3 STETSONS EQUAL

THREE COWBOYS

Harlequin Intrigue

ISBN: 0373696582

THIS CHRISTMAS,

THE MCCABE BROTHERS 

ARE COMING HOME TO

TEXAS...

VIRGIL by USA TODAY bestselling author Julie Miller

Detective Virgil "Bull" McCabe hadn't been back on the J-Bar-J Ranch in more than a decade. What he finds is his family in turmoil and his childhood friend, Tracy Cobb, all grown up...and more beautiful than ever.

MORGAN by Dana Marton

It took a lot to bring ex-soldier Morgan McCabe home. But when his brothers sent out a call for help, that was all the incentive he needed. Once there, though, it's his former flame, Dakota Dayton, and her toddler son who might just convince him to stay.

WYATT by Paula Graves

Sheriff Wyatt McCabe has faced a lot of criminals, but none as ruthless as the one holding his sister hostage. Now, forced to work with Elena Vargas, Wyatt has to ensure his family's safety without giving in to his burning attraction to the gorgeous agent.

THE SHORT & SWEET ON JULIE

Boots: cowboy or fashion?  Fashion

Jeans: boot cut or designer? Boot

Hats: straw, felt or ball cap?  Ball cap

Transportation: SUV, sedan, truck or four legs?  SUV

Favorite western: The Magnificent Seven

Favorite brother story: CHEROKEE THUNDER & IRONHEART by Rachel Lee (brothers in a single book? THE LION, THE WITCH & THE WARDROBE by C.S. Lewis)

THE SHORT & SWEET ON DANA

Boots: cowboy or fashion? Cowboy J

Jeans: boot cut or designer? Boot cut.

Hats: straw, felt or ball cap? No hat. Don’t touch my hair! lol

Transportation: SUV, sedan, truck or four legs? I love my hubby’s old pickup truck. Very useful for my garage sale addiction.

Favorite western: Cowboys and Aliens. Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford in the same movie. It doesn’t get better than that J

Favorite brother story: Nora Robert’s Chesapeake Bay series. Love the Quinn brothers.

THE SHORT & SWEET ON PAULA

Boots: cowboy or fashion? Cowboy

Jeans: boot cut or designer? Boot cut

Hats: straw, felt or ball cap? Ball cap

Transportation: SUV, sedan, truck or four legs? Sedan

Favorite western: BLOOD ON THE MOON with Robert Mitchum & Barbara Bel Geddes

Favorite brother story: Do TV shows count?  If so, I'll go with SIMON AND SIMON.

MEET THE McCABES

ANGI: Public service seems to run in your blood. Who inspired you to serve in the military or law enforcement?

VIRGIL:  God, good genes and years of hard work on the ranch made me a big, bad S.O.B.  There’s got to be a reason for that—protecting people and taking down bad guys seems to work for me.  Besides, I saw and endured enough trouble growing up that I’m motivated to keep any innocent from suffering the way my brothers, my mom and I did.

MORGAN: The older brother of my best friend who was a Navy S.E.A.L. He was tough, didn’t take bull from anyone. He would defend the weak and stand for our country. He was the first real life hero I met. Before that, I thought heroes were people in history books.

WYATT:  Both of my older brothers went off to be heroes.  What was I going to do, sit at home on the ranch while they were off being cool and all?  And as much as I love Serpentine, Texas, this wild and wonderful town where we grew up, I couldn't think of a better town to protect.

ANGI: What’s the first book you remember reading? 

VIRGIL:  Um… That I’ll admit to?  I remember Mom reading SMOKEY, THE COWHORSE to me as a kid. I liked it.  And Tracy Cobb, my neighbor and best bud, got me through American Lit our junior year.  TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD is one I actually own a copy of now.

MORGAN: The James Bond series. He had the gadgets, the cars, always got the girl. <shrugs> What’s not to like?

WYATT:  Zane Grey's KNIGHTS OF THE RANGE.

ANGI: What’s your favorite “love” word?

VIRGIL: Blue Eyes

MORGAN: I rather show love then talk about it. And I definitely won’t talk about what happened in the upstairs hallway closet. A gentleman doesn’t… kiss and tell ;-)

WYATT:  What kind of sissy question is that?  Did one of my brothers put you up to it?  Oh, all right.  I guess I like the word adore.  What's not to like about adore?

ANGI: What’s your idea of a unique date?

