Meet the Villian from Tempted by Rita Thedford

We want to hear about the bad guys, bad gals and villains in your book. Even if you don't have a murderer, thief or other "bad guy" there should be some negative force.

Who causes friction is the story?

Despite the sparks that fly between my hero and heroine, it is a strong cast of several villains who provide negative impact in Tempted, my regency set historical romance. Both protagonists have vile enemies who unite in a single effort to bring ruin to the two lovers, Elizabeth and Christian. Edward Huntley, Lord Stanhope, is the man who murdered his wife, Elizabeth’s sister. Christian has an enemy in the form of his cousin, Park Mansfield, who will inherit a vast title should Christian fail to marry by midnight of his 35th birthday. Park teams up with Beatrice Fitzgerald, who hates Christian because she sees him as a threat to her son. She also would like to “hook up” with Park after he inherits a fortune. Greedy wench!

Do you prefer bad guys or bad gals?

Personally, I prefer “bad gals” because they are so unexpected. Women are seen throughout history as lovers, nurturers, and caregivers so it is vastly unexpected and surprising to read about these wicked women. They are villains who constantly stun the reader with their reliance on cunning and manipulation as opposed to physical strength. This makes them unforgettable.

How do you use your bad guys?

In Tempted, my “bad guys” continually throw up barriers between my hero and heroine. Edward Huntley, is pro-active in his plot for revenge as he sends out henchmen to kill Elizabeth but he’s a pitiful guy. He never succeeds and he’s stupid. On the other hand, Park is very smart and cunning. He hides behind the façade of being slightly stupid. He’s also outrageously handsome. His lover, and the queen witch of this piece, is Beatrice. She is cunning, calculating, and utterly horrific as she weaves intricate plots and plans to destroy the lovers. Both Park and Beatrice are three dimensional characters. Mid way through Tempted, however, the villains manage to bring the lovers together despite every attempt at the opposite.

Do you enjoy writing the bad guys or do you find it difficult?

No. I loooove crafting bad guys…the smarter, more cunning, the better. As someone who tends to bottle up anger, for me, it is a great (and safe) release (grinning). Once I begin to vent through my villain, everything is just organic.

Whether you enjoy writing them or hate writing them, we'd like to know why you feel that way?

For a writer, especially one who is a NICE person, it’s very challenging. Crafting a terrifically wicked “bad guy” just makes the story much more interesting. Besides, sometimes it’s FUN to be BAD.

Who is your favorite bad guy in any of your books? Which bad guy and which book are they in?

I have to say that Beatrice Fitzgerald from Tempted is the worst of the lot and she was deliciously wicked. Bea was beautiful, cunning, and murderous.

Who is your favorite fictional bad guy -- that's not in your books?

Oh, that’s easy. Nurse Ratchett from Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is my all time favorite “bad guy” or should I say, “bad girl”. Thank you for telling us about your bad guys. We love to meet the "evil ones".

Tempted- a sizzling romance set in regency England

available now at http://www.wingsepress.com/ Golden Wings Award Winner

Paperback ISBN 978-1-59705-911-0
e-book ISBA 978-1-59705-098-9

The Villian from XIII by Keith Gaston

Who causes friction is the story?

Jason Peters

Do you prefer bad guys or bad gals?

I don’t have a preference both make great villains.

How do you use your bad guys?

Jason is tormented and going through a transformation. He promised to give up something very important to him and it is changing him physically and spiritually to hold on to it.

Do you enjoy writing the bad guys or do you find it difficult?

The bad guys are the best part of a thriller. I would find it difficult not to write a good bad guy.

Whether you enjoy writing them or hate writing them, we'd like to know why you feel that way?

A villain drives the story forward and gives the hero his or her motivation to go on despite the odds they must face.

Who is your favorite bad guy in any of your books? Which bad guy and which book are they in?

This one is tough to answer, I have about three villains I could place here but I will stick with the one who’s the most evil of all.

Beelzebub (Beelzy) Abaddon from XIII. I like him because of his quirkiness; he walks around in his office in his bare feet, smoke Cuban cigars, always finds a way to manipulate people in his soft spoken way and oh yes, he’s the devil.

Who is your favorite fictional bad guy -- that's not in your books?

Professor Moriaty from Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes series. I’m also partial to the Master, from Doctor Who.

