Ally Shields's Blog, page 12

Author Interview & Cover Reveal for Mission Improbable: Vietnam

​Good Morning, Booklovers!
 
Join me this fine fall morning in welcoming mystery author Nancy Nau Sullivan to the Coffee Chat with her featured series The Blanche Murninghan Mysteries and a cover reveal for book three.
Nice to meet you, Nancy. How do you take your coffee?
 
NNS: I drink coffee black, no sugar, and strong. Preferably Peet’s or Dunkin’ Dark, and only one or two in the morning otherwise I’m stuck to the ceiling.

Ally:  No problem for my magic pot. While I pour, please introduce yourself to readers. Bio:
Nancy Nau Sullivan’s Saving Tuna Street--nominated for best mystery, 2020, at Foreword Reviews—launched the Blanche Murninghan mystery series.  Second in the series, Trouble Down Mexico Way (June, 2021); third, Mission Improbable: Vietnam (June, 2022) follow up (Light Messages/Torchflame Books). Nancy’s memoir, The Last Cadillac, won two Eric Hoffer awards. Her novel, The Boys of Alpha Block (TouchPoint Press, April 2021), is based on years of teaching at a boys’ prison. A former newspaper journalist, she also taught in Mexico, Argentina, and Chicago. Nancy lives in Northwest Indiana, and often anywhere near water.
 
Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: “I love to drive long distances – alone—listening to country music and eating kettle korn until it comes out my ears.”
 
Social media:
​
 www.nancynausullivan.com
Facebook   https://www.facebook.com/nancy.sullivan.9638
Twitter   @NauSullivan
Bookbub   https://www.bookbub.com/profile/nancy-nau-sullivan
LinkedIn  https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-nau-sullivan-712b2015a/ INTERVIEW:
 
Ally:  Who or what inspired your featured book/series?
 
NNS:  I’m hugely driven by setting, hence, the places I’ve visited and loved have lent the backdrop, and the hook, for the Blanche Murninghan mystery series. The first, Saving Tuna Street, came out of a concern for the environment on Anna Maria Island, Florida—the setting for my memoir, The Last Cadillac. Mexico City was a favorite haunt during my stint in the Peace Corps in 2013 and inspired mystery number two. I visited Vietnam, which totally captured me for the third installment, and the fourth takes place in Ireland, which I’ve visited many times.
 
Ally:  Are you self-published or traditionally published? How did you make the decision?
 
NNS:  I’m traditionally published, mainly because I wanted to work with professionals on my writing projects. I have an English teaching background, so I’m pretty grounded in grammar and the essentials, but I wanted that excellent eye on my work. I’ve been happy with the wonderful relationships I’ve made at three small presses for my four books.
 
Ally:  Why did you choose writing as a career? Is it your only career, or do you have a “day” job?
 
NNS:  I’ve always been a writer since writing squiggly lines to my sister when I was six. It was frustrating then (and sometimes now), but my grandmother said, “Don’t worry. You’ll write one day.” That remark certainly planted something in my head. I was a newspaper journalist before teaching English. I began getting short stories published about ten years ago and it became the springboard to getting a publisher for my memoir, my first book.
  
Ally: What's the best writing/marketing advice you’ve been given?
 
NNS:  Keep finishing the books. Promotion is great, but the writing and the publishing of more and more is what matters.
 
Ally:  What authors have had the biggest influence on your writing?
 
NNS:  Carl Hiaasen, James Lee Burke, Anne Tyler, Anne Lamott, Laura Lippman, Tana French
 
Ally:  Tell us about your reading habits. Current favorites?
 
NNS:  I read up on the country or setting for months before, and during, writing the book; right now, it’s Ireland—Carlene O’Connor, Kathleen McGurl, Tana French, Frank Delaney, Colm Toibin, Rutherford, so many.
 
Ally:  You’re thrown into a different time period—either past or future—what book hero would you want with you? Why?
 
NNS:  James Hall’s wonderful Thorn, or any of Carl Hiaasen’s plucky, fabulous, funny female leads. These characters stick to their truth, through all the bad stuff. It’s easier to live with yourself when you do.
 
Ally:  What is your most frequently used source of information? Why? What are its benefits?
 
NNS:  I buy a Frommer’s or other guide book of the year my story takes place. It’s invaluable for details about flights, food, streets, events. Even though I’ve been to these places—I lived in Mexico for a year—the guide book is a great assist to notes, blogs, and that old memory.
 
Ally:  Do you buy ads for your books? Where? Have they been profitable?
 
NNS:  With my first book, The Last Cadillac: A Memoir, I bought a tiny ad in a prominent writing magazine for $750. Stupidest thing I ever did. I also bought a review for the memoir from Kirkus – also pricey – and the best promo I’ve ever done. It was glowing.
 
Ally:  What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
NNS:  Third in the Blanche Murninghan mystery series: Mission Improbable:Vietnam--is in edits and due out next June from Light Messages/Torchflame Books. Cover reveal, attached to email.
 
I’ve signed on for the fourth in the series, A Deathly Irish Secret, tentative publication, June 2023.
 
Ally:  Which of the trivia questions did you choose to answer?
 
NNS: memorable book you’ve read:  Anna Karenina (in high school—it turned me on to great books)book you're currently reading:  The Searcher by Tana Frenchan item on your bucket list: Australia, definitely (Read Jane Harper!)favorite quote: “If you surrender to the wind you can ride it.”~~Toni Morrisonthe best thing a book fan has ever said to you:  “…beautifully written…” and “…a funny page turner…”pie or cake? What kind?  Coconut cake and cherry piebest places you’ve ever visited: Vietnam and Maui and Anna Maria Island…Ally: Thanks so much for visiting with us, Nancy. Before we finish up for today, please show us your series and the cover reveal for book three.


Cover reveal: Mystery #three: Mission Improbable: Vietnam (June 2022, Light Messages) 

​Blurb for Series:
 
The Blanche Murninghan Mysteries
Genre: Cozy mystery
 
Sometime sleuth, part-time journalist, and full-time beach bum, Blanche Murninghan, gets herself in one scrape after another—in places she never expected.
 
The new mystery series starts off peacefully enough on sleepy Santa Maria Island, Florida (until murder and mayhem drop in). Adventure then finds Blanche in Mexico City where she uncovers a “new” mummy, and in Vietnam where she hunts down a friend’s lost mother. Saving Tuna Street and Trouble Down Mexico Way from Light Messages/Torchflame Books, available on Amazon, through the publisher, and at any bookstore. Mission Improbable: Vietnam launches June, 2022. Covers:
Mystery #one: Saving Tuna Street (June 2020, Light Messages)
Mystery #two: Trouble Down Mexico Way (June 2021, Light Messages)

Buy Link:

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0928LWQQR?
Also available at the publisher and other bookstores
​(see more buy links on website or Bookbub listing in bio above) ​

Mystery/Thriller Author Matthew Cost on "Writing is Learning"

Writing is Learning Thank you Ally for inviting me to share some thoughts on writing. The thing that I enjoy most about writing is the depths to which I must dig to flesh out whatever story I’m writing. This might be due to my historical novel roots where research is such a fundamental building block of the novel.
 
