#ThisorThatAuthor Interview with Terry Shepherd

I’d like to welcome author, Terry Shepherd, to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

A few of your favorite things: 

My beautiful granddaughter jumping into my arms when she sees me. Watching my kids parenting their kids and animals. The smile on my wife’s face when I first see her every morning. 

Things you need for your writing sessions:

I write in Vellum and then, run my daily word count through Pro Writing Aid. The last step is narrating it to mp3 audio. It’s always surprising what you find when you read your writing aloud.

Things you love about writing:

I love the characters best. I try to populate my tales with highly diverse casts. Researching the culture and talking to people about their life experiences is a treasure trove. It builds empathy and has given me a unique perspective on the rich variety that makes up humanity. The highest compliment you can get is to hear someone say, “Hey! You told my story!”

Things you never want to run out of:

New people to meet. Kindness. The desire to create.

Words that describe you:

Optimistic to a fault. Impatient with myself. Driven. Passionate.

Favorite music or song:

I’m a sixties guy. Anything from 1963 until 1974 is my wheelhouse. I favor Motown and early Beatles but also love Earth, Wind & Fire and the Manhattan Transfer. I was a rock drummer as a kid and still can’t listen to Buddy Rich’s West Side Story Medley without getting chills.

Something you’re really bad at:

Handwriting. Learning to type in 9th grade was a life changing experience.

Things to say to an author:

“Here’s what I enjoy about your storytelling…”

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book:

“Your book was terrible and I won’t tell you why.”

People you’d like to invite to dinner (living):

The famous: Authors David McCullough & Megan Abbott, Record Producer Bones Howe, Barack and Michelle Obama

The important: My closest college radio friends

The nicest thing a reader said to you:

“You made me believe I could be a heroine, too.”

The craziest thing a reader said to you:

“Your LGBTQ character is exactly like me and we’ve never even met. Have you been stalking me?”

About Terry:

Terry Shepherd writes thrillers for grown-ups and detective stories for kids. His first published fiction, the Jessica Ramirez Thriller “Chasing Vega” is a 5-Star hit in both English and Spanish. Book two, “Chasing The Captain” is due out in May. He’s the author of the Waterford Detective series for children and the forthcoming kids time-travel history series "Students In Time." In 2020 he and his wife, Colleen co-wrote the "Juliette and the Mystery Bug" series, teaching kids how to protect themselves from Covid-19 and other “mystery bugs." Terry hosts the Authors on the Air podcast, is co-chair of the Sisters in Crime / Capitol Crimes 2021 Anthology committee and watches the sun come up on the ocean from his home in Jacksonville, Florida.

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#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Linda Norlander

I’d like to welcome Linda Norlander to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday.

Favorite Things: Books, Running Shoes (not that I run), Potted annuals

Things to throw out: Old running shoes, socks with holes in them, old manuscript drafts

Things you love about writing: Characters popping in when least expected, figuring out the ending

Things you hate about writing: Not knowing where the commas go

Things you never want to run out of: Gas—ever see the opening of “Night of the Living Dead?”

Things you wished you never bought: A Plymouth Horizon car—small parts like door handles kept breaking off until the only way to get was through the hatchback

Words that describe you: Contemplative, good sense of humor, low key

Words that describe you but wish they didn’t: Steady

Favorite Foods: Olives, potato chips, salted caramel ice cream

Things that make you gag: Anchovies, peanut butter

Favorite Music or song: Anything by Bruce Springsteen

Music that drives you crazy: Heavy Metal (except I love AC/DC’s Highway to Hell)

Favorite Beverage: Wine, preferably a white

Things you always put in your books: A dash of humor

Things you never put in your books: Graphic violence

Favorite Places: North Shore of Lake Superior, Paris, Cuba

Place you never want to go again: Buffalo

Most embarrassing moment: Hitting the wrong note for the processional as the church organist (fired shortly thereafter.)

Proudest moment: Seeing the cover of my first published novel

About Linda:

Linda Norlander is the author of “Death of an Editor” and “Death of a Starling” from a Cabin by the Lake mystery series set in the woods of Northern Minnesota. Norlander has written award winning short fiction, non-fiction and humor. In her life before taking up the pen to write murder mysteries, she worked as a nurse in public health and end-of-life care. She resides with her husband in Tacoma, Washington.

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#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with J. P. McLean

I’d like to welcome author J. P. McLean to the blog this week for #ThisorThatThursday!

A few of your favorite things:

My husband, the smoky scent of a campfire, family photographs, red wine, and the sound of grown women giggling.

