Author Spotlight: Sally Jo Pitts

It’s a joy to introduce you to Sally Jo Pitts today.

1. Tell us about your latest release-

Sweet Deceit is about a waitress who has an attempt made on her life and as she works with the newly appointed sheriff to find her assailant, the two find themselves in the middle of Sweet County’s dark secrets.

2. What inspired your novel?

This romantic suspense is based on the true story of my husband being pulled from his state investigator job to serve as interim sheriff in a small rural county when the Florida governor removed the elected sheriff from office for malfeasance. My husband was given the  task of cleaning up the county and the townspeople were not very receptive.

3. What are you working on now?

I am writing the second book, Sweet Double-Cross, in the Secrets of Sweet County series.

A biologist and a land developer connect to discuss an invasive plant species but their meeting turns into a bizarre day of death and destruction.

4. What inspired you to start writing?

As a youngster I read Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys and Alfred Hitchcock mysteries and enjoyed writing simple little stories and plays. I took creative writing in high school and thought I might become an English teacher, but life choices took me in a different direction. I became a home economics teacher, high school guidance counselor, and a private detective in my husband’s investigations agency. When I retired from education, I took a college creative writing class and the love of writing rekindled. In 2011, I discovered a Christian writers conference and subsequently writing workshops, retreats and a local writers group. My first novel was published in 2018 and I continue to write and work to learn the craft. I feel like I have returned to my writing roots and inspiration of my younger years.

5. What is the strangest thing you’ve done to research a story?

I mimicked my character’s dilemma and sat tied and gagged in the back seat of my car, wanting to feel the emotions and discomfort. It helped me come up with the thoughts of my character and how she dealt with the bad guys in the story.

6. What is your favorite Bible verse?

Philippians 4:8 because it presents a great truth for a healthy outlook on life. “…whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

Author Bio:

Sally Jo Pitts is an award-winning author who brings experience as a private investigator, licensed lie detection examiner, high school guidance counselor and home economics teacher to the fiction page. Having worked thirty years alongside her late law enforcement husband in his private investigations agency, she learned to teach by day and snoop by night. Currently, she draws on real-life experiences to pen faith-based stories of romance and mystery. Her works include the Hamilton Harbor Legacy romance series and the Seasons of Mystery detective series. Sweet Deceit is book one in the new Secrets of Sweet County series. Connect with her at

https://sallyjopitts.com/ or  https://linktr.ee/sallyjopitts