• Character Interviews,  Suspense

    Character Interview: Charlotte – Byzantine Gold @BookstoGoNow #RLFblog

    Byzantine Gold
    Chris Karlsen, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. We’re excited
    to interview your character, Charlotte
    Dashiell from the book, Byzantine Gold.
    Genre: Romantic Thriller
    Publisher: Books to Go Now
    Cover artist: Elaina Lee at For the Muse Design
    Length: 72K words
    Heat rating: 4
    Tagline: A Turkish agent and an American archaeologist find themselves
    in the crosshairs of dangerous enemies in this undersea thriller.
    Blurb:
    A sunken warship from the Byzantine Era carrying an unusual cargo
    of gold has been found off the coast of Northern Cyprus. News of the valuable
    cache has attracted the attention of a terrorist cell. They plan to attack the recovery
    team’s campsite and steal the artifacts. On the Black Market, the sale of the relics
    will buy them additional weapons.
    Charlotte Dashiell, an American archaeologist, and her lover,
    Atakan Vadim, a Turkish government agent, are scheduled to be part of the recovery
    team that brings up the artifacts. While en route to Cyprus, they find themselves caught
    in the crosshairs of Maksym Tischenko, a Ukrainian contract killer bent on revenge.
    Charlotte, Atakan and Tischenko share a grim history. As a result, Tischenko is
    a man who will stop at nothing to achieve his goal–seeing them both dead.
    Buy links:
    Amazon http://amzn.com/B00AVMIHDEd
    What are your main characters’ names, ages, and occupations?
    Charlotte Dashiell, 30,
    nautical archaeologist
    Atakan Vadim, 38, Agent
    for the Turkish Ministry of Culture
    Maksym Tischenko, 40,
    contract killer
    Darav Binici, 27, PKK terrorist

    Interview with Charlotte Dashiell

    Tell us about yourself.
    I’m a nautical archaeologist
    who recently received my PHD in the subject. While working on my doctorate, I met
    Atakan. We were dive partners last year on the recovery team of a Bronze Age ship
    wrecked off the coast of Turkey.
    I had a controversial theory regarding the Trojan War and hoped the ship carried
    the proof of that theory.
    I come from a family
    of police officers. My father was a Chicago policeman,
    my step mother was a policewoman in Chicago
    and my brother is a SWAT team member for Chicago P.D. My mother is a housewife and
    remarried to a wealthy businessman.
    I currently live in Istanbul with Atakan. Our next
    project is a Byzantine shipwreck off the coast of Cyprus.
    When the dive season
    ends, I’m employed at a lab in Istanbul
    where I work on the preservation of artifacts, which includes cleaning, identifying,
    tagging and cataloging.
    Atakan and I share a
    love of history, like to travel and enjoy skiing and water sports.
    Tell us about Atakan Vadim.
    He’s also an archaeologist
    and is an agent for the government. He works in the Ministry of Culture. His job
    is to oversee the legitimate archaeological sites and make sure the artifacts are
    processed safely and correctly. Site preservation and safety is part of the job
    in addition to proper handling of relics. When not in the field, he monitors smuggling
    operations and persons or groups involved in the illegal sale of artifacts to the
    Black Market.
    He is 38, the consummate
    professional in his job and very reserved. People tend to see him as always serious
    and perhaps a bit cold, but to those who know him, we see his humorous side and
    he does have a wicked sense of humor.
    Although we live in Istanbul now, he grew up in the southwestern part of Turkey, in the Izmir area. His mother tends to orchards on their
    land. His father is retired military. Like me, he’s close to his family but doesn’t
    get to see them often due to his job and the fact they live several hours away as
    does his married sister and her family.
    He is one of the most
    honorable men I’ve ever met with an unshakeable code of ethics.
    He’s also a pretty darn
    good cook.
    What do you think is your strongest point?
    My intelligence.
    What would Atakan say is your strongest point?
    I imagine he’s likely
    to say my love for him. I’d agree with that, but I suspect, knowing how reserved
    he is, he’ll say my determination.
    What would Atakan say is your biggest weakness?
    I’m too secretive at
    times.
    What was it like where you grew up?
    I grew up in Chicago on the northwest side.
    I love that city. It has everything: great restaurants, theatre, fabulous museums,
    fun to watch sports teams, friendly people, and the best skyline anywhere.
    When my parents were
    still married, we lived in a brick bungalow typical for Chicago in a lovely neighborhood with nice lawns
    and good sidewalks for riding our bikes. We had a smallish fenced backyard with
    a fancy BBQ because my dad liked to grill and a colorful flower bed for my mom.
    We always had dogs adopted from the shelter. The smaller ones slept with me, the
    bigger ones slept with my brother, Nick.
    My parents divorced when
    I was a teenager. Then, I split time between my dad’s house in the city and my mom
    and step father’s in the suburbs.
    What do you wish was different about your life?
    I’m pretty happy but
    if I had to change one thing, it would be for Atakan’s mother to like me.
    If you were given your fondest wish, what would it be?
    I think this is where
    I should say world peace but I’m going to wish for an end to the extinction of animals
    everywhere and an end to the slaughter of elephants and rhinos etc. for their ivory
    and horns.
    Describe a place of perfect refuge.
    Home–our place in Istanbul. We have a covered,
    half-moon shaped patio with a view of the Bosphorus. When the weather is warm, we
    like to sit there with a glass of wine and watch the ferries cross the Strait. Some
    of the private boats coming and going are stunning to see. They’re sleek and elegant
    as they skim along the water. You’d think working wrecks I’d get my fill of looking
    out over water but I don’t. I love the sea.

