Award-winning author Virginia Vaughn recently stopped by my blog to share some about her writing life and her most recent romantic suspense, Texas Killer Connection.
Why did you start writing romantic suspense novels? I feel very blessed to be able to write romantic suspense because that is the genre I love to read.
What’s the hardest part of writing romantic suspense?
That’s easy. Figuring out who the bad guy is, lol. I love writing stories where the villain isn’t known until the very end; however, it is hard to write that way. Most people are killed by someone they know, so writing believable suspense where the hero or heroine don’t know who is after them can get tricky. It’s worth it though for that surprise ending.
When do you find time to write?
I am homeschooling two boys, so my days are full. I often don’t even sit down at my desk until the afternoon. Thankfully, I’m a night owl, so I get most of my writing done in the evenings and into the night.
What’s your go-to when you need a pick-me-up to keep writing?
If I’m stuck on something, I’ll usually read. That helps get my muse going. I also like to go for a drive. I often work out scene or character problems while I’m driving.
Where do you get the inspiration for your plots?
I read a lot and listen to true crime podcasts. I also love to watch crime procedurals to get new and interesting ideas I can turn into my own stories.
What did you want to be as a child (and did that dream come true)?
My childhood dream was to be a gymnast, but I was too scared to do a back flip so I knew I wasn’t going to make a career out of that. I read a lot and dreamed of being a writer but that dream also seemed out of reach for a long time. Ultimately, I decided to pursue writing and publishing—now I’m a full-time writer living my dream.
What does your family think of your writing romantic suspense?
I’m sure they think I’m a little bit weird, but I’ve been doing it now for a while and they’ve all be encouraging. My mom has even started scoping out places for me to hide the bodies, lol.
About Virginia Vaughn
Virginia is a multi-published author of inspirational romantic suspense. Blessed to come from a large, southern family, her fondest memories include listening to stories recounted by family and friends around the large dinner table. She was a lover of books even from a young age, devouring gothic romance novels and stories of romance, danger, and love. She soon started writing them herself. A former investigator for the State of Mississippi, Virginia utilizes her criminal justice background with her love of writing to transform words into powerful stories of romance and danger. Texas Killer Connection is her sixteenth novel with Love Inspired Suspense.
To catch a killer, they’ll need to find the evidence.
When the investigation into her look-alike cousin’s death stalls, former army intelligence officer Brooke Moore arrives in Texas searching for justice—and is thrust into the middle of a deadly conspiracy. Now she must turn to her cousin’s ex, FBI agent Colby Avery, for help. But with every clue leading them deeper into danger, they must uncover the truth…before they are buried with it.
On this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense,” my guests are Sharon K. Connell and Tanya Stowe. Among other topics, we discussed how these two romantic suspense authors come up with their storylines.
“Most of my plots come to me, but I’m sure it’s based on the news and life experience,” Sharon said. “Also from things I hear from other people, reading other books, and it comes of just evolves.”
“I’m a full-time RVer,” Tanya said. “We travel the country and see a lot of places. … I get to park in the place, and get to know it, and get to feel things. … There will be something unique about the area that will trigger an idea.”
Sharon has lived in many places across the United States. She retired from the clerical/medical field in 2012, and now writes full time. Sharon lives with her husband in Houston, Texas, from where she writes Christian romance suspense, containing a bit of mystery and as much humor as she can get into a story. She has three grown children, and eight grandchildren, all living elsewhere in the country. Sharon attended college in Illinois, graduated from the Pensacola Bible Institute in Florida, and holds a certificate in fiction writing from the International Writing Program through the University of Iowa. Besides visiting all but six states in the United States, her travels have taken her to Canada and Mexico. The experiences she’s had while visiting and living in these areas has been invaluable in her writing.
Sharon is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, Scribes Critique Group, Houston Writers Guild, and CyFair Writers. She is the founder of the global Facebook Christian Writers & Readers group forum. Her monthly newsletter, Novel Thoughts, goes out every month to its subscribers in all parts of the world, featuring helpful information for writers and readers.
