Shannon here: Romantic suspense author, Jordyn Redwood shares the inspiration behind her latest release, Peril, plus a chance to win a copy. Comment on any post dated Oct 21 – 23 to get your name in the drawing. Deadline: Nov 2nd, 11:59 pm central time. Here’s Jordyn:

The Realism of Marriage

When my husband and I were engaged to be married we took a “marriage inventory”. It was a test designed to look at each person’s attitude about several aspects of married life from intimacy, to children, to household duties.

I know I felt trepidation when waiting to discuss the results. Would the test find something and say we were wholly incompatible? Would the wedding be off? We really shouldn’t be together?

The minister sits down and says, “You scored higher than any other couple I’ve ever done this inventory with in one area—realism.”

Okay—great! Or, was it?

Questions in this particular section dealt with how you viewed the reality of marriage. Can you change your spouse? Will having kids improve your marriage? We scored eight out of ten. Our minister said most couples score around three or four.

I think today’s society desires a trouble free life and this bleeds into expectations of marriage. You’ll be overjoyed and twinkly-eyed in love every day. That’s not true. There are some days when I’ve desired only to put my husband on the porch with a sign around his neck that says “Free to Good Home” and I know he’s felt the same way about me.

We operate on a 90/10 rule for a successful marriage. You’re generally happy 90% of the time and the other 10% are those rough patches you have to work through to make the other 90% even better.

Marriage isn’t always a cake walk. Many couples go through very difficult times. How do they weather the storm? What’s their relationship like when they come through?

At times, romance isn’t the starry-eyed gaze but the holding-onto-the-cliff with everything you have to hold it together.

This aspect of marriage was one thing I wanted to deal with in Peril, my latest novel that just released. Tyler and Morgan are a young couple. She’s a pediatric ICU nurse and he’s a transplant surgeon in his fellowship year. They shouldn’t have a care in the world, right?

But, they’ve lost their infant daughter to a preventable injury. They’re in debt. She’s suicidal and he feels like he’s not enough to pull her through the depression.

One of my favorite passages in Peril comes when Tyler fears Morgan has committed suicide.

Excerpt:

On top of their light, speckled, autumn-toned granite was a pool of blood dripping down the side of the white cabinet. A silver cutting knife dropped on their cherry-planked floor. It pointed toward a trail of blood that raced from the kitchen and up their back staircase. No evidence of meal preparation in sight.

Has she done it?

No . . . no . . . no . . .

Tyler’s briefcase thudded to the floor. He shot up the flight of stairs and into their master bedroom. Blood pulsed at the tips of his fingers as he heard the crash of something against the shower door. He tested the lock and found it stubborn in his grasp. He took three steps back and shouldered through the door. Wood splintered along the doorjamb as he tumbled through the entrance to find Morgan, his sweet wife, wrapping a fluffy white towel around her water sheathed body.

“Tyler!”

He raced to her and captured her, one arm around her back as his other hand raced up her neck and cupped a handful of tangled, wet curls. He drew her against him, the scent of citrus heavy in his nose. He relished every moment of it. Of her warmth against him. Of her heart beating

rapidly against his. Of her breath panting softly on his shoulder. He could feel her muscles relax in his embrace and for the first time in a long time, she eased into him instead of pulling away. Tears rushed from his eyes and he squeezed her tighter. He couldn’t help it. What would he ever do if something happened to her? His mind still raced, half crazed from fear he would find her limp and never be able to bring her back.

Slowly, she raised her arms and her fingers massaged his back, hushing his distress with the firm motion of her hands. He couldn’t get her close enough.

The water on her body soaked into his clothes. “You can’t scare me like that again.” He eased away and placed his hands on either side of her cheeks. He shook his head, trying to dispel the fright and anger so that all she could see was the depth of his love for her. “I’m so scared. You are killing me with this thoughtlessness you have for your life.”

“You found the knife?” 

What I love about this passage is that it shows intimacy in the midst of struggle. Do Morgan and Tyler find a way to come together? I hope you’ll read Peril and find out.

About Jordan: Jordyn Redwood is a pediatric ER nurse by day, suspense novelist by night. She hosts Redwood’s Medical Edge, a blog devoted to helping contemporary and historical authors write medically accurate fiction. Her first two novels, Proof and Poison, garnered starred reviews from Library Journal. Proof was shortlisted for the 2012 ForeWord Review’s BOTY Award, 2013 INSPY Award and the 2013 Carol Award. You can connect with Jordyn via her website at www.jordynredwood.com.

About the book – Peril: Medical mystery thrillers with a chilling diagnosis—the only cure is to keep reading! Dr. Reeves implants superior memory cells into soldiers’ brains with amazing results—until negative symptoms appear. When his daughter is taken hostage by enraged research subjects, can he discover the answer they demand before Morgan’s life is in serious Peril?

Come back Oct 23rd for a tour of Jordyn Redwood’s office!