Fresh FIction Box Not To Miss
Joanne Jackson Interview – A 20th Century Murder
Author Guest , Interviews / May 2, 2022

What made you choose 1971 as the setting for A Snake in the Raspberry Patch? I chose 1971 because I didn’t want technology such as cell phones or computers to be in the story. Also, since true crime events in rural communities were part of the inspiration for this book, I didn’t want the date to conflict with other mass murders that have occurred in Canada. And in 1971, I was a teenager so could relate quite easily to what it would be like to live in that decade.   Is the story told through one character’s perspective? Liz is the protagonist, so the story is told through her eyes, but Rose, whose personality seemed to jump out early in the writing, took over many of the scenes. She almost came alive as I wrote. I could even hear her voice in my head.   Do you try to maintain the tension throughout the story? The murders, and/or a killer on the loose, so a potential threat to the girls, are mentioned throughout, creating tension. But I also wanted some normalcy – i.e., depiction of life on the prairie in the 70’s.   Families seem to be the heart of…

Tonya Kappes | 20 Questions: FOUR LEAF FELONY
Author Guest / May 2, 2022

1–What is the title of your latest release?FOUR LEAF FELONY 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? I finally got my big break! The interview of a lifetime and nothing could stop me from getting there! Not even a dead body that ended up diverting my airplane in an emergency landing to a small town where secrets swept under the rug have found their way out with a few dust bunnies attached. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I knew she needed to get diverted to a small town where she would end up staying which makes her character grow by realizing her dream was never her true dream. It’s the journey. 4–Would you hang out with your sleuth in real life? A lot! Definitely a few times a week for coffee! She’s really good with gossip. 5–What are three words that describe your sleuth? Determined. Curious. Strong. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? I love holidays! All of them! 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done? I wait until I’m totally done. I sprint through the first draft and call that the bones, then…

Natalie Walters | 20 Questions: FATAL CODE
Author Guest / May 2, 2022

 1–What is the title of your latest release? FATAL CODE 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? In the global race for space domination, a cryptologist must overcome his greatest mistake to help the granddaughter of a nuclear physicist decipher the clues to a top-secret nuclear project before it falls into the hands of America’s enemies. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? Washington D.C. is where my SNAP Agency is located because it’s the epicenter of all things political intrigue and suspense. 4–Would you hang out with your heroine in real life? I would because she’s a lot of fun but honestly, she’s an aerospace engineer so I’d probably be clueless about anything she’s discussing and would just have to smile and nod. A lot. 5–What are three words that describe your hero? Hawaiian. Funny. Genuine. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? So many things. Lots of space defense information; historical information surrounding the top-secret research at Los Alamos National Laboratory—including the inclusion of Black scientists like nuclear scientist George Johnson, after the war; and that measuring the weight of a wave is more math than I ever want to do…