Love Inspired Suspense

Welcome Guest Jessica R. Patch and a Give Away!

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Welcome to Jessica R. Patch, who is joining us today to talk about her new Love Inspired Suspense release, A Killer in Texas.

When the Hunter Becomes the Hunted: Saddle Up for A Killer in Texas

There’s a reason Texas is famous for its legends. Some ride horses, some wear badges… and some stalk the shadows where good folks don’t dare wander.

When I sat down to write A Killer in Texas, I wanted to blend that classic Lone Star grit with pulse-pounding suspense and a touch of tender, hard-earned hope. And at the heart of this story is a woman who embodies all the spirit of a frontier heroine, only her battleground is modern Texas, and her weapon is her own fierce determination.

Libby Winters may be a bodyguard instead of a rancher or cowgirl, but she’s as courageous as any pioneer woman who ever squared her shoulders on the open range. For the past two months, she’s felt the cold eyes of a killer on her back—The Eye, a serial killer who watches his victims before striking. She’s guarding a person of interest connected to several homicides when The Eye finally makes his move, and suddenly the hunter becomes the prey.

And a Texas storm starts brewing.

Riding into that storm alongside her is protection specialist Axel Spears—her partner, her best friend, and a man with his own scars. Axel has a ranch and is a cowboy at heart, but he’s also a former FBI agent so he knows how to cross every desert and kick down every door if it means protecting her. I love a strong cowboy hero!

Together, they are thrust into a high-stakes cat-and-mouse chase across Texas—where dusty backroads hide secrets, danger lurks behind every bramble, and trust becomes their only lifeline which is tough because they both have trust issues.

Writing this book reminded me why Texas settings are so irresistible. Whether you’re facing down outlaws or modern-day killers, Texas breeds a special kind of courage, and a special kind of love story where the men are noble and fierce and the women are sassy and brave, or at least in my stories set in Texas.

What gets your pulse pounding? Have you ever felt eyes watching you? To celebrate the release of A Killer in Texas, I’m giving away two paperback copies to two U.S. winners! Consider this my way of tipping my hat to the readers who saddle up beside me with every new story.

 

New York Times and Publishers Weekly Bestselling Author, Jessica R. Patch has penned over 30 novels and is known for her pulse-pounding plots, emotionally charged characters, and signature twists. Jessica’s stories explore themes of justice, resilience, and the unshakable power of hope.

When she’s not getting into fictional mischief with her characters, you can find her cozy on the couch in her mid-south home reading books by some of her favorite authors, down the street at the Mexican restaurant, or collecting recipes to amazing dishes she’ll probably never cook.

Sign up for her newsletter “Patched In” at http://www.jessicarpatch.com and receive a FREE short thriller.

Guest Post by Tina Wheeler

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CONFESSIONS OF AN URBAN COWGIRL

You might think this Love Inspired Suspense author, who writes about law enforcement cowboys, lives on a ranch. Sadly, I don’t. I live in a suburb of Phoenix. The closest I came was vacationing at The Ranch in the White Mountains of Arizona many times. Most of my childhood was spent on Air Force bases, which I loved. I may not have seen horses running around every day, but I did watch jets fly overhead with great pride. My father was one of the many men and women who protected our country.

So how did I end up writing suspense novels featuring cowboys? While growing up, I watched Bonanza, The Big Valley, Gunsmoke, The Wild, Wild West, etc. with my siblings and then mystery shows with my mother. We also often took visitors from other states to Old Tucson, a wild west studio where movies were filmed, staring actors such as John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara, Clint Eastwood, Audie Murphy, Kirk Douglas, Paul Newman, Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Sam Elliott, and many more. Arizona is also the home to Tombstone, a real wild west town and the sight of the famous Wyatt Earp gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Locals, tourists, and visitors often dress in 19th century style clothing, which adds to the historic mood and fun. Outside Phoenix is the Pioneer Living History Museum. A cousin of mine had his wedding in the old church and a reception in the saloon.

