Featured Author: Rakesh Ranjan

Rakesh Ranjan is the author of Requiem: Will the Dead Come Back for Love? a novel that includes spirituality, mystery, and romance.

About the book:

Requiem is about love although it doesn’t look so until the latter half of the novel. It is the story of the unfulfilled love of the narrator. It is about Death, Love and Life. There are mistakes that a person makes but love often persists. And when it becomes so integral to your existence, you always tend to go back to it. It may haunt you in a sense but is often the sweetest memory that you carry. Requiem introduces Death as the beginning of a life beyond Life. Despite the vagaries it is associated with, Death can be a fascinating aspect of Life. It then moves to Love and describes how the two persons met and fell in love. And before love surmounts everything, one often loses to lust. Requiem details that journey of love. Requiem portrays Death and Love as the two continuous pursuits of man. While one fears the former, they always want the latter. Requiem shows how imagination can be a twisted reality. It shows the conflicts inside a human mind. The novel is written in a simple language and is an attempt to connect with the masses.

Interview with Rakesh Ranjan:

Welcome, Rakesh. Do you have another job outside of writing?

I finished my MBA and will soon be joining a top technology consulting firm.

How would you describe your book in a tweet? (140 characters or less)

This story of Death, Love and Life will enchant you and I promise you will end up with some tears. I’ll be disappointed otherwise.

Excellent! And with ten characters to spare! How did you create the plot for this book?

I think I had the idea long back. I luckily started writing and everything came together.

What do you do to market your book?

I have relied on the word-of-mouth thing and expect people to recommend my book to others if they find it good. I also aim to connect with readers with this blog interview. If my book intrigues them, they may go for it. I have just started but feel that the good reviews I have been getting will lead to more people getting to my work.

What would your main character say about you?

If Amy were to speak, she would say how much she loves me and misses me. If I say more, the mystery of the novel will be revealed. But Amy is wonderful and whatever she says would be the most precious words for me.

With which of your characters would you most like to be stuck on a deserted island?

It has to be Amy. It would be the most romantic and rewarding experience of my life.


Tell us about your favorite scene in the book.

I obviously started loving Amy. The novel is about her. The scene in the first chapter of the last part, 'Life' is very close to me. I cannot disclose the scene because it reveals a mystery. I cried a lot while writing it and every time I read it. A reader told me how he could not resist crying there. I feel I have succeeded when people say that the narrative is touching.

Who are your favorite authors?

Ayn Rand and Paulo Coelho

What book are you currently reading and in what format (e-book/paperback/hardcover)?

I am now reading the Bhagavad Gita on my Android phone. It’s a spiritual work, an amazing one. The concepts of Karma (duty) probably came from here.

Do you have a routine for writing?

I don’t write in a routine. For me, it’s more like getting my thoughts out and so when I feel like writing, I write at a stretch. While writing this one, there were times when I had not slept well for a few days but would make arrangements to keep myself awake for another day so that I could continue to write. I would then rest for a few days and restart when I had the material in mind.

Name one thing you couldn’t live without.

I would love to see my parents around forever, for as long as I live.

If you could only keep one book, what would it be?

The Fountainhead

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

I love meeting people and experiencing cultures. Traveling is such a rewarding feeling. I have seen most places in Europe. All countries there are so beautiful. I have also been to some countries in Asia. And I have a lot to see. I need to see the remaining continents.

What are you working on now?

My next work is a fantasy. I would like to test my boundaries. I hope I can continue to bring joy to others.

Excerpt from Requiem: Will the Dead Come Back for Love?

A bolt from the blue

I could see the gloom on their faces. My relatives seemed to be mourning and they looked shocked. I had no idea why they had all assembled there. It looked very strange and I guessed something was wrong. My sister and cousins were crying. My uncles and aunts looked in deep agony too. I went looking for my parents. I then found my father at the front door. He seemed absolutely devastated. Something like that could happen only when everything had gone wrong. It was like a scene from a movie and it seemed as if someone had died. I sensed some disaster had struck my family and ran towards the room where I found my mother wailing in agony. A streak of fear gripped me. I dashed off to our maid, who was standing nearby, to enquire about the matter. I asked her why everyone was so sad and ended up getting a cruel shock. She did not hear me and so did not even react to me. Annoyed, I shouted in anger and realised that none of them could hear me. No one even seemed to realise my presence. Something had gone horribly wrong. Why was not anyone noticing me? As if I had no body, no existence and hence no relevance to the people! Restlessness and fear started overpowering me. What was that? Why was it so? I pushed my sister out of desperation but she did not feel anything either. Reality dawned upon me soon. And yeah, I could now understand why my parents were in a state of shock. They had just lost their only son. I had died and preparations were on to consign my earthly existence to flames.

About the author:

Rakesh Ranjan is an MBA from Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurgaon and Edhec Business School, Nice, France. He will soon be starting his job with a top technology consulting firm. He is an engineer and has a pre-MBA work experience of two and a half years. He has stayed in different parts of India and traveled to places in Asia and Europe. He loves traveling and experiencing cultures. His experiences have helped him write. He is a keen observer of human behaviour. His interests are varied and he tries to find meanings in ordinary things. He has wanted to write for a long time. The idea of writing a novel came to him in the first year of engineering. And he decided to do it now, after almost eight years. His poem, ‘My Love, My Life’, was very popular in college. He has blogged a bit before and has also written some articles.

Book Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A7EFKV8
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorRakeshRanjan
Goodreads author page: http://www.goodreads.com/RakeshRanjan
Twitter: https://twitter.com/hamesha4u
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Rakesh-Ranjan/e/B00A7WVM08
Email: requiemthebook@gmail.com

Featured Author: Genevieve Fairbrother

Paranormal, suspense, romance, adventure, mythology...Genevieve Fairbrother's Eleusis has it all, and she's here today to tell us about it. Don't miss her guest post and book excerpt following the interview.

About the book:

Macy needs a break to sort out her life. Her parents are dead and now a moody trespasser has set up camp on the property she has inherited. When the stranger confesses himself to be an ageless sea-god and tells Macy she has been guarding a secret she never knew existed, her simple life takes a drastic turn. Just when she thinks it can’t get any stranger,  a back door to the Underworld opens up and it’s time to run like hell.

This fast-paced adventure romance novel explodes as the dark forces tracking Macy surface to capture her. In the transatlantic chase that follows, she learns of her forgotten past and an ancient connection to the sea-god who helps her escape.

As events challenge Macy, she must come to grips with her past, determine what she wants in life, and become a force in her own right. Family betrayal, sinister plot twists, and unlikely friends fill this exhilarating story of one woman’s journey to forge her own path as she learns her true identity.

She soon realizes that to gain real freedom and become legend, she must reject her assigned place in history and risk everything in the process.

Interview with Genevieve Fairbrother:

Genevieve, how long have you been writing, and how did you start?

About three years ago, my husband, who comes from a family of writers, talked about wanting to write a book. I had never considered writing a book but it made me think, why not? I had an idea for a story that had been rolling around inside of my head for a long time, and I decided to get it out of my head and onto paper. It started out as brain purge and ended up as a novel.

What do you like best about writing?

Through writing, I like to witness a character coming to terms with a new idea or a situation and then use the character’s conversations to share those ideas as they form. I like the feeling when I know I have successfully written a wild and suspenseful scene.

What’s your least favorite thing?

Commas...I insert them where I think there are natural pauses in an idea or conversation. I never learned the rules for commas. They make no sense to me...I need editors to tell me where they’re supposed to really go.

How did you come up with the title Eleusis?

