tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79936934337800583172012-02-16T07:22:09.881-06:00Novels, screenplays and more.Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.comBlogger711100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-45851695060246432232012-01-06T00:26:00.004-06:002012-01-06T01:20:46.834-06:00

With the book launch of Jambalaya Justice barely over, I finally had some time over the break to work on Chocolate City Justice. My publisher recently contacted me about a possible July release day, to time it to coordinate with the PSWA writer's conference, a conference in Las Vegas I try to attend every year. The deadline was a little short, so I suggested a release date later in the year, but

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-60038834577635839372011-12-16T10:08:00.003-06:002011-12-16T10:15:10.703-06:00

I am finally having the book launch party for Jambalaya Justice, Saturday, December 17, at our bar, the Last Stand, 424 Destrehan in Harvey, LA. I say finally because the book was actually out in July, although we had it pulled once for some minor issues and re-issued. A few copies went out with the "issues", but I wanted to wait until the final version was out in hard copy and Kindle to

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-6737001278730157902011-12-03T23:26:00.021-06:002011-12-04T22:20:25.789-06:00

Today, special guest and fellow PSWA member Bob Doerr, author of ANOTHER COLORADO KILL (and 3 other novels, with another on the way in 2012), joins me and explains why he chooses to write fiction. Bob has had a fascinating career in criminal investigations and counterintelligence in the military, which would explain why his books are so authentic and how he is able to come up with the ideas for

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-82756774105142218422011-10-23T13:02:00.003-05:002011-10-23T13:18:03.531-05:00

I'm excited today to be featured on Emerging Novelists, a site that features, well, emerging novelists. It sounds so much better than unknown author or something like that. The interview is at http://emergingnovelists.com/Interviews.html and the background info is at http://emergingnovelists.com/index.htmlInterviews are a part of promotion, and it's difficult sometimes to know how much of your

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-14569158639346215772011-10-07T18:11:00.003-05:002011-10-07T18:27:13.009-05:00

An interview for Jambalaya Justice is up at Morgan Bailey's blog at http://wp.me/p18Ztn-Xf Morgan Bailey is an extremely nice person and an excellent interviewer. She has a way of making an interview spring from the page and not sound so, well, interview-ish. I have not yet had the chance to read any of her writer, but hope to soon.There is also an excerpt from the third in the series, Chocolate

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-86677230836733744282011-09-11T13:46:00.005-05:002011-09-11T14:23:13.195-05:00

What Was It Like When…?I enjoy studying history. I watch the history channel, read the tomes of Stephen Ambrose, and love to read historical novels. I am a baby boomer, a member of the generation that came to be when our heroes returned from World War II. When I read about the attack on Pearl Harbor I wonder what went through the minds of the American public as they heard the news that the

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-42449560890607705212011-08-31T23:48:00.004-05:002011-08-31T23:59:58.931-05:00

Jambalaya Justice is finally available through Amazon.com, Bn.com, independent book stores, and other websites where books are sold. I will also have some available int he near future from my website, but have to get my computer guy (translation, brother-in-law) to add the info to sell through Paypal. It's supposed to be easy to do, but for some reason I couldn't get it accomplished on the

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-16988572130483877352011-08-24T00:00:00.008-05:002011-08-24T00:00:03.212-05:00

Today, I have mystery writer and good friend Marilyn Meredith guest blogging. Marilyn writes two different and distinct mystery series, the Deputy Tempe Crabtree Mysteries and the Rocky Bluff P.D. Mystery Series. Today, she tells us about the latest in the Deputy Tempe Crabtree series, and the difficulty in determining a sub-genre. Today is also Marilyn's birthday, so happy birthday Marilyn

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-57281725187582895042011-05-17T16:23:00.004-05:002011-05-17T16:25:30.759-05:00

Information on Jambalaya Justice, which is at the publishers now, due for a summer release:The murder of a hooker in a New Orleans crackhouse is destined to become another unsolved homicide until prosecutor Ryan Murphy takes an interest in the case. Ryan has a connection to the victim and won’t back down until the murder is solved, even if it means she has to go undercover as a hooker

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-75207705548597135782011-05-05T15:42:00.005-05:002011-05-05T15:44:33.516-05:00

Just as I am finished editing Jambalaya Justice, the second in the Crescent City Mystery Series and follow up to Gumbo Justice, I saw on the news that one of the New Orleans police officers originally convicted in relation to a police-Katrina murder has had his conviction overturned and has been granted a new trial. The feds are reviewing the federal judge's decision to determine if they

