ending June...Rocco interviews Maggie Sefton!

Meow!  My guest this week is author Maggie Sefton!

Maggie was born in Richmond, VA, and grew up in Northern Virginia in Arlington, close to Washington, D.C. She attended university and received a Bachelor's degree in English Literature & Journalism, married, and started her family there. She now resides in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado with two very demanding dogs.

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

M:  I’ve had characters “walk onstage” in my head ever since I was about 8 or 9 years old.  I figure some of us are just born as Storytellers. 

R: Tell us about the Kelly Flynn mystery series and  how that came about. Do you knit in real life?

M:   I was doing a non-fiction article for a magazine which focused on how people used knitting to help themselves recover from illnesses or heal relationships.  I didn’t knit at all, so I interviewed my friends who did, and they told me to make sure I went to this “cool and trendy” knitting shop in Fort Collins, Colorado (where I lived).  I walked into the Lambspun shop and promptly “fell down the rabbit hole” into a Wonderland of color and texture.  I met all these great people around the knitting table to interview and had such a great time that I came back every week.  Learned out to knit and simply enjoyed myself and their company.  Kelly Flynn walked onstage four months later.  J

  

R: Tell us about your latest release.

M:   The 13^th in the Kelly Flynn Knitting Mysteries just came out on June 2^nd.  PURL UP AND DIE involves the son of one of Kelly’s friends who is a promising young doctor who is accused of assaulting a young woman in his office.  When the young woman is later found murdered, the young doctor becomes the prime suspect.  Kelly’s friend asks her to help search for the “real” killer.    

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?

M:   Well, the first novel that I sold was way back in 1994.  It was the fourth completed novel that I’d written.    It was a historical romance set in Abilene, Kansas in 1871.  There was a Confederate widow heroine, a former Union officer hero, a pretty younger sister, a handsome young Texan who was bringing in the herd to Abilene, a cowardly deputy sheriff and lots more.  A good, old fashioned Western with villains to hiss and heroes to cheer.  A lot of fun to write. 

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

M:   I just need my laptop and someplace to sit.  I can and have written on airplanes, in airports, on trains, sitting on park benches, in bed, in lawn chairs sitting beside a rushing river, on balconies overlooking the ocean, on cruise ships in the middle of the Atlantic, and on decks looking into woods with deer peeking through.  J   

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

M:   I could never narrow it down to one time period.  I wrote over a million words of historical fiction before the mystery characters showed up.  I wrote Medievals, turn-of-the-century struggling Irish, corrupt politicians, and Robber Barons, dashing Musketeers, and others. 

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

M:   I’m drawing a blank.

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

M:   I’m a free spirit, so that’s a long list.  And I’ll keep it to myself.  <g>

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

M:   I just hope they enjoy the stories. 

R: Are you a plotter or a pantser?

M:   I’m a plotter, but it’s just a “road map.”  The characters are in the driver’s seat.  It’s their story, not mine.

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

M:   No time for “hobbies” when you have characters waiting in line for their turn to get onstage.  But I do enjoy traveling---in the U.S. and other parts of the world. 

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

M:   Check out my website which is being updated with Kelly Flynn #13 info as I write this.  www.maggiesefton.com

R: Do you have any advice for beginning writers?

M:   Apprentice yourself to your craft and LEARN.  Write, write, then write some more.  And join a serious writing organization like Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers in Denver, CO or Pikes Peak Writers in Colorado Springs, CO.  Both organizations have experienced Critique groups which will help you take your fiction to the next level.

R: If you weren’t a writer, what would you be doing?

M:   I can’t imagine not being a writer, so I’m clueless. J

List all the places readers canfind you

Facebook---MaggieSeftonAuthor, www.cozychicksblog.com, www.maggiesefton.com 

The good people at Penguin have donated a copy of PURL UP AND DIE to be given 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, July 3!

NANCY PARRA ON THE BLOG!

Meow! My guest today is author Nancy Parra!

 Nancy J Parra AKA Nancy Coco is the author of 19 published novels which include three mystery series: The Gluten-free Baker’s Treat Mysteries (Berkley Prime Crime), The Candy Coated Mysteries (Kensington), and The Perfect Proposal Mysteries (Berkley Prime Crime).  Her writing has been called witty and her protagonists plucky by reviewers around the world.  Nancy is a member of the Killer Character Blog and loves to hear from readers. Find her at www.nancyjparra.com

• Welcome to the blog, Nancy!Tell us a little about your background – how did you get into writing?

