Love funny and suspenseful romance? Meet J.L. Hammer

I read J.L. Hammer’s NOTHING BUT TROUBLE and immediately asked her if she would appear on my blog. Here's why:

“Nothing But Trouble is everything I love… hysterical, sexy, page-turning fun!”– USA Today bestselling author Samanthe Beck

Blurb:

With an angry loan shark hot on her heels, Frankie Delenski flees a Vegas gentlemen’s club with one thought in mind: hide before she’s nothing more than a chalk outline. Now on the run…she finds herself stranded in a sleepy Colorado town during a storm. Her only salvation becomes the suspicious and gorgeous deputy sheriff determined to arrest her…

From the get-go, Wes Malone must restrain his lust for this stunning, unpredictable woman in a sequined bra and rely on his instincts as a cop. As he sifts through the haze of lies, the truth about her predicament is like a sucker punch to the gut. She’s in serious danger and getting involved with her means nothing but sweet, irresistible trouble…

Excerpt:

She took a moment to study the virile man before her. The strippers worked their clients into a mouth-drooling frenzy by a few shakes of their hips and a little lip-gnawing. If Frankie could work her charms on Deputy Malone, he would be at her beck and call. A strange thrill zinged through her.

With a sexy strut, she approached, giving him her best heated look. She brushed the tips of her polished nails across his chest. Hopefully, he hadn’t noticed the mud smeared across her hands or her missing pinky nail. His dark brows lifted and his expression was…amused. Determination squared Frankie’s shoulders. With a thrust, she pushed out her well-padded female attributes.

“Can’t we just forget about all this? Couldn’t you just help me get my car out of the ditch and then let me go on my way?” She tried to purr, but it sounded more like she needed a throat lozenge.

“Are you hungry?” he asked.

She frowned and then remembered she was being seductive and smiled shyly. “Hungry?”

“Yeah. The way you keep chewing on your lower lip I figured you must be starving.”

 I loved this book. J.L., Please tell us a little about yourself. And inquiring minds want to know – What does the J. L. stand for. 
I’m a California girl and enjoy living in my small mountain town with my hubby and two teenagers. My name is a bit extreme, being the product of hippie parents and all, so I went with my initials. I couldn’t see Justice Love Hammer on the cover of a novel. Okay, I’m completely full of it…about the name and hippie parents. But J.L. are my real initials.

 I love firsts, so tell me about the moment when you found you’d made your first sale.  

When I received the email from a publisher offering me a contract, at first it was suspended disbelief and then I danced with excitement. It was nice to finally get a “yes” after so many rejections. Even after five contracts, I still get excited when I receive one.

 How about the first time you kissed your true love?

I’ll never forget meeting my husband. I was with a girlfriend on a barefoot cruise in the Caribbean when our ship was overtaken by pirates. The leader took a fancy to me and hey, he was downright handsome so when he said we would marry, I agreed. As you can see from our wedding photo I was still in shock but our first kiss was magical. Hmmm. Can you tell I’m a fiction writer? You have to admit fiction is so much more intriguing than reality. In truth, my hubby kissed me on my front porch, and I remember grasping his biceps and thinking “nice muscles.” As you can see from the picture (costume ball) after fourteen years of marriage we still have fun together.

 Fabulous picture. 

Other than your own, who are your favorite (heroes/heroines/writers) in your genre? 

I’m a fan of Karen Robards and Sandra Brown. I love their ability to weave intricate plots and keep the romance sizzling. 

What is the most exciting moment, so far, in your writing career? 
When my latest novel, Nothing But Trouble, released in November it ranked #80 on the Amazon bestseller list for a romance series and #20 for romantic suspense on KOBO. It was nice to reach a milestone, and I look forward to many more.

What is your favorite pastime, other than writing?  

I love to read and drink wine. I also enjoy traveling with my husband. Some of my favorite places are France, Scotland, Fiji, the big island of Hawaii, and New Zealand.

 Any advice for new writers just starting out? 

Finish the book and find critique partners who write well and listen to their advice. I also recommend taking a class. I took three online classes from Gotham Writers’ Workshop. I learned a lot from the published authors teaching the courses.

 What genre or genres do you write?  

 Romantic suspense. Gotta have my danger and hot guys.

Tell us about your latest release.

My latest release is the Vegas Vixens series which is centered on a bold, yet quirky group of heroines who live in the same Vegas trailer park next to the airport. Now these girls find themselves in high-stakes danger and drag the most gorgeous heroes into their messes. In NOTHING BUT TROUBLE, my heroine Frankie is working at a gentlemen’s club when she flees Vegas with a loan shark hot on her heels. She ends up in a small Colorado town with a sinfully handsome sheriff just itching to arrest her. Sigh. Some girls have all the luck.

Nothing, But Trouble introduced Lily and I can't wait to read her story.

What’s your current WIP?

I’m currently editing the next book in the series. The excitement of the Vegas Vixens continues in book 2, DEADLY TROUBLE (releasing May 2015), when Frankie’s best friend Lily takes the spotlight as she faces off with a drug lord in the jungles of Belize. Of course, she drags a drool-worthy doctor into her plight, but hey, after all a girl needs a hero. 
And finally, what would be your best Christmas present ever? 

 I would love to have another white Christmas. There is something about snow on the ground with all the lights that makes the day even more special. I live at four thousand feet, and we had a white Christmas about five years ago.
 

Thank you so much for being here. Where can we find you?

Website: http://www.jl-hammer.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HammerJL

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HammerJL  

Purchase link: http://www.entangledpublishing.com/nothing-but-trouble/ 

Giveaway alert! One lucky reader will win an ebook copy of my novel BLUE HORIZON, an exciting story with a secret government project and a hot mercenary. Good luck and happy reading!

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