Jennifer Vido: What inspired you to write THE WEDDING VEIL? Kristy Woodson Harvey: I was putting a veil on my cousin’s head—the veil that I had worn, many members of my husband’s family had worn, and several friends had worn as well—before her wedding, and it occurred to me how the veil connected the many women who had worn it. As I so often do, I thought, That’s a book! And here we are!   Jen: What was the most fascinating bit of history you discovered about the Biltmore during the writing process? Kristy: Well, honestly, that first spark of inspiration might have been my favorite! I was considering writing about a real, historical wedding veil, and, after a recent trip to Biltmore, I was very interested in Edith Vanderbilt and all the amazing things she did with her life. A quick Google search showed that the wedding veil she had worn, her mother and sisters had worn and her daughter Cornelia worn had disappeared. I knew immediately that was the framework for my story.   Jen: What does the wedding veil represent to Julia Baxter and her family? Kristy: For Julia’s family the veil is a symbol of long,…

Your new historical novel, GIRLS OF FLIGHT CITY, is set in the 1940s. What inspired you to write a story set in this time and this particular place? My mom grew up outside of London when the bombs were falling. Listening to her tales growing up, I’ve always been fascinated by this time period. When I read an article about a woman tending to the British cemetery in Terrell, TX – the town where my dad graduated from high school – I became intrigued by the history of British pilots coming to Terrell to learn how to fly. It was one of 6 schools across the south that trained pilots for Britain. When I discovered women played a large role in training the pilots, I saw the potential for sharing this remarkable part of our history.   How much research went into this book? Extensive research went into writing this book. In addition to brushing up on my WWII history, I read books about the history of the schools and how the U.S. got involved in training British pilots. I researched the history of women pilots and the bias they faced. Then I needed a general understanding of aircraft used…

In TO MARRY A HIGHLANDER, the hero and heroine are made to marry after being found in a somewhat compromising situation. As a romance fan, I like that trope because it’s a quick way of getting two people together who otherwise might not. As a writer, what do you like about using that trope? I like using that trope because sometimes the characters do want to be together, but there is something holding them back. In To Marry a Highlander, that’s what the situation is. Maura has always had a fancy for Conall, but he has such a reputation with the lasses, that she fears if they ever married, he would break her heart.   Your hero’s reputation with women precedes him in this book, and cause trouble in one way or another. How would you describe him to readers? As the younger brother of the Laird of Sutherland, and right hand man to the laird, Conall holds a prominent place in the Clan. He is tall, slender, but all muscle. His long brown hair is tied back with a strip of leather. He uses his deep blue eyes, mesmerizing smile, good looks, and charm to pursue the lasses, who…

Your novel, THE UNQUIET DEAD, is set during the Gilded Age. What is it about that time period that has inspired you? Will you write novels set in other time periods? When I first decided to write A DEADLY FORTUNE, the first book in the Amelia Matthew series (THE UNQUIET DEAD being the second), there was never any question but that I would set it in the Gilded Age. The Victorian/Gilded Age is far and away my favorite time period to read, so it made sense that I gravitated there for writing as well. I think there’s something so evocative about that time period. It’s far enough in the past to feel somewhat exotic, but it’s also comfortably modern in a lot of ways. The people and their motivations feel recognizable to readers. I have ideas for novels set in other time periods, so I’m sure I’ll get around to them eventually. I have part of a WWII book drafted, and a few notes for a book set in the Civil War-era western US.   I love stories with paranormal elements, or about different types of extrasensory perception. What made you decide to give your female protagonist the ability to…

I started reading your Happy Camper series with the second book. I loved the book and I like your amateur sleuth, Zo Jones. I think for a cozy mystery author, it must be difficult creating protagonists who finds themselves involved in murder investigations and inquisitive, without making them obnoxiously so. And I say that as somebody who adores cozy mysteries and the variety of amateur sleuths. Is it difficult to keep finding reasons for Zo to be involved in murder investigations? Thank you for reading! I’m so glad you enjoyed MIDNIGHT SPELLS MURDER. I, too, often read out of order, and honestly, I don’t mind because I think a series usually gets better with time. It is hard to find viable reasons for Zo to be involved in murder. It’s the burden of an amateur sleuth, I suppose. But Zo has many interests, including her Happy Camper shop, her stargazing club, and her newspaper column. Plus she’s incredibly curious. I don’t have to look too far to find a reason for her to get involved in a crime.   Another thing I like about this series are the friends and supporting characters. Do you have that support system for the…

