Guest Author: Susannah Sandlin

Susannah SandlinI am excited to welcome author Susannah Sandlin, who is celebrating the release of her newest novel, Storm Force.

As leader of the elite counter-terrorism team Omega Force, former army ranger Jack “Kell” Kellison is always focused on getting the job done. So when a Houston high-rise is bombed and the governor killed or missing, Kell’s mission is clear: infiltrate the group suspected of the bombing and neutralize the threat by any means necessary. But once Kell meets beautiful chief suspect Mori Chastaine, he realizes there’s more to this case than meets the eye. And more to Mori than any man—any human man—could imagine.

Mori Chastaine is running out of options. Suspected for a crime she didn’t commit, forced into a marriage she doesn’t want, she sees no escape—until Kell walks through her door. A lifetime hiding her true nature warns her Kell might not be who he seems. But he could be the only one able to help save more innocent humans from becoming pawns in an ancient paranormal power play. If Mori reveals her secret, will Kell join her fight? Or will she become his next target?

Make sure you stick around to the end. We’ll be giving away a print or digital copy of Storm Force (winners choice), or an author swag pack!
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Meet the Omega Force: Fur, Feathers…and Rangers?

Because he has so much free time on his hands (or not), I invited Sgt. Jack Kellison to introduce you to his Omega Force team, which conducts deep-undercover investigations of domestic terrorism. Jack—or Kell, as he prefers to be called—is a semi-retired Army Ranger and the leader of his six-person team of Rangers and shapeshifters. Three months ago, he didn’t know shapeshifters existed. He’s still kinda reeling from that, so be gentle with him. Welcome, Kell!

Kell: Why am I here? I have sh…uh, stuff to do. You know. A team to prepare. Advil to take.

Susannah: How’s that back injury?

Kell: It feels terrific. That’s why I’m popping four ibuprofen at a time, every four hours.

Susannah: Touchy, touchy. So tell me about yourself first. And I don’t mean name, rank or serial number.

Kell: Now who’s being touchy? I’m thirty years old. I was born in Jeanerette, Louisiana, and went to LSU (Geaux Tigers). I joined the Army after college and went through Ranger School. Been on four tours to Iraq and Afghanistan, but injured my back the last time out and they’re trying to put me out to pasture. I’m determined to prove I can do one more tour by taking this insane Omega Force thing on. I’ve lived in Houston the last few years, although I keep my family’s old fishing cabin out on Bayou Cote Blanche in Louisiana. I have a Catahoula Leopard Dog named Gator.

Susannah: Gator’s a rockstar! So, tell us about Nik; he’s your second-in-command, right?

Kell: Nikolas Dimitrou sounds like he should’ve floated off some Greek island, but he’s really a Yat from New Orleans. We went through Ranger School together, and served in the same unit ever since. He’s a good guy, but he sees…you know…stuff.

Susannah: That’s your way of saying Nik is psychic?

Kell: Well, yeah. He can touch things sometimes—or people—and do this creepy flashback of things that the person has done or had done to them. He’s also a really good artist. His dad was psychic too, and ended up committing suicide when Nik was a teenager. So Nik probably drinks too much, but it’s how he lives with it. Along with me, Nik’s the strategist for the team.

Susannah: Tell us about Robin Ashton.

Kell (laughs): You mean Razorblade Robin? Man, that woman is nuts. She’s about the size of my forearm—tiny little thing. But that woman has a mouth on her, and she ain’t afraid to share her opinion. She’s the tracker for our team.

Susannah: Aren’t you forgetting something about Robin?

Kell: Oh, you mean that she can shapeshift into a freaking Golden Eagle? And seems to have an aversion to clothing? Yeah, I try not to think about it. It gives me a headache to go with my backache. And that tiny little woman can outdo me on the bench press. Do you know how much that sucks?

Susannah: Yes, I do. Because you complain about it. A lot. How about Garrett Foley?

Kell: Who? Oh, you mean Gadget. I forget he has a real name. Gadget’s the team geek and our intelligence specialist. Need anything to do with computers or security systems? Gadget’s your guy. He’s also a Ranger and I’ve known him quite a while, although not as long as Nik. Good man, but his love life is pathetic. Think you can find him a date?

Susannah: I think he can manage. Sort of. Maybe he and Robin could get together.

Kell: Are you serious? Robin would turn him to mincemeat. Besides, I’m pretty sure Nik’s keeping Robin entertained these days. Which also gives me a headache.

Susannah: That leaves Adam and Archer Logan, your jaguar-shifter team members. What’s their specialty?

Kell: They’re brothers, they’re from Tennessee, and they’re both black-jag shifters. They’re the team muscle. Security. Anything situation that needs getting into and out of quickly and quietly. They turn into the biggest freaking cats you’ve ever laid eyes on. Adam’s two years older and is quiet and serious and kind of shy. Archer’s a tomcat. Seriously—I’m not making shifter jokes. He’s never met a stranger, and the women seem to go nuts over that long black hair and those creepy green eyes.

Susannah: What about the Colonel?

