Guest Blog

sara foust art

How Sara L. Foust Squeezes in Writing

0 , , , ,

Sara L. Foust is a multi-published, award-winning author who writes Inspirational Romantic Suspense from the beauty of East Tennessee, where she lives with her five homeschooled children. To learn more about her, please visit www.saralfoust.com. 

When do you find time to write?
Sara: It is hard! I have five homeschooled children, I work from home as a medical transcriptionist, and life is constantly busy and loud. I squeeze writing time in whenever possible, wherever possible.

What is your favorite spot for reading or reflecting on your current work-in-progress?
Sara: Outside! I have a nice bench with fluffy cushions. I can watch my children play in the yard and work at the same time. I also think better outdoors. The fresh air must do my creative brain good!

How do you pick the location/setting of your romantic suspense novels?
Sara: The settings for my first 3 books and my novella have come easily: They all start in my home state. I love being outdoors, and I feel that one of the biggest blessings God gave us is the beauty of nature, so I love to incorporate that, as best I can, into my writing. Which is why my personal phrase for my romantic suspense writing is “Faith. Nature. Romance.”

What did you want to be as a child (and did that dream come true)?
Sara: I wanted to be an author, but it took me a long time to let myself do it. It felt like the impossible dream, and if I started and failed, what would I do then? So I put it off for a lot of years. I am so thankful that I can say my dream is coming true now.

Current book: Rarity Mountain, Journey to Faith
No job. Little faith. A paralyzing secret and a life-changing survival show.

Connect with Sara
Website: www.saralfoust.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/saralfoust Twitter:  www.twitter.com/sfoust25

moody-2863104_1920

How June Foster Fell Into Writing Romantic Suspense

1 , , , ,

An award-winning author, June Foster is a retired teacher with a BA in education and an MA in counseling. June enjoys writing stories about characters who overcome the circumstances in their lives by the power of God and His Word.

Why did you start writing romantic suspense novels?
June: Strangely enough, when I wrote my first romantic suspense, I’d intended to write a contemporary romance, but the hero and heroine kept encountering ghosts from the past, a villain who wanted to see them dead, and two criminals who commandeered their vehicle. So a suspense evolved.

What’s the hardest part of writing romantic suspense?
June: Actually, I find a suspense easier to write than a contemporary romance. The peril in which the characters find themselves adds to the story and offers more action to each scene.

When do you find time to write?
June: I’m blessed to be a retired elementary teacher so I have plenty of time to write. My only distraction is on occasion my husband who’s quite gregarious and loves to chat. But I can’t complain because he’s so supportive and helps me plot and do research.

How do you connect with your characters?
June: Usually I find a picture online of a famous person that I think looks like the image I have in my head. Then I write out the GMC for both the hero and the heroine (G-goal, M-motivation , C-conflict). I’m always amazed how I get to know my character in that simple process.

Current book: The Long Way Home
A kidnapping and a vicious murder leave David Maguire and Jada Atwood with few options—remain in the clutches of their abductors or attempt an escape.

Connect with June
Website: www.junefoster.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjunefoster
Twitter: https://twitter.com/vjifoster
Instagram: junefoster11
Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/author/junefoster

squad-car-1209719_1920

How Terri Reed Experiences What Her Characters Do

0 , , , ,

Terri Reed’s novels have appeared on Publisher’s Weekly top twenty-five, Nielsen’s Bookscan top hundred, Amazon Bestseller and featured in USA Today. Her books have been finalists in Romance Writers of America RITA contest, National Readers’ Choice Award and three-time finalists in the American Christian Fiction Writers The Carol Award contest.

How do you connect with your characters?
Terri: I do a great deal of personality building when I’m forming my characters. I settle on their backgrounds based on the needs of the story and then put the characters through personality tests. But the characters usually surprise me as I’m writing. They will react in ways I hadn’t expected which makes the development of the characters a fun challenge.

How do you ensure your books are accurate?
Terri: I do a lot of reading online and reference books on law enforcement procedure. I have attended a sixteen-week citizens academy for my local sheriff’s department, which was fascinating and something everyone should do. I also went to a conference for writers called Writer’s Police Academy, where every workshop had something to do with law enforcement and emergency responders. There were self-defense classes; the bomb squad had a demonstration, as did the K-9 unit. I rode in a fire truck and cleared a smoke filled house. I’ve shot all sorts of different weapons from handguns to automatic rifle with a scope, and handled and worn tactical gear. The best part of all the in-person research is observing the officers and emergency personnel and incorporating their mannerisms into my characters.

