Q&A with Kess Costales

 By Elisa Houot 

• Who is your favorite poet and/or writer?

Do I have to choose one? I’m obsessed with Nikita Gill and Yrsa Daley-Ward. I love Warsan Shire and Andrea Gibson. When I’m real romantic, I swoon over Pablo Neruda’s work. John Keats wrote one of my favourite poems, La belle dame sans merci. Emily Dickinson was my highschool ob

I want to write a book like Catherynne M. Valente’s Deathless and dream of writing a collection of fairy tale retellings like The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter. I want to be Roshani Chokshi and V.E. Schwab, especially the latter’s jump across age categories. My friend (humblebrag all the time), June Hur, is truly one of my favorite writers because she’s so good at doing atmospheric. Like I hate her so much that I adore her. I want to write romance like Alisha Rai, Courtney Milan, and Tessa Dare. Helen Hoang is also incredible. 

• Do you think there was room for two on the closet door to save Leonardo in Titanic?

Maybe there was room on the door, but would it float? Does it matter? That movie scarred me for life and I never want to go on a boat or ship or cruise, especially at night. 

• What is the poem that moved you the most?

UGH I hate choosing. I think I was just holding my breath the whole time I read TEACHING MY MOTEHER HOW TO GIVE BIRTH by Warsan Shire. The whole book was phenomenal and stabs you right in the heart.

To my daughter I will say,

'when the men come, set yourself on fire.'

• What is one thing we will never hear you say?

You will never hear me say that empathy isn’t one of the most important things to me. It’s something that everyone should have for so many reasons, but especially for how it impacts the way we perceive and treat people.

Mental health and inequality were my areas of focus while I was in university and while I’m not really in that field, my passion remains. When we have empathy, we’re able to look at what people might be experiencing. It’s essential as a storyteller to understand the complexities of people and life as a whole. 

• What is the last music you’ve listened to?

I listen to music all day while at work. Usually you can catch me listening to some chill pop. Music for chilling. Pop is fun. I like fun and catchy. I’ve listened to Taylor Swift’s Folklore more times than I can count. I like Billie Eilish’s earlier songs, but also vibing with Hozier, Tate Mcrae Lennon Stella, Kina Grannis, Halsey, Julia Michaels, Ariana Grande, etc.

• What is your current writing project? Can you tell us a bit about it?

The best way to describe my writing this year is one word: chaotic. You could also say I am starting over and trying to rediscover my love for writing stories, after the big realization in 2019 that a piece of my heart will always belong to poetry.

Right now, I am pants-ing a teen rom-com that’s a mashup of my favourite romance tropes. I’ve tried and failed with YA contemporary novels but I think this might be the one that gets done.  Oh god I hope I didn’t jinx it with that. 

Note: I did not run this by my agent, Lesley, yet and I hope she’ll like it because she’s liked everything else I’ve thrown at her so far. Hi Lesley, I can’t wait to bury you in an overwhelming amount of new books I plan to write.

• Are you a dog person, or a cat person?

I am an animal person in general. I am the person who follows several animal instagrams, gets excited about going to the zoo or the aquarium. A lot of Torontonians have a love/hate relationship with raccoons, but I LOVE them and I got to pet one after a family of chubby baby raccoons surrounded me, looking for food. I washed my hands right away, of course, but only after squealing about how much I love the little babies.

I have a cat and a dog though. The cat, Kingslee, is my adorable baby/old man who just turned 12 this past summer. I tell everyone he will live to thirty because I cannot handle imagining otherwise. My baby. Forever. Always. I pull out my baby talk just for him. 

• Are you a good cook? If yes, what is your specialty? If no, what is the dish you wish you were able to cook?

I’m more of a baker than a cook! I like that baking is more specific, especially with measurements. I have the hardest time with the vagueness of meal recipes, especially my mom’s, where the amount of an ingredient is “to taste”. I do make some Filipino dishes though, like beef mechado or our version of spaghetti (which typically involves banana ketchup).

I mostly bake cookies, but I also make cakes, with hopes of making my own wedding cake one day! The oven in my home is very small though, so I don’t bake much anymore. I do, however, make lots of mug cakes, especially ones with lots of sprinkles. One thing that I should actually make again (because it’s been forever and I love them so much) are oreo cheesecake cupcakes, where the oreo cookie is the crust. It’s so good. My mom is also forcing me to make a few different types of cookies for Christmas this year. How she thinks we’ll finish it all (since it’s unlikely we’ll have a big Christmas party like we usually do), I don’t even know!

