3 Things a Reader Can Do ... Okay, 4!

So, you've finished an amazing book and your heart just glows with justice served, redemption completed, problems resolved, and the hero enthusiastic about the future ... ahhh! What a wonderful feeling when all becomes right in the world of fiction.

And how grateful you are to the author for sending you no this 8-hour vacation from reality. How can you thank the wonderful person who brought you such blissful satisfaction?

Okay, maybe I'm laying it on a little thick, but seriously, there are some special things you can do to thank the authors of the books you love!

1. Tell them! Most have contact pages or information on their Facebook page or website. Google their name and book title to make sure you have the right person, then drop them a line! (And if your favorite happens to be one of the Suspense Sisters or our Mister, you can find links to their pages in the right column.)
2. Leave a review on Amazon and Goodreads. These don't have to be articles. Give your favorite authors twenty-five of your best words and 5 stars! It's the nicest thing you can do for an author!
3. Share! Spread the word about this book. Share the buy link from Amazon on your Facebook profile. You don't have to say much more than, "I LOVED this book!"

That's it; 3 things that can mean so much to any author. I'm telling you, they notice, and they recognize those readers who encourage and support them. 

Oh, wait! There's one more thing: READ! (Like anyone has to urge you to do that, right?) 

And if you need a good suspense all decked out with romance and mystery, leave a comment and you might win a copy of my newest, COUNTER POINT. Here's the short version: 

Someone is determined to finish a murdered hit man's final assignment.

Her father's gone. Her diner's closing. Her car's in the lake. Cat McPherson has nothing left to lose. Except her life. And a madman's bent on taking that away. 

Her former boyfriend, Ray Alexander, returns as a hero from his foreign mission, bringing back souvenirs in the form of death-threats. When several attempts are made on Cat’s life, she must find a way to trust Ray, the man who broke her heart. 

Keeping Cat safe from a fallen cartel leader might prove impossible for Ray, but after seeing his mission destroyed and several godly people killed, he knows better than to ignore the man’s threats. Cat’s resistance to his protection and the stirring of his long-denied feelings for her complicate his intentions, placing them both in a fight for their lives.

Can she survive when ultimate power wants her dead?

When you comment, leave your email and also tell me what you most like to read - suspense or mystery. Random drawing will be held on Tuesday, February 28, 2017.

INTERVIEW WITH ELIZABETH GODDARD by Marji Laine

Inspiration for
Grayson "Gray" Wilde

I have so enjoyed getting to know Elizabeth Goddard over the last several years and am delighted to get to share with her about her life and her newest book, UNDERCOVER PROTECTOR!

Marji: Okay, can I just say that the guy on your cover bears a striking resemblance to Chris Hemsworth in the Thor movies? Lol! Did you have him in mind when you crafted this hero?
Elizabeth: Ha! No, I sent them the picture of someone else, a different actor. Unfortunately, I didn’t put the name on my art file so I can’t tell you who  it is. But I wanted the shaggy hair and I got it. I have always loved the landscape covers but after seeing a guy on my cover, I think I’ve changed my mind. LOL!

Marji: I'd feel the same way! How did this hero come about? Was he a minor character in another book? What has been his evolution from minor character to main character?
Elizabeth: The reader is introduced to Grayson “Gray” Wilde as minor character in the first Wilderness, Inc. book. They learn he’s a federal agent—a special agent with the FWS (Fish and Wildlife Services). Honestly, I wasn’t aware these special agents existed until I started researching. Gray made a quick appearance at the beginning of Targeted for Murder. He and his brother, Cooper Wilde, have some conflict, of course, but they’re also brothers and have each other’s back. Since he’s one of the Wilde siblings he needed his own story.

Marji: When you craft characters, do you develop a full psychological mark-up or maybe use bits and pieces of people you already know?
Elizabeth: I don’t develop a full anything when I start. It all happens as I write. In fact, I might start out with the basics of their background but then as I’m writing the story more pieces to the character’s story emerge and help me to create that dark moment near the end. I think it’s impossible to not draw from your life experiences and people you know.

Marji: Wow! I'm in awe of authors that can develop everything as they go along. I have to plan like crazy. Speaking of planning, how has Grayson Wilde avoided marriage so far? Surely women don’t avoid him, so why is he still available? And what is it about Gemma Rollins that intrigues him?

Elizabeth: He has significant trust issues after an experience with a woman he loved—so he avoids getting romantically involved. But Gemma gets under his skin because she shares a passion with Gray. She’s working to save God’s creatures from those who would abuse them. He ends up not only investigating a wildlife trafficking ring but serving as her protector and given their shared interests and proximity, how could he not fall in love?

