James L. Rubart is 28 years old but trapped inside an older man’s body. He’s the bestselling, Christy Book of the Year, Carol, and RT Book Reviews award-winning author of nine novels, and co-owns The Rubart Writing Academy. He lives with his amazing wife in eastern Washington.
Why do you like writing romantic suspense? James: I’ve thought about it. Yes, all my novels have romance in them. And all of them have suspense. But I never set out for those things to happen! I’ve simply written the stories that won’t stop pinging around my mind. I’m one of those unusual men who loves epic adventure and suspenseful movies, but also loves rom-coms. So I suppose it was natural for both to come out in my stories. Add to that the fact I’m still madly in my wife after more than a few years of marriage, and I can’t help but put romance in my novels.
Have you ever regretted killing off a character? Why? James: Yes. In my Well Spring series (Soul’s Gate, Memory’s Door, Spirit Bridge) I killed a strong, wise, mentor character I loved who was … wait! I didn’t kill him, he was killed in the course of a battle with an enemy. I had nothing to do with it!
What did you want to be as a child (and did that dream come true)? James: Since 7th grade, my second biggest dream was to play in the NFL. The first was to be a novelist. In 2010, the biggest dream came true.
What is one of your favorite ways to connect with readers? James: I love getting emails from readers, and love connecting on Facebook or Twitter, but there’s nothing like meeting a reader in person and getting to hear about their life, to share a smile together.
What is absolutely essential for you to write? James: Absolute quiet. I’ve tried writing to music and it doesn’t work for me. And, of course, a bag of jumbo size sunflower seeds.
Current book: The Man He Never Was A modern day reimagining of the classic Dr. Jeykll and Mr. Hyde story with a spiritual twist you won’t see coming.
Connect W/James Website: jamesLrubart.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JamesLRubart/ Twitter: @jamesLrubart
Google Plus: James L. Rubart
Instagram: jamesLrubart
Finally a Bride by Renee Andrews — Her dreams of love haven’t worked out, but veterinarian Haley Calhoun intends to grant an orphaned boy’s wish. She’ll heal Eli’s injured puppy—while resisting his charming counselor, Gavin Thomason, at the children’s home. Still mourning the loss of his wife and baby, Gavin believes he can’t commit again. But in losing their hearts to Eli, will Haley and Gavin discover they’ve found the family they need? (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])
Love and Roses by Sally Bayless — Looking for a fresh start, former Manhattan lawyer Nate Redmond agrees to arrange the sale of the outdated Rose Park in small-town Missouri, not realizing it has deep sentimental value to his new neighbor, Abby Kincaid—a beautiful widow he’d like to impress. When their plans for the park clash, he learns he’s competing against the memory of her husband, a decorated war hero. With plenty of past mistakes hiding in the in the hedges, can Abby and Nate learn forgiveness and courage in time for love to grow? (Contemporary Romance from Kimberlin Belle Publishing)
Courting Her Amish Heart by Mary Davis — In this first book of the Prodigal Daughters series, Kathleen Yoder comes home after fourteen years in the Englisher world. Practicing medicine means sacrifice—no Amish man will want a doctor for a wife. Widowed Noah Lambright offers a cottage as her new clinic, seeing how much Kathleen’s skills can help their community. But as their friendship deepens, could love and family become more than a forbidden dream? (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])
The Amish Nanny’s Sweetheart by Jan Drexler — As nanny for her nephew, Judith Lapp is finally part of a vibrant, joyful Amish community instead of living on the outskirts looking in. But teaching her neighbors’ Englischer farm worker to read Pennsylvania Dutch wasn’t part of her plan. And the more time she spends with Guy Hoover, the more he sparks longings for a home and family of Judith’s own. Guy figured he would never be truly accepted by his Amish employers’ community – even though the Mast family treats him like a son. But Judith’s steadfast caring shows him that true belonging could be within his reach…if he and Judith can reconcile their very different hopes – and hearts. (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])
The Reluctant Groom by Kimberly Rose Johnson — When Ray O’Brien’s world is turned upside down, Katie Fairchild wants to help, but the personal cost is high. Neither desires a marriage of convenience, but when Katie blurts the first thing that comes to her mind Ray can’t dismiss her offer of marriage. It would solve all his problems except for one thing—they aren’t in love. Can these two friends team up for the greater good and perhaps find love along the way, or are their expectations impossible? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)
Anna’s Forgotten Fiance by Carrie Lighte — An accident leaves Anna Weaver with no memory of her Amish hometown’s newest arrival—her fiancé! After a whirlwind courtship, their wedding’s in six weeks…but how can she marry a man she can’t remember? Carpenter Fletcher Chupp takes her on a walk down memory lane, but there’s one thing he wants to keep hidden: a secret that might just lose him the woman he loves. (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])
Grace Restored by Toni Shiloh — Michelle Thomas has it all. Beautiful and successful, she’s just opened her own law firm in Freedom Lake. What more could she want? When her old flame rolls back into Freedom Lake, she’s intent on ignoring him. But how can she give the widower and his precious twin girls the cold shoulder?
