The Frailty of Things Blog Tour! (+$30 Amazon GC Giveaway!)

Title: The Frailty of Things

Author: Tamsen Shultz

Series: Windsor #5

Pages: 297

Date Published: 2015

Publisher: Booktrope

Format: Kindle

Genre: Romance

Source: Goddess Fish Blog Tours

Synopsis:
Kit Forrester is a woman who wears her independence like armor. Despite keeping secrets and hiding her past, she’s built a life she loves and is accountable to no one. Until, that is, one of the world’s most wanted war criminals sets his sights on her and she must weigh the risk to one against the chance of justice and closure for many—a decision Kit couldn't make on her own even if she wanted to.

Certainty. As a man who makes his living in the shadows of governments and wars, certainty isn’t a part of Garret Cantona’s vocabulary, and he’s just fine with that. But when Kit walks into his life, he realizes he’s never before been so sure about anything or anyone. Suddenly, he finds he’s looking at the world, his world, in a different light. And now that he is, he’s determined to protect it, and her, in whatever ways he can.

Frailty. No one knows better than Kit and Garret that an appreciation for what is, or what was, or what might be, can be born from the uncertainty and fragility of life. But when a hunt for a killer leaves Garret no choice but to throw Kit back into her broken and damaged past, even his unshakable faith in what they have together might not be enough to keep it from shattering into a million pieces.

~Confessions of a 41 Year Old Virgin~

No, not that kind of virgin. That would be pretty remarkable since I have two kids…I’m spiritual and all, but two virgin births would be a bit much to digest. So just what kind of virgin am I? I’m an RWA virgin. Yes, I’ve been writing romantic suspense novels for nearly ten years (published for three) and I’ve never been to an RWA conference.

But that’s changing now and by the time you read this, I will no longer hold that status. As I write, I’m on a train into New York City to attend a few events….well, I guess I’m really just getting to first base, maybe second, as I’m not attending the entire conference, but I’m well on my way to being a fallen (and fulfilled) romance writer. So why now? Was New York City just too attractive to resist? Or maybe it was the city’s unique personality that drew me?

I’ll admit, it was something a bit more selfish than that. One of my books, “What Echoes Render” (the book released just prior to “The Frailty of Things”) is a finalist in the Daphne Du Maurier Excellence in Mystery and Suspense contest. What other reason to take the jump than having someone tell you they like you? (Did that sound needy?) Anyway, I’ll be enjoying the Death by Chocolate reception and awards ceremony, hosted by the Kiss of Death Chapter, as well as meeting a few readers and fellow authors.

Like a good date, I’m preparing (and you know what they say, preparation is 90% of the battle, not that I view this as war or anything). I’ve had my nails done, picked out a cute dress, and am bringing a close friend from college as a wingman, or woman, as the case may be. But also like a date, I have to admit, I’m nervous. I’m sure you’ve all heard how introverted many writers are and I’m no different. I’m pretty good at talking with people one on one (my preference) and in small groups. In fact I ADORE hosting and attending small dinner parties and get togethers. But put me in a room with hundreds of people and well, does the term wallflower ring a bell? Which doesn’t necessarily make a good first date. And so I’m nervous.

Will there be those awkward silences and pauses where, instead of sitting across the table from someone wondering what to say, I will just be wandering aimlessly around the conference? Will I find (and keep) the balance between just enough liquid courage to have fun and the kind of overindulgence that happens at conferences (and on dates) that might leave me taking the mental walk of shame the next day, wondering why I said some of the things I said or if I offended anyone? Or maybe I can just be the one to ask all the questions of others—I’m good at that—and never reveal anything of who I am. Does anyone know what the balance is between learning and sharing in order to create a good foundation for a relationship?

I’ve been married almost seventeen years, it’s been a long time since I’ve had to think about these early-relationship kinds of things.

But truth be told, a good relationship is what I’m looking for. Whether you read or write erotica to Christian romance (or like me, write mysteries with a bit of romance in them), the romance writers community is one of the most supportive, fun, and engaged group of writers I’ve floated around the periphery of. Like eyeing that person across the room for an entire party and then finally getting the nerve to go talk to them….yep, that’s me for the next few days.

So I’ll let you know how it goes. I’m sure I’ll have posted pictures and updates on my Facebook feed if you want to see for yourself how it went (or if you just want to see the cute dress I be woreJ ). But this date is looking good and despite my nerves, I have my hopes up—after all, I already know we have a lot in common.

~Try an Excerpt!~

“We need to talk,” Caleb said. Kit didn’t respond for a moment. She and her brother didn’t talk. They never talked. Not anymore. There had been a time in their lives when that hadn’t been the case. There had been a time when she’d idolized her older brother, when he’d looked out for her, when they’d gone fishing together, and when she had believed that he had an answer for everything.

But that time had long ago passed, and they hadn’t been in each other’s presence for more than a few days a year for over a decade. Kit started to speak but stopped short when a second figure emerged from the passenger side of Caleb’s car.

She was glad her face was hidden in the shadows of her hat and scarf as Garret Cantona, her brother’s right-hand man, straightened to his full height. Kit was tall, easily five foot eleven, but Garret’s six-foot-three form dwarfed hers. Like Caleb, he wore jeans and work boots, but rather than a jacket, Garret sported a black sweater and a gray beanie. She knew the hat covered light-brown hair that, if it got too long, curled in ways that bothered him. And she felt, more than saw, his light-blue eyes—eyes rimmed with thick, black lashes—studying her.

“And I see you brought your Mini-Me,” she added, forcing her gaze from Garret back to her brother in time to see a look of irritation flicker across Caleb’s face.

~Meet Tamsen!~ 

Tamsen Schultz is the author of several romantic suspense novels and American Kin (a short story published in Line Zero Magazine). In addition to being a writer, she has a background in the field of international conflict resolution, has co-founded a non-profit, and currently works in corporate America. Like most lawyers, she spends a disproportionate amount of time thinking (and writing) about what it might be like to do something else. She lives in Northern California in a house full of males including her husband, two sons, four cats, a dog, and a gender-neutral, but well-stocked, wine rack.

 Tamsen will be awarding a $30 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

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