Review:

I’m a serious sucker for books that take the stories I loved as a kid and turn them into fantasy stories I can love as an adult. What the movie Ever After did to rekindle my love for Cinderella, so did Towering rekindle my love for Rapunzel. Though her prince didn’t fall into the briers and scratch out his eyes, the ending did take me into an unexpected twist.

As a male YA protagonist, I liked Wyatt. I didn’t love him, but we got along pretty well and I thought he told his story in a good way. He’s an emotional teenage boy who just lost his best friend and gets shipped off to decompress.

As a female YA protagonist, I kind of fell in love with Rachel. She was simple, yet pleasant, despite the conditions in which she was living (I mean, who has a tower anymore?). She doesn’t understand some of the things we take for granted, like cell phones, but she appreciates every moment because it’s a new experience.

if you liked Beastly, you’ll love Alex’s follow up in the fantasy collection.

Synopsis:

New York Times #1 bestselling author Alex Flinn reimagined the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast in Beastly and gave a twist to the story of Sleeping Beauty in A Kiss in Time.

Now with her gothic and darkly romantic YA novel Towering, Alex Flinn retells the tale of Rapunzel.

When Rachel was taken to live in a tower by a woman she calls Mama, she was excited. She felt like a princess in a castle. But many years later, Rachel knows her palace is really a prison, and begins to plan her escape. She is encouraged by the speed that her golden hair has been growing. It’s gotten long enough to reach the ground. And she’s begun dreaming of a green-eyed man. Could he be out there in the world? Is he coming to save her? Or will she find a way to save herself?

A little lie can change the course of everything. . .
Like every other eighteen-year-old in love, Olivia has dreams of spending forever with the love of her life.  Luke is all she’s ever wanted – until she overhears something she was never meant to.  In a matter of seconds, Olivia’s heart is shattered.  Olivia handles it the only way she knows how – she runs- leaving behind her family, friends and the boy she loves.
Seeking comfort and an escape, Olivia finds it in resident bad boy Deacon.  He’s everything Luke isn’t – and that’s fine with Olivia.
Now, seven years later, Olivia is older, wiser and headed back to Chicago looking forward to a fresh start and reconnecting with her best friend Pyper.  What she doesn’t expect, is to come face to face with the boy she left behind and discover that even though she may have left, her feelings for him didn’t.
Can Olivia put aside the pain in her heart and trust Luke? Will the ties to her past ever let her go, or will she continue to let her life be affected by pretty little lies?

My Review  4 MADE MY FACE HURT LAUGHING STARS!!!

“Being confronted with the actuality of an event is completely different than talking about what one might do IF it happened.”

I adored this debut novel from Jennifer Miller, it was laugh out loud, fall in love, perfection!!  You can’t help but fall in love with these characters and with this story, it’s a story about finding and being in love with your soul mate, you know that one true love that is stronger than anything you will ever experience.   It is beautiful, it’s romantic, it’s scary, and it’s honest.

“No lies.” 

Pretty Little lies, starts with us meeting Olivia, a free-lance journalist who is ending her marriage after 4 years and we see all the pretty little lies that caused it to happen.   She is literally married to the biggest Douche husband, yes he is a Douche and I hate him and believe me you will hate him!!

“Douche-baggery?”

“Yep. Douche-baggery.  Own it. Use it.  Love it”

How did Olivia end up with such an ass? Yeah I wanted to know too and well she was healing from a broken heart, a broken heart caused by Luke.  Luke her first love, the first pretty little lie she had in her life.  Luke is the man she ran from in Chicago.   But 7 years later and one failed marriage Olivia is going back, back to her best friend Pyper, OMG STOP HERE BECAUSE I LOVE PYPER, like I was crying laughing over the things she puts Olivia up to.  She is this ball of energy, that will do whatever it takes to bring her best friend back.  She is the type of best friend every single book girlfriend needs in fact, I want a Pyper!!  She is honest to a fault, fun, and so caring I wanted to hug her.   She will not let Olivia lie to herself or to her.  This bond they have is AMAZING and is so strong you can’t help but get attached to them.

“Uh-huh, sure.  I’m on to you, Pyper Elizabeth Lexington.”

“Don’t try to get me or middle name me, Olivia Grace Brooks.  I’m slave to fashion.  I’m so sorry!  It’s an addiction.”