Keith (D. K. Gaston)
www.dkgaston.com
www.myspace.com/dkgaston

XIII by Keith Gaston

What's her name?
Mary Jamison

Why did you pick that name?
Mary’s name comes from a relative of mine.Give us a brief description of how she looks.
She looks like Demi Moore, she stands at five ten, and usually wears her long hair in a bun.

Is there anything unusual about her appearance?
She looks like Demi Moore.

Who does she love? Why?
She’s still in love with her late husband, Eric. He was killed during a botched federal sting operation.

Does this person love her?
Always

Tell us about her family.
No family, Mary was an orphan. Though she is very close to the family that works for her at a bed and breakfast; Eula, Edward and their daughter Diane.

Where is she from?
Mary is originally from Dearborn, Michigan but later moved to Devereux (fictional town) where she was placed into the Friday House Orphanage.

Does her hometown affect her behavior, thoughts and attitude?
She grew up in a tough environment and became a bit of a loner because of it.

What does she want out of life?
To be left alone with her thoughts and to live a simple, quiet life.

What's her biggest secret? (Only share if it isn't a spoiler in the story.)
That she had thought of killing herself on more than one occasion.

Did you write more than one story about her?
No.

How would she describe you?
She would say that I watch too many cartoons.

Keith (D. K. Gaston)
http://www.dkgaston.com/
www.myspace.com/dkgaston

HOW TO SUBMIT

If you would like to see information about your book featured on this blog, I need you to answer the questions below and send the answers to me. This works best if you copy the questions into a document, answer the questions, save as a RTF (rich text file) and email them to me at nikki_leigh22939@yahoo.com. Please list "My Best Friend's Story" in the signature line. You can also send a copy of your cover art if you would like me to include it with your post. I look forward to learning more about you and your book.


1 - Tell us a bit about your book.
2 - Tell us about the best friend - gender, age, appearance, how they came to be with the hero or heroine and anything else we need to know about them.
3 - Who does the "best friend" help in the book?
4 - Does the best friend have a specific purpose in the book?
5 - How does your hero or heroine feel about the best friend?
6 - How would your hero or heroine handle their problems or difficulties with the best friend?
7 - Are there problems between the best friend and your main characters?
8 - Do you see the best friend ever having their own story?
9 - Was the best friend inspired by anyone you know?
10 - Is there anything else about the best friend that we need to know? Feel free to share.
11 - Please provide your website link.
12 - What is the link to buy your book?

Cobweb on the Soul - Nadene Carter

What’s her name?

Abigail (Abby) Carlson is the heroine in my novel, A Cobweb on the Soul

Why did you pick that name?

I went to several baby name sites and pulled up names that mothers gave their daughter back in 1977 when my heroine was born. I already had the bare bones of my story plotted out. The name, Abigail, was on that list, and it fit this character of this story.

Give us a brief description of how she looks.

Abby stands 5 ft. 8 inches, has shoulder-length auburn hair, and gold-flecked brown eyes.

Where does she work? Does her work add anything to the story?

Abby is an architect with the McNeil Clark architectural firm in Park City, Utah, home of the 2002 Winter Olympics. Her work allows the reader to see another side of Abby’s personality as well shows how she reacts in this setting.

How would a friend or co-worker describe Abby?

Positive traits: Type A personality, can do attitude, dependable … almost to her detriment, kind, patient but with a breaking point.

Negative traits: Impulsive, so hard working that people sometimes take advantage of her, sometimes over-thinks things, lets old memories gnaw on her.

Who does she love? Why?

Jared Norton is Abby’s love interest, but … he is a cop, and she has long-standing issues with cops in general. She thinks she has put all that behind her until she discovers the body of a teenage girl who resembles her sister, Lianne, who disappeared nine years ago.

[A clip from the novel]
Abby studied the contour of the face she’d come to love. What was he thinking? Usually she didn’t care for a mustache, but the way Jared wore his neatly trimmed and not at all ostentatious gave him a classic look. A most handsome thirty-two-year-old man, and the contrast between his soft hazel eyes and strong square jaw often got him an admiring glance from the casual passerby. He took some good-natured ribbing from the guys because of the unsolicited attention that came his way.

How did they meet?

