Showing posts with label author interview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label author interview. Show all posts

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Getting to know Lorna and Larry Collins



This week my guests are mystery authors, Lorna and Larry Collins, a married couple who write together and separately. Let’s get to know them.

Patricia: Where did you grow up?
L&L: We both grew up in Alhambra, California, just a few blocks from each other. Larry’s mother was the Avon Lady, so Lorna knew her from age five. Our mothers were very close friends. In fact, if there had been arranged marriages, we’d have married each other. And we still don’t know how they pulled it off.
Patricia: Did your childhood contribute to your desire to be a writer?
L&L: We had some of the best teachers on the planet, so we learned to write well. Lorna was an English major. In high school, Larry had a real taskmaster as a teacher. Every Monday morning he had to turn in a story of at least two pages on any subject. At first it was a real challenge, but he grew to enjoy it. He became so proficient that he was published twice in the school’s literary magazine.
Patricia: Where do you live now?
L&L: We live in Dana Point, California, about halfway between L. A. and San Diego. We’re about a mile from the ocean. Since Larry’s a surfer, he can go out nearly every morning.
Patricia: Do you use that locale for settings in your novels?
L&L: We use the ocean in our mysteries. They’re set in Hawaii. In Murder in Paradise, we used surfing as a subtext for the plot. Lorna’s latest fantasy/romance/mystery, Ghost Writer, is set just up the coast in and around Laguna Beach.
Patricia: What inspired you to write your most recent novel?
L&L: Lorna’s book, Ghost Writer, was inspired by the title itself. We were carpooling, and started talking about a ghost writer. Lorna suddenly said, “What if the writer WAS a ghost?” And the story was born.
Our most recent mystery together, Murder in Paradise, was inspired by a conflict currently happening on Oahu. Developers want to change the character of the North Shore, and preservationists want to keep the status quo. As a surfer, Larry was quite interested in this. We also had a friend who had taken up competitive outrigger canoe racing, so that also featured in the book.
Patricia: Did you plan to write a series before or after you wrote the first book?
L&L: No. We never even planned on writing mysteries! But we found our protagonist, AgapĂ© Jones on Maui and wrote the first one, Murder… They Wrote. But he refused to stay retired. And he’s clamoring for us to finish the next two adventures, currently in the works.
Patricia: Name three of your favorite authors in the mystery genre.
L&L: Marilyn Meredith writes wonderful contemporary mysteries. Conan Doyle is classic, of course, and Janet Evanovich just for laughs.
Patricia: What are your favorite things to do when you’re not reading or writing?
L&L: Larry surfs. Lorna enjoys spending time with family and friends. But mostly we read and write.
Patricia: Do you like to travel? If so, what are some of your favorite places to go?
L&L: We set our books in locations we love to visit. We’ve been to Hawaii dozens of times and never grow tired of it. We’ve been all over the world, including spending nearly three years in Japan. Our first published work, 31 Months in Japan: The Building of a Theme Park, is a memoir of that experience. We’ve also been to Europe, other places in Asia and the Pacific. And our bucket list for travel is long. Each time we visit someplace new, other locations beckon.
Patricia: How would you describe yourself personality wise?
L&L: Larry’s a classic engineer: logical, linear thinking, introverted, most interested in the facts. Lorna is the extrovert who loves people and collects friends like others collect postage stamps. She writes the emotions and feelings. Somehow, we’ve been able to marry these two styles into a format that works well for us.
Patricia: What’s your favorite color? Why?
Larry: Blue because the ocean is blue and it’s cool.
Lorna: I like the whole teal/aqua/peacock/blue-green spectrum. Our house is decorated in blues and greens, except for the hospital-white walls to accent our artwork. We both gravitate toward the cooler colors.
Patricia: How would you finish this sentence? If I won a million dollars, I would…
L&L: tithe ten percent, then buy a condo in Hawaii, travel a lot, and help others. (We did separate ones, but they were exactly the same. You think we’ve been married too long?)

Monday, August 27, 2012

Getting to know Sally Carpenter


We have mystery author, Sally Carpenter, visiting with us this week. I read Sally’s The Baffled Beatlemaniac Caper and really enjoyed it. Now, let’s get to know Sally.
Patricia:  Sally, where did you grow up? Did your childhood contribute to your desire to be a writer?

