What If Your Past Had Been A Lie? Author Claudia Shelton Brings Love To Hate And Back Again, In New Crossover Novel, Slater's Leverage

    ST. LOUIS, MO, November 11, 2015 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Award-winning Romantic Suspense author Claudia Shelton takes readers from the gritty streets of a fictional city in Illinois, to the heroine's luxurious penthouse, for the "second chance" story in her new book, Slater's Leverage. The story of an ex-vice cop who inherited her family's hotel and an OPAQUE agent sent to protect her when she is targeted as leverage, will have the reader cheering for them as they struggle to confront their personal past. Slater's Leverage will be released on November 10, 2015 and is the first in the OPAQUE Task Force series. The second book in the series will be out in 2016.

Shelton dubs Slater's Leverage as a crossover novel that will appeal to romance and suspense readers where each moment brings a new emotion. The various twists and turns take the characters though struggles in order to get their happily ever after. "It's the story of loving someone so much you're willing to leave, but also willing to return when that's the only way to keep the person you love alive," states Shelton. "By combining adventure, intrigue and suspense with romance, I give readers the best of both worlds in my romantic suspense stories--and it helps me make the characters more multidimensional."

Shelton writes about "alpha heroes and the women strong enough to love them." Her novel's protagonist (Mackenzie) still has feelings for the man that she once loved, but who abandoned her. "Writing the character of Josh Slater was sometimes difficult because he is a very complex hero," explains Shelton. "I needed to make sure the reader understood how heroic he'd been when he deserted Mackenzie years ago. And they also needed to understand why he pushes her away once he returns to protect her."

Shelton will celebrate the release of Slater's Leverage with book signings and a public speaking appearance in the Missouri area:

November 14, 2015 during the St. Louis International Film Festival (SLIFF) at Tivoli Theatre, St. Louis, MO. Fans are encouraged to attend the "Love Between the Covers" screening at 3 p.m. Claudia Shelton along with local romance writers Lynn Cahoon, Eileen Dreyer, Angie Fox, Amanda Heger, and Shawntelle Madison as well as Missouri RWA president, Jeannie Lin will be participating in the discussion panel. Call (314) 289-4150 for more information.

November 19, 2015 at the St. Charles City-County Library (Spencer Rd. Branch), St. Peters, MO. Readers are invited to a local author open house where they can meet over 100 St. Charles-area authors, express their creativity and win prizes! This event takes place from 6-8 p.m. This event is free and open to the general public. Contact Jennifer Compton at (636) 441-2300 for more information.

November 21, 2015 at Main Street Books, St. Charles, MO. Claudia Shelton will have a joint book-signing event with romantic suspense author, Michelle Sharp. Join Shelton and Sharp from 2-4 p.m. when they will meet and greet fans. Readers should call Emily Hall at (636) 949-0105 to reserve books for the signing event.

About the book:
SLATER'S LEVERAGE by Claudia Shelton, Romantic Suspense, 273 pages, ISBN: 978-0-9968226-1-9, Self-Published, Synopsis:

Protector Agent Josh Slater has spent years working for the secret government-sponsored agency known as OPAQUE. All the while hoping to find the man who paid his father to bring down a plane killing the then head of OPAQUE. Now, Josh's new assignment brings him back face-to-face with the one woman he ever deserted. His life would have been easier letting Mackenzie continue to hate him for leaving, but she's been targeted as leverage and he'll do anything to insure her survival. Even face her anguish over his family's shame.

Mackenzie Baudin has been over Josh Slater for years, so the idea of her uncle sending him to be her protector meant only a slight hiccup in her steel resolve emotions. But her uncle's promise that within the next twenty-four hours she would know the complete truth about her life hit her like the plane crash ten years ago. The day her mother and father were killed.

About the author:

Award-winning author Claudia Shelton could write her name before the first day of school, but now she writes romantic suspense and contemporary romance, all with sexy alpha heroes and women strong enough to love them. She also presents workshops on everything from character development to networking to the ins-and-outs of being a new author. Claudia's debut novel, Risk of a Lifetime, released to 5-star reviews, reached Amazon's Best Sellers Romance Series Top 100 and was named one of eBooks Galore top reads for 2014. She is also a two-time Daphne Du Maurier (Unpublished) finalist for excellence in mystery. Her new book, Slater's Leverage, will be available November 2015.

Shelton is a member of Romance Writers of America (RWA), MORWA (Missouri RWA), Sisters in Crime, St. Louis Writers Guild, Missouri Writers' Guild, and Saturday Writers.

For more information about Slater's Leverage, visit http://www.claudiawriting.com

For more information, review copies or interview requests, please contact Adriana Pacheco, Publicist at Barclay Publicity, at 484.599.2650 or e-mail her at [email protected]

About Barclay Publicity

Barclay Publicity is a boutique public relations agency specializing in author publicity and book promotion. Our goal is to provide results-oriented author publicity and book promotion services to published authors writing Women's Romantic Fiction. We are committed to building trust by delivering a tangible service to our clients in an area of public relations in which results are usually difficult to guarantee. To get more information about Barclay Publicity or its clients visit http://www.barclaypublicity.com. To contact Barclay Publicity email them at [email protected].

About St. Louis International Film Festival (SLIFF)

The Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival (SLIFF) launches on Nov. 5. Join us for a globe-circling mission that explores the far corners of the cinematic universe. SLIFF will screen an unprecedented 447 films: 97 narrative features, 86 documentary features, and 264 shorts. The fest also will feature seven special-event programs, including two free master classes and the closing-night party. This year's festival has 270 screenings/programs, with 70 countries represented. The fest will host more than 125 filmmakers and related guests, including honorees Winter (Charles Guggenheim Cinema St. Louis Award), Trent Harris (Contemporary Cinema Award), and Rosemary Rodriguez (Women in Film Award).

About St. Charles City-County Library District

The St. Charles City-County Library District was established on August 1, 1973 by a merger of the Kathryn Linnemann Library of St Charles and the St. Charles County Library District. It includes 3 regional branches, which have larger collections and subject specialists, 4 general-purpose branches, 2 Library Express, and 3 mini branches. The District also provides an Outreach Service to nursing homes, retirement centers, the homebound, and the jail. The District provides special collections and services in the areas of Local History and Genealogy, Business & Public Management, Consumer Health, Government Documents, and Nonprofit Services. The Library District does not have a "headquarters" or "main" library; instead it distributes resources throughout the County and utilizes the vast resources of the St. Louis Metropolitan area to provide specialized materials.

About Main Street Books

Main Street Books has been an independent book provider for over 20 years. In addition to books, patrons can purchase a multitude of gift items, including greeting cards, bookmarks, journals, card games and children's toys. Main Street Books also coordinates several author events per month, both at the store and with the St. Charles City-County Library District. They have hosted local favorites Heather Brewer, Ridley Pearson and Ann Hazelwood as well as national bestsellers Lisa Scottoline, Sarah Dessen, Peter Brown, Brandon Mull and Sharon Draper. We are committed to providing the best book-buying experience in the St. Charles area, and are ever appreciative of our patrons, whether they have been around since 1993 or decide to visit our store tomorrow.

# # #