Under His Protection (Red Stone Security #9) by Katie Reus-a review

UNDER HIS PROTECTION (Red Stone Security #9) by Katie Reus-a review

Under His Protection

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 1, 2014

Julieta’s stalker doesn’t play by the rules

Lingerie shop owner Julieta Mederos has worked hard to get her business off the ground. Now she’s looking forward to some quality time with her friends and her big, boisterous family. But explicit texts from random phone numbers and vandalism at her shop makes it clear someone dangerous has fixated on her. Without any solid leads, the police can’t help her and she’s forced to turn to the last man she wants to depend on.

…but neither does Ivan.

Former Army Ranger and newest Red Stone Security employee Ivan Mitchell has gotten used to being alone in the world. He never even thinks about it anymore—until he meets sexy, independent Julieta. She’s everything he could ever want…but she seems determined to keep him at arm’s length. Until now. Maybe the cops can’t do anything to protect her, but he can. When things escalate faster than even he expected, he finds himself pulling out his most extreme combat skills to protect her. He’ll do what it takes to save her life—and prove to her she belongs in his.

REVIEW: UNDER HIS PROTECTION is the ninth instalment in Katie Reus’s contemporary, adult Red Stone Security romantic suspense series focusing on the men and women who work for RSS. This is lingerie shop owner Juieta Mederos and Ivan Mitchell-Red Stone Security’s newest employee -storyline. Under His Protection can be read as a stand alone.

Told from several close third person POVs, the storyline focuses on the mysterious threats and phone calls against Julieta Mederos. Julieta has a stalker and doesn’t know who or why. Having met two months earlier, and believing Ivan wanted nothing to do with her, Julieta is reluctant to accept Ivan’s assistance until her stalker’s threats become more sexually explicit and physical. With Ivan working the investigation everyone becomes a suspect.

Julieta and Ivan were first introduced two months earlier through a mutual ‘friend’ Mina (RSS #8) whose fiancé –Alexander Blue- works for RSS. As Mina’s bodyguard Ivan will get up close and personal with Mina’s friends including Julieta Mederos. Ivan’s attraction to Julieta is immediate but he bides his time waiting for an opportunity. When the threats against Julieta escalate, Ivan becomes her protector both at her business and at home, while losing his heart at the same time. Julieta is an independent young woman who knows that without Ivan’s help, she may not live to see another day. The relationship and love is quick to develop but we do learn a little bit about each of their backgrounds-from childhood to present day.

The secondary characters include a few of the characters from previous Red Stone Security storylines. We are introduced to Julieta’s large extended family as well as her employee Ruby who may have a storyline in the future.

UNDER HIS PROTECTION is a fast paced story of romance and suspense. Katie pulls the reader into a sensual, passionate and intense tale where two people find one another under dark and dangerous circumstances. The Red Stone Security series is addicting, captivating and worth the time to read.

Copy supplied by the author.

Reviewed by Sandy

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My Control (Inside Out Novella 4.1) by Lisa Renee Jones-Review and Blog Tour

My Control (Inside Out Novella 4.1) by Lisa Renee Jones-Review and Blog Tour

My Control Release Day Banner

My Control
Inside Out Novella
by Lisa Renee Jones
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotica, romance
Release Date: September 8, 2014

My Control

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 8, 2014

Mark’s POV novella

I have lost the man I once was, letting guilt and heartache define who I am. Darkness has controlled me, and one woman has seen what no one else has seen in me, what I do not wish to exist. My hunger for her has driven me to the edge of sanity, but no more. She’s about to find out that the Master has returned.

•••••••••••••••

REVIEW: MY CONTROL is the latest novella in Lisa Renee Jones’s adult, contemporary, suspense Inside Out romance series. This is Master and Dom Mark Compton’s continuing storyline as he begins to lose what is left of his control. Told from alternating first person POV (Mark and Crystal) My Control is a quick and emotion laden read.

With the whereabouts of his former sub still unknown and the possibility that she has met her death at the hands of someone he once trusted with her life, Mark Compton is a man on the verge of an emotional and physical breakdown. MY CONTROL pulls the reader into a storyline that overlaps the premise of book four NO IN BETWEEN and gives the reader an up close and personal look at a man whose guilt and emotional well being are dependent on the outcome of the police investigation.

Lisa Renee Jones adds another exciting layer to her Inside Out Series pulling us closer to the final reveal.

Copy supplied by the author.

Reviewed by Sandy

Inside Out Series

 

1. If I Were You
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2. Being Me
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3. Rebecca’s Lost Journals

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4. The Master Undone
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5. His Secrets
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6. Revealing Us
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7. My Hunger
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8. My Control
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9. No In Between
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10. I Belong To You
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11. All of Me (Feb 2015)
Amazon.com

Inside Out Series-My Control cover

excerpt

 

I follow him down the stairs, wondering what I’ll find. The tender family man that I’ve glimpsed as he’s cared for his mother? The hard businessman who shut me out after the last time I was here and kept me at a distance? The broken man from the hotel room?

We reach the bottom of the steps and though we turn left, to my right is a dungeon door—which makes me consider another option. Maybe I’m about to see the true Master that I’ve encountered only once before in a bathroom in New York. The memory of him ripping off my panties and demanding that I beg “Mr. Compton” to lick me heats my skin and sets my nerves to jumping. I’d asked, not begged, damn it, and I’d been aroused—which confuses me for reasons I try never to think about.

Kurt stops walking and I realize that we’ve arrived at Mark’s private quarters. He rings a buzzer, and then faces me as the door pops open, giving me a nod. Without so much as a word, he leaves me to enter on my own.
I push open the heavy wooden door and enter the familiar room that seems dipped in a soft glow, a massive four poster bed the centerpiece to various erotic adventures draped in sheer curtains. Those curtains do funny things to my belly that I do not invite, nor do I want to explore. But inching forward, scanning for Mark to no avail, I am forced to search the depths of the room, unable to truly see what’s inside, but certain there’s no human outline.

Finally, my attention goes to a huge archway opening that appears to lead to another room. I swallow hard and move forward. At the entryway I freeze, finding Mark standing in the center of a room with curtains surrounding what looks like another archway leading to a room meant for bondage.
I was right. The Master is here—and he’s the man that I’ve been avoiding. The man who is everything that I do not want.

 

 

My control revealed

 

about the author

Jones_Lisa_Renee-1ABOUT LISA RENEE JONES

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones is the author of the highly acclaimed INSIDE OUT TRILOGY which has sold to more than ten countries for translation with negotiations in process for more, and has now been optioned by STARZ Network for a cable television show, to be produced by Suzanne Todd (Alice in Wonderland).