    About the Author

    Chris Karlsen

    I was born and raised in Chicago. My father was a history professor and
    my mother was, and is, a voracious reader. I grew up with a love of history and
    books.

    My parents also love traveling, a passion they passed onto me.
    I wanted to see the places I read about, see the land and monuments from the time
    periods that fascinated me. I’ve had the good fortune to travel extensively throughout
    Europe, the Near East, and North Africa.
    I am a retired police detective. I spent twenty-five years in
    law enforcement with two different agencies. My desire to write came in my early
    teens. After I retired, I decided to pursue that dream.
    I currently live in the Pacific Northwest
    with my husband, four rescue dogs and a rescue horse.
    I’m close to
    finishing the first draft of book 3 in my Knights in Time series. After that, I
    hope to start book 3 in my Dangerous Waters series, which the series Golden
    Chariot and Byzantine Gold are from.

    Contest

    The history of what place intrigues you as a reader?

    Answer this question for Chris, and win a download of Golden Chariot, the prequel to Byzantine Gold. You can email Chris directly at chriskarlsenwriterATgmailDOTcom or leave a comment and your email on the blog. She will contact the winner personally.

    Previous Books

    Heroes Live Forever (book 1 in Knights in Time series)
    Journey in Time (book 2 in Knights in Time series)
    Golden Chariot (book 1 in Dangerous Waters series)

    Books Coming Soon

    Knight Blindness (Knights in Time series)

    Find Me Here

  • Contemporary

    Character Interview: Bennett Saville @SusanMacNicol7 #RLFblog

    Together in Starlight

    In a departure from our usual interview today, author Susan
    Mac Nicol is sharing a written “newspaper” article with her character, Bennett Saville.

