Double Bandit Booty!!

Today I'm posting winners from two of the guests I've interviewed lately.


The winner of a signed copy of MAGICAL LOVER by Karilyn Bently is Sheree!! Congratulations Sheree!!

The winner of a signed copy of LIVER LET DIE by Liz Lipperman is hrdwrkdmom aka Dianna!! Congratulations Dianna!!

Please email me your snail mail addresses to swwelsh2001 AT  Yahoo DOT com (yes there are 2 w's in that addy) and I'll see Karilyn and Liz get the information ASAP!

Surprise! Liz Lipperman's Debuting today!!

interview with Suzanne

Suz: Romance Bandits, all of our Bandit Buddies and readers, I have a surprise guest for y'all. Today I'm chatting with my friend Liz Lipperman. Liz is one of the people who first made me feel welcome in my DARA (Dallas Area Romance Authors) chapter when I first moved to Dallas. Now I get to return the favor by hosting her for the release of her brand new debut, first-ever published book, LIVER LET DIE: A CLUELESS COOK MYSTERY available Oct 4th!

Liz, please pull up a barstool and we'll have the Lair's chief cabana boy, Paolo bring us a pitcher of Margaritas.

Liz: Yum! Margaritas are my favorite. No salt, please. And what's more fun than drinking it with you Suz, and the fabulous line-up of Romance Bandits and their readers? And I can only imagine what Paolo looks like! Thanks to all of you for inviting me here today.

Suz: So Liz, I love the story on how you came to write a cozy mystery series. Can you tell our readers what events led up to you writing LIVER LET DIE?

Liz: First of all, I didn't even know I was a mystery writer until my agent told me. Duh! I had been chasing the romance market for many, many years and never ever finaled in a contest. Guess my dead bodies and big explosions didn't go over with the romance judges.

Anyway, once I realized she was right, I wrote a paranormal mystery, the first in a proposed series. It's about a trash-talking ghost who helps her sisters solve her murder. My agent sent it to a new editor at Berkley Prime Crime who'd just moved from an inspirational publishing house. I thought it would be a resounding "no" since there is a lot of bad language, sex, and gruesome murder scenes.

Turns out you can never tell about people. Not only did she love the story, she read it twice and quoted some of my ghost's best lines. BUT (don't you hate those?) she couldn't buy it since she was acquiring cozies, and she'd have to cut out the best parts. She wanted to know if I could write a cozy, specifically a "foodie." That's when I rushed out to the bookstores and grabbed up a bunch of them to read.

What I found was that most of the foodie cozies were about gourmet food, and there was no way I could pull that one off. I am one of 9 children. We ate casseroles, and to this day, I hate fancy food. So, I said no, I couldn't write it. Fortunately, my agent knows me better than I do, because she said yes, I could and to sleep on it.

I woke up the next morning with this great plot in my head about a wannabe sports reporter who gets dumped in Dallas and ends up in a small town writing personals. When she is offered the culinary column temporarily for a woman who is out with a broken hip, she jumps on it, seeing it as a way to mover closer to her dream job. The problem is, she was raised with four brothers, and although she can throw a great touchdown pass, she can't cook a lick, surviving on fried bologna sandwiches, fast food and Hostess Ho Hos. Three chapters and a synopsis later, I had a three book deal.

Suz: I love that story! LIVER LET DIE is set in a small town in Texas. How did you get the small-town feel for the story? Is there one key element about small towns that you think plays into the way a cozy mystery fits into it?

Liz: You've hit on one of the big requirements for a cozy, Suz. They're all set in small towns with a protagonist who just happens to fall in the middle of a murder. There are usually no cops or private eyes solving the mystery. As for the small town, originally I wrote it with a specific town in Texas. However, I changed it later because a fictional town offered way more options-that and the fact that I called the cops Dumb and Dumber.

Here's an excerpt from LIVER LET DIE:

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?

Suz: Your heroine, Jordan McAllister stumbles into more than a new career when she takes over the food critic position at the local paper. Can you give our readers a little hint about the trouble she gets into?

Liz: Her first assignment is to critique a steakhouse on the edge of town that has just reopened after being closed for six months when one of the owners died in a botched robbery. Since Jordan only eats hamburger meat well done, she asks her hunky waiter what on the menu isn't red meat, not seeing chicken anywhere. He tells her the foie gras must be good because the guy across the restaurant ordered the pricey dish every week. After one look at the squashy fatty duck liver, she nearly gags, and the entire entrée ends up in a borrowed purse. Two days later, the hunky waiter is found dead outside her apartment with her name and number in his pocket. And that's when it all starts.

Suz: Alex Moreland is the hero of LIVER LET DIE, how does he fit into the story?

Liz: Did I mention I am a romance writer at heart? Everything I write has a little romance in it. I knew I needed a love interest, but she's just new in the town, and the only friends she has are residents of her apartment. Most cozies are written in first person, but I am more comfortable with 3rd person and asked the editor if she had any problems with that or with multiple POVs. She said no. Later she had me take out a couple of short scenes written in a "he" point of view as the killer, but she liked that we were in Alex's head at times. She felt like the deleted scenes weren't necessary since we found out the info later in Jordan's POV. She was right. Anyway, Alex thinks Jordan is the killer, and she thinks he's been ransacking her apartment.




Suz: In cozy mysteries there are always some whacky secondary characters. Do you have any waiting to help or hinder Jordan and Alex?

Liz: I think the secondary characters are what convinced Berkley to buy the series. The editor loved the wacky residents of Empire Apartments who took Jordan under their wings that first day when she arrived broken and unsure of herself. There's a retired sixtyish cop with his seventyish psychic "lady friend", two gay guys who own the apartments, one of whom is my favorite character of all times to write, and a hippyish fifty year old who has been married four times and does all the cooking for the gang.

Suz: What's next for your series?

