Author Spotlight - Excerpt from: Safe & Sound

We hope you've enjoyed Christina's week in the spotlight. Leave a comment today, Saturday, Sunday along with your email address and we'll pick one winner to receive a PDF copy of Safe and Sound and a mini stocking with a military theme. Enjoy the excerpt!

Moderator Steph

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EXCERPT:

Safe and Sound by Christina Freeburn

Katrina fled down the small hallway leading to the back door. She slammed her hand onto the bar and the door shot open. Run. Don't look back. The pace of the words matched her heartbeat and she sprinted down the sidewalk.

Footfalls sounded behind her.

She pushed past people. Knocked into a young mother.

"What's your problem, lady?"

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Katrina ran. She couldn't waste her breaths on words. She had a few precious moments, one last time to outrun the past coming back to claim her. She scanned the area for a place to hide or seek help.

Across the street was an alley leading to the fire station. Safety. Katrina surged forward. A horn blared. Brakes squealed. She pivoted away from the car and leapt onto the sidewalk.

A twinge in her ankle sent her reeling forward. She grasped onto a parking meter and regained her balance. Ignoring the pain in her foot, she pounded down the sidewalk and made it to the opening of the alley.

Darkness surrounded her. She fought the instinct to stop instead of plunging into the damp, musty pathway. She was too close to change plans now. This was her one way to freedom and hope. A hand bit into her shoulder. She screamed and twisted. Her injured foot slid on something slick. The man tightened his grasp. He lifted her and pushed her against the building.

"You made this so easy." He pressed into her back, his body holding her against the brick.

Katrina stomped on his foot and jabbed her elbow into his stomach. He sucked in a breath but the pressure against her didn't decrease. A hand inched down her stomach and rested at the waistband of her jeans.

"How should I make this look? An assault? Robbery gone bad." He twisted her arm behind her back. "Let's just go with dumping you in the middle of nowhere. Don't have to worry about anyone looking for you. You're already dead."

Author Spotlight - Christina Freeburn talks about writing a Holiday Setting

I love the holiday season: the decorating, the baking (not so keen on the 'regular' cooking), the wrapping, and even the shopping. And the reading. From Thanksgiving until January 8, I only read holiday themed or set stories. Since I adore these types of books, it seemed like a natural fit for me to write one. I like combining my 'loves' into my stories, but I was always afraid to use this time frame for a book.

Could I do the season justice? Would the season work as part of the story or would it feel forced...like I was writing a holiday setting story just for the sake of writing a holiday setting not that it mattered to the plot? Would I start and find out I couldn't pull it off?

For me, it was important that the story blended with the time frame. This time of year is filled with so wonder, love, forgiveness and renewal, it was important I did it justice. When I started Safe and Sound, I realized the emotions of the season fit with the emotions and changes the hero and heroine would explore and experience.

As I wrote, I found the setting really helped bring the story to life and I had made the right choice and was glad I put fear aside and gave it a try.

Author Spotlight - Character Interview with Hannah from Safe & Sound

Author: How did you come to this point in your life?

Hannah: I had no other option. I've made some very bad choices in my life so I understand why people don't trust or believe in me. There was no reason for a community to believe over a long-time member. Plus, the situation I found myself in started when I went against my husband's advice. When the worst happened, I did the only thing I could to protect Connor and myself...run.

Author: What lead you to make the changes you did in your life?

Hannah: The truth is kind of painful...basically I got caught. I don't know if I'd have faced the past if the man I wanted to outrun hadn't found me.

Author: What is your favorite quote or Bible verse.

Hannah: Psalm 10:17: "You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry." For so long, I've struggled through life by myself that it gave me hope to know God listened to me and wanted to encourage me. Especially after all the wrong I had done.

Author: What are you plans for the future?

Hannah: I think for now, I'm going to focus on the present. I've lived so long in the past, dreaded the future, I gave no attention to the present. I think for now the best thing is to brace what is before me and no longer focus on what was or what could be.

Author Spotlight - Christina Freeburn talks about Family Dynamics

Family. It's where we learn about relationships and start to feel what our role is in life. For some people it's a good place, a soft place to land, the place we return when we feel lost and adrift. For others family is a place of hurt and where they feel the worst about themselves. In the New Beginnings Series, especially in Safe and Sound, I show two different families and how they handle the rough times that happen in life.

As with all relationships, sometimes people can disappoint us and the way it's handle can make the situation worse or better. Because of the way her family dealt with problems and the way they viewed her, Hannah believes running...saving others from her...is the best choice. Connor knows he can rely on his family to help him, but in doing so has to deal with a consequence he hadn't intended...his cousin's distrust of Hannah.

The Stratford family is a loving, supportive, and overly protective at times bunch. Sometimes those qualities are a positive and a source of strength, other times as cousins Alex and Connor find it's the beginning of a major conflict and division. Acting in someone else's best interest doesn't always go the way a person plans, nor perceived as a good thing. I had wanted to explore this type of situation in a book and fit in well with this book.