    News Article from The Cambridge Chat:
    Interview: Bennett Saville, star of Gabriel, bares it all!
    I’m waiting for my guest for the evening,
    Bennett Saville, to get ready for his interview. He arrived a few minutes ago and
    is now busy being fitted for the mike and dusted with the powder that takes the
    sweaty shine off our faces under the glaring lights. His curly auburn hair is being
    styled and I see him grimacing as they try to tame it. It’s fairly long, apparently
    in preparation for his latest appearance as the sexy, cavalier, and slightly sinful
    professor turned wizard in his TV series Gabriel. He smiles at me as I watch him,
    appreciating the figure he cuts in his tailored grey suit, looking for the entire
    world as if he’s just stepped out of a fashion magazine. He certainly wears clothes
    well, and it—dare I say—looks effortless. I suppose his stylist put it all together.
    Very, “Darling, what? This old thing?”
    God, I envy his tailor at being able
    to have their hands all over that well-developed and what looks like a pretty muscular
    body. I chide myself for sounding like some sort of middle-aged groupie, feeling
    my face flush as he grins at me. He has the greenest eyes I’ve ever seen on a man,
    like emerald chips—
    Leslie MacIntyre, for God’s sake,
    contain yourself, woman!
    That is easier said than done. I’m
    about to interview an up-and-coming film star, a young man who’s handsome, sexy,
    rich, successful, has seen his fair share of trouble and trauma, and is engaged
    to a woman ten years older than he is and seven years older than me. His fiancée,
    Cassie Wallace, is a beautiful woman. I’ve seen pictures of her on his arm in the
    tabloid magazines and the glossies, and she looks nowhere near her reputed age;
    classy, refined, and always has a rather mischievous smile on her face, as if she’s
    saying, “Ladies, he’s mine. Eat your heart out.”
    I want to ask him about his relationship
    with her, but this man has a definite no-fly policy on discussions about his personal
    life and his fiancée in particular. I once saw him walk out of an interview when
    the interviewer wouldn’t stop prying. He’d been extremely polite about it, but his
    resolve was unwavering.
    He’s finally sorted to the satisfaction
    of Mona, the makeup artist. She grins and gives me the thumbs up. Bennett Saville
    walks over to the stage, settles himself down very elegantly into the rather uncomfortable
    tub chair. I notice his plain black socks leading down into a rather recently shined
    pair of what look like Armani shoes. Nice. The man has big feet, and that sends
    me wandering along a path I really shouldn’t travel at this precise moment.
    He looks at me enquiringly.
    “You have a fascination with my socks?”
    he drawls in amusement, in that voice like melted chocolate. I shiver.
    “Better than your underwear,” I say
    without thinking. Then I blush crimson.
    He laughs loudly, his eyes crinkling
    at the corners as he leans back and settles comfortably into the chair. “Touché.
    At least I’m wearing some tonight,” he murmurs. When my jaw drops open, he chuckles
    and then adjusts the mike on his lapel. His eyes gaze at me in challenge, and for
    the life of me I can think of no smart-mouthed rejoinder.

    I see Henry wave at me from behind
    the camera, and I know we’re ready to rock and roll. The lights in the small studio
    dim, the chattering ceases and there’s an air of expectancy. I’m ready. The intro
    music cues to introduce the programme, and a minute later I’m sitting with my notepad
    on my lap, leaning in to address the camera that’s beaming my face and Bennett’s
    out into the world beyond. I’m also trying not to think about the man in front of
    me with no underwear on….

    To see the rest of the Cambridge
    Chat
    interview, check out either:

    Buy links

    Together in Starlight – book two in the Starlight Trilogy

    Previous Books

    Cassandra by Starlight – book one in the Starlight Trilogy
    Confounding Cupid
    The Magick of Christmas

    About the Author

    Susan Mac Nicol
    Susan Mac Nicol (Sue to most people) was born in Headingly, Leeds
    in the United Kingdom.
    When she was eight years old, her family emigrated to Johannesburg
    in South Africa, where she remained
    until her and her family¹s return, with husband and two children, to the UK in December 2000.
    Sue¹s career as a professional business woman was mainly in the
    operational side of the Financial Services and Vehicle Leasing markets. Currently
    her responsibilities have evolved to being the Regulatory Compliance Officer at
    a financial services company in Cambridge.
    Having written all her life, since her first short story was
    published in a local youth competition when she was just eleven, in between the
    day job and daily life, the inspiration for the Starlight series of romance novels
    was born. Her characters, Cassie and Bennett, finally made their debut on the flickering
    screen of a laptop. The character of Bennett was inspired by someone very special
    and perhaps one day, if you get the chance to ask her or meet her, over a cup of
    good coffee, Sue might just explain who this was. She will probably smile wryly
    and say, “Hopefully without sounding like a teenage groupie.”
    Her first novel was submitted to various publishers and Boroughs
    Publishing Group liked what they saw. Sue was offered a contract for her novels
    and that, as they say in the classics, was that.
    Sue is a member of the Romance Writers of America and the Romantic
    Novelists Association here in the UK. She lives in a town house in the
    rural village of Bocking,
    in Essex, with her husband, two children and a
    mixed collie mongrel called Blu, so named because of his two different colour eyes
    ­blue and brown. Sue is a voracious e book reader and a self confessed geek and
    Android phone fan. Her office is in her bag most days and without all her gadgets,
    she confesses she could barely function.

    Find Me Here

  • Contemporary

    Contemporary: Only You | Interview @PeelLorna #RLFblog

    Lorna Peel, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. Let’s talk
    about your book, Only You.

