Author Interview with KRISTEN HOGREFE PARNELL and a Giveaway!

Marji Laine, here. I LOVE new books, and Kristen Hogrefe Parnell has just released a brand new book, HOLD YOUR BREATH. I can’t wait to read it, and I’m delighted to visit with Kristen today! Yea! Welcome! 

So tell me about your new release. Is this a suspense or mystery or both?

Hold Your Breath is Christian romantic suspense, and I enjoy writing this genre because it is such an effective vehicle for showing how God can use the problems in our lives to draw us to Him. Plus, our own lives are full of suspense—just not usually to the degree we find in fiction!

LOL! I certainly hope my life is never full of suspense to that degree! So, what ignited this book? Was there a particular situation or place that gave it the first nudge?

Beech Mountain, North Carolina, is a setting near and dear to my heart. My husband taught me to ski there when we were dating, he proposed near there, and we are now making new memories there with our young son (Pictured with Kristen at Fred's General Mercantile). This setting is stunning during any season, and so, I wanted to write a series that captured that beauty. Beech Mountain isn’t the only setting in the Crossroads Suspense series, but it features into every book. Characters not only face literal crossroads between Beech Mountain and another setting, but they but also face spiritual crossroads as they fight for truth, justice—and their lives.

Tell me about your characters at the beginning of your book.

At the beginning of the book, Jayna is outwardly a travel blogger wanting to bring awareness to the recovering communities of the Bahamas (post hurricane), but inwardly, she is a young woman desperate for love. Unfortunately, she once again seeks it in the wrong place, this time, with dangerous consequences.

 

Liam Bracken is a private investigator with a big heart that has been disappointed more than once. The last woman he liked chose his best friend over him, and now, he’s helping that same best friend plan a surprise engagement in Beech Mountain during his church group’s trip there. His Irish red hair earns him the nickname Ginger Ale from the mysterious Jayna who joined the group at the last minute. He is not only a surprisingly good cook, but he also has a keen intuition about people—and he can tell Jayna is not only running from, but terrified of, something.

Since tomorrow is Thanksgiving, what advice would your main character give to readers for this holiday? How would she plan to celebrate tomorrow

After her harrowing ordeal, Jayna would tell the reader to savor time with family. She would celebrate with her sister Beatriz’s family and their parents. They would serve Puerto Rican dishes, including Pavochon (turkey seasoned to taste like pork), Mofongo stuffing, and tostones (twice fried plantains). A certain Ginger Ale might also be invited to the festivities.

How do you plan to celebrate Thanksgiving this year? What are you most thankful for in your family? In your writing career? In your relationships? In something else? 

This year, my immediate family is all traveling to visit my brother’s family. Their five children adore my adventurous one-year-old, and thankfully, they have the energy to keep up with him!

Ah, those one-year-olds! My grandson is the same age and has gone from barely toddling to running in what seems like a moment! So, what are you most thankful for this year?

I am most thankful for another year together, because this year has surprised us with some unexpected health challenges with my mom.

Treasure the moments! I’m so glad you are all able to be together! And thanks for joining us today! Kristen is offering one copy for free to one of you! Leave a comment below sharing what you are most thankful for in this season of gratitude!

Kristen has also shared a little tidbit of her story, this part told from Jayna’s perspective. I can’t wait to read it!

            Liam was just pulling his cinnamon rolls out of the oven when the rest of the crew arrived. TJ beelined for the coffee. Matt looked as though he had tumbled out of bed, but he perked up when he spotted Olivia. Reef reached for Kaley’s hand, and the girl literally glowed.
            Oh.
            Shoot.
            Mood music.
            A trip to the mountains. 
            With your girlfriend and her crazy friends.
            Reef was going to propose.
            Jayna’s stomach turned sour, and her perfect eggs didn’t look so appealing anymore. It wasn’t that Kaley didn’t deserve to be happy. She did. But Jayna couldn’t be at the epicenter of a perfect proposal when her own magical moment had ended so awfully days before.
            She fumbled for her empty coffee mug and got in line behind TJ. “So, what are we doing again today?”
            TJ chugged his black coffee. “Ask Reef. He planned everything.”
            The knot in her stomach only grew. Of course, he had.

 Get your own copy of HOLD YOUR BREATH at this LINK or by clicking the cover.

Interview with Christy-Award winner, Lisa Harris

Good morning! Elizabeth Goddard here. I'm so pleased to host one of my dearest and long-time writing friends, Lisa Harris. She is one of the most amazing people I know, keeping up with her intense writing schedule while working as a missionary in Africa. If you haven't read her books yet, you are missing out! Which brings me to my next point--Lisa is giving away a copy* of her new release, MISSING, the second book in her Nikki Boyd Files series with Revell. 

