THE IMPORTANCE OF FLAWED CHARACTERS

 (This was originally posted on The BOLO Squad, a private FB page for readers of CF Romantic Suspense. If you’re not a member yet, just search for The BOLO Squad on Facebook and ask to join!)

What draws you into a story? Is it the plot…or is it the characters? I think the answer is both. Yet how many times have you liked a story but just couldn’t connect to the characters? It happens a lot.

I write suspense and cozy mystery. In both cases, the characters need to be compelling. For cozy mystery, they tend to be interesting and a little bit eccentric. It’s also helpful if they’re funny. Cozy mystery should be fun. The mystery needs to keep you turning the pages, but the characters make the story richer. They tend to influence the overall feel of the book.

However, in suspense, the characters need to be deeper. They will face uncomfortable and even dangerous situations. The plot will most probably challenge them because of their past. How many suspenseful books have happy-go-lucky characters who had perfect childhoods and who whistle their way through shootings, kidnappings, serial killers or…whatever? It could happen, but I’m guessing that by the end of the story, they won’t be whistling anymore!

Some question why the characters in suspense usually have unhappy backgrounds. The reason? Almost all of us have had hurts in our past. With characters that the reader can relate to, when our story takes a dark twist or turn, our characters will react in a way the reader understands. For example, my character, Alex Donovan, who is in my Quantico Files series, lost her parents when she was young. She had to move in with a mentally ill aunt who didn’t know how to keep her house clean. Alex, as a 12-year-old girl, had to spend her first night in her aunt’s house, sitting on a chair in her bedroom, keeping an eye out for the roaches that scurried out when she turned out the light. Because of that, she developed a fear of the dark. Now, when something happens in my story that puts Alex in the dark, the reader can relate to her reaction.

In inspirational suspense, it’s even more important. I want readers to relate to the character’s journey out of fear through the love and deliverance we can find in Christ. If they can understand a character’s spiritual struggle, hopefully, it will minister to them personally. That’s the most important reason I write – to let readers know that there is hope in Christ for whatever they’re facing. I want to bring them closer to the One who has the answer to every fear or challenge we encounter.

Has a certain character in a mystery or suspense novel really connected to you in a personal way? Tell us about it. I’ll pick one random answer and that person will win a Kindle copy of NIGHT FALL, the first book in my Quantico Files series.

Nancy Mehl

 

What Makes a Good Mystery? (Volume 1)

I love a good mystery, but what is it that makes a mystery good? Is it the plot – the whodunnit with twists and turns? Is it the characters that fill in the gaps and the detective – amateur or not – whose shrewd observations reveal the truth? Maybe it’s the conflict between good and evil?

I have a growing list of the elements that I like to see in a mystery/suspense story—way too many to put down in just one article. I’ll share them with you a little at a time, though. Here’s the first one.

Intensity

While the story doesn’t have to be a full-fledged suspense for me to enjoy it, there has to be at least one scene full of foreboding where the creepy music enters my mind. A moment when the hero realizes what’s going on and puts a target on his or her back.

This is the moment that, in novelist vernacular, is called MEP – at least in my notations. The explanation of which is full of abstracts and higher-level cognition . . . okay, okay. It stands for Most Exciting Part. Really cultured and professional, huh! LOL! But if this piece of the story isn’t intense, then it’s a meh MEP for me. Entirely forgetful.

On the other hand, if the hero is suddenly and unexpectedly (well, at least the hero doesn’t expect it) thrust into danger, painted into a corner where I can see no escape, I’m up all night making sure that there is indeed escape, and justice is done!

As I read exceptional mysteries and suspense, I have some things that are a must for me to feel that ahhhhhhh at the end of the story. I bet you have some of those as well. 

Share your idea of the most important element of a great mystery/suspense in the comments, and you might just be the winner of a $10 Amazon gift card and a super-sleuth lighted magnifying glass.   

WHAT'S HOT IN INSPIRATIONAL SUSPENSE

Wondering what's new in inspirational suspense and mystery this week? Susan Lantz Simpson has a brand new suspense releasing today from Zebra. More in the Amish of Southern Maryland series 

Here's a little bit about the story: The first scent of blooming flowers, fresh green fields, and invigorating days of sunshine. A Southern Maryland Amish spring bursts with hope, bright promise--and a practical young widow's chance to try love anew...

