The Kiss and Thrill blog, where this was originally published, will soon be disappearing, and I am republishing my Kiss and Thrill posts here to keep a copy. This one is from November 2013.
Today I am thrilled to welcome Julie Ann Walker back to Kiss and Thrill! The eagerly anticipated 5th book in Julie’s Black Knights, Inc. series released Tuesday, and I’m pretty sure her wonderful fans have already devoured it and are deluging her with requests for the next book. Fortunately for all of us at Kiss and Thrill, Julie has compiled a list of favorite authors to tide us over until book 6!
And now, I’m delighted to hand the blog over to the fabulous and talented Julie Ann Walker!
Let’s Celebrate Romantic Suspense!
AKA: The Authors Who Inspired Me to Write in the Genre
I’ve been wanting to do a shout-out to my fellow romantic suspense authors for quite some time now. And what better place to do that than here on Kiss and Thrill, the blog dedicated to, run by, and specializing in the RS genre. (Hi, ladies! *waves* Thanks for having me back!) Because, truly, those of us who write romantic suspense first started out reading romantic suspense. We fell in love with the action, the mystery, the mayhem, the thrill and chills and, of course, the sexy times. *wink* And while I adore the work of all the ladies here on the Kiss and Thrill site – seriously, if you haven’t picked up their books, you’re truly missing out – I wanted to dedicate this particular blog to some of the authors who pioneered the way for us, those wonderful writers who’ve been plugging away in the genre for years, sometimes decades. I thought I’d do that by listing my top five favorite romantic suspense authors – in no particular order – adding why I love their writing and how they inspired my own.
So, without further ado…
Sandra has been writing romantic suspense since before romantic suspense was even considered a sub-genre. (Not to give away her age or anything. It’s obvious she started writing as a fetus. *winces* Hi, Sandra!) But, the thing that always intrigues me about Sandra’s books are her intensely flawed heroes. I adore them. They’re unique. They’re angst-y. And above all else, they’re real.
Can you say delicious prose, boys and girls? Because Elizabeth does it like no other. Rich descriptions, tasty metaphors, scrumptious word choices. I fall in love with her sentence structures. Plus, Elizabeth’s books are always a like mini college classes in 400 pages or less. Her research is phenomenal. And to read one of her books is to get a crash course in everything from the emerald trade to the collection of old tintypes. So. Much. Fun!
Talk about a pioneer. Linda’s first single title was published in 1982! Her books are always filled to the brim with adventure, intrigue, daring heroes, dauntless heroines, and intensely despicable villains. I like to say Linda writes romantic suspense in its purest, most distilled form. Her books epitomize the genre. I suppose that’s why she’s so long-lasting, eh? Go, Linda!
Oh, be still my heart. Suzanne Brockmann’s Troubleshooter series is the entire reason I started reading the genre. And the thing that most inspires me about Suzanne is that she’s a rule-breaker. She writes from multiple points of view – something not done until recently. One of her heroes is gay – something still frowned upon in some circles. Her books usually have two love stories – something that editors will tell you is a no-no. The list of ways she’s pushed the envelope goes on and on. But my point is, not only does she break the rules, but she does it beautifully, eloquently, masterfully.
Oh, Lora, Lora, Lora! *fans self* Does she know how to write one smokin’ hot book, or what? If you’re a Shades of Grey fan, but like some hard-core action between your titillating sex scenes, then Lora is the gal for you! She takes romantic suspense to the next level on the heat scale. Her characters’ chemistry practically sets the pages on fire. Be sure to set the screen level brightness on your eReader to dim, or else the words might just burn out your retinas. LOL!
So, thanks ladies, for not only giving me great books to read, but also for giving me the inspiration to pen my own works! You all rock!
And with that, I’m outa here! A resounding huzzah to the gals at Kiss and Thrill for having me back. It’s always such a treat!
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Julie Ann Walker dives back into action with the red-hot romantic suspense Black Knights Inc. series! They claim they’re bad-boy bikers who own custom motorcycle shop, but these special-ops guys–a mix of Navy SEALs, Army Rangers, Marines, FBI and more–handle the jobs too tough for the government to tackle.
TICK…TICK…
“Wild” Bill Reichert knows a thing or two about explosives. The ex-Navy SEAL can practically rig a bomb blindfolded. But there’s no way to diffuse the inevitable fireworks the day Eve Edens walks back into his life, asking for help…
BOOM!
Eve doesn’t know what to do when the Chicago police won’t believe someone is out to hurt her. The only place to turn is Black Knights Inc—after all, no one is better at protection than the covert special-ops team. Yet there’s also no one better at getting her all turned on than Billy Reichert. She has a feeling this is one blast from the past that could backfire big time…
PRAISE FOR BORN WILD:
“One heck of a riveting plotline… Born Wild is definitely not to be missed!” —RT Book Reviews, 4 ½ Stars
“A wild roller coaster ride of a story… Nonstop action.” —Fresh Fiction
“Drama, danger and sexual tension… Romantic suspense at its best.” —Night Owl Reviews, 5/5 Stars, Reviewer Top Pick
Julie Ann Walker is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Black Knights Inc. romantic suspense series. She is prone to spouting movie quotes and song lyrics, and prefers impromptu travel over the scheduled kind. You can find her on her bicycle along the lake shore in Chicago or blasting away at her keyboard, trying to wrangle her capricious imagination into submission. For more information, please visit www.julieannwalker.com or follow her on Facebook, www.facebook.com/jawalkerauthor, and Twitter, @JAWalkerAuthor
To Purchase Born Wild:
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