Thanks ROCCO! I started writing I 5^th grade. Then when I was in college and taking engineering classes I took a creative writing class for an easy “a” and realized that that was my true passion. I’ve been writing ever since.

• Tell us about your latest release.FLOURLESS TO STOP HIM.  How did the concept for this series come about?

I learned I have Celiac disease and at the time there were not a lot of gluten-free foods. So was creating my own recipes. I would post the good ones on Facebook and a writer friend suggested I write a mystery set in a gluten free bakery and I did. The book was bought in two weeks and the series was born.

• You write two other series. Can you tell us about those?

I write the Candy Coated series as Nancy Coco. This series is set in a hotel/fudgeshop on Mackinac Island Michigan and is filled with fun adventures. I grew up in Michigan and love the Island that Time Forgot. The third series is the Perfect Proposal series set in Chicagoland. Pepper Pomeroy is the protagonist. She runs an engagement planning  business and discovers that sometimes love is murder.

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

I was purely a “seat of my pants” writer, but I’ve learned to use the Blake Snyder’s beat system based on screen writing. Still most of the time I don’t know who did it until the end- if I’m guessing than I’m hoping the reader is guessing all the way through.

• Which do you consider more important, plot or character?

I’m a huge character writer. They come to me as fully formed people with all their imperfections and joys and sorrows.

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

My biggest challenge? Getting published. I wrote 17 entire novels before I sold number 15- I’ve written 25 more since then – only one of those first 17 will see the light of day. I have since written four or five that haven’t  found a publisher. Writing is a business. Not every book is going to find a market, but sometimes you have to write them anyway.

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

I love my agent. She is fantastic. The story is complicated. I had four agents before her and she is the only one who actually sold my novels. That makes her the perfect agent for me.

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

Right now I’m writing book 5 in the Candy Coated series and I’m writing proposals for two new projects. We’ll see where they land.

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

I have a full time job to pay the rent. But I typically write and hour or two a day. I’ve been writing for years and can write up to 20 pages in 20 hours. There are people who will argue that speed is bad, but I think it’s individual. The best part about books is that they can be rewritten up until the galleys. So there is always room for improvement.

• What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?

I recently quit my job and moved to California where I only knew a handful of people just because I was looking for good weather, ocean and mountains. It has been a great adventure.

• What’s one thing your readers would be surprised to find out about you?

People are surprised to learn I was in the US Air Force. I was the first woman to work on satellite downlink equipment. They sent me to Guam for 18 months where I worked with the Navy on Nimitz hill primarily tracking typhoons.

• What question do you wish interviewers would ask? (And what’s the answer?)

This is a terrible question- lol. What do readers really want to know?

•  Where can we learn more about you and your books?

I have a website- www.nancyjparra.com and you can follow me on facebook @nancyjparraauthor or @nancyjcoco I also tweet under @nancyjparra

Just for Fun:

Night or Day?  . Day- I love Sun

Dog or Cat? (answer carefully)  Hee, hee - both

Beach or Pool?   Beach – I love the sound of the surf.

Steak or salad?  Steak- as a person with celiac I am forced to eat a lot of salad – it’s the safest thing on most menus so I like a good steak to mix things up.

Favorite Drink?  Gin and Tonic

Favorite Book?  Unfair- love all books- ALL books- lol.

Favorite TV Series?  Right now it’s Castle – I’ve been a fan of Nathan Fillion since the series “Firefly”

Favorite Movie?  Love them all- I’m such a story person.

Favorite Actor: Paul Newman

Favorite Actress: Helen Mirren

Dirty Martini or Pina Colada? Dirty Martini

Hawaii or Alaska? Alaska

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

If I had just one wish, it would be_________________________________________ to be able to make a living writing novels

If I could trade places with anyone in the world, it would be _______Kate Capshaw

Nancy will give away a copy of FLOURLESS TO STOP HIM 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 26!

author Kym Roberts visits ROCCO!

Meow! My guest today is author Kym Roberts!