Since beginning her publishing career in 2007, Lisa has published more than 30 books with publishers such as Simon and Schuster, Avon, Kensington, Harlequin, NAL, Berkley and Elloras Cave, as well as crafting a successful indie career. Booklist says that Jones suspense truly sizzles with an energy similar to FBI tales with a paranormal twist by Julie Garwood or Suzanne Brockmann.

Prior to publishing, Lisa owned multi-state staffing agency that was recognized many times by The Austin Business Journal and also praised by Dallas Women Magazine. In 1998 LRJ was listed as the #7 growing women owned business in Entrepreneur Magazine.

Lisa loves to hear from her readers. You can reach her through her website and she is active on twitter and facebook daily.

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Lisa is offering a $25 Gift Card to ONE (1) lucky reader at the end of the tour

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Broken by Traci L. Slatton-Review and Guest Post

Broken by Traci L. Slatton-Review and Guest Post

Broken

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 5, 2014

Power is pornographic

Can love sustain light when the forces of evil close in?

Paris, 1939-1942. A fallen angel is trapped in the web of German Occupation. The deadly noose of Nazi control grows ever tighter, ensnaring her and two of her lovers, a bullfighter and a musician working in the fledgling Resistance. Can she save them and the Jewish widow and her child that she has come to love, or will betrayal take them all?

••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: BROKEN is an historical, fictionalized, paranormal storyline that focuses on a fallen angel known as Alia. In the weeks and months leading up to the Nazi occupation of Paris, France during WW II, Alia and her Bohemian friends party like no one is watching. Alia is a watcher-a fallen angel who can see what humans cannot-and a being who absorbs the essence and energy from the people around her.

The storyline is awash in a considerable amount of historical fact and fiction. Beginning in 1939 Alia and her friends take full advantage of the Paris night life and everything it has to offer-plenty of alcohol, plenty of sex and a lifestyle acquainted with the rich, the famous and the infamous. But all too soon, the once fabled Fuhrer and his Nazi party take control of Paris while Alia and her friends must take refuge before their true identities and heritage are revealed.

Traci L. Slatton has written a storyline that is extensively detailed in both WWII and Holocaust history as well as religious overtones and Christian beliefs. Not only does a fallen angel find herself at the mercy of the Nazi party but she discovers that she is fallible to the party demands.

The numerous secondary characters are Bohemian and aristocratic in nature-almost Bourgeoisie. Their artistic lifestyle sets the backdrop for a group of people (the famous and unknown) who believe they are excluded from the incoming hell only to realize, sometimes too late, that no one is safe from the storm. While Europe prepares for war, Alia and her friends wax philosophical the finer points of religion, politics and the Nazi Party. With the introduction of some real-life famous characters and artistes of the twentieth century the storyline spun in a decidedly different direction.

One concern is the paranormal aspect of the storyline and the lack of any real connection to the actual premise. The supernatural element is secondary and does not add anything to the overall plot-it does not play a significant or important role in the overall presentation. Alia is a fallen angel whose human façade enjoys the pleasures of the flesh but an Angel who knows that her time on earth is limited.

Traci L Slatton is an amazing writer whose storylines are infinitely detailed with both fact and fiction; fantasy and reality. Her style of writing is intense; the historical research impressive; and the overall premise is a flight into the fantastic and uncoventional.

Copy supplied by the author.

Reviewed by Sandy

 

Guest Post beige

Writing Historical Romances, Accuracy and History
By Traci L. Slatton, author of BROKEN

War, famine, storms, invention, exodus, heroism, sadism, love, and cycles of despair and enlightenment: it sounds like the kind of novel anyone would be thrilled to pick up and read. In fact, it’s human history. We as a species have struggled with nature and with ourselves—our best and our worst impulses—since we stood upright and picked up a piece of charcoal to draw ourselves, a spear, and a beast on a cave wall.

Text books can render history into dry recitations of dates, personages, and events, but when you ponder what was happening and how it must have actually felt to the people of the time, people like me and you, everything changes. History becomes the most breath-taking, intimate portrait of how we have lived and loved and suffered and vanquished and survived and thrived. It’s a natural resource for storytellers.

Clearly, this topic excites me. I was enthusiastic when Sandy suggested it.

A good story is told with conflict and obstacle, which, as I’ve just pointed out, define history. I try to write stories that are cohesive and focused, so I like to choose a specific era in a specific place. For my first novel Immortal, I chose Renaissance Florence, which was still a broad swathe of time—almost two hundred years. There was so much rich material that had to be left out that for Broken, my latest novel, I selected Paris under Nazi occupation, and I narrowed it even further to three years, 1939-1942, the year before the Nazis marched into Paris and the first two years of occupation.

Winnowing down the horrific German occupation of the City of Lights this way provided an opportunity for me to deeply relate my characters to very specific events. Alia, an angel who fell from heaven, experiences the oppression of the time personally and with great intensity. She and her beloved friends suffer through food shortages, lack, loss, and sacrifices in minute detail.

In one scene, Alia walks with Pablo Picasso, the celebrated modernist painter who stayed in Paris during occupation, and she carries a bag of food containing a few leaves of lettuce, some rutabagas, and three veal sausages. In her mind, as she converses with Picasso, she performs mental food math: these groceries must stretch to feed five people, perhaps for more than one day.

Her calculations were historically accurate. Food was scarce for Parisians, who had to pay for the privilege of German occupation with both money and resources like foodstuffs. Researching Paris under Nazi Occupation, I learned that the French ate about 800 calories per day. Over and over again in documents from the time, I read the same descriptions of Parisians as “skinny.”

I enjoy writing historical novels and I enjoy the research that is required because I look for ways to personalize an era for my characters. Before occupation, rutabagas weren’t prized as food; Parisians acquired a taste for them during occupation. The Nazis took almost everything so Parisians made do with what was left. They became very resourceful about finding protein, and bred white rabbits throughout the city, for both their food and their meat. In fact, they were so resourceful that warnings had to be put up against eating cats and diseased pigeons from the parks.

Sometimes I depart from historical fact to make a story truthful, to make it work. Truthfulness and accuracy in fiction are different matters, and truth is the foremost value. However, I do this with care. For example, in Broken, Sartre and Camus are shown at the same party. There are conflicting reports about when these great philosophers met, but it’s widely agreed that they met after the war. For purposes of the novel’s themes and its structure, I placed them together in Alia’s apartment, drinking wine, reading their work, and arguing about the prejudices of the time. Sartre wants the other guests to pay attention to him; Camus wants to hear music. They serve both as characters with all the inherent flaws and foibles of any person and as eloquent voices of their time.

