Suspense

Romantic Thriller: Byzantine Gold @BookstoGoNow #RLFblog

Byzantine Gold

Chris Karlsen, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. Let’s talk about
your book, Byzantine Gold.

Genre: Romantic Thriller
Publisher: Books to Go Now
Cover artist: Elaina Lee from 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/B00AVMIHDE/
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.
Golden Chariot

Interview

What is the most important thing you do for your career now,
as compared to when you first started writing?
I allocate time for promotion
work and I start asking for reviews as soon as I can.
What websites do you visit daily?
The Animal Rescue Site
and the Rainforest Site, I click on the pages. For every click a bowl of food goes
to a shelter animal and every click goes to purchase rainforest land at risk. It’s
free to the person who clicks as corporate sponsors and/or private contributors
take care of the costs.
What do you enjoy most about writing?
When a reader tells me
they felt like they were there, in a scene, with one of my characters or when they
say they felt part of the setting from the narrative description.
If you could choose anyone to be your mentor who would it
be?
Tough call but I think
(if you mean another author) it would be either Bernard Cornwell or John Sandford.
I have several favorite authors but they combine setting with action remarkably
well.
If you could give the younger version of yourself advice what
would it be?
Start writing now. Don’t
wait.
What is your work ethic when it comes to writing?
It’s pretty good. I do
allocate time every day if I can to write, generally the afternoons. I don’t set
page goals and don’t allow myself to not write because I’m “blocked.”
Do things your family or friends do ever end up in a book?
No.
What are some jobs you’ve done before (or while) you were
a writer?
Before I became a writer
I was car rental agent, a receptionist in a law firm, a switchboard operator, a
grocery clerk and a police officer.
Which of your books would you recommend to someone who doesn’t
normally read your genre, and why?
I’d recommend Golden
Chariot or Byzantine Gold. They are romantic thrillers and the romance is the subplot
rather than the main plot. I think it’s a nice way to introduce someone to romance
and the thriller aspect has wider appeal.
What kind of books do you read when taking a break from your
own writing?
I read historical fiction,
like Bernard Cornwell’s books, Mike Connelly, John Sandford and Joe Wambaugh’s cop
books, Julia Quinn’s historical romances along with Julie Anne Long and Deanna Raybourn.
I also like Stephen Coonts’ thrillers.
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?
A couple pair of shoes
as I wear a 10 and can’t always find that size abroad. Toothbrush, toothpaste, some
other toiletries and my makeup so I look halfway decent when I arrive. Kindle and/or
Nook, tablet for emails, and my iPod with my music. A couple of changes of clothes.
I’d go to Bodrum, Turkey,
where I can lounge by the Aegean Sea and enjoy
the sidewalk cafes at night.
What is your favorite holiday and why?
Driving around England and Scotland is a fave. I love it there.
I love there’s so much history and castles, and picturesque villages, and nice people.
I can never see all I want in a visit.
What good book have you read recently?
Death of Kings by Bernard
Cornwell and I’m currently enjoying Mad
River by John Sandford.
Where were you at midnight, on December 31st when the new
century started?
Watching a Castle rerun.
Dull I know.
If your life became a movie, who would you want to play you?
Stana Katic
If you were a color, what color would you be?
Bright Copper
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

I love pizza with pepperoni, sausage and onions.
I’m always ready for a glass of champagne.
When I’m alone, I listen to music and read.
You’d never be able to tell, but I’m not at all talkative
at parties where I don’t know many people
.
If I had a halo it would be ornate
like Byzantine jewelry
.
If I could get the courage I’d take a hot air balloon
over part of Turkey
.
I can never dive because I cannot manage to clear my
mask properly
.

Previous Books

Heroes Live Forever
Journey in Time
Chris Karlsen
Golden Chariot

Books Coming Soon

Knight Blindness

Contest

Commenters will have a chance to win an ebook copy of Golden Chariot.

Find Me Here

Website: http://chriskarlsen.com/index.html

The Romance Lives Forever blog features authors and new books from all genres.