• Contemporary

    Character Interview: Adam from Out in the Sticks @HLewisFoster #RLFblog #LGBT

    Out in the Sticks 

    About the Book

    Title Out in the Sticks
    Genre Gay romance
    Author Name H. Lewis-Foster
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): R
    Lawyer Adam Sibden has moved to the charming English village of Sharpley to forget about men. But when he
    takes his car to the local garage, he can’t help being attracted to the handsome
    young manager Jim Turley. At the village pub that evening, a misunderstanding leads
    to a highly embarrassing moment for Adam, but Jim thankfully comes to his rescue
    and makes him feel more at ease.
    As the winter weather takes hold, Adam finds himself stranded
    with a punctured tyre, following a disastrous meeting with his ex-boyfriend Lucas.
    Adam calls the garage’s breakdown service, and when Jim ventures into the snow to
    find him, he offers more help than Adam could have hoped for.

    Buy This Book

    Barnes and Noble http://bit.ly/1o5tMw4
    ARe http://bit.ly/1lDdr07

    Interview with Adam Sibden

    Tell us about yourself,
    please.
    My name’s Adam, I’m in my thirties and I’m a lawyer. I’ve just
    moved to a village called Sharpley—I still work in Nottingham,
    but I decided to move out of my apartment in the city. It’s been a tough year, and
    I wanted to make a fresh start. I really like living ‘out in the sticks’, as my
    colleagues call my new abode. There a few downsides—the village shop is shut by
    the time I get home and the broadband speed is pitiful—but the big upside is the
    people I’ve met here, especially Jim.
    What is it that you want,
    but cannot have? Authors call this the conflict of the story.
    I suppose what I really want at the start of the story is to
    forget about men. That was the whole point of moving out to the countryside. I had
    such a rotten time with my ex, Lucas, I didn’t even want to think about having another
    relationship. But then I met Jim, and what can I say? He made me realize there are
    some good men out there—and Jim is the best of them.
    Tell us about your significant
    other, that person who makes living worthwhile.
    Jim manages the local garage, and he’s a damn good mechanic,
    but he’s great with the customers, too. That’s where I met him, in fact, when I
    took my car to be serviced, and he’s been part of my life ever since. I know it’s
    corny, but Jim is the most amazing man I’ve ever met. He is gorgeous, of course,
    but he’s kind and generous, too. I didn’t think I’d ever trust another man when
    I split up with Lucas, but Jim was there for me as a friend, and now he’s so much
    more. He’s rescued me in so many ways, from a punctured tire to a broken heart,
    and I can’t imagine my life without him.
    What would that person
    say about you?
    I think he’d say I’m a bit impractical—I still can’t build a
    decent fire in the hearth at Sage Cottage. Luckily Jim is an expert, having lived
    in the countryside most of his life. I hope he’d say I’m pretty good in the kitchen—I’m
    better than Jim, anyway. The only thing he’s not brilliant at is cooking—he even
    managed to burn baked beans—so I guess he loves me for my culinary skills, and hopefully
    a few other things, too.
    If someone from your past
    showed up, who would you NOT want it to be, and why?
    Sadly, there are quite a few people I was happy to leave behind
    when I moved to Sharpley. The person I would least like to see, however, is Lucas.
    He turned out not to be the person I thought he was, but in some ways I’m grateful
    to him. If it wasn’t for him, I never would have moved to Sharpley, and I never
    would have met Jim.
    Are you happy with the
    way your story ended? Why or why not?
    Twelve months ago, I thought my life was over, but now I’ve made
    a new life in Sharpley. I can see a future now, with Jim and all the other friends
    I’ve made here, so I couldn’t be happier with the way my story ended.

    About the Writer

    You have the length of
    a tweet (140 characters) to describe yourself as a writer. Let’s see what you can
    do.
    I always like to write something new – historical, contemporary,
    futuristic – with all sorts of characters and settings. Variety is the spice of
    my writing life.
    When you wrote about this
    character, what made you the most happy? What made you the most sad?
    What made me most sad was the way Adam had been treated by people
    he thought he could trust. He’s a good person and he feels really let down. He’s
    trying to make the best of things, by moving to a new place, but he still bears
    a lot of emotional scars. The happiest aspect of the story is the fact he meets
    Jim, who is exactly the right person to help Adam build his new life in the countryside.
    Why do you write?
    I write because I love it. I won’t say it’s not difficult sometimes,
    and fitting it in with everyday life can be tricky, but now I’ve started, I can’t
    imagine stopping. It’s an amazing feeling, to know that people anywhere in the world
    could be reading my stories, and when someone tells you they’ve enjoyed your writing,
    it makes all the hard work worthwhile.
    What do you want to write
    next?
    At the moment, I’m writing a story set in the 1960s, in an English
    university town. It’s really interesting writing a story that’s not quite contemporary,
    but not quite historical. I hope I’ve captured the spirit of the time, both its
    possibilities and limitations, and the effect this has on the characters. While
    it’s perhaps not such a straightforward romance as some of my stories, there are
    some lovely characters in it, and I hope readers will enjoy it when it’s published.

