Get Lost with Romantic Suspense Author Lena Diaz

Today, GLIAS Readers, I’m thrilled to present my friend, and 2010 Golden Heart sister who, how shall I say this gently, likes to scare the bejeezus out of people.  She is one terrific romantic suspense/mystery/thriller author wrapped up into one.  So it’s my turn.  Just wait to she has to answer MY questions.  Please welcome, Lena Diaz.


(Note: Lena's cover quotes aren't out for Simon Says Die.  But check out what authors said about HE KILLS ME, HE KILLS ME NOT)

“Chilling from the first scene on. Diaz has crafted the kind of tense psychological thriller that’s impossible to put down.”
~National Bestselling Author Eileen Rendahl w/a Eileen Carr

“It’s all there. . .sizzling love scenes and a shivery good thrill ride.”
~Romantic Suspense Author Margaret Carroll

iT'S NOT A CHILD'S GAME WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.  ABOUT SIMONS SAYS....

Simon says: I'm watching. Simon says: I'm coming. Simon says: Die.

Madison McKinley knows someone is stalking her. The police tell her she's imagining things, and they're too busy trying to find the "Simon Says" killer to investigate. But day by day, hour by hour, Madison's terror grows stronger, and not even the return of FBI Special Agent Pierce Buchanan into her life can calm her fears. Besides, how can she ask Pierce for his help after the way she ended things between them?

Pierce still wants Madison's love, and his drive to protect her is more powerful than ever. He believes she's in danger, even if the cops don't. Finally, as more people start dying and the evidence mounts, the police turn their attention to Madison—as a suspect. Was Pierce a fool to trust her again, or are they both caught in a complex game that neither will survive?

Well, I'm scared, readers, How about you?  Let's have a little fun with RS Author Lena Diaz, AUTHOR OF SIMON SAYS DIE!

DONNELL:  Lena, are you a small town or big city girl?

LENA:  Thank you so much Donnell for having me on GLIAS. To answer your question, it depends on my mood. I was born in a small town, so small you could fit everyone from my hometown into a football stadium and still have room for about forty thousand more people. But my father was in the military, so we didn’t stay in one place very long. We moved. A lot. And we ended up in a very large city where I lived most of my adult life. Then, a few years ago, I moved to a small town again. Actually, it’s more like a subdivision-island surrounded by a sea of cows. And goats. And pigs. Most days, I’m a country girl, all about the small town life. Love it. Other days, when I need something at the store and have to drive thirty or forty minutes to get there . . . not so much. I’m all about convenience, so it’s a toss up.

DONNELL:  Favorite room in your house?

LENA:   Any room without a mirror.   

INTERVIEWER'S NOTE.  Are you kidding me? Lena is gorgeous, inside and out!

DONNELL:  What character would you run from if he showed up on your doorstep?

LENA: Only cowards run. I would use my seductive powers to distract the villain at my door while I reach behind my back for my car keys that are sitting on the decorative table in the foyer. While batting my lashes at the villain and darting my pink tongue out to moisten my lips and draw his attention, I quietly thread my keys through my fingers so they stick out from my closed fist (think Wolverine blades in Xmen). Then, just as I lean toward my villain and he reaches behind his back for his knife, I take the keys and (insert off-page gory carnage here).

DONNELL:  Have you ever used a rack in one of your stories?  Why or why not?  Have you got something against racks?

LENA: I’m insulted you even asked that question! OF COURSE I’ve used a rack in my stories. I’ve also used hot oil, stocks, and my personal favorite, a dunking chair. After all, who am I to second-guess time honored interrogation techniques? Unfortunately, (sigh), my editor doesn’t share my love of medieval implements. For some reason she doesn’t think they work in contemporary romantic suspense novels. Crazy, right? Some of my best torture . . . er . . . interrogation scenes have ended up on the cutting room floor.

DONNELL:  What’s the first thing people say to you when they learn you write suspense?

LENA: “What is romantic suspense?” Seriously - that’s what they say. I think most readers don’t know what our genre labels mean. So, if I’m explaining what I write, I tell them I write thrillers with romance in them. And then I list several well-known romantic suspense authors. That’s when the lightbulb goes on and they ‘get’ it.

DONNELL:  What’s in your refrigerator right now?

LENA:  Top shelf - insulin for my daughter. She has type 1 diabetes, which means she’s insulin dependent. Which means I really, really want a cure for this horrible disease. So all of you should go, run, right now, to your checkbook and write a check to the American Diabetes Association so we can find a cure. And go to www.BrendaNovak.com and support her annual diabetes auction. Okay, I’m thinking it doesn’t really matter now what’s in the rest of the refrigerator. Next question.

