Blog Tour: Faster than the Rest by Shirleen Davies

Western Historical Romance

Date to be Published: 8/27/2013

U. S. Marshal Jamie MacLaren will do whatever he must to find people who have been abducted, then return them to their families. This includes the woman who betrayed him then disappeared from his life.

Victoria Wicklund has endured numerous obstacles since she left Fire Mountain. None as frightening as being the victim of a kidnapping. At least that is what she thought until Jamie MacLaren appeared to rescue her. He was older, just as handsome as she remembered, and as unforgiving as the Arizona sun in summer.

Neither expects the desire they shared many years before to still burn as strong as ever. Nor do they anticipate the accusations upon their return to Fire Mountain. Will Jamie seek revenge, turning his back on the only woman he ever loved? Can Victoria forgive herself enough to trust the one man who can help her?

BUY LINK

Amazon

INTERVIEW

What is the hardest part of writing your books?

Making sure that I don’t lose my readers as my style is to move through different venues and locations within one chapter. I’ve always been drawn to works by crime and mystery writers, many of whom move rapidly between scenes and characters within the same chapter, much like you would see on a television program or movie. This style has always held my interest. It keeps me involved in the story and the characters. It was natural for me to utilize this same style in my writing. 

The other challenging part is that I use many characters and focus much of my work on enabling the reader to get to know something about each one. My goal is not to just introduce characters. I strive to highlight different aspects of the personality and character of each person so that the reader may form a connection. Each book in the series re-visits characters from other books, which forms a community for the readers. It is challenging, but I enjoy it.

What songs are most played on your Ipod?

I listen to a lot of George Strait, Brooks & Dunn, several other country singers, plus a number of jazz artists.

Do you have critique partners or beta readers?

Yes. I use two to three beta readers plus my editor. The input from all of them is invaluable and I highly recommend utilizing resources such as these. Writers need more than one set of eyes.

What book are you reading now?

Against the Edge by Kat Martin, Honored Unraveled by Elaine Levine, and a book about understanding and using Goodreads. 

How did you start your writing career?

I’ve written most of my life but focused on strategy and articles for business journals. My fictional stories were penned on slips of paper and notebooks with the hope that some day I’d be able to carve out the time to create the books in my head. That time came several years ago and I couldn’t be enjoying it more. 

Tell us about your next release.

HARDER Than The REST will be out in late Fall 2013 and centers on Will MacLaren, one of the twin brothers.  A tragedy changes his life propelling him on a path he would have never imagined—hunting down and bringing killers to justice. But at some point he realizes he must make a choice to either continue on this journey of revenge or attempt to reclaim the man he once was before it’s too late. 

I have been writing most of my life, but only recently began the transition into fiction. Historical romance, contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and short stories are what keep me reading, so that is the focus of my writing. 

I was born in California, grew up between a growing beach town and a small town at the base of the San Bernardino mountains. My mother originally planned to name me Katherine, but she read an article in the paper about a woman named Shirleen shortly before my birth, so instead of having a cool nickname, like Kate, I am simply Shirleen. My mainstays growing up were all the Nancy Drew mystery books; I loved them. Eventually I moved on to mysteries, suspense stories, crime novels, and romance. Pride and Prejudice will always be one of my favorites.

Besides California, life changes have allowed me to live in Oregon, Colorado, and Arizona. Everywhere I have lived has been inspirational in one way or another, giving me the opportunity to meet remarkable people with their own stories to tell. I've sailed, skied, owned horses plus lots of other animals, and ridden various off-road vehicles. I enjoy dancing, fishing, hunting, being the back-seater on my husband's Harley, traveling and, of course, reading and writing.

Prior to transitioning to writing fiction, I worked for Fortune 500 and many smaller, start-up companies. Fortunately, I regained my sanity long enough to start my own consulting firm, which I still maintain today. 

My husband and I spend most of our time at our main home in the mountains of Arizona and our second home in Southern California. Between us we have five boys with growing careers and families of their own. 

So, from my perspective, my life is a success and always an adventure. I wouldn't change a thing; well, except finding more time to write.

I love hearing from readers, so please feel email me at shirleen@shirleendavies.com.

Website: http://www.shirleendavies.com

Blog - http://www.shirleendavies.com/blog.html

Twitter - https://twitter.com/shirleendavies

LinkedIn - http://www.linkedin.com/in/shirleendaviesauthor/

Google Plus - https://plus.google.com/101252295772842023369/about/p/pub

Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/17921590-shirleen