Book Intro: Blue Roses by Sharon Cooper

Please tell us a little about yourself: Well, my name is Sharon C. Cooper: I’m a wife, stepmother, author, virtual assistant, freelance writer, and a playwright. I haven’t always been tied to a desk, a computer and a chair. After high school, I spent 10 years as a Sheet Metal Worker. And while enjoying that unique line of work, I attended college in the evening and obtained my B.A. from Concordia University in Business Management. My writing career officially started a few years ago while living in San Diego. It started with me writing (and selling) a children’s play, and then trying my hand at freelance writing. Now, most of my writing focus has been on writing sweet and contemporary romance (with a good dose of suspense).

What genre is your current work title? My current title, Blue Roses, is a romantic suspense and it is the first book in my Reunited Series.

Tell the readers why you chose to write in this genre? What inspired the story? A few things inspired me to write Blue Roses: One, I love reading romantic suspense, and wanted to write one (or a few). Two, money management and investing fascinate me, so I wanted to create a character that specialized in investment management. And my last reason – we often hear women say that they can’t find a man because men are intimidated by them (or their success). I wanted to create a hero, who not only could handle an independent, successful woman, but one who cherished her and couldn’t imagine his life without her in it.

What makes this book stand out from the other books in this genre? I think this book stands out because it encompasses a Ponzi scheme, something you probably won’t find in many other romance novels. It also depicts an independent woman who is giving it her all to reach her goal of becoming a partner at her firm (investment firm), and shows what it takes to overcome various situations in order to make her goal a reality.

Who was your favorite character in the book and why? Tyler Hollister – the hero in Blue Roses is my favorite character. I absolutely love him! He is gorgeous, smart, wealthy, maybe a little arrogant, but also caring. He makes million dollar deals happen, but he is just as comfortable playing a pick-up game of b-ball in the neighborhood he grew up in. And what I love most – he’s not afraid to go after what he wants – and he wants Dallas Marcel.

Please give us a sneak preview, a short excerpt:

Blue Roses – excerpt

“Man, where are you?”

“I’m on my way.” Tyler Hollister pinned his cell phone between his shoulder and his ear as he fumbled for his keys on his way out of the dentist office.

“You were supposed to be here a half-an-hour ago.”

“Q, I’m sorry. Is the meeting over?”

“Nah, but I don’t know how much longer I can stall for you.”

Tyler glanced at his Breguet watch and hurried to his truck. He knew how much Quinn, his best friend and business partner hated meetings. “Okay, give me ten minutes. My appointment took longer than I thought, but I’m … damn, I’d know that sexy walk anywhere.” He stopped in his tracks when his eyes zoned in on the beautiful woman on the other side of the street.

“What? Ty, dude what’s up?”

He continued to observe as she made her way to the middle of the semi-crowded block in downtown Milwaukee weaving around people along the way. True to form, she caught the eye of a few guys passing. Tyler chuckled when they turned and enjoyed one more view once she’d passed. She always did have that effect on men. It wasn’t until she stopped to throw something in the trash, that he knew for sure it was her. Dallas Marcel, his ex-girlfriend.

“Q, I’ll call you back.” He disconnected not giving Quinn a chance to respond, and shoved the phone into his pocket. Tyler moved in her direction, stepping around a broken orange and white road barrier sign that was lying in the center of the sidewalk.

He stole a quick glance at Dallas as she came to a stop at the corner to wait for the light to change. Not wanting to miss the opportunity to say hello, he leaned against the brick building to his right, ensuring that she would have to walk past him once the light turned green.

Still gorgeous. Tall, fierce, and dressed to the nines. He loved it when she wore her long, thick hair piled high on top of her head, the way she had it now, with a few curly tendrils hanging down. The look complimented her perfectly sculpted face and revealed her long, sexy neck.

He cursed under his breath and looked away. He didn’t want to still be attracted to the most bullheaded woman he’d ever met. Too independent for her own good, but one of the best investment managers in Chicago, she was a woman on a mission. Her goal in life, or as he saw it, obsession, was to make partner at her firm – which was why she turned down his marriage proposal. According to her, she didn’t have room in her life for a serious relationship, despite the fact that they were perfect together, in every way.

