Adding Mystery, Suspense, and Holding a Reader's Interest: Author Interview with Luana Ehrlich

You’ve now published 27 books according to Amazon lists, but what inspired you to write that first one? 
I was inspired to write my first spy thriller, One Night in Tehran, after hearing about the persecution of Christians in Iran about twelve years ago. Because I've always been an avid reader of mysteries and thrillers, I knew my first book would be in this genre, so one morning, after hearing a news story about the difficulty of living as a Christian in Iran, I asked myself several questions, which eventually became the plotline of the book. 

I wondered what would happen if a veteran CIA intelligence operative in Tehran encountered a group of Iranian Christians and became a believer. How would his conversion affect his career? How would a man trained to lie and deceive others be able to follow the teachings of Christ in the real world?

 Within an hour of hearing the news story, I sat down at my computer and began writing the first chapter, creating the character of Titus Ray as I went along. From that point, it took me a year to finish the book. Since that time, I’ve gone on to write ten more books in that series (and there’s more to come), plus two other series, and now, each book takes me about four months to write.

You’ve now published 3 series. Your Titus Ray Thriller Series has a subset called Ben Mitchell. Why did you create it that way? 
I decided to write a spinoff of the Titus Ray Thriller Series featuring Titus’s protégé, Ben Mitchell, when I agreed to be in a romantic suspense box set with several other Christian authors. Once I wrote the first book, Ben in Love, I went on to write two more, Ben in Charge and Ben in Trouble. These three spinoffs are still told in the voice of Titus Ray, so they’re actually Titus Ray Thrillers and chronologically, they’re part of the series.

When do you decide it’s time to do a new series? 
Several years ago, when my fourth book in the Titus Ray Thrillers Series, Four Months in Cuba, was up for a Carol Award from the association of American Christian Fiction Writers, I attended the ACFW Conference, where I met the agent of another author who asked me if I’d ever considered writing a mystery series. Strangely enough, I’d never thought about doing that! But the more I thought about it, the more it appealed to me, and thus, I wrote the first book in the Mylas Grey Mystery Series, One Day Gone. I’ve now written six books in that series, plus a prequel (and there’s more to come.)

My newest series, the Silas McKay Suspense Series, was also started when I was asked to be part of a box set with other Christian authors. I’ve written three books in that series so far, One Wonders, Two Believe, and Three Confess, and the fourth book, Four Doubt, will be published in July 2024.

If you haven’t noticed yet, my protagonists’ names all rhyme—Titus Ray, Mylas Grey, and Silas McKay—plus, I added the thriller, mystery, suspense on each name according to the main character’s first name. It’s strictly a branding thing. I thought it would be easier for readers to remember them that way.

I love suspense thrillers but would have no idea how to put one together. How do you go about plotting your suspense thrillers? What research do you need to do?
The plots in my mystery/suspense/thrillers are usually straight out of today’s headlines.  From the time I was a teenager, I’ve followed current events on the news, and I’ve enjoyed reading books and articles about geopolitical happenings around the world, so writing about them seems very natural to me. When I’m considering using a news story for the plotline of a book, I collect everything I can find on the subject and after immersing myself in the subject for a week or so, I write a two-page synopsis of what will happen to my protagonist. I’m always surprised by the end of the book when I read the synopsis I originally wrote, that my characters have taken me in a slightly different direction.

What’s the best encouragement you’ve had in your writing?
The best encouragement I’ve had in my writing is from my readers. While my family certainly encouraged me when I was writing my first book, it wasn’t until I read the reviews on Amazon and started getting emails from readers who loved the character of Titus Ray, that I was encouraged to continue writing. Even today, I tell my readers that I hope they’ll never stop asking me when my next book is coming out, and I often say my readers are the reason I keep writing past midnight.  

Marketing is the biggest key to getting sales. What is the best marketing source you've used that has produces more sales rather than just clicks?
You’re right that marketing is the key to getting readers to buy a book. There are millions of books published each year, and unless an author uses some method of marketing, their books won’t get noticed. I primarily use four means to keep my books before potential readers—(1) advertising on Amazon and BookBub, a book promotion service for discounted books, (2) putting a few of my books on sale for 99c every 90 days by having my books on KindleUnlimited, (3) giving away a book by entering giveaways like Celebrate Lit and Ryan Zee, and (4) sending out a newsletter every two weeks to keep my subscribers updated about my books and to let them know when they’re discounted.

What is the best writing advice you’ve received or could give?
The best advice I could give anyone who wants to become a published author is to be disciplined in your writing. Set aside a specific time each day, or several hours during the week, to write and do it consistently. In reality, writing 800 words a day produces a 70,000-word book in three months, which is the average word count of most mystery books.  Secondly, I believe the best writers are also the best readers. The more you read, the better you’ll write.

Are there any other points about writing you would like to add?
I suppose I should mention that all my books are written in first person, and that’s the only point of view in the story. The protagonist is telling the story, so it’s his “voice” the reader hears. Events in the story are told from his perspective, and readers only know other characters as they interact with him. I believe this makes for a more intimate relationship between the reader and the main character and creates an atmosphere where the reader is able to “experience” the action in a more personal way.
 
I should also mention that all my books are clean Christian fiction, and that each of my protagonists is in a different place in his journey of faith. Although his Christian beliefs play a role in the story, it’s not the main emphasis of the storyline. There’s also a hint of heartwarming romance in each story—yes, each of my protagonists has a love interest that continues throughout the series.

What is the next book coming out? Can you give me a short synopsis?
My next release is Book 10 in the Titus Ray Thriller Series, One Good Time, which is up for preorder and will be released on April 11.

Here’s a short synopsis:  CIA covert operative Titus Ray gets involved in a deadly game of cat and mouse when he agrees to lead an FBI/CIA joint operation to the Texas border to help a known terrorist enter the U. S. illegally. By following the terrorist to his final destination, Titus hopes to stop a deadly biological attack on the nation’s heartland. But when disaster strikes, Titus is faced with a torrent of emotions that threatens to derail his mission. Can he overcome his personal anguish in time to avert the disaster?

That's all for today's interview. To learn more about Luana's writing, check out these links.
Website:   http://www.LuanaEhrlich.com
Amazon: http://amazon.com/author/luanaehrlich
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/LuanaEhrlichAuthor
Devotional Blog: http://www.hisglorymyjoy.wordpress.com

And here's a special bonus for my readers... Leave a comment on this post and next Friday we'll choose one winner to get a free eBook. Here's what Luana is offering...The winner will have a choice of the first three eBooks in the Titus Ray Thriller Series, Titus Ray Thriller Series, Books 1-3,  or if the winner prefers mysteries, then, you would get the first eBook in either her mystery or suspense series, One Day Gone or One Wonders.

So leave that comment now!