Wife, mother, missionary, writer. Lisa Harris has many a title and has made a name for herself penning fast-paced romantic suspense novels from her home in Southern Africa. Currently in the US getting her youngest settled into college, Lisa manages to find time to write stories that might keep you up at night! Her latest standalone novel is the just released Deadly Intentions and thanks to her publisher, Revell, we have a copy to give away! I’m grateful Lisa has taken time from her busy schedule to visit Relz Reviewz and chat about her characters and an unimaginable experience she will never forget.

Enjoy!

Research scientist Caitlyn Lindsey is convinced that someone is taking out her team one by one. First, a friend and research partner was killed in a home invasion. Three months ago, her boss died in a suspicious car accident. Four days ago, another partner supposedly committed suicide. And now Caitlyn herself has miraculously survived a hit-and-run. Afraid for her life with nowhere to turn, she reaches out to one of the victim’s husbands, Detective Josh Solomon.

Though initially skeptical about Caitlyn’s theory, Josh soon realizes that the attack that took his wife’s life was anything but random. Now the two of them must discover the truth about who is after Caitlyn’s team–and what their end game is–before it’s too late.

In this nail-biting thriller, award-winning author Lisa Harris will have you believing that there’s no such thing as random.

Please share a little about your characters, Caitlyn & Josh

Caitlyn and Josh have known each other for several years, as she used to work with Josh’s wife. But everything has changed now, especially for Josh when his wife Olivia was killed in what he believes was a burglary. Caitlyn works in a lab. Josh is a police detective. His wife’s murder is what eventually brings them together. As they journey through this story, they come from different backgrounds, but they have the same goal. To find out the truth about Olivia’s murder, and stop them from killing Caitlyn.

Both Caitlyn and Josh are grieving – how do they process that grief? They learn that grief is a process. That it takes time and that there isn’t an A to B to C process. This story was personal, as well, because through their grief they had to ask hard questions about faith and God when things don’t go the way they want. And their grief also ends up being a thread that draws them together.

Describe your book in 5 adjectives

Nail-biting, emotional, fast-paced, roller-coaster, romantic!

In writing suspense, do you have the outcome of the twists and turns in your mind before you write the story, or does it develop as you write?

I definitely have some of the twists in mind before I start writing, and sometimes even the ending—at least loosely. But a lot of the twists come as I’m writing the story and trying to layer the suspense.

What are the major themes in this story?

Spiritually, it deals with the theme or question of when God says no and how we end up responding. It is also about grief, redemption, and finding joy again.

Right now, I’m back in the states for a while, so my writing space is a big, comfy red recliner!

Which character did you enjoy writing most?

I loved Caitlyn because she’s both strong and vulnerable at the same time. She has a heart for justice and doesn’t just sit back and watch something happen. She risks her life to find out the truth about her friends.

Which character gave you the most grief?

The bad guy is always the hardest for me. No one is all good or all bad, and I never want them to be one-dimensional. But that means that you really have to work through their character, and know their motivation and actions, even when a lot of their story doesn’t make the page.

What emotions did you experience while writing this story?

This was a very personal story for me, so honestly, a lot of emotions. Three years ago, the unthinkable happened. Three armed men walked into our house and held us at gunpoint. There is one detail in particular I will never forget, and that is the moment I thought my husband was dead. That moment will be impressed in my mind forever, even though—praise God!—I found out later that he was alive.

I spent the next year or so asking myself how I would have responded if they really had killed my husband. We praise God when he steps in and saves us, but what about when he doesn’t? It was a question that for some reason I needed to ask. A question I needed to write about. How would his death have changed me? And even more importantly, would his death have shattered my faith? This story works through these questions through my hero, Josh Solomon.

Does some of the danger you put your characters in keep you from sleeping at night yourself?

Thankfully, I sleep pretty well at night. 🙂 There are moments, though, when my active imagination kicks in when I wish it wouldn’t. I’m currently working on a story about a fugitive—a prisoner who escapes during a transport—so imagine what I started thinking while taking my mother to the doctor and a shackled prisoner dressed in orange walks through the door. 🙂

What parts of the writing process become easier with each new story? What becomes more challenging?

That’s a great question. I guess it does get easier to some degree as the plot becomes more instinctive the more you write. But on the other hand, it still comes down sitting down and writing. And writing is hard work!

What is in your writing pipeline now?

I’m working on a US Marshal series that I’m really excited about. It’s an intertwined series that will solve major fugitive hunts, a very personal case, and of course some romance!

Thank you for sharing so personally about this story and your experience, Lisa.

Lisa Harris is a bestselling author, a Christy Award winner, and the winner of the Best Inspirational Suspense Novel from Romantic Times for her novels Blood Covenant and Vendetta. The author of more than thirty books, including The Nikki Boyd Files and the Southern Crimes series, as well as Vanishing Point and A Secret to Die For, Harris and her family have spent over fifteen years living as missionaries in southern Africa. Learn more at www.lisaharriswrites.com.

Relz Reviewz Extras
All Things Harris @ Relz Reviewz
Visit Lisa’s website and blog
Buy at Amazon: Deadly Intentions or Koorong

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