I don't care how busy I am in the summer reading is my favorite pastime. I'm
not big on the outdoors, and losing myself with a book is the best way for me
to relax. And I read everything from classics to erotica to young adult.
I'm really excited to read some of the books offered by some of my author
friends this month. Let's take a look:
I adore Melissa Bourbon Ramirez and her new book BARE-NAKED LOLA. "I like
to think that Lola is my alter–ego," Ramirez says, "if I were a smart,
sexy, salsa dancing black belt private eye. I love her because I get to write
about the Mexican culture, which I'm so close to because of my husband, and I
get to write people who my own children can relate to: people who love the
Mexican culture, who embody its traditions, and who are fully American at the
same time."
J.
Lynn says the inspiration for TEMPTING THE BEST MAN is something close to her heart. "Some of
my favorite kinds of love stories are those that feature two people who've
known each other for many years, but never admitted their feelings," Lynn
says. "Best friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, or like in "Tempting the Best
Man," falling for the brother's best friend, are such fun tales to tell. And
they can be really hot because the insecurities that come along with falling
for a stranger aren't there when you've known the person your entire life. I
also think that everyone can relate to these stories in one way or another."
Lacy Williams says THE HOMESTEADER'S SWEETHEART was inspired by something she found
while working on another book. "During research for another project," Williams
says, "I came across an old photo of several street urchins with dirty faces on
the streets of New York City. From the poignancy in this photo, the hero of my
story was born. Jonas White has overcome many obstacles, including the
abandonment of his parents and living on the streets, but can he overcome his
biggest fear to win the heroine's heart?"
DIAMONDS ARE TRULY FOREVER is the newest release Gina
Robinson. "Diamonds is the second book in my Agent Ex series," she
says. "The
series explores the challenges of being married to a spy – and not ending up
the agent's ex. The hero in Diamonds is the sidekick from ‘The Spy Who Left
Me.' Writing about spies, with all of their various code names is challenging.
Sometimes when I'm writing, even I get the names mixed up. And it's even more
interesting when you're in the character's head—how should the character
refer to himself in thought? So to keep the naming simple, and the book
interesting, and funny, in Diamonds the hero, Drew Fields, is undercover
– as himself – in his hometown. Which sounds simple enough, except
that means he has to fake reconciliation with his nearly ex wife, Staci. And
the two are still hot for each other. But Staci has a flaw that's awkward for a
spy's wife—and potentially fatal for both of them—she's a terrible
liar."
WHEN
SHE WASN'T LOOKING is HelenKay Dimon's new book. When you write romantic suspense, the
inspiration sometimes comes from difficult real–life stories. My May
release from Harlequin intrigue, WHEN SHE WASN'T LOOKING, had that sort of
start. Years ago I was a lawyer in Maryland, not even thinking about writing
books, and a terrible crime happened nearby and a family was killed. I
remembered that story and started to do the "what if" game. What if a surviving
daughter, now grown up, thought the killer was still on the loose. And what if
a gruff but to–the–bone decent man walked into her life and for the
first time she had hope she could find the truth? A story was born.
THE LAST
REAL COWBOY is the first in Donna Alward's Cadence Creek Cowboys duet. The cat in the book
was inspired by a funny situation. "In Feb of 2010,says Alward," I went to
Toronto to visit the Harlequin offices and stayed with my friend Jayne, who is
the Community Manager for Harlequin. At her place I was introduced to her cat,
Chippie, who, she warned me, could be a bit of a biter. Having a "quirky" cat
of my own, I have to say Chippie never got me once. I could see the gleam in
his eye and caught him every time. But Jayne thought Chippie was being naughty
so she put him in the bathroom for a time out. I heard this odd sound and Jayne
casually informed me that it was Chippie unrolling the toilet paper. Then she
told me to wait for it....and sure enough, he flushed the toilet. I don't have
to tell you that I burst out laughing, do I? I fell in love with Chippie that
night. Who can resist a handsome cat with a big attitude? When it came time to
write book, I knew Angela needed to have a cat so she wasn't entirely alone in
the world. And of course that cat was going to be a handsome orange and white
rescue with a big ‘tude. And like Chippie, Morris tends to voice his opinion
about new people in the house – like the first time he meets the hero, Sam. The
book is dedicated to Jayne – who is a wonderful, awesome lady, and also to
Chippie – a very special cat."
"I live in the Texas Hill Country, which is mostly rolling ranch
land," says author Desiree Holt. "People raise cattle and horses and in my area
it's nothing new to see people ride by my house on horseback. We have a sheriff
who is a real icon. He wears a Stetson—always—fights the bad guys
and also is a team–roping champion. We're right smack in the middle of
what was one e Comanche territory and many of their ancestors still live here,
so I decided to combine both the Native American history, the ambience of a
small but wide open county and the tasty sheriff in the character of Hawk
Blackwater. You can find him in my latest release, DARK SECRETS, set in
Freewill, Wyoming, which looks suspiciously like the town where I live!"
1 comment posted.
Some of the above really interest me - the Homesteader one for the historical setting, the cowboy one for the cat, Dark Secrets for the location. I thought Hawk was so over-used as a hero's name that authors were advised not to use it? But then if it is a commonly found name in that location, it would be natural, like saying that there's a lot of Pats in Ireland or Jamies in Scotland.
(Clare O'Beara 6:36am June 15, 2012)