The rule of thumb that seems to make sense to me is a hundred to one. For every single piece of authentic information I include, I must have read, noted, and understood one hundred. To write about a subject, you must become an expert—not to fill the pages but to minimize the information shared. The better one understands a topic, the more succinctly they can explain it.
 
The subject of Mind Trap, being released on October 6th, is cults. At the time that I began my research, I had no idea the extent of these groups in the world. There are various definitions, but most simply, a cult is the veneration of a person, ideal, or thing, especially as manifested by a body of admirers.
 
This definition can certainly be used to encompass quite a lot. The definition if often accompanied by the concept of irrational beliefs. These are often associated with a charismatic leader that can convince their followers to act outside of conventional practices.
 
My mystery/thriller, Mind Trap, delves into these controversial interpretations of groups that have been labeled cults while also putting you on a thrill ride that keeps you turning the pages while also learning about the history of cults in the world.
 
My first book in the series, Wolfe Trap, dissected heroin trafficking and opiate abuse and the affect that fentanyl has had in this illegal and legal enterprise. The next mystery, Mouse Trap, will investigate genome engineering. And due out next September, Honey Trap, tackles the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena that has been in all the news as of late.
 
I have written several historical novels as well as the Mainely Mystery series. I’ve decided to combine those two loves for the project I’m currently working on, Brooklyn Eight Ballo, which will be out late next year. It is a PI mystery set in 1923 Brooklyn, and already I’ve been blown away with the wealth of fascinating people and events from back then. Throw in a little mystery, and you have the recipe for some fun learning.
 
Thank you for joining me for my thoughts. And as always, read on. Write on. About the Author

Matt Cost is the highly acclaimed, award-winning author of the Mainely Mystery series. The first book, Mainely Power, was selected as the Maine Humanities Council Read ME fiction book of 2020. This was followed by Mainely Fear and Mainely Money. Mainely Angst is the fourth book of the series.
I Am Cuba: Fidel Castro and the Cuban Revolution was his first traditionally published novel. He had another historical released in August of 2021, Love in a Time of Hate.
Wolfe Trap was the first in the Clay Wolfe Port Essex Trap series. Mind Trap was the second, published in October of 2021, and will be followed by Mouse Trap in April of 2022.
Cost was a history major at Trinity College. He owned a mystery bookstore, a video store, and a gym, before serving a ten-year sentence as a junior high school teacher. In 2014 he was released and began writing. And that’s what he does. He writes histories and mysteries.
Cost now lives in Brunswick, Maine, with his wife, Harper. There are four grown children: Brittany, Pearson, Miranda, and Ryan. A chocolate Lab and a basset hound round out the mix. He now spends his days at the computer, writing.
 
Author Links and Social Media
​
Email: matthew-cost@comcast.net
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/matt.cost.3
Twitter: @MattCost8
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mlangdoncost/
Mind Trap (Clay Wolfe/Port Essex mystery series, Book #2)
Genre: mystery
 
Mind Trap delves into a radical cult threatening a small coastal Maine town. When Clay Wolfe is hired to find a missing girl, the events come tumbling down in rapid fashion.  
 
“You say your daughter is missing?” Clay Wolfe asked. The man in front of him was slightly disheveled. Red eyes. Fear creased his features.
 
What is the End Game?
It was as close to ecstasy as the woman had ever been in her life. It was enlightenment. She was no longer Martha Abbott. She was a warrior of Marduk engaged in a war of purity.
 
What is going to happen on Leap Day?
“We have allowed sin to fill our homes, and it is our divine labor to cleanse that filth from our streets.” Marduk’s voice boomed through the cavernous temple.
 
Something evil is lurking in the streets of Port Essex.
A missing girl. Violent attacks. It is up to Clay Wolfe, his partner Baylee Baker, and a colorful assortment of friends to get to the bottom of these odious occurrences before it is too late. 

Buy Links

Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/Mainely-Angst-Matt-Cost/dp/1645992845/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=mainely+angst&qid=1631819295&s=books&sr=1-1
 
Barnes & Noble: ​https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mainely-angst-matt-cost/1140142186?ean=9781645992844

Blood Angel/High Daemon Abdriel Visits the Blog

My critique partner Kath and I put our heads together to explore a unique way to tell you about our new/pending books that we hope you'll see in the bookstores in the comings months/years.
Here's what came out of that brainstorming session...  ​Blood Angel/High Daemon Abdriel Visits the Blog
 
“Hello. Is anyone home? Mudge, I told you we should have entered through the front door. You do know this is a bathroom window, don’t you? Help me down.” Blood Angel Abdriel brushed off her new jeans and tight blood-red sweater. She patted her back to check that her wings were still closed and turned to her Gargoyle lieutenant Mudge whose ragged overalls and torn flannel shirt needed no straightening. “Take your head out of the toilet. That is not a drinking fountain.”
 
Abdriel peered out the bathroom door into the hall. “Follow me. We’ll find Ms. Shields, and you can explain our unorthodox entry. I am sure there was no ward on the front door. We were invited. But then she does write about the best witch in the whole of existence. Don’t share that with Hazel. She’d be jealous.”
 
Abdriel’s wings twitched only once as she led the way down a short hall into a sunny kitchen. She spotted the author they had come to meet. Ally Shield’s back was to them, busy with something on the kitchen counter.
 
“Hello. I’m Abdriel Mallack, Blood Angel and High Daemon. I believe we have an appointment, Ms. Shields.”
 
The author whirled around, eyes large, but recovered immediately and chuckled. “You startled me. I should have known you wouldn’t use the front door. Or did you? I didn’t hear the doorbell or the door open and close.”
 
Abdriel shrugged. “A Blood Angel thing.”
 
“Really? Well, never mind. I so enjoyed reading the draft of your first book. I hope we’ll see you and Mudge in print soon. I’m looking forward to our interview.”
 
Abdriel held up a finger and addressed her lieutenant, “Mudge, you must ask before you slurp up someone’s peanut butter. Ms. Shields--
 
“Please call me Ally,” she said. “Ms. Shields is so formal, makes me feel old.”
 
“Okay, Ally, but please excuse my Mudge. He is overly fond of peanut butter and is quite unable to control himself. Not that our cupboards are bare, and he didn’t eat before we left home.” She glared at the stumpy three foot tall gargoyle who rolled his eyes as if to say there wasn’t any peanut butter at home.
 
“Not a problem. He's welcome to it. Would you like some coffee?” Ally pointed to the coffee maker that chortled out a perfect cup of coffee into a mug with a bewitching witch on its front.
 
“How kind. Normally I’d say yes, but I’ve just finished an interesting series of books on the English Regency period. I’m dying to try a cup of …” Abdriel snapped her fingers at her short scruffy lieutenant.
 
Mudge mumbled through a sticky mouthful of peanut butter, “Tea.”
 
“Yes, that’s the word.” Abdriel looked around the sparkling kitchen. She spotted a porcelain teacup, waved her fingers, and brought it to the counter beside the coffee maker. “No milk. I’m not eating animals these days.”
 
“Milk isn’t exactly eating an animal,” Ally protested.
 
“Is that a lion?” Abdriel looked at the space around the author’s ankles. “I’ve never seen a lion so small.”
 
Mudge stood stock still for a second, then raced to the side of a lanky brown and cream-colored kitten who stood her ground not bothering to hiss at the gargoyle as he clumsily stroked her silky back.
 
