A Box of Texas Chocolates

As Valentine's Day approaches, I thought I'd repost my first interview with multiple anthology authors. Today’s interview is with A Box of Texas Chocolates authors, Betty Gordon, Laura Elvebak, Cash Anthony, and the team of Charlotte and Mark Phillips. A Box of Texas Chocolates is the third short story collection from the Houston-based writing group, The Final Twist. Since the group is composed of writers of many genres, they decided to try a multi-genre anthology. Each story features chocolate and Texas. The award-winning A Box of Texas Chocolates is published by L&L Dreamspell.


Welcome, folks. Before we get into questions, please introduce yourself and your story.

Betty Gordon’s biography:

Betty Gordon is a native Texan who draws inspiration for short stories and novels from years of experience in the legal arena as a law student, legal assistant and paralegal. She also has extensive backgrounds in dance and sculpting which continually prick her imagination for future creations. Betty holds a B.S. Degree in Professional Writing, University of Houston-Downtown, as well as graduate degrees in Literature (creative writing) and Visual Arts from the University of Houston-Clear Lake. Publishing credentials: “The Journal of Graduate Liberal Studies,” “Murder in the Third Person,” “Deceptive Clarity,” and numerous short stories in L&L Dreamspell’s anthologies. She is past president of The Final Twist Writers, a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Writers League of Texas, Ft. Bend Writers Guild, and Bay Area Writers League. (http://www.bettygordon.com/)

Synopsis of “The Cowboy’s Rose”: A rodeo cowboy, Hank, and his girlfriend, Rose, become embroiled in a suspenseful crime puzzle. Hank discovers that sitting on top of bucking bulls is nothing compared to involvement with a box of chocolates. Intriguing mystery leads this hard riding cowboy through nerve-racking experiences.

Laura Elvebak writes: “I write The Niki Alexander Mysteries, Less Dead and Lost Witness. I am past Chapter President and current Treasurer and Newsletter Editor for Mystery Writers of America, Southwest Chapter, a member of Sisters In Crime and The Final Twist.

Synopsis: “Dying For Chocolate” tells the story of a meek child car provider who suspects one of her employers is having an affair with her husband and vows revenge with a special box of chocolates she whips up herself.

Cash Anthony says: “I’m a Houston writer of short fiction and screenplays. I’m a semi-retired attorney and a biker chick. In addition to writing stores, I direct for stage and make short films.

Synopsis: “A Bona Fide Quirk in the Law” features Jessie Carr, the heroine of a series of short stories. This is the third one, and the fourth should be released this year. Jessie is a writer and amateur detective with a sideline as an occasional assassin. In this story, she’s terrorized by a rogue cop while out on her Harley, but she finds a way to get sweet revenge.

Charlotte Phillips writes, “I’m from the Keystone State. In addition to Pennsylvania, I lived in Florida and California before settling in Texas. I’ve always been surrounded by book, and spend a good part of my childhood in the doghouse for making up tall tales. It seemed only natural that I move to Texas and write.
Synopsis for “Books and Bon Bons”: A scrumptious assortment of desserts, a seminar on herbal poisons, and a harridan bent on evil, tempt a waitress towards the biggest mistake of her young life. Young Sassy learns vengeance can have unintended consequences.

Mark Phillips says, “I grew up in central Illinois reading the classis, especially Greek mythology, James bond novels, and Batman comics. I am a graduate of both the University of Illinois and Northwestern University. I live in Houston with my wife, Charlotte, and teach math and philosophy at Bellaire High School.
“You’ll find two of my short stories in A Box of Texas Chocolates. In “Truffles of Doom”, innocent homeless poor have been struck down by poisoned Christmas chocolates. Detective Eva Baum tracks a fiend without conscience or remorse to deliver a present of her own—justice.

“The Invisible Hand Will Smear Chocolate on the Face of Tyranny” finds the Rell buying up the cultural legacy of Earth with the merest trinkets of their advanced technology. Earth monopolists and Rell exploiters beware: rogue entrepreneur Kinkaid will sell Earth’s sweetest secret, chocolate, but only at the price of revolution and freedom.

Okay. Now for a few questions.Do you write any other genres?

Betty: Suspense—paranormal and romantic, and thrillers.

Laura: The fiction I write is all mystery. I have written non-fiction articles for magazines in the past, particularly in the self-help field.

Cash: I write several genres of screenplays. I have written documentaries, an adaptation of a YA novel, and a dark thriller. I have a medic-legal mystery in progress. My short fiction is usually mystery.

Mark: Charlotte and I write the Eva Baum mystery series together. I write science fiction and we’ve experimented with one-act plays.

Is there a different writing process for short stories compared to novel?

Betty: There is a big difference between writing the short story and novel aside from the obvious. Most of my short stories are written in First Person while the novels are written in Omniscient or Third Person. I like both formats, but prefer First Person for a short story as it brings me closer to the reader in a brief time.

Laura: While novels have a wider scope within which to work, short stories have to be concentrated with few characters and certain obstacles that the main character must hurdle to attain a goal that’s set out in the beginning, or having the main character finding an alternate goal more worthy.

Cash: For me, it’s hard to give up the layers of subtext, and the variety of settings and characters that you can have in longer fiction. My writers group has been the main cure for that, and they have been tremendously helpful.

Charlotte: For novels we like to start with an outline of sorts for the plot of the actual mystery. For shorts, we often start with an image or the question “what if?”

How do you discipline yourself while writing?

Betty: Discipline is fortunately not a problem for me. Perhaps my years of work and schooling trained me well. My day begins with getting ready as I would for a job—putting my derriere in front of the computer to check emails, taking care of responding to same, and beginning the day’s project which I have visualized before leaving my warm bed. If research is necessary, I do that first and then move forward.

Laura: I work best when I can close myself up in my office at home. I make myself write and once I get past that first bump, the ride gets much easier.

Cash: If I’m writing a first draft, I try not to read back to far before I continue with the story, or I’ll slip into editing mode. When I’m editing and in rewrite, I try to start at the end and work backwards in chunks, so as not to overlook problems.

Have you participated in any other anthologies? If so, which ones?

Betty: The Dead and Breakfast anthology has two stories: “Dead by Breakfast” and “Veiled Deception”, published by L&L Dreamspell. “Anna Rose” is in the A Death in Texas: The Final Twist anthology, also published by L&L Dreamspell.

Laura: “Searching for Rachel” is in A Death in Texas.

Cash: “The Stand-In” is in the Dead and Breakfast anthology. I wrote “The Best Man” for A Death in Texas.

Charlotte and Mark: We wrote “Death on the Bayou” for A Death in Texas anthology.

When writing, what themes do you feel passionate about?


Betty: who wins, who loses, and why.

Laura: Injustice and the underdog.

Cash: Injustices for which there seems no remedy, injuries to children and animals, the good and the bad in all of us.

Parade magazine recently asked 89-year-old P.D. James why so many women write detective novels. She responded “…women are particularly interested in strong emotions…the reasons people step over that invisible line which separates the murderer from the rest of us.” Please respond to that statement.

Betty: I’m sure most us agree that women are emotional creatures. We learn to control and direct our emotions, of course, but these strong emotional-based reactions play well in detective/mystery novels.

Laura: What fascinates me is what motivates a person to cross that line. What final straw must break before it tips the edge from fury and hate to an emotion that chills the blood and brings that person to a dead end where there is no other way out.

Cash: I believe people are interested in murder mysteries for the intellectual puzzle most of them offer, in terms of discerning motivations and analyzing behavior, as well as the “car wreck response” that draws our attention to anything violent and out of the norm. When a villain has managed to fool his community while planning something intended to destroy it, I think people are deeply interested, especially if they feel they have been fooled.

Other writing projects underway?

Betty: My third novel, Valley of Obsessions, is in the hands of my publisher, L&L Dreamspell. To learn more about my work, please check my website: www.bettygordon.com.

Laura: I am working on the third Niki Alexander mystery, Heartless, and a memoir.
My website: http://www.lauraelvebak.com and my blog, A Writer’s Musings: http://lauraelvebak.blogspot.com

Cash: Always! I’m working on a new feature-length screenplay called “Nailed” which will, hopefully, be a comedy-thriller, and another short story about Jessie Carr tentatively called “The Wild Throbbing Dark”. I also have several scripts to read for friends who want feedback, and I take writing classes year-round with ScriptforSale. You can get the anthologies at Cash’s eShop, from Cash’s Closet, www.cashs-closet.com

Mark: Charlotte and I are hard at work on the next full-length Eva Baum story, tentatively called “The Golden Key”.

Charlotte: Mark is also creating a book on political philosophy called the Water Cooler Dialogues. His hope is to make political philosophy accessible to a general audience.

You can learn more about all our writing projects at MarkandCharlottePhillips.com.

Thanks to all of you for the interview!

Readers can learn about A Box of Texas Chocolates and all the L&L Dreamspell anthologies at http://www.lldreamspell.com/
The print book is available for purchase on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com, and all other online bookstores. It’s also available for Kindle, of course, and in multiple ebook formats at fictionwise.com.

Halloween Nightmares

As Halloween draws near, I invited a few authors from Dreamspell Nightmares I  and II to join me. David Fingerman, John Capraro, and Joe Prentis are here today to discuss their scary stories in the anthology Dreamspell Nightmares I, and Ellen Dye, who is in Dreamspell Nightmares II, both published by Texas-based L&L Dreamspell. Welcome, folks.

Susan: Congratulations on having short stories published in the anthology. Please give us a brief biography and a short snyopsis of the story.

David:  I was born in St. Paul, but once out of the hospital I've lived my entire life in Minneapolis. During the summer months when the sun is shining and birds singing, I'm perfectly content to sit in my office, with blinds drawn, typing away at my computer. My favorite day of the year is the first day I pull a flannel shirt out of the closet.

As per my story in Nightmares ~ Remember as a little kid being scared of monsters under the bed or hiding in the closet? "The Charcoal Man" is a story of a man who never outgrew his monsters. Well, at least one particular monster that followed him into adulthood.

John:   Oddly enough, music was my first love, with writing a close second. Though I’ve been writing my entire life, it wasn’t until 2007 (while in my mid-forties!) that I finally began to take my writing seriously. Since then, I’ve had a number of stories, articles and even poems published, both in print and online. My agent is currently shopping around my first novel, a YA science fiction piece titled Reaching for Stars.

“Security System” is a story about three young men who enter a recently abandoned research facility for a little urban exploration. To their horror, they soon discover the building isn’t too eager to let them leave.

Joe Prentis attended Union University and then worked for the FBI in Washington D.C. After he returned to his native state, he was the pastor of one church and the interim pastor of three others. He worked for Tenneco until his recent retirement. He is an avid runner and bicycle rider, but admits to having settled into a more leisure pace after retirement. He has written five novels, over fifty short stories and articles, and a musical production to commemorate the National Bicentennial. His play, Freedom 76, had a total attendance of almost 70,000 persons. He is now working on a sequel to a previous novel and doing historical research of a story about the Colonial Era. Joe, how about a synopsis of your story?

Joe:  Sure, Susan. In "Bear Essentials" Merrick and Quentin had served in Special Forces in the Middle East, and half a dozen other trouble spots around the globe. Their hike into the rugged mountains of Montana to confront a group of terrorists was almost routine until they encountered a dangerous situation they had not expected. Their only choice was to discard everything they didn’t need and resist the impulse to run.

Ellen Dye:  I got bitten by the writing bug early in life, declaring at nine years of age I wanted to grow up to write the juicy confession stories I was forbidden to read, but yet devoured in secret. It took a goodly number of years and even more growing up, but I finally arrived at the destination of published author.  Now, in addition to those confession stories I so long ago admired, I write novels and short stories for L&L Dreamspell.

"Just Another Dead Hillbilly" teaser:

Meet Dr. John Ingersoll, a man of money masquerading as a man of science, who is about to get a most deserved comeuppance in a most unusual way.

Susan:  What stories or anthologies came along at just the right time to influence your writing short stories?

David: I really don't know about the timing issue but when I graduated from college I had absolutely no desire to pick up a pen or even read a book for pleasure again. Then one day a friend tossed me a book of short stories titled "Shatterday" by Harlan Ellison. He told me I had to read it. That reignited the creativity spark to read for pleasure again. Soon after the urge to write again started gnawing away at me.

John:  There were a few good anthologies I read that inspired me: “Get Off the Unicorn” by Anne McCaffrey; “The Anything Box” by Zenna Henderson; and “Something Strange” which was published by Macmillan Gateway English. One particular story in that last one really threw me for a loop: “The Cold Equations” by Tom Godwin. Reading those stories created a fire inside me—I needed to write short stories too.

Joe: have always been an avid reader. I read short stories of various types, but when I discovered Dephne du Maurier, I was hopelessly hooked on the type of stories she created. They are compelling, frightening, and very entertaining. I think it takes all three to get the job done.

Ellen:  Well, of course, there was those long ago issues of True Confession which kept me company late at night under the covers with a flashlight. But also, I’ve been heavily influenced by Ray Bradbury’s work as well as all those highly addictive episodes of "Twilight Zone", "Tales From The Crypt" and "Night Gallery".

Susan:  Where do you get your inspiration to write nightmarish content?

David:  Write what you know, right? In all seriousness there is some truth to that. I worked for years in the courtroom as a judge's clerk. I pretty much saw the lowest of the low in human nature. There is no way one cannot be affected by that.

John:  I’ve always enjoyed good, scary stories. For me, ideas can come from anywhere. I have one of those minds that likes to take something real I’ve seen or experienced and twist it into something unsettling. The impetus for “Security System” came from one of my lunch-time walks while at work. There was this huge, ominous, abandoned building, and every time I passed it, I got the willies. So I started thinking about people breaking into the place, and what kind of security system might be inside…and what would happen if that system was a little out of the ordinary.

Joe:  The kind of frightening stories that appeal to me are the ones that are possible. There are a lot of really scary things in the world, and capturing them on the page where others can experience the scalp tightening terror can sometimes be a challenge. With the type of stories I write, it is only necessary to place myself in the scene and sit back and watch. In a certain sense, my nightmarish stories are autobiographical.

Ellen:  From real life, most certainly. I’ve often found that people will do the most nightmarish things in the name of goodness.

Susan:  What makes a good story?

David: I think an opening line that grabs the reader is especially important in a short story ~ and of course to not let go until the story is over. A story that makes the reader think, or at least wonder after they're through reading would define a good story. I mean that in a positive light, not thinking I just wasted twenty minutes of my life that I'll never get back reading this piece of crap.

John:  To start with, you need a strong protagonist a reader will care about, sympathize with, root for. Put your character in a world that comes alive, a world so real the reader actually feels she’s a part of it. Your character has to want something…badly. Then, as the metaphor goes, you chase them up a tree. You throw rocks at them. I also like to start a fire at the base of said tree. In a word, conflict. Keep the reader wondering, What’s going to happen next? After you finally allow your character down from the (now burning) tree, your ending should have resonance; it should leave the reader both happy at the outcome of the story, and sad that the story is now over.

Joe:  For a story to be good, it has to be plausible on some level, and that involves laying the groundwork. If the story is about the supernatural, then it must be set in an atmosphere where ghost, goblins, and demons can get a toehold in the reader’s imagination. I must confess that I don’t have a very good posture when I am typing, but there is an advantage to this. Hunched forward in my chair, I can see my feet. When they start to kick around under my desk, I know I’m going in the right direction.  

Ellen:  For me, I think it’s the characters.  I love to create a character and turn them loose on the page.  And, I also love being able to give them exactly what they deserve in the end, just as I did for the not-so-nice Dr. Ingersoll, the star of "Just Another Dead Hillbilly".

 Susan:  How do you discipline yourself when writing?

David:  My discipline is fear. I credit (blame) my wife. I convinced her I'm a writer. So now if I don't write all day she'll make me go out and get a real job.

Susan:  LOL

John:  Discipline, for me, is pretty easy. First, I have a dream of being a successful novelist. (Haven’t heard that dream before, I bet.) As long as I keep my goals in focus, I don’t notice the obstacles. Also, I’m passionate about writing, so it’s never really a chore. I think the Nike ad sums up my philosophy rather succinctly: Just do it.

Joe:  Distractions are not a problem, but I do make an effort to keep them at a minimum. My office is away from the rest of the house. I keep the radio and television off and I discourage visitors when I write. I set aside a period of time to get my writing done, and I don’t let anything interrupt, short of an extraterrestrial invasion or the last trumpet blowing.

Ellen:  Butt in the chair, my personal catch-phrase for working days.  You’ve just got to sit, focus on the screen and tune out everything else from the dirty laundry to wondering what’s for dinner.


Susan:  Writer Graycie Harmon said, “Being an author is like being in charge of your own personal insane asylum.” Please comment on that statement.

David:  I'm in charge??? Please tell that to the inmates tromping around in my brain.

John:  What, with all the characters running rampant in my head, and the sparks of ideas flitting around like so many fireflies on a warm August evening, and looming deadlines, and relentless fears and self-doubts, and where’s that contract I was supposed to sign, and the chances of becoming a success in the publishing world being less than winning a hefty sum in the Lottery, and…
No madhouse here.
Who said that?
Not me.
Liar.

Joe:  Graycie Harmon shouldn’t have said that because it is too close to the truth. There are a lot of people who want to be a writer, but don’t want to write. Those of us who were born with a writing demon inside write because we have to let it out occasionally or suffer the consequences. There are characters that live inside of us and they are manipulative. If we don’t write down their stories it can become intolerable. We are all driven to some extent, but a strong character has the tendency to take over . . . Well, what else can I say on this uncomfortable subject. Tell Graycie to shut up.

Ellen:  Oh my, I think Steve has the right of it.  I’ve often thought that writers have a great deal in common with schizophrenics.  We both hear voices and we also have imaginary friends who are very real.  Hey, how sane do you expect a writer to be when we spend our professional lives jotting down what imaginary people say and do?

Susan:  Do you have other writing projects underway?

David:  I'm about halfway into writing a horror novel. I recently started the third Louise Miller book, and just the other day I had an irresistible idea that I couldn't let go of, so I started chapter one of a new horror novel. ADHD can be a good thing.

John:  Yes. I am currently slogging through revision on my second novel, A Place Where Magic Happened, a coming-of-age action/adventure contemporary fantasy.

Joe:  Gore Vidal once described his writing process as being somewhat like a conveyor belt in a factory. My own writing experience is somewhat similar. I have never had a problem with trying to find something to write about. Stories leap full-blown into my head. It is only a matter of finding the time to work on individual projects. I am currently working on a sequel to Abraham’s Bones. I am doing research on a historical novel. I have two suspense novels in various stages of completion. There are also several short stories I have finished. I am waiting for them to ‘cool’ before I do a final edit.

Ellen:  I most certainly do, I’m currently working on another mainstream comedy which I hope will be as laugh-out-loud funny and uplifting as my current L & L Dreamspell release, "Relatively Crazy".

Susan:  Where can readers learn more about you?

David:  Information overload about me can be found at http://davidfingerman.com/

John:    Of course, under the Authors section at L&L Dreamspell.


My blog is here: http://thewritelifeforme.blogspot.com/


I’m also on FB: http://www.facebook.com/people/John-Capraro/100000438882461


Website in pre-production phase. (i.e., I’m still thinking about it.)


Joe: My website and blog are at http://www.joeprentis.com/

Ellen:  Drop by my website any time. I love hearing from readers and writers as well!  http://www.ellendye.com/ 

Thank you all for letting me get inside your head for a few minutes. It was truly scary but fun. Best wishes with your anthology and other endeavors.

David:  Thank you so much for inviting us and conducting this interview.

(For more information about Dreamspell Nightmares I and II and other Dreamspell publications, go to www.lldreamspell.com)

Erotica

My special guests today are Linda Houle, Loretta Wheeler, and Randall Rohn, all contributors to  the anthology, Erotic Dreamspell. Welcome, you all.

Linda Houle is an author and the co-owner of L&L Dreamspell, a Texas based independent publishing company. Her favorite part of the job is designing book covers. She also runs a small wildlife ranch, Westwind Dreams, in the beautiful Texas Hill County.


She writes some of her fiction under the pen name Linndah, including the story for Erotic Dreamspell.

Here's a synopsis of her story:

"Black Earrings" by Linndah

When a padded envelope with black earrings and an invitation arrived in Marilyn’s mailbox she felt compelled to meet the man named Ladislov. He’d seen her work in a gallery, and wanted her to paint his portrait. His striking resemblance to Dracula both intrigued and frightened Marilyn. Did he know she had a vampire fantasy? Could he be one of the undead?

Loretta Wheeler: Hello Susan, thank you so much for having us here today.

My pleasure, Loretta. Tell us a little bit about you.

In the Erotic Dreamspell anthology I’m writing under the name L Reveaux. Works of mine that have a darker side, graphic language, or sexual content are written under the pen name, L Reveaux.
I live in the south, in Texas, with my Australian husband, and our cat named Lil’ Dickens. Our home is surrounded by lush vegetation with decks that run the parameters and a porch swing tucked at one side, which has become my most favorite spot to tempt my Muse to join me and “sit a spell”.
My writing style encompasses thrillers and the paranormal. I write under two names; Loretta Wheeler when I’m writing a more typical thriller, and L Reveaux for my darker works.

What's your particular story?

My piece, “Siren’s Call”, is releasing in the Erotic Dreamspell anthology, and is the story of Michael, a charter boat captain who thinks he has seen almost everything—until the day he witnesses something so unbelievable, alluring, and beguiling, that he finds himself compelled to enter the depths of another of reality—a reality that shimmers like a moon-kissed wave, and promises delights that will take his breath away—and may or may not return it.

Randy, fill us in on your writing and the story in Erotic Dreamspell.

Randy:  I’m an award-winning creative director for Keller Crescent Advertising, the largest independent agency in the United States. I have also worked for DDB and Leo Burnett in Chicago before coming to Indiana about eight years ago. Although I have a novel coming out in 2011, so far I’ve only had short stories published, mostly with L&L Dreamspell, although I was thrilled to have a short story of mine picked as one of the "Best American Mystery Stories 2009" by Jeffery Deaver and Otto Penzler.

My story, "Sex Machine", is a bit of a science fiction story set in the future. It’s about a man who has never slept with a woman and wants to very badly. He sets out to discover why women aren’t attracted to him and how he can correct the situation. Believe it or not, it’s a humor piece.

LOL. I must read this!
Folks, what books came along at just the right time to influence your writing this particular genre?

Linda: This story is primarily a Dracula fantasy, set in modern day. So Bram Stoker’s Dracula was my influence.

Loretta: I don’t know that any books in particular influenced my work when writing in the erotic genre. For me, it is the telling of a story that is my initial intention, and then if the story has a sensuous side to it, I will sometimes go deeper into that aspect. The two occasions where I have crossed the line into the erotic area, I felt the story needed it to set it free and tell the tale with the full range of emotions involved.

