Guest Post and Giveaway: Full Throttle (Black Knights Inc. #7) by Julie Ann Walker
Today we have New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Julie Ann Walker on the blog. Full Throttle is her latest book in her wildly popular Black Knights Inc. series! She is here to rev us up with an inside peek into this high energy, kick-ass, opposites attract, thriller of a romance! There's so much to see, so be sure to check out all the goods, including the amazing giveaway...a $50 gift card to the online bookstore of your choice and the entire Black Knights Inc. series! Wow!! Just fill out the Rafflecopter for your chance to win!
Thank you Julie Ann Walker for stopping by and visiting Swept Away By Romance, we loved having you!
She Needs a Hero...
Abby Thompson didn't sign up to be the daughter of the President of the United States. The position was forced on her by the small matter of her birth. Preferring a quiet life of study, she's content to leave the politics and the international intrigue to her father. Unfortunately, the most powerful man on the planet is sure to make enemies. When a group of armed thugs takes her hostage half a world away, demanding the U.S. government release prisoners in exchange for her safe return, she fears her father's policy of "not negotiating with terrorists" means she'll never see the shores of the Potomac again. Luckily, there's one glimmer of hope. His name is Carlos Soto. And though she abruptly ended things with him years ago, she knows now he's the only man who can save her…
Black Knights, Inc. to the Rescue...
Carlos "Steady" Soto has taken part in his fair share of dangerous missions working at the covert government defense firm of Black Knights Inc. But nothing prepared him for the emotional rollercoaster he faces when he's tasked with rescuing the only woman he ever loved-who also broke his heart. Racing against time and outmaneuvering a group of trained terrorists will take everything he's got. Plus there's the heat simmering between them which is threatening to ignite into an inferno. While ruthless enemies stalk them, they must learn to trust each other again. Even if they do make it out alive, will Abby turn her back on him... for the second time?
Available at: Amazon / B & N / iTunes
Abby Thompson didn't sign up to be the daughter of the President of the United States. The position was forced on her by the small matter of her birth. Preferring a quiet life of study, she's content to leave the politics and the international intrigue to her father. Unfortunately, the most powerful man on the planet is sure to make enemies. When a group of armed thugs takes her hostage half a world away, demanding the U.S. government release prisoners in exchange for her safe return, she fears her father's policy of "not negotiating with terrorists" means she'll never see the shores of the Potomac again. Luckily, there's one glimmer of hope. His name is Carlos Soto. And though she abruptly ended things with him years ago, she knows now he's the only man who can save her…
Black Knights, Inc. to the Rescue...
Carlos "Steady" Soto has taken part in his fair share of dangerous missions working at the covert government defense firm of Black Knights Inc. But nothing prepared him for the emotional rollercoaster he faces when he's tasked with rescuing the only woman he ever loved-who also broke his heart. Racing against time and outmaneuvering a group of trained terrorists will take everything he's got. Plus there's the heat simmering between them which is threatening to ignite into an inferno. While ruthless enemies stalk them, they must learn to trust each other again. Even if they do make it out alive, will Abby turn her back on him... for the second time?
Available at: Amazon / B & N / iTunes
Q & A
Julie Ann Walker gives us an inside look at Full Throttle!
1. Your hero from Full Throttle, Carlos, has certainly been on a lot of readers’ minds – pretty much from the first Black Knights, Inc. book. Tall, dark, handsome, smart, protective – talk about hero material! What do you like the most about this character?
He is hot with a capital H, isn't he? Especially when he croons love words in Spanish, we're talking muy caliente! *wink* I've been itching to tell his story for so long. And that's mostly because he's big and bad and alpha, but he's not afraid to show Abby - the heroine - how he feels. He wears his heart on his sleeve for her. And it's that little glimmer of softness in the midst of all his toughness that just... oh... it GETS to me! So that's my favorite thing about his character.
2. From the outside, it looks like your heroine Abby has lived a charmed life as the president’s daughter. But she has had to face some serious challenges. What experiences have made her a strong woman?
Abby is shy and reserved by nature - though she has a wicked sense of humor, which I love - so growing up the daughter of a lifetime politician, always being in the limelight, forced her to develop a tough skin. Plus, she's suffered a few losses, not the least of which was Carlos's twin, whom she'd come to love like a sister. I think both of those things combined to make Abby a heroine strong enough and tough enough to be worthy of Carlos, our kickass hero.
3. Carlos is a undercover agent and total badass saving women, children and, in some cases, the world, from disaster. Abby is a botanist who works as a type of diplomat visiting other countries, helping different people and cultures work together peacefully. Talk about opposites attracting! What brings these two together?
I love a good opposites attract tale. Mostly because it makes for great dialogue, interesting misunderstandings, and red-hot chemistry. In the case of Abby and Carlos, I think it was the chemistry that originally brought them together. But it was the friendship that developed between them, the genuine affection they had for one another, that made their relationship work despite the differences in their personalities. You can really see it all throughout the book. The two of them genuinely like and respect each other. Even when they're being shot at by a group of terrorists. LOL!
4. A lot of Full Throttle takes place in the Malaysian jungle where Abby and Carlos find themselves on the run from terrorists. How did you do research for the setting?
My husband and I spent a month touring Southeast Asia. We hit seven countries including Malaysia. We hiked, we biked, we sweated our asses off, and I took a ton of notes. I decided to set Full Throttle in Malaysia as opposed to one of the other places we visited not only because it is a large country with fascinating geography and culture that makes for excellent story-telling, but also because it's just gritty enough, just dangerous enough to make the plot of Full Throttle seem plausible. If you can't tell, I had an absolute blast researching this book.
5. Carlos and Abby have to get creative to get “close” in the jungle. Do you have any tips for avoiding disasters when romancing your significant other in the wild?
Ha! Avoid sandy locations. That stuff gets everywhere. Bug spray is your friend even though it's not very tasty. And for the love of all that's holy, don't do the deed anywhere a wild animal is likely to attack you. Can you imagine a worse unhappy ending than a lion, or a tiger, or a bear? Oh, my!
6. In your opinion, which is the sexiest scene in the novel?
Oh, that's easy. Without a doubt, the sexiest scene is the one in the jungle hut with the rain pouring down around them. I don't want get too spoiler-y, so I'll just say it's raw and steamy and oh, oh, oh so sexy. Grab a copy of this book for that scene alone. You won't be disappointed. LOL!
7. Another couple make a connection in the book, BKI member Dan and Secret Service agent Penni. Are we going to get their story? (Please, please say yes!)
Yes! In fact, I'm in the middle of writing their story right now. And talk about chemistry! Those two have it out the wazoo! I can't wait for readers to get their hands on Dan and Penni's story!
Thanks to Swept Away By Romance for having me on. What a treat!
Julie Ann Walker is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of award-winning romantic suspense. She has won the Book Buyers Best Award, been nominated for the National Readers Choice Award, the Australian Romance Reader Awards, and the Romance Writers of America's prestigious RITA award. Her latest release was named a Top Ten Romance of 2014 by Booklist. Her books have been described as "alpha, edgy, and downright hot." Most days you can find her on her bicycle along the lake shore in Chicago or blasting away at her keyboard, trying to wrangle her capricious imagination into submission.
Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads
Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads
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