Fiction Friday: Meet Kathryn Shay and Bayview Heights
Welcome to Fiction Friday. Today I want to share a collection of novels, the Bayview Heights Trilogy, which is on sale today.
After being in an anthology together last year author Kathryn Shay and I learned that we live in the same place during winters, and not that far apart in the summers. So we now have a local writer friend to turn to when the need to discuss our work and what we’re doing becomes overwhelming. What a wonderful thing. I love my writer friends.
I know you want to get to know her, too. Here’s some more to ponder.
A New York Times bestseller, Kathryn Shay has been a lifelong writer and teacher. She has written 52 books—15 self-published original romance titles, 36 print books with the Berkley Publishing Group and Harlequin Enterprises and 1 mainstream women’s fiction with Bold Strokes Books. She has won five RT Book Reviews awards, four Golden Quills, four Holt Medallions, the Bookseller’s Best Award, Foreword Magazine’s Book of the Year and several “Starred Reviews.” Her novels have been serialized in COSMOPOLITAN magazine and featured in USA TODAY, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL and PEOPLE magazine. There are over five million copies of her books in print, along with hundreds of thousands downloaded online. She lives in upstate New York with her husband and children.
When I asked Kathryn to share an excerpt, she chose this one, from Cop of the Year, one novel in the Bayview Heights Trilogy that’s only $.99 right now–but only if you act quickly. Because the price goes back up this weekend. There are buy links at the end of today’s blog so you can find out more.
Here’s what Kathryn said about Cop of the Year:
Bayview Heights has one of the best educational systems in the state due to the dedication of teachers, administrators and the community. But they have their problems, too. Gangs are encroaching from the city, the town newspaper is criticizing them, and an angry board member objects to some innovative classes. These issues frame three intense romances where teachers must overcome personal issues as well as professional ones.
In COP OF THE YEAR, Captain Mitch Lansing is assigned to Cassie Smith’s high school classroom and sparks fly. He’s by-the-book, and she’s unorthodox and innovative in her teaching methods. But when Mitch develops an unstoppable bond with her students, Cassie finds her attraction to him irresistible. “An emotionally powerful tale that leaves you breathless.” RT Book Reviews
And now, an excerpt for you to enjoy.
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“Am I under arrest?”
Mitch glanced at the kid draped on the wooden bench in the squad room. “What did the officer who brought you in say?”
“Can’t you just answer a freakin’ question?”
Mitch sighed. Insolent punk.
“No, you’re not under arrest. But if you don’t keep your mouth shut, I could probably find a reason to keep you here.”
Burning brown eyes held his. “Yeah, well you’ve already done enough damage. What’s a little more?”
“A record of arrests doesn’t look good, Battaglia.”
The boy settled down, and Mitch stared him. “Who do you think took the scalpels? Since you contend you didn’t.”
Battaglia raked a shock of thick black hair off his brow. “I don’t know. There were lots of people in the operating room. Other orderlies, janitors, the guy to pick up the anesthesia stuff. Hell, maybe some nurse on crack took them to sell.”
Mitch eyed the kid’s jacket, lying on the bench next to him. The Blisters was printed in large capital letters on the back, surrounded by exploding fireworks in vivid red. Blood red. “You sure you didn’t take them? For the next street fight? I hear scalpels are the newest weapons of choice.”
“I don’t fight.”
“No, you go to tea parties with your gang buddies.”
“Listen, man, if I’m not under arrest, why do I have to stay here?”
“Because you’re under eighteen. Our town ordinance says an adult has to sign you out if you’re picked up by the cops for any reason.”
The boy stood, almost matching Mitch’s height. “I didn’t do anything.”
He tried for patience. “Did you call someone?”
Eyes full of resentment stared back at him. They were dark and hostile.
“Johnny, what happened?” a deep female voice called from behind Mitch.
He turned to see a woman in the doorway. This was the kid’s mother? God help him. She couldn’t be more than thirty. His policeman’s mind cataloged her features. About five-seven, tall for a woman. Her carriage was an odd combination of athletic grace and streetwise toughness.
“Johnny?”
Battaglia went to her and she grasped his arm. “Sorry to get you up, Cassie. I didn’t know who else to call.” He leveled a venomous gaze on Mitch. “This pig said I need an adult to get me out of here.”
“Are you his mother?” Mitch asked.
“No, his English teacher.”
“His English teacher? Over at the high school?” He looked down at the signature. “Smith. You’re Cassandra Smith?”
She frowned. “Do we know each other?”
“Not yet, Ms. Smith.”
“What do you mean?”
“On Monday, I’ll be part of your class for the next ten weeks.”
“You’re joking.”
“I wish I were. You can blame the Resiliency Program cooked up by the school board and the town officials. They seem to think schools working with the police force will help make kids more resilient in dealing with today’s pressures.”
“I’ll never allow you in my classroom,” she said implacably.
“I never thought I’d come.”
***
Buy the Bayview Heights Trilogy:
Thanks for posting about my books, Emilie. And I’m all for getting together and talking books anytime.
Kathy