MAGGIE EVANS in the house! ROCCO interviews KATHRYN LEIGH SCOTT!

Hey – MAGGIE EVANS in the house!  I interview KATHRYN LEIGH SCOTT!

Meow, kitties! One of the human's obsessions as a teen was the daytime soap opera, DARK SHADOWS! Today marks not only the 48th anniversary of the show's debut (now don't all of you feel old, heh heh), it's also the day I get to interview one of the show's biggest stars - Kathryn Leigh Scott!

Kathryn Leigh Scott is best known for her role as Maggie Evans, the waitress turned governess on the popular 60’s soap opera, DARK SHADOWS.  Kathryn played four roles during the series’ tenure: Maggie Evans, Josette du Pres, Lady Kitty Hampshire and Rachel Drummond.  In 1986 she founded POMEGRANATE PRESS, which publishes books written by Scott and other authors about DARK SHADOWS and also other books featuring the entertainment industry.  Kathryn is also a writer, having published two novels, DARK PASSAGES and DOWN AND OUT IN BEVERLY HEELS. 

DARK PASSAGES is the story of Meg Harrison, a vampire raised by her mother to resist the temptation of human blood. Meg arrives in New York determined not to use her vampiric gifts to fulfill her dream of becoming an actress. She joins the cast of the cult hit Dark Passages, only to face her nemesis, a beautiful 300-year-old witch bent on destroying her. Their rivalry leads to a final confrontation as the telekinetic vampire and spell-weaving sorceress engage in a spectacular battle for supremacy. It takes all of Meg’s wit and tenacity to defeat the witch and win the affections of a handsome young mortal with a secret life of his own.

DOWN AND OUT IN BEVERLY HEELS is the story of former actress Meg Barnes who used to have it all: Beverly Hills address, Amex Black card, Manolos for every day of the month. Not to mention a career as a popular TV detective that made her glittering life possible. But her lifestyle of the rich and famous has turned into a reality show for d-listed starlets. Lost in her Louboutins, she has one man to thank: her con man of a husband.

Handsome FBI agent Jack Mitchell knows a suspect when he sees one—even if she’s as beautiful and gutsy as Meg. Meg’s ex “made off” with half of Hollywood’s wealth in an epic real estate scam. And Jack thinks Meg may have been involved. Meg has to trust Jack, the man who may want her behind bars…or as his leading lady for life.

The sequel to Down and Out is due later this year! and now...Kathryn!

R:  Welcome, Kathryn! Tell us a bit about yourself and how you became interested in writing.

Thank you, Rocco! Well, the first thing you should know is that I had a kitty named Fluff when I was 6 years old and I whispered stories to her while she purred in my lap.  That definitely ignited the spark of writing in me!

R: You were on what was probably the most famous daytime drama of all time, DARK SHADOWS, and today marks 48 years since its debut.  What was that experience like?

Dark Shadows was essentially my first professional acting job . . . how lucky I was! Straight out of an acting academy I was called upon to play four different roles in various time periods, using accents, techniques and everything I’d learned studying Shakespeare, Moliere, Chekhov and contemporary drama. It was a great experience and I knew it at the time.

R: You also made a cameo appearance in the movie version of Dark Shadows starring Johnny Depp. How did that feel after such a long absence from the show?

We were pleased to be acknowledged and treated wonderfully . . . a bit like antique oddities! I wish we’d been given more to do, but these were cameo appearances and that was really all that Jonathan Frid was capable of doing. He died before the film premiered. But what a fitting ending for Jonathan that he should appear as Barnabas one last time.

R: Which do you prefer, writing or acting and why?

Writing and Acting have been my twin pursuits since I was a child. The two complement each other and I draw on one to feed and inform the other. I have no preference . . . when the phone rings about an acting job I say, “great! Where? What time?” and walk away from the computer to appear on camera. I thrive on both.

R: Any funny stories about your days on DS you’d like to share w/our readers?

Absolutely! I have a wealth of great stories, all of them recorded with great humor in “Dark Shadows Memories,” Dark Shadows Companion” and “Dark Shadows Almanac” . . . plus my fictional account in “Dark Passages” . .  .all available on Amazon!

