Title:
Slater’s Leverage
Author:
Claudia Shelton
Series:
The OPAQUE Task Force
Genre:
Romantic Suspense
Pub.
Date: November 10,
2015
Format:
Digital eBook
ISBN:
978-0-9968226-0-2
Synopsis:
Protector
Agent Josh Slater has spent years working for the secret
government-sponsored agency known as OPAQUE. All the while hoping to
find the man who paid his father to bring down a plane killing the
then head of OPAQUE. Now, Josh's new assignment brings him back
face-to-face with the one woman he ever deserted. His life would have
been easier letting Mackenzie continue to hate him for leaving, but
she's been targeted as leverage and he'll do anything to insure her
survival. Even face her anguish over his family's shame.
Mackenzie
Baudin has been over Josh Slater for years, so the idea of her uncle
sending him to be her protector meant only a slight hiccup in her
steel resolve emotions. But her uncle's promise that within the next
twenty-four hours she would know the complete truth about her life
hit her like the plane crash ten years ago. The day her mother and
father were killed.
Guest Post; 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! would love to thank author Claudia Shelton for being with us today.
Where-Oh-Where Did My
e-Reader Go?
Like so many readers, I'm good with
either an e-book or print, so mostly it depends on where I'll be
doing my reading as to what I prefer. Doing research definitely calls
for a paperback copy so I can highlight sections or flag pages for
reading again. If I'm curled up in my chair with my puppy snuggle in
beside me, I usually like the feel of a book in my hands--plus that
allows me to use all the cute bookmarks I love to buy. But when I'm
traveling, I always take my e-reader because it's lighter weight and
provides me with lots of books to choose from.
Of course, flying with my Kindle can
be tricky for me at times. A couple of years ago, I flew to the
annual Romance Writers of America Convention and, while on the plane,
I started a new book on my digital reader. Then the world invaded
with a drink, snacks, bathroom break and chatting with another author
on the flight. Before I knew it, we had landed and I was on my way to
the hotel. Wasn't until the next day that I discovered my e-Reader
had not completed the trip with me. You see somewhere in the midst of
the world invading, I had tucked my Kindle into the pocket on the
seat in front of me. By the time I called the airport, my e-reader
had become a world traveler.
When I put a Kindle on my Christmas
list that year, the person who had given me the first one was nice
and gave me another one. There were, however, a few words of advice
that suggested I might want to start saving my pennies because if I
lose this one, I shouldn't put it on another Christmas list.
Ooooops--guess the next one is on me!
Excerpt
from SLATER’S LEVERAGE
"What's
going on?" Josh asked his boss.
"OPAQUE
intercepted Coercion Ten's Target List again last night. My name's
still there. So's yours."
"Sounds
about right." Most every OPAQUE agent had their name on the
enemy's list. If not, then Josh figured you needed to work a little
harder at pissing them off.
"They've
added a new column. Titled it—Leverage. There's nothing in that
column next to yours. Next to mine is one name." Drake
speed dialed his phone again. "Mackenzie Baudin."
Josh's
chest tightened as if a belt had been notched three sizes too small.
Not only was Macki an ex-cop, wealthy hotel owner and the boss's
niece, she was also the only woman Josh had never shook from his
system. The idea she was a target in the underbelly game of life and
death slapped him upside the head like a brick.
The
two men shared a glance, then looked away. He'd controlled his
breathing. Controlled his expression. But he'd felt the flare of his
nostrils. Coercion Ten had gone too far this time. There'd already
been too many deaths in Macki's family.
"Do
you think it's real?" Josh asked.
"All
the signs point that direction. I've been trying to reach Mackenzie
all day." The corner of Drake's right eye twitched. "All I
get is her damn voice mail."
"She's
probably just busy. You know, running a high class hotel isn't all
glamour and glitz." Hearing the words come out of his own mouth
didn't make Josh feel any better.
Drake
shot him an evil-eye look. "Don't give me that bull. You and I
both know this is damn serious."
Josh
had to agree. When someone was targeted by Coercion Ten, every hour,
every minute, every second counted. He nodded.
"They'll
try to break me and OPAQUE by targeting her." Drake paused. "We
can't let that happen."
"You
can count on me. What's my assignment?"
His
boss's expression blanked, the look he always got when he was torn on
which way to turn. Torn between going with his gut or over thinking
the situation. Josh knew the look. Not only from Drake, but from
himself as well.
Squaring
his shoulders, Drake rose to his feet. "Bottom line, I need you
to go to Riverfalls, Illinois and protect Mackenzie."
"No."
"Yes."
"Get
this straight, old man. There's no way in hell I'm going back to my
hometown." For years Josh had accepted every assignment. Every
duty. Every dirty job out there. All for OPAQUE. All to pay back the
debt he felt he owed. But the old man had stepped over the line this
time. "You don't know what you're asking me to do, sir."
About
Claudia Shelton
Award-winning
author Claudia Shelton could write her name before the first day of
school, but now she writes romantic suspense and contemporary
romance, all with sexy alpha heroes and women strong enough to love
them. She also presents workshops on everything from character
development to networking to the ins-and-outs of being a new author.
Claudia's
debut novel, Risk of a Lifetime, released to 5-star reviews, reached
Amazon's Best Sellers Romance Series Top 100 and was named one of
eBooks Galore top reads for 2014. She is also a two-time Daphne Du
Maurier (Unpublished) finalist for excellence in mystery. Her new
book, Slater's Leverage, will be available November 2015.
Shelton
is a member of Romance Writers of America (RWA), MORWA (Missouri
RWA), Sisters in Crime, St. Louis Writers Guild, Missouri Writers'
Guild, and Saturday Writers.
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ReplyDeleteThanks so much for hosting me. When I wrote about losing my Kindle, it made me smile. I'll never (hopefully) leave one on the plane again.
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