KJ Howe
I had an eclectic upbringing, living in different countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. Travel and adventure were a wonderful part of my life. Always the new kid, I lost myself in books, an escape into a magical existence when I needed one. Fast forward into the future where I wanted to create my own fictional world, a place where others could decompress from the pressures of their lives for a few enjoyable hours. Writing fiction also provides catharsis for me, a way of expressing emotions, working through issues. Something extraordinary happens when characters come alive on the page, and I couldn’t imagine a better life than being an author. A research enthusiast, I immersed myself in the world of kidnap and ransom, interviewing elite kidnap negotiators, former hostages, K&R insurance executives, and the Special Forces soldiers who deliver ransoms and execute hostage rescues. The result is my Thea Paris series. Thea is the sole female kidnap negotiator, a woman who will sacrifice whatever she has to if it means bringing hostages home. The Freedom Broker is the first book in this series.