Jane Sevier

About Fortune's FoolNell Marchand has never worked a day in her life. When her philandering skunk of a husband suddenly drops dead, leaving her without one red cent to her name, she lands smack dab in the middle of the hard times she has only heard about in newsreels. Nell tries to find a job to support herself and the household that depends on her, really she does. Her typing is a disaster, she cuts off every call in her one day as a telephone operator, and laundress leaves her back aching. There has to be an easier way.

A reluctant visit to prosperous Joseph Calendar, her flighty mother-in-law’s medium, persuades Nell that there are fortunes to be made in, well, telling fortunes. As society fortuneteller Madame Nelora, she is soon the toast of Memphis. But when a desperate father begs Nell to find his daughter, she has a true vision of the missing girl. Terrified that she’s losing her mind, Nell turns to Calendar. She may suspect he’s a charlatan, but he is the only man who can help her embrace her gift and the responsibility it entails. To find the girl–and unravel a secret from her own past–Nell must outwit a corrupt banker and his gangster pals who will do anything to keep her hidden.

ABOUT JANE SEVIER:

Jane Sevier writes mystery-thrillers and love stories with a Southern flair. Her manuscripts and screenplays have received national and international recognition. Fortune’s Fool, Book 1 in her Psychic Socialite historical mystery series, was a finalist for the 2010 Romance Writers of America Golden Heart®.

As soon as she was old enough to hold a pencil, Jane knew she wanted to be a writer. She has been lucky and has always earned her living that way. As a feature writer, she covered fields as varied as artificial intelligence, the arts, the environment, and international affairs and traveled on assignment to exotic locales as diverse as Ecuador, Sri Lanka, and Texarkana, Texas. Several of her feature stories won national and regional awards.

Although she is the spawn of generations of small-town dwellers and grew up in small towns herself, at heart Jane is a city girl. She has lived in Nashville, Dallas, Paris, Washington, D.C., and Austin, Texas. She recently came back to Nashville and home to her Tennessee roots.

AND NOW A LITTLE MORE ABOUT JANE:

DONNELL: If you could live anywhere on earth, where would it be?

JANE: Wow, that’s a tough one. Hmmm. My two favorite countries are Scotland and Italy. Not that I’ve been to every nation on earth, but I have had the good fortune to visit to countries on five continents. If I had to limit myself to one spot to settle, though, it would be Edinburgh. The history, the people, the architecture, the food. (Notice that Italy also excels in these areas.) All that salmon. Pub food is tasty, I actually liked haggis, and there are lots of great ethnic eats in Edinburgh. I fell in love with the place at first sight, and just imagine an entire city full of men who sound like Sean Connery. Have mercy! “Moneypenny!”

DONNELL: If you’re not writing, what’s your favorite thing to do?

JANE: Another toss-up, depending on my mood. Read or watch a movie. They both transport me to other worlds, into a sense of heightened existence. It’s the same kind of in-the-zone experience that writing elicits when it’s going well. Of course, a truly sublime meal or even the perfect biscuit with butter, a bite of well-cured Tennessee country ham, or some homemade blackberry preserves can do that, too.

DONNELL: Have you ever written a character who wasn’t meant to be a hero but he wouldn’t go away?

JANE: No, but I adored Rafael Critz, the villain in my first manuscript, The Quetzal’s Tale. It grieved me that I wouldn’t get to write about him again.

DONNELL: You’re trapped in a burning building. Who do you want with you?

JANE: Well, I would sure hope no one else would have to be in there with me! It would be nice, however, if a tall, lean-muscled fireman burst through the door, threw me over his broad shoulder as though I weighed no more than a feather, and hustled me to safety. Y’all can fill in the rest.

Speaking of fire, I once blew off my eyelashes, the inner edges of my eyebrows, and the front of my hair trying to light my sister’s grill to cook a slab of salmon. The only thing that kept me from feeling like a total idiot was one of her friends saying that she (the friend) had done it twice. At the time, my hair was really, really short and looked so cute with the front burned off that my sister suggested asking the hairdresser if she could singe it the next time I went in for a cut.
Notice how I worked in something about food again?

DONNELL: LOL on your comeback’s Jane ;). What’s in your refrigerator right now?

JANE: Oh, good! A question about food. There’s a good bit of cooking and eating in Fortune’s Fool. Sometimes I think I should have been a food writer like M.F.K. Fisher.

The fridge. Lettuce, cabbage, feta cheese, bleu cheese, bacon, various dressings, and other yummy stuff for constructing salads. I inherited my mother’s love of salad. Daddy used to say that Mama would want one in heaven. Mama always said, well, why not since you were supposed to get whatever you wanted in heaven.
Greek yogurt. Blackberry preserves. Cherry preserves. A tub of light original Smart Balance with flax. Laughing Cow cheese wedges. String cheese. Hot dogs. Mustard. Mayonnaise. Dill pickles. Half of a red onion.
Does the freezer count? Frozen biscuits, which really do taste about as good as made-from-scratch now and are a whole lot easier. Buffalo chicken tenders. Chicken patties. Turkey burgers. Chocolate-and-peanut butter ice cream. Butter. Broccoli cuts.

DONNELL: Would you consider yourself organized? Or are you a packrat?

JANE: Organized. I think it’s a reaction to my childhood.

Daddy was a packrat. If you opened a cabinet in our kitchen, empty plastic containers like the ones pimento cheese comes in fell on your head for what seemed like half an hour. In the pantry, he had dozens of cans of hominy that he had bought from the dinted-can bin at the grocery store. I don’t think we ever ate but one of those, which Daddy mixed with a can of Kelly’s Chili one evening when he invited a couple of little old ladies to supper and said he didn’t have anything else to feed them. He called it Corn Juarez. There was an old cellar under the house, so maybe Daddy thought the hominy would come in handy if there were ever a nuclear holocaust.

DONNELL: Is Elvis really dead?

JANE: According to the coroner who examined Elvis and whom my brother the attorney once used as an expert witness, Elvis. Is. Dead.

DONNELL: What was your proudest moment as a writer?

JANE: Discovering that Fortune’s Fool had hit Amazon’s Best Sellers in Historical Mystery list three days after I released it. Getting the call last year that it was a Golden Heart finalist was a very close second.

DONNELL: Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?

JANE: Get up and stare in the refrigerator. Eat something or fix a cup of tea. Go for a walk. Take a tiny nap. Type anything that pops into my head onto the page. Those last three work best.

DONNELL: What do you do when you finish a book?

JANE: I read someone else’s, usually a book that I have saved as a reward for finishing my own. Reading other people’s writing while I’m working on a book inspires me, so I don’t put that aside the way some writers say they have to, but I do like to save a special book to celebrate finishing one. Cold Vengeance, the latest in the fabulous Special Agent Pendergast series by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, was my reward for getting Fortune’s Fool off to the designer.

Jane, thank you. Now it’s your turn to ask the Readers a Question.

JANE SEVIER: What’s the most memorable meal you’ve ever had, and where did you eat it? Mine was pompano en papillote at Commander’s Palace in New Orleans, years ago. I can still see the waiter splitting the paper and peeling it back to reveal that succulent fish and can smell that divine aroma wafting from it.

NOW READERS, YOUR TURN. JANE WANTS TO KNOW: WHAT’S YOUR MOST MEMORABLE MEAL AND WHERE DID YOU EAT IT? Commenters will be entered to win a digital download of FORTUNE'S FOOL, which as Jane said hit Amazon's Bestseller list three days after its release! Want more? Check out: http://www.janesevier.com/



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 us on tomorrow October 21st, when I return to host the fabulous Jo Robertson. Remember to check back daily to GET LOST in your favorite stories! ~ Donnell 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. Those leaving comments through Sunday at noon CST following this post will be eligible for the drawing.

Lynn Sheene

Lynn Sheene takes us to Paris

I first noticed Lynn Sheene's debut book, The Last Time I Saw Paris, when I saw the exquisite cover. (Just take a look. Isn't it gorgeous?) When I read it, I discovered a fabulous story that takes the reader right back into thrilling France during World War II. It's a wonderful story in a setting I'd love to see more of!

May 1940: Fleeing a glamorous Manhattan life built on lies, Claire Harris arrives in Paris with a romantic vision of starting anew. But Claire didn't anticipate the sight of Nazi soldiers marching under the Arc de Triomphe. Her plans smashed by the German occupation, the once privileged socialite's only option becomes a job in a flower shop under the tutelage of a sophisticated Parisian florist. In exchange for false identity papers, Claire agrees to aid the French Resistance.

Despite the ever-present danger, she comes to love the enduring beauty of the City of Light, exploring it in the company of Thomas Grey, a mysterious Englishman working with the Resistance. Bravery and intelligence make her a valuable operative, and slowly Claire's values shift as she witnesses the courageous spirit of the Parisians.

But deception and betrayal force her to flee once again—this time to fight for the man she loves and what she knows is right—praying she has the heart and determination to survive long enough to one day see Paris again...


Simone: You write in a World War II setting. What is it about this time period that draws you to write in it?

Lynn: I’ve always loved the 1930’s and 1940’s – the culture, the music, the clothes, the jewelry. I’ve also been a Francophile for a many years time. But it wasn’t until those two things came together and sparked that I found my writing era. To me, Paris is the most beautiful place in the world. But under the German Occupation, the city was dark, hungry, desperate, and oppressed. But also heroic.

Simone: Tell us some of the background of how you came to write The Last Time I Saw Paris.

Lynn: A few years ago, I found a French Art Deco Brooch in an online antique shop. Strong lines, glittering stones, the stamps to verify its French maker. I wondered about the jewel’s past and what was going on in Paris during that time. I started digging.

What I found captivated me. It was the City of Light with the beautiful Jardin du Luxembourg, the Louvre, the Tuileries - but during the Occupation, life itself was a daily struggle. And yet, there were men and women, students and writers, businessmen and homemakers, people like us who risked their lives to resist, whether they slipped food to one lacking the right papers to get food, published a Resistance newspaper, or took up weapons. The time is referred to by the French as the Dark Years. No one who went through it and survived came out unchanged. For a novelist who loves suspense, drama, and the urbane sexiness of an old film noir movie, I had found my writing mother lode!

Simone: Did you take any research trips to Paris for the book? If so, what is your #1 tip for anyone traveling there?

Lynn: I’ve gone to Paris a number of times for research. (What a terrible job, right?) I recently spent a month there researching my second book. Paris is always magical but I love to walk where my characters walked, visit where my characters met, lived, ate, and even died. And of course, I spend hours in places like Bibliothèque historique de la ville de Paris studying archives, photos and maps. I love every second of it!

My #1 trip for anyone traveling to Paris is to remember to slow down and savor the quiet moments. There is so much to see and do, you can never experience it all. But I believe you can’t truly get a feeling for the city until you’ve spent an afternoon picnicking in a park like Jardin du Luxembourg, or an evening strolling by the shops in le Marais, or a long morning in a café watching people pass. Those are the moments when I feel like I’m really experiencing Paris and what I remember most when I’m gone.

Simone: Did you base your hero or heroine on anyone in real life?

Lynn: The heroine, Claire, was inspired by women I read about who had been born into poverty and married their way in the great wealth, amassing jewelry collections that rivaled the great houses of Europe. I wondered about those women – were they happy? Did they find that the riches fulfilled them or did they need something more?

Simone: What is the best book you've read recently?

Lynn: There have been so many great books out lately! And one of the perks of being a writer is getting to read books before they come out. But I am most excited about my critique partner, Rochelle Staab’s debut book “Who doo, voodoo?” coming out in November. A delicious romantic caper with a pragmatic female shrink and a handsome occult professor who team up to look for the murderer of a voodoo priestess in L.A. I read it early on and am looking forward to seeing it, and inhaling it again, in print.

Simone: Where is your favorite place to read?

Lynn: I read everywhere! In bed, on the couch, in cafés , on planes. Wherever I can hold a book or my ipad. My favorite place, though, is in my comfy French Deco chair next to the window overlooking the garden, snuggling with my dog Boris. That is one of my favorite places, period.

Simone: Tell us what's next for you?

Lynn: I am currently working on my next book set in the same “world” as THE LAST TIME I SAW PARIS - German-Occupied France. A young ballerina goes undercover to spy for British intelligence as a cabaret dancer in Paris while searching for her missing brother. She is forced to partner with a mercenary French Count, risking her life, the lives of those she loves, as well as countless sailors, with a man she cannot afford to trust.



That sounds soooo good. Thanks for coming by, Lynn. Since this book's cover makes me think of classic films, I'll ask our readers: What is your favorite classic movie, from any era?

Angela Cerrito

Today I'm excited to be hosting YA author Angela Cerrito. I had the pleasure of meeting Angela--an American currently living in Europe--last spring when she was in Toronto on business, and we hit it off right away.

I got my hands on her debut YA novel THE END OF THE LINE soon after her visit and loved it. A very moving story.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

ISBN 978-0-8234-2287-6 Published by Holiday House

Robbie is locked in a room with nothing but a desk, a chair, a stack of paper and pencil. No belt, no shoes, no socks. He’s starving, but all they give him is water. Robbie has reached The End of the Line, AKA Great Oaks School, and at Great Oaks there’s no time off for good behavior.
All good behavior will get you are points. Enough points and you get something to eat, a bed, bathroom privileges. Thirteen-year-old Robbie’s first-person account of his struggles at the school—at times horrifying, at times hilarious—alternates with flashbacks to the events that led to his incarceration. If Robbie is to survive The End of the Line, he must confront the truth: He is a murderer.

"A thought-provoking look at culpability and grief," Kirkus Reviews

"Robbie's story has the potential to make young people think, care, and possibly change." VOYA

ABOUT ANGELA CERRITO:

Angela Cerrito is...

