Meet Lynn
Swoon-Worthy Southern Suspense
Lynn H. Blackburn loves writing swoon-worthy Southern suspense because her childhood fantasy was to become a spy, but her grown-up reality is that she’s a chicken and would have been caught on her first mission. She prefers living vicariously through her characters while safe at home in her pajamas! She drinks too much coffee, eats too much chocolate, does too little Crossfit, and never leaves home without a book.
Her current series, Gossamer Falls, is set in the mountains of Western North Carolina, and she’s already dreaming of what she’ll write next.
Lynn lives in South Carolina with her true love and their three children. You can follow her real life happily ever after by signing up for her newsletter at LynnHBlackburn.com and by following her @LynnHBlackburn on social media.
Lynn's Bio
Everything You Want to know
I started writing in 2009 and my first book, Covert Justice, was published by Love Inspired Suspense in 2015. Hidden Legacy followed in 2017, and Beneath the Surface, the first book in my Dive Team Investigations series with Revell hit stores in March of 2018. In Too Deep released November of 2018 and One Final Breath will be available in September 2019.
I write romantic suspense for a couple of reasons.
- I love romance. Happily ever romance where no matter how hard things have been, two hearts find each other and will cherish each other forever. I believe the reason romance is so popular is because our hearts were made for the Truest Love. No human relationship can ever compare to the eternal and all-consuming love God has for us, but I’m so glad we get to enjoy a little bit of heaven on earth with another person who has committed to stay with us no matter what.
- I love suspense. Not because I’m tough, but because I’m a huge chicken! In my books, I can be so much braver than I really am. I can be tough and defeat the bad guys and run into burning buildings. And my characters can wrestle with so many big questions—why God allows bad things to happen and how we can trust Him when it seems like He’s dropped the ball.
When I’m not writing, I lead a crazy busy life! I was born in Hendersonville, North Carolina and still claim the Blue Ridge Mountains as home. But I found my way to Clemson University for engineering school and married my college sweetheart, Brian, as soon as I graduated. We’ve been married for twenty-seven years, have three children—Emma, James, and Drew—and live in the beautiful upstate of South Carolina.
Our daughter, Emma, has Rubinstein-Taybi Syndrome and for many years I considered myself to be a “therapy” mom. Having a child with a disability rocked our world, but God was both patient and faithful as we wrestled with our new reality. Being Emma’s mom has changed me in ways I never could have imagined and many things God has taught me about himself find their way into my books. Emma is a joy and a challenge. She loves her activities, her friends, her books, and her electronic devices. In the past few years, we’ve navigated the tricky transition from school to adult life. Thankfully, we’ve found programs that challenge Emma and give her an opportunity to be a light. No one who has ever met Emma has come away from the experience unchanged. Wherever she goes, she’s a rockstar!
I adore having boys. They are so loud and so fun! James is our deep thinker and sports lover. He regularly asks questions I can’t answer and can tell us football scores from three years ago. We’re pretty sure he’ll make a great lawyer or a sports commentator! Drew is our youngest. He’s our comedian and our warrior child. He keeps us laughing and keeps me praying that God will use him as a champion for truth and justice. Both boys play baseball and that means I’ve added #baseballmom to my resume. I had no idea how time consuming and fabulous that role would be! We have an amazing baseball family and baseball games are always a blast!
After the boys came along, no one was more surprised (or reluctant) than me to find that God was leading us to homeschool them. I still have no idea how that happened, but I love it and count it a privilege to have them at home with me during this season. With one in high school and one in middle school, on any given day I may be working on Algebra, Biology, Debate, Latin, Logic, or discussing The Hobbit.
As a family, we’re active in our church, love to read, spend time outdoors, hang out with our extended families, play with our petite mini Goldendoodle, go to baseball games, and cheer for Clemson—Go Tigers!
I’d love to connect with you! You can find me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest @LynnHBlackburn. I also have a newsletter where you can sign up to receive updates on what’s going on with my books and where I’m speaking.
You asked…Lynn answered!
It varies, but my books usually release once a year.
I have a page all about this! https://www.lynnhblackburn.com/reading-order/
In my current romantic suspense novels, we shoot for a roughly 70/30 ratio - more romance than suspense. :)
The Dive Team Investigations series is closer to 50/50.
The Defend and Protect series is closer to 60/40.This question is entirely dependent on the person. I have readers as young as 11 and some adults who have found topics that were just too much for them for various reasons.
I tell people that if your kids have read The Hunger Games or the later Harry Potter books, they won't find anything darker in my stories. But my stories are based in reality, not a dystopian/magical world. That can make a difference.
My characters will hold hands, kiss, and feel attraction for each other. But that's as far as it will go. :)
My books are suspenseful. Crimes are committed. People die. Bombs explode. Shots are fired. I make it a point to avoid describing any of those things in detail. I am, personally, very squeamish, and I don't write anything I wouldn't be fine to read. But the topics covered include everything from financial crimes to human trafficking.
There is a clear distinction between good vs. evil. And you can rest assured that the good guys will win!
I think this question might be answered differently depending on the background and perspectives of the reader. I write about mostly Christian characters going about their lives and dealing with hard circumstances. I don't set out to be preachy or dogmatic. My goal is to let the faith element come about organically, so some stories will have a more overt faith element and some will have less.
Mostly Facebook and Instagram. But I also post to X and I have profiles on Goodreads, Pinterest, and BookBub.
https://www.lynnhblackburn.com/contact/
Another Day in the Life
Just for Fun
- What movies do I never get tired of?
You’ve Got Mail, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, The Hobbit Trilogy, Harry Potter (all 8), the newer Star Trek movies (because – Chris Pine!), and Singin’ in the Rain. - Do I re-read books?
Absolutely. Harry Potter, The Chronicles of Narnia, Anne of Green Gables . . . the list goes on. - What would I like a never-ending box of?
Peanut Butter M&Ms. - Do I sing in the car?
Loud and proud – everything from Hamilton to Hillsong. - What’s my favorite season?
Football season! (I have been known to yell at the TV during Clemson games). 🙂 - What do I never leave home without?
My phone and my bullet journal. - Who is my celebrity crush?
My first was Cary Grant. Now it’s a tie between Chris Pine, Ryan Reynolds, Aidan Turner, and Viggo Mortensen. - What job would I love to have?
Broadway actress. Sadly, I’m a triple threat. I can’t sing, I can’t dance, and I can’t act. (Bonus points if you get the movie reference!) - What’s something I will never do. Ever.
Bungee Jumping. Just. No.
