Claire Applewhite's Tennessee Plates

Claire Applewhite is a graduate of St. Louis University, where she earned an A.B. in Communications and an MBA. Currently an adjunct professor at the University of Missouri St. Louis, her published books include The Wrong Side of Memphis, Crazy For You, St. Louis Hustle, Candy Cadillac and Tennessee Plates. She has served as President of the Missouri Writers Guild, Vice-President of Sisters in Crime and as a Board member of the Midwest Chapter, Mystery Writers of America. She is actively involved in other writers’ organizations, including the St. Louis Metropolitan Press Club. For details see: www.Claireapplewhite.com.

Claire, it's great to have you back on the blog. Congatulations on the new book!

Where do you live, and how has your environment affected your writing?

I live in St. Louis, Missouri, located in the heart of the country. Founded by French traders, the city possesses a rich history as “the Gateway to the West.” Nevertheless, it has been classified as one of the most dangerous cities in the U.S. Most of my stories are set in St. Louis, and are influenced by economic, racial, gender, education and employment issues.  

How many books have you written? 

I have written seven books. Of those, five are published.

Give a short synop of your most recently published book.

My most recently published book is Tennessee Plates, published by L&L Dreamspell, December, 2012.

ISBN 978-1-60318-513-1, e-book, 978-1-60318-514-1, trade paperback.

In ‘68, the hot smoke and cold eyes of ‘Nam stalked ELVIN SUGGS. Now, a blonde in a tight dress and a silver Cadillac has captured his heart, and he doesn’t want to run. Lonely and eager, he trails the temptress with a shady past, rife with corruption and lies—the girl with the Tennessee Plates.

How much of yourself is hidden in the characters in the book?

I’ve heard it said that no one can write authentically with their hands tied up behind their back. In other words, I think an author must forget themselves and let the characters talk. I strive to do that.

Do your characters take on a life of their own? 

I think an author must climb into a character’s skin and view the world through their eyes.

Which is your favorite? 

My favorite is the character who owns the viewpoint in the scene under construction.

An awesome response, and so true for me as well.

What challenges did you face while writing this book?

Tennessee Plates concerns reconciliation with past demons. The hero finally confronts the worst times in his life, and exposes them, so that he can find peace. A major challenge existed in the balance between tragedy and humor.

Do you travel to do research or for inspiration?

I love to travel because I am very interested in other people and their traditions. I travel for both research and inspiration. Can you share some special places with us? Memphis, Nashville, New Orleans, Seaside, Florida, Palm Springs, Phoenix, the Badlands are all intriguing places with their own personalities. I love Southern cities, but I am also fascinated by deserts.

What do you think is the greatest lesson you’ve learned about writing so far?

Writing is much like acting in that the author must forget him or herself, and assume a new identity in order to express another’s viewpoints.

What advice can you give new writers?

Don’t worry about what people will think when they read your writing. If you do, you won’t get your best work.

Where do you store ideas for later use: in your head, in a notebook, or on a spreadsheet? 

I tend to collect newspaper clippings in a box and look through the box when I am plotting a new book.

Where can folks learn more about your books and events?
Amazon.com, Goodreads, and my website, www.claireapplewhite.com.

Are your books available in print and ebook formats? 

They are all available in both formats at Amazon.com.

Claire, thinks for taking the time to tell us about the new book. St. Louis is a beautiful city and I hope to pass that way again. 

Come on over any time, Susan.

L.A. Starks

            L. A. Starks was born in Boston, Massachusetts, grew up in northern Oklahoma reading everything, and now lives in Texas. Awarded a full-tuition college scholarship, she earned a chemical engineering bachelor's degree, magna cum laude, from New Orleans' Tulane University, followed by a finance MBA from the University of Chicago. While at Chicago she made time to play for a celebrated women's intramural basketball team, the Efficient Mockettes.

            Working more than a decade for well-known energy companies in engineering, marketing, and finance from refineries to corporate offices prepared Starks to write global energy thrillers. She continues to research, write, and consult on energy economics and investing, often speaking to professional groups for their members' continuing education credit.

