With total sales of more than 650,000, Lynette Eason is well known for her scorching romantic suspense series. Now this award-winning author is back with a new series that will have readers’ hearts working overtime as they race toward the final pages of this explosive new novel, Collateral Damage:
A former military psychologist, Brooke Adams was honorably discharged from the Army after an explosion nearly killed her. She has now set up shop to help others, but her days of helping military personnel are over. She continues to battle her own nightmares and realizes she is not equipped to take on more.
Former Army Special Ops Sergeant First Class Asher James knows he needs help. Although he could handle anything that war sent his way—terrorists, bombs, bullets—the thing that scares him the most is sleep. As the shadows close in, the nightmares begin. Asher makes an appointment with a counselor.
When he arrives at Brooke’s office, she isn’t there—but a dead body is. It soon becomes clear that Brooke was the real target of the attack—and that her secrets go even deeper than his own. Asher vows to protect her no matter what. Now on the run, they realize they must uncover these powerful secrets before they both end up dead.
In this interview, the author talks about the new series, explains the difficulty researching PTSD, and reveals her thinking behind the book’s geography.
Collateral Damage is the first book in your new Danger Never Sleeps series. How many books will be part of this series? How are the books in this series connected?
There will be four books. The books are connected via four friends who met while in the military. The series follows their lives and adventures and the men they meet—and fall in love with—along the way.
Collateral Damage deals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). What type of research was required to write about this subject?
I talked to a number of people about this disorder. Most people who have it don’t really like to discuss it. However, some people are more open—especially those who want to make sure the disorder is represented correctly. I also talked to those who had loved ones who suffered from PTSD, and they were able to give me pointers on how to make sure my story reflected it accurately.
One of your main characters is a former Army special ops sergeant. How did you learn about the tasks and perils associated with this profession?
I did a lot of online research, but the coolest thing EVER was when I was at the Mountainside Marketing Conference this past January and I met a guy who was teaching there. Turns out he had the exact same position as my hero, Asher! This wonderful man, Vincent, read each scene and gave me feedback down to which energy bar would be eaten! He offered me terminology for gear and vocabulary in the action scenes, etc. It was a fabulous divine appointment that only God could have orchestrated.
You have two very different settings for your book. Can you please let readers know why you chose these locations?
I’ve always been interested in the war in Afghanistan and the Middle East. I know some soldiers who are serving over there, so I knew I could get accurate information on that locale even though I’ve never been there myself. The other location is Greenville, South Carolina, and that’s simply because that’s where I live. I’m familiar with that location and it’s easy to write about!
Your second book in the series will release August 2020. How is your next book similar or different from Collateral Damage?
It’s similar in that it still has some of the military aspects, but very different in that it deals with a different theme, different characters, different conflicts.
Visit Lynette Eason’s author page:
https://www.familyfiction.com/authors/lynette-eason
Collateral Damage
Danger Never Sleeps #1
Lynette Eason
Revell
Honorably discharged from the Army after an explosion nearly killed her, former military psychiatrist Brooke Adams has set up shop to help others–but her days of helping military personnel are over. She’s got her own battles to fight from her time overseas, and she’s not equipped to take on more.
Former Army Special Ops Sergeant First Class Asher James could handle anything that war sent his way–terrorists, bombs, bullets. The only thing that scares him now is sleep. As the shadows close in, the nightmares begin.
Finally convinced that he needs help, Asher makes an appointment with a counselor, and Brooke is pressed by her boss to take him on. When he arrives at her office she isn’t there–but a dead body is. Brooke is devastated when she walks in, and Asher is a conveniently strong shoulder to cry on. But she can’t take him on as a client after sharing such an intimate and unprofessional moment, can she? And he’s not sure he can handle sharing his deepest fears with such a beautiful woman.
When it becomes clear that Brooke was the real target of the attack–and that her secrets go even deeper than his own–Asher vows to protect her no matter what.