VIRGIL: My favorite date is to ride out to a remote corner of the ranch with a picnic basket and some cold beers.  Long talks, fresh air, moonlight.  Depending on the company, I’d pack a blanket or sleeping bag, too.

MORGAN: Tandem skydiving. Get a girl’s knees shaky and it’s easier to sweep her off her feet. ;-) I already have a date scheduled for you know who. Don’t tell her.

WYATT:  I don't know if it's really unique, but a girl who finds the romance in going bass fishing on Lake Amistad is what I'd call a keeper.

ANGI: Who’s your favorite action hero?

VIRGIL: Ben Grimm in the Fantastic Four (btw, Morgan is Reed Richards—well, he thinks he’s Mr. Fantastic—and Wyatt’s gotta be Johnny Storm—Flame on, pipsqueak!) We do Adam, Hoss and Little Joe Cartwright, too.  (well, about 20 years ago we did.)

MORGAN: Laura Croft. I like strong, smart women.

WYATT:  Detective John McClane.  Yippy Ki Yay.

ANGI: What’s your favorite cartoon character?

VIRGIL: Elmer Fudd

MORGAN: I’m not admitting. My brothers would never let me live it down. Sorry, folks.

WYATT:  Bugs Bunny, because he's chock full of attitude.

ANGI’S GOTTA ASK: What was the most challenging part of writing Virgil’s story?

JULIE’S GOTTA ANSWER:  I had the brother angle on this story down pat. But I will confess, I’m a Marine Corps brat/city girl, so creating authentic ranch life with a hero who’s a former rodeo bull-riding champ required a little research.  Fortunately, my CP (author Sherry James) raises horses and lives on a ranch, so she let me ask her all kinds of questions. Plus, she won a dinner with a group of rodeo champs when the National Finals for bull-riding were held in Grand Island, Nebraska—and she took me as her guest! I met a real “Bull”—a stock manager from South Dakota who provided bulls for the event.

ANGI’S GOTTA ASK: What was the most challenging part of writing Morgan’s story?

DANA’S GOTTA ANSWER:   He’s soooo stubborn. He never did what I wanted him to do. Dakota had the same trouble with him. Sometimes it’s hard to decide whether to kiss a guy or strangle him. He was that guy. I’m pretty sure he gave me gray hairs. Thing is, he’s worth the trouble.

ANGI’S GOTTA ASK: What was the most challenging part of writing Wyatt’s story?

PAULA’S GOTTA ANSWER:   Trying to get the flavor of South Texas right.  That part of the state is very different from where I live in Alabama — flat, dry and expansive rather than hilly and damp — and I really wanted people to get a taste of the terrain, since my characters spend a lot of time out in it. Fortunately, I minored in Spanish in college, so I was able to sprinkle the story with a little bit of Spanish, especially helpful since my heroine is Latina.

FIND JULIE on the Intrigue-Authors Blog &

Contact  Website  Facebook 

Twitter @JulieMillerAuth  Goodreads 

Previous GLIAS interviews

FIND DANA on the Intrigue-Authors Blog &

Contact  Website  Facebook   

Twitter  @DanaMarton   Goodreads

Pintrest  Blog  Previous GLIAS interviews

FIND PAULA on the Intrigue-Authors Blog &

website   Facebook   Goodreads 

Twitter    @Paula_Graves   

Previous GLIAS interviews

UP NEXT 

for JULIE:

TACTICAL ADVANTAGE

Harlequin Intrigue, March 2013

for DANA:

MOST ELIGIBLE SPY

Harlequin Intrigue, July 2013

for PAULA:

MURDER IN THE SMOKIES is the first of three books in my new Bitterwood P.D. miniseries coming from Harlequin Intrigue in June, 2013.  Two more books follow back to back in July and August.

PREVIOUS RELEASES

from JULIE:

KANSAS CITY COWBOY

Harlequin Intrigue, Aug. 2012

ISBN # 978-0-0373-69634-5

from DANA:

DEATHSCAPE

More Details 

from PAULA:

PLAYING DEAD IN DIXIE 

Whistleblower Carly Sandano is in scalding hot water. While the FBI wants her to testify against her crooked boss, her boss just wants her dead. So when the bus she hops out of Atlantic City crashes, she fakes her death and heads south to Bangor, Georgia, to fulfill a fellow passenger's dying wish: deliver his casino winnings to his family.