When Persephone was released from the underworld she joined her mother, Demeter, in the ancient city of Eleusis.
 
Do you have another job outside of writing?

Yup. I’m a full-time obstetrician gynecologist. I work at the largest maternity hospital in the United States. I’m also chief of the medical staff of 2,000 doctors, so this is a true departure from my “real” life. I believe I surprised a lot of people with this book.

How would you describe Eleusis in a tweet? (140 characters or less.)

A goddess escaped from the underworld centuries ago. Hades hunts for her still but times have changed and she’s done running.

How did you create the plot for Eleusis?

I had several ideas (The Persephone mythology, women in society, and the allure of immortality) that were important to me, and I melded them together into a story.

Do you outline, write by the seat of your pants, or let your characters tell you what to write?

I have a rough idea of the map but a clear idea of my characters and their motivations. I know where I want my characters to start, and I know where I want them to end up. There are points of interest along the way that I’d like them to stop and visit in order to progress through the story. There is an order, but if a character needs to meander off of the path or go to a Point D before a point C, I let them.

Did you have any say in your cover art? What do you think of it? 

Yes! I took the photograph that was backdrop for the cover. The artist used my concept and took it to a different level so out of my league it is wonderful.

How do you get to know your characters?

They live in my head, and I imagine conversations that they might have with one another. I can see where they go, what their home looks like, what secrets they’re hiding and why.

Sophie’s choice: Do you have a favorite of your characters?

I, like most authors, could probably tell you who their least favorite character is before their favorite. I am sympathetic to all my characters even if they do terrible things because I understand their motivations.

When you start a new book, do you know what the entire cast will be?

The main characters, yes! I have a murky idea of the peripheral characters, then as the tale unfolds, they either crystalize and become clear or wither out of focus and I cut them out.

Which character did you most enjoy writing?

Artemis

I’m constantly on the lookout for new good names. How do you name your characters?

I looked for names that had meaning for their character either emotionally or linguistically.

How would your main character describe you?

Honest reliable, unflinchingly loyal.

Are any of your characters inspired by real people?

Aren’t all characters a mixture of the people in your life?

Eh...not always. I like writing characters who do and say things I never would, as well as characters who do and say things I wish I could. Do you have characters who fit into one of those categories? Who, and in what category do they fall?

Heck yeah! My characters have power over the natural world, and they’re immortal. Need I say more?

No. That about covers it! If you could be one of your characters, which one would you choose?

Probably Artemis.

With which of your characters would you most like to be stuck on a deserted island?

Are you kidding, Jason?!
 
Hmm...I don't know Jason, but now I want to! What song would you pick to go with your book?

"The Heavy’s Short Change Hero" and Jason Mraz’s "I won’t give up."

Which author would you most like to invite to dinner, and what would you fix him? Tom Robbins.

How do you handle criticism of your work?

It really doesn’t bother me. Most problems in life and in writing are a result of lack of communication. The kind of criticism I’ve encountered is usually a result of a misunderstanding. I look past any emotional content in a criticism and try to find the disconnect and fix it. It’s worked for me so far.

Where’s home for you?

Atlanta

Is there anything in particular that you do to help the writing flow?

Going for run really focuses the mind, as does a shower.

What’s one of your favorite quotes?

"The truth doesn’t change, only our understanding."

If you could take a trip anywhere in the world, where would you go?

Morocco or Prague, I’m not picky.

Excerpt from Eleusis:

When she lifted her eyes to look out, the view silenced her mind. A ground mist blanketed the field outside the barn all the way down to the surrounding tree line. It was ethereal. She grabbed her mug and stepped outside. This time she chose the path that led from the upper field and wove through the trees to the lower pasture that bordered Little Choestoea Creek above the waterfall. The mist stretched out across the field, undulating over the dips in the terrain. It felt like walking through a cloud. The birds’ morning chatter and the gurgling and chortling of the stream at the far border of the field broke the quiet. Gentle winds whispered among the dry autumn leaves. She crossed the field and joined the path that edged the stream and followed it to the waterfall. The mist overflowed the field and slipped down the bank, hovering over the stream.

At the head of the waterfall, the water rushed over the mossy rocks and curved around the massive granite boulders. The stream cascaded over the falls and flowed down the cove to join the lake in the distance. Macy decided to follow the cove out to the end, where she could see the mist floating like a blanket over the water. She picked her way along the side of the cove, climbing up and over boulders of granite as they sloped down to the water’s edge. Sometimes, when the terrain was too difficult, she clambered up into the tree line and walked along the edge of the forest. Shortly she came out onto the beachy area at the head of the cove.

The sun was starting to rise over the hill to her back, and golden light began to stream through the trees. She looked out over the mists to the far side of the lake, where the light was hitting the far shore. The trees, some deciduous and now nearly naked of leaves, created a wall of mottled brown and olive. It was hauntingly beautiful in the cold light of the early morning. She sank to her haunches and wrapped her arms around her knees. Brown and desiccated rushes crackled in the light breeze just below her perch. Macy gazed out across the misty cove and took in the view.

A hawk glided in lazy circles over the water. Across the small cove, three deer stole out of the woods, tasting the air. Macy held her breath and kept perfectly still.

Suddenly, from the middle of the lake, a man crested and soared high out of the water and turned a graceful arc in the air before arching backward and falling through the mist, diving soundlessly into the water.

Macy gasped. The deer fled. She leaped to her feet and spilt what little was left of her tea. What the hell was that? An Olympic water-polo player couldn’t get that kind of air. Immobilized, she kept her eyes glued to the place she had seen the man dive back into the water. It seemed to take forever. Did she just imagine it? Then again!

This time he came corkscrewing out of the water and shot up out of the lake with the mist trailing behind him. He whooped as he spun up and around, and Macy inhaled sharply, clasping her hand over her mouth as he disappeared under the water. Almost instantly he rose out of the mist. She stood very still. He turned slowly until he faced her, then began moving toward the shore. He had spotted her.

She started to back up, stumbled over a rock, and dropped her mug.

He appeared to be gliding on top of the water, picking up speed. Turning, Macy ran as fast as she could and fled for the tree line. Her heart pounded, and sudden fear twisted in her stomach. It was obvious he hadn’t expected a witness.

Macy hit the trees, scrambling through them. Her heart convulsed sickeningly. She didn’t dare look back. The forest grew a little denser as she made her way deeper into the woods. Her pursuer was already crashing around below her in the tree line. He had reached the shore very quickly, and she couldn’t outrun him. Macy passed a low bush behind a fallen tree. It concealed a hollow, and she wedged herself in the corner. She hunkered down as low to the ground as possible and listened. She heard wind rustling through the trees and the disturbances that little lizards make flitting through the undergrowth. Soon the sound of the man tramping through the woods faded.

Genevieve's Guest Post

What are the challenges of writing a book that mixes mythology with today's world?

Tom Clancy is credited with saying “The difference between fiction and reality is that fiction has to make sense.” The challenge for my writing is that mythology is the wild and fantastical reality around which I had to craft my fiction! My fictional “real world” had to seamlessly meld with an alternate mythologic reality that defies the laws of physics, ...all of the laws of physics, and I still need the story to be relatable to a contemporary audience. It’s fun because I can create situations that can defy gravity and mortality, but at the same time it's difficult because there is a fine line between ridiculous unbelievable fantasy and a paranormal reality that speaks to a person living in this earthly domain. Eleusis is a twisted mythology but what grounds the plot are the characters who share the easily recognized human desires for self-fulfillment, freedom, love and purpose.








About the author: Genevieve Fairbrother lives in Atlanta with her husband and two teenagers. She attended Wellesley.

