SUNFLOWERS BENEATH THE SNOW by author TERI M. BROWN

 A Ukrainian rebel. Three generations of women bearing the consequences. A journey that changes everything.

When Ivanna opens the door to uniformed officers, her tranquil life is torn to pieces - leaving behind a broken woman who must learn to endure cold, starvation, and the memories of a man who died in the quintessential act of betrayal. Using her thrift, ingenuity, and a bit of luck, she finds a way to survive in Soviet Ukraine, along with her daughter, Yevtsye. But the question remains, will she be strong enough to withstand her daughter’s deceit and the eventual downfall of the nation she has devoted her life to? Or will the memories of her late husband act as a shadow haunting everyone and everything she loves, including Ionna, the granddaughter that never knew him?

In Sunflowers Beneath the Snow, Teri M Brown explores the tenacity of women, showing that even in grueling circumstances, they can, and do, experience all the good things life has to offer - compassion, joy, love, faith, and wonder.

Reviews:

"A compassionate, balanced, and engaging look at generational conflict—and resolution—during social upheaval." Kirkus Reviews

"Teri M. Brown crafts a story that operates on emotional levels. It uses history and politics as a backdrop for closely considering love, hate, betrayal, and redemption. This allows the story to be solidly cemented in interpersonal relationships and the concurrent choices of three women affected by circumstance, those around them, and their own hearts." - D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review.

Author interview with Teri ~

Tell us a little about yourself and how you started writing.

 I was born in Athens, Greece while my dad served in the Air Force. Then, I spent the early years of my life in Ohio before moving to North Carolina. As a small child, I used to say that I wanted to be a brain surgeon, an Olympic ice skater, and an author. I got one of the three right, but it took me a long time to do it!

I began my writing career by focusing on small businesses, writing articles, blog posts, and website content. I always wanted to write fiction, but I was too afraid. It didn’t help that I was in an emotionally abusive relationship and no longer believed in myself. Finally, when I got the courage to leave that relationship, I began writing fiction. That was in 2017. I remarried in 2019, and in 2020, we rode a tandem bicycle across the US - 3102 miles - to raise money for Toys for Tots. That ride also healed my heart and helped me to see that I was capable of anything I set my mind to. When we got home, I started querying Sunflowers Beneath the Snow.

What are some things you enjoy when not writing?

I have a long list, so I hope you are ready! I love to read, play word games, walk on the beach collecting shells, bicycle ride, swim, take photos, ballroom dance, play bridge, go bargain shopping, get together with friends and family, hang with the grandkids, cook, and get involved in my community.

Finish this: “I can’t write without…”

Everyday noise. I know that a lot of people need quiet or certain music, but I need life to be going on around me. I work best when I hear conversations, cooking, cleaning, etc in the background. Complete silence makes me crazy!

If I had to spend a week on a deserted island, I would need…

Music - everything from 1940s swing to pop. I would also need a comfy mattress because these old bones no longer sleep on the ground. Finally, I would need electricity or enough battery life to operate my computer - I rarely write using a pen and paper because it takes too long (and I can never decipher my notes later!).

Do you have a ‘day job’ as well?

I still work with small businesses writing content. So, even in my ‘day job,’ I’m a writer!

Where do you get your ideas? 

Sunflowers Beneath the Snow came from a tiny sliver of truth told to me by my daughter’s friend. My second novel coming out late 2022 or early 2023 has some basis in my grandfather’s time serving in WWII. I have another partially finished manuscript based on a line from a country song, a completed manuscript based on a conversation with a stranger on the beach, and another from working at a homeless shelter. I also have an idea for two children’s books that came to me while riding across the US and seeing the trains and the natural gas pumps.

Do you have a manuscript(s) in your drawer? If so, will it ever see the light of day?

I have several. They won’t see the light of day as they are, but I may yet revive them. They were my first attempts at writing, so they will need a lot of editing.

How do you market your work?

I had no idea how much marketing I’d need to do to help my book find a voice. I guess I figured that I wrote a good book, and readers would just find it. That is completely untrue! I am doing most of my marketing through outreach including book reviewers and podcasters. I’ve also reached out to local media outlets and am doing some local guest appearances. Then, there’s my website, newsletter, blog, and social media. 

What is a bestselling book you’ve been itching to read?

