When people ask me
what I do, I like to tell them: "I kill people off for a living." You
can imagine the looks I get. Sometimes I'll follow with: "Fictitiously, of
course. I'm a suspense writer." Sometimes I won't say anything else. Yeah,
I'm bad that way.
Writing thriller,
suspense, mystery and/or crime novels has always been my passion—especially if
I throw a pinch of supernatural or paranormal into the mix. I've always been
drawn to dark stories, ones that raise the hairs on the back of my neck or make
me glance over my shoulder. The two greatest influences in my writing life have
been Dean Koontz and Stephen King. Need I say more?
So what can I offer
you if you choose to read my books? I hope and strive to give you a satisfying
read, once that will impact you emotionally. If I can make you shudder or
tremble or wince or even cry, then I've done my job.
In SUBMERGED, I share
with you a very personal fear of mine—the fear of being in a car that's underwater
and not being able to get out. I have traveled long distances by car hundreds
of times during my life, twice from one coast of Canada to the other. Whenever
we're along a stretch of highway with a body of water beside me, my fear kicks
in. And I hold my breath…waiting…praying…
I want you to relate
to this fear. But even more, I want my characters to come to life. I want you
to feel for Marcus Taylor, a struggling recovering addict who has had his fair
share of grief and guilt. I want you to admire his strength, even in the midst
of his weaknesses. I want you, dear reader, to feel compassion for this man who
has lost his wife and son in a terrible accident, who blames himself for their
deaths, and who is searching for redemption, though he doesn't really know he
is.
I want you to cheer on
Rebecca Kingston, a mother on the verge of divorce who has left an abusive
husband. I want you to feel empathy for her because this decision, no matter
what others think, is not an easy one to make. I want you to cry with her when
she realizes she is physically unable to help her children who are trapped with
her in a sinking vehicle. And I want you to be holding your breath every time
Rebecca does.
Marcus and Rebecca
(and the others in SUBMERGED) may only be characters on paper, but they feel
real to me. I gave "birth" to them and watched them grow. With every
step they took, I wiped away their tears, hugged them and loved them. And, dear
reader, I sincerely hope you'll love them just as much.
Happy reading…with the
lights on…
Cheryl Kaye Tardif,
international bestselling author
PS: The Kindle edition
of SUBMERGED is available on Amazon from March 4th – 6th
for a special price during the Killer
Thriller Book Launch.
Learn more about me
and connect at:
Many thanks, Mel!! I appreciate you helping me spread the word about this event. By the way, there's something wonky with the Comments button...it was white so didn't show up against the backgound. I found it by accident. lol
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