Courting Danger by Nike N. Chillemi

Below is an interview with author Nike N. Chillemi about her recently released book, COURTING DANGER. Filled with faith, lively description, fascinating characters, and enough surprise to thrill this mystery lover, I highly recommend this story.

Q: Is this book part of a series, tell us a little about that? How did you come to write a series?

A: There is the Authorized Operations series which has a national security twist to it. Authorized Operations is a clandestine organization. Its operatives are former US special ops soldiers, now in civilian life, who leave that life to go on secret missions. The Veronica "Ronnie" Ingels/Dawson Hughes trilogy is part of that series. Courting Danger is the first of the Katerina "Kat" Andruko/Dimitri Garmonin novels and is also part of the larger, overarching series. I came to write this series because I fell in love with the characters and decided to use the main characters from one novel as secondary characters in the next one.

Q:  What genre are your books? What draws you to this genre?

A:  I write detective novels/murder mysteries. That's also what I read. I've always loved trying to solve the puzzle of the mystery. I like to see if I can figure out who the killer is before the end of the story. Of course it's best if I can't and the author surprises me.

Courting Danger:

Newly installed Pelican Beach, Florida detective Katerina "Kat" Andruko fears the prime suspect will get off in the murder of a teen with the help of the department's forensics psychologist, a man she's just started to trust.

This case has national security implications that give former US Army Ranger, Dr. Dimitri Garmonin a chance to work with the FBI. The case could give him the chance to obtain the funds needed to expand his small Behavior Analysis Unit. He's unmoved by the chic FBI agent sent to assist but is intrigued by Kat with whom he shares a Slavic heritage.

Kat and her partner detain two wrong suspects, giving the department negative press. The predator turns his anger on Kat, targeting her. Can Dimitri use his profiler skills to catch this killer before he hurts the woman Dimitri is growing to love?

Courting Danger Purchase Link on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Courting-Danger-Katerina-Authorized-Operations-ebook/dp/B07KCBMFCX/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1541866039&sr=1-1&keywords=Courting+Danger%2C+Chillemi

Blog:  Nike N. Chillemi ~ mystery & a merry heart

https://nikechillemi.blog/

Thanksgiving Song

I want to write a song, Lord, to tell you how thankful I am. Pretty words and sweet sounds to give you something lovely for all that you’ve given me.

A thrilling rise of crescendo to praise you for your gift of salvation.

A whirling twirling excitement for the many blessings you bring into my life daily.

A gentle swell of love for your willingness to be my father.

Ripples of laughter for the amazing people you have given to be my family and friends.

A steady beat of my hope to follow you better every day.

I love you, Lord.

Grace and Truth, John 6:22-71

This was a difficult chapter for me to unravel, with many truths from Jesus hard to understand and hard to accept.

It was the day after Jesus fed the five thousand, which caused many to follow him and seek him out. Jesus told them he knew they only came, not because they cared about him, but because they’d eaten the bread. He warned them not to strive only after physical goods, which will not last, but for what will last for eternity.

Jesus told them he is the bread of life, and that he would give his life for the world. He said that those who eat his flesh and drink his blood are the only ones who will have eternal life.

After a long time to study this, and with the help of the Holy Spirit, we know that Jesus is talking about spiritual things. But at that time, people grumbled against him, and many of his followers left him.

It seems that Jesus showed his human feelings then, asking if his close disciples would leave him too, and Peter gives one of his great statements:

Verses 68-69 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”

Some of this chapter is hard to understand, but some things are easy, and I cling to these.

Verses 28-29 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

Verses 37-40 All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

Sweet Memories, What Are These Kids Talking About?

Note: At this time, Caleb was six, Rebecca five and Sarah four.

May 5, 1996: Yesterday Caleb came into our room and said, "The other day a kid said a really bad word at school." "What was it?" I asked, worried what he might have heard at school. "Shut up," Caleb whispered with concern.

 We took the kids to a Wranglers (minor league in Wichita) baseball game last night. We had talked to them a lot about how much fun it would be. We were there a little early, so that soon after the first inning started, Sarah asked me, "Is the game almost over?" A little later she told me, "Mommy, your watch says it's time to go home." Rebecca, about the same time said to Murray, "When will the game be done?" Murray answered “not for a while yet,” and she said, "When will we have fun?"

