Ally Shields's Blog, page 15

Author Joanne Guidoccio Talks about Writing & a Bit of Trivia

Good Morning, Booklovers!
 
Everyone have your coffee or other favorite drink? We’ve had summer in the Midwest the last couple of days, but spring showers are threatening today. I have the umbrellas up on the deck... just in case. Shall be get right to it? Join me in welcoming author Joanne Guidoccio and her featured romance/women's fiction novel, No More Secrets.
Nice to see you, Joanne. How do you drink your coffee?
 
JG:  Each morning, I brew two to three cups of Chatty Matty coffee, an organic, fair-trade coffee sold at Planet Bean in Guelph, Ontario. I take it black with one teaspoon of Erythritol.
 
Ally: I’ll put the magic pot to work on that. While I pour, please introduce yourself to readers. Bio;
 
In 2008, Joanne retired from a 31-year teaching career and launched a second act as a writer. Her articles and book reviews were published in newspapers, magazines, and online. When she tried her hand at fiction, she made reinvention a recurring theme in her novels and short stories. A member of Crime Writers of Canada, Sisters in Crime, and Romance Writers of America, Joanne writes cozy mysteries, paranormal romance, and inspirational literature from her home base of Guelph, Ontario.
 
Something unique that isn't in your regular bio: “Decluttering is my favorite stressbuster.”
 
Where to find Joanne:
 
Website:                     http://joanneguidoccio.com/
Twitter:                       https://twitter.com/joanneguidoccio
Facebook:                  https://www.facebook.com/authorjoanneguidoccio
LinkedIn:                    https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanneguidoccio
Pinterest:                    http://pinterest.com/jguidoccio/
Goodreads:                https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7277706.Joanne_Guidoccio 
Amazon Page:            https://www.amazon.com/Joanne-Guidoccio/e/B00FAWJGCG Interview :
 
Ally:  Who or what inspired you to write your featured book?
 
JG:  I was inspired by The Bridges of Madison County (1995 film based on the best-selling novel by Robert James Waller). Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood deliver stellar performances as Francesca Johnson (Italian war bride) and Robert Kincaid (National Geographic photojournalist). They have a four-day love affair that forever changes them. (Ally Note: I live a few miles from Madison Co. and have visited the bridges and Francesca’s House used in the movie (before it burned)).
  
Ally: What is the hardest part of writing?
 
JG:  At some point in the writing, I encounter the murky middle, that nebulous place where I find it difficult to sustain the narrative. In short, I’m lost with no clear trail or direction in sight. Thankfully, I have developed several strategies that help me get back on track.
 
Ally:  Are you a plotter, a pantser or a little bit of both?
 
JG:  A poster child for left brainers, I assumed I would be a plotter. That had been my modus operandi throughout the 31 years of my teaching career. It didn’t take long for me to discover that I felt stymied and unmotivated whenever I approached writing in a structured way. Anything I outlined would find its way into a recycling bin. After several frustrating months, I sat down and wrote organically. Partway through the manuscript, I did experience the “sagging middle.” When that happened, I stopped to outline the remaining chapters.
 
My new label: linear pantser.
 
Ally:  What’s the most meaningful thing a fan has said about your book?
 
JG:  I was moved by the following Net Galley review of No More Secrets from Hayley B:
 
“I loved reading about what it was like to be a young woman in 1950s Italy and to relocate across the world to Canada and start again. I felt that each character grew on me slowly as they unburdened, until I felt I could happily have sat with them. A lot of my workshops focus on women breaking away from stereotypes or family/society expectations to be their authentic self. That’s what this book does. These women are freed by what they learn, so I was interested to see what would happen if Angelica told her final secret. Then ending did bring a lump to my throat and I didn’t want to leave these women behind.”
 
Ally:  Do you regularly read reviews of your books? Are you affected by them?
 
JG:  I read all my reviews at least once. On “blue” days, I reread the excellent reviews. While reading the less-than-stellar reviews, I look for common themes. For example, several readers commented on the number of characters introduced in the first chapter of my cozy mystery, A Season for Killing Blondes. I kept that comment in mind while writing future books.
 
Ally: Which of the trivia questions did you choose? Book you’re currently reading: The Lost Apothecary by Sarah PennerA movie you’ll always remember:  Out of Africa – Meryl Streep & Robert RedfordIf you were a color, what would it be?  PurplePie or cake? Chocolate Amaretto CheesecakeBest place you’ve ever visited: Grand Canyon Ally: Thanks for visiting with us, Joanne. Tell us a little about your featured book before we close today's chat.

No More Secrets
Genre: romance/multi-generational/women's fiction

​Angelica Delfino takes a special interest in the lives of her three nieces, whom she affectionately calls the daughters of her heart. Sensing that each woman is harboring a troubling—possibly even a toxic— secret, Angelica decides to share her secrets, secrets she had planned to take to the grave. Spellbound, her nieces listen to an incredulous tale of forbidden love, tragic loss, and reinvention that spans six decades across two continents. It is the classic immigrant story upended: an Italian widow’s transformative journey amid the most unlikely of circumstances.
 
Inspired by Angelica’s example, the younger women share their “First World” problems and, in the process, revisit their relationships and set themselves free.
 
But one heart-breaking secret remains untold...
 
Trailer
https://youtu.be/vo5ozMtcz2U
 




Buy Links
Amazon US - https://www.amazon.com/No-More-Secrets-Joanne-Guidoccio-ebook/dp/B08CVTYWWX
Amazon CA - https://www.amazon.ca/No-More-Secrets-Joanne-Guidoccio-ebook/dp/B08CVTYWWX
Amazon UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/No-More-Secrets-Joanne-Guidoccio-ebook/dp/B08CVTYWWX
Amazon AU - https://www.amazon.com.au/No-More-Secrets-Joanne-Guidoccio-ebook/dp/B08CVTYWWX/

Guest Interview with YA Author Lyndi Alexander

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​Good Morning, Booklovers!
 
It’s a lovely spring day in the Midwest. I’ve moved onto the deck for today’s  guest interview with Lyndi Alexander, who is featuring her post-apocalyptic YA series, The Color of Fear.
Welcome, Lyndi! How do you take your coffee?
 
LA:  Strong, definitely caffeinated, with a mix of coffee creamers for exotic flavors!
 
Ally: While I get our mugs ready, please introduce yourself to readers. BIO:
 
Lyndi Alexander always dreamed of faraway worlds and interesting alien contacts. She lives as a post-modern hippie in Asheville, North Carolina, a single mother of her last child of seven, a daughter on the autism spectrum, finding that every day feels a lot like first contact with a new species.
 
Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio:  “Lilacs are my favorite flower. When they bloom I cut whole branches and bring them inside.”
 
Author Contacts:
 
Blog: https://lyndialexander.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lyndialexander13/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4185290.Lyndi_Alexander
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Lyndi-Alexander/e/B005GDYPU2/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/lyndi-alexander
Smashwords | Lyndi Alexander:
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/lyndialexander INTERVIEW:
 
Ally:  Who or what inspired you to write your featured book?
 
