Interview with author Vicki Williamson

Readers, I’d like to introduce you to author Vicki B. Williamson. She’s here today to chat with me about her new thriller/mystery novel Finding Poppies.

Welcome, Vicki. Please tell us a little bit about yourself:

I’m just a normal woman – a wife, mother, sister and grandma who happened to write a story. I was born and raised in Montana, God’s country. I don’t have an extensive background in journalism and haven’t received any awards. Yet J 

What I do have is a real desire to create a compelling, thrilling story that keeps the reader on the edge of their seats. I have a highly functioning imagination (I remember daydreaming stories as a child) and I recently discovered I have a talent for putting those thoughts down on paper and I really get enjoyment when others love my stories.

I live in Montana with my husband, Mark and our Golden Retriever, Ripley. Finding Poppies is my first novel.

Speaking of your first novel, please tell us about your current release.

Finding Poppies is the story of Ellen Thompson. Ellen finds a clue in an antique and it leads her on the hunt for Van Gogh’s masterpiece, Poppy Flowers, which was stolen in 2010. One clue leads her to another. We get to solve the puzzle and experience her quest with her.

What inspired you to write this book?

I always enjoyed writing in school and am an avid reader. For fun, I wrote a short story about Ellen Thompson and her hunt for Poppy Flowers. After reading the short story, my brother Brian told me I had a great outline for a novel. I began researching and expanding Ellen’s story – let her live and develop. It was a lot of fun watching Ellen in her hunt and being there to document her story.

Excerpt from Finding Poppies:

We arrive at the Place de la Concorde and look around in wonder. The day is bright and sunny and a gentle breeze whispers to us with the scent of grass and nature. There are birds calling and the sound of people talking and laughing. As I read from the pamphlet I tell James, “The Place is the largest public square in Paris, measuring approximately 20 acres. We need to move to the center of the square where the obelisk is located.” Even from where we stand, we can see the spire stretching to the sky, the crown of it reflecting in the bright sunshine. “The top was replaced with a gold inlay. Look how it shines in the light!”

“Let’s head over and see what we find,” James suggests.

As we near the obelisk, I’m amazed by the sheer size of it. The pamphlet says 75’ and 250 metric tons, but that doesn’t give a true indication of what it’s like to stand in front of something so large. It’s brownstone and massive. There’s a fence around it so if we’re going to get up close it isn’t going to be right now — with other tourists and staff about, we’ll be stopped immediately. The obelisk stands on a base that has descriptions pertaining to the move from Egypt to Paris and my head barely reaches the juncture. I note all four sides are covered in hieroglyphics, from top to bottom. I’m unable to read them but the information board states they exalt the reign of Ramesses II. Okay Angelo, I think. What now?

I look at James with a raise of my eyebrows.

“What do you think?” he asks. “I’m not feeling very worthy at this exact moment.”

I give a little chuckle. “Let’s walk around the obelisk and see if we can find any hieroglyphics that match the ones on the paper.”

What exciting story are you working on next?

I’ve picked up Ellen’s story a year from the end of Finding Poppies. She’s moved and has a new job and with an old friend, becomes caught up in another mystery. It’s a bigger mystery involving mystic elements. I keep banging my head off the wall attempting to find a thread to hold it all together but it’s working and what a wonderful high that is when elements begin to work together.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

That’s a hard one. Definitely when I published Finding Poppies. It’s hard to define myself that way but I’m getting more used to it.

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 don’t write full-time. I have a regular job that pays the bills and I write when I can. Everyday doesn’t usually work out but I smash it in as often as possible. My novels have major research and planning and that’s the time consuming thing.

It’s hard to hear people tell you that you need to write every day – sometimes that’s just not possible but I do try and do something to advance my writing every day whether that’s writing, research, marketing, etc.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

Hum? I would say doing a special jig across the room when the story lines sync together.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I don’t remember every having an aspiration to be anything in particular. Probably something with animals since my mother allowed us to have everything under the sun – the whole food chain…

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Just how much I appreciate everyone’s support and enjoyment of my story. It’s very rewarding when I hear positive feedback and makes me want to up the ante on my next novel.

Links:

Facebook | Amazon

Thanks for being here today, Vicki! Happy writing.