IN MEMORIAM - JOYCE LAVENE

REPOSTED IN MEMORIAM

ORIGINALLY POSTED JANUARY 2015

JOYCE LAVENE

REST IN PEACE

 

 

 

 

Today my guest is author JJCook AKA the writing team of Joyce and Jim Lavene!

Joyce and Jim Lavene write award-winning, best-selling mystery fiction as themselves, J.J. Cook, and Ellie Grant. They have written and published more than 70 novels for Harlequin, Penguin, Amazon, and Simon and Schuster along with hundreds of non-fiction articles for national and regional publications. They live in rural North Carolina with their family. 

Visit them at www.joyceandjimlavene.com

www.facebook.com/joyceandjimlavene 

http://amazon.com/author/jlavene 

https://twitter.com/AuthorJLavene

joyceandjimlavenenewsletter-subscribe@yahoogroups.com 

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

We became interested in writing the old fashioned way – we were readers who wanted to create our own stuff. We both love reading anything, science fiction, fantasy, and mystery are our favorites.

 R: What drew you to the cozy mystery genre?

We liked the personality of it – giving characters quirky names and jobs. It’s fun to write and to read. Plus we aren’t great with too much blood and guts.

R: Tell us about your series, the Sweet Pepper Fire Brigade. What  made you decide on firefighting as a career for your sleuth?  And a ghost who cooks???????

Jim was a volunteer firefighter for a while. Joyce has three generations of firefighters in her family. The ghost is just a fun bonus! We wanted to write a firefighter mystery series because we liked the concept. Stella is from Chicago, a professional firefighter. She comes to Sweet Pepper to set up their volunteer squad, and stays because she loves the place. She and Eric, the ghost of the former fire chief, get in scrapes together.

  R: Tell us about your latest release, IN HOT WATER.

In Hot Water is the third book in the Fire Brigade Mysteries. Stella is trying to keep an overzealous councilman from tearing down Eric’s old cabin and investigating a fire that killed a local representative. There is always Sweet Pepper Festival action too as the town celebrates their hot pepper roots.

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

Stella and Eric are always fun to write. The volunteer firefighters have issues too. In this book, they deliver a baby after a wreck. We probably don’t write any characters that aren’t fun to write.

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?

We were very excited when Harlequin called because we’d sold our first book. That’s right. We started as romance writers! It was years after that before we got our first agent. We got our agent because she was just getting started and wanted to represent us. It seemed like a good idea.

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

Plenty of coffee! That’s the only must have besides each other and the computers.

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

Probably the age of castles and knights. We’d like to meet Merlin.

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

That we are Doctor Who fanatics?

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

Driving down to the beach (about 4 hours) to watch the sun rise and driving right back.

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

That all people are interesting and special.

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

Our next Taxi for the Dead Paranormal Mystery, Dead Girl Blues, and the next Retired Witches book, Looking for Mr. Good Witch.

 R: Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Both. There is no absolute for us. You do what you need to do with each book.

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

We read. Drive. We like to take pictures and go to weird little places most people don’t want to go. Jim likes to take apart computers and put them back together. I’m trying to get back into watercolors.

 R: Do you have any advice for beginning writers?

Write. Write. Write. That’s the most important thing.

 Thanks for a great interview!

 

Say hello to....Nancy Haddock!

Meow! My guest this week is author Nancy Haddock!

Nancy Haddock is an award-winning and national bestselling author of mystery romance who now writes cozy mystery. Basket Case, the first book in the Silver Six Crafting mysteries, will be released in Sept. 2015 with Berkley Prime Crime. Her earlier books, also with Berkley, are La Vida Vampire, Last Vampire Standing, and Always The Vampire, feature Cesca, aka “Gidget with fangs,” and are set in Haddock’s current hometown, St. Augustine, FL. Nancy draws on historic wealth, southern culture, and the plain old quirkiness of places for her books. She lives with her husband and rescue dog Baron, and hopes that a cat finds her soon.

 

 

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

 

First and foremost, thank you so much for inviting me to spend time with you, Rocco! You are one slick cat!

 

To answer the question, according to my late mother, I dictated stories for her to write when I was three. I don’t specifically remember that, but I do recall stories consistently running in my head. I’ve loved reading and storytelling since I can remember, so I suppose writing is simply part of who I am. 

 

R: What drew you to the cozy genre?

 

I love mysteries, the puzzle of them. Growing up on a diet of Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, and the Hardy Boys helped, and I still read cozies by the handful. Can I stomach the more hard boiled mystery? Yes! But I don’t read them as steadily as I do cozies. 

 

R: You’ve also written about vampires.  Tell us a bit about those books.

 

La Vida Vampire, Last Vampire Standing, and Always The Vampire were actually mystery-romances with Cesca, a “Gidget with fangs” being an amateur sleuth! Cesca was buried for over 200 years, discovered during a home restoration, and now must learn to adjust to 21^st century life with the help of her mentor/ girlfriend. She gets a job as a ghost tour guide, and when one oddball tourist is killed, Cesca is a suspect. I had a blast with Cesca, and her friends, including her mysterious guy, Saber! 

 

R: Tell us about your new cozy series and first release, BASKET CASE.

 

When “Nixy” Nix visits her aunt in Lilyvale, Arkansas, she fears Sherry Mae may have dementia. Instead, Sherry and her five housemates are perfectly competent, and battling a real estate developer who wants Sherry Mae’s ancestral home and land. When the developer is found dead in the family cemetery, Nixy must prove Sherry Mae is innocent of murder before the killer strikes again.

 

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?

 

My agent story is odd. My agent first rejected me, very nicely. I got that e-mail on a Monday. On Wednesday I got THE CALL. After consulting with several trusted writer friends, I phoned the agent who had rejected me to ask if she would look over the contract. Instead, she offered representation on the first contract, and we’ve stayed together since! Love the woman!

 

As to THE CALL, well, I’d been writing a very loooong time. When the editor phoned, I was so surprised, I had trouble taking in that I had finally sold. Fortunately, my RWA training kicked in, and I was able to behave professionally (save the loud gasps of OMG every now and then). Then, yes, I screamed a little and danced around my office.

 

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

 

I used to have small rituals, but those went out the door. Now, it’s pretty much sitting down and getting to it. If there is distracting noise in the house—aka hubby—then I pop on the earphones and listen to new age/ spa/ nature sounds. Most music has me humming along, singing along, or chair dancing, so I don’t have a writing sound track.

 

As for creative aids, well, the occasional handful of frozen M&Ms doesn’t hurt. Or a handful of Mike and Ike Red Rageous candies.

 

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

 

I don’t know about a single moment, but I love the British Regency period, and would love to visit that time period!

 

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

 

I’ve done a Vision Quest on a Lakota reservation.

 

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

 

Probably taking the Vision Quest trip. I went with people I didn’t know at all or know well, which was stepping out of my comfort zone. I slept in a tent when my idea of camping is a hotel without a restaurant. I prepared for the Quest for months, including taking Lakota language lessons. And, no, I didn’t understand everyone, but I understood some.      

 

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

I hope readers leave my books feeling good, feeling that they had fun with the characters and the story, and feeling that they want to read the next book.

 

R: Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I have a general outline with plot points, but for the most part, I’m a pantser.

 

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

I used to have one craft after another going, and now that I’m writing about folk art and crafts, I want to get into those again. But, alas, I don’t have nearly the time right now!

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

My website is www.nancyhaddock.com, and you’ll find about anything you want to know there. And things you didn’t want to know!

R: Do you have any advice for beginning writers?

 

No matter what, keep writing! Whether you want and choose to be traditionally published, or you elect to e-publish, keep writing. And keep reading! Polish your skills, find a good critique group, let the stories pour out of you. If you want to be a published writer, WRITE!

 

 

 

Just for Fun:

Night or Day?  I’m a night owl, but I also need to see and be out in the sun for a while each day.  

Dog or Cat? (answer carefully)  I love dogs and cats. We have a recuse dog now, but I’m yearning for a cat. We haven’t had one since 2002 … which is waaaay too long!(R: I can understand that, Nancy! Cats are WAAAY COOL!)  Perhaps about Christmas time?

Beach or Pool?   I live a 2-minute walk from the beach, so it’s the beach for me!

Steak or salad? Love salad, but I need meat!

Favorite Drink?  Sweet tea

Favorite Book?  Argh! I don’t have a single favorite; I have dozens and dozens!

