Strangers in our midst--I’ve always been intrigued by that idea--whether the strangers were foreigners or aliens or... Neanderthals. What could be more fascinating than a story about ancestors of modern man--primitive by our definition--freely walking among us, escaping detection and thumbing their collective noses at us? Neanderthals are the ultimate underdogs. The very word has become synonymous with crude, boorish, and uncultured. So what would happen if a vulnerable young woman unexpectedly comes in contact with a mysterious tourist? What if she discovers the truth about his secret world? What if she falls in love with a Neanderthal?
Here
you have the basis for COMPETITORS!, my popular paranormal romance.
COMPETITORS! is a mystery too, with a serial killer on the loose--a killer who
just happens to collects skulls.
AN IMPOSSIBLE MEETING!: Vivianne Quinn is staying at
her brother’s apartment to recover from a personal tragedy. Her visit is
anything but tranquil, for soon a serial killer targets her as the next victim,
she has to “babysit” a valuable artifact, and she falls in love with a
stranger, Max, who is unlike anyone she has ever met. How will Vivianne react
when she finds out just how different he really is?
NEANDERTHAL’S NEMESIS: It’s common knowledge that
Neanderthals are extinct, vanished from the face of the planet about 30,000
years ago. What remains a mystery is how or why this sudden disappearance
occurred. Sometimes, however, common knowledge can be wrong....
COMPETITORS! was published by Awe-Struck Books
(Mundania Press) and had been with them for many years.
I decided to have the rights returned to me for all
my Awe-Struck books--a total of twelve. COMPETITORS! is now available on Amazon.com, Smashwords.com, and Universal Link.
Anthropology enthusiast Vivianne Quinn gets more than
she bargained for when she makes a date to “meet” a Neanderthal!
Amazon.com,
Smashwords.com, and Universal Link
This
paranormal romantic suspense has appeared as #1 on the Fictionwise.com Best
Seller List, gotten great reviews including 4 ½ stars from Once Upon A Romance
Reviews, and was a Dream Realm Finalist for Best Speculative Fiction Romance.
In addition, I was named as one of the best eBook authors on the Internet by
NightsandWeekends.com because of COMPETITORS! (among other books, too!)
Plus,
my book trailer for COMPETITORS! was honored as one of the Top Ten Favorite
Romance Books. Here’s the review:
“Competitors!
by Susanne Marie Knight comes in the third spot for my favorites. If it had
been in the form of a mini-movie I think it could easily have taken the first
or second slot! I'm assuming the author created this trailer herself, and she
did a fantastic job, I will be purchasing this book at the earliest
opportunity. The pictures absolutely match the story, and the text frames that
have been inserted before them. This doesn't always happen with book trailers
that use static pictures and text frames. The creator also put outlines around
characters, and objects in colors that really brought out what the pictures and
text were trying to convey. A great book trailer and one I would love to see
put into a mini-movie. You can view this book trailer here. --My Top Ten Favorite
Romance Book Trailers from YouTube--Regina Paul
Here is a book trailer for COMPETITORS! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkxXYFwCykQ.
Music is by
Kevin MacLeod, Sinfonia3.
This book is part of the Uncanny Paranormals line.
For those of you who like
to read reviews, here they come!
“Could
Neanderthals still exist? And if so, would they look just like the rest of us?
Susanne Marie Knight takes those questions and runs with them in COMPETITORS!
and shows us that not everyone is what they appear to be. When readers first
meet Vivianne, she is a tormented young woman who constantly wonders why she
didn’t also die in the car crash. But as the book progresses, she becomes the
strong woman she must have been before the accident. As for Max... Max, Max,
Max. What a combination of alpha maleness and intelligence, which this reviewer
believes will cause many women to swoon. He’s dominating, yet gentle, and
treats Vivianne with great respect. An interesting and fun-filled romance,
COMPETITORS! is the perfect read for those looking for something a little
different in their love stories.”-- Romance Reviews Today
“Susanne's
been chosen as one of the best e-book authors the Internet has to offer for
COMPETITORS! ”--Nights and Weekend.com.
