Escaping the Wilderness by Carrie Stuart Parks
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Release Date:  September 30, 2025
Genre:  Romantic Suspense

On the run through the mountains—
with only each other to trust.

Amanda Cotton’s privileged life takes a harrowing turn when her grandfather’s dying wish places a target firmly on her back and she’s attacked by unknown assailants. Rescue comes in the form of widowed outdoorsman Boone McGregor, but the threat is just beginning. Unable to trust local law enforcement, they flee across the rugged Montana mountains. As they evade deadly enemies and navigate harsh terrain, they must put aside their differences to survive. But when a family secret is exposed, danger is closer than they imagined and more than just their lives is at stake…

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About the Author

Carrie Stuart Parks is an internationally known forensic artist and law enforcement instructor, working on major criminal cases nationwide. She trains law enforcement professionals such as the FBI, Secret Service, NCIS, Federal Marshals, RCMP, Texas Rangers, and local and regional officers. She was nominated for Law Enforcement Trainer of the Year offered by the Federal Law Enforcement Academy at Glynco, Georgia. Her career highlights also include winning Woman of the Year for the Spirit of the American Woman and the first Educator of the Year by the Lewis Clark Alumni.Her bestselling mystery/suspense novels have won numerous awards including two Christys and four Carols. She was mentored by her friend Frank Peretti for eight years before launching her fiction writing career. Before that, she wrote and illustrated best-selling art books for North Light Publishers. As a professional fine artist, her paintings hang in many corporate and private collections.

Connect with Carrie by visiting stuartparks.com/carrie-stuart-parks-home-page to follow her on social media and subscribe to email updates.

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Author Q&A

CB: Hello, Carrie! It’s very exciting to connect with you. You have a fascinating background that really lends itself to the suspense genre. I can’t wait to share this with my readers.  For readers who may not know you yet, can you tell us a little about your background as both a forensic artist and an author? 

CSP: I’ve been a forensic artist since the dinosaurs first roamed…just kidding…a bit. My dad had a crime lab and needed an artist — which I was — to help with his cases. My first five books were how-do drawing and watercolor books for North Light Publishers. 

CB: What first inspired you to write Escaping the Wilderness?  

CSP: My dear agent, Karen Solem, suggested I start writing for Love Inspired Suspense to expand my readership. 

CB: Amanda Cotton faces both physical danger and emotional challenges. What drew you to her character?  

CSP: I always liked the idea of rich girl vs outdoors guy meeting. It grew out of that. 

CB: Boone McGregor is rugged and resourceful. How did your own background in survival skills and training help shape him?  

CSP: I grew up here on our family’s 685 ranch in the mountains of Idaho camping and hiking through the woods. It wasn’t a stretch to remove civilization and throw my characters on their own in the mountains. 

CB: The Montana wilderness plays such a powerful role in this book. Why did you choose that setting?  

CSP: I was born in Montana and often place my stories in Idaho or Montana. 

CB: Family secrets drive much of the suspense. What message or takeaway do you hope readers will find in that theme?  

CSP: Every family has secrets, unspoken hurts, past grievances. Sometimes they become lethal. 

CB: What part of writing Escaping the Wilderness did you most enjoy as an author? 

CSP: With tongue firmly in cheek, it’s when I write “the end.” I love when in all comes together. 

CB: Your faith journey is a powerful one. How does your belief in Christ shape the way you tell stories? 

CSP: I often…in fact, always write in the morning, then let the story simmer in the back of my mind. At some point I feel a nudge, a whisper, a suggestion for what God would have me write. 

CB: Many of your books have won major awards. How does recognition like that encourage or challenge you as a writer?  

CSP: I feel encouraged that my stories not only reach out and touch people, but they do so well. I continue to take classes and study the craft of writing to be able to always improve. 

CB: Finally, what do you hope readers will carry with them after finishing Escaping the Wilderness?  

CSP: An overwhelming desire to find my other books!!  God bless! 

CB: Thank you for your time, Carrie. I appreciate you sharing more about yourself and Escaping the Wilderness with us.  

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