We had vegetable noodle soup for supper, and when Murray took the lid off, and Sarah saw it, she said, a little sadly, and a little indignantly, "I don't like many color soup."

Caleb just said that his stomach hurt. I suggested he could sit down for a minute, on the couch or the rocking chair or something. He said hopefully, "Or I could sit on your lap."

May 10, 1996: Caleb usually takes his lunch to school, but yesterday he had a hot lunch. When he came home, I asked him what he'd had for lunch. Enthusiastically, he replied, "Oh, Mommy, that's a good question!" And he told me what he had.

May 17, 1996: Sarah got a cut on her finger from a piece of paper yesterday, so she told Murray she had a "Paper clip" on her finger.

Rebecca wrote Murray a note in school today. I asked her to read it to me, and she said she couldn't read it because she'd just written a bunch of lines, with each line having a bunch of just one letter. She said it was a "joke note" and giggled excitedly.

I was just hugging Sarah while she lay on the couch. I was looking at her face, and told her it was a wonderful face, and asked if she would give it to me. She asked, "Will we still have our heart when we give it to Jesus?" I said yes. She said, "Then if I give you my face, I'll still have it." And she said she'd give it to me.

May 26, 1996: The other day we were praying for Frank (a friend whose wife died) that he wouldn't be too sad. And Sarah said that Donna wasn't dead anymore; she said Donna is alive in Heaven with Jesus.

Today Rebecca brought Deborah to Rhoda (a new cat to an old cat) and put their noses together. Murray asked if she was trying to get them to be friends. She said, "Yes. I'm visiting them."

At lunch today, Murray asked Sarah to pray, and to pray about a lot of things. Sarah said, "Dear God, thank You for everything and everything and everything, and everything. Amen."

June 3, 1996: Country Side Christian Church invited our church to come there for a picnic the other day. We were singing, and one of the songs we sang was "You came from Heaven to Earth to show the Way." Sarah said, "We have that song at our church. Maybe they love Jesus."

June 14, 1996: Tonight at supper, Caleb said, "Oh, I forgot about tomorrow! My cats are coming back." We have no idea what he's talking about.

June 17, 1996: Last night we, again, had a hard time getting the kids to go to sleep, especially the girls. After we were in bed, Sarah came and knocked on our door, and said she wanted to ask us a question, hypothetically, it seemed. She said innocently, "What would happen if there was a sister and another sister, and they were talking, and a Mommy and a Daddy told them to be quiet, and they kept talking?" We could hardly stop laughing.

June 21, 1996: Sometimes I've told the kids things like "Cut it out"and "Knock it off" when I wanted them to stop something. The other night Rebecca was talking to Caleb: "Stop it. Cut it out. Knock it down." After Murray smacked Sarah on her cute head with the Values section of the newspaper, Sarah also said to him, "Knock it down."

At lunch today, Rebecca asked me, "Why can't brothers and sisters marry each other?" I kept saying that they just couldn't, and she kept asking why. Finally I said it was against the law; the police say no. She asked, "What would the police do to you?" I said I didn't know, and she asked, "Can Caleb and I try it out?"

June 22, 1996: Rebecca has marriage on the brain these days. Last night she told Rodney, "When I grow up, I'm gonna marry you." (Rodney is my brother.)

We had pork 'n’ beans for supper. Sarah asked what pork was, and I explained what it was and that there wasn't really any meat in there, they just called it that for fun, and someone said it was pretend meat. Sarah asked, "But are there really beans?"

Psalm 119:49-56: Zayin

Zayin

Remember your word to your servant, for you have given me hope.

My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.

The arrogant mock me unmercifully, but I do not turn from your law.

I remember, Lord, your ancient laws, and I find comfort in them.

Indignation grips me because of the wicked, who have forsaken your law.

Your decrees are the theme of my song wherever I lodge.

In the night, Lord, I remember your name, that I may keep your law.

This has been my practice: I obey your precepts.

Dear Father, many times this world brings me sorrow, with the wickedness I see around me, and the hurt people give me. Thank you for the comfort and joy from clinging to and obeying your word.