Please join me in welcoming Kathi Oram Peterson. She's joined us today to talk about her latest book, Cold Justice--a thrilling combination of suspense and romance.
MK:
You have a few books under your belt now, but not all of them suspense like River Whispers, your last book. You have
some heartwarming stories and one that involves time travel – what led you to
venture into romantic suspense?
KP:
I actually wrote romantic suspense novels that didn’t publish before I wrote my
YA time travels (The Forgotten Warrior,
2009; The Stone Traveler, 2010). I
love both genres.
Romantic
suspense was my first love. I read a ton of gothic mysteries when my children
were young. But I loved romantic suspense because most of them show ordinary
women rising to the occasion by becoming strong and feisty heroines.
The
reason I tried writing young adult novels was I worked a lot with the young in
my Church so I decided to give YA time travels a try. I found I really liked writing them. I have
two more YA time travels that haven’t been published as yet, but I’m keeping my
fingers crossed they’ll find a home.
MK:
Your new book, Cold Justice just came out. Will you share with us a
short preview?
KP:
I’ll give you the back cover blurb. It says it better than I can.
After overcoming missed
connections, murder accusations, and years of living lives apart, Regi Bernard
and Samuel Tanner’s happily ever after is finally within reach. On the eve of
their wedding, however, Samuel disappears, and Regi wonders if once again he
has run away from both a life with her and a membership in the Church.
Quite the opposite; Samuel
has been kidnapped by the Raven Clan, a powerful Alaskan tribe, and is en route
to stand trial in front of their justice council for a puzzling crime that
happened years ago.
When Regi and Samuel’s close
friends suspect a kidnapping, Regi—with the help of her sister, Claudia, and
friend Wakanda—resolves to follow Samuel to Alaska but soon learns secrets
about her fiancé she hadn’t bargained for.
While Samuel struggles with
his faith and with understanding why he has been accused, Regi risks life and
love to set him free.
MK:
Cold
Justice is set in Alaska, River Whispers in Idaho – how do you
choose the settings for your stories?
KP:
I set River Whispers in Idaho because
I’m familiar with the area where it takes place. I was born and raised in Idaho.
Cold Justice has the same characters
and because Samuel had spent time in Alaska that’s where I knew I had to set
this book. The problem I encountered was researching travel by boat and plane.
Many hours were spent finding out what the ocean was like in that area and routes
bush pilots would fly.
MK: Do you have a favorite character you’ve
written? Who and why?
KP:
My favorite tends to be the main character of the book I’m writing on at the
time. But for Cold Justice and River Whispers I loved writing Regi’s character. She had some of my
sister, some of me, and some my daughter in her. And also I enjoyed writing Wakanda,
Regi’s friend. Wakanda had a rough life and because of that she was rich with
experiences that came out during the book.
MK:
I was recently asked to give my input on the direction romance books are
heading in terms of content. Your books are all clean reads (which this reader
appreciates). Have you ever found it difficult to appeal to an audience?
KP:
I haven’t because my publisher only publishes clean reads and my target
audience expects that from me. I have had fans tell me that they enjoy my books
because they don’t have to worry about an explicit sex scene or swearing.
MK:
What has been your greatest challenge as a writer? Have you been able to
overcome it?
KP:
After I wrote my first novel (years ago) I called a published author and asked
for his advice on what I needed to do to get it published. He asked me if I had
had any articles published. When I told him no, he said, “What makes you think
you can have a book published?” I was devastated. BUT after a while, I became
determined. It took me years of hard work, taking many writing classes, and
fielding many rejections, but I finally made it. I’m still shocked that I will
have five books out with the release of Cold
Justice. Writing has become part of who I am. I’m still learning. And I
hope to always keep learning about this crazy business of writing.
MK:
What has been your greatest pleasure since that first book was published?
KP:
By far it has to be receiving email from fans who love my books. That’s what
it’s all about, writing stories that others will enjoy. And second has to be to
actually hold a published novel that I’ve written in my hand. All those years
of hard work paid off.
MK: What are some non-writing pastimes you enjoy?
KP:
I love going to the movies. There’s something magical about the big screen and
becoming absorbed into another world. When I have the time, I like to go
golfing with my husband. I haven’t been as often as I used to because of
deadlines, but we go at least a couple of times every summer.
MK:
We’re going to time-travel a bit – any place and time in history. Where would
you like to go? If you had to write a book on your experience there, what would
be the title?
KP:
There are so many. This is hard. I’d love to have been in Bethlehem when Christ
was born. I actually wrote a book, yet to be published, set at that time. The
title is Chasing the Star.
I’d also like to meet George Washington,
Benjamin Franklin, and Abraham Lincoln. I’d like to meet their wives the
woman’s side of history. For the most part, their stories have not been told.
I’d like to do a patriot series someday. But I’ve yet to think of titles.
MK:
What can readers expect from you in the future? More romantic suspense? More
YA?
KP:
I’m hopeful the sequel to The Forgotten
Warrior will be released as well as Chasing
the Star. Both are YA time travels. Right now, I’m working on another
romantic suspense with the working title, Wanted.
Faulkner was wrongly convicted of killing
his step-brother. When he learns that his ex-wife, Jo, plans to marry the man Faulkner
believes is the real killer, he breaks out of jail in the hopes of stopping the
wedding and saving her life.
THE GIVEAWAYS
Kathi is giving away two copies of Cold Justice
through Goodreads. http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/25006-cold-justice
Hurry
and sign up because it ends June 30th!
Kathi is also giving away two very cute and cuddly toy
bears from Build-a-Bear. To be included in the drawing for the bears, followers
need to leave comments on each blog of the tour. They have until midnight on
July 1st to go to each blog and leave a comment. I'll then put their names in
the hat and have two winners picked.
She'll announce the winners July 3rd.
Thank you, MK! It was such an honor and privilege to be featured on your beautiful blog.
ReplyDeleteIt's lovely having you here with us Kathi. The books are great and I hope many get a chance to read Cold Justice. Another great cover too--my mother made mention of that and said she'd read the books for that reason alone.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the interview. Yay for clean reads and a sequel to the Forgotten Warrior!
ReplyDeleteemfawcett - I like the clean reads too! Thanks for stopping by and supporting Kathi today!
ReplyDelete