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Today, I interview Misty Dietz and spotlight her debut novel, COME HELL OR HIGH DESIRE. Read more to learn what and who inspired Misty to write her novel and what she’s working on next! Plus, I have a fun and awesome excerpt! Be sure to enter the super cool international giveaway at the bottom.
Author: Misty Dietz
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Release Date: August 12, 2013
Format: eBook
Buy Links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo Books
Back Cover Blurb:
Torn between dangerous desires…
Framed for a series of brutal murders, rebel-turned-CEO Zack Goldman must go to ground. When he discovers that sexy boutique owner Sloane Swift has a shocking gift—terrifying visions that connect her to his mentor’s missing daughter—he can’t believe her refusal to help him. Nor can he believe he’s actually falling for the frustrating woman.
Their chemistry will either find its perfect equation…
Helping an accused killer ranks low on Sloane’s to-do list, no matter how hot the attraction burns between them. But putting to rest her overwhelming guilt over the missing girl’s fate proves more difficult than she ever imagined…that is, until her heart and conscience begin to align.
…or detonate everything in its path.
As the real killer locks in on Sloane, Zack will stop at nothing to keep her safe. And as they earn each other’s trust—with danger in hot pursuit—they may just lose their hearts in the process…
Interview with Misty Dietz
Welcome Misty! Let's start with some basics:
What country or state do you live in? North Dakota. Yes, for real! J
What’s your day job (other than writing)? Mom & Zumba instructor
What’s your secret passion? Secret?!? I can’t tell! Haha, just kiddin’…My guiltiest pleasure is lying in a hammock at the lake with a book. I also love kayaking and paddle boarding. Like, really a lot.
The hammock at the lake sounds lovely and peaceful. Now let's move on to the tough questions!
What inspired you to write this book?
COME HELL OR HIGH DESIRE was inspired by several things: the Red River which is one block from my house and the border line between North Dakota and Minnesota; my heroine’s boutique Skinny Dipping was fashioned after a local Fargo, ND, shop called O’Day Cache (kicks ass! I could spend hours in there.); and finally, I drew inspiration for Zack, my hero, from three men whom I love the most: my hubby (Zack’s calm and protective nature), my brother (Zack’s introspection and fearlessness), and my first love—my dad—who is a construction entrepreneur (Zack’s like-a-rock steadiness and down-in-the-trenches work ethic).
What’s the first creative writing you did outside school or a class?
As a sophomore in high school I wrote a short story about a single mother from Barbados who survived a hurricane, but, in the wake of the disaster, had to deal with unhappy ghosts. I have NO idea where that idea came from! And I have no idea where those laser printed pages went either. Hopefully they’ll never be discovered. LOL
If you didn’t live where you live now, where would you live? Why?
In my dreams, I live somewhere warm by the ocean. Coastal Malaysia and Fiji sound dreamy. Why? Sand in my toes and sun on my face. Beautiful scenery and crystalline water. No more scraping ice off my windshield in minus thirty degree weather. The things we put up with because we can’t bear to be apart from our family! LOL
If you were to invent something (besides fiction), what would it be?
A machine that folds laundry!
I would love a laundry folding machine! Tell us one thing about you that would surprise people?
I write suspense and read scary stuff, but I hate horror movies. In other words…I’m a big chicken!
What are your pet peeves?
Disrespectful behavior, when people don’t open or hold doors for the elderly, people who text and drive.
Are you a pantser or plotter?
I’m a plotter upside down, inside out, and crossways, so I generally fight it when my characters insist on drawing outside the lines, but they always win. J
What’s the best piece of advice given to you?
Be present. We move through life so fast sometimes I wonder if we’re even enjoying it. It’s like preparing a fantastic meal that you scarf down in five minutes. What’s the point of working so hard if we’re not taking the time to relish the fruits of our labor? Being present means clearing the static in your mind to pour your focus on what’s right in front of you. It’s quite delicious when you manage it. My husband is fantastic at it.
That's a great piece of advice! Give us a hint about your current writing project.
I am so excited to focus on my next project! It’s a sexy paranormal romantic suspense series set in the lawless North Dakota oil fields that follows the f*ck ups and hook-ups of an estranged group of cowboys and cowgirls as they try to work through their explosive conflicts in order to return a violent wraith to her resting place. But she’s got a big-time score to settle…and nothing to lose.
Thank you so much for having me, Erin, this was fun! If anyone wants to be entered in the giveaway (see below), they can feel free to answer any of these same questions because they’re awesome! J
The hammock at the lake sounds lovely and peaceful. Now let's move on to the tough questions!
What inspired you to write this book?
