Today we welcome the one and only Rebecca York to our blog! She’s here to answer a few questions for the release of her romantic suspense novel, Sudden Insight.
Welcome! Can you tell us about yourself and what got you into writing?
I always wanted to be a writer but assumed it was off the table because I’m dyslexic and can’t spell my way out of a paper bag. After getting married and having two kids, I attended a career seminar, and surprise, surprise—writing popped up as a good occupational fit! I thought, ‘Why not give it a shot?’ I wrote my first article—about the seminar—in a painful twenty-five-hour slog. But the local paper liked it! From there, I landed steady writing gigs and also joined a local writing class where we shared our work. Somewhere between mommy duty and my nonfiction articles, I started my first novel*, Invasion of the Blue Lights*, a kids’ science fiction story. That book sold to Scholastic. From there I ventured into romance, then romantic suspense because I loved the combination of action, adventure and happily-ever-after.
Are there any books that have really influenced you as a writer?
Oh, absolutely. I was a huge science fiction fan as a teenager. One book that influenced me a lot was Adventures in Time and Space, a collection of short stories edited by Raymond J. Healy and J. Francis McComas. I also loved Ray Bradbury and Robert Heinlein. Later I realized that Heinlein’s The Puppet Masters is basically romantic suspense in disguise. Dean Kootz was also on my bedside table. When I started writing romantic suspense, I devoured Mary Stewart, Helen MacInnes, and Victoria Holt. Later I chanced on Ken Follett’s The Key to Rebecca. I thought, “Yep, this is exactly what I want to write—a mix of romance, suspense, and danger.”
What do you enjoy most about writing romantic suspense? What do you enjoy least?
The best part is mixing the heart-pounding action with the heart-pounding romance! You’ve got people falling in love while dodging danger—perfect? The least enjoyable? Oh, that’s easy—getting the first draft done. Honestly, staring at a blank screen is like solitary confinement, but with more existential dread. Once I’ve got something to work with, I love editing and polishing and making the story sing.
What inspired this book in particular?
Romance is about two people finding a deep connection, right? So I thought, what if these two characters were so isolated from humanity that they thought love wasn’t even an option for them? Both Rachel and Jake are products of a fertility clinic experiment gone haywire—think mad scientist playing with human life. When they finally meet, they form a connection so intense it’s either going to lead to true love… or straight-up disaster. Talk about high stakes!
What drew you to set this book in New Orleans?
Oh, where do I start? My first trip to New Orleans was unforgettable. The jazz, the voodoo, the food! Seriously, I’d move there just for the gumbo. But what really hooked me was the city’s vibe—it’s full of joy, but with this dark, magical undercurrent. It’s like walking into a party you’re pretty sure might be haunted. You’ve got those eerie above-ground crypts and the wildness of the bayou just a short drive away. It’s the perfect setting for a story with paranormal twists.
There is a supernatural element to Sudden Insight with Rachel Gregory being a tarot reader. Why did you decide to incorporate that aspect into her character?
Rachael has never been able to forge meaningful relationships. She’s felt about as connected to the rest of humanity as a cat at a dog show. Tarot cards are her way of trying to bridge that gap. Because both she and Jake are products of that fertility clinic disaster, they’ve always been emotionally isolated. But when they meet, they forge a bond so powerful that it will either give them what they’ve longed for all their lives—or lead to catastrophic disaster.
What is your favorite aspect of Jake Harper as a character?
Where do I start? He’s the quintessential self-made man. From his teenage years on the streets, he’s worked his way up to becoming one of New Orleans’ leading citizens. He’s resourceful, tough, and completely shut off from his emotions—until Rachel comes along. She’s the only one who can break through that hard shell of his.
What are some books you are enjoying reading right now? Do you have any recommendations?
I’ve been diving into T.J. Brown’s series lately. The first book is Unhappy Medium, and wow, talk about a wild ride. It’s about a scientist who gets pulled into working for, wait for it, the dead people who run purgatory. Yeah, it’s as bonkers as it sounds, but it works! Plus, the humor in it is just fantastic. I’m on the second book, Tom Fool, right now. If you’re looking for something totally different, I highly recommend giving it a shot.
Check out Sudden Insight for yourself below!
From their first touch New Orleans tarot card reader, Rachel Gregory, and rough -and-tumble entrepreneur, Jake Harper, recognize a strange psychic synergy between them. When they meet at the scene of a murder, they quickly discover an overwhelming sexual pull that grows with the thoughts and memories they unexpectedly share.
Accused of the killing, Rachel and Jake go on the run. With sinister forces in hot pursuit, the two work feverishly to strengthen the bonding of mind and body they crave, all too aware that any misstep could be fatal. Together they must unearth the decades-old secrets that are the keys to their survival. But can they uncover the truth before sinister forces destroy them?
NY Times & USA Today best-seller, Rebecca York, is the author of over 130 books. She has written paranormal romantic thrillers for Berkley and romantic thrillers for Harlequin Intrigue. Her romantic-suspense series, Decorah Security, is set at a detective agency where agents have paranormal powers or work paranormal cases. And her Off World series travels into the future when humanity has colonized far-flung planets, but the emotions of love, hate, greed, envy, and the like are as powerful as ever.
Her many accolades include the RWA Centennial Award (for having written100 romances), two Rita finalist books, two Romantic Times Career Achievement awards, a Prism award, and several Golden Leaf awards. Her Killing Moon was a launch book for the Berkley Sensation imprint.
She collects rocks and has been known to lug stones back from Hawaii, Ireland, Italy, and Alaska. Her many real-life adventures are apt to end up in her books–like the time she encountered a coral snake in the Guatemalan jungle, went down in a small submarine, took a glider flight over Ronald Reagan’s former ranch, or visited the bunker prepared for Congress in case of a nuclear attack.
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