Still reeling from the death of his wife, Guy Pierre returns to Freedom Lake to take over as town sheriff and raise his twin daughters. Alone. Yet, life keeps throwing Michelle in his path and sparks of interest began to rise. Will old secrets tear them apart again or can they find the faith to let God’s grace restore what has been broken? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)
General & Women’s Fiction:
Justice by Emily Conrad — Jake thought he was meant to marry Brooklyn, but now she’s pregnant, and he had nothing to do with it. Brooklyn can’t bring herself to name the father as she wrestles with questions about what her pregnancy means and how it will affect her relationship with Jake. If Harold Keen, the man who owns the bookstore across from Jake’s coffee shop, has anything to do with it, the baby will ruin them both. (General from White Rose Publishing [Pelican])
The Heart Between Us by Lindsay Harrel — When her heart donor’s parents give Megan Jacobs their teenage daughter’s journal—complete with an unfulfilled bucket list—Megan connects with the girl she meets between the pages and is inspired to venture out and check off each item. (General from HarperCollins Christian Publishing)
Sweet Meets by Deborah Raney — From short stories to novellas, from contemporary to historical, all of award-winning author Deborah Raney’s short works have been gathered into one great collection for one low price.
Includes the following novellas and short stories: Going Once, Special Delivery, Haiti’s Song, Prairie Lessons, Finally Home, Circle of Blessings. (Women’s Fiction from Raney Day Press)
A Chance at Forever by Melissa Jagears — In early 1900s Kansas, Mercy McClain serves on the schoolboard, determined to protect Teaville’s children from the bullying she experienced as a child. When Aaron Firebrook, the classmate who bothered her more than any other, petitions the board for a teaching position, she’s dead set against him getting the job. Aaron has returned to his hometown a changed man and is seeking to earn forgiveness of those he wronged. He sets out to prove to Mercy he now has the best interests of the children at heart. Will resentment and old wounds hold them back, or can Mercy and Aaron put the past behind them in time to face the unexpected threats to everything they’re working for? (Historical Romance from Bethany House [Baker])
Ain’t Misbehavin’ by Jennifer Lamont Leo — In Jazz Age Chicago, Dot Rodgers sells hats at Marshall Field while struggling to get her singing career off the ground. Independent and feisty, she’s the life of the party. But underneath the glitter, she doesn’t believe she’s worth the love of a good man. Small-town businessman Charlie Corrigan carries scars from the Great War. After all he’s been through, he wants nothing more than to marry and start a family. But the woman he loves is a flamboyant flapper, used to a more glamorous life than he can offer. As his fortunes climb with the stock market, it seems he’s finally going to win her love. But what happens when it all comes crashing down? (Historical Romance from Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas)
A Most Noble Heir by Susan Anne Mason — A young man suddenly thrust into nobility is torn between the servant girl he hopes to marry and the father he’s always longed for. (Historical Romance from Bethany House [Baker])
Safe Refuge by Pamela S. Meyers — Wealthy Chicagoan, Anna Hartwell, is about to wed a man she loathes. The Great Chicago Fire erupts, postponing the wedding. After escaping to Wisconsin with her family she realizes she loves Irish immigrant, Rory Quinn, and prepares to break the wedding plans, which are still on. Then she learns a dark family secret that changes her life forever. (Historical Romance from Mantle Rock Publishing)
Husband by Arrangement by Angel Moore — Abandoned by her secret fiancé, the mayor’s pregnant daughter marries the sheriff. Can she overcome her past and help him save the town from corruption? (Historical Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])
