1/16/2013

A Flaming Sensation ... Molly Kate Gray


PLAYING WITH FIRE
Book 1, Welcome Home Series
Crimson Romance Suspense

ISBN:  1440555869

Della Chambers, an FBI field agent, left Pearson Crossing when she was 18 years old and never looked back – at least not until now.   When a string of suspicious fires draws her back to her hometown, she comes face to face with Camden Gibson.  He saved her life once – and she’s never forgiven him for it.

Now the pair is forced to work side by side, and they discover the heat between them has nothing to do with fire.

FEEL LIKE PLAYING WITH FIRE?

“Delia?” The barista stood, steaming cup in hand, as he looked out over the Saturday morning crowd at the coffee shop. As was typical during First Monday Trade Days, the room was packed with a mixture of red-hatted women bused in from assisted living centers in neighboring towns alongside young women pushing strollers seeking relief from the surprisingly oppressive October heat. Fall may have arrived in the rest of the country, but no one seemed to have alerted Texas to the news.
No locals could be found among the crowd. They were smart enough to leave Pineville before the tourists descended each month. “Delia?” The high schooler called out louder over the din of the crowd.
“Close enough.” Special Agent Della Chambers walked to the counter and reached for the cardboard cup.
“Extra large mocha with a double shot of espresso?” The young man’s pierced eyebrow shot up in question.
Della’s fingers wrapped around the cup. “That’d be me.” Taking her drink, she smoothed her coral camisole down over the waistband of her black Capri pants, very much aware that her rumpled business attire made her stand out in the crowd of bargain hunters. As she walked to the table filled with sugar packets and three flavors of creamers, she made one last, futile attempt to find a seat in the filled-to-capacity shop. She definitely should have driven thirty more minutes until she’d reached the next town. Of course, it had been a very long time since she’d been in the area; she’d forgotten the insanity that accompanied Trade Days.
After searching for a non-sticky spot on the table, she set down her drink and reached for the sugar packets. As a tendril of hair fell loose from the bun on the nape of her neck, she quickly spun it back into place as she fought back a yawn. Normally she’d spread a trip from Jacksonville to north Texas over two days, but Philip had told her time was of the essence. When she’d hung up the phone from her conversation with her boss, she had only allowed herself a half hour to prepare for the trip. As the reports Philip sent her printed, Della hurried through her apartment, tossing only absolute necessities into the bag for what she hoped would be a very short trip.
Now she was paying the price for her haste. She should have allowed herself a night’s rest in Louisiana, but now, with just four hours left on her trip, she couldn’t justify taking a break, especially not after her boss had called her with the latest news. Her guy had struck again while she was on the road.
Copyright © 2012 by Molly Kate Gray
MEET MOLLY KATE GRAY
A fan of things that go bump in the night, Molly Kate Gray writes romantic suspense with a Southern drawl. Now raising her two children in the same town she grew up in, she knows just how difficult it can be to escape a small town’s gravity.  When the Texas heat gets to be too much, it’s time to cool off with sweet iced tea and a good book.

DID YOU KNOW
ANGI: How often to you get lost in a story?
MOLLY KATE: Hmm….with my kids' extra-curricular schedule combined with how often my husband is out of town, I don't have as much time to read as I like. I tend to focus on books I know I'm going to enjoy, so I'd say that when I have time to read, I get lost in a story fairly often. I recently read a young adult book (Anna Dressed in Blood) that swept me so deeply into the story that I was literally dreaming about it.

ANGI: What’s the first book you remember reading?
MOLLY KATE: When I was about 8 or 9, my dad would read me a chapter from a book every night. He'd sit on the floor, and I'd read over his shoulder. The problem was, he wasn't a very fast reader. One night, I took "My Bodyguard" out of his hands and finished the chapter on my own. From there on out, I was almost always in the middle of a book.
 
ANGI: What’s your favorite cartoon character?
MOLLY KATE: Scooby Doo. What can be better than a Great Dane who solves mysteries?
ANGI: EXACTLY !! Nothing better than a scaredy-cat doggy who loves snacking!

