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Romance has always been Jean Hackensmith’s style.

This veteran of the genre could not get enough of the wounded hero and the spunky heroine, and the stories that bring them together. They called to her - so much so that when she tried to write a thriller without a shred of nookie, it just didn’t happen. So the wife and mother of five added a dash of romance and the result was the thrill ride, Checkmate.

More than three decades ago, Hackensmith doodled a great first book line while she was chatting on the phone. That led her to write was she calls a “900 page monstrosity” that was never published - and should not have been. But the experience of crafting her own tale and bringing together characters got in her blood, and she greedily found every book and group she could on writing.

Her determination - and the support of life-long love husband, Ron - lead to a career with a dozen published romance novels. After a while, though, Hackensmith found herself close to burn out. She loved writing, but needed something different - something edgy. She got the idea for her first thriller from a news story on True TV (Court TV for those who can’t stand the new name). A few days of what ifs, and Hackensmith had plotted Checkmate. This seasoned author has also collaborated on The “Passage” Saga and The Gitche Gumee Saga with friend and fact researcher Kathe Birch.  She is also the sole author of Sweet Hell, Tender Persuasion, and Wagons to the Past.

This week, get a sneak peak into her first thriller and learn more about this sharply focused author during her virtual sitdown with critic Angela Wilson.