Category Archives: Interviews
Intricate Mysteries
Stolen Secrets follows a determined ranch manager with a deep-seated distrust of oil companies who reluctantly forms a partnership with a former special ops man when vandalism and murder show up on her doorstep. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The book is a fictionalized mash-up of three separate situations that occurred in different parts of the state in different decades.
Down in South Texas in the late 1990s, I had the privilege of taking a lease from a severed mineral owner (only in this case, a very nice person). The surface owner and ranch manager was a super- smart, capable woman who was an ardent environmentalist and totally hated oil companies. She was not a happy rancher when I came along. She has since passed away, but I was lucky to have known both her and the person I took the lease from.
I spent a lot of time in West Texas in Menard County, Texas, where the annual festival is Jim Bowie Days. Everyone in the two counties in every direction has heard about the lost silver mine. I loved the story.
The terrible corruption comes from Duval County in deep South Texas, where George Parr, and later his son, Archer Parr, and Archer’s one-time henchman, Clinton Manges, ruled the county with horrendous corruption from the 1940s through the 1980s. George and, later, Archer were called the Dukes of Duval. Archer went to prison and then committed suicide. Clinton died penniless in a nursing home in San Antonio. One of my closest colleagues worked for the Trustee as the land manager for the Manges Liquidating Trust when the ranch was forced into bankruptcy and liquidated to pay Manges’s creditors.
I enjoyed the romantic enemies-to-lovers relationship between Sarah and Ethan. How did their relationship develop while you were writing it? Did you have an idea of where you wanted to take it, or was it organic?
I am not a pantser. I can’t imagine how mysteries can be written without clue maps, chapter outlines, scene details, etc. Every aspect of the story is planned to the nth detail before I ever start writing. I have a fantastic editor who helps me box the entire outline into shape, scene by scene, before I even write the first sentence.
How did you balance the action scenes with the story elements and still keep a fast pace in the story?
Pacing is not my strong suit. I rely on my editor, Laura Barth, to crack the whip on me for pacing. She’s a task master on story structure and keeping things moving. I tend to meandering wordiness without adult supervision.
When will Book Two be available? Can you give us an idea of where that book will take readers?
The whole trilogy is out. All three books are standalones featuring women in science, heroes who think they’re cool, and intricate mysteries inspired by events in my career or experiences of my colleagues. They can be read in any order. They are all enemies-to-lovers stories.
Book 2, Burning Secrets, is the story of a chemical engineer working to shut down a polluting paper mill in East Texas. To save the town, she is forced into an uneasy alliance with the undercover PI hired by the mill’s lawyer to stop her.
Book 3, Buried Secrets, is set in my hometown of San Antonio. It is the story of a straight- laced architect/city historic preservationist dealing with the discovery of old (and new) skeletons during excavation for new construction in the historic King William area of town. To identify the victims, she is forced to work with a disgraced homicide detective whose career is hanging on by a thread.
All three books are available individually on Amazon and as a box set.
The hero and the Deputy Chief of Police in Buried Secrets carry over to the new Iris Raines mystery series, and both appear in the series debut novel, Hell to Pay.
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Website | Amazon
Her brother is missing. Her ranch is burning.
And the only man who can save her…is the one she swore she’d never trust.
🔥 Enemies-to-Lovers
🔥 Forced Trust
🔥 Romantic Suspense
When West Texas rancher Sarah Chandler finds herself battling an oilfield fire and the sudden disappearance of her brother, the last person she wants by her side is Ethan Tanner—a former special ops soldier turned oil company man with secrets of his own.
But when a murderer strikes on her land, Sarah and Ethan are forced into a dangerous partnership. Every step closer to the truth puts them deeper in the killer’s crosshairs—and every stolen glance ignites a passion neither can resist.
As the fires close in and the killer circles closer, will Sarah and Ethan uncover the truth before it consumes them both?
Love edge-of-your-seat suspense, enemies-to-lovers tension, and the rugged grit of Texas? Stolen Secrets delivers heart-pounding danger, fiery romance, and a story you won’t forget.
Dive into Stolen Secrets, Book 1 of the Deadly Secrets Texas Trilogy today—and discover a complete, standalone romantic suspense series you won’t want to put down.