Marji: Totally understandable. Is there a character in this story that we should look for in a coming book?
Elizabeth: False Security is book three and we are introduced to two new characters—Olivia Kendricks and Zachary Long—but we’ll also spend a lot of time with the Wilde siblings in that story. Alice Wilde gets her story in Wilderness Reunion, which is book four.

Marji: So tell more about WILDERNESS, INC? Is there a set number of books for this series, or could there be more built on when the current works in progress end?
Elizabeth: I just turned in the fourth and last book, Wilderness Reunion. Initially I had planned for six but the editors have decided to limit the number of books in a series to four now for the Love Inspired lines. Personally, I could keep writing stories set in the wilderness forever. But I’ll be moving on to a new series—just as soon as my editor approves my proposal and I hope she does!

Marji: It's so satisfying to read a series from beginning to end but sad, too. Still, how exciting to get to start something brand new and fresh! Hope to hear of your new series soon! Now about you, personally ... winter in the deep north. How does a Texas girl survive? I’m sitting here in a tee shirt and jeans with my back door open to the porch and my dog running around. The only thing slightly cold are my bare toes. I’m guessing that wouldn’t fly where you are?
Elizabeth: Not at all. In fact, we had an ice storm last night. There are three cars stuck right in front of my house on the country road. Yes, I’m a Texas girl but I really got my fill of those three months of blazing Texas sun in the summer, and I crave cold and snow. So I’d say that the Lord has answered my prayer to see snow and plenty of it! Lol!

Marji: Ha! I'll say. And do you still home school? I thought I remembered we had that in common, though I'm about to graduate my final pair.
Elizabeth: My oldest child is about to turn 25. Yes, I have home schooled my four children all these years, but they are in high school now and about to start college. I am more of a resource manager when it comes to their schooling.

Marji: Yes, I've noticed that with my own. What does your day look like and how do you balance life and writing?
Elizabeth: I think I have finally figured out how to juggle writing and life. I just pace myself. I have a calendar and I know how much I need to get done on any day. If I have time, I will do more, but I just hit my mark and then I’m good to do everything else I need to do regarding my life outside of writing.

Marji: You churned out 4 or 5 books last year, right? How in the world do you keep such a demanding pace?
Elizabeth: Yeah. I also write mysteries for Annie’s Mysteries, which is a write-for-hire publisher. I refer back to my previous answer—I pace myself. That said, there are still many times when I feel utterly overwhelmed and sometimes I start to hyperventilate. I always seem to take on too many projects, but then I just take a deep breath and put it all on the calendar. I compartmentalize and work on one thing at a time. Sometimes that means working on one project in the morning and another at night, but I try to avoid that if I can.

Marji: Okay, now you've just proved to me that you're Super-Author! What accompanies you as you write? Snacks, music, pets, drinks? How do they help or hinder?
Elizabeth: I have found as I age that silence is my best writing buddy. So writing in the mornings when the house is quietest works best for me. When my youngest son gets moving and demands my attention, then if I haven’t achieved my goal already, I might be in trouble. When the kids were young and there was much more chaos going on, I could sit in the middle of that and write—not so much anymore.

Marji: I can certainly appreciate that. I couldn't have even tried to write when my kids were little, but then the Lord knew what He was doing to delay that career in my case! Thanks so much for joining me today!

Readers, one of you can win UNDERCOVER PROTECTOR. Leave a comment with your email address (must have an email address!) and share your favorite thing about winter. One comment will be chosen at random on January 26 and that reader will be contacted for his or her choice of a Kindle or print version of the book!

Review and Giveaway with Suspense Sister DANA MENTINK

Marji here. I've admired my fellow Suspense Sister, Dana Mentink for some time and am so delighted to get to interview her today! 

Welcome, Dana, even though this is as much home for you as for me! 

The first book of yours that I read was Jungle Fire. That incredible romantic suspense became one of my all-time favorites! Then you charmed the tar out of me with the contemporary romance, Sit, Stay, Love. That became another all-time favorite. Last week, I listened to Trouble Up Finny's Nose. What a hysterical cozy mystery! In which genre did you begin, and how did you find yourself moving into the other genres?

