My guest this week....BRENDA NOVAK!

Meow! I’m pleased to welcome NYT bestselling author BRENDA NOVAK to my blog!

 ABOUT BRENDA...

Brenda sold her first book, and the rest is history.  A New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of fifty novels, Brenda Novak has been nominated for a prestigious Rita Award three times and won The National Reader's Choice Award, the Bookbuyer's Best, the Bookseller's Best, the Writer Touch Reader Award, the Golden Quill, the Hold Medallion and the Award of Excellence, among others.

 Brenda and her husband, Ted, live in Sacramento and are the proud parents of five childrenthree girls and two boys. When shes not spending time with her family or writing, Brenda is usually working on her annual fund-raiser for diabetes researchan online auction held on her Web site (www.brendanovak.com) every May. To date, she has raised over $2 million for this cause.

R:  Welcome to the blog, Brenda! Tell us a bit about yourself and how you became interested in writing.

 I caught my daycare providing drugging my little kids with cough syrup to get them to sleep all day while I worked as a loan officer (I had three of my five kids at the time), so I quit my job to stay home with them myself. Problem was, we were in dire straits with my husband’s business, and I had to figure out some way to help out financially. During this time, I was reading a really great book—A KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR. I remember how it carried me away from the stressful situation, and when I finished it, I thought, “I wonder if I could write a book?”

 That’s where the idea started. I’ve since completed fifty stories, almost all of them full-length novels.

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

 I would say the books I read growing up made the most impact because those are the ones I still remember in such great detail—almost everything by Kathleen Woodiwiss. JANE EYRE by Charlotte Bronte, PRIDE AND PREJUDICE by Jane Austen, THE THORNBIRDS by Colleen McCullough, GONE WITH THE WIND by Margaret Mitchell, REBECCA by Daphne du Maurier, and BLOODLINES by Sidney Sheldon.

R: Tell us about your new release, COME HOME TO ME

 This is a story about two star-crossed lovers who just weren’t ready for love when they first got involved with each other. Presley, the heroine, fell hard. But Aaron was still coping with his unconventional upbringing. When Presley gets pregnant, she knows better than to even tell Aaron. She leaves town instead, and tries to get her life together—and when she returns two years later, she’s changed a lot. She’s left her addictions behind and become a great mother, but she’s still sheltering her secret…

R: What was the inspiration for your “Whiskey Creek” series?

The TV series FRIENDS. This is my small-town version of that.

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

 This is a tough question. I like something different about each book, but I will probably have to say that WHEN SNOW FALLS was the most fun to write. I wasn’t expecting Dylan to walk on stage out of nowhere, but he did—and he took over the whole story. LOL

R: Tell us a little bit about your annual online auction, “for the cure”. How did that come about, and what, if any, other charities/causes are you passionate about?

 When my son was diagnosed with diabetes at five years old, I wanted to do something to fight back. I was terrified about what this disease could do to him—and became familiar with the fact that diabetes affects almost every American family in one way or another. I was a young mother with a fledging writing career, so I kept telling myself that there would come a day when I would have the time and resources to do something to raise money. Then it occurred to me that I already had a good stream of traffic coming to my website, and that I could invite those people to join with me in trying to make a difference. That’s when I started my annual online auction for diabetes research. We are currently approaching our ten-year anniversary (it runs May 1 – 31^st at http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com) and are looking forward to what I hope will be our biggest year yet. So far, we’ve raised over $2 million—which is far more than I ever dreamed I’d be able to raise. I am so grateful to all the readers, authors, publishing officials and advocates who have pitched in to help me.

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 was cautiously ecstatic when I got The Call. I had received one previous call that hadn’t ended in a contract—my agent at the time said she’d never seen a publisher express such interest and then turn away—so I was a bit less trusting the second time around. But HarperCollins did step up and buy my first book, OF NOBLE BIRTH, and it was thrilling.

 I found my first agent simply by querying. Pamela Ahearn responded, we went through some revisions on the manuscript I’d submitted, and she ended up signing me shortly after that story finaled in RWA’s Golden Heart contest.