R: Let’s focus on what you’ve been doing lately. Tell us about Pomegranate Press.

I started Pomegranate Press in 1966 with my first book about Dark Shadows and have continued to publish nonfiction books pertaining to entertainment ever since, including coffee table books, guide books, biography and companions to classic film and television. I’ve published some 70 books and you can find many of them still in print on www.pompress.com .

R: Any new books in the works?

Yes. I’ve written a sequel to “Down and Out in Beverly Heels” and a memoir, “Last Dance at the Savoy.” I’ll soon begin a sequel to “Dark Passages,” a paranormal romance written with a wink and nod to Dark Shadows.

R: What’s a must have for you when you are writing? What aids the creative process?

Frankly, a good synopsis and a workable outline. I only outline three chapters ahead, relying on my synopsis to get me through. I can write anywhere. Fortunately, I generally write in my office on the second floor, far enough away from the kitchen on the first floor.

R: If you had access to a time machine, which historical moment would you travel to and why?

My favorite year is 1913 when such a lot of history that changed the world so significantly was about to happen.  I can think of a lot of “moments” that would have been amazing to witness, but that is the period of time I would want to visit.

R: What is one thing your readers would be most surprised to know about you?

Thanks to the internet, google and Imdb, there isn’t a lot that is unknown. That said, I’m quite a private person and enjoy solitude. I’m also a decent cook and that demands that I give dinner parties, my favorite way to enjoy my friends.

R: What is the craziest thing you've ever done? 

Well, the third craziest thing I’ve done is fly to Paris for the weekend, impulsive and fun. The other crazy things both preceded and followed . . .

R: What do you hope readers will most take away from your writing?

Insight, fun and adventure. I write with joy and humor, even about sad and unhappy things. “Down and Out in Beverly Heels” is lighthearted but does not flinch from the gritty reality of what it is to be homeless. “Last Dance at the Savoy” is about a heartbreaking time in my life that was also filled with love and the joy of living live fully.

R: What do you do when you’re not writing? Any hobbies or party tricks? :)

I’m not a “hobby” kind of gal.

R: Where can we find out more about you and your work?

The best place is my website: www.kathrynleighscott.com

R: Do you have any advice for beginning writers?

Just do it. You teach yourself how to write by doing it.

R: What other writing genre would you like to try that you haven’t yet? Historical, screenwriting, etc?

I’ve done both, but those projects haven’t been published or produced yet.

R: What book is on your TBR shelf you can’t wait to get to?

Too many, and I tend to have several books in various stages of being read . . . whatever strikes my fancy when I feel like reading.

R: Any final words for our readers?

Please read, preferably my books if you haven’t already! Writers ache to be read.

Just for Fun:

Night or Day?  .Day

Dog or Cat? (answer carefully)   Cat, of course!

Beach or Pool?   both

Steak or salad?  both

Favorite TV Series?  Downton Abbey

Hawaii or Alaska? London

To keep up with what Kathryn’s doing, visit her website:

http://www.kathrynleighscott.com

Kathryn will be giving away a signed copy of Down and Out in Beverly Heels  with a signed bookmark and a signed copy of Dark Passages  with a signed bookmark to one lucky commenter!

To enter, leave a comment on this blog post with your name and email address (entries without email will be disqualified). For extra entries, you can do any or all of the below:

* Follow my blog (+ 1 point)
* Follow me on Twitter (+ 1 point) (Link: https://twitter.com/RoccoBlogger)
* Tweet about the contest (+ 1 point)
* Friend me on Facebook (+ 1 point) (Link: https://www.facebook.com/ToniLotempio)#!/

* Mention the contest on Facebook (+ 1 point)
* Mention the contest on your blog (+ 1 point)

Winner will be chosen at random using random.org.  Don’t forget to mention all you’ve done in your comment. Good luck! Contest ends midnight, June 29!

Next week: Victoria Laurie returns,also in July: Carole Nelson Douglas! MEOW!

We welcome Jessie Crockett to the blog!

Meow! My guest is bestselling author Jessie Crockett!