Well, the truth is stranger than fiction, I always say! I started out in the cozy mystery genre because I loved the problem solving, small town, quirky feel to it.  Cozies are a place where you can include gentle humor and really explore setting, so I loved that. My agent suggested we pitch to Love Inspired Suspense and after a few tries, they accepted me. I dove into suspense novels which kept me busy with LIS and then Jungle Fire for Moody. I love suspense, but I am a nut at heart and I missed the sweet, humorous style I was able to explore in the cozies, so when my agent said Harvest House was looking for a lighthearted, dog themed series I jumped up and down and said, "Me! Me! Let me write it!" By gosh, they actually did hire me! Such joy I've had writing that series! 

And those books are outstanding! Funny and heart-warming. I used to think mystery, romance, and romantic suspense were all very similar, but they really aren't. What are the main differences between them? How do those differences create special challenges as you move between them?

No, they are quite different and that's why I love to write all of them. Suspense is very danger driven, with tight pacing and no room for much humor. Mystery is more about the puzzle solving than the running for your life, so the pace can be a bit slower. In a straight romance, the conflict has to be teased out from the characters and circumstances, but the pacing is not as ruthless. For me, it's great to write lighthearted romance and suspense because they are so different. I don't get mixed up between the two!

Ha! That could be dangerous! Your 2016 repertoire is impressive! You released Sit, Stay, Love (Romance) in April, Seaside Secrets through Love Inspired Suspense in May, Seek and Find through Love Inspired Suspense in June, and now Fetching Sweetness (Romance) this month. Were you ever writing the different genres at the same time?

When I see my publishing schedule written out, I can't imagine how I did that either. It was an unusually busy year. I am also a part time third grade teacher so that adds to the chaos. I don't typically write two suspense or lighthearted books at the same time, so that helps me avoid confusion. That said, I'm sure my editor would tell you I'm plenty prone to messing things up! I also find it confusing when people say, "How's the book coming?" I just sort of stare blankly and try to figure out which one they're talking about.

Have you ever confused your plots, added a scene to the wrong story, or an element that shouldn't be in that genre? 

Not really, but I make plenty of bonehead mistakes like changing a character's name halfway through a novel, or skipping from a Monday to a Wednesday. That's why my editors are super important to me! They save me on a regular basis.

Oh, yes! Having other sets of eyes on the story is priceless! But your writing year has indeed been a busy one! Yet you have teenagers at home and life outside of writing. How did you publish five books in a 12-month period? What does your normal workday look like?

Normal for me during the school year is getting up real early and writing four days a week. I don't write on Sundays (that's a promise I made to God early on in the process) and I don't write on Thursdays and Fridays because I teach those days and third grade is exhausting! I try to be available as much as I can in the afternoons and weekends when the bear cubs are home. Papa Bear works from home, so we lunch together and chat throughout the day. That keeps things in balance for me (mostly.) In the summer I'm writing pretty much every day except for Sundays. I find that teenage cubs are not very early risers, so I get a lot of uninterrupted time to write!

Wow, that's great! My teenagers never quite stopped this summer. I'm not sure what uninterrupted time even looks like anymore! LOL! What does 2017 hold for you in writing and in your personal life? 

Well, still teaching, of course. I've got more Love Inspired Suspense novels coming out and Fetching Sweetness just released this month. The last in that dog series comes out in February. Looking forward to being a "band groupie" for my daughter's marching band performances and spending as much time as possible with friends and family!

I'm excited to read Fetching Sweetness! Thanks so much for sharing. 

Sure thing! I'm happy to give away a digital copy of Seek and Find and also Seaside Secrets to one of the readers! And if you want to have a sneak peek behind the scenes of my books, there's a YouTube video in which my dog Junie makes an appearance!
Lol! Love your video! 

Readers, if you want a chance to win an e-copy of Seek and Find along with Seaside Secrets, please leave your email address in the comments below. And tell us about your favorite of Dana's books or maybe the one you most would like to read.

INTERVIEW with Author Jodie Bailey

Jodie Bailey is the author of the CBA bestseller and Selah Award winner Quilted by Christmas from Abingdon Press.  Her second novel, Crossfire, from Love Inspired Suspense won a 2014 RT Reviewers Choice Award and was an RT Book Reviews Top Pick. She is passionate about telling a great romance while sharing with readers how faith in Christ can lead to freedom.  She is a (retired) Army wife, a mom, and a former schoolteacher who loves the Outer Banks of North Carolina and long cruises on the Harley.

I'm so glad you're able to join us. Sort of like a coffee chat (only I don't drink coffee.) You don’t drink coffee?!? What is wrong with you?!?

