SEELIE KAY: Postcards from The Ledge: This week in The Loft: Author Ann Raina!

Joining me today in The Loft is fellow eXtasy author Ann Raina. Ann writes contemporary and erotic romance, and romantic suspense. In all of her books, she strives to combine romance, suspense, and humor, because she claims no thrilling story can stand without comic relief. Ann lives and works in Germany, where she rides her 15-year-old gelding and enjoys gardening. Ann's motto: Carpe Diem (seize the day).

S: Good morning, Ann! Thanks for joining me today.

Why write romance?

A: Even the most rational person seeks romance in her or his life. We all strive for happy moments, for a little love, for the thrill of finding the right person to love and spend the rest of our days with. I want to take the reader into a world where all of the above is possible. I prefer to write about couples in love rather than those permanently fighting with each other. For example, I don’t like the stereotype of a police officer’s wife constantly nagging her husband for late working hours. The drama in my novels results from events that take place outside of the couple’s life. That’s the thrill—the way the main characters deal with the problems thrown at them. In my latest novel, FBI Agent Nicolas Hayes faces a group of kidnappers who abduct his friend Thomas to force him to fight in illegal boxing matches.

S: That's an exciting plot.

Are there any characteristics your lead characters share?

A: The lead characters in the Nick and Jacklyn series are FBI agents who deal with the investigations of serious crimes. Of course, they are a bunch of intelligent, hard-working men and women who see the brutal side of life. They have to be brave, but also resilient.

S: Do you remember your first kiss? What was memorable about it?

A: I received my first kiss on the doorstep of my apartment. The young man appeared to have bathed in cologne and his scent lingered on me and in my apartment for about a day. It was impossible to forget.

S: I have allergies so that overload of cologne always makes me sneeze. Sadly, I have been "allergic" to more than one man.

Do you believe in love at first sight? Has it ever happened to you?

A: I believe in the spark of interest at first sight. I wouldn’t declare that it could be love, but an indication that there could be more than flirting. It never happened to me. I’m too down to earth, I guess.

S: What do you want to be inscribed on your tombstone? How do you want to be remembered?

A: "I loved to live." I want to be remembered as someone who enjoyed every aspect of life and saw the positive even when life presented a lot of negative events.

S: What a great way to sum up a life.

What inspired your book, "Barred Doors?"

A: The fact that many poor souls are in danger of ending up as victims of human trafficking. It’s happening around the world, mostly in the shadows, even though more than a million people are affected.

S: Good topic. I have also written about human trafficking. Many are unaware of what is happening right under their noses.

Is there anything special you would like people to know about "Barred Doors?"

A: After the research was done, the book wrote itself. I put my fingers on the keyboard to take it down, but I’ve never written a book in such a short time. The plot, the characters—every piece of the story jumped at me. In the end, I wrote the novel within six weeks.

Here's the blurb--

FBI Agent Haye's friend Thomas is kidnapped by a group of six men, trained and heavily armed. Though his wife watches the crime, her observation doesn't result in arrests. Her description reveals though that a crime syndicate operates in the Washington, D.C. area, kidnapping young men and taking them to an unknown hideout. Raiden Stout, Lesley's friend, becomes one of the victims, and Agent Hayes joins the investigation to solve the crime and find his friends.

While the FBI agents Hayes and Beckham try to get leads on the kidnappers, more men are abducted, revealing the actions of a crime syndicate. The chase turns into a race against time.