COME HELL OR HIGH DESIRE was inspired by several things: the Red River which is one block from my house and the border line between North Dakota and Minnesota; my heroine’s boutique Skinny Dipping was fashioned after a local Fargo, ND, shop called O’Day Cache (kicks ass! I could spend hours in there.); and finally, I drew inspiration for Zack, my hero, from three men whom I love the most: my hubby (Zack’s calm and protective nature), my brother (Zack’s introspection and fearlessness), and my first love—my dad—who is a construction entrepreneur (Zack’s like-a-rock steadiness and down-in-the-trenches work ethic).
What’s the first creative writing you did outside school or a class?
As a sophomore in high school I wrote a short story about a single mother from Barbados who survived a hurricane, but, in the wake of the disaster, had to deal with unhappy ghosts. I have NO idea where that idea came from! And I have no idea where those laser printed pages went either. Hopefully they’ll never be discovered. LOL
If you didn’t live where you live now, where would you live? Why?
In my dreams, I live somewhere warm by the ocean. Coastal Malaysia and Fiji sound dreamy. Why? Sand in my toes and sun on my face. Beautiful scenery and crystalline water. No more scraping ice off my windshield in minus thirty degree weather. The things we put up with because we can’t bear to be apart from our family! LOL
If you were to invent something (besides fiction), what would it be?
A machine that folds laundry!
I would love a laundry folding machine! Tell us one thing about you that would surprise people?
I write suspense and read scary stuff, but I hate horror movies. In other words…I’m a big chicken!
What are your pet peeves?
Disrespectful behavior, when people don’t open or hold doors for the elderly, people who text and drive.
Are you a pantser or plotter?
I’m a plotter upside down, inside out, and crossways, so I generally fight it when my characters insist on drawing outside the lines, but they always win. J
What’s the best piece of advice given to you?
Be present. We move through life so fast sometimes I wonder if we’re even enjoying it. It’s like preparing a fantastic meal that you scarf down in five minutes. What’s the point of working so hard if we’re not taking the time to relish the fruits of our labor? Being present means clearing the static in your mind to pour your focus on what’s right in front of you. It’s quite delicious when you manage it. My husband is fantastic at it.
That's a great piece of advice! Give us a hint about your current writing project.
I am so excited to focus on my next project! It’s a sexy paranormal romantic suspense series set in the lawless North Dakota oil fields that follows the f*ck ups and hook-ups of an estranged group of cowboys and cowgirls as they try to work through their explosive conflicts in order to return a violent wraith to her resting place. But she’s got a big-time score to settle…and nothing to lose.
Thank you so much for having me, Erin, this was fun! If anyone wants to be entered in the giveaway (see below), they can feel free to answer any of these same questions because they’re awesome! J
Excerpt
Her fingernails suddenly raked at her skull. “Lord! I almost forgot. We have to go back to Ann’s. She has a diary!”
He swerved into an empty parking lot and swiveled to face her, blood pounding in his ears.
“What are you talking about?”
“Ann keeps a diary. We have to find it.”
“You’re just telling me this now? You should have goddamn said something right away!”
“Don’t you dare curse at me like that, you seismic jackass!”
He had to get out. He flung the truck door open and strode onto the cracked asphalt. Her door slammed shut moments later, and within seconds she was wagging a finger in his face. “And don’t you walk away from me, either!”
“Then don’t be such a damn shrew.”
Color flooded over her cheekbones seconds before she punched him in the gut. Hard. An ancient fire lit up his nerve circuits and adrenaline had him widening his stance. His heart gunned.
His groin tightened.
And she was still shrill.
“I’m not a shrew! How am I supposed to act in a situation like this? You think I’m enjoying this? I hate it! But unfortunately I have a conscience which would haunt me for the rest of my life if I don’t follow this through until we have some answers. You came to me and wanted to rule out the church first. Then with everything that happened, I forgot about the diary until right now. That clear enough for you, you—”
Clear enough, honey.
He vised her head between his palms and kissed her. He hadn’t meant to, but the moment her mouth opened to his, he was lost. Not breaking contact with her mouth, he wrapped one arm around her, his hand splaying across her ass, locking her hips against him. Her hands were in his hair, her hips grinding, driving him crazy. They feasted on each other’s mouth, tongues dueling, daring, seeking. He felt her fingers between their bodies, slipping underneath the waistband of his jeans, pulling at the hem of his shirt. Her fingernail scraped his abs and he groaned. She leaned away from his mouth, her eyes dead sexy. Liquid brown. He was gonna—
A car horn blew, jerking him back to life. Back to the parking lot. He looked over to see a man in a black minivan at a stoplight giving them the thumbs up. He honked twice more, waved, and drove on.
Sloane burst into a fit of laughter that quickly dissolved into tears.
And that clinched it. He’d woken up this morning in some creepy-assed Twilight Zone.
About Misty Dietz
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Giveaway!
Misty is giving away the AWESOME items in this picture. Please enter using the Rafflecopter below. Good luck!
