Author Spotlight - Except from "Deadly Revenge"

Thanks so much for supporting Nancy during her spotlight week. Leave a comment on this post today, Saturday, and Sunday and I'll pick a winner on Monday to receive a PDF copy of Nancy's novel, Deadly Revenge. Don't forget to leave your email and contact info. Enjoy this excerpt. Moderator Steph

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BLURB:
After Culinary Herb Gardener Ada Blaine loses the love of her life, she avoids men and spends years turning a beloved hobby into a thriving business. Former Marine Rich McConnell left behind a nasty divorce and traded a promising military career for a hardware store with no complications. He discovers he can't keep his hands off the elusive gardener, and her determination to remain independent falters when the ever-charming Rich weakens the wall Ada's built around her heart. Then just as late-in-life second-chance love seems possible, Ada is threatened by a sniper's bullet, and Rich's past comes back to haunt him.

Find me on the web at www.nancykayauthor.com

EXCERPT – Deadly Revenge

"What's on your mind today, Rich? You seem fidgety. On second thought, we'll both have tea. Coffee might just make you jump out of your boots." The storm door bounced shut behind her.

Rich squinted into the sun topping the trees along the lakeshore. Best to quit thinking about what he'd like to jump out of, and it sure as hell wasn't his boots.

Months ago the bottom dropped out of his comfortable, predictable world when Ada strolled into Tom and Mary McGraw's annual Christmas Eve gathering. Damn. He'd known Ada for years and always pictured her as trim, and... well, sturdy.

That night she'd looked sleek, all curvy in some kind of clingy getup. Not her usual chinos and denim. Plus, she'd done something to her eyes that made her look drop dead gorgeous. Hell, he'd never noticed her eyes before. Nor had he gawked at her extremely attractive backside. This morning while watching her pull weeds his gawking had gotten him in deep shit.

The door creaked open. Ada returned, carrying a tray. "Here." She moved forward. "I'll set our tea on the table against the wall and--"

The tray flew apart like an exploding grenade!

Scalding hot liquid stung his face, and thick cream arced like a fireworks display. Cups, saucers, and teapot crashed to the floor. In one fluid move, Rich pushed off the steps.

Frozen, Ada was staring at what remained of the tray in her hands when he slammed into her. He twisted, taking the impact as they hit the floor. Together they rolled across the porch and crashed into the wall of the cottage. Pinned beneath him, she lay motionless.

"Are you hit?" Rich scanned the woods north of the cabin. He ran a quick assessing hand over her body.

"No... I mean, hit? What are you talking about? You hit me," she accused in a tense whisper, and began to struggle.

"Lie still." He ordered, blood pounding in his ears. His words halted her frantic efforts. He laid a hand on her cheek and turned her head, forcing her to look at him. "That was rifle fire."

Like a snared rabbit, her eyes grew wide.

"Don't move, Ada," he repeated, softening his tone. "We're protected here, and I've got to find out what the hell is going on before we stand up like targets."

Author Spotlight - Nancy Kay talks about why she writes romantic suspense

I write Romantic Suspense because I’ve lived Romantic Suspense...so to speak. Of all the ‘writing rules’ we face as authors from the day we select writing as a career, write what you know ranks high on the ‘pay attention’ scale.

Who doesn’t like Romance? One of the first Romance books I ever read was one entitled ‘I’ll Find My Love’ circa 1957, published by Berkley Highland Books. The story was simple, sweet, and had conflict plus all the other elements we strive for in the genre.
However, the story lacked suspense, something which didn’t enter my life until years later when I fell in love and married a Marine who went on to become a policeman.

Suspense with a capitol ‘S.’ His position in the Corps had day to day tension, not to mention it was the mid sixty’s and Viet Nam was an issue. He’s my go to source when I need to get into the head a character with a military background, but most of the suspense and danger elements in my stories relates to his 28 years on the job as a Pennsylvania State Policeman.

I can attest to how lines of fatigue etched into his face at the end of a shift affected me. I saw and felt his frustration, his fears and sometimes anger. We celebrated when justice prevailed, or a family walked away from a horrific accident. And there’s a sense of humor amongst policeman that serves to diffuse tension and helps men and women on the job cope with what they must face every day.

So when I create a character, be it military, law enforcement or even the despised villain, I have a built in consultant. I write what I know, and being there first hand so close to the mystery and suspense, all that was needed was Romance.

After 46 years as man and wife, we’ve got that covered!