Liz: BEEF STOLEN-OFF will release in July, 2012. It's about modern day cattle rustling and has the same cast of characters with a fresh batch of suspects. Here's the down and dirty short blurb.
On an assignment to write a column about the famed Cattleman's Ball in Fort Worth, Texas, Jordan is the guest of wealthy ranch owner, Lucas Santana, who sees her review as a way to increase the sagging beef sales in the county. He's even hand-picked her escort, his right hand man, Rusty Morales, who looks like he just stepped off the cover of GQ, Cowboy Edition. But instead of dancing the night away, Jordan ends up in the emergency room where her date is DOA.

Currently, I am writing the third book of the series, MURDER FOR THE HALIBUT, where I have sent Jordan and her friends on a Caribbean Cruise to judge a cooking competition. (think Bravo's Chopped.)

One last thing before I have to shut up-beginning October 4th through the 31st, you can enter the LLD contest where the prize is a Pandigital Kitchen Technology Center worth $399. I'm also putting up my straight mystery, MORTAL DECEPTION, on Amazon next week as a marketing tool for LLD, kind of a try-me-you-might-like-me thing. For the entire month of October, it will download for $.99. Check out my website www.lizlipperman.com for details on both.

Okay, I've done all the talking. Now, it's your turn. Since I had to walk into B & N and pick several books to tutor me about cozies with no knowledge of cozy writers, I made an interesting observation about myself. I made my choices after reading the first line. The cover may catch my eye initially, but ultimately, it has to grab me with the opening line. What about you? What teases you into buying a book from a debut author or one you're not familiar with? The cover? Blurb? Chatting with them on a blog? All of the above? None of the Above?

I have one copy of LIVER LET DIE to give away, thanks to Berkley. To enter, leave a comment with a valid email address. This is open to US residents (publisher's request.) Suz will pick the winner. Before I leave, I want to thank Suz and the Romance Bandits again for having me here today. Answering these questions has been fun.

Karilyn Bentley and Magical Dragons Visit!

interview with Suzanne

Banditas and Bandit Buddies I'd love for you to help me welcome a very good friend, Karilyn Bentley to the lair. Karilyn is here to tell us all about her debut paranormal romance, MAGICAL LOVER.

Suz: Welcome Karilyn! Pull up a barstool and we'll share some sangria punch in honor of your first visit as a guest. As you know I've been so excited about showcasing your book in the lair. We Banditas LOVE call stories. Would you tell us how you got the call for your first sale?

Karilyn: Hi Suzie! Hi Banditas and Bandit Buddies! Yum, I love your sangria punch (takes another sip). I've been excited too about you showcasing my book! ? (puts the sangria down lest she drink too much and make no sense)

The Call.

My first story published was a novella in the Taming of the Wolf anthology put out by The Wild Rose Press a couple of years ago. I entered a contest where they chose the top six stories and placed as number four. The winners were announced online and I logged in and saw my name.

It was Halloween so all these kids were coming to the door and I was jumping around in a state of shock. Since the winners were noted online and I didn't get a call from an editor I kept thinking I had it wrong, that I couldn't have won. So I kept going to the door and dumping candy in bags and then running back to stare at my name on the winners list. It was rather surreal.

The Call for Magical Lover was more like a series of emails between my editor and me about changes I needed in order for her to contract the story. I made the changes and-yippee!!-she made the offer! And here we are with my first novel.

Suz: We've had some interesting shape shifter books pop up in the Bandit Lair. Yours is particularly interesting as yours is a dragon shifter. Why did you choose this particular shifter?

Karilyn: When I decided to write romance, I knew I needed a world to return to (because people were going to buy my books and want to read more stories from me, right?? I've always been a big fan of fantasies, so it was natural to set the world in a whole different place. And I've always liked a story with dragons. At the time I wrote Magical Lover, there were very few dragon shifters out there. It took six years and more revisions than I can count to bring Magical Lover to its print form.

Suz: At the beginning of MAGICAL LOVER, Thoren, your hero has a special goal regarding halflings when he meets Keara, your heroine. What is that mission?

Karilyn: Thoren is a reconnaissance specialist, who has been tasked with finding Halflings and returning them to Draconia. Apparently, many of the male Draconi have been parking their scales in non-Draconi females' caves and producing offspring. As a whole, Draconi are very picky about keeping magical beings on their land. Hence Thoren's Halfling finding duties.

Suz: Keara is in a bit of a predicament when she meets Thoren. How does she get out of it?

Karilyn: Keara has red hair and green eyes (a sure sign of a Halfling, although she doesn't know that's what she is) and has the misfortune of living in a town that shuns all coloring except for brown hair and brown eyes. As one of the town's outcasts, she is believed to be a witch and is caught by the town's nobleman. Instead of killing her, he plans on marrying her, which to her way of thinking is worse than death. Enter Thoren to the rescue.

Suz: Was it easy building a world for dragon shifters? By the way, we have our own dragon here in the Lair, so I'm sure Ermingarde is going to demand we keep a copy here for her to read!

Karilyn: I do hope Ermingarde likes the dragon shifters in Magical Lover! I'll be happy to give her a copy. One doesn't want to upset a dragon! Personally, I think world building is fun. It wasn't hard to do since the story came to me in this world, but like all world building, one has to be consistent. I had to know the way the world worked, what the rules were and never break those rules. Occasionally that created problems, but then, natural laws in our world create problems too.

Suz: What's next for our readers to expect from you?

Karilyn: I'm so glad you asked! I have a novella coming out next month featuring the wolf pack from Werewolves of London, the novella in the Taming of the Wolf anthology (which BTW is no longer available for sale. Bummer. I'm working on getting the novella back out, though). Wolf Mates releases on 10/19/11 from The Wild Rose Press. I'm also working on Warrior Lover, which is the story after Magical Lover.

Here's a blurb and excerpt from Magical Lover.

Blurb:

In a world where men can become dragons, Thoren is one of the most powerful. As a shape-shifting Draconi, Thoren wants nothing more than to continue searching for Halfling children, and returning them to Draconia. The last thing he wants or needs is a mate-until he meets Keara, an outcast unaware of the power that lies within her. Keara doesn't know what to make of Thoren or of the magic he practices. She learned early to keep her magic hidden-her witchy red hair and green eyes are burden enough. When Thoren offers his hand in place of a forced marriage with Lord Simon, Keara jumps at the chance to leave her town behind. But she fears Thoren will shun her when he discovers the truth about her abilities. Can Thoren convince Keara she is his lifemate, or will her secret talent be the wedge that drives them apart?