“That’s Latte,” Ally said. “She doesn’t usually like visitors. Goodness. She just rolled over for a tummy rub!”
 
“Mudge is very friendly. Did you say you had tea?” Abdriel tapped the edge of the teacup’s saucer.
 
“I do.” As Ally disappeared into a neatly stocked pantry, she continued, “You said you had just read a Regency series. What a coincidence. I have a new Regency series coming out soon, The Viscount Ware Mysteries. I’m waiting for a final release date.”
 
“And I thought you were a devoted fantasy author.”
 
“I am…under the name of Ally Shields. My new series is written as JL Buck.”
 
“Oh. Well, I’m a fan of Arianna, your Guardian Witch, in particular. Do you have a strong female protagonist in the new Regency series?” Abdriel looked around the bright kitchen. Her eyes stopped at the room beyond. A prettily set table with a plate of cookies in the center and linen napkins drew her. “Let’s sit and talk. Will you bring the tea and coffee?”
 
Without waiting for her hostess, Abdriel placed herself at the head of the table and motioned to Mudge. “You will play with the little lion while I talk with Ms. Shields.”
 
Mudge peered at the plate of cookies, but Latte snagged the back of one leg of his overalls, and he turned and joined her play with a large foil ball that skidded into the vaulted living room beyond the dining room.
 
Abdriel checked her wings again to make sure they weren’t unfolding. They had a mind of their own, and she was only beginning to get them to follow her wishes. Ally appeared with a tray replete with her own coffee in the Guardian Witch mug, the porcelain cup brimming with tea, slices of lemon, and a bowl of sugar.
 
Abdriel accepted her tea but shook her head no to the lemon and sugar. “Tell me about your new Regency series.”
 
Ally smiled. “But you’re here to discuss your first book in a new YA series. Such an intriguing title--Blood Angel: Ascent from Hell. I loved reading your manuscript. I’m afraid Latte had a hard time gaining my attention while I read it all the way through in one sitting.”
 
“High praise indeed!” Abdriel sipped at her tea. “What part did you like best?”
 
“It’s hard to pick just one, and I don’t want to give away too much of the plot, but your escape from Hell at the beginning was very dramatic and exciting.”
 
“It was indeed.” Abdriel laughed. “It seems like a long time ago that Mudge and I made that clever escape. We certainly didn’t know our quest to find power on Earth to take back to Hell would end the way it did. I’d never even heard of the Sisterhood or Hunter Angels. Surprising,  don’t you agree?”
 
“Absolutely, but it made for a great story.”
 
Abdriel stood and paced to a sideboard. “Is this an advance copy of your new Regency series?” She held up the book. “The Dead Betray None by JL Buck. Tell me about it.” Abdriel set her lips in a pout. “I still miss the Guardian Witch. Is this series as good?”
 
Ally took a breath as though to humor her guest. “I hope so, but perhaps not as interesting for a high daemon/blood angel as the urban fantasy series filled with witches, vampires, and even demons.”
 
“Yes, it would be better if there were demons...and blood angels,” Abdriel conceded, “but I wish to hear about it anyway. Now. ...uh, please,” she added, remembering humans liked that word.
 
“Very well. Lucien Grey, Viscount Ware, the heir to an earldom, was a spy for England during the war with Napoleon. He and his partner were betrayed in France and forced to flee to avoid the guillotine. Upon arrival in London, they were recruited into the Prince Regent’s private spy unit, unmasking foreign spy activities within England...or any other delicate situation Prinny felt threatened the Crown.
The first book involves a stolen cipher, the key to Napoleon’s latest spy code. While attempting to recover the missing cipher, Lucien encountered Lady Anne Ashburn standing over a dead body. This intrepid young woman provides valuable assistance during the inquiry and becomes a potential love interest.
Book two, entitled The Dead Cannot Hide, is already written; book three, The Dead Came Calling, is in progress; and book four, The Dead Sang Off-Key, will be underway soon. Those four books are under contract. More books are still in the planning.” Ally set down her coffee mug. “Now, can we talk about your book?”
 
Abdriel shrugged. “What can I say? It’s wonderful. It’s about me. And Mudge, of course. Lots of adventure, and narrates all the very smart things I say and do. It’s  really indescribably awesome.”
 
“I hope you’ll tell us as soon as it’s for sale.”

“Watch what you humans call a television. Such a momentous event will naturally headline the news.” Abdriel stood. “We must leave. Mudge and I have a busy schedule." She laid a hand on Mudge’s wings, snapped her fingers, and disappeared.

Kath Boyd Marsh (kathboydmarshauthor.com) 
Author of the Bumblespells and Bubbles and Smush Middle Grade fantasy series.
Author of the soon-to-be-published Abdriel: Ascent from Hell (Book one of the Blood Angel series) Check back next week for a return to Guest Author interviews

Coffee Chat with Romance Author Amber Daulton

Good Morning, Booklovers!
 
It’s book and coffee time! Grab your sweater. It’s cool on the deck this monring, but I’d like you to help me welcome guest author, Amber Daulton with her featured Regency Romance, Forever Winter.
 
I’m pleased you could join us, Amber. What may I get you to drink?
 
AD:  I love the smell of coffee, but I don’t like the taste. I do like cappuccinos, though. Mostly, I drink water and sometimes orange juice or sweet tea. My hubby and I have sworn off soda.
 
Ally: Since a hot drink would be good this morning, how about a cappuccino? While I see to that, please introduce yourself to readers. About the Author
 
Amber Daulton is the author of the romantic-suspense series Arresting Onyx and several standalone novellas. Her books are published through Daulton Publishing, The Wild Rose Press, and Books to Go Now, and are available in ebook, print on demand, audio, and foreign language formats.
She lives in North Carolina with her husband and demanding cats.
 
Something unique not included in your regular bio: “I’m from North Carolina, USA and have lived there all my life, but most people think I’m from England or even France when they first meet me (and yes, I’ve been asked to speak French, which I don’t know). I have an accent, which sounds proper and smooth; a far contrast to how most people sound in my area. I’ve been getting the “Where are you from?” question since I was in elementary school, and kids can be quite cruel. Luckily, the questions and funny looks have never bothered me. I take sounding different as a matter of pride.”
 
Social Media Links:
 
Universal link – https://linktr.ee/AmberDaulton
Website – https://amberdaulton.wordpress.com/
Newsletter (free ebook to new subs) – https://bit.ly/amberdaultonauthornewsletter
Facebook Author Page – https://www.facebook.com/amber.daulton.author
Twitter – https://twitter.com/AmberDaulton1 INTERVIEW :
 
Aly:   Are you self-published or traditionally published? How did you make the decision?
 
AD:  I’m a hybrid author, meaning I have some books with a publisher and others I’ve self-published. There are pros and cons to both. As of now, I’m leaning more toward self-pubbing because I have the freedom to do what I need to do for my books without having to ask a publisher, editor, or marketer liaison for help or permission. On the flip side, going with a publisher is easier and less stressful because you have people helping to get your book ready and you have their name in your corner when it’s finally time to reach readers and hopefully sell books.
 
Ally:   Do you write from an outline?
 
