I’m so pleased to welcome Sally Brandle to Linda’s Book Bag today as Sally has a philosophy of equality behind her writing that I think we sadly still need!

Staying in with Sally Brandle

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag Sally. Thank you for agreeing to stay in with me.

Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

I’ve brought The Hitman’s Mistake, my debut novel and the first of seven I’ve written. It’s recently published (June 2018) and I’m hopeful it encourages hesitant women to draw on their inner strengths to become equal partners with men in their lives.

(Now that’s a philosophy I can endorse whole-heartedly Sally!)

My heroine has faced the loss of her family by becoming inconspicuous while tending plants in downtown Seattle office buildings. Witnessing an attempted mob hit throws her into a deadly spotlight directed by a crooked policeman affiliated with the wealthy mobster. Once her escape begins, I’m not responsible for a reader’s actions. My dental hygienist scolded me. She’d planned to start the story and then be in bed by eleven o’clock to face work and kids off to school the next morning. At three AM, she finished reading the book. Warning given!

(That sounds the kind of book Linda’s Book Bag readers will really enjoy.)

What can we expect from an evening in with The Hitman’s Mistake?

Miranda Whitley lost the bright colors from her life when she lost her family. Grant, the FBI agent she turns to for help, brings much more than pale shades to her palette. Sanctuary in a gray world loses appeal once she’s discovered the fuchsia shades of attraction and golden gleam of family. Add that to the autumn colors of Montana and Big Red, a smart mule, and her world’s been painted with possibility.

Here’s the opening:

Frissons of apprehension raised the fine hairs on her forearms. A shadow moved near the stairwell.

Stepping inside the elevator car, she hit the button for the lobby with her fist, refusing to allow the reminder of her heartbreaking mistake to take hold in her head. Must be weird evening lights playing tricks in the empty building.

(Sounds brilliant Sally, and not a little disconcerting from the off!)

The Hitman’s Mistake won and finaled in several contests (under the former title, A Mule, A Mob Hit, and A Mountain of Trouble). Many judges were complimentary and offered great suggestions. Here’s a quote from one, “Keep up the good work! Seriously, I don’t know how you can with judging being hidden, but make sure you announce when this book is done. I want to read it!” I truly appreciated the encouragement and try to provide similar praise when I judge.

(That’s my philosophy of my blog. I review the books I enjoy and those I don’t like so much I keep quiet about!)

What else have you brought along and why? 

I’ve brought along two photos. The first is my garden, which I look upon while I write. From the lake, my trees provide privacy, not unlike Miranda’s row of plants in the Seattle Justice Building.

(What a fantastic view. So much better than mine – just take a look out of the conservatory at the back…)

The second photo is the four-legged and beloved equine in my life. My husband and sons are wonderful, but this twenty-eight year old gentleman takes me on wonderful trail rides and helps me revisit fond memories of childhood. Owning my first horse as a mature adult is akin to stepping into a delightful new chapter in a favorite book.

(I’m sure your husband doesn’t mind that you have a younger man in your life – as long as he has four legs Sally!)

Soul Mate Publishing purchased the second book in this series, Virtue and Vengeance, in which the heroine is afraid of horses. A miniature colt helps her overcome her fear. Each of my books in this series has an equine as a secondary character. I firmly believe animals provide the unquestionable love we need at the right moment. The next series I’m working on is romantic suspense, but with a scientific twist. I’d love to hear if readers are interested in that realm. It’s not futuristic, but poses the ‘what if’ question of good science gone bad.

While a witness and FBI agent escape mobsters, they can’t escape falling in love.

It sounds as if your writing and horses are going to be keeping you busy Sally. Thanks so much for sparing an evening to stay in and tell me all about The Hitman’s Mistake. I’ve really enjoyed finding out about it.

The Hitman’s Mistake

She needs his trust, he needs the truth. After Miranda Whitley stops crooked cops from assassinating a prominent Seattle judge, she’s next on the hit list, and her survival depends on the man she’s had one awkward encounter with—buff FBI Agent, Grant Morley. But can she find him in time?

The last person Grant expects to discover on his annual horseback trip delivering supplies to a Montana mountain hermit is alluring Miranda Whitley, nearly dead from a bullet wound in her side. An accidental witness or the cold-blooded accomplice to would-be assassins?

Miranda must convince Grant of her innocence, evade the killers intent on preventing her testimony, and fight her unwanted attraction for the agent…an attraction which seems to be mutual. Fortunately, love thrives in Emma Springs.

If you love sizzling chemistry, determined assassins, and Montana scenery, then you’ll love Sally Brandle’s galloping thriller.

The Hitman’s Mistake is available for purchase on Amazon.

About Sally Brandle

Multiple award-winning author Sally Brandle writes clean, contemporary, romantic suspense stories. She left a career as an industrial baking instructor so that she could bring to life her stories of courageous women supporting one another while they discover men who deserve their love.

A member of Romance Writers of America, Greater Seattle RWA, Eastside RWA, and She Writes, Sally’s current series, Love Thrives in Emma Springs, is set in rural Montana. You can find out more by visiting Sally’s website, finding her on Facebook, Goodreads and Pinterest and by following Sally on Twitter @sallybrandle.