#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Frances Aylor

I would like to welcome author, Frances Aylor to the blog this week for #ThisorThatThursday!

A few of your favorite things: Pictures of my family & friends, my travels, fun things I’ve done. These connect me with past and present and inspire me to plan interesting experiences for the future.

Things you need to throw out: Old textbooks. I keep thinking I’ll reread them some day to keep my mind sharp, but the odds of revisiting Latin or intermediate accounting or my Spanish-language version of Don Quixote are pretty slim.

Things you love about writing: Talking to book clubs, having them discuss my characters as real people and not just something I molded together from imagination and memories.

Things you hate about writing: Struggling to get my ideas on paper, working much too long to get a sentence, a paragraph or an image just right.

Favorite music or song: Anything by Jason Mraz. He’s from my hometown and sings upbeat songs about happiness and love. I especially like “Have It All.”

Music that drives you crazy: When rock song I’ve loved get turned into the background for TV commercials. They’re messing up good memories!

Something you’re really good at:  Music. I play the piano and organ and was even a church organist many years ago.

Something you’re really bad at: Singing. I can’t hit high notes anymore. I’m always singing an octave below everyone else.

Last best thing you ate: Salted caramel ice cream. Terrific mix of sweet and salty.

Last thing you regret eating: Escargot in a restaurant in a Mexican airport. I was trying to be adventurous. My stomach rebelled.

The last thing you ordered online: Dryer sheets. I now have enough to last ten years.

The last thing you regret buying: An online rug. It looked bright and crisp on the website, but was a muddy burgundy when I rolled it out in my den. Really heavy and awkward to roll back up and return.

Things you always put in your books: I like happy endings: for the good guys to win and the bad guys to receive justice.

Things you never put in your books: Excessive violence.

Favorite books (or genre): I love mysteries, suspense and thrillers. In the Woods by Tana French is a favorite. Books you wouldn’t buy:  Books that are too scary, violent or gory.

Things that make you happy: Being with my family, traveling to new places, meeting fun people.

Things that drive you crazy: People who are so focused on their own opinions that they won’t listen to other points of view.

Best thing you’ve ever done:  Marry my high-school sweetheart. He’s kind, supportive of all the crazy things I do, and even after all these years still tells me how much he loves me.

Biggest mistake: Investing in rental property. It seemed so easy when we read the book. We bought 3 houses and sold them within a year when collecting from tenants became too much of a hassle.

Most daring thing you’ve ever done:  Jumping off a 4,000 foot mountain in Switzerland to go paragliding.

Something you chickened out from doing: Scuba diving. The thought of being hundreds of feet underwater and getting nudged by a shark terrifies me.

 Let’s Be Social:

Website and blog: https://francesaylor.com/

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

Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/Frances-Aylor

About Frances:

Frances Aylor, CFA combines her investing experience and love of travel (she has visited over 30 countries) in her financial thrillers. Money Grab is her first novel. She has also written several short stories, including "The Girl in the Airport" in the Deadly Southern Charm anthology. She is a member of International Thriller Writers and is currently the president of Sisters in Crime - Central Virginia.

#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with K. L. Murphy

I’d like to welcome author, K. L. Murphy to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

A few of your favorite things: Summer, the beach, reading (I know that’s every author), tea, and wine!

Things you need to throw out: Clutter! Clutter! Clutter!

Things you need for your writing sessions: All I really need is my computer and time.

Hardest thing about being a writer: Making it the priority I would like to.
Easiest thing about being a writer: Doing something I love.

Things you never want to run out of: peanut butter, English muffins, tea, wine, BOOKS!

Things you wish you’d never bought: Fashion faux pas I will never wear.

Favorite smell: I love the smell of fresh herbs.
Something that makes you hold your nose: Too much perfume (any kind)

The last thing you ordered online: A book, of course!

The last thing you regret buying: A staple gun that wasn’t electric.

Things that make you happy: Being with family and friends. And an all-time favorite is reading a book on the beach with a cold glass of wine.
Most embarrassing moment: My first attempt at an Instastory had my children rolling on the floor laughing. Worse, they saved it so that it can be replayed for laughs on a regular basis. (It was really bad!)
Proudest moment: After my children, writing and publishing my Detective Cancini Mystery series. I’m also really proud of the my current work which is historical suspense.

The nicest thing a reader said to you: I love Cancini! Also, I can’t wait to read your next book (always a winner!).

The craziest thing a reader said to you: For your next book, you should write the story of my life…um, I write fiction????

