Maggie Sefton

Knitting can be very dangerous! Maggie Sefton, author of the Knitting Mysteries, will prove it with ease…

Hello Maggie and welcome to Veronika Asks for a mysterious interview! Could you please say a few words about yourself, first? If you could describe yourself with three words…
Energetic, curious, love to meet people and see new places.

Now tell us more about your latest release, “A Killer Stitch”, the fourth book in the Knitting Mysteries series.
Here’s a brief blurb : ‘Tis the season for knitters in chilly Fort Connor, Colorado: scarves, sweaters, mittens—and murder. Amid the seasonal cheer of her local family of cowboys and yarn weavers, Kelly Flynn’s intent on trying to separate innocence from icy deceit. . . The House of Lambspun has been bombarded for the holidays. In the midst of overflowing bins of sumptuous yarns, unexpected winter romance buzzes in chorus with the spindles of shy new spinning instructor Lucy Adair. But when an alpaca rancher is found dead in Bellevue Canyon, avid knitter and sometime-sleuth Kelly Flynn quickly puts these Front Range pastimes aside. With his reputation for lovin’ and leavin’ the ladies of Fort Connor, it seems a little strange that the victim’s final admirer was a fiancee. . .none other than the hopelessly bereaved Lucy Adair. Unluckily, Kelly also finds herself inked to the prime suspect in the case—a rejected former lover of the playboy rancher. Charged with keeping both spinner and spurned from going over the edge, she’ll discover more than a few secrets tangled on this triad’s bobbin.

Why did you choose the knitting world to set up your mysteries? That’s really uncommon, you’d rather say that nothing really scary can happen with knitting… Do you knit yourself?
Well, I didn’t choose it. I fell down the “rabbit hole” into that world of color and texture in May 2003 when I went into the Lambspun yarn shopin Ft. Collins, CO, to interview knitters for a non-fiction article I was writing. I didn’t knit, so I had to find people who did. Once I met the great people around the knitting table, I kept coming back everyweek—talking, learning to knit, having a loads of fun. Four months later, Kelly Flynn and friends “walked onstage” with their story. I’ve been writing novels for over 25 years and that’s how it always works forme. Anyway, I recognized the story as another amateur sleuth mystery since I’d just finished writing one with a real estate agent as sleuth. So, I started writing down the scenes that Kelly & friends were sending.

Is Kelly, your heroine, a bit like you?
Oh yes, I learned by sitting around the knitting table, getting instructions from the knitters. Just like Kelly.

What will happen to Kelly next? How many Knitting Mysteries do you think there will be?
Well—the next in the series, book #5, DYER CONSEQUENCES, will be out June 2008. In that book there’s a real honest, in-your-face threat to Kelly. There’s a murder to be solved and at the same time there’s a continuing building threat to Kelly. That culminates in the climax when Kelly is face to face with the killer, and the killer wants Kelly dead. And very nearly does it. I have no idea how many stories will be in the series. I’ll write them as long as the readers keep wanting to read them.

You also started a new series, the Real Estate Mysteries and the first novel is “Dying to sell”. This is really different from knitting! Tell us more about it!
Actually, DYING TO SELL was the first amateur sleuth mystery I wrote. It’s got a real estate agent as sleuth and she walks in and finds her client stabbed in the throat. (And yes, I did spend a few years as a real estate agent. Great fun).

How did you break into the publishing world?
I was first published back in 1995 in historical fiction. I’ve been writing novels for over 25 years and had written over one million words offiction before I wrote the first mystery in 2001-2002.

I read that you used to write Western Historical novels. Why did you switch to mystery?
I was writing great big historical sagas usually (which didn’t sell). The western was the exception. Finally it dawned on me that all of those books (over a million words) had mysteries in them. Several mysteries in each one. A lightbulb went off. And I realized I had contemporary mystery characters that wanted on stage too. Once I did–everything changed. Those books started selling.

How do you write (how, when, where…)?
I try to write regularly every day. This gets trickier when I’m traveling.

What do you think about eBooks?
I think they have a place in the publishing world.

What are you working on right now?
I’ve just finished revisions for the next book out in the series, DYER CONSEQUENCES, so now I’m working on the book that will be published after that one (Fall 2008) which will be a holiday-themed mystery—continuing characters, of course.

And now the famous Nothing-To-Do-With-Books question : You’ve just found 100 $ in your pocket, how will you use that money?
Put it in my travel fund. I love to travel.

Would you like to add something, Maggie?
Thanks for asking me, Veronika. I’ve enjoyed the interview.

“Tea or Coffee?”

Saturday evening. Going out or reading a book ? Half and half. I love going to the movies.
Holidays. Beach or Mountains ? I love both. Since I live in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, the mountains are definitely closer.
Country or City ? I’m a city girl, but I love relaxing in nature.
Watching a movie. Comedy or Drama (or something else ?) I love both and I love action-adventure. Thrillers, etc.
Shy or Easy-going ? Not shy anymore. I’m very out-going.
Serious or Funny ? Funny.
Traveler or not ? Definitely love to travel.
Sporty or not ? I used to play a lot of tennis but I’ve been a runner/jogger since the late 1970′s.
The Leader or not ? I can play it any way the group wants. I think groups have their own “dynamic.”

“Favorite…”

TV show: “LOST” and “24″
Movie : Ohhh, I can’t narrow it down. I see LOTS of movies.
Book : same answer
City : Paris, Washington, DC, New York
Food : yummy French cafe
Music : very wide and eclectic taste in music—from Rock to Bach
Favourite place to write: outside w/trees in shade
Quote or motto : Believe in yourself.

Thanks, Maggie!
You can visit Maggie’s website: http://www.maggiesefton.com/

R.J. Harlick

Mystery author R.J. Harlick talks about her Canadian mystery series and her writing methods…

Hi Robin, I’m glad to welcome you on the new Veronika Asks blog for the “Mysterious July”! Please introduce yourself to our readers in a few words…
Hi Veronika. I’m very happy for the opportunity to introduce myself to your visitors. I write the Meg Harris mystery series that is set in the wilds of West Quebec. The first book, Death’s Golden Whisper, came out in 2004, the second Red Ice for a Shroud was published last year. And the next River Runs Orange comes out next spring. I am busily working on the 4th Meg Harris, which has Meg traveling from her home in West Quebec to Canada’s Arctic, Baffin Island to be specific.

