Interview with mystery author Edith Maxwell / Tace Baker

Today's interviewee is friend and mystery author Edith Maxwell. She's talking about her first mystery in her first series written as Tace Baker. It's called Speaking of Murder.

Bio:

Edith Maxwell is the author of Speaking of Murder (Barking Rain Press, under pseudonym Tace Baker) featuring Quaker linguistics professor Lauren Rousseau. Edith holds a PhD in linguistics and is a member of Amesbury Monthly Meeting of Friends. The book was first runner up in the Linda Howard Award for Excellence contest

Edith also writes the Local Foods Mysteries. A Tine to Live, a Tine to Die introduces organic farmer Cam Flaherty and a colorful Locavore Club (Kensington Publishing, June, 2013).

A mother and technical writer, Edith is a fourth-generation Californian, but lives north of Boston in an antique house with her beau and three cats.

Welcome, Edith. Please tell us about your current release.

Speaking of Murder came out from Barking Rain Press just a month ago. Listening to academic blackmail and small-town intrigues, Quaker Linguistics Professor Lauren Rousseau uses her ear for accents and facility with languages to track down not only her star student's killer but also crimes committed by her department chairwoman.

What inspired you to write this book?

I wanted to start a series about a smart young professor who uses her linguistic knowledge to solve crimes. She's got her own set of problems – issues with commitment, for example – but starts to overcomes them as she searches for a killer. I thought also making her a Quaker would add depth and an unusual aspect to her character. And then I followed her around and wrote down what happened.

What exciting story are you working on next?

I'm writing the second book in the Local Foods Mystery series. It opens during a fall Farm-to-Table dinner, and I was lucky enough to attend one at a local farm just last week. Great food in a beautiful setting all in the name of research.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

In about third grade. My mother told me I was a good writer and I guess it just stuck. I've written ever since in all kinds of formats - journalism, academic papers, technical documentation – but fiction is what I love to write.

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?

Alas, I write technical documentation full time, so fiction gets fit in on weekends, retreats, plane rides, and so on. When I do have a full day available, I get up early and write until about lunchtime, when I usually run out of steam. Staying off the Internet is important on those days. It's hard to find enough time to write the books as well as network and promote, but so far I've managed. I hope to be able to leave the day job sometime in the next few years, though.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

If you had a camera on me at my desk, you would see me doing all kinds of crazy physical things: figuring out logistics of being grabbed or of holding a weapon while also hanging on to something else; scaring myself so I can describe how the throat thickens and the heart thumps; making weird facial expressions, and more. I have to be careful when I'm out writing in a coffee shop or library! 

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

I really don't remember. Isn't that strange? I know I aspired to be a teenager. I adored a girl who lived down the street, with her full-skirt dresses and cool shoes. I guess I never thought beyond that.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

Having my first book out is a dream come true, and it never would have happened without the help, support, and education I get from my fellow Sisters in Crime, both in person locally and online. What a great group of writer-friends I have gained (including you, Lisa!).

I love hearing from my readers through Twitter and Facebook.

It's great to have you join my blog, Edith. See you soon at New England Crime Bake 2012 mystery conference!

Live chat/interview with John Everson

The Writer's Chatroom presents dark fiction author John Everson.

WHEN?

Sunday, October 21, 2012

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

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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 Sign In. No password needed.

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Interview with mystery author John "Rocky" Leonard

Today's guest is mystery novelist John “Rocky” Leonard. He's touring his paranormal detective novel Secondhand Sight.

Rocky is generously giving one copy of his book to a lucky commentor at each of his tour stops. If you'd like to be entered to win, leave an e-mail address with a comment. You can always leave a comment without an e-mail address, too!

Bio:

John L. Leonard was born in Savannah, Georgia and graduated from Savannah Christian School. He holds a BBA in Management Information Systems from the University of Georgia and worked as a computer programmer for more than twenty years before becoming a writer.