🏆Award-Winning Finalist — Next Best Read Writing Contest, June 2025
🏆Gold Book Award — Literary Titan Book Award for Fiction, December 2025
Bridges and Connections
In The Book of Oded, Chapter 2, you share with readers your most personal moments from love and loss to spiritual acceptance. Why was this an important book for you to write?
Why was this an important book to write, or why did I need to share my story? Well, when I first started writing this story, I didn’t actually feel a need to share it. I was working as an animator in a big Hollywood studio, and I felt like something was missing. After a few weekly meetings with a life coach, who was also my friend, I realized that what was missing from my life was ‘creativity.’ Being creative. I was working 12-hour days with a 2-hour commute each day, so when I’d get home, I was already too tired to do anything. My coach suggested writing. I had written a little when I was younger, but nothing serious, and so when I sat down to write, I still really didn’t know what to write about. I had a notebook and a pen, and I sat by my desk and stared at the blank page. A few moments passed, and suddenly, I picked up the pen and started writing. I wrote one sentence and stopped. I had no idea where that came from, but I knew EXACTLY what I was writing about. In the next few months, as I was writing the story, I was sure I was writing it for myself and myself only. I didn’t even share it with my husband of, then, 20 years.
Cut to about 4 years later. At the request of my acting teacher, I brought my unfinished story to class, and I was ready to read about 5 minutes of it and discuss the topic of one-actor-shows.
I was convinced that what I wrote wouldn’t resonate with anyone in class. Not just because there were very few openly gay students there, but also because, as my thoughts were telling me, “Who’s gonna want to hear about your troubles and issues? They probably have some of their own…” But I did it anyway. I stepped up to the stage, sat down, and started reading. I read and read until I finished all that I had written so far. I looked up. The class was still, and someone shouted: “And then? What happened next?” Apparently, I was reading for about 20 minutes, and I had everyone closely following me, and they, obviously, were finding my writing interesting.
This was my first discovery that what I wrote, as a personal and unique story, was indeed touching and resonating with others.
Cut again to about 2 years later. My husband and I produced my one-man-show with the story that, by then, was finished and polished into performable material. The show ran in a small theater in Hollywood for 9 weeks, had great reviews, and above all, showed me, again and again, how universal and relatable it was, even with a diverse and eclectic audience.
I understood that my story, more than changing me, has the power to help and improve the lives of others. I also realized that I cannot keep performing it because, emotionally, it was too hard. Time passed, and about 10 years after the show was over, the idea of making a book out of it came up. Somewhat ironic, since the name of the show is “The Book of Oded”…
So why did I need to share my story? Because I know that learning about what others have been through, what they were thinking, and how they got over the challenges in their lives, helps them with their own difficult life situations. As the viewers or readers resonate with the story, bridges and connections are being created, communities become more powerful, and the feeling that we are all closer, more than we think, becomes stronger.
I appreciated the candid nature with which you share your story. What was the most difficult part for you to write?
The difficult part of writing the book, since I was writing about real-life experiences and challenges that I went through, was reliving some of these events. Some that I, unknowingly, hid deep inside, trying not to have to deal with again. As I was writing and remembering or sometimes realizing new facts about what and why I acted the way I did, it was challenging to face that. At the same time, I found it cathartic, and I felt relieved that I could come to terms with those emotions.
What advice would you give someone who is considering writing their own memoir?
When I was writing what eventually became my book, I was not aiming to write a book, or a memoir, or anything specific. I was just following an inner urge to write. To spill onto the page a story that wanted to be revealed. I listened to that urge, and I answered it. Since then, I do my best to write in the same way. I don’t want to push anything, to force anything. I write with a flow that comes naturally. Recently, I started writing fiction, and I am not saying, “I’m writing a book.” I’m just writing. I’m giving myself the space and the ease of not knowing until I know. That is my advice. Write with ease. Enjoy the process.
Be kind to yourself.
What is one thing you hope your readers take away from The Book of Oded, Chapter 2?
I hope something they read in my book touches their heart. What I mean by that is simple: something that makes them feel. It can be anger, sorrow, hope, any kind of feeling. I believe that our feelings are like a compass, helping us navigate through life. If anything makes us feel, and we pay attention to it, we get to take some steps on our life path and get more clarity about our life goals and life purpose.
