Featured Author Interview - Raine Falconer

Raine Falconer started writing 30 years ago, when she was living in Portland Oregon. She had been raised in Colorado and Arizona and she was firmly convinced that she had moved to an alien planet. What else could you do when it rained 300 days a year? She started to write.

Raine has a degree as a veterinary technician and she worked for years for a well known orthopedic veterinary surgeon. She's with Desert Breeze Publishing for her novel, "Twin Sons of Different Mothers."

It's great to have you here today. Raine.


#1 – Tell me about your muse – How long have you guys been hanging out?

I've been playing at writing for 35 years. It's a creative outlet which has always been enjoyable to me on a private level but only recently have I taken the next step...that of polishing and publishing...thanks to Gail Delaney and the crew at DBP. They're the best to work with!


#2 – Where did you find the inspiration for your new novel, “Twin Sons of Different Mothers.”

I think it's always been an idea that's been in the back of my mind. What happens when you take identical twins and subject them to sigificantly different upbringing? Obviously the extremes in this story are...well they're part and parcel of the story and it wouldn't have been the story without those extremes. Genetics has always fascinated me...

STEPH: I've always been interested in the same concept, Raine. It's no wonder, fellow author Celia Yeary said we had a lot in common. hehe

#3 - Cast the characters – Who plays Mac? Kieren? Mac?

Probably Adrian Paul...jeez, could we just clone him a bunch of times? Kieren-she's harder for me to identify, maybe Kyra Sedgewick but NOT with that corn-pone accent she uses in the Closer.

STEPH: I LOVE Kyra Sedgewick in the CLOSER!



#4 – I’m not familiar with the plot. Can you tell us a little bit more about the book?

Kieren is training her dog Kevin in a specialized type of scent discrimination and he figures in the identification of the murderer. Mac, the FBI profiler who comes in to assist with the prickly case falls for Kieren just as she falls for him. Though they work incredibly well together they have some real issues to work through personally, and the big question is.....do they? : ))



#5 – Do you still stay involved in veterinary medicine?

Since I bred and showed dogs for 35 years I've stayed involved as much as possible but it grows and changes as quickly as human medicine and is far more complex since it is the umbrella over a multitude of species instead of just one as in human medicine. I've always been fascinated by the really great vets because the other thing they don't have to work with is a verbal patient...(think about it!)



#6 – Where would you like to go visit in the United States that you haven’t been before?


The deep south and the northeast are big on my list.



#7 – Do you plot your novels out, or do you fly by the seat of your pants, going where the wind takes you?

I was pretty much a pantser with TSDM and I'm quite sure (grin) that I paid a big price in additional editing and revising on it. Much of my writing is, however, intuitive...it just seems to flow when my fingers are on the keyboard. I'm trying to organize myself on the second of the series however and I'm hoping that Gail and I will see FAR fewer edits because of it.....

STEPH: Gail rocks in my books. I know she works very hard on her edits.


It was nice to have you hear today, Raine.

Featured Dec Release - Twins Sons of Different Mothers

ABOUT THE BOOK
People are dying in Colorado... violently and without apparent reason, stumping local police.

When Mac arrives in Colorado, his plan is to help an old friend solve the puzzle of the Alphabet Killer. On the tail end of a nasty divorce, he never expected to find a woman as intriguing and beautiful as his new, temporary partner - Detective Kieren Carlson. But she is both, and soon he finds himself as captured by Kieren as he is by the case.

Kieren is determined to solve the puzzle of the killings before more people have to die. With Mac's help, the truth is revealed one devastating and surprising detail at a time. But, can they stop the killer before someone else has to die?


*****
EXCERPT
"Superficially there seems to be no connection between any of the victims. No friends or employers… even acquaintances in common."

He was quick to point out that they might share a common connection through a professional relationship such as a dentist or family photographer but those were details they would need to correlate with time. Hopefully they would come upon something to lead them in the right direction.

"The cause of death in each case is garroting, though the wire or cord is missing. Generally we find that garroting is a method of choice when the death is intended to be quick and with little struggle. It must be accomplished by surprise. These people had no idea death stalked them. Undoubtedly they didn't see it coming."

He pointed at the names on the board. "Does anything stand out with regards to the names?"

He turned back to the group. Six pairs of eyes looked blankly at the board then back at him. Kieren, on the other hand looked like she was actually thinking about the question. She had written something in her notebook and busily connected words with long lines and arrows.

Mac continued. "What we do know about serial killers, statistically speaking, is that they tend to stay within their ethnic group. That is to say whites kill whites, African-American kills African-American etc. although there are notable exceptions to every rule. In this case we find that we have both women and children as victims, one Native American boy, and one child of mixed white and Asian heritage. These things make me question how these people are being picked. Is it truly a series of crimes of opportunity? Or were they picked for a reason and we don't know what that reason is yet? Detective Carlson, is there something you're seeing?"

Something flashed across Chase's face at the mention of her name, attracting Mac's attention, but he quickly covered it with a mask of control. "Yeah, Carlson…tell us what you see up there…" he muttered under his breath.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
I started writing 30 years ago, when I was living in Portland Oregon. I had been raised in Colorado and Arizona and I was firmly convinced that I had moved to an alien planet. What else could you do when it rained 300 days a year? I started to write.

I have a degree as a veterinary technician and I worked for years for a well known orthopedic veterinary surgeon. They were some of the best years of my work life.

Books by Raine at Desert Breeze Publishing:

Unlikely Partners Book One: Twin Sons of Different Mothers - Available December 2009

Unlikely Partners Book Two: Pity the Pets - Available July 2010

I just want to gush about the December Releases!

I just want to give a shout out about our exciting December releases. Throughout December I'll be featuring the releases and hopefully hosting some great author interviews. We've got some great things planned here at Desert Breeze and I hope you take advantage of the blog scavenger hunt.




CHRISTMAS STRANGER
Melinda Jane Frazier, postmistress and farmer in Primrose, Missouri, accepts her single state. But her quiet existence changes overnight when strangers arrive during a blizzard. She hefts Papa's old rifle from the gun rack, cocks it and cracks the door open.

She opens her home to Zeke, a widower, and his young son Timothy. They fill her heart with unexpected Christmas cheer. Though Zeke insists he’s a drifter, Melinda begins to hope he’ll change. How can she bear to return to the lonely life she knew before Zeke drifted to her door?




NOT JUST MAKE BELIEVE
Andrea Peterchef is the reluctant new nanny to troublemaking nine-year-old Piper, and even though her first day ends with tomato-soup puke, her outlook improves over a sexy conversation with Piper’s guardian, Max. His voice evokes an image of her perfect man, but he’s a workaholic. Andrea can see Piper craves the love and stability of a family, and she’s determined to do what it takes to make that happen.

Maxwell Gildenthall is a stockbroker haunted by the 9/11 deaths of his girlfriend and his cousin-- Piper’s dad. Deadlines and data define his life -- not baby dolls and Disney videos. When his plus-sized au pair badgers him into spending more time with Piper, he realizes he’s been neglecting the child, and the chance to be near his pretty nanny is a bonus. Away from emotion-numbing work, he’s racked by guilt and pain, which threatens the fragile relationship he has with Andrea. It will take more than a spoonful of sugar to make these problems go down smoothly.




UNLIKELY PARTNERS, BOOK 1
TWIN SONS OF DIFFERENT MOTHERS
People are dying in Colorado... violently and without apparent reason, stumping local police.

When Mac arrives in Colorado, his plan is to help an old friend solve the puzzle of the Alphabet Killer. On the tail end of a nasty divorce, he never expected to find a woman as intriguing and beautiful as his new, temporary partner - Detective Kieren Carlson. But she is both, and soon he finds himself as captured by Kieren as he is by the case.

Kieren is determined to solve the puzzle of the killings before more people have to die. With Mac's help, the truth is revealed one devastating and surprising detail at a time. But, can they stop the killer before someone else has to die?




TENDER HEARTS
What was the song the kids sang in school? First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes baby in the baby carriage. Not quite. First comes three hot days in Maui, then comes the surprise baby, then comes... love? Yeah. The kind of love that sneaks up on you, like a sudden rainstorm, that you don't know is coming until you're soaked to the skin.

What will it take for Billy and Erin to take the chance and admit their love? When tragedy strikes, they have to find strength in each other... for the love of their child.


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Visit the Desert Breeze Storefront to purchase these titles.
Smiles
Steph