Excerpt:

"I know enough to realize she denied you." The stranger growled at Lord Simon, his voice gentling as he turned to Keara. "She will take me though, won't you?"


Keara locked her gaze on the stranger, drawn by his green eyes that looked so much like her own. She had never seen green eyes on anyone else, but knew what they meant. Remembered what her grandmother had told her about them.


"Green eyes are the mark of evil, girl," the old woman liked to say. "Be wary of them."
The wind whipped the stranger's hair about his face. A chiseled jaw topped by firm lips that whitened around the edges and a long straight nose comprised a face tightened in anger. His compelling eyes bored into hers.


She couldn't stop staring at those eyes, all the while his fingers continued their steady pattern against her mark, sending sensuous feelings coursing through her veins.


A stranger or Lord Simon? The man whose touch sent zingers of pleasure throughout her body, or the possibly crazy, but socially acceptable man who might have her best interest in mind. Did she actually think that?


There was no choice. It took two tries to get the words out of her dry mouth.


"I'll take you." She lifted her chin toward the stranger and said a silent prayer he would spare her life.

Thank you again Banditas and Bandit Buddies for letting me stop by! If you'd like to contact me, my contact info is on my website: www.karilynbentley.com.

I'll be giving away a free pdf of Magical Lover to one lucky commentator. What is your favorite type of shifter and why?

WHAT IF?

by Suzanne

Okay, those new to the blog may not know this, but I'm a big baseball fan. Yep, Love me some boys of summer!

Now given my love of western historical romances, you'd probably think my favorite team would be the hometown Texas Rangers. Uhm, I do root for them to win as long as they aren't playing my favorite team, The Cleveland Indians. That's right, I'm a fan of the Tribe! We pay to watch 162 Cleveland games every year on TV. Through good years and bad, we root for our Indians.

Now this past spring's scouting report wasn't very good. To we Indians fans it was dire. Hubby came into my office the week before the start of the season and said, "Suz, the Tribe is going to suck so bad this year they're not even expected to win 9 games."

Sigh. Such a pesimistic fair-weather-fan is my other half! I looked him straight in the eye and said, "I don't think they're as bad as that. In fact, I think the pundits are wrong. The Indians are going to surprise everyone."

So April 1st and the start of the baseball season comes along. The Tribe not only lost their first 2 games, they lived down to the expectations of all the sports writers and my dear hubby. They got killed!

But then something happened. The players said to each other, "What if we don't listen to everyone else and start listening to ourselves? What if we play ball like we love it? What if Masterson and Tomlin and Carrasco start pitching really well? What if Asdrubal Cabrerra starts making fabulous plays and hitting at will? What if Hanahan makes remarkable catches at third? What if Travis Hafner stays healthy for most of the season? What if Carlos Santana and Hafner have walk-off-grand-slams to win games? What if even in the bottom of the ninth we believe we can win?

What if the fans believe? What if the players believe?

Funny thing started to happen. My boys of summer started winning. Slowly rising to the top of the American League Central.

Well, the pundits had something to say about that. "They'll never be that far up come May." Then in May, the Indians managed to stay in the AL Central lead.

Pundits: "They'll never last through June. They just don't have what it takes."

Tribe: Continued to win, stayed atop the AL Central. Yes, the Tigers were closing in, but the boys from Cleveland were hanging tough, finding ways to win. Sometimes with starting pitching, sometimes with relief pitching from the bullpen, sometimes with great defensive plays, sometimes with great hitting.

Now it's August. Where is my Tribe? Well, we're not in first anymore. We're in second with a six game deficit between us and those pesky Tigers. With only 30 some games left, the possibility of catching up is there, but the probability is slipping from our grasp with every loss by us and win by them.

I pray they make it. I pray we can have an October of playoff baseball for these guys. They've played hard all year. They haven't given up. What if they get one final surge and make it to the playoffs?

If they don't, I can tell you they've certainly had a season of "what if ?" that no one ever expected them to have.

That's the fun part of "what if?". It's not expected. There are no expectations and more importantly, no limitations.

What if I hadn't met my husband? Would I have the kids I have or the grandbabies? Would I ever have ended up in Texas? Would I have met the writing friends who have helped me become a better writer and a published one? Would I have finaled in the GH? Would I have met the Banditas? Would I have met you, our readers?

As a writer, I love the possibility of "what if?". The freedom it gives me and my characters.

Here's some "what if?" 's:

What if an undercover FBI agent needs medical help for a material witness but can't go to a traditional ER and risk the dirty cops finding them? What if he kidnaps a nurse out of a dark parking lot? What if she fights helping him until she realizes the wounded witness is a child? What if that child is the same age her dead daughter would've been?

*Yeah, I thought that was good, too!* That's the premise of KIDNAPPED, my RS that finaled in the GH Long Contemporary category.

What if a small town sheriff finds a wanna-be private investigator digging through the local town's dumpster and she stimulates more than his curiosity? What if they find a mysterious murderer living in his town? What if she is the only one who can save him in the end? That is the second book in a small town series I've written, CLOSE TO HOME.

What if a young woman is hiding from the law and the outlaw gang she helped rob a bank? What if two U.S. Marshals ride into town and discover not only her identity, but that she is unaware of her own sexual submissive side? What if they use that to gain information about the gang's whereabouts? What if she's attracted to both marshals? Yep, the plot to THE SURRENDER OF LACY MORGAN.

What if a woman witnesses the murder of a U.S. Senator? What if she needs to get out of town and decides to take up the offer to be a mail-order bride? What if the man she marries is distrustful of women keeping secrets, but needs her help to care for his young daughter? What if she falls in love with him? Yep, that's the plot to my book, CANTRELL'S BRIDE, (formerly known as REFUGE), recently sold to Ellora's Cave Blush Line!

