Lacey Goes to Tokyo by C.H. Lyn

Please welcome C.H. Lyn author of Lacey Goes to Tokyo

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

Lacey Goes to Tokyo

by C.H. Lyn

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GENRE: Suspense/Thriller

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INTERVIEW:

1. What or who inspired you to start writing?

My family and friends have been encouraging my writing for years. It’s always been a dream to be published and Tirgearr Publishing made that dream come true with Lacey Goes to Tokyo. I think the feeling I get from writing is what really drives me. It’s a similar rush to the “runner’s high” people talk about. While my drug of choice while I’m working is coffee, when I have a successful writing session, I feel amazing.

2. What expertise did you bring to your writing?

Most of my expertise for Lacey Goes to Tokyo comes from a combination of Google, my husband, and my father. Google Maps has played a key role in figuring out the terrain of Tokyo and Thailand, as well as giving me distance and times for all the places Lacey goes. I want to give a shout-out of thanks to everyone who posts pictures of their food on google restaurant bios, that’s where I got a lot of the goodies Lacey enjoys in the different places she eats!

My dad gave me some good advice on cigar and motorcycle brands, and my husband gave me all the tactical information I could ask for. There’s a rather large fight scene between Miss Belle, a friend, and a couple dozen mercenaries. I wanted to make it as realistic as possible, and without Hubby giving me the latest in drone tech, and helping me plan the layout, it would have ended up very Hollywood.

3. As far as your writing goes, what are your future plans?

The Miss Belle’s Travel Guides series is one that I plan to continue for a long time. There are so many characters, and only two of them are really involved in the first book. Each girl, and guy, in Miss Belle’s organization has a story to tell, some of them have more than one. The first several books are *somewhat* mapped out. I’m very excited for book four. That’s when we see how Miss Belle and Missa got into this business.

Beyond Miss Belle’s Travel Guides, I have several other stories rattling around in my mind. Some are on paper, others are waiting their turn. I want to write them all, but I plan to finish the first half-dozen books in this series first.

4. If you were the casting director for the film version of your novel, who would play your leading roles?

I’ve actually thought about this a lot. I suppose every author does. For Missa, I’d love Jennifer Lawrence, or some equally gorgeous blond actress in her late twenties. For Miss Belle, Lily James. I absolutely love her in The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. As far as Lacey goes, I think an upcoming Korean-American actress would do wonders in the role. There isn’t enough Asian-American representation on the Hollywood screen, so a new actress would be pretty cool. Of the current beautiful women running the scene, Krystal Jung reminds me the most of the Lacey character.

5. Do you belong to a critique group? If so how does this help or hinder your writing?

My critique group is my sister. She is the harshest of my critics, but also serves as a lifeline when I’m drowning. She’s the first person to read my work, so she sees all the horribleness of those first drafts. Without her my writing would be something else entirely. Probably something notpublished.

6. What is the best and worst advice you ever received? (regarding writing or publishing)

The worst advice I’ve ever gotten is (in my opinion) the worst advice anyone can get. “Give up.” The sentence, “do you know now unlikely it is to be a published author?” stung hard at 16, and it still stings when I think of it now.

I’m not saying people should dive headfirst into their dreams without a safety net or backup plan, but I can’t imagine myself ever telling someone to give up what they love.

The best advice came from my husband. “Be patient.” When we were 19, I attempted vanity publishing for an early version of a YA fantasy story I had written. I was in a hurry, as many 19-year-olds are, and spent a pretty penny on something that ended up a great learning experience, but not a great publishing experience.

This time around, he reminded me to be patient, let my work speak for itself, and let it find the publisher who would do it justice. I can tell you just from my cover, that Tirgearr goes above and beyond. I love working with them.

7. Do you outline your books or just start writing?

Both! Not a great answer, but it’s the truth. For Lacey Goes to Tokyo, I sat down with an idea of the Miss Belle character, and dove in from there. After a few chapters an outline formed in my mind and I wrote it down so I wouldn’t forget it. Now, I have vague outlines for the next several books and hard outlines for the next two. Some scenes have a beginning and end, but I make the middle up as I go, and some are actually thought out. I think for this series I’m going to have to outline more and more as I go. The characters overlap, dance in and out of each other’s books, and have such detailed backgrounds, I’d probably get lost without a good planning system.

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

I love this question. As anyone who is even a little nerdy will be able to tell, there are a few references to different fandoms in the story. Miss Belle, for example, has a Serenity mug. The girls play Halo and Modern Warfare, they reference Harry Potter and X-Men, and I’m sure the list will only grow as the series does.

