My special guest today is romantic suspense
author Karla Brandenburg. We’re
chatting about her newest novel, The
Mirror.
During her virtual book tour, Karla will be
awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a
lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your
chances of winning, feel free to visit
her other tour stops and enter there, too!
Bio:
awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a
lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your
chances of winning, feel free to visit
her other tour stops and enter there, too!
Bio:
Karla
Brandenburg is the author of contemporary romance, including her award-winning
paranormal MIST series. Raised on the gothic romances of Victoria Holt and the
horror of Stephen King, she is an avid reader and is a member of the Romance
Writers of America. Karla is a card-carrying cookie-holic, enjoys baking and
travel.
Brandenburg is the author of contemporary romance, including her award-winning
paranormal MIST series. Raised on the gothic romances of Victoria Holt and the
horror of Stephen King, she is an avid reader and is a member of the Romance
Writers of America. Karla is a card-carrying cookie-holic, enjoys baking and
travel.
Welcome, Karla. Please share a little
bit about your current release.
When
Sandra Meyer’s violent ex-boyfriend returns to sleepy Edgarville, Illinois, she
turns to the man who stood up to Nick Benedetto years ago. If brawny Garth
Benson will pose as her boyfriend on social media, maybe Nick will leave her
alone. Sandra adores Garth, but she doesn’t want any more ties to Edgarville.
Now finished with a decade of dedicated service as her mother’s caregiver,
Sandra is planning her exit from this one-stoplight town.
Sandra Meyer’s violent ex-boyfriend returns to sleepy Edgarville, Illinois, she
turns to the man who stood up to Nick Benedetto years ago. If brawny Garth
Benson will pose as her boyfriend on social media, maybe Nick will leave her
alone. Sandra adores Garth, but she doesn’t want any more ties to Edgarville.
Now finished with a decade of dedicated service as her mother’s caregiver,
Sandra is planning her exit from this one-stoplight town.
Garth
is firmly rooted in Edgarville with the family monument business and a trophy
shop that will need a “mom” to his “pop.” Garth has wanted
Sandra ever since he slugged Nick more than ten years ago. Her secrets run
deep, as do the strengths that he admires within her, but whenever he tries to
move their casual flirtations from talk to dating, she backs away.
is firmly rooted in Edgarville with the family monument business and a trophy
shop that will need a “mom” to his “pop.” Garth has wanted
Sandra ever since he slugged Nick more than ten years ago. Her secrets run
deep, as do the strengths that he admires within her, but whenever he tries to
move their casual flirtations from talk to dating, she backs away.
Small
town life has strangled Sandra as effectively as Nick tried to back in the day.
Garth might be the one man who can protect her from Nick, but what he expects
in return is too much. On top of that, her deceased father’s unexpected
appearance in the mirror of her new home exposes long-held secrets that will
change Sandra’s view of her family and hometown forever.
town life has strangled Sandra as effectively as Nick tried to back in the day.
Garth might be the one man who can protect her from Nick, but what he expects
in return is too much. On top of that, her deceased father’s unexpected
appearance in the mirror of her new home exposes long-held secrets that will
change Sandra’s view of her family and hometown forever.
When
the last tie holding her to Edgarville is cut, Sandra runs as fast as she can,
but the world outside her small-town community isn’t all she expects.
the last tie holding her to Edgarville is cut, Sandra runs as fast as she can,
but the world outside her small-town community isn’t all she expects.
What inspired you to write this book?
I started writing Epitaph in 2009, but
couldn’t get it quite right. I set it back on the shelf and, over the years, I
kept pulling it back down. It wasn’t quite right, but I couldn’t seem to
relegate it to the crap pile. I finally got it right, in part by expanding the
families of the characters and opening the door for the siblings to continue
the series. The Mirror is the third
in the series, and was inspired by characters in book 1.
couldn’t get it quite right. I set it back on the shelf and, over the years, I
kept pulling it back down. It wasn’t quite right, but I couldn’t seem to
relegate it to the crap pile. I finally got it right, in part by expanding the
families of the characters and opening the door for the siblings to continue
the series. The Mirror is the third
in the series, and was inspired by characters in book 1.
Excerpt from The Mirror:
“Look, I don’t want to tell you what to do,” he started.
“Look, I don’t want to tell you what to do,” he started.