Author Links: GoodReads | Website | Amazon
This real-life memoir follows Oded Kassirer’s journey through love in its many forms—love that comforts, love that tests us, and love that stays even when people are gone. With honesty and openness, Oded shares moments from his own life, weaving together memory, relationships, and the everyday search for meaning.
Each part begins with an image, creating a rhythm of words and photos that invite the reader to pause, reflect, and connect. The book moves gently between joy and loss, humor and sorrow, offering a window into how love shapes us over time.
The Book of Oded, Chapter 2 is both deeply personal and universal—a reminder that behind every story of one life, there is also the story of love itself.
Tales of Adventure
Slickrock weaves together the paths of a loner who discovers a body in a granary and a college student who is roped into a scheme by a crew bent on revenge. Where did the idea for this story come from?
The remote wild country in Canyonlands National Park seemed like a great place to store a kidnap victim while waiting for the ransom, and it was also perfect for the intervention by “Relic,” the moonshining hermit of Canyonlands.
How do you balance story development with shocking plot twists? Or can they be the same thing?
One builds naturally into the other, especially when a character is cornered by circumstance and their own choices.
Do you have a favorite moment in Slickrock? One that was especially fun to craft?
That’s a tough question. Maybe the scene where Relic fools the shooter into thinking the deputy is already dead.
Can we look forward to more work from you soon? What are you currently working on?
Yes, I really enjoy writing about the moonshining hermit and tales of adventure and intrigue in the desert outback!
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website | Amazon
Malia is kidnapped and held in an old trailer in a remote canyon. When a gin-brewing recluse named Relic rescues her, an investigating deputy teams up with a hunter who is not who he claims to be… Malia and Relic must survive a deadly shoot-out, evade their pursuers, and warn the deputy before it’s too late. But someone in town is helping the bad guys. And a trip-up in their plan only makes them more determined and lethal…
Identity and Purpose
Take My Hand follows a guidance counselor grappling with her own identity and desires while navigating the dangers of a magical realm. Where did the idea for this novel come from?
Initially, I wanted to write a sapphic paranormal romance involving the girl briefly introduced at the end of Take Me Now. However, as I began writing, I realized I wasn’t ready to do the character justice—I felt I needed to read more sapphic fiction to ensure the voice felt authentic and true.
So, I started from scratch and went back to my roots as a coach in my corporate career. From there, Trina took shape. As the story developed, I also felt compelled to write the novel from two points of view, which meant giving Robert a substantial and credible voice—one that could mirror and challenge Trina’s doubts, guilt, and struggles with identity and purpose.
How did you handle the magic in this story, and how did it evolve as you were writing?
For this second book, I wanted to focus on another type of magically gifted individuals I introduced, known as Cloakers. Without giving too much away, they are called this because of their ability to conceal their truest selves and adopt different personas.
Interestingly, before Trina became a guidance counselor, she was originally conceived as a female hitwoman who simply found herself in the wrong place at the wrong time. I’m glad I changed that direction. It allowed me to concentrate more deeply on expanding the world of the Dark District that I introduced in my earlier novellas, Sojourn and Take Me Now, both of which are compiled in the Silver Book Award–winning duology, Dark District Primer.
The female hitwoman may still appear in future stories. Never say never, I say.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The themes of self-discovery and identity became central as Trina’s backstory evolved. Initially, I was drawn to how compelling her power was, but it soon felt necessary to impose a cost for her repeated use of it. Her struggles with self-identity and self-esteem became the most logical place for that toll to manifest.
I tried to inhabit Trina’s inner world as honestly as possible, ensuring that the experiences she goes through would meaningfully change her by the end of the novel. At the same time, I wanted the story to remind readers that vulnerability—especially when we share our true selves with others—always comes with risk.
Ultimately, I hope the book encourages compassion, both toward others and ourselves. I dedicate it to those still searching for who they are, and to those brave enough to cherish the people who walk that journey with them.
Can you give readers a glimpse inside Book 3 of the Dark District series? When can we look forward to seeing it released?
