Romance in Seattle
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February is Creative Romance Month
Cupid puts a lot of pressure on relationships. When Valentine’s Day rolls around, men start sweating, worried that their card, flowers, and box of candy will be found lacking. Women, on the other hand, worry that their significant others will 1) forget or 2) make a token gesture with no thought behind it.
There’s an easy way to put the fun back into your love life. Instead of focusing on Valentine’s Day, celebrate Creative Romance Month.
Yes, among the other occasions celebrated in February (National Weatherman’s Day, Toothache Day, Mardi Gras, Canned Food Month) comes a month-long celebration that focuses on finding clever, meaningful ways to make those we love feel special.
Need a few ideas to get started? Here are five creative ways to celebrate romance.
Write a love letter detailing all the things you appreciate about your significant other.
Read romantic passages aloud from your favorite romance novel.
Take the love language quiz together. Learn how to speak your partner’s love language (not yours!) to express your feelings in a way meaningful to them.
Create a special playlist of your songs on Spotify or Pandora. The songs can be funny or sentimental.
Dress up and capture some romantic selfies. Print a few to display in nice frames.
Still need help? This article lists 60 Impressive Ways to be Romantic.
Remembering Henny the Fire Dog
Being a writer has introduced me to many amazing people, but one of the most memorable individuals I met was Henny the Fire Dog. An active, intelligent Lab, Henny initially flunked out of training as a seeing eye dog. The ATF recruited her to become an Accelerant Detection K9.
I met Henny and her human handler while researching arson investigation for my first contemporary romantic suspense, An Inner Fire, Book 1 in the Grayce Walters series. All of the firefighters and crew at the Seattle Fire Department Fire Investigation Unit were helpful, but Henny really made an impression. She embodied all of the qualities that make working canines true heroes: energy, dedication, drive, courage and affection.
I recently learned that Henny passed way after a quiet retirement with her handler and his family. She enjoyed trips and vacations and continued to interact with people until the end.
I wanted to share Henny’s story as a reminder than many of the elements in my stories are inspired by real people, real animals and real heroes. I hope my portrayal of working canines reflects the time, talent and commitment of the men and women who train them, handle them, and ultimately, love them.
See how Henny inspired my story, An Inner Fire. The book is currently free on Amazon.
A Special Touch ~ Excerpt from 'An Inner Fire'
Grayce’s morning passed quickly—a few minor behavior problems, adjustment to a new relationship, and hairballs.
Hollie appeared at her door. “Your new client’s here.” With her pierced eyebrow arched in contempt, Hollie emphasized new like it was infected.
Grayce nodded, trying to decipher Hollie’s odd behavior. Always loving with the animals, Hollie kept a safe, cool distance from two-legged clients. Hollie didn’t look cool.
Grayce scanned her schedule. “Mr. Davis with Mitzi, a standard poodle.”
Hollie returned with the new client. Grayce stared. She blinked twice. Mr. Davis was Lieutenant Davis. Bewildered to see the fire investigator in her office after last night’s nightmare, she blurted, “Has there been another fire?”
“No, I’m a patient. I mean my dog’s a patient.”
Grayce rechecked her patient list. “Mitzi?”
His face flushed when she used Mitzi’s name. Had she gotten the name wrong? She seldom did. The black poodle’s ears perked at the mention of her name.
“Yes, Mitzi.” His face remained red as he led his dog into the room. Grayce focused on the haughty poodle, limping protectively next to her owner. There was something about the spunky dog she couldn’t grasp.
Grayce couldn’t envision the lieutenant comfortable in the overstuffed chintz treatment chair. She gestured to the chair across from her desk. “Please be seated. How can I help you…and Mitzi?”
“Mitzi was injured at the fireground,” he said.
Grayce bent on one knee, not touching the stressed dog. “Mitzi, what an amazing protector.”
She never knew where the words came from when she spoke to animals, but she knew they came from a deep part of her. She offered the words while observing the effect of her voice. Mitzi outwardly appeared calm but her eyes remained alert, watchful.
Grayce gently touched Mitzi’s head, needing to comfort, connect with the injured dog. Showers of blue sparks danced in her peripheral vision like those from an overloaded circuit. The charge flowing from the dog to her hand topped any ampere scale. Lightheaded from the power surge, Grayce forced herself upright and stepped toward the old pine table that served as her desk.
Looking across the table, she saw Davis’ concern.
“I’m fine, just got up too quickly.” She knew he didn’t buy it, but she couldn’t think of anything else to say.
Read more contemporary romantic suspense: An Inner Fire
Meet the cast of characters from 'An Inner Fire'
My contemporary romantic mystery series featuring Grayce Walters includes a colorful cast of characters. I carefully developed each one so they would bring something unique to the series. James, Grayce’s cross-dressing best friend, is her faith sidekick, but he also adds a bit of comic relief to contrast the darker elements of the stories. By-the-book hunky arson investigator Ewan Davis is Grayce’s love interest, but his straight-laced logical nature contradicts Grayce’s intuitive approach to life. Hollie Thomas, Grayce’s feisty, tattooed office assistant, represents today’s younger pop culture element.
Included in the lineup, and just as important as any human character, is Seattle, Washington. I use specific locations and features of the city when I am plotting scenes in order to lend authenticity and realism to the story.
What makes Seattle a great “character” for a romantic mystery series? I’m happy to share my top five reasons.