PUBLISHER'S BUY LINK: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-254/Deadly-Triad-Book-Two/Detail.bok

Author Spotlight - Nancy Kay dishes up a recipe for a cover

When I type ‘The End’, it means words floating around in my head have come together to create a story. Doing so is equivalent to the oven timer signaling ‘done’ for a carefully crafted dish. Suspense, a touch of mystery, and a generous dash of romance combined for readers to enjoy. Previously I mentioned the where of cover images, but what about the how?

Upon completing ‘Deadly Revenge’ - the second in my Deadly Triad series - I wanted my cover to entice readers, to send a message, to provide that subtle hint. So, I sent Jenifer Ranieri, a multi talented lady who designs covers at Desert Breeze Publishing, several turbulent lake photos taken by my husband, a better than average photographer. I thought a male silhouette holding an M14 rifle beside the crashing lake would send a strong message about my story.

Jenifer tweaked the lake scene, admirably so, but the man holding the gun just wasn’t working. The M14 is a sleek-barreled weapon with a gracefully curved wooden stock. The inserted silhouette grasped a heavy, scope laden weapon with a super large ammunition clip and looked like he had on a helmet. I shot off a stock photo of an M14 which resulted in a passable weapon, but the shooter image still lacked conviction to me.

A hurried call and a quick trip across town to Bob’s Gunshop and Indoor Range followed. Former Marine, now photo bug husband, was thrilled to get his hands on an authentic M14. The gun shop owner, another former Marine, was ready and willing to help. He switched out the ammo clip for one I preferred and provided the perfect spot by an open window to take pictures. The lighting was just right to catch the image, and after a few adjustments to his digital camera, my husband handed the camera to me and became a Romance Novel Model!

A couple of pictures and a great cover artist. A recipe I’ll share for a fantastic romance novel cover!

PUBLISHER'S BUY LINK: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-254/Deadly-Triad-Book-Two/Detail.bok

Author Spotlight - Nancy Kay talks about Romance Novel Covers

When I write there are pictures in my head, vivid pictures of characters, locations or scenes. Upon completion, I must provide information for a vital document used to help create a cover to match the story - The Cover Art Input Sheet. I want my covers to reflect what readers will find inside, a hint of what they’ll discover between the pages. Covers help readers match their personal taste to a story, or, an intriguing visual will entice them to try something new and different.

My stories take place in and around the Great Lakes, a perfect ever-changing backdrop for mystery, suspense and, most important, love and romance. A turbulent lake can evoke fear and drama, or wild passion. The setting sun creates an atmosphere of intriguing romance, or the coming of darkness.



Since I live amidst rolling grape vineyards within walking distance of Lake Erie, I find it natural to transfer my love of these surroundings onto pages, while creating characters that come to love the beauty or fear the threat I create around them.

Using the lake to provide a background on my covers puts the reader into the scene, the location where the story will take place. Then add that subtle hint, a reflection on the water coupled with a shadowy figure for Deadly Reflection, and a turbulent lake behind the outline of a weapon for Deadly Revenge.

The final book in the series, Deadly Encounter, takes place in winter. Mother Nature’s wrath will play an important role as waves crashing on the shore become ice dunes. Sculptures that are breathtakingly beautiful, while at the same time, Deadly.

PUBLISHER'S BUY LINK: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-254/Deadly-Triad-Book-Two/Detail.bok

Author Spotlight - Q&A with Nancy Kay

STEPH: I don't know much about "Deadly Revenge." What's it about?

NANCY: In a few words; Rich McConnell's past catches up with him when a sniper's bullet shatters the quiet morning... and with it, his illusion of second chance love with Ada Blaine.

Rich is the laid back owner and manager of an Ace Hardware store in Pine Bluffs, Pennsylvania. Sound dull? Not so, the charming Rich is known as the “Ace Hotware Man”. Although Rich is a touch past the half century mark, the former Marine is a handsome, fit, confident man.

Ada is a successful Culinary Herb Gardener. She moved to Pine Bluffs as a young woman after losing her husband in a fiery car crash. Like Rich, Ada’s now past the Five-O threshold, yet beneath her practical, denim work clothes lies a head turning, sensuous woman.

Ada and Rich have known one another for years, a casual “hi, how are relationship.” Rich sees Ada as a respectable, hard working, lady who shops for garden supplies at his store, until the night she strolls into a mutual friend’s party looking drop dead gorgeous.

Interest spikes, prompting Rich to get better acquainted and, seizing opportunity, delivers supplies to Ada for her garden and lingers to visit. But a burst of gunfire interrupts and has Rich diving to save Ada’s life from a snipers bullet. That single shot is only the beginning. Rich left the Marine Corp years ago, but while serving his country, his unbending sense of duty led to a fellow Marine’s arrest, and the end of Rich’s marriage. He now fears his past may be responsible as threats to Ada’s life escalate.


Deadly Revenge tells how unleashed passion and desire keep Rich and Ada together as twists and turns fraught with danger threaten to drive them apart.

STEPH: "Deadly Revenge is in the Deadly Triad Series. Can you give us an overview of the series? Where it's set? The time frame?

NANCY: The series is set in and around the fictitious town of Pine Bluffs, Pennsylvania. Pine Bluffs does not exist, but all other locations close to Lake Erie – such as Erie, Pa. and North East, Pa. – provide intriguing, beautiful settings. Each story takes place in present day, approximately 2009 thru 2012.

The Deadly Triad Series is linked by location and characters. Beginning with the first book, all characters throughout the series are introduced and somehow connected to one another and to Pine Bluffs.

Cassi Burke and Nick McGraw meet and fall in love in the first book, Deadly Reflection. Cassi’s long lost aunt, Ada Blaine, and long time resident of the sleepy little town, Rich McConnell, discover one another in the second book, Deadly Revenge. Coming in September, lifelong resident TJ McGraw, Nick’s cousin, meets his match in Elaine Delocor, a close friend of Cassi’s in Deadly Encounter.

I’ve created three common threads. One, they all met in Pine Bluffs or have some connection to the town. Two, they all know, love and respect one another. Three, throughout the series each couple faces situations that are potentially Deadly.



STEPH: How long did it take you to write?

NANCY: Deadly Revenge took about a year, including revisions.

STEPH: What was the inspiration for this story?

NANCY: I wanted to do a story about, shall we say, more mature characters. Desire and passion don’t end at 50, or even 60. Sometimes they take a thrilling new direction! I wanted to spin out life’s way of unveiling unexpected gifts, while at the same time, adding a touch of suspense and danger to heighten the excitement.

STEPH: Ada is the heroine. What are her strengths? Weaknesses?

NANCY: Ada had a perfect marriage, until an accident claimed her beloved husband’s life, and changed the course of hers. Following the accident, a love of gardening, instilled in Ada by her deceased grandmother, sustains her. She moves to Pine Bluffs and finds peace in her gardening. In turn, her efforts transpire into a flourishing business, a tribute to her strength and perseverance. Yet Ada keeps to herself, getting close to only a chosen few. She loves her friends, but dismisses the idea of ever falling in love again. Ada is a strong woman outwardly, but inside, she harbors fear. She resists letting anyone capture her heart again, afraid she’d not survive another painful loss.

Rich McConnell touches her, body and soul, and unleashes unbending courage to overcome her fears, and survive the threats she faces with Rich at her side.

STEPH: What does Rich find attractive about Ada?

NANCY: Rich admires her ability to stand on her own two feet, and the life she’s built after losing so much. He likes the feisty determination she exhibits when faced with life threatening danger. But it’s the sensual, uninhibited side of Ada that takes his breath away.

STEPH: How did you come up with the title, “Deadly Revenge?”

NANCY: The definition of “revenge” is: To retaliate or get even. Rich has a checkered past, and from the onset of threats to Ada, he believes that past has come back to haunt him by harming someone he cares about. Ergo: to get revenge.

STEPH: What's your writing space like?

NANCY: The room I use was once my daughter’s bedroom. It overlooks our back yard. I love the changing seasons. The room is not large, about 10 by 12, but allows for my PC, a work table, desk and file. Nothing spurs me to write more than a cold, winter day. I can sip hot tea and let my mind create as snow drifts down, or, drives against the window panes. I like summer, too. Early mornings are best for writing in the summer. Then I can get out, go for walks or putter in our herb gardens.

STEPH: How important is setting to the story?

NANCY: Top of the list! I grew up in a small town, and I didn’t want to write about big cities where so often the stories and movies today are set. My romantic suspense is more the hearth and home variety, yet I write of threats and danger that spill over from cities and into small towns.

On my website I hint at this scenario by reminding readers.....Sometimes bad things happen in small towns. I write about are real places, beautiful places. I want readers to picture rolling vineyards, and breathtaking sunsets on the lake. I feel these settings are the key to making the stories come alive. My brand is Great Lakes Romance...where love runs deep and sometimes dangerous!

STEPH: Fun Question: Who are you rooting to win the Superbowl?

