Today, I have a very special interview with author Lily Black. Her debut and kickass black belt novel, STORM OF ATTRACTION, is coming out this month.
1.) Can you tell us a little bit about STORM OF ATTRACTION? What genre is it and what makes it unique?
I try to be impartial, but one
thing I love deeply about Storm of Attraction is the juxtaposition of cozy
feelings, big beautiful libraries, purring cats, and delicious dishes that he’s
cooked especially for her…with the all-out terror expected of a romantic suspense.
So, the book provides lots of feels as it swings from the truly creepy and
unstable stalker who is hunting Alexa and Drew to the warm love of a small town
and a reunion romance.
2) Since it’s almost
Valentine's day, tell me about the romance in the book! What is the
relationship between the two characters like?
Alexa
and Drew had an intense summer fling five years prior to the book’s beginning,
and have since both settled in the small town of Willowdale, where they are one
another’s direct rivals. So initially their relationship is pretty rocky. In
fact, in the first chapter he shocks her into letting him help with her flat
tire by repeating some of the terrible names she’s called him. As you might
guess, though, given that this is a romance, things do rollercoaster their way
to a better place by the end!
3) What would be the ideal
Valentine's Day date for the couple in your book?
She
may be a black belt, but she’s also a librarian and really loves books. And she
longs to travel, while he’d love to show her the exotic places he’s been while
traveling with his day or during his time as a Ranger. So I think the perfect
date for them would be a trip to Italy, where Drew’s family comes from. They’d
take in the fountains and statues at Piazza Navona, then enjoy a leisurely meal
at a delicious ristorante nearby before wandering over to the great Angelica
Library, where Alexa would probably be hard pressed to keep quiet as she held a
rare early edition of Dante in her hands.
4) What are your all-time
favorite romantic books or movies?
This
is such a tough one, since I read through so many books and can never pick one,
and movies really depend on my mood at the time! Lately I’ve been in love with
the live-action Cinderella, but I’m guessing you’re looking for something a
little more contemporary. So, I’ll go with Will Smith’s Hitch (a classic but
gives me the feels every time!) and Noting Hill. Because I’m a sucker for Julia
Roberts (not to mention Hugh Grant!) and really enjoyed the challenges shown
here in blending her world with his.
Blurb:
Love is
worth fighting for.
Alexa Wolving has just one rule: never give a
guy a second chance. That works just fine in the safe life she’s built. In the
charming town of Willowdale, her day job as a librarian balances perfectly with
her evening job as a black belt instructor. But when she attracts the attention
of a stalker, Alexa’s carefully built world begins to crumble.
Drew Cosimo knows he broke Alexa’s heart five
years ago when he took his first Ranger assignment and disappeared from her
life. Now that he’s out of the army, he’s moving back home to Willowdale. He’s
not looking for a fight, but making peace would be easier if Alexa hadn’t told
the entire town he was a money-grubbing jerk. Despite the tension between them,
Drew is quick to offer his protection when a stalker forces Alexa from her
home.
As the stalker’s attacks escalate, Alexa and
Drew are forced to face their painful past and the simmering attraction between
them. They must fight to save each other before everything they care about goes
up in flames.
Bio:
Lily
Black believes in true love, but is also quite sure going after it is the
scariest thing we'll ever do! She explores this dynamic in her romantic
suspense novels, which are set in the small imaginary town of Willowdale, where
people dream big, love deeply, and kick butt if necessary. She has a
black belt in Chung Do Kwan Tai Kwon Do, and has also trained in everything
from judo to broadswords. She lives in North Carolina, where she works as
a content editor for a small publisher, and divides her free time between the
mountains and the sea with her very patient and loving husband and their teen
daughter. She is also the co-creator of the Book Ninjas’ Blush-O-Meter. Readers
everywhere search the Book Ninja’s online catalog for romance, YA and chicklit
novels in all genres, and find books that match their blush level!
Her
debut romantic suspense--Storm of Attraction--launches February 13th,
2017 from Red Adept Publishing. She welcomes you to join her on the journey!
BONUS
breaking news! I’ve just learned that my publisher will be giving away three
paper copies of Storm of Attraction on Goodreads! Enter to win Jan. 31st
through Feb. 12th… and may the odds be ever in your favor!
