Your novel, THE BUCHAREST DOSSIER, takes place in 1989 in Romania. Why choose that time and place for your story? What’s your inspiration? By December of 1989, the satellite countries of the Soviet Union had transitioned to democracy through their own versions of a “velvet,” peaceful revolution. All except one: Romania. Its leader, Nicolae Ceausescu, was a Stalinist tyrant who held the country in a tight grip through the use of his dreaded secret police, the Securitate. Romania would become the only former Soviet satellite to have a violent revolution, resulting in over 1,200 deaths, though exact numbers are still not available. And to this day, the people of Romania are still asking whether it was truly a popular revolution, or a coup directed by outside forces. Having been born in Romania, that period of history intrigued me. I have visited Romania many times, both during the communist years and afterward. I believe I can provide an accurate depiction of life under a totalitarian regime both from personal experience and through the eyes of relatives and friends who still live there. I think that in today’s world, it would be enlightening for the public to see what a totalitarian regime…

In MOUNTAIN MURDER INVESTIGATION, your hero is an academic and your heroine is a cop. Was that an interesting dynamic to write? A lot of times, in stories with a cop hero, he tries (with good intentions but also often annoying) to direct the heroine he wants to protect. Does Aiden find it difficult taking his lead from Raven when it comes to his protection? Or do they more so work together? Great question! Going into the story, I didn’t anticipate any issues. I quickly realized it was going to be a challenge to find balance in their relationship. I’m used to writing take-charge heroes, and I didn’t want to portray Aiden as weak. On the flip side, I couldn’t discount that Raven is the professional. Because Aiden respects her position and experience, he follows her guidance. He’s very protective of her, however—she is the love of his life, the one he walked away from in order to keep safe. He is more concerned with her wellbeing than his own. I hope readers come away satisfied with Aiden and Raven’s journey back to each other and the love they thought lost forever.     Based on the book description for…

The heroes in your romantic suspense novels seem to be former military, alpha types. What inspires you about these types of heroes? I’ve always been attracted to a man in uniform. There’s just something about them that seems to scream integrity and heroic. Now, I know that’s not always true, but it makes for a great romance! I also married my own man in military (Mr. Stoker was in the Army for 21 years!)   Since so many of your heroes are uber-tough, are there certain qualities you try and incorporate into all your heroines? I happen to think all of us are way tougher than we give ourselves credit for. The things life throws at us can be horrific, sad, scary, and all sorts of other emotions. I write stories where the heroines act in ways I’d LIKE to act if I was ever in one of the situations, I put them though (But I have a feeling I would fall way short!). I’d love for all my readers to see their inner strength in themselves through my characters.   What is your favorite aspect of a novel to write – action scenes, relationship/romance, descriptive, or dialogue? As a…

In RILEY, your heroine Regina is threatened by some unknown creep. In some romantic suspense books I’ve read, the author gives the perspective of the unknown villain, in addition to the hero and heroine’s. Do you do that in your book? In most of them, yes. RILEY was written as a category romances ages ago, and back then, we were only allowed two perspectives. Once I left category, I had more freedom, and I love exploring the “bad guys” in depth. Additionally, sometimes the bad guys aren’t so bad. Sometimes they redeem themselves, or they soften – and occasionally those changes happen without my input. I’m very much guided by my characters. The way I create a story is that I sit down and start writing and the characters do what they want. shrug So far, it’s worked for me, thank goodness. When things happen, I’m often as surprised as the reader.   Is it difficult maintaining the tension or threat of danger throughout the book? Do you try to evenly balance the action and suspense with the romance and one or two lighter moments? Again, honestly, I don’t know how any of it works. I don’t deliberately set up…

What inspired you to write this story? It kind of hit me in one of those “bolt of lightning” moments. I realized I probably had more in common with Mary Bennet than Lizzy. Not super into formal balls? Yup. Awkward about new people? Definitely. Once I started looking closer at Mary, I saw someone who was desperately trying to figure out her place and just totally unsure of how to go about that. I mean, same, girl. My Mary – Marnie Barnes – came sidling into my brain fully formed, and I had to write her story.   Is it difficult to balance making a character realistically flawed while still making them the hero of their own story? I’ve read books or watched films in which the writer clearly wanted to make the main character very “real”, but never let them catch a break. For a lot of people life is a series of minor tragedies and victories. Ha! Yes, it is! The fact is, I was starting with who Mary was in P&P as my jumping off point. She couldn’t be too charming or confident or warm at the beginning or she wouldn’t be Mary. Marnie makes a ton…

