Interview With Author K. Victoria Chase!




Let's give a big warm welcome to author K. Victoria Chase. Her debut novel, Serial Games, first in the Virginia Justice series, has recently been released through Desert Breeze Publishing! Woohoo! Thanks for being my guest today, Tori :)



1. First of all, congratulations on your book! I remembered you saying you have a background in law enforcement. Tell us about that. Did that give you the inspiration to write Serial Games?

Thank you! I have a Bachelors in Criminal Justice and was a Special Agent for the USAF Office of Special Investigations. Think NCIS; same thing just with the Air Force. I enjoyed working on a variety of cases including murder, rape, fraud, etc. I'd be an agent again in a heartbeat. Actually, after reading a few Love Inspired Suspense novels, I thought with my background in law enforcement, I should be able to draft a reasonably believable story, right? ;-)

2. Definitely impressive. I enjoyed the fast-paced plot and intelligent, edge-of-your-seat storyline. How did you research?

I researched profiling and serial killers, and I also took a trip to Culpeper, VA--the setting of most of the story--so I could accurately describe the town. Culpeper is a wonderfully quaint town and I'd love to visit again.

3. Let’s talk characters. One of the things I enjoyed about the heroine Maggie Weston was her combination of strength and vulnerability. She’s an FBI profiler who’s dedicated to her work. However, she experiences nightmares related to the job. I believe more and more readers want to see their heroines being challenged like this. What do you think?

I agree. The cookie-cutter heroine is one that has little to no personal problems and approaches every scenario with this unbelievably glass more than half-full attitude. Granted, I'm the opposite, but I do get tired of reading about a heroine of which life's curve balls have no emotional impact on her.

4. I swooned over the hero US Marshal Brandon Worth. He just seems so strong and capable…but with a sensitive side! How do you strike that balance for an alpha hero?

By making sure I swoon for him too! HAHA. I have an image of the man I'd personally want and then I write about him. Seriously, that's how I wrote Brandon. I like my heroes very capable but not so hyper-masculine that they forget they are supposed to fall in love with the heroine. Ladies are the fairer sex and alphas need to recognize that fairer doesn't just mean they are kiss-worthy. Having a heroine that reminds them of this from time to time also helps, and Maggie did just that.

5. Ok, I want to mention this because I think it’s important for the Christian fiction market. Serial Games features an African-American heroine and a Caucasian hero. Multicultural protagonists, let alone interracial romances, are quite rare in CBA, a fact I wish would change. What are your thoughts on that?

I write clean interracial romance because you're not likely to find it at all in Christian bookstores. Firethorn, by Ronie Kendig is the only obvious interracial Christian romance I've seen in bookstores in I can't remember how long. I understand many authors aren't writing these stories, but seeing what is on the shelves, I'm sure many would feel they'd have a hard time selling them if they do, and if you're not a well-known author, good luck. I grew up reading Christian romance and although I'm not an English duchess in the regency period, it's not as if I couldn't relate to the characters in some way--and I don't have to be another race in order to write that character. I'm not a man, but I have a hero in my book. The church is full of various colors and sizes and our books should represent that. I find it fascinating that recently a couple of authors have written heroines with a few more 'curves.' Last I checked, plenty of real men liked curves so the fictional ones should too, right? ;-)

6. Absolutely! So while we’re looking forward to reading the next installment in the Virginia Justice series, do you have any writing advice for us?

Finish that manuscript! Stop talking about writing it and get it done! :-) Once that first one is in the bag, the rest will follow with more ease. Also, keep cranking out those novels. Many publishers want books that have series potential. Plus, if an agent likes your writing but doesn't offer to represent the book you've submitted, they often want to see other works you've written. It pays to have more than one manuscript completed and more than one work in progress.

Thank you for having me, Brandi. I've enjoyed being here. Can't wait to meet and talk to everyone!

Bio:

From childhood, K. Victoria Chase enjoyed writing stories and plays and reading Christian romance. She received degrees in Criminal Justice and Diplomacy and worked as a federal law enforcement officer for several years before deciding to try her hand at writing a complete novel. Serial Games is the third completed work and the first to be published. Until she can make this "hobby" a full-time venture, K. Victoria Chase continues to work in the field of counterterrorism, identifying potential terrorists that threaten the United States and the world. She currently resides in Leesburg, VA.


You can connect with Tori through her blog, like her Facebook page, or say hello on Twitter.


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