DONNELL:  You’re in a burning building, with terrorists plotting your demise on the outside.  Write your way out of this plot.

LENA:  Could you come up with something harder please? Geesh. Okay, well, if the building is on fire and the terrorists are on the outside, I’m actually assuming they ALREADY plotted my demise. That’s why the building is on fire. Duh. What they don’t know is that I had already figured out their plan before I went into the building. And since I’m dating a fireman who is also a chemist, I asked him last night to treat my hair, my skin, and my clothes with a special new invisible fire retardant. I also had my chemist-fireman-boyfriend add a special meat-flavored chemical to the fire hydrant in front of the building. And I timed my entry into the building so that the dog-walker, who passes in front of the building every day at noon, will be walking Mrs. Finkleman’s rottweilers right when the fire hoses begin spraying their meat-flavored water on the building. And because I was extra nice to my chemist-fireman-boyfriend last night, he turns the hose on the evil terrorists in the crowd. The rottweilers go crazy, pouncing on the terrorists, and I stroll out the front door of the burning building without so much as a singed eyebrow. My other boyfriend, the oh-so-handsome secret-agent who doesn’t mind sharing me with my chemist-fireman-boyfriend, arrests the evil terrorists and finds their dirty bomb hidden in the flux-capacitor of the Delorian sitting on the curb just down the block. I happily go home with both of my boyfriends as they take turns wooing me and trying to help me decide which one to choose as my life-long love. I plan on taking a very, very long time to make my decision.

DONNELL:  Ha!  Great answer, but brutal :) Have you ever played the game of Simon Says?  After your book, will you ever play again?

LENA: Well, I had this boyfriend once named Simon. And one day he told me to . . . um, never mind.  Nope, I can never play that game again, not after writing Simon Says Die. The game doesn’t turn out so well for the people who play. If you don’t do what Simon says, he kills you. But if you do what he says, you die. It’s a lose/lose kind of game. Me, I prefer win/win types of choices, like white chocolate or milk chocolate. Win/win.

DONNELL:  Coffee, tea, or something stronger?

LENA: The only way I can drink coffee is if I de-coffee it, meaning, add so much sugar and cream that it tastes like a hot milkshake. And the only thing tea is good for is throwing it into a harbor to protest high taxes. Something stronger? Like alcohol? I used to love drinking strawberry daiquiris once a week with friends while we watched episodes of Miami Vice (music by Huey Lewis and the News, Don Johnson - AWESOME show - but I digress.) Somewhere along the way, I developed a reaction to alcohol. If I drink, I get short of breath, have horrible abdominal pain, and end up in a fetal position for about thirty minutes. My doctor thought taking out my gall bladder would cure it. I trusted him and tried a post-gallbladder surgery margarita. Loved it! It was two-for-one night, so I started drinking a second margarita. Then . . . bam. Short of breath, pain, fetal position. So, I’ve discovered the joy of virgin daiquiris. And Diet Dr. Pepper. LOVE Diet Dr. Pepper.

DONNELL:  Are you organized?

LENA:  I say yes. My husband says no. I say he just doesn’t understand my organization strategy.

DONNELL:  What authors inspired your writing?

LENA: I admire other authors, want to be successful like them and create amazing stories like them. But they don’t inspire me. Readers inspire me. The idea of creating a story that a reader will love so much that it will become their favorite, that inspires me. The idea of creating a story someone would choose to take with them if they were stranded on a desert island, that inspires me. The idea of someone choosing my story above all others, that inspires me. Readers inspire me to write every day, to dig deeper and to create the best stories I can create.

DONNELL:  How many shoes do you have in your closet?

LENA: Too many to count, but I only have three pair (pairs?) that I wear. All the other shoes sit there looking pretty, tempting me to wear them, until I pick them up and remember how uncomfortable they were the last time I wore them. One day I’ll stop buying pretty, uncomfortable shoes that I’ll never wear.

DONNELL:  What does it mean to be happy?

LENA: Allow me to wax philosophic. (If it helps, pretend I’m one of those serious literary types for just a moment, instead of a genre fiction author.) Here’s my theory. Happiness is not a noun. It’s a verb. It’s not a state of being. It’s a journey. The pursuit of happiness is what makes us happy. Think about it. If you want something, and you work really hard to get it, once you get it you feel kind of let down, don’t you? You immediately want something else. Case in point, I want to be a New York Times bestseller. But if I become an NYT bestseller, it won’t make me happy, because I’ll immediately think of a new goal to pursue. But, hey, I could be wrong. I admit it. My entire theory could be based on unsound facts. So, to test my theory, I would appreciate it if everyone - EVERYONE - would please buy my books and put me on The List. Okay??? For scientific reasons only of course.