If you could then describe yourself with only three words…
Gorgeous….not quite

Tell us about your Meg Harris series…
The Meg Harris series stars, who else, but Meg Harris, a Torontonian who has fled the big city for the peace of Three Deer Point, a 1500 acre property in West Quebec, where trees out number people a million to one and lakes a thousand to one. One hundred and fifty kilometers from nowhere, her closest neighbour is the Migiskan Algonquin First Nations Reserve. Needless to say, her sought for peace is often interrupted by a murder or two and Meg invariably finds herself struggling to catch the killer.

In the Meg Harris series, I explore the tensions amongst the peoples that live in this isolated wilderness, English-Canadians, Quebecois and the Algonquin First Nations. I also want to introduce my readers to the traditional ways of the Algonquin, many of which have been lost over the years, and the issues facing them in today’s modern world. Plus I love the Great Canadian Outdoors. So the wilderness setting in the Meg Harris series plays almost as great a role as the characters.

Your latest release is “Red Ice for a Shroud”. Tell us what Meg has to deal with in this episode?
It’s so hard to answer a question like this, since I really don’t want to give the mystery away. But safe to say while preparing a network of cross-country skiing trails, Meg and Eric Odjik, band chief of the Migiskan, discover the frozen and naked remains of a young Quebecoise. A young Algonquin is charged with her murder. Believing him innocent, Meg sets out to prove it and finds herself battling the reality of police prejudice against natives. Meanwhile Eric is confronted with a drug problem on the Migiskan Reserve. Are the two events connected?
As Meg struggles to unravel the truth, the snow turns to freezing rain locking her wilderness in a prison of ice.

What about some new Meg Harris mysteries? Will there be another Meg book?
I’m very excited about the upcoming Meg Harris, River Runs Orange, to be released in Spring 2008.
In River Runs Orange I explore ancient beliefs versus the world of scientific thought. It starts off dramatically with Meg and Eric paddling down a river filled with rapids. And of course they dump. While Meg is waiting for Eric to retrieve the canoe, she discovers a skull. Who was this person? And how did they die?
The Migiskan Reserve becomes embroiled in a fight over these remains. And of course it leads to a nasty murder.

Who were you before starting to write? How did you start writing (or ‘What was the sparkle that made you want to write mysteries?’)?
In another life I was a management consultant in information technology. Just after a strategic birthday, I asked myself “What I wanted to do for the rest of my life?” And answered, “Certainly not consulting!” I’d always wanted to write. In fact had this image of myself tapping away at my computer in some bucolic spot. I’d always loved reading mysteries. In fact one would say I grew up on a diet of Nancy Drew and Agatha Christie books. So I said, “Now was as good a time as any.” And sat down to write the opening pages of the first Meg Harris mystery, Death’s Golden Whisper.

How do you write (where, when, how)? How do you react to the writer’s block?
I try to devote my mornings to writing and write both at my city home in Ottawa and country home, a log cabin in the Quebec woods. Mind you I do find I’m most productive at the cabin. So I guess you could say I have fulfilled my dream of tapping away in some bucolic spot.
All my writing is done on the computer. I start with a general idea of the plot and an opening scene and go from there. As much as I try to outline, I find it doesn’t work. Invariably the characters take me where they want to go. Once I have finished a chapter I rarely go back to it until I have finished the first draft. My main objective is to get the story down.
As for writers block, well I guess we all encounter it. I write as far as I can go, play solitaire, read my e-mail, walk the dog, write a bit more, play solitaire, read my e-mail, walk the dog and so on. I find the key thing is to write some words. It may not be much and it may all change, but at least something is being put down on paper. Eventually it unblocks and off I go until the next wall is hit.

Do you sometimes have problems with the puzzle?
I can’t say that this is ever a problem with me. The further I go in a story the more fun I have with the plot. New ideas pop up. New opportunities arise to confuse the reader. If anything I have to ensure that I don’t make the plot too complex.

Do you have some advices for young writers?
Once those first words are down, don’t look back, just keep marching ahead. I find many new writers spend too much time trying to perfect the words they have written and end up never finishing the story or book they are working on. The main objective is to finish the story. The editing, the revisions come in later. In fact one could almost say that writing fiction is all about re-writing and re-writing, but only after the first draft. I find I get to know my story and characters better with every revision.

What do you think about eBooks? Would you like to write one?
In theory eBooks are a great idea, but in reality they have yet to prove themselves. By that I mean in sales. For as much as we writers love to write, we do want book sales. Any writer I have known that has published an eBook has had a very difficult time on the sales side. Readers are still too attached to the touch and feel of a hardcopy book. They want to be able to browse through a bookstore, glance at a few pages to get a sense of the book. Or they want to grab the first book that catches their eye when they walk in the front door. So visibility becomes all important. EBooks don’t have that same visibility.
At this point in time, I wouldn’t specifically write an eBook, rather I write for the print medium with the possibility that it may also be published in e-format.

And now the famous Nothing-To-Do-With-Books question : You’ve just found 100 $ in your pocket, how will you use it?
Oh gosh, wouldn’t I love to do that. Because I would view it as found money, I’d probably take my husband and I out for a terrific dinner with a delicious bottle of wine. But if I’m feeling particularly thankful, I might give it to one of my favourite environmental charities.

Which books would you advise for a perfect beach read? Have some favorite authors to feature?
Mysteries, what else! Mary Jane Maffini has a new series out starting with the first book, Organize Your Corpses. Barbara Fradkin’s Honour Among Men, which just won the Arthur Ellis Award for Best Novel. Rick Mofina’s, A Perfect Grave. In fact any Canadian mystery. Go to the Crime Writers of Canada website to get the latest list of Cool Canadian Crime – http://www.crimewriterscanada.com – I’m not biased, am I?

“Tea or Coffee?”

