Colleen Cross's Blog, page 2
December 25, 2016
Meet the Authors - 25 Mysteries to Die For - Colleen Cross
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays
Here is a recent interview I gave at Sleuth Cafe, as a 25 Mysteries to Die For co-author...
http://25mysteriestodiefor.wixsite.com/home
COLLEEN CROSS AUTHOR INTERVIEW
SC: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I live in Vancouver, on Canada’s southwest coast. I’m a writer and a runner, a cat and dog fanatic (though my dog likes cats a little too much, lol), a traveler turned homebody (my life revolves around my dog), and a lover of all things nature and the great outdoors. We go to the beach and hike a lot, and then I come home to write. And naturally, I’m a bookworm. I read mostly mysteries, thrillers, and lots of nonfiction.
I am a graphic artist turned accountant turned writer. I have always been writing though, so I suppose I have finally come full circle to my true calling.
SC: Was there a certain time in your life you knew you wanted to write?
I’ve always written stories in my head and began writing (and illustrating) them soon after I learned how to write. In fact, the treehouse I imagined as a child lives on as Cendrine’s home in my Westwick Witches Cozy Mysteries series. I never dreamed I could write for my day job though. It’s a dream come true! When I was a kid I read everything I could get my hands on, so it was only natural that would go the DIY route and write my own stories! Back then, they tended towards fantasy.
SC: What are you currently working on?
I’m currently working on the third book in my Westwick Witches Cozy Mysteries series, Witch and Famous. It’s 100% cozy mystery with sprinkles of humour and fantasy. It’s so much fun to write that it often feels like my characters are coming up with their own lines, and sometimes they are rather cheeky! Since witches are magic, I get to make even more stuff up than usual!
I tend to do ten million things at once, so don’t be surprised if I come up with a completely new series or two while I’m working with the Westwick Witches. In fact, as I’m writing this I just thought up a brand new series! It’s a secret for now...
SC: Of the books you’ve written, which one is your favorite and why?
My favourite changes constantly because it’s always the book I’m currently writing. My very first book, Exit Strategy, will always be special to me, of course. I’ve got books 4 and 5 in that series outlined and ready to write. I just need to find time to write them!
SC: What books have most influenced you as a writer?
There are so many books that I don’t know where to start. As a kid, I loved Nancy Drew. I also loved Russian classics but also Edgar Allen Poe. Most of all, though, I loved Black Beauty. That got me started reading all things horses, which was how I discovered My Friend Flicka and Mary O’Hara’s other books. I wrote to her (back then it was snail mail) and was so thrilled to get a reply from her! Then I was in love with all things horses, even though I had never ridden one, and read every horse book I could find. Then it was every book about dogs…and I guess you can see why I usually have 2-3 books on the go at any given time. Cozy mysteries are always at the very top of my list along with psychological thrillers (as long as they aren’t too scary).
As an adult, my influences are more from writers like Lisa Scottoline, Kathy Reichs, and Tess Gerritsen, all great mystery / thriller writers. But it was those early reads that really got me hooked on reading, which in turn got me started writing in the first place. Great books in any genre transport us to a different world and give us different perspectives, and there are so many more I want to discover. I learn something from every book I read. I hope that never changes.
SC: What do you find to be the most challenging part of writing? And the most rewarding?
The most challenging part for me is staying with my original story outline. I find that as the story develops some of the characters take over, so to speak, and take the plot in directions I never expected. As much as I try, I’ll never be a straight plotter. But that has its own rewards, since it often keeps the story fresh and provides me with surprise twist endings!
The most rewarding part is feedback from readers. I’m alone in my head with my characters until the book is published, so it’s always nice to know that readers enjoy my stories. Knowing that I kept someone guessing, made them laugh out loud, or otherwise entertained them to forget their worries is the greatest reward of all.
SC: What book is on your nightstand?
I have a couple at the moment: The Secret Place, by Tana French, and The Casual Vacancy, by J. K. Rowling.
SC: What can we look forward to seeing from you in the future?
Witch and Famous, the third book in the Westwick Witches Cozy Mysteries series, will be published in early 2017. I’ve got more books planned in all of my series, which run the gamut from cozy mysteries to crime thrillers. My absolute favourite to both read and write is cozy mysteries, though. I gravitate towards cozies whenever there is lots of bad news in the world. I like to inject a little humor into my stories, even into my thrillers, which are suspenseful but not dark.
SC: Is there anything you’d like to share with your readers?
Just that I’m happy to know you’re out there, that there are readers out there who “get” me and my quirky family of characters! I’m so grateful to be doing what I do for a living, and thank you for your reviews, feedback and support. I always love to hear from readers. You can find me here:
AUTHOR LINKS
Website: http://www.colleencross.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/colleenxcross/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/colleenxcross
AUTHOR BIO
Colleen Cross writes page-turning thrillers and fun, cozy mysteries. She lives with her family on the West Coast. When she's not writing, she loves to run, hike, and explore with her rescue dog Jaeger, who reminds her daily that life's too short to not follow your dreams--or a squirrel or two.
Her books have been translated into multiple languages with more to come.
Sign up for her new release notifications to hear about new releases and exclusive subscriber-only offers.
Here is a recent interview I gave at Sleuth Cafe, as a 25 Mysteries to Die For co-author...
http://25mysteriestodiefor.wixsite.com/home
COLLEEN CROSS AUTHOR INTERVIEW
SC: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I live in Vancouver, on Canada’s southwest coast. I’m a writer and a runner, a cat and dog fanatic (though my dog likes cats a little too much, lol), a traveler turned homebody (my life revolves around my dog), and a lover of all things nature and the great outdoors. We go to the beach and hike a lot, and then I come home to write. And naturally, I’m a bookworm. I read mostly mysteries, thrillers, and lots of nonfiction.
I am a graphic artist turned accountant turned writer. I have always been writing though, so I suppose I have finally come full circle to my true calling.
SC: Was there a certain time in your life you knew you wanted to write?I’ve always written stories in my head and began writing (and illustrating) them soon after I learned how to write. In fact, the treehouse I imagined as a child lives on as Cendrine’s home in my Westwick Witches Cozy Mysteries series. I never dreamed I could write for my day job though. It’s a dream come true! When I was a kid I read everything I could get my hands on, so it was only natural that would go the DIY route and write my own stories! Back then, they tended towards fantasy.
SC: What are you currently working on?
I’m currently working on the third book in my Westwick Witches Cozy Mysteries series, Witch and Famous. It’s 100% cozy mystery with sprinkles of humour and fantasy. It’s so much fun to write that it often feels like my characters are coming up with their own lines, and sometimes they are rather cheeky! Since witches are magic, I get to make even more stuff up than usual!
I tend to do ten million things at once, so don’t be surprised if I come up with a completely new series or two while I’m working with the Westwick Witches. In fact, as I’m writing this I just thought up a brand new series! It’s a secret for now...
SC: Of the books you’ve written, which one is your favorite and why?
My favourite changes constantly because it’s always the book I’m currently writing. My very first book, Exit Strategy, will always be special to me, of course. I’ve got books 4 and 5 in that series outlined and ready to write. I just need to find time to write them!
SC: What books have most influenced you as a writer?
There are so many books that I don’t know where to start. As a kid, I loved Nancy Drew. I also loved Russian classics but also Edgar Allen Poe. Most of all, though, I loved Black Beauty. That got me started reading all things horses, which was how I discovered My Friend Flicka and Mary O’Hara’s other books. I wrote to her (back then it was snail mail) and was so thrilled to get a reply from her! Then I was in love with all things horses, even though I had never ridden one, and read every horse book I could find. Then it was every book about dogs…and I guess you can see why I usually have 2-3 books on the go at any given time. Cozy mysteries are always at the very top of my list along with psychological thrillers (as long as they aren’t too scary).
As an adult, my influences are more from writers like Lisa Scottoline, Kathy Reichs, and Tess Gerritsen, all great mystery / thriller writers. But it was those early reads that really got me hooked on reading, which in turn got me started writing in the first place. Great books in any genre transport us to a different world and give us different perspectives, and there are so many more I want to discover. I learn something from every book I read. I hope that never changes.
SC: What do you find to be the most challenging part of writing? And the most rewarding?
