Q&A with Shannon Baker

This week, we sat down with Shannon Baker, author of the Nora Abbott Mysteries. Her latest, Tattered Legacy, was released earlier this month!

Midnight Ink: How long have you been writing?

Shannon Baker: My daughter turned 30 last week, so it’s been about that long. I’m not one of those artists who came out of the womb with a story to tell. When I was 11, I wrote a poem and it won some awards and netted me attention. When my older sister read the poem, she declared I’d stolen it from her and informed me SHE was the writer in the family, not me. I believed her, even after a college prof wrote on an essay, “You have a real facility for the language. Consider being an English major?” When I became a stay-at-home mother, I needed some outlet, so I started writing.

MI: What influence have other authors had on your writing?

SB: Way back when dirt was new, I read “And Ladies of the Club” by Helen Hooven Santmyer. I loved that book—a sweeping saga. I’d read that she wrote it when she was in her 80s and I figured if I wanted to ever get good enough to write such a big book, I’d better get started. I was big into Franklin Day Planner and The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People, so I wrote out a long-term plan, medium, and short-term, complete with daily tasks. I’ve long since lost the plan, but it got me moving. A body in writing stays in writing.

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

SB: If I weren’t a writer AND I had a ton o’ money, I’d go SCUBA diving a lot. A whole lot. I’d also hike mountains and kayak rivers. Skiing, riding a bike in Europe, hiking the Camino de Santiago, and climbing to Machu Picchu seem like great ways to fill my days. Oh, and the Great Wall and volcanoes in Costa Rica….

MI: If you have a job outside of writing, what is it?

SB: I have an MBA and really loved being the tactician in start-ups. Not the strategist—I have no vision. But I rock at follow-through. (Or, I used to. I’m much less driven now.) I’m pretty happy being a stay-at-home writer, although I miss the regular paycheck.

MI: What are your favorite things to do when you’re not writing or working?

SB: See the answer above, but without the money side. I ride my bike and hike, backpack, float on lakes, and a couple of times of year, if I’m lucky, I get to go diving. When I’m deep into writing avoidance, I like to bake and cook. And always, there’s a book to read.

MI: Who is your favorite mystery sleuth and why?

SB: I came late to the mystery game. I’m playing catch-up so I don’t have the repertoire of classics. But lately, I’m loving Craig Johnson’s Walt Longmire. And I’m eating up Jessica Lourey’s Mira James.  With Walt, I love his humor and connection with the natural world, plus, I’m a sucker for Wyoming. With Mira, she makes me laugh out loud.

MI: Do you have a favorite murder case from a book (either yours or another author’s)?

SB: This question makes me feel so stupid! My brain doesn’t hang on to details like this. I’m much more of a “SQUIRREL!” type. So I can tell you what’s going on right now. My brilliant and slightly deranged husband is days away from retiring from 40 years as a BNSF conductor. I am writing a book set in rural Nebraska with a murder on a freight train and I asked him for ideas. His plan, which took him an alarmingly short time to come up with, involves suspending a railroad tie from a bridge and decapitating an engineer.

MI: What was your inspiration for this series?

SB: When we moved to Flagstaff in 2006, there was a huge controversy raging over pumping treated wastewater to the ski resort just outside of town. While creating a constant snow supply would be good business for the town, the ski resort sits on a peak sacred to 12 separate tribes. My first thought was, “Someone’s going to die over this.” So I wrote Tainted Mountain. When Midnight Ink offered to publish it, they asked if it was a series, and I said, “Yes, yes of course.” Then I had to set about making it one.

MI: How does this book/series compare to your past works?

SB: I’d published a thriller in 2010 with a Nano-press. I didn’t really know I’d written a mystery with Tainted Mountain, I thought it was a thriller. So after I sold it, I started reading lots of mysteries and some series. Now I consider myself a mystery writer and have every intention of sticking around here!

MI: What inspired Nora Abbott’s character?

SB: I wanted to write about the man-made snow controversy in Flagstaff and I thought about who would care the most. Obviously, the ski resort owner. Then I wondered how to make her more conflicted, so I made her an environmentalist. I was working for The Grand Canyon Trust at the time. It’s an environmental non-profit with the goal of protecting and restoring the Colorado Plateau. (The area from south of Flagstaff to southern Utah, including the Grand Canyon.) The people at the Trust are pretty passionate about their work, so I had some great examples to work from.