    Genre: Contemporary Romance
    Publisher: Entranced Publishing
    Cover artist: Suzannah Safi
    Length: 52,000 words
    Heat rating: Sweet Romance
    Tagline: Only You follows divorced thirty-something, Jane
    Hollinger, as she is shoved back into the dating world by family and friends,
    and discovers that her fantasy love is more attainable than she ever imagined.
    Blurb: Jane Hollinger is single, divorced, and the wrong
    side of thirty – as she puts it. Her friends are pressuring her to dive back
    into London’s
    dating pool, but she’s content with her quiet life as a genealogy teacher.
    Robert Armstrong is every woman’s fantasy: handsome,
    charming, rich and famous. When he asks her to meet him, she convinces herself
    it’s because he needs her help with a mystery in his family tree. Soon she
    realizes he’s interested in more than her genealogical expertise. Now the
    paparazzi want a piece of Jane too.
    Can Jane handle living — and loving — in the spotlight?
    Buy links:
    Author site http://lornapeel.com/only-you-3
    What are your main characters’ names, ages, and occupations?
    Jane Hollinger, aged 31, genealogy teacher
    Robert Armstrong, aged 38, actor

    Interview

    How did you get your start in the industry?
    I’ve always had quite an lively imagination. When I was
    little I made up stories in my head for my dolls to act out. I’ve been writing
    those stories down since I was nineteen.I had a contemporary short story
    published in Woman’s Way (an Irish women’s magazine) back in 1996. A scan of it
    is now up on my Facebook Page and blog. I was doing a writing course at the
    time and had to submit a number of short stories to magazines and I was lucky
    enough to get one published. The course was interesting but it made me realize
    that I prefer to write longer prose and I decided to try and see if I could get
    a novel published.
    What websites do you visit daily?
    My website and blog, Facebook, Twitter, and various news
    websites as I’m a bit of a news junkie!
    What do you enjoy most about writing?
    Being able to create new characters and the worlds they
    inhabit. And then being able to play God with them! *evil laugh*
    What is your work ethic when it comes to writing?
    Try and write something every day, even if it’s only random
    notes or bits of dialogue in a notebook.
    How do you cope with stress as an author?
    As a new author, I haven’t really encountered author stress
    yet, but I’d try and cope by taking regular breaks.
    What kind of books do you read when taking a break from your
    own writing?
    Historical novels, crime novels, and historical crime
    novels, like the Matthew Shardlake series by C.J. Sansom.
    Imagine you get to go on a dream vacation, but you have only
    one hour to pack and leave, and it starts as soon as you finish this interview.
    What will you take with you and where will you go?
    Either Canada
    or Australia.
    I have relatives in both countries and I’d love to visit some day, so I’d have
    to buy summer clothes for Australia
    (I live in Ireland and we
    don’t get summers anymore!) and summer/winter clothes for Canada, depending on the time of
    year.
    What good book have you read recently?
    Lionheart by Sharon Kay Penman and The Secrets of Pain by
    Phil Rickman.
    What do you like to do when you’re bored?
    If I’m not writing or surfing the internet, and if it
    happens to be dry outside, then go for a long walk.
    If you were a color, what color would you be?
    Purple – I love it, it is such a vibrant colour.
    Please underline which statement is more like you:
    “I am a vacation spa because I am laid back and
    relaxed.”
    “I am a ten-countries in ten-days tour vacation,
    because I do things as fast as possible.”

    Please complete the sentences

    Lorna Peel
    I love pizza with vegan cheese. Well, I don’t actually
    love it, and I’m not a vegan either, but I can’t eat ordinary cheese so I make
    do with the vegan stuff. It’s a bit like old window putty as it doesn’t melt
    properly so it just looks like an orange blob but I can’t imagine pizza without
    some kind of cheese on it!
    I’m always ready for another mug of coffee!
    When I’m alone, I either write, or plot, or both!
    You’d never be able to tell, but I have a torn medial
    ligament in my right knee. It flares up from time to time if I do too much
    walking.
    If I had a halo it would be a bit wonky! I played an angel
    in a Nativity Play when I was small, but that was the end of my association
    with angels!
    If I could find the time I’d buy a camper van and
    explore more of Ireland and
    the UK.
    I can never have too many books because I’m a bit
    of a book hoarder!