What is absolutely essential for you to write? (i.e., a quiet space, classical music, cup of coffee)
Terri: My writing process has changed over the last few years. I used to only be able to write at my desk in my office with music playing, a cup of tea and some snacks close by. If I was to work anywhere else I did so by hand with pen and paper, then type the work in at my desk. However, in 2017 I broke my right wrist. Yes-I’m right handed. The break was bad and didn’t heal properly so over the next year and half I had two surgeries and hours of physical therapy. Though the hand is better there are still issues with swelling and pain. I was forced to figure out a new way to write and with much gnashing of teeth I have learned to dictate my first draft. I’ve embraced this new process, as it’s much faster for that rough draft. Then I can work at my desk to clean it up for short burst of time, until the hand/wrist start to complain.

Current book: Buried Mountain Secrets
A desperate woman and a handsome deputy must work together to find her missing teenage brother and stop deadly treasure hunters.

Connect with Terri
Website: http://www.terrireed.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/terrireedauthorpage/

house-1031011_1920

The Plot Inspiration of Mike Garrett

0 , , ,

Mike Garrett is a devout Christian, internationally respected book editor, and published author. His secular novel, Keeper, was optioned for a movie. Innocence Denied is his first Christian novel. He lives in Alabama with his wife Sharon, a dachshund (Heidi), and a stray cat now seventeen years old (Mia).

Where do you get the inspiration for your plots?
Mike: This question has always fascinated me. Where do ideas come from? I can’t “force” an idea. Ideas zap into my head any time, anywhere, without any instigation on my part. I can only credit God with my ideas. There’s just no other explanation for me. If I didn’t make it happen, who did?

How do you pick the location/setting of your romantic suspense novels?
Mike: The location is always dictated by the story itself. In Innocence Denied, I needed an isolated place for Derrick and Larissa to hide in, so I set it in the off-season at Logan Martin Lake, where they would be less likely to be seen. I’m intimately familiar with the area since I owned a lake house there for many years. Write what you know!

What is one of your favorite ways to connect with readers?
Mike: I always enjoy hearing from readers via email. It’s non-intrusive, and I can respond when I have free time.

Which of your books is your favorite and why?
Mike: Innocence Denied is by far my favorite because it’s close to my heart. I wrote it with no profit motive in mind, no attempt to advance my career or put myself in the spotlight. Its message was my entire focus, and I feel honored to create something to honor God with the very spiritual gifts that He blessed me with.

Current Book: Innocence Denied
Derrick Walton puts his life at risk to rescue a falsely accused murderer from life in prison, then saves her soul.

Connect w/Mike
Website: www.innocencedeniedbook.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InnocenceDenied/?modal=admin_todo_tour
Twitter: @MGarrett49
Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/105177754354469742892
Linked-In: http://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-garrett-6ba065154

 

 

starbucks-2346226_1920 (1)

How a True Story Inspired Gail Sattler’s Latest Book

0 , , ,

Gail Sattler lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, where you don’t have to shovel rain. When she’s not writing, she plays bass for an Elton John tribute band and a jazz band, and piano for a smaller band. Other times, Gail likes to read with a cup of coffee.

Why did you start writing romantic suspense novels?
Gail: The Other Neighbor is my first romantic suspense. I wrote it because it’s based on a true story. Years ago, going back to Y2K (Dec 31, 1999), a customer of my husband was plotting to do exactly what the antagonist in this book was planning. (Sorry, I’m not giving that away!) As I wrote the book, my husband joked that he hopes we make enough money from this book to offset what he lost when his ex-customer was arrested, the business closed and the man declared bankruptcy because he owed a lot of people, including us, a lot of money.

When do you find time to write?
Gail: I work full time, plus I’m in three bands, so I don’t have a lot of free time. My husband sold his business and retired early, so he does all the housework, which gives me time to write.

What is your favorite spot for reading or reflecting on your current work-in-progress?
Gail: The same place I write. I need to read it in order to reflect on it. Since we are recent empty-nesters, I converted one of the now-empty bedrooms into an office. Where I can close the door.

What is one of your favorite ways to connect with readers?
Gail: Facebook. I love to see posts, and often forward the ones I like best. Likewise, I love it when people forward posts that I’ve made.

What is absolutely essential for you to write?
Gail: A quiet space, thus the closed door on my new office, and Starbucks coffee, which is provided by my future daughter-in-law’s generosity. Gotta love her.

Current Book: The Other Neighbor
Cheryl Richardson’s neighbor is building a bomb! When FBI agent Steve Gableman moves next door to learn the target, will Cheryl be the one to explode?

Connect w/Gail
Website: www.gailsattler.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gail.sattler.3

«‹ 14 15 16 17›»