Author Interview: Jacqueline Friedland

After reading Trouble the Water by Jacqueline Friedland, I was contacted and given the opportunity to send her some questions to answer!  Here are her answers. . . 

1)       What do you find yourself rambling about?

Pick a topic, any topic, and I’ll bet you that I can start rambling on about it.  I think that’s one of the reasons why I love writing so much. It gives me an outlet for the copious convoluted thoughts that occupy my busy brain.  If I must narrow it down, I suppose some of the topics you are most likely to hear me yarning on about include cheese (because who doesn’t love cheese), any of the many books I’ve recently read, and the conundrum of cardboard taking over in the world in the form of packaging for people’s online purchases.   

2)      If you could put your book into one person’s hands to read, who would that be and why?

Since I have to pick just one person, and I cannot choose between my grandparents, all four of whom passed away long before I finished writing Trouble the Water, then I am going with Reese Witherspoon.  She is a smart and inspiring woman who is talented in so many different ways, and I would be supremely honored to have her read my book.  I have enjoyed watching her over the years as she transformed from an adorable teen-aged actress to a dynamic woman who succeeds at everything she undertakes.  She possesses so many traits I admire, from rigorous intellectual curiosity, compassion for others, and a charitable nature, to a great sense of humor and a profound interest in books.  As a strong and independent woman, I believe she would find my protagonist, Abigail, a kindred spirit, and I think she would enjoy the book.    

3)      What part of the writing process do you love the most?

I love the days when I disappear so completely into the writing that I am able to learn new and exciting tidbits about my characters. Whether it’s a trait I hadn’t realized the character possessed, or an unexpected plot twist that a character’s behavior engenders, at some point I begin to see my characters as real people, and they do things that surprise me.  When that happens, all I can do is follow them down whatever path they are pulling me towards.  Those are the days where I really feel like I’m doing something right.    

4)      Is there a piece of you at all in this book?

There are pieces of me scattered all over this book.  On the surface, I would say that you can see me most easily in Abigail, the heroine who insists on asserting herself even when it might cost her.  When she learns that her benefactor, Douglas, is engaged in abolition, she wants to push herself into his work, regardless of the risks to herself.  She also suffers from a noisy internal dialogue, which is something to which I can relate.  I also see myself in Abigail’s best friend, Gracie, who is always attempting to be the ultimate people pleaser.  As I go down the list of characters, I can find bits of myself in almost all of them, and I think many readers would be able to do so, as well.

5)      What types of books do you like to read?  What has been the most recent favorite read of yours?

I am a voracious reader.  The types of books I read can loosely be categorized as “Women’s Fiction.”  I do not discriminate between high and low art within the genre.  I am just as likely to read a lyrical experimental novel as I am to read a more formulaic romance.  If a story is well-told, I am all in.  I read a little bit of non-fiction, as well, but only when it is required as research for a project that I am working on.  Most recently, I loved Kristin Hannah’s The Great Alone and Loretta Nyhan’s Digging In.

6)      What is next on your plate?

I am putting the finishing touches on my next novel.  It’s contemporary fiction, and like Trouble the Water, the story also features a strong female lead.

For more information on Jacqueline, please visit https://jacquelinefriedland.com/ 

Author Interview: Dana Bate

With her second book published, I was excited to read and review AND interview the author - Dana Bate, here are her answers:

1.  What do you find yourself rambling about?

Food - though my friends and family might say "everything" is a more appropriate answer.  I am, admittedly, quite the talker.  But I could talk about food all day and night and never tire of it.  Writing about food in my novels has been a great release for all of that rambling!

2.  If you could put your book into one person's hands, who would that be?

Before she passed, I would have said Nora Ephron.  She was the queen of romantic comedy (and a foodie to boot).  But now . . . maybe Ruth Reichl, the superb food writer and former editor of Gourmet.  I feel like she would understand Sydney.  

