Guest Author Interview with Megan Short

 

This book is filled with excitement and wonderful descriptions of Alaska. Thank you, Megan, for joining us today.

 

Kathy: Would you give our readers a brief bio? What do you enjoy doing when you’re not writing?

My name is Megan Short and I am an Australian author of inspirational romantic suspense novels. I grew up in New Zealand but I currently live in Melbourne, which is essentially the California of Australia. When I’m not writing I run my own business and volunteer in several ministries.

Kathy: Can you share a little about your writing journey? Any stories that still make you smile?

I started writing stories aged three and started my first (unfinished and long misplaced) novel at age 16. When I was 17, I learned about screenplays and wrote my first which won a screenwriting award. Screenplays became my writing focus, and I eventually trained at UCLA. After about twenty years trying to break into Hollywood, I came to realise that I probably had a better chance of winning the lottery than getting an original screenplay made into a movie shown at a cinema. Especially when living in Australia! I decided I would pivot and start working on a novel. I placed second for an award with my first full length romantic suspense novel, but before I could make much of that, I was called to faith. Everything changed. Suddenly I was writing for God’s glory, not my own career. He opened every door along the way from there on, from finding me a mentor, then an agent, then a publishing contract. That is what makes me smile, for sure: to know that God has a purpose in my work, even if I may never know what it is. I will keep writing for Love Inspired Suspense until He calls me elsewhere.

Kathy: How do you share your faith with your writing?

Love Inspired Suspense includes faith elements, which naturally lends itself to sharing my faith. I have found that often a sermon will help me to find a path for my characters, and to share particular messages with readers. For example, during a sermon on Jesus’s gentleness, a bible verse (John 6:37) just hit me as one that would help my hero in his faith journey. I hope that it will resonate with readers who need to hear that once they have put their trust in Jesus, He will never drive them away.

Kathy: Do you consider yourself a plotter or a pantster?

A plotter, for sure. That said, my plots always change as the story progresses.

Kathy: Do you have a writing schedule that works for you? How do you balance your writing with other responsibilities?

I write whenever I can. I don’t really have a schedule, I just fit writing around everything else. But I do write every day during the week, and often Saturdays too. Generally, I trust God to help me carve out time because I’m a pretty big procrastinator.

Kathy: Where do you find your story ideas?

They are often inspired from real life, in a very loose sense. My characters all have elements of people I know—whether it’s their interesting hobbies or skills, or just little personality quirks. I feel like it’s nice to include to remember them and give them a little bit of a legacy. At least in my first few books, the settings are places I have travelled to, as well.

Kathy: Tell us about one of your favorite authors.

While I’m a big fan of romance, at the moment I love Ryan Steck’s books. He writes Christian action thrillers. Before I came to faith I had read all of the Jack Reacher books, and Ryan’s Matthew Redd has happily replaced that. I hope he will keep putting out at least one book a year; it’s something to look forward to.

Kathy: Can you share with us about your latest book? Or two?

My latest book (and debut!) is Alaskan Police Protector which releases July 1^st. Readers can find it here: https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9780369756749_alaskan-police-protector.html

It’s available in large print, mass market paperback, e-book, audiobook, and is also included in the Love Inspired Suspense July box set with books from Maggie K. Black and Mary Alford.

 

Readers can reach me via my website www.meganshort.net, and all my other links can be found at one place here: https://linktr.ee/meganshortau

Homemade Refrigerator Pickles from Murray's Kitchen

My husband Murray said recently, “I’m becoming a fun cook in my old age.” I didn’t quite know how best to answer that, but these pickles are delicious.

 

Dill pickles

Recommend 2 jars at a time

Either thinly slice cucumbers or slice into spears,

After filling the jars with pickles, determine liquid quantity needed to fill jar

Multiply that by 2,

  Half of this will be water, half vinegar

Add liquid (half water half vinegar) into bowl

Add 1tbsp sugar,1 tbsp salt, 2 tbsp dill, 2 tbsp garlic

Stir well, then add to jars with cucumbers, refrigerate 24 hours before consuming

 

Sweet pickles, make these changes to above recipe:

Use 1 cup sugar                                                                                

Eliminate garlic and dill                                                                                         

Guest Author, Sally Jo Pitts

 

Whoa! This story sounds fascinating and gripping. Thank you, Sally Jo, for sharing with us today.

 

A PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR TURNED AUTHOR CONTINUES TO INVESTIGATE

I am a retired PI who worked for 30 years in my husband’s investigations agency before he passed away. Now I write, drawing on past experiences, and I continue to investigate data for my stories.

While compiling research for my latest novel, Sweet Double-Cross, I discovered there is a National Invasive Species Awareness Week that occurs each February to inform the public about the threat of plants or animals introduced to an area where they are not native and cause harm. Kudzu—the green vine with broad leaves, growing in clusters of three—is a notorious invader and can be seen along southeastern United States roadsides, covering fences, telephone poles, trees, tractors, barns and other buildings.

·       Known as the plant that ate the South, this invasive species can grow more than a foot a day in the summer. Some even claim they can see it growing!

·       Kudzu smothers native plants, alters ecosystems, damages infrastructure and is difficult to control.

·       The vine was introduced to the U.S. in 1876 from Japan and marketed as a way for farmers to stop soil erosion. During the Great Depression of the 1930’s, the government provided jobs for people to plant kudzu all over the southeast. (Today the government provides jobs to get rid of kudzu.) 

This plant became a key player in my novel since my heroine is a biologist conducting research on the vine. My hero has a kudzu infestation on property he wants to develop and is seeking assistance. But someone is interested in the research results bad enough to kill for them.

Sweet Double-Cross is book 2 in my Sweet County Secrets series located in a fictional county in northwest Florida.

 

Here is the back cover blurb:

A scientific mission turns into a harrowing day of death and destruction. 

Dedicated biologist Trudy Fields is passionate about her invasive plant species research in northwest Florida. When real estate developer Kirt Mayfair arrives in Sweet County to learn how to eradicate a kudzu infestation on property he plans to purchase, Trudy is assigned to assist him. Their instant connection surprises them both—especially when Kirt impulsively proposes marriage.

But research and romantic interest takes a deadly turn when a colleague of Trudy’s is shot and killed on the way to the isolated kudzu experimental island. On the run from a ruthless killer with precision sniper training, Trudy and Kirt must navigate treacherous terrain, dangerous wildlife, and a shocking conspiracy.

As bullets fly and bodies pile up, Trudy discovers Kirt is hiding his own secret. Amidst unexpected attraction and lethal betrayal, can the two survive this double-cross? 

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Double-Cross-County-Secrets/dp/B0F6V9WF58

 

Author Bio: 

Sally Jo Pitts is an award-winning author who brings experience as a private investigator, licensed lie detection examiner, high school guidance counselor and home economics teacher to the fiction page. Having worked thirty years alongside her late law enforcement husband in his private investigations agency, she learned to teach by day and snoop by night. Currently, she draws on real-life experiences to pen faith-based stories of romance and mystery. Her works include the Hamilton Harbor Legacy romance series, the Seasons of Mystery detective series, and Sweet County Secrets series.

Connect with her at https://sallyjopitts.com/author