A Ghost Writer  with a lot of Secrets … Lorna Collins

Lorna Collins was raised in Alhambra, California and attended California State University at Los Angeles where she majored in English.

Between 1998 and 2001, she worked in Osaka, Japan on the Universal Studios theme park with her husband, Larry. Their memoir of that experience, 31 Months in Japan: The Building of a Theme Park, was published in 2005 and was a finalist for the 2006 nonfiction EPPIE award and named as one of Rebeccas Reads best nonfiction books of 2005.

They have written two mysteries together: Murder… They Wrote, published in 2009, and Murder in Paradise, published in 2010. The latter was a finalist for the 2011 EPIC eBook Award in 2011. They are currently working on at least two more in this series.

Along with authors Sherry Derr-Wille, Luanna Rugh, and Christie Shary, Lorna wrote several romance anthologies: Snowflake Secrets, finalist for the Dream Realm and Eric Hoffer Awards, published in 2008, Seasons of Love in 2009, and Directions of Love in 2010. Directions of Love received the EPIC eBook Award for best romance anthology of 2011. The group added debut author, Cheryl Gardarian for An Aspen Grove Christmas, published in December of 2010. The group is currently working on three more anthologies.

Ghost Writer is Lorna’s first solo effort, and her favorite book so far.

Today she and Larry are retired and reside in Dana Point, California.

 

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

I am one of those rare birds: a native Californian. I was born in Hollywood at a hospital overlooking the Hollywood Freeway. I grew up in Alhambra, California in the same neighborhood with my husband, Larry. I received a California State Scholarship and Cal. State LA majoring in English.

During my career in Document Control, I wrote many policies and procedures, leading me to other positions, including Sr. Technical Writer.

In 1998, Larry and I moved to Osaka, Japan to build the Universal Studios theme park. This adventure resulted in our memoir, 31 Months in Japan: The Building of a Theme Park, which was a 2006 EPPIE finalist, Editor's choice Award winner, and one of Rebeccas Reads best nonfiction books of 2005.

We then moved on to mysteries, the first of which was Murder…They Wrote. Our second, Murder in Paradise, was a finalist for the 2012 EPIC Award.

In addition, I write anthologies with Sherry Derr-Wille, Christie Shary, and Luanna Rugh. Snowflake Secrets, our first, was a finalist in the Dream Realm and Eric Hoffer awards. Another, Directions of Love, won the 2011 EPIC Award for romance anthology. There are two others: Seasons of Love, and An Aspen Grove Christmas.

Ghost Writer, my first solo work from Oak Tree Press, is my first fantasy/mystery romance. I had so much fun writing this one that I am already at work on another in the same genre called Sofia’s Garden.

Meanwhile, Larry and I are happily retired and writing in Dana Point, CA.

Please tell us your latest news!

I’m so excited about the release of Ghost Writer! It features my first ghost, Max, who is a crusty self-centered old curmudgeon. I adored bringing him to life since he’s so different from any other character I’ve ever written. In fact, I dragged my feet about finishing the book. I finally figured out that the reason was that I didn’t want to let go of Max!

Ghost Writer is a great beach read since it’s set in and around Laguna Beach, California.

Please describe your writing environment.

I believe in suffering for my art. But seriously, Larry and I share an office where we look out on our ‘Zen Garden’ complete with Japanese rock garden and waterfall. As we write, we can hear the trickle of water tripping down the stones. The waterfall is about thirty-five feet tall and goes from the top of the slope to the bottom, so the sound is heavenly. There is a link to photos on our website www.lornalarry.com. All 9,000 plus of my favorite tunes are loaded onto my computer, so I can also surround myself with wonderful music. It’s the best place in the world to support creativity.

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

I know who my major characters will be, but sometimes new ones appear as the story develops. In Ghost Writer, the character of Helen, Max’s former secretary, came along as a bit of a surprise. But I welcomed her when she showed up since she brought with her another whole story thread.

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

Research is the key to any book, and it’s absolutely necessary. Larry and I are currently working on a historical novel set in San Juan Capistrano. We’ve read as much as we can find on the period between 1800 and 1890, but there aren’t too many sources. Fortunately the ‘official’ historian of San Juan agreed to review our chapters as we complete them. She’s a fabulous resource.

As for something cool we discovered doing research, we were in Hawaii (doing research) at the time of the final edits for our second mystery, Murder in Paradise. We’d written about a restaurant we knew well. But when we arrived, we discovered it had moved! We made a couple of changes to the manuscript, and it was published with the correct information. But that’s why it’s necessary to be thorough in researching even for contemporary writing.

What main genre do you write in?

This is really a funny question since we only intended to write the memoir. But while attending the Maui Writers Conference in 2005, Larry came up with an idea for a mystery, and we met the inspiration for our protagonist, Agapé Jones.

Then I had a wild idea for a romance anthology with a through story. I floated it to Sherry Derr-Wille, and she liked the idea. Then I added two more author friends, and the anthologies came about.

The ghost found me. We were carpooling from work one day, and he came to me. He was so fusty and annoying, I had to write him! So now, I’ve added fantasy to the mix.

And I have an old romance novel languishing in my files waiting for me to get back to it.

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

Since we’re both writers, the rest of the family has been very accepting and encouraging. We were blessed with amazing families who would have encouraged us in whatever we chose to do. Some of them read our books, and quite a few have passed them on and recommended them to friends. Of course, we write I a variety of styles, so most readers can find something they like. (The truth is, I’m easily bored, so doing different kinds of books keeps it interesting.)

Current Release Details:

Ghost Writer, my fantasy/romance/mystery set in and around Laguna Beach, CA, was just released by Oak Tree Press. It is available directly from the publisher’s website, www.oaktreebooks.com, or from most other online sources in paperback and ebook format.

Who is your perfect hero? And why?

Larry, of course. He’s the gentle but self-confident and internally strong guy I always write. I know him best since we’ve been married nearly forty-seven years, and I grew up with him. I’ve never met a more decent and kind person. And that’s what I want for the women in my books. They, like me, are usually pretty self-sufficient and strong. So, I know that the personalities of the main characters will work well together.

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

The best place to find out about us is on our website www.lornalarry.com. Our precious Japanese son-in-law, Toshihiro Komiyama, insisted on updating it. He’s kept it up ever since. On the site are links to my blog and lots and lots of information on us and our books.

We’re both on Facebook and Goodreads. I also post to LinkedIn and Twitter. In fact, if folks are anywhere in social media, it would be hard to miss me!

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

Our critique group is probably the single most important reason we got our first book published. I had started the book, then asked Larry for input. He came back some time later with a completely different book. And that’s where I gave up until a friend suggested coming to the group to see if they could help. They did. And we learned to write together.

We continue to attend the group meetings every Monday night. And they continue to make suggestions that improve our work. I highly recommend finding a group that’s the right fit, but I always recommend working with a group.

What's your favorite genre to read?

I have always loved anthologies. I enjoy the shorter format since I usually read at bedtime. I can complete a novella in a few evenings. I also like reading tight, clean prose. I have read some books that go on and on without moving the story along. I find that kind of writing annoying. Not that I don’t’ enjoy many full-length novels as long as the writing is compelling and the story moves along.

Do deadlines help or hinder your muse?

Now that I’m retired, deadlines are a major force in focusing my attention where it needs to be. Since I now have more discretionary time, it’s easy to get distracted. Deadlines are a good way to stay focused on the next thing. Of course, I always have several manuscripts working at a time, so the one with the first deadline gets the most attention. Unless the characters are yelling at me, that is. Then the one who shouts the loudest often requires getting onto the page, if only to shut them up!

GHOST WRITER

When unemployed computer programmer Nan Burton inherits a California beach cottage from her great-great-aunt, she’s delighted. But she’s in for a huge surprise: The house is haunted by the ghost of famous romance writer Max Murdoch (pen name Maxine DuBois) who insists Nan complete his last novel, threatening to keep her from sleeping until she agrees. The ensuing clash pits youth against the long-dead but still egotistical author with humorous and moving results.

Publisher / Amazon

Welcome the Soul Seducer, Alicia Dean!

Alicia Dean loves creating spine-chilling stories that keep readers on the edge of their seats. She's a huge Elvis Presley fan, and loves MLB and the NFL. If you look closely, you'll see a reference to one or all three in pretty much everything she writes. If she could, she would divide all her time between writing, watching her favorite television shows-such as Dexter, Vampire Diaries, Justified, and True Blood-and reading her favorite authors...Stephen King, Dennis Lehane, Michael Connelly, Lee Child, and Lisa Gardner to name a few.

It's good to have you back Alicia. Could you please start by telling us a little about yourself?

I write romantic suspense and paranormal romance. I’ve self-published, published through The Wild Rose, published through a traditional publisher, and I’m currently a launch author for Adams Media’s new romance line. I’m a proud member of The Oklahoma Romance Writers of America and Heartland Area Romance Authors. I have three grown kids. I live in Edmond, Oklahoma where I’m a legal assistant for a family law firm by day.

Please tell us your latest news!

I’m very excited about my latest release, Soul Seducer. It’s a paranormal romance that’s one of the launch books for Adams Media’s new Crimson Romance line.

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

They’re very proud and supportive. Yes, they read my books. My sisters, my cousins, and my nieces read all the books I release. (Well, SOME of my cousins do. I have about a million, so not all of them read my stuff <g>)

What are your hobbies?

I love playing golf, although I haven’t in a long time. I love watching my favorite tv shows, major league baseball, and the NFL.

If you had to choose one person to have dinner with, who would it be? And why?

Stephen King. It would be scary yet exciting, and I would love the opportunity to learn from him, to pick his brain and hopefully, have some of his genius rub off on me.

What would be the best way for readers contact you? Do you have a website?

 Email – AliciamDean@aol.com / Website - http://www.aliciadean.com/

What type of book have you always wanted to write?

A bestseller. J

Do deadlines help or hinder your muse?

They help. No doubt. Tremendously. If I have a deadline, even if it’s just an upcoming critique meeting, I’m much more productive.

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

My first published work was Nothing to Fear with The Wild Rose Press in 2007. I’ll be forever grateful to them for giving me my first opportunity. It’s the second book I wrote, and it will always hold a special place in my heart.

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

Definitely. Multi-published author, Mel Odom. I took a class with him in Sept, 2001, and that was when I began seriously pursuing publication. I completed my first novel while taking classes with him. He taught me so much about how to work hard to become a better writer and gave me the drive and encouragement to never give up. I consider him my mentor, but he doesn’t like that. It makes him feel old, and we’re the same age. J

She spent her entire life fighting death. Now she’s falling in love with him…

Audra Grayson became a nurse in order to help save lives. But one night after a brutal beating, she almost loses her own. The near-death experience opens a door between the world of the living and the world beyond. Two Grim Reapers invade her life. One is charming, with the angelic blonde looks of a saint and the black soul of a psychopath. The other is dark, dangerously attractive and, in spite of her distaste for his reaper duties, she finds herself inexplicably drawn to him.

When Audra's patients begin to die unexpectedly and her loved ones are threatened, she will risk her life—even her soul—to save them. But can she risk her heart to an inhuman being whose very purpose is to take those she is trying to save?

Amazon / B&N / Publisher / iTunes

Please welcome Oklahoma author, Kathy Wheeler.

Kathy was born in Presque Isle, Maine.  How she ended up in Texas, Colorado, then Oklahoma is as much a mystery to her as anyone.  She graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma with a BA in Management Information Systems and a minor in Vocal Music.

In the big picture, she has not been writing near as long as some of her writing cohorts, but has already completed a number manuscripts.  An avid traveler, she’s been to Europe, Mexico, Canada and roams from one RWA conference to another, nationwide.  She’s served several positions in the Oklahoma Outlaws RWA Chapter.

Kathy lives with her musically talented husband in Edmond, Oklahoma, has one grown daughter and one bossy cat!

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

I am an avid pro football and basketball fan. As an eight year member of jazzercise, I’m lucky that on occasion, two of my favorite interests interconnect where jazzercise is privileged to perform at the OKC Thunder Halftime show once per year. My degree is a Bachelors in Management Information Systems with a minor in vocal music. So…yes, I love karaoke and musical theater as well.

Please tell us your latest news!

I have nine completed manuscripts that includes a Cinderella series in which the glass slipper fits one of Cinderella’s evil stepsisters. Book I – The Wronged Princess was released March 31^st, and is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Smashwords. Three other books, contemporaries, are under contract. For more information, see http://klwheeler.com

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

My characters plan themselves, I’m afraid. Usually nothing I plan for them comes out as I’d envisioned. They just sort of take over. Yes, I believe I am certifiable.

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

It ranges in variation. My husband is very supportive but does not read my stories. However, if one were to read the Epilogue in Amanda Quick’s, With This Ring, they would see exactly my husband.  My sisters, sister-in-law, mother and daughter, all read and critique my stories.

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?

I was looking through the Google prompts and saw “What if Cinderella’s slipper fit one of the evil stepsister’s?” I was hooked.

What main genre do you write in?

I love reading historical (mostly Regency, some Medieval), but the historical never came to me, except in the Book I of my Cinderella Series, but then I started on a second, then a third and finally a fourth.  My other five stories are contemporary with an element of suspense. One of which is scheduled for a June 13^th release through Wild Rose Press, called The Color of Betrayal. Two others through Soul Mate Publishing, Quotable and Maybe It’s You.

What is your writing process?

Do you outline, fly by the seat of your pants or a combination of both? My process is simple. I have an idea and start writing. Usually, I begin with dialogue. As my fingers fly across the keyboard, things may come to me so I’ll list questions or comments at the end of the document prefaced by: don’t forget blah blah blah.

If you could be one of your characters - Who would you be? And why?

Several of my character are, uh, very direct, in your face, women, who demand attention. I don’t really think it’s a matter of being one of the characters as much as it is, they are a part of me. Two come to mind: Pricilla, of The Unlikely Heroine – Book II; and Lorianne in Maybe It’s You. Scary.

Who is your perfect hero? And why?

I recently read Tessa Dare’s new release A Week To Be Wicked. The hero, Colin Sandhurst, was adorable. His sense of adventure and humor, masked to cover his fears and insecurities left me panting.

What is the best and worst advice you have ever received?

The best advice comes from my husband. Advice I’ve used and forwarded. The first time he relayed it to me was when I was in college (I was a late bloomer). He said, “The time is going to come and go anyway.”  Meaning, if you keep plugging away, it’s going to happen. And sure enough — I have nine completed manuscripts, and three are under contract.

The WrongedPrincess - Book I

Even when Cinderella loses her glass slipper, she feels quite smug when Prince Charming announces to his kingdom, he'll try the shoe on every maiden until he finds his mysterious princess. Unfortunately, it slides just as easily on her sister, Esmeralda's dainty foot.

             

 Quotable
GENNA LYNDSEY is not a people person. A short, too-skinny, wild haired waif, with crazy hair and sturdy nerdy glasses lives through books. So it’s lucky she and her best friend own their own bookstore. Her college days taught her that dating was too unreliable to depend on others. It was then that she started resorting to obscure quotes to shield herself from others who ventured too close.
RICK JOHNSON, Fraud Insurance Claims Investigator, is assigned to look into an unusual number of claims filed by Genna Lyndsey. He suspects Genna of sabotaging her own property for insurance money. His investigation uncovers an adorable introvert determined to keep everyone at bay, while someone else resolves to put her out of business—no matter how great the risk.

Maybe It's You

How can a girl who’s been rejected by Once Upon A Time ever believe that happily-ever-after even exists? Co-bookstore owner Lorianne Gentry is branded by deep-seeded insecurities. Abandonment issues surface when she finds herself falling in love—totally pissing her off.
Ashton Turner III is nobody’s Knight-In-Shining-Armor. He’d jumped off that horse a long time ago­—the sex, however, was damn good. And when Lorianne’s grandmother delivers Ash life-altering news, his past explodes into the present.

~ Coming Soon ~

Saddle up for a ride on the range with Oklahoma author Callie Hutton!

Hi Callie, and welcome. Please tell us your latest news!

I recently signed a contract with Soul Mate Publishing for my third book in the Oklahoma Lovers series (Michael’s Story).

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

I develop my characters as I write. I know (vaguely) what I want the story to be about, but as for how each character is, that comes to me while I’m writing. Sometimes they surprise me.

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

When I’m writing historical, a little bit more research is involved because a lot of readers are history buffs—and know their facts. But I still do research when I’m writing contemporary. Right now in a short story I’m writing, a woman is giving birth in a bar, so I had to do research on emergency births.

What main genre do you write in?

Historical Romance – mostly western, but I also delve into contemporary romance.

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

My family is very supportive. Some of them have read a couple of my books, but others are waiting for them to come out in print. A niece is waiting for my contemporaries to come out because she doesn’t like historical. I don’t think there’s any one person in my family who has read them all, lol.

If you had to choose one person to have dinner with, who would it be? And why?

Hillary Clinton. I think she’s an amazing woman. I hope to see her as POTUS one day.

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?

Yes. When I was a little girl, I started making up stories in my head to entertain myself before I fell asleep at night. This habit continued on well into adulthood. One day I decided in order to get the voices out of my head, I needed to write them down.

Do you write full time?

I write full time hours because I work as a substitute teacher in the high school. At that level, the teacher will generally leave work for the students to do, which they do on their own. I bring my laptop and write.  

What did you do before you became a writer?

I’ve had many jobs, but sales was the one I had for the longest time. 

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

I am a combination writer. I pretty much know what I want my story to be about, but I get about half way through before I actually do any kind of an outline. And that gets changed as I go along, depending on what my characters have to say about it. They don’t always agree with me, and have been known to gang up on me, as well.

If you could be one of your characters - Who would you be? And why?

I would be Sylvia, Angel’s step-mother. She starts out unlikeable, but later on in the story her full personality is revealed, as well as her motivation for what she did to Angel. She’s a hoot.

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

The book I just sold, A Prescription for Love, is the story of the oldest nephew in A Run for Love. Michael was one of my most popular characters. I’m also working on a short contemporary story about a bar in Amarillo, and when I finish that, I intend to get back to a regency I’m writing, The Elusive Wife.

Who is your favorite cover model?  And why?

I don’t have a favorite cover model. I like Jimmy Thomas—another nice guy. But I have a policy of ‘no bare chests’ on my book covers. There are a few Jimmy does, and if I self-pub, I would use one of his pre-made covers (where he’s dressed, lol).

Is there a genre of book you would like to write but haven't yet?

Yes. There is definitely a Highlander book in my future, as well as a strict mystery/suspense. I would also like to write a time travel one day.

What would be the best way for readers contact you? Do you have a website?

My website is: www.calliehutton.com, where my blog also lives. I love to get e-mails from my readers, at calliehutton11@gmail.com.

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

By visiting my website, where I have excerpts from all my books, as well as coming attractions.

What is the best and worst advice you have ever received?

Best advice: Write, write, write, read, read, read.

Worst advice: Write the book that editors want to buy.

Do you belong to a critique group?

Yes, I do, and I also have other critique partners who are not in my group. If so, how does this help or hinder you? Definitely a help. I don’t always take suggestions that my CPs make, but many times they pick up things that I hadn’t noticed or thought about.

What's your favorite genre to read?

Romantic comedy.

What type of book have you always wanted to write?

A ‘Sandra Brown’ type story, with intrigue, many sub-plots, and a well written, well thought out story.

When did you first decide to submit your work?

After I finished my first manuscript. Please, tell us what or who encouraged you to take this big step. I didn’t need a whole lot of encouragement. To my way of thinking, if you write a book, you send it out. You get rejected. You re-write it. You send it out again, and again, and again. It’s part of the process. If you’re going to be a writer, you have to write. If you want to be a published writer, you have to send it to someone.

Do deadlines help or hinder your muse?

Definitely help. I’m pretty disciplined as far as writing every day, but if I know someone is waiting for it, I pull the all-nighters like I did in college, and get the job done.

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

A Run For Love was contracted by Soul Mate Publishing in August of 2011, and released in November of that year. It was the third book I wrote.

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

Not really. I’m pretty good at motivating myself. I’m sure my sales background has something to do with that.

A small wooden table in the corner drew her. She placed the glass on the table and eased her sore and tired body onto the chair. One leg shorter than the other three, the chair rocked as she settled. A woman the size of the counterman came through a curtain separating the area from whatever was in the back. With a brisk nod in Angel’s direction, she headed her way.

Excerpt/Soul MatePublishing / Amazon

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Vampires abound with J.D. Brown. Let's see what she's sunk her teeth into ...

Welcome J.D.! Could you please start by telling us a little about yourself?

Absolutely. I’m J.D. Brown, the author of Dark Heirloom, a new urban fantasy vampire series published by Muse It Up Publishing Inc. I’m from Chicago but currently living in Wisconsin and have been trying to find my way back to the city ever since I left. I love paranormal characters and have made a living out of creating my own. Humans have no place in my stories. Instead, I let the dark creatures tell it like it is and take you along for the ride.

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

I research a lot before every new story and sometimes I end up doing a little research while I’m writing too. With urban fantasy, a lot is based on factual information, “what-if?” scenarios from history, real locations, etc. I need to know where things are and how they work. Seriously, if a cop ever searched my computer history, they’d have me committed. I have little notes like “Where is this old Nazi bunker located?” Haha.

I didn’t think I’d like researching because I never liked when I had to do it in collage or high school, but it turns out I can sink deep into weeks’ worth of facts when it comes to getting ideas for a plot and I love it! I get so engrossed in the possibilities and ideas just start snowballing in my head. I’ve learned a lot of cool tidbits along the way. I think my favorite of all are the old original vampire folk tales I read while getting ideas for the vampire world in Dark Heirloom. They old myths are so completely different from how vampires are portrayed today or even how they were portrayed twenty years ago.

What main genre do you write in?

I write urban fantasy with a little romance woven into the mix.

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

My family actually shocked me a bit. I knew they would be very supportive, they’re always behind me no matter what crazy thing I do, but I wasn’t expecting them to read my work at all. I’m the only one in my family that reads for fun, so when my mom, sister, and uncle read Dark Heirloom cover to cover, I was so touched I didn’t know how to react. They’re all waiting for me to get a phone call from a big-time Hollywood producer. I don’t have the heart to tell them it will be many years before that happens.

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

I do a little bit of everything. I plot, research, and outline like fiend, but when it comes time to write all my planning seems to fly out the window and the characters take over. I feel like the mom, trying to keep them in line, but it’s pointless and truth be told, they know the story better than I do.

Do you have a specific writing style?

I think I definitely have my own style. I like to write in deep first-person point of view, allowing the reader to experience everything as it happens to the main character. That’s my goal for every book I write; to give the reader an experience. I also love to inject humor and exaggeration in high-tension areas, but this is also kind of my main character’s doing. Ema can’t stay serious for more than five minutes without injecting some sort of witty remark into the scene.

Current Release Details:

Dark Heirloom is the first book in the Ema Marx series and is now available on Amazon.com and MuseItUpPublishing.com. I’ll leave you with the blurb:

“You’re a vampire” is so not what Ema Marx wants to hear when she wakes from a two-day coma in a cryptic yet exquisite castle in northern Finland. Unfortunately, it explains a lot. Like why she’s able to see in the dark and walk through solid objects. What she doesn’t understand is why the other vampires expect her to have all the answers. It’s their fault she turned into one of them…right?

Jalmari’s hatred for his old-man intensifies when he’s ordered to bring that troublesome girl to their castle. He has a clan to run, there’s no time for babysitting newborn vampires no matter how they were converted to their culture. But when a two-thousand-year-old premonition threatens to take the crown and his life, Jalmari sees no other choice than to take out the catalyst. Ema Marx. Fortunately for Ema, she could also be the clan’s only savior.

The race to figure out her vampiric origins is on. And maybe she’ll get the hang of the blood-drinking gig along the way…

Who is your perfect hero? And why?

If I could take Jalmari and Jesu (two of my characters from Dark Heirloom) , melt them down, and mix them together, that would be my perfect hero. I absolutely love a strong tempered alpha male that’s going to take charge and challenge my world every day (Jalmari), but he also needs to know how to be a sweet gentlemen that can treat a lady like a lady (Jesu). But in my opinion, perfect is boring so I made them two separate men.

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

I’m all over the web but the best place learn more about me and my books is at my website http://authorjdbrown.com

And the best way to chat with me or stay up to date with my happenings is by liking my Facebook fan page at http://facebook.com/authorjdbrown

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

My mom has always been the backbone of my life, always supporting me and encouraging me to dream big and make those dreams come true. But I also owe a huge thank you to my author friends, Charlene Wilson and Anastasia Pergakis. Those ladies believed in my writing even back in the very early days of conception. They held my hand through the good times and the bad times and they refused to let me give up. We’ve grown incredibly close through those shared experiences and I’m forever grateful for getting to know them.

Author’s Links: ·       Facebook Fan Page ·       Twitter Profile ·       J.D.’s Blog ·       J.D.’s Book Club

Buy Links: ·       Amazon Kindle ·       MuseItUp Publishing Inc.

Let's take a turn through history with Lisa Lickel. Welcome Lisa!

Lisa Lickel is a Wisconsin writer who lives with her husband in a hundred and sixty-year-old house built by a Great Lakes ship captain. Surrounded by books and dragons, she writes inspiring fiction. Her published novels include mystery and romance, all with a twist of grace. She has penned dozens of feature newspaper stories, short stories, magazine articles and radio theater. She is the editor in chief of CreativeWisconsin magazine. Lisa also is an avid book reviewer, a freelance editor, an editor at Port Yonder Press, a writing mentor, a hostess at Clash of theTitles and enjoys blogging at The Barn Door and Reflections in Hindsight. She loves to encourage new authors. Find her here or at her blog.

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

Because my stories are character-driven, they usually start out telling me about what’s going on. I often have the gist of who they are before I begin, but their quirkier sides tend to come out as the story unfolds. For instance, I could see Ardyth’s outsides, that she wore plaids a lot, and kept her figure girlish by bike riding well into her seventies. As we got to know each other, I learned about her insecurities and how she handled them, and how she “sniffs” when she disagreed with something so she doesn’t say (much) she’ll regret later. Although that tends to happen anyway.

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

I’m also a historian, so most of my stories have a tiny bit of history in them. I’ve had to research laws in different states regarding ownership of property, eminent domain, what kind of money was minted in the US in the 1850s-1860s, what banks were open where, where the Underground Railroad went. Although I knew tobacco is grown still in Wisconsin, it surprised me because we usually think tobacco is a warmer-weather crop. I loved learning about the round barns that freeman Alga Shivers built in west central Wisconsin, and about the Cheyenne Valley settlement that I use in The Map Quilt.

What are your hobbies?

I like to sew and quilt, although I don’t have as much time for that any more as I used to. I guess I use my time differently from when I was raising my family. I like to plant things, but I’m not very good at taking caring of them. I like to go camping and travel.

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

I spent a lot of years preparing to tell stories before I turned to full time writing. I worked several secretarial jobs in different places, a school, a church, and as a temp went into different businesses on short-term bases to help with special projects or step in for someone on vacation or on leave. I’m a local historian, as I mentioned before, so research is just plain fun and a great help to building the background for books, as well as generating new ideas. I still do that with my local historical society.

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

I start out my books with the basic plot, which is flexible. I try to write the dreaded synopsis by building on my loose ideas of what the story is about and how the hugest problem is resolved. From the synopsis I get my chapter goals which I use as a sort of outline in the manuscript. I usually try for word counts, with around a certain number of pages per chapter, which again is flexible, but helps me gauge my work in progress. I can write the scenes then, as they come, in the right chapters in the manuscript, which is not necessarily in order as they happen. Sort of like directing a movie by using the sets that are built, or doing all the scenes on the location they happen, then cutting and arranging them in order later.

