Guest Blog

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A Conversation With Leeann Betts

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Leeann Betts writes contemporary suspense, while her real-life persona, Donna Schlachter, pens historical suspense. Leeann has released eight titles in her cozy mystery series, By the Numbers, with A Deadly Dissolution as the most recent. She publishes a free quarterly newsletter; subscribe at www.LeeannBetts.com or follow Leeann at www.AllBettsAreOff.wordpress.com.

How do you connect with your characters?
Leeann: I usually end up writing a chapter of yak-yak-yak until I hit the ground running, but the conversation time helps me reconnect with my recurring characters, and start to develop a relationship with the new characters.

How do you come up with titles for your books?
Leeann: The funny thing is, usually the title comes first, then the book flows from that. This time around, the story was first, and I struggled with the title. I also struggled getting the story started, because without a title, I didn’t know where it was going. Once I figured out the title, the story flowed from there.

What’s your go-to when you need a pick-me-up to keep writing?
Leeann: Coffee. And chocolate.

What’s the weirdest way someone has died or been killed in your novels?
Leeann: I’m pretty much old-school, so I guess the weirdest way was drowned in two inches of water. That was in Petty Cash.

Current book: A Deadly Dissolution
Carly loses more than daylight when the total lunar eclipse and crime come to town. Can she figure out what’s going on before the suspects escape?

Connect W/Leeann
Website: www.LeeannBetts.com
Facebook: http://bit.ly/1pQSOqV
Twitter: http://bit.ly/1qmqvB6
Blog: www.AllBettsAreOff.wordpress.com
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2dHfgCE
Smashwords: http://bit.ly/2z5ecP8

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A Conversation With Sharee Stover

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Colorado native Sharee Stover lives in Nebraska with her husband, three children and two dogs. Her Christian romantic suspense stories combine heart-racing, nail-biting suspense with the delight of falling in love. When she isn’t writing, Sharee enjoys reading, crocheting and long walks with her obnoxiously lovable German Shepherd.

What’s the hardest part of writing romantic suspense?
Sharee: The uniqueness of romantic suspense is the balance between the two. You want as much of one as the other. Personally speaking, romance is the harder of the two for me, but it’s also the most rewarding. There’s nothing like winning a battle over a bad guy, and it only gets better when my hero and heroine fall in love too.

How do you pick the location/setting of your romantic suspense novels?
Sharee: I think the best settings and locations are ones that I have personal experience with. They always say to write what you know. I’ve been blessed to have seen many places in the continental United States, so I try to draw from that. Writing about them allows me to share the place with my own reflections of the location including sights, smells and fun memories. A location doesn’t have to be eerie or scary to have great suspense built in. The Manitou Incline in Colorado is a huge part of Secret Past and it’s absolutely gorgeous.

What did you want to be as a child (and did that dream come true)?
Sharee: In elementary school, I wanted to be a veterinarian, but I discovered I couldn’t handle blood and gore, plus the sight of an injured animal breaks my heart. By the time I reached high school, the veterinarian dream morphed into the desire to be a criminal forensic psychologist. There were many stepping stones to where I am today, and though I never got to be a criminal forensic psychologist, I love researching all things related to the topic.

What are some of the questions you hear when you say you write romantic suspense?
Sharee: For the people who aren’t readers, they are often confused when I describe romantic suspense. They picture romance easily but get stuck on the suspense part and how to the two relate. I explain the nuances by saying my characters fall in love as much as they dodge gunfire and car chases. Men are often intrigued, and I’ve had several ask questions about the story and even buy the book once they realize there’s action involved too.

Current book: Secret Past
Katie Tribani’s been in witness protection since childhood. Now, she and U.S. Marshal Daniel Knight must unearth her secret past…if they can survive long enough.

Connect W/Sharee
Website: www.shareestover.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorshareestover/
Twitter: @shareestover

A Conversation With Carrie Daws

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God rewrote Carrie’s dreams to include being an author. With a background in weekly devotions, a mentor and several friends encouraged her to try fiction. The writing monster that she now barely keeps contained was born. Since then, she’s completed several books including her new romantic suspense, the Embers series.

What is your favorite spot for reading or reflecting on your current work-in-progress?
Carrie: I do most of my thinking and writing at a desk in my home office. But if I get stuck or am not sure how to proceed, I’ll go do something mundane and let my mind wander. I’ve solved many of the problems with a scene or a character while cleaning the kitchen or folding laundry.

