Guest Post with Author Dawn Altieri and Giveaway

Meet Dawn Altieri author of Burn.

A lifelong resident of northern New Jersey, Dawn Altieri has been scribbling stories practically since birth. After reaching a milestone birthday (she won’t say which one), she figured it was about time she took a shot at writing professionally.

With an overactive imagination and a slightly twisted mind, she enjoys reading dark and dangerous tales almost as much as writing them. When she’s not curled up on the sofa with her laptop, her latest story, a box of chocolates and a cup of tea (or a glass of wine, depending on the time of day), she can be found volunteering in the world of animal rescue. She shares her home with her husband and daughter, and a menagerie of rescued fur-babies.

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It's human nature to want to put a face to a character, whether a real one or an imagined one, and so one of the questions I get asked most often is, "Who did you imagine when you created your characters?" In the case of firefighter Ryan Monroe, the hero in Burn, my "inspiration" came from a variety of sources. At first, Ryan looked a lot like Charlie Hunnam, specifically Charlie Hunnam as Jax Teller on Sons of Anarchy. Even more specifically, Jax Teller in the later half of season 4. Bad boy Jax had obviously been working out during his fourteen-month stay at the Stockton, CA Correctional Facility. He'd also started growing out his super-short "prison cut" hairstyle, so it would be just long enough to run your fingers through it… *sigh* 

Ahem. Anyway, I digress. 

Then I watched the movie Pacific Rim. By the way, in case you haven't noticed, I may have a thing for Charlie Hunnam. My image of Ryan morphed into something more like Raleigh Becket. Raleigh was more muscular than Jax, more shaggy-haired, simply closer to how I'd picture Ryan in my mind. Again…*sigh*

Who plays the role of your book boyfriends when you read?

Chloe Addison is on the verge of a promising career in real estate development until an explosion destroys her first major project and casts suspicion on her in an arson investigation. Her career is suddenly at risk—and possibly her life.

Firefighter Ryan Monroe wants a spot on the arson team, and getting close to Chloe might be the best way to solve his first investigation. Despite a painful past of his own, Ryan has dedicated himself to saving people, and when he realizes Chloe is in danger, she’s no exception. He just might be the perfect guy to rescue her, but their attraction could bring them both down in flames.

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Losing Chloe was not an option.

Ryan ignored Jeremy’s calls as he approached the warehouse. Ignored the chief’s voice over the transmitter clipped to his shoulder. He wasn’t supposed to enter a fire scene without instructions from the chief. Wasn’t supposed to break off on his own to go inside. He also wasn’t supposed to fall in love with someone he’d just met.

But he had.

He had to find her, get her to safety and make things right between them. She was the best thing that had ever happened to him, and there was no way he was going to lose her now.

The enormous main stockroom was heavily engulfed. Several of the higher windows had already blown out in the explosion, and flames and smoke billowed through the shattered remains to escape. Flames and smoke that could have already killed Chloe.

He couldn’t think like that. He’d been trained not to, to focus on the task at hand and not be distracted by his emotions. But all his training seemed to be flying out the window like those flames. He raised his Halligan tool and smashed the lower window.

“Monroe,” Chief Flanagan shouted over the transmitter again, “I order you not to enter the structure until Truck Company has completed roof operations. Do you read me? Do not advance!”

He swung the tool again with relentless determination. She could be trapped somewhere with the fire dancing closer each second, could be fighting to break free as the flames licked at her porcelain skin and left it singed with permanent scars like the ones that haunted him every day. Soon the smoke would strangle her, making the sting of her last breaths torturously painful. And the heat. God, the heat…

He had to find her, had to reach her before it all happened. He knocked the last shards of glass from the window frame as Jeremy caught up to him. 

Jeremy’s crushing hold on his shoulder halted his movements. “Roger that, Chief. I got him.” Jeremy turned Ryan to face him, staring him straight in the eye. “Not yet,” he warned, refusing to let Ryan go. “Listen to me. I know you want to tear in there and get her, and we will. But you need to calm down and do this right or you’re gonna get us all killed, you understand me? I’ll throw you the fuck out of here if I have to.”

Ryan glared at Jeremy, tempted to punch the living shit out of him to escape his grip. But Jeremy was right. The chief was right. He had to wait. If he ran in before the truckies had vented the roof and drawn the fire in the opposite direction, he’d jeopardize not only Chloe’s life, but his own life, and the lives of the crew, and he could kiss his career goodbye. Yet it was only a matter of time before the fire reached her, the building collapsed further, or the smoke filled whatever room she was in and she ran out of air.

“Fuck!” He doubled over with his hands on his knees. How the hell was this happening again?

Up For Grabs:

• 1 $20 Amazon Gift Card

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• Who plays the role of your book boyfriends when you read?
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Special thanks to Entangled Publishing & Author's Pal for sponsoring this tour-wide giveaway.

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