History is a story bonanza for a novelist. It provides a dazzling array of drama as well as opportunities to craft a story with precision. Ultimately, any good story is an argument for a specific value, and writing historical novels gives me a chance to ask myself, What do I care about? What do I value? Answering those questions while metabolizing history is my job as a novelist—and, I hope, gives the reader something that absorbs and enriches her.

 

About The Author beige

Traci L SlattonTraci L. Slatton, author of FALLEN and COLD LIGHT, is a graduate of Yale and Columbia. She lives in Manhattan, and her love for Renaissance Italy inspired her historical novel IMMORTAL and her contemporary vampire art history mystery THE BOTTICELLI AFFAIR. FALLEN is the first in a romantic trilogy set during the end times; COLD LIGHT and FAR SHORE further the dystopian tale. DANCING IN THE TABERNACLE is her first book of poetry. She also wrote a sculpture book, THE ART OF LIFE, with her husband. THE LOVE OF MY (OTHER) LIFE is a bittersweet rom-com that addresses the question: What worlds would you move to be with your soulmate?

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Skygods (Hydraulic #2) by Sarah Latchaw-Review,Interview and Giveaway

SKYGODS (Hydraulic #2) by Sarah Latchaw-review, interview and giveaway

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Skygods
Hydraulic #2
by Sarah Latchow
Genre: adult, contemporary, fiction
Release Date: August 26, 2014

Skygods

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date: August 26, 2014

Kaye Trilby and her ex-husband, world-famous author Samuel Cabral, vowed to fight for their rekindled love in rain or shine. They didn’t realize they’d be caught in a deluge so quickly.

A near-fatal skydiving accident shows Kaye how her reckless behavior affects the ones she loves. But while she knows Samuel is afraid to lose her again, she isn’t ready to give up the thrill of the wild backcountry.

Something darker is slipping into Samuel’s mind, though. The specters of his past are re-emerging. His polish is deteriorating, just as all of Hollywood braces for his blockbuster book-to-movie adaptation. When he appears on Kaye’s doorstep late one night in a rumpled tuxedo, erratic and agitated, it seems that romance with her ex might be her biggest leap yet. A string of failed relationships has pushed Samuel to the brink, the fall-out leaving him in a dark place—a place where Kaye is powerless to help him. She is reluctantly drawn back into Samuel’s glittering and backbiting world of celebrity, all the while clinging to the steadfast peaks of home.

Can Kaye risk her heart with Samuel a second time? Will they ever find their blue skies?

•••••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: SKYGODS is the second instalment in Sarah Latchaw’s adult, contemporary Hydraulic series focusing on PR business owner and extreme sport enthusiast Kaye Trilby and best selling author Samuel Cabral. Told from first person POV (Kaye) as well as through memories, Sam’s memoirs and excerpts from Sam’s latest book, SKYGODS takes the reader on a roller coaster ride through one man’s harrowing mind and the people that control his life. This is the second instalment and therefore the series must be read in order for cohesion and understanding.

The focus of the storyline is the reconnection between Kaye and Samuel, and the maelstrom that is Sam’s life. Seven years earlier, Samuel pushed away the only woman that he loved, leaving a shocked and hurt Kaye wondering where everything went wrong. Following his sister’s wedding, Sam and Kaye will begin to repair their broken relationship-one day at a time-but there is more to Sam’s story than meets the eye.

SKYGODS follows one man’s descent into hell to which he will return time and again. Family secrets, hidden shame and a history of mind-numbing pain all contribute to Samuel’s passion for writing and his inability to remain in control. We watch as the truth is slowly revealed-the truth about one family’s history that has affected the current and future generation. And how one woman takes it upon herself to uncover the facts and how it has affected the man that she loves.

The secondary characters include Sam and Kaye’s families, group of friends, as well as the publishing and literary pundits who circle around Samuel like a vulture to the dead. There are moments of humor as Kaye’s best friends try to put on a brave face as Kaye endeavors to keep strong in the face of adversity. And there is also the requisite evil-the people waiting in the wings to destroy what is left of Samuel’s self esteem.

Like Hydraulic Level Five (book one) as applied to extreme sports, there is a definition that may be attributed to the title SKYGODS: A skydiver of such talent, skill, reputation and ego that his mere presence on a drop zone elicits a quiet hush of reverent respect, fear and/or mocking. Generally a huge asshole who thinks very highly of himself. Sometimes this self-respect is deserved, but more often than not, the SkyGod takes one decent accomplishment and plays it out for a decade or more. (UrbanDictionary.com). As it pertains to Samuel’s life, there are people who surround Samuel that do more damage than good-they are dependent upon Samuel’s success-and in this, there is both reverence, fear and a self centered attitude that Samuel’s life and success feeds directly into their own sense of self. He is admired, respected and commands respect but his life is a free fall and there is nothing stopping his descent.

If you think I am being selective in my wording, you are correct. Without giving away the truth -the revelation behind Samuel’s destructive actions and the demise of his relationship with his wife-I am struggling to play around a whirlpool of information that is presented to the reader with every turn of the page. As I am struggling for words, so too was Samuel-a man whose life depended on the written word but also depended on a darker secret that controlled every aspect of his life.

SKYGODS is an emotionally dramatic, intense and startling look at one man’s struggle to be normal but failing miserably. Sarah Latchow has done some homework as it pertains the Samuel’s ‘secret’ and how it affects everyone in his life. Not only do we get up close and personal with one man’s spiral out of control but so too, do we see the fall out from his descent into the abyss.

Copy supplied by the author.

Reviewed by Sandy

Series Spotlight

Hydraulic Level Five
Hydraulic #1
by Sarah Latchaw
Genre: adult, contemporary, fiction
Release Date: September 3, 2014

Click HERE for our review of HYDRAULIC LEVEL FIVE (Book 1)

Hydraulic Level FiveAmazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 3, 2013

How does a woman get over her one great love? With whitewater rafting, bluegrass, and a touch of revenge…

Kaye is an extreme sports addict with a kind heart and an axe to grind with her childhood sweetheart and ex-husband, renowned writer Samuel Caulfield Cabral. While Samuel enjoys a celebrity life in New York, Kaye remains in their hometown of Lyons, Colorado, running her PR agency and chatting daily with Samuel’s family, the beloved Cabrals—first-generation Mexican-Americans who have embraced Kaye as their own.