Favorite TV Series?  Again, multiple favs, but NCIS is high on the list.

Favorite Movie?  I’m going with Father Goose.

Favorite Actor:  Cary Grant is my all-time fav!

Favorite Actress: Hmm. Katharine Hepburn.

Dirty Martini or Pina Colada? Pina Colada though I’m allergic to the alcohol in both.

Hawaii or Alaska? Hawaii

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

If I had just one wish, it would be … is world peace too Miss Congeniality? I would truly love to live in a world without conflict and constant threats.

 

If I could trade places with anyone in the world, it would be no one. We all have our unique talents and skills, life victories and life challenges. I’d rather deal with my own challenges than someone else’s.

 

Thanks, Nancy! Folks here’s where you can find out more about her:

 

Contact:   nancy@nancyhaddock.com

Website:  www.nancyhaddock.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/NancyHaddockAuthor

Twitter: @tikinancy or @nancyhaddock

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1284339.Nancy_Haddock

 

 

Nancy will give away a copy of Basket Case, paperback or e-book, winner’s choice, to one lucky commenter! (US entries only, please)

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 Thursday October 22.

 

Rocco welcomes NYT Bestselling author Margaret Coel to the blog!

Rocco welcomes NYT Bestselling author Margaret Coel!

Margaret Coel is the author of nineteen award-winning mystery novels set among the Arapahos on Wyoming’s Wind River Reservation, including THE MAN WHO FELL FROM THE SKY, the most recent entry in what Booklist calls “the consistently strong Wind River series.”  The novels feature Jesuit priest Father John O’Malley and Arapaho attorney Vicky Holden. She is also the author of two suspense novels set in Denver.

Margaret’s novels have been on the bestseller lists of the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Denver Post and the Rocky Mountain News.  She is a six-time winner of the Colorado Book Award  and a winner of the Willa (Cather) Award for Best Novel  of the West.  She has received the Frank Waters Award for “exemplary literary achievement,” the High Plains Emeritus Literary Award for “a lifetime of outstanding work, ” and the Colorado Arts and Humanities Lifetime Achievement Award. THE SPIDER’S WEB received the 2010 Hillerman Sky Award for the most evocative descriptions of the Southwest. 

She is also the author of the short story collection Watching Eagles Soar as well as many articles for publications such as American Heritage and The New York Times.  She has published four non-fiction books, including CHIEF LEFT HAND, a history of the Arapahos, published by the University of Oklahoma Press and winner of the Best Non-Fiction Book Award from the National Association of Press Women.  The Colorado Historical Society lists both Chief Left Hand and GOIN’ RAILROADING, the book Margaret wrote with her father, among the best 100 books on Colorado history.   

Margaret is a fourth-generation Coloradan. She resides in Boulder where she writes from a study that looks out over the Rocky Mountains.  A herd of deer graze on the hill outside her window and from time to time, a mountain lion will wander past.  “Everyday,” she says, “I drink in the West.” 

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

Thanks Rocco. I think I was born a writer.  It is the only thing I ever wanted to do and, as it turns out, the only thing I’ve done.  I got a degree in journalism and French literature, went to work as a newspaper reporter, graduated to writing magazine articles and non-fiction books. And finally landed where I had always wanted to be: writing novels.

R: Tell us about your Wind River Mystery series. What inspired that? 

My first non-fiction book was a history of the Arapahos when they lived on the plains of Colorado, as well as a biography of one of their great chiefs.  It is titled Chief Left Hand and is still in print after thirty-some years.  The five years I spent researching and writing that book took me into the Arapaho world.  I have never left.

R: Tell us about your other series, Catherine McLeod. 

I’m a native of Denver, and I think of my McLeod series as love letters to the city.  I wanted to write about an urban Arapaho, caught up in the day-to-day madness of city life.  Since I had veen a reporter in Denver, I thought my urban Arapaho character would be a reporter.  So Catherine McLeod was born. 

R:  Your series feature the Arapahos prominently.  How did you become interested in them?

They were the people of the plains in Colorado. Half of Colorado once belonged to them and the Cheyennes.  I’m a 4^th generation Coloradan, and I was always interested in the people who had been here before my people and everybody else came and changed everything.  I started reading about these tribes.  You never know where you’ll go when you read a book, and pretty soon, I was researching and planning my own book on the Arapahos.

