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Wishing you all a Happy Valentine Weekend! |
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| Romance Readers Want to Know Thursdays on the J.Q. Rose Blog |
This week I am happy to welcome romantic suspense author Kris Bock. Kris is offering an e-copy of Whispers in the Dark. This story features archaeology and intrigue among ancient Southwest ruins. Read on after Kris' article to find out more about the story. Be sure to leave a comment to enter the drawing. Winner will be drawn after 9 pm EST on Sunday.
Romance Readers Want to Know from Mystery/Romance author Kris Bock
How does setting inspire your romantic suspense novels?
All
of my romantic adventures are set in the Southwest. For example, in my romantic
suspense Whispers in the Dark, my heroine is
an archaeology Masters student working at the fictional “Lost Valley.” This
site is closely based on Hovenweep
National Monument. Located on the southern border between Colorado and Utah,
these ruins were left behind by the ancestral Puebloans, also known as the
Anasazi. It’s a smaller site than some, but that’s part of its charm. You can
hike and camp without crowds.
The
lonely location allows for an almost Gothic atmosphere – mysterious lights in
the canyon, spooky moaning sounds, and plenty of people hiding secrets. My
heroine, Kylie, finds more than she bargains for, of course – including
mystery, danger, and new love. She also falls in love with the Southwest, as I
did after moving to New Mexico more than a decade ago.
In
Counterfeits,
painter Jenny Kinley has spent the last decade struggling in the New York art
world. Her grandmother’s sudden death brings her home to New Mexico, but
inheriting the children’s art camp her grandmother ran is more of a burden than
a gift. How can she give up her lifelong dreams of showing her work in
galleries and museums? Her choice is complicated by meeting up with old
friends, including dreamy Rob Caruso, the camp cook and all-around handyman,
who of course has secrets. Jenny and Rob face midnight break-ins and make
desperate escapes, but the biggest danger may come from the secrets that don’t
want to stay buried.
I’ve
been at many writing retreats at a music camp near Jemez Springs, New Mexico,
and that inspired the children’s art camp which the heroine inherits in my
book. I hiked in the surrounding area and took photos and notes to capture the
setting. (See my Pinterest pictures.)
The remote location provides for excellent action scenes and complications like
limited cell phone service. I made it an art camp because I felt I could
capture an artist’s persona after my time at Rhode Island School of Design.
Who do you
imagine is your ideal reader?
My
romantic adventures should appeal to fans of “lighter” romantic suspense, along
the lines of Mary Stewart, Barbara Michaels, and Nora Roberts. In fact, Roberta at Sensuous Reviews blog said, “Counterfeits is the kind of romantic
suspense novel I have enjoyed since I first read Mary Stewart’s ‘Moonspinners’,
and Kris Bock used all the things I love about this genre.” (Full Review)
You’ll
find plenty of action and a sweet love story, but not the gritty violence and
explicit erotica of some modern romantic suspense. I also tried to bring the
New Mexico scenery to life – gorgeous sunsets, dangerous monsoon storms, and
everywhere you turn a plant or animal that wants to scratch, bite, or sting
you. Armchair adventure travelers are welcome!
About Kris:
Kris
Bock writes novels of suspense and romance involving outdoor adventures and
Southwestern landscapes. In Counterfeits,
stolen Rembrandt
paintings bring danger to a small New Mexico town. Whispers in the Dark features
archaeology and intrigue among ancient Southwest ruins. What We Found is a mystery with strong romantic elements about a
young woman who finds a murder victim in the woods. The Mad Monk’s Treasure follows the hunt for a long-lost treasure
in the New Mexico desert. In The Dead
Man’s Treasure, estranged relatives compete to reach a buried treasure by
following a series of complex clues. Read excerpts at www.krisbock.com or visit her Amazon page. Sign up for Kris Bock newsletter for
announcements of new books, sales, and more.
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| Author Kris Bock |
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| Whispers in the DARK by Kris Bock Romantic suspense |
Back of the book:Whispers in the Dark by Kris Bock:
Archaeology student Kylie Hafford craves adventure when she heads to the remote Puebloan ruins of Lost Valley, Colorado, to excavate. Romance isn’t in her plans, but she soon meets two sexy men: Danesh looks like a warrior from the Pueblo’s ancient past, and Sean is a charming, playful tourist. The summer heats up as Kylie uncovers mysteries, secrets, and terrors in the dark. She’ll need all her strength and wits to survive—and to save the man she’s come to love.
Whispers in the Dark, romantic suspense set in the Four Corners region of the Southwest, will appeal to fans of Mary Stewart, Barbara Michaels, and Terry Odell.
Click the book cover below to read a sample and/or purchase Counterfeits by Kris Bock.
