Elke Feuer

Deadly Race

December 19, 2014 1 Comment

“Deadly Race” by Elke Feuer

Blurb:

Race car driver Remy Borden likes fast things: bikes, cars, and men. Her plans to become the first woman from the Cayman Islands to race internationally gets sidetracked when she’s injured and pulled from the final race because of a fiery confrontation with another driver.

Life goes from bad to worse when the racetrack owner is killed and she’s suspect number one because his death puts her back in the race. But racing again proves difficult when Dr. Jackson Wilson insists she stop racing until she heals, making her wonder if his ‘doctor’s orders’ don’t have ulterior motives-the racetrack owner was his friend.

She and Jackson search for the truth behind the murder when accidents start happening at the racetrack, and an adoring fan gets too close. Soon the simmering attraction between her and Jackson boils over, forcing her to admit Jackson makes her think of a life beyond racing.

Excerpt

Chapter 1

The sun’s reflection cast mini mirages across the crushed rock racetrack. Humid air floated off the surface like steam, creating an illusion the surrounding landscape was melting—the trees, control tower, and fans in the stands. A light breeze blew small whirlwinds of white dust across the track, but couldn’t cut through the thick heat and humidity of a sunny summer day in Grand Cayman.

Stock cars lined up in the distance, a staggered rainbow of colors. Their drivers made last-minute checks or chatted with friends who hung over the edges of the truck tire barricade. Remy Borden soaked up every detail playing out around her, letting it permeate through all her senses. She never grew tired of the sounds of the gurgling car engines, or the repeated conversations from the drivers and spectators.

Her family wasn’t in the crowd seated in the stands, but she didn’t care. They never watched her race—too scared she might get hurt. The kids she taught and their parents were in the stands, and that was good enough for her.

She bit back the urge to laugh, jump up and down, and wave her hands in the air wildly like a child who’d just found out they were getting the gift they’d nagged their parents for.

She stroked the hood of her burgundy and black Toyota. “Ready for this, honey?” she whispered. It was a ritual she’d performed since she raced motorbikes as a teenager, connecting her to the machines the way gardeners believe their plants grow better after being talked to.

Her fire-rated jumpsuit was hotter than hell, but she didn’t care. Tingles ran up her arm when she lifted the helmet off the passenger seat. She tucked windblown strands behind her ears before sliding it on.

Her chest tightened as she slid past the roll cage into the seat and secured her safety harness. Her glove-covered hands trembled as they skimmed across the steering wheel.

Her gaze moved over the bare console and checked the temperature gauge and oil pressure, making sure everything was as it should be. Perfect.

Excitement shot through her at the feel of the engine roaring beneath her legs when she started the ignition. The other drivers made their way to the starting line and took their position based on their timed race. She cruised toward them and took her assigned place.

On either side of her were veteran racers, battle-scar David and lightning Adam. Directly behind her was crash test dummy Jason, and in front of her was cocky Sam. Jackass Sam was a better name for him. She couldn’t wait to make him eat her dust. Again.

Dirk, the racetrack owner, stood behind the barricades watching them like hawks about to attack prey they shouldn’t.

The track marshals were in position with their flags. The starting flag rose.

The cars around her roared and adrenaline surged through her veins as she revved her engine.

The racetrack stretched out before her and the cars blurred to nothingness. Sounds became a dull buzz in the distance. The light turned yellow, and then green, and she pressed the gas pedal.

* * * * *

**Connect with Elke Feuer:

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**Buy “Deadly Race”:

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Book Feature: A Kind of Mad Courage

May 10, 2014 1 Comment

AKindOfMadCourage A KIND OF MAD COURAGE

Nineteen authors from around the world were given six weeks or less to produce “a story involving a mother somehow.” The result is a gorgeously eclectic collection of tales that will make you laugh, cry, and truly appreciate the “mad courage” of motherhood.