• What do you love most about writing?

Just… the creation of it all—the world, the characters, the relationships. There is so much you can do and the only limits to your imagination is you. There is so much growing we can always do to create and create and we only stop creating when we just do. 

• What is your favorite movie from your childhood?

The Princess Bride. I’ve seen it so many times, I don’t even know the number. My earliest memory of watching it is asking my mom to put it on and her saying I’ve already seen it. I watch it every year! And I know all the lines.

• What was the hardest poem to write in SO SAYS THE HEART? And in SPEAK YOUR DARKNESS?

The thing about SO SAYS THE HEART is that it’s my recovery book, following a major breakup. I got out of a relationship that was about to get to its 6th year. I had been living with my partner and we were talking marriage. We kept trying to convince each other that we would always be together, there would never be anyone else, etc etc.

But when something isn’t working, that’s what you have to accept. Coming to terms with that was pure agony, but since the beginning, I told my partner that if there are any doubts about being with me, we couldn’t be together. And so it ended. 

That meant SO SAYS THE HEART was painful. I cried writing half of the book. That first half? It’s bitterness and heartbreak and wondering what happened and why. The second part was when I started accepting it. Here’s the thing though: I wrote both parts at the same time, because some day were good, others were bad, and you can grieve a relationship, and grief isn’t some linear path. I was grieving, trying to heal, still grieving, and healing. Back and forth. 

Some line that will always stick out are these, from Father (pg 41 in SSTH):

We are not who we were.

You are not who I loved.

And I am not what you wanted. 

For SPEAK YOUR DARKNESS, it might be Prayer (pg 35).

For context, I was raised Catholic and went to Catholic elementary and secondary school. I went to church every week, went to confession, read the Stations of the Cross every Good Friday. There was always a rosary in my family’s car. I always believed in god until I was a sixteen and falling into depression. I still cry thinking about sitting on my bedroom floor, wondering why I would feel this way and why god would do that to me. I still grapple with religion and when I am at my worst, I always wonder about god.

I stopped looking for angels in the sky.

Don’t press my palms together in prayer.

When I whisper under my breath,

I no longer call out to my god.

If he’s out there, if he’s real,

Then why won’t he hear me?

That is all I can ask of him now. 

• If you watched the show, who is your favorite F.R.I.E.N.D ?

I grew up watching this show but I don’t really care about it, tbh. Unpopular opinion: I don’t think Netflix needed to spend soooo much money to keep the rights to having the show on the platform.

I’ve always liked Rachel’s outfits though.

• Can you tell us more about your next writing projects, both novel and poetry?

Novel-wise, I’ve been revising a fantasy manuscript with con artists and witches, and that’s always been the project of my heart. It’s been so fun working on it again! I’ve also been working on a ghostly YA novel in verse, which should be interesting and hopefully very creepy. I have another project in the works that’s my teen rom-com with a massive trope mashup. And a new YA fantasy set after a revolution. I want to get back to writing romance soon though! Maybe something set in Casa Loma, a castle-styled mansion in Toronto. 

For poetry, I haven’t started on a big project yet, but I’ve been working on short collections that will be Kindle exclusives! The first of the series, LOVE LIKE INSECTS, came out on November 1st and has about 60 pieces.

Romantic poetry has always been my favourite to write and I’m sticking to themes to challenge myself instead of reusing the same metaphors.! For those with Kindle Unlimited, it will be free. 

• What is on the top of your bucket list?

It used to be going to the Philippines, but I actually accomplished that in September 2019! Now, I’m not entirely sure what I would want to before I die. 

I want to see castles. Maybe Versailles? Or Neuschwanstein, the sleeping beauty castle in Germany that inspired Walt Disney. I want to see the tourist-y side of the Philippines with its beaches. 

Wait omg I want to touch a snow leopard and hug a red panda. Is that crazy? Whatever.

• What is your all-time favorite book?

UGH I can never choose. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith. I have read it a million times. As mentioned earlier, Deathless by Catherynne M. Valente is iconic. So is The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter. I think I might always love Roshani Chokshi’s The Star-Touched Queen. 