So back to Luke, Oh Luke!!   They were high school sweethearts, the high school sweethearts that made you jealous.  A love that was so intense and so strong you really think nothing can break it.  But something can break it, a pretty little lie.   A little lie that kept them apart from each for 7 years but fate, fate is a bastard, a sneaky little bastard that has its own plans.  And one awkward moment brings them back together.  Luke, has been praying for this chance, praying for a do over and he has no plans of letting Olivia run ever again.   Luke is everything that screams sexy, he is successful,  determined, funny, and oh so patient.  Seriously I am not lying this is the Ultimate Book Boyfriend, I swear it’s impossible to not love him.  And let me just tell you this boy gives Olivia a speech that left me well…

“I’m speechless and his declaration leaves me breathless.”
 

“My stomach has so many butterflies right now.  And is turning cartwheels.  And my intestines are in my throat.  I hate this feeling, it’s that I’m-going-to-throw-up-any-second feeling.”

Yeah I am ALL ABOUT LUKE!!  Like I might be stalker level in love with this book boyfriend.

Olivia is beyond great character.  I love her humor and her fashion advice, actually I think those might have been some of my favorite parts of this book.   At one point I was laughing so hard I had to take a moment to control myself, TEARS RUNNING DOWN MY CHEEKS FUNNY!!  Olivia, is brave, strong and I loved that she was open to love, she wasn’t jaded.  I loved watching this new/old Olivia emerge and I loved watching her and Luke rediscovery each other and their relationship.

FASHION TIPS: “Wearing spandex is a privilege, not a right.”  “People, the fanny pack went out of style way back in the 80s.  I don’t care if it’s a Louis Vuitton; it’s still a fanny pack.” “Just say no to scrunchies!””Pea green is not a good color.  On anyone.  Ever.”

OH DEAR GOD then the end hit me and let’s just say what the hell, where the hell, OH MY SHE DID IT REALLY THE MOTHER OF CLIFFHANGERS THAT HAS MY MOUTH OPEN AND I AM SCREAMING…..

“I want more.”

“I need more.”

DAMN IT I NEED BOOK 2!!!!

About The Author

 Author Jennifer Miller was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, but now calls Arizona home. Jennifer’s love of reading began when she was a small child, and only continued to grow as she entered adulthood. Ever since winning a writing contest at the young age of nine, when she wrote a book about a girl with a pet unicorn, she’s dreamed of writing a book of her own. Quickly learning that dreams don’t just fall into your lap, she knew she had to chase them herself and not be afraid to dream a little bigger. Most importantly, she is a wife and mother, and is very lucky to have a family that loves and supports her in all things. She also has an unhealthy addiction to handbags and chocolate covered strawberries, neither of which she cares to change. For more information about Jennifer and her books please visit www.jennifermillerwrites.com

CHECKOUT JEN’S GIVEAWAY 

Jennifer is giving away a Kindle Paperwhite!!  With this giveaway, all you need to do to win the Kindle Paperwhite is enter your confirmation number in the form below!!

Review:

I don’t like to start reviews in a negative way, but there wasn’t a moment during Wasteland in which I really got the story. There was so much exposition that the story became sort of a mindless read and I never had an emotional attachment to Esther.

The writing was great, but the story was definitely stuck in the world of young adult fiction; it couldn’t transcend the barrier and become an all-ages kind of read. For me, the book acted as if it was trying to mimic some of the greats in YA dystopia without any of the necessary flair.

The good thing about Wasteland was that it was an easy read. The short, simple sentences were easy to blast through. The reader doesn’t have to think about the logistics of the world building (because there really isn’t any – I still have no idea what happened and why it became the Wasteland!) and the characters are easy to keep straight because they’re nothing more than a gender, a name, and an age. The awkward jobs the kids have (horrified that five-year-olds are working, by the way) don’t make any sense to me. What’s gleaning? Totally mystified with that one.

In any case, if you’re looking for something simple to read to get through your day between paperwork at your desk job, this might be the story for you since you don’t have to remember much of anything.

Synopsis:

Welcome to the wasteland

At fifteen,
the citizens of Prin marry.

At seventeen,
they reproduce.

And at nineteen,
they die.

Esther thinks there’s more to life than toiling at the assignments—Harvesting, Gleaning, Excavating—day after day under the relentless sun, just hoping to make it to the next day.

She doesn’t care that her best friend, a variant, is considered “the enemy.” She doesn’t care that Levi, who controls the Source, is the real enemy and might send his Taser boys after her if she makes one wrong move.

Then Caleb shows up. Could there be another way to fight for survival?

Synopsis:

When is a chance meeting not by chance? Maybe when you hide who you are.

The night before Lily Robles announces she’s running for Congress, she meets a handsome stranger at a coffee shop. Their chemistry is strong, and not wanting to scare him off, she avoids telling him she’s a local politician. She doesn’t want the night to end—until she realizes he’s one of her opponents in the primary.

Jack Bengston can’t place where he’s seen Lily’s pretty face. He’s taken with her, and he’s sure the feeling is mutual—until she leaves him hanging and without her number.

When Jack and Lily meet again as candidates, California State Senator John Bengston and Sonoma County Supervisor Ursula Robles, they find an awkward romantic encounter is no way to kick-off a campaign, but how do you stop an attraction once it starts? There are times when politicians want to put their identities aside.

Review:

The tension between Lily and Jack light’s up the pages of this political romance. While I’m not a big fan of romances, a few come along each year that have me falling over myself to finish and this was one of those books.

Interested in a copy? Pick it up on Amazon!

To get you started, here’s an excerpt:

Damn. He really was cute. His hair was longer and a little scraggly, and his clothes were more rumpled than Adam’s. If he didn’t have an English accent, he would have looked like a surfer boy. Plus he was nice. I wondered if Adam had said anything to him about me.

Regardless, I thought I’d be nice back.

“Well, Adam and I have two classes together. You’re about to be taught economics by the soccer coach. If you’re lucky, you might learn how to balance a checkbook. English is at the end of the day. You’ll hear about Puritans there.”

“The Puritans? Weren’t they Englishmen who came to America? They were oppressed in England because of their religion.”

“That’s right.” I held his gaze. He was definitely older and confident, and I was pretty sure that if Rachel saw me talking to him, she would be pissed if I didn’t flirt a little. I leaned against my locker and said, “Religious oppression. Sexual repression. That pretty much sums up the pilgrims.”

“Sexual repression?” Raising his eyebrows, David smirked. “The last class sounds interesting. Why were the pilgrims repressed when it came to shagging?”

“A strict moral code leading to scandalous affairs.”

“Really? I like the last part.”

I tried to keep my eyes from bugging out. I bet you do, I thought. Time to tone things down, so I said, “The affairs just lead to self-mutilation. Reverend Dimmesdale deals with his by burning a big letter A for adultery into his chest.” I looked over at Adam, who gave a nervous laugh. I guess he didn’t like hearing about Dimmesdale again.

David turned his body so it was toward me, and he crossed his arms, settling into our conversation. His voice got a little lower and kind of sexy. “That part doesn’t sound like much fun to me. What do you think?”

Review
In this 5 ★★★★★ star story, Juliet Moreau is living in the shadow of her father and in the worst way possible. Henri Moreau has been shunned from society for what people have judged unethical and unthinkable experiments on living creatures. Once a well-known and respected doctor, Henri Moreau is now an outcast. Juliet must do what she can to survive which includes menial labor as a cleaning lady. The biggest tragedy for Juliet is that she is as intelligent as her father was, and she has a hint of a dark side as well.

Following rumors and a little intuition, Juliet starts to think that her father may still be alive. While searching the possible whereabouts of her father, she is reunited with a childhood friend named Montgomery. As they get reacquainted with one another, Juliet talks her way into going with Montgomery to the island where her father is. Against Montgomery’s better judgment, he finally agrees to take her. Once they arrive it doesn’t take long before Juliet sees some disturbing things. Something is not quite right about the islanders and murders are taking place. Juliet begins to suspect that the people back home were not wrong in their judgment of her father. While all of this is going on, Juliet finds herself falling for two men, Montgomery and Edward.

There is no other way to sum up the retelling of The Island of Dr. Moreau but “absolutely brilliant”! Megan Shepherd obviously made a big impact on me. It is no small thing to retell a classic story by no less than H. G. Wells, and to do it so wonderfully. I did not so much read this book, as I devoured it. I cannot wait until the sequel comes out. I’ll be waiting with bated breath!

Synopsis
Sixteen-year-old Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself in London—working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father’s gruesome experiments. But when she learns he is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations are true.

Accompanied by her father’s handsome young assistant, Montgomery, and an enigmatic castaway, Edward—both of whom she is deeply drawn to—Juliet travels to the island, only to discover the depths of her father’s madness: He has experimented on animals so that they resemble, speak, and behave as humans. And worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island’s inhabitants. Torn between horror and scientific curiosity, Juliet knows she must end her father’s dangerous experiments and escape her jungle prison before it’s too late. Yet as the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father’s genius—and madness—in her own blood.