MI: How did the ancient Hopi culture make it into your books?

SB: When I started to research the sacred aspects of the San Francisco Peaks—where they wanted to pump treated wastewater—I came across the Hopi tribe. They are a fascinating culture. One of the smallest, oldest, and poorest tribes in the country, they believe they are responsible for the balance of the whole world. They are also very secretive. So, of course, I chose to write about them. I could write a twenty book series and still not cover all the mysteries of the Hopi tribe.

MI: Saving and conserving the environment is a huge part of your Nora Abbott series. Is this a significant part of your life as well?

SB: I worked for The Grand Canyon Trust, but my job was finance director of the cattle operation on the North Rim. It’s ironic that an organization that fights overgrazing all over the west runs cattle, but there is a reason. By buying up nearly one million acres of land and leasing rights, the Trust could reduce the number of cattle to the bare minimum required by the government, instead of letting a commercial cattle operation run the maximum allowable and pillaging the delicate landscapes.

But I’d spent 20 years in the cattle country of Nebraska so my perspective was a little different from the enviros at the Trust. However, I’d been living in Boulder, CO before moving to Flagstaff, and environmental awareness drifts off the Flatirons like pine pollen. So, yeah, I’m kind of conflicted.

Am I an environmental activist? No. But I am aware and I try to leave as little trace as possible, especially in the wild places.

MI: Do you have a pet? Tell us about him/her.

SB: PUPPY! We lost our last Boxer in 2012 and since our lives were in such flux at the time, we decided to hold off getting another pet until we were more settled. We’ve been a very sad household without a dog. But since we’re heading down to Tucson and staying home full-time in less than 90 days, we’re getting a Weimeraner puppy. The mother’s been ultra-sounded and she’s due March 26^th, which means we’ll have our little bundle of pee, poop, needle-teeth and joy in May!

A Weimeraner puppy, like the one that will soon join the Baker family.

MI: What food could you live off of for the rest of your life?

SB: Pizza. Or tacos.

MI: Do you have a favorite recipe?

SB: My mother was the world’s worst cook. Seriously awful. When I got married, I moved to the ruralist of rural Nebraska and my mother-in-law taught me how to cook. But I never used recipes (except for baking), just threw in this and that. About 5 years ago, a friend gave me a subscription to a cooking magazine and I started to make the recipes, getting the right ingredients and measuring them.  I’m totally amazed at what a better cook I am now!

MI: What’s your favorite part about being an Inker?

SB: I treasure the friendships I’ve made at Midnight Ink and the feeling of camaraderie. It’s so wonderful to walk into a conference and see other Inkers and feel like part of the group. Everyone has been so helpful, generous, and FUN! The other aspect of being an Inker is being part of a respected press. MI has street cred in the mystery world. When I approach a bookstore or other venue to set up an event, I’m often met with a cautious reaction. Then I tell them I’m published by Midnight Ink and the smiles open up.

 Tattered Legacy is available online and in bookstores now!

Q&A with Jennifer Harlow

This week, we sat down with Jennifer Harlow, whose third Midnight Magic Mystery, Witch Upon a Star, was released earlier this month.

Midnight Ink: How long have you been writing?

Jennifer Harlow: I’ve always been a storyteller in some capacity. When I was a child, I barely left my room because I was always playing with my Barbie dolls. I’d even fake sick far more than I should so I could stay home from school and continue their adventures. When I got too old for that, I moved from pen to paper. Once again school suffered as I’d write my stories in class instead of paying attention. I cut my teeth on screenplays, then when I was nineteen I decided to try writing a book. I haven’t stopped since.

MI: What influence have other authors had on your writing?

JH: Without question I learned from the masters: Janet Evanovitch, Laurell K. Hamilton, and Stan Lee. From Evanovitch I learned how to incorporate humor, mystery, and sexual tension while keeping a quick pace in the story. Hamilton showed the perfect was to combine two genres effectively, thriller and paranormal, and that a heroine doesn’t have to always be a sweet, perfect woman. She can have a hard edge and still be likable. From Stan Lee’s comics, especially X-Men, hidden in the action scenes and love triangles was a parable on prejudice and acceptance of self no matter how different you are from the crowd. I can only pray I do my idols justice with my own work.

