Book info:
Title: Passion Punch
Author: Tricia Leedom
Series: Key West Escape #3
Published by: Firefly Hill Press
Publication date: October 22nd 2019
Genres: Adult, Adventure, Romance
Synopsis:
When April Linus’ best friends find themselves in trouble with the Miami Mafia, the former heiress turns to an even more dangerous criminal for help… her father.
Not an easy decision for the young, single mother who found herself pregnant at nineteen and forced to choose between her trust fund and having a baby. April’s father agrees to loan her the money, if she moves home for a few months so he can get to know his grandchild. Before she can decide what to do, she comes face to face with the last man she ever expected to see again… her father’s former bodyguard who disappeared five years ago after she slept with him.
Black Ops operative Jonas Ostergaard made a nearly fatal mistake the last time he was in Key West. After working his way into Philip Linus’ circle of trust, Jonas let the Arms Dealer’s beautiful, kindhearted daughter distract him from his mission. He was yanked off the job by his superiors, but now he’s back to stop Linus from selling a dangerous new technology on the black market.
Needing to prove himself to save his job, Jonas is determined to keep his distance from April this time. But when he suspects she knows more about her father’s illegal business dealings than she admits, he’s torn between protecting her and uncovering the truth.
Passion ignites when April and Jonas end up on the run dodging arms dealers in the steamy Amazon rainforest, but April wonders what kind of relationship she could have with a man who has more secrets than she does. A man who could disappear at any moment and leave her heart in tatters.
Trapped between loyalty to her father and a new allegiance with the man she’s falling in love with, April realizes none of it will matter if they don’t escape the jungle alive.
Author Interview:
1. What does your writing
process look like? Do you know the whole story when you start? Or do you
just start writing and go with it (seat of the pants writing)? If you
plan it out, how do you do that? Outline, notecards, post-it-notes, etc.?
I’m a
loose plotter in that I sketch out the plot, listing the major plot points,
usually on my computer, but I don’t go into great detail. Next, I do some
character sketches, again on my computer. Finally, I think about the chapter
I’m going to write and flesh out the details a little bit more – sometimes in
my head, sometimes on the computer, or in a notebook – before I start writing.
If the characters speak to me along the way and want to go in a different
direction, I let them take me there. They are usually smarter than I am, so I’ve
learned to trust them.
2. Do you edit as you go,
or wait till you're finished before you edit? How many times would
you say you go over it yourself before having another set of eyes look it
over?
I’ve
learned not to edit as I go when I’m writing the first draft, because it slows
me down. Whenever I’m tempted to look back, I quote Dory and tell myself “Just
keep swimming.” After the first draft, I may go back and tweak a few things
(like the love scenes) before I send the book to my content editor. She sends
it back with notes and then I start my second round of revisions. In this
round, I color in the details, deepen the characters and story, and polish the
dialogue. In the third and final round of revisions, I make sure the plot makes
sense, and I smooth out any remaining bumps. Finally, the book will go to the line
editor to check for grammar and spelling mistakes/typos. I’ll get the book back
one last time to make the final corrections before the book is published.
3. Are you part of a writer’s
group that gets together and helps each other with their writing?
I’m in a small writer’s group with
two of my writer friends from grad school. We use Instant Messenger on Facebook
to check in with each other and report our progress. It helps to maintain
accountability on a day to day basis. We sometimes bounce ideas off of one another
or are just there to provide moral support and encouragement.
4. What tips do you have for
aspiring writers?
I have a Bachelor’s and a Master’s
degree in writing, but I still continue to take craft workshops and read books
on writing, because there is always room to grow and improve my craft. My
advice would be to take a writing workshop and read some books on writing. And
excellent one to start with is a classic that is relevant for all genres:
“Goal, Motivation, and Conflict,” by Debra Dixon. Also, read voraciously in your
genre. It will make you a stronger writer.
One way to find writing workshops is
by joining a reputable writing organization like The Romance Writers of
America. Not only does the RWA offer excelling online workshops, which will
help you regardless of your genre, they also have local groups that meet
monthly and an annual conference jam-packed with workshops given by popular
authors, editors, and agents. Writers of all levels are welcome to attend.
5. What are your
favorite:
Books/authors/genres - Diana Gabaldon, Karen Robards, JR
Ward, Julia Quinn, Judith McNaught, and Johanna Lindsay are some of my favorite
authors. Romantic Suspense and Historical Romance are my two favorite genres.
Movies/TV Shows - I’m a
huge Outlander fan. I’ve been a fan for many many years, so I was thrilled when
the TV series came out. I also enjoy watching The Voice and various sitcoms
like The Good Place and Modern Family.
Music - I have an eclectic taste in music, but I’ve adored Queen
since I was maybe 9 or 10.
Food/Writing snack – Coffee. That’s a food group, right?
Thank
you so much for having me on your blog. I hope you enjoy Passion Punch
(Book 3 in The Key West Escape Series.)
~
Tricia Leedom
Author Bio:
TRICIA LEEDOM enjoys traveling to exotic destinations and having torrid love affairs with hot, dangerous men… even if it’s only in her own mind. When she’s not writing romantic adventure novels, she reads voraciously, tweets compulsively, and fangirls over a TV show based on her favorite book series. Tricia earned her BA in Creative Writing from The University of Tampa and her MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. Her favorite authors include Diana Gabaldon, J.R. Ward, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Karen Robards, and Johanna Lindsey. She lives in Southwest Florida with two very spoiled dogs. Follow Tricia on Twitter and Instagram @tricialeedom
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