#authorinterview – Page 18 – Avonna Loves Genres

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: My Travels with Mrs. Kennedy by Clint Hill and Lisa McCubbin Hill

Book Description

The #1 New York Times bestselling authors of Mrs. Kennedy and Me reveal never-before-told stories of Secret Service Agent Clint Hill’s travels with Jacqueline Kennedy through Europe, Asia, and South America. Featuring more than two hundred rare and never-before-published photographs.

While preparing to sell his home in Alexandria, Virginia, retired Secret Service agent Clint Hill uncovers an old steamer trunk in the garage, triggering a floodgate of memories. As he and Lisa McCubbin, his coauthor on three previous books, pry it open for the first time in fifty years, they find forgotten photos, handwritten notes, personal gifts, and treasured mementos from the trips on which Hill accompanied First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy as her Secret Service agent—trips that took them from Paris to London, through India, Pakistan, Greece, Morocco, Mexico, South America, and “three glorious weeks on the Amalfi Coast.” During these journeys, Jacqueline Kennedy became one of her husband’s—and America’s—greatest assets; in Hill’s words and the opinion of many others, “one of the best ambassadors the United States has ever had.”

As each newfound treasure sparks long-suppressed memories, Hill provides new insight into the intensely private woman he always called “Mrs. Kennedy” and who always called him “Mr. Hill.” For the first time, he reveals the depth of the relationship that developed between them as they traveled around the globe. Now ninety years old, Hill recounts the tender moments, the private laughs, the wild adventures, and the deep affection he shared with one of the world’s most beautiful and iconic women—and these memories are brought vividly to life alongside more than two hundred rare photographs, many of them previously unpublished.

In addition to the humorous stories and intimate moments, Hill reveals startling details about how traveling helped them both heal during the excruciating weeks and months following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in November 1963. He also writes of the year he spent protecting Mrs. Kennedy after the assassination, a time in his life he has always been reluctant to speak about.

My Travels with Mrs. Kennedy unveils a personal side of history that has never been told before and takes the reader on a breathtaking journey, experiencing what it was like for Clint Hill to travel with Jacqueline Kennedy as the entire world was falling in love with her.

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Elise’s Thoughts

My Travels with Mrs. Kennedy by Clint Hill and Lisa McCubbin Hill reveal never-before-told stories of Secret Service Agent Clint Hill’s travels with Jacqueline Kennedy through Europe, Asia, and South America. This book features more than two hundred rare and never-before-published photographs, many found in an old trunk in his house.

There are First Ladies and then there are First Ladies. No First Lady can come close to what Jackie Kennedy accomplished. As a First Lady she was admired, respected, and revered. She had many talents, able to influence with her fashion styles, hair, and a public mother/wife. But she also played a much larger role in the Kennedy administration, as a de facto diplomat. Clint Hill had a birds-eye view, and this book helps Americans to understand why this period of history was called the Camelot years.

People might not recognize the author, but the photo of him jumping on the Presidential car is engrained in most everyone’s mind. He is the Secret Service Agent that heroically leaped onto the Kennedy car in Dallas after the President was shot.

Hill provides new insight into the intensely private woman he always called “Mrs. Kennedy” and who always called him “Mr. Hill.” For the first time, he reveals the depth of the relationship that developed between them as they traveled around the globe. Now ninety years old, Hill recounts the tender moments, the private laughs, the wild adventures, and the deep affection he shared with one of the world’s most beautiful and iconic women—and these memories are brought vividly to life alongside more than two hundred rare photographs, many of them previously unpublished.

From the very first page readers will be immersed in their world. The saying “a picture is worth a thousand words,” applies to this book. People seeing the photographs with commentary will run a range of emotions from sad, happy, melancholy, to putting a smile on their face.

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Author Interview

EC: What are the top five photographs that are special to you and why?

CH and LM: The picture of the trunk – because it held such wonderful things reminding me of the travels and it was so unique. Unfortunately, it had to be destroyed because it had water damage in the bottom. I’m glad we took a picture of it before we opened it. We’ve noted the page numbers in the book where the photo can be found.

Page 15: Mrs. Kennedy talking with French President De Gaulle – this photo shows how close they were and how easily she was able to communicate with him in French. He was captivated by her and that undoubtedly helped relations between our two countries. This is typical of the relationship she had with most heads of state. She spoke fluent Italian and Spanish too, and she used that on foreign trips. President Kennedy was very proud of her when she spoke to people in their own language – something he couldn’t do.

Page 43: When I held John on the back of the jet boat – showing how it worked. This shows the close relationship I had with the Kennedy children. Mrs. Kennedy always told us, the agents, to treat them like normal children, to not give them special treatment. If they fall, don’t pick them up. She didn’t want them spoiled. But whenever she was with her children, I was there too—those were special times.

Page 44: President Kennedy placing the paper medal around my neck after completing the 50-mile hike. This is probably the most unique memento I have—something no one else has. No one ever knew about the 50-mile hike until I wrote about it. At the time, I wasn’t too pleased about going on an impromptu 50-mile hike with the president’s brother-in-law and best friend, but it turned out to be one of my most treasured memories.

Page 265: We were in the airport in Rome – she’s wanting to buy something for the kids, and she sought my advice. Shows the relationship she and I had that she sought my opinion.

Page 175: Walking with Mrs. Kennedy through the ancient stone streets of Ravello. I had arrived in Italy with my usual Florsheim wingtips, but Mrs. Kennedy convinced me they looked out of place and assisted me in buying those white handmade Italian loafers. This photo also shows how relaxed we were on that trip which was purely a vacation for her. Our relationship had really changed by this point—she trusted me with everything to the point that she didn’t bring any other staff along. I was social secretary, press secretary, as well as Secret Service agent.

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EC: Do you agree that Mrs. Kennedy was not just a First Lady but also a diplomat? Please explain.

CH and LM: Yes, she dealt on a one-on-one basis with all people—from the lowest, downtrodden, to the highest ranking in every country she visited. She sought out opportunities to better the relationship between the U.S. and the countries she visited. I put in this book quote, “Mrs. Kennedy was more effective than any ambassador or diplomatic relations policy that had been before or since, creating goodwill while she was making history, shaping international relations…She proved herself to be, arguably, one of the best ambassadors the United States ever had, to be one of the President’s secret weapons on the international front.”

EC: Why do you think people gravitated, admired, and had their hearts captured by Mrs. Kennedy?

CH and LM: Mostly because of her grace and beauty, her authenticity. She was the real thing. Many people wished they could be like her or be a friend of hers.

EC: Do you feel you are an “interpreter” to history for the American people? Please explain.

CH and LM: No, I don’t believe I am an interpreter to history. I’m just one of many that was given wonderful opportunities to serve my country. I’ve realized the historical significance of what I’ve seen and what I’ve done. It is disappointing and irritating to me when I see how people have made up things that were untrue, whether it be in books, movies, or television series. They call it “dramatic license” but often it’s purely made-up and contains no basis in fact. I’ve seen myself portrayed in movies doing and saying things I never said or did. Yet no one bothered to ask me. It’s important to me to keep the record straight, factual, and honest.

EC: How would you describe the First Lady?

CH and LM: She was educated, well read, astute, curious, fun loving, adventurous, spontaneous, down to earth, elegant, charming, smart, and intuitive. That’s who she is. I don’t have anything more to add—those are all the words I would use to describe her.

EC: What was your relationship with Mrs. Kennedy?

CH and LM: There is this book quote, “A bond based on trust and mutual respect. As time went on, that had just grown stronger and stronger.” That’s what this entire book is about. All the stories and photographs contained within it are the answer to your question. Our relationship changed over time.

EC: Considering that tragedy if you could go back in time would you not want to have been assigned to that detail?

CH and LM: I would want to have been assigned to that detail. The only thing I would have changed would have been the outcome of what had happened. I would be dead, and President Kennedy would be alive.

EC: What do you want Americans to get out of the book?

CH and LM: A better understanding of exactly who Jacqueline Kennedy was, what she stood for, and how important she was to all the people of the United States and relations with foreign countries. I think it also shows the special and unique relationship between Mrs. Kennedy and me—it was a different time, and because of limited manpower, one person was required to do the work of many and that meant a much closer relationship between the protector and the protected. It was not political, but very professional.

THANK YOU!!

***

BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Murder at Black Oaks by Phillip Margolin

Book Description

In Phillip Margolin’s Murder at Black Oaks, Attorney Robin Lockwood finds herself at an isolated retreat in the Oregon mountains, one with a tragic past and a legendary curse, and surrounded by many suspects and confronted with an impossible crime.

Defense Attorney Robin Lockwood is summoned by retired District Attorney Francis Hardy to meet with him at Black Oaks, the manor he owns up in the Oregon mountains. The manor has an interesting history – originally built in 1628 in England, there’s a murderous legend and curse attached to the mansion. Hardy, however, wants Lockwood’s help in a legal matter – righting a wrongful conviction from his days as a DA. A young man, Jose Alvarez, was convicted of murdering his girlfriend only for Hardy, years later when in private practice, to have a client of his admit to the murder and to framing the man Hardy convicted. Unable to reveal what he knew due to attorney client confidence, Hardy now wants Lockwood’s help in getting that conviction overturned.

