Please welcome Indiana author, Kyra Jacobs. I have read Armed With Steele and Flirting With Fire, and jumped at the chance to share her book and ask her some questions that, to be honest, I want to know.
Flirting With Fire
 | Look, touch, but don’t fall in love. Massage therapist Liz Williams lives by one rule: never date a client. A rule she’s never had trouble following until she lays hands on fireman playboy Torrunn MacKay. Trouble is, Liz’s sexy new client is dating her arch-rival at work…and has a strange habit of appearing just before the fire alarm sounds. Firefighter Torrunn MacKay has got it made: killer job, downtown condo with a view, and hot blonde girlfriend with no more desire to tie the knot than he has. But the surprise attraction he feels toward his new masseuse is threatening to change all that. And what’s with the string of fires that seem to follow her everywhere? Can Liz mind her table manners and keep Torrunn at arms’ length? Will Torrunn put his commitment fears aside to keep Liz safe? More than hearts will be in jeopardy when the two start Flirting with Fire. CONTENT WARNING: Beware of darkened rooms, delicious firefighters, and desperate pyromaniacs. |
Kyra Jacobs answers some tough questions!
When you write the beginning, do you know the end?
Great question! I always think I do…then my characters drag me down a variety of paths during story development. Sometimes we end up where I thought we would, other times we end up in an even better place.
Do you have any writing quirks?
I need quiet to write. Some people can tune noise out, or type to music, but not me. Which is probably why I do most of my writing before/after the kids are in bed. ;-)
What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your book?
As I was writing Flirting With Fire, I discovered that my main character Liz and I share a personality flaw: we’re both what I call “relational liars”—sometimes we hold back our true feelings to keep the peace. It’s a trait both Liz and I are now working to overcome…
How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?
I have four completed manuscripts. Two published romantic suspense books, one YA novel “simmering” until I can get back to it, and one contemporary romance that I’m shopping to find a publishing home for now. (In fact, you can read the first chapter of that one here: http://www.soyouthinkyoucanwrite.com/manuscripts-sytycw-2014/a-change-of-plans/ ). I’ve also got two other books in the works at the moment.
My favorite? Now that’s a tough question. They each hold a special place in my heart. But I think my favorite completed novel so far is the one I’m shopping around now. It’s the first time I’ve written in 3rd person him/her, and I had a blast getting into Brent Masterson’s head.
Fly that geek flag high! What is it you're currently obsessing over in the book, tv show, or movie world?
Oh, wow, tough question. Hmm. Well, as far as TV goes, my hubby and I have gotten sucked into the Game of Thrones series on HBO. It’s terribly addictive, even though I sit with my hands over my eyes through more and more of it as the seasons go on. LOL Book and movie-wise, though, I’m going through a Cassandra Clare and the Mortal Instruments phase. I devoured those books, and love how she seems to effortlessly paint the imagery of her worlds. I’ve moved on to the Infernal Devices prequel series now, and look forward to whatever her next series will be.
What drew your focus to men in uniform?
That’s a good question, because I really don’t know. I must have some deep-buried, secret attraction to them or something. Heck, who doesn’t? ;-) Seriously, though, when my first novel (Armed With Steele) featured a local patrolman, it was truly more out of convenience to the story than anything. I needed a way for the main character, Jessica Hartley, to get to the bottom of a near-fatal accident her best friend was in. In the early drafts, I had so much fun writing the scenes between Jessica and patrolman Nate Steele that I adjusted the story to fit them better.
Then when I began toying with the next book, I knew Liz Williams was going to be a massage therapist. And I loved the image of something imminent disrupting one of her sessions, and her client having to scramble naked off the table. And what better an excuse than a fire alarm going off? So, again, a matter of convenience for fireman Torrunn MacKay’s profession.
Now that I’ve written those two stories, though, I do find myself drooling over our local men in uniform a little more often than I used to. Perhaps the books “opened my eyes” to all I was missing. ;-)
Ok, so a policeman, a fireman, and...what's next?
Would you believe a sewer worker? At least, that’s what the story might lead you to believe…
Thanks so much for having me over for a visit today, Jen!
~Kyra Jacobs
Great question! I always think I do…then my characters drag me down a variety of paths during story development. Sometimes we end up where I thought we would, other times we end up in an even better place.
Do you have any writing quirks?
I need quiet to write. Some people can tune noise out, or type to music, but not me. Which is probably why I do most of my writing before/after the kids are in bed. ;-)
What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your book?
As I was writing Flirting With Fire, I discovered that my main character Liz and I share a personality flaw: we’re both what I call “relational liars”—sometimes we hold back our true feelings to keep the peace. It’s a trait both Liz and I are now working to overcome…
How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?
I have four completed manuscripts. Two published romantic suspense books, one YA novel “simmering” until I can get back to it, and one contemporary romance that I’m shopping to find a publishing home for now. (In fact, you can read the first chapter of that one here: http://www.soyouthinkyoucanwrite.com/manuscripts-sytycw-2014/a-change-of-plans/ ). I’ve also got two other books in the works at the moment.
My favorite? Now that’s a tough question. They each hold a special place in my heart. But I think my favorite completed novel so far is the one I’m shopping around now. It’s the first time I’ve written in 3rd person him/her, and I had a blast getting into Brent Masterson’s head.
Fly that geek flag high! What is it you're currently obsessing over in the book, tv show, or movie world?
Oh, wow, tough question. Hmm. Well, as far as TV goes, my hubby and I have gotten sucked into the Game of Thrones series on HBO. It’s terribly addictive, even though I sit with my hands over my eyes through more and more of it as the seasons go on. LOL Book and movie-wise, though, I’m going through a Cassandra Clare and the Mortal Instruments phase. I devoured those books, and love how she seems to effortlessly paint the imagery of her worlds. I’ve moved on to the Infernal Devices prequel series now, and look forward to whatever her next series will be.
What drew your focus to men in uniform?
That’s a good question, because I really don’t know. I must have some deep-buried, secret attraction to them or something. Heck, who doesn’t? ;-) Seriously, though, when my first novel (Armed With Steele) featured a local patrolman, it was truly more out of convenience to the story than anything. I needed a way for the main character, Jessica Hartley, to get to the bottom of a near-fatal accident her best friend was in. In the early drafts, I had so much fun writing the scenes between Jessica and patrolman Nate Steele that I adjusted the story to fit them better.
Then when I began toying with the next book, I knew Liz Williams was going to be a massage therapist. And I loved the image of something imminent disrupting one of her sessions, and her client having to scramble naked off the table. And what better an excuse than a fire alarm going off? So, again, a matter of convenience for fireman Torrunn MacKay’s profession.
Now that I’ve written those two stories, though, I do find myself drooling over our local men in uniform a little more often than I used to. Perhaps the books “opened my eyes” to all I was missing. ;-)
Ok, so a policeman, a fireman, and...what's next?
Would you believe a sewer worker? At least, that’s what the story might lead you to believe…
Thanks so much for having me over for a visit today, Jen!
~Kyra Jacobs
All about Kyra Jacobs and where to find her!
| Kyra Jacobs is an extroverted introvert who writes of love and mystery in the Midwest. When this Hoosier native is not pounding out scenes for her next book, she's likely outside, elbow-deep in snapdragons or spending quality time with her sports-loving family. Kyra also loves golf, Guitar Hero, and thinking through plot twists while out on a good run. Be sure to stop by her website www.KyraJacobs.wordpress.com for links to connect with her on social media. Kyra lives in northern Indiana with her husband and two children. |  |
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