Author Spotlight - Q&A with Christina Freeburn

STEPH: I don't know much about "Safe and Sound." What's it about?

CHRISTINA: Book three of the New Beginning Series focuses on Connor Stratford who is still grieving the death of his wife. Hannah had gotten lost in a blizzard and the mountain claimed her. A woman's body was discovered after an explosion and Connor learned Hannah's death wasn't the accident everyone thought. One of the men responsible for Hannah's death is hunting down another woman. Connor decides to do everything in his power to save the young woman from the same fate as his wife. When the woman comes to Connor's home for shelter, he discovers the murderer's new target might actually be his wife.

STEPH: How long did it take you to write?

CHRISTINA: About six months.

STEPH: How much research did you have to do?

CHRISTINA: Most of the research I did for this book was about tracking and rescue dogs. I had done some for Led Astray as Connor made an appearance in that book but the research I did was minimal. Since Connor is a point of view character in Safe and Sound, I needed to do a little more in depth research as Connor trains the dogs. The surface research I did wasn't enough to get a feel for what Connor, or the dogs, could or would do in certain situations.

STEPH: How does the cover reflect the story within?

CHRISTINA: For me, the cover reflects the story because it features the cabin where Connor has secluded himself for the last four years and where Hannah goes to reclaim her life.

STEPH: Hannah is the heroine. What are her strengths? Weakness?

CHRISTINA: Hannah's strengths are her kind heart, seeing 'the big picture' and her willingness to do anything for others. Her willingness to do anything for others is also one of her weakness because at times she makes poor choices for herself if she feels it will benefit others. Hannah also brushes off the good qualities in herself too often.

STEPH: What does Connor find appealing about her?

CHRISTINA: He loves Hannah's willingness to freely give love and friendship even if it doesn't come back to her.

STEPH: What is the theme of the novel?

CHRISTINA: Trust and forgiving yourself. For some people, forgiving others is easy but forgiving 'ourself' is hard and almost impossible at times.

STEPH: As a writer, where do you draw inspiration from?

CHRISTINA: It can come from anywhere. Most of the times it's from a simple what if question that pops into my mind when I hear something on the news or out and about. For this story, the 'what if' popped into my head when I was editing Led Astray.

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

CHRISTIN: 'regular' Kindle and a Kindle Fire though I mainly read on the 'regular' Kindle.

STEPH: Fun question: Do you have any thanksgiving traditions you'd like to share with us?

CHRISTINA: We're pretty much a go with the flow family when it comes to Thanksgiving, so don't really have any traditions...unless you count the bringing down the boxes of Christmas decorations from the attic the day after Thanksgiving.

Author Spotlight - Excerpt from Dark Days of Promise

Thank you so much for supporting Shaunna during her week in the spotlight. We hope you enjoy this excerpt from her release, "Dark Days of Promise."

Smiles
Moderator Steph

*******
My senses distilled, the clean lemon scent of Janine's home intensified. This specter existed as no spirit at all... but a soldier in army fatigues wearing the ranking emblem of an officer on his chest. His frame seemed to fill the whole corridor.

Intimidated by his size, if not his rank, I gave him my immediate and full attention.

"Can I help you?" His voice rumbled with authority. He positioned himself, taking the defensive, his booted feet shoulder width apart, his elbows inches from both walls, blocking the space.

I managed to regain a smidgeon of composure. "I should ask you the same." My voice sounded self-assured. I wondered where it came from while feeling so inferior to him.

"Why? This is my home."

I lost my balance, stumbling back a couple of feet, my surprise giving way to embarrassment. My hand went to my hair to comb it before I remembered it stayed in place as a messy bun. I dropped my hand wishing I knew what to do with it.

"Oh... you're Kelly." I stammered, unsure of myself, my jaw going slack. I struggled in desperation to right it.

Now I see the resemblance to his pictures. Janine needs newer ones and dang, he doesn't quite look the same as the picture I have. He's... wow. Take a picture Vick.
"You are?" he asked, still very much in charge.

"Huh?" I couldn't think of anything else to say. His charismatic presence stupefied me. I hadn't blinked, lost in the depths of his eyes.

He folded his arms making his biceps bulge under his fatigues. I dared to raise my chin in defiance. I'd give him no more, at least not until he retreated an inch. He didn't give it to me. I retreated, feeling foolish in comparison to his alpha-male claim of the hallway.

"Interesting name." His timbre reflected a pleasant nature. Of course standing toe to toe with him in Janine's hallway of small-antiquated proportions disintegrated my defense.

"It's nice to meet you, Kelly." Smooth girl. You are so dead.

"I'd like to say the same." His cautious mantle of soldiering remained on guard.
"Then why don't you?"

"Because I don't know your real name." His eyes betrayed his annoyance for a split second before a shield of secure soldier mastery descended.

