Tag: Lynette Eason

Infinite Suspense with Lynette Eason!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Today, I’m
jumping and down! Why? Lynette Eason, one of my all time favorite authors, is in the
house! If you’ve never read anything by Lynette Eason, stop right now. Go out
and buy ANY of her books (you’ll like them all)! I could gush the rest of the
day, but I won’t.
Lynette Eason
has written/contracted thirty-one books since 2007. She has fourteen Love
Inspired Suspense books on the shelf with more due to release soon. Lynette
also writes for Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. Her current
release, WHEN THE SMOKE CLEARS hit #8 on the CBA bestsellers list this year.
The sequel, WHEN A HEART STOPS will release October 2012. Currently, she is
working on her third series for Revell and just signed and eight book contract
for Love Inspired Suspense. She has been teaching for more than ten years and
is very happy to make the transition from teaching school to teaching writing
whenever the opportunity presents. She is married, has two children, and lives
in Simpsonville, SC.

JP: Impressive! God has blessed you with
such a gift and ministry. That makes me smile! Your tagline is Infinite
Suspense. Tell us why you chose to write this genre?
LE: Because it’s what I love to read.

JP: Well that makes sense! Your newest
novel (the first in this series), When
the Smoke Clears, is about a Smoke Jumper who goes back to her hometown
after several years. Where did you get the idea for this book and how much
research did you have to do before writing it?
LE: I watched a
movie about Smoke Jumping on Lifetime Television. It sparked (pun intended) and
idea for a story. I did A LOT of research on this. I read tons and talked to
several firefighters, including a retired fire chief.
JP: It paid off!
I felt like I was really there with them—through everything! Can you share with
us your favorite line or snippet of dialogue from this novel?







Conversation at
the lab between Rick and Hunter
  “It’s a
fast-acting drug that’s usually used for the treatment of seizures,” Rick
explained. “Sometimes it’s used for inducing sedation before medical
procedures.”
            “So, it’s a
knockout drug?”
            Rick rolled
his eyes. “In layman’s terms, sure, a knockout drug.”
            “But
nothing that would kill her?”
            Rick
shrugged. “Depends on how many darts hit her.”
            “Fortunately
none did.”
            “Then no,
they won’t kill her,” Rick deadpanned.
             Alexia
snickered.
             Hunter
rolled his eyes. “Wise guy.”
JP: Folks, you can obviously see besides suspense
and romance, there’s humor! Okay, now a couple of fun questions before you have
to go!
If you could be a character in any book
you’ve read, who would you choose and why?
LE: Oh my.
That’s a tough one.  Maybe Serena because
it would be cool to be able to do an autopsy without wanting to puke.
JP: Ha! For
real!
Fill in the
blank: A perfect day for me would be a trip to the mountains with
my family to eat at a great restaurant, followed by an
evening sitting on the front porch of a lodge working on my novel.

JP: That sounds fabulous! Thanks so much
for spending some time with us. Before you go, do you have a question you would
like to ask readers? They love to comment!

What kind of characters do you like to
read about? Do you have any good ideas for a next series?
You can connect
with Lynette on facebook, twitter, and her website! Now go buy her books! 
Here’s
a peek at her latest, When the Smoke
Clears:
As a member of
the North Cascades Smokejumpers, Alexia Allen always takes care of the
equipment that keeps her safe. So when she nearly dies in a fire due to
equipment failure, she knows something is up. Ordered to take time off while
the investigation continues, Alexia makes a last-minute decision to recuperate
at her mother’s home and attend her high school reunion. Yet trouble seems to
be following her, and within hours of arriving home she’s involved with murder,
arson–and a handsome detective. But the conflicts ahead are nothing compared
to the ghosts of her past. As she strives to remember and forgive her family
history, she must also decide if the secret she’s been guarding for the last
ten years must finally come to light.
Chock-full of the suspense and romantic tension readers have come to expect
from Lynette Eason, “When the Smoke Clears” is the explosive first
book in the Deadly Reunions series.

*I’ll be taking Monday off to celebrate the holiday with friends and family! See you Wednesday, with a guest devotion from Lindsay Harrel! 

Some Good Reads

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
 

For the past two weeks I’ve been downing books like shots, trying to read everything I can think of in the inspy romantic suspense/mystery market. I may have missed a few so if you know of anyone else, please leave me a comment!

I’ve enjoyed all of them. Each author has a unique writing style. Some books  a little darker than others, which I personally prefer as a reader. I went into reading them with a writer’s eye, but some of the books swept me up, I stopped looking for pacing, scene set ups, etc…I simply became immersed in the stories. Which is good! 

Below are the books I’ve read and I’m starting with my favorite(the rest are in random order), even though I enjoyed all of them. All great authors. Something about this particular story grabbed me and held on. Probably because of the darkness of the story line and the abundance of romantic tension.  Here is the 2nd book in Lynette Eason’s Women of Justice series.

