T. K. Ambers Interview
Welcome to Ink & Magick. I'm your friendly neighborhood witch. What kind of spell can I get for you (or your character) today?
I'm a decent judge of character, but my friend, Bernadette Price, is not. I would say that Bernie could use a spell that helps her see the true nature of those around her.
Hmm. She sees the best in people does she? Well, that's not necessarily a bad thing. It may get her into trouble, certainly. But, on the other hand, when faced with someone like that, people often want to be their best selves. I don't think your friend requires such a spell, in my opinion. But I'd love to hear about your #mystery novel, Runway Dreams: A Black & White Affair.
Finalist in the category of Cross Genre for the American Fiction Awards.
Second place winner in Suspense/Thriller for the 2018 Maxy Awards.
Runway Dreams: A Black & White Affair is a #darkcomedy and romantic #thriller about family dynamics and what happens when the youngest sibling in a prestigious social family enters into marriage, despite being warned, with a man who is hiding a disturbingly dark and dangerous past.
Will Bernadette give up her modeling career and family-to-be the devoted politician’s wife, or will she find the strength to break free and fight for her family and her life?
“Ambers’ debut offers romantic suspense in a world of high fashion. It features memorable protagonists and a plot that unfolds with surprising twists and turns.” — Kirkus Reviews
“We’re smitten by this exceptionally fresh, high-watt glam murder mystery.” — Best Thrillers
“RUNWAY DREAMS by T. K. Ambers is a light read, wrapped around a disturbing, fascinating core.”
— IndieReader
Excerpt:
She wanted Martin to see her as relaxed, confident, and of course, sultry. She felt that the proper pose was important for a first impression. Perhaps the model part of her sometimes took things to the next level. What could it hurt though?
As she saw him approaching, her jaw must have dropped. She had been rendered speechless by the Adonis in front of her. He looked as if he could be a professional football player. Photographs had not done him justice. He had a perfectly shaved face with a strong jawline and deep brown eyes. His attire was immaculate. He stood at a sturdy six foot three, and she could see how this oak tree of a man could command the attention of any room he walked into.
He had chosen a black pin-striped suit with a matching hat. His bronzed skin was like a light creamy chocolate, and she guessed that it might taste just as sweet. She couldn’t remove her eyes from him. She wondered what his bare chest might look like under that pristine suit he was wearing. She wanted to rip it off and find out, but she reminded herself of Bell’s comment about the milk.
“Well hello there, Ms. Bernadette. Aren’t you as pretty as a diamond?” He looked her over and smiled. He appeared to approve of what he was seeing. The first impression felt like a success.
oooooo, sounds like an old movie! Would you say that's an accurate comparison?
I feel like it's a mix of old and new. I don't know how many old movies would start with the main character speeding down the road, completely nude, in their convertible. I think the jazz club gives a bit of that old feeling as well as few other scenes. I definitely have a love for old movies, and I tend to mix in aspects that could cause a person to feel nostalgic toward an earlier time. What's your favorite old movie?
I'm a sucker for the movie White Christmas. I love music and the holidays. I like the clothing and costumes from the movie as well as the song and dance. Entertainment had a different feeling back in the time of Bing Crosby. Uh and that voice! Bing always cheers me up. Which one of your characters surprised you?
Mariska. She's kind of awful, but I love her. She isn't the motherly type, and she wasn't faithful to her husband, but her kids still love her and stand by her despite how crazy she is. Every now and then she does the right thing and surprises her family.
Intriguing. Makes me wonder if someone gets slapped. Who is your favorite (or least favorite) character and why?
Alex is my favorite character. He's handsome, charming, flamboyant, and silly. He's drawn from several people I know. He has money but would still give anyone the shirt off his back. He loves life and is all about living it to the fullest. He's got a soft spot for family and a strong love for music. He takes care of himself but also knows how to enjoy the simple things in life, like a piece of chocolate cake for breakfast once in a while. He's a beautiful person, and I love him the way he is.
He sounds too good to be true! If you could time-travel, would you travel to the future or the past? Where would you like to go, and why would you choose that time period?
I would definitely travel to the past. I have no desire to go forward in time. If I were to travel to the past, I would probably visit some of my favorite artists or authors. The first would be Van Gogh because he's my favorite artist. The second would be Emily Dickinson because a friend of mine dreamt I was Emily, and she tells me at the time she had no idea who Emily Dickinson was. Who knows, maybe I was Emily Dickinson in a previous life. LOL I would also love to check out Las Vegas in the '40s. I love the mob museum, and I spend a lot of time in Las Vegas visiting family, so I feel seeing some of the history up close and personal would be pretty awesome.
Seems you've an itinerary. Who has a time machine handy? If you were Emily, I wonder what would happen if you went back to her time! What can readers who enjoy your book do to help make it successful?
They can write reviews and tell their friends about it.
What can we expect from you next?
The next book will be the sequel to Runway Dreams. The sequel will be more of a murder mystery, though it will have moments of romance as well. I am working hard to finish this book, and I can't wait to put it into my reader's hands.
I will stay tuned then! Thank you so much for stopping in.
T.K. Ambers was born and raised in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Her passion has always been writing, and she continues to run a blog and write poetry and novels on a regular basis. She spends her free time with her wonderful husband and their family and friends. Aside from her family and writing, her other loves are social media, nature, travel, photography, and hiking as many waterfalls as possible. She believes life is short and every day is its own adventure and should be treated as such.
You can get your copy of Runway Dreams on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.