            In addition to her Dreamspell publications, including a short story in the DREAMSPELL NIGHTMARES anthology, two of Starks' short stories have been published by Amazon Shorts. Her nonfiction has appeared in Mystery Readers Journal, The Dallas Morning News, The Houston Chronicle, The San Antonio Express-News, Sleuth Sayer (MWA-SW newsletter), Natural Gas, Oil and Gas Journal, and the investor website Seeking Alpha. She is also co-inventor of a US patent.

            Starks has run seven half-marathons. She serves as treasurer of the board of the Friends of the Dallas Public Library, a fund-raising and advocacy group that supports Dallas' 28-branch civic library system.

Welcome to the blog, L.A.

Where do you live, and how has your environment affected your writing?

How many books have you written?

Two books. 13 DAYS: THE PYTHAGORAS CONSPIRACY and STRIKE PRICE

Give a short synop of your most recently published book.

STRIKE PRICE: When several people involved in bidding for an oil refinery are murdered, the situation becomes far more than a billion-dollar business deal.

            A self-made woman, Lynn Dayton fights to save lives after escalating attacks eventually reveal a hired assassin’s plan to draw another global power into dangerous confrontation with the United States over trillion-dollar oil stakes.

            Are the killers rogue civil servants challenging the Cherokees’ financial independence, Sansei operatives again wreaking violence, or sinister investors swapping the bidding war for a real one?

            Lynn Dayton and Cherokee tribal executive Jesse Drum must learn to trust each other so they can find and stop the killers. Can sobering up really be fatal? How have so many of the deaths been made to appear accidental? Who’s creating weapons with modern poisons and ancient Cherokee arts?

How much of yourself is hidden in the characters in the book?

Do your characters take on a life of their own? If so, which is your favorite?

What challenges did you face while writing this book?

I started this book before the first one was published. Some delay resulted from the marketing effort I put into 13 DAYS. The real challenge, however, was that my younger sister, to whom STRIKE PRICE is dedicated, became ill from and ultimately succumbed to an extremely fast-spreading type of breast cancer. During her last two years, I could only focus on Linda and my family. I couldn’t summon the drive to complete and edit the book until a little over a year ago. Fortunately, it was promptly accepted by L&L Dreamspell for publication in the spring of 2012.

Do you travel to do research or for inspiration? Can you share some special places with us?

While I don’t get advances that would allow travel only for book research, trips I make for other reasons show up in my writing. Here are a few.

           

Florence is popular with everyone from J.K.Rowling (remember “Firenze”?) to Dan Brown’s latest, INFERNO. When we saw the city, I was struck by its rich history as a textile center, with art funded by the Medicis. It was intriguing that the Ponte Vecchio, now home to jewelers and goldsmiths, had once housed butchers. Yet my strongest intuition was of the blank, literally insurmountable Oltrarno ancient city wall. I hope I have used the feeling to good effect in STRIKE PRICE

           

While I had been to London and Brighton, I wasn’t familiar with the English countryside near Chichester and Amberley Castle. We saw it while accompanying a boys’ choir tour. I wanted to convey impressions like young boys’ sweet evensong voices echoing through stately cathedrals, as well as a South Downs verdancy so vast Amberley Castle’s greens serve as a helicopter pad for its well-heeled London guests.

           

Closer to home, I seldom have as much time as I’d like for canoeing or kayaking, so I made a special trip with my kids to capture the sights, smells, and sounds of canoeing on the Illinois River. Despite its name, the river is located in eastern Oklahoma and serves as one of the settings in STRIKE PRICE.

What do you think is the greatest lesson you’ve learned about writing so far? What advice can you give new writers?

First, I am formally trained in engineering and finance, and auto-didactically trained—because I love reading and writing so much—in writing. These seem like opposite disciplines, but I find the importance of precision is common to them both, whether it be in design, calculations, concepts, plotlines, or descriptions.

Second, in writing, as in designing a heat exchanger, there seems to be a 50:1 ratio of wrong paths (or let’s just call them less good paths), to right paths.

Third and absolutely critical for new writers: reading one’s work with the reactions of a first reader is impossible after the fourth, fifth, or seventh self-edit. And yet nothing is more important. For me, editing of my work by other readers, and then professional editors, is key to producing a good novel.

Where do you store ideas for later use: in your head, in a notebook, or on a spreadsheet?

These days: waaay too many document files.

We all know how important promoting our work has become. How do you get the word out both off and online?

