Getting to know Sandra Parshall

I’d like to thank Agatha Award Winner, Sandra Parshall, for being with us today. I’ve asked her a series of questions so we can get to know a little bit more about her as a writer and as a person.

Sandra, where did you grow up? Did your childhood contribute to your desire to be a writer? If so, how?

I was born in upstate South Carolina and grew up there in a working class family (my parents worked in cotton mills). No one else in my family read much, so I don’t know where my love of books and writing came from. I was certainly an oddity from an early age. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want to write stories -- I started scribbling fanciful stories on lined pulp paper as soon as I learned how to write – and my imagination operated on overdrive all the time. I didn’t care for reality. The worlds I created in my head felt more comfortable and welcoming. I think a lot of writers grow up feeling like outsiders and observers, and that’s how it was for me.

Where do you live now? Do you use that locale for settings in your novels? If not, how do you choose your settings?

I live in Northern Virginia, in a suburb of Washington, DC. This was the setting for my first published book, The Heat of the Moon. For the second and subsequent books, I moved my heroine, Rachel Goddard, out to the Blue Ridge Mountains of southwestern Virginia, which I felt was a better setting for the kind of books I wanted to write. I wanted a mix of strong characters – rich and poor, educated and uneducated, open-minded and ignorant – and Mason County, the small mountain community I invented, is a more plausible setting than the homogenous area I live in.

Did the inspiration for your characters and/or plot come from people you know, a specific place or personal experience? If not, what got you started?

A writer can pick up ideas anywhere, just by looking around and asking, “What if…?” The Heat of the Moon was inspired by a dream. Under the Dog Star was inspired by the Michael Vick dogfighting case. My other books are the result of disparate ideas coalescing in my imagination. The most mysterious part of the process, to me, is the way a story forms as I write it. Characters present themselves and events fall into place, often without a lot of conscious effort on my part, and somehow a complex story results.

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

I didn’t intend The Heat of the Moon as the first in a series. A series is probably the best way to build a fan base, though, and I love Rachel, so I was happy to keep going.

I have to tell you that I loved “The Heat of the Moon” so I’m glad to hear that. Can you name three of your favorite authors in the mystery genre and/or specific books you love.

Thomas H. Cook: Mortal Memory, Master of the Delta, and Breakheart Hill in particular

Ruth Rendell/Barbara Vine: A Dark-Adapted Eye and Going Wrong in particular

Karin Slaughter: Fallen

What are your favorite things to do when you’re not reading or writing? Do you have any hobbies?

Photography is my hobby, and I love to be outdoors taking pictures of animals and other natural subjects. I’m also a gardener, so I grow a lot of my photographic subjects. Birdwatching is another pleasure.

Do you like to travel? If so, what are some of your favorite places to go and/or your favorite vacation?

I’m a homebody and would probably never go anywhere if I didn’t have to! I did love visiting Scotland, though, and I also enjoyed France.

Well, it doesn’t sound like you would use the money for travel so what’s your answer to this question – If I won a million dollars, I would ------

Pay the taxes first, which would greatly reduce the amount of the prize! I would invest some and give the rest away. When I hear about somebody winning tens of millions of dollars in a lottery, I always think of how much good could be done with that amount of money. Winners tend to waste it all, though.

         Just out of curiosity, what’s your favorite color? Why?

My favorite color changes from day to day, probably because my mood does. But I always favor rich colors – deep blue, teal, magenta, coral. The room I write in has coral walls.

         Describe yourself - personality wise.

I’ve been shy all my life, and I still am to a degree, although since becoming a published writer I’ve gotten over the worst of it. I’m not afraid of public speaking anymore. I’ll never be the life of the party, though. I’ll always be more of a quiet observer than a flashy type who grabs the spotlight. I like to believe that I’m a kind person, to both animals and other people. I do have a temper, though, so don’t make me mad!

Sandra, I’ll try to avoid doing that! : ) Thanks again for being with us today. Best of luck with your series!

The Power of Music

“Music has charms to soothe a savage breast.” True, but it has the power to do so much more. It can also motivate us, make us laugh or make us cry.

Music has always been an important part of my life. When I was growing up, my father liked to watch Mitch Miller and Lawrence Welk on TV. We had an old player piano and I remember sitting next to Dad while he pumped those pedals and sang along with the music on the rolls. My mother preferred what she referred to as “livelier” music; she was (and still is) a fan of rock ’n roll, especially Elvis. So, early on, I was exposed to all different kinds of music. As a result, I developed eclectic tastes.