[A clip from the novel]
(Abby) smiled at the memory of the first day she met him last fall when she moved to town. She had sped along Kearns Boulevard to catch up with the mover’s van before it reached her condo, and a policeman had pulled her over. She turned on the charm and talked her way out of a ticket.

While the officer wrote up a warning, someone stopped to talk to him, obviously someone from the department, because he had a portable red light on the dashboard of his car. He was so strikingly handsome, in a rugged sort of way, it was difficult not to stare. He met her gaze with an equally appraising look of his own. It made her think of that old song . . . I was looking back to see if he was looking back at me . . . something or other.

Does this person love her?

Yes, but … he so mourns the past that he misses the joy in the present. Even after all these years, he still grieves for Cindy (his first wife who was killed inside their apartment in a robbery gone bad). How can (Abby) possibly compete with that image of perfection?

Tell us about her family and where she is from.

Frank and Birdie still own the ranch outside Greeley, Colorado where Abby grew up.

[A clip from the novel]
She thought of her father’s words: ‘One acre or a hundred takes ’bout the same machinery to run. Remember that, Ab, when you get rich enough to buy a place of your own’. Her eyes refocused from mental images of the Colorado ranch where she grew up back to the Bradford Estate.

Does where she grew up affect her behavior, thoughts and attitude?

She has retained the work ethic and dependability she learned while growing up and working with her father on the family farm.

What does she want out of life?

Abby is to the age where she would like to be married, but she is hesitant to go there until she is very sure of the man she loves.

What's her biggest secret? (Only share if it isn't a spoiler in the story.)

[A clip from the novel]
As a child, Abby never tired of hearing her mother tell the story about the day they brought ten-day-old Abby home. Frank and Birdie had waited such a long time to adopt, and they accepted the likelihood that Abby would be their only child. Then Lianne had come along.

Lianne. Abby still remembered the day they brought her home to live with them. At first, five-year-old Abby had been so excited to have a little sister, but her enthusiasm quickly cooled. Lianne was tiny for being almost three years old and so pretty, long blond curls and a smile that melted everyone’s heart, and they all made such a fuss over her. Abby recalled feeling ugly by comparison. With a stab of guilt, she also remembered wishing Lianne hadn’t come to live with them, a regret buried deep in her soul, one that she had never shared with anyone.

What does Abby do that makes her a heroine in your story?

Abby unwittingly becomes a target for a serial killer. He kidnaps Megan, Abby’s best friend’s three-year-old daughter, and uses the child to try to control Abby. Abby uses her brains, spunk, and courage to defeat this killer.

Did you write more than one story about her?

I have a sequel planned for Abby, but it is still in the simmering stage.

It was wonderful to meet her. Thank you for bringing her to meet us.

For more information, visit - http://www.nadenecarter.com/

Killraven by Arline Chase

Book: KILLRAVEN
Author: Arline Chase

What's his name?

DeCoursey Rogers.

Why did you pick that name?

Roger is my husband's name and DeCoursey Bridge (near my home) is reputed to be the hang-out of our local headless ghost, Big Liz.

Give us a brief description of how he looks.

Coursey is tall, lean, dark, and could pass for handsome in poor light. His skin is tan and weathered from seven years at sea aboard a whaler, and there are lines around his eyes, from squinting in the sun.His laughter is a joyful sound and rings out often in good times, but never with cruelty.

Is there anything unusual about his appearance?

Not really.

Who does he love? Why?

He loves his grandmother, who raised ihm. Loves her enough to come home and care for her when he learns she is ill, even though the secrets in the past that drove him away have not changed. He is mighty attracted to Hope Voeschell, who was raised in a kind of pacifist cult that took all the fun out of fundamentalism. They shunned her for wanting to be a teacher.

Does this person love him?

Gran loves Coursey and doesn't want to be a "burden" to him. Hope, jobless, homeless, and living on the charity of her best friend, is too worried about how to earn a living to admit how she feels about Coursey.

Tell us about his family. Are they important to him?

Coursey's parents ran a mill in Ohio. They were murdered there by raiders following the Civil War. He was sent back to the island to live with his grandmother.

Where is he from?

Killraven Island, a small Chesapeake Bay Island peopled by farmers and commercial fishermen.

Does his hometown affect his behavior, thoughts and attitude?

Always.

What does he want out of life?

