Interview with author Jimmy "J.D." Gordon

Today's guest is author Jimmy "J.D." Gordon. He's just starting a virtual book tour for his novel Dartboard.

Bio:
Firefighter and paramedic-turned-author Jimmy (J.D.) Gordon was born and raised in Chicago where he developed a taste for the finer things that the Windy City has to offer - pan pizza, live blues, and the Cubs. Jimmy loves spending time in the Florida Keys and the Caribbean. He now lives with his wife and children in Glen Ellyn, a suburb of Chicago.

Jimmy basically dropped into the world of literature, literally. After falling off a train and breaking his knee, Jimmy had to spend quite a bit of time recuperating. While visiting the firehouse his peers asked what he planned to with all that time away. This is when Jimmy said the words that he now claims to have changed his life.

"I should write a book."

Despite some skepticism from his peers ("You don't even use punctuation on your run reports!"), he completed a novel, Island Bound, and made it a point to use punctuation throughout.

After another injury, sustained on the job, prematurely ended his career, Gordon decided to try writing full-time

Welcome to Reviews and Interviews, Jimmy. Please tell us about your current release, Dartboard.
This story was best described by a fellow named Paul Kemprecos. He is one of co-writers for Clive Cussler. The story is mix between Carl Hiassen and Treasure Island. The story is an action adventure set in the Caribbean. It’s centered around the information leading to the location of, of course, buried treasure, which fell into the hands of museum curator at the Field Museum in Chicago, who then passed that information and a boat, along to a family member of his. The story lays out how several different parties, from a nutty museum assistant, to a crazy peg-legged pirate try to get their hands on the gold. They all end up on one small island in the middle nowhere to shoot it out.

What inspired you to write this book?
Honestly, I don’t do inspirations. I was ready to start another book. I had just finished three books centered on one character, a guy named Eddie Gilbert. It was a trilogy, again, set in the Caribbean. I wanted to stick with the tropical flavor but move along to a new character, so Dartboard was born, along with Jimmy Quigley, the main character.

What exciting story are you working on next?
Well, I’ve just finished up a story titled "Field of Screams." It’s the sequel to an earlier story I titled "Kritterkreep." In addition to writing adventure stories for adults I also write paranormal stories for middle school kids, ages 9 to 12. So, I’m at the point where I am deciding what to write next. I’ll either go with another adventure story or the next kids book. If it's the adventure story, I’m still floating ideas around in my head. If it’s the next kid’s book, that will be titled The Pumpkin Jamboree and the Legend of Stumpy Scout.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
Oh my gosh, I’ll have to let you know when the day comes. I’ve written seven novels now, I even wrote for a newspaper for a while. I still don’t consider myself a real writer. I’m not sure why. I just feel like a guy who types.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I’m a parent first. My injury with the fire department really changed my life. My wife, honestly, had always been the real bread winner. I was hurt in the line duty so I was pensioned off, meaning I still receive some sort of compensation. Though getting hurt sucked it did leave me with the time to take care of my kids while my wife works. I’m a mister mom and proud of it. I start my day off getting the kids together and ready for school. I drop them off, then I go off to the fitness center to keep the injury in check with exercise and stretching and so on. Then the rest of the day is spent writing. Until I pick the kids up. Once everyone settles down and goes to bed, I’m back on the computer to the writing. So, much of my day is spent typing away.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
Um, I like writing with a martini sitting next me, in the next seat of course, right……

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
That changed on a monthly basis, I wanted to be a soldier, I wanted to fly a helicopter, I wanted to be a marine biologist, I wanted to be a realtor and that continued into my adult life. Maybe that’s why writing fiction seems to be working out? If I feel like something, I just add it the story.

Thanks for stopping by, Jimmy.

Folks, if you'd like to learn more about Jimmy and his writing, you can follow his tour.

Interview with humorous author Rachel Thomas aka RachelintheOC

Today's guest is Rachel Thomas who is doing a virtual book tour with VBT Cafe for her book The Mancode: Exposed.

Welcome, Rachel, please tell us a little about yourself.
I'm a published author, social media consultant, cofounder Indie Book Collective, wife, & mum.

Please tell us about your current release.
The Mancode: Exposed a humorous collection of essays about men, women, love, sex, and of course, chocolate #der. I broke it up into four sections: Anatomy & Physiology, Chocolate Confessions, Coitus & Communications, and finally, DNA & Stereotypes. The reader can really start at any point, though if hungry, I suggest saving chocolate for dessert.