    Author Bio

    H. Lewis-Foster has always worked with books, in one form or
    another. As a keen reader of gay fiction, she decided to try writing herself, and
    is now the proud author of several short stories and a debut novel.
    H. has lived in various parts of the UK and has recently moved to the north of England, where she’s
    enjoying city life, especially the theatres and cinemas. She tries not to watch
    too much television, but is a big fan of Downton Abbey, and while she’s writing,
    she loves listening to Test Match Special (where they spend far more time talking
    about cakes than cricket!)
    H. has also ventured into playwriting and was thrilled to see
    her first play performed at the Southend Playwriting Festival earlier this year.

    Author Social Media

  • Contemporary

    Character Interview: Honor Castillo from Honor C @authorczampa #RLFblog #LGBT

    Honor C 
    Title Honor C
    Genre Contemporary Romance Fiction
    Author Name C. Zampa
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): PG13
    When Honor Castillo convinces himself he isn’t gay, he begins
    a new life. He ends his affair with his lover, Jorge Villagomez, and marries Rebecca
    to establish a life with her as a respected San Antonio businessman. They have a son and he
    tells himself he is happy.
    Eleven years later, Jorge returns to San Antonio, and his path crosses with Honor’s
    once more. The flame of their passion never died, and neither did Jorge’s love for
    Honor.
    When Jorge approaches Honor to design his studio, Honor believes
    he can walk the line between friendship and lovers. But when a sudden crisis threatens
    to take Jorge from him forever, Honor must choose between his duty and his heart.
    Most of all, he’s forced to decide what he’s willing to lose in order to be true
    to who he really is.
    Publisher http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3823
    Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Honor-C-C-Zampa-ebook/dp/B00D2KE11E/

    Interview with Honor Castillo

    Tell us about yourself,
    please.
    I’m a successful Hispanic businessman in San Antonio. I’m married to my college sweetheart,
    Rebecca, and we have a son, Michael.
    What is it that you want,
    but cannot have? Authors call this the conflict of the story.
    All my life I’ve wanted to just be who and what I was. Gay.
    What’s your internal limitation?
    Meaning, what is it about you that makes it so you cannot do what it is you need
    to do during this story?
    My love and loyalty to my wife and son. My fear of losing my
    family if I came out of the closet. My fear and shame that was beaten into me by
    my father when I was a boy, though, has been one of the biggest nails on my closet
    door.
    What inner doubt causes
    you the most difficulty?
    The pain, the horrible, pain that would be caused if I came out
    of the closet. My successful business position in the community and what would happen
    if I came out as a homosexual.
    What’s your external complication?
    In the story world your author created, explain what it is you fear most.
    The biggest complication to enter my life was a lover from my
    past. Jorge Villagomez. I’d left him behind long ago and locked myself in the closet,
    hoped he would always just be a secret from my past. But, when he returned to my
    world, I knew my love for him had never died. It was stronger than ever.
    Tell us about your significant
    other, that person who makes living worthwhile.
    At the risk of being hated, my life is divided between two significant
    others. My wife, Rebecca and Jorge. And that is my pain. A love and respect for
    the woman I married, who I truly love, and an equal love for the man I loved since
    I was a kid.
    What would that person
    say about you?
    Oddly, they would both say the same thing, but from different
    points of view. That, although I am a loyal, good man who would do anything for
    those I love, I am also a miserable mess. A man torn between two lives—my straight
    life and being the homosexual who I really am.
    What is your family like?
    We are a typical family. Happy. Deep into our Hispanic heritage.
    What special skills do
    you rely on?
    Skills. Funny, I never thought of having skills. I am, though,
    a talented and innovative architect.
    If someone from your past
    showed up, who would you NOT want it to be, and why?
    Jorge, of course. With him comes the pounding on my tight closet
    door. And, most of all, my father. A man who hated me, who was ashamed of me.
    Are you happy with the
    way your story ended? Why or why not?
    Very happy. It was a painful road, my coming out. I did hurt
    my wife, I confused my son. But, in time—because ultimately she loved me enough—Rebecca
    came to terms as best she could with my homosexuality. And, after an equally rocky
    road, I finally reunited with my soul mate, Jorge.