LA:  I am very disturbed at what our country has revealed about itself of late, and I can’t help but think that we are going to continue to have terror attacks. If someone were to attack the white population,  as happens in this series, I worry that the contributions of other ethnic groups will fall by the side of the road, and someone like Gabriel will rise up to fight for the old ways. Let’s pray it doesn’t continue until we have destroyed ourselves altogether.
 
Ally:   When did you first decide to pursue writing as a career? Is it your only career, or do you have a “day” job?
 
LA:  When I was in third grade. I wrote my first story,  then went on to write through high school, sold my first piece at age 18. I got sidetracked by life, kids, marriage, divorce, and law school. I practiced law for 30 years, during which I got inspired to go back to writing. I had a number of novels published before I retired, and now writing is my only sort of work.
 
Ally:  Are you a plotter, a pantser or a little of both?
 
LA:  A little of both. My ideas usually come out of the ether, and I let them run for awhile. Then about halfway through, I fine tune and decide where the end is going, and loosely outline through the end. Then at about the ¾ mark, I chapter by chapter outline to make sure I’ve got the strings all tied up.
 
Ally:   How many drafts (revision passes) do you do on a typical book before submission to your editor/publisher? 
 
LA:  I usually do two passes before taking it to the critique group, then another with their suggestions, and then likely one more all the way through before turning it in.
 
Ally:  What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
LA:  I’ve just finished an old-style historical romance set in Key West, Florida at the beginning of the Spanish-American War. I love Key West, always have, since we lived in south Florida and it was only a couple hours away! It should be out by the end of the year.
 
Ally:  Which of the trivia questions did you choose to answer?
an item on your bucket list:  riding a jetskimost watched tv show: FIREFLY—love these characters!If you were a color, what would it be?  Deep pine greenlast time you rode a train (not subway): In 2013 my daughter paid for me to travel across country on Amtrak. What a wonderful trip it was, passing across the Plains, and through the Rockies in winter.pie or cake? What kind?   Elderberry pie made by the Methodist church ladies at our county fair boothAlly: It was a pleasure to meet you, Lyndi! Good luck with your books. Before we disperse to enjoy this terrific spring day, please show us your featured series, The Color of Fear.
THE COLOR OF FEAR series
Genre: YA post-apocalyptic, diversity, multi-cultural
Rating: PG-13
 
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5HtphfL7TE&t=21s
Purchase series from Amazon here.
​


WINDMILLS (The Color of Fear #1)
 
Terrorists launch a plague in the United States that spreads to kill most of the world’s Caucasian population. As the deadly bioweapon mutates, Tzu Lin Kwan’s father, a renowned medical doctor and biologist, defects from China to help develop a cure. His  only daughter, Lin Kwan, is left behind in Hong Kong with her aunt.
Then Kwan’s father summons her from across the sea to bring him Chinese medicinal herbs. Lonely and missing her parents, she accepts the challenge, traveling with her sensei Li Zhong to the New World.
But a Chinese spy is on her trail, determined to kill her and Li Zhong, and when Kwan discovers her father has disappeared, she sets out on a journey to find him and deliver her precious cargo, a quest that she may not survive.
 
Buy it here! DESTINATIONS (The Color of Fear #2)
 
Xi San saved the life of a mysterious girl one night in his ravaged San Francisco neighborhood. He can’t get her out of his mind, but believes that she’s lost to him. Lin Kwan came to America to bring her scientist father Chinese medicinal herbs, hoping to stop the virus that killed most of the world’s Caucasians before it mutates to infect the rest of the world. On her way to finding him, she meets again the man who once saved her, a man she can’t forget. 
With a diverse group of fellow travelers, they head for St. Louis, where civilization is being rebuilt. Between them and safety, danger lurks—Gabriel, a self-styled religious leader and white supremacist, who has organized his army from Upper Midwest survivalist and militia followers, determined to take revenge for the white man.
But Gabriel isn’t their only enemy. Before they reach their destination, they will battle nature, prejudice and even those hidden among them who wish their destruction.
 
Now available at Amazon.com and other online booksellers. Or place an order through your local indie bookstore!
​ADVERSARIES (The Color of Fear #3)
 
Life after the devastating biological terrorist attack that decimated the White population in the US is beginning to recover as Tzu Lin Kwan is finally able to deliver her precious cargo of herbs to her scientist father. Or is it?
 
The virus may be mutating, spreading to infect those previously immune. Tzu Shin and his fellow scientists—and now Kwan—are literal prisoners of the US military. The White supremacist army of the demagogue Gabriel has invaded St.Louis. And the Chinese assassin Piao knows where to find his targets.
 
Kwan and her friends Valery, Eddie, and San are ready to fight to the death to defend their recovering world. The question is: Are courage and determination enough?
 
PUBLISHER WEBSITE: http://www.zumayapublications.com

Coffee Chat Interview with Urban Fantasy Author Amanda Fleet

Good Morning, Booklovers!
 
Are you ready for this week's book talk? Our guest author is Amanda Fleet, bringing us her featured urban fantasy series, Guardians of the Realm.
Welcome, Amanda! What may I get you to drink?
 
AF:  I don’t drink coffee… I’m a tea woman. I like it strong, with a little milk. No sugar. And by the gallon.
 
Ally: No problem. My magic pot can meet any request. While I pour, please introduce yourself to readers. Bio:
 
Amanda Fleet is a physiologist by training and a writer at heart. She spent 18 years teaching science and medicine undergraduates at St Andrews University, but now uses her knowledge to work out how to kill people (in her books!). She completed her first degree at St Andrews University and her doctorate at University College, London.
 
She has been an inveterate stationery addict since a child, amassing a considerable stash of fountain pens, ink and notebooks during her lifetime. These have thankfully come in useful, as she tends to write rather than type, at least in the early stages of writing a book.
 
She is the author of the urban fantasy series: The Guardians of The Realm, the psychological thriller, Lies That Poison, and the crime novel, The Wrong Kind of Clouds.
 
Amanda lives in Scotland with her husband, where she can be found writing, walking and running.
 
Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: “Our garden won an award for “Best Landscaped Garden” in our local area, principally by being the only entrant in the competition. We won a certificate. I have it framed and proudly on display!”
 
Author Links:
 
Website: https://www.amandafleet.co.uk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmandaFleetWriter/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/amanda_fleet1
Book Bub: @AmandaFleet
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/amandafleet
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/amandafleet
Newsletter Sign Up Link: http://eepurl.com/bPRByj INTERVIEW :
 
Ally: What is the hardest part of writing?
 
AF:  Finding an editor you trust and who you connect with. Unless you feel comfortable with your editor, it can be hard to work on the changes they suggest. I am so pleased to have found my current editor (Fiona McLaren) – we work brilliantly together and she is just amazing. When I was traditionally published, I had an absolutely awful copy-editor once (who had no idea what she was doing, to be honest). I have no desire to repeat that experience if I can avoid it!
 
Ally:  Do you write with an audience in mind or to a publisher’s required theme?
 
AF:  Neither in many ways, though more towards the former than the latter. I write the kind of books I would like to read (and hope I’m not so individual that I’m the only one who wants to read them!). That said, I do have an eye on what else is out there.
 
Ally:  Are you a plotter, a pantser or a little of both?
 
