A Taste for Killing? HK Sterling sure has ;)

I have another guest :) Today HK Sterling is here to talk about A Taste for Killing (a book, not an actual taste for killing lol).

Mystery and Romance blend together when competing detectives Carolyn Woods and Jack Heart are both hired to solve the murder of Pete Wallace, only to realize they are working the same case. To complicate things, Carolyn and Jack have an on again-off again relationship. Then there is Evan Jones, a handsome architect— but he's also a suspect. Can Carolyn manage to solve the case as more and more murders pile up? Will her relationship with Jack hinder their investigations? And what about Evan Jones? He seems like the perfect man, but could he actually be the murderer? One thing is for sure: someone close to both Carolyn and Jack has A Taste For Killing.

Please tell us a little about yourself.

I write under two pen names,one for younger adult books and the other for the more steamier adult books. H.K. Sterling is my pen name for these books and my current book, "A Taste For Killing which is a mystery/thriller. A short bio would be:

H.K. Sterling is an author with Breathless Press known for stories with a kick and twist endings. H.K. likes to focus her writing on suspense, science-fiction, shorts, and anything that is spicy and unexpected. H.K. lives in Virginia with her husband who graciously puts up with her passion for writing. H.K. currently has a Mystery Thriller out: A Taste For Killing; and two short stories in the Breathless Press Anthology: My Bloody Valentine. H.K is currently working on a sequel to A Taste For Killing and a Science Fiction book of short twists.

You can contact H.K. on the following social media:

Twitter: @HKSterling

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/HK-Sterling/426989014069244?ref=hl

Email: HK.Sterling@aol.com

HK Sterling "Undercover Blog": http://hksterling1.blogspot.com/

How did you come up with the idea for your book? 

I wanted to write a mystery/suspense book that also had romantic elements in it. My husband works in the construction industry so I decided to make that the main setting and it all just came together from there.

When did the characters first pop into your head? 

The main character, Carolyn Woods is a detective and she came from a lot of my own experience when it comes to insecurities LOL; Especially when it comes to dealing with men. Her strength at detective work though came straight from my head.

Without giving away any spoilers, was the story always straight forward for you to write, or did it pop up any surprises along the way? 

 I am both a plotter and a pantser so I had the general plot and ideas but then threw things in along the way. When you are writing that happens a lot. Characters and stories take on a life of their own and sometimes you are just along for the ride!

Where do you like to write? 

I have an office/library with a built in desk and floor to ceiling bookshelves. When my husband and I bought a house it was with the requirement that there would be a room he could make for me like this. It also has a wood stove. Its the ideal place to write. I could actually stay in here for days.

Do you read a lot? 

Yes. I started young and read everything I could get my hands on. That has informed my life in many beneficial ways. I give credit to some great authors for helping to shape my mind.

Who are some of your favourite authors? 

Harlan Ellison, Philip K. Dick, Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, Jorge Borges, Arthur Rimbaud, Pablo Neruda, e.e. Cummings.

And last but not least, have you any words of wisdom for aspiring writers out there?

Learn the ins and outs of writing; there actually are things you should and shouldn't do. Then write, write, write, without censoring. Then when you finally edit, stay ruthless.

Excerpt

He had six-pack abs, and I wanted to feel the carbonation. This one dressed like the stereotype of a construction worker, down to the handkerchief he used to wipe sweat off his forehead. I don't know if he or the hot day brought it out, but sweat poured off of me too. He had no interest in me as a person, though. I was invading his territory. Still, I enjoyed the view. For my part, I knew my clothes looked crappy. I didn’t have to wear uniforms anymore, but my street clothes, well they were very—street. So there I stood, a turd in the sun in front of this Adonis. Oh well.

He pointed to a small trailer up a muddy hill. The supervisor I asked to see apparently stayed in there. Stayed, as in never left. Great. Mud. Now I'd be a dried turd in the sun. Adonis went back to digging and I started the trek up the hill. At least I came with boots. Steel toed.

Once I made it to the trailer, I heard an argument going on inside.

"Look, I don't care who you are. The plans are publically filed. Go get them yourself!" yelled someone.

Then I heard a voice I knew. Calm, cool, subversive. "Is there any reason you're being so difficult? A man did die on your watch."

An encounter I hadn’t planned on. Well, at least not until later tonight. I knocked loudly on the door and with my sweetest voice said, "Hello, boys. Am I interrupting something?"

"Great," groused the supervisor. "A party." He appeared to me like another stereotype, puffing on a cigar over a fat jowl line and rotund stomach that threatened to overturn the small desk he was behind. I guess there's a reason for stereotypes. He looked about four hamburgers away from a heart attack.

On a wooden chair in front of the supervisor sat Jack. A fellow independent detective, an ally at times, a competitor...and my on and off lover.

"Well, well, well," he said smiling, but I could tell he wasn’t happy to see me. Not here. It meant we were both working the same case. "Hello, Carolyn. Who hired you?"

"Parents."

"Girlfriend," he answered back.

We stared at each other. Complications.

The supervisor didn’t give a damn and said to me, "Well, missy, I'll tell you the same thing I told this guy." He jerked his thumb around to Jack. "The plans are publically filed and that’s all I have to say about it."

I tried a different tactic. "That’s fine with me. I have no problem going downtown for a copy." I wore my practiced, saccharine smile. "But I wonder, could you tell me the name of the architect? Please?" I smiled again. God, this job sucks at times.

The supervisor sighed. "Jones, Evan Jones."

"Thank you so much," I said, smiling my best smile again. "I'll get out of the way and leave you two boys to...whatever you were doing."

I opened the door to go and started to shut it only to find Jack following me out.

"Sure, flash your tits and get what you want." Boy was he in a bad mood.

"There was no tit flashing in there. Face it, testosterone was not a good choice in that situation."

Jack's response: a grunt.

"Besides," I tried to placate him, "I didn’t get the plans either."

"No, you did one better."

"That's assuming the architect will have anything to do with me and cooperate." A thought occurred to me. "So are you going there too?"

"No, I might as well wait and see what you turn up. Besides, I have my own leads."

"Are you planning to share?" Just call me hopeful. As in full of shit, because that’s where hope always seemed to lead.

"No," he said, still grumpy.

"I see. So it's gonna be like that."

"I guess so."

I felt like such a female. Damn. But I had to ask.

"Are we still on for tonight?"

"Yeah."

I wasn’t convinced but didn’t push it. God, sometimes I hated myself. But we were good together—when it was good—when his competitive edge didn’t get the better of him. Though I was one to talk. I did the same thing at times. Hence our on and off status. But currently we were supposed to be on. So, I kept it light in the spirit of things to come.

"Okay, master detective, I'll leave you to your leads. See ya."

"See ya," he replied, already preoccupied, pondering a piece of paper he'd taken from his pocket.

I made my way down the hill in my muddy boots.