A Visit from Sandra Orchard

By Patricia Bradley


And the Winner of Sandra's book is.....

Melissa Tagg!

Sandra Orchard is an award-winning author of Christian romantic suspense. She writes for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense line, and Revell Publishing. Today I want to welcome her to the Ponderers to interview the heroine of her new book, Deadly Devotion. 

Sandra:    Tell us a little about yourself and how you came to be in the midst of such suspense. 

My name is Kate Adams and I’m a research scientist specializing in herbal remedies. My dear friend, mentor, and fellow researcher, Daisy Leacock, died recently, the police say by drinking the wrong kind of marigold tea. But my friend would never have made such a mistake, and she certainly wouldn’t have done it deliberately. I can’t bear the thought of people thinking she could. Let alone the thought of someone getting away with her murder. So since the police refuse to continue the investigation, I intend to find her killer myself.

Sandra: Do you have any family?

I have my church family, but I’m kind of new there so I’m not close to anyone, really. I live with my friend Julie whose wedding is in a few weeks. I have no siblings. My parents are also gone. Daisy was the closest thing to family that I had and now she’s gone, too. Her long-lost nephew Edward shares my grief, but he seems just as anxious as the police to let the investigation die.

Sandra: So, during the investigation you met Tom Parker.  Tell us a bit about him.  What was your first impression? 

He seemed kind and compassionate. He wore a suit and tie, not a uniform, which put me at ease. I am not comfortable around cops, not since one took my father away when I was a child. Of course, when he refused to reopen the case, I knew he just pressed his business card into my hand to placate me.

Sandra: Do you still feel the same?

I’m not sure. Half the time I think I can trust him, that he actually cares about me more than just as a witness or because I stumbled into danger. Then…he’ll go and do something that makes me realize that when he spouted his “People are rarely what they seem” motto, he was talking about himself.

Sandra: Is there one event that shaped your life and made you who you are today?

Yes, my father died in police custody when I was ten. I’ll never forget the day they took him away. He leaned his forehead against the window and said, “Remember Kate, I love you. I will always love you.” I didn’t understand why they took him away. Mom told me over and over again that he didn’t do anything wrong, but she also told me not to talk about him, so what was I supposed to think? We ended up moving very far away to live with my Gran and Gramps and escape the questions, and the merciless taunts of my classmates. It made me a very private person. Mom battled depression after that. My Gramps was a gardener. My Gran was into herbal remedies and my dad had been a medicinal researcher so I guess I came by my vocation naturally. My interest in finding a remedy for depression in particular came from watching my mom.

Sandra: You seem really brave striking out on your own this way to solve your friend’s murder. Aren’t you afraid the murderer might come after you?

The thought had crossed my mind, and my roommate pointed it out a time or two to try to discourage me, but if you understood how much Daisy did for me, you’d understand why I can’t let her reputation be destroyed this way. I’d be letting her down.

Sandra: Some have suggested you’re more concerned about how such a mishap on her part would reflect on the caliber of your research. Care to respond?

That’s ridiculous. Yes, this research is very important to me. And yes, if people believed Daisy accidentally drank tea made from the wrong marigolds, it would probably cause some concern among the board members of the foundation that provided our funding grant, but that’s not why I’m trying to clear Daisy’s name! She was my friend.

Sandra:  Is there anything you fear?

Sure, we all have fears. I guess deep down my greatest fear is finding out that my dad really had done something horribly wrong and was a bad person like my classmates had said. Maybe that’s why it’s so important to me to prove Daisy didn’t do anything wrong.

Sandra:  What do you value above all else?

Loyalty. Friends you can count on no matter what.

Sandra: What do you hope people will learn from your experience?

Believe in people. Don’t give up on them. Look past what they’re doing to the hurting person inside. Look for the good in people.

Patricia: 
Deadly Devotion is a book I've read and loved, not only for the characters, but I found the story line very intriguing, especially the herbal part of it.  I love the idea of a tea shop where you can mix your own herbal teas. 

So, do you have a favorite herbal remedy or tea? Leave a comment letting me know and one lucky person will receive my copy of Deadly Devotion! Comments open until Monday night, June 10, 2013.

You can learn more about Sandra’s books and bonus features at www.SandraOrchard.com or connect at www.Facebook.com/SandraOrchard

Deadly Devotion—Port Aster Secrets #1

A romantic suspense/mystery series ~ Revell Publishing
Releases June 2013

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