When someone asks me what my favorite song is, I quickly respond, “Hotel California,” by the Eagles, because it reminds me of my vacation to Todos Santos (All Saints), Mexico where I visited the Hotel California. But, depending on my mood and what I’m doing, I have other “favorites.” For example, although I usually prefer absolute silence when I’m writing, I will occasionally listen to classical music. My hands down favorite is Rachmaninoff’s “Rhapsody on a theme from Paganini.” It was the music they played in the movie “Somewhere in Time.”

When I clean house, I like to listen to our local Oldies station because they play my favorite songs from the 60s, 70s and 80s. They get me swinging my hips and my vacuum cleaner. I prefer happy, upbeat music. Not only does it help motivate me, it gets me out of my funk if I’m in One Of Those Moods. Reggae has the same effective on me, especially Bob Marley’s tunes. I also love banjo music and Charlie Daniels’ fiddle.

I use music in my writing too. Ann, the main character in Mixed Messages, was raised by her grandmother, Nana, a retired music teacher. So, like me, there was always music in the house when Ann was growing up; she relies on music to cheer her up too. 

It’s the week of Halloween and, if you peek through the window into Ann’s kitchen, you just might catch her sashaying to the strains of “Elvira.” With a serial killer on the loose in her neighborhood and all the other problems she has, Ann needs all the help she can get!

St. Pat's Day

Ann Malone Kern, the main character in my novel, Mixed Messages, is of Irish descent but, as far as I know, I don’t have a drop of Irish blood in my veins. However, we both live in Cincinnati, a city where the Irish played an important role. Next to the Germans, they were the largest group of immigrants between 1840 and 1910. 

Cincinnati was a major destination for immigrants from Ireland who left their homeland because, due to the potato blight and resulting famine in their country, they couldn’t pay their mortgages and they were starving. Many were poor, spoke English with a brogue and were Roman Catholic with large families. Some came with nothing more than a few pieces of clothing.

The city offered many opportunities for work on the riverfront, digging for the Miami and Erie Canal and on railroad construction. Although most had hoped to become farmers, with no money and desperate to feed their families, when they arrived in the Queen City, many Irish took jobs that were dangerous and unskilled with low pay. 

Through the years, the Irish have contributed greatly to our city’s growth and culture. During the Civil War, the Irish formed several militia units, which became the core of the Ohio 10^th Regiment. Later, many became policemen and firemen, some were prosperous in industry and others were active in politics.

Today, we have The Irish Heritage Center of Greater Cincinnati. The IHC was founded to promote the Irish Culture through the study of customs, dance, education, film, genealogy, history, language, lectures, literature, music, mythology, poetry, social interaction, song, sport, theater and the visual arts. 

 Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

  “May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of His hand.”

Stress

We all have a lot of stress these days and, according to the experts, it can be damaging. Remarkably, studies show that positive events in our lives can be almost as harmful to us as disasters. The Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS), created by Dr. Thomas Holmes and Dr. Richard Rahe, assigns points (referred to as life change units or LCUs) to each type of stress we incur. For example: Marriage = 50 points, Divorce = 73 points; Voluntary change to a different line of work = 36 points while being fired from work = 47 points.
According to the SRRS, if we accrue too many LCUs within a short time, our natural defenses are lowered and we are more susceptible to accidents and illnesses. If we accumulate over 300 points in a year, there is an 80% chance of illness or accident in the near future. Obviously, in order to preserve our health and our sanity, we need to find ways to cope with and manage our stress.
Dr. Susan Thatcher, a psychologist and one of the characters in Mixed Messages, has a lot on her mind both personally and professionally and, as a result, she’s stressed and having trouble sleeping. To calm her nerves and reduce her stress, she uses the same mental image I do, a wonderful memory from a vacation I took a few years ago. I’ll let her tell you.

“Close your eyes. Relax. Clear your mind of all thoughts. Visualize something peaceful and soothing. You’re in the pool in Cabo, lying on a float, gazing out at the sun shimmering over the Pacific Ocean. 
You look up and marvel at the majestic cliffs and the brilliant blue sky. 
When you close your eyes, you can hear two waiters conversing in Spanish at the pool bar and the distant music as the mariachi band practices for their dinner performance. You dangle your hand in the water and splash some on your legs. It cools your burning skin. You’re floating...." 
How do you (or your characters) deal with stress?

