Military K-9 Unit Christmas... give-away! Valerie Hansen and Laura Scott

We are doubly blessed today, by an interview with the two authors of the upcoming Love Inspired Suspense novel, MilitaryK-9 Unit Christmas. So, here we go! I hope you enjoy getting to know these wonderful authors.

And this time, there will be drawings for TWO winners of an e-copy of their book--so leave a comment, and you will be entered in the drawing!        Enjoy! Roxanne Rustand






1. Can you tell us a little bit about your journey as a writer?

Laura - I've been writing since I was a young teenager when I ran out of books that I liked to read. But my parents wanted me to have a "real" career, so they steered me toward nursing. I love being a nurse, but I still always had stories floating around in my head. Once my kids were older and I had a little more time, I decided to really focus on writing. I joined RWA (Romance Writers of America) and our local WisRWA Chapter (Wisconsin Romance Writers of America) and met so many people just like me! It was amazing and I was hooked. I'm so blessed to be able to write for Love Inspired Suspense.

Valerie --I think being a writer is in my genes. Whether I publish or not is a whole other question. Years ago, when I worked at an elementary school, I used to scribble my thoughts during boring meetings. Once, I turned in my rules notebook without remembering to remove my candid observances. Fortunately I hadn’t written anything derogatory!

2. If you could go back in time and do something differently in your writing career, what would it be?

Laura - Start earlier! Seriously, I don't regret being a nurse, but I also went back to get my Masters in Business as I was managing two big Intensive Care Units. I look back and wish I would have started writing more seriously even before I had kids. But other than that, I truly have no regrets. I believe this was God's plan for me, and I'm fine with that.

Valerie - I used to believe I should have begun sooner. Younger. But as time has passed I’ve realized that my books benefit from my seasoning. They’re not the same as what I would have written in my twenties or even my thirties

3. Tell us about your writing process.

Laura - Since I still work a full time day job and carry the health insurance for my family, I can only write on the weekends. I tend to write a full chapter on Saturday and on Sunday. Sometimes it doesn't always work, and I only get one chapter finished but I rarely go though a weekend without doing any writing. Somehow, I still manage to get about 3-4 books out per year.

Valerie -- Put butt in chair, type. That’s basically it. That, and a whole lot of thinking. Since I now go to contract on the strength of a proposal (synopsis and first 3 chapters) I don’t waste a lot of time on false starts. That said, I also don’t please my editors with every idea. L

4. What do you enjoy when you’re not writing?

Laura - I don't have a lot of spare time but always try to spend time with my family. I also try to work out about three times a week.

Valerie -- Pretty much being outdoors, away from the computer! I love to garden, weather permitting. And I usually accompany my three dogs on walks in the yard. The two labs are older and less flighty but the little poodle needs all the supervision I can give her.


5. Tell us something about yourself that might surprise your readers.

Laura - Hmm. This is a tough one. I guess it may surprise readers that I was a red belt in Tai Kwon Do. My kids were taking lessons and rather than watch, I decided to join in. I can break boards with a well placed kick!

Valerie – There isn’t a lot about me that’s a surprise to anyone who follows me on Facebook. J What you see is what you get. Humor is wonderfully healing and uplifting so you’ll rarely find me posting anything too serious. When I do, listen up. It’s meant from the bottom of my heart.

6. What three pieces of advice would you give to an aspiring author?

Laura - I'm not sure if I have three pieces of advice but first and foremost I would say never give up. I strongly believe that writing is 80% perseverance and 20% talent. Of course talent is very helpful but so many people start a book and never finish. Keep writing and if the first book doesn't sell, try another one. And another one. Never give up your dream.

Valerie-- Read what you love. Write what makes you excited and happy. Learn to take good advice while rejecting the bad. How do you tell? Study the market and listen to editors when they bother to communicate. As busy as they all are, any note from one is like gold.

