Veronica: I’m happy to have author Diane Burton back as my guest today, sharing fun facts about her newly re-released book One Red Shoe. Although this novel isn’t in one of my usual genres, I read snippets from Diane every week on the Weekend Writing Warriors blog hop and love her smooth writing style in every genre she’s tackled (including scifi romance) so I’m sure I’ll love this one too! It’s on my TBR…

Diane: 10 Fun Facts about One Red Shoe

One Red Shoe is the result of a writing exercise during my local RWA chapter meeting. Our assignment directions: someone is running toward you on a train platform. The first thing that popped into my head was: The man running toward her wore one red shoe.

One Red Shoe took over fifteen years to be published. Five years later, I regained the rights and published it myself.

At one point during rewrites, One Red Shoe began in a New York City subway station restroom. To make sure I had my facts straight, when I was at an RWA conference in NYC, I begged my friends ride the subway with me. Big problem for my story—there were no restrooms in the subway.

I wanted Daria to be from Michigan, but most people think cars not farming in Michigan. Iowa seemed a better choice. In actuality, the food and agricultural business is one of the top three industries in Michigan.

One Red Shoe is a road trip, but not like any road trip I’ve ever been on. Assassins are chasing Sam and Daria.

One of the assassins (son of a Russian mafia kingpin) is a clumsy oaf. Daria, not Sam, thwarts him often, making him eager for revenge.

I set part of One Red Shoe in Holland, Michigan. I knew about the city from when our daughter went to college there. Holland State Park (which doesn’t appear in the book) is one of my favorite places to watch the sun set.

I’ve driven through Iowa but never stopped. I based the town of Prairieville on a small farming community in Michigan where I used to live.

My Dutch ancestors settled in Iowa. My great-great-great grandfather was the Dutch consul to the state of Iowa based in Keokuk. I have the proclamation signed by President James Buchanan.

Because of the action, I think One Red Shoe would make an awesome movie, with Chris Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy) as Sam and Cameron Diaz (Knight and Day) as Daria. Anyone know a movie producer? 😊

Book Blurb: It Happened One Night meets Knight and Day

When elementary teacher Daria Mason left Iowa for a writers’ conference in New York City, she didn’t expect to come home with a wounded spy. Sam Jozwiak works for a shadow agency that gathers intel vital to U.S. security. From the moment he steals digital files from a Russian Mafia kingpin, Murphy’s Law takes over. No matter how he covers his tracks, the kingpin’s assassins find him. What’s worse than getting shot in the butt? Accepting help from an Iowa tourist. Thus, begins a road trip that takes Sam and Daria cross country with the assassins right behind them.

Excerpt:

For the second time in her life, Daria Mason came face-to-face with a man pointing a weapon at her. A pervert, with unzipped jeans, wielded a green box knife. Because she’d raced into the restroom without checking out the situation, he now stood between her and the exit.

She was at the end of the proverbial rope. After walking in circles, she finally found a restroom and nobody was stopping her from using it. Especially not someone playing copycat with that guy in the movie who wore one red shoe.

“I am having a really bad day,” she declared in the don’t cross me voice she used on her brothers. As soon as her words echoed off the hideous pink and black tiled walls and floor, she lowered her voice. “You are in the wrong place, mister. Now zip up and get out.” She pointed straight-armed toward the door.

The man shook his head and set the flimsy knife on the counter. “Lady, you have more guts than sense. You are in the wrong place, at the wrong time.” His voice was even softer than hers. He eyed her with a look so dark and intense it paralyzed her like a hawk freezes its prey. She swallowed past the fear in her throat, certain it sounded like a gulp.

Amazon

About the Author:

Diane Burton combines her love of mystery, adventure, science fiction and romance into writing romantic fiction. Besides writing science fiction romance, she writes romantic suspense, and cozy mysteries. Diane and her husband live in West Michigan. They have two children and five grandchildren.

For more info and excerpts from her books, visit Diane’s website: http://www.dianeburton.com

Connect with Diane Burton online

Blog:  http://dianeburton.blogspot.com/

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/dmburton72

Facebook:  http://facebook.com/dianeburtonauthor

Goodreads: Diane Burton Author

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Veronica: Thanks for stopping by and here are some more shoes just for fun! (This might be what my closet floor looks like on a bad day LOL.)