Author Spotlight + Giveaway: Susanna Haymond -- Intercepted

I am so happy to introduce you to the lovely, Susanna Haymond!

Susanna Haymond is a small town girl who enjoys creating worlds with pen and paper, weaving suspenseful stories with a bit of faith and a dash of romance. Though her writing style has morphed over the years, she has always loved the challenge of writing suspenseful hair-raising stories.

As a child, Susanna’s imagination was never dormant, and she wrote many short stories and poems including short crime stories for her younger sister to enjoy. A story or poem has always been in the works. It wasn't until she was sixteen that she began writing a book by the suggestion of her sister-in-law. At first the thought of writing a book seemed an impossibility, but months later Susanna was inspired with a storyline that materialized as a children’s book.

She finished Heritage Quest, a children's adventure book, three months later. Since then she has authored several books including her thrilling page-turning series, Agents of Justice.

When she’s in her writing zone, you will often find a cup of steaming coffee and possibly a little something chocolate not too far away with soft music playing in the background. A few things Susanna enjoys are baking, the beach, and spending time with friends and family.

​​​Susanna resides in a small city in western Washington with her husband, Jason, and their Bichon Frise fur baby, Koda.

First off, welcome to my blog. It’s so great to have you here!

Thank you for having me! It’s great to be here.

What first sparked your passion for storytelling, and how has your journey as

a writer evolved over time?

I’ve always been a writer. My first attempt at writing was when I was around 8

years old. My family watched the old reruns of Jack Webb’s TV show,

Dragnet. Those episodes inspired me to write a short crime “episode” for my

younger sister. The thrill of seeing my sister enjoying my story spurred me to

create a short series titled “Crime Doesn’t Pay.” 

Even at that young age, I was an avid reader. But as I got older, I started

seeing the need for clean books for teens and adults alike. This was before

Amazon became the behemoth it is today, so I felt very limited in my reading

choices. I was expressing my frustration with the lack of clean books with my

sister-in-law when she suggested that I write a book. I laughed because I

didn’t consider myself a writer even though I had written many poems around

that time. I didn’t enjoy school writing assignments. So why would I enjoy

writing a book?

Well, the joke was on me! Unbeknownst to her, I had been talking with a

friend from church who enjoyed filming short movies. After one particular

conversation, my dormant creative juices slowly began to awaken and an idea

for a story began to form. At the age of 15, I picked up my pen again. Actually, this time it was my fingers dancing across the keyboard. Three months later, I finished writing my first children’s adventure/mystery book which I later

published. 

A few years later, another friend suggested that I try writing Christian

suspense since I enjoyed that genre so much. I didn’t think I’d do well, but

after thinking about it, a story idea came to me. In three months, I had

written what is now Intercepted the first book in my Agents of Justice series!

My favorite so far is the second book in the series, Premeditated. I wrote each

book so they can be read as a standalone, but they’re most enjoyable if read in

order. 

So I started out writing crime fiction and moved to adventure and mystery,

(I’ve also dabbled a bit in historical fiction.), and now I’ve found my home in

the Christian romantic suspense genre.

What unique aspects of your faith influence your storytelling style or the

themes you explore?

In a nutshell, I guess you could say that I write mainly about suffering,

walking through it, and coming out on the other side victorious. It allows me

to share that God is with us through the good times and the bad.

Do you have a favorite Bible verse or passage that has guided your writing or

life journey?

The theme verses for my Agents of Justice series is Romans 5:3-

5.

…But we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces

perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put

us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the

Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

These verses are evidence that no matter how hard life gets our suffering is

not in vain. It’s this hope that I want to give my readers when they read my

stories.

Who are some of your favorite Christian authors, and how have they

influenced your work?

Dee Henderson was the first Christian romantic suspense author I read. She

inspired me to try my hand at writing Christian romantic suspense stories.

Currently, my favorite authors are DiAnn Mills, Irene Hannon, Lisa Harris,

Dani Pettrey, and most recently Kendra Warden.

For many years, Christian romantic suspense was the only genre I read and

most of the authors I listed. I was able to immerse myself in the world of

romantic suspense through the books these ladies (and others) wrote, which

broadened my imagination and helped me write the stories I do today.

If you could collaborate with any Christian author, living or deceased, who

would it be and why?

I would love to do a collaboration! Lisa Harris and Rebecca Hemlock would

be at the top of my list. It would be such an honor to work with them.

In this industry, there is so much information. I love learning from people

who have more experience in the author world than I do, especially those who

write in similar genres.

What’s your favorite scene or moment in the book, and why does it hold

special meaning for you?

My favorite scene in Intercepted is when Anthony offers his freedom for

Nora’s. I know it’s different than most stories would tell. But I chose to do it

that way to symbolize what Jesus did for us when He offered his life up in

place of ours by taking our place on the cross.

How do you incorporate prayer or spiritual reflection into your writing

routine?

I pray before every writing session. Inviting the Lord into my writing space

can make such a difference. 

When I get stuck while planning or writing, I’ll ask the Lord to help guide me

and make the story how he wants it to be written. He usually helps me

through whatever writing challenge I’m facing rather quickly. Then there are

times when it takes a little longer. It’s faith growing and amazing to see Him

answer my prayer within a matter of moments!

