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CHRISTINA: COMING UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," WE'LL HEAR ABOUT AN EFFORT TO HELP SENIORS AVOID FALLING VICTIM TO FINANCIAL SCAMS.

>>> ALSO TONIGHT, WE'LL LEARN ABOUT NEWS LITERACY FOR ARIZONA.

>>> AND "NEW YORK TIMES" BEST-SELLING AUTHOR ALLISON BRENNAN RELEASES A NEW THRILLER.

THOSE STORIES AND MORE NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."

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CHRISTINA: GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE, I'M CHRISTINA ESTES FILLING IN FOR TED SIMONS.

GOVERNOR KATIE HOBBS SELECTED HER LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR RUNNING MATE.

SHE ANNOUNCED HER PICK IS FORMER MESA MAYOR JOHN GILES.

GILES WAS A REPUBLICAN AND IS NOW REGISTERED INDEPENDENT, SETTING UP A BIPARTISAN TICKET AS VOTERS WILL ELECT THE STATE'S FIRST LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR.

HOBBS' REPUBLICAN OPPONENT ANDY BIGGS ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK HE'S RUNNING WITH FORMER ARIZONA LAWMAKER SINE KERR.

EARLY VOTING STARTS OCTOBER 7.

>>> OLDER ARIZONANS LOSE A LOT OF MONEY TO SCAMMERS EVERY YEAR.

THE ORGANIZATION R.O.S.E.

WHICH STANDS FOR RESOURCES/OUTREACH TO SAFEGUARD THE ELDERLY IS WORKING TO HELP SENIORS AVOID FINANCIAL SCAMS.

TONIGHT AS PART OF OUR MONTHLY AARP-SPONSORED SEGMENT HIGHLIGHTING ISSUES IMPORTANT TO OLDER ADULTS IN THE COMMUNITY.

WE WELCOME BRIAN WATSON.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING THE DRIVE FROM TUCSON.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME BACK.

CHRISTINA: YOU SPENT 30 YEARS AS PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER AND AGENT WITH THE IRS.

>> MY FAVORITE PART WAS DOING THE PIO WORK, TV, RADIO, NEWS BROADCAST AND I LIKE TO PROTECT PEOPLE.

THAT WAS MY FAVORITE PART OF BEING IRS SPECIAL AGENT AND PIO.

WHEN I WAS OFFERED TO JOIN THE TEAM AT R.O.S.E., I JUMPED ON IT BECAUSE IT'S MY PASSION.

CHRISTINA: GIVE US AN IDEA WHAT KIND OF SCAMS.

THERE ARE A LOT OF THEM, I KNOW WE WON'T BE ABLE TO COVER THEM, BUT IS THERE ONE THAT IS MORE POPULAR RIGHT NOW WHEN IT COMES TO TARGETING SENIORS?

>> MULTIPLE SCAMS THAT USE CRYPTOCURRENCY ATMs AS A WAY TO STEAL MONEY FROM PEOPLE.

I DO NOT LIKE CRYPTOCURRENCY ATMs.

I'VE BEEN TELLING PEOPLE ALL THE TIME, I WANT THEM TO BE BANNED.

AND MULTIPLE STATES GOT RID OF THEM.

INDIANA, TENNESSEE, MINNESOTA, BUT I WANT ARIZONA, I WANT OUR STATE TO STEP UP AND BAN THEM NEXT.

THE JURY DUTY SCAM IS ONE AS AN EXAMPLE.

YOU GET A PHONE CALL CLAIMING SOMEONE FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE SAYING YOU DIDN'T SHOW UP FOR JURY DUTY AND YOU CAN PAY A FINE AND TELL YOU TO DO IT VIA CRYPTOCURRENCY ATM.

CHRISTINA: WHAT ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT IMPERSONATION SCAM?

THAT'S ONE THAT SEEMS TO BE EVERGREEN.

>> IT REALLY IS, WHEN I WAS AT THE IRS, THERE WAS THE IRS PHONE SCAM, AND PEOPLE LOST A LOT OF MONEY IN THAT ONE.

BUT THERE'S ONES INVOLVING SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND WHEN I DO PRESENTATIONS, I ACTUALLY GET A LAUGH LINE OUT OF THIS.

I ASK MY AUDIENCE, WHEN IS THE LAST TIME YOU CALLED ONE OF THESE AGENCIES AND THEY PICKED UP THE PHONE ON THE FIRST RING, AND THEY ALL LAUGH.

THE POINT IS THESE AGENCIES ARE BUSY, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO CALL YOU, THEY INITIATE CONTACT WITH A LETTER.

CHRISTINA: IF SOMEONE GETS A CALL AND ISN'T SURE, WHAT'S YOUR ADVICE?

>> HANG UP.

SO MANY PEOPLE, MY GENERATION AND OLDER ARE TRAINED TO ANSWER THE PHONE AND BE NICE.

I HAVE TO TOUGHEN UP PEOPLE, THOUGH YOUR PARENTS RAISED YOU WELL, YOU ARE ALLOWED TO HANG UP THE PHONE.

CALL FROM A VERIFIED NUMBER, NOT A NUMBER PROVIDED BY A SCAMMER, NOT IN AN E-MAIL SENT TO YOU.

DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH.

LOOK IN A PHONE BOOK IF YOU HAVE ONE, USE AN ONLINE SEARCH OR GO ONLINE, OR THE BANK, TAKE YOUR ATM CARD, FLIP IT OVER AND CALL THE NUMBER ON THE BACK.

CHRISTINA: TALK ABOUT TECHNOLOGY, HOW IS THAT CHANGING HOW SCAMMERS ARE OPERATEING?

>> NOWADAYS, EVERYTHING HAS A PASSWORD AND A LOGIN.

YOU KNOW, MY MOM, EVERY TIME SHE GOES TO A NEW DOCTOR, SHE HAS TO CREATE A PORTAL AND PAY ONLINE.

YOU CAN'T DO THINGS WITH A CHECK ANYMORE.

IT CREATED A PERFECT STORM FOR THIS GENERATION OF OLDER ADULTS WHO DID NOT GROW UP WITH TECHNOLOGY AND YOU HAVE THE SCAMMERS UTILIZING TECHNOLOGY, AND IT'S A PERFECT SITUATION WHERE THE SCAMMERS CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF US, AND PEOPLE ARE WORRIED ABOUT A.I.

THE BIGGEST THING WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE THEY SEE IS THE SCAMMERS CAN RUN POORLY WRITTEN E-MAILS THROUGH A.I.

TO CLEAN THEM UP TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE IT WAS WRITTEN PROFESSIONALLY AND BY AN ENGLISH SPEAKER AND MAKES THE E-MAILS MUCH MORE BELIEVABLE.

CHRISTINA: WHAT ABOUT VOICE GENERATED SCAMS USING A.I.?

>> THAT HAPPENS.

AND I'VE HEARD A FEW ANECDOTAL STORIES, ESPECIALLY WITH THE GRANDPARENTS' CALL.

THEN AGAIN, IT'S SCARY, IF YOU DID GET A CALL, YOU HAVE TO HANG UP AND CALL YOUR GRANDCHILD OR YOUR SON OR DAUGHTER DIRECTLY.

CHRISTINA: WHAT'S GOOD ADVICE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE CONCERNED, MAYBE NOT THEMSELVES BUT FOR A FAMILY MEMBER OR NEIGHBOR.

HOW CAN YOU BRING UP THE CONVERSATION INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR SOMETHING BAD TO HAPPEN?

>> WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT SCAM PREVENTION ALL THE TIME.

IT'S NOT A FUN SUBJECT, BUT WE WANT PEOPLE TO DO, WE HAVE A MONTHLY E-MAIL WE SEND OUT AT R.O.S.E., ROSE ADVOCACY.ORG.

THESE ARE GOOD CONVERSATION STARTERS, I CAN SAY, DAD, ARE YOU AWARE OF THAT AMAZON SCAM?

OR MOM ARE YOU AWARE OF THE PUBLISHER'S CLEARING HOUSE SCAM COMING BACK AGAIN?

AND I'M NOT INSULTING THEIR INTELLIGENCE OR AGE, AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT IN A LOW-KEY ENVIRONMENT.

CHRISTINA: YOU MUST BE FUN AROUND THE HOLIDAYS, THE DINNER TABLE WITH THE STORIES ABOUT THE HOT SCAMS?

YOU DO INTERACTIVE PRESENTATIONS, YOU MENTIONED THE NEWSLETTER, TALK ABOUT THE PRESENTATIONS AND WHAT'S INVOLVED WITH THEM AND HOW PEOPLE CAN LEARN ABOUT THEM?

>> RIGHT.

OUR MAIN FOCUS, WHEN THE FOUNDER STARTED R.O.S.E.

WAS TO BE IN THE PREVENTION BUSINESS AND MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE.

GO TO THEIR COMMUNITIES, GO TO THE COMMUNITY CENTERS AND SIT DOWN WITH THEM AND TALK ABOUT THESE SCAMS IN AN OPEN AND EASY TO UNDERSTAND ENVIRONMENT.

I'VE DONE ALMOST 100 OF THEM.

JOYCE HAS PROBABLY DONE THE SAME AMOUNT AND OTHER PEOPLE ON THE BOARD.

YOU CAN GO TO ROSE ADVOCACY.ORG.

GET YOUR COMMUNITY TO SIGN UP, THEY ARE VERY EDUCATIONAL, AND NOW WE'RE OFFERING A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT PRESENTING AS ON DIFFERENT TOPICS, INCLUDING THINGS LIKE TECHNOLOGY.

CHRISTINA: BRIAN WATSON WITH R.O.S.E.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US AND ALL THE WORK YOU'RE DOING PROTECTING SENIORS IN ARIZONA.

>> THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

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CHRISTINA: A LOCAL NONPARTISAN, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION IS HELPING ARIZONANS BUILD CRITICAL MEDIA SKILLS.

JOINING US IS MICHELLE BEAVER, FOUNDER AND ECTIR DIRECT AREOF NEWS ARIZONA.

THANKS FOR COMING IN, MICHELLE.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

CHRISTINA: WHAT IS NEWS LITERACY FOR ARIZONA?

>> A NONPARTISAN PROGRAM THAT STRENGTHENS OUR COMMUNITIES BY HELPING PEOPLE NAVIGATE TODAY'S INFORMATION LANDSCAPE SO THEY CAN MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ON FACT.

WE DO THE WORK SHOP THAT TEACHES LITERACY SKILLS TO AGES IS 3 AND OLDER IN SCHOOL, LIBRARIES AND COMMUNITY CENTERS, AND THE MOTTO IS TRUTH MATTERS AND IT DOES EXIST AND WE CAN FIND IT.

CHRISTINA: TRUTH MATTERS, IT DOES EXIST.

>> AND WE CAN FIND IT.

CHRISTINA: HOW DO YOU HELP PEOPLE FIND IT?

TALK ABOUT THE CONTENT.

YOU HAVE QUITE A FEW PILLARS IN THE WORKSHOP.

>> WE DON'T CHANGE ANYBODY'S MINDS, WE GIVE THEM THE TOOLS TO MAKE UP THEIR OWN MINDS AND DO IT THROUGH A FIVE POINT TRAINING, WE GO OVER THE POWER OF ALGORITHMS ON THE INFORMATION WE CONSUME AND DELVE INTO JOURNALISM'S ROLE IN DEMOCRACY AND LASTLY TALK ABOUT HOW AND WHY TO BUILD A DIVERSE NEWS DIET.

CHRISTINA: THAT'S A LOT.

WHAT INSPIRED TO YOU CREATE NEWS LITERACY FOR ARIZONA?

>> MY ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS AND I WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE PUBLIC'S ERODING TRUST IN JOURNALISM, AND I ALWAYS SAY IN OUR WORKSHOPS THAT TODAY'S JOURNALISTS FOLLOW THE SAME PRINCIPLES THAT WERE TRUSTED BY OUR PARENTS AND OUR GRANDPARENTS.

SO THOSE PRINCIPLES HAVE NOT CHANGED.

WHAT'S CHANGED IS PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF THE PRINCIPLES.

AND IT'S OKAY IF WE DON'T AGREE ON OPINIONS BUT NEED TO AGREE ON FACT BECAUSE IF WE'RE OPERATING FROM FACTS, WE CAN WORK TOGETHER BETTER TO SOLVE PROBLEMS AS A COMMUNITY.

CHRISTINA: ON THE TOPIC OF FACTS WE HEAR THE WORDS MISINFORMATION AND DISINFORMATION, WHAT DO THOSE MEAN?

>> THEY GET USED INTERCHANGEABLY, BUT THEY'RE NOT.

THEY'RE BOTH FALSE, BUT THE DIFFERENCE IS INTENT.

MISINFORMATION IS LIKE MISTAKE, YOU TELL SOMEBODY IT STARTS ON MONDAY BUT IT STARTS ON TUESDAY, YOU MADE A MISTAKE.

WITH DISINFORMATION, IT'S ALSO FALSE BUT SPREAD WITH THE INTENTION OF DECEIVING OR MANIPULATING.

CHRISTINA: THAT MAY BE THE CLEAREST EXPLANATION I'VE HEARD.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.

LET'S TALK ABOUT TIPS THAT YOU SHARE IN THE WORKSHOP WHEN IT COMES TO THINKING CRITICALLY.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

>> DON'T ACCEPT ANYTHING YOU READ OR HEAR AT FACE VALUE.

IF YOU HAVE DOUBTS, RUN IT THROUGH A FACT CHECKER.

ONE IS FACT CHECKER, POLITICO, POLITIFACT, THERE'S SNOPES.

NOW YOU WANT TO COMPARE, IF YOU ARE CONSUMING NEWS THAT IS NOT FROM A TRADITIONAL NONBIASED NEWS SOURCE, SEE HOW THE TOP SICK COVERED BY A TRADITIONAL NONBIAS NEWS SOURCE AND WANT TO FIND OUT WHO OR WHAT IS BEHIND THE INFORMATION YOU ARE CONSUMING.

GO TO THE WEBSITE, GO TO THE ABOUT US TAB, AND THEN ALSO GOOGLE THAT ORGANIZATION TO SEE WHAT OTHER PEOPLE SAY, AND THEN LASTLY, DON'T USE TikTok FOR YOUR NEWS.

40% OF AMERICAN TEENAGERS GET THEIR NEWS FROM TikTok, AND THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS ONE OUT OF EVERY FIVE NEWS STORIES THAT TikTok SUGGESTS CONTAINS MISINFORMATION AND DISINFORMATION.

CHRISTINA: LET'S DIVE INTO ALGORITHMS BECAUSE TikTok AND SOCIAL MEDIA IS ALL ABOUT ALGORITHMS.

WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF ALGORITHM AND IMPACT THE NEWS AND INFORMATION I RECEIVE?

>> ALGORITHMS ARE LIKE A DIGITAL LIBRARIAN.

A SET OF COMPUTER INSTRUCTIONS THAT TRIES TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT THINKS WE LIKE.

SAY YOU ARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA OR YouTube, AT FIRST YOUR FEED IS GOING TO LOOK RANDOM, AND AS YOU START TO CLICK AND ENGAGE, THE ALGORITHM SAYS, LET'S GIVE YOU MORE OF THIS, MORE AND MORE OF THAT SAME PERSPECTIVE, AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, YOU FALL INTO A RABBIT HOLE OR ECHO CHAMBER.

CHRISTINA: ONE SECTION OF YOUR WORKSHOP FOCUSES ON JOURNALISM'S ROLE IN DEMOCRACY.

WHY?

>> WE FOCUS ON JOURNALISM'S ROLE IN DEMOCRACY BECAUSE 45% OF AMERICAN TEENAGERS THINK THAT JOURNALISM DOES MORE TO HARM DEMOCRACY THAN PROTECT IT.

WE FOCUS ON THE ROLE OF WATCHDOG JOURNALISM AND TEACH THE ATTENDEES ABOUT THAT AND GIVE SOME OF MANY, MANY EXAMPLES HOW JOURNALISM HAS HELPED GOVERNMENT AND CONSTITUTIONS AND INDIVIDUALS ACCOUNTABLE, AND THEN I ASK THE ATTENDEES TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WOULD OUR SOCIETY AND DEMOCRACY BE LIKE WITHOUT A FREE PRESS?

IS THAT SOMETHING YOU REALLY WANT?

CHRISTINA: YOU ALSO GIVE FOLKS ADVICE ON A DIVERSE NEWS DIET.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

WHAT DOES IT REALLY LOOK LIKE?

>> A DIVERSE NEWS DIET IS ALL ABOUT BALANCE.

THE MEDIUM DOES NOT MATTER.

YOU CAN GET IT FROM RADIO, TELEVISION, PRINT, ONLINE, THEY'RE ALL FINE.

BULK OF THE CONTENT SHOULD COME FROM ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, STATE AND LOCAL NEWSPAPERS, WHAT HAVE YOU, AND WE CAN COMPLEMENT THAT WITH RIGHT-WING AND LEFT-WING NEWS.

ANALOGY WE GIVE TO ATTENDEES IS THINK ABOUT NEWS DIET LIKE A DINNER PLATE, WHERE THE MAIN PORTION OF THE MEAL IS ROASTED CHICKEN, THAT'S TRADITIONAL UNBIASED SOURCES AND COMPLEMENT THAT WITH BROCCOLI AND SIDES, THAT'S THE LEFT-WING AND THE RIGHT-WING, YOU PUT IT TOGETHER, YOU HAVE A BALANCED DIET.

CHRISTINA: THAT'S A LOT OF WORK.

A LOT OF IMPORTANT INFORMATION.

WHAT KIND OF FEEDBACK DO YOU GET FROM THE TEENS AND THE OTHER FOLKS IN YOUR WORKSHOPS?

>> I THINK IT RESONATES MOST WITH TEENAGERS BECAUSE THEY HATE BEING LIED TO AND WANT TO KNOW HOW TO FIND TRUTH, AND THAT'S WHAT WE HELP THEM DO.

CHRISTINA: VERY QUICKLY, TELL US HOW PEOPLE CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR ORGANIZATION AS WELL AS THE WORKSHOP.

>> VISIT US AT NEWS LITERACY FOR ARIZONA.ORG TO SUPPORT OUR WORK.

CHRISTINA: MICHELLE BEAVER, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

SNOEPS PES .

CHRISTINA: MORE THAN 20 YEARS AGO, ALLISON BRENNAN TOOK A LEAP OF FAITH AND QUIT HER JOB AFTER SELLING HER FIRST NOVEL.

THAT GAMBLE PAID OFF.

SHE'S PUBLISHED MORE THAN 50 BOOKS, NEWEST IS "WHISPER CREEK," A THRILLER WITH ABOUT A TEXAS FAMILY FIGHTING FOR THEIR LAND.

ALLISON BRENNAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING IN.

I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU THIS, DO YOU HATE THIS QUESTION, AND DIDN'T GET TO ASK THE QUESTION, SO WE'RE GOING TO FIND OUT.

YOU'VE GOT LONG RUNNING SERIES, ROMANTIC, SUSPENSE, YOU COVER THE GAMUT, MORE THAN 50 BOOKS.

HOW DO YOU STAY FRESH?

YOUR WRITING IS ALWAYS FRESH AND INTERESTING AND COMPELLING.

HOW DO YOU DO IT?

>> I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS I HAVE TO LIKE WHAT I LIKE, SO IF I AM GETTING BORED WITH SOMETHING, THAT'S WHEN I SAY, OKAY, THIS IS TIME TO END THE SERIES.

I HAD A LONG RUNNING LUCY KINCAIDE SERIES, AND I DIDN'T HAVE ANY FRESH IDEAS FOR HER, AND I STILL GET READER E-MAIL SAYING WHY ARE YOU NOT WRITING ANY LUCYS, WHEN I GET A GOOD IDEA, I WILL PITCH IT TO MY EDITOR, I HAVE TO HAVE THE SPARK BECAUSE IF I'M NOT EXCITED ABOUT WHAT I'M WRITING, MY READERS ARE NOT EXCITED READING IT.

CHRISTINA: YOU ARE A BIG FAN OF RESEARCH, YOU ATTENDED FBI VISITOR'S ACADEMY, VISITED A PRISON.

WHAT IT S IT ABOUT RESEARCH THAT YOU ENJOY, AND HOW DO YOU DECIDE HOW MUCH CAN YOU PUT IN THE BOOK AND WHAT YOU CAN'T?

>> I LIKE TO LEARN WHAT OTHER PEOPLE DO FOR A LIVING.

IT'S FASCINATING.

THE FBI CITIZENS ACADEMY WHERE I PACIFIC NORTHWESTED IN S.W.A.T.

DRILLS.

WATCHING THE PEOPLE DO WHAT THEY DO AND TALKING TO THEM AFTER WHY, DID YOU MAKE THIS DECISION?

IT'S FASCINATING BECAUSE I'M NOT A COP.

I'M NOT BRAVE AT ALL, AND SO I THINK IT'S JUST LEARNING WHAT THEY DO AND BE ABLE TO SAY, OKAY, I HAVE TO MAKE IT EXCITING, SO I LEAVE OUT THE PAPERWORK, MY DAUGHTER IS A COP.

THERE'S A LOT OF PAPERWORK.

I AVOID THAT IN MY BOOKS.

THEY SPENT THREE HOUR ON PAPERWORK AND THAT'S ONE SENTENCE AND I CAN MOVE ON.

CHRISTINA: TALK ABOUT THE RESEARCH IN "WHISPER CREEK," YOUR NEWEST PUBLISHED BOOK, YOU HAD TO DO SOME RESEARCH.

TALK ABOUT THAT.

>> WELL, I ACTUALLY INTERVIEWED A FARMNER NEBRASKA MARRIED TO ONE OF MY GOOD FRIENDS WHO IS ALSO A WRITER, AND TO HELP ME UNDERSTAND A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A FARMER.

WHAT DO THEY DO?

GET UP, WHAT'S THE PROBLEMS?

HE HELPED ME SO MUCH AND GAVE ME A LINE, GROW OR DIE.

HE GAVE ME THE THEME OF THE BOOK.

BRIAN TOTALLY HELPED ME, AND I INTERVIEWED A FRIEND OF MY SON, FORMER COLLEGE ROOMMATE WHO HAD A CATTLE RANCH IN NORTH TEXAS, AND BY PUTTING ALL THAT INFORMATION TOGETHER, IT HELPS ME MAKE THE BOOK REALISTIC.

CHRISTINA: IT IS A FAST-MOVING, FAST PACED BOOK, I WAS DRAWN TO THE FAMILY.

MANY OF YOUR BOOKS ARE FAMILICENTRIC ABOUT FAMILY AND STAYING TOGETHER AND FIGHTING FOR EACH OTHER.

IS THAT IN YOUR DNA OR DO YOU CHOOSE THE THEMES AS YOU WRITE?

>> I LIKE THE FAMILY ASPECT OF STORIES AND READERS LIKE IT, TOO.

EVEN WHEN I DON'T WRITE ABOUT A FAMILY IN THE QUINN ACOSTA SERIES, THEY MADE THE FAMILY, THEY ARE A GROUP OF AGENTS THAT WORK CLOSELY TOGETHER.

IT'S KIND OF FAMILY.

I DO, I REALLY THINK READERS WANT THAT HUMAN CONNECTION AND WANT IT IN THEIR BOOKS AND WANT IT IN THEIR LIVES.

ME, TOO.

I THINK WE'RE ALL PRETTY MUCH THE SAME.

CHRISTINA: "WHISPER CREEK" IS YOUR NEWEST BOOK OUT NOW.

YOU HAVE ANOTHER ONE "I'LL BE WATCHING YOU."

COMING OUT IN SEPTEMBER.

IT'S SET IN PHOENIX, WHICH I LOVE.

WHY PHOENIX?

>> I WANTED TO SET A BOOK IN PHOENIX, I WASN'T SURE WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO.

I WENT TO COURT WITH MY DAUGHTER, THE COP, AND WE ENDED UP TALKING TO THE JUDGE, AND HE TELLING ME ABOUT HIS FAMILY AND GRANDPARENTS GOT MARRIED AT THE BASILICA DOWNTOWN, AND FAMILY HAS BEEN HERE 100+ YEARS, AND I SAID THAT'S IT, I'M GOING TO WRITE ABOUT A LONGTIME IRISH MEXICAN FAMILY IN PHOENIX, AND THEY'RE PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS, AND SO THEY WORK TOGETHER, AND I REALLY ENJOYED IT.

I PICKED THE SUNNYSLOPE AREA.

ONE, THAT'S WHERE MY DAUGHTER PATROLLED.

I KNEW A LOT ABOUT IT, AND HAD A RESOURCE TO CALL ABOUT IT.

WHAT'S GOING ON?

HOW CAN I PUT THIS IN THE STORY.

CHRISTINA: IT'S CALLED WRITING SMARTER, NOT HARDER.

WHAT'S THE MOST REWARDING PART OF THE WRITING PROCESS FOR YOU?

>> FINISHING THE BOOK.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> OKAY, WHEN I TYPE THE END, I GET SO EXCITED AND I LITERALLY TYPE IT BECAUSE IT'S DONE.

I ALSO REALLY, REALLY LOVE READER E-MAIL, WHEN PEOPLE REACH OUT TO ME.

I HAD A GRANDMOTHER REACH OUT THE OTHER DAY SAYING SHE JUST DISCOVERED MY BOOKS AND WORKING HER WAY THROUGH ALL MY SERIES.

CHRISTINA: SHE'S GOING TO BE READING QUITE AWHILE.

WOW.

HOW CAN PEOPLE SEND YOU AN E-MAIL TO TELL YOU HOW MUCH THEY LOVE YOUR BOOKS OR LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR BOOKS.

>> ALLISON BRENNAN.COM, ALL OF MY SOCIAL MEDIA AND CONTACTING ARE ON THE WEBSITE.

CHRISTINA: STAND ALONE THRILLER IS "WHISPER CREEK," "I'LL BE WATCHING YOU."

SPECIFICALLY SUNNYSLOPE, THERE IS CAVE CREEK AND OTHER CITIES, IT'S A TREAT TO READ.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

CHRISTINA: AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US.

I'M CHRISTINA ESTES IN FOR TED SIMONS.

I HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT NIGHT.

- Hello, I'm Alice Ferris, and we hope you enjoyed Arizona Horizon.

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