Tag Archives: redemption

Amber Daulton – Career Forged in Blood & New Release: Lost in His Spiderwebs – #DarkRomance

Please help me welcome today’s guest, Rubén Lozano…

I’m Rubén Lozano, the hero from Amber Daulton’s dark romance novel, Lost in His Spiderwebs. I don’t feel comfortable calling myself “hero.” That doesn’t fit me. Not at all. I’m an anti-hero, a villain with a decent side. If you’re someone I like, I can be a good guy toward you. Nice, funny, generous. If we’re enemies, then watch your back. That’s the only warning you’ll get.

Today, I’m going to talk about my career. I’m the leader of the Lozano Cartel, one of the oldest cartels in Mexico. It’s dark, deadly, dangerous—just like me. Being the boss is messy, and only the most fearless can survive it.

As a child, I was the forgotten second son. Papá focused all of his attention on my older brother, corrupting him and turning him into a monster. Even though I was raised in luxury, it came at a price—blood. Anyone who crossed the path of a Lozano had to pay. Everything I have, I earned with my fists. Or a knife, gun, machete—I’m not picky when it comes to weapons. Unlike my best friend, Enrique. He loves his damn blades. Anyway, I’m the third generation of Lozanos to rule the cartel, so I have some big shoes to fill. I took command last year after Papá died. My father and grandfather who ruled before me would turn over in their graves if they knew about the changes I was making to the cartel infrastructure.

No more unnecessary killing.

No more targeting civilians.

Do business as peacefully as possible.

Shed blood only when you run out of other options.

These changes aren’t popular with some of my underlings, but as the boss, they have no choice but to obey me. At least, that’s how it should be. One of my councilmen, Alroy Tenorio, and his flunkies are causing problems. A civil war brewing. With Enrique and my core group of trusted friends and confidants at my side, I’m more than capable of handling betrayers, but I’m distracted. Before you ask, yes, I’m distracted because of a damn woman.

Drina Cabrera.

Dios mío. My God. That gorgeous, infuriating woman will be the death of me. I keep thinking about her when I should be worrying about Tenorio stabbing me in the back. She’s wicked, fearless, and all mine. When I’m with her, I feel like I can do anything, accomplish any goal, become the man I was destined to be. The thought of losing her guts me. She shouldn’t have so much power over me, but here I am, telling you this when I need to staple my mouth shut. I need a son to carry on my legacy. But I want a queen, a woman to rule at my side, to advise me in tough situations. That woman is Drina. She just needs to let her down guard and accept my darker side into her life.

I’m nothing if not determined. Drina will be mine forever. The cartel will thrive under my leadership. For those who think to take either from me, think again. I’m not a man to trifle with.

Readers, if you want to know more about my business and my relationship with Drina, pick up a copy of Lost in His Spiderwebs. It’s a dark, angsty ride, so be prepared.

The cartel king has finally found his queen.

Kidnapped by the enemy. Bought by the jefe. Will his smoldering touch thaw her frozen heart?

Rubén Lozano, the new leader of the Lozano Cartel, craves peace amidst a legacy of bloodshed and death. He never expected to find his ex-lover, Drina Cabrera, in the clutches of his vicious rivals. Her haunted eyes compel him to rescue her, but freeing her is another matter.

After five months of captivity, Drina trades one captor for another. Though she succumbs to Rubén’s masterful touch, the bittersweet memory of her daughter and the life she was stolen from is a constant wedge between them.

When Rubén’s darkest secret comes out, he will have to wash his hands in crimson. Will Drina let her king face the danger alone, or stand at his side as his cartel queen?

Book two in the dark romance series, the Lozano Cartel. All the books can be read as a standalone, but are part of an interconnected series.

Excerpt:

“Smile,” Rubén told her. “It’s showtime.”

She nodded and lifted her chin, wincing a little in the flashing camera lights.

As three hand-picked paparazzi snapped pictures of him and Drina from all angles, Rubén counted to thirty before he steered Drina past them to the music room.

“Wow,” Drina murmured as they passed the piano for the ballroom.

A massive chandelier gleamed from the lofty ceiling, its decorative crystals reflecting the soft white light and dancing spots across the ivory walls and the chattering, laughing guests. The live band played instrumental music at the far end of the rectangular room, where Esme’s team had set up fancy tables and chairs for the speech and dinner portion of the evening.

“Why do you keep this room locked up? It’s magnificent.”

He shrugged. “It’s a bitch to clean.”

His blunt answer steepled Drina’s eyebrows. “My, what consideration. I’m sure the housekeeping staff appreciates it,” she teased and pulled him onto the dance floor alongside several other couples. “Let’s dance.”

As her arms slid around his shoulders, he rested his hands on her waist. Her body heat and strawberry aroma enveloped him. Groaning, he gripped the thick fabric of her dress so hard that it bunched and the band of his rings bit into his skin. She rested her head against his chest, and her hair teased his nose. They swayed, lost in each other as though they were the only people around. A foolish notion, one he shouldn’t revel in. If he did, he would ravage her on the floor.

“You have a good turnout,” she murmured while he twirled her about. She spun back into his embrace. “Are any of these people your friends?”

“Hardly.” This was his world. Glamour, power, prestige. The public mask he wore to hide his sinister nature. “You’re swimming in dangerous waters. The sooner you realize I can buy and discard all these sharks and guppies with a flick of my wrist, the better off you’ll be.”

“I’m well aware you’re king of the sharks.”

He snorted, holding her closer. “You’re a barracuda. Lithe grace and sharp teeth.”

“Ooh, I like that.” She nipped at his chin. “I’ll never be a guppy.”

Damn right. As the song ended, he guided her off the dance floor. Duty called.

Buy links:

Universal: https://books2read.com/LostInHisSpiderwebs

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4joCJUV

BN: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lost-in-his-spiderwebs-amber-daulton/1147318586?ean=2940184374895

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/lost-in-his-spiderwebs

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=7lNYEQAAQBAJ

Apple/iBooks: https://apple.co/4jpLyht

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1648364

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/231721773-lost-in-his-spiderwebs

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/lost-in-his-spiderwebs-lozano-cartel-book-2-a-dark-captivity-second-chance-romance-by-amber-daulton

About the Author:

Amber Daulton is the author of the Lozano Cartel, the Arresting Onyx, the Embracing You, and the Ramseys in Time series, as well as several standalone novellas. Her books are available in ebook, print on demand, audio, and foreign language formats.

She lives in North Carolina with her husband and demanding cats.

Follow Me: https://linktr.ee/AmberDaulton

Check out my website (Daulton Publishing): https://amberdaulton.com

Sign up for my Exclusive Newsletter (free ebook to new subscribers): https://amberdaulton.com/newsletter-signup/

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Author Interview with Brian Anderson ~ New Release: Death’s Honesty #Mystery

Please help me welcome today’s guest, Brian Anderson…

Please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from? Where do you live now? Family? Pets?

I am a retired food bank manager residing in the small coastal city of Ocean Shores, Washington. I grew up in the Twin Cities and graduated from the University of Minnesota with a double major in English and Russian. During that time, I lived and worked in the Minneapolis neighborhood of Dinkytown, which provides the setting for my Lyle Dahms mystery series. I am married with three beautiful daughters, one perfect granddaughter, and our chihuahua-mix Sir Stanley of the Shores.

Tell us a bit about Death’s Honesty.

Death’s Honesty is the fourth in my Lyle Dahms mystery series featuring the Minneapolis private investigator. Dahms may not be the toughest or sharpest guy working the Twin Cities beat, but he is loyal, dogged, and despite numerous setbacks, will get the job done. He is quick with a quip, a device he uses to help steady himself when he is overmatched. Something that happens frequently.

Are there any tricks, habits or superstitions you have when creating a story?

The plots of most of my books come from titles that pop into my head, often from poems or song lyrics. It is then my job to figure out what the universe is trying to tell me by sending me these missives.

