SEELIE KAY: Postcards from The Ledge: This week in The Loft: Author Tena Stetler!

Joining me today in The Loft is international best-selling author Tena Stetler. Tena has written 18 paranormal romance books, no doubt drawing on past lives as a savings and loan branch manager, a paralegal for a criminal law firm, and an IT Manager for an electrical contracting firm. Her books tell tales of magical kick-ass women and mystical alpha males that dare to love them. When she’s not writing, Tena's time is spent kayaking, camping, hiking, biking, or just relaxing in the great Colorado outdoors. Tena shares her Colorado home with her husband of many moons, a brilliant 11-year-old Chow Chow, a spoiled 25-year-old parrot, and a 42-year-old box turtle.

Author Tena Stetler

S: Good morning, Tena! I'm so pleased you could join me today.

Why did you start writing romance?

T: For me, crafting a romance is all about respect, trust, and love, except most of my characters are of the paranormal persuasion. I want to create a memorable love story with spice, adventure, and of course, a happily ever after. Characters that will grab hold of your heart and hang on long after you’ve read the last word and closed the book with a satisfied sigh.

S: That's a worthy goal as an author.

Are you self-published or traditionally published?

T: I am traditionally published. I guess you could say the path chose me. Recently, I’ve considered self-publishing, but find it would take time away from my writing, where my passion lives.

S: Self-publishing is a lot of work. I admire those who attempt it.

Do you write in other genres?

T: I do write in different genres. "Security Force of Two" was my first attempt at a mystery, maybe cozy. It was very well received and the first book in my Mountain Town Mystery Series. I also tried my hand at a historical, western, time travel paranormal all rolled into one. Whew it was a challenge. It turned out good and the reviewers loved "An Angel’s Wylder Assignment." Would I attempt it again? Jury is still out on that.

S: What attracted you to your current partner?

T: He is kind, understanding, smart, funny, loves animals, and is supportive. He enjoys my books and loves to brainstorm with me.

S: What do you want inscribed on your tombstone?

T: She dared to dream and never gave up.

S: How do you want to be remembered?

T: As kind, determined and that I loved to write stories to entertain people.

S: What do you consider your greatest achievement?

T: Writing and finishing a book that people enjoy.

S: What’s the best advice you have ever been given?

T: I have two. To write what you love. If you don’t your readers will know. The other is that Everyone gets bad reviews. Writing is subjective and not all will like your books. People can break your heart. Read the review only once, glean any bit of constructive information from them, if any, and never read them again.

S: That's great advice.

What inspired "Security Force of Two?"

T: "Security Force of Two" is the first book in my Mountain Town Mystery series. All the books in the series can be read as a standalone. A few years ago, I attended a writing conference. I had lunch with an individual from a publishing house. She was a hoot and talked about her father who was the chief of police for a small town. Growing up in that small town she knew everybody’s business more than most, being the chief’s daughter. Nothing really bad ever happened in her town. Our conversation got me to thinking, which is always a dangerous thing. What if the police chief of 35 years retired? What if his replacement succumbed to an untimely death in that tiny town that never saw much crime, let alone a violent murder? What if the retired police chief’s daughter left the CIA for a quiet life only to become mixed up in the investigation? The what-ifs went on and on. I made notes and stored them on my computer. As it turned out, when I arrived home from the conference, an email awaited me. My debut novel, "A Demon’s Witch," which I pitched at that conference was contracted by The Wild Rose Press. which has since published 18 of my books. In my excitement, the file was completely forgotten. Years later, I came across the file and reviewed it. "Security Force of Two" was born. I keep thinking, someday, I should drop the individual an email and let her know our conversation inspired my book. Then again, maybe not.

Here's the blurb--

Miacoh Zane, a Special Forces veteran, returns to Aspen Ridge, Colorado a small town nestled in the Rocky Mountains, to settle his beloved grandmother’s estate. But the town holds painful memories and mystical family secrets he wants to leave behind for good.

Candle Bearclaw, is a gifted computer analyst/programmer with psychic talents she buried when recruited out of college by the CIA. After fifteen years, she abruptly resigns her position and returns to her sleepy hometown to discover her childhood crush has also returned and a violent crime has been committed.

Due to their covert operations experience, Candle and Miacoh are thrown together to assist Homeland Security, FBI, and her father, the former chief of police, with a murder investigation. As they search for the perpetrators, their secrets risk being revealed as the investigation takes an unusual twist that could blow the case wide open.