Successful in their efforts, Hardy invites Lockwood up to Black Oaks for a celebration. Lockwood finds herself among an odd group of invitees – including the bitter, newly released, Alvarez. When Hardy is found murdered, with a knife connected to the original curse, Lockwood finds herself faced with a conundrum – who is the murder among them and how to stop them before there’s another victim.

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Elise’s Thoughts

Murder at Black Oaks by Phillip Margolin is a legal thriller that has the main character, Robin Lockwood, having to deal with a legendary curse, ancient grudges, escaped convicts, improbable masquerades, and a possible serial killer. Besides the haunted house there is also the former prosecutor, Frank Melville, who is also haunted by someone he prosecuted who turned out to be innocent.

Melville asks Robin Lockwood, a brilliant defense attorney, to right this long outstanding wrong and free an innocent man on death row, Jose Alvarez. Successful in their efforts, Melville invites Lockwood, her investigator, and Jose, up to Black Oaks for a celebration. Unfortunately, the celebration turns deadly after Melville is found murdered, with a knife connected to the original curse. Like the game of Clue, Robin and her investigator Ken must determine who is the suspect and how did the murder happen.

This is a fun, complex plot with many twists and turns. A bonus is how the attorney-client privilege plays into the plot. Readers of his books will learn a little about the law.

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Author Interview

Elise Cooper: How did you get the idea for the story?

Phillip Margolin: I always have been a voracious reader. I devoured Ellery Queen, Agatha Christie, and John Dickson Carr. I became a lawyer because of Perry Mason, my inspiration. Ellery Queen is the reason I write mysteries with surprise endings. American Mystery Classics, published by Otto Penzler, is reissuing the mystery classics of the 1930s. After I started re-reading these “Golden Age of Mystery” classics I decided to write a story in the same mold, trying to put every cliché into this book. There is a haunted house with a werewolf curse, locked rooms, all the different suspects trapped on a mountain, a butler who might be a killer, and an escaped lunatic, like the game of Clue. I had the most fun writing it.

EC: The story is that the accused got a raw deal?

PM: We have set up our justice system in the late 1700s because of being victims of really mean people, the British mistreatment of colonists. There was a philosophical decision that the person arrested was arrested by mistake, a presumption of innocence. The burden shifts to the state. The focus is never on the victim until the sentencing phrase. Jose, the accused in the book, was found guilty, put-on death row, and we very quickly learn he did not do it.

EC: How would you describe Jose?

PM: Extremely intelligent, hardworking, his family are immigrants. It is a tragedy what happened to him. He was robbed of most of the productive years of his life. He is angry, resentful, and feels the system let him down.

EC: You delve into a little bit of the law?

PM: When the prosecutor turned defense attorney, he found out Jose was innocent. He could not help him get out because of attorney-client privilege. It is an absolute essential part of our justice system. The lawyer must have the client’s confidence that they can be honest. The person can only be represented if the lawyer knows what really happened. I wanted to set up this horrible conundrum. I wanted the reader to think what they would have done, to be put in this position. I also spoke of Habeas Corpus and Statute of limitations. I do this to promote the story.

EC: How would you describe Frank, the former prosecutor?

PM: His life went down the tubes once he found out Jose is innocent. He loved the law but dropped out of it because of his depression. What he has going for him is to free others from prison who had misjudgment. He is remorseful, lonely, and believed in curses.

EC: Your next book?

PM: It is another Robin Lockwood, titled All Dead. An entire family is murdered. It is a who done it where people are trying to figure out who was the intended victim. It will probably come out in November 2023.

THANK YOU!!

***

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Be Your Everything by Catherine Bybee

Book Description

With two protective older brothers and a traditional Catholic Italian mother, it’s surprising that Chloe D’Angelo can manage a date without someone in the family naysaying her romantic choice. And Dante Mancuso…oh, no. Her brother’s best friend is not a dating-app right swipe.

But when they are left unsupervised on a late night in Vegas, all of that changes. Add in a Vegas wedding chapel and a couple of “I dos” and Chloe wakes up with a ring on her finger and a hangover. Dating Dante was always a secret desire, but marriage? The rift that this news would cause in her family has the both of them keeping their nuptials to themselves as they scramble to undo their Vegas mistake.

Dante knew the rules: Chloe was off limits. Only he can’t stop once his mind starts to believe she might be his forever. Just as their attraction deepens, Chloe flees to Bali, desperate to clear her head.

All Dante has to do is keep her brothers from killing him and convince her that they are meant for each other. But first, Dante has to find her.

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Elise’s Thoughts

Be Your Everything by Catherine Bybee is a romantic woman’s literature book. Previously, she has written romantic suspense, and lucky for her readers there is plenty of romance and a little suspense, showing that suspense can never be taken out of this author. This story will also delve into family and cultural issues.

Most everyone has heard the saying “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.” For Chloe D’Angelo, she so wants it to stay there until she can figure out why she married her long-time crush and her brothers’ best friend Dante Mancuso. In Vegas for her brother and sisters-in-law bachelorette/bachelor party she and Dante decide to go for a night on the town. But they kiss, have way too much to drink, and end up at a wedding chapel where they marry. They must keep that a secret for now considering she has been labeled “off limits” by her older protective brothers.

Chloe is conflicted and scared, and desires to dissolve the marriage, even if she did have a crush on him for a long time. Dante wants to make a go of the marriage realizing how much he loves and respects her. They secretly begin to spend time together and realize that there is a major attraction between them. Yet, Chloe decides to flee to Bali for some Yoga meditation and to clear her head. Dante realizes he must find her and convince her they were always meant for each other. They must come up with a solution on how to tell their families they were married in secret without a priest, a church, and their family’s approval.

Readers will want to turn the pages to find out how Chloe and Dante resolve their problem. But there are also other issues of the day including the dangers of on-line dating and how the expectations of the Italian culture can affect a relationship.

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Author Interview

Elise Cooper: There is some suspense?

Catherine Bybee: You cannot take suspense out of this author. I do want to write more suspense. I will find a way to put something in the story. This series I had opportunities to put it in. For this book there was on-line dating, trolling, and catfishing which led to something bad. With romance books readers know at the end of the day the characters will be happy even if they have a rough journey. I enjoy writing books where part of the tension/conflict is something completely out of their control. I enjoy writing romantic suspense and espionage books, that has external conflict.

EC: Why the wedding and bachelor/bachelorette party?

CB: I wanted to start out the story with an accidental marriage. What better place than Las Vegas? I had the opportunity of getting them to Vegas with this scenario. I had some fun because I threw in what I experienced in Vegas. I looked for the Chapels on the Strip and went on-line to see their interiors. The last time I went to Vegas I was at a romance conference, and we went to a strip club. Some of my other stories had marriages in Vegas including Wife by Wednesday.

EC: How would you describe Chole?

CB: She is very secure but is naïve. Chloe did have some freedom in her life. She is passionate, family oriented, direct, boisterous, and funny.

EC: How would you describe Dante?

CB: His relationship with his father has influenced him. He took over his role, having the responsibility of his mother. I wanted to write the story of how the mother and father have been separated for a decade but do not live together. I know people like that for whatever reason: financial, societal, religious, or denial. Overall, Dante is driven, a player, a woman magnet, caring, protective, and charming. He is gorgeous, tall, dark, and a sexy Italian.

EC: What about their relationship?

CB: They were connected from the very beginning. In their heads they are worlds apart where he sees her as his wife, and she thinks she wants an annulment. They are sneaking around, trying to hide their relationship from their families. Their relationship becomes complicated. They were childhood friends and now there is an attraction. Being married gives Dante the permission slip to date her.

EC: What about the brothers’ relationship to their younger sister, Chloe?

CB: The attitude is that their best friend better not have sex with their sister. They look out for their younger sister. It is fun to put the brothers in a fatherly role. They do mean well but she looks for ways to get past their protectiveness. Chloe also confided in Brooke, her future sister-in-law, who is older and treats her like a sister. The older sibling plays the parent role. Dante’s sister Anna is older, and she gives advice to him.

EC: What was the influence of the Italian family?

CB: There seems to be always a matriarch mother, Mari. With Italian culture the children do not move out until married. There are certain things that are not open to arguments. They can talk about everything and anything. I did spend quite a bit of time in Italy. Mari’s children are her world. The Hispanic mother, the Italian mother, and the Jewish mother all play the same role, what they say is final.

EC: Being Catholic there was still talk about divorce between Rosa, Dante’s mom, and Chloe/Dante?

CB: My father is Catholic and has been married five times although I do not consider myself Catholic. I hope there would be approval for Rosa, Dante’s mom, if she wanted a divorce. I did run some scenes by my stepsister who is Catholic. There is a morality conflict.

EC: Why Yoga and meditation?

CB: I was doing a lot of that before I wrote the book. I did a lot during Covid. By doing this I became more accepting of other people and cultures. When someone is into the “Zen,” things become clearer. I can say that firsthand.

EC: There is also how the Internet can destroy someone?

CB: It is a small part in the book, but very big in the lifeline of someone living in the 21^st Century. Catfishing comes in many ways including people pretending they are a different sex, an obsolete picture put out there, or saying things about someone’s personality that is false. Someone’s persona gets damaged very quickly. People love to bully on their phones.

EC: Your next book?

CB: It will be Giovanni’s story. Because I did spend some time in Tuscany and Florence, I set the beginning of the book there on a wine tour. He meets someone named Emma, the daughter of a very fluent Napa and Temecula wine operation. She wants to be able to participate in the business, but her father wants nothing to do with it. There is a big plot twist in the middle of the book, which happens to be personal to me. The title is Beginning of Forever, out in June 2023.

THANK YOU!!

***

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: The Secrets of Emberwild by Stephenia H. McGee

Book Description

A gifted trainer in a time women are not allowed to race, Nora Fenton prefers horses to men. They’re easier to handle, they’re more reliable, and they never tell her what to do. After her father’s passing, Nora is determined to save her struggling horse farm, starting with entering her prize colt into the harness races at the 1905 Mississippi Fair. If she wins, she may have a chance at independence. But when a stranger arrives and starts asking disconcerting questions, she suspects he may have other motives than unseating her in the training job that is rightfully hers.

Silas Cavallero will do whatever it takes to solve the mystery of his father’s death–even if it means training an unwieldy colt for Nora, who wants nothing more than to see him gone. But when mysterious accidents threaten their safety and circumstances shrouded in secrets begin unlocking clues to his past, Silas will have to decide if the truth is worth risking ruining everything for the feisty woman he’s come to admire.

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Elise’s Thoughts

The Secrets of Emberwild by Stephenia H. McGee is a great read combining mystery, some romance, and historical facts about the South in 1905. There are secrets, manipulation, and roadblocks that the characters must confront to solve the mystery.

Silas Cavallero has long doubted the sheriff’s account of his father’s death 15 years earlier, that Silas’s father was accidentally trampled by his prized stallion, never to be found. He decides to investigate which leads him to Mississippi’s Emberwild Horse Farm. There he is he hired to train Arrow, a harness racing horse, but must contend with the horse’s owner Nora Felton. She prefers her horse to people and makes it known that she should be training Arrow. Unfortunately, after her father died, her uncle and mother conspire to wed Nora since they believe she should be a proper lady and leave the horse training and racing to men. Yet, Nora is determined to save her struggling horse farm, starting with entering her prize colt Arrow into the harness races at the 1905 Mississippi Fair. If she wins, she may have a chance at independence. With Silas’ support and encouragement, he and she team up to prepare Arrow for the harness races. But after mysterious accidents threaten their safety and circumstances shrouded in secrets begin unlocking clues to the past, Silas must decide if the truth is worth risking and endangering the feisty, gritty woman he’s come to admire.

This story will captivate readers from page one. The characters are very relatable and believable. The insight into how women were treated is eye-opening. Regarding the mystery there are many surprises that keep readers on their toes and guessing as to what really happened.

***

Author Interview

Elise Cooper: How did you get the idea for the story?

Stephenia McGee: I have a degree in animal science and equestrian science. I worked as a horse trainer. Because my back went out, I could not do any horse training anymore. I wanted to write a story with the horsemanship skills I used, having a heroine who would face difficulties because of the time, the early 1900s.

EC: There is a mystery thread?

SM: Yes. Silas is trying to find out what happened to his father, never believing it was an accident. He is also looking for the horse that disappeared. The readers know there is a connection somehow between all these characters. One of the bad guys have motives that are suspect, the Uncle Amos. He is overconfident, a liar, uncaring, manipulative, and does not have much regard for women.

EC: How would you describe the heroine, Nora?

SM: She is a little bit older and has led a sheltered life. She is trying to learn how to be independent. Nora is headstrong, curious, very opinionated, and struggles with the society pressures of the time. Her own family wanted her to be quiet, soft-spoken, act like a lady, and get married. This goes against everything in her personality. Nora is a spitfire, rebellious, defiant, and coy. She is like a horse whisperer.

EC: How would you describe Silas, the hero?

SM: Quiet, gentle, and easy-going. He is confident, sincere, protective, and honorable.

EC: Why the setting?

