Hunter’s Quest and a Less Well-known Law Enforcement Agency By Karen McCullough

 

As a genre, romantic suspense frequently features characters in law enforcement professions. The pairing is a natural one. You have characters who are in some kind of danger or trouble. They need help from others whose job is to defend and protect. Most people in law enforcement are willing to put their lives on the line. The nature of the job is to be in danger. They’re trained in ways to root out evil and fight for right.

When I began writing Hunter’s Quest, I knew that one of the two protagonists would be in law enforcement, but I wanted to go with something a little different. There are plenty of police officers, FBI, and other alphabet agency characters in romantic fiction. In my home state of North Carolina, there have recently been several major stories involving the State Bureau of Investigation and I decided that would do nicely, so my hero is a special agent with the NC SBI.

It really worked out well for the story, though telling you why would be a bit of a spoiler.

Instead I offer an excerpt from near the beginning. To set it up, Kristie Sanford has been driving in the mountains when she’s stunned to hear a rifle shot close by and then a man runs out into the road. He jumps out of the way of her car at the last minute but appears to be injured.

BLURB

Kristie Sandford’s vacation is interrupted when a man jumps out in front of her car. She avoids hitting him, but when she stops to see if he’s hurt, he demands she help him escape from the people chasing him. Kristie has an odd “gift”-she occasionally gets warning messages, and she gets one saying he needs her help or he’ll die.

Jason Hunter is an SBI (N.C. State Bureau of Investigation) agent working on his own time searching for a friend, an investigative reporter who disappeared while tracking down rumors of corruption in the bureaucracy of a small, North Carolina mountain town. Jason is grateful to Kristie for rescuing him, but dubious when she insists she has to continue helping him. Kristie is attracted to Jason, but the edge of danger she senses in him reminds her too much of the abusive family she escaped as soon as she could. Still, the message said he’d die if she didn’t help him, and the messages have been right before.

EXCERPT

She dragged her cell phone from her purse, hoping, praying even. It still showed the blasted “No Service” message. She tossed it onto the seat and pounded the steering wheel with her fist, then opened the door and approached the man cautiously. He lay on his side, back to her, so she couldn’t see his face. Torn, dirty jeans covered long legs, with well-worn running shoes below. Sweat, dirt, and blood stained the cotton work shirt stretched tight across broad shoulders. Medium brown hair just brushed his collar.

Her stomach clenched tighter when she surveyed the area around him. The tree he’d hit had saved him from a worse fate. A few feet beyond it, the ground dropped off sharply, diving into a ravine some forty feet down. If he’d gone over the edge he would have been seriously injured or killed. She couldn’t even think about what would’ve happened if she’d swerved too much to avoid him.

He might be dead already. Kristie sucked in a deep breath and walked across the grass to stand over him. With his face turned down toward the ground, all she could see was the hard angle of one cheek, smeared with dirt, streaked with blood and sweat. He lay very still.

She reached down to put a hand on his shoulder, but stopped short when he spoke. Without moving any other muscle of his body, he said in a low, urgent whisper, “Do you see two men on the other side of the road?”

The breath she’d been holding slipped out on a sigh of relief. “You’re not dead. I didn’t think I’d hit you, but you were laying so still–”

“Shut up and listen!” The words cut across her relieved babble. He made no move other than to speak. “Do you see two men across the road?”

Kristie stared at him in shock for a moment before she looked up. Beyond her car the woods on the other side of the road were still. “No.”

“They’ll be here any minute.” He collected himself and sat up so suddenly Kristie backed away. He winced as he levered himself upright. A large smear of blood surrounded a ragged tear in the left sleeve of his shirt. Something more than a scrape had caused that injury. He looked around. The man was probably about thirty. The face that studied his surroundings was lean and had too many sharp angles to be called handsome, but a rugged strength shone through the grime, blood, and bruises. His skin was almost the same shade of brown as his hair, too deep and even to be a suntan. A large abraded area reddened his left temple, and blood from a scratch across the cheekbone tracked toward his ear.

