What Are You Reading Monday - October 19th

Come post weekly and see what others are reading too just so you can add to your tbr - I always do! For more information see J.Kaye's Book Blog and join in!

Books Completed Last Week:

• Hell's Gate by Stephen Frey (library)
• Earthquake in the Early Morning by Mary Pope Osborne (audio with son)
• Revolutionary War on Wednesday by Mary Pope Osborne (audio with son)
• Civil War on Sunday by Mary Pope Osborne (audio with son)
  
• The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe (library)
• The Last Word by Kathy Herman (review)

Reading Now:

• Purity in Death by J.D. Robb (audiobook)
• Nine Dragons by Michael Connelly (review - book tour)
• Love You To Death by Shannon Butcher (review)
  
• The Maze Runner by James Dasher (review)

Reviews Completed Last Week

• Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris
• Against All Odds by Irene Hannon (also an interview with the author here and a giveaway here)
  

Next:

• Breaking the Bank by (review)
  
• Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick (review)
  
• The Well-Behaved Child by (review)
  
• Love Your Body, Love Your Life by (review)
  

Reviews to do:

• Magic Treehouse books #17-23
• Only In Your Dreams by Cecily von Ziegesar
• Beyond the Highland Mist by Karen Marie Moning
• Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
• Relentless by Dean Koontz
• Hunted by P.C. and Kristin Cast
• The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
• True Colors by Kristen Hannah
• Hell's Gate by Stephen Frey
• The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe
• The Last Word by Kathy Herman
  

Summary -

It was a busy week for me with a day trip to a local pumpkin patch with my 4-year-old's daycare class and an afternoon of shopping, plus a wedding too. But I did get some great books read and a few reviews done. I plan on catching up on my reviews better this week. Wish me luck!

The Last Word by Kathy Herman (Sophie Trace Trilogy #2) FIRST Wild Card Tour

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

Kathy Herman

and the book:

The Last Word (Sophie Trace Trilogy)

David C. Cook (2009)

***Special thanks to Audra Jennings of The B&B Media Group for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Best-selling suspense novelist Kathy Herman has written fourteen novels, including CBA bestsellers The Real Enemy, Tested by Fire and All Things Hidden, since retiring from her family’s Christian bookstore business. Kathy and her husband, Paul, have three grown children and five grandchildren and live in Tyler, Texas.

Visit the author's website.

The Last Word, by Kathy Herman from David C. Cook on Vimeo.

Product Details:

List Price: $14.99
Format: Paperback
Number of Pages: 340
Vendor: David C. Cook (2009)
ISBN: 143476785X
ISBN-13: 9781434767851

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Police Chief Brill Jessup pored over the department’s budget for the rest of the fiscal year and couldn’t see any way she could afford to hire another patrol officer without going to the city council. She sighed. The last time she asked those tightwads for additional funds she practically had to beg.


A strange noise interrupted her thoughts. She peered through the blinds on the glass wall into the bustling detective bureau and listened intently. There it was again.


A burly man appeared in the doorway. He bumped off either side, then staggered into her office. Facedown. Hands dripping with blood, clutching his abdomen.


“What in the world …?” She jumped to her feet, frozen in place.


Detective Sean O’Toole looked up and stretched out his hand toward her, his eyes screaming with pain. He collapsed in front of her desk and hit the floor.


“Officer down!” she shouted. “I need an ambulance—now!”


She hurried around the side of her desk, grabbed the clean hand towel next to the coffeepot, and got down on her knees. She laid the towel over the bloody wound and applied pressure.


“Sean, talk to me. What happened?”


The detective’s face was ashen. “He c-came from behind … put me in a choke hold … stuck a knife in my gut … said he was coming after you—to f-finish the job.”


“You never saw his face?”


“No. Hairy arms. White guy. Navy blue short sleeves. Smelled like c-cigarettes. Deep voice.”


“Where did this happen?”


“Hallway. Watercooler.”


Sean moaned, his face pallid and contorted with pain, his eyes slits of icy blue.


“Come on, Sean, stay with me.”


Detective Captain Trent Norris burst into her office. “I’ll take it from here, Chief.”


“How did he get from the watercooler to my office without someone in the DB seeing he needed help?”