SM: I put her in Neshoba County Mississippi because of the fair. It started in the late 1800s. It is a huge deal. People take off a week to go, staying in cabins. One of the big events is the harness racing, the only legal horse racing track in Mississippi. I thought it would be fun to put Nora there so she could be a racer.

EC: Women in the early 1900s?

SM: They had to have their place, following orders, and being seen and not heard. They were stifled and had no say in their marriage. Nora had a tug and pull with the way women were treated in the times. Although, she had some freedom since it was in the middle of the suffrage period.

EC: What role does Arrow the horse play in the story?

SM: Arrow plays a big part in the story. He is a character. Like Nora, he is headstrong, ornery, high strung, temperamental, high energy, and wild. Silas tempers both Nora and Arrow. Ever since Arrow was born, he became Nora’s best friend since she was so lonely. She loves him and spills her problems out to him. I was able to use my experiences with my horse, Rona, for Arrow. Rona is retired after she broke a bone in her hoof.

EC: There is a book quote comparing Arrow and Silas. Please explain.

SM: I put in this book quote, “They are like two stallions. They assess one another looking for weakness, while at the same time offering due respect to one another.” Nora is watching how Silas will handle Arrow. He is not rough with Arrow and does not man-handle him. They both give each other mutual respect.

EC: What about the relationship between Silas and Nora?

SM: When he is first hired, she does not want anything to do with him, having the feeling he is taking over her duties. She is trying to establish her position. She slowly gains respect for him, watching how he handles the horse, people around him, and even her. They share a passion for horses, develop a friendship, and then it turns to love. In a sense they are kindred spirits. He finds her fascinating, becomes intrigued with her, and is never overbearing. He takes her for what she is.

EC: What about Nora and her mother’s relationship?

SM: Nora and her mom are complete opposites who hardly agree on anything. Her mother wants Nora to have a stable life, to do feminine things like cook and sew. This causes mother and daughter to butt heads. After the father died, they try to understand each other more. They each want the bond and friendship that goes beyond parent-child.

EC: What about your next book?

SM: This current book is stand-alone. The next book is called The Swindler’s Daughter, set in 1918 in rural Georgia. A girl finds out her dad just died in prison even though she thought he died a long time ago. She has been left an unusual inheritance. It comes out in May 2023.

THANK YOU!!

***

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Vanishing Hour by Laura Griffin

Book Description

When a cold case in Texas leads to a sinister string of disappearances, a newcomer to the small town helps a detective piece together the clues in this new romantic thriller from New York Times bestselling author Laura Griffin.

Corporate lawyer Ava Burch has had enough of the big city and the daily grind. She grew up with her father, who raised search-and-rescue dogs, in rural Texas and has moved to the small town of Cuervo to spend time in the dry, rugged wilderness near Big Bend National Park. When she and her dog, Huck, discover an abandoned campsite on a volunteer search-and-rescue mission, she’s perplexed, but she carefully photographs it all the same.

All Grant Wycoff can see when he looks at Ava is a city slicker—with her designer jeans and shiny car—who has no business on a serious team made of seasoned outdoorsmen and retired cops. But when she tells him of her findings on the trail, he sees there’s more to her than meets the eye.

Ava’s discovery reminds Grant of the unsolved case of a young woman who went missing two years ago. As they look into the campsite further, another woman disappears under odd circumstances. With time running out, Ava and Grant must work against the brutal heat from both the Texas sun and their own electric chemistry to solve the case.

***

Elise’s Thoughts

Vanishing Hour by Laura Griffin shows why she is the master of suspenseful romance. This plot has cold cases, search and rescue missions, and a loveable black lab.

Corporate lawyer Ava Burch has had enough of the big city and the daily grind. She grew up with her father, who raised search-and-rescue dogs, in rural Texas and has moved to the small town of Cuervo to spend time in the dry, rugged wilderness near Big Bend National Park. She is also a volunteer working search and rescue with her dog Huck. On a SAR mission, Ava becomes aware that women are missing annually from the hostile desert environment around the town and decides to pursue her own investigation, finding out that there are three missing women, all unsolved cold cases.

Grant Wycoff deputy sheriff and lead investigator reluctantly is paired with Ava since she and Huck can lead him to where there is evidence of the missing women. He does not want her working his case because she is a civilian and might endanger herself. The two of them don’t see eye to eye about the case. They butt heads digging their boot heels in to see who’s stronger willed. Grant sees her as a city slicker, wearing designer jeans and a driving a shiny new car. He thinks she has no business on a serious team made of seasoned outdoorsmen and retired cops. She is too stubborn to listen to him and eventually shows him her worth. In addition, they both realize there is chemistry between them.

