#WriterWednesday Interview with Chris Denmead

I’d like to welcome author Chris Denmead to the blog. He’s the perfect author for Halloween week.

Things you never want to run out of: Food

Things you wish you’d never bought: comics

A few of your favorite things: comics my son and my cat

Things you need to throw out: clothes

Things you need for your writing sessions: a computer

Things that hamper your writing: my adhd and depression

Hardest thing about being a writer: distractions

Easiest thing about being a writer: nothing is easy

Words that describe you: active and depressed

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

Favorite foods: lasagna and pizza

Things that make you want to gag: vomit

Favorite music or song: Johnny b goode by Chuck Berry

Music that drives you crazy: Country or gospel

Favorite beverage: Coffee or diet ginger ale or beer

Something that gives you a sour face: politics

Something you’re really good at: organizing stuff

Something you’re really bad at: staying organized

Last best thing you ate: cookies

Last thing you regret eating: bad pizza

The last thing you ordered online: a book

The last thing you regret buying: bad food

Things you’d walk a mile for: my gf and my son

Things that make you want to run screaming from the room: stress and co workers

Things to say to an author: keep writing

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

Favorite places you’ve been: Hawaii

Places you never want to go to again: Virginia

Favorite books (or genre): horror or documentaries

Books you wouldn’t buy: religious

People you’d like to invite to dinner: Abe Lincoln and Stan Lee and Wes Craven

People you’d cancel dinner on: my father

Favorite things to do: read comic books

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

Best thing you’ve ever done: raise my son make radio of Horror last for 17 years

Biggest mistake: not connecting with my dad before he died

Most daring thing you’ve ever done: travel to Hawaii

Something you chickened out from doing: hang gliding

The coolest person you’ve ever met: Director Wes Craven

The celebrity who didn’t look like he/she did in pictures/video: too many too name and too cruel to answer

The nicest thing a reader said to you: they loved my book a lot

The craziest thing a reader said to you: the book was shipped badly by amazon ... I don't care and that's not my problem why tell me

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

A project that didn’t quite turn out the way you planned it: Vlada

Let’s Be Social:

www.wcuw.org

www.radioofhorror.wordpress.com

Warm up your Cold Calling

Many times, when authors schedule events, they have to reach out and do some cold calling, and it can be stressful to pitch something to someone you don’t know. Here are some ideas to help make your call not just another random request.

The best thing I ever did to build my contact list was to volunteer to schedule the programming for one of my writers’ groups. This gave me the opportunity to reach out to all kinds of venues and speakers and to build relationships with local book sellers, libraries, and other professionals. (I was scheduling writing, marketing, and law-enforcement-related presentations for my Sisters in Crime chapter. Among hundreds of local contacts, I now have two bailbondsmen in my contact list who did a fabulous presentation on what it’s like to seek bond.)

Here are some ideas to help you when you reach out to plan an event:

• Contacts and relationships are important. It is much easier to call or email someone you have a relationship with than it is a complete stranger.

• When you meet new people, make sure to add them to your contacts immediately. Make sure to include a note of where you met them.

• Visit your local bookstores and libraries regularly (not just when you want to do a book signing). Be part of the community. Make sure you introduce yourself.

• When you participate in a book festival, make sure to introduce yourself to the event coordinators and planners.

• Be willing to volunteer.

• Join a writers’ group and volunteer. These groups help authors build their networks.

• If you have a skill to share, volunteer to teach a class. Even if you can’t sell books there, you can still promote your newsletter and offer bookmarks.

• Contact your local library or bookseller and proposal a panel for a program that they could offer. Many groups are looking for interesting speakers.

• Do your homework. Learn about the group, organization, or business before you reach out to them. Look at their event calendars. Make sure that what you’re offering matches.

#ThisorThatThursay Interview with Author Donna M. Cramer

Today, I would like to welcome author, Donna M. Cramer, to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

Things you need for your writing sessions: I need coffee, time and a quiet environment.

Things that hamper your writing: Having too many appointments, noise, and self-doubt

Hardest thing about being a writer: It is a solitary activity without a lot of input from others unless you really reach out e.g. writer’s groups, conferences, etc.

The easiest thing about being a writer: having the privilege to express my thoughts and hopefully to help others. When the words flow through my fingertips, there is no better feeling.

Favorite foods: Anything Mexican or Italian

Things that make you want to gag: Not too much. I like food and like to try new foods. Not a fan of liver, though!

Favorite music or song: I’m a big Barry Manilow fan. I tend to really love his lesser-known work such as “All The Time” and “Please Don’t Be Scared.”

Music that drives you crazy: Not a fan of rap especially some of the misogynistic stuff.

Last best thing you ate: Delicious tacos from my favorite restaurant: Sol Toro.

Last thing you regret eating: A cream filled donut – way too sweet.

The last thing you ordered online: 12 small stuffed lions to go with my book series about Lester Lion.

The last thing you regret buying: A sweater ordered online. It looked cute, but when will I learn I need to try clothes on first!

Things you’d walk a mile for: A new book, almost any book, but especially one from my favorite authors such as Jodi Picoult, Lisa Jewell and Liane Moriarty.

Things that make you want to run screaming from the room: Politics especially disrespect directed toward others. We are all human.

Things you always put in your books: Names of people I know.

Things you never put in your books: Actual events that occurred

Things to say to an author: Tell me about your book. I understand the point you were trying to make.

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: Who helped you write it? Did you write it yourself?

Favorite things to do: Read, followed by writing at a very close second.

Things you’d run through a fire or eat bugs to get out of doing: Go to the doctor, although I do go when I need to!

Best thing you’ve ever done: Pursue my writing, never give up and get published!

Biggest mistake: Doubting myself and listening to others. Writing was never a waste of time because here I am now with two children’s books published and one adult novel. There are more on the way!

The coolest person you’ve ever met: Barry Manilow

The celebrity who didn’t look like he/she did in pictures/video: Rod Stewart much shorter than I thought, much shorter than me.

The nicest thing a reader said to you: Your book made a difference in my life.

The craziest thing a reader said to you: Did you really kidnap a baby? My novel is about a kidnapped boy. It is fiction, not a confession.

About Donna:

Donna M. Cramer is a retired special education teacher who lives in Massachusetts. She worked with young special needs students (preschool – first grade) for over 20 years. She sustained a life-altering brain injury while working at school, which forced her to retire early from teaching. Paul Is Missing is her first adult novel to be published. Donna has loved writing since childhood. Following her brain injury and during a long recovery, she came to realize that hope is so essential even during traumatic situations. Her brand is hope. She is also writing a series of children’s books featuring the character of Lester Lion. She stays busy writing, doing yoga and walking on the beach. She lives with her husband and two Maine Coon cats. Never give up, and always believe in hope!

Let’s Be Social:

Website: http://authordonnamcramer.com

Instagram: @donca4

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/donna.cramer.716

Watch out for Bad Actors and Scams

There are a lot of bad actors and scams out on the internet (and social media). Here are some hints to help you protect yourself and your accounts.

You don’t have to friend everyone. If the account looks suspicious, you can ignore the request or block the person.

Watch out for the lovelorn widowers, sad stories looking for money, and handsome men looking for friends. These are often bots or other bad actors. They friend you and your friends to start up friendly conversations that usually end up with some kind of request for money.

Watch out for spoofed accounts, friend requests from someone who is already your friend.

There are some scams where you are tagged to a group post that looks like it’s from the social media company. The message is usually something about being locked out of your account for a violating some kind of standard. They provide a link for you to rectify the problem. It’s really a link to gather your private information. The social media platforms do not notify you in a group post. Untag yourself and block it.

You can report offensive, harassing, or dangerous accounts to the social media company. You can also untag yourself from messages or posts. Use the block or ban feature to prevent that account from contacting you again.

You can also set security parameters on your account and posts that will limit who can see your items or contact you.

Here are some hints that may help you spot a suspicious account:

• It’s a request from someone who is already your friend.

• There are very few posts on the person’s site, and most of them are from another user (not the account owner).

• There is very little background or biographical information and often only a few pictures on the account.

• Many times, there are no recent postings.

• If you receive a random direct message, it’s often a “ping” with a “hello” or something else to see if you will respond.

