Interview with suspense author Christine Clemetson

Today is the fourth interview in a series with the authors of

Tick Tock: A Stitch in Crime

An Insecure Writer’s Support Group Anthology

About the anthology:

The clock is ticking...

Can a dead child’s cross-stitch pendant find a missing nun? Is revenge possible in just 48 minutes? Can a killer be stopped before the rescuers are engulfed by a city ablaze? Who killed what the tide brought in? Can a soliloquizing gumshoe stay out of jail?

Exploring the facets of time, eleven authors delve into mysteries and crimes that linger in both dark corners and plain sight. Featuring the talents of Gwen Gardner, Rebecca M. Douglass, Tara Tyler, S. R. Betler, C.D. Gallant-King, Jemi Fraser, J. R. Ferguson, Yolanda Renée, C. Lee McKenzie, Christine Clemetson, and Mary Aalgaard.

Hand-picked by a panel of agents and authors, these eleven tales will take you on a thrilling ride into jeopardy and secrecy. Trail along, find the clues, and stay out of danger. Time is wasting...

“Each story is fast paced, grabbing the reader from the beginning.”

- Readers' Favorite, 5 stars

Founded by author Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writer’s Support Group offers support for writers and authors alike. It provides an online database, articles and tips, a monthly blog posting, a Facebook and Instagram group, Twitter, and a monthly newsletter. www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com

So far, we’ve had C.D. Gallant-King (on April 19), Gwen Gardner (on April 26), Jemi Fraser (on May 2), and now Christine Clemetson and we’re talking about her suspense crime short story called “Center Lane.”

Bio:

Christine writes psychological thrillers and suspense. She earned her degree in Literature/Language and went on to pen stories that send you running for the covers. Her work has been published in several anthologies, most recently 30 Shades of Dead – A collection of mysteries from Sisters in Crime and Tick Tock: A Stitch in Crime from IWSG. When she’s not writing, you can find Christine at the park with her family, grabbing lunch at her favorite diner, or pampering her basset hound Molly. And always with a coffee in her hand!

Welcome, Christine. What do you enjoy most about writing short stories?

With short stories, I love to explore different themes. For Center Lane, my story in Tick Tock: A Stitch in Crime anthology, I loved the challenge of creating a story around time, and figuring out how to achieve that level of tension in a short amount of words.

Can you give us a little insight into a few of your short stories – perhaps some of your favorites?

Many of my short stories are about uncovering something –whether the truth or a secret, or maybe even something from the past. All of my stories become my favorites for a unique reason. For Center Lane, it became my favorite when a character made a gutsy choice that changed the course of the story, not to mention his life.

What genre are you inspired to write in the most? Why?

Thriller or suspense are my favorites. I love to figure out clues or red herrings that pull the reader in the opposite direction of the truth, and bring them on a journey filled with twists and turns. Nothing like writing a fast-paced chase scene or playing the game of cat and mouse with the characters.

What exciting story are you working on next?

I’m writing a novel where the main character is holding a secret that could destroy the world as she knows it, and possibly even her family. But she has no choice. Or does she? Stay tuned!

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t writing. In grade school, I would take out a stack of books from the library, devour them, and know I wanted to write stories like that. I wanted to bring readers on different adventures, and have them feel the hope and excitement as I had reading stories like Little House on the Prairie and Nancy Drew.

How do you research markets for your work, perhaps as some advice for writers?

A good place to research what editors/agents are looking for is #mswl on Twitter (the website is http://www.manuscriptwishlist.com). Also, Writer’s Market (via Writer’s Digest) is a great resource for publishing opportunities.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I love post it notes and have them everywhere. I write story ideas, snippets of dialogue, scene outlines, character names, anything! But no matter how many I have, or where I’ve left them (including the garage), I know exactly where to find the one I need.

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

I always wanted to be a writer. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. In college, I earned my degree in Literature/Literature and started a career as a technical writer along with writing fiction.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

Whatever your passion is, writing, reading, skating, art, etc.….find time every day!

Thanks for joining me today, Christine!

Tick Tock links:

Facebook | Website | Goodreads

Purchase links:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | iTunes

Interview with short story writer Jemi Fraser

Today is the third interview in a series with the authors of:

Tick Tock: A Stitch in Crime

An Insecure Writer’s Support Group Anthology

About the anthology:

The clock is ticking...

Can a dead child’s cross-stitch pendant find a missing nun? Is revenge possible in just 48 minutes? Can a killer be stopped before the rescuers are engulfed by a city ablaze? Who killed what the tide brought in? Can a soliloquizing gumshoe stay out of jail?

