October 26, 2013

W.S. Gager


W.S. Gager Searches for Volatile Deeds
W.S. Gager has lived in Michigan for most of her life except when she was interviewing race car drivers or professional woman's golfers. She enjoyed the fast-paced life of a newspaper reporter until deciding to settle down and realized babies didn't adapt well to running down story details on deadline. Since then she honed her skills on other forms of writing before deciding to do what she always wanted with her life and that was to write mystery novels.

Could you please start by telling us a little about yourself?
I’ve always been a writer and have been able to do many things with it from writing speeches, promoting nonprofit organizations, and writing crime for newspapers as well as lots of other interesting things. Most recently my love of writing has been used in a college-classroom setting helping students build their writing skills to be successful in college. This has been the most satisfying as they realize they do have something to say and can learn the skills to make it happen.
Do you plan all your characters out before you start a story or do they develop as you write?
My characters are very independent and many times I feel like I am losing control all-together. I have characters that only are supposed to have a small part in the book. In A CASE OF ACCIDENTAL INTERSECTION, octogenarian Elsie Dobson’s role was to be a witness in the first chapter only, but she wasn’t happy with that. She took cookies to Mitch Malone to get him to investigate when the police weren’t interested. She made so much fuss, she became a target. One of my favorite scenes ever is Elsie outwitting a killer. I laugh every time I think about it. I wish that was my creativity but it was pure Elsie not letting me rest with my own ideas. 
How much research do you do for your books? Have you found any cool tidbits in your research?
I love research. I usually find the coolest and weirdest things that people would think I made up. Some of my books require more research than others. I try to do as much of the research before I start to write but more often than not, the book takes a different turn and I need to do more. In A CASE OF VOLATILE DEEDS I did quite a bit of research about explosions. I needed something that would scare a city silly but really wasn’t more than flash powder in a high-rise building. Through a professional organization I belong to called the Public Safety Writers Association, I found an explosives expert who gave me all kinds of information about different types of explosions. I had no idea there were so many ways to blow things up. I might be on a watch list for that research. LOL.
How does your family feel about having a writer in the family? Do they read your books?
My family is pretty evenly split on the writing. My husband has dutifully read the first two books and became stalled on the third. My son has never read any of them and my daughter is a big fan and hounds me to finish each one.
Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?
My mom said I always made up stories but I don’t remember that. My first memory is when I was named editor of the eighth grade newspaper. I was selected because my teacher liked my journal entries. Every week we had to write two whole pages on anything we wanted. Most kids hated that assignment and I loved it.
What would be the best way for readers contact you? Do you have a website? Email address? MySpace site? Blog? Message Board? Group?
I love to hear from readers. Check out my website at http://wsgager.com or my blog at http://wsgager.blogspot.com or contact me directly at wsgager@yahoo.com. I also am on Facebook at www.facebook.com/wsgager or Twitter @wsgager
What is the best and worst advice you have ever received?
The best advice I ever received was before my critic group. I’d written a romance because that was what I had read a million of. I thought it was pretty good. It was the first manuscript I’d ever finished. I was a member of Romance Writers of America and one of the ladies in my local chapter read it for me. She told me that I wasn’t a romance writer, which made my stomach drop. She grabbed my hand so I couldn’t run away. She told me I was a mystery writer and to forget about the romance. After I got used to the idea, I realized she was right. The worst advice I ever received was that writing was a solitary enterprise and writers didn’t need others. I would never have been published had it not been for my critic group.
Do you belong to a critique group? If so, how does this help or hinder you?
I have the most fantastic critique group in the world. We meet once a week and we each bring a chapter. We have been meeting for at least six years. Some members have changed but we each have different strengths and weaknesses. We also write in different genres from romance to paranormal. Their influence has made my writing stronger, more vivid and filled with action.
When did you first decide to submit your work? Please, tell us what or who encouraged you to take this big step.
I decided to submit A CASE OF INFATUATION to a contest. I’d written it, edited it with the help of my critic group and didn’t know what else to do with it. I wanted feedback from professionals to improve it. My book won the contest and the prize was a publishing contract. I would never have done that without my critic group telling me it is good enough.
Do deadlines help or hinder your muse?
I worked at newspapers for a dozen years and I am so much better with a deadline. If I don’t have deadlines or set goals, I will take forever to finish something. I also do much better if I have a ton of things to do instead of only a couple. 

Mitch finally scores dinner with a cute receptionist, but an explosion makes him stand up his date as he runs for an exclusive. His date is the only casualty in a botched robbery. When femme fatale Patrenka Petersen returns, Mitch learns that much of what he knows about his date isn’t what it seems. Mitch must keep his head down or a cute dog with a knack for finding dead bodies will be sniffing out his corpse.

 

October 20, 2013

J. Gayle Kelly


J. Gayle Kelly, a Gold Miner’s Daughter
I was born a gold miner's daughter in a dusty old mining town in Nevada a long time ago.  My paternal grandparents came to America through Ellis Is. from Italy.  My great maternal grandparents crossed the plains in a covered wagon to Utah.  It is said I am related to President George Washington through his wife, Martha.  That would make me also related to President Thomas Jefferson, Martha's half-brother.  With so much history behind me, is it any wonder I became a writer?  I have always loved to read and create, inspired in my writing by my family, animals, life experiences, anything and anyone in general.  I have written hundreds of newspaper articles and features from WA to NV, and had my own column in one newspaper I called, The Way I See It.  I am a self-taught writer and most of my seven novels were written on the typewriter.  I am a deep thinker and a deep writer  but find a lot of joy in getting my readers to laugh as well as cry.  The Watermelon Patch is my first published novel, set in rural Nevada in the 1950's.  An Apple for the Teacher, my second, is a contemporary romance, set in Wenatchee, WA.  My third, Dust Devil Darlin, another contemporary romance, is set in central NV and Bishop, CA.  I am currently penning an historical fiction I am having a lot of fun with:  The Outlaw(s) and the Mail Order Bride.  I wish I could say that life is perfect; alas it never is.  Death has taken two adult sons from my husband and me and there was that dratted flood, and other challenges.  Life has certainly been busy; we raised four great kids, many dogs and cats.  I love being with people, those who are pleasant to be with and make me feel good about 'me.'  Life can be--and is--good.   

Could you please start by telling us a little about yourself?
I have been writing something most of my life.  I have written seven books, published three.  Except for my last book all were written on the typewriter and then retyped to a computer.  I have published hundreds of newspaper articles and features; some of my human interest stories have appeared in national magazines. 
Do you plan all your characters out before you start a story or do they develop as you write?
My characters are mine until I begin writing.  As I continue writing, I realize I am not completely in charge of them.  They take me to a far different place than I planned; they lead me.  They can change right before my eyes. 
What is your writing process? Do you outline, fly by the seat of your pants or a combination of both?
I never outline to begin with. I know that is not suggested, but I guess I do it a little backwards.  Most of my story ideas come to me in the middle of the night.  I do my best “writing” then. 
Can you please give us a sneak peek at any of your upcoming books?
My historical novel is titled The Outlaw(s)and the Mail Order Bride.  My heroine crosses the sea from Yugoslavia to marry a man she has never met.  He takes her to a mining camp in the wilds of Nevada.  That may sound mundane, but not for Katarina!  The title gives a hint.  A book I am currently retyping I call Guns and Roses, a romantic suspense, set in Las Vegas, Nevada and involves the Mafia.  
What would be the best way for readers contact you? Do you have a website? Email address? MySpace site? Blog? Message Board? Group?
My website address is: http://www.gaylescreations.net/.  My email address is: jgaylekretschmer@sbcglobal.net.  I am also on Facebook.  I write under the name of J. Gayle Kelly.
What is the best and worst advice you have ever received?
Best:  Write what you know and believe in yourself.  Worst:  Change your writing style.
Do you belong to a critique group? If so, how does this help or hinder you?
I belonged to three critique groups at one time. Two were helpful, one did more to discourage than encourage. I am mostly a self-taught writer, but people I have met along the way have inspired me to keep writing.
What was your first published work and when was it published?
If we’re talking about my first published book that would be TheWatermelon Patch; it was published in 2009.  I believe it was my best effort and a book I longed to write for many years.  It is a story set in rural Nevada in the 1950’s, a coming-of-age mystery.  A high school English teacher in Las Vegas uses my book as a writing tool, which is the highest compliment I have ever received on my writing.
Is there anyone who really mentored or inspired you to keep writing until you were finally published?
Me. 

Jennifer is an eight-year-old girl who is different from most kids. She was born with hemophilia, a blood disease. She is a lively girl and a bit rebellious. When she hurts her ankle while barreling down the slide at the neighborhood park and has to go to the hospital, she feels very sorry for herself. Mostly, she is confused and doesn't understand this thing she has. A Junior High boy also in the hospital wheels himself into her room after hearing her sobs. She is shocked to see that he has huge red scars on his face and bandages over his eyes. Jennifer realizes that she is not the only one with problems. Can these two youngsters help each other?
 
 

 

October 12, 2013

Marilyn Meredith



Marilyn Meredith Chases Spirit Shapes
Marilyn Meredith is the author of over thirty published novels, including the award winning Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series. She borrows a lot from where she lives in the Southern Sierra for the town of Bear Creek and the surrounding area, including the nearby Tule River Indian Reservation. She does like to remind everyone that she is writing fiction. Marilyn is a member of EPIC, three chapters of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and on the board of the Public Safety Writers of America. Visit her at http://fictionforyou.com and follow her blog at http://marilymeredith.blogspot.com/

Could you please start by telling us a little about yourself?

I’ve been writing stories since I was a kid, but my first book wasn’t published until I was a grandmother. I’ve seen a lot of change in the way authors write and publish: from typewriters and carbon paper to computers and sending manuscripts in as attachments; querying my mail to email queries. Believe me the new ways are much easier.

Do you plan all your characters out before you start a story or do they develop as you write?

Because I write series mysteries, I know my main characters very well. Of course I always introduce new characters and yes, I plan a lot about them ahead of time, but as I write, they often change—even to the point of who I thought was the murderer was wrong, and it is someone else.

How much research do you do for your books? Have you found any cool tidbits in your research?

For my Deputy Tempe Crabtree series I’ve done ride-alongs with law enforcement officers, examined a resident deputy’s truck and equipment, learned a lot about Indian legends, done some exploring on our local Indian reservation, and I always ask a lot of questions. Probably the coolest tidbit I’ve learned is about the Hairy Man, a Big Foot type creature who lives in the mountains on the reservation. I’ve seen pictographs of him, his wife, and child in a rock shelter.

Do you write full time? What did you do before you became a writer? Or Still do?

Yes, I consider myself a full-time writer—and I was even when I had my last job which was living in and running my licensed facility for developmentally disabled women—a job I loved, by the way. My residents went to a sheltered workshop all day and in-between doing laundry etc., I wrote.  I’ve been around for a while and I was a telephone operator, and a teacher in a pre-school for developmentally disabled kids, a day-care center teacher, and a pre-school teacher for non-English speaking kids. (By the time the semester was over they all spoke English.) No matter what I was doing, I always found time to write.

What is your writing process? Do you outline, fly by the seat of your pants or a combination of both?

First, I always start thinking about the story. What will Tempe be involved with—what kind of crime, how will it affect her and her husband. As ideas become clearer, I start jotting them down. I don’t outline, but I do make a lot of notes. Before I know everything, I start writing. As I write I jot down more notes about where I think the story is going, so it kind of a combination of plotting and going by the seat of my pants.

Do you have a ritual when it comes to writing? Example….get coffee, blanket, paper, pen and a comfy place.

I do most of my writing in the early morning hours at my computer in my office. Usually I have a cup of Chai latte, or will get one when I need to take a break.

Current Release Details:

In Spirit Shapes, ghost hunters discover a dead body in a haunted house. When Deputy Tempe Crabtree arrives on the scene she soon realizes the house not only is inhabited by ghosts but also evil spirits.

When you have writer's block how do you break free?

To tell the truth, I never have true writer’s block. Sometimes I have a bit of trouble getting started, but I always have something that needs done, could be editing whatever I’ve written previously or perhaps some sort of promotion.

What would be the best way for readers contact you? Do you have a website? Email address? How can readers find out more about you and your books?

I love to hear from readers. My email address is mmeredith@ocsnet.net and yes, I have a website where you can read about all my books and me: http://fictionforyou.com/.  My blog is http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com/ and I have guest authors, write about what I’m doing, give writing tips, and anything that I feel like writing about. I also have a monthly newsletter. If you’d like to subscribe, just email me and let me know. I’m also on Facebook under my name, Marilyn Meredith.

Do you belong to a critique group? If so, how does this help or hinder you?

I adore my critique group and have belonged to the same one for years. I consider them my first editors. They write on copies of my chapter, tell me what I need to fix etc. I never defend anything, but take what they’ve done home and work on the chapter. Sometimes I do exactly what was suggested, other times I do something totally different, and once in a while, ignore what was said or written. Most of the time, they are spot on.

Contest:   Two people who comment on this blog post will be chosen at random by Marilyn to receive a copy of Raging Water, the previous Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery.

 



Ghost hunters stumble upon a murdered teen in a haunted house. Deputy Tempe Crabtree's investigation pulls her into a whirlwind of restless spirits, good and evil, intertwined with the past and the present, and demons and angels at war.

 

 

October 5, 2013

Kathy L Wheeler


Kathy L Wheeler Whispers Lies That Bind
 
Kathy L Wheeler (a.k.a. Kae Elle Wheeler for her historical) has a BA degree from the University of Central Oklahoma in Management Information Systems that includes over forty credit hours of vocal music.  As a computer programmer the past fifteen years, she utilizes karaoke for her vocal music talents.  Other passions include fantasy football, NBA, musical theatre, and jazzercise.  Because to quote Nora Roberts to a one time question, if she worked out?  Her reply, “You have to get off your ass.”
Kathy has been a member of Oklahoma Romance Writers of America and RWA since March of 2007.  She grew up in the Dallas area and definitely considers herself a city girl.  She does not limit her travels to Writer Conferences in San Francisco, Washington DC, Seattle, Dallas, New Jersey, New York City and Atlanta because Jazzercise has fun conferences too (Denver, Palm Springs and Orlando). You can’t keep her home!
She is a member of several other RWA Chapters, including DARA, The Beau Monde and Passionate Ink.  She has served several positions in the OKRWA Chapter.  As an avid reader of romance and patron of theatre, her main sources of inspiration come from mostly an over-active imagination.  She currently resides in Edmond, Oklahoma with her musically talented husband, Al, and their bossy cat, Carly.
Could you please start by telling us a little about yourself?
I love to travel. This summer I went to Nationals in Atlanta. Then my friend Amanda and I drove to Pensacola for three days, stayed in a fabulous bed & breakfast that was so historic, we put on our dresses from The Beau Monde Ball and took pictures.
Please tell us a little about your new release without giving too much of a spoiler away.
Here, I’ll just give you the pitch. Would a modern day woman marry for convenience to protect the identity of her daughter?  Yes! But, Kelly Mancer doesn’t want a man. Any man. But danger has a way of changing a woman’s mind.
Alex Gentry needs Kelly Mancer, but convincing her to help him in his pursuit of a dangerous enemy who’s enamored his younger sister would not be easy.  Soon the tables turn and Kelly becomes the prey. Alex may save his sister, but at what cost?
What was the hardest part of writing your book?
This book I ran into a snag when I got to about Chapter 7.  I was just at a loss. So my critique partner at the time said, “You have to address the villain!” Well, duh! After that it was smooth sailing.
What comes first: the plot or the characters?
For me, it’s usually the characters. My strong points are emotion and dialogue. My critique partners are great at plot.
Do you plan all your characters out before you start a story or do they develop as you write?
No. I usually see the character in my head and they develop through dialogue and how they feel
Do you have a ritual when it comes to writing? Example….get coffee, blanket, paper, pen, laptop and a comfy place. 
Not really, just my handy laptop with my neoprene board on top of my lapboard . hahahaha. I guess I do have a teeny ritual, after all.
Do your books have a common theme or are they all different?
Well, I write historical and contemporary. I wouldn’t say the theme is the same, but I do see a common thread throughout my stories. And that is the hero is going to make sure he loves his girl no matter how difficult she is.  We do write fiction!
How long does it take you to write and then edit a story?
It can be as short as four months or as long as seven months. I do try to set them aside once I’ve completed it for a little bit. Editing can take forever. Lies That Bind took me about six months. I edited it as I went along. Then I put it aside for three years before going back to it. Boy! Had I learned a lot! In the meantime, I was picked up by two different publishers for four different books.  And, completed another two in those three years. I was not idle by any means.
How do you go about naming characters?
The name has to feel right to me.
What do you see for the future of publishing and e-books?
Ebooks are here to stay for sure. But I don’t see physical books going away for a very long time. Too many people love the feel and smell of them. I think the big publishers have to adjust more than us little people. Too many options.
What are your current books out right now, and what are the books coming up for release?
©              The historical under Kae Elle Wheeler include:
©    The Wronged Princess – book I (this book is free everywhere)
©    The English Lily (A Tale of the Scrimshaw Doll & the 4th book from the Cinderella Series)
©              Contemporary Romance
©    The Color of Betrayal (A Tale of the Scrimshaw Doll)
©    Quotable (Bloomington Series, Book 1)
©    Maybe It’s You (Bloomington Series, Book 2)
©    Lies That Bind (Bloomington Series, Book 3)
 
What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Goodness, so many things. I hold season tickets to both Thunder NBA Basketball and the Broadway Series in Oklahoma City. I play fantasy football (but I’ve limited myself to only two teams this year). I love to socialize so I’m really never home. Not to mention traveling.
Is there anything else you would like to tell the readers we have not touched on?
Um, I think we’ve covered just about everything. . . Thank you so much for having me.
Where can the readers learn more about you and find your books on the web?
©              http://kathylwheeler.com
©              http://facebook.com/kathylwheeler
©              http://twitter.com/kathylwheeler
 CONTEST ALERT:  One commenter, chosen by Ms. Wheeler, will win a copy of Lies That Bind. 
 
Would a modern day woman marry for convenience to protect the identity of her daughter?  Hell yes! But, Kelly Mancer didn’t want a man.  Any man.  Danger has a way of changing a woman’s mind.
Alex Gentry needs Kelly Mancer, but convincing her to help in his pursuit of a dangerous enemy who’s enamored his younger sister would not be easy.  Soon the tables turn and Kelly becomes the prey. Alex may save his sister, but at what cost?
~~ Coming this Fall ~~