3.  Is there any part of your personality in Sydney?

A bit.  We both love food - eating it, cooking it, writing about it.  But otherwise we are very different.  Sydney is hamstrung by insecurity and emotional baggage in a way I've never been, so even though I can relate to her struggles, they aren't ones I've experienced myself.

4.  What part of the writing process do you love the most?

I love when the story takes an unexpected turn, as if the characters have become real people and have taken control of the plot.  It's exhilarating to watch characters I've created come to life.  The further I get into the story, the more real they become.

5.  What books do you like to read?

I have pretty eclectic taste.  I read everything from women's fiction and chick lit to thrillers and narrative nonfiction.  I just love a good story, well told, and I'll read that in any form it comes.

6.  What is your next plate?

I recently turned in the revisions to my third book, Too Many Cooks, which comes out in the US in November 2015 (and in June 2015 in the UK!).  I think it may be my favorite book yet, so I cannot wait to share it with the world!


Thank you to Dana Bate and Jane Nutter from Kensington Books for answering and coordinating!  It is always fun to ask authors questions!

Author Interview: Imogen Robertson

Tomorrow I will review her novel The Paris Winter, today I get to share the answers I received from Imogen Robertson.

1.  What do you find yourself rambling about?

Normally about my research, so when I was writing Paris Winter I couldn't stop talking about women artists in Paris during the Belle Epoque - particularly Suzanne Valadon who appears in the novel and is one of the most brilliant and fascinating characters of the period.  She fed her drawings which she didn't think were good enough to her pet goat.

2.  If you could put your book into on person's hands, who would that be?

Great question!  I'd love Jennifer Lawrence to read it and decide that she wants to star in the film version.  I'm sure she could do an English accent.  Emma Thompson might not be the right age for Maud, but I bet she'd adapt the novel brilliantly.  She could direct and I'll could have a walk on part, stumbling about in the Paris floods.

3.  Is there any part of your personality in Maud?

There is a bit of me in all my characters, I think.  When you start writing though, the characters take on a life of their own and become themselves.  Maud initial reserve is probably mine.  She'd also quietly stubborn, which my husband tells me I am too!

4.  What part of the writing process do you love the most?

The good days where you disappear into your writing and it feels as if you are living the story rather than just writing it.  The other great time is during the research as the novel is taking shape in your mind and seems both perfect and within reach.

5.  What books do you like to read?

Everything.  I read a lot of non-fiction - social history and biography, but I'm also a magpie reader.  Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel is a current favorite and I can't wait for the next Ben Aaronovitch Rivers of London novel.  I've just finished The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters too.  She is such an amazing writer.

6.  What is next on your plate?

I'm writing at the moment, but it's at the secret thinking stage so I daren't tell anyone about it.


Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Imogen Robertson for allowing me the time to get some questions answered.

Author Interview: Jenny Colgan

      Earlier today I reviewed the book - Sweetshop of Dreams by Jenny Colgan and now I have an author interview.  Enjoy!

     

     1.      What do you find yourself rambling about?

Doctor Who and, because my children are at school, schooling, teachers, sports clubs, all that kind of thing. Typical mom stuff! My two boys are off to camp for the first time tomorrow. The 9 year old cannot wait. He said: 'mum, it's going to be like being let out from prison'. Then he thought for a bit and said, 'I think it's going to be almost as good as joining the army.'

The 7 year old is more like that chicken in Chicken Run that knits a lot and thinks they're going on holiday.

2. If you could give your books into one person's hands, who would that be?

OOh what a great question! Ooh I am absolutely NOT allowed to say but a tv show I love very much called us this year to say their lead character would be reading one of my books in their new season, was that okay? ,and I was thrilled by that. Oh, I know. Kate Middleton getting off a plane looking fabulous, flying the flag for British fashion as she always does... I'd love to see her also flying the flag for British books by carrying one of mine! Plus, I think she'd like them :)

3. Is there any part of you in Rosie?

Alas, no, I wish. She's very kind, practical and she's a nurse and can fix things. I think Rosie is a very idealised version of what I'd like to be: I'm impatient and always rush too much. Rosie is nice and calm. Honestly, if you had a terrible accident or were trying to choose something in a sweet shop and taking a really long time about it, it's Rosie you'd want to be with, not me.

