It was a combination of life experiences—not only mine but
those of my son-in-law. He’s a veteran and married father of three who has the
highest security clearance necessary to repair radar on our nation’s naval fleet.
But once he was a small boy abandoned by his drug addicted parents with two
siblings in a tent city constructed by homeless people in Florida .
Knowing and loving my son-in-law intersected with my life
experiences in planting the seeds necessary to write Tell Her No Lies. My
experiences include working in a church ministry in which my Sunday School
class cooked food and assembled the necessary supplies in our church kitchen
before heading to a highway underpass in downtown San Antonio once a month to feed people who
were homeless.
My children were in grade school at the time and they often
accompanied me. My daughter willingly, my son less graciously. I believe the
experience shaped their understanding of how blessed they are and also gave
them compassion for others. In some ways, it may have paved the way for my
daughter’s relationship with her future husband.
Eventually the city of San
Antonio created a consolidated, state-of-the-art campus
with every service imaginable to assist people experiencing homelessness.
Municipal government then asked (more like ordered) churches and other
charitable organizations to stop providing these makeshift meals so they could guide
people to all the services they need at Haven for Hope.
Haven for Hope is a focal point in Tell Her No Lies. Heroine
Nina Fischer, abandoned as a child by her drug addicted mother in a tent city
in Florida ,
now volunteers at Haven for Hope as an adult. She and her sister were plucked
from foster care by an aunt and uncle she’d never met and brought to live in a
well-to-do upper middle-class neighborhood.
That story line comes from my son-in-law’s life. A loving
aunt and uncle plucked him and his brother and sister from foster care in Florida , brought them to San Antonio , and eventually adopted them. The
aunt was a stay-at-home mom with two children already. The uncle was in the
military and often deployed. That left the new mom of five children very nearly
the same age frequently on her own. Money was always tight. But they persevered
and raised five wonderful adults. Of course, from there, the story diverges
into fiction and my vivid imagination.
If you were planning
a party with Christian authors of contemporary fiction, what six people would
you invite and why? Terri Blackstock, Colleen Coble, Lynette Eason, Irene
Hannon, James Scott Bell, and Stephen James. Because they write in the suspense/mystery
genres and I’d love to pick their brains about the writing craft, the publishing
industry, their writing habits, etc.
Now let’s do that for
a party for Christian authors of historical fiction, what six people would you
invite and why?
I don’t read a ton of historical fiction, but I do read everything
Allison Pittman writes. So I would invite her, Tara Johnson, Elizabeth Byler
Younts, and Patty Callahan, plus a few they recommend. I know Allison, Tara,
and Elizabeth. They would be a lively bunch with lots of insight to share on
the writing process, how to do research, faith, and just life itself. It would
be a rich evening of fellowship with Christian writers, regardless of genre.
Many times, people
(and other authors) think you have it made with so many books published. What
is your most difficult problem with writing at this time in your career?
My greatest challenge is also a great blessing. I’m writing
in two genres now—Amish romances and romantic suspense. My publishing house originally
signed me to do Amish fiction but agreed recently to offer me contracts for the
romantic suspense as well. It was a dream come true. Writing in one keeps me
fresh in the other. However, having staggered deadlines has been a huge
challenge. Keeping up with marketing as the books release, as well as the
various edits that have to be done along the way has left me a little frazzled
at times. But I constantly remind myself of all those years I prayed and longed
to be published. All the tears I shed over rejections. All the nervous apprehension
that went into pitching to editors at conferences. I’m writing fiction full
time. I’m truly living my dream today so I try not to whine!
Tell us about the
featured book.
Even the most admired families have secrets to hide . . .
Nina Fischer carries a camera wherever she goes—so she can
view life through a filter. Safely. After her mother abandoned her to the
streets, Nina has kept people at a distance, including her uncle, who adopted
Nina and her sister. Wealthy and proud, he is a good man, a fair judge, and
someone many in San Antonio
admire.
But when he is murdered, and the detective assigned to the
case accuses Nina of the crime, she knows she must act. She’s determined to use
her journalism background to find the real killer. The two men in her life want
to help, but can she trust them? She’s
known Rick since they were children, but now he’s an attorney whose political
aspirations seem more important than Nina’s tragic loss. And then there’s
Aaron, a news videographer; using their friendship could break the biggest story
of his career.
Following the evidence leads Nina on a journey of discovery into
her father’s shocking masquerade as a law-abiding, family-loving Christian.
Unlocking these secrets could prove fatal, but it’s the only way Nina will ever
be able to trust love again.
Combining romance and suspense, bestselling author Kelly Irvin’s
Tell
Her No Lies is a high-stakes race for the truth.
Please give us the
first page of the book.
Someone needed to make a perfume from stop bath and developer.
The photo chemicals smelled like come-hither to Nina Fischer. She inhaled their
biting scent and studied the image that appeared as she swished the sheet of paper
in the deep gray plastic tub. A homeless man with a toothless grin rewarded her
efforts. The man smiled as if he’d invited her into a palatial home and not a
squatter’s makeshift campsite. His black-and-white surroundings materialized in
sharp contrast around him. A graffiti-covered Dumpster dwarfed his skeletal
frame. A shopping cart loaded with a tattered coat, mismatched sneakers, and a
pile of blankets was parked on the broken cement like a car in a driveway. Despite
the alcohol-induced trust in his bloodshot eyes, he stayed close to the cart as
if he feared she would steal it away.
