Jayne Reads: SIMON SAYS

Happy New Year!

New Year, new focus here at RWQ. You might want to read the new introduction at the top to get the details but, what it comes down to is that, in addition to some regular blogging, we're going to use this forum as a sort of online "newsletter" that is designed to keep you informed about signings, new releases, events, backlist, cover art, and works-in-progress. We'll also introduce you to other authors, tell you what we're reading and generally let you know what's going on with us.

Speaking of what I'm reading, this is the next in my mini-series about books written by my sister Quills. As I've explained elsewhere, I'm not doing reviews here. Rather, I'm using the series to tell you why I think each of the Quills has been so successful in her own way; why the books work.

SIMON SAYS by Lori Foster:

The Story: Set in the rough, tough, competitive world of MMA -- mixed martial arts fighters-- this is sexy romantic suspense featuring a gutsy heroine who is blackmailed by a creepy step-father and forced to track down the hero, an extreme fighter. Secrets abound.

Why I Read the Book: Lori is renowned for her edgy heroines and alpha males. I'm a sucker for both.

What I Got from the Book: An edgy heroine and an alpha male. Also, lots of neat stuff about a macho, testosterone-fueled world I would otherwise know nothing about: Mixed Martial Arts.

One of the Author's Unique Talents: World Building. No, this is not a phrase that is generally associated with contemporary romance. It is used most often to describe Urban Fantasy and Science Fiction. But, trust me, in crafting her series based on extreme fighters Lori has created a complete and fascinating world that is, to my knowledge, utterly unique in romance. She proves that you don't have to do vampires and werewolves to deliver sexy alphas.

What the Author Had to Say About Her Own Book: "As a people watcher, I often imagine unique characters in a different “who, what, when, where” setting. That’s what happened to me with the UFC and Pride fighters – basically, MMA, or mixed martial arts, athletes. They are the most honed, ripped, fast, strong, all-around talented athletes (just ask me, I’ll tell ya) so naturally, my fertile mind wondered how that much machismo dealt with every day life, and more specifically, romance. From interviews I’ve seen, these highly capable guys are also... nice! And family oriented. And polite. To make it to the top level of any career, you need smarts, and dedication, and control. They’ve got it all!

If you can’t already tell, the athletes fascinate me. My books aren’t so much about them fighting, as it is about a fighter with all that capability dealing with the pitfalls of falling in love. I’m having a blast with this series. After Hard to Handle, out in Feb, I have at least two more books planned for the series, but maybe more. We’ll see!

Last Word: Hot.

Until next time,

Jayne