What inspired you to write this book?
I had written my first book, A Walk In The Snark and released it in January of this year. It hit #1 (over fifteen times) on the Humor/Motherhood Kindle list and the Mancode essays in particular seemed to strike a nerve with people -- some positive, some quite negative. That type of controversy is gold to a writer! So I focused on that theme in particular and the essay topics came quite easily. I've also been married nineteen years -- I've got daily examples of new material.

I'm also very active in social media, with a blog, Facebook, Goodreads, and particularly Twitter, with over 11,000 followers. It's a wonderful free market research tool and men are quite verbal with their feedback. I love it!

What exciting story are you working on next?
In all fairness, women are complicated creatures. Most men will agree that while they are pretty simple, chicks can be darn hard to figure out. We say one thing and mean another. Where's the playbook? Should they have taken Advanced Placement Female in high school? (Yea, probably).

So I'm working now on Chickspeak: Uncovered, a humorous though hopefully helpful take on what we gals mean for example, by "I'm fine," cause we're like, so not.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I started writing at age ten. My minor in college was Journalism, only because they didn't offer it as a major. After a detour into a training, sales and marketing career for many years that I didn't really enjoy, I began writing seriously in 2008. I look back now though and am extraordinarily grateful for my background because it helps me understand clearly the marketing and sales aspect of book promotion.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
That's a loaded question! I get my two children off to school and then immediately hit my desk. I don't clean up, don't even look at my kitchen (except to visit Joey the Coffeemaker -- "How you doin?") and head straight to the computer.

As cofounder of the Indie Book Collective, I have responsibilities there. I run the Twitter stream for the IBC, my own stream, and several others as well. My goal is to write at least two essays per day. I'm also working on an anthology piece for Valentine's Day. And I have my own social media clients.

Of course, at some point I have to exit my cave to eat, clean up, and interact with the husband and kids when they come home from school. I don't cook (I burn), so that helps quite a bit time-wise.

Luckily, I'm also kind of a late bird. I write more after everyone is crashed.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I don't write before coffee. I don't write without music. I keep the shades drawn. My family calls me a bat.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A writer! I knew in kindergarten that I would live in New York City and be a writer. I did live in New York City for a few years, but at the time, I was a pharmaceutical trainer. Meh. At least I made it.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
I'm proudly self-published, but I work very hard to insure that the product I put out is top quality. I hire an editor AND a proofreader. I draw stick people so I hire a graphic artist. I hate formatting (writer here!) which is like math to me, so I hire someone to do that also. I'm not rich, but I do feel it's worth the investment for the quality. When people see your quality, they'll buy it and tell their friends.

I'm happy to chat with anyone interested in pursuing this path. In fact, I contributed an essay to Our Indie Experience available on Amazon for only 99cents, a look at the good, the bad, and the realistic of eleven self-published authors.

Thanks for being here today, Rachel. Your humor shines through. :)

Readers, check out other tour dates and stops for Rachel and leave a comment here and there to let her know you're laughing.

Live chat/interview with C. Hope Clark - 12/18/11

The Writer's Chatroom presents C. Hope Clark, creator of Funds for Writers, author, and speaker.

WHEN?

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Eastern USA Time.....7-9 PM

Not sure what time that is wherever in the world you are? http://www.worldtimeserver.com

WHERE?

The Writers Chatroom at: http://www.writerschatroom.com/Enter.htm

Scroll down to the Java box. It may take a moment to load. Type in the name you wish to be known by, and click Login. No password needed.

Please note: The chatroom is only open for regularly scheduled chats.

Interview with author Tracey Cramer-Kelly

Today's guest author is Tracey Cramer-Kelley. She's touring her newest novel, True Surrender, with Goddess Fish Promotions.

Tracey is giving away a Fallen Soldier T-Shirt to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Details are below.

Welcome, Tracey. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.
My work fuses writing, music, and visual imagery and includes novels, short stories, essays and music videos. My first novel, Last Chance Rescue, was a Finalist in the Romance category of the Next Generation Indie Book Awards. My second, True Surrender, has a companion full-length music video, "The Rose (Surrender Version)."

My writing draws from my experience as an Army Reserve paramedic and exposure to helicopter medivac. I obtained my helicopter pilot license in 2001. My husband and I own a motorcycle accessories business and live in small-town Minnesota with our children (son, 8, and daughter, 4).

Please tell us about your current release.
When Major Aaron Bricewick is rescued from Afghanistan terrorists, he thinks the worst is over. But his personal journey is just beginning...

The first surprise is the amputation of one of his legs. The second is the woman he left behind, now a widow with a 4-year-old son - and his new prosthetist (artificial limb maker).

