By Christina Lynn Lambert (Guest Blogger)
Ever
since I was a kid, I have loved music. I remember having a radio in
my room and being amazed at the new songs I heard. I noticed how each
song told a story with not only words but rhythm and instruments.
When I got a tape player, I listened to Africa by Toto over and over.
It’s still one of my favorite songs. More than anything else ever
has, the notes of a song can soothe me when I’m upset. A good, fast
paced song can energize me when I need to get things done. I can turn
up the volume and sing when I’m alone, especially when I’m
driving down the road. The energy of a crowd at a concert can be
inspiring. The connection to everyone around me singing the same song
is incredible and beautifully impermanent.
I
usually have music playing in the background when I write. If I’m
sitting down at the computer or on the sofa with my pen and notebook,
steadily laying down the words or trying to fix the words that need
rearranging, I have on slower, smoother music— maybe Pink Floyd,
Enya, Elton John, or Credence Clearwater Revival. I just let the
sound fade to the background. If I’m trying to think up scenes and
ideas, I usually get up and do something like go for a walk or a bike
ride, even washing the dishes or taking a shower helps to get me
unstuck when I can’t think of what to write next. When I’m
searching for ideas, I tend to have the music loud and prefer
something with a faster beat like Rush, Social Distortion, 80s music,
metal, ska, even movie soundtracks.
In
my latest novel, Tiger’s
Last Chance
(Stranger Creatures book 3), the hero, Sean, is a recovering
alcoholic and music is his lifeline when things get too intense for
him to bear. The song “Ball and Chain” by Social Distortion is
playing in Sean’s truck in the first chapter of the story because
that song kept popping up in my head as I wrote his character.
For Sean, music is the temporary armor that gave him strength and
peace while he healed. And I think music is a temporary armor for
many. The rhythm and sound give us joy and comfort in the darkest
times.
Blurb
While
working a case, Sean Whitman is tortured for information, drugged,
and bitten against his will by a shape shifter. The fallout leaves
him jobless, friendless, and dumped by his girlfriend. Needing a
fresh start, he leaves town and opens a private investigation
business. Learning to live life sober isn’t easy, but he makes it
to the two year mark.
When
Detective Nikki Jackson with the Great Oaks, Virginia Police
Department calls him, accusing him of breaking into his
ex-girlfriend’s house, Sean can’t help but like the sound of her
voice, despite her ridiculous accusations. He’s shocked when she
calls him back with an apology then asks for his help as a consultant
on a case. On the phone, her sweet, slightly Southern voice
captivates him. In person, she's unlike any other woman he's
encountered, and nearly impossible to resist. But could the sexy
detective ever want a man like him?
After
Nikki’s last dating disaster, the mountain lion shifter has sworn
off men. Then she meets Sean, and with every second she spends around
the tall, dark-eyed man, her resolve crumbles. But for some reason,
despite the undeniable attraction between them, Sean seems determined
to push her away.
An
investigation into missing refugees leaves Nikki with more questions
than answers. Her refusal to let the matter drop leads her to the
discovery of a radical political group’s horrifying plot for
dominance. Traitors are embedded within the very organizations meant
to keep shifters safe. As the list of people she can trust dwindles,
Nikki calls on Sean to help her unravel a web of deceit.
As
Nikki and Sean fight for survival, his fear of losing her could
become a reality. Will he get one last chance to show her he loves
her?
Excerpt
For
the briefest moment, Nikki felt the depth to which Sean might be
capable of pushing her. His kiss was crushing and brutal. His tongue
pushed past her lips and his grip in her hair tightened. If desire
were a vine, it would have wrapped itself around her veins and
encased her heart. The heat between them flooded her. There was a
sweetness, too, in his kiss, and the sweetness made her burn hotter.
A
polite cough from inside the waiting car put a quick end to things.
Sean pulled away and met her gaze. No words, but she got the message.
She wasn’t alone. Comfort and friendship; he’d probably meant the
kiss to comfort her and had gotten carried away in the heat of the
moment. He’d carried her away with him, and she wanted to take him
so much further into the unknown.
With
each second, each step towards the waiting car, she tried to find
reasons and more reasons to ignore her growing attraction to Sean.
The number one reason to forget about the kiss they’d
shared—relationships were trouble. She had plenty of other amazing
things in her life, including her career, her volunteer work, and her
band, even though the band rarely played anywhere because the members
had trouble aligning their schedules. She didn’t need a man.
Besides, he was probably still messed up over Sydney. Also, he was a
regular. Or mostly regular. Not to mention he lived over a thousand
miles away in Texas. She should tell him the kiss was a mistake. One
look at him and she couldn’t bring herself to say the words. The
kiss they shared had been anything but a mistake.
Buy
Links
Barnes
and Noble:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tigers-last-chance-christina-lynn-lambert/1137033221
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1022227
A
little about
me
A
few years ago, I read my first romance novel and I was hooked, so
much so that I decided to give the idea of writing a story a chance.
Love, courage, hope, and second chances are a few of my favorite
themes. My stories include a fair amount of sarcasm, suspense,
steam, and violence. When I’m not writing, I enjoy spending time
outside and finding ways to avoid cooking. I live in beautiful
Virginia with my husband, two daughters, and a sweet, hairy monster
of a dog.
You
can find me on social media at:
