Interview: Raquel Byrnes

Please join me in welcoming Raquel Byrnes, a fellow White Rose Publishing author. Raquel's here to talk about her new release, Purple Knot. Authors, you'll want to be sure to come back tomorrow for Raquel's guest post: "Avoiding the Sound of

Crickets at a Book Signing."



 Raquel Byrnes





Welcome to My Book Bag, Raquel!

I love all the covers for your upcoming Shades of Hope Series. I understand the first book, Purple Knot (your debut novel), is set to release in a couple of days (June 3). You must be so excited! What is this book about?

It's about a petite private detective. Reyna Cruz returns to Seattle, a place she fled amid tragedy, to join with her ex fiancé to solve his sister's mysterious death.

What inspired you to write Purple Knot, and when did it become

a series in your mind?

I went through a situation in which a dear friend of mine was in serious trouble. We've all been in a place where all we can do is hope and pray for those that we love. I started writing the outline while staying in the hospital with my friend. It was sort of therapy. 

I began to write out other story ideas and came to realize that all of them dealt with different aspects of faith and hope. The Shades of Hope series was born out of that.

Please share a little about your journey to publication. (How long have you been writing? How hard was it to find a publisher? What did you learn in the process?)

I've been writing full length books for almost ten years. I always wrote, but it wasn't until my daughter was born and I was at home that I really realized my love for it.

I signed with an agent at Hartline Literary a year and a half ago and recently signed with a publisher so the publication part has come within the past few years.

I learned that I write because I must. Despite rejection and setbacks, I love creating stories.

I know this is not easy, but…do you have a favorite scene from Purple Knot? If so, please share it with us.

Jimmy turned in his seat to face me. I avoided his eyes and instead scanned the street names for the one I needed to get to Digi-Safe."Rain, you have to decide what kind of person you're going to be. I have to know." "What are you saying, Jimmy?" Confused I looked at him."I'm saying that you're racing towards a crossroads, and I want to know what path you're planning to take.""Now is not the time for this conversation, Jimmy. We're chasing a suspect!" "Now is exactly the time, Rain. I need to know, right now because anything you do out of anger or grief will directly affect me, too!" Jimmy said loudly.Dread bubbled up into my chest. I tried to answer calmly but I felt control slipping. My throat ached with the words I wanted to shout at him. "Don't make me do this, Jimmy. Not now.""Yes, now, Rain."  "What do you want me to say?" I shouted. "What do you want to hear?""I want to hear that you won't put your anger ahead of our future. I want to hear that you can walk away from the possibility of revenge.""Why…why would I do that?" I looked at Jimmy with wonder."Because you'll destroy us in the process, Rain." Jimmy reached out and caught the hem of my sweater in his fingers. He looked worried."Are you asking me to choose between nailing Parker and loving you?"  Anger and confusion whipped through me like a cold wind. "No. I'm asking you to choose between the hatred boiling in your veins and the grace hanging over your head."I gripped the steering wheel so hard my knuckles ached. Why was Jimmy doing this? I spotted the road I needed through blurry eyes. I killed my headlights and drove slowly down the street toward the empty Digi-Safe building."Jimmy, don't do this now," I begged."Yes, now, Rain. You're at such a dangerous place that you don't even see how vulnerable you are right now. You're this close to believing in the promises you've been given, this close, Rain. Don't turn away from that."

I can see why you like that scene! What is your favorite book of all time? Favorite author? What is about this author's writing style that makes you love it?

A Room with a View by E.M. Forster. He showed aching, longing love without one piece of clothing coming off. He wrote about romance and breathless looks across stunning fields of poppies. Love his work.

What has been the most beneficial piece of writing advice you've ever received?

That getting published isn't a selection process, it's a survival process.

Do you have a favorite verse of scripture? If so, what makes it special to you?

Micah 6:8 He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

It's very clear. This is what the Lord wants of me. To keep my eyes on Him and to follow His example, to be merciful as He has been with me, and to be just.

Where can readers find you and your books?

They are available publisher direct at White Rose Publishing.com or at online booksellers like Amazon.

Thanks for hanging out at My Book Bag today, Raquel. It's been a pleasure having you





ABOUT THE BOOK:



A killer strikes. A love rekindled. A life-altering choice.

When her best friend, is murdered, Reyna Cruz doesn't believe the police have the whole story. An investigator by trade, she has the talent to track Summer's killer, but when clues lead to a family connection and a vicious gang, she suddenly becomes the hunted. At the end of her rope, Reyna must decide to trust the God she believes abandoned her. 

Wanting justice for his sister's murder, lawyer Jimmy Corbeau agrees to help Reyna—even though she's his ex-fiancé, and their break-up devastated him. Romance is reawakened, but so are memories of their tragic undoing. Jimmy must decide if he will fight for a future with Reyna or allow their past to derail the investigation and his second chance at love.

When the investigation goes awry and Summer's infant daughter is kidnapped, Reyna must put her life on the line. Will Jimmy and Reyna survive the desperate measures it takes to recover his niece, catch a killer, and secure a happily-ever-after for them all?