FEATURED AUTHOR: MARIS SOULE

ABOUT THE BOOK

Most people in the town of Rivershore, Michigan view Mary Harrington as a quiet widow whose only oddity is she spends a lot of time at the gym. Her son thinks it’s time for her to move into a retirement home. Two gang members think she’ll be an easy target. No one in Rivershore knows what Mary did in her younger years —really did— but the two gang members discover they’ve underestimated their victim, and Mary fears reverting to old habits may have jeopardized her future.

INTERVIEW WITH MARIS SOULE

Maris, how long have you been writing, and how did you start?
I started writing in 1980. I like happy or satisfying endings, and even though, up to that time, I hadn’t been reading romances, I soon discovered that was the genre my stories fit. I also, realized, over time, that solving mysteries provided a satisfying ending, and since I enjoy reading mysteries and suspense novels, my romances began to veer toward romantic suspense and finally I decided to go to straight mystery with just a touch of romance.

What do you like best about writing? What’s your least favorite thing?
I love it when a story begins to come together. That’s usually around the 4th or 5th edit. My least favorite thing is the blank page; i.e., having to come up with the right words. I keep telling myself to remember Anne Lamott’s saying -- Sh#$ty First Draft -- but sometimes it’s difficult to get those words out of my head and onto paper. (I also hate marketing, but I don’t consider that to be writing.)

What books have you read more than once or want to read again?
Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mocking Bird; The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd; all of Walter Farley’s Black Stallion books and Dick Frances’s books. (Okay, I’ll admit it, I love horses.)

What do you do to market your book?
This year I have been actively marketing A Killer Past and another mystery I have out, Eat Crow and Die. I’ve been a guest blogger (thank you for allowing me to visit your site); I’ve asked for (and have received) reviews; I purchased an ad in Romantic Times and put an ad in our local boating newsletter; I put out my first newsletter; I put on a book launch party; I’ve been speaking at libraries, made Tray Cards I’ve given out, and was interviewed for our local newspaper. I think I’ve done more, but I can’t remember what right now.

When you start a new book, do you know what the entire cast will be?
Other than my main characters, when I start writing, I have no idea who’s going to be in a story. I usually don’t even know who the villain will be until I’m halfway (or more) into the story. I create characters who have a motive, and somewhere along in the writing, I realize, “Oh my gosh, you did it, didn’t you?”

Which character did you most enjoy writing?
Oh, that’s easy. I love Mary Harrington. I wouldn’t want her background, but I’d love to be fluent in many languages, be sophisticated and physically fit. I’d love to have her wit and poise. How fun to have a past that no one knows anything about; to have people think they know me but really don’t.

What would your main character say about you?
Mary would probably scold me for not going to the gym regularly; she’d tell me I wouldn’t have back pain if I’d strengthen my core muscles. She’d probably tell me I should switch to drinking tea, but after a couple glasses of wine (white for her, red for me), we’d probably discover we had quite a bit in common.

Are any of your characters inspired by real people?
Mary wasn’t inspired by real people but by Lara Croft and Nikita. My thoughts were: I wonder what they would be like in their 70s.

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?
Oh, I’m always wishing I’d thought fast enough to come back with a smart retort or brave enough to order someone off our property. I think that’s one reason I have a law enforcement figure in my mysteries. They have the authority to say and do what I never would. All of my main characters think faster than I do.

How do you handle criticism of your work?
It depends on when the criticism is applied. If I’m working on the book, trying to make it as good as I can, I love constructive criticism. I need others to point out things I’ve missed, over used, or wouldn’t fit the character. When my editor tells me something isn’t working, I’m usually ready to tell him to go jump (that’s when it’s good that I don’t always have a fast come back), but after a couple days of thinking about what he said, I usually agree; and finally when a reviewer (or any reader) slams a story I’ve written, it hurts. (Where’s that bottle of wine?)

Where’s home for you? 
I now live ¼ mile from Lake Michigan in southwest Michigan. I’m sitting here, looking out my window at sailboats and cruisers on the Black River. Spring, summer, and fall it’s paradise. In the winter, I’m in Florida, three miles from the Gulf of Mexico where I hunt for sharks’ teeth. It’s also paradise.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Walk my dog (I now have a miniature poodle. He’s quite a change from the Rhodesian Ridgeback I owned for 12 ½ years), I do yoga, go on the sailboat or dinghy with my husband, swim, and I’m active in several local organization.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on a stand-alone suspense that takes place in Skagway, Alaska. I like this story. I hope it’s published.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Maris Soule has been writing for over 30 years. Prior to switching to mysteries, Soule had 25 category romances published and is a two-time RITA finalist. In addition to A Killer Past, Soule has three published mysteries in her P.J. Benson Mystery series (The Crows, As the Crow Flies, and Eat Crow and Die).

Born and raised in California, Soule was working on a master’s degree at U.C. Santa Barbara when a redhead with blue eyes talked her into switching from a Masters to a Mrs. He also talked her into moving to Michigan, where over the years they’ve raised two children and a slew of animals. The two now spend their summers near Lake Michigan and their winters in Florida.


Connect with Maris:
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FEATURED AUTHOR: TONYA KAPPES

ABOUT THE BOOK

Bubble. . . Bubble . . .
Whispering Falls’ resident potion maker, June Heal, is the first witch in the magical village to make a big money deal with the Head To Toe Works, a national chain specializing in spa and natural products.

Cures and Trouble . . .
June is going to need to use her own stress relief potion she made especially for Head To Toe Works after she discovers the dead body of Burt Rossen, the co-owner of Head To Toe Works, on the belt of the assembly line of her stress free lotion product.

Magic Stirs . . .
A new baby is born in Whispering Falls and giving Oscar Park, June’s fiancé and Whispering Falls’ sheriff, the itch to get a wedding date set and gives June an ultimatum.

And Trouble Doubles . . .
June is forced to use her witchy ways to figure out who stole her secret potion after it turns up missing. Rumors are flying around like broomsticks that June is a witch and used a spell to murder Mr. Rossen. Someone wants her out of Head To Toe Works, but who? Will the killer get to June before she can walk down the aisle?

INTERVIEW WITH TONYA KAPPES

Who are you?
I think most people would describe me as loyal and with a big heart. I’m an animal lover of all creatures down to insects. I believe anyone has the capability to do anything they want with hard work behind it.

Do you have a routine for writing?
I do! I get up at 5:30 every morning and do all my business stuff and drink a LOT of coffee. I also knock out some social media too. By 7 a.m. I’m writing. I write until around 10 a.m. because my dogs are bugging me to go for a walk. Rain or shine, snow or sleet, we walk for 30 minutes. When I get home, I start writing again on and off until my kiddos or husband get home from work. I make sure I have my family time. I usually write about 5k words a day. NOT all great words, but words!

Where and when do you prefer to do your writing? I have a lovely office with a great window and amazing desk . . . but I don’t really like to write in there. Most mornings you can find me out by my pool or on our deck. I also like to write in the kitchen . . . go figure -- that’s where the food is!

What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received about your writing?
"The freshest voice in Cozy Mystery genre" from Books and Company book store.

What’s the worst thing someone has said about your writing? That my mysteries are fluffy. It was meant to be an insult, but I turned it around. I told them that my mysteries are fluffy and my main goal is to make the reader smile, laugh and add a little mystery to their crazy busy day. And that I’ve never claimed they were anything other than that.

If you had $100 a week to spend on yourself, what would you buy?
A lottery ticket so I could double it!


What’s the dumbest purchase you’ve ever made?
A flowbee! It’s a little vacuum hair tool that cuts hair perfectly . . . I have four boys and thought I could use it on them. One time, I rushed him to the salon to fix the mess I had made.


Besides not using a flowbee on your sons' hair, what’s the most valuable thing you’ve learned?
LOYALTY and who deserves it.

How did you meet your husband?
I was a director of a private school and his son went there. We met over a student/student altercation. Definitely NOT love at first site! I was about to kick his son (my now step-son) out of the private school. This makes me giggle!

What are your most cherished mementoes?
Everything I receive from readers. It ranges from emails to cat collars for Kitty Kappes. I adore and keep each one of them!

What brings you sheer delight?
I get so happy and giddy when I hear from a reader telling me how my books made them smile or laugh. I also love when they tell me that I help them escape from their everyday life.

What’s one of your favorite quotes?
"Thought become things . . . choose the good ones!" OR "The dream is free, the hustle is going to cost you."

What would you like people to say about you after you die?
The End . . . literally. Or she really made me laugh out loud.

Are you happy with your decision to self-publish?
YES! I’ve self-published twenty novels. I will never stop self-publishing. I was self-publishing when it was so uncool. I was even shunned by a writer’s group because of it. I never looked back. I won several awards, USA Today’s bestsellers list with two novels, and varies bestsellers lists. I will always self-publish even though I also traditionally publish.

HarperCollins is the publisher for your traditional novels. How did you find them and how long did your query process take?
I’m a hybrid author. I have an agent who is a bulldog. HarperCollins bought the book immediately, and the deal was done in a couple of weeks.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on a super secret project that has been requested. I’m pretty excited . . . but much MUCH different than what I’m doing now. Shhh . . .

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

For years, USA Today bestselling author Tonya Kappes has been self-publishing her numerous mystery and romance titles with unprecedented success. She is famous not only for her hilarious plotlines and quirky characters, but her tremendous marketing efforts that have earned her thousands of followers and a devoted street team of fans. HarperCollins and Witness Impulse is thrilled to be publishing this insanely talented and wildly successful author for the first in her hilarious and spooky Ghostly Southern series.

To sign up for Tonya's newsletter at Tonyakappes.com and receive a free ebook download and monthly book giveaways!

Website  |  Blog  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads  |  Amazon

FEATURED AUTHOR: ELLEN MANSOOR COLLIER

ABOUT THE BOOK

In 1920s Galveston, society reporter Jazz Cross is in for a surprise when she attends a traveling vaudeville show with her beau, Prohibition Agent James Burton, and discovers that an old flame acts in the production. That night, they find a stabbing victim behind the Oasis — her half-brother Sammy’s speakeasy — who’s identified as an actor in the troupe. When the victim disappears and later turns up dead, Jazz must help prove that Sammy wasn’t the killer. After a second vaudeville actor is found dead, Jazz discovers that the events behind the scenes are much more interesting than the outdated acts onstage.

To make matters worse, Sammy’s old nemesis demands that he settles a score and forces him into yet another illegal scheme involving the troupe’s money-making ventures. Can Jazz help solve the murders and prove her brother’s innocence—so he can escape the Downtown Gang for good?

A historical Jazz Age mystery inspired by real-life Galveston gangs and local landmarks.

EXCERPT FROM VAMPS, VILLAINS AND VAUDEVILLE 

Book #4 in the Jazz Age mystery series

While the band geared up for some Cole Porter tunes, I studied the crowd, mostly moneyed older couples, no doubt vacationers who’d escaped the cold north climates. Galveston never failed to attract a brisk tourist trade, even during off-season. Personally, I preferred the empty beaches and cool winter weather. To me, the gray skies and somber seascape seemed more mysterious, more romantic.

I snuggled next to Burton, enjoying the lively set. The musicians let loose, improvising on a few blues songs. The Negro saxophonist and trumpeter broke into Dixieland jazz, each playing solo for a few minutes. Burton gave me a satisfied smile, tapping his fingers on his knee in time to the music.  Interesting that a Yankee like Burton enjoyed Southern blues and jazz so much.

