Deep End NBtM

Blurb:

After years of struggle and harsh criticism, happily married rock star wife Claire Martin has finally achieved the career success of her dreams. As the featured artist in an international traveling exhibit, she looks forward to her best year ever, while her husband, singer Robert Silver of the legendary band Deep Blue, contemplates a return to touring.

Things are also looking up for Claire’s best friend, Denise Hrivnak, who’s planning her wedding to Robert’s musical partner, Art Hoffman. However, what should have been most joyful day of Denise’s life turns to tragedy when an unexpected event forces both woman to contemplate the terrifying possibility of life without the men they love.

Besieged by the paparazzi and sick with worry, Claire waits for answers in a Las Vegas hotel room, thinking over her improbable relationship with Rob and praying that love alone is strong enough to bring her beloved husband back from the brink.

Excerpt:

As we entered the room, Artie handed Rob a non-alcoholic beer and asked me, “What do you think?”

His pool table and pinball machines were gone. The area we were standing in, formerly known as Artie’s “toy room,” had been transformed into a dining space furnished with a sleek new table and seating for eight. A contemporary chandelier in a brushed silver finish hung overhead. A row of flickering votive candles marched down the length of the table, which was set for a party of four.

The only reminder of the room’s previous function was a display of seven vintage electric guitars hung on an exposed brick wall. Its centerpiece was a rare 1954 Fender Stratocaster with a sunburst finish. I was the one who suggested that Artie turn his collection into an art installation, now the apartment’s focal point.

“I think the room looks great,” I told him. “And I’m glad you kept the guitars on the wall. They say so much about who lives here.”

Artie ran one forefinger along the Strat’s distinctive curves.

“Well, I couldn’t bear to put the old girl back in her case,” he said.

Old girl? Uh-oh. Denise strolled into the kitchen, retrieved the unlit kitchen torch, returned, and pointed it in Artie’s direction, while struggling to keep a serious face.

“You realize 1954 was the year Claire and I were born, don’t you? Are you calling us old?”

“Rule of thumb, Artie,” I chimed in. “Don’t insult a woman who has the ability to burn you alive.”

Kathleen, thanks so much for stopping by. How did you get started writing?

One of my earliest childhood memories is of my mother reading to me. She instilled a love for books and reading that I will always carry with me. I wrote and illustrated my first story at age eight. Fast forward to graduate school, where I earned a master’s degree in communications and began a career as a newspaper writer/editor Later, I transitioned into public relations and owned my own boutique communications firm. I also did freelance travel and arts writing. I’d nursed a lifelong ambition to write a novel, but I didn’t get serious about it until 2013. Now, I have published three novels and a novella.

What was the inspiration for your book?

I came up with the idea for Deep Blue after reading an erotic trilogy that was wildly popular a few years ago. I didn’t particularly enjoy it, mainly because I couldn’t relate to the young characters, so I set out to write a story that would celebrate strong, vibrant, and beautiful older women, without the structure of a typical romance novel.

What’s the one genre you haven’t written in yet that you’d like to?

I’ve been reading a fair amount of young adult fiction, so I might give that a try, so long as the story does not include vampires, werewolves, or extraterrestrials.

Are there any genres you won’t read or write in? Why?

I’m not wild about historical fiction (with the exception of the Outlander books, which combine several genres), or anything involving serial killers.

What are you up to now? Do you have any releases planned, or are you still writing?
I’m working on Fed Up, the first book in my new Well-Seasoned series. The main characters are a small town chef and a semi-successful television actor, both in their 50s, who meet and fall in love at precisely the wrong time. At some point in the series, I expect one or more characters from my Deep Blue Trilogy to make an appearance.

Alright, now for some random, fun questions. Favorite color?

Any and all shades of purple.

Favorite movie?

It’s A Wonderful Life.

Book that inspired you to become an author?

It’s difficult to name only one, but if pressed I’d have to say The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, which is as close-to-perfect as a novel can get. I’ve read it several times and still manage to come away with new insights.

You have one superpower. What is it?

The ability to instantly transport myself to anywhere on Earth. It would make book research so much more enjoyable!

You can have dinner with any 3 people, dead, alive, fictitious, etc. Who are they?

D.H. Lawrence

John Lennon

Michelle Obama

Last question: Which of your characters are you most like and how/why?

I’d have to choose Artie Hoffman, half of the musical duo Deep Blue. He is unrelentingly sarcastic, completely uncensored, and in many ways the male version of me. I’d like to spend the day watching a rehearsal of his and partner Rob Silver’s cable TV show, Front Row Seat with Deep Blue, while getting the VIP treatment.

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Author Bio and Links:

Kathleen Duhamel is a contemporary women’s fiction writer and the author of the Deep Blue Trilogy (Deep Blue, Deeper, and Deep End) as well as the novella At Home With Andre. She wrote and illustrated her first short story at the age of eight, and has been a writer for most of her life. Her love of the written word continued throughout her varied career as a newspaper journalist and editor, public relations executive, freelance travel writer, and owner/operator of two small businesses. A native of Texas, she has spent most of her adult life in Colorado. She lives in the Denver area with her husband, a geriatric standard poodle, and a spoiled cat. She is a lifelong devotee of rock and soul music, contemporary art, and popular culture.

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Buy Links:
Deep Blue     |     Deeper     |     Deep End     |     At Home With Andre