Laura Chapman, Francine LaSala, Nikki Mahood, Heather McCoubrey, and Karen E. Martin each present unique takes on impending motherhood, while Sheryn MacMunn, kc wilder, and Julie Valerie portray the end of the journey. Samantha Stroh Bailey, Louise Wise, and Maria Schulz show the pride and peril of dealing with teenage daughters, while Elke Feuer, Diana Shafter Gliedman, and Donna Valenti demonstrate that a mother’s work is never done, even under the craziest of circumstances. Regina-Cash Clark, Wendy Janes, and Monique McDonellexplore the impact on lives in which mothers go “missing,” while Carey Heywoodand Jen Tucker warm your heart and tear it out, respectively.

THE STORIES

Hide and Seek – Samantha Stroh Bailey

Claire’s teenage daughter, Emily, goes missing on a birthday cruise, and Claire can only fear the worst from the lately rebellious teen…

Autumn’s Eyes – Regina Cash-Clark

June’s abandonment of three of four of her children, told in alternating points of view between June, and her oldest daughter, Edwina.

Oh Baby – Laura Chapman

Rocker Tuck and new wife Autumn return from Chapman’s “Ten Drummers Drumming” (Merry & Bright), now with a baby on the way.

The Sacrifice – Elke Feuer

Melissa learns there isn’t anything she won’t do to protect her children from the abuse and neglect of her alcoholic husband Roger…

Love in the Time of Cannibals – Diana Shafter Gliedman

Could a zombie apocalypse finally give rudderless Jessica the direction she needs–and the connection she craves? It will if her mother has anything to say about it.

A Poem for Mommy – Carey Heywood

In helping his young daughter craft a poem for Mother’s Day, a father beautifully recounts the story of the romance with her mother that led to them becoming a family.

Verity – Wendy Janes

After an accident means she’ll no longer be able to live on her own, septuagenarian Susan may need to divulge a secret she’s been keeping from Verity all her life.

Monkey Bread – Francine LaSala

Amy and Deck (Rita Hayworth’s Shoes) learn more about having babies than they ever wanted to know at a madcap family dinner celebrating President’s Day.

Last Words – Sheryn MacMunn

The bond shared between Ruth (Finding Out) and her mother, Eliza, is revealed, from the time of Ruth’s childhood before the War to the death of Eliza.

This Year’s Love – Nikki Mahood

Fallon and Abner are married, mortgaged, and expecting a baby any minute in this fun, heartfelt mini-sequel to Fallen.

Two Thousand Steps – Karen E. Martin

With the unsolicited help of a fairy friend from their childhood, two grown sisters – one with kids, one without – each get to walk a mile in the other’s shoes…

Emily’s Promise – Heather McCoubrey

Even though pregnant Emily’s life is shattered by Jason’s infidelity the night before her wedding, she’s determined to give her baby the best life possible.

A Tale of Two Mothers – Monique McDonell

How do you deal with the mother who abandoned you when she shows up out of the blue – and what does it mean for the woman who raised you? Chloe’s about to find out.

Like a Boomerang – Maria Schulz

Tess has been stressing out her mother, Charlotte, since the day she was born. But when disaster strikes during a campus Halloween party, it could prove the worst stress yet…

Heartstrings – Jen Tucker

Young widow Vicki’s no stranger to loss–and guilt, as another mother’s loss helped her daughter live. Will meeting up help them the two mothers heal? Or make matters worse?

In the Nick of Time – Donna Valenti

Iris may be dead but her insistence on looking after her children is far from buried. Will her husband Nick get it together? Or will Iris have to move Heaven and Earth to make him?

LLL – Julie Valerie

In this hilarious yet heartwarming story, words of wisdom from the game of Scrabble unite a daughter with her aging mother, a former Scrabble champion whose mental faculties are quickly fading.

Lady in Red – k.c. wilder

Her dying “Gran” is the only mother she’s ever known. But only when Gran is gone does a woman discover the woman her grandmother really was, and the secrets she hid.