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?

When I had finished my first novel (you cannot sell what you don’t have!) I went to writers conferences and met with editors and agents.  I had perfected my elevator pitch:  I have written a novel like Tony Hillerman’s novels.  At least that got their attention.  Several editors asked to see the manuscript.  I did not send it.  Instead, I contacted agents I had liked and told them editors were waiting to see the manuscrpt.  It worked.  I had several agents offer to represent me, and I chose the one I thought I could work best with.

How did I feel when the call came that the novel was sold? Ecstatic and scared, because Berkley Publishing, which had  bought the novel, also wanted two more.  So I had to get right to work.  No time to celebrate.

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

Quiet.  My own office. I’m not a writer who can write at Starbucks or on airplanes.  I need a cup of tea nearby. 

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

 Gettysburg when Lincoln spoke.  That must have been awesome.

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

I am a seriously addicted movie fan, especially old movies.  I love them all and spend wayyyyy too  much time watching them, over and over again sometimes.  Godfather, anybody?  Any movie with Cary Grant and Doris Day?  Count me in.

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

   Went to visit a very dangerous site on the Wind River Reservation against the advice of my  Arapaho friends.  But I was writing about the place and wanted to see it.  When I got there, I interrupted a drug deal and got shot at!  As a result I was shot at.  Now that was crazy.

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

Maybe an appreciation of the American West and our rich and riveting history.  Maybe a little insight into Arapaho culture and history.  Most of all I hope they feel they had a good time reading.

R: Are you a plotter or a pantser? 

Definitely a plotter, but not a detailed plotter.  I start with what I call my roadmap.  That is, vague idea of where I’m going and how to get there.  Very vague, because wonderful things happen in the writing process—characters start speaking up for themselves—and I don’t want to have the plot so well defined that I can’t let that happen.

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

I played competitive tennis for years, but have recently cut back.  I like to walk and hike.  Any outdoor activity suits me fine.

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

My website:  margaretcoel.com.  And my Facebook page. 

R: Do you have any advice for beginning writers?

Write.  Write.  Write.  You have to keep at it, no matter what.  My guess is no writer gets published without a lot of determination and perseverance.

Thank you, Margaret.

Margaret will give away a copy of her new book, THE MAN WHO FELL FROM THE SKY, 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, October 17.

ROCCO welcomes....NYT Bestselling Author LAURA CHILDS in the Hotseat!

Join me in welcoming….Laura Childs!

 

Laura Childs is the author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbooking Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries.  Her books have been named to the USA Today and New York Times bestseller lists and been featured selections of the Mystery Guild’s Mystery Book Club.  Her newest Scrapbooking Mystery, Parchment and Old Lace, was just released.

 Visit Laura at www.laurachilds.com 

 

R: Welcome Laura, we’re so happy to have you here. Tell us a little about your background – how did you become interested in writing?

LC:Thank you Rocco, it’s nice to be here. Well, I started writing when I was a kid – school newspapers, poetry, short stories. After college I worked as a writer/producer for several ad agencies, doing mainly TV and radio. That springboarded me into launching my own marketing firm, which I ran for 20 years. Along the way, I also banged out 3 screenplays and a so-so novel. When I decided to do a major lifestyle switcheroo, I sold my agency and (lucky, lucky) also sold my first series. That was the Tea Shop Mystery series which catapulted me into a whole new career.  

 

R:What inspired your Tea Shop Mystery series?

LC:Really, a love of tea and a crazy idea that I could build a mystery series around a snoopy lady who owned a classy but cozy tea shop.

 

R:What’s your favorite tea?

LC:Gotta love those Japanese green teas.

 

R:Tell us about your other series, the Scrapbooking Mysteries and the Cackleberry Club Mysteries. What inspired each of them?

 LC:My Scrapbooking Mysteries take place in New Orleans and, like the city itself, are slightly edgier. Carmela, my main character, owns Memory Mine scrapbooking shop in the French Quarter and is constantly getting into hot water with her friend, Ava, who owns a voodoo shop.