"Vicki." I lowered my chin waiting for him, my body poised, expecting his response.
He failed to give me one while his eyes bored holes through me.

"Kelly, meet Vicki, our neighbor." Janine called from her room, her voice reflecting her personable nature. Did she really need to make introductions this way? Did she peek around the corner to watch this? I couldn't be sure with the wall of solid muscle between her doorway and myself. I imagined Janine's face as she overheard our stilted conversation. The humor of the situation flooded over me, bringing a smile to my lips.

Kelly's answering smile altered his expression, and his body language. Almost duplicating his masculine smirk in the photo I possessed, softening the solid mass of muscle without diminishing his potent dynamics.

"Excuse me. I came to see Janine." I didn't dare push past him.

"Mother?" He called over his shoulder, still guarding the hallway. "Do you feel up to having a visitor?"

"I always feel like visiting with Vicki," Janine answered from her room.

Kelly stepped aside, placing himself against the aging wallpaper as though afraid I might give him some dreaded disease if I happened to brush against him. I did brush against him as I passed. Dang he's big. I entered Janine's bedroom to find her reclining on several pillows. She appeared tired, her skin lacking its usual healthy glow.

"Janine, are you feeling all right?" I asked in concern.

"Better now. I called you this morning when I fell. As luck would have it, I fell against the telephone table, knocking it to the floor with me. Kelly came home quite unexpectedly and helped me to bed."

"I'm sorry," I apologized, feeling guilty for going to lunch. "It took longer at the bank than I thought. After, Farley insisted on taking me to lunch. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. Would that be Farley Wilson?"

"Yes, you know him right?"

"Early forties, nice dresser and a smooth talker. He missed his calling as an insurance salesman," Janine answered appearing a shade worse.

"You look tired. I shouldn't bother you with my issues. Will Kelly be here long?" She seemed more fragile than usual.

"Actually, he's been busy seeing to my needs and hasn't said yet."

"I'll let you two get to catching up." I patted her hand and retreated the way I'd come. So much for asking her for her opinion of Farley.

Kelly stood at the kitchen counter, draining a jug of milk. He must have heard me approaching. He lowered the jug, wiping his lips with his sleeve. For a brief instant he wasn't a soldier, but a young boy caught in the act. A sheepish grin filled his features. Then his expression changed, his eyes capturing me as if holding me in animated suspension.

Yum. Delicious tingling filled me. Wow, what has he done to me? I thought I'd outgrown this silly attraction to a man in uniform. Not. I focused on my feet, willing them to keep moving toward the door. The traitors stopped and turned toward him. My mouth joined the mutiny.

"Nice to meet you, Kelly. Your mother's mentioned you often." I sensed a smile curl my lips hearing my way too formal effort at breaking the ice. Can't you do any better, girl?

"You, too."

Is it animalistic charisma emanating from him or danger? It didn't matter which. I'd always proved a sucker for both. Vick, you need to remove the sign on your forehead beckoning these guys. That's two in one day. He said no more, and I hurried out the door, my knees masquerading as jelly.

Find Shaunna at:
http://shaunnagonzales.com/
http://shaunnagonzales.blogspot.com

Publisher's Buy Link:
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-345/Dark-Days-of-Promise/Detail.bok

Author Spotlight - Blurb & Cast for Dark Days of Promise

Thirty-four year old Vicki Laramie must learn to trust before she can love, but she might die trying.

While Vicki’s children grapple with the death of their father -- a man whom she’s successfully fabricated as loving, a lie her rebellious teenager recognizes -- she must find a way to support her family and find a role model for her boys. She never intends to fall for Staff Sergeant Chase, her best friend’s son, who suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). She’d much rather choose a safer man to love, but her children have a voice in the decision she makes. With two deaths to deal with, a suitor after her money, a rebellious son, and Sergeant Chase’s repeated attacks, she can only hope to survive the danger she faces. If she doesn’t, her children will be left without either parent.

Here's Shaunna's pics for the cast:

Victoria (Vicki) Laramie                  - Natalie Portman

Sergeant Kelly Chase                  - Josh Duhamel

Janine Chase                  -                     Teri Garr

Farley Wilson                                    - Daniel McPherson

Phillip Laramie                                    - Asa Butterfield

Carter Laramie                                    - Aiden Langford

Krista Laramie                                    - Kylie LaDuca

Find Shaunna at:
http://shaunnagonzales.com
http;//shaunnagonzales.blogspot.com

Publisher's Buy Link: 
http:stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-345/Dark-Days-of-Promise/Detail.bok

Author Spotlight - Character Interview with Victoria:

Natalie Portman, inspiration
for "Victoria."

QUESTION: Victoria, How do you feel about having one of the most difficult years of your life shared with so many?

VICKI: Vicki, please. Has it really only been a year? It feels like so much longer. I guess that if someone else can benefit from my life it's okay.

QUESION: What was the most difficult thing this past year?

VICKI:(Vicki's eyes tear up.) Death is never easy to deal with, especially when you lose someone so close to you.