But she didn't figure on the dead man's friendly parents, who dish up heaping helpings of southern hospitality. Or how sexy she'd find the smoldering, suspicious chief of police, Wes Hollingsworth. Before she knows it, the girl who never likes to stay in one place too long finds herself wondering how she's ever going to leave Georgia behind. But there's still a killer gunning for her, and the last thing she wants to do is bring bullets raining down on the sleepy little town...

THREE GIVE AWAYS

JULIE IS DRAWING for a signed copy of THREE COWBOYS!

DANA WILL DRAW for a signed copy of THE SPY WORE SPURS. (North America only)

PAULA WILL DRAW FOR an amazon.com e-gift card worth $20 to a winner.  (US/Canada ~I can't ever figure out the exchange rate for the UK.)

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. Come back tomorrow as Jillian celebrates the debut of A PRIVATE DUEL WITH AGENT GUNN. ~Angi 

JULIE WANTS TO KNOW: What is/was your favorite Western tv show or movie?

DANA WANTS TO KNOW: Who is your favorite cowboy actor of all times? Who is the one you think really got it right?

PAULA WANTS TO KNOW: Do you think there's a particular type of hero or heroine that you’re not seeing enough of in Intrigues.  Could be a career path never shown or a particular character archetype you'd love to see.  I'm curious what readers are looking for these days.

Contemporary Series Romance: Suspense/Adventure

CONGRATULATIONS

In honor of the Romance Writers of America® national conference, we're featuring the different nominees for their highest published honor, THE RITA®, by category each day. We hope some of the authors will be able to join us, but remember they're getting ready for their big night July 28th. We'll celebrate the winners here on the 29th along with our celebration drawings from their gracious donations.

COOPER VENGEANCE

Paula Graves
Harlequin Intrigue
Allison Lyons, editor

It's not just the law of averages that convince Natalie Becker that her sister Carrie died at the hands of her playboy husband, Hamilton Gray. Newlywed Carrie had recently confided to Natalie that she thought Hamilton might be having an affair—he kept strange hours and didn't seem that interested in sex anymore. But proving murder, in a town where the Grays are even wealthier and more privileged a family than her own, may be the hardest thing Natalie's ever tried to do. The last complication she needs is a tall, stubborn ex-Navy mechanic named J.D. Cooper, who has his own crazy idea about who killed her sister—and his wife.

THE MAN FROM GOSSAMER RIDGE

Paula Graves
Harlequin Intrigue
Allison Lyons, editor

Gabe Cooper missed the chance to stop his sister-in-law's brutal murder by thirty inexcusable minutes. And even though the man responsible for Brenda Cooper's murder is dead, Gabe can't forgive himself for his mistake. So when his motherless niece Cissy leaves him an urgent message to visit her at college, Gabe drops everything to go. But he's not prepared for what his niece tells him. Cissy believes her mother's murder isn't solved at all. Worse, she's basing her beliefs solely on the theories of a pretty psychology instructor who looks more like a co-ed herself than any one he should take seriously. Alicia Solano believes the dead man had been only one of a pair of serial killers responsible for not only Brenda's death but dozens of murders across three southern states. And now there have been two new murders that fit the profile. There's still a killer out there, and he's found a new partner.

GLIAS interviews 
website

THE DOCTOR’S DEADLY AFFAIR

Stephanie Doyle

Harlequin Romantic Suspense
Wanda Ottewell, editor

Fresh on the heels of their disastrous date, Dr. Camille Lawson is none too pleased to find Dr. Wyatt Holladay darkening her doorstep. But a mystery ailment is claiming her patients - and just maybe the gorgeous doctor can help her get some answers. What should be a simple investigation of medical causes quickly reveals a very real threat. Someone is targeting Camille by killing her patients, one by one. 

Surrounded by suspects and unable to convince the authorities crimes are being committed, Wyatt is the only person who can keep the infuriating beauty safe. With everything on the line, he must protect her reputation, her life... and her heart. 

Stephanie is contributing to the RITA celebration give-away on July 29th.
GLIAS interviews 
Website    

SOLDIER'S LAST STAND

Cindy Dees

Harlequin Romantic Suspense

Patience Bloom, editor 

Navy Commander Brady Hathaway is done with women. Since H.O.T. Watch is pretty much a 24/7 job, that leaves no time for female entanglements. Then he's appointed Eve Dupont's handler. Tan, leggy and blonde, the lethal-looking civilian chosen to take down a terrorist cell scares the hell out of him. Can he keep Eve safe and resist her charms?  

This may be Eve's only shot to clear her name from any involvement in a terrorist cell and bring in a wanted assassin. But can the ultimate party girl do it? And can she convince the sexy Mr. I'm All Business Hathaway that there are times to move fast—and times to go very slowly…. 

website       

STRANDED WITH HER EX

Jill Sorenson

Harlequin Romantic Suspense

Stacy Boyd, editor

Trouble in paradise? 

An exotic wildlife preserve is a dream come true for conservation biologist Daniela Flores. Until she finds out her ex-husband is leading the research team. World-famous shark expert Sean Carmichael has only grown more ruggedly appealing in the time they were apart…the passion between them more intense than ever. But how could Daniela forgive Sean for betraying her when she needed him most? 

Sean had come to the remote Farallon Islands to study killer sharks. Now a real killer is on the loose, threatening the woman he’s never stopped loving. And this time, he knows he can’t walk away. Marooned together during a deadly storm, Sean vows to go to hell and back to save Daniela…and for the chance to begin again.

GLIAS interview
website   

NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH

Kara Lennox

Harlequin Superromance

Johanna Raisanen, editor

As chief legal counsel for Project Justice, widow Raleigh Shinn doesn’t seem the type to accept bribes. Still, Griffin Benedict has an anonymous tip that points to her guilt. And if he wants to make the move to national news anchor, he needs a sensational story. 

But nothing is as it seems. Including the do-good lawyer. Underneath shapeless suits and oversize glasses hides an exceptional beauty. Now Griffin not only seeks an exclusive, he wants to uncover Raleigh’s secrets for himself. 

When lies turn to attempted murder, they must hunt down the truth together…to prove her innocence, protect an honest man and save both their lives.

TAKEN TO THE EDGE
Kara Lennox
Harlequin Superromance

Johanna Raisanen, editor 

Ford Hyatt thought he was done. He was all set to give up on himself and on Project Justice. Then Robyn Jasperson walks back into his life. His former bad-girl crush looks better than ever and needs his help getting a case overturned. Robyn’s got an ex-husband in jail, a murdered son and nowhere else to turn. 

Ford let her down before. But now he can find the truth, set matters straight and redeem himself. And time is running out. If he fails, she has everything to lose. If he wins, he has everything to gain, including Robyn’s heart.

GLIAS interview

Website    

~ ~ ~

JOIN THE RITA® CELEBRATION by leaving a comment for each category between July 11th and 28th (multiple comments = multiple entries). GLIAS will be drawing for winners on Sunday, July 29th and posting along with all the RITA® winners announced Saturday evening in Anaheim, California.

Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America addresses only unless specifically mentioned in the post. If an INTERNATIONAL name is drawn, mailing the book or supplying an electronic version will be the decision of the donator. 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.

JOIN US tomorrow as RITA® week continues with the best CONTEMPORARY SINGLE TITLE category. Don’t forget to FOLLOW us on Twitter #GetLostStories or LIKE us on Facebook. ~Angi

The Daphne Finalists

The 2012 Daphne du Maurier Contest sponsored by the RWA Mystery & Suspense Writers chapter (commonly known as Kiss Of Death) announced it finalists for the Series Romantic Suspense category. All five places went to Harlequin Intrigues. I'm very honored to be among them and thought I'd share a little more about my author friends and their books.
In case you missed them in 2011, you might want to put these keepers on your shelf or electronic reader. >>>grin<<<  You can also find us regularly blogging and chatting with readers on the Intrigue Authors blog and on our Intrigue Facebook Page.

HELENKAY DIMON

THE BIG GUNS
September 2011

When he saw his mark being kidnapped, Recovery Project agent Zach Bachman had no option but to rescue her. Even if it endangered his assignment. After weeks of watching Sela Andrews from afar, he was now trapped with the blonde beauty as her bodyguard.

Her brave protector relished the heat of gun battle but retreated from his own emotions. Sela learned that when, in the dead of night in a darkened safe house, the loner became her lover. Still, as her would-be killers closed in on them again, she had no choice but to put her life—and her heart—in the hands of her reluctant guardian.

HelenKay's favorite thing: The hero!  Zach was in previous books and the quiet type.  He stepped up only when he had to and didn't give long speeches. He filled the strong, silent type role.  So, when it was his turn to be the star of the story I panicked.  I didn't want him to change and suddenly be chatty but...he had to talk!  He couldn't hang in the background.  The heroine helped me out.  Zach met her and she meant something to him, so he could no longer hide. No more shadows.  He stepped up for her, which I loved.

