ABOUT THE BOOK
Rose Strickland’s life is complicated. Besides her waitressing gig, she works part-time for Andre Thomas, a PI with no faith in Rose’s ability to investigate, her love life with Sullivan has stalled, and her BFF, Roxy, has found a new bestie, leaving Rose out in the cold.Determined to prove herself, Rose takes a case on the sly. As she searches for a missing MMA fighter, Rose discovers an illegal fight club, a group of ruthless businessmen, dead bodies, and a trail of drugs.
Hunting down clues that lead too close to home, Rose finds herself in the fight of her life. Can she beat the killer to the punch before she gets knocked out for good?
INTERVIEW WITH TERRI L. AUSTIN
How did you get started writing and when did you become an “author?”
I wrote a bit when my kids were young, but didn’t have time to write seriously until they were teenagers. Then I went at it full throttle.
What's your favorite thing about the writing process?
I like being surprised by the characters.
How long is your to-be-read list?
I’m not sure I can count that high.
What books do you currently have published?
I have the Rose Strickland Mystery series and Beauty and the Brit, a romance series.
Can you share some of your marketing strategies with us?
I’m a firm believer in the adage: your next good book is your best advertisement. I believe in putting my eggs into a lot of different baskets. I like to switch genres. I write for a small press, a traditional press, and soon, I’m going to indie pub for the first time. I like to tweet about reality TV, and that led to a gig as a contributor on All About the Tea. I try to put time into what I enjoy and write like crazy.
How long have you been a writer?
I’ve been writing seriously for the last five years.
If you could only watch one television station for a year, what would it be?
Bravo! I love me some Housewives.
How often do you tweet?
I like to live tweet my favorite shows. I’ve found my tribe on Twitter.
How do you feel about Facebook?
I really love the connections I’ve made with readers on Facebook. They’re a good group, and I value their friendship.
For what would you like to be remembered?
If I can give people a chuckle, I’m happy.
What scares you the most?
I’m a wuss. Everything scares me.
YouTube is . . . Awesome. How else would I know how to do a proper smoky eye?
What five things would you never want to live without?
My hubs, my allergy meds, my books, Coke Zero, and beads. Shallow? Yes, but my world would be a much sadder, snifflier place without them.
Who would you want to narrate a film about your life?
Morgan Freeman. He should narrate everything.
3D movies are . . . nausea inducing.
If you had a swear jar, would it be full?
Yep.
Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
Introvert. I like people. Just in small doses.
What's your relationship with your TV remote?
We’re besties.
Do you spend more on clothes or food?
Do beads count as clothes? Because beads.
What's your favorite treat for movie night?
Coke Zero. Can’t get enough.
What's the biggest lie you ever told?
Like I’d tell you, you naughty minx!
Can't blame me for trying. What is the most daring thing you've done?
Gone on vacation with my mother-in-law.
You are a daredevil. What is the stupidest thing you've ever done?
Did you not read the last sentence?!
I take your point. What is your most embarrassing moment?
Back when I was in hair school, I rubbed temporary dye off a woman’s forehead. Except it wasn’t dye. It was Ash Wednesday. Whoops!
What choices in life would you like to have a redo on?
That perm that spanned the 80s.
What’s one of your favorite quotes?
“Never give up. Never surrender” Galaxy Quest.
What would your main character say about you?
“She’s a little obsessive. And not in a good way.”
What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to write?
I always think the current project I’m working on is the hardest. I go through a few drafts and I have a love/hate relationship with each of them.
Where is your favorite library, and what do you love about it?
The little library in my hometown is gone, and a bigger, newer building has taken its place. I worked there as a page when I was fifteen. It was small, and we didn’t have a lot of books. The floor was wavy and the ceiling leaked, making all the books smell like mildew. I fell in love with reading in that ratty library.
You can be any fictional character for one day.
Who would you be? Veronica Mars. She rocked so hard.
Yes, she did. What’s the worst thing someone has said about your writing? How did you deal with it?
Someone thought my characters were flat. It’s like telling someone their kid is ugly. I love my characters. They’re real people to me. I shook it off and got thicker skin.
Who would you invite to a dinner party if you could invite anyone in the world?
Hmm. I don’t really dislike anyone enough to foist my cooking on them.
What's your relationship with your cell phone?
I keep losing it. So . . . I’m not as close to it as I am my remote control.
How many hours of sleep do you get a night?
Never enough.
What is your favorite movie?
Pride and Prejudice, the Colin Firth version.
Do you have a favorite book?
That’s like asking which character I love the best. I don’t like to play favorites.
Do you sweat the small stuff?
I’m schvitzing as I type.
What are you working on now?
The first book in a new romance series. It’s about Irish expats living in Chicago.
Lightning round:
Cake or frosting? Um . . . both, naturally.
Laptop or desktop? Desktop to work. Laptop to search.
Chevy Chase or Bill Murray? Bill.
Emailing or texting? Email.
Indoors or outdoors? In.
Tea: sweet or unsweet? Unsweet.
Plane, train, or automobile? Auto.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Connect with Terri:
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