He vows that losing his leg won't derail his career. But maintaining his outward appearance as a got-it-together officer becomes increasingly difficult as he faces one personal demon after another - and sees his career aspirations slipping away. And though he has no intention of expanding his life to include a woman, his heart has other ideas - and he finds himself questioning the very foundation of his personal beliefs.

When violence - and unexpected redemption - touch his life again, Aaron must make a stand. Which will he choose: duty or love?

What inspired you to write this book?
My writing is heavily influenced by the time I spent in the military and by the medical training I received there. Much of my writing explores the experiences our military personnel have lived through but find hard to explain in the context of everyday life, as well as the inherent struggle in their personal relationships.

What exciting story are you working on next?
I think there is another novel working its way through my subconscious. I also have a couple of erotica short stories I may actually finish. I'm even exploring more projects that fuse writing with music and visual imagery.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
There were two defining moments.

The first: holding the “draft copy” of my first novel, Last Chance Rescue. I was in awe. I caressed the cover; I kept opening the front flap to look at my name inside. The hundreds of hours, the agonizing over edits, and the painstaking care I’d taken in the details of the book and its presentation (cover, layout, etc.) were suddenly all worth it. (Never mind that no one had seen it yet!)

The second: being named as a Finalist in the 2009 Indie Awards. I had struggled with getting the word out about Last Chance Rescue—the requisite “self promotion” doesn’t come naturally. But here was someone else (not just me) saying the book was good! It was validation in its truest sense, and came at a pivotal time.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
Unfortunately, I do not get to write every day. My real job (the one that pays the bills) is running the business my husband and I own, Leader Motorcycle, and it’s very busy in spring and summer (luckily I enjoy it!).

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
A fun twist to my writing is that characters in my novels are intertwined. For instance, hero of True Surrender, Aaron Bricewick, was briefly married when he was younger. His wife? None other than Jessie Van Dyke, the heroine of my first novel, Last Chance Rescue.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
For a long time I wanted to be a veterinarian. By the time I went to college, the goal was to be a physical therapist.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
With the launch of True Surrender, I also introduced my first full-length video, titled "The Rose (Surrender Version)." It's my own arrangement of Bette Midler's classic, but with a more upbeat rhythm and a bluesy feel. It contains scenes from True Surrender enacted by actors (who did a phenomenal job). I loved this entire process and I’d like to do more of this type of project.

For more details about The Making of a Music Video, check out my blog posts, and watch the video.

The song is available for download on CDBaby.com and iTunes, and with some luck the video will soon be as well.

People can find me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter, too.

Thank you for being here today, Tracey.

Readers, Tracey is giving away a Fallen Soldier T-shirt (red, size TBD) to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour. I encourage you to check out the tour dates and locations and comment. The more you comment, the better your chance of winning.

Interview with inspirational writer David Knight

David Knight is just starting a virtual blog tour with VBT Cafe for his book, I Am I, and Reviews and Interviews is his first official stop. Check out his other tour stops and dates.

Bio:
David Knight was born into his current physical embodiment in 1964. He is married to Caroline and they live with their adopted cats Toby, Treacle, Spiky, and Missy in the UK. In growing up he describes himself as a Mr. Average or like a 'Joe Bloggs'. Whilst earning a living in various types of work, (this ranged from HM Forces, Financial Services, a Care Assistant and also self-employment) his search for fulfilment changed from the exterior and without to the interior and within.

Spiritual education gained a greater momentum and at the age of 21 a more urgent sense of dedication as well as a new realization had set in. New evidence of and from God, were soon revealed through his life experiences. With the aid of Spirit guides and beings from the ethereal planes, the foundations were laid for all who wished to develop and experience their Hearts flame of love and light and to embark upon a unique opportunity for all soul's in this lifetime.

Welcome, David, please tell us about your current release.
Hi Lisa, I Am I: The In-Dweller of Your Heart is a book that I hope people can use as a reference and guide to lean upon and utilize throughout their lives. All life and love should actually be simplicity itself and yet we –as human beings- complicate them both so much by listening more to our minds and desires through our senses… rather than our own truth in our hearts.

So, over a period of time I felt humbly blessed to receive 52 Inner-dictations- as such they were lessons and messages containing spiritual guidance and education from my own heart’s connection to God, (the source, Spirit, or whichever name feels true to each person) so that all can understand their true purpose and goal of their soul. No matter what color, race, or whatever faith or religion one currently follows one can actually realize that Love is everything and everything is love. The book encourages each and every single person to find their own truth through their own heart where bliss, peace love and light reign supreme.

Here is the synopsis:

I Am I: The In-Dweller of Your Heart is a stepping stone for all who embark upon their own quest for ‘Spiritual’ education and guidance. Even if you are comfortable with your own faith and religion, it can help you to explore new interpretations and issues on a personal or global scale.

David Knight has received and transcribed these passages of text in a process known as ‘Inner Dictation’. He describes this as writing from within the connection of his heart where peace, bliss, love, and light reign supreme.

God’s wisdom and teachings are laid out before you so you can simply choose and read whenever or whatever your heart needs or desires. I Am I entrusts that you will dip your toes into these guidelines, principles and simple directions, then dive headfirst into the waters of your own Divine essence.

These books will form the threads of life’s new tapestry, each spun into 52 lessons from, to and through our own hearts and souls. They are like a father, mother, brother, sister, husband, wife, partner or personal friend who knows you better than you can ever know ‘yourself’.

What inspired you to write this book?
Over the years, many strange and wonderful things happened to me both physically and also in dream state and meditation. When I first started to ‘open’ up my heart, a lot of psychic experiences occurred…including many pre-cognitions (foreseeing future events) and proof of life after death. As such and through my own faith, I had the inbuilt need to want to help guide people upon their own journey. Over time, spiritual gifts started to materialize in my life such as healing, clairaudience and the ability to write through channeling and inner dictation. Once I started putting pen to paper I knew that I would eventually put 7 books together…to help guide, heal and shine the light for many others to see their own truth ‘within’

What exciting story are you working on next?
Well, the sequel to I Am I: The In-Dweller of the Heart is three quarters complete…after which the may be a third to make it a trilogy. I also would like to complete a compilation of many poems and inspirational / spiritual text to form a smaller book called A Pocket Full of God. Eventually I’ll put together the collection of my dreams / visions into ‘The Pre-Cognition Files’. So the next few years will be very busy!

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
Some may state that you’re not a writer unless you’re being paid for it... as if remuneration somehow confirms the status of being a ‘professional writer’ as such. Others will state too that if one writes a novella, that it’s not a real book unless it has over 200-250 pages. Everything is just opinions and so for me it’s what you feel inside that actually counts. Primarily you must write for yourself…exterior success (or lack of it) is secondary.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
Mmmm…I guess it’s the symbolism in the text. Many people comment about how the description and guidance of say nature, images, scenarios, and scenes reflect upon ones own feelings which then mirrors ad shines the truth to each individual.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Crikey, interesting question. I could put a twist on that and say…. Happy! LOL Ha ha

I think when I was really small I wanted to be a pilot. Perhaps that really was a dream as I am not much bigger than a hobbit and am not too great with heights ha ha.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Yes, please…just want to say thanks for taking the time to read the interview. A lot of times in life we often judge things and their worth by how much something costs. Again it’s that ‘monkey’ mind of ours dictating and implying that you can only see the future from judging the past. Whether you buy this book or any other, whatever experience comes into your life … if it resonates within your heart let it flow to, through, and from you.

Many thanks, Lisa.

You're welcome, David. Thanks for being here to talk about your book and your writing a little bit.

Interview with writer Maureen Milliken

Today's guest is multi-faceted writer Maureen Milliken to talk about her non-fiction book, The Afterlife Survey, as well as her fiction writing.

Maureen, welcome to Reviews and Interviews. Please tell us about your current release.
The Afterlife Survey looks at that eternal question: What comes next? But it doesn’t come up with an answer, yes there’s an afterlife, no there isn’t. Rather, it asks a cross section of people what they think. It’s based on a Pew Forum survey from 2009 that found 79 percent of Americans believe in an afterlife, which is up from years past, but many don’t believe in the traditional heaven and hell that they grew up with. In fact, only 59 percent believe in hell. So we asked everyone from the CEO to the dog sitter what they think.

I was really impressed by the variety of answers I got and the thought the responders put into them.

What inspired you to write this book?
I was asked to write it by the publisher, Adams Media. They didn’t want a book that took a specific ideological stance, rather they wanted one that examined what people think. They thought an experienced journalist would be best to get the right take, and I approached it as a journalist. I hope that anyone reading the book doesn’t come away from it thinking about the writer’s point of view, but rather thinking about their own beliefs. One thing I discovered while writing it is that many people really haven’t thought about this a lot and the survey prompted them to ask questions about their life they hadn’t considered before. I’m hoping readers will be prompted to do that, too.

Funny story about the whole process: I was asked to write the book a week after I was offered a new job in a new state. The publisher warned me the deadline was really tight. They first approached me in mid-April and the deadline was June 15.

My first instinct was to say no, because I had to sell a house, find a place to live that would also be good for my two dogs and two cats, start a new job where there was a lot of responsibility and high expectations from my new bosses, who I really felt committed to, etc. But then I said to myself, are you nuts? A publisher is going to pay you to write a book that will be published. How do you say no? You don’t. Once the contract was settled and the details ironed out, I had six or seven weeks to write it.

What exciting story are you working on next?
I am also a fiction writer. I am working on getting my mystery novel, Cold Hard News, published. It’s a traditional mystery that takes place in Maine, where I live. The editor of a weekly newspaper gets more involved than she should when a fatal double shooting involving a police officer rips her small town apart. It was inspired by an incident that happened in New Hampshire, where I lived and worked for 25 years. A lot of things about that incident and its outcome made me angry, so I thought the best way to deal with that was to write my own story with an outcome that satisfied my sense of justice a little more. It’s a character-driven book, and the characters had so much to say and do that I’m already well into a sequel. Hopefully, it will be a series.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I think I always did. I used to love going to bed at night, because I would rewrite my favorite TV shows in my head, making myself the hero, of course. But I would go over and over the dialogue, editing and reworking. The Mod Squad was a favorite. I also would do things like make a little family newspaper or write plays that I would force my siblings to act in. When I took a drama course at a local arts institute when I was 10, we had to write down what we wanted to be when we grew up, and I wrote, “author.”
But being in the newspaper business for decades kind of sidetracked me, particularly after I went from being a reporter to an editor in 1993.

My epiphany came several years ago when I was telling my mother about a column I had written that got a lot of positive reader response after years of my not writing. I said something like, “It reminded me how powerful it can be to be a writer and I really need to become one.” And she said, “Well, I’ve always considered you a writer.” That made me feel good, but also a little fraudulent. So it made me start focusing on my writing, not only with the newspaper, where I was an editor most of the time, but also it made me take writing my mystery novel seriously.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
Full time, I am the night news editor for the Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel, two newspapers in central Maine. That takes a lot of my time. I try to write every day, though. I have just gotten back to the sequel to Cold Hard News – its working title is "No News is Bad News" – after taking time off to write The Afterlife Survey and also take care of the chaos of moving from New Hampshire to Maine, selling a house, buying a house, and getting my feet under me in my new job.

I also blog frequently because I need an outlet for all the things I have pinging around in my brain. Sometimes I have to open the spigot and let the pressure up a little.

It’s definitely hard to find the time, but I make myself get up earlier than I normally would and remind myself that it will pay off.

I have a lot of little quotes I’ve cut out of newspapers and other places tacked up in my office at home, not so much to inspire me, but keep me focused. One of my favorites is from Thomas Edison: “Opportunity is missed most by people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like hard work.” Another is from Muhammad Ali: “I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.’” When you have to work hard for something that you’re not getting paid for, but know it could pay off in the future, those quotes do a lot as far as getting your nose onto the grindstone.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
Well, I don’t know how interesting it is. Or even quirky. But when I’m embroiled in writing a mystery novel, I have yellow legal pads and pens all over the house. They have to be those extra-long pads with the narrow lines. And they’re everywhere, even in the bathroom. And things come to me, ideas, phrases, a word construction. And I have to write it down right away before it goes away. Sometimes it takes a while to sift through them and find what I’m looking for when I sit down to write, but lots of times it’s easier to remember where I was and when I wrote down the note than the note itself. Then I find it and reread and say to myself “you’re brilliant!” or “boy do you suck!”

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Writer writer writer. Around 12 or 13 that morphed into journalist, but deep down I always intended to write mystery novels, too. I never wanted to do anything else but be a writer and journalist. I don’t know what else I could do, come to think of it.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Now that I’ve written one published book and another that I’m seeking a publisher for, I get a lot of people saying, “Wow, I always wanted to write a book. How do you do that?”

My answer always is, there’s only one way: sit down and start writing. Even if you don’t know where the story is going. You can figure that out along the way. But start writing. And really work at it. Don’t finish a first draft and think you have a book. I realized when I did an 18-month stint as an editor for an online editing service a year or two ago that a lot of people think they’re done when they’re only halfway through. It’s a lot of work and it’s important to recognize that to be successful.
Remember, opportunity is the fella in overalls.

Maureen, thanks for stopping by and talking about your writing. You sure have a lot of it in your life!

