FEATURED AUTHOR: RACHEL DUNNING

ABOUT THE BOOK

I pay my debts, and I expect others to.

I was raised in the slums of London, I knew nothing of privilege. My father was murdered when I was seventeen. Morty figured my father's passing meant I would automatically take on dad's debts. I refused.

And I paid for that refusal.

So did my sister.

So now I fight. All I know how to do is fight. The best cash is in the states, so that's where I am now. A big fish called Vito came along offering me a "favor" when I arrived.

Another debt.

I paid for that one too.

I knew Kyla Hensley would be trouble when I met her. But I wanted her. I could see through the falsehood of her wannabe-slutty clothes and her sexy legs. So I chased her.

Besides, trouble is my middle name.

Kyla Hensley
I was brought up in privilege, but I lacked everything else. My father is a business tycoon who buys and sells and doesn't care who gets rolled over in the process.

I never knew my mother, and all I have of her is a photo with a note scrawled on the back in French saying "I'm sorry." The only Female Figure I had growing up is my dad's wife who is a bleach blond with seven boob jobs. We never bonded.

I drink. I party. I meet guys.

But I wasn't always like that.

I've had a string of lovers in the last few years, the worst and most recent of which was Vince Somerset. My best friend Vera was dating a guy called Rory Cansoom who is the opposite of Vince in so many ways, and yet so the same.

She and I hit the road for spring break, getting away from the two college psychos and just trying to have some fun.

But there's a funny thing about trouble, the more you run from it, the more it finds you.
Which is when I met the Debt Collector.

It was only supposed to be sex. He made that clear. I made that clear.

That's all it was supposed to be.

I never expected to fall in love. I never expected to fall so deeply, madly, uncomfortably in love with a man who is wrong, so wrong for me.

And yet . . . so unbelievably right.

Content Warning:
Not intended for readers under the age of seventeen.

INTERVIEW WITH RACHEL DUNNING

Rachel, what's your favorite thing about the writing process?
“Getting to know” my characters. I confess, I get a little emotionally involved in them. And by the time the story is done, each one feels like a long-lost friend (or enemy) that I think about for months after the book is finished.

Do you have a writing routine?
I grind away. When I’m not writing, I can put it aside, but once I get going on a story it becomes an obsession. I just can’t let it go. I wake up early (when I can) and start writing. I write late. I neglect duties at home . . . until the story is done and I can finally take a breather. If I don’t do it this way I tend to lose the feel of the story and it’s harder to pick it up later.

What’s more important – characters or plot?
Characters. No doubt.

How often do you read?
Not often enough! In desperation, I tend to listen to audio books while cooking or doing chores, just to stay on top of my reading schedule.

What do you think makes a good story?
Characters you can love.

What books do you currently have published?
Naive Mistakes Series
Finding North
East Rising
West-End Boys
Deep South
Truthful Lies Trilogy
Know Me
Find Me
Need Me

Johnny Series
Johnny
Losing Johnny
Taking Johnny
Claiming Johnny

Mind Games Series
His Mind Games
Her Mind Games

Standalones
Like You
Red-Hot Blues

What do you know now that you wish you knew then?
Complex plots lose the reader.
Nothing beats a likeable character.

Is writing your dream job?
Absolutely.


What is the worst job you’ve ever had? What did it teach you?
Haha - too many to mention. It taught me that if I was ever going to be happy in this life, I’d be telling stories and not doing telesales. LOL.

How do you feel about Facebook?
I loathe it.

For what would you like to be remembered?
Beautiful stories.

What’s your favorite beverage?
Non-Alcoholic beer. (“Beck’s Blue”)

What is one of your happiest moments?
The first five-star review I ever got. Moments later, I got a scathing one-star. It didn’t even faze me. I was on cloud nine. I still think about that first review. I don’t think that person realizes how much it still motivates me when things get down. (That review is here in case you want to see it!)

What’s your least favorite chore?
Cleaning. I just hate it. I hate it. I have no words to express how much I hate it. (But I do love cooking.)


Would you rather be a movie star, sports star, or rock star?
Rock star.


Do you give your characters any of your bad traits?
I used to more than I do now. But I do my best to make the main characters loveable and kind and people I’d really like to be friends with.

Do you procrastinate?
On my taxes? Yes.
On my writing? No.

What’s one thing that drives you crazy?
Taxes.

What would your main character say about you?
“Stop telling us what to do!”

Where is your favorite library, and what do you love about it?
I love the Nashville library. So elegant, so quiet, such a beautiful place to just sit and relax and read.

If you had to choose a cliché about life, what would it be?
Shit happens.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rachel Dunning hit the scene in August 2013 and is the author of the highly praised Naive Mistakes Series, Truthful Lies Trilogy, Johnny Series and the paranormal romance series, Mind Games.

A prolific writer, she sticks to stories where Alpha Males aren’t pricks and where women have guts.

She’s lived on two different continents, speaks three different languages, and met the love of her life on the internet. In other words, romance is in her blood.



Connect with Rachel:
Website  |  
Facebook   |  
Twitter  |  Goodreads

Buy the book:
Amazon US  |  Amazon UK   |  Amazon Canada  |  iTunes  |  Smashwords  |  Barnes & Noble

FEATURED AUTHOR: COLLEEN J. SHOGAN

ABOUT THE BOOK

Life is good for Kit Marshall. She’s a staffer in D.C. for a popular senator, and she lives with an adoring beagle and a brainy boyfriend with a trust fund. Then, one morning, Kit arrives at the office early and finds her boss, Senator Langsford, impaled by a stainless steel replica of an Army attack helicopter. Panicked, she pulls the weapon out of his chest and instantly becomes the prime suspect in his murder. Circumstances back Kit’s claim of innocence, but her photograph has gone viral, and the heat won’t be off until the killer is found. Well-loved though the senator was, suspects abound. Langsford had begun to vote with his conscience, which meant he was often at odds with his party. Not only had the senator decided to quash the ambitions of a major military contractor, but his likely successor is a congressman he trounced in the last election. Then there’s the suspiciously dry-eyed Widow Langsford. Kit’s tabloid infamy horrifies her boyfriend’s upper-crust family, and it could destroy her career. However, she and her free-spirited friend Meg have a more pressing reason to play sleuth. The police are clueless in more ways than one, and Kit worries that the next task on the killer’s agenda will be to end her life. Book 1 in the Washington Whodunit series.

INTERVIEW WITH COLLEEN J. SHOGAN

Colleen, how did you get started writing?
I’ve been a mystery reader since I was six years old. One day, I took a walk in my Washington, D.C. suburban neighborhood and came up with the plot for Stabbing in the Senate. When I got home, I wrote it down as an outline. I told my husband about it, and he encouraged me to try to write the book. It took me two years to complete the manuscript, but I did it!

What's your favorite thing about the writing process?
Creating a world in which I control the fictional characters. Washington, D.C. is an unpredictable place and not much is totally in your control. But when you write fiction, you’re in charge of your characters’ destinies and I like that.

How long is your to-be-read list?
Too long!  The problem is that now I have less time to read because I’m always writing or promoting my book in my so-called “free time” outside my pretty demanding day job at the Library of Congress.

What books do you currently have published?
Stabbing in the Senate is the first in the Washington Whodunit series. Stay tuned for more installments. I also published a book on the presidency with Texas A&M press when I was a professor at George Mason University.

You have a day job . . . how do you find time to write?
It can be challenging. I only have time to write about an hour a day during the week. It takes a lot of discipline to make sure I stick with it. I don’t spend a lot of time just lounging around. I’m always working – from 8:00 am until 9:00 pm. I’ve kept these hours since graduate school so I’m used to it by now.

How do you feel about Facebook?
I admit I really like Facebook. It’s a way for me to keep in contact with friends who don’t live near me. I’m on it every day – first thing in the morning and in the evening before bedtime.

What scares you the most?
Snakes! They truly terrify me.

If you had a swear jar, would it be full?
Yes. Just ask my colleagues at the Library of Congress.

Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
I like time alone but I get my energy from people, so I am likely an extrovert.

What's your relationship with your TV remote?
I’m constantly hiding it so my dog doesn’t steal it and chew it up! He’s destroyed at least ten of them.

What is the most daring thing you've done?
When I was growing up in Pittsburgh, I worked at an amusement park called Kennywood. In the morning before the park opened, I’d often test the “bungee” jump ride at the park. I look back at that ride, which is still at the park today, and I wonder how I mustered the courage to do that.

What choices in life would you like to have a redo on?
I wish I had studied abroad in college. I loved attending Boston College and spending time with my friends there, so I never pursued a year or semester abroad program. Looking back on it, spending extended time in a foreign country would have been an amazing opportunity.

What would your main character say about you?
She might be a little intimidated at first, but I think she’d grow to like me!

What’s the worst thing someone has said about your writing? How did you deal with it?
One editor said that Stabbing in the Senate seemed like Nancy Drew went to Washington! She said it as a negative comment, but quite frankly, I love Nancy Drew.


Who would you invite to a dinner party if you could invite anyone in the world?
Steve Jobs. Unfortunately, he’s dead, so it would be pretty amazing.


What's your relationship with your cell phone?
I’m on it all the time. My iPhones are an extension of me.


How many hours of sleep do you get a night?
Six to seven.

What is your favorite movie?
Woody Allen’s Crimes and Misdemeanors.

Do you sweat the small stuff?
Not as much as I used to. However, quite frankly, if you don’t sweat the small stuff, you’re not going to be very successful. Small stuff matters.

What are you working on now?
Book 3 of the Washington Whodunit series.

Lightning round:
Cake or frosting? Frosting
Laptop or desktop? Laptop
Chevy Chase or Bill Murray? Chevy Chase
Emailing or texting? Hard choice. But probably texting.
Indoors or outdoors? Outdoors
Tea: sweet or unsweet? Sweet
Plane, train, or automobile? Plane

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Colleen J. Shogan is the Deputy Director of the Congressional Research Service (CRS) at the Library of Congress. She is a former Senate staffer who started reading mysteries at the age of six. A political scientist by training, Colleen has taught American government at George Mason University, Georgetown, and Penn. Stabbing in the Senate is her first novel.

Connect with Colleen:
Website  |  
Facebook  |  
Twitter  |  Goodreads

Buy the book:
Amazon

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FEATURED AUTHOR: ANNETTE DRAKE

ABOUT THE BOOK

Joni Harte knew her first job out of college would be tough, but she didn’t expect it to be murder.

With the ink mostly dry on her journalism degree, Joni accepts the position of news reporter and photographer for The Ogallala Gazette. She’s tasked with chronicling all of the goings-on of the quirky characters who inhabit this small Missouri town.

While investigating the identity of the first murder victim, Joni makes an enemy of the local sheriff. Worse, she catches the attention of a violent stalker who promises to cure Joni of her curiosity.

As the Ogallala County Fair comes to an end, Joni must uncover the truth before she comes to hers.

INTERVIEW WITH ANNETTE DRAKE

Annette, how did you get started writing?
My goal is to tell stories. I remember making up a song about the American Civil War on my brother’s discarded guitar at age six. So, I think I was born wanting to tell stories. Writing? I love to read, so it’s a natural progression to love to write.

What's your favorite thing about the writing process?
A couple things: when I’m writing a first draft and I create a scene that has me both laughing and crying at the same time. I love that! I also love reading a book I’ve written long after it’s been published and still finding a small sense of satisfaction in it. When one of those moments happen, I’m content.

Do you have a writing routine?
Well, sort of. I have insomnia, and that helps establish a writing routine. But, generally, I try to spend at least one hour a day writing. I also try to leave myself bread crumbs: a Post-it note saying, tomorrow, I’ll write this scene.

Do you write every day?
No. I don’t. My career might be further along if I did. But I don’t.

What do you wish you’d done differently when you first started the publishing process?
Oh, gosh. To do it again, I would have forgotten querying agents and publishers and self-published all of my books. Author Hugh Howey talked about this as renting versus owning a house. I think no one has as much invested as the author, and so, no one can do as much to promote a book as the author.

What do you think is hardest aspect of writing a book?
Editing. Revising. Killing your darlings. Yes, it’s a smashingly witty phrase. Alas, it makes no sense and does not jibe with the tone of the book. Down comes the hatchet!

What’s more important – characters or plot?
I wouldn’t dream of saying both. The answer: character. Every. Single. Time. Without a strong, likeable character, I don’t think readers care about the book. Recently, I watched a major Hollywood blockbuster movie, and I didn’t finish it because I found all of the characters repugnant. I was actually rooting for the enemy. For me, as a reader and a writer, I must care about the characters.

How often do you read?
Every day.

What is your writing style?
Hmm. I might say it’s informal. I do not write in first person. That just feels too intimate to me. After all, this isn’t my story; it’s my character’s story. I write different genres, or I sure try to, so I think my writing style depends on the genre. But one thing I always try to do: hook my reader. When a reader stops reading a book, for me, that’s a huge fail. When I hear, I couldn’t put it down, I do a little dance. Kind of a mambo-tap dance thing.

What do you think makes a good story?
Great characters make great stories. The end.

What books do you currently have published?
I have five: Three romances: Celebration House, A Year with Geno and A Beautiful Day in Alaska (novella). I published what I’m calling a middle-grade novel in 2014; it’s entitled Bone Girl. In October, I published Death Goes to the County Fair, my first cozy mystery.

What do you know now that you wish you knew then?
I would have self-published my debut novel, Celebration House. Hindsight offers a beautiful view.

Is writing your dream job?
Yes and no. While I do love writing and I intend to eventually write full-time, I also find a lot of inspiration in my day job. I think they complement one another well.

Do you have any marketing tips you could pass on to indie authors?
I’m a big advocate of promoting other writers as your promote your own work. For about a year, I ran an “Author Spotlight” feature, and I found a lot of satisfaction in that. Time constraints have ended that project, but I did enjoy it. And I think readers learned about my books from reading a blog post about the authors they followed. It was a win-win. Starting in 2016, I hope to host fellow authors again on various blog tours.

If you could only watch one television station for a year, what would it be?
The Food Network. I love cooking shows! No, I do not cook.

How often do you tweet?
Once a month, maybe.

How do you feel about Facebook?
I can’t say it’s sold a lot of my books, but I enjoy posting my successes and my challenges. I probably post something a couple times a week.

For what would you like to be remembered?
One of the surprises of this journey is how my meager success encourages others to pursue their passions. I love that! I love when people learn I’m an author, and it spurs them to write themselves or pursue a passion, like auditioning for their community theater. I hope I inspire other day-jobbers to make time in their lives for their art in whatever form.

What scares you the most?
Probably like every parent, the death of one of my children.

Would you make a good character in a book?
No. I’m boring. And cowardly.

What five things would you never want to live without?
1.    Coffee
2.    Coffee creamer
3.    Sweetener for my coffee
4.    Milk for my coffee
5.    Bailey’s Irish Cream

What do you love about where you live?
I love the view. We can see the port of Everett from out front porch. I’m also within walking distance of my job, and I LOVE that. I love walking to work. I’ve never had that luxury before.

What’s your favorite thing to do/favorite place to go on date night?
I don’t have enough of those with my husband to know.

What's your favorite treat for movie night?
It’s two days after Christmas, and I’m completely fooded out. I may never eat again. Ever.

What's the biggest lie you ever told?
I love you.

What’s your favorite fast food?
We seldom eat out. But I visit Starbucks often. Does that count?

What’s your favorite beverage?
Coffee. I start every day with a huge cup and wonder why my heart is racing later.

What drives you crazy?
When I’m reading a mystery, and the author gives few or no clues. What the heck? How am I supposed to figure this one out? Or, when the villain turns out to be crazy, and that explains everything. Nope. Not buying it. I think the villain is the most important character in the book. He or she has to give the protagonist enough of a challenge to keep me turning pages. And crazy doesn’t do it for me.

What is your superpower?
The ability to delete the word “very” in everything I write. I abhor adverbs.

Name one thing you’re really good at and one thing you’re really bad at.
I’m good at calming people. I’m bad at calming myself.

What do you wish you could do?
Despite the beautiful view I now have, I want to live on a farm and write full-time. I want to look out my kitchen window and see my horse in her paddock. I want to grow huge tomatoes, okra and sunflowers. I want to put off turning on my kitchen light because I know my donkey will see it and start braying, demanding his breakfast. Yes. A farm is in my future. I’m just not there yet.

What is one of your happiest moments?
Bone Girl was published in March of 2014. In May, I received an email from a young girl. She had read my book and was writing a book report on it for school. She had a few questions. That reader-to-writer connect still pleases me.

What do you like to do when there’s nothing to do?
Sleep! I love sleeping. Unfortunately, I’m not very good at it. But I do enjoy it.

Where is your favorite place to visit?
The Iowa State Fair in Des Moines. It was the motivation behind my first cozy mystery.

What would you name your autobiography?
“No. Seriously.”

What’s your least favorite chore?
I hate clipping my rabbits’ toenails. Hate it. I’d rather take a beating.

Would you rather be a movie star, sports star, or rock star?
Movie star, of course!

Do you give your characters any of your bad traits?
Yes! Absolutely. But as I write more books – I’m working on #6 – I don’t have so many to choose from anymore. Fortunately, there’s always self-doubt.

What’s one thing that drives you crazy?
Just one? No way. Here’s a couple: overflowing trash cans, distracted drivers on their cell phones, politicians, bankers, and bullies.

What’s your favorite/most visited Internet site?
As a writer, I really like KBoards. I find the authors who post there are knowledgeable and willing to share. I really appreciate them.

What’s in your refrigerator right now?
Milk and coffee creamer. I keep the Bailey’s in the cabinet.

What is the most daring thing you've done?
When I was 18, I applied for a work permit and traveled to the United Kingdom for the summer. I had about $120 in my pocket – that’s about 75 pounds. I quickly ran out of money. Learning of my financial worries, a girlfriend sent me money. The day I went to the post office to collect it, I had no money left and could not pay for my hotel room that night. When the clerk said there was nothing for me, I asked him to check again. Success! Her letter and the oh-so-desperately money were there for me.

What is the stupidest thing you've ever done?
Please see the above!

What choices in life would you like to have a redo on?
Hmm...with two ex-husbands, gosh, let me think. Actually, I am of the mind frame that looking back on our lives is a waste of time. I think for much of my life, I’ve lived in the past, and really, it wasn’t that great of a past. I don’t want to do that anymore. I am the person I am, the writer I am, because of my bad decisions. It’s part of me. I accept it. I think that kind of self acceptance begins in your 40s.

What’s one of your favorite quotes?
My family is super sick of hearing this, but, hey, you asked:
“I cannot hear your words, sir, for so loudly do your actions speak.”

What would your main character say about you?
Joni Harte, the main character in my cozy mystery, is a journalist who just graduated from college. I kind of think she would say of me, “Gosh. She’s really old.”

What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to write?
When I was writing my middle-grade novel, Bone Girl, I had to describe a beginning band Christmas concert. It’s been many years since I’ve attended one of my children’s concerts, so I went searching for YouTube videos. What I found delighted me! I wrote the scene, and the narrator of the audiobook, Darryl Hughes Kurylo, said the scene was one of his favorites.

Where is your favorite library, and what do you love about it?
It’s my local library, and they have a great kid’s section. My young son is a ravenous reader – he goes through a book in two days at the most. So, we are there a lot. The children’s librarian knows us by name now.

Who is your favorite fictional character?
Atticus Finch. I love gentle, quiet men. Who cook.

If you had a talk show who would your dream guest be?
Mark Twain. Can you hear him commenting on our current political climate? Also, I think Agatha Christie would be an entertaining guest.

What’s one thing that very few people know about you?
I’m an introvert. My favorite three words: Let’s stay home. Wait. Maybe people do know that.

You have a personal chef for the night. What would you ask him to prepare?
Confession time: I do have my own personal chef. It’s my husband. He’s an amazing cook and will fix whatever I ask him to. He’s indulged my requests for many things, including Mississippi Mud Cake for my birthday and low-calorie recipes when I diet. But he has limits. He once said to me, “Annette, I love you, but I will not eat fat-free sour cream for you.” Boundaries. They make marriages work. Or so I’m told.

How do you like your pizza?

We don’t eat pizza a lot, but we like the take-home-and-bake variety. I am partial to a thin crust vegetarian. Yummy!

What is the wallpaper on your computer’s desktop?
My rescue mare, Lacy. Want to see her picture?

Do you have any hidden talents?
I can control electricity. Okay. I wish I could control electricity. Hidden talents? Occasionally, my wit awakens, and I can make my husband laugh a deep belly laugh. That’s a good minute in my day.

Describe yourself in 5 words.
Cheerful. Imaginative. Kind. Hopeful. Determined.

What’s your favorite song?
Favorite? Hmm. Maybe "Emily’s Reel" as played by Mark O’Connor. I love bluegrass, and I play the fiddle – badly.

What’s your biggest pet peeve about writing?
Revising and editing, but it’s got to be done. As my writing career grows, I’ve been able to afford the services of a professional copy editor and a proofreader. Not doing it all myself is so great!

What would you do for a Klondike bar?
A stand-up comedy routine at my local comedy club. I’m already putting together my three minutes of material. When do we meet for the hand-off?

At the show. What is your favorite movie?
I love Steve Martin’s movie, Bowfinger. My kids and I actually quote the lines to one another.

Do you have a favorite book?
To Kill A Mockingbird.


If you had to choose a cliché about life, what would it be?
You get what you focus on.

What are you working on now?
I just finished writing my first screenplay – the adaptation of my middle grade novel, Bone Girl. Now, I am writing the two sequels to Celebration House. I plan to indie-publish both books in 2016.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Annette Drake is a multi-genre author whose work is character-driven and celebrates the law of unintended consequences. She is the author of four novels and one novella.

Her first cozy mystery, Death Goes to the County Fair – An Ogallala Mystery, premiered on October 15th.

Annette makes her home in Washington state. A member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators, she loves ferry rides, basset hounds and bakeries. She does not camp. If she can help it.

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

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FEATURED AUTHOR: LIDA SIDERIS

ABOUT THE BOOK

Watch out Southern California! There’s a new entertainment attorney in town and she’s got game. Only problem is, it’s not the one she should be playing. Corrie Locke belongs behind a desk, not behind a Glock. She should be taking VIP calls, not nosing around a questionable suicide. Instead, she’s hot on the trail of a murderer.

Luckily, she’s the daughter of a late, great private eye and she’s inherited his love of sleuthing . . . and illegal weaponry. It doesn’t help matters that her gene for caution is a recessive one. Corrie finds herself in the center of a murder case, unearthing suspects in shocking places. With a cold-blooded killer on the loose, Corrie will have to up her game, or die trying.

INTERVIEW WITH LIDA SIDERIS

Lida, what's your favorite thing about the writing process?
It’s immensely gratifying to come upon the right word, sentence, the perfect passage or chapter or character that clicks so well, a writer can’t keep up with all the character says and does.

Do you write every day?
I’d like to say yes, but regrettably I don’t. Sometimes, with the day job, I can’t. But even when not writing, I’m constantly thinking about what to write next, about my characters, and possible predicaments.

What do you think is the hardest aspect of writing a book?
The first chapter. Yikes! I rewrite and revise that one the most times.

What’s more important – characters or plot?
For me, it’s the characters because if I don’t know them, I won’t know their choices/preferences/actions/reactions and consequently, the paths they may choose to take. My characters drive the story.

How often do you read?
Daily, whether it’s an article, a book (fiction or non-fiction), a poem, or anything that contains at least a few sentences. To go too long without reading, I feel myself sagging, growing listless.

Is writing your dream job?

Yes! It’s been my dream job for such a long time. Surrounded by words, and in fiction writing, I like being surrounded by imaginary characters, situations that are anything but straight out of real life, and the ability to display action and adventure in a safe, fun way.

Do you have any marketing tips you could pass on to indie authors?
Start your marketing earlier than you think you should start. And don’t underestimate the power of personal contact. When you think you’re done marketing, do some more!

What’s one thing you never leave the house without?
My glasses. I’m very near-sighted and have been since I was thirteen. I need glasses to drive and see beyond, say, a distance of two feet. Although I’m vain and don’t like to wear glasses, the thought of lasers, shiny tools and suction rings conjures up visions of being strapped to a table and writhing under a blinding light. Hence, my myopic vision continues. I alternate between glasses, contacts, and nothing corrective, which means viewing the world through a lens that appears to be coated with Vaseline. That’s good for the people around me because any physical flaws are nonexistent.

What do you love about where you live?
Quiet, solitude, my animals, fresh air – I live in the countryside, by the way.

What is one of your happiest moments?
One of my happiest occurred recently when I was interviewed about my book by Mr. Media (a Skype podcast) because I got to talk about what I love to do (writing, that is) for a full 24 minutes!

What do you like to do when there’s nothing to do?
Read, of course, polish my nails, and hang with my family, which includes my dogs and chickens.

What would you name your autobiography?
She Did It.

Do you give your characters any of your bad traits?
My heroine has my sweet tooth. Is that bad?

Absolutely not! Do you procrastinate?
Can I get you an answer later?

Of course. What’s one of your favorite quotes?
“I think the mirror should be tilted slightly upward when it's reflecting life – toward the cheerful, the tender, the compassionate, the brave, the funny, the encouraging, all those things.” Greer Garson

I’m a big fan of old Hollywood films (by old, I mean the thirties and forties) and Miss Garson is one of my favorite film stars.

What would your main character say about you?
Get your own life!


Where is your favorite library, and what do you love about it?

I love the grand Boston Public Library, especially the Abbey Mural Room on the second floor that depicts Sir Galahad’s quest for the Holy Grail. The paintings are bold and brilliant, but it’s the story that speaks to me. Sir Galahad’s persistence in the face of frustration and danger. It takes only one question to unlock a spell that’s fallen on a king who knows the answer to where the Holy Grail lies. Sir Galahad has to ask the right question, the question on which everything depends. The question is not provided in the artwork; viewers and visitors must find the question out for themselves. So it’s somewhat of a mystery.

I've been to the Boston Public Library, and you're right, it's fantastic. What is your favorite movie?

Pride and Prejudice – the 1940 version with Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier.


If you had a talk show who would your dream guest be?
Janet Evanovich, so I could ask all about one of my favorite series – the Stephanie Plum books. Ms. Evanovich weaves the humor in so nicely, makes the characters so lively, and yet makes the book such a simple, entertaining read. I’d like to know her secret!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Like her heroine, Corrie Locke, Lida Sideris worked as an entertainment attorney for a film studio. Unlike her heroine, she did not get blackmailed into investigating the suspicious death of a co-worker. Lida resides in the northern tip of Southern California with her family, their rescue shepherds, and a flock of uppity chickens. She was one of two national recipients of the Helen McCloy/Mystery Writers of America scholarship for mystery writing.

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


Buy the book:
Amazona Rafflecopter giveaway  

FEATURED AUTHOR: CONNIE L. SMITH

ABOUT THE BOOK


Bruised and battered hearts can keep beating. But can they heal?

Preston and Nick endured the breakup of all breakups when Nick accused her of cheating on him. He insisted, and she denied while the rain pounded against her driveway and thunder roared in the distance. Then they both ran—Preston to a life of Rock & Roll, and Nick to a career in the Army.

Four years later, they’re damaged and broken almost beyond repair. He’s carrying baggage from his military days, and she bears the scars of living a lifestyle she’s grown to hate.
When Preston’s label forces her to take time away from music, their paths cross in a parking lot not twenty-four hours after her hometown return, anger and sparks flying in a confusing blend. But regardless of the feelings neither has been able to shake, too many lies and secrets stand in the way of the one thing they need in order to recover.

Each other.


INTERVIEW WITH CONNIE L. SMITH

Connie, do you write every day?
I don’t. I used to write 5-6 days a week (maybe more), but it’s easy to get burned out that way. I’m finishing up an MA, and I have other things to tend to — like editing and proofreading — so I don’t push myself to the point of writer-craziness these days.

How often do you read?
Not nearly as much as I might like, but my MA program requires a reading list. Harry Potter, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and Ever After High are all on my submitted list, so if they’re approved, this could be a pretty good semester for reading!


Do you have any secret talents?
I don’t know that they’re secrets, but I do fairly well with floral arrangements and peanut butter rolls. I’m awesome like that.

Excellent! What do you love about where you live?
I live in Appalachia, which can be beautiful in the fall. So much mountain, and so many colors!


What’s your favorite beverage?
I’m a coffee drinker these days. I quit drinking pop a while ago, and coffee was my I’m-so-tired-give-me-caffeine add-in :) I also drink water, and I can be a sucker for apple juice.

What drives you crazy?
I don’t know that I’d label it crazy, but I strongly dislike when people use “I” as the object of a preposition. Is that normal???

You have a personal chef for the night. What would you ask him to prepare?

Chicken fajitas and cream-filled donuts. High class???

Absolutely! How do you like your pizza?

Pepperonis and peppers!

What’s your favorite song?

I have quite a few that I adore. We’ll call “Secret Agent Man,” “Pretty Woman,” and “I Fought the Law” at least honorable mentions though, okay?

Deal. What is your favorite movie?

Might be the LOTR trilogy (which is technically three movies, but whatever). Suuuch good movies, even if I couldn’t finish a single one of the books.

Do you have a favorite book?

It won’t label it a favorite, but I’m sooo into Shannon’s Hale’s Ever After High books, guys! Children of fairy tale-ish characters going to school together? Yes, please!

What are you working on now?

I still have a sequel that could use edits for Jivin’ Tango, and I’m hoping to have a children’s novel about holidays and a tricky leprechaun out by Christmas 2016. I’m also hoping to have new editions for my Division Chronicles series available in the near future with pretty wrap-around covers for all! 2016 could be a good year!

EXCERPT FROM TAIL LIGHTS & TEARDROPS

I ended the song with a haunted chord and frowned when I heard clapping coming from somewhere beneath me. Standing, I propped my guitar on the balcony rail and looked over the edge to find Nick leaning likewise one floor below. The sadness in his eyes let me know, without a doubt, he understood the lyrics were about us.

He smiled anyway. “Good song. What’s it called?”

“‘Pirates and Cowgirls,’” I whispered, uneasy that he’d heard a message so personal between us. On the radio would’ve been different. Listening to it being written, and almost face-to-face? “I didn’t mean for you—”

“Don’t apologize, Preston. It happened, and you’re a songwriter. I’d be shocked if I didn’t end up in a song or six. I might even be insulted.” He put a deliberate spin on his last sentence, but the teasing quality didn’t hide his hurt at the reminder of our history. I could see pain in his clouded gaze and thin smile, making me wonder why he’d bother with the attempt to lighten the situation.

Was he trying to make me feel better? I couldn’t think of another explanation, and I had a hard time reconciling that the man who’d broken my heart without mercy was now attempting to lessen my pain by downplaying his. How could the two reactions come from the same person?

I decided not to question the matter out loud. Instead, I offered him a grin as phony as the one he directed at me. “Is this you being civil?”

“Well, you did perform a concert. I hear it’s customary to applaud.”

I rolled my eyes, and he smiled genuinely for a second before he pushed away from the rail. “I guess I should head back in.”

I didn’t want him to leave, but asking him to stay would’ve been one of the dumbest decisions of my life, so I nodded and grabbed my guitar. “Good night, Nick.”

He grunted a response like he’d done so many times when we were younger and he was too tired to bother with an actual reply, then turned toward his apartment. I fought back the warm memories of the same noise being used over the years to mean, “yes,” “no,” “sure—pizza sounds fantastic,” and countless other random, small, beautiful things. If the smile those recollections brought to my face was any indication, diving into the thoughts would be dangerously lovesick territory.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Connie L. Smith spends far too much time with her mind wandering in fictional places. She reads too much, likes to bake, and might forever be sad that she doesn’t have fairy wings. And that she can’t swing dance. Her music of choice is severely outdated, and as an adult she’s kind of obsessed with Power Rangers. She has her BA from Northern Kentucky University in Speech Communication and History (she doesn’t totally get the connection either), and is currently working on her MA.

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


Buy the book:
iTunes  |  Amazon  |  All Romance Ebooks  |  B&N  |  Kobo  

FEATURED AUTHOR: BRUCE STUART

ABOUT THE BOOK

Did you ever wonder what it’s like to dare to fall in love with someone who literally isn’t on your level?

The Lightening Round is a fast-paced novel brimming with colorful characters, sinister plots of intrigue and revenge, and over-the-top antics.

Hannah More, a single mom with weight issues, assumes that her longtime boyfriend, Luke Havitt, is about to propose marriage to her. Instead, he proposes that in order for Hannah to take their relationship to the next level, that she needs to join a gym and to lose weight. Hannah soon finds herself entering the Ultimate Level, a highly controversial yet incredibly sought after San Francisco “fitness experience” known for not only having the latest in technology and fashion, but also segregating all of its members based solely on their weight and fitness levels.

This snappy novel ultimately questions whether true love can survive two individuals from different levels. Even if those levels are only found at a gym.

