An Interview with Caroline Haines

MM: Your recent book cover is to die for. Tell us about it and your book.

St.Martin's gets the credit for the book cover for STICKS AND BONES and Thomas & Mercer gets the credit for THE HOUSE OF MEMORIES. Their art departments keep coming up with terrific concepts. 

As to the Sarah Booth book, I had this idea for a story about a real Delta b**ch. I've met a few in my day, and Frangelica "Sister" McFee is one. I do want to make a disclaimer here. Vladimir Putin makes an appearance in this story--I thought it was the most ludicrous scenario I could come up with. Just over the top. And I wrote that scene in February of 2016. Lo and behold, November rolls around and guess who is all over the news? Am I psychic or what?

MM: I love this series and want to know if you have any favorite minor characters or guest characters?

This is probably sacrilege, but I secretly hoped Sarah Booth would hook up with Hamilton Garrett. That was my original intent, way back in THEM BONES. But I've learned who Sarah Booth is, and she has control of her romantic fate, not me. I love Millie and Cece and of course Tinkie. Harold has truly grown on me. And Coleman--what can I say? He is a great guy who has also grown in his capability to see who Sarah Booth is and accept her. But Jitty steals my heart every book. She's so BAD, but so protective of Sarah Booth. I wish I had a Jitty.

MM: Do you have a fun story to tell as maybe someone dressed up as some of the characters from your books?

One of my best friends since we were five, Debby Porter Pruett, loves clothes and jewelry and the finer things of life. I've always been a tomboy--I love my farm and the horses and there's just no place for Mani-Peddies and expensive things. (I once had my hair styled very elegantly for a TV appearance but I had to feed the horses before I went. I had so much hairspray going on that some flies got trapped in my hair. Yeah, it's true. My life defies glamour!) But I love my animals more than looking pretty. But back to Debby. The character Jitty is based on Debby. She was always trying to get me to marry well so I could "support her." All of the clothes Jitty wears in THEM BONES came from Debby's college wardrobe. Velveteen hot pants. Yowza! But back then we were really cute.

MM: How many books will you write this year? 

I'll have 3 complete novels out this year )STICKS AND BONES--May, THE HOUSE OF MEMORY--June, and FAMILIAR TROUBLE--July). Two Sarah Booth short stories, and I have an essay in a collection of traditions called A YEAR IN MISSISSIPPI and a reprinted mystery story in BELLES Letters 2, Contemporary stories by Alabama women. I am that lucky person who can claim two states! One of the 3 novels is a brand new romantic mystery featuring Trouble, son of Familiar the black cat detective. It is going to be so much fun!

 MM: 2017 is here so my question is what are you looking forward to this year?

The launch of the Trouble series. Bringing back some of the older FEAR FAMILIAR books. The release of my new books--STICKS AND BONES, and also the second Pluto's Snitch mystery, THE HOUSE OF MEMORIES (I really, really love this series and the chance to write about the past and a few chilling supernatural encounters.)

 

MM: A few fun questions: Do you look forward to binge watching any Netflix, acorn or other series on television?

House of Cards is a favorite. I'm ready for more People of Earth, and I hope the Exorcist returns. I really like television and there are fabulous shows available all the time now. I love scary movies and shows. (Stranger Things was great fun.) It's wonderful to be able to watch a show whenever, but I really miss the excitement of being hooked into a show and everyone watches it at the same time and then talks about it. I miss that.

MM: How much of a people watcher are you?

I can entertain myself for hours watching people. I used to play a game with my work-study students. We'd go to lunch and pick out a person and decide who they were, what they did, the details of their lives. Then I would go and ask them. Most of the time they were happy to chat. Once or twice it didn't end pretty! But we had fun anyway.

MM: What is your favorite meal, place to travel, person to travel with and song?

I love anything Southern. I love fried foods but I try not to eat them. Ireland and Nicaragua are the best vacations I've ever had. Both very different but so incredibly wonderful. I've had some wonderful traveling companions who had every right to kill me but didn't. And I am still stuck in the singer/songwriter zone. Jesse Winchester, Townes Van Zandt, Roddy McDowell, Rosanne Cash, Kris Kristofferson. And I love the blues. Man, I love the blues.

MM: Do you have a favorite teacher or someone you would like to give a shout out?

Carolyn Nyman, my mother's best friend, and I am named for her, was my English teacher for 3 years in middle and high school (and no I didn't flunk three grades!). She introduced me to Eudora Welty's writing and it changed my life. Jean Todd Freeman at the University of Southern Mississippi was also fabulous. Sue Walker at the University of South Alabama was a great teacher and a great boss.

MM: I won't ask you to give us favorite authors that you read or binge read their books but I will ask if you have a favorite book from childhood?

The Secret Garden. I loved that story. It has everything a reader could want. Mystery, chills, secrets, characters who find their true hearts. I still love it.

MM: Let's talk about the publishing world and how it has affected you?

I never knew publishing could be so hard. Had I known 35 years ago, I might have taken a different path. Stardust falls on some writers, but most of us slog it out in the trenches everyday, striving for that great sentence or paragraph or scene. I am tougher than I ever knew I could be. And desperation is truly the mother of invention. I've reinvented myself a number of times to stay alive. But I don't regret a moment. Not a single moment.

