1–What is the title of your latest release? REMEDIAL MAGIC 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Kisses and disaster at a magical community college filled with “missing” people. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? It initially took place in the Midwest, but as I drafted, I realized that my brain was filling in images from Ligonier, Pennsylvania. So I changed it.   4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Yes, I would. I have multiple protags, including Ellie the librarian, Prospero the Victorian witch, Maggie the mom/Southern lawyer. Admittedly, I like Prospero or Maggie the most.   5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? For Ellie—curious, bold, clever. For Prospero—ruthless, amoral, focused. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? How often people who vanish fall into one of several categories: crime related, National Parks, spousal, or custody disputes (kids).   7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done? I edit some each day as I draft AND when I’m done.   8–What’s your favorite foodie indulgence? Right now? Tillamook Sugar Cookie Limited Edition Ice Cream.  Sometimes I treat myself to an Aztec…

It was three a.m. in Laugarvatn, Iceland, and I couldn’t sleep. Now partly that was because it’s still light in Iceland in June, and my circadian rhythms were bouncing all over the place. But there was a much deeper problem. Here I was, two thirds of the way through the first draft of my mystery thriller Killer Story, and doubt held me in its iron grip. Had I chosen the wrong murderer? That seemed impossible. This was my sixth mystery novel, and I’ve written lots of mystery episodes for Law & Order, CSI: Miami, Medium, and other shows. When I start writing a mystery, there are things I’m not sure of: who all the red herrings are, and what all the plot twists will be. But two things I’ve always known, absolutely: who gets killed, and who does the killing. The beginning of the novel/TV show, and the end. But now here I was, on my skinny little bed at the Gullkistan Artist Colony (great place, BTW; highly recommend), retracing the entire book in my head. I was finally facing up to the cold hard truth that my murderer didn’t really appear until page 80 of the book. I mean,…

Ma bonniest Lia, The days are long, and the sennights are longer as you are never far from my mind. Each day that I’m forced to trudge through muck and sleep in the cold reminds me of what I have left at home and what I fight to return to. Will you warm me when I return? Mayhap keep me company in our tub? We are on the move again, forever chasing or being chased by Longshanks. The man is determined, but he still doesn’t understand there’s nay one more determined than a Highlander. I will fight to preserve the land our families have called home since the Picts. I will fight for the land where we will raise our weans. Hug Lachlan for me and tell him not to grow too fast. How I miss the feel our bairn growing in your belly. Would that I be home in time for your lying in. Ken naught matters more to be than returning to your side. I fear much about the future, but I never fear for our clan’s wellbeing when you are in charge. Nay one dares face you when you stand atop the battlements. I truly believe we…

Book Title: RAVEN Character Name: Raven Sorrel Byrne   How would you describe your family or your childhood? Cherished. My parents cherished me and my two sisters. We were expected to chase our dreams, to laugh and love our family fiercely, and especially to embrace our Irish and Native American heritage. I grew up in Oklahoma and spent most summers in Ireland with Nan, my grandma.   What was your greatest talent? Growing up, I lived for arts and crafts projects. By the time I was a young teen, I’d taught myself how to knit and crochet, and my favorite, hand embroidery. By high school, I knew Interior Design was my passion. My sisters and I opened Triskelion Territory Designs right out of college. I love taking a client’s vision and making it better.   Significant other? Bran Knightley O’Faolain is the son of a Tulsa, Oklahoma, oil magnate and the man I don’t want to live without. Biggest challenge in relationships? Trust.   Where do you live? Oklahoma until a family crisis had my sisters and me packing up and moving to Dublin, Ireland.   Do you have any enemies? The Byrnes and the O’Faolains share a mysterious enemy…

CHARACTER INTERVIEW with SHANE MASTERS From Master of Chaos, The Unredeemables, Book 3 (Prequel Scene)   Shane Masters has been held captive for many months by scheming, despotic billionaire Owen Halliwell. He was abducted for the access codes for SmokeScreen, Shane’s genius brother Ethan’s immensely powerful algorithm. Halliwell needs it to execute his megalomaniacal plans. In this scene, Shane is being interrogated by Halliwell. Since the standard torture techniques have not worked, Halliwell has turned to truth serums, and sensitive instruments to measure Shane’s physiological responses, and then using his own cutting edge AI processor to analyze the data, and basically read Shane’s mind. He means to pry SmokeScreen out of Shane if it’s the last thing he does. Apologies to Fresh Fiction for using their innocent interview sequence for such a diabolical purpose!     Shane Here we go again. I stared through the glass wall of my cell at that bastard Halliwell, who was sporting a wide, gloating smile, his overly whitened teeth gleaming in his bony face. His shock of white hair stood straight up, and his white Uncle Sam goatee straight out. His big, pale green eyes glittered, hot with anticipation.   That smile boded no…

