SECOND CHANCE Discussion

Continuing our countdown to the release of SWEET JUSTICE, welcome to our discussion of SECOND CHANCE! Hope you’ll grab your favorite beverage and a snack, then settle back as we chat about Cole Mathison and Keeley Fairchild, along with some evil and just downright wicked people of Fairview, South Carolina. Beware: plot points will be discussed and spoilers will be revealed!

SECOND CHANCE holds a special place in my heart for a lot of different reasons. For one, it features my most tortured hero. If anyone ever earned an HEA, it’s Cole Mathison. I received more emails about Cole than any other LCR character. I wasn’t the only one who wanted to see him get a SECOND CHANCE at happiness. Cole is good guy who suffered and lost so much. Giving him his own book was a must!

Cole’s horrific experience in RUN TO ME was painful to write and to read. I didn't know until the middle of writing the book who that tortured man was...I thought, just like Shea and the rest of the world, that Cole was dead. When I realized who he was, I was determined to get him rescued but still had no idea if he would have his own book. Then when Shea is going through her things in that storage shed and comes across the newspaper article about Cole and his family, I hurt for him all the more. And that's when I knew I had to not only tell his story, I had to give him back everything he had lost.

And then came Keeley Fairchild--one of the more challenging female characters I’ve written. She wasn’t an LCR operative, she was a mom. She was also a bit naïve and not very sophisticated. I enjoy writing strong women and I thought she might be more difficult to write. Fortunately, Keeley stepped up. Her strengths weren't in physical prowess or street smarts. She wasn't a woman of the world. What I found was a woman with unique strengths--a woman who loved fiercely and loyally. Her love and devotion for her daughters was all-consuming and she was determined to get them back. She worked tirelessly to make that happen.

Cole’s need to help her find her children gave them a common bond. Though Keeley didn’t know the truth behind his need, it created a partnership that led to love.

Another difficulty I had with writing SECOND CHANCE were the children. I know many talented authors are able to write books where children are harmed and it works fine for them. I can’t do that. I can write vaguely of certain aspects of abuse, but I can’t hurt a five year old child, even in words. That became a challenge on its own. Thankfully, having them kidnapped and sold to families fit perfectly for the storyline. The children were never meant to be hurt—their mother was the real target.

Many people say they knew who the real villain was from the beginning. Some guessed but weren’t sure and then some had no idea. Honestly, I didn’t know until the middle of the book. My goodness, there were so many choices. The evil mother-in-law, the too good best friend or the secretive sister-in-law. Or it could have been some surprise unknown villain from the town. And wasn’t Wesley Tuttle deliciously slimy? I must say that his demise caused me no problem to write at all.

One of the many things I loved about SECOND CHANCE was the opportunity to revisit characters from previous LCR books. Eden and Jordan, Shea and Ethan and, of course, Noah. I loved catching up with them and finding out what they’d been doing. And I enjoyed introducing a new character--FBI agent Honor Stone. She intrigued me from the beginning and I just knew she had a story to tell. Especially when she mentioned to Cole that she’d had a bad break-up. And man, did she ever! (A little plug for SWEET JUSTICE. Can’t wait for you to read her story!)

Another challenge I had with SECOND CHANCE was the romance. I love reading and writing sensual love stories. However, having this sensual love story happen while Keeley’s children were missing was somewhat difficult to pull off. Thankfully, (although I know some disagreed) I think the way the story played out very well for both characters. If they had stopped searching for the children just to play around with each other, that would have been one thing. But making love and finding comfort in physical intimacy is a very human and natural thing. And it helped create a bond between them. When Keeley learned the truth, a level of extreme trust had already been established. Go back and read the hotel love scene with the mirror. Now that takes trust!

One of the more delightful aspects of this book for me was the confrontation between Cole and Elizabeth Fairchild. What fun I had with that scene! At last, someone was telling the woman the truth and not kowtowing to her because of her wealth and influence. I don't know how many times I laughed as I wrote that scene!

So, what about you? Do you have a favorite scene, line or moment in SECOND CHANCE? What aspects of the story do you want to talk about? Was there something you would have liked to have happen that didn't? Any questions for Cole, Keeley or any of the other characters? (I'll even ask Wesley, if you have something for him.)

I’ll come back in a few hours and post a SECOND CHANCE trivia game. Winner will receive a signed copy of the 2010 trilogy.

And one blog commenter will receive a signed copy of SECOND CHANCE and a $25 Amazon card.

Now, let’s chat!