So I think "What if?" is a very powerful idea. How about you? Have you ever had significant "What if?" moments? As a writer, do you ever have "What if?" beginnings to your books?

J.D. Tyler's Primal Law

Today I have a surprise for our readers. We’re introducing a debut series, the ALPHA PACK, and the first book in the series, PRIMAL LAW by author J.D. Tyler, which hit shelves this week. It’s a dark, sexy, paranormal series with very sexy shapeshifting alpha heroes. What? Excuse me, dear readers. Sven is motioning me to the side.

Walks over to the sexy masseuse.

“What is it Sven?”

He bends down and whispers in my ear.

“J.D. Tyler looks familiar to you?”

He nods and points to the pictures of previous Lair guests. Then whispers in my ear.

“She looks like that author that wrote about firefighters and pinched your backside last time she was here?”

Laughing, I pat him on his backside then walk back to our guest.

Jo, you’ve been outted! For those of you who don’t know, J.D. Tyler is also the author, Jo Davis, my good friend and CP Partner. Welcome to the Lair once again, JD. For this occasion I’ve asked for Top Shelf Margaritas, (pointing to the pitcher Paolo just placed on the bar), so help yourself .

JD: Thanks, I believe I will! (Takes a sip) Ohh, these are great! Thanks so much for having me here today. I always love visiting with the Banditas!

Suz: So J.D. Why the name change?

J.D.: The decision to use a different pen name was easy for a couple of reasons—reader recognition and name association. Jo Davis writes hot contemporary suspense and erotica, and that’s what readers expect from her. J.D. writes dark, sexy paranormal romance, and the worlds she creates are grittier. More dangerous. J.D. can, and does, take more chances to give her readers a thrilling ride.

Suz: Did you want to write paranormal romance?

J.D.: Actually, I started out my career writing paranormal erotica for Ellora’s Cave and had planned to stay with paranormal for some time. But then my agent and I sold the firefighter series to NAL, and paranormal went on the back burner. When the firefighter series ended, I’d planned to propose a police series called Sugarland Blue, to spin off of the firefighters. (Which I still would like to do.)

My publisher, however, asked me to write paranormal. I have to say, the request was a dream come true! I’m an avid reader of dark, sexy paranormal romance, and to be handed the opportunity to write in a genre I love was one I was not about to walk away from! I proposed the ALPHA PACK series, it sold, and J.D. Tyler was born.

Suz: So what’s the concept for the ALPHA PACK series?

The ALPHA PACK was founded by a group of former Navy SEALs after they were attacked by rogue wolf shifters in Afghanistan and turned. Now they use their shifting and Psy abilities, battling to protect the innocent from the world’s most dangerous human and supernatural predators.

J.D.: Tell us a little about PRIMAL LAW.

Here’s the blurb:

After a massacre decimates half his team and leaves him crippled, Jaxon Law must relearn how to fight—and must defeat the anger and guilt threatening to overwhelm him. But when he rescues a beautiful woman who reawakens his primal instincts, Jax is unprepared for the dangers that lie ahead.
On the run from her employer, brilliant lab assistant Kira Locke escapes with disturbing evidence that leads the Alpha Pack team on a hunt for someone targeting human civilians with Psy abilities. And as Jax and Kira circle both the killer and each other, Jax will have to decide if the deep connection he feels with Kira is worth breaking the ultimate shifter rule—because bonding with Kira means putting his abilities at risk, and they might be the only tool he has to keep his mate alive…

Suz:  How do Jaxon and Kira meet?

J.D.: Kira has stolen some lab samples and is on the run from her boss’s men, who mean to kill her. Jax hears her scream and rushes to the rescue, shifting in front of her to dispatch the thugs. Only now, because of what she saw and the threat to her life that’s still out there, he can’t let her go. Little does he know he’ll never let her go, under any circumstances…

Suz: There are some interesting characters in PRIMAL LAW. Want to give a taste of what the readers will find inside?

J.D. :The ALPHA PACK compound is very unique in that the team doesn’t just destroy rogue paranormals—they also rescue frightened beings who don’t belong in the human world and are having trouble adjusting. They don’t have much time to deal with these beings, however, so Kira steps up and suggests they make rehabbing paranormals an actual program. Readers will see this program develop and take on life in each successive book, and new types of shifters and other beings will be introduced.

First off in PRIMAL LAW, readers meet Sariel, a beautiful Fae prince who was cast from the Seelie court and is having terrible trouble coping with the human world. He’s a great secondary character who will become extremely important in the series. We also meet Belial, a misunderstood basilisk shifter, and then the most tragic figure of all in the program—Raven, a former Navy SEAL who was turned into a wolf shifter along with the others, but never returned to human form. He’s been feral for over five years, and no one has any clue how to help him.

The series is rich with characters, and they all have a purpose. The story possibilities are delicious and endless! For a list of the main ALPHA PACK team members and their descriptions (and keep checking, as this list will grow), plus excerpts and other news, visit my website at www.JDTyler.com.

Suz: So what’s next in the ALPHA PACK series?

J.D.: Next up is a novella tentatively titled BLACK MAGIC (the title might change), and it will be a stand-alone story involving Kalen Black, the team’s newest member who’s a Sorcerer/panther shifter/Necromancer! Other Alpha Pack team members call him a cross between a rock star and a gunslinger. You’ll find out why in PRIMAL LAW. His novella will be released from Penguin eSpecials in March 2012, and will lead into SAVAGE AWAKENING (book 2), and Kalen’s own story, which will be book 3 of the series. And I’ll tell you right now, Kalen’s full novel, book 3, is going to be truly epic.

After Kalen’s novella is SAVAGE AWAKENING, which is Aric Savage’s story and will be released on April 3, 2012! Aric has been the most fun hero I’ve ever written because he’s such a snarky bastard. Of course, the prickly outside hides a heart as big as a continent. It will take a really special woman to make this sexy redhead accept his self-worth and be the hero everyone knows he is.

Suz: JD will give away a signed copy of PRIMAL LAW to one lucky commenter!

J.D.: If you could be any type of supernatural hero, what would you be and why? (vampire, shifter, Fae, demon, etc.)

Going Back to Scotland with Sandy Blair!

interview with Suzanne

Dear Banditas and Bandit Buddies, usually the 28th of the month is my day to blog, however today, I am sharing my day and am so excited to be welcoming back my very good friend to the Lair, Sandy Blair, author of witty Highland historicals, to talk about her newest release, THE KING’S MISTRESS.

Suz: Sandy, pull up a seat here at the bar and we’ll have a drink, Merlot for you, a Bellini Martini for me! Can you give us a brief description of THE KING’S MISTRESS?

Sandy: Sure, and it’s so very nice to be here again. Thank you for the invitation!

THE KING'S MISTRESS, featuring captain of the king’s guard Britt MacKinnon and identical twin Geneen Armstrong, begins one week before the real events on which this story are based--when Britt is ordered to fetch back to Edinburgh the king’s favorite paramour. Intent on protecting her pregnant twin, on making the court think she and her sister are one in the same, Geneen doesn’t tell Britt he’s escorting the wrong woman to the king. Lies build upon lies at break neck speed as readers enter the perilous world of Scotland’s early medieval court, where intrigue, murder and deception rule. To a time and place where live and loves were won and lost while Scotland’s destiny hung in the balance.

Suz: How did you come up with the idea for this story?

Sandy: Truthfully, I read non-fiction histories before bed in hopes of triggering my muse into a “What if…?” moment, and happened upon several confusing accounts about Alexander III’s widow following his death, his heir’s sudden (and yet to be explained) death and the resultant political chaos that followed. Thus The King’s Mistress was born.

Suz: How are the sisters Geneen and Greer different?

Sandy: Greer, a graceful beauty and song bird, is all about Greer. Quick to laugh and entertain, she took full advantage of her role as a lady-in-waiting, loving the attention and life found at court, but is now paying a hefty price.

Frank in speech, Geneen’s gifts for husbandry and archery serve her well. She’s been able to keep a roof over their heads and her sister in gowns. Although equal in beauty, she’s never seen herself as such. Being the younger of the two and awkward, she has always idolizes her twin and was content to remain at their holding, tending to their cattle and crops until that dreadful day when her twin came home pregnant with the king’s bastard.

Suz:  How does Britt react when he realizes he doesn’t have the right sister?

Sandy: You sneaky devil. I can’t tell folks that! If I do they’ll have no reason to read the story.

Suz: This is your first foray into e-book publishing, how have you enjoyed the process?

Sandy: Overall, I found the process surprisingly enjoyable. I loved having input into my title and cover art. I’ll admit doing copyedits in e-format was initially intimidating but I eventually figured out the system. Best yet , my editor responds immediately to questions and maintains a Yahoo group just for her authors. Great fun!

Suz: That's a great cover you chose for your book. Is there anything new in your life that you’d like to share your readers?

Sandy: As a matter of fact, there is. We recently moved from hot-as-hell Texas to coastal New Hampshire, where lovely beaches, in-laws and out-laws are now only minutes away. We’re hoping their close proximity will eventually blunt the loneliness we’re experiencing missing our Dallas friends. (I can’t tell you how wonderful it was seeing so many DARA friends—and in particular Suzy--at RWA National.)

Suz: She didn't mention the foot of snowfall every day she had this past winter, did she? Me thinks the hot-as-hell-Texas wasn't looking so bad back in January and February! 

Sandy: Suzie, come a little closer so I can smack you!

We’ve been in the house 4 months now, still have pictures to hang and window treatments to buy, but did manage to put in our first-ever veggie garden. When squash and beans started flowering, I, jubilant, began waxing poetic about 3-bean casseroles, zucchini loaves and stuffed tomatoes. Scott wasn’t so impressed. A dye-in-the-wool carnivore, he immediately took up surf fishing since clamming season is over. Unfortunately for him, the fish have yet to cooperate. Healthy life-style here we come.

Below is the film trailer one of Sandy's good friends and a major fan, made for her:

So, since Sandy has moved, where do you think we should meet for some BFF time? I'd love someplace new, exciting, (Scottish) to go visit. Sandy will be giving away a signed copy of THE KING'S MISTRESS to one commenter.

Vacation

by Suzanne

Well today is officially my last day of my summer vacation. Every year I use one week of my three weeks of vacation time from the hospital to go to the RWA National convention. I don't go to the beach, I don't go to the mountains, I don't go visit family. I do to a convention where I have to dress in nice clothes, smile at everyone and listen to speakers (in the workshops I attend).

Crazy?

Nope, not for me. See, since I started going to RWA National I've been to Atlanta, Reno, San Fransisco, Denver, Washington D.C., Orlando and now New York City. (The 2 Dallas conferences don't count coz that's just down I-75.) I've gotten to do a limo chauffered tour of Sonoma wine country. Been to Alcatraz. Seen the Golden Gate Bridge. Toured many of the monuments in the nation's capitol and walked through the Smithsonian. Hung out in Disney World. Played the slots in Reno. And last week I did NYC tours by day and night and boat! Not to mention went to 2--TWO--Broadway musicals, (WICKED and JERSEY BOYS).

But another great thing about my summer vacation is that it energizes me. It makes me want to come home and write. To words down on pages. It makes me want to read...all those great stories I brought home with me, or I heard about in conversations. It makes me wish I had a whole other week of vacation to take, but unfortunately, in my line of work summer is one of the busiest times of the year for having babies. (uh 9 months ago people were snuggling in the cool or cold weather.) So each nurse only gets one week of vacation in the summer.

I'll take another week in the fall to go see my parents in Ohio. I love fall in Ohio. It's cold. It's rainy. It helps me get in the mood for Thanksgiving and Chistmas. It completes the cycle of the seasons for me. Something I don't always get down here in Texas.

So, what about you? What is your favorite vacation? Beach? Mountains? The jungles of Costa Rica (my friend Aly Burton did this with her family!)? Let's talk VACATIONS!

Can You Keep An Eye On These Guys?

by Suzanne

As you know the annual Romance Writer's of America National Conference is taking place this week in New York City. I'm really excited to be going this year. It's only my second trip to New York. I get to see many of the Romance Bandits, some of our Bandit Buddies who hang out with us here, my critique partner Sandy Blair who no long lives near me, and this year I get to meet my editor, Jillian Bell, of Ellora's Cave Publishing. How cool is this?


This will be my second year there as a published author and my first as a PAN member. (That stands for Published Author's Network.) So I'll get to learn the secret handshake (Kate Carlisle PROMISED me there was one) and hear all the publishing news at special workshops, (do they have those at the bar?).

But while I'm gone I'm hoping y'all can give me a hand with something. See, I have these guys on my website who have a tendency to get a bit out of hand in a naughty, very sexy sort of way... Well, here, let me show you...

Quinn Halliday, the Dominant hero in my book, The Surrender of Lacy Morgan

Dakota O'Keefe, the second hero in The Surrender of Lacy Morgan

Will Danville, the hero of my second book, which is in the works right now

and soon to come

Ian Smith aka Ian Smythe, Lord Brookstone

And

Nicco DeCosta, the fiery Italian brother

LIKE?

Yeah, I do too! My friend, Kat Baldwin,  www.katbaldwin.com 
did the designs and I'm proud to give her a shout out. You should see the backs.

Oh wait, I didn't tell you, did I? (Can you blame a girl for getting distracted by all this lovely maleness?)

These are the fronts of my new Romance Trading Cards!!! The backs are way cool and give you a feel for what these guys are all about. If you e-mail me @ suzanne@suzanneferrell.com and send me your snail mail addy, I'll happily send you a set! Or if you're at the conference this week, you might pick up a set at the goody room! Supplies will be limited...intentionally!! hehehe

Jane Graves returns to the Lair!

interview with Suzanne

Jane Graves is the author of eighteen contemporary romance novels. She is a seven-time finalist for Romance Writers of America's Rita Award, the industry's highest honor, and is the recipient of two National Readers' Choice Awards, the Booksellers' Best Award, and the Golden Quill, among others. And I'm honored to call her my friend.

Suz: Welcome back to the Bandit Lair, Jane. Pull up a barstool and have a glass of wine while we catch up. It's been a while since you visited us here. What have you been up to?

Jane: Thanks for the wine, Suz. I'll have this glass of Cabernet while you sip your White Zinfandel. We do know each other well, don't we?

For personal reasons, I took a break from writing for a few years. Fortunately, when I was ready to get back in the game, my editor was very excited and wanted to buy more books. Black Ties and Lullabies will be out on June 28, and Heartstrings and Diamond Rings will hit the shelves on September 27.

Suz: Black Ties and Lullabies is your third Romantic Comedy for Grand Central Publishing and it's once again set in Plano, Texas. This time your hero is billionaire businessman, Jeremy Bridges. Many of your readers will remember meeting him in Hot Wheels and High Heels. How did he come to be the hero of this book?

Jane: I got more mail from readers wanting his story than any other character's I've ever written. He was actually somewhat of a villain in Hot Wheels, but there was a scene at the end of the book that hinted that there was more to the womanizing multimillionaire than met the eye, and I think that was what readers picked up on. I'm so happy they did, because I wanted very much to write his story.

Suz: I fell in love with your heroine of Black Ties and Lullabies, Bernadette Hogan, on page one. She is a very unusual heroine and has a unique relationship with Jeremy at the beginning of the book. I'll let you tell the Banditas and friends about "Bernie".

Jane: Bernadette Hogan is a bodyguard, ex-military, who never met a firearm she didn't like. It's rumored that she once killed a man with a Popsicle stick, but she insists that's absolutely untrue. It was a Q-Tip. She's been Jeremy's bodyguard for two years, and he aggravates her so much that if it weren't for the outrageous amount of money he pays her, she would have quit a long time ago. If you read chapter one at http://janegraves.com/blacktiespage.html, you can get a sense of their rather unusual relationship.

Suz: Throughout this book, you had me chuckling frequently at both the internal thoughts of the characters and their dialogue with each other. Do you find it easy or hard to write the witty/snarky banter between the characters? Does internal dialogue come easy for you?

Jane: Writing snarky banter is second nature to me, because I'm a pretty snarky person. But in real life, even I have to draw the line somewhere. I can't always say what I think. But my characters can, and oh, man, is that ever fun. It's a blast to let them say things I couldn't say in real life without getting slapped silly or arrested.

Suz: Since we're on the subject of writing, you have a rather unique approach on writing a book. I know of only one other writer who does the same process as you. Care to let everyone in on the Jane Graves way to write a romance novel?

Jane: Okay, but I feel obligated to issue a disclaimer up front. DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME. It'll make you certifiably crazy.

I begin writing a book by tossing down a whole bunch of dialogue, bits of scenes, exposition, whatever, that I can see possibly being part of the book somewhere in the 400 or so pages I'll eventually end up with. Then I expand on those pieces at random until the characters start talking and the story comes to life. Then I try to zero in on page one, because I can't sell the book until I can get proposal chapters written. Or if I've already sold the book, I can't get paid for the proposal until those chapters are done. I like to get paid. But getting three consecutive chapters down in the very beginning? It just about kills me. Fortunately, the more I get to know the characters, the easier the writing becomes. Still, when I finally write The End, I invariably have at least fifty pages of excess stuff that ends up on the cutting room floor.

I hear other writers say they see the story in their head and just write it down. Consecutively. One chapter after another. I'm so jealous of people who can do that. It would make my life SO much easier. Then some of them go on to say that one of the reasons they can write so many books is that they type fast. Well, I type over 100 words per minute, but when I spend an hour working on a three-sentence paragraph until my eyeballs bleed, typing speed doesn't really come into play.

I've been told many, many times that my writing seems smooth and effortless. That's hilarious. If those people had any idea of how much I consider every freakin' word that goes onto the page, they'd think twice about saying that. I'm actually not a very good writer. What I am is a pretty good rewriter. I just have the persistence to hit it over and over and over again until I get it right.

