Silence in the Dark by Patricia Bradley with Giveaway

I really enjoyed Patricia Bradley’s newest release,Silence in the Dark. This the fourth book in her Logan Point series, but you don’t have to have read the previous books to follow it at all. But if you have, it’s fun to revisit many of the characters you’ve met in previous books.

Silence in the Dark 

Here’s the book’s back cover blurb:

When Bailey Adams left Logan Point two years ago for the mission field of Chihuahua, Mexico, she thought she was getting away from her problems. Running into her ex-fiancé Danny Maxwell was not part of the plan—neither was being chased through the city by the local drug cartel, the Calatrava. Now despite her best efforts, Danny is her only chance of escaping the people chasing her and getting back to Logan Point safely. Can Bailey find the strength to face what’s coming? And in the midst of the chaos, can she keep herself from falling in love with her rescuer all over again?

My thoughts:

This fast-paced suspense kept me turning pages late into the night. It was a perfect blend of mystery, suspense and romance. Reunion romances make the idea of a romance blossoming in such a short time in such dire circumstances so much more believable. And I love that Danny got a second chance to prove his love. Pat did a fantastic job of believably portraying Bailey’s struggle to put God’s will for her life ahead of the desires of her heart. The spiritual thread is nicely woven through the story. And I love how Bailey’s parents show their love and support to her (but I won’t tell you how, because I don’t want to give anything away).  5 stars!

I asked Pat to answer a couple of questions about the book:

First where did you get the idea for this book?

Funny thing about that. Bailey came out of nowhere in a conversation between Ben Logan and Danny Maxell when I was writing the second book, A Promise to Protect:

“Have you heard from Bailey?” Ben asked when he caught up with him.

“A letter every now and then.” Danny’s clipped words warned Ben away from the subject.

I had to know why he hadn’t heard from her and where she was.

That’s too funny. Non-writers must get a chuckle over how little we sometimes know our own characters until the words spill out of their mouths. Now the first part of the book was set in Mexico. Did that present challenges for you?

A little. Since I’ve never been to Mexico, I had to talk to a lot of people who had, particularly to Chihuahua. From all the photos I found on the web, it is a beautiful area.

Hmm, it’s not a place I’d be in a hurry to visit after reading your novel! Too scary. 

Readers, I’m giving away a copy of Patricia’s book to one randomly selected commenter. I’ll pick the name after midnight EDT Saturday. So…

Your Turn: Do you have a question for Pat? About the book, the series or her writing?

If you’d like to connect with Pat, you can find her at: PT Bradley (1)

www.patriciabradleyauthor.com

www.facebook.com/patriciabradleyauthor
https://twitter.com/PTBradley1;

http://www.pinterest.com/ptbradley/

And her Silence in the Dark can be purchased at:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

CBD

Review – A Promise to Protect

Patricia Bradley, in A Promise to Protect, the second book in her Logan Point series, once again delivers a wonderful, keep-you-guessing romantic suspense. And don’t worry, you don’t have to have read book one. This is a standalone novel that will give people who have enjoyed book one the added fun of seeing what some of its characters are up to now.

A Promise to Protect book cover

And who could resist the stunning cover?

Pat does a fabulous job of making the Mississippi setting come to life. As a Canadian who’s never traveled to the deep South, it was quite a vivid experience. One particular scene involving snakes even haunted my dreams!

Here’s the book blurb:

Acting Sheriff Ben Logan hasn’t heard from Leigh Somerall in a very long time, but it doesn’t mean he can get her—or their whirlwind romance of ten years ago—out of his head. When she calls out of the blue it is with a strange request to protect her brother, Tony. But when Tony dies just days later, Ben is charged with a different task—protecting Leigh and her nine-year-old son, TJ, from the killers. But how can Ben keep an eye on Leigh if she’s doing everything in her power to avoid him? And could the secret that Leigh is keeping change Ben’s life forever?

Suspense, intrigue, and a touch of romance make A Promise to Protect perfect for readers who like their stories with a hearty dose of mystery.

Me again: Now, as you probably guessed from the description. This is a secret baby story. While I often have a difficult time sympathizing with a heroine who keeps her child’s parentage a secret from the father, and admittedly there were a couple of spots that I wanted to knock Leigh upside the head for not finally coming clean, for the most part, the fast-paced scenarios compelled me to suspend judgement and read on to see how the Lord might change her heart.