Inspired by H. G. Wells’s classic The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Madman’s Daughter is a dark and breathless Gothic thriller about the secrets we’ll do anything to know and the truths we’ll go to any lengths to protect.

Blurb

This is a twisting story of young love torn in two.

Abigail McCall has been accepted into Juilliard for Ballet. Being nineteen, she’s ready to move out of her tight shell at her parent’s house and in with her new roommates. Abigail finds herself distracted with things she never saw herself doing.

‘Hey, I’m Tucker.
That’s all it took. His own name rolling off his tongue.’

With no job and coming from a broken home with a mother who doesn’t care what happens to him, could you blame Tucker for being so secretive? The dark and mysterious Tucker has his sights set on the prim and proper ballerina. So he knows he has to change his self destructive ways in order to keep Abigail in his life. Which means, betraying his closest friends.

Obstacles are thrown at them.
They don’t approve of the ballerina and the poor boy.

The world won’t let Abigail and Tucker be together. What do they have to sacrifice to stay together…

Can the good come out in the bad? Or does someone always end up hurt and alone?

Tucker has nothing, but Abigail has everything to lose…

My Review

★★★★★

“One choice can make you or break you. That one choice can be life changing. Choose right or choose wrong. What’s more important…..Fun or Happiness? That one choice is yours.” ~ Nicele Reese

This book was more than I thought it was going to be more than a love story, more than a story of discovering one’s self, a story about making choices, following your dreams and listening to your heart. It shows you decisions aren’t always easy, decisions can change your life forever.

“When I danced, I felt as if I was the only person who mattered. I was in control – not my mother, not school, not even my etiquette. I was free.”

Abigail is everything you think of when you think Ballerina at first, a rich girl that on the outside seems to have it all, the perfect family, the perfect life and of course they carry themselves with perfection. But on the inside we see a girl who is trying desperately to win this approval from her mother, a approval that as a reader we sense is impossible to achieve for her mother is someone who from the first page comes off as this cold, controlling Bitch. Abigail finally reaches an accomplishment she has been striving for and she gets a scholarship to Juilliard, finally allowing her to escape her mother and all the walls that she has kept around her. Finally Abigail is about to experience living and that’s where we officially meet Tucker.

“I knew I was goner. I found myself wanting things I never thought I would imagine, but if it was with Tucker, I didn’t care. All my thoughts disappeared.”

Tucker was everything that was the opposite of Abigail, he had nothing, he was street smart because he had to be. Tucker wants more, he wants to be a tattoo artist, he wants to have more than the hand he has been dealt but in his world it is hard to just walk away. Then he meets Abigail in a coffee shop while he and friends are playing pool. She is there with her new roommates and OH MY why do pool tables always give you those butterfly moments, those moments that you feel down to your toes.

“God, Gabs. You do something inside me that makes me want to be a better person. You’re pure. “

Oh yes this was the perfect Good girl meets Bad boy love story but it was so much more this story touches so many sensitive topics, drug addiction, bulimia, cutting, depression, this book is full of decisions that we make daily. We watch this AMAZING love unfold, we watch Abigail get this unbelievable support system around her. Honestly, this book has so many unbelievable characters from Abigail’s roommates that seriously each have their own stories, stories that wrap completely into this story. Then we see Tucker’s world and all these men that are a part of him, some scare you, some make you love them so much you want their story alone. I think what was the hardest for me was watching how hard these two had to fight for each other, how their decisions and others decisions were always there waiting to affect them.

“Nobody approves of the ballerina and the poor boy.”

I loved this book, I loved how Nichele told this story, and I cannot wait for more from her, like, I wish I could get Brad’s story and Evan’s story NOW but I will wait because if they are anything like this one it will be so worth it!!!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nichele Reese loves nothing more than to be snuggling up with her husband and little boy. Occasionally the two furry animals running around her house get some attention too. When she’s not doing that, you can find her on her laptop, phone, or reading on her kindle. On the side, she loves to study Chemistry for fun…Can you believe it? For Fun! Crazy girl. She also puts that into good use working in a Microbiology Lab, where stinky bacteria grows.