Sally
:  I was born and raised in southwestern Indiana, the same setting as my book. Growing up I read a lot because that wasn’t much else to do. My family lived in the country outside a small town, Princeton, pop. 10,000. We didn’t go into town frequently and when we did, the only entertainment was a bowling alley and a single-screen movie theater. During the school year I checked out books from the school library and in the summer I hung out at the public library during the day while mom did the shopping. In eighth grade I won the library’s summer reading contest by reading the most books. I made up stories, too.
In the evenings we watched TV (only three channels!) and that helped to inspire my series character who starred in a fictitious TV show. In high school I was active in the school drama club and plays, which also helped to develop my storytelling skills.  

Patricia:  Where do you live now? Do you use that locale for settings in your novels?

Sally
:  I’ve lived in Southern California since 2000. As a kid I dreamed of going to Hollywood, so here I am. I came to LA to break into TV writing and ended up writing mystery novels! But that’s okay. I live west of LA in Moorpark, which is considered a “small town” even though it’s three times the size of Princeton. The hero of my books lives in LA because he works in showbiz.  

Patricia:  What inspired you to write your most recent novel?
Sally :  More than a decade or so ago VH1 started running “The Monkees” TV show again, which I hadn’t seen since I was a kid. I fell in love with the guys and became a super fan—going to concerts, collecting stuff, talking to fans, reading about teen idols. I was taking a college course in playwrighting at the time and wrote a one-act play about an aging star meeting one of his fans. The play was a finalist in a playwrighting contest and one of the judges said, “I can see a bigger story here.”
In 2008 a local library hosted a panel discussion with members of Sisters in Crime. The program inspired me to start writing mysteries (and to join SinC), so I took the teen idol character and turned him into an amateur sleuth.    

Patricia:  Did you plan to write a series before or after you wrote the first book?

Sally
:  I always knew this would be a series before I started. As a kid I wanted to create and star in my own TV show so I think of the individual books as episodes in my TV series.

Patricia:  Name three of your favorite authors in the mystery genre.

Sally
:  Arthur Conan Doyle (Sherlock Holmes) and Richard Levinson/William Link (Columbo) would be tops. I also love the Holmes on the Range series by Steve Hockensmith. 

Patricia:  What are your favorite things to do when you’re not reading or writing?

Sally
:  I don’t have much time left over when I’m not reading or writing! I work a full-time job at a community newspaper to pay the bills then come home to write. I’m also a play critic for the newspaper so I occasionally review the local community and school productions. I spoil two black cats. I enjoy watching old movies and the classic TV shows I grew up with; I have an enormous home video collection. I like to help out the city library; next month I’ll be reading books to preschoolers for a session of PJ Storytime. On Sundays I go to church. Not exciting but I like to keep the drama on the page and out of my life.

Patricia:  Do you like to travel? If so, what are some of your favorite places to go?

Sally
:  I wish I could travel more but with a full-time job and limited finances I don’t go far. One of the local libraries takes day trips to museums and interesting places in LA and I usually take those excursions. Some time ago a local group hosted a location tour in LA to see places where various Laurel and Hardy movies were filmed. Some of those houses/places still look the same!
Years ago I was with a traveling drama troupe and we toured Western Canada. I’ve been on a weekend cruise to the Bahamas and would love to take a weeklong cruise. I like the whole shipboard experience. In 2014 I plan to go to Monterey Calif. for the Left Coast Crime convention.  

Patricia:  How would you describe yourself personality wise?

Sally
:  Introvert, funny, spiritual, smart, loving, independent, loyal friend.

Patricia:  What’s your favorite color? Why?

Sally:  Green. It’s the color of grass and represents growth (also coincidentally the color of money but that doesn’t mean I’m greedy). Blue is runner-up because my eyes are blue and I look good in dark blue clothes; my series protagonist has blue eyes too.

Patricia:  How would you finish this sentence? If I won a million dollars, I would . . .

Sally
:  pay off my debts, buy a house, invest the money so I could afford to write full-time and give to charity.

Thanks for having me, Patricia! This has been fun!
Yes it has, Sally. Thanks for being my guest this week.
To read more about and/or to order a copy of The Baffled Beatlemaniac Caper go to:

Monday, August 20, 2012

Getting to know Sunny Frazier


Sunny Frazier is a woman of many talents. She’s the Acquisitions Editor for Oak Tree Press and the founder of the Posse, an online writing/marketing group. She’s also the author of two mystery novels, Fools Rush In and Where Angels Fear.


Patricia:  Where did you grow up? Did your childhood contribute to your desire to be a writer? 
                                                                           
Sunny:  I grew up all over the world. My father was in the Navy. One of the most exotic places we were stationed was Midway Island. As a Navy child, when you have to move around, books are too heavy to pack, so I grew up without books in the house. However, I lived in the libraries. My education was constantly interrupted (three fourth grades!), so no, I'd say my childhood was a detriment for my growth as a writer. 

Patricia:  Where do you live now? Do you use that locale for settings in your novels?     

Sunny:  I live in the San Joaquin Valley and Fresno County is where my books and short stories are set. It's an overlooked part of California, so I get carte blanch.  

Patricia:  What inspired you to write your most recent novel?   
                                 
Sunny:  While I was working with the Fresno Co. Sheriff's Dept., I got a call from a snitch. He'd stumbled into a sex club—we all thought it was a fruit and vegetable stand. Which it was at one time (we're a bit slow on the uptake in this area). I had to report it to Vice, but I loved the idea for a novel. Much of what is in the book is true. My captain wouldn't let me “investigate” the club for my book and detectives watched the place to make sure I didn't try to go in. We eventually busted it for building codes.   

Patricia:  Did you plan to write a series before or after you wrote the first book?  
           
Sunny:  I always planned the Christy Bristol Astrology Mysteries as a series. 


Patricia:  Name three of your favorite authors in the mystery genre.   
                            
Sunny:  J.A. Jance, Robert Crais, Michael Connelly.

Patricia:  What are your favorite things to do when you’re not reading or writing?

Sunny:  Swimming in the pool and playing with my five cats. Or, napping alongside them.

Patricia:  Do you like to travel? If so, what are some of your favorite places to go?   
      
Sunny:  I used to like traveling before all this airport security happened. But memories of my favorite places are Puerto Rico, Cozumel, Antigua, Grenada, Victoria, BC, Kauai, Haiti, Bogotá, Ireland, Newport RI and Mendocino. 

Patricia:  How would you describe yourself personality wise?      
                                 
Sunny:  As I get older, I have fewer filters. I'm also very outspoken when I feel writers are getting bad information. I'm passionate about this industry. I'm considered high energy, but I feel like I'm laid back. I like my sense of humor—it amuses me. I'm easily amused.

Patricia:  What’s your favorite color? Why?    
                                                                 
Sunny:  Purple. It excites my eyes. Speaking of eyes, it's the only shade of eye shadow I wear. I also have an incredible shade of violet lipstick, running out and they don't make it anymore. Amethyst is my favorite stone (but not my birthstone). I plan to put lilac highlights in my hair later this year. 

Patricia:  How would you finish this sentence? If I won a million dollars, I would . . . 

Sunny:  get the house repaired. Hire a gardener. Contribute to cat shelters. Help out friends. Get the pool resurfaced. Feed my cats Fancy Feast. That's about it. I like my life.  

Sunny, thanks for being with us today. It’s been fun! By the way, I enjoyed reading both of your novels.
If you would like to read more about Sunny’s books and/or to order copies, go to:

Monday, August 13, 2012

Getting to know James Callan


This week, we have mystery author, James R. Callan, visiting with us. I’ve read his novel, Cleansed by Fire, a Father Frank mystery, and I highly recommend it. Let’s get to know James.
Patricia:  Where did you grow up? Did your childhood contribute to your desire to be a writer?
James:  I grew up in Texas, specifically in Dallas.  My parents read a lot, often reading out loud to one another.  My paternal grandfather was a writer, first as an editor of small town newspapers, and later as a syndicated columnist.
Patricia:  Where do you live now? Do you use that locale for settings in your novels?
James:  I now live in rural east Texas and it provides the setting for at least four of my novels.  However, I also spend a lot of time in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and one of my novels uses Dallas, east Texas, and Mexico for its setting.
Patricia:  What inspired you to write your most recent novel?
James:  My most recently published novel is Murder a Cappella, which I wrote with one of my daughters, Diane Bailey.  Some years ago, she sang with the Sweet Adelines, an international organization of women who sing barbershop harmony.  One year, her chorus went to the International competition and placed fifth in the world.  Of course, her mother and I went to the competition.  Afterwards, Diane (who writes middle grade and YA) and I talked about setting an adult mystery in the glitz and excitement of an international singing competition.  It was several years before we managed to actually do it.  But, eventually, we did and Murder a Cappella was published this year by Wayside Press.
Patricia:  Do you plan to write a series before or after you write the first book?
James:  I always ask myself if there is series possibility when I start a new book.  For one thing, it affects how I treat the bio of the protagonist.  If a series might develop, it will have a bearing on the bio of the protagonist.  I want to leave myself room for future incidents. I don’t want to have something in book one which will kill opportunities in later books.
Patricia:  Name three of your favorite authors in the mystery genre.
James:  David Baldacci, Dick Francis, and Donn Taylor –  Baldacci for the intricate plots; Francis for the smooth flow of words; and Taylor for a “good read.”
Patricia:  What are your favorite things to do when you’re not reading or writing?
James:  I am active in a local writers’ organization (Northeast Texas Writers Organization – NETWO – where I ran its highly respected writers conference for fourteen years), but then, I guess that is too closely related to reading and writing.  So, I’ll just refer you to the answer to the next question.
Patricia:  Do you like to travel? If so, what are some of your favorite places to go?
James:  Yes.  My wife and I love to travel and we do a lot of it.  We spend roughly half our time in Mexico.  We just got back from a trip to Canada, and in the past have visited South America, Australia and the South Pacific, England, Europe, Morocco, and on and on.  Perhaps more important, we’ve visited all fifty of the United States.
Patricia:  How would you describe yourself personality wise?
James:  Easy going.  Then again, you might want to ask my wife.
Patricia:  What’s your favorite color? Why?
James:  Blue – probably because my mother thought it was a good color for me.  On the other hand, I usually drive a red car.
Patricia:  How would you finish this sentence? If I won a million dollars, I would . . .
James:  Build a school for a disadvantaged village in Mexico.

James, thank you for being with us today. I enjoyed getting to know you. And, by the way, I love Mexico! I hope you win the lottery so you can build that school.

If you'd like to read more about and/or order his books, go to: 
http://www.amazon.com/James-R.-Callan/e/B004KEMA32/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1344713589&sr=1-2-ent

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Getting to know Anne K. Albert

Today, I’m delighted to have mystery author, Anne K. Albert visiting with us. I recently read Frank, Incense and Muriel and I loved it! I’m looking forward to reading more books in her Muriel Reeves Mystery series.
Let’s get to know Anne.
Patricia:  Where did you grow up? Did your childhood contribute to your desire to be a writer? 
AnneFor a child growing up on the outskirts of a small town on the east coast in the 1950s (please don’t snicker, I really am that old!) it was a lonely existence. I looked forward to attending public school, and never once complained about the 1.5 mile walk there and back, even during the dead of winter. When I discovered the one-room public library was on route, and that I could have my very own library card, it was akin to fireworks going off on the Fourth of July! Books became my friends, and for that, I am eternally grateful.
Until I reached a ‘certain’ age, however, I never imagined ordinary people could be writers. It seemed like such an incredible occupation--this ability to create worlds with words!
Patricia:  What inspired you to write a novel?
Anne:  In the late 1980s, working as a display advertising sales representative for a small weekly newspaper, I came face-to-face with a computer. I fell in love with the music of fingertips flying across the keyboard, and wanted to create my own symphony!
Four manuscripts later, Frank, Incense And Muriel, book one of the Muriel Reeves Mysteries, received the 2011 Holt Medallion Award of Merit. I’m extremely proud of this story. As you may have guessed from the title, it takes place the week before Christmas when the holiday season is enough to frazzle anyone’s nerves. Add a missing woman, kidnapper, Muriel’s eccentric family, and it’s seasonal mayhem tied up in a luscious red and green bow!
Patricia:  Did you plan to write a series before or after you wrote the first book?
Anne:  Like so many readers, I enjoy revisiting intriguing characters and following their continued escapades. There’s something heartwarming about a series, and I knew instinctively Frankie and Muriel were destined to share more than a single adventure.
Patricia:  Do you like to travel? If so, what are some of your favorite places to go?
Anne:  I love to travel. Absolutely L-O-V-E to travel! I’ve been to the British Isles, Eastern Europe, South America, the Caribbean, and toured across America and Canada on numerous occasions. There are still many states and provinces I have yet to see, and Ireland and Paris are  also on my bucket list.
Patricia:  What’s your answer to this question – If I won a million dollars, I would ------
Anne:  If I won a million dollars, I would pretty much carry on living as I am now, except I’d travel more. (Big surprise, huh?!) I’d also give our daughter the cash to repay her student loans. 

