CJ Bahr, author

Character Interview - Catastrophe

10/1/2021

Today I’m interviewing an important secondary character from Redeemed By Fire, Catastrophe. “Cat” plays a pivotal roll, and I thought it might be fun for her to answer some questions in the style of “Inside The Actors Studio”.

Catastrophe is part Maine Coon and part unknown. Her human slave is Detective Lucas Avery, who she ensnared in an alley, on a dark and stormy night. She likes to visit the bayou with her human and his extended family. The Avery’s hate when she escapes the house to prowl the swamp—like she would ever allow herself to become another’s prey. She’s the hunter and quite proud of that fact

Paranormal Life: Welcome, Cat. It’s a pleasure to chat with you today. I’ll start you off easy. What is your favorite sound, and what is your least favorite sound.
Catastrophe: Simple. The treat bag opening <purrs>. My human always supplies the best treats for me. Least favorite is barking dogs. Why do they have to makes such noise?

PL: What would you like people to know?
Cat: Humans are so limited. It is best to be feline. The supernatural surrounds them and they have no idea. Ghosts and monsters are very real. One can never hide from a cat.

PL: Are you lucky?
Cat: Of course. All cats have nine lives, and I haven’t used a single one, no matter what my human thinks when he’s found out I escaped the house.

PL: If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when at arrive at the Pearly Gates?
Cat: Since I’ve seen angels, I do know Heaven exists. I’ve also seen demons, so the reverse must also be true about Hell. Of course, when I die I will go to heaven and I’ll be greeted with my favorite treat as God becomes my new person.

PL: If you had a free day with no responsibilities and your only mission was to enjoy yourself, what would you do?
Cat: Silly human, all my days are free. I do what I want, when I want, in between naps. Enjoyment is my middle name.

PL: What would you most like to hide?
Cat: The hairball I accidently coughed up inside my human’s shoe.

PL: What are your hopes for the future?
Cat: That my human wouldn’t work so much, so he could be around to cater to all my whims.

PL: What motto do you live your life by?
Cat: Naps are good.

PL: If you have any questions for Cat or myself, please drop them in the comments.

New Orleans, hot sultry nights, and an ancient evil who makes the French Quarter home.

Cassanne Thomas returns to New Orleans to start her life over and becomes the target of a supernatural serial killer. Escaping her close call with death, Casi is the only witness to the crime and finds herself placed in protected custody by a handsome Cajun detective. But with her dark, troubled past, trusting the police is the last thing she wants to do.

Detective Lucas Avery, the top homicide detective in NOLA, is unaware of the supernatural world surrounding him. With the killer stalking the streets, he vows to shield the beautiful, enigmatic, Casi with his life while fighting his growing attraction to her. He's been burned before.

Danger chases Lucas and Casi from the streets of the French Quarter to the wilds of the bayou. Will they be able to stop a monster, straight out of a nightmare or become victims themselves?

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Guest Author - Jana Richards

9/27/2021

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Hey Everyone! Today I like to introduce you to fellow author Jana Richards, and she brought along a guest! Ben Grayson from her novel "Unexpected", is gracing us with an interview. So let's great right to it.

Trouble has followed Ben Grayson most of his life. After a childhood in a dysfunctional family, he wrestled his demons to the ground, and finally found what he was meant to do – be a father to his two young stepdaughters. But since his wife Olivia’s recent death in a car accident, her parents have been pushing for custody of Bella and Sophie. Ben can’t face the prospect of losing them. So, he asks his friend and neighbor Jamie Garven to marry him. Maybe if he can show Olivia’s parents, and the courts, two loving parents for his daughters, he’ll be allowed to keep them. But if the worst happens, he has another plan…

Paranormal Life: Who are your favorite heroes/heroines in real life?
Ben Grayson: My brother Damon and my sister Blair. Our childhoods were tough, but they seem to have overcome all the odds. After a stint in the military, Damon went back to school to become a psychologist. He treats people who have faced traumas in their lives, the way he did. I believe that by helping others, he also helps himself. Blair has made a life for herself here in Masonville with Garrett Saunders. She’s happy, maybe for the first time in her life.