It’s not quite a best-seller, but I want to read The Moonshiner’s Daughter. A friend recommended it to me about a year ago, and then, in October, I had the opportunity to spend the week at a writers-in-residence program with the author, Donna Everhart. She also has a new one out, The Saints of Swallow Hill, which is on my radar as well.

Is anything in your book based on real-life experiences?

Sunflowers Beneath the Snow follows three generations of Ukrainian women from Soviet rule through Ukrainian independence and ends right after Russia invaded the Crimean Peninsula. The youngest of the women, Ionna, is based on someone my girls met. She told me a tiny sliver of a story about something that had happened to her, and it was so amazing that I created 80,000 words of fiction so I could tell that ending. 

Do you have any advice for aspiring writers? 

I have three pieces of advice. The first is write. Just do it. You cannot learn to write unless you write. It probably won’t be that great, but it’s okay. No one writes the great American novel on their first attempt! The second thing is to be willing to listen to criticism about your writing. If you can listen to what others think, you can make your writing stronger. The last thing is to remember that not everyone is right when they criticize your work. Your writing will not be for everyone and there isn’t just one way to write. So, listen to the advice of others and give it a try. But if it doesn’t work for you, set it to the side. It’s okay to be true to yourself.

Place you’d like to travel?

I want to go Germany to see where my ancestors were from. I’d also love to tour some Greek islands. 

Is there anything you’d like to say to your readers and fans?

Thank you! Without readers, there would be no reason to have writers. I’m grateful for your support!

To connect with Teri ~

www.terimbrown.com

Links for purchase:

www.terimbrown.com

https://amzn.to/3s18nzG

Facebook.com/TeriMBrownAuthor

Twitter.com/TeriMBrown1

Instagram.com/TeriMBrown_Author

LinkedIn.com/in/TeriMBrown

Goodreads.com/terimbrown

Pinterest.com/terimbrownauthor

 

ALL I'M ASKING, by author J. MARIE RUNDQUIST

Trade in your popcorn for pop rocks as you dive into Naomi’s chaos.

Don’t @ me. Teacher and single mom Naomi is always biting off more than she can chew. Naomi knows what it’s like to grow up in hard times and still manage a decent education, so when it comes to her online, at-promise (not “at-risk,” thank you very much) high school students, she goes the extra mile.

At the rate she’s going, though, she’ll need the mouth of a hippo to have a shot of chewing it all.

Except, her students aren’t the only ones who need her. Naomi’s best friend discovers her wife has a mysterious disease doctors can’t figure out how to diagnose, her daughter struggles with debilitating social anxiety, and her mother calls her repeatedly. From jail. When one of Naomi’s students shows up at her door, pregnant and homeless, Naomi can’t help but take her in. But Naomi’s hyper-involvement in her students’ lives results in her alienating the people she loves most.

Wondering how she’d gotten everything wrong, Naomi joins an online book club made up of sugar-addicted candy lovers. Her newfound friends help her to see her life through a different lens. With the members’ support, Naomi pieces her life back together, owns her mistakes, and discovers how true family wants everything you are instead of everything you’re not.

Narrated in a series of emails, texts, discussion forums, and other forms of communication, ALL I'M ASKING delves into the bonds of friendship and family, what can test it, and how we find our way back to strengthen those ties.

Review ~

All I'm Asking explores complicated relationships, intersectionality, and the challenges of connection (and disconnection) in a digital world. With deft humor and a daring epistolary structure (executed with ease!), J. Marie Rundquist delivers a debut novel that will both entertain and spark thoughtful conversation. A true pleasure to read.
~ USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Klepper

Author interview with Janet ~ 

Tell us a little about yourself and how you started writing.

I’m one of those “I’ve been writing since I was a kid” people. And in high school and undergrad I imagined myself writing the clichéd, “Great American Novel.” Except, I ended up taking a long break when I started teaching and having kids of my own. Several years ago, when I was teaching for an online education vendor, I started up again. One of the things I loved about teaching in the classroom was lesson planning and writing new curriculum. In the online setting, the curriculum was set, and I needed a creative outlet. So I started writing again. And then I thought, “what if I wrote a book?” And then, “what if I decided to try to publish this book?”

What are some things you enjoy when not writing?

I love reading far and away the best, but I also enjoy hiking, playing board and card games, going to movies at the movie theater, and having long lunches with friends.

How do you start your day (a routine of sorts?)

