Sunday, April 12, 2020

FATED ENCOUNTER—A Character Interview with Shaina and Brody

FATED ENCOUNTER by Samantha Gentry is an adult romance novella from The Wild Rose Press scheduled for release Monday, April 20, 2020.

A chance encounter a year ago set fate on a course for the future

Let me introduce you to Shaina Thomas and Brody Danvers. Their story is one of fate stepping in to help two people find true love and happiness. How a one time chance meeting from a year ago set the stage for a lifetime.

Good morning Shaina and Brody. I know you have busy schedules. I appreciate you taking the time to be here today and share your story with my readers.

Shaina:  It's our pleasure, thanks for inviting us.

Brody:  (loving glance toward Shaina as he squeezes her hand). I'm always happy to talk about this lovely lady.

My first question is where and when did the two of you meet? Which one of you would like to go first? Brody…Shaina…

Brody: I'll take that. It was a little over a year ago. I was in Phoenix on business checking out a radio station for sale. The attorney negotiating for the station owner invited me to a party at his house that evening—a party attended by Shaina…and her fiancé. The moment I laid eyes on her, I was instantly captivated. I had the opportunity of chatting with her for a little bit and found her intelligent and very personable. (slight frown wrinkles his brow) Her fiancé, however, was a different story. I simply didn't understand how this intelligent, lovely lady could be engaged to such a disagreeable and unlikable man.

Shaina: (laughs) I think I'd better jump in here. In my defense, I did call off the engagement about three months later. As soon as Jerry and I became engaged, he instantly changed. It was like flipping a switch that changed the man I thought I knew into someone I didn't recognize—a controlling personality, an objectionable person. He started making my decisions for me, telling me where I could and couldn't go, determining who my friends should be—things I found totally unacceptable. After three months of trying to figure out what happened and telling him I objected to his behavior, I broke off the engagement. Unfortunately, his attempts at controlling me continued. He refused to accept that I didn't want to see him. I didn't feel physically threatened and didn't see any reason for a restraining order. I finally decided I had no choice but to move away from Phoenix. I picked Seattle because it was about fifteen hundred miles away from Phoenix and totally different from the desert where I had lived all my life.

So, from the night of the party in Phoenix, we fast forward one year to an evening in Seattle.

Brody:  A night that truly changed my life for all time. It started out as a typical Friday evening at my restaurant, with the social get together for the participants in the radio station's monthly game weekend.

Game weekend?

Brody:  Once a month my radio station hosts a game weekend. Participation is limited to the first 100 people who sign up via the website. The weekend activity can be board games such as Clue® or Monopoly® with several game tables set up. It could be a scavenger hunt. Or sometimes we do a movie marathon with a theme, either a genre of movie or a specific star. Friday evening is the happy hour social gathering of the participants where everyone has an opportunity to meet and greet. Saturday is the actual game event and then Sunday evening is an informal awards ceremony for the winner.

Actually, that sounds like it would be a fun weekend. How long has your radio station been doing this?

Brody:  I've been conducting the monthly weekend game for about two years.

You do this personally?

Brody:  Yep…it's something I enjoy. I'm currently considering expanding it to twice a month. The game weekend has become more and more popular, lots of people trying to register to play after the limit has been reached. Twice a month will allow more people to participate. I'll probably work some of the radio station's on-air personalities into a rotation of hosting.

Shaina:  It was the game weekend that grabbed my attention as soon as I moved to Seattle. I hadn't even finished unpacking my belongings in my new apartment yet. I immediately signed up. I thought it would be a great way to meet people with whom I would instantly have something in common.

And that's where the two of you ran into each other a year later?

Shaina:  Exactly. The moment I saw him at the restaurant, I knew I had met him before but couldn't figure out where it was, especially considering Seattle was new to me.

Brody:  I knew exactly who she was the moment I saw her. Ever since that evening in Phoenix, she was never very far from my thoughts. I also knew I wanted a true relationship with her. (a soft chuckle escapes his throat) It was a totally off the wall thought. I wasn't even sure exactly where it came from, but I knew it was real. It was just a matter of convincing her.