Randy:  Dave Barry

Where do you get your inspiration (and keep it clean!)

Linda:  I’ve read and written a variety of genres. As a publisher it’s helpful to know what works and what doesn’t in a good story, no matter the genre. I’m a fan of Dracula stories, so I decided to write one of my own. It just happens to have sex—as many vampires tales do, so it’s part of the Erotic Dreamspell anthology!

Loretta:  Sidney Sheldon’s writing has always made me feel that one could write a story and include a sensuous side to it, but the story remain dedicated to the storyline, not the sexual side. I feel the same about my works that have explicit sex, they cross the line to a degree, but it’s part of the plot, not the main emphasis.

Again, since my main focus is on the story, my inspiration could come from anywhere. In “Siren’s Call”, it came from a phrase used by one of the other Dreamspell authors, Sylvia Dickey Smith. The comment was made on her site that in a previous life she was a beautiful mermaid with gorgeous blonde hair and a tail to die for :) It stuck in my mind and I couldn’t seem to let it go, so I stopped work on the novel I was writing, took a break, and wrote the fishtail story (sorry couldn’t resist), “Siren’s Call”.

Randy:  Newspaper articles. Advertisements. Watching people. Really, I can’t pin it down because it depends on the story.

What makes a good story in your opinion?

Linda:  Anything that evokes emotion or curiosity. In the erotica genre, there should be a storyline besides the sex scenes—something to provide a reason for the sexual situations.

Loretta:  A good story, in my opinion, is one that holds the reader, and hopefully does it so well that they don’t want to put the book down until they’ve finished it. That, to me, is a good story. And of course then there are great stories that make you darn snappish if anyone dares interrupt you before you’re finished.

Randy:  Conflict. Interesting characters. A quest of some sort. I also like stories in which you learn a little bit about something of which you knew nothing. I wrote a suspense story that’s in Your Darkest Dreamspell about a glue factory. I put in little tidbits about the glue making process. I found that a little off beat but interesting.

How do you discipline yourself when writing?

Linda:  The right story comes pouring out with no discipline required. If I feel I am forcing myself to write, then I set that project aside for a few months. Later, if it still feels forced, then it should be scrapped altogether!

Loretta:  I’m laughing at this—I am truly not typical with my writing. There is a part of me that really wishes I were more typical. I try not to look at it as disciplining myself—that sounds way too restrictive to me. I do set deadlines and goals if the deadlines aren’t established. I tend to do my writing in increments of time rather than a daily routine, which seems to work better for me. Just visualize a temperamental artist at work accompanied by a wayward Muse.

Randy:  I set aside an hour a day to write

When writing a story, are there any particular themes you feel passionate about?

Linda:  For fiction, mystery and the paranormal/unexplained. For non-fiction, metaphysical themes, especially about the nature of consciousness.

Loretta:  I suppose my underlying theme if you could call it that, is that we look at life, and others, with a little more broadmindedness. For me, everything is not in a box and categorized, so I often travel to places and concepts that aren’t the “norm”.

Randy:  Ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances.

Writer Anais Nin once said, “…and the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” How much sex is too much, and where do you draw the line in your writing?

Linda:  When the reader actually becomes bored, rather than stimulated, by the sex scenes, then there’s too much sex and not enough story. It’s true that erotic is primarily about the sex but there needs to be a reason for the situation. An interesting storyline, balanced with just enough sex, is the goal.

Loretta:  As I touched on earlier, I don’t write a story just for the sexual side. If it seems to flow in a more sensuous direction, then I write it that way. It was difficult for me initially. All the thoughts of how I would be perceived if I wrote more graphically, and if the person I am would be confused with my style of writing, bothered me. I finally decided to write the way I envisioned a story and try to stop anticipating people’s reactions. Once I came to this decision, it seemed much easier to do. I draw the line with rough sex enjoyed by the victim, and I don’t delve into S&M.

Randy:  Too much is when I start getting embarrassed. I don’t really write erotic stories generally, so when I do, I put in just enough to push forward the story and to keep it interesting.

Do you have other writing projects underway?

Linda:  Too many to count!

Loretta:  I’m currently working on “The Image” which will be offered as an e-book, due to release by late summer or early fall of 2010. In it the reader is taken inside the belief of mind over matter, discovering that if it’s applied well; sometimes things aren’t what they seem.

After the release of “The Image” I will be returning to the editing of “The Midnight Dance/the Devereaux Chronicles”. This piece garnered me a PRO position within the RWA. I will also be completing the draft of “Dark Pleasures”, which L&L Dreamspell published as a short story in the anthology A Death in Texas.

Randy:  I’m working on a follow up to Hang on Sloopy, my novel which is to be published by L&L Dreamspell in 2011.

Where can readers learn more about you?

Linda:  www.lldreamspell.com/LindaHoule.htm

Loretta:  I have two websites: http://www.LorettaWheeler.com and http://www.lreveaux.com/
You can also find me on Facebook as Loretta Wheeler or on Myspace at http://www.myspace.com/southernnuances

Randy:  On the L&L Dreamspell site. I have a blog, but I must confess, I’m pretty lazy about blogging. I do tend to write something every day on my Facebook page.

Thanks for the interview and continued success to all of you!
(For more information about Erotic Dreamspell and other Dreamspell publications, go to www.lldreamspell.com)

Dead and Breakfast Anthology Interview

My guests today are Linda Houle, Betty Gordon, Cash Anthony, Gayle Wigglesworth, and Pauline Baird Jones, who have short stories published in the Dead and Breakfast anthology, published by Texas-based L&L Dreamspell.

Linda Houle is an author and the co-owner of L&L Dreamspell, a Texas-based independent publishing company. Her favorite part of the job is designing book covers. She also runs a small wildlife ranch, WESTWIND DREAMS, in the beautiful Texas Hill County.
Linda’s synopsis:

“The Legacy of Ledgemont Inn”: “While Fran is away at college she discovers she’s about to inherit the family B&B on her 21st birthday. Accompanied by her friend Justine, she returns to Ledgemont Inn hoping for a happy reunion with the father she hasn’t seen in years. The girls are in for a shock at the terrible condition of the estate and the frightening demeanor of the new staff—and then things go from bad to worse…”

Betty Gordon: Betty Gordon is a native Texan who delights in storytelling. She draws inspiration for her writing from all aspects life offers emphasizing psychological disorders of the criminal mind. While Betty uses her years in the legal arena for her mysteries that are sprinkled with romance, she also involves her extensive backgrounds in dance and sculpting for additional creations. An example of dance, “Veiled Deception,” is featured in the anthology.

Betty continues her studies with on-line workshops and conferences and memberships in The Final Twist Writers, Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Writers’ League of Texas, Houston Writers’ Guild, and Bay Area Writers League.

Betty’s synopsis:

“Dead by Breakfast, An Enchanted Rose Mystery”: When Janie Pitts restored a dilapidated house located in Texas’ Hill Country, she inherited a Casper-like ghost, Henry. Henry is mischievous and fun, but he has friends who are not so friendly. Mrs. Banish, a ghost hunter, is called in to rid the B&B of the unwelcome visitors, but she disappears a short time later. The mystery deepens when a time-worn wedding ring and button from a Civil War uniform is found in the room occupied by the ghost hunter. Did Henry, his friends, or someone else do away with Mrs. Banish?

Betty’s “Veiled Deception, Choreography of a Crime” synopsis:

Zoe Macmillan, belly dancer and owner of a bed and breakfast in the Heights area of Houston, Texas, is preparing for an international dance convention. She supplies a common area of the lodging with a Doumbek (drum) and several swords for use by her guests. The bed and breakfast is robbed—these are the only items missing. Humor, romance, suspense, and Tarot cards lead to the capture of an individual hell-bent on killing Zoe Macmillan.