Becky’s Mum – Louise Wise

Straight-A student Becky’s being pulled off the straight-and-narrow by her derelict boyfriend Darren. Will her mother’s wisdom sink in before it’s too late?

**Click HERE to buy “A Kind of Mad Courage” on Amazon!

*All proceeds benefit The Guthy Jackson Charitable Foundation.*

Deadly Bloodlines

March 15, 2014 2 Comments

BOOK BLITZ TOUR – Deadly Bloodlines

DeadlyBloodlines

Book Blurb: Years after leaving Cayman because of her notorious serial killer mother, Angel Mason returns as an inspector on the police force. On the twentieth anniversary of her mother’s capture, someone is murdered in the same manner as her mother’s victims.

To complicate matters more, Angel’s old flame, Bren McDougal, is assigned to help her with capturing the killer, and soon it’s undeniably clear that the passion between them is hotter than ever.

As the killer repeats her mother’s deadly pattern, Angel must face the terrifying truth she’d been hiding for twenty years.

**What people are saying:

“Elke Feuer skillfully keeps you guessing in this twisty-turny romantic suspense story about a Cayman investigator tracking a copycat killer-one imitating the crimes of a her own serial-killer mother. Suspenseful and satisfying!” ~Francine LaSala, author of The Girl, the Gold Tooth, & Everything.

DeadlyBloodlinesCoverPic

Excerpt of “Deadly Bloodlines”

Angel Mason sat on the edge of her bed and squished the thick caramel carpet between her toes, assurance the deadly grip of another nightmare was gone.

On the nightstand her phone vibrated, startling her. It was Dustin Williams, Chief Superintendent. The time, 6:30 a.m., flashed in red from her clock. She cleared her throat and prayed there was no trace of the bottle of vodka she’d finished off the night before in her voice. “Inspector Angel.”

“Dead body at Galleon Bay.” He never minced words.

“Some tourist die in their sleep?”

“No, looks like she was murdered.”

Brittle silence hung in the air as the words echoed in her mind like a broken record.

“Angel?”

“I’ll be there in half an hour,” she stammered.

“Good, I want this dealt with quickly. There hasn’t been a tourist murdered on the island since…”

“Since Meredith,” she finished for him.

“Yeah, and we remember how that turned out,” he said dryly.

The phone imprinted her hand as she squeezed it. No one had forgotten how it turned out, least of all her—no matter how hard she tried.

“I want you to collect the evidence,” Williams said.

“What? Why?” She didn’t normally question his decisions, but she hadn’t worked in forensics since she had been promoted to inspector.

“You’re the most experienced scene of crime officer we have.”

“I’ll take care of it, sir,” Angel assured him.

“Johnson, Sanchez, and Ebanks are already there controlling the traffic and crowd,” he said, his voice sounding miles away.

“Yes, sir.”

The phone went dead without a goodbye, not that she expected one. He didn’t converse beyond necessity, but she never took it personally. He was like that with everyone.

She went to the bathroom, took out the bottle of painkillers on the second shelf of the cabinet on the wall, and downed two.

As the pills made their way to her queasy stomach, she searched the cloud in her head for how she had gotten to bed last night. Leftover Chinese and drifting to sleep during the nightly news in a vodka-induced haze was all she remembered.

Horrifying screams and blood splattered across her hand paraded before her, remaining trickles from her dream, and the smell of blood filled her nose.

“No!” She gripped the edges of the porcelain sink to steady herself and clear her mind of the images. Her dreams were becoming more frequent and the vivid details lingering long after she awoke.

She let out the breath she was holding and splashed cold water on her face. The reflection in the mirror was an unwanted reminder that she couldn’t escape her heritage or the history that came with it, and there was nothing she could do about it.