The snap of a twig on the other side of the road made them both swing around to look that way. Kristie still didn’t see anyone. The man sitting on the ground looked up at her. His eyes were very light, either pale blue or gray, the color a startling contrast to his skin and hair, but they held a penetrating intelligence and force. “Tell them I went over the edge,” he ordered.

He offered no further explanation. Without waiting for her response, he crawled swiftly to a thicket of rhododendron bushes ten feet away and disappeared into its depths. Since he stayed low, her car would hide his movement from the person approaching. She winced when she thought about how many more scratches he’d collect in his passage through the shrubbery.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06X3Z8VLB

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/705030

Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hunters-quest-karen-mccullough/1125808779?ean=2940157500979

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/hunters-quest/id1211862427?mt=11

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/hunter-s-quest

 

BIO

Karen McCullough, a former editor for a series of trade publications and web designer, is also the author of more than a dozen published novels and novellas in the mystery, romantic suspense, and fantasy genres. Her publishers include Avalon Books, Harlequin, Kensington, Belle Bridge Books, and Five Star/Cengage. She’s won several awards including an Eppie Award for best fantasy novel and been a four-time Eppie finalist, a Daphne finalist, Prism finalist, Rising Star Award finalist and several others. Her short fiction has appeared in a number of anthologies and small press publications in the mystery, science fiction, and romance genres. Her most recent publication is a short story in the Triangle Sisters in Crime anthology: Carolina Crimes: 21 Tales of Need, Greed and Dirty Deeds, published July 31 by Down and Out Books. She has three children, eight grandchildren and lives in Greensboro, NC with her husband of many years.

Website: http://www.kmccullough.com

Blog: http://www.kmccullough/kblog

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarenMcCulloughAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kgmccullough

 

SPOTLIGHT: A Highland Emerald by Brenda Taylor

Blurb:

A Highland Emerald is the third book in the award-winning Highland Treasures series. It tells the story of Aine MacLean and William Munro, and is the prequel to A Highland Pearl.

 

Aine MacLean is forced into an arranged marriage with Sir William, Chief of Clan Munro, yet her heart belongs to a handsome young warrior in her father’s guard. She must leave Durant Castle, the home of her birth on the Isle of Mull, and travel across Scotland in a perilous journey to her husband’s home on Cromarty Firth. William agrees to a year and day of handfasting, giving Aine an opportunity to accept him and his clan. He promises her the protection of Clan Munro, however, Aine experiences kidnapping, pirates, and almost loses her life in the River Moriston. She doubts the sincerity of William’s promises and decides to return to Durant Castle when the handfasting ends. William determines to win Aine’s heart. Will the brave knight triumph in his fight for the bonnie lass?

 

Excerpt:

Isle of Mull

Scotland, 1486

 

My father sat in his usual chair in front of the crackling fire, staring at the flame with dim eyes and a fur robe wrapped around his broad shoulders, the deerhound curled at his feet.

“Where are you going, Aine?” he asked with his back turned toward the stone, spiral staircase where I stood. “Come, sit with me for awhile.”

I pushed the arisaid from my shoulders, letting it drop to the floor, then stepped over the wrap. Making my way to the stool where my mother’s embroidery frame stood, I took a seat and watched the flame.

Without turning his head, my father, Lachlan Og MacLean, eighth chief and fourth Laird of Durant Castle, asked, “Where are you going?”

“How did you ken ’twas I?” He never ceased to amaze me with his uncanny knowledge of events  around him although his eyes, so dimmed by injury, saw very little.

“I heard the rustle of your skirts.” He extended his hand for me, so I rose and hugged his neck.

He smiled, embracing my arms. “And I ken your scent, lass. ‘Tis so like your mither’s. You use the same scented soap as she.”

“Aye, but from so far away and with the smell of burning wood and dog in your nostril’s?”

