just her luck that he was so frigging gorgeous. Attractive men made her self-conscious. Especially ripped, half-naked ones. “I’m not playing games, Senior Chief. I’m just here to do my job.”
He smiled slowly and reached for his fly.
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Withholding Evidence is a short novel – approximately 50,000 words/150 pages.
Amazon | iTunes | Kobo | Barnes & Noble
Today I’m giving away a signed print copy of WITHHOLDING EVIDENCE. To enter the drawing, tell me: are you are willing to read books in a series out of order, or do you always start with book one?
Mary Behre’s SPIRITED Debut!
It is my extreme pleasure and honor to introduce my dear friend, debut Paranormal Romantic Suspense author, MARY BEHRE (pronounced Merry Berry–isn’t that too cute?) to you today!
Not only is Mary a truly selfLESS, sweet, giving, nurturing, amazing person, she is also a rather incredible author.
Just look at some of the reviews pouring in for her first novel, SPIRITED, which debuts today!
“This mix of romance, ghostly visions and unexpected danger is unbelievably fun and thrilling!” –4Stars RT Book Reviews
“…a fast paced story that made me lose track of the time…” 4 1/2 Stars Top Pick, Night Owl Reviews
“Behre’s exuberant debut paranormal romance is lighthearted and easygoing, with a slow-moving subplot that promises to spark future books.” –Publishers Weekly
“I loved Spirited and can’t wait to see what Behre will do next. She has an incredible talent and is a great new voice in romantic suspense that will most definitely have me coming back for more.” ~herding cats & burning soup
“Spirited is an intriguing blend of romance, mystery and ghosts to keep you up late at night.”New York Times bestseller Dianna Love
“Great! A real-page turner. Be prepared, once you sit down to read, you won’t want to get up until you’ve finished the book.” – NY Times and USA Today Bestselling author Lynsay Sands
“A sweet, funny, sexy debut!” – Deadly Games Series author Lena Diaz 
“Rich with mystery, hot romance, and sneaky humor… No magic crystal ball is needed to foresee this writer is bursting with talent!” - Author of Games People Play & The Fifth Favor, Shelby Reed
Isn’t that terrific???? I can’t remember the last time I saw such glowing reviews for a brand new author. Here’s the cover–which I adore!–for SPIRITED, along with the back cover copy.
She’s running from who she is…
All Jules Scott wants is to live a normal, quiet life–preferably one that doesn’t include ghosts. Jules’s ability for communicating with the dead has brought her nothing but trouble. Despite her best efforts, needy spirits always find her and draw her into their otherworldly drama. When one implicates her in a series of deadly crimes, she may need to entrust her secrets to the person least likely to believe her…
He’ll do whatever it takes to catch her.
Detective Seth English can’t get distracted from the big case he’s working on, not even by his alluring new neighbor. He doesn’t believe that Jules had anything to do with the string of robberies-turned-murders that he’s investigating, but when she keeps showing up in all the wrong places, his gut tells him she knows more than she’s letting on. To solve his case, he’ll need to expose what the sexy redhead is hiding–no matter how impossible the truth may be…
Now let’s get to know Mary a little better…
LD: What’s your favorite food?
MB: Chocolate, of course!
LD: What three books influenced you the most in life?
MB: I love this question!
Dr. Seuss’s HORTON HATCHES THE EGG had a huge influence both on my childhood and my philosophy of life. Here was an elephant doing what the entire world thought was ridiculous because he’d made a promise. In the end, the universe rewarded his honesty, his hard work and his faithfulness. “And it should be, it Should be, IT SHOULD BE like that. Because Horton was faithful, he sat and he sat.”
Another book that heavily influenced my life was Agatha Christie’s THE MIRROR CRACK’D FROM SIDE TO SIDE. I’d read a number of Miss Marple books but this was the first one where I figured out who did it on page thirty-eight. It wasn’t because the book was poorly written, quite the opposite. I’d simply adopted Miss Marple’s habit of comparing a mystery to life as I knew it. And I figured out who did it and why. Ooh, I felt so brilliant that day. I thought for sure, I’d guess the culprit in all of her other books as quickly. I didn’t but I did learn to pay attention to details in books and movies.
