Release Week Party for Angi Morgan!

WELCOME TO THE ANGI MORGAN PARTY!!!



This entire week, we're celebrating the release of Angi Morgan's second novel from Harlequin Intrigue, .38 Caliber Cover-up.


Congratulations, Angi!


And, Angi's first book, Hill Country Holdup has been nominated for RT’s 2010 Best Series First Book.


Another huge congratulations!!


According to her mother, Angi Morgan began creating stories and characters when she was two years old. Drawing blobs of colors on a page, she proceeded to tell anyone within earshot about whatever a two-year-old creates.


Introduced to Harlequin romances by her grandmother, she went through Junior High waiting for the next visit to "Mommie's" house. There, she'd search through the inside cover corners for checkmarks, aunt's initials, and her favorite phrase: Okay for Angi. That's right, her aunts and grandmother censored which stories she could borrow.

Reading gave her a love for the Harlequin name and story. She still has a lot of her grandmother’s books. Angi keeps reading and thinking romance, falling in love with the “Happily Ever After” for each hero and heroine.


~~~Angi and I met at the RWA National conference last summer, where we were both finalists, (in different categories), for the prestigious Golden Heart® award. A group of us finalists planned to meet in the lobby to grab a drink and get to know each other "in real life", but the lobby was packed with oodles of other writers doing the same thing. I figured I'd recognize someone, or someone would recognize me, but after several walk-throughs, I was starting to give up. Luckily, I had Angi's cellphone number and texted her, "Where are you?" Her response was something like, "I'm waving my crutches!" But, being a text message, it wasn't exactly that, LOL, and it took me a minute to figure out what she meant. It was easier to be sure what the message meant when I spotted a woman on crutches in the lobby. And that's the very silly story of how Angi and I met.


Angi went on to win her category at the extravagant and exciting (think Oscars for romance writers) RITA® and GH® ceremony a few nights later. I teared up when she gave her acceptance speech. Not only because she needed help to get on stage without her crutches. Not only because she was clearly thrilled and overwhelmed. Not only because she was so deserving. Not only because she thanked her husband and brought him up on stage. But because, by that time, Angi was a friend and I was so happy for her.






And now, **drumroll**, introducing:

.38 CALIBER COVER-UP

AN UNDERCOVER AGENT, A BEAUTIFUL COP…AND THE BULLET THAT BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER


Undercover DEA agent Erren Rhodes was used to working alone. So the very idea of teaming up with Officer Darby O’Malley to ferret out a killer wasn’t exactly how he thought this critical mission would go. But thanks to information only the beautiful cop possessed, finding whoever was responsible for shooting Erren’s friend made Darby a valuable—and irresistible—partner. Digging into the case, though, revealed a far-reaching conspiracy…and angered all the wrong people. Now, trying to bring a killer to justice while keeping Darby safe was making Erren remember why he was better off on his own. Especially when Darby made him long to hole up together in the safe house and never let her out of his sight.


.38 Caliber Cover-up is Angi Morgan's second title with Harlequin Intrigue. Check out the great trailer!






GET TO KNOW ANGI


Maureen: How did you feel when your first book HILL COUNTRY HOLDUP came out? Does it feel the same or different now that .38 CALIBER COVER-UP is out?
Angi: As I answer these questions, my stomach is just as jittery as last September. I finally received my books from Harlequin and love the cover. It’s different holding it in your hand. And to know that .38 Caliber Cover-Up was written entirely last year...in fact, from the time we sent the proposal ‘til the time it hit shelves has only been about ten months. Different, yet the same. I hope that I never lose the anticipation of seeing the book on the shelves. I intend to take pictures again. (Is that silly? LOL)


Maureen: That is SO not silly. What’s your favorite “love” word?
Angi: Hope. I mentioned this during our interview with HelenKay Dimon. But I’ve always been a huge fan of Romancing the Stone. Maybe because Joan Wilder is SUCH a romantic, but because my family saw that film and finally understood me a little better. I’ve never liked the word “hopeless”...I’ve never believed anything was hopeless. So when Joan Wilder says, “Hopeful romantic,” it felt right.


Maureen: What’s your favorite thing about being an author?