A family to love and care for, safety for the people of the island, a peaceful way of life. But because of incidents in the past Coursey has given up on that dream.

What's his biggest secret? (Only share if it isn't a spoiler in the story.)

Can't share it here.

Did you write more than one story about him?

Well KILLRAVEN started as a story in a collection of short stories based in family history. That book was called THE DROWNED LAND, and was an Eppie finalist in 1998/ Then several of those stories entwined themselves and grew into the novel KILLRAVEN.

How would he describe you?

As his great-great-great-grand neice.

For more information, visit - www.ebooksonthe.net/authorsonthenet/chase

Round Table Magician by Ann Tracy Marr

What's his name?

Richard, Lord Brinston, son and heir of the Duke of Haverhorn. His nickname (used only by those close to him, at his invitation) is Brin. He is a Round Table Magician.

Why did you pick that name?

Brinston - when I first wrote his name, it sounded good. Solid English salt and pepper of the earth. Unlike other characters in my writing, once he was named, he never let me change it. It fits.

Give us a brief description of how he looks.

Brinston is the archetype of the romance hero: tall, dark and handsome, at least in Lady Martha's eyes. When she first met him, he looked like an angel, but once she realized what a pain he can be, he looked devilish. His eyes are pewter gray, turning to mist when he is sweet. Brinston can give the impression of being one very dangerous man, but he tends to keep that side of him tamped down.

Is there anything unusual about his appearance?

I can't say there is anything in his looks that would strike a passerby as distinctive other than his assurance. His unusual qualities are on the inside. Very few people meet the real Brinston.

Who does he love? Why?

Brinston loves his mother, father, sister and brother because they are supportive of him and fill his life with the love all people need. He does not love Lady Martha. No way is he going to love Martha.

Does this person love him?

His family? Of course they love Brin, austere warts and all. They can see beyond the forbidding mask he ties on for safety to the man inside who is capable of great tenderness. Martha? Poor girl, she can't help but love Brinston, even when he makes her as mad as a dowager not given deference.

Where is he from?

Brinston doesn't come from a town, like those upstart Americans with their notions of equality. He hails from a proud line of men, one of whom gave allegiance to William the Conqueror. He is a blooded aristocrat of Regency era England . He was born at Brinston Castle , one of the great estates of Britain .

Does his hometown affect his behavior, thoughts and attitude?

Since home is family, not a place, it permeates every inch of Brinston. The sterling difference between him and his father is Brinston has decided that he cannot share his life with a lover. His father was lucky; there isn't another lady in the world like the duchess. He will marry -- eventually -- but his wife will be a shallow society lady, one who does not need or want to share his inner life. He will NOT marry Lady Martha.

What does he want out of life?

Do you mean before or after Lady Martha batters him into shape?

What's his biggest secret?

He has a few secrets. First, when Brinston is undercover chasing spies and other bad guys for the government, even his name is unknown. But Brinston's biggest secret is he is a magician. Handling magic is dangerous; look how many witches, wizards and magicians have been burned at the stake throughout history and you will understand why it can't be known. He means never to reveal himself. To anyone. No way can Brinston kneel before a woman and proclaim, "I am a magician." It would give her too much power over him.

Did you write more than one story about him?

Brinston's story is Round Table Magician -- you can get the paperback at amazon.com and the e-book at www.awe-struck.net. He does make appearances in Thwarting Magic, which is looking for publication now. I anticipate he will show up in other books as yet unwritten. I like Brin too much to lose track of him. Even if he is unwilling to peek in, Lady Martha will make him be sociable.

How would he describe you?

First, he would be snooty and proper, saying, "Yes, I met Ann Tracy Marr at Camelot." Privately, I can see him telling his friends, "Ann Tracy Marr, she is one of the dowagers to avoid at Almack's. She's got two marriageable daughters." What he won't tell a soul is that I am almost as irritating as Lady Martha. I nudge him to open up -- I urge him to admit he doesn't need or want to spend his life as an island -- I kick him in the butt and tell him he isn't going to get away with staying aloof from life. Come to think of it, Brinston probably thinks I am as irritating as Lady Martha, even if I don't throw my daughters at his head.

It was wonderful to meet him. Thank you for bringing him to meet us. By the way, do you have a picture of him that you'd like to share?