This plot has it all: a gripping mystery, a sizzling romance, and plenty of action. It will keep readers on the edge of their seats with plenty of red herrings placed strategically throughout the story along with real clues.

***

Author Interview

Elise Cooper: Will this be a series and why a rescue dog?

Laura Griffin: I don’t have plans to make it a series, although the secondary characters have been teed up for more. I might come back to them, even years later. I became a dog owner about ten years ago. My dog is a Weimaraner. We adopted this sweet dog. I did some research for a previous book I wrote, Alpha Crew Dogs, about bomb sniffing dogs. From there I learned about search and rescue dogs. I really wanted to write a story about this type of dog.

EC: What about Huck, the dog?

LG: I started the story with writing about Huck. I wanted to make him an intricate part of the story. Huck is a black lab because I read a book about a park ranger who does search and rescue work. Labs are smart, sweet, good with people, can be playful, and trainable. Yet, I did not write Huck as having the personality as a human. But Huck is so intelligent with very powerful smelling abilities and great instinct. Huck was seen as a danger to the bad guys who tried to eliminate him. Just as with military dogs, the enemy knows they are in trouble because the dog can find ammunition, guns, and bodies. Huck became a threat.

EC: How would you describe Ava?

LG: Determined, smart, and underestimated. She is a woman who grew up in a man’s world of law enforcement. Her dad was a game warden, so she had experience with law enforcement although she is a civilian. She can be overly sensitive

EC: What about the relationship?

LG: Since her dad was in law enforcement she reflects on if she wants a relationship with someone in that profession. The job can be wearing on people, her dad was always working, many times preoccupied by the grim facts of his work, and her mom had to raise the children by herself. This caused a conflict between herself and Grant because he is a workaholic. Ava can read people and is guarded.

EC: How would you describe Grant?

LG: His home and family are important to him. He is protective, wants his town to be a better place, very dedicated and committed. He is sweet with a big heart, at times condescending, has a big ego, and stubborn.

EC: What role did the setting play?

LG: It takes place in West Texas, which is very remote. The town is in transition, going from a little town to a tourist town with more people. There is a lot of outdoor activities in the plot including, climbing, hiking, rock climbing, a dude ranch, and shooting a crossbow. During Covid a lot of people shifted to the National Parks. Many times, they did not understand all the dangers of these types of settings. For example, people don’t take water or the correct supplies. They are a little bit careless with their safety considering the natural dangers, which is why Ava and Huck helped to rescue people who got themselves in trouble. I learned about rock climbing when I did the research for Stone Cold Heart.

EC: Next book?

LG: It is the next book in the “Texas Murder Files Series” and titled Deep Tide. Leyla is the heroine, who runs the coffee shop. It will be out in the spring. Leyla finds one of her employees murdered in the alley behind her coffee shop. The hero is Sean Moran, who is on an undercover mission. Together he and Leyla are trying to solve who murdered her employee and why.

THANK YOU!!

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: The Love and Honor Series by Hallee Bridgeman

The “Love and Honor Series” by Hallee Bridgeman explores how those in Special Forces keep Americans safe. This first novel was released in September. The second will be published on October 4, and the third will be released November 1. All three books show how a hero and heroine must navigate their feelings to never compromise the mission.

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Book Descriptions and Elise’s Thoughts

Honor Bound has a hero and heroine who are at odds with one another. Captain Rick Norton and Dr. Cynthia Myers argue and discuss how her pacifism is misguided and that sometimes violence must be met with violence, including killing the evil enemy. Readers gain an insightful look at what is necessary for Special Forces to protect their fellow citizens. Rick and Cynthia meet in Africa where she has a clinic deep in the jungle to help those women who are pregnant. After a warlord comes into the area it becomes necessary for Rick’s unit to take them down to save Cynthia’s life. The “A-Team” has a mission to take down the warlord and to bring Cynthia home since she is the Vice-President’s daughter. But danger seems to meet them everywhere and it is up to Rick and his men to keep her safe.

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Word of Honor has FBI Special Agent Lynda Culter investigating an ecoterrorist organization in the Alaskan wilderness when her partner is taken captive and murdered before her very eyes. The only person who can identify the key players, Lynda, gets assigned to take part in a joint operation in Istanbul to take the organization down. She must go undercover as a Muslim wife and pretend to be married to US Army weapons specialist Bill Sanders. The problem is they had a history back in college where he crushed her heart. To find the ecoterrorists and who is behind their bombings of oil pipelines that killed innocent civilians they must go deep undercover.