Finding HelenKay

website   email   Facebook  Twitter @HelenKayDimon

PAULA GRAVES

MAJOR NANNY
October 2011

A SOLDIER NEVER BREAKS HIS PROMISE....

Agent Harlan McClain has his target in sight. But he’s not pulling the trigger. Instead his assignment is providing Stacy Giordano—the governor’s aide—with security. An easy job for a former marine sniper. And yet, the guarded single mother’s beauty and devotion to her exceptional child soon have Harlan reshuffling his priorities. In the dead of night, in her bed, he promises to keep her and her son from harm. But when an unexpected crisis arises, Harlan is suddenly torn between keeping his word, and taking out a killer.…

Finding Paula
website   Facebook   Twitter  @Paula_Graves

JULIE MILLER

NANNY 911
December 2011

The Precinct: SWAT--an elite team who'll put everything on the line.

HE’D NEVER NEEDED ANYONE’S HELP
…UNTIL NOW

SWAT team member Miranda Murdock can’t bake, or get a three-year-old to eat. But she can shoot the wings off a fly. Which is why she’s protecting millionaire Quinn Gallagher’s daughter. But the little girl is soon tugging at Miranda’s heartstrings. And Quinn is doing other things to her—exciting, forbidden, bedroom things—making her job riskier each day.…

Quinn is determined to find the killer threatening his daughter’s life. Despite the danger, he wants Miranda with shocking intensity. The elite cop is a puzzle he can’t figure out, and desire between them builds with each heartbeat. Yet with New Year’s Eve and the killer’s deadline approaching, even a single kiss could spell disaster…

Julie's Favorite Scene:

I knew from day 1, when I first got the concept in my head for this story (my editor had asked me to create a female character for my SWAT team books--so I developed a stand-alone story to feature her), that I had to use this line in the climactic action scene: "You forgot to take out the nanny."  My heroine, a SWAT cop, gets assigned to be a bodyguard for a billionaire's little girl when an unknown enemy decides the only way to get to the hero is to kill his darling daughter.  The hero insists the heroine become the girl's nanny so that they'll bond and be together 24-7, even if the heroine is far more comfortable wielding a sniper rifle than a diaper bag.  I knew there was going to be this siege at some kind of compound (turned into the wealthy hero's security-loaded estate), that the hero was going to be facing down the bad guy at the end (and I knew my hero was going to be a man who used his brains, not weapons to fight), but in the climactic battle, he was finally at a disadvantage.  The bad guy seemed to have everything figured out.  All the security systems had been disabled.  The guards were dead.  The bad guy held a gun to the hero's head.  The hero was going to be okay with dying because at least he'd done what he'd set out to do--he'd saved his daughter's life.  But then this awesome, kick-butt yet vulnerable, heroine, Miranda Murdock, the lady SWAT cop who'd struggled to believe she had what it takes to get the job done, silently "drops in" to the scene and puts a gun to the bad guy's head.  Advantage? Good guys.  No need to prove herself anymore.  The hero would grin, knowing the bad guy was toast, and say, "You forgot to take out the nanny."

It's rare for me to see a scene in such detail before I begin a book.  But I knew that had to happen in my story.  And it did!

Finding Julie
Email Website Facebook Twitter @JulieMillerAuth  Goodreads

ANGI MORGAN

.38 CALIBER COVER-UP
February 2011

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 reveals a far-reaching conspiracy…and angers all the wrong people. Trying to bring a killer to justice while keeping Darby safe is making Erren remember why he is better off on his own. Especially when Darby makes him long to stay together in the safe house and never let her out of his sight.

Angi's Favorite Scene: First kisses are a big favorite of mine. I always love the kisses in movies that happen so the couple won't blow their cover (okay, it's been done a hundred times...but it works). Erren & Darby share a kiss when the perfect undercover cop shows he's very vulnerable. It happens just before the scene depicted on the cover.

Finding Angi
website   email   Facebook   Twitter @AngiMorganAuthr    Goodreads    A Picture A Day

GAYLE WILSON

FLASHBACK
August 2011 

Jake Underwood has recovered from the terrible injuries he suffered in Iraq—except for the haunting flashbacks of the attack that decimated his unit. Then suddenly, in the middle of one of those, he sees not the familiar desert landscape of his nightmares, but a terrified and missing little girl.

Chief of Police Eden Reddick knows that with each passing hour, her chances of finding kidnap victim Raine Nolan alive decrease. That terrifying countdown resonates more strongly with Eden because her own sister was taken under similar circumstances and never seen again.

Despite being willing to pursue every lead, Eden can’t explain how or why Raine could appear in Major Underwood’s flashback. She is, however, impressed with the ex-soldier’s determination to find the child and bring her home. As they work desperately to rescue Raine, Eden begins to feel more than admiration for Jake, but can she keep her town’s anger and suspicions of him from compounding the tragedy they already face? 

Gayle's favorite things: FLASHBACK contains so many of the elements that I was attracted to as a reader and have frequently incorporated into my own writing. A sexy, wounded warrior. A heroine as tough as the hero she's falling in love with. A child in danger. A mystery from the past that threatens to encroach on the present. A hint of the paranormal. A small town Southern setting where you can feel the heat rise off the asphalt, watch the moon sink into the dark waters of the bayou, and "hear" the distinctive accents of the residents. And as always, this ex-military hero is a tribute to my husband and all those who have fought and died to protect the precious liberties this country enjoys.

Finding Gayle
Website  Email  Facebook 

~ ~ ~
We're curious to know...Are you an Intrigue fan? How many of these top-nominated stories have you already picked up?
~ ~ ~
　
Lucky commenters throughout the weekend will have the chance to win:
 .38 Caliber Cover-Up (e) by Angi  (or $5 giftcard)
Big Guns signed by HelenKay
Flashback signed by Gayle
Nanny 911 signed by Julie
~ ~ ~
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 next Wednesday when I host Carey Baldwin. And come back Monday when Mauren hosts Kari Lee Townsend.  ~Angi

QUESTION FOR TODAY
Have you read any of the finalists and if you have, what was your favorite thing?

READERS' CORNER

P A U L A

G R A V E S

A N S W E R S

Y O U R

Q U E S T I O N S

To celebrate the release of the third installment of COOPER JUSTICE: COLD CASE, we've gone to our readers and asked them to submit questions for Paula to answer.

As a child, Paula Graves's favorite books were Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew mysteries and Harlequin Romances. When she realized there were books that featured both romance and mystery, she knew she'd found her calling. Now Paula writes for Harlequin Intrigue, where she gets to play both matchmaker and murderer and has a blast doing it. She loves to hear from her readers, who can reach her by clicking the contact button on her website, www.paulagraves.com. And today, some of those readers have asked what they’re most curious about . . . Paula.

Paula wrote her first story when she was 6 years old about her neighborhood friends and her solving a mystery. She wrote her first romance after her friend, romance author Kristen Robinette, talked her into trying it. I’ve known Paula through our Harlequin Intrigue Authors’ listserve. She’s giving, shares her time, and I know her family is very dear to her. Her characters are strong men who work hard, play hard and love hard. And her heroines aren’t your typical damsel in distress. I know she’s very excited about her 2011 RITA final for CASE FILE: CANYON CREEK, WYOMING. She’s also a double Daphne du Maurier finalist.

Tell us a bit about all these books, Paula. AND don’t forget to include your favorite scene from this month’s release: COOPER VENGEANCE.

Thanks for inviting me, Angi! CASE FILE: CANYON CREEK, WYOMING was the first book of the Cooper Justice series, and I'm thrilled to say it's also one of my two finalists in the Daphnes. The other Daphne finalist, CHICKASAW COUNTY CAPTIVE, is the second book in the series.

This month's release, COOPER VENGEANCE, is the final book of the Cooper Justice series and features the eldest Cooper brother, J.D., whose life has been marked by tragedy—the unsolved murder of his wife Brenda. We finally get to the bottom of who killed his wife—but not before J.D. meets Natalie Becker, a woman whose own grief fuels the fire in her belly as she seeks to prove who killed her sister. J.D. believes the same killer is behind both murders, but Natalie thinks she knows exactly who killed her sister.

Can they pool their resources and work together, even if their theories don't mesh? And just how much will their simmering attraction to each other complicate the situation?

I have two favorite scenes from COOPER VENGEANCE. One takes place in the middle of a ritzy fundraiser being held by the heroine, Natalie, and her parents to raise money for her dead sister's favorite charity. Because they fear the killer may be at the party, JD goes undercover as a waiter. There's a scene where he and Natalie sneak away from the fundraiser to talk, and they end up first in her sister's childhood bedroom, which her mother has turned into a shrine, and later they go to Natalie's childhood room, which is very different. There's some subtext, using the room to compare the two sisters, and how Natalie sees herself versus how JD sees her. The other scene happens later in the book, and it's a scene between JD and his 13-year-old son, with whom he's had some tense moments earlier in the book. I can't give any details, however, because it would be full of book spoilers.

