Riptide: Up Close and Personal

Treasure Hunt

Two surprises await high-stakes repo man Jake Jacobson on his latest job. First, old flame Kelsey Chambers. Second, gunfire! Seizing the luxury yacht should have been easy, but he hadn't planned on Kelsey's appearance. Or that smugglers would hijack the vessel to find an antique map hidden on board. 

The map is Jake and Kelsey's only leverage. . .but it carries a price. Without it, they're as good as dead. With it, they're the target of a relentless hunt. Their failed relationship has Kelsey afraid to rely on Jake again. Can she count on him with their lives on the line? 

My newest romantic suspense, Riptide releases July 1^st!

Initially, I entitled it Dead Ahead. Read the book and you’re sure to understand why that title is so appropriate. But most of the time publishers change the title. As it turns out—and I’ve only just realized this—Riptide hits the mark, metaphorically speaking.

Have you ever felt that life was sweeping you off your path, taking you in a direction or along a course you didn't want to go and yet you were powerless to fight it? I want to see those hands raised.

God is good.

All the time.

When I received my author copies last week I opened the book and read the Bible verse I’d chosen months ago:

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. Isaiah 43:2

Yes. The this new title--Riptide--works nicely.

Now I look back on the story and see that things have tied together in an amazing way. We’d like to think that we play a significant role in making sure everything works together, but in my experience, things work together best when I have nothing at all to do with them. Okay, laugh, but I’m just sayin’. . .

I work hard, of course, and try to plan things but I also pray and look to the Lord to lead. I’ve been surprised at the spiritual themes that come out in my stories. An unplanned course--or at least not planned by my hand--takes on a whole new meaning. But that should come as no surprise because all things work together for good to those who love God, right? 

Riptide is no exception. It’s an adventurous ride with twists and turns that  I couldn't have expected.

Now here’s the really exciting news. I need reviews. Lots and lots of reviews. 

I’m giving away TEN COPIES. That’s right TEN COPIES of Riptide. First you need to comment below and second please agree to post a review on both Goodreads and Amazon, at least those two venues.

I’ll randomly choose ten people from the comments below to receive a copy. If you'd like to be entered in the drawing, make sure to leave your email address so I can contact you. 

Or you can always PRE-ORDER Riptide. Not only will it be available for paperback and Kindle, it’s available in a Love Inspired Suspense Bundle with three more romantic suspense titles: 

Many Blessings!

Elizabeth

INTERVIEW WITH SUSAN SLEEMAN

 

SUSAN SLEEMAN is a best-selling author of inspirational romantic suspense and mystery novels. Her first romantic suspense title, High-Stakes Inheritance, earned a spot on the ECPA bestseller list and her Garden Gate Mystery series, which features Nipped in the Bud, and Read Between the Lines, has enjoyed time on Amazon bestseller lists as well. And The Christmas Witness was named a finalist in the 2011 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense. In addition to writing, Susan hosts the popular Internet website TheSuspenseZone.com. She currently lives in Oregon, but has had the pleasure of living in nine states. Her husband is a church music director and they have two beautiful daughters, a very special son-in-law, and an adorable grandson.

 

INTERVIEW WITH SUSAN SLEEMAN

S.S: How long have you been writing?

I’ve been writing for 7 years or so.

S.S: Do you write full time? If the answer is no, what else do you do? If you are a full time author, what other jobs did you have in the past?

I am a fulltime author and I LOVE it. My first job started when I was young. My parents owned a grocery store and laundromat when I was growing up. They’d give all the grunt jobs—like cleaning grocery store coolers and washing machines to my brother, sister, and me. Not fun jobs I can tell you, but it taught all of us the value of hard work. I gradually moved up to cashier and worked all through college in another grocery store in the town where I went to school. Since then I’ve worked in management positions for major corporations and taught computers to elementary students.

S.S: Tell us about the moment you finally felt like a “real author”?

I never thought of myself as a real author until I signed my first book contract. And even then, I didn’t really believe it and was sure the editor was going to tell me she’d made a horrible mistake and changed her mind. She didn’t, but sadly the series was cancelled the month before my book was set to release. Wow, was I disappointed. But God had a plan for that book and when the line was revived in single titles, Nipped in the Bud finally came out. Did I feel like an author then? Yes, but only because, I had another book with a different publisher release the month before Nipped in the Bud and it made the ECPA Best Seller list. When I saw my name on a list with authors like Karen Kingsbury, Max Lucado, and Francine Rivers, I started to believe it. lol

S.S.: Who has been your greatest supporter as an author? 

Without a doubt it’s my husband, Mark. Though my daughters are super supportive and my other family members have been very supportive and helpful with the sales of my books, my husband is the one in the trenches—cooking dinner and doing just about anything else I need done when on a deadline. In fact, he’s in the kitchen cooking right now so I can finish interviews. Also, he’s always believed I could write a book and succeed in this business. Never once in the many years when I completed manuscript after manuscript without garnering a book contract with a publisher, did he think I should quit. What a guy!

S.S:  Why suspense? Do you write in any other genres? If so, what?

I write both suspense and mysteries, and my reason is quite simple. It’s what I love to read. A good suspense book keeps my attention and I can’t put it down. Though I enjoy reading well-written books in other genres, too, they don’t keep me riveted in the same way and I often lose interest and go back to the book at later date.

S.S: How does your faith play into your writing?

My faith is such an integral part of my life, I can’t separate it from what I do. I’m a Christian who writes novels so my books are all written from that perspective. My characters’ internal struggles always relate to a spiritual struggle they are experiencing. They work through their internal struggles in part by learning or employing a spiritual truth. Often the truth they learn is something I have struggled with or still struggle with in my own life. This is about to change, though, as I have contracted to write a three book general market FBI series called Agents Under Fire. I will still be true to the principles that guide my life, but the books won’t carry a spiritual message. I’m very excited about this opportunity as it gives me a chance to broaden my readership and provide riveting suspense novels to people who don’t want to read pages filled with sex and profanity and yet don’t want the spiritual message.

 S.S: If you couldn’t write, what else would you want to do?

I love to do web design, though I’m a self-trained novice, and create bookmarks and brochures so I think I’d go back to school for a graphic arts degree. I’ve always loved doing things like this. I remember when I would turn in my chemistry reports in high school, I’d get less than stellar grades because science is not my thing, but the teacher would give me high marks for the layout and design of my reports.

S.S:  Tell us about your current release.

No Way Out is book three in The Justice Agency series. This five book series features five adopted siblings who work together in a family run private investigation business. Each book in the series features on of the siblings. Cole Justice takes center stage in No Way Out. He’s been plagued with issues from two tours in Iraq and can’t seem to work through them. Until Alyssa Wells and her seven-year-old twins come barreling into his life. Alyssa has uncovered evidence that her police officer husband was murdered by his partner who wants to silence her before she talks and she must trust Cole to keep her safe while he brings the officer to justice.

 S.S: Where did you get your inspiration for this book?

Hmm, that’s a good question. I actually don’t remember where the germ of the idea came from as this book started with the characters. I’d gotten to know Cole in the first two Justice Agency book and I created a backdrop to share his struggles with serving two tours in Afghanistan while receiving a Dear John letter from home.

S.S: What is the main thing you hope readers remember from your story?

Both characters in No Way Out need to learn to turn their problems over to God and not focus on them. When they focus on the problems, they grow in size and scope and the characters can only find peace when they trust God..

S.S: Who is your favorite character in this book and why?

I liked Cole Justice since Double Exposure, book one in The Justice Agency series. All five of the siblings are in each of the books, and Cole played a small role in this first book. I didn’t know him all that well when I started writing Double Exposure, and was pleasantly surprised when he showed me that he was a very wise man. One who’d been through battles, both physical and emotional and had learned from them. He doesn’t always practice what he’s learned, but he’s very wise council for his siblings. I also liked the challenge as a writer of taking him from being a brooding, moody guy to one who embraces life and love at the end of No Way Out.

S.S: Who is your least favorite character in this book? Why?

It has to be Nolan, the former partner of Alyssa’s slain husband. He betrayed Alyssa’s trust, which is bad enough, but he also inserts himself in their lives as a confidant and surrogate father to the twins. Shame on him for betraying Alyssa, but it’s even more inexcusable to betray and hurt children. The lowest of the low, if you ask me.

S.S: What are you working on now?

I’m actually working on three projects right now. First, I’m writing Desperate Measures, which is the last book in The Justice Agency series. I’m so sad to say goodbye to these siblings, as I’ve come to think of them as real people. Don’t tell my hubby or he might think I’ve finally gone off the deep end. Second, I’m working on a mystery for the Creative Woman mystery series. This is the third book I’ve written for this series—www.creativemysteris.com—and has been such a fun book to write as it takes place in a castle in Scotland giving me a great backdrop for a mystery. And lastly, I’m working on Web of Deceit, which is the first book in the Agent’s Under Fire series I mentioned above. I’ve long wanted to do longer books and am thrilled that I finally get the chance.

