Can't Hide From Me by Cordelia Kingsbridge Virtual Tour | Spotlight, Excerpt, Guest Post & #giveaway @RiptideBooks @c_kingsbridge

Charles Hunter’s team is on a mission to extract an unidentified ATF agent from an undercover job gone wrong. All they’ve got to go on is the rendezvous location—until Charles recognizes the ex he hasn’t seen in years. Their “simple rescue mission” is about to get a lot more complicated.

For Ángel Medina, adjusting to life after his cartel nightmare is hard enough without confronting memories of a failed relationship. All he wants is a fresh start. But when a violent stalker lashes out from the shadows, Ángel realizes his nightmare is far from over.

As the stalker’s obsession escalates and bodies start dropping, Charles and Ángel are thrown together in a desperate search for the culprit. Tempers flare and old passions reignite, drawing them back into the same turbulent relationship that once ended in disaster.

But the stalker isn’t letting go—and the next strike might hit straight through the heart.

Available from Riptide Publishing: http://riptidepublishing.com/titles/cant-hide-from-me

Hi! I’m Cordelia Kingsbridge, and I’m pleased to welcome you to the blog tour for my novel Can’t Hide From Me. Thanks so much for checking it out!

Buy links: Riptide Publishing | Amazon 

Guest Post with Author Cordelia Kingsbridge

Why I Use the Three-Act Plot Structure

My first forays into writing were fanfiction – Harry Potter fanfiction, to be exact. I spent many wonderful years in fandom, first as a reader, and then eventually inspired to contribute my own works.

During that time, I felt occasional pulls to write original fiction of my own, and I started and abandoned many first drafts over the years without ever sharing them with anyone. It wasn’t until 2011 that I decided to bite the bullet. I created a new pseudonym, completely unconnected to my fandom name (I’ve always maintained a separation between the two), set up accounts on various posting platforms, and published the first chapter of a novel called Close Protection.

The response to CP was immediate and overwhelming. I was so excited by readers’ reactions and the chance to immerse myself in my own original work that the first few chapters flew out of me as I posted them on a weekly basis. A couple of months in, however, I ran into a big problem.

I knew very well how the novel began, and I had a pretty good handle on how it would end. But I had no idea what happened in the middle. I didn’t know how to even begin getting the characters from Point A to Point B.

Basically, I didn’t know how to plot.

I had never written a full-length novel in my fanfiction days, so plotting wasn’t a skill I had needed to learn. With Close Protection, I made the common newbie mistake of rushing into a story full of enthusiasm but without any real plans for where it would go. This resulted in a mad scramble to plot a story I’d already written (and publicly posted!) a good chunk of, which is not an approach I recommend at all. In the end, though it had its merits, Close Protection inevitably suffered from major pacing and structural issues.

As I prepared to write my second novel, I first spent some time researching various plotting methods and techniques. There are dozens of them out there, and I don’t think any one is superior to the others – it’s more about what works for each author personally. For me, that’s the three-act plot structure.

In my opinion, this structure provides the best framework for outlining a well-paced novel, especially in the suspense/thriller/mystery genres. It hits all the major points of an exciting plot, from the inciting incident to the midpoint climax (the point in the middle of a story where there’s often a sudden twist) to the crises in the third act that lead directly into the final climactic scenes. Outlining a novel with a three-act structure creates a great roadmap to ensure tight pacing and an organic unfolding of events, as each moment in the structure builds on the moments that came before.

I’ve used this plotting method ever since my second novel, learning more with each subsequent story and continually refining my approach. These days, I don’t even start writing a book until I’ve put at least a bare-bones outline in place first. No more last-minute plotting panic for me – I learned my lesson there the first time around!

 Excerpt...

Charles and Eva reached the front of the line, where the beleaguered hostess gave them a tight smile and said, “How many?”

“We’d like to just sit at the bar, if that’s all right,” Charles said.

“Of course,” she said, her smile relaxing. “Go right ahead.”

“Remember, people, this is an extraction,” Eva said once they were clear of the hostess stand. “There will be no engagement or apprehension of any criminal suspects unless absolutely necessary. There will certainly be no shots fired. Is that understood, Sandman?”

“Ouch, Valkyrie, way to call a guy out,” Sakura said.

“You shoot a mannequin one time,” Shane grumbled.

Bar Medianoche was a large establishment, classy and upscale, packed to the rafters with a diverse clientele. An enormous three-sided bar dominated the center of the restaurant, with tables expanding outward in concentric arcs and booths lining the walls. Charles and Eva merged with the mob at the bar, where there wasn’t a single empty seat; the din of conversation was so loud that people had to shout their orders to the bartender.

“I’ve got the camera feeds up,” Jade said, accompanied by the sound of clicking keys. “Nice of the manager to let us piggyback, but if he thinks I couldn’t take control in three seconds flat—”

“No,” Eva said.

“I’m just pointing out that I could,” said Jade, all wounded innocence. “Oh, I see you guys—damn, Griffin, you are looking fine in that suit. Hey, how come there’s never been a black James Bond?”

To read this excerpt in its entirety or learn more about the Author - visit Riptide Publishing

Cordelia Kingsbridge has a master’s degree in social work from the University of Pittsburgh, but quickly discovered that direct practice in the field was not for her. Having written novels as a hobby throughout graduate school, she decided to turn her focus to writing as a full-time career. Now she explores her fascination with human behavior, motivation, and psychopathology through fiction. Her weaknesses include opposites-attract pairings and snarky banter.

Away from her desk, Cordelia is a fitness fanatic, and can be found strength training, cycling, and practicing Krav Maga. She lives in South Florida but spends most of her time indoors with the air conditioning on full blast!

Connect with Cordelia:

• Email:  cordeliakingsbridge@gmail.com
• Tumblr: http://ckingsbridge.tumblr.com

To celebrate the release of Can’t Hide From Me, one lucky winner will receive a $15 Riptide Publishing gift card! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on October 8, 2016. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!