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Pure Heat (Firehawks #1) by M.L. Buchman-Review, Interview and Giveaway

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Pure Heat (Firehawks #1) by M.L. Buchman-Review, Interview and Giveaway

Pure Heat Banner 2

PURE HEAT
Firehawks #1
by M.L. Buchman
Genre: contemporary, action, special forces, romance

Pure Heat

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 6, 2014

These daredevil smokejumpers fight more than fires.

The elite fire experts of Mount Hood Aviation fly into places even the CIA can’t penetrate.

She lives to fight fires…

Carly Thomas could read burn patterns before she knew the alphabet. A third-generation forest fire specialist who lost both her father and her fiancé to the flames, she’s learned to live life like she fights fires: with emotions shut down.

But he’s lit an inferno she can’t quench…

Former smokejumper Steve “Merks” Mercer can no longer fight fires up close and personal, but he can still use his intimate knowledge of wildland burns as a spotter and drone specialist. Assigned to copilot a Firehawk with Carly, they take to the skies to battle the worst wildfire in decades and discover a terrorist threat hidden deep in the Oregon wilderness—but it’s the heat between them that really sizzles.

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REVIEW: PURE HEAT is the first instalment in M.L. Buchman’s contemporary, romance, action Firehawks series-a spinoff from his successful Night Stalker series. I have not read the previous series and although this is a spinoff, it can be read without any difficulty or frame of reference from the original storylines. This is former smokejumper Steve Mercer and Carly Thomas’s story. As the Oregon wildfires begin to engulf everything in their path, the experts of Mount Hood Aviation will discover they are looking at more than just a fire fight but possibly a terrorism threat from within.

The focus of the story is on a group of close knit elite fire experts-jumpers, helicopter pilots, fighters and, the struggle to contain the wild fires that have grown in intensity and danger. We are introduced to Steve Mercer-a former smokejumper-whose career was cut short from a near fatal injury that destroyed any chance of ever jumping again. With a new path in the war against wildfires, Steve is pulled into the close knit family of fire experts who risk their lives on a daily basis. To add to Steve’s struggle, Carly Thomas is a career wildfire expert from a long line of heroes but an expert who has seen her fair share of suffering and loss. It will take the pushing of his fellow firefighters to show Steve that Carly is worth the struggle-her cool demeanor hides a shattered heart.

M.L. Buchman writes a compelling and intriguing storyline where the world building is awash in technical terminology and jargon from the world of aviation and firefighting expertise. At times, the storyline appeared to lose focus in the vast amount of background particulars and history behind some of the ‘real life’ wildfires as well as the infinite details of the helicopters and firefighting machines but M.L. would steer the story back on track and pull the reader into an intense storyline where our characters struggle to keep the fires-of both their heart and the land- under control.

The secondary characters are colorful, intriguing, and passionate about what they do. The scenery is wondrous in its glory; the fire is staggering in its power; and the intimacy between our leading couple is sensual, heartbreaking and intense. We are pulled into the action, the mystery and the lives of those who face their mortality –day in and day out.

PURE HEAT tells a story about the heroes who fight the fires and risk their lives. It is a story about two people who fall in love under extreme circumstances-drawn together by a mutual need and understanding about what it is to lose and carry on. It is also a story about the wildfire devastation that destroys so many lives; destroys so much wildlife; and destroys the land upon which we live. And it is a story about the potential for terrorist activities that go unnoticed in a land that reaps it beauty and languor from nature and everything is has to offer.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley.

Reviewed by Sandy

Interview orange:black

TRC: Hi Matthew and welcome to The Reading Café. Congratulations on the release of PURE HEAT –book one in your new Firehawks series.

ML BuchmanML: THANKS! It’s really exciting as an author to see a new series start off.

TRC: We would like to start with some background information. Would you please tell us something about yourself?

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ML: I’m a full-time writer with 25 novels in print (mostly in romance). During my 25 years as a corporate project manager (IT, law, and construction), I have also rebuilt and raced a 50’ sailboat, designed and built 2 houses, and flown and jumped out of airplanes. I also quilt. And I’m one of “those” parents: don’t get me started on my kid because I’m so proud of her I’ll never shut up. Did I mention that we earned our Taekwondo black belts together before she went to college? (Sorry, couldn’t help myself.)