1. a wife & mother
2. a daughter & granddaughter
3. a sister, aunt, niece, and cousin
4. a graduate of Dearborn High School (Michigan)
5. a graduate of Pacific University (Oregon)
6. an animal lover
7. a world traveler
8. a US citizen living in Europe
9. a physical therapist
10. the author of THE END OF THE LINE

Isn't that a great bio? And the format relates to her book. To find out more, visit her website. You will earn extra entries in her giveaway (see below) if you go to her site and make your own list. :)


GET TO KNOW ANGELA:

**Not satisfied with her list, Maureen probes deeper.**  ;)

MAUREEN: What’s your favorite holiday?
ANGELA:  Halloween

MAUREEN: Just around the corner! Who was your favorite teacher in grade school? Why?
ANGELA:  I have to name my middle school math teacher, Mr. Nastase, because he cared about all of us personally, not just about our grades. He actually noticed when me and my BFF didn’t sit next to each other and asked to see me after class. He didn’t take any crap from me. He said, “Don’t tell me you don’t care. The reason the two of you are ignoring each other is because you got your feelings hurt. If you don’t care about someone, they can’t hurt your feelings.” He was right, of course. I’m sure we would have mended our hurt feelings eventually, but because of Mr. Nastase we did it sooner. And we’re still BFF today! (Many MANY years after middle school!).

MAUREEN: What an insightful and caring man. Where in the world would you most like to visit?
ANGELA:  I’d love to visit Harbin, China for the ice lantern festival and see the island of Crete.

MAUREEN: What was the first story you remember writing?
ANGELA:  When I was about ten, I wrote a story called Candy bars and Carrot Juice about a girl who was trying to come to terms with her family’s sudden interest in eating healthy. Also she won a huge sum of money in the story – a hundred dollars a week for the rest of her life.

MAUREEN: Salsa or guacamole?
ANGELA:  How can you have one without the other?

MAUREEN: Good point. :) Which of your characters would you most/least to invite to dinner, and why?
ANGELA:  From THE END OF THE LINE I would want to invite Ryan because, even though he has no table manners, he is desperately in need of a good meal. I’d also like to invite Robbie’s Grandma to a party sometime.

MAUREEN:  Did you belong to a clique in high school? Which one of the standard high school stereotypes did you best fit in to?
ANGELA:  I think I fit in best with my friends from orchestra. Is orchestra geek a category?

MAUREEN: Definitely counts as a category. :) What color would you make the sky if it wasn’t going to be blue anymore and why?
ANGELA:  I won’t be annoying and say that the sky isn’t blue ---wait…did I just say that? You know how sunrise and sunset is so indescribably subtle and powerful and beautiful at the same time but only in THAT part of the sky where the sun is rising or setting and the rest of the sky is just waiting around being clear and greyish and water color? Well, if it were in my power I would amplify those color changes to include the entire sky during sunrise and sunset. During the day I think we should keep the color-weather connection but maybe jazz it up a little…so the sky could be pale yellow with orange glitteriness at sunny times and before a storm could turn purple with silver and red glitteriness. And…obviously, I’m going to have to give this question a lot more thought.

MAUREEN: I want to live in a world where you're in charge of the sky!

MAUREEN'S GOTTA ASK -- ANGELA'S GOTTA ANSWER ☺

MAUREEN: I love that The End of the Line is told with two timelines. Was that your plan from the start?

ANGELA:  Yes, the story began that way with the very first two chapters. I didn’t know exactly where the story was going at first, but I trusted Robbie and Ryan to tell me and kept alternating chapters through the first draft.

BOOK GIVEAWAY!

International Contest!  Win a signed copy of THE END OF THE LINE.

How to enter: You must leave a comment below. For extra entries –add a list at www.angelacerrito.com or post about the contest on your blog, FB, twitter, tumblr or anywhere else on the web. Special note –if you already have a list at angelacerrito.com it still counts.
If you take advantage of the extra entries options, please send me an email with your links and I will write back and confirm the number of entries.
Contest closes at midnight on 3 November, 2011.
Winner will be selected at random and announced on 5 November.

KEEP TRACK OF WHAT ANGELA'S UP TO:

Email: AngelaCerrito AT yahoo DOT com
Website: www.angelacerrito.com
FB: www.facebook.com/angelacerrito
Twitter: www.twitter.com/angelacerrito
LJ: http://angelacerrito.livejournal.com
Tumblr: http://angelacerrito.tumblr.com
Google+: http://tinyurl.com/62sgawd
Blog: www.angelacerrito.blogspot.com

TEACHERS can find a curriculum guide here: http://www.angelacerrito.com/teachers-guide.html

Rita Henuber

Author Rita Henuber grew up running the beaches of a barrier island on Florida’s east coast. She married a Marine and feels fortunate to have lived many places and traveled to the states and countries she didn’t live. She writes about extraordinary women and the men they love, weaving her experiences into contemporary women’s fiction and suspense thrillers. Under Fire is her first book.

ABOUT UNDER FIRE

Coast Guard helicopter pilot Olivia Carver is on a very personal mission. Her twin brother, an undercover officer, was murdered by a drug cartel and she won't stop until she finds the man responsible for his death.

In the course of her own investigation, Olivia meets informant Rico Cortes. He's mysterious and sexy and despite her reservations, the two share a night of passion. But Rico turns out to be more than a one-night stand. He's a DEA agent, deep undercover in Miami's drug world, and possibly the one man who can help Olivia find the justice she seeks.

When Rico realizes his cover is blown, he isn't sure whether it was someone in the cartel or an inside agent. Olivia is the only one he can trust and together they venture on a dangerous, rogue mission to infiltrate a drug lord's inner circle...with Olivia as bait.

Check out Olivia’s day at the office http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyxSWupqcRY

AND NOW, LET'S LEARN ABOUT RITA HENUBER!

DONNELL: Rita, you’re in a helicopter and it’s dropping you at your destination. Where are you going?

RITA: Okay. You’ve outted me. I don’t like helicopters. A chopper ride would have to be very special. The first thing that comes to mind is being in Marine One landing on the White House Lawn.

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

RITA: This is a difficult one. My home is U-shaped with an enclosed pool in the center of the U. All the rooms have floor to ceiling glass doors/windows and look out to the pool. All but the bedrooms are totally open and I feel like I’m outside no matter where I am. So, short answer is everywhere.

DONNELL: Have you ever written a character who wasn’t meant to be a hero but he wouldn’t go away?

RITA: Not really. I determine my men to be either the hero or the bad guy before I write. I have had two characters get completely away from me. One sorta took over the story. Still shaking my head about that. Another, was going to be a secondary hero. In the second chapter the heroine stood behind me as I wrote telling me what a scum bag he was. Really? Like she couldn’t have told me that before?

DONNELL: Do you read reviews of your books?

RITA: I don’t seek them out but when I come across them I do read. I find them interesting. I mean I can’t change anything so no need to get up tight. I do love it when the reviewer gets so into the characters and writes about them as if they are real. Best ones are the pure readers who email me.

DONNELL: You’re scaling a mountain ledge with jagged rocks and ocean below you. Who do you want with you?

RITA: God and all the archangels. I’m terrified of heights.

DONNELL: What’s in your refrigerator right now?

RITA: Orange juice, milk, left over roasted chicken, fresh green beans, apples, lemons, the usual condiments and five different kinds of hot sauce.

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

RITA: Eeep! 40 pairs. Way too many for someone who is barefoot most of the time. Really need to clean them out.

DONNELL: What was your proudest moment as a writer?

RITA: I have three. Being a Golden Heart® finalists. Securing agent representation and selling. Those events were validation of my work.

