Today, I have guest author, Lola Drake, at the blog. She's brand-new to the biz and this book is her first ever release, so give her a nice, big welcome.AR: Tell me about this series, how did it come about?
LD: A talented author, Seleste DeLaney, came up with the idea of “Cupid’s Conquests.” Cupid has been kicked out of Olympus for failing to do his job, so in each book in the series he has to help another couple find true love. Since it’s a multi-author series, each novella is a stand-alone book. They’re simply connected through prologues and epilogues to this overall Cupid storyline.
AR: Who is your heroine and what are some of the conflicts she faces?
LD: Juliet Morris, a 29-year-old interior designer who thoroughly enjoys her straight-forward, orderly, somewhat boring life. Then in one night everything changes when she catches her boyfriend cheating on her and ends up witnessing a gang fight. She’s thrust into a situation she never expected to face. And to top it off her brother’s best friend, Jake Parker, who she’s had a crush on most of her life, is brought in to protect her.
AR: Who is the hero and what conflicts does he face?
LD: Jake Parker, a Special Agent with the FBI, steps in to protect Juliet when the gang tries to eliminate her before she can testify against them. Jake’s always focused on his career, never getting serious about any woman. Now for the first time he finds someone who challenges his carefree lifestyle of no-strings-attached affairs. And she’s his best friend’s little sister, so he knows he couldn’t get away with loving her and leaving her. He’d never do that to her or his friend.
AR: Where did you get the idea for the story? Who or what was your inspiration?
LD: It actually came from an article I read about a gang shooting at a nearby park in which a couple high school students were killed. That got me thinking about all the problems around us we ignore so easily in our everyday lives. Of course I know Los Angeles has a gang problem, but luckily it has never affected me. So I wanted to explore this social issue. But I know when I pick up a book to read, I generally prefer something that leaves me feeling good instead of thoroughly depressed. That gave me the idea of incorporating a gang shooting into a romance novel – it gives the readers an insight into one aspect of the gang issue while still providing a happy ending.
AR: As a reader, what kind of books do you like to read?
LD: Romances, of course! J Generally historical romances or romantic suspense. I also love a good murder mystery, some travel memoirs, and some creative non-fiction. I just like to read, so I’ll try almost anything that’s supposed to be good, even if it’s in a genre I don’t normally buy.
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PURSUIT OF A KISS
Juliet doesn’t have much in common with her namesake. Her career-centric life sorely lacks romance. Then one night everything changes when she witnesses a gang shooting and ends up getting shot herself.
FBI Agent Jake Parker has known Juliet for years, but only as the baby sister of his best friend. He still imagines her as the awkward teenager she used to be. When Jake must protect Juliet from the gang determined to eliminate the only witness against them, he discovers that he’s not the only one who’s changed in the last ten years.
Will Jake take the risk of having a real relationship? Will Juliet survive long enough for him to decide? The pursuit of a kiss has never been so dangerous, or so much fun.
I love the premise of this story. And the interview is wonderful. Taking a sad corner of reality and incorporating it in a romance is a great way to give a picture window moment to an important social issue.
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