TRC: What or who influenced your foray into writing?

ML: I started writing fiction in July of 1993 while on a solo, around-the-world bicycle tour. I didn’t intend to write fiction, but it certainly came out that way. I can trace my absolute love of the written word back to my third-grade teacher, the life-changing Mrs. Kaye. She turned me into a voracious reader, it just took another 25 years before it turned into a need to tell stories myself.

Pure HeatTRC: PURE HEAT (May 2014) is the first release in your new Firehawks series-a spinoff from the Night Stalkers. Would you please tell us something about the premise?

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ML: The premise is (tiny spoiler) that Emily Beale got pregnant in The Night Stalkers book #4, Take Over at Midnight. So, she and Mark retire to form a new team as they fly for Mount Hood Aviation. This is a helicopter wildland firefighter outfit…who also happen to fly special mission for the CIA on occasion. (This is actually based on a real company not fifty miles from where I was living at the time.) My aerial firefighters find unexpected problems in the forests. They are also welcome to enter countries where the CIA needs information but they can’t send any military assets. Firefighters are always welcome. The problem is that they sometimes get in over their heads and must call in The Night Stalkers to help out.

TRC: Several of the Night Stalkers characters (Beale/Henderson: Kee) have secondary roles in PURE HEAT. Will most of the previous storyline characters play an active role in the new series ?

ML: Beale and Henderson are permanent fixtures in the Firehawks series (not saying they won’t pop up now and then with the Night Stalkers). Will the whole cast wander through? Uh, probably not. Will the cool reader cookies continue? Absolutely. I love revisiting favorite characters as much as the next person.

TRC: How many books do you have planned for the series ?

ML: Firehawks was conceived as a 3-book series…to start. I think in series, long ones. The Night Stalkers is already 4 books traditionally published, 2 more contracted, and 3 holiday short novels, and I have ideas for many more. I don’t see either series ending anytime soon. I did just end a 5-book Seattle-based contemporary romance series named “Angelo’s Hearth.”

TRC: There is a wealth of technical language, references and background information about fighting fires, flying helicopters and more. What challenges or difficulties (research, logistics, background, historical etc) did you encounter writing this particular story and series?

ML: I work very hard to make my books as realistic as possible, balanced against making it approachable for my readers. The single biggest challenge by far is dancing that thin line between exciting romantic suspense and realistic tedium. I don’t want to create a research book, I want to create a thrilling romance set against realistic situations.

TRC: If you could virtually cast the leading characters in this storyline, which models or actors best represents your ideal image?

ML: That’s easy. I always cast my books. Sometimes just a random photo, but Pure Heat was cast with Charlize Theron (her The Italian Job character) as Carly and a young Michael Biehn (from the first Terminator movie) as Steve.

Light Up the NightTRC: LIGHT UP THE NIGHT is the September 2014 release and fifth installment in your Night Stalkers series. Would you please tell us something about the premise?

ML: The first four Night Stalkers books are all based in a four-seat attack version of the Black Hawk called a DAP. The next two are in the smallest helicopter in the American military arsenal, the MH-6M “Little Bird.” Like these small, fast, lethal helicopters, the women who fly them are also quick and dangerous. The recurring character Trisha O’Malley from the first 4 books will be bringing her special skills and serious dose of attitude to the “Little Bird.”

TRC: Now that the spinoff series has been released, do you plan to continue writing the Night Stalkers and if so, how often will we see a cross over between the two series?

Night Stalker Series

ML: Absolutely! I love the Night Stalkers series. Will the firefighters get snarled up into a Night Stalkers book? That’s a cool idea. Thanks! Will the Night Stalkers continue to wander into the Firehawks series? Big Time!

TRC: How do you keep the plot unpredictable without sacrificing content and believability?