“Your odor is a different pleasantry among the usual burning wood and dog. It stands out in my memory as does the pleasant odor of your mither.” He smiled broadly, showing still straight, white teeth beneath a greying beard. I could almost feel his penetrating gaze upon me as in the days before his sight was taken in battle. He asked, “Where are you going this dreary night?”

“Here, Da. To sit beside you and talk of the feast on the morrow.”

“Don’t try to deceive me, lass. I heard the sound of your arisaid dropping to the floor. You are planning a tryst, I feel certain.” His dimmed gaze pierced through to the depths of my soul. “I could see the turn of your head toward him each time he spoke at the evening meal.” A line formed between his brows and a shadow darkened his face. “You are to marry the Munro.”

“I dinna love William Munro.” My voice began to rise, and I struggled to control the cry climbing from the depths of my heart. “I wanna marry him, Da. You promised I could wed for love, not convenience.” The cry emerged from my lips. I buried my head on his shoulder and sobbed.

“Come here, lass.” Da rose, grabbed my hand and pulled me to face him, wrapping his powerful arms around my shoulders. He stroked my hair and planted a kiss atop my head. Disturbed, the great dog stood.

My heart ached to please Da, I loved him so. His tender embrace brought back memories of my childhood when he comforted me after a fall or some aggravation caused by my three older brothers. We stood for a long while.

He pushed me away, looking into my eyes and planting a kiss on my forehead. “I only want the best for you, sweeting. Your my heart, you ken. I dinna wish to leave this world without you being in the care of a good mon. The Munro is a good mon.” He hesitated then added, “With wealth and title.”

I looked into his faded blue eyes that once shone with the brilliance of the azure sky on a sunny day. He could only see the outline of my face while standing close, now. “If you truly desire the best for me, you’ll let me marry the love of my heart, not some bloat because of his title. Titles mean naught to me, Da.” Tears streamed from my eyes, wetting my cheeks. I pulled away from his grasp, swiping at the wetness with a smock sleeve.

“The Munro is a good mon and a fierce warrior. ’Tis nae better for a husband. He’ll be here on the morrow. We’ll have a feast to celebrate your marriage.”

“He’s old. I’m only eighteen summers. I shan’t attend.” Sometimes the stubbornness of my nature overtook good sense. I knew not to speak to my father in such a manner. He also possessed an immovable streak, and his word overruled my desires.

“He’s no’ old, Aine. A few years your senior, but no’ old by any means. When he’s my age, then he’ll be old.” I continued to sniff, wetting the front of his léine. All right, Aine. If that’s the way this game is to be played. You’ll be watched until after the celebration and the Munro departs.” The words spewed from Da’s mouth. A sinister, dark shadow cloaked his face. Muscles twitched in his jaws and his hands clenched in tight fists. I stepped back.

He abruptly turned and made his way up the stone steps to the upper story bed chambers, feeling the wall for security. When his foot struck the arisaid I dropped on the stair, he reached down, seized the garment and flung it with a vehemence I rarely witnessed from him, and continued up the staircase. The large dog followed at his heels. Not knowing what to do, I grabbed the arisaid, wrapped it closely around my shoulders, pulled the hood over my head, then ran toward the door of the great hall. Ellic waited in the garden. I wanted to be near him, feel his embrace, and listen to the sweet words he would whisper in my ear.

 

Buy Links:

Amazon

iBooks

Smashwords

 

Author Bio:

The desire to write historical fiction has long been a passion with Brenda B. Taylor. Since elementary school, she has written stories in her spare time. Brenda earned three degrees: a BSE from Henderson State University, Arkadelphia, Arkansas; a MEd from Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas; and an EdD from Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas; then worked as a teacher and administrator in the Texas Public School system. Only after retirement could she fulfill the dream of publication.

Brenda and her husband make their home in beautiful East Texas where they enjoy spending time with family and friends, traveling, and working in Bethabara Faith Ministry, Inc. She crafts stories about the extraordinary lives of ordinary people in her favorite place overlooking bird feeders, bird houses, and a variety of blooming trees and flowers. She sincerely thanks all who purchase and read her books. Her desire is that the message in each book will touch the heart of the reader as it did hers in the writing.

 

Author Contact Information:

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Interview with Cherie Claire

What genre(s) do you write in and why?

Call me a mass market novelist.

I started writing historical romance years ago, focusing on Acadian (Cajun) history. I sold my first book, “A Cajun Dream,” in 1999 to Kensington and it was followed by a novella and a four-part series. All six of those books are now ebooks (The Cajun Series) and available at all online bookstores. I also penned a three-book contemporary romance-girlfriend series called The Cajun Embassy series and it’s also online.

Now, I’m veering into paranormal mysteries.

Tell us about your current series.

My latest series is the paranormal Viola Valentine Mystery Series, starting with the first book, “A Ghost of a Chance.” It concerns a Katrina survivor named Viola Valentine who decides, after the storm, to reinvent herself and follow her dream of becoming a travel writer. But the storm also blew open a psychic door and now she sees ghosts who have died by water as a SCANC, a person who experiences “specific communication with apparitions, non-entities and the comatose.” As she enters her new career, solving mysteries that appear with apparitions everywhere she goes, the one person she hopes to speak to — her daughter who died of leukemia years before — continues to elude her. Or does she?

What inspired your latest book?

When Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast, my heart shattered into a million pieces. I knew I had to do something to help my hometown of New Orleans so I quit my newspaper job and was hired for a Unitarian Universalist recovery program. At the same time, I started freelance writing on the side. One thing I was never able to do as a newspaper editor was travel writing, my dream job, and my new flexibility allowed me to do that.

Both experiences inspired me to write “A Ghost of a Chance,” a story about a newspaper reporter named Viola Valentine who ends up on her roof after Katrina floods New Orleans and experiences an epiphany of sorts. She leaves her loveless marriage, boring job and overbearing family and follows her dream of becoming a travel writer.

What is your favorite part of writing?

Making things up!

What is your least favorite part of writing?

Editing. It’s a necessary part of creating a book but it’s tedious, not much fun.

What is your next project and when will it be released?

The second book in the series, “Ghost Town,” is now available, continuing Viola Valentine’s story. I’ve discounted “A Ghost of a Chance” to a free download to encourage readers to check out my new series.

Here’s the description of “Ghost Town”: Every day at dusk, in a small Louisiana town, the dead emerge from Lorelei Lake. And travel writer Viola Valentine must use her “gift” of seeing ghosts to rid this town of its apparitions. Viola struggles not only with the task at-hand, but hopes that this evolving ability she obtained after Hurricane Katrina will help her reach her beloved Lillye.

Yet, the more Viola struggles to talk to her departed daughter, the more frustrated she gets. Plus, it’s 2008, the height of the Great Recession, travel jobs are hard to come by, and her suffocating family and ex-husband keep making demands. She takes solace in a new love interest, one who teaches her how to harness her anger.

In the end, Viola realizes that only love can solve her problems, from ridding ghosts of lakeside towns to healing a broken heart.

Where do you get the ideas for your stories?

From real life. My day job, so to speak, is travel writing. Some of my journalist friends are now scared I will put them into my books.

Do you write under a pen name?   Why or why not?

My pen name is Cherie Claire. I was told by my editor at Kensington, when I was first published with them that my real name, Cheré Dastugue Coen, didn’t work because there’s an accent, an unpronounceable French name (which is my maiden name) and Coen is too ethnic. I made Cherie sans accent and Claire was my favorite aunt. On social media, I claim that Cheré is my twin. When you have two lives as freelance writer and author, it feels like there are two people.

What are you currently working on?

Book three in the series, tentatively titled “Ghosts of Mississippi,” and I’m sure you can guess where the story takes place.

Describe the genre of this particular title? 

