Sharon Donovan, Author, Echo of a Raven, Touched by an Angel, The Claddagh Ring, Lasting Love, Mask Of The Betrayer, Her Biggest Fan also 'Charade Of Hearts' and 'Kiss Of Death' - starring 'Oliver'- Suspense, Intrigue, Inspirational Romance.
Sharon's INSPIRATIONAL Short stories of Faith and Romance can be found HEREor visit her Facebook Page, which also has the links in the comments.)
Showing posts with label psychological thriller. Show all posts
Showing posts with label psychological thriller. Show all posts
Did you feel the earth move last week during the earth quake? Many might have experienced a little rocking and rolling as it affected at least 22 states. I live in Pittsburgh, so you can imagine my shock. As most days, I was seated at my computer, typing away, totally amerced in what I was writing, blocking out the world.
As an author, character development is key in making a story come to life on paper. I spend so much time inside my characters’ heads, working out their personality traits, their likes and dislikes, solving their problems, they become as real to me as dear friends and I get attached to them. When I’m having trouble working out a scene or character flaw, I literally place it in the hands of my muse and wait. Sometimes the problem will be resolved through a dream. I spend so much time with them, they often star in my dreams. Or in the case of Michael DeVeccio from MASK OF THE BETRAYER My nightmares.
Setting the scene is equally as vital to the story. It sets the mood and tone of the book after all. For the last several months, I’ve lost myself in research for a romantic suspense starring Detective Oliver. In this book, he works quite closely with a mediator in trying to catch a killer. So last week, there I was, deep in the throws of a murder scene at a cemetery. My characters were tramping through a creepy cemetery rumored to be haunted. Just when they were running past the tomb of a voodoo queen, my computer chair rolled on its wheels and my screen trembled. The hardwood floor beneath me shook and vibrated for a minute. Not knowing we were in the midst of an earth quake, for a fleeting minute, I was convinced that I’d roused the ghost of Marie Laveau!
Have a ghost story? Did you feel the earth move during an earth quake? Tell me whilst Oliver mixes your favorite drink with a wink and a smile.
I watched the old classic Vertigo last night. Some say this psychological thriller produced in 1958 is Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece because of the special effects of the movie. Let’s explore that concept.
Set in the almost dream-like haze of the empty San Francisco streets, Vertigo portrays obsession and lost romance through surrealism, a true hallmark of the master’s movies. In this story, Scotty (Jimmy Stewart) pursues Madeline (Kim Novak) as she slips in and out of her dead great grandmother’s persona. So even back then, there was a touch of paranormal in the books Alfred Hitchcock wrote
This movie is most definitely the type one may watch again and again and still miss things. Some of the props that are essential to the storyline are flowers, a painting and necklace. Although the plot of the movie is a brilliantly planned murder, it’s all about obsession.
Scotty is obsessed with Madeline, who is seemingly obsessed with a dead woman, and follows her around the streets of San Francisco. Midge (Barbara Bel Gettes), an ex-girlfriend, in love with Scotty and obsessed with getting him back, follows him around as he pursues Madeline.
Alfred Hitchcock used a 3-D effect twice in this film. First in the opening scene to illustrate Scotty’s fear of heights when on a rooftop during a police chase. By using a special zoom feature on the camera lens, perspective distortion is achieved through trick photography.
This movie does not have a happily ever after ending, but one that is quite chilling and will leave one a bit unsettled. What are your thoughts on this? As we all know, sadly, real life does not always have a fairy tale ending. Is this essential to you when reading a book or do you prefer reading a book where the hero and heroine, for whatever reasons, do not ride off into the sunset?
A writer must spend a night in a wax museum’s murderer’s gallery to make good a gambling debt knowingly paid with a bad check to a testy Englishman. The museum’s owner is so obsessed with the accuracy of his replicas, he’s as scary as they are. Especially to a US magazine writer who’s already facing deportation or a stretch in a London gaol.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents also known as The Alfred Hitchcock Hour aired on television (1955-1965) on NBC and CBS and was viewed in black and white. As a young and impressionable child, the 30 minute broadcast chilled me to the bone.
They say pictures paint a thousand words because of the unforgettable impression they sketch. The beginning of each episode painted a very vivid picture in my mind. It began with the camera fading in on a simple line drawing caricature of Hitchcock’s rotund profile. As the program’s theme music
Charles Gounod’s Funeral March of a Marionette played, Hitchcock appeared in silhouette from the right edge of the screen, and then walked to center screen to eclipse the caricature.
Hitchcock nearly always began the show with a chilling “Good Evening.” Can you hear it? Can you see it? Does it take you right back? Do you have goose bumps? Even though I was quite young when The Waxwork aired, the figures terrorizing the man locked in the museum left an indelible impression on my memory.
Other than imagery, auditory hallucinations sketch pictures in our heads. Music sets the scene. Think about a scary movie. Right before a murder or something dangerous, the chilling music clues us in and has our hearts racing. When I wrote Her Biggest Fan, a romantic suspense set in stormy New England, I chose Moonlight Sonata to haunt the reader. As you read, you’ll swear you can hear the eerie spiking of piano keys because I have planted them in your head.
Visualizing the wax figures in Hitchcock’s thriller, I created wax gargoyles with wings as props in the ballroom.
Here’s a little teaser. Do you sense the danger? Feel the music crawl beneath your skin?
Tess stood at the entrance, polarized. Goose bumps prickled her flesh. When the icy instrumental of Moonlight Sonata started all over again, she took a step back and gasped. Peering into the massive hall, she stared in disbelief.
On either side of the mahogany bar, standing candelabras gleamed, long white tapers flickering in the dark. Open terrace doors banged in the wind, bringing in the pouring rain. The air carried the mingled scent of jasmine and stale tobacco. Pleated silk drapes billowed out like wings.
