Good Morning, Booklovers!
Beautiful day in the Midwest! Blues skies, temperature in the upper 70s! Perfect weather for meeting on the deck for book talk with Addison Brae, this week’s guest author, who brought along her featured romantic suspense novel, Dark Energy.
Welcome, Addison! How do you take your coffee?
AB: Thanks for letting me join you for the Coffee Chat today, Ally. I start most days with a rich flavored coffee topped off with half & half.
Ally: We’re glad to have you. While I get our coffees, please tell readers something about yourself.
Beautiful day in the Midwest! Blues skies, temperature in the upper 70s! Perfect weather for meeting on the deck for book talk with Addison Brae, this week’s guest author, who brought along her featured romantic suspense novel, Dark Energy.
Welcome, Addison! How do you take your coffee?
AB: Thanks for letting me join you for the Coffee Chat today, Ally. I start most days with a rich flavored coffee topped off with half & half.
Ally: We’re glad to have you. While I get our coffees, please tell readers something about yourself.
BIIO:
Addison Brae lives in Dallas, Texas on the edge of downtown. She has been writing since childhood and continues today with articles, video scripts, and other content as an independent marketing consultant. Addison enjoys traveling, collecting interesting cocktail recipes, reading, jogging in her neighborhood park, sipping red wine, binge-watching TV series, vintage clothing, and hanging out with her artistic other half and their neurotic cat Lucy.
Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio. “Dark Energy and Becker Circle take place in the bar scene. When I was writing these books, I had no idea restaurant and bar employees and owners – and musicians too – would struggle so much (during the pandemic). If you’re missing your favorite restaurant or bar hangout, these books pay tribute to both and are a nice virtual outing for readers. And please support your local restaurants and bars as much as you can. They need you!’
Connect with Addison:
Connect with Addison on her website, Tirgearr Publishing, Amazon, BookBub, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Text “AddisonBrae” to 888.431.1137 or visit addisonbrae.com/contact and be the first to receive a text message (no more than 1 per month) on book launches, appearances, and book sales.
Addison Brae lives in Dallas, Texas on the edge of downtown. She has been writing since childhood and continues today with articles, video scripts, and other content as an independent marketing consultant. Addison enjoys traveling, collecting interesting cocktail recipes, reading, jogging in her neighborhood park, sipping red wine, binge-watching TV series, vintage clothing, and hanging out with her artistic other half and their neurotic cat Lucy.
Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio. “Dark Energy and Becker Circle take place in the bar scene. When I was writing these books, I had no idea restaurant and bar employees and owners – and musicians too – would struggle so much (during the pandemic). If you’re missing your favorite restaurant or bar hangout, these books pay tribute to both and are a nice virtual outing for readers. And please support your local restaurants and bars as much as you can. They need you!’
Connect with Addison:
Connect with Addison on her website, Tirgearr Publishing, Amazon, BookBub, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Text “AddisonBrae” to 888.431.1137 or visit addisonbrae.com/contact and be the first to receive a text message (no more than 1 per month) on book launches, appearances, and book sales.
INTERVIEW:
Ally: Who or what inspired your featured book?
AB: After getting out of a really bad marriage, I moved into an apartment community where lots of us were in various stages of fresh starts for many different reasons. Meeting so many smart, successful, flawed people made me realize that no matter the situation, fresh starts are all very similar. We experiment. Screw up. Each mistake takes us to where we’re supposed to be. This is exactly what happens with Gillian when she moves to Becker Circle. Readers convinced me to create more adventures for Gillian in the sequel called Dark Energy, Return to Becker Circle. Gillian and her friends get sucked into even more romance, bar antics, and dangerous cybercrime. While the heroine is fresh out of college, both novels are very much about starting over on your own terms and at any age.
Ally: What is the hardest part of writing?
AB: My natural instinct is to write in first person, present tense because I very much like to live in the moment. That means the page only shows what the main character knows. In a thriller, mystery or suspense, keeping track of who knows what is constant. I challenge myself to write this way because many readers like to see, hear, smell with the main character and experience the suspense right along with her. They feel the joy, pleasure, fear, and pain at the same time, which can make it even more rewarding to escape into a fictional world.