With two lively daughters, an active newborn, and a huge farm to tend, Lena Troyer has no time for impossible what-ifs. She just can't let herself be distracted by Samuel Mast's unexpected return. Even though her childhood sweetheart became the man she longed to marry, Samuel never saw or wrote Lena again after his family abruptly moved away. Now a widow, Lena is determined to keep Samuel's helpful ways and irresistible good humor at arm's length--no matter how often he's there when she needs him most...

A restless father with a shameful secret was the reason Samuel's many letters never got to Lena. And it's why Samuel can't bring himself to tell Lena the truth--though he's doing everything he can to regain her trust and prove he's worthy of the resourceful woman she's become. But as a rival for his affections complicates matters, Samuel and Lena must somehow put the past to rest--and believe that faith, honesty, and rekindled love will be more than enough to finally build a family together...

Buy it HERE

THIS WEEK ON THE SUSPENSE SISTERS!

We’re planning another great week on the Suspense Sisters. Check out our posts, our interviews, and our awesome giveaways!

THIS WEEK:

On Tuesday Mary Ellis will tell us What’s Hot in Inspirational Suspense and Mystery. 

On Wednesday Marji Laine will start an interesting series that explains what it takes to write good mystery. You’ll love her insight.

And…she’s giving away a $10 Amazon gift card and a super-sleuth lighted magnifying glass to someone who leaves a comment! 

On Friday, Nancy Mehl will talk about creating characters that readers can connect to. She’ll also give away an ebook copy of NIGHT FALL to someone who leaves a comment and their contact information.

NIGHT FALL: Book One of the Quantico Files

For any little boy or girl who hears the Train Man speak,
Who feels his rancid breath caress their pretty cheek,
Must close their eyes, pretend to sleep, and very softly pray,
Or else the evil Train Man may carry them away.

Finally free of her troubled upbringing, Alex Donovan is able to live out her childhood dream of working for the FBI. But soon after she becomes a member of the FBI's elite Behavioral Analysis Unit, authorities in Missouri contact them about bodies found on freight trains--all killed in the same way.

Alex never expected to be forced to confront her past in this new job, but she immediately recognizes the graffiti messages the killer is leaving on the train cars. When the BAU sends her to gather information about the messages from her aunt in Wichita, Kansas, Alex is haunted by the struggles she thought she'd left behind forever.

In a race against time to solve the case and recover a deadly virus sample the killer intends to spread, Alex must face how far she'll go--and what she's willing to risk--to put a stop to the Train Man.

You can buy NIGHT FALL here. 

The Suspense Sisters

                                   We love books!

Keeping the Faith

 Characters are like friends. You love each one for a different reason. There are some characters who emerge as favorites for whatever reason. Isabel Connor in Hidden Away is one of those characters. This a suspense book, so the focus is on the action and the danger. However, as the story unfolded, I found myself admiring Isabel. There is an element of surprise in writing that I don't know quite how to explain. I create a character. I know her background and her motives and yet she does and say things that I had not planned but that fit so perfectly. 

Isabel is a woman who has only recently gotten her life together. As a teenager, she was in the wrong place at the wrong time and she fell in love with the wrong guy. All those choices let to her doing jail time for being the getaway driver in robbery. She has since found a relationship with God and has a job opening up and stocking vacation homes near a ski resort for clients. Her life is back on track. She is making better choices. 

But once again and this time not because of her poor choices, she ends up being caught up in a crime and at one point the lawman even suspects her of being involved. Call it bad luck, call it misfortune, call it God's timing. But she fears that all that she has worked to build will be ripped away from her. This is what made me like Isabel. Even with all the bad things that happen and the possibility of everything she has worked for being taken from her and the guilt over her past choices, her default position is to turn to God. They are just little moments in the book, again totally not planned by me, that reveal a woman of deep faith. 