Shaina:  And to that end, he almost destroyed any possibility before it got started.

What do you mean by that?

Shaina:  (shoots quick sideway glance toward Brody including a tender smile) I have to admit that it was probably my fault…at least more my fault than his. On the surface, he seems to be the perfect guy—intelligent, charming, successful, well established, attentive…I mean, he actually listened to what I was saying rather than simply waiting for his turn to talk. He had all the qualities of that elusive Mr. Right. Except…

Brody:  Except I didn't understand what I said or did that occasionally elicited a flash of anger from her. It didn't last long, but the dynamic kept repeating, and I couldn’t figure out why. The only thing I knew for sure—she was absolutely worth the effort to figure out what was going on, what was causing her confusing behavior.

Shaina, would you care to share with us what was behind this…uh…unusual behavior?

Shaina:  Well, let's just say that not all of the baggage I brought from Phoenix to Seattle was tangible belongings. It included what was apparently some emotional baggage as well.

Brody:  Compounded by the evening her ex-fiancé showed up at her door—

Shaina:  Not to be confused with the afternoon his restaurant hostess—

Ah Ha—now we're getting into the heart of the matter. So, what happened?

Brody:  I can't give away all the secrets or reveal all the obstacles we encountered. I'm afraid you'll need to read the book.

How about you, Shaina. Do you have anything you'd like to contribute?

Shaina:  Only what Brody said—you'll need to read the book.

That's it? If I want to know anything else, I need to read the book?

Brody:  Yep.

Shaina:  (laughs) You'll have to read the book.

Well…apparently I have a book to buy. Thank you, Shaina and Brody, for spending some time with us.
BLURB:
Seattle restaurant owner and entrepreneur Brody Danvers met the woman of his dreams a year ago at a party in Phoenix…her and her fiancé. When a chance encounter brings her—minus a ring on her finger—back into his life, he'll do whatever it takes to keep her there.

Graphic artist Shaina Thomas has moved from Phoenix to Seattle to get away from a controlling ex-fiancé who refuses to accept the end of their relationship. Seeing the man she'd nicknamed Mr. Incredibly Sexy and Desirable and not forgotten is an unexpected but complicated surprise. She's seriously attracted to him, but he seems to possess the same controlling traits as her ex. And then there's the beautiful restaurant hostess who has her sights set on him…

PG-Excerpt #3:
“Do you need to rush away? I thought we could have a drink or get something to eat and catch up.”

She glanced at her watch, then out the window at the rain. “Well…”

“Good.” He immediately took control as he steered her toward the door. “We’ll find a quiet corner downstairs and grab something to eat. This, however, does not count as that dinner we’re going to share”—he lowered his voice to a sexy whisper—“although it could involve that totally indecent proposition I mentioned.”

Shaina instantly bristled. She stopped walking and stood her ground. How dare he make her decisions for her, tell her where she’s going and what she should be doing. He didn’t even do her the courtesy of asking if she’d like to have something to eat.

“You, uh, seem a little pushy. Did it ever occur to you that I might not be hungry?” She tried to keep the level of irritation out of her voice but without much success. Her break-up with Jerry happened nine months ago, long enough that it shouldn’t continue to be an issue with her, but that logical thought didn’t stop the intrusion of the emotional baggage attached to her ill-fated engagement.

A hint of confusion darted across his face. “Excuse me?” He shot her a curious look. “It certainly wasn’t my intention to offend you. Perhaps we could have dinner some other time.”

An instant hint of guilt jolted her thoughts.

His brow lifted as he tilted his head to one side, a look bordering on something akin to a challenge. “When do you think you might be hungry?”

She stood in stunned silence for a moment, not sure what to say or do.

FATED ENCOUNTER, an adult romance novella by Samantha Gentry from The Wild Rose Press.  www.thewildrosepress.com  

Available in ebook at:
And other online vendors.

Excerpts and other information available on my website:  www.samanthagentry.com  

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