So, I suppose my hobby is being able to reference the nerdier aspects of pop culture? For actual useful knowledge, my characters depend on my husband’s skills. Lacey’s little gun, Freda, for example, was a collaboration of sorts. I asked my husband to pick out a small gun, and I gave it a grand name to honor a very strong woman.

9. Do you have an all time favorite book?

I have a few favorites, but I was just talking about this one with my sister, so I’ll share. I read A Gentleman in Moscow: a Novelby Amor Towels a few years ago, bought the book for my family, and never heard back. Well, she finally read it and called to discuss how much she loved it. The story is rich, the history is fascinating, and the characters don’t disappoint.

As far as a book I’d read a hundred times and still love, I’m a sucker for the Harry Potter series, the Red Rising series, and anything by Tamora Pierce.

10. Have you started your next project? If so, can you share a little bit about your book?

Yes! Book two, Damen Goes to Peru, is nearly done. I have a few more scenes, then it gets shipped off to my sister for the pre-publisher/pre-editor review. This story follows three characters rather than two like Lacey’s. Damen, who we met briefly in book one, his twin sister Carmen, who is still in Peru and working with native villages near the Amazon, and Miss Belle, who is dealing with the psychological aftermath of book one.

I’m having a ton of fun with this one. The locations are a little easier this time around, because I’ve actually been to Peru! My two sisters and I went in the summer of 2016 for a week. We stayed in Lima for a few days, flew to Cusco for a few days, and hiked up to Machu Pichu. The views, food, and people were amazing. It was one of the best weeks of my life, and I get to draw directly from those experiences for this story. Going through all the old photos has been a ton of fun. I keep bugging my sisters in the family text chain with “hey, remember when…”

BLURB:

International travel means international danger.

Lacey Devaine is a four-year veteran of a spy ring which fronts as an exclusive escort service, Miss Belle’s Travel Guides. Maintaining her cover is Lacey’s number one priority to protect the integrity of the operation she works for.

While on assignment in Tokyo, a nosy newspaper reporter threatens to blow the lid off a scandal that will put dozens of innocent lives at risk. To protect her cover, Miss Belle is called in to act on intelligence Lacey has uncovered.

Can these beautiful, intelligent, and deadly women complete this assignment in time and emerge unscathed? Or will this mission be their last?

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EXCERPT:

I glance back now—discretion on my part is no longer necessary. The last few blocks pass uneventfully, and when I arrive at the steps to the Manor, I turn back around and smile as the man steps under a streetlight.

“Officer McKinley.” I grin. “How lovely to see you. You didn’t follow me all the way from the gala, did you? Seems like an awful waste of taxpayer money.”

McKinley glares. “It’s Detective.”

I can’t help but chuckle, which only makes him more frustrated.

“Oh, do come in, Detective.”

He doesn’t like my tone, but of course, he follows me up the steps. Any offer of access to my home is one that this particular thorn in my side just can’t resist.

He waits patiently as I knock rather than digging through the clutch for my keys. Marissa opens the door, a knowing smile playing across her lips.

“Miss Belle, you’re home early.” She steps aside and gives me a peck on the cheek as I cross the threshold. “And Officer McKinley, lovely to see you again.” A surprised smile lights up her face, eyes widening to sell the effect. She, of course, is anything but surprised by our malevolent visitor; good communication pays off.

“It’s Detective.” He glares again but follows me through the door and into the grand foyer.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

I was born and raised in a small town in Northern California. Growing up in a college town meant I experienced a wide variety of people and opinions. I like to think my stories reflect the vast differences in the people I’ve met.  I love to travel. I want to explore the world around me while writing about the worlds in my mind.

I grew up with a steady diet of wonderful stories set in amazing worlds. I’ve read almost every series Tamora Pierce has written, and I am a crazy fan of the Hunger Games series. My nerdiness also encompasses the Harry Potter series, LOTR, and (to an extent) the worlds of superheros. Though, my husband is really head of DC knowledge in the household. He is also the most amazing source of support I could hope for.

I’m 26 now. My daughter just turned one. She is already so smart, curious, and beautiful. I want the female characters in my writing to be inspiring, not just for her, but for all the little girls who grow up reading.

https://www.facebook.com/CHLyn8/

https://www.chlyn.com/

http://tirgearrpublishing.com/authors/Lyn_CH

http://tirgearrpublishing.com/authors/Lyn_CH/lacey-goes-to-tokyo.htm

https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0822Z565Y

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

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

RAFFLECOPTER:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3281