AF:  Mostly a plotter, but I don’t like to plot so much that I don’t discover things in the first draft. The first draft also tends to change from my original plan, as a result of characters being difficult! I have (a few times) written with no plan… they have always been a disaster and taken far longer to whip into shape in the editing stage. I also planned one book so much, that I then didn’t want to write it as I knew everything that happened, so writing it would have been hard. My best option is to work out the key scenes or ‘beats’ of the book, but leave some of the bits in-between quite fluid.
 
Ally: How many drafts (revision passes) do you do on a typical book before submission to your editor/publisher?
 
AF:  I normally do a lot of planning, then write my first draft. After that, I do a structural edit, then usually two more (one focusing on trying to get the words right and another where I polish it more) before it goes off to my editor. There’s then another edit following her feedback, plus a final polish.
 
Ally:  What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
AF:  I’ve just published Invasion: Guardians of The Realm Book 4. This is set five years after War and The Realm is facing a new threat – one it can’t see and that can bend everyone’s mind to their whim.
Once the dust has settled from that being launched, I’ll be back to editing a time-travel romance that moves between the 1760s and 2022 that’s due out later this year.
 
Ally:  Which of the trivia questions did you choose to answer? 
most watched tv show: Farscapea movie you’ll always remember: La Vita e Bella (Life is Beautiful)favorite accessory (jewelry, scarves, shoes, etc.): shawls/wrapsfavorite quote: “Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass... It's about learning to dance in the rain.”Your hobbies? Knitting, running, gardening, cross-stitch, walking, reading (not necessarily in that order!)Ally:  It was a pleasure to meet you, Amanda. Good luck with your writing. Before we finish today, please show us your featured series.

Aegyir Rises (Guardians of The Realm 1):
Genre: Urban fantasy/Portal fantasy
Rating: Mild sexual content

People are dying all around Reagan Bennett. They’re dead because someone--something—has ripped all of their energy out.
 
Meanwhile, Reagan is being plagued by dreams of a different world. Ones where she’s a warrior called Aeron. Ones where a woman keeps urging her to come home because it’s the demon Aegyir who is killing everyone.
 
Aegyir is no dream. He is very real. And he believes Reagan is his old enemy Aeron. The woman he’d sworn to destroy.
 
Reagan needs to figure out who Aegyir is, before he slaughters everyone she loves. And to do that, she needs to figure out who she really is.
 
Reader praise for Aegyir Rises:
“There’s nothing out there as intriguing, tense and unputdownable in the urban fantasy genre that I’ve came across in a very long time.”
 


​Buy links:
 
The Guardians of The Realm series:
Aegyir Rises – Guardians of The Realm 1: http://mybook.to/AegyirRises
Aeron Returns – Guardians of The Realm 2: http://mybook.to/AeronReturns
War – Guardians of The Realm 3: http://mybook.to/WarGoTR3
Invasion – Guardians of The Realm 4: http://mybook.to/GoTR-Invasion
Box set books 1-3: http://mybook.to/GoTRboxset Other books by the author:
Lies That Poison (psychological thriller): http://mybook.to/LiesThatPoison
The Wrong Kind of Clouds (crime): http://mybook.to/TheWrongKindofClouds

Author Janis Wilson Talks about Writing and her Jack the Ripper Novel

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​Happy St. Patty's Day, Booklovers!
 
On this very Irish day morning, thanks for stopping to visit us for a little book talk! Today’s guest author is Janis Wilson, with her featured book, Goulston Street, a Jack the Ripper mystery.

Good morning, Janis. While I pour our coffee - and perhaps top it off with a little Baileys - please introduce yourself to readers. Bio:
​
Janis Wilson is a retired trial lawyer.  She is a frequent lecturer on fiction writing. A true crime commentator on the Investigation Discovery and Oxygen Channels, Wilson was a co-organizer of RipperCon, an international conference of persons who study the crimes and policing in the Jack the Ripper case.  In her first novel, Goulston Street, the author purports to identify the real killer of five women during the Victorian era.

She attended the University of Memphis, graduating with a degree in journalism. She became a newspaper reporter, writing award-winning articles about the failure of local governments to address inner city problems, life in a women’s prison and the challenges of providing quality education. She returned to the University of Memphis and obtained a Master of Arts in Political Science.
 
Janis is a chapter president of Maryland Writers Association and belongs to Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Guppies, The Wodehouse Society, and Sherlockians of Baltimore.

She lives without incident with her husband and two rescue cats.
​
Check out my new website, www.janiswilson.com
Twitter: @JanisW1888 INTERVIEW :
 
Ally:  What/who inspired you to write your featured book?
 
JW:  When I was about ten, I heard a reference on television to Jack the Ripper, who murdered and mutilated prostitutes and, despite the entirety of Scotland Yard hunting him, was never captured.  My mother wouldn’t let me watch the program and it always itched the back of my mind. For years, I wondered why there was never a trial.  On a visit to London, I took the Jack the Ripper tour of Whitechapel. It has been gentrified since but at that time it was intensely dark. The streets were tiny and twisted and rivaled a rabbit warren for a confusing array of passages. Everything came together in my mind.  I suddenly understood how the police could have been just a few steps behind him but never took him into custody.  Later, I learned the 125th anniversary of the killings would be the subject of a conference.  I attended, met many Ripperologists who became my friends, and began building my library.  Suddenly, to my surprise, I had a full book in my mind.  Goulston Street was meant to be.
 
Ally:  What book/author was the biggest influence on your writing?
 
JW:  Perhaps the most impactful author was Charles Dickens, not just because of his brilliance, but because he was a Victorian writer.  He was also one of the first writers to incorporate a detective into his books.  Dickens was very fond of mysteries, and Great Expectation remains my favorite of his works.  Miss Havisham is one of the greatest characters ever fashioned and I devoured the master’s books.
 
Ally:  If you met Jane Austen, what would you talk about? 
 
JW:  I’d seek her tutelage on character creation and observation.  It is wonderful that she could imagine both Elizabeth Bennett, but also her ditzy sister, Lydia, who was so selfish she couldn’t foresee that an elopement would bring shame on the entire family and, essentially, make her sisters unmarriageable.  I’d want to know how she handled editing when she was writing her books in cursive.  Did she ever decide the way she’d written it at first was good enough and didn’t have to be revised?  Did her family object to her sending her work to a publisher?  Why was she reluctant to market herself?  Was she modest or protecting her family from gossip?
 
Ally:  If you were thrown into a different time, past or future, what book hero would you want with you?  Why?
 
JW:  I’d love to have Elizabeth Bennett as a travel companion.  She loved to visit new places and to meet new people. She was kind and gentle but very no-nonsense.  She had a great deal of dignity and intelligence.  Her comments on people and things would be illuminating.
 
Ally:  What is your next writing project?

JW:  I'm writing about a famous 19th Century socialist who was a multi-lingual writer, editor, speaker and even an actress who performed on stage with her good friend, George Bernard Shaw. Sadly, she is murdered and Lady Sarah, who considered her a friend, investigates. The book isn't finished yet, but I am having a lot of fun watching my beloved aristocrat try to get information out of a lot of cautious socialists.
 
Ally:  Which of the short answer questions did you pick to answer?
 