Recently I’ve been trying to slip in writing time in the morning, which is challenging because I already wake up early for my day job. But I’m discovering I really like starting my day with writing, even if it’s only a few words (I write pretty slowly). So, I wake up at 5:00am, make sure none of my browsers are open to distract me, set my phone alarm for 5:30 and write.

Finish this: “I can’t write without…”

…a song playlist. And I’m not saying I need to write with music; rather, I need a playlist that acts as inspiration for what I’m writing. Songs that either reflect where I am in my writing journey, or otherwise feel like my characters’ experiences. It helps my brain keep writing even when I’m not physically typing on a computer.

 

Do you have a ‘day job’ as well?

I’ve worked in K-12 public education all my life in both teaching and other supporting roles.

 

What are you working on now?

A few things. Probably a few too many. I’m mulling over a short story (or novella?) that focuses on two of the secondary characters in ALL I’M ASKING, drafting a novel about a brother and sister, and dabbling with a rom-com.

 

Is anything in your book based on real-life experiences?

There’s always something of me in every book I write. It’s inevitable. In ALL I’M ASKING, one of the main characters, Naomi, is an online teacher, which is something I did for several years. Many of the interactions she has with students in the book, while not exactly the same, definitely mimic much of what I experienced with students. I know that we are in a time period where online learning sounds terrible, but when chosen deliberately, and designed deliberately, online learning is an amazing alternative for many students.

To connect with Janet ~ 

IG: @ProfeJMarie

Twitter: @ProfeJMarie

FB: https://www.facebook.com/JMarieRundquist

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/j-marie-rundquist

MOMENT IN TIME, (out March 8th!) by author SUZANNE REDFEARN

From the bestselling author of In an Instant comes a heartrending story about the power of friendship during the most challenging moments in life.

It’s been eight years since a tragic accident changed Mo Kaminski’s and Chloe Miller’s lives forever. Now in their mid-twenties, they’re sharing an apartment in San Francisco and navigating the normal challenges of early adulthood. Along with their roommate, Hazel, they are making their marks on the world—Mo revolutionizing the news with her media start-up, Hazel using her big brain to anticipate the future, and Chloe rescuing abandoned strays in the city.

But when Hazel disappears after being sexually assaulted, Mo’s and Chloe’s lives are again suddenly ripped apart. And when the perpetrator turns up drugged and beaten, the mystery of where Hazel is deepens. Intensely worried and desperate to discover the truth, they set out to find Hazel and bring her home.

Mo and Chloe are no strangers to tragedy, but this journey will test them in ways they never imagined. The stakes are high; the future uncertain; the need for justice essential.

Will their commitment to their friend bring them closer together—or ultimately drive them apart?

Reviews ~

“In her latest novel, Redfearn tackles a timely, thought-provoking topic with sensitivity and grit. Moment in Time reunites Chloe and Mo (In an Instant) with other familiar cameos on a journey through enduring friendship and life’s greatest challenges. Redfearn fans will devour this one in a single sitting.” —Rochelle B. Weinstein, author of This Is Not How It Ends

“Shining a light on a topic that certainly needs more attention, Suzanne Redfearn’s Moment in Time is a wonderfully told tale that burns brightly with damaged characters climbing out of their own wreckage. Redfearn is such a talent, with very clever ideas, a sly hand at trickery, and an unmistakable voice; her new book is no exception.” —Boo Walker, bestselling author of The Singing Trees

Q & A with Suzanne ~ 

Tell us a little about yourself and how you started writing.

I am the author or four (soon to be five) novels and one Amazon Original Story. I started writing because I had an idea for a story I really wanted to tell. The hard part was I wasn’t a writer and didn’t know the first thing about writing a novel. Fortunately, when I started, I didn’t care if it was good. I wasn’t looking to get published. I was simply determined to see if I could do it. It wasn’t intended for anyone but me. Seven months later, I had my first clunky, poorly written manuscript, and I was hooked. I devoted myself to learning the craft and continued to write. Several years later my first novel, HUSH LITTLE BABY, was published. It was the fifth story I’d written.

How do you start your day (a routine of sorts?)

I always start with writing. My creative juices always flow best in the morning having had time to stew throughout the night. I find writing in my car to be very productive. Pre-pandemic, I would write at my local Starbuck’s. Getting out of the house is essential. If I’m home, it’s too easy to dawdle and get distracted.

Finish this: “I can’t write without…”

Access to the internet. Constantly I meander down rabbit holes that dictate my characters and my stories.

What career did you think you’d have as an adult?