John has spent most of his adult life in the northern suburbs of Atlanta. His writing has also been influenced by shorter stints working as a bartender, real estate investor and landlord.

He has been married to wife, Lisa, for 21 years and is the proud father of 2 and grandfather of 3, as well as pack leader for several wonderful dogs and a hostile Maine Coon cat.

His first non-fiction book was published in 2010.

John writes detective novels under the pen name Rocky Leonard. His first detective thriller was published in 2012.

The local color in his writing is equally authentic whether the setting is a Georgia beach, downtown Atlanta, or the Appalachian foothills in north Georgia.

Welcome, Rocky. What inspired you to write this book?

I watched an interview with Joe Kozenczak, the police detective who apprehended serial killer John Wayne Gacy. To my astonishment, Kozenczak credited two different psychics for providing critical information that he claimed broke the case wide open. When the detective directly responsible for catching one of the more notorious killers in recent history gave credit to not one, but two psychics for helping bring Gacy to justice, it certainly got my attention. And that got me thinking about writing a novel where a psychic helped solve a murder.

I was also inspired by my own experiences growing up in Savannah, which has a reputation as one of the most haunted cities in America. I’ve personally had too many paranormal experiences to count, more than enough to believe that ghosts really exist.  

Excerpt:

I steadied myself in front of a small mirror on the wall near the tie rack. My trembling hands went through the practiced motions of tying the tie, the same moves I had made first thing in the morning, four days a week.

I looked into the mirror and gasped. Blood splatters covered the glass, obscuring my reflection in the mirror. My hands felt warm and sticky. Reluctantly, I looked down and saw to my horror that they were covered in wet blood. It was all over me. My mind reeled. Bile rose in my throat. I looked around frantically for the source of the spreading crimson stains. Did I cut myself? I felt no pain. What in the hell happened? How? Did the workers break the glass after all? Yet when I glanced in its direction, the glass display case remained intact.

For several seconds, my mind babbled a brook of questions for which no answers came. My knees felt weak, on the verge of collapse. Time crept by. I marked its passage with my breathing, the only way I could tell time hadn’t stopped completely. I looked around for someone in the store to come help me. Words came to mind to cry for help, but they refused to pass my lips.

A couple of muted sounds that might pass for the bleating of a sheep rose in my throat, barely audible. No one in the store noticed me foundering in distress. I looked around helplessly, desperate to avoid looking into the mirror again. But I had to know. I forced my eyes to gaze at my own reflection once more.

What exciting story are you working on next?

Purgatory, the sequel to my first novel, Coastal Empire, a new adventure featuring private investigator Robert Mercer and his German Shepherd partner Ox. 

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I knew I loved writing from my first high school course in creative writing, and in one sense, my previous career was a writer of a different sort. Before I began writing books, for a couple of decades, I developed computer software. In one sense, the structured and methodical approach required for software development helped me when I starting writing material intended for public consumption. Secondhand Sight is now my fourth book, and my second novel.

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?

Yes, I find writing very addictive. When I’m not working on a book, I’m usually blogging, or interacting with friends on Facebook, the bane of my existence—because it’s almost as addictive as writing. I’ve got a bad habit of working on a chapter of my next novel, then “taking a break” to write something for the immediate gratification of having someone read my words online.

My work day is rather simple: get up at the crack of dawn, Facebook until time to feed the pack and make coffee, walk the pack after breakfast, write until lunch, eat, write until dinner, eat, write until I can write any more than night--lather, rinse, repeat. About once a day, I manufacture some excuse to run an errand that requires me to leave the house, just for a brief change of scenery. For more exercise, I play tennis three or four times a week to avoid getting too fat.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I usually require some background noise to force myself to concentrate, like having the TV tuned to a program I care nothing about or playing music in the background where I can’t really hear it. Don’t ask me why, but I need something to ignore. Drives my wife crazy.