Saturday evening. Going out or reading a book ? Probably read a book – I’m a bit of a homebody
Holidays. Beach or Mountains ? Tough choice. I love both. It would depend upon whether I’m feeling particularly lazy
Country or City ? No contest – country
Watching a movie. Comedy or Drama (or something else ?) ? Drama
Shy or Easy-going ? Shy
Serious or Funny ? Serious
Traveler or not ? Traveler
Sporty or not ? Not sure I’d call myself sporty, but I love to be active outdoors, be it hiking, skiing or canoeing.
The Leader or not ? A tendency to be the leader

“Favorite…”

TV show: Changes frequently, but at the moment it is NCIS
Movie : I’m not much of a movie goer, so nothing comes immediately to mind
Book : The Lymond Chronicles by Dorothy Dunnett
City : Paris
Food : changes frequently, plus I have many favourites, But at the moment the smoked artic char I brought back from a recent trip to Iqaluit in Nunavut to do research for the 4th Meg Harris was something to die for
Music : depends on my mood – Puccini’s opera Tosca is my current favourite
Favourite place to write: my log cabin
Quote or motto: Keep on trucking…

Nancy J. Cohen

Beauty and mysteries with author Nancy J. Cohen and her Bad Hair Day Mysteries series!

Hi Nancy, I’m glad to welcome you to the new Veronika Asks blog for the “Mysterious July”! Please describe yourself with three words…
Dedicated, loyal, friendly.

Tell us about your Bad Hair Day Mystery series…
Hairdresser Marla Shore solves crimes with humor and style under the sultry Florida sun. She owns and operates the Cut ‘N Dye salon, which is the backdrop for the series. I like to include issues of importance to Floridians in my stories, as well as topics that interest me so the reader and I both learn something new. Marla chases after suspects at my favorite weekend getaways, so you get a taste for different parts of Florida. Humor is important to the story, as wellas Marla’s romance with Detective Dalton Vail, and her relationships with other friends and family.

Your latest release is Perish by Pedicure. What happens to Marla in this episode?
When Marla takes a job as assistant hairstylist to a platform artist at a beauty show, she doesn’tcount on murder being part of the program. She’s excited to work for Luxor Products, hoping the connection can advance her career. That is, until company director Christine Parks is found dead in her hotel room, face down in a foot bath. Suspect number one is Marla’s college roommate, Georgia Rogers. Since Georgia recommended Marla for the glamorous job, the least Marla can do for her in return is to clear her name. To complicate matters, her fiancé’s former in-laws have come for a visit, putting Marla’s temper on a short fuse just when she needs her wits to solve the crime.

Killer Knots will be out in December 2007. Tell us more about it!
Florida hairstylist Marla Shore hopes for a romantic interlude with her fiancé on their first Caribbean cruise, but a storm brews on the horizon. Troubled waters lie dead ahead when her dinner companions start disappearing one-by-one. Then Marla learns a killer may be along for the ride. On board art auctions, ports of call, and sumptuous buffets beckon, but she ignores temptation and musters her snooping skills to expose the culprit. She’d better find him fast, before her next shore excursion turns into a trip to Davy Jones’s locker.

Will there be another Marla Shore book?
Maybe. I’m working on other projects right now. Doing too much of the same thing constricts the creative muscles, and every now and then it’s good to stretch them.

Who were you before starting to write? How did you start writing?
I’ve been writing ever since I can remember. When I was younger, I did poems, short stories, and a Shakespearean-type play. In 1975, I decided to write a novel and bought a how-to book to help me learn the structure. Even though I’ve tried to stop being a writer, I am unable to quit writing stories. I take notes wherever I go, and characters keep talking in my head. It’s an addiction. As for my other career, I have a master’s degree in nursing and worked in that field for ten years before retiring to write full time. I still maintain my R.N. license.

Why do you set your mysteries in the beauty world? What gave you this idea?
I was in the hair salon getting a perm, waiting for my timer to go off, and I had nothing good toread. I glanced at the other customers who were staring into space waiting for their timers to gooff. I thought, we need something gripping to read to kill time. Let’s kill off one of these ladies! Thus PERMED TO DEATH was born. In that story, hairstylist and salon owner Marla Shore isgiving grumpy Mrs. Kravitz a perm when the old lady croaks in the shampoo chair. Marla has to prove her innocence to handsome Detective Dalton Vail.
Marla is a businesswoman as well as a talented professional who cares about her customers. A stylist has to be a good listener, so she’s a natural for a sleuth. She knows many people around town, and clients confide in her. The beauty parlor is a great background setting for a mystery series. People are constantly walking in, gossiping, and exchanging information. Plus, it’s fun to research, and I can write off my hair appointments on my taxes.

How do you write (where, when, how)?
I write in the morning after walking my dog. My quota is five pages a day or a chapter a week. This takes place in my home office. I use Dragon Naturally Speaking Preferred voice recognition program to save my fingers from so much typing.

How do you react to the writer’s block?
Depends on what’s causing it. If it’s a problem with the story I’m writing, I’ll take time out to determine the purpose of the next scene. Usually I write a synopsis first so I know where the story is going. But other things can cause writer’s block: outside distractions, loss of confidence, rejections, changes to editors, publishing imprints, etc. This stuff is harder to overcome. Sometimes you just need to take time off.

Do you have some advice for aspiring authors?
Study the craft. Attend workshops. Join professional organizations. Go to conferences. Keep writing. Develop a thick skin. Never give up and never surrender.

What do you think about eBooks?
I believe eBooks have a future ahead, especially when eBook readers become standardized. Kids today download everything on their iPods and such; why not books? But folks like me still like to hold a book in hand. I look at a computer all day; I don’t want to read books on them. However, I’d be happy to gain new readers by having my books in that format. Unfortunately, authors aren’t earning much in the way of income from this source yet, and we do want to make a living at this career.

And now the famous Nothing-To-Do-With-Books question : You’ve just found 100 $ in your pocket, how will you use that money?
Spend it on groceries. It costs so much when you go to the store to stock your food shelves these days.

Which books would you advise for a perfect beach read? Have some favourite authors to feature?
Harry Potter. I’m a fan like everyone else. If you want my personal list of favorite authors, please email me at nancy.j.cohen@comcast.net

Would you like to add something, Nancy?
Yes, thank you very much for your interest in my work.
Please visit my sites http://www.nancyjcohen.com, http://mysterygal.bravejournal.com

“Tea or Coffee?”

