Keira: Good morning everyone! Today we have a very special guest and a giveaway. Please join me in welcoming Roxanne St. Claire to the blog!
Roxanne: First of all, thank you SO much for inviting me to do this interview! I love the blog and how much you clearly love our genre.
Susan: For readers who are unfamiliar with your Bullet Catcher series, who are the Bullet Catchers?
Roxanne: The Bullet Catchers series consists of eight novels and two novellas. Each one stands alone as an individual romantic suspense adventure, but many of the characters reoccur over the books and each has their own story. The Bullet Catchers organization is an elite group of bodyguards, investigators, security specialists and all around brilliant, hot crime fighters run by a former CIA operative named Lucy Sharpe.
Keira: Bodyguard romance – be still my heart. What do you think is most appealing about bodyguard romance
Roxanne: Who doesn’t want to be protected by a fearless, sexy, smart, resourceful, gorgeous (did I mention sexy?) guy who is willing to die for you? I’ve no doubt that’s the timeless and universal appeal of the bodyguard romance.
Keira: What qualities must every Bullet Catcher have? What makes them unique heroes?
Roxanne: In every story, a Bullet Catcher is given an assignment that will test them physically and emotionally, so the hero (it is usually the hero, although there have been two stories with female Bullet Catchers as the heroine) has to strong on the outside and the inside. He (or she) has to make split second decisions, face ruthless villains, and solve complex crimes…and he (or she) has to navigate the treacherous seas of love that they think they don’t want or need…but can’t live without.
Keira: You’ve written and published 25 books so far, of which 8 (+2 novellas) are Bullet Catcher stories. How do you come up with all the plots? Is it hard for you to keep it fresh?
Roxanne: Ideas are easy – execution is a bear! The concept of the Bullet Catchers has a built-in “danger and romance” element that is at the heart of every book I write. The challenge is to keep it fresh, of course, give each character memorable and appealing traits (and some flaws, yes, they must have those) and craft a non-stop story that continually ups the stakes and increases the passion. It’s not easy, but usually it is fun. Sometimes, it is harrowing and I want to weep until I get the story just write.
Keira: What do you like best about writing romantic suspense?
Roxanne: I like the mix of sensuality and danger, and how things are constantly “at the edge” for the characters. But it does complicate a love story, and usually the plots have to unfold over a very short period of time, so it’s difficult to make the romance believable.
Keira: How do you define love?
Roxanne: Complete and utter trust combined with toe-curling attraction and a willingness to do anything – absolutely anything – to protect and save the relationship and the other person.
Keira: What do you think makes a great sex scene?
Roxanne: Conflict and plenty of it. I try to end every sex/love scene with a twist of precisely the thing that makes what they just did a HUGE mistake. Then they have to work through that.
Keira: Do you read what you write? Is suspense romance your favorite genre to read?
Roxanne: I do read, but I read very little romantic suspense. I should read more and I try to, but I also like to read YA, straight romance, some thrillers, and nonfiction. When I’m deep into a book, it’s hard to read anything at all because, frankly, I’m too tired and when I’m done writing, I just want to hang with my family and watch TV.
Jane: Will there be more Bullet Catcher books?
Roxanne: I honestly don’t know. Right now, they are on hiatus as I write a spin off series for a new publisher. Called The Guardian Angelinos, this series is about an extended family of renegade crimefighters based in Boston. It will be similar to the Bullet Catchers (and may have some overlapping Bullet Catcher characters as the Angelinos are distant cousins of Johnny Christiano, the hero of Take Me Tonight) but I think the new series will be a little bit grittier, and the stories will have higher “save the world” kind of stakes. I’ve turned in the first one and am currently writing the second. The series will launch next fall, and I’m really excited to see what my new publisher, Grand Central, does with the packaging and promotion. I expect great things!
Keira: Is there anything else you’d like to share?
Roxanne: Just that I’d love to introduce your readers to a Bullet Catcher! I’ll give one commenter the Bullet Catcher book of her choice! To see the complete list and read excerpts (and bios/pics of the hotties) go to my website: www.roxannestclaire.com. Leave a comment (or question – I’ll answer anything!) at the end of this interview and we’ll pick a winner!!!
And thank you!
Giveaway Ends: December 17th, 2009 and is open to all readers worldwide.
Roxanne St. Claire is a bestselling, RITA-award winning author of twenty-four novels of suspense and romance. She currently writes a popular romantic suspense series called “The Bullet Catchers” that features the adventures of an elite cadre of bodyguards and security professionals, published by Simon & Schuster's Pocket Books. In addition to being a four-time RITA nominee, her books have won the National Reader’s Choice Award for best romantic suspense for two consecutive years, as well as the Daphne du Maurier Award, the HOLT Medallion, the Maggie, Booksellers Best, Book Buyers Best, several Awards of Excellence, the Aspen Gold and multiple Gayle Wilson Awards of Excellence. In 2011, she will launch a new romantic suspense series, featuring a renegade family of street smart crime fighters known as the Guardian Angelinos, published by Grand Central Publishing.
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