Suspense
Romantic suspense or thrillers provide readers with heightened feelings of suspense, excitement, surprise, anticipation and/or anxiety.
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Character Interview Sara Barnes from Dream Student @jjdibenedetto #RLFblog #paranormal #suspense
Dream Student Dream Student (Dream Series, book one)
Genre Paranormal Romance/SuspenseAuthor Name J.J. DiBenedettoBook heat level (based on movie ratings): PGWhat would you do if you could see other people’s dreams? If
you could watch their hidden fantasies and uncover their deepest, darkest secrets…without
them ever knowing?Sara Barnes is about to find out. She thought that all she had
to worry about was final exams, Christmas shopping and deciding whether she likes
the cute freshman in the next dorm who’s got a crush on her.But when she starts seeing dreams that aren’t hers, she learns
more than she ever wanted to know about her friends, her classmates…and a strange,
terrifying man whose dreams could get Sara killed.“Dream Student” is the thrilling first installment
of the Dreams series.Buy This Book
Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dream-student-jj-dibenedetto/1114915766?ean=2940044622265ARe https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-dreamstudent-1369484-149.htmlSmashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/331929Interview with Sara Barnes
Tell us about yourself,
please.I guess I should start with my name. I’m Sara Barnes. I’m twenty-one
years old, as of last month. I’m in my junior year of college, at Crewe University.
I’m in the pre-med program – I’ve wanted to be a doctor for years – as long as I
can remember.Most people would probably say I’m kind of shy. They might even
say I’m a nerd, although I dispute that. Yes, I like studying – what’s so weird
about that? Biology is fun, and so is chemistry. What’s not to like?I have one brother, Bob, who’s three years younger than me, and
he’s also a huge pain in the rear end. I have a best friend – my roommate, Beth
– who might as well be a sister. I’m not jealous at all of her, even though she’s
tall and has perfect blonde hair and all of that, and I’m nothing like that.What is it that you want,
but cannot have? Authors call this the conflict of the story.I want my weird dreams to stop. I’ve been seeing other people’s
dreams for a month- I don’t know why it started, or why I can even do it in the
first place, but I wish it would just stop already.What’s your internal limitation?
Meaning, what is it about you that makes it so you cannot do what it is you need
to do during this story?I’m not always great at navigating relationships and “reading
between the lines” with what other people say and do. I can be pretty slow
sometimes, when it comes to that.What inner doubt causes
you the most difficulty?I’m terrified of not being able to live up to my responsibilities.
I know I’m having these dreams for a reason – I’m the one who has to deal with them.
I’m the only one who knows what’s going on in them, and what if I’m wrong about
what I see, or what I think it means? People could die, and it would be my fault.What’s your external complication?
In the story world your author created, explain what it is you fear most.It has to do with the dreams. There’s a man who’s – I don’t even
want to say it out loud, what he’s doing in the dreams. He takes girls, teenage
girls, and – I’ll leave it to your imagination. But it’s real, too. I’ve seen two
of the girls in the newspaper, their pictures, and their – their obituaries. And
they were in my dreams.I’m the only one who knows what’s going on, or who’s doing all
this, and that means I have to stop him. And that scares me to death.Tell us about your significant
other, that person who makes living worthwhile.Oh, God. I love Brian so much. I’ve only known him a month, but
it’s like we’ve been together all our lives. I never believed in love at first sight,
or soulmates, or any of that, but I was wrong, because I’ve experienced that with
him.He’s younger than me – just a freshman. But he’s so strong, so
supportive of me. And he’s just beautiful – he has the most browny brown eyes I’ve
ever seen.What would that person
say about you?Can I not be modest for a minute? He’d say that I’m his soulmate,
just like he’s mine. He’d say that I brought him out of his shell, and made his
life worth living. And – even though it’s not true, it still IS true, because he
believes it – he’d say I’m beautiful, too.What is your family like?My parents are wonderful – they’ve always given me plenty of
responsibility and trusted me. And they’re totally in love, even after twenty-some
years – I can see it. They’re pretty young, too – Dad’s only 44 years old, and Mom
is 45.I already mentioned my brother, Bob, so I don’t need to say anything
more about him. I’ve only got one grandparent – Mom’s mother, Grandma Lucy. And
