Submerge Yourself in the World of Cheryl Kaye Tardif

When people ask me what I do, I like to tell them: "I kill people off for a living." You can imagine the looks I get. Sometimes I'll follow with: "Fictitiously, of course. I'm a suspense writer." Sometimes I won't say anything else. Yeah, I'm bad that way.

Writing thriller, suspense, mystery and/or crime novels has always been my passion—especially if I throw a pinch of supernatural or paranormal into the mix. I've always been drawn to dark stories, ones that raise the hairs on the back of my neck or make me glance over my shoulder. The two greatest influences in my writing life have been Dean Koontz and Stephen King. Need I say more?

So what can I offer you if you choose to read my books? I hope and strive to give you a satisfying read, once that will impact you emotionally. If I can make you shudder or tremble or wince or even cry, then I've done my job.

In SUBMERGED, I share with you a very personal fear of mine—the fear of being in a car that's underwater and not being able to get out. I have traveled long distances by car hundreds of times during my life, twice from one coast of Canada to the other. Whenever we're along a stretch of highway with a body of water beside me, my fear kicks in. And I hold my breath…waiting…praying…

I want you to relate to this fear. But even more, I want my characters to come to life. I want you to feel for Marcus Taylor, a struggling recovering addict who has had his fair share of grief and guilt. I want you to admire his strength, even in the midst of his weaknesses. I want you, dear reader, to feel compassion for this man who has lost his wife and son in a terrible accident, who blames himself for their deaths, and who is searching for redemption, though he doesn't really know he is.

I want you to cheer on Rebecca Kingston, a mother on the verge of divorce who has left an abusive husband. I want you to feel empathy for her because this decision, no matter what others think, is not an easy one to make. I want you to cry with her when she realizes she is physically unable to help her children who are trapped with her in a sinking vehicle. And I want you to be holding your breath every time Rebecca does.

Marcus and Rebecca (and the others in SUBMERGED) may only be characters on paper, but they feel real to me. I gave "birth" to them and watched them grow. With every step they took, I wiped away their tears, hugged them and loved them. And, dear reader, I sincerely hope you'll love them just as much.

Happy reading…with the lights on…

Cheryl Kaye Tardif, international bestselling author

PS: The Kindle edition of SUBMERGED is available on Amazon from March 4^th – 6^th for a special price during the Killer Thriller Book Launch.

Learn more about me and connect at:

Website: http://www.cherylktardif.com

Twitter: @cherylktardif 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cheryl-Kaye-Tardif-novels/29769736630

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Coincidence or Conspiracy?

I've always been a stickler for accuracy in details and this certainly applies when I write. A realist by nature, even though I deal in fiction, if it exists, I don't make it up. If it can't be done, don't expect any of my characters to do it. That said, roughly six months ago, while working on the seventh thriller of my Vigilante series entitled Femme Fatale, I wrote the following sentence:

The Boeing 777-300 came to a halt at Gate B59 of Roissy-Charles de Gaulle Airport’s Terminal 2A at 8:14 a.m. and Air Canada flight AC870 had arrived, sixteen minutes ahead of schedule.

The flight referred to in that sentence exists and the plane is really that particular model. Even the gate and terminal information are accurate. The sixteen minute thing, I made up just for fun.

By now, some of you are probably saying, "Whoop-Dee-Do. What’s your point?" To that, I say, "Hang on a second. That wasn't the weird part. It's coming. Chill." Moving along…

About two months ago, friends from Australia informed me they would be vacationing in Vietnam come spring and suggested we might do the same and hook up with them. My wife and I found this to be a terrific idea and started looking into flight possibilities. From past experience, I knew that flights to Asia from Montreal generally involve connecting in NYC, Chicago or Vancouver then heading west for twelve to fourteen hours over the Pacific. The weird part is getting closer.