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

JH: Advice columnist. Everyone I know comes to me with their problems, and they all say I help them. It’d be wonderful to get paid for it.

MI: What is/are your favorite thing/s to do when you’re not writing or

working?

JH: In my old age I have basically become a teenage boy. I’ve gotten obsessed with video games. Lately I’ve been addicted to the Dragon Age games. They are like crack.

MI: Who is your favorite mystery sleuth and why?

JH: I can’t decide! That’s like choosing a favorite child. The list includes: Miss Marple, Stephanie Plum, Sydney Rye, Poirot, Harry Bosch, Jaine Austen, okay I’m stopping now. So many!

MI: What was your inspiration for the Midnight Magic Mysteries?

JH: I wanted to expand the F.R.E.A.K.S. world and also get a bit more romance in it. The F.R.E.A.K.S. is more action and mystery oriented, following the misadventures of Special Agent Beatrice Alexander. In the Midnight Magic series they’re stand alone, following one woman in her quest for understanding and love but with some action and mystery thrown in for flavor.

MI: How does Witch Upon A Star compare to your past works?

JH: This book begins decades before Bea ever joined the F.R.E.A.K.S., years before the super-natural co-op began, or before Vivian and Jason met. This is a prequel to all the books that came before. It’s also a very dark, twisty romance between two very lost souls that doesn’t end in a traditional way. 

MI: Tell us about Anna Olmstead.

JH: I introduced the character in the second F.R.E.A.K.S book, To Catch a Vampire. She’s a witch, a former FREAK who helped Beatrice with a case a murderous vampires, something she had a lot of experience with having been raised and then falling in love with a vampire named Asher.  She also has ties to the Goodnight Coven I introduced in What’s A Witch To Do?  Basically the events that occurred with her set in motion every event in both the F.R.E.A.K.S. and Midnight Magic series. The supernatural co-op, the events in the Eastern Pack, Oliver joining the F.R.E.A.K.S., it all stems from the adventures of Anna Olmstead Asher West.

MI: Do you have a pet? Tell us about him/her.

JH: I have a six-month-old Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier named Elsa Lanchester, after the actress who played the Bride of Frankenstein. Potty training has been a nightmare!

Elsa Lanchester

MI: What food could you live off of for the rest of your life?

JH: French fries. I cannot live without them.

MI: Do you have a favorite recipe?

JH: A White Russian. One shot Vodka, ¾ shot of Kahlua, half a cup of cream served over ice. Like drinking Starbucks coffee that gets you soused. Yum.

MI: What’s your favorite part about being an Inker?

JH: The community. Everyone is really there for each other when we have questions or concerns. We’re a lucky group.

Witch Upon a Star is available online and in bookstores now!

Q&A with Deirdre Verne

This week, we sat down with Deirdre Verne, debut author of Drawing Conclusions, which was released last month!

Midnight Ink: How long have you been writing?

Deirdre Verne: I’ve been writing on and off for eight years. The first few years were exploratory—thinking through potential plots and characters. The last five years have been full steam ahead.

MI: What influence have other authors had on your writing?

DV: When my oldest son was a year old, he caught the flu. I was up all night, every night. A friend handed me the first three Janet Evanovich books to keep me occupied, and I was hooked from the first page.

I’m also a big fan of Harlan Coben and Nelson DeMille. 

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

DV: Writing is my third career.  I worked for ten years as a marketing professional after college. Then, I became a college professor.  As for a fourth career, I have visions of running a bed and breakfast in a seaside town. I’m not sure I can pull this off, but it’s definitely on my bucket list.

MI: If you have a job outside of writing, what is it?

DV: I’ve been teaching marketing for fifteen years at Westchester Community College. I have a popular college blog where I unravel the mystery of what is really going on in a teacher’s head. 

MI: What is/are your favorite thing/s to do when you’re not writing or working?

DV: My main character, CeCe Prentice, is a dumpster-diver. Although I have pulled some choice pieces of furniture out of dumpsters, I much prefer a good flea market or antique fair. However, if the opportunity to dive presents itself, I’m game.  I recently salvaged a set of antique windows from my neighbor’s renovation project and had the windows converted into a china cabinet.

MI: Who is your favorite mystery sleuth and why?