Susanne
Marie Knight certainly has a diverse imagination, and she blends suspense with
a haunting question--why did Neanderthals abruptly vanish 30,000 years ago--in
COMPETITORS! But what if they’re not extinct? What if they walk among us? This
is a plot that can easily sound farfetched in the wrong author’s hands, but Ms.
Knight pulled it off, suspending my belief and wrapping me in an enthralling
tale. You want an author with unique style? Susanne Marie Knight is your
gal.--Nights and Weekends.com
“4.5
Books! “I liked COMPETITORS! I have read other books about Neanderthals and
this species never came across as anything other than primitive. The Neos in
this book are caring, gentle people who value their ancestors and want what
everybody wants in life - to be loved and understood. I enjoyed the growing
awareness and romance between Vivianne and Max. Despite their differences and
the dramas they are living through, there is a bond between them that neither
can deny. It was amusing to think that the Neo's consider Vivianne and her
people savages. The derogatory term of calling someone a Neanderthal may not be
so bad after all. It's always good to see history turned on its head. I also
liked the fact that the killer is not known until the end. I thought I knew who
it was but I was wrong. The book also got me wondering if there are Neos
amongst us. There are weirder things out there. If you enjoy books that are
beyond the normal, then I would recommend COMPETITORS! It's a fresh, unique
romance that is kind of sweet and overwhelmingly passionate.--Once Upon A
Romance
“Author
Susanne Marie Knight has done a convincing job of making the exotic Max as
hypnotic and flat-out irresistible as he needs to be, to accomplish everything
he is called upon to do. Max isn’t only a sex hunk, he is smooth, educated, and
well traveled. He can communicate mentally, and his sense of smell gives new
definition to the word “intimate.” Knight will have readers knocking on her
door asking where they can get their own Neanderthals. In addition to Max,
Vivianne has a flock of friends to turn to in her tough times. Vivianne’s
identical-twin brothers, her husband-hunting friend Fran, and Max’s cat Eins
with his divided loyalties all contribute to the workings of fate – fate being
the saving of Vivianne so she can be with Max. Her associates are amusing, even
at their most irritating. Max’s friends, on the other hand, are Very Serious
People. It isn’t easy for Max to have a personal life when The Mission is All.
It keeps the other Neanderthals from having as much dimension as Max does.
COMPETITORS! is well thought out. Knight has more than a superficial knowledge
about Neanderthals, and she has used it to shape her what-if into a fun,
original plot.”-- Reviewers-Choice.com
“4 Stars! This was a very creative look at
what could have happened to the Neanderthals. All the characters provide a full
array of personalities that keep the book interesting. The romance is based on
the strong sexual tension and emotional pull between Max and Vivianne. While
the physical aspects are primarily left to the reader's imagination, their
feelings are openly demonstrated. The numerous subplots move the story and
support the romantic plotline. But the originality of the story impresses me
the most. Writers who can successfully finish the "what if" in a
logical and fascinating way are few, but Ms. Knight succeeds here. COMPETITORS!
is a great book for those who love a good suspense and a romantic twist, and
those who enjoy a good romance with a well written paranormal base.--Coffee
Time Romance Reviews
“A
fun read I recommend to anyone who enjoys something different, something that
offers a new outlook and new background for the characters. This tale fits into
many genres and will provide hours of pleasant reading. Talented author Susanne
Marie Knight gives us a multi-layered story and a new look at the mystery of
the Neanderthal's disappearance. Or did they? Enjoy, I did.--Mysteryfiction.net
“COMPETITORS!
is a fast paced read, with a very well written cast of characters that support
and play up each other. Good attention paid to the details, so one can
understand the differences between the characters and the races involved. Susanne
Knight has granted her audience fantasy and mystery combined with a science
fictional blend along with a romantic edge to satisfy most any readers
taste.--TCM Reviews
I started reading [REGENCY SOCIETY REVISITED]. The
first few pages promise as much entertainment as your COMPETITORS!
gives.--Reader Comment
Thank you for writing this wonderful work!-- Reader
Comment
A group of Neanderthals has a mission among the
modern human civilizations. That rarity, an original romance plot.
Entertaining, too.-- Reader Comment
I couldn't stop reading! Great book!-- Reader Comment
Another winner and a great read it is!-- Reader
Comment
Oooh, sounds wonderful. I love this kind of book.
Reader Comment
Congrats on COMPETITORS!-- Reader Comment
Congrats on the new release!! It sounds great and
paranormal is really hot--may Competitors! be a best-seller for you!-- Reader
Comment
I enjoyed reading COMPETITORS! Good job!-- Reader
Comment
COMPETITORS! was great fun to read.--Reader Comment
I'm really glad to see you have a new novel out. I
looove your books!-- Reader Comment
Thank you for an enjoyable read.-- Reader Comment
I really enjoyed this book. I think this is the best
one yet!-- Reader Comment
Thank you for an enjoyable read.-- Reader Comment
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here are some real life
connections in COMPETITORS! My major in college was anthropology; my area of
interest: physical anthropology. This certainly helped with the premise of
COMPETITORS! The book’s setting is in the Bronx, New York--my old neighborhood,
in fact. And my apartment also was Number 17, same as Vivianne’s brother’s
place.
The inspiration for Max’s
cat in COMPETITORS! was my beloved Siamese kitty. He always liked to “sun”
himself under the lamp on my desk and give advice whenever I got writer’s
block.
Below
is a passage from COMPETITORS! Scene Setup: Vivianne had just met a stranger,
Max, and his “cousin” Nilda. He treats her to lunch and has a favor to ask.
The server returned and placed the charges on the
table. Vivianne leaned over to get her bill.
"Nein. No, you must allow me." Holding
out his hand for the bill, Max waited for her to obey. His eyebrows descended
even further, almost hiding the color of his eyes. "You are my guest. I
insist."
Nilda sat back down, transferring her gaze from Max
to Vivianne. "Yes, you will quite insult him if you refuse."
Whoa. Vivianne fingered her earring a little
nervously. "I thank you, really but I would feel better if I pay--"
"No. This is my, how do you say, my treat."
He snatched the paper, then reached into his pocket and removed two hundred
dollar bills out of a money clip.
Gosh, he was awfully high-handed, wasn't he? But why
fight about it? "Well, thank you, Max. I enjoyed lunch."
Nilda had a one-track mind. She stood. "Now we
go."
Vivianne glanced at the two hundreds. The total
charge had come to a hundred bucks plus tax. Surely he wanted change?
Max smiled again, but this time, he looked amused.
"You are concerned about my finances, ja? Too much of a tip, is that it, Vivianne?"
He tugged on Nilda's arm, pulling her back into her
chair. "We wait for change."
Nilda looked as though she was readying to snort fire
at Vivianne, but the woman restrained herself.
"Besides," Max leaned over, this time
grasping Vivianne's hand and sandwiched it between his two huge ones, "I
have a favor to ask of Vivianne."
Now Nilda squirmed in her chair.
Omigosh! Vivianne must've blushed vivid scarlet. His
body warmth traveled up her arm and down her chest to settle in the most
indecent places! Just what kind of favor was he asking?
"It concerns my cat."
"Your cat," she repeated, taken completely
off guard.
"Ja. My cousin is kindly letting me stay with
her during my visit, but the problem is my cat, Eins. I am afraid he is not
used to sharing space with other animals, and Nilda has a dog."
Nilda made a gurgling noise, then quickly drank from
a glass of water on the table.
With her hand still trapped, Vivianne wasn't able to
think. She removed it and placed both hands in the safety of her lap.
"Eins? Doesn't that mean 'one' in German?"
"True, number one. Eins thinks a lot of
himself."
She laughed. She couldn't help it. Who would've
imagined this mammoth guy under the paws of a housecat?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I
hope you enjoy this intriguing tale and Vivianne and Max’s unusual story.
Susanne Marie Knight
Read outside the box: award-winning Romance Writing with a Twist!