Things you need to throw out:

Insecurity, perfectionism, and what other people think of me.

Things you need for your writing sessions:

Not much: a coffee, a laptop, and at least one hour (I don’t write well in shorter spurts).

Things that hamper your writing:

Lyrics in music because they distract me. Nor can I write with a telephone ringing in the background, or people talking. When that happens, I get up and make another cup of coffee.

Things you love about writing:

Creating dialogue, especially when my characters are having an argument. I love that I have the time to come up with the perfect retort (which rarely happens in my real life).

Things you hate about writing:

Feeling like a dunce when the edits come in.

Things you never want to run out of:

Pepperidge Goldfish Crackers

Things you wish you’d never bought:

Pepperidge Goldfish Crackers

Favorite foods:

All the pasta.

Things that make you want to gag:

Liver, tongue, heart, kidney—pretty much all organ meat.

Something you’re really good at:

Organizing: closets, filing cabinets, bookshelves, photos, you name it.

Something you’re really bad at:

Cold calls to sell my books.

Something you wish you could do:

Speak another language.

Something you wish you’d never learned to do:

Housework.

Things to say to an author:

I loved your book; where can I post my review?

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book:

If I had nothing to do, I’d write a book, too.

Things that make you happy:

Puppies (such fond memories), Fridays (even though I haven’t had a day job for years), finding a twenty-dollar bill in a coat pocket from last season (yes!), and going out for dinner (something I’ve dearly missed during COVID).

Things that drive you crazy:

When you get stuck behind a car that is driving WAY under the speed limit. Or when you get all the way home only to find the store’s non-removable tag still attached to the new jeans you bought for tonight’s party.

Most embarrassing moment:

Almost scoring for the other team when playing grade-school basketball. The nets changed ends at halftime, and I was exhausted—forgot we’d changed ends. I made a break for it—I honestly thought all the shouting was me being cheered on. Sadly, they were yelling at me to stop. If I hadn’t been such a lousy shot, I would have made the basket and scored two points for our opponents.

Proudest moment:

When I overheard my mom and dad tell a stranger that their daughter was an author.

Most daring thing you’ve ever done:

Scuba diving

Something you chickened out from doing:

Skydiving

About J. P.:

JP (Jo-Anne) McLean writes urban fantasy and supernatural thrillers. She is best known for her Gift Legacy series, which reviewers call addictive, smart, and fun. Her work has won honourable mentions from the Whistler Independent Book Awards and the Victoria Writers’ Society. JP is a graduate of the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business and makes her home on Denman Island, which is nestled between Vancouver Island and British Columbia on Canada’s west coast.

Let’s Be Social:

Website:         https://jpmcleanauthor.com

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jpmcleanauthor

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

#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Michelle Prosser

I’d like to welcome author Michelle Prosser to the blog today!

A few of your favorite things: Expensive chocolate, Champaign, books, my Kindle, and my yoga mat

Things you need to throw out: Skunky wine, cheap chocolate, much of my freezer.

Things you need for your writing sessions: Solitude, quiet, nature and a calm mind

Things that hamper your writing: Interruptions, people talking to me, loud music, worry and anxiety.

Things you love about writing: Being in the flow

Things you hate about writing: Too much sitting

Things you never want to run out of: Comfortable shoes

Things you wish you’d never bought: Shoes that looked comfortable but are torture devices

Words that describe you: Deep thinker, bubbly, positive, and loving

Words that describe you, but you wish they didn’t: Bossy, anxious, caretaker, family matriarch (I’m TOO young but that is what everyone calls me)

Favorite foods: Lobster, shrimp, Brussel sprouts, filet mignon, tiramisu, brownies

Things that make you want to gag: Blue cheese, dill pickles

Favorite music or song: Bridge Over Troubled Waters (my Dad used to play it on the piano when I was going to sleep as a kid)

Music that drives you crazy: Heavy metal

Something you like to do: Climb Machu Picchu in Peru

Something you wish you’d never done: White water rafting on the Gauley River in Class 5 rapids. Boat hit a rock and broke a passenger’s leg. Was positive I would orphan my 3 little kids.

Things to say to an author: Beautiful turn of phrase, you took me there, your prose shimmered

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: You are a hack,

Favorite books (or genre): Magical Realism

Books you wouldn’t buy: Mean gossip and lies whether Hollywood or politics

People you’d like to invite to dinner (living): Oprah Winfrey

People you’d cancel dinner on: Tucker Carlson

Things that make you happy: Dancing, writing, hiking, yoga, hanging with my family

Things that drive you crazy: Being stuck with certain family members

Most embarrassing moment: Two of them: As a junior in high school my halter dress fell down at a Homecoming dance. As an adult being asked to be the executive coach for the man who was my date when my dress fell down. I knew at that point he was gay and was probably over it but I wasn’t!

Proudest moment: I was a speaker at the Virginia Festival of the Book and many of my coaching clients, friends and Festival participants came to support me. The room was overflowing with 200 people and my children and family sat in the front row.  The bookseller sold out of my books, and I spent an hour autographing books for both loved ones and strangers. People I barely knew came and videotaped it to put it online.  I was so touched!

The coolest person you’ve ever met: Rosa Parks

The celebrity who didn’t look like he/she did in pictures/video: Daryl Hannah

The nicest thing a reader said to you: You changed my life

The craziest thing a reader said to you: Your book is not based on Scripture

About Michelle:

Michelle Epiphany Prosser, is Director of Talent Development and Learning for the Virginia Housing Development Authority (VHDA). Previously she served as Assistant Vice President/Learning Manager at Union Bank & Trust and as Director of Employee Development & Engagement for Lumos Networks.

Since 2001 she has been President of Energy Focus Coaching and Consulting either as a full-time or part-time consultant. In 2011 she established the Leadership program at Virginia Military Institute for staff and faculty which she continues to lead through the VMI Center for Leadership and Ethics (CLE). She holds an M.A. in communication studies from the University of Virginia and is a trained executive coach. Prosser is working towards Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Organizational Innovation at Marymount University.

Prosser is a published author of Team Medicine, Coaching Your Team to Success with Native American Wisdom by Maven House in 2019 which is the first team-building book to draw upon the wisdom of the Native American tradition for a philosophy and tools for strengthening teams. Team Medicine is for leaders who work in organizations that value collaborative teams. It focuses on how teams progress through the stages of the Medicine Wheel (similar to forming, storming, norming, and performing) and the key concepts of working together in a Sacred Circle. She is also the author of the coaching/spiritual book Excuse Me, Your God is Waiting, Love Your God, Create Your Life, Find Your True Self published by Hampton Roads Publishing Company in 2008. She is completing a book that uses Native American archetypes as models for leadership energy entitled Leadership Medicine.

 Before becoming a coach, Prosser worked for twenty years in government and politics, including leadership positions for three Virginia governors and a congressman.

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#ThisorThatThursday Interview with Caramel Lucas

I’d like to welcome author, Caramel Lucas to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

A few of your favorite things: I like Green Tea, Clothes and Wigs

Things you need to throw out: All of my old shoes and clothes. I keep everything because I am afraid I will need it later.

Things you love about writing: Writing gives me the opportunity to become any character I choose to be.

Things you hate about writing: I hate when I have writers block. When I am writing I want to be able to focus on what I am writing.

Hardest thing about being a writer: The hardest thing for me is getting started to writing and what I am going to write about.

Easiest thing about being a writer: The easy for me is when I have started writing it becomes a easy flow.

Words that describe you: I am a person who always keeps it real. I am a person who is loyal and have a lot of respect for people until they crossed me with disrespect. I have a heart of gold and I would do anything for people who needs my help.

Favorite foods: Seafood - Crabs, Fish, Shrimp

Favorite music or song: R&B . I don't have a favorite song because I love music and I love meaningful  music.

Music that drives you crazy: Metal music drives me completely crazy because I never know what they are saying.

Things you always put in your books: I love putting romance in my books. I am a huge fan of love and romance.

Things to say to an author: Being an author you have to love writing and what it means to write. Writing becomes your life and you must have the passion for writing for the reading to have a passion for your writing.

The coolest person you’ve ever met: Oprah Winfrey

Caramel is a motivated entrepreneur and continues to reach for the stars. Caramel is a Podcaster  Host with her own show called Keepin It Real w/Caramel "As We Say 100" on Anchor.fm which has  a very wide digital platform. She interviews entrepreneurs who want to be heard and give her listeners inspirational and motivational messages as well as give the entrepreneurs a chance to let  the world know the impact they are making in the world.

In 2018, Caramel became a Published Poet with Eber & Wein Publishing and Poetry Nation. She  was published in the Upon Arrival Edition and Quarantine Edition. Caramel’s novel is  "In Love With The Other Man with Authorhouse.