S.S: A tough question: Where do you want to be career-wise in five years? Ten years? 

Assuming being a New York Times best selling author is off the table, I want to continue to have a solid writing career, writing suspense books. I know that sounds kind of simple, but career-wise my goal is to write the best books I can and make a decent living doing it. That means growing and learning as a writer. Finding out how many books I can write per year while remaining sane and having time for my family and hobbies. Trust me, this is a delicate balance when you’re writing five books per year and I want to get better at doing it all.

S.S:  Now let’s get a little personal. Name two things on your “bucket list” that you haven’t done yet.  

I would love to travel to Europe. After featuring Scotland in my latest mystery, I’d make that my first stop and take ferryboats to explore all of the islands. And I would love to have the perfect flower garden. Not that such a thing exists, but I enjoy working toward that goal.

S.S:  What is the silliest thing you have ever done? 

I can think of a lot of things that were foolish, but down right silly, I can’t come up with even one in recent years.

S.S: What is the hardest thing you have ever done?

I’d have to say the hardest thing I’ve ever done is trust God and refuse to worry when my husband unexpectedly lost his job awhile back. I was unable to work do to health issues so we had no income. I mean ZERO income with one daughter still living at home. When most people get laid off they’re eligible to receive unemployment. But churches are exempt from paying into the unemployment fund, making him ineligible for any payments. We had a roof over our heads, but we didn’t know for how long. Still, we both decided that we would trust God to provide. And he did. First, with generous gifts from our fellow church members. Second, he provided a new job within six weeks, which, if you know how slow churches are to call workers, you know that was a miracle in itself. We had to move cross-country, but the senior pastor of the new church was so amazing, the church uplifting and healing, and, if that wasn’t enough, the job turned out to be the best one my husband ever held. All I can say is Praise God. He is faithful.

S.S.: Where can readers find you on the internet?

To learn more about me you can stop by any of these locations on the web.

Website           www.SusanSleeman.com

Facebook        www.Facebook.com/SusanSleeemanBooks

Twitter            www.Twitter.com/SusanSleeman

Review Site     www.TheSuspenseZone.com

S.S.: Anything else you’d like to tell or share with us?

Just a big thank you for hosting me on your great blog and thank you to the many readers out there who purchase not only my books, but all the wonderful books in the suspense genre.  

Susan is giving away a copy of her book, NO WAY OUT. Just leave a comment, along with your contact information, for a chance to win!

Ideas everywhere!

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I so enjoyed the recent posts by Gayle Roper on her journey into her writing career and DiAnn Mills on pursuing one’s goals.  In fact,  all of the posts here are inspiring to me.  I just re-read the interview by Susan Page Davis last Friday, and it made me want to get busy on my own computer and be productive!  I’ve got three projects going right now—all need to be finished as soon as possible, and I’m already looking forward to exploring some new ideas.

As soon as someone hears that I’m a writer, the first comment is often, “I’ve always wanted to write a book someday” and the first question is always “Where do you get your ideas?”   And my response is always—ideas are everywhere.   It’s the execution of them (no pun intended) that is time consuming and challenging.

My thoughts have always tended to wander down some rather dark alleys, while imagining how the most mundane situations could be sinister just below the surface.   Going out to lunch with friends, I can idly watch the waitresses bustling in and out of the kitchen and wonder how easy it might be for a villain to slip something into a drink or onto a dinner plate...

That nice UPS delivery man who always gives a dog biscuit to our border collie?  What a good cover that could be, to slip in as a new employee to keep tabs on someone, or to gain someone's trust and then set up an abduction.  And what about the nice maintenance man on a cruise ship...how easy would it be for him to slip into someone’s cabin to search for documents, or pitch his target right over the balcony railing in the dead of night?  

Or, what about that photograph of a charming little cottage posted on Facebook, with the lovely walls of windows looking out into the lush forest?  Someone could be watching...waiting...and then skillfully tape and break the glass after all have gone to bed...

We’re planning a trip to Ireland and England, for the first time ever, and already I’m eager to take copious notes and photographs galore, planning to use that information as the basis of a future book proposal.  Ideas will be everywhere!

What sort of settings do you like to use, if you are a writer, or what are your favorites in the books you read?  

And, if anyone has visited Ireland or England and has some suggestions for places to visit that should not be missed, I’d love to hear about them!