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Featured Author: Michele Lynn Seigfried

Cozy Mystery Book Tours brings Michele Lynn Seigfried here today to talk about her new cozy mystery, Red Tape.

About the book: 

Red Tape is a tale about a single mom, Chelsey Alton, who is trying to balance her family and career when things start to go haywire at her job in a quirky little town named Sunshine, located at the Jersey shore. She encounters an irate resident, corruption in the government, and destruction caused by Hurricane Sandy. When Chelsey starts to figure out the truth behind the mayhem, she finds herself framed for a crime she did not commit. She narrowly escapes several attempts at her demise, only to find herself in a much more precarious situation.

Interview with Michele Lynn Seigfried:

Michelle, how did you come up with the title Red Tape? 

First I thought of calling it The Government, but everyone told me that was boring. They were right, it is boring! Then I thought of making my character of Robert Triggers, the irate resident, saying how he hates government red tape. Hence, the name Red Tape was born.

Do you have another job outside of writing?

Yes. I am a full-time municipal clerk. I’m actually answering these interview questions while at the International Municipal Clerk’s Association Conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Do you outline, write by the seat of your pants, or let your characters tell you what to write? 

All of the above! I feel like I’m so all over the place when I write. I can’t seem to sit down and write out all chapters in order. I often don’t know if I’m writing chapter 2 or chapter 15 when I’m typing along. I try to do an outline too, to help me get the order of things straight in my head, but I usually don’t stick with it because the characters and plot take on a life of their own. 

What do you do to market your books?

In addition to book tours, I have done book talks at a local libraries. I’m also schedule to be at the Collingswood Book Festival in New Jersey in the fall. I periodically do giveaways and promotional pricing, so watch my Facebook page and Twitter accounts to get in on the deals and prizes!

Are any of your characters inspired by real people? 

Yes! Bonnie, “Tex,” and Kathy Norcia.

Who?

Bonnie’s personality and off-the-wall comments are inspired by a friend of mine, who wished to remain nameless. I find her hysterical.

Tex is named after a police lieutenant at my work, Scott Texidor. He is an awesome guy, and he graciously allowed me to use his name in the book. The character of Tex has a similar personality to the real Tex.

Kathy Norcia is a municipal clerk in New Jersey and is a friend of mine. She also graciously allowed me to use her name.

I like writing characters who do and say things I never would, as well as characters who do and say things I wish I could. Do you have characters who fit into one of those categories? Who, and in what category do they fall?

Bonnie absolutely says things I would never say in a million years. I think that’s why she is my favorite character. The way she describes the mayor, the way she gawks at the firemen, and how she speaks her mind. I would be likely get fired if I spoke like she does at work.

If you could be one of your characters, which one would you choose?

Again, I have to go with Bonnie. Bonnie is described as beautiful, rich, has a beachfront home and a nice family. Definitely Bonnie.

I wouldn't mind being her too! With which of your characters would you most like to be stuck on a deserted island?

I’d have to say Kris. He doesn’t really appear until the end of the book, but mmmmm, is all I can say about him! Officer Williams would come in a close second.


Where and when do you prefer to do your writing?

With a fifteen-month-old, times and places for me to write are limited! That leaves after she goes to bed at night, sitting in the front of the TV with my laptop.

Tell us one weird thing, one nice thing, and one fact about where you live.

One weird thing is that we have a three-eared rabbit in our neighborhood!

A nice thing is that we live within an hour’s drive of the beach, the mountains, the casinos and two major cities – Philadelphia and New York.

One fact is that we live along the Delaware River, which is great for fishing and boating.

You won the lottery. What’s the first thing you would buy?

My freedom! I’d quit my job in order to have more time to do the things I love to do.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
I enjoy arts and crafts, spending time with my family, traveling, wine tasting events, fishing boating, and lots of other activities!

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Near a beach on the island of St. John. It is the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen!

What are you working on now?

I’m currently working on a children’s book (I’m also the illustrator!) and also a sequel to Red Tape.

Book Excerpt from Red Tape

It was Columbus Day and I was thrilled to have a four-day work week. I was due to meet Bonnie for lunch. I lived a little closer to Jackson than Bonnie did, but since I had to drop off Mandy, I told Bonnie I would pick her up.

Bonnie’s house was powder blue today. “You had your siding painted again?” I asked her.

“I get bored and now that I’m no longer employed, I have too much free time on my hands.”

“Your husband must want to kill you.”

“Just a little. I told him I did it for him since he hated the pink. He keeps telling me to find another job.”

“I’ll drive today since you drove last time.”

“Works for me! That means I can have a couple of drinks.”

We hopped into my car and I turned out of her driveway toward the causeway. Driving in my Honda Accord was quite a large step down from Bonnie’s fancy Mercedes. Bonnie turned and looked behind her.

“That’s strange,” she said.

“What’s strange?” I asked.

“That black sedan behind us. It had been sitting across the street from my house for the past hour and now it’s following us. All the windows are tinted.”

“You’re starting to be paranoid like me,” I told her. “It’s not surprising they are following us; this is basically the only route off the island.”

“I suppose.”

We continued driving off the island and through Madisen Township. I opted to take the back roads to Jackson to avoid traffic.

“Speaking of being paranoid, I have a story to tell you about the elevator at work...” I started to say when I was interrupted by the sound of a car revving its engine and speeding up behind us. I glanced into my rearview mirror and could no longer see the bumper of the black sedan. Then smack! We were jolted forward upon the impact. The black car hit us. I slammed on the brakes and the sedan swerved to my left into the lane of oncoming traffic.

“What the hell?” Bonnie screamed as we felt a second impact in the side rear panel of the driver’s side. My car was pushed over into the right shoulder. I held tight to the steering wheel, trying to force it left. It was all I could do to keep the car on the road. The black car slammed on its brakes and shot behind us when a tractor-trailer was approaching it head-on. It then revved its engine again, coming for us from behind.

Bonnie yelled, “Speed up! They’re going to hit us again.”

I frantically pressed the pedal down like she said. I could barely think. I tried to reach over to my purse and grab my cell phone, when whack! We were hit again, thrusting us forward. My head hit the steering wheel. My purse and its contents went flying. I was afraid the airbags would go off and I wouldn’t be able to see. My heart was pounding. I was terrified.

“They’re trying to kill us,” I said in a panic to Bonnie.

“Well, they’re not going to be successful. See if you can get them to pull up alongside of you again.”

“What? Are you out of your freaking mind?” I shouted. “You want me to get next to them? They probably have guns!”

“Well, so do I,” Bonnie said as she reached into her purse and pulled out a small handgun.

“Where the heck did you get a gun?” I asked.

The sedan pulled into the left lane again and increased in speed in an attempt to get alongside of us. I crouched as low as I could behind the steering wheel, took a deep breath, held it, and tried my best to hold the car steady. My whole body was trembling.

Bonnie rolled down her window and climbed halfway out, aiming and shooting at the black car. “Pop, pop, pop.” She fired three times. I heard car tires screeching and I looked into my rearview mirror to see that the mystery car had veered off the road and was smoking. I started to breathe again.

“Good shot,” I said as I sped off down the road as fast as my demolished Honda would go, trying to get away as quickly as possible.

“Thanks. My husband and I go to the shooting range on occasion. It’s a hobby of ours. We went this Saturday. I had forgotten to take the gun out of my purse. Good thing!”

My heart was in my throat. My hands were shaking uncontrollably and I was still in a frenzy. I had gone into survival mode and now that the adrenaline was wearing off. I think I was going into shock. “Are they following us? Where do you think the nearest police station is? Are you going to get in trouble for shooting a gun? Would you call 9-1-1 from your cell phone?”