“I guess we were all focused on other things. It’s been crazy.”


Trent got down on the floor and swapped places with her, his palms pressed over the wound. “Hang in there, buddy. The paramedics are just down the block. They’ll be here any second. You’re going to be fine. Stay with me. Talk to me.”



Brill sprang to her feet and hurried over to the officers who crowded outside her door. “O’Toole was just stabbed by some lowlife who snuck up behind him at the water cooler. We’re looking for a white man wearing a short-sleeve, navy blue shirt, possibly bloodstained.”


She locked gazes with Sean’s partner. “Detective Rousseaux, secure the scene and make sure it’s not compromised.


“Captain Dickson, lock down the building and search every corner of every room.


“Sergeant Chavez, set up a containment for two blocks around the building.


“Sergeant Huntman, clear the route to St. Luke’s and make sure we have officers in radio cars ready to escort the ambulance. Come on, people, move it!”


The officers scrambled in all directions, and she ran out to the restroom.


She tore off paper towels until she had a stack, folded them in half and held them under the faucet, then pressed out the excess water and rushed back to her office.


She got on her knees and gently pressed the wet towels onto Sean’s forehead, all too aware he was sweating profusely and still bleeding despite the pressure Trent was keeping on the wound. “We need something to elevate his legs.”


She went over to the bookshelf and grabbed several thick books and put them under Sean’s feet, hoping he wouldn’t die of shock before the paramedics arrived.


Lord, don’t take him now. He’s young. He’s got a wife and three kids.


“Come on, buddy, talk to me.” Trent patted Sean’s cheeks. “What else do you remember about this creep?”


“Tell Jessica I love her. The kids, too. Promise me.”


“You’re not going to die,” Trent said. “The bleeding’s slowing down. Talk to me, Sean. We want whoever did this to you.”


“He’s coming after the chief. Going to kill her.”


“Who’s going to kill her?” Trent’s dark eyes shot Brill a glance. “Give us something else. You’re too sharp of a detective to have missed anything.”


“Had a mark. Top of right hand.”


“What kind of mark?”


“A tattoo. Or b-birthmark. Size of a quarter.”


Brill heard voices and heavy footsteps in the DB, and seconds later two paramedics glided through the door and asked her to stand aside with Trent.



She observed in disbelief as the pair worked to save her detective’s life, heartsick that she might have to tell his wife and children he’d been murdered on her watch—and just feet away from armed police officers.