Most people haven't been in trouble with the law, but all of us have had one time or another decided to clean up some aspect of our lives. It could be with finances, or losing weight or toxic relationships or just deciding to keep your house cleaner, or read more, or not be reactive to certain situations. We might be making huge progress. And then a setback happens that was not our doing. You may have been working on losing weight and working out and end up injured. You may have paid down your credit card debt, only to be hit with medical crisis that puts you right back in debt. Always when that happens we have a choice. To throw up our hands and say "see, I told you I couldn't fix that part of my life"  or to persist through the darkness and the set back, to point our feet in the right direction and to give it all over to God. I don't want to minimize setbacks and loss, part of the process of choosing hope and trusting God is going through a season despair and grief. But never to give up hope. 

I would love to hear about one of your favorite characters from a book you have read or tell me about a time when you realized you were at a crossroads after a setback. Leave your name and email address in the comments. I will be giving away copies of Hidden Away so you can meet Isabel too. 

REVIEW OF FORGIVEN AGAIN BY GINA HOLDER

Forgiven Again

I don’t know about you, but every once in a while I find myself in a reading slump. Maybe it was pandemic stress or maybe it was something else, but I found myself in just such a slump not long ago. Usually, when these things hit, I try reading a book in a genre I don’t normally gravitate toward. For some reason, that didn’t pull me out of my rut. Then I read Forgiven Again by Gina Holder. And I was hooked from the first page.

I’d read No Greater Love, the first book in the series, last year and loved it, and book two didn’t disappoint. The characters are relatable and the balance between romance and suspense is perfect in both stories.

One of my favorite parts about Forgiven Again is how human the characters are. They’re flawed and have obstacles they struggle to overcome. At times, I wanted to shake some sense into Kathleen, because I knew she had it in her to be better than she saw herself. I was so invested in her journey as a person that I couldn’t put the book down. The mystery and intrigue were on point, and the secondary characters warmed my heart.

If you haven’t read Forgiven Again yet, you totally should. While No Greater Love doesn’t have to be read first, it’s a fantastic story as well, and I’d highly recommend it.

What do you do to get out of a reading slump? Answer in the comments for a chance to win Kindle copies of both No Greater Love and Forgiven Again. 

A.D. Lawrence

The winner of the Holly Trilogy from last month’s drawing is ***Gail H.*** Keep an eye on your email inbox for some Kindle mail. 

 

WHAT'S HOT IN INSPIRATIONAL SUSPENSE

Wondering what's new this week in inspirational suspense and mystery? Irene Hannon has a brand new suspense, Blackberry Beach from the Hope Harbor series, recently released from Revell. 

Here's a little bit about the story: Katherine Parker is on the cusp of having everything she ever wanted--fame, money, and acclaim. So why isn't she happy? In search of answers, she comes incognito to Hope Harbor on the Oregon coast for some R&R. Maybe in her secluded rental house overlooking the serene Pacific she'll be able to calm the storm inside. Coffee shop owner Zach Garrett has found his niche after a traumatic loss--and he has no plans to change the life he's created. Nor does he want to get involved with his reticent new neighbor, whose past is shrouded in mystery. He's had enough drama to last a lifetime. But when Katherine and Zach are recruited to help rehab a home for foster children, sparks fly. And as their lives begin to intersect, might they find more common ground than they expected . . . and discover that, with love, all things are possible?

Bestselling and award-winning author Irene Hannon invites you to come home to Hope Harbor--where hearts heal . . . and love blooms.


Buy it HERE

THIS WEEK ON THE SUSPENSE SISTERS

We’re planning another great week on the Suspense Sisters. Check out our posts, our interviews, and our awesome giveaways!

THIS WEEK:

On Tuesday Mary Ellis will tell us What’s Hot in Inspirational Suspense and Mystery.

On Wednesday A.D. Lawrence will be reviewing FORGIVEN AGAIN by Gina Holder.

She’s running for governor. He’s a pastor.

Will they risk their lives to keep a secret?

 Annie Staten, now known as Kathleen Phillips, has dreamed of pursuing a political career and following in her father’s footsteps. But Richard was a hated man during his tenure as governor and now his enemies will stop at nothing to prevent his daughter from winning the election.