ANGI: What do you like about the hero of your book?
MOLLY KATE: I like Camden's quiet stability. He didn't want to be the fire chief for the town, but he stepped in when he was needed. He's solid and dependable (and currently sounds like a golden retriever). He also really loved Della back when they were teens…and he never found any other woman who measured up to her.

ANGI: Is there a playlist you’d recommend for reading your latest release?
MOLLY KATE: My daughter calls my writing playlist "all the emo angst." I tend to gravitate toward songs you might hear during a Twilight movie.

ANGI: Where do you read and how often?
MOLLY KATE: Sadly, I don't read as much now as I once did. I read my Kindle over breakfast, and I can normally get a chapter or so read while waiting to pick my kids up after school. I once could read 2 or 3 books a week, but now I'm down to 1 or 2 books a month.

ANGI: What sound or noise do you love?
MOLLY KATE: I love the "white noise" of a Starbuck's. Something about the low hum of conversation combined with the music they play just really helps me relax and focus.

ANGI: Fairy Tale or Action Adventure?
MOLLY KATE: Action Adventure, but I think it's because they tend to have better soundtracks/scores. Don't get me wrong, I love "Beauty and the Beast," "Mulan," and other Disney movies. They just don't hold my attention quite the way that action movies do.

ANGI: What was the first story you remember writing?
MOLLY KATE: Ha! I wrote a story about a haunted house that turned everyone into giant balls of rubber bands. I was a fifth grader, and I won first place in our school's creative writing contest.

ANGI: What’s your favorite movie of all time?
MOLLY KATE: My tastes are really eclectic, so it kind of depends on my mood at the time. If I want a comedy, definitely "Father of the Bride, Part 2." If I'm judging my favorite based upon how many times I've watched something, then I'll have to say "Star Wars: Return of the Jedi." I can say most of the dialogue along with the actors.

ANGI: Who’s your favorite villain?
MOLLY KATE: I had to think about this one for a few days. I think I'm going to have to pick Voldemort because of his complete lack of redemption. I like my villains to be bad - I'm not a fan of redeeming the "misunderstood" villain, and Voldemort was just twisted from the start.
 
ANGI: What is your biggest vice?
MOLLY KATE: I'm a huge "The Vampire Diaries" fan. Nothing (well, few things) interrupt Thursday nights at 7 pm for me.

ANGI: Is there a “Blooper” in your story (it may have been changed before printing)?
MOLLY KATE: I'm not aware of a memorable one in "Playing with Fire," but I can tell you about one in "Small Town Secrets." I love the cover dearly. It really is my favorite of my two covers because it does such a good job of representing the overall feel of the story. But….the book went through a rather extensive round of edits after I'd filled out all the requested information for the cover art artist. The scene pictured on the cover actually was cut from the final version of the story.

ANGI: How is it working with hot guys and sexy women all day?
MOLLY KATE: It can be interesting. One day last fall, I was on my publisher's Pinterest page and my daughter walked into the room. There are a fair number of hunky, shirtless guys on that page, and she was horrified at what I was looking at. I had to point out the website I was on so she didn't think I was visiting sites not appropriate for someone who has been married for 20 years.

ANGI’S GOTTA ASK: Hey Molly Kate, thanks for joining us on GLIAS today. You mention in your bio that you know “how difficult it can be to escape a small town’s gravity.” Did you spend time away from your small town? Or did you stay? And can you share what your favorite thing about it is?
MOLLY KATE’S NAME GOTTA ANSWER: I left for a short time while I was in college. Then when I graduated, I ended up getting a job offer from my hometown's school district - so it seemed I was destined to go back home. I've often wished that I'd stretched my wings a bit, but I'm definitely not alone in not being able to "escape." Three families live on my current street where one spouse or the other also went to my high school. Staying in my small town has been a nice safety net. It's familiar.   

KEEP THE FIRE GOING
FOLLOW MOLLY KATE
 Website  Facebook  Twitter @MollyKGray   Goodreads

UP NEXT for MOLLY KATE
FADE TO BLACK
Book 2, Welcome Home Series
Crimson Romance Suspense
February 2013
PREVIOUS RELEASES
SMALL TOWN SECRETS
Crimson Romance Suspense
ISBN:  1440551553

MOLLY KATE is drawing from those leaving comments (and their email) for a $10.00 Amazon Gift Card.  (International if $10 from Amazon can be done)

Note: COMMENTERS are encouraged to leave a contact email address to speed the prize notification process. Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America addresses only unless specifically mentioned in the post. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants. Winners of drawings are responsible for checking this site in a timely manner. If prizes are not claimed in a timely manner, the author may not have a prize available. Get Lost In A Story cannot be responsible for an author's failure to mail the listed prize. GLIAS does not automatically pass email addresses to guest authors unless the commenter publicly posts their email address.