Roxanne Rustand
www.roxannerustand.com

JUST SO YOU START - AND FINISH GAYLE ROPER

 

 

I wrote my first mystery back in the dark ages of Christian publishing. I typed the first few chapters on my college portable typewriter and sent them off to Moody Press in Chicago because I knew they printed mysteries. I had read one.

I knew nothing about publishing, knew nothing about protocol, knew nothing, period. I just had a story I wanted to write.

I got a letter from Moody a few weeks later saying they’d like to see the rest of the book. Talk about excited! I was about to become rich and famous. (Remember, I knew nothing. Nothing.)  All I had to do was write the rest of the book.

So I did. Every time I finished another chapter, I sent it off to Moody. It was slow going because I was a lousy typist, and I inevitably made my mistakes at the bottom of the page and had to retype the whole thing.

As each of these chapters winged their way to Chicago, some nice editor gathered them and saved them all until I actually finished the book. I do not remember how long this process took, but I had two little guys at the time, so it wasn’t quick.

Then came the letter saying they were offering me a contract. I had no idea what a rare and wonderful thing this was. All I knew was I wrote a story and they liked it and would publish it. Well, of course they did and would. What else?  Now I was on my way to fame and fortune.

Needless to say, the book sold poorly as do most first books. I who had visions of movie deals was very disappointed. Then came the real blow. The book was remaindered to a mission in the Orient for seaman. I never knew whether they were American sailors stationed in the Far East or Oriental sailors. Either way, I figure they weren’t interested in a book with a screaming woman on the cover.

But I was infected by the writing bug, and I’ve never recovered. Through the years since I’ve learned a few things about how to present myself, taught a few classes on how to write and published a bunch of books of many kinds and on many topics though my favorite writes are still suspense and mystery.

You’ll notice I haven’t mentioned the name of that first book. It’s not something I want people reading now that I know what I’m doing. I just chalk it up to learning and taking that first all important step. I started and I finished.

 

GAYLE ROPER

www.gayleroper.com

INTERVIEW WITH SUSAN PAGE DAVIS

 

 

Susan Page Davis is the author of more than 40 books. A native of Maine, she now lives in Kentucky with her husband, Jim. She’s a past winner of the Carol Award, the Inspirational Readers’ Choice Award, and the Will Rogers Medallion for Western Fiction.

INTERVIEW WITH SUSAN PAGE DAVIS

S.S: How long have you been writing?

I started seriously writing fiction in 1999. Before that I had been working as a news correspondent for about 20 years, and writing nonfiction magazine articles. But I started writing stories as a child.

S.S: Do you write full time? If the answer is no, what else do you do? If you are a full time author, what other jobs did you have in the past?

Yes, I do write full time now. Besides news correspondent, I’ve been a teacher, a farrier, a waitress, and a clerk in a fabric shop.

S.S: Tell us about the moment you finally felt like a “real author”?

When the acquisitions editor at Heartsong Presents telephoned me and said he was buying my first book, Protecting Amy. That was in 2003.

S.S.: Who has been your greatest supporter as an author?

Definitely my husband, Jim. He has read and edited all of my fiction before I sent it out.

S.S:  Why suspense? Do you write in any other genres? If so, what?

I do write other genres. Suspense and mystery are dear to my heart, but I’ve also written a lot of historical novels and romance.

S.S:  Tell us about your current release.

What a Picture’s Worth is part of the Creative Woman Series. The books are written by different authors, and this is fourth in the series, but can be read on its own.

One of the most successful vendors in Shannon’s craft market is Fredo Benson, an eccentric and moody painter. All goes well until Shannon goes to his loft one evening to turn out lights and discovers detailed sketches of her home—sketches of the gardens, the mansion she inherited from her grandmother, and most concerning, items from inside the mansion.

That night her craft store is broken into, but nothing appears to be stolen. The following morning, Fredo doesn’t show up for an art class he was to teach. Shannon takes her 19-year-old son and goes to Fredo’s apartment, where they find the artist dead. Do his sketches hold clues about his reasons for stalking her?  And how is his death connected to the store break-in? Who was Fredo really working for?

S.S: What is the main thing you hope readers remember from your story?

I hope they won’t be as foolish as Shannon is at one point and try to “go it alone” when they should ask for help. I also hope they will see that God can help us work through difficult relationships, though sometimes it takes a while.

S.S: Who is your favorite character in this book and why?

Shannon, the main character. She smart and savvy. As an artist, she does fine beading work and is learning silversmithing. As an entrepreneur, she’s running a successful business, and as a mother she’s doing a great job with her college-age twins. Shannon also has a knack for solving mysteries.