Ryan Whitestone has loved Annie since high school, but his heart is broken by the woman she has become. When the daughter she gave up for adoption comes back into her life, can he help her heal from her pain and remind her of who she used to be?

Will Kathleen be able to forgive herself, put the past behind her, and find love again?

The continuing story of No Greater Love.

Leave a comment and you could win a Kindle copy of FORGIVEN AGAIN or NO GREATER LOVE!

You can buy FORGIVEN AGAIN here! 

On Friday, Suspense Sister Sharon Dunn will discuss a character she likes from one of her books and will share what inspired her to write about him or her. 

 

The Suspense Sisters

 

We love books!

 

Book Review of THE GATES OF EVANGELINE by Hester Young

Happy Friday, readers of suspense and mystery. Mary Ellis here.

Today I’m reviewing a spooky mystery set in the humid, vine-entangled swamps of Louisiana. I can almost guarantee you won’t figure out this one early. I know I didn’t. The Gates of Evangeline is the debut novel by Hester Young, published by G.F. Putnam & Sons. Debut, as in first book ever. That thoroughly impressed me, since my first novel had nowhere near as complicated a storyline. And it won Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2015. This book is not Christian fiction, but there is no profanity or graphic violence. Our heroine is a journalist who recently lost a child—a horror no parent should ever suffer. She accepts an assignment at a gothic mansion where time seems to have stood still. She is a Yankee in a Southern world and you can’t help but put yourself in the shoes of Charlotte Cates.

I felt the beginning moved too slowly, but that is the fault of the editor rather than the talented Ms. Young. Once the storyline picked up, I could not put this book down. I loved this novel, but the intensity is not for everyone. If you think you might like it, leave me a comment and I will draw a winner of my copy. (No, it’s not signed by the author. I don’t know Hester Young.) Also, I provided a link to purchase on Kindle, hardback, paperback, or Audible download.

Here is the back cover summary: When New York journalist and recently bereaved mother Charlotte “Charlie” Cates begins to experience vivid dreams about children in danger, she’s sure that she’s lost her mind. Yet these are not the nightmares of a grieving parent. They are warnings that will help Charlie and the children she sees, if only she can make sense of them. After a little boy in a boat appears in Charlie’s dreams, asking for her help, she finds herself entangled in a world-famous thirty-year-old missing-child case that has never ceased to haunt Louisiana’s prestigious Deveau family. Armed with an invitation to Evangeline, the family’s sprawling estate, Charlie heads south, where new friendships and an unlikely romance with the estate’s landscape architect—the warm and handsome Noah Palmer—begin to heal her grief-stricken heart. But as she uncovers long-buried secrets of love, money, betrayal, and murder, the facts begin to implicate those she most wants to trust—and her visions reveal an evil closer than she could have imagined.

You can buy The Gates of Evangeline HERE

Remember to leave me a comment, readers, alone with your email address. Have a lovely Spring weekend! ~ Mary Ellis

Something New - Shielding The Amish Witness – And a Giveaway!

 

I love release month! As an author, it is always exciting to see your book in print. To be able to go into a store and pick it is a special feeling.

The story of Shielding the Amish Witness is one that is dear to my heart because it reminds me of the ups and downs in my own life. Sometimes, God lets things fall into place in our lives for His Glory, and sometimes He allows them to fall apart so that we have nothing else to hold onto but Him.

I’ve had many moments when things fell into place and I can see God’s hand in making that happen, and others where I clung to Him and waited for His answer.

The waiting is the hardest part when human nature demands an immediate answer.  

In Shielding the Amish Witness, Faith Cooper returns to her former Amish home after losing everything. For almost a year, she believed her husband’s death came as the result of a police raid that went wrong. Yet nothing is further from the truth when she discovers her husband’s death was deliberate. And at the hands of his brother to cover up his crimes.

What about you? Have you ever asked for answers from God and didn’t get the answer you expected?  

Here is a little about the book:

Seeking refuge in Amish country puts everyone she loves in danger.

