What She Doesn't Know

On the brink of falling for a man she met on the Internet, Dr. Rita Brooks naively assumes Brian LaPort is everything he says he is...and all that she's hoped for. But before she can come face to face with him, Rita is nearly killed in a horrific accident. Or was it an accident at all?

Emerging at last from a disturbing, vision-plagued coma, Rita is confronted by a stranger who is convinced she knows more than she's telling about her own past-and his brother's. Cryptic e-mail records have led Christopher LaPorte to Rita while Brian lies near death in New Orleans from a suicide attempt. Or was it?

Desperate to unlock her own muddled memories as well as Brian's secrets, Rita returns with Christopher to New Orleans. There, amidst the chaotic revelry of Mardi Gras, she is plunged into a bizarre masquerade where elaborate masks cleverly conceal familiar faces-as well as murderous intent...

I read suspense thrillers because I like to be scared, and I write suspense thrillers because I like to scare people. Not-entrails-on-the-floor or hacked-up-body-parts books.  More like not being able to trust anyone, not even people you think you can trust type books. Books about psychological manipulation and psychotic baddies who enjoy the torment even more than the actual kill. Being scared is fun.  Just ask any roller coaster or horror flick fanatic.  Heck, just watching the evening news can be terrifying.
 
Pick up one of my books, though, and I'll guarantee you one thing: the bad guy always gets his in the end.  Or the head.  Or wherever it turns out to be.  We don't always get the luxury of justice in real life, but every time I write a book, I get justice for all those who couldn't.  And I get to meet interesting people who I then put through hell, all in the name of entertainment.  That is what I call a sweet way to make a living.
 
I jumped into the paranormal with both feet with the Offspring series (Avon Books), a kick-ass X-Files meets LOST mix with lots of action and romance, changing my name to Jaime Rush (jaimerush.com] to distinguish them. In 2014, I'll be starting another Jaime series at Grand Central Publishing, with Dragons and magick. For my romantic suspense fans, and I'm thrilled to say that I'll be working on some new material in the coming months (which translates to year/s in publishing, but stay tuned). Meanwhile I'm releasing several of my backlist books, available in e-book format only. It's awesome to see my out-of-print books come to life again! Editing them has been like visiting long-lost friends.
 
My goal as a writer is to create books that make people feel good. My characters come with baggage, pasts hurts, and vulnerabilities. They go through hell, find love, and at the end, find peace in who they are and everything they've gone through. And isn't that what we all want?
 
See tinawainscott.com for updates!