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

An actor. At various points during my rather impetuous youth, I also wanted to be a journalist, and Perry Mason. I was almost ready to graduate with a double major in history in political science, thinking I was going to law school, when I finally realized that in the real world, most of my clients would actually be guilty—maybe that happened about the time Al Pacino played a lawyer in the movie And Justice For All, but it’s been so long ago that I no longer remember the real reason. My mother had convinced me I needed a backup plan before heading to Hollywood, and the backup became the primary plan by the time I finished college.

Thanks, Rocky.

Readers, don't forget that Rocky is generously giving one copy of his book to a lucky commentor at each of his tour stops. If you'd like to be entered to win, leave an e-mail address with a comment. You can always leave a comment without an e-mail address, too!

Interview with mystery author Sandra de Helen

Mystery writer Sandra de Helen is in the hot seat today. She's in the midst of a virtual book tour for her novel,The Hounding.

And as part of her VBT, Sandra will be awarding the winner's choice of a backlist eBook to a randomly drawn commenter at every stop, and a $25 Amazon GC to one commenter from the tour. To be entered to win, just leave an e-mail address with a comment below, or at any of her other stops. The more you comment, the more chances you have to win. (Feel free to leave a comment for the author without your e-mail address, if you like!)

Bio:

Sandra de Helen lives and writes in Portland, Oregon. See more of her work at www.SandradeHelen.com. de Helen is a member of the Golden Crown Literary Society, Sisters in Crime, Dramatists Guild and International Centre for Women Playwrights. Follow her on Twitter @dehelen, read her blog Redcrested.com and like her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/drmarywatson.

Welcome, Sandra. Please tell us about your current release.

The Hounding is Book One in a series featuring Shirley Combs and her sidekick Dr. Mary Watson. Shirley uses the methods of Sherlock Holmes to solve her cases. They live in present day Portland, Oregon.

What inspired you to write this book?

As a kid I was a fan of Sherlock Holmes even before I read the Nancy Drew books. One day I had the idea to write a female duo based on Sherlock and Dr. Watson, and it feels like a kind of Nancy Drew for grownups to me. Not as stuffy as Holmes, not as fluffy as Nancy. 

Here's an excerpt that gives you an idea of the relationship between Shirley Combs and Dr. Mary Watson. Dr. Watson writes:

I was fascinated by this tall, plain-looking woman. Shirley reminded me of my sister in some way. Tommy died ten years ago, but I still saw her face, her expressions, her gestures nearly everywhere I went. I missed her companionship, and never found a friend to fill the gap Tommy left in my life.

At dinner, as I ate my way through a giant plate of pasta, still hoping to grow some breasts and womanly hips, I couldn't help noticing that Shirley ate only raw fruit, vegetables and bread. I always noticed what everybody ate and drank because I was so acutely aware of the effects our intake has on our bodies and minds. "We are what we eat," someone said. And she was right. I'll always believe that Tommy developed that brain tumor from drinking so much diet pop. At twenty-one she had been dieting for eight years. That was six diet drinks a day times 365 days a year. I would have gladly given her my boyish figure if I could have saved her life.

But Shirley was not Tommy. After a few minutes, I could no longer see the resemblance. Shirley was so clearly herself. Her brown eyes matched her brown hair that matched her brown sweater. Visually, she could have faded into the woodwork except for her height and that mane of hair.

Shirley's dinner mates were soon laughing at her acerbic remarks about our leader. She was sarcastic and cast aspersions on his mental capabilities. I sat at the next table and marveled at her confidence in her own intellect.

As dinner break came to a close and we all began making our way back to the auditorium, I garnered my courage and made my way to Shirley's side to introduce myself. "Shirley, I wanted to meet you. My name is Mary Watson, and I'm a naturopathic doctor from..." I began.

One eyebrow arched its way into that glorious mane of hair and her lip curled as she said, "Really. Really, Dr. Watson, how clever of you. No one has thought to play that one on me before.” She managed a pained guffaw.

