Hi, Fresh Fiction! Thanks so much for having me today! I thought I’d yak a bit about the television romances that have inspired me as a writer. Some of them probably aren’t what you’d expect. No McDreamy or McSteamy in the bunch. Nothing wrong with the McDreamys and McSteamys of the TV world, of course — I love a hunky guy as much as anyone. Put him in leather pants or slap a tool belt on him, and I’m so there! But the TV relationships and/or scenes that have inspired me as a writer are a bit less mainstream. So here goes … — Buffy kills Angel (probably not that much of a surprise for a romance writer): One of the things I loved so much about Buffy the Vampire Slayer was the metaphor for high school … and life, actually. I mean, I feel as though I fight demons every day, either mine or someone else’s. I remember clearly the exact moment I fell in love with the world of Buffy and Angel. Near the end of the second episode, Buffy has saved the day, and Angel stands outside the Bronze, looking surprised that she pulled it off. “I’ll…

It’s June and the Texas heat has settled in for the summer. If I’m not out the door by 6:45am, we skip the trip to the dog park because it’s just too hot. So, fun means indoor and air-conditioned activities. Movies, television, shopping, and going to the gym are all on the list. Of course, my favorite activity is curling-up in bed with a good book. Now that I have a new mattress (what took me so long?), napping and reading are my two favorite ways to relax. This month, there are some great choices in romantic suspense to keep you entertained while you stay cool. FADE TO MIDNIGHT McCloud Shannon McKenna Kensington; $20.95 I can’t wait to read McKenna’s latest addition to the McCloud series which answers the question—What happened to Kevin? Davy, Connor, and Sean mourned the loss of their brother, Kevin, in Edge of Midnight, Out of Control, and Standing in the Shadows. When the McCloud brothers discover Kev is alive, they won’t rest until they find him. Beaten and tortured almost to death, Kev Larsen was found eighteen years earlier in a warehouse alley. He survived his brutal ordeal, but his memories before that night were…