She started to brush the hair out of her eyes and realized her hands were bloody. She shuddered with the realization that whoever thrust a knife into Sean O’Toole had threatened to finish the job when he got to her.


~~~~~~~~~


Five hours later Brill sat at the conference table in her office with Detective Captain Trent Norris, Detective Beau Jack Rousseaux, Patrol Captain Pate Dickson, and Sheriff Sam Parker trying to assess where they were in the case.


“It’s a miracle Sean made it through surgery.” Brill looked from man to man. “We could be sitting here planning his funeral.”


“He’s too stubborn to die,” Beau Jack said.


“Stubborn’s no match for a knife blade, Detective. I want this animal locked up.”


“Don’t forget he threatened to come after you,” Trent said.


“How’d he get in here, anyway?”


Pate’s face turned pink. “One of my sergeants, Tiller, reported that a white man dressed in navy blue coveralls with the Miller’s Air Conditioning logo on the pocket was standing outside the door when he arrived this morning. The guy said he was here to fix the AC. He had a toolbox and a big smile. Dark hair and mustache. Big guy. Looked fifty to fifty-five.”


“So the sergeant just keyed in the combination and let him in without checking with maintenance?” Beau Jack said. “Real smart move.”


Pate stroked his chin. “Come on, Miller’s service people are in here all the time. The sergeant let down his guard. We’ve all done it.”


“Yeah, well, my partner nearly died because Sergeant Tiller let down his guard.”


“What’s done is done,” Brill said. “It’s not like we have a precedent for this kind of thing in the Sophie Trace PD.”


Beau Jack stuck a Tootsie Pop in his mouth. “I guess we do now.”


“We definitely need to tighten security,” Trent said. “Since we have no idea who this guy is, everyone we bring into the DB to be interviewed will be suspect.”


“I can’t spend the rest of my life in fear of this nutcase coming after me,” Brill said. “I have a job to do. Trent, you take charge of tightening security. All of us need to heighten our awareness of our surroundings. Anything or anyone that doesn’t feel right, check it out.”



Sam’s white eyebrows came together. “I can’t believe y’all were that trusting. My deputies would never let unauthorized individuals into a secured area. They’re trained to follow protocol.”


“So are my officers.” Brill forced herself not to sound defensive.


“But those of you in the county sheriff’s department deal with a broader range of criminals. Until now, the Sophie Trace PD had no reason to fear an officer being attacked in a secured area.”


“I’ll cover it in each briefing,” Trent said. “From this day forward, no one gets in the secured area until he has clearance. I don’t care how inconvenient it is to check him out.”


Brill looked over at Pate. “Tell me about your search of the building.”


“No evidence was found in the building, ma’am. My officers searched every nook and cranny and checked the sinks for hair and blood. Doesn’t appear the attacker stopped to clean up.”


“How’d Chavez do with the containment?” she said.


“He contained a two-block area around city hall, checked license plates, and talked with pedestrians. That yielded one female witness who passed the suspect on the sidewalk around 10:45—just after O’Toole was stabbed. The suspect was headed down First Street at a pretty good clip. Our witness says he was overweight, average height, dressed in navy blue coveralls and a black windbreaker and carrying a gray toolbox. She said he was wearing sunglasses and did not have a mustache. She’s working with Tiller and our sketch artist. We ought to have something soon.”


“Did she see which way he went?” Trent said.


Pate shook his head. “Once he passed her, she didn’t give him a second thought until Chavez questioned her.”


“Well,” Brill said, “I’m eager to see the sketch. If this man has threatened to come after me, I’d sure like to see if I recognize him.”


~~~~~~~~~


A short time later, Brill sat at her desk and studied the artist’s sketch of the man who stabbed Sean O’Toole. Sergeant Tiller was the only one who saw the suspect’s eyes, and the female witness was the

only one who saw his mouth without the mustache. He looked vaguely familiar, but she couldn’t put a name to the face or even explain what it was about him that looked familiar.


Her cell phone vibrated, and she read the display screen.


“There you are,” she said. “I guess you got my message?”


“Honey, I’m so sorry,” Kurt Jessup said. “I’ve been following the news. I’m glad Sean pulled through. Must’ve been horrible for you.”


“I thought we were going to lose him.”


She told Kurt everything that had happened from the time Sean O’Toole staggered into her office until the paramedics took him to St. Luke’s in an ambulance—except that the assailant told O’Toole he was coming after her to “finish the job.” Why get into that over the phone?


“Sounds intense. You must be emotionally drained.”


“I don’t think it’s caught up with me yet. It was surreal washing Sean’s blood off my hands, and I had to throw away my uniform shirt. Beau Jack lent me the extra shirt he had in his locker so Emily wouldn’t have to see the mess. Does she know about the stabbing?”


“Yes, but I made sure she’s not planted in front of the TV, listening to the gory details. It’ll just trigger thoughts of the hostage ordeal, and we both know she’s not over it.”


Are any of us? Brill glanced up at the clock. “I’ll be home in forty-five minutes. Is Vanessa there yet? I can hardly wait to see her.”


“She’ll be here between seven and eight. Said not to plan on her for dinner.”


“By the time I get home, it’ll be too late to cook anything,” Brill said. “And you know what Friday night is like. If we go out, we’ll have to wait forever, and I don’t want Vanessa to come home to an empty house.”


“I’ve got it covered, honey. I bought a baked chicken and a quart of potato salad at the grocery store. We’ve got stuff here for a green salad. That should work.”


“What would I do without you?”


Kurt laughed. “I have no idea.”


“I’ll see you soon. I love you.”


“Love you, too.”


Brill hung up the phone and looked out the window. Through the leafy trees and beyond the ridges of hazy green foothills, the blue gray silhouette of the Great Smoky Mountains dominated the early evening sky. She sat for a moment and just enjoyed the beauty and the calm.


