Jerusha Agen Interview

Q: Let me start with asking you to tell us a little bit about yourself.
A. I’m a snow-loving, small-town girl living in the Midwest. I don’t have any kids, so I stock up on furry family members instead. I currently have a goofy four-year-old Great Pyrenees who is determined to never grow up and an adorable six-month-old Leonberger puppy who I hope will grow up soon. I also have two beautiful cats who are the mature members of the family.

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

A. The day I made my mom cry. That may sound mean, but it was a good thing.

I was twelve years old when my mom showed me an ad for a young writers contest. I decided to write a story to enter in the competition. I’d created many stories since before I could spell words, but this tale was a new experience for me. The words flowed rapidly late into the night when I should’ve been sleeping. And this was the most emotional and realistic story I’d ever drafted—a tale of a girl grappling with the death of her mother.

When my mom read my story the next day, something magical happened—she cried. My mom, an adult, was moved to tears by the emotional story I’d written. This was heady stuff to a pre-teen. That day, I realized the power of story.

By writing a story, I wielded the power to touch people’s emotions at the deepest level. I knew then that I wanted to be a writer, one of the people entrusted with the power of story, determined to use it for good.

Q: Could you give us the highlights of your professional writing career including how you got your first writing break?

A. I was blessed to get an early start in the publishing industry by attending conferences and joining industry membership groups when I was still a young teenager. I was among the first twenty members of American Christian Fiction Writers, which was then called American Christian Romance Writers. My early exposure to experienced writing and publishing professionals, and the relationships that spawned, have been invaluable in my career.

But despite my early start, I learned as the years passed without a publishing contract that God had His own timetable for my career. It took longer than I expected to land an agent, and it took far longer than I’d planned to get a publishing contract.

My first big break came in the form of a three-book contract with Write Integrity Press before I had an agent. I published the Sisters Redeemed Series of romantic women’s fiction with Write Integrity.

Then, I waited again as the Lord took me on His path for my career. I’m excited to have arrived at the point in His story for me where I’m releasing a new romantic suspense novel with Love Inspired Trade.

Q: Would you tell us about your current book release Rising Danger?

A: Rising Danger is about a woman and her K-9 who stand between a bomber and a city.

The woman is Bristol Bachmann, who leaves her job as a bomb technician with the Minneapolis Police Department to team up with Toby, an explosives detection K-9. Bristol and Toby work at Phoenix K-9 Security and Detection Agency, named for its owner, Phoenix Gray.

Working at Phoenix K-9 means having an elite team of skilled women and K-9s to back her up in emergency situations of all kinds. But Bristol doesn’t think she’ll need their help until a bomber threatens to unleash a catastrophic flood on the Twin Cities.

She’s still sure she doesn’t need the help of Remington Jones, Bristol’s ex-boyfriend from her academy days. The trouble is, Remington is in charge of security for the dams, and they’ll have to work together to stop the bomber before it’s too late.

Q: Where did you get your inspiration for Rising Danger?

A: I’ve always loved reading suspense series that feature a group of friends or co-workers, or sometimes a sibling group. It’s fun to see their partnership and camaraderie together as each book in the series features a different member of the group. I wanted to write a series like that with characters who had a special connection. So, when I thought of a K-9 security and detection agency that was made up entirely of women agents, I got excited. I love dogs, so I knew including them in stories about an elite team of amazing women would be so much fun.

The concept for Rising Danger was inspired from deciding the first book about the Phoenix K-9 Security and Detection Agency would feature an explosives detection K-9. I knew my main character had issues with things that were out of her control, so I needed to think of a nemesis and threat that would hit her in her weak spot. What better than an environmental terrorist bent on releasing a catastrophic flood on the Twin Cities?

Q: What is the main thing you hope readers remember from this story?
A: That God is the One in control of every aspect of our lives and the whole world. And that is very good.

Q: What inspires you to write?
A. Reading other people’s stories and watching movies! I love to study what others are doing through stories and come away inspired to write more of my own.

Q: Would you share with us what you are working on now?
A. I’m so glad you asked this because I’m working on another romantic suspense novel that is the follow-up to Rising Danger! This upcoming release will mark the official launch of the Guardians Unleashed series about the all-women Phoenix K-9 Security and Detection Agency.

If you enjoy the characters, K-9s, and excitement of Rising Danger, you’ll want to look for my next novel set to release later this year!

Q: When you’re not writing what do you like to do?
A. Watch movies, eat chocolate and baked desserts, hang out with my dogs and cats, read, and bake some of those yummy desserts I mentioned.