Peg Here, Whispers in Purple is happy to bring you guest blogger Hope Dougherty and another fun, 'story behind the story' post.
Welcome, Hope!
How Rescued Hearts Came into Being
by Hope Dougherty
I
live in the country on land my great grandfather owned. For exercise, I ride my
bike on our two-lane roads. One afternoon a couple of years ago, I took a
detour off the paved road and onto a dirt path not too far from my house.
The
lane meanders by the vacant location of a distant cousin’s house. Trees and a
few bushes still outline the phantom house’s parameters, but no boards or
bricks mark the spot. Farm equipment rests under two or three nearby shelters.
As
I passed the lonely trees and silent tractors, a creepy sensation tickled the
back of my neck. My imagination kicked into gear. What if a bike rider rode by
an abandoned house? What if she saw a kitten entangled in a honeysuckle vine at
the porch steps? What if, while she tried to free the kitten, someone grabbed
her and dragged her inside where she was beaten and threatened with rape?
My
pedaling picked up speed, and I reached home in record time.
Those
questions continued popping up in my mind, however. I began seeing the
characters, then hearing them speak every night as I dropped off to sleep. I’d
never written a romantic suspense story before, but the characters refused to
leave me alone.
About the Book:
Children’s clothing designer Mary Wade Kimball’s soft
spot for animals
leads to a hostage situation when she spots a briar-entangled kitten in front
of an abandoned house. Beaten, bound, and gagged by the two thugs inside, Mary
Wade loses hope for escape when a third villain returns with supplies.
Discovering the kidnapped woman ratchets the
complications for undercover agent Brett Davis. Weighing the difference of
ruining his three months’ investigation against the woman’s safety, Brett
forsakes his mission and helps her escape, the bent-on-revenge brutes following
behind.
When Mary Wade’s safety is threatened once more, Brett
rescues her again. This time, her personal safety isn’t the only thing in
jeopardy. Her heart is endangered as well.
About the Author:
Hope holds a Master’s degree in English and taught at
East Carolina University and York Technical College. Her publications include
two novels, Irish Encounter and Mars…With Venus Rising, as well
as nonfiction articles. A member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), Romance Writers of America (RWA), and Sisters in Crime (SinC), she writes for SeriousWriter.com. She and her
husband live in North Carolina and enjoy visits with their two daughters and
twin sons.
Where to find Hope 'out there':
Facebook www.facebook.com/hope.t.dougherty
Pinterest
www.pinterest.com/hopetdougherty/
Thanks so much for having me, Peg. Purple is one of my favorite colors!
ReplyDeleteYou're more than welcome, Hope. And happy to find another 'purple person' :)
Delete