Sandra is offering one copy of her newest romantic suspense novel BLIND TRUST, Book 2 of the Port Aster Secrets Series, as a Giveaway Book to one randomly chosen commenter. The winner will be announced here on Friday, May 30th, between 5-6 PM EST. To be eligible, please leave your contact information within your comment. Thanks!
Blurb for BLIND TRUST:
Kate Adams had no
idea she was carrying counterfeit money, and she can’t believe that it came
from her sweet neighbor. Or that it lands her in the middle of another one of
Detective Tom Parker’s investigations. Determined to prove her neighbor’s
innocence, Kate stumbles into a pit of intrigue that is far deeper than a
two-bit counterfeit operation–and strikes too close to home for comfort. As
family secrets come to light, her world–and her budding romance with Tom–begin
to crumble. To Kate, it’s clear that she won’t be safe until she uncovers all
of Port Aster’s secrets. But is it too late for her and Tom?
Questions for Sandra Orchard:
I’ve roomed with you
when you were a debut author and have hosted you twice prior to this present
guest appearance. While others have watched you grow as an author, what changes
have you noticed in yourself as your writing career has flourished?
Thinner hair! I’m told
stress will do that to you. And um, ten pounds heavier, which I’m sure has more
to do with sitting at a computer for eight hours a day then the chocolate stash
I keep on hand for those moments when my characters make me want to pull out my
hair. J
And honestly, I’m
probably more insecure about my writing than ever. Not sure why that is, but at
least it keeps me on my knees. And I always feel totally blessed when the story
finally comes together, and all the more when I hear from readers who’ve
enjoyed it.
When did the passion for writing plant
itself in your heart? Was any one person or event a trigger?
Yes, seeing two of my stories typed up
in the school yearbook when I was in grade one planted the desire in my heart. Having
my husband comment on the piles of books in our bedroom thirty years later, and
saying I should write my own, triggered the adventure of fiction writing.
Little did he know how many more books I’d accumulate as a result!
Tell us some about how you write: Do
you work in faith elements around the suspense plot or the suspense around the
faith core?
Please share with us about your June
release, BLIND TRUST. Where is it set? Any intriguing suspense points? What
kind of research did you do?
Blind Trust is the second
book in my Port Aster Secrets mystery series set in a small fictional town in
Niagara. The heroine is an herbal researcher caught up in a counterfeiting
mystery and the deepening mystery surrounding her father’s death that appears
to be connected to the big bad pharmaceutical company that wishes to partner
with the research facility where she works. So…I had to do a wide variety of
research, including how bills are counterfeited, which isn’t easy with Canadian
bills. Sadly my editor recommended keeping those details to a minimum since
they’d be foreign to American readers. But…if you’re interested, I blogged
about it on ICFW this past Tuesday.
I also delved into herbal remedies and
unusual poisons and a myriad of unethical and sometimes illegal things
pharmaceutical companies tend to be accused of doing. All were great fodder for
the series.
As a reader, what frustrates you as you
turn pages in a novel?
I wouldn’t say things
frustrate me so much as make me skim. The first is repetitiveness. I usually
read a book in two to three days, so I don’t need to be reminded repeatedly
about a character’s romantic conflict or issues.
The second is too much
static description. I don’t care what characters are wearing (and too be
honest, when I don’t know what an item is, it bugs me; I’ve probably googled
more clothes, shoes and purse names than anything else while reading a book). And
if that embroidered pillow from Aunt Martha, sitting on the sofa, is going to
score any page time, I’m expecting it to be used to smother someone later on in
the book. Hopefully, the woman who spends far too much on shoes. J
What’s it like to have your youngest
daughter striving to become a novelist?
Tons of fun! I love having someone in
the house I can talk shop with. We write totally different genres so we’re not
much help to each other in brainstorming, but we understand each other’s trials
and tribulations and joys. She’ll commiserate when I have uncooperative
characters, and whereas the rest of my family were happy for me when I got my
first book contract, Jen alone jumped and squealed and hugged me with pure
abandon.
If you had oodles of spare time,
hitched with no worries, what 3 novels would you re-read, and why?
Hmm, considering I have a bookshelf
full of books I have yet to get to, not to mention, an overflowing Ereader, I’d
probably devour many of those that I’m itching to read. But if I could only choose from the
shelf in front of me, I’d say one of Karen Witemeyer’s historicals, one of
Susan May Warren’s Team Hope or Noble Legacy romantic suspense, and Lisa
Wingate’s contemporary romance Word Gets
Around, because I loved those books and these talented authors have inspired
me time and again.
You can also check out Sandra's August '11 visit on Everyone's Story and her September '13 visit.
Sandra's Ah-hahs To Tweet:
Enjoy romantic suspense fiction? Meet award-winning author Sandra Orchard. #BookGiveaway (Tweet This)
Behind a great author is a heavy-duty reader. See what author Sandra Orchard shares about reading. (Tweet This)
Win #BookGiveaway of Sandra Orchard’s #ChristianSuspense novel BLIND TRUST. (Tweet This)
Enjoy romantic suspense fiction? Meet award-winning author Sandra Orchard. #BookGiveaway (Tweet This)
Behind a great author is a heavy-duty reader. See what author Sandra Orchard shares about reading. (Tweet This)
Win #BookGiveaway of Sandra Orchard’s #ChristianSuspense novel BLIND TRUST. (Tweet This)
Author's Bio:
Sandra
Orchard is a
multi-award-winning Canadian author of inspirational romantic
suspense/mysteries with Love Inspired Suspense and Revell. An active member in
American Christian Fiction Writers, The Word Guild, and Romance Writers of
America, she enjoys helping writers hone their skills. Learn more about Sandra’s books and check
out the special bonus features, such as deleted scenes and location
pics, at http://sandraorchard.com.
Places to connect with Sandra:
