An Interview with Lee Goldberg as we say goodbye to Mr. Monk....

Lee Goldberg interview:

By Pamela James

Lee Goldberg, is witty, wonderful and just plain nice. As the final season finale of Monk comes to a close, Lee took the time to answer a few pending questions......

Lee, tell us about a bit about your latest book and your writing schedule

My latest book is MR. MONK IN TROUBLE, the ninth in my series of original novels based on the TV series (which I also wrote for). Monk is sent to Trouble, a California Gold Rush town, to investigate a murder. He soon discovers that the murder is linked to the past... and to his own distant relative, a quirky assayer named Artemis Monk.

This book gave me a chance to dabble in westerns, something I've always enjoyed reading but, until now, have never tried writing before. The story bounces between the 1850s and present-day, between Artemis Monk of yesteryear and the Adrian Monk that we know and love.

My writing schedule isn't set in stone. I basically work on my books whenever I am not working on a script, or vice-versa. I have about four months to write each book, so I write anywhere and everywhere I can put pen to paper (or fingers to a keyboard). No matter what I am writing, I tend to do my best work between 8 pm and 2 am. Don't ask me why...my brother Tod is the same way.

Of course we want to know if the Monk Mysteries will continue?

There will be at least two more MONK books... MR. MONK IS CLEANED OUT in July 2010 and MR. MONK GETS EVEN, the book I am writing now, in Dec. 2010. After that, who knows?

What are your 2010 writing and promotion plans? Do you have another television series you will be writing?

I intend to finish a standalone novel that I have been working on and I hope to begin production in Berlin & Shanghai this summer on a movie I wrote for a studio in Europe. This has been a rough couple of years in the TV business, so I don't know for sure where I will land next tube-wise. As far as promotion goes, I will keep doing interviews like this, interacting with fans on my blog (leegoldberg.typepad.com), my Facebook page, my website (www.leegoldberg.com) and on Twitter.

Okay - give us personal background on you such as what you do when you're not writing?

When I am not writing, I am a professional sexual surrogate and Pierce Brosnan impersonator. I'm married and have a 14-year-old daughter, neither of whom know about those other pursuits...so please don't tell them. I was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, where my father was an anchorman on KPIX and my mother was a reporter for the Contra Costa Times. My mother wanted me to be a doctor, and my grandfather wanted me to go into the family furniture business ("Everybody has to sit somewhere," he said). Instead, I put myself through school at UCLA as a freelance journalist, writing for such publications as American Film, Starlog, Newsweek, The Los Angeles Times Syndicate, The Washington Post and The San Francisco Chronicle. I also wrote erotic letters to the editor for Playgirl at $25-a-letter, but sssh, that's a secret, too.

My first book was published while I was still at UCLA. It was called .357 VIGILANTE and I wrote it as "Ian Ludlow," so I'd be on the shelf next to Robert Ludlum . The West Coast Review of Books called his debut "as stunning as the report of a .357 Magnum, a dynamic premiere effort," singling the book out as "The Best New Paperback Series" of the year. Naturally, the publisher promptly went bankrupt and I never saw a dime in royalties (It's now available as an ebook on Kindle and the Nook). Since then, I've written dozens of books -- fiction and non-fiction -- and written & produced hundreds of hours of TV. My TV writing and/or producing credits include DIAGNOSIS MURDER, HUNTER, SPENSER FOR HIRE, NERO WOLFE, SLIDERS, SEAQUEST, MISSING and MONK.

Will you be guest speaker at any mystery conferences this year?

I'll be attending Left Coast Crime in L.A, the 3rd Annual Forensic Trends: Psychiatric & Behavioral Issues Conference in Las Vegas, the International Mystery Writers Festival in Owensboro KY, Bouchercon in San Francisco, and the Professional Pierce Brosnan Impersonator Convention in my living room.

Last, but never least, do you have a favorite Monk episode or favorite Monk book?

I really liked my episodes of MONK -- "Mr. Monk Goes to Mexico," "Mr. Monk and The Godfather," and "Mr. Monk Can't See a Thing." I also really enjoyed the series finale very much, too. I like all my MONK books (of course!) but I think the ones that were the most fun to write were probably MR. MONK IS MISERABLE and MR. MONK IN TROUBLE.

Leave us with some Monk words of wisdom

Never eat mixed nuts.
--
www.leegoldberg.com

Guest Blogger - Rhys Bowen

When I asked Pamela what she wanted me to blog about, she said "the magic of being an author."

My first thought was that it's not always so magical. That looming deadline, those copy edits and page proofs that arrive when I have a streaming cold and are wanted back within three days--and how about those East Coast morning show interviews that make me stand shivering in my pjs, trying to sound bright and perky at three a.m., or the book tour in July when it's 117 degrees in Scottsdale and I have ten stores to visit? Being an author is often hard work. It's sitting in front of a computer and making myself write five pages when I don't feel like writing anything.

