GUEST REVIEWER ~ Pat Sheppard's Review of Mary Wine's DREAM SHADOW ~

Dream, Book 1

Sheriff Brice Campbell never met a psychic worth a dime. Until Grace. She’s the real deal, an Army psychic tracker with a flawless record for finding her target. And somewhere behind her bristling defenses is a woman he’s determined to coax out into the light of day.

Grace’s legendary ability to keep her emotions walled off from her gift is the key to her success. Unfocused equals unproductive. Only this time, her target is a child that’s gone missing. Worse, an unexpected attraction to Brice is messing with her concentration, big time.

Desire sends them both up in a firestorm of passion, which only makes it painfully clear that the Army’s secret weapon has one embarrassing flaw. In matters of the heart, she’s a rank amateur.

Brice is more than willing to help her navigate these unfamiliar waters, but bringing her heart out of the shadows exposes her to danger neither saw coming. And from which no army can save her.

PAT SHEPPARD'S REVIEW

I would give this book five stars. I loved this book because it was not like so many others these days. From the moment Grace met Brice you knew something special was going to happen.

Often times I cannot tell where I have placed my keys. I feel there is something lingering out there that I am supposed to do but I just can't put my finger on it. Well Grace could tell me where my keys were if she was not so busy looking for lost people. Her psychic ability is a thing of legends. But as with all psychic, gypsies and fortune tellers, they can read everyone's life but their own. Grace came in search of another's lost child and in the end found her own. Come into Grace’s world and find out how it is to be needed by the world but wanted by no one until your true someone steps into you way.

5 Stars (Hook Line and Sinker)

SPOTLIGHT ON CAT JOHNSON & REVIEW OF ~ONE NIGHT WITH A COWBOY (Oklahoma Nights 1) by CAT JOHNSON~

Hi Cat!!! Thanks so much for joining us down at Book Obsessed Chicks. I know you are a super busy lady and really appreciate you taking the time out for me….

Hi, Kim and hello to all your readers! And you know I always have time for the Book Obsessed Chicks. Love you guys!

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I'm lucky enough to be able to write full-time from my home in NY, while wearing my pajamas. It's a pretty good deal! 

So how did you come up with this idea for Oklahoma Nights 1- ONE NIGHT WITH A COWBOY? 

That's actually a funny story. I found an email in my spam folder that looked not so spammy. It turned out it was from the managing editor of Kensington. She'd read one of the free reads on my site, liked my voice and wanted me to submit a proposal to them. Something cowboy or military. This was right before Christmas 2011, when I was already in the midst of another WiP for my other pub, but I worked my butt off, brainstormed the plot, setting and characters, wrote three chapters and a synopsis, and got it to her by the time they returned from their holiday break the week after New Years.

I chose to cover all my bases and made the hero both a cowboy and a soldier, and to do that I set the book at Oklahoma State University where there is both a rodeo team and a military sciences department and ROTC program. More importantly, I knew some students at OSU who answered my questions. The rest is history! They offered me a three-book contract about a week later. The editor came up with the title, One Night with a Cowboy, and I came up with the series title, Oklahoma Nights.

Can you tell us a bit about this book? 

The heroine, Becca, an English professor at Vassar College in New York, loses her job and her boyfriend in the same day. The only position in her field is at OSU, but a born and bred, and sometimes a bit snooty New Yorker, Becca has no intention of applying to a school in Oklahoma. Her meddling sister, Emma, takes care of that by applying for the job for her sister. When the call comes for the interview, Becca drags Emma with her to Oklahoma. The girls take in a rodeo and meet the hero, Tuck, who knocks Becca right off her high horse with a night of hotter than hell sex the likes of which she'd never seen with her boring geek of an ex-boyfriend back in NY. Their one night stand becomes much more once Becca takes the job in Oklahoma and they, of course, run into each other again.

What kind of research did you have to undergo for this great read?

I already had a pretty good handle on the bull riding details from writing my Studs in Spurs professional bull rider series for Samhain, but I did have to research the Stillwater, OK area for the setting. It was that research that led me to the real restaurant that I wrote into the book, which led to the infamous fried bologna sandwich sex scene. Joseph's Fine Foods in Drumright may never be the same!

I also really delved deep into the conditions for the Army in Afghanistan where Tuck (who's also a soldier, remember) gets deployed. 

Do you know anyone like Becca?

Are you asking because you know this answer?! Hmm? LOL Anyway, yeah, I'll admit it, I'm a lot like Becca in many ways. Not the least of which is my appreciation of cowboys and men in uniform.

Tucker is an all-around talented man (cowboy). Did you have someone in mind when you were writing his character?

