BooksChatter: ℚ Luke's Redemption: King Security [1]

Today we have the pleasure of meeting up with debut author Anni Fife to talk about Luke's Redemption

(18 November 2016, The Wild Rose Press, Inc.; First Scarlet Rose edition, 311 pages), a Contemporary Erotic Romance, book one of King Security series.

|| Synopsis || Teaser: Exclusive Excerpt || Author Q&A || About the Author || Giveaway & Tour Stops ||

A very warm welcome to Anni Fife; thank you for joining us on BooksChatter!

What or who inspired you to start writing?

"There was no one thing. I always loved making up stories in my head, but I never believed writing novels was a feasible career choice. I’d daydream about it, but my decision to follow my passion was sudden because of a confluence of life events and opportunities. They came together, and allowed me to make a life-changing decision to shut down my business, cancel my apartment lease, and pack up my city life. A month later I arrived in a small seaside village, and began my new life…as an author. The first book I wrote was Luke’s Redemption."

How did you come up with ideas for your books?

"The ideas for my stories come at any time, but most often when I’m walking on the beach, hanging around the pool, or even daydreaming in bed. What I have learned is to not waste time when the muse hits because as quickly as it comes it can disappear. I always have a notepad and pen with me, and if not, I use my Note App on my iphone.

My storyline for Luke’s Redemption came flowing into my head a few nights before I left the city. It was around midnight. I don’t know what triggered my muse, but suddenly I could hear Katya’s footsteps beating a desperate rhythm down a dark cobble-stoned road in the early hours of the morning. It was deathly quiet. New Orleans was hung over from Mardi Gras. As I watched her, I realized I was looking through the scope of a sniper lens. Was I her hunter or her hero? Or both? My story unfurled at such a rapid pace that I spent the next hour typing manically on my iPhone. When I turned off the light, I had the beginnings of my novel."

How much of yourself is reflected in this book?

"I can only point at my love of character development. I’m a psychology nut, so I get high on fleshing out the intricacies of what makes my characters tick. I dig deep into their motives, and try to analyze their actions from their own worldview. I do my best not to bring my own perspective into contention, as I believe this distorts how a character develops. I also like editing. I used to do a lot of film editing so book editing is a natural progression for me."

The first thing that draws me to a book is its cover. Can you tell us about your cover for Luke's Redemption - why you chose that concept and who the artist is.

"Don’t you think it’s absolutely hunkalicious!? The artist is Kris Norris, and she followed very closely to my brief. I wanted a full-length torso of Luke, because his impressive physique has a big impact on Katya. Not because he is cut and gorgeous, but because he represents ‘protection’ to her. It was also important that his image represented romance as much as sexiness, because this is above all, a love story. I think we got it right. The trail of violets represents Katya. They are the color of her unique eyes, and bring a feminine edge to the cover."

Why should we read Luke's Redemption and what sets it apart from the rest? What makes your book unique?

"I think it would be arrogant to say my book is unique. What I do like to think is that the time I spend developing my characters, brings a depth of emotion to my book that maybe isn’t always there with other authors. I learn their strengths and flaws. I understand their families, where and how they grew up, their fears, and their dreams. A lot of this character development does not make it onto the page, but it’s always in my head when I’m writing so I instinctively know whether the character’s dialogue and actions are authentic. If I can move just one reader to tears, or to laughter, then I feel that I have succeeded."

Can you tell us something quirky about Luke's Redemption, its story and characters?

"I had fun setting Luke’s home in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. It’s not only a great family suburb, but it’s also the setting for the classic movie, Saturday Night Fever. I have a funny (I think it’s funny!) excerpt I can share with you when Katya first learns where Luke lives.

We moved in convoy along FDR Drive and I soon caught glimpses of the East River. It suddenly occurred to me I had no idea where Luke lived. I was reluctant to break the tense silence but I wanted to know where we were going. Leaning forward, I caught
Luke’s attention. “Um, where do you live?”
“Bay Ridge.”
“Brooklyn?”
“Yeah.”
“Isn’t that where they filmed Saturday Night Fever?”
“Babe,” he drawled. “We prefer to be known for our views of the Verrazano Bridge and Statue of Liberty, than John Travolta strutting his stuff to Stayin’ Alive.”
I quickly ducked my head to hide my smile. Darn. I forgot how funny he could be. I was also stunned. Luke lived in Bay Ridge. I couldn’t picture him in suburbia. A bachelor pad maybe. Or army barracks!

Who would you recommend Luke's Redemption to and what should readers be aware of (any warnings or disclaimers)?

"I wrote Luke’s Redemption for my own tastes. So if you like contemporary erotic romances with a lot of angst and some suspense; hot alpha heroes with damage; smart sassy heroines, also with some damage; and burning chemistry that drives lots of conflict, and even more heat—then this book might be worth taking a chance on.

Warning: Scorching Hot!"

If you could / wished to turn Luke's Redemption and the King Security series into a movie, who would be your dream team?

"Lead Actor: Chris Hemsworth (‘Thor’) for Luke Hunter. He’s perfect!
Lead Actress: Mila Kunis for Katya Dalca
Locations: New Orleans and New York, exactly as they are written in the book
Theme Song: Beautiful War by Kings of Leon"

What do you like to write? Do you stick to a particular genre or do you like to explore different ones?

"For now I’m focusing on contemporary erotic romance, and I’m putting all my attention into my King Security Series. I have at least six novels planned, perhaps more. I’d like to write at least four of them before I think of taking a break to write something else. I have several ideas, but the one shouting loudest is about a woman who has just turned forty. She’s having a midlife crisis, and gets sucked into a hedonist sexual adventure with a man who terrifies her as much as he appeals to the kink in her. There’s also an adventure trilogy knocking on the door of my muse. It’s a modern day Modesty Blaise meets Lara Croft.

I guess you could say, I love writing romance and adventure, as much as I love reading it."

What is your writing process?

"I’m a serious plotter and planner. I write detailed outlines, and fill them with in with reams of dialogue. Each and every scene is planned before I start the real writing. But a weird thing happens as I progress: my characters refuse to always behave like they are supposed to. Sometimes they just stop talking before the scene is finished. Or they don’t talk at all. Instead of freaking out, I get a kick out of it. And being such a planner, I make efficient use of Cut & Paste, and plop the misbehaving piece of dialogue or section of scene, elsewhere. The spooky thing is, the change is invariably for the better."

What is in store next?

"As I’ve mentioned, I’m moving forward with my King Security Series. I’m delighted to report that I’m busy editing book two, Gray’s Promise. It’s set in New York and Denton, Texas. Grayson Walker is Luke’s best friend, and he’s a wicked charmer. Zoey Morgan is his one-and-only. Torn apart by horrific tragedy, Gray and Zoey still carry the emotional scars fourteen years later. We follow their fraught reconciliation, and the unknown evil stalking them. Their journey is filled with pain, and a heart-wrenching beauty. And, of course, sexual chemistry so scorching it still gets me in a hot sweat when I think about it. Gray’s Promise will release later this year.

Next in line, is the heartbreaking story of Scarlett Eva Young. She is the team’s profiler, and a real dark horse."

And as a final quirky thing, to get to know you a little bit better... do you have a pet or something that is special to you that you could share with us?

"I don’t have a pet (no fences at my home to keep one safe), but I do love to travel, especially through Africa. Here’s a pic of my lovely sister, Dani, and me at Victoria Falls in Zambia."