AD:  I’m a plotter, and I like to outline chapter by chapter. I use pen, paper, and colored pencils, but sometimes I plot in a Word doc. I try to follow my notes exactly, but more often than not, the characters take control and steer my story in another direction. Then I have to get into arguments with my H/h, or even the secondary characters, and force them back into the outline. More often than not, they refuse to get back in line, and I have to write what they want.
Heh, it’s a give and a take relationship.
 
Ally:   Tell us about your reading habits. Current favorites?
 
AD:  I read in all sub-genres of romance, except for poetry and inspirational. I prefer romantic suspense and paranormal romance, though.
 
Ally:   Do you read reviews of your books? Do you respond to them? Are you affected by them?
 
AD:  I always read the reviews to my books and leave a comment thanking the reviewer when I find it on a blog. If I find the review on Goodreads, BookBub, Amazon, or at another retailer, I may “like” it if the review is positive, but I usually don’t respond. I try to steer clear of the trolls and maintain author etiquette when it comes to reviews.
I’ve developed a hard shell over the years. While no one likes bad reviews, I try to take constructive criticism to heart. Writing is all about learning and honing the craft. My earlier books don’t compare to my newer ones, and I’m hopeful my later books will only get better.
 
Ally What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
AD:  I have three books releasing this year. Forever Winter (re-release) will be live on October 5th, A Hero’s Heart (re-release) on November 2nd, and the brand new Into The Fire box set on December 14th. As you can tell, I have a couple busy months ahead of me.
 
Ally:  Which of the trivia questions did you select to answer?
 
AD:most watched tv show: I’m a huge fan of Supernatural. I’ve seen several of the seasons more than once, and I have all 15 seasons on DVD. I started watching the show when it was in season 3, and I became hooked on the Snow White episode. Ever since then, I’ve been a big Sam and Dean fan.favorite quote:  A woman’s guess is much more accurate than a man’s certainty. Rudyard Kipling.last time you rode a train (not subway):  In college, over ten years ago. My boyfriend (now my husband) and I took the Amtrak alongside a group of teachers and other students to go to Washington DC for the week.pie or cake? What kind?  Oh, that’s tough! I love chocolate cake with chocolate icing, and blackberry pie is amazing. Can’t I have both?Your pets:  I have two cats: Darby (boy) and Pepper (girl). They’re both nine years old, born about six months apart to different kitty parents, and are absolutely adorable.  Ally:  Thank you for visiting the blog, Amber. Before you go, please show us your featured novella, Forever Winter.
Forever Winter
Genre: Regency Romance novella
Heating rating: sweet
 
A perfect Christmas wedding, a snowstorm, and a shocking secret. What could go wrong?

Susanna Lorican must marry the man she loves before the truth is discovered, or face the gossip of the ton. With an unexpected snowstorm injuring the minister, her future hangs in the balance.
Viscount Camden Beckinworth vows to keep his bride safe, even if he must betray her confidence. When their love is put to the test, how will he uphold her honor without jeopardizing his own?
 
– Warning: this sweet, complete Regency romance novella features a brief scene where the heroine is assaulted.
– Second edition. Newly revised and edited.
 
Add to Goodreads –  https://bit.ly/foreverwintergoodreads
Check it out on BookBub – https://bit.ly/foreverwinterbookbub
 


Purchase Links:

Amazon – https://bit.ly/foreverwinteramazon
Barnes and Noble – https://bit.ly/foreverwinternook
Kobo – https://bit.ly/foreverwinterkobo
Apple/iBooks – https://bit.ly/foreverwinterapple
Google Play – https://bit.ly/foreverwintergoogleplay
Universal link – https://books2read.com/u/38dkDB 

Nichelle Seely: Reader, Collector, Traveler, and Mystery Author

Good Morning, Booklovers!

We're having that topsy-turvy weather that is fall in the Midwest. Cool one day, hot and steamy the next. This morning is quite pleasant on the deck, but I expect this is one of the last. Let's enjoy it while we can as we welcome guest mystery author Nichelle Seely.
​Nice to have you join us, Nichelle. How do you take your coffee?

NS:  I drink it with about a tablespoon of non-dairy creamer, usually Ripple. My protagonist, private investigator Audrey Lake, takes hers black with a pinch of salt. I personally only use salt if it’s really bitter.

Ally:  I've never heard of putting salt in coffee! Live and learn, I guess. Maybe I'll try it sometime. For now, while I fill our mugs, please introduce yourself to readers.

Bio:
 
Nichelle Seely is a writer and architect living on the Oregon coast with her husband. Born and raised in Oregon, she has also lived and worked in Alaska and Colorado. She has been writing since she was a child. An eclectic reader, she dips into almost all the fiction genres and also a fair amount of non-fiction. She loves the outdoors, walking in the woods or on the beach, and bicycling. An avid traveler, she has visited 26 countries and once spent a year traveling alone with a backpack. In the rainy winter she enjoys playing games, including a mean hand of cribbage. She has a B.A. in English, a Master’s degree in architecture, and half of an MFA in creative writing.

Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio. “I have thousands of comic books.”
 
Author Contacts:
​
www.nichelleseely.com
Follow me!   Facebook | Bookbub | Goodreads | Amazon | Library Thing | Twitter | Instagram 
INTERVIEW :
 
Ally:  Who or what inspired your featured book?
 
NS:  When the pandemic hit, we had just moved to a new town and I didn’t have a job yet, so I decided to write (and actually finish!) a novel. That’s not as impulsive as it sounds, since I’ve been writing for years, although I had never published anything but magazine articles. I imagined my main character first, gave her a back story and mental health issues, and thought about what kind of case an ex-detective with issues might be called on to solve (in this book, a missing person). For the other characters, the victim and the suspects, I asked my sister for help. She is an astrologer and Tarot card reader, so we did an exercise where I drew a card for each of the various characters and she filled me in on the archetypes that those cards represented. Coincidentally, the suspects were all drawn from the suit of Swords, which often embodies internal conflict. The victim was the Queen of Cups, which inspired me to make her a spiritual leader. The plot flowed from that.
 
Ally:  Why did you choose writing as a career? Is it your only career, or do you have a “day” job?
 
NS:  I am an architect, and have worked in that field for twenty years. I am currently taking a break from that and writing full-time. Creating stories is immensely satisfying for me. I get so much pleasure from reading, and it brings me joy to think I’m providing that pleasure to someone else.
 
Ally:  Tell us about your reading habits. Current favorites?
 
NS:  I read everything: mysteries, fantasy, science fiction, horror, literary fiction, Westerns, historical fiction, YA, classics, and nonfiction. My favorite mystery author is Tana French. I also like Deborah Crombie, Ian Rankin, Ngaio Marsh…the list is long!
 
Ally:  Do you have a newsletter? Tell us about it. Do you think it is an effective marketing tool?

NS:  Yes, I do. It’s brand new, so I’ve only had a single issue. My plan is to send one out once a month. I use MailerLite as my service, and I’ve found the platform to be intuitive and user friendly. For content, because my series is set in an actual town, I have included pictures of the places Audrey visits during the novel. I’ll also include book reviews, updates on my writing progress, and interesting things I discover in my research. I don’t know yet how effective it will be as a marketing tool, but I think the content will be a higher quality than what I can do on social media, although I’m active on that as well.
 