Can you tell us your future writing goals/projects?

I am excited to have begun researching and writing the third Lynn Dayton book! On the non-fiction side, I continue to write free quarterly articles about energy, a monthly subscriber energy investing newsletter, and occasional articles for the investor website Seeking Alpha.

Where can folks learn more about your books and events?

My website, http://lastarksbooks.com , is where events are listed, book club questions are available for 13 DAYS and will be for STRIKE PRICE, a twice-yearly newsletter can be found, book trailer videos are linked, and where I have resources for writers. I welcome friends on Facebook and have a work-focused listing on LinkedIn. Most of all, please join me at Goodreads!

Are your books available in print and ebook formats? 

Amazon author page—all:

http://www.amazon.com/L.A.-Starks/e/B003KIURC0/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

STRIKE PRICE (Print and e-book editions)

Barnes & Noble:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/strike-price-la-starks/1115161372?ean=2940016666099

Independents, like Houston’s Murder by the Book:

http://www.murderbooks.com/search/apachesolr_search/Strike%20Price

13 DAYS: THE PYTHAGORAS CONSPIRACY (e-book edition)

Barnes & Noble/Nook:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/13-Days-The-Pythagoras-Conspiracy?store=ebook&keyword=13+Days%3A+The+Pythagoras+Conspiracy

Independents, like Houston’s Murder by the Book/Kobo:

http://www.murderbooks.com/search/kobo/13%20Days%3A%20The%20Pythagoras%20Conspiracy

13 DAYS: THE PYTHAGORAS CONSPIRACY (print edition, different publisher and cover)

Barnes & Noble:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/13-Days--The-Pythagoras-Conspiracy?keyword=13+Days%3A+The+Pythagoras+Conspiracy&store=book

Independents, like Houston’s Murder by the Book:

http://www.murderbooks.com/search/apachesolr_search/13%20Days%3A%20The%20Pythagoras%20Conspiracy

Arline Chase's Killraven

Arline Chase is something of a late-bloomer. She lives in the marsh with the mosquitoes and the muskrats. She writes some of everything and became a publisher when her own publisher became too ill to continue.

“Having a book with my name on the cover was my longtime dream.  When my first publisher, the woman who helped me fulfill that dream, asked me, I was honored to help keep her project alive. Connie Foster’s dream stayed alive as Write Words Inc./ebooksonthe.net and now I get to help others achieve their dreams as well.  Life doesn’t get much better than that.”

Welcome, Arline!

Where do you live, and how has your environment affected your writing? 

I live on the Eastern Shore of Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay. My people were island people. My environment and family history has affected most of my books. My Collection, THE DROWNED LAND, won the Governor’s Award in Maryland and my Novel, KILLRAVEN, is set locally and remains the favorite of most of my readers. Although Killraven Island is a fictional environment, the characters who live there and their cultural heritage are depicted accurately.

How many books have you written?

A dozen Novellas; one Short Story Collection; 4 nonfiction books; and 5 novels: KILLRAVEN, GHOST DANCER, SPIRIT OF EARTH, SPIRIT OF FIRE, and SPIRIT OF WIND. The Spirit Series are mysteries and feature a Baltimore police detective and his psychic younger sister.

Give a short synop of your favorite book.

Since KILLRAVEN has proven the favorite, and is loosely based on family history, if I have to pick one to feature, I think it has to be that one.

Set in the 1890s, KILLRAVEN is the story of Hope Voeschell, a young woman brought up in a cult that believes in non-violence, and DeCoursey Rogers a man who has known violence first hand, and what happens when an isolated peaceful community is confronted with a murderer. Killraven is a fictional Chesapeake Bay island, an isolated place, rich in the traditions of its independent people. The novel is based in part on characters that originally appeared in the award-winning short story collection, THE DROWNED LAND.

How much of yourself is hidden in the characters in the book?

Well Hope (not her real name) goes back five generations in my family. She is a legend to all her descendents and was known all her life as a woman of strong character. People have also said that of me, though whether it is justified, I really can’t say.

Do your characters take on a life of their own?

Absolutely.  They go and do what pleases them and I am left to watch and wonder.

Which is your favorite?

I have a few fleeting memories of the real Hope Voeschell, who died when I was three or four.  I never knew her as an adult, except through the family stories handed down about her. But by the time I had written her book, she was very real to me.

What challenges did you face while writing this book?

I knew my story’s beginning, middle, and end. I knew my setting. But I didn’t know how to write well enough to bring off a work of that length. It took me seven years to achieve a novel length draft I felt came close to “the book in my head.” And ever after that I have had to explain it to relatives who remembered a “different version.” 

Critics complained that “there are too many widows” in the book. But island men worked the water, a dangerous occupation, and left many widows behind. So although folks suggested I combine those characters and have only one widow, all three remained and all have very different personalities, so I felt they couldn’t take on each other’s plot turns. Critics have also complained that the book is “more like a TV series” than a novel. And I suppose it is true that the island is a character in and of itself.

Do you travel to do research or for inspiration? Can you share some special places with us?

I have traveled some, but mostly I write about home. I did do a lot of research for GHOST DANCER, because it is set in Montana. I had never been to Montana, a fact I mentioned to my then-agent. “No one alive now has been to Montana in 1890, Arline,” she pointed out. “Just write the da---- book!” She had a hot new publisher and knew she could sell it if I could finish it in 90 days.  Well five year later, when I actually finished the book, the agent had forgotten my name and the Hot New Publisher had sunk without a trace. But I had learned a lot about Montana, the Piegan, and the Great Northern Railroad, so it wasn’t a total loss.

What do you think is the greatest lesson you’ve learned about writing so far? What advice can you give new writers?

Don’t pay any attention to all the people who think you can’t do it. There are plenty of folks who will always say, “You can’t.” My own mother’s reaction to the fact that I meant to write a book was, “People like us don’t write BOOKS!”

But I started with short stores and kept on writing them eventually the books came, too. I say, if you want to do something, do it!  Practice your craft and hone your skills. And do all you can to learn what you need to know.  Keep at it. Never let others trample on your dreams.

Where do you store ideas for later use: in your head, in a notebook, or on a spreadsheet?

I used to keep a notebook. Then I learned that the good ideas will come back and nag you until they get written, whether you keep an idea file or not.

We all know how important promoting our work has become. How do you get the word out both off and online?

I spend more time these days publishing other writer’s work than in writing and promoting my own. And thank you, Susan, for this opportunity to talk about my work.  I post about my own and other author’s books regularly on Facebook, and I, too, do have a blog at:

http://www.blogger.com/profile/06693519646089401548

Can you tell us your future writing goals/projects?

I love historical/mysteries and probably will continue to write them.  There is at least one more installment of the Spirit Series to be completed.

Where can folks learn more about your books and events?    

On my company’s publisher web site:

www.writewordsinc.com

and on my blog, mentioned above.

I am easy to find on Facebook, too, as I am the only Arline Chase in Cambridge, MD. I welcome all who love books among my friends.

Are your books available in print and ebook formats?

They are all on my own web site and also on amazon.com at the following links:

Paper:

www.amazon.com/Killraven-Arline-Chase/dp/1594311374/ref=sr_1_1_title_1_pap?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1369675147&sr=1-1&keywords=killraven+chase


e-book: http://www.amazon.com/Killraven-ebook/dp/B004SREB7O/ref=sr_1_9?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1369675057&sr=1-9&keywords=killraven

Pearle Munn Bishop

Pearle Munn Bishop’s home has always been filled with books, stacks of them.  Pearle is a true Tar Heel as her father was born in Tar Heel, North Carolina. Most of her youth was spent in Tamahawk, in eastern North Carolina.  When she was 14, she wrote a weekly column for a local newspaper and was paid in a free subscription. 

During World War 11, she worked in Baltimore at Glen L. Martin Aircraft. She met Lyle, and they were married three weeks later.  Even when her husband’s Air Force career took the family to live in England, Germany, Japan as well as locations in the United States, the books travelled along with other household goods.  Their five children changed schools more times than she can count on two hands.  She has a nursing degree and used some of that knowledge in her novel. They retired and moved to the mountains of North Carolina, working as ski patrollers at Sugar Mountain Resort.

Welcome to the blog, Pearle.

Thank you so much, Susan.

Tell us about Cleo's Oak.

