I’ve tracked down Jolie Wyngate heroine of A Matter of Trust and want her to tell us about Mac Carlson. Jolie is sitting beside the pool at the Arizona estate of a well-known congressional candidate. He and Mac are buds from way back and he’s extended his hospitality to the couple. After working together to rescue a kidnapped child, Mac and Jolie are taking a well-deserved break now that the bad guy has been taken care of. (At least that’s what they think as they visit Sedona, Arizona for a little R & R.)
MJ: “Jolie, the question we would like to have answered is what makes Mac great hero material?
Jolie: “Mac is certainly hero material, just ask the Maniac, she’s quite taken with him.”
MJ: “Okay, let’s start with physical appearance, is there anyone you think Mac favors?”
Jolie laughs, the sound carries on the warm Arizona breeze. “He looks a bit like Matthew McConaughey. But then you know that MJ, I’ve seen the picture you hung over the computer while you were working. He has a boyish charm that most women find endearing.”
MJ: “What was the first thing you noticed about Mac?”
Jolie: “His smile and he has really nice teeth. And that dimple beside his mouth. But his eyes, he has the most beautiful, dreamy eyes. But you do remember the first time I saw him, right? That first impression was a little hard to shake. I thought he was an alien!”
MJ: “Yes, I remember, he was wearing night-vision goggles, wasn’t he?” I smiled at the memory. “So, what else about Mac made an impression?”
Jolie: “His sense of duty and honor, you do remember he was a SEAL?”
MJ: “Did you find working with Mac a challenge?”
Jolie: Definitely, he has big time trust issues. But you’ve got that under control right?
MJ: “Me?”
Jolie: “You’re the author, you’re the one who gave him those trust issues.”
MJ: (I suddenly realize what comes next in the plot and decide to change the topic) “What do you think is the most important character trait for a hero?”
Jolie: “Honesty is very high on my list.”
MJ: Still remembering where we are in the plot. Uh oh. Mac can still pull this out if he’s careful. “How about on the hotness scale. Where would you rank Mac on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being too hot to handle?”
Jolie: Again with the giggle. “Mac is definitely a 5+.”
MJ: “Why?”
Jolie: “He’s in top shape, has a killer smile and Paul Newman eyes. Just being near him is enough to make your toes curl.”
MJ: “Where is this male paragon?”
Jolie: “He went to get the Jeep, we’re going to explore red rock country. I want to see Bell Rock.”
MJ: “Bell Rock? Well, y’all be careful.” I decide not to distract Jolie any longer because I know she… well, read the book and you will see!
You’ll want to know what happens next, so hurry and click the buy link for A Matter of Trust!
Watch the trailer for A Matter of Trust
About the Author:
MJ Flournoy loves crafting stories of romance and suspense. Her interest in writing grew organically from her love of reading. A late bloomer, MJ attended college as a non-traditional student and earned a degree in history with an eye toward writing historical romance.
After graduation from college, MJ became a middle school teacher, which helps to keep her grounded in the real world while her plots take her away to the extraordinary worlds of imagination and creativity. MJ enjoys adding a twist of paranormal to her plots.
MJ makes her home in rural Georgia with her husband. She has two children and two
grandchildren. Her favourite activities are writing, reading, and travel.
I saw a news post about a woman at Walmart who had a feeling about a man. He was acting strangely and she wrote down his tag number. Later that same day the man abducted a seven year old girl. The woman gave the tag number to the police and the child was saved.
There was another case a few years ago where a woman had a feeling about a child being in danger and it turned out she was right. The child had been kidnapped and thanks to the woman’s intuition or sixth sense, that child was saved.
The second case is where the idea for A Matter of Trust was born. Have you ever experienced intuition that saved you or someone you know? Have you experienced a sixth sense? Tell us about it. You share one and I’ll tell you about one of mine.
A Matter of Trust
By MJ Flournoy
While watching a news account of the rescue of an abducted child, I became absorbed in the story. So much so, that I took that one event and built an entire plot around it. The person in the news story encountered a small child and her intuition told her something was wrong. Being a teacher, I have often encountered situations where that intuition kicked in to help a child. Often teachers have a sort of sixth sense where the well-being of students is concerned.
I took that grain of an idea and built it into the plot of A Matter of Trust. Jolie Wyngate is a teacher with a gift, or curse, depending on how she views it. She tries to keep knowledge of her ability undercover, but when the wellbeing of a child is at risk, she has to use her ability, regardless of the personal cost.
What would you do in a similar situation? If you had a special gift, but sharing that gift could cause you to lose the career you’d worked hard to establish, would you do it? Would you do the right thing regardless of personal costs?
I like to think that I would rise to the occasion. That my innate sense of always “do what is right, regardless,” would be strong enough to help me do what my conscious insisted I do.