Organizing and Goal Setting Chat 12/11/11

The Writer's Chatroom presents our annual organizing and goal setting chat.

WHEN?

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Eastern USA Time.....7-9 PM

Not sure what time that is wherever in the world you are? http://www.worldtimeserver.com

WHERE?

The Writers Chatroom at: http://www.writerschatroom.com/Enter.htm

Scroll down to the Java box. It may take a moment to load. Type in the name you wish to be known by, and click Login. No password needed.

Please note: The chatroom is only open for regularly scheduled chats.

Interview with novelist Greg Messel

Today's guest is novelist Greg Messel to tell us a bit about his newest novel and his writing life.

Welcome to Reviews and Interviews, Greg. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.
I’ve written three novels and three unpublished memoirs. I’m working on a fourth and fifth novel as well.

I’ve spent much of my life in the Pacific Northwest living in Portland, Oregon and in the Seattle area since 2008. I’ve been married to my wife, Carol, for 40 years. We were high school sweethearts just like the couple in my second novel, Expiation. I’ve lived in Washington, Oregon, California, Utah, and Wyoming and grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, graduating from high school there. I attended a year of junior college, then went to Brigham Young University. I began a newspaper career in the rough and tumble Wyoming town of Rock Springs. We have three married children and ten grandchildren.

I worked as the news editor and sports editors of the Daily Rocket-Miner newspaper, winning a Wyoming Press Association award for my column. I also have published articles in various sports magazines. I left the newspaper business in 1981 and began a 27 year career with Pacific Power. After retiring in 2008, I moved to Seattle.

It was there that I returned to my first love--writing. My first novel, Sunbreaks, was published with Trafford in September 2009. The second novel Expiation was published in the spring of 2010 with Trafford.

The third novel, The Illusion of Certainty was published by Yorkshire Publishing in September of 2011.

We live on the Puget Sound in Edmonds, Washington, a ferryboat town, just north of downtown Seattle. I also enjoy running and have been in several races and half marathons.

That's a lot already. Please tell us about your newest book.
The Illusion of Certainty follows two parallel story lines. Marc is a successful businessman who seems to have everything—a great job, a beautiful wife, a house in an upscale neighborhood of Portland, Oregon, and two great kids who are preparing for college. But something is not right. Marc is unsettled by the sudden change in his wife, Aimee, who seems distant and unhappy. What is going on with her?

The second storyline involves a successful young attorney, Alexandra Mattson. Alex, as she is called by her friends, meets a handsome young cop, Sean, during an unexpected crisis in her neighborhood. Sean and Alex seem made for each other and begin to merge their futures in a world of uncertainty.

The only certainty in life is that we will face uncertainty. Despite all of the technology and controls available in the modern world, sometimes the only comfort comes from the human touch.

What inspired you to write this book?
There are so many unexpected events that impact our life. I began thinking about this when the economy suddenly collapsed in 2008. I was also diagnosed with cancer about a year and a half ago. Fortunately, my treatments have been successful and I am for the time being in good health. These events and watching similar occurrences in other people’s lives, made me ponder the sudden turnarounds we can experience. We think we are in control of our lives but it is only an “illusion of certainty.”

What exciting story are you working on next?
I am currently working on the first in a mystery series featuring private investigator, Sam Slater. The name of the book is “The Last of the Seals.” Sam is a longtime baseball player with the minor league San Francisco Seals. Sam’s career is coming to an end and the Seals are being displaced by the move of the Giants from New York to San Francisco. Sam is joining his old Army buddy in his private investigation business.

Sam also meets a dazzling, Elvis-obsessed TWA stewardess named Amelia. When his friend is suddenly slain, Sam and Amelia find themselves thrown into a tense struggle to find the murderer before he finds them. I’m really excited about the new book and I hope to have it published by the beginning of the summer of 2012.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I began writing when I was a child. I have an old canvas bag with crayon writing on it. It was my newspaper bag. I wrote the “paper” and then delivered it to neighbors and friends. I found the canvas bag in some things at my grandmother’s house after she died. I supported myself through high school and college being a stringer for local newspapers. Then, after college, I had a career as a sports writer, columnist and news editor. I finally got to try writing novels and published my first one in 2009.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I do write full time now after retiring from the corporate world. I usually write for a few hours each afternoon. I have fallen into a pattern of thinking about and outlining my book during the summer months. Then when rainy weather returns to Seattle in the fall, it’s a good time to stay inside and start to write.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I don’t know why, but I have to go back and add contractions to my dialogue. I don’t talk that way, but I seem to write that way. I’m always correcting that in my writing.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to write for a newspaper and to write books. I’m pretty lucky that I got the chance to do what I’ve always wanted to do.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
I hope you try The Illusion of Certainty. I think it is both a business fable and a romance. It speaks to the struggles that many people face in the early 21st Century. I was glad to see reviewers saying that the story appeals to the romantic hopeful in all of us.