Rain puddled the cherry wood floor that once sparkled beneath the mirrored ceiling and crystal chandelier. The ghostly sound of piano keys escalated as Moonlight Sonata played on the old Victrola. And in the center of the room, looking for all the world like guests of honor at a grand masquerade, two wax gargoyles danced cheek to cheek, costumed in feather masks as bizarre as the setting.
A few months ago, I held an Alfred Hitchcock contest, asking the following questions
What's your favorite Alfred Hitchcock movie of all times?
Which actress in today's Hollywood do you picture playing the role of the perfect femme fatale?
Who do you see playing the role of Tess?
Witchy Woman won and here’s what she had to say.
"It's so hard to pick a favorite, as I'm a huge Hitchcock fan, but I'll have to go with Psycho; besides all the wonderful reasons that people list (and they're all true!), it was the first Hitchcock movie that I ever saw.....and you always have a special place in your heart for your first....:)
Angelina Jolie would do a great job, I think....she's more than proved that she isn't
just another pretty face...."
I see Tess as having a Claire Danes kind of face, if that makes sense....
Congratulations, WW!
SUMMER CONTEST
Considered the Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock made 53 films in his 54 year career. For a chance to win a Vertigo Collector’s Edition DVD, try your luck on the trivia quiz. In honor of The Master’s birthday, winner will be announced on August 13th. Good luck!
1. Name all three films that Grace Kelly starred in
2. What was the name of Hitchcock’s first American made film?
3. In which of Hitchcock’s famed cameo appearance does he wear a cowboy hat?
4. What year was The Birds produced?
5. Which model made her debut in The Birds?
6. Who starred in Dial M for Murder, both the male and female leading roles?
7. Name Hitchcock’s first color film
8. Who played in Torn Curtain?
9. Who played Marion Crane in the 1960 original Psycho?
10. How many films did Jimmy Stewart star in?
11. What color did Kim Novak object to wear in Vertigo?
12. What was the name of the restaurant that Scotti first sees Madeline in Vertigo?
Hello and welcome to one of the character interviews in the scavenger hunt! For a chance to win a signed copy of
MASK OF THE BETRAYER
Please answer the question at the end of the interview.
I am chatting with the chilling villain and serial killer of Mask of the Betrayer, a psychological thriller set in Red Rock Canyon, Nevada. So grab a seat and make yourself comfortable. The man I am about to interview is devastatingly handsome, a silver tongue devil. He has brilliant blue eyes that could melt butter, black wavy hair framing the face of a fallen angel and is 180 pounds of raw, sexual energy. He is also a demented sociopath that will kill without blinking an eye. With no further ado, here is Michael DeVeccio.
With the raw beauty of the RedRockCanyon as the backdrop, Michael presents Sharon with a bouquet of yellow roses.
In a gesture as old as time, she brings the roses up to her nose and takes in their sweet essence. She smiles demurely. “Yellow roses are my favorite flower. However did you know?”
Michael smiles. “I make it a point to find out the important things in my life.” Brushing her lips with a feathery kiss, he adds, “And, you, Darling Sharon, are very important to me.”
An explosion could not have moved her more than his tender kiss. Between his lips touching hers and the sound of his husky voice, she feels warm and overheated. Fussing with the cellophane wrap around the roses, she sniffs the flowers once more. “I’ll just have my butler put these in some water.”
Oliver appears, casually dressed in a black t-shirt and low rider jeans. Taking the flowers, he raises an eyebrow. “Sure thing, boss lady. Might I offer cocktails and hors d’oeuvres”
“Thank you, Oliver. That would be lovely. The usual for me, a nicely chilled glass of chardonnay. And I think a platter of artisan cheeses might fit the occasion.”
Michael takes a seat on a Queen Anne wing back chair. “Thank you. A bourbon on the rocks would hit the spot. Mind if I smoke?”
“Not at all,” Sharon responds, taking a seat opposite Michael. She gestures to the ashtray on the white marble coffee table in front of them. “Knock yourself out.”
Oliver scuffs in, a sterling silver tray balanced above his head. Casting Michael the evil eye, he sets down the drinks and a platter of wafer thin crackers, assorted cheeses of asiago, bleu, gorgonzola and gouda. Plump amber and ruby red grapes center the platter.
Sharon nods her approval. “Thank you, Oliver, that will be all. Shall we get started, Michael?”
Michael taps his Marlboro on the table three times before lighting it. Taking a drag, he stares into Sharon’s eyes, his searing gaze scorching hot. “What would you like to know?”
Mesmerized by his hypnotic blue eyes, Sharon stammers. “Ah, you’ve been getting away with murder for years. How so?”
Never taking his eyes off Sharon, Michael sips his bourbon. “Simply speaking, no one in this world can outwit, out play, or out maneuver Michael DeVeccio. I am and always will be king of the world.”
Sharon: “You were born in a small fishing port in Tuscany, living a simple and somewhat sheltered life with loving parents. But when you were twelve years old, something traumatized you, turning your whole world upside down. Tell us about that.”
Michael’s eyes grow misty. “My parents’ car went over the steepest cliff in Tuscany early one bright and sunny May morning. It’s a day I’ll never forget as long as I live. Their car crashed over the mountainside and burst into flames before it ever hit the ground. Mama and Papa were killed instantly. It was the day my life in that fishing port came to a screeching halt. My parents were dead and my world as I knew it was over. It was such a shock, such a brutal shock. I went into a deep depression and barely remember the funeral.”
Clutching her heart, Sharon gasps, “What, pray tell, could have caused a sweet blue-eyed boy with good morals to grow up to become one of the decade’s most cold-blooded killers?”
Michael smiles a beguiling smile. “In a nutshell, Carlos DeVeccio happened. He was my father’s brother, and after my parent’s death, he raised me in his likeness, training me to take over the DeVeccio Empire, a billion dollar construction company that built luxury resorts all over the world. A master manipulator, my uncle trained me to kill the betrayer from the time I was twelve years old.”
Turning ash, Sharon hurriedly drains her cocktail. “How so?”