Ally:  What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
NS:  I’m working on the sequel to A Memory of Murder, which I hope to be ready by the beginning of next year. I’m also working on a fantasy novel, and I’ve got some shorter works on the back burner.
 
Ally:  Which of the trivia questions did you choose to answer?
 
NS:book you're currently reading:  I can never read just one at a time. Here’s what I’ve got going at the moment:  Crush by Alan Jacobsen (mystery); Mountain of Black Glass by Tad Williams (science fiction); A Crown of Swords by Robert Jordan (fantasy); His Majesty’s Hope by Susan Elia Macneal (historical mystery); Save the Cat Writes a Novel (writing craft book); My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante (literary fiction); The Ghost Pirates and other Revenants of the Sea by William Hope Hodgeson (horror) and finally King Henry VI, part one by William Shakespeare. Oh, and I’m also rereading a comic book series: Arion, Lord of Atlantis by DC Comics.most beloved comic book character:  Eek, this is hard. Storm, from the X-Men (Marvel). Harley Quinn (DC). Batman. But actually, I really love Uncle Scrooge from the forties. He was always traveling around the world with his nephews and having cool adventures, like searching for lost cities. My mother had all these comics from her own childhood, and I loved reading them. Maybe that’s where I discovered I wanted to travel.last time you rode a train (not subway):  In 2013 in Morocco.a supernatural ability you’d love to have:  Flying, or telekinesis.Do you re-read books? Any book in particular?  Yes, all the time. A good book always has something new to discover, and characters become like friends.Ally:  It has been a pleasure meeting you, Nichelle. Do come back with your next book. But before you go, please show us your featured novel. A Memory of Murder (Audrey Lake Investigations Book 1)
Genre: Traditional Mystery
 
A disturbing vision. A drowned woman. Tragic accident, or vicious crime?

Former homicide detective Audrey Lake is determined to start a new life as she recovers from an emotional breakdown and a nearly-fatal stab wound. She settles in the old and mossy town of Astoria on the Columbia River, a thousand miles and a world away from the crime-ridden streets of Denver and her career an undercover cop. In the midst of small-town peace and quiet, she hopes to sort out the trauma and harrowing memories from her last undercover assignment.

But Audrey begins to have recurring visions of a woman being attacked and forcibly drowned. The hallucinations bear all the familiar, terrifying earmarks of psychosis. And when the river yields up the body of the same woman who appeared in her vision, Audrey is forced to ask: is she finally losing her mind, or is there another explanation?

Driven to investigate, she digs into the victim’s life and secrets. But doing so compels Audrey to examine the unresolved pieces of her own past. Can she discover the truth behind the killing, or will the investigation push her beyond the breaking point?

​You can purchase A Memory of Murder at:
https://www.amazon.com/Memory-Murder-Audrey-Lake-Investigations-ebook/dp/B095JCP2X8/

September 11, 2001

"I'm Curious" or Edith/Maddie's FAQs

Good Morning, Booklovers!

I'm extending my Labor Day vacation and turning today's blog over to mystery author Edith Maxwell, who will be talking with you about...well, it's kind of like a selfie Q & A. Enjoy the blog!
Take it away, Edith!



​“I’m Curious” or “Edith/Maddie’s FAQs”  ​Thanks so much for inviting me over, Ally, to talk about my new book and the writing life! Fans, at in-person (sniff, remember those?) and virtual events, are often curious about the same things over and over.  I thought I’d address the top ten here. (Note: Some of these questions were inspired by my interview with Lynn Slaughter for her blog a couple of weeks ago.) 1.Tell me about the Country Store Mystery series and its inspiration.
I love writing this series, which was inspired by the five years I lived in lovely, hilly southern Indiana. I made up the town of South Lick as well as Pans ’N Pancakes, protagonist Robbie Jordan’s country store breakfast and lunch restaurant, which becomes the hub of the community.
Robbie is a transplanted Californian – like I also am – and a puzzle master. She discovers she has a facility for solving murders, especially when her dear ones or her livelihood are threatened. No Grater Crime ends with a special treat – Robbie’s marriage to her long-time boyfriend Abe! 2. What books/authors inspired you as a child? As an adult?
I loved reading series, digging my teeth into the Borrowers, the Laura Ingalls Wilder series, and of course, Nancy Drew. I also read biographies of strong women like Jane Addams and Clara Barton, so it’s no surprise I write strong female main characters in my own stories.
As an adult, I still love reading that kind of book. I read Sara Paretsky, Sue Grafton, Sheila Connolly, Julia Spencer-Fleming, Hallie Ephron, Lucy Burdette, any of my Wicked Authors blogmates. I want a book about a heroine who is smart, strong, and brave.
​
3. Have you always written fiction? How did you get to where you are now?
I wrote lots of stories as a child, and at the age of nine, I won a short story contest and was paid two dollars by the Pasadena Star News. Then I spent decades as a technical writer and free-lance journalist and also did academic writing. But I’ve always read mysteries, and when my younger son went off to kindergarten, I tried my hand at writing a cozy set on a small organic farm like the one I had for a few years. It turned out to be A Tine to Live, a Tine to Die, my second mystery which was published almost twenty years later and the first Local Foods mystery. I just kept going, writing short stories and studying the craft until I got an agent and the first of many contracts.

4. In addition to the Country Store Mysteries and the Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries, also written as Maddie Day, you’re the author of three other series and award-winning short crime fiction. How do you do it?
​I treat my writing as my day job. I am working by seven every morning except Sunday, and sometimes on Sundays, too. I write or revise for four or five hours, go for my walk, eat lunch, and do other authorly things in the afternoons. The mornings are my sacred writing time. When I find myself dithering, I ask myself in a stern voice, “Are you a professional writer or not?”

5. Are you a plotter, pantser, or somewhere in-between?
I’m pretty much in between. By nature I write organically – by the seat of my pants, as they say - but I usually plot out three or four scenes ahead of myself. My editor wants a prose synopsis for a book before I start writing it, which just about kills me. Still, he’s the guy who offers me contracts, so I do it. And then, as I’m writing, if I get a bit lost, I check the synopsis, which usually offers me a brilliant idea of which way to head.
​
6. How do you approach research for your novels?
My historical Quaker Midwife Mysteries need research about buildings, transportation, clothes, how people talked, how they cooked their food, attitudes, what was in the news, health care methods, police procedure, news events. I love it, but it’s extensive.
For contemporary books, I still need to research particular topics. In this book I needed to know about poison mushrooms, and I went on a medicinal mushroom walk with an expert in the woods north of me. Google can help, but I like to have actual people to ask questions of, plus reference books.

7. Most of your books are part of a series. Is that by design?
I love writing series, because I get to hang out in a setting I invented and with a core group of characters I – and my fans – have grown to love. I have a standalone I’ve written half of, but I have no idea if it will sell.

8. When you’re not writing, what do you like doing?
I grow organic vegetables during the warm half of the year here in New England, and I love cooking with local produce in the summer and with anything in the winter, including baking bread and sweets. For my books with recipes, I need to test all of them, which greatly pleases my tall, skinny beau. I read a lot, of course, and occasionally sew a baby quilt. My beau and I do crossword puzzles constantly and enjoy watching art films. I rarely watch television except for the occasional PBS series or Netflix crime drama.

9. Chocolate or pizza? Mountains or beach? Wine, whiskey, or hot cocoa?
Chocolate, the darker the better! I love both mountains and beach, but if I have to choose, beach it is – as long as I have an umbrella. Wine, and whiskey in my hot chocolate.

10. What’s next?
I’m working on a new historical project I don’t have a contract for. It’s set in 1926 Boston and features a youngish lady PI (based on my grandmother Dorothy) solving crimes with Amelia Earhart. Fingers crossed! I also have a Country Store Christmas novella to polish and the eleventh in the series to write.
After No Grater Crime, Murder at the Lobstah Shack will be out at the end of November. It’s my third Cozy Capers Book Group mystery, and the fourth, Murder in a Cape Cottage, releases a year later. If you’d like an autographed copy of any of my books, please order it from Jabberwocky Books and I’ll run over and sign a copy for you. The new book is also available wherever else books are sold, including here. ​ About the Author:

​Maddie Day pens the bestselling Country Store Mysteries and Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries. As Edith Maxwell, she writes the Agatha Award-winning Quaker Midwife Mysteries and short crime fiction. She’s a lifetime member of Sisters in Crime and a member of Mystery Writers of America, and lives north of Boston with her beau and crazy teenage cat, Ganesh. Find her (and Maddie) at her web site, at Wicked Authors, at Mystery Lovers Kitchen on the second and fourth Fridays, and on social media under both names.
​
Facebook:
Edith M. Maxwell and Maddie Day Author
Instagram:
Edith Maxwell and Maddie Day Author
Twitter:
Edith Maxwell and Maddie Day Author

Mystery Writer Elia Seely Talks About Her Love of the Genre

Good Morning, Booklovers!
 
We’ve had topsy turvy weather of late. Drought, then rain. Tropical heat, then cool. It’s been a bit cooler since the big storms Monday night - nothing compared to what New Orleans suffered - but thunder and lightning, rain, hail, and little sleep. We[re still under the umbrellas this morning...just in case. And joining us on the deck is mystery writer Elia Seely, bringing us her featured book, A Fractured Peace.
 
Welcome, Elia! How do you take your coffee?
 
ES:  I love coffee and have a French press, aero press, moka pot, and pour-over all in my arsenal. I prefer French press at the moment—but mostly because my ancient coffee grinder can’t produce a truly fine grind for the other methods. Cream, no sugar, or cappuccino style (yes, I confess I have a fancy milk frother).

Ally chuckles: Never fear, my magic pot can meet any request. While I get our coffee mugs filled, please tell readers a little about you.
BIO:
 
I live and write from Colorado and Florida. Against all best practices, I’m at work on three series at once. I love the mystery genre and also appreciate the great characters found in literary fiction and the classics. I’m also a textile artist, gardener, sailor, and cook.
 
Tell me something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio. “I am a professional astrologer and intuitive; find me at the Grounded Mystic.”
 
Author Contacts:
 
BookBub | Amazon | eliaseely.com | thegroundedmystic.com | Facebook  INTERVIEW:
 
Ally:  Are you self-published or traditionally published? How did you make the decision?
 
ES:  I’m self-published because I like the freedom of being able to make all my own decisions and work on my own timeline. There’s a steep learning curve that I’m still navigating, but I feel that much of the ‘publishing’ activity we indie authors have to engage in is also increasingly required of traditionally published authors as well—so why not be one’s own boss? I feel grateful that as authors we have a choice of how to publish, and that we may also decide to try both. I haven’t yet been drawn to traditional publishing—the astrologer in me would say that is the North Node in Aries in my 9th house :)—but I like that I can pivot if that’s what feels right for a particular book or series.
  
Ally: If you switched careers with the main character of the last book you read, what would it be?
 
ES:  I just finished re-reading Hilary Mantel’s ‘Wolf Hall.’ I love this book, and I have to say I really admire her portrayal of Thomas Cromwell. He’s so capable, knowledgeable, and ingenious. My new career, circa the 1530s, would be Master Secretary, Master of Rolls, and I believe, Chancellor of Cambridge University! I have a feeling that in his role of mystery writer he’d add a dollop of international intrigue and a soupçon of stake-burning and beheading to my plots.
 
Ally:   Why did you choose writing as a career? Is it your only career, or do you have a “day” job?
 
ES:  I’ve always been a storyteller and writer … from the time I was making up dramas for my Barbies and Hot Wheels cars to pecking out stories about animals that could talk on my mom’s old green and gray Smith Corona. I have always—and still do—tell stories as part of my day jobs too. My current work-for-hire includes copywriting and marketing, as well as astrological and Akashic Record readings. I write because I love stories, and I love to make things. The actual writing is incredibly fun.
 
Ally:  What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
ES:  I’m in the final polishing stages of a mystery set in Florida. This is yet another new series, set in present time, with a female police detective.
 
Blurb:
Detective Libby Jamison isn’t sure she’s ready to handle a homicide. Her most recent case, a horrible string of serial murders, and her subsequent breakdown, has left her professional and personal life in a shambles. But this new victim, a young woman found in an abandoned boat, is not much older than Libby’s own daughter, and Libby feels she must show her boss that she’s fit to work the case.
 
Libby has been living with her sister, Etta, after her breakdown blew her marriage apart, and Etta is the first to identify the dead girl as a member of the local metaphysical community. Etta convinces her sister to let her cast a ‘murder chart’—an astrological snapshot of the crime—to help her solve the the murder. Although skeptical of the paranormal, the victim’s life was steeped in esoteric occult study, and so Libby must learn to suspend her disbelief and navigate the archetypes of the Tarot and Astrology in order to bring the killer to justice.
 
Ally: Which of the trivia questions caught you eye?
 
ES: book you're currently reading: The Mirror and the Light, by Hilary Mantelan author (living or dead) you'd love to take to lunch: Hilary Mantel. In my opinion, she is one of the best historical fiction writers out there. I just want to know all her secrets!favorite comfort food: coffee and chocolate chip cookies (gluten -free)the best thing a book fan has ever said to you: “I couldn’t wait to get home from work so I could keep reading, and find out what would happen next.”Do you re-read books? Any book in particular? Often! Any beloved author from Virginia Woolf to Shirley Jackson to Agatha Christie. And the aforementioned trilogy of Hilary Mantel’s … also just re-reding The Sisters Brothers too—fantastic characterization! Ally: Thanks for joining us this morning, Elia. Before we wind down, please show us your featured book. A Fractured Peace ​(Gold Creek Series Book 1)
Genre: traditional mystery with a touch of the supernatural
 
A dismembered body, a Buddhist monastery, a young girl’s second sight.
 
A relaxing trail run turns into a gruesome nightmare when deputy Shannon O’Connor finds a dismembered body in the forest outside her rural community of Gold Creek, CO. The small town sheriff’s department has never seen such a bizarre crime, and Shannon is placed in the role of lead investigator on her first murder case.
 
When she discovers the victim had been studying at the secluded Buddhist monastery nearby, she is catapulted into a world of mysticism that is foreign to her and fraught with secrets. The threads of the case unspool, revealing a chilling race for supernatural power and control that, terrifyingly, involves the emerging abilities of her young daughter’s second sight.
 
Will Shannon find the killer before he strikes again, or worse, permanently damages her daughter’s fragile spirit?
 