She has been in  many music videos, magazines hardcopy/online and have won many modeling competitions. She  has directed many music videos & commercials. Caramel never stops in her acting career she has  been in many acting gigs such as an extra "News Reporter" on the movie "Recount" with John  Travolta on HBO Productions, Room 236, The Kupid Killer, The Gathering, Dead Con, Logistics, etc.  She has her IMDB credits for her acting. Meanwhile, she had a great opportunity to auditions for the  TV shows "She Got The Look," "Bad Girls Club" and “America's Got Talent” which they all were  great experiences. Caramel was in two National Commercials for Sports Authority and Dick  Sporting Goods.

In 2010 Caramel was Ms On Air Personality for Hot1079, myblockradio.net &myblocktv.net out of  Charlotte, NC (704djs). She had her own shows "Grown and Sexy" every Sunday and on Tuesday  and Thursday "Silk Music."

Let’s Be Social:

Instagram: @mscaramellucas

Twitter: Ms__Caramel

Facebook: Caramel Lucas 

Linkedin: Caramel Lucas 

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#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Kristi Charish

I’d like to welcome author, Kristi Charish, to the blog today for #ThisorThatThursday.

A few of your favorite things: Coffee, green tea, Pacific coast rocky shorelines, and my SPF 50 sunscreen.  

 Things you need to throw out: All my old iPhones...seriously, why do I keep finding them in my drawers? AI revolution? Possibly.

Things you need for your writing sessions: hummingbird feeder (best conflict prompts ever!), coffee (caffeine is becoming a theme), a device capable of running Word.

Favorite foods: Basil - I used to make salads out of basil, heavy on the oregano and thyme...there might have been vegetables in there too.

Favorite music or song: I have two bands on my playlist favorites - The Asteroids Galaxy Tour and The Dandy Warhols.

Favorite beverage: Besides coffee? I adore a hoppy, dank, musky west coast hazy IPA. Thankfully British Columbia is famous for both!

Favorite smell: Sandalwood, basil, and old fashioned sunscreen.

Something you’re really bad at: Ok, be honest now, how many other authors on this blog were tempted, sheerly out of principle, to choose writing on this one? ;-) 

Something you wish you could do: Ride a motorbike. I’ve gotten as far as my Cook Island scooter license.

The last thing you ordered online: Second hand clothes! I love reusing and there are some absolute fashion treasures to be found. The depreciation that happens as soon as an item leaves Nordstrom should be a wonder of the world.

The last thing you regret buying: Always lipstick. I hate wearing it and - let’s be honest- rarely does it make anyone look good. Lip balm all the way! Also, I regret this keyboard. PSA: Don’t bargain shop for a keyboard on Amazon. You will be underwhelmed.

Things you’d walk a mile for: My morning coffee. No competition. I’m pretty certain I’ve done it at least twice.

About Kristi:

Kristi Charish is the author of KINCAID STRANGE, a paranormal mystery series about a voodoo practitioner living in Seattle with the ghost of a grunge rocker, and THE ADVENTURES OF OWL, an adventure fantasy about ex-archaeology grad student turned international antiquities thief, Alix— better known now as Owl—a modern-day “Indiana Jane” who reluctantly navigates the hidden supernatural world. 

 Kristi writes what she loves; adventure heavy stories featuring strong, savvy female protagonists, pop culture, and the occasional RPG fantasy game thrown in the mix. Kristi is also a scientist. She has a BSc and MSc from Simon Fraser University in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry and a PhD in Zoology from the University of British Columbia. She specializes in genetics, cell biology, and molecular biology and gratuitously uses her expertise throughout her fiction. You can find Kristi with her laptop on Vancouver film sets, getting paid to write while filling in the background. 

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#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Vicki Batman

I’d like to welcome author, Vicki Batman, to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday.

A few of your favorite things: my books, my dogs, handbags, Handsome, family

Things you need to throw out: books I won’t read again, old canned goods

Things you love about writing: words flowing from brain to word doc, polishing to near perfection

Things you hate about writing: marketing--although I like writing blogs

Things you never want to run out of: milk, shampoo, hairspray, dog food, chocolate

Things you wish you’d never bought: jeans that won’t fit

Words that describe you: sassy, funny, tall

Words that describe you, but you wish they didn’t: hmm

Favorite foods: milk, chocolate, cake, donuts, hamburger

Things that make you want to gag:  green peas, any beans or peas, canned veggies.

