Saturday, March 21, 2015

The Rescued Heart by Tierney James


**Happy Release Day**
Tierney James is a Solar System Ambassador for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab as well as a former
geography teacher. Besides working on a Native American reservation, floating the Okavango Delta of Botswana, Africa and visiting The Great Wall of China, she has spent time at Space Camp for Educators and volunteering her time for Friends of the Library board. Living in a mining community for many years led to writing the novel, The Rescued Heart, a romantic suspense.  Between traveling, gardening and writing, Tierney serves as an officer for Sleuth’s Ink, a mystery writing group. Creating a writing workshop for beginning writers is her latest project. 

Looks like you mix adventure and suspense in your personal and professional life. Why write about mining? That doesn’t sound very romantic and this is a romantic suspense novel.
There are a lot of rugged and brilliant men and women out there in the mining industry that would just take your breath away. Having lived in several mining communities I’m here to tell you they are what superheroes are made of. I almost titled the book “Heroes Underneath” because mining is deep in the earth. The reason I didn’t was because I had already written An Unlikely Hero (adult/action/adventure) and a children’s book, There’s a Superhero in the Library. I didn’t want people to think I couldn’t write about anything but heroes.
Having said that I thought writing a romantic suspense where mining is the backdrop would intrigue readers. I hoped it would be something they weren’t familiar with and would want to see how things played out. Mining is dangerous, exciting and full of cultural experiences like no place else. Living in mining communities help shape who I am today.

So give us a taste of The Rescued Heart.

How were you able to bring technical information into the book?
My husband is a mine engineer. He helped me with terms, drawings, info books and general experiences you might find in lead mining. Even though I’ve been underground it pays to have an engineer help explain what you’re seeing and how it works. Lead mining is completely different than coal mining. I’m so glad my husband made me go underground to see the difference so I wouldn’t be so scared every day when he went to work. I also took a week long education class The Doe Roe Company taught in St. Louis to help me experience things like explosives (yes, we blew something up) and touring other kinds of operations.

Do you ever envision your novel as a movie? If so who would play the handsome Garrett Horton and gruff Big Jim Turnbough?
I do envision a movie. Garrett would be played by Mark Wahlberg. Jeff Bridges might be a perfect, cantankerous Big Jim Turnbough. I have a pinterest board with all kinds of things about mining and the area where this novel took place.
I understand you are a big fan of book series. Will this be the first in a series for mining stories?
No. There’s only one. However, there is a prequel I wrote many years before The Rescued Heart. I might get that out and dust it off. It needs to be completely rewritten, but I don’t mind doing that when things slow down a bit for me. Garrett shows up in one part of the book. This story is about his sister. As far as series goes I have The Enigma Series which is near and dear to my heart. An Unlikely Hero was the first book. This June 8th, Winds of Deception will be released and in the fall expect #3 Rooftop Angels to be completed. In the meantime I’m working on my first urban fantasy. I’m having a lot of fun writing and researching.
Tell me three things that might surprise readers if they met you.
Even though I write about explosives, guns, terrorists and mayhem I’m actually a girlie girl with tomboy tendencies. I’m not afraid of snakes or lizards, but show me a hamster or mouse and I’ll go screaming down the street. I love all kinds of music, especially world music. I especially like Asia music to fall asleep.

Who has had the most influence on you as a writer?
I would have to say James Rollins, Brad Thor, Daniel Silva, Steve Berry, Nora Roberts and Sandra Brown. There are many more but they always pop in my head when I write. Their style and command of tension is inspiring.

How can readers connect with you?
Twitter: TierneyJames1
Other books by Tierney James















12 comments:

  1. Nice interview, Cathrina...a fascinating writer

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  2. Good interview. Best of luck with the new release

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    1. Thanks, Susan Keene. It's nice to have support of other authors.

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  3. I just bought your book, Tierney. Gonna start today while doing the treadmill. Can't wait. Good luck and much success. You're on a roll.

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    1. Coming from you that is a huge compliment! Love your work.

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  4. Great interview. Looking forward to reading your book.

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    1. I appreciate your support, Janet Gallagher. I hope you enjoy it.

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  5. Oh -There’s a Superhero in the Library, is your book? My niece has read this over and over. I recognize the cover! I can't wait to tell her I read about you in an interview.
    Best wishes with your book!

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  6. Wonderful interview... love learning about other authors and what they bring to their stories.

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  7. Great interview! The mining setting sounds so wonderfully unique, especially for the romance genre. Best of luck to Tierney with this book!

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  8. Thanks Tierney for making my bio look weak. What an exciting lot of things you've done!

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