THIS WEEK ON THE SUSPENSE SISTERS!

It’s another great week on the Suspense Sisters!

From Marji:

This week Brittany McEuen reviews Rocky Mountain Pursuit by Mary Alford. Brittany says: “Rocky Mountain Pursuit was truly action-packed! It seemed that danger was always just around the corner (or a little ways down the mountain) giving Jase and Reyna only short opportunities to catch their breath before they had to continue trying to reach safety.”

Read the rest of this great review here.

On Tuesday, Dana Mentink will share What’s Hot in Inspirational Suspense and Mystery!

On Wednesday be sure to check out a great post from Suspense Sister Roxanne Rustand!

Friday, we’ll hear from Suspense Sister Mary Ellis! Don’t miss this! She’ll be giving away a copy of one of her new books!

 

That’s what’s happening this week on the Suspense Sisters! Don’t miss a single day. Sign up through email so you’ll get updates in the exciting world of inspirational suspense and mystery!

The Suspense Sisters! We love books!

INTERVIEW: Cozy Mystery Author Kylie Logan

SS (Interviewer Mary Ellis): If you had to describe yourself in one sentence, what would you say?

KL: I’m a writer with a career that allows me to kill people legally. 

SS: What do you do when you’re not writing? Any interesting hobbies?

 

KL: I don’t know how interesting they are to anyone but me, but I enjoy weaving and knitting.  I’m also a sucker for cemeteries—the older the better--and am always anxious to explore them.  I love the combination of history, art, architecture.  And of course as a writer, I look at names and dates on tombstones and on family gravestones clustered together and I always think of stories!  I’m also interested in family history and am the keeper of genealogy for both my family and my husband’s.  I volunteer at our local county archives which gives me plenty of chances to immerse myself in old pictures, records and documents.  It’s great fun! 

SS: What was your favorite book as a teen or child?

KL: Hmmm…favorite is tough because I have so many favorites!  As a child I remember reading “Island of the Blue Dolphin” and loving it.  As a teen, I started reading Dorothy Dunnett’s fabulous Lyman books as well as Mary Stewart and of course, Arthur Conan Doyle. 

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

KL: Gosh, I wish there was something surprising about me!  Maybe the surprise is that there isn’t one!  I think I’m pretty normal except for my tendency to plot murder and mayhem at the oddest times like at cocktail parties and business meetings.  But then, maybe that’s not a surprise to anyone who’s attended those sorts of things. 

SS: What genre did you start out writing? Have you changed course? Why or why not? 

KL: I started my career writing historical romance.  At the time, I didn’t know a thing about markets, but I had a story in my head, and the more I learned about how to get it published, the more I realized it was what the industry called historical romance.  I love history and I really enjoy research, so this was a natural to me.  I ended up writing more than a dozen historicals as well as some contemporary romance.  I’ve also written YA and a children’s book, but my first love has always been mystery.  For many years, I talked myself out of writing mystery because I thought I wasn’t clever enough to pull off the clues and the plots twists and the red herrings.  Finally I realized that like anything else in life, you don’t know if you can do it until you try.  Thirty mysteries later, I’m still writing what I love! 

SS: What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment? 

KL I don’t know if it’s the toughest criticism, but the one I heard the most back when I was writing historical romance was that my books were too plot heavy.  At the time, it stung, but eventually, that criticism helped nudge me toward writing mysteries.  Mysteries are all about plot and knowing I was a plot lover made me realize I was writing in the wrong genre. As for compliments . . . I never get tired of hearing from readers who enjoy my work.  I remember once getting an email from a reader who confessed she’d taken my book to work, and had read it at red lights during her commute!  This is not something I recommend, but it was nice to hear that I’d hooked this reader and that she couldn’t put the book down. 

SS: Any other genres you’d like to try? If yes, what and why? 

KL: I’ve always been fascinated with short stories and I’ve never written one.  I like the way short stories pack so much into so little room and how they often surprise and amaze right there at the end.  Maybe someday . . . 

 

SS: If you could go back in time and do something differently at the start of your career, what would it be?

