#WriterWednesday Interview with Rebecca Saltzer

I’d like to welcome Rebecca Saltzer to the blog today for #WriterWednesday!

Things you always put in your books: Independent, smart women. They’re fun to read about and are the type of people I choose as friends.

Things you never put in your books: Sex and gratuitous violence. For me, the interesting part of a murder mystery is understanding the motivation behind the crime and solving the puzzle of who did it.

Some real-life story that made it to one of your books: Murder Over Broken Bonds is loosely based on a real fraud I investigated when I worked as a bond analyst at a NY City investment bank. And, a drunk trader really did throw up after a company party, all over my coat and shoes.

Something in your story that readers think is about you, but it’s not: I’m occasionally asked if someone actually got murdered because of the fraud. (Not that I know of.)

Hardest thing about being a writer: It’s solitary. You work for long periods of time, alone. To make sure I’m not writing in a vacuum, I link up with fellow authors through various writing organizations and belong to a critique group. It’s a great place to get candid feedback about which parts of the narrative work and, more importantly, which parts don’t.

Easiest thing about being a writer: Rewriting the story. You can’t do that in real life.

Things to say to an author: Did the stuff you write about really happen when you worked on Wall Street?

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: Have you read (fill-in-the-blank-with-a-completely-different genre)…? Maybe you could write something more like that.

Favorite books (or genre): I love clever mysteries and ghost stories, both long and short, but I don’t limit myself to just those types of books. I like to read widely to expand my view of the world. It’s one of the reasons I belong to several book clubs—often, I find myself enjoying something I never would have picked up on my own.

Books you wouldn’t buy: Noir is fine, but I absolutely hate slice & dice horror stories or novels about serial murderers. Too grisly and disturbing.

Things you need for your writing sessions: A laptop & thesaurus. I’m always trying to find a better word to describe what’s happening in the story and the computer allows me to quickly make revisions (something I spend a lot of time doing).

Things that hamper your writing: Noise & distractions. First thing in the morning I try to clear my desk (bills, email, etc) so that I can have a large chunk of uninterrupted time to focus on just my writing. Occasionally, I even turn off notifications (email, texts, etc) because I find the occasional bing is surprisingly disruptive. It can take a long time (and significant mental effort!) to get back on track again.

Favorite places you’ve been: Iceland, Australia, and New Zealand. The dramatic landscapes are breathtaking and the people few and far between. It’s the opposite of where I’ve tended to live (large cities with people crowded into small spaces). But those same city-folk provide lots of ideas for fun and intriguing characters (plus motives!) that can be woven together to create interesting murder mysteries.

Places you never want to go to again: Crawling into a tight lava tube. When I was a teenager, a couple of us went spelunking and almost got stuck. I still shudder when I think about how it felt to be surrounded by solid rock in all directions, akin (I’m guessing), to someone being buried alive. Horrifying!!!

The nicest thing a reader said to you: “It kept me guessing the entire time and I loved that final twist.” It’s incredibly satisfying to be told that you kept your reader wondering up until the final pages.

The craziest thing a reader said to you: “I never thought it would be so interesting to read about working on Wall Street. I couldn’t put your book down.” But, of course it’s fascinating! It’s the place where big money meets greets and temptation… and all sorts of things can go wrong.

About Rebecca:

Rebecca Saltzer worked as a bond analyst on the trading floor at Lehman Brothers in New York City in the financial heyday of the eighties. Like the protagonist in her novel, she sometimes encountered fraud and other questionable business practices, except in real life, none of it led to murder. In 2021, Rebecca received the William F. Deeck-Malice Domestic Grant for unpublished writers. When she’s not writing, she enjoys hiking with her two rescue dogs and exploring the great outdoors.

Let’s Be Social:

Author Website: http://www.saltzerbooks.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/rebecca.saltzer.14/

Twitter/X: http://twitter.com/RebeccaSaltzer



#WriterWednesday Interview with Meg Halfdahl and Kelly Florence

I’d like to welcome Meg Halfdahl and Kelly Florence to the blog for #WriterWednesday!

