Character Study

What makes the ideal heroine? We all have our own opinions - the wild-child, the spunky go-getter, the sweet girl-next-door. I like my heroines to have a measure of independence - like Callie does in *The Pendant: Callie.* She's independent to a fault, however, and this nearly costs her relationship with Luke.

My latest heroine, Carilla Morgan, has a streak of stubborness and independence as well, but she is not as strongly motivated as Callie. Callie was being smothered by her well-meaning but definitely overbearing family. With four older brothers watching her every move, it's no wonder she fled to Elm Springs, PA.

On the other hand, Carilla has just lost her father, leaving only her Aunt Elizabeth and two cousins as her closest relatives. With independence foisted on her, she turns to the people in her apartment building and they become her "family." When she uses her inheritence to help them, she runs into a road-block: C. Jefferson Worth, who controls the trust fund left to Carilla by her father.

Carilla is stubborn and creative, and she uses these characteristics to outwit Jeff. Meanwhile, Jeff is doing all he can to keep Carilla from running through her inheritence. He's also been charged with the task of keeping her safe from fortune hunters. Fortune hunters!!?? In modern day New York City? No wonder Carilla thinks she's been trapped in a Regency romance novel!

Release Day!

*The Pendant: Callie* will be available today from Moonlit Romance! And here, just to whet your appetite, is a bit for your enjoyment:

Callie knelt before him and watched his face as she pried the shoe off, but he showed no evidence of pain. Anger? Oh, yeah, there was still plenty of that. His eyes were blue lasers that bored a hole right through her. A small muscle worked in a jaw clamped so tight Callie was afraid he’d break his teeth.
She removed his sock, took his foot in her hand and bent her head to examine it. The base of his big toe was red and swollen, and the nail was chipped.
“We need to get some ice on that. Stay put.”
Callie rummaged through a drawer and came up with a plastic bag with a zip closure. She grabbed the ice tray from the fridge and dumped half-frozen cubes and cold water into the bag.
“Of all the hare-brained stunts, this one takes the cake,” Luke growled.
“Hare-brained?” Callie wheeled on him, hands on her hips. “You call that hare-brained? I’ve studied hares, and I’ll have you know that they are not stupid, if that is what you’re implying. In fact, they’re quite intelligent. And if you’d let go of the hammer in first place—”
“Okay, Doctor Dolittle, whatever. It was still dangerous to be hanging out the window like that.”
Doctor Dolittle?
“Here’s your ice.”
She knew she shouldn’t push him any more. After all, the man was holding on to his temper by a thread. But still…
The bag of ice cubes fell from Callie’s hand.
“Ouch!”
“Oops.” Callie spun on her heel. Before she could stalk away, Luke’s hand shot out; his fingers closed around her wrist like a vise and yanked her back. The room darkened to pinpoints of light, just like the end of an old cartoon. That low hum grew louder, resonating in her head.
She needed to sit down. Quick.

(c) 2007 by Susan Atwood

The Heroine

Meet Calantha Hass, the heroine in my upcoming release *The Pendant: Callie.* Callie hails from Red Prairie, Kansas, population 433. The youngest of five children, with four brothers, Callie has been protected and coddled all her life. Now she is more than ready for a change. With the ink barely dry on her diploma, Callie accepts a position as assistant professor of Zoology at Cherwell Springs College in Elm Springs, Pennsylvania.
To go along with her new position, Callie also has a new attitude. No more relying on her brothers to help her. This is the new Callie. The independent Callie. The Callie who is going to do whatever it takes to be independent.
All this determined independence is good - to a point. But what happens when Callie meets a man who fixes things for a living?

Susan

Cover Art

Here is the cover for my upcoming release

I love it!

And here is the back cover blurb:
Callie Haas thinks it’s about time she takes charge of her life and leave the family home in Kansas. The first step is taking a teaching position at Cherwell Springs College in Pennsylvania. The next step? Finding a place to live. Easier said than done, given the housing shortage in Elm Springs.

Luke Graham, computer technology whiz and Callie’s new landlord, can’t stop thinking about the new Zoology professor. Her penchant for risk-taking drives him insane. How can he keep her from injuring herself during her quest for independence if she won’t let him help her?

Complicating matters is an antique pendant with the magical power to bring soul mates together. Too bad the pendant believes Callie’s soul mate is a man she can’t stand. Luke. She is determined to prove the pendant wrong. All she needs to do is survive her debunking experiment, and keep firm hold of her heart. Easy. Right?

~Susan

Welcome

Welcome to Susan's Book Garden. I'm pleased to announce that my book, The Pendant: Callie will be available this month from Moonlit Romance. Stop by the Moonlit website. Check out the authors' blog and join the readers loop. Tonight at 9 p.m. US Eastern time is the Moonlit Monday chat. We'll be discussing my book.