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Saturday, November 22, 2014

A VISIT WITH SUSAN SLEEMAN





SUSAN SLEEMAN is a best-selling author of inspirational and clean read romantic suspense books. Awards include Thread of Suspicion-2013 Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Best Book Award, No Way Out, and The Christmas Witness Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence finalists.
 

In addition to writing, Susan also hosts the popular website TheSuspenseZone.com.

She currently lives in Oregon with her husband, but has lived in nine states. They have two daughters, a son-in-law, and an adorable grandson.



A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A ROMANTIC SUSPENSE AUTHOR

The explosion rent the air. Concussive waves rumbled through the ground and a fireball whooshed overhead. In the background, a machine gun’s sharp pings competed for my attention.

A terrorist attack. No. Just a day in the life of a romantic suspense writer.

I’ve always wanted to write stories filled with adventure, excitement, and strong female characters who could hold their own in difficult situations, but my life is far too tame to give me a background for these stories.



Enter the FBI’s Citizen Academy. Six weeks spent with generous agents sharing about their work, all culminating with a day at their firing range to shoot guns and blow things up. With experiences like this one, I feel like I can write stories that let readers hear the explosions, taste the gunpowder after the shot is fired and feel the danger.

As an added bonus, the academy opened doors for me participate in a mock plane crash drill at Portland International Airport. Talk about exciting! Seeing trained emergency workers stream toward a plane crash with only one goal—to save lives.

I so admire these people. They are true heroes and I want to bring characters just like them to life in my next series, First Responders.

This elite six-member First Response Squad includes two hostage negotiators, a sniper, a bomb technician, an EMT, and an intelligence coordinator.

 
 
SILENT NIGHT STANDOFF kicks off the series this month where hostage negotiator Skyler Brennan’s life is on the line when armed robbers strike her bank. Rescue comes from the last person she thought she could count on—her ex-boyfriend who once chose his job over their relationship.

FBI agent Logan Hunter knows how much is resting on this case. The promotion of his dreams…and the safety of the woman he’s never been able to forget. But when an unexpected twist in the case pulls Logan in two separate directions, he’ll have to make an impossible choice. Will he manage to have it all by Christmas—a career and love—or will he lose them both?
The other five books feature one member of the team and will release through in 2015 and 2016. I already love the men and women of the FRS. Their strength and courage. Their willingness to rush into disasters to help victims. They don’t let emergencies fluster them. They do their job and save lives. No matter the toll it takes in their own lives. No matter the peace it steals. I hope you’ll enjoy reading about my First Responders as they work to recapture that missing peace and find love. I know you’ll agree, they are what true heroes are made of, and our lives are so much better for the real heroes in the world.
 
Readers can connect with Susan at:
 
Her Website - http://www.susansleeman.com
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/SusanSleemanBooks
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/susansleeman
Review Site - http://www.TheSuspenseZone.com


If you'd like to win a copy of SILENT NIGHT STANDOFF, please leave a comment, along with your contact information. U.S. only, please.








66 comments:

  1. Would love to win!!
    Danajeweler@ymail.com

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    1. Thanks for stopping by, Dana. Best wishes in winning a copy of the book!

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  2. Thanks for stopping by, Susan! You make the writing life sound so exciting. LOL

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    1. Thanks, Beth, glad to be here! That day was very exciting!!

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  3. This cover is gorgeous! I can't wait to read it! katie07edgar(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. Thanks for the kind comments about the cover, Katie. I appreciate your comment!

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  4. Sounds like a Highly stressful pre-Christmas season (and there is no mention of shopping involved in it). bloomingwithbooks (at) gmail (dot) com

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    1. There's shopping in the book, Meagan. How can there not be? LOL

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  5. This series sounds awesome!
    mzdaisy100@gmail.com

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    1. Glad you think the series sounds awesome, Kim. Best wishes in winning the book.

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  6. Oh, I saw this book on a new release list recently. I'm so intrigued! But I also love hearing about your week with the FBI Citizen's Academy. What a great learning opportunity!

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    1. Thanks for stopping by Margi. The FBI Citizens Academy runs for six weeks and is such an amazing experience. The highlight of course was shooting and blowing things up. LOL

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  7. Good writer, interesting concept. Please put my name in the hat, Susan. donn at donntaylor dot com.

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    1. Thanks for your comments, Donn! Glad you stopped by. Hope you are doing well!!

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  8. Susan, I want to thank you for introducing me to the wonderful genre of suspense. You were the first author I read in this genre and I absolutely love it. I would love to win a copy of this book. I have been sick so I have not been able to get to the store to pick up a copy. I hope you will have a wonderful thanksgiving and glorious Christmas.

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    1. Sorry you have not been well Wilani! I pray that you feel better soon. I'm so thrilled that I introduced you to the suspense genre. I still remember the first suspense story in read in the Christian market by Linda Hall!