Things you never want to run out of:

Kelly: Hopefully my house will never run out of coffee and I certainly don’t want to run out of ideas! I believe staying curious and wanting to always learn will keep me motivated, creative, and getting inspired to write.

Meg: Books to read! If that happens then I must be stranded on a desert island. I also need my pugs, if I run out of cuddles from my pugs, Muffin and Sunny I get very cranky.

Things you wish you’d never bought:

Kelly: There have been way too many impulsive clothing purchases because of a good sale. Just because something is discounted doesn’t mean it’s worth purchasing.

Meg: Oh, wow. Probably anything related to fad dieting. It never works, and I just end up feeling like a failure! Don’t buy diet plans, apps, shakes, or books, friends!

A few of your favorite things:

Kelly: My house is filled with movie memorabilia (mainly horror, of course) and my favorite piece is a vintage Stephen King poster from when he spoke in 1983 in New Mexico.

Meg: I have a soft spot for stuffed animals. I can’t seem to get rid of them, and they make me happy! I have kept my favorite childhood teddy, Mama Bear, who is fragile and needs to sit high on a shelf now. She was well-loved.

Things you need to throw out:

Kelly: As a fan of the show Hoarders, I’ve been inspired to throw a lot out recently. It’s just stuff!

Meg: Haha, probably a lot of books I didn’t like or am never going to read. Like stuffed animals, it’s tough for me to get rid of books. Even bad ones!

Things you need for your writing sessions:

Kelly: A comfy spot to sit, some caffeine, and a set aside period of time are all I need to write.

Meg: The aforementioned pugs by my side, silence, and some green tea with honey!

Things that hamper your writing:

Kelly: My ten-year-old daughter recently adopted a cat who likes to walk across my keyboard or sit in my lap while I’m writing. That definitely slows my progress!

Meg: Getting distracted by my phone, the piles of laundry, wanting to keep reading a great novel instead of writing one!

Hardest thing about being a writer:

Kelly: The hardest part of being a writer is having deadlines when life gets in the way. When it rains, it pours and several things tend to be due at once.

Meg: I’d say that editing can be a challenge for me, especially the developmental side of things. When you fix one thing then it causes a domino effect that makes things more complicated, especially in novels.

Easiest thing about being a writer:

Kelly: Writing with my best friend is the easiest part of being a writer because we can share the journey with each other, encourage one another, and get inspired by the other.

Meg: Ahh! Thanks Kelly! I’d say that when I get into the groove and I’m so excited about the words I’m putting down that time flies.

Words that describe you:

Kelly: I would describe myself as kind, sensitive, and thoughtful.

Meg: I agree that Kelly is all those things! And I’d say I’m funny, patient, and smart.

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

Kelly: The same three words can also be my downfall: kind to a fault, too sensitive, and sometimes overthinking.

Meg: Ooooh, probably anxious and easily overwhelmed.

Favorite foods:

Kelly: Give me pizza or pasta any day and I’m happy but I will never turn down tacos, soba, or the Minnesota staple tater tot hot dish.

Meg: What don’t I like? I’m a huge carb fan, give me bread in any form, and my treat is salmon once or twice a month. I also love fried eggs, rice, and tofu. All the food.

Things that make you want to gag:

Kelly: I used to like mushrooms but one bad experience later I can’t eat them anymore.

Meg: I also hate mushrooms. And Bloody Marys. Those are nasty!

Favorite smell:

Kelly: Fresh cut grass in the summer reminds me of childhood and happiness.

Meg: Coffee is such a bright scent that wakes me up. I’m also a sucker for lavender and eucalyptus, those are my go-to candles.

Something that makes you hold your nose:

Kelly: Any cologne or perfume that is worn heavily because the person applying it is nose blind to it is tough to take.

Meg: I’m not a big fan of super sweet scents in candles like frosted cupcake or caramel brownie, it’s too much!

