RICOCHET - Christy Barritt - One Free Book

What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about?

I love to write about how hard times in life can draw us closer to God. I think that whatever we go through, we can let our circumstances give us reason to run toward God or away from him. When we run toward God, we’re on a rich path filled with growth and joy, but also pain and hardship. That’s definitely a recurring theme in my books.

What other books of yours are coming out soon?

In February, Key Witness, my next Love Inspired Suspense releases. In March, The Good Girl, a humorous romantic mystery, releases. I’m also contracted to write two more Love Inspired Suspense novels, but I don’t have release dates for them yet.

If you could spend an evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would it be and why?

I would love to sit down with Mary Higgins Clark. I would love to talk face to face with her about her writing career and inspiration. I love reading her books, and I love talking writing, so it would be a perfect combination.

What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why?

I think it would be pretty cool to meet Jane Austen. She penned some great novels that continue to inspire people today. I’d want to ask her about her favorite characters, any other books she wanted to write but hadn’t, if she got rejected, etc.

How can you encourage authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers?

Rejections can feel devastating, but they happen to all of us. Even after being published, you still face rejections. To really make it in publishing, you have to be able to push past those setbacks. If you receive advice from an editor on your rejection, don’t ignore it. Listen to what editors want because they know the business of writing stories. Whenever possible, learn from rejections and allow them to make you stronger and more determined.

Tell us about the featured book.

When Molly Hamilton returns to her beloved summer camp, she finds nothing but trouble. First she hits a dead body in the road before arriving. Then she discovers the camp director is missing. If that isn't stressful enough, Molly's new boss is none other than Nick White, the man who once broke her heart. Nick and Molly know there's something dangerous going on at Camp Hope Springs. But as the former teenage sweethearts try to uncover the mystery, they discover even more hidden secrets—about the camp and themselves. Saving the camp may not be safe, especially for their hearts.Show More Show Less

Please give us the first page of the book.

Thump!

Molly Hamilton's sedan rose and then sank back to the ground as if she'd gone over a speed bump. A really large speed bump.

As she threw on the brakes, every muscle in her body tensed. She gripped the steering wheel, frozen with indecision. The lonely, wooded road slithered in front of her, cloaked by an ominous darkness. The forest had hollow spaces between the trees that just seemed to beckon something dangerous to hide there. Bears. Wildcats. Serial killers.

Molly shook her head. She was being ridiculous. She was an established, professional woman who should have long since outgrown her fear of the woods and nighttime. But some things never died. Memories from her childhood filled her, but she pushed them away. Not now.

Shakes overcame her anyway.

She looked in the rearview mirror and saw the red of her brake lights reflecting off the asphalt. Darkness swallowed everything else. Fear threatened to swallow her.

Whatever she'd hit still lay underneath her car. Her sedan had risen and fallen once, which meant that the front tires had gone over something, but not the back.

Probably just a deer, she rationalized. Perhaps someone else had hit the animal and left the poor creature in the road. The country lane was so narrow and winding, and outside was so dark. She'd rounded the corner and, just as she'd done so, seen a flash of something on the street. Before she could brake, she felt the thump against her wheels. The thump of a deer against her wheels.

Her throat went dry. She was going to have to get out of the car and check. Right?

Oh Lord, help me, please. I don't want to open this car door.

Why had she even agreed to come to the backwoods of Virginia's Northern Neck? What exactly had she been thinking when she begged for this temporary summer job in the middle of nowhere at Camp Hope Springs?

Closure, she remembered. She'd wanted closure, to go back to one of the happiest places of her youth. She had so many fond memories of her last summer of innocence, of being carefree and hopeful. Then she'd grown up and life had happened. Responsibilities had surrounded her and not let her go. She'd left her childhood behind right along with campfires and vesper services.

Her thoughts and reminiscing of the past only delayed the inevitable. She needed a plan, and she needed to get the yet-to-be-decided-on action over with. She rested her head against the steering wheel, flabbergasted by her own indecision. She couldn't simply sit here in the middle of the road all night.

The silver of her cell phone on the seat beside her caught her eye. She grabbed the device and flipped it open. What were the chances that she'd find reception out here? She blinked when she saw one bar left on her signal.

The cops. She could call the cops.

She lowered the phone to her lap. And tell the police what? That she may have just hit a deer? They'd think she was crazy and rightfully so. She rubbed her forehead in irritation, staring at her headlights as they illuminated the deserted road before her. Camp Hope Springs was only a mile or two away at the most.
That settled it. She had to get out of the car and find out what had just happened. Just sitting here and thinking about the possibilities over and over would drive her crazy.

She grabbed the door handle and pulled until the latch clicked open. After taking another deep breath, she pushed the door out wide.

The smell of damp earth, of thick, wet leaves and tree branches ripe with moss and fungi filled the car. Crickets sang their songs. Leaves tippity-tapped together in the light breeze. Heavy summer air floated inside, covering Molly with its sticky, invisible fingers.

She fumbled through the glove compartment for a minute before finding a small flashlight. She twisted the top of it and a small ray of light sliced the air. It was better than nothing, she supposed.

She dropped one foot onto the ground and then the other. The woods still seemed to be staring at her, unknown dangers just waiting to pounce when she was least expecting it. She shivered despite the summer heat.

She squatted and shined her light under the car. Something off-white lay center beneath her vehicle.
A deer?

She moved her flashlight along the length of the creature.

Was that something blue? Maybe just the asphalt reflecting onto the deer's fur, she wanted to believe. And that splotch of white? Deer had white splotches, right?

She moved her flashlight up farther. Near her front bumper, her heart seemed to stop.

Eyes stared back at her. Not deer eyes. Human eyes.

She'd hit someone. As a trained nurse she didn't have to touch the man to know that he was dead.

As always, you take us right into the action of the story. How can readers find you on the Internet?

I’d love for my readers to visit me at www.christybarritt.com. I’m also active on Facebook at www.facebook.com/christybarritt and I pop onto Twitter occasionally at www.twitter.com/cbarritt.

Thanks so much for the interview, Lena, and for the chance to visit your blog! It’s always a pleasure. 

I agree, Christy. I have the best readers. Thanks for dropping by.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.

Ricochet (Love Inspired Suspense) - paperback
Ricochet (Love Inspired Suspense) - Kindle


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