 The Cackleberry Club Mysteries are a tale of three forty-plus Midwestern ladies who have all lost their husbands and run a cozy café called the Cackleberry Club. Eggs are the morning specialty with murder and sleuthing on the side.

 

R: Tell us a bit about your latest release, PARCHMENT AND OLD LACE.

LC: In this cozy-thriller, scrapbook maven Carmela Bertrand tries to track down the killer of a young bride-to-be who’s been brutally murdered in a New Orleans cemetery. There’s a whole batch of colorful, dysfunctional suspects, and some snippets of antique lace and parchment that become critical clues. The story comes to a head at a raucous casino party and ends with a frantic chase through an abandoned theme park. (Trust me, there’s not a dull moment.) Oh yeah, and I include scrapbook tips and recipes for Pecan Pie Muffins, Sweet Potato Casserole, and Big Easy Butter Chicken.

 

R: How do you “get to know” your character before and while you’re writing the books?

 LC:Well, I don’t think about characters all that much. I work so quickly and frantically that I never get around to creating character sketches. Instead, I just start writing and the characters begin to come alive. They’re inside my head, yammering to be let out so they can jump onto the page. It’s a kick.

 

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

 LC: Most definitely an outline. Plus I always need to sketch out my kickoff and finale scenes. And it doesn’t hurt to throw in lots of action scenes either. I pretty much subscribe to the thriller writer’s rule of thumb:  Three disasters and a big ending!

 

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

 LC:The biggest challenge is writing 3 or 4 books per year. I have to stay extremely focused and write 5 to 6 days a week, almost all day long. My main inspiration is fear – fear I’ll miss a deadline, fear it won’t be good enough.

 

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

LC:I have an illustrator friend who put me in touch with mystery great Mary Higgins Clark. Mary became a sort of fairy godmother to me and gifted me with her hotshot agent.

 

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

 LC: Right now I’m working on CREPE FACTOR, the next Scrapbook Mystery, EGG DROP DEAD, the next Cackleberry Club Mystery, and BLOWDOWN, the next book in my new Afton Tangler Thriller Series. After that the future gets kind of cloudy.

 

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

LC: Sign a 12-book contract.

 

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

 LC: Maybe that I’m an adrenaline junky. I adore fast cars, jumping horses, and challenging myself on black diamond ski runs.

 

Just for Fun:

 

Night or Day?

 Night. I could be part vampire.

 

Dog or Cat? (answer carefully)

 

I adore both cats and dogs. But right now I just have 2 Chinsese Shar-Pei.

 

Beach or Pool?

 Beach in Mexico, very hot sun, very cold Cerveza with lime.

 

Steak or Salad?

 Rare steak. And, yeah, I want those fries.

 

Favorite Drink?

 Red wine. Very good red wine.

 

Favorite Book?

 Gone With The Wind. (I’m a romantic at heart) (Rocco: Ah, the Human’s favorite book too!)

 

Favorite TV Series

 The Walking Dead. (But I like gritty TV)

 

Favorite Movie.

 Blade Runner.

 

If I could meet anyone in the world, past or present, it would be – My great, great grandfather who was an officer in Napoleon’s army.

 

If I could trade places with anyone in the world, it would be – stylist Rachel Zoe. (For all those free Chanel jackets!)

 

Thank you Laura, for a wonderful interview!  Don’t miss the latest Scrapbooking Mystery, PARCHMENT AND OLD LACE, out today!

 

Good news, folks!  Laura will give away an autographed copy of PARCHMENT AND OLD LACE to two lucky commenters!

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 the Human 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, October 11!

 

 

Let's welcome in October with guest poster Leigh Perry! (aka Toni L. P Kelner! )

 

 

 

 

 

My Favorite Haunted House

By Leigh Perry

 

As I worked on The Skeleton Haunts a House, my forthcoming Family Skeleton mystery, I did quite a bit of research about running haunted house attractions. Naturally, I remembered some of the haunted houses I’ve gone to over the years.

There was the one at my elementary school Halloween carnival, which was big on other kids’ parents dressed as cackling witches who made sure nobody got overly scared. There was the dark ride at the boardwalk in Daytona Beach, FL, notable for having a speaker installed so people waiting could hear the people inside screaming. (It was also notable for having a cute guy running it, which is why my big sister Connie took me on it multiple times.) There was the haunt sponsored by the Nature Museum in Charlotte, NC, which I attended many years and eventually worked at myself. Charlotte’s Carowinds theme park had a Scooby-Doo themed ride where I could shoot at Creepers and Ghost Clowns. All were fun—and scary—in their own way.

