FEATURED AUTHOR: DIERDRE VERNE


ABOUT THE BOOK

A lover of all things green, CeCe Prentice is not impressed when a fully-sustainable development, Green Acres, pops up next to her family’s homestead. It’s not so much the ridiculous price tag of the million dollar homes built entirely from re-usable materials and powered by the sun, but rather the new neighbors who think they can simply buy a green lifestyle.


To make matters worse, one homeowner turns out to be CeCe’s high school nemesis, Phoebe Purcell, a hair-tossing vamp who tried to break up CeCe and her long-time boyfriend, Charlie. 

Already disillusioned by the so-called eco-friendly development, CeCe’s family home is threatened when a series of power-outages at Green Acres kicks off a rash of home invasions. When neighbors start showing up dead, the mood at Green Acres turns south. But when Charlie, CeCe’s on-again, off-again love interest is implicated in the murders, CeCe springs into action when she discovers the only clue – a portrait she painted years ago.



INTERVIEW WITH DIERDRE VERNE

Dierdre, do you have a writing routine?
I hope readers can relate to my routine. When I get home from work, I ferry my kids around town, pick socks off the floor, go the market, make dinner, finish laundry . . . Then, I sit down and write.

Do you write every day?
I write almost every day depending upon my never-ending list of chores above.

What’s more important – characters or plot?
I think it’s hard to create new plots in a series especially if your main character isn’t a detective. You have to find a way to insert your character into the action. My main character, CeCe Prentice, becomes a sketch artist after her brother is murdered. Her profession comes in handy, and I try to weave plots around her expertise.

How often do you read?
In the summer, I’ll read two to three books a week. I tend to write more in the winter which leaves less time for reading.

What books do you currently have published?
Drawing Conclusions (2015), Drawing Blood (2016), The Drawing Game (2016)

If you could only watch one television station for a year, what would it be?
Probably HGTV. I love International House Hunters because it has inspired me to travel. My goal is to retire and rent an apartment in a new city every year.

How often do you tweet?
Rarely. I just don’t get it.

How do you feel about Facebook?
I don’t have a dog or a cat so I don’t post as often as most people. I’m thinking about getting a dog for the sole purpose of increasing my posts.

I hear you! For what would you like to be remembered?
Dialogue. My characters are known for their snappy banter that readers seem to enjoy.

What five things would you never want to live without?
My library card, Elizabeth Arden 8-hour cream, Tretorn white canvas sneakers, a beach towel, M&M’s.

What’s one thing you never leave the house without (besides your phone)?
I always forget my phone, but I try to remember my prescription sunglasses.

What do you love about where you live?
I live in lower Westchester, a 30-minute train ride to Manhattan.  I don’t go into the city as often as I’d like, but when I do, I’m so glad it’s near-by.


What's your favorite treat for movie night?
Sno-Caps, a Diet Coke, and my kids. We recently saw Arrival and it was a big hit. Definitely a two-box of Sno-Caps kind of night.

What is your superpower?
I can still remember every item of clothing my best friends wore in high school.


Name one thing you’re really good at and one thing you’re really bad at.
I can write with both hands. Somehow, I can’t remember to use either hand to write down my husband’s birthday. I’m always late with a gift.
 

What do you like to do when there’s nothing to do?
Sit under an umbrella on my deck with a magazine or a book.

Where is your favorite place to visit?
I just got back from Sedona, Arizona. What incredible scenery! Breathtaking.

What’s your least favorite chore?
I can’t stand the supermarket. Just typing this sentence makes me cringe. Why? I’m overwhelmed by the number of brands and versions. Do we really need eight different types of Oreos?

I totally agree. 
Would you rather be a movie star, sports star, or rock star?
All I’ve ever wanted to be was Deborah Harry from the punk rock group Blondie. I have a picture of me in the 80’s trying very hard to pull off the look.


What’s in your refrigerator right now?
I’m currently on a broccoli and salmon kick. I grill every night. Of course, with such a healthy dinner I have to have ice cream in the freezer.

What would your main character say about you?
I knew you weren’t that nice.

Oh my! 
Pretend you have a personal chef for the night. What would you ask him to prepare? As long as the chef does the supermarket shopping, I can handle the cooking.