Cleo’s Oak:   Cleo, a psychic midwife from the 1800s channels her life story through Willow, an egotistical, contemporary sixteen-year-old girl.
x Does a mystical Celtic spirit live in Cleo’s oak?
x Are there really magic circles?
x Can a butterfly lead you out of deep despair?
x Can the dead tell their story through channelers?
            Cleo’s Oak contains answers to all of these questions plus sex, birth, death, marriage, war, religion, adultery and perhaps murder.
            Everyone that ever had a grandmother should read this book. You will agree that across time, human values have not changed.

I know you're the mother of Maggie Bishop, who writes fiction and went to East Carolina University about the same time I did. She obviously picked up your writing gene. Where do you live, and how has your environment affected your writing?

Yes, Maggie is my daughter. My current home is in Appalachian Brian Estates, a retirement home in Boone, North Carolina.  From my windows I see the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, clouds in the sky, birds, vapor trails, stars, moon and forest, all of which inspire me to write.  My heavy housework is done by the staff, my meals are prepared for me.  When I leave my rooms to be with other people, I find that each person has a life story and most of them want to tell it.  I am a good listener.  Unless invited, very few residents enter other people’s room.  Therefore, I have lots of uninterrupted time to write.

Sounds good to me, and I'll bet you've had lots of inspiration from other residents who've lived rich lives.

Do your characters take on a life of their own?

My character, Cleo in Cleo’s Oak, tells her story by channeling, most of the time I felt as though I just held the pen.

What do you think is the greatest lesson you’ve learned about writing so far?

The greatest lesson I learned from writing this book is that, for me, writing is fun.  Rewriting is work.  My advice for new writers is to get it down.  Clean it up later.

Can you tell us your future writing projects?

The manuscript on which I am now working features Lily who lives in Indiana, Virginia, Switzerland and the wilds of Scotland.  Somehow I do not believe this story will be channeled.  Therefore, I would like to visit the above places for research. 

Hey, call me! lol. Maybe Maggie and I "help".

Where can we find your books?

Cleo’s Oak Kindle http://dld.bz/CleosOakKindle

Cleo’s Oak Amazon Paperback http://dld.bz/CleosOakPaperback

Free 1^st chapter http://wp.me/ptCd3-2pZ 

Amazon Author Page http://dld.bz/authorpagepearlemunnbishop  

Pearle, I wish you the very best with your writing. Give Maggie a big hug for me. I hope to meet you  the next time I'm in the Boone area.

Judy Nichols and Sportsman's Bet

Judy Nichols lives in Wilmington, North Carolina (lucky gal) although she spent most of her life living in and around Cincinnati, Ohio, living in both small towns and in the city.  She makes her home in the South, but will always be a Midwesterner at heart.  Although two of her books take place in the south, they are written from the point of view of outsiders. In Tree Huggers, the protagonist is from Ohio, and Ian Dodge, the sleuth in Sportsman’s Bet, is a British ex-pat, living in rural North Carolina.

Welcome to the blog, Judy. Take it from here.

Thanks, Susan!

I have three published book. Caviar Dreams, a novel of sex, greed and murder, and Tree Huggers, a novel of greed, murder and helpful household hints, are published by Zumaya Publications. Sportsman’s Bet is available on Amazon as a Kindle download.

Here's a synopsis of Sportsman’s Bet:

Velma Saunders was the meanest woman in Tobias, North Carolina. Everybody was a little afraid of her. Except her boss, Mayor Mike Ellis who was a lot afraid of her.  Still, the whole town is shocked when Velma's body is found in the Municipal Building's old bomb shelter. The only clue to her murderer is a copy of a cryptic message from a Nigerian Email scammer. All the evidence points to Mayor Mike, who's charged with killing Velma.

It's up to Investigator Ian Dodge, a British transplant who's never quite taken root in the Deep South,sets out to find out who else hated Velma enough to kill her.  In the course of his investigation, Ian discovers the dark secrets Velma has been hiding all these years, and exactly why she was so mean.

Ian Dodge is based on my husband Nigel, a British transplant, who has been stubbornly hanging on to every shred of his Britishness ever since he came to the states 30 years ago--there’s not much of me in this book at all.  Now Lisa, the main character in Caviar Dreams. is very much like me. She reacts to terrible events in her life the way I would. She’s not an amateur detective out to solve her best friend’s amurder. She’s a regular person having a hard time coping with bad things happening.