The most challenging part for me is staying with my original story outline. I find that as the story develops some of the characters take over, so to speak, and take the plot in directions I never expected. As much as I try, I’ll never be a straight plotter. But that has its own rewards, since it often keeps the story fresh and provides me with surprise twist endings!
The most rewarding part is feedback from readers. I’m alone in my head with my characters until the book is published, so it’s always nice to know that readers enjoy my stories. Knowing that I kept someone guessing, made them laugh out loud, or otherwise entertained them to forget their worries is the greatest reward of all.
SC: What book is on your nightstand?
I have a couple at the moment: The Secret Place, by Tana French, and The Casual Vacancy, by J. K. Rowling.
SC: What can we look forward to seeing from you in the future?
Witch and Famous, the third book in the Westwick Witches Cozy Mysteries series, will be published in early 2017. I’ve got more books planned in all of my series, which run the gamut from cozy mysteries to crime thrillers. My absolute favourite to both read and write is cozy mysteries, though. I gravitate towards cozies whenever there is lots of bad news in the world. I like to inject a little humor into my stories, even into my thrillers, which are suspenseful but not dark.
SC: Is there anything you’d like to share with your readers?
Just that I’m happy to know you’re out there, that there are readers out there who “get” me and my quirky family of characters! I’m so grateful to be doing what I do for a living, and thank you for your reviews, feedback and support. I always love to hear from readers. You can find me here:
AUTHOR LINKS
Website: http://www.colleencross.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/colleenxcross/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/colleenxcross
AUTHOR BIO
Colleen Cross writes page-turning thrillers and fun, cozy mysteries. She lives with her family on the West Coast. When she's not writing, she loves to run, hike, and explore with her rescue dog Jaeger, who reminds her daily that life's too short to not follow your dreams--or a squirrel or two.
Her books have been translated into multiple languages with more to come.
Sign up for her new release notifications to hear about new releases and exclusive subscriber-only offers.
December 24, 2016
Meet the Authors - 25 Mysteries to Die For - Alannah Foley
Introducing Alannah Foley, 25 Mysteries to Die For co-author...
ALANNAH FOLEY AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
AF: I was raised in the UK but in my twenties, I lived in my Australian birthplace for five years. I'm currently settled in Cornwall (south of England), where I've based some of my works of fiction.
I'm quite an eclectic writer with two fiction series so far – the Campervan Bushman Mysteries and the shorter Tales from Corny Cove. Both are light-hearted, easy reads, with a feel-good ending. My nonfiction books include Campervan Capers, Cycling Widows (satire about living with an obsessive cyclist) and The Jacaranda Trail (where I discovered long-long family, etc Down Under).
Was there a certain time in your life you knew you wanted to write?
AF: My mum says I was always writing down something, although I'm not one of the many authors who 'always knew' they wanted to be a writer. Over the years, I've scribbled down all sorts of ideas, written songs, poetry and short stories, written and illustrated newsletters, etc. A sort of diverse creator, I suppose. But when I was younger, I actually wanted to be a French teacher and absolutely loved languages. Even made up a few!
What are you currently working on?
AF: I've not long released the 3rd book in the Campervan Bushman Mystery Series and am working on a follow-up story which I plan to release exclusively to those in my Readers Group. After that, I plan to continue with book 4, although I have a few other projects I'm looking at working on which are 'black ops' right now.
Of the books you’ve written, which one is your favorite and why?
AF: Although I love playing with the characters in my Campervan Bushman Mystery Series, I also enjoy writing short stories and other stuff which don't require so much planning in terms of tying up clues & red herrings. I've actually had a good chuckle writing the books in my satirical Cycling Widows series – all that appeals to my impish (read: 'childish') sense of humour and it's less structured. But, at the end of the day, it really is hard to choose which thing you love the best – each book projects gives you something new to explore!
What books have most influenced you as a writer?
Now, that's another hard one to answer. As I see it, so many things in life are interwoven that you can't always pinpoint what helps with what. Books I read twenty or so years ago, such as Robert Fritz's The Path of Least Resistance, for example, changed the way I thought about creating what I wanted in life.
When it comes to writing fiction, I think I've probably learnt as much from reading it as I have done from reading nonfiction books about writing it. Reading Scott Mariani's Ben Hope thrillers, for instance, helped me get clearer on transitioning from one chapter to the next with my action/adventure-style novel, Cyclopathic Tendencies.
In terms of my writing style, I don't have any hankering to emulate any particular author. I learn from others, but I think it's important to find your own voice, because that's what your readers connect with.
What do you find to be the most challenging part of writing? And the most rewarding?
I don't consider myself to be a fast writer, so I find it challenging to have so many ideas but so little time. When I've written the cosy mysteries in the Campervan Bushman series, I've had a few challenges with tying up clues/evidence (I'm sure it comes with the territory!), but what's kept me going is the fact that I get time to have fun with the characters and dream up unusual things for Scott to do – he's my main character and is part campervan-surfer, part Crocodile Dundee, you might say. In each book, he and his crew are filming another episode of an outdoorsy TV show, so I get to explore and add stuff like bushcraft, food foraging, and so on into the mix.
What book is on your nightstand?
I'm gradually working my way through Pipe Dreams by Kelly Slater (a champion surfer, like my main character, Scott). On my TBR pile are some nice big hardbacks about Aborigines and old adventurers in Australia, plus some Bill Bryson travel books and historical fiction paperbacks by EV Thompson. On my Android, there's a mishmash of fiction, books on writing and some other nonfiction. I also like action/adventure/thriller novels by the likes of Scott Mariani, Mario Reading, Michael Cordy, and James Rollins. As you can see, my tastes are quite eclectic.
Will I ever get to read all those books? Err… We live in hope!
What can we look forward to seeing from you in the future?
Now that book 3 in the Campervan Bushman Mystery Series is out, I'll eventually look to publish a set of paperbacks. I have outlines for future books in the series, plus ideas for free extras for my Readers Group, including a few more free short stories.
I also have a few other ideas in the pipe which I'm researching, so if they get off the ground, I'll be announcing those at a later date.
Is there anything you’d like to share with your readers?
Basically, a big thank you to my readers who have taken the time to leave reviews on Amazon and/or Goodreads. If you're a reader and think your reviews don't matter – think again! It really is appreciated by an author and helps readers to decide on their next book.
Killer Climate – book 1 in the Campervan Bushman Mystery Series – is currently available free at most outlets – find more info & pick up the links on my website.
AUTHOR LINKS
Website (The Pyjama Writer) – www.thePyjamaWriter.com
Facebook Author Page – www.facebook.com/PyjamaWriter
Twitter – www.twitter.com/alannah_foley
AUTHOR BIO
Alannah Foley – aka 'The Pyjama Writer' – is the author of light cosy mysteries, short fiction, and bunch of other maverick titles that won't fall in line.
She was raised in the UK and did a five-year stint in her Aussie birthplace in her twenties, where mozzies regularly used her for target practice. She managed to return to Old Blighty devoid of shark or snake bite, however, and currently lives in picturesque Cornwall with her cycling-obsessed partner.
To date, she has two fiction series – the Campervan Bushman Mysteries and Tales from Corny Cove – both of which are light, easy reads with a few twists, turns and tickles along the way. Her nonfiction titles span topics as diverse as capers in a campervan, the vagaries of living with an obsessive cyclist and her adventures Down Under.
To get sneak peeks at upcoming books, hear about early discounts on new releases, and any cool offers she might be running, why not join her Readers Group? You can currently get a free download when you sign up at http://bit.ly/PJW-NL-SC.
December 23, 2016
Meet the Authors - 25 Mysteries to Die For - Frankie Bow
Introducing Frankie Bow, 25 Mysteries to Die For co-author...
FRANKIE BOW AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Like my protagonist, I actually am a professor in a business school. But I did not model Professor Molly after me. I’m kind of a risk-averse person who lives a sensible life, and I wanted my character to be a little more out there. So I thought, let’s start with a normal person and then dial up the neuroticism, obsessiveness, impulsiveness, and social awkwardness. So of course now everyone thinks she is me.
Was there a certain time in your life you knew you wanted to write?
