Ma-row! My guest today is author Gerry Schmitt who is
probably better known to you as Laura Childs! Today I am interviewing her on
her new series!
Gerry Schmitt is the author
of Little Girl Gone, an Afton Tangler
Thriller to be released July 5, 2016. Writing under her pen name Laura Childs,
she is
the New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty-six
mysteries, including the Scrapbooking Mysteries, Tea Shop Mysteries, and
Cackleberry Club Mysteries. Gerry is the former CEO of her own marketing firm,
has won dozens of TV and radio awards, and produced two reality TV shows. She
and her professor husband enjoy travel and their two Shar-Pei dogs.
Welcome, Gerry! As Laura Childs, you write three
fabulous cozy series. What made you make the leap into thrillers?
Thanks for having me,
ROCCO! It’s not such a huge leap. I’ve
been writing what I call a “thrillzy” for years. This is my own brand of hybrid
book that dances between a thriller and a cozy. Instead of sweet little ladies
with cats, I incorporate smart, daring female entrepreneurs, double murders,
international jewel thieves, arson, ponzi schemes, car crashes, smash and grab
robberies, hangings, drownings, maniacal cult leaders, haunted houses, horse
thieves, etc. If it’s crazy, evil, or exciting, I’ll stick it in one of my
books.
Tell us what inspired this new series, the Afton
Tangler Thrillers. Where did the idea for LITTLE GIRL GONE come from?
The first time I saw a
“reborn” doll, a doll that had been stripped of factory paint and then reworked
to look like a real infant, I thought to myself, “This is amazingly creepy.” I
mean, this doll had hand-inserted hair and eyelashes, a perfect airbrushed
paint job, and even a tiny motor to imitate a heartbeat. People who bought
these dolls actually signed adoptions papers! From that sort of jumping off
point it was easy to build a twisty, off-kilter plot.
Which do you prefer writing, thrillers or cozies?
I’m a commercial writer who’s
written screenplays, TV commercials, reality shows, etc. So I pretty much love writing everything.
Writing thrillers is a little more difficult, however, because they demand a
longer format and slightly more intricate plot.
Are you a fan of thrillers? Who is your favorite
thriller author?
I read every thriller I can
get my hands on, but my favorite thriller author is John Sandford. He’s the
master of casual dialogue and intricate, gritty plots.
With four series on your plate, you are one busy lady!
How do you keep your characters/plots straight and how do you schedule your
writing so the series don’t overlap?
It’s fairly easy to keep my
characters and plots straight because I work from a very tight outline. I
always sketch out characters and key plot ideas before I start writing, and
then I forge ahead with a ninety-page outline. That outline gives me a very
tight parameter that’s easy to work from. As far as my series overlapping, they
do! I’m usually working on two books at once. I’m a binge writer, so the minute
I run out of ideas or energy for one book, I switch over to the second book.
For some reason I can always find my mojo again!
Big question for your cozy fans: Do you intend to keep
on writing your other three series and if so, can you tell us any future plans
for them?
Actually, much of the
future’s already written. CREPE FACTOR,
the next Scrapbooking Mystery comes out in October and I’m already writing GLITTER BOMB, which will be the next
book with a Mardi Gras theme. EGG DROP
DEAD, my next Cackleberry Club Mystery, will be out in December, and I’ve
already started writing EGGS OVER UNEASY.
PEKOE MOST POISON, the next Tea Shop Mystery, will be out in March 2017 and
that’s already written and sent off to my publisher. Now I’m working on the
plot for PLUM TEA CRAZY. And I’m also
working on an Afton Tangler Thriller for July 2017 publication. No title yet,
but it involves a helicopter crash, international smugglers, a home shopping
network, and a deranged widow out for revenge!
Describe your workspace.
It’s a mess. Press kits,
ARCs, and boxes of books everywhere. My husband says I need an office and a mailroom. I agree. (And I can’t forget my dogs, two Chinese
Shar-Pei who sprawl everywhere.)
Do you have a favorite quote?
“Never interrupt your enemy
when he is making a mistake” – Napoleon Bonaparte. (Harsh but very true when
you’re in the middle of a business deal.)
What’s the best and worst part of being an author?
The best part is working for
myself, which I do as an author and did for almost twenty years as CEO of my
own marketing firm. The worst part (really the hardest part) is not having my former team around me anymore.
(Although my designers have been brought in as freelancers.)
Gerry will be giving away a
hardcover copy of Little Girl Gone
to one lucky winner.
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)
* 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 Sunday, July 10!
Love the idea of "thrillzy" and how you make it work.
ReplyDeleteThis new venture sounds tempting and the cover is amazingly engaging. Something about the colors and simplicity really works.
I visit this blog regularly
We are FB friends and I posted this page to my FB page
No twitter, no blog
libbydodd at comcast dot net
Love all of the Laura Child cozy mysteries, and am looking forward to this new venture!
ReplyDeleteLove all of the Laura Child cozy mysteries, and am looking forward to this new venture!
ReplyDeleteLaura Childs is one of my favorite authors. Would love to read "Little Girl Gone". I'm sure it will be as amazing as her other books.
ReplyDeleteLove your blog, Rocco. Following your blog and following on Twitter and friends on Facebook and shared on Facebook.
diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com
I wish you the best of luck with your new book with your old name!
ReplyDeleteTonette
tonettemjs@gmail.com
I follow on Twitter.
I tweeted
I am a Friend on Facebook,
I shared on FB
I follow the blog
I love the Tea Shop and Cackleberry series, this book sounds very interesting.
ReplyDeletekaye.killgore@comcast.net
Facebook friend
follow on Twitter
Looks interesting! Thanks for the chance! karen(dot)kenyon(at)rogers(dot)com
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