When working on a project, everything I see or experience is fair game to be included: descriptions of people I see on the street, stories in newspapers. Anything that comes my way becomes grist for the mill. Again, the universe seems to be trying to help if only I could learn to listen.

What do you want readers to come away with after they read Death’s Honesty?

At its core, Death’s Honesty is about parents and their children. What they owe each other, and what is too much to ask.

Would you rather have a bad review or no review?

Definitely a bad review, particularly one that contains kernels of truth. Things that I can learn from. I don’t mean to say they don’t sting, but it’s better to have someone point out deficiencies than to remain silent.

Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?

My two main characters, Lyle Dahms and his friend and housemate Stephen Edgerton, are based on a couple of guys I knew back in Dinkytown, when I was in college. The bar that they frequent almost daily is a rendering of a pub and 24-hour restaurant where I worked and where we all hung out. It was a fascinating milieu. Earnest students, hardworking regulars, barstool intellectuals, frustrated artists, and genuine nutbars. I love writing about it.

Who is the most famous person you have ever met?

I met tough-guy, professional wrestler George “the Animal” Steele in a hotel bar. He asked how we “enjoyed the show.”

How much of the book is realistic?

I’m no private investigator, and I don’t have any real-life experience with the law or law enforcement. However, the characters are based on people I’ve known and interesting situations I’ve heard about that I hope they come across as realistic. Most importantly, I strive to create books that blend genuine emotion, suspense, and laugh-out-loud humor.

How did your interest in writing originate?

I’ve always been a big reader, particularly mysteries, and have written seriously since high school

Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

My favorite author (among so many) is probably Raymond Chandler. He’s a master of language, and I constantly try to measure up to his standard.

Past secrets. Present danger.

Excerpt:

The man took a few steps down the stairs. As he did, he moved into the light streaming in through the still-open door. He looked to be pushing sixty, maybe older, not very tall, but hard, with sinewy muscles and prominent veins that bulged under the skin of his forearms like earthworms engorged after a rain. He was wearing jeans and a white pocket T-shirt that very nearly managed to hide a round little belly. He had a shiny pate encircled by curly, gray-salted, brown hair badly in need of a trim. It made him appear vaguely clown-like. But there was nothing funny about what he was cradling in his arms. Sunlight glinted off the barrel of a twelve-gauge shotgun. 

I kept my smile in place as I pulled back my jacket to reveal the .38 in my shoulder holster. He smiled back at me as he slowly pumped a shell from the gun’s magazine into the chamber. “I might tell you the same thing.”

I nodded at his shotgun, smirked, and shook my head dramatically. “They got guns. We got guns. All God’s chillun got guns.” I quoted cheerfully.

The man’s brow furrowed. “What’dya say?”

“It’s from a Marx Brothers movie,” I told him.

“What’s it mean?”

I shrugged. “Got something to do with the absurdity of armed conflict, I suppose.”

We stared at each other for very long time. Finally, my adversary lowered the shotgun with a chuckle.

“You come to see me?” he asked.

I squinted at him. “Now, why would I do that?”

He chuckled again, I thought a bit nervously. “You’re an indirect bastard, aren’t ya?”

“Positively oblique.”

Buy link(s):

About the Author:

Brian Anderson is a graduate of the University of Minnesota whose Dinkytown neighborhood provides the setting for his mystery series featuring private investigator Lyle Dahms. The Dahms novels spring from his lifelong love of mystery fiction, especially the works of Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler, as well as more contemporary masters like Robert B. Parker and G. M. Ford. He is a three-time finalist in the Pacific Northwest Writers Association mystery and suspense contest, and his debut novel, The Shiver in Her Eyes, was a finalist in their Nancy Pearl Contest for published fiction. 

In 2024, he released his standalone novel Yule Tide, which features a fallen angel turned private investigator who fights to wrest Christmas from the dark forces who have taken control and twisted it to their evil ends. 

Brian spent much of his professional career working to alleviate domestic hunger serving as the operations director of the Emergency Feeding Program of Seattle & King County as well as the manager of the Pike Market Food Bank in downtown Seattle. Married with three beautiful daughters and one perfect granddaughter, he now lives and writes in Ocean Shores, a small city on the Washington coast.