It seems like all my characters surprise me. In Sportsman’s Bet, Velma was supposed to be completely unsympathetic, just a mean old lady that nobody liked and good riddance to her. Then when I started working on what made her that way, she changed.

My favorite character is Jeffrey Helton, from Caviar Dreams. He started off as a plot device, supplying his cousin with the drugs he needed to kill off his blackmailer, but for some reason he got all the good lines. I liked him so much, I started another book with him as the main character. And one of these days, I’m going to dig up the file and finish it.

The challenges I faced writing Sportsman’s Bet were the same ones I have with every book. Finishing it.  Starting a new book is a great adventure, but sitting down and writing i (especially when you write yourself into a corner and you have no idea how to get out) is tedious and frustrating and I often find myself thinking “Gee, I really should be vacuuming the carpet or walking the dogs, right now.”  Also, it’s written in first person from the point of view of a man, which is a stretch for any female author. Fortunately, the character is based on my husband,  the man I know better than anyone and that made it easier.

I’m a “write what you know” kind of author. I don’t do much traveling. Every book I’ve written is based in a place I’m familiar with. The town of Tobias, where Sportsman’s Bet takes place, is fictional, but it’s just like Batavia, Ohio, the town where I grew up. Small towns are amazingly alike. Everybody knows everything about everybody. If you have a baby within a year of getting married, you can bet the old ladies are counting the months. If your kid is up to no good, someone will tell you.  Residents feel safe among their own kind, and yet there’s this desire to go someplace where no one knows you or your family and make your own way on your own terms.

The greatest lesson I’ve learned about writing can be summed up in a quote by E.L. Doctorow, which is by far the best advice I’ve ever had.  “Planning to write is not writing. Outlining…researching…talking to people about what you’re doing, none of that is writing. Writing is writing.  Writing is like driving at night in the fog. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.”

You have to write every day, and you have to do it with the knowledge that what you’re writing at the moment sounds terrible and no one will ever want to read it, but you need to keep going. You will get better, but the only way to do that is keep going.

It also helps to connect with other writers. I’ve found that instead of being your “competition,” other authors can be your best resources. I especially recommend going to a writers’ conference where you can network with more experienced authors; Like the Cape Fear Crime Festival, in Wilmington, held the first weekend in February.

Yes, I am shamelessly plugging it. Go to http://capefearcrimefestival2.blogspot.com for more information.

Yes, you should. It's a great event!

I tend to keep ideas in my head until I start on a book. Then I create what I call a story map, which has a list of the characters and what they’re like, their backgrounds, etc along with a synopsis of the plot. I refer back to it throughout the project. I don’t do outlines. After the agony of outlining chapter after chapter of my fifth grade history book, I swore I’d never do one again once I got out of school. And I haven't.

I am active on Twitter, which I’m finding is a great place to discover new fans. I also have an author’s page on Facebook, where I announce my events, along with my website www.Judy5cents.com. I love Good Reads, where I have a blog on books and writing, and post reviews.

I also talk to book clubs, both locally and via Skype.

My facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/pages/Judy-Nichols-Author/206357379460146?ref=hl and my twitter ID is @Judy5cents.

And here is the link to my page on Amazon to buy my books

http://www.amazon.com/Judy-Nichols/e/B002BLJJZS/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_3?qid=1368815746&sr=8-3

Continued success, Judy! I hope to see you soon. BTW--congrats on winning money on Jeopardy!

Sue Ann Jaffarian

Sue Ann Jaffarian is the author of three critically acclaimed and best-selling mystery series: The Odelia Grey series, the Ghost of Granny Apples series, and the Madison Rose Vampire Mystery series. In addition to mysteries, Sue Ann also writes general fiction and short stories, and is a motivational speaker and full-time paralegal in Los Angeles.

I've read the Odelia Grey series and the Apples series. I can attest that Sue Ann is a talented writer.

Welcome to the blog, Sue Ann.

Thanks, Susan!

How has living in L.A. affected your writing?

Both my Odelia Grey series and Ghost of Granny Apples series are based in Southern California. When writing, I try to give the reader a sense of the congestion and awful traffic, as well as the diversity of the residents. I think if there is one influence on my books, it would be the diversity of Southern California, which is fun to weave in and out of the stories and characters.

