#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with W. L. Hawkin

I’d like to welcome W. L. Hawkin to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

A few of your favorite things: my rock collection, cobalt blue glass, old photographs and journals

Things you need to throw out: most of my old journals and half of the old photographs

Things you need for your writing sessions: my laptop and my couch or bed

Things that hamper your writing: background noise so, no, I don’t write in coffee shops

Hardest thing about being a writer: having to market my books.

Easiest thing about being a writer: writing my books

Favorite foods: sushi or Thai

Things that make you want to gag: overripe banana

Favorite music or song: acoustic guitar

Music that drives you crazy: opera

The last thing you ordered online: wide-legged black pants with rainbow bottoms for PRIDE. They’re so cool!

The last thing you regret buying: a vinyl canopy that was impossible to return because unbeknownst to me it shipped from India. I sold it on marketplace after many heated emails back and forth with the original seller.

Things you always put in your books: a kiss that takes your breath away

Things you never put in your books: rape

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: “I don’t want to read your book. I don’t read fiction or watch television.” *shrug or eye roll (subtext: “I judge your book (which I refuse to try) beneath my intellectual, literary level.”

Favorite places you’ve been: the west coasts of Ireland, Scotland, Canada; Nova Scotia; The Yucatan; Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Places you never want to go to again: big cities like New York, Chicago, or Detroit

Favorite books (or genre): I honestly love the Harry Potter series

Books you wouldn’t buy: anything I can borrow from the library

Besides writing, what’s the most creative thing you’ve done: photography

A project that didn’t quite turn out the way you planned it: I always wanted to do mixed media on canvas until I did

Some real-life story that made it to one of your books: I heard a story about a man who disappeared from a small town in Scotland and returned as a woman. That made me wonder what it would be like to grow up gay there, and that changed my story completely.

Something in your story that readers think is about you, but it’s not: There are several good sex scenes in my Hollystone Books. They are not about me. Just sayin’

About W. L.:

I live, work, and play on the unceded territory of the Wei Wai Kum First Nation, now called Campbell River. This bountiful land is the soul of the People who have lived here since Time Immemorial. I'm a grateful guest and steward of this beautiful space. 

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#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Ann Borrmann

I’d like to welcome author Ann Borrmann to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday.

Favorite foods:

I love a good fish and chips. And any fresh, seasonal fruit

Things that make you want to gag:

liver

Favorite music or song:

I love classical music. I grew up with this and really enjoy it to this day

Music that drives you crazy:

Country music. Please don't boycott me or my books because of this.

Favorite smell:

lilacs, bread baking

Something that makes you hold your nose:

liver

Things you’d walk a mile for:

Some really good chocolate!

Things that make you want to run screaming from the room:

Country music ( see above!)

Favorite places you’ve been:

British Columbia, and I recently was at Mackinac Island, MI for the first time; that was quite lovely. Off the continent, I enjoyed Germany.

Places you never want to go to again:

Ham radio convention with my husband... that, I think, is self explanatory.

Favorite books (or genre):

I love cosy mysteries. I must have, by now, all of Agatha Christie's books

Books you wouldn’t buy:

Horror ( why would you do that to yourself!?) Erotica, Sci-fi

Favorite things to do:

We love to travel. We have a 36' motor home and have been all through the US and Canada with it. We've also been to several countries in Europe, and Israel in the Middle East ( although not in the motor home)

Things you’d run through a fire or eat bugs to get out of doing:

Driving the motorhome! My husband is a mechanic and has 'modified' it to suit him. The dashboard looks like the dash of an airliner! I'd rather eat a bug than drive it. I stand by this.

Most daring thing you’ve ever done:

I zip lined down a New Hampshire mountainside.

Something you chickened out from doing:

My husband ( an accomplished black diamond skier) tried to teach me to ski when I was 40 . Forty is too old to learn a new trick, and while he was very encouraging, as he skied backwards down the bunny hill with his wife shrieking and gesticulating in front of him, when I reached the bottom, I left him to ski and I went and had coffee in a warm and sensible place. One of the best decisions of my life.

Besides writing, what’s the most creative thing you’ve done:

My husband and I built our own home when we were very young ( I was 22 and he was 23) We were our own contractors and my husband who is very handy, and along with my dad and some friends who were electricians and carpenters, did the interior work ourselves. We left the masonary work to professionals, and while it took a year and a half+ to complete, the house is still standing, and in my opinion, "our house, in the middle of our street, is our castle and our keep" ( to borrow from some one else who liked their house) and is a very pretty house.