- Seattle’s proximity to Mt. Rainier–58 miles—offers potential for natural disaster scenarios.
- As a port city on the border of Canada, Seattle is a logical location for stories that include international intrigue such as smuggling or terrorism.
- There are numerous naval bases on the islands surround Seattle. Think military action, submarine subterfuge and heroic service men and women.
- Seattle’s weather is notoriously dark and gray and rainy, which is equally good for setting up a cozy romantic interlude or bad guy skulking around.
- Seattle is home to several high-tech icons, such as Microsoft and Amazon, which translates into corporate espionage, telecommunications disruptions or worse!
Meet all of the characters in An Inner Fire. Available on Amazon or read for FREE on Kindle Unlimited.
#BlackFriday Freebie - Women Under Fire
Treat yourself to this romantic suspense freebie. Women Under Fire, book 2 in my Grayce Walters series, is FREE for Black Friday and Cyber Monday shoppers. Read the excerpt and then one-click!
A hot summer night—perfect for Mariners baseball. Davis gazed over at the empty seat and swallowed against the feelings tightening his throat. These were the same seats he and his dad had shared for years of cold, rainy baseball seasons. His dad should have been here, awaiting Felix Hernandez’s first pitch.
Davis kept scanning the crowd for Grayce as the stadium filled. She had been detained in her veterinarian office to take care of a yellow lab that had indulged in an overdose of chocolate.
He watched Hernandez go through his warm up. Armed with his wicked split finger fastball, Hernandez had the mojo to go up against tonight’s strong Red Sox batting order. The pitcher’s predictable ritual of rubbing down the ball with both hands, smoothing the mound with his right foot, didn’t bring the usual comfort. For Davis, the familiar rituals of baseball were fused with loss.
“Davis, what great seats.” Grayce scrambled over the men in the aisle to get to the center.
What the hell was she wearing? His dad’s cronies, the old lechers, were watching her sashay toward the middle seat in her short shorts and a tight top showcasing her snug yoga body.
He was suddenly hot and irritated. What was she thinking wearing that outfit? Where were her usual blue jeans? And her ponytail? She had pinned her dazzling blonde hair on top of her head and little wisps of hair clung to her graceful neck. Davis took a deep breath. He was in shorts and a t-shirt, but hell, he looked nothing like luscious Grayce.
“Davis, what’s the matter?” Grayce slipped into the seat next to him. She had no clue that she had just heated the entire male fan section.
He pulled her close and pressed a hard, possessive kiss to her lips.
Shouts came from behind. “Davis, you’re killin’ us man.”
There were more hoots and loud laughs. He knew what was on the men’s minds; the same thing that rampaged through his body. Grayce’s face turned red, either from the heat or his demanding kiss.
Her green eyes were rounded in surprise. “I’m glad to see you, too.”
“How’s your patient?” His voice was gruff.
“Recovering. Gus ate half of a Martha Stewart chocolate ganache cake. He had a few tremors, nothing like Mitzi.”
“Mitzi was poisoned.” He still couldn’t believe that bastard had come after his dog during his last investigation.
He looked down at Grayce. His height gave him full view of Grayce’s cleavage. His mind drifted away from criminals.
“Davis, your face is bright red. Is this heat bothering you?”
It took all his control not to comment that it was her exposed body causing the blood to flow in hot rushes through his body. He had learned early from his sisters never to criticize what a woman wore. Never. He was struggling to find a happy balance, somewhere between frustration and lust.
“Do you like my new shoes?” Grayce stretched out her toned leg. “They’re called espadrilles. James talked me into them.”
Davis admired her finely shaped leg. Her shoes tied with a ribbon that wrapped around her delicate ankle. He wanted to untie that ribbon. He took a deep breath, trying not to betray his rapid breathing. How could a woman’s shoe affect him this much? Damn James. It was just like Grayce’s best friend, a cross-dresser, to find the sexiest shoes.
The blood thundered in his head. Oblivious to his friends and the game, Davis stood, pretending interest in Felix’s position at home plate to give himself time to control his need to ravish Grayce. Grayce stood when he did. She pressed her warm woman’s body against his side. He was in trouble.
“Man, Davis, down!”
Davis and Grayce both sat.
“Do you know everyone in this section?” Grayce asked.
“Just the ones you’re driving crazy.”
“What?”
“Your outfit…men like that kind of outfit. And your shoes are…”
Grayce looked at him. “My outfit? I’m in shorts and tank top…just like every other woman here.”
Davis ran his hand along her toned thigh. “But you don’t look like every woman here. You look…you look so damn perfect.” He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer. “You make me forget I’m at a baseball game. You make me want to go home.”
ABOUT THE BOOK
Life has heated up for Grayce Walters: thrust into the public eye and hounded by the media after solving an arson case with a critical clue from a French Poodle. When Ewan Davis, the sexy arson investigator Grayce has been steaming things up with, starts talking commitment, she definitely feels the burn.
Then a desperate mother begs Grayce to help find her missing daughter—an Afghanistan war veteran suffering from PTSD, and Grayce reluctantly takes on the case, following a disturbing clue provided by the missing young woman’s cat. Calling once again on the aid of her cross-dressing best friend and her shrewd assistant, Grayce uncovers a terrorist plot with chilling international implications.
Grayce races to rescue the young veteran before the escalating danger explodes. But if she manages to escape the threat, will she find the courage to commit to the fiery passion that awaits her wrapped in Davis’s arms?
