Steve: It’s my pleasure today to interview author Daniella Bernett, author of the Emmeline Kirby/Gregory Longdon mystery series. (A review of the first book, Lead Me Into Danger, follows.) Her sleuths are unusual. Emmeline is an investigative journalist while Gregory is a jewel thief. They’re both British, and together with a Scotland Yard detective, readers will find an unusual trio that makes her books fit nicely into one of my favorite subgenres, British mysteries. So please welcome Daniella to my blog. Why don’t you say something about yourself for the readers to get things started?

Daniella: I’m a member of the Mystery Writers of America, New York Chapter, and I have a B.S. in Journalism. The books in the series are set in the U.K. and Europe. Lead Me Into Danger, Deadly Legacy, From Beyond The Grave, and A Checkered Past are the first four books in the series. When Blood Runs Cold, Book 5, was released on September 21. Old Sins Never Die, Book 6, will be released in fall 2020. I’m currently working on Book 7 in the series. I’m also the author of two poetry collections, Timeless Allure and Silken Reflections.

Daniella on Reading and Writing:

Steve: Why, how, and when did you start writing?

Daniella: The spark that launched me into the writing world was my fourth grade teacher. Once a week, she had Creative Writing hour and gave us different assignments. I absolutely loved it. I started pursuing my dream by writing short stories (mostly mysteries). After I graduated from college, in the four months it took me to find employment, I wrote a mystery novel. My first job was as a copywriter at Penguin USA. One day, I plucked up the courage to show my book to one of the editors. She actually read it. She told me that it was better than what she usually sees from first-time authors. However, she said that I should think more in terms of a series. I tried revising the book and submitted it to several agents, who all rejected it. Thus, I chalked it up to a good exercise. But I didn’t forget the editor’s advice. The kernel of the idea for my Emmeline and Gregory mystery series slowly started swirling around in the back of my mind, until one day when all pieces fell into place, and Lead Me Into Danger, Book 1, came to life on the printed page.

Steve: What is your biggest problem with the writing process? How do you tackle it?

Daniella: Since I have a full-time job, squeezing in the time to write is my greatest challenge. I can only write when I come home in the evenings and on the weekends. I try to be disciplined about it.

Steve: Do you feel writing is something you need to do or want to do?

Daniella: Writing is like breathing. I simply must do it. I’ve had a love affair with language and the written word since I was very young. The idea that I could allow my imagination to roam freely and string words together like a strand of pearls to tell my own tale was (and still is) absolutely enchanting.

It can be frustrating at times when the words refuse to come and doubts bring my story spluttering to a halt. However, those instances are to be expected. Nothing can take away the sheer joy and sense of accomplishment in the creative process.

Steve: How much of your creative ability do you think is innate and how much is learned?

Daniella: I think most of my creativity is instinctive. Writing has always come naturally to me. I think what I learned in school merely honed the skills that I already possessed.

Steve: What is the last book you read? What are you reading now?

Daniella: The last book I read was The Sentence is Death by Anthony Horowitz. I’m currently reading Ribbons of Scarlet: A Novel of the French Revolution’s Women by Kate Quinn, Stephanie Dray, Laura Kamoie, E. Knight, Sophie Perinot and Heather Webb.

Steve: Who are your favorite authors?  Whose writing inspires you the most and why?

Daniella: Among my favorite authors are Rhys Bowen, Lauren Willig, Alyssa Maxwell, Tracy Grant, Emma Jameson, Kate Quinn, Tasha Alexander, Susan Elia MacNeal, Tessa Arlen, Jeffrey Archer, Daniel Silva, and many, many others.

In terms of inspiration, Agatha Christie influenced me the most. There are so many things I admire about the grande dame of mystery. She was truly a master at her craft. What I love the most is that Christie conceived such deliciously wicked and ingenious plots that appeal to the reader’s intellect. Jealousy, love, and greed are the primary motives for murder. Christie took these motives and threw them into a pot, swirled them about, and in each book conjured up a new way to explore these emotions. Her stories endure to this day because of her astute insight into human nature and all its foibles.

I would like readers to be talking about my books long after I’m dead. I try to leave readers wanting more, like Christie did with such consummate skill. I hope I’m succeeding.

Steve: Should writers read in their genre?  Should they be avid readers?

Daniella: I think writers are readers at heart. Reading nourishes my soul. It also has allowed me to develop a broad vocabulary and made my mind curious about many things. Books make the reader think.

I would tell aspiring writers to read everything they can get their hands on to get a feel for pacing, moods evoked, subjects written about and the language. Read different authors to see how each handles the narrative and plot twists. In the end though, let these other books merely be a guide. The most important thing is to write the story that you want to write and not what others tell you or what the current market trends are. To write a great story, you have to breathe it, live with it, and nurture it in your dreams and waking hours.

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Steve: I have the pleasure today of interviewing author Harol Marshall who writes in the mystery and political thriller genres. Without further ado, why don’t you tell us a bit about yourself, Harol.

Harol: My father named me after his brother and dropped the ‘d’ from Harold, so I’m a female! I grew up in Upstate New York where my father was deputy chief of police in my town. No doubt as a consequence of all the stories I heard growing up, I write novels in those genres, as well as short stories, some of which you can read on my website: http://www.harolmarshall.com. My contact email is: harolmarsh at gmail dot com. I also have a Harol Marshall Facebook page and Amazon page.

