Welcome Terri Reed

Readers, I've really been looking forward to this interview.  My guest today is

Award winning, multipublished author Terri Reed.  Terri discovered the wonderful world of fiction at an early age and declared she would one day write a book.  Now she is fulfilling that dream and enjoys writing for Love Inspired. She is an active member of both Romance Writers of America and American Christian Fiction Writers. She resides in the Pacific Northwest with her college-sweetheart husband, two wonderful children, and an array of critters. When not writing, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, gardening and playing tennis.

You can write to Terri at P.O. Box 19555 Portland, OR 97280 or visit her online at www.loveinspiredauthors.com or email her at terrireed@sterling.net or leave comments on  http://ladiesofsuspense.blogspot.com/ or http://craftieladiesofromance.blogspot.com/

Welcome, Terri.  For the benefit of those who don’t know you, tell us a little bit about you and your work. 

I’ve been writing since 1993, at the time I was pregnant with my daughter and I decided I needed something to distract me from the constant morning sickness.  I had always wanted to write a book so I started my first manuscript.  A historical set in Georgian England.  Well, as soon as my daughter was born, I realized I needed to write a contemporary.  It was too hard to take a brand new baby to the library, since I didn’t have a computer and the Internet wasn’t yet as available as it is now.  I joined Romance Writers of America that same year.  Three years later, I learned about Harlequin’s Inspirational line of series books.  For the next ten years, I studied the books, wrote and submitted, was rejected and resubmitted until I finally got ‘the call’ in 2003.   Since then I’ve sold twenty-five books to Love Inspired Romance and Love Inspired Suspense.  My second Love Inspired novel, A Sheltering Love, was a RITA finalist in 2005.   

Persistence paid off!  How much of yourself, your personality or your experiences, is in your books? 

I think I put a little bit of myself in every book, whether it’s in the heroine or the hero.   Emotional wounds aren’t bound by gender nor are issues of faith.  I had heard the term ‘author’s theme’ when I first started writing but didn’t really understand it until I’d written several books and could see that indeed, I had an author’s theme running through many of my books.  The themes of forgiveness, redemption and trust are clear threads in my books.

I like those threads, Terri.  Most people think authors live glamorous lives.  Describe a typical writing day. 

A typical day is up at 6:30am, get kids up and out the door for school.  I’m back in my office by 8:30am.  Writing until noon when I take a break, then back at the computer until 2:45pm when I have to go pick up my children from school.  

About as glamorous as my day!  When writing a new book, how do you decide on a theme, genre, or topic? 

I usually start with a seed of an idea, whether it’s a character or a plot point.  From there I start playing the ‘what if’ game.  What if I took an ex-Secret Service agent and put him in a position to guard a woman on the run and her son?    What if the woman was accused of murder? What if the murder victim was her husband?  What if he were a senator?  What if the bodyguard isn’t sure she’s innocent?  What if the son knows who the killer is, but can’t articulate it because he’s autistic? What if the killer knows the child knows?  From these kinds of questions I start to build a story.  The themes then start to emerge as the plot and characters grow.

Would you share your links with us? 

I’d love to!

www.loveinspiredauthors.com

http://ladiesofsuspense.blogspot.com/

http://craftieladiesofromance.blogspot.com/

We’d love to read an excerpt from one of your books.  

Blurb:

Faith sustained Vivian Grant through her horrible childhood and loveless marriage, but how much more can she take? Her husband has been killed. Her autistic son is the only witness. And someone is twisting the evidence to place the blame on her. Viv has no one to trust—and danger is closing in.

A failed protection detail cost former Secret Service agent Anthony Carlucci his job—and his self-confidence. He's not going to fail anyone under his care again. Anthony will risk anything to keep Viv and her son safe…including his heart.

 Excerpt

Probing, coffee-colored eyes assessed her from beneath lashes most women would give their eyeteeth for. A roman nose and blunt jaw completed the face that could rival Michelangelo's David. The stranger was dressed in a black custom-tailored suit, if she wasn't mistaken, with a crisp white dress shirt and a thin black tie. Ray Ban sunglasses hung from the breast pocket of his suit jacket.

He had broad shoulders and a trim waist. His black slacks hung just right over his polished black dress shoes. He looked like he'd stepped out of an advertisement from the pages of a GQ magazine or was the poster boy for the federal government. Like Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones in Men in Black. The two agents who'd taken her for a ride last night had nothing on this guy.

Viv narrowed her gaze as suspicion and wariness infiltrated her  mind. She didn't trust anyone right now. "Dad, you called the feds? After what they did?"

"What? Oh, no, no. Not to worry, my girl. You'll be in good hands. Carlucci's no longer with the government."

Carlucci arched a raven-colored eyebrow ever so slightly. He held out his hand. "Anthony Carlucci. I'm with Trent Associates. Your father has apprised us of the situation."

Her gaze flickered to his outstretched hand then back to his face.

"The situation being that I found my husband murdered and then fake FBI agents drove me to a secluded place where they were going to do…who knew what?"

"Exactly," her father said. "Trent Associates specializes in personal security. Mr. Carlucci has intimate knowledge of Washington politics and law enforcement."

“Really." She couldn't keep her doubts out of her tone. Just how was this going to play out?

Terri, thank you so much for coming.  The book sounds really great.  Readers, Terri is giving away a $25 gift card to one lucky commenter.  Follow Terri's blog tour and comment often for more chances to win.  Click here for her schedule.