LENA, NOW IT’S YOUR TURN.  QUESTION FOR READERS.

I seriously had so much fun with these questions. You’re an awesome interviewer Donnell.

Ha!  If only I didn't screw up the date!   DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR READERS?

LENA:  Here is my question for the readers. Do you prefer to know the identity of the villain up front, or do you prefer to figure it out along with the hero and heroine?

Dear Readers.  Your friendly GLIAS interviewer misread today's author's date. We will be re-running Lena Diaz's interview on April 7 & 8.  I will be giving away a $50 Barnes & Noble or Amazon gift certificate, so be sure to spread the word.   Comment (and yes, you may comment more than once) to be entered in the drawing on either April 3, 7 & 8.   Also, Lena will be giving away a digital book.  So answer Lena's question and let's talk about SIMON SAYS DIE. 

THE MANICURIST

Get Lost in a Story Readers, today I’m pleased to bring you a second introduction of a fellow Bell Bridge author who is making the world stand up and take notice of her wonderful novel, THE MANICURIST.

THE MANICURIST, is part of Amazon's BIG DEAL (March 17 through 31). Want to know why it's a big deal? Read on . . .

In The Manicurist, Tessa's premonitions have the potential to resolve the past . . .or they may destroy her family's future. . . .

Tessa and Walter have, by all appearances, the perfect marriage. And they seem to be ideal parents for their somewhat rebellions teenage daughter, Regina. Without warning, however, their comfortable lives are thrown into chaos when a disturbing customer comes into the salon where Tessa works as a manicurist. Suddenly, Tessa's world is turned upside down as revelations come to light about the mother she thought had abandoned her in childhood and the second sight that she so guardedly seeks to keep from others. A magical novel of secrets revealed and a family in turmoil, searching together for new beginnings.

What people are saying about THE MANICURIST. . . 

Using language that is at once both straightforward and evocative, Schieber has painted a fine portrait of the struggles and challenges of being different in an unforgiving world. Her characters are authentic and touching. You will recognize them and remember them long after you read the last page.

Karen Chase ~ Award-winning author of Kazimierz Square, Bear, Land of Stone, and Jamali-Kamali

~ ~ ~

Phyllis Schieber once again shows how elegant storytelling can be. The Manicurist will remain on a top shelf in my library. This book will stir your emotions, excite you with its twists and delight you to the point of tears. A must-read."

Susan Wingate (Award-winning author of Drowning and Bobby's Diner)

~ ~ ~ 
Welcome to Get Lost in a Story, Phyllis. (sigh) Elegant Storyteller. What an adjective to be saddled with. Well, let's see what else we can learn about you. Time to answer our fun questions.

DONNELL: Do you prefer to live in a big city or in the country?

PHYLLIS: I grew up in Manhattan, so when my family went shopping in Yonkers, a suburb in Westchester County that was no more than thirty minutes away, my father took movie pictures, and my mother packed sandwiches. I now live in Hastings-on-Hudson, a village about 20 minutes from Manhattan and feel as if I live in the country! I love it here, but I think I’ll always be a city girl at heart.

DONNELL: What’s your favorite room in your house?

PHYLLIS: I love my kitchen. We redid it when we bought the house eleven years ago, and it is very much a reflection of my eclectic taste. With that said, I love my office more. We took half of the garage and converted it into an office with a separate entrance. I have floor to ceiling bookcases that are busting at the seams, framed photographs, posters, and memorabilia on my walls (including a postcard from Anne Tyler!), and an odd assortment of statues and boxes that I’ve collected over the years. I love to light incense there and play music—anything from Michael Franti to Pavarotti. The office is my exclusive retreat.

DONNELL: You’re having a dinner party. What character do you hope doesn’t show up?

PHYLLIS: I can be very confrontational, so the character one might expect me to welcome the least might be the one I want to have a few words with if I had the opportunity. Nevertheless, if I had planned a lovely dinner party, I would be disinclined to welcome Althea Jordan, Walter’s sister. Althea is a very weak and narrow-minded woman. I am always disappointed in her.

DONNELL: Based on the title of your book, I would be remiss in not asking. Do you have a perfect manicure?

PHYLLIS: At the moment, my nails are a complete mess! I am, however, planning on getting a manicure today! My “perfect manicure” never lasts more than a few hours.

DONNELL: Do you like to shop?