Three career paths resonated for Kym during her early childhood: a detective, an investigative reporter, and…a nun. In high school her path was forged when she took her first job at a dry cleaners and met every cop in town, especially the lone female police officer in patrol. From that
point on there was no stopping Kym’s pursuit of a career in law enforcement—even
if she had to duct tape rolls of coins to her waist to meet the weight requirements to be hired. (Yes, she really did that!) Kym followed her dream and became a detective that fulfilled her desire to be an investigative reporter, with one extra perk—a badge. Promoted to sergeant Kym spent the majority of her career in SVU. She retired from the job reluctantly when her husband drug her kicking and screaming to another state, but writing continued to call her name, at least in her head.

Kym: Hi Rocco! Thanks for taking time to interview me, a man in a tuxedo is hard to turn down;)

Meow, thank you Kym!  Tell us a little about your background – how did you get into writing?

Kym: I started writing in high school. I wrote my first romance novella inspired by golfer Severiano (Seve) Ballesteros when golf was so not cool for a teenager to watch. And although I still have the story, it is one I will keep as a memory of a youthful crush on a very hot guy ;) Once college started, my social life kind of took over, then my career dominated every minute of life for me. A year before I retired, I began to write again.   

You were a detective for many years – what was that like?

Kym: Frustrating. Rewarding. Heartbreaking. Breathtaking. You name it, I experienced the emotion. We worked 28 day shift rotations that are hard on your family, but I also think it’s the best type of arrangement with your spouse. You don’t see him/her for a month, cause they’re working the opposite hours you are, but then when the rotation comes around, making up for time lost is very good;)

The cases can haunt you and consume you, there’s a balance you have to achieve, if you don’t the job will eat you up and spit you out. Then when you reach retirement you find yourself divorced with kids you don’t even know and a future that is full of loneliness. My husband and I worked hard at that not being our fate.

You write books you describe as “romantic mysteries” and “cozies on the edge”. Tell us a bit about them.

I love a good mystery, but I love a happily ever after even more. Because of the violence I’ve experienced, my cozies are a little more graphic, and my mouth is seldom totally clean. My humor can be raunchy at times and the relationships tend to be more involved—I like to focus on the bond between couples.  

Tell us about your latest release.

I have one release coming later this summer, Dead Right There, A Malia Fern Mystery. Set on the island of Kaua’i, DRT is told with a flavor of Hawaiian folklore that touches on the paranormal. Malia is a young surf instructor who works part time at Private Kaua’EYES Investigations as a gofer, yet somehow she’s always in the midst of a murder mystery. This time, she’s trying to help one of the investigator’s brother with a shady past that is somehow tied to the death of an unidentified victim that Malia may know very well. Malia is also in a very personal struggle, she’s in love with two guys, one her parents would love for her to marry, and his cousin whom she can’t get enough of. She’s torn between perfection and imperfection, but the question remains, which cousin wears what label?

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

I kind of do both. I think of who my victim is, how s/he died and how it relates to Malia. Then I run with it and let the characters do the talking. Once I have a couple chapters under my belt, I’ll start mapping out the investigation. But like I said, I like a good mystery. Most of my suspects surprise me in the end and I have to go back and add clues into the story once it’s finished. For me to say I know who the suspect is on page one, isn’t going to happen with any of my books.

Which do you consider more important, plot or character?

You’re one tough kitty, Rocco! That’s a difficult question to answer definitively. In every series I’d have to say the characters are more important, but if the plot doesn’t work, readers won’t pick up the second book, so the plot better work!

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

The biggest challenge is finding the time to write! Working from home is difficult no matter what the job. The dishes, the laundry, the cleaning, the house projects, the kids, the car maintenance you name it, if you’re at home someone (namely the person working out of the home) thinks you need to be the person to get all those things done.

When my mom was terminally ill, I found Janet Evanovich. She made me laugh despite the long days of avoiding yet waiting for the inevitable. We spent hours at the hospital and I read to my mom. Whether she heard me or not, I’ll never know. I’d like to think she was laughing at Stephanie Plum’s antics along with me. Through that time, I introduced my sisters and my dad to Stephanie. My dad got a kick out of grandma Mazur and I really believe Janet’s writing helped my family recover. Janet inspired me to make people laugh in the face of tragedy, when love and laughter are the only things that keep you going.