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

 I don’t have to have anything except a chair and a computer—although it helps if I can have some peace and quiet, too. LOL

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

 I’d travel to medieval England simply because I’m so fascinated by that period in history—and how people lived. But I would only do that if I could get back! LOL

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?

 I think my romantic suspense title INSIDE would make a really great movie. It’s actually been optioned, so we’ll see if it ever hits the big screen. As the lead actor…maybe Charlie Hunnam? I’m super in love with him right now. LOL

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

 I’m not sure…. Maybe that I bike 25 miles per day?

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

 When I was seven months pregnant with my oldest son, we were really into mountain biking. We took a trip to Moab to do some of the trails they have there, and when I look back at that, I shake my head at my stupidity. I was riding with a big belly in front of me on the rim of a canyon that wasn’t six inches wide and was strewn with rocks—and I was riding hard and fast, trying to keep up with two men. I could so easily have hit something the wrong way and sailed off into the canyon. I would kill one of my kids if they ever did something so foolhardy. LOL

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

 I write about “real” people, meaning my characters are not perfect. That makes almost every book a redemption story because we all have to figure out who we really are and make changes to become who we want to be. I hope my stories give people hope that they can be as admirable as they want to be, and that true love really exists.

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

I’m currently writing my next Whiskey Creek story—Book #7 in the series. It’s called THE HEART OF CHRISTMAS and will be released in November (Eve’s story). I’m also working on a thriller called HELL BENT that I haven’t yet submitted for publication. I want to finish it before I sell it, since I’m under so many other deadlines. After these projects, I’ll be doing a women’s fiction title for my current publisher that will come out in trade paper.

R: Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I’m definitely a pantser. I have to let the plot grow out of the characters, and it takes a few chapters for me to get to know the characters well enough to let that happen.

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

I love to travel, read, ride bikes, shop and spend time with my family.

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

www.brendanovak.com

R: Do you have any advice for beginning writers?

 This is always an easy question for me. Believe. If you truly believe in yourself and your work, you will learn, practice, learn, practice, and keeping learning and practicing until you get that lucky break.

Just for Fun:

 Night or Day? 

 Both?

Dog or Cat? (answer carefully) 

 Um…cat? LOL (Rocco – RIGHT ANSWER,MEOW!)

Beach or Pool?  

Beach

Steak or salad? 

 a steak salad  (ROCCO:  Very diplomatic,  meow!)

Favorite Drink? 

 Hot chocolate

Favorite Book? 

 JANE EYRE

Favorite TV Series? 

 PRISON BREAK

Favorite Movie? 

LAST OF THE MOHICANS

Favorite Actor:

 Charlie Hunnam

Favorite Actress:

 ?

Dirty Martini or Pina Colada?

 Virgin Pina Colada (I don’t drink—Ha)

Hawaii or Alaska?

 Alaska (I’m dying to see it)

Finish this sentence:  If I could meet anyone in the world, past or present, it would be _Margaret Mitchell or maybe Gandhi__________________

If I had just one wish, it would be_that we could find a cure for diabetes________________________________________

If I could trade places with anyone in the world, it would be __I’m happy just being me._____

Thanks Brenda, for a great interview! Folks, here are all the places you can find out more about Brenda!

www.brendanovak.com

https://www.facebook.com/BrendaNovakAuthor?ref=br_tf

@Brenda_Novak

And now…Brenda will give away  the first three books in her Whiskey Creek series, autographed, and tucked inside a cute Brenda Novak mini-tote! Entering is simple – just leave a comment with your email address in our comments section! (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)#!/

  Follow Brenda on  FB at the address above

* 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!

 Coming in April....Liz Mugavero, Rosie Genova and Harley Jane Kozak!

ROCCO

INCREDIBLE BLOGGING CAT

ROCCO -CAT OF THE DAY!

http://catoftheday.com/archive/2014/March/13.html

Our guest today: Lucy Burdette!

Meow! My guest today is author Lucy Burdette!