A nearly life-long resident of the Granite State, Jessie Crockett naturally adores black flies, 98% humidity, killing frosts in August and snow banks taller than the average grandmother. When not working on her next murderous adventure she enthusiastically combs the beach, designs bento lunches and throws parties. She delights in mentoring young writers at local schools. Jessie lives with her dark and mysterious husband and exuberant children in a village so small most other New Hampshire residents have never heard of it. Her debut mystery, Live Free or Die, was the 2011 winner of the Daphne DuMaurier Award for Mainstream Mystery.

R: Welcome, Jessie! Tell us a little about your background

J: Hello, ROCCO!  I live in a tiny village in New Hampshire with my husband and children. I am an avid knitter and enthusiastic beachcomber.

R: Tell us a bit about your latest book!

J:  MAPLE MAYHEM is the second book in the Sugar Grove Mystery series. It features sugar maker Dani Greene who lives on her family’s tree farm along with a passel of relatives. Despite being a fourth-generation syrup maker, Dani isn’t stuck in the past. She’s starting a new agricultural cooperative that reduces costs for every syrup producer who joins. Everyone considers it a sweet deal except the die-hard curmudgeon Frank Lemieux—and when a saboteur starts targeting supporters, everyone suspects Frank.

But it turns out they’re barking up the wrong tree when Dani finds Frank murdered in his own sugarhouse. As the sabotage continues, she realizes that Frank was framed. With the help of her family, and a handsome official from the Fish and Game Department, Dani must catch the killer before another syrup maker kicks the bucket.

R: How do you “get to know” your characters before and while you’re writing the books?

J: That part of the process feels sort of magical. Usually it starts with the character’s name. Once I have that, I usually have a real sense of the character. They generally walk onto the page full-blown once I start to write.

R: How do you construct your plots? Do you outline or do you write “by the seat of your pants”?

     J: I decide on as many scenes as I can before I being the first draft. Usually that amounts to about 1/3 of the total I will need. By the time I complete writing those scenes the next third have suggested themselves and I repeat the process until the book is finished.

R:Which do you consider more important, plot or character?

J:  I think they are impossible to pry apart. I start with characters but the plot and how they experience it reveals their personalities.

R: What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a writer and what inspires you and keeps you motivated?

J: Keeping my chin up when facing the many rejections writers inevitably encounter while trying to get published was often discouraging. The desire to share stories as well as the phenomenal support of my family kept me motivated.

R:Do you have an “How I got my agent” story you want to share?

J: I was lucky enough to connect with my agent through my membership in the New England chapter of Sisters in Crime.  The chapter president, Sheila Connolly sent out an email to the group mentioning that an agent wanted to work with members of our chapter on cozy mysteries. The rest is history.

R: What are you working on now and what are your future writing plans?

J: The next thing for me is the July 1 release of my second Sugar Grove mystery, MAPLE MAYHEM.  Right now the third book in the series is in the revision process. 

R: What is a typical workday for you and how many hours a day (or week) do you devote to writing?

J: I am lucky to be able to write full-time. I work on writing, revising and the business end of things like blog posts etc… from around 8-2:30 every day with a break for lunch.

R: What advice do you have to offer to an aspiring author?

 J: Write the stories that are truly yours to tell. If you write about your specific passions and interests you will have a lot more wherewithal to ride out the difficulties on the road to publication.

R: Now, Just for Fun:

Night or Day?  I like to burn my candle at both ends.

Dog or Cat? (answer carefully) Since I have a lot of allergies I am a big fan of pet birds and goldfish.

Beach or Pool?   Beach

Steak or salad?  Steak with a salad.

Favorite Drink?  Coffee in the morning and seltzer in the afternoon.

Favorite Book?  I can’t pick just one. What I can say is that anything by E.F. Benson, P.G. Wodehouse, Fannie Flagg, Martha Grimes, Lloyd Alexander and Roald Dahl are on my re-read lists.

Favorite TV Series?  Pushing Daisies, Justified and Sherlock.

Favorite Movie?  I have two: Room with a View and Pulp Fiction.