Not really, sad to say. If Tucker did exist in real life, I'd be doing some 'research' right now. He kind of grew as the plot grew. A soldier not physically wounded but definitely broken when his wife cheated on him while he was deployed. A year after the divorce, he sees Becca and decides maybe it's time to move on. 

What’s next for you?

Writing wise, I just last week finished Book 3 in the Oklahoma Nights series, Three Weeks with a Bull Rider, and sent it off to Kensington. I took a day to pack for the RT Booklovers Convention and then, a couple of days ago, I started the next Studs in Spurs book for Samhain.

As far as new releases, I'm looking forward to being in two multi-author anthologies through Kensington this summer. He's the One releases June 25th, In a Cowboy's Bed releases July 30th, and then September 24th Oklahoma Nights Book 2 comes out! Readers can always see what's out and what's coming soon, and where I'll be around the country or the web at www.CatJohnson.net.

QUICKFIRE QUESTIONS

Hobbies?

Reading. No surprise there, huh?

Fave Color?

I keep gravitating toward Army Green. Go figure!

Fave Drink?

Red wine

Sport?

Is man watching a sport?

Fave Food? (Besides Bologna) LOL

Grilled Rib Eye Steak, black on the outside, and bloody in the middle.

Fave Movie?

Moonstruck

Fave TV Show?

Big Bang Theory

Thanks Cat!!!! 

Thank you for having me, Kim! And before I leave, here's a peek at Oklahoma Nights Book 2.

Two Times as Hot (Oklahoma Nights, Book 2)

One Good Girl…

After her sister snags a hot Oklahoma cowboy, Emma Hart figures it’s her turn to saddle up. And with two country boys pursuing her at once, she’s in for a wild ride…

Two Sexy Guys...

Lieutenant Colonel Logan Hunt can’t deny the heat between him and Emma is fierce. But Logan isn’t looking for anything serious…just a chance to blow off some steam. So why is he crazy jealous when he sees pro bull rider Jace Mills trying to charm Emma into bed?

Winner Takes All…

Logan knows he and Emma could have something special—and not just because she’s smokin’ hot.   Now he has to find a way to prove that even a no-strings-attached guy like him can stick around for the long haul…

 “Cat Johnson knows cowboys and the Oklahoma Nights series is a must read for fans of western romance.” ~ Lorelei James, NY Times Best Selling author 

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REVIEW OF CAT JOHNSON'S ~ ONE NIGHT WITH A COWBOY~

College Professor from New York, Becca Hart is not having a good day. All at once her life turns upside down between work and her personal life that all she would like to do is cry when she loses her job and her boyfriend. When her older sister, Emma suggests that she apply for a teaching position at OSU in Oklahoma  Becca thinks Emma is off her rocker. What would a city girl do in Oklahoma? Unbeknownst to Becca, Emma sends in Becca's resume to OSU and receives a phone call requesting an in person interview for an associate position. Well of course Becca can't pass that up since she had not even reached that level at Vassar, so she and her sister, hop a plane and head to Oklahoma.

Their first evening there, they attend the local rodeo where they are spotted by two handsome cowboys the minute they walk in. Bull rider, Tucker Jenkins has been without a woman for way too long. An Army Staff Sergeant, Tucker returns from a deployment to find his wife with another man. After a divorce, Tucker swears off relationships, but a hot fling with a gorgeous New Yorker might be just the thing he needs.  So as the title suggests, Becca has her one night with her cowboy and does it turn out to be one sizzling trip between the sheets and then some, but Becca expects nothing more as she is returning to New York the next morning. Tucker admits to himself that he's never had a night like that in his life, but in the morning when Becca walks out the door, he is sure whatever they shared was over.

Weeks later after Becca has moved to Oklahoma, having accepted the position at OSU, she cannot get her mind off her cowboy. Guess what? Tucker has been having the same malady and when he appears at Becca's welcome mixer on the OSU campus, Becca is shocked when she finds that her cowboy is also military and a coach at the University.  When they both realize that spark is still there, they wonder if being friends with benefits is the route to take. Becca having just gotten out of her relationship in New York, and Tucker being divorced makes the two reticent to admit that they are indeed falling for one another. Will the country boy and the city girl come to terms with their feelings? Will all they ever be is friends between the sheets? Pick up Cat Johnson's One Night With A Cowboy today to find out.

I enjoyed this book so much. From the title, ONE NIGHT WITH A COWBOY, I expected it to be a straight forward Western Romance but quickly found out it is much more. Cat Johnson is a goddess at writing sizzling sex scenes that make the heartbeat accelerate along with a great love story. Her characters are real and have great senses of humor that make the reader want to come back for more. Now I only have to wait until September for the next installment of the Oklahoma Nights Series? UGH, I don't think that's going to be possible!

