Interview with Kristine Cayne

Title: Deadly Addiction

Deadly Vices #2

Author: Kristine Cayne

Publisher: Self-Published

Release Date: April 23, 2012

Pages: 280

Buy Here: Amazon/Barnes & Noble

-I would definitely buy this book it's only $3.99 for the e-copy and is SO worth it!

Rémi Whitedeer, police officer turned substance-abuse counselor, dreams of restoring order to his tribe. Violence and crime are rampant throughout the unpoliced Iro

quois reserve, and a civil war is brewing between the Guardians, a militant traditionalist group, and other tribal factions. As the mixed-race cousin of the Guardians’ leader, Rémi is caught in a no-man’s land—several groups lay claim to him, but all want him to deny his white blood.


A maverick cop on an anti-drug crusade.

When she infiltrated the Vipers to take down the leader of the outlaw biker gang responsible for her brother’s death, police sergeant Alyssa Morgan got her man. But her superiors think she went too far. Her disregard for protocol and her ends-justify-the-means ethics have branded her an unreliable maverick. To salvage her career, she accepts an assignment to set up a squad of native provincial officers on a reserve.


A radical sovereigntist bent on freeing a nation.


Decades of government oppression threaten the existence of the Iroquois Nation. But one man, Chaz Whitedeer, is determined to save his people no matter what the price, even if it means delving into the shadowy world of organized crime.

When Rémi and Alyssa uncover the Guardians’ drug-fueled scheme to fund their fight for true autonomy—a scheme involving the Vipers—Rémi must choose between loyalty to family and tribe or his growing love for Alyssa.


Can Rémi and Alyssa leave everything behind—even their very identities—for a future together?

Interview

Kayla: Hey everyone, give a warm welcome to one of my favorite Authors, Kristine Cayne. Kristine is here with us today at Bengal Reads to talk with us about her new release Deadly Addiction.

Kristine: Kayla, I’m excited to be here at Bengal Reads today. It’s always exciting to meet new readers and talk about my books and my writing career. Fire away!


Kayla: Did the romantic suspense genre pick you or did you pick it?

Kristine: Romantic suspense most definitely picked me. I used to read a lot of historical romances and couldn’t get interested in contemporary romances. I think it must have been because all too often the conflicts are flimsy. Think about it, in modern times, there are very few reasons why two people who want to be together can’t. But then one day, I came across Cherry Adair’s Kiss and Tell, and that’s when I fell in love with romantic suspense. When I started writing, I knew that was the genre for me. Although, someday I may attempt to write a paranormal romance. I find that there are many similarities between the two genres.

Kayla: How long have you been a writer?

Kristine: I started writing in 2006, but didn’t get too serious until about 2009.

Kayla: What do you think of self-publication vs. traditional publication?

Kristine: Every writer needs to decide for herself which path is right for her. The most amazing thing about the current times is that writers now have a choice! And it doesn’t have to be one or the other. Many writers are choosing to mesh both paths and are doing so very successfully. A word of caution: writers that decide to self-publish need to do it right. Start with a great book, have it edited, get a professional cover, and have your book professionally formatted if you cannot do it yourself.

Kayla: How was the cover to your new release picked?

Kristine: Because I have no artistic skills whatsoever, I work with a professional cover designer (Scarlett Rugers Design). She first reads my book and then suggests three approaches. After I pick one, she sends me a mockup. We then go through several iterations until we reach a point where I’m happy with the cover. This can sometimes mean changing the images, or even starting over. I’m very pleased with both my book covers and my fabulous FB banner!

Kayla: What was your favorite scene to write is Deadly Addiction?

Kristine: There are three scenes in Deadly Addiction that I’d say were the most fun to write. If I had to pick one, I’d have to say it was a certain love scene by the river. It’s a great mix of seriousness and humor. And it didn’t hurt that all the while I had this image of Rémi (Markus Schenkenberg) in my mind. Imagine him holding onto a branch instead of a shower curtain and without the benefit of a towel covering the good parts? Oh my!

Kayla: Which one your books has been your favorite to write?

Kristine: I don’t have a single favorite, because they all are. I even have a great time writing my short stories because each allows me to explore something different. Deadly Obsession was a great book for me to write because I’d had the story in my mind for so long. Nic and Lauren kept poking at me every day, urging me to tell their story. I learned a lot from writing it, and since it was my first, it will always be special to me. With Deadly Addiction, I got to learn a lot about the Iroquois, and the Mohawks in particular. I did a lot of fascinating research, including a drive-along with a tribal police officer. The ties between the characters are closer and I had the opportunity to explore my villain in great detail since he was already a part of the hero’s life. In a writing workshop, I learned that the villain thinks he is the hero of the story, and that certainly is the case in this book. Chaz is the perfect foil to Rémi.

Kayla: What things have you learned that you would tell to aspiring writers?

Kristine: The best advice I can give to aspiring writers is to keep learning and keep writing. Attend conferences and workshops. Take craft classes and learn the business. Whether you decide to go the self-publishing route or the traditional publishing route, there is a lot to learn about how the industry works and how to market your books.

Kayla: Have you had a lot of reader interaction?

Kristine: I’ve had readers contact me online to let me know they read my book and enjoyed it. That’s always fun! And I’ve been lucky that many readers have written reviews whether on Amazon, B&N, Goodreads or their own blogs. I do read the reviews, both good and bad and I try to learn from all of them. For Deadly Addiction, I had the good fortune to find four fabulous beta readers who all provided excellent feedback.

Kayla: What is your favorite part of being an Author?

Kristine: My favorite part about being an author is that I get to experience life as someone else, explore new cultures and societies, learn about new countries and professions. I get to explore the world and be whatever I want to be. I’m only limited by my imagination.

Kayla: Who is your inspiration?

Kristine: There are so many wonderful authors out there that it’s difficult to pinpoint just one. However, someone that has been very motivating for me is Cherry Adair, not only because her books were the first romantic suspense books I loved, but because she shares so much of herself with new and aspiring writers. Her “Finish the Damn Book” contest pushed me to write Deadly Obsession. It was also the catalyst for me to get Deadly Addiction done.

Kayla: Where do you get the ideas for your books?

Kristine: My stories usually spark some from event in real life. For Deadly Obsession, I got the idea when reading about celebrities and their groupies. The idea for Deadly Addiction has been one I’ve had in mind for some time. I grew up in the area where the story takes place, and the tensions between the local First Nations and the provincial police are well known. I created a story that allowed me to explore these tensions, the reasons behind them and how they continue to affect the current generation.

Kayla: Okay I know it's a lot of questions, I just couldn't stop myself lol.

Kristine Cayne is fascinated by the mysteries of human psychology—twisted secrets, deep-seated beliefs, out-of-control desires. Add in high-stakes scenarios and real-world villains, and you have a story worth writing, and reading.

The heroes and heroines of her Deadly Vices series are pitted against each other by their radically opposing life experiences. By overcoming their differences and finding common ground, they triumph over their enemies and find true happiness in each other’s arms.

Today she lives in the Pacific Northwest, thriving on the mix of cultures, languages, religions and ideologies. When she’s not writing, she’s people-watching, imagining entire life stories, and inventing all sorts of danger for the unsuspecting heroes and heroines who cross her path.

Find Kristine Here:
Goodreads
Website
Blog
Twitter
Facebook

Kristine thanks so very much for visiting and for sharing that delicious picture! It does look like Remi'. I have really enjoyed this Interview. Deadly Obsession and Deadly Addiction have been awesome! Feel free to leave a comment or question for Kristine or a comment on the delicious picture of that hunk of man above!