QUESTION: That was probably insensitive of me to ask. Let's change the subject. Do you have one piece of advice for other women who are re-entering the dating scene? Only one piece?

VICKI: Oh, if I had to only share one piece I guess it would be, 'be sure not to rely too heavily on first impressions.'

COMMENT: That's an odd piece of wisdom.

VICKI: No, not really. But if it is wisdom you are looking for, you should be asking someone other than me. It's really too bad you haven't benefitted from my friend, Janine's wisdom.

QUESTION: Maybe you could share a bit of Janine's wisdom with us.

VICKI: I'd be happy to. Even the darkest of days carries a promise of something good.

QUESTION:Since this is an Inspirational Romantic Suspense and you have inspired with sharing your wisdom, do you mind sharing the most romantic thing that has happened to you this year?

VICKI: Um, can I share the second most romantic thing? Of course. It happened just before Christmas. I remember because on one hand I was afraid but on the other, I just couldn't get enough. It was the first time he kissed me. Oh, I was so torn. I thought I was in love with another at the time. Christmas is such a romantic season.


QUESTION: Are you going to tell us who you kissed?

VICKI: No, I think I'll let you experience it with me as you read the book. (wink)

*****

FIND SHAUNNA AT:

http://shaunnagonzales.com
http;//shaunnagonzales.blogspot.com


PUBLISHER'S BUY LINK:
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-345/Dark-Days-of-Promise/Detail.bok

Author Spotlight - Having Fun with writing Dark Days of Promise

Writing blog posts - they are at times my worst menace and at others my greatest triumph of the moment. They are almost as much of a challenge as writing a tight query, and certainly worse than that first page of a new novel. Have fun, you say -- and well, my mind darts to the fun scenes in Dark Days of Promise.

Fun- learning how to write a Sizzling Kiss and yeah, my first good written kiss is in the pages of Dark Days of Promise for the reader. You try dissecting your most recent kiss that made your heart go pitter-pat and you loins burn. Oh yeah. Research for that was fun too!

Not so fun - having to tone the kiss down sufficiently for the innocent reader and still make it sizzle.

Fun - remembering the best snowball fights of my life, reliving them, putting them on the page and making them better. Yeah, that was fun.

Not fun, but funny - watching my children's seven foot tall snowman wilt under the local rainfall hours after it was finished. We shed a tear or two over that one.

Fun - Digging up every darling memory of little girls to create the sassy little Krista. It just isn't complete without her interaction with Janine. Janine is the neighbor, best friend, mother, and grandmother. She is my own mother, a few of my aunts, my piano teacher, and my grandmother all rolled into one. How can you not love that woman? And no, I can't play the piano!

Not fun - Christmas, as it unravels.

FindFind Shaunna at:
http://shaunnagonzales.com
http;//shaunnagonzales.blogspot.com

Publisher's Buy Link:
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-345/Dark-Days-of-Promise/Find Shaunna at:

Author Spotlight - Q&A with Shaunna Gonzales

STEPH: I don't know much about "The Dark Days of Promise." What's it about?

SHAUNNA: Thirty-four year old Vicki Laramie must learn to trust before she can love, but she might die trying.

While Vicki’s children grapple with the death of their father -- a man whom she’s successfully fabricated as loving, a lie her rebellious teenager recognizes -- she must find a way to support her family and find a role model for her boys. She never intends to fall for Staff Sergeant Chase, her best friend’s son, who suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). She’d much rather choose a safer man to love, but her children have a voice in the decision she makes. With two deaths to deal with, a suitor after her money, a rebellious son, and Sergeant Chase’s repeated attacks, she can only hope to survive the danger she faces. If she doesn’t, her children will be left without either parent.

STEPH: How long did it take you to write?

SHAUNNA: Sad to say it took me five years, but it isn't the project I started out to write, it's better. And that five years includes research I didn't know I needed to do until I was knee deep and midstream.

STEPH: How much research did you have to do?

SHAUNNA: A lot. But it was fun. I truly enjoyed getting to know these veterans on their terms, not mine. The story didn't take the course I intended it to because of the personal stories these guys shared with me and gave me permission to share a small amount of.

STEPH: How does the cover reflect the story within?

SHAUNNA: I actually saw the cover in my mind's eye before the book was completed. The cover is dark as in the title. And just like when you are driving a country road on a dark and stormy day you occasionally will see what I call "God's rays" in the distance. So the rays of bright light over this fledgling tree are a Promise of good in the darkness. This tree is stout even if it is young and so beautiful, much like the heroine. The grass is green hinting at the nourishment available for the tree in the vast and otherwise empty field.

In Dark Days of Promise the heroine feels she is facing a life of darkness but a wise friend promises her that, "…even the darkest of days hold a promise of good things"
5. Vicki is the heroine. What are her strengths? Weakness? Vicki is tougher than she thinks. There are things about her that she sees as major weaknesses that are strengths in another persons view; Her children come first, even before her own desires. She sees her shortcomings and takes action to remedy them, even at the risk of her own life.

