Hello lovelies! It gives me great pleasure today to host Rachel Woods and her new book, “Flawless Danger!” For other stops on her Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tour, please click on the banner above.
Be sure to make it to the end of this post to enter to win an
autographed print copy of “Flawless Danger.”
Also, come back daily to interact with Rachel and to increase your
chances of winning!
Thanks for stopping by!
Wishing you lots of luck in this exciting giveaway!
Flawless
Danger
by Rachel Woods
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: Romance Suspense
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
Trying
to rectify the mistake that unleashed his dark past, Sione runs to the rescue
of a beautiful woman staying at his resort, saving her from a brutal attack …
The sly beauty who doesn’t want a hero is no damsel in distress, considering
the suspicious circumstances she seems involved in. He should stay away from
the beautiful liar, but something about her makes him want to forget his doubts
and do anything—even if it means relying on his violent instincts—for a chance
to be with her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT TWO:
Sighing,
Spencer shook her head.
She
wanted to explain why she’d decided to “date” Ben. She wanted to tell him she’d
stolen from him because she was afraid of his feelings, and even more afraid of
her own feelings, afraid she would lose herself if she fell in love with him.
But,
would he understand?
Could
she even explain it?
“So,
Step Two is get close to the resort owner,” she said, rubbing her eyes, trying
not to cry. “And then what? Get into his closet and steal from him?”
“I
told you the favor won’t be anything criminal,” Ben said, an edge in his tone.
“There’s no law against getting close to someone.”
“Just
how close do you want me to get?”
“Close,
but not too close,” Ben said. “When it’s all over, you have to be able to walk
away, and not look back. You have to be able to turn your back on him, even if
he’s bleeding on the floor, begging you for help.”
He
seemed to be unable to resist trying to get under her skin, and this time, he’d
gone too deep.
Deeper
than the knife she’d plunged into his gut.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
INTERVIEW:
What 3-5 words would you use to describe your book?
My new novel, Flawless
Danger, can be described as intriguing, unpredictable, thrilling, and of
course, sexy and dangerous. It’s available for a limited time on Amazon.com for
$0.99.
What is your favorite chapter or section of this book?
My favorite section of
Flawless Danger involves a fatalistic decision made by the novel’s hero, Sione.
The choice he makes is diametrically opposed to his values and beliefs. It
causes psychological trauma for him, forcing him to question if he really has
conquered the demons of his past. It is a pivotal moment in the story, but it
was not something that I had initially intended to happen. Nevertheless, like most
writers, I followed the direction of the character (who knows his story,
motivations and what actions he will take better than I do). It resulted in a
plot twist that I believe readers will find very exciting and unexpected and
shocking.
Did you come across any specific challenges in writing this
book?
My most difficult
challenge in writing Flawless Danger was making sure that I accurately
described the novel’s main location. The novel begins in Houston, Texas, but
then shifts to, and remains in, Belize, a Central American country. When it
comes to a novel’s setting, I am very passionate about getting the details
correct. I believe each place has its own pulse, atmosphere, and innate nuances
that make it unique and I strive to make the reader feel as though they are
actually in the novel’s location. It had been a few years since I’d visited
Belize so I had to rely on photos, videos and my memories in order to paint a
complete, vivid picture of the country. I was very concerned about making sure
the mood, smells, sounds and the “feel” of Belize were correct. When people
read Flawless Danger, I hope that when they finish the book, they feel as
though they’ve actually been to Belize.
Are your main characters, Spencer and Sione based off real
people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?
The main characters of
Flawless Danger, Spencer and Sione, are both composites of real people, but in
different ways. For Spencer, who makes her living “dating”, a tongue-in-cheek
euphemism for the act of drugging men and stealing from them, the character’s
actions and decisions are based on real-life stories of women who have stolen
from and scammed men. In the prequel novella, Flawless Mistake, the Rolex watch
Spencer steals is an idea from an article I read about a young, beautiful woman
in Washington, D.C., who met a man in a bar and took him to her hotel for a
nightcap, which she drugged. When the man woke up the next morning, his
$50,000.00 Rolex watch was gone. In terms of Sione, he is based on several different
Polynesian men that I “discovered” while sharing a New Zealand rugby obsession
with a friend.