    Find Me Here

  • Paranormal

    Paranormal: Wizard’s Shield @kgmccullough #RLFblog

    The Wizard’s Shield

    The Wizard’s Shield by Karen McCullough
    Originally Published
    As: Magic, Murder, and Microcircuits
    Genre: Contemporary Paranormal Mystery/Romantic Suspense
    ISBNS:
    Length: Novel (90,000 words; 234 pages)
    Tagline: To solve a murder and retrieve a stolen magical shield,
    a pair of wizards journey into a dangerous, magical underworld, where the weapons
    of choice might be guns… or lightning bolts.
    Blurb:
    A powerful wizard with a physics degree and a checkered past
    invents a shield to ensure he’ll never again be tortured almost to death.
    The wizarding powers-that-be fear the repercussions of such a
    device and send his former girlfriend, an accomplished wizard herself, to retrieve
    the device or destroy it.
    When the shield is stolen by the magical mafia, Ilene McConnell
    and Michael Morgan have to set aside their differences and work together to recover
    it. Michael claims he needs the device as insurance against the kind of injury and
    injustice he suffered once before. Ilene maintains its potential to upset the delicate
    balance of power makes it too dangerous and that it needs to be destroyed. But none
    of that will matter if they can’t retrieve it before a ruthless, powerful wizard
    learns how to use it for his own ends.
    Buy links:
    Trade Paperback: http://amzn.com/148118296X
    Amazon http://amzn.com/B0060Y5IQ6
    Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-wizard-x2019-s-shield-karen-mccullough/1045768171?ean=2940015953275
    Excerpt:
    The rush of a sudden, fierce wind
    outside drew her to a window to watch the shrubs and palm trees flapping wildly.
    Sand blew over the pavement and splattered against walls and trees. Dead leaves,
    loose papers, and other debris danced in the air. A livid, purple-tinged darkness
    turned the day grotesque. Tendrils of indigo-shaded power floated along with the
    dark storm clouds.
    A flash of lightning seared its way
    from sky to ground just beyond a row of houses across the street, followed closely
    by a crack of thunder that rattled the windows.
    A man and woman hurried three small
    children along the boardwalk that led over the dune from the beach to the street.
    They toted coolers, bags, boogie boards, and buckets. The youngest trailed a towel
    flapping behind him in the wind. More lightning zig-zagged from sky to ground, not
    far away. Ilene sucked in a sharp breath.
    The father looked up and flinched.
    Fear tightened his muscles as he dropped a cooler and turned around to snatch up
    the straggling toddler. His voice carried over the rushing wind. “Get to the
    van. Quick!”
    He nodded toward a vehicle parked
    down the street. His wife and two older children raced on ahead.
    Ilene’s hands clenched into fists.
    Too much energy crackled in the air. It wasn’t directed at the family, but that
    didn’t guarantee they wouldn’t get hurt by it. Collateral damage. Some of the more
    ruthless mages cared little for who else was affected by their activities.
    Two flashes hit nearby, one right
    after the other. The child let out a frightened wail as his father, bent low over
    him, dashed off the wooden walkway and down the street. Even they could sense the
    danger building.
    Ilene couldn’t trust their fate to
    chance. She roused her own power, feeling for charged particles in the area. Gathering
    them in, she rolled and pushed them into position, building a lattice of force around
    the family. It wouldn’t keep out the wind or the rain–she could have done that
    with air, too, if she’d had time–but it should keep the lightning from reaching
    them. For the moment, that mattered most.
    Even at a distance, the rush of oppositely
    charged particles prickled in her brain. The growing polarization signaled an impending
    strike.
    What formed out there made her gut
    clench in fear. It was so close to the father and child the hair on their bodies
    must have been standing on end. The man looked around wildly, searching for shelter.
    The panic in his eyes radiated across the fifty feet or so that separated them.
    Would her barrier be enough to protect
    them? The ground charge was forming so close it could jump right through it if she’d
    left even a small opening. Ilene reached out toward the building charge differential.
    Playing with lightning was tricky business. Choosing her positions carefully, she
    pushed in various weak spots to move the polarizing field.
    It sucked a lot of energy out of her
    to divert its course. Her ribs and head ached as she herded protons in a subatomic
    cattle drive to get the charge well away from the family. Those minuscule bits of
    potential energy were every bit as ornery and uncooperative as cows were reputed
    to be.
    Even as the bolt formed, she didn’t
    know if she’d succeeded. Her breath stopped in her throat for a long, long moment
    as she waited.
    The streak of lightning followed the
    diverted path to the beach, a safe distance away.
    The man ran to the van, getting there
    just moments behind his wife and older children. He pushed the toddler into the
    back seat and ran around to the other side, while his wife slammed the rear door
    and got into the front. Ilene didn’t let out the breath she held until they were
    all safely inside the vehicle. She released the protective field. The van’s headlights
    flicked on and moments later it chugged off down the street.
    More lightning singed the sky. An
    inflatable ring rolled down the street like a runaway tire. Ilene shuddered, though
    it wasn’t entirely the weather that set it off. The storm was a natural thing, but
    someone–a powerful wizard–was using it.
    Using it to attack. The island or
    the house or its occupants. Brilliant, livid streaks of orange and red mixed with
    violet and deep blue swirls riding with the clouds. The smells of ammonia and ozone
    and peppers burned her nostrils.
    Lightning flashed brighter and closer.
    Dangerously closer.
    The grumble of thunder grew almost
    constant. The rushing downpour of rain added to the chaos and noise. Driven by the
    wind to blow almost horizontally, it splattered against the window in big drops
    that spread out, then slid down the glass like groping hands trying to claw their
    way in.
    Something was out there. The swirls
    of lividly hued power grew deeper and more intense. It rode on the storm in frightening
    concentrations. Why here, though?
    Additional Excerpt: http://kmccullough.com/Shield.php