ML: I start with an immense amount of research which I continue right through the writing. I make the world as realistic as possible. I may compound problems, but they are real-world. They are made unpredictable by the compounding of problems and by the uniqueness of each of the individual character’s response to the those problems. I do clean them up to make them more approachable; what these folks do, both Army and wildland firefighters, is utterly amazing and far more dangerous than anything I can capture on paper.

TRC: When writing a storyline, do the characters direct the writing or do you direct the characters?

ML: I direct the characters by throwing crap (challenges) at them—sometimes I really, really rain on their parade. It is up to that character’s past experience and future dreams to determine what they do with that challenge and how they grow from it. It’s sort of a co-writing process.

TRC: The mark of a good writer is to pull the reader into the storyline so that they experience the emotions along with the characters. What do you believe a writer must do to make this happen? Where do you believe writer’s fail in this endeavor?

ML: I have a friend who says that character is opinion. Well, what’s opinion? It’s the setting filtered through the character’s emotion. If the character doesn’t feel, experience, grow from what is going on around them, how can you expect the reader to connect to the character. Where does it come apart? When I “the all-knowing author” step in and try to tell the story rather than allowing the character their opinion.

TRC: Writer’s Block is a very real phenomenon. How do you handle the pressures and anxiety of writer’s block?

ML: Don’t believe in it. Project block, sure—which I find mostly happens when I try to force characters to do things they wouldn’t. But if I’m stuck on one project, I can always work on another.

TRC: Many authors bounce ideas and information with other authors or friends and family. With whom do you bounce ideas?

ML: My first reader, magician, brainstormer, research librarian, wonderwoman…uh, that would be my wife.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

ML: Firehawks #3 is in process right now. And as I just finished my “Angelo’s Hearth” series, in June or July I’ll be launching a “Chef Romantic Suspense” series. (Still working on the series name.)

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

ML: You can keep track of new releases by signing up for my newsletter at: mlbuchman.com

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food
Pasta

Favorite Dessert
My wife’s apple pie –it’s awesome

Favorite TV Show
Castle, Top Chef, and Project Runway (all equal)…Star Trek Next Gen when it was on

Last Movie You Saw
Saving Mr. Banks

Dark or Milk Chocolate
Dark

Secret Celebrity Crush
Jodi Foster (don’t care, I’ll watch her act in anything)

Last Vacation Destination
Vancouver, B.C.

Pet Peeve
Cynics

TRC: Thank you Matt for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on the release of PURE HEAT.

ML: THANKS To not miss a thing, sign up for my newsletter at mlbuchman.com

Giveaway Black and Orange

M.L. Buchman and Sourcebooks are offering a paper copy of PURE HEAT to one (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe

1. Please register using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. LIKE us on FACEBOOK and then click GET NOTIFICATION under ‘liked’ for an additional entry.

4. LIKE us on Twitter for an additional entry.

5. Giveaway is open to US and Canada only.

6. Giveaway runs from May 2 to May 7, 2014, 2014

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A Wanted Woman by Eric Jerome Dickey-a review

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A Wanted Woman by Eric Jerome Dickey-a review

A Wanted Woman

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A WANTED WOMAN
by Eric Jerome Dickey

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 15, 2014

She is a woman of a thousand faces, an assassin who could be anyone, anywhere.

The Trinidad contract was supposed to be simple: to make a living man become a dead man. When the job goes bad under the watchful eye of a bank security camera, there is nowhere for agent MX-401, known as Reaper, to hide from the fearsome local warlords, the Laventille Killers.

Her employers, the Barbarians, send her to Barbados, the next island over, barely two hundred miles away, with the LK’s in hot pursuit of the woman who took many of their own. With the scant protection of a dank safe house, no passport, and no access to funds, an island paradise becomes her prison.

While she trawls for low-profile assignments to keep her skills sharp and a few dollars in her pocket, Reaper discovers that family ties run deep, on both sides of the fight. Will the woman everyone wants, who has lived countless lives in the service of others, finally discover who she really is?

REVIEW: A WANTED WOMAN is the latest release from author Eric Jerome Dickey. It is a storyline of suspense, mystery, violence and intrigue. Reaper is a female assassin-trained by the best to be the best and no one can stop the Reaper when death is at hand. Her latest assignment takes her to the British West Indie Islands of Trinidad and Barbados.