While each book in the Dark District series stands on its own, I enjoy letting characters make brief appearances across the novels to reinforce the sense of a shared universe. These cameos are designed to enhance cohesion without requiring readers to have read the previous books, allowing the series to be enjoyed either as standalone stories or chronologically.
Book 3 will focus on Trina’s best friend, Andrew De Silva, who moonlights as a finder of magical objects while maintaining his day job as a history professor at the country’s oldest pontifical university. He has a loud, chatty personality, but like many in the Dark District, he carries secrets and unresolved issues of his own.
The story will also introduce Robert’s side of the family, expanding the world further with a new lineage and a new branch of magically gifted individuals. I’m currently working on the book and targeting a 2027 release.
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Website | Amazon
Mostly, she has the perfect job of sowing the seeds of empathy & understanding by being a guidance counselor at the Forrester Arts College in the magically cloaked community known in Manila called the Dark District. She is beloved by students and has a killer body to die for and to covet.
She had everything figured out until she met Robert Samaniego, the new English professor joining them this term.
With a new semester, a new batch of students to mentor, a new distraction on campus, on top of maintaining a lifelong secret that can unravel at any moment if she doesn’t watch herself, can Trina hold it all together?
Or perhaps the Universe heard her prayers and sent someone to give direction and focus to the life that she thought she was living perfectly.
Someone to hold and protect her.
Someone to share and accept her secret and her past.
Someone to be there for her and take…her…hand.
A Personal Journey
In the Face of the Foe is a collection of three tales following British prisoners of war struggling with choices that could either end their lives or set them free. What was the idea, or spark, that first set off the need to write this book?
My grandfather endured the majority of the Second World War as a prisoner of war. As a child, my limited memories of him are of a quiet, withdrawn man, who spent a large part of the day either in bed smoking his hand-rolled cigarettes or absent down the local pub. Now an adult and novelist, with a better understanding of the past and the suffering that forged the man I knew, I wanted to ‘talk’ about the world he was unable to: celebrate his and all his fellow POWs’ bravery and endurance. Through no fault of their own, they found themselves confined and forgotten as the world focused on the combatants and battles, while those lucky enough to return home after the war received no hero’s welcome, carrying guilt and their trauma for the remainder of their lives. So, I wanted to write a series of character-driven adventures, which never shun the darker side of prisoner of war life, but afford the protagonists their moment in the sun, replacing the unrelenting boredom of confinement with a heroic burst: a fact-based framework, supporting some fantastical adventures. This was not about claiming some unwritten truth but manoeuvring through the bustling crowd of heroic men and women from this golden generation and ensuring the POWs are noticed amongst them too.
How much research did you undertake for this book, and how much time did it take to put it all together?
Like all my novels, there is a long gestation period as ideas form, and I develop my knowledge, laying the foundation upon which I build my characters and narrative. Understanding my grandfather’s military service was a personal journey, not driven by a desire to borrow for my writing, but it certainly inspired me. Within the UK, family members can request the service records of those in the military in WW2. The documents are all penned in a matter-of-fact manner, with entries like ‘missing in action 25 May 1940’ or ‘war crime witness’. It stirs more questions than answers and encourages the author to populate the holes. Fortunately, we also have excellent regimental museums, holding the official records of the actions of their battalions. I was most grateful to receive from one of the select paragraphs which told the sorry tale of my grandfather’s battalion and its short-lived role in the first year of the war. Combining this personal research with the benefit of wonderfully researched non-fiction books and memoirs of survivors gave me a hint at the world to implant my hero within. As an author of adventure tales, I occasionally utilized my artistic license to bend the historic facts, adjusting the scenery for the action, but keeping it within an accurate historic stage remained important, and this would have been impossible without the contribution of other sources.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
War is abhorrent and not worthy of celebration. However, the individuals dragged into war always have a worthwhile story to tell. The human spirit is tested to the extreme: there is the worst of humanity and the best, and it’s often the case that one side or one individual carries elements of both. In these tales, choice has a small role; it is necessity with survival at stake that shapes the lives of the prisoners. How they react, pull together, break down, recover, ride their luck, or make it through tells us about their core character, the weaknesses, and strengths. The final story in the collection is very important because, although told after the war, it explores how the experience of war and imprisonment has shaped and scarred Jock. His fight to survive the war did not end in 1945, and on release from the stalags, it followed him and directed him until his death in 1984. I question the legitimacy of the old adage, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, but there is something admirable about finding the strength to survive what killed so many others.