JW: a. A memorable book you’ve read: The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins is my favorite book of all time.  Collins was a close friend of Dickens and they even wrote and performed in plays together. Collins was a passionate feminist and wrote repeatedly about how women were disadvantaged in Victorian society for no good reason.  He wrote a brilliant mystery with a gutsy woman as the sleuth.  She knew how to deal with avaricious, deceitful men and she took care of herself and her sister in doing so.b: Your pets:  I have a great passion for cats.  I am on the staff of two tuxedos who, although unrelated, look like twins. This led me to name them for their eye color – Jade and Amber.  I acquired a cat on the day I registered for law school, so I named him Amicus.  He was solid black except for a Ginsburg patch of white at the throat.  I also had a grey cat I chose to name Dorian, in honor of Oscar Wilde.  I collect cat figures, which are spread throughout the house and which cheer me up.  Jade and Amber stay with me while I write.  Amber sleeps nearby and Jade drapes herself over my shoulder.  They’ve made the COVID-19 isolation tolerable.c: Your hobbies:  I adore the theater.  I’m a great fan of Tom Stoppard, whom I had the pleasure of meeting shortly after he was knighted. My love of theater melds with my enjoyment of international travel. That’s how I’ve managed to see every Shakespeare play.  I also saw a performance of Witness for the Prosecution performed in a real London courtroom. d. Best place you’ve ever visited.  Definitely London, the center of the universe. I love the theater, afternoon tea, and history.  It is the location of my first and second novels. Research is a pleasure.​ Ally:  Thanks for visiting us on this St. Patrick’s Day! Before you leave, please show us your featured book... Goulston Street: The Quest for Jack the Ripper
Genre: historical mystery
 
 Whitechapel, London, 1888.
It is the Autumn of Terror, when Jack the Ripper is brutally murdering prostitutes. Queen Victoria pushes the police to solve the killings quickly, but they are stymied.

Lady Sarah, a disgraced aristocrat, who runs a boarding house, takes up the quest as her own misfortunes weigh on her. Along with her brother, other aristocrats, and the prostitutes who rent from her, Sarah doggedly followed the trail at her own personal peril. As the murders grow even more grisly, Lady Sarah’s chase takes a number of twists and turns, much like the grimy streets of Whitechapel itself.

"A formidable entertainment crammed with incident and characters..."  Ripperologist magazine.

Goulston Street: The Quest for Jack the Ripper is available on Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble. May the wind be always at your back.

Author Vicki Batman Blends Romantic Comedy with Mystery

Good Morning, Booklovers!
 
We’re having a week of Spring in the Midwest with temps in the 70s! I thought we’d sit on the deck today while we chat with romantic-comedy-mystery author Vicki Batman!
Welcome, Vicki! What may I get you to drink?
 
VB:  I am not a coffee drinker, except for Kahlua and milk over ice. LOL. A mini can of Dr Pepper after a morning overhaul gets me going.
 
Ally:  I always have Dr. Pepper around as that is my eldest son’s favorite soda. While I collect our drinks, please tell readers something about yourself.

Author bio:
 
Funny, sweet, and quirky, Vicki Batman’s stories are full of her hallmark humor, romance, and will delight all readers. She has sold many award-winning and bestselling romantic comedy works to magazines and, most recently, three humorous romantic mysteries. An avid Jazzerciser. Handbag lover. Mahjong player. Yoga practitioner. Movie fan. Book devourer. Cat fancier. Best Mom ever. And adores Handsome Hubby.
 
Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: “I was Miss Oak Lawn Moped.  LOLOL. A BIG FAVOR for a college friend.”
 
Find Vicki Batman at:
 
Website: https://vickibatman.blogspot.com/p/more-about-me.html/
Blog: https://www.vickibatman.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Vicki-Batman-sassy-writer-of-sexy-and-funny-fiction-133506590074451/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/VickiBatman/  
Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/vickibatman/  
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/vickibatman/  
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4814608.Vicki_Batman/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vickilbatman/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/vicki-batman      INTERVIEW :
 
Ally:  Are you self-published or traditionally published? How did you make the decision?
 
VB:  I am both. I indie pub short story collections and traditionally pub my mysteries with The Wild Rose Press. When I began, I sold a lot of shorts to magazines, but I wanted to retain the rights to my stories. So, I wrote others for anthologies and my own compilations.
 
Ally:   When did you first decide to pursue writing as a career? Are you a full-time writer or do you have a “day” job?
 
VB:  I began with an idea and wrote, wrote, wrote. I wanted to learn more and joined a local chapter of Romance Writers of America. When the chapter held a conference, I decided to pitch to an agent (she requested chapters and rejected. 😊). I think that was the moment I pursued writing as a career. As for the day job…the boys are grown. Just Handsome, the Adora-poos and me. I do a lot of house stuff.
 
Ally:  Do the people in your real life show up in your writing? In what way?
VB:  Maybe this should be a secret. LOL. Oh, yes, they show up in what they say, what they wear, what they look like. I get a better “vision” of the character and note nuances that make them realistic. For example: Once a young man (whom I love and adore) said, “I have a theory about love.” My head went !!!!!! I held up a finger and told him “one sec,” scribbled down the line, and then gave him my attention.
 
Ally:  If you met Dick Francis, what would you talk about?
 
VB:  I love Dick Francis’ books and met him at a mystery bookstore signing. I was in heaven. He liked my last name. Last year at Bouchercon, I met Felix Francis. I like his books, too. As for what to talk about…I’ll chat about anything. The boys say I talk to everyone.
 
Ally:  What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
VB:  I’m working on another Sommerville days, a romantic comedy short story collection. These three stories are in their infancy; so, lots of work to do before I’m happy. Probably release in a year.
 
Ally: Which of the trivia questions did you select to anwer?
 
VB: 
memorable book you’ve read: Rebecca by Daphne du Mauriera movie you’ll always remember: Bridget Jones’ Diaryfavorite accessory: handbags!!! I have a lot.favorite quote: “A life lived in fear is a life half-lived.” Strictly Ballroompie or cake?  I have an unnatural love for good cake. Most any kind.Ally: Thanks for sharing your morning with us, Vicki. Before you go, let’s take a look at your featured book, Temporarily Out Of Luck.

​Temporarily Out Of Luck
Genre:  romantic comedy mystery
Rating: PG-13
 
Great job. What man? And murder.

Newly employed at Wedding Wonderland, Hattie Cooks is learning the industry from a woman she greatly admires. When her former brother-in-law is found dead in his luxury SUV, all fingers point to Hattie’s sister, who is planning her own I Dos.

Detective Allan Wellborn is caught between a rock and a hard place—Hattie’s family and investigating the murder of a well-connected Sommerville resident, the same loser who was once married to Hattie’s sister. Determining who’s the bad guy—or gal—isn’t going to be easy and sure to piss off someone.

Can Hattie beat the clock to find out who murdered Tracey’s ex before she is charged with the crime and her wedding is ruined? 
 
Find Temporarily out of Luck at: https://www.amazon.com/Temporarily-Luck-Hattie-Cooks-Mystery-ebook/dp/B08T7YSSRJ/
  
Excerpt:
 
In my Book of Debts, I didn’t owe him one iota. However, I could hear my mother in my ear, trotting out a page from the “Right Thing to Do” lecture. What Stuart’s mom did broke all wedding protocol, and Allan doing his saintly thing, told her he would help, which translated meant he desperately needed somebody else’s help.