I went to school for architecture and still occasionally do architecture projects. I had no idea I was going to end up an author.

Do you have a ‘day job’ as well?

Until recently, I used to also work as an architect. Writing is a capricious business, and it wasn’t until the success of last couple novels that I felt comfortable relying solely on my author income.

 

Where do you get your ideas?

Almost always my ideas come from ideological questions that don’t have an obvious answer. The current novel I’m working on stems from an abstract notion about the correlation of money to happiness and what forms our values. Then, once I have the thematic driver of the story, I take ordinary people and put them in extraordinary circumstances that explore and test the topic.

 

Do you have a manuscript(s) in your drawer? If so, will it ever see the light of day?

Oh my goodness. I probably have a dozen. Not all stories are created equal. Some have never made it past my hard drive. Others are sitting on my agent’s desk waiting for the market to shift so they can be sold. The trick I’ve discovered is not to worry about it. My job is to write. Some of my stories will find their way into the world; others won’t.

 

Do you have a go-to first reader after you feel your manuscript is ready?

My daughter is brilliant and brutal, and I rely heavily on her unflinching, honest feedback. She’s also a great copyeditor, so my manuscripts are very clean when they are submitted. I also have a fabulous agent who reads everything I write and gives thoughtful, insightful input that’s very attuned to the marketplace.

 

What are you working on now?

MOMENT IN TIME releases March 8^th, so I am doing some prelaunch marketing for that, and I am also working on the new novel I mentioned about wealth and happiness. I also have a novel submitted to my editor that will follow MOMENT IN TIME (yet to be named).

 

Is anything in your book based on real-life experiences?

My stories always draw from my own life. They are fiction, but the characters are usually inspired by people I know, and many of the experiences are from my own experiences.

 

What would your dream job be if you didn’t write books? (assuming this is your dream job!)

I’ve always thought it would be incredibly cool to be Jeff Proubst from Survivor – traveling the world, creating survivor games, interviewing starving people ruthlessly stabbing each other in the back for a million dollars.

 

Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

Write. If you want to be an author, you need to write… a lot. You need to tell as many stories as you can as well as you can because you never know what is going to stick.

What are the downfalls of your writing career? The best parts?

Without doubt, the hardest part of being a writer is the uncertainty. Even bestsellers aren’t guaranteed another book deal, so constantly you feel like you are on the brink of no longer being relevant. The best part is having ideas in your brain that you turn into stories on a page that then readers around the world enjoy. It’s remarkable.  

Favorite book and/or movie?

Book: The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay, Movie: Forrest Gump

 

Place you’d like to travel?

Next on my list is the Camino de Santiago. It’s a pilgrimage across Spain. As soon as the pandemic is over, I’m packing my backpack and going.

 

Is there anything you’d like to say to your readers and fans?

Thank you, Jill Hannah Anderson. It’s ambassadors like you that connect authors to readers and make the job a whole lot less lonely and whole lot more enjoyable.

To connect with Suzanne:

Instagram: suzanneredfearn

Facebook: SuzanneRedfearnAuthor

Website: https://www.suzanneredfearnauthor.com

TRUTH AND OTHER LIES, by author MAGGIE SMITH (releases March 8th!)

The Devil Wears Prada meets All the President's Men

Megan Barnes' life is in free fall. After losing both her job as a reporter and her boyfriend in the same day, she retreats to Chicago and moves in with Helen, her over-protective mother. Before long, the two are clashing over everything from pro-choice to #MeToo, not to mention Helen's run for U.S. Congress, which puts Megan's career on hold until after the election.

Desperate to reboot her life, Megan gets her chance when an altercation at a campus rally brings her face-to-face with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jocelyn Jones, who offers her a job on her PR team. Before long, Megan is pulled into the heady world of fame and glamour her charismatic new mentor represents.

Until an anonymous tweet brings it all crashing down. To salvage Jocelyn's reputation, Megan must locate the online troll and expose the lies. But when the trail leads to blackmail, and circles back to her own mother, Megan realizes if she pulls any harder on this thread, what should have been the scoop of her career could unravel into a tabloid nightmare.

Readers who love Jodi Picoult's topical plot twists and Liane Moriarty's character-driven novels will devour this fast-paced tale of three women whose lives converge as one fights a devastating accusation, another campaigns for a contested seat in Congress, and one, the young reporter with ties to both, navigates the tricky line between secrets and lies.