Getting to know Charmaine Gordon

I’d like to welcome author, Charmaine Gordon. Charmaine has led a fascinating life as both an actor and an author. She’s written several books, including Reconstructing Charlie, a romantic suspense novel.

Charmaine, where did you grow up? Did your childhood contribute to your desire to be a writer? If so, how?
I was born and raised in Chicago to be a home ‘engineer’ although the triple desire of acting/singing/dancing hummed in my secret heart.

So, you became an actor. Did your career as an actor affect your writing career? If so, how?

Years of experience as an actor on daytime drama: One Life to Live, Ryan’s Hope, Another World and All My Children, Stage, spokesperson and commercials plus writing sketches for Air Force shows helped prepare me for the wonders of a writing career. Of course, I didn’t realize it at the time, when immersed in the written words of others, that I was like a sponge, soaking up how to construct a scene, write dialogue and paint the setting.

My writing effort came later when I wrote a two-page story, sent it to son, Paul, who commented, “Cool. Can you write ten pages?” Seemed impossible but the story poured from my fingers and seventy thousand words later, I typed “The End.”

I kissed my acting career goodbye, leaving on a high note, with the lead in an Off Broadway play, The Fourth Commandment, author Rich Knipe. It was great fun and time to move on.

Movies like Working Girl, Road to Wellsville and having the pleasure of Anthony Hopkins’ company at lunch, working with Mike Nichols in Regarding Henry and singing outside with Harrison Ford, crying with Gene Wilder over loss of another set, When Harry Met Sally with the whole gang singing “It Had to be You.” Lots of fond memories. 
Incredible! Singing with Harrison Ford! That’s hard to top!

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

In the past, I’ve worked as a commercial artist doing fashion sketches long before computer art took over; color artist for a photography studio before color became the “in” thing; serious gardening and building stone patios, tennis and daily three mile runs until hip replacement and rotator cuff surgery knocked me down. Did I mention dancing and teaching ballroom and Latin? Doctors say that’s a lot of wear and tear on a small frame. Blame it on me, folks.

I’m exhausted just reading that! What’s your favorite color? Why?

Favorite color is pink - all shades, especially hot pink! And why not?
Describe yourself – not physically – but personality wise.

I’m upbeat, determined, ready to place one foot in front of the other, no matter what.

Where do you live now? Do you use that locale for settings in your novels? If not, how do you choose your settings?
I live in Pear River, NY, Rockland County, about 30 miles north of NYC. Thus far, I haven’t used this Irish town as a setting.

The settings I’ve chosen are places I know or imagine. One is the fictional town of Fairview, Illinois, north of Chicago - Haven takes place there; St. Augustine, FL,  where I lived while my daughter attended college and worked, the location for Starting Over; To Be Continued takes place in Westchester County, North of NYC; Reconstructing Charlie begins in Minnesota - a state I’ve never been to - and continues in Chicago. Lots of research went into this book.

Do you like to travel? If so, what are some of your favorite places to go and/or your favorite vacation? 
I’ve been to wondrous places with my first husband, now deceased, when all you had to worry about was getting pinched by an Italian. Venice, Rome, Capri, London, Paris, England and later my son, a performer, took me along to Berlin, Israel, Edinburgh and more. But give me a beach with palm trees and dunes. Ahhh.

I feel the same way about beaches!

Name three of your favorite authors in the mystery genre and/or name specific books you love.

Robert B. Parker; John Sandford; Elmore B. Leonard. Mystery and mayhem.

What’s your answer to this question:  If I won a million dollars, I would -----
If I won a million dollars, I’d pay off every debt, protect my future with dear husband number two, and see what comes next.

Did you plan to write a series before or after you wrote your first book?  
I’m completing a series as we speak. When Reconstructing Charlie ended, I realized there were some delicious characters who needed a story of their own. And so, a three book series began. Haven came next with surprising twists and turns and a hot romance to boot and now the last part of the journey. . . I think, is titled A Sin of Omission. It will all be revealed as soon as the characters tell it to me.

Did the inspiration for your characters and/or plot come from people you know, a specific place or personal experience? If not, what got you started?