MM: In closing leave us with some sage words of wisdom from one of your characters? Your website address and anything else you would like us to know.

Writing is solitary work. Sharing a book is such great joy. I thank all of the readers who have recommended my books to others. And just a little shout out to the fine editors I've worked with who made my books so much better. And please, spay and neuter your companion animals. It's important. Donate to programs that do this. The world doesn't have to be so hard for animals. We can make it a whole lot better with only a little bit of effort. Those are my sage words--and any character of mine would say exactly that!

www.carolynhaines.com

Carolyn

An Interview with EJ Copperman

MM:  E.J., you have a new book released today. Tell us about your book?

Thanks for inviting me! SPOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL is the eighth in the Haunted Guesthouse series, but a new reader can jump right in without worrying about being lost. All is explained. In this novel, Alison Kerby, who owns and runs a haunted guesthouse on the Jersey Shore, is annoyed that her ex-husband, whom she calls The Swine, is visiting because he’s running from some unsavory characters who he says want to kill him. Alison, who can see the upside in either outcome, reluctantly lets him stay in the guesthouse, but when one of The Swine’s pursuers ends up shot dead, she’s not sure whether she’s harboring a killer or protecting the father of her daughter from one.

MM: Give us the backstory on your series?

Alison bought the guesthouse in Harbor Haven, NJ (I made it up, don’t bother with Google) after her divorce and moved in with her nine-year-old daughter Melissa, who is now thirteen in SPOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL. When renovating the place before opening it up to paying guests, she was hit on the head with some wallboard compound (don’t ask) and upon awakening saw two ghosts in the house, Maxie Malone and Paul Harrison. They wouldn’t leave until Alison helped Paul, a fledgling investigator, find out who had killed them. But even after she did, they weren’t able to leave. So they struck a deal: Alison will help Paul with the occasional investigation if the two ghosts help perform “spook shows” to attract guests who want a supernatural experience. 

MM: You write the Asperger’s Mystery series with Jeff Cohen. What would Jeff tell us about being your writing partner?

That I’m always prepared and ready to work, and he is… let’s say Jeff needs some encouragement early in the day, and he only drinks decaf. It’s a trial.

MM: Direct us to where we can find more information about your series and how to order your books?

You can always check in with me at www.ejcopperman.com and I do blog (although Cohen takes the credit) at HEY THERE’S A DEAD GUY IN THE LIVING ROOM every Monday. Books can be found in honest-to-goodness bookstores and, truly, anywhere books are sold. 

MM: Writing a series can be hard but you write at least two series. Tell us what haunts you about being a series author?

I actually am now writing FOUR series if you include the one with Cohen, which I do because somebody has to do the majority of the work. Besides the Guesthouse series and the Asperger’s series, I write the Mysterious Detective Mystery series, in which a crime fiction writer is confronted with the living embodiment of her main character, and starting in 2017, the Agent to the Paws series, in which a theatrical agent whose clients are all (actual) animals keeps finding trouble wherever one of her furry or feathered clients goes. 

I like writing series because you’re telling a much longer story and you can find out things about the character over time rather than having to unveil it all at once. I think readers who hang in there for more than one book feel rewarded for their loyalty, and new readers can come in anywhere and get caught up.

MM: Where did you come up with the idea to have a series about a divorced mother who makes a fresh start then ends up living with ghosts?

Actually, it started as an idea about a house-flipper and evolved over dinner with my editor at a Bouchercon. I honestly don’t remember how the ghosts got there.

MM: When not teaching, writing, blogging and being a hard writing author. What do you do to de-stress?

I play some bad acoustic guitar and nap a lot. And we have this dog who needs to be walked more times a day than I care to consider. 

MM: I know you love baseball and movies but what else do you like to do in your spare time?

I write four series. What is this “spare time” you mentioned?

MM: Is there an author or two whose book you never miss reading as soon as it is released?

I’m not going to name people because some are friends and I might not mention everybody. But I did used to read Robert B. Parker a lot.

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

Hello! Have a seat! I’ll make cocoa.

MM: Think back and pick a special memory in your childhood that you will share with us today?

My father owned a paint store in Newark, NJ at the time of the riots in 1967. My mom was very worried about him getting home in the midst of all the looting and violence she saw on TV. But he always treated everyone with respect and dignity. He made it home that day untouched and the next day found the plate glass window on the front of his store had been emblazoned by neighborhood residents with the words SOUL BROTHER. No one touched the store. That told me something about people and how they should be treated.

MM: In closing share with us some fun facts about you. Your favorite meal, dessert, vacation, movie/movies, and song?

Favorite meal? Wow. Something bad for me. Pasta? Steak? Steak with a side of pasta? I eat like a 12-year-old. Dessert: Chocolate chip cookie ice cream from Thomas Sweets in New Brunswick, NJ. Vacation: I loved Rome. We’re going to Hawaii for Left Coast Crime in March. Movie: How much time have you got? NORTH BY NORTHWEST, YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, HORSE FEATHERS, SILVERADO, THE MALTESE FALCON, DUCK SOUP… I could go on. Song: I don’t have a favorite song. My favorite album ever is RUBBER SOUL and current one is the HAMILTON cast album, although Circe Link is great, too.

