Blog Tour: Fallen Angel by Amanda McIntyre

For any new readers out there, can you please tell us about the Tales of the Sweet Magnolia series?

The series was born out of two things really, my fascination with the “spoiled doves” of the old west and how they really helped build and shape the movement westward in a real financial and political way. The other is my fascination with a writers tool called “what if”—what if time travel were possible? I read a quote while researching time –travel that says (paraphrased here) that time-travel has not been disproven, therefore the fact that it remains to be proven or not means that the possibility does in reality exist. Pretty cool stuff!

How many books can we look forward to? 

I’m not sure at this point. Three for sure. The characters and the reader response is evolving.

Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?  Probably in part inspired by a visit to South Dakota and the town of Deadwood and Tatonka (where dances with wolves was filmed) I’m told too that I had notorious relatives, the Younger Brothers, who were cousins of my great-great grandmother Dessie Marie Younger (her married name was McIntire) which is where I derived part of my pen name. So maybe I have some old cowboy blood inside me somewhere;)

Do you have a favorite scene?  Which one and why?  There are at least three in this book. One is  when Angel tears up Shados best workout shirts to make a rag rug, one is when she is showing him how to eat maple syrup on snow, and another is when he finally breaks down and releases the demons of guilt and pain that he’s been carrying around for some time. My editor said that scene made her cry. Did me, too;) There are other scenes too—steamier, but you’ll have to read the book! LOL

Out of all your books is there one you would like to revisit?  I don’t normally write paranormal, but there is a vampire book that is a time travel that begins back in the mountain of the Black Sea where some of the tribes of Israel escaped to after a great battle. I love the blend of history and paranormal—I’m a huge fan of Dark Shadows TV series (hated the remake, sorry Tim!), Van Helsing, those type of shows. I also have a book I’m working on called the Dark Seduction of Miss Jane, which is mentioned in the back of Fallen Angel. It’s set in the summer before Jack the Ripper and is very dark and twisted-I call it an erotic historical thriller.

Which of your characters would you most/least invite to dinner and why? The only one in Fallen Angel I wouldn’t invite is the drug lord, Espinoza. Any of the others, I would simply because I love to dig deep into the minds of my characters. Most of my books are seriously character-driven as opposed to plot-driven.

What’s something readers wouldn’t know about you? There’s a lot  actually, that I’m an artist first, that I was a newspaper columnist fighting for the importance of the Fine Arts in our schools for over seven years and have an eclectic love for music, art and movies. That I love to research, I think it’s one of the most fun things about writing a book!

What is your next project? Well, I was tapping into my street teams brains the other night about a third Magnolia idea I had. And I’m waiting on word from a proposal of a small town set story about three young men, raised by the step-dad that adopted each of them, but never had sons of his own. His dream was to make the ranch a healing work ranch for those needing a place to find solace, support and hard work to re-establish their self-worth.

Can you leave us with a spoiler scene from Fallen Angel? 

Hum…how about when they first meet?

Shado kept his eyes on her face, valiantly trying to avert his attention from how her flimsy dress swirled around her shapely legs. To the untrained observer, her fresh-scrubbed face and shoulder-length blonde hair might be the epitome of innocence, but he saw what the average citizen didn’t. He assessed the expensive rabbit fur jacket she wore over her vintage Western wear dress and those boots—they were the real deal. She smelled expensive, like a kept woman. Her down-home country garb didn’t fool him for a minute. That rat Espinoza would do whatever he had to in order to stay under the radar. He held her gaze and circled around her, causing her to turn toward the surveillance camera in the van. “You’re kinda pretty.” He tossed the remark, adding a wicked grin for good measure. Acting was not his forte, but with any luck, he might distract her a bit. Maybe get her to talk. “Where’d you say you were from?”

She looked at him with a cool expression, indicating she was onto his game and not in the mood to play along. With the response of a woman confident around strange men, she pinned him with a no-nonsense look. “Listen, mister, whatever you’re trying to sell tonight, I’m not interested in. I’m interested only in finding the Magnolia…except now it’s called the Imp….” She snapped her fingers as though trying to summon the name from thin air.

“The Imperial?” he answered and glanced toward the van. She pointed her finger at him. “Yes, that’s the name.” Can you please tell me where it’s located? A very nice man told me it was across from a Christmas tree lot…whatever that is.” A friendly smile lit up her face, and Shado had to stumble through his thoughts to come up with a response.

“You know, I suppose to some people, it’s considered a house of ill-repute,” she leaned toward him and whispered. “I would have expected it to be located farther from town.”

Shado regarded her with mute surprise. She was, if nothing else, straightforward. He could play along and see how far this would go. He pointed to the building behind her, rising high in the star-laden Reno sky. “You’re a short walk from it, actually. Just across the street, right in the middle of town, where it’s always been.”

She followed his gaze and longing came over her face, not unlike when seeing an old friend. But in the next instant, her expression fell. She swallowed, her gaze fixed on the building, and then she brushed her cheek. Was she crying?

Shado tapped his earring and raised his voice. “There’s the Imperial. She’s a grand old dame. I hear Madam has only the finest women for her call girl service.”