Saturday evening: Read a book
Holidays: Beach on a tropical island
Country or City ? Suburbs.
Watching a movie: Romantic comedy
Shy or Easy-going ? Easy-going
Serious or Funny ? A little of both, probably more serious
Traveler or not ? Yes
Sporty or not ? Not, although I like to walk on nature trails
The Leader or not ? Depends on the group

“Favorite…”

TV show: Stargate SG-1, and after ten years, it’s OVER! Bwaaa…..
Movie : Star Wars, Galaxy Quest, Star Trek IV
Book : Too many to mention
City : Orlando
Food : Salmon
Music : Mozart
Favourite place to write in : Home
Quote or motto: Be Prepared.

Thank you, Nancy!
You can pay Nancy a visit here: http://www.nancyjcohen.com

Ellen Byerrum

Ellen Byerrum takes us into the mysterious fashion world with her heroine, Lacey Smithsonian. Follow them in “The Raiders of the Lost Corset”!

Hi Ellen! Welcome on “Veronika asks”! Would you like to introduce yourself?
Thanks so much for inviting me to your Web site. I’m a mystery writer in Alexandria, Virginia, where I live with my husband. During the day, I work as a journalist for a trade publication. Although I have been a newspaper reporter in the past, I’m not now. I have a private investigator’s registration in the state of Virginia, which I acquired as part of my research for my books. And I am a playwright with two plays that are published by Samuel French Inc. under my pen name of Eliot Byerrum.

A bit of Astrology, now: what is your sign? Do you match your sign’s description?
My sign is Aquarius, but I’m not sure that I’m a typical Aquarian. I’m not that impressed with technology. (Most are said to be technology lovers.) I think there’s a place for quiet days without computers. Aquarians are supposed to be intelligent, and I’d like to think I am, but opinions may differ.

If you could describe yourself with three words…
Friendly, loyal, tenacious. (I asked my husband how he would describe me in three words. All he said was “very carefully.” That’s only two words.)

Now, let’s talk a bit about Lacey and her adventures… especially “The Raiders of the Lost Corset”!
This is the fourth book in the Crime of Fashion mysteries starring Lacey Smithsonian. In Raiders of the Lost Corset, Lacey grabs the chance to see Paris, the fashion capital of the world, and chase the fashion story of a lifetime. Her quarry: a legendary lost Romanov corset lined with jewels. Pursued by a Russian ex-spy and an English jewel thief, she and her fellow “raiders of the lost corset” chase a bloody thread of clues from Washington to Paris and Normandy and finally to New Orleans, finding, and fleeing, romantic complications and danger at every twist in the trail, while an elusive killer pulls the laces on this mystery every tighter.

How did you create Lacey? Are you a bit like her?
Some years ago, I was reading a lot of mystery novels about women who were smart, tough, witty, intelligent, resourceful and brave. But they found fashion to be frightening. I wanted to read about a heroine who could have all those tough private-eye qualities but also know how to dress herself in style. I made her a fashion reporter in D.C., the city that fashion forgot. Lacey is a bit like me, and her apartment is a great deal like mine, but she has a better wardrobe of vintage 1940s fashions.

Lacey’s books take place in the fashion world. Are you a fashion fan yourself? Did you work in the fashion world before starting writing?
I love clothes and fashion, but I think having a personal sense of style is more important than following fads. For a short while, I worked at the headquarters of a large salon chain, which helped to inspire some of the events in my first book, Killer Hair, and the character of Stella Lake, Lacey’s sidekick.

Will there be another Lacey’s adventure?
Yes, I’m working hard on finishing the next book in the series. It will be titled “Grave Apparel,” and it is set at Christmas time in Washington.

You used to work as a journalist. Did it help you?
Being a journalist is a great background for being a novelist. It helps teach you discipline and it teaches you to listen for each person’s voice, his (or her) distinct way of expressing himself. I try to pay attention to my characters so that they are not interchangeable.

You tell so many funny anecdotes about it on your website, can you tell us one now?
I’m afraid one of the traits I share with Lacey is curiosity. Knowing the end of the story is important to me. That’s probably how I wound up climbing through a massage parlor window at my first job as a reporter, in a very rough and tough boom town on the Western slope of Colorado. I did manage to get in and interview the girls there and ended up being offered a job. They told me I’d make a lot more money than I was as a reporter. I declined – and wrote the story instead.

How do you usually work?
I try to write every day when I’m in the middle of a book. I work at home, or at coffee shops and the library. I work on the computer, but I also like to write using pen and paper.

How about the writer’s block?
I take long walks and I discuss things with my husband, who is brilliant and a very good listener. Sometimes I like to take a shower. The water pounding over my head gets the thoughts running. It might not work for everyone, but it works for me.

How do you see your reader? You know, when you say to yourself: “there’s somebody reading my book right now”…who do you picture?
Wow. It changes, because I often meet my readers in person at book signings, and I also receive e-mails from them. I know that some of them are teenagers, some are grandmothers, most are somewhere in between. I think it’s a wide range of ages and interests. I hope so.

And now the nothing-to-do-with-books question: you’ve just found 100 $ in your pocket, how will you use that money?
Go see a play, especially anything by Moliere, my favorite playwright. I don’t have nearly enough time for the theatre, but I love it.

“Tea or Coffee?”

Saturday evening. Going out or reading a book ? Going out.
Holidays. Beach or Mountains ? Beach, even though I was born in a Rocky Mountain state.
Country or City ? City, but country on vacation.
Watching a movie. Comedy or Drama (or something else ?) ? Comedy, or film noir.
Shy or Easy-going ? Not shy, pretty easygoing.
Serious or Funny ? Funny is serious, isn’t it?
Traveler or…? Traveler, when I can.
Sporty or Couch Potato? Not ultra sporty. I like to walk and to swim.
Leader or Follower? Depends on the group.

“Favorite…”

TV show: 24, last season.
Movie: His Girl Friday with Rosalind Russell and Cary Grant
Book: At the moment, Heloise and Abelard by James Burge and The Lost Love Letters of Heloise and Abelard by Constant J. Mews
Music: Big band, standards
Food: Mexican
City: Paris; New Orleans; Doylestown, Pennsylvania
Place to write: Library
Motto: I have this quote from Henry David Thoreau taped to my computer: “If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”

Thank you, Ellen!
You can visit Ellen’s site http://www.ellenbyerrum.com

Gemma Halliday #2

Gemma Halliday is back with a new High Heels Mystery and a story in an anthology, “Dreams and Desires”… Take a trip to Vegas and support a good cause!