Something you’re really good at:

Kelly: I feel like I’m very good at organizing and planning my time especially when it comes cooking, teaching, and writing.

Meg: I hope writing! Also word games, yoga, and guessing what time it is!

Something you’re really bad at:

Kelly: Sports or anything athletic are my weakest area in life so I tend to avoid them!

Meg: I can’t draw anything. And I’m not the most devoted cook. I’d much prefer letting Kelly cook!

Things you’d walk a mile for:

Kelly: I’d walk a mile for a lot of things including a movie premiere, a great restaurant, or anything involving my family.

Meg: I try to walk a couple miles every week, so just being out in nature and time to think or listen to an audio book is worth it for me!

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

Kelly: I’m not one who enjoys rodents or spiders, especially in my house, so I definitely don’t stick around long when I encounter one.

Meg: Awkward social interactions?

Favorite things to do:

Kelly: My favorite pastimes include watching TV and movies, reading, traveling, and attending live theatre.

Meg: Reading, yoga, traveling, puzzles, TV and movies, eating.

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

Kelly: I don’t know about eating bugs to avoid these but I don’t enjoy waking up excessively early, fixing technological issues with devices, and filling out mundane paperwork.

Meg: Tent camping or running a marathon. I love walking but hate running.

The nicest thing a reader said to you:

Kelly: We have met so many amazing readers over the years and are always thrilled when we connect with someone. A woman told us recently we inspired her to watch more horror movies because our books were a gateway into the genre for her.

Meg: When a character of mine resonates with a reader that really makes me feel fulfilled. I want my characters to feel real and to make sense to readers, maybe on a close, personal level for some, so that really has warmed my heart to hear!

The craziest thing a reader said to you:

Kelly: You never know who you’re going to meet and a reader told us last month she personally knows one of the Grady girls from The Shining film!

Meg: Haha, oh probably when they ask did you REALLY write this book?

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

Kelly: We include many personal stories in our books and readers often connect to that and appreciate our candor. For example, I’ve shared personal stories about past relationships as well as childhood memories that contributed to who I am today.

Meg: Oh yes, we share a lot of ourselves, like how I came to be enamored of the true-crime genre because of an Ed Gein biography I bought as a middle-schooler.

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

Kelly: Oftentimes, people will assume because we’re horror fans and write about horror that we ourselves are dark, macabre, and scary. We’re approachable and kind, I promise!

Meg: Yes, to echo Kelly, I was just told the other day that I was “too nice” to be a horror writer. We can like horror and still smile!

#WriterWednesday Interview with Ashley Earley

I’d like to welcome Ashley Earley to the blog for #WriterWednesday!

Things to say to an author: honestly, anything nice. We like criticism, but we also eat up compliments.

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: “being an author isn’t that hard” or “get a real job.”

Favorite books (or genre): A Court of Mist & Fury by Sarah J. Maas, Frankenstein by Mary Shelly, Dracula by Bram Stoker, and Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë.

Books you wouldn’t buy: I’m not a huge historical fiction or sci-fi girlie.

Things you need for your writing sessions: I need coffee/tea, true crime podcasts, and some kind of chocolatey snack.

Things that hamper your writing: loud noises or anyone who chit-chats on the phone nearby while I’m trying to get into my writing groove (aka my boyfriend).

The last thing you ordered online: custom box tape for my author PR boxes.

Words that describe you: goofy, creative, loyal, hard-working, and dedicated.

Words that describe you, but you wish they didn’t: workaholic and hyper-stressed.

Favorite smell: It’s a tie between freshly popped popcorn and rain.

Something that makes you hold your nose: cinnamon. While autumn is my favorite season, I do everything I can to avoid cinnamon-scented anything.

Hardest thing about being a writer: avoiding negative book reviews that could hurt your feelings.

Easiest thing about being a writer: being creative when it comes to putting together your book launch.

Most daring thing you’ve ever done: I started my own business right out of college.