PHYLLIS: I do, but not often. And I like to shop alone. I also love to prowl sales at my favorite stores on-line. I insist on free shipping, or I refuse to buy anything!

DONNELL: Do you read your reviews?

PHYLLIS: I do, not compulsively, but from time-to-time, I do check Amazon to see if there are any new posts. Some reviews can be so mean-spirited and so off base that it can be disconcerting. Nevertheless, a thick skin is a prerequisite if one wants to survive as a writer.

DONNELL: When writing, do you listen to music? 

PHYLLIS: I do. I love Michael Franti and Spearhead, Adele, Amy Winehouse , Bob Marley and voices from the Sixties—Richie Havens and Bob Dylan. I also intersperse that with lots of opera—my son and his girlfriend are opera singers. I’m trying to hone my taste and my knowledge. Frankly, it’s rough going for me.

DONNELL: Are you superstitious?

PHYLLIS: I am. My mother was very superstitious, and it left its mark on me. I’m aware of my superstitions and while I don’t allow them to dictate my life, they do rear their little heads and often amuse me.

DONNELL: Someone has cut you off in the parking lot. How do you handle it?

PHYLLIS: Not very well. I would curse loudly and fiercely, but that’s about it. Depending on the size of the target of my rage, I would, more than likely, keep the window closed while it spewed out my tirade!

DONNELL: Coffee or Tea? And what’s the one food you can’t resist?

PHYLLIS: Coffee. Bread is irresistible, with or without butter.

DONNELL: If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would it be, and what would you talk about?

PHYLLIS: Anne Tyler. I am such a fan of her work. I would love to have a leisurely meal with her and take a nice, long walk here on the Aqueduct. I would love to know everything about her writing process, how a story comes to her, what her challenges are, and what she likes to read. I once read an interview she gave in which she lauded the play The Retreat From Moscow by William Nicholson. I had just seen the play and adored it. It was brilliant—touching, funny, sad and close to home in so many ways. I felt such a kinship with Anne Tyler after that.

Great answers, thank you!  

There you have it, readers. Do not forget, for the next TWO WEEKS, THE MANICURIST by Phyllis Shieber is on sale and a deeply discounted price as part of Amazon's BIG DEAL (March 17th through 31st). Don't miss out.

PHYLLIS SCHIEBER
The first great irony of Phyllis’ life was that she was born in a Catholic hospital. Her parents, survivors of the Holocaust, had settled in the South Bronx among other new immigrants. In the mid-fifties, her family moved to Washington Heights, an enclave for German Jews on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, known as“Frankfurt-on-the-Hudson.”

She graduated from high school at sixteen, earned a B.A. in English from Herbert H. Lehman College, an M.A. in Literature from New York University, and later an M.S. as a Developmental Specialist from Yeshiva University.

She lives in Westchester County where she spends her days creating new stories and teaching writing. She is married and the mother of a grown son.

The Manicurist was a finalist in the 2011 Inaugural Indie Publishing Contest sponsored by the San Francisco Writer's Conference.

Phyllis Schieber is the author of three other novels, The Sinner’s Guide to Confession, Willing Spirits, and Strictly Personal.

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.  THIS WEEK on GLIAS: Vanetta Chapman, Jessica Andersen, NEW GLIAS crew member ALEXA BOURNE and the start of DESIRE WEEK. Don't miss it!

(This post originally ran on Saturday, March 17th -- Phyllis may be able to stop by and chat today.)

PHYLLIS to READERS: What is more important to you as reader, the story or the writing? Can you have one without the other and still be satisfied?

Get Lost with Author Sue Swift & Lord Devere's Ward

Get Lost in a Story readers, we're in for a treat today as multi-published and the prolific Sue Swift joins us to talk to us about Lord Devere's Ward and answer the Get Lost Crew's Fun Questions.

ABOUT LORD DEVERE'S WARD

A lighthearted Regency in the tradition of Georgette Heyer, but with a sensuality unique to Sue Swift's books, in which you can expect the unexpected. Orphaned Kate Scoville is trapped in a tower prison by her scheming uncle, who plans to wed her to his loathsome son in order to gain control of her fortune. Plucky and resourceful, Lady Kate escapes to London to ask for help from her guardian. She's sure the elderly Earl of Devere will help her in her plight. Kate is astounded to find that the Earl has died, and his son has become her guardian. Quinn, the present Earl, remembers Kate from his childhood as an awkward child he loved to taunt and tease. But now his ward has grown into a beautiful young woman. Though honor prevents Quinn from making Kate his, their attraction is irresistible... Will Kate tempt Quinn into abandoning honor? Will the wicked uncle trap Kate, compromise her and steal her fortune?

