Storm Goddess Book Reviews & More: Interview with Matt Harris, hero of Safe From The Fire by Lily Rede

Welcome! Today, plese help me welcome Matt Harris, the hero of Lily Rede's latest book Safe from the Fire!

Safe From the Fire (Bright's Ferry #2)

Firefighter Matt Harris has wanted edgy librarian Grace Mallow forever – there’s something about her purple hair and her sexy dark side that pushes all of his buttons, even if the rest of the town looks down on her. Unfortunately, Matt’s memories of an abusive childhood have left him terrified of turning into a monster like his father. He’s determined to find a gentle way to woo Grace, but he’s unprepared for the white-hot heat that burns when they finally come together.

Grace Mallow knows that no matter how badly she wants him, she doesn’t belong with a wholesome blond dreamboat like Matt, who would be horrified to learn that she wants to be sexually dominated. But Matt is persistent, and Grace is having a hard time turning him down and keeping her emotional walls intact. As the couple struggles to handle their passion for each other, an arsonist begins terrorizing Bright’s Ferry, and all signs point to Grace’s younger brother, a reformed firebug recently returned to town to make amends for his crimes. Matt and Grace race to stop a madman, but can they find common ground and save each other and their town, or will passion and fire burn out of control and separate them forever?

Interview with firefighter Matt Harris from Safe From the Fire (Bright's Ferry #2):

So tell me, how did you approach your author about your story? I'm well aware of how those like you just pop up out of nowhere

Thanks for having me. It's a little weird, talking about myself, but I guess Lily really liked writing about Colin and Evie's lives in Bright's Ferry, and thought it would be fun to tackle me next. Not tackle physically, I mean. She's kind of short and I'm kind of big. Like a bull in a china shop big. Lily thinks that makes me good at putting out fires, but she seems a little obsessed with wanting to write about my history. Personally, I wish I could get past it, but every time I look in the mirror I see my dad's face. Maybe if I'm good enough and careful enough, someday I'll just see myself.

“Care to share a juicy detail about yourselves that we may not otherwise know about you? Oh, come. Let's call it a little game of truth.” < Winks>

Grace Mallow, the town librarian, can turn me inside out with one little flip of that awesome purple hair. I don't know if that's much of a secret, though. Every time I see her walking down the street in those crazy leather boots, I just want to bend her over the nearest...well, you don't need to hear that. Let's just say she's driving me nuts and Iseriously need to stay away from her. She's way too good for me, too sweet and caring, even though she seems to go out of her way to piss people off.

“Is there a talent you wish you had, but currently don't have?>

I'd like to go back in time and undo all the damage my dad did to my mother when I was a kid. It haunts me, and Mom is just a shell of the woman she used to be. She barely knows who I am most of the time.

“Without getting you in to trouble, either of you....what is your biggest turn off?

Confrontation and inflicting pain. I'm terrified that I'm going to lose control and do something I'll regret.

“Biggest turn on”?

Grace in something purple and skimpy. And I can't believe I'm admitting this, but when she tells me all the kinky things she wants me to do to her, I start to forget all the reasons why it's such a bad idea to get involved with her. So she wants a little bondage, so what? Maybe a little spanking and some fun with handcuffs...no, no, no. Wait. No. I don't want that, too. I really, really don't. Really.

“Pet peeve?”

Firebugs and narrow-minded, judgmental idiots. Bright's Ferry has enough on its plate without having to worry about some lunatic trying to burn it to the ground. And I have too much going on to stress over the town getting its undies in a twist over my relationship with Grace. They think her whole family is bad news. I don't care. I think she's a fantasy come to life.

“Other than loved ones and the absolutely necessities, what is one thing you can't live without?”

The Bright's Ferry Fire Department. They gave me a family, a job, and a purpose. We're small but we're effective, and together with the Sheriff's Department, we're going to keep doing what we do to make Bright's Ferry safe, no matter what kind of crazed firebugs and stalkers and serial killers are running around. We seem to get more than our fair share. I wonder why that is?

“Favorite way to relax and wind down?”

Woodworking and building my house, but I've recently rediscovered the joys of the library...particularly back in the stacks with one hot little purple-haired librarian.

“Biggest fear?”

Losing control and accidentally hurting someone, especially Grace. I'm terrified that I'm going to turn into my father, and the only way to prevent that is to keep a level head at all times. Grace doesn't make it easy, though. She's really good at pushing my buttons.

“Do you have ANY idea what your author is working on next?

Among a zillion other things, Lily's working on Tony and Nora's story in Safe From the Storm (Bright's Ferry #3). Should be a doozy. I'm pretty sure she's got some excerpts up on the blog...poor Tony and Nora. What a mess. I'm rooting for those two.

What's your favorite line form your story?

There's a scene where Grace and I get stuck in a pretty hot spot, and I'm trying to reassure her. For some reason, my line here always makes Lily laugh. "“You’re doing fine. And just think, someday you can tell our kids about the time you saved my life while the house burned down around us.”

“Well, I know you're busy, so I don't want to keep you all day, but is there anything you'd like to share?”

I probably shouldn't say anything, but I could have sworn I saw Sheriff Tony's missing wife Nora wandering around town. He's going to freak when he sees her. She's been gone a few years and we all thought she was dead. It's none of my business, but she kind of looks like she's in some serious trouble. Tony never got over her death, but I have a feeling he's going to lose it when he realizes she just took off like that... There are strangers coming to Bright's Ferry, and that always means one thing. Trouble.