Steve: Can you describe some of your books for the readers?

Harol: I’ve published four books in my PI Polly Berger series, the titles of which begin with, The Case of the, and include: Catwalk Saint, Vanishing Chef, Trophy Wife, and Missing Mobster.  The second edition of my first thriller, The Shadow Cabinet, came out last year, and The Singapore Assassin (second edition – the link is to the first) is due out this year from Black Opal Books, as well as the three books in my Mexico series: A Corpse for Cinco de Mayo, A Corpse for the Matadora, and A Corpse for Cortez. The protagonist is a police commander and head of the homicide division in the Tlaxcala State Police. I also have a stand-alone mystery, Adieu at the Zoo, and a short story anthology, Growing up with Pigs. I’m married and live in Greensboro, North Carolina, with my husband and three wily cats. My husband and I share four children and four grandchildren.

Harol on reading and writing:

Steve: Why, how, and when did you start writing?

Harol: I was an avid reader from an early age, but became interested in writing in high school, thanks to a  really great English teacher.  However, most of my writing over the years has been in the academic field until I retired, which is when I began writing fiction.

Steve: Did you publish the first book you wrote?

Harol: Yes, with a vanity press. That book has been rewritten and a new edition will be coming out later this year.

Steve: What is your biggest problem with the writing process?

Harol: I seldom experience writer’s block, but I do suffer occasionally from “plot block.” To tackle the problem, I work on two or three books at a time. When I’m blocked on one, I move on to another until I solve my plot issues.

Steve: Do you feel writing is something you need to do or want to do?

Harol: Writing is something I love to do.

Steve: Have your personal experiences or situations influenced you creatively?

Harol: Definitely, especially with regard to settings. My Mexico village mysteries are set in the State of Tlaxcala, where I conducted field research for my PhD dissertation in anthropology. My PI series is set in Hollywood, where my son once lived, and my zoo book is based on my experiences coordinating a research and education program between my university and the North Carolina Zoological Park.

Steve: How much of your creative ability do you think is innate and how much is learned?

Harol: I have no idea, so I’ll guess 50/50.

Steve: What is the last book you read? What are you reading now?

Harol: Right now I’m reading The Elements of Eloquence: Secrets of the Perfect Turn of Phrase, by Mark Forsyth, which I highly recommend to all writers. As for pleasure reading, I recently finished The Holographic Universe by Michael Talbot. I’m a fan of popular physics books, perhaps because I’m married to a retired particle physicist, and I’m a political junkie, so I am constantly reading articles on politics as well.

Steve: Who are your favorite authors? Whose writing inspires you the most and why?

Harol: Michael Connelly and Daniel Silva. Connelly inspires me, because his police detective and lawyer series are set in LA, like my PI series. Also, I like his straightforward writing style.

Steve: What was the last book to make you laugh? Cry?

Harol: For laughs, the one written by my son, Dale Hoffman (a former standup comic), which makes me laugh even thinking about it: Werewolf Watching in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula: A Field Guide. For crying, I can’t say, since I tend to avoid sad stories.

Steve: Should writers read in their genre? Should they be avid readers?

Harol: Yes, though I find myself reading less fiction than I did before I started writing fiction. And yes.

Steve: How do you find (discover) your plots?

Harol: On occasion, people (usually family members) give me the beginnings of a plot idea, but usually, my plots come from reading about actual crimes and criminals.

Steve: Are your characters based on real people?

Harol: I never base characters on people I know, and only occasionally on someone I’ve read or heard about. My characters are my own invention, which makes writing them easier, because they aren’t locked into characteristics apart from how I want them to look, think, feel, and act.

Steve: How do you name your characters?

Harol: Sometimes I google names, other times I’ve taken a name from someone I know, usually a family member (solely for the purpose of amusing myself).

Steve: Which comes first for you, plot or characters?

Harol: I start with a plot, and characters follow.

Steve: Any comments about writing dialog?

Harol: I love writing dialog, and I’m better at dialog than description. I find I can move a story along easier using dialog, and since readers interpret dialog as ‘action,’ I’m saved from having to invent unnecessary action scenes. Often, when writing dialog, I read the words aloud to ensure they sound right. The secret to writing dialog, I believe, is to be a good listener, and pay attention not only to what people say, but how they say it. I’ve always been good at recalling conversations, sometimes verbatim, so writing dialog seems to come naturally to me.

Steve: How do you handle POV?

Harol: I write my PI Polly Berger books in first person point of view, which can be challenging when writing a mystery because the reader can only know what Polly knows or learns. On the other hand, the books are driven by how she thinks, analyzes, works, and behaves. The people with whom she interacts, and the how and why of her life choices, are critical to the story, so first person POV works best.  By contrast, I write my thrillers, and the Mexican village mysteries, in third person because the stories revolve around a number of different settings and characters, some of whom are almost as important as the protagonist.

Steve: Do you do fact-finding for (aka research) your books?  If so, how? What sources do you use? (more…)

Steve: I have the great pleasure today of interviewing author Zoe Tasia. She’s a multi-genre writer of fantasy, romance, and psychological thriller novels. Some of her books are co-written with Minette Lauren under the pseudonym Zari Reede. I just finished reading her Kilts and Catnip (The Shrouded Isle Book 1), which is a fantasy that includes Celtic myths and magic, but it also adds mystery to that genre list. [Note from Steve: A review of this book will be posted tomorrow.]