Reviews ~

Twisty, timely, and rivetingly thought-provoking, Smith mines the intensity of competition, the duplicity of the human psyche, and the terrifying knowledge that with one wrong decision, your life can be changed forever. This author knows her journalism-the pressure, the stress and the compulsion for the big story-and deeply understands the tension and conflicts women battle when their professional and personal lives are set on a collision course.

-Hank Phillippi Ryan, Emmy-winning investigative reporter and USA Today bestselling author of Her Perfect Life

The political skews personal in this debut, which focuses on the bonds of powerful women in the rough-and-tumble world of politics and government. Smith's characters sometimes do each other in, more often do each other proud, always with an awareness of the fragility of reputation set against the abiding strength of spirit. Smith leads with boldness and heart from the first page.

-Jacquelyn Mitchard, author of The Deep End of the Ocean and The Good Son

Truth and Other Lies is my favorite kind of novel-one that tackles tough topics in a breezy, compulsively readable way. Maggie Smith is a welcome new voice in fiction.

-Camille Pagán, bestselling author of Don't Make Me Turn This Life Around

Author interview ~

Tell us a little about yourself and how you started writing: I never even thought about becoming a writer until five years ago when I grew tired of the art consulting business I’d founded and run for many years and decided to make a change. I signed up for a week-long writing workshop in northern Wisconsin, mainly to have a vacation in a lovely campground up there, but a prompt by the instructor gave me the idea to write about a unique triangle: a mother, a daughter, and a mentor. After I got back home, I decided to give it a go, and started not only writing but also learning how to write by taking more classes, reading craft books, and joining a writing roundtable. Eventually I sold my business and took up writing full-time and that initial idea became the seed of my debut novel, Truth and Other Lies, which releases March 8^th.

What is something about you that would surprise people? That I went to college for a very long time and eventually emerged with a Ph.D. in Psychology, but after only two years, quit that profession to go into business with my husband selling artwork throughout the United States to healthcare and senior living facilities.

Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published? Like a lot of authors, I first went after agents with no success. Then I found a woman-owned press that seemed ideal, didn’t require me to have an agent, and wanted to publish my book. I worked with one of their editors for eight months on revisions, only to have the company go bankrupt right before I was due to start work on my cover design. I scrambled, cancelled my audio book narrator and the publicist I’d lined up, and went looking for another small press, which I found a few months later. I’m so happy now that happened, because my new publisher is very supportive, motivated, and hard-working, and best of all, located only twenty minutes from my home. They’ve been open to incorporating my ideas about cover design, layout, marketing, and promotion so it feels like a true collaboration.  

How do you market your work? I use social media a lot, both to publicize my own work, but also to interface with the literary community in general through book reviews, sharing news about publications and industry trends, spreading the word about organizations I belong to for writers. Now that I have an actual book being published, I’m working with a publicist out of Chicago to approach both media influencers, bookstagrammers, and book reviewers. I’m also making a concentrated effort to be a guest at book clubs – my goal is to visit 22 of them during the year 2022.

Do you have a favorite character in your book? My novel is the story of three women: A world-famous journalist at the end of her career, whose being accused of plagiarism by a Twitter troll; a budding politician knee-deep in a run for Congress; and the young reporter who’s forced to choose between her mentor and her mother when she uncovers a decades-old lie. For me, the mother was the hardest character to write but wound up being my favorite, because she holds values very different from mine and yet I was able to burrow deep enough in her psyche and write a poignant backstory for her so hopefully the reader will understand why she believes and acts the way she does.

Finish this sentence: If I could write about anything, it would be …?  I’d love to write a sweeping love story which occurs during a climactic moment in history, something like The English Patient or Doctor Zhivago or Gone with the Wind.

Favorite movie: Chinatown. All the pieces – dialogue, plot, theme - fit together into a seamless whole. It’s a love story, a mystery, a history lesson, and a cautionary tale. It’s got a villain, an innocent, a damsel in distress, a cast of unique secondary characters, and a protagonist who has no idea what’s really going on until it’s too late.

Place you’d like to travel to: France has always been at the top of my list. Paris, yes, but also the coastline of Cote d’Azur, the lavender fields of Provence, the island of Corsica, the beaches at Normandy, and the vineyards of the Loire Valley. So many varied landscapes, each so fascinating, yet so different from each other.