Magical Arts Fridays - An Interview with Quilter Peggy Gatewood

MM: Peggy where did you get your love of quilting?

Love of quilting -not sure-had several relatives that quilted.

MM: Have other family members followed in your footsteps?

My granddaughter made her first quilt when she was 10

MM: Tell us about the quilters guild of Parsons and what you have learned from some of the quilters?

The Quilter's Guild of Parsons is a great group of women who teach, encourage, and support anyone who loves quilting.

They always share tips they've learned, are quick to help if you're having problems or want advice, or fabric from their stash. We make and donate quilts to the local Red Cross for fire victims in about 7 SEK counties.

MM: I have seen and voted for some of your quilts. Do you have a quilt that has more meaning than the others?

.Probably the quilts I made my Mother. I made a puzzle quilt since she loved jigsaw puzzles and a Seven Sisters quilt since she had 7 sisters

MM: Do you have a favorite quilt that you have made?

. Probably my Dog Quilt. It has won several ribbons. 

MM: I know you work for the local vet clinic. Has this inspired some of your quilts? Tell us about the clinic and the animals. Do you own pets?

. I have worked at the clinic for almost 30 years  as manager and have done every job. We treat all species of animals. I like dogs the best and  I'm always on the lookout for dog print fabrics and have made several dog quilts. I have 4 rescue dogs-Monkey, Kashi, Hank and Frank. When we were challenged to make a quilt about our experience with the Parsons Tornado, I made one featuring my dogs . My Aunt, Sister and Mother were with me that night at the Guild's Guest Night and the dogs were home alone.

MM: How does this work for you? What I mean is do you see a pretty flower garden or hear a story maybe attending an event but how and where do you get your inspiration for the beautiful quilts to make?

. I'm usually inspired by the fabric first and then find a pattern. It's a personal thing for each quilter. Some people love 1800's fabrics. I find them drab looking. I usually use bright cheerful fabrics. My friend, Nancy Tiede and I are known as the "bright" girls. People usually pick out our quilts right away

MM: Is there someone you would like to thank that has inspired you?

. My Aunt Regina probably inspired me the most. She always had a quilt in the frame.

MM: Okay for some get-to know you questions. What is your favorite meal, place to vacation, dessert, song, book, holiday, magazine, quilt show/s, color, other hobbies, movie/s and shows to binge watch?

Personally-food-anything Mexican, we cruise to the Caribbean every year-attached is a photo of a T Shirt quilt from some of our cruises. Anything chocolate, old school R & B music, mysteries, no favorite holidays-they're too much work, PEOPLE mag, any of the PBS quilting shows are good. I like to knit baby hats for the Purple Campaign. Bad Santa is a guilty pleasure movie, I don't watch much TV, but I  like Project Runway and Lucifer-and try to catch the Royals games.

MM: Do you have some quilters words of wisdom?

Don't be afraid to try something new and know everyone has to rip things out-often.

MM: In closing what would you like to add to this interview as far as a quilter quote or story?

. I encourage anyone thinking of taking up quilting to jump in. Ask for help at your local quilt shop and visit a quilter's guild meeting in your area. They're very friendly people.

An Interview with Ellen Byron

MM: Ellen, give us the backstory on your writing career?

I graduated from Tulane University with the always-useful degree in Theatre. (Sarcasm!) I acted for a few years, and then started writing plays. My first, GRACELAND, won awards and was published. I began writing freelance magazine articles to support myself, and gradually writing supplanted acting. In 1990, I moved from my beloved New York City to L.A. to see if I could transition into writing for television, which I’m proud to say that I did. Since then I’ve written on shows like WINGS, JUST SHOOT ME and STILL STANDING. I’ve also written pilots for most of the major networks.

MM: Where is your favorite place to write your books?

I’m not someone who who can write in coffee houses or unique places. I sit at the computer in my office and pound away.

MM: Are you the seat of your pants (punster) plotter? Would you rather outline or is there another way you plot your books?

I call myself a plotser. I need to lay out a blueprint for where my story is going, and that can turn into a 25 – 30 page outline. But the minute I start writing, things begin moving around. It’s like looking at amoeba on a slide under a microscope, where nothing seems to stay in place. I tend to have a lot of little brainstorms when I’m working on a book and I have to write them down or they go away. And I find my overall story structure stays the same, so the bones of the outline are useful, and it’s also useful as a repository for my random thoughts.

MM: Are you a member of a writer's group or is there a village, mentor, or many others you would like to tell us about and want to give a shout out of thanks?

Two groups: GoWrite, made up of Mindy Schneider, Kathy McCullough, 

Kate Shein, and Terri Wagener. This is where I first began writing mysteries and nothing would exist without them. And then there are the wonderful ladies who invited me to join their multi-author blog, chicksonthecase.com. They would be Lisa Q. Mathews, Kellye Garrett, and Marla Cooper. I love that I get to mix it up with both mystery and non-mystery authors. And both Sisters in Crime Los Angeles and SoCal Mystery Writers of America have been a godsend.

