**Author Peek** Interview with ARTFUL MURDER, Shandra Higheagle Mystery Book 10 Author Paty Jager

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 [image error]KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH: Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!

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[image error]INTRODUCING AUTHOR PATY JAGER…

Before we get started talking about your writing, tell us a little about yourself, where you’re from, what you do for a living (if you’re not a full-time writer) what hobbies you have, etc. Whatever you’d like to share to introduce yourself.

I’m Paty Jager, I live in eastern Oregon in what they call the high desert. My husband and I grow alfalfa for hay. I help drive the farming equipment to cut, bale, and haul the hay. We are forty miles from the nearest town and I enjoy the solitude. I like to hike the hills around us, photograph nature, and work on sewing projects. We have 10 grandchildren who come visit often. I like when they come because I have horse riding partners. I’ve been writing most of my life but didn’t decide to try and make money by writing until the early 1990s. I first wrote human interest stories for the local newspapers before actively seeking to get my novels published.

1. What genre(s) do you write and why?

I write historical and contemporary western romance and murder mystery. My first love was mystery but I couldn’t find a mystery writing group that took newbies back when I first started writing, before computers.  I did, however, find, RWA, Romance Writers of America and I ended up writing western romance. I was published with a small press and then the wave of Indie authors started and I was swept up in the wave and started writing murder mysteries and really, really love writing them..

2.  If you were to choose one superpower, what would it be?

Hmmm… A superpower. It would be to make everyone get along no matter their race, religion, political leanings. I have always hated conflict and the world would be so much better if we all learned to get along.

3. Do you ever get stuck when you’re writing a book? What do you do to get “unstuck”?

There are times I get stuck because I’ve usually not listened to the characters or tried to take the story in a direction that it wasn’t set up to go. When that happens, because at the time, I can’t think straight, I go for a walk, or take a whole day off from writing and do something fun. And usually when I’m not thinking about it, the reason for my being stuck will pop into my head.

4. What is your least favorite part of writing?

My least favorite part of not writing but being an author is the promotion. I don’t like spending time I could be writing, pushing my books. But I like getting paid, so I must push the books.

5. If we came to your house for dinner, what would you prepare for us?

My signature company meal is homemade lasagna, garlic bread, green salad, and depending on the time of year, angel swirl roll (angel food cake with sherbet rolled up in it) or Deadly Chocolate cake- all homemade from scratch.



6. What is your typical day like?

I wake up between 6-7am. Drink a cup of hot chocolate and visit with my hubby. I make his breakfast, he goes outside and I hop on the computer to check emails, Facebook and do promoting for my book. About 8:30-9 I make the bed, get dressed, and have my granola and yogurt. Some days I go for a walk and some I do the Body Groove workout.  Then I sit down and write until my hubby comes in for lunch. I give myself a full hour lunch even though it doesn’t take that long to eat.