On the run after discovering her brother-in-law was behind her husband’s murder, Faith Cooper can think of only one safe place—her Amish grandmother’s home. But when danger follows Faith to the quiet Amish community, her childhood friend Eli Shetler is her only protection. And their survival depends on outlasting a relentless killer…one who has nothing left to lose.

I will be giving away an e-book copy to one reader. I will announce the winner next Wednesday. To be entered simply comment, and be sure to include your email.

Have a Blessed Wednesday! 

Mary 

www.maryalford.net 

WHAT'S HOT IN INSPIRATIONAL SUSPENSE

Wondering what's new this week in inspirational suspense and mystery? Chris Fabry has a brand new suspense releasing tomorrow from Tyndale House. 

Here's a little bit about the story: Led by divine revelation, eccentric millionaire Gideon Quidley hides a fortune in the West Virginia hills, using Bible verses as clues. Soon, treasure hunters arrive, and local radio DJs T.D. and Waite keep them updated. When a friend goes missing, T.D. must join the hunt himself. Will he discover where true riches lie? 400 pages, softcover from Tyndale.

Buy it HERE

THIS WEEK ON THE SUSPENSE SISTERS

 

We’re planning another great week on the Suspense Sisters. Check out our posts, our interviews, and our awesome giveaways!

THIS WEEK:

On Tuesday Mary Ellis will tell us What’s Hot in Inspirational Suspense and Mystery. 

On Wednesday Mary Alford introduces her new release, SHIELDING THE AMISH WITNESS! You could win a copy of this exciting book!

Seeking refuge in Amish country puts everyone she loves in danger.

On the run after discovering her brother-in-law was behind her husband’s murder, Faith Cooper can think of only one safe place—her Amish grandmother’s home. But when danger follows Faith to the quiet Amish community, her childhood friend Eli Shetler is her only protection. And their survival depends on outlasting a relentless killer…one who has nothing left to lose.

You can buy it here! 

On Friday, Mary Ellis will talk about THE GATES OF EVANGELINE by Hester Young. You’ll get the chance to win a copy of this interesting book.

When New York journalist and recently bereaved mother Charlotte “Charlie” Cates begins to experience vivid dreams about children in danger, she’s sure that she’s lost her mind. Yet these are not the nightmares of a grieving parent. They are warnings that will help Charlie and the children she sees, if only she can make sense of them.

After a little boy in a boat appears in Charlie’s dreams, asking for her help, she finds herself entangled in a world-famous thirty-year-old missing-child case that has never ceased to haunt Louisiana’s prestigious Deveau family. Armed with an invitation to Evangeline, the family’s sprawling estate, Charlie heads south, where new friendships and an unlikely romance with the estate’s landscape architect—the warm and handsome Noah Palmer—begin to heal her grief-stricken heart. But as she uncovers long-buried secrets of love, money, betrayal, and murder, the facts begin to implicate those she most wants to trust—and her visions reveal an evil closer than she could have imagined.

A Southern Gothic mystery debut that combines literary suspense and romance with a mystical twist, THE GATES OF EVANGELINE is a story that readers of Gillian Flynn, Kate Atkinson, and Alice Sebold won't be able to put down.

  

The Suspense Sisters

 

We love books!

 

Cover questions...can you help? Drawing for a free book. Roxanne Rustand

This spring I've started publishing a five-book series. The first, One More Dance, was out in March. 

The second book in the series, One More Wish, will be out on May 14th.  You can click HERE if you'd like to hear more about it!

But now, I am working on One More Kiss, which will be out in September. Cover decisions are so hard!  ☺  Can I ask for your advice? Below are some ideas for cover art.  Do any of these attract your eye? Make you interested in learning more about the book? 

The dog--and a host of other animals left in the care of the heroine--play a big part in the story.  Leave a comment and be entered in a drawing for a free e-copy of  One More Dance!  

Thanks so much for your help!   

Roxanne

Talking to Elizabeth Goddard

 by Patricia Bradley

Today I'm excited to be talking to Elizabeth Goddard about her new release Present Danger! (And Friday, I'll be giving a review of it on my blog at ptbradley.com/blog--Spoiler alert--I loved it)

Former FBI Special Agent Jack Tanner is working as a detective in Montana when he comes across a body in the national forest during a search and rescue mission. He's committed to finding the killer, even if it means working alongside his old flame, US Forest Service Special Agent Terra Connors.

