Author, author... Interview with Wendy Byrne, author of Hard to Kill + recipe & #giveaway

...read all about it !!    Great Book, yummy Recipe and Rafflecopter !!

Please welcome an interview with Wendy Byrne !!

Welcome Wendy, can you tell us a little about yourself? 

I have a masters degree in social work and worked in the field for twelve years before moving on to the field of education. Currently I teach social work classes at a local university. I’ve been seriously writing for fourteen years. My first published novel was in 2011. I’m married and have two grown sons and two grandchildren.

What did you want to be when you were growing up or did you 

always want to be a writer?

I loved pretending and always made up stories in my head since I was a little girl. I didn’t know at the time, I was practicing to be a writer.

When did you first start writing?

Prior to joining my local chapter of RWA, I was a ‘closet’ writer. After joining Windy City RWA in 1999, I became much more serious about pursuing publication and learned all the things I was doing wrong..

What is a typical writing day like for you?

I’m an early riser, about 5am. I usually check email and sip some Chai tea to get ready to tackle writing. I used to always be a pantzer, but after being on deadline, I realized I needed to do some note cards to make sure I was hitting the points in the novel at the right time. And in order to be more efficient I had to do a little more planning than I had in the past.

  

Do you have any specific routine you follow or specific 

items you need with you when you write?

For me, part of the writing process is about making sure you take time to fill the well so to speak. I like to take a walk and think about my characters. Or drive without the radio on so I can think about my characters or what might happen next in my book. Just give my head the quiet time so my characters can speak to me. And no, I’m not crazy. J

What is your favorite part of writing?  

 Is there anything you don’t like about being a writer?

I don’t like writing a synopsis, or back blurbs on book. My favorite part is thinking about the characters and see what they are trying to overcome and discovering what makes them tick. Then, of course, I like to give them a whole lot of trouble before the end.

What is your favorite length of book to write?   

(Short story, novella, full length novel) Why?

My favorite is full length. It’s hard for me to torture my characters enough in a short book.

How does your family feel about your writing and you being an author?

My family is very supportive. To write a book means you have to spend a lot of time writing. It’s a commitment you as the writer make, but also the family makes in some way. As a wannabe writer himself, my youngest son helped me brainstorm ideas for the Hard Targets trilogy. And his suggestions were brilliant!

Is there a to-be-read waiting on your bedside table?

As much as I resisted getting a Kindle, I love it now. I take it with me to the gym and read while I’m working out on the machines. You can’t do that with a paperback (although I have seen someone try without an elaborate set of rubberbands, and it wasn’t pretty.) I have heard a lot about a YA book Significance, so that’s waiting to be read. A new Lee Child, Jack Reacher book, will be out next month and that will probably go to the top of my list.

Just for fun, I have a few personal questions, Favorite 5

1)  Favorite Holiday -  hands down, Christmas. We always have Christmas Eve at our house and l love to have people over and decorate the house.

2)  Favorite Drink - I drink a lot of water (I know sooooo boring), but I do like chai tea. And, okay, a margarita is always welcome. 

3)    Favorite Author  -  depends on my mood. Sometimes if I want to be engrossed it’s Lee Child or Greg Isles If I want to laugh, it might be Gemma Halliday 

or Kristan Higgins.. If I want a story that’s all about a character’s 

journey to self-discovery it would be Barbara Samuel (O’Neil)

4)    Favorite Book -  Sorry, I cannot say just one: Lady Luck’s Map of Los Vegas by Barbara Samuel, 24 hours by Greg Isles and 61 hours by Lee Child

5)    Favorite Animal -  We had the best dog, Riley, who was a lab mix we got from a shelter as a puppy. After fourteen years with us, when we had to put her to sleep in 2009, I cried like a baby for a couple of days. In fact, I’m crying just writing this down.

And for a bonus:  What is a typical mood for you?   

And is your mood different when you’re writing?

I’m usually pretty upbeat. I’ll admit if a story is working, 

I’m much happier than when it’s not.

Where can our readers find you?? 

Email    Twitter 

Facebook    Website/blog

Amazon Author Page    Goodreads

*  *  *  *  * 

Is there an upcoming or current release you would like to share 

with us today and where can we find it?

