Today it’s my pleasure to interview Trish Arcangelo,
author of Hard Miles, Chisholm Falls, Book 1.
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Date of Publication: 8/23/17
ISBN: 978-1-5092-1555-3
ISBN: 978-1-5092-1556-0
Number of pages: 180
Word Count: 45,550
Cover Artist: Diana Carlile
Tagline: It’s
a rough ride from dark past to second chance
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Book Description
On
the run from her psycho ex, Laurel Wheeler stops in Chisholm Falls, Texas for
snacks at a gas station just before it’s held up by two desperate criminals.
When one robber begins firing, a handsome stranger named Jase Miles saves her
life. Hoping to make a little money and thank her rescuer at the same time, the
broke Laurel agrees to a secret deal regarding Jase, who's the town pariah.
But
what starts as deception quickly turns complicated. Laurel begins to fall for
the brooding man who hides his pain behind a mask of indifference. And Jase
begins to fall for the sweet woman who, unlike everyone else in town, doesn’t
treat him like a monster. Then a careless mistake shatters the fragile trust
and their growing bond… perhaps beyond saving.
Let’s Interview...
How
did you come up with the title?
The
hero in the book is Jase Miles so the title HARD MILES is a reference to his
last name. But it is also a reference to
the difficult journeys that both Jase and Laurel have to go through to get to
their happily ever after.
What
made you choose the main setting for your book?
I’m
a born and raised Texan and I grew up in a town that was large enough to not be
considered “small” but was definitely not a big city. I created the town of Chisholm Falls using
that as my template. After all, is there
a better place than Texas to set a romance series with rugged alpha heroes?
Tell
us about your book cover and how it relates to your story.
The
cover features a waterfall, the falls that the town in Hard Miles is named
after and which also happens to be the scene of an event in the story. The cover also features a handsome man
without his shirt on, which is kind of my thing now. This is my third published book and so far
all included a bare male torso. I think
it’s a trend that should continue ;)
Are
you currently working on another story? If so, we’d love some details.
Yes,
Hard Miles is the first book in what will be at least a three book series. I’m currently wrapping up the second book,
which will be Lucas Chance’s story, the hunky bar owner in Hard Miles.
What
sort of personality does your hero have?
Still
waters run deep: that sentence pretty much sums up Jase. He’s standoffish and gruff, the town
recluse. But once Laurel takes the time
to get to know him she discovers a passionate, caring man beneath the façade.
What
sort of personality does your heroine have?
Laurel
is a spunky young woman with a sharp wit but her tough past has somewhat dimmed
her fire. Self-preservation is first and
foremost on her mind, until Jase comes along and has her throwing caution to
the wind.
How
long have you been writing? How long have you been published?
I
started focusing seriously on the craft of romance writing about six years
ago. I finished my first book at the end
of 2013 and was blessed enough to have it published in February 2015.
Do
you prefer to write short stories, novellas or novels? Why?
I
prefer to write novellas or short novels.
For me this is the perfect length, it’s long enough to develop the
characters and story, but short enough that it requires tight writing and
focuses on the main love story since there’s no real room for subplots. It’s the length I generally prefer to read as
well.
Excerpt
She
walked toward him then, with purpose. Once she was standing directly in front
of him, so close that he couldn’t pretend to ignore her, she’d said, “Just go
with it.”
Laurel
intended to kiss him then. He knew it. She was going to kiss him in front of
everyone, a declaration. It would have been an act of kindness, her falling on
the sword of a debt she thought she owed. The thought made him sick. He didn’t
want her kisses of pity. He wanted her to kiss him because she was driven to,
because she was mad for him. And though he’d do it again, even now he kicked
himself for stopping that kiss. If pity was the price of admission to another
taste of those lips, maybe it would have been worth it.
But
he stopped her. He put a hand out to halt her and then led her toward the
storeroom, his hand on the small of her back like a brand. Warmth pooled in his
dick from just that small touch. As soon as the door to the storeroom snapped
closed behind them Jase whirled her around until her back flattened against the
brick wall, snarling. “What game are you playing?”
Her
eyes went wide and the stunned look on her face almost had him apologizing,
almost had him begging to try the kiss again. “No games,” she whispered.
He
slammed his hands against the wall on either side of her head. “Defending me at
every turn, as if you’ve been made my personal savior. I don’t need any
paybacks for the gas station. We’ve been over this.”
“I
don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh?
Then what the hell was that little performance out there?”
Laurel’s
expression turned angry. God, she was even hotter when fiery and indignant.
Jase was careful not to press too close so he could hide his raging erection.
She
said, “Fine, I was just trying to help, you ungrateful—”
His
stomach and his erection fell. “You what?”
The
answering look on her face said she realized her mistake.
“So
it was pity?” He spat, shoving away from her.
“That’s
not what I meant, Jase.”
He
pulled her to him again, unable to decide what he wanted. “Isn’t it? Well,
then, by all means, baby, pity me.” And then he covered her lips with his.
About the Author
Trish
has been an avid fan of romance fiction since she "borrowed" a book
from her mother's stash when she was just a teenanger (it was Hearts Aflame by
Johanna Lindsey). She's been devouring
all genres of romance ever since. She
nursed a long time dream to write stories of her own and finally realized there
was no time like the present. After
completing and publishing her first book, a fantasy romance, in early 2015, she
is now writing a contemporary romance series.
A
native Texan, Trish lives just outside Austin with her incredibly supportive
husband and their incredibly spoiled dog.
Aside from romance fiction, her other loves include dogs, warm weather,
wine, playing trivia, and spending too much time on social media.
“This is war,” the dragon said. And she believed him.
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