Kell: Col. Richard Thomas. He’s kinda like Charlie in “Charlie’s Angels.” The man’s a voice on the phone, mostly. Retired career Army guy who formed this whole Omega Force thing and, man, I don’t even know who he reports to. But it’s the kind of people who can make someone disappear, you know? Which I’m about to do. Next time, interview Robin. She’s a real sweetheart.

Well, there went Kell, back to work. He didn’t hang around long enough to say that if you’ll leave a comment, you’ll be entered to win your choice of a print or digital copy of Storm Force, or an author swag pack! Open internationally. So, have you read a paranormal romance where the hero was human and the heroine…most likely wasn’t? (Gotta avoid spoilers here!)
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Meet Susannah Sandlin!

Susannah Sandlin is a native of Winfield, Alabama, and has worked as a writer/editor in educational publishing in Alabama, Illinois, Texas, California, and Louisiana. She currently lives in Auburn, Alabama, with two rescue dogs named after professional wrestlers (it was a phase). She has a no-longer-secret passion for Cajun music and reality TV, and is on the hunt for a longhaul Ice Road Trucker who also hunts gators.

Redemption, the first book in the Penton Legacy series, won the paranormal category in the 2011 Chicago North Romance Writers of America Fire and Ice contest. Susannah is a member of RWA and its Fantasy, Futuristic & Paranormal chapter, its Southern Magic chapter, and its Georgia Romance Writers chapter.

SSandlin-Storm ForceContact Info
Website: website
Social Media: Facebook | Twitter

Want to purchase Susannah’s novels?
Storm Force

Penton Vampire Legacy

  1. Redemption
  2. Absolution
  3. Omega

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Contest Time!

Thank you Susannah for taking the time to stop by Literary Escapism!

Susannah is giving away a print or digital copy of Storm Force (winners choice), or an author swag pack!. To enter, all you have to do is answer this one question: Have you read a paranormal romance where the hero was human and the heroine…most likely wasn’t – what did you think? Remember, you must answer the question in order to be entered.

Even though I’m not giving the additional entries any more, you can still help support the author by sharing their article, and this contest, on your blog, Twitter, Facebook, or anywhere you can. After all, the more people who are aware of this fabulous author ensures we get more fabulous stories.

The winner must post a review of the novel someplace. Whether it is on their own blog, Amazon, GoodReads, LibraryThing or wherever, it doesn’t matter. Just help get the word out.

The contest will stay open until July 15th at which time I’ll determine the winner with help from this snazzy plug-in that I have.

About Jackie 3282 Articles
I am a 30-something SAHM with two adorable boys and a supportive husband who is very tolerant of my reading addiction. I love to read and easily go through about a dozen books a month – well I did before I had kids. Now, not so much. After my first son was born, I began to take my hobby of reviewing a little more serious and started Literary Escapism to help with my sanity. I love to discuss the fabulous novels I’ve read and meeting all the wonderful people in the book blogging community has been amazing.

13 Comments

  1. hum the only other book i can think where the man is human ( or was) and the woman isn’t is teh case of butch in the black daggerhood series but i can’t think of any other which made STorm force a even more interesting read^^
    i love it and susannah ‘s books are always captivating!

  2. The Penton Legacy series is the only Paranormal Romance I’ve read. Really enjoyed Storm Force, hope we get more in this series.

  3. Hi Susannah (Big Wave)!!!! I read so much and believe it or not, I can’t really think of any books that have a human hero & a non-human heroine. Although, I’m sure somewhere along the line I have **sigh**. I simply can’t wait to read Storm Force (along with a few others!!). Thanks so much for the awesome giveaway!!

    • Thanks, Barb! Yes, I’m glad Miki reminded me of Butch and Marissa, because I can’t think of any other human guy-paranormal heroines either. I’d like to say I was being a groundbreaker, but really, it didn’t even occur to me until after the fact!

  4. I’ve read a lot of paranormal romance but I can’t recall a single one with a human hero and nonhuman heroine. I may well have read one (or more), but I don’t remember it (them) at the moment.

    • I just don’t think there are many out there, Tura! I wonder if it’s because most readers of paranormal romance are women, and we read it to imagine the non-human guy, not to imagine ourselves as non-human! That might be the case :-)

  5. I think I read one by Michelle Bardsley called Never Again where the hero was human but it was a while ago.

  6. Other than Butch and Marissa, all I can think of is An Accidental Goddess by Linnea Sinclair where the hero is an Admiral and she turns out to be a sorceress. Great story btw if you like science fiction romance.

  7. Thanks for the fun post and congrats Susannah on the release! Ummm…. Cassiel and Luis from Rachel Caines’ Outcast Season series. Cassiel was a disgraced djinn and Luis was a human but he had witch/weather warden powers.

  8. I just took a look through my book list and saw a couple where the female was the paranormal and the male was human, but there aren’t very many. One was Prince of Power by Elizabeth Staab. The male is the son of an evil wizard but he doesn’t really have any powers, whereas the female is a vampire and very strong. Another is Wild Cat, which is part of Jennifer Ashley’s Pridemates shifter series. The female is a were-cat and sister of the alpha, while the male is a human cop.

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