Lynette Eason talks about Photography, Asheville, Suspense and More
It’s a privilege to have Romantic Suspense author Lynette Eason on the blog this week. I hope you enjoy learning more about her and her writing. She’s offered a digital copy of her newest release, Crossfire, as a giveaway. Comment by August 9 for a chance to win!
Welcome, Lynette! Tell us a little about yourself and your family.
I’m married to Jack Eason and we have two adult children who live on their own. Yep, we are empty nesters. LOL. Jack is the lead pastor at Cross Roads Baptist here in Simpsonville and he also does a lot of fundraising for various non-profits. Our daughter, Lauryn, is in her second year of law school and our son is a junior in college as well as a licensed real estate agent. We’re in a good place with life right now even though it has its challenges occasionally. But God is good and we lean on him on a daily basis.
Do you have any hobbies? What do you do for fun?
I don’t have many hobbies, but I love photography. I enjoy taking my camera and escaping into nature for a while to see what kind of picture I can get. I also enjoy taking family pictures, kids’ pictures, just about any pictures. LOL.
I happen to know you’re an amazing photographer. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a pediatrician. I have no idea why, but I remember that. Then as I got older, I had no idea what I wanted to so I majored in business, worked in the business world for a while and hated it. I went back to school and got my teaching degree and taught school for 12 years before I figured out I was supposed to be a writer. Ha.
We’re all glad you figured out you’re supposed to write! Tell us when and how that came about.
I started writing around the year 1999. The short version is that my husband traveled a lot with his job so I had a lot of time alone at home. Writing eased the loneliness and eventually, I decided to try and get published.
Seems that worked out great! What genre do you write and what inspired you to write that particular genre?
I write in the Romantic Suspense genre. I was always a fan of Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, Agatha Christie, Sherlock Holmes, Alfred Hitchcock, and more. So, when it was time for me to choose what kind of story I wanted to write, Romantic Suspense was kind of a no brainer.
Nancy Drew was a favorite of mine, too. How do you incorporate Christ and hope into your writing?
Writing Romantic Suspense, where my characters are in constant danger, it’s not hard to think they’d pray. A lot. LOL. But there’s always something in my stories that shows God working in their lives, not only to keep them from getting killed by the bad guys, but I like to show heart transformations too.
Heart transformation is one of the reasons I love reading Christian Fiction. What is the setting of your current novel? If it’s a real location, have you visited? Tell us about it.
The setting of my current novel is a real location. It’s based in Asheville, NC. I visit Asheville several times a year. My husband and I love to do a day trip up into the mountains just to get away sometimes.
Asheville is absolutely beautiful. If you wrote in a different genre than your current one, which would you choose and why?
I think I’d write historical simply because I love history and how they lived back then. It’s just tons of research and I’m terrified I’d get something wrong so I stick with murder and mayhem. Ha.
I agree. I can’t imagine doing all the research required to write historical. Speaking of that, how long do you spend on research before you begin writing a book?
I start writing before I do a whole lot of researching. I feel like I need to know my characters before I need to know much about their jobs. But it doesn’t take long until I start sending out questions to all of my numerous resources.
What do you enjoy most about being a writer?
I love that I can work from home and set my own schedule. Even though I’m fairly strict with my time in that I treat it like an 8-5 job, if something comes up that needs my attention or I need to have an appointment during the day, I really like that I can just do it without checking in with a boss. LOL.
That’s a definite perk. Do you enjoy marketing and social media? Which platform are you most active on?
I don’t care much for marketing and social media for the most part. LOL. Not that they don’t have their purpose, but they can be such “time-suckers”. I’d much rather be doing something else. Then again, I’ve met some lovely people on social media, so it’s not all bad.
What’s next from you?
Right now, I’m working on the last in the Extreme Measures series. Then I’ll have two more contracted series to write. I turn my last book in May 2027, so I’ll be busy for a while. Yay for job security, right?
Wow, that’s amazing. Good for you! I wish you the best as you continue to follow God’s leading in your writing and publishing. Thanks for sharing about yourself and your writing life.
Join the conversation. Did you read Nancy Drew or similar books as a child? Do you like reading romantic suspense? Have you visited Asheville? Do you think the mountains are a good setting for a suspense novel?
Be sure to comment by August 9 for a chance to win Lynette’s latest book! Keep scrolling to find the comments section.
Crossfire by Lynette Eason
Click the book cover for purchase link
FBI special agent Julianna James is a top-notch negotiator who has never lost a hostage. Surely she can manage to take care of her much younger sister, Dottie, who showed up unannounced to live with Julianna while she finished her senior year of high school.
A former sniper with the 75th Ranger Regiment, Clay Snyder left the army after a tragic incident that he can’t get past. Now he’s working as a high school resource officer until he can figure out what to do with the rest of his life.
Their paths cross when Julianna is called in to negotiate a courtroom hostage situation involving Clay’s sister. Impressed and a bit intimidated by the calm, capable woman with the dark hair and blue eyes, Clay invites her to speak at his school. Dottie’s school.