It started with reading. I love murder mysteries. Especially cozy mysteries. So one day I was reading a pretty well-known cozy while I was exercising on the elliptical machine. So as I'm reading, there's some pun in the narrative and the author said something like “and everybody laughed and laughed” and I thought, this isn’t very funny and I could do better. So that was it, it was how it started. I thought, “I could do better than this. I could write my own murder mystery and it would be funnier.”
What are you currently working on?
Right now I'm finishing up my latest novella in the Miss Fortune world, Bayou Busybody.
Of the books you’ve written, which one is your favorite and why?
Maybe The Black Thumb, because of a funny plot element centered around Molly trying to make an important decision. I can't say more than that without spoiling it.
What books have most influenced you as a writer?
If I had to pick, I'd say E.G. Benson's Mapp and Lucia stories. What's brilliant about them is that there's all of this plotting and scheming over really trivial stakes. It's a great model for writing about academia.
What do you find to be the most challenging part of writing? And the most rewarding?
The hardest part is taking the outline and building it into the first draft. The most satisfying is doing the final polish. The most painful is having to excise big chunks of perfectly lovely writing that you worked really hard on, because it slows down the action.
What book is on your nightstand?
The Sybil in her Grave, by Sarah Caudwell. I've read all four of her mysteries several times. They're beautifully written and still fun to read even when you already know who the murderer is.
What can we look forward to seeing from you in the future?
I'm thinking of writing another Professor Molly mystery, tentatively titled "The Bundle of Joy," but in the short term I'll be working on the sequel to Bayou Busybody.
Is there anything you’d like to share with your readers?
Thanks for hosting me and spreading the word about our cozy mystery box set!
AUTHOR LINKS
Website – www.frankiebow.com
Facebook author page – https://www.facebook.com/AuthorFrankieBow
Twitter – https://twitter.com/Frankie_Bow
AUTHOR BIO
Frankie Bow teaches at a public university and writes the Professor Molly Mysteries. Unlike Professor Molly, she is blessed with delightful students, sane colleagues, and a perfectly nice office chair. She believes if life isn't fair, at least it can be entertaining. In addition to writing fiction, she publishes in scholarly journals under her real name. Her experience with academic publishing has taught her to take nothing personally.
Sign up for Frankie’s newsletter and get a Professor Molly short story.
FRANKIE BOW AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Like my protagonist, I actually am a professor in a business school. But I did not model Professor Molly after me. I’m kind of a risk-averse person who lives a sensible life, and I wanted my character to be a little more out there. So I thought, let’s start with a normal person and then dial up the neuroticism, obsessiveness, impulsiveness, and social awkwardness. So of course now everyone thinks she is me.Was there a certain time in your life you knew you wanted to write?
It started with reading. I love murder mysteries. Especially cozy mysteries. So one day I was reading a pretty well-known cozy while I was exercising on the elliptical machine. So as I'm reading, there's some pun in the narrative and the author said something like “and everybody laughed and laughed” and I thought, this isn’t very funny and I could do better. So that was it, it was how it started. I thought, “I could do better than this. I could write my own murder mystery and it would be funnier.”
What are you currently working on?
Right now I'm finishing up my latest novella in the Miss Fortune world, Bayou Busybody.
Of the books you’ve written, which one is your favorite and why?
Maybe The Black Thumb, because of a funny plot element centered around Molly trying to make an important decision. I can't say more than that without spoiling it.
What books have most influenced you as a writer?
If I had to pick, I'd say E.G. Benson's Mapp and Lucia stories. What's brilliant about them is that there's all of this plotting and scheming over really trivial stakes. It's a great model for writing about academia.
What do you find to be the most challenging part of writing? And the most rewarding?
The hardest part is taking the outline and building it into the first draft. The most satisfying is doing the final polish. The most painful is having to excise big chunks of perfectly lovely writing that you worked really hard on, because it slows down the action.
What book is on your nightstand?
The Sybil in her Grave, by Sarah Caudwell. I've read all four of her mysteries several times. They're beautifully written and still fun to read even when you already know who the murderer is.
What can we look forward to seeing from you in the future?
I'm thinking of writing another Professor Molly mystery, tentatively titled "The Bundle of Joy," but in the short term I'll be working on the sequel to Bayou Busybody.
Is there anything you’d like to share with your readers?
Thanks for hosting me and spreading the word about our cozy mystery box set!
AUTHOR LINKS
Website – www.frankiebow.com
Facebook author page – https://www.facebook.com/AuthorFrankieBow
Twitter – https://twitter.com/Frankie_Bow
AUTHOR BIO
Frankie Bow teaches at a public university and writes the Professor Molly Mysteries. Unlike Professor Molly, she is blessed with delightful students, sane colleagues, and a perfectly nice office chair. She believes if life isn't fair, at least it can be entertaining. In addition to writing fiction, she publishes in scholarly journals under her real name. Her experience with academic publishing has taught her to take nothing personally.
Sign up for Frankie’s newsletter and get a Professor Molly short story.
December 21, 2016
Meet the Authors - 25 Mysteries to Die For - Elisabeth Crabtree
Introducing Elisabeth Crabtree, 25 Mysteries to Die For co-author...
ELISABETH CRABTREE AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I’m an avid mystery fan. I love mystery books, tv-shows, movies, and games. If it has a mystery in it, I’m happy. I especially like ones that include some romance as well.
Was there a certain time in your life you knew you wanted to write?
I started writing in high school but the publishing process seemed daunting and I was rather busy preparing for college so I set it aside. It wasn’t until 2011 that I discovered Amazon publishing and decided to give writing another try. I wrote both Deadly Magic and Deadly Reunion in two years and published both at the end of 2012.
What are you currently working on?
I’m working on my seventh Grace Holliday Cozy Mystery. She and Kyle were married in the last book and will be on their honeymoon in the next one.
Of the books you’ve written, which one is your favorite and why?
It’s really hard to pick a favorite. I really enjoyed writing Bad Kitty. That one has Kat investigating a murder at Canary Island while taking part in a cat competition with the Gazette’s office cat, Rooster. This was the first book in the Hatter’s Cove Gazette series that featured Rooster so it was a lot of fun to write. Another favorite of mine is Murder Games. I just love mystery games and mysteries that take place in old creepy houses. In that one Kyle and Grace go to a Victorian mansion on New Year’s to take part in a murder mystery weekend event. They get snowed in with a real murderer on the loose.
What books have most influenced you as a writer?
I love Agatha Christie and all of her mysteries. I grew up reading her books and have enjoyed every one of them.
What do you find to be the most challenging part of writing? And the most rewarding?
The most challenging part is finding time to write. I have a day job and a family so I struggle finding time to write. The most rewarding part are the fans. I really enjoy reading their messages and reviews.
What book is on your nightstand?
The Bible.
What can we look forward to seeing from you in the future?
More Hatter’s Cove and Grace Holliday mysteries. The next Grace Holliday will be out late 2016 or early 2017. I may go straight into another Grace Holliday book after that or I might start a Hatter’s Cove book. I haven’t decided yet.
Is there anything you’d like to share with your readers?
I love hearing from my readers. It brings me such joy and I want to thank all of them for reading my stories.
AUTHOR LINKS
Website www.madlovepress.com
Facebook (author page) https://www.facebook.com/Elisabeth-Crabtree-Cozy-Mystery-Books-250993705085111
Twitter Link n/a
AUTHOR BIO
Elisabeth Crabtree is the author of the Grace Holliday Cozy Mystery Series and the Hatter's Cove Mystery Series. As a life-long mystery fan, Elisabeth enjoys writing light, comedic mysteries with a touch of romance.
December 20, 2016
Meet the Authors - 25 Mysteries to Die For - Ava Mallory
Introducing Ava Mallory, 25 Mysteries to Die For co-author...
AVA MALLORY AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
My name is Ava Mallory. I like to call myself a genre hoarder. Primarily, I write cozy mysteries, but because you can never have too many mysteries in life, I also write psychological thrillers and romantic thrillers.Prior to writing full-time, I’ve worn many hats. I was a hospice nurse for twenty years while also raising children, chauffeuring children to activities, volunteering as a child advocate, and sub-contracting as a copywriter for a small publishing house.Since I became a full-time writer, my life hasn’t changed much. I basically still do all of the above, but this go around, I do it in my pajamas. (Don’t tell my children that! J)
Was there a certain time in your life you knew you wanted to write?
When I was 4 years old, my mother took my younger brother and I to a Storytime activity at our neighborhood library. I don’t know if that was the first time we’d gone or just the most memorable time. When the librarian walked in the room with a book in hand (a Dick and Jane book, if I recall correctly), I knew right then and there that I would grow up to be a writer.
As is often the case, life had other plans for me. I veered this way and that and found a long-time career as a hospice nurse, but I never once lost sight of my goal to become a full-time writer.
What are you currently working on?
I always have several projects going at once. I’m editing the next book in one of cozy mystery series now. I plan on publishing it in January. I’m also outlining a new novel for my thriller series and developing a new cozy mystery series to be released next fall.
Of the books you’ve written, which one is your favorite and why?
I absolutely adore my Mercy & Mayhem novel. It’s the first in my A Mercy Mares cozy mystery series. It’s the most personal of my novels. Each character is loosely based on people I’ve met and/or worked with in my life.
What books have most influenced you as a writer?
I’m an eclectic reader. The books that have influenced me most are To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb, Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier, most of Agatha Christie’s works, and most recently, books by Emma Donoghue.
What do you find to be the most challenging part of writing? And the most rewarding?
The most challenging part of writing for me is conquering my own fear. I think we all deal with fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of being exposed. The most rewarding is finishing any project. Typing The End still makes me giddy every single time.
What book is on your nightstand?
(1.) The Silent Witness by Brittainy C. Cherry (2.) Evelyn, After by Victoria Helen Stone
What can we look forward to seeing from you in the future?
I plan on releasing three new cozy novels in the coming year. One will be the second book in my paranormal cozy mystery series and the other two will be new novels in my A Mercy Mares series.
I also write psychological thrillers under a pseudonym. I’ll have three releases for that pen name next year as well.
Is there anything you’d like to share with your readers?
I’m thankful for each and every reader. Knowing that someone has read my work means the world to me. I love interacting with them and receiving feedback from them. I cannot wait to share new works with them and some fun perks for newsletter subscribers.
AUTHOR LINKS
Website link writeravamallory.wix.com/avamallory
Facebook Link (author page) https://www.facebook.com/Ava-Mallory-1443761745884008/
Twitter Link https://twitter.com/avamallorypens
AUTHOR BIO
In Ava Mallory's world, chocolate is a vegetable and life is a great, big adventure!
When not writing mysteries, Ava can be found surfing the internet, binge-watching her favorite shows and movies, or corralling her children.
December 19, 2016
Meet the Authors - 25 Mysteries to Die For - Geraldine Evans
Meet the Authors - 25 Mysteries to Die For - Geraldine Evans
GERALDINE EVANS AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
My name is Geraldine Evans, and I’m a British writer. I’ve been published traditionally, off and on, since 1991 (Hale, Macmillan, Severn House, St Martin’s Press and Worldwide (US), which means I’m an author of a certain vintage!
My main detective is DI Joe Rafferty, who comes from a family who think – if they must have a copper in their midst – he might at least have the decency to be a bent one. So there’s a fair bit of humour in them given Rafferty’s recent promotion, his sidekick, a moralistic Welshman, who thinks the law should apply to everyone—including the mothers of detective inspectors. Then there’s the rest of his family, who mostly don’t see eye-to-eye with him regarding the letter of the law. All complicated by murder.
Was there a certain time in your life you knew you wanted to write?
When I was young, I thought people like me didn’t become writers – working-class, council house raised, blah, blah – so it wasn’t till I’d got this thinking out of my system, around my mid-twenties, that I made my first tentative attempts to be a writer. I say tentative, because I never actually finished anything. It took hitting the milestone age of thirty to achieve that—and then I went for broke. I wrote a novel each year for six years (fitted around the day job). The final one of the six was accepted by Hale in 1991. That was a romance.
But then they rejected my follow-up. I don’t know how you’d have felt, but I was all for murdering someone! So I did. I created Dead Before Morning, #1 in my almost eighteen-strong Rafferty & Llewellyn Mystery Series. It was accepted in 1993, on only its second slush pile outing, by Macmillan.
What are you currently working on?
Number 18 of my Rafferty series, which has been a bit of a stop/start effort, as I’ve had to keep putting it aside for marketing and all the work that involves. Then, I really must do what I promised one of my readers, and get on and write #3 in my Casey & Catt Mystery series. I’ve rather let this one languish on the vine, and I shouldn’t. I would also like to write a second biographical historical novel. My first, Reluctant Queen, was about the infamous Henry VIII’s little sister, Mary Rose. It’s taken me a while to find somebody who isn’t written about by everyone.
Of the books you’ve written, which one is your favorite and why?
Of the mystery novels, I’ve several favourites: Dying For You #6 Rafferty—where my DI becomes chief suspect in his own murder inquiry. Death Line #4 Rafferty, wherein there was a nifty bit of footwork on my part—especially as I’ve only a tentative grasp of arithmetic. And Blood on the Bones #9 Rafferty, when my hero is unwillingly reacquainted with Catholicism.
My bio historical, Reluctant Queen. I love the Tudor period, but so many of the characters from that era have been done to death (literally, in plenty of cases). So I knew, when I learned a little more about Mary Rose, I was sure I had the Tudor that fitted my bill—not done to death, and a sufficiently interesting life to encourage the masses of research required.
What books have most influenced you as a writer?
On the mystery side, it would have to be Cynthia Harrod Eagles, Reginald Hill, and Ruth Dudley-Edwards. Harrod Eagles is a fabulously witty writer, and her Atherton is the perfect foil for her main character, Bill Sider. Reginald Hill is also a very witty writer, and in his Andy Dalziel has created a nigh-on perfect character. And Ruth Dudley-Edwards with her Baroness Troutbeck character, has created a divine flouter of rules. I do like a good flout! It’s why I wrote both my mystery series.
Sharon Penman is my all-time-favourite as an author of historicals: the history, the characters, the dialogue—all brilliant. Jean Plaidy was the writer who introduced me to history, and from whom I learned my love of both historical fiction and non-fiction. She was a prolific writer, covered everyone who was anyone, so I’d like to pay a tribute to her, too.
What do you find to be the most challenging part of writing? And the most rewarding?
The most challenging is everything but the writing! The emails. Oh the emails. If I have to leave them for a day I’m swamped with 200-300 of the blessed things, and it takes me a several days (and then some) to plough through them. Meanwhile, the new mail is piling up.
The marketing, which is another relentless time grab. Sometimes, I don’t know how I manage to do any writing at all. You’ll laugh (or perhaps not if you’re a Rafferty fan, eagerly awaiting my next opus), but I’ve been trying to write #18 Rafferty since January, and I haven’t even got a tricky plot hole as an excuse. How other authors write a book every month, I can’t imagine. I like to write amusing dialogue, and you need to hit on just the right combination of words, and they’ve got to be the perfect words, in the perfect order, no stand-ins will do. The trouble is, it can take days, sometimes, before you can get hold of those words which slide away the second you reach for them. Definitely on the challenging side of the equation.
The most rewarding is obviously the writing—when I can get at it. I’ve mostly been a seat-of-pants writer, though nowadays I generally write a brief plot plan, if only to lessen the snags, pitfalls and rewriting. That said, there’s nothing so satisfying as writing yourself out of a plot hole as a pantser. I go around with a grin for days. Or if I hit upon a nifty bit of dialogue by-play and manage to seize hold of it immediately.
What book is on your nightstand?
I’m currently reading The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Penman (for about the fourth time—love that book). It’s about the Plantagenet’s, Edward IV and Richard III, all their friends and enemies (sometimes one and the same), and the Wars of the Roses.
On the mystery side, I’ve so many awaiting my attention that I hardly know where to start. But I will. Janet Evanovich’s latest. Love her Stephanie Plum. Then there’s Harrod-Eagles. I mostly read on my Kindle now, or my Fire, and I have an in-built resistance to paying over the odds for digital books. But I invariably give in on my favourites.
What can we look forward to seeing from you in the future?