I've often wondered the same thing! LOL! I haven’t read Compromised Identity yet, though it’s on my to-read list. Is it connected to your earlier book,  Smokescreen?

Smokescreen and Compromised Identity are part of a three-book series about a covert military unit that hunts down terrorists who are using the internet to fuel missions in the real world. The third book, Breach of Trust, comes out in September and, interestingly enough, it was born when readers started asking for the story of Tate Walker, a minor character from the first two books. Apparently, people were interested!

I don't blame them. I love it when we get to hear more of the story about other characters! You’ve gotten some glowing reviews from RT Book Reviewers and Best Reads. In fact, Best Reads added, “She should be reported for cruelty to her characters.” Ha! I had to laugh at that! But I’ve always heard that authors are supposed to chase their characters up a tree and then throw rocks at them. So how do you decide what “rocks” to throw at your characters?

It all depends on what that character’s weaknesses are. I tend to be a character-first writer, who knows the characters before the plot. All of us have something we fear, deep down inside. The trick is to find that fear, that weakness, in a character and then exploit it as much as I can. Come to think of it, that makes me sound like you should never want to have coffee with me.

Hahahaha! I'll be careful! Do your characters ever “favor” someone you’ve actually met?

I never purposely use people I know as characters, but traits do come in. My husband is a soldier, and one of his expressions or mannerisms will pop up every once in a while. Things people have said or done occasionally creep in. When I wrote Quilted by Christmas, it was shortly after my grandmother died and the grandmother in that book, Jemma… Well, the more I wrote, the more pieces of my grandmother showed up in her, and the more I wrote Jemma’s best friend, the more she became like my other grandmother. It was never on purpose, but it just kept happening. I grieved and celebrated through that book.

What a wonderful memory, though. I’ve read that the heroes or heroines of a book have some part of the author within them. Do Jessica and Sean have anything about them that is definitely you?

This is true! If we’re doing it right, there is some part of us that bleeds onto the page. When I was younger, I suffered from panic attacks. I got to be well acquainted with fear until God delivered me from that. Sean is battling fear that he is trying to hide from others, and I drew on my own experiences for some of his. Jessica has some insecurity that digs at her, and she loves to cook, which I love to do when I have the time! She makes bruschetta chicken for Sean in the book, which is something I really enjoy.

That sounds delicious! Since your setting and characters are all military, how did you research? Do your military connections share any stories that you pass on?

My husband retired from the Army after 22 years, and I spent 15 years volunteering with the military, teaching and working as an FRG leader. I got to know a lot of soldiers and their families, and I got to experience all of the things the Army throws at a family. So, so much of those experiences come into play. The military really is a whole other world with its own vocabulary, and those things come out in the stories. And yes, stories I’ve heard and things I’ve seen have made their way into books here and there. For one story, I knew no one who did the job my character did, so I put out plea for help and a friend hooked me up with a friend who called another friend who got me a visit with the one person in a 300-mile radius who did this job. Not only did they give me insight into the job, but they brought in some friends to help me plan the crime that the book centered around. THAT was a lot of fun.

What a blast! Good to have those connections! What does your day look like? Do you have children, pets, hubby at home, an office, or another job? How long do you write, roughly, each day, and then what do you like to do?

My husband, my daughter and I share our home with two dogs, one of whom is quite… vocal. Quite. Vocal. I spend anywhere from four to six hours writing each day, depending on the day and the scene. I spend my mornings first with Jesus, then with my treadmill, and then with my computer. Four afternoons a week, I advise the yearbook staff at my daughter’s school. The staff is made up of some of my former students, and it gets me out of the house to hang out with some amazing kids who challenge me and keep me from getting too deep in my head.

You just gotta love teenagers! Don't you? What else do you love, or should I say, which do you prefer?

• Beach or mountains                           Beach!!!!!
• Coffee, tea, (hot or cold) or soda       Sweet tea, though I try not to drink it often.
• Movie theater or DVD at home         DVD at home. My couch is my friend
• Dogs or cats                                        I love my dogs! But I’ve loved the cats we’ve had too.                                                                           But I think dogs edge out cats.
• Scrapbooking or gardening               I used to be an avid scrapbooker. Then I ran out of time!

Jodie, thanks so much for "swinging by and saying Hi!" I so enjoyed getting to know you and hope that Compromised Identity has an outstanding month! Can't wait to read it! Jodie is giving away a copy of Compromised Identity AND Smokescreen. Enter to win by leaving a comment with your email address!

Here's the short version of Jodie's newest, Compromised Identity.