DONNELL: What do you do to unwind and relax?

RITA: Sit by the pool and stare into space as I listen to a book. Go down to the dock to watch the sun set and boats go by. Walk the beach.

DONNELL: Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?

RITA: Writers block. You mean when the people in my head won’t talk to me? I discovered they’re mad because I’m making them do something they don’t want to do.

I perceive what most call writer’s block as my subconscious telling me to step back something is wrong with what I’m working on. I step away from the writing and do something else creative. The first time I realized this was a scene in Under Fire. No matter what I did, I couldn’t move forward with it. It simply wasn’t working for me and I was at the point of cutting it completely. It was over 5000 words and going to take some courage. Told myself I’d do it tomorrow and proceeded to do some fun things. Went to the beach, walked and read. Took some pictures and had drinks and dinner with friends. Totally pushed the scene out of my head. Next morning I sat down read the first paragraph and knew instantly what was wrong. Since then I’ve used that tactic several times.

DONNELL: Are you superstitious?

RITA: If you mean the black cat, broken mirror, open umbrellas in the house things, no. I do believe in the positive vibes to the universe thing. Every morning saying what you want. I believe it helps make things happen.

DONNELL: What was one of the most surprising things you learned while writing/researching a book?

RITA: That so many weapons can be purchased over the internet.

DONNELL: If you could tell Readers one thing about you, what would it be?

RITA: I LOVE being an author

Rita, thank you. Now it’s your turn to ask your Readers and Fans a Question.

RITA HENUBER: Thank you for having me here today. It’s great to connect with your readers. I’m always interested in knowing what prompts a reader to buy a book. Word of mouth, cover, blurb, first page or all of them?

I’d really love to hear their opinions on VERY strong heroines. My gal is confident, strong willed, good at what she does and completely blindsided when she falls in love. My hero is pretty much the same. But they work. Have you read Under Fire? What do you think of the relationship?

Comments and questions will enter two readers in a drawing to win UNDER FIRE either in a e-book or an audio book.

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 us on Monday October 17^th, when Maureen hosts Angela Cerrito. Remember to check back daily to GET LOST in your favorite stories! ~ Donnell
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. Those leaving comments through Sunday at noon CST following this post will be eligible for the drawing.

Lesley A. Diehl

When it comes to Lesley A. Diehl this lady gets lost in Beer, Books and Brouhaha! Lesley writes country gals who stumble into sleuthing. Like Lesley, her protagonists choose to live their lives close to nature. From the deep, green river valleys of upstate New York to the palm-treed pastures of the Big Lake Country in Florida, these women have found their homes and their hearts in rural America.

ABOUT DUMPSTER DYING:

Emily Rhodes came to rural Florida for the cowboys, the cattle, and to do a little country two-step, not to fall head first onto a dead body in a dumpster. Ah, the golden years of retirement in the sunshine state. They’re more like pot metal to Emily, who discovers the body of the county’s wealthiest rancher in the Big Lake Country Club dumpster. With her close friend accused of the murder, Emily sets aside her grief at her life partner’s death to find the real killer. She underestimates the obstacles rural Florida can set up for a winter visitor and runs afoul of a local judge with his own version of justice, hires a lawyer who works out of a retirement home, and flees wild fires hand-in-hand with the man she believes to be the killer.

INTEREST PIQUED? LET'S LEARN MORE ABOUT LESLEY A. DIEHL

DONNELL: If you could live anywhere on earth, where would it be?

LESLEY: If you had asked me this question several weeks ago, I would have said that my cottage on the Butternut Creek is exactly the place I want to live, but since recent flooding has devastated the location, I’m not so certain. That’s not because I fear another flood. I know one will happen, but my stream bank has so changed—the lovely willows have been swept away and so has the vegetation, leaving an undercut bank of dirt and gravel. It’s no longer my paradise, and I’m mourning its loss. We are determined to bring all of this back if we can and, if we do, it will once again be the perfect place to live. We are aware we cannot make it the same, but we hope to restore the tranquility that was once there. I hope so because my muse, Fred the Ghost still lives here, and I don’t want to abandon him!

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

LESLEY: I love my kitchen because I love to cook. It is the only room in the cottage we haven’t done work on, so it is very primitive. None of the appliances match in color, the floor is made of broken, cracked, and mismatched tiles over which I’ve laid a 5x8 outdoor carpet. There is no cupboard room and no counter space, but it does have a window over the sink where I watch the stream and the wildlife in my backyard… or the river rising.

DONNELL: Have you ever written a character who wasn’t meant to be a hero but he wouldn’t go away?

LESLEY: Oh yes. My bad cop, Toby Sands from my second mystery was such a skeevy, but fun character, I put him in the sequel to Dumpster Dying. Like his appearance in Dumpster Dying, he’s still full of ways to make money, none of which are legal. He underestimates the bad guys’ badness and their conniving brilliance and overestimates his own ability to outwit them. He’s loyal to no one, and he still has the disgusting habit of chewing tobacco and spitting in the coffee can he carries. He’ll be around for a while.

DONNELL: Do you read reviews of your books?

LESLEY: I read all of them. I try to forget the few bad ones, but they stick in my craw only if I perceive them to be unfair. I expect some bad reviews because most of my work uses humor, and a writer knows that not everyone sees the same things as funny. In some cases, a reader may not even see the humor as humor.

DONNELL: You’re trapped in a building about to be demolished. Who do you want with you?

LESLEY: If it’s this house, then I want Fred, my writing muse and resident ghost at my side. He’s been through a lot in this place, floods, fires, winds storms, and frequent changes of residents not all of whom were kind to him. Besides, as long as I have him, I have my writing.

DONNELL: What’s in your refrigerator right now?

LESLEY: Well, after I confessed above to loving to cook, I guess I’d better fess up to what my fridge contains. Here’s the list: plain and flavored yogurt, half and half, skim milk, cheese of many kinds some low fat, all kinds of fresh veggies, an apple, some grapes, a large container of homemade lentil soup (yum!), condiments including soy sauce, worcheshire (oh you know what I mean) sauce, Frank’s hot sauce, Dijon mustard, spicy brown mustard, honey mustard, catsup, smoked turkey breast, sliced ham, some green things in a green container which I think may be broccoli, a foil package of vegetable lasagna (it has another day before it grows something), several kinds of beer (of course since I write about a brewer), a box wine (pinot grigio), pom juice for my cosmos, V-8 juice not yet opened, and finally several plastic bags filled with catnip for seeding the cats’ scratching posts. We also store our bread in the fridge because our cottage is old, and we are sometimes visited by mice. I have a bag of potatoes I should move into the fridge soon or plant the sprouted things in my garden. Oops, I forgot the onions, red and yellow.

DONNELL: Would you consider yourself organized? Or are you a packrat?

LESLEY: I’m very organized, so much so that when I can’t locate something I blame my husband immediately. He must have moved it, I say. That’s usually not the case, but it gives me someone to yell at until I locate the new place I’ve organized the item into, then forgotten about.

DONNELL: What was your proudest moment as a writer?

