Tuesday, July 2, 2013

ROCCO clebrates Independance Weekend! In My Hotseat...MJ Holliday (courtesy Victoria Laurie!)

In my hotseat., helping us celebrate Independence Weekend...MJ Holliday, Ghost hunter Supreme!  MJ visits us today courtesy of Ms. Victoria Laurie,
the NYT bestselling author of both the Ghost Hunter and Psychic Eye mystery series!

ABOUT MJ:
M. J. Holliday is a spiritual medium who's not afraid of a little adventure. Together with her BFF Gilley Gillespie, M. J. runs a ghostbusting business which often puts historical murder and mayhem front and center. With competing love interests, a best friend who's scared of his own shadow, and a parrot with attitude, some days, it's all M. J. can do just to stay focused.



So without any further ado....MJ!


R: Good Morning, MJ. Tell us a bit about yourself.

MJ: Good morning, ROCCO, lovely to meet you.  Let’s see, a little bit about myself…well, I’m in my early thirties, I have a gorgeous boyfriend named Heath, my best friend is a high-maintenance drama queen named Gilley whom I love like my own brother, and I have the great good fortune of being be the human to an adorable, lippy, opinionated parrot named Doc.  (Don’t get any mid-morning snack ideas, ROCCO…)  J
Oh, and I’m also a psychic medium for a cable TV show called Ghoul Getters.  Heath is also a medium and together we hunt down and deliver justice to some wicked scary ghosties….and sometimes a few wicked scary humans too!


R: When did you first realize you had psychic abilities?

MJ: I was young.  My mom knew even before I did, and she helped me to feel normal in a world that often didn’t understand me.  After she passed away, Gilley’s mom sort of helped me to foster and nurture the ability.  It was a lovely gift because it allowed me to stay close with my mom, who still checks in with me from the other side.

R: We understand you’re invited to the wedding of another psychic sleuth, Abby Cooper. How did you two meet and how did that come about?

MJ: Abby and I met through a mutual friend some years ago when she was having difficulty ridding an investment property of its spectral tenants.  She did a lot of the evicting work herself, but I was called in just to make sure the place was clean.  From there we struck up a friendship.  I adore Abby.  She’s a crazy talented psychic in her own right, and she’s funny and opinionated…two traits I’ve also been accused of having.

R: Out of all your adventures, do you have a favorite?

MJ: Well, I think Abby’s wedding stands out as probably one of the biggest adrenaline rushes I’ve had in a very long time.  You can read about it in Victoria Laurie’s newest book, Deadly Forecast which I believe is now available everywhere books are sold!  (They pay me to give plugs like these…)  J

R: How would you describe your relationship with Gilley?

MJ: Gil is my best friend on the planet.  Nobody knows me as well, or is as willing to call me out on my crap as Gil.  I’d jump in front of a train for him.  He’d do the same for me as long as he could do it wearing a feather boa.  Still, just like real siblings, we have our moments.  Or rather, Gil will have a “moment” and I’ll want to slap him.  Overall, however, we’re besties and we always will be.

R: So, we know you and Heath Whitefeather are an item. Have we seen the last of your first love, Steven Sable?  Or is there a chance we haven’t seen the last of the good doctor?

MJ: It’s funny you should ask about Steven because he just came by my office the other day and was asking about the possibility of hiring my team for a problem he has.  It’s a little awkward now that I’m with Heath, but Steven seems to really need my help…so, for old time’s sake, I think we’re gonna see what we can do.  I’m sure there’ll be more about that in January when Victoria Laurie gives the account in The Ghoul Next Door. (More plugs…cha-ching!)  J





R: You’ve done quite a bit of ghostbusting in Europe for your show, Ghoul Getters.  Will you be tracking down ghosts in the US now, or are more visits planned across the pond?

MJ: I think for the time being we’ll be stateside, which is wonderful because I’ve missed the good old US of A.  And there’re plenty of spooks here to investigate, I’m sure!  I think after we’re done here in Boston helping out Steven we’ll be traveling to my hometown of Valdosta, Georgia.  It’ll be good to go home again…sort of.  Lots of emotional ghosts there for me, so it’ll probably be a mixed blessing.

R: Which did you prefer, public ghostbusing on Ghoul Getters or taking on private cases?

