FEATURED AUTHOR: DELSHEREE GLADDEN

ABOUT THE BOOK

Eliza Carlisle has the unwanted talent of attracting trouble, in all its forms. That couldn’t be truer than when she moves into the most bizarre apartment building on the planet. Weekly required dinners with the landlord and assigned chores are bad enough, but the rules don’t end there. Top most on the list of requirements is NO physical violence against the others residents.

There have been issues.

In the past.

The young manager, Sonya, claims that hasn’t been a problem recently, but Eliza comes home from her first day of culinary school to find a dead resident, her next door neighbor looking good for the crime, and a cop that seems more interested in harassing her than solving the case.

All Eliza wanted was to escape her past and start over, completely anonymous in a big city. That’s not going to be so easy when the killer thinks she’s made off with a valuable piece of evidence everyone is trying to get their hands on. The ultimatum that she turn it over to save her own life creates a small problem. Eliza has no idea what the killer wants, or where the mysterious object might be.

If she can’t uncover a decades old mystery in time, surviving culinary school will be the least of her problems.




INTERVIEW WITH DELSHEREE GLADDEN

DelSheree, what's your favorite thing about the writing process?
Starting a new project and getting to know the characters. Even when I have a plan and concept for the characters, they almost always surprise me in one way or another.

What do you think is hardest aspect of writing a book?
Answering all the questions. Ending a series is particularly hard for me, but as I’ve ventured into writing mysteries, I’ve been learning to keep better track of all the hints and questions I weave into the story, so I don’t leave anything unanswered in the end.

What’s the oldest thing you own and still use?
I have a blue plaid skirt I bought when I was fifteen and still wear! I also have my grandfather’s old steamer trunk in my bedroom filled with some of their treasures that I inherited when my grandparents passed. One of them is a yellow swimming cap from the 30’s my dad couldn’t figure out why I wanted to keep.

I completely understand that. Do you have any marketing tips you could pass on to indie authors?
Be active consistently and don’t overwhelm yourself. You don’t have to be on every social media outlet. Pick one or two you actually enjoy using, and make them your main method of connecting with fans.

What scares you the most?
Not being good enough, whether in writing, being a mom and wife, or in my job. I struggled with confidence a lot as a child, and have come a long way, but that is still tough for me.

Would you make a good character in a book?
I seriously doubt it! While our house is often busy, we love quiet movie nights at home and spending a day hiking through the mountains or pueblo ruins.

What five things would you never want to live without?
My computer, a camera, good running shoes, Mumford and Sons, and my cell phone.

What do you love about where you live?
The variety. From our deck you can see Choke Cherry canyon on one side and the San Juan Mountains on the other. Go a little south and we have three rivers meeting up to create a little oasis of green in the desert. It’s a beautiful area with lots to do.

What do you wish you could do?
Something musical. My husband sings and plays the guitar, is learning violin, and plays the piano a little. I can read music and, if you give me enough time, I can play the piano slower than the song is meant to be played, but I am lost when it comes to theory, finding “the beat,” or composing anything. I love the effect music can have on people, but I’ll leave that to others.

What is one of your happiest moments?
Reading with my kids, especially sharing my old books with my daughter. Reading Anne of Green Gables together is something I’ll always cherish, especially seeing her connect to Anne and see herself in different aspects of the character.

What’s your least favorite chore?
Cleaning bathrooms, because . . . gross.


True! What’s one thing that drives you crazy?
Lousy drivers. Pay attention to the road and look for other cars, please!

Who is your favorite fictional character?
Harry Dresden from Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files. He’s rough, a survivor, and unapologetic, but one of the best people ever, one his friends always know they can count on.


What’s your favorite song?
"Believe" by Mumford and Sons.


What’s your favorite smell?
Lilacs. They only last a short time when they bloom, but I love how they smell.

I love them too! 
What’s your biggest pet peeve about writing?
Using “that” constantly. I’ll admit, early in my writing, I did it too. Now that I’ve worked at nixing it from my own writing as much as possible, I see it more easily when I read and it drives me nuts.


What are you working on now?
I’m trying to finish up the last book in my dark paranormal series, Wicked Revenge, and then I’ll be working on the next Ghost Host book, a sweet romance called The Oblivious Girl’s Handbook, and eventually I’ll get to the second full book in the Eliza Carlisle Series. I have a plan for that one, but no title yet.

Good luck!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

DelSheree Gladden was one of those shy, quiet kids who spent more time reading than talking. Literally. She didn't speak a single word for the first three months of preschool, but she had already taught herself to read. Her fascination with reading led to many hours spent in the library and bookstores, and eventually to writing. She wrote her first novel when she was sixteen years old but spent ten years rewriting and perfecting it before having it published.

Native to New Mexico, DelSheree and her husband spent several years in Colorado for college and work before moving back home to be near family again. Their two children love having their cousins close by. When not writing, you can find DelSheree reading, painting, sewing and trying not to get bitten by small children in her work as a dental hygienist. DelSheree has several bestselling young adult series, including Invisible which was part of the USA Today Bestselling box set, Pandora. The Date Shark Series is her first contemporary romance series, now joined by her first romantic comedy, The Crazy Girl’s Handbook, and the comedic Eliza Carlisle Mystery Series.

Connect with DelSheree:
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Blog  |  
Facebook  |  
Twitter  |  
Goodreads  |  Amazon 

Buy the book:
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