A project that didn’t quite turn out the way you planned it: I painted a room in our house pepto-bismal pink. I write this as a warning to any who think that that is a good decor choice. It is not.

Some real-life story that made it to one of your books:

My first children's book, The Jolly Bupbup, was actually about my son in law's little row boat which washed away during a very heavy rainstorm. However in the book, the Bupbup actually finds her boat safe. Unfortunately, my son in law never found his boat. Also in the book, the Bupbup collects her cats and sails off to have celebratory tea and cookies ( with jelly in the middle) with some very elusive Twinkles. My son in law did not have tea with Twinkles.

Something in your story that readers think is about you, but it’s not:

My next children's books are about pirates. Some mornings I may look and sound like a pirate - especially to my students, but I am not - and never have been - a pirate.

Hardest thing about being a writer:

Aside from coming up with new story ideas, the hardest thing about being a writer is actually writing the story!   People think that writing children's books is easy because they are short and full of pictures.  But because they are short, you must make every word count.  Delete those unnecessary, superfluous, expressive adjectives! 

I do a lot of edits and changes, then I leave it for a while ( 'let it rest') and come back to it later.  I get advice from my beta reader, delete some more, and sometimes start over again! And like any genre, you must have a plot, and you must create relatable characters ( lovable or hateable!) In my case, because I write picture books and books for early readers, kids have to relate.

If you are lucky enough to be published in the saturated market, then, like writers of all genres, you also have to deal with bad reviews.  For example, I lost a star (so, 4 stars out of 5) on a story because the reviewer did not like the font used.  This is something that is completely out of the author's hands, so I have had to learn to develop tough skin, take the good with the bad, and sometimes settle for 4/5 stars.  It's all part of it.

Easiest thing about being a writer:  I haven't found the easiest thing about being a writer yet!

About Ann:

Ann Borrmann lives in Canada with her husband, Mark. She has worked with young children in various capacities over the past three decades and is herself the mother of four grown children. Currently, she teaches grades 5 and 6 in a small private school.

When she became a 'gramma' in 2019, she set about to write her new granddaughter a story, which she then self published as The Jolly Bupbup.  This was her first foray into the world of writing. That story earned a kirkus star and was one of 'Kirkus's best books of 2020'.  With this encouragement, she found an agent and set about to write more children's stories.

Chester The (almost) Pirate was released in 2022 and book 2 in the series, Never Take a Pirate's Pearls, will be released in August.

She now enjoys being a grandmother to three adorable grandchildren and if she is not napping, you may find her indulging in her favourite pastime of writing children's stories with a good cup of tea. She hopes that her books will entertain the imagination of many little readers and story lovers.

Let’s Be Social:

facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/annpborrmann

instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annpborrmann/

website: www.annborrmann.com

#ThisorThatThursday with Linda Norlander

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

Favorite thing to do when you have free time: Read. I usually have two books going—my book to read during the day and my book to I read before going to bed. One is always a mystery of some sort and the other is whatever I’ve pulled off the shelf at the library.

The thing you’ll always move to the bottom of your to do list: A trip to IKEA. The last time we went, it took us 40 minutes to find a place to park!

Things you need when you’re in your writing cave: A laptop and quiet.

Things that distract you from writing: All those “to do” items that haven’t gotten done.

Things you will run to the store for at midnight: Midnight? Who’s up at that hour? 6:00 PM, and I might do a potato chip run.

Things you never put on your shopping list: Anything that can only be bought at IKEA.

Favorite snacks: See above plus I just rediscovered ice cream Drumsticks

Things that make you want to gag: Anchovies, of course.

Something you wanted to be when you were a kid: I wanted to be a ballerina. Mother sent me to tap dancing class and I flunked out. My brain and my feet have always been very poor communicators.

Something you do that you never dreamed you’d do: Figure out how to set the clock on the car. Thank goodness for YouTube. Once, instead of resetting the clock I accidentally reset the speedometer to kilometers/hour. I only made that mistake…ah…twice.

Something you wish you could do: A graceful leap.

Something you wish you’d never learned to do: I worked for many years as a nurse—I have a long list of things that most people would prefer not to do.

Last best thing you ate: An ice cream Drumstick

Last thing you regret eating: Baked sole. Very badly done in my oven. Don’t trust all the recipes you find through Google.

Things to say to an author: I just bought your book and told all my friends to do the same.

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: I could write a book. It looks easy.

The most exciting thing about your writing life: Those characters who suddenly pop in unexpectedly and demand to stay.

The one thing you wish you could do over in your writing life: I wish I’d known about word count expectations years ago. I couldn’t figure out why my 35,000-word mystery novel never excited anyone until an agent I queried kindly directed me to a site with information on typical word counts for various kinds of books. Who knew?

About Linda:

Linda Norlander is the author of A Cabin by the Lake mystery series set in Northern Minnesota. Death of a Fox is the fourth in the series that also includes Death of an Editor, Death of a Starling and Death of a Snow Ghost. Each mystery takes place in a different season. The first book in her new series, Liza, Mrs. Wilkens and the Ghost Mysteries will debut in October 2023. Norlander has published award winning short stories, op-ed pieces and short humor featured in regional and national publications. Before taking up the pen to write murder mysteries, she worked in end-of-life care. Norlander resides in Tacoma, Washington with her spouse.

 Let’s Be Social:

www.lindanorlander.com

www.facebook.com/authorlindanorlander

#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Kelly Oliver

I’d like to welcome the fabulous Kelly Oliver to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

A few of your favorite things: Tea and Cats

Things you need to throw out: Old Tea and old cat toys

Things you need for your writing sessions: Tea and Cats

Things that hamper your writing: Cats and Cat Videos

Things you love about writing: Losing myself

Things you hate about writing: I’m lost without it

Hardest thing about being a writer: Writing

Easiest thing about being a writer: Writing

Things you never want to run out of: Good Matcha

Things you wish you’d never bought: Bad Matcha

Words that describe you: Determined, loyal, workaholic

Words that describe you, but you wish they didn’t: impatient, compulsive, workaholic

Favorite foods: Tacos

Things that make you want to gag: Oysters

Favorite music or song: Jazz

Music that drives you crazy: Heavy Metal

Favorite beverage: Good Matcha

Something that gives you a sour face: Bad Matcha

Favorite smell: Creek running through a Pine Forest on a summer’s day

Something that makes you hold your nose: That one block in New York City last month

Something you’re really good at: Eating

Something you’re really bad at: Sleeping

Things you always put in your books: Humor

Things you never put in your books: Graphic sex or violence

Favorite places you’ve been: Banff Canada

Places you never want to go to again: The Dentist

Favorite things to do: X-country ski, hike

Things you’d run through a fire or eat bugs to get out of doing: sky-dive, flying on a space shuttle

Things that make you happy: Cats

Things that drive you crazy: Cats

Best thing you’ve ever done: Teaching and mentoring

Biggest mistake: Not writing fiction earlier

The nicest thing a reader said to you: “You’re crazy brilliant.”

The craziest thing a reader said to you: “This book is the Anti-Christ.”

About Kelly:

Kelly Oliver is the award-winning and bestselling author of three mystery series: the seven-book suspense Jessica James Mysteries; the three-book middle grade Pet Detective Mysteries; and the five-book historical cozy Fiona Figg Mysteries. The second Fiona Figg mystery, High Treason at the Grand Hotel was a Mystery Tribune pick for best mystery of January 2021.

Kelly’s books have won the Indie Publishers award for Best Mystery/Thriller, Silver Falchion award for Best Suspense, and the Mischief and Mayhem award for Best Mystery, among others.

Kelly is currently Vice President of Sisters in Crime.

When she’s not writing novels, Kelly is a Distinguished Professor Emerita of Philosophy at Vanderbilt University. To learn more about Kelly and her books, go to www.kellyoliverbooks.com.

Let’s Be Social:

Author Website: https://www.kellyoliverbooks.com

Kelly Oliver Bookstore: https://kellyoliver.store/

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Kelly-Oliver/e/B001HN3HCM/

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

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kelly-oliver

Twitter: @kellyoliverbook

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/oliver7431/

Instagram: @kellyoliverbooks

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15643052.Kelly_Oliver

#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with David Putnam

I’d like to welcome the multi-talented David Putnam to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

Things you love about writing:

Disappearing into the character and story.

Things you hate about writing:

Marketing—Yuck.

Hardest thing about being a writer:

The isolation.

Easiest thing about being a writer:

Talking to other writers at conferences and other book events

Things you never want to run out of:

Story ideas. Never happen, not using the writing by the numbers system.

Things you wish you’d never bought:

Overhyped bestsellers

Favorite music or song: Dark side of the Moon

Music that drives you crazy:

Heavy metal

Favorite beverage:

Skinny venti latte with sugar free vanilla, 190 degrees, no foam.

