Beyond Instinct by Lynn Ames

Beyond Instinct by Lynn Ames

Vaughn Elliott is a member of the State Department's Diplomatic Security Force. Someone high up in the United States government has pulled rank, hand-selecting her to oversee security for a visit by congressional VIPs to the West African nation of Mali. The question is, who picked her for the job and why?
Sage McNally, a career diplomat, is the political officer at the U.S. Embassy in Mali. As control officer for the congressional visit, she is tasked to brief Vaughn regarding the political climate in the region.
The two women are instantly attracted to each other and share a wild night of passion. The next morning, Sage disappears while running, leaving behind signs of a scuffle. Why was Sage taken and by whom? Where is she being held?
Vaughn's attempts to get answers are thwarted at every turn. Even Sage does not know why she's been targeted.
Independently, Sage and Vaughn struggle to make sense of the seemingly senseless. By the time each of them figures it out, it could be too late for Sage.
As the clock ticks inexorably toward the congressional visit, the stakes get even higher, and Vaughn is faced with unspeakable choices. Her decisions will make the difference between life and death. Will she choose duty or her own code of honor?

Lynn Ames is the author of the best-selling novels The Price of Fame, The Cost of Commitment, The Value of Valor, One Love, Heartsong, Eyes on the Stars, Beyond Instinct, Above Reproach, All That Lies Within, Bright Lights of Summer, Final Cut, Great Bones, and one of the five authors of the collection Outsiders. She's also the writer, director, and producer of Extra Innings: The True Story Behind the Summer's Brilliant Lights, a groundbreaking documentary. This historically significant documentary tells the true tale of Hall-of-Famer Dot Wilkinson and the golden age of women's softball for the first time in her own words. Lynn's fiction has won numerous awards and accolades, including five Goldie awards, the prestigious Ann Bannon Popular Fiction Award (for All That Lies Within), and the Arizona Novel Award for Best Gay/Lesbian Book. Lynn has been a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award (Lammy) twice and has won the Rainbow Award for Lesbian Romance once.

In addition, All That Lies Inside was named one of the top 10 lesbian books of the year. Phoenix Rising Press (www.phoenixrisingpress.com) was founded by Ames. She was also the press secretary for the minority leader of the New York state Senate and spokeswoman for the country's third-largest prison system. She was a multi-award-winning broadcast journalist for more than a decade.

She is a nationally recognized speaker and public relations professional with a special expertise in image, crisis communications planning, and crisis management. She was the editor of a critically acclaimed national magazine and a nationally recognized speaker and public relations professional with a particular expertise in image, crisis communications planning, and crisis management. Visit her website at www.lynnames.com for more information, or e-mail her at lynnames@lynnames.com.