Dirty Martini or Pina Colada? Martinis, made with gin.

Hawaii or Alaska? For just a visit, I’d say Hawaii. Any longer and I’d have to say Alaska because I am an avid knitter.

Finish this sentence:  If I could trade places with anyone in the world, it would be ___No one. I love my life and being myself.____

         

Thanks for a great interview, Jessie!

Folks, here are all the places you can find her:

www.jessiecrockett.com

www.wickedcozyauthors.com

www.killercharacters.com

https://www.facebook.com/jessie.crockett.94

https://twitter.com/jessiecrockett

http://www.pinterest.com/jessiecrockett/

Jessie will give away a copy of DRIZZLED WITH DEATH to one lucky commenter!

To enter, leave a comment on this blog post with your name and email address (entries without email will be disqualified). For extra entries, you can do any or all of the below:

* Follow my blog (+ 1 point)
* Follow me on Twitter (+ 1 point) (Link: https://twitter.com/RoccoBlogger)
* Tweet about the contest (+ 1 point)
* Friend me on Facebook (+ 1 point) (Link: https://www.facebook.com/ToniLotempio)#!/

* Mention the contest on Facebook (+ 1 point)
* Mention the contest on your blog (+ 1 point)

Winner will be chosen at random using random.org.  Don’t forget to mention all you’ve done in your comment. Good luck!

Our guest today....Gretchen Archer!

Meow, today my guest is best selling author Gretchen Archer!

Gretchen Archer is a Tennessee housewife who began writing when her daughters, seeking higher educations, left her. She lives on Lookout Mountain with her husband, son, and a Yorkie named Bently! (But we love her anyway, Meow!)

Now…here’s Gretchen!

R:  Meow, Welcome Gretchen! Tell us a bit about yourself and how you became interested in writing.

Thank you for having me, Rocco.

When my oldest left for college the same week my youngest started Kindergarten—I have only one child between those two, don’t want to make it sound like I have fourteen children—I was afraid my husband would want me to go back to work. As in work-work. I applied for, and hired myself, to write.

R: What writers in your genre would you say have made the greatest influence on your writing?

Caroline Keene, Lawrence Sanders, Janet Evanovich.

R: Tell us about the latest release in your Davis Way series.  How did you get the idea to set a mystery in a casino? Are you a gambler at heart?

I chose the casino setting for my series because it had so much potential, and because I don’t knit or decorate cupcakes. I bake cupcakes, but not well enough to sustain a series. Yes, I’m a gambler at heart, plus mind, body, and soul. I absolutely love casinos.

The latest in my series released in January ‘14, DOUBLE DIP. It’s Davis Way’s first slot-tournament season and it may very well be her last.

R: Which of (your character)  adventures was the most fun for you to write? Were any of them the least amount of fun?

It’s always fun when Davis travels from Biloxi, where the Davis Way Crime Capers are set, to her hometown of Pine Apple, Alabama. She has frequent run-ins with her ex-ex-mother-in-law Bea, and I can’t type for laughing when I write those scenes. Least amount of fun? I tackle unpopular and taboo subjects, and they’re not always fun—senior citizen abuse, discrimination, miscarriage. The hardest character for me to write is Davis’s love interest, Bradley Cole, because he’s so picture perfect I’m intimidated by him.

R:  Do you have an “how I got my agent” story you’d like to share?  How did you feel when you got the call your first novel had sold?

I didn’t realize it until just this second, but I was standing in my kitchen for both calls. My agent, my perfect-fit agent, the captain of the SS Davis Way, was my fifth query. It was meant to be. When she called about the Henery Press offer on DOUBLE WHAMMY, I told her Henery Press’s website was the cutest thing I’d ever seen, sign me up.

R: What’s a must have for you when you are writing? What aids the creative process?

Pajamas. I’ve written seven books in my pajamas. I get up and hit the keyboard at 3:30 every morning. When the sun comes up and it’s time to put people clothes on, I stop writing. I still revise, edit, and take care of the business of being a published writer during the day, but after the sun comes up, I don’t write.

R: If you had access to a time machine, which historical moment would you travel to and why?

