Welcome Gina Leuci and Caged Souls

Wild Women Authors is delighted to have Gina Leuci with us for the rest of the week as she celebrates the release of Caged Souls, a romantic suspense out of the Crimson Rose line for Wild Rose Press. To finish icing the cake, she brought super hunk Caleb Wellington with her. Trust us, this guy is every woman's answer to strong, silent and HUNKY!!!

Caleb Wellington, where are you from? I’m from a small farming community in Pennsylvania. The town of Wellington is a self-sufficient, family-run town. We’re very close-knit.

Tell us a bit about Caged Souls, book one in A Well of Lies. This is the beginning of Grace’s story about her summer spent visiting Wellington. Nothing was what she had planned when she got onto the bus from her college in Vermont. I believe she thought she was going to Kansas, of all places. Not sure how she got that idea in her head, but when we arrived at our Wellington, it spooked her. That was the start of a series of … let’s just call them incidents, where Grace and members of the town didn’t see eye to eye.

We read the book, darling. Trust us, 'not seeing eye-to-eye' gives new meaning to confrontation. So. . . What did you think the first time you saw Grace Adams? I knew the moment she opened her mouth, she was going to be trouble. The girl speaks her mind and I knew, without a doubt, she would have trouble following the rules we have in place in Wellington. We’re a bit rigid on our rules, some that date back to the founding of our town.

Un huh. Good response. What was your second thought? That she was down-right, sexy as all get-out. From her auburn hair, her hot chocolate eyes, and, well, her sassiness, I knew having Grace around was going to be interesting.

Was it was love at first sight? No. Well, I’ll admit I was attracted to her but it had only been two years since my wife died. I wasn’t thinking that way. Plus, she’d already been spoken for by someone else in town so I knew it was hands off. But, she amused me. As the summer went on, I also became more protective of her. I discovered that I wanted to help her get home, despite the obstacles the town council had put in place.

What do you like most about her? Grace is a natural protector. She is extremely loyal to her friends and will do absolutely anything for them. That’s why she came to Wellington in the first place. Her friend fell for one of our residents and he invited her to spend the summer on our first ever work/study program. Grace wouldn’t let her come alone. I’ve also watched her take charge when she feels there has been an unjust. It’s an admirable quality, even if it gets her into trouble.

How would you describe her? I actually like the way Grace described herself to me. She said she is like the moon. She likened it to her moodiness. I personally see her as a beacon of light in a dark sky. Her whole personality glows.

That is so sweet, considering you tased her best guy friend when he tried to help her escape, but we digress. How would she describe you? She says I’m a stone wall. No personality. I’m just very black and white. Rules are rules. They need to be followed.

What made you choose police work for a career? I actually broke protocol and left the town of Wellington and joined the Marines and got married. When my wife was killed, I had three young children to raise, so I came home. My father used to be police chief, before he disgraced the town and was banished. The chief after him wanted to retire, and with my skills from the Marines, the job was offered to me.

What is your biggest fear? That I won’t be there to protect my children. It’s why I brought them back to Wellington. It’s the safest town I know.

How do you relax? Baseball. I love to play baseball. I have to say, I’ve been enjoying it more since Grace came to town. She loves the game, too, and she is a fierce player.

Understatement, dear. Who is your favorite fictional character? Sherlock Holmes. That crazy detective sure did have a way of finding the truth in the strangest of ways.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? Honor. Courage. Commitment. Those are the values of the Marines, and the code I continue to live by.

Thanks, Caleb. This has been . . . eye-opening for sure. Now let's chat with your creator, Gina. What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? I love books/movies with happy endings – it’s why I write what I do. However, I also love stories with a good twist, especially if I didn’t see it coming.

You are the epitome of twists, sweetie. What event in your private life were you able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? I was born in Pennsylvania, although I didn’t grow up there, and I have family in the mid-western part of the state. When I was writing this story, I went to visit a friend there and we spent hours talking about differences in idioms and food. It was loads of fun, and I’m curious about what she will think when she reads the story, and if she will recognize things we discussed.

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. They are wonderful and extremely easy to work with.

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? Ooh, too many. I am currently reading Hellfire and Handbaskets by fellow TWRP author, Kathryn Hills. I also want to complete Lisa Olech’s pirate series. I have read the first three with two more to go. The fifth one of the series: Within a Captain’s Soul, is a RITA nominee, so I really want to catch up on my reading before July.

Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? Captive Hearts, book two in A Well of Lies, will tell the rest of Grace and Caleb’s story. It has also been contracted with The Wild Rose Press, and we are just starting the editing process on that.

Caged Souls 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

Or my author facebook page: www.facebook.com/GinaLeuciAuthor