Thanks for your time today, Greg. Keep on writing!

Interview with mystery short story writer Nancy Adams

For a change of pace, today's guest is a short story writer. Nancy Adams is here to talk about her new Christmas short story, “Saint Nick and the Fir Tree : a short story of the day after Christmas.”

Bio:
A freelance editor and theological librarian, Nancy writes mysteries and fantasy. Her short story “The Secret of the Red Mullet” was published this past spring in the collection FISH TALES: the Guppy Anthology (Wildside Press).

What do you enjoy most about writing short stories?
At the risk of sounding flip, the fact that they’re short! It’s so satisfying to be able to write up a first draft in a weekend (as I recently did) rather than taking months, as is the case with my novels.

It’s also very satisfying to be able to get every little detail just the way you want without having to wade through the “sagging middle” and interminable edits of a novel. That said, I’ve come up with more ideas for novels than short stories so far.

Can you give us a little insight into a few of your short stories – perhaps some of your favorites?
“Saint Nick and the Fir Tree” is definitely a favorite. The idea came to me one summer’s day when I was pruning a yew tree out in the backyard. The previous owner had shaped it like a little Christmas tree, but I noticed that it had gotten rather out of shape and the middle looked bulgy. Then my imagination kicked into gear and I got to wondering what would have caused such a thing. What if the tree had been out drinking with Saint Nick and developed a bit of a “beer belly”?

From there I wrote up the story’s beginning and over the next few months, in bits and spurts, the rest of the story emerged. It’s a more episodic structure than most of the things I write, so I guess that’s why the story as a whole took longer to take shape. That Christmas I took it with me when I visited my parents. I had already decided to dedicate it to my mother because she loved Santa Claus and always insisted there really was such a person—even after we were grown! She also loved crazy stories and the whole thing really struck me as something that kind of channeled her spirit. She was really touched that I’d dedicated it to her, and reading it aloud to her and my father was a special experience. It’s particularly poignant to me because a few months after that she was diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer and died at the end of May.

So I’m very, very grateful that she was able to hear it before she died and know it was meant for her. All through the fall when I worked on it, I felt this curious sense of urgency, as if I knew somehow it had to be completed before I saw my mother again. She and my father had been in poor health for a couple of years, so there was some basis for my feeling, but still, it’s as if somehow in my gut I knew it was the last Christmas I’d have with her.

What genre are you inspired to write in the most? Why?
Mystery. Mysteries are the genre I read the most, plus as a writer I like the fact that mysteries have a built-in goal and structure; it makes the process of plotting less intimidating. Even “Saint Nick,” which is basically a fantasy, has a little mystery twist at the end.

What exciting story are you working on next?
I just completed a short story for the Mystery Writers of America anthology competition. Because it’s for a competition, I don’t really want to say anything else about it—afraid I’ll jinx myself! I’m also writing the first draft of a suspense novel with fantasy elements. It takes place in Paris and the main character is a Jesuit professor of French there on sabbatical. I’m very excited about it. I took French courses all through high school and college and have visited Paris several times. I love writing about the city because it’s both familiar and exotic—not your run-of-the-mill setting.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I first began to write seriously eleven years ago, though the urge to do so had always been at the back of my mind. For years I’d thought of writing, but didn’t know what to write about. It was only after doing some background reading for a theology course that I discovered the world of late antiquity, the period bridging the classical world and the Middle Ages. I was fascinated by the period because it was a transitional era when everything was in flux and cultural values were changing. It was a time when the old world of pagan culture and the new world of state-sponsored Christianity existed simultaneously and it’s fascinating to see not just the cultural clashes, but even more so the accommodations that people made, often co-existing side by side quite peaceably. It didn’t take long before this fascination led to the creation of a fictional late-Roman family and the beginning of my first historical mystery.