Like Spencer who starts her relationship with Sione on lies and
deceit, have you ever also started a relationship on somewhat muddy
circumstances?
What an intriguing
question! And a question that might get me in trouble, ha ha! Honestly, I do
have a touch of commitment-phobia and I haven’t always been as enthusiastic
about a relationship as I may have led someone to believe. Sometimes, I would
feign interest when really, I just wanted a “movie partner”.
As Spencer’s life gets darker and more complicated her
relationship with Sione gets even more complex.
Do you believe that love can conquer all?
Another intriguing
question! Well, I believe that most people want to believe that love can
conquer all. I think, more than love, that it takes trust and honesty and a
willingness to put forth the effort to truly conquer a complex situation like
the one in which Spencer and Sione find themselves in Flawless Danger. Readers
will discover Spencer and Sione believe love is enough to overcome the
challenges in their relationship, but they may be purposely fooling themselves.
“Flawless Mistake” is the prequel to “Flawless Danger.” Do readers need to read, “Flawless Mistake”
first to fully understand “Flawless Danger?”
I would love it if
readers read Flawless Mistake, but doing so is not required in order to
understand or enjoy Flawless Danger. The full-length novel, Flawless Danger,
provides a clear and concise summary of Spencer’s plight, which was introduced
in “Flawless Mistake”.
Tell us about the “reflecting pool of regret” and how you chose
Houston as a backdrop for “Flawless Danger.”
The choice for Houston
was easy because it’s my hometown (and Beyonce’s, too!) and as much as
possible, I like to represent Houston. The “reflecting pool of regret” is the
reflecting pool in front of Houston’s City Hall. It’s a place where I actually
used to go when I worked in downtown Houston. Often, I would go there to
reflect on what was happening in my life, good or bad. I thought it would be
the perfect place for Spencer to sit and feel sorry for herself and lament her
bad choices. The reflecting pool is a very serene place, perfect for
introspection or internalization.
Imagine that we get to see your book on the big screen (how
awesome would that be?!). Who would you pick to play your characters? (It can
be anyone – famous or not).
This is a very tough
question for me! If Flawless Danger was made into a movie, that would be pretty
wild! Ideally, I would like casting for Sione to be done in New Zealand or
Australia, so a person of Polynesian descent could get the part. However, technically,
the Sione character has a Tongan father and a Belizean mother. Belize is a very
ethnically diverse country and the people have varying complexions and skin
tones. I suppose, in a pinch, I might go for Dwayne Johnson, even though he’s
Samoan. But, he’s definitely got the right body type.
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
After reading Flawless
Danger, I suppose I’d like readers to realize that some danger shouldn’t be
avoided. As a society, we are taught and trained to fear and avoid dangerous
situations. Naturally, we should use extreme caution when involved in
circumstances that could cause us any type of physical or psychological harm.
However, in Spencer’s case, she feels that falling in love in dangerous,
because she believes it will cause her to lose her identity and become a
passive submissive, with no independent desires other than to please her love
interest, even if it means degrading and demeaning herself. There can be an
element of danger in falling for someone, but the rewards of finding love can
be worth the risk.
Give us an interesting fun fact about your book.
In the book, Spencer
takes a tour and visits Xunantunich, which is an ancient Mayan archaeological
site in Western Belize and one of the ruins that I visited on my trip to
Belize. The name Xunantunich means “Stone Woman” and refers to the ghost of a
woman who is believed by many Belizeans to inhabit the site.
As an author, what is your favorite word you love to include in
your books?
My favorite word has to
be discombobulated. All of my female characters have experienced this
particular brand of dizzying, thunderstruck confusion at one time, or another.
Actually, I’ve used it so much in the past (in other unpublished efforts that I
summarily abandoned) that my editor has banned me from using it. Now, I just
have to say that my character is simply “confused”.
Do you ever get writer’s block and if so, how do you handle it?
Actually, I don’t really
get writer’s block, but I get very lazy about writing. A lot of times, I know I
need to work on my novel, but I just want to watch Days of Our Lives and scream
at the television. So, in an effort not to be lazy, I will make bargains with
myself, and say, “Okay, Rachel, just go to your computer and write one sentence
and then you can get back to The Young and The Restless.” Usually, the one
sentence turns into more than a dozen paragraphs!