But when Samuel returns home for his sister’s wedding with a new love interest, stunning editor Caroline Ortega, the gloves are stripped off. Kaye is determined to unearth the reasons behind the death of their marriage and why two people who lived to love each other were driven apart, all leading to startling revelations about Samuel, about life…and about herself.

Interview

TRC: Hi Sarah and welcome to The Reading Café. Congratulations on the release of Skygods.

Sarah: Thank you! I’ve been greatly looking forward to this one hitting the shelves.

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

Sarah-LatchawSarah: Born and raised in rural Iowa. I didn’t grow up in a cornfield, but I have driven a tractor, ha. Seriously though, Iowa has wonderfully kind people and is a gorgeous state. My heart always aches a bit when we’re out of the city and in the country because it is very familiar to me, but still manages to take my breath away with its wide skies and fields. When you love something or someone, it’s that way.

TRC: Who or what influenced your career in writing?

Sarah: I’ve always read, and I read most anything with a good plot. Jane Eyre might be my favorite female protagonist—I enjoy stories with real women who triumph in adversity. Stories that have a strong sense of place also move me, when the setting is almost a character. Galileo’s Daughter by Dava Sobel, Outlander by Diana Gabaldon are good examples.

TRC: When not writing, what do you do to relax?

Sarah: Read! We live close to a lake, so I’ll take the kiddos and we’ll watch the Canada geese if it’s warm enough. I also catch Indie artists if they’re in town at a great little venue in Des Moines called Vaudeville Mews. Downtown Des Moines also has a huge farmers’ market, one of the best in the country. We go on Saturdays to relax and get outside, and eat these wonderful El Salvadoran things called Pupusas—corn tortillas stuffed with cheese and pickled cabbage. A-Mazing.

SkygodsTRC: SKYGODS is the second instalment and latest release in your adult, contemporary Hydraulic series. Would you please tell us something about the premise of the book and the series?

Sarah: The narrator, Kaye Trilby, divorced her childhood sweetheart—Samuel—seven years ago. Flash forward seven years, and Samuel has come back into her life. He is now a world-famous author and about to become Hollywood’s next golden boy when his book-to-movie adaptations become blockbusters, ala Harry Potter or Game of Thrones. The books unravel the mystery of why their relationship failed in the first place, and gives them hope for a second chance at love with each other.

Kaye is an extreme sports junkie, so each book uses an outdoor adventure sport as a metaphor for Kaye’s relationship with Samuel. Hydraulic Level Five used whitewater rafting. Skygods is skydiving, and the third book, Fourteeners, features mountain climbing. The books explore what it means to love, what makes a marriage, and tackles social issues such a Hollywood politics and mental illness stigmas. It balances tension with humor, fear with determination.

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

Sarah: Fourteeners is the third and final book—I’m currently writing it.

TRC: Are any of the characters or the premise based in reality or a combination of reality and fiction?

Sarah: Kaye could be every woman—she carries the realistic wishes and insecurities and passions we wear beneath the surface. Like any writer, I draw bits and pieces of my life and weave them into a fictional story to lend it authenticity. That’s how a writer connects with a reader—we can’t be afraid to wear our hearts on our sleeves when we write, to let the reader in and explore the vulnerabilities of our characters, and us, to an extent.

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

Sarah: The realities of mental illness required a lot of research and reading. And even then, books weren’t enough to explain what it is to live and love with mental illness. I interviewed many people who struggled with mental illness or had a loved one who struggled, and their stories touched me in ways I could never have imagined.

TRC: Have you considered a novella or spin off for any of the secondary characters?

Sarah: Several people have suggested I should actually write Samuel’s “book-within-a book” novels, *Water Sirens* or his memoir. Those might be fun as short stories. We’ll see. As for spin-offs, I’m not planning anything, but never say never.

TRC: What are your thoughts on writing a series and ending an instalment with a major cliff hanger?

Sarah: I’m not a fan of blatant cliff-hangers. I like to leave readers in a comfortable, hopeful place, even if it isn’t the end of a story. I’ve been told by some they felt *Hydraulic Level Five* was too much of a cliff-hanger, but truthfully I didn’t intend it to be. But now no one needs to worry about Book One’s “cliffie” now that Book Two—*Skygods*—is here!

Hydraulic Level FiveTRC: When writing a storyline, do the characters direct the writing or do you direct the characters?

Sarah: A bit of both. I know where I want to take the story, because I write my final scene first. And I know which major events need to take place to get us to that ending. But characters have their own personalities, and trying to force them into a predetermined plot line doesn’t always work. Divergences are sometimes a necessity.

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?

Sarah: First, writers need to respect their characters and give them emotional depth—take the time to explore each character’s motivations, their strengths and weaknesses, what makes them tick. If characters aren’t fleshed out, writers are basically playing with Barbie dolls and readers feel no connection to a story.

Second, writers need to be careful not to let a plotline drive their characters too much. When you force a character into an unnatural conclusion to their story, no matter how much a writer “wants this ending,” that is disrespectful to a character and readers are left feeling betrayed. I’ve seen some of that lately in popular book series—characters sacrificed for the sake of a plot.

Writers also have to be willing to dig down deep into their own fears and failures and triumphs, and open themselves up to their readers. Like I said above, we need to wear our hearts on our sleeves when we write, even if it’s nuanced and subtle. That allows readers to connect emotionally with a story, and through it, with us. When this doesn’t happen, we might get a nice entertaining sort of book, but ultimately not memorable.

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

Sarah: I take a shower, listen to music, go for a walk. I read the newspaper and look for real life stories that can inspire a scene. I make sure I write every day, even if it’s only a sentence. If I find I’m stuck on a scene, I’ll skip ahead to a scene I’ve wanted to write, then backtrack.

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

Sarah: My sister. She lives in the Front Range of the Colorado Rockies, and some of her is in Kaye—the outdoor sports, the love for bluegrass and folk music, the organic farming.

TRC: What three things would you like to accomplish in the next five years?

Sarah:
1.Write a series set in Iowa.
2.Crack the Amazon Top 500.
3.Teach my kids to tie their shoes.

TRC: What is something that few, if any people, know about you?