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE NEIGHBOR WAGER 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A modern, gender-swapped update of the classic romcom Sabrina 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? As soon as I pitched the book, I knew it had to take place in Orange County, where I grew up. The parents in Orange County expected their kids to do great things. It was never a question of if you were going to college, but where. My parents were always supportive, but I still felt that pressure to “make something of myself.” There is a real culture of worth being financial, and that really played into the themes of the book. At the same time, the county is somewhat conservative. People move there to raise kids. They expect everyone to get married and have a family. Deanna is a super smart programmer who expects herself to make the very best dating app. Even though she’s done well so far, she feels immense pressure to both sell her company for millions and prove she’s “match-worthy.” River, the boy next door, who grew up without her immense privilege (he moved in…

Book Title: ONCE PERSUADED, TWICE SHY Character Name: Emmie (supporting character)   How would you describe your family or your childhood? So. Many. Brothers.   What was your greatest talent? My boss Anne is always talking about my “Machiavellian impulses,” and I’m like 73% sure she means that as a compliment. I would also be great at firing people, if she ever actually let me do it.   Significant other? Pft, Peter wishes! But no.   Biggest challenge in relationships? Ensuring that they find my quirks endearing, and not, y’know, frightening. I’m an acquired taste, although I seem to be a fan favorite with early readers of ONCE PERSUADED, TWICE SHY. Go figure!   Where do you live? The town of Niagara-on-the-Lake! It’s disgustingly cute and I love it.   Do you have any enemies? So many! But I’m hoping to accumulate more. You’re not important until you have enemies plotting against you. Top of the list right now is someone whose name I’ll withhold for spoiler reasons, but she’s a lying traitor and I hope she’s eaten by wild Canadian geese. Seriously, they’ll eat anything.   Oh, also there’s one particular Canadian goose who hangs around our office, yeah,…

1–What is the title of your latest release? GHOST ISLAND 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Jessica Niemi goes to an isolated island to take some time off but has to face a death woman and a legend of a ghost that keeps haunting the archipelago. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I always wanted to place a story on the Åland archipelago. It’s a marvelous place. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Yes, definitely. It would be really interesting to meet her. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Complex, smart, multidimensional. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? Some new facts about the World War II. 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done? I usually write a first version completely and then start to edit. 8–What’s your favorite foodie indulgence? Finnish salty licorice 9–Describe your writing space/office! It’s a cozy office room with a door I can keep closed while writing. 10–Who is an author you admire? Paul Auster 11–Is there a book that changed your life? Probably The Animal Farm by George Orwell 12–Tell us about when…

Once upon a time, I used to present a writing workshop on “Crafting Killers” to new writers.  Why did I focus my talk on killers? It’s because I think the villains in books are just as important as the protagonists.  A “good” villain can make or break a book. After all, a “good” villain will stay with you long after a story has ended. (Looking at you, Hannibal Lecter!) For today’s post, I thought I’d hit on a few key points when it comes to crafting a powerful villain. I have two main guidelines for villains: Good villains must command attention. A good villain will shock, surprise, and keep a reader on the edge of his/her seat. I believe that every character has a backstory. When a writer starts to create the villain, the villain’s origin has to be understood. Is the villain bad because of nature or nurture? Or a combination of both elements? I encourage authors to ask these questions about their villains: How did your villain come to be so wicked? What turned her/him into this being? Is your villain’s “wickedness” due to nature or nurture? What is the level of evil for this character? After all,…

1–What is the title of your latest release? MEDEA 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Of the women who command the pages of Greek Mythology, the sorceress Medea is one of the most maligned and reviled.  Her story, notorious and startling and violent, is one that has historically been framed and biased by the patriarchal antiquity of the society from which it emerged. This retelling allows Medea the space she, as a protagonist, deserves– to be complex and resilient, ruthless, and vulnerable. The daughter of a sea nymph, and the granddaughter of a Titan, Medea is a paradox: she is at once rendered compelling by virtue of the divinity that flows through her bloodline and made powerless by the fact of her being born a woman. As a child, she intuitively submerges herself in the arts of witchcraft and sorcery, but soon finds it may not be a match for the prophecies that hang over her entire family like a shroud. When the strapping hero, Jason appears on the scene, desperate to get his hands on the golden fleece, Medea is forced to reckon with the complexity of her being and decide between love, duty, family, and magic,…