What is the toughest criticism given to you as an author?
I received feedback from
a literary agent on one of my unpublished works that the story was interesting
but there was a disconnect because the character’s motivations were not clear.
Since then, I’ve worked to ensure that motivations of my characters are in sync
and fit with the story and plot.
Describe what your ideal writing space looks like.
My ideal writing space is
bright and minimalistic. I need lots of natural light and a clean desk, devoid
of any clutter. Sometimes, I have to clean before I write. It’s weird, but
messiness is very distracting for me.
What book(s) have most influenced your life?
This is a question where
I want to give a really profound answer, like something by Sartre, Joyce, or
Proust, etc. But, honestly, the book that has influenced my life is one a lot
of people may not have heard of. It’s called “Gypsy From Nowhere”. It has a
simple plot, but very deep and important themes about recovering from loss and
never giving up in the face of adversity and overcoming challenges than seem
insurmountable. Whenever I feel depressed or sorry for myself, I can open that
book and the first chapter always lifts my mood!
Where is your favorite spot to read?
I love to read curled up
on the couch with a blanket over my feet.
For your own reading, do you prefer ebooks or traditional
paper/hard back books?
Actually, after a stint
working at Barnes and Noble, I lost my affinity for paper/hard back books and I
no longer treasure that tactile experience of holding a book in my hand.
Because I stare at a computer all day at work, and because I write (when I’m
not being lazy), I don’t really like e-books. My joy is now audio books! It’s
really like listening to a stage production, complete with music and sound
effects. Hopefully, I’ll be able to have an audio recording of Flawless Danger
soon!
What book(s) are you currently reading?
Right now, I’m really
into non-fiction and autobiographies. I just finished “The Immortal Life of
Henrietta Lacks” which was gut-wrenching, but excellent and slightly
terrifying. Currently, I’m listening to James Patterson, who is my go-to
author.
What is your favorite thing about being a writer?
My favorite thing about
being a writer is the actual process of plotting out a story with lots of
twists and turns that no one will anticipate or expect, which I was fortunate
to be able to do with Flawless Danger.
What is your favorite motivational phrase?
My favorite motivational
phrase is “shoot for the moon, because even if you miss you will still land
among the stars.” I like this phrase because it always encourages me when I
feel like I want to quit or give up.
What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
I believe life is a gift
and I’m always excited to see what the day will bring, good or bad. Because I
like to write, each day is an opportunity to discover a new idea or theme or
personality quirk or location or historical fact that I can possibly use to
enliven and enrich my stories.
What are your favorite books to give — and get — as gifts?
Once again, because of my
stint at Barnes and Noble, I learned that books are so personal and it’s very
hard to pick a book, even for someone you know extremely well. Routinely, a
customer would buy a book for someone, say a vampire romance, because they knew
that person had a shelf full of vampire romances. And then, inevitably, the
person who received the book would return it, saying something like, “I don’t
know why she thought I would want this book.” As a result, we strongly
encouraged people to buy gift cards. But, to answer the question, I would
prefer to give, and receive, humorous books that make people laugh and not take
themselves too seriously, something like “Letters From a Nut” by Ted L. Nancy.
What are the top three things on your bucket list?
The top three things on
my bucket list are to 1) ride every roller coaster in America because roller
coasters are my world 2) travel to Antarctica, just to see for myself what it’s
like, particularly because I’m a diehard “summer baby”, and 3) learn to fly a
plane—and I mean a Boeing 787 Dreamliner!!
Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and
why?
Without a doubt, Toni
Morrison. Commercial writers like myself tell stories, but Toni captures the
beauty of the craft of writing in her literary works and her talent is
undisputed. I would love to show her my writing and see what she thinks about
it and how she would write, say a romantic suspense book.
If you were stranded on a deserted island, what five items would
you bring with you?
This is such a perfect
question because my fantasy is to have my own island in the Pacific! I would
take a satellite phone, some kind of solar-operated computer, a knife, a box of
matches and my Bible.
