SEPTEMBER GIVEAWAY

Suspense Sisters: September Giveaway

WHAT'S HOT IN INSPIRATIONAL SUSPENSE?

 Wondering what's HOT in Inspirational Suspense this week? Laura Scott is releasing book 7 in her "Sullivan K9 Search and Rescue" series, SCENT OF EVIL.   

Tracking an escaped convict...

When a sexual predator escapes from prison, US Marshal Raine Whitman is determined to find him. But when the evil man kidnaps her young niece, Ginny, Raine is desperate for help. When her FBI colleague suggests Justin Sullivan and his K9 Stone, she gratefully accepts, knowing time is of the essence.

Justin has never tracked a convicted killer, but he doesn’t hesitate to head into the Bighorn Mountains on horseback, with Raine. His K9, Stone tracks their quarry, but all too soon, the trail goes off in two different directions. They need to find Ginny, especially if the convict has left the eleven-year-old to fend for herself. But they can't allow this man to harm another innocent victim. Will they find Ginny and the escaped killer, before it’s too late?

Laura Scott has been releasing new books in this series regularly since the first part of January. This Christian romantic suspense is book 7 of 9 and you can find the series page at THIS LINK! 

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, we’ll hear from author Melissa Koslin. She’ll be sharing an excerpt from her latest release, DESCENDED. She’ll also be giving away a paperback copy of this exciting book to someone who leaves a comment.

DESCENDED

Thousands of miles from home, Isa sees a man who looks intensely familiar. After she thwarts an attempt on her life, she escapes down the mountain with the familiar man, Xander, and he explains about four ancient bloodlines, each with its own unique set of skills: Cicero, Solomon, Sun Tzu, and Lilith. He belongs to a secret society devoted to observing and recording, but never interfering. Until now.

As Isa fights to survive, she grows close to Xander. She learns of her abilities passed down through blood and struggles to uncover the truths of her past. She decides she has to put a stop to the killing of the bloodlines and protect Xander from any further harm…even if it kills her. But will the truth of the killer's motivations and identity be too much to handle?

ORDER IT HERE 

Friday, Suspense Sister Marji Laine reviews STORM AND TEMPEST by Lisa Phillips. One person who leaves a comment will win a copy of Marji’s book, A TROLL FALLS.

STORM AND TEMPEST

Their enemy might have Kenna, but Jax isn’t backing down. Ever.
For two months, FBI Special Agent Oliver Jaxton has been searching for his wife. Even with the help of her friends and the Phoenix FBI office, he’s no closer now than the day she disappeared. Forced to face his weaknesses, Jax is ready to admit he needs help. But with no break in the case in sight, he’s about to lose hope. When evidence surfaces that Kenna now works for their enemy, he refuses to believe it, even if it puts his job in jeopardy. He won’t quit. Even if he loses everything.

The more Jax and Kenna’s team dig into the evidence, trying to find her, the more it seems like they never will. Teaming up with Kenna’s extended family makes things more complicated when a drive-by shooting puts their lives in danger. With danger on their heels and no way to know who they can trust, Jax is forced into a choice that could either destroy his career or get Kenna back.

His Brand of Justice will save this family.

ORDER IT HERE 

Don’t forget to enter our monthly contest!

THE SUSPENSE SISTERS

WE LOVE BOOKS

Catching Up On Characters

 by Patricia Bradley

Do you like to catch up on characters from books you read years ago? I do. Not only that, I always have a character or two that I've written into a story that I want to find out what happened to them. I know that sounds strange--an author should know what happens to their characters, right? 

Wrong. Or at least for me, it is. Most of the time when I write a book, I don't even know who committed the crime until almost the end. In more than one book, I've had to go back and add information when the killer turns out to be someone other than the person I thought it was. 

And then there are the characters who didn't get their story, and I want to write it. Wade Hatcher from Shadows of the Past is one character. He always took his girfriend, the librarian, for granted, and I always wanted to show him the error of his ways.