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Honor’s Refuge delves into abuse of women. When she was just five years old, Melissa Braxton watched her father take her mother’s life. Separated from her sister, Lola, at that time, Melissa grew up with a strong desire to help those stuck in abusive relationships. It’s why she became a family therapist and opened a domestic abuse shelter. After she meets Phil “Ozzy” Osbourne they form a bond. He is intent to use his Special Forces contacts to track down her missing sister. Unfortunately, it is harder than expected since she is the wife and had a child with a drug lord cartel member. Ozzy and Melissa work together to rescue her sister, save innocents, and bring down the cartel.

Each of these books has a great mixture of suspense, drama, and romance. Readers will understand the job those in the military must do and the challenges they must face.

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Author Interview

Elise Cooper: How did you get the idea for the series?

Hallee Bridgeman: The series will be published once a month, one in September, one in October, and one in November. I wanted to write a Special Forces series. The first book does not take place in the desert, but in the jungle. The second book take place in Turkey and Kuwait, and the third book in the US.

EC: Did you have any experience with the military?

HB: Not me explicitly, but my family does. My father was a US Army Airborne Ranger. He retired when I was an adult. My husband deployed to Afghanistan with the 20^th Special Forces Airborne Group. Within our military community we have several friends who are still in Special Forces units. I was able to ask questions, gain knowledge, and confirm facts with several sources who have served or are serving. I wanted to be realistic and write a true book about real people.

EC: How is the theme of honor in each book present?

HB: All three of these men are a force and step in front of the enemy. One of the definitions of honor is “adherence to what is right.” It is engrained in them. My husband re-enlisted in 2001, after September 11th. He did it because he was a combat veteran with a sense of honor and duty. Each of the women characters wanted to help people. Cynthia is a doctor, Lynda was an FBI agent, and Melissa had a non-profit women’s abuse shelter.

EC: Why Africa as the setting in Honor Bound?

HB: It has a large jungle. I needed the characters to be there for several days. I created a fictional country there with a big river and a giant city. I had so many options with this Continent.

EC: Do you think the main character Cynthia, was a bit naïve?

HB: She was trained to be in a specific environment. She is completely naïve about our warriors. A lot of people have a misconception of what peace can entail and what it takes to achieve peace. They have the idea of turning the other cheek, but the reality is sometimes force is necessary. People that do not have this experience cannot really grasp it. Peace does not always come because someone wants it. Sometimes people must be protected. Sometimes it takes someone with strength to allow the Pacifists to be who they are. They say things from their armchair.

EC: What about Cynthia’s reaction?

HB: Her perspective changed when it was no longer about her, but when it was about her father. She reacted to the fact men were killed to save her life. A lot of her reaction was knee-jerk to that emotional traumatic moment. They were evil bad men who needed to be stopped.

EC: You have a quote about weapons being tools said by the hero, Rick?

HB: You are referring to this one, “the real weapon isn’t the rifle or the pistol or the knife. It’s me.” My husband as he was deploying to Afghanistan in 2002, at the airline gate, getting on a plane, had his nail clippers taken. He is holding a loaded automatic weapon. His reaction was “seriously.” It is the person wielding whatever it is. It doesn’t matter what you have, but if you know what to do with it.

EC: How would you describe Rick?

HB: Loyal, responsible, intense, and courageous. Duty needs to come first, and he is oozing with integrity.

EC: Moving on to Word of Honor-how did you get the idea for this story?

HB: I did not want to write another story where there was a civilian who needed to be saved. I wanted to come up with a joint-task force. In real life within an intense operation there is no romance. Because of that I had the hero and heroine have a back history of an intense relationship. I wanted to have a different enemy; eco-terrorist tied in with the Russian Mafia.

EC: How would you describe Lynda?

HB: Intense, driven, and analytical.

EC: Is Bill a lot different than Rick?

HB: Yes, he enlisted not for duty but for security. His motivations were different. He is more sarcastic, with a larger sense of humor. He is a tortured hero with a lot of backstory baggage.

EC: How about the relationship now?

HB: Lynda Carter, the FBI Agent counters Bill Sanders easy going charm. She is his personality opposite.

EC: What about your last book, Honor’s Refuge?

HB: I thought it would originally be a novella. But when I wrote the character Ozzy from the first book, I had enough material to write a book.

EC: How would you describe Ozzy?

HB: He joined the army to escape his addiction.

EC: Your next book?

HB: The fourth book will be the wedding between Melissa and Ozzy on a cruise ship. All his teammates will be there with their significant others. Pirates will try to take over the ship. It will be out in February. There will be also a romance between the Communications Sgt, Fisher, and the cruise singer.

THANK YOU!!

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