 
 

 

Twelve years ago, forensic anthropologist Jamie Cash survived a brutal kidnapping, torture, and rape. After years of therapy, she has made a life for herself–though one that is haunted by memories of her terrifying past. She finally lets herself get close to a man, FBI agent Dakota Richards, when signs start appearing that point to one frightening fact–her attacker is back and ready to finish the job he started all those year ago. Can she escape his grasp a second time? And will she ever be able to let down her guard enough to find true love? 
 
 The next book I thought was good, very dark story line, but no romance–which is probably why I liked Lynette’s book better is The BoneMan’s Daughters by Ted Dekker. What I love about Dekker is his subtle symbolism. I caught onto quickly, as most Christians would, and I thought the ending was perfect, but I read some reviews–mostly by non-Christians and they didn’t like the way it ended. BUT I think it’s because they didn’t catch the symbolism. How could they? 
 
I wasn’t terrified like when reading a Gerritsen novel (Rizzoli & Isles) but it was creepy at times and I like creepy. Mostly I loved the symbolism. And of course, Dekker’s reason for writing the book. I encourage readers to read the “letter to readers” at the end of the book. It made me cry. 
 
 
They call him BoneMan, a serial killer who’s abducted six young women. He’s the perfect father looking for the perfect daughter, and when his victims fail to meet his lofty expectations, he kills them by breaking their bones and leaving them to die. 
 
Intelligence officer Ryan Evans, on the other hand, has lost all hope of ever being the perfect father. His daughter and wife have written him out of their lives.
 
Everything changes when BoneMan takes Ryan’s estranged daughter, Bethany, as his seventh victim. Ryan goes after BoneMan on his own.
 
But the FBI sees it differently. New evidence points to the suspicion that Ryan is BoneMan. Now the hunter is the hunted, and in the end, only one father will stand. 
 
The next book was a new author for me: Irene Hannon. Many of you may have read her Heroes of Quantico series, but I had never heard of her. Sad on my part, I’m sure. Irene has really researched her stuff and is very detailed. Her romance is fun and I enjoy the banter between friends on the HRT (Hostage Rescue Team) For sake of space only, (I’ve read 2 book in the series so far) I’ll put my favorite one to date. 
 
 
After he accidentally shoots a teenager at a tense standoff, FBI Hostage Rescue Team member Mark Sanders is sent to St. Louis to work as a field agent and get his bearings while the bad press starts to settle. Just weeks away from returning to Quantico to resume his work on the HRT, Mark has a chance encounter with an old flame, Emily Lawson. But their reunion is cut short by a sniper. Now Mark must find the shooter before he tries to strike again. But what is his motive–and who was his intended target? Can Mark put the pieces together, keep Emily safe, and rekindle a long-dead relationship at the same time? A fast-paced tale of romance, suspense, and intrigue, An Eye for an Eye is the exciting second installment in the Heroes of Quantico series.
 
And of course it wouldn’t be right not to read Dee Henderson. I’ve read her O’Malley series and enjoyed all of them, but I haven’t read all of her Uncommon Heroes series. Dee Henderson has a nice blend of romance and suspense. Her stories aren’t creepy or dark, but I love the way she constructs deep characters. I haven’t met one of them I don’t like (unless I’m not supposed to like them). Here’s the book I read in the past couple weeks: 
 
 
Dee Henderson wraps up her Christy Award-winning Uncommon Heroes series with a riveting story from the home front. When someone snatches his cousin’s wife and son, FBI agent Luke Falcon hunts the kidnapper. He has never worked a case involving family, and it’s tempting to let his hardened exterior weaken, given the circumstances. But he has to be strong if he’s going to bring them home. When the ransom delivery doesn’t go down as planned and the bodies start piling up, so does Luke’s frustration. He fears that innocent people may not survive this crisis, and neither will his relationship with Caroline Lane . But her rock-solid faith proves to be a far better shelter in the storm than all his law enforcement training and experience.
 
I’ve read DiAnn Mills, and am reading Breach of Trust at the moment. I’ve already read, Attracted to Fire and did a review here. I’ve read a couple of Robin Carroll’s books. I did a review on Deliver Us from Evil here. I have the other in her evil series in my TBR pile. I like both of these authors as well.
 
So tell me…who am I missing? Have I tapped the inspy romantic suspense and mystery market? Is there someone out there writing about FBI/evil killers with a heap of romance that I simply haven’t found yet? And of course, have you read any books by these authors? 

 

 

Must Read Monday: Sunburn, Cupcakes, and Good Reads

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Well, I hope you all had a great weekend. We spent most of it at the pool. I can’t seem to get my sunblock on correctly and have odd shaped burns in random places on my body.

I told my husband I was going to have to go to the tanning bed to even out the pasty white places to the golden areas (and the cherry red burns of course). He joked I’d probably be the only one in a tanning bed wearing sunscreen.
He might be right.
I ate a German Chocolate Cupcake from one of those fancy cupcake bakeries. Edible glitter, German chocolate filling and a mound of chocolate icing. About 5,000 calories later, I thought I might be sick. Oh but that one moment! And it was a moment indeed.