I also LOVE romance books, especially when they make me cry. I think I fully sobbed through Hate to Want You by Alisha Rai and The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang. On the YA side, I think I could read To All the Boys I Loved Before by Jenny Han a hundred times. 

• What is the song you know by heart that you can’t help but sing every time you hear it?

Wannabe by the Spice Girls. That’s my anthem.

About Kess Costales:

Kess Costales (she/her) is a queer Filipino-Canadian author and poet represented by Lesley Sabga of the Seymour Agency. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Criminology and works at a receptionist at a non-profit organization in Toronto when she isn’t writing or daydreaming. Since 2019, she has self-published three poetry collections, and has had short stories published online and in print. You can follow her Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Wordpress (@kesscostales).

Q&A and Giveaway with Beth Vrabel!

By Elisa Houot

1. What was your favorite book to write ?

That’s such a tricky question! I loved, struggled, doubted and am proud
of each of my books. I think The Newspaper Club series was the most fun
to write, though. I braided my background as a journalist with my love
for small towns and quirky characters. Nellie, Gloria, Thom, Min,
Charlotte and Gordon were a blast to create!

2. Do you write while listening to music or do you need silence?

Spending so much time in newsrooms conditioned me to need a lot of noise
but no one talking to me. That’s why under ordinary times, I love
writing in coffeeshops. Right now, I actually have a framed picture of
my favorite coffeeshop hanging on my office wall! At home, my office is
in the heart of the house, right off the kitchen. I kick off writing
days by lighting a candle, settling into my armchair, and listening to a
Pandora station. The station itself shifts depending on the book. For To
Tell You the Truth, my June release, that was Ella Fitzgerald and the
Avett Brothers. For The Newspaper Club, I listened to a lot of The
National and The Frights.

3. What was your favorite middle grade book growing up?

Where the Red Fern Grows had a huge impact on me on a kid. I loved
Billy’s independence and determination.

4. Who is your favorite fictional character ever, and why?

Oh, this is a tough question for sure! Anne of Green Gables and I are
kindred spirits, so I’m going to have to go with her.

5. What is the one advise you would have to new writers?

My biggest piece of advice is to tell yourself the story first. Some of
the best writing takes place long before you ever pull up that new
document or turn to a blank page. Fall in the love with the characters,
imagine the critical moment when everything seems lost, think through
how you’re going to pull everything together at the end. And then, when
you’re so excited about this story that you feel like you might burst,
that blank white page won’t look intimidating; it’ll seem like an
invitation.

Be sure to follow Beth on Twitter, Instagram, and "like" her Facebook page to be eligible for this giveaway to win book one and a poster of The Newspaper Club! 

Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e7c376692/

Be sure to follow Beth on Twitter, Instagram, and "like" her Facebook page to be eligible for this giveaway to win books one and two of The Newspaper Club! 

Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e7c376691/? 

About Beth Vrabel:

Beth Vrabel is author of the Cybils’-nominated Caleb and Kit, ILA award-winning A Blind Guide to Stinkville, JLG-selection A Blind Guide to Normal, The Reckless Club, the Pack of Dorks series, and The Newspaper Club. She lives in Connecticut with her family.

Website: bethvrabel.com

Facebook: facebook.com/AuthorBethVrabel

Twitter: twitter.com/beth_vrabel

Author Spotlight: Jennifer Beckstrand - Mom, Mathematician, Author

By Leah Kornacki

Today we are very proud to shine a spotlight on our client and friend Jennifer Beckstrand. Jennifer has been represented by the agency for ten years now, and was discovered by our founder Mary Sue Seymour. We love Jennifer’s story, so we asked her to share more about how she came to be published and what advice she has for budding authors.

Jennifer is a lifelong fan of fiction, but didn't begin her journey as an author until well after she started a family. Jennifer's first passion was algebra, and she actually holds a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics. Even though She isn’t a career mathematician, Jennifer says the math degree was probably the best decision she’s ever made because it has come in handy getting all six of her kids through high school and college. 

Her dream of writing came after she had her fourth child and began to suffer from insomnia brought on by restless thoughts. When she couldn’t sleep, Jennifer would write a Western romance story in her head. Eventually, she looked forward to bedtime more than ever before because she could spend the time exploring more of her story.

“You know how about four kids into your life you suffer from chronic insomnia because you can’t stop wondering what you forgot to do that day—like hug your child or go to the bathroom? 

Anyway, that is basically how I started my writing career.”

Today Jennifer has 24 books published (with four more on the way!), but she wasn’t always a book writing machine. She says it took her 14 years to finish her first novel, a 130,000-word Western historical romance titled Rachel’s Angel, which won best novel in the League of Utah Writers Contest in 2008 and first place in the Inspirational category at the Utah Romance Writers Conference in 2009.

She says the first thing aspiring writers must make peace with is the very difficult and painful realization that not everyone is going to like their work.

“I pitched my book to one agent who wasn’t interested because she said it wasn’t “steamy” enough. Another agent judged my manuscript in a contest, and I could tell without her having to spell it out for me that she hated my story with a white-hot passion.” 

It was Mary Sue Seymour who finally showed interest in Jennifer’s work. Mary Sue was looking for an author who could write inspirational romance, and she knew Jennifer was the right fit for the agency. Today, we know Jennifer as a resident rock star in Amish Fiction, but it was Mary Sue who originally suggested she research the genre. Jennifer quickly put together three synopses and a fifty-page query of her first Amish romance.

“Soon thereafter, ON MY BIRTHDAY, Mary Sue called with an offer to represent me—and a charge to ‘hurry and finish that book.’”

Five months later, Jennifer signed a three-book deal with Guideposts Books for her first Amish romance series, Forever After in Apple Lake.

From the beginning, Jennifer has dedicated herself to becoming the best writer she could be. Early on, she sought help and guidance from her author friends and attended conferences and workshops. She didn’t go it alone, and she didn’t try to rely solely on her storytelling talents. Instead, she researched and read up on writing and editing fiction. Jennifer recommends aspiring authors pick up a copy of Self-editing for Fiction Writers. She says its principles made her a significantly better writer, and she promises she isn’t exaggerating when she says reading it was “absolutely life-changing.”

Jennifer has also co-written her own nonfiction book for helping creative people called Big Ideas. It’s about how to get better ideas and more of those “Aha! Moments” by allowing your brain to go into “rest mode” rather than trying to squeeze ideas and creativity out on demand. She says her ideas usually don’t come easily, and if the inspiration isn’t flowing, she will spend lots of time contemplating and ruminating, sometimes staring at a blank screen. The problem is, sitting still at a desk for more than a few minutes makes her fall asleep.

“The advantage of being a task-oriented, stay-at-home mother is that many of my daily jobs allow ample time for musing. I ruminate while puffing on the treadmill or running a vacuum over my carpet or taking a shower. I am notorious for long, indulgent showers—my guilty pleasure. I do my best thinking in there. (My apologies to the green movement. But I do recycle!)”

At the same time, Jennifer doesn’t give her hard work enough credit. She balances creativity with research. She doesn’t consider herself an expert on the Amish, but she puts in the time to get the facts right to create a believable world and characters that are a fair representation of Amish people and their culture.

“One thing I have discovered about the Amish is that they are just regular people trying to navigate life in the best way they know how, just like the rest of us. So I try to make my characters real, instead of cardboard cutouts of what people think the Amish are like.”

To create her amazing characters, Jennifer seeks additional inspiration by observing the people around her. Anna and Felty Helmuth from her Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill series are heavily inspired by her parents, and she made a hero out of her daughter’s boyfriend in one of her books. This method seems to breathe life and humor into Jennifer’s characters. Above all, the magic in her work comes from telling stories centered on what she loves and believes in. 

“I would say, write what you love or writing becomes a drudgery very quickly. I love romance, humor, and faith-filled stories, so those are a pleasure to write.”

Jennifer’s formula for success has been equal parts dedication to her craft, dedication to her family, and a confidence that enables her to take criticism and use it. She understands that making mistakes are essential to the learning process, and she doesn’t let negative reviews get her down because she knows even the best writers get them. She says the only criticisms she takes to heart are from her beta readers, her agent, and her editor.

Jennifer says her favorite thing about being an author is hearing that readers enjoy her books, especially when her story has touched, inspired, or helped someone. Her next big goal as an author is to make the USA Today Bestseller list, and to get her first contemporary romance novel, Dandelion Meadows, published. In life, she says she is also striving to spend more time with her grandchildren and get better at pickleball.

Many thanks to Jennifer for sharing how she got started as an author and how she surmounts some of the challenges authors face. We love hearing how hard work and dedication can pay off!