Hard to Kill, the first of the Hard Targets Trilogy 

was released August 11, 2014

Amazon    B&N    iTunes    Kobo    Smashwords

Back cover info:

Trained as children to become assassins by the infamous Goren Petrovich, Sabrina Shaw and her two brothers have had a less-than-normal upbringing. After escaping his clutches, Sabrina and her brothers have tried to make a normal life for themselves. Now Sabrina works for an organization called The Alliance, specializing in the kind of jobs that no one else can or wants to do. Her current assignment: find the daughter of a prominent politician who has disappeared, categorized as a runaway by the authorities. It seems simple enough, until Sabrina uncovers the girl may have been the victim of a kidnapping that goes far beyond ransom requests. Now Sabrina must put her training to the test as she infiltrates a sex trafficking ring operating in Europe in order to find the girl...all while dodging a mysterious FBI agent and the demons from her own past. 

ABOUT THE HARD TARGETS TRILOGY:
Goren Petrovich was an infamous KOS agent in war-torn Yugoslavia, known for his ability to turn orphaned children into highly trained government assassins. One of his most notable protégées was Anya Danielovich (from the novel Play Nice by Gemma Halliday). But after the KOS disbanded and Petrovich fled to the U.S., he continued his training "academy"—this time for personal profit. Three of his talented U.S. pupils: Sabrina, Jake, and Max Shaw. But when the siblings break from his grasp and attempt to start over, living normal lives that have nothing to do with guns, death, or lies, they learn that you can never really escape your past...

 

Hard to Kill (book #1), Hard to Trust (book #2), Hard to Stop (book #3)

I have quite a few reviews on Amazon (162). Below are the last few that came in:

5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars, August 16, 2014

This review is from: Hard to Kill: a Hard Targets novel (Kindle Edition)

Great book! Fast paced and riveting! The heroine is kick-assed! Looking forward to the other books in the series.

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved Shane & Sabrina and their fight against human trafficking, August 16, 2014

This review is from: Hard to Kill: a Hard Targets novel (Kindle Edition)

Action packed! Loved Shane & Sabrina and their fight against human trafficking. Hope there are more books in the works with these characters!!

5.0 out of 5 stars Another great book from Gemma Halliday press., August 16, 2014

This review is from: Hard to Kill: a Hard Targets novel (Kindle Edition)

I really enjoyed Hard to Kill. Sabrina was amazing! It was an action packed book that kept you on your toes. I'm hoping for another book that keeps us up to date with Sabrina and her FBI guy. I would also like other books with her brothers being the main characters. I feel this would be a great series of books to read. Thanks to Gemma for find these wonderful authors.

5.0 out of 5 stars Wendy Byrne is yet another author from Gemma Halliday Publishing ..., August 16, 2014

This review is from: Hard to Kill: a Hard Targets novel (Kindle Edition)

Wendy Byrne is yet another author from Gemma Halliday Publishing who is sure to make a big splash in the Crime Fiction Pool.
Special op mercenary, Sabrina Shaw, and her brothers, Max and Jake, along with FBI Agent Kane Travis tackle an international sex-slavery ring in this thriller that I found myself unable to lay down. And while I am a huge fan of the comedy laced in most of Gemma Halliday Publishing's offerings this one is all business. The action is fast,furious and gripping. I can hardly wait to see a sequel to Hard to Kill!

My book is from Gemma Halliday Publishing.

 http://gemmahalliday.com/Halliday_Publishing/

Do you have a favorite recipe you'd like to share?  

 I like to cook and am always looking for new recipes to try and share.

I do like to cook for the holidays and below is a recipe called Chicago Slush. 

Yummy!

¾ C. Margarine, softened

1 ½ C. Flour

1 C chopped pecans

1 ½ C. softened cream cheese

1 C. confectioner’s sugar

¾ C. whipping cream, whipped

2 pkgs. 3 ¾ ou. Instant Chocolate pudding

3 C Cold milk

Cut margarine into flour until mixture resembles course crumbs. Stir in nuts. Press mixture over bottom of 13 X 9 baking pan. Bake at 350 for 15-20 min. Cool. Beat together cream cheese and sugar. Fold in whipped cream. Spread over crust. Mix pudding with milk until thick and smooth Spread over cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate covered until set 3-4 hours. Garnish with whipped cream.

Giveaway:  $30 Amazon Gift Card

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blast: Hard to Kill by Wendy Byrne

 Hard to Kill

A Hard Targets Novel

Wendy Byrne

Gemma Halliday Publishing

Romantic Suspense ,@72k words

Trained as children to become assassins by the infamous Goren Petrovich, Sabrina Shaw and her two brothers have had a less-than-normal upbringing.  After escaping his clutches, Sabrina and her brothers have tried to make a normal life for themselves.

Now Sabrina works for an organization called The Alliance, specializing in the kind of jobs that no one else can or wants to do.  Her current assignment:  find the daughter of a prominent politician who has disappeared, categorized as a runaway by the authorities.