Staff sergeant Jessica Dylan confronts a female soldier in the act of stealing her laptop—and almost pays with her life. But a blue-eyed mystery man rushes to her aid just in time, and Jessica learns the handsome army staff sergeant has been investigating her. Sean Turner believes a ring of cyberterrorists who’ve been attacking military bases are now specifically targeting Jessica. And he’s determined to figure out why they are tracking her every move. As the threats against Jessica escalate and attempts are made on her life, Sean vows to stop the hackers. Yet the heart-scarred soldier is set on keeping an emotional distance…especially when they discover what the terrorists are really after.

Learn more about Jodie and her books at www.JodieBailey.com 

Interview with Lynette Eason

By Marji Laine
I'm so delighted to chat with best-selling Christian suspense author, Lynette Eason. Her latest, Always Watching, is brand new and already sparking a huge buzz. And for good reason. Make sure you check out my review coming out next Monday! And enter for a chance to win a free copy. Keep reading!

Lynette, thanks so much for visiting at Suspense Sisters! I have to tell you, I opened it to just get a little taste before turning out the light and had trouble putting it down!
Obviously, that makes me glad to hear! LOL. It means I’ve done my job. :)

Where does your story seed start? Characters? Setting? Or some twist on a news story?
Usually, I get the idea for the story first. Just a glimmer of something. Like “what if there were a team of female bodyguards who went into business together, and they all had some time of law enforcement background?” Then I think, “Who would these women be?” And then I start putting together their backgrounds. Before too long, the story starts coming together for the first one, then the second and so on.

Your stories are so vivid.
Thank you!

The action, characters, setting all take on life. Do the words flow that way on first draft or do you use a lens for that when you revise?
For the most part, they do come on the first draft. I can write anywhere from three to six books in a year, so I don’t have a whole lot of time to edit. I get the story down as best I can and then send it off to my beta readers. Fortunately, they’re both in law enforcement, and they both have an interest in writing. That helps tremendously as they catch some line/copy edit things as well as correcting my police procedural stuff when it needs it. Of course, as I’m working through the story, I’m editing, or I’ll go back and add details as they occur to me, especially red herrings, etc. but when I’m done with the story, I’m pretty much done. At least until my copy editor gets ahold of it.

Lol! What would you say was the strangest thing you came across while you wrote this story? (Detail from research, scene that you dreamed up, maybe something you experienced that inspired an event?) 
I don’t know that I really came across a strange thing. Does it count that I think it’s strange that my brain even comes up with what it does? LOL. I think when I was writing Always Watching, I had a few friends who were going through the adoption process. I worked adoption into the story, and I think it came out great. It’s not a big part of the story, but it does affect my heroine to a large degree.

I know Always Watching is the first of a series. What characters are involved who will return, and who is the star of book #2? Is there a backstory in one of your characters that you’re tempted to flesh out?
All of the major characters in book #1 will return. Book #2 is Katie Singleton’s story. I introduce a new hero, Daniel Matthews, who I think readers will fall in love with. I also go a little deeper into the backstories of the characters who will show in books #3 and #4. Book #3 deals with Maddy McKay, who is fully healed from her harrowing ordeal, and Quinn Holcombe, the surly detective that I hope readers have come to love in spite of his grouchiness. I just turned their story in and think readers will love it. I’m now working on Haley Callaghan and trying to get to know her a little bit before dropping her into the middle of trouble.

I can't wait! Here's a little more about Always Watching from the Amazon summary of the book:

The bodyguards of Elite Guardians Agency have more than just skill and prowess in common--they're also all women. When it becomes clear that popular psychiatrist and radio personality Wade Savage has a stalker, his father secretly hires Elite Guardians in order to protect his son.

But when Wade's bodyguard is attacked and nearly killed, agency owner Olivia Edwards must step in and fill the gap. Olivia's skills are about to be tested to the limit as Wade's stalker moves from leaving innocent gifts at his door to threatening those closest to him. Olivia has the feeling that she's next on the list. And to complicate things even further, she realizes that her heart may be in as much danger as her client.

Bestselling author and fan favorite Lynette Eason drops readers right into the action in this fast-paced new series with a unique twist. Readers will love these strong female characters who put it all on the line to save lives.

Want a copy of Always Watching for yourself? You know you do! Leave a comment (make sure you include you EMAIL) and share your vision of a bodyguard. Have you had experience with one? Or maybe simply your impression of what they should be like!