MM: What would your characters tell us about you?

That I love them, and sometimes forget that I made them up. I feel like they’re real and I can go visit them. Which means I also forget that I made up Pelican, Louisiana!

MM: Now for lighter questions. What is your favorite meal, shows to binge watch, place to vacation, music, movies and snack or dessert?

Meal: anything Italian. Or sushi

Place to vacation: Bantam Lake, Connecticut. My family had a cottage there for years. We had to sell it after my dad passed away.

Music: I have the taste of a fifteen year-old girl, so Top Forty dance music. Right now I love “Cake by the Ocean,” by DNCE. But I also have both Bollywood and Cajun/Zydeco playlists.

Shows: I don’t have time to binge-watch, I’m always writing! I’m mourning the loss of my two favorite shows, Mad Men and Downton Abbey, but looking forward to the return of Silicon Valley and Veep.

Movies: All-time faves: The Producers, Flirting with Disaster, Amarcord, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, and The Haunting.

Dessert: pretty much anything! I do live for See’s Candy, though.

MM: Tell us about where you live and why you love your home?

I live in Studio City, California. I’m a rain lover, so my residency in dry SoCal is purely for business. I dream of moving back East someday. But I do love our house. It’s a classic California mid-century ranch and we’ve tried to respect its style. My neighborhood is cool because it’s in the Valley side of the Hollywood Hills. Great hiking! And my neighbors include a certain Mr. George Clooney. He of course lives in the fancier section of our neighborhood. I’ve seen him on his motorcycle and neighbors have reported George-Amal sightings at local restaurants. We used to have a basset hound and when I read that George and Amal recently adopted one, I was going to drop our late Lucy’s snood in their mailbox!

MM: 2016 what can we expect from you this year?

Exciting things!! A mass market paperback edition of PLANTATION SHUDDERS launches in early August, and… drumroll, please… book two in my Cajun Country Mysteries series, BODY ON THE BAYOU, launches on September 13^th.

MM: Personally and professionally what are you looking forward to person/s, place or thing?

I’m looking forward to the Malice Domestic Convention, which I just adore. They gave me my start by endowing me with a William F. Deeck-Malice Domestic Grant. And this year I’m nominated for a Best First Novel, which is an absolute dream come true. And I’m very much looking forward to Bouchercon 2016… in New Orleans! I’ll take any excuse I can get to visit my favorite city.

MM: Tell us about your website?

My website was designed by Catherine Respess of Red Mare Designs, and I love it. She is the loveliest, easiest person to work with. We worked to give it the flavor of Louisiana, with images of oak trees and the Mardi Gras colors of purple, green and gold. I blog about all kinds of local color, from plantation visits to New Orleans’ artists. And I send out a bi-monthly newsletter that you can sign up for on my website. It usually includes a recipe and a section I call “Your Louisiana Library,” where I write about some of my favorite Louisiana non-fiction and travel books.

MM: What are your writing pet peeves?

Hah! I just shared a couple of those on a listserv. Right now, one is when people use “it’s” incorrectly, instead of “its.” Another is spelling never mind as one word. Ignore that Nirvana cover. It’s – as in “it is” – two words.

MM: Do you know who your villain is at the beginning of your book?

Yes. I always give myself permission to change that, but so far I never have.

MM: What do you collect? Before writing books did you have a hobby?

I have a large collection of Roseville Pottery, although I haven’t added to it in years. Not enough disposable income. Now I collect vintage cookbooks. Not that I’m a great cook (despite the recipes in my books). I’m just fascinated by how tastes and cooking instructions have changed over the years. I also do needlepoint, and dream of one day writing a mystery series that involves the craft.

MM: Leave us with some sage words of writing wisdom? Also leave us with a quote by one of your characters?

Writing is hard, but it should also be fun and fulfilling. If it’s not, take a break and do something else. Let yourself be driven back to the pad or computer because you simply must get out what is inside you.

I’ll leave you with a quote from BODY ON THE BAYOU, the second book in my series. You will be the first readers to ever see these words. A little back story: my protagonist is Maggie Crozat. She’s an artist who lives and also works at her family’s Louisiana plantation-turned-B&B. She’s found a litter of puppies and one of kittens abandoned in the woods, and she and her family are caring for them. Her friends want to adopt them, but Maggie is being resistant. Her grandmere – “Gran’ “- tells her the following…

Gran’ sighed and shook her head. “Oh, my darling girl. Someday you will have children. And your life will revolve around them to the point where you have only vague memories of what it was like before they entered the world. And then you will have to let them go. You won’t know what to do with yourself at first. But eventually you’ll find the life you had before, or even a better one, if such a thing is possible. And your children will always be part of that, in some way. You will not lose them.” She put her arms on Maggie’s shoulders and looked straight into her granddaughter’s eyes. “But you must let your babies go, chere. Let them go.”

http://www.ellenbyron.com/

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An Interview with Sally Berneathy

By Pamela James

MM: Sally tell us how many books you have written? Give us the backstory on your writing career?

     I have published 24 books. We won’t talk about how many I’ve written. Those first couple will forever be a secret between my trash can and me.