Here's Lisa's bio: LISA HARRIS is a Christy Award finalist for Blood Ransom and Vendetta, Christy Award winner for Dangerous Passage, and the winner of the Best Inspirational Suspense Novel for 2011 and 2015 from Romantic Times for her novels Blood Covenant and Vendetta. She has over thirty novels and novella collections in print. She and her family have spent over twelve years living as missionaries in Africa where she leads a women's group, and runs a non-profit organization that works alongside their church-planting ministry. The ECHO Project works in southern Africa promoting Education, Compassion, Health, and Opportunity and is a way for her to "speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves...the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice." (Proverbs 31:8)

When she's not working she loves hanging out with her family, cooking different ethnic dishes, photography, and heading into the African bush on safari. For more information about her books and life in Africa visit her website at www.lisaharriswrites.com or her blog at http://myblogintheheartofafrica.blogspot.com.

And without further ado. . .Lisa Harris.

EG: Not only are you multi-published, you’re multi-award-winning! Tell us about your writing journey and the road to publication.



It started like every journey does, I supposed, as a young woman with a dream to write a book. And eventually I did. The first few books I wrote were never published, but that’s okay because for me it really has been a journey. There have been tons of both highs and lows, rejections and awards, but I think the best part has been the friendships and people I have met along the way.



EG: I agree with you about the friendships. What are some of the challenges you face as a writer? How does living in Africa affect you as a writer? Are there aspects of your life that are hard for family and friends to understand? What are they?



Sometimes I really wish I could be a part of a writers group so I could have more frequent face-to-face time with people who understand the business. So I guess the next best thing is being able to talk frequently with friends—like Beth!!—thanks to the Internet. As for my family, I’m grateful that they have always been extremely supportive. I try never to neglect them, but they do understand what deadline means.



EG: What would we do without the Internet keeping us connected? How do you create characters? Are they based on people you know?


I’ve never based a character on someone I know, though I’m sure it’s impossible not to draw certain characteristics from people you know even without realizing it. Normally, an idea about a character comes to me and I spend time writing down ideas and ‘getting to know’ who they are.



EG: Tell us about your current release.

Missing is book two in my Nikki Boyd Files series and comes after the Christy-nominated Vendetta. Nikki Boyd isn't usually called in on homicides; her forte is missing persons. But when a case with two murdered and two missing pops up on a quiet suburban street, she's ready to start the investigation and find missing homeowners Mac and Lucy Hudson. When the first clues lead her to the boat of her friend Tyler Grant--and another dead body--Nikki must untangle what ties Tyler to the Hudsons. The clues pull her into a deadly maze of counterfeit drugs and a killer who will stop at nothing to silence anyone who threatens his business--including Nikki.



EG: Sounds so exciting. I can't wait to dig in and read this novel! Where did you get the idea for this book?



Like what is normal for me, it all started with a character, Nikki Boyd who had an intriguing story to tell and who worked on a Missing Persons Task force which gave me plenty of ideas for each book.



EG: Tell us about your main character.

What I love about Nikki is her compelling back story and how it has made her who she is today. Ten years ago, her younger sister vanished and was believed to have been taken by a man dubbed by the media as the Angel Abductor. Nikki has been searching for Sarah ever since. It was that loss that compelled her to quit her job as a teacher and join the police academy and later a newly formed missing person task force. She’s strong yet vulnerable, and has a huge heart for others. She’s also loosing her heart (though I don’t want to give anything away if you haven’t ready book one!)



EG: Is there a spiritual message in your book? If so, what is it?



It deals a lot with trust and healing as both Nikki and the hero have had to reevaluate their lives as they move forward out of difficult situations.



EG: What are you working on now?



Right now I am working on book four in the series. I haven’t announced this anywhere yet, but it will be Sarah’s story.



EG: Oh fun! Thank you for sharing this with SUSPENSE SISTERS! Tell us three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.



This is always hard as I’m not sure there is much that’s really surprising about me.  I swam with dolphins in the Amazon, I don’t like high adrenaline stuff in real life—only in my books—and. . .I don’t drink coffee which seems to be really weird for a writer.



EG: Ha! That IS weird for a writer! And dolphins? Now I'm really jealous! Favorite TV shows?



Of course I love action/police shows like NCIS, Hawaii 5-0 with a bit of sci-fi and Hallmark movies thrown into the mix.