Originally published by Zebra Books in 2000 as Hopelessly Compromised; now reissued by Etopia Press in a fresh new edition!

                     

DONNELL: Welcome, Sue:  I almost didn't recognize you behind the mask.  If you could live anywhere, where would it be?

SUE: Venice, Italy…do I need to explain why?

DONNELL:  Er, no.  The pictures do nicely.  Which of your characters would you invite to dinner?  Which character would you not?

SUE: Wow…I’ve created some lovely couples and some awful villains. I think my most interesting couple would be Audryn and Storne, the title character in Queen of Shadow and her chosen mate. I would hesitate to eat with Herbert Scoville, the villain in Lord Devere’s Ward—I might not survive the meal and would not leave the room with my virtue (ahem) intact.

DONNELL:  Coffee, tea? Or Something else?

SUE: Both, but especially a good coffee in the morning. I worked for Starbucks as a barista for awhile because I love the aroma of coffee.

Venice Bridge

DONNELL:   You’ve been offered a role in a movie.  But you have to decide:  will you play the role of the protagonist or the antagonist? 

SUE: Bad guy, bad guy, bad guy. There are few ways to be virtuous and they are all dull. Baddies come in all stripes and many acts.

DONNELL:  Favorite sport?

SUE:  The game of love.

DONNELL:  When you’re not writing, where will we find you?

SUE: Editing, taking my teenage niece to the mall, at hot yoga or drinking red wine with my friends.

DONNELL:  How many pairs of shoes do you have in your closet?

SUE:  Umm…about two dozen, but it’s the handbags that really garner the most comments. I have about three dozen, and some are quite unusual.

DONNELL:  Who’s someone you’ve never met, but would have loved the opportunity?

SUE: Jon Stewart. He’s cool and funny. I want him to adopt me. I bet he’s the funnest (is that a word?) dad in the world. 

NOW IT’S SUE'S QUESTION FOR READERS! QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS WILL ENTER YOU IN A DRAWING, READER'S CHOICE:  What attracts you to a book? Why do you choose  to purchase one book over another? 

Note: 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.  COME BACK NEXT WEEK AS ON MONDAY JILL HOSTS SHANNON DONNELLY, ON TUESDAY DONNELL HOSTS CYNTHIA D'ALBA, WEDNESDAY, ANGI HOSTS SUSAN GEE HEINO, THURSDAY, DONNELL HOSTS JUDITH ARNOLD & ON FRIDAY, JILL HOSTS DEANNA CAMERON

Get Lost with Author Maggie Toussaint

GET LOST IN A STORY READERS. Today's guest is Mystery & Romance Author Maggie Toussaint. 

KIRKUS REVIEW says about DEATH ISLAND STYLE    “Toussaint creates a gutsy heroine whose struggles with murder and romance add up to a very enjoyable read” 

A little sun, a little fun, and a dark shadow from the past

Recent widow MaryBeth Cashour moved six hundred miles to escape memories of her late mother’s betrayal and her husband’s mysterious death. While beachcombing for seashells to use at her artsy Christmas shop, MaryBeth finds a corpse rolling in the surf on Sandy Shores Island.

The horror doesn’t end there. When detectives uncover a connection between the murdered man and MaryBeth, she’s their prime suspect. It’s not her fault the dead guy had one of her hand-painted Christmas sharks in his pocket—she doesn’t even know him. Besides, lots of people from the Mid-Atlantic region vacation in coastal Georgia. She insists it’s a coincidence he’s here. The cops don’t believe her.

As her world comes unglued, MaryBeth strips the shellac from her memories, discovering secrets that endanger her life. But time to prove her innocence is running out faster than a rip tide. The killer is crafting up a new murder – MaryBeth’s.

Death, Island Style is a cozy mystery flavored with eccentric southerners, Christmas music, and hand-painted holiday decorations. Set in sunny coastal Georgia, the book reveals the struggles of a young woman trying to make her Christmas gift shop profitable while dodging a murder rap. Beach scenes, a hunky pharmacist, and disastrous craft projects add sparkle and humor.

Death, Island Style, Five Star
ISBN: 9781432825669
Hardcover

EXCERPT:
http://www.maggietoussaint.com/death_island_style.html


AND NOW  LET'S LEARN ABOUT MAGGIE TOUSSAINT:

DONNELL:  Hi, Maggie:  What’s your favorite room in your house?

MAGGIE: I love relaxing on my sunporch. It’s so bright and welcoming. Just outside is a very active bird feeder, and I try to keep several pots of pretty flowers out there as well. Right now, I have two lovely pots of pansies, and their cheerful colors make me smile.

DONNELL:  Favorite activity outdoors?

MAGGIE: This sounds like a cliché, but I love, love, love walking on the beach. Always have. I like the way the warm sand crunches under my toes, hearing the sound of the surf, wading in the breaking waves, and even sitting down at the high water mark and watching all the action. Even if the beach is deserted, there’s always something going on at the beach. Now with sun issues, I have to be a lot more creative about my beach time, but its still my all-time favorite thing to do.

DONNELL:  What’s your preference -- small towns or big city?

MAGGIE: I’m definitely a small town gal. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the shopping a big town has to offer, but there are too many people there to suit me. I feel like they are using up all my air.

DONNELL:  When you’re not writing, what will we find you doing?

MAGGIE:  I have a part-time job at our weekly newspaper, I sing and play guitar in our church choir, and I help with the care of a family member who is having memory issues.

DONNELL:  Who’s braver your protagonist in Death Island Style or you?

MAGGIE: MaryBeth in Death Island Style doesn’t start out very brave at all, but by the end of the story, she’s got all the moxie of a Stephanie Plum. I fit in the middle of that spectrum. I don’t like surprises. I like to know what happens next, something that’s rare indeed in a family setting. So, I’d definitely say MaryBeth is braver than me.

DONNELL:  What’s in your refrigerator right now?

MAGGIE: Jello, cheese, fake eggs, V-8 juice, fresh veggies, strawberries, and about 6 kinds of salad dressing. This is a South Beach Diet season for my husband and me. So far, it’s working great!

DONNELL:  Do you read your reviews?

MAGGIE: That’s like asking if I chew my food! Of course, I read reviews. The wonderful ones lead to euphoria; the less stellar ones cause muttering. I realize you can’t please all the people all the time, but it is nice to know that a reader/reviewer got what you intended from the story.

DONNELL:  What sound do you love?

MAGGIE: The sound of moving water.

DONNELL:  If you could meet anyone in your lifetime, alive or dead, who would it be?

MAGGIE: I’d like to meet Walt Disney in his heyday. The man was such a font of creativity, imagination, optimism, and entrepreneurship – I’m in awe of his accomplishments. I’d like to talk with him about wellsprings of creativity and how he overcame the challenges he faced along the way to fame. The classic Disney features were mainstays of my childhood and strongly affected my storytelling decision. I’d love to meet the man behind the magic.

READERS:  NOW MAGGIE GETS TO ASK *YOU* A QUESTION

MAGGIE:   What inspires you to do the things you love each day?

One lucky commenter will win a copy of Death, Island Style.

Check out my links:

www.maggietoussaint.com

http://mudpiesandmagnolias.blogspot.com/

www.facebook.com/maggietoussaint/

www.twitter.com/maggietoussaint/

www.goodreads.com/maggietoussaint/

Note: 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 Angi next week when she hosts Susan Gee Heino. And come back tomorrow when I host Sue Swift. ~Donnell

Are romance heroes any good at Valentine's Day? You tell us!

The rose is red, the violet's blue,

The honey's sweet, and so are you.

Thou art my love and I am thine;

I drew thee to my Valentine:

The lot was cast and then I drew,

And Fortune said it shou'd be you

From a collection of English nursery rhymes 

Gammer Gurton's Garland (1784)

Since love is always in the air on Valentine's Day, we're celebrating with a contest and giveaways. Each of us has a signed copy of our latest novel to give to a commenter. There will be seven winners today! We're also going to have some fun speculating about our heroes and what kind of gift they might purchase for our heroines!

Then it will be your turn. Guess where your Mr. Valentine is shopping (or not) this year!

a) Victoria Secret

b) See's Candies/Godivas

c) 1-800 Flowers

d) Valentine card

e) A Hoddie-Footie Pajamagram  

f) Jewelry

g) None of the above

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.   

Just a guess, but Erren has something sweet and delicious for Darby O'Malley.

Sebastian Case relies on his irreplaceable assistant for everything.  But since arriving in Vegas for a conference, mousy Missy has transformed herself.  From ordinary to ravishing.  From modest and reserved to bold and sensual.  And Sebastian, who’d barely noticed she was a woman, finds himself dazzled by her allure.

Now she’s quitting and Sebastian will do anything to keep her.  Including accepting her outrageous bet.  One spin of the wheel–black and she’ll stay…red and Sebastian owes her one night of passion.  What can he lose, except maybe his heart?  