My new wife Jamie is a hero, too. She works tirelessly as a veterinarian to help animals in need. She even adopts them if she has to! She’s an amazing mother to Bella and Sophie. But mostly I think she’s a hero because she agreed to marry me, even knowing all my flaws. More than anything, I want to be a good husband to her. She deserves nothing less.

PL: What would you like people to know?
BG: That I’m not perfect, not by a long shot, but I love my children and I’m trying hard to be a good father. I want them to know I’m trying to be a good husband, too. Jamie is the kind of woman who makes me want to be a better man.

PL: If you had a free day with no responsibilities and your only mission was to enjoy yourself, what would you do?
BG: Spend time with my wife and kids. We’re all so busy with work and school that having a day just to have fun sounds really great.

PL: Are you lucky?
BG: Until I moved in next door to Jamie, I would have said no. But since we became friends, I feel very lucky.

PL: What do you worry about when you wake up at 3 in the morning?
BG: That Olivia’s parents will win custody of Bella and Sophie and take them away from me. Lately a new worry wakes me at three a.m. What if I lose Jamie?

PL: What would you most like to hide?
BG: That I’m a recovering alcoholic. I’ve been sober nearly six years, but if Olivia’s parents found out, they’d have even more ammunition to use against me.

PL:. What are your hopes for the future?
BG: To keep my family intact. To see my children grow to adulthood. And to have Jamie by my side for the rest of my life.

Thanks for stopping by, Ben and Jana. It was a pleasure to visit. If anyone has questions or thoughts for us, please leave them in the comments.

Read on for an exclusive excerpt from "Unexpected"

"Is There anything I can say to make you change your mind about running away?"

"Say you'll marry me."

The words were out of his mouth before he knew he was going to say them. Jamie stared at him, eyes wide.

"What?"

"Marry me. You're the only woman I'd trust with my girls."

It suddenly made sense. If Jamie married him he could keep his kids.

She jumped to her feet, waking one of the dogs who'd been sleeping on the couch next to her. "What kind of marriage do you want, Ben? Are you proposing something for show?"

"No! I don't know!" He stood and grasped her arms. "If you're asking me if we'll sleep together as man and wife, I don't know."

Her mouth twisted as if she was holding back tears. "You know I love the girls, but please don't ask me to pretend. The last few months of my marriage, all I did was pretend. I pretended I had a husband who loved me. I swore I'd never do that again."

Ben wanted to take her in his arms and hold her. He hated doing this to her, hated making her relive unhappy memories. He was asking too much of her and he didn't blame her for saying no.

"Please, forget I said anything."

He'd stick to his original plan. He and the girls would disappear. He'd change their names, go someplace where no one knew them. A life on the run wasn't what he wanted for his children, but he'd do whatever he needed to do to keep them.

"Ben--"

"I'm sorry, Jamie."

Ben was out the door before he could hear anymore of her objections.

Single dad Ben Greyson wants only to retain custody of his two stepdaughters. A dysfunctional childhood has made family the most important thing in his life. When his late wife's parents sue for custody, a desperate Ben is left with two choices – run away with his girls or marry his next-door neighbor.

Jamie Garven wants to be a mother. She's intrigued by her handsome new neighbor and falls in love with his little girls. Then Ben is faced with losing his children, and Jamie agrees to marry him for a chance at motherhood. They're determined to show the world, and the girls' grandparents, two loving parents.

Their marriage of convenience turns into unexpected love. But Ben interprets Jamie's efforts to save their family as betrayal—they could lose everything, including each other.

Get to know, Jana.

Jana Richards has tried her hand at many writing projects over the years, from magazine articles and short stories to full-length paranormal suspense and romantic comedy. She loves to create characters with a sense of humor, but also a serious side. She believes there’s nothing more interesting then peeling back the layers of a character to see what makes them tick.

When not writing up a storm, working at her part-time day job as bookkeeper, or dealing with dust bunnies, Jana can be found pursuing hobbies such as golf (which she plays very badly) or reading (which she does much better).

Jana lives in Western Canada with her husband Warren. You can reach her through her website at http://www.janarichards.com

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5* from the Paranormal Romance Guild

9/24/2021

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The reviews for Redeemed By Fire are coming in! Thank you, Paranormal Romance Guild!

