Tour Page Here:
http://www.escapewithdollycas.com/great-escapes-virtual-book-tours/upcoming-tours/drawing-conclusions-deidre-verne/
About the book:
CeCe Prentice – environmentalist, peace-lover, artist – will stop at nothing to discover the truth behind her twin brother’s untimely death.
Interview with Deirdre Verne
What’s the story behind the title of your book?My protagonist, CeCe Prentice, is a portrait artist who employs her creative skills to help the police sketch suspects. When the book was in draft form, I described the plot to my mother and she came up with the title. Thanks, Mom!
Tell us about your series. Is this book a standalone, or do readers need to read the series in order?
Drawing Conclusions is the first book in a three book series. I definitely recommend that readers read the books in order as characters carry over from the first and second books.
Where’s home for you?
I’m a life-long New Yorker. I currently live in Westchester County, about 30 miles north of Manhattan. I grew up on Long Island.
What dumb things did you do during your college years?
Now, that’s a question that could get me in trouble! Here goes – I hitchhiked along the main drag in Fort Lauderdale during Spring Break.
Tell you mom the statutes of limitations have passed! Have you been in any natural disasters?
We survived hurricane Sandy. Two weeks without electricity or heat. Luckily, we had a wood-burning stove that provided some warmth, but most of the time we were roughing it. I read by candlelight each night.
What makes you bored?
I lose interest immediately in repetitive tasks. My current pet peeve? Loading and unloading the dishwasher twice a day.
What is your most embarrassing moment?
In sixth grade, I was wearing a nifty denim wrap-around skirt that unfortunately unwrapped during lunch period.
Yikes! That was also probably one of your most memorable moments. Do you have another job outside of writing?
I’m a college professor.
How did you meet your spouse? Was it love at first site?
I worked a music company in Manhattan and my husband came in for an interview. He said he would have taken the job for minimum wage just to get a chance to ask me out.
Awww . . . sounds like you got a good one. If you could only save one thing from your house, what would it be?
Assuming my house was up in flames, I’d rescue my kids first and photo albums second.
What brings you sheer delight?
A day at the beach.
Would you rather be a lonely genius, or a sociable idiot?
As long as I’m having fun, I don’t care how I’m labeled.
What’s one of your favorite quotes?
"You are your actions." I think this quote goes a long way in describing the mindset of my protagonist.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where in the world would it be?
Montauk, New York. The town’s nickname is the “The End” because it’s literally the last town on Long Island. One more foot to the east and you’re in the Atlantic Ocean. It’s a nice play on words for an author.
What would you like people to say about you after you die?
She was always on time.
How did you create the plot for this book?
I love to spend time at the public library reading magazines and newspapers. Most of my ideas come from reading about trends. I followed a bunch of articles on green living and the Freegan lifestyle to build the characters for this book.
Are you like any of your characters?
I think CeCe Prentice and I share a similar outlook on life. We’re both straightforward, no nonsense woman with strong personalities.
Who are your favorite authors?
I’m a diehard Nelson DeMille fan.
He's at the top of my list too! What’s one pet peeve you have when you read?
My Kindle doesn’t turn pages fast enough! I much prefer a paper book. I like to leaf through pages both forward and backward.
Do you have a routine for writing?
I have a husband and two boys. There is no room for a writing routine. I’ve trained myself to write through play dates, televised sporting events, and any other major distraction my family can conjure up.
What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received about your writing?
“This is publishable.”
What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to write?
I think most writers would agree that a synopsis is a challenging task. You’ve just completed an entire book and now you need to summarize it in a few pages. It seems easy, but it takes discipline to pull out the key plot components and condense them to a quick and compelling read.
Where is your favorite library, and what do you love about it?
I love the Scarsdale library in Scarsdale, New York because they have a separate room for mysteries with four cozy chairs. The room has dark paneling and built-in bookshelves and mimics a library in an upscale home.
What would your dream office look like?
Floor to ceiling windows with lots of light. I’d like a simple desk and no other distractions.
How did you find your publisher, Midnight Ink? How long did your query process take?
It took a year to find an agent, and then only a few months for the agent to find the publisher.
What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on the third book the Sketch in Crime mystery series.
About the author:
Connect with Dierdre:
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest
