Welcome, friend! Today I bring you a collaborative post with author Pepper Effen and we are chatting about her latest romance suspense novel, The Figurine.
Get to know the author: Pepper Effen
Welcome Pepper! Tell me and my readers a bit about yourself!
I’m originally from North Carolina, but I became a digital nomad in 2021. I’ve always wanted to travel, and once my daughter went off to college, I was free to do just that. I started in Mexico, learning Spanish and enjoying Mexican culture (and food!). Then I went on the Guatemala for a while, then back to Mexico. I’ve met local people and other digital nomads. It’s a dream for me to write and travel.
What inspired you to write this book?
I was thinking a lot about how people present themselves when you first meet them, and how we can get tricked into trusting people who are untrustworthy. Most times in our lives, that manifests in relationships with people who just don’t end up being very nice to us. But I wanted to take it to the extreme and explore a case where choosing the wrong person could have life or death consequences. It’s hard to judge someone’s intent when they’re hiding behind a handsome smile and a respectable position in society. So the lesson, ultimately, is that we need to learn to trust our instincts. Because if you can get in touch with your gut feelings, they won’t lead you astray.
How long did it take you to write this book, from the first idea to the last edit?
The Figurine is my first novel, so it took me a year. But I had so much to learn. I had written non-fiction before – business technical – but stories are different. I spent a lot of time on a Mexico City rooftop staring at the clouds, working out how to bring these characters to life! But I’m working on my next novel now, and it’s going faster.
What makes your story unique?
Joanna and Allan’s story is suspenseful, because some bad stuff is happening, and they’ve made some wrong choices. But it’s really about the deep emotional journey Joanna goes through to learn to trust her instincts and love the man who will protect and cherish her.
My goal is to write the best story I can for readers, and I think that has two parts: taking the reader on a roller coaster of all the feels, and backing it up with writing that is a pleasure to read. Judging from the reviews The Figurine has so far, I think I managed to achieve that (and I’m so grateful for the reviews!}.
Who would enjoy reading your book?
If you like fast-paced romantic suspense, with a creepy villain, flawed but lovable characters, and a deeply emotional true love match, then I think you would like The Figurine.
What’s something you hope readers would take away from it?
Trust your instincts. If you have a gut feeling that something is wrong, pay attention. You have a deep natural wisdom that we, as women especially, are often taught to ignore.
Do you have a favourite quote or scene in the book that you find yourself going back to?
This quote is from after she’s made an important transformation:
She had told him a hundred times by now that she loved him, but she couldn’t find words for what she was feeling right now. He had seen her damage. Her inability to trust him. Her inability to trust herself. It had tempered their relationship from the start.
But he loved her anyway. All of her, even the scars. It didn’t matter anymore where the damage came from. Because she could feel it falling away, little by little, day by day, with every moment she spent with him.
What is something you have learned on your author journey so far?
I’ve learned that being a writer is a lifelong learning exercise. There’s so much to learn to be a good storyteller, so much to learn about crafting beautiful language, and so much to learn about finding those readers who would love your stories. It’s a good thing I love to learn!
What’s the best piece of advice you have received related to writing?
Be mindful that every sentence you write is like a tiny movie playing in your reader’s imagination. It has helped me make my scenes more vivid.
If you could give a shout out to someone(s) who has helped in your writer journey, please feel free to mention them below!
She doesn’t know me, but I owe a huge thanks to Abbie Emmons for her YouTube channel on writing. She got me started with her excellent advice and infectious optimism.
The Figurine
Romantic suspense, 2022
At twenty-eight, Joanna Macguire wants a slow and steady kind of love, the kind to build a family on. She knows that intense attraction always burns out too fast. So when a handsome forensic scientist almost sweeps her off her feet, she rejects him. Online dating seems a safer bet, until the perfect guy turns out to be a dangerous choice.
Allan Cooper feels an intense connection when he meets Joanna, and he knows the feeling is mutual. So why did she put him in the friend zone? Meanwhile, at the state crime lab, he’s investigating an elusive serial killer with a fetish for redheads and antique wedding dresses.