How do you research markets for your work, perhaps as some advice for writers?
I actually haven’t done this so much. Other than “Saint Nick,” my short stories have mostly been inspired by anthology contests. “The Secret of the Red Mullet,” a short story that uses my historical characters, was written for an anthology sponsored by the Guppy chapter of Sisters in Crime. I was overjoyed when it made the cut and appeared in the FISH TALES collection this spring alongside other stories by my talented Guppy colleagues. As for other short story markets, the two most prestigious publications for mystery writers are the magazines Ellery Queen and Alfred Hitchcock. If I wanted to research other markets, I would probably ask around on the Sisters-in-Crime and Guppy lists. Anyone interested in writing mystery or suspense would do well to join Sisters in Crime. The organization is full of wonderful, encouraging folks, and it’s not just for women.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I often get my best ideas in the shower.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
For a long time I wanted to be a veterinarian. I’ve always loved animals.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
After being a life-long reader, it’s such a thrill to see my work in print. I’m always happy to hear from readers, and they can contact me via my website.

Thanks so much, Lisa, for hosting me today.

You're quite welcome, Nancy. I'm glad to have you become part of my blog.

Interview with mystery novelist Renee Pawlish

Mystery author Renee Pawlish joins Reviews and Interviews today as she tours her first book in the Reed Ferguson mystery series with Goddess Fish Promotions, This Doesn’t Happen In The Movies.

Renee has a couple of giveaways to a randomly drawn lucky commentor during her tour. Details are below.

Bio:
Renée Pawlish was born in California, but has lived most of her life in Colorado. When she's not hiking, cycling, or chasing ballplayers for autographs, she is writing mysteries and thrillers. She is the author of Nephilim Genesis of Evil, the first in the Nephilim trilogy; the Reed Ferguson Mystery series; Take Five, a short story collection; and The Sallie House: Exposing the Beast Within, a non-fiction account of a haunted house investigation.

Renée loves to travel and has visited numerous countries around the world. She has also spent many summer days at her parents' cabin in the hills outside of Boulder, which was the inspiration for the setting of Taylor Crossing in her novel Nephilim Genesis of Evil.

Welcome to Reviews and Interviews, Renée. Please tell us about your current release, This Doesn’t Happen In The Movies.
A wannabe private eye with a love of film noir and detective fiction.
A rich, attractive femme fatale.
A missing husband.
A rollicking ride to a dark and daring ending.

What inspired you to write this book?
I had the first line, I want you to find my dead husband, rolling around in my head, and I finally sat down and started the novel. I thought it would be fun to write a story with a private eye on his very first case, so the reader got to see the detective struggle to learn his vocation. I’ve had fun with that aspect of writing This Doesn’t Happen In The Movies, and in the second novel in the series, Reel Estate Rip-off.

What exciting story are you working on next?
I’m working on the third Reed Ferguson mystery, and I’m putting Reed in more precarious situations in this novel. I’ve also just started the second book in the Nephilim trilogy.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I wrote my first book right after I received my master's degree. I had a story in my head all through the summer, and the fall after I graduated, a friend encouraged me to pen the novel. I did (it took nine months), and when I wrote “The End”, that’s when I felt I could say I was a writer…not a paid writer, but a writer nonetheless.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I wish I could say I write full-time, but that’s not the case. I am currently between jobs so I spend a lot of time marketing my books, and some time every day writing the new ones as well. I also wrote my first flash fiction piece in October that won a blog contest, and that was cool.

Most of my novels have been written while I was working, and it’s a challenge to find the time to write. When I’m in the midst of a novel, I try to write every evening and on the weekends so that I never lose touch with the characters or story. That can be hard to do, but it comes down to just sitting down at the computer and doing it.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I’ve found that I need to take a walk or hike, or listen to music, and then I can picture a scene in my mind, and at that point I can write it. Sometimes the scenes will come to me as I’m sitting at the computer, but I usually got for a hike and then I can figure things out.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I always wanted to be a teacher. I love to teach and train newbie authors now…it’s just fun to work with others and encourage them.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Reviews really help authors out, so if you get a chance, post a review. We are very grateful for that. I myself don’t care if the review is good or bad, I just enjoy hearing what readers think. It’s a chance for me to see what people are enjoying, and to find out things that I might need to work on.

Ways to connect with me include my website, on Twitter, on Facebook, through my blog, or on Goodreads.

Thank you for being here today, Renee.

Readers, you have a chance to win a print or eBook copy of Renee's book Nephilim and a $25 Amazon gift certificate. They will be given to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Check out the tour dates and blog stops. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning.

Live chat/interview with historical fiction novelist Barry Willdorf

The Writer's Chatroom presents historical fiction novelist Barry Willdorf.

WHEN?

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Eastern USA Time.....7-9 PM

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WHERE?

The Writers Chatroom at: http://www.writerschatroom.com/Enter.htm

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