Without further ado, let’s begin.

Zoe on Reading and Writing:

Steve: Why, how, and when did you start writing?  

Zoe: I have admired authors my entire life and can’t imagine a more perfect vocation for me. One of my most vivid memories is the moment of awe and joy I felt when I was proficient enough to read a “proper” book. Joy, because I have always loved books, and I was so excited to be at a reading level that I could tackle pretty much anything I desired. Awe, because of the implications. I could read anything—what a head rush! I realized very early that knowledge is power and the ability to read opens that door. From that point on, I scribbled down the stories in my head that beforehand, I could only share verbally with my friends and family.

Steve: Did you publish the first book you wrote?

Zoe: Oh dear, no. I still have it, though. It’s a very primitive, young adult novel written by hand.

Steve: What is your biggest problem with the writing process? How do you tackle it?  

Zoe: Switching between POVs is tough. When I was writing Kilts and Catnip in first person POV, I was also writing a third person POV book. That was a difficult experience.

Steve: Do you feel writing is something you need to do or want to do?

Zoe: Need to do. I can’t help it. Even before I could read and write, I would tell my sister and cousin stories. I was born a storyteller.

Steve: Have your personal experiences or situations influenced you creatively? If so, how?

Zoe: Definitely. I lived in Scotland for years and knew I would write a book taking place there.  After the West Nile virus scare, I penned a book about a boy who came down with it. (I lost a portion of it when my computer died and haven’t had the heart to get back to it, but I will.) I majored in psychology, which very much influenced my writing while working on a co-authored psychological thriller.

Steve: How much of your creative ability do you think is innate and how much is learned?

Zoe: My creativity is mostly innate; however, I work hard to use it to the best of my ability.

Steve: What is the last book you read? What are you reading now?

Zoe: The last book I read was Strange Days by Rick Gualtieri. I’m currently reading a couple of books. The Night Mark by Tiffany Reisz for my book discussion group; she’s a fantasy author who is new to me. And I keep a book of poetry on my end table that, when I have a spare moment, I read a poem or two.

Steve: Who are your favorite authors?  Whose writing inspires you the most and why?

Zoe: Anne McCaffrey, Carol Shields, Kate Atkinson, Tolkien, Sheri S. Tepper, Asimov, Mercedes Lackey—suffice to say, I could go on for pages. I recently met one of my favorite authors, Jasper Fforde. I love the unique formatting of his Thursday Next series and hope to write something in that vein someday.

Steve: What’s the last book to make you laugh? Cry?

Zoe: The last book I read, Strange Days, had many humorous scenes that made me chuckle.

Steve: Should writers read in their genre?  Should they be avid readers? 

Zoe: A writer who doesn’t read? Weird. I read my genre. I’ve read fantasy since I was a child. I read it because I love it and because it’s good to know what’s selling.

Steve: How do you find (discover) your plots?

Zoe: The Plot Fairy? Neil Gaiman answered that question in a hilarious manner. He basically, owned up that nobody knows, but when asked, writers feel compelled to answer the question in some manner. My problem isn’t finding plots. My problem is that I have too many floating around in my head and keep discovering more. I don’t know where they come from. Or is it, “from whence they come?” Whence is an underused word. (Oops, one of my ADD moments, sorry.) Here’s my theory. In our minds, there are doors. Most people read the sign on the front of the door and move on. I open the door. When I do, I see a maze. Now if other people open the door, most, when faced with a maze, back out and shut the door. Me, nope. I skip down the path and, unlike Theseus, I don’t bring a string to find my way back.

Steve: Are your characters based on real people?

Zoe: No. My sister lost her husband when her daughter was a teenager like one of my main characters. But Becca from Kilts and Catnip is definitely not my sis, Martha.

Steve: How do you name your characters?

Zoe: I’ve made up names, used baby names sites, heck, skimmed the phone book. (Remember those?)

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Steve: It is my great pleasure today to interview mystery writer Nancy A. Hughes. Her debut novel was The Dying Hour. Her other novels are found in her “Trust Trilogy” that includes A Matter of Trust, Redeeming Trust, and Vanished . Without further ado, Nancy, why don’t you tell us a bit more about yourself.

Nancy: After graduating from Penn State in journalism and advertising, I was a business writer for small to mid-sized companies and nonprofits. Then I turned to writing mysteries and crime stories. I’m a novelist who murders people. Tastefully. On paper. My mystery/suspense stories feature protagonists who, through no fault of their own, are ensnared in crimes that they must solve to save themselves and their loved ones.

Nancy on Reading and Writing:

Steve: Why, how, and when did you start writing?

Nancy: By fifteen, I knew I wanted to be a writer, and was fascinated by television advertising. I spent one dreadful semester as an English major, then transferred into Health & Human Development, which let me assemble an inter-college program—journalism, advertising, PR, broadcasting, business writing—this program became PSU’s College of Communications.

Steve: Did you publish the first book you wrote?

