Firestorm
SECRETS. BETRAYAL. SACRIFICE. THIS TIME, THEY'RE NOT JUST FIGHTING FIRE. An original series created by bestselling authors Susan May Warren and Lisa Phillips. He thought his life was over…and then she walked back in. Charlie Benning has always been a rescuer—first with the Last Chance County Fire and Rescue team, and now as a firefighter with the Jude County Hotshots. But this summer isn’t about saving lives—it’s about hiding his own terrible secret. A secret he’s keeping from his estranged daughter, Alexis. But fate is about to intervene. Will their secrets destroy their second chance? Jayne Price raised her son, Orion, on her own just fine, thank you. And now, she runs Wildlands Academy, a summer camp that teaches kids how to fight forest fires and confront their own teenage angst—kids like Alexis Benning, who clearly has a chip on her shoulder about her semi-estranged, firefighter father. And Jayne has her own issues, like not wanting her only son to join the elite smokejumping corps. It’s enough that he’s risking his life as a hotshot on the Jude County team. Then the wildfire turns its force onto the camp and suddenly the hotshots show up to help her fight it. Only problem…the last person she expects is for her former flame, Charlie Benning—the man she can’t forget—to show up working alongside her son. Rather, his son. Who he doesn’t know exists. And then Charlie discovers the secret she’s been keeping, and he’s torn between anger and the long-simmering love that refuses to die. And Jayne isn’t about to let go of the man she loves a second time. But if the blazing wildfire isn't enough, a dangerous and relentless killer is on the prowl in the woods… Now, with the camp cut off from the outside world and the fire closing in, it’s a race against time as Charlie, Jayne, Orion, and a team of courageous smokejumpers join forces to protect the campers against a merciless inferno and a murderer. But the biggest threat of all might be Charlie’s devastating secret that could destroy the happy ending they’ve waited for so long. Prepare for an edge-of-your-seat journey that will leave you breathless until the very last page, in book four of the Chasing Fire: Montana series.
- ISBN: B0CW1HSGY2
- Publisher: Sunrise Publishing
Interview with Author Lisa Phillips!
Thanks! Let’s see… Epic summer adventure and romance.
This whole series is just a hoot and a half. Heart pounding suspense, swoony romance. Heroes. Spies. Gunfights. Explosions. Not just that but a thread of the hymn, It Is Well, flows through the series. Firestorm is one of my favorite books I’ve written. I feel like I take fast-paced to a whole new level, but I matched that with heart-wrenching emotion and second chances—plus a whole lot of cameos from other series.
Last Chance County, Benson First Responders, and now Chasing Fire—what’s your favorite thing about writing in a series versus writing stand-alones?
Writing interconnected stories is the best. It’s so fun! As a reader I want to see where the characters are now. I want to catch up with old friends. I try to write each book so that it has its own plot and the characters' stories are resolved, but book to book creating threads of friendships that turn into family really shows them grow and we see each couple after their happily ever after just content and living their lives—and showing up to help out their friends.
With over 80 books out, and more in the works, how do you ensure you keep plot points, twists and storylines fresh?
That’s a great question! Let me tell you, the answer is NOT artificial intelligence. Have you tried asking ChatGPT for help? It comes up with terrible suggestions, but sometimes they spark ideas—so I guess it helped a little.
I used to craft stories in a way that was really plot driven. These days, I start with the characters and let them tell me their story. That usually gives me a unique start, and my writer friends will jump in and help me brainstorm anytime I need it. I also lean on my reader Discord, a great group who come up with some spectacular twists.
What’s the most challenging thing about being a Brit living in America?
Guys, your chocolate is TERRIBLE. European chocolate is so much better. I go to World Market, or I buy it from Amazon.
What was your favorite book as a child?
So it turns out I was one of those terrible children who didn’t like to read. Seriously, my mother despaired over trying to get me to read a book. In high school I read The Outsiders, which I really liked. In Bible College I read Redeeming Love—and it was amazing. But it wasn’t until I read Terri Blackstock’s Cape Refuge series that I really fell in love with the idea of Romantic Suspense.