 About K. L:

K.L. Murphy is a freelance writer and the author of the Detective Cancini Mystery Series: A GUILTY MIND, STAY OF EXECUTION, and THE LAST SIN. Her short story, BURN, is featured in the anthology DEADLY SOUTHERN CHARM. A member of International Thriller Writers, Sisters in Crime, James River Writers, and Historical Writers of America, she lives in Richmond, VA, with her husband, children, and two amazing dogs.

#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Samantha McGraw

I’d like to welcome author and blogger, Samantha McGraw, to the blog!

A few of your favorite things: Almost any kind of tea (I love to try new ones!), Chocolate (Everyday!!), Cats (Strays know I’m a cat lover and always find their way to my doorstep.)

Things you need to throw out: Many people would say I have too many notebooks, colored pens, and books, but I say those people are crazy! My closet could use a good decluttering though.

Things you need for your writing sessions: Good lighting, quiet, a cup of tea, and a few Hershey’s Kisses.

Things that hamper your writing: A cluttered desk or a long to-do list that’s cluttering my mind.

Things you never want to run out of: Chocolate and Tea.

Things you wish you’d never bought: I seem to have an addiction to various kitchen gadgets that have only been used once, or never been used at all.

Favorite foods: Did I mention that I like chocolate? Any kind of cheese would be at the top of this list too. And if you’re a chocolate and cheese lover too – try a grilled cheese with brie and Nutella. You’ll thank me later.

Things that make you want to gag: I never liked fish. The taste and the smell are not appealing to me.

Favorite smell: I love citrus smells and fruity flowers. Honeysuckle is one of my favorite scents, it reminds me of my childhood at my grandparent’s house. I have a honeysuckle candle on my desk that I often light when I’m writing.
Something that makes you hold your nose: Bleach. I suffer from migraines from time-to-time and this smell is a trigger so I avoid using bleach whenever possible.

Something you’re really good at: Baking. I love trying new recipes and experimenting with new ideas.
Something you’re really bad at: Crafty DIY projects. I’m one of those Pinterest-fail people!

Last best thing you ate: While I’m sure I’ve had something marvelous since, this question takes my memory back to a few months ago on a girl’s trip to Wilmington, NC. We were blessed with discovering some of the best restaurants in town. Fabulous grilled cheese sandwiches, tapas, crepes, and homemade breads. It’s a good thing I don’t eat like that too often!
Last thing you regret eating: My husband offered me a bite of his dish when we were at a Chinese restaurant. I asked if it was spicy and he assured me it wasn’t. He lied!

 Things to say to an author: Your story is a fabulous escape for me! I loved taking a trip into the world you created.
Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: Your work reminds me of ______’s work, but their stories are a little better.

 Favorite places you’ve been: Wilmington, NC, San Antonio, TX, Napa Valley, CA New York City
Places you never want to go to again: The Jersey Shore. It’s a lovely place to visit, but there are A LOT of bridges to cross in order to get there. Bridges are not my thing!

Favorite books (or genre): Mysteries, of course, and Thrillers, but those are also kind of mysterious. I occasionally enjoy Women’s Fiction too.
Books you wouldn’t buy: I’m not a big fan of history or autobiographies unless it’s someone I really admire.

The coolest person you’ve ever met: Hmm, there are a few. The coolest writers I’ve met are Sue Grafton and David Baldacci. I’m a big fan of both so that was pretty awesome. In a previous life, I was an event planner in Washington, D.C. and planned events that were attended by President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore. I also planned a holiday party for Adrian Cronauer (of the Good Morning, Vietnam fame).

The celebrity who didn’t look like he/she did in pictures/video: I once met Steve Guttenberg and Quincy Jones at an inauguration party and didn’t recognize either one.

About Samantha:

Samantha McGraw has a love of mysteries and afternoon tea. Her short story, “Deadly Devonshire,” can be found in the Deadly Southern Charm Anthology. She lives in Richmond with her husband and very spoiled fur baby.  

Freelance Writer

Blogger on the award-winning Tea Cottage Mysteries

Contributing Author to Deadly Southern Charm

Contributor at Huffington Post

Let’s Be Social:

Blog: http://www.teacottagemysteries.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/teacottagemysteries 

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/teacottagemysteries

#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Kristin Kisska

I’d like to welcome author, Kristin Kisska, to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

A few of your favorite things: I am a beach girl at heart. I love cats, bookstores, coffee, spring flowers, and Chanel No. 19 perfume.