Once she showered and got dressed, she pulled her hair into a ponytail. She walked down the short beige corridor to the living room and grabbed her keys off the hook on the wall. The cool morning air blew against her makeup-free face when she opened the door. She inhaled the salty air, and watched the sun peaking over the horizon of the ocean. They calmed her nerves as she made her way down the stairs and to her car. Starting the engine, she pulled out of the parking lot and towards the hotel where Meredith, her mother, had worked before she was arrested for murdering the guests.

**About author, Elke Feuer

Elke was born and raised on Grand Cayman and lives there with her husband and two kids who keep her on her toes. She has a sarcastic, quirky sense of humor not everyone gets, and is in a race to become the first Caymanian in space. When not writing, she’s helping other writers in Cayman through her organization CayWriters.

Author of For the Love of Jazz and Deadly Bloodlines, book one in her Deadly Series scheduled for release in March 2014.

She stumbled into writing romantic suspense because of her fascination with serial killers, but also writes other genres because characters keep telling her their stories and she’s a sucker for a crazy story.

**Contact Elke: Website Facebook Twitter Goodreads

For the Love of Jazz

January 7, 2013 4 Comments

Book review of “For the Love of Jazz”

“For the Love of Jazz” by Elke Feuer

Book Description:

Restoration architect Josie Fagan takes on a project with lawyer and senator’s son, Patrick Pullman. It’s the perfect match. She needs his endorsement to save her business and he wants to restore his ancestral Chicago home. Love wasn’t part of her plan. Neither was being asked to stay at his home, haunted by ghosts, or discovering she has a claim to his home – which she adores. When she finds out his family may be responsible for her aunt’s disappearance fifty years ago, it’s a race to unearth the truth before she loses not only her business and her heart, but also her life.

Patrick can’t deny his attraction to Josie and is willing to take a chance on love since his broken engagement a year earlier. Things become complicated when he learns of their family connection and her claim to the home he loves. He doesn’t believe in ghosts, or that his family is involved in her aunt’s disappearance, so insists they work together. But, when he starts seeing his uncle’s ghost, and threats are made on her life, he’s forced to confront the possibility his family could be responsible.

My Review:

I was very privileged to get to know Elke when we were both in a Gotham Writers’ Workshop class together, which is where got to read a small part of what was an early draft of “For the Love of Jazz!” Even after the class was over, I often thought of this story; there was something about the characters and story that haunted me and I wanted to know more!

When I received an early copy of “For the Love of Jazz” I was so excited and couldn’t wait to start it. When I did, it was late at night, so I thought I’d only read a chapter or two, but I was wrong — I read more than that. I was hooked instantly and with each page I turned I wanted to read more. Elke Feuer is a very talented and gifted author and it’s hard to believe that it’s her first novel. Her writing draws the readers in and makes it seem that you’re literally watching the story unfold and come to life before your eyes. “For the Love of Jazz” was a quick read that was filled with twists and turns, along with the constant thought of what the real truth was. I really liked all the characters, but Josie was definitely my favorite. I liked how she was wasn’t really afraid of anything and took chances, maybe even on Patrick…(sorry, no spoilers!). I also liked how there wasn’t too much detailed talk about the renovations she was doing to Patrick’s house. For someone who doesn’t now a lot about design, I was comforted in the fact that I didn’t need to have much background in design, which I found was a major plus.

It was my first romantic suspense and it won’t be my last! If you’re looking for an intriguing romantic suspense, “For the Love of Jazz” by Elke Feuer is the book for you!

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars!

**Contact Elke!

**Buy “For the Love of Jazz!”

Amazon – United States

Amazon – Canada

eBooks

iBookStore

**Click HERE to read Elke’s first guest appearance, then click HERE to read her second!

Book Cover Reveal – FOR THE LOVE OF JAZZ

November 27, 2012 9 Comments

I’m very excited to reveal Elke Feuer’s book cover of FOR THE LOVE OF JAZZ!

The ghosts of their aunt and uncle forge a connection through them, but is what they feel love or just the ghosts living out their unfinished lives?