FROM YOUR FANS
DESERE ASKS: Paula, when a story line grabs you and it is say onein the morning what do you do try to go back to sleep, make a mental note of it or get up immediately to write it down or pull out your laptop?
PAULA: I work a day job, so I can't just get up and write. If I have a thought about a story, I'll get my cell phone out and make a note, then roll over and go back to sleep.

TIM ASKS: Tell us about a real-life hero that you’ve met.
PAULA: When I was very little, my mom and my dad put their own lives at risk to pull some neighbors from a house that was filled with carbon monoxide. At the time I didn't realize what a heroic thing that was, but remembering it from adulthood, I see how brave they were and how they just saw it as something that had to be done, regardless of the risk to themselves. I wish more neighbors behaved that way--the world would be a better place.

TAMMY ASKS: MAJOR NANNY is your next book due out in October. A very intriguing title. Can you share some details about this plot?
PAULA: MAJOR NANNY is the 4th book in a multi-author series from Harlequin Intrigue called Daddy Corps. The first three books were GI COWBOY by Delores Fossen, BABY BOOTCAMP by Mallory Kane and COWBOY BRIGADE by Elle James. Daddy Corps is about a group of former military men who are hired by a rich businessman (and former CIA agent) to form an agency called Corps Security and Investigation. Their first job is to provide protection to the Texas governor, Lila Lockhart, who's running for president.

My book features former Marine Corps sniper Harlan McClain, who's on the spot when the governor's announcement of her candidacy ends with a literal bang--a bomb blows up under the dais where she was standing. In the chaotic aftermath, Harlan and the governor's aide, Stacy Giordano, work together to help survivors and...well, let's just say the bomber's not finished. When the governor hires Harlan to work with Stacy on security for an upcoming fundraiser, the sparks start flying between them, even though neither Harlan nor Stacy has any desire to get involved in a relationship.

Stacy's five-year-old son, Zachary, has Asperger's syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder. He's very high functioning--precocious in many ways (reading, verbal), but has serious socialization deficits. However, he develops a huge crush on Harlan, which is where the "nanny" part comes in.

TAMMY ASKS: Favorite cartoon character?
PAULA: Pepe LePew. I like his go-getter, never say die attitude.

AMANDA ASKS: Did you ever find the hero and heroine inspirations for the Cooper Cousins books that you were looking for back in October 2010?
PAULA: I have! The first two books are already written, and I'm about half way through the third. There'll be six altogether, and they'll be out in 2012.

TAMMY ASKS: Favorite flavor of ice cream?
PAULA: Rocky Road

AVI ASKS: When you pick the age of you characters, do you prefer younger or more mature heroines?
PAULA: I like heroines in their late twenties to late thirties. Usually 29-34. It's just a good age--mature and centered, but still young enough not to be jaded.

QUILT LADY ASKS: Have you ever based a book on something that happened to you in real life or maybe a friend of yours?
PAULA: I take bits and pieces of experiences from real life, but my real life is much duller than those of my characters.

TAMMY ASKS: Favorite time of the day?
PAULA: Recently, it's become early morning. We have a back deck that we just added benches to, and I sit out there with my cats and dogs and enjoy my little container garden. My mom comes out there, too, and we sit and talk. It's nice to have that quiet time before I have to go get dressed and head to my day job.
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You can find Paula at her website, http://www.paulagraves.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Paula-Graves/115479116348
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Paula_Graves
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GOT ANOTHER QUESTION FOR PAULA?
For those of you ASKING A QUESTION…your name will be put in the hat for additional Paula Graves' books. Remember, you MUST ask a question. And I'm putting everyone's name who submitted a question for the blog back into the hat for a chance to win some of Paula's books.

Submitting The Question WINNER: AMANDA
Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America addresses only. If possible, international participants may receive an electronic book store gift card. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.

DON’T FORGET to LIKE us on Facebook or FOLLOW us on Twitter to keep track of who's next to "Get Lost". Come back tomorrow when Simone hosts Ellen Hartman and Friday when I’ll return with Thriller Author Linda Castillo. ~~ Angi