Welcome back to Fresh Fiction, Katie! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your latest novel, RISK IT ALL? It’s great to be back–thank you for having me! I write romantic suspense with funny bits (at least I hope they’re funny) set in the Colorado Rockies. In my latest book, RISK IT ALL (Rocky Mountain Bounty Hunters #2), we’re back with the bounty hunting Pax sisters and their felonious mom. All Cara Pax wants is to be a kindergarten teacher, but she somehow finds herself chasing after bail jumper and accused killer Henry Kavenski. As she gets swept up in the danger that surrounds Henry, she realizes that things are even more complicated than first appears, and she begins to wonder–is he innocent, or is she just a sucker for a gorgeous, protective skip?       RISK IT ALL is the second book in your Rocky Mountain Bounty Hunters series. What keeps you coming back to writing romantic suspense, and specifically set in this party of the country? The rugged, remote, and oftentimes dangerous mountains are the perfect setting for romantic suspense! While I lived there, I fell in love with the Colorado Rockies, as well as the interesting…

A knock on the door interrupted Molly’s perusal of the Colorado criminal statutes. Completely caught up in the sentencing guidelines that may be her mom’s future, she jumped at the sound. Warrant, on the other hand, didn’t even lift his head off the floor where he was sprawled out over an air-conditioning vent. Instead, his tail thumped lazily a few times before he fell back asleep. The dog’s reaction made Molly fairly certain of who was at the door. As she stood up, she swallowed a groan at the feel of her spine popping back into place. Glancing at the clock, she saw that she’d been hunched over her laptop for most of the afternoon. It was no wonder her body was protesting. After peeking through the peephole in the front door, she unlocked it and swung it open. “This is becoming a habit.” “What is?” John slipped past her, striding into the house as if he owned the place. Making a face and pretending that she wasn’t glad to see him, she closed and relocked the door. “You showing up on our doorstep uninvited.” “If you want me to leave, I can take this very valuable information and go.”…

Rocky Mountain Cowboy Christmas; Book 1 in the Rocky Mountain Cowboys series Exclusive Excerpt Why did this keep happening to her? Camille flattened herself against the toilet paper display, resisting the urge to thump her head against the rolls. There was a reason she only came to the Borne Market early on Sunday mornings, and that was because she didn’t want to be forced into awkward conversations with any of her neighbors. It helped that sixteen-year-old Kacey Betts worked the checkout on Sunday, and her focus stayed glued on her cell phone the entire time. Camille could slip in, buy what she needed, and slip right back out without having to make polite chitchat with anyone. Today, however, she and Kacey weren’t alone. Steve-freaking-Springfield was there. The last time she’d seen him, he’d sweetly helped her escape her “rescue.” She still hadn’t forgiven Mrs. Lin for sending everyone and their brother on a search for her. The whole situation had been mortifying, and that was with Steve’s help. If he hadn’t been there, it could’ve been so much worse. Camille’s stomach churned and her cheeks flushed at the thought of all that attention—and the potential additional humiliation. Now, though, she was…

He doesn’t always have to be the hero. I love when the hero’s there to help when he’s needed, but he also knows when to step back and trust that his love can handle the situation. It’s great getting rescued and all, but sometimes it’s more fun to be the one to rescue him. He’s shy. Confidence is hot, sure, but I have a soft spot for a rough and tough guy who gets a bit tongue-tied in the presence of his crush, especially if… He’s also secretly hilarious. If he makes me laugh, he’ll steal my heart. He’s really good at horseback riding. Whether he’s a cowboy or a Mountie, there’s just something about a man who knows what he’s doing on a horse. The tight pants don’t hurt, either. He loves animals. I mean, puppies and hot guys? Yes. Grumpy cats and hot guys? Yes. Rescued baby goats and hot guys? Yes. The combination of fuzzy animals and hot guys works every time. When someone steps in to help an animal in need (even if it’s just in need of snuggles), there’s really nothing more heroic (or more adorable) than that. SURVIVE THE NIGHT by Katie Ruggle Rocky…

The Delicious Heroes. Whether grouchy or funny, tough or sweet, romance heroes are the swooniest. Since my heroes tend to lean toward the grumpy side, chatty Hugh—the hero of the second book in my Rocky Mountain K9 Unit series—was a change for me. It made writing On the Chase so much fun, though, and it was probably good for me to get away from the brooding guys for a little while (although I’m sure I’ll be back—I do love a grump with squishy-soft insides). The Awesome Heroines. They may have their foibles and quirks, but the women in romance books battle through their insecurities and weaknesses to get things done! I love discovering the unexpected bad-assery in my heroines. It reminds me that we all have superhero strength inside of us, just waiting to emerge when we need to save the day. The Humor. I’m such a sucker for a good joke. When characters make me laugh, I fall in love with them a little (okay, a lot). Romances have so many opportunities for humor—after all, the only thing better than a chuckle is a chuckle followed by a sweetness-inspired aww. The Banter. Add a little sexual tension, and the…