Suz: (Boy just hearing about that process exhausts me!) The next book in your future is Heartstrings and Diamond Rings. Can we have a little peek into that story?

Jane: The heroine is Alison Carter, Heather Montgomery's best friend from Tall Tales and Wedding Veils. In that book, Alison's dating disasters were well documented. In her own story, she's still determined to find her Mr. Right, but she's losing confidence in her own ability to find him. So she hires a matchmaker. But when it turns out that the matchmaker isn't the kindly old lady she expects but her sexy young grandson, the fun begins. Heartstrings and Diamond Rings will hit the shelves on September 27.

Oh-I also want to let everyone know about a promotion my publisher is running for the month of June. They're discounting the price of the e-book versions of Hot Wheels and High Heels and Tall Tales and Wedding Veils to only $1.99! That's 75% off the cover price, so if you haven't read those books yet, I hope you'll consider picking them up! Check out the deal at http://www.janegraves.com/

And now a question for you. The original cover of Black Ties and Lullabies (the blue one shown here) was much more cartoonish in nature, a follow up to my two previous covers that were the same style. Then my publisher decided to go with a different look. They did a photo shoot and came up with the cover with the red dress.

Which one do you like better, and why? Also, there are a whole bunch of covers these days with headless characters. How do you feel about that? If you see hero's and heroine's faces on the cover, does it screw up your ability to imagine them for yourself? Personally, I feel a little sorry for the models-I wonder if their contracts include the fact that they're going to be decapitated?

Those who comment will be eligible to win one of two copies I'm giving away. I have two sets of advance reading copies-one set for each cover-so the winners can specify which cover they'd like on the autographed copy I send!

Free Reads

by Suzanne

We've had a new addition to our family. A brand new baby boy! He's as cute as his mother and father, and as bald as his grandfather! (That's him over there--->)

Needless to say, I had to put blogging, writing and reading on hold for a bit. Since I have what my husband calls, "the ultimate Grandma job".

And he's right.

I'm lucky in that I have the ability to chose my daughters' doctors, hospitals, nurses AND I get to be in the delivery room for the birth of everyone of my grandchildren. Now, before you think I get all bossy in there, my coworkers will tell you, I play the role of mom/grandmother and not nurse. I don't get in their way and I don't tell them how to do their jobs. Uhm, I shouldn't have to, I trained all but two of them! :)

So now life is getting a bit more back to normal. I have time to read and visit some of my favorite blogs, like our own Bandit Lair, The Romance Dish, The Romance Writers Revenge, etc...

I've managed to start a new project in my writing. Besides working on my next erotica, revising my western historical mail-order bride story for possible publication, I've started writing some "extras" for my website for people to read. (I had hoped to have them up by now...but that baby came four weeks early!! Impatient boy!) But let me tell you a little about these "extras".

If you've read The Surrender of Lacy Morgan, then you know there are five adopted sons who grew to adulthood on Los Hombres ranch under the guiding hand of their mentor, Anson "Cap" McCarthy. Some tragedy or tragic occurrence left these boys on their own when Cap found them.

So.....I thought it might be fun for my readers to hear each of the boys' stories about how they met Cap. The first three are up today...Quinn, Dakota and Will, with Nico and Ian's stories to follow shortly after. I'd love for y'all to take a look at them, let me know your opinion. You can read them now @ www.suzanneferrell.com

And for those of you who haunt websites, have you found any with extras or free reads you like? What did you like about them? Did they make you want to read the back list of the authors? Did they make you crave more of their series or characters?

Addison Fox and More Zodiac Warriors Return to the Lair!

interview with Suzanne

Banditas and all our friends, today my very good friend Addison Fox returns to the Lair to talk about the third book in her Sons of the Zodiac series, WARRIOR BETRAYED. Pull up a bar stool, a lounge chair or a cabana boy's lap and let's talk serious alpha male booty today with Addison.

Addison: Suz all the wonderful Banditas - thank you for having me! It's always so much fun to spend a day in the Lair ?

Suz: So, Addison, WARRIOR BETRAYED is the third in the Sons of the Zodiac series. So far you've given us the hunky Leo and super-sexy Scorpio. Which delicious brother are we going to see this time?

Addison: WARRIOR BETRAYED is Quinn's story - my Taurus warrior. Each of the warriors has a role to play on the team (you know, so they don't just sit around and look hot all day!) and Quinn is the team's security expert.

Suz: What trait of the Taurus Warrior did you focus on the most in this book? How does that effect Quinn's relationships with his brothers and his heroine?

Addison: Quinn's been a really vibrant character for me from the word "go" and very clear in my head. He's deeply stubborn and convinced he's right, but he's also fiercely loyal to those he loves.

Quinn spent a fair amount of the previous book, WARRIOR AVENGED, allowing his stubborn bent to shine through and he's now paying for it in his own story.

Suz: In WARRIOR BETRAYED, Montana Grant has spent her life under the shadow of decisions by both her parents. How is her destiny intertwined with Quinn's?

Addison: Part of what I loved about writing Montana is that she's on a real journey of self-discovery in this book. Although she knows something strange is happening around her, what she does not know when the book begins is that she is a rising immortal.

Her mother, Eirene, the goddess of peace (and Themis's daughter) abdicated her role to marry a mortal. Themis (the creator of the warriors) swore that Eirene's child would be destined to take her place and that has begun as the book opens.

As you might imagine, that's a rather tall order to place on a woman?.there's nothing better than a sexy warrior to help you get through it!

Suz: In each of your books your heroes are strong alpha males. What about this kind of hero appeals to you?

Addison: I will admit to loving strong, alpha males and digging down deep to find their vulnerabilities. It may be a bit cliché, but the premise of the alpha male - who falls hard when he finally does fall - is an incredibly fun thing to play with as a writer.

Suz: Since you have such strong personalities in your heroes how do you decide what kind of heroine to match with them?

Addison: One of the most enjoyable things about writing romance is pairing two characters who you really root for as a reader. A strong male (whether alpha or beta) needs an equally strong woman to make you feel these two people deserve a life together.