Let’s Get to Know Pat & Her Characters Better

I borrowed the idea for the following questions from Jessica Patch’s blog. BTW, I’ll be there on Friday doing a giveaway.

Would you rather be single or married?

Pat: since I’ve been dating the same guy for going on 17 years, I figure I’d rather be single. Maybe that’s why I write a little romance. 🙂

Leigh: Married, but he’d have to really like children.

Ben: Single. I have panic attacks when I get around kids.

Would you rather be invisible or read minds?

Pat: I’d rather be invisible. I used to watch Topper and really wanted to be like George and Marion Kerby.

Leigh: I’d rather read minds. I think I’d be a better doctor if I could. And I’d like to know what Ben Logan is thinking.

Ben:  I’d rather read minds. It would make being a sheriff much easier if I knew what the criminal was thinking. And Leigh, too. She’s so hard to read. And maybe I could discover what’s really bothering her.

Oh, I remember, Topper! Thanks so much, Pat, Leigh and Ben!

I actually had the opportunity to room with Patricia Bradley this past September at the Writer’s Police Academy. It was especially fun to hear her warm Southern drawl, which I then found myself hearing in the character’s voices as I read. 😀

In getting to know her, it quickly became clear that honoring God through her writing is her top priority. She is also an abstinence/healthy relationship speaker. And when she’s not writing or speaking, or posing for crazy pics with me

Pat & Sandra

she throws mud on a wheel and tries to make something beautiful.

A Promise to Protect is available from all the major retailers. If you’d like to connect with Pat, you’ll find her at: http://patriciabradleyauthor.com/ and her Facebook author page

Your Turn: Pat is crazy busy these days with approaching deadlines for both another book from Revell and one for Harlequin’s Heartwarming line. But she’ll be happy to answer your questions. So ask away!

Introducing Dangerous Passage & Giveaway

Revell Publishing has added romantic suspense author, Lisa Harris, to their September lineup, and I was thrilled to get a sneak peek of her new release, Dangerous Passage, to write an endorsement.

Dangerous-Passage

What a compelling read!

I finished it in two days and have been looking forward to introducing it to you ever since.

My Review:

In this compelling and emotionally-charged read, Harris exposes the alarming state of human trafficking in the U.S. and the incredible challenges faced by law enforcement to stop it. The intriguing plot, lightened with a sweet romance, kept me reading late into the night. Looking forward to the next in this series.

Back Cover Blurb:
When two Jane Does are killed on the outskirts of Atlanta, Georgia, detective Avery North discovers they share something in common—a magnolia tattoo on their shoulders. Suspecting a serial killer, Avery joins forces with medical examiner Jackson Bryant to solve the crimes and prevent another murder. But as they venture deep into a sinister criminal world, Avery and Jackson are quickly taken to the very edge of their abilities—and their hearts.

I asked Lisa what prompted her to write a suspense centered around human trafficking. Here’s what she shared with me:

Several years ago, I wrote Blood Ransom, a novel that focused on human trafficking in Africa. At the time, I had no idea this was an issue in the US. With this new series, I decided that setting this story in the US, the backdrop of human trafficking would not only make an exciting story, but would also help people become aware of this very real issue. 

Thank you, Lisa. It is frightening how widespread this problem is here in Canada as well–and a serious challenge for law enforcement.

Lisa Photo

If you’re wondering why Lisa wasn’t aware human trafficking was an issue in the US, it’s because Lisa and her family have spent almost ten years living as missionaries in Africa where she leads a women’s group, and runs a non-profit organization that works alongside their church-planting ministry. The ECHO Project works in southern Africa promoting Education, Compassion, Health, and Opportunity and is a way for her to “speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves…the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.” (Proverbs 31:8)

Lisa is a Christy Award finalist and the winner of the Best Inspirational Suspense Novel for 2011 from Romantic Times. She has over twenty novels and novella collections in print.When she’s not working she loves hanging out with her family, cooking different ethnic dishes, photography, and heading into the African bush on safari. 

For more information about her books and life in Africa visit her website at www.lisaharriswrites.com or her blog at http://myblogintheheartofafrica.blogspot.com. For more information about The ECHO Project, please visit www.theECHOproject.org.

Your turn: I’m giving away a copy of Dangerous Passage to one randomly selected commenter. Please ask Lisa a question about her new series or ECHO Project or about her life in Africa or the writing life etc. and/or share why you’d especially like to read this book. (Lisa will be traveling as of Tuesday, but will check in when she can)

The winner will be notified by email on Sunday, September 1st. Can you believe it?!! Only one more week until September is here!

