My current release, Colton 911: Family Under Fire, is a Christmas romantic suspense story. And who doesn’t enjoy a little romance in their lives at Christmas? With that in mind, wanted to share my top 5 romantic Christmas films with you. Bridget Jones’s Diary Bridget Jones is an average woman struggling against her age, her weight, her job, her lack of a man, and her many imperfections. As a New Year’s Resolution, Bridget decides to take control of her life, starting by keeping a diary in which she will always tell the complete truth. The fireworks begin when her charming though disreputable boss takes an interest in the quirky Miss Jones. Thrown into the mix are Bridget’s band of slightly eccentric friends and a rather disagreeable acquaintance who Bridget cannot seem to stop running into or help finding quietly attractive. Love, Actually Love, Actually is often named as one of the best Christmas movies and, as its name suggests, it’s also one of the most romantic. The movie is a series of vignettes about several different people that seemingly have no connection to one another, although by the end the connections are finally all present and accounted for. There’s a…

I absolutely love mysteries and thrillers—books, movies, TV shows—I binge them all. I am also inspired by them. In fact, my newest novel, In The Dark, is an homage to author Agatha Christie and one of her most iconic stories And Then There Were None. In my novel, Christie’s story actually becomes a plot device, a psychological tool, that the villain uses to instill fear in the victims that are trapped. The victims know what transpired in And Then There Were None, which has them anticipating that the same will happen to them. Some of my other favorite mystery writers include Daphne DuMaurier and Patricia Highsmith. Also, at the moment I’m loving Lisa Jewell’s voice and her domestic suspense—I’ve been on a Lisa Jewell glom. In this vein, I love Louise Doughty’s Apple Tree Yard and enjoyed Helen Fitzgerald’s The Cry, and Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen’s The Wife Between Us. Liane Moriarty, too. Off the top of my head, my favorite thriller movies include The Bone Collector, The Thomas Crowne Affair (for the romantic tension), and The Debt (pure tension plus love triangle!) And finally, let’s not forget great TV shows in this genre. I think that the television series adaptation of The Cry is just fabulous. I am hooked on Big Little Lies. I’m also a…

As a romantic suspense author, I’ve heard and read complaints that romance authors create unrealistic expectations in our heroes. I beg to differ. My female and male heroes very much reflect my experiences in real life. They reflect people I know and love, including my husband. In fact, my perfect hero is much like the people in your everyday life, in all of our lives, struggling to be better and sometimes actually being their best selves. Keeping that in mind, here is my list of 4 perfect hero attributes. Funny–Have a good sense of humor or at least don’t take themselves so seriously. Though I’ve read and enjoyed books in which the blank-faced hero has no sense of humor, I’m a sucker for a funny and light-hearted hero or even a dry and witty hero. My husband has a very dry and witty sense of humor. He delivers his jokes straight, so there is often a processing pause to register the joke and then the burst of uncontrolled laughter. In the second novel of my Black Ops Confidential series, THE PRICE OF GRACE, there is a lot of tension and suspense, but also humor. Starting with Gracie when she’s hidden…

“You cook?”  He seemed surprised. She shoved her glasses up on her nose, and hooked her hair back over her ear.  “My grandmother grew up on a farm outside Dallas.  She was a fantastic cook.  She raised me, so yes, I like to cook.”  She smiled.  “I’m really good at it.” A low groan slipped from Jax’s throat.  “What if we stop at the store and pick up whatever you need?” She laughed.  “We don’t have to do that.  I keep a lot of stuff in the pantry.  I can make pasta or something.  Do you like Italian?” “Hell, yes.” She smiled.  “I’ll make a salad to go with it and we’ll be fine.” Except that when Mindy unlocked her front door and Jax shoved it open, thoughts of supper shot right out the window.  The entire apartment looked as if an earthquake or a tornado had totaled the place. *** “Oh, my God!” Jax’s HK.45 slid easily out of its holster.   “Stay here.”  He started forward, the gun gripped in both hands, panning the living room for any sign the intruders might still be there. “Oh, God, Muffin!”  Mindy bolted forward, but Jax’s arm shot out, blocking her way….

Instead of trying to find your perfect match in a dating app, we bring you the “Author-Reader Match” where we introduce you to authors as a reader you may fall in love with. It’s our great pleasure to present Lynette Eason! Writes: Romantic Suspense – Romance Writers of America defines romantic suspense as: “Romance novels in which suspense, mystery, or thriller elements constitute an integral part of the plot.” I write more heavy on the suspense, mystery, or thriller element than the romance, but it’s still there for the romance lover. About: Deadline riddled writer seeks fans of mysteries/whodunits/with a touch of romance. Fans must appreciate strong heroines and heroes who will put their lives on the line to keep them safe—and vice versa. Fans must also appreciate strong conflict, twisting plots, and a strong faith element. What I’m looking for in my ideal reader match: · Loves a happy ending. · Is willing to lose sleep to find that happy ending waiting at the end of the book. · Loves a handsome hero who knows what it means to really love a woman. · Enjoys twists you don’t see coming. · Is willing to put off all housework until…