~KIMBERLY~

5 Stars (Hook Line and Sinker)

4 Orgasms Read (Awesome!!!)

SPOTLIGHT ON TARA NINA & GUEST REVIEW OF TARA NINA'S~ CANDYGRAM ~

Tara Nina and I at Book Obsessed Chicks Beach BBQ Blast 2012

Hi Tara! Thank you so much for joining me at Book Obsessed Chicks.  

Can you tell us a bit about yourself? 

 I’m a normal person with a wonderful set of jobs. My job as an MRI technologist helps pay the bills. The job I love to do is write. I hope to eventually become a full time author. It’s my dream. I’ve been married to the same man for 24 years and we have 2 grown children, 3 dogs, four turtles and a guinea pig. I’m a Southern transplant living in the wilds of Northern New Jersey.

When did you become a writer? I’ve always been a writer. Growing up, I made up stories and shared them with my friends. In school, I loved creative writing courses and did well in them. It’s just been a natural progression to create stories and share them with others.

Please tell us about your inspiration for your book Candygram? 

This book is part of a series of novels my writers group, The Sizzling Scribes decided to do as a team. Each of us created characters and story lines set in the small town of Port Clef, Connecticut. It’s hard to say exactly where the inspiration came from, but I have a tendency to write with a paranormal flair. This story is about an alien, who crash lands in Port Clef. She teaches the local Doctor a thing or two about sex and chocolate.

Can you tell us your favorite character from your books so far and why?

 That’s like asking me to pick between my kids. LOL.

Who are your heroes? Every member of the United States Military.  Without their sacrifice, I wouldn’t have the freedom to do what I do. None of us would.  Mentors? I have several wonderful mentors in this field. First and foremost is C.H. Admirand. If she hadn’t taken my hand and dragged me to that first meeting at NJRW I’d probably not be published.  And I can’t not mention all the wonderful help I’ve gotten from Ruby Storm, Lynn LaFleur and Cait Miller three of my Sizzling Scribe sisters.

Was it difficult for you to get published? 

When I was working at it alone, yes it was extremely difficult. I suggest for anyone trying to get involved with a local writers group in your area.

Who are your favorite authors/reads? I never miss a C.H. Admirand book or Lynn LaFleur, Ruby Storm, Cait Miller and I’m a Sherrilyn Kenyon addict. Gotta love those Dark Hunters.

Hobbies?

 Gardening and reading.

Do you use an inspiration board for your characters?

 No.  I would love it if I had the room to put up idea boards all around, but right now it’s not happening.

Who do you picture as your characters?

 I keep running files on my computer containing every minute detail about my characters. Sometimes there’s even a picture of someone I’ve seen online, on TV or in a movie that inspires a character description in the file by the character’s name.

What’s next? I’m diligently working on book five of the Cursed MacKinnons series for Ellora’s Cave. I’m hoping to have it turned in within the next few weeks.

Where can readers find you?

 They can always write to me at tara@taranina.com, or check out my website at http://taranina.com  

Twitter  @taranina

Facebook  http://www.facebook.com/taranina

I’m going to be in attendance at the Romantic Times Booklovers Convention at the Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center, May 1 through May 5^th.  There will be an Ebook Expo happening on Thursday May 2^nd from 2-6pm. There is also a Giant book fair happening on Saturday May 4^th from 11am to 2pm. Both events are open to the public.

May 30^th through June 1^st, I will be in attendance at Book Expo America at the Javits Center in NYC. If anyone is looking for me, I can be found at the Ellora’s Cave booth. For added fun, several of the Ellora’s Cave models will also be there so drop on by. Lots of goodies and books will be given away.

Guest Reviewer ~LISA MARIE~ 



For such a short
book, it certainly packs a big punch. Everett has inherited the family medical
practice from his grandfather Jonah, a local eccentric who has been obsessed
with alien hunting ever since his wife passed away. When we first meet our
heroine Elsye, she has just saved a young boy’s life by saving him from almost
getting hit by a van. As Dr. Everett ushers all of the injured into his office
for treatment, almost immediately he sees that there is something different
about Elsye and he is pretty sure it isn’t just her two different colored eyes.
Now gramps on the other hand is convinced that she is an alien and has crash
landed on our planet during a recent meteor storm. Little does he know that he
is dead on with is theories. Elsye has been trying to locate her travel
companions even since they crashed and has thus far had no luck. Since she was
a healer on her planet, it made the most sense for her to masquerade as the new
town veterinarian and try to fit in as much as possible. Her attraction to Everett
has her all kinds of twisted up and she blames her “anima”, what I can only
understand to be her sexual drive, on all of these feelings that she is having.



