Death By High Heels, Character Interview,

Death by High Heels

by Violet Ingram

Blurb:

Spending time with a dead guy, being interrogated by the cops and getting stitched up by a cute ER doc wasn’t exactly the evening plans private investigator Kimberly Murphy envisioned. Especially the getting caught standing over a dead body, again, part. Only this time it wasn’t her fault. Just once she’d like it if homicide detective Grant Tompkins didn’t assume she was guilty.
To clear her slightly tarnished name, Kim goes after the clever killer while avoiding a certain hot homicide detective determined to put her in handcuffs – and not the pink, fuzzy kind – not that she’d mind. Too bad Kim’s efforts lead to dead ends and even more dead bodies. Kim will need all her skills and a bit of luck to outwit a killer who’d like to put an end to Kim’s meddling permanently.

Excerpt:

Sunday evening
Cops hate it when you vomit all over their crime scene—a mistake I had no desire to repeat. Then again, the fact I’d just trampled all over this scene was probably a whole new mistake I should have avoided. I stared at the corpse and fought the urge to hurl. If only I hadn’t answered the door, I’d be eating dinner instead of standing in my neighbor’s apartment looking at a dead guy.
Said dead guy was just sitting there in the chair. You would think he was asleep—if not for all the blood and guts spilled onto his lap. I tore my eyes from him and asked the question I most wanted the answer to.
“What the heck did you hit him with?”
Lindsay dropped the strand of blonde hair she’d been twirling and glanced down at the floor. “My shoe.”
“Huh?”
“I’ve already told you. Twice. I hit him with my shoe.”
“Damn it, Lindsay, you can’t kill someone with a shoe!”
“Hello, they’re Via Spiga.”

 

Death by High Heels available at:

http://store.sweetcravingspublishing.com/index.php?main_page=book_info&products_id=228&zenid=1c1639b6bcf63c4e1b154012d1f3c552
http://www.amazon.com/Death-High-Heels-Investigator-Book-ebook/dp/B00MEX9JNK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407939482&sr=8-1&keywords=death+by+high+heels
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/466637
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-deathbyhighheels-1588019-177.html

 Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/DiEN-jIMhTc

 

Character Interview:

Are you upset your name is not in the title?

Absolutely not. I hate publicity.

Do you have any annoying habits your author did not share with us in your book?  

Maybe, but none that I feel comfortable enough to share.

Do you have siblings? Are you close to them?  

Four older brothers and an older sister. We’re so close I’d like to strangle them sometimes. They are always interfering in my life.

Any hobbies we might be interested in knowing about?

I love to read romance and mystery books. I like to listen to music and sing along but only if I’m alone. I don’t think my singing is bad enough to be an actual cause of death but I’m not willing to take the chance.

Are you happy with the profession your author chose for you or would you rather be working at something totally different and why?

No. She could have at least had the decency to make me independently wealthy. You don’t see her tripping over dead bodies and getting kidnapped.

Are you planning to make an appearance in a sequel?

If not are you unhappy about that? Oh yes. She’s busy at her laptop right now causing chaos in my life.

Now for a personal question. Is there enough sex in the book for you? Would you have liked more?

I don’t think I should answer that. My parents could read this.

Did you author handle your “love” scenes the way you like or was she too explicit or not explicit enough?

I was quite happy and that’s all I’m going to say on the issue.

Is you’re hero/heroine a good kisser?

I don’t normally kiss and tell but OMG can that man kiss.

Are you happy with the setting?

Did you want a bigger house or car? I’m a suburb kind of girl so I’m quite happy. Maybe a bigger bank account but that’s about it.

How many re-writes did you have to live through?

You don’t even want to know.

Did your author listen to you when you tried to redirect her/him?

Of course she had to listen to me. Everyone knows us characters just let the authors think they’re in charge.

Did your story end too soon?

It ended at the perfect time. If you read the book you’ll understand why I was soo happy at the end.

Did you get enough time in the story or do you feel shortchanged?

I was front and center the whole time so I’m good.

Who was your favorite supporting character?

Hot cop Grant Tompkins.

Do you want your story to become a series with you as a recurring character?

Oh it is. That crazy writer is busy making sure of that.

Were you happy with your wardrobe?

You can’t go wrong with jeans and a T-shirt.

Did you fight much with your author or did you two see eye-to-eye?

She was wise and realized I was in charge. Very little fighting necessary.

 

Author Bio:

Violet Ingram is a wife, mother, and author. She and her husband have been married for over 24 years and they have 5 children.
Violet’s love of books was the direct result of having spent Saturday mornings going to libraries with her mom. Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, and Encyclopedia Brown were the first books she fell in love with.
Violet lives in the Midwest where she is busy at work on her next book.