Juilliard or Else is my first Novel.
http://www.amazon.com/Juilliard-or-El…

You can check out my blog for Teasers..My characters I picture and the playlist that has inspired me.

AuthorNicheleReese.blogspot.com

Facebook::

http://www.facebook.com/NicheleReese01

http://www.facebook.com/JuilliardOrElse

COMING JULY 2013

Blurb

Sam is a single dad, trying to get over the death of his ex-wife, and help his daughter move on from the loss of her mother.
Rachel is a single mom with a secret of her own that has kept her out of the dating scene for years.
What happens when this drop-dead gorgeous firefighter moves in across the street from the reticent woman with a past?
Sparks fly as the heat level rises in this new novel of Serendipity.

Don’t forget to add Hot Mess to your Goodreads TBR list: 

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17984501-hot-mess

About the Author:  Anne Conley lives in a small town in East Texas, not unlike Serendipity, with her husband, two kids and numerous goats.  She brazenly stole her pseudonym from her great-grandmother, a true pioneer woman who raised seven kids alone: churning butter, plucking chickens, knitting clothes, and putting coal oil on every visible wounds.  She also peed standing up, probably because she didn’t have time to go to the outhouse.  Anne loves hearing from her readers, so contact her to let her know what you think.

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/anneconleyauthor

Email:  anneconleyauthor@gmail.com

Twitter:  @anneconley10

Blog:  www.conleycorner.blogspot.com

Website:  www.anneconley.wix.com/anneconleyauthor

REAL UGLY COVER REVEAL RELEASE DATE JUNE 10th

I am so excited about this Cover reveal and the upcoming release of C.M. Stunich’s new book Real Ugly on June 10th.  It’s part of her brand new series Hard Rock Roots.  It is a New Adult Rock Star Romance and is for 18 and Up due to Dirty Language and Raw Sex (FYI that alone got my attention LOL)!!  Don’t forget to add it to your TBR on  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17869239-real-ugly

BLURB:

“Turner Campbell is an asshole.  I f*cking hate him. But I can’t get enough either. He sings like an angel and f*cks like a devil.  If I could, I’d run away and never look back because to tell you the truth, I think this man might be the death of me.

***

Naomi Knox is a bitch.  I can’t f*cking stand her.  But I can’t stop thinking about her either.  She looks like an angel and plays like a devil.  If I could, I’d f*ck her good and forget all about her, but to tell you the truth, I think this woman might be my last saving grace.”

And since you stuck around here is a special treat!!  Can’t wait to read with you on June 10^th!!!

 UNEDITED TEASER

I’m looking down, so I’m not paying attention to where I’m going.  Doesn’t matter anyway. When people see me coming, they get out of my way.

“Hey!”  A girl shouts as our shoulders slam together and my cigarette topples out of my mouth. “Watch where you’re fucking going!”

A crumpled ball of leather slams into my chest before I get the chance to process that the chick standing in front of me is the girl from the bus last night, the one on the couch. Holy fuck me. She looks even better in the daylight. She’s tall, fucking got legs for days, and her tits are practically falling out the top of an asymmetrical tee that’s cut up and hanging in long strips over her bare belly. Skin like porcelain, orange-brown eyes that bite, and swollen lips. Hell to the fuck yeah. She’s exactly my type. My irritation at having her bump into me dissipates right away, and I switch on the charm.

“Hey, baby, do I know you from somewhere?” I shake out the crumpled leather as she scowls at me and realize with a start that it’s actually my jacket. Must’ve left it on her bus last night. I wonder if we fucked. If we did, then it’s a memory I’m sad to forget.

“Yeah, last night when I cleaned your puke off my carpet and pulled your dick out of my friend. Hey, next time you decide to screw a drunk chick, make sure she’s sober enough to remember her own name. Can you do that for me, Turner?”

I lick my lips and shake out the jacket, tossing it over my shoulder with a scowl of my own. Hot as this chick is, nobody talks to me like that. If I’ve ever fought for anything in my life, it’s the right to be respected. Even a tight body and a dangerous scowl can’t change that.“Hey, if I touched your friend, it’s because she wanted me to.” I snap my fingers and lean in close. “Oh yeah, and it’s none of your damn business.” Hands come out quick and hit my chest, knocking me back a step. Mostly from surprise. She isn’t as tough as she thinks. “Next time you pass out on my bus, I take payment from you in the form of diseased body parts.” She waves her hand at my dick and then she tries to turn away. My fingers on her shoulder spin her around and this time, she hits me right in the face.