Tough old west gangster with prostitute and group of people

After I graduated from college, I married a Texas lawman and lived outside Dallas during the ‘80s. This was when the movie Urban Cowboy made western wear high fashion. The black-and-white picture is me when I worked as an assistant children’s librarian. I loved my cowgirl boots. After wearing them out, I saved them for trail rides. Unlike my bronco riding cousin, I am afraid of getting hurt, so I tried to stick to the calmest horses.

My favorite story is how I rode a spooked horse and lived to tell the tale. It was during a trail ride on The Ranch. I rode Big Red, a retired racehorse. He was huge! I was enjoying the sunny day on horseback when a dust devil crossed our path. Arizona does get haboobs (pictured), so I was glad this one was basically a shed-sized tornado made of dirt.

Haboob dust storm in the Arizona desert

Big Red started bucking. I maintained a death grip on the reins. There was no way I was letting go. Although at one point, I did look down at an overgrown bush and thought for sure that was where I was going to land. But it turned out my fear of injury was greater than his. In the end, I stayed on Big Red and was able to calm him down. Okay, he probably did that all by himself. But, hey, it’s a fun story.

So is the time I was given permission to sit in an F-16 fighter jet, and the pilot turned out to be the officer I had danced with the night before. Neither of us told my father—until later. Life sure is interesting, and so is writing fiction.

 

Ranch Showdown

Seeking refuge at a ranch…

Has fiery consequences

After being threatened by her sister’s ex, Sierra Lowery has forty-eight hours to surrender documents linking him to a bombing before he kills her and kidnaps her nephew. With the evidence missing and anyone who helps becoming a target, hiding out with Detective Cole Walker, her college sweetheart, might be her only chance for survival. But as explosives detonate in the wake of their search, their ranch safe haven could become a dangerous trap.

 

BUY LINK 

More About Tina

Tina Wheeler, a Publishers Weekly Bestselling Author, writes inspirational romantic suspense for Harlequin. Although she grew up near a desert in Arizona, her favorite place to plot a new story is on a balcony overlooking the ocean. She enjoys spending time with her large extended family, brainstorming with writing friends, discovering new restaurants, and traveling with her husband. Visit authortinawheeler.com to read more.

Join her newsletter for book news and giveaways:

 

 

 

Giveaway (print if US, eBook if international)

Tina is giving away a copy of Ranch Showdown. To enter the random drawing, leave a comment telling us what types of stories you enjoy reading or watching.

Cover Reveal for Deadly Yellowstone Secrets!

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When your book finally feels like a book…

March of 2022 I signed a contract with Love Inspired Suspense for a book that was then titled, Blizzard Warning. Before signing, I’d actually gone through TWO complete edit/rewrites with two separate editors.

When I got the call, it was with an editor I had met at a conference in 2017 and that made meeting this goal all the sweeter. A few months later (after another full edit and rewrite), I was handed to one of the new Harlequin editors, not realizing at the time that my editor was going to be leaving.

And that editor wanted…you guessed it…another rewrite.

This isn’t surprising, every editor has their own things they like to see. They want to be proud of every book they sign off on. And, I’ve got to tell you, I’m incredibly proud of this book.

So, you get to be the first to meet the characters. Because you’re awesome.

Meet, Yellowstone naturalist, Tamala Roth

She follows bears and studies their habitat and movement. When she’s trapped by a poacher who takes aim at her, the hunter becomes the hunted. Tamala has to not only save the bears, but herself.

And did I mention she’s trapped in Yellowstone during a blizzard?

Law Enforcement Ranger Clint Jackson has a long list of things to do with an impending blizzard, but saving lives takes top priority. But what will he do when he and Tamala are locked alone in Yellowstone with a raging blizzard and nowhere to turn? Find out Oct, 24th when Deadly Yellowstone Secrets releases!

While this story isn’t outwardly western, Clint has the heart of a cowboy. He reads like a cowboy hero, so I hope you’ll accept him as a cowboy that wrangles bad guys instead of cows.

 

What would you do if you found yourself trapped in Yellowstone with a blizzard moving in?

Petticoats & Pistols