Hi Gemma and welcome back on Veronika asks!
Thanks, Veronika! I love your site, I’m always happy to visit.

Let’s talk about Killer in High Heels, your second novel in the High Heels series! So, how have you been since our last talking on July 2006? Lots of work?
I’ve been hard at work on my third High Heels book, as well as putting the finishing touches on number two, which will be out later thismonth. In addition to that, I was fortunately enough to have a shortstory published in the DREAMS AND DESIRES charity anthology earlierthis month. So, life has been a whirlwind lately, but I’m enjoying every minute of it.

“Killer in High Heels” will be out on February 27th, 2007! Can you tell us a bit more about what will happen to Maddie?
In KILLER IN HIGH HEELS, Maddie gets a mysterious phone call from herlong-lost father, which leads her to fabulous Las Vegas. While thereshe gets tangled up with a group of shoe trafficking mobsters, aover-zealous tabloid reporter, a handful of ageing drag queens, andone ruthless killer. Oh yes, and, of course, the uber-sexy Detective Ramirez. This one was a blast to write, I just loved the wacky, decadent setting and got a kick out creating some of the interesting new characters.

And then comes “Undercover in High Heels”…
UNDERCOVER IN HIGH HEELS finds Maddie working as a wardrobe assistant on the set of a hit TV show. Which is a dream job until a pretty young actress turns up dead in the star’s trailer. Along with herusual cast of oddball friends and family, Maddie is soon on the trail of Hollywood’s hottest killer. I used to work in television, so thiswas really fun for me to write, drawing on a lot of personal experience. Though, no, I never stumbled over dead bodies on the set!UNDERCOVER should be hitting stores later this summer.

You also have a story published in “Dreams and Desires”, a fabulous anthology. Tell us more about it.
The anthology is put out by Freya’s Bower and is actually going tobecome an annual event. All the proceed from the sale of the booksare going directly to help victims of domestic violence and Marci Baun, the editor in chief of Freya’s Bower, has just done an amazing job pulling it all together, putting out a fantastic book for a wonderful cause. My contribution is a short story called, “Confessions of a Bombshell Bandit”. It’s about a woman who is fired, evicted, and robbed all in the same day and decides to take her life into her own hands with avery no-more-miss-nice-chick attitude.

You can view a trailer for thestory on my website and also on my MySpace page http://www.myspace.com/highheelsmysteries & http://www.gemmahalliday.com

I heard there will be a fourth one.
Yes, there will! It is yet untitled, in fact I’m running a contest on my website right now to name that book [It will be Alibi in High Heels]. In this one, Maddie will bejetsetting around Europe, hot on the trail of a Cary Grant-esque cat bugler turned murder suspect. I’m really excited to explore a European setting and am hoping to incorporate a lot of Parisian fashion into the story.

Do you plan another one?
The series is very open-ended, but at the moment I’m only contract for the four books. We’ll see how demanding Maddie gets for more pagetime, though.

We talked about it at the Virtual Book Launch Party on February 1st, if you’d turn High Heels into a movie, do you have an idea about the cast?
I love this question! Yes, my first book, SPYING IN HIGH HEELS, has recently been optioned for a television series. No word on production yet, but it’s an exciting possibility. Personally, I always saw Maddie as the Reece Witherspoon’s character in Legally Blonde. Cute, perky, and totally smart under that pink and blonde exterior. As for Ramirez, any one of those hunky Spanish soap stars would work for me

Would you like to add something?
Thanks so much for having me, Veronika! It’s always fun to come chat with you.

Thanks, Gemma!
Gemma’s website http://www.gemmahalliday.com

Gemma Halliday

Today I welcome Gemma Halliday, who talks about her first mystery novel “Spying in High Heels”, which takes you to L.A’s mysterious fashion world!

Hi Gemma, would you like to introduce yourself to your readers?
Thanks for having me Veronika! Hi everyone, I’m a new author with my first book, Spying In High Heels, coming out in August. It’s the first in the High Heels Mysteries series, featuring shoe designer turned amateur sleuth, Maddie Springer. And while Maddie and I are both short, blonde, slightly neurotic yet highly fashionable California girls, I will staunchly deny any rumors that it’s autobiographical.

I always have my Astrology question: what is your sign? Do you match your sign’s description?
Oh, I love astrology! I actually once worked as a 900 number psychic astrologer. I’m a Sagittarius. And, yes, I’m a typical archer girl in a big way. I love to meet new people, travel, and am brutally honest enough to find myself sticking my foot firmly in my mouth on many an occasion.

If you could describe yourself with three words, it would be…
Fun, friendly, workaholic.

Now, please, tell us more about “Spying in High Heels”, which will be released in August 2006…
In Spying In High Heels Maddie’s boyfriend, a prominent L.A. attorney, goes missing, and, due to a very late monthly visitor, Maddie is desperate to track him down. What she runs into instead is a twenty-million dollar embezzlement scheme, a sexy cop, a porn star, a pair of Russian contortionists, and a dead body that make her missed period seem like the least of her problems. And all of this while helping her mother plan a kitchy second wedding and post-menopausal bachelorette party. It’s a fun, fast paced story with lots of action – a great summer beach read!

Do you plan a sequel?
Yes! I have three more High Heels books in the works. The next installment, Killer In High Heels, takes Maddie to fabulous Las Vegas and is due to hit bookstores in March 2007.

Maddie is a shoe designer and she loves shopping. Do you share her love for shoes and clothes in general?
Hi, I’m Gemma and I’m a shoe-aholic. Yes, I love the clothes. I can’t claim my closet is filled with quite the array of designer labels that Maddie’s is, but I’m a sucker for a half-priced pair of heels.

Did you work in the fashion world before?
No, I actually worked in film and television. Which was really fun because I got to play dress-up every day. I think my favorite was working on the set of the movie “Buddy”, where I got all dolled up in vintage 1920′s clothes. Two hours in hair and make-up, but it was so worth it.

There is a “cop” in your story, did you meet some of them, took notes…?
Actually, most of my police jargon has come from the wives of officers. I met a few of them locally and they were fantastic about disclosing the day-to-day of living with a police officer. They were great women and, let me tell you, those ladies are tough cookies.

