On this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense,” my guests are Elizabeth Goddard and Virginia Vaughn. We chatted about how each of them develop their characters throughout a series.
“I wrote [my hero in Critical Alliance] into the first two books, but I didn’t really know who he was or what he was doing exactly,” Elizabeth said. “I really left him as an enigma—and even the other characters in the book were like, what is he doing and where is he going. I answered those questions in book three.”
“I wish I was that clever that I could have it all plotted out beforehand,” Virginia said. “That’s my goal one day—to know all of my characters before I start my series.”
Elizabeth is the USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of more than 50 novels, including Present Danger and the Uncommon Justice series. Her books have sold more than a million copies. She is a Carol Award winner and a Daphne du Maurier Award finalist. When she’s not writing, she loves spending time with her family, traveling to find inspiration for her next book, and serving with her husband in ministry.
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 Buried Secrets is her 17th Love Inspired Suspense.
On this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense,” my guest is Jaime Jo Wright, author of time-slip suspense. She’s a winner of the Christy, Carol, Daphne du Maurier, and INSPY Awards. She’s also the PW and ECPA bestselling author of three novellas. Jaime brings to life the stories of the past and intertwines them with the present, to bring readers award-winning
time-slip novels.
“I’ve seen time slip done a couple of different ways, like when the characters are tied together by an event or an article in history,” Jaime said. “With my characters—whether they know it or not—the past is directly influencing the life of the current heroine. So you can’t separate the past heroine from the current heroine because the current day heroine wouldn’t be who they are.”
On this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense,” my guests are Mary Alford and Robin Patchen. Among other topics, we discussed how good and evil are played out on the pages of our books.
“We see enough of the other kind of stories where the bad guy doesn’t get his in the end,” Robin said. “I like what they call whole stories, where good is good and bad is bad and good wins. I like to write whole stories.”
“We live in a very fallen world, and it’s nice to get away from the reality that evil doesn’t always get punished right now,” Mary said. “It’s good to have books where the hero and heroine have everything worked out in the end, the bad guy gets punished and there’s usually a happily ever after at the end of the story.”
Mary is a USA Today bestselling author. Her titles have been finalists for several awards, including the Daphne du Maurier, the Beverly, the Maggie, and the Selah. She and her husband live in the heart of Texas in the middle of 70 acres with two cats and one dog.
Robin is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of Christian romantic suspense. She grew up in a small town in New Hampshire, the setting of her Nutfield Saga books, and then headed to Boston to earn a journalism degree. Working in marketing and public relations, she discovered how much she loathed the nine-to-five ball and chain. After relocating to the Southwest, she started writing her first novel while she homeschooled her three children. The novel was dreadful, but her passion for storytelling didn’t wane. Thankfully, as her children grew, so did her writing ability. Now that her kids are adults, she has more time to play with the lives of fictional heroes and heroines, wreaking havoc and working magic to give her characters happy endings. When she’s not writing, she’s editing or reading, proving that most of her life revolves around the 26 letters of the alphabet.