Nancy: The Dying Hour was my debut novel, but my “first book” became part of my “Trust Trilogy.” I refused to relegate A Matter of Trust, my 400+ page saga, to practice or just for fun. While The Dying Hour was being edited by my publisher, I rewrote, refined, expanded, and corrected the behemoth into A Matter of Trust and Redeeming Trust. Vanished completed the trilogy.

Steve: What is your biggest problem with the writing process? How do you tackle it?

Nancy: As a journalist turned novelist, I had to police myself not to get the who-what-when-where-why out up front, but just let readers meet the characters little by little as in real life. With a media background, I lived with deadlines. Missing them meant losing the job, the client, and my reputation, and my business. Deadlines still makes me uneasy; I rarely procrastinate.

Steve: Do you feel writing is something you need to do or want to do?

Nancy: Both! I cannot leave it alone. I have a vivid imagination and wake up with plots in my head, wanting to tear into them immediately.

Steve: Have your personal experiences or situations influenced you creatively? If so, how?

Nancy: I prepared to work in advertising, a big-city career. My husband’s agricultural banking career meant rural living, however. I created a PR business specializing in media relations, learning from a variety of people and occupations. This exposure gave me the background for plots, characters, scenes, and how things work.

Steve: How much of your creative ability do you think is innate and how much is learned?

Nancy: It’s 50-50. Being a born verbal extrovert is a plus, enabling me to approach fascinating people and absorb their ideas. My mother, a brilliant scholar and teacher, encouraged my creativity and chose a community with excellent schools. She thought I could do anything, which made me work hard, lest she find out I was average!

Steve: What is the last book you read? What are you reading now?

Nancy: I read Will Schwalbe’s Books for Living and his The End of your Life Book Club, both with amazing commentary on wonderful classics. I’m reading Christine Trent’s A Virtuous Death: A Lady of Ashes Mystery. Her protagonist is a female undertaker in an occupation unheard of for a Victorian-era woman.

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Steve: It’s my pleasure today to interview author and longtime friend Scott Dyson. We met via Joe Konrath’s blog long ago, and we’ve had lively email discussions ever since. He writes mostly horror a la Stephen King, but he has written stories in other genres too. His longer works include The Inn and Reciprocal Evil. He also has short fiction collections like The Cave, Die 6, The Striker Files, and The Never Ending Night.

Without further ado, let’s go to it. Scott, please tell us a bit about yourself.

Scott: By day I work as a general dentist, and I’m a husband and father to two boys. In my spare time, I write and self-publish tales of horror, mystery and science fiction/fantasy. I’ve been writing since grade school, but it wasn’t until the mid 1990s when I was helping to host a book and writing forum on Delphi Internet Services, called “The Book And Candle Pub,” that I became more serious about creating works of fiction.

Besides writing, my passions in life are my family, making music, reading, watching movies, and following Chicago sports, especially the Cubs and the Bulls. (Yes, I admit to being a long-suffering Chicago Cubs fan!) I play keyboards and enough guitar and drums to get by, and currently play in a local bar band. I’m a big fan of Disney films and theme parks as well!

Scott on Writing:

Steve: Why, how, and when did you start writing?

Scott: I can’t really remember a time when I didn’t write.  I wrote my first full length stories in 6th or 7th grade, but I was always writing something.  Throughout my college and professional school years, I didn’t have time to write that much, but I still harbored the desire.  As soon as I was out of school I started writing again.

Steve: Did you publish the first book you wrote?

Scott: If you count the things I wrote back in grade school (that I finished), the answer is no.  If you don’t count them, then my first finished book is a mystery hinging on a dental clue.  I think there is something good in there, but it’s as yet unpublished.

Steve: What is your biggest problem with the writing process. How do you tackle it?

Scott: I don’t know where I’m going when I start, and I often get lost along the way.  I have dozens of files of stories in various stages of completion, but I don’t know if I’ll ever figure out where to go with them.  So I suppose my biggest problem is plotting. [Note from Steve: I for one know there’s a really good YA adventure novel in your files. How ‘bout it? When are you going to publish it? No pressure.]

Steve: Do you feel writing is something you need to do or want to do?

Scott: More want than need.  I enjoy it, the same way I enjoy playing music.  I don’t often feel a burning NEED to write (and it shows in my productivity), but when I have time to do something I truly enjoy, as often as not I will sit down at a computer and write.

Steve: Have your personal experiences (or situations) influenced you creatively? If so, how?

Scott: My dental career helped me write that as yet unpublished first short novel.  I’ve always been a bit of a dreamer, and I was always strong in science and math, so my first love is probably science fiction.  That said, I have trouble writing it.  I can’t really understand why.  Horror and supernatural thrillers seem to come more naturally.

Steve: How much of your creative ability do you think is innate and how much is learned?

Scott: I think that most of my own creative ability is learned.  I watched a lot of Disney as a child, and I literally HAD to watch movies like The Wizard of Oz and The Ten Commandments every year.  Their airing on broadcast TV was almost an event for me.  I always read a lot.  It feels like a natural progression to go from reading fictional tales to making them up myself.

Steve: What is the last book you read? What are you reading now?

Scott: I am currently reading A Perfect Tenant by Steve Richer and Nicholas Gifford.  I just queue up my reads like they’re songs in my iPod.  The last book I finished was The Twenty Three by Linwood Barclay.

Steve: Whose writing inspires you the most and why?

Scott: I think I’d have to say Stephen King.  I’ve read writers who might be better than him, but his storytelling always grabs me and pulls me in.  It was his books as much as anyone’s that exposed me to the power of a short story, and it was his storytelling that showed me how a fictional place could become real in the reader’s mind.  I was also inspired by Asimov and Heinlein, but I can’t seem to do what they do with their stories.

Steve: Do you have a favorite genre?

Scott: Not really.  I have some I don’t like.  I read broadly in science fiction, mysteries, thrillers, and horror fiction.  I will step outside of those often into other genres if the premise of the story grabs me.  I love a well-drawn character in an immersive story.

Steve: Should writers read in their genre?  Should they be avid readers?

Scott: I think so.  It’s sort of like music.  How can we be good musicians if we never listen to anything?  Reading broadly and avidly gives us a sense of how a story works.  You can read phrases and appreciate them, and they will find their way into your writing, not verbatim, but in the tone of your prose.  You get a sense for what works, what doesn’t, how it flows, and you appreciate the authors’ uses of specific words in specific situations.  It comes through in your writing unconsciously, I think.  You can always tell a writer who watches a lot of movies but doesn’t read by their exposition in their writing.  It’s not the same. (more…)

Steve: Today I’m pleased to offer readers of this blog an interview with Bruce Woods, author of the new historical fantasy novel Royal Blood and other books. Royal Blood has just been published by Penmore Press. So let’s welcome him. Bruce, why don’t you tell us something about yourself?

Bruce: Thanks. My novels Royal Blood and Dragon Blood are scheduled to be published by Penmore Press. (Royal Blood was previously offered in paperback by Knox Robinson, but that press has gone out of business.) I’ve finished two trilogies, the first of which includes a final book not yet scheduled and a second featuring many of the characters in the first but with a different protagonist,  The second is not yet scheduled for publication. I live in Alaska with my wife and two cats. Our kids both recently graduated and now live in the lower 48.                                                                                         

Bruce on reading and writing:

Steve: Why, how, and when did you start writing?

Bruce: Like most authors, I suppose, I’ve always been writing but took up fiction full time after a career of magazine editing and, most recently, service as writer/editor/media spokesperson for USFWS (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) Alaska.

Steve: Did you publish the first book you wrote?

Bruce: Nope. The first one remains unpublished, but I haven’t given up hope!

Steve: What is your biggest problem with the writing process? How do you tackle it?

Bruce: Deep in my heart, I suspect that I’m more of a stylist than a storyteller. This has led me to the genre of historical fantasy, where the story exists but my fictional characters’ impact upon it becomes the focus of my tale. I’m currently working on a straight literary fiction manuscript, which is slogging along as they all have..

Steve: Do you feel writing is something you need to do or want to do?

Bruce: Writing is what I do. I can’t imagine not doing it.

Steve: Have your personal experiences or situations influenced you creatively? If so, how? Bruce: I’ve spent most of my life in magazine editing. I learned many things along the way. Perhaps the most important is that the writing itself should never take precedence over the information presented.

Steve: How much of your creative ability do you think is innate and how much is learned?

Bruce: I was perhaps born with a spark, but everything I’ve done and everything I’ll do works toward fanning that into a flame.

Steve: What is the last book you read? What are you reading now?

Bruce: I’ve always got at least two books going, either reading or rereading. I’m currently rereading William Gibson’s Spook Country and Mollie Panter-Downs’ London War Notes.

Steve: Who are your favorite authors?  Whose writing inspires you the most and why?

Bruce: I’m a reading omnivore. But everyone who writes fantasy owes a debt to Anne Rice and Steve King. I also owe a lot to George MacDonald Fraser’s Flashman books. I hope there’s humor in my work too, though I suspect it’s a bit dryer than Fraser’s. Gibson (mentioned above), Hemingway, and Terry Pratchett are always worth another read for inspiration.

Steve: What’s the last book to make you laugh?  Cry?

Bruce: I suspect I’ve chuckled and teared up while rereading Spook Country, if only at the mastery over the language that Gibson shows.

Steve: Should writers read in their genre?  Should they be avid readers?

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Steve: I’m honored today to interview Lisanne Harrington, author of the “Wolf Creek Mysteries.” Welcome to the blog, Lisanne. Why don’t you tell us a little about yourself.

Lisanne: Hey, there, Steve. Thanks for hosting me. Well, let’s see. After nearly twenty years as a paralegal, I staged a coup and left the straight-laced corporate world—and hideously ugly pant suits—behind forever. I now pander to my muse, a sarcastic little so-and-so. Only copious amounts of Diet Cherry Dr. Pepper and hamburgers will get him to fill my head with stories of serial killers, werewolves, and the things that live under your bed.
I live in SoCal with my husband and rowdy, always-has-to-have-the-last-word miniature pinscher, Fiona. When not writing, I love to watch reruns of Gilmore Girls (although I hated the movies), horror movies like Young Frankenstein and Fido, and true crime shows. I like scary clowns, coffee with flavored creamer, and hot, salty French fries. Lots and lots of French fries.

When not hanging with “The Girls,” I write paranormal mysteries and murder mysteries.

Steve: Can you describe some of them?