STEPH: What does Sergeant Chase find appealing about her?

SHAUNNA: Her unwillingness to back down. She stands up to him. She's a hard head and he sees past that to her concern for others, including himself.

STEPH: What is the theme of the novel?

SHAUNNA: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) In an effort to treat this subject fairly, I altered my writing course from "romance with a twist" to helping our society, sufferers and innocents alike to becoming aware. It is more than those who experience the violence, more than the victims who experience this debilitating disease that are affected. And it is more than just veterans that face this. It is their families, the bystander of violent crime and all of us who dare to care for and love them.

STEPH: As a writer, where do you draw inspiration from?

SHAUNNA: The best ones come as I write (which means I guess they are hiding in my character's minds), but others zip in from personal experiences or reading or watching someone elses art and thinking "What if this happened in this way or this setting? How would I make it my own?"

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

SHAUNNA: Yes, my family gave me a Kindle for my birthday a few years ago.

STEPH: Fun question: Do you burn scented candles? What are some of your favorites? N

SHAUNNA: No one has asked me that before. Yes, on occasion I do. My favorite is watermelon, but I also enjoy honeydew and blueberry and one by a particular candle maker called "sunflower."

Find Shaunna at:
http://shaunnagonzales.com
http;//shaunnagonzales.blogspot.com

Publisher's Buy Link:
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-345/Dark-Days-of-Promise/Detail.bok

Author Spotlight - Excerpt from "Quest for Justice"

Blurb:
Abby Ryals goes behind the sheriff's back to accept an undercover assignment with another agency to avenge fellow detective C.J. Bowman's death, and is stunned to learn he's very much alive when he leaves witness protection and follows her undercover to help keep her safe. Together, they must race the clock to defeat a notorious drug lord before he can discover their true identities.

Excerpt:
The unrelenting volleys of the twenty-one-gun salute reverberated inside Abby Ryal's head. With each shot fired, her heart skipped another beat. She tried to breathe, to draw in the cool fall air and clear her muddled senses, but she couldn't. The ache inside her only intensified, and she worried she might throw up right here in front of C.J.'s polished mahogany casket.

C.J. Bowman. Fellow Keller County detective. Her best friend, and former lover.

Dead.

Her stomach heaved. She wrapped her arms around her middle and dropped her head onto her knees. The ancient folding chair creaked as she released a shuddering breath.

Don't throw up. Don't throw up. Not here. C.J. will laugh his fool head off if you toss your cookies on the funeral wreaths. Their too-sweet smell is bad enough, and if you...

She sat up and smothered a laugh.

Oh, God. I can just picture him sauntering through the cemetery with that trademark smirk on his face, making fun of me. He gets off on that. He's always so--

The idea that she would never see him again curdled her stomach.

"You self-centered bastard," she whispered to herself, cringing as the line of uniformed policemen fired yet another round. Leave it to C.J. to go down in dramatic fashion, waging a one-man gun battle with one of the Deep South's most infamous drug cartels.

Tears filled her eyes as she murmured, "Always playing the hero. Only, this time it got you killed, didn't it?"

"Abby, you okay?" Jonah McKee, the detective who'd mentored her since she first got her gold shield six months ago, leaned over and asked with concern.

She nodded stiffly, unable to voice her pain, and aimed her gaze at the shimmering red and gold leaves on the trees bordering the tiny country cemetery. The brisk November breeze iced her heart. C.J. had loved this time of year. He loved to hunt, loved the contest of man against beast. Why, oh why had he chosen to challenge the most frightening beast on the planet -- Salvador Salazar, better known as Sal-Sal -- instead of climbing into his deer stand and scouring the wooded terrain for a prime ten-point buck?

Links:
To buy Quest for Justice: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-245/Keller-County-Cops-Book/Detail.bok
Website: http://www.melanieatkins.com
Blog: http://melanieatkins.wordpress.com
Facebook: http://www.face-book.com/melanie.atkins
Twitter: http://twitter.com/melanie_atkins
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/melanieatkins/

Author Spotlight - Melanie Atkins visits the Writer's Police Academy

One of my favorite conferences is The Writers' Police Academy, a weekend trip into law enforcement land put on by my Castle blog buddy Lee Lofland and friends in North Carolina each September. It's so much fun, and is so informative. Just the ticket for folks who write mystery or suspense. I've been twice, and loved it both times. Can't wait for the 2012 version!

Last year, I attended sessions on Crime Scene Investigation (outside, in the pouring rain), Blood Spatter, Self Defense, Fingerprinting (a phenomenal hands on class), Alternate Light Sources, and Cold Cases, just to name a few. I also tried the driving simulator, but the screens on either side angled to simulate the side windows of an ambulance made me sick as a dog. I got so queasy, I literally had to jump up and run to the restroom. Luckily I didn't throw up, but I almost did. I won't try that again.