After looking at possible flights, effectively going through Vancouver to either Seoul or Tokyo then on to Hanoi, we decided to contact a travel agent to see what she could come up with in terms of flight plans and price. To our surprise, the agent proposed heading east, connecting with our flight to Vietnam in Europe. Flying time would be about the same but we would be waiting a lot less between flights and leaving home a half day later. The price was the same so we went ahead and booked our trip. Now for the weird part…

Recently, while working through a final edit run of Femme Fatale before its release in March, I came upon the above-mentioned sentence and felt a sudden chill… I realized my wife and I would be on Air Canada flight AC870 to Paris in May, on our way to Vietnam…

Coincidence or conspiracy? I’m going for coincidence for now, but when I get on that plane, if I see a gorgeous redhead in a second row Executive First Suite, I’m going to freak…

~ ~ ~ ~

About Author Claude Bouchard: I was born in Montreal, Canada, where I still reside with my spouse, Joanne. I completed my studies in human resources, accounting and management at McGill University and worked in various management capacities in the fields of HR and finance for a handful of firms for what seemed like decades, because it was. I should also mention I love pizza, but who doesn't and, in my opinion, nothing rocks more than cooking on the grill.

My first stab at writing was in 1995, the result being my first novel, Vigilante. This was subsequently followed by The Consultant (1996) and Mind Games (1997), all of the same series. Professional obligations and other creative interests led me away from writing for a number of years but I found myself busy at the keyboard in 2009 with The Homeless Killer after having finally published my first three novels. I then followed up with 6 Hours 42 Minutes in 2011, also part of the Vigilante series born from Vigilante. In July 2011, I released ASYLUM, my first stand-alone novel and Discreet Activities, my sixth Vigilante crime thriller was published in January 2012. In October 2012, I penned and released Something’s Cooking, a faux-erotica parody and cookbook under the pseudonyms Réal E. Hotte and Dasha Sugah. I think I'm really starting to like this writing thing. My eighth novel and seventh installment of the Vigilante series, Femme Fatale, has just been released.

Besides writing, editing and promoting my work, I also spend some artistic energy with my five guitars, oil paints and watercolours. Other passions include cooking (big time with fine wine to go with it, of course), reading, traveling and working out just enough to stay fit. It should also be noted that following several years of practice, I now excel at being cat furniture for Krystalle and Midnight, or so they tell me.

Drop by for a visit anytime at http://www.claudebouchardbooks.com

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Let’s Play Villain, by Melissa Foster

How fun would it be to throw caution to the wind and do all the naughty things you have only thought about or worried over? Wouldn’t it be fun to tell off those that anger you without any need for restraint? How about pummeling the bullies who are bothering your kids? Bank robbery could be fun for some. Or maybe you want to dress the part, too. Throw on leather and chains and pull up on your Harley, smokin’ a doobie and drunk off your butt? To each his own, right? Obviously we cannot go around doing all of those things…but our fictional villains can. And where are villains born? In our clever little minds. So, let’s play villain.

What do you wish you could do? Who do you wish you could be? Would it be cool to be as cunning as Hannibal Lector? How about as badass as the Terminator? Or maybe your villain would go all Shades of Gray and their whip might be used for other things. Whatever your pleasure, don’t fret over being a hated villain, try being an empathetic villain! Maybe you’re misunderstood and you’ve gone over to the rough side of town because of that. When I create villains, I always give them some redeemable qualities. I like to be conflicted over my hatred of their evil doings. How about you?

Our dear readers are so precious to writers, because you are the ones we try to entice, excite, and surprise.  Your enjoyment is a writer’s motivation and inspiration. So share your fave villains with us! Who did you love to hate? Who could you simply not get past?

Here’s a fun (and weird) game for you to take away with you. Find a close friend and play VILLAIN. No, don’t go out and rob banks or pummel people in real life, but come up with who your villain might be, what they might look like, then combine them with your friend’s villain and see what you come out with. I think you’ll be surprised at how complex a villain can be, and brainstorming with friends only makes the villain more interesting.

My villain in TRACES OF KARA was derived from many sources and conversations with friends and readers—and I adore him.

Ready to play? Ready? Set? Go!

Melissa Foster is the award-winning author of  three International bestselling novels. Her books have been recommended by USA Today's book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the Women’s Nest, a social and support community for women, the World Literary Café. When she's not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on Fostering Success. Melissa has been published in Calgary’s Child Magazine, the Huffington Post, and Women Business Owners magazine.  Melissa also hosts an annual Aspiring Authors contest for children and has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC.

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