DV: I have a crush on Nelson DeMille’s Detective John Corey. He’s got the right balance of sarcasm and swagger.

MI: Do you have a favorite murder case from a book (either yours or another author’s)?

DV: A few years ago, a publishing insider gave me an advanced review copy of the third book in Stieg Larsson’s  Millenium trilogy. I couldn’t bring myself to read it because I didn’t want the series to end.  The Girl With The Dragoon Tattoo was such a great read that I’m still saving The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest for a rainy day.

 

MI: How does it feel to have your first book published? Tell us about your publishing journey.

DV: Unlike other creative careers, writing is difficult to communicate until your book is published.  A musician can hum a few bars and a painter can hang a painting. I’m sure other authors would agree that there is nothing more awkward than explaining that you write without anything to show as evidence. As a result, having a physical book in hand feels really good.  

MI: What was your inspiration for this series and/or book?

DV: My inspiration for this series was the positive energy surrounding the Green movement. I’d love to tell readers that I’m an avid environmentalist or that I’m growing my own food, but the reality is that I’m a pretty average consumer. The topic, however, truly interests me and I think it’s important.  As a result of writing this series, I’ve tried to change my family’s consumption behavior, and I hoping to continue on this path.

MI: Tell us about CeCe.

DV: CeCe Prentice always takes the road less traveled, never looking over her shoulder to see if she made the right decision.  She’s confident and challenging with a razor-sharp wit, and although you might be put off by her life choices, you’ll quickly find she’s a steadfast friend. 

MI: Do you have a pet? Tell us about him/her.

DV: Welcome to our on-going family debate. My husband and children want a cat. I want a dog. This stalemate has been going on for two years and I’d like to open the voting up to readers.  Dog or cat? Please help us decide.

MI: If you don’t have a pet, do you have a favorite animal?

DV: Clearly, I’m a dog person, but I married a cat person. Maybe there’s a support group for us?

MI: What food could you live off of for the rest of your life?

DV: Grilled cheese on rye with bacon and tomato. Unfortunately, I can’t remember the last time I had one!

MI: Do you have a favorite recipe?

DV: I cook a good old-fashioned family meal at least five nights a week. I do this under protest, but my family seems appreciative and my children are meeting their growth chart milestones, so the meals keep coming.  My children’s favorite is chicken potpie. Like all of my meals, I don’t use a recipe.  I make it up as I go, but I’d be happy to share my favorite staple—College Inn chicken stock.

MI: What’s your favorite part about being an Inker?

DV: Writing is lonely, especially when you’re toiling away as unpublished author. I’m gratefully for the support and friendship I received as a member of Midnight Ink.

 Drawing Conclusions is available online and in bookstores now!

Rolling a Snowball Uphill: My Theory on Book Marketing

by Shannon Baker

Happy Book Birthday to Tattered Legacy whose official release date was yesterday. This is the third book in the Nora Abbott series and my fourth published book. AND I KNOW NOTHING. (Raise your hand if you added, “Jon Snow.”)

I am a marketing novice, fumbling around, making mistakes, missing opportunities. But here’s the thing, I knew less than nothing before I started out. By the time my first book came out in 2010, I’d been an active member of Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers for so long I think they called me Granny Shanny behind my back. I was published with a nano press, the puppy mill of presses, and knew I was on my own.

I’d heard about promotion and had taken notes in a zillion (give or take a few) workshops. So I sent out press releases and pleas for reviews. I think the only reviewer that bit was the famed Harriot Klausner (is she still around?) and man, she reviewed everyone.

When the first of the Nora books hit the shelves, I was smack in the middle of a new job. Midnight Ink got it reviewed with the big guys and they had distribution, so I sent out some emails, did one book launch signing, and signed up for a few conferences. I couldn’t see that my efforts made any great difference in sales. But I had a whale of a great time at conferences meeting other writers, hearing what they were up to, both in the writing and marketing side.

One marketing expert told me not to waste my money on conferences. They don’t sell books. But for me, conferences are fuel. I love writers and getting to hang out with them for several days in a row is heaven. I never counted conferences as a marketing tool, that was “me” time for which I must carry around the attendant guilt.