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-88038748837583874812011-04-10T22:01:00.004-05:002011-04-10T22:11:06.839-05:00

Monday, April 11, 2011, at 1:00 p.m. CST, I am participating in a Blog Talk interview at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/, with Sylvia Dickey Smith. The focus of the interview is writing strong female characters, and I will be talking about writing Ryan Murphy, my protagonist from Gumbo Justice, and the soon to be released Jambalaya Justice.The interview is thirty minutes long, and you can call in

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-73754578117894043282011-04-01T00:01:00.007-05:002011-04-01T00:01:03.509-05:00

I have a very special guest today, Marilyn Meredith, author the Rocky Bluff Police Department Mystery Series--which she writes as F.M. Meredith-- and thirty other novels, including the Tempe Crabtree Mystery Series. Marilyn is blogging today about her newest in the Rocky Bluff PD series, Angel Lost.I was fortunate enough to read an advance reader copy of Angel Lost and have to say it is a must

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-65239419713613633822011-03-28T07:08:00.004-05:002011-03-28T07:23:35.929-05:00

Jambalaya Justice is complete! The moment arrived Saturday night, at 8:26. I remember the exact moment because my kids were waiting for me to watch the new Zack and Cody movie (Suite Life on Deck something something on Disney). We had DVR'd it, so we could skip the commercials and were going to start watching at 7:30. At that time, my youngest was wrapped up in Build-A-Bear online and couldn't

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-64453192344045101852011-03-22T07:10:00.002-05:002011-03-22T07:38:58.749-05:00

I am finally nearly finished Jambalaya Justice, the followup to Gumbo Justice, and am editing, first for continuity, to make sure I haven't changed a name or left out anything important. I follow a pretty strict outline, so the first is probably a lot more likely to happen than the second, but I do end up changing some things, so making sure I don't change something later in the novel that makes

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-72610722592078982492011-02-18T19:45:00.002-06:002011-02-18T19:52:46.244-06:00

Beth Hull has graciously interviewed me at her website, http://bethhull.com/2011/02/18/nifty-author-holli-castillo/. The interview opens with a short blurb about the second in the Crescent City Mystery series, Jambalaya Justice, which is nearing completion. Finally!!!!The interview also mentions my tortured path to publication, and hopefully other writers who are struggling to find an agent or

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-63069778478758905162011-01-07T11:48:00.003-06:002011-01-07T12:26:57.131-06:00

Anthony "Tony" Cannatella at one time was the police captain of the Sixth District in New Orleans. He wore other hats during his tenure with the department, rising even higher through the ranks, but his role as the captain of the Sixth is what is important to me because he inspired the creation of one of the characters in Gumbo Justice, Ryan Murphy's father, Captain Kelly Murphy, who,

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-76784119920706981622011-01-04T22:15:00.006-06:002011-01-05T00:47:30.065-06:00

Having written about Hurricane Katrina in the past, I felt a need to take a break from working on Jambalaya Justice to write about the verdicts of the last prosecution for crimes committed by police officers during Katrina. The trial wrapped up a few weeks ago in Eastern District Court in New Orleans, and I have been putting off writing about it because things did not end up favorably for a

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-31075522251781112822010-12-20T22:50:00.004-06:002010-12-20T23:01:19.320-06:00

Someone won the naming of one of my characters in the upcoming Jambalaya Justice in the Ebay auction by the First Amendment Project. They also won a signed copy of the book when it is available, early 2011, and either a phone call or a night drinking with me and the real life Big Who, a character from the book, at my bar in the metro New Orleans area. The price ended up being $102.50, and

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-68883799121426605292010-12-11T22:41:00.002-06:002010-12-11T22:50:05.396-06:00

The First Amendment Project is an organization that, among other things, provides legal representation for reporters dealing with First Amendment issues. As a writer, the First Amendment is important to me, because I don't want to be censored, I don't want my children to be told they can't read certain books, and I don't want our newspapers and t.v. news to feel they can't reveal the whole truth

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-67531182405619634962010-12-04T00:00:00.003-06:002010-12-04T00:00:04.031-06:00

Today I have a very special guest, Barb Tarn, who lives in Italy. Her life seems so fascinating and extraordinary to me, and she mentions things like visiting the Louvre as if they happen every day. Below, she blogs about her inspiration for a historical novel she is planning on writing that may be as relevant today as in the 12th century she is setting it in.Historical Research Frenzy by

