Are you ready for snow? Debby Grahl’s latest book, Mountain Blaze, has a beautiful cover set in North Carolina. Don’t let the Christmas card setting fool you though — there’s a killer on the loose. Still, main characters Dillon and Diana carve out some time in front of the fireplace.
With the release date of Mountain Blaze coming Nov. 2, Debby grabbed a few precious minutes to answer some questions.
What are your top three favorite books of all time?
Margaret Mitchell’s Gone With The Wind, Tied Up In Tinsel by Ngaio Marsh, and John Dickson Carr’s Papa La-bas.
Are you a plotter, a pantser or some combination of both?
I’d have to say both. I begin with choosing my location, then develop the plot. I write a short outline creating my characters’ personalities and what conflict they’ll have. Then I make it up as I go along. Sometimes my characters take over, and one who was supposed to have a small role ends up having an important part in the story.
Give us a fun fact about writing your book.
This would be the great time I had researching Mountain Blaze. My cousins live near Asheville and took my husband and me touring the area. In the book, the Lazy M ranch is fictitious, but is copied from a real ranch we visited. In the story, Diana goes shopping at Country General. This is taken from Mast General, a wonderful store in Waynesville that I love to go to. If you ever have an opportunity to travel to western NC, the scenery is breathtaking and well worth the trip.
What are you working on now?
Mountain Blaze is the first in my Carolina series. Island Heat, which takes place on beautiful Hilton Head Island, is next. The third is going to be set in Charleston, SC. I have the location, characters, and plot, but I’m having a hard time with the title. If anyone has any suggestions, I’d love to hear from you.
What has been your biggest surprise after becoming a writer?
This would have to be the joy I feel when a reader tells me how much they liked my book and can’t wait to read the next one. I can’t explain the emotion I feel knowing something I’ve written has brought someone such enjoyment.
What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?
I love to travel. My two favorites are England and New Orleans. I enjoy old British murder mysteries. While sightseeing through quaint villages, I can picture Miss Marple or, in London, Roderick Allyn and Lord Peter. In New Orleans, the mystery of the French Quarter with its ghosts, history, and magic captures my writer’s imagination.
Here’s the blurb for Mountain Blaze:
Disillusioned by his wife’s betrayal, rodeo star Dillon McCoy comes home to the mountains of North Carolina to lick his wounds. When he agrees to take over the family ranch, the Lazy M, he’s unaware danger waits.
Diana Thompson is having doubts about her engagement to Trent Sawyer. She agrees to leave Chapel Hill and spend Thanksgiving with her friend Jenn at the Lazy M. When Diana and Dillon meet, neither can deny their attraction, but both must resolve past relationships while fighting their growing desire.
After Dillon turns down an anonymous offer to purchase the ranch, attempts are made on his life. When a body is found, Dillon sets out to discover who wants the McCoy land enough to commit murder.
And a brief excerpt:
Dillon smiled and Diana thought it the sexiest smile she’d ever seen. There was a slight cleft in his chin, and fine lines formed at the corners of his eyes. Diana inwardly groaned. The butterflies were back.
“I’d hold onto you. I wouldn’t let you fall,” he softly said.
With his slow southern accent, the words sounded like warm honey rolling off his tongue. The depth of his eyes and the sound of his voice mesmerized her.
The horses stood side by side. Her and Dillon’s legs touched. He leaned toward her, and the light aroma of wood smoke, hay, and his spicy cologne filled her nostrils. Diana knew what he was about to do but had no willpower to stop him. He cupped her cheek and their lips met.
Gentle at first, his lips glided over hers. He increased the pressure until she opened her mouth and his tongue slipped in. Diana moaned and wrapped her arms around his neck. His arms around her waist, he deepened the kiss. Before she realized what he was doing, without breaking their kiss Dillon lifted her from Flora and placed her across his lap.
Cradled in his arms, Diana clung to him, delicious sensations filling her. Her body came alive in a way that surprised her. The only thing that mattered was this man and this moment.
Flame moved, bringing her back to reality. Diana’s eyes fluttered open, and she stared into Dillon’s, deep with passion and need.
About the author:
Award winning author, Debby Grahl, lives on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, with her husband, David. Besides writing, she enjoys biking, walking on the beach and a glass of wine at sunset. Her favorite places to visit are New Orleans, New York City, Captiva Island in Florida, the Cotswolds of England, and her home state of Michigan. She is a history buff who also enjoys reading murder mysteries, time travel, and, of course, romance. Visually impaired since childhood by Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), she uses screen-reading software to research and write her books. His Magic Touch, a paranormal romance, was released by Wild Rose Press December 5, 2018. Her latest book, Mountain Blaze, will be released November 2.
You can find Debby at the following:
Website — www.debbygrahl.com
Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/debbygrahlauthor?ref=br_rs
Bookbub — https://www.bookbub.com/search/authors?search=debby%20grahl
Twitter — https://twitter.com/DebbyGrahl
Amazon Author Page — https://www.amazon.com/Debby-Grahl/e/B00B34HM26
B&N —https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Debby+Grahl?_requestid=5525094