“Fine. I’m in, but you owe me more, like a date to the”—I grasped on the first thing that popped in my head—“opera.”

“Opera? Since when do you like opera?”

I held back a giggle. “Since yesterday.”
​
Allan blew a huge sigh. “Done.” He paused. “Opera?”

Author Tammy Euliano Talks About Writing & Her Medical Thriller

Good Morning, Booklovers!
 
Spring is making a valiant attempt to arrive in the Midwest! Sunny skies and temps pushing 60. That’s shorts weather for us! But I digress. Join me in welcoming Tammy Euliano to the Coffee Chat with her featured medical thriller, Fatal Intent.
​
Thanks for visiting the blog, Tammy. What may I get you to drink?
 
TE:  I’ve never been a coffee drinker. Mom told me it would stunt my growth, but I’m only 5’2” so it didn’t work. I drink way too much diet Mountain Dew.
 
Ally: We can do soda too. While I get our respective drinks, please introduce yourself to readers. Bio:
 
Dr. Tammy Euliano’s writing is inspired by her day job as a physician, researcher and educator at University of Florida. She’s received numerous teaching awards, ~100,000 views of her YouTube teaching videos, and was featured in a calendar of women inventors. Her short fiction has been recognized by Glimmer Train, Bards & Sages, Flame Tree Press, Flash Fiction Magazine, and others. Her debut novel, a medical thriller entitled “Fatal Intent,” was published by Oceanview March 2, 2021.
 
Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: “I met my husband playing flag football during college. We went to the national championships in New Orleans one year with the two of us alternating at quarterback. As you might guess, all three of our kids, son and daughters, can throw a football.”
 
 
LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/teuliano
https://www.instagram.com/teuliano/
@Teuliano
https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B001IXU51M
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20370951.Tammy_Euliano
INTERVIEW :
 
Ally: When did you first decide to pursue writing as a career?
 
TE:  Early in my career as an academic anesthesiologist, I realized I wanted my name on a book spine. I wanted to teach a broader group than only those students at my university. Together with my mentor, we accomplished that goal. Meanwhile, I'd rekindled my love of fiction by reading to my young family, so when my mentor suggested we continue our textbook collaboration and write a novel, I was all-in. Within a chapter, I knew it was something I had to pursue to completion. Not that story, unfortunately, but another that sprouted and bloomed in my mind over the ensuing year.
 
Ally:  Do the people in your real life show up in your writing? In what way?
 
TE:  Funny story, everyone I know assumes my protagonist, Kate Downey, is me, or at least a younger version of me. I can’t imagine why, except maybe that we share the same career, a love of teaching and dogs, and played flag football in college. But unlike Kate, I have been blessed with a tragedy-free life. She is NOT me. Unfortunately, my husband doesn’t buy that, so when he learned that Kate’s husband, Greg (NOT my husband, Neil) is in a persistent vegetative state and may or may not survive the novel, he was…peeved. I keep reminding Neil that he has a really good chance of surviving my launch day neurologically intact.
 
Ally:  Are you a plotter, a pantser or a little of both?
 
TE:  My writing style continues to evolve, but what seems to be working is a huge white board for a mind map that changes over time, hand-written letters from each character about their lives and motivations – also that get edited over time, and at least a skeleton of an outline. I don’t get it into detail though, because as I start to write, so much changes as I learn more about my characters. Mostly I’m plotting a few chapters ahead.
 
Ally: Tell us about your reading habits.
 
TE:  I’m in a book club that chooses an interesting mix of books, including non-fiction and a bit of every genre. So that’s one book per month. I always have several books going—a novel, usually a thriller or mystery, and often one that helps with something I’m working on, like a novel in first person to listen to the technique; a non-fiction book on something I want to learn about –science, philosophy (recently, stoicism), history (recently, WWII). At least one of these is an audiobook I listen to while driving to work, walking the dogs, grocery shopping, etc.
 
Ally:  What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
TE:  I am currently working on the sequel to Fatal Intent, which will hopefully be ready next winter. Meanwhile I’ve written two other novels in sequence that I’m hoping to find a home for in the next year.
 
Ally:  Which of the trivia questions did you choose to answer?
 
TE:memorable book you’ve read: Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankla movie you’ll always remember: The Ultimate Giftfavorite book character: Armand Gamache from Louise Penny’s seriesfavorite quote: “The days are long but the years are short.” Gretchen RubinYour pets: Kodiak (Kody) – a black fur ball rescue, part sheltie/Australian shepherd; and Acadia (Cadi) – a golden retrieverbest place you’ve ever visited: The Swiss alps – hiking around Wengen is spectacular TE: It was a pleasure to meet you, Tammy. Good luck with your new release. Please tell us a little about it.
Fatal Intent
Genre: Medical thriller
 
End-of-life care—or assisted death
 
When her elderly patients start dying at home days after minor surgery, anesthesiologist Dr. Kate Downey wants to know why. The surgeon, not so much. “Old people die, that’s what they do,” is his response. When Kate presses, surgeon Charles Ricken places the blame squarely on her shoulders. Kate is currently on probation, and the chief of staff sides with the surgeon, leaving Kate to prove her innocence and save her own career. With her husband in a prolonged coma, it’s all she has left.
 
Aided by her eccentric Great Aunt Irm, a precocious medical student, and the lawyer son of a victim, Kate launches her own unorthodox investigation of these unexpected deaths. As she comes closer to exposing the culprit’s identity, she faces professional intimidation, threats to her life, a home invasion, and, tragically, the suspicious death of someone close to her. The stakes escalate to the breaking point when Kate, under violent duress, is forced to choose which of her loved ones to save—and which must be sacrificed. Perfect for fans of Kathy Reichs and Tess Gerritsen.
 
Buy Links:
​
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1608094162
https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781608094165

Delving into Medical Thrillers with Author BJ Magnani

​Good Morning, Booklovers!
 
Settle in with your coffee (or other favorite drink) and join me in welcoming this week’s guest author, BJ Magnani, bringing us her soon-to-be-released medical thriller, The Power of Poison!
Welcome, BJ. How do you take your coffee?
 
BJ: Light roast with skim milk, although now I’m drinking more tea.
 
Ally: Then tea is it. While I fix our drinks, please introduce yourself to readers. Bio:
 
Dr. BJ Magnani is on her 4th career. After college, she became a high school and college teacher, obtained an M.S. & Ph.D., worked as a scientist, and then returned to medical school to become a pathologist. Now, writing fiction is her primary passion.
 
The former Chair of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, MA, Dr. Magnani is currently Professor of Anatomic and Clinical Pathology/Professor of Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine.
 
Something unique/unusual that isn’t in your regular bio: “I was a competitive equestrian from the time I was 8 years old until college. I had the privilege of riding and showing some of the best horses on the East Coast.”
 
Author Contacts:
 
Home | BJ Magnani
BJ Magnani, PhD, MD,FCAP (@bjmagnani) / Twitter
info@encirclepub.com INTERVIEW:
 
Ally: What inspired you to write your featured book?
 
