Is there a genre you’d like to write? Is there one
you’ll probably stay away from? Why?
I have yet to do my science fiction/speculative
fiction/romance shorts book. That is the one I am salivating to do. I love
writing very out there and science fiction is one of the genres that lets you
do that.
You probably won't see me doing any historical pieces. I
have lots of respect for authors that do, but it's just not my thing. Also, I
don’t tend to write fantasy- paranormal maybe but not true fantasy with elves
or other types of creatures. I tend to write about real people in everyday
life, but who are then cast in extraordinary or paranormal circumstances. To
me, I like to write (and read) something that I believe could actually happen,
with just a little stretching of reality as we know it. I might even have
non-humans in my book but in a believable basis.
Please tell us about your newest release and where the idea
came from.
My newest release is called "A Taste For
Killing." This is the first in a
series. The series is called "Chasing the Taste" and the second in
the series has already been accepted for publication. It's called "Chasing
the Taste" because everyone in the books, hero or criminal is after
something. They aren't satisfied with their life in one way or another so they
are always chasing after that one elusive element they think will make their
life perfect. All the books are called
"A Taste of –". For example, the sequel to this is called "A
Taste for Danger."
I honestly have no ideas where my ideas come from. I can say
I tend to go dark if I don’t tone myself down and I have a bent towards
anything covert. I find those easiest to write and I love twist and surprise
endings.
What kind of research did you do for this book?
The kind where I thought for the first time, "Wow, this
is what writers mean when they say their internet history could get them in
trouble." LOL I can't give away
exactly what I had to look up as it would be a spoiler, but it wouldn’t look
good in my internet history.
If this book was made into a movie, who do you see playing the main characters?
Oh, cool question. Well, there are two main characters and
these two will be in all the books, though at times one may dominate the book
while the other plays a more supporting role. Both of the characters are
detectives. Let's see....I think James Spader is an awesome actor and he can go
dark too, he might be good for the male detective. The male detective is about
ten years older than the female and he can have some darker moments unlike the
female. I love writing anti-heroes! James might be too old now though. Let's
say a little bit younger James Spader. The James Spader from Boston Legal. LOL Actually, now that I thought about it a
little more I would cast Michael Weatherly (from NCIS). He's the right age and
highly underrated as an actor. He can go from dark to light to poignant to
comedy- whatever you throw at him. He'd be perfect for the male detective.
The female detective is a woman of today but she has
self-confidence issues so you will see those come out from time to time.
However, she grows, both in this book and through-out the series. For her, I
could see Natalie Portman or maybe Charlize Theron.
How do you come up with characters names?
My other pen name used relative's names but that was a one
time/one series thing just for fun. For
me, sometimes the names are random, something I feel suits the personality;
sometimes they are metaphorical, and at times I just need a name and look
around for inspiration to find one that fits.
What do you do in your free time?
What little free time I have I spend with my husband.
How much of your own personality bleeds into your characters?
None. All of this
comes from my head.
Do you have a list of movies like me that you are itching to
see or have seen? What about ones coming up? Any that draw your eye to it?
My husband and I are old now LOL we don’t go to see movies
much. We rent them on TV (when we can ever agree on one). I tend to like
oddball movies. But I also like good thrillers, for example RED and its sequel.
Also, like the rest of the world, I loved the Harry Potter movies. They have no
age to them.
You are hosting a dinner
party. If given the chance to invite characters from other series, who would
you invite?
Hmm, I would arrange an arena
and line up the Harry Potter Cast against the Twilight cast and see who came
out alive.
If you only had twenty dollars in your pocket, what would you buy?
If I only have twenty
dollars, I'm not buying anything. However, if I have money at all and go into a
bookstore, I never leave without buying tons of books. I have to hide my credit
cards from myself if a bookstore trip is coming up. And then there's Amazon...
the handy book crack anytime you want it. Oy
Of all your heroes that you’ve written, is there one that you love above all?
Well, there's one under my
other pen name that I like but he has a lot more development to go through in
that series so my favorite would probably be the male detective in this series.
You see him more in the sequel, "A Taste For Danger."
What’s the most interesting way you got around a plot
problem?
I lie down and close my eyes and let my mind go free and the
answers always present themselves.
If you owned a bookstore, what book would you make sure was
in stock?
All the odd little interesting ones that get overlooked! And
books that I think other people should read because they are great. For
example, all of Madeline L'engel for kids.
What is next for you? Anything you want to mention?
This book, "A Taste For Killing" comes out then I
have an accepted short called "Eyes Only" that will be coming out
soon. I am excited about that one. Then the sequel, "A Taste For
Danger" should come out this year too and I'm excited about that. Then
there is the science fiction book I plan to write, but first I am finishing the
sequel in a New Adult series under my other pen name. Oh, and I also am one of
six people that started up and are putting out a new magazine called Innovate.
We just put out our second issue today. I also write poetry and that comes out
in magazines from time to time.
I have to say I am looking forward most to the covert books.
I'm really into writing those. Hopefully the audience will be too!
A Taste for Killing by H.K. Sterling
Romantic Suspnse
Breathless Press
Available at Amazon / ARe / Publisher
Mystery and Romance blend together when competing detectives
Carolyn Woods and Jack Heart find they are surrounded by murder on every side.
Mystery and Romance blend together when competing detectives
Carolyn Woods and Jack Heart are both hired to solve the murder of Pete
Wallace, only to realize they are working the same case. To complicate things,
Carolyn and Jack have an on again-off again relationship. Then there is Evan
Jones, a handsome architect— but he's also a suspect. Can Carolyn manage to
solve the case as more and more murders pile up? Will her relationship with
Jack hinder their investigations? And what about Evan Jones? He seems like the
perfect man, but could he actually be the murderer? One thing is for sure:
someone close to both Carolyn and Jack has A Taste For Killing.
Teaser excerpt:
He had six-pack abs, and I wanted to feel the
carbonation. This one dressed like the stereotype of a construction worker,
down to the handkerchief he used to wipe sweat off his forehead. I don't know
if he or the hot day brought it out, but sweat poured off of me too. He had no
interest in me as a person, though. I was invading his territory. Still, I
enjoyed the view. For my part, I knew my clothes looked crappy. I didn’t have
to wear uniforms anymore, but my street clothes, well they were very—street. So
there I stood, a turd in the sun in front of this Adonis. Oh well.
He pointed to a small trailer up a muddy hill.
The supervisor I asked to see apparently stayed in there. Stayed, as in never
left. Great. Mud. Now I'd be a dried turd in the sun. Adonis went back to
digging and I started the trek up the hill. At least I came with boots. Steel
toed.
Once I made it to the trailer, I heard an
argument going on inside.
"Look, I don't care who you are. The plans
are publically filed. Go get them yourself!" yelled someone.
Then I heard a voice I knew. Calm, cool,
subversive. "Is there any reason you're being so difficult? A man did die
on your watch."
An encounter I hadn’t planned on. Well, at
least not until later tonight. I knocked loudly on the door and with my
sweetest voice said, "Hello, boys. Am I interrupting something?"
"Great," groused the supervisor.
"A party." He appeared to me like another stereotype, puffing on a
cigar over a fat jowl line and rotund stomach that threatened to overturn the
small desk he was behind. I guess there's a reason for stereotypes. He
looked about four hamburgers away from a heart attack.
On a wooden chair in front of the supervisor sat
Jack. A fellow independent detective, an ally at times, a competitor...and my
on and off lover.
"Well, well, well," he said smiling,
but I could tell he wasn’t happy to see me. Not here. It meant we were both
working the same case. "Hello, Carolyn. Who hired you?"
"Parents."
"Girlfriend," he answered back.
We stared at each other. Complications.
The supervisor didn’t give a damn and said to
me, "Well, missy, I'll tell you the same thing I told this guy." He
jerked his thumb around to Jack. "The plans are publically filed and
that’s all I have to say about it."
I tried a different tactic. "That’s fine
with me. I have no problem going downtown for a copy." I wore my
practiced, saccharine smile. "But I wonder, could you tell me the name of
the architect? Please?" I smiled again. God, this job sucks at times.
The supervisor sighed. "Jones, Evan
Jones."
"Thank you so much," I said, smiling
my best smile again. "I'll get out of the way and leave you two boys
to...whatever you were doing."
I opened the door to go and started to shut it
only to find Jack following me out.
"Sure, flash your tits and get what you
want." Boy was he in a bad mood.
"There was no tit flashing in there. Face
it, testosterone was not a good choice in that situation."
Jack's response: a grunt.
"Besides," I tried to placate him,
"I didn’t get the plans either."
"No, you did one better."
"That's assuming the architect will have
anything to do with me and cooperate." A thought occurred to me. "So
are you going there too?"
"No, I might as well wait and see what you
turn up. Besides, I have my own leads."
"Are you planning to share?" Just call
me hopeful. As in full of shit, because that’s where hope always seemed to
lead.
"No," he said, still grumpy.
"I see. So it's gonna be like that."
"I guess so."
I felt
like such a female. Damn. But I had to ask.
"Are we still on for tonight?"
"Yeah."
I wasn’t convinced but didn’t push it. God,
sometimes I hated myself. But we were good together—when it was good—when his
competitive edge didn’t get the better of him. Though I was one to talk. I did
the same thing at times. Hence our on and off status. But currently we were
supposed to be on. So, I kept it light in the spirit of things to come.
"Okay, master detective, I'll leave you to
your leads. See ya."
"See ya," he replied, already
preoccupied, pondering a piece of paper he'd taken from his pocket.
I made my way down the hill in my muddy boots.
About the Author
H.K. Sterling is an author with
Breathless Press known for stories with imagination, intelligence, a kick, and
twist endings. H.K. likes to focus her writing on suspense, science-fiction,
shorts, and anything that is spicy and unexpected. Sometimes her writing may
even go dark. H.K. lives in Virginia with
her husband who graciously puts up with her passion for writing. H.K. currently
has a Mystery/Thriller out: A Taste For
Killing; and two short stories in the Breathless Press Anthology: My Bloody Valentine. Her new book, A Taste For Danger has just been
accepted for publication and H.K will also soon publish a short-short titled Eyes Only. H.K.'s books are suitable for
18+. You can contact H.K. on the following social media:
Catch up with H.K. Sterling on
the following media:
Amazon Author Page:
https://www.amazon.com/author/hksterling
Twitter: @HKSterling
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/HK-Sterling/426989014069244?ref=hl
Email: HK.Sterling@aol.com
HK Sterling "Undercover
Blog": http://hksterling1.blogspot.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/HKSterling
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