Betty Gordon's Deceptive Clarity

My guest today is fellow L&L Dreamspell author, Betty Gordon. Betty, welcome and tell us more about you.

I am a native Texan who draws inspiration for short stories and novels from years of experience in the legal arena as a law student, legal assistant and paralegal. I also have extensive backgrounds in dance instruction and sculpting which continually prick at my imagination for future creations. The opportunity to attend college didn’t occur until I was married, but aside from marriage and children, my undergraduate and graduate work produced some of my proudest moments. These academia endeavors also guided my path toward publication and my publishers, L&L Dreamspell.

When did the writing bug bite and in what genres?

The writing bug connects with love of words and it first bit me when I was five years old. My family visited my grandparents every Sunday and each time I would take my uncle’s chemistry books out of their bookcase, spread them on the floor, and stare at the formulas. I couldn’t understand any of the configurations, but they intrigued me and planted seeds of interest in reading and science. Once I started school, the teachers commented that I had such a vivid imagination, I should think about writing short stories. By the time I reached college, my professors, history ones in particular, encouraged me to write, and on and on.

Graduate classes in creative writing led to actual publication of poetry. A non-fiction piece followed connecting text and images. My thesis was the basis for my first published novel, Murder in the Third Person, although certain language was added that I didn’t think my academic readers would appreciate. This novel wove a web of mystery that continues to fuel my work in mystery, suspense, and thriller genres.

What were your goals? Is there a message for the reader?

My primary goal when I started writing was to create work that would interest and intrigue readers and that led to the next goal—publication. I need short and long-term goals, so when one fictional piece is started, another one is germinating in my imagination. Sometimes they war with each other, but I work it out.

As far as messages in my material, I think there is always a message for readers to grasp although sometimes it’s subtle. A recurring theme in my work is—justice will prevail.

Stand-alone or series?

My latest book, Deceptive Clarity, is a stand-alone. I enjoy writing a series as well. For me, it depends on certain characters that you invest in and realize their journeys aren’t complete. There are a lot of problem avenues in a series—timelines, etc., so from this standpoint, I guess I prefer the stand-alone.

Hook for book?

The first sentence in the novel is the hook, at least I hope it is. “Guns, knives and yoyos—Lisa Martin’s weapons of choice. At least they would be if she’d stop playing patty cake with down and dirty divorce cases."
An elevator hook or pitch would be: “A man goes missing—a shadowy figure, a phantom, a chameleon. Can P.I. Lisa Martin find him before dangerous forces stop her?”

How doe you develop character and setting?

The main characters often materialize when I first go to bed and I’m in my ‘thinking’ mode. They’re not fully developed, of course, but the next morning I create a page for each character in a steno pad where I flush out their physical attributes as well as likes, dislikes, etc. As the story progresses, the characters also progress and oftentimes their dispositions change.

Setting: This is arbitrary with me. For example, my first work involved places and people in Houston, Texas that I didn’t want identified, so I used fictitious streets and businesses. In Deceptive Clarity, however, I identified areas of interest which I believe adds layers to the story.

How do you determine voice?

I think my voice as a writer comes from that small voice within and then I hone it to various stylings which oftentimes change. It seems everyone strives for a “different, original” voice, but I believe this can only happen when you are true to yourself. Who knows when that “different” voice will spring forth?

Specific techniques to develop plot and stay on track?

Again, I use a steno pad to pencil in plot lines on the all important timeline. Although the idea of the novel is somewhat fixed in my head when I start, the plot points change as the work develops. I’m sure you can tell I am what is referred to as a “pantster.” Initial outlining, at least for me, puts the kibosh on creativity. I do, however, keep track of chapter happenings in outline form as I proceed with the story to be sure plot points coincide with the timeline.

How have your environment/upbringing colored your writing?

Early exposure to books certainly influenced me as I said at the beginning of this interview, but your question called my attention to another influence which I hadn’t thought about until now. I grew up watching my Dad read detective magazines. He didn’t like me to look at them, but I would sneak a peek when he wasn’t watching. Who can say now how many pictures of murder victims worked their way into my memory bank.

Online networks or blogs we should check out?

My first promotional tool was a website and I proceeded with various writing sites to connect to my site. Communication with sites as CrimeScene Writer, Book Masons, Authors Promoting Authors is a great way to spread word about your work. Of course, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, blogs, and other social networks are assets too.

Current projects?

I have just concluded a mystery that is completely set in Egypt. It is loosely based on my experience in the land that veils many mysteries. I am going through deep editing now and those who write know what fun that is.

Folks can learn more about Betty's books and events on http://www.bettygordon.com/. Betty, thanks for spending some time with us. Continued success!

D.K. Christi's Ghost Orchid

Publisher: L&L Dreamspell, Published: Spring, Texas, 2009


GHOST ORCHID, by D. K. Christi 166 pp. trade paperback paranormal mainstream fiction

SYNOPSIS:

A mysterious orchid is central to a story of love, lies, and redemption. Once more before I die?the haunting mantra of a lonely woman. A woman grieving more than one loss. On her regular walks amongst the splendor of the Audubon Society sanctuary, situated at the edge of the Florida Everglades, the sights and sounds of nature filled the void in Mel's soul. She found peace here. No tears for what might have been. Only joy for having experienced the ecstasy of a great love. Her secrets stayed buried.

In another part of the world an exquisitely beautiful young woman also found peace by immersing herself in nature, capturing its beauty on film for National Geographic. Educated in Europe's finest boarding schools, Neev became a model at fourteen, but after four years of posing and false smiles she knew she wanted more out of life. She quit modeling to study Philosophy at Oxford University. Neev's love of photography brought her to the other side of the camera lens, and to exotic locations around the globe. Working on assignment with famous photographer Roger Andrew, she often trekked deep into the jungle in search of rare flowers. Having a young, beautiful woman as a partner seemed like a good omen, and Roger thought their travels together could lead to a unique discovery. In spite of the age difference, their shared passion soon blossomed into a loving relationship. He wondered why someone so young would crave this nomadic, isolated lifestyle.

Although Neev did share bits of information about her family, she always kept parts of her past a secret. When a Ghost Orchid began to bloom at the Audubon Society sanctuary, Roger knew this was the opportunity he'd been waiting for. Neev was reluctant to visit Florida, for personal reasons, but he convinced her to accompany him on the trip.

After a series of odd coincidences, they soon discovered this sensuous flower wasn't just rare and beautiful, it also had a strange, mystical power?

EXCERPT:

The high-pitched, grating sound of twisting metal chased screaming birds into the sky. A sickening rumble erupted as the car dove into the earth, upside down, crushing the roof. The screeching tires etched black marks on the highway for several yards, carving trenches in the shoulder as the vehicles left the road. The bright, red sports car glanced off the white sedan, but slid safely along the edge of the blacktop and stopped just short of the ditch. A plume of smoke and dust almost concealed the careening vehicles.

The shocked dump truck driver, pulling a heavy load of gravel, lost control and the truck slammed into the ditch on the other side of the narrow two-lane highway, the impact jamming the doors shut. For a moment in time, a deafening silence filled the air as though the crash sucked the life out of the universe in exchange for the life of the driver who attempted the left turn from the sanctuary road. Her car was upside down across the ditch, her bleeding torso visible half out the window, suspended by the hanging seat belt and the deflating airbags.

The contents of the car--shoes, a jacket, a briefcase, a computer--flew with abandon across the field as the doors popped open on impact with the red car and the final slam into the earth. A silver disk hung precariously from the player slot, the music from his heart collected just for her now useless, empty. The cell phone that was in her hand at impact flew out the window and found its resting place in a clump of brush, well hidden from the carnage. In that split second, in a blink of the eye, a snap of the fingers, the time it takes for a sip of coffee, to change a computer disc, or to glance out the window; in that split second, she was gone. All that remained was a broken shell of the person who just moments ago validated life in her beloved sanctuary, the sanctuary where her heart resonated with nature, transforming all the doubts in her life into new hopes and longings just beyond her reach.

The dazed truck driver tumbled out, hitting the ground awkwardly as the door broke loose. Landing hard at first, he seemed unharmed. The driver of the red sports car ran toward the overturned sedan; but the truck driver, reaching for his fire extinguisher, dialing 911 on his cell phone at the same time, stopped him. He pointed to the raw fuel that poured down the side of the overturned car, filling the air with its ominous odor. Traffic stopped. A few people dashed from their vehicles in useless attempts to help, some to gawk. The site was terrifying: the tires still spinning in the air, the blood still oozing from the lifeless body, and the growing pool of potentially explosive fuel spreading ominously.

Everything that mattered before was no longer of any consequence: not the important papers that blew down the highway or the projects on the computer or the lists of things undone or the secrets that would never be revealed. Death was like that; or is it?

D.K., it's wonderful to have you here. Please give us a brief bio.
World traveler and adventurer who enjoys new cultures and challenges. Polished, platform presenter on such diverse topics as change strategies and multi-cultural diversity. Writer of education and workplace curricula for state departments of education. Former editor for corporations in Asian countries. Currently enjoying the Gulf waters and Everglades meandering in sunny southwest Florida. Author of two novels, Arirang: The Bamboo Connection and the recently released Ghost Orchid and many short stories published at Amazon.com, Amazon Shorts and in anthologies by R. J. Buckley Publications and L &L Dreamspell.

When did the writing bug bite, and in what genre(s)?
I am really an essayist; I always kept diaries and journals in which fact and fiction were interwoven freely to describe the moment and emotions.

When you started writing, what goals did you want to accomplish? Is there a message you want readers to grasp?
Mostly, I just wanted to be sure I remembered the sights, sounds, aromas and touch of the world around me. I have never had a camera; I have always written pictures in words, my pictures to leaf through for memories of events past. A message? Life is what happens when you plan something else. Live each moment well. My favorite saying is, “All I know is in this moment.” That’s by D. K. Christi….

Briefly tell us about your latest book. Series or stand-alone? If you have written both, which one do you prefer?
Ghost Orchid is a book that grew from my own obsession with the ethereal beauty and mystery of the real ghost orchid of Corkscrew Swamp Audubon Sanctuary in Naples, Fl. It bloomed for the first time in decades on my birthday in July 2007 and wouldn’t let go of me until it was memorialized in the story of one family’s love, lies and redemption under its spell from high in the cypress canopy of the Everglades. The main characters are photographers whose own fascination with the natural world is reflected in the descriptions of the life force pulsing through the exotic locations. Ghost Orchid unfolds, one coincidence at a time, a tight little mystery that steals into the reader’s heart and leads to the real ghost orchid at Corkscrew, in search of the answer to the question: Is love eternal?. Intended as a stand alone book, the last chapter has elements that could lead to a sequel.

What’s the hook for the book?
A tragic accident at the beginning gives clues that the reader is compelled to follow into the next chapters, following the words, “Death was like that; or is it?”

How do you develop characters? Setting?
Characters are composites of people I have known, would like to know or who represent qualities I admire or detest. Sometimes, the character seems to rise from the setting and the circumstances, developing along the way. That was the case with Melani in Arirang: The Bamboo Connection. She developed as the events in her life unfolded. I just realized in answering interview questions that Neev in Ghost Orchid, is likely the daughter I might have had. I can’t say for certain, but she does exhibit some of my less endearing characteristics. Setting comes from my own experiences with travel, supported by research and the desire to visit new and enthralling places. Setting may come from the incident that inspires the story and build from there.

How do you determine voice in your writing?
As an essayist by nature, I prefer first person, present. No publisher wants that voice from a new author. Thus, I have had to translate my writing to third person, past in order to publish my writing. I will know I have made it to the top when I can write again in first person, present.

Do you have specific techniques you use to develop the plot and stay on track?
My stories are inspired by an incident, a happening, a thought. I write that part in intimate detail and build the story around it, expanding like the ripples in a pond. I write nearly non-stop until the work is complete. Then I simply view it as an outline to be sure its flow makes sense.

How does your environment/upbringing color your writing?
My dad wrote poetry and songs and was a musician. I so wanted to play piano with his talent; alas, I still only play a few simple Christmas carols. I was not drawn to poetry. However, I have always been compelled to write about the world around me and my place in it. Part of that place included three years of blue water sailing in the Caribbean, a time of ecstasy and joy, solitude and introspection, camaraderie with individualistic and diverse people and the exchange of entire boat libraries to read without the distractions of a land lifestyle. The emotions and variety of thought processes bring depth to my characters. People who enjoy my writing get angry with my characters or forgive them or even fall in love with them. They are close to real and the emotions they express touch real people.

Have you started any online networks or blogs to promote yourself and others?
I blog at www.redroom.com; I am a member of multiple social networks such as Facebook, Shoutlife, Authorsden, Goodreads, Shelfari, PublishedAuthors, publisher forums,and more. My web site, http://www.dkchristi.com/ has a place for colleagues to promote themselves. I comment on many sites that touch my interest.

What are your current projects?
Currently I have a collection of short stories that I am looking for a place to plant…….a novel about blue water sailing families, an ensemble cast of characters with a story in every port, taking me forever to finish; and a Civil War story about my great grandfather’s escape from a POW camp that mother wants me to develop into a book that includes the beauty and romance of the south in contrast to the horrors of war – sound like it’s already been written? Not quite this one.

Where can folks learn more about your books and events?
http://www.booktour.com/ for events in addition to http://www.dkchristi.com/
Please also follow me on twitter: www.twitter.com/dkchristi
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Amazon.com featured D. K. Christi as their “Author to Watch” stating, “D. K. Christi’s debut novel, ‘Arirang,’ a romantic adventure that spans seven continents, conveys an underlying theme that ‘life happens when you are planning something else.’ In Christi’s short stories such as Chalk, The Magic Box and The Valentine, exclusive to Amazon Shorts, themes of friendship surviving tragedy, love conquering adversity, and the triumph of the human spirit over the hardships of life serve to uplift and inspire. Discover a new voice in fiction and through her stories, perhaps discover something new about yourself.”

Christi’s short stories appear in numerous anthologies including two with L &L Dreamspell’s “Romance of My Dreams” Anthologies I and II. Ghost Orchid is her first novel with L&L Dreamspell and takes the reader on a journey of mystery and ethereal beauty in the Everglades and exotic foreign locations that they will not soon forget.

Christi has spent much of her career living and working abroad where language and culture shaped her vision of the world and enriches her writing today. A polished platform speaker, she presents at national conferences with such diverse themes as multi-cultural diversity and embracing change. Active in her community, she writes and manages $multi-million grants from proposals to marketing, but fiction is her passion. Originally from Michigan, Christi currently lives in Florida where she enjoys travel, dancing, kayaking, sailing and the Gulf. In her moments of melancholy, she fondly remembers three years of blue water sailing from Ft. Lauderdale to Venezuela with her family aboard Lady Ace.

"All I know is in this moment." …D. K. Christi
D.K., thanks so much for a great interview. Continued success with all endeavors!

Claire Applewhite on The Wrong Side...

A Vietnam vet turned P.I. ends up in the wrong place at the wrong time, to match wits with a ruthless killer.

Elvin Suggs knows conflict. Vietnam showed him the wrong side of 1968. Memphis showed him divorce. Suggs and his dog, Vanna, turn to ‘Nam vet Dimond Redding for a fresh start—and find a fresh corpse. St. Louis showed him murder. It’s the wrong place and time. It’s the wrong side of Memphis.

~~~

Claire Applewhite is a graduate of St. Louis University, where she earned an AB in Communications and an MBA, Finance, and completed the Mercantile Leadership Program for Women. A past participant in the Summer Writers Institute at Washington University, she is a contributing writer for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Her first mystery novel, The Wrong Side of Memphis, was released in May 2009, by L&L Dreamspell. A short story, "Moonlight Becomes You So", was released in June, 2009, also by L&L Dreamspell. Her romantic suspense novel, The Nearness of You, will be released in early 2010. Unchain My Heart, a romantic thriller, was recently named a Semi-Finalist in the Faulkner Creative Writing Competition. In 2009, she organized Rouge et Noir, LLC. 

Claire is a current Board member of the Midwest Mystery Writers of America and the Missouri Writers Guild, where she is the current Vice-President and Conference Chair for the Annual 2010 Conference. Claire is an active member of the St. Louis Metropolitan Press Club, St. Louis Writers Guild, Sisters in Crime, Heartland Writers Guild and Mystery Writers of America.
Claire, you’re a busy lady so let’s get right to the questions.

When did the writing bug bite, and in what genre(s)?
In second grade, I recall writing a “novel” such as it was, but I really, really enjoyed it. I joined the school “newspaper” and wrote articles and speeches for competitions. In high school, I mostly wrote short stories, though I tried a few plays and song lyrics. I started attending summer programs for creative writing students. Later, I majored in Communications in college.

When you started writing, what goals did you want to accomplish? Is there a message you want readers to grasp?
When I started writing, I did it because I enjoyed it. Period. I liked making things up and seeing where they went—it was that simple. Later, it became a form of expression, a way to relax, unwind, forget the tension and events of the day.
Message? That a writer can relate a human interest story with a moral or message that can simultaneously be suspenseful and entertaining. I think the lines between literary and genre fiction are becoming blurred.
Briefly tell us about your latest book. Series or stand-alone?
My latest book is The Wrong Side of Memphis, released April, 2009. It is the first of a series of three books, and features a Vietnam vet turned PI who ends up at the wrong place at the wrong time to match wits with a ruthless St. Louis killer.
What’s the hook ?
It concerns the Journey after the Destination for those who served in and survived the Vietnam war. How they coped with devastating afterlives, their intense friendships and their current problems are explored in this book.
How do you develop characters?
I take 3-4 of the most charismatic people I know and pull one characteristic from each of them. Then, I blend those qualities into one new person.
Setting?
 I must visit a place to use it in a book. Feel it, smell it, hear it. Then, I have to be able to imagine the characters interacting there.
How do you determine voice in your writing?
First, read the dialogue into a tape recorder and play it back—or even just read it aloud. Discover extra words or places where words are missing. Also, be aware that readers should be able to tell which character is talking without identifiers. Differentiate the ways in which one character speaks to the various people in his/her life.
Do you have specific techniques you use to develop the plot and stay on track?
I usually write the first and last chapters first. Then, I write scenes as they come to me. When I have 6 or so I arrange them in some kind of logical order and ask myself, what must happen between scenes to get to the end I chose? From then on, the scenes to be written determine themselves.
How does your environment/upbringing color your writing?
I live in the Midwest, St. Louis, Missouri, but I have lived in the South, Memphis, and in Hawaii as well. I have also traveled extensively. I think travel and exposure to different cultures is essential for a writer, as it develops appreciation for many kinds of language and traditions. It can only enrich the writing.
What are your current projects?
The Nearness of You, a romantic suspense novel, will be released in early 2010. It is the full length novel from which my short story, Moonlight Becomes You So, was derived. It can be found in the Poison, Murder Satisfaction Anthology, released May, 2009. I am also completing a stand alone entitled Unforgettable, based on an entry found in a diary in the old St. Louis City Hospital.
Where can folks learn more about your books and events?
My website is www.claireapplewhite.com.


Thanks for taking the time to be here, Claire, and may you and your loved ones have a blessed Thanksgiving.

Visit www.Claireapplewhite.com

Blessings To All Of You!

Halloween is over and Thanksgiving is almost here, the time of year when even mystery writers put aside the pen long enough to spend more time with family and friends. As I think of all the tremendous blessings I have in my life, my mind comes to rest first on my wonderful family: my husband of 42 years, who still tolerates me, my two honorable sons who are great role models for young men they teach and coach, two fabulous and beautiful daughters-in-law, and three adorable and talented grandsons.

I'm also grateful for all the life-long friends who still keep in touch as well as all the new friends and acquaintances I've met since I began writing seriously five years ago.  I'm loving the opportunity to interview so many of them and to help promote them when I can.

I have to mention good health as well. It's hard to write when I'm not feeling well. I had surgery this summer that knocked me down for a while with serious pain. I'm thankful to be healed and back to work.

I have a good roof over my head and WAY too much to eat. I'm enjoying my vision, being able to see what I write and to edit when necessary. I enjoy keeping a basket of books by my rocking chair in the sunroom for days when I'm not writing my own stories. I'm blessed that even though I have osteo-arthritis, I can still write, and even though some people may question my mentality, I think I'm still a pretty sharp cookie. (I'm expecting comments on that one.)

I'm sure there's much more I could mention, but just know that I love you all and I'm blessed to have you in my life either in person or digitally. Each of you touch me in some meaningful way. I wish for all of you the blessings of this Thanksgiving season with the ones you love.

Maggie Bishop Talks Appalachian

Maggie, thanks for dropping by for an interview. Please give us a brief bio.
I hike, ski, golf, swim, explore and write in the mountains of North Carolina where I settled in 1993 with my husband and cat. Every time we travel, we seek out other mountains but none are as exciting as the ancient Appalachians. When asked, "What do you do?" my answer is, "Entertain with word pictures." Through my books, readers escape to the mountains.

I was chosen as one of “100 Incredible East Carolina University Women” for literature and leadership. I’m an Air Force brat who put myself through ECU and received a MBA degree, a former manufacturing executive, founder and past president of High Country Writers, past Secretary of Central Pennsylvania Romance Writers, and am a member of Romance Writers of America and Sisters in Crime.

My workshops include: Write Now! The 5 Cs of Mystery; Write Now! Get Started, Get Organized and Get Going on Novel/Memoir; Write Now! Plot Your Novel in an Hour; On Stage! Booksignings and Promotion! for Authors

As an East Carolina Pirate myself, I'm so proud of you!
Briefly tell us about your series.
I am the author of a mystery series, Appalachian Adventure Mysteries, and two romance novels set in the Mountains of North Carolina in the Boone area. I started with romance and have turned to murder. In Perfect for Framing, greed and a lust for power led to murder in a clash of personal versus public needs. Murder at Blue Falls has Jemma who leads trail rides on her parents’ guest ranch as a suspect in the murder of neighborhood dogs and well as a man. Emeralds in the Snow involves skiing at Sugar Mountain, an emerald mine, and a cold case murder. Award winning Appalachian Paradise takes place on a five-day backpacking trip in the spring amongst the bears, boars and girl scouts.

On a different note, Meow Means Me! Now! is a rhyming feline allegory with poetry and photos. This gift book is a departure from my novels but sprang from her love of cats. Think Dr. Suess meets Marley & Me.

When did the writing bug bite, and in what genre(s)?
Just before my husband and I left for vacation to a dude ranch in the 1990s, I asked a lady in the office for a book to read. She gave me a short, contemporary romance. That year, I read 400 books. I read at stop lights while driving, during dinner, before sleep and just after waking in the morning. My husband had to touch me to get my attention. When I declared “I can do this!” he was relieved. I joined Romance Writers of America and attended their craft workshops at the annual conference. I’ve been hooked on writing ever since.

How do you develop characters?
Detective Tucker came to me one morning while on vacation at the beach. On the balcony overlooking the dunes and the ocean at six in the morning, I watched a deer cross in the high grass and soon after followed a bobcat. Tucker popped into my mind fully formed. Jemma Chase is based on a woman I met years ago who was six feet tall, had a braid down her back to her waist, and was a carpenter.

Why do you include sports in your mysteries and romances?
Life as writers is solitary and sedentary. If I didn’t involve myself in an outside activity, my blood would become sluggish, my brain would coagulate, and my imagination would stall. Hiking in these mountains renews my connection to the earth, trees, other animals, clean air, sparkeling streams–everything that enhances a person as a whole. If a person is too busy to break away and do something away from concrete, a short break through my novels will help. I did a five-day backpacking trip like in Appalachian Paradise. I love to ski and was a ski patroller at Sugar Mountain like in Emeralds in the Snow. Some of my fondest memories with my husband were on dude ranches so I set Murder at Blue Falls at an imaginary ranch in my valley near Triplett, NC. I also enjoy swimming and golf.

Why do you include real people in your novels?
Jane Wilson, author of the cookbook, Mountain Born & Fed, inspired me to use real people like she did in writing up stories about her recipes. It started in the second novel when I wanted to include fellow ski patrollers who are also my parents, Pearle and Lyle Bishop, mountain manager Gunther Jochl, and mountain groomer Joe White. Joe White’s real job is shoeing horses which fits into the dude ranch story. He gave me permission for him to be a suspect. I list the real people in the acknowledgments, everyone else is pure fiction.

What is your current project?
One Shot Too Many will be out in June 2010. Yesterday's regret; today's deadly fix. Impulsive acts during emotional upheavels from the past return to haunt, ending in the death of a photo-journalist near the cozy mountain town of Boone, NC. Detective Tucker must deal with his past while investigating the secrets of suspects determined to keep from facing their own histories. Jemma Chase, trail-ride leader and CSI wanabe, follows clues, even though her interference may cost Tucker his job.

How much research and plotting do you do before you're ready to write a book?
When I turned to murder, I interviewed Dee Dee Rominger, the Chief of Detectives at our local sheriff’s department and then she read an early draft of my novel to suggest changes. For example, the detectives get on a first name basis for anyone they talk with as soon as possible rather than use the formal address of Mister or Missus. Since it is a contemporary series that features the same two main characters, recurring characters and is set in the area I live, my research in those areas was largely done with the first mystery.

Once I have the opening scene, I make a list of the suspects and play with their characteristics and backgrounds. I brainstorm some possible plot points. The plot grows organically from there. Needless to say, I do a lot of rewriting. The one time I plotted ahead, the pages went dead on me and I abandoned the project. I could no longer discover the action like a reader would.

What is your typical writing day like?
I wish I had a typical writing day. I write in spurts of two months. Way in advance, I begin thinking about my characters and plot. The setting is the mountains of North Carolina which is perfect with the hollars and high peaks, the visitor attractions and sports, and the unpredictability of the weather. I liken it to the pressure built up behind a mountain dam - my head keeps filling up with a sense of what the characters will be going through. No details, just the anticipation of emotions and action. Once I have the emotional space and projects in the real world can be put off, I open the flood gates and write. I awake and begin writing long hand the next scene between fixing breakfast and my husband’s lunch, feeding the birds and tending to the cats. Once my husband is off to work, I continue writing either long hand or at the computer. After a few hours, I do a half hour on the elliptical machine, have lunch and return to writing. While exercising, my mind is on the story. I love it. This is the grand, expanding part of the whole experience of creating these people and events. The first two hours in the morning (5-7) are spent on the Internet at various sites authors need to keep up with in order to market books. The creative work on my manuscript is from 9 to noon. Sometimes I’ll work in the afternoon for a couple of hours. My brain shuts down at 5 so it is crucial that I write in the morning. I manage to arrange writing days 3 to 4 times a week.

Where can folks learn more about your books and events?
My website is http://maggiebishop1.tripod.com and I’m one of the Dames of Dialogue who blog at http://damesofdialogue.wordpress.com/

Maggie, continued success, my friend and fellow Pirate. ARRRR!

James Gillen Talks Writing

My guest today is James C. Gillen. James, welcome, and tell us about yourself.

I write the Paul Isaac Vampire Series through Kerlak Publishing. I am a member of the Orlando Writers League, and we have successfully closed down every coffee house that we frequent. So be careful to invite us. Tortured Skin is my first novel length book. It won the Royal Palm Award for best in unpublished horror at the 2007 Florida Writer’s Conference and has been nominated by USA Book News for Best in Horror in 2009. Congratulations!

 When did the writing  vampire...uh, bug bite, and in what genre(s)?

It’s all my grandmother’s fault. She used to lend me books by everyone from Mark Twain to Jack London and everyone in between. The books opened up new worlds to me and took me to imaginary as well as real places that were amazing. Being an only child, sometimes these books were the only entertainment I had on rainy afternoons. About third grade I discovered an author that would change the way I read books and the worlds they created. Edgar Allen Poe. Before that, all the stories I had read were filled with adventure and fantasy, but now I had discovered the dark side and loved it. From then on, every time the school year started, the first thing I would do, was look in the reading book for more works by Poe. My uncle snuck me in to see the movie Jaws when I was about eight years old. I checked the book out of the library and read it over and over. It inspired my first manuscript when I was about 12 years old called “Teeth of the Shark”. A local newspaper did an article on me and the story. From then on, the monsters under the bed grew sharper fangs and longer claws and soon afterwards, were cuddling in the bed with me.

When you started writing, what goals did you want to accomplish? Is there a message you want readers to grasp?
When I started writing Tortured Skin, I wanted to accomplish one thing more than any other. To bring the fangs back to the vampires. The great thing about writing vampires is that they cover a wide demographic of readers. Stephanie Meyers found one with young love, Anne Rice with Victorian Romance, Jeaniene Frost with modern vampires and Brian Lumley with evil, merciless living dead. But so much of today’s vampires are about being beautiful, animal blood drinking, romantic loving Fabio with fangs. That’s okay. They have their place, but I wanted to create a world where the vampires seduced and were seduced by indulgences and decadence, were intelligent and conniving, and the only reason the humans interacting with them weren’t dead, was because the vamps hadn’t had a chance or still needed to use them for some personal gain. I wanted vampires that, on the outside, looked larger than life, were sexy and hip, and had the charisma of rock stars, but a closer look left you with chills because you knew if you turned your back, you’d be pushing up daisies. What I don’t give the reader is a lot of gore. I find that all you have to do is plant a seed and the mind of the reader does the rest. The reader knows what they are scared of when it comes to blood and guts. I allow that imagined fear to fester in their minds and stew in their insecurities. The message here is, my vampires come with a mix of sophistication, intelligence, danger and psychopathic behavior without the sense of accountability. What you get are characters and settings that never allow you to rest and enjoy a predictable plot line.

Briefly tell us about your latest book. Series or stand-alone?
Tortured Skin is the first book in what, I hope to be, a series called the Paul Isaac Vampire Series. Books 2 and 3 are ready to go. Just waiting for Tortured Skin to grab hold. Tortured Skin takes place in Orlando, Florida along a popular real-life tourist area filled with countless nightclubs and eateries. The series is seen through the eyes of Paul Isaac, who is a vampire hunter in a world where vampires not only known to exist, but own businesses, live in your neighborhoods and hold political offices. They are protected by governments around the world as historical artifacts. Paul has an incredibly large chip on his shoulder. His parents were killed by vampires, so his view of them is skewed much larger than the average person’s. In the story, Paul must track down a serial killing vampire, stay within the boundaries of the law (sometimes), and make a grave personal choice. He has been poisoned by the master vampire of the city and will die in three days. So now, he must decide whether to continue to go after the rouge killer or find a cure for the poison that runs through his veins. Along the way, Paul meets some very interesting characters, including Angie, a werewolf that is girl power to the max. Both sexes seem to be drawn to her for very different reasons, not to mention she is able to push all of Paul’s insecurity buttons.

What’s the hook for the book ( or perhaps I should say the bite)?
The hook for Tortured Skin is in the simple fact that you only see this world through Paul’s eyes. He’s ruthless and heartless and isn’t above torture and even death to get the information out of the vampires or humans if he needs to. This leaves the reader unbalanced. Our minds tell us that the humans are the good guys and the vampires are the bad guys, but in this story, the reader sees Pauldo some very despicable things and think some very disturbing thoughts, while the vampires around him may not always appear to be as evil and nasty as the reader is being told. I want the reader to go back and forth as to who they root for in the end. I’ve had people tell me what an S.O.B Paul is, and my answer is, “Thank You.” If you get the reader to see Paul or any of the other characters as real people and attach emotions to them, you’ve done your job. So go ahead and hate Paul, I want you to.

How do you develop characters? Setting?
The simple truth is, I don’t. You can’t develop characters any more than you can force your real children to act or grow up a certain way. You can only guide them, nurture them, and love them. After that, you have to hope you did the best for them in every way possible. The characters gain lives of their own in a story and they grow at their own pace and develop their own ticks, weaknesses and strengths. Not a single one of my characters have turned out 100% of the way I thought they would. I wanted them to go this way and they go that. I get frustrated at them and threaten to kill them off, but in the end, you look back and see that they are usually right every time. If you try to pigeon hole any of them, they begin to look fake and contrived. If you allow it to happen or ignore it, it grows like a cancer until the entire story dies. Give them boundaries, but in the end, understand that they are individuals that will live out their own existence. If you don’t give them room to grow, they will rebel and when the computer is turned off, will hit the delete button. I’m sure of it!

For setting, write about what you know. I chose Orlando, simply because I live there. I can walk along the streets that I am writing about and describe things down to the cracks in the sidewalk if I need to. It helps tighten up a story with realism that the reader can associate with.

How do you determine voice in your writing?
After admitting what an S.O.B. Paul is, I hate to answer this one, but here goes. I try to sprinkle a little of me into every character and add a little of the people I know. If there is someone at work that’s a little quirky or hard to get along with, guess what. I have the start of a great character. Same thing goes with the good guys. I’ve been known to be more than a little sarcastic in a playful way, and have tried to add that into Paul’s character. The sarcasm in him is definitely me. Paul is pretty much a loner and being an only child, I can associate with it and bask in his comfort around it. Where we differ is in the fact that he doesn’t see friends as valuable but rather as albatrosses around his neck and a liability to the dangers around him.

Do you have specific techniques you use to develop the plot and stay on track?
I had always been told to use an outline to stick with the story. To me, it’s a waste of paper. By the second chapter, I’ve already started to drift away from the original idea. My characters seem to write their own stories and get themselves into far more trouble than I ever could. Many times, I’m simply along for the ride. And without exception, I can’t wait to see how it’s all going to get resolved. If I did it on my own, I’d be waking up every night in cold sweats and have characters about as lively as mannequins.

How does your environment/upbringing color your writing?
With Tortured Skin, not much at all. It’s dark and lonely and my life growing up was very Brady Bunch. I was fortunate in every way. My parents loved each other, they loved me, and how the heck I got into writing about vampires instead of rainbows and bunnies is beyond me!