**About the author, Elke Feuer:

Elke was born and raised on Grand Cayman where she lives with her husband and two wonderful kids. To her surprise, she enjoys writing romantic suspense, and even more surprising, writing about serial killers. She also writes historical, time travel and contemporary stories to even out her dark side.

Elke’s joy is reading, spending time with my family, traveling, and meeting people. Writing is her passion. She doesn’t have pets, but adores puppies and fluffy kittens, but doesn’t everyone?

**Contact Elke!

Elke Feuer

Crimson Romance – Elke Feuer

Facebook

Goodreads

Twitter

**The FOR LOVE OF JAZZ release date is December 24th!

Elke Feuer

November 12, 2012 9 Comments

Bio of the Author: Elke lives in Grand Cayman with her husband and two kids. She loves to spend time with her family, travel, and write. She stumbled into writing suspense, and to her surprise found she enjoyed it, along with writing about serial killers. Elke’s fascinated by them, and what motivates them to kill.

Just recently, Elke Feuer was thrilled and honored to find out I’m the only published Caymanian romance author. It’s such a great opportunity to help other writers on island.

INTERVIEW

Welcome back, Elke! What have you been up to since your first appearance? I had another baby, edited For the Love of Jazz and started another book, Deadly Bloodlines.

Your book, FOR THE LOVE OF JAZZ, has been picked up by Crimson Romance (Congratulations!), how did you find out that you’d officially be an author? An email in my inbox from Crimson saying they’d be happy to have my story.

How did you react, and who was the first person you told? I went in the bedroom and jumped up and down. I couldn’t shout because my daughter was sleeping. My in-laws were visiting at the time. It was about two weeks after I had my daughter. My husband and mother/father in-law were the first to hear the news.

Did you celebrate? If so, how? My best friend, Katie, treated me to lunch. She was also the person who encouraged me to submit while I was pregnant. I planned to put off submitting for another year.

At this point in your career as an author, what do you think has helped you the most? To keep believing in myself and don’t be deterred by rejection letters.

Now that you’re a mom of two, how has it changed your like? I have a lot less time to write than I used to. Thankfully, my daughter is an amazing sleeper, so I do get some writing time.

Some authors find reviews important, do you? From what I’ve seen and learned so far, yes. It appears most readers want to know that someone enjoyed the book before they buy it. On amazon it gets you in a higher ranking, so there are definitely perks to getting reviews.

In one word, how does it feel to say you’re an author? Fantastic!

What has been your favorite part this far in the publishing process? Meeting new people, especially the crimsonistas (other Crimson authors).

Do you have any plans on marketing your book, and if so, how? Yes, but there’s not enough room on your blog. LOL. I didn’t realize how many options they are to marketing your book and I plan to take advantage of as many as possible. I’ve done guest interviews, like this one, and guest posts. I’m in the middle of a blog hop and plan to do a couple more before and after the book is released. I’m currently trying to schedule a virtual book tour, a release party and on and on…

Without giving us any spoilers, what is your favorite part in FOR THE LOVE OF JAZZ? Hmm, that a tough one. Since I have to choose I’d have to say when Josie, the heroine, meets Patrick, the hero, parents. Sparks fly.

Can you tell us about any upcoming projects? My next book is called Deadly Bloodlines. I’m excited because it set in Cayman where I live. Here’s a sample blurb:

Angel Mason is the daughter of a serial killer who tries to redeem the sins of her mother by becoming a forensic officer. She returns to Cayman, running from a love she can’t possess.

On the twentieth anniversary of her mother’s capture, someone is murdered in the same manner as her mother’s victims. She is forced to work with the man she ran from and face the terrifying truth she’s been hiding for twenty years.

**Additional comment by Elke: Thanks for having me back, Isabella!

**Contact Elke!

**To see Elke’s first appearance, click HERE!

The Next Big Thing: Authors Tagging Authors!

