Detective Jared Manning met his match at a bar. After a night of passion, she sneaks out of his bed without so much as a note. Problem is, now he can’t find her.
Kindergarten teacher Melody Nash doesn’t do one night stands. Embarrassment gets the best of her and she lies about her name.
When they collide at her school, Mel resists his pull. She won’t risk her heart on the obvious playboy, even though she can’t stop thinking about the night in his arms.
Stress engulfs both Jared’s personal and professional life. His brother is at the centre of the joint case he and his partner are working in cooperation with FBI. He puts his job on the line when he fails to share his blood relation—a complication he doesn’t need, considering the FBI agent on the case is convinced his brother killed her fiancé.
Balance is the name of the game. Can Jared save his brother and convince Mel they’re meant to be together?
Reader advisory: This book contains references to past sexual abuse and rape that happened when the character was a child.
Hi, I’m C.A. Szarek and I’m addicted to Series.
I’m addicted to writing series. I can’t help myself; I am currently writing three separate ones that are vastly different from each other. (And I have two or three more floating around in the back of my head. Plans…plans…there’s never enough time in the day. Or time to write)
When characters introduce themselves to me, (they don’t like when I say I made them up) they usually bring a friend or two.
These secondary characters are usually made of awesome in one way or another, and demand a story of their own (some are more patient than others). Since it works that way for me, I usually know what couple (or at least hero/heroine) will be starring in the next book.
That right there is why I get sucked into series—writing and reading them, actually.
Whether it’s a made up fantasy world or a contemporary setting, interesting characters draw you in—if I did my job right as an author. The idea is for the secondary characters to leave you wanting more.
Onto the next book, I say.
Jared, the hero of Collision Control (Crossing Forces Book Four) that just released last week from Totally Bound Publishing, is one of those eye-catching characters that demanded his own story from the start.
We met him in book one, Collision Force, as a helpful detective that did a few things for Andi and Cole over the course of the book. Then, in book two, Chance Collision he demanded more of my attention when he came on page a few times to help out the hero, Pete, and his temporary FBI partner, Lee.
Lee, the heroine of Calculated Collision (Crossing Forces Book Three), was the same way for me. She’s also in the books from the start of the series, but her strong role in Pete’s book, certainly reminded me she needed her own story, too.
In both cases, I complied, because they rarely give me peace if I don’t—especially Lee and Jared.
I adore Jared, and his woman, Melody (she goes by Mel). It was a refreshing story because she’s different from my “normal” heroine.
She’s a plus sized girl with body-image issues and is blown away when a guy “as hot as Jared” approaches her. Of course, Jared doesn’t realize how deeply his appreciation for curves runs until he meets Mel.
It was fun getting them together. She resists, and he persists. “The chase” is probably my fave part of writing (as well as my fave part of reading a good romance novel, too!)
As always tends to happen to me, a few more lovely characters popped up in Collision Control, as well, so I guess as I continue on, I’ll see who else might want to be heard.
Like I mentioned, they don’t really give me a choice in the matter. They nag until they get their way.
I never have to worry about running out of people to write about. They always let me know.
I’m sure in book five, which I am about to start writing, even more will say hello! I know who it’s about, but I’m not sure what the title is. I’m sure it will be awesome, though. I already have a crush on the hero. He, too, has been around since Collision Force, but I think I’m going to keep who he is, and who his heroine is, under wraps for now. It’s more fun that way!
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C.A. is originally from Ohio, but got to Texas as soon as she could. She is married and has a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice.
She works with kids when she's not writing.
She's always wanted to be a writer and is overjoyed to share her stories with the world.
Places to find C.A. Szarek:
THANK YOU! I love this post, too!
ReplyDeleteThat's so AWESOME!!!!
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