But then I open my emails and there is a message from someone telling me how my Lady Georgie or Molly or Evan book has just helped her through chemo, and I'm reminded that there is a magical side. Seeing my books on a bookstore shelf never gets old. Seeing a woman reading one across the aisle on a flight recently gives me an incredible thrill. Meeting fans who have driven two hundred miles to a book signing is a humbling and bewildering experience for me. So yes, I guess it is magical that I can start with the germ of an idea--how about if Molly met Houdini? And six months later it is a completed story, ready to be turned into a book. It is magical to be blessed with a gift of words and with the perserverance to shape those words into stories that readers like.

I've now written 24 mystery novels and I begin each new book with a sense of panic. What if the plot won't work out this time? What if I don't know whodunit at the end? The first fifty pages are pure torture. Then the story crystalizes, the writing gets easier and the last half of the book romps along merrily. It's the same process every time but I still can't calm those fears and self doubts that start each new book.

I'm just about to start on a new Molly book next week, so I'm in the worry stage at the moment. I know where it will take place--in Chinatown, and I know who is going to die, but that's about all. I've read many interesting books about the history of the Chinese in America. Every new Molly book educates me in another sphere. The research is an aspect I love about writing historical novels. I had such fun researching Houdini, who will figure prominently in The Last Illusion--in stores March 2, 2010.

And I had even more fun with my next Lady Georgie book: Georgie is sent to represent the family at a royal wedding in Europe. Only the wedding is in Transylvania. Georgie doesn't exactly believe in vampires, but what is crawling up the wall and why does the bride have blood dripping down her chin? I really wanted to do a spoof on all the vampire frenzy--to keep it funny but scary at the same time. It comes out in September and is called Royal Blood.

And tomorrow I'm off to Arizona to join the rest of my family at a lodge in the mountains near Sedona for Thanksgiving. This has become a wonderful tradition. The grandkids have a ball and the grown ups hike and play and eat and sit by a roaring fire. Perfect.

So I'm wishing everyone who reads this a wonderful holiday season and happy reading in 2010.

Rhys Bowen

An Interview with Lisa A. Bork

Lisa Bork is new upon the mystery author scene and here is her thoughts on mystery writing, being an author and on her new mystery FOR BETTER, FOR MURDER.

Pamela: Lisa tell us how long it took you to write, FOR BETTER FOR MURDER.

I started it in February 2007 and finished in August 2007. Then I passed it by ten readers for feedback and made my revisions. I sent out my query letters a month later.

Pamela: Tell us about your writing schedule and where you write?

I don't have a schedule. I only write when I feel like it. Obviously, I was pretty motivated in 2007 and wrote almost every weekday while my kids were at school and sometimes on the weekends. Now I most often write weekdays during the school year, two to four hours a day. Sometimes other times, if and when ideas come to me.

Pamela: Now we want to know about your life? What is your favorite book, movie, food, and tell us about being a mystery author?

I don't have a favorite book, although I have read Gone With The Wind more than once. I like character driven stories with humor. My favorite kind of movies are romantic comedies like You've Got Mail. I've watched Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice many times, as well as Pretty Woman and, you guessed it, Gone With The Wind.

Being a mystery author is still new to me. It's what I do now, and I'll do it as long as it's fun to write and people want to read my stories. When that's no longer true, I'll find something else to do.

Pamela: What are your future writing plans?

I'm currently writing the fourth book in my series. I have storylines for these characters and series for one or two more books beyond that. I'm waiting for another idea to hit me, so that I can write either another series or a standalone. An idea hasn't even brushed by me yet.

Pamela: What would you like the readers to know about Lisa: the woman, the friend and the mystery reader?

Oh my gosh! Well, I am the mother of two delightful children, and my husband and I have been married almost seventeen years. I can be happy with one true friend, but I'm a friendly person.

As a mystery reader, I cut my teeth on The Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, and Cherry Ames then moved onto Agatha Christie, Ellery Queen, and Alfred Hitchcock. I enjoy characters like Stephanie Plum and Myron Bolitar and Fletch. I like to laugh out loud or be moved by characters.

Lisa: What would you like to say to your readers?

Hi! Thrilled to know you're reading my books. I hope you enjoy them.

Lisa: How many times do you rewrite your books?

The hardest chapter I ever wrote was the first chapter in For Better, For Murder. I changed it several times until I got it just the way I wanted it. Now I rewrite lines and passages to fit things I discover as the story comes to me.

Lisa; Give us some background on how you became a mystery author?

Truthfully, I was motivated by boredom. I worked for many years in human resources and marketing, but I decided to stay at home when my kids were young. When they entered school full-time, I didn't know what to do with myself. I wanted something to do at home that might make a little money and keep me entertained--and still available for field trips, class parties, and school vacations. With a bachelors degree in English and a love for writing and books, taking a stab at becoming an author solved my problem.