Sarah: My freshman year of college, I cut a Friday and Monday class to drive to Galveston, Texas to visit my long-distance boyfriend and go to the beach. It was a 36 hour drive round-trip. I taught my two girlfriends to drive my manual transmission Escort so we could take shifts on the road. We brought a big muscular guy-friend with us for protection, but he ended up having mono and passed out in the back seat. I’m not sure if I’ve ever told my folks about this. If not, they know now. Sorry Mom and Dad.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Sarah: The last book in the *Hydraulic* Series, *Fourteeners*. I’m about a third of the way in.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Sarah: Be sure to find me on Facebook or Twitter–I love to chat with readers! Facebook | Twitter

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food
Miami Heat sushi roll from Miyabi 9. I don’t know if it can be considered
sushi, actually, because it has cream cheese and is fried.

Favorite Dessert
Strawberry Rhubarb Frozen Custard

Favorite TV Show
Right now, Outlander

Last Movie You Saw
Austenland

Favorite Musical Group
Hey Marseilles

Dark or Milk Chocolate
Milk Chocolate

Secret Celebrity Crush
Colin Firth, like, forever. We’re going on twenty years now.

Last Vacation Destination
New Orleans

Pet Peeve
Drivers who tail my car, especially in heavy traffic or bad weather. I have little kids, come on!

TRC: Thank you Sarah for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on all of your success. We wish you all the best.*

Sarah:  Thank you!

About the Author

Sarah-LatchawSarah Latchaw was raised in eastern Iowa and appreciates beauty in mud-splattered gravel roads and fields. She also loves to explore far-away places, thanks to countless family minivan trips across the States. This passion for finding stories led to college adventures in many different countries, and each place’s story rests in the back of her mind and in her photo albums.

Sarah received her BA from Wartburg College in public relations and media, and entered the workforce, ready to climb the ladder. However, when researching MBA applications evoked feelings of dread, with the loving support of her husband, she pursued a career in creative writing and was awarded her MA from Iowa State University.

These days, Sarah wakes every morning thrilled to cuddle her small children, show them the world, then capture that world and shape it into stories on paper. She is not thrilled when she wakes to her cats smothering her face. She and her family reside in Des Moines, Iowa—one of the best places to live and work.

 

Find Her On: Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads 
 

Giveaway

There are TWO ways to WIN

Sarah and her publicist are offering an ecopy of either HYDRAULIC LEVEL FIVE (book one) or SKYGODS (book two) to TWO (2) lucky commenters at The Reading Cafe.

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by 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. Follow us on Goodreads

6. LIKE Sarah on Facebook

7. Giveaway is INTERNATIONAL

8. Giveaway runs from September 5-10, 2014

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NOTE: The Reading Cafe is NOT responsible for the rafflecopter giveaway. If you have any questions, please contact the author.

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Frayed (Connections #4) by Kim Karr-Review and Giveaway

FRAYED (Connections #4) by Kim Karr-Review and Giveaway

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FRAYED
Connections #4
by Kim Karr
Release Date: September 2, 2014
Genre: adult, contemporary, romance,

Frayed

 

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 2, 2014

He didn’t think, he didn’t question—he just acted.
What she wanted, she took—without regard.
It was only one night, but it changed everything.

After losing his fiancée, Ben Covington is unsure he’ll ever love again. But when he sees Bell Wilde, he’s so deeply drawn to her, that he’s thrown for a loop. Maybe it’s purely sexual chemistry that’s igniting this spark between them…or maybe it’s his second chance at love.