The usual “writing question”, how do you work? How do you react to the writer’s block?
I generally write about 4 hours a day, depending on deadlines. I’m a big plotter. I like to know exactly what’s happening before I sit down to write a scene, so I usually do a detailed outline of my books first. Things tend to change as I go, but at least I have a general roadmap of the story.Writer’s block. Blech, hate it. Yes, I’ve had my share of that pesky demon. I generally do something totally non-writing related to get my mind off my characters for a while. Go for a walk, read a book, try on some shoes.

Do you have an advice for young writers?
Just keep writing! The more you write, the better you get at it. Some days I’m sure I’m writing pure dredged, but if I just keep writing, generally something semi-brilliant will eventually come out of it.

I looove your website and bookcover. Did you choose them yourself? Is it important to work with an illustrator/designer?
Thank you! The website I designed myself, with the help of my amazing computer guru brother. I love the old Hollywood feel, so I tried to do a kind of modern take on that. The book cover was all the art department at Dorchester. They do a fabulous job with all their covers, and this one is no exception. Wow, was I overjoyed when I saw it. Wait until you see the cover for Killer In High Heels. It’s going to be fabulous!

And now the nothing-to-do-with-books question : You’ve just found 100 $ in your pocket, your plans?
New shoes, of course!

“Tea or Coffee?”

Saturday evening. Going out or reading a book ?Go out.
Holidays. Beach or Mountains ?Oh, tough one. I grew up in the mountains, so love that. But I have to say, I’m a beach bunny at heart.
Country or City ?Oh a little of both. Which is what I love about where I live. It’s got a small town feel, with tons of wooded areas and hiking trails, yet I’m just minutes from San Francisco and all the benefits of a big city.
Watching a movie. Comedy or Drama (or something else ?) ?Comedy all the way.
Shy or Easy-going ?Easy-going.
Serious or Funny ?Funny. (I hope!)
Traveler or not ?Traveler.
Sporty or not ?Hmmm… does shopping count as a sport?
The Leader in the group or not ?Hmm… depends on where the group’s going. I sometimes like to meander in the back and take the scenic route.

“Favorite…”

TV show: Seinfeld
Movie : White Christmas
Book (and by the way, what are you reading during your free time ?) ? : I have to pick just one?! Hmmm… I’ll go with a classic then. Gone With the Wind.
Music : 1950′s bebop & crooners
City : Los Angeles
Favorite place to write : My bedroom, Starbucks, the park… just about anywhere.
Quote or motto : Never give up, never surrender. Okay, I stole that from “Galaxy Quest”, but it’s such a great line.

Thank you, Gemma!
Gemma’s website http://www.gemmahalliday.com

John Lamb

Meet best-selling author John Lamb. He’ll take you on a great mysterious trip to Virginia and make you discover the strange story of “The Mournful Teddy”.

Hello John, nice to welcome you on “Veronika asks” ! Can you introduce yourself to our readers?
I’m a retired Southern California cop, who served as a CSI, a homicide investigator and detective sergeant. Now I live in farm country in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia with my wife, Joyce, two golden retrievers, and six cats. Oh, and we’re both teddy bear collectors. We have over 600 and our house is decorated with them.

If you could describe yourself with three words…
Determined, intelligent, and funny.

“The Mournful Teddy” is already a bestseller. Can you tell us more about this novel?
After being shot and wounded, San Francisco PD homicide inspector Brad Lyon is medically retired. He and Ashleigh, his teddy bear artist wife move to the Shenandoah Valley, where they must defy the local sheriff and solve a murder connected with the theft of a historical teddy bear worth $168,000. By the way, the teddy bear exists in real life. In 1912, the German toy maker Steiff produced a limited edition of teddy bears to commemorate the sinking of the Titanic. “The Mournful Teddy” is a hybrid between a cozy and police procedural and I had a lot of fun writing it.

You say on your website that “The Mournful Teddy” is the first in a series featuring Brad and Ash Lyon. What’s going to happen in the next book?
The second book in the series is “The False-Hearted Teddy,” which is scheduled for release in June 2007. Set six months after “The Mournful Teddy,” Brad is now making teddy bears with Ash. They go to a teddy bear show in Baltimore, where a beloved bear artist is murdered and it’s up to my sleuth couple to solve the mystery.

I read you were a deputy sheriff and a hostage negotiator (and I’ll stop here, the list is long!) and your wife Joyce is a latent fingerprint expert and crime analyst. Do you write together?
No, I write the books by myself, but Joyce is my proofreader. With her background in pattern analysis, she not only corrects my mechanical errors, but identifies plot holes and inconsistencies. Her other important function is acting as the model for Ash Lyon. Joyce was a superb investigator and it’s a treat to give the rest of the world a peek at the amazing woman I married.

How did you start writing? How did you get published?
I’ve been interested in writing fiction ever since junior high school, but my other great ambition was to become a cop. When I retired from the police force in 1997, Joyce strongly encouraged me to pursue my other dream of becoming an author. My first effort was the nonfiction “San Diego Specters,” a book of investigations into haunted places. It was published in 1999 and is considered one of the better books on ghost phenomena written in the past fifty years. After that, I wrote my first mystery novel, “Echoes of the Lost Order.” It took two years to get an agent and another year for the book to be sold to Five Star Publications. That was in 2003. But to show you how quickly things can change, three weeks after selling “Echoes,” I signed a contract with Berkley Prime Crime to produce “The Mournful Teddy” series.

Why do you write mysteries?
Because they’re fun and allow me to give the reader some insights into what it’s like to actually investigate a murder. One of the things I really like to share with readers is the interrogation process, which can involve so many intriguing facets such as interpreting body language, semantics, and nonverbal cues.

How do you work (when, where, how)?
When I’m writing a book, I treat it as I would regular employment. I start work at 8 a.m., take a break at lunch, and then work from 1 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. Then I’ll go back to work in the evening. I have a home office and do my writing there. As far as the “how” is concerned, I work from a pretty comprehensive synopsis. I know where the book is going before I start. My usual workday output is about 1000 words, but there are times when I produce over 3000 words a day.

What’s your best memory about novel-writing? And the worst?
My best memory was when I finished the first three chapters of “The Mournful Teddy,” which were part of the proposal package being sent to Berkley Prime Crime. Joyce read the chapters and said, “This is really good and someone is going to buy this book.” She was right. Berkley quickly snatched up the project. I don’t know if I’d call this a worst memory, but I certainly was apprehensive when I learned the identity of my first Berkley editor. Leona Nevler (who, sadly, died in December 2005) was a publishing industry legend. She’d acquired the original rights to “Peyton Place” back in the 1950s and the list of authors she edited over the years reads like a virtual Who’s Who of American popular fiction. Naturally, I was anxious over Leona’s assessment of “Teddy,” but it turned out that she really liked it.

Are they moments when you just can’t complete the puzzle? What do you do in that case?
As I mentioned before, I begin by writing a very detailed synopsis. If the puzzle eludes me, there are a couple of surefire solutions. The first is to go outside and mow my lawn. We have over two acres and I can do a lot of thinking while cutting straight lines in grass for three hours. The other method recalls Sherlock Holmes, who used to measure the complexity of a problem by how many pipes he’d have to smoke. I do something similar. I go out on my back porch, light up a pipe, and admire the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are just two miles away. This is so relaxing that the answer to the puzzle often suddenly comes to me.

I heard mystery authors often work with the police and take their ideas from police cases. Do you work with the police too?
No, I don’t work with the police, nor do I use actual cases as plot models. That said, I do employ my background and experience at murder scenes as a Crime Scene Investigator and homicide detective to create realistic circumstances within my books.

How do you imagine your reader? I mean, when you’re thinking “there is somebody reading my book right now…” Who do you picture?
I envision my reader as intelligent, curious, a puzzle-solver, and interested in seeing justice triumph. Also, you’d think a cozy mystery with a central plot element featuring teddy bears would scare away most male readers, but I’ve received a surprising amount of fan mail from guys.

Can you tell us more about your upcoming projects?
Well, right now I’m finishing work on “The Crafty Teddy,” the third book in the series, which will be released in early 2008. After that, I’ll start on the synopsis for the fourth “Teddy” book and I’m also getting ready to begin another mystery series. The new books will be a police procedural-paranormal hybrid, featuring a skeptical police detective who begins investigating ghost phenomena.

Would you like to add something, John?
I’d just like to suggest to everyone that if you’ve never been to a teddy bear show, you should go at least once. They are good for the soul.

And now the nothing-to-do-with-books question: You’ve just found $100 in your pocket, what will you do with it?
Go to a teddy bear show with Joyce and buy a bear. And I’ve got to laugh, because we’ve never gone to a bear show and come home with just one bear.

Mysterious Quiz
Your Favorite…

Mystery author? R.D. Wingfield, author of the “Inspector Frost” mysteries.
Mystery novel? “The Big Sleep” by Raymond Chandler
Private Investigator? Thomas Magnum (a.k.a. Tom Selleck) from the old Magnum P.I. television series. If the day ever comes when “The Mournful Teddy” is made into a movie, I think Selleck would be a wonderful Brad Lyon.
Weapon (in books, of course ? The same gun I carried for years: a Smith & Wesson .45 caliber “Long Colt” revolver. The protagonist in “Echoes” carries the same gun.
Place to set up a crime in? The Shenandoah Valley. It’s fun to stage homicides in such a beautiful place.
Place to write in? My home office…I don’t write anywhere else.
Sentence or motto? Winston Churchill said, “Never give in, never give in, never, never, never – in nothing great or small, large or petty – never give in except in convictions of honour and good sense.” It’s advice to last a lifetime.

Thank you, John!
Visit John’s website : http://www.johnjlamb.net

Michele Scott

If you love horses and wine, you’ll be happy to discover Michele Scott‘s “Wine and Equestrian” mystery series. And if you don’t like any of these, you’ll just have fun reading romance mysteries!

Hi Michele! Nice to welcome you on “Veronika asks”! Could you please tell us a few words about you…
About me? Hmmm. I’m first of all a mom and wife. Family comes first in my life. Then, I am a writer, and have known since I was a child that I wanted to be a writer. I write everyday, pick up kids, help with homework and pick up my constantly messy house. I’m also completely disorganized but am working hard on that! I love to read, write (duh) dance, cook, sing, and just be silly. My kids hate that silly part or at least they act like they do.

If you had to describe yourself with three words…
Passionate, Playful, Kind

You’re Aries, aren’t you? I heard they’re adventurous, enthusiastic but quite impulsive. Are you a typical Aries?
Oh yeah. That pretty much describes me to a tee. The impulsive part can bite me in the rear sometimes, but I’m never boring. Scatterbrained and all that other stuff you mentioned–totally; boring–nah.

Now, let’s talk a bit about your “Wine Lover’s Series”, which includes “Murder uncorked” and “Murder by the glass”…
The Wine Lover’s Mystery Series is about my heroine Nikki sands who takes a job at a Napa Valley Winery. Nikki has a knack for coming across dead people. She also has some serious issues in her love life (torn between two men–rough!). In the chapters where Nikki goes out for a meal or makes one, I’ve included recipes and wine pairings (for those of you under 21, please, please don’t pair the recipes with the wine–LOL). Think if this series as Murder mysteries set on a vineyard with a group of nutty characters who cause Nikki many headaches, combined with recipes and there you have it. They’re being coined as comedic mysteries, and the debut book MURDER UNCORKED was nominated as a best first mystery by Romantic Times Magazine. They’re a bit of humor, rmance and plenty of mystery.

The debut novel of the “Equine Mystery Series”, “Saddled with Trouble”, will be released in November 2006. Could you tell us more about the novel?
This series has been fun and interesting for me to work on. It deals with my heroine Michaela Bancroft who trains horses, and unlike Nikki who jumps into solving a mystery, Michaela is more of a reluctant snoop. She is far more cautious than Nikki, and she has a strong connection to her animals. In Saddled, Michaela finds her Uncle Lou stabbed to death by a pitchfork in his prize stallion’s stall. Michaela is led on a wild goose chase as she tries to uncover the killer who could be anyone from her ex-husband to his rodeo queen girlfriend, even her best friend and dad are suspects in this book. If anyone would llike to see the book trailer (video) for Saddled please go to myspace at wineauthor and click on videos. I also give a short interview on a separate video there. Oh, and as with the wine series, Michaela has her own problems in the romance department.

Why this passion for horses and wine?
I grew up riding. I have always loved horses. It’s in my blood. My dad is an old time cowboy in many ways and so was his dad, so it’s a part of who I am today. Wine–hmm-well, I worked in the industry for some time and discovered that drinking a good glass of wine reaches further than simply drinking it. Making wine is akin to the creative process of writing and I love that. It takes years to cultivate good grapes and years more to find the right blend and allow the wine to age in casks. There is so much that goes into just making one bottle of wine and I find that world fascinating. Plus, the wine country is ripe with intrigue, romance and all the elements that can make a good story.

There are so many fabulous cooking recipes on your website… do you like cooking?
I LOVE to cook. Hate to clean, but love to cook. I cook every night and we have a big family, so there is a lot that goes into my dinners each day. My grandma was a fabulous cook and she taught me a lot. I also love to flip through cookbooks and see what flavors go with what. That kind of thing. Yeah, cooking is cool. It’s almost meditative for me.

How do you work (where, when…)? How do you react to the writer’s block?
I get the kids off to school, answer e-mails and handle anything business wise, then I sit my boody in the chair and don’t quit until I’ve done at least ten pages. As far as writer’s block–I tell myself that I do not invite it into my life and only allow creative thoughts to flow through me! If, I do stumble a bit, I go for a walk and that typically gets the juices going again. I think writer’s block is simply a symptom that something outside of your writing needs to be addressed in your life. Maybe it’s God, or yourself telling you that it’s time to take care of internal business before the muse makes another visit.

I read on your website that before being published, you spent ten years full of writing conferences and rejections… how did you get over it? How did you finally manage to publish your first novel?
How did I get over rejection? Well, crying does not work, and neither does depression. The only thing that I found during those years was to tell the agent rejecting me (in my mind of course) that they were fools and would be sorry when I hit the besteller list! (Do not ever do this to their face or by phone or even write a letter. This must be an imaginary thing you do for yourself). I published by constantly writing and submitting. I knew and know in my heart that writing is my purpose and once you know that, giving up is never an option. Just keep throwing it against the wall until it sticks!

What do you like in writing mysteries?
The puzzle. Actually what I like most about writing is exploring the human psyche and watching a character grow, seeing where they’ve been and watching them wind up somewhere else. That is what I love about writing.

How do you imagine your reader? You know, when you say “there is somewhere somebody reading my book right now”… who do you picture?
I picture a young woman, cozied up on her couch maybe with a cat or dog next to her. Maybe with a glass of wine and some cheese and bread or hot chocolate for the non-drinkers or under 21 crowd. I picture a woman who likes to watch Grey’s Anatomy, Sex and The City and Friends. I picture someone who likes to laugh, hang out with friends, and who is just a fun person to be around. Oh, and by the way–you do not have to be a drinker or wino or horse person to enjoy these books! There is far more to them than that.

Who are your favorite authors?
That is so tough. I love tons of authors. Okay, let’s see–Paulo Coehlo. Isabelle Allende, Nancy Martin, Karen MacInerney, Sandra Brown, Kate White, Susan McBride, James Patterson, Iris Johanson, Sara Stroehmyer. Wow! This is hard. There are so many. Just know that I pretty much love and read anything mystery, romantic suspense, chick lit, spiritual, comedic, romance, thriller and those cookbooks! And, it’s not often I think–”Oh that sucked.” And, if I do think it, I am a firm believer in keeping that to myself. I know what a struggle it is as a writer, and who am I to make a judgment on someone else’s work? Just because I may not like something, does not mean that you won’t.

Could you tell us more about your upcoming projects?
Well, I want to do a romantic thriller set around the US Equestrian Olympic team. I also have a family saga (think Traffic meets The Godfather) that I LOVE but haven’t sold. And, I have an idea for a series that I’m also working on dealing with pyschic spies. I am pretty certain there will be more books coming up in the wine lover’s and horse series, too.

Would you like to add something, Michele?
For writers–live your writing with a major sense of passion, stay persistent, know that this is your purpose and do not step out of that, be patient–God (life) has a way of understanding timing better than we do, and have sense of peace that you are always doing the best you can at the time you are in.

And now the nothing-to-do-with-books question: you’ve just found 100 $ in your pocket, how will you use the money?
Well, there is a book I want right now–The Tao de Ching. My kids want this Dance Revolution thingy. I’d get that, and then I’d grab a good lunch (maybe some Mexican food) and buy one of the homeless people down the street some lunch, too.

“Tea or Coffee?”

Saturday night. Going out or reading a book ? Read a book, unless it’s out to dinner with my husband and no kids.
Holidays. Beach or Mountains ? BEACH
Country or City ? Tough. I love both. It depends on the mood. Today, I’d say country.
Watching a movie. Comedy or Drama (or something else ?) ? Comedy
Shy or Easy-going ? I can be both. I guess easy-going most of the time.
Serious or Funny ? I’d like to think funny
Traveler or not ? Love to travel, but have no time. Some day!
Sporty or not ? Sporty
The leader or not ? Leader sometimes, but know when it’s too much of a hassle because someone else feels the need to lead.

“Favorite…”

TV show: Grey’s Anatomy (used to be Alias)
Movie : The Mexican (I know that sounds strange–but there is a line in there that Brad Pitt says that cracks me and my husband up everytime we watch it. I can’t repeat it here).
Book : Non-Fiction–The Power of Intention, Fiction–Okay, this book sticks in my head a lot. Don’t know if it’s my favorite but I did love it “French Kiss,” by Sandra Brown. Oh yeah and Tuesdays With Morrie–brilliant, and The Alchemist! Sorry, I could go on. I can’t just pick one. I also LOVE Like Water For Chocolate.
Music : 80′s
Food : Mexican
City : My hometown is San Diego, but I love Wailea, Maui, Sonoma and Napa are amazing as well.
Favourite place to write: A cottage at the Glen Ellen Inn in Sonoma, but usually I am in my office at home.
Quote or motto : “True imagination is not fanciful daydreaming; it is fire from heaven.” Ernest Holmes

Thank you, Michele!
You can visit Michele’s website http://www.michelescott.com