What is the next book you are working on, and when will it be available?
From the past, I will return to the future and work to finish the third and final book in my Liberty series, a dystopian adventure that explores the meaning of freedom in a broken world. Previously, the novels looked at how fear and ignorance impinge on our liberty (Liberty Bound) and how lies and illusions can be confused for freedom (Where Liberty Lies). In this final work, I want to explore the fragility and endurance of liberty, delivering my protagonists into another maelstrom of danger and suspense. It could take a while to finish it, so I may also take a small diversion to write a children’s novel. Too many children’s books unsubtly preach today, and I have in mind an old-fashioned treasure hunt adventure, where the children succeed because they do what children do: make mistakes, cause mischief, but grow through friendship, role models, and experience.
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After surrendering to the all-conquering Wehrmacht in France in May 1940, Jock faces five years of captivity in distant Poland under the brutal Nazis, and a lifetime of trauma and torment from his memories. Disarmed and forgotten, starved and mistreated, Jock and his friends have their own battles to fight; none greater than surviving the war and then rebuilding their lives.
Triumphant Where It Dares Defy (1941) – For those in the British army captured holding back the advancing Germans, allowing their comrades at Dunkirk to evacuate, things look grim. The Nazis have stolen their freedom and dignity, but after a year in captivity, it’s time to steal something back. Against his better judgement, Jock Mitchell finds himself at the centre of a brazen plan to give Hitler a bloody nose. To succeed, he needs to break out of the prison camp… and back in.
A Place More Dark (1945) – After five years of hell, it’s about to get worse for the prisoners of Stalag XXA. Pawns in a deadly World War endgame, victory for the starved inmates is surviving their brutal Nazi overseers and an unforgiving winter’s march across Europe. Weak and a shadow of the man he once was, Jock still finds the strength to rescue the most unexpected of companions from the dangers of war-torn Europe. (Literary Titan Gold Book Award winner, Finalist in the Independent Authors Network Book of the Year Award 2025)
For All the Treasures Buried Far (1948) – (exclusive to this edition) – Germany has surrendered, but for the survivors from Stalag XXA, their war never ends. Still a prisoner of the ghosts and demons from his time as a captive under the Nazis, Jock returns to Poland, where death offers a drastic means of escape from his internal torment. But a greater, more appealing prize awaits if he can survive one last adventure in a new type of war against an old ally turned enemy, the Soviet Union.
Defusing Theories
In Serial Obsession, a journalist-turned-cold case investigator discovers new information in the case of a serial killer and sets out to uncover the truth behind a wrongful accusation. How were you able to strike a balance between suspense and romance?
I always want my novels to be plot-heavy and use the sex and intimacy as just a part of what’s really going on. I want there to be purpose for the relationship, and that purpose will usually be that the main characters find it more advantageous and a lot more fun to work as a duo. Naturally, this arrangement creates depth in the relationship and helps it develop into something almost surreal. The danger and the unknown seem to pull the lovers in even closer, making their connection not only fiery but also a testament to mutual respect and loyalty. Serial Obsession is a great example of how a story creates the relationship, and the lovers’ romance enhances the story.
What do you find to be the most challenging aspect of writing a series? The most rewarding?
The Map Dot Series is different than most book series because the books are actually stand-alones. We call it a series because every book has a common thread—the action takes place in a little Midwestern map dot town. The town is real, and even the locations such as Whittle’s Pub and Grub from Serial Obsession are real, but the story and the characters are entirely from my overactive imagination. These books have no reading order and are only numbered to show the order of release. So, in this case, my challenges were minimal.
Honestly, I spend a lot of time defusing theories about who’s who because everyone thinks there’s a little truth woven into the plot and characters. But that’s just not the case. I just like to build my stories around the places I know best because it helps me visualize and keeps me from taking too many liberties with the flexibility of fiction. Most definitely, the most rewarding aspect of creating this series is going to the little towns, talking with the people there, and getting feedback on the books.