5*****Stars

Title: Redeemed by Fire
Series: The Fire Chronicles #3
Author: CJ Bahr
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Release Date: 9/20/21
Page Count: 249
Rating: Adult

When I was asked to read and review this book, I can honestly admit I was not thrilled, convinced that I would not like it never mind love it I agreed to give it a shot and I am so happy I did because I loved it. Sometimes I make the mistake of judging a book by either the description or the fact that it is not the first book in a series and I am convinced I will have to catch up, this time I was proven wrong because this book had everything I could want in a story, romance, suspense, angels, demons, secrets, surprises and amazing characters and no catching up because it was a standalone. Now I will ignore my first impressions of a book and give it a chance which I highly recommend doing with this book.

Cassanne (Casi) Thomas left California and a successful career when a tragedy involving two children destroyed her life because the blame was wrongly focused on her and not the person responsible. With nothing keeping her in California she returned to New Orleans where she opened a shop, a shop where she did fake tarot readings and made enough money to just get by. If she thought her life changed in California, she could never have envisioned how much it would change when she was attacked leaving her shop one late night. Casi was taken and woke up chained to a table and the one thing she knew for certain was that if she didn’t escape, she would die.

With luck and a childhood injury she was able to get out and run to her best friend Mason for help. The help he gave her was to drag her to the police to give a statement and that was the last place she ever wanted to go because the police were the last people in the world she trusted and she learned that the hard way in California.

Detective Lucas Avery has been investigating the torture and murder of a number of people, black, white, male, female, old young the serial killer had no preference they were all tortured and had an eye removed. Now there is hope that they will finally get viable information since what happened to Casi pointed to the fact that she could be a witness. The more they talked to her the more they were sure she was going to be the killer’s next victim and that she would need protection because the killer would no doubt want to get rid of someone who could ID him.

Both Lucas and Casi would find themselves involved with the supernatural something neither of them believed in or knew how to deal with. The killer is a demon and it would take an archangel to help destroy it and save Casi who is still on the killer’s radar. As Lucas takes charge of Casi’s protection the two of them find themselves falling for each other but finding the killer is the first order of business.

Chasing a demon learning about the supernatural and Casi trying to come to terms with what happened to her in California are just the tip of the iceberg this book kept me glued to it, never a dull moment and I can’t wait till the next book. I highly recommend this book and that is my personal opinion.

Reviewed by: Linda Tonis
Member of the Paranormal Romance Review Team

New Orleans, hot sultry nights, and an ancient evil who makes the French Quarter home.

Cassanne Thomas returns to New Orleans to start her life over and becomes the target of a supernatural serial killer. Escaping her close call with death, Casi is the only witness to the crime and finds herself placed in protected custody by a handsome Cajun detective. But with her dark, troubled past, trusting the police is the last thing she wants to do.

Detective Lucas Avery, the top homicide detective in NOLA, is unaware of the supernatural world surrounding him. With the killer stalking the streets, he vows to shield the beautiful, enigmatic, Casi with his life while fighting his growing attraction to her. He's been burned before.

Danger chases Lucas and Casi from the streets of the French Quarter to the wilds of the bayou. Will they be able to stop a monster, straight out of a nightmare or become victims themselves?

Click To Buy From Your Favorite Bookseller

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5* from the Mistress Of Book Reviews

9/22/2021

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The first review is in, and it's 5 stars! Well, candles, actually. Thank you, Mistress of Book Reviews!

C J Bahr's third book in her Fire Chronicles series is fantastic. If you've never been to New Orleans, you will want to go after reading Redeemed By Fire, and if you have already been, you'll want to go back. This author gives readers an excellent view of NOLA, not to mention characters who will make you want to pull up a seat and stay awhile. I've been blessed to have read the first two books in this series, and I loved both, but there is just something about a good-looking man who has the most sensual and romantic Cajun accent that will have women queuing up to find out what makes Lucas Avery tick.

Perhaps it's his always do right and follow the letter of the law, for the most part, attitude, which is a good rule to follow because Luc is a detective with the New Orleans P.D. He catches bad guys and puts them away. And that is where our adorable and feisty heroine comes into play. Although labeled a bad sort, Cassanne Thomas only wants to be left alone. Hurt by accusations that are not true send her to New Orleans, where she hopes to start a new life, but a serial killer murders her best friend and is leaving victims all over the place. A mode of operation that has Luc totally c'est fou or if you don't speak Cajun, crazy.

