Interview With Author Maris Soule by Jacqueline Seewald

Greetings! Today I have the pleasure of interviewing author Maris Soule. She was born and raised in California, taught high school art and math for 8 years. She was lured to southwest Michigan after marrying the blue-eyed redhead of her dreams. Together they built the house they lived in for 27 years, raised two children, owned, bred and showed Rhodesian Ridgebacks, and created a mini-farm with horses, pigs, goats and lots of other critters. She didn’t start writing until 1980 and initially didn’t plan on writing romances, but she loves a happy ending. That’s also what she likes about writing mysteries. The good guys win in the end. Soule and her husband now live near Lake Michigan in the summer and Florida in the winter.

Question: What is the title and genre of your novels?  Why did you select them?

I have two mysteries out this summer. (Didn’t plan it that way.) One is A KILLER PAST. The other is EAT CROW AND DIE. The title for A Killer Past was more or less dictated by the story itself. (If you read the book, you’ll understand.) Originally I was calling Eat Crow and Die a Murder of Crows, but my editor told me there were too many books with that title and to come up with something new. So I went on FB and asked for suggestions. When Eat Crow and Die was posted, I knew that one would be great. It continues the “crow” theme in my titles and clearly indicates it’s a murder mystery.

 

Question:   What inspired these novels? How did they come about?

The question of “What would Lara Croft be like in her 70s” inspired A Killer Past. For Eat Crow and Die, I’d left P.J. Benson (the protagonist in the P.J. Benson mystery series)  wondering if she was pregnant and her boyfriend, Wade Kingsley, about to lose contact with his son. Added to that, a few years ago a boat blew up not far from where our boat was moored. Since Wade had a boat, I thought, Why not blow up Wade’s boat and kill a few people? Especially if that would make Wade the key suspect.

Question:  Could you tell us a little bit about the heroines and/or heroes of your novels?

Mary Harrington, in A Killer Past, has spent the last 44 years of her life trying not to garner attention. Most people see her as a nice, old lady who goes to the gym regularly, is a widow with a successful son and a beautiful, 18-year-old granddaughter. Little do they know what Mary did in her 20s. However, when she puts two gang members in the hospital after they try to mug her, Sergeant Jack Rossini, begins to suspect there’s more to Mary than anyone knows.

P.J. Benson is a CPA who seems to attract trouble, starting with a man dying in her dining room (The Crows), which is when she meets Deputy Wade Kingsley. In As the Crow Flies (the second book in the series) she manages to put her life in dangers again, and now, in Eat Crow and Die, she feels she must prove Wade didn’t cause the boat to explode, killing his ex-wife and her new husband. After all, Wade is the father of her unborn child, and she doesn’t want him put in prison.

Question:   Can you tell us about some of your other published novels or work?

I’ve mentioned my two earlier mysteries, The Crows and As the Crow Flies. Prior to switching to mysteries, I had 25 romances published. Two were RITA finalists, others won or placed in several contests for romances.

Question:   What are you working on now?

I’m working on three stories. One is a suspense set in Alaska. That one’s ready for final edits. I’m also working on a short story that will pick up P.J. and Wade’s lives after Eat Crow and Die, and, of course, include a mystery. And finally, I’m in the initial thinking stage of a mystery set in a Florida retirement community where homes are being broken into, and my main character is the daughter of a burglar.

Question:   What made you start writing?

I’ve been a reader for as long as I can remember, tried writing in my teens but was discouraged, and didn’t consider it a possibility until I had two pre-schoolers. The house we built was in a rural area with very few nearby neighbors, and most days my mental stimulation was “Sesame Street,” “Mr. Rogers,” and books. One day I read a mystery with a romantic sub-plot that caused me to say, “I could do that.” To which my husband said, “Then do it.” It took me three years to learn the craft, and I’ve been writing ever since.

Question:   What advice would you offer to those who are currently writing novels?