That is exactly the dilemma Jolie faces in A Matter of Trust. She has learned through many personal setbacks that sharing her gift with others usually came with a steep price for her personally. Now she faces the ultimate challenge.
Mac Carlson is a man on a mission. Ex-Navy SEAL and security expert, Carlson’s mission is to save a kidnapped child. Jolie shows up on his radar as his major suspect. With serious trust issues on both sides, it seems unlikely that these two will be able to work together to save the kidnapped child, let alone develop a serious relationship.
Add to that the presence of the Maniac, the disembodied voice that is the source of much of Jolie’s information and the plot becomes very complicated. A Matter of Trust, by MJ Flournoy, available now.
Leave a comment here and visit MJ’s blog and leave a comment for a chance to win an Amazon gift card. Excerpt:
A Coke, a fat one, or an orange soda.
“Not gonna happen.” Jolie Wyngate shrugged, climbed from her car and hurried toward the convenience store to pick up a quick snack before continuing on her way south.
And why not?
“Because I have to drive another hundred and fifty miles, and I don’t intend to stop every half hour for potty breaks.”
You are so not any fun! It’s just a Coke, for Pete’s sake.
“And you, lady, are so predictable.”
Make it chocolate then.
Jolie smiled. Chocolate, a compromise with which she could live. “Right.”
And stop speaking out loud, people will think you’re crazy.
“Me crazy? Get real, Maniac, I’ve talked to you since childhood. If I haven’t landed in the
loony bin by now, I hardly think it’s going to happen.”
Humor me, then.
Jolie shrugged, continuing toward the store. She’d pick out a chocolate bar to keep her unseen companion happy.
Serve you right if I quit talking to you all together.
“Put it in writing.” Jolie reached for the door handle.
A giggle erupted within Jolie’s mind. Then, in the tone Jolie hated hearing: Shush, pay
attention. There’s something wrong in there.
Oh, hell. Jolie bit the soft flesh of her lower lip. Her hand tingled as if the door was
electrified. Shit, this was the real reason for the Maniac’s sudden thirst.
The cool, dry air of the convenience store surrounded her when she stepped through the open door. For a second, the young clerk behind the counter looked up from the newspaper spread in front of her. Nothing. Jolie expelled a breath of relief, exchanged a quick smile with the clerk, and then headed toward the candy isle.
Then she saw her. The little girl wandered listlessly down the candy isle, her small hand
trailing over the rows of candy, gently touching, but taking nothing. Jolie watched her for a moment, then scanned the store and saw no one in sight.
The child turned, her gaze lifting until it found Jolie. She tilted her head to the side, her eyes searching Jolie’s for an instant. Then she moved closer and stared up at her. The expression on the small face caused Jolie’s heart to turn over. She knelt to the child’s level and touched the riot of red curls. A jolt of emotion skittered along Jolie’s spine, but Jolie forced herself not to pull away.
“Hey, sweetie, does your mommy know you’re out here alone?”
The little girl looked about three. She continued to stare mutely. Jolie smiled at her. “That your mommy behind the counter?”
She lifted the child into her arms. Unprepared for the sudden shock of pain and despair that engulfed her, Jolie almost dropped her. Instead, she tightened her arms instinctively around the frail body.
Something’s not right.
Blurb
Her paranormal abilities had always caused her grief. But can they save the life of a child who has been spirited away from her parents and the life of the man she loves?
Jolie Wyngate is a middle school teacher with an extraordinary gift—or is it a curse? Throughout her life, she’s been never been sure. Now, when she is implicated in the disappearance of a child, the ultimate value of her powers will be put to the test.
Mac Carlson, former Navy SEAL and security expert, is tasked with rescuing the girl, Rachael Anne. From the moment he meets Jolie, his suspicious and protective nature sets its sights on her as a prime suspect. Can Jolie clear her name and gain this man’s hard-won trust?
More importantly, can she save the girl before time runs out? She won’t be able to do it without her psychic abilities—but Mac has a hard enough time trusting Jolie as it is, let alone trusting her powers to lead them to Rachael Anne.
As Mac and Jolie realize they have no choice but to work as a team—and as they slowly warm to each other in the process—they realize they have a new problem: the man they are after has set his sights on Jolie. Now Jolie will need all of her abilities, and all of Mac’s strength and skill, to stay out of the fiend’s hands and bring Rachael Anne back home.
Bio for MJ Flournoy:
MJ Flournoy loves crafting stories of romance and suspense. Her interest in writing grew organically from her love of reading. A late bloomer, MJ attended college as a non-traditional student and earned a degree in history with an eye toward writing historical romance.
After graduation from college, MJ became a middle school teacher, which helps to keep her grounded in the real world while her plots take her away to the extraordinary worlds of imagination and creativity. MJ enjoys adding a twist of paranormal to her plots.
MJ makes her home in rural Georgia with her husband. She has two children and two
grandchildren. Her favourite activities are writing, reading, and travel.
