Interview with Kiera Devane of "Perilous Shadows"

This week I'm thrilled to be interviewing Kiera Devane, heroine from Perilous Shadows by Nike Chillemi. Here's a blurb about the book:

 Pioneer newspaperwoman Kiera Devane is on a mission to prove a woman can do a man's job, as she hunts a young coed's killer? Ace radio broadcaster Argus Nye lost one love to a murderous fiend and his pulse races as he tries to protect Kiera from herself as much as from this killer.

Kiera was doted upon by loving parent, but they were killed when she was a girl and she was shipped off to live with a socialite aunt who had little time for her. In her aunt's house, she learned life could be cold and cruel. As a result, she grew up to be an independent and demanding professional woman. 

 Argus Nye, still bereft from the loss of his first love, can't understand why this female reporter is mesmerizing him. As she takes chances with her life trying to catch a killer, he's determined to protect her.

And now the interview: 

Tammy: Your parents died when you were quite young and a wealthy aunt raised you. Do you remember much about your parents? Were your parents wealthy as well, or did you have culture shock as well as grief when moving in with your aunt? 

Kiera: I have a few memories of my parents. I remember my father saying "grace" before meals. He was a successful stockbroker.  We lived in a brownstone in Kips Bay, in the twenties on the east side of Manhattan and had a housekeeper. I never thought of us as well to do, but I suppose we were. My mother did a lot of charity work rather than attend society events. So, all types of people came for dinner: doctors who treated the poor, nuns who worked in settlement houses, and missionaries who taught English to new immigrants. I was encouraged to engage in interesting conversation with guests at the table.

My aunt lived in the same neighborhood but still, moving in with her was culture shock, as you term it. She often derided my mother for having "wasted her time" with charity work. And she believed children should be seen and not heard. I was given my dinner in the kitchen before the adults ate and then hustled off to my room. My closest friend in those difficult days was my aunt's housekeeper. 

(She removes a pearl clip on earring and replaces it.) 

Of course, I always had Richard Aberdeen, my father's friend who became my financial advisor. He took me out at least once a month for the afternoon. I so looked forward to that. I eventually convinced him that I should live at boarding school and he saw to it.

  

Tammy: Many people call you an ice princess. Do you consider yourself cold-hearted? Is your life lonely?

Kiera: (A small smile plays at the corner of her lips) I've been called quite a few things. When my story took the front page away from some of my male counter parts, I assure you, "ice princess" wasn't among the things they called me. I've never thought of myself as cold-hearted or lonely. In fact, I never thought about it at all. I just get on with my life. That's how we live in the 1940s. We make the best of things.

  

Tammy: Working in a male-dominated career must be difficult. What made you chose such a goal? Were there times you wanted to give up? How did you make yourself continue?

Kiera: As I mentioned, my parents' table was filled with interesting people. We even had an occasional actor or ballet dancer dining with us. My aunt later said that was scandalous. I used to keep a diary. Sometimes I'd read what I wrote to my parents and they thought I captured their friend's personalities perfectly. They encouraged me to pursue writing. I suppose I could have given up and lived off of my inheritance, but a useless life simply wouldn't agree with me.

  

Tammy: What do you want out of life?

Kiera: What my heart longs for is a happy home like my parents had. And I want a marriage as good and as loving as the one they shared.

  

Tammy: What scares you most?

Kiera: Losing Argus. That something terrible would happen to him and he'd be taken away from me.

  

Tammy: You're stranded on a desert island. What 3 things would you want with you and why? Don't chose a person - that's next!

Kiera: Oh, dear. I love to accumulate pretty things that have meaning. I'm the type who brings something useful home when I travel. Not souvenir type things, but useful items I then make part of my life – an afghan, a gravy boat, a salt and pepper shaker. But three indispensible things, let's see...my Bible, my entire collection of Agatha Christie novels. I'm cheating, I know by making all those books one thing, but that's how I am. (She tosses off a wicked grin.) And number three would be, my family photo album.

Tammy: If you could have 2 friends with you on the island, who would you pick?

Kiera: I don't even have to think about it. I’d want to take along Argus, the man who overlooks all the ghosts of my past and loves me for me, just the way I am. That's a man I could warm up to. And Aggie, my boxer, named after Agatha Christie, who is my BFF, as you call it today.

Get Perilous Shadows to and learn all about Kiera Devane And Argus Nye as they work together to figure out who murdered a co-ed intern. You can get all of Nike's books at:
Amazon/Kindle http://amzn.to/SdJ5Fk

Barnes and Noble/Nook. http://is.gd/0ZaXUf

 

About Nike Chillemi:

Like so many other writers, Nike Chillemi started writing at a very young age. She still has the Crayola, fully illustrated book she penned (penciled might be more accurate) as a little girl about her then off-the-chart love of horses. Today, you might call her a crime fictionista. Her passion is crime fiction. She likes her bad guys really bad and her good guys smarter and better.

She was an Inspy Awards 2010 judge in the Suspense/Thriller/Mystery category and a judge in the 2011 and 2012 Carol Awards in the suspense, mystery, and romantic suspense categories. She is the founding board member of the Grace Awards and its Chairman, a reader's choice awards for excellence in Christian fiction. She writes book reviews for The Christian Pulse online magazine. BURNING HEARTS is the first book in the crime wave that is sweeping the south shore of Long Island in The Sanctuary Point series, published by Desert Breeze. GOODBYE NOEL, the second book in the series released in December, 2011 won the Grace Award 2011 in the Mystery/Romantic Suspense/Thriller category. PERILOUS SHADOWS, the third in the series released in July, 2012. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and the Edgy Christian Fiction Lovers (Ning). http://nikechillemi.wordpress.com/