Tanya is a Christian fiction author with an unexpected edge. She is a Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author who fills her books with the unusual…mysteries and exotic travel, even a murder or two. No matter where Tanya takes you…on a train down a mountain or a suspenseful journey packed with danger…be prepared for the extraordinary.
On this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense,” I’m talking with Mary Dodge Allen, who has won two Royal Palm Literary Awards from the Florida Writer’s Association. She and her husband live in Florida, where she has served as a volunteer with the police department. Her childhood in Minnesota, land of 10,000 lakes, sparked her lifelong love of the outdoors. She’s been a counselor and social worker, and she worked as a USPS mail carrier during a college break. Her quirky sense of humor is energized by a passion for coffee and chocolate.
“My books are based in Florida and Florida’s a great place to base your books,” Mary says. “It seems like weird and crazy crimes are committed in Florida. There are also a lot of things in Florida that can kill you—sinkholes, gators, hurricanes. There are a lot of hazards in Florida.”
Listen to the podcast for more from our interview, plus an excerpt from Hunt for a Hometown Killer.
Writing is hard. Whether you’re a seasoned author or an aspiring writer, putting words down on paper can be discouraging. How can we continue to write when disappointment, impediments or obstacles get in our way? Here are 9 ways to keep on writing when it gets difficult.
Remember Who you’re writing for. I think because writing is so very personal, we feel so keenly the roadblocks life throws in our writing path. The rejection by an editor or agent. Dismal book sales. Writer’s block. The long journey toward publication. When we keep in mind that we’re really all writing for an audience of One, it’s much easier to hang on during times of discouragement.
“What encourages me most is God’s faithfulness,” says Rebecca Barlow Jordan. “His Word is so full of precious promises and encouragement, that every day when I spend time with Him and open His Word, He speaks personal words of encouragement that keep me moving forward, even in the most discouraging times.”
“One of my first writing mentors told me that writing a novel is more about what God is teaching me than about learning how to write a story,” adds MaryAnn Diorio. “She was right! I also get very excited when a reader tells me that he or she either came to Christ or drew closer to Christ because of something I wrote.”
Recognize the seasonality of life. Sometimes, writing will be easier than at other times because we all go through busier seasons of life. When those times come, take heart. God has placed you in that circumstance for His glory and your good. I know it’s not easy to go through those times, but God will see you through—and your writing will be all the better for your having gone through that. “I was 73 before my first novel was published, and now I have 60 novels and novellas books,” says Martha Rogers. “At age 85, I still have ideas in my head and summaries on file I still want to write.”
Remember the successes, no matter how small. In the midst of discouragement, it can be difficult to recall the high points in our writing—but it’s then that we need to remind ourselves of the positives. “When you read a review and the reviewer understands exactly what you were trying to do with that story—that’s a huge encouragement to me,” says Patrick E. Craig. “Over Christmas, my daughter came in my office crying because she had been reading one of my recent books and a short chapter struck her so deeply that she came in to give me a hug. Those are the things that keep you writing.”
Rejoice in the success of others. This can be a hard one, especially if you’ve been struggling to become published or noticed for a while. But I’ve found rejoicing in the success of my fellow writers lightens my own heart—and spurs me to write more myself. I recognize that I’m on a different publication path than you are. While I might be tempted to become jealous or envious of another’s success, in reality, I really don’t want that success because it’s NOT mine.
“It’s so easy to see so-and-so getting a big book deal and wondering why this didn’t happen for you,” says Lenora Worth. “Don’t try to be the next so-in-so. Be the first you. God gives each of us a unique writing style for a reason. We have to write true to our voices and we have to find our voice. When you doubt, remind yourself of your dream and keep working on that dream and celebrate your writing style. This mantra has helped me over some very high hurdles in my writing career.”
Reconnect with other writers. Writing can be a lonely and solitary practice, and if we’re not careful, we’ll insulate ourselves too much and miss out on how encouraging being with other writers is to our souls and our work. “When I’m feeling discouraged about my writing it helps me to talk to other writing friends whom I’ve built trust with,” says Donna Gartshore. “We cheer for each other in the good times and bolster each other in the bad.”