Contact info:

Blog:  http://violetingram.blogspot.com/
Facebook:  Violet Ingram
Twitter:  @violetingram
Email:  violetingramauthor@gmail.com

Guest Post- Stacy Deanne- Celebrating HIV positive Character in Romance

Worth the Risk: 

Hi All,

Stacy-Deanne (Dee-Anne) here and I want to share a bit about my new release, Worth the Risk!

About the Book:

Houston music critic Alvin Zak becomes smitten with violinist Madeline Deever from the first moment she lays her bow to her violin to perform a concerto. Sent to review the orchestra, Alvin becomes so enraptured by Madeline that he asks her if he can do a feature on her. The polite, yet elusive Madeline agrees to think it over while declining Alvin’s invitation for coffee. Alvin does not understand Madeline’s abrupt refusal to his invite and it makes him even more interested in getting close to her.

The last thing Madeline is looking for is love since she is harboring a secret that has the power to ruin any potential relationship. Convinced no man would love her enough to accept her situation, she fights off Alvin’s advances, but begins to fall in love with him.

Can Alvin convince Madeline to trust him and give into her feelings or is Madeline destined to spend her life alone?

Available August 30th from Secret Cravings Publishing

Check Worth the Risk out on Goodreads and add it to your shelf: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22596061-worth-the-risk

Why I Wrote the Book:

Worth the Risk will always hold a special place in my heart. So far, it is probably the most important book I’ve written. I wrote it in honor of my cousin who has been living with HIV for over a decade. The type of person she is and the struggles she’s been through made me want to base a character of her. I also wrote the book because I feel that it is important for fiction, especially romance, to focus on people from all lifestyles. One thing my cousin has to deal with is finding friends and lovers who understand her situation. I wanted to write this book for others with HIV so that they have faith that they can find love and romance like everyone else.

Why I Feel the Book is Important:

I believe fiction should sometimes show the harsher side of life. I also think it is important that people have characters in which they can relate. People with HIV fall in love and are in relationships the same as others, yet we don’t see many romances focused on them. I don’t know why that is. Maybe some writers don’t know much about HIV and are intimidated to write about it. Maybe some writers feel like audiences would not want to read a romance with an HIV-positive character. All I can say is that so far, reactions from readers and reviewers have been positive toward my book. In fact, a Facebook Group influenced me to follow my heart and write this. I had someone tell me that no one would want to read about an HIV heroine, but when I asked about this I got so many others who said that wasn’t true. I like to follow my heart in my writing so I couldn’t let it go, so the story was born. This a lesson to all writers to listen to your heart. If you feel strongly about something, write it no matter what.

The Importance of Romance Books for Everyone:

As a black child, I didn’t have any books that centered on people like me. None of the children’s books I read and enjoyed had little black girls in them. I always thought about that.

When I was a teenager, I never saw romance books or many other books outside of literary fiction with blacks as characters or on covers. Romance especially weren’t being written for blacks. It was very hard for black authors to get their romances published. Until BET Books and Kimani came along, romance books rarely focused on blacks. I always thought about that.

Now, read what I just wrote and you’ll see why I feel it’s important to have books everyone can relate to. I feel this way because it’s something I’ve experienced. I wondered how many people with HIV who love romance novels ever go, “Hmm, wonder why they don’t write more romances for people like me?”

That is the question I had in my head when writing Worth the Risk and it made me more determined and proud for writing this story.

What I Hope Readers Get From This Book:

What I hope people get from this book is simple, entertainment. I also hope that it expands the minds of people who don’t have firsthand experience with HIV or with those who have it. Worth the Risk is an interracial romance before anything else, except the heroine is living with an incurable disease. Madeline is still a woman with feelings and desires like any other woman. What I don’t want is for people to overlook the book because they are afraid of the subject matter. Once again, this is a romance above all else and I hope people see that.

Excerpt:

Madeline ran out the door and hurried down the sidewalk toward her dark-blue Mazda.

Come on!

She dug in her purse for her keys.

The last thing I need is anyone asking questions.

“Madeline?” Alvin busted out the door. “Madeline?” He ran up behind her. “Wait!”

She stopped and sighed.

What do I say if he asks why I’m here? Of course, I can tell him to fuck off but then what? I wake up and the next thing I know another feature of me will be in the magazine?

She turned around.

Hold on. Why the hell is he here?

“Hey.” He squinted. “You okay?”

“Why?” She held the prescription note behind her back. “Why wouldn’t I be okay?” She raised an eyebrow. “You saying I don’t look okay?”

“You look beautiful actually.”

Compliments.

She brushed her hair behind her ear.

I do like the way I feel when he looks at me. But, I can’t trust this man. He did a feature on me without my permission. Who does that?

