Guest Post & Giveaway: Author Cynthia Justlin

Today, I have author Cynthia Justlin here with us talking about reluctant heroes.

Welcome Cynthia!

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There are two kinds of heroes in the world: the ones who love going around and saving it and the ones who don't (but do it anyway). In books, and even movies, I tend to gravitate to the reluctant heroes, those that refuse the initial call. They like life the way it is, thank you very much. At first, they may even seem extremely selfish and unlikeable, and yet, readers/movie watchers know a true hero lurks at their core—they just need a little nudge to get there.

My hero in EDGE OF LIGHT is just such a reluctant hero. CIA agent Oliver Shaw has been in captivity for over two years. He's watched his friends and team-mates die, brutally murdered by The Trinity (a ruthless group of anarchists holding him captive). He's tried to escape with disastrous results. He's been beaten and broken too many times to count. He no longer cares about his own survival, no longer dreams of escaping. And then, a woman is placed in the cell next to him. She's everything good and heroic, everything Oliver once stood for. With her soft voice and boundless optimism, she challenges him to find his humanity again.

Does he? You'll have to read the book to find out!

But while you're here, I thought it would be fun to talk about some of your favorite reluctant heroes. Here's my top choices:

1. Han Solo – Star Wars, my favorite reluctant hero ever!

2. David Banner (The Incredible Hulk) – Avengers, just because this one's fresh in my mind, and I loved how they gave the Hulk a little bit deeper internal conflict than in some of the other Hulk movies.

3. Bret Maverick – From the Maverick movie with Mel Gibson, I love the fact that Maverick would much rather con people than fight, but he'll step in and do the right thing when push comes to shove.

4. Rambo – An oldie but a goody because it demonstrates the reluctant hero phenomenon so perfectly. Rambo is always unwilling to get involved, but eventually, doing the right thing wins out, and he does it well, with lots of action and plenty of explosives.

Leave me a comment and let me know yours—either from books or movies—and you'll be entered to win a digital copy of EDGE OF LIGHT!

Also, stop by my website and enter my special giveaway to win Oliver's journal, pendants made from Cambodian money and copies of my books. Contest runs through May 24th.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cynthia is a former Romance Writers of America Golden Heart® Finalist in Romantic Suspense. She started out writing contemporary romance, but when all her plots began to turn dastardly, she decided to stop fighting the urge to throw explosions, dead bodies, and evil villains into her books.

With her B.S. in the chemical sciences and her love of the periodic table (yes, she’s a geek and proud of it!) she finally found the perfect potent mix of love and danger to put into her stories.

Cynthia lives in Arizona with her real life hero husband and their two sons.

Find the author online: website | twitter | facebook

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ABOUT THE BOOK

Taken prisoner by a ruthless group of anarchists deep in the Cambodian jungle, anthropologist Jocelyn Hewitt is isolated in a dark prison cell. Without chance of rescue. Or hope. Until the man in the next cell reaches out to let her know she’s not as alone as she thinks.

CIA agent Oliver Shaw has been held prisoner for over two years. Forced to witness the brutal torture and slow murder of his entire team, his spirit is not just broken, it’s crushed. He no longer believes in hope. Until he hears Jocelyn through the wall, and suddenly feels like a glimpse of light is trying to reach in…

Jocelyn’s heart aches for the tortured man whose presence and voice give her the courage to risk their escape. But first she’ll have to remind Oliver who he once was, what he once loved, and bring him back to life. Only then will they have a chance for freedom—and the kind of love neither ever thought possible.

Buy the book: Amazon | BN

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Thanks to Cynthia Justlin, TWO lucky winners will receive an ebook copy of Edge of Light!!

Giveaway open Internationally.

You must leave a question answering Cynthia Justlin’s question and fill out the Rafflecopter form in order to enter this giveaway.

Please read our UPDATED Giveaway Policy before entering.

Giveaway ends 12:01 am (EST) on 6/6/2012.

Good luck to all who enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway