Mary Webb

Former Newspaper Reporter Mary Webb

 

Mary Webb is a former newspaper reporter turned high school English teacher. She is a proud native New Orleanian.

She has written for The San Antonio Express-News, The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune, The (Monroe, LA) News-Star, The (Memphis) Commercial Appeal, The Associated Press’ Denver Bureau, The (Houma, LA) Courier, and The Denton Record-Chronicle. Currently, she teaches English at Lake Area New Tech Early College High School in New Orleans. Previously, she also taught English in Iberia and St. Mary parishes, as well as in Dallas, TX. She resides in New Orleans with her two children, Quentin and Jory, the subjects of The Summer of Superheroes and the Making of Iron Boy. This is her first published novel.

She blogs routinely about the crazy antics of her kids at ironmommy.webs.com.

Mary is a graduate of Xavier University of Louisiana where she received a bachelor of arts in Mass Communication with a concentration in print journalism. 

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

I’m a former newspaper reporter turned high school English teacher. The Summer of Superheroes and the Making of Iron Boy is my first literary offering. I self-published it 2011, but it was re-released in e-book form through Whiskey Creek Press this past February. It’s the story of my son Quentin’s 18-month leukemia and how he became the world’s first-ever cord and placental blood transplant recipient, courtesy of my newborn daughter Jory, who was his donor. She was an unexpected pregnancy.

I continue to write about them and their crazy antics in my weekly blog at www.ironmommy.webs.com. 

Please tell us your latest news!

Whoops! I’m not even a high school English teacher anymore, having signed a contract today to work as an instructional interventionist at the middle school level.

Also, I’m working on my second book, tentatively titled Daddy’s Little Woman. Trying my hand at fiction this time around. 

How does your family feel about having a writer in the family? Do they read your books?

I think, by now, it’s normal for them. As my father would say, I write my life away. I think they think it’s neat, but it’s just so me, that no true extra attention is paid to it. Perhaps if I were to gain some notoriety, they’d be mystified that the rest of the world sat up and took notice.

That’s not to say that they aren’t supportive. And, yes, they do read my books. My little sister Christine said the first draft of the first chapter of the book I’m working on had her at her office desk past 5 p.m. on a Friday, sobbing. I think that’s one of the highest compliments anyone has ever paid my writing. 

What are your hobbies?

I’m a voracious reader (or would be if I had unlimited time). I love movies and music. And, I love hanging out with my family and friends, but especially my kids. 

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?

I think it started with a diary my mother bought me as a souvenir from Disneyland. Writing about what happened to be on any given day simply appealed to me, and it seemed I could weave a tale and go on for pages about even the most mundane of days. I kept a diary well into adulthood, but also excelled in composition classes. Had it not been for a college professor, I don’t think it would have ever occurred to me that’s how I wanted to make my living. I had taken a black and white photography class to satisfy my art requirement. I decided to apply my “skills” and get my money’s worth out such an expensive class by working for the school newspaper. I picked up a few writing assignments, and the newspaper’s coordinator took notice. He told me I wrote a whole lot better than I took pictures. That resonated with me, and I went and changed my major for the umpteenth, but final time, to Mass Communication with a concentration in print journalism. I knew there was a book or two in me somewhere down the line. 

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

Mostly, I’m fly by the seat of my pants, though I hate to refer to my practice in such a unorganized sort of way. I prefer to think of it as allowing my creative juices to flow or allowing the characters to be who they are. I’d hate to think that the beautiful prose and the unbelievably poetic lines Toni Morrison spills on her pages are the result of stodgy outlines, though for all I know, they could be.  

Who is your perfect hero? And why?

My son Quentin is my perfect hero, my Iron Boy, because he handled cancer like a true champion. It may have weakened his body, but never his spirit, and I learned more than I ever have through any other experience about how to live life. All this from a 5-year-old. 

What would be the best way for readers contact you? Do you have a website? Email address? MySpace site? Blog? Message Board? Group?

Readers can reach me at lolacorolla@hotmail.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mary.webb.7737 or they can leave me a comment at www.ironmommy.webs.com. 

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

I belong to a writer’s group called MelaNated Writers Collective, which is made up a group of writer phenoms in New Orleans. As one of the newest members, I have yet to submit anything to be workshopped. I can’t decide if I’m being shy, which is so not me, or deferring to longer-term members and waiting my turn patiently. Could be I’m just being chicken poo and need to throw the work out there, as it can only help me.  

What was your first published work and when was it published?

My first published work was a story that ran in the San Antonio Express-News about a family killed in an automobile accident. It was an unfortunate event, obviously, but I was honored to write it and to have the Metro editor have enough faith in an unproven intern to assign it to me. It made the front page of the Metro section.

 

 

 

 

Mark Bouton will Sacrifice for the FBI

 

Mark Bouton obtained degrees in sociology and law, then entered the FBI where he worked terrorism and criminal cases for 30 years. He was stationed in Alabama, New York, Chicago, Puerto Rico, Texas, and Kansas. As an agent, he captured killers, con men, kidnappers, and bank robbers. He played a key role in identifying the Oklahoma City bombers.

Bouton writes suspense novels, with five published to date, the latest an FBI thriller titled The Sacrifice. In it, the FBI races to find a kidnapped baby before she meets an unthinkable fate. He also writes non-fiction books, his latest titled How to Spot Lies Like the FBI. It shows how to tell when someone is lying by their facial expressions, body language, and verbal indicators.

          He’s married, with four sons, and lives on a horse ranch in St. Mary’s, Kansas. His books are at: www.amazon.com/Mark-Bouton/e/B001JP4A3S. He also has a website at www.mmbouton.com.  

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

I grew up in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. We lived in houses that were at the edge of town, so I spent my childhood hiking around in the woods by creeks and shooting my BB gun or .22-cal rifle. I didn’t like to shoot at birds or animals, but I liked target practice. Another influence in my youth was that I discovered and loved mystery novels from The Hardy Boys to Sherlock Holmes to The World’s Greatest Detective stories. Then I went to college at Oklahoma State University and earned a degree in sociology. Next, I attended law school at Oklahoma University. I heard an FBI agent talk about the job while I was in school, and when I graduated, I went to work for the FBI as a Special Agent.

I liked the challenge of viewing a crime scene, collecting physical and witness evidence, and then trying to put together the pieces to solve the puzzle of who committed the crime, how, and sometimes even why. I worked in the FBI for 30 years, doing criminal investigations and some work in terrorism cases. I was stationed in New York, Chicago, Puerto Rico, Texas, and Kansas. I was able to catch kidnappers, killers, con men, bank robbers, and jewel thieves. I also played a key role in identifying the Oklahoma City bombers.

In school, I found I liked writing assignments, and my teachers were encouraging to me. I began writing novels, and naturally, I gravitated to writing mystery/suspense books. I’ve been fortunate in being published with traditional publishers. I also wrote a nonfiction book based on my law enforcement experiences and from research. It’s entitled How to Spot Lies Like the FBI. It details ways of telling someone is fibbing by reading his facial expressions, body language, and various verbal indicators.

I’m married, have four sons, and live on a horse ranch in northeast Kansas. I enjoy exercising, reading, watching movies, and playing my electric guitar. And I try to keep up with mowing and doing repairs around our country place. I continue to write both novels and nonfiction books. 

Please tell us your latest news!

My latest novel is an FBI thriller set in San Antonio, Texas. It features male and female FBI agents who spearhead a kidnapping investigation. In the book, the FBI races to find a kidnapped baby before she meets an unthinkable fate. In the book, there’s interaction among politicians, criminals, FBI agents and police, and a satanic cult. It’s entitled The Sacrifice, and was published by Oak Tree Press in Illinois. It recently received an award as the Best Book of 2012 by reviewer Fran Lewis, a reviewer, writer, and radio host on the Red River Radio station. It also won Best Thriller Cover in a contest sponsored by Venture Galleries. It’s available at Amazon and at Oak Tree Books. I’ve just completed the first draft of another thriller novel and am in the process of editing it. Next, I plan to write a nonfiction book about lying that’s geared toward women. 

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

I’ve found that each new novel I write requires a good deal of research. Readers want the details of one’s book to be accurate. And I try to keep my books that way. I’ve written about organized crime, racism, cybercrime, gang violence, religion, and satanic cults. All called for extensive research. The novel I’ve just completed deals with UFOs and aliens. I realized I had little knowledge on the subjects, and it was necessary to look at a great deal of material and sort it out. One interesting situation I ran across was that a UFO is believed to have crashed in Aurora, Texas, in 1897. The townspeople disposed of the craft itself by throwing the debris down an old well. The pilot of the UFO, a small alien only about three feet tall, was buried in the local cemetery and given a tombstone which was later stolen.  Citizens of the town have historically been reluctant to talk about the incident. 

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

In my first three novels, I outlined in various ways, including using a cork board display to follow the development of the main plotline, as well as the different subplots. After that, I decided that I had the general design of plot imprinted well enough on my brain to use a basic one page outline divided into the various chapters. I also keep 3” x 5” cards with a few sentences on each describing what happened in the particular chapters. I maintain character profiles for the main actors in my book. Typically, I know the subject I want to explore, know that the book will start with a crime being committed or just discovered, the middle will show the investigation done to solve the crime, and the ending third to show the terrible moment before the main character triumphs, the epiphany, the wrapping up of subplots, and the main climax, followed by the denouement. And I try to write a last paragraph that will make the reader say, “Wow, that was quite a ride.” I also hope it raises important questions for the reader to think about and perhaps act on in their lives long after they’ve read the book. 

Do you have a specific writing style?

Sure, I think every writer has a style that reflects his or her personality, ideas, passions, desires, and outlook on life. And the level of development of his craftsmanship to express the ideas and emotions of his story are clearly evident, as well. My style includes lots of action, dialogue meant to convey character and background and beliefs, and an underlying humorous take on life’s situations. I like to explore different themes in my books. In my latest novel, The Sacrifice, I attempt to make the reader think about whether or not we’re treating our children in the best possible way. 

Can you please give us a sneak peek at any of your upcoming books?

I don’t usually talk about a book until it’s finished. Some writers say that takes away from the energy needed to actually write the book. I do know that the book doesn’t get written just by talking about it.

But in short form, it’s basically about FBI agents and other people being killed in bizarre ways. The task for Max Austin and other law enforcement personnel is to find out if there’s a connection among the victims and to deduce who is masterminding the scheme. The trail seems littered with clues that point at some connection with UFOs and aliens. But how likely is that? And where do you find such suspects? Max and the others need to learn the truth behind UFO sightings and the explanations for them by the military, FAA, and the CIA. And even if they do locate them, how will they gain access to them?

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

Yes, I belong to a critique group that meets weekly. We read four pages and make whatever comments seem helpful. There are quite a few good writers and people with varied and interesting backgrounds, so our collective range of knowledge is pretty extensive. They’ve given me quite a few good tips on procedures or names for items used in certain trades. I can tell by watching them as I read whether I’m keeping their interest. And I see minor mistakes or any false or overdone dialogue when I read my pages out loud. I’d recommend any writer find a solid critique group with people who read and write at a high level of competency. 

Is there anyone who really mentored or inspired you to keep writing until you were finally published?

I didn’t have a mentor, per se. But I was in another good critique group that was very helpful to me in determining whether my protagonist was strong enough to hold their interest and whether the plot was advancing in the right direction and at a good pace. I was also helped by reading some of my favorite crime writers such as Robert Campbell, Elmore Leonard, Ed McBain, Lee Child, Sue Grafton, Janet Evanovich, and Nancy Pickard. There are many others that I read and like, so the list is definitely not all inclusive. 

What would be the best way for readers contact you? Do you have a website? Email address? MySpace site? Blog? Message Board? Group?

They could contact me on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, LinkedIn, and CrimeSpace. My website is www.mmbouton.com. And my email address is markbouton@msn.com.  

How can readers find out more about you and your books?

They could look at my website, above. Or perhaps a better place would be at the Amazon site that describes my background and my books. Its www.amazon.com/Mark-Bouton/e/B001JP4A3S

 

The FBI races to find a kidnapped baby before she’s sacrificed by a satanic cult. When the newborn daughter of a Texas state senator is snatched from the hospital, FBI agents John Ransom, a crafty veteran, and Kathy Devereaux, a striking Cajun rookie, head the pressure-filled investigation to save the infant. The agents learn a Palo mayombre cult plans a human sacrifice. But there are other suspects, and all possibilities must be checked. The agents catch the senator getting cozy with a nurse from the hospital. Evidence shows inside help in the kidnapping, adding more suspects to the list. They’re all found to belong to the cult, and they are determined to sacrifice the senator’s baby. Now the FBI must trick the bloodthirsty cultists and stop the ceremony before they do the unthinkable.

 Amazon / OakTreePress