Welcome Jennifer Lowery: Hard Core

We have a super lineup of authors this week, next week and the week after on this blog, all dedicated to strong heroes in uniform.

Today, I'm pleased to introduce you to Jennifer Lowery, who is bringing us her new release, Hard Core. Welcome, Jennifer. Tell us about your writer's journey and how you became a military romance writer?

I’m honored to be part of the military blog posts this week, hosted by the fabulous Sharon Hamilton. Thank you, Sharon, for the invitation!

Growing up, I'd always wanted to be a writer, but I had no idea I'd become a military romance writer. I read multiple genres in romance. When I decided to make my dream a reality ten years ago, I also wrote in multiple genres trying to find my voice. I started with historical, western, paranormal, contemporary, romantic suspense, and began to notice a trend. All of my heroes were alpha males. And, they all leaned toward a military background.

After many rejections I realized that I’d been fighting my voice. I’d never imagined myself writing military romance, and hadn’t read much of it either. But, once I found that voice, I couldn’t be stopped. I inhaled military books, both fiction and non-fiction. I joined military loops on the internet, I found military blogs, and I fell in love with my writing all over again.

I knew this is where I belonged. My heroes were strong, protective to the point of overbearing, and alpha through and through, much to my heroine’s annoyance. They would put their lives on the line to protect the innocent, and God help anyone who messed with their family and friends. They put themselves in the line of fire without hesitation. Their word is their bond. And once they set their sights on you, it’s for life. They are loyal, devoted, and trustworthy. 

My debut release, Hard Core, features a former French Foreign Legionnaire turned mercenary and is the first book in my Onyx Group/mercenary series. You can buy it now in print and it will be coming to your ereaders on the official release date of October 8! 

Excerpt from Hard Core:

Prepared to start an IV, she picked up a needle. She had it in position when his other arm shot out and he clamped her wrist in a bone-crushing grip. Startled, she met his panicked gaze.

“I said no needles.”

Her heart banged against her ribcage as she let the needle slip out of her hand. It hit the floor with a small ting. Alana opened her hands in surrender, her patient’s fingers digging into her flesh. For a man half-dead, he had amazing strength.

“Okay,” she said to placate him. “Relax, I don’t have it anymore. It’s your choice, but I recommend you let me start an IV for meds.”

“No. Just fix me.”

Alana pinned him with a no nonsense stare. “I’m not impressed with Superman heroics.”

Face pale and drawn, he said gruffly, “I’m not Superman. Learned not to trust people with needles.”

Her fingers were going numb. “If I remove the bullet without pain medication or anesthetic, you’re going to be sorry.”

He studied her. “You’re really a doctor?”

Alana bristled. “Technically, yes.”

“Technically?”

She didn’t have time to explain herself with the amount of blood seeping from his gunshot wound. “I went to med school. You can let go of my arm now. I won’t use any needles.”

He looked down and immediately released his grip. She rubbed her wrist to soothe away the ache. “Can I get to work now, or do you want to question me more about my credentials while you bleed to death? I don’t have a blood bank, so you’re screwed if you lose too much.”

Her blunt statement received a curt nod. She normally didn’t talk to her patients like that. Her patients didn’t normally countermand her either.

“Do it,” he said.

“Without anesthetics?”

“I don’t need them. Just get it over with.”

Stubborn, stupid, or both? Insane, yes, but there wasn’t time to argue with him.

“Okay. The offer stands if you change your mind.”

“I won’t.”

She doubted that, but didn’t comment. Instead, wiped her forehead with her forearm, and picked up gauze pads to clean the wound.

“Here goes,” she warned and dabbed his skin.

Her patient didn’t move or even wince as she cleaned the angry wound. Either he had a will of steel or he’d passed out again. Hopefully, the latter. Sweat rolled down her back as she finished cleansing the area around the bullet entry. Red flesh puckered with the first signs of infection. In this environment infection was guaranteed.

With a steady hand that would have made her father proud, she picked up her instruments and took a deep breath.

“You still with me?”

He murmured a response, turning his head slightly so he could see her. The stark beauty of his profile, despite the bruises, struck her again. The lines of his face were chiseled, unforgiving. The kind of man she’d glance at twice if she passed him on the street.

A man associated with a criminal.

“Still here, Doc. What are you waiting for?” Husky with pain, his deep voice brought her out of her thoughts.

She gave herself a mental shake. “Want something to bite down on?”

A small, wry smile touched his lips and his lids closed. “You won’t hear a peep out of me. Just fix me, Doc.”

“I can hit you so you’ll sleep through it,” she muttered.

That drew a low chuckle from him. She didn’t expect him to have a sense of humor. He seemed too…hard. His chuckle turned into a grunt of pain. “You probably hit like a girl.”

Alana grinned. “Yes, I do. Rest assured it won’t feel like it.”

“Appreciate the offer, but, no.” His words slurred together, his muscles tense as he fought his body’s demands.

“You got a name, Superman?”

His head rolled to the side, his chest rose and fell slowly. She thought he was out but he murmured, “Cristian.”

“Nice to meet you, Cristian.”

Then she dug into the wound for the bullet.

Author Bio: 

Jennifer grew up reading romance novels in the back of her math book and on the bus to school, and never wanted to be anything but a writer.  Her summers were spent sitting at the kitchen table with her sisters spinning tales of romance and intrigue and always with a tall glass of ice tea at their side. 

Today, Jennifer is living that dream and she couldn’t be happier to share her passion with her readers.  She loves everything there is about romance.  Her stories feature alpha heroes who meet their match with strong, independent heroines.  She believes that happily ever after is only the beginning of her stories. And the road to that happy ending is paved with action, adventure, and romance. As her characters find out when they face danger, overcome fears, and are forced to look deep within themselves to discover love.  

 Jennifer lives in Michigan with her husband and three children.  When she isn’t writing she enjoys reading and spending time with her family. 

Find Jennifer:

Author Website   Facebook   Twitter   Romance Recipes

Buy Hard Core:

Amazon

Lyrical Press

Barnes & Noble

Bookworld

Thank you for stopping by! Be sure to pick up your copy of Hard Core and look for my second book, Murphy’s Law, due out in March, 2013, featuring an Army Ranger!

And to all my readers out there, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! Without you I wouldn’t be here today. My wish is to one day meet each and every one of you so I can personally thank you for your support and generosity. I truly appreciate you.

Thanks Jennifer. Here's hoping your sales continue to soar. We can't wait for Murphy's Law and all the other hunky heroes you've got planned for us in the future.

Sharon Hamilton