“I’m already dialing. I don’t think they are following us, but keep driving just in case. Make a bunch of turns so they don’t know where we went. And no, I don’t think I’ll get in trouble for shooting a gun. I have a permit, and it was self-defense. And, if I do get in trouble, it’s better than being dead. Plus, I have enough money for a good attorney.”

About the author:

Michele Lynn Seigfried is an author and public speaker who was born and raised in New Jersey. In her debut novel, Red Tape, she draws from her personal expertise in the area of municipal government, in which she has served for over fifteen years. She holds state and international certifications in the areas of municipal clerk and vital statistics. She lives in Bordentown, New Jersey with her husband and daughter.

Connect with Michele:
Blog | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter 

Buy the book:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords  

Featured Author: Sara Palacios

Sara Palacios, author of Love in Translation, is the second author in two days to be awarded the Daredevil Award for answering all twelve questions in my Dirty Dozen. Check out her answers and then check out her modern day love story.

About the book:

Still reeling from an unexpected breakup, Emily nurses her broken heart by spending time with her best friends and taking one-too-many vodka shots. After one long night, she takes a hard look inside herself and doesn’t like what she sees. She realizes that she has sacrificed too much in her failed relationships from the past and vows to never settle for anything less than almost-perfect again. As she picks up the pieces and regains her confidence, a sexy Spanish chef moves in across the hall and knocks her off her feet. What ensues is an unexpected and tantalizing affair that opens her eyes - and her heart - to a whole new world and leaves her feeling sexier than she has ever felt. Emily finally sees how easy love is supposed to be. Is happily-ever-after actually possible? Just when she starts to think so, she realizes that sometimes life gets more complicated before it gets easier. And complicated is an understatement when Steven (her best and oldest friend in the world) confesses his love for her. Everything spirals out of control as Emily must make a choice between love and friendship, and in doing so, possibly risk it all.

Love In Translation is a modern day love story about following your heart to unexpected places and taking chances in life...because sometimes you will find exactly what you are looking for.

Dirty Dozen with Sara Palacios:

1.    Name one thing you couldn’t live without.

Besides the obvious answer, like my family, I will go with my iPhone, chapstick and sunscreen.

2.    If you could only keep one book, what would it be?

Pillars of the Earth by Ken Folliet.

3.    Your last meal would be…

Oh man, let’s go with Spinach Lasagna, cheese enchiladas and a roasted cauliflower mac and cheese! Go carb or go home!

4.    Would you rather work in a library or a bookstore?

Bookstore!

5.    You won the lottery. What’s the first thing you would buy?

I would buy a huge plot of land to eventually fill with a ranch home and horses, cows and chickens!

6.    Would you rather be stranded on a deserted island or the North Pole?

Usually I would pick somewhere snowy over the beach but this will be the exception. Definitely a deserted island.

7.    You’re given the day off, and you can do anything but write. What would you do?

Go camping! I love being outdoors!

8.    You’re driven to a private plane and told it will take you anywhere your want to go. Where would it be?

New Zealand. I have always wanted to go there.

9.    You can be any fictional character for one day. Who would you be?

So, this is a super dorky answer, but Legolas from Lord of the Rings. I love his character!!

10.    Where would your dream office be?

In the snowy mountains with a cozy fireplace nearby.

11.    If you could do only one, would you rather read or write? Oh man, probably read.

12.    One of your main characters has to die. Which one would you kill off?

Really? One of them HAS to die? Hmmm...then I would have to say Sophie. I don’t have the heart to kill off the main three, so it has to be her.

About the author:

Sara Palacios is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a major in Advertising and a minor in English Literature. It was during her time in college that she really fell in love with the written word and ventured into writing her own stories. In addition to writing, Sara spends a majority of her time reading the works of other authors. She reads most genres  – but thoroughly enjoys chick-lit, women’s, and historical fiction.

When she isn’t busy reading or writing, Sara enjoys spending time with family and friends. She is happily married, the owner of two precious doggies and a new mom to a handsome baby boy. Sara is also an avid animal-lover, runner, yoga enthusiast, wannabe vegan, USA soccer fan, foodie and fashion blog-lover, and Christian. If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to email her at sararpalacios@gmail.com.


Connect with Sara:
Facebook | Twitter | Amazon

Featured Author: Scarlet Chastain

Bella Key, by Scarlet Chastain was released on May 3rd from Evernight Publishing. Scarlet is the recipient of the Daredevil Award for answering my Dirty Dozen questions.


About the book:

Maddie Jacobs must be crazy. At least that’s what her mother thinks. Professionally, she’s confident and secure; personally, she’s a hot mess. Not even a marriage proposal from a man who adores her can quell her search for something more.

In need of an escape, Maddie flees to Key West’s most southern island, Bella Key, to rest and recharge at Casa Bonita. She almost gives up on weekend retreat when the Bed & Breakfast is closed for repairs until Sunny Rojas, the inn owner, extends an offer of friendship, sweet tea and a room. Still reeling from a breakup with her longtime partner, Sunny is thankful for the diversion from her own broken heart.

The arrival of a fierce storm forces the women’s emotional journey to a head and leads them into each other’s arms. But can Maddie throw her hangups to the wind and go with her heart? The magic of Bella Key teaches her that passion cannot be placed neatly into boxes labeled right and wrong, because love knows no boundaries.

The Dirty Dozen with Scarlet Chastain

1.    Name one thing you couldn’t live without.

My laptop!

2.    If you could only keep one book, what would it be?

The Catcher in the Rye.

3.    Your last meal would be…

Something with seafood and pasta.

4.    Would you rather work in a library or a bookstore? Bookstore.

I love the smell of new books.

5.    You won the lottery. What’s the first thing you would buy?

A restored classic VW bug convertible in baby blue. I’ve always wanted one of those.

6.    Would you rather be stranded on a deserted island or the North Pole?

I hate cold weather so I vote for the island.

7.    You’re given the day off, and you can do anything but write. What would you do?

Spend it being pampered at a day spa. *big sigh*

8.    You’re driven to a private plane and told it will take you anywhere your want to go.

Where would it be? The Amalfi Coast.

9.    You can be any fictional character for one day. Who would you be?

Hermione Granger of the Harry Potter series. I’d love to wield that power.

10.    Where would your dream office be?

In a beach bungalow on the deserted island of question 6. ;)

11.    If you could do only one, would you rather read or write? Write.

12.    One of your main characters has to die. Which one would you kill off?

Die? Really? How tragic! I guess I’d have to say Sunny, as long as I can ply her a few margaritas before the event.

Excerpt from Bella Key:

“Good shower?”

Maddie stopped in the doorway, holding the knot of her towel to her chest. Wet strands of hair produced rivulets of water streaming down her shoulders and chest. “Like a new woman. Although, my northern skin can’t handle the tropical sun. Look at my shoulders!” Sunny’s gaze moved from one shoulder to another. Maddie was right, she was more than sun-kissed. Her shoulders practically glowed. “Oh, chica. That’s an angry burn you have there. I have some aloe —” Sunny picked up and put down five different bottles from her dressing table. “—ah, here it is. This’ll ease the pain and cut down on the peeling, too.”

Sunny flipped the top and squeezed a quarter-sized dab of the green gel into her palm. She nodded toward her bed, signaling Maddie to sit. Rubbing the aloe between her palms, she rested one knee on the bed beside her. Maddie gathered her wet hair and flipped it over her shoulder to allow Sunny access to the other. Her body shivered under Sunny’s hands.

“Sorry, this stuff’s cold. I tried to warm it up a little.”

Maddie closed her eyes and tilted her head to the side. “It’s not that. It feels good on the burn. You have a gentle touch.”

Sunny chuckled. “Scooch over a little so I can get your other side.”

Maddie shifted, lifting her feet onto the bed and tucking them under her legs Indian style. Sunny guided her head forward and massaged the aloe along the base of her neck to her shoulder blades, and down to the edge of the fluffy towel. She bent her knee, providing an anchor for Maddie to lean upon. Her inner thighs grazed the thick towel. Sunny closed her eyes and focused not only on Maddie’s sunburned skin, but also on loosening the muscles along her shoulders and upper back.

“I have a confession to make,” Maddie said quietly.

“Other than this is the best massage you’ve ever received?” Sunny snorted.

“Mmm. That too. I-I watched you last night.” Maddie went a few seconds without taking a breath.

Sunny didn’t waver. “I know you did. You were outside of my door.”

“You knew? Why didn’t you stop or say something?” Maddie kept her eyes closed but turned her head toward Sunny as she spoke.

Sunny added another dab of aloe to her palm. “I liked that you were watching me. It turned me on that you enjoyed it too.”

“Never in my life had I thought I’d be attracted, you know, sexually to a woman. It’s different with you. Many things are different with you.” Maddie’s hand trembled as she touched Sunny’s leg, tracing an imaginary line up and down her calf. The rapid rise and fall of Maddie’s back matched the pounding in Sunny’s chest.

Silence filled the room. Sunny had decided against bringing up the episode from the night before unless Maddie did. Now that it was out in the open, Sunny could find out how Maddie felt for sure. “Different, how?”

“You make me feel so focused and honest and alive. I’ve never had that with anyone else before.” Maddie turned and kneeled in front of Sunny. “Would it be forward if I asked you to kiss me?”

Sunny swallowed hard. “Yes, but I like forward,” she whispered as she cupped Maddie’s face with her palms. Dragging her thumb over Maddie’s bottom lip she realized how many times she wanted to taste her lips and explore her mouth over the past two days. Sunny lowered her face and brushed her lips once over Maddie’s. She drew back to study Maddie’s reaction.

“Again,” Maddie whispered, her eyes remained closed.

About the author:

Scarlet Chastain is the semi-secret pseudonym of a multi-published, best selling author of sensual erotic romance. Scarlet's focus is female-centric sizzling stories written about women, for women.

She lives in the suburban shadows of New York City, but her heart belongs to the beaches of Key West. Scarlet can usually be found in her favorite chair of her newly acquired writing cave with her maltipoo, Coco.


Find Bella Key here:
Evernight Publishing | Amazon US | Amazon UK | AllRomance eBooks | BookStrand


Stalk Scarlet here:Website | Facebook | Twitter |  Email: scarletchastain@gmail.com

Featured Author: Ann Marie Stoddard

I'm happy to have Ann Marie Stoddard here as part of her Cozy Mystery Book Tour to talk about Murder At Castle Rock, her mystery/thriller that was just released.

About the book:

As the manager and booking agent for Atlanta’s famous Castle Rock concert venue, Amelia “Ame” Grace is ready for the most exciting week of her career: she’s booked three shows and a live DVD-filming for the comeback tour of none other than the eighties Pop Rock Prince himself, Bobby Glitter! Before the rock star can take a bow on the first night, however, trouble steals the show as Castle Rock’s owner takes a deadly tumble from atop the venue’s rear tower. To make matters worse, the police suspect foul play—and all signs point to two of Castle Rock’s own employees. Ame is in a race against time to clear the names of her friends and uncover the truth before the killer decides it’s curtains for her too!

 

Interview with Ann Marie Stoddard:

Welcome, Ann Marie! Murder at Castle Rock is your debut novel. Do you have another job outside of writing? 

I have two, actually. I work for an Internet software company in north Georgia that builds rewards club websites for radio, tv, and print media across North America, and I’m pretty convinced I have the best job at the company: I get to write music trivia and surveys and build contests and giveaways. The only downside is that I can’t ever win anything!
Getting to research and write trivia about music that I love every day makes up for it, though!


Also, I recently embarked on a new adventure--I've partnered with my book designer, Tiffani Hollis, to start Ampersand H. Book Design and Marketing. I love meeting and helping other self-published authors—-there’s such a tremendous amount of talent out there and so many great books being written every day. Getting those books in the hands of readers (including me, I love to read!) is so rewarding.

How did you create the plot for this book?

Well, I’ve always been a mystery lover, but I’ve rarely read one that’s centered around the music industry. I have a background working in radio and the music industry, so I got the idea to write a mystery set in a concert venue. Once I started writing, the plot just sort of came to me as I went. It just felt natural.

Do you outline, write by the seat of your pants, or let your characters tell you what to write?

It depends on the project, but for the most part, a mix of all the above. With Murder At Castle Rock, I started without an outline, but while I never officially wrote one, I did make little notes as I went along for scene ideas and changes to the plot. Confession:  The killer in the book changed from when I first got the idea. The more I wrote about that particular character, the less he or she felt like the guilty party. The unplanned scenes I wrote with the character ultimately changed my mind. The funny thing is that when I went back to the beginning chapters for re-writes, I had subconsciously already placed a few clues pointing in the direction of someone else. It was as if the characters in the book knew their roles and gave me a gentle nudge in the right direction.

I swear that happened with my second GPJ book! It's so cool when the characters take over. What about your cover art? Did you have any say in it?

I was able to select my cover art, and I won the cover artist lottery with Tiffani Hollis.  She listened to my ideas for a design that was a little more rock n’ roll than your typical mystery cover, and I was so thrilled with the design she came up with! The color scheme is so me, and I love the skull and cross guitars. (Forgive me for the shameless plug!) Tiffani is a talented artist and partnering with her to start Ampersand H. has been a really exciting opportunity.

What books have you read more than once or want to read again?

Ooh! Quite a few-—there are just some books that need to be relived over and over Still Life With Woodpecker by Tom Robbins, definitely. Also any of the Harry Potter books, And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie, the Sookie Stackhouse and Harper Connelly novels from Charlaine Harris. Any collection of short stories that Stephen King has every published. This list goes on and on!

When you start a new book, do you know what the entire cast will be? 

Definitely not. I have an idea about the few main characters for the central part of the story, but other characters pop into existence the more I write. I let most of them stick around, as long as they promise to behave. (Of course, some of them don’t always keep that promise, which is where the stories get interesting!)

Which character did you most enjoy writing? 

There is a definitely a tie, between Bobby Glitter and Bronwyn Sinclair. Bobby is a bumbling, aging rocker, and Bronwyn is a spunky, fearless teenager who’s not afraid to speak her mind. 

Who are your favorite authors?

Agatha Christie and Stephen King have always been favorites, but lately I’ve read a lot of Madelyn Alt, Charlaine Harris, and Victoria Laurie.


Name one thing you couldn’t live without.

Korean BBQ tacos! (Do they count as one thing?)

Your last meal would be...

Death by chocolate! After some Korean BBQ tacos.

Would you rather work in a library or a bookstore?

A bookstore—-most of them have cafes inside nowadays, and the second thing I couldn’t live without (besides those delicious Korean tacos) is coffee!

What three books have you read recently and would recommend?

1) Heavy Mental by P.J. Morse. It’s another rock n’ roll mystery and it’s fabulous! (Read P.J.'s A Blue Million Books feature here.)
2) Head Case by Jennifer Oko. It’s told from a very unique point of view, and it’s a real page turner!
3) Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison. It’s not so much a mystery as it is a paranormal/fantasy novel. It’s another one of those books that’s hard to put down.

If you could take a trip anywhere in the world, where would you go?

While I’m not a fan of the cold at all, I would really love to go somewhere up north and see the Northern Lights. They’re absolutely breathtaking. Either that, or some private beach in the Mediterranean.

What are you working on now?

I’ve got several projects going on right now: I’m currently writing the second book in the Amelia Grace series, and I’m also doing re-writes for the first and second book in another series I’d like to publish. I’ve been very busy!

Tess talks to Bronwyn Sinclair:

Note: For those of you who haven't read Murder & Mayhem in Goose Pimple Junction, Tess Tremaine is the main character. She likes to drop by now and then to talk to other authors' imaginary friends. For those who have read the book, may the sun shine upon you. For those who haven't yet read GPJ, I'll see you after class.

About the character:

Bronwyn Sinclair is the booking intern at Castle Rock, one of Atlanta’s hottest concert venues. Bron is nineteen, short and spunky with pink pixie cut hair and an attitude. Despite her devilish appearance, she’s Daddy’s little angel. Bronwyn has her police sergeant father wrapped around her finger—-and good thing, too, because she has to play him like a Gibson Electric to keep Castle Rock open when the owner, Parker Deering, is murdered on the night of a big show. Bronwyn becomes the unlikely sidekick to Amelia Grace as she tracks down Parker’s killer.

Bronwyn, how on earth did you first meet Ann Marie?

She just kind of barged in one day and started asking questions and looking over our shoulders while we were working. And on the same day that Parker was murdered, no less!  If I didn’t know any better, I’d think she killed him.

Did you ever think that your life would end up being in a book?

Well, I figured at the very least I’d have my own talk show or made-for-TV movie one day-—of course, in my scenario I get to be the lead role, not Ame. I think I did all right at graciously stepping out of the spotlight and settling into the sidekick role for this book...just this once. 

Absolutely. Tell us about your favorite scene in the book.

Any scene with me in it, duh! There should definitely be more scenes with me in them.  *cough* Anne Marie Stoddard, I’m talking to you! *cough*

And while I’m at it, would it be pushing my luck to ask for more scenes with Bryce?  Perhaps a kissing scene?  Pleeeeease!

Atta girl, you gotta take things into your own hands now and then. So you have a hard time convincing Ann Marie to write particular scenes for you?

Apparently. Did you happen to read any scenes where I got to kiss Bryce? Yeah, me neither. She should’ve skipped writing Laura Holly into the picture altogether and just put Bryce in the role of my super-hot bouncer boyfriend instead. Why do you think I work at Castle Rock --the money? The free concerts? (Okay, yes, that is a big reason, actually.) It’s mainly because of Bryce. Call me boy crazy if you must, but I get paid to stand outside and talk to a guy so smokin’ he could pass for Justin Timberlake’s more muscular older brother. What more could a girl ask for (besides a little lip action with that hot bouncer, at least)?

What do you like to do when you are not being actively read somewhere?

I like getting into a little mischief when I can. My dad, the Sarge, likes to bring work home with him, so from time to time I listen in on his conversations about his cases at work. That’s how I found out a lot of good intel for Ame when we were trying to get to the bottom of who killed Parker. Other than that, I like to hang around at Castle Rock when I’m not grounded from spying on the Sarge and sneaking off to help solve mysteries. I enjoy sitting in the box office and reading Cosmopolitan. (Hey, I’m nineteen! I can read women’s magazines if I want!)

I like listening to our local rock station, 95Rox, a lot too—-unless Tim Scott is on the air. That dude thinks he’s so cool just because he used to be a roadie with Led Zeppelin or some other classic rock band. Newsflash, Tim: you’re old. And you’re arrogant. I’d rather listen to 95Rox’s other DJ, Charlie Chill, any day.

If you could rewrite anything in your book, what would it be? (Besides moonin' and smoochin' with Bryce.)

Well, for starters, I’d be the star of the show, not Amelia. And Bryce would be with me instead of Laura, of course. 

Tell the truth. What do you think of your fellow characters?

I think Ame and Kat are pretty cool. You already know I’m crazy about Bryce. Laura—-not so much. Yeah, she’s nice and all, but I think she’s all wrong for Bryce (mainly because he’s so right for me, duh!). I think Bobby Glitter is just a washed up old hack with a guitar, and his manager, Shawn, gives me the creeps. I’m not a fan of Tim Scott either. And I swear, if Tony Spencer calls me ‘Half Pint’ one more time...

Well, Half Pint, what impression do you make on people when they first meet you? How about after they've known you for a while?

I think when people first meet me, they don’t see past my short spiky hair and eyeliner.  Or maybe it’s my constant scowling and dry humor that scares them off. Deep down I’m just an emotional teenager who’s “trying to grow up too fast,” according to Ame and my dad. I think I’m plenty grown up. Now if only I could convince our bartenders of that so they’d stop serving me cokes without the Jack in them..

.

What aspect of your author’s writing style do you like best?

I like that she tells the story of our ‘Little Venue that Could’ through the voice of one of our staff. Now if only she had told it from my point of view instead...

If your story were a movie, who would play you?

If Chloë Grace Moretz could rock a hot pink pixie cut, she’d be my first pick for sure.  Who wouldn’t want to be played by Hit Girl from “Kick-Ass”?!

Will you encourage your author to write a sequel?

You bet—-and I’ll be encouraging her to give me a little more face time with Bryce the next time around. Hey, a girl can dream, right?

Well...good luck with that.

Watch the book trailer!

Excerpt from Murder At Castle Rock:

Sighing heavily, I flipped around to lean my back against the door and stared out into the open courtyard. The vast green lawn stretched on for at least a quarter-mile and was enclosed by a grey ashlar wall that matched the structure of the castle. The wall was lined with alternating hickory and maple trees, each spaced about twenty feet apart. The trees were my favorite part of the courtyard, especially during the fall. During the spring and summer, their leaves made a solid wall of vibrant green, and in the winter the brittle, bare branches jutted in every direction like protective barbs to ward off those punk neighborhood kids who might dare to climb the wall and sneak in the back door for a free concert. It was in the fall, however, that the trees gave their most breathtaking display. As the red maple and orange hickory leaves danced in the wind they looked like a moat of fire hovering above the castle wall.  

        

Most of my co-workers took their breaks from work in Piedmont Park just a few blocks away, but not me—this courtyard was my own private park. I often took walks along its perimeter when I needed an escape from my constantly ringing office phone. Sometimes I’d pretend that this was my castle and courtyard, and I’d pace the length of the fence, mapping out in my mind the additions I would love to make. Lately I had been envisioning an outdoor stage along the wall, facing inward to the lawn. While our capacity in either High Court or the Dungeon was one thousand, we could easily fit up to two thousand or more concert-goers in this space. This would allow us to book bigger, better acts and maybe even double our business. I had been working up the nerve to pitch these concepts to Parker, and if all went well with Bobby Glitter Week, that success might be just the thing to butter him up before I approached him with my ideas.

       

Sometime later I could feel the bass and the roar of the crowd vibrate through the door as Bobby and his band returned to the stage upstairs for their encore. One show down, I thought, pulling a cigarette from my jacket. Two to go. I fished a lighter from the depths of my jean pocket, then lit my cig and took a long, slow drag. It felt good to finally have a few moments to myself, just me and my thoughts in this dark and peaceful courtyard.

I blew a smoke ring and tilted my face upward to watch its progress as it slowly drifted higher and higher into the night sky. Through the haze, a dark object appeared to be falling from the heavens—no, it was falling from the rear tower! What the..