Blowing a perfect smoke ring into the air, Michael crosses one long leg over the other and grins. “By deprogramming the morals my parents had instilled in me.” His jack-be-nimble fingers pull a mini CD player from the pocket of his navy pin striped jacket. He presses a button and the music plays. “This song played in hidden speakers all over the mansion, over and over again like a broken record.”
A hunting we will go, a hunting we will go. We’ll catch a fox and put him in a box. High ho the dairy-o, a hunting we will go.
Appalled, Sharon stares in disbelief. “Hearing that programmed you to kill? That’s how your uncle brainwashed you?”
Bringing his drink to his lips, Michael watches Sharon over the rim of the glass. “Once the hunting song got in my blood and I started thinking of myself as an action figure in an action movie, killing became a sport.”
“You enjoyed killing?”
Walking to the bar, Michael freshens their cocktails, his brilliant blue eyes blazing as bright as a sorcerer’s flame. “Eventually. I wanted what my uncle had.”
“And what was that?”
“Absolute power. “So that’s my life story in a nut shell. A poor fisherman’s son strikes it rich when tycoon uncle hands over the reigns of his billion dollar dynasty. I had it all living with Uncle Carlos--a mansion built for a king, the best educations in Ivy League colleges, fancy sports cars and more money than I knew what to do with. But there was a price to pay. Uncle Carlos ran his ship with an iron fist, demanding family loyalty and respect. He held meetings every Saturday in the great room, and under his tutelage, I learned how to become master of the game.”
Sharon gulps back her drink. “And yet you killed your uncle, slashed him in the throat, then covered his corpse with a death mask?”
“Of course I did.”
“Why?”
Michael stares at Sharon long and hard, as if dealing with a petulant child. “Uncle Carlos taught me well. Under his expert tutelage, I learned how to wield the death star into the throat of the betrayer and shroud the corpse in a death mask. It was poetic justice that I should do to him what he taught me to do. Carlos DeVeccio decided who had the right to live and die. But it turned out he was the biggest traitor of them all. My dear Uncle Carlos committed the ultimate sin and had to die by the sword. Placing the skull mask on his corpse was indeed sweet revenge.”
“Tell us, Michael, just what was the ultimate sin?”
Michael’s eyes narrow into steely slits. “Darling Sharon, I guess you’ll have to read the book, won’t you?”
“I most definitely will. How do you think your uncle would feel about you slaying him with a death star had he lived?”
Michael smiles, his brilliant blue eyes icy. “Uncle Carlos would have been proud. Under his expert tutelage, I learned how to lie, cheat, and kill. All for the sake of absolute power.”
Mask of the Betrayer
Book one in the Mask series
Filled with so many twists, turns and surprises, you’ll be
hooked from the first chapter.
ISBN: 978-1-936167-06-7
How to enter THIS IS IMPORTANT Blog readers who want to join the hunt MUST
email Robyn White for a question sheet at promorobyn@gmail.com
If you do
not email Robyn for a question sheet, you will not be eligible to win prizes. It
doesn't matter how many times you comment on blogs, if you do not email Robyn
directly and receive a question sheet, you're out of luck. The hunt goes ALL
MONTH so there is still Plenty of time to join. Winners will be announced at
end of month. Thank you and good luck!
Sharon Donovan Romantic
Suspense with a Twist of Faith
MASK OF THE BETRAYER VIDEO by TRIAD PRODUCTIONS
Second place winner YOU GOTTA READ CONTEST IN JUNE
I am pleased and honored to announce Mask of the Betrayer has won book of the week at LASR! Thank you to all who have voted, to Whimsical Publications, and to Snapdragon who graced my first suspense book with a 5 book rating. I am deeply touched and honored. Here is the review:
Mask of the Betrayer
by Sharon Ann Donovan
Publisher: Whimsical Publications
Genre: Suspense
Length: Full (236 pages)
Heat: Sensual
Rating: 5 Books
Reviewed by Snapdragon
When the whispers in the night, the whispers of her lover, are the whispers of a killer, will Margot escape before she becomes the next victim?
Deep in the foothills of Red Rock Canyon, a serial killer stalks. He leaves his signature—a skull mask on the corpse. But when the homicide cop realizes the crimes are the reenactment of a case never solved ten years ago--all fingers point to Michael DeVeccio. And when Margot realizes she is married to the killer, her life becomes a living nightmare.
I have to confess: in the course of reviewing several of her works, I’ve become a
Sharon Ann Donovan fan. In ‘Mask of the Betrayer’ she’s brought us another heart-stopping
blend of suspense, anxiety, love and hope. The magic in her stories is that the affairs
of the heart never take a backseat to the thrills: Even while you are reading, white-knuckled,
hoping just for survival – feeling the approaching presence of the evil hunter, perhaps
imagining him outside your own window – you are still madly hoping the two will somehow
recognize their feelings for one another. We so want them to be happy!
Descriptions are powerful – and the frightening ones, no less so.
Intriguingly, or perhaps just creepy, is the close-up understanding we gradually
gain into the serial killer himself, ‘The Hunter.’ His dark mind is something of
a psychological study, and the scenes that allow us to gain understanding just add
to our fear level!
For all of the character depth, plot twists and intriguing lifestyles, this story
remains fast-paced throughout. You will simply not want to stop turning the pages:
There’s more to it than just suspense, just mystery, or just romance; but all those
I am pleased to announce the following honor for my suspense book Mask of the Betrayer. I would so appreciate your vote if you get a moment to swing over to LASR. . Special thank you to Snapdragon for her fabulous 5 book review!
We offer a weekend poll at The Long and the Short of It romance reviews-- we want to know which book or story sounds like the best read based on our reviews. The winning author gets a nifty button andthe privilege of having their book or story featured at the top ofthat page the entire next week!Your story "Mask of the Betrayer" http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.com/2010/07/mask-of-betrayer-by-sharon-ann-donovan.html
was reviewed by us this week and is up for Book of the Week honor this weekend (voting runs from Saturday, July 31 through Sunday August 1).
We thought you might like to know. You can find the information here
on Saturday:
I was awe-struck by the awesome review of Mask of the Betrayer in The Examiner. Labeled as a Dark Mystery with Brutal Content, Ms. Ginger Simpson gives it high kudos. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Ginger. Here it is!
Review - Mask of the Betrayer - Dark Mystery, Brutal Content
June 15, 11:37 AM
eBooks Examiner
Ginger Simpson
Mask of the Betrayer - Sharon Ann Donovan
Beneath all the bright lights, glitter, and glamour of Las Vegas beats the heart
of a sociopath. In most novels you have to wait until the end for the “whodunit,” but in Mask of the Betrayer, you know who,from the beginning, but must keep reading to learn why he’s killing off all his family members, and how someone is going to finally stop him.
Michael Deveccio is a billionaire who wants for nothing. He has it all, or so it seems. Raised by Uncle Carlos who fell victim to the very method of killing he taught his nephew, Michael is the sole heir to the Deveccio Dynasty.All he needs is the perfect wife to bear a son to carry on the kingdom.
Poor Margot Montgomery has no idea the type of man she’s fallen for and marries.Their castle-like home is filled with all the demented memorabilia that proves Uncle Carlos’ warped mind, but Michael seems to cherish everything about his uncle. His devotion to family only deepens her respect for her new hubby.
Michael worhips the ground Margot walks on, at least in the beginning, and having a family tops his list of immediate desires. Margot is pressed to have a son. A daughter wouldn't be good enough to head the family business; he must have a male heir.
She has a career of her own and isn't in a hurry to become a mother, but Michael's insistence that she'll never want for anything carries some merit.Margot has moments when she doubts her husband’s motives and suspects him of foul play, but his charm assuages her fear.
Too bad, there’s a death star in his pocket with her name on it, along with the signature mask he leaves on all his victims.
Mask of the Betrayer is filled with so many twists, turns and surprises, you’ll be hooked from the first chapter.
An amazing cast of characters lend to the tension and suspense, and even if you read with an editorial eye, you probably won’t mind that the POV shifts from one paragraph to another in places.
Supposedly, only NY-rated writers could pull this off, but Ms. Donovan proves that
rumor to be a fallacy.
If forced to nitpick, one might find Michael’s “tapping of his cigarette three times”to become rather redundant along with a few places where you’ll find repeated information, but the pace of the story moves so quickly, you‘ll just absorb it again and keep reading.
Trust that you won’t be disappointed with Ms. Donovan’s captive and descriptive
style.Be warned, this story is not for the squeamish.If you don’t like violence and mayhem, this isn’t for you, but if it fits the bill for you....dig in.
I am pleased to announce the first of my reviews for Mask of the Betrayer at Amazon posted by customers. I am truly touched and can't stop smiling! Thank you, Mary and Miss Mae for your fabulous reviews. I blush from your kudos and bow my head in gracious acceptance. To paraphrase a writer whose name escapes me..."When you cannot find the words to express your feelings, a simple thank you will do." Thank you!
5.0 out of 5 stars
A psycological Thriller To Blow You Away,
June 16, 2010
By Mary R
(Florida)
This review is from: Mask of the Betrayer (Paperback)
I just finished Sharon Donovan's Mask of The Betrayer and it blew me away.
I couldn't put it down and kept thinking. What would I do?????
One of the best reads I have had in an awfully long time!
5.0 out of 5 stars
Have a strong heart and mind when reading this one!, June 11, 2010
By Miss Mae "I read what I write..."
This review is from: Mask of the Betrayer (Paperback)
We know who the villain is right off the bat, so I'm not giving anything away by
telling you that immediately I hated Michael DeVeccio.
He's the nephew of gangster, Carlos DeVeccio (and that guy should've been carted off to the funny farm decades ago!). Carlos raises Michael as his own son and preps him from the age of twelve to take over the DeVeccio Dynasty. He warps Michael's mind into believing that it's fine, needful, and beneficial to kill your competitors, or those who betray you.
Michael as an adult is a cold-hearted killer through and through. He believes himself a god, that the world is there only for his benefit, and his word must always be obeyed. When he decided he needed a son and heir to pass along his brilliance to, he chooses Margot.
I won't go into the seduction here of how he convinces Margot he loves her. You need
to read that to find out for yourself. But she falls for him, hard and fast. Though when news comes out that Michael's last fiancee had been murdered by the serial killer called the Red Rock Slasher, and that Michael is the prime suspect, Margot is soothed by his lying tongue. She becomes his wife, and then she enters Hell.
Have you ever watched a really scary, creepy movie where the heroine is all alone in this spooky house, and goose-bumpy music is playing, and the heroine reaches for a door where the bad guy is lurking, and you're sitting on the edge of your seat screaming, "Don't do it! Don't do it! Don't do it!" That's how you feel throughout this book. You're wanting to tell Margot, "Don't believe him! Run away! Why are you
sticking around?"
And I won't tell you the reasons why she does -- Again, read the book, and find out why.
Could this book become a movie, and Michael DeVeccio the next Freddy Krueger? Oh,
yeah, but don't ask me to watch it. The book terrified me all by itself.
Those chilling words still send shivers racing down my spine from the old television show “Alfred Hitchcock Presents”
Ever since I was a little girl, I loved being scared to death. Nothing could come close to the images the master story teller conjured in my head. Just the sound of those words in barely more than a whisper made my skin crawl. The anticipation of the story he was about to show had my heart racing. I remember glancing around the room to make sure all the curtains were drawn, all the doors locked. My family and I would gather around the television on a Friday evening, lights out with a big bowl of buttered popcorn. And the second the master of suspense’s face would appear on screen, my brother, sister and I would scream loud enough to wake the dead.
Alfred Hitchcock packed it all in his books and movies—chance meetings on a train, murder and mayhem, voyeurism, ice-blondes, debonair actors with a touch of quirky humor and rakish charm, espionage, romance and lost love. And who better befitting to portray the femme fatale of that era than Grace Kelly, Ingrid Bergman, Kim Novak and Janet Leigh? They were a perfect fit with Hollywood legends as Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart, two of Hitchcock’s favorites.
Few books or movies since the Master’s time have stayed with me or left such jarring images. Although not his best film, I think we all agree that Psycho is his most chilling. The Bates Hotel is such a simple name, who would suspect that such a twisted psychopath lived inside. With a fetish for peeking on guests as they shower, Janet Leigh is about to find out just how twisted Norman Bates is. (Voyeurism at its peak) Just the sound of that screeching violin gets my blood pumping!
The Birds is the movie that truly frightened me. To this day, I have a bird phobia. The image of those eerie birds gathering in the playground still make me shudder. When I hear the flapping of wings overhead, I hitch in my breath, petrified for a fleeting second that I will be the victim of a ghoulish attack.
Vertigo is another favorite of many Hitchcock fans. Set in the almost dream-like haze of the empty San Francisco streets, Vertigo portrays obsession and lost romance in a surreal manner, a true hallmark of his movies. In this story, Jimmy Stewart pursues Kim Novak as she slips in and out of her dead great grandmother’s persona. So even back then, there was a touch of paranormal in the books Alfred Hitchcock wrote
Thinking of some of these old plots that linger in my mind, I write stories of romance and suspense to hopefully give readers just a hint of that old Hitchcock magic. What’s your favorite Alfred Hitchcock movie of all times? Which actress in today’s Hollywood do you picture playing the role of the ice blonde? The perfect femme fatale?
hello! I am participating in the June Jubilee at Coffee Time Romance & More. I invite you all to come chat with me on June 15th about my books, hobbies and more! This event is located here http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/board/forumdisplay.php?f=900
You must be a member to post. If you are just registering, please put Sharon Donovan in the referral box.
Throughout the entire month, authors will be chatting about their hobbies in the "Special Interests" area of the forum. I will be chatting about my guilty pleasure of collecting Mardi Gras masks. Today, Cleopatra, the beautiful Egyptian queen is featured. Cleopatra is one of the masqueraders in my newly released suspense book Mask of the Betrayer. Come chat with me here. You never know when someone might win a prize! http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/board/forumdisplay.php?f=1472
In my latest suspense novel Mask of the Betrayer, will true love conquer all? Here is the pov from the heroine (Margot Montgomery DeVeccio) and the romantic hero (Diego Santiago) the homicide cop investigating her husband for the recent killings in the foothills of Red Rock Canyon. Will these star-crossed lovers find their destiny, their one true love?
Margot cried all the way home. She’d wanted nothing more than to throw herself into Santiago’s arms and stay with him. But she couldn’t. Provoking Michael at this point would be a deadly game, one she couldn’t afford. Homicide was counting on her to trip Michael up, make him say something incriminating on tape. Diego was counting on her. His touch had sent sparks soaring through her like a bolt of lightning. That man of few words got to her in a way Michael never had.
Because she couldn’t seem to help herself, she compared the two men. While they were both intelligent, brilliant even, their integrity was unparalleled. Michael’s temperament was as volatile as a volcano—while Diego remained cool and calm under pressure. Their virtues were worlds apart. Diego’s morals consisted of high ethical standards—while Michael’s were totally corrupt and morally unethical. What it all boiled down to was a matter of respect. Michael demanded it—while Diego earned it.
Driving through the wrought iron gate leading to the mansion, Margot’s head was in a daze. Fate had certainly dealt her a bad hand. If only she’d met Diego before falling in love with Michael. At her wedding, she’d been so sure Michael was her one true love, her soul mate. Well wasn’t fate having a grand old laugh at her expense. Just when she thought her life couldn’t possibly get any worse, she’d gone and fallen head over heels for the homicide cop, Diego Santiago, her destiny.
He wanted her. He thought about her always, making love to her again and again, all through the night. She starred in his fantasies, his very sexually arousing fantasies. His hands itched to touch her. Margot DeVeccio stirred his blood. And if he didn’t have her soon, he’d go out of his mind.
The thought of Margot going home to the sociopath tormented him. How could he live with himself if something were to happen to her? He berated himself for not getting the evidence necessary to lock the cold-blooded bastard up. The warrior in him desperately wanted to hunt DeVeccio down and throttle him with his bare hands. From the first time he’d laid eyes on Margot, he’d wanted her. But he wasn’t about to spend the rest of his life in jail, kiss his career good bye. He hadn’t spent the past decade on the force to toss his badge over the cliffs of the foothills.
He needed to get the evidence on DeVeccio to prove he was the serial killer of Red Rock Canyon so he could lock him up where he belonged. He needed proof and he needed it fast. If it were the last thing he did on this earth, he’d put the smug billionaire behind bars and throw away the key. And then he’d move in on Margot, his sweet Margarita, the woman with the bewitching green eyes that had his blood boiling to liquid heat.
The dance floor vibrated with footsteps as guests glided, clomped, and stomped across it. The Joker hopped around, laughing like a fool. The Deranged Clown grabbed Margot for a spin around the floor. Dressed in black and white checks and a black mask, An Evil Jester rubbed up against the Smoldering Temptress, whispering crude suggestions in her ear. Covered in voodoo pins from head to toe, the Voodoo Doll danced alone.
But it was Zorro who turned heads from the moment she’d sashayed into the ballroom. Drop dead gorgeous in a crimson body suit and long flowing cape, she had the attention of every male in the ballroom. Her long platinum hair billowed around her voluptuous body and red feather mask. Sheathed in a crimson scaled scabbard, her Zorro sword rested on her left thigh.
The men all stared. The Mysterious Stranger in a black cape swept Zorro away with the moves of a ballroom dancer, looking for all the world like her long lost lover. But as soon as the song ended, another masked guest asked Zorro to dance, and before long, she’d danced with nearly every man at the party.
“Michael,” Margot whispered in his ear. “Everyone is captivated by Zorro. Do you know who she is?”
Michael watched Zorro glide across the ballroom floor with ease. Chic and elegant with the legs of a dancer, she danced the night away, her patent leather heels never touching the ground. A crimson rose pendant graced her long, elegant neck. Michael knew precisely who she was. He’d given her the rose necklace on their wedding night. Taking one final look at Zorro, he pulled Margot into a tight embrace. After kissing her, he whispered in her ear. “I have no idea who she is. Darling Margot, I only have eyes for you. You are the perfect woman.”
The storm that had been brewing all day broke just as the bell tower tolled. Eleven piercing chimes rang out simultaneously with the rumbling of thunder. Winds from the Mohave Desert hurled in through open terrace doors, blowing out the cinnamon-scented candelabras in the ballroom. Pellets of cold hard rain pounded helter skelter on the windows. The crystal chandelier swayed back and forth like a pendulum. It flickered once, then twice. And then all went dark.
Zorro sat at the bar, sipping on a bourbon on the rocks. Michael crept up behind her and whispered in her ear. “Nobody makes an entrance like you do, Darling Candace. You have every man in the place rock hard.”
“Michael,” she purred, her smoky voice as smooth as silk. “I knew you’d recognize me.” She ran her hand over his masked face. “The role of Valentino suits you. You are still the most handsome man I’ve ever set eyes on.”
“And there were certainly enough of them,” his voice came out low and husky. “How many men, Candace? Did you ever keep count of how many lovers you had during our marriage?”
“You were the only one that ever mattered,” she rubbed up closer. “We had something real special between us. And being back in the ballroom tonight brings back all those memories. Like the way you used to hold me in your arms when we glided across the floor. And afterwards,” she slid her hand down his chest—and lower still. “We set the sheets on fire, remember, darling?”
“We had our moments,” he said. “But I also remember kicking your trashy ass out of Vegas and telling you to never return. And yet here you are, an uninvited guest at my masquerade ball. You know the extent of my wrath better than anyone. And yet you dare to defy me. Why is that, Candace?”
“Because I love you, darling,” sexuality oozed from every pore. “You and only you. Let’s sneak up to our old bedroom and see if we can rekindle some old flames. Come on, sugar. Let’s get between those satin sheets and set the night on fire.”
Michael leaned very close, massaging her leg with his fingers. In a voice raw with sexuality, he whispered, “Darling Candace. How can I resist. Meet me in Uncle Carlos’s suite in ten minutes. We’ll ring in the New Year together. You have no idea how much I want to be alone with you. Beautiful, beautiful Candace. I promise to make you scream”
Mask of the Betrayer is on sale for the entire month of May at Whimsical Publications. Now is your chance to purchase it at a discount.
Hello and welcome to Wednesday Spotlight! The tables are a bit turned today, and Oliver, my sexy cyber butler, will be interviewing yours truly. We are chatting about my newly released thriller from Whimsical Publications, MASK OF THE BETRAYER, book one in the sequel series. So grab a seat and make yourself comfortable. Oliver has plenty of coffee, tea and pastries lined up on the side board in the parlor. And you know the rules, the bar is always open. Belly up and Oliver will be happy to mix your favorite poison.
With the raw beauty of the Red Rock Canyon as the backdrop, Oliver pours a cup of coffee and presents Sharon with a bouquet of yellow roses.
Sharon: Thank you, Oliver. Aren’t they fresh and lovely. However did you know these are my favorite flowers?
Oliver raises an eyebrow and winks. Because you made me rehearse my lines to the point of obsession.
Sharon: Moving right along. Are those blueberry muffins I smell, dearheart?
Oliver: But of course, boss. Coming right up. He struts off, pumping his biceps, muttering something about high maintenance. He returns, pushing a silver caddy, places the succulent muffins bursting with berries on the coffee table. With great theatrics, he lavishly butters one and breaks a piece off, popping it into Sharon’s mouth.
Sharon: Mmm. Delicious. Sharon winks and rolls her eyes. I suppose this is where I faint and clutch my heart and pant, Oh, Oliver. Almost as delicious as you, loveboat! Oliver smirks and takes a seat on the wing back chair. So about this thriller, Mask of the Betrayer. Is it the one I star in? Where I get to be the romantic hero?
Sharon: No, Oliver. As we’ve discussed several times, that would be Charade of Hearts, coming out in November as part of the Jewel of the Night series. Mask of the Betrayer is book one in the sequel series, my debut thriller about a serial killer.
Oliver: Now my interest is perked. I adore suspense books, and as you know, my real job is a detective.
Sharon: Yes, Oliver. So you tell me daily about your “real job” but let’s stick to Mask of the Betrayer for today, shall we?
Oliver: By all means, Toots. Sharon: Knock it off, Oliver. Remember, I write your script.
Oliver smiles a beguiling smile. How could I forget when you constantly remind me, boss? Why don’t I hold up a copy of the book and read a blurb and excerpt?
Sharon: That would be great, Oliver. I was beginning to think you forgot your line.
Sharon smiles and quietly sips her hazelnut coffee.
Oliver holds up the book and announces, "And with no further ado, here is a teaser from Mask of the Betrayer"
FROM WHIMSICAL PUBLICATIONS
MASK OF THE BETRAYER
BY SHARON ANN DONOVAN
When the whispers in the night, the whispers of her lover, are the whispers of a killer, will Margot escape before she becomes the next victim?
Deep in the foothills of Red Rock Canyon, a serial killer stalks. He leaves his signature—a skull mask on the corpse. But when the homicide cop realizes the crimes are the reenactment of a case never solved ten years ago--all fingers point to Michael DeVeccio. And when Margot realizes she is married to the killer, her life becomes a living nightmare.
Excerpt:
Michael DeVeccio had it all. A billion dollar construction company that built luxury resorts all over the world, a twenty-four room mansion with servants at his beck and call, the most dazzling club on the Vegas Strip, a fleet of outlandishly expensive sports cars, a private jet—and more money than he could use in ten life times. He had it all with the exception of one thing, a son, an heir to his vast domain. And once he found the perfect woman to produce his heir and propagate the family business, the DeVeccio Empire would rule the universe. He envisioned the ideal woman to produce his heir being flawless in every way. Her inner beauty would shine as bright as her outward appearance, she’d have proper etiquette with impeccable manners, and she’d be cultured in fine arts. His perfect woman would be well educated on current events when hosting extravagant parties and galas for his business associates. She’d be honest and sincere and loyal to him and only him. And she would not be a woman beguiled by his wealth and fortune. Yes, he mused, the time had come to find that woman. And it would happen. He ruled it so.
***
Flaming copper finials bordered the entrance of DeVeccio Plaza, drawing guests in with its regal appeal. Standing tall and mighty in a sky of midnight blue velvet, the flaming torches gleamed like shooting stars with tails. The interior of the grandest resort on the Vegas Strip gave chase to marble staircases with elaborately turned balustrades and high end sculptures behind beveled glass enclosures. Rushing down the corridor after procuring the mural she’d bid on, Margot fought the urge to kick off her high heels and walk barefoot down the plush, red carpeting.
The beckoning wail of sax drifted out of the piano bar, the bluesy sound of jazz bristling beneath her skin. After spending the better part of the afternoon negotiating at an art auction, unwinding over a chilled martini sounded like utter bliss. Seduced by the sound of sax, she sauntered up the three steps leading to the mezzanine and ordered a Pomegranate martini.
“You got it, doll,” the bartender winked.
“Whatever the pretty lady wants is on the house,” the man approaching the bar said in a buttery soft voice. “And give me a bourbon on the rocks, Jazz.”
Margot turned around and came face to face with the billionaire tycoon of DeVeccio Plaza. His shocking blue eyes left her breathless. With his sharply defined features, full sensual lips, and all that black wavy hair, he reminded her of one of the sculptured Greek gods she’d featured last month at her gala.
“Allow me to introduce myself,” he said. “I’m Michael DeVeccio. Welcome to my palace.”
Every pulse in her body was as charged as an electrical current. Michael DeVeccio, legendary for building luxury resorts in every continent, exuded strength and power from every pore. His world renowned success preceded him. And here he stood in front of her in all his glory, one hundred and eighty pounds of raw, sexual energy. Mesmerized by his hypnotic blue eyes, she met his gaze. “I’m Margot Montgomery. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Your resort is everything it’s rumored to be, simply breathtaking.”
“Thank you.” he edged a bit closer. “I’ve always fancied it to be the jewel of the Strip. I didn’t think anything could outshine DeVeccio Plaza. But I was wrong. Nothing could possibly hold a candle to the sparkle in your emerald green eyes.”
Thunderous applause explodes through cyber space.
Sharon: Oliver, isn’t this the part where you beg for my autograph?
Oliver: What’s that? Oof, watch your elbow, boss. No need to poke me in the ribcage. Here’s a pen.
With great ceremony, Sharon plucks up the fountain pen and signs Oliver’s copy. There we go.
Oliver swoons. Thank you, I’ll cherish it forever…that is…until my book comes out, Charade of Hearts where I get to be the main man.
Sharon: Soon, Oliver, in November.
Oliver: So, tell us about Michael DeVeccio, the main character. He’s a trained serial killer and has been getting away with murder for years. How so?
Sharon: Michael is the most complex character I’ve written about to date. I wanted to portray the complexity of the mind in this novel. It can bend. It can break. It can snap. For many years, Michael DeVeccio has been getting away with murder. As with most serial killers, the profile suggests something so traumatic happened in his childhood, the mind dissociates in order to block it out. If you enjoy getting inside the head of characters, you will like Mask of the Betrayer. What could have caused a sweet blue-eyed boy who loved and adored his parents, parents who instilled good moral standards in their son, to grow up to become one of the decade’s most cold-blooded killers?
Oliver: Hmm. Sounds like you did your research, boss. What kind of research did you do?
Sharon: I studied everything I could about sociopaths and psychopaths. What makes them so chilling is that they hide it so well. It’s almost as if they are programmed to say and do what people expect of them, but inside the darkest recesses of their mind, ugly thoughts and schemes lurk. Oliver: Such as? Sharon: While they appear to be charming, they are actually hostile and domineering. They see their victims as instruments to be used to reach their own selfish goals. The end will always justify the means. And this is what Michael does. Outwardly, he is devastatingly handsome, charismatic and wins people over in the blink of an eye. But inwardly, he finds their Achilles heel, uses it for his own gain, and then disposes of them with no remorse. Michael is a psychopath and has no emotions. His charm is superficial and he is the master manipulator.
Oliver: What drives him?
Sharon: Absolute power. He has to be the best at everything, and if anyone gets in his way, they will be disposed of. Permanently.
Oliver: You said that he was a normal and healthy child with parents that adored him and gave him a good moral upbringing. What would cause a seemingly normal person to go so wayward?
Sharon: Mind manipulation from a higher force, someone cunning and cold. This would be Michael’s uncle. You see, when Michael was a boy of twelve, his parents were killed and his uncle took him in and raised him as his own son. But his uncle was one of the biggest leaders in organized crime, and was training Michael to take over his billion dollar construction company and all its enterprises. Carlos taught Michael to kill the betrayer, and cover the corpse with a death mask. Michael was so traumatized by this that he dissociated and eventually was programmed to kill.
Oliver: But what is it that he really wants?
Sharon: A son. Michael has it all with the exception of one thing, a son to carry on the DeVeccio Dynasty. And he is on the hunt for the perfect woman to bring his heir into the world. And he finds that woman in Margot Montgomery. She is the perfect woman and for the first time in his life, Michael comes close to love.
Oliver: But what happens:
Sharon: Obviously, you’ll have to read the book, Oliver. But I’ll leave you with this. Margot falls off the pedestal Michael places her on. And when she does, her life becomes a living nightmare. The things that Michael does to her are unspeakable.
Oliver pulls out his book and begins reading.
Sharon: Oliver, how about corking the bottle of chilled champagne for the guests. And while you’re doing that, I’ll tell them about the contest. One of the scenes in Mask of the Betrayer portrays a lavish masquerade party in the grand ballroom of the DeVeccio mansion. It’s a huge ball and everyone is dressed for the nines. But at the stroke of midnight, the power goes out, and a murder takes place.
Thank you all for visiting. Have a glass of champagne and some chocolates. Hope I’ve enticed you to run out and buy Mask of the Betrayer.
ZORRO CONTEST
This contest will run for the entire month of May!
It’s a masquerade ball in the grand ballroom. At the stroke of midnight, all the lights go out during a blackout. Zorro is the belle of the ball, dancing footloose and fancy free with every man at the party. But when the lights go out, one of the masked guests thrusts the Zorro sword straight through her heart.
Contest rules:
Mask of the Betrayer is on sale for the entire month of May at Whimsical Publications. Now is your chance to purchase it at a discount.
Put Zorro Contest in the subject line and answer the following:
QUESTION: Who spotted Valentino stealing the sword from Zorro? PRIZE: Deluxe Zorro cape and jeweled pin. Good luck and happy reading! Don’t forget to read the excerpt for a sneak preview of the murder during a blackout!
Do you think it’s easy to spot a sociopath? Despite the man or woman portrayed in the box office thrillers who look as if they’ve just undergone a lobotomy, psychopaths are not for the most part easily spotted. He or she may be a doctor, lawyer, scientist or CEO of a major corporation. They are highly intelligent and charismatic, but have a chronic inability to feel guilt, remorse or anxiety for any of their actions. The end will always justify the means because they are master at the game. Here are a few traits:
Superficial charm
Domineering personality
Expert at spotting a person’s Achilles heel, using it to his or her advantage, then disposing them like bad rubbish
Great joy in belittling their victims
Grandiose sense of self
Feel entitled to certain things as their rights
Pathological liars
Lies roll off their tongues in spades
A deep-seeded rage is at their core
Friends they make will become victims
Feign love and joy
Outraged by insignificant matters, yet remain cold and indifferent at what would upset a normal person
They are not genuine and neither are their promises
Unable to empathize with the pain of their victims
Compulsive need to control and manipulate
Secretive, trusting no one
Ultimate goal of enslaving their victims
May state readily that their goal is to rule the world
Oblivious to their shallowness
And the whole while, the sociopath will smile, charm you, flatter you and befriend you. But behind the mask, dark evil lurks. They want you for something, and will expertly charm their way into your life. During my psychology classes, the study of the mind fascinated me. It’s a tricky faux. It can bend. It can break. It can snap. In my newly released novel, Mask of the Betrayer, I’ve created the character of Michael DeVeccio to illustrate such a person. Here is a little teaser.
Michael DeVeccio had it all. A billion dollar construction company that built luxury resorts all over the world, a twenty-four room mansion with servants at his beck and call, the most dazzling club on the Vegas Strip, a fleet of outlandishly expensive sports cars, a private jet—and more money than he could use in ten life times. He had it all with the exception of one thing, a son, an heir to his vast domain. And once he found the perfect woman to produce his heir and propagate the family business, the DeVeccio Empire would rule the universe. He envisioned the ideal woman to produce his heir being flawless in every way. Her inner beauty would shine as bright as her outward appearance, she’d have proper etiquette with impeccable manners, and she’d be cultured in fine arts. His perfect woman would be well educated on current events when hosting parties and galas for his business associates. She’d be honest and sincere and loyal to him and only him. And she would not be a woman beguiled by his wealth and fortune. Yes, he mused, taking a final drag of his cigarette. This perfect woman would be angelic and worthy of producing the heir to his kingdom. And the time had come to find that woman. And it would happen. He ruled it so.
Tomorrow’s post will show the excerpt when Michael meets the perfect woman at his Vegas night club. Stay tuned for coming attractions: Beguiled by a sociopath
(Coffee Time Reviewer's Recommend Award) from Coffee Time Romance & More. This award recognizes outstanding writing styles in all book types and genres. Your book has received this award because I feel it is above and beyond a 5 Cup Rating. Cherokee, CTRR Reviewer
Released by The Wild Rose Press on 24th September 2011. In Print and Paperback. Please click cover for more details
This novel is packed with both romance and thriller aspects to please lovers of both genres. At one point, Ms Donovan's writing is so convincing, I had to go back and re-read to make sure it really did happen the way I thought it did. Definitely one to read again." Clare - Happy Ever After Reviews - 4 Tea Cups!
You can read the 'Get Well Sharon' post and messages HERE
Some of the 'updates' can be found at the bottom of the blog, beneath the 'Mask Of The Betrayer' trailer.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 'YOU GOTTA READ' VIDEOS AUGUST 2010 WINNERS!
Second Place: Title: Mask of the Betrayer
Author: Sharon Ann Donovan
Trailer Creator: Triad Productions
(scroll down to watch it in one of the last posts on the page)
SHARON'S INSPIRATIONAL BOOKS
Sharon's sweet Christian themed stories can be found HERE
Blog Award
Awarded by Jane Richardson
Blog Award
Awarded by Hywela Lyn
Roast
Authors DB
Sharon's KOD cover is entered for the cover contest
Sharon went through heart surgery yesterday, after problems with her heart pump which she had after her heart attack nearly eighteen months ago.
Miraculously, her heart was found to be strong enough now to be restarted. Our prayers have been answered, but please continue to send your prayers and messages for her progress and recovery. It will be a while before she is able to be at her computer again, but we know she'll be anxious to get back to wrting those wonderful romances.
*** Thanks again to everyone who's been sending prayers messages of love and support. Mary Beth, Sharon's sister, has told her about them and I know they will be helping her. Please keep up the prayers, I'll let you know as soon as I have further news. Get well soon Sharon, we love you!