Interview with Dr. Richard Mabry by Marji Laine

Richard L. Mabry, M.D. is a retired physician who writes “medical suspense with heart.” His novels have won multiple awards. He and his wife live in Central Texas. You can follow Richard online at RMabry.com, as well as on Twitter (@RichardMabry), and Facebook at RMabryBooks.

He writes in his biography on his website:

In addition to the practice of medicine, my past includes a stint overseas in the US Air Force, several periods as an interim music minister, and an all-too-brief experience as a semi-pro baseball player. In other words, there’s more to me than “M.D.” covers.

          www.rmabry.com

I hope you had an excellent Christmas and New Year break, Dr. Mabry! What is your favorite thing to do for Christmas?

I’ve reached the stage in life where I can truly mean it when I tell my family, “I don’t need anything. I just want us all to be together.” I think my favorite thing is watching my grandchildren with their presents, and having family members around me.

One of your most recent books, Miracle Drug, delves into rare viruses. Did you have occasions during your practice to deal with such?

Fortunately, in the practice of otolaryngology (ear, nose, and throat) I didn’t encounter a lot of potentially fatal infections, and certainly none like this one. When I read about such severe viral or bacterial illnesses and the havoc they can create, I’m impressed with the research efforts required to stay one step ahead of such infections.

You are uniquely equipped to weave suspense through the hospital/medical environment. How did your training help you with this story?

I’m often asked if some of the aspects of my novels are taken from my experience. The answer is, “No.” But sometimes things I read, either in the professional journals or in the newspaper, act as a catalyst for my stories. And, since I’m trained to understand and interpret the language, I guess in that way I’m uniquely qualified to present these stories to people without a medical background.

I know you must have had an interesting research experience with this story. Care to share?

Because this book was written before Ebola became a household word, I found myself making up things right and left, yet wanted them to be believable. That required a good bit of research, and it was gratifying to see how close I came to the measures used in dealing with Ebola. I found myself saying, again and again, “Man, I’m glad this is all fiction.”

In addition, although I knew former presidents receive Secret Service protection, I had no details. I started out with what I could glean from commonly available sources, then let my novelist’s mind fill in some blanks. Of course, I wanted things to be authentic, so I tried to check my facts. At first, the Secret Service didn’t respond to my efforts to contact them. When I sent a letter to former president George Bush, who lives in the area, he was kind enough to ask the Secret Service to communicate with me, which they did, and told me I was pretty accurate.

What are some of the most interesting things you found about this subject that you weren’t able to use in the story?

Along the way, I discovered that, although Bacillus decimus infections (as detailed in the novel) aren’t real, there are numerous infections—not just Ebola-— in various parts of the world that are just as dangerous, and there are brave men and women who risk their lives every day to combat them.

What can readers expect from the next Richard Mabry novel? 

My next published novel will be Medical Judgment, which is due out in May, 2016. It deals with a widowed doctor who is under attack from an unknown individual. Her sources of help are a family friend (who wants to be more than just a friend) and a detective who is a recovering alcoholic.
Since the publishing process is so slow, I’ve also recently self-published two novellas, Rx Murder and Silent Night, Deadly Night.

As you look forward, what is your focus – career-wise, spiritual, etc. – for 2016?

I really have no idea. I expected, by this stage of life, to be playing golf, traveling, and enjoying a quiet life. But about the time I planned to retire, my first wife died. Partly as therapy and partly to pass on my experience, I wrote a book, The Tender Scar: Life After The Death Of A Spouse, and I’m happy to say that it is still in print ten years later and continues to minister. After several years of trying my hand at fiction, with many rejections along the way, I’ve now had nine novels of medical suspense published, with the tenth coming next spring. I had no idea my life was going to take this turn…but God did. I have no idea what He has in mind for 2016, but I can hardly wait to see.

Thanks so much for sharing some of your time with us! If you want to connect with Dr. Richard Mabry, visit his Facebook page, Twitter profile, or Website! And check out all of Dr. Mabry's books on Amazon.

Do you want your own copy of Miracle Drug? Leave a comment for Dr. Mabry below with your email and one goal for 2016 and you'll be entered in a giveaway. And check this out! If you win, but you've already read Miracle Drug, name one of his books that you'd like and if he has a copy, he'll send that to you instead! Woohoo! Winner chosen on January 16th!

Brilliant Baddies

Think about the last mystery or suspense that you read. Was it gripping or maybe even a little scary? If it was, most likely it had an outstanding antagonist.

Some of the best intensity in fiction is due to a fleshed-out bad-guy. He (or she, as the case may be) has a background, fears, goals, and purposes just like the hero of the story. Especially in a well-written mystery, these folks blend-in to the intricacies of the rest of the cast.

Consider some outstanding villains:

• Mrs. Danver's in Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca
• Captain Ahab in Moby Dick
• Moriarty all of the Sherlock Holmes stories
• Wickham in Pride and Prejudice or Willoughby in Sense and Sensibility
• Hannibal Lecter in Thomas Harris's horror novels

All of these had aspirations and reasons, however twisted, to act the way they did. All had broken pasts that stimulated their behaviors and drove them to their ultimate dooms.

One of my favorites is ARIIA from the movie "Eagle Eye." This computer had no background, but did have the programming of noble purpose, to protect the country. The programming tilted, though, so that the means by which the purpose would be accomplished completely destroyed the virtue of the desired result.

But ARIIA had the redeeming quality of determined purpose for the good of the whole. Often an antagonist will have something that redeems them. I've seen some who foster amazing gardens or own loving dogs. Others who adore their children or, like Moriarty, are brilliant or artistically talented.

Anything that makes a baddie realistic amps up the intensity or fear level. Wouldn't you agree?

Your Turn: Do you have an antagonist who stands out in your memory? What made him or her great? 

Marji's novella, No-L, No-L, No-L, is included in the Christmas collection
Warm Mulled Kisses which will release as an e-book on Amazon.com October 15, 2015.

Marji Laine
MarjiLaine.com
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INTERVIEW WITH LISA HARRIS

Marji here. I was delighted to get an advanced copy of Vendetta by Lisa Harris. It was the first I'd ever read from her. Wow! Check out my entire review here.

Reading the book left me terribly curious about the author and the more I learned the more I wanted to know, especially about her work in Mozambique!

Lisa Harris is a Christy Award winner, the winner of the Best Inspirational Suspense Novel for 2011 from Romantic Times, and the author of nearly thirty books, including Dangerous Passage, Fatal Exchange, and Hidden Agenda. She and her family have spent twelve years living as missionaries in southern Africa. They currently live in Mozambique, where Lisa leads a women’s ministry and runs a nonprofit organization that works alongside their church-planting ministry. Learn more at www.lisaharriswrites.com.

And then we got to do a little email chit-chat!

Vendetta is outstanding! I recently shared my thoughts about it on the Suspense Sisters review page. But it made me curious. After writing so many books – I’m counting 29 from your website, Lisa Harris Writes – how do you keep things fresh?

Yeah! I’m so thrilled that you enjoyed Vendetta. As for keeping it fresh. . .I guess it’s just as important for me to enjoy what I’m writing as for my readers to enjoy what they’re reading. Because when I really love what I’m writing, I think—hope— that will translate into something fresh and fun for my readers.

I’m also curious about how you organize your stories. Vendetta had great twists. Did you plan them way ahead, or did they surprise you?

I do a bit of both. I plan a lot of what I want to happen in the story since it’s pretty complex, but there are always twists along the way I don’t expect. It makes it fun and keeps me interested in the story too. In fact, my husband always laughs at me when something I write makes me cry or surprises me.

And along the same lines, have you ever cut things from your stories – where you expected your plot to go or subplots? Did any of them become new stories?

No. In fact, I usually end up short on words rather than having it too long, and usually I ‘know’ what scenes need to be there so I don’t end up cutting much.

Switching gears, I’m delighted with what I’ve read about your work in Mozambique, particularly with the ECHO project. Did you go to Mozambique to work with that program or was that project a bonus?

Our time in Mozambique has been challenging, but also a huge blessing to our family, and The ECHO Project was definitely a bonus. After we’d lived in Mozambique for a couple years, we realized we were dealing with so many physical needs that we needed to start a non-profit so we could help more people. That was the beginning of The ECHO Project. I’ve often had to remind myself that I still can’t fix everyone’s situation, or help everyone who has a need, but for that one person who’s life is changed, that is enough.

How did the ministry come about?

Everything is based on the needs we see on a daily basis. We provide food packets to families caring for orphans, medical treatment, housing, school needs, and some micro loans. My current dream is to build a compound where we can bring in people who need hospice care or children/women who need a home. This is a huge need for this. We will have some of the local Christians trained to help them as they run the small compound. I’m also hoping to begin a sewing project to help the single mothers, especially out in the villages, earn money for their families.

What type of work do you do with it daily/weekly?

