Get lost in a Scorcher by Laura Griffin

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Laura Griffin started her career in journalism before venturing into the world of romantic suspense. Her books have won numerous awards, including a RITA for Whisper of Warning and a Daphne du Maurier Award for Untraceable. Laura lives in Austin, Texas, where she is working on her next book.


SCORCHED 

The dead don’t speak, but Kelsey Quinn knows their secrets. As a forensic anthropologist at the Delphi Center crime lab, Kelsey makes it her mission to identify bodies, often using no more than shards of bone. Her find at a remote Philippines dig hints at a sinister story. When Kelsey's search for answers puts her at the scene of her ex-fiancé’s murder, only one man can help her--the man who broke her heart months before and is also a prime suspect.

Faced with an ultimatum—Kelsey or his job—Gage Brewer did the only thing a Navy SEAL could . . . but that doesn’t mean he stopped wanting Kelsey. Now Kelsey is running for her life and Gage is her last line of defense.

CAT:  What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in?

LAURA:  I read a variety. The shelves in my office are crammed with chick lit, thrillers, historical romance, book club reads. And then I’ve got the non-fiction shelves that are full of books on forensic anthropology, ballistics, crime scene investigation, criminal profiling.

CAT:  Do you write while listening to music? If so what kind?

LAURA:  I listen to music before I sit down to write. Generally, I start the day with a jog or a walk, and I listen to my iPod, which is always loaded with songs that remind me of whatever book I’m working on. I choose songs with lyrics that evoke something about my story—maybe the setting or the heroine’s attitude.

CAT:  If you couldn’t be a writer anymore, what profession would you take up?

LAURA:  I love writing fiction but sometimes I miss the excitement of the newsroom, from when I was a reporter. As for non-writing jobs, I would like to be a crime scene investigator. I have interviewed people who do this and I think it’s fascinating.

CAT:  If you could interview one person (and it doesn’t have to be a writer) who would it be?

LAURA:  Well, I’ve been doing a lot of SEAL research for my newest hero, Gage Brewer from SCORCHED, so...my dream would be to interview SEAL Team Six.

CAT:  What do you do to unwind and relax?

LAURA:  Whenever I get the chance, I like to travel to scenic places and spend time outdoors. I love state and national parks. I love hiking. One of my favorite places on earth is Muir Woods in Northern California, where they have the gigantic redwood trees.

CAT:  Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it?

LAURA:  Coffee, coffee, and more coffee. With real cream, not the powdered stuff.

CAT:  Which of your characters would you most like to invite to dinner, and why?

LAURA:  FBI profiler Mark Wolfe, from my book TWISTED. I bet he would have some fascinating stories to tell about cases he’s worked over the years.

CAT:  What dreams have been realized as a result of your writing?

LAURA:  I feel incredibly lucky that I get to do what I love for a living. That is my dream. To get to get up each morning and do something I’m passionate about.

        

GOT A QUESTION YOU’D LIKE TO ASK YOUR FANS?

Who is your favorite hero in romance fiction?

Laura is offering a signed copy of SCORCHED to one commenter.  Please include your email address with the comment.

Previous GLIAS interview featuring TWISTED.