One decision will haunt Blackstone soldier Keith for a lifetime… 

Keith left behind the feisty love of his life, Lexi Klein, ten years ago when he chose to become a soldier and leave for Iraq, but after a tragedy struck Lexi’s family and Keith couldn’t come home, she felt abandoned. When Keith finally managed to make it back to Boston, Lexi had completely withdrawn from everyone, including him. She decides to end their relationship and move on. 

Lexi has always owned Keith’s heart. He just didn’t know how much… 

Keith returns to Boston years later for a wedding and finds out Lexi is dating the leader of the infamous Almas Perdidas Gang. Lexi is in over her head, and Keith will stop at nothing to keep her safe. Having never recovered from her broken heart, Lexi wants no part of his grand savior routine. She made her choice, and she has her own reasons to stick to her guns about it. 

Keith fights to regain Lexi’s trust, but old wounds are slow to heal… 

After Lexi is beaten for not following gang rules, Keith decides to take her on a trip to convince her once and for all to let him back in. But Lexi is holding on to one last secret, and it will change everything. Happiness comes at a price, and once the front Lexi put up comes crashing down, that price will be paid in blood. 

Keith must make a decision. Does his loyalty lie with the military? Or with the woman he loves? Or has too much time and history been lost for them to make one…final… 

Escape. 

 

Author Interview

Tell us a little about yourself and your background:

I’m originally from NS, Canada later moving to LA where I now live with my kids and husband. I’m a huge hockey fan, love the water, and have the biggest obsession with Ketchup chips. I can hear you all gaging now, but trust me these things will put me in my grave, but it will be so worth it. J

What inspired you to write your first book?

What inspired me to write my first book, was I heard a friend had written a book and something lite inside me. I thought “well I want to try.” So, I sat down in front of my computer and three years later here I am.

What inspired you to write your first book?

I think it would be Pop Goes the Wesel by James Patterson because it showed me that romance and suspense can blend well together.

How much truth is in your fiction.

It depends on which story, Darkness Series has the most truth to it. Broken would have about 60% and Blackstone has about 20%.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor and why?

That’s a hard question, it’s a tossup between James Patterson and Katy Evans. They each have left their mark with me. James Patterson for his creepy way of telling you a story that keeps you on your finger hooked on the next page so that you don’t have to lose a beat. Katy Evans, because she can write one hell of a twisted sexy screw-up male lead. Remington Tate will always be in my top 5 beloved alpha characters.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

I weave several story lines together and drop clues throughout. It can be tricky linking them together or forgetting to link them…it happens but thankfully I have a whole team who works with me so eventually the loose ends get found!

Do you have any strange writing habits?

I need music to loop in the background as I write, or listen to rain on an app I have. Really, it just depends on the mood I’m trying to create. Other than that I just write until I’m done.

How important are names to you in your books? Do you choose the names based on liking the way it sounds or the meaning?

Names are strange for me. I am always googling them, I tend to go for the shorter ones, I like four to five letters. It’s just an odd cork of mine. Savi, Cole, Seth, Emily, Mark, Mia, Lexi etc…They don’t have to have meanings, more of just what suits how I see them physically. I am an extremely visual author. I see each scene as if I was directing a movie. Right down to the music, background, lighting, and smells.

Are you a plotter or a pantster?

I’m a total pantster, I can’t do story boards. I get an idea and just start to write. Where it goes is what the story must be. It can change about 150 times but that’s okay because it was meant to be.

What do you consider to be your best accomplishment?

I would say my Broken Trilogy has been my greatest accomplishment. That story came to me in a dream and I had to put my other series on hold because Savannah’s story was screaming at me. Best decision ever.

Is there one subject you would never write about as an author? What is it?

Hmm, a few months ago I would have answered this question differently. However, now that I am writing this mc series I’m not sure if I have any boundaries anymore. :/ I will never torture an animal in any of my books, Adler is safe and sound with a family member (Darkness Series).

What is your least favorite part of the publishing / writing process?

Passionate scenes are a bit of a struggle for me. I can do “intense passion” but “slow/sweet passionate scenes” I get a little antsy on. Cole Logan, helped me get through Broken. For whatever Cole opened a new door for me. Still, not my comfort though.

Is there a certain type of scene that’s harder for you to write than others? Love? Action? Racy?

Least favorite part of writing would be editing or when you have boxed yourself into a corner. Then realize that you will have to remove the scene and start over again. I write fast and hate to stop and go back to what needs to be re-written.

What writing advice do you have for other aspiring authors?

My advice, just keep writing. Take breaks when you need them, there’s no shame in taking a month break, sometimes your head just needs it. Sit on the story when you’re done, tuck it away, wait a month and go back over it. You’d be surprised what you missed. Get a great editor. Invest a few hundred $250-$800 it may sound like a lot but it’s your hard earned work with your name on it.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I see myself sitting in front of my lap top working on a fifteen book series. I’d love to write a story that last over “their” life time. Time will tell.

Just some fun questions

Characters often find themselves in situations they aren’t sure they can get themselves out of. When was the last time you found yourself in a situation that was hard to get out of and what did you do?

I honestly can’t recall a real life situation that I got myself into that “I” actually got myself out of. However, I did get myself and my friends into a positional situation in Vegas and thankfully my friends came to the rescue by being aware and reading the “signs” I didn’t see. …I leave you with that.

Does your significant other recognize his moves in your writing?

Oh Lord…yes *tugs on collar* and not just in the romantic scenes… *cough* Seth Connors personality.

What literary character is most like you?

Savannah Miller. Her feistiness.

What secret talents do you have?

I used to act in theater and film back in Canada…not sure if that was a talent lol

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I love the water so anytime we get the chance we head out to Parker, AZ and spend as much time as we can on the Colorado River.

Honor (Blackstone Series #1)

***BROKEN TRILOGY CONTINUES HERE…*** 

Bullets fly during a dangerous mission, and Major Mark Lopez is critically injured… 

A Blackstone soldier, Mark is transferred to the North Dakota hospital with the security clearance to treat members of the elite covert team. The pretty new nurse assigned to his case knows her stuff, but Mark soon discovers she knows more than just how to save lives. Mia Harper knows the Blackstone Code. 

Mia is a bit of gypsy and doesn’t engage much with people—but there’s something about her mysterious new patient… 

After Mark recovers from surgery, he is discharged from the hospital with orders to rest. Not that he does. Instead he rushes to México for the team’s next assignment. But when he returns to the hospital again and again with minor—and not so minor—injuries, Mia suspects he’s only coming to see her. Romance ignites, and because Mia signed a non-disclosure agreement at the hospital, Mark is able to open up more with Mia than any other woman. 

Some debts demand payment in either cash or blood… 

When someone from Mark’s past comes to him for help, old secrets start to resurface, and more blood is shed. Worlds collide and lies are exposed in an all-or-nothing underground poker game.

Mark must put his life on the line to keep Mia safe…and to finally learn the answer to the question that’s haunted him his whole life. 

What really happened that night twenty-five years ago?

Other Series By J.L. Drake

BROKEN #1 

My name is Savannah Miller. 

My father is the mayor of New York. One day after my twenty-seventh birthday I was grabbed from behind. A cloth sack was quickly pulled over my head, and I was taken from everything I’d ever known. 
I was beaten, starved, treated like an animal, and forced to live in a room with no windows. With no sense of time and no dignity left I finally gave up hope and made a promise to myself to end it all. Unfortunately, it was going to be a slow process. 

Then one night an elite group of US Army soldiers came to my rescue. I was brought to a safe house and given two options: 

One—Stay under their protection and follow their rules or… 
Two—Leave and be guaranteed to be returned to the savages within a week. 

I chose option one. 

As I work with a therapist and begin processing my hellish ordeal things slowly begin to surface. With the help of new friends and a potential new love I fight to get my life back and make choices that will forever alter my future. 

This is my story… 

SHATTERED #2 

After witnessing the murder of her lover and the heartbreaking loss of their unborn child, Savannah wants to end it all. 

Then she is given a second chance at love. Sadly, even when life hands you second chances it doesn’t always follow that things will work out the way you want them to. 

Some lies can just be too painful to move on from. What’s worse than being Broken? Being shattered… 

MENDED #3 

Savannah takes control… 

Tired of all the lies and deception, Savannah Miller must learn to face life on her own. As she seeks to find out who she really is, she still is still burdened with the fallout from past traumas that left her broken. 

Her fragile hold on her new life slowly gives her the confidence to move ahead. What she really needs is right in front of her—Cole Logan is patiently waiting for the right moment to prove his love. But her past isn’t finished with her yet… 

Are Savannah’s strength and Cole’s love enough to vanquish the shadows, or will those who mean them harm succeed in preventing the mending of their shattered souls?

DARKNESS LURKS #1 

Emily McPhee has struggled to overcome her father’s death…It’s not easy, but Emily finally has the life she wants. She’s an A student at Orange University and has a comfortable home and a great circle of friends. She’s also in love with handsome Orange PD officer Seth Connors. He doesn’t seem to return her feelings, though, so she tells herself his friendship is enough. 

Jimmy Lasko is a psychopath, and Emily is his greatest obsession…Lasko knows what he wants—what he deserves—and has the deadly skills and unending patience to get it. What he wants is Emily, and he is watching and waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. That time is coming soon; he’ll make sure of it. A sense of unease settles on Emily, but is the danger real or imagined? 

When Emily begins hearing noises and suspects someone has been in her house, Seth urges her to get a roommate. But after a search, she realizes a certain attractive cop would be the perfect choice, and Seth moves in. 

Seth loves Emily, but fears his feelings might make it difficult to protect her. In all areas of his life, Seth sees himself as a protector. He’s determined to keep Emily safe, but he pushes the captivating blonde away in an attempt to stay objective. However, after her stalker makes a failed attempt to capture her, Seth can no longer deny his feelings. 

With help from Seth’s police colleagues, he and Emily set out to identify the person hunting her before it’s too late. But is it worth the risk to bait the trap with what he wants most? 

DARKNESS FOLLOWS #2 

Emily McPhee is in the clutches of a monster… Despite the protection of her boyfriend Seth Connors and his colleagues with the Orange Police Department, Emily is imprisoned in a basement by her psychopathic stalker Jimmy Lasko. His bizarre behavior adds to her terror, and a video link forces Seth to witness her captivity, leaving him feeling helpless as he, the OPD, and the FBI search for her. 

Freedom isn’t free, and safety is just an illusion…Though Emily escapes the basement, the threat is far from eliminated. In fact, things she learned while being held by Lasko lead her to believe he isn’t working alone. Lasko is still out there, determined to get her back, and crazier than ever. If he does have a partner, Emily has no idea where the threat might lie or who she can trust. 

DARKNESS FALLS #3 

More than a year after her ordeal, Emily McPhee finally feels safe…Emily’s psychological scars are healing. Things are great between her and OPD Officer Seth Connors, and her biggest problem is the X-rated Halloween decorations her best friend Pete has placed all around her house. 

If only it would stay that way… Seth senses something isn’t right, but he doesn’t know where the danger is coming from…or why. He’s sure Emily’s neighbor, Travis McKay, is hiding something, and the man pays way too much attention to Emily. 

To make things even more complicated, a new female officer appears to have her sights set on Seth, and fellow officer Alexander Avery has some sort of connection to a mysterious brothel employee. Seth has a feeling all these odd things are somehow connected—but he knows he’s missing a huge piece of the puzzle. 

About J.L. Drake

Best selling author J. L. Drake was born and raised in Nova Scotia, Canada, later moving to Southern California where she lives with her husband and two children. 

When she’s not writing she loves to spend time with her family, travelling or just enjoying a night at home. One thing you might notice in her books is her love for the four seasons. Growing up on the east coast of Canada the change in the seasons is in her blood and is often mentioned in her writing. 

An avid reader of James Patterson, J.L. Drake has often found herself inspired by his many stories of mystery and intrigue.