Welcome to Fresh Fiction, Megan! Please tell us a little bit about yourself, the Alaska Force Series, and specifically your latest book Sergeant’s Christmas Siege. Hi! I’m the author of about 100 books (ranging from cowboys to bikers to rom coms and more, like my beloved Alaska Force). The only thing I love more than reading romance in all its forms is getting to write it! The Alaska Force series is so much fun. Ex special ops heroes who live on a faraway Alaskan island and only emerge to take down bad guys? Yes, please! Sergeant’s Christmas Siege is particularly fun because it’s set at Christmas—in Alaska! Kate Holiday is a no-nonsense Alaska State Trooper who is sent to the remote island of Grizzly Harbor to look into various disturbances she thinks are the fault of Alaska Force. Templeton Cross is sent as a representative of Alaska Force to handle Kate. But Kate doesn’t like “handling,” Templeton has a way of getting under Kate’s skin, and Christmas is coming. . . Alaska State Trooper Kate Holiday is sent to investigate, disband, and arrest Alaska Force. After a tough childhood, Kate does her best to always go by the book, so…

The Plot: It never fails that someone asks me where I come up with the story lines for my books, and I’m always happy to talk about it. Sometimes the plots are based loosely on something I investigated in my career. Other times, not so much. Sometimes I am simply inspired by something, or in this case–someone–I encountered on the job. While I was not completely aware of it at the time, the plot behind Dark ’N’ Deadly, the third of my Federal K-9 Series, started marinating in my head more than five years ago while I was assigned to my agency’s Denver office. The Colorado State Patrol Academy hosted a sovereign citizen seminar given by Chief Robert Paudert (ret.) of the West Memphis, Arkansas Police Department. Many Americans are unaware that the FBI considers sovereign citizens to be a growing domestic threat to law enforcement. Until relatively recently, law enforcement agencies were unfamiliar with this threat, and some paid the ultimate price. Chief Paudert’s son and another police officer were killed during an exchange of gunfire with members of a sovereign citizen extremist group. Since then, Chief Paudert has dedicated his life to educating law enforcement officers at all…

“Seeing as we’re going to be partners, want to grab dinner?” Vaughan asked. “I’m starving, and we could talk about the case.” It was a ritual Zoe had shared with her late husband. Dinner had always involved a cold beer, maybe a steak, and discussion of a case. They had both loved the intellectual challenge, the sparring, and the lovemaking afterward. “I know a place.” “Lead the way.” He drove them to a small diner surrounded by a cluster of fast-food restaurants near the interstate. When she shot him a questioning look, he held up a hand. “Trust me.” “I’m holding you to a good meal, Detective Vaughan.” He opened the door, held it, and waited for her to pass. The hostess called out his name; he waved and headed toward what had to be a favorite booth. Men, she noted, were creatures of habit and liked routine. She slid across the red vinyl seat of the corner booth. From this vantage, they both had a clear view of the front and back exits. Like all cops, he probably wanted to know who was coming and going while he ate. She reached for a laminated menu and opened it. “So,…

There was blood on the ice. Rick Jordan jolted to a stop, gaze riveted on the crimson spots blemishing the frosty ground, fingers tightening on the disposable cup of coffee he’d just nuked. Could his eyes be playing tricks on him in the waning light of the December afternoon? He leaned closer. No. His 20/20 vision hadn’t failed him. It was blood. After all the gore he’d seen, it wasn’t difficult to make a positive ID. But with all the wildlife on the wooded acreage he called home, could it be from an animal? As he peered at the ruby-­colored stains, the hair on the back of his neck snapped to attention–and since metabolic cues had saved his hide on more Night Stalker missions than he cared to remember, ignoring them would be foolish. The blood was human. Giving the landscape a thorough, methodical sweep, he set down the cup of java he’d picked up at the café during his supply run to town, balancing it on the uneven ground. No movement other than the huge flakes that had begun to sift down from the leaden sky. Apparently the blizzard warning issued this morning had been spot-­on. Missouri would have…

Welcome to the Fall Slow Cooker Recipe Potluck! All week we’ll be joined by awesome authors, talking about their new books, sharing delicious Fall recipes, and book giveaways on each post. Check back tomorrow and every day this week for more fun! And now, Elizabeth Goddard will kick things off. . .  In ALWAYS LOOK TWICE, rancher/deputy Heath McKade grew up in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. He now runs the Emerald M Guest Ranch and offers cabins, fishing, hiking tours, and horseback riding, and a guided wilderness camp tour. He has worked hard to renovate his life after his difficult childhood and now his ranch’s reputation is growing, but Heath still struggles to overcome the past. He’s more than surprised to save a woman from a bear attack, or rather, she saves him–and discovers that woman is none other than his close childhood friend who moved away–Harper Reynolds. But Harper is in trouble, and Heath isn’t sure he’s the best man to protect her. On the other hand, can he truly trust anyone else to protect Harper? Harper has taken a year off from photographing crime scenes–too much blood and death–especially considering what she witnessed as a child. She’s finally on…