Terri Reed Interview

Q: Let me start with asking you to tell us a little bit about yourself.

A: I am Irish, Finnish and a mix of other European nationalities. I recently did an ancestry DNA test which confirmed most of what I knew. My great-grandfather’s on my father’s side both came from Ireland. I’m in process of trying to determine from where on the island they originated. It’s an interesting feeling to find myself identifying with a culture that I’ve only ever read about. Next year my husband and I are planning to visit Ireland.

Q: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

A: I can honestly say I’ve been telling stories since I was a little girl. My grandparents would videotape me singing and dancing and telling a story. I recently found a couple of stories I wrote in grade school. Amazingly each story had a romance and a suspense plot. There was a beginning, middle and end. It’s fascinating to realize that stories have always been my passion.

Q: What do you write and why this genre?

A: I write Christian romance and romantic suspense novels. I am a romantic at heart so I naturally gravitate to romance and I’m a huge mystery/suspense buff. I love to think up interesting plot twists and turns, enjoy putting my characters in sticky situations and see how they react. I write with a Christian worldview because that is how I see life.

Q: Do you base your characters on people you know or are they totally made up?

A: My characters are made up of personality traits garnered from a variety of personality charts and tests. Sometimes I can see real people in my characters but I try to keep them from being too much like anyone close to me.

Q: Would you tell us about your current book release Classified K-9 Unit Christmas—A Killer Christmas/Yuletide Stalking?

A: This is a 2 in 1 novella collection with stories from me and the fabulous Lenora Worth. The stories feature the men and women of the 2017 Classified K-9 Unit continuity series from Love Inspired Suspense. These are the last of the stories in the series and can be read alone. You do get to see some of the characters from the previous books, which is a fun treat.

Q: Where did the idea for this story come from?

A: Because this was part of a continuity series, the editorial staff came up with the over-arching plot of the series as well as the characters. However, the authors take the information given to them to build a story. With the novella’s we are allowed to choose secondary characters and write a story that features them in the same world as the rest of the series. Yuletide Stalking features FBI agent Tim Ramsey. He first appeared in the prequel to the series, Agent-in-Training. I really liked this character and wanted to give him his own happily ever after. I also like that he was partnered with an accelerant-detecting German shepherd. I so enjoy writing books with dogs in them.

Q: Would you share with us what you are working on now?

A: I just finished the first book for the 2018 Love Inspired Suspense continuity, Mission to Protect, part of the Military K-9 Unit. And I’m now starting the first book in my own new series. I’m in the early stages so can’t share too much yet.

Q: Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.

A: I’m a huge superhero geek. I recently discovered I enjoy the sport of curling. I get motion sick easily.

Q: Milk or dark chocolate? Coffee or tea?

A: I’m not a huge fan of chocolate but if I have a choice usually dark. I’m a huge fan of tea. Though I will drink coffee on occasion.

Q: Favorite TV show or shows?

A: NCIS, The Flash, Once Upon a Time, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Designated Survivor, Black Matter…oh, I could go on. I’m a huge TV junkie. Especially for action/adventure type shows and superhero types.