Beneath A Prairie Moon by Kim Vogel Sawyer — Abigail Brantley grew up in affluence, but when she is cast from the social registers due to her father’s illegal dealings, she finds herself forced into a role she never imagined: tutoring rough Kansas ranchers in manners and morals so they can “marry up” with their mail-order brides. Mack Cleveland, whose father was swindled by a mail-order bride, wants no part of the scheme to bring Eastern women to Spiveyville, Kansas, and he’s put off by the snooty airs of the “little city gal” in their midst. But as time goes by, his heart goes out to the teacher who tries so diligently to smooth the rough edges from the grooms-to-be. How can he teach her that perfection won’t bring happiness? (Historical Romance from Waterbrook/Multnomah [Random House])
Romantic Suspense:
Beneath the Surface by Lynn H. Blackburn — After a harrowing experience with an obsessed patient, oncology nurse practitioner Leigh Weston moves home to Carrington, North Carolina to leave behind her troubled past. But when someone tampers with her brakes, she fears the past has chased her into the present. Leigh reaches out for help from her high school friend and volunteer underwater investigator, Ryan Parker. But when Ryan finds the body of a wealthy businessman in Lake Porter, the investigation uncovers a possible serial killer—one with a terrifying connection to Leigh and deadly implications for them all. (Romantic Suspense from Revell – A Division of Baker Publishing)
Secret Service Setup by Jessica R. Patch — Secret Service agent Evan Novak becomes the target of multiple hit men when someone puts a two-million-dollar bounty on his head. Is it the gunrunner he’s tracking…or a traitorous agent? Framed and wanted, Evan reluctantly accepts protection from bodyguard Jody Gallagher, his former love who lost her Agency career because of him. But then the bounty is raised to include Jody… (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired [Harlequin])
Fugitive Spy by Jordyn Redwood — A spy with amnesia—and a mission he can’t remember. When Casper English lands in her ER with amnesia, Dr. Ashley Drager learns he has a picture of her…and the same tattoo as her long-missing father. With a dangerous man after Casper, and his memories possibly holding the key to finding Ashley’s father, she secretly whisks him away from the hospital. But can she keep him alive long enough to help him regain his memories? (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired [Harlequin])
Davalynn Spencer writes heart-tugging, cowboy romance set along the Front Range of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. She is the wife and mother of professional rodeo bullfighters and an award-winning rodeo journalist and former crime-beat reporter who caters to Blue the Cowdog and mouse detectors Annie and Oakley.
Where do you get the inspiration for your plots? Davalynn: Inspiration for my Western romance comes in many forms—from a lady on her cell phone sitting in a car at the market (yes, that became a historical novella), to a sudden “video” that flashed through my mind like a movie preview. That last form is how I met Mae Ann Remington. I was relaxing near my woodstove on a cozy winter evening; she was standing in a bank lobby with her groom, a man who had written for a bride. A loud gunshot, the pinch of gunpowder, the jolt of a heart stopping – that’s what I heard, smelled, and felt in a flash, and I knew I had to write Mae Ann’s story.
How do you pick the location/setting of your romantic suspense novels? Davalynn: For me, setting is a character in the story. One of my contemporary suspense titles is set in Santa Cruz, California, in a beach house. The sea and everything coastal are integral parts of the deeper story. But all of my historicals have taken place in Colorado. There’s something mysteriously romantic and challenging about the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. Rugged beauty, breathtaking sunsets, extreme and sudden weather conditions that can threaten survival. All of my stories have an element of danger. Maybe that’s why I like living here in this “alpha” state.
What did you want to be as a child (and did that dream come true)? Davalynn:I’ve been writing since the sixth grade, and as an adult, I continue to self-medicate with words. I have to write, whether for journals, blogs, interviews, or novels. Words and I have an ongoing relationship. In fact, my computer screensaver says, “In the beginning was the Word.”
How do you ensure your books are accurate? Davalynn: One of my historical series, The Cañon City Chronicles, is set (obviously) in Cañon City, Colorado. I live nearby, and believe me, there is a historian on every corner. If I don’t get something right, they’ll let me know! Before my fiction days, I worked as a journalist and crime-beat reporter for the daily newspaper. That kind of writing is all about getting the facts straight and double-checking those facts by citing more than one source. As a reporter writing occasional feature pieces, I became acquainted with the well-informed people working at the Royal Gorge Regional Museum and History Center. Much of the research for my novels today is done there. The History Center is a goldmine for a historical author. Cañon City was truly an Old West town, one that survived.
Current book: An Improper Proposal Widowed before she says “I do,” a mail-order bride does the unthinkable and ends up a rancher’s wife facing snakes, scoundrels, and second chances.
An unexpected turn of family events led Sherri to open her laptop and write fiction. As a former attorney, principal, teacher, and flight attendant, she draws on personal experiences for her romantic suspense books. Sherri is a freelance editor and lives with her family near Orlando, Fla.
How do you connect with your characters? Sherri: Like most writers, I write what I know. Most of my female leads are high-spirited women but definitely flawed. They deal with issues that I deal with, so in a sense, writing is therapy for me. My first female character, Julie, is an immigration attorney handling cases that I dealt with that didn’t end well. Julie gave me a second stab at the cases. My females have a sense of humor and can laugh at themselves, which makes them teachable. They have a faith in God that’s not fully developed, but the suspenseful event is a catalyst to deepen their faith. Their names come from people I know, and their physical form and personality comes from a favorite television character. Lorelei Gilmore is a perennial favorite of mine.
Why do you like writing romantic suspense? Sherri: I write romantic suspense because I like to read it. Always have. My childhood heroes, Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden, solved mysteries, but there was always the possibility of romance with Ned that intrigued me. Later, it was Phyllis Whitney and Victoria Holt in my twenties. Then, Mary Higgins Clark and a plethora of authors in my thirties and on. Romance alone is too predictable. I prefer an unseen threat looming over the characters. The male and female leads learn to trust each other, although at first, they’re at loggerheads. (Is that a word? It’s the first time I used it). A good romantic suspense novel is a page-turner.
What did you want to be as a child (and did that dream come true)? Sherri: As a child, I wanted to be a spy. I even wore a trench coat to school. I cringe when I think about it. Then I wanted to be an actress in middle school. Neither dream came true, sigh. For most my adult life, I taught high school French because I love to travel, and French helped me become a flight attendant in my twenties, which I absolutely loved doing. My husband’s job transferred us to Canada, so I had to give up flying, but wrote about it in Très Chic. I taught in Christian schools for many years and later became a principal, which will provide fodder for a future suspense novel. One of my dreams was to study law. When my nest was empty, I went to law school and practiced immigration law for a time, so that dream came true. I’m now retired from teaching and law, and this year, I started a freelance editing business, which keeps me busy but seated way too much.
Current book: Call Me Jane She just has two questions: What’s her name? And why is she wearing only a nightgown on Peachtree Street on a cold night in November?
Patrick E. Craig is a lifelong writer and musician who published his Apple Creek Dreams series through Harvest House Publishers in 2011. His current series, The Paradise Chronicles, includes The Amish Heiress and The Amish Princess, with The Mennonite Queen coming soon. Patrick is represented by the Steve Laube Agency.
