BooksChatter: ☀☄✉ Hit 'n Run: Under Suspicion [1]

Thank you for joining us on the Virtual Book Tour for Hit 'n Run, a Romantic Suspense by Lori Power (11 August 2015, Limitless Publishing LLC, 352 pages).

This is the first book in the Under Suspicion series.

PREVIEW: Read the first three chapters with Amazon Look Inside. Hit 'n Run is FREE on Kindle Unlimited and Kindle Owner's Lending Library.

Check out the book's trailer, synopsis and the excerpt below, as well as a blog post from the author exploring the background of the novel.

Author Lori Power will be awarding a $50 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour. Please do take part: comment on our post and follow the tour where you will be able to read other excerpts (☀), interviews (ℚ), reviews (✍) and guest blog posts (✉).

Trailer | Synopsis | Teaser #1: Excerpt | Teaser #2: Author Guest Post | About the Author | Giveaway & Tour Stops

Synopsis

Lorna Tymchuk fights to overcome a past filled with neglect and abuse.

Determined to build a better life, Lorna has climbed the ladder to a successful public relations career one slippery rung at a time. But while on her way to an important meeting, a former lover crashes back into her life—literally—and she becomes embroiled in a police investigation that threatens everything she’s achieved.

Mitch Morgan doesn’t believe in coincidences.

Mitch has spent five years trying to forget Lorna, only to run into her on his way to an undercover sting operation. Old feelings quickly resurface and passion reignites, but as his investigation unfolds, evidence suggests the woman he’s falling for might have ties to the very criminals he’s after.

When Mitch tugs any thread of his investigation, it seems to lead back to Lorna. Caught between his desire for the strong, curious beauty and the growing suspicions of his superiors, he must choose between trusting his instincts and following regulations.

Lorna finds herself entangled in a web of betrayal.

When she learns the nature of the investigation—and her role as a suspected spy—Lorna goes to dangerous lengths to clear her name and prove to everyone, including herself, she’s worthy of the handsome, tenacious Mitch. With danger around every corner, Lorna is on the run for her life, but refuses to run from the past any longer.

She can find the evidence she needs, but at what cost?

Mitch now knows her secrets and must find her first and convince her she—and their love—are worth fighting for, before it’s too late.

Teaser #1: Excerpt

As Mitch’s hand reached out for her shoulder she shrunk from his touch, again a little girl who couldn’t stand sympathetic contact. She bathed him with a hard look. “How could you do this to me,” she spat. “After what we shared, how can you think I was involved? How dare you!”

A shuddered breath wracked her tense body and she refused to let the tightening of her throat release the threatened tears as she continued in a hoarse whisper. “I would have thought your investigation would have revealed where the money came from,” she said forming air quotes over the word investigation. Swallowing to contain her emotions further, Lorna stood in the hopes of putting an end to the conversation. “As for Tim Fong. He’s the CEO of Aqua Oil. My client. I am their marketing person. I handle PR and media relations. That’s what I do—what my company does. Investigate that! I don’t know and have never heard of the Fong Family. I am sure everyone has some shady characters in their background. As you unearthed, I obviously did.”

“Lorna …”

Feeling the weight of sadness envelope her like a blanket, Lorna waved her hand at him, palm outstretched in dismissal. “I’m tired Mitch.” She sighed forcing her feet to move and hold her weight without shaking as she backed away.

Looking down at the one and only man who ever made her feel special, wanted, desired, Lorna realized all of it – her feelings – the way she thought he felt for her – it was all a big lie. Just another lie. He used her to get to her client and she felt deflated, drained of all emotion. How could someone she had been so open, so intimate with assume that she was somehow involved in an illegal crime ring? Because you have a record of being involved in criminal activities.

“Lorna, please. I can’t lose you again . . .” Mitch stood to reached for her hand.

She turned at her name. The anguish in his voice almost, but not quite able to penetrate her defensive shell. Arms crossed protectively over her stomach, holding firm to her sides, she lowered her head. “You’re not the person I thought you were,” she said turning. From over her shoulder she continued. “You’re not someone I want in my life.”

Teaser #: Author Guest Post

Hit 'n Run-Background of Story

(as published on the author's blog)

Typically, stories come to me from an accumulation of experiences I string together into a story.

The kernel of “Hit ’n Run” began when I was actually involved in a hit and run at the end of a bad day.

I was on my way to pick up my kids from school and just like my lead character, Lorna, I had to pull over while I tried unsuccessfully to explain to a client how I didn’t really understand cyberspace and sometimes e-mails do go missing. The absurdity of the conversation with this client was accentuated later in the day, after the accident, when I tried to explain to the police office that yes, I had indeed t-boned the car; however, the car had ran the stop sign and then proceeded to flee the scene. It was only when I explained my day to my husband and we laughed, deep in the belly, that I thought, ‘now there’s a scene I can use’.

The opportunity to use this event came much later when a relative recounted, loosely and only on cases now open to public record, how an undercover crime investigation went down. From there, Hit ’n Run was born, complete with full creative license and dramatic embellishments.

My initial problem with the story arose with not simply bringing the characters together—the accident was already established—it was creating the caring moment. Why would Mitch seek Lorna out? Why would it matter? The first few drafts of the novel included a LOT of backstory—how they met—and it hurt to cut it out. But in the end, the story is focused, reads much better and I now have the materials necessary to build a series of books based on these characters for which I have fallen in love.

Hit 'n Run - available NOW!

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About the Author

Turning passion into words in print is a dream come true for Lori Power.

From Radio host (best job ever!), DJ, news reporter to newspaper journalist, like many author’s, Lori has been writing most of her life.

In writing, Lori has discovered a truism: everyone has a great story to tell. All you need to do is listen. Over the years, with all the people Lori has meet previously and daily, both professionally and personally, with an ear to the ground, readers can often find these ‘character’s’ fictionalized in Lori’s stories.

Lori’s first novel “Storms of Passion” was published by Wild Rose Press under their Champagne line, in 2014 and received a 5-star Author’s Favourite seal of approval in 2015.

Collaboration is important to improving one’s craft and as such, Lori is an active member of the Romance Writers of America, TransCanada Romance Writers, The Alberta Romance Writers Association and belongs to both a Critiquing group and a Beta Reading weekly group.

Lori looks forward to continuing to find the good story; hashing out a scene, having fun with a character and writing the story she would love to read.

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