Angi: Seeing the actual book, holding the actual book, carrying the book around with me in my purse, leaving book marks when we pay our bill. But honestly, signing a book for someone who genuinely wants to read your words...what an awesome feeling.


Maureen: What’s your favorite kind of cheese?
Angi: I just finished off the last bite of excellent White Stilton with cranberries. Absolutely my favorite. I recently discovered that I’m lactose intolerant, so finding a cheese I can eat and enjoy was heaven.


Maureen: If you couldn’t be a writer anymore, what profession would you take up?
Angi: Lock me up and throw away the key. I’d be divorced. Homeless. And probably working at MickeyD’s. My husband told me just yesterday that if I didn’t write HE couldn’t stand it (or me apparently--LOL). He’s very supportive and helps as often as he cans...but like all family, sometimes they needed to be reminded when the voices are shouting and the only way to get rid of them is to write what they’re saying.


Maureen: What do you look for in a real-life hero?
Angi: This definitely deserves a serious attention, so forgive me if it’s not the answer you expect. But I think there are different types of heroes and I’ve had several in my life. I know it seems like a standard reply, but I wouldn’t be writing full-time if it weren’t for my husband. He told me I was a writer and that we’d do whatever it took for me to pursue that path. Another is a former boss from my twenty’s. She saw the potential, didn’t hold my ideas back, and took 30 minutes a week to spend taking her employees on break--during the break she listened. Taught me a lot. And then there was my dad. The strong, silent, John Wayne type of guy from the 50’s (he really did look like the Duke). In order to help with my writing career, he bought me (and my siblings) our first PCs at about $1000 a pop. He never said it was to help me. And he knew he couldn’t buy me one and not my sister and brother. But we received them for Christmas just after a conversation he had with me asking why I wasn’t writing any longer. And unlike Nora Roberts, I did not have the time or patience to “whiteout” or rearrange everything I typed on my Selectric II.


Maureen: What’s the best compliment you’ve received about your books?
Angi: An adult from my childhood (probably about 68-70 now), came into my book signing on Tuesday seeking a different book and he bought mine, too. I’m certain he was just being nice. He attends church with my mom and on Sunday, he stopped her in the hallway. The conversation went something like this: 

Mr. Trego: “I bought your daughter’s book.” 
Mom: “Did you like it?” 
Mr. Trego: “I came in yesterday, sat down for a break, and started thumbing through it.” (I shivered in the long pause my mother had here...I expected that to be the end of it...there’s sex in the story, you know.) Mr. Trego: “Did you know you’re daughter can actually write?” 
Mom: “Yes.” 
Mr. Trego: “I sat down for a fifteen minute break and got up two hours later. I couldn’t put it down. Kept me on the edge of my seat.” 
Mom: “So you really liked it!” 
Mr. Trego: “I finished it, walked across the room, dropped it in Sue’s lap and said, Read this. You’ll love it.” 

LOL, I get tickled thinking of Mr. Trego and intend to send him a copy of .38 Caliber Cover-Up. I use that story when men tell me they don’t read romance.


Maureen: THAT is a great story and a fabulous compliment. What sound or noise do you love?
Angi: My grandkids’ voices saying, “I love you Nana!” I’ve kept phone messages and listen to them when I need a hug.


GOTTA ASK -- GOTTA ANSWER J


Maureen: Do you have plans for Valentine’s Day?
Angi: Funny you should ask. The hubby and I have been together for twenty-four Valentine’s Days. Two of them, I traveled with him and we celebrated (very nicely). He’s been home for two. So this will be the fifth Valentine’s Day we’re actually together. Now we’ve celebrated on different days of course, but rarely ON Valentine’s Day. HE believes he’s taking me out to dinner...but I have different ideas. Nothing firm yet. I’m hoping he doesn’t take a look at this--if he does, he’s in charge again. >>big grin<< 


ANGI ASKS HER FANS 


Does anyone want to read .38 Caliber Cover-Up based on Erren’s appearance in Hill Country Holdup? And if not my stories, does the fact that a protagonist appear in an additional book spur you to make a purchase? 


GET TO KNOW ANGI EVEN BETTER BY FOLLOWING HER HERE:

AngiMorgan.com
Facebook: Angi Morgan & the Angi Morgan Fan page
Twitter: AngiMorganAuthr
She's also on Goodreads. Blogging on eHarlequin.com, BlameItOnTheMuse.com, & DailyDose-FantasyRomance.blogspot.com as part of Bloody Mondays. And of course, blogging here at Get Lost in a Story!