Finally, the most recent book to add to my list of most influential books of my life is Suzanne Brockmann’s INTO THE STORM. Shortly after my second child was born, my sister handed me her copy of the book while my baby napped. I couldn’t put it down. Suddenly, I’d found a genre that I could really see myself writing. Sexy, fun, and suspenseful!
LD: When you’ve had a rough week, what’s your go –to book or movie or activity to relieve stress?
MB: For a long time, my go-to movie was GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE with Brendan Fraser. I love the slapstick comedy. Anymore, I don’t have time to watch a lot of movies, but I must admit, between November 1st and December 31st, I’m a sucker for sappy and sometimes silly Christmas movies.
LD: What profession would you like to attempt?
MB:Tai Chi instructor. I was once on the path to become one, but then my husband moved to a small town. I could have continued my training to be an instructor, but that would have meant weekly eight-hour round trips and my children were still babies at the time. So, it wasn’t feasible.
LD: What profession would not want to attempt?
MB: Any job from which I’ve already resigned. LOL. I believe if work becomes drudgery, quit and find something you enjoy. Life’s too short to hate your job.
LD: What sound or noise do you love?
MB: Military jets in the skies over Virginia Beach. When September 11th happened, all the jets were grounded. It was an eerie quiet that night.
LD: What’s a fact most people couldn’t guess about you?
MB: I have three tattoos; a frog, a dream catcher and a pink ribbon. Each one represents a significant change in my life or the life of a loved one.
LD: Vampire, werewolf, zombie, ancient warrior, cowboy, or ghost?
MB: GHOST! I love suspense but I love paranormal too. There’s a ghost in almost every story I write.
LD: What subgenre do you write?
MB: Technically, I write paranormal romance, but it’s really paranormal romantic suspense. Ever story has humor, suspense and a psychic love-connection.
LD: What’s your writing schedule like?
MB: I write Monday through Friday from nine am until five pm. Since I have a family with young children, it’s imperative I be available to spend time with them at night and on the weekends. Although, when I’m under a tight deadline, I have been known to write all night long.
LD: In one word, describe your perfect day.
MB: Beach
LD: Where can readers find you in the next six months? (Conferences and/or book signings)
MB: I’m all over the place!
March 8, 2014: Books-A-Million in Fredericksburg, VA for my book launch party
March 22, 2014: Turn The Page Bookstore in Boonsboro, MD where I’ll be doing a book signing with Tracey Anne Warren, Erika Robuck, Addison Fox, Cat Johnson, and NORA ROBERTS!
April 12, 2014: Lady Jane Salon Silver Spring, in Bethesda, MD
April 27, 2014: Kensington Day of the Book, Kensington, MD
May 14-18, 2014: RT Booklovers Convention, New Orleans, LA
June 27-28, 2014: Frederick Book Festival, Frederick, MD
July 23-26, 2014: RWA National Convention, San Antonio, TX
LD: Where can people find you on the internet?
http://facebook.com/MaryBehre.Author
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Buy Links!
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/spirited-mary-behre/1116561037?ean=9780425268612
Leave a comment or question for Mary to be eligible for a drawing to win a free ebook copy (Nook or Kindle, winner’s choice) of SPIRITED! Please check back on Thursday to see if you’re a winner.
K&T Tuesday and Thursday Winners!
Thank you to everyone who stopped by on Tuesday to celebrate Gwen Hernandez’s debut release of BLIND FURY! The lucky winner of her romantic suspense is jackielayton.
Congratulations! Please click on the Contact Us link to let us know if you prefer digital or paperback.
Thank you, Heather Ashby, for spending the day with us yesterday. And the lucky winner of Forget Me Not is …… Sasharenay
Congratulations! Sasharenay, please contact us here with your email address to claim your e-book.
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Please join us next Tuesday, March 4, when Lena Diaz interviews Paranormal Suspense author Mary Behre.
We can’t wait!
Forget Me Not with Heather Ashby
Today I am so pleased to welcome Heather Ashby, a 2012 Golden Heart sister as well as an award-winning romantic suspense author!
After the successful debut of her first book Forgive & Forget, Heather has just released the second book in her “Love in the Fleet” series, Forget Me Not, to even more acclaim. And I heard a rumor that she’s also brought along Forget Me Not’s sexy hero Sky Crawford. I can already tell he’s a flirt!
SW: Welcome, Heather! I loved this book and am not surprised to hear all sorts of wonderful buzz about this story, the hero, and especially the villain. Can you share the blurb without giving away too much?
HA: Thanks, Sharon, for inviting me back to Kiss and Thrill! Here’s the blurb for Forget Me Not:
Suffering from survivor guilt, playboy Navy Seahawk pilot Sky Crawford swears he’ll never marry, unsure he deserves happiness—besides there are too many hot chicks to choose from.
War widow and veterinarian Daisy Schneider swears to love only animals after her Marine pilot husband is killed in Afghanistan—but work fails to ease her loneliness or the guilt that she might have saved him. The last thing she needs is a sweet-talking, fast-playing military pilot in her life.
Between a fiery battle with drug runners at sea and one stray, matchmaking Siamese cat, the fur flies in Forget Me Not as Sky and Daisy learn about life, love, and second chances.
SW: I know this is your second book but can you tell me about this amazing Romantic Suspense list Forgive and Forget is on?
HA: I was stunned when Suspense Magazine voted my debut novel, Forgive & Forget, to their “Best of 2013” list for Romantic Suspense with Linda Howard, Allison Brennan/Laura Griffin, and Sandra Brown. This was beyond my wildest dreams.
SW: I am so happy for you, and the award is much deserved. In researching the cocaine trade, how difficult was to come by the information? Were you afraid of ending up on someone’s list?
HA: I did wonder if the FBI was going to come for me after reading my Google search history or seeing what I checked out of the library. While packing for a wedding in St. Petersburg, Florida, my normally sweet husband pulled my current reading material from the suitcase, got in my face, and exclaimed, “No, you are not going to sit around the pool at the Don Cesar Hotel reading How to Smuggle Cocaine for Profit and Fun.
SW: I don’t blame him! Did the reality of the drug world scare you?
HA: Yes, the above book was written by a drug lord to show just how easy it is to smuggle cocaine into the U.S. In addition to reading about the “selling of souls for profit,” I was shocked at what growing and processing cocaine does to the environment. Besides the slashing and burning for more farm land to grow coca, millions of liters of caustic chemicals, including pure gasoline, are dumped into rivers and jungles.
SW: How did you get a Navy helicopter pilot to help you with the writing/authentication? Can you tell me a bit more about him/her?
HA: Oh, it was definitely a him, and didn’t he look hot in that flight suit! Oops, did I type that out loud? Seriously, he is the dad of a former student of mine. And I was thrilled to learn that he’d always wanted to write a thriller, but didn’t know where to start. So he enjoyed adding his two cents worth, along with authenticating scenes, especially cockpit dialogue and actions, and the drug interdiction/firefight. We even added in a character based on his best friend, a naval aircrewman who perished in a flight accident. Petty Officer Billy Quinn is honored in the story and on our dedication page.
SW: Your books are known for their realism. What extra lengths did you go to do research?
HA: The Navy invited me to go through their Seahawk helicopter flight simulator. They said: “We are so thrilled that someone is going to write about what our pilots and crews do to make the world a safer place, we will help you in any way we can.” Although it was all simulated, it was 100% realistic – including movement. I sat in the pilot’s seat and my “co-pilot” (another cute pilot in a flight suit) guided me to land our helo on the flight decks of various sized ships, including a frigate which has a postage stamp-sized deck. Then they had me do it “at night” and “during a thunderstorm.” Next they set up the drug runner scenario I would be writing about. I got to fire warning shots on a “go-fast” – a speed boat – while it evaded interdiction by zigzagging. Since the mules did not cease and desist, I next got to pick off their “$100,000 engines” with lasers, one by one until they were DIW, dead in the water. After that, my co-pilot let me fire three Hellfire missiles! (No, not at the drug runners.) And finally, they had me experience a tail rotor failure, which throws a helicopter into a violent spin – and might, just maybe, happen in the book . This was one of the most exciting days of my life!
SW: Tell me about your “Villain”.
HA: The villain in Forget Me Not is cocaine. Through interwoven chapters, the reader follows the journey of the cocaine from harvest to processing to the mules who transport it in go-fasts to the distributer. Various characters are introduced, such as a drug lord, his son who has a conscience, the manager at a processing plant, and a go-fast captain, but they are only there as a means of guiding the villain – the cocaine – on to the next step in its journey.
SW: Was writing this book harder than the first? Was it a revision of an older book?
