BooksChatter: ℚ♫ In the Heat of the Tropics

Today we have the pleasure of meeting up with author Christina Elliott to talk about In the Heat of the Tropics (28 November 2017, Satin Romance, 166 pages), a Romantic Suspense.

“A sexy, hot, thriller with some clever, unexpected twists”—Caroline Akervik

“A compelling story of intrigue and romance that will leave readers begging for more.”—Emma Hartley.

“A fast-paced romantic suspense novel. Refreshing to read a story written from the point of view of the three main characters—a beautiful reporter, a handsome detective, and yes, an intelligent killer.”—Marcia Maidana.

|| Synopsis || Teaser: KCR Preview || Author Q&A || About the Author || Giveaway & Tour Stops ||

A very warm welcome back to Christina Elliott; thank you for joining us on BooksChatter!

Here at BooksChatter we love music; do you have a music playlist that you used in In the Heat of the Tropics, or which inspired you whilst you were writing it?

"Miami has a great musical tradition, most of it Latin inspired. Here’s a few songs that link to “In the Heat of the Tropics.”

To start off with, we have to have some traditional Cuban music. “Guantanamera” by the late, great Celia Cruz is a classic and pays homage to Rick’s Cuban roots.

“Get on Your Feet” – Gloria Estefan, a bouncy inspirational song that epitomizes Ingrid’s go-getter attitude to life “get on your feet and make it happen!”

“Smuggler’s Blues” by Glenn Frey. A drug trafficking case is how Rick and Ingrid met!"

What was the inspiration for In the Heat of the Tropics?

"In the Heat of the Tropics grew out of my time in Miami where I worked as a newspaper reporter.

The heroine, Ingrid, is the reporter. Police and journalists are always clashing on big stories—the reporters want more details, the police want to limit the details they give out. So there’s natural tension there. However, reporters and police both seek the truth. So there’s a natural commonality. I thought this would make the basis for a good romance-thriller."

How much of yourself is reflected in this book, and how?

"I used myself as the inspiration for Ingrid and the newspaper where she works (the Miami Tribune) is located where the newspaper where I worked (the Miami Herald) used to be—right on the Biscayne Bay waterfront.

The scenes with the journalists looking out the window at manatees and dolphins really happened! It was always great to see that. I covered cops, crime and courts a lot during my career. I’ve also dated two cops! So I was pretty clued in on police procedure."

The first thing that draws me to a book is its cover. Can you tell us about your cover for In the Heat of the Tropics - why you chose that concept and who the artist is.

"The cover designer artist is Caroline Andrus at my publisher, Melange Books. I’m a huge fan of hers and specifically requested her to do this cover.

It depicts a skyline of Miami at sunset, so it’s got lots of vivid, warm colours, which reflects the title and setting, and of course the sexy hero and heroine."

Why should we read In the Heat of the Tropics and what sets it apart from the rest? What makes your book unique?

"It’s got a gritty thriller plot based in real police procedure, real psychology of serial killers, and real journalists! While of course fiction, this novel is pretty true to life in the characters and how they behave in their professions.

I’ve also used a lot of literary language, which is just my style."

Can you tell us something quirky about In the Heat of the Tropics, its story and characters?

"I was working as a journalist in Los Angeles, and I got to do a ride-along one day with a police sergeant named Rick. (That’s when police take citizens out on a tour, to see what police work is like.) As we’re driving around, I suddenly realised I was actually living a scene from my book, when Rick takes Ingrid out on a ride-along! It was very cool—life imitating art!"

Who would you recommend In the Heat of the Tropics to and what should readers be aware of (any warnings or disclaimers)?

"Fans of thrillers and romance will like this book.

Warning: It does have several white-hot sex scenes, but I’ve used flowery, poetic language to describe the action to soften and impart more emotion in them. And if you’ve ever visited Miami or wanted to, this gives a great flavour of the city."

If you could / wished to turn In the Heat of the Tropics into a movie, who would be your dream team?

"I’d definitely film on location in Miami because there are marvellous settings all around there. Remember “Miami Vice”?

I’d love to cast Jamie Dornan or Tom Hardy as Rick as I think either of them definitely have the alpha male hotness factor. For Ingrid, Jennifer Lawrence would be an interesting choice. She’s young, a little naïve but steely underneath. And how about Anthony Hopkins as the deranged serial killer? He does those quite well!"

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

"I like to explore different aspects of crime that examines why people do the things they do. This can be in the context of different genres: romantic suspense, YA, detective mystery. It’s fun as a writer to vary."

What is your writing process?

"I outline as much as I can because I know from experience that if I just start writing, I can veer into a corner and get stuck there. So it’s really helpful to know where I’m going. That said, I still find myself veering off track! But it’s good to go back to that original outline to see if the new direction is still going to get me where I want to go. But I usually end up writing a lot of excess material. For every book I write, there’s probably two books worth of outtakes."

What is in store next?

"I’m currently working on another detective book tentatively titled “Angel’s Lust.” This one is set in Los Angeles, where I now live.

Most people know LA as the home of Hollywood, but what many may not know is that it’s also the home of the adult entertainment industry. So I chose this as the backdrop-setting for the mystery plot. The romance is between two hard-nosed homicide detectives as they work to solve the suspicious death of a young executive, which leads them into the adult entertainment industry and then into dark world of sex trafficking and an unsolved murder case."

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?

"Besides reading and writing, my other passion is travelling the world. Wherever I travel, I try to do a “literary pilgrimage” to a place where a famous writer has lived or used as the setting of a book. Here’s a picture of me outside the house where Jane Austen died in Winchester, UK."