Jennifer Beckstrand has several Amish fiction series including The Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill and The Petersheim Brothers. Lovers of Historical Western fiction should read her novel Jessie and James which is a humor-filled romance set in a late 1800s mining town. We can not recommend diving into her worlds enough!                                                                   

You can find out more about Jennifer and her books at her wonderful website: http://www.jenniferbeckstrand.com/.                                                                                                          

Also be sure to join her official Facebook group for updates, giveaways, and more fun! https://www.facebook.com/groups/2061229137272299

The Call with Dineen Miller

My family and I had moved back to the States in 2002 and I wanted to somehow earn a living by working from home. I was big into quilting at the time and saw an ad in the back of a quilt magazine about writing a book, so I sent away for the information. Somehow I thought that meant writing a FICTION book and went to work on a story that started to fill my heart. I'd written short things for years but never a full length book. When the packet of information came, I realized it was instructions about submitting a craft/quilt book. LOL! But by then I was hooked and finished my story. And I've been writing ever since. 

The Soul Redeemer releases November 27th! 

About Dineen Miller:

Dineen Miller is passionate about igniting the souls of others through God’s Word, which is packed with His truth and promises. She is a multi-published and award-winning author of both fiction and nonfiction books, a speaker and a ministry leader. She’s been featured nationally on several Christian radio and television shows and was co-leader and pastor at SpirituallyUnequalMarriage.com for 11 years.

She is currently an Associate Director at the Healing Rooms of Manatee and Dean of the HROM School of Transformation in Bradenton, Florida. She and her husband are proud parents to two adult daughters and a son-in-law. They love kayaking and walking the famous white sands of Siesta Key Beach where they live in Sarasota, Florida.

Website: https://dineenmiller.com/ 

The Call with Gabrielle Prendergast

My call came as a few emails at first. Having had agents before, both good and bad, I think I went into it with my eyes wide open. But even from the email I had a good feeling because Lynnette had written "We would love to talk to you about this MS, future projects, and your CAREER GOALS"(my emphasis). This was so important to me. When we spoke on the phone, my good feeling was reinforced. Lynnette and Nicole were so enthusiastic and wanted to hear about everything else I had on the go (which was A LOT) so I knew they were interested in working with me for the long haul. That's what I wanted. I took my time making a decision because I wanted to be careful and make the right choice, but even though I've only been with the agency for a while, it's already going GREAT and I'm so happy!

About Gabrielle Prendergast:

Gabrielle Prendergast is an award-winning writer, teacher and designer living in Vancouver, Canada. She writes picture books, middle grade fiction, and YA contemporary and historical as Gabrielle Prendergast. Her science fiction and fantasy stories are published as G.S. Prendergast.

She has won the Monte Miller Award, the Westchester Fiction Award and The BC Book Prize as well as being nominated or short listed for numerous other honors. Gabrielle has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia and has taught writing at Sydney University, San Francisco State University, UBC, Royal Canadian College and at numerous conferences.

Website: www.gsprendergast.com

Twitter: @gabriellesarap

Instagram: @gsprendergast

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorgsprendergast

     

 

 

The Call with Jennifer Graeser Dornbush

I knew from the time I was eight years old that I would be a writer. I was always writing little stories and making little books. I was that kid always making up plays and getting her sisters and friends to play the parts. As I grew up, that love for writing morphed into careers in journalism where I was telling human interest stories, and then, public relations and development where I was telling the stories of non-profits and organizations. Eventually, I leaned into my desire to get back to writing fiction and I dove headfirst into screenwriting. I found my forensic, crime writing voice and started to write a bunch of film and TV scripts. As these began to pile up, I got the spark of an idea to turn them into novels. It wasn't soon after that I found myself teaching a day-long forensic bootcamp for writers at the ACFW conference in 2014. That's where I met Julie Gwinn. It was the final hours of the conference and I was standing in line at the Starbucks when someone introduce her to me because they knew I was looking for a literary agent. We probably said five sentences to each other, but that was the start of my journey with Julie and Seymour! I had never written a novel before, so Julie TOTALLY took a chance on me. I spent the next year writing my first novel under Julie's gentle guidance. Then Julie spent the next year plus trying to sell it. In the meantime I had written a movie, God Bless the Broken Road, and we decided to novelize it. That was actually my first book contract! I remember I wrote the first three chapters while we were filming. Two weeks after I turned in those pages, we received several offers. We chose one and that was my first fiction contract with a publisher! It wasn't long after we sold my first novel to another publisher. 

Jennifer's Newest Release, Hole in the Woods

About the Author, Jennifer Graeser Dornbush:

Jennifer Graeser Dornbush is a screenwriter, author, international speaker and forensic specialist. As she says, “I grew up around death.” 

The television or movie screen is the closest most people will ever come to witnessing the forensic world. But Jennifer was raised in it, as the daughter of a small town medical examiner whose office was in their home. There were body parts in the fridge. She investigated her first fatality, an airplane crash, when she was 8 years old, picking up pieces of skull with her father who simply saw it as an anatomy lesson. It was the first of many coroner lessons she experienced over two decades. 

After exploring journalism and high school teaching, Jennifer turned seriously to screenwriting where she began to connect her coroner world to her writing. She sought out a degree at the Forensic Science Academy in Los Angeles to gain more forensic training and earned a unique kinship with LA’s top CSIs, fingerprint specialists, DNA scientists and detectives. To share her love of forensics with the writing world, she authored the top-selling non-fiction authoritative book, Forensic Speak, used not only by show-runners and writers, but also crime investigators and law enforcement. As a forensic consultant, she is frequently asked to consult with TV writers on shows such as Bull, Conviction, Hawaii Five-O, Leverage, Suits and Rectify. 

She created an Amazon top-selling mystery novel series, The Coroner’s Daughter. The first book in the series, The Coroner, released August 2018. The second in the series, Secret Remains, released January 2020. She is developing the series for TV. She wrote the theatrically released film and novel, God Bless the Broken Road (2018). She has developed a TV crime drama series with Echo Lake and Hoplite Entertainment. She also adapted a popular YA novel to script and sold a children’s show. 

She teaches screenwriting and mentors aspiring writers. Jennifer is a member of the Writers’ Guild of America, Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America and FBI Citizen’s Academy Alumni. And she has a great sense of gallows humor. 

Website:  www.jenniferdornbush.com

Facebook: Jennifer Graeser Dornbush

Twitter: @JGDornbush

Instagram: @JGDornbush

LinkedIn: Jennifer Dornbush 

The Seymour Agency Q&A with Author Jen J. Danna

Seymour Agency: You recently launched your new series, the NYPD Negotiators, with EXIT STRATEGY. Why hostage negotiation?

Jen J. Danna: In LONE WOLF, the first book in the FBI K-9s series, I wrote a character who was a hostage negotiator. This guy had a really tough job as the middle man between the FBI, who wanted to close the case, and an armed gunman, who was holed up with his family. The negotiator was not only trying to save lives, but was also fighting to satisfy his law enforcement brethren, many of whom saw force as the best way to quickly get their man. This character really stuck with me, partly because the situation he had to deal with was different than anything I’d written before.

SA: How was it different?

JJD: In all my other police procedurals, the protagonist is always reacting to the initial situation, usually a murder, sometimes a natural disaster. I wanted to explore police work from the opposite, proactive angle. Yes, there’s a crisis in play, but the challenge is to save lives before they’re lost, to get the hostages out in one piece, and hopefully contain and arrest the person responsible.

SA: How did you develop Gemma Capello and her first responder family?

JJD: This was the first book I wrote solo, so it was fun to take advantage of my own family history to flesh out Gemma. Like me, her family hails from Siculiana in Sicily. Like me she lost a parent at a young age (though her loss is by very violent means). But I like writing ensemble pieces, where the characters appear throughout the series, so I crafted a family around her, a father and four brothers, who with only one exception are all NYPD officers in various branches of the department (the other brother joined the FDNY). In this way, she can work with at least one of them during her cases.

SA: How does her family play a part in EXIT STRATEGY?

JJD: When an alert goes out, interrupting a family celebration, Gemma, her father, the Chief of Special Operations, and her two older brothers respond. But when the hostage situation takes a turn for the worse and Gemma has to put herself at risk with the hostage taker, everything, including her life, will rest in the hands of her younger brother.

SA: What can we expect next from Gemma?

JJD: The second book in the series, SHOT CALLER, will release in summer 2021 from Kensington Books and Dreamscape Media. In it, Gemma is called to New York City’s notorious Rikers Island jail when a riot occurs and both correctional officers and inmates are taken hostage. It’s a contained but extremely volatile situation, and Gemma and her negotiating team are pulled in different directions as everyone tries to steer the crisis—from the inmates, to the staff at Rikers, to the city administrators that run the Department of Corrections, to the NYPD. She also has to balance her need to peacefully resolve the situation, which takes time, with the tactical team’s desire to go in and rapidly resolve the crisis with force. It’s a real nail biter. Then the third book in the series, LOCKDOWN, will follow in the summer of 2022.

About the Book, Exit Strategy:

In this taut new suspense series featuring NYPD detective Gemma Capello and her close-knit law enforcement family, a madman brings a halt to the heart of the city that never sleeps . . .

After her mother’s death during a bank robbery when she was a child, Gemma Capello grew up to become one of the NYPD’s elite hostage negotiators. In a family of cops, there’s rarely a day when a Capello isn’t facing down some form of threat. Still, despite their unpredictable schedules, they always find time for their annual family summer picnic. But this year, a sudden phone call changes everything. 

A heavily armed gunman has taken hostages at City Hall. Gemma races downtown to join the rest of the Hostage Negotiation Team as they scramble to identify the captives—fearing the mayor may be among them. But as they scramble for answers and struggle to gain control of the circumstances, it becomes clear that the mayor is at the center of it all, just not in the way they initially believed. 

With several lives on the line and a criminal who always seems to be one step ahead, Gemma is the only one able to connect with the suspect. Soon, she finds herself engaging in a battle of wits while enduring a battle of egos in the command center. With time running out and a mastermind who has proven he’ll do whatever it takes to get what he wants, Gemma risks it all—her career and her life—in a last-ditch effort to save the hostages. Now, she needs to figure out how to save herself . . .

About the Author, Jen J. Danna:  

A scientist specializing in infectious diseases, Jen J. Danna works as part of a dynamic research group at a cutting-edge Canadian university. However, her true passion lies in indulging her love of the mysterious through her writing. 

With Ann Vanderlaan, she writes two series. Under Danna and Vanderlaan, they craft suspenseful crime fiction with a realistic scientific edge. Their five Abbott and Lowell Forensic Mysteries include DEAD, WITHOUT A STONE TO TELL IT; NO ONE SEES ME ’TILL I FALL; A FLAME IN THE WIND OF DEATH; TWO PARTS BLOODY MURDER; and LAMENT THE COMMON BONES.

Under the joint pseudonym of Sara Driscoll, they write the FBI K-9s mysteries series, starring search-and-rescue team Meg Jennings and her black lab, Hawk. The series includes LONE WOLF and BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE, STORM RISING, and NO MAN’S LAND. The fifth book in the series, LEAVE NO TRACE, will release in January 2020.

Jen is also the author of the upcoming NYPD Negotiators thriller series, with the first book, EXIT STRATEGY, releasing in August 2020. The second book in the series, SHOT CALLER, will release in 2021, and the third book, LOCKDOWN, will release in 2022.

Jen lives near Toronto, Ontario with her husband, two daughters, and three rescued cats, and is a member of the Crime Writers of Canada.

You can reach her through the contact page on her website or by email at jenjdanna@gmail.com.

Social media links: Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Instagram.

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT ON STACIE RAMEY AND AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT ON LYNNETTE AUSTIN!

Yes, two authors for the price of one! (Although we don't really charge anything so there you go).

Today let's welcome, Lynnette and Stacie to the blog! Welcome ladies!

LYNNETTE AUSTIN

 Author Bio:

I love to stand on the beach when a storm is brewing and watch the waves crash ashore. I love, love, love chocolate frozen custard, a bargain, anything by Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, and sitting in a Starbucks reading and enjoying a skinny peppermint mocha. I grew up in Pennsylvania, accepted my first teaching job in New York, moved to wonderful Wyoming, then to sunny Florida. Now, I spend my days writing and split my time between the beaches of Florida and the mountains of northern Georgia. I tend to think of myself as a homebody, but I guess I must have a little vagabond in me because I feel at home and happy almost anywhere.

The Best Laid Wedding Plans blurb:

Reunited lovers, a crumbling plantation, and a big dream—The Best Laid Wedding Plans!

Georgia’s Low Country. Soft, summer nights, sweet tea sippin’ on back porches, fireflies twinklin’, and those Southern men with slow drawls and slower hands. Jenni Beth knows she can turn crumbling Magnolia House into a wedding destination, but when Cole, once the love of her life, returns, old hurts resurface.

Jenni Beth Beaumont left her broken heart behind when she took her dream job in Savannah. But after her brother's death, she returns home to help mend her parents' hearts as well as restore their beautiful but crumbling antebellum mansion. New dreams take shape as Jenni Beth sets to work replacing floors and fixing pipes to convert the family homestead into the perfect wedding destination. However, some folks in their small Southern town are determined to see her fail.
Cole Bryson was once the love of Jenni Beth's life, but the charming architectural salvager has plans of his own for the Beaumont family home. As the two butt heads, old turmoil is brought to the surface. Cole and Jenni Beth will have to work through some painful memories and tough realities before they can set their pasts aside and have a second chance at their own happily ever after.

Author Media Links

www.authorlynnetteaustin.com

https://twitter.com/LynnettAustin

https://www.facebook.com/Lynnette-Austin

http://hotwipssassychicks.blogspot.com

Pinterest at https://www.pinterest.com/romwriter/

STACIE RAMEY

Stacie Ramey learned to read at a very early age to escape the endless tormenting from her older siblings. Where the Wild Things Are was her first favorite book and she swore she’d only marry a man who could prove he had rumpus in his heart!

She attended the University of Florida, where she majored in communication sciences, and Penn State where she received a Master of Science degree in Speech Pathology. She also met her future husband at Penn State, who surprised her one day with all of the stuffed Wild Things’ characters, proving his worth.

She currently works with high school aged Autistic kids, introducing them to the literary worlds she grew up loving. When she’s not working or writing, she engages in Netflix wars with her children or beats her husband in Scrabble, all while watching the Florida Gators and Penn State Nittany Lions play (Go Gators).

She lives in Florida with her husband, children, and rescue dogs.

Her debut young adult novel THE SISTER PACT was released November 3, 2015 (Sourcebooks Fire). 

You can follow her on:

https://www.facebook.com/stacie.ramey

Twitter@stacieramey

http://www.stacieramey.com/index.html

THE SISTER PACT

Blurb from Amazon:

Who holds your secrets?

Allie is devastated when her sister commits suicide-and it's not just because she misses her. Allie feels betrayed. The two made a pact that they'd always be together, in life and in death, but Leah broke her promise and Allie needs to know why.

Her parents hover. Her friends try to support her. And Nick, sweet Nick, keeps calling and flirting. Their sympathy only intensifies her grief.

But the more she clings to Leah, the more secrets surface. Allie's not sure which is more distressing: discovering the truth behind her sister's death or facing her new reality without her.

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT ON: JENNIFER FUSCO!

Welcome, Jennifer!

Jennifer Fusco is the author of FIGHTING FOR IT, The first in a sexy new series where the hard-hitters of Las Vegas's Stamina boxing gym are K.O.-ed by the women they never saw coming...

Jennifer loves writing hot alpha males, and strong female characters who are sexy, sassy, and careful with their heart. She lives in South Florida and spends what little free time she has going to the beach, walking her dog, Grissom, and watching her son's soccer games.

Chat with Jennifer on Facebook, or connect anytime on Twitter @jenniferafusco. For a full list of Jennifer's books, please visit her website: www.jennifer-fusco.com

Social media Links:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenniferAFusco

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjenniferfusco

From Amazon:

After suffering a devastating loss during his last fight, heavyweight boxer Jack Brady’s whole career went down for the count. Now, his late manager’s daughter has inherited his contract and Jack is pleased to discover that the girl he fell in love with as a kid has grown into a strong, sexy woman—until she makes it clear that Jack has no choice but to get in the ring.

 
Daniella Chambers is determined to get her father’s failing gym back on track with Jack’s upcoming fight. She knows Jack’s got the talent to become champion and decides to force the unmotivated fighter away from the neon lights of Vegas to train in the seclusion of her lake house. But when they take a time out from their sessions to steam up the bedroom, the urge to win gets all tangled up with their desires. 
 
Now, Jack’s fight is swiftly approaching, and the fate of the gym isn’t the only thing on the ropes...
 
Includes an exclusive preview of the next Ringside novel, Going the Distance.