But as the anniversary of a school shooting from Julianna’s past approaches, it becomes clear that her perfect record is about to be tested and that Dottie is at risk. If Julianna and Clay can’t figure out who’s behind the attacks, more innocent people will die–and Julianna just might be one of them.
This intense story of revenge and redemption from bestselling author and master of suspense Lynette Eason will have you up all night as you race toward the explosive finish.
Lynette Eason is the best-selling, award-winning author of over sixty-five books. She writes for Revell and Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense line. Her books have appeared on the CBA, ECPA, Publisher’s Weekly, Parable, and USA Today’s bestseller lists. She has won several awards including the Carol Award, Christian Retailing’s Best, the Holt Medallion, the Selah, Killer Nashville’s Readers’ choice award, and more. Her book, Her Stolen Past, made into a Lifetime Movie Network movie, aired in February 2018. Lynette is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), Mystery Writers of America (MWA), International Thriller Writers (ITW), and Faith, Hope, and Love.
Please share Lynette’s interview on social media to help spread the word about her new release!
If you missed last week’s interview with Robin Pearson, find it here.
30 Comments
Deena Adams
Congratulations to Jeanette Davis, you’re the winner of Lynette’s book! Look for an email soon.
Natalya Lakhno
Romantic Suspense is my favorite genre ❤️
Mountains are the perfect setting-I love hiking 🥾 so many trails!
Thank you for the interview!
Deena Adams
Thanks so much for reading and joining the conversation, Natalya! Romantic Suspense and mountains are the perfect combo.
Lynette Eason
hi Natalya, Can I just say that I love your name? Thank you for stopping by. 🙂 j
Lori Adamson
I love Lynette’s books and just finished the Blue Justice series. Thanks for the chance to win. I found your blog from the Facebook group, Avid Readers of Christian fiction.
Deena Adams
Hi, Lori. Thanks so much for reading Lynette’s interview and commenting. Good luck in the drawing!
Lynette Eason
Hi Lori, thank you so much! I’m so thrilled you loved the Blue Justice series. I had a great time writing that one. 🙂
Elizabeth Litton
I loved reading Nancy Drew when I was a kid! Two of my friends and I started using a secret code, and I even began writing my own Nancy Drew story (though it never progressed too far). 😀 Thanks for sharing about this interview in the Avid Readers of Christian Fiction on Facebook!
Deena Adams
Hi, Elizabeth. Sounds like you and your childhood friends had fun with mysteries. Maybe you’ll pick up that story and try writing it again. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
Lynette Eason
Hi Elizabeth, you should totally finish that Nancy Drew book!! LOL. thank you for stopping by. 🙂
Teresa Moyer
Love a good suspence novel 🙂 Will add this to my TBR list for sure.
Deena Adams
Teresa, your TBR list is growing quickly like mine!
Lynette Eason
Thank you!!
Cheryl Thompson
Avid Readers on FB sent me here! I enjoyed Nancy Drew as a kid and suspense as an adult! Thanks for the opportunity of a free book!
Deena Adams
Good luck in the drawing, Cheryl! Thanks so much for engaging in conversation.
Kerri Norrod
Found this blog from Avid Readers of Christian Fiction on Facebook!
Kerri Norrod
Great interview! Lynette”s book sounds like a great read!
Deena Adams
Thanks for visiting the blog and commenting, Kerri!
Lynette Eason
Thank you, Kerri, I hope you enjoy if you get a chance to read it. Have a blessed evening.
Lynn Moore
We’ll now….I can see where…even in a fiction book, “Murder & Mayhem” needs some Jesus in the storyline! 🤣 Continued blessings on your writing!
Deena Adams
Absolutely, Lynn! Everyone needs Jesus, right?
Lynette Eason
Haha!! Definitely needs Jesus in all the stories. 🙂 Thank you for stopping by!!
Jeanette Davis
I did not read Nancy Drew as a child but did read a series called the Happy Hollisters, if I remember correctly they too solved mysteries while enjoying family adventures. I still have the series. I am not sure why but I do enjoy suspense (romantic or otherwise) I guess the excitment of solving the case. Thank you for this opportunity as well as the interview, the book sounds amazing!
Deena Adams
I love suspense too, Jeanette. It’s fun to try and figure out “who dunnit.”
Carol James
Great interview, Lynette. My husband and I absoultely love Asheville. It’s one of our favorite places for a get-away.
Deena Adams
Hi, Carol. Asheville is a beautiful city. I’m glad you and your husband have gotten to spend time there.
Lynette Eason
Hi Carol, it’s one of my faves, too. I’m getting ready to go spend a few days at Biltmore with my hubby. We can’t wait! 🙂
Pam Dunbar
I loved reading Nancy Drew as a kid. I have been through Asheville but unfortunately didn’t have time to stop. It’s on my list to get back to, its a beautiful area. Excited to read your new book set there. Thanks for sharing a little bit about your life, it’s fun learning more about authors.
Deena Adams
Thanks so much for joining the conversatin, Pam!
Lynette Eason
Thank you so much, Pam. And yes, you MUST stop next time you’re in Asheville. Go visit Biltmore. 🙂