• Posts or direct messages are full of spelling and grammatical errors. (Though this is improving with AI.)

• There are lots of pictures of military personnel, flags, puppies, kittens, and flowers on the “person’s” site.

• The account may flood your page with likes and comments that don’t quite fit the topic.

• Some “digital marketers,” “book promoters,” “professional book reviewers,” and “social media promoters” are often accounts who are looking for authors to buy their “services.” The friendly chat will quickly turn into an expensive sales pitch.

Be vigilant and stay safe out there. The bad actors are always trying to work a new scam.

#ThisorThat Interview with Erica Miner

I’d like to welcome Erica Miner back to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

Things you need when you’re in your writing cave:

Computer, phone, crystals, notepad, pens, highlighter, Bach Remedy Rescue pastilles, water bottle

Things that distract you from writing:

Noise, indoor/outdoor; husband interrupting me when my office door is closed; a sunny day (a rarity in the Pacific Northwest!)

Hardest thing about being a writer:

Getting right down to it in the morning

Easiest thing about being a writer:

Thinking up stories—I’ll never be able to write them all

Favorite snacks:

Trader Joe’s Cassava chips, dried fruits of all kinds, especially mangos and peaches (less like favorites, more like addictions)

Things that make you want to gag:

Beets, lima beans

Something you’re really good at:

Lecturing on writing and music; cooking, when I’m in the mood

Something you’re really bad at:

Giving someone bad news

Something you wanted to be when you were a kid:

A psychotherapist; I thought I could do that AND be a violinist!

Something you do that you never dreamed you’d do:

Write opera mysteries!

Last best thing you ate:

Chocolate chips (sugar free)

Last thing you regret eating:

Chocolate chips (sugar free)

Favorite places you’ve been:

Florence, Italy; all of California (used to live in So Cal); Paris, and all of France;

Japan is especially delicious, in every way

Places you never want to go to again:

Mexico; I got really sick there

Favorite things to do:

Sit out on the deck in warm, sunny weather (priceless when it happens in Seattle)

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

Cleaning oven racks

Most daring thing you’ve ever done:

Traveled through Europe solo (chronicled in my first novel, ‘Travels with my Lovers’)

Something you chickened out from doing: Scuba diving

The most exciting thing about your writing life:

Engaging with readers, both in person and online, and speaking about my books at events

The one thing you wish you could do over in your writing life:

Learn the importance of marketing and promotion before I started writing full time

The nicest thing a reader said to you:

“Her scene-setting in the opera world, replete with detestable divas, wannabe stars, and snarky stagehands, makes for a delicious read”

The craziest thing a reader said to you:

“You can’t see the stage from the Met Opera pit.” (Nonsense. Of course you can. I watched the stage for 21 years from my position as a first violinist. Has this reader ever sat there and looked??)

Recommendations for curing writer’s block: Journaling. Get those thoughts out of your head and onto the page.

Things you do to avoid writing: Surf through Facebook; but it’s also a great way to network

About Erica:

Award-winning Seattle-based author, lecturer, screenwriter and arts journalist Erica Miner believes opera theatres are perfect places for creating fictional mischief! Drawing on her 21 years as a violinist

at the famed Metropolitan Opera, Erica balances her reviews and interviews of real-world musical artists with fanciful plot fabrications that reveal the dark side of the fascinating world of opera, guiding readers through a dramatized version of the opera world in her Julia Kogan Opera Mystery series.

Erica’s young violinist sleuth, Julia Kogan, investigates high-profile murder and mayhem behind the Met’s “Golden Curtain” in Book 1, Aria for Murder (2022), finalist in the 2023 Eric Hoffer Book Awards and Chanticleer Independent Book Awards. In Book 2, Prelude to Murder (2023) (‘A skillfully written whodunit of operatic proportions’—Kirkus Reviews https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/erica-miner/prelude-to-murder/, Distinguished Favorite, 2024 NYC Big Book Awards, further operatic chaos and ghostly apparitions plague Julia at the Santa Fe Opera. In Overture to Murder, releasing in Oct. 2024, Julia finds herself in jeopardy once again at the San Francisco Opera.

