1. Did you have a favorite character in this book, or one that you resonated with a bit more? If so, who and why?
I loved writing Aubrey’s character. As a detective for the Houston Police Department, she’s strong, but she’s also vulnerable at the same time. And because what is happening around her is so personal, I was able to really explore these two sides of her.
2. Did anything happen during the writing of this book to change the trajectory of the story?
This story started forming in the back of my head for a couple years before I actually sat down and wrote it. And yes, it did change trajectory quite substantially from the first nuggets of inspiration. Originally, I was looking at a storyline about someone being coerced to stop a piece of legislation, and the heroine was being held for ransom in exchange for the right vote. I obviously took quite a detour to the final story that deals with the selling of government secrets. :-)
3. As you were writing, did anything in the story end up surprising you?
My husband always laughs at me when something surprises me. He can’t understand how I didn’t know. :-) I would say the identity of the bad guy in this story surprised me. Sometimes the characters end up forcing their way onto the pages and doing the unexpected!!
4. What was your inspiration for the story line?
Originally, I had this scene in my head that I couldn’t shake about a hunting trip gone wrong. Eventually I was able to pull the rest of the story out and onto the page!
5. What is something that you hope readers will glean from this story?
I never know the spiritual message of my story when I start. Instead, I try to let it develop naturally, depending on what is happening. Jack and Aubrey have to wrestle with the fact that God never intended this world to be free from suffering or that justice would be served for every crime committed. A great example is Job. Even though God is good and what He created is good, bad things still happen. God reminded Job that he wasn’t big enough to see the whole picture. Just like we aren’t. I believe God never gets frustrated at our trying to get to know him better. Even when it involves questioning what He allows to happen.
6. Any other fun tidbits about this one that you'd like to share?
Later in the book, my hero and heroine have to drive to from Corpus Christi to San Antonio, a city I’ve visited a number of times. I wanted a chase scene and what better place than the River Walk in the heart of San Antonio. For those of you who haven’t been there, the river walk is a shady network of walkways that follows the banks of the San Antonio River and is lined with shops and restaurants. It’s been referred to at times as the American Venice. There aren’t any gondolas, but you can take a boat down the river, and even eat a meal on a river barge.
Last fall, I spent a week there with my friend and fellow author, Lynne Gentry, and we had an intense week-long writing retreat. It was the perfect setting for writing sprints and brainstorming. When we weren’t writing, we spent time on the Riverwalk where we ate Mexican food, and enjoyed the perfect weather before heading back to our hotel and starting the writing process all over again.
While I missed it this past year, one of the most beautiful times to visit the River Walk is during its annual Christmas lighting display. And in case you wondered, yes, people have fallen into the river—including someone in my story. The depth of the river ranges from about two feet to twenty-four feet, and each year when they drain and clean the river, they find everything from silverware to sunglasses to furniture!
7. What do you have coming out next? Can you tell us a bit about it and when we can expect it?
I’m working on several things right now, actually. Hostage Rescue, book three in my O’Callaghan Brothers series with LIS (Love Inspired Suspense for those not "in the know") comes out in May. In the meantime, I’m working on a band new US Marshal series—debuting the end of this year, and a second medical thriller that will be out in a few weeks.
Thank you so much for having me on your blog!!
To learn more about the author and her books, visit her in the following places:
www.lisaharriswrites.com
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