Episodes
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November 2026 Quick Takes in Christian Romantic Suspense (Episode 180)
During this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense” podcast, you’ll hear from five authors about their romantic suspense books available this month. Here’s the list of authors and books for November 2026, with the book’s release date if not available now. Danielle Grandinetti/The Daughter’s...
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How Hope Welborn Puts it All Together in Her Books (Episode 179)
“I think romantic suspense is unique in the genres because there’s a lot going on,” Hope said. “You’ve got your suspense plot, so you’ve got to create a believable crime, believable dangers that the characters are in. [You’ve got to] put enough red herrings in there so people don’t figure out who...
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October 2026 Quick Takes in Christian Romantic Suspense (Episode 178)
During this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense” podcast, you’ll hear from four authors about their romantic suspense books available this month. Here’s the list of authors and books for October 2026, with the book’s release date if not available now. Kate Angelo/Fatal Pattern Darlene...
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Julie Arnold’s Writing Escape (Episode 177)
“Like every author, I’ve always been a reader,” Julie said. “Reading a lot through high school and college, and at a certain point, I sat down and thought, ‘I’m going to write a story.’ … I found that I love it. I love escaping into a story.” The post Julie Arnold’s Writing Escape (Episode 177)...
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When Donnie Stevens Talks to His Characters (Episode 176)
“A lot of times, I’ll wake up in the middle of the night and can’t go back to sleep, … I’ll start thinking about my story. … Sometimes, my wife will [notice] me staring off into space and ask me what’s on my mind,” Donnie said. “I tell her I’m having a conversation with my characters, [which she...
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Quick Takes in Christian Romantic Suspense (Episode 175)
During this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense” podcast, you’ll hear from three authors about their romantic suspense books available this month. Here’s the list of authors and books for September 2026, with the book’s release date if not available now. Megan Short/Alaskan Survival Tactic...
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The Last Noel Author Chat Special (Episode 174)
On this special edition episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense,” I’m talking with my fellow authors, Jayna Breigh and Kimberley Woodhouse, about our Christmas novella collection, The Last Noel. Learn more about our characters, villains, settings, and storylines about these Christmas-themed...
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Quick Takes in Christian Romantic Suspense (Episode 173)
During this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense” podcast, you’ll hear from four authors about their romantic suspense books available this month. Here’s the list of authors and books for August 2026, with the book’s release date if not available now. Lynette Eason/Twilight Tactics Elizabeth...
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How Carol J. Post Keeps Her Characters in Danger (Episode 172)
“Probably the hardest part of [writing romantic suspense] is … keeping the characters in danger, direct threats to their lives, throughout the book. It can be hard to keep them in that kind of danger without them taking stupid risks or the villains coming out as inept,” Carol said. “I enjoy the...
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Why Joanna Davidson Politano Loves Old Houses (Episode 171)
“My husband and I went to Scotland on our honeymoon, and all we did was run around visiting all these estates [with all their stories],” Joanna said. “It made something come alive in me. … There’s something so unique about a house that has lasted so many generations and seen so many stories. ……
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Quick Takes in Christian Romantic Suspense (Episode 170)
During this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense” podcast, you’ll hear from three authors about their romantic suspense books available this month. The post Quick Takes in Christian Romantic Suspense (Episode 170) first appeared on Author Sarah Hamaker.
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Ciara Knight’s Therapeutic Writing (Episode 169)
“I’ve always been a prolific writer—nothing ever gets in my way. I’ve never had writer’s block,” Ciara said. “When I first moved onto the trawler, I did. I was writing sweet, small town romance among other genres, and I just was having problems [writing]. So I took all of my fears—if I’m scared…
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Quick Takes in Christian Romantic Suspense (Episode 168)
During this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense” podcast, you’ll hear from six authors about their romantic suspense books available this month. Here’s the list of authors and books for June 2026, with the book’s release date if not available now. Darlene L. Turner/Scent of Peril (5/26)...
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The Why Behind Marisa Materson’s Writing (Episode 167)
“I always wanted to be a teacher, and I did spend 22 years in the classroom before my spinal cord injury and other health issues sidelined me,” Marisa said. “But I also wanted to write. Oh, to be able to write a book—everyone will remember my name if I write a book. That was as a child. Of…
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Quick Takes in Christian Romantic Suspense (Episode 166)
During this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense” podcast, you’ll hear from seven authors about their romantic suspense books available this month. Here’s the list of authors and books for May 2026, with the book’s release date if not available now. Suzanne Woods Fisher/Chase the Light…
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Seralynn Lewis’s Crossover Into Romantic Suspense (Episode 165)
With several romance and historical romance books in her background, Seralynn asked herself, “Where do I go from here? I was having a chat with my editor and she said, ‘You know, all of your stories have elements of mystery and suspense in them, … so you should really be writing romantic…
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The Chronological Order of Hannah Linder’s Writing (Episode 164)
“I’m definitely the type of writer who starts with scene one and goes in chronological order from there,” Hannah said. “I hear so many different ways that people do it, and it’s fascinating to me how different people write words and how they can organize it. … I try really hard as I’m writing it…
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Quick Takes in Christian Romantic Suspense (Episode 163)
During this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense” podcast, you’ll hear from two authors about their romantic suspense books available this month. Here’s the list of authors and books for February 2026, with the book’s release date if not available now. Joanna Politano/The Life She Forgot...