7. You have a new book out right now, but what are you working on now, and when might that book be out?

Laura - I'm working on a Christmas book that will be out next year. That's how far ahead our editors plan. I have a Callahan Confidential Series that ends in Feb 2019 and this book I'm currently writing is a spin off from my Callahan Series. I'm really excited about this one...then again, I tend to be excited about every book I'm working on, LOL.

Valerie -- Here’s where it all gets interesting. And confusing. I had to start making notes in order to keep track. As for new, first time in print books, I have three scheduled already with a contract for five more, plus whatever continuity the editors decide is right for me.

Dec. 2018 - MILITARY K-9 UNIT CHRISTMAS novella, Christmas Escape
Feb. 2019 – FATAL THREAT, book #1 in my own series, “Emergency Responders”
Aug. 2019 – Untitled book #2, “Emergency Responders”
Sept. 2019 – TRAIL OF DANGER, NYPD K-9 Unit series, book #6

That’s the tip of the iceberg because I keep learning of combo reprints or Kindle releases in groups that so far have included --- Aug., Sept. Oct. of 2018 and Jan., Feb. of 2019. I have no doubt there will be more and I’m thrilled. I just hope my readers won’t get confused. The reprints all say that they were published before so it should be okay.

8. Can you tell us about what led you to write your new book? Tell us about your main characters, and the challenges they face in this story.

Laura - Valerie Hansen and I were two of eight authors asked to participate in the Military K-9 Unit miniseries. We were asked to write Christmas Novellas that were spin-off's from the main series. We had to coordinate to make sure that we didn't have too similar of story lines, so we did briefly discuss that over e-mail. And I hope the readers will agree that these two novellas are a great way to wrap up the series.

Valerie -- Okay. The K-9 continuities are editorial assignments. They look for authors who have experience, play well with others and don’t run with scissors. We’re all given an overview, then write the series – all at the same time, which makes it challenging. Boy, does it. By this time, however, those of us who participate regularly have formed lasting friendships with our fellow sufferers, I mean writers, and we help each other all we can. In the case of MILITARY K-9 UNIT CHRISTMAS we pulled secondary characters from the earlier books (mine was Bound by Duty) and used them for Christmas stories.

After that we were on our own. I chose a veterinarian and his tech who cared for K-9s in training. Then I introduced Stryker, a German shepherd who had been wounded in battle, and wove his rehabilitation story in with the heroine’s need to protect her motherless niece from a murderous father while being assisted by her hunky, widowed, commanding officer, the veterinarian. Yes, I know fraternizing is a no-no. J That’s part of the story.

About the authors...

Laura Scott is a nurse by day and an author by night! She grew up reading faith-based books by Grace Livingston Hill and always wanted to be a writer. Her pragmatic parents convinced her to be a nurse so she would always have a job. Laura has written over 50 books for Harlequin and has found her home writing suspense. Laura lives in Milwaukee Wisconsin with her husband of 33 years and has two grown children.



Laura Scott - USA Today Bestselling Author
To Love (McNally Series) 9/18
Battle Tested Military K-9 10/18
To Cherish (McNally Series) 11/18
Yuletide Target Military K-9 12/18
To Laugh (McNally Series) 1/19
Protecting His Secret Son 2/19Blind Trust 6/19

VALERIE HANSEN

was thirty when she awoke to the presence of the Lord in her life and turned to Jesus. She now lives in a renovated farm house in the breathtakingly beautiful Ozark mountains of Arkansas and is privileged to share her personal faith by telling the stories of her heart for Love Inspired. 

Life doesn’t get much better than that!

www.ValerieHansen.com
https:/www.facebook.com/Valerie.Whisenand
USA Today bestselling author
Publisher's Weekly bestselling author

And here is their new release! December, 2018





Someone’s gunning for Senior Airman Jacey Burke and her trusty K-9, Gretta. But Staff Sergeant Sean Morris will do anything to keep her safe for Christmas.