The Romantic Side of Suspense Author/Coach/Encourager Sarah Hamaker


Why Margaret Daley Writes Happy Endings (Episode 13)
“I like to take what’s happening in and around me in our country and use those as ways to make people aware of them,” Margaret said. “In my books, the criminals always get caught, so I see them as a way to help us handle these issues.”

Dana R. Lynn on Writing Amish Adjacent (Episode 12)
“When I first started, I started writing regular romantic suspense,” Dana said. “In my third book, I started to veer off into Amish adjacent, and what that is some of your characters can be Amish or not, but it’s usually set in Amish settings or there’s some connection with Amish side characters. I’ve had heroes and heroines who were Amish, but I’ve also had cops and paramedics. It doesn’t have to be strictly Amish, but there’s an Amish element.”

Where Darlene Turner Searches for Plot Inspiration (Episode 11)
“Every since I was a little girl, I loved mysteries—whether it was a Nancy Drew book, a game of Clue or Charlie’s Angels TV show,” Darlene said. “This is what started my love of trying to figure out the mystery, and this is why I love writing romantic suspense.”

How Dani Pettrey Avoids Writing Distractions (Episode 10)
“For motivation for writing in general, the biggest thing is writing first thing in the morning,” Dani said. “If I do that, it’s really helpful because nothing else is weighing on my mind. … the afternoons, I do the other stuff like check email, marketing, etc. My advice is to find the most productive writing time of day is for you.”

March 2020 New Releases in Christian Fiction
More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website. Contemporary Romance: Love & Liberty by Elsie Davis — A New Hampshire firefighter and an Audubon Society member go head to head when his work involving controlled forest fires threatens a rumored eagle nest. (Contemporary Romance from Sweet Promise Press) […]

February 2020 New Releases in Christian Fiction
More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website. Contemporary Romance: Hands of Grace by Brenda S. Anderson — She’s always looked for love in the wrong places. He wants nothing to do with love. (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published) Desert Willow by Patricia Beal — A stubborn […]

January 2020 New Releases in Christian Fiction
More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website. Contemporary Romance: A Rancher to Trust by Laurel Blount — After learning his ex-wife isn’t so ex after all, rebel turned rancher Dan Whitlock is determined to prove he’s a changed man…but Bailey Quinn is just as set on finally […]

Missing Deposits – The Story Behind the Characters
Guest post by Leeann Betts Readers—and writers, too, for that matter—often ask me where I get characters for my stories. In Missing Deposits, I had a couple of friends I wanted to include without actually including them, if that makes sense. The couple who hosts Carly and Mike on their working vacation are named after […]