LESLEY: The protagonist of my second mystery Dumpster Dying is a woman with the name of Emily Rhodes. When I did my book launch at the library in the town In Florida where I spend the winters, a girl about ten or so came up to me and showed me her social security card and her birth certificate. She wanted to prove to me that her name was also Emily Rhodes. She was so thrilled at having a character in a book with her name. I was touched at her excitement as if I had given her the best gift ever. Actually her showing up was my best gift.

DONNELL: What do you do when you finish a book?

LESLEY: I whip up an extremely large cosmos and down it, then I start another book or continue on one I haven’t finished.

DONNELL: Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?

LESLEY: I never had the problem. Stories just seem to pour out of me. I’m not saying they are all good, but they sit in my mind waiting for their turn to appear on my computer.

DONNELL: What was one of the most surprising things you learned while writing/researching a book?

LESLEY: Where we live in the winters is rural Florida. At night, especially when the train comes through the area, I hear the coyotes howling. I became interested in them and started to research coyotes in upstate New York because I wanted to set another mystery in the area and thought I’d include something about the coyote population. I found that most of what we think we know about them is myth. For example, it is part of lore around here that coyotes breed with domestic dogs to produce coy dogs which then run in packs threatening children and killing off livestock. The truth is that coyotes raise their pups in a family and wouldn’t consider breeding with a dog who wouldn’t say around to parent the offspring. I found the northeastern coyote particularly interesting because of how adaptable they are. There are documented sightings of several who live in and around Central Park in NYC. Wherever I’ve lived there have been coyotes. In New Mexico where I had a home for a while, the coyotes were small like those in rural Florida, but here in upstate New York, the northeastern coyote is large and males can go to fifty pounds.

I have had to set the manuscript featuring the coyotes to one side for a time, but I will go back to it.

Lesley, thank you for those in depth answers. Now it’s your turn to ask the Readers a Question.

LESLEY DIEHL’S QUESTION FOR READERS. As a writer I consider writing humor into a mystery a lot of fun, but I’m wondering if readers like humorous mysteries of if they think humor detracts from the plot or is disrespectful of the murder victim?

GREAT QUESTION: READERS, I’D LOVE TO KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT, TOO. AUTHOR LESLEY DIEHL WILL BE GIVING AWAY A DIGITAL BOOK TO ONE OF HER COMMENTERS.

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 us tomorrow when I'm back to present Carina Author, Rita Hubener. Remember to check back daily to GET LOST in your favorite stories! ~ Donnell
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. Those leaving comments through Sunday at noon CST following this post will be eligible for the drawing.

Liz Lipperman

TODAY'S MENU ... A Great Portion of

LIVER LET DIEA CLUELESS COOK MYSTERYBerkley Prime Crime
ISBN: 0425244040
APPETIZERSJordan McAllister dreams of becoming a popular sports columnist but gets stuck in a po-dunk town writing personal ads for a small time newspaper. When she's offered a chance to fill in for a local food critic off on sick leave, she jumps at the chance rationalizing that it's one step closer to her dream. When a dead body is found underneath her apartment stairwell with her name and number along with it, she becomes the prime suspect, as well as the main course on the murder menu.

SALADS
Jordan dropped her review on Dwayne Egan’s desk and stepped back to await her fate. She’d spent the entire morning researching foie gras on the Internet and had come away outraged and ready to make a stand on the issue.

That was before Egan grabbed the report and lowered his eyes to read, and all her bravado dissipated. Shifting nervously and second-guessing herself, she tapped out the melody of a rock song along the side of her slacks with her fingers.

Too late to change her mind as Egan motioned for her to sit.

She eased into the chair behind her, eyes fixed on the editor while he finished the first page and flipped to the second. Her nerves were like aliens ready to burst through her skin.

“You actually ate this?” he asked, finally glancing at her over the top of his silver-rimmed reading glasses.

“Yes and no,” she replied. “Mostly, no.”

Egan had already turned back to the report, re-reading the first page. “And this is how they get the duck liver?”

Her eyes lit up. Maybe he wouldn’t scream at her after all. “Yes sir. They force-feed the animals to fatten them up.” She paused, remembering how the pictures had sickened her, how seeing the tubes shoved down their throats had nearly made her gag. “The ducks are kept in tight cages so they can’t exercise or even move around.”

“Geez! And they’re serving this right here in Ranchero?”

“Yes,” she answered quickly. “At a price that would water your eyes.” She stopped, not sure she wanted to remind him how much she’d charged on the company card.

Egan dropped the report on his desk and leaned back in the chair, hands behind his head, making his ears protrude even more. “This is going to ruffle a few feathers at Longhorn Prime Rib.” He grinned, obviously pleased with his play on words.

Jordan shifted in the chair. “I was totally complimentary about the restaurant in general.” She thought about the Chocolate Decadence Cake that had doubled as breakfast that morning. “The desserts were phenomenal and the service – fantastic.”

Egan studied her face, his head tilted as if in deep thought. “I had you pegged for a simple meat and potatoes girl. For the life of me, I can’t figure out why you’d order this when you’re obviously so outraged at how they get it.”

Here it is! This was where she’d have to admit she was clueless when it came to fancy food. This was where he’d realize what a big mistake he’d made giving her the job. “The waiter recommended it. Said it was imported from Canada. Since I knew it was too expensive to ever try on my own, I went with it.”

“I still find it hard to believe you’d even order the dish, knowing how you feel about it.”
“I thought it was chicken,” she blurted, looking away for a moment, imagining the pink slip falling from this week’s pay envelope.

Egan threw back his head and laughed. And continued to laugh until Jordan finally gave in and smiled.

“So, let’s see,” he began when he was finally able to speak. “I have a culinary expert who has no idea what she orders at restaurants.” He slapped the desk. “That’s rich. Loretta would never see the humor in that, of course, nor would she be caught dead ordering anything but a thick, juicy steak.” He leaned forward and lowered his voice. “And just between you and me, she wouldn’t know foie gras from chicken piccata, either, even if it bit her on her overpaid butt.”

“I’m sorry, sir. Maybe you should give this job to someone else.”

His eyes bored into her. “Are you joking? This is going to grab the attention of every animal lover in Ranchero who probably has never even looked at Loretta’s column before.” He slid the papers across the desk. “Take this down to the copy room ASAP. I want it in tonight’s edition.”

Stunned, Jordan grabbed the report and headed for the door.

“Oh, and McAllister?”

She whirled around, expecting her little bubble of excitement to burst like a piñata at a birthday party with eight year old boys on a sugar high.

“From now on, you’ll do a bi-weekly column with recipes and food information. Fancy food like this. A couple of exposés would be great.” He rubbed his hands together. “If my gut is right, with the exception of the restaurant owner, the good citizens of this fine town are going to love you.”

“What about the Personals?”

He smiled. “Look at this as a freelance opportunity,” he said. “And the Personals as your day job. Now go.”

Jordan wondered how he could say that with a straight face, but she was too excited to care. She hurried out the door, surprised to see Jackie Frazier smiling. She’d obviously been eavesdropping. She imagined her, as Roseanne Roseannadanna saying, “It’s always something,” and she smiled back.

Who knew fatty duck liver could wipe the sarcasm off the secretary’s face and maybe even jump-start her career?

THE CHEF
LIZ LIPPERMAN was raised in a small town in Ohio, number eight of nine children. She graduated from nursing school and worked as a registered nurse for many years. When she could no longer ignore the characters talking in her head (no, she’s not on medication), she went back to school and got a professional arts degree. Then she started her first novel. After chasing the romance genre for way too many years, she gave in to her love of mysteries, but she still sneaks a lot of romance into her stories.

She lives north of Dallas with her HS sweetheart hubby. When she’s not writing she spends her time doting on her four wonderful grandchildren. The first book of her Clueless Cook Mystery Series, LIVER LET DIE, marks her debut onto book shelves.

Liz is a fellow chapter mate and I can’t wait to read her books. It’s been a hoot and a pleasure to watch her grow as a writer and get to know her better as a person.

DESSERTSBEEF STOLEN-OFF
A CLUELESS COOK MYSTERY(Coming July 2012 from Berkley Prime Crime)Jordan finds herself smack in the middle of a cattle theft ring where the “steaks” are high and the cowboys are not what they seem.

MORTAL DECEPTION
(Coming soon to Amazon Digital)
A mix of deceit and lies rocks the world of a dying child, an ex-cop on a mission to clear her dead husband's name and an anesthesiologist who desperately wants out of a loveless marriage. To save her nephew's life, the young widow seduces the doctor accused of murdering his wife. But even as she collects evidence that proves he's the killer, she can't stop her heart from falling for him. Until the game turns DEADLY...

MAIN COURSEANGI: How often to you get lost in a story?
LIZ: Not nearly often enough. After I signed a book contract, I plunged into the world of deadlines and had to give up a lot of my reading time. Now, I get so excited when I know I’ll be able to read one of the many books on my TBR pile.

ANGI: What’s the first book you remember reading?
LIZ: Shanna by Kathleen Woodiwiss. I’m sure there were earlier ones in school, but this is the one that made me want to be a reader and a writer.

ANGI: What’s your favorite “love” word?
LIZ: Te Amo—I know, that’s two, but hubby and I were in HS Spanish together, and we still say this.

ANGI: Can you tell us about a real-life hero you’ve met?
LIZ: That would have to be my hubby. We’ve been together a lot of years and he still makes me laugh.

ANGI: What’s your favorite fairy tale?
LIZ: Cinderella

ANGI: What’s your favorite cartoon character?
LIZ: Elliott the Dragon in Pete’s Dragon

ANGI: What turns you off like nothing else?
LIZ: A person using racist jokes to get laughs.

ANGI: Is there a playlist you’d recommend for reading your latest release?
LIZ: Not really. I have one for my first book because it’s heart-wrenching in places, but Liver Let Die is a fun read. There is a scene where my heroine hears the JAWS music in her head..da dum..da..dum!

ANGI: Where do you read and how often?
LIZ: Again, I had to give up a lot of my reading time when I got a book contract. I like to read on airplanes and by the pool when I do get the chance.

ANGI: What sound or noise do you love?
LIZ: A child laughing, especially one of my grandchildren.

ANGI: Fairy Tale or Action Adventure?
LIZ: Action Adventure, definitely.

ANGI: What was the first story you remember writing?
LIZ: I grew up dreaming about being a nurse and was a late bloomer when it came to writing, so it would have to be my first big book, Shattered Dreams.

ANGI: What’s your favorite movie of all time?
LIZ: Back Street. I cry every time I watch it.

ANGI: Who’s your favorite villain?
LIZ: Dick Dastardly in the old-time movies

ANGI: Be honest, when reading...do you put yourself in the heroine’s role?
LIZ: If it’s a great book, I get sucked in and do imagine myself as the heroine.

ANGI: Is writing or storytelling easier for you?
LIZ: Storytelling.

ANGI: What’s something you’d like to tell your fans?
LIZ: I am giving away a really cool Pandigital Kitchen Technology Center as a promotion for LIVER LET DIE’s debut. Check out my website www.liipperman.com for details.

ANGI’S GOTTA ASK: You’ve been at the writing game for quite a while, Liz. I should be asking how it feels to finally receive that all important confirmation that you’re going to be paid for doing what you love, but… what’s been your favorite part of the exciting first book debut?
LIZ HAS GOTTA ANSWER: You know, I was just talking about this with my sister. My favorite part is the validation that comes with being published. Writers are beaten down so badly, and it feels good to get that pat on the back. That said, there are a lot of good writers who won’t be published because of the state of the industry. I wish I could share this feeling with them. However, now that self-publishing doesn’t carry the stigma it used it, a lot of my friends are going that route—and having some degree of success.

CHEF'S SECRETBERKLEY will send a book to one lucky commenter. We’ll assign everyone a number and use Random.org to pick. Every time you leave a comment, you get a 2nd number assigned.

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. Those leaving comments through Sunday at noon CST following this post will be eligible for the drawing.
LIZ IS CURIOUS: Are you more inclined to try a debut author when you read a blog like this and get to know his/her personality a little, or do you use other criteria, like reviews, covers, first lines, etc.?

I do want to say thanks for having me today. It’s been a pleasure. Readers can contact me at Liz@LizLipperman.com or find out more about me:
Website Facebook Twitter Blog

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 us tomorrow when Donnell will be here with Leslie Diehl and Friday with Rita Hubener. Remember to check back daily to GET LOST in your favorite stories! ~Angi

Liz Talley's A TOUCH OF SCARLET

A TOUCH OF SCARLET 
Harlequin Superromance
ISBN: 0373717385

Scarlet Rose glanced in the rearview mirror at the lights flashing behind her. Damn. Who got pulled over for going 75 mph in a 65-mph zone? Wasn’t there a ten-mile cushion or something? Obviously not in Texas.

The cop was taking his time emerging from the depths of the silver cruiser, so Scarlet gave her lips another swipe of the Elizabeth Arden ruby-red lip gloss resting in the cup holder. After all, her lips were her greatest weapon. Overly large and plump, they had their own fan page on Facebook. She’d always thought the attention given to them a little absurd, but if she had to use them to get out of a ticket, then she would.

After all, who in his right mind would give the vampy Veronica Collins a speeding ticket? Her luxurious red locks, gleaming white teeth and kick-ass curves clad in the trademark catsuit inspired kinky fantasies for those who followed the new drama Deep Shadows, which had debuted six months ago to a rabid fan following. Currently, Scarlet was on hiatus, so she looked nothing like the naughty vampire Veronica. Just plain ol’ Scarlet Rose in faded jeans and a ponytail.

But she did have those lips.

She slumped against the leather seat and watched in her side mirror as the cruiser’s door opened and a police officer climbed out.

He was tall with a military haircut and wore mirrored sunglasses. Good body. Stiff demeanor. She had a fifty-fifty chance of getting out of this one.

Her director’s voice popped into her head.

Veronica will smile at the officer, feigning innocence. Camera One, narrow to capture the gleam in Veronica’s eyes as she knowingly plays with the unsuspecting cop.

Scarlet turned and delivered a smile. “Hello there, officer. Is there a problem?”