Something that gives you a sour face:

Anything with alcohol.

Favorite smell:

Flowering citrus

Something that makes you hold your nose:

Decomposing bodies.

Things you’d walk a mile for:

Another book like Lonesome Dove, my favorite book of all time. Others on that list are: River God, Wilbur Smith, Shogun, Pillars of the Earth, Thornbirds, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. In Five Years, Rebecca Serle, and the voice in, Lessons in Chemistry.

Things that make you want to run screaming from the room:

Authors who drop in their personal political views into books.

Things you always put in your books:

I always endear my characters to the reader and strive to make those characters three dimensional.

Things you never put in your books:

Adverbs. Flat characters. MAR violations (Motivation, Action, Reaction)

Things to say to an author:

Love your work. Can’t you please write faster?

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

How in the world did you ever get that published? Yikes.

Favorite places you’ve been:

Lived and worked in Hawaii (the real Hawaii Five O)

Places you never want to go to again:

Ludlow Calif, on a cold winter night (20 degrees) (on the metal roof of a house in a stand-off of a barricaded suspect).

Favorite books (or genre):

I read any genre as long as it’s well-written.

Books you wouldn’t buy:

Poorly written books

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

Stephan King. Michael Connelly. Taylor Jenkins Reid. Rebecca Serle

People you’d cancel dinner on:

Don’t know if I ever could cancel a dinner once I invited someone.

Favorite things to do:

Read and write, talk books and writing.

Things you’d run through a fire or eat bugs to get out of doing:

Dentist. Preparing taxes. Long plane rides.

Things that make you happy:

The wife. Grand kids. Beautiful days. A good book that when you finally come up for air five hours have passed and you thought it was only 20 minutes.

Things that drive you crazy:

People who can’t get along. How hard is it to be civilized?

Most embarrassing moment:

I was given a lifesaving award for pulling a paraplegic out of a canal. It’s a longer multi-level story.

Proudest moment:

Rescued a five-year-old child while all alone during in a robbery/hostage situation.

Best thing you’ve ever done:

Married my wife.

Biggest mistake:

Has to do with retirement. I failed in my due diligence and could’ve made one move that would’ve greatly improved retirement.

Most daring thing you’ve ever done:

Crawled into a house on hands and knees in a hostage rescue situation where the suspect inside was armed with an AK47 waiting for us.

Something you chickened out from doing:

After doing too many in the past, declined to go up in a helicopter on a narco operation on a scouting mission.

The coolest person you’ve ever met:

Martin Sheen on a movie set. He came up to me during a filming (he was directing) put his hand on my shoulder and said, “Son, you have to pay attention.” I’d almost crashed a bus into a car.

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

Arnold Schwarzenegger, he was much shorter. Jim Neighbors was the nicest person I ever met.

About David:

Best-selling author David Putnam comes from a family of law enforcement professionals and always wanted to be a cop. During his career, he did it all: worked in narcotics, served on FBI-sponsored violent crimes teams, and was cross-sworn as a US Marshal operating in Arizona, Nevada, and California. Putnam did two tours on the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s SWAT team. He also has experience in criminal intelligence and internal affairs and has supervised corrections, patrol, and a detective bureau. In Hawaii, Putnam was a member of the real-life Hawaii Five-0, serving as Special Agent for the Attorney General investigating smuggling and white-collar crimes. The Scorned is the tenth novel in the Bruno Johnson Crime Series. Putnam lives in the Los Angeles area with his wife, Mary.

Let’s Be Social:

My website is http://davidputnambooks.com
Twitter: @daveputnam
Facebook: davidputnambooks

#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Samara Yew

I am so excited to welcome Samara Yew, who also writes as Holly Yew, to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

A few of your favorite things: My family, my home library, my ridiculously-crowded tea collection.

Things you need to throw out: All the random cardboard boxes that I say “this could be useful for something” but then never end up using.

Things you need for your writing sessions: Tea, water, my emotional thesaurus, my computer, and more tea.

Things that hamper your writing: My dogs barking, my kid waking up early from his nap (usually because of said dogs barking,) my latest library haul.

Things you love about writing: When that plot hole I’ve been working on is suddenly solved, adding in twists that I know will keep readers guessing, creating the typical small-town cozy mystery setting.

Things you hate about writing: Coming up with a fantastic first and last line.

Hardest thing about being a writer: Social media, marketing, talking to people about my book (I just want to write!)

