My most recent book, Dead Ringer, was released in November, 2022.
Synopsis:
Tyler’s fateful decision to drive drunk along a desert highway ends up killing Alessandra, the wife of deranged Italian aristocrat, Lorenzo Ferrara. But instead of getting the cops involved, Lorenzo blackmails Tyler into finding a replacement for his dead wife. Not only must she be a perfect match of the woman he hit, she must also be tricked into thinking that Tyler’s feelings are sincere so he can hand her over to the madman who wants to transform her.
Graphic evidence of an actual murder he didn’t commit forces the 27-year-old fishing boat captain to follow through with Lorenzo’s demands, ending with an online search where Tyler meets Jordan, a stunning 21-year-old dead ringer of Alessandra. Tyler, who was just doing his “job,” starts to scramble, however, as he finds himself falling deeply in love with the San Diego beauty.
Will Tyler follow through and trick Jordan into traveling abroad with him, so she can be trafficked by the guy she thinks is her fiancé? Will Lorenzo succeed in turning her into the “belle donne” of his psychopathic fantasies? Will Jordan’s dire situation ignite mental and addictive challenges of her past? And finally, will Tyler finally be able to make up for his brutal mistake and rescue the woman he loves?
Dead Ringer is a fast-paced thrill of a ride that takes place both in San Diego California and Italy’s Cinque Terra region. Readers may recognize familiar places and settings.
What inspired you to write a thriller novel in the first place?
I’ve always enjoyed a good thriller, as long as it doesn’t deal with demons or witchcraft. And since I tried my hand at children’s books when my own kids were young, I thought I would write an adult novel I would actually enjoy reading. A lot of what it is out there now, at least in my opinion, is too slow-paced to hold my interest and I oftentimes put the book down for good by page 70, or force myself to finish a story that I hope gets more interesting, which usually doesn’t happen. In other words, I love fast-paced, action-filled stories without a lot of fluff, and I think Dead Ringer delivers on both counts.
Are there any scenes in the book that actually happened?
Without giving too much away, all of the places in the story do exist, although the Villa in Italy’s name was changed. I vacationed in this 17th century villa in Levanto, Italy, so my descriptions represent a real account of the setting. The actual name of the place is Agriturismo Villanova.
One event that took place that I wove into Dead Ringer was an episode that occurred one night at dinner. We were dining late and the check didn’t come so my husband got up to pay the bill. The problem was, he didn’t come back to the table! I waited for over ½ hour, with no clue as to where he had gone and no way to contact him and no one to ask, as not a soul in sight spoke English. Turns out he hadn’t enough Euros to pay, and he went in search of what he thought was a nearby ATM without telling me. The ATM didn’t work, so he walked quite a ways to find another one, and got lost amid the curvy, dark streets of the village. I drew from that feeling of helplessness and abandonment to create a pivotal scene in the book.
Are all of the characters fictitious?
Yes, although their personalities are based on several people I know, who I refuse to mention!
Here are my muses for the book. I do not know these people, but this is how I imagined them looking.
Tyler.
This was my Lorenzo.
This is how I envisioned Jordan/Alessandra. Although this woman is older, her features resemble my character as you can see by the cover image.
What are your plans with this, and other novels?
As someone who enjoys writing more than promoting myself, of course, I want to devote all of my efforts towards creating more wonderful stories. But, that is not the best plan, because I realize that to get my books in the hands of eager readers, they need to know who I am and what I have created! So, I am devoting a fraction of my time to getting myself out there, which I know will pay off in the end.
And yes, there is at least one sequel and one completely different book in the works. Stay tuned for The Lorenzo Game and another thriller on the horizon.