Fractured Memory by Jordyn Redwood

My guest this week is Jordyn Redwood, author of the newly released romantic suspense, Fractured Memory. As a lover of Jordyn’s previous books, I guarantee you’re in for a treat with this one. Her plot twists and fast-paced style will keep you turning the pages and leave you waiting for her next book to come out. We would love your comments! Sign in on the Rafflecopter for even more chances to win!

 

 

Fabulous Fridays

Fractured Memory by Jordyn Redwood

Welcome, Jordyn! I thoroughly enjoyed your Bloodlines Trilogy! You write fascinating, fast-paced medical suspense that intrigues me, as a former RN, although a medical background is by no means necessary to enjoy your stories. Tell us something about yourself and what you enjoy doing when you’re not working as a nurse or writing.

Hi, Norma! Thanks so much for hosting me today. I’m excited to get to know your readers. I’m married to an amazing husband and mom of two beautiful daughters age eleven and thirteen. We live in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains that provide plenty of inspiration for my stories. I’m an avid reader (of suspense novels, of course!) and I love to quilt and cross stitch to relax.

How did you start writing and where do your ideas come from?
I’ve always loved stories and began to write when I was in elementary school. My novels are definitely inspired by real-life events or tackling real life issues and thinking beyond what the next step might be. I think all great medical thrillers do this. For instance, in Proof I ask the question: what would happen if DNA testing set a guilty man free?

What’s your biggest challenge in balancing writing time with your other responsibilities?

I think you’ve already said it—balancing writing with all my other responsibilities. I am still nursing twenty-four hours a week in a pediatric ER. Sometimes, it’s hard doing two jobs well. Plus, balancing time with family. I don’t know if I’m highly successful at it, but I do find setting limits is particularly important. I write on my days off when my girls are at school. After dinner, I shut the door to my office and it’s family time. I try to take one day off per week to rest. It’s not always Sundays (since I do work weekends as well) but I try to find one day where I can honor God and be still in His presence.

What is your target audience?

Men and women above the age of sixteen who LOVE a gripping thriller novel.

What was your greatest roadblock in writing Fractured Memory, and how did you overcome it?
My greatest roadblock in writing Fractured Memory was time. I came to be published with Love Inspired Suspense via the Blurb to Book contest that Love Inspired hosted in 2015. That meant very short writing deadlines. If you made it to the third round then you had approximately eight weeks to write and edit the manuscript. I knew I had to be disciplined with my time. I wrote a loose chapter outline from my plot synopsis and made sure to write two-thousand words every day I wasn’t working. That showed me I could write under pressure and still put out a great novel.

Do you plot your stories out ahead of time, or just sit down and write from the seat of your pants?

I have found value (though I loathe admitting it) in writing a plot synopsis and then a loose chapter outline from that. This still allows the story to diverge some (as all stories do), but gives me a roadmap to find my way back if I get lost too much in the tangent forest.

What kind of research goes into writing your books?

I LOVE research and can get easily sidetracked by it. Writing novels is a definite outlet for all the research I do. It’s also the basis of my blog, Redwood’s Medical Edge, which helps authors write medically accurate fiction. I read a lot of non-fiction for my novels and I like to interview people who are currently doing the job. I always ask them, “What’s the one thing you would never do?” and then follow that up with, “What would make you do that one thing?” That always becomes part of the story.

How do you see the importance of Christian fiction?
Christian fiction is very important because, sometimes, it’s easier to hand a person a story as a way to bridge a conversation about God than the Bible. It’s generally viewed as less threatening. Christian fiction should espouse the values of God: grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness. Hopefully, from reading inspirational stories that show God in real life ways and how He can change our lives—readers will then go to the Bible and/or become involved with a church, or even renew their commitment to God in their lives.

What do you think makes your style of storytelling unique?

I think I’m pretty unique in the Christian fiction realm. I write edgier stories. I dare to say I’m probably the edgiest Christian fiction female author I’m aware of. I show evil for what it is. I write shorter chapters in the vein of a James Patterson style.

