Christian fiction

How DiAnn Mills Uses Danger to Show Caring (Episode 59)

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On this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense,” I’m talking with DiAnn Mills, a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She creates action-packed, suspense-filled novels to thrill readers. Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne du Maurier, Inspirational Reader’s Choice, and Carol Award contests. Firewall, the first book in her FBI: Houston series, was listed by Library Journal as one of the best Christian fiction books of 2014.

“It’s because we live in a dangerous and unpredictable world, and there’s a lot of people out there who are afraid,” DiAnn says. “And they often turn to fiction for an adventure. … The goal is to show the reader that yes, we live in this dangerous and unpredictable world, but there are trained people who will do whatever it takes to keep us safe and to prevent crimes from happening.”

Listen to the podcast for more from our interview, plus an excerpt from Trace of Doubt.

Connect w/DiAnn
Website: https://diannmills.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/diannmills
Twitter: https://twitter.com/diannmills
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diannmillsauthor/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diannmills/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/diannmills/_created/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/diannmills
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/diann-mills
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/81639.DiAnn_Mills

Getting to Know Terri Reed

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Award-winning author Terri Reed recently stopped by my blog to share some about her writing life and her most recent romantic suspense, Secret Sabotage.

What’s the hardest part of writing romantic suspense?
For me the hardest part of writing romantic suspense is finding inventive ways of putting my characters into jeopardy. There are only so many scenarios that are realistic enough to be dangerous, give the action and suspense necessary to keep the tension high. I try to balance my writing with the romance and keeping the tension of the relationship high while still giving a realistic arc so that the characters can fall in love by the end.

What’s the weirdest way someone has died or been killed in your novels?
I’m always searching for creative ways to torture my characters or cause a secondary character’s demise. In my book The Doctor’s Defender, I had cupcakes laced with arsenic kill of a minor character. In Mission to Protect, I had salad dressing laced with hemlock that almost did in the heroine, but the K-9 dog alerted and kept her from dying. In Treacherous Slopes, the bad guy planted poisonous spiders in the overhead light of the hero’s trailer.

What’s your go-to when you need a pick-me-up to keep writing?
My pick-me-ups depend on what’s keeping me from writing. If I’ve hit a wall in the story, I call my critique partner and we brainstorm ideas. If I’ve lost steam and motivation, I look for a class to take that will fill my creative well. If I’m tired/sore/don’t want to sit at the computer, I find some other place to write: dictate in the bathtub, use pen and paper at the dining table or go for a walk and think through the scenes I want to write.

About Terri Reed
Terri Reed’s award-winning romance and romantic suspense novels have appeared on Publishers Weekly top 10 Romance Bestsellers and Publishers Weekly top 10 Religion Fiction Bestsellers, Publishers Weekly top 10 Mass Market Paperback Bestsellers, Nielsen’s Bookscan top 100 Bestsellers and featured in USA Today and have been Amazon Bestsellers, as well as Fresh Picks at Fresh Fiction. Her novel A Family Under the Christmas Tree was adapted into a Hallmark movie and retitled Picture a Perfect Christmas in 2019. She resides in the Pacific Northwest with her college-sweetheart husband. When not writing, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends and agility training with her dog.

Connect w/Terri
Website: http://www.terrireed.com
Email: terrireed@sterling.net
Mailing address: PO Box 19555, Portland, OR 97224

Secret Sabotage by Terri Reed
The crash was intentional…But he can’t remember why.
With no memory of the crash that landed him in a hospital, Ian Delaney is determined to uncover who sabotaged his helicopter—without the protection of his family-appointed bodyguard. But Simone Walker’s used to stubborn clients and won’t let Ian leave her sight. To catch an unknown traitor, they must rely on each other…or the next attack could prove lethal.

The Serialization of Lynette Eason and Susan May Warren (Episode 58)

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On this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense,” my guests are Lynette Eason and Susan May Warren. Among other topics, we discussed how each other links the books in their series.

“I used to do collections, where I based the books around the same town,” Susan said. “But then I thought … I should think more like a TV show like Dr. Who. There’s a thread that goes through Dr. Who that pushes us the story, so even though every episode has its own story arc, there’s also a series arc.”

“I usually do not have an overarching thread throughout the series books,” Lynette said. “I tend to wrap everything up in each book. What I do that’s very similar is that I make sure I have the series planned out, that I have other characters I can pull from the stories to create novellas with or write other stories about.”

Lynette is the bestselling author of the Danger Never Sleeps, Blue Justice, Women of Justice, Deadly Reunions, Hidden Identity, and Elite Guardians series. She is the winner of three ACFW Carol Awards, the Selah Award, and the Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award, among others. She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and has a master’s degree in education from Converse College. Eason lives in South Carolina with her husband and two children.

Connect w/Lynette
Website: www.lynetteeason.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/lynette.eason
Twitter: @lynetteeason

Susan is the USA Today bestselling author of more than 85 novels with more than 1 million books sold, including the Global Search and Rescue and the Montana Rescue series. Winner of a RITA Award and multiple Christy and Carol Awards, as well as the HOLT Medallion and numerous Readers’ Choice Awards, Susan makes her home in Minnesota.

