Today I have the honor of interviewing the great Lynette Eason, here's a little about her...
Award-winning, best-selling author, Lynette Eason writes for Harlequin's Love Inspired Suspense line and for Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. Her books have hit the Publisher's Weekly, CBA and ECPA bestseller lists and have won numerous awards such as the prestigious Carol Award, the Selah, the Daphne, the IRCC award and more. Lynette is married, has two children, and lives in Greenville, SC.
What inspired you to write the novella in Cornered named In the Dark?
I’m often inspired by real-life events or situations that raise my curiosity. For In the Dark, I had seen the story about a car wreck at a dangerous intersection in my city. People were outraged by the fact that no one did anything to help the situation. Like put in speed bumps, lower the speed limit, rework the angle of the curve and so on. And the wrecks continued to happen. So, I decided to take that idea and run with it. I was like, “what if…someone wanted to stage a murder as an accident on that particular curve?” Would anyone think anything about it? And there we have it. In the Dark was born. :)
How do you develop your characters, and are any of them inspired by real people?
I usually starts with a rough idea of her characters' backgrounds and motivations, then let them evolve as the story unfolds. While none of my characters are directly based on specific people, I pulls traits from various individuals I’ve encountered in real life. My characters have been said to be a blend of people who exhibit strength, resilience, and faith in difficult circumstances. I like that description.
What was the most challenging part of writing this book, and how did you overcome it?
For me, one of the biggest challenges in writing any book is making sure the plot stays tight and full of twists while maintaining believability. Balancing intense action with emotional depth can be super tricky. Add in the fact that I’m not a full on plotter, but more of a pantser, it a sometimes be a challenge. LOL One nice thing is, I have some really great critique partners and brainstormers who are always willing to help when I get stuck. :) They give amazing feedback.
Do you have a favorite scene or moment in the book? If so, why is it significant to you?
I think my favorite scene in Cornered-In the Dark-is the scene where Tate is so tired. He messed up his schedule and was running on fumes for his first day on the job as a new detective and when they get to Steph’s office, she’s drinking coffee. He wants to grab it and guzzle it. And when Steph offers them a cup, he’s so pathetically grateful. It was a more lighthearted moment in a tragic situation that I hope readers will appreciate. I wasn’t making light of the death of a friend and co-worker, just trying to inject a bit of real life into the scene.
What do you hope readers take away from your book?
I sincerely pray that readers take away a sense of hope and faith, even in the darkest moments. I write to entertain, yes, but also to encourage readers to believe that with God, there’s always hope that the situation will get better—or that with time, the sting of loss will ease— no matter how dire the situation may seem. I also pray readers connect emotionally with the characters and that the power of forgiveness and trust is a real thing. A beautiful thing. And that if the characters int the book can go through whatever situation they’ve been in and come out stronger on the other side, so can they.
Now for her epic story in the amazing collection CORNERED:
In the Dark by Lynette Eason, accountant Stephanie Holton is cleaning out a coworkers’ desk after her untimely death when she finds cryptic notes that lead her to believe her friend’s car accident was no accident at all. Detective Tate Cooper is determined to help her crack the case before someone else gets hurt. But can he protect the woman who has so quickly laid claim to his heart?
Here is my review:
This book was a fun surprise for me. I am rarely a big fan of murder mysteries, but this one kept me very engaged. Steph and Tate worked well together, and communicated even better. No bad communication trope in this epic book! This book jumps right into the action. The cast is perfect. I thought I had the murderer figured out pretty quick…but nope. I was wrong. And that made the book so much more enjoyable. I’ll admit there were several times I tried to put the book down…and I just couldn’t do it. Not even when my own work was calling my name. I had to finish this read. Highly recommend it!!!
In the Dark is available for preorder in the CORNERED Collection.
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