Now poor Everett
doesn’t know which way is up these days, as he has never been so drawn to someone
as he is drawn to Elyse. Their first sexual encounter has left him craving for
more, and it seems to consume him in a way that has him scared and confused. If
he discovers her secret, will he still want her... more important, if he found
out the truth about her, would she be able to stay?



This was an
enjoyable quick read but I would have enjoyed a more fleshing out of the story.
At times it felt rushed, and the first (and second) sex scene felt like just
that, a sex scene. I didn’t feel any emotion and I didn’t know them well enough
to care one way or the other. As the book progressed I was pleased to see that
the emotions that I was lacking had finally made their way into the story and I
was quite pleased with the outcome. I would be interested to see which
characters make the next book in this series, or if it will just be a totally
new story-line having nothing to do with this one. 






  

3 Stars (Excellent Read)

GUEST REVIEWER MARGIE HAGER'S TAKE ON RUGGED HEARTS (KINNISON LEGACY 1) BY AMANDA MCINTYRE

I’ve lost my heart to Wyatt Kinnison.  The man just flat-out tugged at my heart strings and then filled my heart with joy.  I guess I share these sentiments with Aimee Worth, second grade teacher in End of the Line, Montana.  She and I were sisters of the heart throughout the entire soul awakening events for Wyatt Kinnison.  Aimee Worth is the quintessential heroine who definitely goes above and beyond the call of duty.  Aimee has experienced a major loss in her life but it’s not keeping her down and her positive attitude rubs off on the reclusive Wyatt.  There’s no stopping Aimee once she sets her mind to shattering the walls around Wyatt’s heart.

Amanda McIntyre has written a very insightful look into the way “Love conquers all.”  She uses a strong heroine who has perfect backup in her second grade students to make the conquest and win the day.  Ms. McIntyre always produces excellently written books with intriguing characters and heartwarming stories.  I highly recommend this book, Rugged Hearts and look forward to more stories in the Kinnison Legacy series.

~MARGIE~

5 Stars (Hook Line and Sinker)

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RUGGED HEARTS (Kinnison Legacy #1) by AMANDA MCINTYRE

It's the Christmas season in End Of The Line, Montana and Wyatt Kinnison just wants to be left alone. His horse, his dog and his brothers are basically all he needs. When he was a child, Wyatt and his younger brother Dalton were basically dumped by their mother with new step-father Jed when she ran off with another man,  leaving the initial bitter pill towards women that Wyatt has since cultivated after his relationship with local girl, Jessie, who also left him. Growing up with Jed as his step-father, Dalton and Jed's nephew Rein, was actually a very good thing because a better father the boys couldn't have. Christmas-time was a magical season where Jed thought himself the town Santa, bringing cheer wherever he went, but when Jed passed away all the cheer was taken out of it. Wyatt was left in charge of the ranch and the boys and he began to become bitter and a recluse, the opposite of who Jed was.

Enter the new second grade school teacher, Aimee, who is all spunk and optimism. When she appears on Wyatt's doorstep having lost her way back to End of the Line, Montana, Wyatt is surprised by the little package, but quickly dismisses her. Aimee sees Wyatt in town she becomes more and more intrigued with the handsome man and tries to find out what she can about him. When Aimee decides to take her class on a field trip to Wyatt's ranch trouble is afoot when Wyatt is taken aback by the surprise company but takes it all in stride. A bad snow storm is brewing and Aimee needs to get the children back to school, but the storm becomes quickly out of control and an accident happens stranding Aimee and the children. Wyatt comes to the rescue by freeing the group and bringing them all back to the ranch to wait out the storm.

It's Christmas Eve and Wyatt has this group of kids and their determined teacher in his home where he must make the best of things. In addition, he finds it futile to resist the pixie that is Aimee and slowly his heart opens to the possibility of happiness after all. 

Rugged Hearts ( Kinnison Legacy 1) by Amanda McIntyre is a classic in the making. It is a feel good story with just enough heat that brings us back to the basics of romance. Wyatt has his reasons for being the way he is and Aimee has hers, but when brought together all the reasons come to naught when there attraction and heart abounds. In this story in particular, the children play a big part in bringing the end results about. When Wyatt sits the wide eyed kids down and reads them the same Christmas story that Jed read to his young sons, tears suddenly appear. Such a great lesson is learned from this great read. I highly recommend Rugged Hearts. I enjoyed it and I think you will as well.

~KIMBERLY~ 

4 Stars (Brilliant)

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SPOTLIGHT ON SARA HUMPHREYS BY GUEST REVIEWER, LISA MARIE

Sara Humphreys with Guest Reviewer, Lisa Marie

                                    

Hi Sara! I just wanted to welcome you to the Blog Obsessed Chicks Book Blog. It is so amazing to have you here so that I can share my obsession with other readers.