She tilted her head.

I can’t lie and say I’m not a tiny bit attracted to him. Why does he like me though? Is he really interested in me or just my music?

“What are you doing here?” She avoided meeting his gaze.

“I’m here for my yearly checkup.” He swung his arms. “I gotta get my blood pressure medicine refilled.”

“You have high blood pressure?”

He rolled his eyes. “No, I just take the medicine because I like it.”

She grinned. “I guess your job can get stressful, huh? I’ve seen how some react when you give them bad reviews. I saw what that musician did to you on Twitter last year. I couldn’t deal with stuff like that.”

“No one likes a critic.” He clasped his hands in front of him. “That’s the nature of the job, but I love what I do. I love music, so that’s why I like to judge it and study it.” He gestured to her. “Why are you here?”

“I had to see my doctor.”

“Dr. Fox too?”

“No.” She crumpled up the prescription note. “It’s another doctor.”

“Oh.” He nodded. “Who?”

“Who?” She exhaled. “Is that really your business?”

He shrugged. “No, but I told you the name of my doctor.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t ask did I?”

His smile faded.

I hate being a bitch to him. He seems to be a nice guy but I can’t give him an inkling something can be between us when I know it’s impossible. Better to reject him now than hurt him later.

“Alvin, I told you I didn’t wanna see you again.”

“You don’t wanna see me because of the feature or something else? I’m sorry if doing the story hurt you. It wasn’t my intent.”

“Do you realize how many emails I’ve been getting since you wrote about me?” She touched her hair. “I mean…they’re nice and stuff but I didn’t want this to happen. You should’ve given me the choice.”

“I apologize, but I thought you’d be happy once you saw it.”

“Well, I wasn’t.” She held her arms to her sides. “I wasn’t.”

 “I don’t know how to be with you.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “Things that I thought would impress women don’t work on you.”

“I don’t like games or tricks. I’d rather know off the bat what you want. No bullshitting.”

“Okay.” He swallowed. “I wanna go out with you, and I wanna know more about your music.”

She sighed.

“How about I give you a chance to tell your own story this time?” He touched her arm. “I really am sorry if the piece offended you.”

“It didn’t offend me. It was a very flattering feature but—”

“You didn’t want it?”

She nodded. “I don’t like people doing things behind my back.”

“You might be glad to know it’s gotten a lot of attention. I got people calling me asking me more about you and how to reach you.”

“I don’t want anyone to reach me.”

“Why, Madeline?” He moved closer. “You’ve got a wonderful gift that you share with the world, but you don’t wanna share yourself?”

“I can’t.” She closed her eyes. “I can’t share myself with anyone else again.”

“Including me?”

She looked into his eyes. “Especially you.”

Website: http://www.stacy-deanne.net
Mailing list: http://www.stacy-deanne.net/newsletter.htm?newsletter=
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stacy.deanne.5?ref=tn_tnmn
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Warrior Born- Kathrine Leannan

From the immortal kingdom of the Samurai, Imperial Leader Yokami Sukani and his wife Tomoe Gazen yearn for the child they know they will never birth. Tomoe’s Katana keens bereft, for the next Daughter of the Sword. Meanwhile, Bishamon, the God of War, and his Katana, wreak havoc in his endless pursuit of pain and suffering.

Bishamon’s Sword of War must disappear, forever.

The battle of Culloden Moor is forty-eight hours away. Epona, Goddess of horses, dogs, healing springs and crops, prays for the coming of the girl child prophesized to be born with the Sight for the magnificent Friesian horses.

Yokami’s Katana recognises Marie MacDonald.

A bargain is struck.

In modern Australia, the awaited one, Connor MacDonald is birthed, awakening the ancient Scottish Horsemen from their three-century slumber.

Brutality finds her.

Bishamon, mad with rage, hunts for his blade.

Will he regain his instrument of destruction?

Born of the blood of the ancient Scots, named Daughter by the immortal Samurai, doubly blessed or doubly cursed, will Connor MacDonald be Bishamon’s instrument of revenge?

14 April, 1746

The morning was cold when Yokami materialized on the Highland soil of the Scots. Cutting, frigid wind buffeted his imperial robes as he walked toward a giant monolith split almost in two by the force of an ancient earthquake. The downpour of rain shrouded the early morning sunshine. Snow-capped mountains appeared grey and hostile in the fog and the cloudburst. His thoughts were of Bishamon and whatever chaos he was creating back at the Imperial palace.

In the distance, a tall woman dressed in a long drab homespun dress walked through the heather, seemingly oblivious to the rain and the cold. Over her arm, she carried a basket. Her long blonde hair was wound up in a bun from which tendrils had escaped to curl around her face. The bite of the chill wind made her cheeks the colour of roses. Praise to the Masters, she was beautiful.