BJ:  The Power of Poison is the sequel to my first novel, The Queen of All Poisons. Initially, I was asked to write short stories for a scientific journal to educate readers on poisons. Later, these stories were collected in Lily Robinson and the Art of Secret Poisoning. Too much science? Fans of Lily Robinson loved the tales but wanted a less technical rendering, and the novels were born.
 
Ally: Are you self-published or traditionally published?
 
BJ:  I am published by a small indie press, Encircle Publications, located in Maine.
 
Ally: What do you find is the hardest part of writing?
 
BJ:  Being able to juggle my medical obligations and have enough time for creative writing. I changed my schedule at the end of 2019 to devote more time to writing fiction.
 
Ally:  What book/author was the biggest influence on your writing?
 
BJ:  Michael Crichton was an enormous influence on my writing. He was also a physician, and I admired his ability to research a subject, distill it for the audience, and make his stories suspenseful.  For me, taking my medical knowledge and incorporating it into my stories allows me to use the novels for a little science teaching.
 
Ally: What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
​
BJ: The Power of Poison will be released March 24, 2021, and I am currently writing the third in the Lily Robinson series, A Message in Poison.
 
Ally: Which of the trivia questions did you answer?
 
BJ:  an author (living or dead) you’d love to take to lunch:  Michael Crichton   ebook or print?  Definitely print! I need to hold a book in my hand.favorite accessory:  High heels!favorite quote: "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." Sherlock Holmes (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle).Do you re-read books?  Yes, I’ve re-read several books. For example, I’ve read the Tolkien trilogy multiple times (The Lord of the Rings). There’s always something new you see the second or third time around. (Ally note: a big fav of mine too!)Ally: Thanks so much for taking time from your schedule to chat with us! Before you rush off, please show us your pending release! The Power of Poison, (A Dr. Lily Robinson Novel #2)
Release date: March 24, 2021
Genre: medical thriller/suspense
 
More than 20 years ago, Dr. Lily Robinson—the brilliant pathologist and toxicologist—was a member of a scientific expedition in Colombia, South America, that ended in the death of her colleagues and, presumably, her little girl. Unaware of the true circumstances of her tragedy, her memory blocked in self-preservation, Dr. Robinson’s despair made her fair game for recruitment by a secret government agency whose objective is to eliminate threats to a free and peaceful world. Her guiding mantra, “the good of the many outweighs the good of the one,” allowed her to rationalize, and to lead, a double life—a physician in one world, and a covert assassin in another.

Dr. Robinson is asked to assassinate a high-level Chinese missile scientist who is on course to sell his novel technology to the North Korean government. Unbeknownst to Lily, Grigory Markovic, a Russian terrorist Lily has encountered in the past, is also planning an arms deal with the North Koreans—warheads filled with deadly poison.

The Power of Poison—sequel to The Queen of All Poisons—is a tale of espionage, love, relationships, and loyalty, all meeting at the “intersection of obligation and conscience.” And whether it’s Boston, France, Seoul, or Hong Kong, as always, Dr. Lily Robinson is “dressed to kill.”
 
Buy Link:
 
Amazon pre-order link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08R6HHJ4J

First book in series:

Amazon.com: The Queen of All Poisons (A Dr. Lily Robinson Novel) (9781948338738): BJ Magnani: Books (not recommended for YA)

Candid Moments Chatting with Mystery Author Michele Drier

​Good Morning, Booklovers!

It’s Coffee Chat time, and this week’s guest is mystery writer, Michele Drier, bringing us her latest release, Tapestry of Tears.
Welcome, Michele. How do you take your coffee?

MD:  Black, usually two cups of French Roast before noon.

Ally: Excellent. While I pour, please introduce yourself to readers. Bio:

I was born in Santa Cruz and am a fifth generation Californian. During my career in journalism—as a reporter and editor at daily newspapers, including the San Jose Mercury-News—I won awards for producing investigative series. I’m the past president of Capitol Crimes, the Sacramento chapter of Sisters in Crime; Guppies, the on-line chapter of SinC, and co-chaired Bouchercon 2020 the world’s oldest and largest convention for mystery writers and fans.

My Amy Hobbes Newspaper Mysteries are Edited for Death, (called “Riveting and much recommended” by the Midwest Book Review), Labeled for Death, and Delta for Death and a stand-alone, Ashes of Memories.

My paranormal romance series, SNAP: The Kandesky Vampire Chronicles, was named the best paranormal vampire series of 2014 by PRG. The series is SNAP: The World Unfolds, SNAP: New Talent, Plague: A Love Story, Danube: A Tale of Murder, SNAP: Love for Blood, SNAP: Happily Ever After?, SNAP: White Nights,  SNAP: All That Jazz, SNAP: I, Vampire and SNAP: Red Bear Rising.

The first book in the Stained Glass Mysteries, Stain on the Soul, was published in 2019 and the second one, Tapestry of Tears, in 2020.

Find me at:

Website: www.micheledrier.me
 Amazon author page:  https://www.amazon.com/Michele-Drier/e/B005D2YC8G?ref_=dbs_p_ebk_r00_abau_000000
 facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michele.drier/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MicheleDrier
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5034919.Michele_Drier INTERVIEW:

Ally:  What was the inspiration for your featured book, Tapestry of Tears?

MD:  I wanted to write a mystery with a protagonist who had an off-beat career and as I wandered through my book collection, I ran across one on the art of  stained glass. In the 1970s I made a small piece of stained glass for a college art project, got intrigued and  now thought, “Aha! That’s an off-beat career.” And Rosalind Duke, “Roz” was born.

Ally: Do you consider your writing style to be more pantser or plotter?

MD:  Pantser, all the way! When I start a book I know some of the basics—who are the characters, what happens to them. And I know how it ends, always at least a Happily For Now because I love solving puzzles. But I don’t know how I’ll get from A to B. I liken it to talking a trip. You start out on the freeway, but along the way smaller roads and detours beckon. Who will you meet down that one-lane road?

Ally:  Tell us about your reading habits. Any current favorite authors or books to share?

MD:  I read. I read. I read. I read mysteries, some romance, literature, non-fiction, history, biographies. I’m currently on my third reread of Rise and Fall of the Third Reich because I see so many parallels to our current political climate. I love Tana French and Daniel Silva. And will read anything by John Stanford. Lady Antonia Fraser’s biographies are wonderful. Mary, Queen of Scots, The Sun King, Oliver Cromwell and  a study of women in The Weaker Vessel.  And Doris Lessing, her African Stories and Matty Quest series. Even though I believe we speak the same language, her facility with it is stunning,

Ally: Do you read reviews of your books?

MD:  Yes, because I’m always looking to improve my story-telling and writing, and many reviews offer an insight to what works (or doesn’t work) in my books. By the time a book is published, it’s gone through at least two critique groups, one or two editors and up to five or six beta readers but I’m still looking for feedback. On the other hand, I’ve gotten one-star reviews that aren’t the least bit helpful, including one that said, “I hated this book.” Well, OK, I don’t think that person will ever be a fan, but I have no idea what he or she didn’t like.

Ally: What project is next on your To Do list?