Action/Adventure/Biblical: The Wanderer Scorned by Natasha Woodcraft — The Wanderer is a man shrouded in legend. Moving from place to place in the land of Nod, he is known primarily for the curse that hangs over his life. When that curse is invoked during the celebration of a murderous rampage, The Wanderer is summoned to tell his story. Few know the truth of the tale encompassing life, death, love, hate, faith and doubt, for it has been obscured by centuries of rumour. Now, it will be told by the one who lived it—the man who became The Wanderer. (Action/Adventure, Independently Published)
Contemporary Romance: The Cowgirl’s Redemption by Mindy Obenhaus — She came home to make things right. Will she be given a second chance? Gloriana Prescott has returned to her Texas hometown to make amends—even if the townsfolk she left behind aren’t ready to forgive. But when her mother’s ranch manager, Justin Broussard, is tasked with saving the struggling rodeo so his teen daughter can compete, Gloriana sees a chance to prove she’s really changed. But can she prove to Justin, and the town, that she’s trustworthy? (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired (Harlequin))
Historical:
A Fallen Sparrow by Lynne Basham Tagawa — Three very different people, a printer’s daughter, a Shenandoah valley farmer, and a British spy, must deal with questions relating to the time of the Revolution: when is it biblical to resist tyranny? The story takes place over the entire war, from 1770 to 1782. (General Historical, Independently Published) Escape from Amsterdam by Lauralee Bliss — Helen Smit believed she was called by God to become a teacher. Little does she know that her care for kids will take a drastic turn for survival when the Germans occupy Amsterdam and Jewish children and parents begin to be deported. Now all she can think of is helping children escape before it’s too late. Erik Misman’s newfound love for Helen is tested when he joins a plot to help move Jewish children to a safe place in the countryside. If danger can foster a closer bond with Helen and save the lives of the little ones, he will do it all. But a German patrol that stumbles upon the farm where they are hiding with three children and a soldier who takes an unexpected interest in Helen, could well destroy their plans for safety and love. (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing) The Finding of Miss Fairfield by Grace Hitchcock — When an engagement of convenience becomes anything but convenient . . .Forced into a betrothal with a widower twice her age, Charleston socialite, Sophia Fairfield is desperate for an escape. But, while her fiancé is away on business, he assigns his handsome stepson, Carver, the task of looking after his bride-to-be. Much to her dismay, Sophia finds herself falling in love with the wrong gentleman—a man society would never allow her to marry, given Sophia was supposed to be his new stepmother. The only way to save Carver from scandal and financial ruin is to run away, leaving him and all else behind to become a Harvey Girl waitress at the Castañeda Hotel in New Mexico. Carver Ashton has had his life planned out for him since birth, but when he encounters Sophia Fairfield, he glimpses a new life—apart from his overbearing stepfather’s business. But, when the woman he loves disappears before he can express his devotion, Carver abandons all to find her. However, his stepfather has other intentions for Sophia and will stop at nothing until she is his bride . . . even if it is against her will. (Historical Romance, Independently Published) The Sugar Baron’s Governess by Elva Cobb Martin — Banished from Charleston for his misdeeds years earlier, Joshua Becket built a new life on both sides of the law in Jamaica. As sugar plantation owner and member of the governing British Assembly, he’s known and respected on the island. But he guards a secret identity. As swashbuckling Captain Jay, he leads daredevil privateering exploits on his ship, the Eagle, when the mood suits him. Currently, he needs a governess for his young daughter whose mother has passed. Widowed gentlewoman Abigail Welch accepted the governess position, leaving behind her disintegrated life in Charleston. This new start in Jamaica might finally help her find healing for her broken heart after losing her husband in the Revolution and their infant son to yellow fever. Joshua’s precocious, undisciplined daughter is the drawing card that brings him and Abigail together like clashing cymbals of disagreement…and fiery attraction. Can love and the miracle power of God give them a new beginning and a happily ever after? (Historical Romance from Wild Heart Books)