Ally: Are people you know models for your book characters? In what way?
AB: Everyone in the book is purely fiction. Characters are mashups of people I know. Some are based on stories I’ve heard. Some, like Whistle Bitch, are inspired by real people She was a real bartender we met at an all-night bar/diner in Seattle near the Space Needle. She whistled while she worked and earned the nickname from her coworkers. Gillian, the heroine, has a mix of traits I admire in women I know, a little of me, and lots of imagination. She’s a badass that many readers find inspiring and her flaws make her real. Gillian’s best quality—if she makes a promise, she’ll do whatever it takes to keep it.
Ally: Do you read reviews of your books? Do you respond to them? Are you affected by them?
AB: Yes, I read and appreciate each and every review. I take them as guidance and learn from them without being overly sensitive. It’s empowering to get your first not-so-great review out of the way so you can move on. When you are moved by a book, please take a moment and write a review on the site where you purchased the book or on Goodreads.
Ally: What is your most frequently used source of information? Why? What are its benefits?
AB: I dive into the story’s setting. I wrote a good bit of Dark Energy and Becker Circle sitting at bars around the United States. Talking to bartenders and patrons was truly inspiring since much of the story takes place around the bar scene. For both books, I did deep research on the web and talking with experts about the drug Molly/MDMA, cybercrime, cryptocurrency and cryptojacking, and the FBI cyber unit. On a lighter note, while creating Gillian’s character, I researched middle-America towns near metropolitan areas that fit Gillian’s roots and found Sugar Creek, Missouri and also visited it.
Ally: What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
AB: There are many projects in progress. The next one will be a young adult contemporary fiction that I hope my publisher will release in late 2021 or early 2022. Stripped of her Olympic gold, figure skating career, and even her identity, Docia must disprove the vicious adoption scandal threatening to end far more than her dreams. The speculative romantic thriller I’m writing now explores how mainstream use of artificial intelligence will affect relationships. It’s terrifying to write. You’ll never look at your Alexa or Siri the same again.
Ally: Which of the trivia questions did you choose to answer?
AB:
Ally: Who or what inspired your featured book?
AB: After getting out of a really bad marriage, I moved into an apartment community where lots of us were in various stages of fresh starts for many different reasons. Meeting so many smart, successful, flawed people made me realize that no matter the situation, fresh starts are all very similar. We experiment. Screw up. Each mistake takes us to where we’re supposed to be. This is exactly what happens with Gillian when she moves to Becker Circle. Readers convinced me to create more adventures for Gillian in the sequel called Dark Energy, Return to Becker Circle. Gillian and her friends get sucked into even more romance, bar antics, and dangerous cybercrime. While the heroine is fresh out of college, both novels are very much about starting over on your own terms and at any age.
Ally: What is the hardest part of writing?
AB: My natural instinct is to write in first person, present tense because I very much like to live in the moment. That means the page only shows what the main character knows. In a thriller, mystery or suspense, keeping track of who knows what is constant. I challenge myself to write this way because many readers like to see, hear, smell with the main character and experience the suspense right along with her. They feel the joy, pleasure, fear, and pain at the same time, which can make it even more rewarding to escape into a fictional world.
Ally: Are people you know models for your book characters? In what way?
AB: Everyone in the book is purely fiction. Characters are mashups of people I know. Some are based on stories I’ve heard. Some, like Whistle Bitch, are inspired by real people She was a real bartender we met at an all-night bar/diner in Seattle near the Space Needle. She whistled while she worked and earned the nickname from her coworkers. Gillian, the heroine, has a mix of traits I admire in women I know, a little of me, and lots of imagination. She’s a badass that many readers find inspiring and her flaws make her real. Gillian’s best quality—if she makes a promise, she’ll do whatever it takes to keep it.
Ally: Do you read reviews of your books? Do you respond to them? Are you affected by them?
AB: Yes, I read and appreciate each and every review. I take them as guidance and learn from them without being overly sensitive. It’s empowering to get your first not-so-great review out of the way so you can move on. When you are moved by a book, please take a moment and write a review on the site where you purchased the book or on Goodreads.
Ally: What is your most frequently used source of information? Why? What are its benefits?