Restart with prayer. As Christian authors, we have direct access to the throne of God through prayer. Praying for our writing isn’t selfish—it’s essential to our calling as Christian writers. “Any time I start to doubt, I simply ask God if it’s time for me to lay writing aside,” says Deborah Rather, who writes as Arlene James. “So far, it’s been like turning on a tap, as if simply asking starts the creative process. Before I know what’s happening, ideas start percolating, and I’m eager to get back to work.”
Resolve to press on. It can be difficult to continue writing when discouragement fills our thoughts. But as those called by God to write, we must. “Since I can’t bring myself to write unless I have every single detail of a scene already planned out, I sometimes put off writing until I know exactly what will happen and how it will conclude,” says Jackie Stef. “Unfortunately that leads to procrastination for me. Sometimes I have to give myself a good kick in the pants and say ‘just do it.’ A book won’t write itself after all, and I have to remind myself of that often.”
Re-evaluate your writing. Sometimes, it’s good to listen to those who like our writing and to read our own writing without such a critical eye. “I am encouraged [to continue writing] by even the slightest compliment about my writing, or even a hint that it shows promise,” says Bill Jenkins. “I’m encouraged when I’m excited about my own writing, when I read back over it and like what I read,” agrees Natalie Walters.
Rest in your writing journey. Be content, my fellow writers, where you are along your writing path. You’re exactly where God wants you to be, so be faithful. Be steady in your writing. Be ready for the future. “It’s always something surprising—a Divine moment—when the Lord pulls back the curtain to show me how someone has been touched by my writing,” says Joan Benson. “My heart is moved to know just one person has been encouraged or enlightened by something I felt God poured into my consciousness and into words. Then I keep going!”
“I am especially encouraged and ready to go back to my writing when someone randomly sends an email or handwritten letter to let me know that they are thankful for my ministry because something I wrote in an article or book impacted them,” points out Cindi McMenamin. “I always feel it’s God’s way of giving me a hug through someone else’s words when He knows I’m tired, discouraged, or just wondering if anyone else is even reading anymore. God’s timing is always perfect when it comes to sending me these pieces of encouragement to help me soar once again.”
When you feel discouraged in your writing, use one of these 9 ways to press on with your writing. If you’d like help, sign up for my free Writing Breakthrough Session to see how coaching with me can get you unstuck in your writing.
Romantic suspense author Rhonda Starnes recently stopped by my blog to share some about her writing life and her most recent romantic suspense, Perilous Wilderness Escape.
What’s the hardest part of writing romantic suspense? Weaving the romance thread in with the suspense so that they are balanced. The suspense and danger has to be front and center, but I never want a reader to get to the end of the story and feel like they didn’t see the romance blossom as they story unfolded.
How do you come up with titles for your books? This question made me smile. I am horrible at coming up with book titles. It’s much harder than actually writing the book. Fortunately for me, I have an amazing editor and creative department offering suggestions when I get stuck. For this particular book, after I sent in a few title suggestions, they came back with two of their own, and Perilous Wilderness Escape was one of them.
What’s your go-to when you need a pick-me-up to keep writing? Dove Dark Chocolate & Almond. I love the sweet treat, but I also enjoy the encouraging messages inside the wrappers.
How do you ensure your books are accurate? Lots and lots of research! I also have several family members and friends in various law enforcement and medical fields, and I am constantly asking them questions. I’m also in several online groups with professionals who graciously answer questions for writers
What is absolutely essential for you to write? I need solitude. Not necessarily quiet, because sometimes I like to listen to 80s music, but if anyone else is in the house, I’m not nearly as productive.
About Rhonda Starnes Rhonda is a retired middle school language arts teacher. She lives in North Alabama with her husband, who she lovingly refers to as Mountain Man. They enjoy traveling and spending time with their children and grandchildren. Rhonda writes romantic suspense with rugged heroes and feisty heroines.
Perilous Wilderness Escape An undercover mission…turns into life and death
Hot on the trail of a ruthless drug cartel, FBI agent Randy Ingalls is nearly killed in an ambush—and left with amnesia. Now FBI agent Katherine Lewis must protect her undercover partner from the ruthless drug cartel pursuing them across the rugged Colorado mountains. Can she decipher the clues in his lost memory, or will she lose the case—and her partner—for good?