KELLY JAMIESON
Undercover and under the covers
So here I am at Under the Covers Book Blog talking about going undercover…and under the covers! In fact that’s the “warning” for Hot Ride:
Warning: Features a badass biker hero and kickass heroine who go at it undercover -- and under the covers.
In researching for my book Hot Ride, I learned a lot about the incredible stress of being undercover. I wanted to portray this as realistically as I could for my characters, but I also wanted this to be a romance and in a romance there are a few rules you just can't break. I couldn't have my characters turn criminal, for example. I wanted to show the struggles they face, but I didn't want to destroy their lives, which can happen "in real life". And I had to have a happy ending (not just because it's a rule, but because *I* have to have a happy ending!).
There's the stress of constantly watching what you say, knowing your new identity and always staying in character. There's the daily exposure to drugs and the pressure to use them. There's the constant exposure to crime and danger and violence. Never being able to trust anyone, constant fear and paranoia. Undercover agents see things they can't do anything about, people getting beaten and at worse, killed. One mistake can cost you your life.
There's also the tension between the undercover operatives and their handlers and bureaucrats, who sometimes might think the operatives enjoy playing biker a little too much, who worry about how much financial and human resources are being spent on the mission. Something the leader of the undercover team is responsible for is making sure that the team is “separating” —not confusing their undercover lives with their real ones. It's all physically, emotionally and mentally exhausting. For many real life undercover agents, it can take a toll on their health.
What do you think about the portrayal of undercover agents in romances vs the real life struggles they have? How important is it to balance realism with "romance"?
About the Author
I'm a married mother of two who lives a very ordinary life outside of my imagination. When I'm not writing I'm usually reading. I also like to cook and that means I like to read cookbooks and cooking magazines. In the summer I enjoy spending time gardening and in the winter I like to read gardening magazines and seed catalogues. I love lying on the beach or on my deck with a glass of wine and a good book. I also love to travel. As you can see, pretty much all my activities involve reading somehow! Although I don't have as much time for it any more, I also love to shop, especially for clothes and shoes. Some think I'm obsessed with shoes but that is not true (although my husband would point out that there is no room left in our closet).
I love to hear from readers, so Tweet me on Twitter, leave me a comment on Goodreads or Amazon or my blog , or email me at info (at) kellyjamieson.com.
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Release date: September 11, 2012
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Length: Novel
More stops on the Book Tour
Courage is feeling the fear... then pouring on the throttle.
Abandoned or betrayed by everyone she ever loved, Sera Manning’s life spiraled out of control until a near death experience left her with a mission. Now a DEA agent, her sole focus -- and her first undercover assignment -- is to take down a drug cartel that’s manufacturing seductive, deadly angel sugar.
To do it, she needs access to Operation Black Abyss to establish a connection between the cartel and the Death Angels outlaw motorcycle gang. Which means she must pose as a couple with another agent who’s already deep undercover.
ATF agent Ryan Thomas desperately needs a female agent to maintain his cover in the gang, but the last thing he wants is a rookie agent jeopardizing his op. Especially one that is a sexy reminder why it’s a bad idea to get involved while on a case.
Living together, surrounded by crime, pretending their sizzling sexual tension is just for show is getting harder by the day. But as the mission comes to a head, the two fiercely independent warriors must decide which fear is worse. Losing their quarry... or losing each other.
Warning: Features a badass biker hero and kickass heroine who go at it undercover -- and under the covers.
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One winner will win a Kindle and two winners will get a Motorcycle USB drive loaded with a book or two.
The contest will be active 9/11 - 10/3
Rafflecopter will generate the winners.
The contest will be active 9/11 - 10/3
Rafflecopter will generate the winners.