Do you have any advice for aspiring writers? Take your craft seriously, by which I mean study other authors and see how they handle components of the process, like dialogue, setting, plot, description. Read books that teach you basic principles about how to write. Set aside time to put words on paper – it can be every day, or two hours in the evening after the kids are in bed, or every Sunday afternoon, but keep that time sacrosanct and do it, don’t just talk about it. Set yourself a goal to be a better writer this year than you were the last. Get eyes on your work in the form of people you trust to give you honest feedback and listen and absorb what they say.

What are you working on now? I’m halfway through my second novel, which I started during NaNoWriMo in 2020, and have tentatively titled Blindspot. It’s women’s fiction with psychological suspense elements. The tagline is: An ambitious district attorney, desperate to stop a stalker who’s threatening her and her teenage daughter, is charged with murder when he turns up dead.

To connect with Maggie ~

Truth and Other Lies March, 2022

Editor, Write City Magazine, Podcast Host

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1065557641

Instagram:@maggiesmithwrites

Twitter:  @magpie0218

Website:  https://maggiesmithwriter.com

In a career that’s included work as a journalist, a psychologist, and the founder of a national art consulting company, Maggie Smith now adds novelist to her resume with the publication of her debut, Truth and Other Lies.  In addition to her writing, Maggie hosts the weekly podcast Hear Us Roar, where she interviews debut authors about their novel and their path to publication and blogs monthly for Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. A board member of the Chicago Writer’s Association, she’s Managing Editor of their Write City Magazine, and coordinator of Book Nook, which highlights Chicago-area independent bookstores. She resides in Milwaukee WI with her husband and her aging but still adorable sheltie.

 

ONE LITTLE WORD, by author AUDRA McELYEA

This book is out today! Happy book birthday to ONE LITTLE WORD. 📖

Allegra Hudson was murdered.

An anonymous “source” drops the note into recently widowed Madeleine Barton’s lap exactly when she needs it most. As a new single mother, she is struggling to make ends meet as a freelance reporter, and covering the mysterious death of local bestselling author Allegra Hudson could be the career-launching story of her dreams.

Working with Allegra’s grieving husband, Connor, Madeleine plunges down the rabbit hole of the writer’s privileged life. The deeper she digs, the more dirt she finds: a conniving best friend, a stalker ex-boyfriend, and a marriage in shambles. The closer Madeleine gets to the truth, the murkier the waters become.

Her source’s looming presence and constant meddling in her investigation paired with her growing bond with Connor over their shared grief have blinded her to the facts, but nothing explains why Allegra Hudson’s life feels so familiar. Only one thing is certain: Madeleine can trust no one.

One Little Word is a deliciously clever game of cat-and-mouse with a completely unexpected twist.

Reviews:

 "It's not easy to hit me with a twist I don't see coming, but Audra McElyea did it in One Little Word, a clever and compelling tale from an author to watch." - Kimberly Belle, USA Today bestselling author of The Marriage Lie

"One Little Word is a riveting suspense novel packed with sharp turns and unexpected twists. Single mother and widow Madeleine Barton is the perfect protagonist, capturing your heart and bringing you along for this crazy, thrilling ride. Audra McElyea is one to watch!" - Samantha Downing, #1 internationally bestselling author of My Lovely Wife

Q & A with Audra ~

Tell us a little about yourself and how you started writing.

Well, I’m a wife, mom to two energetic little boys, and my background is as a corporate buyer for clothing and jewelry, so I haven’t always been a writer. I could probably write another novel about the road to my debut. Haha. But I won’t, don’t worry.

I felt like God was calling me to be a writer about eleven years ago, and I kept saying no by doing everything *except* learning to be a writer. But after a year or so of everything else blowing up in my face (I can laugh about it now) I finally said OKAY, and he blessed me with many mentors who helped me learn what to do/what not to do during my years spent working on my first novel, When Lilies Bloom. That novel eventually got shelved, but I learned so much through that experience, and I can honestly say I absolutely love writing more than any other job I’ve ever done. I didn’t get my agent or publisher until I started shopping One Little Word around many years later. All it takes is years of constant perseverance…no big deal, right?

What are some things you enjoy when not writing?

I enjoy working out (as strange as that sounds, I know), reading, watching movies and TV, listening to music, canoeing, playing badminton, and hiking (if it’s not too cold). My husband is a huge outdoorsman, and my little boys have endless energy, so anything active we can do with them is always a plus.

How do you start your day (a routine of sorts?)

