Featured Author Interview - Melanie Atkins author of Chosen Target

STEPH: Tell us a little about the New Orleans Detective series. What was the inspiration behind it? How many books do you have planned for the series?

MELANIE: I love New Orleans, hot cops, and intrigue...and because of my close proximity to The Big Easy, setting the series there was a no-brainer. It's the perfect backdrop for murder. The series, which is complete, contains six books. Beloved Captive, Book Four, will be released in October, with Unwilling Accomplice and Perfect Partner due out in 2011.

STEPH: What can we expect from "Chosen Target?"

MELANIE: Intense love scenes, mistrust, and suspense...in the purest sense of the word. Think bombs and Mardi Gras.


STEPH: Why did you choose New Orleans for your setting?

MELANIE: Because I'm fascinated with the city. I live only three hours away, and I visit it often.

STEPH: When was the last time you were in New Orleans? Did you go for Mardi Gras? (If so, what did you love about Mardi Gras?)



MELANIE: That's a funny question. I've been to Mardi Gras in N.O. once, back when I was in college (a long, long time ago...lol), but haven't been back since -- although I have been to celebrations on the Mississippi Coast and in Mobile. I have been to N.O. when they've had other parades, though, and those were fun. They have them all the time, and for the smaller ones the police don't even stop traffic. People crowd into the streets, and beads fly. It's a hoot!

STEPH: Do you cast your characters? If so, who is "Jadan?" "Cole?"

MELANIE: No, actually. I don't usually cast them. I get a picture of them in my head and go with that. Sorry to be so boring, but picturing celebrities just doesn't work for me. I need my characters to "be there own people", so to speak.


STEPH: Where do you find inspiration? Tell us a little about your muse.

MELANIE: My muse lately has been watching intriguing crime dramas. Watching good TV, reading books, and listening to music gets my motor running.


STEPH: What are some of your favorite crime dramas?

MELANIE: Castle (well, I guess that's more of a dramedy than a crime drama, but I seriously love that show), Law & Order SVU, In Plain Sight, Dexter, and Southland--which is probably the most accurate of the bunch when it comes to police procedure. I've never watched Criminal Minds, but I've heard good things about it and plan to watch all seasons on Netflix this summer while some of my favs are on hiatus. Might make the wait for the third season of Castle easier to take. lol

STEPH: Did you have to do research for this series? If so, what did you do?

MELANIE: I visited New Orleans (more than once), surfed the Internet, and consulted people in law enforcement.


STEPH: The cover to "Chosen Target" is gorgeous and very colorful! Did you have any input on the cover? How did the cover come to be?

MELANIE: Jenifer Raneiri, Desert Breeze Publishing's clever cover artist, came up with that cover on her own after reading my art sheet. I simply wrote "Mardi Gras", "danger" and "New Orleans", and she took it from there,

STEPH: How are the kitties doing? Do you have any new kitty stories you'd like to share?

MELANIE: My kitties are fine. They love this good weather. All three of them are indoor/outdoor cats, and they love to hunt. After last weekend's rainstorm, I discovered a disintegrating mouse on my back porch. They're always bringing their kills up to the house for me to see. *lol*


STEPH: What was the last book you read?

MELANIE: The Devil's Punchbowl by Greg Iles. He's a fellow Mississippi author who writes incredible suspense. The book kept me on the edge of my seat -- which is just the way I like it.

Featured May Release - Chosen Target by Melanie Atkins

Desert Breeze congratulates Melanie on her May release.

The Blurb:

Jadan Calloway’s latest night out on the town ends in the death of the man who charmed her off her feet. Now the people who killed Kent are after her, and the only man who can save her is Cole McAlister, the rugged, willful detective who believes she is behind his brother’s death. Together they become wrapped up in a web of terrorism and intrigue--and they fall in love.


An Excerpt:

New Orleans Police Investigative Unit Commander Cole McAlister slammed out of his car beside Jadan's Java and looked around. The city had changed since he'd left for his second stint in Iraq thirteen months ago. The flood after the hurricane had decimated the place, but citizens had rebuilt. This area around the UNO campus seemed to be thriving, with what looked like a bookstore going up next door to the coffee shop. The odors of paint and new lumber mingled with the enticing smell of freshly brewed java.

He shook off the jet lag still dogging him and approached Slade Montgomery, his good friend and most trusted detective, who stood near the coffee shop's glass door jotting notes in a small spiral notebook. "What've we got?"

Slade looked up. "An attempted murder."

"At least it's not another body." Murders were up again this month. Cole ducked beneath the yellow crime scene tape fluttering in the chilly breeze and stuck his hands in his pockets. Slade's mouth curved. "You might change your tune once you learn who almost took a bullet."

"Why would I do that?"

"It's Jadan Calloway."

Jadan. The woman who had been with Kent the night he'd died. Anger rose up to choke Cole. Kent had been his twin. His confidant. His best friend. He turned and peered through the metal-framed door. A pretty blonde woman sat at a table near the counter, her hands wrapped around a colorful mug as she stared blankly into space. Her slim beauty punched Cole like a fist to the gut.


***

About the Author:

Melanie Atkins a multi-published author of romantic suspense, a fan of crime dramas, and an avid reader. Writing is more than an escape for her -- it's a way of life. She grew up in the Deep South listening to tall tales and penning stories about her cats. Now she writes gripping stories of love, suspense, and mystery with the help of her furry little feline muses.


Chosen Target is available on Amazon for Kindle, All Romance Books, and at the Desert Breeze Website.

Featured FEB 2010 Release - Prime Suspect by Melanie Atkins

ABOUT THE BOOK:

New Orleans Assistant District Attorney Marisa Cooper prosecutes murderers for a living, but the tables are turned when her ex-husband is found dead in her garage. To prove she didn't kill him, she must team up with her former fiancée, Slade Montgomery, the detective who risks his career — and his heart — to help her find the real killer.

*****

EXCERPT:

"ADA Cooper?" The younger of the two policemen had white-blond hair and a stern countenance. "We met in court a few weeks ago."

She nodded. "Officer Brennan. I remember."

"You reported a dead body?" The older officer cocked his dark head. She didn’t recognize him. The gray marking his temples gleamed in the muted light. Daisy sniffed at his shoes, and he turned his attention to the dog. "Does she bite?"

"Not usually." Marisa pulled the animal back. "The body’s in my garage. It-it’s my ex-husband, Nikolai. Nikolai Assimov. We’ve been divorced a while. I don’t know what he’s doing here. I just—"

"Yes, ma’am. Please stay here." The older officer pulled his pistol and motioned to the younger cop. "You take the back."


******

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Melanie Atkins a multi-published author of romantic suspense, a fan of crime dramas, and an avid reader. Writing is more than an escape for her -- it's a way of life. She grew up in the Deep South listening to tall tales and penning stories about her cats. Now she writes gripping stories of love, suspense, and mystery with the help of her furry little feline muses.

******

Link to Prime Suspect on Amazon.com

Prime Suspect