Behind the Badge Interview

Today we're welcoming RUSS MORGAN, the hero of BEHIND THE BADGE, SUSAN SLEEMAN, JUNE- 2011. Wow, you've just had quite an adventure.

1. Tell us a little about yourself and how you came to be in the midst of such suspense. I was just minding my own business on my way home from a really long day as the police chief for Logan Lake, Oregon when a call comes over the radio of shots fired just down the road from me. I was tired and little bit cranky if you want to know the truth, but I figured I should stop and see what was going on. Then I find rookie Deputy Sydney Tucker pinned down by a killer and she’s left her weapon in the car. In the car for crying out loud. What a rookie mistake. I had to rescue her and don’t you know when I saw her I started remembering how much I was attracted to her in high school. So when this killer keeps coming after her, I have to keep her in my sight so she doesn’t pull another rookie mistake and get herself killed.

2. So, during the book you met SYDNEY TUCKER. Tell us a bit about her. What was your first impression? When did you know it was love? Like I said above, I knew Sydney back in high school. She as a real beauty and when she asked me out back then, I wanted to agree to a date, but she was four years younger than me and it just wouldn’t have been right. So when I spotted her again that night, banged up, but still looking at me with eyes a man can’t ever forget, I remembered all the reasons I was once attracted to her. It took me a long time to know I was in love with her. I had some issues in life to work out before I could really even think about loving her. Then the killer decides to abduct her and as you can probably guess, I figured out how I felt about her real fast.

3. What strengths/skills do you have? What is your greatest weakness? I’m a great police officer. I don’t panic and can think logically even in tough times. I’ll go to the ends of the earth to do my job and uphold the law. I don’t like to talk about weaknesses. That’s kind of a girlie thing to do, but if you must know, I had a time in my past when I drank too much and though it’s in my past, I still have to watch myself.

4. What scares you? Well, if you’d asked me that before I met Sydney, who convinced me I needed to find my way back into my son’s life, I’d have said it sacred me to think my son would never forgive me for letting alcohol get the best of me and become the kind of father I detest. Now though, we’re back together and I guess with my future bride being a sheriff’s deputy, I’m afraid someone might take her out. Of course, I keep teaching her everything I know about being in law enforcement so that should help her stay safe.

5. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? Man, I don’t know. Another girlie question if you ask me. But maybe what Sydney says is true. That I always have to be right and she claims I’m not. Maybe I could work on that.

6. Where are you in your faith at the start of your story? Good question. It was there, but you know, I kinda let it slip. Not praying or going to church as often as I should.

7. Where are you in your faith at the end of the story?

Well, you see, I had to come face-to-face with one of my worst fears. I had to decide between keeping the job that was my whole life and a relationship with Sydney. How do you make a decision like that? I mean, really, how? I couldn’t so I needed to ask God for a little help. Okay, I really had to surrender everything and let him take control of things. You know what? It wasn’t so bad. I mean, it was actually kind of liberating. I didn’t have to worry or keep questioning my life. I could just let go and know God works all things for good if you love Him. Hope other people figured that one out a lot easier than I did.

8. You've got a scripture at the beginning of the story. Tell us why this scripture is significant. I kinda mentioned that one above, but it’s such a good verse, I’ll give you the whole thing here. Romans 8:28 - And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. I can now look at bad things and know God’s gonna work it out. I may not like how He does it, but I know it’s for my good. Makes bad things easier to take. You know what I mean?

9. If you could be a dessert what would you be and why? I thought you wanted a man’s perspective on things here. Comparing myself to a dessert is like asking me what kind of purse I want to carry so I’m gonna just skip this one if you don’t mind.

FEATURED BOOK: BEHIND THE BADGE BY SUSAN SLEEMAN

A killer is threatening the life of rookie cop Sydney Tucker's sister—unless Sydney turns over evidence from a drug bust. But she doesn't have the evidence. Not that the thug believes her. Now she and the sibling in her care are under the watchful eye of Logan Lake police chief Russ Morgan…but will his protection be enough? The killer is closing in, picking off the people and places that mean the most to Sydney. A list that now includes Russ. To protect her loved ones, will she pay the ultimate price—her life?

High-Stakes Inheritance Interview

Today we're welcoming Mia Blackburn, the heroine of High-Stakes Inheritance by Susan Sleeman releasing in September.

Wow, you've just had quite an adventure.


1. Tell us a little about yourself and how you came to be in the midst of such suspense.

I never imagined I’d find myself fearing for my life when I came back to Logan Lake. I didn’t even want to come here. I was perfectly happy in Atlanta in my job as a family counselor helping others work through their problems. But then Uncle Wally died and he left the Pinetree Resort to me.

I wasn’t all that surprised that he did this as we were very close. In fact, he was more like a father to me than my real Dad. What I was surprised about was the terms of the inheritance. Wally stated in his will that I had to live at Pinetree for a year in order to inherit the place. A year! Can you imagine? I had to leave my life in Atlanta and move back to my hometown for a whole year. I considered not going. Seriously considered it.

After all, I don’t care about the money I’d get if I sold the place or even owning a resort. But I do care about my Uncle Wally. So if he wanted me here he had a reason. Trouble is, someone else doesn’t think I should inherit the place and started doing all kinds of terrible things to scare me away. Someone has even ended up dead. I’m scared. Really scare, but I’m not going anywhere. I owe it to Wally to see this through.



2. So, during the book you met Ryan Morgan. Tell us a bit about him. What was your first impression? When did you know it was love?
Well, I didn’t meet him for the first time in the book. We have a past. Boy do we have a past. He was the love of my life in high school, but he thought I needed to get away from Logan Lake and experience the real world so he broke up with me. I’ve never really forgotten him, though. Or his fabulous blue eyes. Such a startling color I can’t really describe it.

I really fought loving him. I mean there were so many reasons not to. I didn’t want to live here. My dad and other boyfriends had rejected me and I didn’t want to risk getting hurt again. But you know what? Ryan didn’t give up on me. Each time I pushed him away he came back. Listened to me and understood what I was going through and how I felt. I guess it helped that he was a counselor, too, but even before that, way back in high school, he helped me work through issues with my Dad. So when everything had gone wrong and I couldn’t run away from my problems anymore, I took a long hard look at myself and Ryan, and knew he was the man for me.



3. What strengths/skills do you have? What is your greatest weakness?

Wow, you really want me to write about this, huh? I’m going to start with my weakness, then end on the strong side. I like to control my life. Not just parts of it, but everything. When my Mom died, I was only thirteen. A tough time for a girl to lose her mother. Right then, I started trying to control everything around me so I didn’t get hurt again. God’s working with me on that and I’m getting better.

Now the good parts. I’m an awesome counselor. I love to listen and help people. It’s so rewarding. I also don’t quit easily. Some would say I’m spunky. Maybe a little headstrong, but I like to think of it as being tenacious.


4. What scares you?

Losing Ryan again. Took me ten years to find him. Now I can’t imagine life without him.
5. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I guess I’d have to go back to the control thing. I’d like to be more of a free spirit and not have to plan things. More spontaneous. Ryan is spontaneous and each time we do something at the spur of the moment, I don’t want to do it without thinking about the details, but always end up enjoying it.
6. Where are you in your faith at the start of your story?
Three words. Mad at God. Really mad at Him for taking away everyone I love. For leaving me alone to fend for myself.

7. Where are you in your faith at the end of the story?

Realizing I was never alone to begin with. God was there with me all the time and I had stopped looking for Him.

8. You've got a scripture at the beginning of the story. Tell us why this scripture is significant.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.
This scripture sums up what I had to do to see God again. He brought me to the end of myself and put me in a position where I couldn’t count on my own abilities to get out of it. It took so much courage let go of my own agenda, but I did and He saved the day.

9. If you could be a dessert what would you be and why?

Oh, yum, dessert. I would be a big bowl of M&M’s. With all the rejection and loss I had early on in life, I can act tough and that can come across as hard on the outside. I’ve always been a real softie on the inside, though, and now that God is back in my life, I think the hard outer coating is melting.

Thank you for visiting with us today! This sounds like a great read!