    About the Author

    Karen McCullough is the author of more than a dozen published
    novels in the mystery, romantic suspense, and fantasy genres and has won numerous
    awards, including an Eppie Award for fantasy. She’s also been a four-time Eppie
    finalist, and a finalist in the Prism, Dream Realm, Rising Star, Lories, Scarlett
    Letter, and Vixen Awards contests. Her short fiction has appeared in several anthologies
    and numerous small press publications in the fantasy, science fiction, and romance
    genres. She has three children, three grandchildren, and lives in Greensboro, NC,
    with her husband of many years.

    Find Me Here

  • Contemporary

    Cover Love: Coinage of Commitment @r_costelloe #RLFblog

    Coinage of Commitment

    Cover Love at
    Romance Lives Forever is a short intro to a book and includes only a cover, blurb,
    buy links, and social media contacts for the author. Today’s featured book is
    Coinage of Commitment by Robert Costelloe.
    Tagline: Each must have love stronger, higher, longer lasting
    than others will settle for.
    Blurb:
    Wayne and Nancy grow up on opposite sides of the country, each
    certain they must have love better than what others will settle for. Something stronger,
    something richer, something worth searching for. During the turbulent nineteen-sixties,
    they meet while he is attending blue-collar Drexel, and she is at neighboring, Ivy
    League Penn. Although
    irresistibly drawn to each other, they must overcome obstacles posed by the class
    and social differences that separate them, as well as opposition from both families,
    and later, a twist of fate that will be the cruelest test of all. Can they reach
    the emotional heights they seek? Can they overcome time’s downward pulling inertia?
    Coinage of Commitment is dedicated to all who ever wondered about the altitude love
    might soar to.
    Buy links:
    Amazon http://amzn.com/B00AY0YGRO/