It seems simple enough, until Sabrina uncovers the girl may have been the victim of a kidnapping that goes far beyond ransom requests.  Now Sabrina must put her training to the test as she infiltrates a sex trafficking ring operating in Europe in order to find the girl...all while dodging a mysterious FBI agent and the demons from her own past.

Buy Links:   Amazon   B&N   iBooks   Kobo   Smashwords

Excerpt:

“Get the hell out of there. Now.” Jenning’s voice crackled to life in Sabrina’s earpiece.

She ignored his command even while her skin itched, foretelling her sixth sense was kicking in. Yep, she was close.

“Now, Shaw. His friends are heading your way. You—"  

She clicked off the receiver to stop the tirade that no doubt would follow.  A few minutes. That’s all she needed.

Tip-toeing up the metal staircase in her black combat-style boots, she inched her way to apartment 203. Eddie Ramer might be able to fool the cops but not her. The bottom feeder had been enticing Caitlyn for weeks with his promise of high paying modeling gigs. And then she’d disappeared.

Coincidence? Yeah, right.

A heavy smell of weed permeated the air, despite the open balconies outside the apartment doors. The metal railing and no-tell-motel-appearance of the building didn’t shock her. In fact it worked in her favor. The thin walls made her privy to the conversations along the journey to her prize.

201. 202. Finally, 203.

Peeking inside was made impossible by the closed drapes. Instead, she crawled under the window, then slid along the wall stopping outside the apartment door. A cacophony of motorcycle engines in the distance signaled Eddie’s friends were getting closer.

Her heart beat heavily while her fingers tingled. Everything inside her longed to grab the gun strapped to her thigh, but she resisted the urge. Only if necessary. She held her breath, keying into the conversation on the other side of the door.

“Let me see what you’ve got, baby.” The voice came from inside.

Sabrina closed her eyes, dispelling the vile thoughts racing around her head. Focus remained the key to her success.

“I thought—" The girl’s shaky voice signaled her fear.

 “You have a smokin’ bod, but I gotta know you can sell the goods. That’s the way this works. Only then can I open doors for you.”

Enough.

With one strategically placed kick, her boot separated the lock from the flimsy door. Seconds later, she charged inside, tackling Eddie to the ground. He tried to reverse her dominant position, but she was one step ahead of him, bringing the tip of her blade to his throat, a mere flick away from his carotid artery.

She slid off his chest and eased them both to a standing position, never wavering on the location of the blade. “Now Caitlyn and I are going to leave without any trouble from you or your ragtag group of merry men. Got that?”

His eyebrows furrowed while his lips curled into a smirk. “Caitlyn? She’s ancient history.”

A sinking sensation settled in her gut as Sabrina turned toward the girl. Hovering close to the bed, a young Hispanic girl with striking looks and long dark hair stood, her blouse partially unbuttoned. Definitely not Caitlyn Collins.

Not good.

That half second of non-focus on her part was all Eddie needed to grab her forearm, dislodging the knife and sending it flying across the room into the wall. Despite his bulk, the alcohol reeking from his pores slowed his reflexes.  She easily ducked the clumsy punch he sent her way. When he grasped her bicep and pulled up, that left him open for her counter strike to the round part of his shoulder, followed by a punch to his liver through the intercostal nerve, robbing him of breath, then a chop to the side of his neck, hitting his vagus nerve with enough force to stun.

Sabrina grabbed the girl and ran.

Dread chilled her bones as she bounded down the steps, yanking the frightened girl along with her. For the first time in her life she’d failed her mission. She’d given the Collins family hope when she’d promised to rescue their daughter. Now she was coming back empty handed. There had to be another way.  

Author bio:  Wendy has a Masters in Social Work and worked in the child welfare field for twelve years before she decided to pursue her dream of writing.  Her first two books, Fractured and Mama Said were published in 2011 and 2012.  Mama Said was a finalist in the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence Contest. She self published The Christmas Curse in 2012.

Between teaching college classes, trying to get her morbidly obese cat to slim down, and tempering the will of her five-year-old granddaughter, who's determined to become a witch when she turns six so she can fly on her broom to see the Eiffel Tower and put hexes on people --not necessarily in that order--somehow Wendy still manages to fit in writing.  She spends the remainder of her days inflicting mayhem on her hero and heroine until they beg for mercy. 

contact link:  http://www.wendybyrne.net/contact/

or FB: https://www.facebook.com/WendyByrneAuthor

Giveaway:  $30 Amazon Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway