We asked Heather what draws her to write suspenseful women's fiction. She
responded:
I've enjoyed writing since I was a child - yes, I was one of those kids who did
a fist pump whenever the teacher assigned a writing project -but as is typical
with most writers, I was and am, first and foremost an avid reader. As a child
my favorite place in the world was our public library and I spent as much time
as possible with my nose in a book. I loved mysteries and plowed my way through
all the Encyclopedia Brown and Nancy Drew Mystery books. One of my favorite
mystery series growing up was The Boxcar Children which I recently learned was
originally published in 1924. I read all the books that were available when I
was a child, and again as an adult I read them to my own children with
enthusiasm. Who can resist a story about a tight knit set of orphaned siblings,
an abandoned boxcar, a dog, and the mystery surrounding a long lost grandfather?
As I got older, I continued to enjoy mystery and suspense novels but my
interests expanded to a variety of genres, including books that explored the
intricacies of the human heart: Sherwood Anderson's WINESBURG, OHIO, Elizabeth
Berg's PULL OF THE MOON, Margaret Atwood's THE HANDMAID'S TALE, and so many
more. I've always admired the way writers could take me away to different places
and times through the written word. I knew I wanted to try my hand at writing
but didn't sit down and seriously begin until after I was married and had my
children. But when I did, I remembered all the stories and books I've read
through the years, remembered how deftly authors could arrange the words on a
page to be suspenseful, heart wrenching, or heart-warming - to evoke all
varieties of emotion. My hope is to do the same for my readers.
About Heather Gudenkauf
Heather Gudenkauf
graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in elementary education and
for the past sixteen years has worked with elementary children. Currently, along
with writing, Heather is an Instructional Coach, an educator who provides
teachers with curricular, student, and professional development support. Heather
lives in Dubuque, Iowa with her husband and children. In her free time Heather
enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and running.
About ONE BREATH AWAY
On a bitter March day, as a sudden snowstorm envelops the small town of Broken
Branch, Iowa, an unknown man with a gun enters the town’s only school and takes
a classroom of children hostage. As awareness of the situation spreads, the
panicked community is ready to do anything to protect their children, but can
only watch and wait.
As a teacher with a long career behind her, Evelyn Oliver is ready to enjoy
retirement with her loving husband. But now, faced with a crazy man armed with a
gun, terrorizing her classroom, she’d rather die than fail to protect any of her
students. But why is he doing this? Evelyn’s been scouring her mind but doesn’t
recognize the intruder. Maybe one of the students is the key?
Holly Thwaite left Broken Branch and her family behind without a word eighteen
years ago, vowing never to return. But after a debilitating accident leaves her
recovering in a hospital in Arizona, she’s forced to send her children to her
hometown to be looked after by their grandfather, the man she never wanted them
to meet. Will Thwaite never understood why his estranged daughter, Holly, ran
away all those years ago. But now that her children are in his care, he refuses
to fail his daughter again. One way or another, Will is going to get his
grandkids, P.J. and Augie, out of that school safely even if he has to go in and
get them himself. What Will doesn’t know is that thirteen-year-old Augie is just
as determined to rescue her little brother from the killer and help her
classmates, even if it means putting herself in the crosshairs of the gunman.
Police officer Meg Barrett wants to know who the intruder is and why he’s doing
this. Whoever it is, there’s no excuse for this. Meg should know. She’s had
plenty of hardships herself. But with innocent lives at stake, Meg is prepared
to risk her own life to save these hostages, although it means disobeying orders
and taking on the gunman face-to-face.
As the standoff progresses and the snowstorm rages outside, anxiety and
frustration start to build to dangerous levels. But everyone knows how
precarious the situation is. One wrong move, even a breath, could have the most
devastating of consequences.
11 comments posted.
I read romance primarily for the HEA, the good endings, no sad endings; suspense adds more story to the simple romance and makes it that more interesting.
(Diane Sadler 10:20am July 9, 2012)
Your book captured my interest. I enjoy a good suspense book. I remember reading Nancy Drew as a young girl and I read The Hardy Boys to my two sons.
(Robin McKay 4:18pm July 9, 2012)
I had never read the Boxcar children but my kids found the series and loved it.
(Maureen Emmons 6:46pm July 9, 2012)
I love mysteries and have progressed from the beginners of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys which got my toes wet. Then there were the classics like Poe to the ones like Les Roberts 13 series of PI with Milan Jacovich. I've even tried my hand at writing mysteries and will get back to the manuscript this summer.
(Alyson Widen 8:21pm July 9, 2012)
All I can say is -- What a story line!! I am sitting here tonight with baited breath, and can't wait to read the book!! The description of the book has me impatiently waiting to read page one of your story, and wanting to read the entire story!! Congratulations on a book that I'm sure will do well, and I'm sure will be recommended to others.
(Peggy Roberson 9:38pm July 9, 2012)
I read a lot of crime of all sorts; they are sometimes fun or challenging puzzles, sometimes social comment, particularly police procedurals. Suspense depends on the location and interesting information to grab my interest. I find I don't read much of the psychological thriller, not my thing. Historical crime, now that is great! Try A Plague On Both Your Houses by Susannah Gregory for a murder mystery set in Cambridge University during the Black Death.
(Clare O'Beara 6:15am July 10, 2012)
I really enjoy mystery too, especially if there is a little romance thrown in there too.
(Molly Wilsbacher 6:06pm July 10, 2012)
your childhood books were also my favorites. Another group that I loved were the Hardy Boys, Little House on the Prairie & an all time favorite was a Weekly Reader book club book called HALF MAGIC. Somewhere over the years I lost my copy. When they did a 50 yrs rerelease of the book I bought it again. Now my grandchildren are enjoying it.
(Pat Moore 2:37pm August 1, 2012)