    About the Writer

    You have the length of
    a tweet (140 characters) to describe yourself as a writer. Let’s see what you can
    do.
    Ha! That’s a good one! Let me see…Nah, I can’t describe myself.
    Why did you choose to
    write about this character?
    I simply love Hispanic culture and the character was inspired
    by one of my favorite crushes, Hispanic actor Eduardo Yanez. Personality, looks,
    everything. It felt good to turn a passion for a type of man into a character.
    Was there anything you
    discovered about this character that was a surprise to you? When you wrote about
    this character, what made you the most happy? What made you the most sad? Happy?
    That he was beautiful. He was NOT perfect, as he was a big man,
    had been a big kid. Sad because of other imperfections. Sad because he was going
    to do some things, in his struggle to finally come out, that would hurt others,
    that would make him seem selfish, that would make him seem weak. But it was who
    he was, and it was real. Not easy to make a character have flaws that you knew readers
    would not like.
    Why do you write?
    I know it’s cliché, but it’s true: because I can’t NOT write.
    But, then, too, I’ve always had this huge, huge world of folks in my head. And since
    I can’t paint of sing about them, I have to produce them in the only other means
    I know. Writing them.
    What do you want to write
    next?
    I’m already into a story, another Hispanic set of characters,
    only a bit darker than ‘Honor C’. A story where a horrific event that happened years
    ago ends up being an unsuspected bond between the two main characters.
    What other character from
    this book do you want to write about? Care to tell us why?
    The supporting character, Gabriel Barbosa, who had loved one
    of the MC’s (Jorge). Just one of those guys you write, who you don’t plan to be
    awfully significant, but then—ouch—you kind of like him a lot and want to write
    him, to explore him further.
    Are any sequels planned
    for this book?
    Actually, there is a sequel. The book was left with what readers
    keep calling a ‘happy for now’. I want to go beyond and let the readers have that
    conclusive happy ending.

    Author Bio

    C. Zampa’s earliest stories were not written words, but drawings.
    Adventures, romances—all drawn in comic book style, complete with dialogue bubbles.
    Countless hours were spent in her room with her Mead Academie sketch pad and pencils.
    While the stereo headphones piped the classics into her ears, she feverishly sketched
    the wonderful characters who lived in her head, creating little vignettes for them.
    Even her early drawings reflected romance as she felt it—erotic,
    sensual, natural, uninhibited.
    In her pseudo-hippie days of high school, she began to write.
    Her teachers encouraged her to take her writing seriously, but to her it was strictly
    for pleasure. Once entering the working world, she left writing behind; but, a few
    years ago, overwhelmed by a need to create, she opened a blank document and began
    to write again and has not stopped since.

    Author Social Media

    Amazon Author Page:

    http://www.amazon.com/C.-Zampa/e/B004QSDSG0/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1402760970&sr=1-2-ent

  • Contemporary

    Character Interview: Amber from Fallen Leaves @AuthorTinaGayle #RLFblog #suspense

    Fallen Leaves 
    Title: Fallen Leaves (Family Tree book 2)
    Genre: Romantic Suspense with Paranormal Elements
    Author Name: Tina Gayle
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): PG13
    As autumn comes to the
    Winston estate in Ohio,
    Amber Harrison learns further lessons in her new position as keeper for the spirits
    and ghosts who haunt the estate–and further lessons in love, too. She and her love,
    Carter Miller, grapple with the fears and passions of new love, while caught up
    in the storm of ancient family drama.
    This is the second book
    in the unfolding saga of the psychics and talents associated with the Winston estate,
    a sheltered place where past, present, and future are woven into a single dramatic
    tapestry of love and desire. The tale spans multiple generations, multiple eras,
    and offers something special for all ages of reader. A sexy, erotic winner, with
    an assortment of couples to appeal to most tastes.

