Get Lost in a Story: Elizabeth Heiter...one of my Favorite People

K-9 DEFENSE

To help a desperate woman’s search,
he’ll have to brave treacherous territory.

In the wilds of Alaska, grieving former marine Colter Hayes shuts out the world…until he and his combat tracker dog become Kensie Morgan’s last hope of finding her long-missing sister. The improbable mission starts to rekindle Colter’s desire to rejoin the world—while saving Kensie from a killer unsettles his heart. Can they find all they are searching for before it’s too late?

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Critically acclaimed and award-winning author ELIZABETH HEITER likes her suspense to feature strong heroines, chilling villains, psychological twists, and a little bit (or a lot!) of romance. Her research has taken her into the minds of serial killers, through murder investigations, and onto the FBI Academy’s shooting range. Her novels have been published in more than a dozen countries and translated into eight languages; they've also been shortlisted for the HOLT Medallion, the Daphne Du Maurier award, the National Readers' Choice award and the Booksellers' Best award and won the RT Reviewers' Choice award.

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THE Q&A

ANGI: What’s your favorite thing about your book’s hero?

ELIZABETH: Colter Hayes, the ex-Marine hero of K-9 Defense, is as loyal as they come. The bond with his military K-9 partner Rebel is so strong that she’s the only thing that kept him going when he woke up in the hospital with a severe injury to his leg and the news that the rest of his unit hadn’t made it. His loyalty can be misguided: he feels that he doesn’t deserve a “happily ever after” because the rest of his military brothers didn’t get to come home to their families. And it can also be heroic: in the course of the book, he risks his life for both Rebel and Kensie Morgan. He may not have known Kensie long, but once he makes a promise, he sticks by it and will do whatever it takes to fulfill his mission. Colter’s loyalty to those he loves is one of my favorite things about him, and watching Colter’s love and loyalty to Rebel quickly wins over Kensie, too!

ANGI: High Heels or Hiking Boots?

ELIZABETH: There’s definitely a time and place for both! I love a gorgeous heel (I own a somewhat ridiculous number of dresses and I like to pair them with pretty shoes). But I have a couple of pairs of what I dub my “combat boots” that I wear constantly in the Michigan winters!

The “wanted” poster was made by
fellow mystery writer E.A. Aymar.

ANGI: What’s your favorite dessert of all time?

ELIZABETH: Anything chocolate! I guess, if I’m going to be specific, it would be a dark chocolate mousse cake with dark chocolate ganache on top. (And yes, I would absolutely pair that with a mocha latte, a hot chocolate, or a chocolate martini! I stubbornly insist that since chocolate makes you happy and being happy is good for you that chocolate makes you live longer! That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.)

ANGI: Got a favorite song? What makes it special?

ELIZABETH: I have extremely eclectic taste in music and normally it’s really hard for me to pick a favorite. But I’m getting married next month and my fiancé and I have chosen “I Choose You” by Sara Bareilles as our first song. I had already loved it, but right after he proposed to me, that song came on in the car. It seemed like it was meant to be our song!

ANGI: What’s your perfect day?

ELIZABETH: My perfect day would be spent near the ocean (there’s something so soothing about the sound of the waves). There would be a brilliant sun shining and soft sand to relax on and read a book. It would be surrounded by people I love. And of course, there would be time to work on a story (while sipping a mocha latte).

ANGI: Wild Flower or Roses?

ELIZABETH: I love both, but I do have a soft spot for roses, since I used to grow a bunch of them. But my all-time favorites are orchids, which are spread throughout my house to give me color and cheerfulness when there’s nothing but snow and early nights in the winter.

I'm with My critique partner Robbie Terman and author Suzanne Brockmann in 2010,
after I won Suz’s Haiku contest.

ANGI: Favorite inspiration or Quote?

ELIZABETH: For anyone who’s tried to sell a book, you know that it can be challenging (not just learning the craft, but also learning the industry and finding the editor who’s not just the right fit for your book, but has space on her list and can get an entire editorial board to agree). So, when I first met Suzanne Brockmann (before I was published), and she said to me, “the difference between a published author and an unpublished writer is perseverance.” It was so inspiring to me that I posted up on my inspiration board for years while I tried to sell my debut book.

ANGI: The most daring thing you’ve ever done… Care to share?

ELIZABETH: Hmmm…well, one thing I recently mentioned that I’ve done made my fiancé say, “I never want to see that!” That was a story about how I can downhill ski backward. I haven’t done it in years, but I love to ski and so skiing on one foot, doing little jumps, or going down the hill backward was a fun challenge! (And don’t tell my fiancé, but I want to get back to it!)

ANGI’s GOTTA ASK: Please show us your favorite pair of shoes and let us know why?

ELIZABETH’S GOTTA ANSWER: When I was searching for shoes to wear with my wedding dress, I came across these fun sparklers. I wanted heels with my wedding shoes, but I had to buy these anyway. Since the temperature warmed up here, I’ve been wearing them constantly – they add some fun and sparkles to any outfit!

UP NEXT for ELIZABETH:

Up next for me is a book that will be part of a series with several authors in Intrigue. It features a group of law enforcement agents in a special FBI unit. I’ll be able to share more details in the coming months, but the first book in the series will release next Spring. Participating authors include me, Nichole Severn, Cindi Myers, and Carla Cassidy. After that, I’ll be returning to the next book in my K-9 Alaska series!

PREVIOUSLY RELEASED by ELIZABETH:

STALKED

Profiler Series #4

If you're reading this, I'm already dead…
That's the note seventeen-year-old Haley Cooke leaves behind when she disappears from inside her high school. FBI profiler Evelyn Baine is called in to figure out who had reason to hurt her. On the surface, the popular cheerleader has no enemies, but as Evelyn digs deeper, she discovers that everyone close to Haley has something to hide. Everyone from estranged parents, to an older boyfriend with questionable connections, to a best friend who envies Haley's life.

Secrets can be deadly…
One of those secrets may have gotten Haley killed. If she's still alive, Evelyn knows that the more the investigation ramps up, the more pressure they could be putting on Haley's kidnapper to make her disappear for good. It's also possible the teenager isn't in danger at all, but has skillfully manipulated everyone and staged her own disappearance. Only one thing is certain: uncovering Haley's fate could be dangerous—even deadly—to Evelyn herself.

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BETRAYED

Powerful Stories of Kick-Ass Crime Survivors

22 Crime Thrillers

by bestselling, award-winning, and critically acclaimed authors!

What happens when the person you trust the most betrays you? That’s the question posed in Betrayed, a powerful collection of stories about love, violence, and survival. The characters in these pages may suffer and bleed, but they fight back. They are survivors — not victims.

Buy the book for .99

ELIZABETH is giving away a signed print copy of K-9 Defense.

International Giveaway.