Interview with Author Marji Laine and a Giveaway!

Kristen here. Our featured author today is no stranger to you but our very own Suspense Sister Marji Laine! She has a new release, and I'm so excited to interview her about it. She’s also giving away an e-book, so keep reading to the end.

1. Please tell us about your new release. 

A WOLF’S DEMISE is a 1940s romantic mystery with a Fairy Tale twist. It’s the third book of the “Once Upon a Mystery” series which is made up of stand-alone books that are loosely attached. 

2. What was your inspiration for this book? 

The story takes place in my hometown of Dallas, Texas, and part of the inspiration for it is my grandfather. He was a firefighter in downtown during this time period and he was a fire captain in the early 1950s. I love the elements that his inspiration brought to the story!

3. That is so special! What is your favorite part of the writing process? 

I love the planning part of the writing process, but I also like the writing. I use Scrivener, so it’s so easy to organize and set up the writing. Then when I’m ready to complete the scenes, its all laid out for me. 

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

a. I’m a singer – praise team and alto in our choir (yes, our large church still has a choir. LOL!) – and I’ve performed in and directed plays and musicals all my life. Most of these have been at my church, but I played Ado Annie in Oklahoma when my kids were young and was the choreographer for the production as well. 

b. In addition to writing, I also have a freelance business where I do the interior and cover design for independent author books and teach authors how to publish their own books on Amazon. 

c. I teach a weekly Bible study at my church and have recently published a non-fiction Scripture memory program called HIDING THE WORD.

5. Wow, you sure stay busy! What do you like to do when you’re not writing? 

I love to play games with my friends and family. Right now, my son has us all involved with a “FAM-tasy” football league. We also meet online from time to time to play online strategy games like Wingspan, Terraforming Mars, Dominion, and Scythe. 

6. What are you working on now? 

I’m working on the 3rd book of my Heath’s Point Suspense – this one is called BOILING POINT.  And I’m also beginning to put together a brand-new series that will be an offshoot of my “Grime Fighter” series. 

7. I look forward to hearing more about those projects down the road. For now, where can your readers learn more about you? 

I keep my newsletter crew up to date, so that’s the best way. There’s a sign up list on my website – www.MarjiLaine.com. I also work on keeping that site updated as well, but the best way is to sign up for the newsletter. 

Thank you, Marji, for sharing your time and story with us! 

Fellow readers, you can get your copy of A WOLF'S DEMISE here: https://www.amazon.com/Wolfs-Demise-1940s-Romantic-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0DFD387DC.

Keep reading to learn more about Marji and her latest story. 

Marji Laine is a graduated home-schooling mom of four with all of her kids happily graduated from college and married to precious men and women. She and her hubby of thirty-eight years also share their North Texas home with a rescue pup named Rosie. 

When Marji isn't editing or publishing the books for her authors at Write Integrity Press, she indulges in penning her own mystery, suspense, and romance novels. She can also be found supporting a local ministry with its publishing needs or helping other authors through her freelancing. And when she can carve out a few hours, she’ll watch a football game, NASCAR race, or good mystery movie while she’s crocheting one of her many blanket projects.

She loves acting in musical comedy, has directed many stage productions, leads a ladies' Bible study, and sings alto in her church choir. She prefers mountains to beaches, dogs to cats, football, NASCAR, and college volleyball, crochet, audiobooks, Tex-Mex, Magnolia pie, white roses, all shades of blue and green, Great American Family Channel, and Hallmark Movies and Mysteries. 

More about A WOLF'S DEMISE:

When Ruby finds the leader of the office wolf pack lying in a pool of blood, she becomes a suspect… and the next target.

"You’ve met the wolf, huh?"

Dallas, Texas, 1949

Ruby Stedman expects her first few days in the secretarial pool of a large business to be challenging, especially with her lack of training. But she's determined to prove to the boss who doesn't want her there that she can learn quickly and excel in whatever task she's given. Even if it means working for some of the less than gentlemanly executives on the upper floors.

But dealing with her difficult boss becomes the least of her troubles. She doesn't expect to be literally chased around an office. Nor does she realize she's being set up for a rendezvous on the top floor of the building - an empty, after-hours building.

When she finds the leader of the wolf pack lying in a pool of blood, not only is she implicated in the man's murder, she suddenly becomes a target herself. Even her favorite Dallas detective, Chris Wilson, can't seem to keep her safe.