.

Time screeched to a halt, and in an instant that felt like a lifetime, the shape of the dark, falling mass came into focus. It had arms and hands with open palms and splayed fingers. It had legs that were eerily limp even as they moved downward in a rapid free fall...and in the moonlight, I could just make out a head of thinning chestnut hair...         

Before I could react, Parker Deering’s body careened into the flat ground of the loading dock with a sickening splat, a mere fifteen feet from where I was standing. The horrible sound of bones crunching upon impact sent my lunch on a mad dash back up from my stomach.

         

I doubled over and retched.

         

Then I screamed.

From the author:

Aside from my friends and family, I'm passionate about two things: writing and live music. When I can bring the two together, my life feels complete. I was fortunate enough to win the 2012 AJC Decatur Book Festival & BookLogix Publishing Services, Inc. Writing Contest with my manuscript for Murder At Castle Rock. Being published has been a dream of mine since kindergarten, and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to share my stories. I am currently working on several other projects, including a sequel to Murder At Castle Rock and another mystery series.

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | 


Buy the book:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble: Coming soon! (Follow me on Facebook of Twitter for updates!)


   

Featured Author: Debbie Lampi

Debbie Lampi's mystery, Shadow Play, will be published on June 1 by North Star Press of St. Cloud, Inc. She's here today with an excerpt and to talk about books, her book, and writing in general.

About the book:

Psychiatrist Grace Rendeau struggles to make sense of her husband’s untimely death. Left a widow with two children, Grace forges a new life for her family, abandoning her private practice and moving to Minnesota to take on a prestigious position at the Rochester Forensic Center for the Criminally Insane, work that will allow her to spend more time with her children.

At the Center Grace is immersed in a maelstrom of lives in disarray, the anguish and struggle of the inmates to regain a footing in sanity and face the devastating consequences of their criminal actions. In striving to heal her patients, Grace herself finds healing, a new strength, and a sense of possibilities.

Among the possibilities is a budding romance with Alex Sawyer, a divorced doctor engaged in humanitarian work. Romance blossoms into love and Grace accompanies Alex on a medical mission to Indonesia. They return committed to a new life together.

But their joy is short lived. Grace returns home not to her children, but to an empty house – and a chilling kidnapper’s note. It makes no demands and holds out no hope for the return of the children. It is clearly an act of pure vengeance.

Suspects are legion: a disgruntled security guard at the center with a grudge against Grace; Alex’s bitter ex-wife; a recently escaped insane inmate. Enemies known and unknown haunt Grace’s every waking hour. Where are her children? What has happened to them? Who is attempting to destroy her?

Grace’s riveting story illuminates the hopes and fears of every wife or husband, mother or father, woman or man, caught in life’s turmoil and striving to overcome it.

Interview with Debbie Lampi:

Debbie, how did you come up with the title Shadow Play?

I, like, Grace Rendeau, my main character, traveled to Indonesia. In the book, Grace travels on a medical mission. I traveled there two years ago to visit my daughter in the Peace Corps. I had a wonderful experience and wanted to incorporate it into the novel. In the novel, Grace and Alex see and buy shadow puppets for Grace’s children. The Indonesian name for shadow puppet theater is: Wayang kulit, hence the name, Shadow Play.

Did you have any say in your cover art? What do you think of it?

Yes. I wanted a black and white matte cover vs. a colorful glossy cover. I thought it was more in keeping with the mysterious disappearance of Grace’s children. I found the shadowy image of a little boy in a tunnel, and thought it was perfect. Fortunately, my publisher thought so too.

What books have you read more than once or want to read again?

I have read To Kill a Mockingbird several times and love it more each time. I would like to read The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield again. It had a great surprise twist which unfortunately (or fortunately for me) I’ve forgotten what it was. It will be like reading it for the first time!

What’s your favorite line from a book? Have more than one?

This is a tough one but I’ll give you one. Okay two. The first is from On Love by Alain de Botton, and it’s about the narrator’s infatuation with the woman of his dreams. It’s a perfect description of the total infatuation/obsession one feels when newly in love: "....I felt ready to abandon self-absorption for the sake of total empathy, to follow Chloe into each of her possible selves, to catalogue everyone of her memories, to become a historian of her childhood, to learn of all her loves, fears, and hatreds - everything that could possibly have played itself out within her mind and body had suddenly grown fascinating..."

The second is from Marianne Williamson and was used by Nelson Mandela in his 1994 inaugural speech: "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our
 darkness, that frightens us most. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous?' Actually, who are you not to be?"


When you start a new book, do you know what the entire cast will be?

No. I usually have one or two characters in mind and the others slowly make their presence known. In Shadow Play, I had the main character, Grace Rendeau, M.D. in mind and then her children came along. After a time, her co-workers and patients appeared, and finally a love interest, former in-laws, and a psychic showed up at the party!

Cool. Are any of your characters inspired by real people? Who?

Not necessarily the characters, but I’m familiar with some of the situations as a mother. The day-to-day life of children, for example. I have four children and although they are grown now, I drew on memories of their early childhood in writing Dane’s character, and Caleigh’s to a lesser extent. (My daughters were thankfully not as problematic as Caleigh!) I’ve never been to a psychic but have always wanted to, so I had a lot of fun imagining what Dayna and a visit with a psychic would be like. And, my husband is a psychiatrist in the real life Federal Medical Center in Rochester, Minnesota, which the “Rochester Center for Forensic Psychiatry” is loosely based on.

Tell us about your favorite scene in the book.

One of the scenes in the book always makes me cry. Even now after I’ve read and revised it at least fifty times, it still brings tears to my eyes. I won’t tell you what it is because I don’t want to give away the book, but if you’re a parent, you will know it when you read it.

Who are your favorite authors?

That’s a tough question. Philip Roth, Joyce Carol Oates, Alain de Botton, Gillian Flynn, Tara French, Louse Erdrich, Jhumpa Lahiri and Mary Karr (to name a few).

What book are you currently reading and in what format (e-book/paperback/hardcover)?

In paperback, I’m reading Haunted Ground by Erin Hart and The Silence of the Loons, Thirteen Tales of Mystery by Minnesota’s Premier Crime Writers. In hardcover, it’s The Dark Rose by Erin Kelly. On Kindle, I’m reading The Roundhouse by Louse Erdrich and am excited to begin One Step Too Far by Tina Seskis. As the saying goes, so many books...so little time...

So true! Okay...you won the lottery. What’s the first thing you would buy?

Weekly massages or maybe I’d hire a personal masseuse!

I'm with you there. Is there anything in particular that you do to help the writing flow?

I walk! In the past two years, I’ve walked so much, I actually ended up with a stress fracture of one foot and plantar fasciitis of the other. For me, nothing beats walking on my favorite trail for clearing my mind. It’s sort of a moving meditation. Once my mind is free, plot points that have alluded me as I’ve sat at my desk, just seem to flow naturally into my head.

What’s one of your favorite quotes?

I love quotes about writing. Hemingway’s quote comes to mind first. “All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence that you know.”

Anne Lamott had many memorable quotes in Bird by Bird, especially: “E.L. Doctorow once said that "Writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can see only as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way."

Stephen King’s quotes from On Writing, A Memoir Of The Craft, encourage me as well. “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. There's no way around these two things that I'm aware of, no shortcut.”


All very good and very true. I'm adding them to my writing quotes page. What three books have you read recently and would recommend?

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, The Beet Queen by Louse Erdrich, and Lost Memory of Skin by Russell Banks. 

What are you working on now?