Something you chickened out from doing: I tend to chicken out of riding crazy rollercoasters because of my fear of heights.

Favorite things to do: I enjoy snowboarding, cozy gaming, cooking, and hiking with my dog.

Things you’d run through a fire or eat bugs to get out of doing: I’d do anything to avoid going out in any scenario. I’m a stay at home and watch a movie with my dog kind of girl.

Something you’re really good at: talking myself into buying more books when I have plenty of books to read at home.

Something you’re really bad at: dancing. Can’t do it.

Some real-life story that made it to one of your books: I can’t reveal my secrets, but some personality traits of mine and from others in my life have ended up in Heart of Skulls.

Something in your story that readers think is about you, but it’s not: most readers might be convinced that I’m a serial killer after reading Heart of Skulls. I pinky promise I’m not. I just watch a lot of true crime.

About Ashley:

Ashley grew up in Georgia, but, today, she lives in Colorado with her dog and spends her time devouring any book she can get her hands on, writing, and editing for her clients at Earley Editing, LLC.

Her love of reading and writing began at a young age, which led her to graduate with distinction from the University of Colorado Boulder, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing. She also enjoys snowboarding, exploring, annoying her dog, constantly eating chocolate, and sharing her writing adventures on Instagram. 

Let’s Be Social:

Connect with her on TikTok, Instagram, and other platforms as @ashley_earley and on her website www.ashleyearley.com or reach out at www.earleyediting.com if you’re interested in her editing services! 


#WriterWednesday Interview with Joyce Woollcott

I’d like to welcome Joyce Woollcott to the blog for #WriterWednesday!

A few of your favorite things: An old cashmere sweater in a lovely shade of peachy orange. A pale grey linen dressing gown. A lovely red Ted Baker evening dress that’s a bit too small for me and too short but I love it anyway. (Never worn.)

Things you need to throw out: Most of my clothes. But, you know, you think… wait, I might wear that again.

Things you need for your writing sessions: Silence, warmth and coffee.

Things that hamper your writing: Music, TV or chat, being cold, uncomfortable chair…

Hardest thing about being a writer: Always having something to do.

Easiest thing about being a writer: Always having something to do.

Favorite foods: Rare roast beef, pasta, most seafood. Sticky toffee pudding, Banoffe Pie.

Things that make you want to gag: Beetroot, turnip, and… liver––obviously.

Favorite music or song: Van Morrison, Astral Weeks. I know it’s sixties, but it’s not the same…

Music that drives you crazy: Country music, and fifties, sixties and seventies commercial pop. (Sorry).

Something you’re really good at: Someone told me once that I have perfect pitch, a statement my husband vigorously disagrees with.

Something you’re really bad at: Singing, which is strange considering my last statement…

Last best thing you ate: Eggplant Parmesan.

Last thing you regret eating: Three mini KitKats from last Halloween. Yes, really.

The last thing you ordered online: A Belstaff Jacket for my husband.

The last thing you regret buying: One of those little square automatic floor washing robots––but not the Rhoomba, I love that.

Favorite books (or genre): I love mysteries, especially stories set in dark rainy places, or Nordic countries.

Books you wouldn’t buy: Not keen on romance, science fiction, fantasy, true crime, heart-wrenching drama.

People you’d like to invite to dinner: Kate Atkinson, David Hockney, Bill Nighy, Brendan Gleeson.

People you’d cancel dinner on: Bill Cosby, Jeremy Clarkson.

Favorite things to do: Sitting in a quiet, sunny garden with a nice glass of wine, reading a good mystery.

Things you’d run through a fire or eat bugs to get out of doing: Root canal––obviously.

The coolest person you’ve ever met: Denise Mina, lovely, friendly and chatty, swore like a trooper. Oh, and Lee Child and Ian Rankin too. And Oprah Winfrey was really nice.

The celebrity who didn’t look like he/she did in pictures/video: Anderson Cooper wasn’t as tall as I had expected. He seemed very shy.