She turned to study him with a curious expression. “There’s no need to yell. My hearing is quite good. And pray tell, what is a call girl service?”

He chuckled. The little pigeon was a hoot. She had this county-bumpkin thing down to a finely tuned fiddle.

“Don’t piss off the dove,” a voice issued in his earpiece.

Shado regarded her with interest, searching for any sign she was a plant sent by Espinoza. “Madam Lee employs discreet women to entertain her clientele.”

She searched his face. “Not everything has changed, it appears,” she muttered softly as she glanced back at the Imperial. Her mood shifted with a friendly smile, but he detected a hint of sadness. “I must be going. Thank you, sir, for your kindness.”

“Tail her,” his earpiece urged.

Shado nodded, and as she walked away, took a moment to appreciate the gentle sway of her hips and the sassy way her dress flounced with every step. He couldn’t remember the last time a woman’s gait had enticed him. He mentally slapped himself from his musing. “Uh, Merry Christmas. I hope you find what you’re looking for.” He sauntered behind, following her the few steps to the tree lot, and paused to watch her cross in the middle of the block without so much as a glance. Whatever her purpose, it was clear she was focused on getting to the Imperial. The low rumbling roar of an engine caught his attention, and he looked up in time to see a sleek, dark-colored vehicle emerging from the wintery mist like a demon from Hell. The driver couldn’t have stopped if his life depended on it. Where the hell was a traffic cop when you needed one? His gaze shot to the woman blithely unaware she was about to become road kill.

Shado took off, head down in a race to see who would reach her first. He lunged, grabbing her around the waist, and yanked her body around. Holding her tight, he tried to protect her head as they both hit and rolled across the frigid asphalt. His head slammed against the curb, and he squeezed her close as the car whizzed past. The heat from its tires blew like a dragon’s breath against the side of his face.

“Jackson!” His boss’s voice screamed in Shado’s ear.

“I’m good,” he bellowed in response without thinking. He tried to hang onto the squirming woman trying to free herself. His cheek was on fire from sliding across the pavement.

Buy Links:

Amazon Kindle http://www.amazon.com/Fallen-Angel-Tales-Magnolia-ebook/dp/B00AB68GCC Amazon paperback http://www.amazon.com/Fallen-Angel-Volume-Amanda-McIntyre/dp/1613333528 BN.com/Nook http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fallen-angel-amanda-mcintyre/1113840032?ean=9781613333525 Smashwords http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/257692

Fallen Angel
A hunger gnaws at Angel Marie Sutter to find the man behind the soulful music she heard played on piano at the Sweet Magnolia. Following her heart, desire takes her on a fantastic journey. When she becomes a witness to murder, she finds herself under the forced protection of a scarred detective. Her gentle healing brings the past to his present in timeless passion, but will she be able to hold onto this precious gift, or will a killer take it all away?

Shado Jackson is a lone wolf undercover cop carrying guilt over the death of his brother. When a mysterious, beautiful woman becomes eyewitness to a murder, his job is to protect, not fall in love. But when his brother’s killer again threatens to take what’s precious from him, Shado must find him before time runs out.

Features; Angel Marie, Shado

Amanda McIntyre Bio:

Amanda’s father was in the publishing business. From her early days reading of Vampirella and Alfred Hitchcock, to writing a Fine Arts column supporting music education, her quirky zest for experiencing life has provided fertile ground for her creative story ideas. These have transpired into a number of published works in contemporary, paranormal and historical women's fiction, as well as non-fiction books. She is published internationally and in both eBook and audio formats. Readers describe her work  as "superbly sensual, powerful, and character-driven."  She enjoys taking readers on a ride, with a few twists and turns along the way, with the belief that life and love is messy, but overcoming the obstacles makes the HEA even more sweet. She loves to challenge her characters and readers to look beyond the ordinary to the extraordinary, where anything is possible! Besides loving to travel, watching BBC, she has an avid fascination of the Great Lakes and its lighthouses, and a penchant for walking in old cemeteries and abandoned houses!  My website is www.amandamcintyre.net and I love to hear from readers at amandamcintyre.author@gmail.com.

To find true love...you only have to travel through time!

FALLEN ANGEL, Book II in the Tales of the Sweet Magnolia series by Amanda McIntyre

A hunger gnaws at Angel Marie Sutter to find the man behind the soulful music she heard played on piano at the Sweet Magnolia. Following her heart, desire takes her on a fantastic journey. When she becomes a witness to murder, she finds herself under the forced protection of a scarred detective. Her gentle healing brings the past to his present in timeless passion, but will she be able to hold onto this precious gift, or will a killer take it all away?

Shado Jackson is a lone wolf undercover cop carrying guilt over the death of his brother. When a mysterious, beautiful woman becomes eyewitness to a murder, his job is to protect, not fall in love. But when his brother's killer again threatens to take what's precious from him, Shado must find him before time runs out.

Amanda is giving away a holiday prize pack at each stop! You must leave a comment to be entered for it. This is a US giveaway only. Thanks and good luck!!!