Hi all,
Today's Special Guest C.A. Szarek lives where Yours Truly would love to be - watch out, dear, you might have a house guest sooner than you can say "Transatlantic flight". What do you think? I'm easy to keep and will write stories for food... Ahem, sorry, I got a bit distracted. Welcome, C.A. Please take a seat, make yourself comfortable and have some coffee. Time to start with
The business ones
Please give us a short introduction about yourself
I’m originally from Ohio, but I have been in Texas since 2002. I love it down here. I work with kids at both my non-writing jobs.
What genre(s) do you write in and why?
I write a little of everything: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romantic Suspense, Contemporary, and the occasional YA.
I’ve always been into fantasy. Grew up reading the greats, Anne McCaffrey is my fave, and the genre will always be close to my heart.
That being said, I always wanted to be a cop and have been in to “Police stuff.” I never did becoming a police officer, but I have a Law Enforcement background, and I actually work in a court.
I adore paranormal because it’s a mix of both, sorta. *grin*
And YA, well, I work with kids, and sometimes a good story they can read will pop into my head.
Maybe someday day I will be published in all the genres I write.
Tell us about your latest release
Collision Force is near and dear to my heart. It’s my first venture into the world of Romantic Suspense, but it’s sucked me in and I am very happy I will have more stories to tell in this little slice of Texas, a small city called Antioch, that I created.
CF is about Andi and Cole. She’s a detective, he’s FBI and they have to work a case together. They don’t like each other much at the start, so it was fun getting them together. The arrogant hot boys are always the hardest to fall!
Do you need a special setting to write in or do you have a ceremony to get you in the mood? What does it look like?
Not specifically. I mean, I can write anywhere if I have to. My fave place is my recliner, with my laptop. I don’t have a ceremony. Just make sure I write every day.
Describe your feelings when you learnt that your first book was accepted for publication.
Total elation. I had had so many rejections, I almost expected it when I opened emails. I couldn’t believe I actually found someone who WANTED my book. It was great. And it hasn’t changed. Every contact offer is the same! AWESOME!
Where do you find inspiration?
Anywhere really. It could be TV, radio, even talking to friends. Sometimes I’m looking for it, and sometimes it *just happens* That’s fun!
The nosy ones
How much of the real “you” is in your stories?
When you start off writing, I think we, as authors, always put ourselves in our books, even if we don’t mean to. That being said, the heroine of Sword’s Call (King’s Riders Book One), my first book is kinda the cooler version of me.
I suppose there’s a lot of me in Andi, the heroine of Collision Force, too, but I think she’s stronger than me. We have the same dry sense of humour and smartass tendencies, though.
Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character? Who was it?
LOL! YES! Too many boys to name. But I suppose Butch, one of JR Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood boys is my fave.
Who is your least favourite of the characters you’ve written? Why?
Luca Marchetti, the villain of the book I just finished is a vile vile creature. That being said, he was super easy to write. I slipped right into his head. Um…that’s scary.
The steamiest scene from your books
Ummm…Welllllll, I can’t show it to you, but I can tell you. It’s a shower sex scene in the book I just finished, Chance Collision (Crossing Forces Book Two) Dayum it’s hot. I am proud of myself for it. I think it’s the best sex I have written to date.
There’s also a VERY hot wall sex scene in Collision Force but I’m not naming the chapter. I don’t want people to skip ahead. Hehehe.
Favourite comfort food?
CHOCOLATE!
The fast ones
Favourite colour? Blue
Favourite pet? My baby boy, lab mix, Tazer.
Dog or cat? Both
Coffee or tea? COFFEEEEEEEEEEE
Quickie or candles? Both
Hunky or chunky? Both
Suit & tie or jeans & boots? Jeans and boots! (I almost said both!)
Walk in the park or chat over cocktails? Walk in the park
Thank you so much for the interview, C.A. Seeing as you work in court I may reconsider crashing at your house... Let's take a look at your book which incidentally has two of my favourite character names in it:
~~~~
Bad boy, married to his job FBI agent Cole Lucas always gets his man. So when the unthinkable happens and one gets away, Cole grits his teeth and hunts human trafficker Carlo Maldonado all the way to Antioch, Texas, where he collides with Detective Andi MacLaren.
