Romantic Suspense with Golden Heart Finalist, Autumn Jordon!

Welcome Autumn, great to have you here today!

First, Rachel, thank you so much for hosting me. I’m happy to be here. Let’s do it. WINK.

1) Who is your favorite author and why?

My favorite book of all time is the Valley Of The Horses by Jean Auel. It’s part of the earth series. I love the detail, the characters, the emotion and the romance. I enjoy many newer voices too, but I don’t want to run this blog too long by naming them.


2) When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I always wanted to be a writer and did write my first short story in third grade. As an adult I wrote newspaper and magazine articles, poetry, business letters and even a personal essay published in the Cup Of Comfort books, but I don’t think I thought of myself a novelist until I typed the end on my first full manuscript. Knowing I had accomplished what many say they want to do was the greatest high.

3) Describe your writing space?

I have several work spots since I work on a laptop. My office definitely needs a little straightening. So I guess that tells you I feel there are more important things in life than a home that looks like the Merry Maids just exited stage right.

I also spend time outside on my back porch. I love it there, especially in the early morning. I love the outdoors.

And in the evening, in my living room, while my dear husband watches his games, I’m usually tweaking dialogue, interviewing characters and catching up on emails.


4) What are you reading now?

I decided to make this summer the summer of new authors. Right now, I’m reading Robyn Carr Paradise Valley. She has great characters and has a way of drawing you into their lives. I’ve also read Liz Talley, Addison Fox, Kaylea Cross, and Misty Evans. All were very good, and up next are David Baldacci and Andrew Cross. In between the newbies, I’ve squeezed in Brenda Novak, Karen Robards, and Harlen Coburn. I read whenever I can. Usually, while DH is driving or before bed.

If you want to jump start your writing, read a bit.

5) How many books have your written? Which is your favorite?

Evil’s Witness, my new release, is my fourth book. It was my 2009 Golden Heart entry. My fifth book released earlier in January and I just finished my sixth, another romantic suspense.

6) What comes first, plot or characters?

Actually, for me, it’s a first line or a germ of an idea. I don’t really plot. I get this logline of an idea and I begin to write. Usually by the end of the first chapter, I’m searching for pictures of my hero and heroine. I like to have them posted near my desk. I’ll write maybe fifty pages and then I’ll jot down a sketchy synopsis. Basically, I’m writing down goals, motivations and turning points. The synopsis changes when I’m finish a bit because my characters have a way of lead the way sometimes.



7) Do you ever suffer from writer’s block?

Sometimes I get stopped, but I feel the story churning inside me. When this happens it’s because there is something wrong in what I already wrote. So delete and write again. Never feel hesitant about hitting the delete key.

8) What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Read, spend time with my family and friends and travel with my dear husband. We have a garden and many flower beds so I’m always primping them. And we have dogs and a cat. I love to walk for exercise.

9) Tell us about your latest book?

Evil’s Witness is a romantic suspense set in my own back yard. The idea came about because of two real incidents that occurred at my family’s business-trucking. We hauled funds for the U.S. Treasury. No, we didn’t lose funds for the treasury, but we did have a trailer of fruit juice stolen. Anyway, I wondered what if tractor-trailers carrying U.S. funds were suddenly targeted by the Russian Mafia, and what if a woman and her children witnessed a heist and became Mafia targets. Who would they turn too and how would they be protected? And what if she fell for the agent who protected them?

See, a germ of an idea.

I’m thrilled that Evil’ Witness has received two great reviews so far and I’ve had a few readers email me saying they loved the story. Melissa said she can’t get my characters out of her head. I love Melissa.



10) What’s next for you?

I just finished another romantic suspense and dove right into another. I’m at 17 k today. And this morning, while searching my office for something, I found an old note with another idea written on it and I’m like I need to keep this. It s tacked to my bulletin board, so I know where I’m headed next.

BIO:
Autumn lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her husband, who supplies her with support and tons of laughs, and their Yorkshire Terrier and Irish Setter. Her favorite destinations farther from home so far are Vermont and Arizona where she enjoys hiking, golfing, horseback riding and learning the history of the areas. No matter what Autumn is doing, she’s busy dreaming up ideas to put the characters of her romantic thrillers in grave danger.
Visit her at www.autumnjordon.com
Or friend her on Facebook, Twitter or MySpace


Blurb for Evil’s Witness:

Stephanie Boyd’s world crashes when she and her children witness a blood bath. To escape the wrath of the Russian Mafia, she has no choice but to help the FBI uncover the mafia’s mole inside the U.S. Treasury. While on the run with the handsome agent who is willing to die for them, Stephanie learns the meaning of love.

Agent John Dolton’s break in solving the case that cost him everything is a couple of kids and a beautiful widow. But keeping them safe seems impossible when their every move is foreseen by their enemy. Stephanie and her children soften the loner’s heart and John vows not to fail to protect the family he comes to love.


Excerpt from Evil’s Witness: © protected by Autumn Jordon

After a week, her touch was familiar. His heart melted. He grabbed her hand, holding her in place as he turned and smiled down on her. Her nipples pushed against her white T-shirt. He gently brushed a knuckle across one peak. “No. It was hell without you.”
“Mmmm. Same here.” She pulled back and lifted his arm around her, curling into him. Looking out over the lake, she sighed. “I could stay here forever, if you’d let me.”
“I wish we could.” He gathered her closer and kissed the top of her head. “But eventually Bobby and Em would have to go to school.”
“I could home school.” Her chuckle was strained.
He felt her pain. He smiled while his heart wrenched. He would like nothing more than to forget about the world and stay here with her and the kids. But they couldn’t. “Sooner or later Ben will call. We’ll have to go back.”
“I know.”
Steph moved away. A cold void took her place.
She drifted to the other porch column. Leaning against it, she folded her arms across her chest. Her lips pressed together as if she was forming the right words behind them. “I know I said that our time together here was going to be enough to last me a lifetime, but—” Tears brimmed her lids. “I was wrong. A lifetime won’t be enough.”
John stepped toward her. “I don’t know what—”
“I know; you don’t know how we can be together. So, Ben will call. We’ll go back, and I’ll identify Victor. You’ll toss him in jail and throw away the key. You’ll drive off in pursuit of the next bad guy and me…Well, I’ll go home and wonder where you are. Wonder if what I felt was love.”
The woman knew how to make a guy feel like a heel.
John pulled her into his arms. She buried her head in his chest and cried softly against him. He kissed her head and smoothed her hair. “Steph, I didn’t think I’d ever love again,” he whispered softly, cupping her chin and tilting her face up until she looked at him. “Like a bomb, you dropped into my life. Every defense I’d put up to protect myself from ever being hurt again came tumbling down. You opened up my heart. As much as you don’t want to live without me, I don’t want to live without you. I love you.”
He kissed her gently. Her arms wrapped around him and held on. “Somehow, we’ll figure this out. I promise,” he assured her.

Great to have you here, Autumn, I have heard so many great things about you and your writing from fellow Wild Rose authors so it's great to finally 'meet' you. Autumn would love to answer your questions and read your comments...