Can they figure out all that is going on before a killer strikes again?

Marji is giving away an e-book of A TROLL FALLS, the second book of the “Once Upon a Mystery” series. It is also a standalone mystery, but it has direct connections to A WOLF’S DEMISE. 

For a chance to win, leave a comment answering this question: What is your favorite fairy tale and why?

Be sure to include your email address in your comment.

SUSPENSE SISTERS' OCTOBER GIVEAWAY

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What's Hot in Inspirational Suspense

A new release by Linda K. Rodante:

Waterfall: Christian Romantic Mystery

If you love a good whodunit and romance...

A dead body, a flood, and a boy’s rescue. Can Annalisa Carabelle keep the boy safe while racing to discover a killer before it's too late?

“This (mystery) kicks off with an intense water rescue and…kept me on my toes all the way to the end…I loved Anna and Richard together…and the romantic tension between them.” Meez Carrie, Reading is My Superpower

All Annalisa Carabelle wants is a successful summer season for the bed-and-breakfast she co-owns. She never expected the flood, the boy who needed rescuing, or the man who came from nowhere to help. The dead body? Well, the wound to the head proved it had nothing to do with do with the deluge.

Richard Jordan’s plans for the summer include as much scrambling up waterfalls as possible. He needs the adrenaline rush because life has proven routine, even pointless. But both the woman and the boy called him a hero, and maybe the dead body is a wake-up call. Life might be worth living if he and this intriguing woman can find the killer and make sure he doesn’t kill again.

But they’ve got too many suspects, and even the police are baffled. With the family protecting the killer, he might just get away for good, unless they force his hand—and stay alive while they are doing it.

Get your copy HERE! 

I hope you LOVE it! ~Marji Laine

THIS WEEK ON THE SUSPENSE SISTERS

We have exciting things planned for you this week on the Suspense Sisters!

On Tuesday, Suspense Sister Marji Laine will tell us what’s hot in inspirational suspense and mystery.

Wednesday, author Kristin Hogrefe Parnell interviews Marji Laine about her newest release, A WOLF’S DEMISE.

"You’ve met the wolf, huh?"

Dallas, Texas, 1949

Ruby Stedman expects her first few days in the secretarial pool of a large business to be challenging, especially with her lack of training. But she's determined to prove to the boss who doesn't want her there that she can learn quickly and excel in whatever task she's given. Even if it means working for some of the less than gentlemanly executives on the upper floors.

But dealing with her difficult boss becomes the least of her troubles. She doesn't expect to be literally chased around an office. Nor does she realize she's being set up for a rendezvous on the top floor of the building - an empty, after-hours building.

When she finds the leader of the wolf pack lying in a pool of blood, not only is she implicated in the man's murder, she suddenly becomes a target herself. Even her favorite Dallas detective, Chris Wilson, can't seem to keep her safe.

Can they figure out all that is going on before a killer strikes again? Get your copy of A WOLF'S DEMISE.

ORDER IT HERE 

Friday, Suspense Sister Sharon Dunn will talk about changes and transitions in our lives. She’ll also be giving away a copy of her book, TRACING A KILLER.

A K-9 team in the crosshairs and seeking justice.

While tasked with protecting Trevor Gage from a serial killer, K-9 officer Hannah Scott inadvertently puts a second cold case murderer on their trail. The man who drowned Hannah’s childhood friend is back—and he wants to make Hannah his next victim. Guarding Trevor becomes a survival mission once they both become the target of ruthless criminals. On a remote island with only each other to rely on, there’s nowhere to run. And with twice the deadly traps, any misstep could prove fatal.

From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.

ORDER IT HERE 

Don't forget to enter our October giveaway!

THE SUSPENSE SISTERS

WE LOVE BOOKS

Everything about Bundled Books, Collections, Anthologies, or Co

Bundling books isn’t a new concept. Back in college, a LONG time ago, I subscribed to an Agatha Christie collection, getting three books in one binding every month. And back then, they were actual, physical books. Today’s bundles can still be found as physical books – like three-book collections from famous authors or an anthology of short stories from romance authors. But much more often, they are e-books. E-books are perfect for bundled books because there’s no worry about the book being too flimsy or the spine splitting in two.