Thanks so much for featuring me today, Patricia. It’s been such fun.

I’ve enjoyed it, Anne. Thank you! Oh, and by the way, I grew up in the 1950s too but I try to never use the “O” word. :)
 
Bio: Anne K. Albert’s award winning stories chill the spine, warm the heart and soothe the soul…all with a delightful touch of humor. A member of Romance Writers of America and Sisters in Crime, she credits Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys and Trixie Belden for nurturing her love affair with a good mystery. When not writing the Muriel Reeves Mysteries series Anne loves to travel, visit friends and family, and of course, read using ‘Threegio’ her cherished and much beloved Kindle 3G. 

Here’s the link to read more about and/or to purchase a copy of Frank, Incense and Muriel.

Readers can find Anne online 
at her website: www.AnneKAlbert.com
Anne K. Albert blog: http://anne-k-albert.blogspot.com
Muriel Reeves Mysteries blog: http://muriel-reeves-mysteries.blogspot.com

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Getting to know Madeline Gornell


Madeline, I’m pleased to have you with us today. I’ve read your novel, Reticence of Ravens, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I’m looking forward to reading more of your books.


Patricia, interestingly, your questions—where I grew up, where I live now, and what inspired me to write my latest novel—are apropos to the back-story of Lies of Convenience.
So far, my inspiration and first kernel of an idea—for all my novels—has come from a location that has reached out, grabbed me, and wouldn’t let go. Sounds a bit silly, and it’s not the whole story, but truly, so far, I’ve been inspired to start a story because a location said, “Me! Me! Write about me!” With that in mind, I was born and raised in Chicago, and still have relatives living there. One wonderful cousin and her husband live in a flat on a high-up floor in a Michigan Avenue high-rise. From the first moment I looked out their picture windows, touched the glass, took in their view—Lies of Convenience started percolating in my brain.
Later in time, when we (husband and a bunch of canines) landed in California’s Mojave—the desert and Route 66 also captured my imagination. So, my latest novel, as always, a murder mystery—connects the locations and cultures between Chicago’s Michigan Avenue, near the beginning of Route 66 —with the Mojave, almost at the end of The Mother Road.
Your questions on my favorite authors and my plans for writing a series are also intertwined. I love reading mysteries that have a strong sense of “place,” with characters I like, and a tricky plot I can’t figure out (but makes sense at the end). I also like reading work that has a good sense of language—don’t even mind long sentences, or being sent to the dictionary a couple times. P.D. James is my favorite author—for all the reasons I just mentioned. And like my “rock star” guiding light, I decided to use only my first initials (M.M.), and planned on writing a series with a male protagonist. Ha! So far, I’ve written all standalones, mostly female protagonists, and pretty much go by my first name. Best laid plans. I guess you have to go where your muse takes you!
Thank you Patricia, for giving me the opportunity to “spout off” about myself and my writing. Love your “Getting to Know You” series, and I’m honored to participate. 
  
Thank you, Madeline. It was my pleasure.

Madeline (M.M.) Gornell has four published mystery novels: PSWA awarding winning Uncle Si’s Secret (2008); Death of a Perfect Man (2009); Reticence of Ravens (2010—her first Route 66 mystery, and an Eric Hoffer Fiction finalist, Honorary Mention winner, da Vinci Eye finalist, and Montaigne Medalist finalist); and Lies of Convenience (2012).


Her latest, Lies of Convenience is a tale that fictionally connects murder, truths untold, and Chicago’s Lake Michigan with California’s high desert on the opposite end of The Mother Road. Her next tale and first sequel adventure, Counsel of Ravens, takes Hubert James Champion III one step forward in his quest for peace and solitude in the Mojave.

Madeline is also a potter with a fondness for stoneware and reduction firing. She lives with her husband and assorted canines in the Mojave in a town on internationally revered Route 66.

         Her books are available at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com, and Smashwords, in paper and e-book formats. You can visit her:
online at her website http://www.mmgornell.com,
or email her directly at mmgornell@earthlink.net