. . . . . When
Police Chief Caleb Wellington returned to his hometown, he had his
own reasons for increasing the town’s security. Now, he sees the
town for what it is: a prison. His relationship with Grace opens
feelings he hasn’t had in a while. The last thing he wants to do is
say goodbye. But he made a promise to get her home and he is a man of
his word.
Wild
Women Authors is
thrilled to welcome back Gina Leuci and Grace
Adams Wellington from Captive
Hearts,
book two in Gina's A Well of Lies series. This one's a beauty and we
can't wait to chat with Grace.
Where
are you from? I was
born and raised in Vermont. My parents own a restaurant so my life
has pretty much revolved around food.
Tell
us a bit about Captive
Hearts, book
two in A Well of Lies series. The book takes
place immediately following the conclusion of Caged
Souls. I am trapped
in Wellington, a small, secluded town in Pennsylvania, run by the
Wellington family. They brought several college students to their
town under the guise of a summer intern program working on their
farms, but in reality, their intent was to find spouses for their
children. At the end of Caged
Souls, Caleb agreed
to help me leave Wellington, but… well, as you’ll discover, the
members of the Town Council have other plans for us.
What
did you think the first time you saw Caleb Wellington? The
very first time? At the start of Caged
Souls, I thought he
was emotionless. A stone wall. What I thought of him at the start of
Captive Hearts
was completely different. Of course, I woke lying in his arms after a
night seeking shelter from a storm. For a brief, wonderful moment, I
thought he was my ally, my protector. That changed quickly.
As we've
read the book, we couldn't agree more, and for several excellent reasons.
What was your second thought? Caleb
is a ball of contradictions. I always
found him hard to read. He has a way of shutting down his emotions.
When he
does, it pushes my buttons and I tend to mouth off a bit.
Yes,
you do that, often for good reason. Did you feel it was love at first
sight? Hell,
no. Caleb was the bane of my existence. He was in charge of keeping
me in Wellington against my will. He is a rules follower and I like
to push the limits. We butted heads a few times.
What
do you like most about him? The
more I got to know Caleb, the more I realized how wrong I was about
him being a stone wall. Caleb is very protective about those he cares
most about. As Police Chief he is extremely fair while also being
strict. It’s a fine line, but one that I find quite admirable.
How
would you describe him?
He sees the world as black and white – rules
must be followed.
But then when I see him with his children – he has three, by the
way – he is relaxed and fun. He is also Gorgeous – I mean,
HELLO!!! All I have to do is look at all those muscles and I want to
faint.
Agreed.
Right down to the body to die for. How would he describe you? Besides
being a pain in his ass? Yeah, that’s how he would describe me. I
frustrate the hell out of him. But my antics also amuse him. He
might not admit it out loud, but I’ve seen the smirks he tries to
hide.
What
made you choose business management for a career focus?
I’m a college student between my junior and senior years. My
focus, though, is Business Management, as I figure I’ll continue to
run the back side of my parent’s restaurant. I’ve been helping
out there for a while and have a knack for it. Plus, it keeps me
away from the customers.
What
is your biggest fear?
At this time, stuck in Wellington, my biggest fear is never going
back home to Vermont to see my parents and sister.
How
do you relax?
Baseball. I love the sport. At times though, it helps me get out my
aggression. Also, baking. While my parents taught me how to cook, I
have the most fun when I bake. A lot of nights, while my parents
were next door working, I would bake desserts for my sister.
Who
is your favorite fictional
character? Scarlet
O’Hara. Despite everything, she was a survivor. I like that.
We
couldn't agree more with your choice. What is the best piece of
advice you ever received? I’m
not sure I have advice, exactly, but my sister has Downs Syndrome and
she is the happiest, most loving person I know. She is basically the
opposite of me, but she is also an inspiration. She doesn’t let
anything get in her way.
Grace,
this has been terrific. Thanks for taking time to chat with us. Now
it's Gina's turn at bat.
What
movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? I
love reading and not just any one genre. I love stories with happy
endings, which is why I write romance. I also like a good mystery. I
admire authors who write entire series, weaving characters throughout
and setting a plot thread in one book that follows through several
books later. I think it is quite the gift to be that organized.
What
event in your private life were you able to bring to this story and
how do you feel it impacted the novel? Back
when I was in college, I started a story called: Last Stop,
Wellington, which never got completed. A couple years ago, I was
watching the show Arrow
with my son. Stephen Amell portrays the main character and something
about his intensity made me bring that long-forgotten story back.
Originally, Caleb was to be the antagonist, but after bringing my
re-imagined plot ideas to my critique group, they convinced me Caleb
had to be the hero. Obviously, they were right.
Tell
us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what
influenced your decision to submit to them?
I am with The Wild Rose Press. I was almost finished writing my
second novel, The
Devil’s Invention,
when my first publishing house closed. I’d always heard great
things about The Wild Rose Press and they were the first ones I
submitted to when the manuscript was done. They picked it up and it
was published in 2015. Now, with Caged
Souls and Captive
Hearts, I have three
books with TWRP. They are wonderful and extremely easy to work with.
What
book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile?
I have a couple of Kristan Higgins' books ready to read. Kristan’s
books are kind of a “reward” book. But I know when I start, I
need time to read, because I can’t put them down. Also, Midnight
Girl from Nora LeDuc
– a fellow NHRWA chapter member who writes Romantic Suspense. Peggy
Jaeger, another TWRP author has three books coming out soon. To tell
you the truth, there are too many to list.
Lastly,
what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? I
am in the very beginning stages researching a new book idea. It
centers on a child abduction cold case. I am not a fast writer, so,
unfortunately, it will be a while before it will see the light of
day.
Gina
brought along an excerpt for us:
Caleb
looked down at me. “Okay?”
No.
I wanted to scream the word. I wanted to turn tail and run. “I feel
hypocritical, celebrating a day of independence with a town that has
taken away my rights.”
The
distant look he gave wasn’t him closing off this time. No, I
spotted the hint of pain in the blue flecks before his shoulders
squared. “Think of it more of you taking the first step to secure
your freedom again.”
I
rubbed my clammy palms against my shorts. “Do you think it will
work? Do you think we can fool them?”
His
answer was to hold his hand out. “If we show a united front, yes.”
I
took it. Not for the first time, I noticed the difference in size as
his fingers folded between mine. Today, at this moment, our age
difference seemed massive, but part of me knew it was due to his
confidence. My own fears of my future had me wishing to be a little
girl back in the safety of my parents’ home.
I
needed to stop my self-pity. I was twenty, not a child. It was time
to put on my big girl panties and show the world I’m a fighter. I
squeezed his hand. “Let’s do this.”
Then
we turned the corner and came face to face with Leland, A.J., Tim,
and Phillip. My new-found determination came to a screeching halt.
CAGED
SOULS and CAPTIVE HEARTS can be purchased through Amazon, Barnes and
Noble, and through my publisher: www.thewildrosepress.com
I
can be reached via my website: www.ginaleuci.com