She pulled the end of her ponytail forward so it brushed her bared collarbone while curling her shoulders forward, smooshing her boobs so the cop had a nice vista of flesh to contemplate. She couldn’t tell if it worked or not. His gaze could have been on her girls…or on the steering wheel. Damned mirrored sunglasses.

“Yes, we have a problem,” he said, his voice nice and melodious, like an announcer on a game show. It was definitely cultured. No Podunk, Texas accent. He wasn’t from Oak Stand. “You were doing seventy-eight in a sixty-five zone, and you have a brake light out.”

She smiled again before giving him a flirtatious shrug. “Surely I wasn’t going that fast?”

His jaw tightened. It was a nice jaw. Cleanly shaven and tanned. He had a good mouth, too. Straight lips with a slightly sensuous curve to the bottom lip. It was the kind of mouth a girl wanted to nibble into a smile. Total challenge.

But he didn’t smile. “Surely you were.”

“Sorry. Look, I’m trying to get to my sister’s house before she runs off with some horrible, horrible guy. No one is answering the phone, and I’m worried, you know? I guess I should have had my mind on the road, but—”

“That doesn’t explain the brake light,” he said.

Scarlet tamped down the annoyance at being interrupted. Syrupy sweetness worked on hard-asses like this. At least it usually did. “I bought this car three weeks ago and had everything inspected. The light must have burned out without my knowledge. I’ll get it replaced tomorrow. Promise.”

He didn’t move a muscle. She could tell he stared hard at her, even though there was mirrored glass between his gaze and hers. Seconds ticked by. Had she worked it hard enough to get out of a ticket?
“Are you asking me to overlook a violation?”

Oops. Maybe not. “Of course not. No.”

“Because that’s what it sounds like.”

Scarlet tossed her flirting ploy aside and straightened. “I don’t always agree with the laws you enforce, but I would never ask you to compromise yourself.”

She gave him the schoolmarm stare she’d perfected in her off-off Broadway debut of Mrs. Tingle’s Jingles. He didn’t wiggle the way he was supposed to. He merely stood, straighter and taller.
“Just give me the ticket so I can get on with my day. I’ve got a wedding to stop.”

At this, the officer’s mouth drew into a line. No more semimocking curve. “What wedding?”

Scarlet gave him a New Yorker smile—kind of a smart-ass smirk. “Now, that, Officer—” she looked at his nameplate “—Hinton, is none of your business, is it?”

Officer Adam Hinton jabbed a finger toward the city-limit sign that sat behind her black BMW convertible. “This is my town. Everything in it is my business.”

Scarlet pulled on the viperous persona of Veronica as easily as she shrugged into a jacket. “Now, that’s where I’m thinking you’re wrong, Officer Hinton.”

Don’t make me bite you, dude.

She loved Veronica, the alter ego she sometimes donned merely because the vampire queen could control everything about her world. So what if it were pretend? Playing the dangerous, sultry vampire allowed her to feel powerful. She showed him her teeth for good measure. It was a hard smile, sans fangs, designed to put him in his place.

“Can I have your license and registration please?”

Okay. So she had no effect on him. Fine. He probably squeaked when he walked. Even his damn badge was perfectly lined up adjacent to the button on his uniform shirt. He probably flossed three times a day and took a multivitamin. Jogged the same path, ate the same foods and cut his lawn with methodical precision.

She tugged her wallet from the oversize purse, flipped it open and pulled out the license she’d obtained last month. Her very first driver’s license procured specially for the trip to Texas. As a New Yorker, she’d never learned to drive. Subways and cabs had worked fine.

She handed her license over without a smile. “Here you go.”

“Registration?” he asked, taking the hard plastic license from her hand.

She leaned over, popped open the glove box and rooted around. Stefan had said he left everything she’d need in there. A string of condoms slithered to the floorboard along with a pack of cigarettes, a package of Zingers and a small airport bottle of rum. Nice. Her roommate had a weird-ass sense of humor. Finally she located a zippered owner’s manual and found the registration inside, along with a proof of insurance. The insurance card had her name on it. Stefan must have placed it inside for her. Okay, she’d let him live.

“Here. Everything should be inside.” She jabbed the manual at the police officer. Then she dismissed him, flipping down the visor mirror and checking her bangs, for no other reason than it pleased her to shut him out.

The sun pressed on her shoulders. The end of August was hotter than hell in East Texas, but it was her first road trip so she’d kept the top down most of the way along the East Coast and hadn’t put it up on her trek across the South. She’d stopped to see an old friend in Atlanta, putting her behind schedule in getting to Oak Stand. She’d gotten even with the city-limit sign when Officer Tight Ass had pulled her over.
She was tired, too warm and not feeling friendly at all. Texas hadn’t been on her list of vacation destinations, but saving her sister, Rayne, from the ridiculous fascination she had for Brent Hamilton topped lounging on the beach in France. Well, almost topped it.

Scarlet’s bangs looked fine, so she snapped the mirror shut and tried to look bored as the lean cop scribbled stuff onto his little notepad.

“Have you been drinking this afternoon?” His voice seemed monotone. Automated.

Crap. The stupid minibottle of rum.

“Of course not.”

“Would you mind stepping from your car, ma’am?”

“Actually, I would mind. Why do you need me to get out of the car if you’re merely giving me a speeding ticket?” She studied the teal polish on her fingernails. It was very divalike behavior—something she never did. But at this point, she knew it aggravated Officer Hinton. So it felt good.

“Out of the car,” he said, swinging the door open. “Step around to the back of the vehicle, place your hands on the trunk and wait. Please.”

He’d nearly choked on the last word. She’d ticked the cop off. Might not have been the smartest move, but that was Scarlet’s modus operandi—react, then regret. A car passed by on the highway, and she caught a glimpse of a curious driver. She waved.

“What an excellent way to make an entrance,” she said, climbing from the car. She was glad she’d left her flip-flops at her friend’s house, because the mile-high wedges she wore boosted her five-foot-eight frame by four inches and made her feel more powerful. It brought her eye level with the cop, who watched as she unfurled from the car.

Her tank top had tiny jewels embedded around the low neck and hugged her torso all the way down to the tight, ripped jeans. Aside from her plump lips, her body was her trademark. Scarlet had kicking curves that looked so good in a bodysuit they’d given her the part of Veronica before she even read for it. Not really. They’d made her read to make sure she could act. But still, she felt as if she’d been born for the role of Collinstown’s audacious vampire.

Her director’s voice came back.

Stroll to the rear of the car. Make sure it’s a do-me walk. Then place your hands on the trunk, feet apart, and arch your back. Slowly smile at your prey.

Scarlet stretched like a cat, then moved into position. She purposely stood far away so the pose she struck looked seductive. She didn’t know why she did it, other than she got perverse satisfaction in needling Officer Hinton. It was rapidly becoming her new favorite game to play.

Piss Off Hinton. Coming to stores near you. Oops, I dropped my license in the vodka. Is that a nightstick in your pocket or are you happy to see me? Make Officer Hinton crack, and you can win all the marbles!
He cleared his throat, snapping her out of the board-game commercial playing in her head. “Is this all the alcohol you have in the car?”

“Yes. And I have to say, your detective skills are lacking. That little bottle hasn’t been opened yet.”
Officer Hinton stared at her a good two minutes before approaching. “I’m doing my job, ma’am. Now, I’m going to briefly pat you down, Miss Rose.”