DON’T FORGET to FOLLOW us on Twitter #GetLostStories or LIKE us on Facebook  to keep up with all our guest authors and their prizes.  Join me Sunday and Monday when I host my “down under” buddy, Bronwen Evans. And come back tomorrow when I host my on-line buddy and the hostess of Just Romantic Suspense, Maureen Miller. ~Angi  

MOLLY KATE WANTS TO KNOW: My next release, FADE TO BLACK is heavily influenced by my daughter's love of musical theater. Since I'm doing this interview fresh on the heels of seeing Les Miserables twice in as many days, I'd like to know what your favorite musical is.

41 comments:

  1. A great post thank you & PLAYING WITH FIRE looks fabulous.

    I saw LES MISERABLES last week & wept just about the whole way through. Definitely my favorite right now. My daughter & I have the songs continually floating through out heads.

    marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

    marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

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    1. I agree about the Les Mis songs floating in your head forever. I've seen the off-Broadway production 4 times now, it's my favorite. I'm not sure if the movie did "On My Own" justice, though - that's the song that tends to stay with me the longest each time I see the show.

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  2. GOOD MORNING MOLLY KATE !!

    Musicals--love 'em. Les Mis isn't a favorite. The story's good, and the new production is admirable. But there's nothing like SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS. I love the character growth of the brothers and brides. The dancing, the production, the largeness of it all. And of course...7 happy ever afters.

    ~Angi

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    1. I've only seen Seven Brides for Seven Brothers once, but I adored Oklahoma, and I think that's in a similar vein. I agree that Les Mis isn't a "feel good" kind of musical, so one with 7 happy ever afters would be fun. I'll have to try to catch it again the next time it's performed around here.

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  3. Love the cover of Small Town Secrets Molly Kate, very moody. Good luck with the release!

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    1. Thanks so much! If the scene had made it in the book, the cover captured it really well. ;-)

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  4. I'm sort of sour grapes here regarding the new Hollywood version of musicals. IMHO, there is nothing like the musicals of yesteryear. I'm thinking Showboat, South Pacific, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and my personal favorite, My Fair Lady.

    What passes for musicals today hurts my ears. I'm surprised Hugh Jackman continues on in this venue after the catastrophic failure of his TV musical dramedy program a few years ago. But looking at his credits, he has done a lot of musicals on Broadway, so maybe TV is just not his thing.

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    1. Ahh - a second vote for Seven Brides - I'm definitely going to have to catch that one if a touring production comes through. I adored the movie version of My Fair Lady. I haven't seen it on stage, though. Thanks for dropping by!

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  5. Miss Saigon is my favorite. Saw in NY and Toronto. Cried my eyes out both times.

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    1. Oh! I saw Miss Saigon at Bass Hall. My husband and I won front row tickets in a radio contest once. We were close enough to smell the cigarette smoke from the stage. I've gotta say, being up close and personal gives the show a really different dynamic.

      That is a sad show, though. I can understand why it brought you to tears.

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  6. I love Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. The book sounds fabulous.

    Kit3247(at)aol(dot)com

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    1. Another vote for Seven Brides! It's definitely in the lead today. :-)

      Thanks! I'm glad you think the book sounds promising!

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  7. Good morning, Molly Kate. Wow, your blurb got my attention. The hero saved her life and she's never forgiven him? How compelling is that. I love music and most musicals.

    What kind of research did you do to write your FBI character? Thanks for joining us today on Get Lost in a Story!

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    1. Yep, Della has some "issues" to deal with, doesn't she?

      I've been lucky enough to know several FBI agents throughout my adult years. My kids' godfather is a retired FBI agent, and a close friend is as well. My daughter has a friend whose father is fairly high up in the secret service, so I've been able to ask them some questions to check my FBI agent accuracy. I'll admit that I didn't want to bother them TOO often, but I think they helped put me on the right track.