The #18 Rafferty that I mentioned earlier (other things being equal). The second historical (ditto), and the #3 Casey & Catt (I do hate to be repetitive, but ditto again).
Is there anything you’d like to share with your readers?
One thing that I’d like to make clear–I started to write my Rafferty & Llewellyn series in 1991/2, after I received an unexpected rejection from Hale, and it was published by Macmillan in 1993. So when Lewis, the off-shoot from Morse, began, my series was already in its second decade and more. So when readers/reviewers compare the two, they should say that the Lewis series reminds them of my Rafferty, not the other way round. It might sound picky, but us writers are sensitive souls. Each time I get a comment like that in the reviews it’s like a dart to my heart. I feel like writing a comment to that effect beneath the review. So far I’ve resisted the temptation, but oh, my poor, holey heart.
That said, I love my readers. Even with the dart-to-heart remarks, they mostly say lovely things, and help me resist the urge mentioned above.
I know how difficult it is to compose reviews—I’ve written a few myself, so am familiar with the angst involved. I think it’s awesome when they take the trouble. Why would they bother? Why not just move on to the next book? I don’t know—but it’s serious Wow! factor time when they do. So—thank you. It’s very humbling and, at the same time, very elevating. I’m floating on air when another reader says they love my characters. Because I do, too.
AUTHOR LINKS
Website/Blog: http://geraldineevansbooks.wordpress.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@gerrieevans
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Geraldine.Evans.Cime.Author/
AUTHOR BIO
Geraldine Evans is a multi-published mystery author who has had eighteen novels traditionally published. Her publishers include Macmillan and St Martin's Press. But in 2010, she made the momentous decision to turn indie. Since then, she has published all of her backlist in digital format, including her Rafferty & Llewellyn and Casey & Catt detective series, as well as creating new, original to kindle works. Geraldine also writes biographical historical novels.
Although originally a Londoner, she now lives in an old market town in Norfolk, England, where she moved with George, her late husband, in 2000.
GERALDINE EVANS AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
My name is Geraldine Evans, and I’m a British writer. I’ve been published traditionally, off and on, since 1991 (Hale, Macmillan, Severn House, St Martin’s Press and Worldwide (US), which means I’m an author of a certain vintage!My main detective is DI Joe Rafferty, who comes from a family who think – if they must have a copper in their midst – he might at least have the decency to be a bent one. So there’s a fair bit of humour in them given Rafferty’s recent promotion, his sidekick, a moralistic Welshman, who thinks the law should apply to everyone—including the mothers of detective inspectors. Then there’s the rest of his family, who mostly don’t see eye-to-eye with him regarding the letter of the law. All complicated by murder.
Was there a certain time in your life you knew you wanted to write?
When I was young, I thought people like me didn’t become writers – working-class, council house raised, blah, blah – so it wasn’t till I’d got this thinking out of my system, around my mid-twenties, that I made my first tentative attempts to be a writer. I say tentative, because I never actually finished anything. It took hitting the milestone age of thirty to achieve that—and then I went for broke. I wrote a novel each year for six years (fitted around the day job). The final one of the six was accepted by Hale in 1991. That was a romance.
But then they rejected my follow-up. I don’t know how you’d have felt, but I was all for murdering someone! So I did. I created Dead Before Morning, #1 in my almost eighteen-strong Rafferty & Llewellyn Mystery Series. It was accepted in 1993, on only its second slush pile outing, by Macmillan.
What are you currently working on?
Number 18 of my Rafferty series, which has been a bit of a stop/start effort, as I’ve had to keep putting it aside for marketing and all the work that involves. Then, I really must do what I promised one of my readers, and get on and write #3 in my Casey & Catt Mystery series. I’ve rather let this one languish on the vine, and I shouldn’t. I would also like to write a second biographical historical novel. My first, Reluctant Queen, was about the infamous Henry VIII’s little sister, Mary Rose. It’s taken me a while to find somebody who isn’t written about by everyone.
Of the books you’ve written, which one is your favorite and why?
Of the mystery novels, I’ve several favourites: Dying For You #6 Rafferty—where my DI becomes chief suspect in his own murder inquiry. Death Line #4 Rafferty, wherein there was a nifty bit of footwork on my part—especially as I’ve only a tentative grasp of arithmetic. And Blood on the Bones #9 Rafferty, when my hero is unwillingly reacquainted with Catholicism.
My bio historical, Reluctant Queen. I love the Tudor period, but so many of the characters from that era have been done to death (literally, in plenty of cases). So I knew, when I learned a little more about Mary Rose, I was sure I had the Tudor that fitted my bill—not done to death, and a sufficiently interesting life to encourage the masses of research required.
What books have most influenced you as a writer?
On the mystery side, it would have to be Cynthia Harrod Eagles, Reginald Hill, and Ruth Dudley-Edwards. Harrod Eagles is a fabulously witty writer, and her Atherton is the perfect foil for her main character, Bill Sider. Reginald Hill is also a very witty writer, and in his Andy Dalziel has created a nigh-on perfect character. And Ruth Dudley-Edwards with her Baroness Troutbeck character, has created a divine flouter of rules. I do like a good flout! It’s why I wrote both my mystery series.
Sharon Penman is my all-time-favourite as an author of historicals: the history, the characters, the dialogue—all brilliant. Jean Plaidy was the writer who introduced me to history, and from whom I learned my love of both historical fiction and non-fiction. She was a prolific writer, covered everyone who was anyone, so I’d like to pay a tribute to her, too.
What do you find to be the most challenging part of writing? And the most rewarding?
The most challenging is everything but the writing! The emails. Oh the emails. If I have to leave them for a day I’m swamped with 200-300 of the blessed things, and it takes me a several days (and then some) to plough through them. Meanwhile, the new mail is piling up.
The marketing, which is another relentless time grab. Sometimes, I don’t know how I manage to do any writing at all. You’ll laugh (or perhaps not if you’re a Rafferty fan, eagerly awaiting my next opus), but I’ve been trying to write #18 Rafferty since January, and I haven’t even got a tricky plot hole as an excuse. How other authors write a book every month, I can’t imagine. I like to write amusing dialogue, and you need to hit on just the right combination of words, and they’ve got to be the perfect words, in the perfect order, no stand-ins will do. The trouble is, it can take days, sometimes, before you can get hold of those words which slide away the second you reach for them. Definitely on the challenging side of the equation.
The most rewarding is obviously the writing—when I can get at it. I’ve mostly been a seat-of-pants writer, though nowadays I generally write a brief plot plan, if only to lessen the snags, pitfalls and rewriting. That said, there’s nothing so satisfying as writing yourself out of a plot hole as a pantser. I go around with a grin for days. Or if I hit upon a nifty bit of dialogue by-play and manage to seize hold of it immediately.
What book is on your nightstand?
I’m currently reading The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Penman (for about the fourth time—love that book). It’s about the Plantagenet’s, Edward IV and Richard III, all their friends and enemies (sometimes one and the same), and the Wars of the Roses.
On the mystery side, I’ve so many awaiting my attention that I hardly know where to start. But I will. Janet Evanovich’s latest. Love her Stephanie Plum. Then there’s Harrod-Eagles. I mostly read on my Kindle now, or my Fire, and I have an in-built resistance to paying over the odds for digital books. But I invariably give in on my favourites.
What can we look forward to seeing from you in the future?
The #18 Rafferty that I mentioned earlier (other things being equal). The second historical (ditto), and the #3 Casey & Catt (I do hate to be repetitive, but ditto again).
Is there anything you’d like to share with your readers?
One thing that I’d like to make clear–I started to write my Rafferty & Llewellyn series in 1991/2, after I received an unexpected rejection from Hale, and it was published by Macmillan in 1993. So when Lewis, the off-shoot from Morse, began, my series was already in its second decade and more. So when readers/reviewers compare the two, they should say that the Lewis series reminds them of my Rafferty, not the other way round. It might sound picky, but us writers are sensitive souls. Each time I get a comment like that in the reviews it’s like a dart to my heart. I feel like writing a comment to that effect beneath the review. So far I’ve resisted the temptation, but oh, my poor, holey heart.
That said, I love my readers. Even with the dart-to-heart remarks, they mostly say lovely things, and help me resist the urge mentioned above.