EG: You have eclectic taste. Same here. Anything special you eat or drink while you’re writing?



Not usually. If I do, I might make some popcorn, but that’s about it.



EG: How do you celebrate after completing a book?


Start the next one. LOL



EG: Yep. That's a professional writer for you. Where can readers find you on the Internet?



I have a wonderful new website my publisher made for me at www.lisaharriswrites.com. You can find out about my other books here as well as life in Africa.



EG: Anything else you’d like to share with us?



Thanks so much for having me!!!

You're so welcome and thank you for joining us!   

Now, readers, remember, Lisa is giving away MISSING. If you would like to be entered in the drawing, leave a comment and remember to include your contact information.

Blessings!

Elizabeth Goddard

*print copy for a US winner and ebook for an international winner.

INTERVIEW: Cozy Mystery Author Kylie Logan

SS (Interviewer Mary Ellis): If you had to describe yourself in one sentence, what would you say?

KL: I’m a writer with a career that allows me to kill people legally. 

SS: What do you do when you’re not writing? Any interesting hobbies?

 

KL: I don’t know how interesting they are to anyone but me, but I enjoy weaving and knitting.  I’m also a sucker for cemeteries—the older the better--and am always anxious to explore them.  I love the combination of history, art, architecture.  And of course as a writer, I look at names and dates on tombstones and on family gravestones clustered together and I always think of stories!  I’m also interested in family history and am the keeper of genealogy for both my family and my husband’s.  I volunteer at our local county archives which gives me plenty of chances to immerse myself in old pictures, records and documents.  It’s great fun! 

SS: What was your favorite book as a teen or child?

KL: Hmmm…favorite is tough because I have so many favorites!  As a child I remember reading “Island of the Blue Dolphin” and loving it.  As a teen, I started reading Dorothy Dunnett’s fabulous Lyman books as well as Mary Stewart and of course, Arthur Conan Doyle. 

SS: Tell us three things about yourself that might surprise your readers. 

KL: Gosh, I wish there was something surprising about me!  Maybe the surprise is that there isn’t one!  I think I’m pretty normal except for my tendency to plot murder and mayhem at the oddest times like at cocktail parties and business meetings.  But then, maybe that’s not a surprise to anyone who’s attended those sorts of things. 

SS: What genre did you start out writing? Have you changed course? Why or why not? 

KL: I started my career writing historical romance.  At the time, I didn’t know a thing about markets, but I had a story in my head, and the more I learned about how to get it published, the more I realized it was what the industry called historical romance.  I love history and I really enjoy research, so this was a natural to me.  I ended up writing more than a dozen historicals as well as some contemporary romance.  I’ve also written YA and a children’s book, but my first love has always been mystery.  For many years, I talked myself out of writing mystery because I thought I wasn’t clever enough to pull off the clues and the plots twists and the red herrings.  Finally I realized that like anything else in life, you don’t know if you can do it until you try.  Thirty mysteries later, I’m still writing what I love! 

SS: What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment? 

KL I don’t know if it’s the toughest criticism, but the one I heard the most back when I was writing historical romance was that my books were too plot heavy.  At the time, it stung, but eventually, that criticism helped nudge me toward writing mysteries.  Mysteries are all about plot and knowing I was a plot lover made me realize I was writing in the wrong genre. As for compliments . . . I never get tired of hearing from readers who enjoy my work.  I remember once getting an email from a reader who confessed she’d taken my book to work, and had read it at red lights during her commute!  This is not something I recommend, but it was nice to hear that I’d hooked this reader and that she couldn’t put the book down. 

SS: Any other genres you’d like to try? If yes, what and why? 

KL: I’ve always been fascinated with short stories and I’ve never written one.  I like the way short stories pack so much into so little room and how they often surprise and amaze right there at the end.  Maybe someday . . . 

 

SS: If you could go back in time and do something differently at the start of your career, what would it be?

 

KL: A million things!  Really.  But then, that’s what growing and learning is all about, isn’t it?  None of us is the person we were five or ten or twenty years ago.  We change because life teaches us lessons.  Every day, we understand our world in a different way.  I can’t even begin to list the things I’d do differently, because there are so many.  I do know that if I’d done one or two or three things in a different way, I wouldn’t be where I am now, I’d be in some other place.  Is that a good thing or a bad thing?  I’ll never know. 

SS: What is the most important piece of advice you’d like to give to unpublished authors? 