 Lucy Burdette (aka Roberta Isleib) is the author of 12 mysteries, including the latest in the Key West series featuring food critic Hayley Snow. Her books and stories have been short-listed for Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity awards. She's a past president of Sisters in Crime.

And now, here’s Lucy! 

 

R:  Good morning, Lucy, and welcome to the blog! Tell us a bit about yourself and how you became interested in writing.

 Thank you, ROCCO.  Well, I started out my career as a clinical psychologist and consider writing novels to be my midlife crisis. In 1992, I married a great guy who happened to love golf. I got sucked into trying to learn and found it very, very challenging. (Ask the eight teaching professionals who tried to help…) As I spent a ton of time and money trying to master the art of golf, I wondered how else I might use the experience—writing was the answer! My first mystery series featured an aspiring lady pro golfer carrying lots of family baggage that kept her from playing at the level she should have been able to. I was able to use both the golf obsession and my training in clinical psychology as I wrote these books—I had so much fun!

 

R:  You have written mysteries featuring an avid golfer and now a food critic, diversified to say the least. Where did the inspiration for these characters come from?

 And don’t forget the series in between the golf and the food, which starred a clinical psychologist! As for inspiration, I know that part of each of those characters is drawn from my own life. And of course, I borrow bits and pieces from the people and stories around me--and the rest I make up. If there's one thing I've learned over the past fourteen years, it's that I'm quite capable of starting over with a new idea. And i've also learned that before long, I fall just as hard for the new characters and story as I did for the previous books.  And that's how I feel now about my new heroine, aspiring food critic Hayley Snow. I hope I have the opportunity to write many more of her adventures in Key West.

 

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

 I read a lot, and there are many, many writers I admire, so it’s hard to narrow this down. But Diane Mott Davidson was one of the first writers in the culinary mystery genre--I read her series about a caterer in Colorado long before it ever occurred to me that I should try to write myself. John D. Macdonald’s series character lived on a boat in Florida--I’m sure that’s had an impact. (Hayley Snow, the main character in the food critic mysteries, lives on a houseboat in Key West.)

 

R: How did you make the leap from clinical psychologist to mystery writer?

Believe it or not, the work of the detective in a mystery has quite a bit in common with long-term psychotherapy. You start with a problem, then follow the threads, looking for clues, and gradually fill in the big picture. So this career move turned out to be a natural progression!

 By the way, most shrinks are appalled by the way we are portrayed in the popular media--usually these characters are bumbling fools, lacking in scruples, or crazy themselves. But in writing fiction, I have the chance to dream up psychologist characters who can help solve mysteries without stumbling too hard over their own personal issues, crossing ethical boundaries, or imploding with self-importance.

 

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 don't have a magic formula for this subject.

 However, I did find an agent and she did sell my book, though none of this came easily or quickly. I studied Elizabeth Lyon's THE SELL YOUR NOVEL TOOLKIT and Jeff Herman's WRITER'S GUIDE TO BOOK EDITORS, PUBLISHERS, AND LITERARY AGENTS. I contacted agents who had interests like mine (mystery, sports, psychology), or who had some feature in their personal background that made me think we might connect. I hired an independent editor to give me fairly inexpensive but useful feedback on my manuscript, she directed me to several agents. I attended mystery conventions and talked with people there about the process. I attended the International Women's Writers Guild "Meet the Agents" forum in New York City. I groveled in front of everyone I even remotely knew connected with the publishing business. And I suffered through multiple rejections and shouldered forward.

 My advice? First, write the best book you can. Take classes, join a critique group, and rewrite, rewrite, rewrite. And second, be persistent and flexible.

 How did I feel? Absolutely astonished and delighted!

 

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

Coffee. And a certain amount of peace and quiet. And I have a small writers’ group--two friends who are priceless with brainstorming and reading early drafts.

 

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

Even though I lived through all the changes in the 1960’s as a kid, I wasn’t able to appreciate them--the women’s movement, the peace movement, the music. I’d like to go back there from my current perspective and savor the revolution:).