    Buy This Book

    Publisher: Tina Gayle
    Barnes and Noble – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fallen-leaves-tina-gayle/1119233833?ean=2940149229918
    ARe – https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-fallenleaves-1479048-140.html

    Interview with Amber Harrison

    Tell us about yourself,
    please.
    Hi everyone,
    My name is Amber Harrison. I’m the Winston family keeper.
    Right, and what’s that you’re probably asking?
    It means that I’m guided by my family ancestors which are now
    my spiritual guides. They assigned me task that will help me grow and will help
    different members of my family. I’m very happy in my job, most of the time because
    I’m surrounded by very supportive people.
    But this time, the family spirits have assigned me one heck of
    a task. I have to get my grandmother’s ghost to let go and pass over into heaven.
    Do you know how hard that is?
    Especially with a ghost riddled with guilt.
    Add in, I’m in love with an incredible guy who has no idea what
    I’m going through. Then you’ll wonder why I just don’t pack up my bags, head back
    to college, and sunny California.
    Oh, yeah, my parents, they want to rule my life.
    Oh, but it’s fun being me…not.
    What is it that you want,
    but cannot have? Authors call this the conflict of the story.
    To let go of the guilt I have of accidentally killing my grandfather.
    I loved him so much, then he died and left me all alone.
    What’s your internal limitation?
    Meaning, what is it about you that makes it so you cannot do what it is you need
    to do during this story?
    I have to let go of the one man, I truly love to find the confidence
    to convince my grandmother to let go of her life as a ghost.
    What inner doubt causes
    you the most difficulty?
    Failing the family that loves me.
    Tell us about your significant
    other, that person who makes living worthwhile.
    Carter Miller is everything a girl could want tall, dark, and
    handsome with the most incredible bedroom-brown eyes. He can look at you and you
    want to melt. He works in construction and is remodeling the kitchen in Winston
    Manor. His only problem is he doesn’t understand my connection to the spiritual
    world.
    What would that person
    say about you?
    He believes I’m beautiful. Even if I’ve been told by my mother,
    I could use to lose a few pounds. With blonde hair and blue eyes, I’m attractive
    and try to be a nice person. Though, his sister calls me a bimbo because I consume
    a great deal of her brother’s time. Yeah, I can’t help if he likes being with me.
    What is your family like?
    With a family of spirits surround me, I have more characters
    around me than I can shake a stick at (old says are repeated regularly at my house.)
    They are supportive as well as challenging.
    My best friend, Mattie Winston Miller is the best and helps me
    with my job. She’s the old family keeper and understands the challenges I face.
    As for my parents, they are in California. We don’t exactly get along, and I’m
    much happier living miles and miles away from them.
    Are you happy with the
    way your story ended? Why or why not?
    Yes, I met the task assigned to me by Jonathan, the head of the
    family spirits and I am committed to living the rest of my life with the man I love.
    Granted, I still have challenges to face but I know I can meet
    them with the help of the family spirits and my friends.

    About the Writer

    You have the length of
    a tweet (140 characters) to describe yourself as a writer. Let’s see what you can
    do.
    Creates heartwarming stories about women, their struggles, successes,
    hopes, and dreams. Romances that push the limit and touch your heart.
    Why did you choose to
    write about this character?
    Amber is a young woman searching for where she fits into the
    world. Her challenges stretch the limit of what we might achieve if we were given
    a task by spirit.
    When you wrote about this
    character, what made you the most happy? What made you the most sad?
    Happy for her to find the strength to let go of the pain of the
    past and reach forward into a new future with Carter. Sad – She see the pain others
    experience and can’t let it go, she shares the pain and works to help anyway she
    can.
    Why do you write?
    I want my readers to escape into a new world and discover new
    things that they can take into their world and make their life better.
    What do you want to write
    next?
    I’m working right now on the last book in my Executive Wives’
    Club series. Then I’ll start on the next book in the Family Tree Series.
    What other character from
    this book do you want to write about? Care to tell us why? Are any sequels planned
    for this book?
    This series shares the life adventures of not only Amber but
    Mattie and her daughter Lilia. A family saga, there is a great deal to share with
    each character growing and learning new things.
    The next book will go into more of Lilia’s life. She is a psychic,
    but she is not sure if she can embrace her gift or not. She has a challenge in the
    next book and will discover that having someone to love can make a world of difference
    in your outlook on life.
    Is there anything you’d
    like to say to your readers?
    Thank you, I am always amazed by my readers and their understanding
    of my stories.

    Author Bio

    Growing up, I didn’t know what I wanted to be. Once when someone
    asked me about my dream job, I said I wanted to be a pretender.
    That’s why writing is the perfect job for me, because it allows
    me the flexablity to become a new person in every book. In truth, I went through
    a number of different jobs, before I decided to be a writer. I enjoy incorporating
    the heartaches, headaches and fun of being a mother into my books.
    Currently, I’m working on a series about four executive wives.
    They combine elements of women fiction with the passion of romance. The first three
    books are available, Marketing Exec’s Widow, IT Exec’s Baby, and CFO’s Affair. The
    last book CEO Widow’s Decision will be out by the end of 2014.
    Also, I have two books out in my Family Tree series…Summer’s
    Growth and Fallen Leaves. (Paranormal Romantic Suspense)
    When not writing, I enjoy spending time with my family and traveling
    around the country. I haven’t hit every state yet, but hoping to some day.
    Read the first chapter of any of my books by visiting my website.