Lord, thank You for letting Sean pull through.


Her office phone rang, and she picked it up. “Yes, LaTeesha.”


“Captain Donovan from the Memphis PD is on line one for you.”


“Thanks.” She pushed the blinking button. “Hello, John.”


“Hey. It’s great to hear your voice. Saw you on the news last fall. I figured you’d make a name for yourself, but I didn’t think you’d go to such extreme measures.”


She smiled. “Things got pretty crazy, all right. So are you enjoying my old office?”


“Not today. I’ve got bad news … Zack Rogers was stabbed night before last. Happened in his driveway. Some worthless piece of garbage came up behind him and stuck a knife in his gut, and said to tell District Attorney Cromwell he was coming after him. I didn’t call you because the doc said Zack was going to be all right. But his heart gave out …”—John’s voice cracked—“an hour ago. No one saw it coming. His kids are still in high school, and with their mother dead … well, it’s a tragic loss. I knew you’d want to know since you and Zack were partners for so long.”


Brill felt a wave of nausea sweep over her, a decade of memories flashing through her mind in an instant.


“The thing is,” John said, “we knew Zack was being targeted because one of my detectives was stabbed last week, and the perp told him he was coming after Zack. We offered Zack protection, but you know how independent he was—bound and determined he could take care of himself.”


Brill’s heart pounded so hard she was sure he could hear it. “John, one of my detectives was stabbed today just outside the detective bureau. The attacker told him he was coming after me, to finish the job. This can’t be a coincidence.”


There was a long moment of dead air, and she figured John was processing the implications.


“You and Zack helped put away lots of perps, Brill. And Jason Cromwell was district attorney during the time you two were partners. Did anybody ever threaten you?”


“Are you kidding? All the time. We blew it off.”


“Well, looks like one of them was dead serious. Anybody in particular stand out?”



“Sure, Bart and Sampson Rhodes. But they’re lifers and not eligible for parole. Zack and I busted them what, nine or ten years ago? If they had been serious about taking us out, they could’ve snapped their fingers and gotten it done in nine or ten minutes.”


“Maybe they’re patient,”


“Or maybe this is someone else,” Brill said. “Someone who was forced to wait a long time for the chance to get even—someone who served out his sentence. Someone who wouldn’t think of hiring a hit man, but rather delights in the systematic elimination of the people who put him away. Someone who enhances his enjoyment by first stabbing a person who is close to the intended victim and making sure that person lives long enough to tell the intended victim that he or she is next.”


“You’ve worked with the FBI profilers so long you actually sound like one.”


“Unfortunately, John, I think I’m right.”


©2009 Cook Communications Ministries. The Last Word by Kathy Herman. Used with permission. May not be further reproduced. All rights reserved.

Review: Against All Odds by Irene Hannon (Heroes of Quantico Book 1)

Against All Odds by Irene Hannon


My rating: 4.5/5.0
I picked this up because I had seen it around the internet and heard good things about it. It was also romantic suspense and that is my favorite genre. Added to that it was Christian romantic suspense and I definitely wanted to try it and I'm glad I did.


About the book:

For FBI Hostage Rescue Team member Evan Cooper and his partner, dignitary protection duty should have been a piece of cake. Unfortunately, Monica Callahan isn't making it easy. Estranged from her diplomat father--who is involved in a sensitive hostage situation in the Middle East--she refuses to be intimidated by a related terrorist threat back in the States. That is, until a chilling warning convinces her that the danger is very real--and escalating. As Coop and his partner do their best to keep her safe, Monica's father triggers an abduction that puts his daughter's life at risk. And with every second that ticks by, Coop knows that the odds of saving the only woman who has ever breached the walls around his heart are dropping. After all, terrorists aren't known for their patience--or their mercy.

My Review:

From the start I really liked Monica and Coop. Monica was a very strong woman who is faced with a tough situation. Her life is in danger. This makes her face her mortality and also face an estranged relationship with her father. Monica is a well-known communication expert who has written several books and she does her job well. Monica is also a Christian, but she is not a preachy character - her Christianity is just a part of her. Ms. Hannon brings this out with references to Monica reading the Bible and from some things she says to Coop, but you can tell she is very human and knows it and struggles with some issues in her life. I like that Monica was strong, but she knew when she needed help. She was stubborn but smart too. Sometimes that is overlooked in the characterization of heroines in books and it goes to far to one side or the other. Monica is a perfect balance and a joy to read about.