“A Ghost of a Chance” in my Viola Valentine series is part paranormal, part mystery and a little romance/sensuality with a chick-lit narrative. Hard to find an appropriate genre — fantasy, mystery, ghosts — but I believe fans of Charlaine Harris will enjoy my books.

Are you a member of any writing organizations and, if so, have they helped.

I’m a member of Novelists, Inc., which has helped tremendously. I highly recommend it for those pursuing a career as a novelist, especially if they want to tackle self-publishing.

EXCERPT

I quickly shampoo my hair, feeling better despite the anchor attached to my heart, and step out of the tub. I grab the lush bathrobe on the back of the door and slip inside its comfort, but the ever-present pain won’t let me relax.

It was like this when Lillye died, the endless crying, the dark hole of depression. I could never understand how human beings don’t dehydrate from the amount of water we exude through grief.

I gasp for breath, then exhale, ready to steady my emotions and face the world when I see her in the mirror, faintly, the line of her figure like a shadow marked by a Sharpie. She wears the schoolgirl outfit of the blond in the cave, but her hair combed back into a bun is a muddy red, the unfashionable color, not the one everyone emulates through Clairol. She stares at me sadly through pin-prick eyes above an unremarkable nose. Plain Jane is what comes to me in a flash. And although this apparition, if that’s what I’m seeing, isn’t offering emotion of any kind, I feel her pain. Loneliness, heartbreak and something much more acute.

The loss of a child.

Links

Website: https://www.cherieclaire.net/

Amazon: http://littl.ink/GhostChance

B&N: http://littl.ink/GhostChanceBN

Kobo: http://littl.ink/GhostChanceK

iTunes: http://littl.ink/GhostChanceA

Blog: https://www.cherieclaire.net/my-louisiana-home

AUTHOR BIO

Cherie Claire is the award-winning author of several Louisiana romances. “A Ghost of a Chance,” begins a paranormal mystery series featuring New Orleans travel writer and ghost sleuth Viola Valentine. Cherie lives in South Louisiana where she works as a travel and food writer when not indulging in Cajun culture. Visit her website at www.cherieclaire.net and write to her at CajunRomances@Yahoo.com.

An Unlikely Mother by Danica Favorite

Hi Cindy’s readers! I’m so thankful Cindy agreed to have me on her blog. I’ve written a couple drafts of my post, and to be honest, I didn’t like any of them. There is so much I want to say about An Unlikely Mother, because it captured my heart in so many ways. So I’m going to give you a brief rundown of the three characters I love the most.

Flora is the heroine. I didn’t want to like Flora. After all, why should the most hated girl in town get a happily ever after? But I realized a couple of things. One, I fully believe that no one is beyond redemption. People can learn and grow. Two, in a lot of ways, we’re all like Flora. Maybe we weren’t the town gossip, but we all have flaws. Some greater than others. And so, for me, Flora is a symbol of the hope that no matter how far any of us fall, we can always get back up again and be something greater.

George is the hero. I’ll admit that even though I live in the mountains with no television reception, if I’m somewhere where I can watch Undercover Boss, I do. I love the idea of a boss taking the time to become one of the employees to learn what’s really going on. I’d like to think that brings lasting change to the boss and how he or she views the people around them. I know it did for George, and it’s a really good reminder for me to think about what the world likes like from perspectives different from mine.

Pierre is the darling little boy they help. How can you not love a little boy? For me, though, the most fun was that I finally got to use all those years of French! I’ve been sad that I spent so long studying it in school, and I’ve never used it. I was also very proud of myself, because I had a couple of French experts read those parts, and they said I did great.

So that’s the brief rundown of my characters. A lot of different pieces, but I enjoyed finding ways to fit them all together. I hope you enjoyed getting to know the characters I love. I’d love to hear about the kinds of characters you love and why you love them.

About Danica:

A self-professed crazy chicken lady, Danica Favorite loves the adventure of living a creative life. She and her family recently moved in to their dream home in the mountains above Denver, Colorado.  Danica loves to explore the depths of human nature and follow people on the journey to happily ever after. Though the journey is often bumpy, those bumps are what refine imperfect characters as they live the life God created them for. Oops, that just spoiled the ending of all of Danica’s stories. Then again, getting there is all the fun.

