Christmas in Evergreen: Heart of Evergreen follows an artist married to a private investigator who discovers her husband is actually an assassin, and she is at the top of his hit list. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

I decided to write the first book of a trilogy set in Evergreen, Colorado. The title is Christmas in Evergreen, and I took my main characters out of my memoir, Her Heart, set in Lakewood, Colorado, and added characters from Boston, special women who had flaws, yet loved with their entire hearts. The story took off from there. Knowing and loving the area, plus this being my 49th book in my career, it flowed. I used events in my personal past and events already known, to make the story come alive and pop!

Kim thought things were going great in life till she discovered her husband’s hit list, and now is on the run and trying to figure out her life. What were some of the trials that you felt were important to highlight the character’s development?

In shock, Kim had to run for her life. She had little time to grab water bottles, a backpack with some clothes, her purse, and her mobile phone. She bought three burner phones, and she knew Steve would track her own phone, and she withdrew a large amount of cash right before she dropped her bank and credit cards in the bank’s trash. She had to remain calm and think. Kim tried to put herself in the role of an assassin and try to think like an assassin – not easy to do. She ditched her mobile in a ravine, left her vehicle and keys at her art gallery, and she sought help from one person she could trust.

What was the hardest part about writing a mystery story, where you constantly have to give just enough to keep the mystery alive until the big reveal?

Would you believe it popped into my head? Because it truly did. I drew from personal life and events, a little from how assassin movies were planned out, and it worked. I found ways to add in twists and shocking events, without adding gore and blood because a good book, with the right hooks, has no need for that. I’ll give you my prologue for book two in the next question.

What is the next book that you are working on, and when can your fans expect it to be out?

Prologue

“What did you just say? The senior officer (Special Agent Thompson) of the two men from Homeland Security, that both Nancy and Kim knew prior, repeated, ‘Rob and Liza Caldwell were taken out as a hit’ in Boston last night and we think their assassin is the agent handler extraordinaire, who put out the hit job on the President, and on you, Kim, last November. The hit man’s name is Jeffrey Sanders, we don’t know any alias, ethnicity, or if male or female. Security cameras were disabled before the actual hit. Rob and Liza were asleep when it happened early this morning. A silencer was used, and neighbors heard their dog barking non-stop and became worried. The couple checked on them, found them dead in their bed, and called 911. The police detectives could tell it was a professional hit and called us. Special Agent Hughes and I flew directly here from Washington, DC. A note left at the scene read, ‘Two down, eleven to go’ and the eleven to go are most likely both of you, the President, and people unidentified. Make no mistake. The hit man will take out anyone with you, when, NOT if, they find you.”

“How dare you take out my two best assets! I’m coming for you, Kim, and your friend, Nancy! Never mind, my best assets died in a roll-over accident! They were after you, Kim! Now I’m going to finish the job! Both of you and yours are going down! I know where you are and who you have in your life! Tit for tat. The same back to both of you!”

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Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2024/03/09/think-like-an-assassin/