When Terra discovers that the murder victim had ties to a powerful and dangerous trafficker of archaeological artifacts, the investigation takes a deadly turn--one that hits too close to home. As Terra fears she lacks the courage to face what comes next, Jack is more determined than ever to protect her. But he's failed her before. And if he fails this time, it will cost them far more than just their hearts.

Join bestselling and award-winning author Elizabeth Goddard as she plunges you into a web of deceit made of hidden crimes, open threats, and long-buried family secrets in this gripping first book of an explosive new series.

When I thought about interviewing Elizabeth, I wanted to do something different, so I asked her three questions and she was gracious enough to reply. 

1. Elizabeth, why did you start writing?

Since I was a young child I always loved to read and to make up stories. I spent entire summers reading and some books I re-read. I seemed to excel at writing in school, and somewhere along the way, I recognized there was a burning desire to write inside of me. 

I have to get credit where credit is due—God put that desire inside of me. He gave me the dream, and then made it come true. I felt His call on my life but ran from it for a few years until in 2001, I purchased a devotional that helped people work through answering the question about God’s call on their life. 

I also signed up to attend a writer’s conference and, wouldn’t you know it, before I even attended the conference, I accepted God’s call on my life to write. I joined ACFW and a critique group and started submitting a chapter a week. I have never looked back, and I’m so glad I answered His call.

I'm so glad you did. I have enjoyed everyone one of your books! And thank you for allowing me to endorse this one!

2. Elizabeth, what draws you to the mountains for settings?

When I was growing up, we always took vacations in Colorado, Montana, and Wyoming. I grew up in East Texas and it’s pretty flat, so we’d make the long drive and spend time in the stunning mountains. I think I got the love of those settings from my parents and those trips. But I don’t just love the mountains, I love the rocky ocean beaches and the redwoods . . . anything that’s awe-inspiring. I can’t say exactly why a beautiful natural setting inspires me, but when I experience something beautiful in God’s creation, I want to write a story so I can spend more time there and I want to share that experience and place with others as well.

I know exactly what you mean. It's like a beautiful sunrise forms a story and it's bursting to get out.


3. Which character in Present Danger is most like you?

Ha! I don’t usually write characters like me, but in this case, I would have to say Terra because she loves the forest.

I loved Tara. And she did love her forest. Thanks for joining us today, Elizabeth. 

Okay, Suspense Sisters' readers, you can find links to purchase Present Danger here, and if you'll leave a comment, I'll enter you in a drawing for the book. The winner will be announced next Wednesday in the comments. 

Don't forget to read my thoughts on Present Danger Friday here.

You might win another book!

WHAT'S HOT IN INSPIRATIONAL SUSPENSE

Wondering what's new in inspirational suspense and mystery this week? Our very own Mary Alford has a brand new suspense, Shielding the Amish Witness, just released from Love Inspired Suspense. 

Here's a little bit about the story: Seeking refuge in Amish country puts everyone she loves in danger. On the run after discovering her brother-in-law was behind her husband’s murder, Faith Cooper can think of only one safe place—her Amish grandmother’s home. But when danger follows Faith to the quiet Amish community, her childhood friend Eli Shetler is her only protection. And their survival depends on outlasting a relentless killer…one who has nothing left to lose.

Buy it HERE

AND Colleen Coble has a brand new suspense releasing today. Three Missing Days is book 3 in the Pelican Harbor series from Thomas Nelson. 

Here's a little bit about the story: A chilling murder. Chief of Police Jane Hardy plunges into the investigation of a house fire that claimed the life of a local woman as well as one of the firefighters. It’s clear the woman was murdered. But why? The unraveling of Jane’s personal life only makes the answers in the case more difficult to find.

Her son’s arrest. Then Jane’s fifteen-year-old son is accused of a horrific crime, and she has to decide whether or not she can trust her ex, Reid, in the attempt to prove Will’s innocence—and whether she can trust Reid with her heart.