The focus of the storyline is our heroine. She is a skilled killing machine who leaves a path of death and destruction in her wake. When her most recent job goes horribly wrong Reaper is abandoned by her keepers on an island where the drug kingpins and money launderers want her dead. She went against orders and found herself struggling in a world with no money, no food and no support. As Reaper begins to dig deeper, she will discover that the people at the top had used her as a pawn in a bigger game.

Eric Jerome Dickey has written in intriguing, compelling, and graphically violent storyline where the slums and back alleys of a beautiful vacation destination take center stage in a war between the rich and powerful. The author uses the anthropological history of the islands to create the sociological backdrop for a storyline steeped in physical and sexual violence. Everyone and anyone will become a target-no one is safe; no one can be trusted; everyone is the enemy.

The secondary characters are over the top caricatures and the epitome of evil-they are beyond colorful; beyond reprehensible; beyond belief. The colloquial speech patterns and language of the islands is used as the building blocks for a story beyond our imagination. A WANTED WOMAN is a fast paced, action packed, storyline with graphic imagery, graphic violence, and will not be to everyone’s liking. This is not a storyline of hearts and flowers-the romance of the islands is not a part of the travel itinerary-you will not fall in love with this vacation destination.

Throughout the storyline much of the back history will be revealed through memories, flashbacks and story telling. The reader will be pulled into one woman’s world where family meant everything but was nothing; where love never existed; where DNA is only a name on a piece of paper.

A WANTED WOMAN is a storyline written in alternating first person POV (Reaper) and third person; it is a story rife in discrimination, destruction and death, abhorrent violence and improbable feats. It is a story where a country struggles with its’ own identity; where its’ people are caught between two worlds; where a young woman is thrown into the lion’s cage and barely survives. The story does not end with a happily ever after but a happily ever after-for now. There is definitely more story to tell and I am hoping that Eric Jerome Dickey is willing to part with some more of his imaginative storylines and colorful characters-he is a master story teller.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley.

Reviewed by Sandy

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After The Storm (KGI #8) by Maya Banks-a review

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After The Storm (KGI #8) by Maya Banks-a review

After the Storm

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 7, 2014

Over the years, Donovan Kelly has fought relentlessly for justice, women and children always holding a special place in his heart. Working side by side with his brothers, Donovan has witnessed firsthand the toll it’s taken—physically, mentally, and emotionally—on his loved ones, and the innocent lives caught in the crossfire. What he never expects is for his next mission to happen right on his home turf—or for it to take a very personal turn.

Picturesque Kentucky Lake is the perfect place for a soul in search of safe harbor. A beautiful stranger has arrived—desperate, breathless, and on the run from a dark past closing in on her and the younger siblings she has vowed to protect. Donovan must now draw on every resource at his disposal—if he wants to save a woman and the children who may prove to be his destiny.

Review:

When Rusty Kelly hires a teen aged boy, Travis, off the books to help at the Kelly’s Hardware Store, she knows that he’s hiding something, and scared. A feeling she knows all too well, or at least, knew. However, when Donovan sees her at the store on a Sunday, he goes to see why she’s there. And, when he sees a teenager leaving, his curiosity gets the best of him. Unfortunately, he questions Rusty’s intentions without listening to her first. But, once she sets him straight, he understands why she has taken the boy on. Still, he wants to know more about the boy and they devise a plan to follow him to see where he’s staying and with whom. What they find makes their hearts break, especially Donovan’s. The boy and his two sisters have rented a trailer on the outside of town that’s not fit for an animal, let alone for them to live in. Once Donovan and Rusty “drop by” to see what’s going on, and they meet Travis’ sisters, Eve and Cammie, Donovan knows that they are running from someone or something, and he’s just the man to help them out. Because when Donovan Kelly makes the scene, no harm will come to the beautiful Eve and her siblings.