MD:  I’m working on two books currently, the 11th in the Kandesky Vampire Chronicles, SNAP: Pandemic Games and the third in the Stained Glass Mysteries, Resurrection of the Roses. Pandemic Games is scheduled for late spring, 2021 and Roses in the fall. After that, the fourth book in the Amy Hobbes series and a stand-alone on mistaken identity.

Ally: Which of the trivia questions did you choose to answer?

MD:a) a book you’re currently reading:  Because of the PBS series, All Creatures… I’m rereading the James Herriot English vet books. A kinder, simpler life.b) nail polish you’re wearing:  French manicure (worse for wear because of the pandemic)c) Ebook or print?  I still really love print but read mostly on a device. Love the fact that when I can’t sleep at night, I can turn on my Kindle and just read by its light.d) favorite kind of music:  Baroquee) best place you’ve visited:  ParisAlly: Thank you for chatting with us, Michele. Good luck with your ambitious writing schedule. Before you go, please show us your featured book, Tapestry of Tears.
Tapestry of Tears (A Stained Glass Mystery)
Genre: traditional mystery
Rating: PG
​
History had always been a strong magnet for Rosalind Duke.

She took up the medieval craft of making stained glass and was building a solid international reputation, taking on larger and larger commissions. Her idyllic life with her husband, Winston Duke, an art historian at UCLA, was cut short when he was gunned down in a drive-by shooting.

After moving to a small town on the Oregon coast, she’s offered a commission to translate the medieval embroidery, The Bayeux Tapestry, into stained glass for a museum at a small Wisconsin university. Roz jumps at the chance. Not only to try to transfer the Tapestry into a new medium, but to spend time in Southern England and Northern France, tracing the path taken by the invading Normans under William the Conqueror.

But the 21st century drags her back when she finds a body crumpled against a wall in an ancient stone church in the small town of Lympne, on the southern coast of England. Has she walked into a contemporary murder?


Buy Links:
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08P41FKJY
B&N https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tapestry-of-tears-michele-drier/1138556280?ean=2940162911357
Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/tapestry-of-tears-2

Guest Author Article: Driving my Writing by Kath Boyd Marsh

Good Morning, Booklovers!

I'm taking the week off to read and write (and maybe a little binge-watching) and turning the blog over to my critique partner, Kath Boyd Marsh. She's having trouble getting motivated and finding a quiet place to write... Driving my Writing
by
Kath Boyd Marsh
You’d think writing in the Time of Covid would be easy. Plenty of at home time. But oddly it has proved difficult. Focusing is not as easy as it sounds. Okay. It doesn’t help that I have a proclivity for procrastination, no matter how hard my critique partner works setting a good daily writing example.

Ah, Procrastination. There was the summer online fund raising challenge that I took up. Since I am not a fleet deer, hiking three miles a day around our fields took up time. And then I needed a nap.

 Probably I should not get up three hours earlier than the Prince Consort/ aka First Husband. The quiet time that should be perfect writing time turns out to be even better for making lists of home projects. Many of which we completed! And naps. I was feeling guilty about not writing when I accompanied the Prince Consort to his Chiropractor appointment. (No, I am not causing the stress that has his back in a tizzy. Pretty sure.) So I took my laptop and sat in the Tahoe to wait. Bingo! I wrote and wrote! It turned out this quiet cozy spot was my perfect writing spot. I could focus! The Tahoe drove me to write!

But the day came when the Prince Consort had another Chiropractor appt. (I’m still not taking the blame for the back or the neck.), but we also had a repair guy coming. The appointment for repair guy was - “sometime between 8 am and the next ice age.” So I stayed home to wait for repair guy. My Tahoe-office drove away. Harumph. I needed to watch the driveway for repair guy, so laptop and I sat in the sunroom. Quiet house. Cozy room. Worked nicely until the cats strolled in. They’d been asleep in the 8 am nap spot and now it was time to move to the 10 am nap space. An invader was sitting in Their space.

One after the other, each of the four jumped up on the table and stared at me, hard. I kept writing. Then they drifted away. I got nervous. Too quiet. What were they doing? Cats are like toddlers; it’s never good when they’re quiet and/or absent. But writing was going almost as well as in the Tahoe so I ignored them.

I promised myself I’d deal with them later. I knew they were scheming revenge for my transgression. Probably involving vomiting in my shoes. Or sitting on my face that night while I slept. Nothing I hadn’t dealt with before. I was not afraid.

Nothing yet.

I am not afraid of the Furry Mob.
​
But maybe I’ll just waddle out to the garage with my laptop and sit in the Tahoe when it returns. I can go back to the sunroom anytime I want. Like when they’re in their 11 am nap space all over my bed. I don’t need their room. I’ll just let the quiet Tahoe (they can’t get into) drive my writing.

Kath  About the Author:

​Before Kath moved to Pennsylvania to write about dragons, wizards, and other fantastic creatures, she lived in eight states, Panama, and one very haunted house. Her novels include The Lazy Dragon and the Bumblespells Wizard  and Dragon Bonded (CBAYBooks.blog). She has also published three humorous Bubbles and Smush shorts available in ebook. Visit her and the dragons at KathBoydMarshauthor.com.
 
Author Contacts:

http://kathboydmarshauthor.com
http://Kath-LettersfromEarth.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/kmarshfen The Lazy Dragon and the Bumblespells Wizard : https://amzn.to/2HndoxM
 
Dragon Bonded  : https://amzn.to/2MMNhhF
 
Bubbles and Smush: Closet Monsters: https://amzn.to/2mW7OrJ   
 
          Trick or Treats: https://amzn.to/2mWjf2C 
 
          Dragon Rescue : http://bit.ly/2RpPENw

Short Story included in: Dragons and Witches: Fairy Tale Villains Reimagined:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933767618  
 
Short Story included in: Perilous Princesses : https://amzn.to/2In05gn

Author Interview with Scifi/Fantasy Writer R.S. Penney

Good Morning, Booklovers!
 
It’s time for a weekly chat with an author new to us or to check in with an old favorite. R.S. Penney, a writer of scifi and fantasy, is new to me, and I’m eager to meet him and hear about his books.
Welcome to the Coffee Chat, Rich. What can I get you to drink?
 
RP: I don’t drink coffee. Sadly, caffeine causes my eyes – which are already pretty messed up – to have even more trouble focusing. Coffee means no writing.
 
Ally: I love coffee, but I’d give it up in a heartbeat if it interfered with my reading or writing. How about some bottled water? While I get our drinks, please introduce yourself to readers.
Author Bio:
 
Rich Penney grew up in Southern Ontario, in the city of Stoney Creek. Though he didn't know it at the time, he was a writer at the tender age of seven, acting out elaborate stories with his action figures. He discovered a love of science-fiction and fantasy with J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, and Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time. Within six months of reading those series, he knew what he wanted to do with his life.
 
An alumnus of Saltfleet District High School and McMaster University, Rich was known as a bit of an odd duck throughout his teenage years. With a goofball sense of humor and an intense hatred for social hierarchies, he was the sort of young man who made waves everywhere he went, pissing off bullies and making friends with all sorts of geeks.
 