MJ: I don’t know that I have a preference, ROCCO.  I mean, they’re both a lot of work.  The benefit to working for a private client is that we don’t have a network to answer to, but sometimes the clients want to be involved a little too much.  So, mostly, my team just goes in hoping for the best – to solve the case in front of us and send the nasty spooks back where they belong and bring peace to the haunted.  It mostly works out okay in the end.  J

R: Can you share any news of future adventures?

MJ: Well, as I mentioned, we’ll be in Boston helping Steven out.  His fiancée, (yes…that’s right…he’s engaged…), has a brother who’s had some trouble with a spook who seems to be haunting him.  He can’t shake the spook, and from the sound of it, this is one nasty poltergeist.  Not quite sure how we’ll go about it, but I know I can’t leave the poor young guy to fend for himself.  So, we’ll see…

R: Any advice for aspiring writers?

MJ: Don’t be tempted to overwrite the scene.  So often I’ll read something by someone who has real talent, but they get so caught up in the detail of setting the scene that by the time you reach the end of the paragraph you’re bored.  Try the rule of three: write only three descriptors about everything and everyone you introduced.  i.e. “The room was a lovely shade of peacock with a creamy Berber carpet and matching drapes.”  That’s enough for the reader to fill in the rest.  Move on to the action.


R: Would you ever consider collaborating with a handsome, debonair (albeit a tad tubby) tuxedo cat?

MJ: Ha!  Oh, that is so tempting, but I’d be nervous about making Doc jealous!  No, ROCCO, I think you’re a star in your own right and should command the entire spotlight!  But thank you so much for the suggestion, and have a lovely morning cuddling with your human.   J (ROCCO wipes tear away with paw….)



Thank you, MJ (and Victoria!) for a great interview! I know I can't wait to read DEADLY FORECAST!
GOOD NEWS FOLKS - IT'S OUT TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Speaking of which, Victoria will give away a copy of DEADLY FORECAST 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.  Open to US residents only.  Ends midnight, July 7.  Don’t forget to mention all you’ve done in your comment. Good luck!

coming up:  our Kids Need to Read Fundraiser!  Win a basket of Firefly goodies, including a set of rare, out of print comics! Details starting next week!

8 comments:

  1. OMG, I love the interview especially in the end about a new partnership. XD Love both series and the books. Thanks for the giveaway.
    +1 follower in twitter :https://twitter.com/rogue484
    +1 Tweet:https://twitter.com/rogue484/status/352037050322653184
    +1 following blog google+:rogue484
    +1 facebook friend: request pending :)
    +1 facebook mention: https://www.facebook.com/#!/ncjaramillo
    email : neoterragoddess@gmail.com


    ReplyDelete
  2. This sounds like a really good book.

    I have friended on Facebook: Nancy Hill Bradford

    nlb1050@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. The interview was great! Thanks for the give away!

    Dtk070305@yahoo.com
    Follow on:
    Facebook
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    Blog

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  4. I'm a big fan of Victoria Laurie, and through her MJ. I own at least a half dozen of her books and read all of them by borrowing from my local library (can't always afford EVERYTHING I want).

    Twitter follower @NoraAdrienne
    FB Friend Nora-Adrienne Deret
    GNC NoraA

    FB share https://www.facebook.com/noraadrienne

    Twitter https://twitter.com/NoraAdrienne/status/352069164569083904

    NoraAdrienne(at)gmail(dot)com

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  5. These are wonderful books. I like the idea of the two series overlapping a bit.
    FB friend
    follow blog
    mention on FB

    Libby Dodd
    libbydodd@comcast.net

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  6. Great interview! I followed you on FB & Twitter and posted about the giveaway on my own author FB page (https://www.facebook.com/AmStoddardBooks)

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  7. I enjoyed the interview. This is a great giveaway.
    I follow the blog
    I follow on twitter
    I mention it on my Facebook Timeline
    KristineLR23(AT)gmail(dot)com

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  8. entering Valerie Consoeur becasue Blogger has not been friendly! Meow!
    valerie_gayle84@hotmail dot com

    also:
    osolemio105@hotmail dot com
    carmybabe2010 at gmail dot com
    auditgirl2012 at yahoo dot com


    anyone having problems please PM the Human on Facebook and we will enter you!

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