4. What part of the writing process do you love the most?

I love a blank page. I hate editing, I find that really boring, but great big expanses of white space to fill make me very happy. Then everything flows- you know, if you're trying to write, it doesn't really matter if it's not perfect to begin with, you can always 'fix it in post' as they say. Once you've got the words down, you've got the clay you need to work with; I love filling the page, fingers flying. I don't like the nitty-gritty of making them all organised and proper!

Ha, you will laugh at this, I just finished a book in a different genre and the notes back from the editor said 'we love it it's amazing, it's just great... uhm, those two people that die? Could they just possibly not die?' So, you know, I prefer writing to editing a lot.

5. What do you love to read?  Do you read different books while you are in the thick of writing?

I'm a totally catholic reader, I'll read anything. It doesn't make any difference whether I'm writing or not, and anyway, I'm always writing. At the moment I'm reading 'We Are All Completely Besides Ourselves' by Karen Jay Fowler,  'The Quantum Age' by Brian Clegg and am about to start the new Robert Galbraith.

6. What is next on your plate?

Well, next I shall be bringing two characters miraculously back to life, then I'll be finishing the sequel to a book that's currently out in the UK called Little Beach Street Bakery, which is about island life and a woman who adopts a little puffin called Neil. Then I am writing a story for the new Doctor Who except I'm not sure I'm allowed to mention that yet. Well, consider it an exclusive :)  So, nice and busy, just how I like it!

Thanks for having me on your lovely blog! @jennycolgan

Author Interview: Barbara Davis

Yesterday, I reviewed the book The Secrets She Carried by Barbara Davis, today she is here for an interview!  Without further ado . . . 

1.  What do you find yourself rambling about?

College football.  It's my one real vice, and I can literally talk about it for hours when I find someone who's equally passionate.  I grew up with four brothers, so there was always football on.  I became a student of the game, not so much an armchair quarterback as an armchair coach.  I can talk offensive and defensive strategy, call plays, recite players' bench press numbers, forty times, and yards per carry stats.  And when the season is over, I fill the void by following high school recruiting with nearly equal vengeance.

2. What was the inspiration that started you down the path to this book?

Not long after I moved to North Carolina, I was sitting in the car, waiting for my husband to come out of a store when I noticed a single grave in a vacant lot across the street.  I'd seen others like it before.  You see them over the place here, on roadsides, in the middle of cornfields, even in the mall parking lot in Greenville, NC.  But this time, something spoke to me.  I started wondering who was buried there, and why.  Was anyone looking for this person? Did anyone ever visit?  Or had they, and their stories, simply been forgotten.  And just like that, in the space of ten minutes, Adele Laveau was born.  The rest of SECRETS grew up around her - and her grave.

3.  If you could put your book into one person's home, who would that be?

Oprah, hands down.  She's a smart, strong woman who has made it her business to discover and promote great books.  Her stamp of approval would be a dream come true for me.  You . . . uh . . . you don't happen to know her, by chance?

4.  Is there any part of yourself in Leslie?

I think the part of Leslie that I most strongly identify with is the "Big City" aspect of her personality, the part of her that got caught up in the office and title and lost sight of her creativity for awhile.  I had a fairly meteoric rise to an executive position in a large corporation.  All of a sudden I was a Vice President, traveling and making all this money, not realizing that it all came with a cost.  Not until I wound up jobless, with a lot of time on my hands, did I realize how little I'd been enjoying life, and how far from my true passion I had really strayed.