Favorite music or song: L O V E by Nat King Cole, Pina Colada song, seventies rock

Music that drives you crazy: have to say rap

Favorite beverage: Dr Pepper
Something that gives you a sour face: coffee

Things you always put in your books: handbags, donuts, a handsome hero with an eye twinkle

Things you never put in your books: snakes

 Favorite places you’ve been: Luzerne, Switzerland, Colorado

Place you never want to go to again: Istanbul, Turkey

Most embarrassing moment: Miss Oak Lawn Moped
Proudest moment: Publishing my first story

About Vicki:

Funny, sweet, and quirky, Vicki Batman’s stories are full of her hallmark humor, romance, and will delight all readers. She has sold many award-winning and bestselling romantic comedy works to magazines and most recently, three humorous romantic mysteries. An avid Jazzerciser. Handbag lover. Mahjong player. Yoga practitioner. Movie fan. Book devourer. Cat fancier. Best Mom ever. And adores Handsome Hubby.

Let’s Be Social:

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#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Kerry Cox

I’d like to welcome author, Kerry Cox, to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday.

Favorite music or song: As a mediocre ex-drummer in what was a pretty good bar band, I like and appreciate an eclectic range of music, which is why you’ll find such varied artists as Tom Waits, BB King, Jimmy Buffet, Eminem, Caro Emerald, Leon Redbone, Cherry Poppin’ Daddies, Dean Martin, Luther Allison, Big Rude Jake, Eminem, James Taylor, and Gypsy Kings on my IPod.

Music that drives you crazy: I can’t handle the male vocalists today who whine their way through a tune. It’s not just the pitch, it’s the tonality. Makes me nuts.

Favorite beverage: Beer.
Something that gives you a sour face: When there’s no beer.

Favorite smell: Lavender. I plant it everywhere. Where I live, the fact that it’s drought tolerant and deer resistant is another great reason to plant it.

Something that makes you hold your nose: Litter boxes. And we have a number of them, because my wife has been active in feral cat/kitten rescue for decades. So, I built waterproof outdoor enclosures, accessible through cat doors from the house, for all the litter boxes.

Something you’re really good at: Swimming. I’ve been swimming since—well, home movies show my first lesson at 6 months old. I played water polo at Oregon State University, taught swimming and coached a youth swim team for years.

Something you’re really bad at: Modesty. Just kidding, I’m great at modesty.

Something you wish you could do: Play boogie-woogie piano.

Something you wish you’d never learned to do: Honestly, there isn’t a thing I regret learning. Life is about learning; when you stop learning, you’re either dead, or you might as well be.

Things to say to an author: “This is crisp, authentic dialogue that moves the story along nicely, well done!”

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: “You should write a story about the crazy people at my job.”

Favorite books (or genre): My favorite novel is A Confederacy of Dunces, by John Kennedy Toole. That said, my favorite genre remains the one I write in: crime fiction, from procedurals to thrillers.

Books you wouldn’t buy: Fantasy, Historical Romance, Slasher Horror, Cookbooks.

Favorite things to do: I love the outdoors and play a variety of sports, so whether I’m kayaking, playing pickleball, or landscaping my yard, I’m a happy guy. I love working with stone, growing my own vegetables, and the volunteer rescue work I do with Pacific Wildlife Care and The Marine Mammal Center here on the Central Coast.

Things you’d run through a fire or eat bugs to get out of doing: I hate cleaning the shower. I hate working high up on a ladder. I detest standing in long lines. No matter what, I will never go to Disneyland again.

 About Kerry:

When I was a kid, I didn’t want to be a policeman, or fireman, or astronaut, or major league third baseman. I wanted to be a forest ranger.

Okay, also a major league third baseman. Y’know, as a summer job.

But it turned out my inability to comprehend biochem made a career in wildlife management as realistic as my chances of starting for the Dodgers.

So, after four years at Oregon State University I declared myself graduated, and returned home to Southern California. There I taught swimming, karate, and pre-school while I sold articles to various magazines, wrote children’s shows for The Disney Channel, and eventually became a full-time writer.

And because one of my childhood dreams lives on, I now write novels focused on the dark underworld of wildlife trafficking, and work with various wildlife, marine mammal, and feral cat/kitten groups as a rescue volunteer along California’s Central Coast.

I’m still waiting on that call from the Dodgers.

I live by the ocean in Cambria, California with my wife and a clowder of cats.

Let’s Be Social:

 Website: www.kerrykcox.com

FB: https://www.facebook.com/kerry.cox.501/

Twitter: @WalkingbirdKC (https://twitter.com/WalkingbirdKC)