Pictures are paintings; the photograph was unknown even magically in 1814 England . All of Brinston's paintings are hanging at the Castle. If I tried to take one to give you, the duke would probably throw me in a dungeon. Lady Martha has a miniature, but sorry to say, she won't share it. It is in a locket that she wears all the time.

D. K. Gaston Hero From XIII

What's his name?

Avery Hudson

Why did you pick that name?

Avery comes from actor Avery Brooks (Deep Space 9) and Hudson comes from the Bruce Willis movie Hudson Hawk Give us a brief description of how he looks. Hudson is a bounty hunter pursuing a man who sold his soul to the devil for 13 years of youth, fame and fortune.

Is there anything unusual about his appearance?

Nothing unusual. He's 6 feet, muscular build, bronze skin and wears a short cropped hairdo like a soldier.

Who does he love? Why?

He's falling in love with small town sheriff Mary Jamison. There was an instant chemistry between them.

Does this person love him?

No, her heart belongs to the memory of her late husband. She has no room for another.

Tell us about his family. Are they important to him?

His mother died when he was young. His father, a soldier, was hard on him. They have a strained relationship. Avery never speaks of him.

Where is he from?

Avery is a military brat. He doesn't know his actual birthplace.

Does his hometown affect his behavior, thoughts and attitude?

The military was an important part of him. He even drives a Hummer to transport his prisoners. What does he want out of life? To make enough money to retire before 40 and to move to some tropical island surrounded by beautiful island girls.

What's his biggest secret? (Only share if it isn't a spoiler in the story.)

Not able to bear seeing his mother suffering anymore in the hospital, Avery turned off her life-support machine. He blanked the entire incident from his memory.

Did you write more than one story about him?

I've begun the sequel, Chasing the Dark, and have an premise for the third novel.

How would he describe you?

Nerdy.

KeithD K Gaston http://www.dkgaston.com/

The Hero of Windwalker by Donna Sundblad

What's his name?

Manelin

Why did you pick that name?

I tend to choose names based on what they mean. Manelin means Prince of Princes. It sounded like an unlikely hero name, and Manelin is a reluctant hero when first thrust into the thick of running from all he has ever known to learn that he is to fulfill his destiny as Arich—Savior of his people. Pieces of ancient prophecies come into play, but it's up to him to make choices. Right or wrong, they carry him deeper into situations that teach him to trust, act and even to love.

Give us a brief description of how he looks.

For Manelin it depends on when in the story we see him. Ethnically, his people are dark-haired and brown-eyed. However, his parents leave him with a man they trust among the Jonnick, a fair race, where he is forced to wash his hair with a purple concoction that lightens his hair and disguises his origins while living among the enemy.

Is there anything unusual about his appearance?

He is the only person within his village with brown eyes. As a child other children tease him calling him dung eyes. He's a loner, but not by choice.

Who does he love? Why?

He loves, Philander, the man he thinks is his grandfather.Does this person love him?Philander loves Manelin as his own. While raising the two-year-old to adulthood, Philader struggles to find the right time to tell the boy of his origins and his place in history.

Tell us about his family. Are they important to him?

Manelin's biological family gave him over to be raised by Philander because they believed the prophecies. It is predicted that his people will be trapped within the cage of ice and the only one to save them is the Arich. Because they believe their son fulfills this position they leave their two-year-old son behind with great distress knowing he will live among a people that hate them but with faith that he will rise to help them in the future.

Where is he from?

Manelin is born on a moonless night within the Stygian kiva. His people don't believe that the Land belongs to the people, but people belong to the Land. So he doesn't have a country—he is of the Land. This concept is one of the divisions between two cultures occupying the Land.

Does his hometown affect his behavior, thoughts and attitude?

Manelin's people's belief that the people do not own the Land is in direct contrast to the Jonnick belief as their villages not only take over the land, but their laws put restrictions on the Stygians to the point of extinction.

What does he want out of life?

Manelin grows up without friends other than his grandfather and uncle and enjoys spending time with his goats as a goatherd. Because of the way people of the Village of Chock treat him due to his brown eyes; he prefers to spend time away from people and with his goats. As a young adult his one desire is to have a real friend.

What's his biggest secret? (Only share if it isn't a spoiler in the story.)

His biggest secret, which he doesn't know until he reaches manhood is that he is not Jonnick, but is of Stygian blood.

