Steal My Heart

On August 14, 2019 by Jaye

Hey, everyone, today we’ve got a guest post from Aimee O’Brian, author of Steal My Heart.

Aimee O’Brian, author of Steal My Heart, a hot contemporary romance with elements of mystery and suspense

Characters with Minds of Their Own

Even as a child, I invented stories. I was a daydreamer, easily distracted by the thoughts in my head, which invariably were more interesting than the uneventful coastal community where I grew up. It isn’t that I needed something exciting to happen. I was content to be entertained by my imagination. For me it was always about the characters.

It began with a name, a background, maybe a quirky personality trait and a desire. What did my character want? What was her goal? What was his greatest need? What was preventing their success? Before I began writing the stories down, my characters could wander for years as a type of imaginary friend. I could bring them out to play whenever I was bored, lonely, stressed out or sleepy. They’d entertain with their exploits. It wasn’t until I began writing the stories down, that my characters became defined enough to begin achieving their goals. Their wicked antagonists became clearer, and so the protagonists needed to overcome the obstacles set in their paths.

Even now while producing commercial fiction, discovering the characters is my favorite part of writing. A story will circle in my head, but until I put words on the page, I don’t really know what the characters sound and look like. I didn’t know her hair was sleek or that his eyes were emerald green. I certainly didn’t know about the scar by his eyebrow and how he got it, or about her fear of heights and where that came from. All this showed up when I began typing. I think the best part of writing, though, are the surprises secondary characters bring to the table. They quickly defy my efforts to stereotype them, turning instead into round characters that clamor for their own stories to be told.

When I was writing Steal My Heart and sent my protagonist, Detective Lexanne Harris, out to interview burglary victims, I didn’t know the victims would be so entertaining, that they would live in pink mansions or own little barking dogs. Those details just appeared. I didn’t know the receptionist at the investment firm would be a nervous Natalie, and I had no idea the seasoned assistant Ava would prove to be integral to the plot. All that magically appeared as I wrote.

Best of all is the cleverness of my hero and heroine’s dialogue. It just materializes on the page. Their high-brow banter and brilliant rejoinders are a treat even for me, often engendering a laugh on my part as they make unexpected statements and determine how to bring about their own happily-ever-afters.

And this is perfect because part of my happily-ever-after comes from writing theirs.

When a fantasy turns into a cold reality

Lexanne Harris had a plan down to the last sexy detail. Never did she think her attempt to spice up her love life with her boyfriend would involve her in a burglary with a sexier than sin thief whose emerald eyes and serious between the sheets skills are impossible to forget. As a police detective she is expected to stand on the side of the law and fight for justice. But what happens when the lines of justice blur and what’s wrong becomes way too tempting?

The situation might be challenging but Lexanne is determined to get assigned to the case, recover the jewels and catch the culprit.

The question is: What will she do with her sexy cat burglar when she catches him?

Links

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46145288-steal-my-heart
Purchase:

Amazon: https://books2read.com/u/mqDG22?store=amazon

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/steal-my-heart-aimee-obrian/1132198379

iBooks: https://books.apple.com/ca/book/steal-my-heart/id1466327736?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/steal-my-heart-15

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=E6GeDwAAQBAJ

Author Bio

Having lived in both California and Texas, Aimee O’Brian now resides in the beautiful wine country. With her three children grown and experiencing their own adventures, she and her husband are free to explore the world. When she’s not reading, writing, or planting even more perennials in her garden, she can be found stomping through ancient ruins and getting lost in museums.
Author links:

http://www.aimeeobrian.com/

https://www.facebook.com/AimeeOBrianAuthor/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19231335.Aimee_O_Brian