Easiest thing about being a writer: Creating settings that I would love to visit/live there myself.

Favorite foods: Sushi, Tacos, Pineapple, Oreos, cheesecake, mangos.

Things that make you want to gag: Loose hair, especially if it’s in my favorite foods!

Favorite music or song: I love movie soundtracks, especially ones by John Williams.

Music that drives you crazy: I’m a toddler mom, so the majority of music that plays during our car rides drives me crazy. There’s a lot of “Wheels in the Bus” and “Icky Sticky Bubble Gum” happening.

Favorite beverage: Tea

Something that gives you a sour face: Tomato juice

Last best thing you ate: Chicken enchiladas.

Last thing you regret eating: A third helping of chicken enchiladas.

The last thing you ordered online: I don’t remember but probably books.

The last thing you regret buying: A squishy fishy toy for my son which popped about thirty seconds after giving it to him, and there were fake fish eggs all over the car.

Things to say to an author: “I requested your book for my local library!” (hint hint)

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: “When is your book coming out?”

Favorite things to do: Reading, swimming, traveling, eating.

Things you’d run through a fire or eat bugs to get out of doing: Driving through heavy city traffic.

About Samara: Samara Yew is the author of the Rose Shore Mysteries (under the name Holly Yew) and the California Bookshop Mysteries. A full-time mom, full-time dog servant, and part-time writer, Samara lives in British Columbia, Canada, where she can often be found watching Psych reruns. Samara loves to travel, especially visiting her husband’s home country of Singapore or donning Mickey ears in Disneyland. She’s a member of Sisters in Crime and International Thriller Writers. To keep up to date with all her bookish news, please sign up for her newsletter at hollyyew.com/newsletter.

Let’s Be Social:

Website: https://hollyyew.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/samara.yew.books/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/holly.yew.author/

#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Albert Waitt

I’d like to welcome Albert Waitt to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

A few of your favorite things: Ted Williams “The Splendid Splinter” lithograph, Henry Miller Memorial Library watercolor print. (They’re posted on the wall over my writing desk.)

Things you need to throw out: I have t-shirts in my closet from college. I graduated 40 years ago.

Things you need for your writing sessions: Time, I can write under most any condition.

Things that hamper your writing: My day job.

Favorite music or song: The Who, Quadrophenia (album), John Hiatt, Slow Turning (album)

Music that drives you crazy: Anything with a drum machine

The coolest person you’ve ever met: Robert Plant

The celebrity who didn’t look like he/she did in pictures/video: Gwen Stefani (Before No Doubt broke out. People don’t realize how hard life on the road is for bands who haven’t made it yet, which was the subject of my first published story. Months in a van crossing the country is not glamorous.)

Something you wish you could do: Run like I could in my teens and twenties.

Something you wish you’d never learned to do: Lawn maintenance.

Things you’d walk a mile for: I’ve got a good local bar just about one mile away.

Things that make you want to run screaming from the room: Celebrity gossip shows.

Favorite places you’ve been: Villa Jovis, Capri & Casinò di Venezia, Venice

Places you never want to go to again: Orlando, FL

Favorite books (or genre): Tender is the Night, The World According to Garp, Nobody’s Fool

Books you wouldn’t buy: Romance Novels

People you’d like to invite to dinner (living): Pete Townshend, Richard Russo, John Irving, Phil Esposito

People you’d cancel dinner on: Any politician taking money from special interest groups and lobbyists.

Most daring thing you’ve ever done: I plead the 5th.

Something you chickened out from doing: I’ve turned down the opportunity to climb a significant number of ladders.

About Albert:

Albert Waitt is a writer based in Kennebunkport, Maine.  Waitt’s crime novel, The Ruins of Woodman’s Village, was released by Level Best Books in March 2023.  His first novel, Summer to Fall, was published in 2013 by Barrel Fire Press.  His short fiction has appeared in The Literary Review, Third Coast, The Beloit Fiction Journal, Words and Images, Stymie: A journal of sport and literature, and other publications.  Waitt is a graduate of Bates College and the Creative Writing Program at Boston University.  Experiences ranging from slinging drinks, teaching creative writing, playing guitar for the Syphlloids, and frying clams can be found bleeding through his work.

Let’s Be Social:

Website:  https://www.albertwaitt.com/

Twitter:  @albertwaitt

FaceBook:  Albert Waitt

Instagram:  @albertwaitt

TikTok: @albertwaitt

#ThisorThatThusday Author Interview with J. C. Kenney

I’d like to welcome the wonderful J. C. Kenney to the blog today.

