I'd never had a reader ask me to write a specific book before. But a few months after Killer Assignment came out into the world, I opened my email inbox to find a beautiful letter from a reader asking about the hero's friend -- Special Forces soldier, Zack Keats. Why was Zack still single? The reader wanted to know. When would Zack get a turn to be the hero of a book? Could I please find Zack his Happily Ever After?
Her letter stuck with me over the years while I went on and wrote other books, like Deadline and Christmas Blackout. Zack Keats was about forty years old by now. His dark hair was greying at the temples and he'd had a long, proud career serving his country and stopping villains in some of the world's most dangerous war zones. What's more, he was a confident, laid back kind of guy and had always seemed happily single to me. What was this reader seeing in Zack that I'd missed? What story might be lurking in his past? Who would the special woman be to unlock the soldier's heart? 
So, last year I sat down to tackle these questions and now Zack Keats is coming back in a new, high action, fast paced adventure this May called Tactical Rescue, that reunites the cast of characters from Killer Assignment. I hope that reader enjoys it and is happy with how the Special Forces hero gets his Happily Ever After. 
And if you've ever wondered if writers like me enjoy your letters or if they make a difference to us here's the proof they do. I look forward to hearing what you all think of the story and your suggestions of what characters I've created so far whose stories you'd like to see continue.

When I wrote DEADLINE, two of my absolute favorite characters were Meg’s brother Benjamin and his adopted Siberian huskie, Harry. So, I’m very happy to announce that they're back in all new book next month, called CHRISTMAS BLACKOUT.
Set a year and a half after the end of Deadline, Christmas Blackout fills us in on how Benjamin, Meg and Jack’s lives have changed since the arrest of the Raincoat Killer—and introduces the extraordinary new heroine, called Piper, who will toss all of Benjamin’s plans for the future into chaos. It's got a Christmas wedding, a dangerous storm, a serial killer stalking in the darkness, a hidden secret from history and a fierce hockey loving heroine. I can’t wait to share it with you.

"... I barely made it half way through the first class before I collapsed. I was so terrible at it! This huge, bulk of an instructor stood over me and told me to get up and try again. (He was right. And he’s a really lovely guy. But I was so frustrated in that moment.)

"I grit my teeth, tried a couple more steps and then went home and wrote a new villain into my book who looked just like him..."

I visited Team Love On The Run this week to talk about Headline: Murder and my awesome martial arts class. Plus, there's a new giveaway!

Read all about it HERE.

Sometimes the amazing Love Inspired Suspense author, Margaret Daley, interviews fictional heroes and heroines on her blog -- which I just think is the most fantastic and creative thing ever. This week, she interviewed Luke Wolf, hero of Silent Hunter. And if you comment on his interview, you could win a free book! You can find the full interview here. (And don't forget to check out her other character interviews and pick up Margaret's latest book!) 

Huge thanks to my wonderful friend, award winning journalist and author Robert White, who reviewed Silent Hunter on his Arts Connection blog! You can read the review here. :)

I can’t believe it’s February already. It’s a snow day today. Schools are closed and the snow pile beside our driveway is over four feet tall. It’s definitely the heaviest snowstorm of the winter so far. I spent January finishing a Christmas, Love Inspired Suspense about a very heavy snowstorm—so even on days when the skies were clear outside, the characters in my writing world were buried under a mountain of white. 
Along with finishing my Christmas book, the other exciting thing that happened last week is I passed my level one in marital arts defense. It was a really intense test! I had to demonstrate the ability to defend myself against weapons and people, as well as quick thinking to escape potential conflicts. All good for helping me imagine what my heroes and heroines would do under pressure! 
I've always found winter a really challenging time. The cold weather is hard on my Fibromyalgia and the darkness really impacts my mood. Writing a winter book about a snowstorm was one of the ways I chose to battle the weather this year -- writing all my feelings about winter right onto the page and letting my characters battle it out with the cold and snow. Doing martial arts has also really helped my health, far more than I expected. I think that's because it combines exercise and imagination. Even on days when I feel too tired to keep swinging, and flop on the mat unable to move another step, my mind can keep on running imagining how I'd write all the action around me into a book!
If you're a winter-lover, I hope you're really enjoying the most of the season. And if you're one of those people who find winter challenging, let me know what your tricks are for surviving the cold. Keep warm everyone!

Saw this amazing Christmas tree made out of hockey sticks, twigs, boards and branches on Sunday. It was beautiful and rugged. I was so inspired by it! I wouldn't be surprised if it makes an appearance in a future book.