I think I’d be there the day my little dog Bently was born, October 24, 2003, so we would have those first six weeks together too. He says he doesn’t remember when we weren’t us.

R:  If a movie were to be made of one of your books, which one would you want it to be and who would you pick for the lead roles?

Since it’s a series, DOUBLE WHAMMY would be my choice to film—start at the beginning. I think I’d cast Drew Barrymore as Davis and Bianca Sanders, Morgan Freeman as George, Sandra Bullock as Natalie, and Halle Berry as Fantasy. George Clooney as Richard Sanders. Channing Tatum as Baylor, and Mr. Clean as No Hair. We’re going to have to launch someone’s career with Bradley Cole because I just can’t come up with the right actor for him. Again, he’s too perfect.

R: What is one thing your readers would be most surprised to know about you?

I have a tattoo. I can’t say where. I can say, but I won’t.

R: What is the craziest thing you've ever done?

Get a tattoo.

R: What do you hope readers will most take away from your writing?

You can’t have something for nothing.

R: What are you working on at the moment / next?

DOUBLE STRIKE releases on 10.21.14

 R: Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I’m a planster. I know what scam I’ll be writing about and I know what will happen in Davis’s personal life, but I get from A to Z on the fly.

Just for Fun:

Night or Day? Morning.

Dog or Cat? (answer carefully) The one that’s furry and four-legged. 

Beach or Pool?  Beach.

Steak or salad?  Pizza.

Favorite Drink?  Chardonnay.

Favorite Book?  In the past year, WHERE’D YOU GO, BERNADETTE?

Favorite TV Series?  Castle.

Favorite Movie?  In the past year, Identity Theft

Favorite Actor: Adam Sandler  

Favorite Actress: Sandra Bullock

Dirty Martini or Pina Colada? Yuck

Hawaii or Alaska? Hawaii. I love #Hawaii5O. Chin Ho Kelly and Steve McGarrett

Finish this sentence:  If I could meet anyone in the world, past or present, it would be Barry Manilow

If I had just one wish, it would be for my children to be happy and healthy

If I could trade places with anyone in the world, it would be Barry Manilow

Hey Folks, here’s where you can find out more about Gretchen! www.gretchenarcher.com

@Gretchen_Archer

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gretchen-Archer/477471242273441

Gretchen will give away signed copies of Double Whammy and Double Dip, plus swag, to two lucky commenters! To enter, leave a comment on this blog post with your name and email address (entries without email will be disqualified). For extra entries, you can do any or all of the below:

* Follow my blog (+ 1 point)
* Follow me on Twitter (+ 1 point) (Link: https://twitter.com/RoccoBlogger)
* Tweet about the contest (+ 1 point)
* Friend me on Facebook (+ 1 point) (Link: https://www.facebook.com/ToniLotempio)#!/

* Mention the contest on Facebook (+ 1 point)
* Mention the contest on your blog (+ 1 point)

Winner will be chosen at random using random.org.  Don’t forget to mention all you’ve done in your comment. Contest ends midnight, June 20! Good luck!

"Diva"Krista Davis visits the blog!

Meow –my guest this weekend is National Bestselling author Krista Davis!

Krista Davis lives and writes in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.  She resided in Northern Virginia for many years and lived for a time in Old Town, Alexandria.  

She really does have a gregarious Ocicat named Mochie who can open cabinets and leap to amazing heights.  Her dogs, including a Golden Retriever who isn’t golden and won’t retrieve, consider Krista’s writing career a convenient second job that allows her to be available for her primary job as door opener, canine cuisine chef, and walking assistant.

Krista’s fascination with mysteries was fueled by Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, and Agatha Christie.  Like her protagonist, Sophie Winston, Krista loves to entertain friends and family, but would just as soon leave cleaning to someone else.

R:  Welcome, Krista!  Tell us a bit about yourself and how you became interested in writing.

Thanks ROCCO!  My parents and grandparents were avid readers. I can’t remember seeing my mother’s mother without a book. They passed that love on to us. When I was still in grade school, I finished a book one day and realized their power to transport us. They can take us to places we’ve never been, introduce us to different lifestyles and cultures, even take us to the moon and beyond. I thought it must be wonderful to be a writer. I never imagined I would be lucky enough to become one.