But over and over I was getting the defeating message that all efforts were futile. Blog tours didn’t work. Book signings were a waste of time. I knew from personal experience that press releases were like blowing dandelion seeds into the wind. In the meantime, life threw me for a slight loop-de-loop and when Broken Trust came out last March, I let the defeatists win me over.

Why bother? I didn’t set up one single launch event. I can’t remember if I visited any blogs. I think I probably posted on Facebook a time or two. I threw up my hands and cried uncle. I still went to the conferences, not believing they were doing much for my career, but because they were so much fun.

I’m not sure exactly what happened to smack me upside the head and pull me out of that sad, dark place. It could have been that a bestselling writer, one I’d met at these “fun” conferences, offered to read a the first few chapters and synopsis of a new book I was working on and praised it. Or maybe because my editor loved the book I’d just turned in and said it was the best so far. It could be a nomination for an affirming award or maybe it was that winter finally pulled down the curtain and spring bloomed bright and warm (no small consideration). Whatever the cause, the effect was me emerging from my stupor to start paying attention to marketing.

A friend prodded me with Guerrilla Marketing’s tip to do five things every day, even if they’re small. I got a few bits of SWAG, I drew up a marketing plan for Tattered Legacy, broke it down by month, put specific tasks with completion dates…just like a real business.

I had no expectations for this launch. My goal was to do some things that might help but that I would enjoy. I wanted it to be a celebration of publishing this story that I am proud to have written.

Fellow Inkers Cricket McRae and Mark Stevens and me signing at B&N Loveland March 7 

Here’s what surprised me: I decided to plan a blog tour and thought of the most popular sites I knew. It turns out, these conferences I’d felt guilty about spending money on, had presented an opportunity to get to know lots of people. And some of them had popular blogs and readily agreed to host me.

I set up some book signings, again, just for fun. The first one out of the chute, The Bull Bash in Valentine, Nebraska on Valentine’s Day (MI did me the great favor of printing early enough to have books) was a bigger success than I could have imagined. I’ve done a half dozen of the blog stops and they’ve been fun. I sent out a boat-load of press releases and, gasp, gotten about a 30% response rate.

I can’t tell you if any of this will net sales. But I can tell you this, even though it’s a ton more work than not doing anything, it’s way more fun than doing nothing. I am determined to figure out Twitter. So far, I am half-assed with it because I just don’t get how it works. I’m building my email list and even sent out my first newsletter (which isn’t going to be a newsletter but sort of an announcement thing every now and then).

I’m a total marketing novice but I’m starting to see that hardly anyone starts out on top. It’s a growth  process. Some writers take to it naturally and they shoot up. Some of us are slow starters with inching progress, but everyone grows with one reader at a time. Since I normally spend the bulk of my self-esteem energy looking at what I haven’t accomplished or comparing myself to super stars and falling short, it surprised me one day to realize I have made progress. I don’t have fans sending me daily emails, but some people I don’t know have read my books and bought more.

I’m going to end with advice I’ve heard over and over and am only now believing. You can’t do it all so pick a few things you enjoy. Do those. You might not see a big impact but keep doing it. I am convinced that marketing is like rolling a snowball uphill. It’s work and you have to keep pushing but eventually your results will grow exponentially. I’m at the base of the hill so those of you at the top who can let it roll down the other side without effort, do not put a blow torch to my theory.

Today, in celebration of Tattered Legacy hitting the shelves, I’m guest blogging at Dru’s Book Musings and Get Lost in a Story, both with giveaways. And if you don’t win there, pop over to Goodreadsand sign up for a giveaway there, too. 

March 2015 Books Available Now!

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Dying For A Little Class

By Tj O’Connor, author of Dying to Know, Dying for the Past & Dying to Tell

 

Dying is overrated. Having a little class is not.

Stop scratching your head. If you’re a struggling author like me, this will all make sense. If you’re a successful author like we all hope to be, pay attention and remember that catchphrase.

When I was a young boy, I had a tough upbringing at times. I read everything I could get my hands on to hide and maintain a little peace of mind. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it did not. I’ve said this many times, but my early favorites were the works Franklin W. Dixon and his Hardy Boys, Gordon Shirreffs’ The Mystery of the Haunted Mine, and Barbee Carleton’s Mystery of the Witches Bridge. They were huge stories to me and set me on the path to writing. There was a bigger influence, too, and that book came full-circle from my childhood to grab my attention this past week.

That book was Six Days of the Condor by James Grady.

Sometime in the early 70s, my older brother gave me a well-worn paperback copy of Six Days of the Condor. We didn’t have a lot in common back in those days; he was already escaping life in that small town and I was pining for my chance. James Grady’s first novel was my first “mature” novel that took me from the Hardy Boys mysteries into the world of the CIA, murder, intrigue, and thrillers. Six Days was at the beginning of a career that took Mr. Grady into journalism, politics, government, and Hollywood and continues to span decades of success. His is a story well worth catching up on.

For weeks while by brother was home visiting, we spent evenings on the front porch reliving the book and talking about politics, spies, and all that. I was, for the most part, totally lost. But, when you’re a young adventurer like I was, you keep up. This was the first time I’d connected with my brother in years, and my grandfather—who soon passed far too young for my liking—joined the discussions and spun his own tales of World War II in the pacific. That summer was one of my best memories as a kid.

To say that Six Days of the Condor affected me is an understatement.  

My young world exploded. The Hardy Boys—sorry pals—went into a box. I spent hours in the library trying to learn all I could about this new thing called the CIA and everything I could read about our government, politics, and espionage. My research—hold on youngsters, there was no internet or computers—took me days in the library to learn that the best authors were in my new love of thrillers and intrigue. I found them—Alistair MacLean, John le Carré, Mickey Spillane, Robert Ludlum, Raymond Chandler …

Holy crap! Frank and Joe Hardy never packed heat or had the hot babes! They never infiltrated Nazi strongholds or shot it out with rogue spies in Washington either. Where had I been? Grade school, of course. But, boy, was I catching up.

Six Days of the Condoropened my world to great fiction and put the icing on the cake for my future. I was going to be an author. I was going to join the CIA. I was going to fight bad guys and have real life adventure. Me. This poor, barely-passing-English-kid from an unheard-of tiny town in upstate New York. Yes, me.

We all have our heroes and reasons we are who we are. Surprisingly, so many of us get them from great books. Oh, I won’t go as far as to say that James Grady made me who I am or was the single driving force behind my past thirty-six years. No, but it’s in the top three reasons and, without question, was the turning point in my young life from that constant, nagging question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” to a dream for chasing.

Why do I belabor this point? Because I’ve been a very lucky guy these past years and I don’t ever want to forget that. I was reminded of that this past Wednesday.

I never joined the CIA. But, for more than a decade, I was an agent with the OSI and ran investigations and anti-terrorism operations all over places most people only read about in books. I chased murderers, spies, and terrorists with some of the finest, most dedicated people I have ever known. Then, during the next few years in the private sector, I have had the fortune to have a mentor—Wally—who is one of the last surviving OSS—World War II’s Office of Strategic Services—operatives in the world and a former senior spook at the CIA. Through the years, I’ve met big shots all over—senior government (of many nations) leaders, politicians, movie stars, rock stars, et cetera, et cetera. I’ve even had the great fortune to know some amazing authors, too, many of whom have become my friends—like bestselling author, Stephen Frey, who has become a friend and influence on my books. And, all along the way, I sort of just took it in stride, never thought of what it meant or what it might come to.

Until last Wednesday.

Last Wednesday morning, I sat down to do some bill-paying work, and a note popped up on my computer from … James Grady. Holy crap on a peanut butter sandwich! Mr. Grady had—for some odd reason—found my mention of him in a blog about how I got started writing and doing my life’s work. He sat down and sent me a Facebook note to say hello. By coincidence, he is currently promoting his latest book, The End of the Condor, the next long-awaited sequel to Six Days of the Condor. In his note, he said something very important—and it is the reason for this blog—One day it would be humbling to have someone comment about me and that I should remember his words. We exchanged a couple more notes and the Ethernet returned to normal.

I heard you loud and clear, Mr. Grady. And thank you again.

I am not now, nor have I ever been, a fan boy. I’ve worked around—and even protected—celebrities and power-brokers in my life. It sort of becomes “just business.” Yet, there is something about one’s childhood heroes that breaks down the dulled senses and makes you feel like you’re thirteen years old again.

And yes, it was humbling—for me, too.