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Why Camy Tang Started Dictating Her Novels (Episode 162)
“I can write the fastest and the most if I write within an hour of getting up in the morning,” Camy said. “But then my wrists starting getting worse, so I started doing voice to text dictation. I found it was really hard at first to get into the dictation, but after I got used to it, I found…
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March Quick Takes in Christian Romantic Suspense (Episode 161)
During this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense” podcast, you’ll hear from five authors about their romantic suspense books available this month. The post March Quick Takes in Christian Romantic Suspense (Episode 161) first appeared on Author Sarah Hamaker.
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How Lori DeJong Gets Into Her Characters’ Heads (Episode 160)
“Character development is my favorite part of writing,” Lori says. “I love making people and living with them. I’ll live with them for a few weeks before I’ll actually start writing the story. … I know their birth order, their love language. I know what they drive, where they live and how they...
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Quick Takes in Christian Romantic Suspense (Episode 159)
During this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense” podcast, you’ll hear from seven authors about their romantic suspense books. The post Quick Takes in Christian Romantic Suspense (Episode 159) first appeared on Author Sarah Hamaker.
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The Spark That Sets Jacqueline Adam’s Stories Ablaze (Episode 158)
Jacqueline’s stories start “with an inciting incident. It could be from a show, or from the news. There’s just that little bit of a granular, that little spark. Once that happens, sometimes, I’ll think this would be really cool,” she says. The post The Spark That Sets Jacqueline Adam’s Stories...
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Quick Takes in Christian Romantic Suspense (Episode 157)
During this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense” podcast, you’ll hear from four authors about their romantic suspense books available this month. Here’s the list of authors and books for January 2026, with the book’s release date if not available now. Jodie Bailey/Buried Mountain Justice...
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Jennifer Pierce’s Natural Storytelling Abilities (Episode 155)
When Jennifer wrote her first book, “I didn’t know what I was doing, but it kind of felt natural to me, this kind of storytelling. … I had a lot of crafting to learn, but the story was still there.” The post Jennifer Pierce’s Natural Storytelling Abilities (Episode 155) first appeared on Author...
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November 2025 Quick Takes in Christian Romantic Suspense (Episode 154)
During this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense” podcast, you’ll hear from six authors about their romantic suspense books available this month. Here’s the list of authors and books for November 2025, with the book’s release date if not available now. Camy Tang/The Lone Rice Ball Danielle...
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How Charlene Amsden’s Teaching Career Pushed Her Into Writing Romantic Suspense (Episode 153)
Charlene started writing romantic suspense “probably for the same reason I started to teach. I like action, I like tension,” she says. “You never walk into a classroom two days in a row and have the exact same thing happen. It’s always different. It’s always changing. [That’s what I like about...
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Why Megan Short Likes Writing the Mystery Part Best (Episode 152)
“I actually find the romance part hardest [to write] but the most satisfying,” Megan says. “On the other side, I love putting together the mystery, the whodunit. I’m kind of a diehard fan of mysteries from a young age, so that’s the most fun part for me.” The post Why Megan Short Likes Writing…
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October 2025 Quick Takes in Christian Romantic Suspense (Episode 151)
During this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense” podcast, you’ll hear from five authors about their romantic suspense books available this month. Here’s the list of authors and books for October 2025, with the book’s release date if not available now. Sarah Hamaker/Fatal Past (10/14)...
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How Cindy Kay Stewart Mashes Four Threads Together in One Story (Episode 150)
“It is very difficult [to combine the four threads of faith, romance, history and suspense together in my stories],” Cindy says. “It takes a lot of time, a lot of research, … a lot of rewriting and a lot of editing.” The post How Cindy Kay Stewart Mashes Four Threads Together in One Story…
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September 2025 Quick Takes in Christian Romantic Suspense (Episode 149)
During this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense” podcast, you’ll hear from six authors about their romantic suspense books available this month. Here’s the list of authors and books for September 2025, with the book’s release date if not available now. Lynette Eason/Final Approach Danielle...
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Why Traci Summeril Phones a Friend (Episode 148)
“I have met the most wonderful people through my writing journey, and some of them have become such dear friends to me,” she says. “Writing can be pretty isolating, and when I can call another writing friend … to talk me through [whatever I’m struggling with], I’m really grateful.” The post Why...
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August 2025 Quick Takes in Christian Romantic Suspense (Episode 147)
During this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense” podcast, you’ll hear from two authors about their romantic suspense books available this month. Here’s the list of authors and books for August 2025, with the book’s release date if not available now. Darlene L. Turner/Danger in the…
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Rebecca Lake Seeks Inspiration Everywhere (Episode 146)
“[My inspiration for plots] comes from everywhere,” Rebecca said. “I’ll start typing and something will pop into my head or I’ll here something and it’s interesting.” The post Rebecca Lake Seeks Inspiration Everywhere (Episode 146) first appeared on Author Sarah Hamaker.
