Charlene Amsden only recently began writing Christian romantic suspense. Before God placed the conviction—conviction, not calling—on her heart to write openly about faith, she wrote clean fiction that only hinted at her beliefs. Then came a twenty-seven-month standoff with God, during which she couldn’t write anything that satisfied her. When she finally surrendered her will, her first romantic suspense novel poured out of her in just three months—and went on to outsell all three of her previous books combined. Charlene credits every bit of success to God. As she puts it, “The Holy Spirit blessed every keystroke.”
You can subscribe to Charlene’s newsletter on her website. Grab Charlene’s free book here.
Connect with her: Facebook | Instagram
How do you weave Christian themes like grace, redemption, or hope into your stories in a way that feels authentic and not forced?
I pray constantly for the Holy Spirit’s blessing and guidance. I don’t believe I could write authentic stories of Christian struggle without the wisdom of God. In my True North Brotherhood series, most of the main male characters are ex-cons who came to Christ through the same prison ministry. Some knew each other before serving time; others met behind bars. A few join the group later as strangers—but through the bonds God forges between them, they become brothers. I can’t say much about the men who didn’t serve time without spoiling future books, but they too find Jesus through the influence of the Brotherhood. There will also be a few spin-off novels set in the Cedar Haven universe—not centered on the TNB, but still connected through familiar faces and shared faith.
In what ways do you hope your books encourage readers in their own faith journeys?
It’s important to me that my characters never preach at the reader. The men and women I write about are imperfect Christians—just like the rest of us—doing their best to live in a way that honors their convictions. They could easily be real people. They have real flaws and real strengths, and they face real challenges and temptations. In Kage: The 6th Commandment, Kage is a former prizefighter turned pastor who wrestles with the urge to lash out violently. We’ve all battled those flashes of anger. Kage responds the only way he knows how—by turning to God in prayer. He knows vengeance is wrong, so he asks the Lord to calm his rage and chooses to walk away, creating distance between himself and temptation. As writers, we’re told to “show, don’t tell.” That’s exactly what I want my characters to do—live out their faith in action, not lecture about it.
Can you give us a sneak peek into your latest book? What themes or messages are you most excited about?
In Kage: The 6th Commandment, Kage is trying to live out his faith in a world that constantly tests it. When a shooting leaves an investigative journalist wounded and hunted, Kage steps in to protect her—and ends up confronting the violence still simmering in his own heart.
The story explores redemption, forgiveness, and the struggle to obey God’s commandment, “Thou shalt not kill,” not just with our hands but with our thoughts and emotions. I’m most excited about showing how faith isn’t about perfection—it’s about surrender. Kage’s journey reminds us that even when our past feels unforgivable, God can transform it into a testimony of grace and strength.
What’s next on your writing horizon—any upcoming projects or series you’re excited about?
Right now, I’m writing two books at once—a Christmas novella I hope to release by mid-December, and book two in the True North Brotherhood series. All of my stories take place in Cedar Haven, Washington—a fictional Pacific Northwest town near the Canadian border. Each book stands alone, but they’re all connected through an overarching thread and recurring characters. The heroine of A Blueprint for Christmas first appeared in Kage as a nameless waitress. She’s a single mom with a ten-year-old son, Tyler, who’s part of Kage’s youth group. I’d already planned for Tyler to play a role in a future book, but I had no idea his mother’s name was Georgiana—or that she would get her own story first. I truly believe God rearranged my writing timeline for a reason: Georgie’s story will lay the groundwork for Tyler’s future testimony.
I’m also working on Gideon: The 10th Commandment. Gideon is a member of the Brotherhood, and his love interest, Beth, is new to Cedar Haven. Without realizing it, she’s moved onto property that smugglers have been using to stage border crossings. She turns to True North Sentinel—Gideon’s security company—for help. Each TNB story explores what it means to live in harmony with the Ten Commandments, but they all share a deeper theme: redemption. Many Christians struggle to forgive themselves, even after God has forgiven them. While I hope most readers never face the kinds of trials my characters endure, I pray they close each book a little stronger in faith and a little more aware of how vast God’s love truly is.
God promised to “cast all our sins into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:19), yet so many of us cling to guilt long after grace has set us free. For ten years, I wrestled with a guilt that wasn’t wholly mine to carry. I prayed night after night for God to lift the blame, pain, and betrayal—until I realized He couldn’t take what I refused to release. If my stories can help even one person shorten that struggle, we’ll both be blessed. We shouldn’t have to forgive ourselves for being human, yet it’s something nearly every Christian faces in both big and small ways. My goal with the True North Brotherhood series is to show how self-reflection and surrender allow God to reshape our futures.
As for what comes after that—there are Ten Commandments. I think I’ll be too busy following God’s lead to plan anything new for a while.
Writing Christian romantic suspense isn’t just what I do—it’s part of my walk with God. Every story He gives me deepens my faith and reminds me that surrender brings freedom, obedience brings peace, and grace can transform even the most broken past into a testimony worth telling. My prayer is that each book not only entertains but also points readers back to the One who writes the truest love story of all.
Thou shalt not kill.
But someone already tried.
Investigative journalist, Trina Vaughn, wakes in a hospital with a bullet wound and no memory of the attack—or why her partner has vanished without a trace. When her home is broken into and a second attempt is made on her life, she’s forced to rely on the last man she ever expected to trust.
Martin “Kage” Kincade, an ex-con turned pastor, knows about violence. He also knows redemption is hard-won and easily questioned. Especially when the woman he’s protecting doesn’t know whether to fear him—or believe in him.
As danger closes in, Trina and Kage must unravel a deadly conspiracy that stretches from a shattered memory to a small-town garden center hiding more than flowers. With a suspicious detective watching their every move, and a killer growing bolder by the day, trust becomes a lifeline neither of them can afford to cut.
In a town built on secrets, surviving means breaking silence—and confronting the truth behind The Sixth Commandment.
Giveaway: Win Kage: The 6th Commandment
Enter to win one of two eBook copies of Charlene Amsden’s Christian romantic suspense novel, Kage: The 6th Commandment.
📅 Opens: November 19th (PDST)
📅 Closes: November 25th at midnight (PDST)
🏆 Winners Announced: November 28th –every entrant will also receive a heartfelt thank-you email with a link to my free devotional coloring book—a small gift of faith and creativity.
Click here to enter the giveaway!
Everyone who enters will receive a thank-you email and a free e-copy of Charlene’s devotional coloring book as a bonus gift.