Exploring the facets of time, eleven authors delve into mysteries and crimes that linger in both dark corners and plain sight. Featuring the talents of Gwen Gardner, Rebecca M. Douglass, Tara Tyler, S. R. Betler, C.D. Gallant-King, Jemi Fraser, J. R. Ferguson, Yolanda Renée, C. Lee McKenzie, Christine Clemetson, and Mary Aalgaard.

Hand-picked by a panel of agents and authors, these eleven tales will take you on a thrilling ride into jeopardy and secrecy. Trail along, find the clues, and stay out of danger. Time is wasting...

“Each story is fast paced, grabbing the reader from the beginning.”

- Readers' Favorite, 5 stars

Founded by author Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writer’s Support Group offers support for writers and authors alike. It provides an online database, articles and tips, a monthly blog posting, a Facebook and Instagram group, Twitter, and a monthly newsletter. www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com

First up was C.D. Gallant-King (on April 19), then Gwen Gardner (on April 26). Now I have Jemi Fraser and we’re talking about her suspense crime short story called “Until Release.”

Bio:

Jemi Fraser lives in beautiful Northern Ontario where she works hard and plays harder with both her family and her students. Holding an ever-present mug of Chai tea, she spends her free time baking cookies and writing Happy Ever Afters. The world can always use more of both.

What do you enjoy most about writing short stories?

I’ve always enjoyed reading short stories, but Until Release is the first one I’ve written. I’ve always written stories that take much longer to tell, but putting an entire story arc into 3500 words was fun! I’m definitely going to be trying my hand at shorts again.

Can you give us a little insight into a few of your short stories – perhaps some of your favorites?

As I’ve said, Until Release is my first short story so it’s my favourite … so far! I enjoyed the way the story rushed into my head and wouldn’t let me go. The characters flowed from one to the next easily and each seemed to want to tell the next bit of the story.

What genre are you inspired to write in the most? Why?

I’ve always been an eclectic reader so I enjoy reading and writing a lot of genres. Currently my favourite is contemporary romance with a splash of suspense. In romance, the characters have to work on both an internal problem (improving themselves) and an external problem (making them stronger) and I like the ways the characters grow and challenge themselves. This genre also calls to me because it is all about hope and our world can always use more of that!

What exciting story are you working on next?

My current WIP is a contemporary romance involving a woman who is trying to figure out her brother’s death. She is a freelance writer specializing in car and motorbike articles. Her research puts her in danger and she turns to a scientist friend for help. This friend’s brother is an FBI agent and he thinks she’s more than a little bit crazy, but the attraction zipping between them means he’s going to help her anyway. Chaos and fun ensue from there.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I’ve always written stories in my head, but I didn’t start putting them to paper until my kids were in school and busy with their activities. I’m a full-time teacher as well, but one day a particular piece of fan fiction wouldn’t stay in my head and insisted on being written down. Although that piece was written for me and me alone, I think that’s the moment when I thought I might be a writer.

How do you research markets for your work, perhaps as some advice for writers?

I’m still learning this as Until Release is my first published story. As my life is pretty full, I haven’t turned to querying yet. Decisions on publishing more of my works are still in the (hopefully not too distant) future.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

When I’m writing, I absolutely have to have noise in the background, preferably some kind of sports programming on TV. My favourites are tennis, curling, hockey, Olympics, basketball, baseball, and pretty much everything else.

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

That would very much depend on the year and the month. My future career wishes changed often! Some of my choices: professional volleyball or tennis player, wildlife researcher (think Dian Fossey or Farley Mowat’s short-lived wolf researching career), acrobat, horse ranch owner, artificial intelligence researcher, Broadway musical director, wildlife photographer, architect, screenwriter for Star Trek, animator for Disney, author, and many, many more!

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

As humans, we tend to be very hard on ourselves, setting unrealistic goals, and then shrinking when we don’t meet them. Life is for living first. Be kind to yourself when those dreams have to take a back seat for a while.

Author links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Tick Tock links:

Facebook | Website | Goodreads

Purchase links:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | iTunes

Interview with short story writer Gwen Gardner

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Today is the second interview in a series with the authors of:

Tick Tock: A Stitch in Crime

An Insecure Writer’s Support Group Anthology

About the anthology:

The clock is ticking...

Can a dead child’s cross-stitch pendant find a missing nun? Is revenge possible in just 48 minutes? Can a killer be stopped before the rescuers are engulfed by a city ablaze? Who killed what the tide brought in? Can a soliloquizing gumshoe stay out of jail?