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  9. The FBI Citizens Academy sounds very interesting. I really want to read this book and would love to win. Thanks for the opportunity to enter contest.
    Cindy
    cindy99@mac.com

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    1. Cindy, you're right. It was so very interesting and I am so appreciate of all the agents taking time to share their jobs with us.

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  10. Love it when there's a choice that pulls the character in two directions!

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  11. I'd love to win a copy of your book! It sounds very intriguing to me. I didn't know there was an FBI Citizens Academy...really peaking my interest here!! :)

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    1. Yes, Brenda. Most major cities that have an FBI office hosts a Citizen's Academy at least once a year. Our city does it twice a year. And I also just finished going through our city's citizen's police academy, too. Such valuable information.

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  12. Another Christmas book on my want to read list.. & a suspense too :)
    dkstevensne AT outlook DOTCom

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    1. I love writing Christmas books as much as I love reading them, Deanna. The fun part about this series is3 of the 6 books are Christmas themed.

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  13. This book sounds like it's right up my alley! Christmas AND suspense!
    Donna Haynes Robertson
    donnadoo_tx@mail2faith.com

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    1. I love combining Christmas and suspense, Donna and I'm glad you enjoy the combination, too.

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  14. Love Christmas stories, only I rarely let them wait until Christmas to be read :)
    jking23(at)kent(dot)edu

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    1. I'm like you Jking. I can't wait until Christmas for the stories,either!

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  15. What a wonderful cover on your latest book.Your design team has done an excellent job ! I love romantic suspense and Christmas combined. It makes for a delicious combination. You've lived in nine states, wow ! Do you use any of your experiences in those states in your stories ? I'll bet the FBI’s Citizen Academy gave you many ideas for books in the future. The First Response Squad are amazing men and women that protect us. They do so much behind the scenes we are unaware of. I am really looking forward to this new book you have written.

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    1. Deanne, I set most of my books in Oregon as it has a special place in my heart plus has so many choices of climate for settings. But I do have characters from other states in the book and I use the regional differences I experienced for these characters all the time.

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  16. Love the cover and looking forward to reading it!

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    1. Thanks for the kind words about the cover coramdeo540!

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  17. Would like to read this story...love this cover!
    cluedn@embarqmail.com

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    1. Glad you like the cover, Tammy! I just learned it's an actual working firehouse in Toronto. How cool is that?

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  18. Sounds like my type of book, would love to read it.
    janinarai@gmail.com

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    1. Thanks for stopping by, Janina and best wishes in winning.

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  19. Would love to read.
    grammador@gmail.com

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    1. Thanks for the comment, Dorie. Good luck in winning!

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  20. I have so enjoyed all the books I have read that you have written. I'm sure this one would be just as fabulous!! :)
    bettimace at gmail dot com

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    1. Aw, you're so sweet, Betti to mention that you have liked all of my books. Happy Thanksgiving to you!

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  21. I really am drawn to the cover art. I hope to win.

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  23. Thanks for the opportunity to win this book! I really enjoyed your previous books like Behind the Badge, Christmas Witness and High Stake Inheritance.

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    1. Thanks for your kind words about my other books, Dawn. Best wishes in winning a copy of Silent Night Standoff.

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  24. I first saw this book last week, and it is now on my reading list. Thanks for the chance to win one. lisajcowell(as)cs(dot)com

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    1. Thank you for putting Silent Night Standoff on your reading list. Lisa! Best wishes in winning a copy!

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  25. Just got home. Hope I didn't miss the opportunity to win. Love inspired romantic suspense books are wonderful.
    Charlyn515@gmail.com

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    1. You didn't miss the chance, Charlyn. We won't draw names until Wednesday! Best of luck in winning.

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  26. Would love to win the new book. It is on my wishlist.

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    1. Thank you for putting Silent Night Standoff on you wishlist, Beth!

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  27. Thanks for the opportunity to win! Sounds like a great holiday read!

    mo1202007@yahoo.com

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  28. Sounds great....keeping my fingers crossed!

    mauback55 at gmail dot com

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  29. Sounds like an exciting series! would love to have a copy.

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    1. Thanks for stopping by, Donna. So glad you think the series sounds exciting and best wished on winning.

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  30. Would love to win! I love your books!!!

    Strgth4yu(at)hotmail.com

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    1. Thanks for your kind words about my books, Linda. I so appreciate it and best wishes in winning.

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  32. I would love one, Please :) rockergoddess2002(at)yahoo.com

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    1. Thanks for stopping by Tracy! Best wishes in winning.

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  33. What an inspiration you are to those of us who envy your writing skills and wish we had your talent! Your new series sounds terrific!! I'd love to win a copy of your latest work.
    Happy Thanksgiving, Susan!
    Betty
    barronb50@hotmail.com

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    1. So glad you think the series sounds interesting, Betty. Good luck in winning a copy of Silent Night Standoff!

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  34. Oh this series sounds great it must of been really great to be at the FBI academy. Happy Thanksgiving!

    Lourdes
    Lourdes11743[at]mail[dot]com

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  35. love your books. here's hoping ontario is a part of usa for this contest. lol

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