How important is it to you that you weave your faith into your stories?
I always knew I wanted to weave faith into story. I think it’s vital to see the characters grow in their faith or learn to trust the Lord more. As authors we’re kinda told to make the book appeal to the widest audience, or have a “crossover” book that could appeal to non-Christian readers. But when I surveyed my core reader fans a couple of years ago and asked what they want more of, the answer was unanimously, “more Jesus.” Which is certainly something I can get on board with! So for the Benson First Responders series I doubled down on the faith thread, creating stories with a strong spiritual arc. My Brand of Justice thrillers are more slow burn, but including a spiritual journey for the main character has made it easier to see how she’s changed and grown so far in the series.
How would you say your writing style differs from other Christian suspense authors?
I’ve been told I have a really unique voice, which comes from me just being authentic on the page. So there’s a lot of “me” in the characters and the way I write.
Sometimes I feel like there are fast paced authors…and then there’s me. Haha. I don’t like to be bored and I’m kind of hyperactive so that shows in my pacing.
My characters are complex and layered, which I hope everyone strives for, and my stories are usually pretty complicated. I hope that makes for an engaging read!
Are you a plotter or a pantser? What does a typical writing day look like for you?
I’m very much an outliner. I love to brainstorm on big poster paper, or white boards, with colored markers and sticky notes. There’s just something about seeing it visually that helps me process the story, make sure it’s complex enough of an idea for a full length novel, and to be able to write in a way that doesn’t require massive rewrites.
A typical writing day starts with lots of coffee and a dog walk, and when the kids are in school I typically write between 9am and 2pm. Monday is an admin day, and usually I write consistently until the book is finished. I love the blessing of being able to be a full-time author.
As well as being an author, you’re a worship leader in your church, which is lovely. What are some of your favorite worship songs?
Right now I absolutely love Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me by City Alight. It’s a hymn style song and is packed with so much truth.
I also love Hope Has a Name by River Valley Worship.
What is your biggest challenge in writing fiction? And what is your biggest joy?
The biggest challenge for me is that you can never find all the typos. No matter how many people proof a book, it’s never perfect. Probably because as humans we’re never perfect.
My biggest joy is connecting on Discord with readers for whom the characters in my stories feel like real people—because they feel that way to me!
When things get tough, what is it that motivates you to keep going?
I’m big on achievement, so celebrating even small wins keeps me going. Also knowing I need to pay the mortgage so I should finish the book. It’s so great that the author business I have funds our household and allows my husband to devote a lot of time to working for the church. We also have an amazing assistant. But still, so much of the responsibility is on me to keep creating. Making time to rest, and keep myself healthy, helps me to keep going.
Do you have any advice for up-and-coming Christian suspense authors?
Study books like The Story Equation (Susan May Warren) and Story Genius (Lisa Cron) and just write! Keep writing, scrap the idea and start a new one if it’s not working, and keep reading great books in your genre. Reading is the best way to study from people who are ahead of you in this industry. What do they do that works, what doesn’t work? What do their readers like and dislike about their stories?
Learn how to get words even when life is chaos. I started writing when my oldest was at PM kindergarten, and my youngest was taking a nap. Those baby naps…you’ve either got 30 minutes or you’ve got 3 hours and you have no idea which it will be. I realized that wasn’t the time to do laundry, or dishes, or talk with a friend on the phone. I dedicated that time to writing, and I used it to get where I wanted to go.
Tell us what we can look forward to from you next!
Inferno, the final Benson First Responders book, comes out at the end of September, and we’ll be back with more Last Chance County Fire and Rescue books in 2025—and lots more epic adventures to come!
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Edwina Kiernan is the Christian author of eight novels, four of which are award-winning. She is a committed follower of Jesus (the Living Word), and endeavors to use her pen to point others to Him. All her books feature strong, gospel-centered faith and sweet romance, wrapped up in atmospheric historical settings you won’t want to leave.
When she’s not writing, Edwina loves spending time with her dashing husband and lively little son, reading and studying the Bible, getting lost in a captivating novel and drinking more types of tea than most people realize even exist.
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