Mr. Grady took his valuable time to drop me a note and give me a little recognition. Of the tons of important and famous folks I’ve met, I can count on my fingers and toes those who ever did that. As an author, the simple fact that he thought enough about our craft and my work to acknowledge my start-up writing career was enough. But his message was ever more important.

So, what does a non-fan boy like me do when a childhood hero reaches out? Gush? Run around giggling like a school girl? (Maybe a little.) No, I grabbed my box of Midnight Ink Dying for the Past promo books (the second in my paranormal series that just released). I signed a copy with a nice note to Conan—a young aspiring writer from upstate New York—and express mailed it out. You see, Conan sent me a short story last year called The Great Pirate Adventure, which I commented on my Facebook page. He was, apparently, thrilled by that little bit of recognition. I’m not sure how old Conan is, but I hope he’s young enough to still be thrilled by a wanna-be author like me just saying hello.

Dying for the Pastshould be in Conan’s hands by the time this blog posts. I hope it meant as much to him as my note from James Grady. And, one day, I hope Conan writes his own novel or pursues whatever his dreams are. And, I hope he remembers my note to him and passes along that little class that Mr. Grady began this past Wednesday. 

So, as Oliver Tucker said in Dying to Know, Dying is overrated—and from me, having a little class is not.

Tj O’CONNOR IS THE AUTHOR OF DYING FOR THE PAST and DYING TO KNOW, available in books stores and e-books from Midnight Ink. His third paranormal mystery, DYING TO TELL, will be released January 2016. He is currently working on a traditional mystery and a new thriller. Tj is an international security consultant specializing in anti-terrorism, investigations, and threat analysis—life experiences that drive his novels. With his former life as a government agent and years as a consultant, he has lived and worked around the world in places like Greece, Turkey, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, and throughout the Americas—among others. He was raised in New York's Hudson Valley and lives with his wife and Lab companions in Virginia where they raised five children. Dying for the Past and Dying To Know are the first of eight novels to be published.  Learn more about Tj’s world at www.tjoconnor.com and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TjOConnor.Author

Q&A with Loretta Ross

This week, we sat down with Loretta Ross, whose debut Death and the Redheaded Woman was released last month.

Midnight Ink: How long have you been writing?

Loretta Ross: All my life. I made up my first poem when I was three and I think I started my first book when I was about seven. It never got off the ground, though. I wanted to write a story about a ghost called the Lady of the Evening but, for some reason, my mother wouldn't let me.

MI: What influence have other authors had on your writing?

LR: Gosh, that's hard to answer. I've always been fortunate to be rich in books. There are so many great teachers out there. I suppose, in terms of the craft of writing, I'd have to say that I've admired Tolkien and Kipling for their storytelling and the sheer beauty of the language they used, and Shirley Jackson and August Derleth (specifically, his short story Mr. George) for their story structure. I love Terry Pratchett's sense of humor and Brian Jacques was wonderful at creating rich, compelling characters. And then there are all the great mystery writers, who've taught me so much about how to structure a mystery: Sayers, Allingham, Stout, Queen, Doyle (of course!), Hillerman . . . . Really, I've probably learned something from every book I've ever read (even if, occasionally, what I've learned was "do NOT, under any circumstances, ever do THIS!").

Loretta Ross

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

LR: Well, I have a bachelor's degree in archaeology, though I've never done anything with it. I suppose, if I hadn't felt pulled towards writing all my life, I might have pursued that further. I don't know, though. That would be a difficult profession for someone with the temperament of a hobbit, like me. (And not a Bilbo Baggins-type hobbit, either. More a Gaffer Gamgee-type hobbit!)

MI: If you have a job outside of writing, what is it?

LR: I work full-time in the produce department at the Warsaw, Missouri, Walmart. People call me the Banana Girl, which is ironic because I'm not fond of bananas. I am very good at choosing watermelon, though, if you ever need any help with that. I also make all the gift and liquor baskets we sell at Christmas.

MI: What are your favorite things to do when you’re not writing or working?

LR: I've been working on remodeling my house. I'm doing all the work myself, so it's been going veeeerrry slowly. I am hoping to get done some time before the next ice age, though. Other than that, not much. I read a lot, of course, and there are a handful of TV shows I enjoy. I like crafting, but I just haven't had the time.

MI: Who is your favorite mystery sleuth and why?