    Author Social Media

    Blog www.tinagayle.blogspot.com

    Amazon Author Page – http://www.amazon.com/Tina-Gayle/e/B002BM9GR8

  • Contemporary

    Character Interview Lt Rycroft from Confessions Of Love @MelissaBlue26 #RLFblog #HistoricalRomance

    Confessions Of Love 
    Title Confessions Of Love
    Genre Regency Historical Romance
    Author Melissa Blue
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): PG13
    London,
    1817
    Lieutenant Jonathan Rycroft is intoxicating. His hands know just
    where to touch her, his lips know just how to trip her pulse, and his body knows
    just how to bring about every forbidden desire Lindsay Dunsfield has ever felt.
    He’s the one man that’s owned her heart… and he shattered it two years ago.
    Returned to London
    on assignment with the War Office, Jonathan’s mission is hindered by a love he cannot
    forget. One scorching kiss reignites the flames of their passion, but he inadvertently
    drags Lindsay into a mire of murder and deception that hits closer to home than
    she ever would have dreamed.
    In a world where Lindsay can trust no one, will she find renewed
    faith in the last place she expected to look?

    Buy This Book

    Publisher Entangled Publishing
    Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/confessions-of-love-melissa-blue/1116862933?ean=9781622662913
    Kobo http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/confessions-of-love-1

    Interview with Lieutenant Jonathan Rycroft

    Tell us about yourself,
    please.
    Oh, my, where do I start? My name is Jonathan Rycroft and I’m
    a Lieutenant in His Majesty’s Royal Navy, and I am currently on special assignment
    with the War Office. I joined the navy in part to spite my father, but mostly to
    earn a respectable living to marry the girl I love.
    What is it that you want,
    but cannot have? Authors call this the conflict of the story.
    I want Lindsay Dunsfield. We were childhood sweethearts, you
    see, but now she blames me for the death of her brother. Andrew Dunsfield was my
    best friend and I will do anything to solve his murder and prove myself to Lindsay.
    What’s your internal limitation?
    Meaning, what is it about you that makes it so you cannot do what it is you need
    to do during this story?
    For one, I am a bastard. The illegitimate son of the Earl of
    Wayford to be exact. I grew up with my father berating me for my worthlessness whenever
    he got drunk, and I never really knew my mother. She killed herself because she
    couldn’t bear up to the shame of having me. With history like that, it is difficult
    not to believe I’m nothing more than a mistake.
    What’s your external complication?
    In the story world your author created, explain what it is you fear most.
    My investigation with the War Office hinges on finding key documents
    which would prove a very important member of the aristocracy, Lord Harold Grimsby,
    guilty of treason. As a matter of self-defense, I shot and wounded Lord Harold.
    Now I’m in hiding, and unless I find the documents to prove he’s a traitor I’ll
    be hanged or forced to flee the country. Either way I’ll lose Lindsay.
    Tell us about your significant
    other, that person who makes living worthwhile.
    Lindsay is amazing. Beautiful and kind. She is easily the most
    giving person I’ve ever met, and that is probably her best quality as well as her
    greatest downfall.
    What would that person
    say about you?
    I’d like to think she’d say I’m the love of her life, and honorable
    despite every reason not to be.
    What is your family like?
    Despite the horror I already spoke of with my parents, my family
    is not so terrible. I have a half-sister, Felicity, whom I adore, and my step-mother,
    Sarah, was a wonderful woman. She raised me as her own, and I owe any upstanding
    qualities I possess to her.
    What special skills do
    you rely on?
    I am a good fighter. In the navy I was trained to fight in close
    combat situations and am skilled with a knife and saber.
    If someone from your past
    showed up, who would you NOT want it to be, and why?
    My father. He’d probably threaten to have me shipped to America
    once he learned I’d shot a nobleman.
    Are you happy with the
    way your story ended? Why or why not?
    I am very pleased. I have Lindsay at my side, and I solved the
    murder of my best friend. I also have the satisfaction of brining a traitor to justice.