First thing’s first, I get the boys up and ready for school. This is often the most difficult part of the day as none of us are morning people. Then, when I get back home, I do a Bible study, workout, and then dive into whatever work I have going on. Sometimes I’m in marketing and public relations-mode for a book that’s upcoming, and other times I’m in editing and writing-mode. No matter which mode I’m in, the work keeps me busy until it’s time to grab the boys from school.

Finish this: “I can’t write without…”

Tazo Zen Green Tea. I like coffee but coffee doesn’t like me. So, my favorite drink ever is always Tazo Zen Green Tea.

Where do you get your ideas?

One Little Word actually came to me in a dream played out like a movie in its entirety and is the only book I’ve written out of four to do so. It was a gift. Thanks for that, God! I woke up and jotted the main plot down and thanked the Lord because I knew I didn’t come up with that crazy plot myself. I was so excited I wrote the first draft in one month. I’ve never written any book as quickly as I did One Little Word.

For all my other books, I’ve just been inspired by compilations of movies and books I’ve seen and loved throughout my life. As a kid I was obsessed with Nancy Drew, Scooby-Doo, and later everything Alfred Hitchcock. So, I’ve always loved to solve a good mystery, and I also like to come up with my own.

Do you have a manuscript(s) in your drawer? If so, will it ever see the light of day?

I like to work a few books ahead, so right now I’m editing two more books I’ve completed while outlining another one. Counterplay is next, and will hopefully release in 2023, but I don’t have a release date from my publisher quite yet. I describe it as Gone Girl meets You meets Dear Wife. It’s a darker book than One Little Word for sure, but just as twisty and thrilling.

I do have one book in a drawer to speak. The one I mentioned earlier, When Lilies Bloom. Never say never, but I have no immediate plans to resurrect that one.

Do you have a go-to first reader after you feel your manuscript is ready?

I have an author friend who always provides brilliant feedback. Her name is Jennifer Klepper and she is an amazing writer and advice-giver. If that’s a word, haha. I don’t know what I’d do without her, she’s so great.

Is there a particular author or book that inspired your writing or decision to write?

Emily Giffin really inspired me to write because whenever I read her books, I felt like her voice was similar to what mine would be. I had no idea where to start, but I knew I wanted to try to write a book one day down the road. Safe Haven, by Nicholas Sparks, really got my wheels turning years with the twist at the end, because at that point as a reader I hadn’t really gotten into the suspense/thriller genre yet and when I read it, I knew if/when I wrote a book, I wanted to write something suspenseful.

Is anything in your book based on real-life experiences?

For sure the anxiety disorder that Madeleine experiences at times is something I’ve dealt with my whole life. Although our experiences are quite different, it was important for me to include that struggle in the book. Hopefully others can relate.

Do you have a favorite character?

I wouldn’t say he’s my favorite character, but Lane Stone in One Little Word is by far one of the most complicated characters I’ve written. You never know what to expect from him.

Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

Honestly, to survive in this industry you must love writing and telling stories. If you check that box off, then you must have undying levels of persistence to be traditionally published. Then, if you’re still kicking after all that and still love writing, then writing may be for you. It’s not easy, but your best allies are other authors. The best part of this industry is your fellow authors. Never in my life have I seen and experienced such kindness from other people in the “workplace”. Don’t be afraid to reach out to other authors for help, the worst they can say is no. Find a writing group like WFWA, Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, etc. to begin with, and start sharing your work with others in those groups. Honest, brutal feedback is your best-friend going forward if you truly want to grow as a writer.

Favorite band or music?

I’m pretty well-rounded. I love Taylor Swift, The Lumineers, One Republic, Imagine Dragons, Britney Spears, Katy Perry, Mumford & Sons, Linkin Park, Ed Sheeran, Pink, Aerosmith, and Selena Gomez.

Favorite book and/or movie?

Well, the Bible is first. But my all-time favorite fiction novel so far is The Seven and 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton. It’s absolutely brilliant and one-of-a-kind.

As far as movies go, there are so many, but Vertigo and About Time are my current favorites.

Place you’d like to travel?

So many places! I’d love to go to Edinburgh, Mykonos, Amsterdam, London, New York (again), Switzerland…basically all of Europe!

Is there anything you’d like to say to your readers and fans?

Just thank-you to anyone who took the time to read One Little Word. And please, leave a review on Goodreads and Amazon, it helps authors much more than you realize.

To connect with Audra:

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