A few of your favorite things: My cat Maria, my electric scooter that I use to get around town, my recliner with power heat and massage functions. It is amazing!

Things you need to throw out: Well, I’ve lost 25 pounds so I have a lot of clothes I need to donate. Not quite ready to pull the trigger on that, though. I’m gonna miss some of those items!

Things you love about writing: I love being surprised by what my characters do when I’m writing. Even though I use an outline as a guide, the characters are always in control!

Things you hate about writing: The publication schedule. I’m super excited about a new series I’m writing, but the first book doesn’t come out until September of 2024. I don’t want to wait that long! lol

Things you never want to run out of: Caffeine! Give me all of it, as long as it comes in the form of tea or soda pop. I’ve tried but can’t seem to develop a taste for coffee.

Things you wish you’d never bought: Years ago, I bought a desk cycle. It’s a contraption that was supposed to let me pedal like a bicycle while working at my desk. I found out pretty quickly that I can’t work on my computer, aka write stories, and pedal at the same time. Darn the luck!

Favorite foods: Mexican food and pizza! Yeah, I love my carbs.

Things that make you want to gag: Not a fan of seafood. I can’t get past that fishy smell.

Favorite music or song: There are too many great ones to pick a single song. “One” by U2 is fantastic and took on such more meaning in the aftermath of 9-11. I also love “I’m Yours” from Jason Mraz. It helped me get through my wife’s cancer treatment in 2009. Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds” is another one that I adore.

Music that drives you crazy: I’m not a big contemporary country music fan. Same with thrash metal.

Something you’re really good at: I excel at providing a warm lap for my cat Maria to nap on.

Something you’re really bad at: Golf. I’ve tried to learn about and get better at the game mutiple times but am simply awful and gave it up for good about ten years ago.

The last thing you ordered online: A copy of the “Orange Blossoms” CD by JJ Grey & Mofro. Nothing against streaming music, but I love having something I can hold.

The last thing you regret buying: Last December, I bought a Chromebook because it was on an insane sale price. I really didn’t need it. In retrospect, I should have saved my money, but it’s so hard to resist a sale!

Things you’d walk a mile for: A mojito. The combination of rum and fresh mint cannot be beat!

Things that make you want to run screaming from the room: Six-legged bugs. It’s weird, but spiders don’t freak me out. Creepie crawlies with only six legs make my skin crawl. Like I said, I’m weird.

Things you always put in your books: Cats. I’m a total cat dad.

Things you never put in your books: I to avoid profanity. It doesn’t fit with the tone of my books.

Things to say to an author: “I loved your book” and/or “I just posted a review of your story that I loved.” The more positive reinforcement from readers, the better!

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: “No offense, but I only read serious literature” or “

Favorite places you’ve been: I’m in love with the sugar sand beaches of the Florida Panhandle. I go every chance I get. The sun is hot, the drinks are cold, and the atmosphere is great for research for a new series I’m writing.

Places you never want to go to again: Not so much a place, as a thing. When my wife and I were younger, we did a lot of camping. We still love nature, and tip our hats to folks who like to camp, but we’re old enough that we like our creature comforts like a real bed and a hot shower.

Favorite books (or genre): I love traditional mysteries and sci-fi.

Books you wouldn’t buy: I’m not a big fan of non-fiction. I’ll read a biography evey now and then, but I will totally pass on true crime.

Best thing you’ve ever done: Asking my wife, Nancy, to marry me. We celebrated our 32nd wedding anniversary a few weeks ago. And we still like each other!

Biggest mistake: That time I stood up in the back of a moving pick-up truck wasn’t my best move. I fell out of the truck (while it was still moving at 50 miles per hour), spent three days in the hospital, and the next ten weeks trying to save a finger that had snapped off during the fall. Like I said, not my best moment!

About J. C.:

J.C. Kenney is the Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo bestselling author of The Allie Cobb Mysteries, The Darcy Gaughan Mysteries, and The Elmo Simpson Mysteries. He's also the co-host of The Bookish Hour webcast. His debut, A Literal Mess, was a finalist for a Muse Medallion from the Cat Writers' Association in mystery fiction. When he’s not writing, you can find him following IndyCar racing or listening to music. He has two grown children and lives in Indianapolis with his wife and a cat.

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You can find him at www.jckenney.com or by visiting his Linktree at https://linktr.ee/jckenney.