Sunday, January 11, 2015

The Devil She Knew–Interview with Rena Koontz


One of my favorite people, Rena Koontz, takes time out from teasing us all with her pictures from Venice Beach (bare feet in the sand as we all shiver here in Ohio), to stop by for a visit today. Her book, The Devil She Knew, is on sale for only 99 cents until January 16. If you haven't snagged your copy yet, now's the time.

The research for this book deserves its own story. Here's Rena to talk about how she did it.


He’s dead now – the real Tony DelMorrie, that is.

Yes, the mob guy in my romantic suspense, “The Devil She Knew,” was a real-life Mafioso. A “made guy,” sometimes called a wiseguy, is someone who has been officially inducted, usually as a soldier, into a Mafia family. That was Tony in real life. And I met him.

My husband and I were out with a friend in downtown Cleveland one Saturday night, dropping in and out of various fun spots, when we wandered into Tony’s coffee shop – yeah, the same one depicted in the book. My husband, then an FBI agent, knew who Tony was but never expected him to be there, working the floor like a Las Vegas nightclub entertainer. Gold chains ringed his bulging neck and dripped down onto black chest hairs. I could see them because Tony had his shirt partially unbuttoned – a flashback to disco days.

Heavy, gold rings weighed down his fingers and dug into my own when he shook my hand. It was his pleasure to meet me, he said, adding that such an Italian-looking face as mine belonged in his café. I feared he would notice how sweaty my palms were or the crack in my voice when I thanked him.
And then Mrs. DelMorrie came to the table. The TV show depicting mob wives is not exaggerated. She was fake nails, fake lashes, fake boobs and a hair color that rivaled a Sherwin-Williams sample palette. She batted her eyelashes at the men and called me “hon,” insisting I sample a piece of red velvet cake, the house specialty. “It’s the best you’ll ever eat, Hon. With your figure, you don’t even have to worry about calories.”

Yes, they were both charmers. No, the cake wasn’t the best. The icing was so sweet I could feel my arteries clogging as I swallowed. But I wasn’t about to decline the offered piece. I chewed fast, anxious to make an exit.

I knew Tony’s reputation and was privy to inside knowledge about his character. It’s what helped me make him so real in my book – because he was real.

“The Devil She Knew,” is my second romantic suspense released by Crimson Romance. If this blog has piqued your interest about the story, now is a good time to order. It’s discounted to 99-cents between Jan. 8-16  on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple iBooks, The Crimson Romance store and other e-book retailers.

For more about “The Devil She Knew” or me, check out my website, http://www.renakoontz.com.

Purchase Links:

Thank you, Becky, for allowing me to share a tidbit about my book.




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9 comments:

  1. Nancy C. WeeksJanuary 11, 2015 at 4:24 PM

    Hi Rena and Becky!
    Wonderful post. Rena, what an exciting story.Nothing like that ever happens to me when I drop in for a cup of coffee. Well, that's not entirely true. As an suspense author, that kind of story is what's going through my head as I wait in line to order. Wishing you great sales. I'm heading over to Amazon for a copy of The Devil She Knew.

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  2. LynnJanuary 11, 2015 at 4:34 PM

    Wow! I'm glad you survived the research! Great book!

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  3. Becky LowerJanuary 11, 2015 at 4:38 PM

    Thanks Nancy and Lynn, for visiting the blog today. Rena may have a quiet exterior, but she's lived quite a colorful life, don't you think?

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  4. Deborah O'Neill CordesJanuary 11, 2015 at 4:57 PM

    What a vivid post, Rena! I'm like Nancy, in that nothing interesting happens to me when I grab a coffee, let alone some red velvet cake. lol I wish you much continued success with The Devil She Knew. You have a wonderful cover and an engaging writerly voice.

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    1. Becky LowerJanuary 11, 2015 at 5:20 PM

      Thanks for stopping by, Deborah. Like you, I thought this cover was sensational. I hope Rena sells a ton this week.

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  5. Rachel DonnellyJanuary 11, 2015 at 5:17 PM

    Great interview. What a wonderful story behind this book.

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    1. Becky LowerJanuary 11, 2015 at 5:20 PM

      Thanks for stopping by, Rachel. The story behind the book is almost as good as the novel.

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  6. Rena KoontzJanuary 11, 2015 at 7:33 PM

    Thank you, Nancy and Deborah. I appreciate your support. Thank you Lynn and Rachel for your comments. And thank you Becky for featuring me today and for your unwavering support.

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  7. Miranda LiassonJanuary 12, 2015 at 4:04 PM

    Wow, Rena, what a great story! it was designed to become a book. Congrats on your success and we miss you here up North!

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