A Fractured Peace will appeal to readers who enjoy a multi-dimensional protagonist working in rural, Western settings, such as found in the novels of Tony/Anne Hillerman, C.J. Box, or Craig Johnson. It will also appeal to readers who enjoy a touch of the supernatural, handled in a believable way, with elements of Eastern spirituality and metaphysics.
 
"A Fractured Peace is well-structured, good pacing, cliffhanger questions at each chapter, and layered but not so dense that I felt bogged down - the book is a fast read with a satisfying ending. I can't wait to see what happens for Shannon (and her kids!) next."
 
"Beautifully written, with suspense, longing, and surprise expertly woven throughout."
 
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Elia-Seely/e/B00J36KOTO/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1

Mystery Author Liz Boeger Talks About Her "Fallback" Career

Good Morning, Booklovers!
 
We had a taste of autumn this week, then right back to sweltering August! We’re gathering a little early today before the heat turns unbearable. Please join me in thanking this week’s guest Liz Boeger for braving the rather tropical Iowa weather.
Welcome, Liz. How do you take your coffee?
 
LB:  Even in the heat, hot, half & half, no sugar. Life’s too short for cold coffee and skim milk.
 
Ally: My sentiments exactly, except I drink it black. Cold coffee just doesn’t seem right. Anyway, while I fill our mugs, please tell readers about yourself. BIO:
​
Liz Boeger’s stint as a swimsuit model peaked in kindergarten. Her fallback career as a mystery author didn’t surface until she hit the mid-century mark. In between, she wrangled children, adults, and the occasional Florida panther as a teacher and school administrator. And that encounter with the U.S. Secret Service may show up in a plot someday.
 
Her multi-award nominated mystery series is inspired by her childhood nearby Rattlesnake, Florida. If you love your mysteries with a cozy edge, some Southern snark, and quirky characters you’d love to hang out with, this series is for you. Member of Sisters in Crime, SinC Guppies, and Florida Writers Association.
 
She’s a graduate of Tampa’s Robinson High School, The University of Tampa, and Saint Leo University. Her hobbies, other than plotting murder, include gardening, quilting, and cheering all things great about her hometown, Tampa!
 
Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: “Well, my bio covers most of the unusual stuff, but I’ll add that I have bilateral hearing loss. This means both ears don’t do their job very well, and I rely on hearing aids for daily living.”
 
Author Contact links:
 
Moccasin Cove Mysteries blog
Twitter
Facebook INTERVIEW:
 
Ally:  Who or what inspired your featured book?
 
LB:  My work in education has always been about the students. But in the three decades of my career as a teacher and administrator, I’ve been touched by families, peers, and oftentimes heartbreaking moments that make it all too real. Plus, there are the friendships and lots of laughter! Gotta laugh. I’ve added the themes, emotions, and education elements from these experiences into my series, but with a spot of humor, a load of hope, and a whole new storyline. 
 
Ally:  Are you self-published or traditionally published? How did you make the decision?
 
LB:  I had tried the traditional route for nine years before deciding to self-publish. I’d earned some award nominations along the way and met great folks in the writing community, both of which helped me stay encouraged. But I wasn’t getting any younger and I loved my characters too much to give up. Everything changed this past May. I am now a member of an Author Cooperative. Essentially, it is a group of established and prolific authors of mysteries and thrillers who invited me, a new and unproven writer, to join their ranks. Their guidance and motivation helped me get off the fence and put this book out into the world. You can find their great books at misterio press.  
 
Ally:  What book/author had the biggest influence on your writing?
 
LB:  Earlene Fowler and the late Sue Grafton earn equal credit for my love of mystery series. Fowler for her cozy world-building and strong character relationships, plus the quilts. Grafton because she taught me how to write a story with a little more grit to it than the typical cozy mystery. Oh, and I love Kinsey’s little loft/studio apartment. 
 
Ally:  You’re thrown into a different time period—either past or future—what book hero would you want with you? Why?
 
LB:  Send me to the future with Hermione Granger of the Harry Potter series. She’s smart, resourceful, knows magic, and is much bossier than I am. And I’m pretty bossy, so it’ll be a little break for me. As to the future, I am a big Star Trek fan, so any of those time periods work well. Heck, let’s just make Hermione a Vulcan and I’ll be a Ferengi of DS9 fame. I’m packed, beam me up.
 
Ally:  What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
LB:  AppleJacked-BOOK 2 in the Moccasin Cove Mystery series will be released in early 2022, if all goes well! Ana and the folks of Moccasin Cove face difficult choices when the evil corporation that crippled the town financially is back to offer economic salvation. But are they willing to overlook a murder to help the school and regain their financial security?
 
Ally:  Which of the trivia questions did you selecct?
 
LB: A movie you’ll always remember:  CONRACK—it influenced my decision to become a teacher.Your pets:  Two kitties. Samantha (Sammy) and GRBRTY (Bert). Both are rescues. GRBRTY typed his own name when he walked across my keyboard when he was a kitten. Your hobbies?  I love to do logic grid puzzles, pull the weeds in my garden, and I make mostly freestyle quilts. A supernatural ability you’d love to have: Flying of course. No, wait, that’s a superpower. Is that the same? If you had to evacuate your house (your family, pets, and laptop are already out safe), what one thing would you try to take with you? My family heirloom quilts and the scrapbooks of my son’s childhood. Ally: I’m afraid time is about to run out for today. Thank you for spending time with us, Liz. Before you go, please show us your featured book. 
ChainLinked (A Moccasin Cove Mystery, book 1)
Genre:  Cozy/Traditional mystery
 
Principal Ana Callahan is renowned for turning around troubled schools, but she can’t fix the grief constricting her own heart. Now she must do both…while solving a murder.
 
Ana Callahan’s life fell apart, so she went out to save the world, one failing school at a time. Fifteen years later she’s back home in Florida, working her magic on the floundering elementary school of her childhood. But Moccasin Cove is not the sunny, middle-class beach town she left behind. With one eye on her school rescue plan and the other on her exit plan, Ana gets to work and chalks up a few small victories.
 
Her confidence falters when a school contractor is killed, and a friend is implicated in the murder. An ambitious journalist tries to link Ana’s tragic past to the crime, and a powerful charter school corporation seizes on the political chaos by threatening a takeover of Ana’s school.
 
Adding “investigate murder” to her lengthy to-do list, Ana finds herself paired with the school district’s handsome new security chief. The disturbing secrets they uncover about her friend and the killer’s twisted motives, force Ana to admit she has a lot to learn about murder. 
 
Buy Links:
 
Amazon Buy Link
Universal Buy Link to other Retailers

Author Interview with PI/Mystery Writer Tracy Clark

Good Morning, Booklovers!
 
Can you believe it is August already! The Iowa State Fair will soon be over, and kids will be going back to school. We’ll be putting away the beach reads and getting out something to cozy up to before a warm fire. But I’m getting waay ahead of myself. It’s 88 degrees today, and we’re on the deck ready to meet mystery/PI author Tracy Clark.

Welcome, Tracy! What may I get you to drink?
 
TC:  I drink tea. Earl Grey, specifically, or any other strong black tea. I never acquired the taste for coffee.
 