How many books have you written?

To date, I have written 15 novels, 1 novella, and 6 short stories. You can bump the novels up to 17 if you count the first  two that were never published.  By the end of the year I will have finished another novel and novella.

Give a short synop of your next book, Secondhand Stiff.

Coming out in December is Secondhand Stiff, my 8^th Odelia Grey novel. Odelia’s mother, Grace Littlejohn, is visiting from New Hampshire for Thanksgiving and she and Odelia tag along with Ina, Greg’s cousin, to a storage auction where a dead body of Ina’s philandering husband is displayed in one of the storage units up for sale.

In March, Berkley released my 1^st novella, The Silent Ghost, which features Kelly Whitecastle, the daughter of the series’ protagonist Emma Whitecastle, who has recently discovered her own talents for communicating with ghosts.  In The Silent Ghost, Kelly and the ghost of Granny Apples come to the aid of a young journalist. The second novella, Dummy of a Ghost, will be out this coming March and will also feature Kelly.

In April, Berkley will release Ghost of a Gamble, the 4^th full-length Ghost of Granny Apples novel, in which Emma Whitecastle and Granny head to Las Vegas to help out Emma’s mentor, psychic Milo Ravenscroft, with a personal problem that leads to a kidnapping.

Do your characters take on a life of their own? If so, which is your favorite?

Oh yes! It’s as if they live all crowded together in my apartment,  jostling for my attention along with my two cats. They never seem to leave me alone when I’m home, like the place is haunted with their spirits, as if they are just waiting to jump onto the page using me as the channel.  I don’t know if I have a favorite.  Odelia Grey, being my first born, is definitely a fav, but I love writing Mike Steele, her boss. When the two of them are in a scene, they come alive right in front of me like a couple of sparring siblings.

What challenges did you face while writing this book?

Time is always a challenge. It is for any writer, but especially those of us juggling a couple of series and a day job.  It’s not enough to balance writing more than one book, but also wedging in reviewing and editing comments from the publisher while working on something else.

Do you travel to do research or for inspiration? Can you share some special places with us?

I often travel for my Ghost of Granny Apples series. It’s a paranormal series about solving the crimes and/or deaths of ghosts and often involves historical background. For that series I have traveled to Catalina Island, Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, Las Vegas and Julian, California.  They have all been a lot of fun, but one of the most interesting trip was Jim Thorpe, where I was given a private tour of the Old Jail, supposedly haunted by the ghosts of several Molly McGuires who were executed there.

What do you think is the greatest lesson you’ve learned about writing so far? What advice can you give new writers?

Patience. Patience with your work. Patience with your publisher. Patience with your own tired brain. A book can’t be “good enough.”  It has to be the best you can produce, even if you are on a tight deadline.

Where do you store ideas for later use: in your head, in a notebook, or on a spreadsheet?

I store them on my computer, which is always backed up. Often, as soon as an idea hits me, I will write a very brief synopsis, as well as the first few pages of the book, to get me started.  Then I file it away until it’s time to work on it. That could be a few months or a few years, but I’m not starting with a blank page. The story line for the 9^th Odelia Grey novel, which I’m writing now, came to me about eight years ago and was stored away until the time was right in the series to introduce it. It’s a good thing the series has lasted so long!

Right now, while I’m writing the 9^th Odelia Grey book, I also have the 10^th one started because a few months ago an idea struck me while I was at the car wash. As soon as I returned home, I pounded out the entire first chapter, almost without hesitation. That often happens. I have several other partially started books awaiting my attention for when the time is right. The documents section of my computer is filled with files labeled with the names of novels that may or may not ever see daylight, but they are there when I’m ready for them. When I come across interesting information or themes  that I think will work in a novel, I’ll save it and store it in a hard file to refer back to at a later time.

Can you tell us your future writing goals/projects?

As I mentioned, I’m currently working on the 9^th Odelia Grey novel. It’s working title is Murder Ball. When a friend of Greg and Odelia’s is suspected of killing another quadriplegic athlete, they are hot on the trail to prove him innocent.

Also, I’m working on Dummy of a Ghost, the novella mentioned earlier, and on my 5^th Ghost of Granny Apples novel, still unnamed.