About Her Latest:

BLOOD RELATIONS

Retired Chief Inspector Patrick Mullan is found brutally murdered in his bed. Detective Sergeant Ryan McBride and his partner DS Billy Lamont are called to his desolate country home to investigate. In their inquiry, they discover a man whose career was overshadowed by violence and corruption. Is the killer someone from Mullan’s past, or his present? And who hated the man enough to kill him twice?

Belfast, Northern Ireland: early spring 2017. Retired Chief Inspector Patrick Mullan is found brutally murdered in his bed. Detective Sergeant Ryan McBride and his partner Detective Sergeant Billy Lamont are called to his desolate country home to investigate. In their inquiry, they discover a man whose career with the Police Service of Northern Ireland was overshadowed by violence and corruption. Is the killer someone from Mullan’s past, or his present? And who hated the man enough to kill him twice? Is it one of Patrick Mullan’s own family, all of them hiding a history of abuse and lies? Or a vengeful crime boss and his psychopathic new employee? Or could it be a recently released prisoner desperate to protect his family and flee the country? Ryan and Billy once again face a complex investigation with wit and intelligence, all set in Belfast and the richly atmospheric countryside around it.

About Joyce:

J. Woollcott is a Canadian writer born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. She is a graduate of the Humber School for Writers and BCAD, University of Ulster. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers and Crime Writers of Canada. In 2019 her first novel, A Nice Place to Die,  won the Romance Writers of America Daphne du Maurier Award for Unpublished Mystery and Suspense. In 2021 she was short-listed in the Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence. This year, A Nice Place to Die is a finalist in the Killer Nashville 2023 Silver Falchion Awards.

Let’s Be Social:

Website: https://www.jwoollcott.com

Twitter: @JoyceWoollcott

Amazon link: https://amzn.to/3CGIzi0

Book Link: https://tinyurl.com/mtzxx9dy

#WriterWednesday Interview with Mo Moshaty

I’d like to welcome Mo Moshaty to the blog for #WriterWednesday.

A few of your favorite things: Making travel plans, writing when it’s rainy ( I get best horror ideas when it’s gloomy)

Things you need to throw out: The half-written in notebooks and journals I know I’m not going to use.

Things you need for your writing sessions: I need to be better at giving myself time to think. G2 Pens, orange highlighter, a hot tea, a wine or martini

Things that hamper your writing: my cellphone ☹

Hardest thing about being a writer: having far too many ideas to get down, I’m big on world-building so its difficult to make that concise

Easiest thing about being a writer: having far too many ideas to get down – it’s a blessing and a curse

Besides writing, what’s the most creative thing you’ve done: helped create a film challenge via Zoom and post pandemic that has been featured on Shudder with three of my colleagues, that recently won a Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Award for 2022

A project that didn’t quite turn out the way you planned it: created a dark science fiction horror podcast that was pitched to major studios that deflated in production

Something you’re really good at: Napping 😊

Something you’re really bad at: Getting distracted, and then berating myself for procrastination

Words that describe you: Charming, Inquisitive, Passionate

Words that describe you, but you wish they didn’t: Self-deprecating, overly sensitive

Favorite places you’ve been: London, England

Places you never want to go to again: The ER in Virginia Beach

Most daring thing you’ve ever done: Performed my own original music in London acapella

Something you chickened out from doing: bungee jumping…..a second time!

The funniest thing to happen to you: at my fourth birthday party, I wanted Wonder Woman underoos so badly, and I received them! In my zeal to get them, I tore into my room and put them on, but I stuck myself in one of the leg holes instead of the waistband, I was cutting off my circulation and blacked out.