    About the Writer

    You have the length of
    a tweet (140 characters) to describe yourself as a writer. Let’s see what you can
    do.
    Author of fast paced, beautifully written historical romance
    weaved with mystery and suspense.
    Why did you choose to
    write about this character?
    This character actually started out as a secondary character
    in a story I am yet to finish. Jonathan quite literally stole the show and I wound
    up writing him a story instead!
    Was there anything you
    discovered about this character that was a surprise to you?
    My characters never fail to surprise me, and what surprised me
    with Jonathan is how steadfast he was. A man with as much emotional baggage as he’s
    written with would have every right to be closed off and hard-nosed, but I just
    wasn’t able to write him about as anything but kind, open, and honorable.
    Why do you write? And
    how did you get started writing?
    I love history and I love books! I’ve had my own story ideas
    rumbling around in my head for as long as I can remember, and I’ve always had a
    knack for creative writing. My dad as well as several school teachers encouraged
    me to study writing in college, but I chose to pursue nursing in large part for
    it’s practicality. In college at Western
    Michigan University
    a literature professor also encouraged me to write. It wasn’t until my husband bought
    me a laptop computer for Christmas about six years ago that I started putting my
    own stories down in earnest. It is a wonderful escape.
    What do you want to write
    next?
    Currently I am working on another Regency Romance titled SIREN.
    Hopefully my agent will see that by the end of summer! But with four kids at home
    and my job as a nurse it just isn’t that easy to juggle time.
    What other character from
    this book do you want to write about? Care to tell us why?
    The story I never finished, which featured Jonathan as a secondary
    character, was started for his half-sister, Felicity. One of these days I’d like
    to get back to that book.
    Are any sequels planned
    for this book?
    Lindsay has three very entertaining sisters. Sequels are a distinct
    possibility.
    Is there anything you’d
    like to say to your readers?
    Happy Reading!

    Author Bio

    A Registered Nurse by night, Melissa battles the stresses of
    life and illness by enjoying uplifting tales of love and romance. A firm believer
    in true love united with an enduring fascination with history has prompted her pursuit
    of romance writing. She lives in beautiful Big Sky Country Montana with her husband
    and children.

    Author Social Media

    Website www.melissalynneblue.com

    Amazon Author Page http://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Lynne-Blue/e/B008I6IYOC/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

  • Contemporary

    Meet Fredrick from Just My Type by @SynithiaW #RLFblog #contemporary

    Just My Type 
    Title Just My Type
    Genre Contemporary Romance
    Author Name Synithia Williams
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): R
    Janiyah Henderson may be an adult, but her dad doesn’t see it
    that way. Granted, she’s enjoying her post-college life of little-to-no responsibility,
    but when her dad announces at a family meeting that she can’t handle working a
    “real job,” there’s only one thing to do: land a desk job and prove him
    wrong. When her brother’s best friend, Fredrick Jenkins, needs a new assistant,
    she knows she’s the perfect candidate. So what if she’s had a crush on the conservative
    accountant since she was nine? She’s the last woman Freddy would fall for.
    But Fredrick is far from impervious to Janiyah’s charms. Though
    he can’t help but be attracted to her, he knows Janiyah is more interested in eating
    his cereal and teasing him than viewing him as more than the good guy next door.
    When he offers her the job, he can’t imagine her giving up her late mornings and
    colorful outfits for 8:00 a.m. meetings and pantyhose for too long. But as Janiyah
    excels as his employee, he fears he’s in danger of falling hard for a woman he shouldn’t
    care for.
    Pretty soon the attraction they’ve tried to ignore boils to the
    surface. And after Fredrick shows Janiyah the man behind the numbers, she’s ready
    to show him that she’s just the type of woman he needs.

    Buy This Book

    Publisher: http://www.crimsonromance.com/crimson-romance-ebooks/crimson-romance-book-genres/contemporary-romance-novels/just-my-type/
    iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/just-my-type/id881625145?mt=11
    Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/books/just-my-type-3/EgqszQm5NU28LBI2WRmGNQ?MixID=EgqszQm5NU28LBI2WRmGNQ&PageNumber=1

    Interview with Fredrick P. Jenkins

    Tell us about yourself, please.

    I’m an accountant that started my own firm two years ago after the
    firm I worked only wanted to deal with clients perceived to be financially viable
    instead of taking care of the ones who needed the most help. In the two years since
    l left, I’ve made my firm one of the most successful startups in my area.
    On a personal level, I enjoy reading, biographies mostly, watching
    documentaries and weight lifting. Don’t let my hobbies fool you. Many times women
    see the conservative outer appearance and automatically put me in the “good
    guy” or “friend” category. But, believe me, I’m far from the reserved
    good guy when it comes to relationships. It was something I longed to show Janiyah
    for years, but at the same time didn’t want to ruin our friendship.