EXCERPT FROM THE LIGHTENING ROUND    

Chapter 3

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Tonight out with Luke, I ate like a bird.” Hannah and Levreece both dusted off her filthy pink satin gown as they caught their breath on a bench fifty feet from where they had first started their journey.

“Aiya.” Levreece blurted out a Mandarin expression for Oh, My God. He looked straight into Hannah’s bloodshot eyes. “Hannah, Lady Love. Your To Go bag survived the crash—kinda like one of those black boxes they have on airplanes. And, you know, I took the liberty of poking around inside it. Well, let me tell you, girlfriend. From what I saw in that there bag, the only bird you ate like tonight was one of those Raptors hanging around inside the Jurassic Park. The ones that can polish off a whole cow in a single serving and then they’re on to the really big eats.”

“I’m going to lose him.” Hannah put her face in her hands.

“And that’s a bad thing? Losing Luke Havitt is like finding out that a swarm of locusts that had been camping out in your apartment has finally gotten pissed off ‘cause you didn’t feed ‘em well enough and decided to move in with your nasty nosy neighbor across the hall. This guy’s a complete user. He’d steal the gold fillings out of his own mother’s teeth and sell ‘em back to her. And as a man who likes other men, I can’t for the life of me see what turns you on about this whiter-than-white airbrushed airhead with literally no ass. I swear when I look at him from behind I can’t tell where his back ends and his legs begin. Couldn’t you at least land a dude with some booty?” He jokingly stood up and wiggled his large behind.

The edges of Hannah’s mouth initially turned up from her friend’s humorous motions, but she quickly allowed her smile to fall to the ground as reality set in. “You’re one of my best friends in the whole world, Levreece. Please help me.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bruce Stuart is the founder of five previous books and is the founder of the popular serial fiction website, SerialTeller.com. The Lightening Round was previously seen in part as a serial on SerialTeller.com under the pseudonym K.T. Newman.

Bruce lives and works in San Francisco.



Amazon 

Happy New Year!

 

THANK YOU, READERS

As we say goodbye to 2015, I want to thank everyone who logs on to A Blue Million Books and who reads my Goose Pimple Junction series. You keep reading, and I'll keep writing. (Or as a GPJ resident once said, "You keep drinking and I'll keep thinking.") I hope you have found some new books and new authors by stopping by A Blue Million Books. May you have a fantastic new year filled with a blue million books!

THANK YOU, AUTHORS

Thanks to all the authors who visited A Blue Million Books in 2015:

Traci Hayden, Black & White

Brandi Haas, Tales from Suburbia 

Crazy Lady Authors, Treasured Moments 


Jack Getze, Big Mojo

D.S. Williams, 
Protective Hearts

Heather Thurmeier, 
Pinch of Me, Dash of You


Amy Saunders, 
Overkill

Alice Loweecey, Nun Too Soon

Traci Andrighetti, Prosecco Pink

Jennifer Fischetto, One Garish Ghost & Blueberry Peach Jam

Lea Wait, 
Twisted Threads

Dianne Harman
, Kelly’s Koffee Shop

Thomas Maurin, Broken Trust

Carolyn Arnold, 
Valentine’s Day is Murder

Gustavo Florentin, The Schwarzschild Radius

Rachel Higginson, The Five Stages of Falling in Love

Sally Carpenter, The Cunning Cruise Ship Caper 


Brent Hartinger, The Thing I Didn’t Know I Didn’t Know

Christina George, Climax

Diane Daniels Manning, Almost Perfect

Amanda Aksel, The Commitment Test

Shevaun Delucia, Jayded

SK Wills, Starting from Lost

Rosemary DiBattista, A Dish Best Served Cold

Cheryl Matthynssens, Bloodmines

Alexander McCabe, Greater Expectations

Barbara Jean Coast, 
Death Of A Beauty Queen

Laura Morelli, Authentic Arts: Venice Travel Guide

Dierdre Verne, Drawing Conclusions

Lora Lee, Bringing in the Thieves

Lauren Carr, Three Days to Forever

Julie Mulhern, The Deep End

Connie Archer, Ladle to the Grave

Nancy G. West, Dang Near Dead 


Jeanne Bannon, Beautiful Monster

Emily Craven, Adventures in Fashion

Tonya Kappas, Ghostly Undertaking

Kevin V. Symmons, SOLO

Amy Korman, Killer Getaway

Amelia Ford, Togan's Child

Annette Dashofy, 
Bridges Burned

Pamela Fagan Hutchins, 
Heavens to Betsy


Julie Seedorf, Granny Snows a Sneak Peak

Dawn Eastman, A Fright to the Death

Judi Culbertson, Bookmarked to Death


Glenn Conley, Glenn Hates Books

Melanie Denman, Visiting the Sins 


Susan M. Boyer, Lowcountry Boneyard

Grady Miller, The Hostages of Veracruz


John Forelli, The Simulations

Victoria Klahr, That’s a Lie

Jerold Last, Deadly Dog Show


Paty Lager, Double Duplicity

Marie Moore
Side, Trip To Kathmandu

Amy Reade, 
The Ghosts of Peppernell Manor

Jo-Ann Lamon Reccoppa, Hide Nor Hare

Tammy Grace
, Killer Music

David Burnsworth, 
Southern Heat

Jaime Boust, Book Club

Timothy Klein, Cries From a Crusty Heart

Russ Colchamiro, Genius De Milo 


DD Marx, Beyond Believing


Ellen Mansoor Collier, Vamps, Villains and Vaudeville


B.L. Blair, Forgive Me

Miriam Auerbach, Boca Overboard 


Penny C. Sansevieri, How to Sell Books by the Truckload

Sarah Booth Delaney,
 Bone to Be Wild


Susan Russo Anderson, Too Quiet in Brooklyn


Jennifer Ammoscato, Dear Internet: It’s Me, Avery

Susan Pashman, Upper West Side Story


Colleen Helme, Crossing Danger


Heather Siegel, Out from the Underworld


Herbert L. Smith, Hurricane Kingdom

Jennifer Chow, Seniors Sleuth

Nina Post, Danger Returns in Pairs

Clea Simon, Kittens Can Kill

Melissa Marni

, Little Word Studio

Tess Woods, Love at First Flight

Diana Helmer, Belles of the Ballpark


Dennis Hart, Sand Key

Kevin Doyle
, The Litter

Joanne Guidoccio, A Season for Killing

Dianne Harman
, Murder at Cottage #6


Wendy Tyson, Dying Brand

KS Thomas, Until It’s Not


Julie Sarff, The Hope Diamond

Donna McDonald, Next Song I Sing


Kathi Daley, Much Ado About Felines

Elizabeth Perona, 
Murder On the Bucket List

KS Thomas, With Whom We Spend Our Lives

Joanne Phillips, Flora Lively and a Date with Death

Tonya Kappas, A Charming Fatality

Maris Soule, 
A Killer Past

Ace Varkey, The Girl Who Went Missing


Shelley Freydont, 
Trawling for Trouble  


Barbara Venkataraman, Jaime Quinn Mysteries


Rich Zahradnik, Drop Dead Punk

Maris Soule, Eat Crow & Die


Jim Webster, Flotsam & Jetsam

Nancy Cole Silverman, Beyond a Doubt


Abby Vandiver, Bed & Breakfast Bedlam

Jim & Joyce Lavene, 
Give Em Pumpkin to Talk About


Maria Nieto, Breaking the Silence

Scott Wilbanks, 

The Lemoncholy Life of Annie Aster

Ellie Ashe, A Good Kind of Trouble

Rosie Genova, 
A Dish Best Served Cold


Steve Hockensmith, 
Fool Me Once

Brydie Walker Bain, 
The Secret of Sinbad’s Cave


Lynn Cahoon, 
Killer Run


Chris Six
, iKidney

Chiari Warriors, An Anthology

Diane Burton, 
The Case of the Bygone Brother


EJ Journey, Welcome Reluctant Stranger!


Elaine Faber, 
Black Cat and the Accidental Angel


Graeme Smith, The Awakening of Abraham Brown

Maxine Nunes, Dazzled


Amy Metz
, Short & Tall Tales in Goose Pimple Junction

Clea Simon, Code Grey


Andrew Joyce, Molly Lee


Julie Ann Lindsey, 
A Geek’s Guide to Murder

Joyce & Jim Lavene, Be My Banshee

Nancy J. Cohen, 
Peril in Ponytown


Louis Alan Swartz, Constructed Magic


Kim Boykin, A Peach of a Pair


Gene Ayres, Red Tide


Karin Gillespie, Girl Meets Class


Susan Russo Anderson, 
The Brooklyn Drop


Alice Loweecey, Second to Nun 

Lois Winston, A Stitch to Die For

Lauren Carr, Kill and Run


Ellen Byron, Plantation Shutters


M.J. Schiller, Blackout

Paul Hollis, The Hollow Man


Bernie Otis, How to Prepare for Old Age

Grady Miller, 
The Havana Brotherhood


Andrea Pearson, 
Discern

Gilda Morina Syverson, 
My Father’s Daughter: From Rome to Sicil

Julie Mulhern, Guaranteed to Blee

Tammy Grace, Pieces of Home

Linda Johnston, Knock on Wood

Kathleen Irene Paterka, Secrets of the Royal Wedding Chapel

Danielle Soucy Mills, Illusion Of An Ending

Susan McBride, Say Yes to Death

Terri L. Austin, 
Diner Knock Out

John Gaspard, The Misers Dream

Lois Winston, 
A Stitch to Die For

Amy Metz, Heroes & Hooligans in Goose Pimple Junction

Lindsay McKenna,
 Nowhere to Hide

Mike Phillips, Hazard of Shadows

D. Bryant Simmons, Blue Sky

Emma Stein
, Into the Void


Billy Thomas, Murder in a Two-Seater


Caroline Fardig, Death Before Decaf


D.E. Haggerty, 
Love in the Time of Murder 


John Enright, 
New Jerusalem News


Lisa Becker
, Clutch


Ellen Mansoor Collier, 
Jazz Age Mysteries

Frankie Bow, The Case of the Defunct Adjunct


Dan Buri, 
Pieces Like Pottery

Peter Riva, Murder on Safari

Richard Godwind
, Wrong Crowd 


James Moushon
, Operation Alpha Dog

Breigh Forstner, 
Straight From The Heart 


Nancy G. West, 
Smart But Dead

Waverly Curtis, Silence of the Chihuahuas

Eric Yates, 
Epitaph to ‘Nickle Eck’


R. Breuer Stearns, The Question


Thomas Brooke, 
Roman Mask


Richard Audry, King Harald Mysteries


Bourne Morris, 
Rise of the Red Queen
     

Steve Myers, Dreaming .400 

Larissa Reinhart, The Body in the Landscape
 

Jennifer Ott, Desperate Moon
, A Piece of You 

Teresa A. LaRue, A Talent for Murder

Diamente Lavendar, Breaking the Silence, The Secrets of Yashire

CONGRATS!
The winners of the GPJ giveaway are:

Paperback copy:
Phylis Carpenter

ebook copies:
Barbara Tobey and Marty Crosson.

Thank you for entering!