What do you enjoy most about connecting with readers, and what feedback

has resonated deeply with you?

What I enjoy the most about connecting with readers is the shared love of

stories and books.

The feedback that resonated the deepest with me is the appreciation for clean

romantic stories that don’t contain bad language, as the former is one of the

reasons why I started publishing my stories.

Have you seen your book make an impact in someone’s life, and can you

share that experience?

I can’t say that I’ve seen my books impact someone’s life directly, but there is

a review that I hold dear. The reviewer said that after they read my book they

reread it with their family to give their teenagers a deeper understanding of

their faith and prompt discussions about what they believe and why.

How do you celebrate the completion of a book, and what does that milestone

mean to you?

Each book I’ve celebrated differently. The last book I finished writing, I

celebrated with a little chocolate cake! Chocolate is my weakness. Lol

If someone were to adapt your book into a movie, what would be your dream

casting for the main characters?

Dream casting for Intercepted would be AnneSophia Robb for Nora and

Lucas Till as Anthony. I haven’t seen any of his movies, but Gabriel Basso is

close to what I imagine Greg looks like. So he’d be my choice for Greg.

What advice would you give to aspiring authors who are just starting out?

Write. Inspiration is a fickle thing, so don’t wait for it to come around. If you

write regularly, it gets easier, and I have found I get a higher word count per

writing session.

Also, get into the author world. Getting to know authors who write in similar

genres can be such a blessing!

Lastly, before you go…Can you talk about any upcoming projects or books

you’re working on?

Yes! Targeted is the third book in my Agents of Justice series about DEA

Agent Grant Rourke who is injured in the line of duty and forced to take

medical leave. While struggling to accept the possibility that he will forever be

deaf, he enrolls in a school for the recently deaf where he learns the skills to

overcome the challenges in a hearing world. There, he meets Candace White,

the attractive director of New Beginnings: School for the Deaf.  She’s a

glimmer of hope in his world that’s just been flipped upside down, but will his

past keep them apart?

Targeted is a story of broken souls healed by the love of others who stay even

in the face of adversity. It will be available on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited

later this year.

The other project that I’ve recently finished is Abducted. It features a high-

stakes mission, a fake marriage, and an unwanted partnership. This story was

so fun to write!

DEA Agent Elaine Jackson is a bit of a spitfire who is a lone

wolf and doesn’t do partners. But when a child laundering ring and a drug

cartel unite, innocent lives are threatened and she’s forced to team up with

FBI Agent Connor Fields — a by-the-book agent who thrives on teamwork.

The catch? They have to go undercover as husband and wife.

The closer they get to exposing the criminals, the more dangerous the

mission becomes. Trust is risky, but so is falling for a man who makes her

question everything she thought she knew about herself—and the walls she’s

built to survive.

Can they take down the operation before their fake marriage leads to real

heartache?

Abducted is a fast-paced Christian romantic suspense read full of danger,

courage, and unexpected love. This Agents of Justice novella can be read as a

standalone. Get a chance to download Abducted by entering the giveaway

and add to your chances by signing up for my newsletter and following me on

social media!

Now for her book, Intercepted!

A BROTHER'S REVENGE, A GIRL GONE MISSING, ONE CHANCE TO CHANGE FATE

Nora Milton believes her calling is to help lessen the suffering in a world filled with pain. While chasing that calling, she goes to Mexico to help finish the construction of an orphanage in Mexico and meets mission pilot Anthony Goldberg. A spark is kindled between them but it’s cut short when Nora finds herself kidnapped at gunpoint.

Desperate to save the woman his heart longs for, Anthony sets out on a search for Nora on his own. All too quickly he learns just how perilous leaving the compound can be and finds himself entrenched in the dangerous drug trade.

After losing his sister from drugs, Greg Nelson is on a mission. Every thought, heartbeat, his every breath, is focused on clearing the streets of the vile substance. While hot on the heels of a known drug lord, he discovers a woman being held against her will. He doesn’t know who she is or where she’s from, but he knows she needs his help. Finding this woman could redeem himself from losing his sister forever. But first, he has to find her.

Putting a team together, Greg storms the drug lord’s compound but is dismayed when the young woman he hoped to save is nowhere to be seen. But he does find her friend, Anthony Goldburg.

Together, can Greg and Anthony find Nora before she’s lost forever?

And Susanna has teased us with a snippet from her story:

Nora left the car lights on in case a passerby saw them and stopped to help. She knew the chances

of her being spotted were slim to none, but one could always hope.

Curling up on the backseat of the car, Nora tried to relax. It was much more comfortable

than the concrete floor where she had spent the last few nights...

The last days had been hard, both physically and emotionally...

Nora’s thoughts took her back to Anthony… How badly was he hurt from the beating Rodriguez had given him? Surely, he had suffered several broken ribs. She tried to force the images away of Gordo dealing Anthony’s weak body blow after blow. She shook her head to dispel the images...

How could Anthony expect her to go without giving him a second thought while he was forced to stay behind? She realized she would always think of him, but it would be with a heart full of gratitude for his willing sacrifice.

Enter the giveaway below for a chance to win a paperback copy!

(Giveaway runs for two weeks. Winner will be contacted by author.)