Eve is perplexed as to why Donovan wants to help them. And suspicious. She knows that they can’t stay in one place too long, or the one they’re running from will find them. He has money, connections and a long reach. But, when Donovan sees that Cammie is sick and needs more than over the counter meds, he encourages Eve to let him bring Maren (Steele’s Maren!) by who is a doctor who just happens to make house calls. Eve reluctantly agrees, but then has second thoughts. She decides they’ve been in one place for too long and decide to leave during the night. The one hitch in their plan? The leave just as a tornado hits, literally!! Little did she know that once a Kelly brother wants someone, he will move heaven and hell, and all kinds of things toppled and destroyed by a tornado to get it. And, he wants her.

Once Donovan finds Eve, Cammie and Travis amidst the destruction, he takes them to his home in the Kelly compound when they can heal from their injuries. And, when they find out just how sick Cammie is, Eve knows she has no choice but to trust Donovan. She’ll stay for a few days, just long enough for Cammie to get healthy and for her and Travis’ injuries to heal. Then she’s outta there……………..Riiiiight…

Oh, how I have longed for Donovan’s story. I knew that his wouldn’t be like the others. They wouldn’t be in other countries traipsing through the jungles to find someone. I knew down to my toes his story would unfold right there in Tennessee and that his story would be great. Good Lord!! I love it when I’m right!!!! LOL!!! Not only do we get to see a sweet love story turn into a steamy one, we get to see ALL of the Kellys. Babies, wives, parents………… All of them!! And, I loved it! If you’re a fan of this series, then I don’t even have to tell you how the entire Kelly family rallied around Eve and her siblings. Because once the one that they’re running from shows up, all hell breaks loose. Of course, there is a bump or two. Eve overhears part of a conversation between Donovan and some other KGI members and puts into motion a series of events that will leave you heartbroken. But, she does it all to save her siblings. We also get to know a bit about the new KGI team, and I can’t wait to learn more about them. (And, if you’re a fan of Rusty and Sean and wondering what’s up, this one is for you!!) I’ll say it again….I honestly don’t know how she turns out as many awesome stories in one year as she does, but I for one am damned glad she does!! Well done Maya Banks, well done!!

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Vickie M.

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Targeted (Deadly Ops #1) by Katie Reus-a review

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TARGETED (Deadly Ops #1) by Katie Reus-a review

Targeted Oct 2013

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ABOUT THE BOOK: October 1, 2013

Former Marine sniper and current NSA agent Jack Stone has a new face to go with his new identity. But he still has the same tortured memories—which include the woman he let get away years ago, when they were teenagers. Now his new assignment in Miami will put him so close to the woman he’s never been able to forget, he could reach out and touch her—if only she weren’t under suspicion.

When Sophie Moreno uncovers evidence linking the medical supply company she works for with arms smuggling—and worse—she doesn’t know who to turn to. After a shocking betrayal, she realizes the only person she can trust is a mysterious new person in the company—a man with hauntingly familiar eyes.

As Sophie questions her intense attraction to this man and Jack struggles not to blow his cover, the two of them must race against the clock to stop terrorists from killing scores of people—starting with them.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: TARGETED is the first storyline in Katie Reus’s new contemporary, suspense Deadly Ops series that introduces the former marines and military personnel currently working for the NSA.

Jack Stone is a former Marine sniper and a man with a secret past. His latest undercover assignment is to infiltrate the South Beach Medical Supply (SBMS) company and uncover the connections to a multi-billion dollar drug cartel and arms dealer. And the assignment becomes personal when he is forced to work alongside SBMS employee Sophie Moreno – the very woman who owns him-heart and soul.

TARGETED is a storyline that pulls the reader into a non-stop, action packed adventure where two would-be strangers have much more in common than uncovering the truth. On the run throughout most of the novel, Sophie and Jack’s attraction to one another will become a definite hazard as Jack’s need to protect Sophie is a distraction they do not need.

Katie introduces several secondary characters including Levi, a former friend and missing member of the NSA. Levi’s story is building and you know that Katie has plans on the horizon for Levi. Levi is a man whose life has been destroyed and he is on the hunt for the person or people responsible.

