Deborah Cooke: Author

Today, I’m swapping blog posts with Tess St. John, who is a fellow member of RWA Online. She’s my first guest here on my nifty new blog schedule – please ask her lots of questions, so she feels it was worth stopping by!

Here’s the permalink to my post on Tess’s blog – about the origins of ideas – and here’s Tess’s post about her books. Take it away, Tess!

 

Before I start, I want to thank Deborah for hosting me today.

I admit I was a bit anxious about blogging for Deborah (I wrote five blogs from subjects ranging from arranged marriages to traveling…if you can’t tell, I’m new to blogging). I met her when I joined RWA online six years ago. For a newbie like me, I was a bit awestruck seeing her on the boards. She’s one of the people I look up to most in the writing industry. She’s so successful and always willing to help other writers with her experience and guidance.

She asked me to talk a bit about my books, so here I go. I’m not your average writer. I haven’t dreamed of holding a book I wrote in my hands all my life. I didn’t write stories and read a lot as a child. I didn’t even like to read until I was in my twenties and I didn’t find romance until my thirties. But when I did, I fell in love.

I began writing six years ago when a scene kept playing like a movie reel in my mind. It just wouldn’t stop! After I finally wrote that scene out, more and more scenes began battling for my attention, bombarding me night and day. It’s really crazy if you’ve never experienced it.

Of course, I thought I’d written the best book ever. At a mere 32,000 words it would be a short book and the publisher would love me because I would be saving them money on paper! Yes, I was a fool!

That first book, Don’t Let It Show, was just released, but I can’t say it looks anything like the original manuscript. It underwent dozens of rewrites. Most writers will tell you they’ve put that first manuscript under the bed, never to see the light of day. But I just couldn’t let that book go. For some reason I kept changing, rewriting, polishing, until I finally finished with a story I adore. But to be honest, the theme of the story is the same as I wrote in the very first draft. Giving everything up for the ones you love. The story just had to be told. I have four others in my Undercover Intrigue Series, but each is a stand alone book, with characters you’ll recognize from the other books.

 

 

Don’t Let It Show

Can love survive secrets, lies, and murder?

Attorney Gail Martin’s life can’t get any worse. Her client has been convicted, her law license suspended, and her inbox inundated with a strange riddle. But things start looking up when a handsome cop saves her from the press.

Undercover FBI agent Sam Newton is in Houston to catch drug dealing cops while pretending to be one. His identity must be kept top secret, but his attraction to Gail can’t be concealed or ignored. He’s tried, repeatedly.

As their love deepens, Gail confides she doesn’t believe the man in jail for her mother’s murder is guilty. She and Sam investigate her mother’s case, hitting nothing but dead ends. When tragedy strikes, Gail is left with only the email riddle, which leads her on a deadly quest for the truth about her mother’s life and death—if she can stay alive long enough to solve it.

Second Chances, my first historical romance, was a different story. I wrote it first as a short story, because I never thought I would know enough to write a historical full length book. Especially a Regency. But there was a contest for a short story, so I figured what the heck…I love historicals. It was only 10,000 words when I was done, but I couldn’t get the emotional impact I wanted.

So after three months of rewrites, it was a full length novel. The research wasn’t as hard as I thought and the bank closings in the 1820’s paralleled today so much, I loved bringing a bit of real history into the book. The central theme of this book is of course a second chance at life and love. This is the first of the Chances Are Series. Again, these are stand alone stories, but you’ll see characters from the other books in the series.

 

 

Second Chances

Love that frees the heart ~ also captures it.

Lady Emma Easton’s elopement to an elderly earl shields her from an abusive father, until her husband’s death leaves her vulnerable once again. Only one man can protect her—the earl’s trusted friend, Viscount Drake.

After losing his wife, Lord Drake vows never to marry again. But his heart warms to the young widow he’s promised to protect. Emma’s love frees him from the darkness that’s consumed him. But now Drake must protect her from her father’s evil whims, or face losing her forever.

I get asked, which do you like to write better, historical romance or romantic suspense? But they’re like children. I could never pull favorites. I’ve heard an author liken their books to employees, but I’m afraid I can never think of them like that. They’re too close to my heart.

You can find out more about me and my books at http://www.TessStJohn.com

Thanks again, Deborah.

 

You’re welcome, Tess! And thanks for the post. Now, does anyone have any questions for Tess, about her books or about writing in general?