Hey, Lisa! Big thanks to you and the rest of the chicks for hosting me here today. You are one fun group of gals!

Oh please, it is our pleasure! So for those Amoveo virgins out there, can you just give everyone an idea of what they are?

You bet! The Amoveo are a secret society of dreamwalking, telepathic, shapeshifters. Their race is comprised of ten animal clans—lion, panther, cheetah, tiger, fox, bear, coyote, wolf, falcon and eagle. They have one pre-destined mate and if they don’t find their mate by the age of thirty, they lose their abilities and die. They can only have children with their mate, so for all of their strengths, they’re a fragile race. If you kill one Amoveo, the mate will die and you wipe out the possibility of offspring. However, once they do connect with their mate, they age extremely slowly and their powers increase.

I swear, your books are like my crack! From the very first page of your very first book, I got sucked in and now that I have read them all, I am craving more like a kid at fat camp craves a cookie! So were they as easy to write as they are addicting to read? <eg>

I love that you love them so much! Each book is a bit more difficult to write because there’s more stuff to keep track of. However, I also feel a responsibility to readers like you! I want to make sure I give you a story that you’ll love.

Oh please, it’s easy loving something so awesome.  So I saw you on IMDB… care to explain how you went from acting in soap operas to writing heaving bosom novels?

I loved acting and the theater but pursuing an acting career isn’t conducive to family life—at least not for me. After several years of missing that creative component in my life, I realized that I needed some kind of creative outlet. So, a few years ago I started writing again and building worlds is an absolute blast. Whether I’m acting or writing, I still get to create and that’s what matters.

So now instead of acting in Soap Opera’s, you are writing them.  I know that you are the proud Mom to 4 wonderful boys (5 if we count your DH lol)… how do you cope with “being outnumbered”? My sister has 2 sons (3 with her husband and YES, we certainly count him in her child total) and it’s a miracle the toilet seat is ever down, and if I don’t say “please put your penis away” at least once each time I see my nephews, you could seriously knock me over with a feather.

I am outnumbered but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love boys because there is hardly any drama. They are straight forward and don’t perseverate on things the way girls do. Men/boys don’t read into things, they see things and say things as they are. Plus, I’ll admit that it’s fun being the Queen Bee.

Ok, now, so in your next book in this series “Undone”, which comes out in just 12 days (SQUEE!!!), can you tell us a little deleted scene perhaps didn’t make it into the final draft and why you cut it?

There is one scene that I deleted. It’s right before the big battle scene at the end and it’s from Richard and Salinda’s perspective. (They are the Amoveo royal couple). We cut it because we didn’t want to pull away from the hero and heroie’s point of view at such a critical point of the story. However, I think I can share it here with you without spoiling anything.

          Richard and his wife, Salinda sat just inside the mouth of the cave, invisible to the naked eye.  Both of them could utilize the advanced cloaking shield that only certain elders had the ability to execute.  Richard had never been more grateful for that particular gift than he was right at this moment. They could do what they needed to without fear of discovery.

            Sitting on the ground, cross-legged, and facing Salinda, Richard held her delicate hands in his much larger ones. Eyes closed, fingers linked, they sent their combined energy signatures in search of a weak spot in Artimus’ shield.

            The dark shell of energy encased the compound much like the rock of the mountain.  It was thick and pulsed with hatred, just like Artimus did. However, since the shield was an extension of the man who put it there, that was of little surprise to Richard.

Artimus had always been a troublemaker and the first one to call foul against other Amoveo, especially those outside of his clan. Richard suspected that Artimus’ breeding plan was about more than just pureblood Amoveo—he was sure Artimus wanted to keep even the clans pure.

            What a fool.

            Richard rubbed the smooth, satin skin of Salinda’s hand with the pad of his thumb and reveled in feel of her fingers as they linked with his. It had been centuries but he loved her even more now than he did that first day he laid eyes on her. They were barely teenagers on that warm summer morning at the Gathering of the Clans and when Richard spotted her in the crowd…he knew. 

They had fifteen children and all but the baby were grown and mated, with families of their own.  Many favored the Lion clan, as he did, but he was thrilled to see that several of them favored the Tiger Clan, like his wife.

            As Richard’s tentacle of energy plodded along the shield, he prayed for the strength to find a weak spot that they could exploit. He recalled with vivid clarity the horror he’d felt when their enemies came after his beloved Salinda. So Richard was all too familiar with how Pete must be feeling knowing that Marianna was at the mercy of a man like Artimus.

            Refusing to be distracted by fear and fury, Richard kept one thing at the forefront of his mind. Finding a way in.

