To Catch A Thief
by Nan Dixon
GENRE: Contemporary
Nan Dixon has a Rafflecopter giveaway at the end of this post.
TO CATCH A THIEF Blurb:
What would you do for your family?
When Carolina Castillo’s once vivacious mother becomes ill, she gives up her singing dreams and comes home to Savannah. She’d do anything for her Mamá, even work at Fitzgerald House for the family she should have been part of. She’d even steal.
Carolina’s decisions make perfect sense until she comes up against the immovable rock that is gorgeous FBI agent Sage Cornell. The honorable cop sees the world in black-and-white. He would never understand the difficult choices she’s had to make, the secrets she’s been forced to keep close. And he could never love a woman like her. Or could he?
TO CATCH A THIEF Excerpt:
“I really appreciate you coming to the hospital.” How many times had Carolina said that already?
Sage slid closer. “I want to see you again.”
She could see the kiss coming.
He stopped inches from her face and asked, “Can I kiss you?”
“Yes.” Her single word was a whisper.
His lips were gentle. Sweet. Light pressure with a little scrape from his stubble.
“Nice,” he murmured, brushing kisses on her cheeks and eyes.
Her hands rested against his chest. “Really nice.”
Sage leaned in. His tongue licked the seam of her lips, seeking entrance.
She opened and stroked his tongue with hers. He tasted of coffee and mint and something dark and sexy. His chocolate-citrus scent made her want to sip at his lips, kiss his eyelids and nibble on his collarbone. She gripped his shoulders, the muscles hot under her hands.
He tipped her head and buried his fingers in her hair.
She fell hard into their kiss, wanting to explore the firm body beneath her fingers. “Sage.”
He pulled her closer.
Pain slashed her chest as her seat belt locked in place. "Ooh."
They laughed.
He cupped her cheek. “I guess your car is trying to tell us something.”
That she should take him up on his offer to come up to his apartment?
“I can meet you at the hospital in the morning,” Sage suggested. “Maybe we could have breakfast nearby?”
Guilt had her sitting back behind the wheel. While kissing Sage, she’d forgotten about her mother. “I’ll have to see what’s happening.”
“Sure. Sure.” He brushed another kiss on her lips, this one sweet and soft. “Will you let me know when you get home? I don’t want to worry that you didn’t make it.”
Had anyone ever cared if she got home safely? “I’ll call.”
INTERVIEW WITH NAN DIXON
Where did you grow up? Siblings?
Locale? Were you considered a “bookworm” or a jock? Married, single? Children?
I was born in
Minneapolis, but we moved to Sioux Falls before I went to kindergarten. I grew
up in a family of five kids, right in the middle. My mother was British and I
thought everyone had teatime until I was in sixth grade.
My family
owned a cabin near Brainerd, MN which is lake country in the state. (My sisters
and I now own it.) My paternal
grandparents had the cabin next to us and four uncles and one aunt had places
on the lake. There were always tons of cousins to play with when we were there.
I was both a bookworm and a jock, reflecting both my parents’ interests. Mother
was a journalist, poet and playwright, but she could walk on her hands! We were
a skiing family, both snow and water and took a yearly trip to Colorado. And we
had a trampoline in our backyard, so there were lots of kids at the house. I
also played golf and I was captain on the University of Minnesota golf team for
three years. (We had a lot of fun!)
Even though I
was a finance executive in healthcare and then a pharmaceutical company, I
somehow survived having five kids. (1 set of twins.) If you can’t guess, I love
the chaos of being around lots of people!
Who are your favorite authors and
favorite genres?
I read
Romance—all the time. I’ve already started to read the 2018 RITA finalists and
I started with HelenKay Dimond a double RITA finalists. My agent also
represents her and we end up signing next to each other at RWA book signings.
My auto-buys
are Nora Roberts, JR Ward, Kristan Higgins, Jill Shalvis, Pintip Dunn, Amy
Patrick, AE Jones, Cat Schield and so many more authors I call my friends.
What’s your favorite way to relax and
recharge? Hobbies?
Like I said, I
read all the time. But I also knit. I’m making tea cozies right now for a
reader’s event. I thought the idea of afternoon tea complete with tea pots, tea
and cozies fit my B&B series. I also love to cook and have all the kids
over for a meal. And that means prosecco will be poured.
Do you have a favorite quote that sums up
how you feel about life?
I have two:
Variety is
the spice of life.
And –
Moderation in all things. (My mother said these all the time.)
How long have you been writing?
I toyed with
a middle grade book almost thirty years but never finished it, or learned
anything about the craft of writing. Then maybe twenty years ago I started to
write at night after the kids were in bed. Again I knew nothing about craft.
Finally, I took classes and joined my local RWA chapter. And then ten years ago
the pharmaceutical company I worked for was sold and all my stock options had
to be cashed in. I decided to write full-time. BEST DECISION EVER!
Where do you prefer to write? Do you
need quiet, music, solitude? PC or laptop?
I have an
office in the house. (Used to be a bedroom.) I write on my desk treadmill so I
can get my steps in. It is easier in solitude, but I think because I can handle
chaos, I can write anywhere. I don’t usually have music playing if I am
drafting, unless it is classical music, but when I am revising I have my iPod playing.
Are you a plotter or a panzer?
I used to be
a pantser, but now plot using archetypes, GMC, and Save the Cat steps. (See I
finally learned craft!)
Do you use real events or persons in
your stories or as an inspiration for stories?
