Karen Wiesner is the July Whiskey Creek Press spotlight author with her newest release in her award-winning Incognito Series, DEAD DROP. Read the spotlight interview with Karen here: http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com.
DEAD DROP, Book 4 of the Incognito Series
by Karen Wiesner
Available now from Whiskey Creek Press http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com
978-1-59374-753-4 (trade paperback); 978-1-59374-754-1 (electronic), $5.99
Romantic Action/Adventure/Suspense
Read an excerpt: http://www.angelfire.com/stars4/kswiesner/ddexcerpt.html
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Roan Emory, Network operative, was inducted against his will. Parris "Perry" L'Engle, an FBI agent and the only woman he ever loved, has never been convinced that the car accident that took Daniel Sands' life was legitimate. Just before his disappearance 25 years earlier, Daniel had been approached for recruitment by a covert agency. Now the scenario that had seemed like the catalyst to tragedy is taking place again. Outside her son Danny's office, Perry hears a familiar voice she'd overheard the day before Daniel disappeared, giving an identical recruiting pitch to her son. Horrified, she vows this cipher won't get him...but he can lead her to Daniel. When she finds the man Roan Emory in Chicago, she has to face the fact that Daniel had willingly given up her, their love, and the child he'd never known she was carrying.
Roan is a man on the edge with the face of a fallen angel and the heart of a machine. Denying his emotions is how he's existed all these years. Better not to feel when he can't change his circumstances. He'll never be free of the Network. Even if they willingly let him go, their enemies will see him as collateral. His presence outside could cripple them. Only legitimate death can free him. Ironically, though he's found his heart again with Perry, he knows the only one who can save their son from the same fate that destroyed their lives is Roan Emory--the most dangerous man in the world.
5 Flags! "Author Karen Wiesner continues to demonstrate the enviable capacity to enrapture her readers within the first page or two of any story. DEAD DROP is no exception to this rule, for readers will find it a not-to-be-put-aside novel. As Book 4 in her outstanding Incognito Series about The Network, DEAD DROP works well as a series installment, but also as a stand-alone story. Readers, race to your nearest outlet and pick up DEAD DROP, then set aside a block of time sufficient to read it start to finish, because you will not be willing to put this book down until the end!" ~Annie for EuroReviews http://euroreviews.eu.funpic.de/bookdetails.php?book_id=989
Previous books in the series:
NO ORDINARY LOVE, Book 1
UNTIL DEATH DO US PART, Book 2
BOUNTY ON THE REBEL'S HEART, Book 3
Upcoming books in the series:
UNDER THE SPELL, Book 5 (October 2007)
RENEGADE'S ROSE, Book 6 (March 2008)
UNDERCOVER ANGEL, Book 7 (October 2008)
HARD TO HANDLE, Book 8 (March 2009)
DANCE IN SHADOWS, Book 9 (October 2009)
HYPNOTIZED, Book 10 (March 2010)
MIND GAMES, Book 11 (October 2010)
What's the story behind DEAD DROP and what inspired me to write it?
I'd finished the first two books in my Incognito Series, which centers around a covert government agency I called the Network, in which all the operatives either willingly (in most cases) or unwillingly give up their lives to serve their country and basically live life in the shadows. All the books in the series are vastly different. In NO ORDINARY LOVE, readers learn about the only operative who'd ever escaped the Network. The second book, UNTIL DEATH DO US PART, introduces the scenario of the corrupt head of the organization putting his plan to topple the Network into affect. This takes several of the operatives outside of the Network. By posing as new neighbors, they're able to protect key witnesses. Book 3, BOUNTY ON THE REBEL'S HEART, continued that basic story (though it very much stands on its own) with an operative going undercover to bring out the second witness who'd been in hiding for many years.
At that point, I really wanted to show life inside the Network, rebuilding after the situation that almost destroyed them from the inside out, since all the stories up to this point and been set pretty far outside. The hero in DEAD DROP, Roan Emory, was first introduced in UNTIL DEATH DO US PART, but also had a role in BOUNTY ON THE REBEL'S HEART. Roan captivated me from the first time he entered the series. As the most dangerous man in the world, I wanted his story to be utterly intriguing. So I came up with a scenario that equally captivated me:
After being approached by a recruiter, a man is unwillingly inducted into a covert government organization. Daniel Sands was inducted at the age of 20 against his will. Parris "Perry" L'Engle, the only woman Daniel ever loved, was never convinced that the car accident that took his life was legitimate, regardless of the evidence to the fact. She's never stopped searching for him. Alone, Perry gave birth to a child Daniel never knew she was carrying. Twenty-five years later, when their son is approached by the same covert agency that tried to recruit Daniel before his disappearance, Perry knows the man she loves isn't dead. As an FBI agent, Perry is determined to find Daniel—the only man who can save their son from the same fate that destroyed both of their lives.