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-48664962283097024262010-12-02T18:09:00.002-06:002010-12-02T18:14:08.882-06:00

Today I talked about promotion as a guest blogger on Creative Barbwire, my friend Barb's website. Barb is also a writer, and in a few days will guest blog here about her latest work. Until then, stop at http://creativebarbwire.wordpress.com/ and pick up some tips from yours truly. While I have a lot left to learn about promoting, why reinvent the wheel yourself if you can benefit from my

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-66470357566880976362010-11-24T15:34:00.003-06:002010-11-24T15:38:02.725-06:00

Joylene Butler was the winner of signed copies of Gumbo Justice and Jambalaya Justice. Joylene, if you could e-mail me at hollicastillo@cox.net with your address, I'll put Gumbo Justice in the mail after Thanksgiving. Thanks everyone for joining me on Blog Jog Day, and hope to hear from you again!Holli Castillo

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-63322688634270226912010-11-21T00:01:00.003-06:002010-11-21T17:08:04.865-06:00

Thank you for stopping by my Blog! Please explore all this Blog has to offer, then jog on over to http://authorcharmainegordon.xanga.com/.If you would like to visit a different Blog in the jog, go to http://blogjogday.blogspot.com.Anyone who like to be entered in a giveaway, please leave a comment. You'll be entered in a giveaway for Gumbo Justice, the first in the Crescent City Mystery series

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-23422388075071370802010-11-20T15:49:00.005-06:002010-11-20T16:30:07.047-06:00

Like most writers, I have to do my own promotion. I am published by an independent press, Oak Tree Press, and am happy that everything worked out the way it did. When I first started out, I thought I wanted a big New York house that would put me on the Bestseller's List. When that didn't work out, I looked for an agent. I also queried publishers, not really understanding the difference

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-8403204402049045792010-10-31T10:12:00.004-05:002010-10-31T10:20:17.763-05:00

A few months ago I wrote an article about New Orleans slang for AOL. I saw the assignment on Red Room, a website for writers and readers, and there was a huge selection of New Orleans articles that needed to be written for AOL Travel. I chose the one on New Orleans slang because it fit me so well."New in New Orleans," provides a list of ten essential New Orleans' expressions, including a few

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-67264264137230722512010-09-28T07:19:00.004-05:002010-09-28T09:09:30.393-05:00

Two weeks ago I changed a character's name in my current project, Jambalaya Justice, the second in the Crescent City Mystery Series and followup to Gumbo Justice. The character is a featured character in the novel, and I've had him named for four years, when I first started writing the book.I started writing Jambalaya Justice while I waited to find a publisher for Gumbo Justice. Then Katrina

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-69793731241467835352010-09-11T15:49:00.002-05:002010-09-11T15:51:35.601-05:00

Margaret from Illinois won the book drawing for Gumbo Justice in a random drawing of everyone who left comments on the Katrina blogs. Thanks everyone for reading!

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-75127291626466499872010-09-01T12:41:00.003-05:002010-09-01T12:53:20.150-05:00

This is the last segment of the Hurricane Katrina Anniversary. If you post a comment on any of my Katrina blogs, you will be entered in a drawing for a signed copy of Gumbo Justice. I will be doing the drawing over the weekend, and will post the winner then.Katrina Anniversary Bog- Part 3Two close friends of mine stayed in New Orleans for the hurricane, coincidentally, each the Godfather of one

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-28110169526510422422010-08-29T17:25:00.002-05:002010-08-29T17:38:11.202-05:00

August 29, 2005The television in our hotel room never went off the day Katrina made landfall. I knew it was probably not good for my two girls, but it was the only news we could get. We watched the tracking on the national news channels and the weather channel, as Katrina stealthily approached. She wobbled every so often, but we were experienced enough with tracking storms that we recognized

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-6260578503075943332010-08-26T21:32:00.001-05:002010-08-26T21:35:52.064-05:00

On this date five years ago, I was living in a state of blissful ignorance. It was a Friday, and there was a hurricane called Katrina that we were sort of keeping an eye on. I say sort of, because forecasters had it going to Florida. We figured it would hit Florida and weaken as it traveled inland, as hurricanes do, and we might get a few showers, maybe a little wind. We had already thought,

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-15078867702538386602010-08-16T12:12:00.010-05:002010-08-16T13:06:18.741-05:00