NANCY: Don’t hate me Steph, but until tonight I didn’t even know who was playing! I’ll enjoy high school, even college teams, but when it comes to pro sports....well, let’s just say I’d rather read a good book!

PUBLISHER'S BUY LINK:http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-254/Deadly-Triad-Book-Two/Detail.bok

Author Spotlight - Excerpt from Deadly Reflection

Enjoy this excerpt from Nancy Kay's latest release, Deady Reflection. Leave a comment on the blog over the weekend and I'll pull a winner out of the hat to received a PDF ARC of the novel from Nancy!

Smiles
Moderator Steph

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Hands shoved into his pockets, Nick left Pine Bluffs PD behind. His long anticipated vacation was headed downhill on skids. After driving clear across the state, the detective wanted some down time, a respite from law enforcement.

And what happens? He lands smack in the middle of a gigantic mess.

Shit!

The whole state of affairs just plain pissed him off. All he'd wanted was to take a simple, solitary jog by the lake.

But there she'd been, crouched over a dead body with a knife clutched in her hand. No way around that kind of in your face problem. In the process of detaining her for TJ, she'd fought like a wild animal. He'd had to physically pin her down.

That move had created a whole new set of problems.

Miss Cassandra Burke now kept popping into his mind, setting off x-rated mental reruns of her struggling beneath him in that transparent, wet tee shirt.

TJ's observation had been right on.

What a body.

Why in the hell did it have to belong to a murder suspect?

Author Spotlight - Nancy Kay talks about the importance of "settings" in her novel

Previously, I touched on the characters in Deadly Reflection. Today I'm going to explore the setting. Writers in general tend to fall in love with describing scenes within their stories. The trick is to interweave these descriptions so the reader is plopped right down into the setting and doesn't know how they got there.

Where I live, a trip to the store can be a journey through picturesque vineyards or cresting a ridge to find unbelievable sunsets bouncing off an expanse of lake that stretches as far as the eye can see. We're told to write what we know. The same holds true for writing what you see.

In my mind, true romance is all about the setting, the ambiance. I want readers to mentally sample the earthy taste of a great red wine combined with melt in your mouth chocolate. Because the high derived when a handsome man and a gorgeous woman experience their first intimate encounter before a blazing fire, all while partaking of that wine and chocolate, is a setting guaranteed to make a reader feel the burn. And I don't mean from the crackling fire!

Coming in from a frosty day and encountering the mouth-watering scent of goodies baking says something about the character that made those to die for cookies. It sets the stage, tells a tale, and often triggers long-forgotten memories pertinent to the story. I think we call this introducing back-story, but in such a way the emotion is not a written description. The emotions, the pieces that make up the current story are experienced.

Set the stage within your minds eye, and then skillfully expose the beauty to your readers. The old adage 'show don't tell' at its finest!

Author Spotlight - Why I write with a 'hearth and home' slant

By Author Nancy Kay



Sometimes bad things happen in small towns. I use this catchy line to stress circumstance rather than lifestyle in Deadly Reflection. The characters are interwoven like a tapestry. Strong men, strong women and a few quirky extras react when an outside evil force creeps into the close knit community, bringing danger and suspense to a usually safe, laid back town.

In my story, evil isn't found within the citizens of Pine Bluffs, Pennsylvania, but it does impact the lifestyle to which they are accustomed. The main characters are basically happy and well-adjusted. Yet when the unexpected happens, they each face a personal crisis on some level.

Their strength overcomes a barrage of roadblocks as they deal with tragedy. I strive for smart, resilient, resourceful characters. Even though they do butt heads with one another on occasion, their love and respect for one another remains.

Conflict within my story is more from happiness being threatened and life altering changes as the story weaves its way to a happy ending.

Having lived in small towns all my life, I recognize a core citizenry and family ties which remain prominent even in today's every changing lifestyles. Most embrace changes and view them as challenges. Cell phones are tucked into pockets and purses. Many homes boast a personal computer, or even a laptop.

So, I try to highlight small town life without boring the reader with the mundane which, regardless of what may encroach upon time tested traditions, is rock solid and helps time-worn traditions prevail. The setting unfolds and just when it seems life is just a bowl of cherries....

Sometimes bad things happen in small towns.

Author Spotlight -Nancy Kay talks about her passion for romantic suspense

On a recent blog I discovered how to narrow down exactly what type of 'Romantic Suspense' I write, something I've been searching for since completing my first manuscript. One of the first things a new writer must do is to identify their target audience.

