Kerri Nelson has always been passionate about reading books but when she wrote her first poem in the second grade, she discovered her love of writing. At the age of sixteen, she became a columnist for her local newspaper as the high school correspondent for the weekly "Panther Tales" column. She won the Outstanding Young Journalist of the Year Award for her efforts.
After an education and career in the legal field, Kerri began to pen romantic suspense novels with a legal or law enforcement theme. She is a true southern belle and comes complete with her dashing southern gentleman husband and two little belles-in-training. When she’s not reading or writing, you’ll find her baking homemade goodies for her family, feeding her addiction to blogging online or designing custom made book trailers. Kerri is an active member of Romance Writers of America as well as numerous Chapters including Southern Magic, Futuristic Fantasy & Paranormal, Hearts Through History, and Celtic Hearts Romance Writers.
Visit Kerri’s website at: www.kerrinelson.com
What do you find challenging about the genres you write?I think that the challenge to any genre is keeping the characters believable, the plot interesting, and the reader turning the pages. I've recently become particularly fond of writing paranormal books because you can just make up the rules as you go along. Since you're creating a fantasy universe, you can just let your imagination take over!
How would you describe your hero and heroine in this book?The heroine of this book is a work-a-holic who has let her personal life take a back seat to her career. As a New Year's Resolution, she wishes for a more exciting life. When she gets abducted by a sexy stranger, her life goes way beyond exciting and is literally turned upside down. She's a smart, beautiful woman who has a lot to learn about being careful what you wish for. The hero? Well, I'll let him be a surprise...but I'll tell you that he's sexy, passionate, and wears the cutest boxer shorts on earth!
How has your career in the legal field shaped the stories you write?My career in the legal field has had a direct impact on almost all of my stories. You will usually find either find law enforcement or legal field people woven into most of my books. It comes naturally for me to add these elements because I've studied and worked in that field for so many years. I also happen to think that hot cops make for great heroes! Who doesn't want someone to protect and serve them?
Blurb for Miss TakenTabitha Stuart is the ultimate professional businesswoman who may live in the city that never sleeps but manages to spend her Friday nights behind the desk at the accounting firm of Donaldson & Franks. On a snowy February night, she reminisces over her recent New Year’s resolutions. She’s worked hard to make partner in her firm but now she’s resolved to make her personal life more exciting. She wants to be more like her jet setter, risk taking sister.
As Tabby heads home for the night, she is abducted from her office’s parking garage and held captive by a sexy stranger named Steele. Tall, dark and mysterious Steele takes her to his Atlantic City Casino crime boss and Tabby’s life spirals out of control. She’s being accused of stealing a half million dollars from the casino. She knows that she’s never been there before and that her life is in danger, she must discover why she was taken and how she has ended up in a world that is not her own.
To survive this night, she must solve the mystery behind her abduction and escape from the clutches of the crime boss all while resisting the sexual temptations that she feels for Steele. If she makes it through the night, her life will never be the same. Some mistakes can’t just be erased…...
Excerpt:Tabby was dreaming. She knew she was dreaming but she couldn’t make herself wake up. She dreamt that she was in a straitjacket and the harder she struggled to free herself, the tighter her restraints became.
She shook her head from side to side and realized that something was over her mouth. It was gagging her and she suddenly felt as if she couldn’t breathe. She fought the urge to panic and began to cough frantically. Her tongue protruded from her lips and she felt something rough and unnatural there. What was going on?
As her eyes opened and tried to focus, she saw blurry images of unfamiliar furniture and she had the chilling sensation that she was in a strange place and that someone was watching her.
Suddenly it came back to her in a flash. She remembered leaving work and her missing car. She remembered the black Mercedes and then…and then she remembered nothing.
Where was she? How had she gotten here? Who had grabbed her out of her office parking deck and what were they going to do to her?
She felt panicked again and her stomach rolled with nausea. Her eyes darted around the dim room and then she saw him. She saw a beautiful man sitting in a chair across the room from her. He watched her with a mixture of curiosity and something else. What was it? If Tabby hadn’t been such a social recluse the last few years she would have been more certain but still she thought he looked at her with lust.
She blinked her eyes rapidly to help clear the remaining fog that seemed to be blocking her vision. She tried to reach up and rub her eyes and realized her arms were bound behind her back. She looked down to see that she was still wearing her work clothes, which felt like only a small relief when she saw that her ankles were also bound to the legs of the chair.
She shook her head from side to side and felt tears begin to well up in her eyes.
“Settle down now.” She heard the smooth voice of the mystery man.
Something about his voice did seem to calm her slightly but those words weren’t enough to stop the tears from spilling over her eyes and down her cheek.
* * * *
He rose slowly from his chair and reached out to her with just one finger. She felt herself automatically flinch as his hand reached for her. He stopped his hand in midair and her dark green eyes looked up at him with what she knew was a look of pure fear.
He seemed to consider her look and then said softly, “I won’t hurt you. I promise.”
Paty, Thank you for having me here today!