5.  What is next on your plate?

I'm currently putting the finishing touches on my second novel, which is called The Wishing Tide, and will be out in September 2014.  It's the story of a woman, Lane Kramer, who leaves Chicago to open a bed and breakfast on North Carolina's Outer Banks.  All she wants is to retreat from the world and put her failed marriage behind her.  The novel opens at the beginning of the off-season - the inn is closed for the winter, and a late-season tropical storm is bearing down on the island.  Everything seems to be under control until a weathered old woman full of improbable stories appears on the dunes behind the inn, and a mysterious stranger who is not quite what he seems lands on her doorstep in the middle of a storm.  Suddenly, three unlikely characters find themselves on a collision course with a past that will either destroy their fragile bonds, or forge them forever.

Thank you to Barbara Davis and Penguin for the opportunity to send questions!  I will definitely be waiting for The Wishing Tide!

Author Interview: Patricia Hale

Yesterday, I reviewed the book In the Shadow of Revenge by Patricia Hale, today she is here for an interview!  Without further ado . . . 

1.  What do you find yourself rambling about?

I tend to ramble about writing.  I don't talk about a story until I have it written, but then I think about it constantly.  I ramble about it to select people whose feedback I value.  If there's a plot or a conflict between characters that I'm not sure about, I discuss the scene with my husband or a close friend.  I love re-working scenes and characters and I'll welcome a critique as often as I can get one.  Then I take the suggestions back to my desk and roll them around in my head until the scene or character or whatever I'm trying to revise comes out right.  Sometimes I take people's advice and sometimes I don't but even when I don't, listening to their perspective broadens my own.  I try not to ramble about the process of writing, like time management and discipline though those are huge pieces of the process because I think rambling about those things just waste time.  Either do it or don't.  And now I'll stop, because I think I'm rambling . . . 

2.  Who was the first character that launched the story in this book when you were writing?

I was at work one day having lunch and flipping through a magazine when I came to a picture of three little girls holding hands and walking down a dark alley.  The picture was a clothing advertisement, but each of the girls was so unique that they grabbed my attention.  One was African American, dressed in a red, frilly party dress with a tiara pushed into a head of wild brown curls flowing in every direction.  On her left was a girl with long brown wavy hair wearing a navy blue smock and buckle shoes.  The third girl had straggly, uncombed dirty-blond hair.  She was wearing jeans and sneakers and a short sleeved shirt that showed fake tattoos on her arms, the kind kids lick and press against their skin.  I tore the picture out of the magazine and hung it over my computer at home.  I started creating a character for each girl and Cecily, Amelia and Hilary were born.

3.  If you could put your book into one person's hands, who would that be?

I would put it in the hands of a television writer/editor because I think it lends itself to being a visual production.  The plot is very fast paced and could easily be revised/condensed into a movie made for T.V.  It's the kind of story I look for on television at the end of a long workweek, one that will provide a couple of hours of good old, heart-pounding entertainment.

4.  What part of the writing process do you love the most?

I thoroughly enjoy the solitude of writing.  The promotional aspect of publishing is the hardest part for me because it is the antithesis of who I am.  I'm happiest hiking trails in the middle of nowhere, kayaking on a deserted lake and sitting in the quiet of my home office (a converted walk-in closet) letting my mind wander into places I'll never be.  I'm an introvert and prefer the company of my dogs, two German Shepherds and a Beagle mix (my husbands not too bad either).  I can go days without talking to anyone so I guess it makes sense that I write.  My ideal day is writing for five or six hours in complete silence and walking away from my desk feeling good about what I've created.

5.  What is next on your plate?

I'm currently working on what will be the first book of a series featuring a male/female PI team.  The story focuses on their hunt for a serial killer who is targeting women as they leave an abusive relationship.  The subplot is the relationship between the killer and the priest he confesses to after each murder.


Thank you to Patricia for answering my questions!  
Thank you to Regina at Partners in Crime Tours for setting up and facilitating the interview!

