What happens when a first date turns dangerous… and the handsome painter who shows up to fix your home might just help fix your heart? In A Stalker to Die For, author Katy Eeten delivers a page-turning blend of suspense, romance, and quiet, faith that you won’t want to put down. This week, we sit down with Katy to uncover the inspiration behind Ashley’s story.

PBG: The novel opens memorably at Aggie’s Café, where Ashley is trapped on a disastrous first date with Nick, a man who seems completely different online than in person. How did you craft that opening scene to immediately establish both the lighthearted romantic tone and the creeping dread of what Nick might become, and how did you balance those two emotional registers from the very first page?

KE: I wanted to focus on Ashley’s annoyance with Nick first and foremost. She’s finally able to focus on her love life but keeps striking out. Who wouldn’t be frustrated? I aimed for Nick to be clueless and awkward but not menacing… yet. My usual writing genre is contemporary Christian romance (not suspense), so adding in the right amount of danger or dread was a challenge!

PBG: Ashley’s inherited colonial home in a town of under a thousand people isn’t just a backdrop; it almost comes to life. The peeling paint, the outdated wallpaper, and Ashley’s drive to renovate it all carry a sense of emotional renewal after the loss of her mother. How intentional was that parallel between restoring the house and Ashley rebuilding her own life, and did that thematic thread shape how you structured the story’s early chapters?

KE: I imagined what it would be like to inherit my own childhood home, and the emotions that would entail—especially after losing my only remaining parent. I knew there would be things I would want to hang onto (such as the answering machine with my mom’s voice), but in other ways I would want a fresh start and to make the place my own. After her mom’s death, Ashley moves on in both her career and her love life, so it is fitting that she also renovates her living space. The home renovation also gives Ashley something to focus on instead of dwelling on her mom’s absence. While her mom’s death is relevant to the story, I didn’t want that grief to overshadow the romance or suspense.

PBG: Jackson Russo is introduced as a house painter, but it’s soon revealed that he’s actually a commissioned artist and paint supply distributor who simply came up in an internet search under the wrong category. That detail is both humorous and surprisingly layered. What drew you to giving Jackson this double identity as a craftsman, and how does his identity as a fine artist (someone who paints beauty onto canvas) shape the kind of person he is in contrast to Nick?

KE: When Jackson is asked to quote Ashley’s project, even though it isn’t his area of expertise, I imagined him having that initial moment of, “Why not?” Instead of shutting it down, he tries to be helpful and offer something within her budget. That decision was meant to reflect a quiet humility—showing that he’s willing to do whatever is needed rather than insisting on being seen in a more impressive light.

His identity as both a manual laborer and a fine artist makes him especially approachable. The physical, hands-on side gives him a rugged, practical nature, while his work as an artist adds a softer, more introspective dimension. In contrast, Nick is much more one-dimensional and self-focused, talking only about himself on his date with Ashley while Jackson shows genuine interest in Ashley from the start.

PBG: One of the most tender, early moments in the book is when Ashley and Jackson quietly bond over shared grief, with his leukemia-awareness bracelet opening the door to a conversation about his late sister, which then draws out Ashley’s still-raw grief over her mother. How did you decide to use mutual loss as the foundation of their emotional connection, and what did you want readers to understand about how shared pain can create safe spaces between people?

KE: Although the story is a suspense, I wanted there to be a strong but tender connection between Ashley and Jackson. For him to so quickly step into a protective, caring role, their bond needed to feel authentic and not superficial. While people can bond over shared interests or any number of other things, mutual loss cuts deep and establishes a sense of trust that might otherwise take much longer to build.

Of course, it only works if both people involved are authentic, respectful, and compassionate. But when those elements are present—as they were between Ashley and Jackson—there is something beautiful about being seen, heard, understood, and loved despite the grief or pain you may be feeling. Vulnerability is a risk, but love, acceptance, and community are all a worthy reward.

PBG: Ashley’s faith is woven naturally into her daily life. From a quiet “Help me, Lord” in a moment of fear, to letting worship songs “seep into her soul” at church, to a brief but meaningful turn to Psalm 23 after Nick shatters her window, her reliance on God shows up. The faith elements feel organic rather than prescriptive. How did you approach weaving Ashley’s prayer life into the narrative so that it feels like a genuine part of who she is, rather than a separate devotional layer added on top of the story?

KE: When reading Christian fiction, I want to be both encouraged and entertained, so I try to produce those same elements in my writing. Watching faith lived out in someone’s daily life is an effective way of showing how natural a relationship with God can be. Not every prayer needs to start with a formal “Our Father” and not all faith lessons are learned from a Sunday sermon. Seeing someone rely on God through difficult times, or observing them go outside their comfort zone to support a loved one, can be an uplifting and subtle reminder of how God wants us to live.

PBG: The online dating app is both the entry point for danger and a commentary on the gap between curated digital personas and real human beings. Nick was “a sympathetic listener over the internet” who used Ashley’s vulnerability about her mother’s cancer to build false intimacy. How did you want readers, particularly readers navigating faith-based approaches to modern dating, to think about that tension between digital connection and authentic, God-honoring relationship?

KE: We live in a world of amazing, mind-boggling technology that can connect us to loved ones all over the globe in an instant—which is awesome! But it’s no secret that evil can hide behind a digital curtain, and people can pretend to be someone they’re not, as we see with Nick in this story.

For those navigating online dating, discernment is key when it comes to what we share and who we trust. We can feel a strong digital connection to someone, but when emotional intimacy is formed too quickly, it can be deceiving. Sometimes we only see what we want to see and overlook red flags. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t connect with others online, but someone’s true character is most often revealed over time and in person. Approaching any God-honoring relationship with prayer and wisdom is important, regardless of where or when the connection begins.

PBG: Stacie serves as Ashley’s loyal best friend, confidante, and comedic anchor. She’s the person Ashley calls immediately after every unsettling encounter. She also attends church with Ashley. How did you shape Stacie’s role in Ashley’s life, and what do you feel that friendship contributes to the book’s exploration of community and the way women support each other through fear?

KE: I made Stacie the comedic sidekick that lightens the mood when things get too intense. Ashley and Stacie know each other inside and out, care about the other’s wellbeing, and have each other’s backs—but also keep it real with a joke or two. I wanted to show how important it is for women to have female friendships, no matter what stage of life they’re in. Good friends will listen to each other and support each other through the good times as well as the difficult ones. I hope that every woman out there has a Stacie or two in their lives.

PBG: The wallpaper-removal scene where Carrie and Theo cancel last-minute, leaving Ashley and Jackson alone together for the evening is a wonderfully tense, funny, and quietly romantic early chapter. How did you use those mundane home-improvement tasks (broad knives, sponges, scrapers, a playlist on Ashley’s phone) as the vehicle through which two people start to genuinely see each other, and was there something intentional in having intimacy grow out of work rather than a traditional date setting?

KE: So often, books and movies portray first dates as a fancy occasion—candlelit dinners, red wine, everyone dressed to the nines. But from my own experience, dating is often more casual than that. People want a partner they can be comfortable with and who is willing to do the everyday, mundane tasks. Don’t get me wrong, it’s fun to escape from the routine sometimes! But it’s also important to know you can be yourself with someone while cooking dinner or painting a house. Those everyday moments are intimate in their own subtle way, and I wanted to portray Ashley and Jackson’s emerging relationship as one built on a solid foundation rather than the glitz and glam.

PBG: Ashley’s overarching desire is articulated early and clearly: she wants to “honor God in any relationship” even as her heart races around Jackson. For readers of Christian fiction, that tension between human longing and the commitment to honor God in romance is deeply relatable. How did you navigate writing that internal conflict for Ashley without making her feel either naïve or preachy, and what did you want her journey to say to readers who share that same desire?

KE: I had to keep it real. As humans, when we are around someone we are attracted to or just started dating, we feel that excitement in our souls. Our heart beats faster, our stomach flutters, our mind can’t stop thinking about them. But it was important that Ashley keep a godly perspective on her feelings for Jackson and not rush into anything—especially seeing what a wolf in sheep’s clothing Nick had been. God created us for relationship and community, but those things work best when we keep Him at the center.

PBG: How did you think about writing a story involving real menace and fear that includes threatening texts, vandalism, broken windows, and a stalker who uses aliases, in a way that still ultimately reflects that God-glorifying purpose?

KE: I definitely struggled with how to portray Nick’s evil nature. I wanted his behavior to be realistic, but I didn’t want to go down a truly sinister path. My goal was to have readers be uplifted by the overall story despite his shady conduct and not be saddened or upset by loss of innocent life, fictional though it may be. I tailored his foul play accordingly.

A Stalker to Die For

Ashley Morris thought the worst part of online dating was awkward small talk. She was wrong. After one disastrous date, a man named Nick won't take no for an answer. His calls and texts escalate into threats, break-ins, and a terror that shadows her every move. Desperate for safety, Ashley hires Jackson Russo— a talented painter with a kind heart and a protective streak— to renovate her home. But as their friendship deepens into something more, Nick's obsession turns deadly. Caught between a stalker's rage and a love she never expected, Ashley must trust God's protection and her own instincts to survive. With Jackson by her side, she'll fight for her life— and for a future worth living. A faith-filled romantic suspense with a slow-burn, closed-door romance and a guaranteed happily ever after. No graphic content. Perfect for fans of Lynette Eason, Dani Pettrey, and Dee Henderson.

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