Can you give us a glimpse inside Book 3 of the Map Dot series? Where will it take readers?
Desperate Measures, Book 3 in the Map Dot Series, comes out this spring. This time, the unassuming little map dot town is Argenta, Illinois, and the location is partially the town pub, Bargenta. This book was inspired by my upcoming participation as an attending author on the Love Lit Cruise in February 2026. The main character is a romance novelist who suffers tremendously with the details of her own love life. And, yes, she is embarking on an adventure on the high seas aboard the Love Lit Cruise early in the book. But let me remind you, my characters are not based on anyone real, despite the fact that everyone will assume I am Poppy Wallcroft (sigh). This superficial description of the book might seem like I’m venturing into a more traditional romance subgenre; however, Desperate Measures contains my signature female power character, plot twists that will have your head spinning, and thrilling danger that makes you gasp. Words Matter Publishing and I are shooting for an April release.
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
“I’m so sorry, I just came out here half-dressed like I owned the place.”
“…please don’t apologize for making my day,” he said, flashing her a look from those sexy blue eyes. “I never knew that old t-shirt could look so good.”
Camille Hargrove is a serious cold case investigator. When a tip leads her to Lake of the Ozarks to reopen the Kelcee Meyer rape and murder case, Camille vows to find justice for Kelcee and her family. In the process, she encounters Ross Paine, the innocent man framed for the crime. The investigation heats up when Camille and Ross give in to their fiery attraction and become partners in more ways than one. When they expose Shane Simpson, the real killer, Camille becomes his target, and they discover that Shane’s connection to Ross is more complicated than they ever suspected. Unravel the mystery and catch a killer with this sexy duo in Serial Obsession, Marcy Bialeschki’s second stand-alone novel in the Map Dot Series.
No Redemption, No Recovery
Because of His Heart centers around the strained marriage between a journalist and a doctor, and the psychological maze that tests their limits. Where did the idea for this novel come from?
It is not uncommon for an author to find inspiration in a dream. This was the case with Because of His Heart. The dream, quite a few years ago, provided the basic conflict, sexual abuse in marriage, but also the overwhelming uncertainties that attend when strong emotions are present. Much like “the fog of war” that is often described, there are several characters who know each other to varying degrees, but invariably make critical errors of judgment as well as indulge in half-truths in communicating. No single character understands the whole, and the reader must bring it all together.
What were some of the trials that you felt were important to highlight your characters’ development?
I believe that a thoughtful, competent, successful individual (in this case, Erica Seames) would suffer profoundly if all that she worked for, all that she created for herself, was to steadily fall away, beyond her control. So much that we believe of ourselves hinges on a feeling of agency, that our choices and actions are efficacious. If this sense collapses, the alienation and sadness may be overwhelming. In Because of His Heart, Erica Seames’ loss of trust in her husband, in her work as a physician, and finally in her own body, is her trial. Erica’s reason does not fail her, but she is led by a malign influence to depression and resignation. Her recovery is achieved by regaining her world. It is, finally, a joyous thing. In contrast, Nathan Milo chooses pain in love and deception in his progress, leading to further evil choices, including the destruction of others as he rationalizes. He too loses agency, but as it was his choice, there is no redemption, no recovery. Unreliable narratives compound uncertainties. Secondary characters, Constable John Deuter, student poet Dale Jeffer, and arts promoter Dorothea Lunnery, add to the density of the interwoven community, and the continuing uncertainty in moral choices of the main characters.
When you first sat down to write this story, did you know where you were going, or did the twists come as you were writing?
I began writing Because of His Heart with the core conflict in mind. (see above)
Honestly, I can’t remember how or when the other characters emerged, though I outlined each one as I wrote. Elements and characters from two other proto-novels entered the plot over time as the three-part structure settled in. Note: Because of His Heart took almost ten years to write, not because of uncertainties, but because I was working as a classical musician and had limited time for writing. I cut over 30,000 words from the final drafts because the length and focus became too broad over the years of writing. Some of this material may have value in itself. I am considering publishing some extra segments on my website if there is interest in the future.
What is the next book you are working on, and when will it be available?