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

Rejection after rejection after rejection. And then finally with the recommendation of two of my friends, Kim Lionetti with Book Ends took me under her wing! She liked my writing, but recognized my need for polish as well. Fingers crossed for the project she’s got on her desk!

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

I’m currently working on a romantic suspense, Flirting with the Devil, A Noble Pass Affaire Novella that will come out in September. It’s written in third person like my romantic suspense novel Handled By Officer. To say that a novella was difficult for me to write is an understatement, but I like the way it turned out.

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

I don’t really have a typical day. Remember all those chores that tend to get in my way? ;) But I usually write/edit a couple hours a day. I also go back and forth between stories. When one isn’t working, I go on to a different one and then come back to the other.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?

I’m not a wild child. I’ve always been a by-the-book type personality. But wanting to be a cop more than anything else in the world, pushed me over the edge. I passed every aspect of the hiring process, except one hurdle. To get on the PD I had to weigh 110 pounds. I weighed 97lbs and only had a week to put it on before the cut-off for the next class. I drank protein shakes, lifted weights, ate two Big Macs a meal and still couldn’t gain. I ended up duct taping rolls of pennies to my waist and wearing a baggy shirt to go step on the scales. By the time the academy started, they changed the policy and everyone who made weight with some to spare, was on a strict diet to lose the pounds while I was good to go. Now, I couldn’t get to 110 lbs. if I tried! And I’m not talking about gaining weight. ;)

What’s one thing your readers would be surprised to find out about you?

I don’t read any one genre and stick to it. I read almost everything and I especially love to read historical romances. It’s one of few genres that I don’t find myself getting caught up in the believability.

What question do you wish interviewers would ask? (And what’s the answer?)

LOL, Rocco I’ve been interview by so many reporters that wanted ‘the’ scoop on a crime, I’ve spent most of my adult life wishing interviewers wouldn’t ask that question! So to answer what question would I like for interviewers not to ask, it’s simple: Why did the victim do or not do this? If a victim could Monday morning quarterback their actions, do you really think they’d put themselves in the same position to be victimized? Our society can be too quick to judge. We’re all full of stupid mistakes, some of us have just been lucky enough not to suffer any consequences. 

 Where can we learn more about you and your books?

You can visit my at my website www.kymroberts.com or my Pinterest page https://www.pinterest.com/kymroberts/

Just for Fun:

Night or Day?  It still changes for me every 28 days like shift work.

Dog or Cat? (answer carefully)  All animals. I grew up with dogs, but when I got my own apartment I started a blended family of dogs and cats. Strays find me. We’ve had several other pets over the years as well.

Beach or Pool?   Always the beach.

Steak or salad?  Steak, unless it’s a Cobb salad.

Favorite Drink?  Coke

Favorite Book?  Any Janet E book.

Favorite TV Series?  The Tonight Show with Jimmie Fallon, does that count as a series? Along with Hawai’i Five-O, Scandal, Vikings, and Battle Creek.

Favorite Movie? The Rundown with Dwayne Johnson 

Favorite Actor: Dwayne Johnson of course ;)

Favorite Actress: Sandra Bullock

Dirty Martini or Pina Colada? Frozen Amaretto Sour ;)

Hawaii or Alaska? Hawai’i of course, it’s my home away from home. Although I thoroughly enjoyed Alaska in the summer.

Finish this sentence:  If I could meet anyone in the world, past or present, it would be? Joan of Arc

If I had just one wish, it would be:

To see people laugh and enjoy life more.

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

 I’m totally content with being me, if I could make myself a more patient me that would be great ;)

Thank you Rocco and Toni for your hospitality and generosity.

Kym

Thank you for a great interview, Kym!

You can find Kym at:

www.kymroberts.com

https://www.pinterest.com/kymroberts/

Facebook: Kym Roberts author

Instagram: KymRoberts911

Twitter:@kymroberts911

Fresh Fiction: The Cozy Corner http://freshfiction.com/pages.php?id=cozy

Kym will give away an e-copy of Dead On Arrival, A Malia Fern Mystery to one lucky commenter! To enter, leave your name and email address in the comments section below! 

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 18! Good luck!

Welcome Alex Ericson to the blog!

 

My guest today is author Alex Ericson!

