Hot as Blazes | Dani Jace. Romance Author

This is a great way to find new authors and books out there. My thanks to Jenna Jaxson for inviting me to join. Here’s my Next Big Thing!

What is the title of your book? Hot as Blazes

Where did your idea come from? I envisioned a strong heroine in a male occupation. I have a thing for firefighters and their sometimes off-beat humor. The Outer Banks was a natural setting because it’s my home away from home and my heroine begins the story as surfer.

What genre does your book come under? Contemporary romance

Which actors would you chose to play your characters in a movie rendition? Henry Cavill with his Man of Steel physique and blue eyes could play the hero who’s build like an NFL tight end. My heroine would be the sporty type like Jessica Biel as she appeared in Blade II.

What is the one sentence synopsis of your book? A fallen athlete attempts redemption as a firefighter, when passion ignites with an old friend she is unaware of her former teammate’s vengeful scheme.

Is your book self-published, published by independent publisher, or represent by an agency? I’m currently seeking a publisher.

How long did it take you to write the first draft? Three months.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? I’m not sure, but my favorite authors are Jo Davis, Lora Leigh and Lori Foster, so it’s probably a mix of their type of novels.

Who or what inspired you to write this book? I sought to write a romance with tension building romance, laced with action, a bit of sarcastic humor, and interesting characters.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest? Besides having the Outer Banks as a setting and some icons of the locale, the heroine’s friends are intriguing and quirky.

Excerpt for Hot as Blazes:

With less than a shot of dignity remaining, Joanne Mercer drove for home wishing she’d never left. After winning surfing competitions along the East Coast, she’d become a semi-pro in California, but her heart belonged to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. If not for her brother’s legal connections, she might be sitting in a dank, dirty prison cell, never to see it again.

Sunlight skipped off the water in a spectral array as she crossed the Wright Memorial Bridge making her heart swell with nostalgia and hope. She turned her Bronco onto the two lane beach road of Route 12. Bobby had left their dad’s truck at the airport as a welcome home gift. The SUV had been his pride and joy. Now it was a memorial.

Through the open window, a salty ocean breeze kissed her face in welcome and the lazy afternoon swells made her sigh. The biggest waves in California never compared to the countless summer days she spent in the warm Atlantic with her blue-eyed surfing buddy, Ray Andrews. Would he still call her Dahlin in that sexy drawl that sent her pulse skittering, once he learned the truth?

But even after five years on the West Coast, she couldn’t imagine the dynamics of their relationship would change upon her return. To him she’d always be Bobby’s kid sister.

I’m tagging some of my good friends from my local RWA chapter hoping they’ll join the blog hop on their next big thing.

Laura Kitchell

Carolyn Spear

E J Towler

Author, Kristen Lamb’s blog post about premature editing of a manuscript intrigued and…sigh…relieved me. Without guilt, I will return to my natural style which is like building a burger. Here’s the recipe.

Build a Burger Book

Meat between the bun is the first and most important step.

Fashion a plot patty and cook with scenes until done to your taste.
Upon completion of the burger, deluxe or mini, you may need to top with a subplot of bacon or mushrooms.
Lettuce and tomato seem subtle but add interest to a burger like descriptive gestures and scene settings.
And what’s a burger without mustard or alternate spicy condiment.
Spoon on a bit of sarcasm, humor, or sexy jalapeños to help make your burger unique.

Like building a burger, layering is a way to deepen POV, add subtleties, and strategic lines of backstory. For pansters (like me) this may be the time when a subplot pets your sub-conscious on its head. So, before over pruning your first chapters like a Crepe Myrtle build a burger. Afterward, if you don’t like the pickles and onions they are easily tossed – my dog likes to catch em!

Speaking of meat between the bun…in my pre-published novel, Hot as Blazes, Jo’s first stop after returning from Cally is a surfside burger haunt for her first taste of home. Its namesake, The Dune Burger, has been around since the ‘70s. Located in Nags Head on the Outer Banks, you’ll have to double fist their deluxe “Dune” burger. Oh, and don’t forget the shake!