I have finally learned how to put a photo inside the blog pages today, so if this works out, you will be looking at a photo of my dog and Deaf Kitty, my poor deaf kitten that escaped this weekend and had a hell of a Saturday morning after sleeping under a car in the rain, being attacked by a pit bull, and was finally saved by the pit bull's owner who put Deaf Kitty in a cat carrier, i.e. prison

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-66956941384364228462010-06-25T23:24:00.004-05:002010-06-26T00:23:57.098-05:00

I am back from the PSWA conference in Las Vegas and came home to New Orleans to hear the oil spill had been capped, the cap was knocked off by a robot, and they were trying to get it recapped last I watched the news. That's what I get for putting on the news instead of the soaps.My weather man doesn't love me anymore- he says there is a "system" that will probably be a named storm soon. Early

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-18095368444767534162010-06-13T22:05:00.003-05:002010-06-13T22:21:33.199-05:00

We have so much going on in New Orleans right now I am trying to figure out what to write about. First and foremost, we have just started hurricane season June 1, and already they are watching something that has a 60 percent chance of becoming a storm in the next 2 days. This doesn't worry me so much in and of itself, because historically there is little chance of a big one hitting us this early

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-89824614206196974512010-05-25T00:09:00.004-05:002010-05-25T00:33:04.398-05:00

I frequently volunteer at my girls' school and know most of the teachers. In fact, the principal was my fifth grade English teacher, way back in the 70's. So when one of the teachers who I also consider a friend asked me to come speak to her enrichment cluster, I immediately agreed.Enrichment clusters in the Jefferson Parish Public magnet school system are the equivalent of electives. This

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-23040153738098334092010-05-12T23:52:00.003-05:002010-05-12T23:55:21.166-05:00

I've recently run across two instances of individuals saying a particular novel wasn't a thriller, but was a mystery. While I realize not all mysteries would fall into the category of thriller, I am wondering what constitutes a mystery that is also a thriller.The first time I came across this, it was from a reviewer who stated my novel wasn't a thriller, and that most people not as well

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-7493344208494634872010-05-10T21:48:00.003-05:002010-05-10T21:53:45.165-05:00

Barbara from the creative barbwire blog was the winner of my book, Gumbo Justice, in a random drawing. I entered the names of everyone who left a comment and/or an email. Thank everyone for visiting my blog and making Blog Jog Day such a success. I found several new blogs of interest myself-- and not just writing or promotion blogs, a few new writers, and even ordered a book. All in all, I

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-34565497992636584092010-05-08T23:00:00.007-05:002010-05-09T01:04:41.000-05:00

Thank you for stopping by my Blog. Please explore all this Blog has to offer and then jog over to http://upuzzleme.blogspot.com , a great site for all kinds of puzzles. If you would like to visit a different Blog in the jog, go to http://blogjogday.blogspot.com.Anyone who leaves a comment today on this blog will be entered in a drawing to win a signed copy of Gumbo Justice. Leave your email

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-90161742582699039072010-05-08T22:47:00.000-05:002010-05-08T22:47:00.677-05:00

Among most writers, especially with the smaller and independent publishing houses, the hot topic always seems to be promotion. And as many different ways as there are to promote a book, there are just as many promotion styles. I've seen writers who join social networking sites and make everything they do about their current work. Someone posts congratulations to a mutual friend about their new

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-85145709793930405972010-05-07T11:33:00.002-05:002010-05-07T11:35:00.869-05:00

Blog Jog day is coming Mother's Day, May 9th. That day this blog will be part of a line of blogs you might be interested in. It's an excellent opportunity to see a wide array of interesting blogs and maybe bookmark some that you may want to visit again.

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-35948418390491932942010-04-30T14:01:00.004-05:002010-04-30T14:30:27.540-05:00

Tragedy is common in New Orleans. Murders, hurricanes, poverty, indictments, you name it, we've got it. But the most recent tragedy, the oil spill in the gulf, is in a class of its own.You would think a city that got pummeled by a hurricane and nearly destroyed by levee failures would be immune to worrying about an oil spill. We nearly drowned in Katrina, but we didn't. We survived, and will

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-32009627173344759632010-03-08T08:31:00.008-06:002010-03-08T08:54:50.117-06:00