Hmmm...target audience. Mulling over this rather misleading term brought several scenarios to mind. Ingredients for Romantic Suspense include creating a strong hero, introducing an intelligent heroine, and then adding a situation and some nefarious character destined to interject roadblocks which make their road to true romance fraught with danger.

Each time I sought to describe my particular recipe for romantic suspense, I stumbled. Because, much as I like reading cutting edge suspense, my stories didn't quite fit the gritty, edgy mold. A friend and fellow author, C J Lyons, suggested my work may fit more in the 'hearth and home' sub-genre of romantic suspense. Her idea made sense, and shortly thereafter I read a blog by Stephanie Giancola at National Romance Novel Examiner entitled "Hearth and Home vs Dark and Scary". CJ's suggestion was right on 'Target'.

The 'hearth and home' aspect fit well with my small town settings and traditional family ties. While at the same time, my theory 'sometimes bad things happen in small towns' depicted within my stories, add the suspense and mystery.

I write romantic suspense because I love romance, I love a good mystery fraught with suspense, and I'm fortunate to have a built in consultant and sounding board with my husband - a 28 year veteran of the Pennsylvania State Police.

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Nancy's latest release is: Deadly Reflection, a contemporary romantic suspense.

BLURB: When detective Nick McGraw encounters Cassi Burke, his ingrained sense of duty collides with unstoppable desire, because the stunning Miss Burke is gripping a bloody knife and standing over a dead body.

BUY LINK:http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-180/Nancy-Kay-Deadly-Reflections/Detail.bok

Author Spotlight -Q&A with Author Nancy Kay

STEPH: I don't know much about 'Deadly Reflection'. Can you tell me a little more about it?

NANCY: In 'Deadly Reflection' Nick McGraw, a detective in Philadelphia, Pa., takes a much needed vacation and returns to Pine Bluffs, his hometown in Western Pennsylvania. Nick should be happy and satisfied, but for a variety of reasons, the successful detective's life lacks.....something. Pine Bluffs holds nothing but good memories so, Nick concludes, why not go back and try to recapture some of that happiness?

Cassi Burke is grasping at straws, struggling to deal with the tragic death of her adoptive parents when she travels to Pine Bluffs to meet a woman claiming to be a living blood relative from Cassi's past. Pine Bluffs is a small community, thus Cassi and Nick are certain to meet. Unfortunately, when that meeting takes place Cassi is clutching a knife and kneeling over a dead man. Bizarre circumstances involving her over exuberant, overgrown, pup, Rufus, landed her in this incriminating position and much to Nick's dismay; the first woman he's really attracted to in a very long time could be a murder suspect. To complicate matters further, Cassi's brush with the law alerts someone else on the unknown family tree, and this individual is no loving aunt.

STEPH: How long did it take to write?

NANCY: Initially, about a year and a half. There were several rounds of rewrite, rearrange, and revise.

STEPH: Did you do a lot of research for the novel?

NANCY: I wouldn't say I researched as much as I gathered and inserted information into the story. An example would be the fictional town of Pine Bluffs is next door to a bog. I used the location after reading an article on how glaciers formed a bog in western Pennsylvania not far from Erie. The location fit in with my Great Lakes story theme. Newspaper articles about escalating crime in Philadelphia were thrown into the mix, and, of course, my husband and built in advisor is a veteran of the Marine Corps and twenty-eight years on the Pennsylvania State Police.


STEPH: Where did the inspiration for the story come from?

NANCY: The location, the sometimes tough life of a police officer, and personal knowledge of a business where my heroine excelled, all played a part in putting the story together.

STEPH: If your story was going to be made into a movie, who would you cast as the leads?

NANCY: That's a tough question. Most of the actors and actresses I admire are probably to mature to play the leading roles.

STEPH: What is the theme of the novel?

NANCY: The strength, influence, and importance of family.

STEPH: What do you want readers to take away from the novel when they finish it?

NANCY: I want my readers satisfied with the outcome. Every time I read my last chapter I just plain feel good. You know, kind of like when after all the drama and strife Cinderella's Prince came for her.

STEPH: Do you have an ebook reader?
Yes. If so, which one?

NANCY: I have a Kindle.

STEPH: How important is setting to the story?

NANCY: The setting is the heart of the story. I live where my story took place, so I feel every scene.

STEPH: What's your writing space like?

NANCY: My office used to be my daughter's bedroom. Now it holds two desks, my computer and a large work table meant for laying out paperwork and organizing. Most of the time it's not so organized! But I have a very large window overlooking our back yard. I can take breaks and watch my cats play or, in winter, watch the snow blanket everything.