Trouble in Texas (37 page)

Sometimes we meet someone and there is an instant connection, that indefinable something
that creates sparks between two people. And sometimes that leads almost immediately
to a happily ever after. Or at least the path taken seems to be straight and true.
But sometimes life intervenes. Mistakes are made, secrets are kept, and that light
is extinguished. But we rarely ever forget. That magical moment is too rare to dismiss
out of turn, and, if given the right opportunity, it always has the potential to spring
back to life again.

That’s the basis of Simon and Jillian’s story. Two people separated by pride and circumstance.
Mistakes made that aren’t easily undone. But the two of them have been given a second
chance. And this time, just maybe they’ll get it right. Of course to do that, they’ll
have to overcome their fears. And they’ll have to find a way to confront their past
with honesty and compassion. Easily said—not so easily done. But part of reading romance,
I think, is the chance to see that in the end, no matter what has happened, it all
can come right again.

And at least as far as I’m concerned, Jillian and Simon deserve their happy ending.
It’s just that they’ll have to work together to actually get it.

As always, this book is filled with places that actually exist. I love the Fulton
Seaport and have always been
fascinated with the helipads along the East River. The buildings along the river that
span the FDR highway have always been a pull. How much fun to know that people are
whizzing along underneath you as you stare out your window and watch the barges roll
by. The brownstone that members of A-Tac use during their investigation is based on
a real one near the corner of Sutton Place and 57th Street.

The busy area around Union Square is also one of my favorite hang-outs in the city.
And so it seemed appropriate to put Lester’s apartment there. His gallery, too, is
based on reality—specifically, the old wrought-iron clad buildings in SoHo. As to
the harbor warehouses, while I confess to never having actually been in one, I have
passed them several times when out on a boat, and they always intrigue me. So it isn’t
surprising that one should show up in a book.

And I must confess to being an avid Yankees fan. So it wasn’t much of a hardship to
send the team off to the stadium during a fictional World Series win. I was lucky
enough to be there for the ticker-tape parade when they won in 2009. And Boone Logan
is indeed a relief pitcher for the Yankees.

I also gave my love of roses to Michael Brecht, dead-heading being a very satisfying
way to spend a morning. And finally, the train tunnel that the young Jillian and Simon
dare to cross in the middle of the night truly does exist, near Hendrix College in
Arkansas. (And it was, in fact, great sport to try and make it all the way through!)

Hopefully you’ll enjoy reading Jillian and Simon’s story as much as I enjoyed writing
it.

For insight into both of them, here are some songs I listened to while writing DOUBLE
DANGER:

“Stronger,” by Kelly Clarkson

“All the Rowboats,” by Regina Spektor

“Take My Hand,” by Simple Plan

And as always, check out
www.deedavis.com
for more inside info about my writing and my books.

I have an obsession with history. And as a re-enactor, that obsession frequently comes
down to a delight in the minutia of day-to-day life and a deep love of true events
that seem stranger than fiction. And we all know that real life is stranger than fiction,
don’t we?

RIPE FOR SEDUCTION grew out of just such a real-life story. Lady Mary, daughter of
the Duke of Argyll, married Edward, Viscount Coke (heir to the Earl of Leicester).
It was not a happy marriage. He left her alone on their wedding night, imprisoned
her at his family estate, and in the end she refused him his marital rights and went
to live with her mother again. Lucky for her, the
viscount died three years later when she was twenty-six. And while I can see how wonderful
it might be to rewrite that story, letting the viscount live and making him come groveling
back, it was not the story that inspired me. No, it was what happened after her husband’s
death. Upon returning to town after her mourning period was over, Lady Mary received
a most indecent proposal… and the man who made it was fool enough to put it in writing.
Lady Mary’s revenge was swift, brutal, and brilliant. I stole it for my heroine, Lady
Olivia, who like Lady Mary had suffered a great and public humiliation at the hands
of her husband, and who, also like Lady Mary, eventually found herself a widow.

And don’t try finding out just what the poor man did or what Lady Mary’s response
was by Googling it. That story isn’t on Wikipedia (though maybe I should add it).
You’ll have to come let Roland show you what it means to be RIPE FOR SEDUCTION if
you want to find out.

“4½ stars! A heartwarming return to Bramble, Texas, with many familiar faces. This
is an emotional story that will bring the reader to laughter as well as tears and
spark a desire to see more of the characters, both new and old, who live here.”

—
RT Book Reviews

“An absolute hoot!…
Catch Me a Cowboy
is home to a plethora of wacky characters who make this a fun story… A winner!”

—RomRevToday.com

“Rewarding… Perfect for a lazy summer afternoon.”

—
Publishers Weekly

“This series continues to be a riot of fun. I was laughing out loud and loved the
children.”

—SingleTitles.com

“A delightful continuation of
Going Cowboy Crazy
. There’s plenty of humor to entertain the reader, and the people of the town will
seem like old friends by the end of this entertaining story.”

—
RT Book Reviews

“Funny, entertaining, and a sit-back-and-enjoy-yourself kind of tale.”

—RomRevToday.com

“If you’re looking for a romance true to its Texas setting, this is the one for you.
I simply couldn’t put it down.”

—TheSeasonforRomance.com

“I absolutely loved Colt! I mean, who doesn’t like a bad boy? Katie Lane is truly
a breath of fresh air. Her stories are unique and wonderfully written… Lane, you have
me hooked.”

—LushBookReviews.blogspot.com

“Another fun read and just as good as [
Going Cowboy Crazy
]… a perfect example of small town living and the strange charm it has. I really enjoyed
reading this one and hope that Katie Lane is writing a third.”

—SaveySpender.com

“It will make you laugh, and then make you sigh contentedly.
Make Mine a Bad Boy
is a highly entertaining ride.”

—RomanceNovelNews.com

“Romance, heated exchanges, and misunderstandings, combined with the secondary characters
(the whole town of Bramble), who are hilarious… This is the perfect summer read. Katie
Lane has a winner on her hands; she is now my new favorite author!”

—TheRomanceReadersConnection.com

“Entertaining… [with] a likable and strong heroine.”

—
RT Book Reviews

“Ah, I want my own cowboy, tall, dark, and handsome, but alas he is only between the
pages of the book, a good book at that. Katie Lane knows how to heat the pages and
keep you burning for more. Romance, steamy love scenes, humor, witty conversation
with a twang, all help the pages keep turning. I’m looking forward to reading other
books written by Katie Lane.”

—BookLoons.com

“An enjoyable romp… a fun, down-home read.”

—
All About Romance
(LikesBooks.com)

“I enjoyed this book quite a bit. It really reminded me of an early Rachel Gibson…
or early Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Faith became a sassy, intriguing heroine… The chemistry
between these two ratchets up to white-hot in no time.”

—TheSeasonforRomance.com

“Frequently amusing… The lead couple is a wonderful pairing while the third wheel
hopefully gets her own tale.”

—
Midwest Book Review