I am an older fellow, so I may not work on another new novel. However, I have another novel complete right now. Its title is: Francis. It is quite different in design, an adventure in northern Kenya (where I have spent some time over the years). The character, Philip Stroud, who is an important figure in Because of His Heart, makes his appearance in Francis as a young man. We get the back story on Stroud and his fiancée, psychologist Jaye Stevens, in what might be considered a prequel novel. Francis is ready for publication, but my plan is to promote Because of His Heart, which I call my magnum opus, for at least a year before moving to publish Francis.
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Erica is losing her identity and purpose. How could she have been so wrong about her husband? Charles is shocked by this personal tragedy, but as a reporter who knows his beat, he is determined to understand. “I am not a bad man, I am not.” He had acted foolishly, even meanly, but as he considers his joyful marriage of eight years, he discovers that there is something vital he is missing.
As Erica flees New York for her childhood home in Toronto, an anonymous blog is her creation and refuge. She is never alone. Yet when Charles discovers Erica’s online diary, he no longer recognizes his wife or himself in her anguished assertions. To whom can he turn?
In this chilling psychological thriller, abuse, infidelity, psychological manipulation and calculated malice draw a group of near-strangers together to save Erica―in pursuit of elusive justice.
Engineering the Puzzle
The Asset Within follows a CIA case officer who receives life-altering intelligence from an Iranian defector during a routine debrief, resulting in her alignment with a team that includes the man who once broke her heart. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I’m a Black woman and a former CIA officer, and I wanted to write a thriller that felt emotionally true to that world. The seed of the story came from what it felt like to be the only Black graduate in my training class. I carried both pride and pressure at the same time, and constantly navigated the unspoken dynamics that come with being “the only.”
From there, I wanted to explore a kind of love story I don’t see often enough: the complicated patriotism many Black Americans live with—serving a country you believe in, even when you’ve also been asked to endure its blind spots. The Iranian defector and the intelligence drop are the spark, but the heart of the setup is what happens when duty collides with history…and Andy is forced back into close orbit with the man who once broke her heart.
What do you find to be the most challenging aspect of writing a thriller? The most rewarding?
The hardest part is engineering the puzzle aspect of a thriller. I’m not a natural outliner, so I draft by instinct first, and then I have to go back and make sure every twist is earned, the clues are seeded, and the pacing stays tight without cheating the reader. Continuity is the invisible work in thrillers.
The most rewarding part is immersing myself in the story. When it’s clicking, I feel like I’m inside the scene with the characters. My heart races, I feel what it’s like to make impossible decisions, and when readers tell me they couldn’t put it down or were shocked about twists and turns they didn’t see coming – that is the best feeling.
What was the inspiration for the love story and the connection the characters have?
The love story came from watching what this kind of work does to people. Espionage isn’t just dangerous—it’s isolating. It demands secrecy, long absences, and a level of emotional compartmentalization that can strain even the strongest relationships. And yet I’ve seen couples make it, but the bond has to be more than chemistry. It has to be trust under pressure.
Andy and Cameron’s connection is rooted in history and in shared understanding: they both know what it costs to serve, and they both carry scars from how that service shaped them. Their story is also personal for me. It’s inspired by a relationship from my own life—one that didn’t last—but I used that emotional truth to write the version of the love story that could survive in this world.
I find a problem in well-written stories, in that I always want there to be another book to keep the story going. Is there a second book planned?
Absolutely. Book Two in the Global Security Series is planned for Spring 2026, and it takes Andy and Cameron into an even bigger operation—higher stakes, deeper consequences, and a relationship that has to hold under real pressure. They’ll get one more book to complete their arc, and then Theo gets his moment. His story kicks off with a teaser at the end of Book Two, and I can’t wait for readers to meet him in a bigger way.
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CIA Officer Andy Lynam returns home after an intelligence operation goes horribly wrong. When she becomes the target of the insidious international terrorist network Solaris, one with the power to manipulate fractures within her own agency, she realizes her badge alone can’t protect her.
To survive, Andy aligns herself with a covert team of global security officers to expose corruption at the highest levels and bring the terrorist organization down.
But when that team includes her ex-boyfriend, GSO Cameron Landry, old flames reignite. This romantic spy thriller is packed with second chances, forced proximity, workplace tension, and soul-deep romance.
LITERARY TITAN 