BEAUTY IN HIDING - Robin Patchen - One Free Book

Welcome back, Robin. Why do you write the kind of books you do?

I write different genres—romance, suspense, and women’s fiction. Lately, I’ve been focusing on romantic suspense because I love to see how people react when they’re in danger. I consider myself to be a fairly calm person, but the few times I’ve been in dangerous situations (or situations I’ve thought might be dangerous) I haven’t handled it well. For instance, once when we first moved into our house, a glass shelf on our built-in wet bar fell onto the tile countertop beneath it, shattering the shelf and all the glassware we’d stored there. We were in bed, and I was still awake when I heard what sounded like a window smashing. My husband was awakened by me repeatedly slapping him on the arm saying, “Eddie, Eddie, Eddie, Eddie…” in a loud and embarrassingly high-pitched voice. I’m not exactly Cool Hand Luke in a crisis. It’s funny because there’s never been any real danger. But it wouldn't be funny if I were in a truly perilous situation. Perhaps I like writing suspense to see how a person should react to danger. Maybe, if I keep writing strong heroes and heroines, I’ll eventually learn to be like them.

Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?

This is a hard question. The big days—my wedding, the births of my children—were very emotional, but not completely happy, because there was so much going on. They were stressful days, scary days in some ways. Probably, my happiest days have been those spent on vacation with the people I love. For instance, my family vacationed last summer in the Colorado Springs area. We were all there, even my son who lives in Hawaii. The day we went white water rafting stands out as one of the happiest of my life.

Sounds exciting, but I’d never do it. How has being published changed your life?

I spent the first forty years of my life trying to figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up. When I turned forty, I started writing my first novel and finally discovered what I was born to do. (At least that’s how it felt.) The book was terrible, as first novels tend to be. (You gave me my first critique ever, as a matter of fact. You were very gentle with this novice.) But I’d fallen in love with writing, so I kept at it, kept learning, kept trying until finally, a few years later, I was offered my first writing contract. It changed my life because it showed me that, indeed, I could do this writing thing. Now, I’m a full-time writer and freelance editor. A little more than a decade ago, I never dreamed where God would take me.

I’m blessed that God allowed me to have a small part in that. What are you reading right now?

I just finished Becky Wade’s True to You, Falling for You, and Then Came You. I’m eagerly (impatiently) awaiting Sweet on You.

I’ve often said I’d like to write like Becky Wade when I grow up. What is your current work in progress?

I’m working on a book that’s tentatively titled Legacy Rejected. It’s about a woman whose mother sent her away right after her father was killed. When her house is broken into, she discovers her parents are money launderers, and the criminals they used to work with are after something they think the heroine has. I hope I’ll be able to explain it better when I know the story better myself.

What would be your dream vacation?

I’d love to go around the world. We’d start by visiting my son in Hawaii and seeing the islands. Then we’d head to the Far East, the Himalayas, Israel, Egypt, Africa, Europe… Oh, I forgot Australia and New Zealand. We’d have to fit those in there. And of course South America, too. I pretty much want to go everywhere in the world… twice.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

Most of my books are set in New Hampshire, which is where I grew up. Since I now live in Oklahoma, I like writing about New Hampshire. It reminds me of home.

On Saturday, my younger granddaughter got engaged to a man from New Hampshire. If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?

Hmm, hard question. Right now, I’d say Loren Cunningham, the man who founded Youth With a Mission. I’d love to hear the stories of all the places he’s been and all the ways he’s seen the Lord work around the world.

We have several friends who have been YWAM missionaries, and some of their stories are amazing and miraculous. What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I love to travel, and I love to ski, but I don't get to do either of those very often. I’m not sure you can call it a hobby, but I love to hang out with friends—coffee, lunch, shopping. I'm always up for spending time with friends.

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?

I don’t think I’m a very good plotter. I dive into my books and can’t figure out how to get back out. With every book, I write an outline, and I think I’m getting better at it, but it’s definitely my biggest issue.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

If you’re really just starting out, write your first book and don’t worry about all the stuff you’re doing wrong. Just write until you get to the magical words, The End. If you enjoy that process, then start learning how to write better. I find that people who know too much about what they need to learn going in often never finish their books. They can be paralyzed by all those rules. We learn by doing, though, so it’s crucial that people who want to write do so often. I also think that people who don’t enjoy the process when they don’t know all the stuff they’re doing wrong are likely going to hate it when they start learning. It’s too hard to do if you don't love it.

Tell us about the featured book.

Beauty in Hiding is book two in a three-book linked series. Here’s the blurb:

Harper’s second chance at life will become a second stint in prison if anyone connects her to those two dead men. 

Nutfield, New Hampshire, is as good a place as any to hide from the murderer Harper left behind in Maryland. All she has to do is lie low and make enough money to keep herself and Red alive until she can figure out who her enemies are. 

Jack Rossi is mystified by his beautiful new tenant and her confused grandfather. Something's not right, but the love he sees between them and the care she takes of the old man convinces Jack they're trustworthy. As drawn as he is to Harper, she’s his tenant, so she’s off limits.

Derrick, Harper's ex-boyfriend and Red’s grandson, needs to find his grandfather and get his hands on the old man’s money before Derrick ends up with a bullet in the skull. And when he gets his hands on Harper, she’ll be sorry for what she’s put him through.  

Harper and Jack grow closer, but so do her enemies. If the truth comes out, she may lose her freedom—or her life.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Of course it was raining.

And not merely raining. Harper had been white-knuckling the steering wheel of her used VW Jetta through an absolute deluge since Rhode Island. Visibility had been practically nonexistent on the interstate. After she’d exited onto the state highway that brought her to Nutfield, thanks to the lack of street lights, visibility had been no farther than a few feet in front of her car.

The constant swish-swish of the wipers was the only sound as she stopped at a T in the road. The area was deserted. Maybe that was normal in a little town for a Monday night at eight-thirty. She had no idea. She’d never lived anywhere this far off the beaten path.

She consulted her phone to check the map, but her navigation software was trying—and failing—to figure out where she was. Shocking that a fifty-dollar pay-as-you-go phone from the convenience store didn’t work properly.

Fortunately, she’d studied the map enough at the last stop that she sort of knew where she was going. Sort of.

She glanced at Red, the elderly man in her care. His eyes were wide with worry, and she didn’t blame him. He’d had a very difficult few days. Both of them had, but they’d survived this long. She’d keep Red safe if it killed her.

Which it very well might.

Interesting! How can readers find you on the Internet?

Links to Beauty in Hiding:

Amazon: https://www.amzn.com/B07M75ZDKJ

Universal Link: https://books2read.com/u/m2vpWd

My profiles:

Website: http://robinpatchen.com

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

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/robin-patchen

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5187882.Robin_Patchen

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Robin-Patchen/e/B00A289790/

Thank you, Robin, for sharing this suspense novel with my blog readers and me. I’m eager to read it.

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