You can find all sorts of book bundles, but they usually fall into three categories.

Multi-Author Anthologies or Collections According to Genre

These are often collections of novellas or short stories that are all in the same genre. There are all sorts of options. In fact, a couple of our Suspense Sisters are part of these.

Mary Alford has a 2-in-1 collection where her book AMISH COUNTRY KIDNAPPING is matched with author Katy Lee’s book, AMISH COUNTRY UNDERCOVER. You can find it at THIS LINK!

She has another 2-in-1 collection with author Alison Stone in the book AMISH COUNTRY HIDEOUT. Find the link to that book HERE.

And Patricia Bradley is part of a collection of twelve heartwarming Christmas stories. Though not suspense, they sound like a perfect set of books to enjoy with a warm cup of cocoa! You can find it HERE!

Single Author

This is where the classics often fall into place. I even have an e-book of the complete works of Jane Austen. Today’s authors are also jumping on board with these. I had such a great time last week indulging in one of these bundles.

I’ve been slowly but surely making my way through Christie Barritt’s Lantern Beach Universe. She has a number of multi-book series in this universe and all of them are so good. Last week, I made it through the four-book bundle of “Lantern Beach Blackout – The New Recruits” series. Each book picked up the story of one of the four team members and the women who entered their lives and changed the forever. And that little romance is only part of the exciting suspense and mystery series! Such a good read. Find it HERE!

Mary Alford also has dipped her toe in this type of collection. She has a six-book series called "Courage Under Fire." They are included in two different collections by the same name. The first is available HERE and includes books 1, 2, and 3. The second of books 4, 5, and 6 is HERE.

There are also book bundles from popular authors like HL Wegley, Alana Terry, and Margaret Daley.

Collaborations

This last type seems to be the most difficult to find. Sometimes, they aren’t exactly bundles but one book written by two or more authors. This type of book is the way I got my start as a published author with THE CHRISTMAS TREE TREASURE HUNT. Though the single story was written by nine different authors, it is described as "seamless." We were all shocked when it stayed at the top of the Amazon rankings for almost a month, catapulting all of the authors into the top 100 authors. For eight days, I was in the 48^th place, in front of Leo Tolstoy! Crazy! HERE is the link for THE CHRISTMAS TREE TREASURE HUNT. 

I’ve also seen very popular collaborations between suspense authors like GHOST HEART from “The Agents of Mercy” series by Lisa Harris and Lynne Gentry. The authors worked together on each of the four stories. You can find the link for GHOST HEART HERE.

There is also BEYOND THE SILENCE by Tracie Peterson and Kimberly Woodhouse. This team generally write historical romance, but this book seems to have suspense involved as well. Find it HERE.

I got to do another type of collaboration like that. In this one, seven different authors wrote a mystery or light suspense using the same central character. She was sort of like Jessica Fletcher. “The Visitor Mystery Series” follows the CEO of a charitable organization all over the country as she visits branches of her company and members of her family. “She doesn’t invite murder or mayhem to join her; they just sort of show up.” In this collaboration, each author wrote a separate book from the viewpoint of the family member embroiled in the trouble. You can find THE VISITOR MYSTERY SERIES BUNDLE at THIS LINK!

So have you ever read a book bundle? Which type would you like the most:  a collection based on genre by many authors, a single author collection of a series, or a collaboration in one book or series by many authors?

I’m giving one e-copy of THE VISITOR MYSTERY SERIES BUNDLE away to a reader who answers my questions and leaves an email address!

Good luck!

EVANGELIZING THROUGH STORY

When you think of evangelizing, what comes to mind? If you’re like a lot of people, especially non-Christians, you probably think of preachy, boring speeches. You might stop listening before anything else is even said. This goes for those aggressively opposed to Christianity, whom we have less chance of reaching, though we should not stop trying. But it even goes for those who feel more neutral about Christianity. Maybe they view it in a somewhat positive light, but they’re not terribly interested in learning about it. So, if someone starts talking to them about being saved and giving their lives to Jesus, they shut down. This may seem downright bizarre to those of us who are devout Christians, but it’s a reality.

Jesus’ Great Commission was to “go and make disciples of all the nations.” (Matthew 28:19) This is our job as Christians. Notice Jesus didn’t say, go talk to people and do your best. No, he said “go and make disciples.” Makes me think of Yoda: “Do or do not. There is no try.”