Do you have a specific writing style?

I get a lot of house-cleaning done when I’m in write mode. I know that sounds really odd to some people who have to go away to write, but I’m distractable, have to have quiet, and need to get up and pace or think on my feet, waving my hands around and having a discussion with my people. That would just be too weird in public. I like to clean something while I think. In public, I prefer to people-watch.

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

I’m excited about a new contract I signed for another mystery that I enjoyed writing after The Map Quilt. It involves Egyptian Mau cats, a pet food company, and biogenetic engineering which I found fascinating. Yes, I had to do a lot of research, and it was a hoot. The title is not set yet, nor a release date, but here’s a peek:

Ivy Preston keeps other people’s secrets for a living. When a small town mayor invites Ivy Preston and True Thompson to move their businesses to Apple Grove, can their love survive the sudden rise in crime?

After being left at the altar, Ivy Amanda McTeague Preston uproots herself and her cat, an Egyptian Mau named Memnet, from her boring and lonely life to start over at the urging of Mayor Conklin, a fellow pedigreed Mau owner. Truesdale Thompson is ready to move in a fresh direction with his life. A private man whose physical wounds are the only outward sign of a tragic accident in his past, True and his cat, Isis, open a branch of his trendy little bookstore and coffee shop in Apple Grove. When Ivy takes a mysterious message while the mayor is away on business, only Ivy’s criminology professor mom, and True believe there’s something rotten in Apple Grove. Can Ivy carry on her romance with True while saving the town from further Mayhem?

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

After struggling with critique groups when I still had the umbilical cord attached-new writer, I can say looking back that it’s an invaluable experience, although excruciatingly painful when you’re new and in love with your words. Going through critiques teaches writers how to listen to other readers, to pick out those gems of fantastic advice from sometimes a lot of rubble, how to read for other writers and discern what they need, not what I need to say. If a couple of critiquers have the same problem, then I sit up and take notice and try to make adjustments, but if one person points out a problem or potential problem, I feel that I can be more subjective and decide what to do, if anything. Writers must always be adaptable, always learning, always be able to look at their work objectively from a business standpoint. Who’s going to buy and read this, and what am I willing to do to give them what they want?

What's your favorite genre to read?

I especially love to read what I don’t write – thrillers, spies and conspiracies, but also fantasy and science fiction. I’m afraid if I read too much of my genres I’ll start subconsciously picking up ideas.

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

The Gold Standard, the first book of the Buried Treasure Mysteries, was the first book I had published, fourth manuscript I wrote. The book and I were put through a wringer washer. I signed the contract in 2007, but the book didn’t come out until 2009 due to a lot of ups and downs, including a re-write, in between. I wrote The Map Quilt in 2008, and now, three years after The Gold Standard was published, which is also three years’ time in the series, The Map Quilt was released. I think that’s pretty cool.

Contest info:  On May 22 the official book launch takes place on the web, with lots of freebie gifts if you purchase a copy of the book that day, and hopefully the publisher will have The Map Quilt on sale, so if you can wait til next week to buy, great—if you have to have it immediately, I understand and thank you.  Buy here.

Also coming is the print version from Two Small Fish/Five Loaves Books soon.

Death in rural Wisconsin is only the beginning to new chaos in Robertsville. What do a stolen piece of revolutionary agricultural equipment, a long-buried skeleton in the yard, and an old quilt with secrets have in common? Hart and Judy Wingate, who met in The Gold Standard, are back to solve the mystery of The Map Quilt. Hart’s new battery design could forever change the farm implement industry. But after the death of Hart’s most confrontational colleague in a fire that destroys Hart’s workshop, the battery is missing.

Throw in a guest speaker invited to Judy’s elementary classroom who insists she owns the land under Hart’s chief competitor’s corporate headquarters, and a police chief who’s making eyes at Hart’s widowed mother, it’s no wonder Hart is under a ton of pressure to make sure his adventurous pregnant wife stays safe while trying to preserve his company and his reputation.

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Website link http://www.lisalickel.com            

Blog link:http://livingourfaithoutloud.blogspot.com