Hi, Susan! Welcome back to Fresh Fiction. Please tell us about yourself and your latest book, THE PRICE OF VALOR.  My latest release, THE PRICE OF VALOR, is the final book in a trilogy about a man’s search for his wife…and ultimately, a quest to save his nation. The wife of Former Navy Seal, Hamilton Jones has been missing and presumed dead for over a decade. But when Ham discovers that she’s not only alive, but has vital information about the safety of America, he has to find her, get the information, bring her home, and maybe, just maybe, reignite their romance. It takes place in Italy, Minnesota, and finally, Washington D.C. Can you give us an overview of your Global Search and Rescue series? What do you love most about this action-packed world you’ve created?  The G-SAR series is bigger, bolder, and braver than my Montana Rescue series–sort of Rescue on steroids. First, my heroes tackle crazy scenarios–like rescuing a team of women off Denali. Or choosing to ride out a Cat 5 hurricane. Or running from a tsunami. But they also go global– from Alaska to the Florida Keys to Italy. And finally, they not only encounter challenges…

1–What’s the name of your latest release?  Point of Danger 2–What is it about?  When radio talk show host Eve Reilly finds herself in the sights of someone who wants her voice silenced, Detective Brent Lange must track down the unknown foe before he loses the woman who is willing to take risks for what she believes–and who is also stealing his heart. 3–What word best describes your main character(s)? Tenacious and brave  4–What makes your story relatable?  My heroine finds herself caught up in a very credible, dangerous situation, which ended up being more topical that I could ever have predicted when I started the book two years ago. I think readers will admire her courage and spunk and find much to like in both her and the hero. 5–Who are the people your main characters turn to when they need help?  This is book 1 in my Triple Threat series (note: each book can be read as a standalone), which features three sisters. I loved exploring the relationship they have. So Eve, my heroine, relies on her sisters for support and friendship. My hero has a best friend who serves as his confidante. But other than that, he’s…

Libby Kingsley is excited to begin her new job as a librarian in the small town of Heritage, Michigan. But when she arrives, she quickly realizes that the library is barely more than a small storage closet filled with outdated books. What the community really needs is a new library building.  When she learns the only funds available are already allocated for a new town square, she is determined to make the library part of the square. But, the landscape architect wants nothing to do with her or her plans. Austin Williams’ feelings for Heritage, Michigan, have been tainted by the town’s admiration for Nate–the brother who has already cost him so much. But, when the local media wants to showcase the brothers working together, Austin must put his feelings aside to save the family business. To make matters worse, the town’s new librarian wants to change his blueprints and his plans to leave town unattached. Will the determined bookworm find her way into his blueprints–and possibly even his heart? U – U is for Uniting Old Friends . . . In this second novel we return to Heritage with the opportunity to unite with old friends like Nate, Olivia,…

1–What’s the name of your latest release?  The Edge of Belonging 2–What is it about? The Edge of Belonging is a dual timeline story about a homeless man who finds an abandoned newborn. His greatest desire is to protect her from the experiences he had in foster care.  Twenty-four years later, Ivy goes back to her hometown to manage her grandmother’s estate sale and finds out that her grandmother left behind a way for her to learn about Ivy’s adoption. But, a key piece to the mystery is missing. 3–What word best describes your main character(s)? Harvey: Extreme Independence. Life has taught him that people aren’t to be trusted. But when he finds an abandoned newborn, it completely overturns his hermit’s way of life, and he starts to reevaluate if he really is incapable of being loved. Ivy: Searching. She suddenly becomes aware of just how fragile the life she was building for herself was. She finds herself going back to her roots to rediscover her sense of identity, but in the process discovers there’s a lot she doesn’t know about the people who raised her. 4–What makes your story relatable?  I think most of us can relate to craving…

1–What’s the name of your latest release?  Something Worth Doing published by Revell. The title comes from a definition of hope by Vaclav Havel, a writer and first president of the Czech Republic.    2–What is it about?  On the surface, it’s about an early suffragist in the northwest named Abigail Scott Duniway and her passion for improving the lives of women in a time when women were to be seen and not heard (1850s-1890s). At another level, it’s about a woman wanting both a career as a novelist (she wrote 22!) and newspaper owner and to be a faithful wife and mother (they had six children!) while maintaining her reputation in a time of great cultural change and the challenges those two goals can have. 3–What word best describes your main character(s)?  Resilient. 4–What makes your story relatable?  Many modern couples struggle with balancing family and callings, supporting each other while facing trials. Long-distance relationships are also prevalent now and Abigail often was away from her home for weeks at a time doing something worth doing. How that worked for them I think will be of interest to today’s readers. There’s also a bit of family tension as Abigail’s brother…