I did get the chance to catch up on Scott Sinclair in On the Edge of Trust, which releases on November 4. When we last saw Scott in Shadows of the Past, he was seventeen and trying to stay sober after almost being murdered. I always wanted to redeem him, and ten years later, he's 27 and a decorated undercover FBI agent recovering from a shoulder wound that threatens to end his career.

I enjoyed catching up on some of the other characters from the Logan Point series, like Ben Logan and Nick Sinclair. By the way, during the month of September, the digital copies of the series are on sale, including Shadows of the Past.

He's remained sober, but recognizes he's only one drink away from falling back into his old pattern. Of course the heroine has been hurt deeply when she learns her father is a recovering alcoholic who she believes is responsible for her mother's death. So she believes all alcoholics will fail eventually. Makes for really good conflict. 

Here's the cover and back copy for On the Edge of Trust:

Sometimes the closer you get to justice, the deadlier it becomes

When decorated FBI undercover agent Scott Sinclair suffers a gunshot wound in his right arm, the injury threatens his future career in the field. He is determined to regain his former job by training himself to use his left hand, and failure is not an option--especially when he's unofficially pulled into an investigation.

Tori Mitchell is a passionate crime reporter and podcaster who has dedicated her life to seeking justice. Her relentless pursuit of the truth has freed a wrongfully convicted man from prison, making Tori an enemy of the true killer. When her nephew is accused of a different murder, nothing can stop her from getting involved and clearing his name.

Soon after Tori and Scott reconnect on the case, shots are fired, leaving them to wonder which of them has been targeted. As the investigation intensifies, so do the threats and the sparks between them, but Tori's doubtful if she can extend grace and trust to Scott. They'll have to combine their skills and rely on their growing relationship to outsmart the killer.



I'm giving away a digital copy of Shadows of the Past. Leave a comment by September 15, and let me know if you like to catch up on characters from past books.

Mark is the winner of Deadly Revenge from July's post!

THE RULES OF WRITING. ARE THEY REAL?

Down through the years I’ve been approached by several people who told me they believe they’re supposed to write a book. And on occasion, I’ve even heard that “God told me to write a book.” My hope is that God also told them to learn how to write. When God called me, I had no idea I’d have to study for months and months to learn the craft of writing. When I taught writing classes, I asked my students if they would allow someone to operate on them who felt they “were called to be a surgeon,” but didn’t actually go to medical school. Unanimously, the answer was no! Writing may not require as much training as surgery, but the concept holds. Once I began to study earnestly, I ran into something called the “rules of writing.” For example, Elmore Leonard proclaimed that there are ten rules of writing. They are:

1. Never open a book with weather.
2. Avoid prologues.
3. Never use a verb other than “said” to carry dialogue.
4. Never use an adverb to modify the verb “said” …
5. Keep your exclamation points under control.
6. Never use the words “suddenly” or “all hell broke loose.”
7. Use regional dialect, patois, sparingly.
8. Avoid detailed descriptions of characters.
9. Don’t go into great detail describing places and things.
10. Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip.

Chapter one in my soon to be released book, DARK DESIGN, contains this:

It was a cold and rainy night. Alex Caine stared at himself in the mirror. He looked as tired as he felt. His hazel eyes narrowed as he gazed at his chiseled features. His dark hair was beginning to gray and needed to be cut.

Erin Delaney stared at the words on the first page of her novel and laughed quietly. “Never open with weather,” she said under her breath. “Never describe a character by having him look in a mirror.” She sighed loudly. “How many other writerly taboos can I break?”

Although I’m actually poking fun at these rules, in reality, I do try to follow some of them. However, I’ve learned down through the years that just because someone makes up a rule, the rest of us don’t have to follow it. Even if the rule was created by the illustrious Elmore Leonard. For example, anyone who reads my books knows that I’m very fond of prologues. Why? Because if handled correctly, I believe they can set up tension from the very first page. I usually give my readers a peek into the mind of my “bad guy” so they can be on the lookout for him…or her…as the story unfolds.