I know how difficult it is to compose reviews—I’ve written a few myself, so am familiar with the angst involved. I think it’s awesome when they take the trouble. Why would they bother? Why not just move on to the next book? I don’t know—but it’s serious Wow! factor time when they do. So—thank you. It’s very humbling and, at the same time, very elevating. I’m floating on air when another reader says they love my characters. Because I do, too.
AUTHOR LINKS
Website/Blog: http://geraldineevansbooks.wordpress.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@gerrieevans
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Geraldine.Evans.Cime.Author/
AUTHOR BIO
Geraldine Evans is a multi-published mystery author who has had eighteen novels traditionally published. Her publishers include Macmillan and St Martin's Press. But in 2010, she made the momentous decision to turn indie. Since then, she has published all of her backlist in digital format, including her Rafferty & Llewellyn and Casey & Catt detective series, as well as creating new, original to kindle works. Geraldine also writes biographical historical novels.
Although originally a Londoner, she now lives in an old market town in Norfolk, England, where she moved with George, her late husband, in 2000.
December 18, 2016
Meet the Authors - 25 Mysteries to Die For - Carolyn L Dean
Introducing Carolyn L Dean, 25 Mysteries to Die For co-author...
CAROLYN L DEAN AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?I’ve been an author for two years now, and am loving writing cozy mysteries! I’ve written romance and nonfiction, but it has been so much fun to create an imaginary town where I’d want to live. I have a weakness for happy endings and oddball characters, so to discover that cozies are the sort of book I like to write has been amazing.
Was there a certain time in your life you knew you wanted to write?
I’ve known I wanted to write since grade school. I distinctly remember coming home and announcing this to my Mom, who wasn’t terribly surprised. I’d been telling stories around the dinner table since I could talk. Yeah, I was that introverted kid who sometimes lived in a make-believe world and entertained herself at bedtime by making up entire plots of books, just to stay awake.
What are you currently working on?
The third book in my Ravenwood Cove is due out in December, and has a Christmas theme. That means I was listening to Christmas carols before Halloween! I love the holidays, but I think I’m going to be really sick of Christmas music by Christmas Day.
Of the books you’ve written, which one is your favorite and why?
The first book, Bed, Breakfast, and Bones, is hands down my favorite. When I was writing it felt like the characters were introducing themselves to me, opening up their secrets, and showing me where I could tell more of their story in the upcoming books. I’ve been able to tuck in little bits of my own experiences and thoughts, and it’s been really fun to hear the positive feedback I get from readers when they discover things in the story. I feel like I could sit down for a coffee with any of the characters from Ravenwood Cove, and enjoy a nice chat J
What books have most influenced you as a writer?
This is going to sound like a cop out, but I have to say ALL of them. I read everything from Ray Bradbury to Richard Brautigan to Agatha Christie. Mix all that input with a ton of nonfiction reading and it makes for a very eclectic collection.
What do you find to be the most challenging part of writing? And the most rewarding?
I get up at 5 AM every weekday (and sometimes Saturdays) to write. Dragging my backside out of a warm, comfy bed to try to be brilliant in front of laptop is an exercise in futility some mornings…
The most rewarding thing so far has been getting a chance to talk to the people who love cozy mysteries as much as I do! They are a warm, fun bunch of people, and I’ve really enjoyed getting to know them on Facebook.
What book is on your nightstand?
Jan Karon’s “Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good” in hardback, a paperback in The Cat Who series, and about a zillion cozy mysteries loaded on my phone. Hubby has to pry my phone away from me some nights so I’ll get some sleep J
What can we look forward to seeing from you in the future?
Oh, I have lots more adventure and people to write about in Ravenwood Cove! Maybe someday I’ll be introducing some clean romances that are set in the same area, too. Who doesn’t love a little romance at the beach?
Is there anything you’d like to share with your readers?
I would like to tell them how grateful I am for them taking a chance on a newer author, and reading my books. I’ve been absolutely bowled over by how warm and welcoming they’ve been, and it encourages me to keep writing what the sort of book that I love to read! Seriously, I think I have the best readers on the planet.
AUTHOR LINKS
Website link www.carolyndeanbooks.com
Facebook Link (author page) https://www.facebook.com/CarolynDeanBooks/
Twitter Link @CarolynDeanBks
AUTHOR BIO
I've been writing and making stories in my head as early as I can remember. In third grade I came home, set my lunchbox down, and told my mother I wanted to be a writer. Luckily, Mom was supportive.
I've been a published author for a while now, under different names and genres, but the thought of writing about a small coastal town in Oregon, and about its loves and mysteries and holidays and people has been with me for years. To be honest, I am a bit scared to dump those ideas onto the written page, but hope you'll enjoy getting to meet the people who inhabit my imagination.
In real life, I'm married with kids, live on the West Coast of the US, and own a hobby farm just outside of my favorite small town. I love to travel, and can often be found strolling down a windy Oregon beach, holding onto the string of a high-sailing dragon kite.
December 17, 2016
Meet the Authors - 25 Mysteries to Die For - Cate Dean
Introducing Cate Dean, 25 Mysteries to Die For co-author...
CATE DEAN AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
My name is Cate Dean, and I write in several genres. Along with mystery, I write fantasy, paranormal/urban fantasy, romance – especially time travel, and YA paranormal and fantasy. I love reading in multiple genres, so I write in the ones I love.
Was there a certain time in your life you knew you wanted to write?
I’ve been writing since I was seven, in some form. I knew I wanted to write, seriously write, in my early twenties.
What are you currently working on?
I am finishing up the third book in my Maggie Mulgrew Mysteries – a Christmas mystery, just in time for the holidays. I am also working on two new paranormal series, The Witches of Amity Cove, and a spin off from that series.
Of the books you’ve written, which one is your favorite and why?
I will always have a soft spot for Rosamond’s Heart . It was the first book I published, and the one I learned the most from as I started my writing/publishing journey.
What books have most influenced you as a writer?
So many! I’ve been a rabid reader since I was five, and I haven’t stopped yet. I love Barbara Hambly – she taught me how to create vivid characters, and not be afraid to write the painful, violent action scenes. I am also a huge fan of Raymond E. Feist. His long-running fantasy series has kept me on the hook for years, and I learned how to integrate and spin off characters from him. For pure fun, I dive into Elizabeth Peters, and the Amelia Peabody Mysteries. As an Egyptology and history buff, these books satisfy the need for adventure and history.
What do you find to be the most challenging part of writing? And the most rewarding?
The most challenging is typing fast enough to get the story out of my head and on the page. Dictation has helped with that in so many ways. The most rewarding is hearing from my readers, and learning that they love a character or story as much as I do.
What book is on your nightstand?
I have several. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children , Rick Riordan’s latest, Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard (I love his books!), Cinder , and Alan Turing: The Enigma (the book The Imitation Game was based on).
What can we look forward to seeing from you in the future?
More paranormal – there will be a second spin off from The Witches of Amity Covein the spring, with the character who sees ghosts. More mystery – Maggie Mulgrew will keep solving mysteries, and I will introduce a new series: five sisters who are witches, and find mystery and adventure in their coastal town of Bliss Harbor. There is always more, with my overactive imagination.
Is there anything you’d like to share with your readers?
Thank you, for all your support! I love writing stories for you, and I’m thrilled that you enjoy them. It’s been a wild, wonderful journey, and I enjoy sharing it with all of you.
AUTHOR LINKS
Website link: http://catedeanwrites.com
Facebook Link: https://www.facebook.com/catedeanwrites/
Twitter Link: https://twitter.com/catedeanwrites
AUTHOR BIO
Cate Dean has been writing since she could hold a pen in her hand and put more than two words together.
She grew up losing herself in the wilds of fantasy worlds, and has had some of her own adventures while tromping through the UK, and a few other parts of the world.
When she's not writing, she loves cooking, scaring herself silly in the local cemeteries, and reading pretty much anything she can get her hands on.
CATE DEAN AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
My name is Cate Dean, and I write in several genres. Along with mystery, I write fantasy, paranormal/urban fantasy, romance – especially time travel, and YA paranormal and fantasy. I love reading in multiple genres, so I write in the ones I love.
Was there a certain time in your life you knew you wanted to write?
I’ve been writing since I was seven, in some form. I knew I wanted to write, seriously write, in my early twenties.
What are you currently working on?
I am finishing up the third book in my Maggie Mulgrew Mysteries – a Christmas mystery, just in time for the holidays. I am also working on two new paranormal series, The Witches of Amity Cove, and a spin off from that series.
Of the books you’ve written, which one is your favorite and why?
I will always have a soft spot for Rosamond’s Heart . It was the first book I published, and the one I learned the most from as I started my writing/publishing journey.
What books have most influenced you as a writer?
So many! I’ve been a rabid reader since I was five, and I haven’t stopped yet. I love Barbara Hambly – she taught me how to create vivid characters, and not be afraid to write the painful, violent action scenes. I am also a huge fan of Raymond E. Feist. His long-running fantasy series has kept me on the hook for years, and I learned how to integrate and spin off characters from him. For pure fun, I dive into Elizabeth Peters, and the Amelia Peabody Mysteries. As an Egyptology and history buff, these books satisfy the need for adventure and history.
What do you find to be the most challenging part of writing? And the most rewarding?
The most challenging is typing fast enough to get the story out of my head and on the page. Dictation has helped with that in so many ways. The most rewarding is hearing from my readers, and learning that they love a character or story as much as I do.
What book is on your nightstand?
I have several. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children , Rick Riordan’s latest, Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard (I love his books!), Cinder , and Alan Turing: The Enigma (the book The Imitation Game was based on).
What can we look forward to seeing from you in the future?
More paranormal – there will be a second spin off from The Witches of Amity Covein the spring, with the character who sees ghosts. More mystery – Maggie Mulgrew will keep solving mysteries, and I will introduce a new series: five sisters who are witches, and find mystery and adventure in their coastal town of Bliss Harbor. There is always more, with my overactive imagination.
Is there anything you’d like to share with your readers?
Thank you, for all your support! I love writing stories for you, and I’m thrilled that you enjoy them. It’s been a wild, wonderful journey, and I enjoy sharing it with all of you.
AUTHOR LINKS
Website link: http://catedeanwrites.com
Facebook Link: https://www.facebook.com/catedeanwrites/
Twitter Link: https://twitter.com/catedeanwrites
AUTHOR BIO
Cate Dean has been writing since she could hold a pen in her hand and put more than two words together.
She grew up losing herself in the wilds of fantasy worlds, and has had some of her own adventures while tromping through the UK, and a few other parts of the world.
When she's not writing, she loves cooking, scaring herself silly in the local cemeteries, and reading pretty much anything she can get her hands on.
December 16, 2016
Meet the Authors - 25 Mysteries to Die For - Lisa B Thomas
Introducing Lisa B Thomas, 25 Mysteries to Die For co-author...
LISA B THOMAS AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Born and raised in Texas, I always knew I wanted to be a writer. Finally, after thirty-three years as a high school Journalism and English teacher, I released my first novel. Having grown up reading Trixie Belden, Nancy Drew, and Agatha Christie, I was drawn to the mystery genre.
With two grown children out of the nest, I live a quiet life with my husband and Peekapoo puppy. Besides writing, I enjoy my grandchildren, photography, traveling, and antiquing (buying and selling used junk).
Was there a certain time in your life you knew you wanted to write?
When I was a wee child, I wrote a book about goldfish. I later started a mystery. As a journalism major, I always wanted to write in some form or fashion. It wasn’t until I retired that I became interested in fiction. My first book was inspired by a true-life mystery in my own family.
What are you currently working on?
I am working on Book 5 in my series. It should be a fun one!
Of the books you’ve written, which one is your favorite and why?
Sharpe Shooter is probably my favorite because it has a personal connection to my own family. I love the main character of Deena and her husband and brother.
What books have most influenced you as a writer?
Agatha Christie’s books of course, as well as Stephen King’s. Both authors are master storytellers.
What do you find to be the most challenging part of writing? And the most rewarding?
The most challenging part of writing is making sure the mystery has enough clues but is still a puzzle to be solved. The most rewarding is when I hear from readers who tell me to “write faster” because they want more.
What book is on your nightstand?
Harlan Coben’s “Whispers in the Wind.” I love his books.
What can we look forward to seeing from you in the future?
I may be starting a new series with a character from two of my books.
Is there anything you’d like to share with your readers?
The setting of my series, Maycroft, Texas, is a fictional town. However, it represents a typical southern locale with authentic characters and situations. Hopefully there aren’t as many murders in most small towns!
AUTHOR LINKS
Email: LBThomas606@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LisaBThomasAuthor
Twitter: @LBThomas2
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00UGED9FS
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lbt606/cozy-mysteries-more/
Check out my "Cozy Mysteries and more" board on Pinterest. I pin lots of books, gifts, quotes, and decor for book lovers like me.
Subscribe to my newsletter using the form on the sidebar. You will receive a free copy of My Dead Relatives, a collection of non-fiction stories about my family. One of the stories, "Skeleton in the Closet," tells the true life story behind Sharpe Shooter, Book 1 in the Maycroft Mystery Series.
AUTHOR BIO
Born and raised in Texas, Lisa Thomas always knew she wanted to be a writer. Finally, after thirty-three years as a high school Journalism and English teacher, she released her first novel. Having grown up reading Trixie Belden, Nancy Drew, and Agatha Christie, she was drawn to the mystery genre. With two grown children out of the nest, she lives a quiet life with her husband and Peekapoo puppy. Besides writing, she enjoys her grandchildren, photography, traveling, and antiquing (aka - buying and selling used junk).
LISA B THOMAS AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Born and raised in Texas, I always knew I wanted to be a writer. Finally, after thirty-three years as a high school Journalism and English teacher, I released my first novel. Having grown up reading Trixie Belden, Nancy Drew, and Agatha Christie, I was drawn to the mystery genre.With two grown children out of the nest, I live a quiet life with my husband and Peekapoo puppy. Besides writing, I enjoy my grandchildren, photography, traveling, and antiquing (buying and selling used junk).
Was there a certain time in your life you knew you wanted to write?
When I was a wee child, I wrote a book about goldfish. I later started a mystery. As a journalism major, I always wanted to write in some form or fashion. It wasn’t until I retired that I became interested in fiction. My first book was inspired by a true-life mystery in my own family.
What are you currently working on?
I am working on Book 5 in my series. It should be a fun one!
Of the books you’ve written, which one is your favorite and why?
Sharpe Shooter is probably my favorite because it has a personal connection to my own family. I love the main character of Deena and her husband and brother.
What books have most influenced you as a writer?
Agatha Christie’s books of course, as well as Stephen King’s. Both authors are master storytellers.
What do you find to be the most challenging part of writing? And the most rewarding?
The most challenging part of writing is making sure the mystery has enough clues but is still a puzzle to be solved. The most rewarding is when I hear from readers who tell me to “write faster” because they want more.
What book is on your nightstand?
Harlan Coben’s “Whispers in the Wind.” I love his books.
What can we look forward to seeing from you in the future?
I may be starting a new series with a character from two of my books.
Is there anything you’d like to share with your readers?
The setting of my series, Maycroft, Texas, is a fictional town. However, it represents a typical southern locale with authentic characters and situations. Hopefully there aren’t as many murders in most small towns!
AUTHOR LINKS
Email: LBThomas606@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LisaBThomasAuthor
Twitter: @LBThomas2
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00UGED9FS
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lbt606/cozy-mysteries-more/
Check out my "Cozy Mysteries and more" board on Pinterest. I pin lots of books, gifts, quotes, and decor for book lovers like me.
Subscribe to my newsletter using the form on the sidebar. You will receive a free copy of My Dead Relatives, a collection of non-fiction stories about my family. One of the stories, "Skeleton in the Closet," tells the true life story behind Sharpe Shooter, Book 1 in the Maycroft Mystery Series.
AUTHOR BIO
Born and raised in Texas, Lisa Thomas always knew she wanted to be a writer. Finally, after thirty-three years as a high school Journalism and English teacher, she released her first novel. Having grown up reading Trixie Belden, Nancy Drew, and Agatha Christie, she was drawn to the mystery genre. With two grown children out of the nest, she lives a quiet life with her husband and Peekapoo puppy. Besides writing, she enjoys her grandchildren, photography, traveling, and antiquing (aka - buying and selling used junk).