Say your publisher has offered to fly you anywhere in the world
to do research on an upcoming book, where would you most likely want to go?
The Solomon Islands,
which is an island chain in the Pacific close to Australia. I hope to use these
islands as a setting for a romantic suspense novel starring a handsome Melanesian
bloke. Since I was born in June, I tend to have an affinity for places where
there is an abundance of sunshine and heat, which is why most of my books are
set on islands. A tropical island is the perfect idyllic setting for romance
but also for suspense and danger, which is why I chose to set Flawless Danger
in Belize. I love the idea of sinister malfeasance in a beautiful setting.
What is something memorable you have heard from your
readers/fans?
One of the reasons I
encourage readers to check out Flawless Mistake, the prequel to Flawless
Danger, is because so many people who’ve read the book have raved about “what
happens in chapter 3!” Flawless Mistake is actually available for free when you
join my mailing list.
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
I would tell an aspiring
write to be grateful and thankful for the gift of being able to write and, most
importantly, to never stop writing and never give up dreams of being published.
What's next for you? What are you working on now?
Currently, now that
Flawless Danger has been released, I’ll be promoting the book and continuing to
work on two books, both of which will kick off two new series. One of the
books, which is still untitled, features two characters from Flawless Danger:
Sione’s cousin, David Jones and Spencer’s sister, Shady. As her name implies,
Shady is not exactly the good girl she seems to be. The other novel is called,
tentatively, Deception Island and I’m really excited about it because it has a
more mysterious tone, and I really love mysteries. In Deception Island, a woman
finds herself the target of a malicious plot as she engages in various naughty
escapades.
What is your preferred method to have readers get in touch with
or follow you (i.e., website, personal blog, Facebook page, Goodreads, etc.)
and link(s)?
I have a website and a
Facebook page, but I love for readers to personally email me. I promise, I
answer all emails! I also like to communicate with readers through my monthly
newsletter, which I use to promote various giveaways and to provide additional
information, sneak peeks and bonus content about my novels.
Is there anything else you would like to add that I haven’t
included?
I’m grateful for the
opportunity to share more about my novel, Flawless Danger and myself. It’s an
exciting page-turner with several thrilling plot twists. I hope readers will
check out Flawless Danger and tell me what they think about the way I like to
write romantic suspense. I call it “sexy, dangerous fiction”, and it’s all
about when sexy girls find themselves in dangerous situations.
Once again, I had a great
time answering these thoughtful and insightful questions. If you are interested
in reading Flawless Danger, it is on sale right now at Amazon.com for $0.99 for
a limited time.
Take Care,
Rachel!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR BIO:
As a pre-teen, a young Rachel
quickly tired of the Sweet Valley High Series and moved on to work by Sidney
Sheldon, Jackie Collins and Dominick Dunne, which was just the spark necessary
to fuel her love of writing. Her first stories were written on a Brother
typewriter during long summer days in Texas, where she always had an extra
typewriter ribbon and correction tape handy.
Rachel later studied
journalism and graduated from the University of Houston where she published
articles in the Daily Cougar. She is a freelance writer and blogger with a
penchant for melodrama and a frequent traveler to beach locales. Many of her
stories take place on the islands, which she has visited around the world.
Rachel writes complex,
multicultural stories centered on strong women in jeopardy, fighting for love
and their own lives. When not writing, this read-a-holic can be found listening
to audiobooks, reading the Book of Jeremiah, or scouring soap opera blogs.
Rachel resides in Houston with her three sock monkeys.
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CONNECT WITH RACHEL:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BOOK BUY LINKS:
Barnes
and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/flawless-danger-rachel-woods/1124114150?ean=9781943685035
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GIVEAWAY INFO:
Rachel Woods will be
awarding an autographed print copy of Flawless Danger to a randomly drawn
winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.
**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a
purchase made I may receive a small commission to help support this blog. This does not cost you anything, it just
helps pay for all those awesome giveaways on here.**
This contest is sponsored by a third party. Fabulous and
Brunette is a registered host of Goddess Fish Promotions. Prizes are given away by the sponsors and not
Fabulous and Brunette. The featured author and Goddess Fish Promotions are
solely responsible for the giveaway prize.
