The Right to Remain Silent

Some writers seem to write just to get attention.  Obviously, writing for the public presupposes on some scale that the writer wants attention.  Whether posting on a blog or publishing a novel, the writer wants people to read it.

But some writers, particularly on public forums, seem to post things just to get others riled up and to get responses from people with diametrically opposing viewpoints.

Take the newspaper forums.  In New Orleans, we have nola.com. To be honest, even the most innocuous response to a story causes a shit storm of responses on the site.

Some responses are from buffoons, for lack of a better, more technical category– you know, those people who will say anything just to cause trouble, whether they believe it or not.

They will comment on race, sexual orientation, physical beauty, weight, especially if it has absolutely nothing to do with the story. These people never progressed emotionally beyond that sixth-grade logic.  Maybe in middle school, other kids laughed at the comments because they wanted to fit in or maybe 11-year-olds really do think some of those things are funny.

Then there are the politically motivated, the people who believe politics have something to do with everything.  A typhoon just struck the Phillippines? Someone will blame the inclement weather on the Democrats or Republicans. Earthquake? Must be something George Bush did. Or Obama.

The religious zealots also crave attention in the forum world.  Don’t get me wrong, I don’t begrudge anyone wanting to offer prayers to a cause or victim.  What I find annoying are the comments like, “Katrina was a punishment from God.”  Or attempting to justify terrorists' attacks by calling it God’s will.

Do these people think they are convincing people of their viewpoint on God? Or do they just want to aggravate the crap out of everyone else?

The worst, however, are the people who have to argue an opposing viewpoint just for the sake of argument.  As a criminal appellate public defender, my job is nothing if not playing devil’s advocate, but I’ve seen people on list serves or public forums who always argue against what the masses seem to agree, even when the argument is nonsensical and unsupported by any actual evidence or facts.  These people can have no other goal than to get people to notice them.

The U.S. is a great country to live in, in part because of the rights we have.  Consequently, it’s kind of difficult to complain about someone exercising their First Amendment right to free speech.  But the Framers intent in drafting the original Constitution was actually to limit the government’s involvement and intrusion into our daily lives, not necessarily to give us extra rights.  The amendments contained in the Bill of Rights--adopted more than a decade after the Constitution was signed--was designed to enumerate specific rights the government could not infringe upon.

Interestingly, the Bill of rights also includes the Fifth Amendment, which gives citizens the exact opposite right, the right not to speak.  While it involves the invocation of the right of an individual suspected of a crime not to be forced to incriminate himself, sometimes I wish the individuals who relied so much upon the First Amendment would take a hint from the Fifth Amendment.

(As a short aside, if you ever want to get freaked out, watch a British cop show.  When they arrest the suspect, the first thing they do is ask if the arrestee wants to say anything, and advise him that remaining silent can be used as evidence of guilt.  Whoa is all I can say about that.)

Normally, commenting on public forums won’t result in criminal charges so the Fifth Amendment wouldn’t be implicated.  New Orleans is anything but normal, however, and we have had U.S. Attorneys get in trouble for commenting on public forums about pending cases under pseudonyms, so it’s always wise to be careful.

Did the U.S. Attorneys involved crave the same attention the way some buffoons and trouble makers on the forums or Facebook or Twitter seemed to crave attention?  Or did they comment in order to tip the scales at trial time, to give them a leg up in the prosecution?

 At least one federal judge seemed to think the latter was correct when he set aside convictions that he felt were influenced by the U.S. Attorneys' comments on the forums.  So commenting is not always innocuous and not always victimless.

As writers, we get attention whether that is our ultimate goal or not.  Our work should affect people, hopefully in a good way, but not necessarily so.  While everyone might not like what we’ve written, just as we sometimes might not be able to stomach comments made by racists, zealots, or just plain crazy people, it’s important to remember that our words matter, and can sometimes have effects we haven’t anticipated.

While the government prosecutors involved in the posting scheme likely didn’t realize they would eventually get in trouble for posting their comments– mainly because they made up fake names they thought couldn’t be traced– anyone who puts anything in writing, whether in a book, on a forum, or in an old-fashioned hand-written note, should realize that someone on the other end is going to read it.

As writers, we can only hope that whatever it is we’re writing has some kind of positive impact, whether it’s as big as saving the world or as simple as giving someone a break from the monotony of daily life. Otherwise, why write at all?

Writing and Editing

I spent the better part of yesterday editing one of my novels that is already in print. A reader complained that the novel was poorly edited. There was one glaring typo in it, which I won't point out in case other readers haven't found it. But the reader also indicated a misuse of the word "there" in place of the word "their."  I went through the manuscript and used the 'find' feature to locate every time the words  "there" and  "their" were written and found they were all used correctly.  So the reader either is unaware of the correct use of the words herself, or she was just being spiteful.

I don't think one typo--which is actually a real word, just not the word it was supposed to be--constitutes horrible editing.  I have a publisher. My books are edited. We try our best not to let anything sneak through the cracks.  That being said, even the best editor  or publisher or writer in the world can miss a word.

Our brains tend to make sense of the words we see on the page, whether they are misspelled or not.  This means it is difficult to make sure that any manuscript is one hundred percent perfect.

So now I am looking back through both of my published novels and trying to make them perfect to have my publisher in effect re-publish them.  I am also working on the third and fourth books in the series, trying to make the story, which was originally going to take place in one book, less complicated by stretching it over two. 

And then I will rewrite, edit, have it edited, and it will be published in two parts, Chocolate City Justice Part One and Part Two. 

And they may not be perfect. A typo just may get through.

Hopefully, my readers will enjoy the story anyway.

THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AND TAPED CONFESSIONS

For those whose writing includes police procedure, particularly in the area of confessions or police interviews, there is new policy out there just decided by the Justice Department, that requires certain federal agencies, such as the FBI, DEA, ATF, and Marshals Service, to use electronic recording to video record "interviews" of suspects.

Keep in mind, this is on a federal level, not state level. Every state agency has its own procedures for conducting interviews.  The procedure and policy may vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction within each state, and may even vary among departments in the same jurisdiction.  For instance, New Orleans has 8 police districts.  Each district may handle its confessions and statements differently, and the different departments in the same district (usually in the same police station) may even have different policies on taking statements.  The homicide division in one district may record all statements taken, while the burglary division in the same district may say they don't own a tape recorder.

The U.S. Constitution requires that statements used against a defendant be voluntary and free from coercion and duress.  It does not require that they be recorded.

The Justice Department has now decided to videotape statements taken from suspects, unless there are extenuating circumstances that prevent it.  (Sounds like a loophole to me, but I'll skip it for now.)  This decision has both positive and negative ramifications.

First, on the positive, it will be difficult for a defense attorney at trial or on appeal to argue that a suspect was beaten or threatened into giving a statement or confession if the whole thing is on tape.  Juries will also be more inclined to convict if they see the defendant admit guilt for themselves.

On the other hand, a suspect who is ready to spill his guts may change his mind in the time it takes to set up the video or audio recorder.  He may have time to think and change his story, or he may have time to decide to ask for an attorney.

There are two caveats to this rule.  As I mentioned above, if it is not going to be easy to get the equipment, such as in cases when a defendant confesses at the crime scene and not in an interrogation room, it may not be practical to haul a video camera out.  (Although with cameras and video in cell phones these days I'm not sure that is a valid excuse not to record a statement.)

Second, a suspect has the right to refuse to have his statement recorded.  This also has implications.  A suspect can claim he didn't make the statement and that's why it's not recorded.  On the other hand, if a suspect doesn't make a statement, or if law enforcement wants to twist his words around, the agent can always say the suspect refused to be taped.

For those who write about federal agents, this can be a new twist or curve in the road when a suspect confesses or gives a statement.  I can picture stories with videotaped confessions that go missing, juries who don't believe the agents that the defendant made the statement but refused to be taped, and agents who really do beat confessions out of suspects and consequently don't tape the statements.  Anything to keep the reader guessing as to what actually happened.

With the new Justice Department policy, writers should at least allude to videotaping or audio taping the confession if one is made to a federal law enforcement officer in the novel , especially if the confession is important to the story and a videotape or audiotape of the statement is not going to be presented. 

MARY REED- Twelve Question Tuesday

Today I am excited to welcome writer Mary Reed to Twelve Question Tuesday. 

1. Please tell me the three most important things people should know about you. 
I'm an incurable optimist, love Golden Age mysteries, and support the hopeless Cubbies.

2. Are you a dog person or a cat person?
Cats, those mysterious beings who secretly rule the world!

3. Tea or coffee?
Coffee please, no milk or sugar.

4. Boxers, briefs, boxer-briefs, or commando? (Either what you prefer or what you prefer on others.)
Ahem. I'll take the Fifth on that one!

5. What was the first thing you ever wrote?
In fiction, a romantic novel. I'm happy to say the only copy of the ms was lost during a move years ago.

6. When did you finally decide to call yourself a writer?
I rarely describe myself thus. While I am not comfortable tooting my own trombone, I will say we -- that is to say my co-author Eric Mayer and I -- have learned a lot more about the craft than we knew when we ignorantly set out to take the mystery world by storm!

7. Which of your works are you most proud to have written.
Today I would say Five For Silver, set during the Justinianiac plague, but tomorrow it would be a different title, given the task is like trying to choose the child of which you are most proud. If favourite characters such as a sundial manufacturer afraid of shadows, a diminutive Egyptian musician, the interpreter of a herd of prophetic goats, a seller of dubious antiquities, an itinerant bee keeper, a maker of automatons, a holy fool who dances with the dead, a creator of dear little cat mummies, a bookseller who rents space to unusual clients, the street prostitute with a three-legged cat, to name but a few, were all in the same novel it would be a much easier question to answer!

8. What is the scariest thing that has ever happened to you?
Going through the immigration process.

9. How did you end up getting published?
The short stories? Initially by following the usual route of unsolicited submission and then later a number were commissioned for anthologies. But our series saw print in a rather unusual way and luck played a part in it. We read that Poisoned Pen Press, then in its infancy, was up for a non-fiction award, wrote to congratulate them, and asked if they would be considering fiction. An encouraging reply arrived and One For Sorrow was accepted in due course, becoming the first mystery the press published.

We learned after its acceptance that editor Barbara Peters had just been commenting on the lack of a mystery series set in Byzantine times, during which our series is set, not long before our enquiry arrived.

10. Would you be food or fighter if the zombie apocalypse were to happen?
Probably food. Though I would attempt to flee to the furthermost hills were zombies to shamble down the turnpike.

11. What is the most daring thing you have ever done?
Becoming a second wife.

12. Would you rather be rich or famous--and you could only have one--and why? The fame would be based on something good, not something like being the best serial killer or anything like that.
If forced to choose, I'd say rich because I have no desire to be famous personally. Though our work becoming famous is a very attractive notion.

Blurb for Ten For Dying.

On a hot summer night in 6th century Constantinople a blasphemous ritual is under way as demons vanish into the darkness with one of the city’s holiest relics, a fragment of the shroud of the Virgin. As if Felix, Captain of the Palace Guard, didn’t have enough problems already between his gambling debts, political maneuverings, and an ambitious new mistress, Emperor Justinian orders him to find the missing relic. If only John were still in the city and could assist Felix. Unfortunately, the former Lord Chamberlain was sent into exile, sailing away the morning after the theft...

Publication date: March 2014

Website: http://home.earthlink.net/~maywrite

Blog:

On the 18th of each month at the multi-author Poisoned Pen Press blog athttp://www.poisonedpenpress.com/category/news-and-blog/

Links:

The Lord Chamberlain historical mystery series may be purchased from Poisoned Pen Presshttp://www.poisonedpenpress.com/?s=Lord+Chamberlain+series&cat=104&x=44&y=11

Head of Zeus 
http://headofzeus.com/books/One+for+Sorrow?field_book_type_value_1=E-Book&bid=9781908800893

and the usual suspects on and offline.

BIO:

Mary Reed and Eric Mayer are married and co-write the Lord Chamberlain historical mysteries and other fiction. They invite you to visit their home page, hanging out on the virtual washing line that is the internet at http://home.earthlink.net/~maywrite for information about their short stories and novels, libraries of links to free e-texts of classic and Golden Age mysteries, ghost stories, and tales of the supernatural, reviews, essays, and other content not about them!

Lillian Stewart Carl- Twelve Question Tuesday

Today I am excited to welcome Lillan Stewart Carl to Twelve Question Tuesday.

1.  Please tell me the three most important things people should know about you. 
Yes, I am too old enough to be a grandmother. No, I’m not stand-offish, I’m an introvert. I’m a good writer but a promoter? Not so much. See previous, about “introvert”. 

2.  Are you a dog person or a cat person? 
Cat, definitely. Cats are (mostly) elegant, dignified, and self-sufficient. Dogs, on the other hands, are the toddlers of the animal world: Let’s eat now! Let’s play now! Let’s run around now! A cat in the lap is peaceful and meditative. A dog is exhausting. (But cute, with that wagging tail.) 

3.  Tea or coffee?
I love a good flat white, the milk-and-coffee drink of Down Under. My Kiwi friends tell me it was invented in New Zealand. My Aussie friends tell me it’s their invention. Either way, it not only tastes good, if I’m drinking one, I’m on one of my favorite parts of the globe. 

4.  Boxers, briefs, boxer-briefs, or commando? (Either what you prefer or what you prefer on others.) 
I may be drummed out of my Scottish clan association for saying this, but kilts are the world’s most gorgeous garments and should never be reduced to a peek-a-boo game, never mind historical authenticity. In fact, any outer garment is enhanced by suitable, if comfortable, undergarments, preferably well-cut tartan boxers. 

So there. 

5.  What was the first thing you ever wrote? 
 Who knows? I was writing from the moment I could hold a pencil and shape letters. Poetry, plays, stories, no matter. My imaginary playmates always ended up on paper. The first things I ever wrote for publication were science fiction and fantasy short stories. 

6.  When did you finally decide to call yourself a writer? 
When I started submitting stories and novels for publication. There are nothing like rejection letters to make you grit your teeth and plant your flag. 

7.  Which of your works are you most proud to have written? 
You might as well ask which one of my grandchildren is my favorite… If I have to choose, I’d say Lucifer’s Crown, a complex supernatural thriller featuring an immortal Thomas Becket and the turn of the twenty-first century. It took me seven years to whittle a coherent, 120,000 word narrative out of British history and mythology. But it’s the book I’d always wanted to write, and by gum, it got written and published. 

8.  What is the scariest thing that has ever happened to you? 
My husband playfully grabbed me from behind one time when I didn’t even realize he was in the house. My scream rattled the windows—and certainly scared my husband, who hadn’t realized I thought I was alone. He never did that again! 

9.  How did you end up getting published? 
Writing, re-writing, writing better, submitting, going to conferences, and getting tips from other writers and from editors. The editor who rejected my first two novels bought the third one, which was based on my first professional sale, a fantasy short story. There was nothing glamorous about getting published, no coronation on the steps of the library, just a stubborn crawl through the maze of the publishing industry. 

10.  Would you be food or fighter if the zombie apocalypse were to happen? 
Food, no doubt about it. I might as well daub myself with mustard and ketchup and wait on the street corner. 

11.  What is the most daring thing you have ever done? 
Several years ago I got a tattoo of the White Tree of Gondor from Tolkien’s legendarium, a symbol that occurs in both book and film versions of The Lord of the Rings. It’s on my upper arm, not the most daring of spots, and sadly, one that gets punctured by the yearly flu shot. But I can either hide it or display it, as appropriate to the moment. 

12.  Would you rather be rich or famous--and you could only have one-- and why?  The fame would be based on something good, not something like being the best serial killer or anything like that. 
 I’d rather be rich, thank you—I enjoy my creature comforts. Many of the people I know who are famous have lost a lot of their peace and privacy. I wouldn’t mind being rich because my books were bestsellers, though how I’d achieve that without being famous, I don’t know.


FROM THE AUTHOR: 

My newest novel is The Avalon Chanter, book seven in the Jean Fairbairn/Alasdair Cameron series:

Archaeologist Maggie Lauder has personal reasons for proving Farnaby Island is the Avalon of Arthurian legend. But when she opens a tomb in a medieval chantry chapel, her plans go awry. The story Jean Fairbairn planned to write is shadowed by a contemporary investigation. Her husband, ex-cop Alasdair Cameron, has a history with the investigating detective, if not as long a history as Maggie does. They are stranded on Farnaby, caught in the conflicting loyalties of its inhabitants, trusting only each other—until they find themselves on opposite sides of a cold case turned scorching hot. 

BIO:
 
Lillian Stewart Carl writes contemporary novels blending mystery with history, romance, and ghosts, and short mystery and fantasy stories.

After growing up in Missouri and Ohio and spending many years in North Texas, she’s developed a passion for mountains and oceans, particularly the ones in Scotland, which is heaven's front porch. With her long-suffering husband, she has wandered countless British single-track roads, from Orkney to Dover and back again. Also, just for variety, she’s excavated the Biblical city of Gezer in Israel, worn a pink and mauve sari to a wedding in Hyderabad, India, searched for Middle Earth in New Zealand, and sung "Waltzing Matilda" in a haunted cottage in the Australian outback.

The Jean Fairbairn/Alasdair Cameron series (America’s exile and Scotland’s finest on the trail of all-too-living legends) begins with The Secret Portrait. The Avalon Chanter (Five Star, January 2014) is book seven of the series and Lillian’s twentieth published novel.

Most of her short stories are collected in Along the Rim of Time and The Muse and Other Stories of History, Mystery, and Myth, including three stories reprinted in World’s Finest Mystery anthologies.  

Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/Lillian-Stewart-Carl/e/B000APJGXC/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Barnes and Noble: 
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Lillian-Stewart-Carl?store=book&keyword=Lillian+Stewart+Carl

Website www.lillianstewartcarl.com.

Facebook page, where I link to blogs and such: https://www.facebook.com/groups/20697943384/permalink/10152014902408385/

Marja McGraw- Twelve Question Tuesday

Today I am excited to welcome Marja McGraw to Twelve Question Tuesday.

1.  Please tell me the three most important things people should know about you.
I’m a klutz. If you see me coming, give me plenty of room. I’ll go out of my way to stick up for what I believe in. I talk a good game, but I don’t really have a lot of self-confidence, so please be kind. 

2.  Are you a dog person or a cat person?
I’m definitely a dog person. We have two Yellow Labrador Retrievers, and they’re outstanding dogs, although they don’t always listen too well. I’ve had dogs most of my adult life and adored each of them for different reasons. I had a miniature toy poodle once who actually saved my daughter and I from an intruder who cut the phone lines and tried to break into the house during the night. (Short version of the story.)

3.  Tea or coffee?
Definitely tea. I love the smell of coffee in the morning, but I’ve never developed a taste for it.

4.  Boxers, briefs, boxer-briefs, or commando? 
LOL None of the above. I’m a girl, after all. 

5.  What was the first thing you ever wrote?
A story for creative writing class in middle school, or as we called it, Jr. High School. A teacher in another class read it aloud to her students and I was shocked, but smiled all the way home from school that day. It was about a dog. There’s that Dog Person coming out in me again. Then I grew up and wrote a terrible book called, Summer’s Ghost. Never published it, but I used the title in another book I wrote.

6.  When did you finally decide to call yourself a writer?
When my first book was published. I don’t like pushy people, and yet I’m pushy because it’s the first thing I tell people about myself. Almost without fail they ask if I write children’s books. Um, no, mysteries. I guess I need a new, grittier look or something. Maybe if I spike my hair?

7.  Which of your works are you most proud to have written?
That’s a tough question. I guess I’d have to say Old Murders Never Die (which is about being stranded in a ghost town). No, on second thought it might be They Call Me Ace (funny stuff). Then again, it might be What Are the Odds? which is my current WIP. I guess they all hold a special place in my heart.

8.  What is the scariest thing that has ever happened to you?
I was quite young I moved into a new apartment. When I walked into the kitchen and stepped on the tile, blood squirted up around the edges. I had horrible visions of a dead body buried under the floor. I ran to a neighbor’s apartment and she ran back with me. She, too, thought it was blood. We were about to call the police when someone else showed up, and it turned out it was rust from a water leak. Oh, brother! Was I ever embarrassed!

And then there was a stalker situation. Oh, and facing a rattle snake up front and personal. Watching the police walk through my home with guns drawn after someone broke in. You could only see their silhouettes through the shades. Hmm. I’ve got a bunch of scariest moments. Then there was the guy who cut the phone lines. The scariest is one I don’t talk about.

Is it any wonder I chose to write mysteries?

 9.  How did you end up getting published?
Persistence and determination. I’m nothing, if not tenacious. Sometimes that can be considered a fault, but in this case it paid off. Writing a readable book didn’t hurt, either.

10.  Would you be food or fighter if the zombie apocalypse were to happen?
I’m laughing over this question. I’d definitely be a fighter, once I got over the shock of seeing a real live zombie. Guess I should rethink my wording. Real live zombie?

11.  What is the most daring thing you have ever done?
I’m not really a very exciting person, so that’s another tough question. I don’t know if it’s daring, but when I worked in law enforcement I once had to search a ladies room for a bomb, with no training. (Many years ago when things were different.) Daring? I’m terrified of flying, so every time I get on an airplane I’m doing something daring.

12.  Would you rather be rich or famous--and you could only have one-- and why?  The fame would be based on something good, not something like being the best serial killer or anything like that.
I’d rather be famous. That would mean people are reading my books. I can’t imagine what it would be like for my name to be a household word. (Can you tell I’m all about books?)

Holli, Thank you for inviting me to visit your site today. Your questions were a lot of fun.

FROM THE WRITER:
 
BLURB:

The Bogey Man – A Sandi Webster Mystery (recently re-released)
Imagine you’re a young female P.I., it’s the early morning hours and you’re watching the motel room of an errant husband. The angry wife shows up and blows your cover, and the husband comes after you. Now imagine Humphrey Bogart comes to your rescue – but the actor has been dead since 1957.

Website:          http://www.marjamcgraw.com/

Blog:               http://blog.marjamcgraw.com/ (Updated weekly)

Amazon:          http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_8?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=marja%20mcgraw&sprefix=marja+mc%2Cstripbooks%2C212&rh=i%3Astripbooks%2Ck%3Amarja%20mcgraw

Lorna Collins- Twelve Question Tuesday

Today I am excited to welcome Lorna Collins to Twelve Question Tuesday.

1.  Please tell me the three most important things people should know about you.
I am a control freak and perfectionist, which may make me a better editor and writer.  I’ve been married to the same man for 48 years and plan to spend as long as I can with him.  I love people, which may also contribute to the reality of my characters. (Larry says I collect friends like others collect stamps!)

2.  Are you a dog person or a cat person?
I must confess, I’m a cat person although we are currently petless by choice.

3.  Tea or coffee?
Coffee, decaf, black. 

4.  Boxers, briefs, boxer-briefs, or commando? (Either what you prefer or what you prefer on others.)
Briefs (on Larry, of course).

5.  What was the first thing you ever wrote?
A poem in about third grade. 

6.  When did you finally decide to call yourself a writer?
Not until after our first book was published, although I’d done technical writing for years.
 
7.  Which of your works are you most proud to have written?
It’s a little like asking which child you love most. My current answer would be The Memory Keeper, our current WIP. We’ve spent about two years doing the research. Oh and of course our memoir, 31 Months in Japan: The Building of a Theme Park.

8.  What is the scariest thing that has ever happened to you?
We were in the old city of Jerusalem being shoved along in a crush of humanity. I was terrified I’d trip and be trampled. 

9.  How did you end up getting published?
After having a couple of agents express interest and then tell us they weren’t, after holding the manuscript for months, we decided to subsidy publish in order to expedite publishing. Our subsequent books were published by independent, royalty-paying publishers.

10.  Would you be food or fighter if the zombie apocalypse were to happen?
I’m such a wuss, I’d probably end up being food.

11.  What is the most daring thing you have ever done?
Giving up the best job I’d ever had to join my husband in Japan to help build the Universal Studios Japan theme park. At least we got our first book out of the adventure!

12.  Would you rather be rich or famous--and you could only have one-- and why?  The fame would be based on something good, not something like being the best serial killer or anything like that.
Probably rich just because of all the good I could do for others.
 
Ghost Writer by Lorna Collins

When unemployed computer programmer Nan Burton inherits a California beach cottage from her great-great-aunt, she’s delighted. But she’s in for a huge surprise: The house is haunted by the ghost of famous romance writer Max Murdoch (pen name Maxine DuBois) who insists Nan complete his last novel, threatening to keep her from sleeping until she agrees. The ensuing clash pits youth against the long-dead but still egotistical author with humorous and moving results.


All our books can be published from the publishers as well as on Amazon, Kindle, Nook, etc. 

Links and trailers are all on our website http://www.lornalarry.com.


You can find Lorna's blog at: http://lornacollins-author.blogspot.com/

Kay Kendall- Twelve Question Tuesday

Today I am excited to welcome writer Kay Kendall to Twelve Question Tuesday. 

1.  Please tell me the three most important things people should know about you.
Half of my family is from Texas, the other from Kansas, and I once lived in Canada for 22 years with my Canadian husband. We’ve been homesteaded happily in Texas since 1990, and he said just yesterday that he calls himself an American. That said, each of us has dual US-Canadian citizenship, as does our son. Gosh, I think that’s more than a mere three things. I lost count.

2.  Are you a dog person or a cat person?
I’m a dog person. I’ve lived with a few cats over the years but am terribly allergic to them anyway. Dogs I can relate to. Cats, not so much, and besides, just thinking about them makes me wheeze and sneeze.

3.  Tea or coffee?
Coffee, big time! When I was in grad school, I remember one day I drank 17 cups of java. I don’t drink that much now but the mugs are bigger. I also try to drink two cups of green tea daily for my health. I’m working on living to 100 and green tea is supposed to help. If you think that I might slosh when I walk around, then you would be correct.

4.  Boxers, briefs, boxer-briefs, or commando?
Assuming I know what you mean by the term “boxer-briefs,” those are the ones I prefer on my husband. Commando style makes me want to giggle.

5.  What was the first thing you ever wrote?
I wrote and illustrated my own version of Clement Moore’s wonderful “Night Before Christmas” when I was about age seven.

6.  When did you finally decide to call yourself a writer?
I began writing fiction about twelve years ago. After two years, while shopping at a Whole Foods, I spotted a mug painted with words from Henry David Thoreau, aimed straight at my heart. “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you’ve imagined.” I bought that mug and drank from it for five more years as I wrote and wrote and wrote. It took that long for me to acknowledge that being a writer was my heart’s desire and another year before I could call myself a writer. Now I call myself an author, because my debut mystery was published last spring. That is the best part, being a published author.

7.  Which of your works are you most proud to have written?
I’ve written two novels. One is a literary coming-of-age story, now safely squirreled away in a drawer. The second is my debut mystery Desolation Row. I can’t choose between the two. It’s like trying to choose your favorite child. I love both novels for different reasons.

8.  What is the scariest thing that has ever happened to you?
In college I was riding my bicycle down a path, barreling down a slight hill, when my brakes failed and I couldn’t stop before zooming onto a busy street. There were cars coming toward me on my right, but I whizzed by in time to not get scrunched. Scared me to death.

9.  How did you end up getting published?
I sent the manuscript of Desolation Row to several agents and three publishers that would take un-agented submissions. Many American agents and some publishers are not keen to take books set outside of the United States, and they definitely didn’t see my Canadian setting as a plus. The publisher I ended up with, however, had already issued books that have Canadian content. Once I saw that on their web page, I knew that Stairway Press of Seattle would be a good fit for my book. The Stairway people are a joy to work with, and because my publisher Ken Coffman runs his operation like a writers’ cooperative, I had input into how my book turned out physically.

10.  Would you be food or fighter if the zombie apocalypse were to happen?
Definitely I’d fight. Nobody or nothing is going to eat ME! I’m the happy eater around here! 

11.  What is the most daring thing you have ever done?
As I am answering these questions, thinking about my life as a writer, I must say that the most daring thing I’ve done is to put myself out into the world as a writer. It takes guts to send your baby/book out into the world, knowing that lots of people will sling mud and say your book is the stupidest thing they’ve ever read. So far my reviews online after been terrific, knock on wood. This week, though, a few worse reviews for the audio version popped up, but those comments sound like they are from younger readers who expected something different from what I write. Anyway, I’ve heard many very famous authors say how down they get about bad comments, so I know I’m in good company and it is well worth the risk.

12.  Would you rather be rich or famous--and you could only have one-- and why?  The fame would be based on something good, not something like being the best serial killer or anything like that.
Forced to pick, I’d much rather be famous. I would go further and choose to be famous for being an author whose books people love to read. Why not rich? That’s easy. Lots of rich people lead very unhappy lives and grow mean and nasty and very, very selfish. Enough said.



BLURB


In 1968 a young bride from Texas uses her CIA-honed skills to catch the real killer when her husband lands in a Canadian jail for murdering the draft-resisting son of a United States senator.

Alone and ill-equipped to negotiate in a foreign country, Austin launches her own investigation into the murder. Austin must find the real killer or risk losing everything. Her love--and her life--are on the line.

MY LINKS


https://www.facebook.com/KayKendallAuthor
http://www.kaykendallauthor.com
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6080853.Kay_Kendall

I Tweet from @kaylee_kendall
I blog twice a month from The Stiletto Gang, beginning in November: http://thestilettogang.blogspot.com/


My debut mystery Desolation Row is available in three formats: paperback, E book, and audio book.

My publisher Stairway Press will mail copies of my book ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD FOR FREE. See
http://www.stairwaypress.com/bookstore/desolation-row/
http://www.amazon.com/Kay-Kendall/e/B00BVUMUD8/
http://www.audible.com/pd/Mysteries-Thrillers/Desolation-Row-Audiobook/B00EIOUUMC/ref=a_cat_Myste_c6_1_t


BIO


Kay Kendall is an international award-winning public relations executive who lives in Texas with her husband, five house rabbits, and spaniel Wills. A fan of historical mysteries, she set her debut mystery during the Vietnam War, a key conflict of last century not overrun with novels. Published by Stairway Press of Seattle, Desolation Row features Austin Starr, a young bride who turns amateur sleuth when her husband is jailed in Canada for murdering the draft-resisting son of a United States senator. Kay is now writing the sequel, Rainy Day Women, that centers on the death of a women’s liberation leader.

D.R. Ransdell- Twelve Question Tuesday

Today I am excited to welcome writer and violinist D.R. Ransdell to Twelve Question

Tuesday. 

1.  Please tell me the three most important things people should know about you.
I love to travel, I play in a mariachi, and I love to speak foreign languages.

2.  Are you a dog person or a cat person? 
5 cats! (No dogs—they’re too hard to leave if I want to travel.)

3.  Tea or coffee?
Coffee in the morning, and then tea in the afternoon!

4.  Boxers, briefs, boxer-briefs, or commando? (Either what you prefer or what you prefer on others.)
Briefs always!

5.  What was the first thing you ever wrote?
A story called “Samantha the Martian.” I think I was in second grade. The story was about a Martian coming to earth and being the substitute teacher for the day.

6.  When did you finally decide to call yourself a writer?
Last spring I finally realized that while I was writing “writing teacher” first on my profile, my own writing was what always came first in my own mind.

7.  Which of your works are you most proud to have written? 
I think writers are almost always most in love with what they’ve just given birth to.  MARIACHI MURDER was born last May, so that’s very exciting. 

8.  What is the scariest thing that has ever happened to you? 
Moving back to the U.S. after five years in Mexico was terrifying and very difficult. 

9.  How did you end up getting published? 
It’s always been a process of sending things out again and again. 

10.  Would you be food or fighter if the zombie apocalypse were to happen? 
I would sit down and start writing about it. 

11.  What is the most daring thing you have ever done? 
Tried to learn Italian and Spanish—in the same year via two study abroad programs. 

12.  Would you rather be rich or famous--and you could only have one-- and why?  The fame would be based on something good, not something like being the best serial killer or anything like that.
Better to be rich. If you’re rich, you have time to travel and write. If you’re famous, your time isn’t your own.

BIO: 

D.R. Ransdell is an author in Tucson, Arizona where she can enjoy good weather most of the year. She loves to travel, so travel often is a feature in her writing. She also plays the violin in both a classical group and a mariachi band. Thus her first mystery is MARIACHI MURDER. Andy knows better than to let a beautiful woman turn his head, but somehow he simply can't help himself even if it means putting his own mariachi group in jeopardy. D.R. has also published a volume of poetry: THE SECRET LIVES OF THE PINK HOUSE CATS. She lives with several cats; she could get more writing done if she didn't have to stop and rescue lizards quite so often!

BLURB:

When Andy’s boss has to go out of town for a baptism, Andy is put in charge of the mariachi restaurant against his will. Not only does he have to lead the band, but he’s supposed to keep an eye on the boss’s much younger wife. After Andy sees Yiolanda fleeing the murder scene of a fellow musician, he’s not sure what to do. The more Andy finds out, the more trouble he gets himself into. He's a sleuth only by accident. He would much rather spend afternoons working on new songs; instead the only way he can hope to restore equilibrium is by taking walks at three a.m., breaking and entering, impersonating his brother, and lying to everyone, including himself. 

www.dr-ransdell.com
http://www.facebook.com/diane.ransdell
http://drransdell.blogspot.com

Buy links:

Amazon: http://goo.gl/NXgv4

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mariachi-murder-d-r-ransdell/1113453597?ean=9781610090568

http://www.powells.com/biblio/61-9781610090568-0