R:  You write two series, the Domestic Diva and Paws and Claws. How did each of them come about?

I had a different series in mind when my editor asked if it would appeal to readers of Real Simple. I had never heard of the magazine. So off I went to the drugstore to buy a copy. I realized it was the anti-Martha. The magazine for people who want a nice house, good food, and clever ideas but without all the fuss. I was standing in the CVS looking at it when the idea of two domestic divas with different styles came to me. One would be over-the-top, a perfectionist who never met a craft she didn’t love, the other one would be laid back, who loved to cook for family and friends but kept things simple – and the divas were born. My other project was killed, my agent pitched the divas, and, happily, Berkley liked it.

As for Paws & Claws, I knew that I wanted to write about cats and dogs. Most series seem to be about one or the other but I love them both. For some reason, I kept running across articles about swanky hotels that had started catering to pets, especially dogs. People don’t want to leave their furry sweethearts at home when they travel so hotels are offering special menus, massages, cute little bathrobes, turndown service with treats, dog walkers, all kinds of things! I thought – what if there was a town where dogs and cats were welcome? I

In the mountains where I live there are a lot of towns that thrived 200 years ago when people traveled to them for the waters, either hot springs or mineral springs. We don’t do that much anymore so they have had to come up with other attractions to draw tourists. And that’s how Wagtail, the premier destination for people vacationing with pets, and the Paws and Claws Mysteries came about!

R:  Which of your character’s adventures in either series was the most fun to write? Any the least fun?

THE DIVA TAKES THE CAKE was the book that could have gone on and on. I had to take out an entire sub-plot to cut it down to a proper length! I can’t think of an adventure that wasn’t fun to write. I love intricate plots. My editor calls me Twisty Kristy. LOL! But the more complicated the plot, the harder it is to unravel, which sometimes has me tearing my hair out.

The scene that worried me the most was the kiss between Sophie and Mars in THE DIVA HAUNTS THE HOUSE. I didn’t know how readers would react to it, and I felt that it had to be set up just right to pull it off.

R: Tell us about your new release, THE DIVA WRAPS IT UP.

It’s a Christmas book so if it’s hot and humid where you are, it will be cold and snowy in Old Town Alexandria. A new neighbor wants to outdo Natasha as the top domestic diva. Let’s just say that her cookie swap doesn’t go quite as well as she might have hoped. There are lots of cookie recipes in the book, and they’re all from readers! I hope other readers will find some new favorites among them.

It’s beginning to look a lot like murder…

The holidays are domestic diva Sophie Winston’s favorite time of year. But this season, there seem to be more mishaps than mistletoe. First, Horace Scroggins tumbles from a balcony during his office Christmas party. Then, Sophie’s neighbor takes a fall from his ladder while decorating his roof with lights. But it’s the cookie swap that really starts her wondering who’s naughty or nice….

Sophie arrives at the annual event with high spirits and thirteen dozen chocolate-drizzled gingersnaps. But when an argument erupts and a murder ensues, it becomes clear that the recent string of events is anything but accidental. Now Sophie has to make a list of suspects…and check it twice!

R:  Do you have an “how I got my agent” story you’d like to share? 

Jessica Faust in my fourth agent. Poor Jessica inherited me from her partner who left the business. I was a little worried because who knew how that would work out? Turns out we’re well suited for each other! Jessica is a foodie and a dog lover, so we work very well together. I think we would be friends if we had met in some other way.

R: How did you feel when you got the call your first novel had sold?

It was an awful day. The first thing I saw on the news that morning was a very familiar place in Blacksburg, Virginia, not far from where I live. It was the day of the horrible massacre at Virginia Tech. Everyone was glued to the TV, watching the death count rise, and rise, and rise. We were sick, and sad, and horrified. In the afternoon, I received the good news that Berkley was buying the Domestic Diva Mysteries. I was numb. How could anything good happen to me when so many wonderful, innocent people had just been killed? There wasn’t any shrieking or celebrating. Who could be happy under those circumstances? So many lives had been cut short when they had so much to live for. I told my mom my news, of course, but all we could talk about was the massacre at Tech. The next morning, my mom called me and asked, “Did you tell me you sold a book?” It just wasn’t important in the greater scheme of things.