How do you come up with titles for your books?
Carrie: This is hard for me! I sometimes talk to other writing friends, and I often discuss ideas with reading friends. If I’ve interviewed or shadowed anyone for a character in the book, I’ll ask if they have any ideas. I’ll search current book titles available for sale and think through synonyms and word variations. And quite frequently, I’ll put a poll up on my Facebook page asking for thoughts and votes.

What’s your go-to when you need a pick-me-up to keep writing?
Carrie: Reading! I love to read other great books, but sometimes when I’m reading, my mind is thinking how it could have been done better or how I would have done it differently. Those are the moments that it is easier for me to put down a book and pick up my manuscript.

Where do you get the inspiration for your plots?
Carrie: From real life. My Ember series of books all started when a friend started teasing me about writing a book about a fire inspector, her career of choice. At the time, I was busy with another book project and couldn’t imagine diving into her world. But she was persistent and gained the permissions I needed to be able to shadow her in her job. It was fascinating! And I was hooked. Besides the ideas that presented while I worked with her, I also read news reports and books about fires that happened all over the United States.

Current book: The Embers Series
Can Inspector Cassandra McCarthy protect her town from both the hurricane and arsonist that threaten to destroy them?

Connect W/Carrie
Website: CarrieDaws.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/CarrieDaws
Twitter: @CarrieDaws
Google Plus: Plus.Google.com/+CarrieDawsAuthor
Instagram: Instagram.com/AuthorCarrieDaws

A Conversation With Joanie Bruce

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As an avid reader, Joanie welcomed the transition from reading to writing and considers it a wonderful way to honor the Lord. She has four published Christian suspense novels, and enjoys writing from her home in the country. She also enjoys painting portraits and taking long walks on the farm.

What’s the hardest part of writing romantic suspense?
Joanie: I think living through the scary situations is the hardest. I always try to put myself in the character’s situation, emotions, panic attacks, etc., in order to help my readers “feel” the suspense.

What’s the weirdest way someone has died or been killed in your novels?
Joanie: In my book Murder for the Time Being, the bad guy pushes the vehicle of one of the minor characters into the path of a train.

What did you want to be as a child (and did that dream come true)?
Joanie: I always wanted to marry a country boy and be a housewife in the country. I also thought writing or illustrating books would be professions would allow me to work from home. I’m so happy that all of those things actually came true for me … even the secondary dreams.

What does your family think of your writing romantic suspense?
Joanie: Believe it or not, all three of my children never read fiction. They do think it’s strange that their mother, who is too squeamish to watch war stories, murder scenes, and “Forensic Files,” spends time writing about murder and suspense.

Current book: Murder for the Time Being
After witnessing a bank robbery, Lexi wonders if men are attacking her to keep their identities secret, or is it because of her past?

Connect W/Joanie
Website: www.joaniebruce.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joaniebruceauthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/joaniebruce
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joaniebruce/?hl=en
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6930120.Joanie_Bruce
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/joanielbruce/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=joanie+bruce

 

 

 

A Conversation With Cynthia L. Simmons

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Cynthia L. Simmons is an author, speaker, and mother of five. She hosts Heart of the Matter Radio weekly and encourages women to seek God’s wisdom. Combining history and scripture, she ministers to women of all ages, but has a special place in her heart for homeschool mothers.

When do you find time to write?
Cynthia: I write all the time and everywhere. I’ve taken either a computer or kindle to doctor’s offices and other appointments to get something started.

What is your favorite spot for reading or reflecting on your current work-in-progress?
Cynthia: I need to see my characters to write about them. At times, I find a photo that becomes the character, but I allow my imagination to roam before I start writing.

How do you connect with your characters?
Cynthia: I often use a real person for my template, so the person will seem real. I like to watch the energy and rhythm when people interact and recreate that on paper. Books on body language help too.

How do you research ways to kill someone for your books?
Cynthia: I am a retired nurse, so that helps, but I also research online and with medical professionals. For example, I’ll pick out a real disease and show its progress.

Current book: Pursuing Gold
During the Civil War, Peter and Mary Beth discover Peter’s name forged on counterfeit money. Can they find the culprit before their bank fails?

Connect W/Cynthia
Website: www.clsimmons.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cynthia.l.simmons.7, https://www.facebook.com/HrtMtr/
Instagram: instagram.com/Cynthialsimmons
Google Plus: plus.google.com/+CynthiaLSimmons
Twitter: twitter.com/CynthiaLSimmons

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