Celebrating Release Day!

Storm Front: Montana Rescue #5

With every novel Susan May Warren has ever written read and on my shelves, I’m thrilled to be celebrating the release of her fifth Montana Rescue novel, [easyazon_link identifier=”0800727479″ locale=”US” tag=”relzrevi-20″]Storm Front[/easyazon_link]. Ty and Brette’s story is exciting, moving, and tender, as are the continuing stories of beloved characters from Peak Rescue.

Enjoy as Susan shares about this fabulous story and be sure to enter the giveaway below! 

Over to you, Susie May!

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What was the working title?

Can’t Take My Eyes off You

Describe your book in 5 adjectives.

Suspenseful, Compelling, Romantic, Moving, a Page-Turner. 😊

Which character did you enjoy writing most?

I love Ty.  He’s the hero, sure, but I didn’t know much about him when I started, just that he had been in a chopper crash, barely survived and carried deep guilt. He is stuck on the sidelines of the SAR team, unable to trust himself, and wondering how God can still use him. He turned out to be the character I would most want to ride off into the sunset with.

Which character gave you the most grief?

Brette! My heroine! She was soooo stubborn, bitter, hurt, and defensive! I had to really work to make her accept Ty’s love for her. But she is also probably one of the most real characters I’ve ever written, so…

Readers have been raving over your Montana Rescue series. What makes book five different and exciting?

I am loving writing this series, so I’m delighted that fans are also enjoying it! The series as a whole is based on the themes of “Amazing Grace,” with the rescuers of the PEAK team each dealing with their own jaded, painful pasts, trying to break free and find a new start. Against a backdrop of adrenaline-laced rescues, each team member has to grapple with their frailties and fears. It’s been a fun series to write—think Chicago Fire goes to Montana! We started with a chopper pilot with PTSD and a country music star, went to a type A deputy sheriff, then an epic snowboarding champion. In book four we got to know billionaire Ian Shaw, and in this book we hang out with Ty Remington, a wealthy cowboy/rancher who has secrets that are revealed. Ty is the most mysterious of the team, and I think readers will love discovering this amazing hero, as I did. I think he might be my favorite!

Tell us what sparked the idea for Storm Front.

I live in Minnesota, and for years wanted to write a story about a tornado that devastated a tiny town south of the twin cities. We helped with cleanup, and I remember thinking, How do people survive devastating moments in their lives? I had also recently lost my mother to cancer and had observed her experiences as a brave victim of this disease. Finally, I had a couple friends who recently survived breast cancer and I wanted to bring in a point of view of a survivor who lives not knowing the future. The theme of devastation, of trying to hold out hope and the fear of letting people we love be our support team, fit well with searching for a lost loved one in the midst of tragedy. I think this has ended up being one of my favorite books in the series.

While many of the books in the Montana Rescue series are set in Glacier National Park, Storm Front has a different location altogether. Why did you decide to pick a new setting for this book?

I wanted to widen the stories a little, bring readers to new parts of the world (we visited the Caribbean in [easyazon_link identifier=”0800727460″ locale=”US” tag=”relzrevi-20″]Troubled Waters[/easyazon_link]). I also wanted to bring the rescuers of PEAK out of their element, make them have to rely on locals and other resources for their search. But the biggest inspiration was attending a country music festival in Minnesota and asking myself, as the clouds rolled in and a storm threatened, What if a tornado happened here? This book is an attempt at an answer.

What type of research was required to write about the destruction of a tornado?

I read a lot of books about tornados including [easyazon_link identifier=”1476763070″ locale=”US” tag=”relzrevi-20″]What Stands in a Storm[/easyazon_link] by Kim Cross, [easyazon_link identifier=”0451234596″ locale=”US” tag=”relzrevi-20″]Into the Storm[/easyazon_link] by Reed Timmer, and [easyazon_link identifier=”0452297133″ locale=”US” tag=”relzrevi-20″]The Storm Chasers[/easyazon_link] by Jenna Blum. I also watched every episode of Storm Chasers on the Discovery Channel to get a better understanding of tornados. In addition, I read firsthand accounts and watched YouTube videos. I even  chased a storm (but not quite as crazily as they do on television) one hot Minnesota evening.

What emotions do you think your story will generate in readers?

Frustration, fear, dread, hope, joy, love.

What emotions did you experience while writing this story?

All of the above. But I was also deeply moved by the picture of unconditional love that Ty shows.

How do you choose your characters names?

Brette was the name of a realtor I met while searching for a house. I just had to steal it. Ty was from the original cast. I know, a little boring, but in the end, they turned to be exactly the right names!

The most recent novel you have read…

I’m currently re-reading Dani Pettrey’s [easyazon_link identifier=”0764209825″ locale=”US” tag=”relzrevi-20″]Submerged[/easyazon_link], book 1 of her Alaska Courage series.

What’s your current book recommendation?

[easyazon_link identifier=”1496427246″ locale=”US” tag=”relzrevi-20″]Things I Never Told You[/easyazon_link] by Beth Vogt

Name a book character you can’t forget?

I recently read [easyazon_link identifier=”0060887184″ locale=”US” tag=”relzrevi-20″]The Last Kingdom[/easyazon_link] by Bernard Cornwell.  I am a little in love with Uhtred of Bebbanburg.

Thanks Susie!

Susan May Warren is the USA Today bestselling author of over fifty novels with more than one million books sold, including [easyazon_link identifier=”0800727436″ locale=”US” tag=”relzrevi-20″]Wild Montana Skies[/easyazon_link], [easyazon_link identifier=”0800727444″ locale=”US” tag=”relzrevi-20″]Rescue Me[/easyazon_link], [easyazon_link identifier=”B01MYR22CG” locale=”US” tag=”relzrevi-20″]A Matter of Trust[/easyazon_link], and [easyazon_link identifier=”0800727460″ locale=”US” tag=”relzrevi-20″]Troubled Waters[/easyazon_link]. Winner of a RITA Award and multiple Christy and Carol Awards, as well as the HOLT and numerous Readers’ Choice Awards, Susan has written contemporary and historical romances, romantic suspense, thrillers, romantic comedy, and novellas. She makes her home in Minnesota and can be found online at www.susanmaywarren.com, on Facebook at Susan May Warren Fiction, and on Twitter @susanmaywarren.

Relz Reviewz Extras
All Things Susie May @ Relz Reviewz
Visit Susie’s website and blog
Buy from Amazon: [easyazon_link identifier=”0800727479″ locale=”US” tag=”relzrevi-20″]Storm Front[/easyazon_link] or Koorong

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