there’s my godmother, Kat – she’s not related, but she’s still family.What special skills do
you rely on?Besides the dreams? Just my brains, I guess. It’s not bragging
– I am pretty smart. That makes up for my total lack of athletic, artistic and musical
skill.If someone from your past
showed up, who would you NOT want it to be, and why?Richard – my boyfriend back in high school. I lost my – well,
you can figure that out for yourself. It was the worst – God, I hated myself so
much after that night. I only ever spoke to him once more, to break up with him.Are you happy with the
way your story ended? Why or why not?Yes – I got through it in one piece (well, except for a broken
leg!), I’m probably going to have my choice of medical schools to go to, and I found
my Brian. AND, I have a feeling that before too long, he’s going to ask me to marry
him! What more could I ask for?About the Writer
Why did you choose to
write about this character?Sara pretty much emerged at the same time as the initial story
idea. I wanted to come up with an explanation for why a civilian/amateur would find
themselves pursuing a killer, rather than the police. That’s where the dreams came
from – if you could see other people’s dreams, what if you saw a crime? You’d be
the only witness, but it’s not something you could bring to the police or anyone
else. You’d have to investigate yourself, if you wanted to stop it.And Sara just was there – right from the start, she was always
the person having the dreams.Why do you write?Because I love these characters – not just Sara, but her family
and friends, too. They’re very real to me, and I want to get their stories down.
If readers enjoy them, too, I’m thrilled.What other character from
this book do you want to write about? Care to tell us why?I definitely want to give Sara’s best friend, Beth, a story of
her own. She’s been a supporting character for going on seven books now, and she
deserves her turn in the spotlight!Are any sequels planned
for this book?I’ve already written five sequels, and I’m working on number
six right now. I think there’ll be probably ten books in all before I’m finished.Is there anything you’d
like to say to your readers?Really, there’s only one thing: THANK YOU!Author Bio
J.J. (James) DiBenedetto was born in Yonkers, New York.
He attended Case Western Reserve University,
where as his classmates can attest, he was a complete nerd. Very little has changed
since then.He currently lives in Arlington,
Virginia with his beautiful wife and
their cat (who has thoroughly trained them both). When he’s not writing, James works
in the direct marketing field, enjoys the opera, photography and the New York Giants,
among other interests.The “Dreams” series is James’ first published work.Author Social Media
Website http://www.writingdreams.netAmazon Author Page http://www.amazon.com/author/jjdibenedetto -
Character Interview: JP Blackmon from In the Arms of a Stranger @virginiagkelly #RLFblog @EntangledSus
In the Arms of a Stranger About the Book
In the Arms of a StrangerGenre Romantic SuspenseAuthor Virginia KellyBook heat level (based on movie ratings): RA dangerous man on the run…Wounded and accused of treason, CIA operative JP Blackmon is
on the run from his own agency and desperate to clear his name. When he finds out
his old partner is dead, he’ll do anything to get to the truth…including using
his partner’s widow.A vulnerable woman looking for answers…Abby Price wanted nothing more than a family and a safe home.
But her late husband kept big secrets from her–secrets that got him killed and
have government agents watching her every move. Fearing for her life, it seems the
only man who can help her is a mysterious stranger who suddenly appears out of nowhere.
But can she trust him?Together they discover a passion worth dying for.As danger stalks them at every turn, unexpected passion flares
between JP and Abby. But the last thing either wants or needs is more complications.
Romance? No. Way. That would involve trust–something neither is willing or able
to do. But in the end, sharing their deadly secrets is their only hope for survival…their
only hope to hold onto the love they’ve just begun to share…Buy This Book
Publisher http://www.entangledpublishing.com/in-the-arms-of-a-stranger/Amazon http://amzn.com/B00FO81XXGBarnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/in-the-arms-of-a-stranger-virginia-kelly/1117054092?ean=9781622661954ARe https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-inthearmsofastranger-1317262-237.htmlKobo http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/in-the-arms-of-a-stranger-3/UCN2ns6n4k6Rj6W68pkR9wInterview with JP Blackmon from In the Arms of a Stranger
Tell us about yourself,
please.I’m from a small town in the Florida panhandle. I’m 29 years old, joined the
army at eighteen looking for some adventure. I met all my challenges while serving.