Pauline Baird Jones is the award-winning author of nine novels. Her latest releases are Girl Gone Nova and Out of Time (wide digital /limited print release). She's also written a steampunk novella called Tangled in Time that will release in 2010. She's written three non-fiction books. Pauline, give us a synop of your story.

"Do Wah Diddy Die Already":  Luci Seymour is out of the murder business and in the mom/wife/B&B business. Until the morning she sees a body in the new freezer. But when she goes to call in her homicide detective husband, she sees the dead guy walk in the front door. Not dead. Not even chilly... (The characters in this story are from the novel, Do Wah Diddy Die)

Elaine ( Cash) Anthony is a Houston writer, director, and producer. She’s the author of short stories, feature-length screenplays, adaptations, B&B murder mysteries and short films. Two of her efforts may be seen on the website for her company, The Master Strategy Group, at http://msg.msgroup.org. Though she no longer practices law actively, she is an A-V rate attorney and a former judicial candidate, and she served as a prosecutor for Harris County, TX. Cash lives in south-central Houston with her husband Tim Hogan, cats Sam and Cora, and Gypsy the husky. Her business/writing partner James R. Davis often assists with her mysteries.

The story in Dead and Breakfast, "The Stand-In", is the first in my Jessie Carr series. It’s autobiographical in part, like the others, as I’ve had some fascinating weekends at B&Bs. The more recent stories in the series are based on other experiences I’ve had while touring the U.S. on my motorcycle with my business partner, James Davis, or while practicing law for over a dozen years as a trial lawyer and consumer advocate.

Two more stories in the series have been published, and a fourth, called "Yes, She Bites", is due out this fall. In addition to the Jessie Carr stories, I write and adapt feature-length screenplays and short scripts. This year I’m also honored to be serving as president of The Final Twist, our writers group.

Gayle Wigglesworth is a retired bank executive who has always wanted to be a published author, so she took an early retirement to concentrate her efforts.  She joined the writing group, The Final Twist, very close to when it was first formed and appreciated all the help she received in learning to promote books. "When we decided we needed to develop our first anthology to help more of our members to get published and to build up some income for our group, I wanted to be a part of it so I had to come up with a story.

The idea for “I Love a Parade” came from a gutsy friend, who sold her business and house, put her worldly goods in storage and traveled the world for a couple years before deciding where she wanted to put down roots for the last part of her life. The plot was developed from a memory of a parade I witnessed in a small, picturesque town where I once stopped overnight at a bed and breakfast facility. All I had to do was start thinking ‘what if?’ and suddenly the story was there.

Do you write any other genres?

Linda: Mystery, Suspense, Romance, Erotica, Mainstream, Paranormal, and Non-Fiction.

Betty: Suspense, romantic/paranormal, and thriller

Pauline: Science fiction romance, Steampunk, action-adventure, suspense, romantic suspense and comedy-mystery—sometimes all at the same time. (grin)

Cash:  I write mystery, thriller, and adventure stories, and I have a medico-legal thriller novel in the works, called “A Week of Wednesdays”. Occasionally I’ve co-written weekend “murder mystery entertainments” for B&Bs.

Gayle:  I have written and published a cookbook with family stories. However, I love traditional mysteries, reading them, and writing them, so I concentrate my writing in that genre.

What books came along at just the right time to influence your reading/writing?

Linda: I grew up reading Nancy Drew mysteries. I also enjoy Agatha Christie’s stories.

Betty: When I originally focused on writing mysteries, Robert Crais’ books were recommended and read with enthusiasm. Not long after, Murder by the Book featured Crais during an author’s lunch which continued to fuel my growth. There were others, of course, Lee Child, Jonathan Kellerman, Lisa Gardner, Lisa Jackson, and many more..

Pauline: The “book” that came along was actually a movie: "The Moonspinners" with Haley Mills as star. I noticed that it was based on a book by Mary Stewart. I looked it up and was hooked for life. When I decided to write my first novel, my goal was to be as interesting as Mary Stewart.

Cash:  My reading varies between fiction in the genres I like to write in, and non-fiction which tends to support some story idea I’m researching. Favorite fiction authors these days are Jeffrey Deaver, Michael Connelly, Lee Childs, Laurie King, Anne Perry, Thomas Perry, and John Connelly, whose novel The Black Angel is one of the finest I’ve read. I also read the daily newspaper, the Washington Post, and the New Yorker magazine.

Gayle:  When I was young I found Jane Eyre and then became a fan of the Gothic Mysteries written by Mary Stewart and Victoria Holt. Although my taste in mysteries has grown and changed much since those days, I’m sure that combination of history, romance and mystery has had a major impact on my writing to this day.

What makes a good story?

Linda: Anything that evokes emotion or curiosity.

Betty: Characters that grab readers and keep their attention until the end of the story, a believable plot shadowed with clues that play fair with readers and threads itself through the story to a satisfying ending.

Pauline: For short stories it needs a tight premise, a fast hook into the story and solid ending.

Cash:  Unique characters caught in an intriguing situation fraught with increasing suspense; and terrifying villains who know their secrets. Eventually, familiar characters whom we have come to love will draw a reader’s interest, just to see what they’re up to now.

Gayle:  Mix interesting characters in a compelling plot.

Is there a different writing process for short stories than there is for novels?

Linda: Short stories don’t require as much planning as full length books.

Betty: There is no difference for me except to create a shorter trail. Since the story arc is the same, I develop all aspects of a short story tale on a diminished scale.

Pauline: I find that I need to write shorter for short stories and longer for long ones. If I could find a way to reverse this process, I could write my novels faster, but so far that’s the way it works.

Cash:  I go at a short story with much more spontaneity and less structural planning, once I get the idea. This means I usually write more than the story needs and have to delete a lot of the non-essentials once the first draft is done. There’s also much less opportunity for the characters to ruminate; who they are has to be revealed through their actions, so the plotting must be tight.

Gayle:  A short story requires the author to always be aware of the number of words used. The right words have to be selected to tell the most in the shortest amount of space. In a full length novel the author can/must segue into sub-plots during the story to develop motivation, to grow characters and to explain the complexities of the action while helping to move the story through the scenes to its conclusion. A short story doesn’t have the luxury of using that method.

How do you discipline yourself when writing?

Linda: The right story comes pouring out with no discipline required. If I feel I am forcing myself to write, then I set that project aside for a few months. Later, if it still feels forced, then it should be scrapped altogether.

Betty: I begin most days as I would any job. The great part is I don’t have to drive anywhere. I simply sit in front of the computer and hope my Muse visits. I have learned that if inspiration is elusive, I go to emails or just stop for a time—the afternoon usually becomes more productive.

Pauline: I have to promise myself stuff when I first start, but once I’m in the meat of the story, the hard part is stopping. I once typed so long that the ends of my fingers went numb. I didn’t know there are muscles in your fingers that can get sore.

Cash:  If I have a deadline coming up, I’ll get busy. ;) If I have a competition to enter, I’ll work and work to refine the project that’s going to be judged. Otherwise, I read all the time, and I make vast numbers of notes (many of which disappear into my stacks of earlier notes) that relate to my current project. It’s always in the back of my mind, even if I’m apparently ‘drifting and dreaming.’ Then I’ll write in spurts, reflect in spurts, rewrite, and try to keep going to the end.

Gayle:  I’m at the stage of my life I’m either disciplined or forget it. Two things will motivate me to write a story: a story I want to tell and a deadline I have agreed to hit. I know how to plan and use my time to meet my goals.

Have you participated in any other anthologies? If so, which ones?

Linda: Currently available from L&L Dreamspell: A Death in Texas, A Box of Texas Chocolates, The Mystery of the Green Mist, Vampire Dreamspell, Sleeping with the Undead and coming soon from L&L Dreamspell: Cats in a Dreamspell, Dreamspell Goddess, Dreamspell Revenge 2, and Erotic Dreamspell.


Betty: “Anna Rose” in A Death in Texas,“The Cowboy’s Rose” in A Box of Texas Chocolates,“Twisted Tales of Texas Landmarks” (coming soon) and two stories: “Crystals, Rainbows and Oz” and “The Great Spirit”.

Pauline: A Death in Texas, Ghostly Dreamspell, Mystery of the Green Mist, Romance of My Dreams II, and A Box of Texas Chocolates.

Cash:  Yes, in A Death in Texas and A Box of Texas Chocolates.  My next short story will appear in Twisted Tales of Texas Landmarks this fall.


When writing, what themes do you feel passionate about?

Linda: For fiction, mystery and the paranormal/unexplained. For non-fiction, metaphysical themes, especially about the nature of consciousness.

Betty: Justice for victims and/or crime and punishment, crime puzzles that move through mazes of misdirection, psychological twists and turns of romance—who wins, who loses and why.

Pauline: I like themes from movies. Both original "Star Wars" and the new one are beautiful. I really liked "Chariots of Fire", too. It’s hard to put that in a book. Maybe when the multimedia books become a reality, I’ll be able to have a really cool theme for my novels. (grin)

Cash:  I share with my heroine Jessie Carr a realistic skepticism about how well justice is served for the “little guy” who gets the shaft in a scam, as well as her desire to find creative ways to even the score. Since there are plenty of scams and schemes going down at any given time, Jessie has much to be passionate about. Animals, old people and children – anyone who’s weak and has been preyed upon without a remedy – are likely clients for her specialized skills; and those situations are likely to catch my interest.

Gayle:  Mostly I like the good guys to win. You will find that many different ways in my stories, I guess because I’m hoping that it is true.

Agatha Christie once said, “The best time for planning a book is while you’re doing the dishes.” When and where do you plan?

Linda: While driving.
(GULP!)

Betty: Most of my plans are either when I go to bed or when I awake in the morning. There is also that indeterminable amount of time in the middle of the night when I can’t sleep and start thinking about characters or plots. Of course, after that sleep is forgotten.

Pauline: I plan everywhere, except when I’m driving. It’s too easy to lose track of where I am. My family claims they can tell when I’m plotting. I’ll get a “you’re not putting me in a book, are you?” from them sometimes. Or my husband will say, “You just killed me again, didn’t you?” Naturally I reserve the right to remain silent. (grin)

Cash:  I plan from the moment I get an inspiration about a story until it’s written and re-written to my satisfaction. I have many formal and informal ways to make that plan work for me, but I often find I’m having a brainstorm in the shower or while I’m cooking.

Gayle:  Even better than dishes is while doing a long-distance drive. Plug the iPod into the car and as the miles pass the ideas flow. I worked out the characters and plot for "Cruisin’ for a Bruisin" driving across Arizona, and solved the plot problems in Malice in Mexico on another trip through New Mexico and West Texas. Given any challenge I only have to arrange a trip.

Gayle, this sounds wonderful. I may use this approach from now on.

Do you have other writing projects underway, ladies?

Linda: Too many to count!

Betty: I have contracts with L&L Dreamspell for two novels that I’m very excited about. More to come later.

Pauline: I’m working on a whacky, but hopefully fun, Steampunk/science fiction romance, a connected story to Girl Gone Nova and Tangled in Time. It’s tentatively titled Steamrolled. I plan to complete it by this fall if my head doesn’t explode first.

Cash:  I’m refining an adaptation of the novel, “Ninth Lord of the Night,” by Diana Driver, which will be a feature-length movie script called “The Calendar Codex.” I have two more short stories due soon for another anthology, and I have six more Jessie Carr stories in various states that I need to polish. Much to my surprise, I recently found that I’d outlined a complete novel a few years ago and tucked it away, so I plan to pull that out and see where it might go; and I’ve got three more screenplays started. It never stops!

Gayle:  I just submitted the sixth book in my Claire Gulliver Series to my publisher; it is due out in September, this year. I am working on the first adventure in the series I have started based on the character in the story in this anthology. Right now I’m calling that book Murder Most Mystifying, a Glenda at Large Mystery, but who knows what I’ll be calling it by the time it’s finished. I have the plot for the first three of this series already in my head.

Where can readers learn more about you?

Linda: www.lldreamspell.com/LindaHoule.htm

Betty: Readers can learn more about me on my website www.bettygordon.com. I am on Facebook and Twitter.

Pauline: www.perilouspauline.com (or they can call my mom.)

Cash:  They can go to my website, which is at http://msg.msgroup.org/default.aspx. There they can see two of the short films I’ve written, directed, and produced as learning tools. My background is pretty well documented there, too.

Gayle:  Check out my website: www.gaylewigglesworth.com

Ladies, it has been a great pleasure. Continued success to all of you. I'm proud to be in your company.
(For more information about Dead and Breakfast and other Dreamspell publications, go to www.lldreamspell.com)

A Death in Texas interview

Texas-based L&L Dreamspell published A Death in Texas , an anthology of stories about...well, death in Texas. I hope you enjoy my interview with five of the authors who contributed murder and mayhem to this book: Pauline Baird Jones, Loretta Wheeler, Diana Driver, Laura Elvebak, and Shirley Wetzel.

Welcome, ladies. First, congratulations to all of you who have work published in this anthology.


Pauline, please introduce yourself and give us a short synopsis of your story.

I'm Pauline Baird Jones, the award-winning author of nine novels of science fiction romance, action-adventure, suspense, romantic suspense and comedy-mystery, three non-fiction handbooks for writers.


In  "Men in Jeans", Richard Daniels thinks life can't get any stranger working at Area 51 until he is assigned to find out where a Houston area SF writer gets the ideas for her books. Should be an easy assignment--if it weren't for the dead guy in her back yard and the non-business related ideas she's giving him.

I'm intrigued, Pauline.

Loretta, welcome, and tell us a little bit about you.

Hi, Susan. Thank you for having me here today. It’s always been a pleasure to visit here, and doubly nice to find myself being interviewed.

I'm Loretta Wheeler and I currently live in a suburb just outside of Houston, Texas along with my Australian husband and our cat, Lil’ Dickens. When I married John, I moved to Australia for seven years and now have come almost full circle, living within 10 miles of where I lived before. As someone said to me when I returned, I went halfway around the world to wind up in the same spot. My furniture has traveled to more places than some people:)

I write thrillers, and most have paranormal overtones in them. "Dark Pleasures", which is my short story in the A Death in Texas anthology, is a more typical thriller, dealing with a psychopath, a criminal psychologist, a detective, and last but definitely not least, a dog. The dog (Hob) begins as a metaphor but quickly emerges as something more. Much more. Hob fills a very strong niche’ in the story as it develops, and it’s one I think the reader will not only find intriguing, but also extremely unusual. This particular short story was written as a prequel for the novel that will follow.

Fantastic!
Diana, it's nice to have you join us. Please tell us about yourself and your story.

Diana Driver:  I’m originally from Cheyenne, Wyoming, but have lived most of my life in Texas.

"Die Mahnung" (The Warning) is a murder mystery, set in a small Texas town. “Jake was the law in this small, sparsely populated Texas county and he decided which laws people obeyed - and which laws he didn't give a hot damn about. When residents began dying, Jake's wife, Jesse, wondered if Jake thought it was okay to get away with...murder.”

Interesting.