Coop is definitely the brooding distant male. He's good at his job but he doesn't want to form attachments. Some of this goes back to some instances in his past. The problem is Monica is starting to slip past his defenses and in his protecting her he may also be falling for her. As I said in my interview with Irene - I want Coop if my husband ever leaves me. :)

For the plot - it moves along well with the characters and the suspense line pushing it along. We get a glimpse into all sides of this, Monica's, Coop's, her father's, and even the bad guys behind the plot. But even though you think everyone is known, not everyone is known, there are several subplots going on and it is suspenseful to the very end.

The romance is wonderful too. Watching Coop and Monica deal with their growing feelings for each other and sensing their attraction is amazing. It's a great love story to go along with the suspense.

In summary, this is a great romantic suspense with Christian elements. It's not preachy, yet it doesn't have sex or foul language which can be refreshing. It's full of romance and it's very suspenseful. It kept me reading and turning the pages. I also can't wait to read the next one in the series - An Eye for An Eye to learn more about Coop's partner, Mark who was also in this book.

So give it a try - I think you will really like it. Maybe you will want a Hero of Quantico all your own too.

Also see my giveaway of the first two books in the Heroes of Quantico series (Against All Odds and An Eye for an Eye) here, and my interview with Irene Hannon, the author, here.

I received this book through my membership with booksfree.com.

Challenges:
100+ Book Challenge

Giveaway - Against All Odds and An Eye for an Eye by Irene Hannon (Heroes of Quantico)

Up for grabs today I have the first two books released in Irene Hannon's romantic suspense series - Heroes of Quantico. I will order you a copy of Against All Odds and An Eye for an Eye from Amazon and have it shipped to you. Two brand new books in an awesome romantic suspense series for you. I have a review coming up later today of Against All Odds, but as a hint - this is an excellent book. If you haven't read it, you'll want to read it.

So how can you enter - I'm going to do this a little different. First the basic rules - it's open to the US and Canada and please include your email address if it's not available in your profile. The giveaway will run through 10/30.

• Enter by going to my interview with Irene Hannon that was posted yesterday, read through and share what your favorite question and answer was, or share a thought to go along with one of Irene's answers. Leave that comment on the interview post. (+5 entries)
  
• For an additional entry ask a question of Irene. I will combine all the questions into one email and have a followup interview after the giveaway is over. Leave this comment on the interview post also. (+5 entries)
  
• Tweet or post about this contest on twitter or your blog (+3 additional entries per tweet or blog/day) (Leave comments for this on this post)
  

That's it. You have to either share what your favorite question and answer were or ask a question on the interview post here to be entered. The tweeting and blogging are for additional entries. I'll count up all your entries so you can leave one post on the interview for both questions (I'll count 5 for each).

Thanks for checking this contest out. I will have the review up later today for Against All Odds by Irene Hannon

Booking Through Thursday - October 15th

Here is this week's Booking Through Thursday question:

When’s the last time you weeded out your library? Do you regularly keep it pared down to your reading essentials? Or does it blossom into something out of control the minute you turn your back, like a garden after a Spring rain?

Or do you simply not get rid of books? At all? (This would have described me for most of my life, by the way.)

And–when you DO weed out books from your collection (assuming that you do) …what do you do with them? Throw them away (gasp)? Donate them to a charity or used bookstore? SELL them to a used bookstore? Trade them on Paperback Book Swap or some other exchange program?

I weed out my books from time-to-time, but not down to my reading essentials. I probably have 1000+ books at the moment spread out between my house and my work desk (I keep a kind of library for people at work who ask). Most of the time my books are out-of-control though - just ask my husband. :)

When I do get rid of them I either give them away on my blog (review copies and ARCs) or on Paperbackswap (my books) or take them to our used book store to buy more books for myself. I also plan to start donating some of my new hardbacks to the library. I just can't keep all my books and I'm looking to start paring down. This means I'm reading as fast as I can.

So what do you do?

