We have author Ciara Knight talking about Research.

I research just enough to understand the rules of the world—law enforcement procedures, timelines, settings—then I look for the cracks where things can fail. Realism grounds the story, but tension comes from what doesn’t go according to plan. A delayed response. Conflicting information. A character forced to act without all the facts.

A motto preached by Margie Lawson at her writing academy is, "Clarity always wins." I believe that is true to every story.

When it comes to beats, I think in terms of rhythm. Tight action followed by a breath… then another twist of the knife. I end scenes at emotional pressure points, not just plot ones, so the danger feels personal. Suspense isn’t just about what’s happening—it’s about what the character fears will happen next, and whether love, faith, or instinct will be enough when the moment comes.

About the Author

Ciara Knight is a USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestselling author who writes heart-tugging, faith-filled romance with a dash of hope and a whole lot of love. When she's not wrangling swoon-worthy cowboys or crafting small-town drama, she's navigating life as a proud mom of three spirited (and now grown!) boys.

In a major plot twist no one saw coming, Ciara and her tech-savvy husband recently traded in their empty nest for open waters—purchasing a boat to live aboard full-time. Together, they’re setting sail on the greatest adventure yet: the next chapter of life, love, and a few waves of inspiration. Anchors aweigh!

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Winter Harbor Secrets

An icy harbor. A missing agent. A fake marriage that feels far too real…

When by-the-book FBI Special Agent Vivian Durand is assigned to pose as a honeymooner on a rusted-out boat off the Maine coast, she knows it’s her last shot to erase the stain of a disastrous op—and the partner who vanished without a trace. Her target: Laurel Tide, a ruthless coastal syndicate built on smuggling, extortion, and the kind of trafficking the Bureau buries in sealed files.

Her cover husband? The one man she doesn’t trust.

For seven years, rule-breaking Special Agent Thomas Blake has chased Laurel Tide through storms, gunfire, and body bags. Going deep cover in Winter Harbor is his best chance to finally bring them down. But from the moment he and Vivian step onto the Windward Lady—their so-called “safe” house—nothing is what it seems. The boat is booby-trapped. Their comms are compromised. And every move they make is watched by enemies on the docks… and possibly a traitor inside the Bureau.

Snowed in, cut off, and forced into close quarters, Viv and Blake have to sell their marriage while untangling a deadly conspiracy and rescuing innocent lives caught in the crosshairs.

Because in Winter Harbor, one wrong step won’t just cost them the case—
it could cost them each other.