Ally: No problem. Earl Grey coming right up. While I prepare our drinks, please introduce yourself to readers. Bio:

Tracy Clark, a native Chicagoan, is the author of the award-winning Cass Raines Chicago Mystery series, featuring ex-cop turned PI Cassandra Raines. A multi-nominated Anthony, Lefty and Shamus Award finalist, she is also the 2020 winner of the G.P. Putnam’s Sons Sue Grafton Memorial Award. Tracy is a member of Crime Writers of Color, Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime and currently serves on the boards of her local MWA and SinC chapters, as well as the Bouchercon national board. Her fourth Cass Raines novel, RUNNER, released in June 2021.

Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: “I’m an avid Broadway musical fan. I love everything from Rodgers & Hammerstein to Lin-Manuel Miranda, with a few exceptions. My favorite shower tune? “Oh, What a Beautiful Morning” from Oklahoma.”
 
Author Contacts:
 
Twitter: @Tracypc6161
Instagram: Tpclark2000
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/tclarkbooks
Website:  www.tracyclarkbooks.com INTERVIEW :
  
Ally:  Are you self-published or traditionally published? How did you make the decision?
 
TC:  I am traditionally published. I have great respect for those authors who self-publish and are successful at it. Self-published writers really have to cover a lot of bases and wear several hats at once. They’re writing, promoting their work, marketing it, designing book covers, reaching out to media, etc. I knew early on I didn’t have the know-how or the energy to get all of that done on my own.
 
Ally: If you switched careers with the main character of the last book you read, what would it be?
 
TC:  I would be a PI. I love PI fiction. I write PI fiction. The last PI novel I read was Cheryl Head’s Warn Me When It’s Time, the latest installment in her Charlie Mack series. It’s so good.
 
Ally: Why did you choose writing as a career? Is it your only career, or do you have a “day” job?
 
TC:  I think writing chose me. I actually can’t remember a time when I didn’t write anything. As a kid, I read all the time and wrote little stories in my head and on paper. I think I was born to write, though it took me many, many years before I learned how to do it well … and I’m still learning how to tell a successful story. Writing is not my only career. I’m an editor by day. I tackle words all day long. LOL.
 
Ally:  Do you write from an outline?
 
TC:  I am required to submit to my publisher a short outline for my books. This gives all the promo and marketing people an idea what the story is about so they can work up promo copy, come up with a book cover, etc. I, however, am a pantser by nature, so once that outline’s handed in, I’m done with it. I write by the seat of my pants, slowly, with just the vaguest idea about what comes next. You’d think I’d follow that outline I handed in, but I never look at it again. It’s just the spine of the story for me. The good stuff, the flesh of the novel, I always build day by day, writing session by writing session, in the moment.
 
Ally:  If you could rewrite the ending of any book ever written, what would it be and why?
TC:  I’d change the ending to “The Wizard of Oz.” If I were Frank L. Baum, I would have made Oz real, and not just a dream, and I’d have had Dorothy choose to stay there. She would be Oz Queen. Kansas wasn’t so great, really. It was all gray and she had to feed those mean, ugly pigs all the time, and Elvira Gulch was still there on that rickety old bike. Oz was nice and both evil sister witches were dead, right? One got beaned by the house falling on her, the other got melted by a bucket of water. Dorothy could have hung out with her new pals—the Tin Man, the Lion, the Scarecrow. Life could have been sweet, especially with that horse of a different color trotting her all around town. There’s no place like home? Hmmm. I beg to differ.
 
Ally:  What three books in your genre would you recommend to readers?
 
TC:  Indemnity Only, Sara Paretsky
A is for Alibi, Sue Grafton
Any Spenser novel by Robert B. Parker
 
Ally:   What book character would you like to be? Why?
 
TC:  Hercule Poirot. He’s brilliant, but also deliciously persnickety. I’d like to be Poirot just to go through his meticulous moustache routine just once. It might be fun.
 
Ally: Do you read reviews of your books? Do you respond to them? Are you affected by them?
 
TC:  I was told early on by veteran writers who knew the ropes that it was the kiss of death to read your reviews. If they’re good, you’re lulled into a false sense of security; if they’re bad, it’s almost impossible not to internalize some of that negativity. Writing’s difficult, and your books are personal to you. Do your best, write the book you want to write, and leave the criticism to those who feel the need to give it.
 
Ally:   How many drafts (revision passes) do you do on a typical book before submission to your editor/publisher?
 
TC:  Impossible to say. I revise until the book moves the way I need it to move and sounds the way I need it to sound. If I can get all the gears moving in the right direction after three drafts, great. If it takes six, then it takes six.
 
Ally:  What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
TC:  My first standalone novel entitled Hide releases in December of 2022. I have high hopes for it.
 
Ally:  Which of the trivia questions did you select to answer?
 
TC:
memorable book you’ve read: Wolf Hall, Hilary Mantelbook you're currently reading: Blind Vigil, Matt Coylean author (living or dead) you'd love to take to lunch: P.D. Jamesan item on your bucket list: Visit Machu Picchu a movie you’ll always remember: Casablancafavorite book character: Jean Louise Finch (aka Scout)favorite quote: “Nature, Mr. Allnut, is what we were put in this world to rise above.” – The African Queenpie or cake? Cake. Pound. My Mom’s.best place you’ve ever visited: Colonial Williamsburg. I could so live there.a supernatural ability you’d love to have: I’d like to fly like Superman. No TSA pat-down required.How long does it take you to write a book? Comfortable, one year. In a pinch, nine months. It’s like having a baby, only without the need for an epidural.Ally: It was a pleasure to meet you, Tracy. Before we wind up today’s chat, please show us your featured book.
Runner (A Chicago Mystery)
Genre: PI/mystery
 
Chicago in the dead of winter can be brutal, especially when you’re scouring the frigid streets for a missing girl. Fifteen-year-old Ramona Titus has run away from her foster home. Her biological mother, Leesa Evans, is a recovering addict who admits she failed Ramona often in the past. But now she’s clean. And she’s determined to make up for her mistakes—if Cass can only help her find her daughter.
 
Cass visits Ramona’s foster mother, Deloris Poole, who is also desperate to bring the girl home. Ramona came to Deloris six months ago, angry and distrustful, but was slowly opening up. The police are on the search, but Cass has sources closer to the streets, and a network of savvy allies. Yet it seems Ramona doesn’t want to be found. And Cass soon begins to understand why. 
 
Ramona is holding secrets dark enough to kill for, and anyone who helps her may be fair game. And if Ramona can’t run fast enough and hide well enough to keep the truth safe, she and Cass may both be out of time.
 
Tracy Clark’s “lapel-grabbing and provocative new novel.” — The New York Times
 
“Clark has a unique voice in the P.I. genre, one that is articulate, daring and ultimately hopeful.” — S.A. Cosby, Anthony-awarding winning writer, for The Washington Post
 
 
Buy links:
 
https://www.bookcellarinc.com/book/9781496732019
 
Runner (A Chicago Mystery #4) (Hardcover) | Centuries & Sleuths Bookstore (centuriesandsleuths.com)
 
https://www.amazon.com/Runner-Chicago-Mystery-Book-4-ebook/dp/B08KKLXRL7/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=RUNNER+TRACY+CLARK&qid=1627424049&sr=8-1