So many cool books to tell you about this month! Some are departures–new things from established authors–and some are debuts, and some are just cool. PARANORMAL/SUPERNATURAL THE NAME OF THE STAR THE SHATTERING AFTER OBSESSION DRINK, SLAY, LOVE THE NAME OF THE STAR by Maureen Johnson (9/29/11 from Putnam) This one doesn’t come out until the end of the month, but I’m looking forward to it. Johnson’s voice is always engaging, but never fluffy. The Name of the Star looks very genre friendly: Louisiana teen Rory starts boarding school in London the same day that brutal, Jack the Ripper copycat murders start, sending terror across the city. Rory is the only witness–literally, because only she can see the mysterious man the police consider the prime suspect. Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police (!!) and her own abilities… which make her the killer’s next target. Ghosts, mystery, murder, humor and romance, all in an Ripper-iffic thriller. Who can resist that? It’s like she wrote this book with me in mind! THE SHATTERING by Karen Healey (9/5/11 from Little Brown). Keri is a planner, but she doesn’t know how to handle her older brother’s sudden suicide. When her…
Harmony Series #3 June 2011 On Sale: June 2, 2011 Featuring: Gracie Temple 320 pages ISBN: 1602607826 EAN: 9781602607828 Trade Size $12.99 Add to Wish List Christian, Inspirational Fiction MysteryBuy at Amazon.com Settle in for a trip to the simpler life… Simple Choices by Nancy Mehl Will a Missing Mennonite Teen End Gracie’s Hopes for a Happy Future in Harmony? Can Love Overcome Evil in the Mennonite Town of Harmony, Kansas? Can graphic designer Gracie Temple have it all: the big city life and a job at a successful advertising firm? Just when she feels life coming together she receives an unknown uncle’s inheritance in a quiet Kansas Mennonite community. The house comes with a dark legacy and a cast of interesting neighbors, including farmer Sam Goodrich. Can Gracie shake off the dust of this town or will its secret charms pull her in to stay? A perfect blend of suspense, romance and faith-building inspiration Previous Picks
I love romantic suspense, reading and writing it. There’s just something about two people falling in love in the midst of danger and chaos that I find fascinating. Writing the story to make it both romantic and suspenseful can be a challenge. It can also be a struggle to make the reader believe that once the danger has passed, the hero and heroine will stay together forever and the HEA is authentic. Even if the story was a good or fun read, if I close the book not completely sure of that happy-ending, I’m not going to be fully satisfied. Something else that can be a challenge is creating a convincing, believable villain—one who is a worthy foe for the hero and heroine to pursue. In SWEET JUSTICE, my September 6 release, the villain was an interesting one to develop. The hero, Seth Cavanaugh and the heroine, Honor Stone, are both competent professionals. Seth is a former cop; Honor is a former FBI agent. These two are savvy and experienced—experts in pursuing and apprehending criminals. The villain needed to be a good match for them. With two such proficient people, I knew the villain would have to be someone truly…