Oh yeah, we know what Mr. Case needs to purchase!

In this thrilling story full of adventure and romance, Sleeping Beauty is more than just a lonely princess waiting for her prince—she’s a brave, tenacious girl who never backs down from a challenge. With vampire–slaying talents that she practices in secret, Sleeping Beauty puts her courage to the test in the dark of night, fighting evil as she searches for a way to break the spell that has cut her off from her family. In a special twist, readers have the opportunity to make key decisions for Sleeping Beauty and decide where she goes next—but no matter the choice; the result is a story unlike any fairy tale you've ever read! Sleeping Beauty: Vampire Slayer is an entirely new type of fairy tale—one that will keep today’s kids guessing and offer them hours of magical fun.

Prince Charming will sweeten his chances with a little pink box full of these:

Fifteen years ago a young Colorado Springs police officer arrested a teen runaway accused of aiding a convenience store robbery and attempted murder. She was innocent, but still served prison time briefly. Her testimony sent the real thief to jail for much longer. Now she’s a young widow raising a son, and the man she put in prison is free and seeking revenge. She moves to a home in a new neighborhood—then learns that her next-door neighbor is the by-the-book officer who arrested her. Now he’s a Colorado Springs P.D. Lieutenant. Like it or not, he may be the only one who can protect her and her son from the past he helped create. 

This is what you get from a man with a Rocky Mountain sized heart:

Sarah Piper's lonely, threadbare existence changes when her temporary agency sends her to assist a ghost hunter. Alistair Gellis-rich, handsome, scarred by World War I, and obsessed with ghosts- has been summoned to investigate the spirit of nineteen-year-old maid Maddy Clare, who is haunting the barn where she committed suicide. Since Maddy hated men in life, it is Sarah's task to confront her in death. Soon Sarah is caught up in a deperate struggle. For Maddy's ghost is real, she's angry, and she has powers that defy all reason. Can Sarah and Alistair's assistant, the rough, unsettling Matthew Ryder, discover who Maddy was, whereshe came from, and what is driving her desire for vengeance-before she destroys them all?

 Matthew Ryder just might give Sarah an old fashioned Valentine.

Geoffrey Wentworth, a war hero and rising political star, never wanted to be the Earl, but when his brother dies, he knows his duty—take up the responsibility for his family’s estates.  His mother’s definition of duty differs from his, however, and can be summed up in one word—heirs.  When Geoffrey rushes home to answer her urgent summons, he finds himself host to a house full of women, all vying to become the next Countess of Stratford.  But his love is Parliament, where he wields his influence and reputation to better the lives of ex-soldiers, until a tempting houseguest and a secret from his past threaten his freedom…and his heart.

 Liliana Claremont, a brilliant chemist, doesn’t want to be any man’s wife, much less a Countess.  If she had tuppence for every time she’d been told her place was filling the nursery, not experimenting in the laboratory, she could buy the Tower Bridge.  However, when she receives a coveted invitation to the Earl’s house party, she trades in her beakers for ball gowns and gladly takes on the guise of husband hunter—for the chance to uncover what the Earl had to do with the murder of her father.

Liliana believes the best way to get the answers she needs is to keep her enemy close, though romance is not part of her formula. But it only takes one kiss to start a reaction she can't control...

Might Geoffrey hide his Valentine gift for a smart heroine like Liliana to find?

London, 1887. Part stoic gentleman, part fearless Yard man, Zeno “Zak” Kennedy is an enigma of the first order. For years, the memory of a deadly bombing at King’s Cross has haunted the brilliant Scotland Yard detective. His investigation has zeroed in on a ring of aristocratic rebels whose bloody campaign for Irish revolution is terrorizing the city. When he discovers one of the treacherous lords is acquainted with his free-spirited new tenant, Cassandra St. Cloud, his inquiry pulls him unexpectedly close to the heart of the conspiracy—and into the arms of a most intriguing lady. Cassie is no Victorian prude. An impressionist painter with very modern ideas about life and love, she is eager for a romantic escapade that is daring and discreet. She sets her sights on her dour but handsome landlord, but after she learns their meeting was not purely accidental, she hardly has a chance to forgive her lover before their passionate affair catapults them both into a perilous adventure.

This Valentine's Day Cassandra receives long stem roses––and Mr. Kennedy. ;) 

Now, where will your Mr. Valentine be shopping (or not) this year?

a) Victoria Secret

b) See's Candies/Godiva Chocolates

c) 1-800 Flowers

d) Valentine card

e) A Hoddie-Footie Pajamagram  

f) Jewelry

g) None of the above

(If none of the above please explain!)

***Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America  addresses only. If an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) is available, the author may utilize that option for International participants. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.

Get Lost with Debut Author Cathy Perkins

Get Lost in a Story Readers, I'm very excited to bring you today the debut author of THE PROFESSOR.  I read a partial of Cathy Perkin's unpublished version of this story in the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense, and I was wowed.  Watch this woman!  I assure you she's the real deal in authorial talent. 

Set in South Carolina, stopping the serial killer who is terrorizing college campuses drives the plot of THE PROFESSOR. Charismatic State Agent Mick O'Shaughnessy wants more from life than work and a pretty face. Fiercely independent graduate student Meg Connelly always wanted a loving family and professional success, but has to learn to trust in order to get either. The Professor knows the only way to get what he wants is to take it—and taking Meg’s life will destroy Mick with the same stroke of his knife.

A dark edgy murder-mystery/romance that will keep you spellbound page after page. ~~ Night Owl Reviews

Hi, Cathy:  Congratulations on your debut thriller, The Professor. 

Cathy: Thanks for having me here today, Donnell. I appreciate the chance to talk about The Professor, my upcoming release from Carina Press.

DONNELL:  So let's get to it.  It’s clear you like scaring people…so answer us this… Are you afraid of the dark?

CATHY:  My husband says “cat” is part of my name for a reason, but I really can’t completely see in the dark. It baffles him how I walk around the house at night without turning on lights. I’m convinced women can see at night to take care of the kids, but that’s a different story.

To take it one step further, I’ve been a runner for years. Sometimes the only time I could fit training into my schedule was very early in the morning or late at night, so I ran in the dark. Great for balance—and learning to trust yourself! Should I throw in a disclaimer – don’t try this at home?

DONNELL:  You’re stranded on a desert island. You have a choice of a life raft or Hugh Jackman.  What’s it going to be?

CATHY: You know, after a while, if Hugh and I really wanted off that island, I bet we could build a life raft.

DONNELL:  Coffee or tea?

CATHY: Uh, hello? I live in Washington State, which has to be the most caffeinated state in the country. And for the record – Seattle’s Best not Starbucks. Did you know there is a very real, very small town in eastern Washington named Starbucks? Trivia fact for the day.   

DONNELL:  Morning person or night owl?

CATHY: I’m a night owl, which doesn’t always work well with a day job, kids, a morning person hubby (he makes me coffee <3). Someday, the 4-5 hours’ sleep a night is gonna kill me, which would be a boring end to a romantic suspense writer.

DONNELL:  Complete this sentence.  When I want to relax, I. . .

CATHY: head to my tropical island on my private jet… Oh, you want real life? Our mountain property is our Shangri La getaway. As soon as we park the car, we can feel the tension slide off our shoulders. From there, relaxing can mean getting outside – hiking, snow showing, cross-country skiing or just working on the property – or curling up on the couch in front of the fire.

DONNELL:  what is your favorite sound?

CATHY: I love music – I have something playing nearly all the time. My taste runs across the spectrum – alternative to jazz and back through country to contemporary. My kids introduce me to new artists and I’m a fan of the Internet sites that start with a song or musician and build a playlist.

Going back to the mountain place – we brought a TV up there for movies. When we plugged it in, the poor thing kept cycling, looking for anything, but I love that it couldn’t find a single channel. Music, books and quiet conversation instead of TV at night – what a concept J

While we’re there, I love the sound of the river over the rocks – and as long as I’m safe in my bed, hearing the wolves sing to the moon at night is a rare treat.

DONNELL:  What’s in your refrigerator right now?

CATHY: Opens door – ouch! It looks like the ‘fridge of one of the guys I write about: condiments, beer, a bottle of wine and some sad looking lettuce. Whew, there’s some fresh pasta and a chunk of Parmigianino; at least dinner’s covered! Definitely need to hit the store and farmer’s market. We are so blessed here in the Pacific Northwest with access to fabulous fruits and vegetables as well as free-range, well, everything. The taste—and health—difference is phenomenal!

DONNELL:  Now it’s your turn to ask readers a question.  And readers, Cathy will be giving one lucky commenter a digital downloaded copy of THE PROFESSOR from Carina Press.  http://cperkinswrites.com/

CATHY: Readers, what do you think?  Mystery, suspense or relationship –what part of the story do YOU find most important?

DON’T FORGET to FOLLOW us on Twitter or LIKE us on Facebook to keep up with all our guest authors and their prizes.  John us tomorrow when Christine Kayne is our guest.

Note: Offer void where prohibited. 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