The nicest thing a reader said to you: That my writing made them cry from it’s beautiful construction

The craziest thing a reader said to you: usually only men write brutal stories like this

Favorite music or song: 80’s and 90s hip hop and dance music

Music that drives you crazy: modern country

Some real-life story that made it to one of your books: Scenes of a past relationship and the disposition of an ex made it into my book, Love the Sinner. Of course, I killed the character. 😊

Something in your story that readers think is about you, but it’s not: Such a tough one. I’ve had someone recently equate me with a character from a short story I had written titled, The Marriage. As Much as I want it to be it isn’t, lol.

About Mo:

Mo Moshaty is a horror writer, lecturer and producer. Flexing her horror acumen, coupled with her additional vocation as a Cognitive Behavioral Therapist, Mo has lectured with Prairie View A&M in Texas as a keynote speaker for Nightmares of Monkeypaw: A Jordan Peele Symposium, with Horror Studies BAFSS Sig for No Return: A Yellowjackets Symposium, with Centre for the History of the Gothic at the University of Sheffield and the University of California for The Whole Damn Swarm: Celebrating 30 Years of Candyman and Final Girls Berlin Film Festival's Brain Binge on Women's Trauma Within Horror Cinema. 

Let’s Be Social: Mo Moshaty

#WriterWednesday Interview with Luna Rey Hall

I’d like to welcome Luna Rey Hall to the blog for #WriterWednesday.

A few of your favorite things: my dogs, my dogs, my dogs

Things you need to throw out: not my dogs.

Things you need for your writing sessions: either my phone or computer— i don’t write on paper anymore.

Things that hamper your writing: any type of talking, so i go someplace quiet or try to put on music without lyrics.

Favorite music or song: i lean towards indie rock/pop, hip-hop, hyperpop.

Music that drives you crazy: generic stadium country music… like really corporate brewed type stuff.

Favorite beverage: water is the best and always will be.

Something that gives you a sour face: cream soda

Something you’re really good at: writing

Something you’re really bad at: also writing

The last thing you ordered online: probably books... unless food from an app counts

The last thing you regret buying: merchandise from a since cancelled musician

Things you always put in your books: queerness

Things you never put in your books: a happy ending

Favorite places you’ve been: Seaside, Oregon— specifically with all of my friends

Places you never want to go to again: NYC during a busy time of the year

Favorite books (or genre): my all-time favorite books is Black Aperture by Matt Rasmussen and Blood Dazzler by Patricia Smith

Books you wouldn’t buy: not a big fan of historical non-fiction? books by bad people. Harry Potter.

The nicest thing a reader said to you: there’s been an endless amount of very generous and pleasant, kind, warm things that readers have said to me over the years but i think the biggest one would be hearing my book is someone’s favorite or that they are grateful i’m in the world.

The craziest thing a reader said to you: “the main character is annoying” — well yeah they are going through a very traumatic experience, and nobody is perfect so accurate.

About Luna:

luna rey hall is a trans non-binary writer. they are the author of four books including "the patient routine". their poems have appeared in The Florida Review, The Rumpus, and Raleigh Review, among others.

Let’s Be Social:

lunareyhall.com

#WriterWednesday Interview with Kate B. Jackson

I’d like to welcome the fabulous Kate B. Jackson (K. B. Jackson) to the blog for #WriterWednesday.

Words that describe you: Optimistic, tenacious, reconciliatory

Words that describe you, but you wish they didn’t: Resting B* Face

Favorite foods: Anything Mexican, Shawarma, sticky toffee pudding

Things that make you want to gag: mushrooms and lima beans

Favorite music or song: I love oldies, but I’ve found there’s a Kelly Clarkson song for any occasion.

Music that drives you crazy: Morrissey and the Smiths. I’m sorry, I just can’t. I almost couldn’t date my husband because he enjoys it.

Favorite beverage: Coke Zero with fresh lime or an extra dirty vodka martini

Something that gives you a sour face: I have no poker face, so anything I don’t like!

Something you’re really good at: solving ancestry mysteries

Something you’re really bad at: sitting in the passenger seat while my kid learns to drive

Last best thing you ate: Diablo tenderloin bites in a spicy Argentinian cream sauce from El Gaucho Steakhouse. I have to restrain myself from licking the plate.