    What is it that you want, but cannot
    have? Authors call this the conflict of the perceived story.

    I always wanted a nice, predictable, stable relationship. I dated
    women who had similar career goals and were settled in their lives. But there was
    always Janiyah. Unpredictable, flirty, and definitely not looking to settle into
    a nice and easy relationship. She drove me crazy, I wanted her and didn’t want her
    at the same time. I thought she was exactly what I didn’t need in my life. It was
    impossible to continue to ignore the way she made me feel.

    What inner doubt causes you the most
    difficulty?

    I didn’t want to want Janiyah because I watched my dad make poor
    choices based on the whims of my mother. What I didn’t realize was that Janiyah’s
    unpredictability wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. She brings excitement and joy to
    my life.

    What’s your external complication?
    In the story world your author created, explain what it is you fear most.

    Janiyah already lived next to me, but then she wanted to work
    for me. I didn’t doubt she could do it. I did doubt that I’d be able to resist her
    when she was with me in the office all day. Not only did she become a stellar employee,
    but I saw a side of her that I refused to acknowledge was there. I was still afraid
    to trust myself to be with her. Janiyah dated men much more exciting than an accountant.
    I wasn’t sure if she’d be happy with me long term, and I want a long term relationship.

    Tell us about your significant other,
    that person who makes living worthwhile.

    What would that person say about
    you?

    At first, I think Janiyah would say that I wasn’t interested
    in her. I spent years trying to hide my attraction. She’s my best friend’s little
    sister, I couldn’t do my boy like that by stepping to his sister. I also think she
    viewed me as a “good guy”. She would tease me and call me Freddy whenever
    she tried to get me to loosen up. After I showed her my looser side, and opened
    myself up to accepting our relationship she calls me her man, the guy she loves,
    and a damn good lover. I can’t argue with any of that.

    What is your family like?

    The complete opposite of me. My dad spends his days ignoring
    responsibility to make my mom happy. My mom picks up and drops hobbies constantly
    and is more concerned with appearances. I have one sister who lives in New York; we don’t speak
    often. I love my family, but we’re just different.

    Are you happy with the way your story
    ended? Why or why not?

    Of course I’m happy. I’ve got Janiyah, my business is doing well,
    and her four older brother’s didn’t kill me for being with their baby sister.

    About the Writer

    You have the length of a tweet (140 characters) to describe yourself as
    a writer. Let’s see what you can do.

    I write spicy romances set in the south.

    Why did you choose to write about this character?

    I like the idea of the nice guy next door that has a naughty
    side. It was fun to tease Freddy and then finally have him snap and go after Janiyah
    full force.

    When you wrote about this character, what made you the most happy? What
    made you the most sad?

    Of course I was happy writing his love scenes. Freddy is great
    in bed. I was sad writing his struggle to trust his feelings for Janiyah. It was
    tough making him continue to push away from her when she was so open about her feelings
    for him.

    What do you want to write next?

    I’m working on the stories for Janiyah’s brothers. One is a pretty
    boy, the other is a bad boy, and one is a wanderer. I’m going to have lots of fun
    with these guys.

    Author Bio

    Synithia Williams has loved romance novels since reading her
    first one at the age of 13. It was only natural that she would begin penning her
    own romances soon after. When she isn’t writing, this local government gal balances
    the needs of her husband and two sons.

    Author Social Media

    Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&field-author=Synithia%20Williams&search-alias=digital-text

  • Suspense

    Character Sketch: Jake from Protection @linda_rettstatt #RLFblog #suspense

    Protection 

    About the Book

    Title Protection
    Genre Romantic Suspense
    Author Linda Rettstatt
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): PG13
    Jake Garber is a new man after being placed in the witness protection
    program pending a Federal child-trafficking case in which he’s a witness. Shannon
    Chase is the identity stolen by a young woman escaping her past to protect her child.
    A foggy night, a hairpin turn, and a car crash throw Jake and Shannon into one another’s
    lives where each struggles to protect a secret.