Exploring the facets of time, eleven authors delve into mysteries and crimes that linger in both dark corners and plain sight. Featuring the talents of Gwen Gardner, Rebecca M. Douglass, Tara Tyler, S. R. Betler, C.D. Gallant-King, Jemi Fraser, J. R. Ferguson, Yolanda Renée, C. Lee McKenzie, Christine Clemetson, and Mary Aalgaard.

Hand-picked by a panel of agents and authors, these eleven tales will take you on a thrilling ride into jeopardy and secrecy. Trail along, find the clues, and stay out of danger. Time is wasting...

“Each story is fast paced, grabbing the reader from the beginning.”

- Readers' Favorite, 5 stars

Founded by author Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writer’s Support Group offers support for writers and authors alike. It provides an online database, articles and tips, a monthly blog posting, a Facebook and Instagram group, Twitter, and a monthly newsletter. www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com

First up was C.D. Gallant-King (on April 19). Now up is Gwen Gardner. Her short story is a cozy mystery and is the subtitle of the anthology, A Stitch in Crime.

Bio:

Gwen Gardner writes clean, cozy, lighthearted mysteries with a strong ghostly element.

Since ghosts feature prominently in her books, she has a secret desire to meet one face to face – but will run screaming for the hills if she ever does.

She thinks there’s nothing better than a good mystery (being an excellent armchair detective herself) unless it’s throwing a ghost or two into the mix just to “liven” things up. Don’t worry, though. Ghosts may be difficult to keep in line, but they’re harmless—mostly. And it turns out they’re pretty good sleuths, too.

Gwen adores travel and experiencing the cultures and foods of different countries. She is always up for an adventure and anything involving chocolate – not necessarily in that order.

What do you enjoy most about writing short stories?

A short story is very self-contained compared to a full-length novel. It’s easier to handle all the odds and ends that go into a story and everything comes together quicker. I wouldn’t call it instant gratification, but sort of the same feeling.

Can you give us a little insight into a few of your short stories – perhaps some of your favorites?

My favorite short stories are the ones with my characters Indigo Eady and Franny Bishop. Indigo is a young woman who can speak to ghosts. Franny Bishop is the ghost of a former Victorian madam of some repute and Indigo’s closest companion. They are amateur sleuths and the byplay between them is really fun. Franny’s major goal in her afterlife is to find Indigo a man. It’s a hilarious bone of contention between them.

What genre are you inspired to write in the most? Why?

Cozy Mysteries with a ghostly element. The world is so chaotic these days. All you have to do is turn on the TV or fire up the internet to get a massive dose of reality. The everyday bombardment can be overwhelming. I write lighthearted cozy mysteries because it’s a break from the stress of real life. There is no overt violence or sex. The bad guy is always caught and justice is always served. And of course, add a splash of mayhem, a dash of humor and a bit of pot stirring to make things more interesting, and the result is very satisfying!

What exciting story are you working on next?

Another Indigo and Franny short story called Lady Sings the Boos. Franny develops a bad-boy obsession with late night black and white television’s Sam Spade. This leads her to hang out at a new club called the Blue Note, a 1940s post WWII era jazz club. She’s crushing hard on the previous owner, a ghost named Eddie, who won’t let the new owner put live music on stage. Any attempt ends up in chaos, blown amps and shorted microphones. The problem is, Eddie’s gang has closed ranks and no one can get near him. Indigo is called in to solve the problem, but how to do it if she can’t speak to him?  

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

When I started writing my first novel. I wasn’t a good writer, but it was pointed out to me that by definition, a writer writes. That was good enough for me!

How do you research markets for your work, perhaps as some advice for writers?

My first books didn’t do well because I didn’t do my research. Who knew that Middle Grade and Young Adult don’t mesh well together in the age group categories? The best place to start is to find books similar to yours. From there, you can find out not only who publishes the genre and the categories to publish under, but accepted guidelines as well.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I like mood music and am a complete pluviophile (rain lover). I love a good rain storm and if the scene calls for it, I’ll listen to a rain storm sound tract. Also, one of my characters is the ghost of a sleuthing Benedictine monk called Brother Bart. I had the opportunity to visit Westminster Abbey and picked up a CD of Gregorian chants, so when I’m writing about Brother Bart, the chanting in the background lends atmosphere. 

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

This is a tough question. When I was young, boys wanted to be policemen or firemen or doctors, and girls wanted to be nurses. Those are the types of things that girls were conditioned to say back then, without any real thought put into what we really wanted to be. Now women have a lot more choices and are free to pursue whatever we want. I was an avid reader as a child (and now), so if a professional reader had been an option, I would have gone for it. Writing is the next best thing!

Tick Tock links:

Facebook | Website | Goodreads

Purchase links:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | iTunes