Bell has just gotten her life back on track and may not be up for the challenge of Ben Covington. But once they’re reunited, there’s no holding back—even if a secret from Bell’s past just might shatter them both.

~~~~~~~~~~

REVIEW: FRAYED is the fourth full length novel in Kim Karr’s adult, contemporary Connections romance series. This is Ben Covington’s continuing story-one brought about by a night of indiscretion. Told from alternating first person POVs (Ben and Bell) a portion of the storyline is a look back into both of their lives from the previous six years.

The focus of the storyline follows Ben Covington and Bell Wilde. In the earlier books we were privy to Ben’s past-from faking his own death; entering the witness protection program and returning to find his fiancée had moved on and found a new love. Six years earlier, as a senior in college, Ben spent a wild one night stand with a woman he knew only as S’belle and everything about that night will change his life forever. Bell is his ex-fiancee’s new sister in law and a woman he has never been able to forget.

The storyline is a second chance, of sorts, for both Ben and Bell. At a benefit in honor of Ben’s journalism research, Ben and Bell will reconnect, and their attraction and desire for one another is hotter than ever-but Bell has limits-no relationship, no commitment, just fun. Ben is looking for something more. It is the something more for which Ben is unprepared when Bell reveals the truth about what happened after their one night together.

Saying that, there was plenty of angst and anxiety as it pertained to Ben and Bell’s relationship. Although the attraction was undeniable, Bell has issues that needed to be addressed. She is a woman torn between her desire for Ben and moving forward-her conflicted feelings made for some anxious moments. In this, the storyline decidedly faultered with Bell’s inability to commit or stay focused.

The secondary characters include Bell’s coworkers-some good, some bad, some down right evil. Everyone has an agenda and Bell is in direct line of conflict. Both Ben and Bell’s family play a major role in their lives and a presence throughout most of the storyline. We are reintroduced to Bell’s brothers River and Xander Wilde, as well as their mates, and get a more personal look at Ben’s extended family. I suspect Ben’s brother has a storyline in the near future.

Kim Karr is an amazing storyteller. Her Connections series brings together one family- all connected by a single couple-and therefore should be read in order. FRAYED is a story of forgiveness, finding love and moving forward. It is dramatic, intense and realistic in its’ presentation.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley.

Reviewed by Sandy

Series Spotlight Black and White

CONNECTED (Connections #1)
by Kim Karr

Click HERE for our review of CONNECTED.

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ConnectedABOUT THE BOOK: Released May 7, 2013

What if a ‘Once in a Lifetime’ could happen twice?

Suffering from a past full of tragedy, Dahlia London’s soul has been left completely shattered. Happily ever after is a far cry from reality in her world. But, when she is reconnected with her past, the bonds that form are irrefutable.

When River Wilde, lead singer of The Wilde Ones, comes back into Dahlia’s life, the intensity that fires their relationship combined with underlying feelings that have never died lead her to believe she has met her soulmate.

Struggling with confusion as old connections fade and new ones begin, Dahlia’s grief begins to lift–but guilt remains. River wants to be the one to mend all that is torn within her.
_______________________________

TORN (Connections #2)
by Kim Karr

Click HERE for our review of TORN-Book #2 in Kim Karr’s Connections series

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Torn Cover HDRock star River Wilde brought Dahlia London back from the brink of hopelessness with his unwavering love and devotion. But their entangled history is about to test the strength of their relationship…

Dahlia was certain she had found true love and met her “Once in a Lifetime’ when she reconnected with River. But Dahlia’s world comes crashing down when someone from her past resurfaces, and all of River’s carefully hidden secrets are exposed.

River wants to show Dahlia that life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass—it’s about dancing in the rain. But how many times can one broken heart be mended? Will River and Dahlia be able to stay together or will they be torn apart?

________________________

Dazed
Connections 2.5
by Kim Karr
Release Date: April 1, 2014
Genre: new adult, contemporary, romance

Click HERE for our review of DAZED

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Dazed CoverJagger Kennedy never went looking for fame, he just fell into it. After scoring a major modeling contract, his clean-cut good looks and charm catapulted his career. But when his actress girlfriend breaks his heart, he moves to L.A. to try his hand at acting. He’s not looking for love—he just needs to make a change.

Aerie Daniels is a woman in control … until she meets Jagger. Her surprising connection with him leaves her dazed and it’s unlike anything she’s ever felt. But just when she lets her walls fall, she makes a startling discovery about Jagger that breaks her fragile heart into a million pieces.

To keep from losing the woman who’s changing his world, Jagger is willing to give up anything—including his career. But even that might not be enough to regain Aerie’s shattered trust…

__________________________

Mended Connections #3 by Kim Karr
© 2013 by Kim Karr
Published by the Penguin Group
Release date: June 3, 2014

Click HERE for our review of MENDED

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Mended*MUSIC HAS THE POWER TO HEAL ALL. BUT NOT ALL BROKEN HEARTS CAN BE MENDED.*

Always in control, Xander Wilde considered life on the road to be a perfect fit for him. But when disaster strikes on the Wilde Ones™ latest tour, fate intervenes and a newly single Ivy Taylor, the only girl he has ever loved, steps back into his life. *

After moving past her painful breakup with Xander years ago, Ivy was poised to become the next big name in pop music when suddenly she withdrew from the limelight the same day she announced her engagement to her controlling agent, Damon Wolf. *

Xander knows he should keep his distance. But once they’re on the road, he can’t resist pursuing her for a second chance. Yet a jealous Damon can’t let her go and he’s keeping dangerous secrets that could destroy them all.

When the three of them come together, everything falls apart. But if Xander and Ivy can hold tight to the bond that connects them, they just might have a chance at reclaiming the powerful love they thought they had lost forever….

_____________________

Blurred
Connections 3.5
by Kim Karr
Release Date: August 2014

Click HERE for our review of BLURRED

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BlurredABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 5, 2014

A Connection Series Novella featuring Ben Covington

The story before the love story….

When he lost the only woman he’d ever loved, it seemed there was nothing left to live for.

Even as a boy, all Ben Covington ever wanted was to spend forever with Dahlia London, the beautiful girl next door…then one life-altering decision tore them apart and he was forced to leave her.

Now, despite having returned to win her back, he’s still alone. She’s with someone else—someone she’s never going to leave.

Resigned to a future without his former girlfriend, Ben numbs his broken heart in a haze of liquor and women. But then the only woman who ever even turned his head while he was with his girl reappears unexpectedly. And he’s never forgotten their one incredible night together. But will Ben’s destructive behavior destroy his future with her before it even begins?

Giveaway -black and white

Kim’s publisher is offering a paper copy of FRAYED to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by 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.

5. LIKE us on GOODREADS 

6. Giveaway is open to US only

7. Giveaway runs from September 4-8, 2014

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His to Claim by Opal Carew-a review

His To Claim by Opal Carew -a review

His To Claim

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RELEASE DATE: September 2, 2014

What if you could have everything you’ve always wanted, but it cost you the life you’ve always known?

Rafe Ranier was my boss and secret crush. A rock musician by night and head of a billion dollar empire by day, Rafe could have any woman he wanted. But I was just the shy secretary he never noticed. For years I obsessed over him, until I finally realized I had to walk away. I needed to leave my secure life behind to discover who I really was.I never expected Rafe to follow me. Now I’m on the road with his band, Savage Kiss, and all my secret fantasies are coming true. But I fear I’ve made a huge mistake, because if I get any more attached to a man I can never truly have, my heart will be broken beyond all repair.

First published as a six-part erotic serial, His to Claim is the intoxicating tale of a woman torn between a tattooed, bad boy rock musician and the life she’s always known. Now available for the first time as a complete book, this edition features sizzling new bonus material.

•••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: HIS TO CLAIM is the latest adult, contemporary, erotic romance release from author Opal Carew. Originally released as a six part erotic serial, HIS TO CLAIM follows Melanie and Rafe as they struggle with their attraction to one another-one that began for Melanie when she worked for Rafe at Ranier Enterprises. When Rafe fell in love with Melanie’s best friend Jessica, Melanie knew it was time to walk away from the job that she had loved but more so, from the man with whom she had fallen in love. HIS TO CLAIM is an erotic storyline with M/M/F/M situations.

The storyline follows Rafe and Melanie as they uncover one another’s most intimate secrets. Rafe is a man who leads a double life-billionaire CEO by day and rock god by night but Melanie fell in love with Rafe the man. As Rafe continues to pursue Melanie, Melanie pursues a different lifestyle-one that Rafe is reluctant to explore.

The secondary characters include Rafe’s (aka Storm) fellow band mates-man whores who want nothing better than to get the girl –including Melanie. In this, there is a situation growing as Melanie is attracted to the other members of the band and Rafe is battling his inner demons about control.

Opal Carew pulls the reader into an erotic tale of two people who struggle with what they want both inside and outside of the bedroom. While Rafe fights the demons of his childhood, Melanie will fight with her fantasies about sex and love.

HIS TO CLAIM is a quick read: a hopeful and passionate storyline about discovery, letting go and falling in love.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley.

Reviewed by Sandy

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Visions (Cainsville #2) by Kelley Armstrong-a review

Visions (Cainsville #2) by Kelley Armstrong-a review

Visions Aug 14

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 19, 2014

As #1 New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong’s new Cainsville series continues, Olivia’s power to read omens leads to the discovery of a gruesome crime with troubling connections to her new hometown.

Omens, the first installment in Kelley Armstrong’s exciting new series, introduced Olivia Taylor-Jones, daughter of notorious serial killers, and Gabriel Walsh, the self-serving, morally ambiguous lawyer who became her unlikely ally. Together, they chased down a devious killer and partially cleared her parents of their horrifying crimes.

Their success, however, is short-lived. While Olivia takes refuge in the old, secluded town of Cainsville, Gabriel’s past mistakes have come to light, creating a rift between the pair just when she needs his help the most.

Olivia finds a dead woman in her car, dressed to look like her, but the body vanishes before anyone else sees it. Olivia’s convinced it’s another omen, a sign of impending danger. But then she learns that a troubled young woman went missing just days ago—the same woman Olivia found dead in her car. Someone has gone to great lengths to kill and leave this young woman as a warning. But why? And what role has her new home played in this disturbing murder?

Olivia’s effort to uncover the truth places her in the crosshairs of old and powerful forces, forces that have their own agenda, and closely guarded secrets they don’t want revealed.

••••••••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: VISIONS is the second storyline in Kelley Armstrong’s adult, paranormal contemporary Cainsville mystery/suspense series. Told from alternating first person (Olivia) POV and close third person, VISIONS is the continuing story of Olivia Taylor-Jones aka Eden Larsen-a twenty four year old woman whose biological parents-Todd and Pamela Larsen- were accused of multiple murders and sit in prison awaiting the truth. Discovering she was adopted and not knowing the truth behind her early years, Olivia finds refuge in the small town of Cainsville where mysterious omens, visions and portents of doom focus their power and intensity at Olivia Taylor-Jones. The people of Cainsville are just as perplexing with their secrets, double speak and touch of magic-everyone in Cainsville is connected and everything happens for a reason.

In the first instalment OMENS, Olivia sets out to prove her biological parents are innocent of the charges but VISIONS takes an abrupt turn and the spotlight no longer focuses on proving the Larsen’s innocence but on Olivia’s visions and their connection to the town and people of Cainsville. Using specific animals, speech patterns and language referencing the mythological HUNT, Kelley weaves a tale from long ago and adds contemporary settings and suspense filled action.

Kelley Armstrong pulls from Celtic lore, the myths and tales of fabled legends and supernatural magic. In Cainsville, the town is not that far removed from the old ways, and our heroine will learn she has a deeper connection to Cainsville than just a place to escape.

The secondary characters all play a role in Olivia’s life. From the café regulars we learn a little more about the people of Cainsville-their history and their connections to one another. When one of their own goes missing, the population of Cainsville appears to be more concerned with Olivia’s research and reaction than with the whereabouts of a young woman whose history is questionable and not without some interesting facts.

There is the potential for a love triangle developing as Kelley brings back biker dude/business student Ricky who captures Olivia’s heart but there is also the underlying sexual tension between Olivia and Gabriel-her mother’s former lawyer and the person in whom Olivia will come to depend upon for direction and comfort. Gabriel’s character development was colorful, revealing and not without some heartbreaking realizations. Olivia’s relationship with Ricky brings to question, his connection to Cainsville when the elders push Olivia towards someone else. Because Kelley Armstrong is not known for her sexual or romantic storylines, the sexual imagery is light; mostly implied but the tension is high.

Kelley Armstrong forte is the paranormal storyline. With colorful and interesting characters, she cleverly weaves an intense and wondrous series where the past meets the present; where fables become real; where Celtic magic is at the heart of a town where everyone knows your name.

Click HERE for our review of OMENS (book #1) in Kelley Armstrong’s CAINSVILLE series.

Copy supplied by the publisher.

Reviewed by Sandy

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My Highland Spy (Highland Spies #1) by Victoria Roberts-Review, Interview and Giveaway

My Highland Spy (Highland Spies #1) by Victoria Roberts-Review, Interview and Giveaway

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My Highland Spy
Highland Spies #1
by Victoria Roberts
Genre: adult, historical, Highland, romance
Release Date: September 2, 2014

My Highland Spy (Sept  14

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 2, 2014

This Highland Laird won’t bow to the Crown

Laird Ruairi Sutherland refuses to send his only son away to be educated by the English. And he most definitely will not appear in Edinburgh to pay homage to a liege who has no respect for Scotland. So he does what any laird would do—he lies to the king. The last thing Ruairi expects is a beautiful English governess to appear on his doorstep.

But this lady spy might make him…

Lady Ravenna Walsingham is a seasoned spy who is sent to the savage Highlands to uncover a nefarious plot against the Crown. Playing the part of an English governess—a job easier said than done—she infiltrates the home of Laird Sutherland, a suspected conspirator.

If she doesn’t betray him first

Ravenna soon discovers that the only real threat Sutherland poses is to her heart. But will the proud Highland laird ever forgive her when he discovers the woman he loves in an English spy?

••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: MY HIGHLAND SPY is the first instalment in Victoria Roberts new Highland Spies adult, historical romance series set in the Highlands of Scotland. This is Laird Ruairi Sutherland and Lady Ravenna Walsingham’s storyline. Lady Ravenna is a spy for the British Crown and Laird Ruairi is her next assignment.

The focus of the storyline is Ravenna’s attempts to gather information for the King. With Scotland and England in a continuous battle for supremacy, Ravenna must infiltrate the Laird’s estate and report back with any information that may be pertinent to the King. What Ravenna didn’t expect to find is the man who would steal her heart and a young boy with whom she would fall in love. Ruairi is a widower with a young son, and Ravenna is sent to the estate under the guise of a governess to teach the young lad the King’s English.