Cole doesn’t do small towns and doesn’t get involved with women he works with, but Andi tempts him in ways he doesn’t want to acknowledge.
Two murders, her partner shot and leading the investigation on her own, the last thing Andi needs is a cocky FBI agent who sees her as no more than a tagalong.
Widow and single mother Andi is used to being on her own. When Cole gets stuck without a place to stay, crashing on her couch puts them in dangerous territory.
Attraction and passion bring Andi to a place she’d left behind when her husband died. Her three-year-old son quickly wiggles his way into Cole’s heart, and he starts contemplating things—family, love—that he’d never planned for himself.
Can being forced to work together make them stronger or will their differences jeopardise their case and their hearts?
Excerpt:
“Goodnight, Cole.” Obviously, she didn’t want to talk to him about anything, let alone his overdue apology.
“So, that’s it? You’re not going to accept my apology?”
“Not tonight. I’m tired, and we have a long day tomorrow.” She turned to go.
“Andi, wait.” Why was he calling her back? He could respect that she was still upset with him—she had every right to be. He’d gone a bit overboard with some of the things he’d said.
Keeping Cass’ phone call from her had been unnecessary from the start. He hadn’t needed to carry it on in the car after they’d left the warehouse. It’d only served to get her so pissed off at him she’d barely uttered a word all day. So much for getting somewhere on the case.
Andi glanced over her shoulder and Cole grabbed her wrist. He yanked her into his arms and covered her mouth with his.
He hadn’t intended to kiss her but as her soft, warm lips caressed his, Cole couldn’t have changed his mind even if he’d wanted to. Her curves hit his chest with enough impact that should have jarred him back into his head, but he was lost and overheated immediately. He wrapped her in a tight embrace and kissed her harder.
She fought him, but his mouth was demanding over hers, and Andi opened for him, melting against him, surrendering to him. She slipped her arms around his neck and Cole bit back a groan. Her taste, sweeter than he’d imagined, was like ripe berries. He needed more.
Andi whimpered against his mouth, her tongue dancing with his. His cock stood at attention, straining against his zipper. He moaned as her body melded to his, breasts to chest, hips to hips. Cole had to have her.
As he walked them back towards the couch, she pushed hard against his chest, breaking the kiss and shoving him away from her. They both panted hard.
“Don’t…don’t ever do that…again,” she stammered, the gorgeous swell of her breasts lifting and pulling her shirt taut as her chest heaved. He could see peaked nipples. His erection throbbed and he struggled for coherent thought.
Cole dragged his gaze to her face. Blue eyes wide, cheeks rosy, freckles noticeable, her lips swollen from his. Though she’d been appealing before, how she stood before him now blew that out of the water. She was gorgeous.
He needed to say something. Anything. Apologise? He wasn’t sorry in the least. Speechless just about covered it.
She trembled and rubbed her arm. It took all he was made of not to pull her back to him and kiss her again.
There was no chance to answer. Andi turned on her heel and fled down the hall, slipping into the room farthest away from the living room. She didn’t even pause to look at him as she slammed the door.
He winced. What the hell should he make of what had happened? He stared down the hallway for a moment, his heart pounding. Never in his life, not even when he was a teenager, had one kiss stirred him to the point that Andi’s had. Then she’d run from him. His body shook with unfulfilled need.
Cole couldn’t blame her, really. No way should he have given in to the urge to kiss her. But he had the sinking suspicion he would have to do it again—and more. He wouldn’t be able not to. And hell, she’d kissed him back.
The voice of reason chided that he didn’t get involved with women he worked with, but his cock certainly disagreed. He ignored them both and dragged his hand over his face. The morning would bring complications.
Cole sighed and glanced at the couch. It looked comfortable, but would he be able to sleep?
“Goodnight, Cole.” Obviously, she didn’t want to talk to him about anything, let alone his overdue apology.
“So, that’s it? You’re not going to accept my apology?”
“Not tonight. I’m tired, and we have a long day tomorrow.” She turned to go.
“Andi, wait.” Why was he calling her back? He could respect that she was still upset with him—she had every right to be. He’d gone a bit overboard with some of the things he’d said.
Keeping Cass’ phone call from her had been unnecessary from the start. He hadn’t needed to carry it on in the car after they’d left the warehouse. It’d only served to get her so pissed off at him she’d barely uttered a word all day. So much for getting somewhere on the case.
Andi glanced over her shoulder and Cole grabbed her wrist. He yanked her into his arms and covered her mouth with his.
He hadn’t intended to kiss her but as her soft, warm lips caressed his, Cole couldn’t have changed his mind even if he’d wanted to. Her curves hit his chest with enough impact that should have jarred him back into his head, but he was lost and overheated immediately. He wrapped her in a tight embrace and kissed her harder.
She fought him, but his mouth was demanding over hers, and Andi opened for him, melting against him, surrendering to him. She slipped her arms around his neck and Cole bit back a groan. Her taste, sweeter than he’d imagined, was like ripe berries. He needed more.
Andi whimpered against his mouth, her tongue dancing with his. His cock stood at attention, straining against his zipper. He moaned as her body melded to his, breasts to chest, hips to hips. Cole had to have her.
As he walked them back towards the couch, she pushed hard against his chest, breaking the kiss and shoving him away from her. They both panted hard.
“Don’t…don’t ever do that…again,” she stammered, the gorgeous swell of her breasts lifting and pulling her shirt taut as her chest heaved. He could see peaked nipples. His erection throbbed and he struggled for coherent thought.
Cole dragged his gaze to her face. Blue eyes wide, cheeks rosy, freckles noticeable, her lips swollen from his. Though she’d been appealing before, how she stood before him now blew that out of the water. She was gorgeous.
He needed to say something. Anything. Apologise? He wasn’t sorry in the least. Speechless just about covered it.
She trembled and rubbed her arm. It took all he was made of not to pull her back to him and kiss her again.
There was no chance to answer. Andi turned on her heel and fled down the hall, slipping into the room farthest away from the living room. She didn’t even pause to look at him as she slammed the door.
He winced. What the hell should he make of what had happened? He stared down the hallway for a moment, his heart pounding. Never in his life, not even when he was a teenager, had one kiss stirred him to the point that Andi’s had. Then she’d run from him. His body shook with unfulfilled need.
Cole couldn’t blame her, really. No way should he have given in to the urge to kiss her. But he had the sinking suspicion he would have to do it again—and more. He wouldn’t be able not to. And hell, she’d kissed him back.
The voice of reason chided that he didn’t get involved with women he worked with, but his cock certainly disagreed. He ignored them both and dragged his hand over his face. The morning would bring complications.
Cole sighed and glanced at the couch. It looked comfortable, but would he be able to sleep?
~~~~
Here's where you can grab a copy:
About the author:
C.A. is originally from Ohio, but got to Texas as soon as she could. She is married and has a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice. She works with kids when she’s not writing.
She’s always wanted to be a writer and is overjoyed to share her stories with the world.
Sword's Call (King’s Riders Book One) is C.A.'s first book, and published by Gypsy Shadow Publishing. C.A. Collision Force (Crossing Forces Book 1), published by Total-E-Bound Publishing and was released June 28, 2013.
Where to find C.A.:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/caszarek
Website: www.caszarek.com
Blog: www.caszarekwriter.blogspot.com
Twitter: @caszarek
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5815085.C_A_Szarek
Email: ca@caszarek.com
Thank you so much for having me today Sage!!!!! The interview was a blast! As for the Transatlantic flight...COME ON OVER! *wink*
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure :) I'll be with you in, uh, about twenty hours, hope that's okay...
DeleteHey, Chrissy. Nice interview. Different questions. Always fun to hear you, Chrissy. And I so hear you in every word. LOL CF is a great read. Visualizing many sales for you.
ReplyDeleteThank you Marsha! I appreciate you stopping by!
DeleteFun interview. Thank you, ladies for an entertaining read!
ReplyDelete