     I began writing fiction in the third grade. We had to do book reports every six weeks. I hated those book reports! We had to take a living, breathing book and tear it down to bare bones then analyze the skeleton. So I decided to write my own story. The teacher loved it and said anyone who wanted could write a story instead of a book report. I was hooked!

      As I wended my way through college (18-1/2 years of night school, over 200 credit hours, lots of diversions into various fields), I could usually convince a teacher to let me do a piece of fiction instead of a boring analytical report or research paper.

     I made my first attempt at writing a book in 1988. That’s one of the ones we don’t talk about. But I found a local writing group, Mid-America Romance Writers, and got involved in a critique group…and learned that writing a book is a lot different from writing short fiction!

     I sold my first book in 1991, a romantic comedy, to Meteor Kismet. They published my book and went out of business.

     I sold my second book in 1992, a romantic suspense, to Silhouette Shadows. They published my book and shut down the line.

     I sold three romantic suspense novels to Robinson Publishing in England. Yeah, they published my books and went out of business.

     I sold a paranormal romance to Berkley’s Haunting Hearts. They published my book and shut down the line.

     But I sold 8 books to Silhouette Romance and 1 to Harlequin Intrigue, and they’re still in business!

     I left the world of writing in 2001 and went to work as a computer programmer for a decade.

   When I returned to writing in 2011, I decided to write mysteries instead of romance. Writers are admonished to write about what we know, and after three divorces, it became quite clear I don’t know squat about romance! But I do know a lot about chocolate and I’ve fantasized a lot about murder. So the Death by Chocolate series was born.

     I wrote that first book and decided to try the new phenomenon of self-publishing. I knew as much about self-publishing as I knew about romance. So the first book sat there selling a few copies but doing nothing spectacular.

   I decided perhaps I should try a different premise for a series. I was sitting at my desk, trying to come up with an idea for that series, when my phone rang. My ex. After nine years he was still harassing me. I felt he was never going to leave me alone. And he was never going to die. And if he did die, he’d come back and haunt me. And The Ex Who Wouldn’t Die series was born.

    I have now written 5 books in the Death by Chocolate series and four in The Ex Who Wouldn’t Die series. I am happy to report that readers have found them and seem to like them, and in May when I moved in with the boyfriend, the ex stopped stalking me!

MM: Give us  little background on who you are and why you became an author?

I have always been an avid reader and a story teller. The idea of creating one of those books that transported me to another world and held my attention for hours was both intimidating and alluring. Now that I’ve done it a few times, it’s still intimidating and alluring. I’m always a bit astonished when I finish a book and realize it actually is a book and not just a bunch of my ramblings.

MM: What is your writing schedule? Where do you write best and if it's your office do you have a picture we can see?

This is my schedule for a typical day:

7:00 ish – Get up.

7:00 to 7:30 ish – Check email.

7:30 ish – Yoga workout

8:00 ish – Free weight or elliptical workout

9:00 ish Shower

9:30 ish Breakfast

10:00 ish Get to work

Now that I’m living with the boyfriend, I stop writing (sometimes I just stop trying to write) around 6:00 for dinner. Even when I lived alone, I had to stop around that time. If I write too late, I can’t sleep. The characters and plot spin round and round in my brain. I have to turn them off and read or watch TV or do something to disconnect until the next day.

I do have an office. In my former house my office was in a sunroom on the second floor up among the trees. It was amazing. In the winter I froze since the sunroom was built over a storage room. But it didn’t matter. I would rather freeze in that sunroom than be comfortable somewhere else in the house. When the boyfriend and I decided to get a place together, my office was a primary concern! The place we chose has a large formal living room with one wall of windows. That’s my office. It’s only one wall and I miss the sunroom, but I sit facing the windows, so it works. The good part is that I have a wall to put some of my bookcases. I’ll take a picture of that wall.

MM: They say it takes a village to write a book. Who is in your village?

And they are so right, though “village” may not be the right term. “Country” may be closer. I belong to two local writing groups and a couple of national groups, and I belong to a critique group which meets every week. This group is the most important part of my writing. Nothing goes into one of my books that hasn’t been critiqued by my critique buddies. They keep me straight, point out when something isn’t working, when it is, when a character is out of character….hundreds of things. Then I have a couple of readers who will read the first draft and give me feedback. Then I turn the book over to my free lance editor. She was my first mentor when I joined MARA back in 1988, and she is amazing. We’ve remained friends through the years, and her editorial comments on my books are invaluable.

The writing groups provide articles and workshops on improving my craft, and I can always use those. Even though I’m no longer writing romance, the national RWA conference is a must for me. I go, attend workshops, get copies of all the workshops, and play them in my car and when I’m doing my yoga workout.

MM: Tell us how you plot your cozy mysteries? What comes first setting, character, background, plot?

I’m a “pantser” writer. I start with one element (which may be any of the above) then let the others develop around it. I try to have a vague notion of the crime and the murderer when I start writing, but most of the plot and characters evolve on a day to day basis.

MM: If you were going to have a dinner party what authors would you invite. Now here is where we suspend disbelief the author can be dead or alive. Who would you invite? What would the menu be and what would you ask the other authors?