The photo told a story. A story that the world needed to see
and Nina needed to tell. In many ways, it was her story. The story of a child
who’d lived in that world and survived. The words to the poem that would
accompany the photo fell into place.
“Nina? You’re doing it again.”
Rick Zavala’s irritated baritone boomed in the small
darkroom.
“Sorry.” Nina snatched the phone from the counter, hit the
speaker button to turn it off, then tucked the phone between her ear and her
shoulder while using her free hand to move the photo to the stop bath. She
glanced at the illuminated face of the sports watch on her wrist. Thirty
seconds and the photo moved to the fixer.
“You could at least pretend to pay attention when you’re on
the phone with me.”
“I am paying attention.” Now she was. Suppressing a snort of
laughter, she gripped the tongs and slipped the photo into the next tub. “It’s
three o’clock in the morning. I’m not going to a party with you. I only have a
week left to get ready for the exhibit.”
How can readers find
you on the Internet?
@Kelly_S_Irvin
Thank you, Kelly, for
sharing this new suspense novel with my blog readers and me. My copy arrived
today, and I’m eager to read it.
Readers,
here are links to the book.
Tell Her No Lies - Christianbook.comTell Her No Lies - Amazon paperback (on special sale right now)
Tell Her No Lies - Kindle
Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book.
You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us
where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America . (Comments containing links may be subject
to removal by blog owner.)
Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the
number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of
eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any
pertaining local/federal/international laws.
The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on
this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You
will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.
If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Feedblitz, Facebook,
Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment
if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link:
22 comments:
Sounds like a great read.
Ola in Traphill NC
Would love to read this book. Thanks for the chance to win. Weather here in NH is very cold. Ten below zero yesterday and 15 below this morning. Brrrrr.
Sounds like a winner!
Melanie Backus, TX
I love Kellys books. Would love to win this.
Kathy Dale
Owasso OK
This sounds exciting. I do love an exciting storyline. Linda in SoCal
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
A Christian suspense or mystery novel must be challenging. Looking forward to reading it! Laverne Stanley in San Antonio, Texas.
It sounds like good weather for reading, Debbie. And you're right, Annie, writing Christian suspense can be challenging, but I love it. I write Amish romances, too, so I get the whole spectrum. Thanks, Kathy, I'm so glad you like my books!
Hello Lena and Kelly! I enjoy romantic suspense. TELL HER NO LIES sounds like a page-turner.
Caryl K in TEXAS
Hello Kelly sounds like another great book Thanks for the chance! SARAH Taylor Waterloo,Ohio
Sounds very good. I would like to read.
Hi Kelly and Lena, thanks for a great post and sharing the first page of Tell Her No Lies.
Blessings!
Connie from Kentucky
cps1950(at)gmail(dot)com
I enjoy Kelly Irvin’s books because her charcters have such depth and warmth, but I really need to read some of her suspense. I have not yet had that opportunity. I live in Austin, about an hour and a half down the interstate from Kelly Irvin. I guess we’re practically neighbors!
perrianne (DOT) askew (AT) me (DOT) com
Perrianne Askew
I would love to read this book by Kelly Irvin. Sounds intriguing. And also, Thomas Nelson publications rarely disappoint.
I'm Vera in the middle of North Carolina and needs a good read for the wintry days ahead of us.
Waving to you, neighbor, Perrianne. In Texas, that is a close neighbor! I love hearing taht my readers like my characters. Getting to write romantic suspense in addition to Amish romance has been so enjoyable for me as a writer. It's important to me that my characters are well-rounded with both good points and flaws.
Hi Vera. I agree, Thomas Nelson books rarely disappoint. I love writing for them and Zondervan under the HarperCollins umbrella. Really great team!
Hi Sarah, hope you're doing well.
Thanks to everyone for taking time to comment!
Wow, I need to update my google account photo. That's a blast from the past, ladies. That photo was taken more than 10 years ago when my first romantic suspense novel, A Deadly Wilderness, was published! I wish I had that much hair. LOL
This was a great book. Kelly does a wonderful job at suspense.
Hi, Kelly! Your book sounds fascinating. I wish I a good relationship with my SIL as you do. Such a blessing. Thanks, too, Lena for another great interview.
Bonnie in AZ
Thanks, Lucy, I appreciate the kind comment! Bonnie, when people ask me about me daughter-in-law (who is a sweet free spirited pet groomer with numerous tattoos, and purple and pink hair) and my son-in-law, I always say the same thing: if they make my son and daughter happy, I'm ecstatic!
I like your statement, "Even the most admired families have secrets to hide."
would love to read Tell Her No Lies.
Beth from IA
Thanks for the chance to win a copy of Tell Her No Lies. Kelly Irvins books are fantastic, in both suspense and Amish genre.
Hey, ladies. Thanks for leaving a comment, Beth. It seems all families have secrets to hide. I know mine did. LOL. Judy, thank you for the praise. I love hearing that readers enjoy my books, but especially both genres. I wasn't sure how that would go over, but so far so good!
Enter me in your awesome giveaway!!
Conway SC.
Post a Comment