Your new book, ENSNARED BY THE ALIEN MEDIC, is the third book in your Ragrim Conflict sci-fi romance series. Can it be read as a standalone? Yes, it does require the reader to have a basic familiarity with the Mars Needs Women/Bride Program tropes, but that’s about it. Mars Needs Women is at its core, where an alien species needs women to repopulate. The Bride Program trope kind of branches off MNW in that it has an actual set up program to get human women for the aliens and they aren’t just being kidnapped.     I love alien romance stories and I have oodles of questions. For readers, like me, new to the series – what are the basics of your Ragrim Conflict world? I’m trying to avoid spoilers for the first two books, but humans have pretty much tanked Earth’s biosphere and climate. The weather is strong and unpredictable, food security is a thing of the past, and while humans are trying to turn things around, it’s a slow slog. Then the Ralothians came. The gold-skinned alien pirates started plucking human women off Earth, and the only thing protecting Earth from a full invasion was the fact that…

How would you describe your book SLEEPING DOGS LIE to readers who may be unfamiliar with your books? As a cozy mystery fan, a lot of times the cover design will give me a clue to whether a book is a fun cozy mystery or more on the suspense or thriller end of the spectrum. Your cover suggests that it’s not a cozy, but the description can be taken a few different ways. It’s not a cozy mystery, I’d describe it as a mystery-thriller. There is definitely a mystery element to the story, but I think it ultimately lands more on the thriller end of that spectrum.   Is this book part of a larger series, or a standalone story? This is a standalone story.   When I’m debating about picking up a mystery, I often want to know a little bit more about the protagonist. What can you tell me about the protagonist in SLEEPING DOGS LIE? Shelby is a twenty-something dog walker in an upscale Bay Area neighborhood. She takes her job seriously and has a genuine love for dogs. When she finds one of her clients dead, she immediately calls the police and becomes quite involved with…

The description says that your book SISTERS OF NIGHT AND FOG is “based on the extraordinary true stories of an American socialite and a British secret agent”. Were the names kept the same? What can you tell readers about any research you did for this historical novel? Are you a history buff? I’m a huge history buff, and all my novels are an excuse to keeping writing the research papers I always loved in school. In SISTERS OF NIGHT AND FOG, the names of the women were kept the same, and I tried to keep as close to the true, findable history as possible. (I disclose any deviations in the Author’s Note.) From memoir, to biography, to online archives, including the US Holocaust Memorial Museum and the Violette Szabo Museum, there was a wealth from which to draw. I already had a strong base in the research of the time because of my previous novel, THE INVISIBLE WOMAN – about SOE/OSS agent, Virginia Hall – but I had to go deeper. One of the most valuable components of my process is talking to living family members or friends of my protagonists, when possible. I was able to do so, and…

Jen Vido: What inspired THE SHOP ON ROYAL STREET, the first book in the spin-off series based on the New York Times bestselling Tradd Street novels? Karen White:  Back in 2005, when I first started thinking about writing my first series, I wanted to set it in one of my favorite Southern cities—one with lots of history, gorgeous architecture, and—of course—ghosts!  Because I had attended Tulane University for four years, I was already familiar with New Orleans so it was an obvious choice.  But then Hurricane Katrina came along and changed direction for that first series that eventually became the seven-book Tradd Street series set in Charleston.  Seventeen years later, it was hard to close the door too permanently on those characters or the ghostly elements.  It was natural to think spin-off, with fan-favorite character Nola Trenholm leading the new cast, and to return to the original setting of New Orleans.  And that is how The Shop on Royal Street was born!   Jen: Why did you select New Orleans as the backdrop for this new series? Do you have a connection to The Big Easy? Karen:  I spent four of my formative years in The Big Easy while in…

Q: For readers who may be unfamiliar with it, tell me a little about your “Buckhorn, Montana” series. What makes the stories so compelling? A: I have readers who could probably tell you better than me. But I think it’s the characters in this small, isolated town in the middle of Montana. They’re quirky to say the least and yet they are familiar like people you’ve known. The books center on two characters who find each other and love against all odds – the odds usually being a mystery that must be solved for them to survive. But the series also peeks into the lives, hopes and dreams of the residents of Buckhorn. It’s fun to follow their stories even from a distance. Q: In your latest book, BEFORE BUCKHORN, your two characters – Jasper and Darby – have a history together. Do you particularly enjoy writing “second-chance-at love” stories? A: I definitely do, especially this one. Jasper just wants to be left alone. Then this woman (who he spent a very memorable night with at college) moves to town, she doesn’t seem to remember their night together, but he sure does (of course, she remembers). She drags him –…