Managed to finish a degree in criminal justice before I left for the Agency. You
know? I don’t think she wrote about that. Oh, I’m damned good at what I do. And,
no, I don’t talk about it.What’s your external complication?
In the story world your author created, explain what it is you fear most.I was accused of treason. What’s worse is that my partner, the
man I trusted above anyone else, set me up. He did it so well that I had no choice
but to run from men like us who were determined to kill me. I’m afraid of endangering
innocents. My boss referred to them as collateral damage. I never caused collateral
damage. In this case, the one who could be hurt is my partner’s wife–widow. I really
don’t want her to know the truth about me, about what I do.Tell us about your significant
other, that person who makes living worthwhile.Abby is…special. She’s strong, caring, capable. Determined.
More courageous than many men I’ve worked with, and I’ve worked with some brave
men. She’s…I can’t explain it. Beyond words. She’s (pauses) right here (touching
his chest above his heart, then shifting uncomfortably, like he said too much).What would that person
say about you?(Laughing, relieved not to be talking about Abby) I don’t want
to guess. You should ask Abby.What is your family like?My father, army, died when I was nine, so my mom raised my sisters
and me alone. We weren’t exactly well-off. We’re close, or we were, until I left
for the army. I always called when I could, you know, birthdays, holidays. Always
went home when on leave. I missed a lot because of the job. Funny thing, turns out
my older sister, Janey, and one of my best friends had a little history. That was
a surprise. Real shocker, considering that I thought she blamed Matt when I joined
the army.What special skills do
you rely on?Instinct and training.Are you happy with the
way your story ended? Why or why not?Yeah, I am. Well, I was by the time she typed ‘the end.’ But
getting to the end wasn’t what I wanted for Abby or her family. I didn’t want her
to know the truth about me. But, like I said, she’s strong and caring. Frankly,
I’m amazed she took a chance with me. I’m damn lucky.About the Writer
You have the length of
a tweet (140 characters) to describe yourself as a writer. Let’s see what you can
do.Author of sexy dangerous heroes and the strong, adventurous women
willing to risk it all for a happily ever afterWas there anything you
discovered about this character that was a surprise to you?His tenderness despite the ruthless special skills of his profession.Why do you write?This will sound trite, but I write because I have to. I’ve tried
not writing–I couldn’t do it. I kept hearing my characters having conversations.
Sometimes I even spoke the conversations out loud. Fortunately, that was in the
shower. :-)What do you want to write
next?I want to start on book three of a series set in South American.
Book one is in complete first draft, book two is about one third in first draft,
but book three keeps calling. I’m finishing up a novel set at a beach wedding. I
love weddings, but this one has a twist of danger along with the romance. It should
be out in late April or early May.Are any sequels planned
for this book?Not at this time, but there’s a prequel: Dancing in the Dark.