Author Interview: Irene Hannon (Against All Odds - Heroes of Quantico Book 1)

Irene Hannon, author of many Love Inspired Romances and most recently the Heroes of Quantico series for Revell Publishing contacted me after I mentioned reading her book Against All Odds in one of my weekly memes. Through that contact she agreed to an interview with me. And what a great interview it is. Her love for what she does and her feelings really come through. I hope you enjoy her interview and stay tuned tomorrow for the review of Against All Odds and a special giveaway.

What was your first book published and what did you do when you found out you would be published?

My first published novel was In Name Only from Thomas Nelson, part of their Promise Romance Series back in the eighties. I was working in the corporate world at the time, living at home, and was on a business trip when the call came in. My mother tracked me down at my hotel (this was the era before cell phones!) and told me the editor had called. I called her back immediately and she offered me a contract. I was ecstatic—but I was a long way from home, no friends around, so I had no one to celebrate with! However, my parents made up for that by throwing me a fabulous first-book party when the book came out.

Do you get time to read? What are your favorite types of books to read?

I LOVE to read—but have very little time to do so anymore, except when I judge writing contests. Too many deadlines get in the way! When I do read for pleasure, though, I usually stick to romance and romantic suspense, because those are the books I like best. (Which is why I write them!)

What is your favorite room in your house?

Five years ago, we added a fabulous sun room that opens off our kitchen, and I relish that bright new space. But I also love sitting by the fire in our living room on a cold winter night.

What is your favorite spot to read in?

Our screened porch, stretched out on a wicker settee, rose garden in view, on a warm summer day.

What is your favorite snack food?

I don’t snack. Honest. I just never developed that the habit. The closest I come is having some popcorn if my husband and are watching a movie at home.

(Crystal's note - You are amazing Irene! I don't snack much - but I love my chocolate every evening.)

Do you have a schedule for writing each day or do you just do it when you can?

Since giving up my corporate career six years ago, I write full time. And I do mean full time. I’m at my computer by 8:30, and I’m often still there at 9 at night, with breaks for meals and a walk. If I get my page count done early and can kick back at 5, I do. But it hasn’t happened very often lately. Since the Heroes of Quantico books began coming out, I’ve had lots of publicity duties to take care of, and those cut into my writing time—and extend my day. But I’m not complaining! I’m thrilled by the reception to the series.

Where did the idea for the Heroes of Quantico series come from?

I’ve always love romantic suspense, but had no background in law enforcement. So I felt intimidated by the amount of research involved. After reading Dee Henderson’s O’Malley series, though—especially The Guardian—I was inspired. I wanted to focus on a law enforcement group that hadn’t received a lot of publicity, and my research led me to the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team. What an amazing group of guys! True hero material. And so the series was born.

Where did your character of Monica come from? I loved her because she was a strong woman, in confidence and in her faith, but she wasn't overbearing and knew she had to depend on others when the time came. She was an amazing balance for a female heroine.

I actually came up with Coop (the hero) first. Since he’s the strong, silent type, I needed a determined heroine who would not only challenge his reserve, but force him to reexamine some long-held beliefs and recognize the loneliness of his life. Who better than a beautiful communication expert who has just written a book about the importance of talking and sharing and opening our hearts to others? Also, I wanted a woman of strong faith who could challenge Coop to take a closer look at Christianity—and set his own faith journey in motion.

How about Evan? (and if my husband ever leaves me can I have him?)

Evan Cooper—who goes by Coop—is the quintessential tall, dark and handsome hero, which is exactly what I wanted for this book. He is the consummate professional, with a hint of danger and leashed power about him. For this story, I wanted a very private, intense, emotionally enclosed person who tended to be a loner when not working. He does, however, like to hang out with his HRT buddy, Mark Sanders, who’s his partner in Against All Odds and the hero of Book 2, An Eye For An Eye. As for whether you can have him if your husband ever leaves…the line forms to the right!

I know you've written several Love Inspired books, what made you delve into romantic suspense?