Connect w/Susan
Website: www.susanmaywarren.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SusanMayWarrenFiction
Twitter: @susanmaywarren

Listen to the podcast for more from our interview, plus teasers for Sunrise and Life Flight.

How Carrie Fancett Pagels Brainstorms Her Stories (Episode 57)

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On this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense,” I’m talking with Carrie Fancett Pagels, Ph.D., the award-winning author of more than 20 Christian fiction books, including ECPA and Amazon bestsellers. Twenty-five years as a psychologist didn’t “cure” her overactive imagination! A self-professed history geek, she resides with her family in the Historic Triangle of Virginia but grew up as a “Yooper.” Carrie loves to read, bake, bead and travel—but not all at the same time! You can connect with her at www.CarrieFancettPagels.com.

“This is the hardest book that I have ever written,” Carrie says about Behind Love’s Wall. “I do normally plot my novels, and with this one I did also, especially the back-and-forth part. … My husband and son are good brainstorming partners too.”

Listen to the podcast for more from our interview, plus an excerpt from Behind Love’s Wall.

Connect w/Carrie
Website: www.carriefancettpagels.com
Blogs: Overcoming With God and Colonial Quills
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Carrie-Fancett-Pagels
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cfpagels
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/carriefpagels/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7043690.Carrie_Fancett_Pagels
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carrie-fancett-pagels-09303538
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Carrie-Fancett-Pagels/e/B00C2ZMLBM/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/carrie-fancett-pagels
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carriefancettpagels/
Newsletter signup: http://www.carriefancettpagels.com/contact/

 

Getting to Know Jessica R. Patch

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Award-winning author Jessica R. Patch recently stopped by my blog to share some about her writing life, plus the back cover copy of her most recent romantic suspense, Cold Case Takedown.

When do you find time to write?
I make sure to treat it as a business. I set work hours and then I don’t deviate from those hours. When my husband is out of town, I work nights. The house is quiet after 5 and that gives me uninterrupted time. If my deadline is tight, I will add couple of writing sessions—two hours each session—during the day plus my nightly writing time.

How do you come up with titles for your books?
To be honest, I stopped titling my books! When I send a proposal to Love Inspired for a new suspense series, I may title the series but I write Book 1, 2 & 3. They will end up asking for more suggestions to go along with some of their own and pull from that list. I rarely, if ever, keep my original title.

What’s the weirdest way someone has died or been killed in your novels?
I did throw someone in the woodchipper but my editor said it was too violent, so I threw her in but she was rescued in the nick of time. My latest I’m writing is pretty tough since it’s a thriller about a serial killer—but he’s knocking them out, surgically taking their eyes then suturing their lids shut so when they awake…well you can imagine. It’s not for shock value, there’s a twisted reason for him to do this. And it always happens off page, so readers don’t have to experience it in real time, for those who might be shying away right now. It’s a trade book through Love Inspired Trade.

Where do you get the inspiration for your plots?
Most of my inspiration comes from the Bible if I’m honest. I’ll read a scripture and see how a killer might twist this in his mind as motive, then I get the pleasure of taking that scripture and making it clear and straight and bringing a message of hope! Sometimes an author friend will send me a text with a link and tell me, “You need to write this.” I’m talking to you, Jodie Bailey!

How do you pick the location/setting of your romantic suspense novels?
It just comes to me when I’m thinking about the story, then I research it, visit, or am already familiar. Sometimes depending on the plot, I’ll google places to see how they fit. For example: if it’s a serial killer who feeds women to alligators, I’m heading to the Bayou. I’d research until I found the perfect spot and I know that spot when I read about it or see it.

What did you want to be as a child (and did that dream come true)?
I wanted to be a missionary. And I do believe it came true. My books go all over the world with the message of hope in Jesus!

What is one of your favorite ways to connect with readers?
Probably on my Facebook Author page. I post and interact with readers there often.

What are some of the questions you hear when you say you write romantic suspense?
“Oh, I have a story you’ll want to write.” LOL

How do you ensure your books are accurate?
I have resources through people, books, Google and groups of industrial professionals in law enforcement. I may google that profession, then call someone and they are always happy to help. Plus, we have fact checkers who read through our books. But sometimes we do stretch the accuracy for story sake—it is fiction!

About Jessica R. Patch
Publishers Weekly bestselling author Jessica R. Patch is known for her dry wit and signature twists whether she’s penned a romantic suspense, a cold case thriller, or a small-town romance. When she’s not getting into fictional mischief with her characters, you can find her cozy on the couch in her mid-south home reading books by some of her favorite authors, watching movies with her family, and collecting recipes to amazing dishes she’ll probably never cook.

Connect w/Jessica
Website: www.jessicarpatch.com.

Cold Case Takedown by Jessica R. Patch
Exposing a murderer is a deadly game.

When cold case podcast host Georgia Maxwell’s investigation into her friend’s decade-old murder unveils corruption in small-town football, she’s thrust into a deadly conspiracy. And it’s put her on the radar of Colt McCoy—cold case unit chief and her high school sweetheart—who wants her help solving the crime. But every clue brings them one step closer to someone who will kill to keep the truth hidden.

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