Please give us the opening of Fractured Memory.

The blank stare in Julia Galloway’s eyes confirmed Eli Cayne’s worst fear.

She didn’t remember him. The amnesia had erased every moment he’d spent ensuring that she would live after the Hangman nearly claimed her life.

“Julia Galloway?” he asked, his voice husky with undeniable emotion at seeing her for the first time in eighteen months. The feelings he thought he’d stomped into submission surfaced with a vengeance.

Julia reflexively raised a hand to cover the scars where the rope had carved into her skin. “Who are you?” The ringlets of her blond hair dripped water on her black T-shirt and red plaid pajama bottoms.

Eli held his badge at her eye level. “I’m U.S. Marshal Eli Cayne. May I come inside? There’s a matter of great importance I need to discuss with you.”

Doubt washed over her beautiful face. Even if she didn’t remember the attack, the lingering fear was evident.

He showed her the manila envelope he held in his other hand. “Our office has received information that there has been a hit ordered—on your life.”

She clenched the black fabric of her shirt tight into her other hand, her knuckles pale under the pressure. “Excuse me?”

“Someone has compiled a profile of information about you for a hit man to use to kill you. I’m here to get you to a safe place. Please, can I come inside?”

At first, the engine accelerating was distant until the screech of tires brought the hairs on Eli’s neck to attention. Instinct propelled his hand forward, hard into Julia, pushing her into the foyer. A bullet whistled past his ear, shattering a picture frame directly behind the remnants of her silhouette.

Julia landed flat on her back on the hardwood floor. Eli delivered a swift kick to the door, throwing it closed and turned to lock the dead bolt. He fell to his knees at her side. Her eyes were wide with fright, and her mouth gaped open as she tried to draw a breath.

“You’re all right. You just got the wind knocked out of you.” He pulled one of her hands to his chest. “Slow, easy breaths.”

Another bullet crashed through her front picture window. He had to move her to a safe place.

Book Blurb:

United States marshal Eli Cayne saved Julia Galloway’s life once…and he’s prepared to do it again. But his task would be easier if she could remember him—or the murderer who almost put her in an early grave and seems to be hunting her once more. To protect Julia from the latest threat against her life, Eli has to consider the possibility that he put an innocent man in jail. Julia has no memories of the serial killer called the Hangman, though, and no reason to trust Eli. But with the killer getting closer, she must work with Eli to confront her past—and the feelings growing between them.

About the author:

Jordyn Redwood is a pediatric ER nurse by day, suspense novelist by night. She hosts Redwood’s Medical Edge, a blog devoted to helping authors write medically accurate fiction. Her first two medical thrillers, Proof and Poison, garnered starred reviews from Library Journal. Proof was shortlisted for the 2012 ForeWord Review’s BOTY Award, 2013 INSPY Award and the 2013 Carol Award. Poison shortlisted for the 2014 INSPY Award and the 2014 Selah Award. In addition to her novels, she blogs regularly at Redwood’s Medical Edge and the WordServe Water Cooler. You can connect with Jordyn via Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, her website and via e-mail at jredwood1@gmail.com.

Connect with Jordyn:

Website: www.jordynredwood.com

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJordynRedwood/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jordynredwood/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5448455.Jordyn_Redwood

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JordynRedwood

Other: www.redwoodsmedicaledge.com

Book Links:

Fractured Memory: https://www.amazon.com/Fractured-Memory-Love-Inspired-Suspense/dp/0373447574/

Proof: https://www.amazon.com/Proof-Bloodlines-Triology-Bloodline-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00860Z55Q/

Poison: https://www.amazon.com/Poison-Bloodline-Trilogy-Jordyn-Redwood/dp/0825442125/

Peril: https://www.amazon.com/Peril-Bloodline-Trilogy-Jordyn-Redwood/dp/0825442133/  

 

 

 

 

 

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