 Sept 1 Update: Thank you so much to all who contributed such great questions! Our giveaway winners (chosen by random.org) are Sybil Bates McCormack, Robyn Conners and rlee. Check your inboxes/spam folders for my email. 

 

Meet My Editor

I am thrilled to introduce you to my editor, Vicki Crumpton, from Revell Publishing. This is the wonderful person who first saw the promise in a manuscript, which was then called Murder by Marigolds, and is now Deadly Devotion. 😉

Vicki

I’ve asked Vicki a slew of questions that I thought both readers and writers would be curious about. But first I’ve asked her to share a little about herself.

I’m a native Texan…you never relinquish that title.  I have an MDiv and PhD, but I keep those tucked away unless I bump into a patronizing male who asks, “Now is that Ms or Mrs?” “Actually, it’s Dr., thank you very much.” I’ve been with Revell since 2001 and in publishing since 1989.  That makes me almost older than dirt. When I’m not working, I’m riding a bike (the kind you pedal), taking photos, working in our flower beds, or kayaking.

Oh, that’s funny. I had no idea you were a Dr.! I’m not sure if I should feel especially proud or worried that they had to break out the big guns–aka the really smart editor–to deal with my manuscript.  😐

Now to the nitty gritty questions… How many proposals do you peruse a year?

Actually, if I kept count, I’d probably be too depressed to tell you.

Sounds like how I’d feel if I actually counted how many times I rewrite a scene! If you invite an author to submit a proposal or full manuscript at a conference, how long might they expect to wait for a response? What about if an agent submits an unrequested proposal?

See above, on being depressed. The proposals tend to stack up, and I always intend to do better.

How many editors at Revell acquire fiction?

Revell has four acquiring editors, and we all acquire fiction.

How many fiction titles does Revell publish annually?  

We do 30-35 novels a year.

What in a manuscript or proposal might stop you from reading without finishing?

Poor writing…I saw one novel this year that has to rank as one of the all-time worst I’ve ever seen.  And this person had an agent.  I wondered if the agent even read the writing.  It was that bad.  But I digress. Many rejections come because we don’t have openings in the near future in a particular category, we have something like it, we don’t do that kind of book, etc.  Any of those reasons will let me stop reading without feeling any guilt.  Rejecting proposals is my least favorite part of this job.  Typos, profanity, things that say, “yes, I will be difficult to work with.”

It’s so nice to hear that you’re not like my villains who delight in thwarting people’s plans. Hee, hee, hee.

Do you read most proposals from beginning to end?

No. I read enough to know if a proposal has possibilities for us.  If the answer is no, I long ago quit feeling obligated to read to the end. If I like a proposal and it’s something we have a slot for…then yes, I keep right on reading.

What kinds of things catch your attention and make you want to read more?

Good writing; an author who knows us and conveys that he or she understands the publishing business or is willing to learn; something new or a new approach to an old topic, Snickers bars tucked into my computer…just kidding.

~note to self: mail care package of Snickers bars before sending next proposal~

What appealed to you most about Deadly Devotion and the Port Aster Secrets series?

We’d been looking to add to our offerings suspense/romantic suspense/mystery category.  Your writing is strong, your characters are interesting, the setting is unique, and we didn’t have anything like it in our list. You’d won an award in your category. So lots of things commended the proposal.  Those are just right off the top of my head.

How many times will you read through a manuscript you’re editing?

First draft, one and maybe two times. Second draft…I’m just reading for the revisions I’ve asked an author to do unless there’s been a major revision.  Same with any drafts after that.

Do you prefer to work on paper or on the computer with track changes?

Paper…what’s that?  Seriously, I haven’t edited on paper for, oh my goodness, I think I just got heart palpitations.  Not since the mid 90s, I think.  1990s, lest you think I’m THAT old.

LOL, I guess now’s not the time to mention that I often write first drafts on pen and paper longhand. Now I feel old!

An acquiring editor does so much more than evaluate proposals and edit manuscripts. Could you tell us a little bit about the meetings and events you attend, physically and/or virtually, and your role at them?  (btw, Vicki fixed a wrong word in the question, saying you really can’t turn off the editing gene)

Meetings…Revell is amazing in that our four editors live in four different cities in three different states.  Only one, our editorial director, is “in house.” So most of our meetings are by phone (we’re all live and in person for positioning meetings, sales conference, and strategic planning).  In no particular order: Editorial Board (the Revell editors pitch the cream of our proposal crop to each other to decide what makes the final cut for pub committee); Publishing Committee (that’s where editorial, sales, marketing, and publicity come together to make decisions on projects we’d like to contract, with the acquiring editor making the initial pitch); Titling Committee (creative chaos that results in a final title for all our books); Positioning Meeting (3 times a year, we review upcoming titles in each catalog season…this gets us ready for the titling and cover design process and lets us review specs, think about marketing angles and such); Sales Conference (preps our sales team, 3 times a year); Strategic Planning (yearly). And then a couple of writers conferences a year, ICRS, ACFW, and maybe another trip or two.

Whew, that’s a lot of meetings!

How many new authors has Revell acquired in the last year or so? Are any of them debut authors? 

I don’t have an exact count, but we’re always adding authors who are new to us…and who are debut authors.  I’m in the process of signing a debut author right now.

How exciting! Can’t wait to hear who he or she is.  🙂 How long from the time an offer is made might an author expect their book to be released?

It depends on our lists and the category, and any number of other factors.  We’ve been so full in historical romance that one author will have waited almost two years from contract stage.  On the other hand, we had a proposal come in recently in a category where we had an open slot next summer…so this author won’t be waiting long at all. In fact, she’ll be cranking hard to finish her manuscript.

Do you prefer to see single book proposals or series proposals? Why or why not?

We like long-term relationships, so it’s good to know an author has potential for more books.  In fiction, even if it’s a stand-alone novel, if an author has additional works in process, a paragraph or two about them lets us know what the author is doing beyond “one book.” The caution is avoiding the temptation to list every idea you’ve ever had…that tells us an author may have trouble focusing.

Is it common for contracted authors to ask for your advice while they’re in the middle of writing a novel?

Some do…some don’t. I’m always available for feedback any time an author needs/wants it.

Have you ever had to reject a final manuscript, because the author, even after revisions, couldn’t deliver what was proposed?

Only once so far in my career…and that was a coauthored situation that did not work out. One of the authors actually asked us to cancel it so he could get out of the arrangement.

Do you have any humorous, memorable or horror stories about editing that you are free to share?

On the advice of my attorney…

Yes, too bad! 😀

If you weren’t working as an editor, what would you be doing?

Good question. My hobbies don’t pay well as careers, but that’s probably what I’d be doing. I love teaching people to kayak. Bicycling magazine had a survey on Facebook today asking for answers to the question “I wish my bike were…”  My answer would have been “…independently wealthy so I could ride it anywhere it wanted to go.” Alternatively, I might consider writing or even agenting. People who read my writing say I’m good, so maybe I’d write about my hobbies.

Thanks so much for joining us today, Vicki. I learned a lot, and as always, had fun chatting with you.

Your Turn: Anyone have other questions for Vicki?

Deadly Devotion ~ I’ve got a cover!

Over the next couple of weeks my blog posts may be put on hold as my web designer transitions my blog to my website. Hopefully everything will transition smoothly and those who receive the posts by email or RSS feed will continue to do so after the transition without a glitch.

If weeks go by with no new post…you’ll know it didn’t, and I hope you’ll stop by my website and reconnect. In the meantime, I am sooooo excited to share the cover for the first book in my upcoming series with Revell~June 2013.

What do you think? Does it make you want to take a second look?

Here’s the blurb:

Research scientist Kate Adams and her colleague Daisy are on the brink of a breakthrough for treating depression with herbal medicine when Daisy suddenly dies. Kate knows that if it hadn’t been for Daisy’s mentorship, she wouldn’t have the job she loves or the faith she clings to. So when police rule Daisy’s death a suicide, Kate is determined to unearth the truth.

Former FBI agent Tom Parker finds it hard to adjust to life back in his hometown of Port Aster. Though an old buddy gives him a job as a detective on the local police force, not everyone approves. Tom’s just trying to keep a low profile, so when Kate Adams demands he reopen the investigation of her friend’s death, he knows his job is at stake. In fact, despite his attraction to her, Tom thinks Kate looks a bit suspicious herself.

As evidence mounts, a web of intrigue is woven around the sleepy town of Port Aster. Can Kate uncover the truth? Or will Tom stand in her way?

Hooked yet? I hope so. ~smiling~

I’m working on the second book in the series now…

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends!