Karen B. McCoy: The Writer Librarian: THE SUSPECT'S DAUGHTER, Book 4 in the Rogue Hearts series by Donna Hatch

Looks like December is turning into a month full of Book Fours! I featured Book Three of Donna Hatch's Rogue Hearts series last year, and Book Four, THE SUSPECT'S DAUGHTER, released last week on December 15:

Determined to help her father with his political career, Jocelyn sets aside dreams of love. When she meets the handsome and mysterious Grant Amesbury, her dreams of true love reawaken. But his secrets put her family in peril.

Grant goes undercover to capture conspirators avowed to murder the prime minister, but his only suspect is the father of a courageous lady who is growing increasingly hard to ignore. He can’t allow Jocelyn to distract him from the case, nor will he taint her with his war-darkened soul. She seems to see past the barriers surrounding his heart, which makes her all the more dangerous to his vow of remaining forever alone.

Jocelyn will do anything to clear her father’s name, even if that means working with Grant. Time is running out. The future of England hangs in the balance...and so does their love.

Donna also answered some follow-up interview questions:

In our last interview, you mentioned how it was important to have well-developed characters and well-plotted stories before drafting. Do you still find that this is true, and in what ways, if any, has your writing process evolved since?

That’s absolutely true. My writing process has changed in very subtle ways. I write tighter, meaning more succinct. And I am very choosy about time—some scenes I slow down time to create strong emotional impact. Other times, I transition between scenes with only a few words so as to quickly move the reader to the next significant event. I’ve always done that, but I’ve gotten more careful about it. And I’m highly sensitive to words that feel as if they come from a narrator rather than from the characters themselves.

I am too. THE STRANGER SHE MARRIED flowed well when I read it, and I'm sure THE SUSPECT'S DAUGHTER will too. How has the world expanded since the first few books?

I’ve added more characters but I often bring back others who appeared in previous books—both main characters and secondary characters so it feels as if the characters all live in the same town. I’ve also started studying maps and including mention of real places that existed during the Regency.

What a fun way to add extra layers! Especially with the great dynamic between Jocelyn and Grant. What about them was the most fun to write?

I love their verbal banter. She says exactly what she thinks and takes delight in teasing him. It’s a game to get him to smile, something she does not succeed at doing until much later in the book. He is a man of deep feeling but it’s buried underneath a very thick layer of protection. He delights in being snaky (not a Regency term, of course) and he seldom says what he thinks so she has to learn to read between the lines. There is a lot of verbal parrying between them.

Definitely a case of opposites attracting! When we last spoke, you were editing a YA futuristic novel--is it still in the works?

It’s on the back burner. Right now, I’m working on developing my brand of being a historical romance author. But someday, I plan to find an agent who represents YA futuristic novels and look into getting it published.

Sounds like a good plan! Thanks, Donna, for another excellent interview!

Donna Hatch, author of the best-selling “Rogue Hearts Series,” has won writing awards such as The Golden Quill and the International Digital Award. A hopeless romantic and adventurer at heart, she discovered her writing passion at the tender age of 8 and has been listening to those voices ever since. She has become a sought-after workshop presenter, and juggles freelance editing, multiple volunteer positions, and most of all, her six children. A native of Arizona who recently transplanted to the Pacific Northwest, she and her husband of over twenty five years are living proof that there really is a happily ever after.

To grab a hold of THE SUSPECT'S DAUGHTER, and the other books in the Rogue Hearts series, feel free to click the links below:

THE STRANGER SHE MARRIED