Things you need to throw out: My college textbooks. Someday I’ll get around to organizing my attic.  Maybe in a decade or two.

Things you need for your writing sessions: Complete quiet. No music. Oh, and I need coffee, too.

Things that hamper your writing: Humans breathing near my writer’s cave. I also have a pesky habit of checking Twitter when my creative wave runs dry.

Things you love about writing: Riding a wave of creativity. Every once in a while, one of my characters will do or say something I hadn’t plotted, and it’ll change the course of my story.  I love being surprised, even if it means I have more work to do!

Things you hate about writing: Every time I type the words “The End.” It’s a tease. I can celebrate for completing the first draft, but the next step in the process is to revise the story again. And again. And again.

 Hardest thing about being a writer: Staring at a blank page wondering how to start a story. That first sentence pulls a lot of weight and can be crazy-intimidating. Also, I harbor an inner fear that someday I’ll run out of story ideas, so I keep a running list of random concepts as they pop into my head.

Easiest thing about being a writer: Spending time in a fictional world that I’ve created, with characters I love. The feeling doesn’t get old!

 Things you never want to run out of: Highlighters in all colors. I’m a huge fan of the “rainbow editing” technique, so I use them to help me revise my stories. Unfortunately, they tend to run dry faster than I like, so I stock up whenever I see them on sale. Back to school shopping season is a good thing!

Things you wish you’d never bought: Pens. I placed a large order of purple-ink pens to hand out at my book signing events. The first batch I received had black ink. I contacted the manufacturer and offered to return them in exchange for the correct color, but they told me to keep the bad order and sent me the new ones. Now I have hundreds and hundreds of pens.

Favorite music or song: I’m a big 90s music fan, so I’m waiting for the 80s craze to fade out. One of my favorite songs from the era is “Hey Jealousy” by the Gin Blossoms.

Music that drives you crazy: Rap music.

 Favorite beverage: Coffee (I take mine with cream, no sugar)
Something that gives you a sour face: Sweet tea.  I enjoy iced tea, but if it’s sweet, I go running the other direction. By admitting this publicly, I risk getting evicted from Virginia. 

 Things to say to an author: “I loved your story, especially the twist at the end.”
Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: “When is the action going to start?”

 Favorite places you’ve been: Savannah, Georgia. Destin, Florida. Prague, Czech Republic. Venice, Italy. Exuma, Bahamas. Sydney, Australia. Bali, Indonesia. (in no particular order)
Places you never want to go to again: Charleston, West Virginia.

 Favorite books (or genre): I love domestic suspense, especially if it’s Southern fiction. Right now, I’m reading WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING. I also love anything written by Mary Kubica.
Books you wouldn’t buy: Science fiction. While I enjoy watching it in the movies, reading it doesn’t interest me.

 Most daring thing you’ve ever done: In my 20s, I bought a one-way ticket to Prague. I didn’t speak the language, and my parents tried to talk me out of going, but I found a job and an apartment and lived there for three years.

Something you chickened out from doing: Sky diving. Never will I ever.

About Kristin:

Kristin Kisska used to be a finance geek, complete with MBA and Wall Street pedigree, but now she is a self-proclaimed fictionista. Kristin contributed short stories of mystery and suspense to seven anthologies, including DEADLY SOUTHERN CHARM (2019). She is a member of International Thriller Writers, Vice President of Sisters in Crime-Central Virginia, and James River Writers. When not writing, she can be found on her website~ KristinKisska.com, on Facebook at KristinKisskaAuthor, and Tweeting @KKMHOO. Kristin lives in Virginia with her husband and three children.

Let’s Be Social:

Website - www.KristinKisska.com

Twitter -  @KKMHOO    

Facebook -  KristinKisskaAuthor

Writing Advice from the DEADLY SOUTHERN CHARM Authors

I’m very excited to be a part of DEADLY SOUTHERN CHARM anthology, and I’m thrilled to have my writer friends as guests on the blog to share their advice on writing and book marketing.

What is the one thing about the writing life that you didn’t know until you were published?

 Mollie: I didn’t realize that you don’t make much money. Of course, I didn’t start writing to make money. I absolutely LOVE what I do. And the further I get into my career, the more I see that loving it the ONLY reason to do it. If you don’t love the thrill of a perfect sentence, or the way a story moves you, you won’t find the business gratifying.

 Heather: I didn’t realize how much marketing was involved with the book business. It takes a great deal of time to promote your work. You need to balance your writing tasks with your promotional ones.

 Lynn:  I didn’t realize that the moment I turned it into my publisher it wasn’t MY book anymore. It was OUR book. People kept messing with my book. Now, they were all good things and comments, but I didn’t know how collaborative book publishing really is. Even for my self- published books. Best advice? Make sure you agree with and trust the people working with you.

 Kristin: Authors write their first draft for themselves, but revise-revise-revise for their readers.

 Maggie: There’s a lot to do in the way of marketing, promotion, etc. My advice is to know your personal goals for your work: is it money (good luck!), love of writing, posterity? Perhaps publishing a book is a bucket list item, and multi-publishing isn’t your goal. It’s great to share inspiration and support with fellow authors, but avoid the keeping up the Joneses syndrome.

 Genilee: How important it is to force yourself to set aside time every day to write and how hard marketing a book can be in today’s complicated world of publishing.

 J.A.: How much work is involved that doesn’t involve writing. Marketing is a big part of the job and can be very time consuming.

 How long did it take you to get your first work published (from creation to actual book)? What was your first published work?

 Mollie: For fiction, it was probably 6 months. I had already been a published nonfiction author for years and agent said if I wanted to write fiction, they’d love to see it. I’d been write fiction for years  and had an idea brewing, so I wrote the first draft of “Scrapbook of Secrets” during National Novel Writing Month and after several drafts, sent it on to my agent.

 Heather:  My first mystery was a short story, “Washed up” in Virginia is for Mysteries, a Sister in Crime anthology. It took about six months to write and polish. The book process probably took another eight months or so. My first mystery novel, Secret Lives and Private Eyes took me about five years to write and rewrite (and rewrite). When it was finally accepted for publication, it took another seven months to become a book.

 Lynn:  My first published work was a couple of essays I wrote and got published during the year of cancer (2007). A few years after that I wrote for the Trues market – short emotional stories with a twist. (I fell in Love with a Carney was my first credit with them.) Then in 2012, I got back a book that had been rejected by a large romance publisher after two years of back and forth consideration. I sent it to a soon to open digital first imprint. It sold in a week. In total, the process took from creation to sale, about three years. My first mystery sold the next year in a three-book deal to Kensington.

 Kristin: I’d been writing fiction for about 6 years before I had anything published.  My first published work was a short historical mystery, “The Sevens” which was selected from a blind pool of submissions to be included in Bouchercon’s anthology, MURDER UNDER THE OAKS.  From the first moment I typed a word to the release date was ten months.

 Maggie: “A Not So Genteel Murder,” a short story featured in the Virginia is for Mysteries anthology, was my first published work (2014). Writing and polishing the story took about six months, and the publishing process another six to eight months. Later in 2014, I published my first novel, Murder at the Book Group. That took me forever to write—ten years!—and another 18 months from contract signing to release day.    

 Genilee: It took my mother four months to write the first book (Twist of Fate) in our five-book The Fate Series. It then took me six months to rewrite, edit and find a publisher. It took the publisher about four months to get it in print and formatted as an ebook.

 J.A.: My first published story was, Bikes, Books and Berries. It was part of the Virginia is for Mysteries Vol II mystery anthology. It took about six months to write and rewrite before submission.

 Plotter (one who plans or plots out every detail of the writing process) or Pantser (one who writes by the seat of his/her pants)?

 Mollie: Definitely a pantser—which I why the synopsis is so hard for me. I like the idea of a story unfolding organically and, in truth, it’s made some of the best stories in my career.

 Heather: I’m a combination of the two. I start out as a detailed plotter. I even bought a huge whiteboard for my writing room. And then I write. The story and the characters always go where they want to do.

 Lynn:  I’m definitely a pantser. I do an outline chart with all the chapters listed to keep my timelines straight. It also helps me keep my chapters about even. And I break out the story structure on that. Red Herring #1, Red Herring #2, Big Black Moment, Happy Ever After... It gives me something to write toward, but the story and character take over.

 Kristin: I’m a relaxed plotter.  I can’t start writing a story (novel or short) until I know the final scene or the twist.  I’ve stopped creating outlines, though.  Now I just jot down the major scene points and let my characters take the scenic route from stop to stop. I love when they surprise me!

 Maggie: Like Heather, I’m a plotser (combo of plotter and pantser). I have a general outline, but I “listen” to the characters as I write. They have their own ideas.

 Genilee: I think we’ve created a new term: plotser! I sit down to write with no particular direction in mind, but I’m outlining and redoing everything as I go to make it all make sense and flow.

 J.A.: Short stories I usually panster. Novels I’m a plotter. I like outlines, and I need them to make sure I don’t skip any necessary details.

 What is the easiest part of the writing process for you?

 Mollie: Coming with ideas is very easy. Making them work, not so easy.

 Heather: I love to write. I just tend to get bogged down in the editing and rewrites.

 Lynn:  There’s supposed to be an easy part? I worry that I’m taking too long to write. I worry that I’m too fast. I worry I didn’t do enough to launch the book... it goes on and on. The best part for me is the planning or scheduling. What am I writing this month, promotions, edits, releasing or travel, it all goes in a word document as well as on my on-line calendar. I love planning and can get lost in the process without writing if I’m not careful.

 Kristin: I love drafting.  I don’t let myself edit as I write my way through the first draft, so I feel like I’m merely transcribing a movie that’s scrolling in my mind. That said, all the magic happens in the revising stage.

 Maggie: Idea generation. I love the ideas I come up with on my daily walks. Developing them on the page? Not so easy.

 Genilee: Putting words together the right way. I do it for a living through different channels (magazines, newsletters and articles).

 J.A.:  I enjoy writing dialogue. If a scene is working the dialogue comes easy. When the dialogue is off, I know I need to rewrite.

 What advice do you have for a new writer?

 Mollie: Be patient with yourself. Learn the craft. Practice. Take classes. Write and rewrite. I don’t care how good your agent is or how much money you have to promote something—it’s your writing that will ultimately set you apart.

 Heather: Be persistent. If you want to be published, keep at it. Keep writing. Keep learning. Writing is a business.

 Lynn:  Writing is a business is a big one for me. Since I started with smaller publishers, I was around a lot of writers who were dabbling in the business without committing. You have to commit. You don’t have to write. It’s like giving yourself homework every night. But don’t tell me you WANT to be an author. Write or don’t, there is no try to paraphrase Yoda. And don’t get lost in the internet talk about the latest scandal (because there’s always a new one.) If it doesn’t affect your career, don’t let it steal your writing time.

 Kristin: There’s only one rule for writers: Keep your butt in the chair. Progress, even just a few paragraphs at a time, is still progress. 

 Maggie: Carve out time for writing every day (or most days), even if it’s just fifteen minutes. Use a notebook or recording method to keep track of ideas, to-do items, etc. Find systems that work for you. Read the best writers in your genre. Bottom line: write.

 Genilee: Don’t go into this field thinking you’ll be rich and famous. Do it because you love writing. It’s extremely rewarding to get published, but getting to point of making money is a constant process that takes many years (unless you are lucky of course!).

 J.A.: Social media is a time killer. You need an online presence if you want to be a commercial writer, but it’s easy to fall down the rabbit hole. A few minutes turns into several wasted hours that could have been spent writing. The same for research. Use both with restraint.

Many thanks to Mollie Cox Bryan, Lynn Cahoon, Kristin Kisska, Maggie King, Genilee Swope Parente, and JA Chalkley for the interview!

AUTHORS

Mollie Cox Bryan is the author of cookbooks, articles, essays, poetry, and fiction.  An Agatha Award nominee, she lives in Central Virginia.  www.molliecoxbryan.com

 Lynn Cahoon is the NYT and USA Today author of the best-selling Tourist Trap, Cat Latimer and Farm-to-Fork mystery series. www.lynncahoon.com

 J. A. Chalkley is a native Virginian. She is a writer, retired public safety communications officer, and a member of Sisters in Crime.

 Maggie King penned the Hazel Rose Book Group mysteries. Her short stories appear in the Virginia is for Mysteries and 50 Shades of Cabernet anthologies. www.maggieking.com

 Kristin Kisska is a member of International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime, and programs chair of the Sisters in Crime – Central Virginia chapter. www.kristinkisska.com

 Genilee Swope Parente has written the romantic mystery The Fate Series with her mother F. Sharon Swope. The two also have several collections of short stories. www.swopeparente.com

 Heather Weidner is the author of the Delanie Fitzgerald Mysteries.  She has short stories in the Virginia is for Mysteries series, 50 SHADES OF CABERNET and TO FETCH A THIEF.  She lives in Central Virginia with her husband and Jack Russell terriers.  www.heatherweidner.com

BOOK LINKS

Wildside

Wildside eBook

Amazon