Her stolen memories. Three days of Jane’s past are missing from her memory, and that’s not all that has been stolen from her. As she works to find the woman’s murdered and clear her son’s name, finding out what happened in those three days could change everything. It all started with one little lie. But the gripping truth is finally coming out.

BUY IT HERE

THIS WEEK ON THE SUSPENSE SISTERS

We’re planning another great week on the Suspense Sisters. Check out our posts, our interviews, and our awesome giveaways!

THIS WEEK:

On Tuesday Mary Ellis will tell us What’s Hot in Inspirational Suspense and Mystery. 

 

On Wednesday, we’ll hear from Patricia Bradley when she interviews author Elizabeth Goddard about her new release, PRESENT DANGER! Leave a comment and you could win a copy of this great book!

Former FBI Special Agent Jack Tanner is working as a detective in Montana when he comes across a body in the national forest during a search and rescue mission. He's committed to finding the killer, even if it means working alongside his old flame, US Forest Service Special Agent Terra Connors.

When Terra discovers that the murder victim had ties to a powerful and dangerous trafficker of archaeological artifacts, the investigation takes a deadly turn--one that hits too close to home. As Terra fears she lacks the courage to face what comes next, Jack is more determined than ever to protect her. But he's failed her before. And if he fails this time, it will cost them far more than just their hearts.

Join bestselling and award-winning author Elizabeth Goddard as she plunges you into a web of deceit made of hidden crimes, open threats, and long-buried family secrets in this gripping first book of an explosive new series.

You can buy it here! 

On Friday, we’ll hear from our very own Roxanne Rustand. Learn more about Roxanne by checking out her website! 

 

The Suspense Sisters

 

We love books!

INTERVIEW WITH MARJI LAINE

We're so excited to welcome back Marji Laine as a Suspense Sister! Marji used to write book reviews for us, but now she's back as an author! I'm interviewing her today so you can get to know more about her and what she's been doing. 

Marji, tell us a little bit about yourself. 

I'm an extroverted introvert. I love being around people, meeting new people, striking up conversations with strangers, but it does tend to wear me out. I need to recharge alone and most happily with a NASCAR race or a football game going on in the background. 

In addition to being an author, I own a small publishing company. We support about twenty authors and have about seventy books. I love designing books almost as much as I love to write them. 

I'm a "graduated" homeschooling mom of four. We still have our twins at home as they complete college, and I'm grateful that they keep our nest hopping. Sweet hubby and I celebrated thirty-four years in 2020 and live in North Texas. 

You used to review books. Did you always want to write, or did reviewing kickstart a desire to be an author?

I think the first "book" I wrote, actually a screenplay, was when I was in second grade. My best friends and I acted out the whole thing and we were sure it would have been an amazing pilot for a series. LOL!

I have been writing as a hobby since college days and have five or six half-finished stories in various places, but I began this career a little over a decade ago after finishing a novel and garnering interest from an agent. It's funny how God works sometimes. After my agent resigned, I received more interest in my books. Though I had to take a little hiatus from writing while I supported my new company, I'm delighted beyond words that He has brought me back to it. 

Tell us about the books you've written.

I have a series of mystery novellas, five in all, that I finished a few years ago. The Grime Fighter Mysteries feature a crime scene cleaner who is also in a witness protection situation. All of the books have suspense in them, though they are more mysteries than they are straight suspense. 

My first full novel is COUNTER POINT, and it is the first of the Heath's Point Suspense Series. BREAKING POINT is the sequel and came out last year. There are two more books in that series, coming soon. 

What comes next?

Last year, my novella series became really popular, maybe because the first book, GRIME BEAT, is free. I had been toying with a new series surrounding the best friend and roommate of my main character in the Grime Fighter Series. 

I'm also a fan of Perry Mason reruns. Putting the two together, I've come up with the D-Street Mysteries. I'm currently writing away on book 1. I can't wait to see how they will turn out!

You can learn more about Marji by visiting her website!

Leave a welcome message for Marji and you'll be entered to win a $25.00 Amazon gift card!

Nancy