“You fucking bitch,” I snarl as she stands her ground and stares me down. “I could have you kicked off the tour for that shit. Or thrown in jail. Who the hell do you think you are?” The woman raises her chin and takes a deep breath while the wind teases her auburn hair around her soft face. She’s acting fierce, but I can see right through her. This chick is vulnerable, half ready to crack. Wonder if I could help her along a little? Broken souls are my specialty.

“My name is Naomi Knox,” she says and then takes a step closer to me, so close that the toes of our shoes touch and her breasts brush up against my chest. Almost immediately, my cock springs to attention and gets hard as a fucking rock, expanding along the length of my thigh and pressing against the tight fabric of my jeans. Fuck that hurts. Guess this my penance for wearing girls’ pants. “And I’m not afraid of you, Turner Campbell, so fuck off.”

She spins on her heel and smacks me across the cheek with her hair. As she moves away, I see something in her face. I don’t know what it is, but it triggers something else in me. I know I’ve met this girl before, and I’m not going to rest until I figure out where.

*****

And yes I agree I WANT MORE!!!!

AUTHOR LINKS

Official Webpage: http://cmstunich.com

Facebook Friend Page: https://www.facebook.com/cmstunich

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/cmstunichauthor

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/C.M.-Stunich/e/B008FT7CAO/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&linkCode=ur2&qid=1363702802&sr=8-2-ent&tag=boobroandbar-20

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6432984.C_M_Stunich

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/cmstunich

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/c.m.-stunich

Kobo:

http://www.kobobooks.com/search/search.html?q=%22C.M.+Stunich%22&t=none&f=author&p=1&s=none&g=both

Elana has given us a short excerpt today from Resist. This is Zenn and you’ll be able to find the city clue in the excerpt. Once you know the city, you can ENTER TO WIN a prize package of signed paperbacks, as well as a $50 Amazon gift card.

Not only that, but there is a series swag package up for grabs every day during the scavenger hunt, which runs until June 14. Be sure to enter in the Rafflecopter widget below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Now, onto the excerpt! Resist Excerpt June 4 –

To continue the hunt today, go to Candace’s Book Blog. If you get lost, you can always go back to Elana’s blog and click through to the right links.

Happy hunting!

Today we are excited to interview Cathy Perkins, the Author of the wonderfully suspenseful ‘For Love or Money’. Let’s see what Cathy has to say.

Good morning, Jaymes {waves coffee cup}. Thanks for inviting me to visit The Readiacs!

1. What was your inspiration for writing ‘For Love or Money’?

Inspiration can hit in the strangest places. My husband and I were hiking along the Snake River in a game management area called Big Flats (which happens to feature in For Love or Money) and had to push through some tangled foliage at the shoreline. Being a mystery writer whose mind can go all kinds of strange places, I glanced over my shoulder and said, “Wouldn’t this be a great place to find a body?”
That germ of an idea kept growing. Why would the heroine be out at Big Flats to stumble over the body? How did the body end up beside the river in the first place?

2. ‘For Love or Money’ is definitely suspenseful. What drew you to write suspense novels over any other genre?

I read a number of genres, but I absolutely love mysteries and suspense. An early teacher told me, write a story you’d want to read.
One of my groups on Goodreads recently got into a discussion about what exactly is romantic suspense? We agreed the genre covers a spectrum from steamy romance with an ‘”oh, yeah, need a plot element here!” to ones where the relationship is a subplot rather than the focus of the story.

With so much latitude built into the romantic suspense/mystery genre, I’m having a ball. My first books, The Professor and Honor Code are intense, darker stories, focusing more on solving the mystery. The relationships are present, deepening the characters, but not the central plot. Both stories feature a law enforcement hero as the primary point of view character.

With For Love or Money, I wanted to step away from both the graphic nature of the crime and the detail of the police investigation. From Holly’s perspective, JC’s over there doing cop stuff. She doesn’t know—or want to know—exactly what he’s doing in his investigation. She’s poking into who killed Marcy for her own reasons – and ends up solving more than one crime in the process.

3. You have a knack for writing great detective work. Was there ever a point in your life where when you wanted to go into the Criminal Law field?

After my other books released, readers (included some in law enforcement) contacted me with this same question because, according to them, I got it “right.” I have huge respect for people who go into law enforcement, but I never wanted to join their ranks.
When we lived in South Carolina, our circle of friends included a retired FBI agent, the State Law Enforcement Division officer assigned to the senior state senator, a city detective and several patrol officers. I listened to their stories and had a source for questions, as well as a peek at what their life was like on a day to day basis.