Lisanne: My “Wolf Creek Mysteries” trilogy is available online (Amazon and B&N). It takes place in a fictional small Southern California town, where in Book 1 (Moonspell) a serial killer is stalking and killing the townspeople. But only at certain times, and it falls upon main character James to figure out who—or what—the killer is, and catch him. Book 2 (Moon Watch) plays off that as another series of murders takes place that centers around James. Then, in Book 3 (Moon Shadows), James wakes up to a town shrouded in a strange fog. Everyone has disappeared, and it is up to James to find them. All the while avoiding the strange creatures that lurk in the shadows….

My zombie story, “That Twin Thing,” is included in an amazing anthology called Murder, Mystery, and Mayhem, by the OC Fictionaires.

Steve: What’s on the horizon?

Lisanne: My next book, Murder in the Family, due out early in 2019, is a murder mystery. Orange County Deputy Sheriff Dana S. Sinclair longs for two things: more action on the job so she can earn a promotion like her father before her, and a better relationship with her estranged mother. When her mother is murdered and it appears that her dead father has come back from the grave to do it, Dana does everything she can to uncover the truth. As she investigates the murder, Dana uncovers a plethora of suspects, strange warnings, bizarre happenings that seem designed to drive her crazy, and the truth about her dead father.

After that, I return to the paranormal with Gravelings, the story about what happens when a disturbed little girl encounters strange creatures living in the basement. Of course, the adults around her don’t believe her. She is, after all, on medication for hearing voices and other mental health issues. But as the gravelings become more and more aggressive and violent, they begin to wonder if the creatures are real. And if the gravelings are going to kill them.

Currently, I’ve finished a first draft of a story involving killer clowns, and am halfway through a story about a mythological Chinese monster and the destruction of the family charged with keeping it at bay.

Lisanne on reading and writing:

Steve: Why, how, and when did you start writing?

Lisanne: I’ve always been a big reader, so it just seemed a natural transition to begin writing. I started with short stories as a small child, and co-wrote my first novel when I was eleven. It then progressed from there, and has become a part of me. When not writing, I feel incomplete.

Steve: Did you publish the first book you wrote?

Lisanne: No way! Not even the first one I wrote as an adult. It was a hot mess, and my first real attempt at a mystery. Thank God, I took lots of classes and really sharpened the tools in my toolbox before I began marketing Murder in the Family, which was my second attempt at a murder mystery.

Steve: What is your biggest problem with the writing process? How do you tackle it?

Lisanne: Actually, my biggest problem is being interrupted, either by family members or my barking dog, who always seems to find the exact WRONG time to bring me her ball.

Steve: Do you feel writing is something you need to do or want to do?

Lisanne: It’s like breathing. I couldn’t live without it.

Steve: Have your personal experiences or situations influenced you creatively? If so, how?

Lisanne: I think all writers are influenced by life. While I don’t necessarily believe in the adage “write what you know,” (isn’t that what research is for?), I think we writers can’t help but draw on our own experiences when we write.

Steve: How much of your creative ability do you think is innate and how much is learned?

Lisanne: It’s an equal mixture. Without the ability and desire, there’s no real point in learning the ins and outs of writing. It’s just like any other job. You have to train yourself before you can really do a good job. Even cashiers at fast food joints train to work the register. Why shouldn’t a writer train as well?

Steve: What is the last book you read? What are you reading now?

Lisanne: I just finished The Human Predator: A Historical Chronicle of Serial Murder and Forensic Investigation by Katherine Ramsland, Ph.D.  I’m about halfway through Member of the Family: My Story of Charles Manson, Life Inside His Cult, and the Darkness that Ended the Sixties, by Dianne Lake and Deborah Herman. Just a little light reading (wink).

Steve: Who are your favorite authors?  Whose writing inspires you the most and why?

Lisanne: Alex Kava for murder mysteries, and Stephen King, Bentley Little, and Joe Hill for horror. Alex really delves into the characters as much as the mystery. King and Hill for their descriptions of the monsters inside us, characters who could be our friends and neighbors—or even us. Little for his straight-out supernatural monsters.

Steve: What’s the last book to make you laugh?  Cry?

Lisanne: That’s a tough one. I don’t read a lot of comedy or tragedy. Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella’s My Nest Isn’t Empty, It Just Has More Closet Space made me laugh. Marley and Me by John Grogan brought a few tears to my eyes, but those were from allergies. (giggle)

Steve: Should writers read in their genre?  Should they be avid readers?

Lisanne: A wholehearted YES! to both. If you don’t read in your chosen genre, how will you know all the tropes and stereotypes? And a writer should read as much as possible in as many genres as possible to gain knowledge about how stories are formed.

Steve: How do you find (discover) your plots?

Lisanne: Well, let’s see. Normally, I get my ideas while doing mundane chores, like washing dishes or folding laundry. The characters come to me for a chat. They talk to me, sometimes for months before they trust me enough to tell me their story.

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Steve: It’s my honor and pleasure to interview today historical fantasy author Robert E. Goswitz. The Dragon Soldier’s Good Fortune is his debut novel. Robert, why don’t you tell us a bit about yourself?

Robert: First, let me say something about my family. I’ve been married to my lovely wife Jody for thirty-nine years. We live on the banks of the beautiful Bark River in Hartland, Wisconsin. We have two adult children. Son Rob is engaged to be married next summer—he is a supervisor at Whole Foods in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Daughter Andrea is a married law student at the University of Wyoming, Laramie.