How do you like your pizza?
Without calories, which is why I rarely indulge. That being said, there is a great pizza place near me that does a mean Brussel sprout pizza.



What are you working on now?
I’m working on a thriller called The Devil’s Blind Spot. It’s a bit out of character for me, but I’m having fun with it. The plot requires me to drive randomly through the Bronx in search of dicey scene settings.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Deirdre Verne is the author of Drawing Conclusions (2015), Drawing Blood (February 2016) and The Drawing Game (December 2017). Deirdre’s interest in green living inspired her to create an off-the-grid character, CeCe Prentice, who Dumpster dives her way through the Sketch in Crime mystery series. “Verne’s mystery is a winner…” Kirkus Reviews.  A member of Sisters in Crime, Deirdre’s stories appear in all three NewYork chapter anthologies – Murder New York Style, Murder New York Style: Fresh Slices and Family Matters.

Connect with Dierdre:

Website  |  
Blog  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  
Goodreads  
Buy the book:
Amazon

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FEATURED AUTHOR: DIERDRE VERNE

ABOUT THE BOOK

CeCe Prentice returns with her band of Dumpster-diving pals in this fast-paced mystery that puts the eco-friendly heroine back on top—of a pile of trash.

When Big Bob, manager of the town dump, goes missing, CeCe is worried about more than where she’ll score her next salvaged car. First at the scene when Bob’s body is recovered from under the weekly recycling haul, CeCe is quick to identify potential witnesses and provide crucial scene sketches. But when CeCe is uncharacteristically startled by an unidentified woman at Bob’s abandoned house, her artistic talents are challenged, and her drawings, much to her frustration, come up short.

With CeCe’s observational talents on the fritz, Detective Frank DeRosa, CeCe, and her network of Freegans are forced to recreate Big Bob’s life from the garbage up. The team is soon thrust into the underworld of recycling where what appears to be junk could actually be the clue that saves a life.

INTERVIEW WITH DIERDRE VERNE

Dierdre, how often do you read?
I’m always reading something. I start the day with the New York Times and then I juggle a few magazines a week. I can easily move from news to gossip as in Time magazine to People magazine. I used to work for Time Inc., so I enjoy having lots of magazines at my disposal.

I also stop by my local library once a week where I choose three books. I know this might sound odd, but I can’t seem to break my three-book habit – never more, never less. I started my three-book routine as a teenager, and it continues to this day. I may not finish all three books within the week, but that’s my goal.

What books do you currently have published?
The first book in the A Sketch in Crime mystery series, Drawing Conclusions, was published in Feb 2015. The second book, Drawing Blood, became available on February 8, 2016. The third book, tentatively titled, Drawing Fire, will be available in February 2017.

You may notice the titles all include the word ‘drawing.’ The main character, CeCe Prentice, is a sketch artist and helps the police solve crimes using her artistic talents.

Do you have a writing routine?
I have a writing and a thinking routine. When I’m writing, I’ll write everyday for six months straight. If I’m not writing then the rule is that I have to be thinking. I have a journal where I jot down notes, and I’ll often pull articles from newspapers or magazines and tape them into my journal.

My protagonist, CeCe Prentice, is an eco-friendly, Dumpster-diving artist. Years ago, I stumbled upon a newspaper article about extreme, eco-friendly lifestyles. This type of content is right up my alley. I start thinking, then researching and finally writing. Hopefully, this routine will continue to inspire more books in my series.

Is writing your dream job?
My dream job is storytelling. When I look back at my career, I realize that each job I’ve had involves storytelling.

My original background is in business – specifically marketing where I spun stories about products. I eventually left a corporate job, and for the past sixteen years, I’ve been teaching college where I weave stories about marketing. Of course the best place to tell stories is in books which is what I’m doing now.

If you could watch one television station for a year, what would it be?
Oh! This question is so unfair for a devout channel surfer. I will admit, however, to one television vice. I’m addicted to TLC, but in my defense, I include the channel as part of my writing research. TLC does a great job bringing average people with interesting stories to the forefront. Is it scripted? Of course it is, but I write books, and I appreciate a good script. 