 

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

 

I don't think I'd like to be a food critic in real life--when I go out to eat, I like to choose what I feel like eating, not what I think other folks want to hear about. And there are places where I'd draw lines that my character Hayley Snow, cannot. For instance, tentacles. Raw fish and meat. Slimy things. Like that:). All the restaurants in my books really exist in Key West--except for the ones where the characters have bad meals.

 

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

 This was probably the moment where I spent the advance from my second mystery, A BURIED LIE, to play in a golf tournament with two professional golfers. This became an important part of the story--and it was a total blast!

 

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

 The food critic series has really tweaked my interest in the meaning of food and cooking because I have to think the way that my character, Hayley Snow, thinks. She uses food as a way to connect with people, and to calm herself down, and to seduce the folks she’s trying to get information from that may solve the mysteries. I've become a better cook--and eater too!--as a result.

 I like what Hayley wrote for Key Zest at the end of DEATH IN FOUR COURSES: “I’d summed up by saying how important it was to remember that while food did mean life and death in its most elemental form, most often we in the food writing industry were talking about food as the pleasure of connections. When we wrote about simmering a stew or a sauce for hours or days, we were really talking about how much we owed to the folks who came before us and the importance of cherishing their memory. And how much we yearned to give to the people in our present who’d be gathered around our table. We were writing about food as family history, and love, and hope, and sometimes a little splash of guilt.”

 

I think the message in TOPPED CHEF might be that food doesn’t have to be fancy to be good. And a grandmother’s recipe for chocolate cake scratched out on a notecard can hold its own with a fancy chef’s menu.

As for MURDER WITH GANACHE, I'll leave you with a bit of conversation from Hayley and her mother:

 

            "Why is it that cooking always makes things feel a little less hopeless?” my mother mused as the vegetables softened.

            “At least we’re doing something,” I said, as she whipped the eggs with a splash of water and stirred them into the pan.

            “We feel like we’re taking care of people when there’s really nothing to be done.” I grinned. “That’s what you taught me anyway.”

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

I’m working on the fifth Key West foodie mystery, called DEATH WITH ALL THE TRIMMINGS. It will be on bookshelves in December 2014.

R: Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I used to be a careful plotter, but I do a lot less of that now. I have a vague idea of where the story will go, and I know a lot about the characters--then I write until I get stuck, then plot a little more. This method is a little stressful, but fun!

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

No tricks, but I love cooking, eating, reading, bike riding, and still an occasional round of golf.

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

I LOVE hearing from readers--it’s the best thing about the job. I’m no doubt online more that I should be, but you can find me on Facebook (www.facebook.com/lucyburdette) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/lucyburdette), and blogging with the fabulous writers at Mystery Lovers Kitchen (www.mysteryloverskitchen.com) and Jungle Red Writers (www.jungleredwriters.com). I also enjoy Pinterest. In fact, here’s my storyboard for MURDER WITH GANACHE: http://www.pinterest.com/robertaisleib/murder-with-ganache/ and another for Key West: http://www.pinterest.com/robertaisleib/key-west-the-character/

 And last but not least, here’s my website: www.lucyburdette.com.

 

Just for Fun:

Night or Day?  Day

Dog or Cat? (answer carefully)  One of each! But of course Yoda the cat is in charge

Beach or Pool?   Beach

Steak or salad?  Salad

Favorite Drink?  coffee

Favorite Book?  Gone with the Wind

Favorite TV Series?  Nashville

Favorite Movie?  When Harry Met Sally

Favorite Actor: Robert Redford

Favorite Actress: Meryl Streep

Dirty Martini or Pina Colada? Pina Colada

Hawaii or Alaska? Hawaii

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

If I had just one wish, it would be_____the end of world hunger and war____________________________________

If I could trade places with anyone in the world, it would be ____No one!___

 

Thanks for a great interview, Lucy!

Folks, here’s all the places you can find Lucy!

facebook: www.facebook.com/lucyburdette

twitter: www.twitter.com/lucyburdette

pinterest: www.pinterest.com/robertaisleib

website: www.lucyburdette.com

Mystery Lovers Kitchen: www.mysteryloverskitchen.com

Jungle Red Writers: www.jungleredwriters.com

 

Lucy will be giving away a copy of MURDER WITH GANACHE 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!

 

Up next: Heather Graham and Brenda Novak! Meow!

 

 

ROCCO

INCREDIBLE BLOGGING CAT

 

 

 

 

NYT BESTSELLING AUTHOR REBECCA M. HALE ON THE BLOG!

 

MEOW!

 Our guest poster today is NYT Bestselling author Rebecca M. Hale! Rebecca writes the “Cats and Curios” mystery series.  The newest, HOW TO PAINT A CAT, debuts today in your local bookstore!  The subject of her post, Humphrey, is pictured above!  A dashing cat - almost as dashing as yours truly....

 And now….Rebecca!

 

 

Hi ROCCO!

Hope your readers enjoy mypost!

Rebecca 

 

HOW TO PAINT A CAT: How a Cat Became a Human (Character)

 

The Cats and Curios mystery series features my two cats, Rupert and Isabella, their anonymous owner (a woman who looks a lot like me), and their adventures in San Francisco’s Jackson Square. As the series has progressed, a number of secondary characters have wandered into the Green Vase antique shop and populated the storylines that involve San Francisco’s City Hall.

 

HOW TO PAINT A CAT features the return of newspaper reporter Hoxton Finn and his unlikely sidekick, a hairdresser named Humphrey. (The news station has tasked Humphrey with making Hox presentable for his station-mandated television appearances.)

 While many of the Cats and Curios characters are inspired by famous political figures or other San Francisco celebrities, the character of Humphrey is derived from a completely different source.

 Humphrey is based on a male domestic shorthair. In other words – a cat.

 Humphrey the cat has lived with me since he was five weeks old. He’s a slender black and white tuxedo, very stylish and always impeccably dressed. He has a single white stripe down the center of his chest that looks just like a necktie. White caps cover the toes of his feet, giving the impression of little white shoes.

 Humphrey is a cuddler; he purrs when you pick him up. He’s the perfect sidekick: chatty, good-natured, and pleasant to be around.

 Unfortunately, there’s one aspect of the feline Humphrey’s personality that didn’t translate over into the human character.

 Humphrey the cat loves his tail. Even as a kitten, he would sit for hours holding his tail in his front paws, staring at it with wonder and adoration. I often find him in the same position today.

 To be honest, the tail isn’t all that spectacular. It’s a long black skinny thing, kind of pointed at the end. But in Humphrey’s eyes, there has never been another tail to match it. It’s his most prized possession.

 He was thrilled to learn that I was writing a blog post specifically about him and his book character – until he learned that the human Humphrey had no tail.

 The conversation went something like this:

 HUMPHREY (curled up in my lap, holding his tail): “So, tell me about this human Humphrey.”

 RMH: “He’s artistic, refined, stylish – just like you.”

 HUMPHREY (grooming the tip end of his tail): “I like the sound of that. Tell me more.”

 RMH: “He’s a good listener. And he has a fun sense of humor.”

 HUMPHREY (thinking for a moment): “I have a fun sense of humor.”

 RMH: “Yes, yes, you do. You’re a funny little guy.”

 HUMPHREY: “And tell me about his tail.”

 RMH (sensing trouble): “His tail?”

 HUMPHREY (slightly perplexed): “The book Humphrey, tell me about his handsome tail.”

 RMH (stammering): “Well, uh, actually, you see, since he’s a human, he, uh, doesn’t have a tail.”

HUMPHREY (staring up at RMH in shock): “The book Humphrey doesn’t have a tail???”

 RMH: (winces and shakes her head)

 HUMPRHEY (an expression of sheer horror on his furry face) “Get your publisher on the phone. We’re going to have to discuss some rewrites…”

 

 

 

MEOW! Humprhey sounds like a cat after my own heart!  I help the Human with her writing as well…..

 Folks, if you haven’t tried the Cats and Curios series, you are missing out!  Check them out today!

 Coming up….Roberta Islib, Heather Graham and Brenda Novak! Meow!

 

ROCCO