October 19, 2012 18 Comments

Happy Friday, everyone! Whew! It’s been a long time since I’ve really blogged and I’ve missed it, and my followers! Thank you for being patient with me the last few weeks, but it’s been quite a busy time in my work and personal life. The good thing is that my office is almost finished, so I’ll be a lot more focused hopefully by the end of this month, (YAY!).

And now for something exciting…

Last Friday I was tagged by Jackie Bouchard of Pooch Smooches as part of a blog going around, called “The Next Big Thing.” It was a pleasure being tagged along with other wonderful authors. Below are the questions that are given to each other, along with my answers. While some of them were difficult to answer because I’m (very) shy and don’t like to talk about myself or my books, I had wonderful advice given to me by the ladies of a Facebook group that I started, Chick Lit Goddesses. We’d love to have you!

What is the working title of your book? Right now I’m working on edits for my books, “Redefined Dreams” and “The Right Design.”

Where did the idea come from for the book? I began writing “Redefined Dreams” while taking a creative writing class at Gotham Writers’ Workshop. One assignment was to start a story with “The window…” I had no direction at first for it, but I was a newlywed and still had wedding stuff on my mind, so the beginning story was easy, but then the characters started to “speak” to me and soon my characters came to life, as well as a story!

“The Right Design,” it was the beginning of October when I decided that I would participate in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). When I sat down to write this book on that first day of November, I knew I wanted my Heroine to be very different from the MC in my first book, but had no clue whatsoever what this book would be about, but that changed very quickly. I wrote this book as if I were the main character, so I guess you could say that I wrote the book about a life I have/had/wish I had and in some ways, want. For those of you that know me, I bet you’d be surprised, though only three people have read this book, (one of my closest male friends, my mom and my editor)!

What genre does your book fall under? Both of my books are a mix of Chick Lit/Romance

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition? I love this question! My dream is to write a book and have it turned into a movie, even if it’s on Lifetime, (only without Leann Rimes and Eddie Cibrian — if you don’t know the story, HERE is a summary). For “Redefined Dreams,” I’d have to say that Ashley Williams or Gennifer Goodwin would play Lucy, Eric Dane would play Jackson, and Nathan would played by Channing Tatum. For “The Right Design,” I would have Katherine Heigl play Carrie, Sandra Bullock to play Sara, Harry Connic Jr. would play Roger, and either Matt Bomer or Colin Egglesfield would play Brad.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book? What a great question! “Redefined Dreams” — Have you ever been engaged to a man who turns out to be gay, but you get over it by falling in love with your ex-wedding coordinator’s son, only to end up pregnant with his baby? “The Right Design” — What’s a better way to get over your cheating ex-boyfrind than to move to new city, only to be tempted by your client and not able to act on it because of the rules you’ve set for yourself, until he makes the first move?

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency? I’m still deciding. There are both positives and negatives about each choice, but there is one I’m leaning towards and that’s to self-publish!

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript? “Redefined Dreams” took me a full year, March of 2010 to March of 2011. “The Right Design” took me 30 days in November of 2011! (Participating in NaNoWriMo was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made).

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? I’d love for my books to be compared to Emily Giffin’s “Something Blue” and “Something Borrowed.” Those books are why I wanted to be an author in the first place. She’s an inspiration! I think that Emily is the most talented and beloved author in the Chick Lit genre.

Who or What inspired you to write this book? Like I mentioned before, Emily Giffin is an inspiration, but my husband inspired me write books one and two. He’s a constant motivator and pushes me to achieve what I think I can’t do, but knows I can. (Thank you, hubby!)

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest? My books aren’t just to entertain, but I want my readers to feel like they can relate to my main Heroine and/or the struggle she’s in. While I write for pleasure, I love to write for others who can finish my book and say, “Wow, that was great,” and the character and/or story sticks with them.

I was only supposed to tag 5, but I have so many awesome author friends that I wanted to include, so I tagged 6. Next Friday, the 26th, they will have answered the questions and tagged more authors, and so on. Be sure to check stay tuned and see who they tag!