S.S: Who is your least favorite character in this book? Why?

I’d have to say Shannon’s mother, Beth. They were estranged for many years—in fact, Shannon thought her mother was dead. I found it a bit hard to relate to Beth.

S.S: What are you working on now?

I’m writing another mystery. This one is in Guideposts’ Secrets of Blue Hill Library series, and my book will be called Gone in a Flash. After that I’ll be writing a new western series for another publisher.

S.S:  Now let’s get a little personal. Name two things on your “bucket list” that you haven’t done yet.   

I’d like to visit my daughter in England, and I’d like to have a beautiful flower garden (but I’m afraid that last one won’t happen unless I get someone else to do it for me).

S.S:  What is the silliest thing you have ever done?

My three sisters and I have done some pretty silly things, and I’m talking about as adults. We try to get together for Sister Week (or weekend) once a year. In Arizona, we pretended we were on the Amazing Race and had tasks to perform. In Concord, Mass., we carried a little teddy bear everywhere to represent the sister who couldn’t make it that time and took pictures of the bear at the Branson Alcott’s School of Philosophy and the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery and everywhere else we visited.

S.S.: Where can readers find you on the internet?

My website is at: www.susanpagedavis.com and my FaceBook page is: www.facebook.com/susanpagedavisauthor

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

Today I’m giving away a copy of What a Picture’s Worth. And just to make you smile: one of my 2014 books, from a different publisher, will be titled A Thousand Words. In both cases, the title was suggested by the editor, not me.

If you'd like to win a copy of Susan's book, just leave a comment, along with your contact information, and she will pick a winner on Monday!

STAYING IN THE GAME

 

DiAnn Mills is an award winning writer who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She currently has more than fifty-five books published.

 

Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists and have won placements through the American Christian Fiction Writer’s Carol Awards and Inspirational Reader’s Choice awards. DiAnn won the Christy Award in 2010 and 2011.

 

DiAnn is a founding board member for American Christian Fiction Writers and a member of Inspirational Writers Alive, Romance Writers of America, and Advanced Writers and Speakers Association. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country. DiAnn is also the Craftsman mentor for the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild.

 

She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas. Website: www.diannmills.com

 

STAYING IN THE GAME

 

 

 

I used to be a chicken. Now I write suspense.

In 1996, my husband said to me, “Stop telling me someday you’re going to write a book. Do it now. Quit your job. I give you one year to get anything published.”

So I did. With a great deal of attitude. I wrote devotions, articles, a short story, and a historical novel. All were published, and I never went back to my old job. In 1998, my novel released. Oh, the excitement of tearing into the box of author copies. The cover ... the book’s name ... my name. A dream come true. The thrill never ends. And it shouldn’t.

That was 57 books ago. But don’t think it’s been easy. Every book is a little tougher to write. The characterization must be deeper. The plot’s twists and turns unexpected. The setting more intense. The dialogue and emotion like a sword fight.  But if writing were easy, everyone would have a bestseller. We writers are in a constant state of learning the craft.

If you’ll think back to the time when writing began as a dream, the urge and passion to communicate through the written word became so powerful that you didn’t know what to do with it.

          It was power.

          It was passion.

          It was alive.

          It was undeniable.

 A realization began to grow deep inside you that this new-found urgency came from outside the realm of your own being. Writing had become a calling, and a ministry.

Now, with the understanding that God has purposed you to write, I imagine He didn’t include a time table when you’d be published. If He did, please forward me that email.

I can also safely say the techniques and tools of the craft weren’t immediately drop-shipped into your brain. If so, I want that email too.

Writing is about hard work and sacrifices.

Our commitment to our craft may mean getting up at 4:00 a.m. to write, or giving up our coffee breaks, or bringing lunch from home and writing during the lunch hour, or staying up after everyone else is in bed, or giving up a Saturday afternoon nap. When we sacrifice money for conferences or purchase how-to books, do we ever wonder if it’s worth it? But sacrificing for our craft does not mean ignoring our families or not providing for those we love. If a writer is selfish and neglects his/her responsibilities, the sacrifice is worth nothing. Establish your priorities in a way that honors your God.

Coretta Scott King said, “I learned that when you are willing to make sacrifices for a great cause, you will never be alone.”

What is holding you back from your goals? Be courageous and list that shackle in the comments below with your email address. You’ll be entered into a drawing for a personalized copy of THE SURVIOR.  The winner will have five days to respond then I’ll select another one.