READ. Read what’s being published nowadays. WRITE. Write what you enjoy reading or what you feel passionate about. LEARN. Learn the craft. Read how to format a manuscript, write a synopsis or query letter. Know how to submit. And finally, PERSIST Keep trying. Keep learning. Keep submitting.

Question:  Where and when will readers be able to obtain your novel?

Both books are available now as hardcover and e-book

Amazon: http://goo.gl/UJC2CF

Barnes & Noble: http://goo.gl/s1mvGo

Kazoo Books: http://www.kazoobooks.com/

Ipgbook.com: http://goo.gl/RLvn2F (for hardcover of A Killer Past only)

For more information about me, go to: www.marissoule.com

*Maris is available to respond to comments and/or questions.

Pick a Peck o' Posts by Susan Oleksiw

When I began writing a blog, I had no idea what I was doing, or that I was making choices in how to approach a regular (or, more often, irregular) blog. I have been writing on my own website and here, on Author Expressions, since 2010, and have made choices without realizing I was making them. There are many ways to write a blog, and if you're like me, you gravitate to one form or another.

First, and most obvious, is the ongoing series of posts on writing and related topics. As published authors, we have struggled with the numerous aspects of finishing a manuscript, and our blogs cover developing and working with ideas, crafting a first draft, plots and subplots, developing characters, editing, choosing the perfect title, and working with editors as well as writing and vocabulary. These posts are most often discussions by the experienced for the benefit of the less experienced, or those curious about how their colleagues are coping with the same problems. Here I might include a link to a longer discussion, one that makes me look intelligent for even knowing about it (like this one http://www.dailywritingtips.com).

Second, and equally popular, is the blog on the publishing world today. Gone is the dream of finding a Maxwell Perkins to mentor us, and ever present is the vivid reminder of the power of Amazon in all its permutations. Self-publishing has changed the landscape as much as any earthquake or crashing meteor could. We all learn from these posts because the experience of publishing today is new and jarring and totally unpredictable. Once again, these posts can be discussions by the experienced to the less experienced, but are also just as likely to be one author describing a discovery for the benefit of others. In today's publishing world, we are all less experienced. But whatever they purport to be, they give us the opportunity to talk about our books. (See, like this paragraph, where I point you, the reader, to the cover of my most recent book.)

Third, and sometimes overwhelming in it appeal, is the more intimate post about the personal experience of writing--the angst, the stumbles, the surprises, and the wonderful friends and writing groups who see us through the worst. We are all human, and these posts are sometimes the most comforting because they help me, at least, feel less stupid and inept as I make my way through a career with no clear footpath through the forest of publishing. I don't write these often, but I'm grateful to those who do. But when I do write them, I get to post photos of me and my friends talking about books, like this one with me and Lea Wait.

Fourth, and surprisingly tempting, are the posts that are mostly about our personal lives, and these are

little more than letters to friends with photos and gossip. These can be fun if we can make our lives interesting. But since I've never been a fan of Trader Joe's (yes, I know, there's something wrong with me), and get bored sitting in Starbucks watching other people typing furiously or staring out the window chewing on a muffin, I leave these posts to others. I actually find the posts interesting, even if I can't tolerate the experiences myself. Interesting. When I do write one, I usually veer off into a bit of history or someone else's hobby, like this photo from a man who likes to visit post offices throughout the United States.

I've tried focusing on one type of post but learned early on that my mind (and tastes) wander, so my blogs tend to be full of whatever has captured my imagination at the time, including today's topic, categories of posts for writers.

And while you are pondering this, my best wishes to all for a happy Fourth of July.

"Fill Your Pages With The Breathings of Your Heart"

My blog title is a quote from William Wordsworth. I believe I have followed his suggestion with my new novel, SAFE HARBOR. Literary Reviewer, Brenda Scott believes so too, and has posted the following review at Amazon.com,  Examiner.com and Goodreads:

"Mary Schoenecker's latest novel, Safe Harbor, is sensational. It is a breakaway from her MaineShore Chronicles trilogy and, some will say her best work to-date.Though Safe Harbor draws its characters from her cozy mystery series, this novel stands on its own merit. In fact, this reviewer would love to see Safe Harbor as the first in a new series by Schoenecker. The story is one of personal conflict and self-discovery, and features the lovable clairvoyant, Tante Margaret from the Chronicles trilogy.