Did you write more than one story about him?

No, this is the only one, although I've had requests for a sequel.

How would he describe you?

That's an interesting question. It made me think of him looking at me through the monitor. He'd say that I'm a motherly character that wants the best for him and a world where people learn to accept each other for who they are and to see that every person has worth.It was wonderful to meet him. Thank you for bringing him to meet us.

By the way, do you have a picture of him that you'd like to share?

Not a physical picture. But he's a handsome young man. Dark hair and olive skin. Straight white teeth and a lean muscular build. He's gorgeous, but his low self-esteem doesn't allow him to think so.

For more information, visit Donna's website - http://www.theinkslinger.net/

Arline Chase Introduces the Hero From Ghost Dancer

I'm very pleased to introduce you to Arline Chase, author and publisher. She is sharing information with us about the hero from her novel Ghost Dancer.

What's his name?

Rowan Cameron, or in the Blackfoot Nation he is the warrior Walks Alone

Why did you pick that name?
His father was a Scot who was transported after the battle of Culloden. His mother was a blue-eyed Cherokee, who named all her children after trees --Rowan, Larch and Loblolly. She named him, I didn't.Give us a brief description of how he looks.His picture is on the cover. He is young, only 23, but has been a man from the day of his naming ceremony when he was 15.

Is there anything unusual about his appearance?

Six feet, well muscled, long loose black hair, bright blue eyes, excellent teeth. Of course there are scars on his side from his Sun Dance, and the Ghost Dance shirt and the war paint are a bit un-fashionable in the moveable town of End-ofTrack.

Who does he love? Why?

He loves Christina Lawrence, a debutante who left a broken engagement behind her and traveled west for her health. Rowan has no idea why he loves her. She is everything he dislikes in a woman, argumentative, disrespectful of a warrior, a shameless and inventive liar, and--worst of all--skinny. He thinks very little of her people, because it is obvioius they have neglected the woman and they must be very poor hunters to provide her so little food.

Does this person love him?

Christy does love Rowan, but she doesn't WANT to love him. She wants to help him find his way in the white man's world--a world he has all but forgotten -- to help him with the twins and to teach him now to behave in a civilized way, now that she has saved him from the savages.

Tell us about his family. Are they important to him?

Rowan was lost from the wagon train when his parents headed west. His parents settled in Oregon, but died in a smallpox epidemic only the year before, leaving his 12-year-old twin siblings, Larch and Lolly alone. Where is he from? He was born in Virginia, lost from the Wagon Train in the high plains and lives with the Blackfoot people on the reservation.

Does his hometown affect his behavior, thoughts and attitude?

Rowan has almost no memory of anything that happened before the Blackfoot found him.

What does he want out of life?
Christy. To be respected as the shaman and healer that he is. And more than anything to recover one small blue-eyed --well to say more would indeed be a spoiler.

What's his biggest secret? (Only share if it isn't a spoiler in the story.)

The sadness that fills him.

Did you write more than one story about him?

No, but I have another in mind. He and Christy may travel to Paris in 1906. Rasputin was there, then, with the Russian royal family. What do you think? Would the Russian magician Rasputin be a worthy opponent for Rowan?

How would he describe you?

Rowan doesn't know that I exist. He lives his life and cares for his family. I follow him around and write down what he says and does, but he has no idea I am here.

It was wonderful to meet him. Thank you for bringing him to meet us. By the way, do you have a picture of him that you'd like to share? Again, he is on the book cover, war paint and all.

Ghost Dancer is available at: ebooksonthe.net and www.cambridgebooks.us , on amazon.com, on www.fictionwise.com and www.mobipocket.com and Arline's website at www.arlinechase.com.

Elena Dorothy Bowman Talks About Bad Guys

Who causes friction in the story?

One of the main characters in my novel, Time-Rift is a High Priestess. Since she was promised to the High Priest at birth, she means to have him. However, when an earthquake causes Trisha to enter their world beneath the Pacific Ocean, it is to the delight of the High Priest who finally feels there is hope for him, and to the dismay of the High Priestess who is determined to destroy her competition.

Do you prefer bad guys or bad gals?

They both have their place in a story to not only add friction and conflict but to make the story more interesting. I can't really say I prefer one over the other, but will admit any bad characters may cause the reader to really push the the good guy to win out./How do you use your bad guys.