 

KL: A million things!  Really.  But then, that’s what growing and learning is all about, isn’t it?  None of us is the person we were five or ten or twenty years ago.  We change because life teaches us lessons.  Every day, we understand our world in a different way.  I can’t even begin to list the things I’d do differently, because there are so many.  I do know that if I’d done one or two or three things in a different way, I wouldn’t be where I am now, I’d be in some other place.  Is that a good thing or a bad thing?  I’ll never know. 

SS: What is the most important piece of advice you’d like to give to unpublished authors? 

KL: Think about what you’re trying to accomplish.  Why do you want to write?  If you want to leave your memories for your family, that’s great, and that’s one kind of writing.  Do you want to self-publish?  That’s a whole other thing, and something I don’t know very much about.  I do know that if you’re looking to publish commercially with a traditional publisher, never forget that this is a business.  We’re not talking art here or vision or dreams though all of that certainly goes into the mix.  We’re talking business.  Publishers are businesses, they need to make money to keep their doors open.  Know your markets.  Target your writing.  Do your homework. 

SS: Tell us about yourself...

Kylie Logan is the bestselling author of the League of Literary Ladies mysteries, the Chili Cook-Off mysteries and now, the Ethnic Eats mysteries.  She is a lifelong resident of Ohio and both the League series and Ethnic Eats are set in her home state.  The newest League book (#4), "And Then There Were Nuns," was published in March.  In addition to writing cozy mysteries as Kylie, she writes the Pepper Martin paranormal mysteries as Casey Daniels.  Book #10 in that series, "Graveyard Shift" will be published this fall.  Kylie is a founding member of the Northeast Ohio chapter of Sisters in Crime, a lover of cemeteries, and can't think of a better way to make a living than killing people off--and not getting arrested for it!
 
SS: Tell us about your new mystery, Irish Stewed, about to released on May 3rd:

KL: Murder on the menu....after flopping as a personal chef to a Hollywood movie star, jobless Laurel Inwood finds herself humbled in Hubbard, Ohio, helping her aunt Sophie run her restaurant. Much to Laurel’s dismay, Sophie’s Terminal on the Tracks is not the cozy bistro her aunt would have had her believe—it’s a run-down greasy spoon in an old railroad station. To save the dingy diner, Laurel cooks up a plan to feature alternating ethnic cuisine as specials. But first there’s the problem of the body in the booth. Slumped over a table with a receipt spike in his back is Jack Lancer—”the Lance of Justice”—an investigative reporter for local TV news. Assisted by the drop-dead gorgeous owner of the neighboring Irish store—who may or may not be a suspect—Laurel sets out to track down a killer who had no reservations about impaling a newshound. But as she turns up the heat, will she end up in the soup herself?
  Irish Stewed can be pre-booked at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Irish-Stewed-Ethnic-Eats-Mystery/dp/0425274888/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1460329395&sr=1-1&keywords=irish+stewed

Please leave a comment for Kylie, along with your email address, to be entered in a drawing for a print copy. US readers only, please.

Life's a Beach...unless you live in a suspense novel!

Oh sure, the beach sounds lovely and relaxing, doesn't it? Unless you're living in a suspense novel! In my imagination, I've been hanging out in Monterey, enjoying the gorgeous California coastline...and dodging potential killers, for my newest release Seaside Secrets. It's an occupational hazard. We fiction writers always imagine what is the worst possible thing that can happen in any given setting. Crazy isn't it? While other folks are collecting shells or building sandcastles, I'm looking at the drainage pipe thinking, "Could I hide from a killer in there?" Terrible huh?

Here's a quick blurb from Seaside Secrets.

Navy chaplain Angela Gallagher wants to put the past behind her, but she's still haunted by the wartime death of her assistant. So when his brother claims he's in danger and pleads for her to use her family's private detective company's resources to help him stay alive, she can't turn him down. But someone will stop at nothing—even murder—to keep her from revealing their secrets. 

So while I've got beaches on the brain, what's the coolest beach you've ever been to? We love Natural Bridges in Santa Cruz where the Monarchs stop during their migration and, of course, Coronado which has an ice skating rink right on the beach in December! Giving away a copy of Seaside Secrets to one lucky winner! 

Hot new inspy suspense for spring!

Sister Eve and the Blue Nun (A Divine Private Detective Agency Mystery #2)

Lynne Hinton

(May 2016)

After a murder at the monastery, Sister Eve may need a miracle if she is to prove a dear friend isn’t a cold-blooded killer.

What Happened on Beale Street (Secrets of the South Mysteries #2)

Mary Ellis

(April 2016)

A cryptic plea for help from a childhood friend sends Nate and Nicki Price to Memphis. At Danny Andre's last known address, they find signs of a struggle and a lifestyle not in keeping with the former choirboy they fondly remember...

THIS WEEK ON THE SUSPENSE SISTERS!

It’s another great week on the Suspense Sisters!

From Marji:

This week we’re reviewing TAILSPIN by Elizabeth Goddard. Marji says: “Don't forget to breathe as you read Tailspin by Elizabeth Goddard! You might even need to take your blood pressure half-way through to make sure it isn't going too high!” Read the rest of the review HERE!

On Tuesday, Dana Mentink will share What’s Hot in Inspirational Suspense and Mystery!

On Wednesday we’ll hear from Dana again! Don’t miss our special posts on Wednesdays and Thursdays. You’ll not only learn something special, you could win a great prize!

Friday, we’re interviewing cozy mystery author Kylie Logan. She’s giving away a copy of her upcoming novel, IRISH STEWED!  

That’s what’s happening this week on the Suspense Sisters! Don’t miss a single day. Sign up through email so you’ll get updates in the exciting world of inspirational suspense and mystery!

The Suspense Sisters! We love books!

INTERVIEW: Romantic Suspense Author Mary Alford

 SS (Interviewer E.E. Kennedy) : When did you realize you wanted to be an author?

MA: I’d say I realized I wanted to be a writer when I was a pre-teen. For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved to read just about anything I could get my hands on. As a child, I discovered Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys and was hooked on suspense. As a preteen, I found Phyllis Whitney and Victoria Holt and knew in my heart of hearts that romantic suspense was what I wanted to write.

I wrote my first book as a pre-teen, but didn’t really pursue writing seriously until about fourteen years ago. During that time period though, I fine-tuned my writing and found myself drawn to inspirational romantic suspense. Then, in 2012, I entered the Speed Dating contest hosted by Love Inspired Suspense and later received “the call” that I’d sold Forgotten Past, my first LIS book. I truly felt like a writer for the first time and it was a dream come true. It’s still hard to believe at times.    

SS: Your books seem to have a good sense of place. Are you familiar with the Rockies or with Maine? What made you choose these locations?

MA: I am very familiar with the Rockies. My husband and I took a trip there about fifteen years ago and fell in love with the mountains. We bought a small cabin at the foothills of the Southern Rockies. I love that the mountains have a way of creating their own weather. The day can go from sunny a warm to dark and foreboding in a matter of no time. A great backdrop for a suspense book. In Forgotten Past well, I’ve never been to Maine before but have read about it and it is on my must see list. The rugged coastline of Maine made the perfect setting for a killer stalking his prey.   

SS: Fear and danger are integral parts of your books. Imagination or experience?

MA: Imagination and probably too much time reading suspense books and watching ID TV. The fear and danger my characters face is the same challenges we as human’s deal with on a much lesser scale. We may not be facing a killer bent on ending our lives, but we each have things we’re afraid of and keep us awake at night. Our own set of monsters so to speak.   

SS: Another either/or question: Outliner or pantser?

MA: Pantser. I’ve tried being the outliner type, but I just don’t operate that way.

SS: Do you have any favorite author(s) who have inspired you?
MA: Along with Phyllis Whitney and Victoria Holt, I love inspirational romantic suspense authors such as Susan Sleeman and Shirlee McCoy. These women are great at weaving suspense, inspiration and an amazing love story into each of their books.

SS: Everyone always asks, so we will, too: Are your characters based on people you know? Which ones?
MA: Certain characteristics of people I know find their way into my books. For instance, most of my characters drink coffee. That’s all me. I love coffee, what can I say? But for the most part, my characters are totally made up.   