R: What’s a must have for you when you are writing? What aids the creative process?

Hot tea with milk and sugar. That’s it. Must have my tea by my side.

R: If you had access to a time machine, which historical moment would you travel to and why?

I think I would go forward to a historical moment that hasn’t happened yet. Life has changed so much in the last hundred years, I believe I’ll turn the dial and check things out in 500 years. I bet I won’t recognize our world!

R: What is one thing your readers would be most surprised to know about you?

I have a dog shower in my laundry room. My previous house didn’t have a bathtub or a shower on the first floor. There’s nothing quite like accompanying a muddy (or skunked) dog through the house and upstairs to clean up! So I installed a dog shower in my current home. Turns out it’s very handy for muddy boots and wet coats, too.

R: What is the craziest thing you've ever done? 

I slept on a bench outside of a train station in Amsterdam. Okay, not the smartest thing to do. It was interesting though. Lots of nice young British people were there, and we actually had a good time. A real camaraderie arose between the strangers who were there by happenstance. Hmm, seems like there could be a book in that . . .

R: What do you hope readers will most take away from your writing?

This is where I’m supposed to say something deep and meaningful. The truth is that I hope they’ll have fun. I hope my mysteries are entertaining and intriguing. I hope they take readers away from their troubles. I hope they’ll laugh and wonder who-done-it, and when they reach the end, I hope they’ll look forward to seeing the characters again, like they’re good friends.

R: Where can we find out more about you and your work?

My website, of course. http://kristadavis.com

I also blog at http://killercharacters.com and http://mysteryloverskitchen.com

I have some Pinterest boards set up for my books, too. You’ll find pictures of Old Town Alexandria and some fun boards for the Paws & Claws series! pinterest.com/kristadavisbook

R: Do you have any advice for beginning writers?

Absolutely. I’m not sure I would be writing today if it weren’t for the Guppies chapter of Sisters in Crime. Whatever genre you write, find an online group about that genre. Join it and be active! You’ll learn so much from a great group. Writing doesn’t have to be as solitary as it once was. Ask questions and learn!

Just for Fun:

Night or Day?  

Both! But I’m not a super early riser.

Dog or Cat? (answer carefully) 

Both! I know some people have preferences but I never felt that way. Love, love, love cats and dogs.

Beach or Pool? 

Pool for swimming, beach for walking.

Steak or salad?

Are you kidding? Steak. Now, steak or dessert, that would be a tough one.

 

Favorite Drink? 

Hot tea with milk and sugar.

Favorite Book?

I have favorites but I’m not telling. I have too many author friends!

Favorite TV Series?

Big Bang Theory!

Favorite Movie?

I’m in love with Galaxy Quest (so funny and perfectly written), While You Were Sleeping, Home Alone, and Christmas Vacation. Hmm, heavy on comedies, I see!

 

Favorite Actor:

Just about everyone in Ocean’s Eleven.

Favorite Actress:

Jennifer Aniston, Sandra Bullock, Meryl Streep.

Dirty Martini or Pina Colada?

Pina Colada!

Hawaii or Alaska?

I have never been to either, so I can’t say. I have watched Buying Alaska, and I can tell you that at 40 degrees below, I do not want to use an outhouse in the dark in bear territory.

Finish this sentence:  If I could meet anyone in the world, past or present, it would be my paternal grandparents, whom I never met because of the iron curtain.

If I had just one wish, it would be cures for cancer and Alzheimer’s. I know that’s two but we need both of them so desperately.

If I could trade places with anyone in the world, it would be no one.

Everyone in the world has burdens, and I’m not sure I would want to take the chance of swapping my burdens for theirs. They could be much worse.

Thanks for a great interview, Krista!

Krista will give away a copy of THE DIVA WRAPS IT UP  to one lucky commenter!

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