My favorite part of the weekend was the FATS simulator training… a video screen that simulates actual police calls, making me the cop. I had a gun, too. It fired nothing but air, of course, but I still took my share of bad guys -- including a grandma at an airport coming at me with knitting needles. I kid you not! I did a lot better this year than last year. What a treat. This year, I hope to also do a ride-along with a sheriff's deputy. I've done that here three times when I attended various citizens' police academies (another total blast), but would love to do it again.

Conferences like this are great for suspense and mystery writers. Writers must do research, and I can't think of a better way to learn about law enforcement. I invite everyone to check out the new WPA website as soon as it's up and running. I'll post the address on my blog the day I get it.


To buy Quest for Justice: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-245/Keller-County-Cops-Book/Detail.bok
Website: http://www.melanieatkins.com
Blog: http://melanieatkins.wordpress.com
Facebook: http://www.face-book.com/melanie.atkins
Twitter: http://twitter.com/melanie_atkins
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/melanieatkins/

Author Spotlight - Melanie Atkins talksa bout the Mississippi Gulf Coast

The Mississippi Gulf Coast is one of my favorite places, and that's why I set my Keller Cops series there. The county in the books is made up, as is the town of Hunter's Bayou, but the setting is still on the coast in an area that's surging back since Katrina knocked it for a loop back in August of '05. The town I used as a model for Hunter's Bayou is perched on the edge of a bay. It stretches down to Highway 90 and on to the Gulf of Mexico. That highway is of the main drags that's also known to locals as The Beach. In the books, I call it the beach road.

Most of the stores along the beach were leveled by the storm when a thirty-foot wave swept ashore there, that broke my heart. So many fun little shops, restaurants, and beautiful homes just dragged out to sea never to be seen again. I don't know how many people died there, but I know a good many did. Several law enforcement officers survived by hanging on to a tree. Katrina was a truly horrifying event.


I look forward to visiting the coast now, but I do miss seeing and visiting the landmarks that are no longer there. The stately homes in Pass Christian, Gulfport's library, the Gulfport Grand Casino's giant neon buildings, Treasure Bay Casino's pirate ship, Valentino's… I had so many good times there. Treasure Bay had absolutely the best bread pudding I've ever eaten, and I loved browsing for gifts and fun little treasures at Valentino's.


The bright white sand on the gorgeous beach is still there, however. As are the centuries-old oaks and the Biloxi Lighthouse that has withstood many, many storms, not to mention a multitude of new hotels, restaurants, gift shops, stores, and casinos -- all this time built on the land side of Highway 90 away from the water.

The Mississippi Gulf Coast really is a visitor's mecca. I love to go down, stay at a hotel on the beach, and write. You won't find a more beautiful view in too many places. Ya'll come down!

Author Spotlight - Q&A With Melanie Atkins

STEPH: I don't know much about "Quest for Justice." What's it about?

MELANIE: In this story, Detective Abby Ryals goes behind the sheriff's back to accept an undercover assignment with another agency to avenge fellow detective C.J. Bowman's death, and is stunned to learn he's very much alive when he leaves witness protection and follows her undercover to help keep her safe. Together, they must race the clock to defeat a notorious drug lord before he can discover their true identities.

STEPH: "Quest for Justice" is in the Keller County Cop Series. Can you give us an overview of the series? Where is it set? The time frame?

MELANIE: This contemporary romantic suspense series set in the fictional town of Hunter's Bayou on the Mississippi Gulf Coast features the tough, handsome men who work for the Keller County Sheriff's office. Can you say hot heroes?

STEPH: How long did it take you to write?

MELANIE: Took me months to write this book. I got stuck at one point and put it down. They usually go much faster for me. Everything came together at the end, though, and I'm very happy with the way the story turned out.

STEPH: What was the inspiration for this story?

MELANIE: I read about a drug bust in the paper, and that kicked things off. I admire law enforcement and appreciate the job they do to help us stay safe.

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

MELANIE: Abby is a cop herself. She's smart, resourceful, and brave. I'd say her weakness, however, is C.J. Bowman. She'll do anything for him... including risking her life and going undercover to avenge his death.

STEPH: What does CJ find attractive about Abby?

MELANIE: Even with her gritty determination and kick ass attitude on the job, she's still all woman. He appreciates that.



STEPH: How did you come up with the title, "Quest for Justice?"

MELANIE: That's what Abby and C.J. are after: justice. Makes sense, right?

STEPH: What's your writing space like?

MELANIE: It's a mess! I write jammed in the corner of my bedroom in a recliner with a laptop on my lap. Works for me, though. It's comfortable.

STEPH: How important is setting to the story?

MELANIE: Extremely important. The setting helps set the mood, and that grounds the reader to the tone and flow of the story. I love using sultry Southern settings.

STEPH: How do you celebrate St. Patrick's Day?

MELANIE: By going to a parade! We have the fabulous Mal's St. Paddy's Day Parade here in Jackson, MS every year, and it draws crowds of 30-40,000 people. It's amazing! And so much fun. It's like a Mardi Gras parade.

Author Spotlight - Excerpt from Voodoo Bones

VOODOO BONES is now available from Desert Breeze! You can read my earlier posts from this week to find out how I came to write this story. Now, it's time for an excerpt!

Blurb:
Noel Galliano has always wanted her own business, and despite critics who believe she won’t succeed, opens a tiny French Quarter voodoo shop. What she doesn’t count on is finding a dismembered corpse upstairs. Detective Mathieu Bergeron is considered a screw up around the district station, until he puts away the Bayou Ripper. Then another body is found mutilated, and both his arrest and competence are thrown into question. Matt and Noel must work together to solve this terrifying crime in the Big Easy...and along the way, they fall in love.

Excerpt:

The night's inky blackness reminded Detective Matthieu Bergeron of hot chicory coffee: thick, rich, and filled with mystery. A muted jazz tune echoed off the French Quarter's worn bricks, and heavy fog rolled in off the river, masking the scrollwork on the balconies and dampening the air. October in New Orleans was fickle. Warm one night, and cold as hell the next. Tonight's humidity chilled Matt to the bone and told him it was the perfect night for murder. Not many people were out, and those who were, hurried to wherever they were going.

He halted just outside the narrow alley where Crawford Delacort, one of the chief techs from the Orleans Parish Medical Examiner's office, knelt beside a sprawled female corpse. The air reeked of stale cigarettes, river mud, and old beer. He scowled.

Fog snaked eerily around the body, and the bright yellow crime scene tape stretched across the entrance to the cave-like space fluttered in the damp breeze. Matt ducked beneath it and approached Delacort, a tall red-haired man with a runner's lanky build.

"Hey, Crawford. Please tell me this woman has all her parts."

"You're in luck tonight, Detective." Crawford rose and brushed off his hands. "She's all here."

"Cause of death?"

"Strangulation with some sort of ligature." The ME looked down at the body lying face down on the cold concrete. "Maybe a necklace. Can't be sure."

"Was she raped?"

"No fluids, but I'll know more once I do the autopsy." He cocked his head. "I'm thinking she might be a hooker, though. Just look at her clothes and shoes, and she has needle marks on the inside of both arms. Killer left her empty purse. He cleaned her out."

"Could've been a dissatisfied customer."

"Or a drug deal gone bad. Even a simple robbery." Crawford shrugged. "Who knows?"

Matt squatted beside the dead girl and examined her twisted, pale neck. Sure enough, a dark red line was gouged into her skin. He sighed. "Okay. Where's CSU?"

"On the way."

"Make sure they get plenty of pictures of her neck."

"I've got it covered."

Something in Crawford's tone made Matt look up. The ME's dark eyes gleamed with derision. Anger boiled inside Matt, but he held it in check. No way would he let the bastard know his air of superiority bothered Matt in the least. Damn it. Gage Simms had soured everyone against him.

He gritted his teeth and came to his feet. "Any witnesses?"

"No idea." Crawford peered down his sharp nose at Matt and jerked his head toward the other end of the alley, where two uniformed officers lurked in semi-darkness. "Ask the first guys on scene."

"All right." Matt's heart raced. He dug out his pad and pen and made a few notes. Even his big collar two days ago, when he'd single-handedly brought in the Bayou Ripper, hadn't silenced his critics. His former partner's constant barbs had alienated everyone in the district station, and now that the jerk had been elevated to commander, Matt was seriously considering asking for a transfer. He started down the alley, and his cell phone rang.

With a sharp curse, he jerked it off his belt. "Bergeron."

"Matt." Speak of the devil. It was Gage Simms. "Got another one for you."

"You can't be serious." Matt halted. "I just got here."

"I'll send someone else. Get your ass over here. To Vous Deux, on Esplanade."

"That new voodoo shop?"

"Yeah. And Matt -- I told you so."

"What are you talking about?" A sick feeling swirled in the pit of Matt's stomach.

Simms laughed. "You'll see when you get here."

Author Spotlight - Melanie Atkins talks about The Big Easy

New Orleans, Louisiana. The Crescent City. The Big Easy. No matter the moniker used to describe it, the city is sprawling, busy, and often chaotic. The French Quarter adds a bit of mystery, too, making it like no other city. More sexy and sultry, since it's right on the river, and simmering with a boiling heat all its own. The heat of humanity.

Most of my stories set in New Orleans take place in this quaint area filled with wrought iron balconies, picturesque structures made of old brick, and rowdy tourists. A murder in an apartment above a Voodoo shop doesn't seem too far-fetched in this part of the city teaming with so many nationalities, personalities, and odd folks.