Erica’s debut novel, Travels with My Lovers, won the Fiction Prize in the Direct from the Author Book Awards. Her screenplays have won awards in the Writer’s Digest, Santa Fe, and WinFemme competitions. When she isn't plumbing the depths of opera houses for murderous mayhem, Erica frequently contributes reviews and interviews for the well-known arts websites www.BroadwayWorld.com, www.bachtrack.com, and www.LAOpus.com.

 Let’s Be Social:

Website: https://www.ericaminer.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/erica.miner1             

X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/EmwrtrErica         

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emwriter3/

#WriterWednesday Interview with Jenna Greene

I’d like to welcome Jenna Greene to the blog for #WriterWednesday!

Favorite thing that you always make time for: I always make time to read and write. I’ll sacrifice housework to make sure I can be creative.

The thing you’ll always do just about anything to avoid: The above-mentioned housework. The weather too nice? I can’t be inside doing chores. The weather is yucky? That’s the best time to curl up with a book.

Things you need when you’re in your writing cave: A cup of tea, preferably very hot.

Things that distract you from writing: Anything happening in the house. Usually, this means my children are trying to tell me something. They tend to ignore me unless I have something I need to do.

The thing you like most about being a writer: Being creative. Creating worlds. Going on a journey with my characters and discovering the story with them.

The thing you like least about being a writer: Editing. Yes, it is necessary. Yes, it’s important. Yes, it’s not as fun as a first draft.

Things you will run to the store for in the middle of the night: The sequel to a good book. Or the last in a trilogy.

Things you never put on your shopping list: This may surprise you, but cleaning supplies!

The thing that you will most remember about your writing life: The feeling of completing a book, having it published, and being able to hold it in your hands as an actual, physical book.

Something in your writing life that you wish you could do over:

Something you’re really good at: I’m a pretty good coach. I coach dragonboat paddling and racing and I’ve been told I explain things well. Plus, when the team gets really tired, I motivate them with very corny jokes.

Something you never learned how to do: Knit. I think it’d be good for me if I knew how. I tried learning to crochet once, but the lessons went very badly. I can kind of sew, so that’s something, right? I can’t make a fancy pillow, but I can repair stuffed animals, which is a skill that has come in handy over the years.

Something you wanted to be when you were a kid: Fairy princess.

Something you do that you never dreamed you’d do: Teach, which means talking in front of people all day long. I used to be a very shy child.

Things to say to an author: I’m proud of you!

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: I thought about writing a book once. It looks easy.

Most daring thing you’ve ever done: I rappelled once. It was terrifying. If I could have escaped from doing it, I would have. But I had to be brave for the children I was with.

Something you chickened out from doing: Scary rides at the fair that don’t have proper seat belts.

The funniest thing to happen to you: I’m fairly clumsy, so most days there are at least 5-6 funny or embarrassing things that happen to me. I walk into a lot of door frames. I am forced to pee in very unfortunate places. I’ve worn two different shoes to work multiple times.

The most embarrassing thing to happen to you: I think trying to get into someone else’s car (that looked like mine) is pretty bad. It’s happened a few times, but only once where the person was sitting in their vehicle and yelled at me.

The best job you ever had: Writing and teaching: The two best gigs in the world.

The worst job you ever had: Retail.

The one thing you cook/bake that is better than a restaurant dish: Um… nothing. I’m the world’s worst cook. My eight year old is now better at making spaghetti than I am … and everything else.

The one thing you cooked/baked that turned out to be an epic disaster: Any casserole I’ve tried. Most lasagna’s I make. I can burn microwave popcorn, so that’s not good. I’ve messed up soup. Sometimes I can re-heat things in the microwave.

About Jenna:

Jenna Greene is a teacher, writer, clumsy dancer, dragonboat coach and paddler, and semi-professional napper. She loves every part of her life and starts each day with a cup of tea.

Let’s Be Social:

Jenna Greene – Author

How Do You Avoid Being Overwhelmed by Social Media?

Keeping up with all of your social media sites can be a lot of work, and it can often feel overwhelming. As a writer, your goal is to be active on your key sites and still write your next book. Both are important components of your writing life. Here are some ideas that can help you manage your social media and promotion time.

• Create a social media schedule. I still have a day gig, so what works for me is to check my main sites in the morning, at lunch, and in the evenings. I respond to messages and comments.

• The “social” part is key. You need to interact with those who comment on your posts. It’s also important to comment and share others’ posts.

• Know which sites your readers are on and focus your efforts there.

• Make sure that you post regularly. I schedule a lot of my daily posts on my main sites. This lets me plan my posts to match my goals and strategies. I still do ad hoc posts on random things that I want to share. It also allows me to have posts throughout the day, even if I’m busy doing something else.

• Remember that every post is not going to sell a book. Balance the content of your posts, so that twenty percent or fewer of your items are “buy my books.” It’s important for readers to see what you’re doing and your interests. Everything shouldn’t be a sales post.

• Social media followers are interested in entertainment and good content. Avoid being too wordy. Include graphics or videos to draw attention to your post.

• Be careful not to let your social media time take over your writing time.

• Create a business account on these platforms where you can. They offer more flexibility, features, and metrics than a personal account does. They also allow you to schedule your posts.

• Review your accounts’ metrics or analytics from time to time to see what posts are working. Many of the business tools offer hints for the best times to post for your readers. This can also help you to see how your audience is growing.

#ThisorThatThursday Interview with donalee Moulton

I’d like to welcome donalee Moulton to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

Things you never want to run out of: Chocolate, sweatpants, downward dogs

Things you wish you’d never bought: White chocolate, stilettos, a gym membership

Hardest thing about being a writer: Writing

Easiest thing about being a writer: Talking about writing with other writers

Favorite foods: Miso chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, baked gnocchi with Italian sausage

Things that make you want to gag: Snails (even if you call it “escargot”), lima beans, coconut

Favorite music or song: I like music I can move to or with lyrics that move me

Music that drives you crazy: Opera (sadly)

Last best thing you ate: Cider doughnuts

Last thing you regret eating: Some waxy wrap thing with shredded carrots

The last thing you ordered online: A catio for Wiley Bob so he can safely go out in the sunshine

The last thing you regret buying: A wool winter coat that’s itchy to look at and itchy to wear

Things you always put in your books: Humor

Things you never put in your books: Blood, guts, gore (at least so far)

Favorite places you’ve been: Sable Island, Thailand, Sweden

Places you never want to go to again: Retreats with yurts

Favorite books (or genre): Charlotte’s Web, Where the Crawdads Sing, The Marriages Between Zones Three, Four, and Five

Books you wouldn’t buy: Horror

Best thing you’ve ever done: Written books and stories and poems and articles

Biggest mistake: Going to the opera ties with joining a gym

The nicest thing a reader said to you: One reader posted a picture of themselves lounging in the sun reading Hung Out to Die. They captioned it “Perfect afternoon.”

The craziest thing a reader said to you: Some readers see sexual tension between two characters in Hung Out to Die. I just don’t see it.

Some real-life story that made it to one of your books: I can get up off the floor without using my hands. So can one of my characters.

Something in your story that readers think is about you, but it’s not: Love of coffee. I don’t drink caffeine.

About donalee:

donalee Moulton’s first mystery book Hung out to Die was published in 2023. A historical mystery, Conflagration!, was published in 2024. It won the 2024 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense (Historical Fiction).

A short story “Swan Song” was one of 21 selected for publication in Cold Canadian Crime. It was shortlisted for an Award of Excellence. Other short stories have been published recently in After Dinner Conversation, The Antigonish Review, and Queen’s Quarterly. donalee’s short story “Troubled Water” was shortlisted for a 2024 Derringer Award and a 2024 Award of Excellence from the Crime Writers of Canada. 

donalee is an award-winning freelance journalist. She has written articles for print and online publications across North America including The Globe and Mail, Chatelaine, Lawyer’s Daily, National Post, and Canadian Business.

As well, donalee is the author of The Thong Principle: Saying What You Mean and Meaning What You Say and co-authored the book, Celebrity Court Cases: Trials of the Rich and Famous.

Let’s Be Social:

Website: http://donaleemoulton.com

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

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/donaleemoulton/

Twitter: @donaleeMoulton

Instagram: donaleemoulton