To be honest, romantic suspense was my first love, going all the way back to my Nancy Drew days. And in the interest of full disclosure, the very first book I ever wrote was a romantic suspense, though it was more novella length. However, it was SO bad I put it in the deepest, darkest corner of my closet, where it shall remain forever. I just didn’t have a solid enough background in law enforcement to make that book work. And I didn’t know how to go about getting it, either. Twenty years and 26 books later, however, I finally felt ready to tackle the challenge again.

You do a wonderful job of making a suspenseful and romantic storyline while keeping it Christian and clean and having an underlying message. Is that balance hard to find?

Sometimes. But Against All Odds was magic. Everything fell together perfectly. I look back at it now and think, “Did I really write that?”

I know an Eye for an Eye - the second book in the Heroes of Quantico is out and it's Mark's story. What is the next book and when will it be coming out?

An Eye For An Eye is in stores now, and I’m happy to announce that it debuted at #11 on one of the two premier Christian fiction bestseller lists, following in the footsteps of Against All Odds, which was also a bestseller. An Eye For An Eye is a psychological thriller in which an unexpected reunion of high school sweethearts is shattered by a sniper who’s still on the hunt. Book 3, In Harm’s Way (April 2010) revolves around an infant kidnapping, a Raggedy Ann doll, and a heroine who has to convince the FBI her very strange story is true.

What book are you working on at the moment?

I’ve signed a contract with Revell for another three-book series, and I’m working on that now. It will revolve around three siblings who are involved in justice-related professions. The first book focuses on a federal judge and the U.S. Marshal assigned to protect her after her sister is killed.

Any book signings/conferences/public/blog appearances in the near future?

The bulk of the publicity surrounding the release of An Eye For An Eye is over, but if anyone would like to listen to a drive-time radio interview I did on October 7 on a station in Ottawa, Canada, go to www.CHRI.ca and click on the Wednesday Bookmark program.

Any last words on Against All Odds, your Heroes of Quantico series or anything else that you would like to share?

I’d like to thank all the readers who’ve made the first two books bestsellers. And I’d like to thank Dee Henderson, who I’ve never met, for her willingness to read Against All Odds and for her fabulous endorsement: “I found an author who writes romantic suspense than I do.” Wow. That still blows me away.

One other comment. I often wish I could get secular readers to stroll down the inspirational fiction aisle. I think they’d be pleasantly surprised to discover that most Christian novels aren’t stereotypically preachy. Instead, they’re compelling stories told without four-letter words, gratuitous violence or graphic sex. In a world where we’re bombarded with violence and vulgarity on practically every front, inspirational fiction is a wonderful alternative for ALL readers.

Finally, if anyone would like to know more about my books, or read a synopsis of my suspense novels, I invite them to visit my website at www.irenehannon.com.

Crystal Again:
I fully agree with Irene on trying out Christian novels. From what I have been reading lately - they honestly rival what is currently on the Bestseller list with plot and characterization - they just leave out the vulgarity. And not all secular books have the vulgarity - but the Christian novels are one way to be sure to leave it out. I read all kinds of books - but I must admit I am really enjoying the latest Christian fiction novels. And trust me - Irene Hannon is a good first author to try. There are definitely Christian elements in the book, but they are not preachy and fall into the plot really well - so give it a try you may fall in love with a new author.

Check out Irene's website and make sure to come back tomorrow for the review of the first book in her Heroes of Quantico series - Against All Odds, plus a special giveaway.

Waiting On Wednesday - October 14

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

In honor of my author interview that will be posted later today with the amazing Irene Hannon my "can't-wait-to-read" selection for this week is:

In Harm's Way by Irene Hannon (Heroes of Quantico Book 3)

Release: April 1, 2010

FBI special agent Nick Bradley has seen his share of kooks during his fifteen years with the Bureau. But Rachel Sutton is an enigma. She seems normal when she shows up at the FBI office in St. Louis--until she produces a tattered Raggedy Ann doll she found and tells him she thinks something is wrong because of a strange feeling of terror it gives her when she touches it. Nick dismisses her, only to stumble across a link between the doll and an abducted child, setting in motion a chain of events that uncovers startling connections--and puts Rachel's life on the line. Filled with palpable suspense and a touch of romance, In Harm's Way is the final installment of the thrilling HEROES OF QUANTICO series.

So what are you waiting on this week?