The relationship between Ruairi and Ravenna is one of immediate attraction but Ravenna is under the impression that Ruairi is newly widowed. Taking Ruairi’s son under her wing, Ravenna begins to develop feelings for the young boy, as well as for the man on whom she is supposed to spy. When the truth about Ravenna’s identity and her assignment are revealed, Ruairi pushes Ravenna away-from his life and his son’s.

The secondary characters include Ruairi ‘s best friend Fagan, as well as a quick glimpse at Ravenna’s sisters-one who may be a possible love match for Ruairi’s friend. There is the requisite evil in the form of Ruairi’s former in-laws, and in the end, everyone will get what they justly deserve.

Victoria Roberts is an amazing writer of Highland historical romance. From her ‘Bad Boys of the Highlands’ series to her latest ‘Highland Spies’, you will become immersed in a land of kilted men and women of desire. All of Victoria’s women are quite capable of handling a Highland Warrior and in this, her heroines are strong-willed, supportive and worthy of a man in a kilt.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley.

Reviewed by Sandy

Interview

TRC: Hi Victoria and welcome back to The Reading Café. Congratulations on the success of your Bad Boys of the Highlands series.

Victoria RobertsVictoria: Thank you so much for having me here today, Sandy. It’s great to be back at The Reading Café. *waves*

TRC: We would like to start with some background information for anyone who doesn’t know Victoria Roberts. Would you please tell us something about yourself?

Follow: Facebook/ Website/ Goodreads/

Victoria: I’m an award-winning author of Scottish historical romances about kilted heroes and warriors from the past. I was named by RT Book Reviews in 2012 as “one of the most promising debut authors across the genres” and was a 2013 RT Reviewers’ Choice award winner for my second novel in the Bad Boys of the Highlands series, X Marks the Scot. I’ve been married to the same man for 21 years—no kidding—and we haven’t killed each other yet. He’s still baffled over the fact that I write about Scottish men when he’s 100% German. I also have a beautiful daughter who is 13 going on 23 and a son who’s 9.

TRC: When last we spoke you had just released the first book in your Bad Boys of the Highland Series-TEMPTATION IN A KILT and September 2013 saw the release of the third book TO WED A WICKED HIGHLANDER. Did you ever think that your ‘bad boys’ would become so popular with the readers?

Bad Boys of the Highlands

Victoria: I was surprised by the amount of love shown to the Bad Boys. I think all authors pray that readers will love the characters we’ve created, and I’m so elated for that. One reader even named her baby after one of my heroines, Sybella, calling her “Ella” like in the book. *blushes* Now that is truly flattering.

TRC: Do you plan on any more instalments in this particular series? If so who and when?

Victoria: Now that is the question. The Bad Boys will always hold a special place in my heart. And yes, I still find myself tinkering with ideas. I’d like to write Colin’s story (Sybella’s brother in To Wed a Wicked Highlander.) I also receive e-mails from readers begging for James Montgomery’s story (Rosalia’s BFF.) Let’s just say there’s a strong possibility that I’ll be returning to the series after dabbling with English spies in the Highlands.

My Highland Spy (Sept  14TRC: September 2014 you will be releasing MY HIGHLAND SPY-the first book in your new Highland Spies series. Would you please tell us something about the premise?

Victoria: Lady Ravenna Walsingham is a spy for King James and the Crown, the same as her father had been under Queen Elizabeth’s reign. Ravenna certainly lives in a man’s world, but that’s why she’s so proficient at doing what she does—a mere woman is the last thing anyone would expect. Under the guidance of her uncle, Ravenna is sent to the Scottish Highlands masquerading as a governess. She’s determined to fulfill her duty and obligations to the realm—only if a certain brawny Highland laird doesn’t continue to muddle her thoughts.

Laird Ruairi Sutherland is tired of the English. When he lies to the king and refuses to send his son to the Lowlands, a bonny enchantress shows up on his doorstep to educate his son. He intends to keep Ravenna at a distance, but the thought is easier said than done.

I think “kilts and spies” sums it up quite nicely.

TRC: If you could virtually cast the leading characters-Ravenna and Ruairi-which actors or models would best represent your ideal image?

Victoria: I always have so much trouble visualizing my heroes and heroines as real actors, especially since I don’t base my characters on anybody’s looks in particular. Mmm…that’s a tough one. Andy Whitfield would’ve made the perfect Ruairi though. Ravenna? I’d struggle with that answer for days.

Sandy: I do miss Andy…*sniff*

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

Victoria: There will be four books in the series. The Walsingham sisters will each have their own story.

TRC: Will the new series and characters overlap with the storylines in the Bad Boys of the Highlands Series?

Victoria: The new series will not have overlapping characters from the Bad Boys series. Although we are in the same timeframe of King James as he grows weary of the Highland lairds, that’s about it in the way of similarities.

TRC: What challenges or difficulties (research, logistics, background) did you encounter writing this particular book and series?

Victoria: Lord Francis Walsingham was an actual spy for the Crown, but Ravenna is a fictional character. I needed to find a delicate balance to make this woman tough and believable enough to be able to be a spy in the times. For instance, she travels as a single woman to the Highlands, but her uncle’s body guard and his wife accompany her.

TRC: What do you believe is the attraction and appeal of the Highlander to romance readers?

Victoria: I think it’s the same attraction and appeal for anyone who reads regency, westerns, etc. Readers, including me, want to escape. We want to go somewhere different, to be taken away to another time and place. Who can resist that Scottish brogue, those sexy kilts, and those verra large…broadswords? Not me! Oh, yes. And let’s not forget about the castles and beautiful Scottish landscape.

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

Victoria: Both. I start by directing the characters, molding their behavior so to speak. But when they’re ready, they let me know it. They always take off and have a mind of their own. Most of the time I let them go, but sometimes I have to rein them in. For example, Declan (X Marks the Scot) I had to rein in often.

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?

Victoria: In order to make readers feel the emotions the characters are experiencing in a book, I believe writers need to draw from personal experience. If an author takes readers just through the motions, readers will notice, and they’ll be pulled out of the story. From my experience, readers want you to take them there. They want to experience the torment, love, agony and heartbreak. I believe a writer needs to understand their characters. I’m inside my character’s heads all the time. I’ve cried, been royally ticked off, and laughed, etc. while writing a chapter. That’s the kind of emotions you want to stir in readers when they read your story.

TRC: What three things would you like to accomplish in the next five years?

Victoria: Well, I’d really like to make “the” list. NYT or USA Today bestselling author sounds delightful. I’m also hoping to have something self-published in the next few years to accompany my traditional titles. And lastly? I need to travel to Scotland. The bagpipes are calling. I need to answer.

TRC: What is something that few, if any people, know about you?

Victoria: I’m a die-hard KISS fan. I even have a custom Ace Frehley Les Paul guitar. Don’t laugh. Men have been kilt, killed, for less.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Victoria: I’m working on a Valentine’s Day Scottish historical anthology with bestselling authors: Willa Blair, Eliza Knight, Vonda Sinclair and Terry Spear. Kissing the Highlander will be available February 2015.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Victoria: I’d like to thank you and your readers for spending time with me today. Those were some great questions, and I hope I gave you some great answers. Enjoy Ruairi and Ravenna!

TRC: Thank you Victoria for taking the time to answers our questions. Congratulations on all of your success and the with the new release MY HIGHLAND SPY.

 

giveaway

What’s your favorite spy movie? Sourcebooks will give away one copy of My Highland Spy to a lucky commenter (US and Canada only, please.)

Victoria and her publisher are graciously offering a paper copy of MY HIGHLAND SPY to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

1. If you have not previously registered, 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 such as Twitter or Facebook, 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. LIKE Victoria Roberts on Facebook

6. Giveaway open to USA and Canada only.

7. Giveaway runs from September 2-7, 2014

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