4. At what point in your life did you decide that you wanted to write and how did you go about starting that process?

While I’ve had a life-long love affair with reading, I didn’t start writing until a few years ago. This probably isn’t how most people start, but I had a tong-term consulting job in a city about 90 miles away. I’d listen to music and daydream during the commute. Pretty soon the daydream had dialogue and I thought, hmm, this is turning into a good story. That particular book lives in a box under the bed, but I was hooked on writing, creating worlds and characters.

Once I screwed up my courage and showed friends my first story, they encouraged me to continue writing. I heard about the week-long writing retreat sponsored by the RWA Lowcountry chapter. I learned so much at the Masterclass, I came home and joined a critique group, hoping to learn more. These writers encouraged me to join RWA and enter a few contests, including the Golden Heart. The Professor won those contests and was a Golden Heart finalist. I kept writing and learning and my books were published. Another series of opportunities serendipitously arrived this year and Entangled Publishing acquired For Love or Money, which released this week!

5. If you could choose any book to have written yourself, which book would you chose and why?

Hmm, I’m not sure I’d want to write someone else’s book. A book has to come from inside the author. Otherwise, without the author’s unique perspective on that particular story, I think it falls flat. Even if I tried, the story and characters would change as I put my own spin and voice into them.

On the other hand, I’ve read books that I laughed my way through and thought, I’d love to be able to write like this. Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series comes to mind. It was so original when she started. It spawned a host of imitators, but I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the first six or so.

6. Holly, the main character, is a very strong female role model. Do you identify personally with any of her characteristics?

Oh, I wish I had her ready comebacks! One of the things I love about writing is being able to write, erase, rewrite… Come back later with a great response. I’m one of those people who thinks of the perfect thing to say…about half an hour later. Dammit.

7. Who would you cast to play Holly, JC, and Marcy?

This is a tough one for me. I’m not a movie person; I’d far rather read the book!
Hmm… Holly… Reese Witherspoon has that independent, don’t mess with me attitude, with a bit of vulnerability behind the confident exterior.

Drawing a blank on JC. He’s an alpha, but he doesn’t need to throw his weight around. He takes control through the force of his personality rather than as an action figure.

And Marcy. I actually had to write a stream of conscience for Marcy to understand how she recovered her sense of self after a horrible marriage to an abusive spouse. (I’ll put it on my website under extras) It would take an actress with an enormous emotional range to realistically portray her.

8. If you had to pick one character other than Holly to use as a main character in another novel, who would you chose?

While Entangled has already contracted for a second Holly and JC book, I think a book written from JC’s point of view could be amusing. Holly’s friend, Laurie, plays a bigger role in the rough draft of “Book 2.” I’m tinkering with a few ideas about telling her story. Or maybe Holly’s mom adventures once the separation is official. So many possibilities!

9. What book projects can we look forward to from you in the future?

My agent has another book on submission, a mystery with a twisty plot that had my critique partners grabbing my shoulders after reading each chapter and demanding, “Who did it?” At its heart, it asks the question, how far will you go and what will you risk for what you love?

Right now, I’m working on two very different manuscripts. One is dark and introspective, revolving around the theme of betrayal. The second is the sequel to For Love or Money, which as I said, Entangled has already contracted. It’s imaginative title is “Book 2.” So far it has Rockcrawlers and that llama from For Love or Money may just have to show up.

10. Tell us a fun new fact about Cathy Perkins that nobody knows.

One of my eyes is blue, the other is green. Not telling which is which,

Book Description:

When Holly Price trips over a friend’s dead body while hiking, her life takes a nosedive into a world of intrigue and danger. The verdict is murder—and Holly is the prime suspect.

Of course, the fact that the infinitely sexy—and very pissed off—cop threatening to arrest her is JC Dimitrak, who just happens to be Holly’s jilted ex-fiancé, doesn’t help matters.

To protect her future, her business…and her heart…the intrepid forensic accountant must use all her considerable investigative skills to follow the money through an intricate web of shadow companies, while staying one step ahead of her ex-fiancé. She better solve the case before the real killer decides CPA stands for Certified Pain in the Ass…and the next dead body found beside the river is Holly’s.

Purchase from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/For-Love-or-Money-ebook/dp/B00CK51J3U/

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