What exciting story are you working on next?

I'm working on the second book in the series, another stand alone mystery, The Illustrious Client. The first chapter of this book is included at the end of The Hounding so readers can see what's coming up next in the lives of Shirley and Mary.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I wanted to be a writer from the age of 8. I won my first writing contest when I was 12, and did a reading at the American Legion and collected my award of $3. At 14 I had a poem published in a teachers' magazine. My English teacher sent it in on my behalf. I had more poetry published in my 20's. But I didn't really consider myself a writer until I became a playwright at 32. Once I saw my work come to life on the stage, I was a goner. I've been writing ever since.

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. I worked day jobs full time until I retired at 55. So until then I got up hours before my work day began so I had time to both walk and write. I would write first. Now I walk first. For many years, I got up at 4am because I had to be at work by 7:30. Now I stay up late and get up whenever I wake up. But writing is what I do, and I do it every day. I rarely take a day off from writing.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I like to use a mind map to get started on any new project. I use a screen writing book to outline all my projects, although I've never written a screenplay (yet). Save the Cat! by Blake Snyder is the book, BTW. Brilliant. I used to always write by hand, then type up what I'd written. I was quite precious about that process. Now I write everything on the computer except the mind map. I have that on the computer as well, but I don't care for it. I still like drawing the circles by hand. That will probably pass with time, and I'll be all computer all the time. It's faster. I like faster.

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

A writer. Always a writer.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I believe that for me, writing is a calling. I've tried to stop writing. There are many things to do in this world. Lying in a hammock reading is a perfectly fine thing to do. Going to yoga, walking in the woods, puttering. I am not happy unless I am writing. I do the best job I am capable of doing, I take classes and workshops to continue to improve my craft, I listen to feedback from my readers. I'm reachable, I'm accessible, and I listen. 

And p.s. I adore Book Clubs. If your club reads my book, invite me to your discussion, I'll come! I might have to appear via Skype or Google Hangout or FB Chat, but I'll come.

Web site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter 

Paperback | Kindle version

Thanks for stopping here, Sandra. 

Readers, don't forget! And as part of her VBT, Sandra will be awarding the winner's choice of a backlist eBook to a randomly drawn commenter at every stop, and a $25 Amazon GC to one commenter from the tour. To be entered to win, just leave an e-mail address with a comment below, or at any of her other stops. The more you comment, the more chances you have to win. (Feel free to leave a comment for the author without your e-mail address, if you like!)

Interview with paranormal novelist Jennifer Rainey

Today's guest has a unique bio to get us started. Jennifer Rainey is currently touring her paranormal novel The Beldam’s Eye.

In addition to the fun interview there are a lot of giveaways! Jennifer is going to give away two $20 Amazon GCs and five copies of Thoroughly Modern Monsters, her short story collection to randomly drawn commenters during the tour. The grand prize to one randomly drawn commenter will be a $25 Amazon Gift card, a copy of These Hellish Happenings (her first novel) and a copy of Thoroughly Modern Monsters.

If you'd like a chance to win any of the giveaways, leave an e-mail address with a comment below, or to increase your chances, leave a comment at any of her other tour stops, too.

Bio:

Jennifer Rainey was raised by wolves who later sold her to gypsies. She then joined the circus at the age of ten. There, she was the flower girl in the famed Bearded Bride of Beverly Hills show until the act was discontinued (it was discovered that the bearded lady was actually a man). From there, she wandered around the country selling novelty trucker hats with vaguely amusing sayings printed on front. Somehow, she made enough money to go to The Ohio State University for a major in English.

Welcome, Jennifer. Please tell us about your current release.

The Beldam’s Eye is a story that’s been following me around for almost five years now; trust me, it’s so nice to finally have it down on paper! It follows a duo of paranormal investigators as they take a case that’s a little more intense than they’re used to. I wanted this book to be just as much about the human element as the paranormal element. The people involved are flawed and (relatively) normal people who have been sucked into something very paranormal. It’s got a great mix of horror and humor, too. I never wanted to take it too seriously.

What inspired you to write this book?

I do some paranormal investigating myself, and I love watching all those TV shows about it. Ghost Hunters, Ghost Adventures, Haunted History… those are my favorites! I’ve always loved a good ghost story, too, so it was only a matter of time before I wrote one myself.

Excerpt:

Ras could hear shuffling in the kitchen. He ruffled his hands through his wet hair and walked into the living room.

A ghost covered in soot rummaged through his kitchen cabinets, humming lowly to himself, and he smiled when he found a mug that looked like a purple cat. Its tail curled into the handle, and this amused him. The occasional spark of fire flew from his dark fingers.

Ras opened his mouth to speak, but was silenced by, “Well, you gonna stand there, or you gonna get me something to drink?” The ghost burst into laughter too quickly and turned to face him. His glowing orange eyes seemed somehow mirthful, but he didn’t let his guard down. Ghosts were known for their mood swings. Being reduced to nothing but a mass of paranormal energy complete with its own electromagnetic field will do that to a person. “I’m jokin’, I’m jokin’! I couldn’t drink anything anyway.”

Ras smiled. “I wonder why you’re looking through my cabinets, then.”

“Oh, just pokin’ around,” the ghost answered in a creaky voice. “Gettin’ to know ya. I’m gonna have to if we’re gonna work together, right?”

Ras laughed. “Really? What can you tell by looking at my coffee cups?”

“Well… you like cats? Purple ones, I reckon. You got a purple cat around here somewhere?”

Ras knew in situations like this, the worst thing one could do was antagonize the ghost. Sometimes a ghost was a little addled by the dying process. It was better to try to out-crazy a spirit, make them think you were the one with a screw loose.

“Not a purple one, I’m afraid,” Ras answered, “but I did have a blue one once. I’ve always been fond of blue cats!”

“Ah, you see! Close enough, right? And I could tell that just by pokin’ through your coffee cups. I’m a regular Sherlock Holmes.”

What exciting story are you working on next?

I have SO many stories I’m working on right now! I have two projects that I’m getting ready to edit, but the next book I’m planning to write will be this year’s NaNo project. In my last book, Thoroughly Modern Monsters, I had a short story about a siren who worked for a carnival; my next book will be a sequel to that story. It follows the story of what happens to said siren (named Quinnish Stern) after he leaves the carnival.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

When I was 18, I won a state-wide writing competition and got this big ol’ trophy for it and everything. That was the turning point for me. That was the first time I wrote something and thought, y’know, I don’t think I just want to do this as a hobby; I want to put serious time and effort into 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?

I’m, unfortunately, not a full time writer, and when I’m not writing, I work at a well-known department store that I’m sure most of you in America have shopped at before, haha! My schedule is a little strange and irregular there, so I do my best to work around it and get writing in whenever I have free time.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I’ll write whole scenes in dialogue before I add any narration whatsoever! Also, I must have tea while I write.

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

A librarian! The funny thing is that throughout my later childhood and my teenage years, I wanted to be a thousand other things (an actress, a teacher, a vet) and next year I’m going for my Master’s in library science. Haha! So, I obviously should’ve just listened to my inner child in the first place.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

Just that I hope you enjoy the book if you decide to pick it up! I’ve had more fun writing The Beldam’s Eye than I’ve ever had writing anything else!

Various ways to connect with me include:

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Website

Thanks, Jennifer. 

Readers, remember Jennifer is going to give away two $20 Amazon GCs and five copies of Thoroughly Modern Monsters, her short story collection to randomly drawn commenters during the tour. The grand prize to one randomly drawn commenter will be a $25 Amazon Gift card, a copy of These Hellish Happenings (her first novel) and a copy of Thoroughly Modern Monsters.

