Hawk
Hunter, a half-Shoshone Indian, left New York at the height of his
book-cover modeling career without anyone knowing why. His goal? To
re-establish eagles to the Snake River Valley in Idaho, his ancestral
homeland, and with zero publicity. The only way to reach Hawk’s
mountaintop is by helicopter—with his knowledge. To date no one has
been able to get an interview.
Wildlife photojournalist Jennifer
Frost is determined to get the elusive story, not realizing there is
bad blood between her boss who wants this story and Hawk. Her reward
for getting the story is a desired promotion denied to her thus far.
Her boss lies telling her permission has been obtained.
Stuck
with Jennifer for two weeks, Hawk is determined to save his eagles
and see that any story remains on the mountain. Jennifer is
determined that she’ll get the story, no matter what. Just before
her arrival, Hawk spotted poachers in the valley. It’s just a
matter of time . . .
Both Jennifer and Hawk must compromise and
give up something they strongly believe in, but can they? Are they
willing to betray the other to meet their individual goals, or will
their new-found feelings for each other determine a future that
neither had planned?
Wild
Women Authors is
pleased to welcome back author and lecturer Diana Stout who is
celebrating the re-release of her contemporary romance Determined
Hearts a
self published novel by Sharpened Pencils Productions.
With
Diana is the eminently yummy naturalist Hunter Hawk
Good
morning, Hunter. Tell us a bit about yourself. I
was born on an Indian reservation in The Snake River Plain in Idaho.
My father's ancestors are the Shoshone and now part of the
Shoshone-Paiute Tribe.
What
did you think the first time you saw Jennifer Frost? I
was shocked seeing her standing in front of my cabin. No one,
absolutely no one is allowed up on this mountain without my
permission. I get my supplies delivered via helicopter by a friend.
It's the only way she could have gotten here. I was angry that he'd
done that to me, but when I found out he'd been offered a huge chunk
of money to do so, I couldn't fault him for that. Times have been
hard for him despite the generous amount I pay him.
Works for
us. What was your second thought? I
wanted her gone! Immediately.
So
it wasn't love at first sight. Not
in the least. I barely noticed what she looked like I was so angry at
the intrusion.
What
do you like most about her? Once
I got to know her, I liked her determination. She doesn't give up.
She is as dogged to complete a task as I am.
How
would you describe Jennifer?
Stubborn, determined, a force to reckon with when riled, smart,
practical, and unassuming, meaning she didn't need the usual creature
comforts that most women I've known needed.
How
would she describe you? Probably
stubborn, determined, and more stubborn.
What
made you choose male modeling as a career? I
was tired of being poor. I wanted to make money. I hadn't been in New
York City two days when I was picked up by a modeling agency who said
I had the chiseled face photographers liked and wanted. And then I
got picked up by a publishing house for a romance book cover and my
career skyrocketed from there. After a while though, I felt like a
piece of meat. Didn't like it. I was living against what I really
believed. Decided to do something good with the money I had earned
and return to my core beliefs.
What
is your biggest fear now, in your new life? That
all the work I've done will be destroyed by poachers.
How
do you relax? Being
in nature relaxes me. It's why I live where I do. Alone and away from
all society and its trappings.
Who
is your favorite fictional character? Coyote,
a character in many Shoshoni myths.
What
is the best piece of advice you ever received?
Take care of Mother Nature and she'll take care of you.
Here's
an excerpt from Determined
Hearts:
Determined to regain control of
his thoughts, he headed for his sweat lodge. Earlier, he'd started
the fire necessary for his ritual; by now, only the needed coals
would remain. Even though Jennifer had been out here, back of the
cabin on several occasions, she had yet to spot the lodge. He doubted
she ever would.
The slight mound of earth—no
more than chest high—appeared to be a natural incline, blending
well into the background. Unless you were practically on top of the
lodge, it was hard to see the lines of it from a distance. There was
no reason for Jennifer to be in this part of the yard, which is why
he never told her about it.
He couldn't stop her from
remaining on the mountain for two weeks, but he could keep her out of
his lodge. It was his last bastion of privacy, and he needed it right
now.
Bent over, he slid through the
small slot like opening, covering it back up behind him. The door was
nothing more than twigs and branches interwoven with grass and
leaves. In place, it looked like the surrounding land. Only a small
hole in the roof allowed the heat to escape. Earlier when the fire
was at its fullest, a thin line of smoke escaped, now only the
sharpest eye would detect the heat.
Already, he could feel the
intense heat, and it warmed his skin. Able to stand to his full
height in the lodge as the floor was several feet beneath the surface
of the ground, he quickly peeled off his clothes, discarding them in
a heap, then put on his loincloth. Instantly, he felt the magic of
the steam, the earthy smell of the dirt lodge, the slight touch of
leather around his waist and loins became one with him, until finally
all time and space quietly transcended.
With his eyes closed, he eased
down into a cross-legged position, his palms lightly touching his
bent knees, his body facing the hot coals. He forced his mind to
empty of all thoughts. For just a moment or two, he was successful,
then Jennifer's image walked toward him.
She was wearing a white deerskin
dress, beads as blue as her eyes, decorated in such a way it
emphasized her trim waist, full breasts, and rounded hips. Fringe
hung mid-calf and danced around her legs as she walked barefoot
toward him. Her head slightly lowered, her eyes gazed sleepily at
him, daring him to reject her.
His eyes popped open. Even here,
the woman intruded! How could he get control of his body, if he
couldn't control his mind!
Taking a deep breath, Hawk tried
once again to regain the mindless thought that would allow his
heartbeat to slow, his muscles to relax, to become one with nature
again.
But, once again, thoughts of
Jennifer filled his mind. His hands literally ached to cup her
breasts, and he found himself clutching his knees.
Damn the woman! He refused to
allow her to intrude in his ancestral sanctuary. He'd leave before he
allowed her entrance here, even if her presence was only mental.
Disgusted with himself for being
so weak of mind, he got up to leave.
Now
for a chat with our featured author, Diana Stout:
What
event in your private life were you able to bring to this story and
how do you feel it impacted the novel?
I can't say there was just one event that I brought into this book
but rather several. I've always been interested in wilderness
survival and living with nature, so I've brought that interest and
research into the book, which included how not
to run when approached by a bear as they can outrun you. Additionally, I brought in my camping experiences and neat tricks,
like the umbrella shower, which I learned while a Girl Scout leader.
Tell
us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what
influenced your decision to submit to them? This
book was first published by Starlog Communications International,
which was a magazine publisher. My editor was Milburn Smith and he
was starting a romance book series called Moonlight Romance. At the
time, I was the columnist of the round-up page for editors and
publishers for RWA's in-house magazine, Romance
Writers Report. He
had called me with their new information, and he asked me if I knew
of anyone who had a manuscript sitting in their drawer. As a matter
of fact, I said, I do. I sent him one. He called saying he liked my
writing but the story wasn't quite right. Did I have another
manuscript? I did. This story, then titled The
Man on the Romance Cover became
their first Moonlight Romance book published. Basically, I was in the
right place at the right time.
I'll
never forget him telling me that he had discovered Karen Robards and
that in reading my books he felt like he was discovering her all over
again. That was such a huge compliment for me as I was a fan of her
books.
Once
I got the rights back to my book, I changed the title, changed the
cover twice, updated it, which really didn't require much updating as
it had been edited well, and published it in 2016 through my company,
Sharpened
Pencils Productions.
What
book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? I
read a lot of different genres. One genre I particularly like is
non-fiction books. Both of these books I've started but haven't
finished yet: The Far
Traveler Voyages of a Viking Woman
and The Hidden Life of
Trees. The first is
about a Viking woman who sailed to the New World and lived there for
three years. It's about the archeological findings and sagas that
back up the findings, all of which tell her story. The latter book
tells how trees communicate and what they feel. The Native Americans
called trees The Tall People, something I learned while researching
Determined Hearts.
I loved the author's first book, The
Secret Life of Plants,
and with my love of trees, this second book will no doubt be a
favorite as well.
Lastly,
what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves?
I'm
still writing and editing my Laurel Ridge novella series of seven
romances. After publishing the first one, and while writing the third
one, thinking the second was ready for publication, I discovered I
was writing myself into a corner. Not good news for the remaining
stories; so, I decided to write all seven first drafts before
publishing the second one—which I hope will be this fall—to
ensure I wasn't making plot, setting, or time line mistakes that
readers would no doubt catch. After that I have several projects to
choose from: a historical drama based on a mid-1800 event, a mystery,
a horror, or a time-travel. All four projects are screaming me
first, me, me, me!
Visitors
can follow Diana Stout at:
