When a treasure hunter discovers clues that lead to a long-lost, sunken ship laden with treasure, she’s forced to turn to the one man who can help her in Charissa Gracyk’s new adventure romance, Brighter Than Gold. The only problem is he stole from her once before and now she can’t trust him.

Charissa, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! We support all furbabies, real life or fictional. We want to know all about your Fiction Furbaby, but first, please tell us about Brighter Than Gold.

Brighter Than Gold by Charissa Gracyk

Genre: Steamy, contemporary action/adventure romance

Book heat level (based on movie ratings): R

He stole from her before, but claims he’s changed…

Dylan Ford is a liar, a thief and a pirate. And, unfortunately, the only man who can help Hollis Quinn. Because she needs to salvage a shipwreck in deep water and only Dylan has the cutting-edge, specialized equipment to do that.

Hollis wants nothing to do with his equipment or his arrogant, crooked smile. He betrayed her once before and she’s reluctant to trust him again. But, when someone tries to kill her and steals her beloved father’s research, Hollis is forced to turn to Dylan.

As lines blur and truths are revealed, Hollis can’t decide whether she wants to punch Dylan or kiss him. Adventure and intrigue draw them closer and, as they work together to find the priceless cargo, one thing is clear: Dylan Ford isn’t the same person he used to be.

But, can Hollis ever fully trust him?

Meet Fisher from Brighter Than Gold

Full name: Mel “Fish” Fisher

Nickname: Fish

Gender: Male

Species: Canine

Physical description: scruffy shepherd mix

Relationship to main character: best friend

Relationship to the villain/antagonist: Fish is smart and whenever he sees the antagonist, he warns Dylan with a growl.

Where this furbaby came from: Dylan found him scrounging for food in the marina where he lives and rescued him.

What inspired you to create this character?

I’m a big advocate of rescuing animals and it’s always been a natural thing for me to include that in my writing. Since there’s so much adventure in this story, I didn’t have a dog until a later draft—until I knew that Fisher would have a good babysitter available while Dylan and Hollis ran around searching for treasure. And, that is Hiro, Dylan’s business partner who Fisher adores.

What does the main character think about this furbaby?

Dylan finds Fisher digging through trash, thin and hungry, and takes pity on him. He relates to the dog and knows what it means to be on your own and a loner. They instantly bond and Fish becomes his best friend.

How do other characters react to or interact with this furbaby?

When Hollis, the heroine, meets Fisher, she adores him and vice versa. He’s a little scruffy and rough around the edges which reminds her of Dylan.

What does this furbaby add to the story?

I think animals add heart to a story and Fisher is a sweet boy who was there for Dylan when he needed someone most—after the death of his mom. Dylan’s Dad left when he was younger so Fisher is the family he always wanted.

What about this furbaby will readers like, and why?

Who doesn’t love a beautiful shepherd mix?! They’re my favorite—gorgeous, protective and loyal—just like all of my heroes. It’s the breed I always write into my stories.

Please share an interesting fact or tidbit about this furbaby.

Fisher is named after famed treasure hunter, Mel Fisher, who discovered a famous wreck off the Florida Treasure Coast.

Describe a humorous incident involving the animal character.

Dylan is a treasure hunter, lives on a boat and spends a lot of his time diving. Fish loves to jump into the water with him and swim around which earned him the shortened nickname.

About Indiana and Company

Which, if any of the pets in your writing are modeled after your own pets? In what way?

I always have a shepherd mix in my stories because I grew up with one and have my own now. Sometimes, my heroine might have a cat and I always model him after my cat, Whimsy. I’ve even used his name, too! He’s quite a character and acts more like a dog than a cat.

What do your pets do when you are writing?

Indy, my Aussie/German mix, recently passed away, but I still have a German Shepherd mix named Tallulah and a feisty Pomeranian mix named Wixey. Both are rescues/foster fails and sit next to me all day—and sometimes night—as I write. They are my constant shadows and I love it.

What’s the most unusual pet you ever had?

I had an iguana named Zoey for about 12 years. She grew so big that she looked like an alligator and when she sat on my shoulder, her tail hit the ground. I also had ferrets and they were a wild bunch! I’d let them all run around and play together. And, the two bunnies joined in, too! It was quite a little zoo!

Where did you find your pet?

I work with an amazing group called Dawg Squad and Indiana started as a foster that quickly turned into a foster fail. I couldn’t give her up and ended up adopting her myself. I had almost 15 wonderful years with her and I miss her every day.

What do you feed your pet?

They love PetStaurant! It’s a little store up the street that makes small, special batches of dog food and Wixey especially enjoys the venison with lentils, zucchini, kale, ginger and turmeric. They eat better than me and are very spoiled—as all rescues should be.

Describe a toy or favorite item your pet loves.

Indiana had a ratty old bone she loved and chewed on every night. She never wanted any of the new toys or bones. Just that old one.

Where to buy Brighter Than Gold

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B097FC3LL6/

Charissa Gracyk Social Media

Ever since I snuck a romance novel off my aunt’s shelf when I was 10, I’ve loved the genre! I’m even named after a heroine from a romance that my Grandma read while my Mom was pregnant. I think it was meant to be and I’m so excited to share my fast-paced, action/adventure love stories with you.

I’m also a screenwriter and have written over 15 scripts, some of them even produced. I currently live in Los Angeles, but I’m originally from Toledo, Ohio, and visit home whenever I can. Rescuing animals is a passion and my cousin and I have fostered and helped home more than 300 dogs (and a few kitties!).

Website https://charissagracyk.com

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Charissa-Gracyk-Author-107675804845809

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/charissagracyk.com/

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/135380970-charissa-gracyk

BookBub http://www.bookbub.com/profile/120015000

Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Charissa-Gracyk/e/B097S8JMZN/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1

Get to know Charissa Gracyk better by signing up for an email newsletter at https://charissagracyk.com/

Shout out to Rob’s Rescues – founded by a 9-year-old animal activist

Rob’s Rescues is a non-profit organization in Georgia helping people in need care for and feed their pets. It was founded in 2014 by a then nine-year-old boy. Rob’s Rescues is dedicated to collecting pet food for people in need to reduce shelter surrenders, and to advocating for the adoption of shelter pets. Rob writes monthly articles advocating for shelter animals in the Around About Local Media magazine publications. His column was first published in 2014. He also has pet food collection sites for people in need in the community and interviews amazing people. His interviews appear online once they are published in his column.
Rob volunteers for Pet Buddies Food Pantry, the Cherokee County Animal Shelter and Cobb County Animal Control and collects pet food for these organizations and the communities they serve. He also wants to bring attention to smaller, rural shelters. Mostly he wants to get kids to be Rob’s Rangers to teach kids that they can help shelter animals. Rob has also talked to kids in a classroom setting.
Rob’s Rescues is a Non-Profit Corporation and all donations are tax deductible.
Website http://www.robsrescues.com/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/robsrescues/
Twitter https://twitter.com/RobsRescues

Shout out to Dawg Squad

Please include a small blurb about this site and include one link where information may be accessed, such as the home page or donation page.

Dawg Squad is a great organization in Los Angeles run by Carole Pearson and I’ve known and volunteered with her for over 15 years. They especially focus on breeds that may have a more difficult time finding a home like pit bulls and rottweilers and dogs that need some extra medical help. You can find more information at https://dawgsquad.org