If you'd like a chance to win any of the giveaways, leave an e-mail address with a comment below, or to increase your chances, leave a comment at any of her other tour stops, too.

Interview with mystery author Shelly Frome

Happy Monday, Readers. Today’s guest is mystery author Shelly Frome to tell us a little about his newest novel, Twilight of the Drifter.

Bio:

Shelly Frome is a member of Mystery Writers of America, a professor of dramatic arts emeritus at the University of Connecticut, a former professional actor, a writer of mysteries, books on theater and film, and articles on the performing arts appearing in a number of periodicals in the U.S. and the U.K. He is also a film critic and a contributor to writers’ blogs. 

His fiction includes Lilac Moon, Sun Dance for Andy Horn, Tinseltown Riff and the trans-Atlantic cozy The Twinning Murders. 

Among his works of non-fiction are the acclaimed The Actors Studio and texts on the art and craft of screenwriting and writing for the stage. 

Twilight of the Drifter, his latest novel, is a southern gothic crime-and-blues odyssey.

Please tell us about your current release.

Josh, a thirty-something drifter, finds himself down-and-out in a homeless shelter in Paducah, Kentucky when he comes across a troubled 13-year-old girl shivering in an abandoned box car. In effect, this moment signifies one last chance to make amends for a squandered life and sets him on a collision course with a backwoods tracker and, by extension, the governor-elect of Mississippi involving deep dark secrets dating back to the Civil Rights Movement.

What inspired you to write this book?

It all started when a friend of ours invited us down to the hill country of Mississippi. As it happens, he’d inherited a backwoods cabin and was in the process of fixing it up. At one point, he suggested that he and I take an exploratory walk. Following a narrow overgrown path, soon we became entangled in briars, edged past some barbed wire as the terrain sloped down and eventually came across waterlogged limbs sticking out like menacing pitchforks. At that moment, I turned to him and said, “Bob, do you have any idea where we are?”

He gave me a half-wary half-mischievous look and said, “Shelly, I believe this here is Wolf Creek.”

Then and there something began to percolate. A feeling there were buried secrets here that would never see the light of day.

When we did manage to make it back, something about the cabin in the deep woods evoked a vague image of a Confederate outpost, and then a retreat during the civil rights movement, and then an equally vague notion of a caretaker for whom time was telescoped. That is, for him almost simultaneously it was the memory of skirmishes with Yankee troops, Federal marshals at Ole Miss during the 1960s, and an anxiety over Washington inflicting more mandates threatening his way of life. By this point, I simply had to explore where in the world all of this was leading.

What exciting story are you working on next?

My Hollywood story centers on Ben Prine, a thirty-something hack screenwriter who, on a Labor Day weekend, finds himself in desperate straits. Latching on to a dubious last-minute opportunity, he unwittingly embarks on a collision course with a Montana tracker connected with a Vegas mob; an odyssey which culminates in a showdown on an abandoned Western movie set.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

When the kids in study hall back in Shenandoah Junior High in Miami kept asking me for the next installment of an adventure story I was writing off the top of my head.

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?

This question always reminds me of the answer a famous playwright once gave me. People kept asking him when it would be completed. After a number of months he would finally tell them, “It’s finished. Now all I have to do is write it down.” So, in a sense, I guess I’m always writing.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

An antic disposition which makes sure that every moment and every character comes alive on the page.

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

Anything that would allow me to be creative and never have to go to work at a regular job.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

The poet Rilke once wrote that all art is the result of being in danger, going as far as one can possibly go and beyond. From all accounts, the Drifter seems to live up to that guideline.

You can connect with me on Twitter, @shellyfrome.

Thanks, Shelly!

Live chat/interview with dark fic author Bob Nailor

The Writer's Chatroom presents dark fic author Bob Nailor.

WHEN?

Sunday, October 14, 2012

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 Sign In. No password needed.

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