Author Interview: Jess McConkey

Thank you so much to Jess McConkey for allowing me the opportunity to ask a few questions and also the opportunity to read and review The Widows of Braxton County.  Check out my review that went up yesterday.

1.  What do you find yourself rambling about?

Ummm...my adult children would probably be better at answering that question!!  I can tell when they think ol' Mom's off on a tangent when their eyes kind of glaze over and they give each other "The Look!"

2.  Who was the first character that launched the story in this book when you were writing?

The first character was Hannah.  Several years ago I attended a book signing for Midnight Assassin by Patricia Bryan and Thomas Wolf.  The book deals with an unsolved murder case that happened here in Iowa in 1900 and is a fascinating story.  The book also touches on what life was like for women at the beginning of the twentieth century, and needless to say, I was appalled by what some women had to face back then.  It made me start thinking "What If?", which was basically how all my stories start, and Hannah popped into my head.  Her chapters were very easy to write . . . in fact, I wrote those first then went back and wrote Kate's story, which wasn't easy for me.  To this day, I'm not exactly sure why maybe my answer to Question 3 had something to do with it.  I didn't want to revisit those times when I had acted like Kate.  It wasn't until my friend and fellow author, Tamara Siler Jones, got tired of listening to all my angst and told me to "put your big girl panties on and just do it" that I finally got those chapters finished!!

3.  With your main character, Kate, was there ever a part of you in her?

Definitely!!  I've often thought that most writers, myself included, are at heart "people pleasers."  And in the beginning, Kate is trying to please everyone.  It takes her awhile to learn that with some people, you can't run fast enough or jump high enough to suit them.  It's a lesson that I've repeatedly learned throughout my life.

I've also been guilty of deluding myself when it comes to relationships.  Instead of picking up on the red flags at the beginning of a relationship, I've convinced myself that it's me, not them.  Wrong!!  There are times when two people just aren't a good fit.  They want different things out of life; they have different goals and expectations.  It's better to walk away from a situation like that at the start than to try and shove yourself into someone else's mold, or try and make them fit yours!

4.  If you could put your book into one person's hands, who would that be?

That's easy . . . Oprah!!  Her endorsement has driven a lot of books to the top of the lists!  And although trying to land a best seller isn't why I write . . . I write to entertain others as my well-loved books have always entertained me (back to that "people pleasing" stuff!) . . . I'd be lying if I didn't admit that part of the dream is hitting "The New York Times" best seller list!

5.  What part of the writing process do you love the most?

I love, love, love doing research!!  I've always been an information junkie and writing gives me a good excuse to indulge my habit!!  (I go through withdrawal if my Internet isn't working!)  There is a down side . . . when researching a particular topic, I can find myself jumping from link to link, and before I know it, I find I've spent HOURS reading about things I really didn't need to know about in order to complete the manuscript!  And it's not like these tidbits of knowledge will ever come up in a conversation!  Does anyone, other than me, really care about Victorian mourning customs??  (When researching The Widows of Braxton County, I spent days reading about that fascinating subject!)

6.  What is next on your plate?

Right now I'm doing a lot of marketing to get The Widows of Braxton County off to a good start.  We've organized street teams which has been fun and given me a chance to get to know the readers who've volunteered better.  And I have a trip to Boucheron coming up in September.  Funny thing - it seems my brain is only capable of one thing at a time - so it's either work on a manuscript or work on promotions!

But next up after Widows is launched, will be able to finish a new "Ophelia and Abby."  There isn't a contract for it at this time - I want it completed before handing it over to my agent.  Once it is done, we'll go from there and see what happens.  In addition to that, I'm mulling over ideas for a new "Jess McConkey" book, which at this time is only a glimmer.  Also, I've become quite a fan of "Steampunk" and I have a rough plot thought up for that genre as well.  Then there's a new "witch" series . . . four chapters completed on that manuscript . . . so there's plenty to do!!  I simply need to follow the advice that Tammy's already given me . . . "put your big girl panties on and just do it!"

Author Interview: Jon Harrison

Thank you to Jon Harrison for allowing me to read and review The Banks of Certain Rivers and send some questions his way.  Here are his answers:

1.  What do you find yourself rambling about?

I read a lot of non-fiction, so I tend to go on-and-on about whatever it is I'm reading about at the time to whomever happens to be nearby.  For instance, after finishing Jon Gertner's The Idea Factory last year, I could not stop talking about it.  Who knew the story around the invention of the transistor could be not only fascinating, but heartbreaking too?

2.  What has been the greatest thing to happen since your first book was released?

The launch party for my first book was a blast.

3.  If you could put your book into any one person's hands, who would that be?

Anyone who loves reading would be perfect.

4.  What part of the writing process did you enjoy the most?

I enjoy the revising most.  But finishing is pretty great too.

5. What is next on your plate?

I'm taking an extended break from writing, and I plan to run a lot this summer.

Thank you to Jon Harrison for answering my questions!

Author Interview: Andrea Lochen

Tomorrow I will review Andrea Lochen's debut - The Repeat Year and just as a spoiler - I loved it!  Today, I was given the opportunity to have Andrea answer some questions.  Here it goes . . .

1.  What do you find yourself rambling about?

First of all, thanks so much for inviting me to your blog, Kristin!  Like you, one of my favorite things to ramble about is books.  I'm an avid reader with a wide range of tastes from Jane Austen to J.K. Rowling, and I love to compare notes and get recommendations from other readers.  I particularly like comparing and contrasting books to their movie versions.

2.  When becoming an author, did you have any speed bumps along the way?  If so, how did you overcome them?

It took me several queries to find the perfect agent.  The rejection was hard, and sometimes I felt like giving up.  But I knew The Repeat Year would find a good home eventually, and Olive's story would find its way into reader's hands.  I was very lucky to have friends and family rooting for me and encouraging me to keep going!  I'm so grateful for their support.

3.  What are you reading right now?

Stay by Allie Larkin, which is highly entertaining!

4.  When looking at your female lead, do you put a piece of your own personality into the character?

Olive and I do have some similarities - we're both practical, sensitive people with big hearts - but there's also a little piece of me in Phil, Kerrigan and even Sherry.  It's kind of like one big melting pot of personality traits and quirks.

5.  What is next on your plate?

I'm going to be on book tour for the next month promoting The Repeat Year, and after all the dust settles, I'm really looking forward to diving into my second book, which is about a young single mother whose world is turned upside down when she realizes she can see her four-year-old's son imaginary friends.

Thank you to Andrea for answering my questions.

Author Interview: L. Alison Heller

Tomorrow I will be reviewing The Love Wars by L. Alison Heller, but today I will be sharing my interview with her.  Thank you to Booksparks PR for setting up the interview opportunity!

1.  What do you find yourself rambling about?

I'm laughing at this because the answer is everything and I don't restrict myself to spoken word rambling.  I'm equal opportunity - I type, sing and occasionally rhyme ramble as well.

2.  When becoming an author, did you have any speedbumps along the way?  If so, how did you overcome them?

Yes, for sure - perhaps the biggest speed bump to becoming an author was those thirteen years I focused solely on getting a law degree and being a lawyer.  (What was a I thinking?)  I'm kidding, of course (a little bit).  I still enjoy lawyering, but there's something very satisfying about the creative outlet of writing.

Even after clearing away the space and time to write, there have been bumps along the way - rejections and self-doubt and frustrations with everything from the writing process to some industry practices.  Overcoming them, thus far, has been pretty simple.  I just listen to that little voice that wants to keep writing and continue, however slowly, over the speed bumps.

3.  What are you reading right now?

Argh!  For the first time in a very long time, at this particular moment, I'm not reading anything because of the time demands of juggling revisions on my second novel with doing publicity for The Love Wars.  My to-read list continues to grow though - first up I will probably pounce on the gorgeous copy of Adrianna Trigiani's The Shoemaker's Wife that's sitting on my bedside table and - speaking of gorgeous covers - I can't wait to read Sarah Jio's The Last Camellia.

4.  When looking at your female lead, do you put a piece of your own personality into the character?

This is a great question and one I'm still trying to figure out.  I've been switching some chapters of a draft from first person to third and it's interesting to see the changes.  I now see the character in it as opposed to through her field of vision.  That has to matter somehow, right?

I suppose regardless of whether I'm writing in first or third person, I can't help putting a piece of myself in there.  Writing Molly Grant, for example, I channeled her as I'd constructed her in my mind - and where/how do I begin to separate out what's Molly's perspective from mine?  That said, she's not me - I was conscious writing her that she does most things entirely different than how I would do them.

5.  What is next on your plate?

I have a book coming out through Penguine/NAL next year and I'm really excited about it.  And I've started drafting the next one after that.

Thank you so much to Alison for answering my questions, I completely understand the lack of time for reading - and I never thought I would say that!

Thank you to Erin at Booksparks PR for setting up the interview.

Author Interview: Amy Hatvany

Yesterday, I was able to review Amy Hatvany's latest book - Heart Like Mine and today I get to share with you some questions she answered for our interview.  Heart Like Mine is the third book of Amy Hatvany's that I have read and I can honestly say I have loved each of them, this is one author I am definitely keeping my eye on!

1.  What do you find yourself rambling about?

Right now, I am rambling about my favorite new restaurant.  There is a place near my house that serves everything tapas-style (appetizer portions of really amazing, tasty food) and I seriously eat there a few times a week because it is so incredible.  Practically every conversation I have with someone is filled with me telling them how they have to go try it out!

2.  What books are on your nightstand right now?  What genres do you tend to read?

There are too many to list!  I just finished an advance copy of Taylor Jenkins Reid's upcoming debut novel, Forever, Interrupted, and it was wonderful.  Highly recommend!  I tend to read mainstream and literary fiction - I like real stories about the everyday struggles people face.

3.  If you could put your book into one person's hands, who would that be?

My bonus daughter, Anna, who inspired much of Ava's point of view in the book.  I love being her step-mom, but I would love her stamp of approval on how I portrayed the challenges of being part of a blended family.

4.  What is your favorite part of the writing process?

I love those rare moments when I'm typing away and my fingers can barely keep up with the thoughts in my head.  When I know exactly what's coming next, and this overwhelming rush of excitement pushes through me because I know what I'm getting down on the page is right and true to the story.  It's sort of difficult to explain, but it's the closest I've ever come to a runner's high.  It's my writer's high.  :)

5.  What is next on your plate?

Next is taking the synopsis I've written and turning it into a book!

Thank you so much to Amy Hatvany for answering my questions!

Author Interview: Melissa Foster

Hello readers!  Yesterday I was given the opportunity to read and review another Melissa Foster book - Traces of Kara.  Today I will be interviewing here again here on Kritters Ramblings.  So here we go!

1.  I ask this in every interview and I know this is our second, but I must ask it again!  What do you find yourself rambling about?

Life is my inspiration for all of my writing.  I'm not the type of writer who can slot herself into a genre and stay there.  Whatever I feel passionate about at the moment, is what finds its way into my writing.

For my latest release,Traces of Kara, inspiration came from moving into a new town and happening upon the power plant after dark.  I had no idea it was near my house, and when I saw it, it was so creepy that I had to return nightly for two weeks and just start at it.  I let it sink into my soul, and then I went on tours of the building - - and Traces of Kara was born.  This is the darkest, most suspenseful novel I have written to date.

