Black Widow and the Sandman – author interview with L.L. Reaper

About L.L. Reaper

L.L. Reaper is two multi-published, award-winning authors who decided to write under a pen name for their dangerously sexy suspense series, Black Widow and the Sandman. You can visit their website at http://www.llreaper.com or connect with them at Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/llreaper and Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/AuthorLLReaper.

About Black Widow and the Sandman

Children in Cuba are suffering an agonizing death. The cause, a toxin released by a terrorist organization hell bent on genocide. The scientific community is at a loss, and the Cuban government can no longer hide the truth from its citizens. Cuba’s only chance lies in the capable hands of a reclusive scientist from the country they believe is behind this terrorist attack, the United States of America.
TRoman “The Sandman ” Tate is the most sought after mercenary in the world. When he is ordered to protect scientist Jeanette “Black Widow ” Mason, he finds she is much more than scientific equations. The two join forces to create an antidote and stop those responsible for the mysterious illness before more children die and Cuba follows through on its promise to retaliate.

Read the Excerpt!

Twenty minutes later, Roman and Jeanette entered The High Note Jazz Club. The three-story club was as well known for its live jazz band as it was for its tender steak dinners. Each floor had its own jazz band and full bar. The top floor featured a renowned steak restaurant as well as a band. All four walls of the top floor were gigantic windows, providing a great view of the Miami skyline.
After finishing off their steak dinners, and a slice of strawberry cheesecake, Roman watched Jeanette sway in her seat to the band’s cover version of Sade’s “Smooth Operator.” He stood and took her hand. “C’mon…dance with me.”
“No…uh-uh! No, Roman, I don’t want—”
He smiled at her as she protested with her voice, but followed with her body. “Shhhh…” He placed his arm around her waist and pulled her close. “We’re supposed to be relaxing, right?”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled. “Okay, Mr. Sandman.”

The band seamlessly transitioned from “Smooth Operator” into Sade’s “No Ordinary Love.” Roman and Jeanette left all thoughts of child victims, genocide and running out of time behind. For the first time since they’d partnered up, they both let their emotional guards completely down.

While dancing next to the gigantic Christmas tree beside the stage, Roman rubbed his hand between her shoulder blades down to the small of her back. In return, she lightly thumbed the back of his neck. You couldn’t have slipped a sheet of paper between the two as they danced. For a brief moment, they locked eyes and forgot they were on a mission. The tiny scar beside her eye continually drew his attention, not in a negative way, in a baiting way. He traced the scar with his finger, glad she didn’t pull away.
After dancing her over to the wall-sized window, he looked into her eyes and saw the same desire he felt flowing through his body. He placed his hand behind her head and drew close to her desirable lips. For that moment, they remembered they were a man and a woman.

Fuck! Roman saw a red dot appear on her cheek. They each instantly pulled the other down to the floor, alerting Roman to the fact that Jeanette must have seen a similar target dot on him. Glass shattered from two high-powered rifle shots that came in simultaneously.

He gave her a quick inspection. “Are you okay?”

She sat up and shook glass off her arm. “Yes…you?”

Shaking glass off himself, he jumped to his feet, knowing the snipers would be on the run instead of chancing another shot. He instinctively looked for the natural place a sniper would use for such a shot as the crowd scattered in panic. He helped Jeanette to her feet and pointed to the roof of the four-story office building across the street. “I bet the shots came from over there!”

 

Interview

Q: Give us an example of a typical writing day.

When I first began writing seriously, I would rise early and write from 4-6 a.m. I picked this time because my children were small and this was the only time I could have peace and quiet. As my children grew, I taught them about “Me Time.” During me time, no one was allowed to bother me unless it was an emergency. I spent this hour a day writing and/or editing, so I have always set aside time to write.

Q: Do you write on a computer or with pen/pencil and paper?

I take a long walk in the morning and often times record scenes then I transpose them when I get home. Other times I may write a scene out, but the majority of the time I type. Many people do not realize that the three different ways of writing access different parts of the brain so the output of each is different. I think the writing that I do in long hand is the best.

Q: Do you work from an outline?

I usually am not in the habit of using an outline, but for my suspense series, Black Widow and the Sandman, my writing partner and I use an outline. We did this because there are two of us writing the series and it keeps us both on track and eliminates consistency issues between the two of us.

Q: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

My writing partner and I see the Black Widow and the Sandman series taking off. I know, I know, every author tends to think that of his or her novel. If the franchise goes the way we envision, we will be working on the series and loving every minute of it.

Q: What is next for you?

Black Widow and the Sandman will be coming out in Spanish, so we are looking into marketing avenues for it. We are also completing the second installment, and getting it ready for our release party, July 28, for Black Widow and the Sandman.

Q: Have you ever abandoned any books/novels in progress?

I have never abandoned a book in progress. Now the first novel I ever wrote is a mess. Good plot, but my technique sucked. I have always said I will go back and rewrite that novel the correct way, but I have so many new novels popping into my mind that it is hard to get back to that first novel.