This Week At The Tiki Hut - Tim Smith

This week on our Tiki Hut Blog, we welcome author Tim Smith as he celebrates the release of LIDO KEY, his second Vic Fallon Mystery published with eXtasy Books.

Tim Smith is an award-winning author of numerous books, ranging from thrillers to contemporary erotic romance. He is also a freelance photographer and when he isn’t pursuing these two passions, he works in the human services field as a case manager for adults with disabilities.

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I’m pleased to announce the release of my new romantic mystery, Lido Key, from eXtasy Books. This is the second in the Vic Fallon series I started a year ago with The Bundle, but it isn’t a sequel or follow-up. This is a stand alone entry in the series, and it evokes the pulp fiction style of Chandler, Spillane and Westlake. All of the elements are here – tough romantic hero, sexy heroine who’s hard as brass on the outside but soft in the middle, vivid atmosphere, a supporting cast of shady characters and liberal doses of hot sex.

Vic Fallon had worked on some strange cases since he left the police force to become a Private Investigator, but when a former lover asks him to look into a bizarre blackmail demand, it’s one for his memoirs. Vic hadn’t spoken to Ariel Weston since his last trip to Siesta Key, Florida three years earlier. The end of their affair wasn’t amicable, and Vic swore that the next time he saw Ariel he’d drown her with the nearest Pina Colada. When Ariel gets caught up in a potentially embarrassing sex scandal, she appeals to him for help. Vic reluctantly agrees but finds himself in a real quandary when he realizes they still have feelings for each other.

The case pulls Vic out of his northern Ohio comfort zone to the Sunshine State, where he crosses paths with a corrupt local cop, a famous writer with a taste for booze and women, and a sleazy strip club owner who knows more than he’s letting on. Throw in one very cute Latina who develops a crush on him, and the puzzle gets more complex. Can Vic solve Ariel’s problem before the blackmailer ruins her life? Will Ariel succeed in convincing Vic to give their failed relationship another chance?

To prepare for this I watched a lot of film noir crime capers from the forties and fifties. Quirky characters, moody atmosphere and witty dialogue laden with double entendres are part of the charm and I wanted to recreate that in a modern setting. Be warned, though that this book contains explicit sex.

If you’re in the mood for a blast from the past with a contemporary twist, pour yourself a glass of Scotch, prop your feet on the desk, tip back your fedora and enjoy Lido Key. It’s the stuff dreams are made of.

“Lido Key” is available at www.extasybooks.com. More information about Tim Smith’s other books can be found at his website, www.timsmithauthor.com.

LIDO KEY by Tim Smith

A Vic Fallon Mystery

She’s a young trophy widow involved in a bizarre sex scandal. He’s her former lover, a busted cop turned Private Investigator. Consider the possibilities.

Vic Fallon has worked on some strange cases since he left the Police force to become a Private Investigator, but when a former lover asks him to look into a bizarre blackmail demand, it’s one for his memoirs. Vic hasn’t seen Ariel Weston since his last trip to Siesta Key, Florida, three years earlier. The end of their affair wasn’t amicable, and Vic swore that the next time he saw Ariel he’d drown her with the nearest Piña Colada. When Ariel gets caught up in a potentially embarrassing sex scandal, she appeals to him for help. Vic reluctantly agrees but finds himself in a real quandary when he realizes they still have feelings for each other.

The case pulls Vic out of his northern Ohio comfort zone to the Sunshine State, where he crosses paths with a corrupt local cop, a famous writer with a taste for booze and women, and a sleazy strip club owner who knows more than he’s letting on. Throw in one very cute Latina who develops a crush on him and the puzzle becomes more complex.

Can Vic solve Ariel’s problem before the blackmailer ruins her life? Will Ariel convince Vic to give their failed relationship another chance?

BUY THE eBOOK ***  READ THE EXCERPT

WIN - Leave Tim a question or comment this week at the Tiki Hut and your name goes in the hat for a copy of his erotic romance ANYWHERE THE HEART GOES.  Please leave your email address so we can contact you if you are this week's winner.

This Week's Special Guest At The Tiki Hut - Tim Smith

This week's special guest at the AuthorIsland Tiki Hut is Tim Smith as he stops by to talk about his new Vic Fallon Mystery Series.

Tim is the author of five novels, including two contemporary romantic comedies with eXtasy Books. His first three adventure novels starring the one and only Nick Seven have won critical acclaim and several awards. He is also a freelance photographer and works in Dayton, Ohio as a case manager for adults with special needs. When he isn't devoting time to writing, you can find him in The Florida Keys, doing research in between parasailing and seeking out the perfect Pina Colada.

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I’m pleased to be back at the Tiki Hut this week. Apparently I didn’t alienate too many visitors last time or I wouldn’t have been asked to return. This week I’m featuring my new novel, a romantic mystery called “The Bundle,” which was recently released by Extasy Books. I returned to my thriller roots with this one, after writing three romantic comedies. “The Bundle” is the first in a series I’m starting, about a former cop named Vic Fallon, who lives in Sandusky, Ohio, on the shores of Lake Erie.

This is no ordinary series of romance novels, though. Vic Fallon will be the only recurring character but he’ll have a different gal pal in each installment. It’s written in the style of Raymond Chandler and Donald E. Westlake, with a dash of Mickey Spillane thrown in for seasoning. Oh, I should mention that it’s also very erotic and contains some explicit sex.

I’ve been asked why I chose to set this story in northeast Ohio instead of my usual haunt, The Florida Keys. When I was conceiving the story I took a vacation to the Lake Erie islands, near where I grew up. As I looked at the lakefront scenery it hit me that I could set a story there and make it just as atmospheric as Florida. I also wanted to create a different feel for this series, since I already had three books set in The Keys featuring another male character, former CIA spook Nick Seven.

As in most of my romances, this one has a “happy for now” versus a “happily ever after” ending. I wanted to leave the ending of each installment open and have the reader guessing “Do they or don’t they...”

THE BUNDLE - A Vic Fallon Mystery by Tim Smith

Vic Fallon had little use for the rich and famous when he was a police detective and his attitude hasn't changed since he was forced to turn in his badge. When pop singer Kimberly Daniels returns to her hometown of Cleveland, Ohio to promote her latest album, Vic reluctantly agrees to be her bodyguard as a favor for a friend. He isn't told that she has a death threat hanging over her head, with no shortage of suspects.

The set-up takes a bizarre twist when her stalker shows up and Vic uncovers a family secret Kimberly would like to keep hidden. Things get more complex when they develop a strong attraction for each other, in spite of their different lifestyles. Can Vic ensure Kimberly's safety until she returns to LA? Will Kimberly decide to ditch her glitzy celebrity life and stay with the rugged ex-cop she's fallen for?

BUY THE eBOOK *** READ THE EXCERPT 
 
WIN - Leave Tim a comment this week at the AuthorIsland Tiki Hut and your name goes in the hat for a free download of his erotic romance THE SWEET DISTRACTION. Please leave your email address so we can contact you if you are this week's winner - Good Luck! And don't forget to check out his contest over on the http://www.authorisland.com/ contest page!