The setting takes place in Biddeford Pool Maine where Tante Margaret is staying at her dear friend, Jacques's, seaside home while he is away for the weekend. Jacques has asked Margaret to keep an eye on his wife, Kathleen, who is an alcoholic and, as of late, seems to spend most of her waking hours in an inebriated state. During the short time Margaret is there, Kathleen goes missing. Tante Margaret grapples with her guilt for Kathleen's disappearance while attempting to sort out her heightened feelings for Jacques.

Schoenecker further draws the reader in with her well-rounded cast of secondary characters.The close bond between the four families is nothing short of magical as they come together in time of crisis, but, as strong as Schoenecker's character development is, it is her masterful descriptive prose that is her signature strength. Take, for example the following passage,"The red-haired willowy figure slowly fell to her knees, arms outstretched, her sobs and moans echoing. A ghostly specter loomed over the figure like a giant cat ready to pounce. The specter choked out the last rays of sunlight. Her image became smaller and smaller until nothing existed but sobs and moans." There are brilliantly descriptive scenes like this one throughout the entire novel, drawing the reader in to each scene.

Safe Harbor is Schoenecker's first self-published novel and was released in June 2015. It is available in paperback and ebook formats. You can purchaseSafe Harbor at Amazon.com  Create Space, and Barnes and Noble.com. Schoenecker's other novels include The Maine Shore Chronicles trilogy; Finding Fiona, Moonglade and Promise Keeper, as well as her Civil War epic, Four Summers Waiting. Visit Dr. Mary Fremont Schoenecker's author page at Amazon Author Central https://www.amazon.com/author/maryschoenecker  and on Goodreads at http://www.goodreads.com/profile/maryschoenecker "

Someone said "Your Backlist is the gift that keeps on giving."The Four books mentioned above published by Five Star, do indeed, keep  on giving,and my hope is that this self published book, Safe Harbor will also achieve continued success. It is a good summer read.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

Many of us authors can truthfully answer, "We always dreamed of being a novelist." But is that strictly true? 

When I was seven, I wanted to be Doris Day and sing my way to the silver screen. I knew I didn't have much of a chance though because I didn't have blonde hair or freckles, but I could belt out a pretty good rendition of Que Sera Sera. If I had kept trying and improving, I might have been successful, but I went on to other artistic means of expression.

Drawing on every scrap of paper or margins of newspapers and notebooks drove me to dream about being a famous artist. My idols at an early age were book illustrators. Those guys could draw anything and everything. When I got married my grandmother gifted me with several notebooks of drawings she had saved from those early days. I've continued to draw and paint portraits of interesting people for many years, but famous - I think not.

As a teen, in between art class and choir, I tried my hand at writing poetry and song lyrics. I believe I filled one notebook and realized I wasn't destined to be a poet or song writer (too verbose).

My best friend Maxine told me I've always been a writer, expressing the most interesting situations via notes in class. Another friend, Karen, said my chatty letters made her feel like I was narrating instead of just telling the latest news. In college, I began to dream of writing a novel (as if I didn't already have plenty of papers to write). One of my professors encouraged me to pursue my fiction writing dream and so it began. Notebooks filled with scenes and characters, which led me to my first novel, Feisty Family Values. It took ten years from conception to print, but it's a beautiful book. (Five Star does great covers!)

Now, instead of creating portraits with paint, I create them with words. It's still a fairly long process, often starting with a picture in my mind of a character, a place, a scene, and a feeling. All authors strive to invoke feeling in our readers and to create a world they want to visit.

Did I dream of being a novelist? Yes, and I kept at it until I learned the craft, understood the publishing industry (which we all know is constantly changing), and ultimately told a story that others wanted to read.

Personally, I think I've learned that we need our dreams. They may change over time, but they are important and worth following. The key: Enjoying the journey.