There is plenty of backstory that allows the reader a deeper understanding into Sophie and Jack’s pasts although there is a major gap in the earlier years after Sophie turns away from the only man she has ever loved. It would have added a deeper understanding to the events that occurred in the backstory and history that was only revealed towards the end of the novel.

Katie Reus pulls the reader into a storyline of second chances, betrayal and the truth about forgotten lives and hidden pasts. Sometimes the heart knows where it belongs and a second chance at love is only the beginning.

Copy supplied by the author through Netgalley.

Reviewed by Sandy

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Ashes by Kelly Cozy-A Review and Interview with the Author

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Ashes by Kelly Cozy-A Review and Interview with the Author

Ashes

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Released March 2013

Anonymous. That was Jennifer’s life. But when she survived a domestic terrorist attack and her last-minute escape became the iconic image of the event, that life was over. Wanting only to disappear and become just another face in the crowd, she cashed in on her unwanted fame and moved to a small town, hidden away and safe.

Retired. That was Sean’s life. A former covert operative – the kind the government denies exists – he’d been pushed unwillingly into a life of suburban peace and quiet. But his retirement ended when he saw Jennifer’s rescue; from then on he only wanted to find those responsible for the attack, even if it meant turning rogue.

What Jennifer and Sean will both find is that nothing goes to plan, and their paths will cross in a way neither could have foreseen.

Ashes is the first in a two-book suspense series

•••••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: HOLY SMOKES! Ashes by Kelly Cozy had me glued by the first few pages! This has been the most suspenseful story that I have read in a long time. The story begins with Jennifer Thomson going to work on a typical work day in Los Angeles, talking with her co-workers and making her way to the copy room to make copies. Then her building explodes. She has to fight her way through death, destruction and a collapsing building to get out. She walks past co-workers that she had just spoke with that are now dead. She was the only survivor in her department. Unbeknownst to her, the image of her being carried out by the firefighter was splashed across the nation, making her an instant hero.

All the way across the states in Florida, Sean Kincaid watched the catastrophe unfold as millions of Americans did that day. He was an early retiree, living in Florida, living a low key life, trying to blend in and not be noticed. He was a former covert operative, he performed secret missions and caused plenty of death and destruction of his own. Watching this news unfold wasn’t a big deal for him until he saw Jennifer emerge on the tv screen amidst all the dust and debris. This woman touched something inside of him and he had to help her.

Now, this is where I thought the story would be about how Sean travels to find Jennifer and help her heal and they fall madly in love…..you know, typical romance stuff. Nope. Not in this book. What unfolds is one of the most interesting books I’ve read in a while. Sean decides he must find the persons responsible for this attack and bring them to Jennifer so she can serve up her own type of revenge. Using his skills that he learned in his former job, he begins his journey of investigating and tracking down who committed this crime. Meanwhile Jennifer struggles with returning back to a normal existence. She decides to relocate to a small town where hopefully no one would know who she is and begin a new life. It takes her a very long time, but she begins to function and make a happy life for herself. But just when she begins realizing how happy she is, Sean barges into her life, declaring how he has captured the person responsible for the bombing and presents the person to Jennifer to seek her revenge.

Keep in mind, Jennifer never knew Sean or that he was going to do this, so she’s terrified, shocked, scared….. you name it, she’s feeling it. So here she is, looking at the bomber, the person who altered her life forever. Sean has given her a gun and tells her do whatever she wants. Oh what to do???? What to do????? She makes a choice. And guess what? That is where the book ends. NOOOOOOOOO! What happened? What did Jennifer do? I have no idea! OMG, it was the best cliffhanger EVER! I was reading this on my e-reader, I swear I turned the e-reader over, looking for more pages. The last sentence says “The story continues in Reckoning.” Well, I do believe I will be reading Reckoning very soon. People, read this book. I was very brief on my descriptions because I didn’t want to give too much away. There is so much that happens within those pages and my review would never do the book justice. READ IT!

Copy supplied by the author

Reviewed by Tricia

Interview

TRC: Hi Kelly and welcome to The Reading Café. Congratulations on the release of your new novel ASHES.

We would like to start with some background information. Would you please tell us something about yourself?

