Black Cats watch out....for author Kay Finch!

Meow, today my guest is author Kay Finch!

 

• Welcome Kay. Tell us a little about your background

I grew up on a farm in Pennsylvania and began writing mystery stories as a little girl. I kept all my stories to myself, and it wasn’t until I moved to Texas and went to work at the law office of a renowned criminal defense attorney that I began writing mystery novels.

• Tell us about your new series, the Bad Luck Cat mysteries.  Where did that idea originate?

I must give the credit to my agent. She wanted me to sign on as her client so she could share with me this “great series idea” she’d been hanging onto. I signed, we brainstormed, and she sold the series within a few days after I turned in the proposal.

• Tell us about some of the other series you’ve written

My Corie McKenna mysteries, Final Decree and Final Cut, feature a Houston PI who works divorce cases. Relative Chaos, my Klutter Killer mystery, is about a professional organizer who finds a dead body in her aunt’s messy garage.

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

I think about unique or quirky people I’ve known in my life and fashion characters after them. While I’m writing I remind myself not to have the characters react in my very logical, humdrum way. Instead, I think about how one of my quirky role models might react and that makes for a much more interesting scene.

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

I’m a list maker, so I have to begin by outlining. While I have the general plot and the list of suspects, the list of reasons for the actions of each suspect, and the list of settings in the novel, etc. etc. there comes a point in the book where the thing that I had planned doesn’t happen.  Something different and more interesting happens and from there on the writing is by the seat of my pants.

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

I’m going to say character because if the character isn’t interesting enough to read about then the reader won’t get to the plot that holds the story together.

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

Finding enough time to write is my biggest challenge. My inspiration comes from my dear friends, Leann Sweeney and Dean “Miranda” James, who write book after terrific book, year after year. They make me proud to be a fellow “cat mystery” writer.

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

Yes, definitely. A fellow cozy writer asked if I’d be interested in continuing a series that was being discontinued by the author even though the publisher wanted it to continue. Would I? What do I have to do? This lead put me in touch with the author’s agent who asked me to sign on as a client so that she could share her idea for the Bad Luck Cat series, as mentioned above. The publisher found someone else to continue the series that started this line of dialogue, but I’m happy with the way things turned out.

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

I’m finishing the second Bad Luck Cat mystery. At this point, the title remains a mystery.  Several title ideas are being considered.

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

The only answer I have to that question is “as many hours as I can squeeze in.” I work a forty hour week at a busy law firm. On some days I can write quite a lot during a lunch hour, but more of the writing is done on weekends.

• What advice do you have to offer to an aspiring author?

Don’t expect success to come quickly or to make loads of money.

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

I wish I could dance like one of the Dancing with the Stars pros.

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

Do you ever dream about quitting your day job and writing full-time?

Absolutely, yes!

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

Check out my web site at www.kayfinch.com.

 

Just for Fun:

Night or Day?  .

Day

Dog or Cat? (answer carefully) 

Cat, of course, but don’t tell my two dogs I said that.

Beach or Pool?  

Pool

Steak or salad? 

Salad

Favorite Drink? 

Coffee

Favorite Book? 

The Poet by Michael Connelly

Favorite TV Series? 

Major Crimes

Favorite Movie? 

The Wizard of Oz

Favorite Actor:

Tom Selleck as Jesse Stone

Favorite Actress:

Meryl Streep

Dirty Martini or Pina Colada?

Pina Colada – for my sweet tooth

Hawaii or Alaska?

Hawaii

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

Agatha Christie.

If I had just one wish, it would be

that children and animals never had to suffer.

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

a lucky black cat.

 

Folks you can find Kay at:

            www.kayfinch.com

            Facebook at:

Kay Finch

Kay Finch Author

            Twitter at KFinchMysteries

List any giveaway information

 

            Kay is giving away this piece of cat-lover home décor – “All You Need Is Love …And A Cat” to one special winner.In addition, Berkley has donated a copy of “Black Cat Crossing” to be given to another 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, Sept. 11.