Interview with Suspense Author Lynette Eason

Y'all know I love romantic suspense. Today, I'm delighted to welcome Lynette Eason, a fellow Love Inspired Suspense author, has a new release that looks amazing. Here's the blurb on the book:

The FBI has a secret weapon. But now the secret’s out.

When missing teens begin turning up dead in a small Southern town, the FBI sends in computer forensics expert Samantha Cash to help crack the case. Her methods are invisible, and she never quits until the case is closed.

Homicide detective Connor Wolfe has his hands full. His relationship with his headstrong daughter is in a tailspin, and the string of unsolved murders has the town demanding answers. Connor is running out of ideas—and time.Samantha joins Connor in a race against the clock to save the next victim. And the killer starts to get personal. Too Close to Home ratchets up the suspense with each page even as love blossoms in the face of danger. Read this one with the lights on!

“My friend Lynette has a hit on her hands with this romantic suspense. I enjoyed every minute. The plot managed to surprise and captivate me, and the romance was priceless.”—Dee Henderson, bestselling author, the O’Malley series


1) Lynette, Close to Home weaves together suspense and romance. Which one takes priority in this novel?
Oooh, that’s a tough one. I would have to say it’s 51% suspense and 49% romance. LOL.

2) Computer forensics sounds technical and a bit scary to a non-techie like me. How did you decide to make that Sam's career and how did you do the research for it?
I’ve always been fascinated by Computer forensics and the people who have the smarts to do it. Sam’s character just came to me and I thought it would be cool to write about a pretty computer geek. And don’t worry, I’m not “techie” enough to confuse anyone in this book. I kept it very basic. However, I did do a TON of research. I read, from beginning to end, a Computer Forensics textbook. Yes, I fell asleep over some of it and I didn’t understand all of it, but for the most part it was fascinating. Especially the examples of cases where a computer forensics person caught the bad guy. I really studied those. Also, I am a member of a crimescene writers loop and there are several computer forensics specialist on that loop. If I had a question, I simply posted it and received several responses almost immediately.

3) Character or plot first? Is that the way you always write or was it different this time?
Character definitely. While I might have an idea for the story itself, I can’t write the first word until I get to know my characters. So, I have this character chart that I got from somewhere—Randy Ingermanson, I think—and I fill it out even as the story is taking shape in my mind. I can usually write a short synopsis about the story while I’m doing the character sketch and then go back and add detail to the synopsis after I know my characters a bit.

4) What did God teach you as you wrote this book?
God taught me that I really don’t know a whole lot! And God taught me that what I do is important. That my books are a ministry that have the potential to touch lives for Him. That’s the priority.

5) What do you hope readers take away from the book and chew on long after they've reached "the end?”
I hope that the characters stay with them. That they got the spiritual application in the story and most importantly took away that God loves them and wants a personal relationship with them.

6) Final question, if you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would you go and who would you take?
LOL. Somewhere tropical! We’ve had more snow in South Carolina over the last few weeks than we’ve seen in years! And while it was fun at first, it’s getting a little old. We’re supposed to have more snow tonight and again on the weekend! I would take my family, of course. We never get enough family time.

Thanks so much for having me, Cara!