Rich began building the world for the Justice Keepers Saga at the age of 16. His initial plan was to pen a fantasy epic, but he scrapped that when he realized that he had no interest in writing long journeys by horseback. At age 18, he reworked the Keepers Saga into something like what you see today, designing each of the worlds in his series and fleshing out the characters of Jack, Anna and Harry.
 
Throughout his twenties, Rich bounced from job to job to job, dabbling in a little bit of everything while he honed his skills as a writer. Rich has been a bank teller, a classroom teacher, a sales clerk, and a software tester, just to name a few. He never really felt at home in any of these positions, but it was a case of failing eyesight that coaxed him into pursuing his dream of writing a series of science fiction novels.
 
In 2013, Rich was diagnosed with keratoconus, a condition in which his corneas slowly warp and his vision slowly degrades. Much of this damage has been corrected through surgery, but he still lives with periodic bursts of dizziness and headaches. The loss of much of his vision caused Rich to briefly sink into a depression, a depression he overcame, in part, thanks to time spent writing Symbiosis.
 
Rich is an activist and a futurist, an advocate of global sustainability and a proponent of social justice. He has given talks in Toronto, Athens and Brisbane, covering a wide variety of topics from environmental sustainability to social equality.
 
Something unusual that isn't in your regular bio: “I have a crush on a fictional pixie. I’ll let you guess which one. (Her name starts with S)”
 
Contact the author:
 
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/12050976.R_S_Penney
Twitter:  https://www.twitter.com/keeperssaga
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.penney82
Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/R-S-Penney/e/B01759VDW2 INTERVIEW:
 
Ally: What or who inspired you to write your featured book?
 
RP:  Bullets and Bones is actually the second book in the series. The first is Desa Kincaid: Bounty Hunter. There were a lot of different inspirations. Basically, I wanted to do a redemption story with cowboys and wizards. 
 
Ally: Are you self-published or traditionally published? How did you make the decision?
 
RP:  I’m published through Next Chapter. They’re wonderful partners, and I highly recommend them.
 
As for traditional publishing, that was never an option. An autistic man with impaired executive function – not to mention failing eyesight and chronic pain – could never jump through all the hoops a literary agent would require. And you know, maybe that’s something we want to reevaluate in the future. Maybe a small handful of companies shouldn’t get to decide which stories get told.
 
Ally: Do you write with an audience in mind or to a publisher’s required theme?
 
RP:  A story is a tapestry. I construct the tapestry thread by thread. I write for whoever finds joy in its complexity.
 
Ally: Are you a plotter, a pantser or a little of both?
 
RP:  I have an ending in mind for each book. With very few exceptions, the story will always arrive at that ending, but the characters have a lot of freedom in how we get there. They often surprise me. When they do, I run with it. Never try to force your characters to be someone they’re not just to force the story into pre-planned shape. Let it grow and breathe. Adapt to it as needed.
 
Ally: What's the best writing/marketing advice you can pass on to other writers?
 
RP:  Make a list of everything your high school English teacher told you about how to write properly. Then burn it.
 
Ally:  What author was the biggest influence on your writing?
 
RP:  Probably Brandon Sanderson. He and I seem to think alike. I gave him a signed copy of Symbiosis, the first book in my Justice Keepers series. He said it was sweet. The gesture, not the book. I don’t know if he read it.
 
Ally: What’s the most meaningful thing a fan has said about your book?
 
RP:  I’m amazed when strangers tell me “your story touched me.” Not just that they liked it, but that they read it.
 
Ally:  What other books in your genre would you recommend to fans?
 
RP:  The Crystal Series by Doug Cooper
The Nite Fire Series by C. L. Schneider.
The Awakening Series by K. L. Hagaman.
Monstrosity and Mask of the Nobleman by Laura Diaz.
Elemental by Whitney Hill. 
 
Ally: What is your favorite marketing tool? Why?
 
RP:  Henry Roi handles my PR. His team is magnificent.
 
Ally: Do you read reviews of your books? Do you respond to them?
 
RP:  I do not.  I have a team of editors to provide me with feedback. One thing that makes living with autism difficult is an inability to distinguish between good faith and bad faith criticism. Some authors are blind to the weaknesses in their writing. I’m the other way around. I see problems where no problems exist. And I often direct way too much energy into fixing something that doesn’t need fixing. Like George Lucas. The way he would keep tweaking his films after the fact. Often in ways that didn’t actually improve the final product. So, the last thing I need is some hater triggering my anxiety.
 
Ally: How many drafts (revision passes) do you do on a typical book?
 
RP:  1.827.  You’re probably wondering how I could reach a number like that.  I don’t revise entire manuscripts; I revise things scene by scene. Sometimes paragraph by paragraph. Sometimes, the scene that makes it into the final draft is the first version I wrote. Sometimes, it’s the third or fourth version. So, if you take the average number of revisions for each scene, you’ll probably end up with a number that has a few decimal points.
 
Ally: What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
RP:  I am returning to my Justice Keepers Saga. The first love that stole my heart all those years ago. I may have strayed, but I always come back to her.
 
Ally: Which of the trivia questions did you answer?
 
RP:memorable book you’ve read: The Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth by R. Buckminster Fuller.most watched tv show:  Right now, it’s Deep Space Nine. But that’ll change.favorite comfort food:  Cauliflower bites in spicy Buffalo sauce.favorite book character: Bilbo Bagginsfavorite quote:  “Beneath this mask is more than flesh. Beneath this mask, there is an idea, Mr. Creedy. And ideas are bulletproof.” Alan Moore (V for Vendetta)last time you rode a train (not subway): November 2, 2019. On my way to see Lee Camp perform comedy in Toronto. Actually, I really went to see my friend Eleanor, who was his opening act.pie or cake?  Pie. Always pie. Raspberry.Your pets: I had a sweet orange tabby named Boo. And now the neighbour cat has claimed my house as his second home.Your hobbies?  Chess. Wanna play?If you couldn't write anymore, what would you want to do?  The day I stop writing is the day I stop breathing.the supernatural character that got you hooked on the genre:  Probably Rand al’Thor, if we’re limiting ourselves to book characters. If we can include any character with supernatural abilities, regardless of medium, then Luke Skywalker. I was five when I first saw Star Wars. Ally: What a terrific interview, Rich. Thank you for coming. One more thing before you leave, please tell me about your featured book, Bullets and Bones. Bullets and Bones (Desa Kincaid #2)
Genre: western fantasy. Non-traditional relationships are celebrated. Same-sex and polyamorous relationships.
Rating: PG-13
 
“Desa Kincaid set out to save her world from the machinations of a madman.
 
She failed.
 
Now, she finds herself a prisoner in her own city, navigating a web of political intrigue. Hope beckons in the form of the mysterious Spear of Vengeance, a weapon forged by the gods. To recover it, Desa will take a journey into the very heart of the ancient world and confront an enemy more powerful than any she has faced so far…Her own guilt.”
 
Buy Links:
 
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B086JXXGF1
B & N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bullets-and-bones-rs-penney/1137194019
Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Bullets-and-Bones-A-Sci-Fi-Western-Audiobook/B08BG9P4K7
Google Books: https://www.google.com/books/edition/Bullets_And_Bones/N57XzQEACAAJ?hl=en

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