Laura Elvebak is the author of LESS DEAD (2008) and LOST WITNESS (2009), (L&L Dreamspell), both awarded five star reviews on Amazon, which features Niki Alexander, an ex-cop turned teen counselor. Her published short stories are "Searching for Rachel" featured in A DEATH IN TEXAS, and “Dying For Chocolate” in the award winning A BOX OF TEXAS CHOCOLATES. Several of her screenplays were written for-hire and optioned. Originally from Los Angeles, Laura now lives in Houston, Texas. Laura is a former chapter president of Mystery Writers of America, is serving a third term as Southwest Chapter’s Treasurer and is the continuing editor of The Sleuth Sayer, the chapter’s newsletter. She is a member of Sisters-In-Crime and The Final Twist Writers.

Welcome, Laura. Please give us a short synopsis of your story.

Okay. Thanks. “Searching for Rachel” is about the disappearance of Rachel  and how it changed her younger sister Tracy's life forever. Now after two years, Tracy has no one. After her father walked out on the family, her mother gave up. Now alone and scared, Tracy is out on the street searching for the runaway Rachel, certain that if she finds her, her father would come home.

Sounds great.

Shirley, how about a few details about yourself?

Shirley Wetzel:  I've been writing since I was first able to hold a pencil, and reading before that. My first "published" book was an autobiography, written when I was in the third grade. It was a pretty short book. I'm a native Texan, born in Comanche in the first wave of Baby Boomers. My dad was in the Navy, so we lived all over the country, finally settling down back in Texas. I have a B.A. from Texas Tech University, an M.A. in Anthropology from Rice University, and an M.S. in Library Science from the University of North Texas. I've been a librarian at Rice University for 28 years. Here's the synopsis for "Feels Like Home" , from A Death in Texas:


Normally, Judy West looked forward to leaving the big city of Houston to return to her roots in Comanche, Texas and visit with her many kinfolks. This trip was different, however. We were gathering in the lovingly restored home of my paternal grandparents to discuss a family tragedy. Cousin Sam, one of the best and brightest of us, had returned from Vietnam a troubled, unhappy man, got involved in the drug trade, and was murdered by his cohorts in crime. They burned down the meth lab, and along with it the ancient log homestead of our Harman ancestors. We all grieved for Sam, for his family, and for our lost history. By the end of the weekend, we had more to grieve about, as unpleasant family skeletons came out of the closet.

Wow! You have my attention, Shirley.
Do you guys write any other genres?

Jones:  The short answer is yes. I tend to wander through generes and liberally mix them together.

Wheeler:  I’ve written one romantic short story titled "The Pan Man". It won an honorable mention on the Long and Short Review and is in their archive section now. I wanted to see if I could write a YA with a happy ever after ending, and was quite delighted when it placed. I’ve also written a children’s story, but it hasn’t found a home as of this time. Its title is "A Butterbean Named A”.

Driver:  My novel, Ninth Lord of the Night is a contemporary and a mix of fantasy & magical realism. The companion book, The Maya, People of the Maize is a non-fiction guidebook about the classic Maya civilization. "Valentine’s Day" is a romantic short story and is included in the anthology, A Box of Texas Chocolates. My next release, The Amber Rune, is a fantasy, based on Norwegian myths and legends.

Elvebak: Mainly mystery suspense, although I have published self help articles for Single Again Magazine in California. Also two of the screenplays I wrote for hire revolved around the 1900 Galveston Storm and another one was a children’s comedy.

Wetzel:  I write historical articles, academic papers, a few poems, and personal essays. I also do book reviews for the mystery website http://www.overmydeadbody.com/

What books came along at just the right time to influence your reading/writing?

Jones: Becoming a Writer by Dorothea Brande. It’s a wonderful book for the new author not sure he/she has what it takes to be a writer. Playwriting: The Structure of Action by Sam Smiley. I learned SO much about creating characters from this book.

Wheeler: I was one of those avid readers, and moved through several genres, but I was always more drawn to thrillers. I read Poe at a young age, and everything Phyllis A. Whitney wrote, moving rapidly on to Stephen King’s work, along with Dean Koontz and Anne Rice. Stephen King’s The Stand was one of the most profound for me. I enjoyed the way he took something very dark and taught life lessons within it. I also like the idea that he always pushes the envelope. It opens more envelopes for us as new writers.
 
Driver: Not books so much as information over the internet about the WWII P.O.W. camps located in Texas that held prisoners of Rommel’s elite corps.

Elvebak:  Jonathan Kellerman writes about Dr. Alex Delaware, a child psychologist, who helps the police solves crimes that involve children with severe psychological problems. He probably influenced me the most in writing about Niki Alexander.
James Lee Burke influenced me in a different way in that I loved his characters and his descriptions, as did Robert B. Parker. In some ways, their styles were so different, Parker’s being very spare and Burke painting such vivid pictures with words. Both had a very concise idea of justice.

Wetzel:  That's a very hard question. I was influenced by the Nancy Drew books, and others of that type, before I was twelve. Then I discovered Agatha Christie, and went on from there. Because I have a degree in archeology, Elizabeth Peters' Amelia Peabody series certainly influenced my writing. I found Stephen King's book, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, inspirational and filled with practical information

What makes a good story?

Jones:  Good storytelling. LOL! Okay, let’s see, you need to pull the reader into the story, keep them in the story, entertain and surprise them, and then deliver on the ending.

Wheeler:  I think that varies from person to person. That’s why the bookstores are full. For me, it’s mainly the tension, but I also like it if the story can incorporate a life lesson, or the acceptance of something outside what’s considered a normal concept.

Driver:  Good stories are created by skilled writers who know how to use story elements to their full advantage. A good writer knows how to pace a plot, how to develop a character, set a scene, create dialogue, and use description to its maximum advantage.
The above being said, reading likes and dislikes vary widely. A good story is only considered good if the reader enjoys reading the genre in which the story is written.

Elvebak: Memorable characters who have to conquer seemingly insurmountable problems.

Wetzel:  First of all, an interesting, believable protagonist and a good supporting cast of characters. Setting is important to me, with details that allow me to visualize exactly what the characters are seeing, feeling, even smelling. I'm a Virgo, and a librarian and historian, so I want those details to be correct. A reader at all familiar with a particular place or profession can tell when the writer has been lazy or sloppy with the research. Oh, and a coherent plot is nice too.

Is there a different writing process for short stories than there is for novels?

Jones: Write shorter. That is obvious., but not that easy for me. I tend to write long, complicated plots.

Wheeler:  Well, I know it takes a lot less time for a short story! I refer to it as icing. It’s a treat. More like instant gratification. I do a light outline of the short story, sit down, and let it take over. For a novel, I begin with the outline, then do character sheets, and of course, quite a bit more research. But as with the short story, for me, the story takes over, and I travel down some paths I hadn’t planned.

Driver:  The only difference between creating a short story and a novel is the length; both long and short fiction have a beginning, middle, and end, but in a piece of short fiction there’s no room for intricate and detailed subplots.

Elvebak:  I have to discipline myself to write short, work with one plot instead of using subplots. I actually found it easier than I expected. The problem was tearing myself away from writing the novel and interrupting the flow to write something completely different. It usually was a blessing in the end, showing that I needed that break and to come back to the novel with fresh eyes.

Wetzel:  I find short stories to be more difficult to write than novels because so much must be said in such a limited number of words. Then again, they are easier to finish. I have several finished short stories, and one novel that has been languishing unfinished for some time.

How do you discipline yourself when writing?

Jones:  I use a reward system. If I get xx number of words written, or solve xx problems, then I get to read xx book or xx movie or I can go eat xx.

Wheeler:  Oh streuth! (As they say in Australia). That’s the equivalent of OMG. I do have a hard time with the discipline. The best way for me to achieve my goal is for someone to set a deadline for me, or set it myself. I seem to need that.

