We’re so thrilled to have Kari Lee Townsend back on the blog, and this time she’s brought dreamy Detective Nik Stevens with her! We can’t wait to see what he’s got to say about everything that’s been happening in Clearview, but before we get to that, we just want to let you know that Kari’s running a giveaway for a signed copy of An Inkling of Evil, so look out for the details of how to enter at the end! Now, back to Kari and Nik!

Detective Nik Stevens, how does it feel to have to be the one to have to answer the questions?

I have to say, I don’t especially like being on this side of an interrogation. I like being the one to ask the questions and call the shots. It’s a little unsettling to have to talk about my feelings. It’s not easy for me to open up because of what happened in my past. You’ll have to read the book to find out what that is.

And you and Kalli Ballas have finally made things official, is that right?

Yes! It took Kalli forever to decide I was worth taking a chance on. Oh, she was all for dating me, she just didn’t want to put a label on anything. But I’m the type of person who likes to know exactly where I stand with someone. In my book, we’re either together, or we’re not. There are no shades of grey. Maybe it’s the detective in me, but I don’t like living my life in a mystery.

How’s that going? You share a duplex sort of situation, don’t you? What’s that like?

Being official with Kalli is great. It’s bringing us even closer. When I first moved to Clearview, Connecticut, I rented half a house from Kalli’s best friend, Jaz Alvarez, while Jaz and Kalli lived in the other half. Since then, Jaz has moved in with my best friend and fellow detective, Boomer Matheson. Kalli’s lingerie business, Kalli Originals, is doing well so she is now renting the other half of Jaz’s house, giving a whole new meaning to Your place or mine?

Do you ever want to tear down the walls separating the two of you? What do you think Kalli would do if you did?

I would love to tear down the walls separating Kalli’s half of the house from mine, but that would require we tear down the emotional walls we both have up first. We might be official, but Kalli still has a hard time with change. She likes things a certain way, and she worries her quirks will scare me away. I try to reassure her that I can be clean and orderly, and I find her mind-reading ability fascinating. Although, following Ma’s advice to think before I speak isn’t so easy, given Kalli can get inside my head anytime she touches me.

What about your not-so-little pup, Wolfgang?

That’s our other issue. Wolf is a big, slobbery Saint Bernard who only listens to Kalli. They have an understanding of sorts that if he keeps his wiggling fanny on the ground and his slobber in his mouth, then she will pet the top of his head. The biggest problem is her calico cat, Priscilla, aka Miss Priss, is about as prissy as they come and not a fan of Wolfgang.

There has been quite the uptick in crime in Clearview in the last while, it must be hard to find the time to focus on your relationship. How do you find that balance? Is it easy to turn off the Detective in you, or do you often find yourself bringing work home?

Crime has definitely picked up in Clearview, and I’m not sure why. It keeps me busy, and since both of our families make up a lot of the town now, it seems like someone related to either of us is always wrapped up in trouble. That causes an issue for me because solving crimes is my job, but my girlfriend can’t seem to keep her nose out of a case if it involves someone she knows.

Have you talked to Kalli about that? How does she handle everything?

Kalli understands why I don’t want her involved in a case. It would kill me if anything bad ever happened to her. Does that mean she will comply with my wishes? Definitely not. I spend just as much time keeping her out of trouble as I do working at my job.

You’re half-Greek, right? Were you prepared for dating someone from such a big, full-Greek family full of equally big personalities?

Kalli was adopted by a Greek family while I was born from a Greek mama and a Scandinavian father. After my parents’ divorce, my father moved to Britain while my ma raised me up Greek. My family is nearly as wild and crazy as Kalli’s. Being an only child, Ma couldn’t stand to be away from me. So after I moved to Clearview, she followed with a lot of my family. Between Kalli and me, Clearview is now overrun with Greeks. They sure do keep life interesting.

And how are you fairing now? Is there anything, in particular, you’ve grown to love about it?

Most of the time, life is great. Sometimes it’s hard to find alone time and escape both our families, but I do have to say, if we ever need anything, they are always there for us. It’s nice having Jaz and Boomer as a couple because they’re both our best friends. We enjoy spending time with them. Although their twin full-size female poodles enjoy spending a little too much time with my boy, Wolf.

You mentioned your father earlier. We don’t see a lot of him or his side of the family around here. Why is that?

My father lives in Britain and the rest of his family in Norway. I’ve been meaning to get out to see them, but I’ve been so busy since moving to Clearview that it hasn’t happened yet. Although, now that Kalli and I are official, I’m hoping she can meet them soon.

Do you think that’ll change any time soon?

I have a feeling I’ll be seeing at least one of my relatives very soon.

And finally, because you’re an important man and you probably need to get back to a case, if the future could look like absolutely anything you could dream of, what would yours look like?

That’s a good question. I’m not getting any younger, and I really like Clearview. Now that I have a girlfriend, it makes me start to think about the future. I want a family someday, but I have no clue if Kalli does or not. I guess that’s something we should start thinking about. But first things first, I’d like to make moving in together official.

Thank you so much for having me here today. It’s been fun. Comment for a chance to win a signed paperback of An Inkling of Evil. We’ll pick the winner this time next week! So get your comments in before noon on 4/26!

Kari Lee Townsend is a National Bestselling Author of mysteries & a tween superhero series. She also writes romance and women’s fiction as Kari Lee Harmon. With a background in English education, she’s now a full-time writer, wife to her own superhero, mom of three sons, one darling diva, one daughter-in-law & two lovable fur babies. These days you’ll find her walking her dogs or hard at work on her next story, living a blessed life.

You can find her at her website,  on Instagram,  on Twitter here and here, on Facebook here and here, and yes, even on TikTok!