VOODOO BONES, my October Novella out at Desert Breeze, is not for the squeamish. In this story, Noel Galliano has always wanted her own business, and despite critics who believe she won’t succeed, opens a tiny French Quarter voodoo shop. What she doesn’t count on is finding a dismembered corpse upstairs. Detective Mathieu Bergeron is considered a screw up around the district station, until he puts away the Bayou Ripper. Then another body is found mutilated, and both his arrest and competence are thrown into question. Matt and Noel must work together to solve this terrifying crime in the Big Easy...and along the way, they fall in love.

I got my idea from this story from a news article online… a true story about a dismembered corpse found above a Voodoo shop. My eyes widened as I read about it, and a story was born. I had my premise. Next, I developed my main characters and then just started to write. The plot progressed from there. What a fun story to write!

Look for an excerpt from VOODOO BONES on this blog tomorrow (Friday).
Hope you'll check the book out here: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-213/Voodoo-Bones-Melanie-Atkins/Detail.bok

Author Spotlight - Melanie Atkins talks about researching romantic suspense

I love writing and reading suspense, watching crime shows, and even hearing about crimes in the news. Why? I have no idea. I just know I do. And when I write my books, I want to get the details right. So I do a lot of research.

I've bought books about police procedure, forensics, and the deviant mind -- everything from Forensics for Dummies to Lee Lofland's Police Procedure and Investigation, one of the best books out there for people who write about law enforcement. I've also attended some fabulous conferences, including Forensic University in 2007, sponsored by the St. Louis chapter of Sisters in Crime, various LEO sessions at RWA conferences, and Lee's Writers' Police Academy in 2010 and 2011. Some of my best information, however, has come from local citizens' police academies. I've been to two: one sponsored by the Jackson Police Department, and the other by the Hinds County Sheriff's Office. Both were excellent and gave me a much needed glimpse inside these local agencies.

I've talked with detectives, ATF agents, members of the bomb squad, SWAT team members, and forensic experts, gone on ride alongs, and taken jail tours. And at this year's WPA, I did hands on fingerprinting, learned about blood spatter from an expert, and viewed an outdoor crime scene in the pouring rain. It's so great to get a glimpse into this world!

I'm working hard to "get it right", not only by doing what I've listed above, but also by talking to local cops… and I hope you'll check out my books! Last month at Desert Breeze, the second book in my Keller County Cops series, Shield of Valor came out, and this month, Voodoo Bones, a novella, is available. I'll post an excerpt in a later post.

Buy link for Voodoo Bones: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-213/Voodoo-Bones-Melanie-Atkins/Detail.bok

Author Spotlight - Q&A with Melanie Atkins

STEPH: I don't know much about Voodoo Bones. What's it about?

MELANIE: Noel Galliano has always wanted her own business, and despite critics who believe she won’t succeed, opens a tiny French Quarter voodoo shop. What she doesn’t count on is finding a dismembered corpse upstairs. Detective Mathieu Bergeron is considered a screw up around the district station, until he puts away the Bayou Ripper. Then another body is found mutilated, and both his arrest and competence are thrown into question. Matt and Noel must work together to solve this terrifying crime in the Big Easy...and along the way, they fall in love.


STEPH: How long did it take you to write?

MELANIE: Voodoo Bones is a novella, and I wrote it in about a month.

STEPH: Did you have to do a lot of research for it?

MELANIE: Not really. It's a romantic suspense set in New Orleans, like many of my books, so I'm familiar with the area, and I already do plenty of law enforcement research.

STEPH: What was the inspiration behind the story?

MELANIE: I read a news article about a dismembered corpse found in an apartment above a voodoo shop in New Orleans (a true story), and the plot formed from there.

STEPH: How did you go about picking the hero/heroine's names?

MELANIE: I went with Cajun names because my h/h are from New Orleans.

STEPH: Are you a plotter or a panster?

MELANIE: I'm a pantser. I've tried plotting, but it doesn't really work for me. I come up with a basic premise, develop the main characters, and just dive in and let the story unfold.

STEPH: What's your writing space like?


MELANIE: I write in a corner of my bedroom in a recliner, surrounded by research books. It's a cozy little space.

STEPH: How long have you been writing? Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

MELANIE: I've been writing for about 13 years. My advice is to never, ever quit. Write everyday.

STEPH: What's the last book you downloaded for your Nook? What feature do you like the most about your Nook?

MELANIE: The last book I downloaded is Heat Rises by Richard Castle (the fictional author). lol As anyone knows who reads the blog I co-write with Lee Lofland on his blog The Graveyard Shift, I'm a Castle addict.

STEPH: Fun question: Fess up: Who is your favorite football team?

MELANIE: I'm a devoted New Orleans Saints fan. Who dat? Geaux Saints!

STEPH: Where can we find you on the Web?

MELANIE:

Website: http://www.melanieatkins.com
Blog: http://melanieatkins.wordpress.com
Facebook: http://www.face-book.com/melanie.atkins
Twitter: http://twitter.com/melanie_atkins
Google +: https://plus.google.com/109250905947468207446/about?hl=en-US

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

***************


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!