“No dinner first?” she said as she stared at the back of her bucket seat and pretended she got pulled over and frisked all the time. No big deal that a cop was about to run his hands all over her on the side of the road. She braced herself for his touch.

His hands moved beneath her arms, over her ribs, down her waist and hips to her thighs. Quickly, his hand slid inside her knee and moved down to her calves. It was quick, methodical and professional. No reason for any match to be struck. Nevertheless, Scarlet felt strange. Little pulses erupted in her belly. It shocked her. She hadn’t felt even a nudge of sexual interest since John. It made her want to get away from this small-town cop. Made her want to hide her emotions. Protect herself. Pretend she felt nothing.

The whole thing was crazy. 

LOST WITH LIZ From the time she learned to read to the present, Liz has always had a fascination with books. As a child she remembers reading Little Golden Books instead of napping. And, oh, the first time she read a romance –The Thornbirds– she was hooked. She ate up the SuperRomances on the shelves of her aunt’s used bookstore, borrowed her grandmother’s Boons and Mills Medical Romances (loved those nurses’ caps) and snuck her dad’s westerns so she could read the “romantic parts” (which lasted about a page). She inhales books, no doubt about it.

Of course, it never occurred to her to write one until her college roommate said, “You read so many of those things, why don’t you write one?” The idea stuck and several years ago she did it! So now she’s an author with four manuscripts under her belt and a release on the way! So instead of just reading those SuperRomances, she’s writing them.

Liz serves as President of NOLA Stars, loves strawberries, fishing, retail therapy (especially at Target), and she’s a Virgo. Liz married her high school sweetheart and has two smart, beautiful boys. When not writing contemporary romances and still editing her historicals, she is usually found working in the flowerbeds or doing laundry.

THE STARS OF A TOUCH OF SCARLET agreed to sit down with Angi in an exclusive interview.
ANGI: How often to you get lost in a story?
ADAM HINTON: Not often. I’m more focused on the reality of life, and I find there is enough drama in the living.
SCARLET ROSE: It’s an elemental process to an actress. Part of acting is becoming the character you portray. So I don’t get lost in a story, I become immersed in it. The story becomes me and I am the story.

ANGI: What’s the first book you remember reading?
ADAM HINTON: Think it was the Hardy Boys, but I’m not sure.
SCARLET ROSE: My sister Rayne read to me all the time since it was rare to have a television in whatever commune or tent we lived in. I particularly loved Anne of Green Gables.

ANGI: What’s your favorite “love” word?
ADAM HINTON: Do I have to answer this?
SCARLET ROSE: Of course, you do. He likes to say things like “you make me feel naughty” or “your skin feels like satin.” He’s romantic when no one is looking. I often whisper sweet nothings…well, not nothings. More like sweet somethings into his ear.”

ANGI: Can you tell us about a real-life hero you’ve met?
ADAM HINTON: Once an officer in my squad on the Houston PD took a bullet from a man robbing a liquor store just to give his partner a clear shot at the dude. This dirtbag had already killed the store owner and had his gun trained on the wife. I couldn’t decide if my colleague was brave or stupid, but he saved that woman’s life.
SCARLET ROSE: Well, I lived in NYC for five years, so there were tons of opportunities to meet first responders. And several months ago, Adam pulled a woman out of a burning car and saved her life, so he counts as a real-life hero. Oh, and I went to a party with the guy who played Spider Man, but that’s not really real-life, is it?

ANGI: What’s your favorite fairy tale?
ADAM HINTON: Do I have to answer this?
SCARLET ROSE: He likes Snow White.
ADAM HINTON: (snort) and you know this how?
SCARLET ROSE: Because of the way you kissed me when I passed out. Remember? It was in that kiss I knew you loved me.

ANGI: What’s your favorite cartoon character?
ADAM HINTON: Seriously? Um…Elmer Fudd?
SCARLET ROSE: Definitely Jessica Rabbit

ANGI: What turns you off like nothing else?
ADAM HINTON: Being close-minded. Being deceptive. Breaking rules to suit yourself. Not driving-
SCARLET ROSE: the speed limit. Yes, I know that well. But you secretly like going fast. You secretly get turned on by going fast, furious and hard.
ADAM HINTON: That sounds dirty, Scarlet, and if you don’t stop telling my secrets, I’m going to destroy your glamorous image by telling them how you pick at your toe nails.
SCARLET ROSE: I do not! Well, only when the polish is chipped.

ANGI: Is there a playlist you’d recommend for reading your latest release?
ADAM HINTON: Who got released? And why would I play music?
SCARLET ROSE: We’re released. Our love story? Hello? That’s why we’re here today. Um, we’d probably go with the Top Gun soundtrack. He sings “You Lost That Loving Feeling” all the time in the shower.

ANGI: Where do you read and how often?
ADAM HINTON: I read reports at my desk. Sometimes I read poetry by William Carlos Williams and a few gumshoe detective books, but not too often. Scarlet keeps me busy.
SCARLET ROSE: Why, yes, I do. I read magazines, but I also like good Chick Lit. I read about 15 minutes a night before I go to bed.

ANGI: What sound or noise do you love?
SCARLET ROSE: I like the sound of the ocean, belly laughs, the way Adam snores. It’s kind of a chuff like a dog.
ADAM HINTON: I snore? Like a dog?
SCARLET ROSE: It’s cute.

ANGI: What’s your favorite movie of all time?
ADAM HINTON: The Ten Commandments
SCARLET ROSE: Really? Moses? For me, Gone with the Wind, of course.

ANGI’S GOTTA ASK: A TOUCH OF SCARLET is your last book in the Oak Stand series…who’s your favorite hero and what’s next?
LIZ HAS GOTTA ANSWER: Out of all my books on the shelf, I like Brent Hamilton from A Taste of Texas the best, mostly because he has repressed who he is to fit everyone’s image and it makes him truly unhappy. Inside he’s this sensitive, artistic soul, but everyone sees him and thinks man whore. I loved unwrapping that man.

Next, is a three book series set in my home state of Louisiana involving the delicious Dufrene brothers. Nate’s story Waters Run Deep comes out in May 2012, with his brothers, Abram and Darby to follow in July and September. A little Louisiana spice and some men who look nice equal happy readers…I hope.

LIZ WILL GIVE AWAY a copy of A Touch of Scarlet…or any other book from her backlist to someone leaving a comment today.

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. Those leaving comments through Sunday at noon CST following this post will be eligible for the drawing.

GOT A QUESTION YOU’D LIKE TO ASK YOUR FANS? Well, since we’re talking about heroes, who has been your favorite hero of all time – from any book?
DON'T MISS any of Liz Talley's SuperRomances or her first appearance on GLIAS: Get Lost in A LITTLE TEXAS.

CONTACT LIZ at liz@liztalleybooks.com OR find her blogging with the 2009 Golden Heart finalists or on Everybody Needs a Little Romance. Keep up with all of Liz's releases on her website or follow her on Facebook.

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 us tomorrow when I'm back with debut cozy mystery author Liz Lipperman. Remember to check back daily to GET LOST in your favorite stories! ~Angi