DEAD DROP was one of the most organic projects I've ever endeavored on. Each part of the story grew naturally out of the original, intriguing concept.
Also look for my other Whiskey Creek Press release this month:
DAME AMETHYST TREASURES
Novella Collection
Whiskey Creek Press http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com
978-1-59374-888-3 (electronic), $5.99; 978-1-59374-887-6 (trade paperback), $11.95
Includes the following novellas:
"The Amethyst Angel"
Traditional Romance
(originally published in Tales from the Treasure Trove, Volume I, A Jewels of the Quill Anthology—available now)
Elena Lopez's father has decided to play matchmaker with his long-time friend and neighbor, Marta Delgado, when Marta's nephew comes to town. Elena has a secret, though: She's always loved Marta's own son Pablo. An amethyst angel belonging to a dying boy reminds Elena that spending her life waiting for something to happen isn't living and that love must be shared. Can she take the risk of telling Pablo her feelings even if he doesn't share her love?
4 ½ star review and September Top Pick from Romantic Times!
Romantic Times' 2005 Reviewers' Choice Award Winner!
EPPIE 2006 Winner!
Golden Rose Award Winner!
Ecataromance Best Book of the Year!
5 angel review from Fallen Angel Reviews!
5 flag review from EuroReviews!
"A Home for Christmas"
Inspirational Contemporary Romance
(originally published in Small Gifts, A Jewels of the Quill Christmas Anthology—available now)
Craig Stevens is determined to tell Christie of his feelings for her once and for all. But how does a painfully shy man reveal his heart without voicing the words that could lead to rejection?
Christie Renata Zondervon grew up in an orphanage and then with a multitude of foster families. All she's ever wanted is a home and a family, especially at Christmas-time. When she met Craig's brother, she thought she'd found the man to build that family with, and she was devastated when it didn't work out.
Craig has been there for Christie since the day they met. He's dried her tears, held her hand, listened to her talk about her hopes and fears at any time of day or night. He believes in her even when she doesn't believe in herself. She's never looked at him romantically before…until he invites her to go to Olympia, Washington to spend Christmas with him and his family. For the first time, Craig begins to show her his heart, and she begins to see him in a whole new light.
Craig has given himself just a few days before Christmas to convince Christie he can be the man of her dreams. Now it's a countdown to win her heart or bust!
5 star review from Ecataromance!
5 flag review from EuroReviews!
"The Amethyst Star"
Futuristic Romance
(originally published in Tales from the Treasure Trove, Volume II, A Jewels of the Quill Anthology—available now)
They live in a time when humans have become an endangered species...
Thirty years ago, the men and women of Earth went off to fight in an intergalactic war, an event which left their world forever altered. Herbivores have all but disappeared while carnivores have flourished and slaughtered most of the human race. Answering Earth's call for help to avoid extinction are the Patrollers, with extrasensory perception and the ability to camouflage themselves and their charges, and the Hunters, with ultra-strength, speed and instincts, allowing them to destroy the elusive carnivores.
Greatly outnumbered by the male sex, women have become earth's most valuable prizes in their roles as Procreators. Pair-bonding is rare and families no longer exist since children are gestated in labs. Lady Sher of the Amethyst Star is mankind's last hope for survival. While Sher dutifully upholds her obligations to her people, her loneliness and desire for true love and a family go unmet. Her heart's desire can never be fulfilled...especially not with the hunter Randolf, who fills her every thought with forbidden longings.
On Randolf's home world, all inhabitants mate for life. In a traditional Chaashane ceremony, Randolf and his clan priest shared a vision of the rare star of amethyst for Randolf's life-mate. But his ceremony also revealed the prophecy that if he loses the star of amethyst, the hunter will become the hunted for all time. Will destiny and desire prove impossible goals?
5 flag review from EuroReviews!
4 ½ stars from Romantic Times!
"Creatures of the Night"
Paranormal Romance
(Exclusive to this volume! Never before published!)
Loner and night-owl painter Susanna Heath has just married her exotic-foreigner husband. Nicholai Rostislav disappears all day, coming to her only at night. Now she finds out that he's a bloodsucking vampire. And you thought your marriage had problems.
About Karen Wiesner:
Karen Wiesner is an accomplished author with 42 books published in the past 9 years, which have been nominated/won 54 awards, and 19 more titles under contract. Her books cover such genres as women's fiction, romance, mystery/police procedural/cozy, suspense, paranormal, futuristic, gothic, inspirational, thriller, horror and action/adventure. She also offers writes children's books, poetry, and writing reference titles such as her bestseller, First Draft in 30 Days, available from Writer's Digest Books. Karen is the founding member of Jewels of the Quill. For more information about Karen and her work, visit her websites at http://www.karenwiesner.com, http://www.falconsbend.com, http://www.firstdraftin30days.com, and http://www.JewelsoftheQuill.com.