Hope and Honor:

Please welcome  author of Hope and Honor

Marilee Brothers will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

Hope and Honor

by Marilee Brothers

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GENRE: Romantic suspense with a touch of fantasy

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INTERVIEW:

How do you come up with ideas for your books?

Lack of ideas has never been an issue for me. My brain is simply bubbling over with possibilities. The only exception was writing a five book series, but fortunately it was a paranormal which gave me many options.

What expertise did you bring to your writing?

I’d like to think I’ve evolved as a writer. When I wrote my first book, The Curse of the Rose, my only qualification was my love of reading. Since it was a medieval romance, I did meticulous research on 12^th Century England during the reign of Henry the Second and Eleanor of Aquitaine, I figured out my characters and story line and started writing. Since it was my practice book, I never dreamed it would be published.

What would you want your readers to know about you that may not be in your bio?

Shortly before I sold my first book, I kissed the Blarney Stone in Ireland. Coincidence? Maybe.

If you could be one of the characters in any of your books, who would it be and why?

Allie Emerson in my young adult series, Unbidden Magic. Even though she had many strikes against her, she remained positive and spunky. In the first book, Moonstone, she was fifteen. I remember my fifteen-year-old self as shy and awkward. I could have used Allie’s resilience and confidence. I created character of Allie as I wished I could have been at her age.

Do you belong to a critique group? Does this help or hinder your writing?

I have belonged to critique groups. Some help, some hinder. I actually prefer exchanging work with a writing partner.

When did you first decide to submit your work? Who or what encouraged you to take this big step?

Strangely, I never dreamed I was capable of writing a book. For years, I wrote poetry and short stories. I enrolled in an online writing class and the instructor said, “You need to write a book.” She believed in me and that was so powerful. I just completed book number ten. I’ve written a book a year for the last ten years.

Do you outline your books or just start writing?

I don’t outline but I don’t just start writing. I usually have a germ of an idea, how the book starts and how it ends. The middle is often a question mark. Before I begin a book, I do a lot of character work. I create a document where I list my main characters, describing their physical appearance, their habits, their idiosyncrasies, etc. My characters usually drive the story. I’ve tried outlining but my characters usually take over and I end up in an entirely different place than I planned to go.

Do you have any hobbies and does the knowledge you’ve gained from these carry over into your characters or the plots of your books?

I play golf and mahjong. For years, my friends have been asking, “When are you going to write about us?” Since I just wrapped up a three book series, I’ve started a mystery that includes both of my hobbies. The book opens with a body found on the eighteenth green of a golf course named, Fairway to Heaven. Believe it or not, mahjong will also be part of this book.

Can you tell us a little about the black moment in your book?

Without giving too much away, there are two black moments in Hope and Honor. One involves a dysfunctional teenage girl who goes missing and the second finds Mel locked in a room with two hostile men, one of whom is wielding a large handgun.

What was it like to write a series?

In a word – challenging! Unbidden Magic was a five book series and by book 4, I was asking myself, “What were you thinking?” However, I learned a great deal from the process. Adding new characters helped. As previously stated, my books are character driven and, so far, they haven’t let me down.

BLURB:

Life is becoming more complicated for soul reader Honor Melanie “Mel” Sullivan. Her boss needs help with his rebellious teen daughter who believes rules are made to be broken and Mel’s current boyfriend, Homeland Security agent Mick Petrov, is becoming an absentee lover, dropping hints about a major decision he faces. To make it worse, Mel’s ex, 3 Peaks detective “Billy the Kid” McCarty wants her back. And those aren’t the only challenges. When a paramilitary group called New Dawn wants her soul-reading skills, Mel meets five-year-old twins who steal her heart. Unwilling to abandon the motherless children, she strikes a deal with the compound’s charismatic leader. Drawn deeper and deeper into New Dawn’s twisted agenda, Mel must figure out a way to save the twins and herself before it’s too late.

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EXCERPT:

When last I saw Mick, he had spikey black hair and facial piercings. He was lean, almost skinny, hoping to pass himself off as a druggie. Apparently it worked. He got his man. He usually does.

I saunter into the Corral and head to his table. He lifts the brim of his hat and I look into eyes as clear and blue as a Norwegian fjord. His soul looks much the same, although it’s picked up some etches and markings common to those involved in law enforcement.

I strike a pose, one hand on my hip, and flutter my eyelashes. Not a natural flirt, this seems silly to me. I lick my lips. “Why, hello there, handsome. You’re drinking Grey Goose vodka and you look like someone I knew a very long time ago, but slightly different. Is it possible we’ve met before?”

His hand snakes out and grabs my wrist. He kisses the back of my hand. I hold back a snicker.

“My maylsh,” he says in a sexy growl. “I didn’t fool you after all?”

Mick is Russian born. In the past, we’ve gone through a number of Slavic endearments. Most of them reference pussycat or kitten. After my strong objection, we settled on maylsh, the Russian term for baby. It’s not all that great, but it’s better than pussycat. In my humble opinion, it’s not worth fighting over.

He scoots his chair back and pulls me onto his lap. I lift his cap to check out his hair. It’s pale blond and growing out from the spikey do.

He says, “Is it true blonds have more fun?”

“You get to decide.”

He leans and whispers, “Believe me, I will.”

Heat spirals through my body, settling deep into my belly. I want to grab him by the hand and drag him out to my car. Have my way with him. Until I see Mick, I don’t realize how much I’ve missed him. But, this is not the time or place. I push away and stand.

“Are you going to introduce me to your friends?”

I suspect they are fellow officers. Not that he’ll tell me.

Instead, he says, “This is Mel.”

He points at the men and identifies each one by first name only. Now I know for sure they’re his work buddies.

I say, “See you around, guys. Enjoy your evening.”

Mick looks a little panicked. “Hey, wait. I’ll see you later. In Number Ten. Right?”

Now, it’s my turn for payback and I love it.

“Wrong.” I walk away.

“At least leave bread crumbs.”

I hear a hint of desperation in his voice and return to the table. “You’re Homeland Security. Remember, you have no rules. I’m sure you’ll figure it out, big guy. Bye, bye.”

His buddies burst into laughter as I sashay away.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Marilee Brothers is a former teacher, coach, counselor and the author of ten books. Marilee and her husband are the parents of three grown sons and live in central Washington State. After writing six young adult books, Marilee is once again writing romantic suspense for the adult market. She loves hearing from people who have read her books. Feel free to contact her at http://www.marileebrothers.com and sign up for her newsletter The Obsessive Page Turner.

Her author page on Facebook is: www.facebook.com/marilee.author and she occasionally tweets @MarileeB. Check out Marilee’s Amazon page here: http://www.amazon.com/Marilee-Brothers/e/B003RL7EWQ/

Marilee’s blog is Book Blather, http://bookblatherblog.blogspot.com where she features aspiring and published authors as well as some tidbits of her own.

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

Marilee Brothers will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f2570