Also, for the life of me, I can’t begin to understand how starting off with weather can hurt a story if you do it right. I mean, don’t describe the weather just for the sake of it, but what if it’s dark outside and a lightning strike reveals a body lying on the ground? I’m sure you can come up with other situations where weather can be used to create atmosphere and tension.

To keep this short, here are the rules I do try to follow: Keep your exclamation points under control!!! I use them quite a bit in emails and Facebook posts but rarely in my books. Why? Because I believe if the dialogue is right, and you successfully show your character’s reaction to a situation, they’re unnecessary. I also believe that we should use regional dialect, patois, sparingly because you can weigh down your story when trying to describe the way a character speaks A couple of well-placed words will help your readers to “hear” different dialects and accents themselves. Their imagination will take over beautifully. This works like the next two rules: Avoid detailed descriptions of characters, and don’t go into great detail describing places and things. I like to give my readers hints and let them create their own surroundings and characters. The cover of a book I wrote a long time ago upset a reader because she was convinced the character didn’t look like the depiction used by the cover designer. She had her own vision of my protagonist and didn’t like seeing something that didn’t match her concept. And that’s good! She used her imagination to “see” my character. This makes a story more personal and shows that the reader has connected to the book. Oh, and the last rule I attempt to follow? Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip. This is the hardest rule to obey since we writers have no idea what you’re skipping. Something that is extremely interesting to me may bore you to tears.

I could blither on about how I don’t agree with only using “said” as a dialogue tag, but I won’t. I’m trying to leave out the part you might tend to skip. 😁

But…don’t skip this. Leave a comment, and you could win an eBook copy of DARK DESIGN when it comes out!!! (Just had to add some more exclamation marks!!!)

You can preorder DARK DESIGN from Baker Book House for 40% off! 

WHAT'S HOT IN INSPIRATIONAL SUSPENSE?

Wondering what's HOT in Inspirational Suspense this month? FINAL APPROACH by USA Today Best-Selling Author Lynette Eason.   

She's intent on investigating a sinister plot of revenge, and it will take all her courage to survive.

Air Marshal Kristine Duncan is not on duty when a hijacker attempts to seize control of the plane she and her friends are on as they head out on a much-needed vacation. Jumping into action and aided by FBI Special Agent Andrew Ross, Kristine thwarts the attack and the plane lands safely. But as the investigation into the incident gets underway, Kristine and Andrew are confused at every step. Nothing about the investigation goes as it should, and each layer they peel back just reveals another layer of perplexity.

As the two work together to navigate a web of deception, blame, and personal reckoning, they find there's more to this story than meets the eye--and more to love and admire about each other. They'll have to put their skills to the test--and their hearts on the line--to unravel the truth and ensure that justice prevails.

PRAISE FOR THE LAKE CITY HEROES SERIES

"A thrill ride worth taking."--Publishers Weekly on Serial Burn

"The action starts early and doesn't let up."--Booklist on Target Acquired

"Find a chair. Sit down. Read."--Jaime Jo Wright, bestselling author, on Double Take

Lynette Eason delivers another edge-of-your-seat thrill ride as she brings her popular Lake City Heroes series to a shocking and satisfying close. This clean romantic suspense promises to leave your heart hammering and will appeal to fans of Irene Hannon, Elizabeth Goddard, and Lynn H. Blackburn.

***Also, don't miss Suspense Sister A.D. Lawrence's review of FINAL APPROACH right HERE! 

This book is described as "A Christian Suspense Thriller with Mystery and Clean Romance between a FBI Agent and Air Marshal." You can get Lake City Heroes Book 4 right now on Amazon at THIS LINK! 

I hope you LOVE it! ~ Marji Laine