Well, what I can say but soon Luc and Casi find themselves in danger and hunted by a supernatural creature. The siren who kidnaps Casi bites off enough to choke, but that only puts Casi in the crosshairs, because the lovely mortal has a charm the siren will kill to get back.

Exciting, you betcha, and with the siren stalking Luc and Casi, they have their hands full. The closer they get to stopping the killer the more Luc and Casi realize they belong together. As I've said before, I don't give away any secrets when it comes to reviews. Just know this book is suspenseful, romantic, and since the city of New Orleans is filled with the supernatural, let's throw in an archangel for good measure. Now hop on a trolley and make certain you get your hands on Redeemed By Fire. Ms. Bahr does not disappoint. Oh, yeah, the cat steals their thunder. -- The Mistress Of Book Reviews

Plus, Lucas & Casi were chosen as August's couple of the month!

New Orleans, hot sultry nights, and an ancient evil who makes the French Quarter home.

Cassanne Thomas returns to New Orleans to start her life over and becomes the target of a supernatural serial killer. Escaping her close call with death, Casi is the only witness to the crime and finds herself placed in protected custody by a handsome Cajun detective. But with her dark, troubled past, trusting the police is the last thing she wants to do.

Detective Lucas Avery, the top homicide detective in NOLA, is unaware of the supernatural world surrounding him. With the killer stalking the streets, he vows to shield the beautiful, enigmatic, Casi with his life while fighting his growing attraction to her. He's been burned before.

Danger chases Lucas and Casi from the streets of the French Quarter to the wilds of the bayou. Will they be able to stop a monster, straight out of a nightmare or become victims themselves?

Click To Buy From Your Favorite Bookseller

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Happy Book Birthday!

9/20/2021

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It's always exciting when a new release occurs! Happy birthday to Redeemed By Fire. A book birthday takes a village. So thank you to the crew at The Wild Rose Press, especially to my editor, Amanda Barnett. Shout outs to my cover artist, Debbie Taylor, my awesome beta readers, Jen Jeske and Marla White.

Yet my hugest thanks goes to all my readers! Without you, it wouldn't be so much fun telling my tales. Plus, a heartfelt hug, to everyone who took the time to leave a review for any of my stories. I love knowing what you thought.

So in celebration of my newest release, here's a brand new excerpt for you!
Cheers!

Redeemed By Fire by C J Bahr

Casi stirred in his arms as the knock on the door dragged them both from their sleep. Luc blinked and watched the bedroom door crack open. He cringed, knowing there wasn’t anything he could do to stop what was about to happen. Regardless of which family member entered, news would spread faster than beads in Mardi Gras, as to whose bed they had found him in. He’d never live it down. The matchmaking would be instantaneous as well as the incessant teasing.

He stifled a sigh when his eldest sister, Jolie, poked her head around the door.

“Casi, you awake?” Her eyes widened when she registered him in bed with Casi. “Oh, hey there.” Grinning, she pushed the door wide open and stepped all the way into the room. Of course she did. Privacy between siblings didn’t exist.

He sat up straighter and dropped his arms from around Casi as she, too, sat up and scooted away from him to the center of the bed. Still sitting so close, he easily read her discomfort.

“Don’t you know it’s ill-mannered to enter without permission, Jolly?” Luc used Jolie’s nickname as he glared at her, which he knew wouldn’t be enough to distract his sister, but he had to try for Casi’s sake.

Jolie’s grin morphed into a smirk. “I was concerned. It’s almost noon. Besides, I come bearing gifts. Momma mentioned the dire need of clothes for Casi.” She held up the bundle of garments as she walked to the bed. Placing them down on the corner, Jolie focused on Casi. “Hi. I’m Jolie.”

“Um, hi?” Casi cleared her throat. “The tea shop owner, right?”

Jolie quirked an eyebrow as she switched her gaze back to him. “I see my brother has been sharing.”

“Jolly,” he growled. “Knock it off.”