I’d like to welcome mystery author, Maggie King, to the blog for this week’s #ThisorThatThursday interview.

A few of your favorite things: my cats, Olive and Morris; writing and reading mysteries; movies; concerts; travel; walking on the beach;

Things you need to throw out: I’m looking for a good home for the greeting cards I’ve received over the years. They’re too lovely to throw out and I’m sure that someone, somewhere, can use them in a craft project.

Things you need for your writing sessions: laptop, pen, paper … and QUIET!

Things that hamper your writing: noise, social media, email, and my own need to find excuses for not writing

Things you love about writing: coming up with an idea and seeing it come alive on paper/screen; meeting readers and other writers

Things you hate about writing: coming up with an idea that doesn’t quite work!

Things you never want to run out of: coffee and TIME

Things you wish you’d never bought: those recliners with the nubby fabric that draws cats and their claws like a magnet. What were we thinking?

Favorite foods: anything Italian, pistachio gelato, Greek yogurt, lobster, cheese, fruit. And, it goes without saying, chocolate!

Things that make you want to gag: pickled herring, tough meat that’s hard to chew.

Favorite music or song: 60s-80s pop/rock; classical; Big Band - And I love the songs my talented husband writes.

Music that drives you crazy: Rap. I’ve heard some that’s somewhat melodic, but most sounds strident and unintelligible. To quote Frankie Valli: “How can you make love to rap?”

Favorite beverage: coffee, sparkling water, and hot cider with cinnamon (this I drink year round, regardless of the temperature)
Something that gives you a sour face: buttermilk

Something you’re really good at: Computers. I worked as a software developer for many years. Later I designed websites and taught people how to use the Internet and Microsoft products.

Something you’re really bad at: swimming---just never quite got it.

Things you always put in your books: puzzles, surprises, references to other books.
Things you never put in your books: Pedophiles, random killings, animal killings. I probably wouldn’t have a psychopath, but the right one could be interesting.

Things to say to an author: I just loved your books! They keep me up all night!Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book:

New acquaintance: It’s nice to meet you, Maggie. What do you do?

Me: I’m a mystery writer.

NA: Really? I just love Elizabeth George.

Me: Yes, she’s brilliant.

NA: Gotta go. Nice meeting you.

Favorite places you’ve been: Costa Rica, Croatia, Spain, Greece, New Orleans, Santa Fe, and Yosemite are just a few.

Places you never want to go to again: In Istanbul (a very interesting city), Glen and I got lost and ended up in a not-so-wonderful section with a menacing atmosphere. Shades of Hitchcock. But prices were much lower than in the tourist areas.

People you’d like to invite to dinner (living): Jimmy Carter, Mary Higgins Clark, John Kasich, Sharon Lawrence, and Oprah. It would have to be an interesting conversation.
People you’d cancel dinner on: Hmm. I’ll pass on this one

Murder at the Book Group Front Cover.JPG

About Maggie:

Maggie King is the author of the Hazel Rose Book Group mysteries, including Murder at the Book Group and Murder at the Moonshine Inn. Her short stories appear in Deadly Southern Charm, Virginia is for Mysteries (Vols. 1&2), and 50 Shades of Cabernet.

Maggie is a member of Sisters in Crime, James River Writers, and the American Association of University Women. She has worked as a software developer, retail sales manager, and customer service supervisor. Maggie graduated from Elizabeth Seton College and earned a B.S. degree in Business Administration from Rochester Institute of Technology. She has called New Jersey, Massachusetts, and California home. These days she lives in Richmond, Virginia with her husband, Glen, and cats, Morris and Olive.

Website: http://www.maggieking.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MaggieKingAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaggieKingAuthr

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authormaggieking

Amazon author page: http://amzn.to/2Bj4uIL