AB: I dive into the story’s setting. I wrote a good bit of Dark Energy and Becker Circle sitting at bars around the United States. Talking to bartenders and patrons was truly inspiring since much of the story takes place around the bar scene. For both books, I did deep research on the web and talking with experts about the drug Molly/MDMA, cybercrime, cryptocurrency and cryptojacking, and the FBI cyber unit. On a lighter note, while creating Gillian’s character, I researched middle-America towns near metropolitan areas that fit Gillian’s roots and found Sugar Creek, Missouri and also visited it.
Ally: What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
AB: There are many projects in progress. The next one will be a young adult contemporary fiction that I hope my publisher will release in late 2021 or early 2022. Stripped of her Olympic gold, figure skating career, and even her identity, Docia must disprove the vicious adoption scandal threatening to end far more than her dreams. The speculative romantic thriller I’m writing now explores how mainstream use of artificial intelligence will affect relationships. It’s terrifying to write. You’ll never look at your Alexa or Siri the same again.
Ally: Which of the trivia questions did you choose to answer?
AB:
- most watched tv show: Sex and the City
- color of nail polish you have on: Dark Matter by Live Love Polish
- last time you rode a train (not subway): Picturesque Amtrak oceanfront ride from Seattle to Vancouver
- Your pets: She’s a neurotic cat with a huge vocabulary named Lucy that’s 11 going on 6 months.
- best place you’ve ever visited: The Greek island Santorini is simply the most beautiful place on the planet.
Dark Energy
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Rating: R
Cybercrime doesn’t talk. It creeps in and destroys lives right under Gillian’s nose when a cryptojacking scheme lands her boss, Pinkie, in jail. Gillian had just started over with a new career, boyfriend, and confidence after escaping a vicious murder investigation that shattered her ability to trust. Then Pinkie’s arrest leaves her struggling to run his two bars while also unraveling the conspiracy.
Gillian will not let her mentor and friend go down for something he didn’t do. Neither will Jon, the most talented musician on the bar’s stage and the perfect boyfriend...until his good fortune sends her reeling. Gillian forces herself to trust the cops, people who hurt her, and known criminals. Will it be enough to free Pinkie and save her life?
Watch the book trailer https://youtu.be/tK0s7Y6FP2Y.
Where to buy Dark Energy:
Publisher: https://tirgearrpublishing.com/authors/Brae_Addison/dark-energy.htm?fbclid=IwAR3JxFrd2hK60VSCx47QlVSh3hy-jNzQCWgxQIfeF9hPjs5zXxHSBaXppEs
Amazon https://amzn.to/2YSkP6H
Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dark-energy-addison-brae/1137002173
iBooks https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9780463686379
Kobo https://store.kobobooks.com/search?Query=9780463686379
Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1021319
Author proceeds go to Hope’s Door New Beginning Center to help fight domestic abuse.
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Rating: R
Cybercrime doesn’t talk. It creeps in and destroys lives right under Gillian’s nose when a cryptojacking scheme lands her boss, Pinkie, in jail. Gillian had just started over with a new career, boyfriend, and confidence after escaping a vicious murder investigation that shattered her ability to trust. Then Pinkie’s arrest leaves her struggling to run his two bars while also unraveling the conspiracy.
Gillian will not let her mentor and friend go down for something he didn’t do. Neither will Jon, the most talented musician on the bar’s stage and the perfect boyfriend...until his good fortune sends her reeling. Gillian forces herself to trust the cops, people who hurt her, and known criminals. Will it be enough to free Pinkie and save her life?
Watch the book trailer https://youtu.be/tK0s7Y6FP2Y.
Where to buy Dark Energy:
Publisher: https://tirgearrpublishing.com/authors/Brae_Addison/dark-energy.htm?fbclid=IwAR3JxFrd2hK60VSCx47QlVSh3hy-jNzQCWgxQIfeF9hPjs5zXxHSBaXppEs
Amazon https://amzn.to/2YSkP6H
Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dark-energy-addison-brae/1137002173
iBooks https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9780463686379
Kobo https://store.kobobooks.com/search?Query=9780463686379
Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1021319
Author proceeds go to Hope’s Door New Beginning Center to help fight domestic abuse.
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