Odd the way I began as a writer. I had a week’s acting job down in Gainesville, FL. Call time came early and when the clock radio blasted on, the news was of a tragedy on the hard packed sand on the east coast. A drunk driver in a pick-up truck hit an elderly man out walking with his wife. The excited commentator described the scene with the woman bending over her dead husband, her life changed forever. I pictured waves rolling in, early sun coming up, tears rolling. I had to dress and go to work. Concentrate on lines. But I never forgot the mind picture. A few years later, toward the end of a run in an Off Broadway play, The Fourth Commandment, I began to write Starting Over.

Do you have any words of wisdom to offer writers who are just starting out?

My advice is this plain and simple. You say you want to write, so write. Just do it. Tell your story. Everyone has a story. You might begin with Remember when? And write about a funny incident from the past. If this frees you up, good. You've begun. 
Charmaine, thanks for being with us today. 
Links to Charmaine’s books are listed below.She’s offering a gift of her short story love anthology, Love Lost and Found, to one of today’s readers. She will choose the winner   at the end of this week.

http://www.vanillaheartbooksandauthors.com/ 

https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/VanillaHeart

 

Different Strokes for Different Folks

I’m a morning person. Most days, as soon as I wake up, I’m alert and ready to start my day. After coffee, of course. That’s why I choose to write in the morning; I’m fresh and at my best. When I’m writing, whether it’s the first draft of a manuscript or a rewrite, I focus on that. I don’t even check my email or answer my phone until I’m satisfied that I’ve produced the day’s writing. It’s too easy for me to get sidetracked, responding to emails, posting on Face Book and commenting on other writers’ blogs. I like to get up early but not as early as Louise, one of the characters in Mixed Messages.

Louise had tossed and turned all night long. She glanced at the clock on her bedside table: 4:58 a.m. The alarm would go off in two minutes. She reached over and turned it off. I don’t know why I bother to set it, she thought. No matter what time she went to bed, every morning for more years than she cared to remember, she had awakened at exactly the same time. Intuitively, her brain knew that it was time to get up.

But that’s not for everyone.

I have several friends and family members who, whenever possible, stay up until all hours and then sleep the morning away. And, I’ve read interviews with other writers who claim they’re the most productive at night. Just like Lawrence, another character in my book.

Lawrence was a night person. Long after his mother had gone to bed, he would stay up, reading or watching television. He loved the peace and quiet. It was “his time.” He wasn’t “on call” for his mother and there weren’t any of the little disturbances there were during the day such as telemarketers calling, the annoying noise of lawn mowers, leaf blowers and cars honking their horns. At night, there were no interruptions; he could do what he wanted to do.

What works for you? Are you an early bird or a night owl?

My Most Memorable Valentine's Day

The other day, I overheard someone say, “I hate Valentine’s Day! It’s just another Hallmark holiday.” I hope he reads this post because, well, no, it’s not!

There are many legends surrounding the origin of Valentine’s Day and the identity of St. Valentine but the fact remains that valentine greetings were popular as far back as the Middle Ages and written valentines began to appear after 1400. The oldest known valentine still in existence today is a poem written in 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife, while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London after his capture at the battle of Agincourt. I could be wrong but I don’t think Hallmark was in business back then!

I love Valentine’s Day! There’s something so special about it. You can almost feel the romance in the air whether you’re romantically involved at the time or not. I’ve had some wonderful, memorable Valentine’s Days. Through the years, there were candlelit dinners and gifts of candy, flowers and jewelry. But, as much as I enjoyed and appreciated those celebrations, they pale in comparison to the Valentine’s Day when I was six years old.

My first Valentine’s Day party! Our first grade classroom was decorated with hearts, which we’d cut out of red and pink construction paper and pasted on lacy, white backings. We ate pink and white frosted cupcakes and heart shaped cookies. Then, we passed out our Valentine’s Day cards with images of kittens, puppies and cupids. I can still remember how excited I was when I opened the cards, especially the one from Stevie Thompson. I had such a crush on him!

At the end of the day, as we walked down the front steps of our elementary school to head home, Stevie called out my name. I stopped and turned around. And then, he walked up to me, kissed me on the cheek and took off running down the steps. I think I floated all the way home. Happy Valentine’s Day, Stevie, wherever you are!

What was your most memorable Valentine’s Day?