Where can folks learn more about your books and events?

www.sueannjaffarian.com  And they can follow me on Facebook and Twitter.  I am very active on both, and there is a Sue Ann Jaffarian Fan Club on Facebook in which we discuss all kinds of books and hold contests.

Are your books available in print and ebook formats?   

All of my novels are available in print and e-book formats. My novellas are available for e-readers only.  I am also working on bringing the Odelia Grey novels to audio books.  For a full list of books and buying information, you can check out my profile on Amazon.  http://www.amazon.com/Sue-Ann-Jaffarian/e/B001IOH4II/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1374760310&sr=8-2-ent

 Thanks for dropping by, Sue Ann, and continued success!

I appreciate the interview, Susan.

Write it Right--Tips for Authors

A native of Walnut Grove, in California’s Sacramento River Delta, Mary Deal has lived in England, the Caribbean, and now resides in Kapa`a, Kauai, Hawaii.

Mary is an award-winning author of 10 books and also a Pushcart Prize nominee. She is a newspaper columnist and Associate and Contributing Editor of a magazine. Additionally, she is an oil painter and photographer and maintains two online galleries, http://www.marydealfineart.com and http://www.islandimagegallery.com.

Learn more about Mary and read short stories and novel excerpts, and watch video trailers for each of her books in the Video Theatre on her Web site: http://www.writeanygenre.com.

             I am also honored to call her a friend. Welcome back, Mary.

Thank you so much, Susan.

Tell everyone how many books you've written.

Ten published, with 5-6 more still waiting for final polish or re-editing. Of the 10 published, 6 are suspense/thrillers. One is a collection of zany short stories and flash fiction. Two others are references for authors. This last one is also a writer’s reference.

Give a short synopsis of your most recently published book.

I’ve just published another writing reference. I’ve taken the two smaller Write It Right – Tips for Authors eBooks and turned it into one 362 page paperback. In doing so, I’ve fleshed out some of the articles and added other bits of information as well. The title of the paperback is Write It Right – Tips for Authors – The Big Book.     

Author Gary Val Tenuta has this to say:

When it comes to an expert writing about writing, Mary Deal, editor and award-winning author of several suspense novels, has extensive knowledge about the craft. Fortunately for the rest of us, she’s willing to share her expertise, which includes demystifying the mysteries of how to get your work published. I whole-heartedly recommend her resourceful guides, Write It Right – Tips for Authors, for authors serious about their work and the craft of writing in general.

~ Gary Val Tenuta, Author, Artist, Book Cover Designer

Yes, I've had Gary over on the blog a couple of times.

What challenges did you face while writing this book?

If anyone writes about grammar and hopes to sell it to writers, authors and just anyone, the rules of grammar must be quoted correctly. Too, the grammar used by the creator of such a book needs to be correct too. You can bet I did a lot of research and backed up my statements and instruction with references to other major sources, like the Chicago Manual of Style. While most people shy away from that mega-source book, when they find something to solve their writing problems in my book, they will see it is backed by other sources standard in the industry.

Can you tell us your future writing goals/projects?

I have 4-6 books in progress, at different stages. Several of those are nonfiction. One of them is the 2nd exciting sequel to River Bones, A Sara Mason Mystery. I’m excited about that but have so many published books to promote right now, and convert to either paperback or eBook, that it will delay me producing anything new for a while.

Where can folks learn more about your books and events?

My mega-website, http://www.writeanygenre.com has been called a major resource for writers. Additionally, information about my own books can be found there too.

Are your books available in print and eBook formats? (please provide the buy link for easy reader accessibility)

The 1st mystery is out of print; 4 of the remaining 5 are in both eBook and paperback at Amazon  and Smashwords. The 6th and 7th, The Howling Cliffs and Off Center in the Attic, are in eBook format and going to paperback sometime this year. The 2 smaller Write It Right volumes are in eBook, with the combo book already in paperback and may also go to eBook soon. Whew!

My books can be purchased at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Mary-Deal/e/B0035B02X6/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1342115321&sr=1-2-ent

and Smashwords:

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

 It you haven't read any of Mary's books, please do. Start with Tips if you're a writer. For readers, I recommend that you start with River Bones, a great read.