This book was way easier than Book 1, because I knew what I was doing. I had no idea about writing a novel when I wrote Book 1, which means it was re-written five times over before being published. I actually wrote Book 2 with the Golden Heart in mind, ensuring lots of voice in the beginning as opposed to the backstory that had been in Book 1. I also wrote it around a hook at page fifty. I was very excited when Book 2 was named a Golden Heart finalist. (Original title: Cat On A Hot Steel Flight Deck.)
SW: As we’re talking, an incredibly handsome man has walked in. And since Heather has prepared me, I’m pretty sure that killer smile and sexy wink belongs to Sky Crawford, the luscious hero of Forget Me Not. “So, Sky, what was the first thing you thought when you met Daisy? (be honest!)”
Sky: If you want me to be honest, how about go right to the source? Here’s my reaction when I first saw Dr. Daisy at her vet clinic.
Attention on deck. All hands man your battle stations. Hot. Chick. Alert.
Sky’s brain flipped over to autopilot. Left eye did the ring finger check. No rings. Good sign. Right eye—hey, something was wrong here. His right eye knew it was assigned breast patrol, but it couldn’t seem to move past her blond hair swept up into some kind of barrette thingy. Hair that screamed for him to pull out the clip so he could watch the flaxen mass come tumbling down, like the walls of Jericho. Then both eyes got too lost in her pale blue ones to even consider glancing lower.
Mayday. Mayday. Losing focus fast. Send reinforcements.
Peripheral vision was called in as backup and the situation report said any woman that looked this good in a pair of scrubs must be some mighty fine booty.
SW: I’m surprised she even talked to you. What was it about Daisy that changed things for you?
Sky: She didn’t put up with my BS. But since I love it when desirable women play the hard-to-get card, I wasn’t about to give up the chase.
SW: Was there ever a moment when you had to choose between Daisy and the final showdown with the drug runners?
Sky: Yeah, but that would be a spoiler, sweetheart.
SW: Your story involves your ongoing recovery from PTSD. Can you tell us how Daisy helped you in your recovery?
Sky: She made me acknowledge that I might have some…you know…issues…and I might have to…um…get some help. Okay, so she threw my a** out until I actually got help.
SW: What help did you give Heather in her ongoing research into your world of Navy pilots?
Sky: I suggested she work out at the base gym on the Navy base. See, if she goes around 11 AM and uses a certain treadmill, she can watch all the hot guys in uniforms walk by on their way to the locker room before their lunch-hour workout. That also affords her a good view of the chin up bars, since she has a thing for upper-body musculature. And I reminded her that nobody would suspect her of “doing research,” since she’s old enough to be their mother. And as to the hot love scenes, I just whispered them all into her ear.
SW: Are Navy pilots really this sexy? Or is it all for show?
Sky: Oh, sweetheart, we are really that sexy. (Heather says it’s the flight suits, but don’t listen to her. Come on, this is the Skylark you’re talking to—king of the skies and the bedroom. The King of Hearts.)
SW: Okay. As cute as he is, it’s time to shut him down and ask the weekly question:
Do you like unusual villains? Or do you prefer the standard scary drug-kingpin type villain?
And if villains aren’t your thing at all, what do you think about cocky heroes who get taken down by sexy, smart heroines?
And for one lucky commenter, Heather will be giving away one e-copy of Forget Met Not!
Heather Ashby is a Navy veteran, whose mother was one of the original Navy WAVES in WWII. After leaving the service, Heather taught school and raised a family while accompanying her Navy husband around the United States, Japan, and the Middle East.
In gratitude for her Army son’s safe return from Afghanistan and Iraq, she now writes military romance novels, donating half her royalties to support wounded warriors and their families.
An award-winning author of romantic fiction, Heather is a member of Romance Writers of America, and also belongs to regional/specialty chapters, including The Golden Network and First Coast Romance Writers. Additionally, she holds memberships in RomVets and the Military Writers Society of America. Heather lives in Atlantic Beach, Florida, with her retired Naval Engineer husband and three rescue cats.
All photographs courtesy of Heather Ashby and Sharon Wray.
When Keeping Secrets is Deadly
CLICK COVER for Buy-Link
Is this the smoking hot sex scene you submitted to a contest and won?