    Find Me Here

  • Suspense

    Romantic Suspense: Bad Traffick @dvberkom #RLFblog

    Bad Traffick

    DV Berkom, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. Let’s talk about
    your book, Bad Traffick.
    Genre: Romantic Suspense
    Publisher: DV Berkom
    Cover artist: DV Berkom
    Length: 242 pages
    Heat rating: R
    Tagline: Dangerous obsessions abound when an ex-assassin and
    a homicide detective race against the clock to find a missing girl before she’s
    lost forever.
    Blurb:
    Bad Traffick was named a 2012 Top 5 Indie Pick by BloodWrites
    and a Top Pick by Night Owl Reviews.
    Although Bad Traffick is part of a series, it is a standalone
    novel and can be read by itself. That being said, if you like the characters, then
    be sure to pick up Serial Date, the critically-acclaimed first novel in the Leine
    Basso series.
    Identified as a person of interest in three cold case murders
    she didn’t commit and required to stay in L.A.,
    ex-assassin Leine Basso accepts a temporary position as a security specialist for
    A-list actor Miles Fournier, who believes he is the target of kidnappers. Leine
    finds she has her hands full trying to protect the head-strong celebrity, while
    at the same time fighting her desire for Detective Santiago Jensen; a game she knows
    she won’t win.
    Soon, a woman contacts Miles, claiming to be his long-lost sister.
    She confesses her twelve-year-old daughter, Mara, has been abducted by sex-traffickers
    and she’s desperate to get her back, hoping that Miles will use his considerable
    resources to find her.
    Leine learns from a contact at a rescue organization that Mara
    escaped and is alone on the streets in the sprawling city of Los Angeles. The traffickers are determined to
    track her down and deliver her to the powerful client who purchased her for his
    twisted ends. Running out of time, Leine must find Mara before they do, or she will
    be lost forever.
    Buy links:
    Amazon UK:
    http://amazon.co.uk/Traffick-Leine-Basso-Series-ebook/dp/B00AQ8WV5I
    What are your main characters’ names, ages, and occupations?
    Madeleine (Leine) Basso
    – Occupation: ex-assassin and security specialist – Age: 37
    Santiago Jensen – Occupation: Detective, LAPD Robbery
    Homicide Division – Age: 42
    Mara Quigg – Age: 12
    Occupation: Running from traffickers intent on selling her to the highest bidder.
    Excerpt:
    The gentleman in the impeccable Armani
    suit watched the images flash by on the screen, a glass of Macallan single malt
    on the gold inlay table beside him. Two additional men, shrouded in darkness and
    unknown to each other, were also taking part in the video conference from different
    areas of the world, watching the same images. Several times one or the other would
    raise his hand, platinum or gold watch flashing in the darkened rooms, signaling
    for the Seller to pause the presentation so they could look more closely at the
    photographs.
    The Seller was visibly sweating in
    the air conditioned comfort of the massive hotel suite. If he didn’t make the sale
    this time, these clients would look elsewhere for their pleasures. His reputation
    as the go-to guy in the business was balancing on a knife’s edge. Ever since the
    fiasco with the televangelist two months prior, he’d kept a sharp eye on the operational
    side of things.
    One of the executives was fidgeting,
    apparently bored, and the Seller’s anxiety level skyrocketed. He didn’t have to
    find a mirror to know his appearance was giving his discomfort away. He could feel
    the cold sweat flowing down his back and armpits, running between his buttocks.
    What the hell do these guys want? Am I losing
    my touch?
    Usually it wasn’t this hard to match the client to the product.
    The Seller was down to his last two
    photographs when all three men simultaneously motioned for him to stop. The client
    in Saudi Arabia
    rose from his chair and walked to the screen, gazing at the delicate visage.
    The Seller’s shoulders relaxed. He
    shouldn’t have been worried, should’ve known the eyes would close the deal: jade
    green flecked with gold surrounding deep black pupils. Everyone who saw her stopped
    in their tracks. She’d reminded the Seller of a famous photo he’d seen years before
    in an issue of National Geographic. She
    wore the same enigmatic expression. The silence of the buyers signaled it was time
    for the hard sell.
    “Gentleman. I see you have exquisite
    taste. Mara is newly acquired and in pristine condition. I guarantee she will delight
    you with her generous charms. As I’m sure you’ll agree, she has no equal. I always
    save the best for last. Mustn’t trot out the most sublime too quickly, eh?”
    There were murmurs of agreement between
    the men. The Seller’s anxiety morphed to excitement as he prepared to set the hook.
    My God, look at them. They’re practically
    salivating
    . A bidding war would be a welcome relief.
    The client in the room waved him to
    his side. His unusual gold pinkie ring flashed, catching the Seller’s eye. He’d
    seen the symbol before, but was unaware of its significance.
    “Her age?” he asked.
    The Seller turned and glanced at the
    picture of the girl. Her expression still held a trace of innocence, although churning
    through the American foster care system for two years had taken its toll. The photographer
    had captured the picture before Mara realized she wasn’t going home.
    “Twelve years, sir.”
    “Pure?”
    “Most assuredly.”
    The man nodded his approval. He glanced
    back at the screen and steepled his fingers, bringing them to his lips to mask his
    words.
    “Make sure she’s mine,”
    he whispered.
    The quiet statement held the promise
    of a lucrative payday tinged with strong warning. The Seller’s mouth ran dry. He
    nodded as he straightened and walked to the front of the room. The cameraman panned
    with him, framing his head and shoulders with Mara’s photograph in the background.
    The other two clients would see only the Seller with the girl’s face behind him
    on screen. Taking a sip of water from a glass nearby, he cleared his throat.
    “Shall we start the bidding at
    fifty-thousand?”
    Download an extended excerpt here.

