#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

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Blog: http://www.teacottagemysteries.com

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#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.

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#ThisorThatThursday Interview with Author Amy Reade

I’d like to welcome author Amy Reade to the blog this week, and I’m so excited that I get to see her in person at the Suffolk Mystery Authors Festival this weekend!

Here’s Amy’s interview…

A few of your favorite things: Cheese, wine, and maple syrup.

Things you need to throw out: So. Much. Stuff…in my attic, from the antique child’s potty chair I planned to use as a planter to the eleven hundred charging cords that don’t match any electronics we have.

Things you need for your writing sessions: Either silence or instrumental music/ambient sounds, depending on what I’m writing.

Things that hamper your writing: Noise and being exhausted.

Hardest thing about being a writer: The soggy middle.
Easiest thing about being a writer: The beginning and the end.

Things you never want to run out of: Enthusiasm and books.

Things you wish you’d never bought: A Hawaiian blouse reminiscent of Carmen Miranda.

Favorite music or song: At the moment, Vintage Italia by Putumayo and the soundtrack to “Outlander.”

Music that drives you crazy: Rap and hip-hop.

Last best thing you ate: A cheese stick.
Last thing you regret eating: The carrot cake at a restaurant last night. They didn’t even use cream cheese frosting. Who does that??

Things you’d walk a mile for: My dog.

Things that make you want to run screaming from the room: Rap and hip-hop.

Things you always put in your books: Mystery.
Things you never put in your books: Sex.

 Things to say to an author: “We’d like to put your book on the big screen.”

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: “I don’t read genre fiction.”

Favorite places you’ve been: Scotland, Hawaii, and the Thousand Islands.
Places you never want to go to again: A rib joint in New York City where the waiter was drunk and ate our onion appetizer on the way to the table.

Favorite books (or genre): Mysteries
Books you wouldn’t buy: There are no books I would categorically not buy, but I will say this—I haven’t bought Marie Kondo’s book about sparking joy.

The nicest thing a reader said to you: “You write just like Victoria Holt.”

The craziest thing a reader said to you: “I killed someone and I think you and I should write a book about it.” This person showed up at my front door after finding my address in a local business’s client database (his wife worked for the business; we don’t use them anymore). This is why I have a big dog

About Amy:

Amy M. Reade is a recovering attorney who discovered, quite by accident, a passion for fiction writing. She has penned nine mysteries and is working on two more, plus a Cape May County historical mystery series. She writes in the Gothic, traditional, contemporary, and cozy mystery subgenres and looks forward to continuing the two series she has begun since December, 2018. She also loves to read, cook, and travel. 

She is the USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Secrets of Hallstead House, The Ghosts of Peppernell Manor, House of the Hanging Jade, the Malice series, the Juniper Junction Holiday Mystery series, and the Libraries of the World Mystery series.

Her most recent work is Dead, White, and Blue, Book Two in the Juniper Junction Holiday Mystery series.

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Website: www.amymreade.com

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Twitter: www.twitter.com/readeandwrite

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/amreade

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Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Amy-M.-Reade/e/B00LX6ASF2/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

Goodreads Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8189243.Amy_M_Reade

BookBub Page: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/amy-m-reade

#ThisorThatThursday: Welcome, Jayne Ormerod

I’d like to welcome Jayne Ormerod to the blog for my inaugural #ThisorThatThursday author interview. I gave the authors a series of questions in pairs and asked them to tell us about themselves.

A few of your favorite things: Almost all food and wine; a good book on a rainy day; a walk on the shore in any weather; and dogs. If I had a big enough yard, I would be that “crazy dog lady.”

Things you need to throw out: I have a lot of clothes I need to throw out, partly because I bought on-line and the sizing/quality was way off and it was too much of a hassle to return. My spice rack could do with a good cleaning out, too. I used one spice the other day that had a Use By date of 2001.

Things you need for your writing sessions: My laptop. I just can’t write the old-fashioned way. I edit as I go, which requires lots of deleting and moving of text.

Things that hamper your writing: My puppy laying his head on my laptop while I am writing. He is QUITE the snuggler, and my new laptop has a touch screen that is sensitive to dog noses and I’ve found stuff deleted.

Things you love about writing: Plotting!  I love to noodle up a good plot!

Things you hate about writing: The additional 62,000 words needed to flesh out the plot and turn in into a story! 

 Favorite music or song: Carolina Shag music!

Music that drives you crazy: Rap. I can’t understand the words and it always sounds so angry to me. Not relaxing.

 Favorite beverage: Diet coke and wine (not together of course!)
Something that gives you a sour face: Bad milk. (you’d think at my age I’d know better than to smell it after it’s expiration date!)

 Favorite smell: Coq au vin simmering in the oven. Mmm-mmm. Now that’s good eating!
Something that makes you hold your nose: The smell of fish at the fish counter at my grocery store. It literally makes me gag.

 Something you’re really good at: Few people know that I took 12 years of piano lessons. “Moon River” is my favorite song to play. It was my mother’s favorite song.  
Something you’re really bad at: Anything athletic.

The last thing you ordered online: Large, thin crust mushroom, chicken, red onion and spinach pizza from Pizza Hut.

The last thing you regret buying: This thing for my dog that is supposed to control barking by squirting citronella oil in his face when he barks too much. I haven’t even opened the package.

 Things you always put in your books: Food and drink.
Things you never put in your books: Putting dogs (or any animal) in danger! I do love it when they burst on stage and save the day, though!

 Things to say to an author: “I didn’t want the book to end!”
Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: “You missed a quotation mark on the second sentence of the third paragraph on page 79.” (Trust me, I didn’t do that on purpose!  Stuff happens during the editing process. I hate it when it does, but it’s a reality of being a published author.)

 Favorite places you’ve been: Perhaps I have romanticized the small town I grew up in, but I love going back to my hometown of Chagrin Falls, Ohio.
Places you never want to go to again: A rock concert. Too many people. Too expensive. Too loud. And WAAAYYY past my bedtime.

 The coolest person you’ve ever met: Sue Grafton. It was the happiest Happy Hour of my life!

The celebrity who didn’t look like he/she did in pictures/video: Jessica Fletcher, the author of the Murder, She Wrote series, mostly because the author was really a ghost writer by the name of Donald Bain. (He also was the ghost writer for Margret Truman’s Capitol Crime series. He doesn’t look like her, either! 😊 )

About Jayne: Jayne Ormerod grew up in a small Ohio town then went on to a small-town Ohio college. Upon earning her degree in accountancy, she became a CIA (that’s not a sexy spy thing, but a Certified Internal Auditor.) She married a naval officer and off they sailed to see the world. After nineteen moves, they, along with their two rescue dogs Tiller and Scout, have settled into a cozy cottage by the sea. Jayne is the author of the Blonds at the Beach Mysteries, The Blond Leading the Blond, and Blond Luck, as well as a dozen other short stories and novellas. Her most recent releases are Goin’ Coastal and "It's a Dog Gone Shame!" in To Fetch a Thief.

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