I do write a series of short stories about my life growing up. They are very light hearted and quirky. I use these stories, “fictioned-up” to protect the innocent and then simply tell the story. Many times I look at them and say, “You can’t make this kind of thing up.” There was a lot of laughter and twisted characters at the Thanksgiving table growing up, which makes for hours of great writing.

What are your current projects?
My number one goal right now is to keep Tortured Skin out there and doing well. I believe in the series and I think if I can get it into the hands of the readers, they will enjoy its high paced action. I want to see the second book take flight as well. I think it answers a few more questions in why Paul is the way he is. Now that the main characters of the series are established, it’s time to examine them a little closer, get to know them and invite them over for dinner.

Where can folks learn more about your books and events?
The best place to go is www.jamescgillen.com. I post all appearances, news and links to the twisted little world both Paul and I live in. Right now, I’m adding a page called, Where in the World is Tortured Skin? It’s a page fans and readers can take pictures of the book or other items at different locations and post them. Paul has been to the Bahamas, on cruise ships, and various other locations. Paul Isaac fans are a bit different and sometimes I’m a little afraid to ask too many questions about the pictures. But it’s all in good fun, good taste and allows the readers to feel as much a part of Paul’s world as I am.

Thanks for letting us learn more about you and your book. Continued success!

Rebecca Vickery's Looking Through The Mist

In addition to being a wife, mother, grandmother, and daughter, Rebecca J. Vickery loves writing romances when she can find the time. These stories include a twist of the paranormal (special gifts), mystery, adventure, or suspense along the way to a happy-ever-after ending. She is currently experimenting with self-publishing and also has books submitted to traditional publishers.
Rebecca, it's a pleasure to have you here.

When did the writing bug bite, and in what genre(s)?

I loved writing assignments in school. When one of my poems was included in the Children’s Highlights Magazine at an early age, I was hooked on being published. With romance being my favorite genre to read, I could think of nothing better than to write exciting contemporary romances.

When you started writing, what goals did you want to accomplish? Is there a message you want readers to grasp?

When I began writing novels, I wanted to provide escape and relaxation for those who enjoy reading and hopefully make enough to cover my writing expenses. That goal has evolved into a determination to write quality fiction, be an accepted member of the industry, and to help other writers whenever I can as well as paying my writing expenses. My message to readers would be for them to realize that shared love and never giving up will see us through a lot of ordeals. I put my heroes and heroines through some grueling circumstances, but love always triumphs in the end.

Briefly tell us about your latest book. Series or stand-alone?

 My latest book, which will be available soon (maybe even before this is posted) is Following Destiny. It is a stand alone, but there is room for a sequel if I ever have time to write it. This paranormal romance is about Andrea Duncan. She inherits a house and a very special ring along with a friendly local sheriff and a large ugly mutt.

What’s the hook for the book?

Andrea hears voices. They eventually lead her into a serial killer’s path. Must she die to follow her destiny?

My characters tend to develop themselves. I feel like a lowly scribe at times taking dictation as the characters tell me the story. I often hear a snippet of news, or see something on television that starts the “what if’s” in my head. I usually know the area for the story and the main details for the primary characters right away.

Who’s the most unusual/most likeable character?

I think Cord McConnell, the tough but tender hero from Surviving With Love is probably my favorite and most likeable character. He isn’t typically handsome, but he has such a good heart especially with kids, you just have to love him. You have to read the book to understand what I mean. My most unusual character would probably be Heidi, the large ugly dog, in Following Destiny. She hears the voices right along with her mistress and has a very definite personality.

How does your environment/upbringing color your writing?

I have always enjoyed the outdoors; camping, fishing, hiking, and horseback riding. And I was raised with the old-fashioned values of love, commitment, and working hard. I think all of those factors are very evident in my writing.

What are your current projects?

I’m currently working on 3 different contemporary romances. Finding Treasure is set in Seattle and features a woman with a special gift for locating hidden treasure and lost items. Seeking Shelter takes place in South Dakota where a modern-day rancher purchases a rogue stallion someone wants to kill. Then there’s Healing Rain about a young woman in Texas with the gift of touch healing who works with problem horses.

Where can folks learn more about your books and events?

The best way to keep track of me is to check regularly at my home website, Romance With a Twist: http://www.romancewithatwist.com or on my blog at http://www.rebeccajvickery.blogspot.com My books, Looking Through The Mist and Surviving With Love, are available on Smashwords.com. and at WordClay.com
Thank you for having me on your blog today, Susan. I have really enjoyed this interview.

It was my pleasure. Contnued success, Rebecca.



Susan Whitfield, author of The Logan Hunter Mystery Series

www.susanwhitfield.blogspot.com