An hour later, the band leader announced a break and the musicians carefully placed their instruments in their cases. After they left, the band leader stood before the microphone and announced:  “For your entertainment, ladies and gentleman, a magician will perform an array of tricks. Please stay seated and enjoy the show.”

I whispered to Burton, “I wonder if he’s the same magician from the vaudeville show?”

“Possible, since he’s only on stage for ten minutes or so at most. He could be moonlighting on the side.” He shrugged. “But these jokers all look alike to me.”

During the break, I headed to the ladies room, and made small talk with a few matrons washing their hands and powdering their noses. My simple silk frock paled next to their beaded gowns, glitzy jewelry and sterling mesh bags.

“I didn’t think I’d enjoy jazz so much!” I heard one elderly lady in a glittering gown and long string of pearls say to a friend wearing a diamond and sapphire choker. “The music makes me want to do the fox trot! And the Charleston!”

“Absolutely. I feel so young and alive!” her friend exclaimed. “Positively giddy!”

I smiled at their excited expressions and returned to watch the magic act. The magician did a few card tricks with audience volunteers, then performed some sleight-of-hand numbers: the usual coins behind the ears, scarves pulled from his hat. Nothing as death-defying or dramatic as slicing a woman in half or making her disappear—difficult to do in a hotel lobby. This time, his pretty young assistant appeared merely decorous, flitting about the lobby, delicate hands highlighting his tricks—not as dramatic as his usual act with secret escape boxes and elaborate props.

“Must be the same old-hat vaudeville magician,” I whispered to Burton, who also seemed unimpressed...

The musicians returned, and I leaned back against the plush loveseat, trying to enjoy the jazz, but I was too rattled to concentrate. While the set wound down, a few couples began to head upstairs. By now, it was nine o’clock, probably past their bedtime.

After the performance, the audience gave the band a round of applause and some patrons added a few dollars to their tip jar. The musicians were packing up their instruments when the woman wearing the fancy choker burst into the lobby, her hands fluttering around her neck.

“Help!  I’ve been robbed!” she screeched. “Where’s the hotel manager? Somebody stole my jewels—right out of my room!”

A Jazz Age Mystery series

Bathing Beauties, Booze and Bullets now just $0.99 for July 16-17!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ellen Mansoor Collier is a Houston-based freelance writer and editor whose articles and essays have been published in several national magazines including: Family Circle, Modern Bride, First, Glamour, Biography, Cosmopolitan, Country Accents, Playgirl, etc. Several of her short stories have appeared in Woman's World.

A flapper at heart, she's the owner of MODERNEMILLIE, specializing in Deco to retro vintage items.

Formerly she's worked as a magazine editor and in advertising/marketing and public relations. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Magazine Journalism. Bathing Beauties, Booze and Bullets is the sequel to Flappers, Flasks And Foul Play, her first novel. Gold Diggers, Gamblers and Guns is the third book in the series.

"When you grow up in Houston, Galveston becomes like a second home. I had no idea this sleepy beach town had such a wild and colorful past, and I became fascinated by the legends and stories of the 1920s."

FEATURED AUTHOR: JOANNE PHILLIPS

ABOUT THE BOOK

Amateur sleuth Flora Lively is back to investigate another mystery, and this time the body count is rising . . . 

When Flora’s best friend returns to England with a Spanish film crew in tow, Flora is thrilled to land a job on set at a glamorous country house. But when a member of the crew is brutally murdered, and the priceless Infanta Tiara stolen, suspicion falls on everyone at Hanley Manor – including someone far too close to home. 

When an arrest is made, Flora is plunged deep into a puzzling mystery, with no idea who she can and cannot trust. Surrounded by suspicion and bitter rivalries, she must keep one eye over her shoulder at all times. Because the murderer is about to strike again . . .

INTERVIEW WITH JOANNE PHILLIPS

Joanne, what’s the story behind the title A Date With Death?
In A Date With Death, amateur sleuth Flora Lively gets embroiled in a mystery on the set of a Spanish film crew. The film they are making is called Una Cita Con La Muerte, which roughly translates as A Date With Death. When a member of the crew is murdered, Flora must investigate once again.

Tell us about your series. Is this book a standalone, or do readers need to read the series in order?
This is the second in the Flora Lively series of cozy mysteries, and the first is Murder at the Maples. Flora is a young woman who inherited the family removal business when her parents died. She struggles to keep it going, not least because she ends up getting too attached to her clients with all their various problems and disasters.

Where’s home for you?
I live in Shropshire, England, in a converted barn surrounded by fields of sheep and cows. It’s absolutely beautiful. The Flora Lively series is set in England and is often described as an English village mystery, although Flora gets to solve mysteries all over the Shropshire countryside.

Who are your favorite authors?
I love Edie Claire, Anne Tyler, Linda Gillard, and Anita Shreve. An eclectic mix, a bit like my writing!

What’s one pet peeve you have when you read?
Uncontrolled head-hopping, where the author just moves from viewpoint to viewpoint without seeming to understand why this weakens the story. Some writers can carry it off, but it needs to be done sparingly. One viewpoint at a time for me.

Agreed! Where and when do you prefer to do your writing?
Whenever my seven-year-old daughter lets me! I write whenever I can, sometimes all day, other times squeezing it in around family life. And I write in my home office (see below).

What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received about your writing?
That the characters seem like real people and stay with you long after you finish reading. That is exactly what I try to do.

What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to write?
I had to write a scene for my last book, Cupid’s Way, where an elderly lady who is about to be evicted from the house she’s lived in all her life explains why she doesn’t want to leave. Her son died in the house, many years ago when he was only three. It was such an emotional scene and hard for me to write because I’m a mum with a young child, and in order to really get the level of emotion right I had to tap into how this would make someone feel. Sometimes having a writer’s imagination is not a good thing.

What’s the worst thing someone has said about your writing?
The worst thing for me was the reaction by some readers to a storyline in my first women’s fiction novel, Can’t Live Without. This book is about a woman who loses everything in a house fire, and her teenage daughter is going off the rails, and she’s basically having a terrible time. The book deals with many kinds of issues, and one of these is that her daughter, who is nearly seventeen, falls pregnant. Now, this fact isn’t cheered on in the novel - it’s a really bad thing to happen, and the story explores how this kind of thing affects the lives of everyone connected to it. This theme clearly upset one particular reader, though, who said some nasty things about me for writing about it.

What would your dream office look like?
I already have my dream office - just having a home office is a dream! It’s painted white, and being inside a barn conversion has a lovely old beam in the roof. I have a white desk and a day bed, and I keep it as calm and clutter-free as possible. Bliss.

Why did you decide to self-publish?
I’d had interest from an agent, but this didn’t pan out - it was at the point where the Kindle was taking off in the UK, and I read about self-publishing authors and thought, why not? I’ve never looked back - self-publishing gives you so much freedom. Although I always make sure my books go through the same rigorous process they would with a publisher - editing, proofreading, professional cover design. I think it’s important to be professional.

What are you working on now?
Right now, this minute, I’m working on a women’s fiction novel called Keeping Sam, and after that I’ll be writing the next Flora Lively mystery: The Sign of Seven!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Joanne Phillips lives in rural Shropshire, England, with her husband and young daughter. She's the author of romantic comedies Can't Live Without, The Family Trap and Cupid’s Way, and the Flora Lively series of contemporary mysteries. Before becoming a writer, Joanne had jobs as diverse as hairdresser, air hostess, and librarian, but now divides her time between writing and finding creative ways to avoid housework. She's a fan of super-dark chocolate, iced coffee and Masterchef.

Connect with Joanne:
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FEATURED AUTHOR: K.S. THOMAS

Release Blitz: K.S. Thomas

FEATURED AUTHORS: ELIZABETH PERONA

ABOUT THE BOOK

When the septuagenarian women of the Summer Ridge Bridge Club gather in secret late one July night, their goal is to check #10 off Joy’s bucket list (#10 Go Skinny Dipping). But as Francine observes, the jittery members seem more obsessed with body issues and elaborate preparations than actually stripping down and getting in the pool. A pungent smell emanating from the pool shed leads them to open it and a dead body flops out, practically an answered prayer for Charlotte and her bucket list (#1 Solve a Murder Mystery). But before Charlotte and Francine can discover who really killed the dead man, they must negotiate neighborhood tours of the crime scene, press coverage of their skinny dipping, warnings from the Homeowner’s Association about keeping dead bodies, a disastrous appearance on Good Morning America, media offers sought by a hungry publicist, and a clever killer determined to frame the husband of one of their friends.

INTERVIEW WITH ELIZABETH PERONA
The father/daughter writing team of Tony Perona and Liz Dombrosky

Liz and Tony, where's home for both of you?
Liz: Home, for me, is in Warsaw, Indiana. We have a cute 100-year-old house (full of lots of projects) that I share with my husband, Tim, and our two kids.

Tony: Home, for me, is Plainfield, Indiana. My wife Debbie and I still live in the house we bought in 1982, the year after we were married. We’ve raised our two daughters here and built our life here. The house has seen an addition and a remodel, but we still live here and hope to continue to do so well into our retirement.

So from that answer, we now know that Liz grew up in Plainfield. Where did you grow up, Tony?
I grew up in Speedway, Indiana, about two blocks from the Indianapolis 500 track. Though I’m not a true racing fan, I do enjoy a lot of the fanfare and hoopla surrounding the 500. The first story about Francine and Charlotte, the two main characters of the Bucket List series, came about because I was asked to be part of an anthology in which all of the stories revolved around the race. The book was Racing Can Be Murder, and my story, “The Land Grab” takes place in a house across the street from the track. Charlotte and Francine find the body of Charlotte’s uncle in the house, and though the police think he died of natural causes, Charlotte believes he was murdered and proceeds to prove it. That became the genesis of this series, which I’m pleased to say Liz has become a part of.

What’s your favorite memory? 
Liz: My parents took us on family vacations most summers. These trips usually involved LOTS of time in the car, but we got to see many amazing landmarks all over the United States. My sister and I would complain and whine sometimes, but I’m really glad that we got to experience so many things. I hope that I can do that for my kids when they get older.


What do you love about where you live? 
Liz: I love the summer. Our town is full of lakes, parks, bike trails, and lots of things to do outside. Almost every weekend there is a festival to check out or a concert in the park to enjoy with friends.



What makes you happy? 
Liz: Spending time with my family. We moved about 3 hours away from where I grew up, and I look so forward to visiting them and having them come visit us.

Tony: I completely agree with Liz. This past Father’s Day both of my daughters and their families were able to come to our house and celebrate. It was truly a wonderful day!

What makes you scared? 
Liz: Still storms. I’ve been afraid of them since I was tiny. I remember sleeping on my parents’ floor because I was so scared, and I guess I thought it was safer in there than my room. Obviously I don’t do that anymore, but just this week we were under a tornado watch, and instead of sleeping (which is a hot commodity at our house with a newborn), I was trying to set up text alerts just incase anything rolled through during the night.

Elizabeth is a stay-at-home-mom (the hardest but most rewarding job in the world, if you ask me). Tony, do you have another job outside of writing?
Tony: I have had a variety of jobs outside of writing books. I was the Public Relations and Advertising Manager for a division of General Motors, a stay-at-home dad, and managed my own communications business, Tony Perona Writing. Currently I’m serving as the Interim Town Manager for the Town of Plainfield, Indiana. 

What brings you sheer delight? 
Liz: Watching my kids learn new things. Our littlest just started smiling this week, and I can’t get enough of it!

Those are precious times. What’s your favorite line from a book?  

Liz: “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better.  It’s not.” -Dr. Suess, The Lorax  (The elementary school teacher in me can’t resist Dr. Suess.)

Ditto! Are any of your characters inspired by real people? 
Tony: Francine is a lot like my mom, Frances. She died from cancer when Liz was only 4 years old. Writing in her voice is a real joy for me because I get to remember her again. She always saw the best in people, which is how Francine is able to cope with Charlotte’s wilder side. Charlotte is a lot like my Grandma Bonte, who was my mom’s mother. She was quite a character. She cheated at cards, for example. Playing euchre with her was hilarious. If she was partners with her sister, my great-Aunt Annie, there was a lot of table talk we couldn’t understand because they could both fluent in Slavish. They also had elaborate hand signals.

Do you have a routine for writing?
Tony: Because I work during the day — I serve in town government and have a lot of evening meetings as well — morning is the only reliable time I have for writing, so I get up between 5 and 5:15 most every morning to write. I also try to fit in time during the weekends to write.

As a new mother, I'm assuming Liz writes whenever and wherever she can! Tony, where and when do you prefer to do your writing?
Tony: If I didn’t have to work — and retirement is looking better and better - I love to write at Starbucks. Nothing works better for me than having a strong cup of coffee by my side and my Microsoft Surface in front of me and the bustle of busy people around me that forces me to block everything else out. I also enjoy writing at my local Panera Bread. Morning is always my best time to write. I feel like I’m at my best creatively.

What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to write?
Tony: This is going to sound odd to mystery readers, I think, but killing a character off is always tough. It’s less difficult if it’s a bad guy, but it’s never easy. I remember it took me two weeks to recover from killing off a character in my first novel, Second Advent, part of my Nick Bertetto mystery series. And I had tears in my eyes when I wrote a couple of chapters in Saintly Remains when Nick is dealing with the death of a pet.

You can be any fictional character for one day. Who would you be?
Liz: I’d be Hermione Granger. She’s such a strong female character, full of brains and wit. She’s a quick thinker, able to solve problems, and drops everything to help her friends. Not to mention, she’s a witch and gets to do all of the awesome stuff that comes along with that!

You’re published by Midnight Ink. How did you find them and how long did your query process take?
Tony: I want to mention this, because I want to give hope to writers who are trying to get published traditionally. When I was first trying to get published, I made a list of agents with another writer friend, and we developed a methodology for how we would send out five queries at a time and when we got three back we would send out another five. Although I would from time to time get a response from an agent asking for sample chapters, it took a year and a half before I got an agent to represent me, and I was down to #36 on my list. It took another year and a half before that agent placed the book with Five Star Publishing. The agent and I parted ways before I started this new series, and despite having been published before, it took three years of querying publishers and agents before Murder on the Bucket List landed at Midnight Ink. That happened without an agent, although a good friend provided the introduction to the editor at Midnight Ink.

And the all-important question: What are you working on now?
Tony: Liz and I are working on book #3 in the Bucket List series. We just finished up book #2 and sent it in to the publisher.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Elizabeth Perona is the father/daughter writing team of Tony Perona and Liz Dombrosky. Tony is the author of the Nick Bertetto mystery series, the standalone thriller The Final Mayan Prophecy (with Paul Skorich), and co-editor and contributor to the anthologies Racing Can Be Murder and Hoosier Hoops & Hijinks. Tony is a member of Mystery Writers of America and has served the organization as a member of the Board of Directors and as Treasurer. He is also a member of Sisters-in-Crime.

Liz Dombrosky graduated from Ball State University in the Honors College with a degree in teaching. She is currently a stay-at-home mom. Murder on the Bucket List is her first novel.

Connect with the authors:
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