Last thing you regret eating: An entire box of mini Nilla Wafers

Things you’d walk a mile for: Tacos, my family, to fit into a dress. Not necessarily in that order.

Things that make you want to run screaming from the room: rodents, snakes, disrespectful bickering between spouses

Things you always put in your books: Easter eggs. There are specific methods I won’t disclose, but they’re always there.

Things you never put in your books: evil. I want to understand what would drive an average person to kill, so no serial killers or sociopaths.

Things to say to an author: Where do you prefer I leave my review?

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: I know you’re on deadline but what are you making for dinner?

Favorite places you’ve been: England (York, Bath, and London)

Places you never want to go to again: The emergency room in Willows, CA where I spent several hours after rolling my suburban filled with my 4 kids and all my photo albums across I5 while moving from Socal to Washington State.

Some real-life story that made it to one of your books: An encounter with a raccoon

Something in your story that readers think is about you, but it’s not: I hope my mother doesn’t think Audrey’s mom is based on her, because she absolutely is not!

About Kate:

Kate B Jackson (KB Jackson) is an author of mystery novels for grownups and mystery/adventure novels for kids. She lives in the Pacific NW with her husband and has four mostly grown children. Her debut middle grade release is “The Sasquatch of Hawthorne Elementary” (Reycraft Books) about a twelve-year-old boy hired by the most popular girl at his new school to investigate what she saw in the nearby woods. Book one in the Chattertowne Mysteries series, “Secrets Don’t Sink,” (Level Best Books July 2023) introduces Audrey O’Connell, a small town feature reporter who, when her former boyfriend’s body is found floating in the local marina, uncovers the depths to which some will go to keep secrets submerged.

Her debut novel in the Cruising Sisters mystery series, Until Depths Do Us Part (Tule Publishing) will be released Spring 2024.

Let’s Be Social:

LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/kbjackson


#WriterWednesday Interview with Jamie L. Adams

I’d like to welcome Jamie L. Adams to the blog for #WriterWednesday!

Things you need for your writing sessions: Water, I like to drink a lot of water.

Things that hamper your writing: Phone calls. Sometimes I forget to mute the phone.

Hardest thing about being a writer: Plotting is hard, but the story comes out so much better we you do.

Easiest thing about being a writer: Creating characters is easy and fun. I’ve always been a people watcher and there are a million characters in my head just waiting to get their say.

Words that describe you: Kind and giving are words that describe me.

Words that describe you, but you wish they didn’t: I’m also shy and quiet.

Favorite foods: I love chocolate, pizza and cereal. My taste buds refuse to grow up.

Things that make you want to gag: Shrimp. Everyone in my family loves shrimp but me.

Favorite beverage: I love to drink water.

Something that gives you a sour face: I associate 7Up with being sick.

Something you’re really good at: I’m really good at baking cookies.

Something you’re really bad at: I’m really bad at drawing anything other than stick figures.

Favorite places you’ve been: The Crater of Diamonds in Arkansas.

Places you never want to go to again: Disney World in Florida.

Favorite books (or genre): I love historical romantic fiction and cozy mysteries.

Books you wouldn’t buy: I hate stories where someone is falsely accused.

Favorite things to do: My favorite thing to do is write.

Things you’d run through a fire or eat bugs to get out of doing: I’m terrified of driving in winter weather.

Best thing you’ve ever done: The best thing I’ve done was to follow my heart.

Biggest mistake: Going back for that second degree in college when I had a great job waiting for me.

About Jamie:

Jamie L. Adams fell in love with books at an early age. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott opened her imagination and sparked a dream to be a writer. She wrote her first book as a school project in 6th grade. Living in the Ozarks with her husband, twin daughters, and a herd of cats, she spends most of her free writing, reading, or learning more about the craft near to her heart.

Let’s Be Social:

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

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7116183.Jamie_L_Adams

website: https://www.cozylanternmysteries.com/