Allan and Joanna get to know each other at weekly trivia night, and his patience finally pays off. But when Joanna disappears, the most important case of his career becomes horrifyingly personal.
Content notes: Kidnapping, but no graphic violence.
Book Excerpt from
The Figurine
Allan peered through the eyepiece of the microscope, then wrote his notes on a clipboard as fluorescent lights buzzed overhead. He was finishing up a blood analysis while Dylan and Jeff waited for him to be ready to go to lunch. They were going to try the new pizza place a few blocks away, and he needed to hurry up or they’d end up having to wait for a table.
”So you just showed up unannounced?” asked Dylan, eyebrows raised.
“I thought it would be fine, or Tom wouldn’t have suggested it.”
He swapped the slides and adjusted the microscope, then examined the image, noting the result.
”Still, it took a little nerve,” Jeff said, nodding his approval as he leaned against the spotless stainless steel counter.
Allan shrugged. ”It’s not like I went to her house or anything. It was trivia night at a pizza bar.”
Walking in the door of Mellow Pizza, though, he’d been less sure of himself. His track record so far was miserable when it came to predicting how Joanna would react. Maybe it did take a little nerve to go in blind like that. For all he knew, she would think he was harassing her and he’d end up digging himself into an even deeper hole.
Thankfully, it had gone a lot smoother than he was expecting. Not only was she receptive to his apology, but she had seemed genuinely sorry too. He really hadn’t expected her to apologize, but after she did, it had felt like a fresh start. And he never knew trivia could be so much fun, or maybe it was just the company. In any case, he wanted more, and was looking forward to next week.
There was only one problem.
Just friends. He had promised.
He was a man of his word, of course, so he’d keep his promise. But damn. Why did she have to do that? Why did she have to shut him down?
No, there was something else going on here, he was sure of it. There could be no mistaking the connection they had. It had been real, and she had shared it. And it wasn’t a simple matter of physical attraction, either, although it certainly didn’t hurt that she was so pretty. No, it was more than that.
If she had felt it too, and he believed that she had, then maybe she’d come around in time. He could wait a while. Until then, he’d see her every Wednesday. It would just have to do for now.
”So? How did it go?” asked Jeff.
”It turned out nice, actually. We’re back on good terms.”
”So when are you going out?”
”I mean we’re back on good terms as friends. Will you hand me that slide tray?” He pointed to a white plastic tray beside Jeff on the counter.
”Well, that’s better than mad,” said Dylan.
”Definitely. They asked me to hang out and play trivia with them. I had a great time, and I guess I’m on their team permanently now.” He grinned.
”So you’re in, that’s awesome,” Jeff said.
It was a start. At least they would have a chance to get to know each other better.
”Here comes Wilcox,” said Dylan, nodding in the direction of a voice coming from down the hall.
Allan looked up from the microscope to see the lab director walking towards them down the hallway, visible through the open blinds on the long wall of glass. The man wore a dark blue suit and held his phone to his ear, his silver hair shining under the artificial light. First pausing to finish his conversation, he pocketed his phone and leaned his head into the doorway.
”Hey, you guys remember Scott Thompson, detective here in Raleigh?”
”Yeah, boss,” said Dylan.
”His missing person case has turned into a homicide. I just wanted to let you know. They might need some more help.”
”Damn,” said Allan.
He didn’t envy Thompson having to tell her family that she was dead.
”Yeah, the body was found early this morning by a jogger on the Lake Lynn trail. It was bizarre – she was propped up against a tree wearing an old wedding dress. Cause of death was stabbing, but not with a standard knife. The medical examiner thinks it might have been a chisel. Anyway, I wanted to give you a heads up.”
He wrinkled his brow and slapped the side of the door frame with his palm, then walked down the hall.
”Well, shit,” said Jeff.
Interested?
Find The Figurine on Goodreads, Amazon and IndieStoryGeek. It’s already on my TBR and I look forward to sharing my thoughts about it.
Thank you for hanging out with us today. Connect with Pepper on Instagram, Goodreads and Amazon.
If you are an indie author and would like to do a book excerpt, check out my work with me page for details. Check out other book excerpts here.
Cover image: Photo on Unsplash
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