2. You are such an advocate for authors!  Who was an advocate for you in your early days getting published?

When I started publishing, it was very different to find help in any direction.  Without a doubt, MJ Rose has been the greatest friend I could ask for.

3.  Who is your sounding board for your story ideas?  How do they help you bring an idea to fruition?

Not that I'm a momma's girl, even a little, but my mother is the best sounding board - on any topic.  I usually start with a concept, theme, or ending of a book, and then I work my way through.  Inevitably I come to the middle, or what writers call, the "muddle"; that portion of the book that can so easily drag.  I usually make a phone call around then to talk through ideas and concepts.  My mother always begins by saying, "You know this is your thing, not mine.  I'm no good at this."  That leads to a discussion on writing and reading, and then we end up talking through all of my ideas, and she helps me to flesh out the good from the not so compelling.  Then I write, call a few more friends and knock around ideas, and then write some more.  My editor, Kristen Weber, also helps me to develop my story lines in successful directions.

4. If you could put one of your books into any person's hands, who would that be?

Without a doubt, Oprah Winfrey.  Although HAVE NO SHAME is not yet published, I think she'd love that story.

5.  As one of your devoted readers, I want to know what author do you follow and love?  What are you currently reading?

I'm currently reading a friend's novel, HIDDEN UNDER HER HEART by Rachelle Ayala.  The authors I follow and love are so varied.  I read all of Diane Chamnerlain's books, and I love Kristin Hannah's recent books, but really, I fall in love with so many different authors every year.  There's never a lull on my TBR list.  I read everything but horror, sci-fi, and erotica.

6. What is next on your plate?

I have three books ready to be published that I wrote last year, and this year I am completing my first foray into the romance genre with The Other Side of Me.  Next, I think I'm going back to suspense and perhaps finishing a YA/Adult crossover that I began two years ago.  Once LLL is complete, I'll figure out what's begging to be written.

Kristin, thank you so much for hosting me on your blog today.

Author Interview: Nick Trout

Hello!  Yesterday, I was given the opportunity to read and review The Patron Saint of Lost Dogs by Nick Trout, what a great book for anyone who finds love in any sort of animal.  Today, I am able to share the answers to questions that I sent to Mr. Nick Trout . . . .

1.  What do you find yourself rambling about?

At first the Englishman in me thought this might be a question about hiking!  Right now I tend to ramble on and on about the state of veterinary medicine.  How there are too many vets, too many veterinary schools and too much college debt for not enough pay.  It's our profession's dirty little secret.

2.  How did you go from being a veterinarian to an author?  What was the journey like?

All veterinarians have a story to tell.  Think about it, every day we are faced with sick animals and their variously demanding, quirky, passionate but always dedicated owners.  Every day there's a mix of heartwarming, heartrending, hilarious material.  There's a conflict, mystery, intrigue, and passion.  What more could a writer ask for?  I'm still a full time veterinary surgeon.  Writing is something I do when I'm not at the hospital.  When it comes to animal, especially vet books, no one can touch James Herriot.  All I can try to do is show that the scenery may have changed and we have a lot more special effects, but the essence of the script and the characters remains the same.  I'm still on the journey to becoming a half-way decent writer.  And like most writers, I find the best part is the fun of trying to get there.

3.  If you could put your book into one person's hands, who would that be?

If I keep my eyes closed and stay for a few seconds in a dream world, I'd love "The Patron Saint of Lost Dogs" to get in the hands of a producer who saw the book's potential as a TV series or a movie.  Hey, I said dream world!

4.  What is your favorite part of the writing process?

The best part of the writing is discovering a way to make the plot work, to convey the essence of a character in a phrase or a description, to connect a witty piece of dialogue.  Getting that first draft polished off and seeing it wing it's way to the editor.

5.  What is next on your plate?

Currently I'm finishing off the sequel to "The Patron Saint of Lost Dogs," a book that carries on precisely where we left off, which should be out this time next year.