The menu would be pizza, chocolate chip cookies, Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake, chocolate chip pecan pie, a couple of varieties of chocolate cake, and Ben & Jerry’s Phish Food ice cream. That’s easy. As for the authors………

J.K. Rowling

Lisa Gardner

Alafair Burke

James Burke

Margaret Mitchell

George R.R. Martin

Steig Larsson

Patricia Cornwell

William Falkner

James Joyce (but only if he promised to bring the brownies; that man was on something really strange!)

Agatha Christie

Jeffery Deaver

James Michener

Mary Stewart

Arthur C. Clarke

Isaac Asimov

Robert Heinlein

Ray Bradbury

The list could go on and on and on. I have read so many wonderful books through the years. I’ll have to be sure I have enough chocolate for everybody.

As for what I’d ask them, I’d simply ask that they talk and let me listen.

MM: Do you have pets and if so tell us about them?

I have not had a pet since 2012 when my cat Leo died. My dog Cricket died in 2011. You don’t even want to let me get started on pet stories! I have had the most awesome pets in the world. And that’s why I don’t have a pet now. It hurts too much to lose them. I said I wasn’t going to have another animal in 1994 after losing one dog in 1993 and the second in 1994. But then a large white cat wandered into the back yard. I petted him and told him to go home. He looked up at me with big blue eyes then turned and ran inside the door I’d left open. I followed him and found him sitting on the sofa, looking quite comfortable and at home. A couple of months later I got him a Yorkie, Cricket, to raise. They were best buddies. King Henry in my Chocolate books is Leo. Every time I write one of those books, he lives for me again.

MM: What life lesson has writing taught you?

The value of helping others. I’ve had a lot of careers, but writing is the only one where everybody helps everybody else. We share craft knowledge, we offer critiques, we share publicity opportunities, we share the availability of friends’ books with our readers. Writers are the best.

MM: Here are some fun questions. Where would you like to vacation that you haven't already visited? Tell us why you like living where you live and be our tour guide, what is there to see and visit? What shows/movies do you like to binge watch?

I hope to visit Europe one day and see England, France, Ireland…all those countries with castles and centuries of heritage.

I like living in the Kansas City area because my boyfriend and my friends are here.

Love Rizzoli & Isles, the older episodes of Castle (not thrilled with this season), Person of Interest, the Blacklist, the Sopranos, Downton Abbey, Dexter, Breaking Bad, Sons of Anarchy.

MM: What is your favorite way to de-stress?

Reading a book, of course. As far as my favorite way to distress…thinking about the ex!

MM: Will you be attending Malice Domestic this year?

No. I try to limit myself to 3 conferences a year and I’ve already committed to Bouchercon, RWA and Writers’ Police Academy. I wish I could go to all of them! I always learn so much and have a great time doing it!

MM: Is there a humorous story you can share with us that happened at a book signing or conference?

My best friend and critique partner, Madonna, and I attend most conferences together. A couple of years ago we were flying from KC to San Antonio for the RWA conference. We had a short layover in Dallas and were to arrive in San Antonio around 5:00. Our flights, both departing and connecting, were delayed, cancelled, full, and a total mess. Long story short, we got to San Antonio around 9:00, and our luggage was due to arrive around 10:30. We took a taxi to the hotel so we could check in. Our driver was wonderful. She was a reader, and we talked books. She agreed to pick us up at the hotel and take us to the airport to get our luggage. When we got there, she parked and took us to the right area to collect our bags. They were delayed, and she waited with us, no extra charge. Said she didn’t have a lot of fares at that hour. Of course we gave her a huge tip. Things were great until about ten minutes before we got back to our hotel. I have two kinds of business cards…one with just my website url and one with my address and phone number. The latter is for friends, agents, editors. And this woman had become my friend! So I gave her my card and told her to stay in touch, to send me an email. She said she couldn’t use email, couldn’t get on the Internet. Okay, some people don’t. But then she went on to explain that the government had her blocked from the Internet because they considered her a dangerous person. They send people to get in her cab and check on her regularly. She’s tried to sue them but no lawyer will take her case because they’re afraid of the government. But she has a plan to get them. Fortunately, that plan was a secret she didn’t want to share! Now that we’ve ridden in her taxi, we would probably be on the list, and don’t be surprised if the government comes after us. And it went on until we reached the hotel.

We stood on the curb and watched her drive away. Madonna turned to me and said, “The conference hasn’t even started and you’ve just given your card to a crazy person. Maybe you should let me have custody of those cards for the rest of the conference.”

Fortunately, apparently the lady was right about not getting on the Internet! And apparently the government has her phone shut down too! I haven’t heard from her!!!

MM: Is there someone that you would like to give a huge thank you to who has been one of your favorite supporters or a loyal mentor?

There are so many. Talk about that village….

I’d have to give a list….a  long list.

MM: Lastly, tell us what is in store for readers in 2016 and please add anything I have missed asking you today.

I will soon have the 4^th Ex book available, The Ex Who Saw a Ghost, and will then begin work on the 6^th Chocolate book. I hope I give my readers fun and entertainment in 2016!

An Interview with Julie Hyzy

By Pamela James

MM: Julie, tell us about your books and series?

I write the Manor House mystery series featuring Grace Wheaton as curator/manager of Marshfield Manor, a palatial museum/mansion/tourist attraction located in North Carolina. (Fictional neighbor to the magnificent Biltmore Estate ). The seventh installment in that series, Grace Sees Red, comes out in June.

I also wrote nine books in the White House Chef Mystery series – the most recent title, Foreign Eclairs, came out in January. That book is also the last in the series that I’ll write. For an explanation why the series is ending, please visit my blog post here: Julie Hyzy’s Blog

MM: Where is your favorite place to write?

Although I like to plan and plot with pen and paper, I tend to do all my writing on my desktop computer (iMac) in my cave (study/bedroom just off the family room in our house).

To Purchase at Amazon

MM: Tell us the best and the worst part of writing a series?

The best part is coming back to visit friends with each new book. I learn a little bit more about each of my characters in each installment and that makes returning to hang out with them a true joy.

The worst part is coming up with new and unusual ways to kill people that still make sense. I mean, sure, I could kill a character by pushing him off a mountaintop, but getting the characters to the top of the mountain believably is tough. Same with obscure poisons and antique weaponry. Creative killing is fun. Ensuring it makes sense is the tough part.

MM: They say it takes a village to publish books. Who is in your village?

My family, for sure. Always in my corner, they are unbelievably patient and supportive. They’re the best cheerleaders and the most sympathetic listeners. My editor at Berkley is amazing. As is her staff.

MM: What would your characters tell us about you as their creator?

I think they’d say that I’ve given them a decent start in life, but allowed them their independence. 

MM: Do you like to reread books, do you like to binge watch movies and other shows? If so what are some of your favorites ones to read and watch?

I’ve read A Little Princess more than a dozen times (though the most recent reread was probably back when I was a pre-teen). I’ve also reread many Ray Bradbury short stories, as well as Fahrenheit 451. I’m currently rereading the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. Mostly, however, I prefer to pick up something new.

My husband and I have binge-watched (in some cases, binge re-watched) The West Wing; Battlestar Galactica; The Dick Van Dyke Show; and most of the Star Treks: TNG, DS9, VOY. There are a few others we started but then lost interest.

MM: What do you like to do on your down time?

I like to eat, mostly. Not kidding. Food is a real motivator for me. Lately, we’ve been cooking at home more and eating out less. Of course I love to read and now that I’m not writing the WHChef series, I have a bit more time for that!

Oh, and I just started tap dance lessons. 

MM: Dead or alive what five author would you like to share a meal with and what would you serve them? Who are the authors? What would you ask them?

If I were entertaining five authors I admired, I wouldn’t cook. I’d order in whatever they wanted, or I’d take them out because I would want to spend my time listening to them, not worried about whether dinner was about to burn.

That said, here are the authors I’d most like to share a meal with:

1) Ray Bradbury

2) Sue Grafton

3) Diana Gabaldon

4) JK Rowling

5) My youngest daughter, Biz (an aspiring author). This would make an amazing memory the two of us could share for years.

MM: Tell us about where live and why you love living there?

I was born and raised in Chicago (Southside) and still live in this beautiful city’s suburbs. Yes, we have a lot of crime and yes, our state is corrupt. But this is home and I love the history, the architecture, the excitement, and – of course – our gorgeous sparkling lake. 

MM: Do you have a favorite place to vacation?

So far, we’ve enjoyed all the places we’ve visited. Every destination has its own unique charm.

MM: What is your favorite day of the week?

Mondays are great. They represent the beginning of a wide open week and a chance to get lots of writing done. Not kidding.

MM: When are you most productive?

Thursdays. No idea why.

MM: Let's talk about your titles and your book covers?

That’s pretty open-ended…What do you want to talk about?

MM: Do you believe in writer's block?

No. If I’m having a hard time moving forward on a project, it’s one of two things: I’ve taken a wrong turn in the manuscript and my brain won’t allow me to continue until I fix it; or, procrastination is rearing its ugly head  

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

Thank you. Without you, my characters would never have enjoyed the wonderful lives they’ve had so far.

MM: 2016 tell us what comes next for you this year? I mean both personally and professionally as a reader of two of your series I am interested in what comes next for you?

I’m not entirely sure. And that’s exciting for me. I know that I have one more book to write in my Grace (Manor House) mystery series before I find out whether Berkley plans to offer another contract. But with only one book ahead of me – rather than the two books per year that I’m used to producing – I have extra time. I’m hoping to add to my Riley Drake (Chicago Private Eye) series. She’s a fun character to write. Tough and bold. So far, she only has one book, Playing With Matches, out as an e-book. I’d like to explore more of her adventures.

I’d also like to attempt a brand-new standalone suspense/thriller. But that’s on the back burner for now. I’m not opposed to starting a new series, either, but I’d like to write a few short stories first. I miss writing short stories. They’re fun.

MM: Leave us with some words of wisdom by one of your characters?

Ollie (from Foreign Eclairs):

“…failing is part of life. And failing, for all the bad rap it gets, is a good thing. It’s where we do our best learning…. Those who aren’t afraid to fail are the ones who change the world because they’re the ones who create.”