It’s about Janey Blackmon, my hero’s sister.Is there anything you’d
like to say to your readers?Thank you! I love to hear from readers, so I hope they’ll drop
me a note.Author Bio
Virginia’s first story involved a mouse that hitched
a ride with Paul Revere. She was eleven. A bit later and bit more organized, dreams
of romance (with a happily ever after), adventure, and danger mixed together to
produce her RWA Golden Heart nominated novel. She writes about dangerous heroes
(sexy, gorgeous ones, of course!) and the adventurous women willing to take a chance
on them. An academic librarian, Virginia is a native of Peru and lives in Florida with her family.Author Social Media
Website http://virginiakelly.netPublisher’s Twitter http://twitter.com/EntangledSusFacebook http://facebook.scom/VirginiaKellyAuthorPinterest http://pinterest.com/virginiagkellyAmazon Author Page http://www.amazon.com/Virginia-Kelly/e/B001KDD8FK/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
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Suspense: Sweeter Than This @samaraking #RLFblog #suspense
Sweeter Than This Cover Love at Romance Lives Forever is a short intro to a
book and includes a cover, blurb, buy links, and social media contacts for the
author. Today’s featured book is Sweeter Than This by Samara King.With her best friend murdered, the man believed to be partly
responsible under the nose of her gun and a stranger looming in the shadows out
for blood, Officer Elle Taylor is running out of time and people to trust. Will
Elle risk crossing the line between attraction and revenge to take help from an
unexpected source, before the murderer strikes again and leaves her life in flames?Durant Kane is no stranger to trouble, especially the kind that
comes with a gun trained on his face and an angry woman attached. But Elle’s something
different, something unexpected and sweeter. He never could have imagined coming
to feel so deeply about her, even if his own disastrous path in relationships hadn’t
left him so wary. But he’ll have to take the risk if he doesn’t want to lose the
woman he’s come to realize he can’t even think of living without.Buy This Book
Loose Id http://www.loose-id.com/sweeter-than-this.htmlAuthor Social Media
Website http://samaraking.comTwitter http://twitter.com/samaraking -
Author Interview @MarilynBaron – Homecoming Homicides #RLFblog #Suspense
Homecoming Homicides Genre Psycho Meets Miss Congeniality—Dark Romantic Suspense with
a Humorous TwistAuthor Marilyn BaronBook heat level: PG13Professional crisis manager Philippa Tannenbaum is spokesperson
for the law enforcement task force charged with solving a high-profile case. She
never dreams her position as Homecoming Pageant Director and her second-place finish
in the previous year’s competition has placed her on a serial killer’s hit list.
Always a runner-up in life, she wants to finally come in first at finding the killer
targeting the current crop of beauties.Her friend Luke Slaughter, a Graysville city cop, shows up at
Philippa’s office, assigned to partner with her in solving the case and to protect
her 24/7 for the duration. Unfortunately, he’s also the man she hooked up with for
a one-night stand when she broke up with her fiancé. Working with her is going to
be less than easy, for a number of reasons…Buy This Book
Publisher The Wild Rose PressAmazon http://amzn.com/B00I27AS2I.
After the exclusive Kindle release, the worldwide release date will be May 9, 2014.Interview with Marilyn Baron
Why did you write this
book?Some years ago, my daughter was a contestant in the Homecoming
Pageant at the University
of Florida. At the end of
the pageant, a seemingly innocent man—he was more of a big hulk of a boy—approached
each girl to get her autograph on his pageant booklet. That sparked my imagination
and was the inspiration for this story. I wondered what would have happened if he
were a serial killer? I went to college at the University
of Florida in Gainesville and I named my fictional town Graysville,
so I was very familiar with the setting.What is your favorite
genre to read?Romance and thriller/espionage novels.What is your favorite
character from fiction (not including your own characters)?In romance, Roarke from J.D. Robb’s In Death series or Jamie
Fraser in the Outlander series. In spy novels, Daniel Silva’s Gabriel Allon.Do you enjoy films and/or
TV shows? Which are your favorites?In addition to reading (I’m in two book clubs) I go to a lot
of movies and watch a lot of TV for relaxation. My all-time favorite movie is Casablanca. The TV shows I
watch include Downton Abbey, The Good Wife, NCIS, Blue Bloods,The Big Bang Theory,
Two Broke Girls and I’m looking forward to watching the next season of The Americans.What are you working on
at the moment, and what are we likely to see from you in the coming months?I’m working on Book Three of The Psychic Crystal Mystery series
called Murder on the Repositioning Cruise. I’ve just signed another contract with
The Wild Rose Press for a new women’s fiction called Stones, which finaled in the
GRW Unpublished Maggie Awards for Excellence in 2005 in the Single Title category,
formerly titled The Colonoscopy Club.Please tell us about your
latest series.Homecoming Homicides is Book Two in the Psychic Crystal Mystery
series. Book One, Sixth Sense, won the Maggie Award for Excellence in the Paranormal/Romance
category.Here’s the blurb for Sixth
Sense:Reluctant psychic Katherine Crystal, dubbed “Crystal Ball
Kate,” is thrust into the national spotlight when she accurately predicts the
death of a movie actor’s young son in a private plane crash. Besieged by requests
to use her powers to help others, she realizes why her parents had warned her never
to let anyone know of her visions.By-the-book Atlanta
police detective Jack Hale harbors a deep-seated distrust of psychics and ignores
Katherine’s warnings when she calls to report her premonition. Jack is forced to
partner with Kate, who uses her eerie sensitivity to evil to help him catch a serial
killer in Sydney, Australia, but that’s only the beginning
of the story. Jack and Kate are drawn into the investigation of a mystery surrounding
Kate’s birth and find murder and romance among a secret society of psychics in the
quaint seaside spiritualist community of Casa
Spirito, Florida.Murder on the Repositioning Cruise – Coming Soon
Former Atlanta
police detective Jack Hale and “Crystal Ball Kate” from Sixth Sense, are
back, this time with Kate’s mother, Psychic Juliette and the cocky sheriff in Homecoming
Homicides, for a suspenseful romp on the high seas.Juliette Spencer and Sheriff Will Bradley are posing as husband
and wife on a two-week transatlantic cruise to catch an art thief, investigate a
murder and calm the fears of a superstitious crew. Juliette will be fine if Sheriff
Bradley’s amorous advances in close quarters don’t cause her to jump ship or throw
him overboard.Author Bio
Marilyn is a public
relations consultant in Atlanta.