Fading to invisibility, he tucked the Sword of War, wrapped in ceremonial silk wraps as befitting its importance, under his arm. The blade was warm against his side. The woman bent over to pick some plants and added them to her basket, when the purr of his Katana vibrated along his back, signalling its welcome. The woman’s head shot up abruptly, then she stared in his direction. Although she could not see him, she squinted like someone trying to peer through peasoup fog. Shaking her head, she shrugged and returned to gathering the plants.

Footfalls nearby summoned the Katana from the scabbard to his open palm. He flicked his wrist and extended the blade. The Sword of War tingled and vibrated through the silk wraps pressed against the side of his chest.

A tinkling voice laced with laughter came from behind him. Looking over his shoulder, he took a couple of seconds to recognise and take in the sight that was Epona, the Scottish Goddess of horses, dogs, healing springs, and crops. He smiled and relaxed as the Katana returned to the scabbard. Seated on a sidesaddle, positioned on the back of a black Friesian mare, she extended her hand. “Well met, Lord of the blade. To what do the Celtic Gods owe the pleasure of your visit?”

Lowering the sword, he bowed his head onto her outstretched fingers. “Well met, my Lady.”

The smile died on her face when her gaze tracked to the wrap of silk under his arm. The mare pranced as agitation overcame her mistress. Glaring at him, she hissed, “You would dare to bring the blade of treachery to our lands? Why? The Sword of War has no place here.”

Yokami nodded and acknowledged her concern. “You are correct. This sword is an instrument of death and destruction. It has taken many lives. Too many souls have already been lost, because of its love of bloodshed and power.”

Her eyes lingered on the wrapped sword, then she stared unblinking at him and nodded. “It is right that you would rid yourself of such a weapon, but why bring it here to the Scottish Highlands? Do we not have enough strife already with the wretched English and their greed for our land?”

Joining both hands palm against palm just under his chin, he bowed his head in reverence. “I mean you and your race no harm, Lady. My intention was to hide the sword here in the past, in a place hidden for all eternity. I intended to drop it down the crater and let the Earth take it back to base metals.”

The corded muscles in his back and neck relaxed slightly when a small smile lifted the corners of her lips. Confused, he cocked his head to the side and frowned. “Have I amused you, Goddess?”

“I was watching you before you realized I was near.” She inclined her head in the direction of the blonde woman. “I see you are a man who appreciates beauty.”

He nodded and followed her gaze. “She is indeed beautiful—a puzzle, but beautiful”

Epona’s brow wrinkled. “A puzzle? What do you mean?”

The sword in the scabbard sang as it flew to his palm. Lifting the blade, he raised it slowly to the outstretched position. “Watch.”

The audible purr from the Katana caused Epona to gasp as she flinched and startled her mare, who danced on the spot. Stroking the long black neck in soothing lines, Epona looked to Yokami and frowned. “The sword recognizes Marie MacDonald?”

Lowering the blade, he returned it to the scabbard, then placed a hand on the forehead of the beautiful black mare. “So it would seem. What do you know of her?”

Epona returned her gaze to the young woman, who was now making her way back down the hillside. The purple heather seemed to stroke her ankles as it swayed in her wake.

“Angus, her husband, is of the blood of our ancient Horsemen. His clan has bred and grown Friesians for eons. The breed was a gift to Scotland from our Gods. It is our greatest hope that his genes will pass to a girl child, a daughter of the Highland horsemen. You see, for the Scots, it is only female children who are born with the Sight. We hope for a daughter who not only hears and talks and is one with our Friesian bloodline, but who also has the skill and courage to promote them as the best this world has ever seen. As our Gods intended—the pride of Scotland.”

She tapped her index finger lightly on the side of her mouth, as if deep in thought. “Perhaps your sword recognizes Marie because she is of pure warrior blood. Her clan is fearsome and undefeated in battle. Each child born to this clan is practically birthed with a broadsword in their fist.”

Yokami flinched, as adrenaline surged at her words. His jackhammering heart seemed to be trying to erupt from his body. He swallowed the quaver he knew was in his voice, then spoke. “She is warrior born? Of the sword?”

Amazon |  Barnes and Noble | Smashwords | Grimoire

 

Bio for

Kathrine Leannan

I smell rain before clouds gather across the sky. I feel the dawn before the sun paints my world the colours of the earth. It is the flit of gossamer wings above my head as I walk through the garden that warms my soul and makes me glad that faeries exist. The universe is my mistress and my strength. Things that growl in the shadows or snap at my ankles in the night are my dark friends—the source of my creativity. I, am Kathrine Leannan