SS: Here’s another question that everyone asks: Where do you get your ideas?

MA: Most of my ideas start from something I’ve seen or read about. From there, the story begins to take fruition in my head. I let it simmer for a while until I’ve got a good outline worked out in my mind and then I grab my laptop and start writing. The idea for Rocky Mountain Pursuit came from my love of spy stories. I can’t get enough of espionage stories. I think it’s the danger, the drama, the intrigue attached to espionage that makes it so appealing to me. These people risk their lives daily to keep our country safe.  

SS: You write in Christian genres. What is the spiritual takeaway for your books? Is there a recurring theme?
MA: I think in all my books the spiritual takeaway is that no matter what we’re facing in life, no matter how dark the world around us may seem, we are never alone. God is right there with us through it all.  

SS: How do you mold your villains? They are very frightening!

MA: I think we all have “worst fear” villains hidden deep down in our inner psyche. Some of us fear the unknown. Someone stalking us. A killer on the loose. I like to take those fears and create villains who hide in plain sight. Like the people we know and trust. In Forgotten Past, the villain was the cousin she loved and trusted to protect her. Faith never saw the monster lurking inside her cousin until it was too late. In Rocky Mountain Pursuit, the villain is a former teammate as well as the woman our hero Jase Bradford had once been in love with.            

SS: Would you characterize your books as romantic suspense? Are there any other genres that you’d like to tackle?

MA: Yes, I guess I would consider my books to be romantic suspense because they contain equal parts of each. In addition, I also write inspirational contemporary romance, another one of my favorite genres to read.

SS: What are you working on now?

MA: I currently have a stand-alone inspirational suspense with my agent. It’s about two FBI agents searching for a serial killer. It is 85,000 words and delves into some interesting aspects of human nature. I am currently working on a second book featuring an FBI agent.  

SS: Do you enjoy research? Is there any research subject that you’ve found especially fascinating?

MA: I typically don’t go overboard on research, but it is something that is necessary to make the book believable. In Rocky Mountain Pursuit, well, loved researching the CIA and the spy angle of the book. It was fascinating for me.

SS: Okay, just for fun. Tell us three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.

MA: Hum, well, I’d say that my hubby and I used to raise Emus and Ostriches. I still can’t believe we did that. That I’m trying to teach myself the guitar, (It’s going very slowly…), and I’d love to do some gold panning on my next trip to Colorado. Oh, and I’d also love to write a children’s book one day. 

SS: What are your other interests besides writing?

MA: Music. I love playing the piano and as I’ve said, I’m learning the guitar very slowly. I also love gardening. I want to learn to make quilts as well. I also love doing crafts with my three granddaughters. They are very inspiring.  

SS: Tell us about your current release. When is it available, and where?

MA: Rocky Mountain Pursuit is available now at:

http://www.harlequin.com/storeitem.html?iid=62853

http://www.amazon.com/Rocky-Mountain-Pursuit-Inspired-Suspense-ebook/dp/B015MO40KO/ref=zg_bsnr_7259440011_8

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rocky-mountain-pursuit-mary-alford/1122293234?ean=9780373447237

And at most online booksellers. 

Rocky Mountain Pursuit is about former CIA Agent Jase Bradford who is forced to fake his own death and live under an alias because of something Jase and the rest of his Scorpion team witnessed while on a mission in Afghanistan. As one of the last members of the Scorpion team still alive, Jase lives a life of seclusion at his isolated mountaintop retreat. Then, Reyna Peterson shows up at his doorstep looking for him and his cover is blown. Things quickly escalate from there. Jase and Reyna are being tracked down because of some computer files Reyna’s deceased husband smuggled out of a war zone. With the enemy mere steps behind them, Jase and Reyna must stay alive long enough to figure out what is so important in the files that someone is willing to risk coming after them with great force to keep the contents secret.     

SS: What inspired the idea for this book?

MA: My love for spies. I think if I could have chosen a different career path it would have been a spy. I admire them greatly and appreciate their work.  

________________

Leave a comment for Mary along with your email address and you will be entered in a drawing for ane-book version of her latest release, Rocky Mountain Pursuit!