An Interview with Carola Dunn

An Interview by Pamela James

MM: Carola, where do you write your books?

My first I wrote at the kitchen table. I've had dedicated office in the house for decades now. I have a big window looking down the garden and a good view of the bird feeders—without which I might write faster...

MM: Why, when, where and how did you begin writing your books?

I'd had lots of part-time and temp jobs while my son was small and we were moving often. When at last we settled down, in 1979, my (now ex) husband wanted me to get a "proper" job. At the same time, I'd read and reread Georgette Heyer's books so many times I knew what was coming on the next page; I read some  newly published Regencies and decided I could do at least as well, and trying would postpone the job hunt.

I wrote longhand. Having to my surprise actually finished a manuscript, I thought I might as well try to get it published. Once I'd typed it up, I sent out queries with 3 chapters (not the first 3; the how-to book I consulted just said 3 so I picked what I considered the best). A couple of rejections and three requests for the rest of the ms—and I got an offer remarkably quickly.

Having sold one, of course I had to write another... In the end I wrote 32 full-length Regencies and about a dozen novellas, all now available as ebooks. Then I turned to mystery. The Daisy Dalrymple mysteries, set in England in the 1920s, now number 22, and there are 3 Cornish mysteries out.

MM: 2016 is here what are your writing plans?

I finished my 4th Cornish Mystery, Buried in the Country, in December and I've already started on the next Daisy mystery.

MM: On a personal note. Be our tour guide and tell us about the attractions of where you live and why you like living there?

After growing up in England and living in Southern California for many years, I moved to Eugene, Oregon, nearly 25 years ago, the longest I've ever lived anywhere.

Oregon is a beautiful state with a stunning coastline, mountains, rivers, lakes, and high desert all easily accessible from Eugene. Some special places are Crater Lake, Mount Hood, the Columbia Gorge, the Painted Hills, the John Day Fossil Beds, and extraordinary lava formations. Most of the time, though, I'm quite satisfied with my daily walk (with dog) by the Willamette River in Eugene.

It's not true that "old Oregonians never die, they only rust away," but we do have high rainfall in winter. The climate is quite like England's. That's what keeps it so green.

For a mid-size city, Eugene supports an excellent symphony orchestra and classical music station, essentials to my life. The city library is good—another necessity. The presence of the University of Oregon is another plus.

Eugene is a friendly, laid-back place. After 20 years in ever-more-crowded Southern California (and more sun than I, as a redhead, can cope with) , I love it here.

MM: Do you ever binge watch some of your favorite shows, movies or read some of your favorite series? If so which ones do you watch and read?

I don't have a TV so no shows or movies. I like to reread books, especially mysteries, written in the periods I write about. A first reading is for the story and characters. On rereading, I'm more interested in the period details and "zeitgeist", and the way the mystery is constructed.

Apart from those, books I regularly reread are The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Lord of the Rings, and all of Jane Austen.

MM: What is one of your favorite meals and dessert?

Top meal: Indian restaurant buffet. Top dessert: my mother's hazelnut torte, which is a hazelnut meringue sandwiched with raspberries and whipped cream. Neither for frequent consumption!

MM: Do you like to cook or bake?

Not much into cooking. I like baking but do it infrequently as I also like to eat the products.

MM: What is your favorite part of being an author?

Hearing from happy readers! I especially like letters/messages/whatever from people who have found escape from their troubles in my books.

MM: Do you belong to any writer's groups? What are some of your favorite conventions? How about bookstores and places to autograph your books?

I belong to Sisters in Crime. My favourite convention is Left Coast Crime, smaller and friendlier than Bouchercon.

I pretty much stick to the West Coast for signings: Seattle Mystery Bookshop, Mystery Ink, Mysterious Galaxy, and Bob's Beach Books on the Oregon Coast. So many favourites have closed, alas.

MM: What is the strangest writing question you were ever asked?

I don't remember any particularly strange questions. The strangest letter I've ever received was from a woman who was all het up about one of my Regencies, saying she'd never read another because of the degenerate morals of the hero of that book. Further correspondence elicited that she hadn't actually read the book (A Susceptible Gentleman). She was basing her opinion on the description on the back cover, which I hadn't written. Back cover blurbs are notoriously inaccurate and hyped up. At that point I gave up trying to explain.

MM: They say it takes a village to become a published author. Who is in your village?

For the first book, a supportive husband, a friend who offered to type the manuscript, and another friend who had a book about how to submit to publishers and  what to expect of a contract. (I didn't have a typewriter and I'd never taken any creative writing classes nor read any how-to books.)

Since then, I've had loads of help from all sorts of people. I find as soon as I say I'm researching for a mystery/crime fiction, most are happy to answer questions on their area of expertise.

MM: What was your most perfect writing day?

The most perfect day is the day my editor tells me the "delivery and acceptance" cheque is on the way!

MM: Leave us with some words of wisdom by your protagonist?

Both Daisy and Eleanor would say, "If you expect to like the people you meet and treat them that way, most people will turn out to be likable."

Website: www.CarolaDunn.weebly.com

Facebook: personal page + Carola Dunn Author, Daisy Dalrymple, Cornish Mysteries, and RegenciesByCarolaDunn.