OMG... that was totally AWESOME!!!!!!!  Now, in Undone, we meet a lot of new people… 2 of which are getting their own spin offs… can you fill us in on what will I am sure become another drug for me?

In UNDONE, the readers will meet the vampires in New York City. The vamps will be getting their own five book series. I’m super excited for the release of the Dead in the City series! TALL, DARK, AND VAMPIRE is the first book and will be released in August.

The other spin off series is called Princes of Hell and will be released in a series of “episodes” starting in June. Since I don’t want to spoil anything, all I can tell you is that you’ll meet Asmodeus in UNDONE and he’ll be the hero in the first installment of Princes of Hell.

Well without giving anything away ladies, let me tell you, Asmodeus is HOT! (no pun intended, heh) Well you already know that Dante Coltari (Untouched) is my current book boyfriend (until you finally give my Steven his happily ever after, yea yea, I know, it’s coming, blah blah blah), who is yours? And you can name as many as you want, I promise your husband is not reading this.

Until my Amoveo men (and I assure you, they’re all my book boyfriends) the Norton twins in Christine Feehan’s Ghostwalker series were my book BF’s. OH. MY. GOD. Those boys are HOT!

Can you do any stupid human tricks? I can cross one eye and keep the other one straight… freaks everyone out!

That’s too funny.  Um...my knees are double jointed and bend backward. It’s gross.

Bahahahaha that is totally wiggy, remind me to ask you to show me when I see you in June.  I would like to just thank you in advance for not writing about zombies cause they freak me the bleep out! Which monster scares the bajeezus out of you?

Zombies! Most definitely. If I have a nightmare, you can bet zombies are in it.

I KNOW!!! They are flipping frightening!  Now before we wrap up here is there anything you want to say to the potential hordes of fans that I know are going to be lining up behind me to read your next masterpiece?

I want to say Thank You. I am so lucky to have readers like you who spread the word about my books. I’m still new on the scene and sometimes, I can’t quite believe that anyone other than my family reads my work. My street team peeps, Sara’s Angels, are amazing and they help get the word out about my work. SO thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!

Thank you SO much for joining us here at the Book Obsessed Chicks Book Blog. I don’t think I knew the meaning of the word obsessed until I started reading your books. Please don’t ever stop writing because I would be very sad all the time if I didn’t have your books to read/look forward to! You rock!

Back at ya, Kitten. Dream on….

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BOOK OBSESSED CHICKS SPOTLIGHT ON ~ KAT MARTIN~

Ok all of you, so I am a HUGE fangirl of Kat Martin and you know I am no shy shrinking violet. When I like someone and their work, I like to let them know, so I asked Ms. Martin if she would do an interview for the blog and she so graciously agreed to do it for us. Without further ado, Kat Martin!

Hi Kat!! Thanks so much for stopping by Book Obsessed Chicks for a visit. I have to say that I am all fan girl over you! I actually began to read you with the first book in the Raines of Wind Canyon series, Against the Wind, and began to read everything else that you have written. I love your voice in all you create. Thank you for being here!

For those who don’t know you and your work, can you please tell us a bit about yourself?

   Well, I’ve written about 55 books.  I’m a total workaholic!  I live in both Montana and have a house at the beach in California for the winter--the best of both worlds.  I’ve been married for 28 years to my husband, L.J. Martin, who is also a writer--which makes for a interesting family.  I never had kids but he has four sons I helped raise, so I got my kid fix.  They are grown and just great.  And I love/hate to write. 

What was your inspiration for the Raines of Wind Canyon series and the latest AGAINST THE EDGE?

  I never really know where my idea come from.  Some spring from others, like what happened with Jackson Raines in Against the Wind.  I knew he had three brothers, knew their names and from there the stories began to grow in my head.  Same with Ben.  He appeared in Against the Sun and I got to know him, like him,  knew I wanted to do a book about him.  Fortunately, I have an active imaginatiion that seems to kick in when I need it.

I adore Ben Slocum in this book. He is one of my favorite of your characters… Who is your favorite character? Why? 

I have sooo many favorites!  I love Alex Justice in Against the Odds.  I hated for the book to end.  Loved the pairing between him and Sabrina.  One of my all-tiime favorites is Chance McLain in The Secret, a Montana cowboy.  The book was just re-issued.  I think it and Hot Rain with Jake Dawson are two reader favorites. 

When you first started out, was it hard getting  published? 

I was turned down by every publisher in New York except one.  Fortunately, that publisher really liked the book, Magnificent Passage, and featured it as a lead title.  Then the company shut down and I had to start all over again and it was just as hard the second time. 

Who are your mentors? Your Heroes?

  I read Dean Koontz “How to Write” was the book I used to learn to write.  Some great authors, Wilbur Smith, Kathleen Woodiwiess, Nora Roberts.  Reading them helped me then and still helps me now to try to be a better writer.  

How is it having such a talented husband? Do you help each other out when it comes to your work?

  I don’t help him--he’s too independent--but he helps me a lot.  He’s great when I write myself into a corner.  We plot together and he helps me figure out how to get out.   He’s invaluable for knowing little trivia stuff like certain guns, things like that.

How many more books are planned for this series? 

The end of August, Against the Mark, comes out.  That’s Tyler Brodie’s story.  You  might remember him from Against the Night, but he was also in Agaiinst the Edge, where he was a big help to Ben.    I’m in the process of signing a contract to write three more Against books for Kensington.   Ty’s cousins,  Dylan, Nick, and Rafe Brodie.  They all live in alaska.  They’re tough as nails and sexy as hell.  I’m hoping readers will like them.   

Do you use an inspiration board for your characters? Any famous men inspire any of your awesome men?  

I think real life men inspire them.  The cowboys, cops, firemen, guys like that. My story board is in my head!

What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?

  Mostly I write, write, write, but I also love to travel.  I love expensive hotels and great restaurants during the rare times I’m not working.  I’ll be in France this year, meeting some of my readers in Paris.  I’m really looking forward to that.

Who are you reading now? Who are your favorite authors? 

I read a lot of Nora Roberts.  I read Cindy Gerard, Joanna Bourne for historical, I read Amelia Grey for light reading Regency.   A new person named M.L. Buchmann who is a guy writing military romantic suspense.  

What’s next for Kat Martin?

  Finishing the first Brodie book, Against the Wild (or that is the name so far), then goiing to Western Writers in Las Vegas in June and Thrillerfest in NYC in July.   If you or any of your readers are there, love to  meet you.

Where can we find you? 

www.katmartin.com   or katmartin@katbooks.com

Thank you so much Kat. I really appreciate you taking time out from your busy schedule for me!


ENJOY THE FIRST CHAPTER OF AGAINST THE EDGE BY KAT MARTIN

CHAPTER ONE

Houston, Texas

His head was pounding.  Too much Jack Daniels last night.  When Ben Slocum pulled his big black SUV into the driveway in front of his garage, the only thing on his mind was getting a couple hours of sleep. 

Reaching up to hit the garage door opener on his visor, he spotted a silver Buick with Hertz rental plates parked in front of the house.  His gaze swung to the porch where a woman in a conservative yellow business suit stood rapping on his door.

Ben groaned.  Last night two of his best friends, Alex Justice and Sabrina Eckhart, had gotten married.  Alex, one of the other private investigators in his Atlas Security office, had fallen hard for the pretty little redhead.  Ben had never seen a guy look happier about getting hitched. 

Their early October wedding had turned into good news for Ben, who’d gotten lucky with a slinky little blonde from Dallas he had met at the reception.  He’d spent the night in her bed at the Marriott, and neither of them had gotten much sleep. 

Still dressed in the black tuxedo he’d been wearing last night, Ben glanced at the porch, shoved the Denali into park and turned off the engine, cracked open the door and slid out from behind the wheel.  His slacks were wrinkled, his white pleated shirt haphazardly buttoned and opened halfway down the front.  His black bow-tie hung loose around his collar. 

Company this morning was the last thing he wanted.

He took a long look at the woman whose attention was now fixed on him as he crossed the front lawn.  She was tall and slender, with dark brown hair clipped back at the nape of her neck, and a very pretty face.  High cheek bones, a heart-shaped face, and full lips.  Too bad they were currently thinned in a disapproving line.

He wondered what she was selling.  Whatever it was, he wasn’t buying.  He just wanted to hit the sheets.  

Ben strode up on the porch.  “’Fraid nobody’s home,” he said, hoping she would just go away.  He wasn’t in the mood for another female, no matter how good she looked.

“I can see that,” she said.  “I’m looking for Benjamin Slocum.  I presume that’s you.”

He lifted a black eyebrow.  “And you would be?”

“My name is Claire Chastain.  I need to speak to you, Mr. Slocum, on a matter of extreme importance.”

“I’ll be in my office this afternoon.  Why don’t you stop by...say three o’clock?  We can talk about anything you like.”

“This can’t wait.” 

Of course not.  She was a woman.  Everything was a matter of critical meltdown.  “Is this business or personal?”

“Personal.”

He let his gaze drift over her, taking in the soft curves.  Slender and elegant, but there was plenty of female wrapped up in the pretty package. 

“Do we know each other, Ms. Chastain?”  As in have we spent the night together, maybe I drank too much and don’t recall?  

But he hadn’t done that since he’d left the SEALs.  Since then he had pretty much behaved himself.  Well, more or less.

“No, we’ve never met.  Please, Mr. Slocum.  This is important and I would rather not discuss it out on your front porch.”

Irritation filtered through him.  “Angel, this had better be good.”  Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his house key, stuck it in the lock and opened the door.  He went in and turned off the alarm, stepped back to allow Claire Chastain into his living room.

Ben closed the door.  “Look, lady, I just got home from a wedding and I need a shower.  There’s a coffee pot on the counter in the kitchen.  Coffee’s in the cupboard overhead.  If you want to have a sensible conversation, I suggest you make us a pot.” 

The woman’s dark eyebrows shot up.

“And don’t be afraid to actually put some coffee in the pot.” 

Her mouth dropped open.  Ben chuckled to himself as he turned and headed for the bedroom.

Of all the nerve!  Everything she had heard about Ben Slocum appeared to be exactly correct.  The man was arrogant and overbearing, down right rude.  In his rumpled tuxedo and smelling of sex and perfume, it didn’t take much imagination to know he had spent the night in a woman’s bed. 

Clearly he’d been out carousing, doing God only knew what. 

He was a navy SEAL, she reminded herself.  That had to count for something.  They had a reputation for being tough, brave, and honorable.  Still, from the information she had, he had been out of the military for the last five years, a medical discharge at twenty-eight after a combat wound in some godawful jungle in the Philippines. 

She had no idea the sort of man Ben Slocum had become.  One thing she knew.  He looked even better than the photo she had seen of him when he was twenty years old.  At least six-two, maybe a hundred ninety-five pounds of pure masculinity. 

Beneath his black tuxedo jacket, a set of ridiculously wide shoulders tapered down to a narrow waist and a pair of long legs.  Jet black hair cut short enough to hide a faint curl, and the stubble of a night’s growth of beard just made him more handsome.  She tried not to think of the glimpse of chest hair she’d seen beneath his unbuttoned shirt.

And those eyes.  So pale a blue they looked otherworldly.  She had seen a pair like them, but on a nine year-old, the effect just wasn’t the same.

Thinking of the little boy and the help he so desperately needed set her feet in motion.  Making the arrogant jerk a pot of coffee tweaked her ego, but that was hardly important.  She took down the can of Folgers and began the steps necessary to get a pot brewing.  Once the coffee was on its way, she took a moment to check out the house.

Neat was her first impression.  The dishes clean and put away, no crumbs on the round oak table in the kitchen.  No messy stacks of papers on the white ceramic tile counters.  Decidedly male was her second thought.  Brown leather sofa and chairs in the living room, oak end tables and pottery lamps.  A big flat screen TV on the wall, and a stack of hunting and fishing magazines sitting on the antique oak table in front of the sofa.

She felt something soft brush against her and looked down to see a big gray tomcat winding between her legs.  His golden eyes looked up at her as she bent down to scratch his ears. 

“Well, aren’t you a big fellow.”

The cat began to purr.  Ben Slocum was a cat person?  She was more a dog lover herself--not that she actually had one--but she liked all animals.  From the look of the cat’s glossy gray fur, he was definitely well cared for. 

The sound of a door opening caught her attention.  Claire looked up to see Ben Slocum striding down the hall, towel-drying his not quite wavy black hair.  In jeans and a black T-shirt that stretched over the muscles on a very impressive chest, Ben was a formidable presence.  Claire had to force herself not to take a step back as he walked into the living room.

“Smells good.”  He paused long enough to lean down and run his hand over the big cat’s thick fur.  “I see you’ve met Hercules.”

“You like cats?” she blurted out before she could stop herself.

“Herc’s a great guy.  I like animals in general.  I tend to prefer them to people.”  He continued on to the kitchen.  “Coffee looks good.  You want a cup?”

She definitely needed something to bolster her courage.  “Yes, I think I do.”

Ben took down a pair of mugs and poured them full, handed one to her.  He didn’t offer her cream or sugar.  He took a drink, seemed to approve. 

“What’s so important it couldn’t wait till this afternoon?”

“Why don’t we sit down?”  She started for the oak table in the kitchen, but Ben caught her arm.

“Why don’t you just tell me what the hell is going on?”

Her patience was thinning.  “Why don’t I just show you?”  Ignoring his request, she marched into the kitchen, set her coffee mug down on the table and sat down in one of the oak captain’s chairs.  Pulling the strap of her purse off her shoulder, she reached inside to retrieve Sam Thompson’s fifth grade class picture. 

Slocum walked over, crossed his arms over his impressive chest and stood eyeing her from a few feet away.

Claire looked up at him.  “I’m here, Mr. Slocum, because of your son.  His name is Sam, he’s nine years old, and he needs your help

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