Great Characters + Great Plots = A Terrific Read!

Lauren Linwood here, back again at the GF Party Pavilion with you. I promised to share about myself so you can learn more about me, dear readers. I’d also love to hear from you, as well!

I’m a romance author who frequently reads outside her genre. I reading everything from romance to mystery & suspense, thrillers, biographies, horror, YA, and women’s fiction – and I’m sure I left something out from that list. To me, good writing consists of captivating plots and interesting characters – no matter what the genre. I find this in a variety of authors from Lee Child to Harlan Coben to Stephen King and Victoria Thompson.

I feel the same way about movies. If a story is compelling and I find the characters believable and interesting, then I don’t care if it’s action/adventure, a romantic comedy, or sci-fi. I want to be entertained. I want to laugh and cry, be scared out of my wits, wonder, dream, and think. I enjoy sweeping sagas such as Titanic or Braveheart as much as a thought-provoker like The Usual Suspects or Memento. I’m a sucker for Notting Hill, while I love a fun movie such as Adventures in Babysitting or a popcorn movie like Independence Day.

The same holds true for television. I think TV is doing remarkable work, even better than movies in many respects. I’m enthralled by Game of Thrones each week, wondering how HBO does such quality work with a huge cast and far-flung locations. My tastes are very eclectic. I enjoy everything from Downton Abbey to The Walking Dead to MasterChef and Survivor.

Enough about me. I want to share a little more about Music for my Soul with you. It’s my debut medieval historical romance from Soul Mate Publishing and a Kindle Select available from Amazon at:

http://www.amazon.com/Music-For-My-Soul-ebook/dp/B00CSC14SA/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1368759384&sr=1-1&keywords=music+for+my+soul

 

Here’s another excerpt for you:

 

            Garrett peered into the angry face of the woman who haunted his dreams by night and left him absent-minded by day. Their encounter had been brief, but he doubted he had ever met a more remarkable woman. Not even his petite Lynnette had brought such a sweet longing to his loins as did the bewitching creature before him.

            Her honeyed hair, loosened from its intricate braid, curled around her shoulders. Tiny beads of sweat had formed just above her upper lip. Without thinking, Garrett reached his thumb towards her and wiped it away. She flinched slightly, her dark, amethyst eyes glowering up at him.

            Garrett smiled in spite of himself, offering her a hand to pull her to her feet. He had forgotten how very tall she was as she stared at him, her cheeks flushed with anger.

            “Perhaps we could arrange a trade?” he suggested.

            She eyed him suspiciously. “I’m not sure if I could trust you, my lord,” she countered.

            “Trust me?” he sputtered. “This, from the woman who traipsed about the countryside claiming to be my wife?”

            She shrugged nonchalantly, an almost Gallic air about her. She didn’t sound French, but there was an unmistakable manner to her movement. Garrett spent enough time in France to recognize the behavior. However, when she spoke, he quickly put it from his mind.

            “I chose a bloody awful name to scare away anyone who accosted me on the road! How was I to know I’d run into you?” She snorted in an unladylike fashion. “I had heard tales of the wicked Lord Montayne, how he frightened old and young alike and gobbled up babes for his dinner. Why, the very mention of his name would cause grown men to plead for their lives and their loved ones. Oh, no, my lord, I was an honest liar. You were the one who resorted to trickery and hid your true identity from me."

            Her accusation so startled Garrett his jaw flew open. No sound came out for a moment. The woman lifted her chin high and turned on her heel. That brought Garrett into motion.

            He grabbed her elbow and pulled her around to face him. “Not so fast, my lady.” He studied her a second.  Her eyes narrowed at him, but she remained silent. Finally faced with her visage square in front of him, Garrett was at a loss of what to do. His emotions swirled out of control as he spoke.

            “’Tis curiosity,” he sputtered.

            She looked puzzled. “Curiosity?” she echoed.

            He nodded, his words spilling forth rapidly. “I know not who you are, nor where you come from. I’ve dreamed of you since that night only to awaken to an emptiness.” His voice became low and tinged with sadness. “I don’t even know your name.”