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Author Olive Balla – Code Murder

I am delighted to welcome today’s guest, talented author, Olive Balla…

Whack-a-Mole Killer

As a writer of mystery and suspense, I have always kick started my novels with a single murder. Lately, however, I find myself wondering if I should sprinkle my plotline more generously with random corpses. Does “the more the merrier” apply to literary murders? Like that breakfast stewed-prune-conundrum: Are three enough…six too many?

I enjoy cranking out mayhem as much as the next mystery writer, but the question remains: would killing off a swath of characters heighten tension, or merely normalize it? Might an inundation of innards and gore compel my Reader to chew her nails from story’s beginning to end, or make her yawn? Worse, would it tempt her try to figure out how to get her money back?

I tap an index finger against my chin.

As every psychologist knows, with repetition, the bizarre becomes the norm. No doubt a survival mechanism at its root, even the strangest behaviors and most horrific experiences, if repeated often and long enough, ooze amoeba-like into the predictable category. And as every suspense writer on the planet knows, not only is a predictable book a waste of their Reader’s time, but it emblazons a scarlet P on the author’s chest.

What if the real question is a matter of genre? Perhaps, as a pop-up ad on one of my social media feeds recently suggested, I should take a hard look at writing Horror. I stare into space as my inner Stephen-King-wannabe chews over possible story lines.

“But Mystery and Suspense is where my voice belongs,” my Inner Writer points out. “It scratches an itch like no other genre.”

“True,” I respond. “What do you think?” I ask my Antagonist.

“We should kill everyone,” she says. “…especially Miss Prissy Protagonist.”

“Typical.” My Protagonist shakes her head. “Gratuitous mayhem never won the day…heavy on gratuitous.”

My shoulders relax, and I stop grinding my teeth. Whether I decide on a single murder or insert a serial killer into my story, whether I dispose of one character or take out a million – I must make the action plausible. It must make sense. And it must offer a complete, logical answer to the question: Why?

I can build a world of my choosing. To paraphrase William Bonney, aka Billy the Kid, I’ll only ever kill the ones that need killing.

Fingers to keyboard, I begin:

A shot rang out at the same instant chips of bark flew from the tree behind which McLaren crouched…

******************

Thank you, Olive. Your articles are always so entertaining. Love this! And congrats on this prestigious award…

WRITER’S DIGEST

1st Annual Personal Essay Awards

Congratulates

Olive Balla

on being awarded

5th Place

with the personal essay titled

The Flower Pot

_________

Amy Jones

Editor-in-Chief

2020

******************

Check out Olive’s fabulous mystery novel…

Feisty sixty-year-old twins Dix and Lil Ruiz share a house, but little else. When Dix witnesses the murder of a software-coding guru known for exposing cyber-crime, she is determined to find the killers while her sister warns against getting involved. Suddenly catapulted into a feud between a crew of cold-blooded cybercriminals and a mob boss, the twins must fight for their lives. But how can they survive when both sides want them dead?

Excerpt: Dix stepped onto the porch, her hand raised as if to stop the speeding car. “Henry, look out,” she yelled. A puzzled look on his face, Henry turned toward the vehicle just as it smashed into him. The force of the blow catapulted him over the car’s hood and sent him airborne with his arms and legs flopping like a man-sized rag doll. He landed on the asphalt with a muffled whump, then lay still. Its tires spinning on the asphalt, the weaponized car fishtailed a couple of times then shot up the street, leaving behind the smell of burning rubber.

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=books+by+Olive+Balla&ref=nb_sb_noss

 

Author Bio:  Olive Balla, author of three suspense mysteries and a firm believer in the adage that it is never too late to follow your dreams, began writing for publication at the age of sixty. A fifth-place winner in the 2020 international Writer’s Digest Personal Essay contest, she nears completion of her fourth novel titled Murder in Amber. Ms. Balla lives in a village in New Mexico with her husband and their bossy dog Dazee. Read her prize-winning essay in her blog at: www.omballa.com.

 

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