Literary Historical: By Way of the Moonlight by Elizabeth Musser — Two courageous young women, tied together by blood and shared passion, will risk everything to save what they love most. For as long as she can remember, Allie Massey, a gifted physical therapist, has dreamed of making her grandparents’ ten-acre estate into a trauma recovery center using equine therapy—a dream her grandmother, Nana Dale, embraced wholeheartedly. But when her grandmother’s will is read, Allie is shocked to learn the property has been sold to a developer. Decades earlier, after losing her prized filly to the Great Depression, headstrong Dale Butler sets out to bring her horse home again. In the years that follow, she finds friendship and love in a congenial new riding partner, until tragedy strikes in the midst of World War II. As Allie searches her grandmother’s estate for a way to keep her dream alive, she uncovers bits and pieces of Nana Dale’s past with her champion filly, a young man named Tommy, and one fateful night in 1943 during the Battle of the Atlantic. (Literary Historical from Bethany House (Baker) Publishing) Land that I Love by Gail Kittleson — Set in the German Hill Country of Texas during World War II, this is more than a love story. It is about the racism and bigotry that still exist in our world. As these characters struggle with the problems of everyday life, they teach us that we survive hard times by being good neighbors despite our differences and that hatred can be conquered by love, understanding and forgiveness. (Literary Historical from WordCrafts Press)
Thriller/Suspense/Romance:
Tracking the Truth by Sharee Stover — Temporarily working in the cold case division was supposed to mean less danger for state trooper Trey Jackson and his injured K-9 partner, Magnum—until they thwart an abduction. Now he must protect profiler Justine Stark, even as she blames him for her friend’s death ten years ago. Can he right past wrongs by finally solving the murder…and making sure Justine lives to find closure? (Thriller/Suspense/Romance from Love Inspired (Harlequin))
Twin Murder Mix-Up by Sami A. Abrams — A case of mistaken identity… has lethal results. (Thriller/Suspense/Romance from Love Inspired (Harlequin))
Jacob’s Hope by Sylvia Anne Nash, In the 1960s, racial prejudice and hatred resulted in a throw-away child. Can that child, now a grown man, forgive the unforgiveable? (Mystery)
Settlers’ Hope by Kathleen D. Bailey, He was the West, and she was the East. Could they make a place for themselves in the wet, wild Oregon Country? (Historical Romance)
The Help of a Cowboy by Elsie Davis , Once a cowboy…always a cowboy. But when life delivers Chad a chance to hang up his boots and spurs, he’s all in. (Contemporary Romance)
On this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense,” I’m chatting with Sami Abrams, who grew up hating to read. It wasn’t until her 30s that she found authors that captured her attention. Now, most evenings you can find her engrossed in a romantic suspense. In her opinion, a crime and a little romance is the recipe for a great story. She lives in Northern California, but she will always be a Kansas girl at heart. She has a love of sports, family, and travel. However, a cabin at Lake Tahoe writing her next story is definitely at the top of her list.
Under Susie May Warren’s Sunrise Publishing, Sami worked with Lynette Eason in the Elite Guardians story world developed by Lynette in a previous series. “Lynette is my mentor for this book,” Sami said. “We collaborate as far as brainstorming, but she does help me if I run into a problem. … And she’s also the one editing it, so it’s a Lynette-style book.”
On this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense,” my guests are Elizabeth Goddard and Virginia Vaughn. We chatted about how each of them develop their characters throughout a series.
copies. She is a Carol Award winner and a Daphne du Maurier Award finalist. When she’s not writing, she loves spending time with her family, traveling to find inspiration for her next book, and serving with her husband in ministry.
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 Buried Secrets is her 17th Love Inspired Suspense.
On this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense,” my guest is Jaime Jo Wright, author of time-slip suspense. She’s a winner of the Christy, Carol, Daphne du Maurier, and INSPY Awards. She’s also the PW and ECPA bestselling author of three novellas. Jaime brings to life the stories of the past and intertwines them with the present, to bring readers award-winning
On this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense,” my guests are Mary Alford and Robin Patchen. Among other topics, we discussed how good and evil are played out on the pages of our books.
Mary is a USA Today bestselling author. Her titles have been finalists for several awards, including the Daphne du Maurier, the Beverly, the Maggie, and the Selah. She and her husband live in the heart of Texas in the middle of 70 acres with two cats and one dog.
Connect w/Robin
On this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense,” I’m chatting with Sami Abrams, who grew up hating to read. It wasn’t until her 30s that she found authors that captured her attention. Now, most evenings you can find her engrossed in a romantic suspense. In her opinion, a crime and a little romance is the recipe for a great story. She lives in Northern California, but she will always be a Kansas girl at heart. She has a love of sports, family, and travel. However, a cabin at Lake Tahoe writing her next story is definitely at the top of her list.
Listen to the podcast for more from our interview, plus an excerpt from Impending Strike.