“She threw what we had away, so why am I standing here just to say hello?” He mumbled and slipped a piece of gum into his mouth, not understanding his need to see her again.

His cell phone chirped twice signaling a text message, and he pulled it out of his pocket, and scanned the screen. No need to come – postponed the rest of the meeting until next week. Headed to Bradley Rd. to check on the guys.

Good. One less meeting. Tyler deposited his cell into the inside pocket of his suit jacket and adjusted his tie. As a real estate developer, it seemed most of his days were spent in meetings, reading over contracts, or dealing with building inspectors.

He pushed away from the building and rolled his shoulders just as the light turned green, and Dallas stepped off the curb. Finally, he’d be face-to-face with the woman he’d tried hard to forget, but couldn’t stop thinking about. He took a few steps when suddenly their eyes met, and a sensuous light passed between them. All of the sexual energy, passion and love he once felt for her came rushing back to the surface, and his heart hammered double-time in response. Damn.

Dallas’s pace slowed, but she continued across the street, her magnetic brown eyes held his attention, immobilizing him. Less than twenty feet from him and it was as if he were seeing her for the first time. A raging fire grew in the pit of his stomach, his hands ached to touch her, and all it had taken was that one look. This is not cool. He quickly pulled his eyes away and looked everywhere but at her, feeling the need to regroup. I’m supposed to be over her.

After a long cleansing breath, he looked up again just in time to see a car barreling toward her.

“Oh shit. Watch out!” he shouted, and then sprinted in her direction.

Screeeeechhhhhh! Boom!

“Nooo!” He yelled as her body bounced off the hood of the car. He slid to a stop before he reached the corner, shock kept him from moving forward. It wasn’t until the four-door dark sedan sped away in the opposite direction that he moved into action.

“Excuse me, excuse me.” He pushed his way through the swarm of people. An icy fear crawled up his spine when he saw her lifeless body on the hard pavement, a puddle of blood   painted the ground near her head. “Oh my God,” he whispered and fell to his knees. “Dallas. Baby…” He caressed her cheek, afraid to move her. His heart pounded against his chest, and beads of sweat surfaced on his forehead as panic rioted within him. “Get some help over here!”

Time ceased as a haunting sense of foreboding wrapped around him when he checked and found her pulse was weak. He needed to do something, but thankfully, in the far distance he could hear the sirens. “Hold on, baby, hold on.”

 

How can readers purchase your new title? (give direct purchase links)

Amazon, Smashwords, All Romance ebooks (ARe) –

How can readers follow you? (Give website/facebook/twitter… links)

Website: http://sharoncooper.net

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1575943684&ref=tn_tnmn

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/Sharon_Cooper1

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5823574.Sharon_C_Cooper

Subscribe to Sharon’s blog: http://sharonccooper.wordpress.com/

 

Is there anything you’d like to add?

Here’s a brief synopsis for Blue Roses:

Where most women would welcome love from a wealthy, good-looking man, Chicago-based investment manager, Dallas Marcel, is not one of them. She will never let a man control her life again. That includes handsome entrepreneur, Tyler Hollister. Dallas is on track to making partner and she’s not letting anything or anyone get in her way. But when her life is put in danger, and a Ponzi scheme ignites a SEC investigation of her firm, she realizes the one man she’d banned from her heart, might be the only one who can save her career and her life.

Tall, dark, and handsome, Tyler Hollister can have any woman he wants, but he only wants one – Dallas. When he starts talking marriage, she breaks things off between them, claiming she doesn’t want a romantic entanglement to hinder her plight to making partner. A chance meeting, six months later, brings them face to face and Tyler soon realizes the intense sexual attraction they once shared is stronger than ever. But he swore he was done with her. Except he finds out her life is in danger, and his protective instincts take over. Can he save her life without losing his heart … again?

Also, Deatri, thank you so much for letting me hang out on your blog today! In celebration of my new release, I’m giving away one electronic copy of Blue Roses. The only thing your readers have to do to win is to leave a comment (by 7pm est) along with their first name and last initial, and a winner will be picked randomly. I will announce the winner on my website (www.sharoncooper.net) tomorrow (Saturday, 7/14/2012) morning.

Thanks again!

Dee here: I thank you also for dropping by. We are always on the lookout for great books! Come on by any time.