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    2. How cool is that. Best wishes on your release!

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  8. I like Les Miz... The story is kind of cliche but it still works....

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    1. That's true, but I still love the music from the show.

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  9. "South Pacific" is my favorite musical but as I watch a lot of movies with my grandchildren, must say I also enjoy "Ella Enchanted".
    Congrats on your writing success!
    grandmabkr at yahoo dot com

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    1. I LOVE Ella Enchanted. I can't tell you how many times I've seen that movie. Great choice!

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  10. I think of every Disney feature as a musical. I hope Ann Hathaway sings a few more times. Honestly, she has an amazing voice. LOVED ELLA ENCHANTED! And in Les Mis, the emotion that was added to her songs was unbelievable. It worth seeing for that reason alone.
    ~Angi

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    1. You know, that's really true about the Disney movies - especially some of the newer ones like Beauty and the Beast.

      I was really surprised at how well Anne Hathaway can sing. I totally didn't expect that from her...and she had a nice emotional depth as well. I was impressed.

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  11. I can't say I have a favorite musical because I am not into musicals that much. I will watch them.

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  12. That is a great cover. Sets a mood for the book even if that scene is not in it.

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    1. Thanks! I do love my first cover - even if the scene didn't quite make it in.

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  13. I also love Scooby Doo. So smart and endearing! I like fairy tales because they are sweet but give me action adventure because it is exciting. Thank you for a fun interview and congrats on the release of Playing With Fire.

    Cambonified(at)yahoo(dot)com

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    1. I watched Scooby Doo so often when I was little. It's just sad that I could never get my kids interested in the show. It was so fun!

      Thanks for well wishes for Playing with Fire!

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  14. Molly Kate, I loved Small Town Secrets and the book cover is great even if it wasn't in the book. :) That's such a funny story. Can't wait to read Playing With Fire. Having also supported a daughter's love of musical theatre, I'm hard pressed to pick a favorite, but it's probably 42nd Street or Singing in the Rain.

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    1. I'm so glad you liked Small Town Secrets. It'll always be my baby, since it was my first story.

      Oh, my daughter's about to be performing in Singin' in the Rain! I'm really excited to see the production, since I haven't seen it before.

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  15. Nice cover. I like Phantom of the Opera.

    bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com

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    1. Phantom of the Opera is my husband's favorite too. I'm pretty sure he can quote the entire show.

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  16. Favorite musical? Big River!

    Playing With Fire has a fantastic cover. No doubt as to what the story's about. Wishing you the best with it.

    Nancy

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    1. I haven't seen Big River. I'll have to add that one to my list too.

      I was really pleased with my cover for Playing with Fire - if the title couldn't make you guess, then the cover really did a nice job of telling about the story.

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  17. Sounds really good. Thanks for sharing!! Looking forward to reading more.

    bacchus76 at myself dot com

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  18. Souns gook
    D, phantom of the opera, grease
    kimehak@yahoo
    Kimh

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  19. I love musicals! I've seen Phantom of the Opera live many times.
    A new favorite is Wicked - a national touring company just left our city - I wish they could have stayed longer. I'd be very interested in how a musical features in Fade to Black.
    winnie968 at yahoo dot com

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  20. THANKS for the great discussion today EVERYBODY !!!
    And thanks for joining us Molly Kate !

    ~Angi

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  21. Sounds like a GREAT book and she sounds like an amazing author!! Thanks

    KayosAD at aol dot com

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  22. Hi Molly,

    I'm a huge Scooby Doo lover myself! A mystery with a ghost is always lovely. Add a funny dog and what could be better?

    I haven't seen LM yet. I tend to avoid sad stories. I'm too sensitive. Even Life of Pi nearly killed me.

    Enjoyed your interview!

    regrichards @ yahoo.com

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  23. Favorite musical? hem don't have any favorite

    Small Town Secret sounds great :)

    eli_y83@yahoo.com

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  24. CONGRATULATIONS CLOVER !!
    You've won a Molly Kate's $10 gift card !
    Thanks for everyone who stopped by to chat.
    ~Angi

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