    Buy This Book

    Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Protection-Linda-Rettstatt-ebook/dp/B00IXXBMSU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1397319661&sr=8-1&keywords=Linda+Rettstatt

    About the Character

    Name: Jake Garber
    Age: 30
    Gender: Male
    Birthplace: New
    York State
    Profession: Carpenter
    Ethnicity/Species (if not human):
    Describe his/her body
    build, skin tone, height and weight. Include any unique features such as dimples,
    freckles, or scars:
    Jake is tall and lean, with dark brown hair that creeps
    over his shirt collar. He is tanned from working outdoors.
    Who is the significant
    other in your character’s life?
    Shannon Chase – a woman who literally crashed into his life along
    with her three month old daughter.
    What special skills does
    your character rely on?
    Jake learned carpentry from his father and grandfather and relies
    on those skills now to support himself.
    What does he have a knack
    for doing?
    Taking care of other people.
    Does this character see
    morality as black-and-white, or with shades of gray?
    His once well-defined views on morality are challenged and shift
    because of his forced exile into witness protection and his growing attraction to
    Shannon.
    If someone from your character’s
    past showed up, who would he most want it to be, and why? OR who would he most NOT
    want it to be, and why?
    He would not be happy to see Lou Crowley–the former priest who
    is now trying to kill him.
    Can your hero keep a secret?
    If not, why not? If yes, why?
    Jake is a walking secret. In his former life as Father Steve
    Avery, he became a key witness in a child-trafficking case. With two of the suspects
    still on the loose, Father Steve was placed in witness protection, living now as
    Jake Garber in the Pacific Northwest.
    What inner doubt causes
    your character the most difficulty?
    After having Shannon Chase and her baby come into his life, Jake
    is seriously doubting his original call to the priesthood. He struggles with his
    feelings of betrayal by the Church and his sense of belonging with Shannon and Bailey.
    What is your character’s
    biggest need at the beginning of the story?
    Jake needs to protect his identity while trying to help Shannon
    and her infant daughter, Bailey. He risks letting this woman into his home and his
    heart.
    What is your hero’s biggest
    hopes and dreams?
    He begins to realize a longing for his own family, something
    he can never have if he returns to the priesthood when the Federal case is resolved.
    What is your hero’s breaking
    point?
    When he begins to doubt that Shannon
    has been honest with him.
    Who in his life has the
    power to hurt this character the most? Why?
    Shannon. Because he has fallen
    in love with her.

    Bonus: Questions for you to ask your character.

    Jake, what is your favorite
    meal?
    Give me a nice thick steak, medium rare and an ice cold beer
    and I’m happy.
    When you went into the
    Witness Protection Program, you had to take on a new line of work. You chose carpentry.
    Why?
    My grandfather was a master carpenter. And woodworking is my
    dad’s hobby. I learned from them and enjoy creating things that will mean something
    to people for generations to come.
    What drives you in life?
    The desire to do something meaningful, something that makes a
    difference.

    About Your Writer: Questions for your character to answer about you.

    Why do you think your
    writer chose to write about you?
    Well, it’s not every day you meet a priest in the witness protection
    program. I guess my story intrigued her. That along with the varied possibilities
    of how everything could turn out.
    What do you wish your
    writer had not told others about you?
    That I’m a bit of a wuss when it comes to weaponry. I rely on
    my Louisville Slugger for self-defense.
    Was there anything your
    writer discovered about you that was a surprise to one or both of you?
    Yep. We were both surprised by the intensity of my attraction
    to Shannon.
    When your writer is writing about you, what do you think makes
    your writer the most happy?
    She just loved digging into my emotions. Someone should tell
    her us guys aren’t too fond of that. And she just couldn’t keep her nose out of
    the relationship I have with Shannon. She
    was gleefully determined to get the two of us together.
    What makes your writer
    the most sad?
    Even though my story has a happy ending, I know Linda was sad
    to write those last two words. I think she enjoyed being in my company. (Maybe I’ll
    have to whisper another story line in her ear some day.)
    Why do you think your
    writer loves to write?
    She’s a story teller, that’s for sure. She seemed to thoroughly
    enjoy dragging the fine details of my life and my struggles out of me. If she weren’t
    a writer, she’d make a pretty good therapist. Or a sadist, since she managed to
    put me into a few heart-stopping situations.

    About the Author

    Linda Rettstatt likes to know what makes people tick and she
    loves a good story. This combination fuels her passion for creating stories that
    capture your mind and touch your heart. Her writing garnered the 2012 EPIC eBook
    Award in Mainstream Fiction for her novel Love, Sam. Linda grew up in SW Pennsylvania
    and suffers a bout of homesickness every October when she thinks of the fall leaves
    and trails at her beloved Ohiopyle
    State Park. She now lives
    in NW Mississippi with her cat, Binky, who only allows her to share the apartment
    because she brings home the Fancy Feast.

    Author Social Media