Imperfect by Cassidy Ryan

I love cop shows, I have done since I was a kid in the 70s. I particularly love shows where there is a partnership; you can see that the guys are friends, that they care about each other, even – or especially – when they are trash-talking each other.

Shows like Starsky and Hutch and The Professionals remain prized box sets in my DVD collection to this day. Add to that newer shows like The Sentinel, Due South and Hawaii Five-0, and you see a definite pattern: opposite character types, lots of banter and undeniable chemistry.

When I was writing Imperfect I had this in mind. I wanted to explore the relationship of a cop partnership beyond the bullpen. I wanted them to have fun, to share the snappy dialogue I adore in my TV cops, and although they tend to drive each other crazy there is a foundation of caring and understanding.

Logan and Zach, the cops in Imperfect, have very different personalities. Logan is a bit wild and Zach is the steadier of the two. They are very much products of their environment, and as the story unfolds it becomes clear just how their personalities were formed.

The major difference between the TV cops and Logan and Zach, is that, while Starsky and Hutch or Bodie and Doyle had a different girlfriend every other week, Logan and Zach are romantically involved with each other. The girlfriends never lasted longer than an episode, either quickly disillusioned by the job or – more often than not – getting killed! I often thought that the guys should just be together, because no-one understood their foibles or their lifestyle like each other.

While I wanted the guys to be actively investigating a crime in the story, I didn’t want it to overwhelm or become more important than the romantic storyline, so I tried to make the crime a catalyst for exploring the parts of his life that Logan keeps hidden, even from Zach, and thereby causing conflict and ultimately strengthening the bond further.

I don’t think any writer is ever completely satisfied that they have created what they set out to do, but on the whole I have a very soft spot for Logan and Zach. I’ve never written a proper sequel, but these guys make me want to revisit them at some point.

Blurb:

They say the brightest lights cast the longest shadows. Zach thinks Logan’s been living in that shadow long enough, but can he convince him he deserves to stand in the light?

Detectives Zach Gibson and Logan Armstrong are partners, friends, and something more that they’ve never analysed or put a name to. But it works for them. For now.

When Zach’s grandfather asks them to investigate the theft of a ring from the finger of his recently deceased friend, it opens a can of worms Logan has been struggling to keep closed for ten years.

Secrets, guilt and revelations come tumbling out, and Logan is forced to finally deal with events from his past that have kept him emotionally bound and unable to move on.

Excerpt:

“I want a new partner. I can’t work with this lunatic a second longer.” Detective Zach Gibson burst through the doors of the Serious Crime Unit, letting them swing closed in the face of his partner, Logan Armstrong. Anger poured off him in waves as he strode across the bullpen. Anyone who happened to be in his way quickly remedied that.

Zach heard the doors open again and was aware of Logan falling into step behind him, but he didn’t pause until he reached the door to the captain’s office. He rapped his knuckles against the glass before pushing the door open and entering.

“I want a new partner.” He stopped in front of his superior’s desk, refusing to look at Logan when he moved to stand next to Zach.

Captain Grace Evans sat back in her chair with a sigh, dark blonde eyebrows pulled together in a frown. “You know, when I took over here and said I had an open door policy, I really meant it. Then I met you two. Now, not only do I want to close the door, I want to barricade the frickin’ thing. What the hell is wrong this time?”

Zach crossed his arms over his chest and jerked his head in the direction of his partner. “I can’t work with this guy anymore. He’s…he’s unhinged.”

“I’m pretty sure that’s slanderous,” Logan said.

Zach didn’t have to look at him to know the damn man was smirking. “Don’t even start with me, Armstrong. I am this close to decking you myself.” He threw Logan a narrow-eyed look before turning back to tilt his head expectantly at Grace.

“Gib…” Logan started, but she held up her hand and he subsided.

“Just tell me what’s got your panties in a bunch, Gibson. Maybe we can fix this and get you two the hell out of my office before I have an aneurysm.” She leant forward, picked up a letter opener and began tapping it against her manicured fingers.

Zach dropped his arms to his sides again, but far from relaxing, his hands clenched and unclenched. “We spent all morning doing the last of the paperwork on the Naismith case, so we decided at around two-thirty to go out for coffee—you know, stretch the legs, get some fresh air. The way ordinary people do.” He dragged a hand through his blond hair, not for the first time, and suspected it was probably standing on end.

Still frowning, she nodded and made a motion with the letter opener to get on with it.

“Yeah, well, I guess I forgot for a split second that my partner here isn’t like ordinary people. He can’t go out for a cup of fuckin’ coffee without finding some havoc to get caught up in.” Zach’s pulse picked up as he spoke, and he could feel the heat of an angry flush rising at his throat.

“Hey!” Logan interrupted, an edge of annoyance in his voice. “That guy was a douche, what did you expect me to do? Ignore the fact that he was beating on some kid so that you could have your vanilla hazelnut latte?”

“Fuck you! I don’t drink that shit and you know it,” Zach bit out, turning so that he and Logan were face to face, both of them practically vibrating with anger. “Of course we had to do something, but jumping onto the hood of a moving car in the middle of heavy traffic?”

“He was getting away!” Logan’s eyes were bright and his cheeks flushed.

“So you jump on the hood of the car? Seriously?” Zach took a step closer as he spoke, breathing hard.

“Wait, you jumped on the hood of a car?” Grace interrupted. She looked a little stunned.

Zach knew his smile was smug, but he didn’t care. “Yeah, see? Unhinged.”

Links:

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Bio:

Cassidy Ryan lives and works in the West of Scotland, with Angel, the not-very-angelic kitty.

When she isn't writing, Cassidy enjoys football, shopping for the perfect handbag, main-lining coffee and watching TV.

Everyone loves a juicy behind the scenes expose. So brighten up your monitors folks as I’m giving you an all access backstage pass to the stories behind my Perfect Love series.

I've always thought that everyone deserves to find a perfect love, and this series explores five themes that look at different way of achieving that. It’s more than the characters sexuality though. In The Perfect Union, you have a young mother who finds love with her best friends as she moves forward from the grief that encapsulates her life after the death of her husband in war. His Perfect Partner is the story of two men, strangers, whose lives converge though their passion for justice. Capturing Perfection is the tale of two foster brothers who have loved each other since a time they understood what that meant, but before they can share that love with each other they must work through challenging mental and physical obstacles. Simply Perfection examines the lives of three men. Who as individuals are strong, but as a unit find they can conquer anything. And The Perfect Balance, is the story of one woman’s journey of new beginnings after escaping an abusive relationship and the two men who through their love for each other and their woman discover what it means to finally find the perfect balance.

 

So you want to get inside my head, and know what I was really thinking as I wrote each book? I fear that would take up several blog entries, and most likely make you question my sanity. However, I’ll try to give you a few glimpses into the corners of my mind. I won’t go into detailed accounts of how I developed each character, but instead point out that throughout all of the books we learn a little more about each individual and how they grow as a person with the help of their partners and the relationships they have within this close group of friends.

A big part of the theme in The Perfect Union are the detailed Irish elements that are threaded throughout the story. This passion not only lives in the characters, but in me. They say in America that everyone’s Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, but I was raised to not only embrace my deep seeded Irish heritage, but to take pride and acknowledge it everyday.

The opening scene in The Perfect Union actually came to me in a daydream. You can’t help but hear about those who have lost loved ones due to military conflict. Unfortunately it had been a fact of life for many generations. So I got to thinking what comes next? How would a young mother move forward from the tragedy of loving a husband? How would she teach her children about a father they never knew? And when life does go on, how would the family of the fallen react? These are all questions I wanted to explore, and although I recognize that there are infinite answers, my goal was to portray one scenario and of course show how Rick, Conor, Calleigh, Brandon, and Michael build a family together.

Next in the series was His Perfect Partner. I’ll admit that I’m a sucker for crime dramas. CSI, NCIS, Bones. You name it? I love it. So when I sat down to write Ethan and Ryan’s story I wanted to branch out and explore the world economic espionage-something of which I had absolutely no idea what I was getting in to, but turned out to be a lot of fun and educational. Ethan’s character was I think truly my main focus. I had this idea in my head of who Ethan was, and as the title implies I wanted to conjure up a man who would not only find all of Ethan’s little quirks adorable, but also have a genuine desire to share their lives together. The good, the bad and the ugly.

 

Capturing Perfection was inspired quite a bit by my every day job. I frequently see veterans, and hear their stories both of their experiences in combat and how it’s affected them afterwards. Writing about characters who have worked their entire lives to overcome abusive childhoods, only to find their road to happiness blocked by mental disorders such as PTSD and physical disorders such as profound hearing loss was both extremely emotional and healing. It gave me chance to provide for those I see suffering on a daily basis a true happily ever after, even if it was only in a fictional tale.

Simply Perfection was inspired by just about a little of everything. My love for the arts, my fascination with music, movies and architecture. These three characters in a way exhibit the different sides to one person’s personality. You have Matt who outwardly is very confident and professional, but inwardly is insecure. Trevor is an independent young man, who has a deep need to stand on his own two feet, but finds once he accepts his love for both Matt and Niall and their love for him, he actually becomes a stronger person. And Niall represents humanity’s ability to examine the world from a place of quiet reflective study, and then use our individual talents to show the universe our interpretation of life.

Last but not least we have The Perfect Balance, which is scheduled for release on March 21^st. This book is technically a prequel to the series as we have the chance to meet Calleigh before her first husband’s death. The main characters are Miranda, Vic and Chase. So many men and women reach a point where they ask themselves “Is this what I want for my life?” I wanted to write a story about trying to find your way after you’ve asked this question. I think it’s a nice addition and perfect closing to the series.

So I’d like to take these final words to say thank you to each and every one of you who have enjoyed the journey of these characters and their stories with me. It’s been a fabulous experience, one in which I’ve learned quite a lot and I hope you have as well.

Trina

Unleashing Your Deepest Desires

Come Visit www.trinalane.com

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