My publisher, Billie Johnson, was in town for the Epicon conference, which is an e-publishing conference. Oak Tree Press has books on Kindle as well as in print, and with the e-market expanding, it was a good conference to attend. Oak Tree also had two writers up for awards, Mike Orenduff and Marilyn Meredith, so there was more than one reason to attend. (Mike Orenduff won for his Pot Thief

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-75701931852170752752010-01-22T08:33:00.005-06:002010-01-22T09:00:37.342-06:00

I had to take a few minutes away from working on my manuscript for the follow up to Gumbo Justice, Jambalaya Justice, to make a quick note about our boys in black and gold. There is actually a Gumbo Justice connection- Big Mike, Ryan's junior prosecutor, is a former Saints player. But aside from that, our team is proving to be a source of pride for our troubled city.New Orleans is the most

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-6795150503012735672009-12-15T19:11:00.005-06:002009-12-15T19:14:03.883-06:00

I forgot to mention I've got a new review and interview for Gumbo Justice at http://www.book-club-queen.com/holli-castillo.html and http://www.book-club-queen.com/gumbo-justice.html.

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-36223207055837168432009-12-15T18:55:00.002-06:002009-12-15T19:10:20.545-06:00

Book sales for Gumbo Justice at the Bazaar went pretty well. It was a little too cold for my liking, but it was a clear day and a nice crowd showed up and I sold a few books, so it was all good. I have to say it was interesting talking to people for a change. I'm holed up in my house a great majority of the time, especially since the car wreck, and getting out in the fresh air and chatting with

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-15143014141860545782009-12-03T14:27:00.002-06:002009-12-03T14:33:43.851-06:00

This weekend, I'll be selling signed copies of Gumbo Justice at a Holiday Bazaar in Metairie. It should be an interesting experience, as I've never sold books anywhere that wasn't directly related to writers and writing.Currently, I'm working on the follow up, titled Jambalaya Justice. I'm pretty sure I'll keep the title.I'm also waiting to learn the fate of Angel Trap in a few other screenplay

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-9935431451992721532009-09-14T14:28:00.003-05:002009-09-14T14:32:53.330-05:00

I am featured at http://booklandheights.blogspot.com/ for the week. Bookland Heights is a wonderful site that features a different author and his or her work every week. It is a nice bit of free publicity, but more importantly a way for the public to learn a little bit more about novels and the writers. I check it every week even when I'm not featured to see who's on it and to learn a little

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-68777026363657723462009-09-01T16:55:00.002-05:002009-09-01T17:03:17.309-05:00

My screenplay Angel Trap made the finals of the Page International Screenplay contest. The original entries have been narrowed down to the top ten in each category, and I think then they go to top three and then a winner, or it might just be winner in each cat and then the big winner. I'm just excited it has made it this far. I am still editing it, and as part of the prize from the Acclaim

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-2547502140441891292009-08-16T21:53:00.002-05:002009-08-16T22:08:15.763-05:00

Angel Trap made runner up in the Acclaim Screenplay Contest, which is equivalent to coming in second. I was extremely surprised, as I didn't expect to make quarter finals, semi finals, or finals, much less come in so close to the top. What was particularly surprising to me was that I had just received a rather rude, flippant critique from another contest that referred to my characters as a bunch

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-48379825404555084062009-08-03T01:25:00.002-05:002009-08-03T01:33:12.940-05:00

Angel Trap has made the semi-finals in the Page Awards. In September they'll post the finals and then a winner. I am excited, but it sort of balances out because it didn't make the finals in a different contest. It's difficult to know what contest readers are looking for. I have received feedback that contradicts other feedback and now I'm starting to think I've listened to too many different

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-40654187006479781682009-07-22T00:02:00.003-05:002009-07-22T00:14:27.457-05:00

I was surprised to see my book, Gumbo Justice, in a local book store in N.O., Maple Street Book Shop, 7523 Maple Street. I had no idea any of the local stores were carrying it, except for the westbank Barnes and Noble which I was aware. Hopefully, more local stores will carry it to support a local author. It may not seem like much, but I've already had two people who said they would buy it from

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-57440043299335524762009-07-11T15:43:00.006-05:002009-07-11T16:05:57.407-05:00

I received a really nice review for Gumbo Justice from Martha Cheves on her website, A Book and a Dish, www.marthaskitchenkorner.blogspot.com. Martha writes cook books, one in particular is my favorite, Stir, Laugh, Repeat, which has easy to make recipes, and she also reviews books. The combination of the two is quite interesting. I submitted a New Orleans recipe for Corn Soup, which is also