Alex Erickson has always wanted to write, even at a young, impressionable age. Since he was young, he's had an interest in the motive behind murder, of what makes people do the things they do, which has led him down his current path. He’s always ready with a witty—at least in his opinion—quip, and tries to keep every conversation light and friendly. Alex lives in Ohio with his family and resident felines, who provide endless amounts of inspiration.

• Welcome Alex! Tell us a little about your background

 – Hi! I’m Alex Erickson. I’ve been writing since about . . . forever. I’ve tried just about everything, from fantasy to horror to comedy. This is my first mystery series, however, and I’ve enjoyed working on it greatly! I have a supportive family that lets me spend my time at home, plugging away at the computer, which makes my life just about perfect.

• Tell us about your new series, Bookstore Cafe. How did that come about?

– I wanted to try something new and my editor asked if I ever thought of trying my hand at a cozy. I hadn’t at the time, but was intrigued. I was, of course, nervous about it, but once I got started, I found I enjoyed writing the book, which I suppose shouldn’t have been a surprise. I’ve always enjoyed mysteries, it just hadn’t crossed my mind to actually write one until it was brought up. My biggest issue was to come up with something for the character to do that I wouldn’t mess up. Since I’d considered opening a bookstore café before, it seemed the logical choice. Who doesn’t like coffee and books? And, of course, I had to include cats.

• I notice that the cat on the cover bears a resemblance to me…are you a cat lover?

 – I am! We have four cats, who provide endless entertainment and comfort. The cat on the cover is modeled on my mom’s cat, and the other cat in Death by Coffee was one of my own. He has passed, but his memory will live on in the story. Much of the literary version of him is based on things he’s actually done.

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

 – I think about them. A lot. When I first start out, the characters might be vague, but their voices have started in my head. As I write, they get more defined, usually on their own. I often have to go back and fix earlier quirks or personality traits because they were overridden by something else later, something that felt more “right.” I think that’s the best way to handle characters; let them tell you their story, what they are like. I’m just here to transcribe their stories and lives.

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

 – I used to pants it, but have moved on to outlining. I was always too all over the place when I didn’t give myself a roadmap to follow. I don’t stick strictly to the outline, however, but at least I get where I want to go now without too many unnecessary pit stops.

• Which do you consider more important, plot or character?

 – Character. The plot is there for the character. If I have a brilliant plot, but a boring character, the story falls apart. A book with a limited, weak plot can survive if the characters are vibrant and exciting enough to carry it. Ideally, you get both a great plot and a great cast, but that doesn’t always happen!

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

– The biggest challenge is not to give up when everything looks bleak. It’s easy to take the easy route and walk away when it looks like a story, or even a career, is falling apart. There are so many rejections that go along with writing, so much criticism, it can be hard. I am pretty self-motivated. I push through the downturns by sheer stubbornness. I refuse to fail, even while I am failing. And if something I do doesn’t work out, well then, there is always the next book.

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

 – Nothing to terribly exciting. When I was moving on from my old agent—an amicable parting—I was looking for someone who could represent everything I wanted to try. It wasn’t easy since my tastes are so varied. When I went to submit, I very nearly skipped sending a query to my top choice since he mostly dealt with fantasy and sci-fi as far as I was aware. I did it anyway, since he did rep some pretty good mystery writers too. Lucky for me, I send it in because he took me on! It reinforced my “never sell yourself short” theory. Always shoot for the top and you never know what good might come of it.

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

 – I’m currently working on the third book in the Bookstore Café series. It’s hard to believe that the second is already finished! For the future, I’d like to do many things, try many different books and genres. I enjoy writing and want explore as many ideas as I can before my fingers finally can’t work anymore.

• What is a typical workday for you and how many hours a day (or week) do you devote to writing? – I typically start around 10 a.m. during the week. Depending on what I am working on, I usually write until 12 or 1. Sometimes I go longer. Sometimes shorter. I like to have at least ten hours of sit down and write time between everything else over a week. And that doesn’t count edits, all of the time I spend taking notes, brainstorming, and so on. I would like to extend my work time longer, but have yet to do it, mostly because there is always stuff to do around the house that gets in the way.

