Viviana Enchantress of Books: Guest Post & Giveaway: Devious Minds by Colleen Helme

Please welcome Colleen Helme to Enchantress of Books!!

DEVIOUS MINDS is the eighth book in the Shelby Nichols Adventure Series, and I can’t tell you how exciting it is to make it to this point. When I began writing the first book, CARROTS, I never imagined that it would turn into a series with this many books. But with each book, Shelby has grown as a character, and it’s been so fun to see her growth and the direction the books have taken.

I am a ‘discovery’ writer and, as such, I don’t have an outline or a plan when I begin a book, let alone a series. So with each book, I take an idea and run with it. Since I’m not a fan of cliff-hanger endings and unresolved issues, I make sure that each book is complete with the major elements of the mystery resolved. Within that context, I try to leave little hints of what might be coming up for Shelby in the next book. But it might surprise you to know that when I do this, I never know how that hint will play out until I start writing the book, so I’m as much in the dark as the reader!

Because I had always wanted to visit Paris, I planted the hint for Shelby to travel there in book seven, CROSSING DANGER. That way, I had to take a trip to Paris, right? When I finished writing CROSSING DANGER, I still had no idea what would happen in Paris, but I was excited to figure it out. Even better, I could use some of my own experiences from my visit there, what could be better than that?

Now that DEVIOUS MINDS is done, I am looking forward to writing the next book. I left a couple of hints for what’s coming up, but I don’t know exactly where they will take Shelby. It could be anywhere from Washington D.C. to Las Vegas, Nevada, or somewhere in-between. All I know for sure is... it will certainly be an adventure!

Thanks for hosting me.

Alright everyone! Find out more about the book, the series and Colleen below! And don't forget to enter the giveaway!!!

Devious Minds

(A Shelby Nichols Adventure Series #8)

by Colleen Helme

Blurb:

It’s been almost a year since a near-fatal gunshot wound left Shelby Nichols with the ability to read minds. In that time she’s faced one problem after another. She’s been shot at, framed for murder, and targeted by a serial killer, just to name a few. Now she’s trying to help her lawyer husband win a murder trial that will enable him to become a partner in his law firm. Sounds easy, right? But nothing ever goes as planned when it comes to Shelby Nichols.

When special agent, Blake Beauchaine, shows up to collect a debt from Shelby, things get even more complicated, and Shelby is soon on her way to Paris. A routine meeting with a rogue agent reveals a sinister plot, putting Shelby into the cross-hairs of a known terrorist. Even worse, she doesn’t speak French, so it seems her mind-reading abilities won’t help her this time.

Things go from bad to downright dangerous for Shelby, especially since her usual guardians, Uncle Joey, and his hit-man, Ramos, are back in the states. Lost and on her own in the streets of Paris, can Shelby escape the cold-blooded killer in time to stop his devious plans, or will this be the end of the line for Shelby Nichols?

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Excerpts

By the time we got to the sixth floor, I was eager to get out. Blake hid a smile at my nerves, and took off down the hall. He took out his keys and unlocked a door at the very end of the hall. As it swung open, my breath caught at the view from the window.

“Is that Notre-Dame?” I gasped.

He chuckled. “Actually, that’s The Hôtel de Ville where the city’s local administration is housed. The buildings just beyond those are on the Ile-de-la-Cité where Notre-Dame is located. In the distance, you can just make out the cathedral’s spire from here.”

“Oh yes, I see it now.”

“All of those buildings are actually on an island in the river Seine. In fact, Notre-Dame was built at the same spot where the Romans built a temple to Jupiter. The cathedral was first built in the twelfth century, but through the years, and because of the revolution, it fell into disrepair. If it wasn’t for Victor Hugo and his book, it may have been destroyed.”

“Wow. I didn’t know that.”

“Your room is this way,” he said. “Why don’t you get settled, and then we’ll go exploring?”

“Okay!” He didn’t have to ask me twice. The bedrooms were on the other side of the living room and small kitchen and were larger than I’d expected. “I thought you said this apartment was small.”

He shrugged. “These bedrooms used to be part of another apartment, but I was able to buy it and put in these rooms and bathrooms. You can use that bedroom.” He motioned to the bedroom with billowing curtains framing another open window which looked out over the city. “My housekeeper must have opened the windows to air the place out when she came in this morning.”

It was a little chilly, but I rushed over to look out the windows. The view was breathtaking. “This is perfect!”

“Good,” he said, clearly pleased with my reaction. “I’ll leave you to get settled.”

The door shut behind him, and I glanced around the room. A queen sized bed with a metal frame took up most of the space, and two bed-stands with lamps flanked either side. A large wooden dresser with a mirror stood on the opposite wall.

A door beside the dresser opened into a small bathroom, with the shower and basin all done in beautiful tile work. Fresh towels and soap, along with an array of small bottles of lotions and shampoo, lined the countertop.

This was amazing. I heaved a sigh, happy and grateful I’d come. I could hardly believe I’d almost chickened out. I would have missed this! I hurried back to the bedroom and unloaded my suitcase, placing my toiletries in the bathroom and my clothes in the dresser, then shoved my empty suitcase under the bed.

I quickly changed into a fresh blouse and my favorite black jeans and boots, then hurried into the bathroom to brush my teeth. After combing my hair and updating my make-up, I was ready to go. But first I needed to call Chris. The phone rang for the longest time before he finally picked up.

The Shelby Nichols Adventure Series

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About The Author

As the author of the Shelby Nichols Adventure Series, Colleen is often asked if Shelby Nichols is her alter-ego. “Definitely,” she says. “Shelby is the epitome of everything I wish I dared to be.” Known for her laugh since she was a kid, Colleen has always tried to find the humor in every situation and continues to enjoy writing about Shelby’s adventures. “I love getting Shelby into trouble… I just don’t always know how to get her out of it!” Colleen lives in the Rocky Mountains with her family. Besides writing, she loves a good book, biking, hiking, and playing board and card games with family and friends. She loves to connect with readers and admits that fans of the series keep her writing.

You can find Colleen at