December 15, 2016
Meet the Authors - 25 Mysteries to Die For - Anne R. Tan
Introducing Anne R. Tan, 25 Mysteries to Die For co-author...
ANNE R TAN AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I love to read more than write. I have to set up hard deadlines with preorders to motivate myself to write. If left on my own, I would rather spend my writing time on "research," which basically is reading books in my favorite genres.
Was there a certain time in your life you knew you wanted to write?
When I was in seventh grade, I had a burning desire to grow to be a writer. But by the time I finished high school, two English teachers killed the desire. English is not my first language, and these two teachers made sure I knew it. And even to this day, I feel a twinge of fear every time I have to put words to paper. The birth of my daughter rekindled this desire to create stories.
When I first started writing, I only hoped to document some of the Chinese-American traditions and beliefs for my children. Unfortunately, we will lose the language and the culture by the time my children are adults. Hopefully, I will still be writing in 10 years because my novels are my legacy to my children. Now if I can write full-time, that would be the icing.
What are you currently working on?
I am writing "Sunny Mates and Murders," Raina Sun Mystery #5. I've spent too much time "researching" this book. It only takes me about two months to write a book, but it has been six months since I last set a writing schedule for myself. So I set up deadlines with preorders and already booked the editors. If I didn't take such drastic measures, I probably wouldn't even get this book out until next summer.
Of the books you’ve written, which one is your favorite and why?
My favorite book in my cozy mystery is "Breezy Friends and Bodies." The readers get to meet Raina's family and see a glimpse of her previous life in San Francisco. A Chinese mob boss also play a role in helping her understand her family dynamics. It was a really fun book to write.
What books have most influenced you as a writer?
I love "The Weekend Novelist Writes a Mystery." There's a systematic plan to work on one aspect of your novel each week for an entire year. Once you finish every chapter in the book, you should have a mystery novel. And sure enough, when I finished all the steps, I wrote "Raining Men and Corpses," which became the first novel in cozy mystery series.
What do you find to be the most challenging part of writing? And the most rewarding?
Like all writers with a day job and a family, finding time to write is a constant battle, especially when writing don't pay the bills. And not everyone in my life understands my desire to write. They view it as a nice hobby I should set aside whenever they come calling. But writing isn't a hobby for me. It's a calling, and hopefully, something I can turn into a full-time income in the future.
The most rewarding part about being a writer is when my children can point out my book covers on the computer or flip through the paperbacks. And it is always rewarding to interact with my readers.
What book is on your nightstand?
I am reading "No Good Dragon Goes Unpunished" by Rachel Aaron. While I might be a mystery writer, I love reading fantasy, especially urban fantasy. This book is the third book in the Heartstrikers series. I love the family dynamics in this large dragon family. I came from a family of 30+ cousins, and I am smack in the middle, so the dynamics in a large family always fascinate me.
What can we look forward to seeing from you in the future?
First, I need to finish writing "Sunny Mates and Murders," which I hope to release at the beginning of February 2017. Then, I would like to start a paranormal cozy mystery. Of course, I've been talking about starting a new series for a year, and given my limited writing time, this might be a pie in the sky idea. If not 2017, then there is always 2018. That's the wonderful thing about writing. There is no time limit to this gig.
Is there anything you’d like to share with your readers?
All my characters are a facet of me. For example, Raina is an engineer, and I am an engineer (although she is more than a decade younger than me). Po Po is the grandmother I would like to be with my future grandchildren. Yes, even the annoying characters are a part of me. They would say or do things I would never say. It's just like my children, the characters are part of me, but they are not me.
AUTHOR LINKS
Website link: http://annertan.com
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/AnneRTanAuthor
Twitter Link: https://twitter.com/annertan
AUTHOR BIO
Anne R. Tan fell in love with storytelling in elementary school, but decided to study engineering so she could get a "real job." Her day job is her vacation from home and she moonlights as a writer to keep the voices inside her head under control.
Her debut humorous cozy mysteries features Raina Sun, a Chinese American amateur sleuth, dealing with love, family betrayal, and her place in the world while solving murders.
Sign up for her newsletter for new release announcement, sales, and exclusive content at http://annertan.com/newsletter/
ANNE R TAN AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I love to read more than write. I have to set up hard deadlines with preorders to motivate myself to write. If left on my own, I would rather spend my writing time on "research," which basically is reading books in my favorite genres.
Was there a certain time in your life you knew you wanted to write?
When I was in seventh grade, I had a burning desire to grow to be a writer. But by the time I finished high school, two English teachers killed the desire. English is not my first language, and these two teachers made sure I knew it. And even to this day, I feel a twinge of fear every time I have to put words to paper. The birth of my daughter rekindled this desire to create stories.
When I first started writing, I only hoped to document some of the Chinese-American traditions and beliefs for my children. Unfortunately, we will lose the language and the culture by the time my children are adults. Hopefully, I will still be writing in 10 years because my novels are my legacy to my children. Now if I can write full-time, that would be the icing.
What are you currently working on?
I am writing "Sunny Mates and Murders," Raina Sun Mystery #5. I've spent too much time "researching" this book. It only takes me about two months to write a book, but it has been six months since I last set a writing schedule for myself. So I set up deadlines with preorders and already booked the editors. If I didn't take such drastic measures, I probably wouldn't even get this book out until next summer.
Of the books you’ve written, which one is your favorite and why?
My favorite book in my cozy mystery is "Breezy Friends and Bodies." The readers get to meet Raina's family and see a glimpse of her previous life in San Francisco. A Chinese mob boss also play a role in helping her understand her family dynamics. It was a really fun book to write.
What books have most influenced you as a writer?
I love "The Weekend Novelist Writes a Mystery." There's a systematic plan to work on one aspect of your novel each week for an entire year. Once you finish every chapter in the book, you should have a mystery novel. And sure enough, when I finished all the steps, I wrote "Raining Men and Corpses," which became the first novel in cozy mystery series.
What do you find to be the most challenging part of writing? And the most rewarding?
Like all writers with a day job and a family, finding time to write is a constant battle, especially when writing don't pay the bills. And not everyone in my life understands my desire to write. They view it as a nice hobby I should set aside whenever they come calling. But writing isn't a hobby for me. It's a calling, and hopefully, something I can turn into a full-time income in the future.
The most rewarding part about being a writer is when my children can point out my book covers on the computer or flip through the paperbacks. And it is always rewarding to interact with my readers.
What book is on your nightstand?
I am reading "No Good Dragon Goes Unpunished" by Rachel Aaron. While I might be a mystery writer, I love reading fantasy, especially urban fantasy. This book is the third book in the Heartstrikers series. I love the family dynamics in this large dragon family. I came from a family of 30+ cousins, and I am smack in the middle, so the dynamics in a large family always fascinate me.
What can we look forward to seeing from you in the future?
First, I need to finish writing "Sunny Mates and Murders," which I hope to release at the beginning of February 2017. Then, I would like to start a paranormal cozy mystery. Of course, I've been talking about starting a new series for a year, and given my limited writing time, this might be a pie in the sky idea. If not 2017, then there is always 2018. That's the wonderful thing about writing. There is no time limit to this gig.
Is there anything you’d like to share with your readers?
All my characters are a facet of me. For example, Raina is an engineer, and I am an engineer (although she is more than a decade younger than me). Po Po is the grandmother I would like to be with my future grandchildren. Yes, even the annoying characters are a part of me. They would say or do things I would never say. It's just like my children, the characters are part of me, but they are not me.
AUTHOR LINKS
Website link: http://annertan.com
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/AnneRTanAuthor
Twitter Link: https://twitter.com/annertan
AUTHOR BIO
Anne R. Tan fell in love with storytelling in elementary school, but decided to study engineering so she could get a "real job." Her day job is her vacation from home and she moonlights as a writer to keep the voices inside her head under control.
Her debut humorous cozy mysteries features Raina Sun, a Chinese American amateur sleuth, dealing with love, family betrayal, and her place in the world while solving murders.
Sign up for her newsletter for new release announcement, sales, and exclusive content at http://annertan.com/newsletter/
