Our own Voni Harris and her New Release Burning Rivals

Popping in to say, Voni is celebrating! And all of us here at the Diamond Mine are so excited for her. Her sophomore release, Burning Rivals hit the virtual shelf just a few weeks ago. It's an Alaskan adventure just in time for the boiling heat of July! Leave all that humidity behind along with those temperatures pushing passed ninety and pull up a iceberg for our chat with Voni!

Hey, Voni! So excited to highlight your new book. Refresh everyone’s memory and tell us where you are from and where you live now.

I live in the constant beauty of Kodiak, Alaska—a rain forest island— fishing village homes, mountains, the gorgeous and powerful Pacific Ocean, towering spruce forests, and the sky with a mix of colors, and bears, fish, sea lions, otters, all reminding me of God every day. Even on the rainy, icy, wintry days.

Of course it was also beautiful in Southern Indiana—rolling hills and farm country— where Rich and I lived after we were married…

…In Iowa, where we met in college in Des Moines. Also beautiful with corn farmland around and the Des Moines River running through town.

But I grew up in Wyoming, with mountains in the distance, and wind blowing with gusts that wanted to blow me away some days. Oh, the beauty and power of God!

Do you have pets?

You don’t know me if you have to ask that, lol. I’ve never been without dogs in my life, except you know, college where they weren’t allowed in the dorms. Rich and I have a black and white Australian shepherd (Sting, who thinks we exist to play tug every moment of the day.) and a black and white Boston Terrier (Kip, who thinks she must dart around and make us laugh, and beg for food every moment of the day).

What’s the most unusual animal you’ve seen in person not just in a zoo.

On our first hike in Kodiak, we saw Kodiak bears in the distance. A Kodiak bear several years later walked down our street. Another left some scat in our yard. Also, bald eagles are abundant here, majestic and threatening to small pets—one sat in our yard and ate our neighbor’s chicken with his partner.

Let’s talk favorites. Favorite recipe? Favorite dessert? Favorite color? Favorite book? Favorite Bible verse?

Recipe: I keep thinking of white chicken chili lately.

Dessert: Chocolate lava cake. Or butter pecan ice cream.

Color: I would say I don’t have a favorite color, but I love yellow with a soft green, yellow with blue, yellow with black, yellow with white, yellow with gray, yellow with red (not like a convenience store)…so, anyway, I’ll have to say yellow, especially a buttery yellow.

Book: Anne of Avonlea series from my childhood, or any Nancy Drew book. As a grown up, Dee Henderson books or Ronie Kendig or Lisa Phillips. I can’t pick one, lol.

Bible verse:

 [Jer 18:1-6 ESV] 1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: "Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will let you hear my words." So I went down to the potter's house, and there he was working at his wheel. And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter's hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do. Then the word of the LORD came to me:  "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the LORD. Behold, like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.”

God goes on here in Jeremiah to talk about His power to shape Israel and the countries of the world. But I also see here God shaping me and the awesome life He has given me. May my heart always be soft like the clay in the potter’s hand.

Do you have a job outside of the home? Did you ever work outside the home, and if so, where?

I worked in restaurants as a server for a while. I worked in a company who was putting newspaper articles online for searches. I tutored (sometimes still tutor). But mainly, I homeschooled our daughter all the way through. Now, I write.

How did you get into writing, and how did you get into writing suspense?

I was an obsessive reader—reading while standing on my head and I had to be reminded to stop reading while walking. So there’s that. Also, Mom was a newspaper reporter, then editor of the paper. And Dad was the law enforcement instructor at the community college, friend and teacher of the cops in the local police department. So how else could I NOT end up writing suspense?

Your book Burning Rivals is set in Alaska. Tell us how your experience in Alaska fed into the setting.

When Rich and I were in Anchorage, we drove out to the city that inspired the setting of the Chasing Fire: Alaska series. It was so fun, and so full of people driving from Anchorage to Denali, or just touristing. Such interesting pictures to take and send to the other authors in the series.

What was the most exciting scene to write in Burning Rivals?

You know, I really enjoyed writing the scene where Cadee and Vince have to go to help rescue the people in the village she grew up in. They choose to, but they are smokejumpers, so if they’re needed, they go. It helps open their eyes to each other, especially Vince seeing Cadee’s past, like her growing up years.

Oh, and the scene with the river filled with dead salmon…fun to write, since they end up in that oily water. Typical Alaska during the salmon life cycle.

Can you come up with 5 things about Voni Harris that have nothing to do with writing?

1.      I am a whole 4’6”. My life is unique! Anyone wanna go shopping with me to reach the stuff on the top shelves for me? LOL.

2.    I have a degree in Radio-Television (Journalism)…but fiction writing is where I’ve always been headed, even while I thought it was just a hobby.

3.    I may be obsessed with movies—but call me a film buff. Okay, TV series as well. NCIS, Blue Bloods, etc. But doesn’t “film buff” sound so meaningful and consequential?

4.    Hubby and I love to travel. Of course, how else are we going to see family?

5.     Our family fills my heart. Daughter, Son-in-law, Grandson, and Granddaughter. 

What’s your next writing move? Writing? Editing? Publishing?

I am planning out my next book (I am a plotter!), but working on figuring out the backstory of the crucial computer…this is hard for some reason. But SO fun to travel down some fascinating research rabbit holes.

 Thank you for the opportunity to share the beauty and fun of the life God has created for me. And the fun of your questions!

And thank you for your answers and sharing your new release with us! Win a copy of Burning Rivals by leaving a comment of entering your info on our contact form. If you can't wait (and why would you?), follow the links to grab your copy of Burning Rivals by Voni Harris right now!

Thanks for stopping by! Have a super-spectacular reading day!