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.
Do you like to read or watch suspense stories and crime dramas?