What’s the hardest part of writing romantic suspense? Patrick: Well, that’s a good question. My basic genre is Amish Fiction, but I do not write light-hearted romance dressed up in Amish clothing, where everything turns out peachy just because the characters are Amish. Growing up, I was an avid reader of Zane Grey, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Agatha Christie and J.R.R. Tolkien, among many others. Since I am one of six male Amish authors, I have felt a responsibility to bring the male POV to my Amish stories. So I have written stories that include adventure, suspense, history, drama and danger, all of which are experienced by desperate people in desperate situations. Once I have that part of the story going, I have to weave it into a romance where men are real men who protect and cherish their women, and women are noble and strong, not less than men but feminine heroes. As you might guess, this takes a great deal of focus.
When do you find time to write? Patrick: I’m a morning writer, so I am usually up by 6 a.m. writing. I still work part-time, so I cram that into my day also.
What’s the weirdest way someone has died or been killed in your novels? Patrick: I’ve had a man blown up by a hand grenade, an Amish couple killed by a train when their buggy is trapped on the train tracks, a mad woman who burns her own house down around her, a special forces guy who is killed in hand to hand combat, poison, assassination. You name it, I’ve written it.
Where do you get the inspiration for your plots? Patrick: My current series, The Paradise Chronicles, was born out of my first series, Apple Creek Dreams. In that series, I wrote the story of Jerusha Springer in the first book, A Quilt for Jenna, and the story of her adopted daughter, Jenny, in the second, The Road Home. I was planning on doing the story of Rachel, Jenny’s daughter, in the third book, but I fell in love with the Jenny character and wrote the third book about her. So I had to start a whole new series to tell Rachel’s story, then I just went on to tell the story of some of the matriarchs of their family, all the way back to 1534. Those stories became The Amish Heiress, The Amish Princess, and the soon-to-be-finished The Mennonite Queen.
How do you pick the location/setting of your romantic suspense novels? Patrick: Amish people live in three or four main areas in the United States: Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and some places in between. So getting started was pretty easy. But finding the exact town and researching it so I knew something about the people and the location took a lot of work. I set my first series in a little town in Ohio called Apple Creek. To my surprise, when I was doing the location research, I discovered that my great-great-great grandfather was born and raised thirty miles from there in Independence, Ohio.
What are some of the questions you hear when you say you write romantic suspense? Patrick: “How can you write suspense and action books about the Amish?” is one of the main questions I get. As I delved into the Amish culture, I discovered that they are people just like us, with real problems and real challenges who often find themselves in desperate situations.
Another question is, “How did you find out so much about the Amish?” When I started writing Amish books, I was totally unencumbered by any knowledge of the subject. In fact, I started on a dare, when my editor challenged me to send him a one-sheet for an Amish quilting story. I did, and Harvest House bought it. So then I had a three-book contract and had never researched the Amish. All I can say is thank goodness for Google. In my browser bookmarks, I have dozens of folders for my stories and each one has literally hundreds of articles and references I found on the Internet.
Current book: The Amish Princess A tale of love, adventure and suspense set in the turbulent period surrounding the Revolutionary War.
James L. Rubart is 28 years old but trapped inside an older man’s body. He’s the bestselling, Christy Book of the Year, Carol, and RT Book Reviews award-winning author of nine novels, and co-owns The Rubart Writing Academy. He lives with his amazing wife in eastern Washington.
Davalynn Spencer writes heart-tugging, cowboy romance set along the Front Range of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. She is the wife and mother of professional rodeo bullfighters and an award-winning rodeo journalist and former crime-beat reporter who caters to Blue the Cowdog and mouse detectors Annie and Oakley.
An unexpected turn of family events led Sherri to open her laptop and write fiction. As a former attorney, principal, teacher, and flight attendant, she draws on personal experiences for her romantic suspense books. Sherri is a freelance editor and lives with her family near Orlando, Fla.
Patrick E. Craig is a lifelong writer and musician who published his Apple Creek Dreams series through Harvest House Publishers in 2011. His current series, The Paradise Chronicles, includes The Amish Heiress and The Amish Princess, with The Mennonite Queen coming soon. Patrick is represented by the Steve Laube Agency.