She chuckled. “Oh, yes you do.” She
crossed her arms and faced him. “Let’s hear it.”
crossed her arms and faced him. “Let’s hear it.”
“For starters, you need to file a
complaint,” he told her. “Against Nick.”
complaint,” he told her. “Against Nick.”
“And what good would that do, unless
Micah or PJ wants to follow me around town all day every day? Nick isn’t the
type to be deterred.”
Micah or PJ wants to follow me around town all day every day? Nick isn’t the
type to be deterred.”
“It makes your case for the next
time he comes after you. Or, I could take him hunting,” Garth said, one eyebrow
raised, “and arrange for an accident.”
time he comes after you. Or, I could take him hunting,” Garth said, one eyebrow
raised, “and arrange for an accident.”
He was probably kidding, but she
didn’t like the aggressive male testosterone manifesting itself. Fists or guns,
both could be lethal.
didn’t like the aggressive male testosterone manifesting itself. Fists or guns,
both could be lethal.
Had Nick killed Tammy?
Sandra rose from the bed and stared
Garth down. He didn’t move.
Garth down. He didn’t move.
“I’m not stupid enough to go to jail
for killing him,” he clarified.
for killing him,” he clarified.
“I’ll file the complaint,” she said.
“You said for starters. What else? Might as well tell me what else you think
I’m too stupid to come up with on my own.”
“You said for starters. What else? Might as well tell me what else you think
I’m too stupid to come up with on my own.”
“I never said you were stupid.”
She knew she sounded unreasonable
but she couldn’t help herself. This had been one hell of a day so far. “What
else?” she asked.
but she couldn’t help herself. This had been one hell of a day so far. “What
else?” she asked.
“Find someone who can translate the
journal for you. You could track down an old business teacher at the high
school, or someone who could point you the right direction.”
journal for you. You could track down an old business teacher at the high
school, or someone who could point you the right direction.”
She shook her head. “No can do, big
guy. Whatever’s in the journal is private. I don’t want the whole town to know
my mother’s business.” Especially if her mother did have an affair, or affairs.
“Keep going. You’re on a roll.”
guy. Whatever’s in the journal is private. I don’t want the whole town to know
my mother’s business.” Especially if her mother did have an affair, or affairs.
“Keep going. You’re on a roll.”
What exciting story are you working on
next?
I’m working on the fourth in the Epitaph
series, Kathleen’s book. While I’d originally given her a hero and a conflict
in Book 1, I was surprised that he didn’t want to play along in Book 4. She has
a new hero. I’m excited to use New Orleans as the haunted backdrop for a part
of the story.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
Not until my first book was published. Yes,
I’d been writing most of my life, but it wasn’t until then that I’d proved to
myself that I could take all those disjointed scenes that played in my head and
put them into a cohesive story.
What would you say is your interesting
writing quirk?
I’d been writing most of my life, but it wasn’t until then that I’d proved to
myself that I could take all those disjointed scenes that played in my head and
put them into a cohesive story.
Do you write full-time? If so, what’s
your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find
time to write? I have a regular, full-time job. Writing is NOT lucrative as
a career. I write every chance I get, and because my day job is seasonal, I can
work part time during off times and spend that time writing. During busy
season, my writing time decreases drastically, and in some years, I have to
stop writing altogether for a month or two. On a good day, I can write for six
hours. On a day where the day job conflicts, I might not have time to write
more than an hour.
What would you say is your interesting
writing quirk?
I have a tendency to “work ahead” in
everything I do. This spills into my writing. I tend to bring my main
characters together before they’re ready, just so I can make sure they have
chemistry. Then I “rip out the stitches” and back up, introducing them to each
other and let the relationship develop more naturally.
everything I do. This spills into my writing. I tend to bring my main
characters together before they’re ready, just so I can make sure they have
chemistry. Then I “rip out the stitches” and back up, introducing them to each
other and let the relationship develop more naturally.
As a child, what did you want to be when
you grew up?
I always knew I wanted to be a writer,
although there was a time I was sure I wanted to be a professional tennis
player.
Links:
although there was a time I was sure I wanted to be a professional tennis
player.
Links:
Thanks for hosting!
Thanks for having me ?
congrats on the tour and thanks for the chance to win 🙂
Thanks Lisa. Good luck
Thank you for the excerpt, I enjoyed it.
Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thanks, Rita and Victoria, for stopping by. Glad you enjoyed the excerpt. It's one of my favorite scenes.