Runaway Lies

Runaway Lies

Their relationship is built on a bed of lies – but can Dominic and Darcy really trust each other and should she put her life in his hands?

Darcy Montgomery is on the run. She must hide until she can testify in a shocking court case involving her former employer, but so far the witness protection program has only brought more danger. Any hopes of keeping a low profile are dashed when she saves the two children of well-known property developer Dominic St James from a sinking car, but who was driving it?

When it is discovered that the car crash was no accident and Dominic's ex-wife is missing, there is an investigation with an unexpected outcome. Dominic appears to be determined to keep his children, as well as their mysterious rescuer, safe until the threat is neutralised but is Darcy safe with Dominic?

The danger to Darcy, Dominic and his family grows as their security is eroded and they face not one but two adversaries who have deadly intent. Who ultimately can trust who?

Shannon Curtis' books have been nominated as finalists for Favourite Romantic Suspense of 2011 and 2012, as well as Favourite Continuing Romance Series by the Australian Romance Readers Association (ARRA).

Shannon Curtis has worked as a copywriter, business consultant, admin manager, customer service rep, logistics co-ordinator, dangerous goods handler, event planner, switch bitch and betting agent, and decided to try writing a story like those she loved to read when she found herself at home after the birth of her first child. Her books have been nominated finalists for Favourite Romantic Suspense for 2011 and 2012, as well as Favourite Continuing Romance Series by the Australian Romance Readers Association. Now she spends entirely too much time daydreaming about hunky heroes and malicious murders " for her books, of course!

Runaway Lies
Harlequin
Author: Shannon Curtis
RRP: $29.99

Interview with Shannon Curtis

Question: What inspired the story of Runaway Lies?

Shannon Curtis: What a great question! My older sister lived the opening scene from Runaway Lies– minus the children in peril and the river, though. It was a very dramatic, stressful event, and when she told me about it, it just kicked my imagination into overdrive. From that opening scene, the rest of Runaway Lies came – after a series of -what if' and -why' questions, but the inspiration came from my big sister (because sisters are there to inspire!).


Question: What was the best part about creating the character of Darcy?

Shannon Curtis: I love Darcy, and I loved creating her – but most of all, I loved torturing her, and trying to figure out how could her situation possibly get worse – then throwing her into it. I got to wondering, what would a woman do if people were out to kill her, and not even the cops could keep her safe? Why would she be in that situation in the first place? How would she adapt? How would she react, both to a simple situation or something more complex and dangerous? And then my inner Mission Impossible fan girl got the better of me, and stunts and disguises came into it. It meant researching the Witness Protection Act (and I love research) – and I discovered it's so not like TV or the movies. That was a real eye-opener, actually, seeing it from a prosecutorial perspective.


Question: How much of your inspiration comes from real life and real people?

Shannon Curtis: As I mentioned, the opening scene was a real life event for my sister, and a lot of my writing is sparked like that. Or I'll overhear a conversation, or see something that gets my brain working – there are so many sources for inspiration, from the mundane to the macabre, and it's everywhere. There are some things, though, that I'll write based on fact, and the reaction is -there is no way that would really happen' – but sometimes real life can be stranger than fiction! With regards to characters – sometimes they may be based on real people, or a caricature of someone I know, or possibly even a blending of people, and sometimes they come out of the ether of my imagination – and I will never admit which is which! ïŠ Although I do have a mug that warns people I may kill them off as a character in my book if they annoy me…


Question: There are several issues raised in this book. Was this deliberate or did the story evolve this way?

Shannon Curtis: I'm so glad you noticed. It was a bit of both. There are definitely some themes that I wanted to consciously explore, such as redemption and forgiveness, but some things were organic, like the issues related to grief and depression, but also the glimpses of post-traumatic stress which definitely evolved from the story itself – some of the things that happen/have happened to my characters are quite serious, and I wanted to create realistic reactions to those traumatic situations.


Question: What's next for you?

Shannon Curtis: Oh, I'm so excited to be working on a very special story project with the Australian Romance Readers Association. A group of readers got together for a plot-storming activity, and the results are very surprising, funny, and perhaps just a little disturbing, LOL! That story is in the final planning stages, with a reveal planned for the Australian Romance Readers Convention in Canberra in March next year. I also found with writing Runaway Lies that some of the characters are just too persistent to leave as is, particularly Alex Knight and his family, so I'm currently working on a Knight story, which is involving some fascinating research.


Interview by Brooke Hunter