What five things would you never want to live without?
My library card
My bathrobe
Elizabeth Arden 8-hour cream
A pad
A pencil

And may I please have a cup of coffee?

Oh, all right! What do you like to do when there is nothing to do?
Now that my two boys are in their teens and basically self-sufficient, I’ve allowed myself a small indulgence. In the summer, I sit on my deck with a book and promptly fall asleep. I like to tell myself that this is actually part of my thinking routine, but it’s not.

Would you rather be a movie star, sport star or rock star?
Move over Pat Benatar and make some room for me on that stage. I would give anything to sing one song, on tune from beginning to end. Unfortunately for my family and those around me, I’m embarrassingly tone deaf. My voice is not even worthy of ‘Wheels on the Bus.”

I’ve considered giving this lack of talent to my protagonist, CeCe Prentice, but I love her too much to curse her with a torturous singing voice.

Do you procrastinate?
I have the opposite personality of a procrastinator. In fact, I tend to prepare so far in advance that I forget what I was doing in the first place. That’s why, somewhere hidden in my house, are a stack of holiday presents I pre-purchased, stored and now can’t find. 

What is the stupidest thing you have ever done?
The stupidest thing I’ve ever done was hitchhike in Fort Lauderdale during Spring Break. Long story short, the car’s interior door handles had been ripped out and I was trapped in the back seat with my college roommate . . . Wait a second; maybe this is the beginning of a story?

No fair! That story was too short. What is your most embarrassing moment?
Let me take you back to the mid-1970’s when the wrap-around skirt was popular. The thing about those skirts is that they wrap and they unwrap which is exactly what happened to me in my school cafeteria. Are you cringing?

I'm right there with you. What is your favorite quote?
My favorite quote is “You are your actions.” This quote came in handy as I developed the characters in my series. I wanted my characters’ actions to describe their personalities and reveal their motivations. This quote helped me keep character consistency throughout multiple manuscripts.

What’s your favorite song?
This is so easy. My favorite song is Otis Redding’s "Coffee and Cigarettes" and here’s why I love this song: I’m not a ‘bells and whistles’ type of girl. I don’t need sunsets and white horses to create a moment. I like to keep things simple, and that’s what Otis Redding does in this song. In "Coffee and Cigarettes," a man is spilling his heart out to his girl over a cup of coffee – "I don’t want no cream and sugar, ‘cause I’ve got you."

What is your favorite movie?
My favorite movie is Grease. That’s right. Only I could pick a movie that requires me to sing along (horribly) with Olivia Newton John.

What are you working on now?
I’m writing a book set in the 1970’s for two reasons. As a child of the late ‘60’s and early 70’s, this era holds great memories for me. But more importantly, I’d like to write a book that occurs before the technology explosion. It’s so easy now to press a button and have an entire mystery solved by a Google search. I’d like the characters in my next book to work a bit harder to find the answer.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Deirdre Verne (Lower Westchester, New York) is a mystery writer, college professor, and an active college blogger. Deirdre’s interest in green living inspired her to create an off-the-grid character who Dumpster dives her way through the “Sketch in Crime” mystery series. Verne’s second book, Drawing Blood, is available in February 2016. “A dysfunctional functional family to die for . . . [CeCe Prentice’s] second case is every bit as twisty and surprising.” -Kirkus Reviews.

A member of Sisters in Crime, Deirdre’s short stories appear in all three New York chapter anthologies – Murder New York Style, Murder New York Style: Fresh Slices, and Family Matters.

Connect with Dierdre:
Website  |  Blog  |   Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads 

Buy the book:
Amazon

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Featured Author: Deirdre Verne

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:

Deirdre Verne is a college professor and an active college blogger. Deirdre’s interest in green living inspired her to create an off-the-grid character who Dumpster dives her way though the A Sketch in Time mystery series. The first book, Drawing Conclusions, is available in February 2015.  A member of Sisters in Crime, Deirdre’s short stories appear in all three New York chapter anthologies – Murder New York Style, Murder New York Style: Fresh Slices and Family Matters.

Connect with Dierdre:
Website  |  Blog  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads  |  Pinterest