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-69102665948790204402009-07-01T19:35:00.002-05:002009-07-01T19:38:01.766-05:00

My screenplay Angel Trap made the quarter-finals in the Page Screenplay contest. I am stoked about it, because over 4000 screenplays were entered, whittled down to the top 25 percent, then the top 10 percent, so making the quarter finals is pretty exciting. It will be another month until the list is whittled to the top 25 in each category, then another month for the top ten in each category, and

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-73248896821228804312009-07-01T02:16:00.002-05:002009-07-01T02:24:28.837-05:00

I am back from the Vegas writer's conference. Had a blast, love Vegas, met lots of writers, sat on two panels. If the food was better Vegas would be my dream town. But you can't beat New Orleans for food.I am planning my book launch for Gumbo Justice, still trying to figure out the date and the particulars. The Code Enforcement appeal hearing for the bar is next week, so we'll see. I'm also

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-76563786262121294912009-06-19T20:25:00.002-05:002009-06-19T20:35:59.536-05:00

I picked up my copies of Gumbo Justice yesterday from Billie, my publisher at Oak Tree Publishing, and I am amazed at how good the cover looks. I wish I could say I had a lot to do with it, but I don't. The colors are fitting for New Orleans, purple and gold on the cover, purple, green and gold on the back cover, appropriate for the town that celebrates Mardi Gras. My kids learned in pre-K,

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-8200437511403003932009-06-17T01:29:00.002-05:002009-06-17T01:36:07.256-05:00

I am amped because GUMBO JUSTICE is finally available for purchase. I don't know whether to write "is for sale," or "is on sale." It's actually both, kind of, because the Amazon and BandN price is sale priced from the cover- not that I care. I am just stoked people can finally get it to read it.I am also a little apprehensive. It's a little nerve wracking, wondering if people are going to get

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-29266804806893742162009-06-05T19:43:00.003-05:002009-06-05T19:51:50.952-05:00

I am so excited to have seen the tentative cover for Gumbo Justice. It didn't quite seem real that the book was actually coming out until I saw the potential covers. So many decisions still to be made after a book is written and slated for publication. The cover, as I mentioned. What to include in the author bio. Whom to thank.There are also decisions when proofing for the final draft. Some

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-74287187342105498982009-05-07T12:40:00.003-05:002009-05-07T12:44:31.929-05:00

While I am still editing Angel Trap, the screenplay I nicknamed Bernie Angel, after the protagonist, I am happy to report that an early version placed in the semi-finals of the Wild Sound Spring 2009 screenplay contest. From the twenty-five finalists, three winners will be chosen. The winning screenplays will be read at the Wild Sound Festival in Ontario. I am still editing, based on feedback

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-42378353600062606522009-04-25T14:17:00.004-05:002009-04-25T14:31:27.903-05:00

When I last wrote, we were waiting for the permits for the bar. Specifically, we were waiting for the permits from Jefferson Parish, and I was bemoaning the red tape we would have to hurdle.Turns out, my fears were completely justified. We received a zoning revocation from the Director of Code Enforcement, Debbie Villio, claiming that we didn't have adequate parking for the zoning. No matter

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-77280723301684479162009-04-04T18:08:00.004-05:002009-04-04T18:12:36.717-05:00

Completely unrelated to my writing, my husband and I are waiting on the final permit from the parish so our bar in Harvey, the Last Stand, can open. I have always wanted to own a bar, and it is pretty exciting that it is finally happening. My husband has put so much work into this bar. It needed a total renovation, and he basically started from scratch. When I had my car accident, the entire

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-81666749639930963952009-03-27T14:37:00.002-05:002009-03-27T14:47:56.188-05:00

Last night we had tremendous storms in the New Orleans and southeast Louisiana area. Thunder so loud it woke me up, had me sitting up in bed making sure it wasn't the train sound of a tornado I've heard so much about. It wasn't, but with hurricane season right around the corner again, and with the forecasters predicting another bad one, I started thinking about the last big hurricane around here

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-68688833696149585262009-03-06T10:23:00.004-06:002009-03-06T10:49:50.914-06:00

I am still in the midst of re-writing Bernie Angel, and am torn between the titles Angel Hunt, or Angel Trap. Both are applicable, but trying to determine which one sounds the most like a catchy movie title is the problem. The rewrite is not coming along as fast as I had hoped, mainly because I had a significant amount of rewriting to do. I thought my original was fine, good even. I paid for

