Tami Lund shares details about the creation of Connor Rikeland in the
book Delicious Deception.
About the Book
Title Delicious Deception
Genre Contemporary Suspense
Author Tami Lund
Book
heat level (based on movie ratings): R
Emily Kate Boudreaux runs a restaurant located on a bayou in
Texas, because it’s what her family expects of her. She’d rather pursue her
living as an artist. Then sexy chef Connor Rikeland walks into her life and
turns it upside down. Soon, Emily Kate’s restaurant is a roaring success, she
has time to paint to her heart’s content, there’s a hunky guy warming her bed,
and she’s having visions of happily ever after.
Connor Rikeland is used to women throwing themselves at him, and
he’s been known to use relationships as a bargaining chip in his climb up the
ladder. He wants a culinary career in the spotlight—and Cajun cooking isn’t his
ticket to fame even if Emily Kate is unlike anyone he’s ever met.
Not to mention Connor has a few secrets that have put him on the
wrong side of her brother’s FBI case. When the pieces of just why Connor is
hanging out in a backwoods town begin to surface, Emily Kate must decide what’s
real, what’s a lie, and what’s worth risking her heart over. Because deception
or not, life with Connor is delicious.
Introducing Connor Rikeland
This interview is designed to tell readers about
your hero or heroine. Answer the questions as an author talking about the
character.
Name: Connor Rikeland
Age: 32
Gender: Male
Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan, USA
Profession: Chef
Ethnicity/Species (if not human): Human
Describe his/her body build, skin tone, height
and weight. Include any unique features such as dimples, freckles, or scars:
Dark hair, blue eyes, a crooked smile that tends to get him his way more often
than not.
Who
is the significant other in your character’s life?
Emily Kate Boudreaux
Tell
us about this character, please.
Connor Rikeland is a man who has always chosen
to do what feels good, not necessarily what’s right. For the last ten years, despite
his amazing talent, he’s been stuck as the sous chef at a world renown
restaurant in Detroit, the prestige that comes with being executive chef always
just out of reach. We eventually learn why, in the book, so I won’t give it
away here, but suffice to say, Connor tends to react first and think later.
With that said, he has always managed to get by in life due to his
overabundance of charm, and a subconscious desire to be the good guy, even if
it seems his life rarely works out that way. Don’t worry, though. Connor is a
very redeemable hero!
How
does your hero dress?
Since he starts out the book running for his
life and then gets his wallet stolen – all in the course of the first page – he
pretty much wears the same T-shirt and jeans for a fair portion of the book.
Is
the character book-smart, self-taught, widely-experienced?
Connor has worked in restaurants since he was
fourteen, and he has a pretty-boy face. He tends to get things handed to him,
without much effort on his end. The one thing he’s ever worked hard for in his
life – to be the executive chef at a high-end restaurant – is the one thing he
can’t seem to obtain.
On
what special skills does your character rely?
Connor is an amazing cook. Everyone loves his
cooking. Everyone. And he knows it, but he isn’t cocky about it. It’s just a
fact of his life, like that crooked smile that can sway pretty much anyone.
Just wait until Emily Kate tries his molten chocolate cake.
Does
your character care about what others assume about him?
He likes to think not, but the truth is, he
thrives on positive feedback, which is probably why he’s such a good cook. He
figured out that people are extremely expressive when they taste something
divine, so he strives to create divine food all the time. On the flip side,
it’s equally devastating when he does not get that praise. Even without
criticism, he notices the lack of praise, and it eats at him.
If
someone from your character’s past showed up, who would he most NOT want it to
be, and why?
His former boss from Oliver’s Restaurant in
Detroit. Since the man would not promote him to executive chef after eight
years as the sous chef, Connor finally walked away, literally, with no notice.
Unfortunately, Oliver does indeed show up in Connor’s life, in this book.
What
is your character’s biggest need at the beginning of the story?
A safe place to hide from the bad guys who are
chasing him. A small, family-owned restaurant in the backwoods of northeast
Texas seems pretty damn perfect. Especially if the smokin’ hot owner of the
restaurant comes with the package.
What
is your hero’s biggest hopes and dreams?
To be a world-renown executive chef at a
high-end restaurant. Not a small, family-owned place in the backwoods of
northeast Texas.
What
is your hero’s biggest personal flaw?
His inability to let go of a dream he has not
yet realized. He can’t seem to see that maybe that particular dream is not the
one he really wants.
About Your Writer
Why
do you think your writer chose to write about you?
Have you ever had my sweet potato and pecan
muffins? Trust me, she had no other choice but to write my story.
What
do you wish your writer had not told others about you?
The crap that happened at Oliver’s when I was
still green and making stupid decisions. Also, no one needs to know that Emily
Kate’s brother, Jack, who was the hero from Naked Truth, the first in the Tough
Love Series, could kick my ass without breaking a sweat. I mean, come on,
stroke a guy’s ego here.
What
other character from your book do you think your writer should write a book
about, and why?
Greg definitely needs his story written. He gets
introduced toward the end of my book. I really like him, but I can tell there’s
something going on, a sadness resulting from something in his past. I just hope
his story doesn’t involve my sister. That seems weird, to think about your
sister as getting a happily ever after.
Why
do you think your writer loves to write?
Probably the same reason I love to cook, and
Emily Kate loves to paint. It’s an outlet for our creativity. It’s also stress
relief. And fun.
Is
there anything you’d like to say to your writer?
Thanks for those kitchen scenes. And Emily Kate.
Definitely thanks for bringing Emily Kate into my life.
Buy This Book
Publisher Crimson Romance
http://www.crimsonromance.com/?s=tami+lund&submit=
ARe https://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.html?searchBy=author&qString=Tami+Lund
Kobo https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/delicious-deception
Author Bio
Tami Lund likes to live, love, and laugh, and does her best to ensure
the characters in her books do the same. After they’ve overcome a few seemingly
insurmountable obstacles first, of course.
Tami is multi-published, both self and with a few publishers,
including Crimson Romance, Liquid Silver Books, and Soul Mates Publishing.
Chances are, there is a new book coming out soon. Be sure to stalk her on
social media, so you know when.
And most important, if you enjoyed one of Tami’s books, please let
other readers know by leaving a review on the site from which you bought it, or
on Goodreads. Otherwise, how will they know which book to read next?
Author Social Media
Website
http://tamilund.com
Blog
http://tamilund.com/?page_id=91#1
Tami Lund shares details about the creation of Connor Rikeland in the
