Celebrate the Holidays with Geri Krotow and a Giveaway!

The books: Navy Christmas and Navy Joy (novella in Coming Home for Christmas)

Publisher: Harlequin Superromance and Harlequin Anthology

ISBN: 978-0373608836, ISBN-13: 978-0373838042

Navy Christmas

Commander Jonas Scott got through his tough deployment by thinking about his family home on Whidbey Island. The same home his deceased stepmother, Dottie, had promised him. His Navy Homecoming turns sour when he discovers Dottie left his house to a stranger named Serena Delgado.

Serena, an Army widow with a young son, is fixing up her house. But as Christmas approaches and she gets to know Jonas, Dottie’s plan becomes clear. It wasn’t about fixing up the house—it was about fixing up Serena and Jonas!

Navy Joy

Chief Petty Officer Ian Cairne arrives stateside for Christmas with a four-legged friend: his late buddy's military service dog. Fortunately, the beautiful town vet Wendi Cooper is willing to take this odd couple into her home—and her heart.

Read an excerpt here!

Meet Geri!

I'm a U.S. Naval Academy graduate and served for nine years as an Intelligence Officer before I resigned to chase my dream of writing full-time (also, to chase my kids full-time as well!). I served as a Navy spouse for 27 years and while I draw so much from our exotic travels, I'm happy to be settled in Central PA with my husband, dog, parrot and college kids.

Thanks for joining us today, Geri!

Thanks for having me here, Lara! It's an honor.

Lara: How often to you get lost in a story?

Geri: Every time I sit down at the keyboard! And while I'm walking, gardening, knitting, cooking, doing laundry…characters are always showing up in my mind and begging to be put on the page.

Lara: What drew you to write in the genre(s) you do?

Geri: I love writing the HEA after the heroine and hero have gone through some serious character growth, and a lot of conflict/emotional struggle. So romance is a natural fit for me. But I also love the thrill of suspense and the legacy of history, so my World War II stories (parallel plots with my contemporaries) are a joy to write. I think I might have a horror story or two in me, as well, but I don't think that genre would appreciate my HEA which is a must for me.

Lara: Where do you read and how often?

Geri: At night, every night, in bed. Is there any other way to fall asleep? [Lara: Not for me!]

Lara: Is there a “Blooper” in your story (it may have been changed before printing)?

Geri: It's the same bloopers in all of my stories--I often get eye colors mixed up. I'm focused on my character's emotional development; physical characteristics sometimes get mixed up.

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

Geri: Maybe it's because I write contemporary (and WWII), but I do enjoy getting lost in a well written historical romance. Regency is a favorite, but any period will do. I do read across all genres and sub genres, however, and my favorite story is one with a good dose of thrilling suspense.

Lara: What was the first story you remember writing?

Geri: In 2nd grade I did my own illustrated version of One Fish Two Fish Three Fish Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss. I loved stapling papers together and making my own books. [Lara: Very creative!]

Lara: Which of your characters would you most/least to invite to dinner, and why?

Geri: This is easy with Navy Christmas--Charles Dempsey, the WWII Navy sailor who is fictional, but his name is real. His granddaughter won a fundraiser I participated in for POW-MIA Families and I couldn't be prouder to have written a real hero into my WWII subplot. In the book I have Charles survive the Bataan Death March--I'd be so honored to have one of those survivors to dinner. [Lara: What a great fundraiser!]

Lara: What is your hero’s “kryptonite” – in other words, what will bring him instantly to his knees?

Geri: In Navy Christmas, Jonas's Kryptonite is definitely family legacy. The fact that Serena, who's inherited the house he'd planned to make his home, wants to keep the house true to its history is a draw for Jonas. Along with the hot chemistry they share!

Lara: Can you tell us about a real-life hero you’ve met?

Geri: Hands down the greatest hero I know is my husband. He gets embarrassed when I talk about it, but he's a true war hero and a wonderful husband and father to our kids.

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

Geri: Both! I was a tea drinker exclusively until I turned 40--we moved to Italy and lived there for 2 years. I got hooked on cappuccinos because the espresso has less caffeine than American coffee and low acidity (really, look it up). I make my own almond milk cappuccinos in the morning and switch to tea as the writing day wears on. At night I enjoy a cup of ginger or peppermint tea. [Lara: That sounds lovely!]

Lara’s GOTTA ASK What inspires you daily?

Geri’s GOTTA ANSWER:   The men and women in uniform who serve us daily, at home and across the globe. Now that I'm writing a new series for Harlequin Romantic Suspense that I've based on my local area, I have a renewed appreciation for the daily sacrifices of our emergency responders (police, firemen, EMTs) who put it on the line with each call. [Lara: Can't wait to read your new books!]

Where can you find Geri?

Contact her 

Her website

Facebook 

Twitter 

Goodreads 

Pintrest 

Blogs 

What's next?

My next releases will be in 2015. In August, Navy Justice, #5 of the Whidbey Island Series, will release, and I expect my first Harlequin Romantic Suspense, #1 of the Silver Valley Series, to be released, title and date TBA.

What are some previous releases?

******GIVEAWAY ALERT******

Geri is giving away a copy of Navy Christmas and a custom ornament/bookmark to one lucky winner! (North America only)

Geri wants to know: Who's your favorite military romance heroine?

Please leave an email address for notification. 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.