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-32152284130929245532009-02-27T23:58:00.002-06:002009-02-28T00:05:35.121-06:00

Gumbo Justice is scheduled to come out in June, in time for the Las Vegas writer's conference I am attending. I can't wait until the cover comes out, so I can see what all my hard work is going to finally look like. I posted the first chapter on the website, www.gumbojustice.net, and hopefully will have additional information to post as it gets closer to the release date. I have been doing a few

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-79970848969365832482009-02-01T16:08:00.004-06:002009-02-01T16:12:30.533-06:00

I posted the first chapter of Gumbo Justice on the website at www.gumbojustice.net. I am still waiting on the official release date, but from the looks of things, my novel is the next one on the schedule for my publisher.I am also doing the finishing touches on Bernie Angel before I submit it. I have to figure out what to work on when Bernie is finished for good. I would like to try another

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-23155018763038828562009-01-17T15:25:00.002-06:002009-01-17T15:31:47.710-06:00

I've been relatively busy lately, between working on my actual work, and writing.I actually enjoy having real work to do. For months no new cases were assigned to me because of my car wreck, and work that came due was reassigned to other people. While I definitely appreciated it, I am ready to work on things that require less of my imagination and are more fact based.I am still working on Bernie

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-56862454910825482792008-12-22T12:02:00.002-06:002008-12-22T12:11:35.994-06:00

I am waiting anxiously for my publisher to decide the release date for Gumbo Justice. There is so much involved in promoting a novel it is unbelievable. For new writers, it can be daunting. Luckily, Gumbo was pushed back because of my car wreck, so I have a little more time to learn to navigate the waters.I have also been working on Bernie, and still do not have a title. Titles are the hardest

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-85523508224617802762008-11-11T17:09:00.004-06:002009-02-28T00:19:45.282-06:00

I am having a really good time working on Bernie Angel. I am trying to think of a more compelling title that says something about what the movie is about, but I have time for that.Screenplays are fun. All the stuff you need to delve into in a novel- the scenery, the character's emotions, the motivation -it's all portrayed so much simpler in a movie. The scenery is explained in a few lines to tell

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-24014840710663904992008-10-31T12:28:00.003-05:002008-10-31T12:37:02.246-05:00

The screenplay for Bernie Angel (tentative title) is in progress. I have inked out the plot, trimmed it down considerably so it would fit in one movie, and am in the process of creating the character's histories. I have the plot outlined by scenes, and hopefully in the next few days will begin the actual screenplay.Something interesting, for science fiction movie buffs- I ordered the screenplays

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-31795371890774394222008-10-28T11:03:00.004-05:002008-10-28T11:14:48.562-05:00

I was excited to see my novel listed as a coming attraction on my publisher's website at Oak Tree Press. I was equally as excited to see Gumbo Justice listed on Barnes and Noble's website, available for pre-order. The novel is not scheduled to be published until late summer, but now that it has an ISBN number, it finally seems real to me. I have added a link to the Barnes and Noble page (top

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-50069319501995367462008-10-08T14:33:00.002-05:002008-10-08T15:02:59.896-05:00

I have seen a lot of television shows recently with individuals "in recovery." For the most part, these characters are alcoholics, drug abusers, with an occasional sex addict thrown in for good measure. I assume writers feel the need to keep up with Hollywood, where anyone who is anyone is in some kind of rehab. For instance, David Duchovny is reported to have just gotten out of a rehab

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-85265092500942915402008-09-23T15:09:00.003-05:002008-09-23T15:22:05.039-05:00

SUNDAY NIGHT8:00 P.M. “Do I have too much ass showing?” Twenty-eight-year-old Ryan Murphy glanced at herself in the two-way glass in the interview room of the New Orleans First District police station, tugging her short plaid skirt down as far as it would go over her rear. She made a kissing motion at her reflection, and then frowned. Her dark, almond-shaped eyes somehow looked less exotic

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993693433780058317.post-13815912689975590922008-09-19T12:24:00.002-05:002008-11-11T17:08:15.740-06:00

While waiting for the release of my first novel, Gumbo Justice, I decided to start a blog about the other things I am working on. Since my novel isn't scheduled to come out until late summer or early fall 2009, I have plenty of time to work on my other projects.A little about Gumbo Justice- Set in pre-Katrina New Orleans, the novel features 27-year-old Ryan Murphy, a female New Orleans

Hollihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976235735822063166noreply@blogger.com0