Real events
are usually an idea generator for me. The book I am working on right now was
conceived after I dropped my daughter off at college and was driving home. I
was listening to the BBC and they were talking about genetic modifications. I
plotted what is now a four-book series from Ohio to Minnesota.
Do you set daily writing goals? Word
count? Number of chapters? Do you get a chance to write every day?
Since this is
my job, I treat it like a job. When I’m drafting I set word count goals—usually
1500 to 3000 per day. When I am revising, depending on whether it is revising a
first draft or revisions from my editor, I know what I have to accomplish to
meet my deadlines. There is still a lot of financial executive in me, so I log
in and out of a spreadsheet all day long to see where I am spending my time.
What do you hope your writing brings to
readers?
A smile, a laugh, a few tears and a sigh when the hero and heroine find their
happily-ever-after.
What long-term plans do you have for
your career?
I would like
to publish three books a year. And it sure would be fun to make a list!
Would you like to tell us what you’re
working on now?
I’m working
on THE PERFECT CHILDREN a romantic suspense. It’s the book I dreamed up after
dropping my daughter off at college. I had drafted book 1 before I sold my
debut, but never got back to it. Now that I have finished the FITZGERALD HOUSE
series, I’ve returned to it.
Premise is:
Three men find out they are almost
genetically identical, but they all have different mothers. The secret group
now using the genetic modifications does not want the truth behind how the
three men were created to be discovered. Trouble ensues!
What advice would you give to unpublished authors?
Learn your
craft! I spent years and wrote five books without knowing what I was doing. And
read. I remember taking an online class from Mary Buckham and her saying to
read books published in the last five years. And read best-sellers.
Share a fun fact readers wouldn’t know
about you.
My sisters
and I have been taking long weekend sister trips for over twenty-five years.
(Our mother used to come with us.) A trip to sister trip to Savannah is how
this series started.
Share something about you that would
surprise or shock readers.
Maybe not so
shocking, but this book originally had ghost in it. The B and B was going to be
haunted. And I believe that after my brother died—he stopped by to say goodbye.
Is your book a series? If so, how long?
Family saga, other?
TO CATCH A
THIEF is Book 6 of the FITZGERALD HOUSE series. Fitzgerald House is a B and B
in the historic district of Savannah run by the three Fitzgerald series. You
can read them as stand-alone.
Can you give readers a blurb about your
book?
What would you do for your family?
When Carolina Castillo’s once vivacious mother
becomes ill, she gives up her singing dreams and comes home to Savannah. She’d
do anything for her Mamá, even work at Fitzgerald House for the family she
should have been part of. She’d even steal.
Carolina’s decisions make perfect sense until
she comes up against the immovable rock that is gorgeous FBI agent Sage
Cornell. The honorable cop sees the world in black-and-white. He would never
understand the difficult choices she’s had to make, the secrets she’s been
forced to keep close. And he could never love a woman like her. Or could he?
How about a PG excerpt from TO CATCH A THIEF:
Sage boosted his butt onto the stool, moaning like
he was Gramps after being in the saddle for a day.
Two women worked behind the counter drawing beers.
He closed his eyes and took a couple of deep breaths.
“Sage?”
His eyes blinked open. “Carolina?”
The napkin slipped out of her fingers and floated
to the floor.
“You got the job.” Did that make him feel better
or worse since she hadn’t called?
“First day.” Her deep blue eyes had that stunned
look, like a white-tailed deer caught in a four-wheeler’s lights at dusk.
“How’s your mother?” He schooled his voice, hoping
she couldn’t catch his disappointment.
Her shoulders moved up and down with her sigh. His
eyes dropped to her chest. Even in the modest polo, he didn’t need much
imagination to remember how she’d pressed against him as they’d kissed.
So why in blazes hadn’t she called?
“They can’t get her seizures under control.” Her
fingers crushed the second napkin she pulled for him. “She’s still in the
hospital.”
He caught her hand. “I’m sorry.”
“Thanks.” She stared into his eyes.
The noise of the room slipped away. He wanted to
make the pain in her deep blue eyes disappear, too.
She shook her head. “Um, what can I get you?”
“What’s on tap?”
“First day.” She winced. “Lots of Southbound.”
“I’ll have their seasonal.” He could have one beer
and make it last through dinner.
“I’ll get that.” But she stayed right in front of
him.
He smiled. Maybe she hadn’t been blowing him off.
Warmth flooded through him.
“Sage?” she asked.
“Yeah?”
“I need my hand back.”
Cripes. He let go and the warmth faded like a
leaking balloon. He was an idiot. “Sorry.”
Over her shoulder, she quipped, “I didn’t mind.”
“Like I said,
I’m available for dinner or just a shoulder to cry on.” Preferably in bed, but
even he wasn’t crass enough to suggest that to her. He wanted to help any way
he could. It was the Cornell way.
Where can readers find your books?
Twitter:
@nandixonauthor
Instagram:
nandixonauthor
Is there anything else you’d like
readers to know about you?
I fell in
love with prosecco while I was in Venice and there is prosecco in every book.
See if you can find them. Cheers!
Author Nan Dixon
Award winning author
Nan Dixon spent her formative years as an actress, singer, dancer and competitive golfer. But the need to eat had her studying accounting in college. Unfortunately, being a successful financial executive didn’t feed her passion to perform. When the pharmaceutical company she worked for was purchased, Nan got the chance of a lifetime—the opportunity to pursue a writing career. She’s a five-time Golden Heart® finalist, lives in the Midwest and is active in her local RWA chapter and on the board of a dance company. She has five children, three sons-in-law, two granddaughters, one grandson and one neurotic cat.
www.NanDixon.com
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