Follow Kelly: Website / Goodreads / Twitter

Kelly CozyKelly: I’ve been in love with books literally since I was a baby. When I was a toddler I wouldn’t nap, so my Mom would put me in the crib with a few books, and I’d be perfectly happy for a good hour. I wrote my first short story when I was 9, and I’ve been writing ever since. Ashes is my second novel. My debut novel, The Day After Yesterday, is contemporary/women’s fiction.

I’m married with one child, and live in California. I love to cook, and my favorite time of year is the fall and winter holidays, when I can make big meals for my family and friends.

I’m also more than a bit of a nerd – I write movie reviews for the Horrorview.com site, and I’ll be at San Diego Comic-Con later this month.

TRC: ASHES is your March 2013 release. Would you please tell us something about the premise?

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AshesKelly: In the opening chapter a Los Angeles federal building is bombed, and Jennifer Thomson, a young woman who works as an admin, is the last person to make it out of the building before it collapses. The whole world is watching her last-minute escape, and this makes her into the icon of the event. Jennifer’s life is overturned not just by the trauma of the attack, but by survivor guilt and her unwelcome celebrity, so she moves to a small town in British Columbia to start life over.

One of the people watching her escape from the building is Sean Kincaid, a former covert government operative who’s been in unhappy retirement for the past few years. Jennifer’s plight moves him and, when his request to rejoin his agency is denied, he decides to go rogue and not just find those who perpetrated the bombing, but to bring them to Jennifer so she can mete out justice personally.

TRC: Are any of the characters or situations in the storyline based in reality or an amalgamation of your imagination and current headlines?

Kelly: The federal building attack had its inspiration in events like Oklahoma City and 9/11. I didn’t want to write about those incidents specifically, but about the effect an event like those (or any catastrophic event, like a natural disaster) could have on a survivor, particularly in this era when the media is so ever-present and intrusive.

TRC: There is a second storyline planned for ASHES and your leading characters. Would you like to tell us something about the premise?

Kelly: The second book is titled Reckoning. Without spoiling things for those who haven’t read Ashes yet, by the end of Ashes Sean has done some things he’s remorseful for. He’s looking to make amends, while other characters – some we’ve met in Ashes, and some new to the story – are bent on revenge, or on manipulating the situation to a personal agenda. It’s very much about the ripple effect of Sean’s actions in Ashes. For me, Reckoning is probably the most enjoyable of my books in terms of storytelling. I’m looking forward to publishing it this November (in print and ebook).

TRC: When writing a storyline, do the characters direct the writing or do you direct the characters?

Kelly: I usually start a book with the major characters and the basic storyline, including the ending, in mind. But as I write and develop the story, I also learn more about the characters. There ends up being a balance between me moving the characters into situations, and the characters telling me how they deal with those situations. If a character “tells” me that he or she wouldn’t react a certain way or do a particular action, I respect that. Above all, I believe in being true to the characters, and if a storyline would require a character to behave out-of-character, I change the storyline.

TRC: What challenges or difficulties (historical, research, logistics) did you encounter writing this particular story/series?

Kelly: I don’t usually write outlines, but this book necessitated an outline because of the alternating chapters between Jennifer and Sean. I wanted their story and character arcs to parallel and mirror each other. I also had to ensure that the timeline of the story worked, as it was necessary for Jennifer to have reached a certain point in her life before Sean finally entered it.

In terms of research, because the group responsible for the attack is a domestic terrorist group, I had to do a fair amount of reading about these groups – their objectives, their structures, their goals. That was a bit unsettling, to say the least.

TRC: Many authors bounce ideas and information with other authors or friends and family. With whom do you bounce ideas?

Kelly: I have a group of friends and fellow authors I refer to as my Constant Reader Brigade. They read my manuscripts and give me their feedback. What makes this group so invaluable is that each person brings their own perspective: one is very detail-oriented and finds little errors, another gives me feedback on how well the story flows. And they’re not afraid to tell me when something doesn’t work.

TRC: How do you keep the plot unpredictable without sacrificing content and believability?