LR: Wow! You like to ask really hard questions! There are so many, it's an almost impossible decision. If I have to pick just one, though, I'm going to go with Joe Hardy. The reason is, the first mystery I vividly remember reading, and therefore the one that introduced me to the genre, was The Cabin Island Mystery, from the Hardy Boys series. I was six, I think. I remember finding it on the bookshelf in the toy department at the old Walmart in Clinton, back before Walmart carried groceries or tires or stayed open all night.

As soon as I started reading I was hooked. I looked for new books each time we went to the store and memorized every detail of the ones I had. I can even describe the price stickers that were on them: they were little black ovals with gold trim and the price printed in gold. From that point on any book with "mystery" in the title became a must-read. In fact, the word "mystery" still makes my heart beat a little bit faster.

I'm choosing Joe because he was the youngest brother. I was also the youngest in my family, so I always identified with him.

MI: Do you have a favorite murder case from a book (either yours or another author’s)?

LR: I have a million of them. I love Dorothy Sayers' The Nine Tailors and Margery Allingham's The China Governess. Anything that has an eerie element to go with the mystery. Also, I've only just begun working on book three in the Auction Block Mysteries and that looks like it's going to be an awful lot of fun to write. (I'm not sure if that really counts, since it's not written yet. And, just for record, I'm not comparing myself to Sayers and Allingham!)

MI: How does it feel to have your first book published?

LR: Amazing. It's been the most positive experience of my life. I can't believe how enthusiastic and supportive my family and friends have been. And, as for me, I almost feel like a different person. I feel like a square peg that finally found a square hole.

MI: What was your inspiration for this series?

LR: To be honest, I wrote the first line as a joke. I was thinking I'd like to try my hand at writing a mystery-romance. With mysteries, you're always told to have a dead body on page one. I figured with a romance, you should have a naked man on page one. So I put them together and came up with a naked dead guy. Then I started thinking about what sort of situation would lead someone to finding a naked dead guy and the book pretty much just wrote itself from there.

MI: Tell us about Wren and Death.

LR: Wren Morgan is an auctioneer working for a small, family-owned company. She's quiet, respectful, a little old fashioned, but not afraid to stand up for herself or for those she cares about. A lot of times, in our society, there's this assumption that a woman can be either nice but flighty or tough but hard, a little bit mean, even. My goal for Wren is for her to be both kind and strong, a nice girl who's not necessarily fierce, but can be when she has to.

Death Bogart is a disabled Marine combat vet turned private investigator and part-time bounty hunter. Death's had a rough time. In addition to a career-ending combat injury, he's suffered personal tragedy and his trust has been badly abused. He's a strong person, but also wounded, and he's someone who doesn't know how to accept help. He was courageous in combat, but admitting that you have problems requires an entirely different kind of courage. He's also intelligent, which is a trait that I think we tend to undervalue in both men and women. He's got to adapt to his disability by being smart, and by being brave enough to allow Wren and his other friends to help him when he needs it.

Fidget

MI: Do you have a pet? Tell us about him/her.

LR: I'm a crazy cat lady. I have more cats than is sane, but I love them all (even the strays who won't let me pet them). My babies are Julius (he's orange) and Fidget. My two oldest are a pair of enormous toms, Foggy and Bert, who are inseparable. They're practically a comedy team.

I also wind up feeding a lot of wild animals. The other night I stepped outside to check the weather before I went to bed and I startled a possum and a raccoon that were right by the door eating cat food. The raccoon jumped straight up about three feet, landed on the possum, and knocked it off the porch. The raccoon ran away and the poor possum rolled across the yard and then lay there looking bewildered.

MI: If you don’t have a pet, do you have a favorite animal?

Julius

LR: This question doesn't really apply to me, but I love all animals, though I'd just as soon love bitey reptiles from the other side of a television screen. Especially the ones that are big enough to consider me a snack, like alligators and boa constrictors.

MI: What food could you live off of for the rest of your life?

LR: Peanut butter fudge. It might not be a very long or healthy life, but it would certainly be a delicious one!

MI: Do you have a favorite recipe?

LR: "Pull back film, heat for three minutes on high, let sit one minute before serving."

MI: What’s your favorite part about being an Inker?

LR: All the wonderful people I've met, both the staff at Midnight Ink and the other authors. They've all been just great!

Death and the Redheaded Woman is available online and in bookstores now!