Sunday, January 12, 2020

FEATURED AUTHOR: HEATHER WEIDNER




ABOUT THE BOOK


Private investigator, Delanie Fitzgerald, and her computer hacker partner, Duncan Reynolds, are back for more sleuthing in Glitter, Glam and Contraband. In this fast-paced mystery, the Falcon Investigations team is hired to find out who is stealing from the talent at a local drag show. Delanie gets more than she bargains for and a few makeup tips in the process. Meanwhile, a mysterious sound in the ceiling of her office vexes Delanie. She uses her sleuthing skills to track down the source and uncover a creepy contraband operation.

Glitter, Glam, and Contraband features a strong female sleuth with a knack for getting herself in and out of humorous situations like helping sleezy strip club owner, Chaz Smith on his quest to become Richmond’s next mayor, tracking down missing reptiles, and uncovering hidden valuables from a 100-year-old crime with a Poe connection.



BOOK DETAILS:

Title: Glitter, Glam, and Contraband

Author: Heather Weidner

Genre: cozy mystery

Series: Delanie Fitzgerald Mystery, book 3

Publisher: Sandpiper Productions (November 19, 2019)

Print length: 240 pages

 On tour with: Great Escapes Book Tours











IFs ANDs OR WHATs INTERVIEW WITH HEATHER WEIDNER


IFs


If you could meet any author for coffee, who would you like to meet and what would you talk about?
I would love to have coffee with Agatha Christie, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Mildred A. Wirt (one of the ghostwriters for the Nancy Drew mysteries). I would love to talk mysteries with them. I’d also want to know where they got their inspirations.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where in the world would it be?
I’ve always lived in Virginia. I think I would like to live and write on a beach. I love to visit tropical islands, but I would want to live on a beach in the continental US. 




ANDs



5 things you need in order to write:
    •    my computer
    •    playlists
    •    chocolate
    •    caffeine
and
    •    the internet (I do a lot of research, and I get distracted with dog and cat videos.)

5 things you love about writing:
    •    the creativity
    •    plotting
    •    researching
    •    interacting with readers at events and social media
and
    •    all the opportunities that I’ve had because I’m a writer.

5 things you love about where you live (Richmond, Virginia):
    •    the history
    •    beaches
    •    mountains
    •    culture
and
    •    the southern hospitality.

5 things you never want to run out of:
    •    Coca Cola
    •    chocolate
    •    popcorn
    •    WiFi
and
    •    dog treats (My two Jack Russells are my writing partners, and they live for dog treats.)

5 favorite foods:  
    •    chocolate
    •    pizza
    •    popcorn
    •    shrimp
and
    •    French fries.


5 things you always put in your books:
    •    dogs
    •    mysteries
    •    strong female sleuth
    •    places in Virginia
and
    •    quirky characters.

5 favorite authors:
It’s hard to limit the list to five:
    •    Lee Child
    •    John Grisham
    •    David Baldacci
    •    Lisa Scottoline
and
    •     Janet Evanovich.

5 things that drive you crazy:

    •    people who take the last of something and don’t replace it
    •    people who leave grocery carts in parking spaces
    •    bad drivers
    •    rude people
and
    •     telemarketers.

5 people you consider as heroes:
    •    first responders (police, fire, EMTs, dispatchers)
    •    nurses
    •    teachers
    •    military personnel
and
    •    emergency room staff.



WHATs


What’s your all-time favorite place?
Maui.


What’s your all-time favorite movie? 

The Wizard of Oz.


What’s your all-time favorite library? 

The Library of Virginia in Richmond.


What’s your favorite/most visited Internet site?

Google – It’s great for research.



What’s your favorite time of day?

Early morning.


What’s your all-time favorite picture of yourself?
My three writer friends (Fiona Quinn, Tina Glasneck, and Rosemary Shomaker) went with me to Godfrey’s in Richmond for their Sunday brunch and drag show for research for this book. This is one of my favorite author adventure photos.

What’s your favorite meal?

Pizza.



What’s your favorite dessert? 

Anything chocolate.


What’s your favorite beverage? 

Coca Cola or Dr Pepper.


What’s your favorite thing to do when there’s nothing to do?

I always like to read.


What’s your favorite movie snack? 

Popcorn.


What’s your favorite color?

Red.



What is the wallpaper on your computer’s desktop? 

A picture of my two Jack Russell Terriers.



What do you collect?
Books, Wizard of Oz items, postcards. I also have shelves of things people have given me since I’ve been a writer. It’s quite a collection of pens, pins, patches, stickers, glasses, mugs, and cards.



What book are you currently working on?

I am working on a new cozy series set in Charlottesville, Virginia. I also write novellas for the Mutt Mysteries (dog-themed mysteries). My story, “The Fast and the Furious” will be out in March.

What’s your latest recommendation for:
Food: White Chocolate Dipped Oreos (These are my favorite during the holidays.)
Music: Hootie and the Blowfish just came out with a new album. I can’t wait to listen to it. I love all kinds of music, and it’s always on when I’m writing or editing.
Movie: I love 80s classics. Everyone should see The Breakfast Club and Ferris Bueller.
Book: There are so many. I’ve enjoyed mysteries and thrillers by Amy Reade, K. L. Murphy, Sherry Harris, Maya Corrigan, and Louise Penny lately.
TV:  I don’t watch that much TV any more, but I love Stumptown.
Netflix/Amazon Prime: I love Stranger Things, Longmire, The Five, and Father Brown.
Miscellaneous: I have a pair of Jacks who share my office and help with the writing. The brother (Riley) and sister (Disney) are Jack Russell Terriers who live for treats and chasing squirrels.




ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Glitter, Glam, and Contraband is Heather Weidner’s third novel in the Delanie Fitzgerald series. Her short stories appear in the Virginia is for Mysteries series, 50 Shades of Cabernet, and Deadly Southern Charm. Her novellas appear in The Mutt Mysteries series. She is a member of Sisters in Crime – Central Virginia, Guppies, International Thriller Writers, and James River Writers.

Originally from Virginia Beach, Heather has been a mystery fan since Scooby-Doo and Nancy Drew. She lives in Central Virginia with her husband and a pair of Jack Russell terriers.

Heather earned her BA in English from Virginia Wesleyan University and her MA in American literature from the University of Richmond. Through the years, she has been a technical writer, editor, college professor, software tester, and IT manager.

Connect with Heather:
Website  |   Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads  |  Amazon 

Buy the book:
Amazon  |  Apple Books   |   Barnes and Noble   |   BookBub   |   Kobo   |   Scribd