Kelly: How well a plot works is always very difficult for me to assess, because I know where it’s heading. I try to see the situation through my characters’ eyes, because that’s the perspective the reader will get. Also, I rely on my Constant Reader Brigade to tell me if the foreshadowing works, if something that was supposed to be a surprise is a surprise, and if it all works. If the majority of the Brigade members say, “I’m not buying that,” I go back and rewrite.

TRC: How do you handle the pressures and anxiety of deadlines while still having time to raise a family?

Kelly: Having a schedule helps. If I know that Monday is my evening to work on a current project, it helps me get into the zone. I also give myself time to just relax – the beauty of being a writer is that the work is fun, but it is still work. Oh, and having lots of coffee on hand helps, too.

TRC: What are your thoughts on book reviews-good or bad?

Kelly: Reviews can tell you what about your story works, and what doesn’t. Bad reviews can be difficult to read, but it’s important to read them and see if the criticisms can make your future writing stronger.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Kelly: In addition to getting the Ashes sequel ready for publication, I’m working on a book of movie reviews (mostly genre films). I’m also laying the groundwork on research for a historical novel.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Kelly: Thank you for giving me the opportunity to talk about my work! And I hope people enjoy reading my books as much as I enjoy writing them.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food
Seafood, especially shrimp

Favorite Dessert
Anything involving chocolate

Favorite TV Show
Tie between Castle and Game of Thrones

Last Movie You Saw
Monsters University

Dark or Milk Chocolate
Dark!

Favorite Flower
Rose

Last Vacation Destination
The Outer Banks in North Carolina

Pet Peeve
Staring at a shelf full of books and not finding anything I want to read

TRC: Thank you Kelly for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on the release of ASHES and we wish you all the best.

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Killing Time (One Eyed Jacks #1) by Cindy Gerard-a review

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KILLING TIME (One Eyed Jacks #1) by Cindy Gerard-a review

Killing Time

ABOUT THE BOOK:  Release Date-January 29, 2013

An exciting new series featuring Mike “Primetown” Brown, a character from her popular “Black Ops, Inc.” series.

For the seven years after Operation Slam Dunk went south, Mike Brown got drunk on each anniversary. The eighth year was no different–until he was drugged by a woman and woke up to her questions about what had happened eight years ago in Afghanistan.

CIA attorney Eva Salinas has her own theory behind what happened to Mike’s team–which included her husband–in Afghanistan eight years ago, and she’s determined to prove foul play. Though she doesn’t trust him, Mike is the only person she can turn to for help. Under an assumed name, Eva convinces Mike to assemble a new team and go after the traitor who screwed up both their lives. As they track down the rogue who started it all, Eva and Mike discover they can’t live without each other. But can they stay alive while an enemy is still on the loose?

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

REVIEW: KILLING TIME (One Eyed Jacks #1) is the new spin-off series based on Cindy Gerard’s best selling Black-Ops Inc series focusing on the men of the Special Forces team known as One Eyed Jacks and fans of Cindy’s BOI series will not be disappointed.

Three members are all that remain of the infamous One Eyed Jacks Special Forces team from a mission that went horribly wrong eight years earlier and the team leader faces his demons and guilt everyday of his life. But when his past collides with his present, Mike knows that Eva Salinas will be the key to future.

Cindy revisits the fateful day with Mike and we are privy to his recounting of what happened but his recounting does not quite match the official report. As Mike and Eva dig deeper, they will discover that the entire mission was a set up and Mike’s team paid the ultimate price-only Mike should have been one of the casualties as well.

Killing Time is a fantastic start to Cindy Gerard’s new One Eyed Jack series. There is plenty of heart-pounding action, suspense, romance and a little sex to keep the reader sitting on the edge of their seat. With plenty of military lingo and soul- searching dialogue, Cindy brings the war in the Middle East back home and onto the pages of a wonderfully written and an amazingly detailed storyline and into our homes. I am a big fan of Cindy Gerard’s BOI series and she has continued her amazing storylines with her new One Eye Jacks series.

PRE-ORDER: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository

Copy supplied by the author.

Reviewed by Sandy

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