Is it soon apparent in TOUGH JUSTICE who the bad guys are, and the challenge is just finding out how to stop them? Or is part of the mystery uncovering who’s behind it all? Personally, I like a good mystery, and it seems like most readers feel the same. Makes for a good page-turner. Rather than give too much away up front, I’ve done my best to try and keep readers guessing. So, part of the mystery in this story is figuring out who the bad guys are. What do you like about writing romantic suspense? Writing RS allows me to combine elements of my work experience and the interesting (and often quirky!) people I’ve encountered throughout my career, with my love of romance. It seemed like a natural fit for me. Since you have your other Federal K-9 series, I’m wondering what inspires you to write about K-9 agents specifically? Honestly, writing K-9 books was not my brainchild. I have to give credit where it’s due. I owe it all to my very first editor, Karen Grove. I’d just finished the last of my NYPD Blue & Gold series, and we were brainstorming over what I should write next. Karen…

The hero in your book AN UNEXPECTED COWBOY is, no surprise, a cowboy. What do you enjoy about a cowboy hero? As a young reader, I transitioned from Louis L’Amour’s westerns to western romances, so I’ve always loved a cowboy hero. (The romanticized version, of course.) My husband and I enjoy western movies and shows (Yellowstone!), but most of my books are set in New England and cowboys are hard to come by here. There’s something about a man who works hard, plays hard, though, and the hats and boots don’t hurt. (And neither do the snug, faded jeans.) I think many of us have internalized cowboys as a blend of the wild west but with a strong sense of right and wrong, along with old-fashioned chivalry toward women. When I was making notes for the first book in the series and the hero went to the University of Montana, I realized I had the perfect opportunity to bring a cowboy to New England. The fish-out-of-water element was so much fun to play with.   Mallory, the heroine in your story, is a single mother. Can it be challenging writing child characters? It’s very challenging! Making them authentic characters (rather…

First, I just want to say that I love this book’s cover! AB: I do too. It fits the atmosphere of the story so well.   As somebody unfamiliar with this series, when I first glanced at the cover and skimmed the description, I assumed the series was primarily a fantasy series. After looking at the description again, I find there are some murder mystery elements as well. How would you describe this book for readers unfamiliar with this series? AB: CROWBONES and LAKE SILENCE, the previous book set in that part of the Others’ world, could be described as urban fantasy cozy mysteries. I was playing with the idea of what a cozy mystery – amateur sleuth(s) finding dead bodies and helping the police solve the crime – would be like in a world ruled by the supernatural beings, and the stories set in the area around Lake Silence are the result. The first five books in that world (the Lakeside Courtyard stories) are urban fantasy. WILD COUNTRY, set in another location in that world, was written over the template of the old Westerns with sheriffs, gamblers, and outlaws. Of course, when the sheriff is a shifter Wolf and…

Your book, THUNDERSTRUCK, is the first book in your new “Thunderbird Brotherhood” series. Do you know how many books you plan on writing for the series?   At this point, there’s going to be four more books for the Thunderbirds, but I’m hoping to do spinoff books for some of the wolves I’ll be introducing in future books, as well as some of the witches which get introduced in book two.   Or are you just planning to see how it goes? Well, that’s always a possibility. In my case, what I plot out and what actually transpires are usually very different. It’s like fighting with an alternate personality, only it’s the characters in your head demanding things of you. So who knows. LOL   Will each book feature a different couple? At this point, yes. But I could see maybe writing another one with Reseda and Kane, which you’ll understand why after reading book two.   How would you describe the dynamic between Reseda and Kane? They’re very push and pull. They feed off each other, taking and giving without even knowing it. They have a lot of banter which was so much fun to write because of who…

Danielle Jackson: Welcome to Fresh Fiction, Jesse! We are big fans of your Aunties series and are so excited to celebrate the release of FOUR AUNTIES AND A WEDDING – congrats! What has been the most surprising thing about your publishing journey so far?   Jesse Q. Sutanto:  Oh gosh, to be honest, EVERYTHING has been surprising about my publishing journey! My first book deal, THE OBSESSION, was a humble deal. Everything was about as typical as it went. My second book deal, THEO TAN AND THE FOX SPIRIT, was slightly larger, but still pretty average. Then the following month I sold DIAL A FOR AUNTIES and things just exploded. Suddenly, I was having calls with producers and giant studios, all of whom were clamoring to buy the rights to the TV/film adaptation. It was the kind of story where, if an aspiring author were to say she dreams of having that kind of road to publication, she’d be laughed out of the room because it’s just so ridiculous!   Wedding planning is already a feat, but with her vivacious and nosy aunties “helping,” things quickly get out of hand for Meddy. Were there any aspects of wedding planning and…