My role has changed and shifted over the years depending on how many kids I have at home. :-) And that role varies with things like delivering food baskets, to driving people to the hospital for treatment, to visiting people in the hospital, handing out vitamins, medicine, and baby formula.

How can people in the states get involved with your work in Mozambique?

You can learn more about what God is doing through this project at http://theechoprojectblog.blogspot.com or our church planting ministry at www.africanoutreachministries.org

Thank you so much for having me on the Suspense Sisters!

And here's the skinny on her newest book that comes out October 1, Vendetta!

Christy Award Winner Invites Readers on a Spine-Chilling Case where the Hunter Becomes the Hunted

With this explosive first book in the new Nikki Boyd Files, Lisa Harris takes readers on a fast-paced pursuit of justice that will have them holding their breath until the heart-stopping finish.

No one needs to push Nikki Boyd to excel on the Tennessee Missing Person Task Force. The case of her own missing sister, still unsolved after ten years, is the driving force in her work. When a Polaroid photo of a missing girl shows up at a crime scene, Nikki quickly recognizes similarities to the past. The closer she gets to the abductor, the more she feels that this case is getting personal and that she is not the hunter at all—but actually the one being hunted.

We were planning to give away a copy of Lisa's book, Hidden Agenda, but Lisa is offering up a copy of Vendetta! Woohoo! Please leave a comment below with your email address to be entered in our drawing! (U.S. only, please.)

Location. Location. Location.

By Marji Laine

My mother is a realtor, so I've heard about the benefits of neighborhood and area for most of my life. But a few years ago as I jumped into my writing career, my surroundings became even more important.

Some writers are inspired by the people they meet. Others can adapt experiences of life into outstanding plots. I'm intrigued with settings. My sweet hubby laughs and claims that I see dead people.

He's not really far from the truth. My imagination can run wild sometimes with a unique environment. Living in Dallas, I usually have ample fodder.

In fact, last Christmas, I indulged in a bit of fantasy at the fabulous Gaylord Texan Hotel. Surrounded by my family, I wandered the pathways, in and out of lighted displays, gingerbread houses, fabulous train set-ups, and cartoon characters.

This place is gorgeous anyway. Like an indoor river-walk with benches, trickling streams, lots of greenery. But at Christmas, it's one of the most festive treats!

While dawdling in the center of a large open area, used like a miniature amphitheater, I paused near a monstrous rotating Christmas tree. It was on a level above the "stage" where we stood and I could visualize possibilities.

I grabbed my redheaded daughter and pointed. "I can see a body falling out from under that tree. It's the guy who stayed late the night before to finish decorating."

She giggled. "You'll have to figure out why he was killed." Well, that shifted my gears into overdrive.

But before I could offer more on the story, she pointed to a tower on the edge of the stage. "Wouldn't that make a lovely place for a wedding?"

(I guess you can tell who the romantic of the family is!) We laughed about our different view points and wandered toward sweet hubby. He was leaning over the rail at the other edge of the stage area. We told him about our thoughts on the Christmas tree and the tower.

"So what are you thinking?" dear daughter asked.

He leaned a little further over the rail. "I'm wondering if there are any fish in that stream down there." (There were, by the way.)

Cracked me up. I guess, while location is still important, it's the filters that we use to give it meaning.

Your Turn: Have you recently visited some place that stimulated your imagination?

From Marji

Check out the review page next week where I'll be reviewing Margaret Brownley's latest historical suspense, Undercover Bride.

I loved her most recent book of this series, Petticoat Detective, and I can't wait to finish this one.

See my full review at the Review Page on Monday. And while you're there, leave a comment to win Elizabeth Goddard's Wilderness Peril!

MOTIVE FOR MURDER in Review

From a sultry small town in interior Florida, Carol J. Post pens a mystery laced with suspense and Spanish moss.

Jessica Parker returns to her hometown of Harmony Grove to deal with her estranged sister's suicide, but she's as unwanted as a moderately successful, grown woman as she was as the troubled teen with a chip on her shoulder when she fled eight years before. The curious details of her sister's death, however, command that she remain and unravel the thick camouflage that covers a sinister plot. While her presence causes some in town to wish her gone, her intent causes others to wish her dead.

Check out the entire review at the Suspense Sisters review page!

SABOTAGED in Review!

Senior Reviewer Marji Laine reviews Dani Pettrey's newest book, the final installment in the Alaskan Courage series.

"Dani Pettrey is at the top of her game with Sabotaged. What a great way to end this series. I can't wait to see what she's up to next!"

See the full review at the Suspense Sister review page!