 

• What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done? –

I am horribly boring. Sitting here, I can’t think of anything that would qualify as crazy, other than teenaged hijinks, most of which is pretty tame compared to what others might have done. Does submitting a novel count? I keep to myself quite a bit, so I was really going out of my comfort zone at the time, which I guess counts as crazy, at least to me.

• What’s one thing your readers would be surprised to find out about you?

 – People who haven’t known me for a long time are often surprised by my taste in music. I’m a quiet and calm person, and yet the music I listen to is loud, violent, and often terrifying. The same goes for my taste in movies and television a lot of the time. I like my fair share of standard stuff, but the creepy and weird usually draws me the most.

• What question do you wish interviewers would ask? (And what’s the answer?)

 – Do you like interacting with your fans? I tend to shy away from blogs and a lot of Facebook and Twitter posts, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to interact with people.  In fact, receiving emails and private messages are often the highlight of my day. So, while I might not be out there, posting for attention, I do appreciate hearing from anyone who has read my books, or just wants to chat about writing or whatever. Don’t be afraid or shy. Reach out. I swear I don’t bite!

• Where can we learn more about you and your books?

 – My website at http://alexericksonbooks.com/ I don’t post a lot since blogging is apparently beyond me, but any time there is information on where I’ll be or what books are coming out, it’ll show up there first!

 

Just for Fun:

Night or Day? -  Night

Dog or Cat? (answer carefully)  - Cat

Beach or Pool? – Beach. Don’t really swim, so the sand works for me!

Steak or salad? – Salad. I actually don’t like steak at all.

Favorite Drink? – Call me boring, but I really like orange juice. I could survive without most everything else, but don’t take away my morning orange juice.

Favorite Book?  - Too many to list. Like many other things, I don’t really have a favorite as much as I have a bunch of favorites. If we went by authors I buy the moment their books hit the shelves, we’d go with Jim Butcher, Kathy Reichs, Brandon Sanderson, and Stephen King. There are a few others that I tend to snatch up quickly, but I’d have to say those are the top four.

Favorite TV Series? – I struggle with favorites like this, simply because so many lose me after some time. Right now, I’d say that something like The Fall would be my current favorite, despite having so few episodes. I very nearly binge watched it, which is saying something for me. I don’t normally like to sit still in front of the TV for very long.

Favorite Movie?  - It used to be Pulp Fiction, but I haven’t watched it in a really long time. I’ve been disappointed by nearly every movie I’ve watched recently, which makes it really hard for me to choose a favorite. It’s just too much of the same old stuff. There have been some decent movies, but nothing has reached out and grabbed me for a very long time now.

Favorite Actor: - I’ll go with Nathan Fillion, not just because I’ve enjoyed most everything he’s been in, but because I enjoy listening to him outside of scripts. He seems like a genuinely fun person.

Favorite Actress: - Felicia Day for the same reasons. She might not have appeared in a lot of stuff, but I do enjoy what she does outside TV and film, especially on the web.

Dirty Martini or Pina Colada? – Does neither work? I am a nondrinker, which I suppose is strange for an author! I’m not a fan of the taste of alcohol—any alcohol, though some people have tried to find something I can stand. I’m mostly a juice person.

Hawaii or Alaska? – Hawaii. The cold and I are not friends.

Finish this sentence:  If I could meet anyone in the world, past or present, it would be – Stephen King. He is the reason I’m writing at all. On Writing helped push me past the dreamer stage, into the doer stage. Even though my recent books aren’t King-like, I still believe that without him, I wouldn’t have written them.

If I had just one wish, it would be – I know it sounds cliché, but I really wish people would stop judging others without getting to know them first. I really don’t like using religion, gender, race, etc. as a weapon to belittle someone. Isn’t there already enough hate in the world? Why make more? Just because someone might believe in something different than you, doesn’t mean you wouldn’t like them if you got to know them.

If I could trade places with anyone in the world, it would be – I thought about this and decided, the answer is . . . no one. I’m happy where I am. Even if I traded with someone with what would be viewed as the perfect life, I’d long for my old life. Yeah, I guess it is a little cliché too, but darn it, it’s the truth!

Thanks Alex! Folks you can find out more about him here:

Website – http://alexericksonbooks.com/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/alexericksonbooks

Twitter – https://twitter.com/AEricksonbooks

 

Alex will give away a signed copy of Death by Coffee. To onelucky commenter!

 

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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 June 14