Summer of Interviews: Virgil Alexander

Today I'm pleased to welcome Virgil Alexander!

1. What was your inspiration for your book? Can you tell us about how your own experiences influenced this story?

My writing is inspired by the wonderful mix of natural environment, geology, geography, history, and dynamic cultures of the American Southwest.  The interaction of the land and the people in melding of the Old and New West creates so much opportunity for story lines, characters, and odd twists.  I was born in rural Arizona and have experienced many of the things I write about.  My stories are modelled after people, places, and situations I’ve experienced or heard about from family and friends.  Dozens, maybe more like scores, of close family have been or are in law enforcement so cop tales and mysteries come naturally to me.

2. Would you classify this series as plot driven or character driven?

The stories are definitely plot driven, but the characters are strong and continue from book to book.

3. Can you tell us a little about your main characters?

There are three characters with equal “main billing” in my stories.

Brenden Allred is a Graham County, Arizona deputy sheriff, assigned to the western quarter of the very large county.  Bren is a former homicide detective in the Mesa Police Department who returned to his hometown for the sake of his family, and his love of the area.

Allen Victor is a full-blood Apache Indian and a San Carlos Tribal Police officer.  A former US Army Ranger, tracker, and military policeman, and Middle East war veteran he married his hometown girlfriend and moved back to the reservation.  Al and Bren became friends in their first job as police officers working for the Globe Police Department.

Manuel Sanchez is a new Graham County deputy reporting to Bren and assigned in the scenic and rural ranching area of Aravaipa Canyon.  Manny is highly intelligent, a Southwestern history hobbyist, and information junkie.  His lack of experience in police work is always a concern for Bren, though Manny shows good instincts and aptitude.

Important recurring characters are Bren’s wife Monica, Al’s wife Bonny, and Manny’s girlfriend Jenny Mondragon.  These relationships add some romance and personality to the stories.   Others include Sheriff Bear Bitters, rancher Jim Martin, various townspeople, some odd characters, and a few other law officers.

I share a lot of Apache lore and culture, and many of the incidental things that happen to Al Victor are from true events told to me by my Apache friends.  Al is physically modelled after a native Arizona Highway Patrolman I know.  Many of the things I write about were told to me by my friend Harold Victor (the source of Al’s name) who sadly passed away last year.  I did volunteer work on the reservation for Boy Scouts and church, and taught classes for Eastern Arizona College on the reservation.

4. Without giving away too much, tell us about the main conflict.

In my first book, The Wham Curse, the tension is created by a lost treasure from an actual 1899 robbery, which when found in the current time results in a murder.  Nothing makes sense until the old crime is connected to the new.

In my new book, Saints & Sinners, it stems from a hit order issued for a girl in a small Mexican village who is secreted (without our character’s knowledge) in Graham County for protection – in Deputy Manny Sanchez’ parents’ home!  International law enforcement works to dismantle the cartel, and protecting the girl from assassins lands in the laps of our rural cops.

5. What do you hope readers take away from this book?

What I want them to get out of it is enjoyment of a well-told story,  appreciation of a place and people that I love, and an understanding that people of different cultures, religions, and interests can respect each other and be trusted friends.

6. What song best describes your writing style?

“Don’t Fence Me In”.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLoYFvbR0XY

7. Night Owl or Early Bird?

Most unfortunately both.  I’m typically up ‘til 2:00 AM, but usually awake by 7:00 AM.  I can rarely go back to sleep, so find myself napping in the afternoon; sometimes in my desk chair.

8. Skittle or M&Ms?

I am a sweet addict.  My mom used to say, “Virgil will eat anything if you put sugar on it.”  So I really like both, but chocolate would have to get the nod.

9. Who are your favorite authors?
I have quite a number.  Tony Hillerman.  After that in no particular order Alistair McLean, Helen McInnis, JA Jance, Michael McGarrity, Clive Custler,  Mary Anna Evans, Michael Crichton, Doris Kearns Goodwin, John Grisham, Marshall Trimble.  There are several others but the list is long enough.  I really quite like a novel by an emerging author, Big in Japan, by Jennifer Stewart Griffith.

10. Can you tell us about any other future projects?

I’m well into my third novel of my “rural cops” series, called The Baleful Owl, dealing with theft of Salado Indian artifacts (particularly the title artifact), and of course, murder.  Fourth in the series is a concept outline of heavy industrial theft on a grand scale.

I am nearing completion of the non-fiction Ranching in the Heart of Arizona.  This is a history of ranching in Gila County; a project I started about six years ago, but it has grown well beyond what I anticipated (expected 50 ranches, identified 380).  Hope to release volume one by end of the year.

Meet Virgil Alexander

Virgil Alexander was born and raised in rural Arizona. He grew up in the outdoors shooting, hunting, fishing, hiking, and riding his family’s horses. He loved exploring historic places and studying western history. He had an interest in law enforcement because many members of his family were law officers. His neighbors were ranchers, miners, and small town merchants and officials. His friends came from among those families and included Hispanics, Apaches, and descendants of immigrants who came from all over Europe. These experiences are all reflected in his stories, mysteries set in small town and rural Arizona, often reflecting the natural and human history of the area. His first book, The Wham Curse, introduced Deputies Bren Allred and Manny Sanchez, and San Carlos Apache Tribal Policeman Al Victor, who are also the protagonists in Saints & Sinners and a third not yet completed mystery The Baleful Owl.

Saints & Sinners and The Wham Curse are available from Amazon Books at:  http://www.amazon.com/Saints-Sinners-Virgil-Alexander/dp/1610091558 

http://www.amazon.com/The-Wham-Curse-Virgil-Alexander/dp/1432787357/

Other links and bookstores are listed on my author Webpage under the "Buy" tabs:  http://virgilalexander.weebly.com/

Summer of Interviews: DR Ransdell

Today I'm pleased to welcome DR Ransdell!

1. What was your inspiration for your book?  I love spending time in Greece, so sending my mariachi player on vacation there seemed like a good excuse to think about this beautiful country. I worked on Rhodes for the 1994-1995 school year. Even though Rhodes Town had a population of some 50,000, it seemed small. I used some of that small-town island mentality for this book.  Another big influence was my brother, to whom this book is dedicated. Andy gets into so much trouble in ISLAND CASUALTY that his brother Joey needs to come bail him out. Hopefully I’ll never find myself in a similar position, but if I do, I’ll send an S.O.S. to John right away.

Can you tell us about how your own experiences influenced this story?

When I went to Greece on a university trip, I fell in love with the language. I fell in love with the bouzouki scene, the beach scene, the café scene. I spent the next decade vacationing in Greece. There were so many great beaches to choose from! For ISLAND CASUALTY I used a fictional island named Amiros, but in the back of my mind I was thinking of Kálymnos, which was the first island I visited myself. I’d been invited by Greek friends whose camaraderie is much like the friendship Andy feels with Eleni and Nikos.

2. Would you classify this series as plot driven or character driven? 

When I read mystery novels myself, I’m more focused on character than on plot because I enjoy getting to know the characters and their foibles. My own works reflects this preference. Despite all his flaws, or maybe because of them, I enjoy spending time with Andy and following his travails. Whether he’s performing folk music, following a clue, or trying to get a date, I have fun playing around with his decisions and their consequences. 

3. Can you tell us a little about your main characters?

By profession, Andy is a skilled mariachi violinist. He loves performing and he’s good at it. The problem is that Andy is also an “everyman.” He tries to make right decisions, but just as the rest of us, he has trouble reading the signs. He thinks he understands situations, but he doesn’t always catch nuances. He’s kind-hearted, but he trips himself up by trying to help the wrong people at the wrong times.

Rachel is a mariachi player from Tucson who’s found a unique niche for herself in Greece. During the summers when the tourist trade keeps the tavernas crowded, she helps out by playing in the local bouzouki band. This works perfectly for her because it gives her the opportunity to spend all summer in Greece and then return to her job in Tucson as soon as the tourists go home over. Life on Amiros is bittersweet for Rachel, however, since one of her former lovers was the island’s star musician.

4. Without giving away too much, tell us about the main conflict. 

The novel is about the intense love a man has for a woman, the lengths he’s willing to go to secure that love, and the obstacles he encounters. The plot itself is quite romantic.

5. What do you hope readers take away from this book? 

If they haven’t been to Greece before, I hope they get inspired to travel there. I hope they hear the songs in the taverna and feel the ocean spray on their faces while their toes sink into the pebbles. I hope they also enjoy reflecting on the value of genuine friendships and loyal family members. Finally, I hope they’re intrigued by a central theme; while we might like to see everything in black and white, many situations are closer to gray than we first imagine. 

6. What song best describes your writing style?

The song that best describes my style is “Golpe traidor,” a fast Spanish-language song that sounds happy even though the words explain why the singer needs to extract revenge. The song is fast from start to finish without changing tempo. It’s also tongue in cheek; it’s too dramatic to be taken overly seriously. My writing mirrors the song in that I write quickly every day until I get through an entire manuscript. Even though I’m writing murder mysteries, they’re not about the end of the world or nine dozen murder victims. They’re stories that are particular to that setting and that time period. They could happen to anybody.

7. Night Owl or Early Bird?

Night owl! Now that it’s summer and I don’t have to get up to teach any classes, it’s harder and harder for me to get to bed before four a.m. The truth is that I love to stay up late. No phone calls. No TV shows. I can work in peace. And I always make the mistake of thinking, “I can get this one more little thing done….”

8. Skittle or M&Ms?

There are a few foods I can’t keep in my house because I have no control over them: peanuts and M & Ms (plain, peanut, or almond)!

9. Who are your favorite authors?

For fantasy, J.R.R. Tolkien. For travel saga, Lawrence Durrell. For mysteries, Robert Crais, Gianrico Carofiglio, and especially John Grisham.

10. Can you tell us about any other future projects? 

ISLAND CASUALTY takes place in Greece, but Andy’s vacation won’t last too long. His next adventure will take him south of the U.S. border. On a non-fiction note, I’ve been working on a memoir about my adventures playing in a mariachi.

Get your copy of ISLAND CASUALTY here: http://goo.gl/Q6Gq3F

Meet DR Ransell:

D.R. Ransdell writes from Tucson, Arizona, where she enjoys good swimming weather most of the year. During the school season she teaches composition to international students at the University of Arizona. She also moonlights in a mariachi band, which gives her plenty of ideas for murder victims. When vacation starts, she hits the road, leaving behind several mischievous cats. One of her favorite travel destinations is Greece, where she can devote afternoons to splendid beaches and evenings to bouzouki music. Please visit her at http://www.dr-ransdell.com.

Author Site http://www.dr-ransdell.com

Novel Site http://www.drransdellnovels.com

Travel Blog http://drransdell.blogspot.com/

Facebook http://www.facebook.com/diane.ransdell

Pinterest http://www.pinterest.com/drransdell/boards/

Twitter https://twitter.com/dr_ransdell

Amazon Profile http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001KIYLDS

Youtube Videos http://goo.gl/2Ks05F   

Music & Writing Blog http://drransdell.wordpresss.com

Linked In http://lnkd.in/Fe8xER

Google + google.com/+DianeReneeRansdell

Cat Lovers’ site http://www.pinkhousecats.com

Cat Lovers’ Blog http://pinkhousecats.blogspot.com

More about Island Casualty:

Depressed about the death of a lover, Andy heads to the Greek island of Amiros for what he hopes will be a sex holiday with Rachel, another mariachi player. En route he meets a fellow passenger who accidentally leaves behind one of his packages. By the time Andy realizes the man’s mistake, his acquaintance has melted off into the crowd.

                Andy spends the evening searching the port for his travel companion to no avail. The next morning, the man is found floating in the harbor. In the island’s daily newspaper, a picture of Andy enjoying a cup of coffee with the victim advertises their so-called close connection.

                Worried about the newspaper’s claim that he and the deceased are spies, Andy turns himself in to the local police chief. Soumba laughs at the trumped up charges and tells Andy he has nothing to worry about. Andy would be happy to agree, but later that evening, he’s run off the road by whizzing bullets.

                Such dire circumstances force Andy to begin his own investigation of the drowned man, but instead of finding facts, he finds himself at the mercy of another assassination attempt. He offers to leave the island, but he realizes that the only way to keep his friends safe is by uncovering the truth about the drowning victim. The more he learns, the more he’s drawn into the history of the island and the complicated connections among its inhabitants.

Summer of Interviews: Amy Bennett

Today I'm pleased to welcome Amy M Bennett!

1.       What was your inspiration for your book? Can you tell us about how your own experiences influenced this story?

My books (“End of the Road” and “No Lifeguard on Duty”), or rather my entire Black Horse Campground series, were inspired by my love of mysteries.  Being a long-time fan of Mary Higgins Clark and her romantic suspense novels, set in her beloved stomping grounds of the NYC area, I decided that I would like to write a book or series set in my own neck of the woods—south-central New Mexico—and hopefully share that love with readers as effectively as she has (one of my bucket list goals is to visit NYC and find the restaurant that inspired her fictional Neary’s!)

2.       Would you classify this series as plot driven or character driven?

Definitely character driven.  When I was thinking of writing a book, the first thing that came to mind was the characters.  What happened to them, how they reacted, and how they dealt with the situations that arose came later.  At that point, I could have been writing a mystery, a romance, just about any type of story.  If I didn’t care about the characters, I don’t think I could care about the story.  The characters, to me, ARE the story.

3.       Can you tell us a little about your main characters?

There are three main characters: Corrie Black, the owner of the Black Horse Campground in fictional Bonney County, New Mexico.  She’s struggling to make a success of the campground left to her by her late father.  Then there is Rick Sutton, Bonney County sheriff and childhood friend and former high school flame of Corrie’s.  Circumstances drove them apart romantically years ago, but, as is common in small New Mexico towns, their bond remains strong.  Lastly, J.D. Wilder, a former lieutenant with the narcotics division of the Houston police department.  In the first book, “End of the Road”, he arrives at the Black Horse campground under circumstances that make him a suspect, but he ends up being an integral part of Corrie’s life and Bonney County in general.

4.       Without giving away too much, tell us about the main conflict.

Of course, I write murder mysteries, so the main conflict is “Who killed the victim?” However, there are conflicts among and within the characters themselves, particularly with the romantic triangle that is developing among Corrie, Rick, and J.D.  I try not to make it the central focus of the story; rather, it’s more of a complication or side plot.  However, many of my readers have made it clear that the mystery they are most interested in seeing resolved is which man Corrie eventually chooses!

5.       What do you hope readers take away from this book?

A strong sense of family, a sense of home, a sense of old-fashioned values that still exist in the hearts and souls of the people who care about their friends and neighbors.
6.       What song best describes your writing style?

Don’t laugh; “Believe It Or Not” by Joey Scarbury, the theme song from the old TV series, “Greatest American Hero”… “who can it be? Believe it or not, it’s just me.”  I think many writers start out by trying to imitate their favorite or the most popular writers.  It’s only when they realize that just being themselves is more than good enough that they begin to find their true voice and they tell the stories that they are meant to tell.  That’s when they find their audience.

7.       Night Owl or Early Bird?

For years, I’ve been going to work (at the Walmart bakery) at 2 in the morning!  That’s my favorite time of the day to work, when there are no people around (not the best attitude for someone in retail, but…) and I can focus on what needs to be done without interruption.  That’s always been my best and most productive time of the day.

8.       Skittle or M&Ms?

M&Ms.  And please don’t mix them in the candy jar with Skittles.  Please.

9.       Who are your favorite authors?

Hands down, I love Mary Higgins Clark, but I’m also a huge fan of New Mexico mystery authors, including Aimee and David Thurlo, Steven F. Havill, Mike Orenduff, and Michael McGarrity.  But I also love other authors, mostly mystery authors, too numerous to name.

10.   Can you tell us about any other future projects?

Besides the continuation of the Black Horse Campground series, I’ve also got a couple of projects in the works: a Catholic YA series and perhaps a romance novel that I drafted many years ago.  But who knows what else I may decide to pursue?



Meet Amy Bennett:
Amy M. Bennett was born and raised in El Paso, Texas and has lived in New Mexico since 1988.  Her debut novel, “End of the Road”, won the 2012 Dark Oak Mystery contest, and launched the Black Horse Campground mystery series.  The second book, “No Lifeguard on Duty”, was published in April 2014 and she is currently working on the third book, “No Vacancy”. When she isn’t writing, she works full-time decorating cakes at Walmart of Ruidoso Downs, part time slinging vino at Noisy Water Winery in Ruidoso, and enjoying life in general with her husband, Paul, and son, Paul Michael.

Connect with Amy Here:
www.amymbennettbooks.com

http://amymbennettbooks.blogspot.com/

http://www.amazon.com/Amy-M.-Bennett/e/B00EG3EPT4/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2?qid=1401412610&sr=1-2

www.oaktreebooks.com

More about “End of the Road”:
Corrie Black, owner of the Black Horse Campground, hopes for a successful start to her summer season but the discovery of Marvin Landry, a long-time guest, shot dead in his own RV, along with $50,000 in cash missing, does not herald a good beginning… especially since the victim’s handicapped wife and angry stepson seem to have little interest in discovering who murdered him. Was Marvin’s murder planned or just convenient? And is the appearance of a mysterious biker with a shadowy past that includes a recently deceased wife merely a coincidence? Despite opposition from former flame, Sheriff Rick Sutton, Corrie is determined to find out who murdered her guest. But will she find out who is friend or foe before the murderer decides it’s the end of the road for Corrie?

More about “No Lifeguard on Duty”:
Summer is coming and at the Black Horse Campground in Bonney County, New Mexico that means warm sunny days, a cool refreshing pool...and murder? Corrie Black and her friends are ready to welcome the summer camping season with a party to celebrate opening the swimming pool... but murder becomes an unwelcome guest! The shock of discovering Krista Otero's body in the pool the morning after the party is bad enough... what's worse is that Krista's death wasn't an accident. And what's more confusing is that Krista's closest friends all have something to hide. Despite opposition from Bonney County's finest, Corrie is determined to find out who used her swimming pool as a murder weapon and who is using her home as a base for illegal activities. But someone wants to keep Corrie out of their business... even if it means killing again!

Summer of Interviews: Michael Eldridge

Today I'm pleased to welcome Michael Eldridge!

1. What was your inspiration for your book? Can you tell us about how your own experiences influenced this story?

I’m an avid reader of mystery and private eye books. I made a living as a musician/entertainer for 52 years. Many of my characters are based on some of the thousands of people I met along the way.. I was writing for the last 15 years of that time. I have 3 other finished manuscripts in The Spaghetti & Rice series, along with 8 other novels and a short story collection

2. Would you classify this series as plot driven or character driven?

Characters

3. Can you tell us a little about your main characters?

Retired Italian Homicide Lieutenant, Frank  Borelli has started a private eye firm with his friend, retired Chinese call girl, madam, Ming Li Chow. Frank has a wacky Italian family, and three ex-wives. Ming Li has an 11-year-old son, Tommy, who is the offspring of the head of the Chinese Mafia in Boston, MA. Since retiring from her madam-ship, Ming Li took courses in criminal forensics, received a double black belt in Tai Kwan Do; and has become extremely proficient in the use of several firearms, and many different deadly weapons. She is definitely a person to be reckoned with. Several million dollars remain from her previous profession. Frank brings 22 years of experience in homicide and a proficiency with his Glock .45, and Remington shotgun to the show. He is a scratch golfer and insists he has a black-belt in 9 iron. The name of their firm is Spaghetti & Rice Investigations.

4. Without giving away too much, tell us about the main conflict.

The Jack of Harts story line; Tommy Chow’s best friend, Jack Hart and his mother, Jean, have found themselves tangled in a battle with the head of the local Colombian drug cartel in Boston, MA. Frank and Ming Li are called in to help. Jean was involved in illegal money laundering and wanted out. Drug lords don’t let people out when they know as much about their business as Jean does. Carmen Diablo and his henchmen try to stop her, but are thwarted at every encounter by Frank and Ming Li, among others. The boy’s kidnapping, and an ingenious assault on the drug cartel compound, and explosive mayhem ensue.

5. What do you hope readers take away from this book?

That is was a fun experience.

6. What song best describes your writing style?

 What is funny is that I know sooo many songs, and I can’t think of an answer for this one. How about ‘Simply Irresistible’ ??

7. Night Owl or Early Bird?

Night owl

8. Skittle or M&Ms?

M&Ms

9. Who are your favorite authors?

Steven King, James Patterson, Michael Connelly, Dean Koontz, and Janet Evonovich.

10. Can you tell us about any other future projects?

Journey in a Pale Blue Chevy will be my next attempt, unless I sell a bunch of the Spaghetti & Rice novels; then I’ll present # 2 in the series.


You can fin out more about Michael and his books here:

www.aleme.com  and pianoman264@hotmail.com
                                                         

   
      


Meet Michael Eldridge
I am an up-and-coming new writer. At 72 years-old, I have made a successful living as a musician/entertainer for the last 52 years.

I was born in Dayton OH., but grew up in Denver CO. I graduated from South High School in 1960, with another year at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. Besides Ohio and Colorado, I have lived in Florida, Maine, Arizona and California.
After graduating high school, I immediately started playing music in night clubs. My dog, Freckles, was my constant companion from age 7 to 19, until I left home to become a big name recording star. (Freckles lived another 4 years, living with my father.)

Obviously, I never became a star, but my music has taken me to 66 countries, including; Canada, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Iceland, England, Scotland, all of Scandinavia, Russia, Estonia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Europe, Morocco, Turkey, Greece, Malta, Spain, Portugal, South and Central America, Mexico, all of the Caribbean Islands, and 49 states.

I have met literally thousands of people in my travels, working in hotels, night clubs, resorts, and on major cruise lines. And now, I want to be a novelist when I grow up.

I self-published my first novel, ‘Mustang Blue’ (A murder mystery with a supernatural twist.) You can still get a signed hard copy of Mustang Blue by going to my website and ordering it. I published it in 2003 and sold 220 copies across the piano. (Enough to pay for the printing, 250 copies, and to go out to dinner at Red Lobster a couple of times.)

I've been writing short stories, off-and-on since my high school creative writing class in Denver, CO. I would have them running around in my head for months, until I finally had to spew them onto paper. Because I had told several people my idea for the Mustang Blue story, they all said “You have to write that.” I was working on a horrible cruise ship job (Yes, Virginia, there is such a thing) and to fight the depression of the job, my terrible cabin, and the (how do I put this? complete a-----e officers. There, I guess that will do) I finally started writing what became my 1st self-published novel. Since then, I have written a total of eight more novels, including four in the Spaghetti & Rice Investigations series; the first of which is ‘Jack of Harts-A Spaghetti & Rice Mystery.’ I just finished working on my 9th novel, a Western set in 1869-70 in Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, and Wyoming, ‘The Dancing Gunfighter’

My short story collection, ‘Romance and Other Strangeness’ is on amazon/kindle; a collection of stories from the romantic to the bizarre.

Praise for Michael's books:

“One of the most creative writers I’ve run across in years . . .” “In Mike Eldridge, I really feel that I’ve discovered a talent deserving of publisher consideration. He’s refreshingly receptive to editorial suggestions. More important, he has a fertile imagination. His ‘Spaghetti & Rice’ series concept is pure genius. I wish I’d thought of it.”

Donald Bain; author of the Jessica Fletcher Murder She Wrote novels

Summer of Interviews: Bill Beasley

Today I'm pleased to welcome Billy Beasley!

1. What was your inspiration for your book? Can you tell us about how your own experiences influenced this story?

It was 1998 and my best friend, and roommate at the time Jack, and I were at home watching one of my favorite movies, A Time to Kill. At one point I looked at him and said something to the effect of, "What if a rich white guy and a black guy met on a basketball court in the 60's and became best friends?" and the story grew from there.

I grew up during a time of forced busing to achieve integration in schools. It was a time of great racial conflict in my hometown, Wilmington, NC.  Coming of age during this time gave me a lasting convention of looking beyond color and to see in others what matters the most, the heart.

2. Would you classify this series as plot driven or character driven?

I strive for a healthy mixture of both in my stories.  But I continue to be inspired by the rich characters and their unique contribution to this story some 16 years after we began our journey together.

3. Can you tell us a little about your main characters?

Bret Marin, is a rich, entitled white young man, with a tyrant for a father. He enjoys the country club life of riches and women. His one redeeming aspect is the love he freely gives to his little brother, Alex.

Clarence, (Money) Wilkins lacks the outward riches of Bret's world. He possesses the greater riches, thanks to his father, a proud black carpenter, who raises his son with a firm but loving hand.

4. Without giving away too much, tell us about the main conflict.

There are several but if I choose one it would be Bret's hatred of his father, which grows to a point where he wants to leave, but he can't because of his love for his little brother, Alex.

5. What do you hope readers take away from this book?

That hearts have no color.

6.What song best describes your writing style?

Late for the Sky by Jackson Browne.

7. Night Owl or Early Bird?

Definitely early bird, especially for writing.

8. Skittle or M&Ms?

Neither, Reese's miniature cups.

9.Who are your favorite authors?

Pat Conroy, James Lee Burke, K.J. Erickson, David Rosenfelt, Robert Parker.

10.Can you tell us about any other future projects?

I have poured my heart into writing for nearly 20 years--characters and stories have evolved over that time.  This is a passion I'm committed to and inspired to share with others. I hope there is a next one published and if it is I expect it to be about a man who receives a letter from a pompous, out of touch preacher, and he does not take it kindly.

Meet Billy Beasley

Billy Beasley resides in Carolina Beach, NC with his wife Julie, and one spoiled rotten black Chihuahua mix, Sydny. He has lived in this area of southeastern North Carolina his entire life and many years ago was among the very first students to be bused to another school to achieve real integration.

He shares two simple beliefs with his favorite character in this novel. Faith in God and a conviction that ‘hearts have no color’.
This is his first published work of fiction.


Please visit Billy at Please visit me at billybeasley.blogspot.com and on my Facebook page, Billy Beasley-Author.

More about The River Hideaway

The year is 1967 and Wilmington, NC, is embedded in racial turmoil. Bret Marin and Money Wilkins, forge an improbable friendship.

 Bret’s life is constructed around his love for his little brother Alex and hatred of their cruel wealthy father.

Money possesses no external luxuries but thanks to his proud black father, Clarence, a builder of houses and lives, he has the greater riches. When his beautiful sister Teke visits it sets off a series of events no one could foresee. The most chilling being the dark night the Klan appears. 

Summer of Interviews: Michael Matson

Today I'm pleased to welcome Michael Matson!

1. What was your inspiration for your book? Can you tell us about how your own experiences influenced this story?

I suppose many current events had an influence on The Dancing Boy.  Vietnam, certainly.  But also the war in Afghanistan and the effects of that war.  Human trafficking  most certainly and the prevalence of individuals and even groups who prey on children. Using these influences I wanted to create a story that also highlighted the complex beauty and picturesque uniqueness of the Pacific Northwest. This is an area I’m fond of and have spent much time exploring.
As to the main character, Treat Mikkelson, I suppose all authors lend a bit of themselves to their characters and I admit to some of his many faults.

2. Would you classify this series as plot driven or character driven?

The Dancing Boy is the first of the Treat Mikkelson mysteries.  Each of them will be primarily plot driven.

3. Can you tell us a little about your main characters?

Mikkelson is not exactly a burnt-out case but has seen too much of the world and its problems and only wishes to live peacefully on his small island. He can’t suppress his natural tendency to help people, however and this leads to his getting involved in things he’d prefer to avoid.
Suniko Yamada is a brilliant and beautiful computer expert who embraces challenges and has a healthy sexual appetite without having any desire for a permanent relationship.
Cassie McLaren is a possible romantic figure in Mikkelson’s life.  An art gallery owner and the one who gets Mikkelson involved the mystery.

4. Without giving away too much, tell us about the main conflict.

The story involves smuggling young boys into the US and Canada. Finding the source of the smuggling is critical, but there is one boy in particular who  drives the search.

5. What do you hope readers take away from this book?

I would hope they would have a better understanding of the horror of child exploitation and, on the brighter side, have a deep appreciation for the locations.


6. What song best describes your writing style?

Yikes! Never thought of that.  Some of the music mentioned in the book might qualify. Mississippi Delta Blues and Hawaiian Slack string guitar.


7.   Night Owl or Early Bird?
     
Neither.  Early morning coffee and pastry and time on the computer. Sometimes write later in the    day when an idea strikes.


8. Skittle or M&Ms?
     
 Hersheys dark chocolate.

9.  Who are your favorite authors?

For mysteries….John  Sandford and Jo Nesbo.

10. Can you tell us about any other future projects?

A second Treat Mikkelson mystery is underway. This one also is set in the Pacific Northwest  but is more heavily influenced by drugs and Mexican cartels.


More about Michael Matson

After formative years spent on the east coast, in California, Hawaii and Japan, Michael Matson earned a journalism degree from the University of Washington in Seattle. Following a brief military stint in Oklahoma, he worked as an advertising agency copywriter, creative director and video producer.

In 2007 he moved to Mexico to have time to write and has since published The Diamond Tree, a fairytale for all ages;  Bareback Rider, an inspirational adventure for children; and Takeshi’s Choice, a mystery novel.  His short story “Gato” was selected for inclusion in Short Story America’s 2014 anthology.  His second mystery novel:  The Dancing Boy will be released by Oak Tree Press in April  2014.

He lives with his wife María Guadalupe (Tai), in Morelia, the colonial capital city of Michoacán. Website: www.findmichaelmatson.com


What do readers think of "The Dancing Boy?"
David Greene
(Your novel brought back a) flood of memories of my years in the Skagit Valley. How much fun to return to those places hidden away in the cobwebs!  But the MOST fun was the enjoyment of your story!  How many anecdotes your tale triggers in my mind!

Michael La Brooy
What an excellent story, and how well you maintained the tension continually from chapter 1 right up to the epilogue! Each time I thought it was all over and you were going to wind down, a new crisis reared its ugly head, and the excitement continued

Carolyn Lawson
Wonderful character descriptions, realistic locales;

this book is a page turner.

Get your copy of THE DANCING BOY here:

Amazon

Summer of Interviews: Don Caplin

Today I'm pleased to welcome Don Caplin!

1.     What was your inspiration for your book? Can you tell us about how your own experiences influenced this story?

Traveling down the Mass Turnpike one day, I saw a billboard that displayed a biblical quote: “God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well.” -Kings.

That is the inspiration for writing a book about a client who goes to a sports psychologist to find a sport he is good at.

2.     Would you classify this series as plot driven or character driven?

Neither one.

3.     Can you tell us a little about your main characters?

The narrator is a sports psychologist.  He describes the main character: “Linus didn’t look or move like an athlete.  In the first place, he appeared in his fifties, an age when you’ve either made it or retired.  And he had a slight paunch and double-chin; a marathoner he was not.”

4.     Without giving away too much, tell us about the main conflict.

Linus puts it this way: "I don’t know what my sport is.  That’s why I’m here: to discover it.  You see, I’ve tried various sports all my life, and haven’t been very good at any of them.  But I feel I have a champion in me, and I’m here to find out in what sport that is."

5.     What do you hope readers take away from this book?

I think one of my readers put it best: “This book is a very feel-good read.  It should restore the morale of just about anyone who's feeling down.”
-Riva Poor, Professional Problem-Solver.  Author, “4 Days, 40 Hours:

6.     What song best describes your writing style?

“Pkck a little, talk a little” from “The Music  Man”?

7.     Night Owl or Early Bird?

I do most of my writing after my wife has gone to sleep. (I do show her the product.)

 8.     Skittle or M&Ms?

 As “one of the country’s oldest first-time publisher novelists,” I’m an old-fashioned guy.  My candy tastes haven’t changed since my youth, so M&Ms.

9.     Who are your favorite authors?

My former teacher, Frederick Buechner, and other teacher’s son, John Irving, though neither would endorse my book.  Also the late Michael Palmer, who did write a blurb.

10.  Can you tell us about any other future projects?

I’m not writing anything right now, but hope to get other previously-written works published.


You can Find Don and his books here:
http://home.comcast.net/~kcfl/site/
Amazon

Summer of Interviews: April Knight

Today I'm pleased to welcome April Knight to the blog!

Sweet Dreams is a collection of love stories. The stories are funny, quirky, touching, tender and inspiring.  Every story is about people who have an empty place in their heart and they are looking for true love. 

Women are so busy now with careers or college or with families and children they seem to be rushed and overloaded. When a friend of mine, who has four young children, said she rarely had time to read  more than a few pages of a book before one of her children needed something or she had to run errands, do the laundry. She said she’d started reading a half dozen books and hadn’t finished any of them because by the time she got back to the book, she’d forgotten the plot. I decided to write a book for women like her who might only have ten minutes a day to sit and read before they are interrupted.

A little taste of romance might make them smile, might give them hope, might be the best part of their day.

I enjoy reading a good romance but I do get tired of the woman always being beautiful, brilliant, twenty-three years old with a perfect body and long flowing hair. I get tired of the heroes who are tall and muscular with wavy hair, a dazzling smile and of course, he’s a millionaire. My stories are about people, real people, who are too tall, too short, too skinny, too chubby. The woman aren’t models, they are waitresses, clerks and housewives. The men are truck drivers, carpenters and cooks and some are unemployed. They are imperfect people looking for perfect love. They are people, good, average people who make mistakes, get embarrassed, make fools of themselves, get a second chance and find a happy ending.

When I was a child, I grew up in a dysfunctional family, I was mistreated at home and bullied at school.  I survived by escaping into books. I lived in my imagination. I thought words were magical and had power and I thought writers must be the luckiest people in the world because they could tell stories that could change people’s lives. The books people wrote would live long after they were dead.

When I was nine and the teacher asked the class what they wanted to be when they grew up the other kids said they wanted to be movie stars or policemen or firemen and the teacher didn’t criticize any of them. When I said I wanted to be a writer she told me that was impossible because I wasn’t smart enough and I didn’t have anything important to say. The other students laughed at me. I kept making up stories and somewhere I read that you don’t choose writing....writing chooses you and that writers are born, not made.  When I was thirteen I wrote stories about the way I wanted life to be, not the way it really was. I wrote stories about young women who were sad and lonely and they would find love and live happily ever after. I sold my first stories to “True Love” magazine. I’d never had a boyfriend or a date but I could imagine what it must be like to be kissed in the moonlight or dance under the stars. When that first story was published and I saw my words in print and got paid for my story, I knew I would be a writer.

I have always enjoyed drawing and painting and when I was in my twenties I had two art galleries and sold enough of my paintings to feel I could illustrate some books.  I’ve illustrated several of my own books, the most recent was “Thunder in Our Hearts, Lightning in Our Veins”, the cover is one of my painting my paintings are throughout the book. I wrote this book under my tribal name “Crying Wind.”

I am part Native American (I prefer to just be called Indian). I spent many years working in a mission for the Navaho Indians in New Mexico.  I was adopted into the Kiowa Indian tribe and given the name Crying Wind Hummingbird (Niyol-Daachagii Mahn-Saw-Daynah). I was given the CHIEF award for my contributions to the Native Americans through my writing.

I have just finished writing a mystery novel, “Dig the Grave First.” I am also working on a humorous romance novel for Seniors called “Breaking My Hip.”

Blurb for Sweet Dreams

Imperfect people searching for perfect love is the theme of my new book, Sweet Dreams-50 Romantic Bedtime Stories for Big Girls.”

Each story takes less than ten minutes to read, women can have a little romance while they wait for their bus, have their lunch or right before bedtime.

I love romance but I’m tired of all the heroines being beautiful and all the heroes being rich and handsome. Ordinary people deseve to be loved, real people, people who aren’t beautiful or rich, people with flaws, people who have been the wallflowers and the nerds, the people who have been overlooked or ignored, the girl who is too tall, the guy who is too short, the girl who is too shy to speak, all find love in tender, enchanting moments moments.

The stories range from shy, innocent first love to olden, golden love of a lifetime. The stories are funny,

touching, quirky, 

Love can be found in unexpected places, a pawnshop, one woman has a hundred wedding gowns but no groom,another finds love in a rusty bucket. 

What do a pawn shop, a rusty bucket, a lost shoe and a giraffe have in common?  They all lead to true love.  

I’ve always believed in love and I’ve always had a great imagination. When I was thirteen years old I wrote a love story and sold it to a national magazine. Of course, at thirteen I’d never had a boyfriend or a date or been kissed...but I could imagine what love was. I discovered I could tell stories and get paid for it and knew being a writer was the only career for me.  Over the years I had over a thousand stories and articles published, had several books published and have my own newspaper column.

Luckily, over the years, I’ve had a few real dates and been kissed, although men are often afraid they’ll be included in my next book.

You can get your copy of Sweet Dreams here: 

Amazon

Summer of Interviews: Marilyn Levinson

Today I'm pleased to welcome Marilyn Levinson!

1. What was your inspiration for your book? Can you tell us about how your own experiences influenced this story?  

My new mystery, Murder a la Christie, was inspired by Agatha Christie and her wonderful mysteries that avid mystery buffs still read today. My sleuth is an English professor who leads a Golden Age of Mystery book club. Amid the murders she solves in her own life, Lexie Driscoll leads discussions about Dame Agatha and some of her books.  Murder a la Christie takes place on Long Island, where I live.


2. Would you classify this series as plot driven or character driven?            

That’s difficult to say. My characters are complex. Their personalities and conflicts drive the story. However, my wish is to never bore my readers, and so my plot moves merrily along.

3. Can you tell us a little about your main characters?

Lexie Driscoll is a very intelligent forty-eight year old woman who’s at a crossroads in her life. She tends to marry “interesting” men and was in the process of divorcing her second husband, when he burned down her house with himself inside. After the first murder, Lexie finds herself house sitting in Old Cadfield, an upscale community where she doesn’t feel completely at home. Her best friend and former college roommate, lives a few blocks away. Rosie’s married to Hal, one of Lexie’s castoffs whom she discarded for being kind of a nerd. Now Hal is a successful financial advisor.

4. Without giving away too much, tell us about the main conflict.

Lexie is about to open the first meeting of the book club, when she overhears her friend Sylvia being threatened by her neighbor. An hour later, Sylvia is dead, supposedly of her heart condition. Lexie believes she was poisoned and insists that the ME do various tox tests. More book club members are murdered. The remaining members, including Rosie, close rank as Lexie unearths secret after secret of the good people of Old Cadfield.

5. What do you hope readers take away from this book?

A sense of satisfaction that they’ve read a good mystery. Several reviewers and readers told me they didn’t figure out who the murderer was, which pleased me no end. I also hope that Murder a la Christie will inspire readers to read more of my mysteries and those written by Agatha Christie.


6. What song best describes your writing style?


7. Night Owl or Early Bird?

Neither. I write best in the late afternoon.


8. Skittle or M&Ms?

Neither. I love Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Almonds

9. Who are your favorite authors?

Some of my favorite mystery authors are Josephine Tey, Ann Cleeves, P. D. James, Katherine Hall Page, Nancy Atherton. And of course Agatha Christie.

10. Can you tell us about any other future projects?

I’m plotting a new mystery series. My 30-year-old sleuth is about to stop wandering from city to city and accept the position of Director of Programs and Events in a small Connecticut library. The first book deals with a cold case.

More about Murder a la Christie:

Professor Lexie Driscoll is conducting the first meeting of the Golden Age of Mystery book club in her best friend’s swanky mansion when another friend is murdered. More members are knocked off as Lexie unravels secret after secret, leading her to believe she's living in Christie's novel, And Then There Were None. Using Miss Marple’s knowledge of human nature and Hercule Poirot’s cunning, Lexie reveals the murderer.

Find Marilyn and her books on:
Amazon page: http://amzn.to/K6Md1O
Murder a la Christie: http://amzn.to/1c1byHd

Bio:

A former Spanish teacher, Marilyn Levinson writes mysteries, romantic suspense, and books for kids.


Her latest mystery, Murder a la Christie, is out with Oak Tree Press. Untreed Reads has brought out a new e-edition of her first Twin Lakes mystery, A Murderer Among Us--a Suspense Magazine Best Indie--and will bring out a new e-edition of the sequel, Murder in the Air, in April. Her ghost mystery, Giving Up the Ghost, and her romantic suspense, Dangerous Relations, are out with Uncial Press. All of her mysteries take place on Long Island, where she lives.

Her books for young readers include No Boys Allowed; Rufus and Magic Run Amok, which was awarded a Children's Choice; Getting Back to Normal, & And Don't Bring Jeremy.

Marilyn loves traveling, reading, knitting, doing Sudoku, and visiting with her granddaughter, Olivia, on FaceTime. She is co-founder and past president of the Long Island chapter of Sisters in Crime.

Her website is: www.marilynlevinson.com

Summer of Interviews: Marilyn Meredith

Today I'm welcoming Marliyn Meredith to the blog!

1. What was your inspiration for your book? Can you tell us about how your own experiences influenced this story?

The title was given to me by a friend—I started off having no idea how the story might fit the title, though I did have the plot in mind. It wasn’t until nearly the end that I knew how to tie it all together. An earthquake plays an important part in Murder in the Worst Degree, and  I’ve been in lots of earthquakes living in Southern and Central California. The earthquakes I experienced definitely helped me write the scene.

2. Would you classify this series as plot driven or character driven?

A bit of both—but probably more character driven. There is an ensemble of characters who appear in each book in the series.  The focus is often on what is going on in the private lives of the Rocky Bluff P.D. officers as much as on the plot.

3. Can you tell us a little about your main characters?

Detective Doug Milligan is now a detective and married to Stacey Wilbur Milligan. She is also a police officer and together they are raising Stacey’s son. Detective Felix Zachary and his wife Wendy have a baby girl. He was the only African American on the RBPD until the new Police Chief arrived—who is also female. Everyone wonders what changes she’l l be making. Ryan Strickland and his wife Barbara are about to welcome his first child into the world—a baby with disabilities. Ryan isn’t sure he’s got what it takes to handle this—but something far more devastating happens to him. Things may be looking up for  Gordon Butler, who has had some major problems in the romance department.

4. Without giving away too much, tell us about the main conflict.

The body that washes up on the beach leads Detectives Milligan and Zachary on a murder investigation that includes the victim’s family members, his housekeeper, three long-tme friends and a mystery woman.

5. What do you hope readers take away from this book?

That not only will they enjoy the mystery and trying to figure out “who did it” but also want to know more about these characters and what goes on in their lives on the job and in their private lives.

6. Night Owl or Early Bird?

I am definitely an Early Bird. Always up around 4:30 a.m. I do my best writing in the morning.


7. Skittle or M&Ms?

M & Ms—or anything else that is chocolate.

8. Who are your favorite authors?

I have many favorites that include authors from small presses: M.M. Gornell, Victoria Heckman, Ellen Kirschmann and often whomever I am reading at the moment.  William Kent Krueger is a mainstream author that I enjoy reading.

9. Can you tell us about any other future projects?

I write two series, the Rocky Bluff P.D. series—Murder in the Worst Degree is #10 and what I am busily promoting now. At the same time, I am writing the next in the Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series—no tile as yet—but it’ll be #14 and that series is published by Mundania Press.


Get your copy of Murder in the Worst Degree here:  http://tinyurl.com/md7cequ

Bio:  F. M. Meredith aka Marilyn Meredith is the author of over 35 published books. She enjoys writing about police officers and their families and how what happens on the job affects the family and vice versa. Having several members of her own family involved in law enforcement, as well as many friends, she’s witnessed some of this first-hand.

Webpage: http://fictionforyou.com/
Blog: http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marilyn.meredith/

Summer of Interviews: Luke Christodoulou

Today I'm pleased to welcome Luke Christodoulou!

1. What inspired you to write this book?

The Greek Islands themselves.  I am a great thriller fan and my only complain is that the majority is set in some American or European metropolis. I remembered the first time I read Evil Under the Sun by Agatha Christie and thought ‘why not Evil Under the Greek sun’? Also, I always wanted to create a cunning, sadistic killer. These facts lead to the creation of The Olympus Killer.

2. Would you classify your writing more as plot driven or character driven?

I would say plot driven, though The Olympus Killer is written from the first person point of view as we follow Captain Papacosta on his journey to bring the killer to justice.

3. Can you tell us a little about your main character?

With a quick first glance, my two protagonists may seem so ‘done before’. Captain Papacosta is a broken detective who lost his daughter and his wife; one through murder and one through divorce. Lieutenant Ioli Cara is a foul mouth, top of her year, ambitious investigator. However, as you get to know these characters, you realize how much more they truly are. Their unique humor, their way of thinking, their way of dealing with things. Ioli’s love for food has been mentioned as a highlight by quite a few readers.

4. Without giving away too much, tell us a little about the main conflict in this book.

My two main characters work for the Hellenic police and are called to solve their most complex case yet. The Olympus Killer, as the newspapers refer to him by, is a sick, twisted killer who mutilates his victims and leaves them abused and naked across the sun kissed Greek Islands. A strange connection to ancient Greek mythology adds to the case’s mystery. That is really all I can say without giving much away!

5. What do you hope readers take away from your book?

I write with main goal to entertain readers.  They read in their leisure and I need to stand up to their standards. I hope they enjoy reading the book, I hope they are shocked at every twist and turn and ultimately I hope they take away a love for the Greek Isles and the Greek way of life.

6. Now for a few fun questions! What song best describes your writing style?

What did ‘Highway to Hell?’ pop into my head as I read the question? Hmm… Never been asked this before. ‘Spanish train’ by Chris De Burgh for some unexplained reason seems to fit the answer.

7. Night Owl or Early Bird?

Night Owl, definitely.  All great ideas are born under the moon.

8. Skittle or M&Ms?
              Skittles (except the green ones!).
9. Who are your favorite authors?

Agatha Christie easily takes first place. I enjoy certain works by King and Patterson. The Anna Travis books by Lynda Le Plante were right up my alley. From a more classic point of view, Tolkien and Shakespeare have provided me with great reading pleasure.

10. Can you tell us about your future projects?

At the moment, I am promoting The Olympus Killer:A Greek Island Mysteries Thriller and will continue to do so for the next month. Then, I will be revising the skeleton of my second book from the series and begin doing what I love most. Writing! Book 2 will feature my two protagonists, though this time they will be up against a number of cases, strangely connected to the church.

Links to connect and to find out more:
Webpage: http://greekislandmysteries.webs.com/
Twitter @OlympusKiller
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Greek-Island-Mysteries/712190782134816?ref=hl (Like page and end of the month there will be a draw for a free copy of The Olympus Killer).
GooglePlus: https://plus.google.com/105472990809607302125/posts
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Olympus-Killer-Island-Mysteries-Thriller-ebook/dp/B00JMTRPTE/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397283795&sr=1-1&keywords=THE+OLYMPUS+KILLER
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Olympus-Killer-Island-Mysteries-Thriller-ebook/dp/B00JMTRPTE/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397283881&sr=1-1&keywords=the+olympus+killer


Book Description
Publication Date: April 11, 2014

THE OLYMPUS KILLER is ON SALE  for 0.99 until JUNE 8th!

'EVIL UNDER THE GREEK SUN' by 'THE GREEK JAMES PATTERSON'. 
If this summer you are thinking of travelling to the majestic, sun kissed Greek Islands, think again. A sadistic killer is on the loose.

THE OLYMPUS KILLER... 
Over the picturesque Greek islands bodies are piling up fast. Captain Papacosta, a former American homicide detective turned Greek police captain after the loss of his daughter, teams up with young and ambitious, top of her year Lieutenant Ioli Cara to face their most difficult and intriguing case yet.

Olympus. The tallest peak in Greece and as maintained by the ancients, home to the almighty Gods.

In 1972 a boy is born in New York to a raped young girl. A boy who through abuse will grow up into a vicious, merciless and cunning killer. A killer who believes he is murdering the Olympian Gods and mutilates his victims according to Greek mythology.
Will the two officers catch the murderer in time or will the Olympus Killer have his revenge?


Biography

Luke Christodoulou is an English teacher (MA Applied Linguistics - University of Birmingham), a poet and an e-book author. He is also a coffee-movie-book lover.

His first book, 'The Olympus Killer' (Top 50 BESTSELLER - International Mystery and Crime), was released in April, 2014. The book was voted Book Of The Month for May on Goodreads (Psychological Thrillers) and Book Of The Month for June (Nothing better than reading).He is currently working on the second and third book from his planned Greek Island Mysteries book series.
He resides in Limassol, Cyprus with his wife and daughter.

Hobbies include travelling the Greek Islands discovering new food and possible murder sites for his stories.