    Interview

    What inspired you to write this book?
    Bad Traffick deals
    with the pervasive issue of child sex-trafficking in the United States. I
    was inspired to write this book after watching a documentary shown at a local community
    college regarding the trafficking of children in the U.S. It’s not something that only happens
    “somewhere else” – children are forced into the sex trade every day, from
    California to Iowa
    to Alaska.
    The deeper I went into the research, the more I realized I needed
    to tell Mara’s story. Most people are aware human trafficking exists, but a large
    majority don’t realize it’s so prevalent in this country.
    Which character in your current book do you think readers
    will like the most? Why?
    I’ve gotten emails from
    readers telling me they love Leine and Santiago’s
    love story and want to see more. Mara, the twelve year old who is the subject of
    the search, is a close second.
    Why do you write?
    I’ve written since I
    was seven. Along with photography, it’s been my favorite way of making sense of
    the world.
    When you’re not writing, what would we find you doing?
    Other than reading, I
    love the outdoors, so hiking, camping, kayaking, gardening, traveling, etc. I am
    also an avid photographer and cook.
    Are you a plotter, or do you prefer to make it up on the spur
    of the moment?
    I started out as a ‘pantser’,
    or someone who makes up stories on the fly, but after I took a fabulous workshop
    on plotting, I now use a hybrid style that incorporates both when I write.
    Looking back at your first book, what do you wish you had
    done differently?
    Put it away and gone
    on to the next book sooner.
    What’s your writing schedule like?
    I like to get administrative
    stuff done in the morning, such as interviews, answering emails, blog posts, etc.,
    then sit down and write in the afternoon. If I’m really in the zone, I’ll continue
    into the evening.
    Serial Date
    Any advice for new authors?
    Show your writing to
    other people than your family and friends to get a more balanced sense of how well
    you write and what your strengths and weaknesses are. Your mother or best friend
    will not want to hurt your feelings (usually), so won’t be a lot of help. Join a
    critique group with writers of varying abilities. Learn, learn, learn and write,
    write, write. Until you learn to look forward to criticism, you won’t be detached
    enough from your writing to really excel at it.
    When an idea hits you, what do you do to capture it?
    Write it down on anything
    handy. If there’s nothing available, I repeat it to myself several times until I’m
    sure I won’t forget it, or tell it to whomever I’m with.
    What other jobs have you held besides writing?
    I’ve worked as a massage therapist, a certified Feng Shui consultant,
    managed the tasting room at a winery in California, fileted fish at a fish market
    on the coast, sold hot air balloon rides in Napa Valley (and worked as crew), and
    worked in the mud baths of Calistoga. All that, along with several 9-5 jobs in higher
    education, shipping and the banking industry. Obviously, I tend to get bored easily
    :-)
    What are you currently reading for fun? Anything for research?
    For fun: Harbor Nocturne by Joseph Wambaugh. For research:
    I just got back from a trip to the Yucatan
    and am currently deep into writing the next Kate Jones thriller (#6). I’ve been
    researching Mayan culture and jaguars.
    If you could time travel what era would be your first stop?
    Paris in the 1920s. I would love to be a part of the
    ex-pat crowd of artists who spent time there.
    Do you believe in luck?
    As a writer, you have
    to.
    What kind of music do you listen to while driving? Same question
    when writing?
    I’m partial to jazz and
    the Blues, but like alternative stuff, too.
    What’s your favorite movie?
    Out of Africa. It’s one of the
    best, heart-breaking love stories, and the cinematography is stunning.
    Are you the eldest, middle, baby, or only child?
    I’m the baby. I have
    an older sister.
    DV Berkom

    Please complete the sentence

    I love pizza with goat cheese.
    I’m always ready for new things.
    When I’m alone, I love to sing at the top of my lungs and
    totally off key while dancing to the radio
    .
    You’d never be able to tell, but I was once super shy.
    If I had a halo it would be in
    my back pocket. I hate hats
    .
    If I could fly under my own power I’d travel a LOT more.
    I can never go back to wearing big shoulder pads because
    they’re really ugly.

    Previous Books              

    The Kate Jones Thriller series:
    Bad Spirits Books 1-5
    Dead of Winter
    Death Rites
    Touring for Death
    Cruising for Death
    The Leine Basso Series:
    Serial Date
    Bad Traffick

    Books Coming Soon

    Untitled Kate Jones #6
    Untitled Leine Basso #3

    Contest

    I’m giving away one print copy (US only) and 3 ebook copies of Serial Date, the first in the Leine Basso
    series. Leave a comment to be entered. Please write out your email.

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