Lisa: Why do you think holiday mysteries, wedding mysteries, and hobby mysteries are so popular?

I think those kinds of mysteries give an author the opportunity to write a character driven story, and I think readers are interested in other people, real or imaginary. With hobby mysteries, readers might learn something new or enjoy someone else's perspective on their interests. Holidays and weddings always seem to bring out the best and the worse in people, which makes for interesting storylines.

Lisa: What is the best part of being a mystery author?

Writing entertains me, and I'm hoping it entertains my readers, too.

Lisa: Leave us with some writing words of wisdom and your website addy.

If you want to be a writer, I must steal from Nike's slogan: Just Do It.

By all means, please visit me at www.LisaBork.com. I have pictures of my writing inspirations there and a list of things I found helpful on my way to being published.

Guest Blogger - Lois Greiman

They say you can judge a person by the company she keeps. I find this interesting (and a little scary) because just last week I told an author friend that I was planning to write a book about werewolves with my daughter. And she said, “Yeah? Is it fiction?”
Ahhh…my people!
Ever since I was a little girl I’ve been enthralled with all things magical. Tolkein was a legend in my world. Ents lived and breathed. Gandalf was my personal hero (Although seriously, if I had known Aragorn was Viggo Mortensen I would have had a poster of HIM instead. Except he didn’t have the great horse: Shadowfax--when I saw him on the big screen I actually started to cry. But I digress…and ramble.)
Annnnyway, back in the dark ages I wrote a trilogy I called the Dragonheart series. It was about a magical amulet that passed amongst three Scottish girls. I desperately wanted a dragon on the cover. But alas, it was later titled ??Highland Brides (sigh) and I was told that if they put a dragon on the front Avon wouldn’t sell a single copy.
Methinks times have changed. These days everything is paranormal, and I’m lovin’ the weird stuff. We have witches, faeries, demons, and elves. Not to mention vampires up the wazoo. To me fantasy is the ultimate fiction. The farthest reaches of our imagination. Love it, love it, love it. But…when my twenty year old daughter suggested that we write a paranormal novel together, I played it cool. “A paranormal, you say.” (This is me looking wise. Maybe stroking my chin.) “You and I? I don’t know I’m a little too busy to be spending time playing make believe WITH MY FAVORITE PERSON IN THE WORLD!!”
As you can imagine I was all over this idea. I eat, sleep, and ruminate this idea. So, hold your communal breath for me, please, and hope we can get this brainstorm off the ground.
Until then I have my latest series for your reading pleasure. The Witches of Mayfair series been tons of magical fun for me. Under Your Spell and Seduced By Your Spell are already out there. The final book, Charming the Devil, will be released in February. They’re about a coven of government witches in 19th century London. Just serving up a little Regency weird stuff. Hope you enjoy.

Best Books of 2009

It's that time of year, you know what I mean I am listing the ten best books I've read for 2009: Please blog us your ten best books of 2009.

1. The BAKER STREET LETTERS (Those who love Sherlock Holmes will devour series) by Michael
2. The VICTORIA VANISHES by Christopher Fowler
3. The GHOST and the FEMME FATALE by Alice Kimberley
4. The UNRAVELING of VIOLETA BELL by C.R. Corwin
5. BOOKPLATE SPECIAL by Lorna Barrett.
6. IN the BEST FAMILIES by Rex Stout
7. The CAT, The QUILT And The CORPSE by Leann Sweeney
8. MURDER With All The TRIMMINGS by Elaine Viets
9. The ALPINE RECLUSE by Mary Daheim
10. ALMOND and RAISINS by Kerry Greenwood.
Two runner ups were:
ONE HEX of a Wedding BY YASMINE GALENORN
FOR WHOM The DEATH TOLLS by Kate Kingsbury
I read some other really good books but these made this year's cut. I doubt in another month I would refine this list of books.

November is Here!

It's fall and the leaves are falling faster from the trees than a Nascar can reach the finish line. It's ther pefect time to feel warm and cozy, and it's the perfect time to read.
This fall I have read some very great book a cat book by Leann Sweeney, a wonderful book by JB Stanley, and the list goes on and on but today let's talk about what books are on your Christmas Wishlist.
Mine are Merry, Merry Murder by Carolyn Hart, all the books by Christopher Fowler (his perculiar crimes series), the latest Carola Dunn Mystery, the last two Emily Brightwell Mrs. Jefferies Mysteries, Cubbed To Death by Elaine Viets, the latest Lisa Scottoline Legal Thriller, most of the books in the Alpine Series by Mary Daheim, plus I'm really trying hard to think of everyone and I'm sure I missed some great authors.
How do you keep track of your wishlist?
I know I discovered a new author recently Barbara Allen I have her Christmas Mystery that I stumbled on and love it.
Okay for this month this is all I have to say except HAPPY THANKSGIVING one and all.
Love,
Pamela