As with reading a number of books at a time, I also work on several projects a time. Right now, I’m revising a novel called Repercussions. It’s literary fiction and, as hard as it is to write mysteries - getting clues, motivation, plot, and dark characters to all fall in place - I am finding literary fiction even more difficult to write. I am also working on another Grace Rendeau mystery novel tentatively called An Unfortunate Death and a short mystery story set in Minnesota for a mystery anthology.

Thanks for having me, Amy!  You came up with some wonderfully thought-provoking questions.

My pleasure, Debbie. Please come back when your next book comes out!

Excerpt from Shadow Play

Prologue

Sometimes when it’s quiet, I remember what our lives were like before terror hovered over us like a funnel cloud. The abduction occurred on August 26, many years ago and a thousand miles away, a day that still haunts me like an unruly ghost.

My son was six years old then, my daughter thirteen. The events preceding the abduction have become as smudged as the glasses my son wore as a child, although the memories of the aftermath have never left me.

The months before the abduction were tumultuous. My husband had died of cancer and I grieved his loss. I left my private practice and went to work with inmates at the Rochester Forensic Center so that I might have more time with my children. I was a psychiatrist then.

I look at newspaper pictures taken of me soon after the abduction and do not recognize myself, so deeply are the lines of grief etched across my face. The Midwest had come to signify treachery and deceit and afterwards I moved to Rhinebeck, a small town nestled on the banks of the Hudson River and as far away as I could get from the memories. Unafraid, I sat on the riverbank and gazed at the water. It was along those riverbanks that I planned a new beginning. These are the events as they occurred.

Grace Rendeau


Chapter 1

Corrections Officer Bud Anderson fell into step with Grace halfway to the entrance. Bud Anderson was forty-three years old, over six feet tall, and as large and gray-headed as a buzzard with a military buzz cut. He fell into step beside her. “Morning, Doc. What a day, huh?”

Grace had heard through the prison grapevine that he was having marital problems. Word was that he had a core made of iron and a life mortgaged to the hilt. He also had a limb length discrepancy resulting from an injury during his service and wore an orthotic shoe with a lift. Even so, his gait was brisk and measured.

“So, how ‘ya doin’ Grace?” Anderson asked with a familiarity that set Grace on edge. He smiled. He had a space the size of a small stream through his front teeth.

Grace hadn’t had time that morning for anything but a slash of lip-gloss and a coat of brown mascara over her nearly invisible lashes. She pushed a long lock of coppery hair behind her ear, feeling as exposed under his scrutiny as if he’d unzipped her skirt and laid bare all her fears and insecurities. “It’s a beauty, Officer,” she said, her eyes drawn to the inmates.

“I wondered if you’d care to go out for lunch today?” 

Grace stared ahead and pretended not to notice the narrowing of his eyes. “Sorry, I’m busy. Maybe next time,” she said, her jaw set tight.

Bud gave her a brief, angry look. To Grace’s relief, they reached the security office before anymore could be said. She retrieved the heavy key ring, clipped it to her belt and fled to her office. Her keys jangled and her heels clicked along the cold tiled floor adding to the din in the halls. The smell of disinfectant hovered in the air. Grace unlocked her door and closed it to the chaos of the psychiatric unit. She leaned against her door, closed her eyes and for the first time that day, thought of Matt.

Before her husband’s death, she could not have imagined that her new patients would be a volatile mix of inmates incarcerated for everything from narcotics to murder. Many were living out sentences here; others had been deemed incompetent to stand trial, others had been transferred from prisons around the country for medical or psychiatric care.

Shortly after his death, Grace had gathered her remaining reserves of strength and moved to Rochester. Her new job in the forensic center was initially bearable only because she had evenings and weekends free for the children. During her days in private practice, Matt had often been both mother and father to the children but now she needed this seven thirty to five, mother’s hours job.

Beep beep beep...  Beep beep beep.... Her beeper vibrated at her hip.

“Paging Dr.Grace Rendeau. Dr. Rendeau please report to the dayroom in Psych West, stat.”
The sound of the nurse’s page echoed through the building.

Jarred into action by the page, Grace raced to the day room and then stopped stock-still to see two officers restraining her patient. Emanuel Venegas struggled, his muscles bulging underneath his olive shirt and blood splattering the walls like a Rorschach. Larry Reynolds, another inmate who had been escorted to the prison the previous day by U.S. Air Marshals, held an icepack to his face and cursed Emanuel. Aggression flowed like a geyser in the unit. Uniformed officers swarmed the dayroom like a scene from A Clockwork Orange.

“What happened?” She was still unaccustomed to the continual rage that spilled over on the unit. Grace’s heart beat like a caged bird in her chest.

Warren Hutchings, R.N., a balding, twelve-year veteran of the unit, the size of a minivan, stood in a wide-legged stance. “I gave 'em their meds and as soon as I turned my back, Emanuel punched him in the face. I heard the sound of cracking and turned to see blood spurting out of Reynolds’ nose. Then they were on the floor rolling, both of ‘em throwing punches.”

What a way to start the day. “Emanuel, I’m going to have to put you in the hole. You know the rules. Please escort Mr. Venegas to solitary,” Grace instructed Officer Anderson.

Bud was as firmly in command of the situation as a colonel in charge of an offensive. He clamped cuffs on Emanuel’s wrists. “Please escort him to security?” He stifled a laugh. “You’re barking up the wrong tree if you think that’s gonna work around here. Around here, we say, ‘throw him in the hole.’ You’ve gotta learn to toughen up if you wanna survive in this place, Doc.”

Grace despised the smugness with which he expressed his opinions. She pulled herself up to her full five feet eight inch height. “I’m as capable as anyone else of working here. I’m not going to dehumanize my patients on your advice, Officer.” So much for having my back, she thought, donning sterile gloves.  “Mr. Reynolds, are you okay? Let me take a look at your nose.”

Blood dripped from his nostrils and pooled on the floor. “I’m okay, Doc, just get me outta here. I don’t wanna be anywhere near that lunatic.” He spit a mouthful of blood onto the floor.

“I’m going to have to send you for x-rays. Mr. Hutchings, will you arrange for transport to the ER please?” I should probably say ‘Get him to the ER STAT’, Grace thought. “And get the hazard team to clean up.”

“Yeah, no problem.” Hutchings opened a wad of sterile bandages. “Hold these to your nose, man.”

Grace peeled off the gloves, washed her hands and went to the hole – a seclusion room devoid of everything but a sink, urinal and thin mattress on the floor. Emanuel rocked rhythmically in a corner of his cell, with his knees drawn into his chest and his arms clenched around his shins. Despair oozed from his pores. Thin morning light sifted in from the high barred windows and illuminated thick, wormy veins protruding from his hands. He reached his arms toward the window, apparently hallucinating.

About the author:

D.A. Lampi was born in Fishkill, New York and grew up in a community of Finnish immigrants with whom she danced the polka, attended a bi-weekly community sauna, and enjoyed skinny dipping afterwards in the  cold waters of the Fishkill Creek.

She attended New York University and The New School for Social Research where she earned her Master of Arts in psychology. Her favorite class in college? American Literature.
Ms. Lampi has worked as a psychiatric emergency room nurse, a mental health therapist, a second grade teacher, a yoga instructor and writer. She is a member of Mystery Writers of America and the Twin Cities Sisters in Crime.

After living in Puerto Rico for fifteen years and experiencing her share of hurricanes, Ms. Lampi now happily resides in Minnesota where she writes and takes long walks, weather permitting. Her first novel, Shadow Play, will be published by North Star Press on June 1, 2013.

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