In my books, the function of the bad guys is to make it more difficult for the hero and heroine to survive the obstacles they place in the way of the good guys and the point is to get the reader to cheer for the good and to the total destruction of the bad.

Whether you enjoy writing them or hate writing them, we'd like to know why you feel that way?

Sometimes I surprise myself when I get started on a bad character. It is fascinating how the character just seems to write its own story and sooner or later its own epitaph. I was surprised how the High Priestess in Time Rift just seemed take over and write her own part of the story. I just felt as if I was a bystander doing her bidding.

Who is your favorite bad guy in your books? Which bad guy and which book are they in?

Actually there are two. One, the caretaker Henderson, in the Sarah's Landing's Series. He appears in the first two books, Contact and The Telepaths of Theon. And of course, there is Myaculi, the High Priestess in Time-Rift.

Who is your favorite fictional bad guy- that's not in your books?

I would have to say at this point in time it is Mrs. Stevens in Nikki Leigh's book, Stormy View. The nicest thing I can say about her is that she is a first class witch...you could, if you've a mind, chance the first letter from a 'w' to a 'b'. ;)

Thank you for telling us about your bad guys. We love to meet the "evil ones".

Elena Dorothy Bowman
Journey to the Rim of Space and Beyond
http://elenadb.home.comcast.net
http://www.myspace.com/elenabowmanauthor
http://elenabowman-scifimysteryromanceauthor.blogspot.com/
e-mail: elenadb@comcast.net

PS - I have to say that I'm very pleased to hear my Mrs. Stevens made such an impression. She is wicked and will do ANYTHING to get what she wants. She is the villian in Stormy View, but I pulled that book from the publisher and it will be re-released later this year and the title will be Stormy Shores. I look forward to sharing Mrs. Stevens with more readers in the future. If you think your mother in law is bad - wait until you meet Kennalyn's mother in law :) (Nikki Leigh)

Jill Nelson Introduces Desiree Jacobs

Jill Nelson shares information about her heroine with us.

What's her name?

Desiree Jacobs

Why did you pick that name?

I wanted something melodic that was a bit off the beaten path and yet not strange or hard to pronounce.Give us a brief description of how she looks.

She’s a petite dynamo with shoulder-length sable hair and hazel eyes. For facial features, think a miniature Gina Davis with the high cheekbones and full lips.

Is there anything unusual about her appearance?

Her appearance isn’t unusual, but her occupation is. She’s quite physically fit because she’s a legal cat burglar. Ah, I see the furrowed brows. How is this possible?

Desi is the CEO of her family business, HJ Securities, a museum security company that serves world-famous museums, governments, and the wealthy the world over. She regularly performs and succeeds at sanctioned heists, though no one can know about the unsanctioned ones. Some consider her the best cat burglar in the world.

Who does she love? Why?

She loves the man that started out as her arch-nemesis, Special Agent Anthony Lucano of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Ironically, considering his risky occupation, one of their greatest bones of contention is his fears for her safety because of her impulsive and daring nature.

Desi also loves her father, the man who raised her alone after the accidental death of her mother when she was an infant. Hiram, the founder of HJ Securities, is murdered at the very beginning of Reluctant Burglar, book one in the To Catch a Thief series, so mentioning that isn’t a spoiler. However, his memory haunts Desi throughout the series on multiple levels.

And she loves her best friend and premier employee, Maxine Webb. Max is a West Texas ranch gal with fly-away red hair, an accent you could cut with a knife, and a genius for electronics that leads to all sorts of interesting gadgets.

Does this person love her?

They all love her more than their own lives. Hiram proved it literally. Tell us about her family.

Oops, see above! I could add, though, that the Jacobs are pretty alone in the world. With her father gone, Desi becomes an orphan in a profound sense. Reluctant Runaway, book two in the To Catch a Thief series, deals with the generational consequences of choices for good or ill and contains a few surprises along the line of family ties.

Where is she from?

Desi’s hometown is Boston , Massachusetts . She was born and raised there; however, her business takes her all over the world. Reluctant Burglar is set primarily in Boston , and some in Italy , but subsequent books take readers to Washington , DC , Albuquerque , NM , and Mexico .

Does her hometown affect her behavior, thoughts and attitude?