I opened my eyes, and once more I was sitting on a bench between the sweet neighborhood to my right and the bustling downtown to my left. The thoughts I’d recovered earlier crashed into my brain, and their rumbling fears with them. My heart rate spiked. I could feel beads of sweat collecting at my hairline. I had to control this. Deep breaths. Internalize the fear. See it, switch it off, stomp it out. I’d been trained to do so. Wasn’t that what Dr. Loveless had said? “You came back,” the small voice beside me said. I turned and saw the high ponytail and unicorn shirt. “You lied to me.” The girl’s face went sour. “Did not.” “You said you would show me the game.” “I did. It’s not my fault you lost.” Lucy, remember, this is your mind. You are safe. Dr. Loveless’s voice echoed like a whisper in my ears. I had to keep my brain trained on the truth of her words. “Are there more games like that one?” I asked the child. “Oh yeah, lots,” she said, her eyes widening. “Can you show me?” “Not until you win the first one.” Fear beat against my heart….

1–What’s the name of your latest release?  A Life Once Dreamed 2–What is it about? A Life Once Dreamed is the story of Agnes Pratt, who ran from her upper-class life to the rustic town of Penance six years ago. She’s a teacher who loves her students, her town and friends, but still wonders what might have been had she not left everything behind. When the new doctor arrives she’s forced to confront the past she ran from and to once again ask herself what she wants in the future. 3–What word best describes your heroine?  Stubborn, kind, resilient, loving and mysterious 4–What makes your hero irresistible?  He’s determined, has a heart that’s fully committed, is stubborn about the right things and is willing to make a fool of himself for the girl he loves. 5–Who are the people your main characters turn to when they need help?  The people of Penance are loyal to each other. My main character’s closest friends are Minnie (a loud mouth with a good heart) and Hannah (a quiet gentle soul). 6–What do you love about the setting of your book?  The Black Hills are secluded and such a contrast from the world Agnes…

Hi everyone! Yes, I’m back, posting for Fresh Fiction. So honored to be here and talk about Acceptable Risk. The new book was a tough one to write. But while it was hard, it was also fun. Eventually. And enlightening. Every book I write requires tons of research and I think that’s part of why I like writing so much. I get to learn about all kinds of occupations and meet some of the people who work in them. I’ve found that most people are eager to talk about their jobs–especially people in service work. Doctors, EMS workers, police, military, and so on. They’re happy–even passionate–about what they do and want writers to get it right in the books. They’re also a tight-knit community that comes together to support one another even when no one else does. In Acceptable Risk, my heroine, Sarah Denning , is a military journalist for the Army and is someone who often puts herself at risk to get the story. However, it only takes one thing to go wrong in Afghanistan and she finds herself in the hands of terrorists. Gavin Black is the hero in the story and he’s military through and through. He’s…

Or  . . . falling in love while in imminent danger. See what I did there? I’ve been reading romantic suspense since I was in my early teens. Romance, really, but I found myself drawn to stories with suspense and mystery elements. Romance and suspense can show up in not only contemporary stories, but mystery, historical, fantasy and science fiction novels too. I love when danger and tension drives the two main characters together. The protective hero. The strong, determined heroine. Both of them together facing off with a worthy villain. Now decades later I have the most amazing job in the world because I get to write romantic suspense for a living. Admittedly, writing in this genre comes with challenges. For one, there’s the ticking time bomb issue. How does one fall in love when in imminent danger? Have you ever read a romance and felt uncomfortable with the pace? You felt that the romance moved much too quickly. Or you were stunned that the couple could possibly profess their love so soon or even get engaged or married after knowing each other for a short time? In real life, how much time is needed for couples to fall…

1–What’s the name of your latest release?  An Appalachian Summer. 2–What is it about?  In 1933, debutante Piper Danson, craving more from life than simply an advantageous marriage, jumps at the opportunity to volunteer with the Frontier Nursing Service in the Appalachian Mountains. Romance and adventure are in the Kentucky mountain air in this story of a woman caught between two worlds—each promising something different. 3–What word best describes your heroine?  Spunky. 4–What makes your hero irresistible?  How much he loves my heroine and that gorgeous smile. 5–Who are the people your main characters turn to when they need help?  My heroine, Piper, could always depend on her aunt Truda to be on her side and understand her desire to do something different. My hero, Jamie, also had a champion in his uncle Wyatt who was a steadying influence when everything was going wrong for Jamie and his family.  6–What do you love about the setting of your book?  I love going to the mountains for a story. Even when times are hard as they were in the 1930’s flowers still bloom. Creeks still sparkle in the sun. People still have babies. So I enjoyed the mountain scenery, the mountain…