KL: Think about what you’re trying to accomplish.  Why do you want to write?  If you want to leave your memories for your family, that’s great, and that’s one kind of writing.  Do you want to self-publish?  That’s a whole other thing, and something I don’t know very much about.  I do know that if you’re looking to publish commercially with a traditional publisher, never forget that this is a business.  We’re not talking art here or vision or dreams though all of that certainly goes into the mix.  We’re talking business.  Publishers are businesses, they need to make money to keep their doors open.  Know your markets.  Target your writing.  Do your homework. 

SS: Tell us about yourself...

Kylie Logan is the bestselling author of the League of Literary Ladies mysteries, the Chili Cook-Off mysteries and now, the Ethnic Eats mysteries.  She is a lifelong resident of Ohio and both the League series and Ethnic Eats are set in her home state.  The newest League book (#4), "And Then There Were Nuns," was published in March.  In addition to writing cozy mysteries as Kylie, she writes the Pepper Martin paranormal mysteries as Casey Daniels.  Book #10 in that series, "Graveyard Shift" will be published this fall.  Kylie is a founding member of the Northeast Ohio chapter of Sisters in Crime, a lover of cemeteries, and can't think of a better way to make a living than killing people off--and not getting arrested for it!
 
SS: Tell us about your new mystery, Irish Stewed, about to released on May 3rd:

KL: Murder on the menu....after flopping as a personal chef to a Hollywood movie star, jobless Laurel Inwood finds herself humbled in Hubbard, Ohio, helping her aunt Sophie run her restaurant. Much to Laurel’s dismay, Sophie’s Terminal on the Tracks is not the cozy bistro her aunt would have had her believe—it’s a run-down greasy spoon in an old railroad station. To save the dingy diner, Laurel cooks up a plan to feature alternating ethnic cuisine as specials. But first there’s the problem of the body in the booth. Slumped over a table with a receipt spike in his back is Jack Lancer—”the Lance of Justice”—an investigative reporter for local TV news. Assisted by the drop-dead gorgeous owner of the neighboring Irish store—who may or may not be a suspect—Laurel sets out to track down a killer who had no reservations about impaling a newshound. But as she turns up the heat, will she end up in the soup herself?
  Irish Stewed can be pre-booked at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Irish-Stewed-Ethnic-Eats-Mystery/dp/0425274888/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1460329395&sr=1-1&keywords=irish+stewed

Please leave a comment for Kylie, along with your email address, to be entered in a drawing for a print copy. US readers only, please.

INTERVIEW: Romantic Suspense Author Mary Alford

 SS (Interviewer E.E. Kennedy) : When did you realize you wanted to be an author?

MA: I’d say I realized I wanted to be a writer when I was a pre-teen. For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved to read just about anything I could get my hands on. As a child, I discovered Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys and was hooked on suspense. As a preteen, I found Phyllis Whitney and Victoria Holt and knew in my heart of hearts that romantic suspense was what I wanted to write.

I wrote my first book as a pre-teen, but didn’t really pursue writing seriously until about fourteen years ago. During that time period though, I fine-tuned my writing and found myself drawn to inspirational romantic suspense. Then, in 2012, I entered the Speed Dating contest hosted by Love Inspired Suspense and later received “the call” that I’d sold Forgotten Past, my first LIS book. I truly felt like a writer for the first time and it was a dream come true. It’s still hard to believe at times.    

SS: Your books seem to have a good sense of place. Are you familiar with the Rockies or with Maine? What made you choose these locations?

MA: I am very familiar with the Rockies. My husband and I took a trip there about fifteen years ago and fell in love with the mountains. We bought a small cabin at the foothills of the Southern Rockies. I love that the mountains have a way of creating their own weather. The day can go from sunny a warm to dark and foreboding in a matter of no time. A great backdrop for a suspense book. In Forgotten Past well, I’ve never been to Maine before but have read about it and it is on my must see list. The rugged coastline of Maine made the perfect setting for a killer stalking his prey.   

SS: Fear and danger are integral parts of your books. Imagination or experience?

MA: Imagination and probably too much time reading suspense books and watching ID TV. The fear and danger my characters face is the same challenges we as human’s deal with on a much lesser scale. We may not be facing a killer bent on ending our lives, but we each have things we’re afraid of and keep us awake at night. Our own set of monsters so to speak.   

SS: Another either/or question: Outliner or pantser?

MA: Pantser. I’ve tried being the outliner type, but I just don’t operate that way.

