Interview with Rita Finalist Pamela Tracy

I’d like to welcome our guest today, Pamela Tracy. It’s a pleasure having you come visit us at Much Cheaper Than Therapy, where chocolate is plentiful and advice is free. So grab some chocolate and a lounge chair. Your therapy session has begun.





I understand you have a book nominated for the RITA called Pursuit of Justice. Can you tell us a little bit about your book?

Sure, I love to talk about this book. It was my first for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense. Rosa’s story began almost a decade ago. She inserted herself in my life in bursts and stops. The beginning of her story spilled from me, but I kept selling novellas and prayer books and I’d stop writing Rosa’s story. Then, in between sales, I’d go back to it. Finally, my agent, Steve Laube, sold it before it was done and I had to finish it. Let me tell you, Rosa was relieved.



Here’s the blurb:

While helping the police bust a drug ring, Rosa Cagnalia witnessed a murder—one she was now being framed for. Officer Samuel Packard hauled her in, only to see another cop— his former partner—take her from the precinct without cause. So he followed. Betraying a friend went against Sam's beliefs, but he suspected that something was going on, and that Rosa just might be innocent. The dangerous predicament he discovered her in only cemented his desire to help. Now, if only he could get his beautiful suspect to cooperate....

Pursuit of Justice is a very interesting title. How did you arrive at that name?

I didn’t. From the beginning, I called the story The Good, the Bad, and the Romantic. When I realized it was going to be an inspirational suspense, I changed it to The Redemption of Rosa. Once it came time for the publishers input, I was asked to submit ten ideas. I don’t even remember if Pursuit of Justice was one of my ideas.

Did you have to do a lot of research for the book?

The research was fun. I researched how people get busted out of jail. I researched deserted mines in Arizona. I researched guns. Some research fell in my lap. When I started writing Rosa, a trailer burned down in my park. It went into my story. The cat, of course, is my cat Aquila. Sam’s dad’s cabin is my friend Marty’s cabin.

What character did you like writing about the most, and why?

I liked Rosa, of course, she came to me complete, larger than life, and she drove the story.

If your book was made into a movie, what actor would you like to fill your hero’s shoes?

Charlie Sheen is Sam. Julia Roberts is Rosa.

Do you have any authors that inspired you?


I’ve been a reader forever. I’d have to thank the early years: Beverly Cleary, L.M. Montgomery, Carolyn Keene. Then, to the teenager years: Lois Duncan. Early twenties took me to Barbara Michaels, Stephen King. Today, I couldn’t even begin to list them.

What do we have to look forward next?

In January of 2009, Daddy for Keeps, a straight romance from Love Inspired comes out. The hero is a bullrider/preacher; the heroine is a single mom who does web sites.

Thanks, Pamela!

To celebrate her RITA nomination, Pamela is offering a free copy of Pursuit of Justice to one lucky commenter on today's blog. She will be around all day today. I'm sure some of you have questions or comments for her, so please ask away...

Check out author’s website at http://www.pamelakayetracy.com/ or her blog at


http://ladiesofsuspense.blogspot.com/