Her international upbringing tempers any tendency toward regionalism, though I suspect she has that unique Boston accent.

What does she want out of life?

She wants to honor God in her lifestyle, honor her father’s memory by prospering in the business he left to her, and enjoy a future full of love with the man she’s passionate about. Naturally, all hell tries to sabotage these goals.Did you write more than one story about her?

Reluctant Burglar released in September 2006, Reluctant Runaway in March 2007, and Reluctant Smuggler is due out in January 2008. Desi and Tony are the central characters in all three. Each is a complete caper that can stand alone, but to follow character and relationship development, it’s nice to start with book one. Book excerpts, a video trailer, a monthly contest for free books, and purchase information are on my web site: http://www.jillelizabethnelson.com/.

How would she describe you?

Ooh, great question!

I’m the benevolent dictator who dreamed her up—literally.

I woke up in the wee hours one morning all tense from a dream where I saw a woman in black sneak into an estate. She took a painting off the wall and replaced it with an identical painting. Oddly enough, I knew that she had stolen the forgery and put the genuine back. I also knew that, if she were caught, disaster would follow for many, not just herself. The dream was so vivid, I began to play with it in my waking mind, asking two particular questions.

What career would this woman have to give her cat burglar skills without making her a crook? Museum security expert became my answer.

What dire predicament must she be in to cause her to do something so bizarre? The answer became the plot for Reluctant Burglar.

All the Best,

Jill
http://www.jillelizabethnelson.com/

HOW TO SUBMIT

Okay -- its time to tell us about that hunky hero in your book.

What's his name?

Why did you pick that name?

Give us a brief description of how he looks.

Is there anything unusual about his appearance?

Who does he love? Why?

Does this person love him?

Tell us about his family. Are they important to him?

Where is he from?

Does his hometown affect his behavior, thoughts and attitude?

What does he want out of life?

What's his biggest secret? (Only share if it isn't a spoiler in the story.)

Did you write more than one story about him?

How would he describe you?

Is there anything else about your hero that we need to know? Feel free to share.

Please provide your website link.

What is the link to buy your book?

It was wonderful to meet him. Thank you for bringing him to meet us. By the way, do you have a picture of him that you'd like to share?

Feel free to email your answers to nikki_leigh22939@yahoo.com and I'll add your information. They will be posted, but not all at once. That will give everyone an opportunity to get plenty of exposure.

Nikki Leigh
http://www.nikkileigh.com/

HOW TO SUBMIT

Tell us about your heroine --- the female lead in your book.

What's her name?

Why did you pick that name?

Give us a brief description of how she looks.

Is there anything unusual about her appearance?

Who does she love? Why?

Does this person love her?

Tell us about her family.

Where is she from?

Does her hometown affect her behavior, thoughts and attitude?

What does she want out of life?

What's her biggest secret? (Only share if it isn't a spoiler in the story.)

Did you write more than one story about her?

How would she describe you?

Is there anything else about your heroine that we need to know? Feel free to share.

Please provide your website link.

What is the link to buy your book?

It was wonderful to meet her. Thank you for bringing her to meet us.

Feel free to email your answers to nikki_leigh22939@yahoo.com and I'll add your information. They will be posted, but not all at once. That will give everyone an opportunity to get plenty of exposure.

Nikki Leigh
http://www.nikkileigh.com/

HOW TO SUBMIT

We want to hear about the bad guys, bad gals and villains in your book. Even if you don't have a murderer, thief or other "bad guy" there should be some negative force.

Who causes friction is the story?

Do you prefer bad guys or bad gals?

How do you use your bad guys?

Do you enjoy writing the bad guys or do you find it difficult?

Whether you enjoy writing them or hate writing them, we'd like to know why you feel that way?

Who is your favorite bad guy in any of your books? Which bad guy and which book are they in?

Who is your favorite fictional bad guy -- that's not in your books?

Is there anything else about your bad guys that we need to know? Feel free to share.

Please provide your website link.

What is the link to buy your book?

Thank you for telling us about your bad guys. We love to meet the "evil ones".

Feel free to email your answers to nikki_leigh22939@yahoo.com and I'll add your information. They will be posted, but not all at once. That will give everyone an opportunity to get plenty of exposure.

Nikki Leigh
http://www.nikkileigh.com/