Driver:  I stay off the Internet.

I need to discipline myself that way too.

Elvebak:  When the writing is going well, I get completely lost in it. Time means nothing. It melts away. I procrastinate sometimes before I start writing. I’ll finish reading all my email, read blogs, play Freecell, but once I start, I don’t want to stop, and I hate being interrupted. But that’s another discipline.

Wetzel:  This is my biggest problem. I try to follow the adage to "put butt in chair and write," but I'm not too good at that. In 1996 I wrote in my diary "My muse is like the Texas weather: long spells of drought and despair followed by days of wild, uncontrolled outpourings from the skies." Having a deadline is the main thing that makes me sit down and get to work.

Have you participated in  any other anthologies? If so, which ones?

Jones:  Short stories were painful for me at first, but became my lifeline during a family crisis. When I lacked time to write long, short kept me going. I am in the following anthologies: Dead and Breakfast, A Box of Texas Chocolates, Ghostly Dreamspell, The Mystery of the Green Mist, and Romance of My Dreams I (two stories).

Wheeler:  Yes, I have a story entitled "Siren’s Call" in the Erotic Dreamspell anthology, due to release in the winter of 2010.

Driver:  I have another mystery short story, "The End of the Tour", in the Dead and Breakfast anthology and a sweet romance, "Valentine’s Day", as I said earlier, is in A Box of Texas Chocolates. Both anthologies are published by L&L Dreamspell.

Elvebak:  I have a short story in A Box of Texas Chocolates entitled “Dying For Chocolate”. It's also a L&L Dreamspell anthology.

Wetzel:  A personal essay I wrote about the unusual love story of my aunt and uncle, titled "Two Dollar Wife," was published in A Cup of Comfort for Weddings: Something Old, Something New, in 2005. http://www.adamsmediastore.com/product/808/27? . I have a historical, creative-non-fiction ghost story called "Sarah Hornsby's Dream" coming out in the next Final Twist anthology, Twisted Tales of Texas Landmarks, being published by L&L Dreamspell this year.

When writing, what themes do you feel passionate about?

Jones:  I’m pretty passionate about not liking themes, probably a hangover from school. Despite my best efforts, I can see themes creeping into my writing. Perhaps because of when I was born (a long time ago) and the tumults of my informative years (women’s emancipation) I find myself writing a lot of about identity and women’s roles, but I try not to be too serious about it.

Wheeler:  Thinking outside the box. In some of my writing, I strive to incorporate some of my belief system. In "Dark Pleasures", the reader sees animals and telepathy in a very different light.
In "The Image", my current work in progress for an e-book, I touch lightly on quantum physics, and how our thoughts are more powerful than we could ever have imagined.

Driver:  There were two themes in Ninth Lord of the Night that I was passionate about. The first, and most important, was that the reader understands the importance of preserving written history. The second theme, and one that occurs again and again in my writing, is that you have to be true to yourself and not live your life according to false principles and predetermined ideas.

Elvebak:  Homeless children and how they got there and how they survive. I’ve used that theme in my Niki Alexander books. I seek answers as to what drives a person to deviant behavior; the psychology of madness or evil; family dynamics and dysfunction.

Wetzel:  Family, relationships, justice, and the strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity

Francis Bacon once said, "Write down the thoughts of the moment. Those that come unsought for are commonly the most valuable." Where are you when you have your most inspiring moments and how do you react to them?

Jones:  I get inspired in many places, but I probably feel most inspired when I am in the mountains. I grew up surrounded by them and miss them where I live now, so it’s always great when I can get home and reconnect. Mountains give you perspective and that’s always good. I am more grounded when I leave them behind.

Wheeler:  I have them anywhere, at any time. I was recently working on a short story for a competition, and got the opening sentence while waiting in line at the Nutcracker.

Whitfield:  Okay, I have to jump in here and snicker, Loretta. You apparently get inspiration in much the same wacky way I do. Love it!

Wheeler:  Fortunately for me it was a short sentence and I was able to wait to write it down. I normally keep writing material around me when at home, but I can tell I’m going to have to start dragging notepads around with me from now on.

Driver:  My best thoughts and ideas come when I’m doing something mundane like housework or just before I drift off to sleep. During those times my mind drifts into the scene I’m working on and I can visualize all the details.

Elvebak:  Usually about 3:00 or 4:30 in the morning. Then I can’t get back to sleep. I’ll be inspired by a dream or a solution to a problem that’s just occurred to me upon waking. I’ll mull over it until I’m wide awake and I’ll either write it down or it will cook in my head until it’s ready to spill over on the page.

Wetzel:  Inspiring moments may come to me anytime and anywhere. They often come to me as I'm drifting off to sleep, in my dreams, and when I'm on the edge of waking up. For these, I have a pen and paper on the table next to my bed. I carry a notepad, and listen to conversations going on around me, at the grocery store, on the shuttle bus, waiting for a doctor's appointment … Many of those conversations these days are one-way, because so many people are on their cell phones, and I have to fill in the other side of the conversation. Once in a great while, something said in a television program or movie strikes me, and books by my favorite authors often have inspiring content.

Do you have any other writing projects underway?

Jones:  In addition to promoting my latest release Girl Gone Nova, and looking forward to the release of my Steampunk/science fiction romance novella, Tangled in Time in 12/2010, I am writing a new novel in my Project Universe/Garradian Galaxy series. Each book can be read stand alone, but they are more fun, IMHO, if you read them all.

Wheeler:  Yes, as mentioned earlier, I’m currently working on The Image, which is novella size and releasing as an e-book. I will return to The Midnight Dance/The Devereaux Chronicles once I’ve completed The Image. The Midnight Dance helped me achieve my PRO position in the RWA when the Marsal Lyon Agency requested a look at the manuscript after reviewing my pitch and query letter. Following that, I will revisit "Dark Pleasures" to complete the story I began in A Death in Texas.

Driver:  Right now I’m writing a fantasy, The Amber Rune. This involves researching runology, occult magic, the Nordic pantheon, and reading ancient Nordic manuscripts.

Elvebak:  I am working on a stand-alone that takes place in the sixties in Philadelphia and revolves around the demimonde world of bar girls and go go dancers. I’m also working on another short story for the next Final Twist Anthology. I had also started on the third Niki Alexander mystery.

Wetzel:  I have a few mystery short stories finished and waiting to be polished, and a mystery novel long a work in progress. My father died recently, at the age of 89, and for the last few years I recorded his stories about growing up, about family members long gone, and about his service in the Navy in WWII. My mother is 89, and I'm now gathering her stories and memories. I've been scanning old family photos, some of them over one hundred years old, and turning them into albums to share with my other relatives. Along the way, in organizing the photos chronologically and in family groups, I realized I've been "writing" our family history. That project is demanding to be done now, while my Mother and other elderly sources are still here to identify people in the photos that I don't know.

Where can readers learn more about you?

Jones:  http://www.perilouspauline.com/

Wheeler:  I have two websites for each of the names I write under, and I am on Facebook, listed as Loretta Wheeler. On MySpace I can be found under Southern Nuances. Both of my websites are currently in the process of being updated.

http://www.lorettawheeler.com/
http://www.lreveaux.com/
http://www.myspace.com/southernnuances

Driver: My website is http://www.dianadriver.com/

Elvebak: My website: www.lauraelvebak.com and my blog, which I need to attend to more, http://www.lauraelvebak.blogspot.com/

Wetzel:   On my blog, http://swetzel.wordpress.com/, and on the L&L Dreamspell and the Final Twist websites.
 
Thank you ladies, for joining together for this interview. Bloggers, for more information about A Death in Texas and other Dreamspell publications, go to http://www.lldreamspell.com/