Okay, so here’s a couple of books I’ve read lately.

Too Close to Home by Lynette Eason

“Samantha Cash is the FBI’s secret weapon. Her methods are invisible, and she never stops til the case is closed. When missing teens begin turning up dead in a small Southern town, Samantha is assigned to help local Detective Connor Wolfe find the killer. And he has two problems with that. There’s her faith—in God and herself. And then there’s the fact that she looks exactly like his late wife. As they get close to an answer, the case becomes personal. The killer seems to be taking an interest in Connor’s sixteen-year-old daughter, who thinks her dad is getting way too protective. Can’t a girl just have some fun?”

My Opinion

I liked this book. It’s the first book I’ve read by Lynette Eason. I figured out early on why the killer was doing it, but wasn’t sure who it was until about 75% in. Then I didn’t guess the “boss” until it was almost over. I liked the characters and the romance that blossomed.

Both characters struggled with their faith. I think the author made their spiritual joureneys realistic and touching.

I took a keen interest in the sister and want to read the next book that’s about her. I think it will be even better!

3 out of 5 stars

A Tailor-Made Bride by Karen Witemeyer
2011 RITA® Finalist for Best First Book

“When a dressmaker who values beauty tangles with a liveryman who condemns vanity, the sparks begin to fly!

Jericho “J.T.” Tucker wants nothing to do with the new dressmaker in Coventry, Texas. He’s all too familiar with her kind–shallow women more devoted to fashion than true beauty. Yet, except for her well-tailored clothes, this seamstress is not at all what he expected.

Hannah Richards is confounded by the man who runs the livery. The unsmiling fellow riles her with his arrogant assumptions and gruff manner, while at the same time stirring her heart with unexpected acts of kindness. Which side of Jericho Tucker reflects the real man?
When Hannah decides to help Jericho’s sister catch a beau–leading to consequences neither could have foreseen–will Jericho and Hannah find a way to bridge the gap between them?”

My Opinion

I didn’t know what to expect when I started this book. I don’t often read historicals, but lately I’ve read several and I’m coming to realize, I enjoy most of them. I happen to like a lot of romantic tension and some spice, not all inspirational historicals meet my expectations.

This one did.

I fell in love with J.T. and Hannah immediately. I loved their banter, internal conflicts, and wit.  I felt like I was living in this time period and it was rather fun to spend a few hours, since I read it in two sittings, with these characters.

I predicted the villain, but I’m not sure that she was trying to conceal it. That didn’t matter to me, though, because I just loved everything else. Especially the romance. No wonder she won a RITA for first book.

I also think it’s a great parallel of the Proverbs 31 woman and a healthy look at beauty and nice things.

4 out of 5 stars

So have you read a book lately that you were unsure of, then turned out to be a pleasant surprise?

No?

Okay then…what’d you do this weekend?

Must Read Monday: Reader’s Choice & a GIVEAWAY!!!!!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
 

Each Monday I post a book review, or I invite a guest to stop by for you to meet.

Today, I want to know what you like to read.

Right now, I’m reading Judge & Jury by James Patterson. Yes, I read ABA fiction, also called “secular” fiction by some Christians. I read anything, really. There’s differing opinions on this subject.

Some people would say there’s so much great inspirational fiction, why would you want to read anything out of the CBA market? We need to support Christian writers. I agree with this. We do need to support Christian writers and there is ton of great inspirational fiction.

But, there are Christians who do not write for the CBA market. So are we supporting CBA or Christian writers? I think we can do both!

 

I don’t know what James Patterson’s religious beliefs are, but his books do have some foul language and occasionally, depending on what book it is, he drops the “f” bomb. I completely understand why some Christians would not want to read his stuff. You have to go with what your convictions are. Maybe I’m just a rotten Christian with no convictions.

Although, there are some inspirational novels that do occasionally use some four-letter words. I personally have never read any that drop the “f” bomb. Maybe you have.

 How do you feel about that?

I think as a writer I can learn as much from Patterson or Kellerman (Faye and Jonathan) as I can Steven James, whose books cross both markets, (I read this somewhere so if it’s not accurate, please don’t yell at me) and he happens to be one of my favorite authors. Man, he’s good!

Now, I don’t read Erotica, fyi, I do have my limits. So maybe I’m not a rotten Christian after all and have some convictions. 🙂  My point is, I’m reading Patterson right now. My next book will be a Lynette Eason novel (inspirational). I’ve never read her before, and I look forward to jumping into one of her stories on my kindle.

I did a review on Sally John’s novel, Desert gift a couple weeks ago. It comes out in June. You can read the review HERE. I’m also giving a copy of this book away today! If you would like to enter for the chance to win, please make a note of that in the comments section. If you don’t say you want to win it, you won’t be entered into the drawring. (I spelled that like I wanted to!)

Question: Do you read inspirational fiction only or do you cross over and read books in other markets? Why or why not? I’d love to hear your input! Also, how do you feel about swear words in inspirational fiction?