She’s a member of Marketing for Romance Writers, Romance Writers of America, and
Georgia Romance Writers (GRW) and the recipient of the GRW 2009 Chapter Service
Award. She writes humorous women’s fiction, romantic thrillers/suspense, historicals
and paranormal. She has won writing awards in Single Title, Suspense Romance and
Paranormal/Fantasy Romance. Marilyn blogs at Petit Fours and Hot Tamales http://www.petitfoursandhottamales.com/. She and her sister, Sharon
Goldman, just released a play about Alzheimer’s called Memory Lane. You can find out more about Marilyn’s
books and short stories and listen to a medley of the music from Memory Lane on her Web
site at www.marilynbaron.com or view it on YouTube at http://youtu.be/Hgi_mIdt5MA.Author Social Media
Website www.marilynbaron.comTwitter https://twitter.com/MarilynBaronAmazon Author Page http://www.amazon.com/Marilyn-Baron/e/B008PJFQPC/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1You May Also Like
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One Red Shoe @dmburton72 #RLFblog #thriller
One Red Shoe Cover Love at Romance Lives Forever is a short intro to a book
and includes a cover, blurb, buy links, and social media contacts for the author.
Today’s featured book is One Red Shoe by Diane Burton.Wannabe writer rescues wounded spy while risking her heart.Daria Mason’s life is too predictable. Nothing ever happens in
her small Iowa
town where everybody knows everybody else. But when she travels to New York City looking for
a little excitement, she never expects to bring home a wounded spy.From the moment agent Sam Jozwiak steals intel vital to US security from
a Russian Mafia kingpin, Murphy’s Law takes over. No matter how he covers his tracks,
the kingpin’s assassins find him. What’s worse than getting shot in the butt? Accepting
help from an Iowa
tourist.Sam and Daria flee cross country with the assassins right behind
them. Sharing danger and excitement—and a few kisses—with Sam soon has Daria convinced
he’s the man for her. He thinks she’ll be better off once he’s out of her life for
good. With their lives on the line, can she convince him they belong together?Buy This BookAmazon http://amzn.com/B00FDXRHZAAuthor Social Media
Website: http://www.dianeburton.comTwitter: http://twitter.com/dmburton72Facebook: http://facebook.com/dianeburtonauthorPinterest: http://pinterest.com/dmburton72 -
Character Sketch: Carolyn Woods from A Taste For Killing @HKSterling #RLFblog
A Taste For Killing Genre: Mystery/Suspense Romance 18+Author Name: H.K. SterlingBook heat level: (based on movie ratings): RMystery and Romance blend together when competing detectives
Carolyn Woods and Jack Heart are both hired to solve the murder of Pete Wallace,
only to realize they are working the same case. To complicate things, Carolyn and
Jack have an on again-off again relationship. Then there is Evan Jones, a handsome
architect— but he’s also a suspect. Can Carolyn manage to solve the case as more
and more murders pile up? Will her relationship with Jack hinder their investigations?
And what about Evan Jones? He seems like the perfect man, but could he actually
be the murderer? One thing is for sure: someone close to both Carolyn and Jack has
A Taste For Killing.Buy This Book
Publisher: Breathless PressAuthor site http://hksterling1.blogspot.com/The book will be available on the following sites on February
21 as well as the Breathless Press site: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Are Kobo, SmashwordsAbout the Character
Name: Carolyn WoodsAge: 33Gender: FemaleBirthplace: New YorkProfession: DetectiveDescribe her body build, skin tone, height and weight. Include
any unique features such as dimples, freckles, or scars: Carolyn is of average height,
has brown hair, doesn’t wear a lot of makeup but when she fixes herself up she looks
good.Who is the significant
other in your character’s life?Carolyn has two significant others: Jack Heart and Evan Jones.How does your heroine
dress?Carolyn dresses down, usually in street dress most often due
to her detective work in the seedy side of the city and wanting to blend in. However,
she likes flirty dresses if going on a date.How educated is this character?
Is she book smart, self-taught, widely-experienced?Carolyn has a Bachelor’s Degree but is mostly street smart. She
handles a gun well too!Does she scrape by, live
comfortably, live extravagantly?Carolyn scrapes by and lives on a third floor walk-up in the
city. She also drives a car that is falling apart.What is your character’s viewpoint on wealth? Not necessary,
nice to have, important, obtain at all costs?Carolyn is not impressed by wealth. Although she would like to
have a car that wouldn’t break down, in general she judges people on their personality
and their moral center rather than on their wealth. Her job brings many wealthy
as well as non-wealthy characters across her door.What special skills does
your character rely on?Carolyn relies on her gut instinct a lot. She has to in her profession.What does she have a knack
for doing?Carolyn has a knack for finding trouble easily.Are any of her skills
a source of pride? Embarrassment? Which ones and why?Carolyn is proud of her work and her skills and feels like she
and her career can stand up to anyone in a professional that is dominated by men.
She is occasionally embarrassed when she is attracted to men. Then she suddenly
becomes a bit of a klutz.How well does she know
the neighbors? Coworkers?Carolyn runs into Jack Heart often as they are both detectives
and sometimes accidentally end up on the same case. There is an air of competition
there, but they also help each other out.What inner doubt causes
your character the most difficulty?Carolyn’s self-confidence is low once you get past her defenses.
She’s always in some state of worry inside her head. She also self-reflects often
negatively about herself.What past event causes
your character the most fear?Carolyn has had a lot of cases that have put her personally in
danger, so she is always trying to prevent that.What is your character’s
biggest need at the beginning of the story?She’s just trying to solve the case on the surface but underneath
she has doubts about her relationship.How does your character
handle challenges?Carolyn tackles challenges head on! Sometimes she tackles them
too fast without thinking which lands her in trouble.What is your heroine’s
breaking point?Disillusionment with people too often can break her. She requires
at least one good person in her life to be her rock and her center that she can
count on.How emotionally expressive
is your character to others?Carolyn says what’s on her mind. She doesn’t hold back. Sometimes
that alienates people. Others like her honesty.
Taste For Killing About Your Writer: Questions for your character to answer about you.
Why do you think your
writer chose to write about you?I’m a good detective! And recently, my love life has improved!What do you wish your
writer had not told others about you?I wish the writer wouldn’t tell others my inner thoughts sometimes.
It’s embarrassing!Why do you think your writer loves to write?I think my writer likes to put us characters together like a
stew and see the interactions and what come out.
HK Sterling What do you wish your
writer would write next?Oh, more romantic scenes, for sure.What other character from
your book do you think your writer should write a book about? Care to tell us why?Yes, Jack Heart is a good detective. He deserves his own story
too.Is there anything you’d
like to say to your writer?My writer is definitely not my alter–ego. We are very different.Author Bio
H.K. Sterling is an author with Breathless
Press known for stories with a kick and twist endings. She likes to focus her writing
on suspense, science-fiction, shorts, and anything that is spicy and unexpected.
H.K. lives in Virginia
with her husband who graciously puts up with her passion for writing. You can contact
H.K. on the following social media:Author Social Media
HK Sterling “Undercover Blog”:
http://hksterling1.blogspot.com/Twitter: http://twitter.com/HKSterling