All this begs the question: how do we reach people?

Personally, I’m not a great speaker. I’m not really that good with people in general. I’ve worked at it my whole adult life and have gotten much better with age. I’m able to do my day job very effectively, which involves some phone and in-person interaction, but I do most of my communication by email. I’m my best in writing.

God gave us strengths for a reason, and we should use those strengths to do God’s will.

I’ve been writing for about 15 years. I started in mainstream fiction and moved into Christian fiction when Mike Nappa, my former agent, approached me about finishing a book he was under contract to complete (a third in a series). His wife had passed, and he just couldn’t get himself to finish the book. He tried to cancel the contract, but his editor, with his best interests at heart, pushed him to finish. It’s amazing how God can take a tragedy like the loss of Mike’s beloved wife and make something good come of it. Before this, I’d had no interest in writing Christian fiction. I had the same misconceptions as many have about evangelism—it’ll be too preachy. And then I read the first two books in Mike’s series. They weren’t preachy at all. They were interesting and gritty and edgy. And I went on to read historical Christian fiction, like Roseanna M. White and Elizabeth Camden. I finished the book for Mike (A Dream Within A Dream) and went on to get a contract with that publisher for my own books (Never Miss and Dangerous Beauty). At first, I thought I’d keep writing mainstream as well, but somewhere along the way, I became committed to Christian fiction. Christian fiction helped strengthen my faith, stronger than it had ever been.

If it could do that for me, I wonder if my stories could help reach others. This is my way of spreading God’s word. I do it not just because I’m not a good speaker, but because I truly think fiction can change a person’s heart.

It’s the same timeless message of the Gospels but a different method. Well…not that different. Jesus’ main mode of teaching was through story (parables). I believe in doing my best to emulate those better than me, and you can’t get much better than Jesus.

The cool thing about Jesus’ parables is the accessibility of them. They are simple stories that are easy for us regular people to read, and yet they hold ageless and unending wisdom. Christian fiction can tap into that. We can bring Jesus’ message into our stories and hopefully reach some hearts.

Some people may think, “Ugh, that sounds so tiresome.” It’s not if you do it right. It’s about knowing when to be subtle and when not to be. If you start the book with the main purpose of telling people about faith, it’s probably going to be preachy and perhaps even tiresome. But if you allow your characters’ faith naturally to weave into the story, it’ll feel genuine and touching.

A very subtle example from the beginning of Dangerous Beauty is when the main character Liliana is running and hungry and she refuses to steal food.

She looked over at the truck stop—warmth, a restroom where she could wash. She dearly wished she had some money. She hadn’t eaten in two days. And she couldn’t steal; her parents had raised her to be honorable, even when it was difficult, especially when it was difficult. But maybe she could find some food in a garbage can.

It’s not explicit in her thoughts that she doesn’t steal due to her religious beliefs, but it comes out later that her parents had raised her to be a good Christian, and that’s the core of who she is. And “especially when it’s difficult” echoes the Bible’s teachings. “You can enter God’s kingdom only through the narrow gate.” (Matthew 7:13) “God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right.” (Matthew 5:10)

A less subtle example from The Lost Library is one character helps another character, as they lay dying, to ask for God’s forgiveness. I won’t ruin the book and quote the scene, but it’s clear the dying character does already believe in Jesus, though he’s done horrible things, and the other character knows the only way he will be saved is if he repents with an honest heart. By this time in the book the reader has been with these characters through heart-wrenching struggles. We feel for them deeply. We cheer for their successes, and we cry when their hearts break. We grow to truly care for them. This is the beauty of fiction. We can touch people more deeply by bringing them into the lives and struggles of our characters.

It's true that fiction may not explicitly state all aspects of the Bible. No one will be saved by reading my books. Of course not. But my goal is to shine a light on the truth.

Never underestimate the power of a nudge.

 

Melissa Koslin is a fourth-degree black belt in and certified instructor of Taekwondo. In her day job as a commercial property manager, she secretly notes personal quirks and funny situations, ready to tweak them into colorful additions for her books. She and Corey, her husband of twenty-five years, and their young daughter live in Yulee, Florida, where they do their best not to melt in the sun. Find more information on her books at MelissaKoslin.com.