So, tell me the truth, what did you want to be when you grew up? Are you on your way? If not, what are you waiting for?

Book Giveaway Winner Selected

The June giveaway winner of Allan Emerson's mystery novel has been chosen and notified.

She is Patricia Gligor.

 I have read and reviewed Allan's book and recommend it to fellow mystery readers.

Allan appreciates all of your thoughtful comments. Thank you for stopping by our website.

Interview with Mystery Author Allan Emerson by Jacqueline Seewald

Allan Emerson is a Canadian writer who was born in Saskatchewan and brought up in small towns there and in British Columbia. He lived in Australia and New Zealand before settling on the west coast of Canada in Vancouver. As his mother could tell you, he's been making up stories since he was a little kid.

Question: What is the title and genre of your novel?  Why did you select them?

Answer: Death of a Bride and Groom is a small-town mystery with humor and characters with tangled personal relationships bent on keeping their secrets. I like mysteries with intriguing characters who are full of contradictions.

Question:   What inspired this novel? How did it come about?

Answer: A few years ago, I joined the tourists swarming Niagara Falls and got to wondering what life was like for the locals. That provided the germ for the Honeymoon Falls series, which is set in a small resort town that bills itself as “The Romance Capital of the World.” I started with a single scene: the bodies of a man and woman are discovered dressed in full wedding regalia atop a giant wedding cake parade float. From there, the story grew until I had a town full of characters who had good reasons to want one or both of the victims dead.

Question:  Could you tell us a little bit about the heroine and/or hero of your novel?

Answer: Will Halsey was in line for a promotion on a big-city police force. Then his wife left him for an affair with a famous actor. Disillusioned, he abandons the city and returns to his small hometown to become the chief of its three-person police force. The quiet life he sought is disrupted by internal feuding between his subordinates, and shattered when the murders occur. He’s a strong man who’s been avoiding personal relationships until he meets Lucy Mitchum, who becomes a charming distraction while he struggles to find the murderer.

Question:   Can you tell us about some of your other published novels or work?

Answer:  This is my first published novel. I’ve written numerous short stories, one of which, Judgment Day, was recently published in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine. 

Question:   What are you working on now?

Answer:  I’m currently writing the next in the Honeymoon Falls series. It’s called Death of an Action Hero, and without giving too much away, I can tell you that both Halsey’s wife and her lover re-appear in Halsey’s life.

Question:   What made you start writing?

Answer: I’ve been addicted to reading since I was a little kid. I read everything from comics to books I had to sneak out of the library because the librarian thought they were too mature for me. The world I found in those stories inspired me to make up my own.

Question:   What advice would you offer to those who are currently writing novels?

Answer: Understand that being a writer is like any other profession—there’s an apprenticeship to be served. Getting published isn’t a realistic goal when you begin. First you have to develop the skills a writer needs to tell a story that people will want to read. And the only way you can do that is by writing. Finish your book. Then write the next one, and the next. Don’t give up! I know you’ve heard this before, but that’s because it’s true.

Question:  Where and when will readers be able to obtain your novel?

Answer: Death of a Bride and Groom  was released May 20 in the U.S. (mid-June in Canada) in hardcopy and digital editions. You can order it through your favorite bookstore, library, or online. Death of a Bride and Groom is the first book in the Honeymoon Falls series. A large print edition will be released November, 2015.

Note: Allan is offering a print book giveaway/drawing, which includes the U.S. and Canada. If you are interested in receiving a copy of his novel, please leave a comment for Allan with an

e-mail address where you can be reached. Winner will be chosen in a random drawing.

You can visit Allan and check out his blog at: http://www.allanjemerson.com/

After the Sale . . . by Susan Oleksiw

Last week I sent back the final edits for the fourth book in the Anita Ray series. When Krishna Calls will be out in April 2016, less than ten months from today. I'm excited about this book and looking forward to the cover. My editor generously sends me previews, and sometimes I get to make suggestions. I had a chance to do that on the first book, Under the Eye of Kali, but it wasn't necessary for the second and third in the series. Thanks to Deirdre Wait, graphic designer, I've had three beautiful covers perfectly matched to the stories. Does that mean all I have to do now is wait for the royalty checks to roll in? Alas, no.

Over the next ten months I have numerous tasks that are all part of launching a new book. This is where the joy of finishing a book bumps into the reality of selling it to the reading public. A number of websites and blogs give advice on how to promote a new book (see the links below), but I do only a few of the many suggestions.

If I weren't already on social media--FB, Pinterest, Twitter, among others--now would be the time to join. I don't do a lot with these sites, but I have learned to do something at least occasionally, and now is the time to step things up.

I will announce my upcoming book on FB and other websites, but not so often that I will be a pest. No one wants to keep reading the same news flash every day.

I'll update my list of reviewers for the ARCs that I expect by the end of the year. These sites include giveaways on Goodreads and LibraryThing, as well as teasers on Wattpad. In addition, I look for specialty magazines/newspapers, such as newspapers directed to the Indian community.

My website always needs updating, and I'll add the new novel plus any short stories that haven't yet been listed. I won't have a list of blogs or events to post until the spring, but I'll add those also.

Bookmarks have always been popular, and now with Internet services they are easier than ever to produce cheaply. I've used bookmarks for both the Anita Ray series and the Mellingham/Joe Silva series. These are easy to hand out, but not nearly as popular as the recipe cards I produce for the Anita Ray series.

Readers of cozies and traditional mysteries love recipes, and I love writing them. When I have one I think works well and is accessible for those not comfortable with cooking Indian food, I send the recipe to a friend who has a food/cooking blog and he tests it for me. With his final approval, I make up a recipe card with the covers of the Anita Ray books on the other side. I hand the cards out at events and often get asked for additional copies. I'll do the next recipe card when I have a copy of the fourth cover. My current recipe cards have only three covers on the reverse.

During the late fall I begin setting up events. Because I've had the benefit of working with Sisters in Crime New England Speakers' Bureau, I know that a panel of several writers is more attractive to libraries and bookstores than a lone writer who may or may not have a following in the area. We have several terrific writers in my area, and we enjoy working with each other on panels. If I'm doing any traveling I make a point of writing ahead to area bookstores and offer to come in and sign stock or give a talk. I make myself accessible, but I don't push the opportunity.

One of the key things I try to keep in mind when setting up panels or talks is that I'm one of hundreds of writers doing the same thing. Libraries and bookstores can feel overwhelmed with offers, and many like to stick with their own programming. Make the offer, outline how much you can do for them, and be honest about the audience you can bring in. Then step back.

Blog tours are very popular and I try to do as many posts as possible. This also means, of course, keeping up with my weekly post on my own blog. I tend to be erratic on this one, so a new book is a challenge for me here as well as in other areas. Some writers hire a company to set up a blog tour, and other writers do it on our own.

In addition to the usual venues, I have done a number of radio and TV interviews over the years. These are fun, and I try to tailor my conversation to the interests of the area or interviewer.

I have never purchased ad space because my publisher, Five Star/Gale, Cengage, does a gorgeous catalog and markets well to libraries and bookstores. But some writers purchase ad space in conference catalogs or trade magazines relevant to the book.

There are lots of ways to promote a book, but no one wants to be deluged with sales pitches. I am, after all, only one of a few hundred writers doing the same thing. So, I will add to my list of things to do the simple reminder to have confidence in my book as a good story that readers will enjoy. And in between marketing efforts I will start thinking about the next Anita Ray and set aside time to write.

The sites below have straightforward advice on marketing your book. My advice on these is to pick and choose. Try out the tips that seem reasonable to you, and ignore the rest.

https://nancyjcohen.wordpress.com/2015/05/29/book-promotion-countdown/

http://www.bookmarket.com/bookpromotion.htm

http://www.authormedia.com/89-book-marketing-ideas-that-will-change-your-life/