Ha, what a way to start! I was going to thank you for hosting me today, but…
Just kidding. Yes, the first big love scene between Mick and Jenna is the one I submitted to the Between the Sheets contest back in 2011. I received perfect scores from two of three editors/agents, but the competition must have been fierce because I took 2nd place.
2nd Place?! I find that hard to believe. 
Oh, hello K&T readers. Sorry to start the interview without formally introducing you to today’s author. You see, she’s one of our own and we are SO PROUD OF HER! Scroll down a couple of inches and Gwen Hernandez’s picture is on the left…there she is! Today is her debut of BLIND FURY. I had the honor (i.e., beat out everyone else pictured on the left) to read it in advance and host her today. I can assure you BLIND FURY is a fast-paced, can’t-put-down read. Ask my husband…his dinner was burned; a sure sign that this is an author headed for the best-seller lists.
So let’s get back to the interview: Tell us how you were able to make Mick so authentic? Specifically: suppressing the daily horror he faced fighting terrorists, the ‘itch’ to return to that life-or-death existence once he came home and the genuine brotherhood camaraderie/lingo?
I’m so glad you found Mick authentic. I read a lot of books, blogs, and articles about military and private security contractors (PSCs), but the book that really brought Mick to life for me was Big Boy Rules by Steve Fainaru. It’s about PSCs in Iraq and what motivates them to work in that environment. The Long Walk by Brian Castner, about a former EOD officer trying to leave the war behind, is another good one.
I also remember watching The Hurt Locker, and the opening quote is: “War is addictive.” For me, that summed up Mick’s struggle.
Some of my sense for how men interact comes from my reading, but it also comes from years of working in male-dominated fields or workplaces. Oh, and I’m an Army/Navy brat who spent time in Air Force training, and married an Air Force officer, so that helps too.
One major mystery in BLIND FURY is a dark secret Mick promised to keep from the sister of his dying best friend. (And he keeps it from us, readers, it’ll drive you crazy!) This secret ultimately puts their lives in danger, but he promised. Did you know in advance what the (mind-blowing) secret would be, or did you hope to come up with something as you wrote the story?
I had a pretty good idea of what the secret would be when I started, though some of the specifics changed over time.
When did you conceptualize this plot and what triggered it?
I started this book back in 2010, and the initial spark came from reading Blackwater by Jeremy Scahill. He was writing about the scandal surrounding Blackwater (private security company) and its contractors, and I wanted to explore what it would be like to be a good guy working in that type of environment.
Any current actor/actress in mind for Mick and Jenna, when Hollywood calls (and they will!)
I would love it if Hollywood called (thank you!), but I’m awful at finding actors to match the vision in my head. Bodies are easier though. I think Blind Fury’s cover captures Mick’s physique quite nicely.
You’re so very polite! I would have said: “I think BLIND FURY’S cover captures Mick’s smokin’ hot bod just fine!”
The cover mentions A Men of Steele Novel. What is Steele and how many novels are planned for this series?
Steele refers to Steele Security, which admittedly is a pretty loose connection in Blind Fury. Mick’s friend, Kurt Steele, has a company that provides personal security and security assessments. In this book, Kurt and some of his guys help out Mick and Jenna, but they’ll be the heroes in the later books. I have a least four stories in mind so far.
Any tentative publishing dates and titles we can look forward to?
Right now I’m working on a short novel starring Jenna’s friend, Tara, who will get her happily ever after with a new guy at Steele. Her book, Blind Justice, should be out by May of this year.
Beyond that, I’m hoping to get Blind Ambition (Dan’s book) done before fall, and one more as-yet-untitled book (Kurt’s story) out early next year.
Saying goodbye as he deploys to Greece.
(Readers: get to work thinking up a Blind __ title.)
Because of your husband’s work your family has moved many times. Where have you lived and which place was your favorite? Why?
If you go back to my childhood, the list gets really long—if I had a theme song, it would be “I’ve Been Everywhere” by Johnny Cash—but my husband’s Air Force career has taken us to Oklahoma, Ohio, California, Virginia/DC, and Alabama. We’re back in Virginia now, but hoping to get to California again (or Europe). I’m a west coast, beach girl at heart.
Meeee tooo! Fingers crossed you’re transferred to Orange County and I can live in your garage apt. (Hey, a girl can dream!)
As Supreme Goddess of Scrivener (software for authors), you’ve been famous in the writing world long before this debut release. Which was easier—writing fiction or a detailed, humorous Dummies book?
Ha, I could get used to Supreme Goddess. Not sure about famous, but maybe known in certain circles. (See Readers? She’s so very polite! She’s crazy-famous to us writers.) Writing Scrivener For Dummies was definitely easier. My sense of humor is a good match for the Dummies line, and I wrote a lot of technical documentation in the years before I turned to writing for fun. Plus, I can outline like a champ for nonfiction, but I’m a complete seat-of-the-pants writer with my fiction. That was quite a shock to this left-brained gal, but I’ve learned to go with it.
Found it!
On to the nosy, mind-your-own-business type of questions our readers have been waiting for! Novel you are presently reading?
I’m between books, but I just finished Romancing the Duke by Tessa Dare. Loved it.
Food you make a pig of yourself eating?
Corn tortilla chips. And Justin’s dark chocolate peanut butter cups. Sometimes together.
(Tiny gagging sound.) How…uh…unusual. Favorite movie or TV show?
I have such a hard time picking favorites, but my current TV obsession is BBC’s Sherlock.
Meeee tooo! Benedict Cumberbatch (sigh.) I even like saying his name…
Well, I know you’re a private person, so I’ll stop being nosy (perhaps Carey can throw in her famous ’lightning round’ in the comments section…snort!) On a serious note: We are SO thrilled for your romantic suspense debut, Gwen, and I personally cannot recommend this riveting story enough!
And now you’ve officially finished your very first K&T romantic suspense interview!
Thanks so much for hosting me today, Sarah!
Gwen is giving a free copy of BLIND FURY to one lucky commenter. Answer both of these questions (if you dare!): “Have you ever had an important or huge secret to keep? Did you keep your promise or spill the beans?”
Check back on Friday to see if you won!
CLICK HERE TO READ THE BACK COVER OF BLIND FURY.
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS FOR GWEN HERNANDEZ: Facebook | Twitter | Google+
Gwen Hernandez
Please join us February 27th, when Sharon interviews Heather Ashby. Heather will tell us everything about her newest release, Forget Me Not, and her sexy hero, Sky Crawford.
Corrupted by Kiss and Thrill
It’s hard living life as a prude — especially when you’re a member of Kiss and Thrill. I admit, sometimes too much flesh on a cover makes me a bit uncomfortable. Yes, I’m weird, but I like guys better in a tux than in the buff.
When you’re surrounded day after day by a bevy of fantastic writers with equally fantastic covers — that just happen to have half-dressed men on them — it’s too much to bear. You find yourself bending around the edges.
I’m so proud of these gals! Look at the wonderful books in the almost never-ending column to the right.
Yes, the ones over there. The ones with all those hunky guys on them? ———————————————————————————————>
And look at this new cover from our own Gwen Hernandez, whose new book is debuting in a few short weeks. Who wouldn’t be corrupted by that?
Before you know it, I’ll be sporting guys like this on my covers, too. And I’m the gal who was once asked to send in a partially undressed hunky hero photo for a special blog. Do you know what I sent in? This:
A photo of my husband’s bare feet!
So, now that they’ve bent me to their will, and in honor of my dear friends here, I am posting this little video from Pride and Prejudice. Jane Austen didn’t write it this way — but Lord, she should have. LOL.
(If you don’t see the video, please update your Adobe.)
Honestly, this video clip makes me happy in so many different ways. (Collin Firth, Collin Firth in a bathtub, Collin Firth in a robe — need I say more?) But the main one is that we see through Mr. Darcy’s eyes why and how he is falling in love with Elizabeth.
Often I wonder why heroes in historical literature wanted to marry their heroines. The men get so little air time to vent their feelings — and in certain books, such as Jane Eyre — okay I hear the protests already — it seems as if the hero falls in love out of the blue. We know how little the heroine, in this case, Jane, thinks of herself, and how she has begun to worship her boss, but he gives both her, and the reader, almost no clue of his affection until it is sprung upon us.
I suppose that is why I love books with multiple points of view. I want to know what the characters are thinking. I want to feel how hopelessly in love the hero is falling. For me, it’s the best part of the book. Better than the abs on the front cover.
So, what do you think? Do you prefer books with one point of view or with more than one? Do you like half-dressed men on your covers? I really want to know.
Oh, and about the corruption thing — please don’t tell my husband!