For me, the characters are everything to the story and it's always fun to match up two people and see the reasons they fall in love with each other.

In the case of Montana and Quinn, he's very sure of himself and needs a woman who isn't afraid to go head-to-head with him. For her part, Montana's not only spent a life of privilege, but she's also an incredibly powerful woman in her own right, running her family's shipping empire. Montana's a woman used to making decisions and it was important to me to pair her with a man who would celebrate her strengths and give her shelter for her vulnerabilities.

Suz: Soooooooo?who's next for me to drool over?er, for all your readers to look forward in anticipation?

Addison: I'm working on the fourth book in the Sons of the Zodiac series right now, WARRIOR ENCHANTED. It's Drake (the Pisces) and Emerson's (the witch next door) story. These two were introduced as a potential couple in WARRIOR AVENGED and I absolutely love them together.

What's been a lot of fun in writing this one is that Drake's already very sure he's in love with Emerson, but she's the one who is holding back. Of course, in true romantic fashion, things are about to get a whole lot worse for the both of them as Emerson's life is turned upside down by the return of her missing brother.

I'm really excited to add some new direction to the series in this book, with some new villains for the warriors to battle and a whole new challenge.There's this pesky new warrior whose come on the scene and who just happens to wear the mark of the 13th Sign.

Suz: To change the subject just a little bit, I hear there's an entirely different series coming from you soon. Care to fill the readers in on it?

Addison: I'd love to! I have a new contemporary series launching in November of this year. BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE is the first of a trilogy about a small town in Alaska that holds an annual Bachelor Competition. The heroine of BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE, Sloan McKinley, ends up in Indigo, Alaska by circumstance, but quickly falls in love with the town,and it's very eligible town lawyer.

Suz: So let's talk Zodiac signs. What's yours? Do you really fit into any of the traits you sign is supposed to have? 

Addison is going to give away a signed copy of WARRIOR BETRAYED to one lucky commentor!

Let's Talk TBR Piles!

by Suzanne

Recently, I've been on a reading kick. I love when that happens. I just want to sink into my TBR pile and plow through a dozen or so books. (Okay, I've been busy, so it's only been five.)

Here's what I've read lately:

The Lies That Bind by our own Kate Carlisle! Fabulous read, and oh Derek Stone is just sooooo yummy! Brooklyn is a lucky girl, Kate!





























The Ranger by Monica McCarty. Have you started this series? OMG! Like Speical Forces guys for Robert The Bruce. Can't. Wait. For. The Viper. Book #4.















The Emperor's Tomb by Steve Berry. Steve is sort of like my sorbet. You know, the pallet cleanser between all the courses of romances? Love me some action/adventure/intrigue. This is book #6.















Money, Honey by our Susan Sey. Susan's debut novel is witty, charming, sexy and captivating. Oh wait, Susan is, too! Love this book. Can't wait for the next one, Money Shot!














And I just read Warrior Betrayed arc for my interview with Addison Fox for next month.OH MY GOD. Y'all are gonna LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this hero and the Taurus Warrior!














And I am making a trip to the bookstore this week just to get a copy of  Lover Unleashed! Yummo, love me some BDB books!

So, what have YOU been reading? What are you looking forward to? Any one I need to add to my list?

Secondary Characters: The seasoning in the soup

by suzanne

No secret here, but I love to tinker in the kitchen. I especially like to try my hands at soups. Why? Because my husband LOVES soup. That man will eat soup everyday until the pot is empty.

Here's one of the things I've learned about soup. You have to layer in the flavors.

You start with your butter/olive oil heating in your pot. To this you add your Mirepoix--a mixture of diced carrots, onions, celery. After sauteing this until the onions are translucent, you usually add your meat. Then your wine and finally your stock. You must season with salt and pepper as you add each component, just a touch though. Always tasting to be sure you've seasoned correctly. Bring it all to a boil then you reduce the pot to a simmer, allowing the contents to mix, mingle, grow and change. Each element has an affect on the other.

Writing has the same process.

Butter/oil: You start with your story idea. That is the movement, the beginning of your process.

Mirepoix: You add your plot. This is the spot where you have a solid base of flavors on which your story must build.

Meats: Main characters. Your hero, heroine, antagonist. Those elements that give your story its uniqueness. Their backstories will change the pot to a certain flavor.

Wine & stock: This is your goal, motivation and conflict. They soften the characters, tenderize them, strengthen their flavors.

Seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic, thyme, rosemary or bay leaf): Secondary characters. Added throughout the story to give it depth. Complexity. Some are minor walk-through characters that make subtle changes to your story/characters. Others have such a strong impact and manipulate the other ingredients to such a detree that without them the story might not be the same.

Without seasoning, your soup might have all the major ingredients, but it will be bland, flat.

Secondary characters are some of my favorites.

Pride & Prejudice: Who doesn't love Lizzie's sister Jane and Mr. Bingley? They are such an important element in the story. They affect both Lizzie and Mr. Darcy's motivation, their conflict, their goals.

Lord of The Rings: The Hobbits. Each one has a destiny to fulfill. We all know Froddo's mission, but Sam is the element that helps achieve that goal all the way to the end. Merri and Pippin have their own battles to wage, affecting the outcome of the tale while adding their perky flavor to the story.






The Dark Hunter series: While each book is a stand alone book, their are elements that flow through each that unite their flavors. Acheron and Simi, Artemis and the other greek gods/godesses. The Damons. Even New Orleans plays a character in the books, flavoring them with its own unique spice.





No Body's Baby But Mine: This is my favorite SEP novel. Cal's family becomes an igredient that changes him and his relationship with his wife Jane. His parents relationship not only grows into a secondary plot, but influences the outcome of Cal and Jane's story.







Saving Grace: My favorite Julie Garwood story. Joanna's step brother Neil plays a pivitol role in bringing his sister to Gabriel for her protection. He irritates Gabriel, mostly because he's English, but also because Gabriel suspects that Neil harbors a hidden desire for his sister. When he turns up later in the story, he once again plays a part in the ever changing plot.






So, dear readers, do you like secondary characters? Who are some of your favorites? Why?