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July 2025 Quick Takes in Christian Romantic Suspense (Episode 145)
During this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense” podcast, you’ll hear from six authors about their romantic suspense books available this month. Here’s the list of authors and books for July 2025, with the book’s release date if not available now. Cindy Kay Stewart/Unending Hope (7/22)...
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How Penny Zeller’s Personal History Informs Her Romantic Suspense Writing (Episode 144)
“I mainly live in the 1800s [in my books], and I’ve always wanted to write romantic suspense,” Penny said. “I love reading it. My grandfather was a police officer with the San Diego Police Department, and he had amazing stories to tell us. So I thought why not try my hand at writing one? Of…
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June 2025 Quick Takes in Christian Romantic Suspense (Episode 143)
During this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense” podcast, you’ll hear from three authors about their romantic suspense books available this month. Here’s the list of authors and books for June 2025, with the book’s release date if not available now. Laura Thomas/The Final Word (6/5) Darlene...
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Cate Nolan’s Musical Muse (Episode 142)
“The real answer to that is my playlist,” Cate said about what she needs to write. “Because one of the first things I do when I start a new book is to find the music I need that connects me with the characters and the story.” The post Cate Nolan’s Musical Muse (Episode 142) first appeared on…
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May 2025 Quick Takes in Christian Romantic Suspense (Episode 141)
During this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense” podcast, you’ll hear from four authors about their romantic suspense books available this month. Here’s the list of authors and books for May 2025, with the book’s release date if not available now. Jessica Ashley/Echo Jamie Jo Wright/The...
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Long Hot Summer 2025 Quick Takes in Christian Romantic Suspense (Episode 140)
During this special episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense” podcast, you’ll hear from 13 authors in the Long Hot Summer: Christian Romantic Suspense collection. The four volumes will release May 2 through July 4 with ebook as well as print versions. You can check out the series here. Sami...
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How Kelly Underwood Layers Suspense and Emotions in Her Writing (Episode 139)
“Adding in those emotional layers [is the hardest part for me in writing romantic suspense],” Kelly said. “You can have a suspenseful theme, and that’s great, but you also need to have some romantic tension as well. So knowing when to add in certain beats and how to layer those emotions [can be...
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April 2025 Quick Takes in Christian Romantic Suspense (Episode 138)
During this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense” podcast, you’ll hear from seven authors about their romantic suspense books available this month. The post April 2025 Quick Takes in Christian Romantic Suspense (Episode 138) first appeared on Author Sarah Hamaker.
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Jeannine Nichole Talks About the Versality of Romantic Suspense (Episode 137)
“[I like writing romantic suspense] because there’s no lull,” Jeannine said. “If things start getting boring in this genre, you can throw in a car chase or gun shots can ring out and then you’re off on another leg of your adventure.” The post Jeannine Nichole Talks About the Versality of Romantic...
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March 2025 Quick Takes in Christian Romantic Suspense (Episode 136)
During this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense” podcast, you’ll hear from six authors about their romantic suspense books available this month. Here’s the list of authors and books for March 2025, with the book’s release date if not available now. Sarah Hamaker/Justice Denied (3/18)…
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Christina Rost is a Traveler Who’s Finally Settled Down (Episode 135)
“I have a bit of a wanderlust in me, and every know and then, I think where are we going to move next?” Christina said. “My husband’s retired now and he said, ‘I don’t know that we’re moving again.’ That gives me a little bit of fear sometimes.” The post Christina Rost is a Traveler Who’s Finally...
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February 2025 Quick Takes in Christian Romantic Suspense (Episode 134)
During this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense” podcast, you’ll hear from six authors about their romantic suspense books available this month. Here’s the list of authors and books for February 2025, with the book’s release date if not available now. Jennifer Chastain/Lethal Connections...
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Jennifer Carr Confesses to Being a Romance Junkie (Episode 133)
“I am a romance junkie—any kind of romance,” Jennifer said. “But if I’m going to sit down and watch a show, it’s always been a mystery, a murder, a crime. There’s going to be something that needs solving. So when I started writing, … I realized writing romantic suspense is just as fun as watching...
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December 2024 Quick Takes in Christian Romantic Suspense (Episode 132)
During this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense” podcast, you’ll hear from five authors about their romantic suspense books available this month. The post December 2024 Quick Takes in Christian Romantic Suspense (Episode 132) first appeared on Author Sarah Hamaker.
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Jessica West Shares How She Writes With Kids (Episode 131)
“I have a one-year-old in one hand and type with [the other] hand, and then I have a three-year-old next to me on the couch,” Jessica said. “They can be kind of tricky but it works for me. … I try to [write for] two, two-and-a-half hours but sometimes the baby tries to delete with his feet what…
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November 2024 Quick Takes in Christian Romantic Suspense (Episode 130)
During this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense” podcast, you’ll hear from five authors about their romantic suspense books available this month. Here’s the list of authors and books for November 2024, with the book’s release date if not available now. Terri Reed/Search and Detect Jaime Jo...