SS: Do you have any favorite author(s) who have inspired you?
MA: Along with Phyllis Whitney and Victoria Holt, I love inspirational romantic suspense authors such as Susan Sleeman and Shirlee McCoy. These women are great at weaving suspense, inspiration and an amazing love story into each of their books.

SS: Everyone always asks, so we will, too: Are your characters based on people you know? Which ones?
MA: Certain characteristics of people I know find their way into my books. For instance, most of my characters drink coffee. That’s all me. I love coffee, what can I say? But for the most part, my characters are totally made up.   

SS: Here’s another question that everyone asks: Where do you get your ideas?

MA: Most of my ideas start from something I’ve seen or read about. From there, the story begins to take fruition in my head. I let it simmer for a while until I’ve got a good outline worked out in my mind and then I grab my laptop and start writing. The idea for Rocky Mountain Pursuit came from my love of spy stories. I can’t get enough of espionage stories. I think it’s the danger, the drama, the intrigue attached to espionage that makes it so appealing to me. These people risk their lives daily to keep our country safe.  

SS: You write in Christian genres. What is the spiritual takeaway for your books? Is there a recurring theme?
MA: I think in all my books the spiritual takeaway is that no matter what we’re facing in life, no matter how dark the world around us may seem, we are never alone. God is right there with us through it all.  

SS: How do you mold your villains? They are very frightening!

MA: I think we all have “worst fear” villains hidden deep down in our inner psyche. Some of us fear the unknown. Someone stalking us. A killer on the loose. I like to take those fears and create villains who hide in plain sight. Like the people we know and trust. In Forgotten Past, the villain was the cousin she loved and trusted to protect her. Faith never saw the monster lurking inside her cousin until it was too late. In Rocky Mountain Pursuit, the villain is a former teammate as well as the woman our hero Jase Bradford had once been in love with.            

SS: Would you characterize your books as romantic suspense? Are there any other genres that you’d like to tackle?

MA: Yes, I guess I would consider my books to be romantic suspense because they contain equal parts of each. In addition, I also write inspirational contemporary romance, another one of my favorite genres to read.

SS: What are you working on now?

MA: I currently have a stand-alone inspirational suspense with my agent. It’s about two FBI agents searching for a serial killer. It is 85,000 words and delves into some interesting aspects of human nature. I am currently working on a second book featuring an FBI agent.  

SS: Do you enjoy research? Is there any research subject that you’ve found especially fascinating?

MA: I typically don’t go overboard on research, but it is something that is necessary to make the book believable. In Rocky Mountain Pursuit, well, loved researching the CIA and the spy angle of the book. It was fascinating for me.

SS: Okay, just for fun. Tell us three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.

MA: Hum, well, I’d say that my hubby and I used to raise Emus and Ostriches. I still can’t believe we did that. That I’m trying to teach myself the guitar, (It’s going very slowly…), and I’d love to do some gold panning on my next trip to Colorado. Oh, and I’d also love to write a children’s book one day. 

SS: What are your other interests besides writing?

MA: Music. I love playing the piano and as I’ve said, I’m learning the guitar very slowly. I also love gardening. I want to learn to make quilts as well. I also love doing crafts with my three granddaughters. They are very inspiring.  

SS: Tell us about your current release. When is it available, and where?

MA: Rocky Mountain Pursuit is available now at:

http://www.harlequin.com/storeitem.html?iid=62853

http://www.amazon.com/Rocky-Mountain-Pursuit-Inspired-Suspense-ebook/dp/B015MO40KO/ref=zg_bsnr_7259440011_8

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rocky-mountain-pursuit-mary-alford/1122293234?ean=9780373447237

And at most online booksellers. 

Rocky Mountain Pursuit is about former CIA Agent Jase Bradford who is forced to fake his own death and live under an alias because of something Jase and the rest of his Scorpion team witnessed while on a mission in Afghanistan. As one of the last members of the Scorpion team still alive, Jase lives a life of seclusion at his isolated mountaintop retreat. Then, Reyna Peterson shows up at his doorstep looking for him and his cover is blown. Things quickly escalate from there. Jase and Reyna are being tracked down because of some computer files Reyna’s deceased husband smuggled out of a war zone. With the enemy mere steps behind them, Jase and Reyna must stay alive long enough to figure out what is so important in the files that someone is willing to risk coming after them with great force to keep the contents secret.     

SS: What inspired the idea for this book?

MA: My love for spies. I think if I could have chosen a different career path it would have been a spy. I admire them greatly and appreciate their work.  

________________

Leave a comment for Mary along with your email address and you will be entered in a drawing for ane-book version of her latest release, Rocky Mountain Pursuit!