But my favorite haunted house will always be the Haunted Mansion at Disney. Both the Disneyland and Magic Kingdom versions have everything I want in a haunted house:

·      Atmosphere. Though the mansions are different on the outside, inside they’re both dripping with the same spooky atmosphere: macabre props like gargoyles and paintings whose eyes follow you, moving suits of armor, withered plants, alarming sound effects, and graveyard scenes.

·      Colorful scare actors. Most of the scares in the Haunted Mansion or mechanical or Audio-Animatronic, but there are a handful of doleful hosts in gloomy outfits around to add to the experience. If you go to Mickey’s Not-so-Scary Halloween party, some of the characters even come outside the mansion to tell stories and join the parade.

·      A storyline. Actually, there are several storylines as you go through the house: the Ghost Host’s story, a bride’s many marriages and their subsequent ends, dancing ghosts and dueling ghosts, Madame Leota’s tales from the crystal ball. It’s not just a random zombie jumping out at you from behind a corner.

·      Honest frights. As many times as I’ve gone through the Haunted Mansion, every time I listen to the Ghost Host in the gallery giving his spiel about the house, knowing what’s coming next, when the thunderclap strikes and it’s revealed just how the Host became Ghost, I jump. Maybe I even scream a little. And that’s just to start!

·      Boos without gore. I don’t mind a fake puddle of blood now and then, but I really don’t need a fountain of the stuff. For me, haunted houses work just fine when less is more.

·      Humor. Humor and horror go together—I like to alternate them to make the scares scarier and the jokes funnier. Whether it’s riding in Doom Buggies, the Grim Grinning Ghosts singing, or the Hitchhiking Ghost at the end, as far as I’m concerned the Haunted Mansion strikes that balance perfectly. (The puns on the tombstones tickle my funny bone, too.)

 

Now that I look at this list, I realize it’s kind of what I was going for with The Skeleton Haunts a House: the atmosphere of a haunted house, a university, and a college town; plenty of memorable characters; a storyline, of course; scary moments; violence off-screen; and with Sid the Skeleton around, there are going to be jokes.

Well, if I’m going to borrow ideas, at least I’m borrowing from the best!

 

 

 

Leigh Perry writes the Family Skeleton mysteries for Berkley Prime Crime. The Skeleton Haunts a House, the third, is due out October 6, just in time for the start of the haunting season. As Toni L.P. Kelner, she’s the co-editor of paranormal fiction anthologies with Charlaine Harris; the author of eleven mystery novels; and an Agatha Award winner and multiple award nominee for short fiction. No matter what you call her, she lives north of Boston with two daughters, two guinea pigs, and one husband. For an excerpt of The Skeleton Haunts a House and far more information than you probably want about Leigh, visit her online at www.leighperryauthor.com.

Break Time!

Ah, it's that time of year again, when the Human has to stop and recharge her batteries for the latter half of the year!  and whilst she is doing that, I, ROCCO, shall be busy, preparing questions for interviews for the Fall, getting ready for HAMLET AND NICK'S FURTABULOUS LAUNCH PARTY on Facebook to celebrate the release of PLOT BOILER and CLAWS FOR ALARM, and reading cozies from that big box the mailman delivered for interviews for Night Owl!

We have goodies planned for the remainder of the year, interview -wise. Here's a sample...

October 6 - Laura Childs
October 13 - Margaret Coel
October 19 - Nancy Haddock

Plus we hope to have Wendy Corsi Staub and Laura Levine join us before the year is out. Oh, and don't forget November 3, when Hamlet and I team up to interview Ali Brandon and the HUMAN!

Should be fun......

We return with a vengeance on September 29 when Toni L. P. Kelner is our guest poster!

In themeantime, click on the link below to read some of my Night Owl Reviews!
https://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Reviews?Reviewer="Rocco LoTempio"


Have a great September, kitties!!!!!!
See you soon!



ROCCO
INCREDIBLE BLOGGING CAT