You can connect with Danica at the following places:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Danica-Favorite/e/B00KRP0IFU

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/danica-favorite

Website: http://www.danicafavorite.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/danicafavorite
Instagram: https://instagram.com/danicafavorite/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DanicaFavoriteAuthor

 

Book links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Unlikely-Mother-Love-Inspired-Historical-ebook/dp/B01M9C3M1G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1498799660&sr=8-1

BN: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/an-unlikely-mother-danica-favorite/1124880608?ean=9780373425242

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/an-unlikely-mother/id1173001759?mt=11

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/an-unlikely-mother

RE-INTRODUCING… Heroic Rogue Series by Marie Higgins

Reviews

* This was a very intriguing book; it held my attention from start to finish–so much so that I read it in one day! I liked it and would highly recommend it as a worthwhile read. ~Amazon review

* I am so pleased to be able to give this book my highest rating and recommendation. It was an absolute delight to read, and I cannot think of any portion of the book I did not like. ~Barnes and Noble review

* One of the best stories I’ve ever read! ~Wattpad review

* Well done❤

I count always count on your books to be well written and well thought out. I don’t get to see that very often. I really love your stories. They make me… happy!

When I first wrote the Heroic Rogue Series, each book was set in the Colonial era in the US, just before the Revolutionary War. I have revised them and placed each story into England during the Regency era. It surprised me how differently the stories turned out.

GIVEAWAY – leave a comment on this blog with your name and email, and you’ll be entered into a drawing to receive a free book of your choice! (I have 42 to choose from)

Heroic Rogue Series – Heroes who fight to protect their country from Napoleon’s controlling hand…and men who won’t give up on the women who have captured their hearts.

“Pretending You’re Mine” (previously published as Take My Heart) – Portraying her twin is the only way Mercedes Maxwell can get close to her sister’s husband to learn his secrets. William Braxton is confused about the sudden change in his wife, and yet, now he’d drawn to her like never before. Can they fall in love with numerous secrets between them? http://a.co/9899GMP

 

“After the Loving” (previously published as Falling in Love Again)  – Marcus Thorne / Captain Hawk is determined to capture Napoleon’s spies, even if one is so very lovely and seductive. Isabelle Stanhope gives her heart to her captor, even if she’s forced to marry a man she doesn’t love. Can they fight against fate’s rules? http://a.co/4A2MMbm

 

“Wonderland by Night” – Nobody must know that Lady Emiline Lucia’s uncle is Napoleon Bonaparte. She must protect herself against those who hate France’s emperor. Gabriel Lawrence hides his identity as a spy. How can he protect them both if a spy against the crown is always one step ahead…and wants Gabe dead? http://a.co/gCyWsns

 

“Worth Fighting For” – Lindsay Lennox, youngest daughter of Turkey’s governor, will do anything to meet and kiss a man…even sneak aboard a ship that is sailing to England. Captain Barry Braxton is heading home to take over his dying father’s place, co-partnering with his uncle (William Braxton). Will the lovely stowaway stop his plans? http://a.co/hu8dWdQ

 

Author’s Bio

Marie Higgins is a best-selling, multi-published author of Christian and sweet romance novels; from refined bad-boy heroes who make your heart melt to the feisty heroines who somehow manage to love them regardless of their faults. She’s been with a Christian publisher since 2010. Between those and her others, she’s published over 40 heartwarming, on-the-edge-of-your-seat stories and broadened her readership by writing mystery/suspense, humor, time-travel, paranormal, along with her love for historical romances. Her readers have dubbed her “Queen of Tease”, because of all her twists and turns and unexpected endings.

 

Visit her website / blog to discover more about her – www.mariehiggins.com

Find her on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/marie.higgins.7543

And Twitter – https://twitter.com/mariehigginsXOX