Also take a moment to visit with me at two blogs that I’m doing today!

Join me for a discussion of Deadly Pursuits at Cynthia’s Eden’s My Deadly Valentine blog tour! Then also join me at Ester Lopez’s wonderful blog where a chat about writing and STRONGER THAN SIN.

And now, please welcome my great friend and wonderful author, Gabriella Hewitt who is going to share DARK WATERS with us as well as chat about her new releases. I read DARK WATERS and it was fabulous!! I highly recommend it. Rico was a fascinating hero and the heroine, Frankie Montalvo, could definitely hold her own with the best kick-butt heroines out there.

DARK WATERS

A predator stalks paradise and she’s next.

On a tropical isle, Frankie Montalvo discovers roots to a past she never knew. Tales of witchcraft, missing girls and el chupacabra surround her, but it will take more than superstitions to scare her away. Determined to create her own home, she enlists the help of an enigmatic beach bum.

Special Agent Rico Lopez has been to the depths of hell and back. He returns to his native island of Vieques to forget an ICE mission gone wrong only to find himself caught up in the search for a neighbor’s daughter—a victim of the legendary el chupacabra. Paradise has a predator and all leads point to a dilapidated old plantation and one sexy as sin owner. Lying to Frankie is the only way to do his job, but is he protecting her or himself?

Does this name make my butt look big?

Seriously, finding the right name for a character is like finding jeans that fit. I agonize for days trying to find the perfect fit, trying on one pair after another. Some are too flamboyant, some too old-fashioned, some too ridiculous to contemplate that I have to wonder if they make my butt look big.

When I began Dark Waters, I spent a lot of time thinking up the perfect name. Not any name would do. I knew my heroine was a tough, feisty New Yorker who’d been knocked down by life more than once, but always got back on her feet. I wanted a name that captured that hard shell on the outside that hid a soft vulnerability inside. That’s when I hit on Francesca, a classic, elegant name that spoke to who my heroine could be in an ideal world. Shorten it to Frankie and it fit the reality of a woman who fought to hold on to everything she had.

My hero had to stand up to Frankie in every way because he was the one man who could see beneath that exterior armor she wore so carefully. But he wasn’t going to take her by storm. He’d charm his way inside until she never knew what happened. Rico was a name that conjured up washboard abs and a sexy grin and Frankie didn’t stand a chance. This guy was sex on a stick, yet when it came to danger he protected his own…and that included Frankie.

My other method of madness is to find someone, a person I know or a relative to name other secondary characters after. My neighbor Karla got bumped off in Dark Waters (She thought it was hysterical and what better way to thank her for editing my Spanish) Frankie’s last name, Montalvo, comes from my best friend in elementary school (She thinks it is so awesome because she is married now and her last name is changed). Yes, I pay homage to those I love by immortalizing them in books. HEHEHEHE (evil laugh)

Currently, I’m working on my Shadow Warrior series, which is loosely based around Aztec mythology. They are contemporary paranormal romances that include a mix of suspense and plenty of intrigue from the gods. The first of the novellas, tentatively titled Out of the Shadows, has sold to Samhain Publishing. The second novella is in the final stages of editing and ready for submission to the editor and I’m ready to bang out the third. As I planned out the fourth novella, I realized that once again I was stuck. I needed the perfect name for my heroine.

So I mentioned this dilemma to my family and my cousin said she would love it if I used her name in a book. (Victoria is sweet and loving and beautifully blonde, which is exactly the opposite of the character I am contemplating). Then it dawned on me. Eureka! What better way to get the heroine’s name than to ask my friends and family to pick the name for me?

I put out a call for others to name the 4th heroine in the Shadow Warrior series. I got some wonderful entries and found a winner. A Celtic word that means “fire” –Enya!

You might be thinking, “This name is not ancient Aztec. Blasphemy!” True, but Zyanya is and it means “always, forever” and I thought this name fit perfectly. Since the story is a contemporary paranormal romance and she is an immortal firecracker, I figured she would want to blend into modern society, so I named her Enya.

Well guess what? I need a hero’s name!

Description: He is an immortal warrior who has battled demons, Aztec gods, and bad styles of the 1770’s, 1880’s and 1990’s. He’s tall, dark, and shaven (bald is beautiful). He is strong, ruthless and has a soft spot for damsels in distress (and kittens too but don’t let anyone know). He has the ability to shift into a black jaguar and with one look he can make you do bad, bad things.

I’m going to help you out a bit. Below are some names I am considering. Vote for your pick in the comment section and be entered to win a $5.00 gift card.

Mateo – short for MATLAL: Nahuatl name meaning “dark green; or net.”
Teo – short for TEOXIHUITL: Nahuatl unisex name meaning “turquoise” or “precious and divine.”
Alan – short for ACHCAUHTLI: Nahuatl unisex name meaning “leader.”

¡Buena suerte! Good luck!

Gabriella Hewitt
www.GabriellaHewitt.com
Excitement. Suspense. Passion.
Dark Waters ~ Available Now ~
Order at Amazon