I was a special education teacher in the Waukesha and Wauwatosa School Districts for thirty-five years. I was awarded the U.S. Army Bronze Star and Combat Infantry Badge for my service in Vietnam.

Black Opal Books published my debut novel, The Dragon Soldier’s Good Fortune, on July 21, 2018.

Robert on reading and writing…

Steve: Why did you decide to write The Dragon Soldier’s Good Fortune?

Robert: I came back from Vietnam in August of 1972 with a headful of stories and no particular notion of how to write them. But I knew I had a great story to tell. I got out of the Army on a Friday and started graduate school on a Monday. I became a student, a teacher, a lover, a husband, a homeowner, a father—all fulfilling and wonderful things. I lived a great life but had little time for writing.

My story ideas sat in a desk drawer for decades. I was able to sketch out twenty memorable Vietnam episodes but never really had the time to develop the writing chops that would do justice to my stories. When I retired in 2007, my wife encouraged me to get back to the story.

I traveled the nation for six years, going to writer’s conferences to learn my craft. I joined writer’s groups and began getting feedback on what I had. The Military Writer’s Society of America allowed me to connect with published writers in my genre and opened doors for me I would not have found on my own. I met my editor and literary agent through friends at Military Writer’s Conferences.

Steve: What problems did you encounter in the writing process?

Robert: My story started out as a memoir. Once, an agent in a pitch session stopped me in mid-sentence to ask, “Tell me how your memoir is different from the one hundred Vietnam memoirs already published?”

Not having a good answer made me realize the story needed a distinguishing quality. Vietnamese folklore became a rich resource for story elements. No one else I had read in the Vietnam War literature space was using it.

The challenge was to make the dragon believable. Early readers approved of the dragon, and I was encouraged to give her a larger role. My memoir was morphing into a work of magical realism. I began pitching it as infantry action with a mystical twist.

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Steve: Today I’m honored to interview mystery and thriller author Carole Price. Why don’t you tell us a bit about yourself to start out.

Carole: I’m a Buckeye born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, and I attended The Ohio State University. I worked for a national laboratory in northern California before turning to writing mysteries.

Steve: Tell us about your novels.

Carole: I write the “Shakespeare in the Vineyard Series.” I fell in love with the Bard after attending plays at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland.

Steve: This is a mystery series. That must have required some background beyond a love for Shakespeare.

Carole: I graduated from the Citizens Police Academy, and I’m an active police volunteer for the Livermore Police Department. I’m also a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. I actively promote my books at conferences, literary groups, and many other venues.

Steve: Sounds like you have a lot on your plate.

Carole: I multitask, writing both fiction and creating stained glass art. My husband and I reside in the San Francisco Bay area in the middle of wine country, so there’s plenty to do in the area.

Carole on Reading and Writing:

Steve: Why, how, and when did you start writing?

Carole: I arrived late on the writing scene. It wasn’t until I retired, invited to join a critique group, that I started my first book. Although an avid reader, it hadn’t occurred to me to try my hand at writing novels, but when I began to rewrite sentences/phrases in whatever book I was reading, I realized how much fun it was. That first book, still not yet titled, takes place on Martha’s Vineyard, where I’d vacationed a few times and loved. I’m currently editing that book.

Steve: Did you publish the first book you wrote?

Carole: Not yet, but I hope to.

Steve: What is your biggest problem with the writing process? How do you tackle it?

Carole: Ideas seem to dry up by the middle of the book. There are approximately sixty wineries in Livermore. I thought the familiar setting would make it easier to describe, but I learned readers are alert and careful about details, and I must be too. One reader let me know that she had driven around looking for the fictitious estate my character had inherited, including a vineyard and two Shakespearean theaters, from an aunt she’d never heard of. So far, I’ve stayed with one POV.

Steve: Do you feel writing is something you need to do or want to do?

Carole: Writing is something I want to do because I enjoy it and have made new friends.

Steve: How much of your creative ability do you think is innate and how much is learned?

Carole: My mother was a professional classical violinist and singer. There was always music in our house, but I didn’t get any of her talent except for an appreciation of music. Most of my writing creativity has been learned by doing it.

Steve: What is the last book you read? What are you reading now?

Carole: The last book I read was House of Lies by Daniel Silva. I’m currently reading The Outsider by Stephen King.

Steve: Who are your favorite authors?  Whose writing inspires you the most and why?

Carole: My favorite authors are Daniel Silva and Catherine Coulter. There are many writers who inspire me because of their originality with descriptions and dialogue. They know how to move the story along, something I always need help with. I learn by reading other authors. (more…)

Steve: I have the honor and privilege of interviewing author Laura Elvebak today. She writes mystery, thrillers, suspense, and noir. Among her published books, the reader of this blog will find: Less Dead, Lost Witness, A Matter of Revenge, The Flawed Dance, and The Past Never Dies. She has just submitted to Black Opal Books She Said No. This talented writer is also a screenwriter and has optioned two screenplays. Without further ado, let’s hear from Laura.

Some personal background about Laura…

Steve: You are certainly a prolific writer. What about some personal stats?

Laura: I presently reside in Houston, Texas, with my adult son, one dog name Sherlock, and twelve rescued cats. I am happily unmarried. My grown daughters live close by, as do my grandchildren. [More information can be obtained at http://lauraelvebak.wordpress.com or https://blackopalbooks.com/laura-elvebak/.]

Laura on Reading and Writing:

Steve: Why, how, and when did you start writing?

Laura: When I was five and living with my paternal grandparents in Los Angeles, my mother died of cancer in the back bedroom. My father left to deal with his sorrow and returned three years later with a stepmom. That’s when I escaped into a pretend world. I had a girlfriend who lived across the street. She also had lost her mother and lived with her grandmother. We were always acting out stories. When I started school, I wrote stories all the time. I was an avid reader, thanks to my grandparents who always provided me with books.

Steve: Did you publish the first book you wrote?

Laura: No, but the first story I sent out was to the Ladies Home Journal. I think I was ten years old. They rejected my handwritten effort.

Steve: What is your biggest problem with the writing process? How do you tackle it? 

Laura: My biggest problem is overwriting. I’m learning to take out all extra words to make the prose spare and hit the hardest. My critique group helps with this. They’re always crossing out words or making them more concise.

Steve: Do you feel writing is something you need to do or want to do?

Laura: Absolutely need to do. When I’m writing and into another world, I am most energized.

Steve: Have your personal experiences or situations influenced you creatively? If so, how?

Laura: I can’t help but draw on personal experience. I lived my life believing I needed to experience everything so I can write about it. I believe that’s why I chose my six husbands. The first was a motorcycle racer and ten years older. I was nineteen. The second husband was thirty years my senior, a former hard hat diver who’d lived all over the world. When I met him, he was in a wheelchair with two fractured feet he got from jumping from a third story building to get away from a mob hit man. We traveled to several states and changed our name in each new location. I finally ran away and made a living as a go-go dancer. This was in the late sixties in Philadelphia. My fourth book, The Flawed Dance, is the fictionalized version of my life running from him and becoming a go-go dancer.

Steve: How much of your creative ability do you think is innate and how much is learned?

Laura: I would say my creative self is innate but setting it down in writing is definitely learned. I took a class taught by Richard Walter at UCLA on fiction, also classes at USC, and screenwriting classes at Beyond Baroque in Venice, California. I took mystery writing and screenwriting classes at Rice University. But I credit most of my progress with my critique groups (two) that meet weekly.

Steve: What is the last book you read? What are you reading now?

Laura: The last book I read was Jeffery Deaver’s The Cutting Edge. I am presently listening to Karen Slaughter’s Pieces of Her and reading Peter James’ Not Dead Yet.

Steve: Who are your favorite authors?  Whose writing inspires you the most and why?

Laura: There are so many, but the authors who top the list are: Karen Slaughter, James Lee Burke, Megan Abbott, Reed Farrel Coleman, and Jo Nesbo. I learn from all of them—their use of language and how they reach into their characters and make the reader know them intimately.

Steve: What’s the last book to make you laugh?  Cry?

Laura: Dean “Miranda” James always makes me laugh with his A Cat in the Stacks Mystery. The last one I read was Classified as Murder. I don’t read many cozy mysteries. The exceptions are the books by Dean “Miranda” James, Leann Sweeney, and Kay Finch.

Steve: Should writers read in their genre?  Should they be avid readers?

Laura: Definitely. In fiction, I read mysteries, thrillers, and noir almost exclusively. Each book teaches me about writing—what to do and what not to do.

Steve: How do you find (discover) your plots?

Laura: It has to be something I am passionate about that will keep me writing all the way to the end. In writing the Niki Alexander series, my children let me see the world of homeless teens— the runaways and throwaways. I wanted to write about their world and what they were going through. Less Dead dealt with child abandonment; Lost Witness dealt with the drug world; A Matter of Revenge death with pedophiles. The Past Never Dies came about because my boss at an oil and gas company told me about a man he once did business with who had murdered his wife and gotten away with it. He kept urging me to write it. I finally figured out a way of doing it so it wasn’t evident who I was writing about. The book I just submitted, She Said No, originated from something that happened to me many years ago and resonates today with today’s #MeToo movement, about which I am passionate.

Steve: Are your characters based on real people?

Laura: I had one character in the Niki Alexander books, Tara, who gave me permission to use her. She introduced me to several homeless boys and girls. Tara was once homeless and knew that world very well. Otherwise, most of them are fictional. A few times my second husband appears in different forms.

Steve: How do you name your characters?

Laura: I have a real hard time with names. I sometimes change them several times. It’s whatever pops into my head at the time.

Steve: Which comes first for you, plot or characters?

Laura: Characters, usually. Unless there is something that really bothers me. I don’t write message books, but I don’t shy away from controversial subjects that I’m passionate about.

Steve: Any comments about writing dialog?

Laura: I just transcribe what I hear the characters say. Their voices are in my head when I’m writing.

Steve: How do you handle POV?

Laura: I usually write a close third person. In the Niki Alexander books, the POV from the teenager in trouble and switches to Niki. The Past Never Dies has two narrators in separate chapters. The Flawed Dance is told in first person.

Steve: Do you do fact-finding for (AKA research) your books?  If so, how? What sources do you use? (more…)